Drive by Herakut

Herakut

So my hubbie and I are experimenting with public transit, bikes and walking as a form of transpo? Our car lease was up and we just couldn’t decide what type of car to get.

When it came down to it, we opt not having a car because he and I do so little driving. I sold my car last year because it collected dust, if it wasn’t being rented out.  Now now, I am sure you’re thinking… those sage’s are crazy???! but it’s just an experiment and what I like to call… the art of detachment. We are so fortunate to live in an area where there is an abundance of food, art, fashion, music… Just steps away from our door.

Nonetheless it will be adventurous. We decided on six months car- free, with the intention that if it was of too painful and or inconvenient we’d get just  buy another car… yea, it’s that simple.

On that note,  I was able to borrow my girl Jess’ ride ( thanks lady!), while on a writing research mission….

… I spotted Herakut and a few other street artist in Culver City on Washington near Adams. I’ve driven by a few times, but finally stopped in to take a closer look, shoot some photos , and admire the art work, Very impressive.  Gotta love the DoLab for always finding the right element of art to add to their ever growing portfolio of fabulousness !

Have you seen Herakut?? Or perhaps driven by?? Stop by and check it out next time.  On a side note. I hear Herakut will be at this years Lightning in a Bottle, and most recently performed with the Lucent Dossier troupe!

The art work by Herakut is just wicked!!

McQueen

Tuesday is a busy day for me with finishing up interviews and articles planned for march, turning in our lease, and making more lip balms.

I decide to throw up some cool Alexander McQueen sketches. Oh how I love fashion sketches and McQueen’s inspirational work.

Coco-almond pulp treats

Darlings,  I am not sure if you read this original post, but I have decided to do a revision using my own almond pulp recipe, I had originally pulled a recipe I thought was great, as I posted it, I learned it wasn’t such a great idea and rather than continue to promote a negative inquisition, I thought I’d keep this light and positive and use my own little recipe. onward….

So now that I am making my own Almond Milk, I have started to collect Almond Pulp. What should I do with it?  I mean why waste perfectly good pulp.. right?!

Making cookies out of pulp is a good idea, it’s a yummy gluten free, vegan, and low glycemic treat. plus almonds make your skin amazing. 

Coco Almond Pulpies,
Vegan & Gluten-Free Cookies

2 cups almond pulp, leftover from almond milk
6 dates, chopped and made into a paste
1/2 cup raw oganic cocoa powder
3 tablespoons earth balance natural spread, melted
2 tablespoons Almond Meal
1/4 cup of Maple Syrup
1/4 cup of cocao nibs,
1/2 dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line a cookie sheet with tin foil or parchment paper.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. place cookie mixture in round shapes,
Bake for 35-40 minutes. Texture comes out soft but delicious
Note: while making this batch I realized these would make good brownies. almond pulp makes for a soft cookie, not much there to hold it together.  but I tell you what?? when those cookies are done… take a cookie and add a scoop of your favorite vegan ice cream ( mine is Divine Dips) on top for a decadent treat!

If you’ve been making your own almond milk— try these instead of throwing out the pulp. I am continuing my quest to find another good almond pulp recipe. perhaps making it into a yummy frosting could be delightful??

Happy Friday!

An unexpected busy weekend… was kicked off last night with old friends, new loves, and finally trying the well received pop up restaurant on our abbott kinney block, Wolf in Sheeps Clothing…It was ooh so delicious.

Heading into a weekend filled w/ baby love, hikes, dance parties, eastside ramblings, dinners by the fire, lectures, oscar gatherings, and hopefully tons of photographic moments. If I’m not back on Monday,  i’ll be busy whipping up a fresh batches of lip balm… I’ve  sold out of this week, which was exciting to hear.  now working on two great interviews/articles coming up for Welovenice March.

So here’s to the New moon Magic bringing in some abundance. Much love Everyone. Happy Friday!

can’t get enough of…

Artist of the Week Audrey Kawasaki… here’s another one of my favorites!

http://www.audrey-kawasaki.com

Dedicated to my weekend and all that surrounds it.

