Taking The Long Way Home

Adios Amigos

2012-07-27T15:52:00.000-06:00

I made the announcement today that I'll soon be closing my BeadShop, and going out of the bead business. I know that seems unthinkable to some people, but it's been coming for some time now, and I think I can explain why.

I've been at the torch for almost 16 years. My usual stint at most things is about 7 years. Although it's been a good long ride, it's time to move on. In the time I've been making beads, I've seen countless new beadmakers hit the scene, some of them good, creative, original artists, and some just copying what's already working for someone else. I've had my share of copy-cats, and although they never really hurt me, I have to admit to finding them annoying. Anyway, over the years we all began to notice something of an overabundance of beads out there. Combine that with a slow economy, and many of us who were used to making a good living from our beads gradually found it harder and harder to make ends meet. Cheap Chinese lampwork, although well known to be of inferior quality, also hurt us because people who didn't know any better started buying it instead of all the wonderful artist made beads available. The price is right, and they're pretty. But what can we do? I for one can't work for sweat shop wages.

I'm actually really grateful for all the seeming "downturns" in my business. It's hard to walk away from a business that's thriving, but as it is, I'm more able to admit that I'm done, and to allow myself to imagine what comes next. Something always comes next! My plan is to build a new business as a vegan food coach and cooking instructor. This is what makes my heart sing now, and I'm always the first to tell someone to do what makes their heart sing. Life is short. Get on with it.

To close out the BeadShop in style, I'm sorting through a mountain of beads and jewelry that go back to my very beginnings at the torch. Starting Monday I'll be offering most of it for sale, about 30 - 50 pieces at a time, until it's all gone. I'm finding things I didn't even remember saving. 16 years is a long time, and a lot of beads.

With all this happening, it also occurred to me that it's time to end this blog. I started it when we were traveling, but now we're more settled than ever back in Taos - at least until we're not. Anything could happen, but it feels like we'll be here for a while, and we like that. We took the long way home, and here we are. Home. Not exactly back home, because everything is different now. Moving forward from here means even more things will change, and because I'm putting my focus and attention into what matters to me now, that means leaving behind what's no longer of service.

Blogs end. New lives begin. I'm so grateful to all of you who have been reading along with me all this time, and I invite you to come over to my other blog, Positively Vegan, to continue the journey with me. You don't have to be vegan to hang out with me (just ask my friends). My focus now is on cooking and wellness, for humans, animals, and the planet, and I imagine you can find a place for yourself in there somewhere. Besides, I think my new adventures are every bit as interesting as my old ones. It's not just about food, it's about life. Or as a Zen monk who's name I can't remember once said, "When I give you food, it's not about food. It's about everything."

As a beadmaker, I always wanted to decorate everyone I knew. I still do, only now I want to decorate them from the inside out. Follow me over to Positively Vegan, and we'll keep the fun going! And starting Monday, check the BeadShop for vintage Kim Miles treasures. This is the first batch I'll be listing, and I have tons more...

Happy trails, my friends! Thanks for being here!

xoxoxo Kim

Back In Bloom

2012-06-12T11:42:00.000-06:00

Well, well... I didn't see them coming, but flowers are making their way back to my studio. I really thought I was done with them, but that was back in January, when the landscape wasn't exactly flowery and inspiring. Now Taos is back in bloom though, and it seems to be contagious. Nothing wrong with that, although I'm really glad I gave myself the nice long break from the "forced blooms" I'd been doing for years. How long will these current glass gardens last? Who knows. I'll make them until I don't make them anymore. How vague and uppity and artisty of me, eh? For now, well, let's just enjoy them while they're here. They can be found in the BeadShop, until they're all picked.

Kim & Lauren are Moving

2012-05-30T15:01:00.000-06:00

I've decided to move the "Kim & Lauren" posts, about our upcoming half marathon adventure at Disneyland, over to my other blog, PositivelyVegan. I think it's a better fit, and I hope you'll head over there right this minute and sign up to Follow By Email, "Like" me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, or "Join This Site." PV is growing and taking on a life of its own, and I'd love a nice big audience to go along with it. You don't have to be vegan to enjoy a good meal, or to learn something new. Come on over and see what's cooking. We're having fun!

Kim and Lauren - Post #13

2012-05-24T12:30:00.000-06:00

Kim:

We have no Lauren again this week. She's having too much fun, and I'm not going to be the one to pin her down to homework when there are so many other things she can be doing. She's still in the race, and she's still training. My girl is doing great, so you're stuck with me for now...

There's no such thing as time. I know this. That doesn't stop me from sort of obsessively timing my morning runs. In my own defense, I want to know how I'm doing, so I'm at least pretty sure I can finish the race in the alloted time frame. I want to finish that race. So I think it's a good idea to keep track of my progress, so I can push harder gradually, as I go, rather than freaking out in the last three weeks because I'm too slow to finish.

