Memorial Day Weekend

Hello friends! I hope you had a good weekend and, if you're in the USA, a good Memorial Day weekend. I had four full days off from work and I took advantage of them the best way I knew how. There were nights with friends, days on the river, afternoons at the park with dogs and beer, a morning spent in a tattoo shop and lots of cleaning and organizing around the house. A great balance of productivity and relaxation and my only regret is that it had to end. Here are a few photos and snippets of the highlights.

On Friday morning I accompanied Sonnie to the tattoo shop. Our friend Ruby, a tattoo apprentice, had recently completed a certification course for cosmetic tattooing. Sonnie decided to take advantage of this by getting her eyeliner done. I have no tattoos myself but most of my friends do. I love tattoos but I can't think of anything that I want to carry around on my skin for the rest of my life. Cosmetic tattooing seems like a good compromise - you get the thrill of ink, but in such a way that it doesn't even look like you're sporting a tattoo! Nice for thrill seekers and people like myself, who are too lazy to regularly apply make up. Ruby was a true professional and Sonnie said it didn't hurt much. I don't know if I would actually go through with something like this, but it was a cool process to watch nonetheless. Also, hanging with my ladies is always a good time, even if one is sticking the other with a tiny needle.

Friday night was spent first eating sushi and then at the Pine Knot, an old church which gets overtaken once a month by local musicians. We drank beers in pews and caught up with an old friend who was in town with his new wife. I don't take advantage of this quirky, small town event nearly enough so it was good to stop by and enjoy the company, the beers and the music.

While we were partying with our friends at the Pine Knot, the dogs spent the evening partying in Amy and David's backyard. I love this photo.

Most of Saturday was spent cleaning the house, making a mess while brewing our third ever batch of beer, and then cleaning the house again because brewing beer is messy work. This was our most successful brewing operation process-wise - we seem to have the steps down and I am beginning to understand why we're doing things instead of simply how. Progress!

Very early Sunday morning we left for our canoe trip. We had planned to do two days of canoeing, camping on the river bank after the first day. The water was higher than the last time we canoed and we were able to breeze past many of the log jams that gave us trouble a few weeks ago. We also booked it - we covered almost 12 miles in just over five hours, plus an hour long break for lunch. By the time we finished the first section, we were exhausted and zapped from the hot and humid weather. (100 degrees in the sun, at least!) We decided to skip the second leg AND the camping and head home for air conditioning, cold showers and sleep. It was the right decision - I got to have an adventure on the river but I also got an extra day at home. And oh, how I love days at home!

When we returned one of the canoes to a co-worker of Nathan's, I took some glamor shots of their chickens. They've been kind enough to give us some of their eggs and I made sure to thank each of the chickens personally. I think they appreciated the gesture.

We finished our perfect holiday weekend on Monday, with morning yoga and then a two hour park date. Amy brought one of their dogs and David flew a kite; our dogs rolled in the grass, lounged in the shade and turned sticks into toothpicks; many beers were consumed. And then we saw Bridesmaids, which was very funny and surprisingly sweet. It was the perfect end to a great weekend.

MINE

Earlier this week, Nathan and I watched the documentary MINE via Netflix instant viewing. From the movie's website:

MINE is a documentary about the essential bond between humans and animals, set against the backdrop of one of the worst disasters in modern U.S. history. This gripping, character-driven story follows New Orleans residents as they attempt the daunting task of trying to reunite with their pets who have been adopted by families all over the country, and chronicles the custody battles that arise when two families love the same pet. Who determines the fate of the animals —and the people— involved? A compelling meditation on race, class and the power of compassion, MINE examines how we treat animals as an extension of how we view and treat each other.

I went into this movie with some opinions. I have two dogs who I consider to be full members of my family - decisions on where we will live, how we will travel, where and for how long we will we go on vacation all take Seamus and Calvin into consideration. I said to myself, "If there was a hurricane, there is NO WAY I would ever leave my boys behind." I believe that if you make a commitment to an animal, then it's your responsibility to do everything in your power to uphold that commitment. 

After watching this movie, I'm more sympathetic to the survivors of Katrina. Hearing them tell their own stories, I better understand the terrible positions that many of them were put in. The film explains how most shelters - including the Super Dome - did not allow dogs and cats. How some people were forcibly removed from their homes because they would surely die otherwise. How one man had to evacuate 20 family members and there simply wasn't room for their beloved dog. In many cases, these people did do everything in their power to care for their animals. Tragically, the power they had was severely limited. 

Without giving away the resolutions of the people and pets the documentary follows, I will say this: if a person is trying that hard to find their dog, and if they've lost everything else in their life, then I hope that whoever adopted the animal would find it in their heart to return him or her to the original owner. I'm not saying that every single Katrina survivor deserved to have their animal back - for many of the abandoned dogs and cats, the hurricane really was the best thing that happened to them. It released them from negligent living conditions and gave them a chance for a new life. Then again, those negligent owners didn't appear to be the ones tirelessly searching for their dogs. Returning these pets should be considered on a case by case basis, and I think that MINE did a great job of objectively telling both sides of each story (including the politics and power plays that went into each struggle) and allowing the viewer to make up her own mind.

