Last night, at the Joel Salatin lecture, I saw a table that advertised the St. Louis Slow Food group. I was intrigued, but they attracted a huge crowd, so I checked them out online.
Here is part of their mission:
Slow Food is an international, educational organization devoted to promoting fresh, local, and sustainably-produced food, biodiversity, and the preservation of food traditions, as well as celebrating the pleasures of the table.
Slow Food is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes, and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.
Slow Food is good, clean, and fair food. We believe that the food we eat should taste good, that it should be produced in a clean way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare, or our health, and that food producers should receive fair compensation for their work.
They have a lot of events, including an upcoming trivia night that I'm sorry I'll have to miss. Through October 15th, membership is whatever you can afford.
Looks like an intersting bunch, so I did join. You can, too, at http://www.slowfoodstl.org/ .
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
The Meat You Eat
About a month ago, my husband and I read "The Omnivore's Dilemma," by Michael Pollan. A big part of the book focused on Joel Salatin, owner of Polyface Farms, a holistic farm that raises no-antibiotic, grass-fed, free-range beef, pork, chicken, and eggs.
Last night, we were fortunate enough to be able to see Salatin speak at Webster University in St. Louis. His methods are not only fascinating, they're very scientific. Instead of using his brain to create more modern machinery to produce larger and more profitable animals, he uses his extensive knowledge of biology to create a sustainable method of rotating animals across his large farm in a way where they support each other.
We met some great people while we were there, including a family from Kansas City whose 14-year-old has decided to become a farmer, and talked his parents into getting a flock of chickens, which he raises Joel's way. His hopes are to try a cow next - but his mom said that their suburban yard is too small, "We'd have to move!"
If you're in the St. Louis Area and want to dip into the sustainable, grass fed, non-antibiotic, grass-fed pool, definitely get out to Benne's farm in St. Charles. Ron Benne has been featured in Sauce Magazine twice, as the "Pillar of Sustainability."
Last night, we were fortunate enough to be able to see Salatin speak at Webster University in St. Louis. His methods are not only fascinating, they're very scientific. Instead of using his brain to create more modern machinery to produce larger and more profitable animals, he uses his extensive knowledge of biology to create a sustainable method of rotating animals across his large farm in a way where they support each other.
We met some great people while we were there, including a family from Kansas City whose 14-year-old has decided to become a farmer, and talked his parents into getting a flock of chickens, which he raises Joel's way. His hopes are to try a cow next - but his mom said that their suburban yard is too small, "We'd have to move!"
If you're in the St. Louis Area and want to dip into the sustainable, grass fed, non-antibiotic, grass-fed pool, definitely get out to Benne's farm in St. Charles. Ron Benne has been featured in Sauce Magazine twice, as the "Pillar of Sustainability."
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
10 Tweeps That I Love to Twead!
These ten Tweeps are people that I love to see Twittering....
1. Mignon Fogarty - Also known as "Grammar Girl," she has all the answers to your grammar issues. Whether your problem is with apostrophes or tenses, you should be following @GrammarGirl.
2. Best Tweet - "Museum for the Art of Micro-Elegance." You don't have to worry about missing the most insightful or funniest tweets on Twitter...@BstTwt does it for you...and he does it very well!
3. Demi Moore - If you like following celebs, you just can't get more real than @MrsKutcher. Whether she's in a limo, or reading a book, she tells it like it is.
4. Bonnie Burton - A blogger from San Francisco, she is an editor/writer for Lucasfilm. She has a quick wit and is very generous with really fun replies to tweets. For a light, fun and funny Tweep, follow @bonniegrrl.
5. Chaviva - She calls herself a "Blogging Jewess." She has a very interesting and busy life, and tweets it with finesse! Don't miss @kvetchingeditor.
6. Wendi Lynn Makeup -- A makeup artist on the TV Show "Heroes," she also works for other interesting Hollywood shows in her spare time. Not only does she give inside information into your favorite Monday night program, she has an interesting and fun life of her own! Twitter @wendilynnmakeup.
7. Jason Tusman - If you love a dry, dry, dry wit, you'll love @whoisJason. He's also an incredible photographer with a fantastic online gallery at http://www.jasontusman.com/ .
8. Bill Mitchell - An expert on many facets of technology - and life! If you have a question, go to @askbillmitchell.
9. Susan Iskiwitch - She's a "digital strategist" with a fresh outlook on everything in her life. She tweets about PR, marketing, technology, and life in St. Louis. Follow @susanisk.