It make sense to me, but maybe I'm wrong... It seems every time I go out to set a personal best, I'm delayed by everything from malfunctioning gadgets, to road work, to cute little puppies that just make me stop and pet them. This morning I had the puppies, fresh, loose gravel, fierce wind, and an interval timer that went berserk after about ten minutes, and wouldn't stop buzzing. I carried it for about a mile, like a big, cranky purple bumble bee, and then tossed it in my driveway, where I'll probably leave it until its battery runs down.

I finished the rest of my 6 mile jaunt more or less on my own. I still had PodRunner on my phone, to help keep up a brisk pace, but soon the frantic techno drone began to annoy me. I shut it off and turned on some of my own music, and kept going. At first I thought it would be good to run as long as I could, and then walk until I felt rested. Well that didn't work because I tend to relax into the walk, look at the scenery (this is Taos), and forget to start running again. To be honest, I really prefer walking.

Eventually I compromised with myself. I estimated 30 seconds of running to 30 seconds of walking, and to my surprise, I was able to trot along comfortably for over a mile. I still stopped to pet the puppies, and when I got home I stepped over the buzzing timer and ignored the clock in the house. I think I'll be fine, as long as I just keep going. If letting puppies and beautiful scenery slow me down a few seconds is a bad thing, well, it's a bad thing I can handle.

Kim and Lauren - Post #12

2012-05-17T10:25:00.000-06:00

Kim:

It took me a week to catch my breath after the big Seattle trip. This week I came up with a new, more serious, training schedule, and then just to make sure I stay motivated, I signed up for a 5K next month. What? Well, sure, why not? I mean it sounds like a big deal, bit it's just a smidge over 3 miles - 3.1 to be exact - and I do that twice a week already, with a longer run on Fridays. I think it will be good to do a "real" race before the half marathon, and besides, it's for a good cause. It's being put on by the local hospital, which I avoid like... well, like a hospital. But in this case, all the money raised goes to people in the community who are dealing with cancer, not just for medical stuff, but for things like groceries, bills, daycare, and other everyday things. While I refuse to "run for cancer" (what we fight, we feed, and what we focus our attention on gets stronger), I'm more than happy to run for people! That's where my attention is in this. You can lend your support if you like, by making any size donation on my page at the For The Health Of It website.

So to get all this done without embarrassing myself, I've kicked the training into a slightly higher gear. I imagine I'll keep making adjustments, but this week it goes like this: Monday and Wednesday - run 3 miles plus swim aerobics. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, walk 1.5 miles with Rick (he needs to get out there too, but doesn't want to run). Friday is my "long run" day. I think I'll go 4.5 miles this week, like I did last week, and if I feel good at that point, I'll go around the block again, making it 6 miles. The goal is to add a little bit every week.

The other thing I'm working on is the run-to-walk ratio. I'm just not a great runner, but I'm better than I was in February, when I started this! I always say I'm "going out for a run," but right now it's more accurately a "walk/run," which means I'm walking more than I'm running. I have an interval timer I can set to beep at whatever times I want. This week I'm at 1 minute, 10 seconds running, and 3 minutes walking. I keep inching the running time up and the walking time down, and eventually, when I'm able to run at least as much as I walk, it will become a "run/walk" instead of a walk/run. Whether or not I can hit that point by the 5K on June 16 remains to be seen.