One of my favorite quotes by Anais Nin

“Ordinary life does not interest me. I seek only the high moments. I am in accord with the surrealists, searching for the marvelous.” – Anais Nin

Rich Bitch/ Die Antwoord

When my husband comes home from work we catch up on our day. We both love a good hearty discussion on some of our favorite topics… our next camping trip? What documentary to watch? There is a whole host of interest we chat about, but most of time we talk about MUSIC… 

We are consumed with latest breaks, dubstep, glitch, electro house… and I have to admit I wasn’t into the electronic vibe growing up. Of course there was an appreciation for it, but I listened to mostly hip-hop and rock. My husband however has always listened electronic music. and he’s turned me on to some great electronic DJ’s out there.  We are both big fans of DJ Marty Party.  So last night he says, Check out who Marty Party is listening to? 

… He shows me this video and I start kind of laughing, at the same time, I am liking the sounds of the beats. Ok, so there some hip hop melted into each song which I like, but certainly the whole weirdness factor is what pulls you in. A mousy voice but surprisingly not annoying…  in Rich Bitch, she goes on to pronounces it… RrrEEECH BEEETCH, which alone is kinda great given the fact she snarls at the end of her lyric. 

Die Antwoord…. Have you heard of them???  

D-A has progressively been working the scene since their coachella debut in 2010. An “aphex twin” video like presence, girl w/ the dragon tatoo hairstyle, and the ensemble similar to those boys from the movie Trainspotting. This South African group call their music ZEF RAP-RAVE.

 Have a listen? Tell me what you think?? I’m not sure how long I can last listening to an entire album, but I am on the band wagon on D-A being great.

Coincidentally, they happen to be performing at Club Nokia this Friday the 24th... and most recently the NY times has dub their music Brilliant Weird…  “Zef is the nasty, freaky, gleefully trashy underbelly of post-apartheid white South African culture”. Read the article here.

Here’s the Spring 2012 T by Alexander Wang Campaign featuring Die Antwoord.

http://dieantwoord.com/

New Moon Intuition

Darlings,
Did you see the moon last night? It was actually very special new moon. This New Moon will bring out emotions, but hopefully help you let go of the past. It’s a good time to do so… The New Moon in Pisces is a good time to commit to personal goals that express the positive energies of the sign of the Fish. These include taking a leap of faith, accepting imperfections in ourselves and in others as a different kind of “perfection”, starting a project that requires imagination and visualization skills, consciously putting time aside for peaceful and rejuvenating activities, and sharing a dream with another.
I spent the day having great conversations and dreaming…  I felt very clear on what I need to work on this year.  so i’m dedicating my new moon energy to Brooklyn and Samadhi… here’s to sharing ideas, and being very open beautiful souls. thank you. 

Lorena Alvarez – http://www.lorenaalvarez.com/

I was in search of finding a “new moon” photo or artwork for this post. I found a link to myplasticheart’s (nyc), 4th annual New Moon: Interpretations of the Chinese Zodiac exhibit. featuring 18 artists’ reinterpretations of the 12 animals of the Chinese lunar calendar. Curated by John Wong.

Just for fun–I decided to close my eyes and just click on one of the links listed…, perhaps it would represent my new moon vibe.  I picked Lorena Alvarez “The Lover, The Dreamer, and Me….  Inspired by Jim Henson. Kind of an appropriate pick….. Now all I want to do is sing that song!!! I think everyone needs a rainbow connection.

Hint Mint artist series Featuring Audrey Kawasaki

Harley Cross co-creator of Hint Mint is more than just a breathe of fresh air, he’s been doing something very special…. promoting artist in a clever way. Did you know Hint Mint has a limited edition artist series? Hint Mint curved slide-open tins are used as a canvas for artist to display their work. How cool is that??!

flavors :

(holiday peppermint)

His latest showing, is of artist Audrey Kawasaki , who caught my eye.  Her art is seductive, an arte joven that captures an alluring innocence, with a deep and mystical feeling.

(Chocolate)

Now bringing back memories of his loft parties back in 07’ and picking up one of the Glen Bar series. This isn’t something new,  but still quiet refreshing given the artist he chooses. 

(Pomegranite)

This is definitely one of my favorite series so far… I have no doubt many will feel the same. her work is simply, gorgeous!

 (peppermint)

Which is your favorite??

This series is set to come out Late Spring… May-June. 

Please check out the Hint Mint website for more info and retailers.

 http://www.hintmint.com/

I am so loving her designs!!!!

For more on Audrey’s beautiful art  : http://www.audrey-kawasaki.com   

Audrey’s facbeook page. https://www.facebook.com/audreykawasaki

Nail Art

Darlings,  Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Mine was mellow… just what I needed.

