My Hair Stylist Moved Closer to Me! CLOSER!!

So most chicks lament when their hair stylist moves. It's always this big ordeal trying to find someone that can handle one's BANGIN MANE.

Liz and I were just gabbing about her new mane. I think it's ultra-cute, and wish I had a pic of it. We both get our hair done by Jonny K, and I was mentioning how happy I was about Jonny's move to my neck of the non-woods. Jonny and Stephanie Kelson just opened their rad space on Franklin Ave at the Mezzanine Salon. Caitlin from Moxie Hair Salon & Art Gallery moved to Mezzanine as well.

I'm lifting some pics of their new space from their MySpace so you can see how wikked cool the new location is.















The lower level and lounge area.












The loft where Jonny rokks out my mane.























Mezzanine had their grand opening on May 5, 2007 featuring music from Arctic Universe and dj James Leonardo with an art installation by artist Jaron Childs.

Jonny is a rokker and a hair stylist. I think we all know how I feel about rokkers.

















Being a rokker gives him a good sense of what I mean when I say, "I want hair that can be styled by a motorcycle ride." Or, in the case of the pic, a boat ride.

These are Just Two of My Favorite Things

Check out this video.

Sometimes you can combine two of your favorite things and get something amazing....like whiskey and ice, for instance.

Presenting two of my favorite things: Bettie Page and Q Lazzarus's "Goodbye Horses".

Yes, it's that creepy Buffalo Bill song. When I was a teenager, I read that the "horses" in this song could be symbols of the 5 senses in some Eastern philosophy. I always liked that interpretation...the singer is flying away from senses.

And my fondness for Bettie Page isn't a perverted thing, FYI. The fact that the cult legend never appeared in sexually explicit scenes is endearing to me. But what I truly chersih about Page is the enthusiasm and knack she had for pushing the limits in her career. She seemed without inhibitions at all, and approached her work with humor.

I can't decide if this combination is AMAZING, but I'll definitely say it captivated me. Creepy goodness.

Bashing Balzaks in Green Bay

So this past weekend, we played golf in the Annual Balzak Classic golf tournament at The Woods in Green Bay, WI. I won a prize for the ladies' longest drive, but I forgot to collect said prize. I'm more concerned with the title than the loot anyway. gerg's team took 2nd! HECK YES!

I couldn't find my camera when I was playing golf, so I concluded that I left it in the car. Later I discovered it WAS in my golf bag the whole time! *rrrrrrrr* After we found it, gerg dropped it, and it stopped working for awhile. Now it's all good.

So anyway, the whole tournament is basically a gigantic get wasted festival with shots and cocktails before, during, and after the outing. Needless to say, by the time everyone arrives at the night-time party, most have been drunk at least once already that day, and most have sunburned noses.

It was AWESOME jamming with my Wisco friends. atrain and sarah were both heavily intoxicated and showing me love, which was CRUCIAL, since they are, like, the best girl friends EVA!! I was also happy to party with my broham, MarkMartin. He is the RAD.

We heard some crucial music at the party:
09:15-10:00 rfbutter
10:00-10:30 The Active Ingredients
10:30-11:30 Hecubus
11:30-12:30 PrettyTony
12:30-01:30 Michael John

We danced and gabbed. People were dancin like fools. Serious fools. gerg and I cut a rug!! My sunglasses were a hit. I kept telling people I was wearing them to increase my optimism. Most of them just looked at me like, "HUH? *hiccup*"

SOME PRIZES:

Best moustache: Lepp.








Best air punching: Ese









Best shades: me









Best breakfast dates at Julie's Cafe: sarah, MarkMartin, velevetgentleman, gerg







Best offensive tank-style underwear shirt: joshherman (click on photo too see a larger version of the offensiveness)







This dude, Don, approached me about 12 times claiming that we made out in his bedroom when I was roomies with Beth VasOss. I was never roomies with Beth. So I kept saying stuff like, "Dude, whatever chubby-cheeked bitch you made out with wasn't me. I may not remember names, but I remember faces." And then he'd get all pouty because I didn't remember, and then he'd tell me how awesome I was, and I would agree with him that I was awesome, and tell him to buzz off. Then he'd ask if he could try on my glasses. And then 5 minutes later he'd come up and say, "I can't believe you don't remember! It was when you lived with Beth!" And I'd have to remind him, again, "Dude. Shut up. It wasn't me. You're about to end up on my shit list." I almost had gerg kick his ass, but then I remembered that I didn't really give a rip cuz he made me laugh.

other pics from the night

The Bees are the Bees Knees!

