When I first heard about this farm pizza business my first thought was the last scene in Wall-e when the man tells the kids that they'll grow pizza flowers. This place doesn't exactly grow pizza flowers but it does grow flowers and lots of yummy veggies for your pizza. Red Barn Farm of Northfield opens it's gates to pizza fans a couple of times of month. I went yesterday and found it quite enjoyable. It's a bit of a drive from where I live but quite pretty and green. The pizza fans came out in droves and we had to wait a while for our order but they do warn you about that on the website. I would say bring a game, book and wine for a relaxed afternoon. My friends and I all just lazed about chatting and looking at flowers, butterflies and ponies. When we finally did get our pizza which has vegan friendly crust (the also offer a gluten free option and dessert pizza) it was filled with fresh, crunchy veggies and I found it quite enjoyable. I'd also never had zucchini on a pizza before. My favorite however was the Greek Style made vegan (no cheese). The crushed garlic on it was sumptuous. They don't have vegan protein options nor vegan cheese but that's fine with me. I'm perfectly happy to eat a bunch of veggies with sauce, olive oil and garlic. We managed to find a place to park our chairs and blankets at the top of a little hill under a tree. Despite there being a lot of people it didn't really feel crowded. There seems to be a few more of these little places around Minnesota and Wisconsin and I am tantalized into exploring more of them.
The Wondrous Wynn
On my recent trip to Las Vegas, I realized that my favorite of the hotels for style and atmosphere is the Wynn. We did not stay there even though my boyfriend offered for us to move down there during the week. For some strange reason I said no and I have no clue why. We ended up there three times throughout the week for dinner, breakfast, drinks and just wandering around. It's got that touch of whimsy that I adore in life. I suppose my favorite thing about Las Vegas really is exploring the decorating. As someone who throws big parties and frequently works on my own house, I like to see what you can do if you have unlimited means like decorators in Las Vegas seem to have. In addition to all the art and general prettiness the owner of the Wynn is now vegan. As such vegan dining is very good at Wynn. We went to the buffet a few times as well as eating at the gorgeous Wing Lei. The food was wonderful and light, the staff so kind. And the decorating...well, it was enough to make you swoon really. Even the buffet is cute and in the morning you can get fresh made tofu scramble with all the veggies.
This Really Does Concern You
People post a million videos on Facebook and blogs. Most don't get viewed unless they are 10 seconds long and have an animal in them. None of us want to continuously be bombarded with all the terrible injustices in the world. I try not to post too many videos unless I think they are really worth watching. I was surprised to find that not only is this worth watching it actually answered questions I've had for some time about food and expiration dates. So this video does actually have an impact on your life. Everyday and directly. Not indirectly. Not in the the future. Every single day that you eat, open your fridge or go grocery shopping. I did a little more reading after seeing this and John Oliver's research team did their homework. This is factually accurate and actually delivered in a less terrifying and dire way than the truth. I know it'a not adorable and I know it's long but I strongly encourage you to watch it.
What to Eat Wednesday: China Poblano
Going to Las Vegas in the past proved complicated for a vegan diet. This recent trip I took there was much easier. As I was looking for a place for lunch one day with a friend we stumbled upon China Poblano in the Cosmopolitan(yes, I witnessed the fire). At first I had a feeling of dread as I am tired of these random fusion places that never quite work out well. I thought it might turn out like this Onion article. But as we were seated and explained that it was both Chinese and Mexican "street food" which is a trendy way of saying small plates, I was relieved that I wouldn't have to eat a Teriyaki flavored taco. Because that just does not need to happen.
The staff was helpful and offered up easy to modify suggestions for vegan food. Mostly as easy as leaving off cheese. I ended up here three times due to the convenience factor. Once it was very crowded and I will admit the people were more than a little...trying to be around. Even as far as boys catcalling girls as they walked by the tables. But that has nothing to do with the place it's self.
My one complaint I'd say is that a lot of the food is really salty. Which is good because of the need to replenish your salt in Las Vegas as you tend to sweat a lot more here but not great because you also don't go outside that much if you don't want to and well, then it's a bit much.
The staff exhibited amazing patience dealing with the large parties coming in. Many of them drunk and rude. I have to say that because they deserve the praise. I realize this is Las Vegas but people don't have to be jerks.
Anyway, I really enjoyed my 18 monk noodle dish with wheat noodles and enoki mushrooms as well as the lotus root chips with anise salt. There were other things shared around such as tacos and glass noodles, all of which was tasty. I suppose it's not a bad thing to have salty food when you're also drinking a lot. The Cosmopolitan seems to be one of the trendy, cool places to be right now as well as the Aria. I stayed at the Vdara so the access to this place was pretty easy for me as these are all connected. I would certainly say it's worth a visit as it's more reasonably priced as well and we never had to wait too long for a table at lunch. Just be polite to the staff. They've been dealing with idiots all day.
