NYC wrap-up

I've got just about 50 minutes until I have to try and coerce my unwiedly bags through the front door and out on the street in order to hail a cab to the bus stop. If only I could take a photo of this endeavor. Often times I enjoy being alone (a way in which I am NOT Brasilian) - I go where I want, when I want; I see the movies I like; I eat where I want to eat; I buy the groceries I like; I don't have to worry about awkward lulls in conversation. But mornings like this, with two large suitcases - one with a broken handle, a backback that weights 30 lbs, a shoulder bag, and a purse.....a little help never hurts. Oh well, I'll make it there, red-faced and sweaty, and feel all the more independent for it (solo drive from DC to Boston will fall into this category as well).

I landed in NYC on Friday morning at 6am and have been here for just about 72 hours. In that time I have been the quinessential consumer. I bought a Lara Miller sweater (100% Bamboo, made in Chicago) at Kaight. I bought Toe Warmers "On The Go" snow boots (materials unknown, made in Canada), The 2008 Vegan Guide to NYC, and the Delancey Cleo Ro0s purse (materials and site of fabrication unknown) at Mooshoes. I bought a She-Bible dress (poly/cotton/viscose blend, made in San Fransciso) at Sodafine. **Sidenote - I've heard lots about how hip Williamsburg, Brooklyn is - and it is, a veritable vegan paradise** I also made some purchases at the Whole Foods in Bowery (huge, amazing). I bought Maggies Organic Brown textured tights (100% cotton, made in Peru), derma-e's vegetarian gel moisturizer (my dermatologist told me that cream based moisturizers keep pores open), and a Livity Rip-Tide winter vest that was half off (55% Hemp, 45% P.E.T, made in China)

I also ate, lots. I had a very peaceful diner at TienGarden for $20 with tip. With vegan guide in hand I couldn't resist hitting up more vegan restaurants. I tried out Foodswings (8 pc chicken nuggets, mac-n-cheese, pb chocolate moonpie), Caravan of Dreams (miso soup, salad, and mediterranean brunch), and Liquiteria (white bean and escarole soup, pumpkin spice bread, jumbo tofu dog with mustard). I struggled with what to order at Foodswings and Caravan. I was tempted to order nachos - my unsophisticated palates favorite. I resisted, just to be disappointed. At Foodswings I got greasy nuggets, mac-n-cheese that can't compare to Soul Veg, and a dry moonpie (I did eat all the pb frosting). At Caravans the small house salad that came with the entree was superb (usually I don't like salad but the greens were fresh, the tomatoes tasted good, and the dressing was lemony and crisp). The miso soup was sweet, in an off-putting way (much like the Australian sitting next to me in a REAL rabbit fur vest) and the brunch was okay for a grand total of $23. I revisited Atlas cafe where I specifically asked what peanut butter desserts they had - again, my poor beloved pb was only sold with overbearing chocolate in a brownie form. I couldn't even taste the peanut butter. When will people learn that peanut butter is a magnificent substance all on its own. I ended the night at Liquiteria where all the food was great, and it was my cheapest meal at under $12. I really loved the tofu dog and grainy mustard.

For culture I visited the New York Historical Society Museum. The exhibit on 9/11 was breathtaking. The staff was friendly, the exhibits well organized, the information digestable. I loved it. I also watched Persepolis - a WONDERFULLY animated film about a young girl growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. I thought it was wickedly (Bostonian term) clever and brilliantly illustrated. The grandma's insight into men is priceless. I'll paraphrase...
"You'll meet a lot of jerks that will hurt you. If they do, it is because they are stupid. Forgive them and don't be bitter or resentful as a result". Isn't that genius!?!

NYC was just what I needed. Now I'm ready for a rockin' New Years Eve house crawl and a new Boston life.

I heart NEW YORK CITY

Boy-o-boy, girl-o-girl (for equalities sake) I LOVE this city. What a bummer that I left my camera cord in Brasil. The parents will be bringing it to me. I've been taking pics to add at a later date.

Why do I love NYC??? Well....let me break it down into a list

1. Public transportation rocks. I never wait more then 5 minutes for a bus and it runs all the time. Sometimes the bus drivers are even friendly. Imagine!

2. There are so many vegan restaurants. I went to a nonvegan restaurant yesterday and asked if they had vegan items. She pointed out a few, I ordered three. Got home, took a bite, one had tuna in the middle. Tuna is not vegan. I didn't swallow, nor did I cry or throw up. But that is just one more example of why I prefer strictly vegan restaurants - which is NO problem here.

3. (Related to #2). There are so many vegan restaurants here they have a book The Vegan Guide to New York City. All are vegetarian and about half are vegan. I've been to 7 of the top 20 favorites. I'm going to eat at Caravan Dream for brunch today.

4. No matter what color, creed, race, or religion you never stick out in this town. I love that. I hate how accents, skin tones, and religious beliefs easily mark one as an outsider in suburbia. Not so in NYC. Love this town.

5. I love that I can find mass at any time, any place, any day. I went to mass this morning at one of my favorites - St. Agnes on East 43rd. They cater to a pretty diverse crowd, the exterior of the church is extremely simple, and they have confession constantly. As a side note, it was nice to go to mass in English. In Boston I will be attending St. Anthony's, which has mass in Brasilian Portugues and I am so excited. That said - it was nice to know all the prayers and understand 100% of the homily, even if just for one Sunday.

6. Some of my favorite stores are here. Like....soda fine. I went there yesterday. The sales clerk was SUPER sweet, she even gave me a free vegan lip gloss (they had received them as a promo for loyale clothing). It isn't strictly vegan but they have local designers (I'm really getting into that), vintage, and eco friendly options. I bought the cutest dress. I wanted to buy two but wasn't looking to spend 400 dollars. Geez, it sure is easy to be a consumer.