Have you seen MINE? What did you think?

One more thing: speaking of animals devastated by natural disasters, check out this Amazon registry created by the Joplin Humane Society. Joplin, Missouri was ravaged by tornadoes earlier this week and in addition to the many people who are suffering in the aftermath, there are many animals that also need help and assistance. If you purchase something from this registry (anything from dog food to flea and tick medication to cleaning supplies) it will be shipped directly to the shelter. For more information, check out this post by Brie Fit.

Ashtanga Yoga Workshop with Ricky Tran

I blog a lot about running - my races, my training and my general struggles and successes with the sport that I've come to love. But an activity that I love just as much and spend just as much time practicing doesn't get mentioned nearly as often on the blog. I'm talking, of course, about yoga.

I practice an average of three times a week, mostly by attending classes at Morning Glory Yoga Studios, which is owned and operated by one of my closest Nacogdoches friends. I write a monthly newsletter for the studio and do other PR and promotional tasks (press releases and Facebook, mostly) in exchange for my membership. And I love it. It doesn't matter that I have the world's tightest hips, that I can't touch my toes until the end of class, that my mind never stops moving, not even in svasana. The thing about yoga is that it's always a practice - you're never finished. Today I'm working on handstand. But once I master that pose, there will be a new challenge waiting. This is just as true for the beginner attending their first yoga class and the guru in India who has been practicing for forty years. In yoga, we're all equals.

This past weekend, I took my yoga practice on the road, traveling to Dallas with five of my yoga friends to an Ashtanga class and workshop with Ricky Tran, a fairly well known teacher in Texas. It was two days filled with laughter, memories and a whole lot of utkatasana. Here's how it went down:

Saturday: Amy picked me up at noon and we proceeded to collect the rest of our group, which included Eralda, Chip, Cyndra and Arrie. We then drove 3.5 hours until we arrived at our hotel in Dallas. There was time for one beer at the hotel bar and then we headed to the King Spa and Sauna to meet Ricky and his friend.

The Spa was not a spa in the traditional sense. It's open 24-7 and features tons of different rooms that you could sit in - some were very hot and humid, some were cold, some featured aromas, some pumped up with oxygen. There was also food, chairs for reading or napping, and places to just hang out and enjoy the experience. And then there were the baths.

As soon as we got there, the men and the ladies separated and we striped down to our birthday suits, then entered the baths. First we sat in the hot bath, which was 105 degrees. We alternated the hot bath with the cold bath, which was a terrible, terrible 60 degrees. I couldn't go in past my waist. When we were driving to the spa I got nervous about the whole naked thing, but once I got into the baths it seemed like the most normal, natural thing I could do. It helped that everyone else was naked and walking around like it was no big deal. Fake it until you make it, right?

After the baths we were given uniforms to wear, which were the ugliest things in the world. Then we visited all the saunas (this part was co-ed). My favorite was a super hot hut (I guessed it was about 130 degrees). We sat in it for about eight minutes and I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sensation of sweat rolling down my body.

Our awesome spa uniforms. Photo by Amy Sanford (as you can see).

After the spa, we had dinner at the Spiral Diner which is one of my favorite restaurants in all the world - totally vegan, totally delicious. And then it was all I could do to keep my eyes open until I got back to my bed and fell asleep.

Sunday. We were up early enough to enjoy a free breakfast in the hotel (Amy and Cyndra had to change rooms three times so the hotel gave us restaurant vouchers to make up for the hassle. Score!) Then it was off to Ricky Tran's studio. First, we attended his Ashtanga class which was challenging but fun. From the Ashtanga website:

Ashtanga yoga is a system of yoga transmitted to the modern world by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (1915-2009). This method of yoga involves synchronizing the breath with a progressive series of postures — a process producing intense internal heat and a profuse, purifying sweat that detoxifies muscles and organs. The result is improved circulation, a light and strong body, and a calm mind.

Practioners of Ashtanga cannot move on to the next series of poses until they master the first one. There are eight series in all, but most people practice the standing series (five each of Sun Salutations A and B) and the Primary Series.  This wasn't my first Ashtanga class so I knew what to expect (you practice the same poses in the same order each time) and there is something about the disciplined approach to yoga that I appreciate. I don't know if I would want Ashtanga to be my main practice, but branching out and trying new yoga styles and instructors is definitely a learning experience.

Photo by Amy Sanford

After class ended we took a break and then jumped right into the workshop part of the morning. Ricky basically broke down the primary sequence and we practiced each individual move again, and again, and again. We got deeper into the poses and really got a chance to explore our bodies in them. This was even tougher than the actual class - so many chaturangas, so many chair poses! My shoulders felt like they were going to fall off and the next day, my abs were sore. But again - so educational and so worth it.

Lunch at the Cosmic Cup!