OK - that's all I have for now. It's time to go to water aerobics, where I just do the best I can. Doing' my best here, just doin' my best.

~~~

Nothing from Lauren this week. I think she's too busy running to do any writing. I'll try to get her back next week.

My First 5K

2012-05-15T08:15:00.000-06:00

In preparation for the half-marathon I'm doing in September, I've just signed up for a 5K here in Taos. I think it will be fun to see what a real race is like, it's getting me to focus on the training a bit more, and besides, it's for a good cause. All the money raised is going to actual humans who are dealing with cancer, to help them with everyday needs and expenses. I can get behind that!

The For The Health Of It 5K is on June 16, and I'm on my friend, Sue Williford's team, the Prima Divas. We can use more team members! The entry fee is only $35, and you can sign up here. We'd love to have you!

And if you can't run/walk with us, but would like to support us in making a positive difference in real people's lives, donations can be made either on Sue's page, or on mine. Thanks so much! Here's to your good health!

Back to it

2012-05-07T08:05:00.000-06:00

I've been home for a week. The laundry is done. Several meals have been cooked. Friends have been seen. Herbs have been planted. It's time to get back to business, but maybe not quite as usual.

My preference would be to spend my days in the kitchen, inventing, perfecting, photographing, learning, sharing. My reality hasn't quite caught up to that yet though, so today I plan to sit myself down at the torch and see what comes of it. I took an unpaid month off of work, and I need to replenish the bank account. I'll keep the love in the beads, of course, but the bigger part of my heart is now in the kitchen. I used to want to decorate everyone I met. Now I want to feed them. It's kind of like decorating from the inside out.

I think I'll be putting less time into this blog, and more into PositivelyVegan. We have to do what makes our hearts sing as much as possible. That's how the truly Good Work gets done, because it's inspired by something greater than ourselves. Even if you're a devoted meat eater, I hope you'll follow me over there, because I bet you also eat vegetables now and then, and you might find something new and delicious to add to your own table.

Training for the half marathon also starts again today, with a fun and kickass water aerobics class. I'll be talking more about the nutritional part of the training over at PV, because I know the idea of a vegan "athlete," if you could call me that, is pretty foreign to a lot of people.

Carry on, my friends, and I'll have some new beads for you later this week.

Postcards From the Road - Santa Cruz, Las Vegas and Grand Canyon, and Home

2012-05-03T11:10:00.000-06:00

This is the last post from our trip - and what a trip it's been. I was just too busy to get to it the last few days, so here's the final batch of pictures. Enjoy!

The second day in San Jose, where I grew up, was spent in Santa Cruz, where I spent a lot of time in my high school years, when I should have been in class...

I always love a day at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk.

Lunch with Dad and my sisters, Linda and Jill.

Walking and talking on the beach.

We like each other. It's nice.

And then there are the birds...

I did a little cooking that night, and taught Linda how to make spring rolls and nori rolls. We had fun!

Read more about our cooking adventure on PositivelyVegan.

After a too short visit with my family, Rick and I headed for Las Vegas, where we met up with an old high school friend, Paul Graham. Paul writes the terrific blog, Eating Vegan In Vegas, so he was the perfect person to tell us all the best places to eat.

We started at a food truck. No kidding. There was a health fair going on in town, and this round up of food trucks at the "Brooklyn Bridge" in front of the New York, New York casino featured some delightful vegan options.

This was great comfort food for two weary travelers.

We must have been dreaming of home. This southwest pocket was perfectly spicy and gooey.

Here I am, with Paul and Rick, at one of the Wynn's magically beautiful garden areas.

Dessert at the Red Velvet Cafe... oh my... Everything is vegan, and a fraction of the fat and calories of "regular" desserts. Seriously, you would never know these aren't loaded with butter and sugar. Do pay them a visit if you get the chance.

The next morning we decided to take Paul's advice, and drive over to Pura Vida for breakfast. We were so glad we did. We ended up ordering extra food to take with us, know that the vegan pickings are slim at the Grand Canyon, our next stop.

I instantly fell in love with the humble, non-glitzy location and decor of Pura Vida..

Inside, everything was happy and spotless.

The food was just wonderful. Generous portions, filled with love.

Our server Cindy (left), and Chef Mayra took excellent care of us. Next time you find yourself in Vegas, take a break from the glitter and refuel at Pura Vida.

Armed with to-go boxes of good Pura Vida treats, we scooted on down the road, destination, Grand Canyon, one of my favorite places on the whole big world.

I'm always happy here.

Stupid people are allowed to fall off the rim. This is not Disneyland, and there are no lifeguards in the Gene Pool.

We took an "accidental" 7.5 mile hike along the rim. It was too beautiful to turn back, or to hop on the bus for part of the trip, as we'd intended. The Canyon changes with every step, and every breath. The only way to really see it is to take your time and just be with it.