7. My parents live here. They are still in Brasil right now, so I have the place to myself (and I like it) but it is even better when they are here.

8. SO many movie theaters. I am going to Persepolis at the Angelika just as soon as I am finished with this post. And then maybe later on today I'll go see Juno, or Charlie Wilson's War, or Michael Clayton. I love movies - and this city caters to my addiction.

9. The museums aren't free like DC but they are great. I went to the New York Historical Society yesterday and loved their exhibition on 9/11 and Lafayette.

10. There is alwasy something to do. Alone. I never feel like a freak for being a singleton in NYC.

I LOVE NYC!

First Day Back in US of A

Let me begin by saying I forgot my camera cord so I can't upload any pictures. Boohoo.

My first day back in the US, and NYC nonetheless, has been fantastic, thrilling, and tiring. I don't feel sad or lonely....yet. Yesterday when I said my goodbyes I only cried when it came to my grandmother. It was/is so hard to leave her. But for the most part I'm used to saying goodbye (9 apartments in 7 years, over 4 states) and like to be on my own. That has changed a little after Brasil, and I think I may be ready to settle down for just a tad.

First let me tell you that flying out of Brasil was an adventure. I got my two cans of soy condensed milk confiscated at security, had my bag searched as I was entering the plane, and then every single person was "wanded down" entering the plane. WHAT?!? I don't go through that much security in terrorist fearing America, so it was a suprise in beach loving Brasil. Just a warning, don't underestimate security in Brasil. They enforce liquid limits and search you thoroughly.

I arrived at 6am, a little early actually. My 2nd bag was one of the last ones to be unloaded and one of the handles broke on my rolly bag. This is a recurring curse in my life that has happened with other bags, anyway....as a result I had to pay the highway extortion of 3 dollars for a cart to lug my luggage around. I took a cab and the process of reintegration began.

Being in NYC energized me and I was ready to hit the town. I got to my parents apartment in midtown Manhattan by 7:30am. I love this place - from the way it smells to the location. They have lived here under 3 years and it feels like home. I sent some emails, took some calls, opened some AWESOME xmas presents from my parents (between being with family for xmas and the presents I got this has been the best xmas ever). I went to Health Nuts on 2nd avenue - a little deli/vitamin store that I love. I often stock up on essentials there. I bought rice milk for 2.69 there and it sells for 4.99 at Gristedes. Anyway....I decided to start the first day of my vegan diet. I don't think I am fat, I am just fat for me. Meaning - I am carrying more weight then my body needs. So I decided to shop appropriately. I can't cook at my parents place, VERY limited equipment, so I bought premade items. For breakfast I had a plain soy yogurt with 2 tbsps of flax seed, a few slices of cantelope, and a eggless egg salad sandwhich. It was very good! I thought I would hit the streets but ending up falling asleep watching a Dr. Bronner documentary.

When I woke up at 3pm I had 3 phone messages from 3 of my favorite people. I ate lunch - vegan chick patties, a banana, and rice milk (oh how I have missed rice milk). And then I got the M15 bus to go shopping at Mooshoes and Kaight. Here is the funny thing about my reintegration - in Brasil I border on anti-social and unfriendly. Here, by saying please and thankyou, asking questions, and saying hello in the elevator I border on mentally ill. I love NYC but it isn't a very friendly town. Kaight was nice - there was one sales clerk and she was pretty friendly. I did buy one sweater there. Mooshoes across the street, at a new chic location, was a different story. They had 3 sales clerks that talked to eachother about an inflatable bed for a cat and were aloof (at best). I was prepared to buy multiple pairs of shoes but the help was so indifferent I only bought a purse and snowboots. I made a comment at one point about how great the purses are and she just looked at me and walked away. Wow. I felt like a dweeb. The help got me my shoes and rung me up without a wait, but.....there weren't pleasant and only said hi to people they knew. Indifference and attitude is an art here that Brasil has completely stripped away from me, and I don't know that I want it back.

On the way home I couldn't find my metrocard, but I had two dollars for the bus. When I boarded I saw they only took coins so I got back off. I walked a block, rummaging through my purse, and found my metrocard so I ran to catch up to the same bus. I then discovered the card had no money on it - and by this point the bus driver was highly annoyed with me. Luckily I was on Allen Street close to the vegan restaurant Tiengarden. It was early, around 5pm, but I decided to stop in for a snack. The waitress was so nice, and the atmosphere so relaxing, I had a meal WITH dessert (the diet will recommence tomorrow). I ordered the soup of the day - Kale, Potato, Carrot - and a side of pan fried sticky buns with soy mixture. The soup wasn't that flavorful and the buns were a little greasy but I LOVE the place (I ate there when I visited the old Mooshoes location - where the help was equally unhelpful). I ordered the pumpkin pie (I missed out on turkey day) for there and red bean sticky buns to go (I ended up eating one even though I bought them for the next day). The pie had a great texture but lacked something in terms of the seasoning. But who cares - I LOVE Tiengarden. LOVE IT! Being in Brasil taught me that I value how people treat me and I would rather feel warm and welcome with okay food then rushed and ignored with fantastic products.

The SUPER waitress gave me change in coins for 2 dollars and I caught the bus home. Before I did I stopped at the Bluestockings Bookstore, a fair trade cafe and activist center, and bought 4 posters about "People's History". I love NYC. I took the bus most of the way home but got out at 34th and 2nd to stop at a little bar that was playing the MSU football game. We lost. Boohoo. I may be a liberal hippie but I love my church and I love my football. How I speak English and my love of Michigan State sports may just be the most American things about me.