Outdoor Life Or My Attempts at a Deck Garden
Doing outdoors things to a house was never my forte. I always thought I would want a beautiful, old victorian fixer upper when I was a kid. And I probably would so long as I could pay other people to take care of it. The truth is doing outdoor planting and yard work, painting, cleaning, you name it-is an epic pain-in-the-ass and I have nothing but respect for people who keep their own gardens and house up. It takes so much time, work and money. I can scarcely wrap my head around it.
I live in a town house. It's a pretty nice place if a little boring on the outside. The inside was boring as well but is slowly(and I do mean slowly) coming to life. There's never enough time, money or sometimes even desire to do all the stuff to make a place more than a storage box where you sleep. Plus, I think my boyfriend would live in a the barest, most minimalist house he could forever if I was not here. I just can't do that. So include time in to convincing him to do stuff also makes everything move a lot slower. But since I am home the overwhelming majority of my time particularly these last couple of years my desire to do things to make the space special and unique is on my mind a lot these days.
I decided to attempt a garden on one of our two decks this year. It was going well but the truth is the weather here is very temperamental and makes part of summer really miserable. I planted bee and bird as well as butterfly friendly plants and they have actually attracted more of these critters. A few other things have gone wrong but when it's gone right it's been very nice.
National Eagle Center
When I was growing up the idea of seeing a bald eagle seemed sort of large and monumental and not like it would ever happen. I grew up far from the seemingly mythical raptors and did not have the sort of parents who really encouraged learning about nature. My mother's idea of roughing it was having a cabin with only one bathroom. I sometimes wonder if it's because of this past that I don't think I like being outdoors. Yet every time I found myself outdoors, I seem to find a great deal of happiness. And trust me it's not easy for me to get it together out there. I sunburn easy. I have terrible allergies. I get bit by every tiny thing that can find it's way to my skin. Mosquito bites swell up on me really fast and itch like mad. I sweat, I ache and dehydrate quickly. But, I still try to get out there and be apart of it. Because when I do it makes me feel a sense of peace I don't find anywhere else.
Living here in Minnesota I did not realize the first few years how incredibly rich and abundant wildlife is even in the city proper. Now I do and I am pleased to say I've seen many bald eagles as well as osprey, hawks, falcons and regularly visit herons that nest not very far from where my house is located.
But with many creatures, great and small comes many injuries and accidents that need tending. Luckily a few hours from where I am is the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, Minnesota. A nice, little town on the river.
The center cares for injured birds and watches after the half dozen nesting eagles on the banks of the river. Many of whom I caught more than a short glimpse of when I was out there for my visit. It's a lovely day trip and you can certainly find other places to stop like Lark Toys or Lake Pepin for a picnic. We had some lunch right down by the banks of the river and watched the eagles flying all about as we ate.
You can read more about the Bald Eagle on National Geographic's website.
What to Eat Wednesday, Ecopolitan
I was a bit back and forth about writing this up simply because my pictures did not turn out that well. But I decided to because what did turn out well was the food. The food is so very good. Ecopolitan is the only place in town that is vegan and raw. I've eaten here about a half dozen times and I used to buy home products here till they did not carry the paint that I used anymore. I've been organizing vegan outings once a month to go places my friends have never been or that I want to go to but forget about. Several of my friends had not been here and I was so pleased to take them because the food was delicious. It's also in an old house in Minneapolis which I love when food places or coffee shops are in the old houses in town.
I had raw flaxseed (I love flaxseeds) tostadas on this visit and a ginger mixed juice that was so yummy. I adore fresh ginger drinks. I will say the food is very fiber rich and filling. I ordered the full tostada dish but would've been just fine with one tostada and the appetizer I shared with people. They were sold out of a few things I wanted to try but they were also busy and that is a very good thing.
Try something unique in town and stop into Ecopolitan.
Geekery Abounds!
I just spent a week in Las Vegas and was very impressed by all the geek references I saw there. I have been there 5 times previous to this visit and never noticed so many before. Here are a few snapshots. More to COME! Hooray!
CONvergence 2015
Every fourth of July weekend or the weekend nearest it, I should say...for 16 years I have been attending CONvergence. I honestly don't know what I would do if this convention ever ceased to exist, I adore it so much. Plus, I adore throwing parties and we did that again this year for the 7th time. This is the second time we've had a party based on a book I've written. The first five parties were based on the Sandman Comics because I've been a Neil Gaiman fan for a very long time now. But then we sort of took a break having hit an apex of awesome with our last Sandman themed party. I had been slowly putting together my book series and was being encouraged to do more with it. Well, now I am glad to say I have two books done and two parties thrown and my very own mailing list (yes, I find that exciting).
I have a bunch of pictures here. Some of them are from around the convention but the truth is when you have a party it takes away a lot of time of seeing the convention plus, to be totally honest, I had a very sick cat I was taking time away from the convention to spend time with and I am glad I did as she passed away shortly afterwards. So the weekend was great but it was marred by personal sadness.