On day three, we finally saw five California Condors. I was about to give up on seeing them this trip, and suddenly, there they were. There's just something about a big, graceful, ugly-beautiful bird with a nine-foot wingspan that can really make a girl's heart sing. This girl anyway.

It clouded up a little on our last morning there, and got windy and chilly. Time to go home.

Back home in Taos, we were greeted by happy dogs and blooming lilacs. Settling back in now, I need some time to reflect on everything we've just done, and see if I can get some clues as to where we go from here. Maybe everything will stay the same... or maybe it will all be different.

Postcards From the Road - Heading South

2012-04-26T09:34:00.000-06:00

We're heading for home now, but definitely taking the long way, with stops in Ashland, San Jose, Las Vegas, and the Grand Canyon.

At a rest stop in Oregon. I'm always amazed by the loveliness of moss.

Emigrant Lake, where we were camp hosts for a year. Looks like it's doing just fine without us.

Making spring rolls in my cousin's kitchen in Ashland.

Mt Shasta was hiding behind clouds. I was disappointed to not see it but happy to know were were in the presence of the base chakra of Planet Earth - the Inspiration Center of the planet. Pretty powerful place.

Lake Shasta was full to the brim, and healthier looking than I've seen it in years. I think it would be fun to hold a cooking class on a houseboat... anybody interested?

I wonder if we're related?

Three giant dogs share my sister's house in San Jose. Samantha, the "baby," is such a sweet silly girl.

I'm back in San Jose, in the neighborhood I grew up in. Walking the dogs with my sister this morning, I felt like I was walking to school. Something about the smell of this place, and the feel of the morning air... nice. We're going over to Santa Cruz today for a little beach time. Pictures will follow, of course!

Wish You Were Here!
xo Kim

Kim and Lauren - Post #11

2012-04-25T23:16:00.000-06:00

Kim:
I'm really sorry - I have nothing for this post this week. School is out, but it's still at the front of my focus. We're on our way home now, by way of Ashland, San Jose, Las Vegas, and the Grand Canyon. If I'm lucky, I'll get to run on the Rim Trail. If not, I'll pick it all back up when we get back to Taos. For now, I'm just too distracted to even think about the race. I have time though. Plenty of time. I'll check in again next week...

Lauren:
Shit Happens
Last week I ran my butt off. I was strong and determined. I was excited and proud to share my life and running successes with the people I cared about. My mom was in town and I was on top of the world. On Wednesday there was a huge personal jolt in my life.... CRASH.

Shit happens, people make new decisions, stuff changes and people like me don't deal with that very well. When all I could feel was my world crashing around me I sought comfort in the family I was lucky to have around and the friends I am so fortunate to have. The one thing that I thought I would immediately walk away from was the one thing that ended up being the easiest to do, running.

A friend tweeted me a couple days ago, "Keep your head up. Not worth your tears. "Run it off or drink it off." She was right, and even though I did cry, I also did run, and every time I did I felt 1000 times better. And I won’t lie, the adult beverages helped as well.

I am not saying I feel happy all the time, I am still hurt, but I am surprised at my strength to keep going with this. I am the type of person to shut down and turn off. I have proven to myself through this that I haven't just been talking about running a half marathon. I have made this commitment; I have made this my priority. I am not going to let myself or my mom down because something made me sad, and that may be the best feeling I could have.

We all have our own shit and we choose to deal with it in different ways. Running and writing are helping me deal with this and no one can fault me for that. Last Saturday I killed a five mile run without the motivation from another and it felt good to still be just as strong standing alone. One day at a time I am getting through the hard stuff and along the way I am enjoying the fun stuff.

Postcards From the Road - Mission Accomplished

2012-04-24T00:53:00.003-06:00

It was a great last day of class. I was well prepared for my spanakopita demo, and spent some extra time this morning making sure of it.

I was fourth in line today, so had lots of time to be nervous, but I still feel like I did really well, especially for someone who has no real experience in public speaking, and who rarely leaves her house.

It was all sort of a blur...

... but look how beautiful my spanakopita turned out.

A farewell dinner with the kids was the best way to finish our time in Seattle.

Good night Seattle. We're heading out in the morning. You've been splendid, on so many levels!

Wish You Were Here!
xo Kim

Postcards From the Road - Cornbread

2012-04-22T23:57:00.003-06:00

The Fremont Market is where I sold beads a million years ago. Well, fifteen. The market has changed over the years, but it's still fun, and I was glad to have time for a wander through it before class started.

I could live here.

Yes, that is a rocket ship, and Fremont is the Center of the Universe.

Fremont Market

The coolest food truck ever...

... But I'm pretty sure I don't want to know what sort of food they serve...

I was first up to do my demo in class today. I think I did OK, and it was fun, and not as scary as I thought it would be. I made a killer cornbread that turned out just like it was supposed to. How 'bout that.

First we went grocery shopping.

My lovely audience.

Here goes..

Talk talk, stir stir...

Show and tell.