As a kid, you never wonder where bees are at. You only notice them when you get freaked out and start squealing and running like a moron when you see one.

Now that I'm all grown up (yeah right!), I actually give a crap about bees, and the apparent lack of them. Everyone is wondering: Where you at, bees??

Have you noticed the honey bee die off? I was moving last summer, so I didn't plant a garden, and thus wasn't paying as much attention to whether there were bees in my yard. This year I'm all up in our new MPLS garden, and wondering WTF is going on with da bees?!?

According to Bev Johnson, author of the honey bee die off article I linked above (which you may or may not have read): "One theory is that the fungus that either killed the bees or came later, is producing a toxin so repellent that the bees desert the hive. Or, parasitic mites are killing them and the mite killing chemicals are building up in the wax and killing bees. Or its a fungus, or a virus, or chemicals sprayed on the various crops. No one really knows at this point."

This year I've planted:
Pink Brandywine tomatoes (heirloom) - big and red
Sun Gold tomatoes (heirloom) - small and yellow
Persimmon tomatoes (heirloom) - medium and orange
check out photos and descriptions of all tomato varitals here!
Rattlesnake pole beans (heirloom)
red bell peppers
cucumbers
crimson pixie lilies
variegated hostas
vinca minor
a golden showers rose bush (hehe)
several impatiens
other random flowers in pots
gerg had planted tons of hostas a couple years back

Will the bees come to my garden? So far, the outlook is good. It looks like we're in store for a bumper crop of sun gold tomatoes, based on the dozens that are hanging on the vines, and the brandywine are producing fruit as well.

"So, what can gardeners do to help their bees? First, plant lots of flowering plants and shrubs. Don't use pesticides as they kill more pollinators than bad bugs."

I've planted some flowers this year, not a ton, but my neighbors don't plant anything! The flower-to-house ratio in our neighborhood is woefully low, IMO. JEERS!! My garden is organic from topsoil to fertilizer, so there ain't no pesticides to scare the bees off.

Perhaps I'll need to craft a beeblock, except I'll prolly call it the BeeBopBlock and blast Charlie Parker, but not Led Zeppelin, in my garden....cuz I'm a nerd like that.

Hurra Para la Lake Street!

The growing Hispanic community in our neighborhood is good for me.

El Sabor! It's expressed in our neighborhood's foods, murals, graffiti, shop window fronts, bar fights, trash in the streets, cookouts, catcallings, and festivals. I gotta say that when I spent a recent evening in Edina, I missed our neighborhood. The dense, packed flavors and colors of E Lake St keep me on my toes. I think the air is gently spiced with valium in Edina.

On Thursday night, gerg and I seized the opportunity to try out one of Dara's Fast, Cheap, Great joints around our house: Taqueria La Hacienda.

First, I want to say that I can't speak to the sustainability of the products they use, which is information I always seek at restaurants. It's not impossible to make fast, great, cheap sustainable foods, but it's definitely less likely in our neck of the non-woods.

Second, there are 2 vegetarian options on the menu. 2.

The space was was tidy and colorful - definitely a family joint. We also checked the Mexican Coke Bottle label: "sugar" was listed, and "corn syrup" was nowhere to be found. I think that's a good thing for people who like Mexican Coke...too sweet for me. No booze. No beer.

They also have pork on a spit. Photo lifted from citypages.














I had the "special": shrimp alambres. shrimp, griddled with onions, bacon, and bell peppers and topped with melty cheese piled over 6 (or so) corn tortillas (I picked out the bacon). The flavor was decent, but the presentation was: "Here's your food on a styrofoam plate, sukkas."

gerg ordered three tacos: I overheard him order the Al Pastor ("crispy, meaty, bacony, porky, cheesy" - Dara), but his plate was served with chicken, carne asada, and another style of pork. He was slightly disappointed that the al pastor was missing, but said the three tacos he WAS served were da bomb. Once again, he was the best date ever. Plus, he complimented my car's new shoes on the way out. DREAMBOAT!

NOTE: I think the confusion with gerg's order could have been my fault. I originally ordered a cheese quesadilla, but when I saw the alambres special, I changed my mind. Then I asked to change my order, and blah blah blah...I made things complicated. My bad!

gerg still needs to sample the al pastor - I owe him, since I screwed up our order. Join us?

A New Arrival! I Shoulda' Baked a Cake!

This is a re-post. The first version was WHACK.