There are only little adjustments that need to be made. I have almost asked questions in portugues several times, I am not quite used to this keyboard yet, and I nearly threw my toilet paper in the trashcan several times. I find that I don't feel so cold and actually think I am cute in a hat, scarf, and gloves. My friends and loved ones continue to warn me about the Boston cold but instead of being annoyed I appreciate their loving concern. Overall I am happy to be here and ready for the next phase in my life. The blog will be pictureless for a while but I will try to do the city of New York justice in the meantime.

List-o-Mania: Best-o-Brasil

I love lists. I made a list of people I had to buy presents for, I have a list of my 30some New Years resolutions, I just put a list of all the environmental friendly/vegan stores I want to visit in New York. In order to do homage to my love of lists I think my next few posts will be list based.

What have I loved MOST about Brasil????

-That I was the first vegan that most of my family had EVER met and they were very inquisitive and supportive. AND that last night my vegan Mandioca/Orange bundt cake and vegan brownies were a HIT. The brownies more so....but the poor mandioca couldn´t really compete with gooey yummy chocolate/peanut "butter" concotion(paçoca isn´t peanut butter but there is no other comparable food item). I actually prefered the mandioca but I´ve also made these brownies a good 6 or 7 times so their novelty has worn off. I´ve had many requests for the recipe. Winning people over to the cause one vegan brownie at a time.


- That I saw my grandmother every week. That yesterday I woke up worked out with my parents, ate lunch with family, visited my cousin and her beautiful two month old son, and then went to a christmas party with about 20 family members. I LOVE family. The hardest part about leaving Brasil is leaving them.
- That for the first time in my life I feel Brasilian. Not 100% and I don´t feel any less American. I just feel a connection to the place I was born and where all my maternal family resides. (I´ll be posting a list of all the ways I think I am/am not Brasilian).
- That I took português classes, improved my language skills, and met some incredible people.
- That I was able to find something in common with my biological father and find a place where I am 100% comfortable with him - cooking vegan food in the kitchen.
- That my parents and brother are here right now. I have my ups and downs with my brother but he is really just such an amazing, funny, skinny (lucky him) person. And my parents....well....I just about think they could walk on water.
- That living here, learning português, getting to know my family has been a dream I´ve had for a long time and I was almost ready to relinquish that dream (I mean, I am 28 1/2 - old, old, old). There is something about making this dream come true that has completed something within me.
- That I met some amazing, resilient, loving kids during my time volunteering. That I worked with generous, tireless adults that give and give somemore. I did very little for them and received so much in return.

- That my cousin Sylvinha and her girlfriend Vanessa are friends AND family. Getting to know them has been such a pleasure. Syl is HILARIOUS and Vanessa is so supportive and sweet.
- That I didn´t have to work.
- That I worked out 2 hours per day (and only lost 1 kilo - you can´t even imagine how much I eat here).
- That I got to eat paçoca daily. Daily. sometimes hourly.

I Love Halawa (a.k.a halva)

There is large population of Lebanese descendents (also referred to as Syrio-Lebanese) in Brasil (along with Italian, German, and Japanese). I found this scholarly paper on line if you would like to know more. It is their influence that has made things like kibe and halawa common everyday items here (this is my own unscientific deduction).

I love just about everything with sesame. I´ve always prefered sesame bagels. I love hummus, made with tahini. If that isn´t proof enough (teehee) I have just fallen in love with halawa. Halawa is a sesame and sugar confection. Yummy. I had it for the first time today and am blogging just to try to keep from eating it all. Why more vegan blogs aren´t posting recipes for halawa I´ll never understand (instead many seem to be hooked on some "no chicken with dumpling" recipe from Veganomicon). I did find a recipe but I have yet to try it.

This will be yet another reason why I don´t lose weight (paçoca being the other reason). UGH!!!!

Partial Salvation and Repost

My pops saves the day - once again. He read my post and cut and paste the part he wanted to share with my mom. My mom doesn´t read my blog because she worries too much (in my opinion) and gets triggered very easily. But make no mistake about it - she is the best mom around. They don´t get any smarter, supportive, sophisticated or prettier. She is the epitomy of class. And they will be here tomorrow - God willing (a very common phrase here Brasil that I love). Anyway.....here is a repost of part of my blog from yesterday.

I´ll be back in the U.S. in less then a week. Whoa. I can´t believe how quickly the past four months have passed. I have learned about the identify of my family, a culture of a country, a dynamic of a continent, and more importantly I have found an important part of myself - so closely tied to the above mentioned factors. I am an American, born in a foreign country with a foreign mother and a love for both that I can´t begin to put into words. For the very first time in my life - with all my eccentricities (liberal Catholic, indifferent animal-rights vegan, sister with not one functioning sibling relationship, singleton totally hung up on the ex) - I feel part Brasilian. And not just because I like samba and black beans (without rendered bacon fat) but because I´ve learned just a little what it means to be Brasilian.

And what does it mean???? Well, that is a complex sociological question with all the standard dangers of gross over generalizations. But in its simplest form I think it means being a part of a culture that truly values interpersonal relationships, family ties, and enjoying life. It means not being very nationalistic/patriotic except when it comes to soccer, complaining constantly about politicians, traffic, poverty but not doing much about it. For the most part Brasilians truly seem to be able to the beauty in everyone, despite the insanity of what they do to be beautiful (waxing, bleeding manicures/pedicures, hair straightening for straight hair, plastic surgery, constant dieting). It is a culture that is incredibly friendly and trusts almost no one. It´s a culture that doesn´t blink twice at effusive compliments and self promotion but at the same time has a low tolerance for egoism. It is a damaged society with tremendous inequality and corruption, a crappy education system, and a inefficient government. It is a fantastic place to visit, live, learn and grow. I`ve loved every moment here - the sad, frustrating, joyful, and rainy.