10. Wil Wheaton - My first celebrity tweep, he's not just Wesley Crusher...he's an author, a sports fan, a father...he's just this guy, you know? Whether you're a Star Trek fan or not, you'll enjoy @wilw.
1. Mignon Fogarty - Also known as "Grammar Girl," she has all the answers to your grammar issues. Whether your problem is with apostrophes or tenses, you should be following @GrammarGirl.
2. Best Tweet - "Museum for the Art of Micro-Elegance." You don't have to worry about missing the most insightful or funniest tweets on Twitter...@BstTwt does it for you...and he does it very well!
3. Demi Moore - If you like following celebs, you just can't get more real than @MrsKutcher. Whether she's in a limo, or reading a book, she tells it like it is.
4. Bonnie Burton - A blogger from San Francisco, she is an editor/writer for Lucasfilm. She has a quick wit and is very generous with really fun replies to tweets. For a light, fun and funny Tweep, follow @bonniegrrl.
5. Chaviva - She calls herself a "Blogging Jewess." She has a very interesting and busy life, and tweets it with finesse! Don't miss @kvetchingeditor.
6. Wendi Lynn Makeup -- A makeup artist on the TV Show "Heroes," she also works for other interesting Hollywood shows in her spare time. Not only does she give inside information into your favorite Monday night program, she has an interesting and fun life of her own! Twitter @wendilynnmakeup.
7. Jason Tusman - If you love a dry, dry, dry wit, you'll love @whoisJason. He's also an incredible photographer with a fantastic online gallery at http://www.jasontusman.com/ .
8. Bill Mitchell - An expert on many facets of technology - and life! If you have a question, go to @askbillmitchell.
9. Susan Iskiwitch - She's a "digital strategist" with a fresh outlook on everything in her life. She tweets about PR, marketing, technology, and life in St. Louis. Follow @susanisk.
10. Wil Wheaton - My first celebrity tweep, he's not just Wesley Crusher...he's an author, a sports fan, a father...he's just this guy, you know? Whether you're a Star Trek fan or not, you'll enjoy @wilw.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (review)
This afternoon, we went to see "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" at the Repertory Theater of St. Louis.
The star of the show was definitely the set design. It was a beautiful two story set with stairs coming down both sides, and intense red lights which added quite a bit to the story, almost as if it was another actor. For instance, during one of the murder scenes, when the body fell to the floor, the red lights represented the blood spreading across the stage, which looked very modern and realistic.
Another very different method that was used was to have Mr. Hyde played by all of the supporting actors. This is very hard to describe, but it was extremely effective. It showed not only the unattainable nature of the posession by Mr. Hyde, it gave the character so many other facets than just one actor can provide.
The best actor of the day, in my opinion, was Scott Schafer. He went from role to role to role, and I wouldn't have even known it except for the fact that I read in the program that he played five main roles...not minor roles, not small roles...main roles. I would love to meet him in person, because I'm sure he wouldn't look at all like any of the characters he played. He was definitely the highlight of the cast.
All in all, this was an excellent play and well-deserving of presentation at the Rep. It still has another weekend, so if you have time to get out there, I highly suggest it.
The star of the show was definitely the set design. It was a beautiful two story set with stairs coming down both sides, and intense red lights which added quite a bit to the story, almost as if it was another actor. For instance, during one of the murder scenes, when the body fell to the floor, the red lights represented the blood spreading across the stage, which looked very modern and realistic.
Another very different method that was used was to have Mr. Hyde played by all of the supporting actors. This is very hard to describe, but it was extremely effective. It showed not only the unattainable nature of the posession by Mr. Hyde, it gave the character so many other facets than just one actor can provide.
The best actor of the day, in my opinion, was Scott Schafer. He went from role to role to role, and I wouldn't have even known it except for the fact that I read in the program that he played five main roles...not minor roles, not small roles...main roles. I would love to meet him in person, because I'm sure he wouldn't look at all like any of the characters he played. He was definitely the highlight of the cast.
All in all, this was an excellent play and well-deserving of presentation at the Rep. It still has another weekend, so if you have time to get out there, I highly suggest it.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Identifying and Categorizing Goals
I spent some time yesterday working out of "You Can Do It!" The first badge is about dreaming and identifying dreams. I spent a lot of time listing dreams that I knew about, dreams from when I was a kid that never materialized, and things that I knew I could do but never did.
I narrowed it down to 30 things, and matched them up with badges in the book, if possible. I organized them by how long it would take to do them, the effort it would take, and category.
Did I mention how much I love Excel?
I worked on a few of the initial steps of some of the badges - photography, taking care of my health, planning a party, learning a language and playing an instrument. The first steps are easy - mostly just identifying the goal. The next steps will be tougher!
