Wednesday, January 31, 2007

The Last Few Days, & Behind the Apron

Boy, I've been attacked by a case of the busy-ies this week! It's been fun, but not much neat cooking. I am really looking forward to doing some nice cooking this weekend.


First of all, thanks to everyone for all your nice comments on that last post. I feel that something will come of all these ideas! In the meantime, we've signed up to do more volunteering at the food bank. :)



A few nights ago, I made this five-star delicious Thai Winter Squash from "Vegetarian Cooking for Everybody." - it's got butternut squash, cilantro, jalepenos, coconut milk, ginger, onions, and other goodies. OH YUM. This is such a rich and delicious stew. It was even better the next day when the flavors had merged... Very worth making (and eating)!


Then, the next night I made this "Lentil Stew with Orzo" from "Vegan Planet." I didn't have any orzo, so I just used some cute rainbow alphabet noodles I had. All in all, this soup was a bit of a dud. It wasn't very interesting or unique, and I don't think I'll make it again. My 6-year nephew rejected it flat-out, as did Musty. Ha ha! So, one reason I haven't done more cooking this week is that I have been SLOGGING through this big tub of lentil soup! I think I've got one more serving... and then I'll be liberated!

This is a nice little salad I made earlier in the week - ahhh... Nice to eat a good salad.

Here's last night's dinner. I got home late from teaching and Musty had got some take-out Thai food: tofu with green curry and fresh spring rolls. Yum! I really, really love it when I get home late from teaching and Musty has dinner for me - so romantic!



** Behind the Apron **


I've really been enjoying reading other bloggers "Behind the Apron" posts... so I thought I'd do one of my own. I'm not fancy enough to know how to put in the graphic into my blog... oops!


Here's a little info on me, lots of links, and a goofy picture I just took:
(in the dark background, you can see my cat on the sofa, and Musty playing guitar)

I live in Santa Cruz, CA with my boyfriend Musty and our two dogs (Stevie Wonder and Dottie) and our cat Yummers. Musty is a luthier, which means he makes hand-built acoustic guitars. My extended family also mostly all lives in Santa Cruz, and I think that's awesome!

I study and teach yoga, which I really, really love. I started studying yoga in college and it has really changed my life for the better. I feel very grateful for the direction and guidance that yoga has given me, and especially for my teacher Kofi Busia. In college I studied Painting and Printmaking, and Italian language. I've spent time studying art in Italy, with my amazing teachers Rose Gavronsky and Claire Shakinovsky. I'm still painting, and I'm working on a series of paintings of contemporary world leaders from their childhood photographs.

I was born loving animals, and became vegetarian when I was 14 years old - after spending 3 summers at a farm camp in Northern California, tending after the farm animals and making friends with all of them. My aunt was already a vegetarian, so I knew that it was cool & easy to do! It took me a long time to become vegan... I didn't really know about it for a long time, but I can credit my great friends Jen and Bill & Jacey for inspiring me to veganism. I was also inspired to veganism by my yoga teachers Sharon Gannon and David Life. Anyhow, I've been 100% vegan now for 5+ years or so. A few years ago, my aunt who inspired me to vegetarianism became a vegan on my birthday... how cool! Most of all, I really love being vegan!

Other than yoga, art, and pets... I also love being outside, gardening, taking a bath before bed, baking, reading comics and graphic novels, NPR, quiet time, the internet, learning new languages, and international travel. The next trips I'm considering are Iran & Africa... fun!

11 comments:

  1. Thank you for the kind words you sent my way. I've been giving myself a pretty hard time about the teaching situation, so it was nice to hear that someone could relate to my reservations.

    I really enjoyed the link to your artwork - what an insightful project! Your comment "What does it mean to hate someone for hating?" reminded me of the idea: how can we hope to find peace through war?

    Thanks for sharing - Behind the Apron has been a lot of fun! :)

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  2. Nice to meet ya! I really enjoy your paintings, you do a beautiful job!

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  3. First of all... GREAT Behind the Apron! You seem very cool. I can't believe you did that artwork--wow, talent. It's awesome that you have been veg for so long now, and you have had great support from some of your family and friends. And hooray for posting Behind the Apron on the last day--I just got mine up too! :)

    I'm sorry you were stuck with a big pot of so-so lentil soup all week! I hope your cooking ventures this weekend are kinder to you.

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  4. I second Laura- hooray for us last-minute behind the apron posters! thanks so much for sharing your story, it has been so fun to hear about everyone's lives and various paths.

    And between you and Musty, you guys do so much and have such a full life! It's so cool that he makes guitars, and you with your yoga, painting, teaching, and travel- wow.

    Oh, and I just remembered that you had asked me about travel to Iran. I actually haven't been there in a while, but my family often travels back and forth. If you still want to have a conversation about this, feel free to email me.

    Cheers!

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  5. You and Musty are such a creative couple! And so busy! Your passion for yoga is very inspiring. I think I told you that I printed out a yoga saying about judging and dealing with others that you had left me as a comment. I don't think I told you that when I showed it to my son, he folded it up and put it in his wallet to keep.

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  6. Hi Kati,
    Thanks for your nice comments about my artwork. Yes, I definitely can relate to your thoughts on teaching... good luck, I'll be thinking of you.

    Hi Brooke!
    Thanks for your nice note. I've really enjoyed working on that series.

    Hi Laura,
    Wow! Thanks so much for those nice words! Isn't it fun reading all these Behind the Apron posts? I loved yours too.

    Hi Bazu!
    Yes, it is fun learning about everyone! I'll send you a note about travelling to Iran. I really want to go, but it seems pretty hard to get a visa. We'll see!

    Hi Diann,
    that is such a sweet story that Chase kept that quote... that is from "The Yoga Sutras" by Patanjali, and it is one of my very favorite passages. :)

    :) Amey

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  7. Anonymous9:21 AM

    Stevie Wonder ! LOOOL I LOVE that !

    And how cool that your aunt became vegan on your birthday ! Who needs a gift after that ? :-)

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  8. Anonymous6:33 PM

    Well, I was going to say the same exact thing that Kati said about your comment, What does it mean to hate someone for hating?" That's pretty weird.

    Thanks for introducing yourself. You seem to lead a very passionate life full of joy and diversity. Your paintings are beautiful and unique and creative - you are so talented.

    What was the quote from "The Yoga Sutras" by Patanjali that you shared with Diann?

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  9. Hi Gaia!
    Yeah, we named our sweet little girl dog after Stevie Wonder... we really love his music. And - I totally agree that my aunt never has to get me another birthday gift! :)

    Hi VivV,
    That's neat that you and Kati had the same thought! My life is indeed pretty nice, although it's certainly full of its share of glitches and tribulations too. :) Thanks for your nice comments on my paintings! It has been a nice series to work on. The quote from the yoga sutras that I shared with Diann is Yoga Sutra 1.33: “To preserve the innate serenity of the mind, a yogin should be happy for those who are happy, be compassionate toward those who are unhappy, be delighted fro those who are virtuous and be different toward the wicked.” It's an amazingly huge concept, and has really helped me a lot over the years... that is, when I remember it!

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  10. Wow beautiful! You are complex and dynamic and amazing :) Wonderful to know more about you!!!

    I love yoga but have never studied. Is that crazy? :) I know it would bring more peace to my life than the Xanax I sometimes wish I had. :)

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  11. Nice to "meet" you! Glad I found your site... I'm just starting yoga now and I LOVE it!

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