What have I gained/learnt/discovered? (some unrelated to Brasil, perse, but realized while living here)
- I don´t live in a favela because I wasn´t born in a favela. I am no smarter, prettier, or better. And as such I`ll express my gratitude for my many blessings by serving those born in different circumstances.
- I am positive homosexuality isn´t wrong. I know it is against the teachings of a religion I believe very firmly in but I don´t. I´ve become very close to my cousin Sylvinha and her girlfriend Vanessa. The simplicity and integrity of their relationship is just one more example of how God works, in my opinion.
- I don´t want a maid. Ever. God bless Maria and all the best to her. But....no.
- Even if I work out two hours a day I can´t eat whatever I want. I have been working out that much and have gained weight. Don´t give me that crap about muscle mass, blah, blah. Eat three paçocas (peanut dessert) a day and you don´t lose weight.
- If I don´t know something ask, if something isn´t right, if I´m lost= ASK! ask. ask. ask. ask. doesn´t matter which language - all that matters is not being embarrased to ask for help.
- If I want want to know if someone thinks I am pretty or my new dress is cute = ASK! Brasilians are great about this, they keep asking until they feel sure.
- Vegans are hilarious. I´m up to about 25 vegan blogs and a good portion crack me up. They have a great self depreciating saracastic humor. I hope to get around to posting all the blogs I follow before I leave.
- Don´t be afraid of conflict. Just have the guts to work it out. Not always easy, pretty, or clean - but definitely worthwhile. and a definite must for being around family.
- Patience and compassion. I had never quite experienced anything like the feeling of not being able to express myself fluently. It requires a lot of patience with oneself and others. And it´s a great reminder to be compassionate for those in similar circumstances.
- Everything happens exactly as it is supposed to. Good, bad, ugly, indifferent. I do the best I can at each and every moment. If I had more to give I would. As always, and forever, I just keep learning to love what is.

Where did it go???

My dashboard shows that I posted on December 21st - my rockin´cuz Sylvinha even posted a comment. I was doing some edits, the computer died, and now it is gone.
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH............
This is at least the 5th time this has happened to me while I´ve been in Brasil.
Recap:
Brasil rocks. Learned lots. Like being vegan. Love what is (hint to self).

Family filled post + odds n ends

I have 9 days until I leave Brasil. I am in no way excited about it - it is just a fact. So how am I spending my last few days? With familiy! I have made some cool friends here but I find myself just wanting to be with my grandma and cousins.

Saturday = The cousins and I went to Estação da Luz, a fantastic train station. Situated besides the train station is the super duper Museu da Lingua Portuguesa. And Saturday´s are free admission. Now....if you don´t speak Portuguese I´m not sure how much of the museum you will enjoy. There is currently a Gilberto Freyre exhibit - he was a FAMOUS and prolific Brasilian sociologist that looked at issues of race and class in society. The exhibit is incredibly artistic and creative but lacked a sense of context and continuity, for me at least. The lower levels had an informative timeline in the formation of Portuguese - throughout Europe, Brasil, and Africa. Additionally there was a 10 minute video and spoken word presentation. I´ve been remiss in partaking of the incredible cultural attractions here in São Paulo - I wouldn´t call it a regret just a lesson to learn from.
Sunday = Grandma turned 85. She insisted on a pizza party at Sta. Marcelina´s, isn´t she the coolest? I will never get used to the Brasilian custom of paying for the people who attend your birthday party. It is so odd to me. Anyway - the party was small, you know....just 16 of us - but tons of fun. I ordered the vegetarian pizza without cheese and I am happy to report that it was more popular then the Portuguesa - which comes with mozzarela, ham, eggs, etc. I actually liked Sta. Marcelina pizza better then fancy pancy Leona´s (though the price was about the same).
Monday = Lunch and nap at grandma´s. I finished wrapping all the christmas gifts she is giving to people. She is giving gifts to my aunt´s maid (my grandma is SO cool that she doesn´t have a maid - she does everything for herself), to the lady that does her manicure, to the maids kids (don´t ask me why), to the doormen, to every family member, etc, etc. Brasilians buy presents for everyone. I honestly feel like I have to buy presents for my pilates instructor, the nice staff at the gym where I work out, the taxi driver I always use, the list goes on. I don´t know that I will - but I feel compelled. Anyway, I spent the day with her and it rocked.


Some observations:

- Traffic here is truly horrible, like LA horrible, but there is much less road rage. I had noticed this in my many cab trips and it was reinforced today. I almost got run over by a car in the crosswalk and started swearing in English.....and the people around me were astounded by how angry I was.

- If one more person tells me how cold it is in Boston I will scream. I KNOW!!!! Boston is cold. Super cold. Colder then sticking my head in the freezer and leaving it there for an indeterminate amount of time. Got it. Here goes the power of positive thought...I love snow, I love the cold. (never mind the fact that at the museum I was shivering when the air conditioning was on). I will keep repeating this to myself.

- Between making brownies (endlessly) and banana bread (and awesome ppk recipe that I used coconut milk for) I am now considered a chef. The risotto nightmare has been forgotten, or at least forgiven.

Grandma´s birthday and addictions

Today is my grandmother´s birthday - she is 85. This is the first time I will be celebrating her birhtday with her since I was 7 months old. AND in exactly one week my parents will be here. I haven´t seen them in FOUR months. I haven´t gone this long without seeing them in over 10 years. I only get four days with them but I´m going to make the most of it. I am truly sad about saying goodbye but I am excited to go mass in English, about my job interview on the 4th, about my first party in my new apartment MLKJr. weekend, and about getting around a town that is a little more manageable.