I narrowed it down to 30 things, and matched them up with badges in the book, if possible. I organized them by how long it would take to do them, the effort it would take, and category.
Did I mention how much I love Excel?
I worked on a few of the initial steps of some of the badges - photography, taking care of my health, planning a party, learning a language and playing an instrument. The first steps are easy - mostly just identifying the goal. The next steps will be tougher!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
You can do it!
I am starting to work on "You Can Do It!," by Laura Catuzzi Grandcolas. It's a series of 60 badges, in the same vein as scouting badges, but it's for adult women.
The first badge is about exploring and identifying your dreams, in order to even know which badges to work on next. Most of the things I've written down so far are dreams that I know I have, there haven't really been any surprises, but I have a few more exercises to go.
My plan is to blog the whole book, but I've planned to blog all of something before, and rarely get past a few entries. Perhaps this will be different. I am already way ahead on my New Year's Resolutions!
The first badge is about exploring and identifying your dreams, in order to even know which badges to work on next. Most of the things I've written down so far are dreams that I know I have, there haven't really been any surprises, but I have a few more exercises to go.
My plan is to blog the whole book, but I've planned to blog all of something before, and rarely get past a few entries. Perhaps this will be different. I am already way ahead on my New Year's Resolutions!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
The London Tea Room
It was a rainy, chilly, English...er, St. Louis morning when our St. Louis Tea Meetup group visited the London Tea Room. Despite the weather, the tea room was bustling with a very diverse crowd of patrons.
The atmosphere is stately, yet cozy, with a nice mix of glass and wood tables, as well as hardback and cozy chairs. Whatever your seating pleasure, they have you covered.
The main counter is fronted with a full case of quiches, pastries, cakes, brownies and, of course, scones. A bounty of teas fill the backboard, which proudly displays the moniker, "THE LONDON TEA ROOM."
Of course, we started off with tea. The menu of beverages is overwhelming for the casual tea drinker. Be sure to read all of the clever descriptions - you won't be sorry. I had previously tried the Monk's blend, and was going for the Fifth of November blend, only to find out that it had been sold out for the day.
Our waitress, Amanda, came to the rescue like a pro. She offered to make a blend of Organic Vanilla and a dash of Oolong, which would give sweet vanilla taste with a smoky touch. Bingo! I did tell her that the owners should add this as "Amanda's Blend" on the menu, and by the time I left, she had already made the same for another happy customer. It was so good, I'd definitely order it up front next time.
To eat, I went for "The Croque Monsieur," which is hard to say but, oh, so delicious to eat. It's basically a smoked ham sandwich on their pugliese bread. Add both muenster and gruyere cheese, and you have a delightful - and very large lunch.
Last time I was there, I had the Apple and Brie sandwich on the same type of bread. It was slippery, but something very different for the vegetarian appetite.
Dessert was a difficult choice, but definitely try one of the cakes. They had a citrus an poppyseed that I wish I had tried, but I went for the carrot cake and I was not disappointed. Each of my lunchmates had a dessert, and they were so large that not one of us could finish ours, and we are no amateurs when it comes to finishing desserts.
If you're in the mood for shopping, you can find many English treats to take home with you, from Cadbury chocolate to Marmite. I only recommend one of them. You guess which.
If you're down by the City Museum, definitely stop in for lunch or just a snack, and don't forget to pick up some tea to take home!
Visit http://www.thelondontearoom.com/ for directions.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Got the Life by Fieldy (review)
I was fortunate enough to see Korn (with Staind) many years ago, and really enjoyed the concert. This might not seem unusual, except for the fact that I was a parent chaperoning my kids at the time. The "nu Metal" sound of Korn was new, fresh and interesting. Little did I know how much this band was hurting on a personal level.
Fieldy, Korn's bassist, opens up about his own alcoholism, drug abuse, violence, and general immaturity in a way that shows extreme vulnerability. He takes complete responsibilty and shows deep remorse for the hurts of his past, but makes it clear that his heart was always in the music and with the fans. He shows a love for all of the band members, past and present.
The writing style is as coarse as the material. Fieldy doesn't sprinkle the pages with flower petals, and readers shouldn't expect a watered-down version of a picnic with Korn. I loved the edginess, yet compassion, that resides in these pages.
In addition to a great story, the book is crammed full of great photos of Fieldy, his family, band members, and other cebrities and fans.
It's very well done, and very enlightening. This would make a great gift for teens who are starting to move off of the straight and narrow.