In the pan.

Let's bake this beauty.

Looks good. Is good.

Tomorrow is the last day of class, and another day of demos. I'm doing spanakopita triangles, which I've just learned are made by folding the filling into long strips of phyllo dough, in a way similar to how you'd fold a flag. Good thing I was a Girl Scout and learned that little flag folding trick.

I'm a little nervous about tomorrow. Think I'll try to prepare a little more tonight. Talking points. I need my talking points...

Wish You Were Here!
xo Kim

Postcards From the Road - Teacher Training Begins

2012-04-22T09:13:00.000-06:00

With only a few hours to catch my breath between classes, the wonderful 10-Day Vegan Cooking Immersion ended, and Teacher Training began. The 10-Day was truly an amazing, eye-opening, potentially life-course altering experience, and I recommend it with a happy heart and a full stomach. Find out more about all of Mark's classes and delicious vegan retreats at Vegan Fusion.com.

Rick and I took Lauren to breakfast yesterday morning before class, and there was time to wander through one of the many farmers markets in Seattle, this one in the University District.

With a little bit of time to spare before class, we went for a walk around Greenlake, to finally try out my new shoes. It was an unscheduled lake walk, so I had to make do with the socks I had on under my boots. The shoes are just dreamy, and the baby ducks didn't even notice my silly outfit.

No pics from Teacher Training yesterday, but today I'll be making corn bread for the class, and will hand my camera over to someone to snap a few. I'm nervous. Dreamed about corn bread all night. I'm sure it will all be fine though.

Wish You Were Here!

xo Kim

Postcards From the Road - Completion

2012-04-20T23:29:00.001-06:00

The last day of the 10-Day was yet another Big Food Day, and sort of bitter-sweet, to come to the end of 2 weeks with new friends. We all felt a little bit like kids at the end of summer camp. I think most of us will stay in touch, because this truly was a life changing time for all of us.

Today's food...

Granola

Kale chips

Cacao elixer

Ravioli

Tacos, pizza, ravioli, and many trimmings

And at the end of the day, a very nice and well-earned certificate...

I wonder, at what point does a cook become a chef?

Wish You Were Here!
xo Kim

Postcards From the Road - Another Day in the Raw

2012-04-20T08:58:00.000-06:00

Rick is getting out and about a lot more than I am, since he has all day while I'm in class to do whatever he wants. Yesterday he took this picture of the Space Needle, which is being painted back to its original "gold" color... sure looks orange to me...

Yesterday was day two of raw foods, which I'm learning are pretty labor intensive to make, and usually take a lot longer than cooked foods. It's worth the wait though, especially when it comes to the dehydrated flax seed crackers. On my... I want these in my life on a regular basis.

Much of what we prepared will be ready to eat today. Things like sauerkraut, that's been culturing for almost 3 days now, a cashew cheese that also gets cultured, and these amazing little pizza crusts and chocolate tortillas...

We sampled a wonderful un-stirfry made from cauliflower and macadamia nut "rice" and saucy veggies.

Dessert was a parfait plate, with three different mousses (two made with avocado), cashew cream, and fresh fruit, drizzled with fancy mango and raspberry sauces.

Today is Day 10, the last day of the 10 day cooking immersion. I do feel quite immersed, and I'm kind of sad that it's coming to an end. But tomorrow I'll jump right back in for 3 more days of teacher training, and that's exciting too.

Last night was dinner with the kids, and then a soggy drive back over to West Seattle. This is what it looks like here... most of the time... and why we moved to Taos...

Wish You Were Here!
xo Kim

Postcards From The Road - Going Raw

2012-04-19T09:32:00.000-06:00

The last three days of this class are on raw foods. Think that means carrot sticks and a bowl of sprouts? Not so!

Tropical green smoothies

Chia seed pudding

Stuffed mushrooms

Nori rolls

My nori rolls

There was also a chocolate mousse and a pasta puttanesca, plus a couple of fancy sauces. I'm really enjoying the presentation part of preparing these dishes. It's when cooking class, becomes art class!

More later...
Wish you Were Here!
xo Kim

Kim and Lauren - Post #10

2012-04-18T22:08:00.000-06:00

Kim and Lauren are a mother/daughter team, training to run the Disneyland Half Marathon in September of 2012. Kim, the the 50-something mom is vegan, and is training at the literally breathtaking altitude of 7,000 feet in Taos, NM. She has never been any kind of athlete before. Lauren, the 20-something daughter, is mostly vegetarian, and is doing her training in Seattle, WA. Running isn't new to her, but distance running is. This weekly blog, written by both of them, documents the journey, and hopefully, will inspire a few others to follow a dream, do something that's harder than they ever imagined they'd do on purpose, and enjoy the entire journey. Find all the entries by entering "Kim and Lauren" in the "search this blog" box to the left.

Kim:
Well...

As expected, nothing is as expected. My cooking course is taking up huge amounts of physical and mental energy, as well as most of my time. The weather is mostly very "Seattly," which is damp, cold, and sort of unpleasant to be out in, my foot still hurts, and Lauren is as busy as I am. We haven't had a chance to run together yet, and I'm not running at all this week. I have to let go of the feeling that I'm doing something "wrong." It is what it is, and it's all just fine. The "plan" of the moment - and I laugh at myself for even using the word - is to cook my brains out, let my foot heal, hang out with my kids as much as possible, and just enjoy this weird Seattle ride. When I get back to Taos I'll get back to running. I still have plenty of time to be ready for the race in September. It's been suggested that maybe my foot hurts because I've been so insistent on "kicking my own ass." I have to ease up on myself, or risk getting seriously broken.