After our morning of yoga ended, we had lunch at the Cosmic Cup, a great vegetarian hippie restaurant in Dallas, and then drove back to Nacogdoches. On the drive home, we passed an over sized chair in a field and stopped to take photos. Obviously. It was the perfect end to a great weekend.

Namaste, y'all!

Touching Base

Calvin's new workout schedule is making him tired.

Ladies and gents, it's been a busy few weeks and from the looks of my meticulously color coded Google Calendar, it's not going to let up any time soon. Surprisingly, I'm okay with this. I love my down-time and my me-time and my sit-on-the-couch-time as much as the next person, but right now the universe is conspiring to get me out of the house and on the path to adventure. And who am I to resist the universe? Here are just some of the things that have been keeping me on the go:

Spring Cleaning
Nathan and I are going through a major reckoning with the majority of our stuff. I long to be a clutter free minimalist and release the material objects that weight me down, and I feel like we're finally on our way. We're selling a third of our books on Amazon and clearing clutter from the dark recesses were it likes to hide and multiply. I see a yard sale in our near future.

Running
I have no races on the horizon so I'm making this the summer of Running Free. What does this mean? Each Monday, I plot my fitness plan for the next seven days and I base it on what I want to do, how I want to challenge myself and what I want to accomplish. So far this has resulted in short and fast runs and training dates with Calvin. He went on his second run yesterday morning and finished three miles like a champ - an average pace of 8:43! Go, Calvin!

Yoga
I've been downright addicted to yoga lately. I went to class three nights in a row this week and on Saturday (barring the Rapture, of course) I'm headed to Dallas with some friends and fellow yogis for an Ashtanga class and yoga workshop. Also, the Spiral Diner, which serves the finest vegan food.

Reading
After finishing The Invisible Bridge, I decided to hold off on picking up another book and make a dent in the pile of unread magazines and literary journals currently crowding my coffee table. I'm almost done with the latest issue of Gulf Coast and it. is. great! Reading journals is a source of pleasure, but it's also research - knowing what's being published right now is one of the key steps to getting published myself. The fact that I enjoy and am inspired by this kind of research is just the icing on the cake.

Happy Friday!
Have a great weekend and I'll see y'all on Monday, unless you got Raptured. (Which I don't think will actually happen but it if does I know I'll be left behind. Someone needs to blog about it.) Until then! 

Review: The Invisible Bridge, by Julie Orringer

Years ago, I read and fell in love with Julie Orringer's short story collection, How to Breathe Underwater. When I read that she had finally written and published a novel I checked it out of the library as soon as I could. I was not disappointed.

The Invisible Bridge tells the story of Andras Levi, a young Hungarian man who first goes to Paris to study architecture and later suffers through the tragedies and horrors of the Holocaust. This is a large and ambitious novel - it spans over eleven years of Andras' life and the lives of those closest to him, while carrying complex subplots and historical threads through from the beginning to the end. I don't want to say too much about the plot because I don't want to give anything away, so instead I'll focus this review on structure and style.

I loved - loved! - the sheer depth of this novel. The details we get of Andras' life, the way we experience the world through him, the time Orringer spends building his world and then the pain of watching hatred and bigotry tear it down - it's a true work of art. The first half of The Invisible Bridge takes place in Paris, where Andras is busy attending school, falling in love, and becoming a man. The second half takes place after the World War II has started and Andras is forced to return to Hungary. I've read a number of books about the Holocaust (The Diary of Anne Frank was one of my favorite books growing up) but this is the first story I've read that takes place outside a concentration camp, instead focusing on the lesser known but equally horrifying labor camps that many Jews were forced to serve - and die - within. The plot of this novel is loosely based on the experiences of Orringer's grandparents, which brings another layer of terror to the story.

One thing I very much admired about the structure of this story is the way it really feels like a single person's life. Andras has friends, professors, people who are very important to him in the beginning of the book - some of these people are never seen or heard from again, which is strange for a story but true to life, especially life during World War II.

Since I finished this novel and begged everyone I know to read it, I've read a few reviews online - some of which were flattering, others which were less so. It seems most reviewers knock Orringer for her use of "purple prose" which - I learned from Wikipedia - is "a term of literary criticism used to describe passages, or sometimes entire literary works, written in prose so over extravagant, ornate, or flowery as to break the flow and draw attention to itself. Purple prose... also refers to writing that employs certain rhetorical effects such as exaggerated sentiment or pathos in an attempt to manipulate a reader's response."

While I don't entirely disagree with these accusations - Orringer does have a habit of describing things in great detail, of pulling at the heart's strings incessantly - this didn't especially bother me or distract me. When I picked up The Invisible Bridge, I was hoping for a novel that would pull me into another world, make me feel something raw and real, and leave me a better person than I was when I started. High standards for a work of fiction, but Orringer did not disappoint. And really - you can't be too sentimental when it comes to the Holocaust. It's a subject that demands a certain level of anguish.

I realize, rereading this post, that I use a lot of words like "anguish," "horror," and "tragedy." While this novel contains all of those things, I don't want you to think it's a total downer. There are many beautiful moments in Andras life, true happiness and joy despite the terrible situations of his time. And Andras Levi, the character, is a person who never loses hope or his love for the world around him. In the end, this is a book about the human spirit, which even something as terrible as the Holocaust can never crush completely.

