#it's not fair & if it's worth anything that is Not the vegan community that i want to be a part of

[lezzian]

Yeah it’s actually pretty brave to say ‘we should use animal products instead of relying on slave labor and mass carbon emissions to eat rabbit food’ on this site, especially for a POC. Do you know how many times a white vegan has gotten pissy because I told them to shut the fuck up and eat what’s there and called me a nigger in my DMs over it? I’ll give you a hint, it’s been more than one.

I am so sorry to hear you were treated that way. That is fucked up and bad and traumatising and it should never have happened. I understand that experiences like that will cause distrust and anger. I did not mean to single you out or anything. I just wanted to vaguely allude to the fact that I think it's strange to laud someone for saying that we should stick to the status quo, meaning, the consumption of animal products.

I had a whole thing written down here about how veganism works for me - how it's not overarching principle but rather a logical endpoint for my philosophical and political beliefs (which is really to just... respect the earth and all its creatures). But people more eloquent than me have written about the philosophy and standing principles behind veganism, like acti-veg on this site.

In the end it's just that I believe the preservation of a sentient life is more valuable than the goods or profit I could make if that life were ended. The production process behind animal products seems to me so unethical that I cannot buy them in good conscience. This should not be a difficult concept to grasp... Anyway, I find it extremely annoying how veganism as a philosophy is blamed for problems that are simply not caused by veganism, but rather by capitalism. Capitalism produces shit working conditions for all workers- including the workers who process animal products! Capitalism produces landfills full of leather and pleather products which will never be reused or recycled because production is completely divorced from demand/need. Capitalism produces deforestation in the amazon to make way for soy and corn based agriculture, which is then mostly exported to the west, where it's used to feed animals whose bodies will be turned into consumer goods. And capitalism wants to turn veganism into purely a consumer identity rather than a philosophical and political movement, which will divert attention away from capitalism's faults by directing your attention to a consumer identity that is offensive or made offensive to you.

[utilitycaster]

forgive me if i don’t make sense bc i don’t really know how to articulate this, but taliesin talked a lot about “trying to figure out what punk means in exandria” and wondering what’s there to be angry about. and after the last string of episodes i feel like that it’s a question that he baked into ashton’s character. like yes ashton is punk and they have justified anger but the Rest of their anger is deflective to stop them from interrogating themselves and their decisions further. idk it’s really interesting to me

It is! It's something I really love about Ashton and it's something I think Taliesin was very thoughtful about in his character creation. I think Taliesin is extremely strong in character creation in general, and it's a rare person who can make a character based on a philosophical premise who also feels very real.

That really is the core of Ashton, and I think it's a great commentary. I do still intend to watch The Decline of Western Civilization Part III (winter break perhaps?) but I am broadly familiar with the gutter-punks on which Ashton was based, and again, the punk movement as a whole. There have always been politically-minded punks; but I advise you look up the backgrounds of, say, the average Fugazi/Minor Threat, Bad Religion, Dead Kennedys, or Propagandhi musician because they are, by and large, middle-class white guys with relatively stable and happy childhoods, and the idea of Ashton as someone dedicated to the Tumblr uwu kindness is punk "look at this perfect baby who doesn't steal pennies how kind and generous to only take literally everything else" archetype was always a massive projection. They've always been far more in the model of the Break Shit, Get Wasted punk than, well, the straight edge and veganism of the above.

(I also think that while it's true that a lot of punk houses did take in anyone and were something of a refuge for many a la Color In Your Cheeks, there was also a lot of Missing Stair Fallacy shit going on in the punk community even then. Ashton is in fact an example of the flaws in that sort of subculture: the Nobodies were there until they really, really weren't, and that's not unusual for that kind of punk friendship. It's found family until you're too inconvenient and dangerous to make it worth it. Taliesin explores this a lot, incidentally; that was very much what he was doing with Molly, and I would love to hear him talk about that kind of surface-level closeness that isn't strong enough to stick because as someone who both participates in fandom and loves to observe and analyze fandom as a phenomenon itself, it's a very real dynamic.)

Ashton has had an awful life. That's the premise. Nothing good has happened to them. There are plenty of valid reasons for them to be angry. Some are people who deserve it (their parents for the fucked up ritual; the Nobodies for abandoning them; Jiana Hexum for exploiting them), some are people who don't deserve their anger but to be fair haven't done anything to deserve their respect either (Percy, the gods), but many have been perfectly kind and reasonable and Ashton has rejected them because they're in a position of authority or seemed too nice. And there's plenty of stuff he's mad about that isn't easily pinned on anyone; the chronic pain is a shitty side effect of one or both of his traumas but no one person is responsible.

Ashton is an incredibly cynical person, and this extends to himself. As I've said before, I think they absolutely mean it when they say that they would have done the exact same thing the Nobodies would do, and this has been used to both cover up the intense hurt that came from their abandonment, but also, I think part of Ashton's own self-loathing comes from the fact that yeah, they are the kind of person who'd have done the same, and that isn't a very good person, and being angry at the Nobodies and Jiana and the world at large has allowed him to avoid looking that truth in the face. Ashton has always bounced between "I'll be the best broken thing I can be" and "what if I could be more? what if I could be what I could have been if things went well?" and also "who the fuck cares" and the reveal, that when the chips are down, he will make an ill-advised and self-destructive choice from that place of pain and anger has really rattled them. He can't keep just being angry and using that to shield himself from difficult questions. It won't just kill them, but it will hurt everyone around them too.

A really ugly truth of life is that even when something is completely not your fault and even when you have been dealt a rotten, unfair hand, often, you do have some degree of responsibility to deal with it ("And if it isn't my fault, I certainly didn't do anything to deal with it," as Ashton says.) The mere act of being angry is cathartic but doesn't actually solve anything. I think that's Keyleth's message to Orym, actually; it's not fair, and you're angry that it's not fair, but you need to use that anger to do things yourself instead of letting it consume you or passing the buck because it sure as hell isn't your turn. Ashton has, since the solstice, been playing tug of war with the idea that this anger has perhaps not been serving him, and he finally lost. Initially they realized a lot of this anger had been self-pity, but then, as they said, one week of thinking their parents actually were something led them to do the exact same dumb cult shit. Instead of stopping and listening to Evontra'vir and Allura, he said "no, I'm special, actually." And to be clear I think their motives were incredibly complicated and well-thought-out on Taliesin's part. It's not just because of his parents, it's not entirely selfish or out of heroics but those certainly did play a part, he did genuinely think it would help but he also ignored a number of warnings that it wouldn't. Again, I think the parallels between Ashton and FCG are glaringly obvious this episode, except Ashton hid their feelings with anger and FCG with a focus on everyone else's needs.

[acti-veg]

Going Vegan - What to Expect

Everyone is different, both in terms of their body and their mentality, which means that adopting a plant-based diet will have different effects depending on the person. That said, there are some common factors and experiences that many new vegans report.

A common response to any radical change in diet is that your body undergoes a little bit of a shock. This is perfectly natural, after-all, your body has been accustomed to receiving certain products for your entire life, only to change quite suddenly, which is especially the case if you go for the ‘all in’ method. This is only temporary - it is just your body reacting to the loss of some food items and the introduction of new ones, as well as the new balance in vitamins and minerals. It is not uncommon for you to feel a little bit under the weather during this period. This is not usually anything to worry about, it will just take some time for your body to regain a comfortable equilibrium.

Cravings are a related problem which many new vegans experience. This can be because you simply miss certain products which you used to consume regularly, and there is really nothing wrong with that.  Sometimes though, cravings can be a little bit more complex than that. They are often indicators of something our body needs, but we don’t crave a particular vitamin or ingredient, since that is too abstract, so instead we crave the foods which commonly give us the vitamins or ingredients we desire.

 If we crave fat or more calories, for example, our bodies are used to receiving both from cheese, which is very high in fat and calories. This could result in a cheese craving, when in actual fact, we could satiate that by eating something nutritionally similar, such as nuts or a vegan cheese, which are high in calories, protein and heart-healthy fats.

The important thing to remember is that you shouldn’t approach these cravings with any sort of self-judgement, there is really no shame in them at all. Keep in mind, as vegans we are not giving up animal products because we don’t like the way they taste, we simply don’t believe that taste is worth the life and liberty of a sentient being. Try to view these cravings as an observer, notice them, and try to think: ‘Oh, that’s interesting. I wonder why I’m craving that?’ These do usually go away; it just takes some time.

It’s fair to say that you are also likely to experience some hostility from your friends and family.  This, rather than any problems with food, is usually the factor people cite as the most difficult thing about going vegan. There are ways of minimising this and reducing conflict, which is discussed in the FAQs section, but the important thing to keep in mind is that this is very rarely a reflection on you. People oppose veganism, not you personally, and such opposition is not generally related to you or your behaviour.

The key is to set your limits early on - make sure people know that this is a choice you have made and are serious about. The people around you need to know that you will not go back on this, that a ‘little bit of cheese’ does still count, that you don’t find jokes about animal cruelty particularly funny, and that you don’t feel the need to defend your choices to anyone else. Dealing with people’s attitudes towards your veganism can be a challenge at first, but you will find your own strategies as time goes on, and things do get easier once everyone has had some time to adjust to it - yourself included.

There are plenty of positives you’ll experience pretty shortly after beginning your transition, too. Many new vegans report more energy, better hair and skin and even an improved immune system. This won’t be the case for everyone though, so you shouldn’t go into this thinking it will dramatically improve your physical health - that’s just an added bonus if it happens.

The one positive that is almost universally experienced is the peace of mind that comes from being vegan, which is a very difficult thing to put into words. Making this change can be challenging for sure, but it is incredibly rewarding to live in this way and be a member of this wonderful community. Just remember, nothing worth doing ever comes easily and being vegan is no exception.