Last night I was searching around my pinterest  and nail art kept popping up. In fact, I’ve noticed a considerable amount of nail art on the pin-feed? I guess nail art is what’s trending.  Being the all natural girl that I am, I rarely get my nails done— let alone wear nail polish. I’ve just gotten into the habit of not having all those chemicals on my nails, but seeing all these great nail designs made me want to get all snazzy!! 

Before I get all crazy with nail designs. First thing first… Finding nail polish that isn’t harsh and mostly chemical free. I know there is Zoya but what else is there?

Spotted: I found Megan Miller’s Collection—her line looks amazing and completely free of super harsh chemicals like,   Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP),  Toluene, Formaldehyde which if you must know is very harmful to the liver and kidneys. I am also loving her cork packaging.

Check out her info & Collection : http://meganmillercollection.myshopify.com/

…  here’s some other cool pics of nail art to keep in mind. 

Of course the galaxy design is my favorite…. How do I do this now???

Chronicle

Have you heard of Chronicle? I feel like everyone is talking about this movie. We saw it just the other day and my feeling is…. For a relatively unknown cast the movie was pretty good.  Some of the visual efx scenes felt a little antiquated, but delivered a nice visual experience in the remaining scenes. The story was good, a bit contrived but believable with moments that made me think, Can this actually happen?! Regardless, no matter what… it’s a fun  ride. Definitely a must see!!

Imagine if that happened how would you use your power?!! 

Check out their facebook page for some videos and highlights. https://www.facebook.com/Chronicle

NUTCASE!

I recently bought a new bike then realized I needed to start thinking responsibly and wear a helmet. So I went helmet shopping. I actually thought it was going to be much easier, but most of the helmets out there made my dome look Gi-Normous. Apparently I have a small size head– 21 inches to be exact, and there weren’t a ton of small sizes available to try. Finally found a few small sizes at REI and Bike Attack on Main (where I bought mine).  

I realize people must not look at themselves in a helmet?? because out of all five places I went to, none of them had mirrors, only tiny mirrors so I wound up using their bathrooms. I found that to be odd… don’t people want to see what they look like?  of course the most important thing is safety.  but I started feeling kind of vein… I mean some of these helmets just look so ridiculous… but I get it. It’s about safety first. I just feel in order to be safe, you have to feel comfortable… it was nice to see what comfort looks on my head, am i wrong?

I was told the helmet should be snug, and not move around so that was the first thing I was testing. 

After hours of testing helmets, I narrowed it down to Bern’s “Berekely” style or the Nutcase “Silver Fly”… I went with the Nutcase. It was comfortable, not overly large and the snazzy design was a bonus. Not to mention the fact Nutcase is hilarious name.

Are you out there riding your bike with or without a helmet?? If not, considering one.. I highly suggest you shop for one that fits you like a glove and there are some out there that are really starting to consider style!!

http://www.bikeattack.com/

http://www.nutcasehelmets.com/

Luminaid Solar Light

My husband and I love camping and our backpacking trips, so when it comes time to think about backpacking season, my husband gets excited to research which is the latest “must have” gadgets. Normally I am writing about places we go, but not much on what we use. 

I feel blessed to have a husband who thoroughly researches just about everything there is to know about surviving, or anything he’s into for that matter. He’ll show me tips on how to do things minimally, mindfully, and productively. This year of all years is a good time to get tuned into surviving… one may never know when disaster will strike. and us women need to make sure we’re clued in. 

The key is to always keep your backpacks light, yet still have all the tools to survive a few days without the weight to bare.

Here’s our first find…
The LuminAID solar light  inflates to diffuse light like a lantern.

This ingenious idea came as a result of the Hiati earthquake diaster relief situation.  “The LuminAID solar light addresses these issues while providing a useful and portable form of light for disaster victims”

Check out what they are all about here: http://www.luminaidlab.com

Sponsor them by getting your logo printed. How cool is that?!!

There is so much more to this idea… Read up!!

westside’s pizza perfection!

Ya know when you drive by a place and out of the corner of your eye, catch a glimpse of the place packed, and so, you do a double take trying to see what’s going on over there??

Well, this happened to me a few times in the past month on my way to my credit union off Wilshire in Santa Monica. From the outside looking in, it seem to boast a good crowd, so finally last week, I decided to stop in.  