I haven´t been up to much. To clear up any confusion I did purchase the Earth Lodge boots. I´ll need them since Boston occasionally gets like a foot of snow. Crazy. Mooshoes has some other snowboots I am interested in but I will wait until I get to NYC to try those on and buy them. The folks told me yesterday that my financial aid has gone through and I have a fancy pancy debt riddled check waiting for me. Woohoo!

I have been baking brownies (over, and over, and over) and I did make the mandioca bread. I love making bread - I love kneading, I love yeast, I love the rising, I love the mess, I love the taste. I love it all. When I grated the mandioca I was struck by how much it looked like mozzarella. The bread came out beautifully, the recipe called for a bread pan but my kitchen equipment is very limited at my aunt´s house. I like the texture of the bread, it reminds me of foccacia. The thing is that mandioca really has no flavor so it requires a lot of seasoning - much more then my recipe called for. The maid thinks it needs more salt - but Brasilians are a tad insane about salt, and sugar (beware traveling diabetics and those with high blood pressure). I think it needs herbs - like rosemary.
So the recipe: 3 cups of flour
1 tablespoon of yeast
2 cups of raw grated mandioca
1 tsp. of salt
1 cup of warm water

I proofed the yeast in the warm water for 10 minutes - BUT - the recipe doesn´t call for this. Mix together the flour, salt, mandioca, and yeast/water. Knead the dough until soft and stretchy, a minimum of 10 minutes. Make sure to add flour to table and hands and dough as needed, to avoid sticking to the surface. Put the dough in a pan, well covered, for 2 hours or until doubled in size. I lightly oil the dough and cover with a towel. Divide the dough in half and place in two oiled loaf pans. I used only one pan (the type name escapes me right now - it has a hole in the center, kind of like a bundt pan without the ridges). Bake for 30 minutes in a medium heat oven. None of the recipes in this book have pictures OR temperatures. Crazy. Remove the dough from the oven and place on cooling rack. I used the knock test to check for doughness - when you knock on the bread it should sound hollow. I highly recommend seasoning with herbs of your choice.

I have developed two addictions while living her in Brasil. I´ve been working out tons - I think I have reached the stage of addiction. I am already thinking about where I will work out when I visit DC. I run three times a week - from 35 to 45 minutes. I aim for 8.5 kilometers - which is about 5 miles. I do intervals ranging from 10.0 km/h (5.8 mph) to 12.0 km/h (7 mph). It is amazing how the body rapidly adjusts to speed. I feel very fit and I love workingout. I should since I do it at least two hours a day, 5 days a week. Besides running, I take pilates, a trampoline jump class, stretch class, and fitball - ALL twice a week. And I´ve lost one kilo (2.2 lbs). That´s it. I think I need to add weight lifting and decrease eating. But I LOVE to eat. Especially paçoca. It is to the point that when I go to the grocery store I buy the whole box. I am going to try to smuggle in as much as I can. I don´t know how I will live without it. This is a maternal family trait - when the women in my family like a food we REALLY like a food.
I´ve eaten MANY types of paçoca - and Flormel peanut and oat paçoca is the BEST by far. When I open a bakery one day this will be the house speciality.

Earth Shoes Update

They are made in China. BUMMER! Here is what the company says about it:

"We do not own our factories, but we do work closely with our partner factories to ensure the highest of standards. Year after year, we work closely with our partners around the world to ensure that their individual standards are on par with the high baseline and standards of our own US offices.Specifically in China, where we've worked with regional partner factories in China's special industrialized zones for more than 10 years, our influence in this market has helped to affect progress. Our nature is to push the envelope in all aspects of our business model as we continually look for a better way of doing things, right down to the working and living conditions of our employees and those of our affiliates"

And in regards to being environmentally friendly:

"For some time, we've been ahead of the curve when it comes to incorporating environmental-friendliness into our product. Within the shoe industry, we were one of the first manufacturers to dedicate 100% of our line to using water-based adhesives. While this is an important step toward creating 'green'-er product, it is not the only one. We continuously seek to improve on all that we do, and we've recently stepped up our use of recycled cardboard shanks, and the use of more environmentally-friendly materials in our uppers. Beyond footwear production, we're also a member of the Eco-Partners Network within the industry. In this capacity, we work with other suppliers, manufacturers, and retailers to provide a transparent view into the opportunities presented by pursuing more sustainable product development."

So bottom line....lots of babble double talk. I´m sure I buy LOADS of stuff from China each day, but I try to avoid it. Why? Well, because of the government. They have an atrocious human rights record (those poor Tibetans) and the government strongly supports the genocidal regime in Sudan (mostly because oil).

I think I´m still going to buy them. Ugh. The guilt, the shame, the blantant consumerism. I just really need snowboots and I feel like these are my best choice out of a bad lot. Can I get an amen?

Seriously considering making a yeast mandioca bread today or tomorrow. Will keep you posted.

Earth Vegan Lodge Boots - ON SALE

I have multiple email addresses: two gmail, one hotmail, several university emails. I check my gmail address several times a day (borders on addiction) and typically neglect the others. For some reason I was motivated to check my hotmail account today (the following story is too superficial to attribute it to divine intervention). Reading through my emails I found that I had a beautifully glorious email from Gaiam saying that Earth Vegan Lodge Boots were on sale. Normally $159, they are being sold until midnight EST time tonight for $99.