Fieldy, Korn's bassist, opens up about his own alcoholism, drug abuse, violence, and general immaturity in a way that shows extreme vulnerability. He takes complete responsibilty and shows deep remorse for the hurts of his past, but makes it clear that his heart was always in the music and with the fans. He shows a love for all of the band members, past and present.
The writing style is as coarse as the material. Fieldy doesn't sprinkle the pages with flower petals, and readers shouldn't expect a watered-down version of a picnic with Korn. I loved the edginess, yet compassion, that resides in these pages.
In addition to a great story, the book is crammed full of great photos of Fieldy, his family, band members, and other cebrities and fans.
It's very well done, and very enlightening. This would make a great gift for teens who are starting to move off of the straight and narrow.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Corned Beef Brisket
I made a wonderful corned beef brisket tonight in the oven. I purchased it from the Schnuck's on Zumbehl, and it was very good...and very tender.
It weighed 2.83 lbs. before taking off the fat. I wrapped it in foil and put it in the roasting pan (on the rack), and cooked it at 300 for about 2.5 hours.
My meat thermometer bit the dust, or I would have liked it to have been about 160 degrees before I took it out. Since corned beef is pink on the inside when it's completely done, it's hard to tell just by eyeballing it.
I used my best judgement, and it all worked out.
It weighed 2.83 lbs. before taking off the fat. I wrapped it in foil and put it in the roasting pan (on the rack), and cooked it at 300 for about 2.5 hours.
My meat thermometer bit the dust, or I would have liked it to have been about 160 degrees before I took it out. Since corned beef is pink on the inside when it's completely done, it's hard to tell just by eyeballing it.
I used my best judgement, and it all worked out.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Cracker Barrel
Today, after the Toastmasters contest, we went to the Cracker Barrel in St. Charles, MO.
For a fake old fashioned restaurant, Cracker Barrel has some darned good food. Today, I had a sausage skillet, which had onions, peppers, eggs, cheese and, of course, sausage. Served with incredible two buttermilk biscuits, it's a very inexpensive - and large - meal.
Our waitress, Connie, with a southern drawl that fit right in to the atmosphere. She turned out to be an expert at pouring tea out of both the left and right side of the pitcher. Not an easy feat considering she was adeptly handling many tables.
Of course, no visit to Cracker Barrel is complete without a visit to the gift shop. The had some cute Easter items out, and a lot of winter clothing that was 50% off.
I hardly ever go there, because I always forget it's there - tucked right next to the Convention Center - but I'm always glad (and full!) when I remember.
For a fake old fashioned restaurant, Cracker Barrel has some darned good food. Today, I had a sausage skillet, which had onions, peppers, eggs, cheese and, of course, sausage. Served with incredible two buttermilk biscuits, it's a very inexpensive - and large - meal.
Our waitress, Connie, with a southern drawl that fit right in to the atmosphere. She turned out to be an expert at pouring tea out of both the left and right side of the pitcher. Not an easy feat considering she was adeptly handling many tables.
Of course, no visit to Cracker Barrel is complete without a visit to the gift shop. The had some cute Easter items out, and a lot of winter clothing that was 50% off.
I hardly ever go there, because I always forget it's there - tucked right next to the Convention Center - but I'm always glad (and full!) when I remember.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Fountain Lakes Park
I went Geocaching in Fountain Lakes Park today. Went for seven, found five. The road was flooded so, of course, I waded across. It was about a food deep in the middle.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef
I saw this on Flickr and thought it was cool. It's a Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef that looks very lifelike. The word "hyperbolic" comes from a geometric term for circular functions, and you can see how that would apply for crocheting.
Hyperbolic crochet is a favorite among both environmentalists and mathematicians.
Hyperbolic crochet is a favorite among both environmentalists and mathematicians.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Unforgettable Walks to Take Before You Die by Steve WatkinsRating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a gorgeous book, full of photos of thirty wonderful walks all around the world. Each walk includes a thorough, interesting, write-up about each walk - travel, lodging, interesting sites, history, tips, warnings, and even the natural significance of the surroundings. Highly recommended for people looking for a peaceful adventure. I rated it four stars only because I would have loved to have seen more than thirty walks!
Off to a great start...
Hello, and Happy New Year!
Last night, we had a great celebration at the Comedy Forum in St. Peters, featuring the Fryman. It was the usual fare - comedy, champagne, noisemakers and dancing.
Today, I'm just catching up around the house and preparing for a wonderful new year. I hope you're doing the same!
As you can see by the photo, Savannah is spending the first day of 2009 pretty much the same way she's spent every day of the last six-plus years....catnapping.
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