So after some rainy golfing on Wednesday, we bopped over to the MOA. First, I engaged in my favorite mall activities: looking at shoes and sampling parfums. Somehow, I spent a bunch of money on something, so I could make neither shoe nor parfum nor eau de toilette related purchases. BOO! HISS! Then we moved on the Apple Store where gerg made a special purchase.

Welcome to our house 15-inch Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro. You are nice looking, in a non-human way.










gerg's been hankerin for a new laptop, and since he recently landed a new freelance web gig, we both agreed it was a good idea for him to wield some new, sexy power in the form of a mac laptop. I spent maybe an hour with it last night. I like how fast it is. I like the mac-style features. I like the portable theatre feature, the illuminated keyboard, the built in iSight camera, and I like the voice commands. gerg thinks it's the wikked coolness.

We also grabbed a 30g video iPod. Dude gave us a mail-in rebate for this bad boy, so we only paid $50 for it. HOLLAR!!! I stole this photo from the interweb. "Lost" ain't my thang.


Continuing, we scored a new Photosmart printer, which will be totally FREE after another rebate. HELL YEAH!






The Photosmart is, like, half the size of our current printer, which I appreciate, because our current printer annoys me with its girth. TOO BIG, says I.

Honestly, 90% of what I print out is google maps anyway because getting lost ain't charming to me. I'm thinking a GPS for the Passat is in order.

Centennial Park - Where it's Hip to be Sqaure

I've got to get my short game in shape for the annual Balzak Classic golf tournament in Green Bay, WI this weekend. My major competition for the women's prizes at this event has traditionally been Beth. Rumor has it that Beth is out with a bun in the oven. Congrats to her!

I figure this is my opportunity to rokk it at the Balzak. SWEEP!!

Last year I rokked it so hard, I ended up with an upside down footprint on my skirt.











So gerg and I headed to Centennial Lakes Park last night to brush up on our short game so as to DOMINATE at the Balzak this weekend. They have a putting course there that is wikked tricky. Regarding the putting course: "Centennial Lakes Park's 18 manicured bent grass greens range in length from 57 to 125 feet and are surrounded by sand traps, ponds, boulders and planter beds. Players use only a putter to negotiate these heavily undulated greens. This par 51 layout is 1662 feet in length and takes approximately an hour and 45 minutes to play."

The putting course kicked my butt, and didn't contribute to my confidence in my short game. I think I was distracted by the sqaureness of the place; I felt like a sore thumb among a handful of well manicured nails there. I guess I'll never live in Edina. HOWEVER - I definitely intend to hit their sensationally groomed croquet and lawn bowling courses this summer.

As for the Balzak, I do intend to bring it, but I'll be amazed if I sink a putt longer than 3 feet. *sheesh*

My Standing Rock Experience

I spent last week visiting Bismarck, ND and the Standing Rock reservation in ND. This was a trip devoted to learning Native American methods of sustainable agriculture and introducing our program to the tribe members there. The people of Standing Rock, often called Sioux, are members of the Dakota and Lakota nations. We met members of several bands including the Lakota, Dakota, Nakota, Mandan, Hunkpapa, Blackfeet, and Tanktonais.

One couldn't help but despair at the 79 percent unemployment rate on the reservation. Still, we seized the opportunity to meet with the farmers, ranchers, and administrators on the reservation. With their 496,000 acres devoted to ag and 1.751 million acres devoted to grazing, we were confident we could find some common ground regarding agriculture and sustainability. I won't bore you with the technicalities of the meetings.

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About the food: Fry Bread, Fruit Pudding, and Soup prepared by Loretta Bad Heart Bull

We were greeted with open arms. We were served two native meals. I tried Wigli Aguyapi (sioux fried bread) for the first time. Fry bread is not necessarily considered a native food by all tribe members, since it originated when rationing began on the reservation. It was sweet and fried. Better tasting than a doughnut, especially when dipped in the Wojapi (fruit pudding) they served to us; they served wild chokecherry/strawberry wojapi for lunch and blueberry wojapi for supper. Wojapi is sensational.

For the noon meal they served Papa na timpsula Wahampi (dried buffalo and wild turnip soup). The wild turnip is also called breadroot. It's small and white and not spicy as compared to the traditional eurpoean turnip. In the evening, they served Hehaka Wahampi (elk soup) with homini, dried corn, and green onion. Although I didn't eat the meat, I did sample the broth and vegetables.

The generosity in the midst of poverty was notable. We were treated with warmth and courtesy. There was certainly an element of awe and respect for the natural environment and a sense of calmness that gets lost in our routine hustle and bustle. It gave us an opportunity to step away from our desks, offices, research labs, and libraries. I learned about the importance of creative vision in sustainable ag, and I nestled into an even more commited relationship with sustainability.

