Sometime during the night, I had a dream about a man with a Dick Tracy hat, driving me around in a buggy. There was someone else in the car, a blond woman. He was lost and I couldn't give him directions. We were trying to get me to the airport. During our journey, I made a decision for him to drop me off at the train station. We couldn't find it. The road looked familiar, and I could see the train station (Metrorail, I guess), but we couldn't figure out how to get there.

There were one way streets, dead ends, road blocks etc. Finally, we decided that I should take an air car or trolley to the train station, you know the ones you use to get to ski lifts. Well, the air car was fine until the bottom fell out. I grabbed onto the rail and I was hanging by one hand. My phone fell out. The bottom closed up. When I got to the top, the train station was right there, but I couldn't forget about my phone. I decided to walk back down the steep hill to fetch it. Just as I was bracing the dangerous climb downward, someone tapped me on the shoulder. He had my phone. I said, "Thanks," in a matter of fact way. As I walked away from him, I was bursting with appreciation. Before he walked away from me, he just stared at me. Waiting for a hug or some money or who knows what. He had no idea how much I was thanking him inside my head, over and over. I couldn't express how I felt to him because I was still getting over the trauma of falling and losing my phone. He didn't know what I had just been through or how long it took me to get here, or where I still had to go. He was one piece in a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle.

Then I realized, the man was me. Every person that I've helped, although they didn't show it, must have been feeling overwhelmed by their appreciation. They couldn't escape it, long after I was down the road. I thought about this person for the rest of the dream. I was meant to be on the other side, the receiver's side, to experience that, to understand the power of the things we do not say! But to close your eyes and feel it ...

Wild, huh?

ciao
~inga~

South Florida Couple Spreads The Word About Choosing Vegan Life

By Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley |Food Editor

July 24, 2008

Living in a vegan commune for the past 26 years, M. Butterflies Katz is used to her door being open. So when she and her brother Brook decided to open their door to fellow vegans and vegetarians by hosting an open house and dinner, it wasn't that unusual.

They put out the word on the Web, and on a recent Sunday afternoon about 40 people showed up at their Coconut Creek home.

But that didn't faze this duo, who have been members of the Gentle World commune, a nonprofit organization that teaches people the advantages of a plant-based, sustainable lifestyle. After all, they've both written vegan cookbooks and cooked at The Vegan on Maui, a once-popular restaurant the Gentle World group used to educate people about the vegan lifestyle.

Butterflies, 50, has been a vegetarian since she was 15 and entered the vegan communal group when she was 24. She still lives with them, commuting between their facility on the big island of Hawaii and their land on the north island of New Zealand.

[Source]

Leona Lewis and Anthony Kiedis Voted World's Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrities of 2008

The votes have been counted, and the results are in. It's official—pop princess Leona Lewis and red hot chili pepper Anthony Kiedis are the sexiest vegetarian celebrities alive!

But what's wrong with cooking, you ask? Raw foodies argue that major health problems—including diabetes, obesity and heart disease—arrived with the modern, processed, fat-laden diet. Food that has not been cooked is healthier, because it is high in fiber and no vitamins have been lost in cooking, says Natalia Rose, author of The Raw Food Detox Diet.

Raw foodies are essentially vegan, eschewing most animal products. Instead of a hamburger, raw restaurants might serve a nut-meat patty.

Any restrictive diet has a psychological component that's appealing to some, says Madelyn Fernstrom, a nutritional biochemist and director of the University of Pittsburgh Weight Management Center. Raw food is no exception. "Heating instead of cooking is ritualistic, so it helps people latch on to the diet," she says. "Many people feel devoted to this style of eating because it gives them structure."

[Source]

OUR NEXT STOP

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Life Food Gourmet (2nd Floor)
377 SW 15th Road
Downtown Miami, FL

Open mic sign up begins @ 6pm
Show starts at 6pm

6:00 p.m. DJ Inga Ambrosia
7:00 p.m. Open Mic
8:00 p.m. Ana Kanpa

Raw vegan Food, Juices, Desserts, Salads, Good Vibes

Life Food Gourmet Menu


PERFORMERS
Ana Kanpa
Alternative Rock
http://www.anakanpa.com
http://www.myspace.com/anakanpa



BIOGRAPHY: Ana Kanpa is an alternative/indie rock band from South Florida, performing hypnotic jams, melodious songs of Spirit and Earth, and compelling spoken word poetry. The name comes from an ancient Sumerian prayer, translated as "Spirits of the Earth." Ana Kanpa has been creating and performing around Florida at various venues, festivals, private events and benefits over the past five years. Their music ranges from melodic rock and blues, to acoustic songs and unique improvised jams, in which they experiment with sound, bringing together different flavors from Middle Eastern to rhythmic chants and tribal beats. Their shows are a journey through different moods and eclectic sounds, inspiring thoughtful reflection and a deeper connection with the Earth.