Deep breath... letting go...

Lauren:

For the last week or so there has been a lot of talk about the 3-mile hump. Basically I am a believer that once you can run 3-miles without stopping running get’s easier. Now I have yet to run more than 4-miles, but I still think I am right… per usual.

Last week was week one of my training schedule. WOW! I did 2-miles Monday and played kickball on Tuesday. I am embarrassed to admit I was so sore on Wednesday from kickball that I couldn’t do my run. Clearly kickball uses muscles I don’t normally use. I switched a few things around in my training schedule and ended up running 3-miles Thursday and 2-miles Friday. Saturday my left ankle was bothering me and since it’s so early in the game I figured it best to rest it than risk it. I rested Sunday too, just to be sure I wasn’t going to hurt myself and then got back out there on Monday.

I did my longest run to date on Monday, and I could not be more proud of myself. I ran from my house through Seattle’s University District, I needed some change of scenery to trick my brain of the distance. Of course I knew where I was, but my running feet had never been there before, which made all the difference in my head.

I really did enjoy my run, but there were a couple obstacles I encountered. For one there were hills, lots and lots of hills… OUCH! Even though it hurt like hell I felt pretty badass each time I reached the top of one without falling over. For two there is inevitably someone cooking bacon or cookies or something else I can’t have that smells divine, don’t they know I am trying to run!?, All in all it was a good run, 4-miles in 38.41 minutes.

Yesterday was kickball, some sprinting, but mostly standing around. Today I did a short 3-mile run around the lake before work. I finally feel like a runner, it feels normal getting up and putting on my shoes. It feels great to be able to run without gasping for air or be in too much pain. I swear it’s the 3-mile hump! This weekend I am going for 5 miles, and I can hardly wait!

Postcards From The Road - Dessert Day

2012-04-18T09:16:00.000-06:00

I knew it was going to be Dessert Day yesterday, so Rick and I went to the Wayward Vegan for a non-sweet breakfast before class. The food was good, in a "transitional" vegan sort of way, meaning there was a lot of faux meat and cheese, and white flour. Sort of like a vegan Denny's. They got big points for serving my tofu scramble with steamed kale though.

Back at school, Dessert Day was a sugar lover's dream come true. Not so much for me, but it was a lot of fun making all that pretty sweet stuff.

Blueberry Cobbler

Minty Chocolate chip Cookies

Chocolate Cake with Buttercream Frosting

Thankfully, there was a beautiful pizza in the mix - giving some balance to the super-sweetness of our snacks, and taking me back to our pizza days here in Seattle. Those were some good years, combining our families, and raising our kids from that crazy base camp called Honeymoon Pizza. (I did a Google search for "Honeymoon Pizza Seattle," and was surprised to see that directions to our place are still listed. Oh, nostalgia...)

After the pizza, we continued with the sugar madness, and made a chocolate cream pie and a carrot cake. Everything was made with the most "natural" sugars available, gluten free flours, and all vegan, of course. Still, by the end of the day, I had hit my personal sugar wall, and refused to taste any more. The sweet treats will last us the rest of the week now, as we go into the raw foods segment of the class. After our dinner at Thrive the other night, I'm really looking forward to more raw goodness!

After school, I found it particularly funny to help Lauren make dinner for her friends. She wanted to make my old tuna casserole recipe, minus the tuna. So there I was, after more than a week of uber-healthy cooking, stirring up blue-box mac & cheese with canned cream of mushroom soup and grated cheddar. I could have gotten weirded out by it, but I chose not to... well, mostly.

Well, all I have to say is, I didn't eat it, but I'm sure it was delicious to the lovely people who still enjoy that kind of thing. It was made with Love. Moving on...

Wish You Were Here!
xo Kim

Postcards From The Road - Week Two

2012-04-17T08:53:00.000-06:00

Week two of cooking classes is starting off beautifully. It was like something clicked yesterday for me, and I found some of the confidence I have in my own kitchen. Secrets were revealed, revelations were plentiful, and at the end of the day, I bounced out of there feeling like something had shifted. I can admit now, that last week I was kind of overwhelmed. There's a lot going on here, and I needed some help to absorb it all gracefully. Rick as always, is my champion when it comes to stuff like this. He always, unquestioningly, believes in me. Lauren is great at telling me what I need to hear, and it often sounds just like what I've been telling her all her life. And my friend Sally is an absolute gift from the Universe, sent to smooth out my pokey edges, always at just the right time. With these three here, and a handful of friends at home who check in with me regularly, I feel like I have a Team to support me, and I'm so grateful to them all.