You don´t understand - I have been visiting mooshoes website for weeks now drooling over these boots. They are so much more then I can afford, but I will never forget walking around Boston´s icy streets while visitng the ex last winter, my feet were so cold I thought I needed hospitalization. If I want a shot at happiness in Boston, I need these boots (or so I have convinced myself). I even tried to cajole my mom into visiting Mooshoes grand opening and buying them for me - at a 15% discount, to no avail. (my mom hates shopping so it was like trying to tempt me to eat a corndog). I just looked on zappos yesterday to see if I could get them cheap. People - I am moving to Boston, practically the tundra - I need snowboots. On zappos they were 162.95 - with free shipping. I determined to hit up family members for gift certificates and wait it out.

Once I received that email I knew I had to buy them, there would be no waiting for me. My only dilemma was whether I should buy them in tan or black. (I chose tan - more likely to stain but cuter). I dug out my creditcard (which thanks to mom and pops hasn´t seen much use the four months I´ve been in Brasil) and I went on line to make a selfish, completely indulgent purchase. It didn´t work!?! But never fear, that did not stop me. I called the tollfree number and had them sent to my parents house. Total (drumroll please) = $110.95. Still too much but what is debt for if not warm toes and cute boots?

I don´t post on other blogs, I´m not really tapped in to the online vegan community, and I´m not really an animal rights activist (much more into the rights of humans). BUT....I´ve never been so sad that I don´t have vegans to share this information with. I can only hope and pray that some deserving vegan stumbles onto this information by 12:00amEST December 13th.

One more incentive to return to the states and this will help offset my incredible sadness in leaving Brasil. I can´t wait to try those babies on. I wish I could figure out a way to post a picture of these boots on my blog (vanessa - help me!)

Oopppsss....hold on. I just realized I forget to check if they have PVC or are made in China. Ugh!!! Must resist environmentally unfriendly explotation of human labor....but....i want them, i want them. Please let them not have been assembled by small children in dark windowless rooms. Please! I´ll let you know what I find.

Mass, the bus, vegans, and mandioca

Sunday was fantastic. I woke up at 7am and went to mass. I can´t help it, I just prefer 8am mass. I usually go to the 10am or 6pm mass but those masses are so crowded, and there is so much singing, and the priest/congregation talks so much. We all have our limitations, and mine happens to be that I don´t like crowded, talkative, singy masses (unless it is St. Augustine´s in Washington Dc where the sining is AMAZING!). I want to like them, I try to like them, and I don´t. I constantly remind myself that I am at mass to thank God, not for my own pleasure....and yet....why fight to like something when I have the peaceful 8am mass? I also returned the secret santa bag I had picked up a few weeks before, filled with goodies for an impoverished 9 year old boy that I have never, and will never, met. I was suposed to buy him clothes and 1 toy. I did buy him a rocking tshirt and board shorts, 1 toy, and three books. I couldn´t help it! I had to include books. My aunt suggested that I buy him clothes from Walmart but I hate Walmart, in much the same way I hate corndogs (with a physically nauseating passion), and I didn´t want to buy him lots of cheap stuff. I know, I know - it isn´t very practical. He is poor, receiving a christmas donation for a gift, so perhaps more is better. I spent a fair share of money on him (much more then I spent on my cousin´s), so if I had gone cheap I could have definitely spent more. He is poor, but he still probably knows what is cool (if my Gotas kids are any indiation) and it was with them in mind that I bought him what I did. I only pray it serves him well.


After that early start I jumped on the bus (the bus and I are now buddies, I´ve even bought the Bilhete Unico card that allows for me to transfer for free - when I whip it out I really feel like a native) and headed to the 2nd Annual Vegan Xmas Bazar. Xmas Bazars are very typical here - churches, NGO´s, communities - you name it - and they are putting together some sort of event to sell goods in the days before xmas. This was a Vegan Bazar so all the products were animal cruelty free, and loads of activists and NGO´s were attending - I had to go. It was the most challenging bus ride to date, for sure. To get there the bus drove down a freeway type avenue called the 23rd of May and I had to randomly select a spot I thought may be good - but had no clue since I´d never been there before. Cars whizzed by as I cluelessly followed some people up a hill. The fact that I arrived, in relatively short order, must have been divine intervention. Once there I loaded up on purchases. I bought my cousin her birthday present, my roomies some rockin´ buttons, a vegan cookbook just about corn, and lots of soaps from Sampamazonia. Their stuff is so cool. It is animal free, environmentally conscious, and kinda fair tradish (not officially). I´m headed back to their official store location and loading up for my return to the states.


I can´t believe I´m headed back. I am starting to feel very sad. I´m not ready to leave my grandmother. I still have so much português to learn. I still have so much mandioca to practice preparing. I made a mandioca coconut cake last night.It wasn´t that good; undercooked and flavorless, but my aunt raved about it. (She is so sweet, I will miss her too). The recipe called for shredded coconut, I didn´t add that because I don´t really like it, but otherwise I followed the recipe exactly - even added vanilla. There just wasn´t enough flavor. I´m brainstorming and have some good ideas, once it comes out better I´ll post.



Personal Update:

-I have a second phone interview on Friday. The more I learn about the company, Summer Search, the more excited I get.

-My uncle was released from the hospital today. If you do that kinda of thing, pray for him.

-My apartment is all set, they received the check my mom sent for me. I can´t wait! Well, I can wait a little because I´m so sad to leave my family in Brasil. But...my roomie and I are already planning a party for Jan.19th (hopefully to coincide with a lil cuzin´reunion that is in the works).

-I don´t know what I would do without my mom. I CAN´T WAIT TO SEE HER AND MY POPPA!!!! My aunt is trying to say there isn´t enough room for me to meet them at the airport but wild horses aren´t keeping me away.