Read it, and then let me know what you thought.

Lemon Fresh Red Potatoes and Squash

photo credit: glyn_nelson

First things first: I have no actual photos of this very delicious recipe. I took some photos and they were great, but Nathan got a hold of my camera in New York and deleted everything not wedding related, so he had room to take videos of little kids break dancing. He figured since the photos were clearly older, I had already transferred them to my computer. I informed him that, for future reference, anything on my camera has YET to be moved. Lesson learned.

Lucky for him, I was able to find a lovely photo of red potatoes to illustrate this blog post, compliments of the Creative Commons search feature on flickr. All my photos are posted under a Creative Commons license, which means anyone can use them however they like, as long as they credit me. I am grateful to other flickr users who return the favor.

But we're not here to talk about Creative Commons or missing photos. We're here to talk about food, and this recipe will get you talking. I found it on the back of a bag of Ruby Sensation red potatoes and after reading the recipe in the produce aisle, proceeded to buy the ingredients and make it that night. It's a simple, summery dish and comes together very quickly, despite the long-ish directions. The recipe recommends serving this dish warm but I have to say - I had the leftovers cold the next day and was blown away by the more developed flavors. Served cold, it's a fresher, lighter version of potato salad, bursting with bright lemon notes and the mild sweetness of shallots. It's good warm, of course, but seriously: eating it cold, the next day, is the way to go!

Lemon Fresh Red Potatoes and Squash 
(adapted from the back of a bag of Ruby Sensation Potatoes)

You will need: 
1 lb small red potatoes, unpeeled and quartered
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Zest of one lemon (zest before juicing)
2 Tbsp minced shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 tsp dried marjoram or dried basil, divided
1/8 cup plus 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 zucchini squash, cut into 1.3 inch thick slices
1 yellow squash, cut into 1.3 inch thick slices
1/2 large red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch wide strips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Place potatoes and salt in a large saucepan, cover with water and boil until almost tender, about 12-15 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the potatoes!

3. While potatoes are boiling, combine squash and bell pepper in a large bowl; add 1/8 tsp of marjoram and 1 Tbsp of oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat.

4. Arrange squash and pepper mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake 5-8 minutes until tender, turning at least once during cooking time.

5. Whisk lemon juice, shallot, garlic, 1 tsp marjoram and lemon zest in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in 1/8 cup of oil. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

6, When potatoes are done, drain and transfer potatoes to a medium bowl. Add squash and pepper mixture. Pour oil and lemon juice mixture over the whole she-bang and stir to coat everything evenly. Serve warm or let cool and serve the next day, for an even more complex and delicious flavor.

Wedding Weekend on Long Island

Last Wednesday after work, Nathan and I took the Seamus and Calvin to Dog Paradise (AKA, Amy and David's backyard) and whisked ourselves away to a weekend getaway to New York, which began with a night in Houston. The Houston stop served two purposes - it gave us an excuse to visit our friends Vicki and Jeromy AND it allowed us to catch our 7:30 am flight without waking up at 3:30 and driving two hours to the airport. (Yes, we live two hours from an airport. When I say I live in a small town in the middle of nowhere, I'm not kidding.)

The night in Houston was fun (bars and restaurants and friends!) and in the morning, we got to the airport with plenty of time. This was good, because after snaking our way through a huge security line Nathan realized he had lost his wallet. He did not have a scrap of ID on him - no driver's license, no credit cards, no student ID. Nothing. After a lengthy interview, during which the TSA conferred with the FBI on a phone and asked Nathan a ton of questions ("What cars are registered in your name? Who do you live with? What is your mother's birthday?") they finally let him on the plane. Moral of the story? You can fly anywhere as long as you study hard. (Kidding. The moral is don't drop your wallet behind your car seat at 5:30 in the morning. Lesson learned.)

All of that is to say we made it to New York and it was a good thing we were not held up in Houston, because we had a wedding to attend! One of my good friends from high school was getting hitched on Saturday and as Carla is about as crazy as they come (in a good way!) it was an event I did not want to miss. Naturally, I took photos. 

 

Carla and Sean got married in the Catholic church I attended growing up, which was a surreal experience. These two actually met in an online forum for people with lots of tattoos - Carla's are covered up in this photo, but fear not - she had a second dress for the reception which showed them off properly.

The lovely wedding party. I like weddings where the bridesmaids are asked to wear whatever they want as long as it's a certain color - it lets the bridesmaids retain their individuality (as you can see, in this group there was a lot of that!) and allows them to buy a dress they'll actually wear again.) In this wedding, that color was black with green accents. Tattoos were optional. ;)

Me and my three closest girlfriends from high school. From left to right: Allie, me, Carla and Abby. I don't talk to many people from high school so I consider myself very lucky to count these ladies among my dearest to this day. Even though it's been over ten years since we've lived in the same state, every time I go home it's like I never left. I like friendships where you can pick up right where you left off, no matter how much time and distance has come between you.