So here was yesterday, a typically cloudy, drippy Seattle day, which required strong coffee and a lemon poppyseed scone to kickstart it properly.

Driving into downtown from West Seattle, it all looks so industrial. I love Smith Tower, the little white one with the pointy roof. It was once the tallest building west of the Mississippi.

No trip to Seattle is complete without a visit to the Fremont Troll. That's a real Volkswagen he's holding. A lovely fellow, really.

It was a great food day. See for yourself...

Roasted red pepper hummus

I need a veggie smoker. Now.

Wraps with the most amazing BBQ sauce ever.

Veggies smoked on the stove top.

Blackened tofu

The Springroll Secret was revealed, but I can't tell you... :o)

Beautiful springrolls. I made these at the end of the day, for the folks who work at the Abbey. I'm rather proud of them.

After a nice long cafe visit with Sally and Lauren, we drove past one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle - in the world, really - and were thrilled to find it had re-opened after a flood forced it to close for remodeling recently. I was afraid we'd miss it this trip, but there it was, waiting for us with bright lights and open arms, so we went in for a bite, which turned into a feast.

Thrive is a lovely little organ, raw, vegan cafe. If that sounds boring to you, think again. There is definitely life beyond the expected bowl of lettuce. We had a fresh juice that made us feel like light was beaming out the ends of our hair, an appetizer made with pepper leaves and assorted fillings and sauces, two beautiful main dishes, and chocolate truffles that were better than any I've ever had - and I
I've had many.

Actually, now that I think about it, Thrive is where I sat last summer with Sally, and thought, I need to learn to cook like this. Less than a year later, I'm back in Seattle, doing just that. Way to manifest a dream!

Today is Dessert Day in class - I'd better go find a non-sweet breakfast to float me through the day.

Wish You Were Here!
xo Kim

Postcards From The Road - Seattle Sunday

2012-04-15T22:47:00.000-06:00

Today was my last "day off" while we're here, so we really made the most of it...

The family got together for brunch. Always fun to see everyone.

AJ is just about the cutest kid ever.

Switched places with Mary, so she could be in the picture too.

Next stop, the zoo. I love to go there just so I can tell all the animals I love them.

Met some fellow vegetarians.

Meerkats know how to relax.

Flamingoes - so beautiful, so stinky.

I love what you can get at the Zoo Store for a dollar.

I have class the next eight days straight. Better rest up for this next round.

Wish You Were Here!
xo Kim

Postcards From The Road - A Day Off

2012-04-15T09:26:00.000-06:00

After five super fun days in class, a day off was a good thing. I was a little bit on food overload - learning, cooking, and eating... I'm gaining weight here, which is not a good thing, and I'm not running because my foot is still mending. I have to let go of all that for another week, and just be right here, doing what I'm here to do. That's not always easy for me. So a day to go out and play was helpful. We scooped Lauren up, and headed for the ferry terminal. It was only a short wait before all the cars were off, and it was our turn to drive on.

We rode over to Bainbridge Island, where we walked around a little bit, had some lunch, and shopped for a birthday present for Jacob. I guess I was so in the moment, I forgot to take pictures over there. Oh well! Imagine a nice little island town, bustling with people, bright with sunshine, and a little pub lunch of soup, salad, and crusty bread, with two of my favorite people.

The view of the city on the way back is always spectacular, especially on a sunny day, or at night, when all the lights are on. We might have to go one more time just to see the night view.

Once we got back, it was too nice to go home, so we went to Greenlake for some urban nature time.

Amazed to be hungry yet again, we took the opportunity to go over to Pizza Pi in the University District. It's an all vegan pizza place (even the things that say they're meat are faux meat), which is unheard of in our little part of the world. In fact, there are so many vegan restaurants here, we probably won't have time to try them all. Another of Seattle's little seductions.

I need to get some of those toy magnet letters for my fridge.

On the way back to West Seattle, a blurry drive-by picture of the Space Needle kind of sums up my own mental space these days... bright, glowing, a little fuzzy, moving a little too fast to keep up with...

It was nice to have Sam waiting to snuggle with us on the couch. Dog time is a good way to slow down and relax.

Postcards From The Road - Lasagna and Baklava on the same day...

2012-04-14T00:22:00.000-06:00

It's after 11PM, and I'm still full. What an amazing food day. It started at Chaco Canyon, this time the one on West Seattle. I really like what they're about.

We had some time before class, so wandered around Woodland Park for a bit. It was snowing pink flower petals all over the place. So lovely.

And then there was the cooking...

Grilled veggies for the lasagna.

Onion gravy with mushrooms. The best gravy I've ever had. Really.

Black rice and polenta casserole, to go with the gravy.

Presentation is everything.

Did you know baklava is a casserole?

Jen brought wine. Thanks!

Lasagne's ready.

Lasagna served with a roasted vegetable sauce.

And the baklava, still warm from the oven.

After class, Rick and I had a Friday evening that got sort of unplanned at the last minute, so we went to Pike Place Market to walk around, have a tasty beverage, and enjoy the sunset.