-Boys. Ugh. Double ugh. I don´t know what is going on with my brother, with my ex, or with my friend NYT (alias). Boys are so confusing. I am just going to keep doing the work by Byron Katie and praying. There is one male that makes me smile and doesn´t complicate anything - my Jump instructor. He is great to look at, he doesn´t talk much except to say "you can do it" and "good job melissa", and he´s always happy to see me. What more can a girl ask for. Tehee!

So much to talk about

First off, the mandioca was a disaster. I don´t recommend watching a cooking program in a foreign language and then one week later trying to make the recipe by memory. Especially if you have a swiss cheese memory like me. I brought the cut up mandioca to a boil, in soy milk with some vanilla extract, and then let it simmer. After one hour the mandioca was still hard and the milk had "simmered" away. So then I added more soymilk and put it in the microwave for ten minutes. After which time the mandioca was softer but basically tasted like stringy flavorless potatoes. I put the molasses on top and that didn´t help much. Later I remembered that the chef had removed the stringy, hard center of the mandioca after boiling - a definite must. I am positive the recipe is not a sophisticated, mulit flavored one but whatever he made had to have been better then my results. Yuck! (I´ve included a before pic - the after would make you sick).
Yesterday I took the bus to Vila Madalena - a neighborhood in São Paulo that has many vegetarian and vegan options. I went to Alternativa Casa do Natural on Rua Fradique Coutinho, 910. The moment I walked in I felt at peace(much needed after a long, slow, rainy bus ride and walk there). I just felt at home with the scent of incense, new age background instrumentals, and organic quinoa. I ate lunch there. The food was good, not great, not sophisticated, not pretty, but healthy and tasty. I wrote down the names of what I ate but my dictionary doesn´t provide for a translation things like komatsuná refogada, something sauteed, and arroz integral catito, some kind of whole grain rice (just to mention a few). All but two items at the buffet were vegan, and "all you can eat" was 16 reais (about 10 dollars), a pretty good deal. It was so relaxing to be in a place with people who care about what they put in their body and how animals and humans are treated in the process. I bought a cookbook called Cozinha Vegetariana, by Caroline Bergerot, and I can´t wait to start cooking. There are over 50 bread recipes alone. The title says Vegetariana but as far as I can tell it is vegan. Woohoo. I plan on making a mandioca cake (which has to be better then my prior mandioca fiasco). The recipes are simple, don´t call for much more then fresh veggies, fruits, tofu, and oil.....so lets see.

Today was my last day for Gotas de Flor com Amor. And I forgot my camera. I´m so bitter. I made a collage of some of my favorite (old) photos to post in honor of the occassion. My last day coincided with the annual volunteer party. The 6-7 years olds sung for us, the 12-14 year olds did a cool rap/performance with cups. (Pictures would do so much more justice then I can). I loved the experience of working there and I undoubtedly received so much more then I gave. I don´t leave behind any lasting legacy and I am sure the kids don´t remember a single English word that I taught. But they have left a lasting legacy on my heart. Rose, the librarian, taught me what it means to be committed to a job above and beyond the parameters of a job description. She does so much, for so little. Amparo, the on site boss - second in command, taught me what grace truly means. Her husband recently passed away and she continues to come to work with smiles and sincere concerns for the well being of others. The kids taught me what it means to survive. They open their hearts and easily love every volunteer and worker, no matter how long they spend at Gotas. Most of these kids come from a level of poverty that NO American will ever endure and they smile, play, laugh and love, without reservation. I would be lucky to be more like each and every one of them. I will be truly blessed if God allows me to spend my life, professionally and personally, in devotion to the welfare of others, like them.

UPDATE on Boston:
- I´m excited. For new roomies, cousins, the MSU alum association of Boston, vegans of Boston, etc.
- I had a phone interview on Wednesday. I thought it went well but I just saw that they reposted the position and extended the deadline for application, not a good sign. Thinking back I realize when she asked me about my volunteer experience I wasn´t articulate. Oh well!
- I´m waitlisted for the classes I want to take most. I may end up taking classes from 7:15am to 6:15pm every Saturday. The pain, the torture!

Brasilian Vegans

If you ever plan on traveling to Brasil, for any amount of time, you HAVE to set up an Orkut account. It is a way to connect with fellow students, vegans, activists, music lovers - whatever, whoever. One of my (many marvelous) cousins has an Orkut account, which Brasilians are just mad over, and she lead me to some fantastic vegan communities. Even my dentist sent me an intro email with her Orkut information! Get Orkut!
Through one of those vegan communities I found this awesome Brasilian blog, Cantino Vegetariano. As the name indicates, it is not strictly vegan, but many recipes are vegan and all are clearly labeled. I follow about 15 American vegan blogs and that community is very tight knit and right now everyone seems to be making recipes from Veganomicon. Since I don´t cook all that often (but would like to), don´t have access to that book, and am more interested in whether or not Chavez becomes a dictator then whether a stray cat finds a home (which I hope it does) I need to carve my own niche. (I´ve discussed not having a blog identify before). I´m thinking my niche may be in creating veganized Brasilian food, and continuing to blabber on about my life, views, and frustrations. As I type I am experimenting with a milk (soy)boiled mandioca that will be topped with molasses (melado da cana). I saw the dish prepared on a Brasilian cooking show called Mesa Pra Dois. They also had some tapioca recipes, all the recipes were very typical of northern Brasil. I think (with my limited expertise) the tapioca can be easily veganized as well. I´ll also plan on making paçoca - which I love. Love. LOVE. I´ll let you know how the mandioc goes. (Mandioc, by the way, is a tuber also known as cassava).
I have LOADS of free time so you would think I would be cooking up a storm - but the maid spends most of the day in the kitchen so it is not to be. I have basically finished at Gotas de Flor com Amor, this Saturday is the last day of the ônibus/bookmobile. Why? Well, most of the younger children have started vacation - because while it is miserably cold and about 20 degrees in my future home city of Boston - it is just about summer time here. Which means I can eat yummy fruits and veggies that aren´t grown too far away.
There is lots I can do with my free time. I work out a lot - which is great because I eat a LOT. I spend time with my grandmother, today I spent the whole day with her and it was fantastic. When I walked out of the kitchen today, speaking to her in português, it struck me how lucky I am to be here. What else? I hang out with my cousins Sylvinha e Vanessa, I watch moves, I find a different pizza place each week. I´m obssesed with pizza, no cheese and lots of heart of palms. I just bought an insanely expensive pizza at Pizza Leona, a very chiq and delicious pizzaria here. Recently I have been warned that some pizza doughs contain powdered milk, so I have to be more militant in my questioning. Brasilians at times, seem to go out of their way to make naturally vegan foods not vegan (like a local bakery that adds pork fat to their french bread), and will lie about it! Beware vegans.
Other food findings......I´ve discovered that if I add ripe pineapple to my maracuja juice I don´t need to add sugar - which is great because one day a week I try to avoid all refined sugar (since I eat SO much every other day). I usually go through the trouble of making fresh juice each morning because the store bought stuff just isn´t as good. Since Maria, the maid, makes a mountain of beans when she cooks I´ve been turning them into patties and eating them for breakfast, along with the juice. Not very Brasilian (a typical bfast here is bread, with cheese and ham, and coffee) but I love it!