-An extract from my free eBook: The Green Road - A Practical Guide to Veganism

[natpeabct]

P I T C H

Our pitch today has left us with lots of new ideas and examples to explore. 

Sangeeta used the term “guilt conscious” while giving us feedback. This is a term that, although self explanatory, I didn’t know. She suggested that our project was heading the direction of introducing a “guilt conscious” to clothes consumers, one that currently doesn’t exist in the mainstream. This makes sense to me as we want to be able to give consumers the tools to make informed decisions by knowing the impact of garments. However, as Ella mentioned in her blog “how can we really be impactful and educational, at the same time offering that difference in what we can actually do about it. - definite individual moral/importance for me because if it does not do this then is it really worth doing the project at all?”. I full-heartedly agree, we want to be impactful, educational and useful. Without being useful, then we are simply laying on a “guilt conscious”. This is not necessarily a bad thing but it needs to work in tandem with some kind of tool that goes beyond the dreaded “raising awareness. 

Donna suggested we look into the social change of our topic, what can we do to change consumers behaviours? She suggested other social movements, such as PETA’s anti-fur campaigns, as case studies to identify what they’ve done to shock and challenge current paradigms.

There is a whole series of ads that are similar to the one above. By using beautiful celebrities and bloody skinned animals in a twisted juxtaposition to highlight the ethical cost of a fur coat, PETA has created a striking ad campaign that has torn down the once fetishised fur coat. Significant female celebrities were used, but something I found personally interesting was tattooed males used in the same ad campaign. Below is a similar ad with NBA player Chris Anderson with the slogan “ink not mink”.

Why was this ad campaign so successful? With my completely unauthorised opinion - I believe celebrities endorsement had huge traction in this case. Obviously, you can slap a Brad Pitt onto anything and I will buy it. What’s different here is the culture of fashion. Celebrities wear certain things and quickly and somewhat randomly a trend appears, in the case of the fur coat it has been symbolised as an icon of wealth and luxury, simultaneously it’s some disturbed symbol of dominance, wearing the skin of a once beautiful mystic animal is very telling of one's empathy and environmental conscious. Perhaps this is a reason it is worn by celebrities who aren’t all that “in-touch”. 

There is much more research to be done. But an interesting point to bring up is how activist campaigns can fall flat and instead build barriers between people. For example, I was walking down Queen street one night and came across a small crowd outside of ANZ. People were standing around looking at figures with cow masks and large TV’s strapped to them. These TV’s displayed harrowing and disturbing images of cows being slaughtered in horrific fashion. No doubt it got people’s attention, and depending on your message that may be all you want. However, if you want people to stop supporting the meat industry, this isn’t very effective, and here is why : shocking people is one thing, and a powerful thing indeed, but, agitating and upsetting people will not do wonders for getting people on your side. People simply won’t empathise with your cause, instead despising you. And it’s by all means fair enough to claim that these people aren’t trying to being “liked”, in fact they are so passionate about their cause that they are willing to be hated for it, whatever the cause that can be admired. But if people despise you for how you communicate your message, they will also despise your cause. This creates a strange dynamic where groups such as vegans and feminists are tainted with negative traits, which is ridiculous because both causes are fantastic and need mass support, but instead often end up subject to ridicule furthering diluting their impact. The ad campaign by PETA is a good balance of being shocking, without being agitating. If we decide to try shake things up we will need to learn from these examples to create a project that is effective in communicating the intended message. 

[possibilistfanfiction]

sutton and a trans guy, please i'm begging you! my crops would flourish, my skin would clear

[henny we all need hydration & july is no time for acne so here u go]

//

kat has to cover the new wowfull selections and truly the only reason you both decide to go instead of sending one of her interns is because there are very few things jane hates more than smorgasburg.

‘no,’ she says, about forty times, before kat offers to buy her whatever she wants on scarlet’s card and finally jane relents. 

you get there together, all crammed into what is probably the world’s tiniest via, you think, with kat essentially on adena’s lap in the back and you had let jane have the front seat because she was already grumpy. it’s so hot already and you didn’t even bother wearing makeup because it’s a sunday at noon in the middle of july and kat had made you all get out of bed so she can eat waffles from the most pretentious food truck gathering ever, so it’s truly not worth it on so many levels.

the bouncer checks your IDs and kat gets you three glasses of rose before handing you both $50, which shuts jane up momentarily.

‘i’m gonna go find somewhere to sit with adena,’ she says, and you kind of envy her right now, because she has wine and the best pair of vintage denim shorts you’ve ever seen, dramatic sunglasses and beat up sneakers. also, a beautiful girlfriend who is in a skirt that flows with the breeze in lines that oliver would love, who holds kat’s hand and you see them laughing and it’s wild, you think, how easily in love they are.

you and jane both kind of watch them walk away, a little dazed, and then she turns to you.

‘i literally hate this so much but we have $100 to spend on food so, shall we?’

she offers the crook of her elbow and you grin and you end up getting poke tacos, bahn mi, japanese street ice, green chile frito pie, and a vegan burger to share before you grab another glass of wine. kat drops you a pin and you find her and adena lounging on a blanket in the shade, thank god.

kat raises her brows at all of the food you have and you shrug. ‘you gave us the money.’

she grins and proceeds to instagram the entire spread before taking a bite of everything, which even jane laughs at.

‘kat, are you gonna get anything?’ 

‘yeah,’ she says, waves a hand around vaguely. ‘adena and i had breakfast before we came though so i’m not that hungry yet.’

jane literally spits out part of her taco to frown completely and you want to laugh because you love her so much and it’s so unnecessary but you’ll let her have it.

‘so you’re saying you dragged us to this crowded, hot, bougie food truck hell and you don’t even want to eat anything?’

‘uh, no,’ kat says. ‘i gave you $100 to eat anything you wanted and eventually i have to eat the new wowfull.’

jane groans and lies down against the blanket dramatically and adena smiles into kat’s shoulder.

‘love you so much, tiny jane,’ kat says.

//

eventually kat really does have to try the wowfull, which she proceeds to say like seven times and you’ve had three glasses of wine in like 90 degree heat so you are both decently day drunk and the word keeps making you laugh harder every time. the line is insane but at this point you’re so fucking full and apparently kat is still good to go because you’re waiting patiently, not really bothered, and jane is chatting with adena about, you don’t really know?, but something to do with memoir and sexuality in iran—honestly it’s a little shitty that you’d tuned them out and kat had too because she was just staring at adena’s boobs for a hot few minutes before you’d dragged her to finally do what you set out to in the first place.

you’re talking to her and she’s turning back, to check on adena and jane, probably, and you really aren’t saying anything that interesting so when kat breaks out in a huge grin you’re a little confused until a guy two people behind you in line spots her as well and smiles, just as big.

‘jayden, oh my god,’ she says, stepping out of the line to give him a big hug.

‘kat,’ he says, clearly excited, ‘hi!’

she steps back and looks him over and wow, okay, he’s super cute, you can see that, with skin a few shades darker than kat’s, perfect arms, an incredible smile, dimples, and, listen, you’re drunk but you have good taste no matter what.

‘you look incredible,’ she says, and then tugs him up two spots to where you still are standing in line.

‘jayden,’ she says, with a shit eating grin and you know what that means, but honestly you are not going to complain today, ‘this is sutton.’

‘nice to meet you, sutton,’ he says, shakes your hand.

‘nice to meet you too.’

‘hey,’ kat says, glancing around. ‘are you here with anyone?’

he shakes his head no. ‘i was on a run and then i got hungry, figured since i was already in the park i’d stop by.’

‘ew,’ kat says. ‘running.’

he laughs and you really think that maybe kat has like a magnet for attractive people, yourself included, because. wow.

‘so,’ you say, ‘how do you two know each other?’

‘oh,’ kat says, in the way that you know she’s trying to downplay one thing or another, ‘we went to yale together.’

‘two of three black people in our communications program,’ jayden says, and they high five.

‘that’s awesome,’ you say, and kat nods but jayden shrugs. humble, a good quality. 

‘what are you doing in the city?’ kat asks, completely ignoring the menu even though you’re like three people away from ordering, but whatever, you can wing it. 

‘i just moved to park slope,’ he says. ‘i’m doing PR for an lgbtq youth outreach program for the center.’

okay, so, he’s a good person. kat looks at you like she knows you literally thought just that, puts her arm around his shoulders. ‘always the better of the two of us.’

‘no way,’ he says, and you love seeing your friend like this, honestly. you also love seeing her friend just exist so you’re so content. ‘from what i know from your social, you are department head and you also have a very, very pretty girlfriend.’

kat nods modestly. ‘true. on both accounts.’

jayden hip checks her and kat shoves him, gently but she’s also drunk and you send an apologetic smile to the white dude behind her in a cutoff poncho and tevas, the absolute worst.

‘so,’ jayden says, drifting closer to you, ‘how do you know the illustrious katherine edison?’

you smile because kat hates her full name and she turns away with a huff to finally look at the menu, which is probably good because she actually has to order in like, four seconds. ‘we met as interns at scarlet four years ago.’

‘sutton,’ kat says over her shoulder, ‘is in the fashion department. fucking killer.’

jayden smiles when kat sighs and orders all six wowfulls on the menu because she can’t remember what she was actually supposed to review, and she waves him off when he tries to order too.

‘i just paid for, like, ten thousand calories. at least you can help us eat a few.’

jayden shrugs and you both ignore kat for a few moments while she tries to figure out how to carry all six wowfulls back to your blanket without spilling all of them and finally you both take pity on her and grab two each. she rolls her eyes and strides off in front of you and you both laugh.

jayden is cute as shit and jane has apparently seen this development and offers the two of you more wine, which she’d picked up while you were in line. 