Seattle is being very flirtatious.

Wish You Were Here!
xo Kim

Postcards From The Road - Tofu in Seattle

2012-04-13T08:53:00.000-06:00

Yesterday morning was sunny and warm, and everything here is in bloom. Seattle can be very seductive, but I lived here for a long time, and I know her dark side. Oh, but I'm sure enjoying the beauty while we're here.

We had breakfast at Chaco Canyon yesterday before class. Nothing we normally do at home seems right here. The usual breakfast smoothie isn't doing it for me, but a beautiful little mushroom and spinach quiche - vegan, of course - served with a fluffy green salad, was the perfect way to start the day. I'm beginning to wonder if "normal" will be forever shifted after this trip. I kind of hope so.

In class, it was Tofu, Tempeh, and Seitan Day. Plenty of protein! We made lots of beautiful dishes and sauces. And we always make way too much, so we can leave a nice buffet for the people who work at the Abbey. They told us they've been waiting for this class to come back since it was here last year. I believe it. This is some of the best food in the world.

Everything prepped - let's cook!

Mark shows us some fancy presentation.

Tofu crusted with sesame seeds, macadamia nuts, and coconut.

Wasabi Cream Sauce

Seitan Satay Skewers with Peanut Sauce

Nut Crusted Tofu with Wasabi Cream Sauce. Oh yes.

Braised Tempeh with Green Beans

And just in case there wasn't enough food during the day, we took our house hosts out for Thai food last night, at Buddha Ruksa. It was wonderful. I ate too much, and won't need tofu again for a week or so. This trip is really all about the food, so there's nothing to do but roll with it, and then roll myself home...

And a beautiful day drifted into a beautiful evening...

We're staying with Rick's brother Charlie and his wife Mary. This is view from their living room.

Wish You Were Here!
xo Kim

Postcards From The Road - Seattle

2012-04-12T08:58:00.000-06:00

Driving out for a run on Alki yesterday, we spotted this house for sale. Amazing. I think it would make a fabulous place to teach cooking classes. Do we have any investors out there?

Cooking school continues to be a blast. I'm inspired, humbled, exhausted, thrilled, energized... Sometimes I feel a little ADD. There's so much going on all the time, and my brain struggles to pay attention to all of it at once. And then just when I feel like the pace is too much for me, we all sit down and have a beautiful, calm meal, and talk about all we've just done. It's an amazing feat of orchestration.

Wish You Were Here!
xo Kim

Kim and Lauren - Post #9

2012-04-11T11:00:00.000-06:00

Lauren and I are both in the same city for the first time since we started this. We haven't had a chance to run together yet, but we're trying for Friday after work and school. Rick and I are going out every morning to either Alki or Greenlake, and so far that's working out well. Alki is near where we're staying in West Seattle, so I can do a 30 minute run and still have time to get back for a shower, and then drive to Fremont. Greenlake is closer to my class, and a lovely 3 miles around. We walk it on our "rest days," and go straight to class from there. This is a much more hectic schedule than I have at home, but it all needs to be done, and we're eating so much in class - it is a cooking class - I have to keep up the running so I don't blimp out while I here. I imagine about the time I get into a manageable routine it will be time to go home.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to running with Lauren, and getting some tips from her, and also to shopping for shoes. It's time to add to the Shoe Pile! I hear every runner has one, and I'm feeling kind of inferior with only one pair of shoes, especially since they aren't really working for me...

Thanks you, iRunFar.com for the picture.

Lauren:

I had no idea what to write about today… then I came across this post on Facebook. “Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours.” - Swedish Proverb. The woman that posted this, Sally Reed, has been a huge influence in my life and the person whom I have become. I trust the things she puts into the world, and this post so perfectly placed in my day, reminded me of this.

Now I don’t mean to sound like a total downer, but yesterday for some reason I let fear take over my brain. Self-doubt took control and all of a sudden everything in my life was a question. My mind ran away with itself and all of the sudden I was terrified nothing was going to work out the way I planned.

Well thank goodness for Sally and her post, because again it has been instilled in me that I am more likely to create a good outcome by being positive and confident than having doubt or being scared. I am an amazing person; I am driven, I am caring, I am passionate about life. I am patient and excited; I daydream about fluffy animals and sparkling beaches. I am quirky, overly emotional at times and a total nerd and I am beyond happy that this is who I am. I can do anything; even run a half marathon, as long as I believe in myself. Yesterday I let myself become afraid of succeeding and being this person… thank goodness that was short lived.

On Monday I started my training program officially. I ran 2 miles and it took me 20.24 minutes. Yesterday was a rest day, I played kickball, that’s sort of rest, right? Today I will be running 3 miles after my French class. I have been waking up and eating a healthy breakfast every morning. I cook dinner most nights and snack on fruits and veggies throughout the day. I am so excited to finally have everything in place! I am totally going to kick this half marathon’s butt!