Nathan and I often go by "Henneward," because it combines both our last names. We get mail addressed to the Hennewards, our dogs are listed by the last name Henneward, and now we get place cards at weddings as the Hennewards. Too far? Maybe, but that doesn't bother us. (Side note: if/when we get married, I do not plan on changing my name, no matter how catchy Henneward may be. More on that some other time.)

And speaking of the Hennewards! Here I am, all dressed up. My sister attempted to curl my hair, which lasted about 45 minutes. Nathan, on the other hand, is unshaven and unshowered, as he spent the night in the city with his man friends while I shopped til I dropped on Long Island with my mom and sister. I picked him up at the train station a half hour before the ceremony started and he was hung over and running on about three hours of sleep. Boys.

After the church ceremony, we drove about twenty minutes down the road to the country club where the reception was taking place. It was a very nice party - cocktail hour (hello, mimosas!), DJ and plenty of dancing, and all the traditions that make a wedding, well - a wedding! Cake in the face, sit down dinner, getting buzzed at three in the afternoon, dancing awkwardly with somebody else's Aunt. I loved it and had a great time. I always do!

And here's a photo of Carla's second dress that I nabbed from Facebook - apparently I was too busy drinking mimosas and dancing to actually take any photos during the reception.

In addition to the wedding festivities, I got to spend lots of time with my mom and youngest sister, a rare opportunity for which I'm always grateful. Living so far from my family is hard, but we're very good at making up for lost time.

Now I'm back in Nacogdoches, back at work, and trying my best to recover from the fun-filled travels of the last five days. Regularly scheduled blogging will resume tomorrow, as will eating vegetables and exercising in general. Until then!

Running Shoes: Not Just For Chewing!

As soon as we brought Calvin into our family last summer, I started making plans. Calvin, a Labrador and Rhodesian Ridgeback hybrid, would be my running partner. Never mind that he was practically feral when we first got him, or that he couldn't walk on a leash without chewing it, or that he bolted at the first sign of a squirrel, a bird, a cat, a leaf, a tree, or his shadow. I had dreams of running through neighborhoods with my big, black dog by my side. I would make these dreams come true.

(I know what you're thinking. "But, Chrissy. You already had a big, black dog named Seamus. You have had him for seven years. Why didn't you make him your running partner?" I will tell you why. Because I only started running three years ago and Seamus had already exhibited some hip issues. He is a large animal with a strange body type and is not built for the rigors of long, sustained exercise. Also: lazy. Very, very lazy. There is a reason we refer to him as Couch Dog. So: Calvin and I wake early and go for runs, and Nathan and Seamus sleep late and hit snooze. Everyone is happy!)  

After doing some reading, I discovered that one should not take a dog running until he's at least a year old, when his bones have fully developed. Calvin is now just over a year old, plus he's actually somewhat obedient these days (I know! He's growing up so fast!). There was nothing stopping me from running with him, but I just hadn't gotten around to it yet. I figured there would be a learning curve and with my last two races on the horizon, I was putting it off.

Then a friend informed me of a number of attempted assaults that had occurred on my usual running route in the last few weeks. I often run by myself, early in the mornings, when it's still dark and the roads are fairly  empty. With this troubling news, it seemed the time to start bringing Calvin on my runs had definitely arrived.

And so this morning, we set out on our first run together. Like any human just starting out with a new workout regime, I knew it was best to ease Calvin into running. We started by walking a quarter of a mile to warm up and give him time to make his morning deposit, if you know what I'm saying. Then we set off running at a decent clip. At first Calvin was confused - What were doing? Were we chasing something? Was something chasing us? Should I stop and pee on that bush? No? Are you sure? He finally caught on and seemed to enjoy himself - we ran some streets he'd never been down and he was doing his little dog smile and looking at everything we passed with interest. When the Garmin beeped the one mile mark (9:19! Calvin was smoking!), we took a walking/sniffing/peeing break before beginning mile two.

At about 1.5 miles, I could feel Calvin slowing down. Instead of being just in front of me, he was just behind me. I egged him on and told him we were almost done but he was dragging. Then - he saw a squirrel. There was a lunge. I pulled. We re-focused our energies and kept going without falling down. And suddenly, wouldn't you know it - Calvin had found a second wind! We finished strong (9:22!) and walked the last quarter of a mile home. I was so proud of him that I let him sniff and pee on every tree he wanted. (FYI, that's a lot of trees.)

I think I'll take him on a two or three mile run once or twice a week, with walking breaks, until he builds up his stamina. By the fall, when the weather is cooler and he's in good running shape, we'll tackle some longer runs. I don't think I'll take him for anything over ten miles (this handy chart helps you figure out which breed is best suited to which distances) but for short, fast runs and long, slow distances he'll be perfect. Plus the fact that my new running partner is a 90 pound, muscular, and half crazy dog should keep the bad guys away.

Dogs! I just love them!

The Best Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe Ever

The only carrot cake recipe you'll ever need.