Other noteworthy stuff:
I slept in a sleepnumber bed for the first time. 60 was too firm. 30 was a little too soft. 45 was just right.

I witnessed blessings from elders of various tribes in their native languages.

I learned the term "forb".

I met author, professor, and lecturer Donovin Sprague. He played the flute for me.

Hibernia Highlights

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! So basically, our trip to Ireland was THE RAD.


There are too many awesome details to cover, so I'm gonna share some of my wikked cool highlights. I reckon I'll continue to mention bits about the Emerald Isle in later entries, but these are my highlights from Hibernia. Click on any of the photos to see a larger version. If you have time, the links are loaded with more images and information. We spent 12 days touring. It was cold for the first week (like 50 degrees), and warmer the second. gerg and I shared a vehicle with his sis, Kari, and her hubby Jim. Gerg's parents and aunt and uncle, (Bev and Ken) shared the other vehicle. Friends Jen and Euchre joined us in a third vehicle.

Staying in Temple Bar, Dublin was an eye-opener, despite jet-lag. Staying out late. Shopping for high heels. Getting lost. Getting hailed on. Lots of sites within walking distance of Temple Bar, including the Guiness Storehouse, Jameson Distillery, the Book of Kells, St. Patrick's Cathedral, the Brazen Head (Ireland's oldest pub), and the Ha'Penny Bridge.


Becoming a certified whiskey taster at the Jameson Distillery. I have a certificate and all that jazz. That means I drank a bunch of shots. I made a sour face when I had to drink JW Red Label. Ew.



Visiting the Dingle Pennisula was an adventure due to stormy conditions and mountain roads. Still, it was eerie and totally cool. The waterfalls running down the sides of the road were a bit freaky.



Tiny sinks. These run rampant in Ireland's pubs. Either that, or my hands grew.









Playing golf at Connemara Championship Golf Links. The first time I've played on a course without trees.








Visiting the Burren and the Poulnabrone portal tomb. The tombs here are so old, you feel wierd and kind of lame in the scheme of things.






Drinking a pints at The King's Head. The gent who opened this place in 1649 was rumored to be the man who beheaded King Charles I! We also ate here. The food there isn't worth mentioning, as is the case with most of Ireland.


The Xanax Trio. They first grabbed my attention at OHare cuz they were discussing Xanax for the plane ride complaining about generic versions of the benzodiazepine. We spotted them again at Blarney Castle and again in Killarney. It was fun making up hilarious tales about the Xanax Trio....What sort of adventures did they have? How many pills had they popped?

Stopping for sheep to cross the road. Sheep run this country, or at least run all over it. Best be paying attention on those rural routes unless you want wool in your grill!





Eating foreign candy. I liked the Galaxy Bar. It was just like Dove Chocolate. Not gourmet, but melty and good. gerg liked the Catch bar. Not surprising since he's such a catch! *insert sound of his sister Kari gagging here*


Finding a pair of leopard print peeptoe pumps in Galway. Two new lines of shoes that I fell for: Firetrap and Fly.









Mounting Blarney Castle. Despite all the various local rumors and stories about the blarney stone, gerg kissed it. I didn't.








Drinking pints with gerg's family every night. Hearing stories about gerg as a kid, and laughing at each other's Guiness moustaches.







Seeing rhododendron EVERYWHERE. Gigantic bushes of vibrant blossoms. The blossoming patches along Galway Bay towards Clifden were simply crucial.




Seeing Loop Head on a gloriously sunny day.













Receiving a crucial claddagh ring from gerg. He bought it at Fallers Jewelers in Galway.









Drinking with, talking with, listening to local musicians at the pubs and on the street. We recorded some Irish musical FLAVA. Found these chaps at a pub in Ennis, with Christy McNamara on the push-button accordian.

Taking photos of Ireland is way too easy!! Check out our collection from Ireland by clicking here. We still need to label the photos and organize them. We will do so soon.

So Far, so Beered in Ireland

Stout stout and more stout.















For the past 8 days I've quaffed at least 4 pints per day, not to mention "drops" of Jameson here and there. In fact, I became a certified whiskey taste tester or something at the distillery in Dublin. I have pics of the certification process. It involves shots. I will show them latron.

hiccup

Just checked out of the skeffington arms hotel in Galway...proceeding to shoe shops in search of the elusive leopard print peeptoe pumps.

Oh, and a rosary for me mum.

Much more to come and photos galore. Cheers!