Movie Reviews and food + boston update

I´ve watched four movies in the past four days so I thought I would start my post with that. The first three are American, the last is Brasilian. I liked all but one. I use the ratings on rotten tomatoes as a reference point - it isn´t a very sophisticated system but includes a plethora of critics.

Harry Potter e a Ordem da Fênix (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) - 77% on Rotten Tomatoes. Now, I have to admit - I haven´t read a single book in the series. Imagine - me, an aspiring librarian, young adult no less, not having read a SINGLE book in the series. Don´t throw stones, I just don´t have the desire. I don´t know why - maybe because it is SO amazingly popular I just can´t bring myself to jump on the bandwagon. Plus the books are very long and I don´t like reading long books (I´m just digging myself a hole here, heim?) BUT....I love the movies. And I really liked this one. I think the dialogue is sophisticated, the acting is good, and the plot is intriguing. I almost wanted to pick up the first book when I was done watching. Almost.
Os Maiores (The Moguls/The Amateurs) - 17% on Rotten Tomatoes. I absolutely loved this movie. The acting was fantastic, the plot was easy to follow and very entertaining, and the ending was typical Hollywood fluff - but in a very fun way. It addressed feelings of inadequacy, racial stereotypes, and the perfection of imperfection. The ending was very implausible and perhaps saccharine (as one critic griped) but hey, I laughed, smiled, and felt good at the end. AND it wasn´t predictable. I think is is just about the best that Hollywood has to offer. Take that!

Os Donos da Noite (We Own the Night) - 55% on Rotten Tomatoes. How this movie received a higher rating then The Amateurs I will NEVER understand. I thought this movie was horrible. Truly. I wanted to like it. I adore Joaquim Phoenix, and who wouldn´t - he is a vegan and is River´s younger brother (may he rest in peace). Not to mention that he has a great scar and acts well. But really - the movie was the pits. The characters were totatlly lame (Joaquim goes from drug using club manager to bad to the bone cop???), the plot was improbable (the brilliant Russian drug traffickers didn´t realize that Joaquim was related to many cops AND when Joaquim had a bounty on his head he decided to have a meeting at the club where he used to work with those that wanted to kill him - just to name a few), and there were several scenes where you could see the microphones. My cousin assures me because the screen was too large - but it just added to incredible lameness that I wasn´t prone to accept that excuse. Don´t go see it in the theatre, don´t rent it, don´t watch it on tv. It was almost as ridiculously bad as dumb Miami Vice.

Ano em que meus Pais Sairam de Feira (The Year my Parents Went on Vacation) - Not reviewed on Rotten Tomatoes - don´t know why! I loved this movie. It took place in Brasil during the World Cup in 1970. It addressed, very lightly, the issue of the dictatorship (which I think is a topic that requires more thought and reflection in Brasilian society), Jews in São Paulo (something that I´ve never seen addressed), and depicted the absolute soccer madness that Brasil exhibits (and uses to mask real social inequalities and political deficiencies). It was a slow moving, almost simple movie, with no great climax but with some genuinely beautiful moments.

Despite movies, how is life?
-I think I found an apartment in Boston, and the closest Catholic Church offers two masses in Brasilian português. I think it is fate. I am not getting too invested because it has already fallen through once, but I pray it works out.
-I tried to make maracuja mousse with my agar agar. Mousse is nice and rich, with a smooth texture, this stuff came out like a cream based jello. Disgusting. I don´t know if I added too much agar agar or if agar agar is just better for jello. I used sweetened condensed soy milk, soy cream, and maracuja juice. I wish it had been good.
-I keep making brownies, pancakes, and blackbean patties (to which I added leftover brown rice and liked). The next time I make the brownies I will crumble paçoca, the love of my life, and take them to my cousins house for movie night. Hey girlies - if you are reading this - I can´t wait!
-I may have a phone interview with a very cool company in Boston next week. I´m excited.
-I thought I was getting back together with my exboyfriend. But....probably not. I may be changing, but not enough to make that relationship work - I will always want suprises and my requests fulfilled. And anyway, I don´t think that is what he wants. I feel a little sad but feel good about me regardless.