‘thanks,’ jayden says, sitting down between you and kat. he introduces himself politely, shakes jane’s hand, and then laughs at kat’s blush when she introduces adena.

adena is thrilled to hear a few stories about kat in undergrad, how she threw up in a freshman sociology class because she and jayden had been to a party the night before and kat had never had vodka before; the time they went to harvard and tried to join a secret society to find out more about them; her apparently very intense and strict nap schedule her senior year.

kat rolls her eyes and tries to argue but you know it’s mostly for show, because she’s happy and taking pictures of all of you eating these insanely decadent desserts and adena feeds her a spoonful of ice cream and you and jane share an eye roll before you notice jayden doing the same and honestly, he’s in at that point. he’s really in when he gets kat and adena to agree to speak at an upcoming event for his youth center, something to do with intersectionality and creativity in the workplace, which like they really are both perfect for. 

kat is a very professional person, really, and lowkey a workaholic, and you know this, but sometimes—'i need to go for a walk,’ she groans, lying back on the blanket dramatically. ‘i’m. so full.’

‘fair,’ jane says, gets up and you help her throw away all of your collective trash. it’s hot as hell but the park is pretty shady at this point, but once you get out of the designated food truck area kat smirks at adena and then takes off her shirt.

apparently today was a day for kat to not wear a bra and you have literally seen her boobs more times than you can count, as has jane, and definitely adena, but her girlfriend still blushes and you roll your eyes again.

you pause because kat now wants adena to put sunscreen on her back, apparently, and when adena kisses behind kat’s ear jane says, ‘this isn’t a porn film,’ and kat laughs, loud and full and you love both of them for those exact reasons.

‘fine, fine,’ she says, accepts it and puts the sunscreen away, links her fingers with adena again.

you’re too busy being a little jealous of them to notice that jayden has taken his shirt off too but when you look over at him, to ask him something about his work or his apartment or his neighborhood, you have to swallow because, okay, abs. jane squeezes your hand and you have to fight a strangled laugh and kat and adena are off in their own fucking world a few feet ahead of you.

you don’t even notice the scars on jayden’s chest until you do, and, okay, you can do this. you know lots of trans people, you fitted a bunch of trans men for a fashion spread just last month, so everything clicks into place pretty quickly but you’re still staring and you don’t really know what to do because you’re kind of drunk and the last thing you want to do is be shitty to this dude that you think is honestly super banging—but then jane, perfect tiny jane, says, ‘wow, your abs are just. wow.’

he laughs and you laugh and you maybe have never loved another person more in the world than you love her right now. kat turns around momentarily and grins at jayden, genuinely delighted, and then winks at you.

i hate you, you mouth, and she only smiles bigger and turns forward, kisses her girlfriend’s cheek.

//

you all end up sitting near a fountain and kat falls asleep while adena plays with her hair, so then adena starts photographing her, and everything around you.

jayden is smart and funny and really, incredibly caring, and jane makes an excuse to go find the bathroom but you know she went after your second glass of wine so she doesn’t really have to go.

‘i’m glad i ran into kat,’ jayden says, and it’s sincere, for sure.

‘me too.’

he smiles, hands you his phone. ‘she’s great, but i also am very glad i got to meet you.’

and, like, you’re going to have to navigate some things, sure, but he’s fucking hot and also very kind and kat seems to love him and he’s already commiserated with jane on like eight complaints so.

you’re sutton brady, and no one is better with people than you.

‘i’m very glad i got to meet you too,’ you say, finishing your contact information. you call yourself from his phone and he smiles and you save his number.

kat wakes up because adena legitimately has to pee and jane comes back with waters for everyone—an actual angel—and you spend another hour sweating it out with your friends, and a boy you like, and you’re day drunk and exhausted by the end of it, very happy.

kat gives jayden a big hug before she and adena get into a via to head back to soho, and jane tries to shake his hand but he laughs and gives her a hug instead.

you stand on your tip toes and kiss his cheek and he glances down, a little shy, but with a smile when he looks back up at you.

‘i’ll text you,’ you say.

‘i look forward to it.’

he jogs away with a wave and jane’s face is a human version of the smirk emoji and you let out a deep breath.

‘yeah,’ she says.

‘fuck yah,’ you say.

//

the next evening you lie down next to jane in bed; you and jayden had been texting all day and you really, really like him and really, really do not want to mess this up.

‘hey babe,’ jane says, pausing whatever intense and probably boring documentary she’s watching and setting aside her computer. ‘what’s up?’

‘can you direct me,’ you say, because jane is the best and has probably researched literally everything, ‘to resources on how to not be a shitty cis partner to a trans person?’

jane grins, opens her computer to an actual, honest to god google doc, and scrolls through it.

‘i started compiling it this morning,’ she says. 

‘oh my god.’

she shares it with your email with a triumphant click. ‘i thought you’d never ask.’

you gesture to the computer. ‘you definitely thought i’d ask.’

she nods. ‘that’s true, because you’re an amazing person.’

‘i don’t think this is amazing, just, like, decent?’

‘you’re right.’ she shrugs. ‘you are amazing, though. just, you know, read and listen to some of this stuff, it’s a good baseline, and then ask him if you’re unsure about anything.’

‘yeah,’ you say. you’re both quiet for a minute and then you smile.

‘he’s so fucking cute.’

‘oh my god,’ jane says. ‘where do i even start?’

//

you’re resting your head on his chest in bed and he kisses the top of your head and then says, ‘you know kat will literally brag about this every single moment, the fact that two of her friends are together and she set us up.’

‘oh,’ you say, looking up so you can see his eyes, ‘so we’re together?’

he looks legitimately nervous and it’s endearing. ‘i—thought so?’

you roll your eyes and kiss him. ‘you’ve been my boyfriend for a hot minute already, don’t worry.’

he tilts his head back. ‘you’re an ass sometimes, you know that?’

‘i’ve been best friends with kat for five years. i have to be.’

jayden laughs and agrees and you prop yourself up on your elbows and kiss him, because kat and adena are always late for brunch, so you definitely have time.

[cook-the-beans]

As I said in a previous post, you shouldn’t visit Bali thinking about the beaches, if you want great beaches, look at other Indonesian islands or even other countries in southern Asia. Said that what a better place to be than a city that doesn’t have a coastline, and is really well located to visit the best places around the island of Bali.

I’ve found that Ubud offers the best location, great and affordable accommodation and abundant vegan food options. Out of all the cities in Bali, Ubud is the best, not because is the most authentic one (far from that) but because it has good quality affordable touristic infrastructures in a perfect location to do days out to other places in the island. Within relatively short driving distances you have temples, museums, mountains, waterfalls, rice terraces, and many other natural sights.

The downside of Ubud is that feels a bit like the city is entirely set up to tourists, unfortunately, most places in Bali that offers good/affordable accommodation nowadays are like that. Although I still found that Ubud offered a good middle ground between touristic and local.

About Ubud

Ubud is located in the Gianyar region of Bali and is surrounded by lush rice paddies, and is one of the cultural centers of Bali. Ubud is extremely popular among tourists and a hub of yoga, spas and, vegan food.

Ubud like the rest of the island of Bali is a multi-religious place, but the predominant religion is Hinduism, called Agama Hindu Dharma, a blend of Shivaism and Buddhism. Their religion is a world apart from the Hindu religion in India. Ubud, like the rest of Bali, is home to countless temples, and their everyday life is inextricably intertwined with colorful and fascinating religious practices.

Bahasa is the language spoken and the currency used is the Rupiah ($1=Rp.14.800)

I have spent 10 days exploring the island of Bali, always based in Ubud, I had a motorbike to go to different places every day. Please be aware that I don’t advise in any way that you rent a motorbike there if you don’t have experience, Bali, its not the place to learn how to ride one. I never ever seen so many people with motorbike injuries during my travels like I saw in Bali. Road conditions are rough and traffic a nightmare, on top of that there are no rules…

Out of the 10 days only two were actually spent in Ubud, what I think is more than enough if you are not planning to do anything special like a yoga retreat or a course. So here are the top things to do in Ubud

At the end of the post check also what to avoid 🙂

What to do in Ubud

Campuhan Ridge Walk (8.5km, ~3h/4h)

This place is a serene and beautiful green path for an easy hike early morning, the path starts at the Campuhan Bridge and has an amazing view of the jungle, rice paddy fields, small villages, communities, temples, and passes over the lush river valley of Sungai Wos.

This is worth waking up early for, you can go any time during the day but it does get hot and crowded, at least the first part of the path.

  The Puri Saren Agungis – Ubud Royal Palace 

It’s far for being a spectacular place but is the hub of all of Ubud’s cultural events. The entrance is free.

Saraswati Temple (Water Palace)

Its one of the most beautiful temple in central Ubud with a great little walkway in between lotus ponds leading up to the temple. The Saraswati Temple is a Hindu temple built in the 19th century to adore the Goddess Saraswati (The Goddess of Knowledge).

Jalan Goutama 

It’s a road packed with organic everything, from restaurants, bars, cafes, ice-cream shops, etc. and has lots of local warungs serving cheap and delicious food. Here you will find restaurants for all tastes, budgets and, diets.

Jl. Kajeng

A road with messages written into the street paving. It’s really nice to stroll up here and read the message of peace, love and ‘vegan propaganda’.

Ubud Market

The market is a great place to stroll around. If you go very early in the morning (what I recommend) you can visit the produce market in the far south-east corner, and this is as authentic as it gets (7h-10h). Later on, you only have souvenir stalls, with clothes, homewares, jewelry, and other miscellaneous bits and pieces. Prices are always fully negotiable.