Live DJ Set Ambient, World Music, Melodics by
DJ Inga Ambrosia



BIOGRAPHY:
Inga has been DJ'ing for four years. Two of those years were spent DJ'ing in her bedroom, the other two out in galleries, hotels, nightclubs etc. Inga grew up listening to gospel, jazz, psychedelic, funk and folk music. Instrumental music had always inspired her and taken her to another place. Musicians such as Herbie Hancock, David Sanborn, Spryo Gyro, Yellow Jackets.

In the 90s, she developed a taste for ambient music when mp3.com was in its prime. Her favorite artist at that time was Bassic. His music was atmospheric and spacy and allowed her to search into deeper places in her mind. Over the years, she discovered house music, trance, trip hop and minimal.

Ambrosia Ambiance was born because DJ Inga Ambrosia wanted to create an environment where she could play and listen to her favorite music, eat her favorite food (vegan), and hang out with her friends. All the while providing positive poetry, conscious music and a good ambiance to places that promote wellness.

Inga is an artist, author, poet, blogger, art teacher, singer and nature photographer/videographer.

www.ingaambrosia.com

i'm in a weird mood this past 24 hours. a great mood actually! forgive my silly billiness ...

This survey is being conducted by M. Butterflies Katz, who has published several popular articles on vegan subjects, including ‘vegan companies’, ‘vegan-organic gardening’ and ‘feeding your pets vegan’.

The results of the survey will be used to research an article that will be published on-line and in magazines.

You can answer anonymously if you choose. Please circulate this questionnaire to other vegans.

Click on the following link. It is easy and quick and will
send it directly to M. Butterflies Katz!

Thanks for your participation.

[Take The Survey]

If you were ever confused about the difference between a vegetarian and a vegan, here it is:

1. A vegan would NEVER eat something cooked right next to an animal product.

2. Milk - oh my God, do you know what that actually is?

3. Cheese - not on a vegan diet.

4. Cinnamon rolls with icing - stomach ache city and murder on the waistline.

5. A vegan would not eat something that someone's red fingernail polish had scooped out. Do you know what's under the average person's finger nails!

6. A junk food chef can never cook my food because that is a clear indication that health is not their primary concern.

Throw the spears !! ;-P

~inga~

Klimek – Sun(rise)

I woke up to this song this morning. I listen to Drones Music all night long while i'm sleeping. It gives me lucid dreams ... ;-)

~inga~

"100 Foods No Environmentalist Should Ever Eat"

All food requires some level of energy to create, but some take more than their fair share. On top of that, there are many foods that are hazardous to your health and the environment. Avoiding certain foods may be extreme for some, but eliminating even a few of these foods is enough to make an impact. Read on to find out what you should do your best to steer clear of.

General Rules

Before you take a bite, think about whether or not what you’re about to eat violates one of these rules.

1. Highly packaged food: Any food that is in excessive packaging is bad, especially if it’s packaged in petroleum-based plastics.
2. Highly processed food: Any food that requires a lot of work in a refinery or processing plant is bound to be a huge waste of water and resources.
3. Imported food: In general, food from other countries is energy intensive. This is primarily due to the amount of travel required, but also because other countries often have weak environmental regulations.
4. Frozen food: Frozen food requires a large amount of energy to create and store, both in the process of creating it and when you take it home.
5. Anything you can’t eat from a real plate or cup: Avoid anything that can’t be eaten from a reusable plate.
6. Charcoal grilled food: Traditional charcoal grills create approximately double the carbon output as gas ones do. You can, however, grill carbon neutral by using “chunk charcoal,” which doesn’t have any additives.
7. Out of season food: That fruit you’re eating out of season isn’t a delicacy-it’s a drain on resources. The heating and cooling required to create growing conditions for out of season food is responsible for harmful carbon emissions.
8. Anything prepared on Teflon: Teflon has caused injury in DuPont workers and is believed to be incredibly dangerous and damaging for consumers.
9. Unhealthy food: Eating anything but healthy food is a waste of resources and calories.
10. Conventional food: Conventionally grown foods use pesticides that can get into our waterways and other parts of the environment. It is also believed to have fewer nutrients than organic food.
11. Organic food: While organic food tends to be cleaner for the environment, it’s often more energy intensive and inefficiently produced.
12. Wasted food: Energy is used to create food, so buying or ordering food you will not eat is a waste. This waste is further perpetuated when uneaten food is sent to a landfill.
13. Anything in a plastic bag: Don’t bring your food home in a wasteful plastic bag. Bring a reusable bag instead.
14. Food that requires intensive storage or cooking: Any food that needs to be frozen or heated in an energy-intensive way is not environmentally friendly.
15. Fast food: Nearly anything from McDonald’s and its competitors is not sustainably sourced or served.

[Source] <-- Full List Here

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)—A California man says Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez of the Kansas City Chiefs kept him from choking to death.

“Tony saved my life. There’s no doubt,” Ken Hunter, a shipping company manager, told The Associated Press in a phone interview from Huntington Beach, Calif.

“Tony came up behind me and gave me the Heimlich maneuver. Thank God he was there.”