From the creators of Rustic Canyon, Sweet Rose Creamery and Huckleberry, welcomes their next pleasurable dining experience… Milo and Olive (opened early Dec/2011).  I hadn’t heard of it’s opening so it came as a nice surprise in knowing who had given birth to this little gem.  A paradise of Pizza, Bread, and Pastry Perfection along with produce sourced from local purveyors.  From day one this place has been a hot spot, packed with serious foodies and those who desire the perfect pizza crust!! you won’t be able to resist it, because there is something delicious for everyone! Open for Bfst, Lunch and Dinner! 

Date night? Girls night out…  you betcha! check it out!!  http://www.miloandolive.com

My Sexy Valentine….

Darlings, Did you get what you wanted for Valentines?… showered with love praises, candies, cards and flowers?  I saw a slew of facebook postings of adorations, quotes, and women saying they were coming home to their men making them dinner… How fabulous is that?   

I did see one husband posting a photo of his better half in lingerie! and I thought.. hmm.. now that is sexy and tasteful. Why not? clearly, he was showing off his beautiful wife, and not just professing his love, but showing her sexy side..  definitely hot!. 

While the thought of my husband making me dinner is certainly a beautiful gesture… prancing around in sexy lingerie just seems a lot more fun for my valentine. I mean isn’t everyday filled with love, romance and yummy desserts?  I hope some of you got what this guy got… even if you made dinner first. get your sexy time for dessert!

Well, I, myself love lingerie and all things sexy…   Agent Provocateur is one of my favorite sexy spots .    

http://www.agentprovocateur.com/

Fresh Squeezed Almond Milk…

For a while now I’ve been wanting to make my own Almond Milk, but even though it’s always on my mind I never get around to actually doing it.  I love Almond Milk especially when it’s freshly made, it delights my yearning for all things sweet and creamy. Grabbing my morning Moon Juice, I had one of their cookies that was made from the Almond pulp, and once again thought… I need to make some fresh Almond milk! Later that day I chimed into Mel’s gorgeous food photos on The Local Rose,and while checking it out, and learning we share similar interest… There, I found her recipe on how to make fresh nut milks highlighting Almond Milk. Love it and can’t wait to finally make it.

Interested in making some with me?? Here’s an easy recipe provided by the Local Rose.

Here’s some tips and facts.

There are Nut Milk Bags that make Almond Milk extra smooth. It can be purchased at the Coop in Santa Monica or visit Elaina Love’s site Pure Joy Planet to get the bags in bulk.  purejoyplanet.com, otherwise a cheese cloth will work fine.

-Fresh Almond Milk will make your skin Luminous and Youthful.
Sesame milk is an excellent curative for depletion or exhaustion and is also highly lubricating for the intestinal wall.

-Almond milk and Hazelnut are low calorie, easily digested and for anyone with a need for something sweet any hour of the day or night, at low risk for that dreadful sugar hangover.

Vanilla Almond Milk (yields 2-3 cups or so)
1 cup almonds, soaked 8-12 hours beforehand if it’s possible
3 cups water
6 dates or 1/4 cup agave (optional)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (or the contents of a vanilla bean)

Procedure: Begin by soaking your nuts in some water, if you can, eight hours is ideal.  Peel the skins off which will be easy once they have soaked.
Next, blend all ingredients on high in a regular blender or a VitaMix: place the the nut milk bag or cheesecloth over the mouth of your container, leaving a generous overhang and allowing the strainer to droop about halfway down into the container. I used a large mason jar as my container: 

- Next, pour all the almond milk into the container, so that it drips through the cheesecloth and into the container below. massage it with your hands so the milk is drained through the cloth. For variety you can add a little chocolate or cinnamon. You can also adjust the creamy quality by how much water you add.

Let me know how it goes!? and Enjoy!

yay for Mushrooms!!

Darlings,  How was your weekend??  Ours was pretty darn good… our friends T&A threw and awesome little (anti) valentines day party, and it was our pal Boo Theory DJ debut, she did an amazing job for her first time… my feet still hurt from loads of dancing. Yesterday we picked up a few things at the market and spotted a box on how to grow your own mushrooms? We Sage’s LOVE our mushrooms!! I love sautéing shiatake’s and oyster mushrooms in a little olive oil and garlic…mmm! 

Easy, fun and delicious BACK TO ROOTS sprouted a pretty cool idea…  ”Inspired by the idea of turning waste into wages & fresh, local food, they experimented in their fraternity kitchen, ultimately growing one test bucket of tasty oyster mushrooms on recycled coffee grounds”….

So we are testing and growing a little mushroom garden in our house?? yay for mushrooms! Who wants to come over for a mushroom dinner???

http://www.backtotheroots.com/our-story