Watch a movie at Paradiso Ubud 

Paradiso Ubud is the world’s first organic vegan cinema and definitely worth a try! There are daily movie screenings and the food is delicious.

Food

Balinese food is delicious, and anywhere you go in Ubud there will be delicious vegan options on the menu.

Ubud is blessed with an abundance of great eateries, although menus are a little pricey compared to the rest of Indonesia if you don’t scuffle around backstreets. Local warungs or Padang rumah makan (eating house) are great options.

Massage

There is a tonne of little spas lining the roads in the center of Ubud with very reasonable prices. Why not treat yourself with a full body Balinese massage? You can find prices as lower as RP70.000 to 100.00 ($4.70 – $6.80) for one hour massage.

Wander around 

This is true for any place you visit, stroll around without a plan or a schedule, and lose yourself through narrow streets.. Because Bali is a predominantly Hindu island, there is always something to see, experience and smell.. for example, each morning you will find hundreds of little boxes called Canang Sari filled with flowers, offerings and burning incense.

Unfortunately, there is also a downside here, Ubud has Jammed traffic from vehicles and pedestrians, severely uneven, damaged and broken sidewalks, broken drainage holes with jagged metal bars, sidewalk vendors, shop displays and sometimes even motorbikes. So you are guessing correctly, walking can be a challenge that requires energy and art.

Motorbike around the Ubud countryside

Bali is a small island, so renting a motorbike gives you the freedom and access to explore the Balinese countryside. On your way to places is easy to stumble upon local festivals, cremation ceremonies,  pass by beautiful structures of intricately-carved stone, people flying kites in the fields, beautiful rice paddies, waterfalls, mountains, markets, temples…

⛔️ what to Avoid in Ubud

Sacred Monkey Forest

This is considered a must-do for many, for me is a must not. You do not need to pay to go to a jungle and to see macaques in Southeast Asia, literally you can do it everywhere, for free and without the crowds.

Plus these monkeys are not as cute as they look in the pictures they can be scary aggressive. If you are still planning a visit don’t take anything with you that you aren’t prepared to lose, monkeys can open bags with ease and are professional thieves. They are well trained at efficiently robbing tourists.

I know I’m just telling you to avoid one of the most popular Ubud attractions, but trust me on this one.

Shopping

Well maybe I’m a bit suspect on this one because to be fair I don’t shop, I’m already carrying my small bag around with me, and the last thing I need is extra weight 🙂 plus Ubud is extremely expensive (for Indonesian standards) you will find the same things much much cheaper somewhere else.

If you are into shopping go to the market but be prepared to haggle. Even if you don’t want to do any shopping I still think that you should give the market a visit but early in the morning, because by afternoon it gets seriously crowded.

Don’t buy spices or coffee on the market, most of it is fake.

Sungai Ayung Valley (6.5km ~4h) 

This was sposed to be a great trekking through the lush, tropical river valley but sadly has become an extortion scheme.

When you arrive at the Sayan Terrace hotel, you take the path downhill, there you will find some locals that are blocking the passage with a gate and you can only pass through if you pay RP.150.000 ($10) per person. We refused to pay and they didn’t allow us to pass. So we headed up the hill and we did a different trekking around the same area but instead of the 6.5km took us 15km 🙂

Be aware that the locals carry large sickles or machetes (that they are not using as farming tools) but for the threatening effect.

how to get to Ubud

If you arrive by air, the best option is unfortunately to take a taxi. As you know is always hard to negotiate taxi fares so it’s probably best to have that arrangement done in advance. Most places in Ubud will offer that service, negotiate with them and skip the hassle at the airport in Denpasar.

In August 2018 the taxi fares from Denpasar to Ubud were around RP. 250.000 to RP. 350.000 ($17-$23)

Just get ready for a very slow ride from Denpasar to Ubud, the traffic is just unbelievable. Ubud is about the same distance and time from the nearest port, where boats go to Gili Islands and Lombok.

Where to Stay

My suggestion is to stay close to the center, in a place that includes breakfast, offers transfer and that rents motorbike, this will prevent that you get in one of those motorbikes scams. Ubud has plenty of options with a great relation between quality and price. Make some research and look at the reviews.

I stayed in a great central place, and still in a quiet street. The family was really nice and welcoming, the room was clean and comfortable, and the price excellent, $8 per night with breakfast (I’m happy to pass the name of the place if you want).

Extra notes  

To visit temples, you must be dressed appropriately which includes wearing a sarong, that is basically a long piece of cloth that you wear wrapped around the body and tucked at the waist. Just bring one from home so you don’t need to buy or rent one.

Small temples are all around the city and each temple is unique in its own way.

Don’t buy water bottles, Bali has a project for water refills. Download the app and find the closest location. Ubud has several places offering this service for free or for a small fee (https://www.refillmybottle.com).

Indonesia is an affordable place to travel but especially in Bali, you need to be extra careful to not spend more than you budgeted.  Prices offered to tourists are always inflated and haggling is the only option to bring it within reason.

ATMs can be found easily throughout Ubud.

photography – all rights reserved – Ana Rocha

SaveSave

Ubud a great hub to explore Bali As I said in a previous post, you shouldn't visit Bali thinking about the beaches, if you want great beaches, look at other Indonesian islands or even other countries in southern Asia.

[justdictatorshipthings]

2019, looking back

Here is a list of all things cool, not so cool, and honorable mentions of 2019. If i forget anything, it isn’t personal, it was a big year.

Elon Musk and the team at tesla for their augmented reality mars lander (aka the cyber truck).

The FAA for proving why they have the highest standards in aviation safety.

Google being cubit thugs. (boooo)

I should say trump for beating all odds and making it to the next election year, but im going to do a time and give it to the resistance for realizing we don’t live in a democracy.

The EU for their breast cancer fighting collaboration network.

China for removing mandatory sentencing of people caught working as prostitutes, or those that use their services. (China probably deserves more recognition, but this was the most recent).

Huawei for being a world player with class, very interested to see what they do next.

The alternative to the swift payment system for the middle east (iran).

Wikileaks for debunking the Syrian gas narrative (syrians have suffered enough).

Chelsea Manning for having incredibly high standards as an activist, you will never be forgotten.

Hillary Clinton for making the most of life despite not making it to the white house (again).

Tulsi Gabbard for proving that it isn’t easy to be both a minority and a woman in politics, showing that unless you are willing to compromise your values no one is willing to treat you fairly. Not only does she prove how hard it is, she doesn’t make it about all of these things. She just gets up and fights again rather than being a victim.

Best game developer of the year, ubisoft, they don’t always make great masterpieces, but they do make quality games that are good value for money. They were also proud to be ahead of everyone when it comes to diversity and inclusion.

Best game was probably Metro Exodus, there are probably better ones, but in the end i guess i did enjoy exploring the world a little more. I didn’t have much time for games (what that even this year?)

My favorite film was Midsommer, well worth a re-watch for all of the hidden details in it, i’m still all a bit what did i just watch. It was clever.

Nightingale kind of deserves a mention also. I wont deny that was disturbing. But i guess in terms of a graphic reproduction of my experience set in colonial Australia, it was fair.

I didn’t have a favorite tv show, but mini series by far would have been Chernobyl.

Despite some differences, RT really did well creating their own narrative that actually did challenge the MSM.

The online version of The Age for being fair and seeing the positives, this does not include the printed version of their age, and their sections that deal with culture, food, art, entertainment, etc. Sorry.

Best song was Timlapse by Mr Moon Feat Mey. This was a good sound, takes me back to the baleric days, but it still has a mainland european chill out compilation feel to it.

Best new talent, not entirely new but Matt Fax is looking promising. Its funny his greece 2000 remix made him in to a meme. If you combine his meme, and the cover of the release, you will see what i am talking about.

Taylor Swift deserves a mention for trying to set a good example. I never said fame and religion mixed well, but you try. (Which not many do)

Cardi B for her sanders interview this was cool. I don’t want to make a big issue out of this, but Sanders for having a heart attack and attending a debate a few days later. I was sorry to hear about that.

The freeing of those pesky Reuters journalists.

Madrid (spain) for pulling the climate conference that no one else could host off. Well done for making that happen. I still personally disagree with the harsh sentences of the Catalonians, when compared to the less harsh sentences of the infamous wolf pack. But this is why the next one:

To the Catalonians for going to the EU and making a fair case, doing their independence the right way and not throwing everything in to chaos.

The many Indian nationals that are fighting for women's rights, i find it embarrassing that the other issue that won’t even get a mention is of more concern to the government while as this one, which has been an issue for some time, doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

The independent for its articles on the need to improve medicine and treatments for women. I think i got this one right its in my twitter from around about then.

Also a mention to the women that sued the makers of those pelvic mesh abominations. I hope that the medical community takes this seriously and a better solution is found.

VW for admitting a mistake and trying to do better.

All of those new vegan meat alternatives, if you are in to that kind of thing, but it may one day be our only option.

My cat pascal, sorry that guy deserves to be in here to.

Cassandra for buying the LOL unboxing set instead of the LOL Chalet though im sure she was tempted.

The dad of Ms thunburg, for admitting that her daughter was happy, most likely because she realized that she was smart and not someone on the autistic spectrum (yes of course and for being my hero and finding a way to skip school while doing something that contributes to our society). I will say false or incorrect diagnoses can have a profound affect on someones life.

The many people who are bringing peace in this world, i’m sorry i don’t remember all of your names. Maybe i will do more to focus on these people in the new year.

To our Australian firefighters for being left with the unfortunate job of being caught up in all of this.

To all activists even if we don’t agree.