Gonzalez, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection who has set numerous NFL records, was having dinner with his wife, brother and 5-week-old daughter at Capone’s restaurant in Huntington Beach Thursday night. Hunter, 45, was dining with his girlfriend at the next table when suddenly a piece of meat stuck in his throat.

[Source]

How ironic is that?!? I wonder what Tony was eating? It's hard to eat out when your family isn't vegan. Make sure you read the whole story. It's so interesting that no one else knew what to do. Veggie Power!! That's what my friend Mariela used to say all the time ... ;-)

~inga~

Labels: athlete, capone, choking, football, tony gonzalez, vegan

All of our products are made with no artifical ingredients, no chemical preservatives, all natural organic products, unbleached all purpose flour, fair trade chocolate and vanilla beans and also nothing has been genetically modified. We are currently in the test kitchen developing new flavor combinations and creations, so aside from "the classics" there will be some new gourmet flavor combinations as well.

Lola's CupCakery

The Classics

The Chocolate CupCake

Moist chocolate cake with French chocolate icing sprinkled with roasted cocoa nibs

The Chocolate Fudge Brownie CupCake

Dense fudgy brownie cake with nuts & chocolate fudge frosting

The Mocha CupCake

Chocolate & coffee flavored cake with coffee buttercream frosting & a chocolate covered coffee bean garnish

The Rocky Road CupCake

Chocolate cake with French chocolate frosting, marshmallows, pecans and chocolate drizzle

The Vanilla CupCake

Rich vanilla cake with vanilla bean frosting

The Cookies and Cream CupCake

Oreo cookie cake with vanilla frosting & a mini-Oreo cookie garnish

The Pralines and Cream CupCake

Buttermilk praline cake with vanilla buttercream frosting & dusted with crushed pralines

The Red Velvet CupCake

A Southern Classic! A subtle cocoa flavored red velvet cake & cream cheese frosting

The Strawberry CupCake

Vanilla strawberry cake with strawberry buttercream topped with a fresh strawberry

The Peanut Butter CupCake

Peanut butter cake with peanut butter frosting

The Peanut Butter and Jelly CupCake

Peanut butter cake with strawberry or grape jelly filling & a smooth peanut butter frosting

The Toffee CupCake

Toffee vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream & Heath bar brickle bits garnish

The Cotton Candy CupCake

Vanilla cake with pink or blue vanilla buttercream topped with a contrasting colored cotton candy poof

The Spice Cake CupCake

Old fashioned spice cake with cream cheese frosting

The Carrot Cake CupCake

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

The Banana Bread CupCake

A nutty banana cake with vanilla buttercream

The Lemon Meringue Pie CupCake

Lemony buttermilk cake with an eggless lemon curd filling topped with a bruleed meringue

Key Lime Pie CupCake

Key Lime buttermilk cake filled with lime curd, lime frosting & a fresh slice of lime

The Mojito CupCake

Brown sugar, rum lime cake with a minty-lime frosting & mint leaf garnish

The Margarita CupCake

Lime vanilla cake with lime-tequillaesque frosting and a sea salted rim

The Pina Colada CupCake

Vanilla pineapple coconut cake with a coconut-pineapple-rum frosting & a pineapple wedge garnish

The Coconut Macaroon CupCake

Coconut macaroon cake with coconut milk frosting and real coconut flakes

What are five things on your to-do list for today?

1) Laundry
2) Shoot more video and pictures for my art show
3) Draw a comic
4) Record a song for my father
5) Cut my hair

What are five snacks you enjoy?

1) Naval oranges
2) Watermelon
3) Green apples
4) Mango w/salt and pepper
5) Soy yogurt

What are five things you would do if you were a billionaire?

1) Publish my own book
2) Open a vegan cafe
3) Make a movie
4) Create a vegan arts academy
5) Open a vegan clothing store

What are five of your bad habits?

1) Not calling people back. (I like this habit, it suits me)
2) Seeing through people's bullshit and tell them so.
3) Analyzing things.
4) Spicy food.
5) Daydreaming.

What are five places where you have lived?

1) Miami, FL
2) Doral, FL
3) Kendall, FL
4) South Miami, FL
5) Miami Beach, FL

What are five jobs you’ve had?

1) Deaf/Hard of Hearing Operator
2) Waitress/Bartender
3) Web Designer/Tech Support
4) Art Teacher
5) DJ

Tag! You're it if you ...

1) Have a right boob that's bigger than your left.
2) Like to dance the robot.
3) Find a good shit more satisfying than sex.
4) Are vegan.
5) Your mom.

Just copy this survey into your blog if you meet the above criteria, and don't forget to link back to mine.

(Thanks, Yeah That Vegan Shit !)

I've seen this movie probably 100 times. It was right up there with Neverending Story, Princess Pride and Dark Crystal. Just the most fantastical, dreamy and fairy tale trippy experience a little girl could ever have. They DO NOT make movies like this anymore. Period. They don't have the same romance to it, the same charm, the same quality that books had. Being born in the 70s is just something you can't explain to people. We were/are so lucky!

~inga~