Nathan's birthday was in February and naturally, I had to bake him a cake. Also naturally? I decided to make  a cake that I had before baked - carrot cake. I knew I liked carrot cake. I was 97% sure Nathan also liked carrot cake (he does - whew!). And I'm always up for trying out new recipes on important days and/or for large groups of people. What can I say - I'm a baker who loves a good thrill. 

Action shot.

After scouring the Internet while at work on my free time, I found a recipe that looked simple enough. No wacky ingredients. I had pretty much everything on hand. Vegan. Carrot. What more do you need? I made a few changes (of course) and crossed my fingers. Apparently the baking gods were smiling on me, because the cake. was. delicious. Seriously - this is perhaps the best cake I have ever baked, and birthday cakes are basically my specialty. 

Vegetables in cake? Totally healthy!

Pre-mixing. So pretty.

This cake is really easy to make - the hardest part is grating the carrots and that's just because I haven't been keeping up with my strength training. The coconut is subtle, the golden raisins juicy and the walnuts provide the perfect crunch. The natural sweetness of the carrots makes icing a non-necessity, but when it comes to birthday cakes the trick is to never hold back. Bake this today, whether it's a special occasion or not. This cake alone is reason to celebrate.


The Best Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe Ever
(adapted from GroupRecipes)

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose white flour 
1 cup of white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp of salt 
2 tsp of baking powder 
1/2 tsp of baking soda 
2 tsp of cinnamon 
3 cups shredded carrots 
3/4 cup of canola oil 
1/2 cup of orange juice
1/2 cup of golden raisins
1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x9 inch square pan with oil.

Mix together the flour, sugars, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon until thoroughly combined. Add the shredded carrots and the oil to the dry ingredients and mix well with a spoon (not a hand mixer!).

Add the orange juice and mix again, then fold in the nuts, raisins and coconut.

Put the batter into pan.

Bake for 45 minutes or until knife/toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.

Let cool before topping with vegan buttercream cinnamon frosting.

Empty plate speaks for itself.

Race Report: Fredonia 5-Miler 2011

This past Saturday, I ran another local race. I know! Two races in as many weekends! But when the race is right here in town, I can't pass it up.

This weekend, it was the Fredonia 5-Miler, a five mile race that starts downtown by the historic Fredonia Hotel, winds through the college campus where I work (I sped up when I passed my building) and loops back for a downtown finish. The best part about this race is that after, all the runners, organizers and volunteers enjoy breakfast burritos, coffee and orange juice on the hotel's poolside patio. Because 50-odd sweaty and smelly runners are classy like that.

Runners begin to gather at the start line.

This was my second year running this race. Last year, it was very hot and humid and I finished in 44:22. This year I've been running slower overall (not counting the marathon) and my training the last few weeks had been spotty. I didn't expect to PR, but I wanted to try and run nine minute miles - a 45 minute finish. The weather was about 70 degrees when we started at 8:00am with low humidity. So far, so good.

And then: I ran five miles. It was a fairly uneventful run - pretty course, one steep hill at the halfway point, two well placed water stations. This part of the report would be more exciting if I had action photos, but alas. (Side note: I read a lot of race recaps and I'm always envious of these bloggers who have a million photos of themselves running their races. Who is taking these photos? Do they have friends and spouses placed at strategic points throughout the race? Do they set their cameras on a timer? How do they posses the coordination to hold out their camera and take an action shot of their own face while they are running? When I'm racing, I'm racing. And I generally don't have an entourage of paparazzi waiting to get the perfect shot, unless it's a marathon because that's really special and exciting. So: no mid-race photos. I hope the post-race shots make up for it.)

Here's one funny thing that happened during the race: for most of the five miles, I was neck and neck with a girl who looked to be about high school age. I pulled in front of her; she pulled in front of me; back and forth we went. At the three mile mark I had a pretty good lead on her (maybe 100 feet) and I held that until we were about a half a mile from the finish line. At that point, her father jumped in the race and started running beside her, egging her on. "Come on, you got this, a little faster, you're almost there." And suddenly, the girl was passing me! I started clapping and managed to gasp, "Nice job!" And not only did she pass me, but she finished a good 30 seconds before I crossed the finish line. It's inspiring to see someone dig deep and push it in the final stretch.

I didn't mind being passed because we obviously weren't in the same age group. Which is good, because during the breakfast burritos and awards ceremony, this happened:

Oh hey! That's a nice surprise!

That's right. Despite feeling undertrained and not competive, I beat least year's time AND placed first in my age group. My new five mile PR: 43:59. Not too shabby.

The couple who places together stays together.

Nathan placed second in his age group, but only because he now shares an age group with our friend Chip, who is a very speedy and talented runner. If you have to lose to someone, you can't go wrong with losing to Chip. :)

All in all: a fun race, a great morning and a lovely slice of Nacogdoches hospitality. Thanks to the Hotel Fredonia and the Nacogdoches Rotary Club for hosting the event!