To tim minchin for his 70k donation to help refugees. you know tim, to be accurate with what you should have done, it should have been 7 million (6 zeros not 4) given the whole point of stalking me is to keep this accurate because if you don’t the world will collapse, isn’t it? Yeah i still think you deserve credit for the 70k.

The theys that came back in to my life. And the theys that are still in my life the legal way.

Thats all i can think of for now. Maybe more later. God Bless. Happy new year. I hope the year of 2020, which represents the 2020 year we are mourning for jesus’s passing, is a good example of why we want to avoid doing this. Amen.

[ofcloudsandstars]

Hello, dear! A little fae told me that you live in NJ. I do as well! I wanted to ask for your recommendations on magical places to go/see in the NJ/NY area! I have a day of next Monday and my friend who i'm chilling with said she'll go anywhere I want and I'm so overwhelmed at the possibility! I normally work, so this is a rare opportunity that I cannot pass up! I'd really appreciate the suggestions! ~May good energies surround you!~

I have mentioned a number of times on this blog that I live in NJ! That’s cool you live here too, NJ is pretty special in it’s own way!

For NJ there are tons of cool abandoned places that feel like a strange liminal space. NJ is notorious for legends of strange creatures living in these spaces so like whether or not you believe in that be careful cause that tends to attract a sketchy type of crowd. In a natural reservation by my house for example it’s advised people don’t go alone cause weird people do strange rituals there and malicious energy shit cause they thrive off those type of sinister legends. It’s also like Fort Tyron in NYC which is my favorite park ever, it’s INTENSE with magical energy, ghosts and entities but there’s some parts of the park that has a very dense and somewhat negative vibe and you don’t want to linger there for too long. It’s still an incredible place though!

So NJ has A lot of abandoned places as you may know. These abandoned places have tons of energy and history to them and are pretty magical in their own way. I will link some sites to them too.

Abandoned Railroad station-Like there are a million abandoned NJ railroad graveyards and stations but this one might be easier for you to access. It’s by Jersey City. Be careful that some abandoned places are not protected by some law cause sometimes you can end up trespassing and you don’t want police to be all up in your grill

Ashbury Park-Honestly my favorite beach in the north east. It’s beautiful, clean and very classy NJ Americana with all the wonderful boardwalk treats like saltwater taffy and orange creamsicle soft serve, but it has a lot of fascinating energy too, the nicest waves and sea shells and sand. They also have a Paranormal museum and shop that holds tours there and a lot of abandoned shit like shipwrecks a haunted paramount theatre and Asbury Lanes. Great to go for a summer day trip!

Clifton’s Gates of Hell-I’m not far from Clifton but this place is incredibly dangerous. I’m just letting you know about it since you asked but its like.. dangerous.. lol. A lot of kids from my high school would come here for the thrill but would leave kind of disturbed. Like if the NJ devil is real he would be chillin here. It’s like a series of storm drains and there has been cults doing weird magic inside. I would suggest you go with someone and be armed or something but also this is totally a bad idea and like how horror films start. A lot of kids in my school knew about weird haunted abandoned places in NJ like there is an abandoned asylum that still has electric chairs intact and an abandoned mansion but the stories they told always sounded really creepy and really dangerous. Like aside from being very empathetic and probably feeling the trauma the ghosts went through their waking lives there, I am moreso always concerned about living people and what they’re capable of. I think it’s cool to know about The Gates of Hell but I am giving you a long ass disclaimer about going there haha. (btw the asylum was called Greystone Psychiatric Hospital in case you are interested lol. My friends said that they still have medical records and everything in tact. Its like they had to evacuate one day and never cleaned up anything). Also like mentioned above if you do go- I think at least for Greystone it’s a halfass protected historical site. Halfass meaning it has a cheap metal chain fence around it but police might be snooping around so you want to be careful because I am assuming that for the hospital you could be trespassing if you enter anyway. (Clifton Gates I don’t think it’s protected at all)

Pine Barrens-Also for more creepy places I would suggest you should avoid but should know about are Pine Barrens. I feel like everyone that needs to know anything witch-history related and paranormal and weird about NJ should know about Pine Barrens. Like Pine Barrens is the heart of the bizarre of this state lol. Supposedly witches used to live there on some long ago colony and they summoned or gave birth to The Jersey Devil that still lingers in this land. That’s basically where the beast was born. The Pine Barrens is very ‘The Blair Witch Project’ in vibe. People go there and leave weird shit on purpose. Witches probably go there and do some dank magic. It’s a giant swamp so the energy is kind of dank anyway.

Even though Weird NJ might seem like a super corny and kitschy magazine, in it’s very childishness presentation it kind of does hold a guide to the paranormal and bizarre of the state. It’s cute in a goosebumps-ish way where most people wouldn’t take the magazine seriously but if you really go on the adventures it suggests you will probably end up on a hell ride haha.

There are also a lot of waterfalls in NJ. Like NJ is known for waterfalls. Check out this link. Also just google NJ waterfalls or top 10 waterfalls in NJ or whatever it will give you some great advice since the best are often listed everywhere but tend to be far and out of the way. 

For towns there are a few that are nice. Montclair is a beautiful artistic town. There are a lot of magical shops there too like Blu Lotus that sells a lot of magical tools and items and is beautiful. I posted a few pictures of it before. There are more magical stores up and down bloomfield ave which is where the downtown stores are centered around. There is also Parcel further up bloomfield ave that sells really nice stationary and has an Amelie, whimsical faerie-like feel. There is an incredible crystal shop also on Bloomfield Ave called Rocky’s Crystals & Minerals. There’s a new magic tool and spiritual shop further down bloomfield ave called Mystic Spirit Metaphysical Shoppe. I’ve never been there yet. If you want to hang around Bloomfield Ave in downtown Montclair I’d suggest for lunch go to Raymonds which is a super cute classic Americana restaurant that sells great Egg Creams and Burgers. That’s like their specialty don’t get anything else haha. If you are vegetarian/vegan there is a great vegan restaurant on that same street (Church ave where Blu Lotus is) and there is a smoothie acai bowl shop on that street too for dessert. Other than downtown Montclair has a lot of beautiful parks and a really nice reservation called Eagle Rock. Eagle Rock can be a little sketchy so check it out with a friend but overall its a cool place. Oh yeah and there is the Van Vleck house which is a mansion with beautiful gardens open to the public. It is MAJESTIC in the summertime. Sooo fucking gorgeous. Its worth checking out. There are wild bunnies that run across the garden too. It has a very french style to it (montclair has a large french community).

Verona also has a magical shop called Goddess in Eden. The owner used to work in Blu Lotus in Montclair but branched off into her own shop. She is wiccan and works with the fae and is often in her own head so she’s hard to kind of have a conversation with haha. The store is facing Verona park which is beautiful and has always been one of my favorite parks.

Edgewater NJ is pretty special. In that area of NJ there are a lot of Japanese Americans and there is a huge supermarket and restaurant that the area is known for that caters to Japanese culture but aside from that Edgewater has these incredible trails I discovered with an intimate partner there. There are raspberry bushes growing all over the trail and the most TRETCHEROUS FUCKING STONE STAIRS leading AS STEEP AS POSSIBLE down to the river. Its beautiful and at one point you will feel like you are in a fort or castle at some time but its kind of intense tbh.

Also Nj has the most CUTEST industrial towns along the delaware river. I have yet to explore there but I’ve been wanting to go.

Anyway for NYC there is:Manhattan- 9th street between ave 1 and A is like the most magical street in Manhattan. You have Flower Power which is a great apothecary/herb shop and the people in there are amazing. It looks like a store out of harry potter with cute green library shelves filled with herbs. Then there is Enchantments which is NYC’s oldest witchcraft shop. The staff might be kind of unwelcoming but the cats are worth it. There is also Good Beer which is a craft beer place that sells seasonal ciders and beers and is partially a bar. I think if you like beer, cider and drinking its worth checking out. There is also a vegan confectionery on that same street. There is also a crystal shop and a psychic place but I haven’t been to the psychic there. There is also a cat shelter on that block that lets you come in for free to hug and pet the cats.

Fort Tyron Park- basically 181 off the A and above. The park is a long park on the north west side of Manhattan’s island and is gorgeous. It faces the river and has a lot of rocky mountainous cliffs and hills and old stone bridges, walls and structures. It’s well known for the Cloisters which is a kind of castle built from old pieces of old monasteries from Europe. It’s a medieval museum apart of the MET that does wine tastings in the summer and hosts a renaissance fair. There are parts of the park that are super mysterious and can get creepy. You would have old stone stairs leading down into an overgrown growth of vines that grows into a forest by the foot of the stairs. You have a lot of walkways that descend into stone tunnels that are super dark in the middle. There are a lot of strange liminal spaces there. It’s relatively safe so you can be fine alone but you should be able to pick up weird vibes if something too strange is afoot. Also if you are around 181 there’s a fantastic Irish bar called Le Cheile that has this very whimsical feel and a great cider and beer selection. It would be cool to drink there after checking out the park!

North Woods Central Park-Some forest that is easier to get to and not too out of the way is the north woods on the upper left side of Central Park. It’s beautiful and intense and drowns out the whole city. You can get very much lost in it and some of the path has been devoured by the earth and overtaken by weeds and dirt. I love walking through this forest in winter. There are old brown stone troll-like bridges in there and a lot of beautiful streams everywhere. You might want to be with a partner while going through because for central manhattan it can be a bit troubling to be alone in the woods and some sketchy types threaten you. I’ve never been bothered but I try not to chance myself too much. I find the ramble safer but wayy more populated but ok to be alone in. (The ramble is a smaller woods in the more central area of central park).