A few notes about the pictures: The giant sun dial you'll see was created by my friends Dan and Cecci. The symbols on it are all symbols from my books and created by Matthew, my partner and me. The necklaces are designed and put together by both of us as well. We built a skyline of a mythical city that is in my story Armand El Dorado. It is made out of wood, paint, metal brackets, glitter and weighted with bricks. We created the golden back drop with taffeta and tension rods and lit it from behind with LED strands. There were wooden shapes through out the party based on ancient Colombian art. All of the candy we give away is vegan and gluten-free, so anyone can have it. We make and bottle all of the beer, cider, wine and champagne we serve. I may think of other things to add later but there's some good stuff to look at here!
Behind the Scenes.... CONvergence Room Party
This year marks the 7th time my friends and I have thrown a room party at CONvergence. The first five parties were all based around the Sandman comics by Neil Gaiman. At some point, I was approached by a handsome man who suggested to me that I write a book I've always wanted to write and then have a launch party based on the book. Which is what we did last year for the first one, Ella Cerulean. You can see pics of that party here: The Naturals. It was quite a success and so, it was offered that I write a second book and throw a party again this year. And then that happen. So here is some behind the scenes of prep for the party and then my next post will be of the party and convention itself.
A Trip to ValleyFair!
I had only been to ValleyFair once before for the Halloween event. Which takes place at night, is great fun but most of the rides are not open. So some of my friends and I went to the park this weekend, this way I could try it out in the daytime. We did do the after 4 p.m. tickets which worked out quite well for us. The park is open to 11 p.m. in the summer on Saturday so it's more than enough time to hit all the rides. Some of the coasters are just nuts. Such as the Wild Thing and the wooden coaster, Renegade. Really it's a good deal of fun. You should check it out. Plus, there is fireworks. I can definitely feel the aftermath on my back as an old lady.....
My Second Book!
A few snaps of the first copy of my second Sci-Fi book! I actually can't believe I got it together and wrote the second one.
Ok so here's the actual story of it's arrival:
I have been trying to distract myself all morning with videos and the like as I knew the first proof of my book was going to show up at any minute. (It turns out this isn't any easier the second time) I once slammed my thumb in a car door several hours from home and didn't shed a tear, nor when I was hospitalized off and on for a month nor when I had a biking accident that smashed my face into concrete and the ambulance driver kept calling me Brenda. But the doorbell rang and my hands were shaking as I signed for the parcel. As I opened it and felt the tears welling up because I am BAD ASS....My phone started to buzz uncontrollably with texts and calls. It turns out that I am also apparently having an affair with someone's husband. So yeah. This is even better than last year when a pallet full of someone else's book showed up instead of mine. Yes I laughed quite a bit. Even right now as I type this.
And More of the Foxes.....
Smelling the Roses...
I am trying to put together some real posts again and recover from my book launch, convention weekend. For now here is some rose pics I took today when saying goodbye to a friend moving away.
Book Review, THE BESTEST AND AMAZINGNESS
Getting into this review business.
Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book encompasses everything I love about fantasy. Using ancient mythological creatures feared, revered and misunderstood to tell a powerful story in the modern world. The devastating unending cycle of war that spreads like wildfire to the eternal hell that a world cannot recover from in the form of genocide. These books serve as a good reminder to never count out any genre of storytelling no matter what kind of book snob you may believe yourself to be. I cannot wait to read the next one.
View all my reviews" title="Books" target="_blank">Laini Taylor is the best.
Always Late to the Party, The Green Brothers
I am always behind on finding out about awesome stuff. I don't know why really. I don't live in a cave or anything. Anyway, one of those awesome things is Hank and John Green and their Youtube channel. I am doing my best to watch every single one and as I go I am going to post some of my favorites. I'll explain why I am doing this soon. Take care!
Trigger Warning or My First Book Review Posted Here.....
Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It hurts to type this as I adore Neil for many, many years now but some of the writings in this book are dreadful. And I would've only given it a 3(my standard rating if you even finish writing a book because it is quite difficult) but for the ones in here that are great. So great that they deserve another star. The Sherlock story for example. The Eyes Only Dossier as another. But the building a chair poem? Blah. I could mention a few others but I will not. As he does say in the introduction that short story collections are essentially vanity projects. The grading curve on them is different. I've read his other collections and the ones that are great in this book are some of the best for sure. I would say to skip some of them but really reading them all gives you an idea of comparison of a very good short story and one that was probably only published because you are Neil Gaiman. Consider it a lesson.
And More Pretty Things.
Putting more new pieces in my shop, GirlyGeekChic today!
Northern Spark 2015
This past weekend was the annual all night art festival Northern Spark. It's such a great thing to wander around the city looking at creations all night long and then watching sunrise from the bridge over the river. One of the best events the city hosts for sure.
New Things in my Shop!
I have been so busy working on my book and getting ready for the party that I had not put much work into my ETSY shop. But I am changing that as I write this because I have been making many things. I would love it if you stopped by GirlyGeekChic.