The Fruits of My Labor

Photo from We <3 It

Two weeks ago, I bought a pineapple. I placed it on my kitchen counter, claiming that I was letting it ripen for a few more days before I cut it up. A few days went by. The pineapple didn't move. Every time I walked into the kitchen, I saw the pineapple staring at me. I averted my gaze.

One morning last week I told myself I would cut it up that night, while dinner was simmering on the stove and I was in the kitchen anyway. That night, I decided to wash some dishes instead. I would cut the pineapple in the morning, while making breakfast. Breakfast came and I was too busy packing snacks and feeding dogs. When I came home for my lunch break, surely I would have to cut the pineapple. But it was such a nice day I decided to walk the dogs instead and barely made it back to work on time.

This morning, I finally cut the pineapple and brought a bowl to work for a mid-morning snack. It took me less than five minutes to cut the damn thing and I was a little late for work, but no one minded. The pineapple was delicious.

The lesson here? Don't spend more time avoiding the pineapple than you spend enjoying the pineapple.

Come On In!

Back when I was a naive New Yorker, the only time I saw a lizard outside was if someone's pet escaped. An experience such as getting home from work, locking your bicycle to the porch railing, and then accidentally putting your hand around an anole as you reach to open your front door - well, it would never happen.

Yesterday in Texas, that is exactly what happened.

Sometimes I really like living in the south. 

Writing is Like Running

Did I just start this post with a quote from myself? Why yes. Yes, I did.

Despite my bag of tricks designed to Help a Person Write, I have sadly spent little to no time these last few weeks in front of my computer, doing the heavy lifting required to actually BE a writer. I could say that I've been thinking about writing - musing over plots, jotting down notes, fleshing out characters in my mind - but the truth is that I have been drinking a lot of red wine and watching season four of Mad Men. While this has been good for my mental health (relaxation and quality television FTW!) it is not so good for my own creative pursuits. In order to get back on track, I went to bed last night at 10:30pm, set my alarm for 5:00 and woke up early to make coffee, plop in front of my computer and actually write.

And friends - it was hard! I had this idea that seemed pretty good but once I actually started writing it down, it was the worst kind of terrible. Cliche. Predictable. Safe. Not to mention strangely reminiscent of Sweet Valley High. What was I doing? Why was I even writing? Shouldn't I leave this sort of thing to people who are actually talented, go back to bed and resign myself to a life of wistfully reading other people's books?

Then I came to my senses and realized something important: I have been here before. I don't mean in a deja vu, mystical sort of way. I mean literally. Every time I take a break from writing, every time I begin a new story, I go through the same song and dance. Today I realized that this is simply part of my process, and that if I stick with the story something decent and - dare I say good - will emerge. Eventually.

Photo credit: Frank Chimero, via WeHeartIt

My Writing Process, In Handy Step-by-Step Form: 

1. Spend two weeks drinking wine and watching Mad Men every night. 
2. Begin to feel guilty for neglecting artistic endeavors. 
3. Commit self to writing again. Make up a new rule to jump start creativity, such as a minimum number of words a day, scheduling time in Google Calendar, or reading and/or writing inspirational blog posts (which are all subtle forms of procrastination, but still useful.).
4. Wake up early because that is when the house is quietest and the brain works best. Begin. 
5. Hate whatever ends up on the page. Decide a future as a writer is a futile pursuit. Die a little inside. 
6. Go to work. Sulk. Drink coffee. Sulk some more. 
7. Think about terrible story while working. Jot down a few ideas and email them to self. While helping someone submit a grant, realize the crux of the story is wrong - that it should begin in a different place and end in another. Get a little excited. Continue thinking. 
8. At night, drink less wine. Read a book instead of watching Mad Men. 
9. The next morning, wake up early and look at story again. Realize it is not actually that terrible. Delete half of what was written the previous day and start again with new ideas. 
10. Repeat for two weeks, until first draft is complete and surprisingly decent. Return to piece again and again for the next six months to one year, revising, rewriting and restructuring until story is ready to be sent out into the world. 
11. Return to step one and begin the process again. Repeat until the end of time. 

Step ten is actually my favorite part of the process. As I've said before, I love revising and figuring out how to make a story work. Writing the first draft is the hardest part, which is why the experience always sends me on a downward spiral. From now on, whenever that happens I will pull up this post, read it once again and realize that I'm not lost, not hopeless, and not the world's worst writer. I'm simply at the beginning again, which is fine and necessary and a good place to be.

Race Report: Barkothon 5K

Race day!

On Saturday I ran the Barkothon 5K, which benefited the Nacogdoches Animal Shelter. (Fun fact: this was my seventh 5K race since I started running three years ago!) I had grand plans of finally breaking 25 minutes and initially thought that this would be the race - I've had a pretty good season of running, my yoga practice has been consistent and strong, and I'm in a great place mentally and emotionally. However, as race day loomed I realized that my lack of speed work, the heat and humidity and a strange start time meant today was not the day for setting records. But not aiming for a PR didn't mean I couldn't have a good time or run my heart out - I did, on both accounts. Here's how the race went down.