Lillies by Union Square-Its not really magical, but it’s super charming and I love it, especially around christmas when they decorate the fuck out of it. It’s super whimsical and has a very old classic NYC vibe

Abracadabra-On west 19th street. It’s not that magical as it is kind of creepy, paranormal and a spooky goosebumps adventure. If you’re ever in NYC it’s worth going in and laughing at.

BrooklynOff Morgan on the L line is Catland which is Brooklyn’s witchcraft store and community. They CONSTANTLY have witchy events there, from parties to rituals to symposiums. I’m going to a discussion with a witchy friend there this Saturday to talk about Death, the afterlife, channeling spirits, ouija boards and contacting ancestors. They have parties like queer witch prom and its a very queer witch friendly space as it’s run by queer witches

I know there are definitely places in the Bronx but I honestly do not know the Bronx well enough to write a lot on it.

Governor’s Island-OHBOY HOW DID I FORGET THIS ONE, everyone knows this place cause they hold music festivals there but governor’s island is the most liminal space ass place I’ve ever been to. It’s beautiful but littered with haunted feeling houses that some artists have taken to making into even more haunted vibe art studios. Check out the HoloCenter which is an art center for laser art and holographs. Its literally like an old creepy decaying house filled with black portrait spaces that when you walk too close a fucking holograph face pops out at you. It’s super beautiful, cool and creepy tech art that for some reason never was popular enough to take off so it feels really alternative.

I hope some of these places are interesting to you! Stay safe! Especially in NJ’s more paranormal spaces they feel very Blair Witchy meaning that it’s not always so friendly so it’s good not to be alone, but of course there are a lot of wonderful places too! I hope you guys have fun!!! 

[talonted]

Another month, another Skincare Shake Up! I think skincare is one of my favourite things to talk about, I love discovering new products and get really excited knowing I can share them with you. There are some proper gems in this month’s post (hello, new affordable liquid exfoliator!) so let’s get going!

Before we get into this month’s Skincare Shake Up, I have a quick question for you. These posts are always ENORMOUS as I try a lot of products and love skincare so much that I get a bit carried away talking about it! So I’m wondering if it would be more helpful/manageable to have this information split into two posts: separating the morning and evening routine? Or maybe putting basic skincare in one post and then all additions (bodycare/face masks) etc in another post? Let me know in the comments, I’d be interested to hear your thoughts!

EVENING ROUTINE:

Superfacialist Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil. You’re probably bored of hearing about this cleansing oil in so many Skincare Shake Up posts, but I just love it. And true love lasts a lifetime (super friend points to anyone else who hears Emma Thompson saying that in their head!)

After my success with DCL last month (you can read about that HERE), I was keen to try another product from them. The DCL C Scape Enzymatic Gel Cleanser* contains natural enzymes, sugar, and fruit acids to remove dead skin cells and brighten the complexion. It is a really thick gel and this put me off a little bit, as my skin hates anything too heavy. I don’t know if it was this that made my skin feel quite warm afterwards but I limited its use to 2-3 times a week just in case. It didn’t induce a flare up, it just made my skin a little bit warm, but as soon as that passed it felt very soft, pampered and clean without feeling stripped. Maybe one that’s best for those without sensitive skin!

Naturally Radiant Glycolic Tonic 5% Glycolic Acid* – I was so excited to try this as the beauty world has been flipping out over it. Dubbed as an affordable dupe for the Pixi Glow Tonic (a review on that coming next month so I can compare!) as it also contains a 5% concentration of AHA. It’s only £5.99 which is bananas considering the prices of most liquid exfoliants. If you have sensitive skin, chemical exfoliators are much better for us than physical scrubs but it’s just about finding the best one for you. This one is very gentle and I didn’t get any prickling, heat, or flare ups from using it. It’s also vegan friendly – bravo! I’ve been using it 3 nights a week and I love it! If you want to dip your toe in the chemical exfoliant water then this is a really affordable way to do it.

Dermalogica Ultracalming Mist* I think I’ve mentioned this mist in a previous Skincare Shake Up but I love it. Dermalogica’s Ultracalming range is very highly regarded among the rosacea community and this mist is one of my favourites from the range. I wouldn’t say that mists are a must-have but they are great at calming and soothing skin that feels tight, hot, or prickly – something very common with rosacea – so I love them.

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Every time I use products from the Simply Pure range I am amazed by the quality considering how affordable they are. The Simply Pure Hydrating Night Serum* is only £3.99 but is wonderfully light, quick to sink in, and leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth with no stickiness.

I’m still using the Kalme Night Repair Cream* (you can read my review on it HERE) but as the weather has turned slightly colder I’ve needed some extra help, so I’ve been mixing in a few drops of The Body Shop Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-oil*. The latter is a great option for you if you like the results of oil but not the oily (!) feel of them. The consistency of this is exactly as you would expect from the name: a thin, more watery version of an oil that sinks in like a serum and leaves the skin feeling absolutely dreamy. I’ve been using this as night, but due to the lighter formula I think this would work in a morning routine as well.

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I can’t remember how long I’ve been using the Nuxe Rêve De Miel lip balm but I cannot imagine I’ll ever give it up. It’s thick, slightly gritty, and matte which will put some of you off, but for me it’s the best. I wear a lot of drying matte lipsticks and this is what saves me. This pot is nearly done… luckily I have two back ups – I did tell you I loved it!

When it comes to masks/treatments I’ve been using the Cure Natural Aqua Gel once a week as an exfoliator and it is the most bizarre skincare product to ever feature in a Skincare Shake Up! You apply the gel on dry skin and as you start to massage it into skin, disgusting little balls of ‘dead skin’ start forming. There is some debate over whether this is a genius product that really works, or whether it’s all just a chemical reaction that forms the rolls… but my skin feels absolutely incredible afterwards: so smooth and soft. As an experiment I used it twice in a row, and there were definitely fewer ‘balls’ produced on the second use, which makes me think that maybe it is actually doing some form of light exfoliation. Fair warning, this product STINKS of alcohol and may be aggravating to those with really reactive skin, although personally I haven’t had any issues. Interestingly, I’ve heard that the Body Shop have a version in their Vitamin C range that does something very similar (THIS product) so maybe I’ll try that! Let me know if you’ve used it, I’m very intrigued…

I bought the Topicrem Ultra-Moisturising Body Milk in Paris and although it does ‘smell like old ladies’ (according to my tactful and brutally honest husband) I love it. It’s lightweight (which doesn’t irritate my keratosis pilaris/chicken skin), doesn’t make my stick to the bedding, and makes the skin on my body look like I take much better care of it than I actually do!

  MORNING ROUTINE:

When I wake up, I’ve either been using the DCL gel cleanser or the B. Pure Micellar Water* to give myself a quick once over. I’ve been waxing lyrical about micellar waters for years and this is a brilliant one if you are on a budget or don’t get on with my holy grail (Bioderma, FYI). It’s just as quick as make up wipes and so much better for your skin, this also works as a make up remover/first cleanse.

On days when I was wearing make up and leaving the house I used the Simply Pure Light Emulsion Moisturiser* with the Dr Sebagh Rose De Vie Serum* on top. They layer well and sink in quickly, meaning I can move on to my primer and make up without worrying that everything was going to slide off! This impressed me just as much as the night serum I mentioned earlier, but as this is a moisturiser it’s a little thicker. It’s still a great price and a really good simple product that does what it says it will. It does contain SPF 15 but you should obviously still be using an added SPF (I’ve included my current favourite below). I feel like the Dr Sebagh product should say ‘serum’ in bunny-rabbit-ears on the packaging, as it’s similar to the Body Shop product from earlier: an oil/serum hybrid. I was expecting a traditional serum and was a bit thrown by the pipette and oily consistency! It’s very pampering and delicate on my sensitive skin but I’m not sure it gives me enough benefits to warrant the price, but having said that I only use a few drops a day so this bottle would last AGES. I know I have some readers who love their effective but luxurious skincare and this would definitely fall into that category.

I wasn’t sure whether to include The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Reviver in this Skincare Shake Up as I think it’s branded as a primer/skincare hybrid. Vitamin C can be a little bit tingly and sometimes my rosacea hates it, so I introduced this very carefully but thankfully had no issues. My skin felt a little bit prickly the first few times I used it but there was no flare up, redness, or heat. It’s a very silky almost greasy feeling gel, so if you’re not a fan of that silicone-y texture then you’d be best to avoid this. I think it did help my skin to look more radiant and glowy but I didn’t like the way it felt under make up so I think I might try some of the other products from the Body Shop Vitamin C range instead, to get that glow without the weird texture!

On days when I wasn’t leaving the house, I used the Simply Pure Hydrating Serum with the Bioderma Sensibio Forte Cream* on top. This has a thicker consistency and I liked to apply a little bit more than I needed to – almost like a face mask – so that I could continue to massage it into my skin as I had my morning coffee. I love the Bioderma Sensibio range and find it really helps my skin when I’m recovering from any flare ups.

For SPF, I’m still in love with the Bioderma Photoderm AR Tinted Cream SPF50+*. It’s so light, slightly tinted, and doesn’t make my skin feel clogged or suffocated. It’s appeared in previous Skincare Shake Up posts but I wanted to include it again. It’s love love love!

The final item in this Skincare Shake Up is the Dr Hauschka Almond St Johns Wort Soothing Body Oil*. I am the laziest person when it comes to caring for my body but I am trying to make a proper effort now that we’re getting into colder weather. I’m going to be honest, I hate the smell of this oil: it’s very herbal and strong, but the way it makes my skin look and feel is so worth it. Plus the smell doesn’t linger so I just suck it up for the first 30 minutes or so!

And we’re done! This Skincare Shake Up was a bit of a mixed bag: a little bit of luxury, some very affordable gems, some hits, some misses. What skincare treats have you discovered or relied on this month? Let me know in the comments below, I love to be enabled!