The race had a start time of 2pm. Now. I am a morning runner, and for a good reason. I live in East Texas, you see. Here, summer starts in mid-March and lasts until Thanksgiving. We've already had a string of days where temperatures rose to the 90's, and have I mentioned the humidity? We like to hang out around 85% as a general rule. Needless to say a 5K race, in late April, at the hottest part of the day, did not bode well. On the other hand, an afternoon race meant I didn't have to skip my morning yoga class. A 90 minute practice the morning of a race is probably not a good idea if you plan to PR, but for the lady who just wants to have fun, run with friends, and support the animals it was just right.

Me, Nathan and Mud, Kate's dog who volunteered to be our prop.

Our friends Christy and Chip! Great runners and even better people!

We got to the park where the race would start at about 1pm, registered with no problem and then admired the adorable dogs that were up for adoption. This is never a good idea. When faced with dogs in cages, who have no couches to sleep on and no people to love, I often end up crying and trying to convince Nathan that we can take them all home. Saturday was no exception. Luckily Nathan talked me out of stuffing our apartment with more dog than it can handle and I spent my pre-race time giving the pups all the love and attention I could offer.

I wanted to take them all home.

This pup had one brown eye and one blue eye!

Cue the tears.

As for the actual race? It was okay. I forgot my Garmin, which was fine since I wasn't planning to actually "race" anyway. It was very hot and very humid and I basically just found a pace that felt okay and tried to maintain it without slowing down or walking. At one point, I actually took a wrong turn which ended up being a very slight short cut. I doubled back a bit to try and make up for my mistake, but I felt terribly guilty for the rest of the race. My faux pas didn't allow me to pass anyone, and no one passed me (I was running alone for much of the race, which is the main reason I didn't know which way to go) so I don't think it made too much of a difference. There weren't any age group prizes (since they were raising money for the shelter and prizes = money) so no harm done. When I finished I didn't even bother to find out my time - the organizers were busy and I didn't really care, but I will estimate that it was around 27 or 28 minutes.

According to the local paper, the race raised nearly $3,000 for the shelter. I can't think of a better PR or a better way to spend a hot and humid Saturday afternoon.

Potlucks and Parties and Practice, Oh My!

I've been out of town a lot the last few weeks. Traveling for work, traveling for fun, traveling for races. So when I realized that we would actually be in Nacogdoches this weekend and, better yet, that there would be lots of opportunities for East Texas fun, I made it a goal to take advantage of as many of them as I could. And Reader - I was successful!

Saturday started with a 90 minute yoga class at the studio, which is my favorite way to begin any weekend. After class, I headed to Java Jacks for a coffee date with some friends. We sipped soy lattes and ate vegan cookies (well, I did) and chatted for over an hour, until it was time to run home, pick up Nathan and head to Pecan Park for the Barkothon!

The Barkothon was the inaugural 5K race to benefit the Nacogdoches Animal Shelter. I'd been looking forward to this race since February, when I decided to skip a local race because I didn't support the organization the proceeds benefited. The animal shelter, on the other hand, is a cause near and dear to my heart and I was thrilled to run for the dogs (and cats)! I'll post a full race report soon, so stay tuned for all the gritty details.

After the race, Nathan and I relaxed around the house, watched an episode of Mad Men, drank a beer and baked vegan chocolate chip cookies. The cookies were my contribution to the Appleby Community Farm potluck that our CSA was hosting. We had never been to a potluck on the farm before and it ended up being a really lovely experience. The dinner started at 5pm, which was great because after a late day 5K the last thing I wanted to do was cook a dinner for two. Instead, we headed to the farm, mingled with the other 50+ CSA members, admired the gardens and the Ginny hen, and ate a very satisfying plate full of food.

Normally, that would be a lot for us to do in a whole weekend, but we did it all in one day... and there was still more to come! We capped our evening with a going away party for a friend. We were supposed to leave that party and stop by another one (I know! Party animals!) but we were too tired and conked out at midnight. Home was calling and we were happy to answer.

Sunday was also a lot of fun, though a little more laid back. We slept as late as the dogs would let us. We caught up The Office (and I bawled over Michael Scott). I went grocery shopping and spent more than I planned (as usual). And then we spontaneously decided to take the dogs to Lake Nacogdoches for a dip in the water.

Seamus has always loved the water. He'll swim until he's so tired, he's in danger of drowning. This is the reason he wears a stylish float coat at the lake. Now that Calvin is fully grown, we finally invested in a float coat for him as well. While Seamus jumped in the water and started swimming right away, Calvin had to warm up to the idea. He had no problem splashing around in the surf, but as soon as the water was over his head he got scared. We spent about an hour swimming and by the end of the trip, he was willing to swim out to the deep end for tennis balls, but it was pretty funny watching him gaze at Seamus' swimming prowess with longing. One day, little dog. One day.

After the lake, there was just enough time to grab some sushi before heading to an evening yoga class at the studio. Two yoga classes and a 5K in one weekend? Yes, ma'am. In other words: I slept well. All in all, it was a very busy, very active and very fun weekend. Nacogdoches, I love it when you treat me right!