Lex

*PR sample. Links may be affiliate. For more information, please see the Disclaimer tab at the top of the page.

Skincare Shake Up September 2017 Edition Another month, another Skincare Shake Up! I think skincare is one of my favourite things to talk about, I love discovering new products and get really excited knowing I can share them with you.

[lethaderr-blog]

In Cape Town, you can find great food on almost every corner. The city is home to hundreds of award-winning eateries, and no matter what you’re craving, you’ll find it nearby. For those who like their food sustainably sourced, you’re also spoilt for choice. The Good Food Network is a newly launched directory of all things ethically foodie, dedicated to mapping out GOOD food in the Cape Town area. According to the website, “GOOD means GOOD for people (is produced in a y way), GOOD for the earth (helps to regenerate ecosystems and the soil) and GOOD for local economies and communities (pays fair prices and uses fair labour practices). GOOD includes ethical, fair, local, sustainable, organic and natural”. Here are 10 of our favourite GOOD food restaurants in Cape Town. Vredenhof, Somerset West Vredenhof is an organic estate set on 27 hectares of happy, y farmland in Somerset West. Over 100 different varieties of fruits and vegetables are grown here, all natural and chemical-free. The farm is great to explore, and the restaurant uses only fresh, local, organic, seasonal ingredients (many of which are grown right here on the farm). The menu includes y breakfasts, light lunches or substantial meals like pork belly and lamb shank, delicious baked goods, and a selection of organic wines and craft beers. Website: .co.za View this post on Instagram Flower power at its best.

Our salads are made up of seasonal medicinal flowers. lovingly hand picked by our Executive Chef George Blench out of his own herb garden. . . . . . . . . . salad A post shared by Vredenhof Organic Estate (@vredenhof_organic_estate) on Aug 28, 2018 at 4:43am PDT Raw and Roxy, City Bowl Raw and Roxy specialises in raw and vegan cuisine. The open-plan space is flooded with natural light and tables are decorated with wildflowers, creaing a ligh and airy sancuary righ in the heart of the city. They serve up guilt-free treats ranging from salads, juices, and smoothies to raw lasagne, Thai curry, and pizza. Saying goodbye to animal products is anything but boring here! For those who need some inspiration for the kitchen, the owner runs raw food classes on Monday and Thursday evebnings. Website: facebook.com/rawandroxy View this post on Instagram Raw and Roxy’s raw vegan veggie burger. The patty is made of seeds and parsley, layered with cashew mayo, raw pickles, tomato, red onion, avocado, sprouts, mustard, tamari infused mushrooms and pesto. We use a big portobello mushroom instead of a bread bun to avoid starch. And a big salad with micro cherry tomatoes. Starches are inflammatory and acid, mucus and fungal forming. All starches are hard to digest, and by the time you have digested and assimilated them it has taken more energy than they give back to you. Starches clog up the lymphatic system. The anticancer properties of mushroom is believed to be due to phytochemicals within mushrooms, that have positive effects on cell death, growth and proliferation of y cells, lipid metabolism, and immune responses. Portobellos contain CLA, which has been shown to help inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis (death of abnormal or cancerous cells). They are one of the only plant/non-meat sources of CLA. That CLA content, along with other phytonutrients, is why mushrooms like the portobello mushroom are considered some of the top cancer-fighting foods on the planet. Mushrooms in general are one of the best dietary sources of L-ergothioneine (ERGO). Studies have found that low levels of ERGO are associated with higher risk for many chronic inflammatory diseases, especially those affecting red blood cells/hemoglobin. According to researchers at Penn State University, ERGO is biosynthesized only by fungi and mycobacteria (not humans), making mushrooms one of the only ways that humans and animals consume any. In recent years, ERGO has been researched for its potential therapeutic effects in the treatment of red blood cell disorders that are caused in part by oxidative damage. Research also shows that as a very stable antioxidant with unique abilities, is helpful for counteracting damage to mitochondrial DNA and protecting against neurodegenerative diseases, especially Parkinson’s disease. Plates from @mervyn_gers_ceramics. Thanks to @delgrandefabioparis for the picture

A post shared by Beatrice Holst (@rawandroxy) on Apr 8, 2019 at 12:29pm PDT Plant Café, City Bowl Plant Café is a Cape Town classic, and it prides itself on the delicious plant-based food it’s famous for. They make their own dairy-free cheese, eggless mayo and smoke their own tempeh bacon. Everything is vegan, and there are gluten-free options too. All menu items have detailed allergen information and are free of preservatives and harsh ingredients. Try the nachos with “cheesey” sauce, the dim sum, or burgers, and make sure you grab a vegan baked treat before you leave! Website: plantcafe.co.za View this post on Instagram Our

burger : braai mushrooms and a home made fried mozzarella

patty in a delicious mustard Worcester sauce. Served with a

of crudités and millies. R90 only !

A post shared by Plant (@plantcafe) on Feb 9, 2019 at 2:26am PST , is a little outside of Cape Town (about a three hour drive), but it’s worth the trip to experience this magical fine dining restaurant. Chef Kobus van der Merve uses local ingredients, mostly foraged from the nearby coastline. The restaurant is set in an old fishing cottage next to an archaeological cave and only seats 20 diners per sitting. It was recently voted the Restaurant of the Year at the inaugural World Restaurant Awards in France. Getting a booking has since become tricky; you’ll need to keep a close eye on their website. Website: wolfgat.co.za View this post on Instagram Welcome, summer – it& been a while.

From our current menu: Watermelon, dune celery, soutslaai… tomato, bokkom. A post shared by (@wolfgat) on Nov 25, 2018 at 3:09am PST OZCF Farmers Market, V&A Waterfront OZCF Farmers Market started as a small weekly market in Oranjezicht, next to an urban veggie farm. It became more and more popular, eventually moving to its current location at Granger Bay at the V&A Waterfront. The market takes place every Saturday and Sunday, and you can shop for fresh seasonal fruit and veggies to take home, or enjoy one of the many meals available. Website: ozcf.co.za/market-day View this post on Instagram This "Banting breakfast" from @goodeggsza with a litchi ice tea from @rooibar is @chloe.eatstheworld& top pick after @greenpoint_parkrun run

Come refuel this weekend and stock-up on artisanal products made with care and  locally sourced, seasonal produce.

This week we welcome more glorious heirloom tomatoes, Ronde de Bordeaux figs from Porterville, the last round of cherries, and of course the new favourite, table celery. Saturday from 8:15-14:00 and Sundays 9:00-15:00

A post shared by OZCFarm (@ozcfarm) on Jan 23, 2019 at 8:30am PST Scheckter’s Raw, Sea Point Scheckter’s is one of its kind on the buzzing Sea Point strip, attracting Cape Town’s young, glam crowd. The food is mostly raw and all vegan, and packed with super-foods, nut butters, and organic ingredients. You can sit down at the vibey food bar or grab a fresh ready-to-go meal out the fridge. Their flavourful and creative menu pops with vibrant colours, and it lists macronutrients. Try the pressed juices, breakfast bowls, probiotic salads, decadent tarts. It’s everything your green little heart could dream of. Website: schecktersraw.com View this post on Instagram We serve plant inspired gourmet food 7 days a week from 8.30am-8.30pm!!

Our delicious dishes look good, taste good and do good!

Our food is Real, Alive, Wholesome and made with love

Welcome to the RAW family

A post shared by Scheckter& RAW (@schecktersraw) on Jun 6, 2019 at 11:42pm PDT Know Thy Farmer, Oude Molen, Pinelands Oude Molen is a small, rural eco-village tucked away along the Black River. It is home to little restaurants, a school, several art galleries, veggie gardens, and even a backpackers. Know Thy Farmer offers the most wholesome, hearty, kid-friendly farm-eating experience you can get in Cape Town. View this post on Instagram of our breakfast outing this morning. We went to visit one of our friends at their new restaurant, "Know thy Farmer" in the Oude Molen Eco Village. We really enjoyed it! Great breakfast, everything organic and ethically farmed and locally produced. The coffee was simply amazing!

I couldn& finish the breakfast, it was so good and wholesome, Wouter had to help finish it..as always!

Will definitely go again soon! A post shared by Annabell Nieuwoudt (@annabell.nieuwoudt) on Aug 5, 2017 at 6:03am PDT The Spinach King, Khayelitsha Lufefe Nomjana is a township entrepreneur with a passion for and spinach! Nicknamed ‘the Popeye of Khayelitsha’, he is taking the Cape Town social entrepreneurship scene by storm. His conviction to improve people’s nutrition inspired his simple yet genius idea to incorporate spinach into various tasty products to boost people’s . Lufefe insists on keeping the price low so that and nutrition are affordable for those who need it most. The outlet serves up the famous spinach bread (freshly baked daily) as well as veggie burgers, muffins, smoothies and other treats. Website: spinachking.co.za View this post on Instagram Organic meals made with quality ingredients – Spinach King has built a name for itself in the South African community. Apart from their amazing dishes, they are also educating the community on y eating habits to combat challenges like obesity and diabetes. A post shared by SATChina (@southafricantourismchina) on Mar 28, 2019 at 6:01am PDT Whole Earth Cafe, Scarborough Whole Earth prides itself on catering to everyone. They use seasonal, organic, and locally sourced ingredients wherever possible. All meat is pasture-fed and the chicken and eggs are free range. You’ll find plenty to choose from no matter your dietary requirements—gluten-free, vegan, raw, or many others. They also have fresh juices and can make coffees with non-dairy milk. Website: .co.za View this post on Instagram Oooh, so this little beauty is a choc chip and baked cheesecake with ganache topping. A heavenly combination of flavours that is like Christmas in your mouth. A post shared by whole earth cafe (@) on Nov 4, 2018 at 8:42pm PST Babylonstoren, Winelands Babylonstoren has a lot to offer guests, from walks in the huge fruit and vegetable gardens and wine tasting to healing tea ceremonies and gourmet cuisine. Laid out over 3,5 hectares, the garden is divided into 15 sections that comprise fruit orchards, vegetables, berries, bees for pollinating, indigenous plants, fragrant herb lawns, a prickly pear maze, ducks, chickens, hedgehogs and more.  There are also two restaurants. Babel serves farm-to-fork meals made with ingredients from the estate’s expansive gardens. Greenhouse Restaurant serves simple but hearty dishes, and no bookings are required. Website: .com View this post on Instagram Luncheon is served.

⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ P H O T O: @gloobles⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ now A post shared by Babylonstoren (@) on Jun 3, 2019 at 4:57am PDT Spier Wine Estate, Winelands Spier Wine Farm in Stellenbosch is not only one of the most beautiful farms in the country, boasting a world-class hotel, two fantastic restaurants, an excellent conferencing centre and award-winning wines, it also leads the way in terms of sustainable and ethical farming. You can either eat at Eight, where the fresh veggies come from Farmer John’s chemical-free food garden, the meat comes from Farmer Angus’ grass-fed cattle, and the delicious eggs laid by happy hens that scratch around freely in the fields. You can also make up a picnic basket from a selection of cold cuts, cheeses, salads, bread, pâtés and dips, to enjoy on the lawn with a bottle of wine. Or you can dine at The Hoghouse BBQ & Bakery in Spier’s historical Jonkershuis. There’s also log fire to keep you snug on winter days while you watch the baker pulling bread out of the wood-fired masonry oven. Website: spier.co.za View this post on Instagram It& been a busy year…

A post shared by Spier Wine Farm (@spierwinefarm) on Dec 5, 2018 at 2:00am PST   Planning a trip to Cape Town? Book flights, browse accommodation, and rent a car now to get the best rates. The Cape Town City Pass gives you access to over 70 of the top Cape Town attractions, tours, and things to see and do, including the popular hop on hop off City Sightseeing bus. For inspiration and insider tips, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. Tag  to share your pics with us, or subscribe to our newsletter to get the best Cape Town has to offer sent direct to your mailbox.   

The post Sustainable restaurants in Cape Town appeared first on Cape Town Travel.

[mexcine]

Okja (2017) review

I try to avoid reading detailed reviews of films I might see, so as not to be influenced by other people’s opinions.  Okja came to my attention via a mention on some website somewhere, and the little bit I read made it attractive to me, but I placed a moratorium on all future Okja-reading until I watched it.

           I was somewhat familiar with director Joon-ho Bong from The Host and Snowpiercer, both of which were interesting films.  Tilda Swinton played a grotesque villain in Snowpiercer and is back in Okja as two grotesque villains (twin sisters), making me wonder if I’d be able to appreciate her in a relatively “normal” role (the answer is yes, see Only Lovers Left Alive).  And it had a promising premise: young Korean girl raises giant pig destined to be converted into giant pork chops.  

           To elaborate a bit: the giant Mirando (not to be confused with Monsanto, of course not) corporation announces a 10-year plan to raise giant “super pigs” across the globe.  Mija and her grandfather, who live in the Korean mountains, adopt Okja. Okja wins the contest and is repossessed by the corporation, against Mija’s will (she thought her grandfather had purchased Okja from the company).  Okja will be shipped to New York for the climax of the campaign. The Animal Liberation Front pretends to attempt to liberate Okja but actually uses the captive animal to “bug” the Mirando’s genetic modification laboratories and thus expose their scheme (that the super pigs aren’t “all natural,” but rather are GMO).

           A certain willing suspension of disbelief has to be employed by audiences, since Okja and her compatriots do not resemble any sort of “pigs” in existence.  They’re about the same size and shape as hippopotamuses, but with big floppy dog ears, and faces that resemble the “luckdragon” from The Neverending Story, if it was shaved.  Face it, no amount of “selective breeding” is going to change a pig into something like this—laboratory hijinks were definitely required.

           This cuddly-ish makeover is understandable. Porky, Babe and Arnold Ziffel aside, pigs aren’t very high on the pop culture cuteness scale.  Imagine Okja if Mika was hanging out and sleeping alongside a giant pink pig.  Not so wondrous.  Okja—and presumably the other giant “pigs”—are highly intelligent.  In an early scene, Okja saves Mija’s life, realising that a jutting tree trunk can be used as a axis around which a rope can be wrapped. Mija and Okja communicate in whispers, and the audience is never let in on the secret of what they’re saying. [Late in the film, a mother super pig in the slaughterhouse pen “asks” Mija and Okja to save her baby, a touching moment.]

           Obviously, Okja is a creature of CGI, but this quickly becomes irrelevant.  The effects are excellent, but the acting sells the illusion that Mija and others are interacting with an actual animal.  The fact that Okja doesn’t really resemble a pig—or anything else on earth—becomes important here: there have been numerous films and stories about girls and boys devoted to their pet cows, horses, dogs, dolphins, bears, and so forth, but these either strive for some level of realism (the animal acts like an animal, perhaps slightly more intelligent than usual) or veer in the other direction (the animal is virtually anthropomorphised into a “friend” of the human).  Okja places a fantasy creature in a more or less realistic situation, allowing the title character to represent other “food animals” and yet achieve a sort of mystical status that it’d be hard to swallow (no pun intended) if Okja was a cow or something.

           Okja veers from light-hearted to grim, with a fair amount of pointed satire and social criticism throughout.  There are a few “cute” scenes, but these occur mostly in the early section, before cruel reality impinges on Mija’s idyllic life with Okja. The buffoonish TV host Dr. Johnny (Jake Gyllenhaal) is comic relief for much of the film, but has one nightmarish scene which is difficult to forget.  Similarly, Lucy Mirando (Swinton), the mastermind of the super pig plan, and her aides are depicted as comic villains at first, but show their true colours later in the picture (Lucy’s more-evil twin Nancy is frightening from the start, but surprisingly helps facilitate the limited happy ending).

           The human cast of Okja is strong, balanced between Hollywood and Korean actors.  In addition to Swinton and Gyllenhaal, the Hollywood contingent is led by Paul Dano as the ALF leader: Dano is fine, although his unfortunate resemblance to Tucker Carlson made me subliminally uneasy at first.  Giancarlo Esposito is a suave functionary of the Mirando corporation, and Shirley Henderson (who’s Scottish and works mostly in UK media--she was “Moaning Myrtle” in 2 Harry Potter pictures) is good as a nerdy sycophant.  The main Korean players are Seo-Hyun Ahn (Mija) and Hee-Bong Byun (her grandfather), both solid.  The supporting cast is fine as well.  The production values of Okja are quite good: this film has received only sporadic theatrical release, with most of its distribution coming online via Netflix, but you wouldn’t know it from the slickness of the film’s “look.”

           Obviously, Okja has things to say about nefarious multi-national corporations (they’re bad, but not so much existentially evil as driven by the profit motive above all), genetically modified organisms (although Okja and her kind are not harmful monsters and their meat doesn’t turn people into zombies...as far as we know) and the whole concept of creating, breeding and slaughtering animals for food (this isn’t exactly a vegan friendly film though, since Mija and her grandfather consume fish caught with Okja’s assistance).  The movie isn’t polemical, at least not straight-forwardly polemical: the Animal Liberation Front is portrayed favourably but their flaws are visible, and as noted above, the Mirando corporation isn’t deliberately out to destroy the world, they simply care more about making money, and if bad things happen as a result...so be it. These nuances make Okja somewhat less focused in terms of an “overall moral;” on the other hand, life isn’t black and white either.

           Certainly well worth a look.  

[PS: not to be confused with the film about an evil gumbo-making corporation that sponsors a 10-year-long contest to grow the largest Abelmoschus esculentus plant in the world.  I think that movie was titled...(wait for it)...Okra.]

[shinigami-pomp]

This Started As A Note

I am a lonely person who has never been cut out for this world. In a past life I must have sucked…or maybe I’ve just been less than honorable in this one. All I know is that my happiness has always been so fleeting and foreign. My happiness is usually tied to- or is a manifestation of- drug induced euphoria. My happiness. It doesn’t exist. It isn’t mine because I so rarely feel in control of It.

Have you ever felt crazy? Reaching for things, anything and nothing, to ground yourself. I anxiously paced, and searched for, and reached for a knife today. It didn’t feel right in my hands. I held a glass bottle. I had the urge to smash it over my own head which I think I (amid racing thoughts) deemed too “slapstick”. I envisioned smashing it on the counter and maybe dragging the glass shards against my skin but… I’m not a cutter to be fair and I feel like the feeling of self-harm, in that moment, was eclipsed by what I felt might be satisfaction in simply smashing the full bottle of room temp cold brew I held and being done with it.

I didn’t do it.

I walked to my room and leaned against the wall and I sobbed briefly. It was genuinely quick. It just escaped my lips but… despite my loneliness, there’s shame in audible tears so with shaking breaths I suppressed and reached for a large safety pin that I keep on the same hook as my appropriative Buddhist prayer beads. I let tears fall as I continue to feel sorry for myself, so pitifully about to mutilate skin because I feel lonely and lost and angry and sad and sad and sad and sad. I’m in my head though and wonder where the appropriate place to scar one’s body is. It’s summer; not my arms. Do I really want scars on my legs or ribs? Like I said… I’m not a cutter so I half-heartedly scratch my… I don’t even remember… it was such a superficial scratch, it was already gone 10 seconds later.

I couldn’t do it.

I did manage to lose the safety pin somewhere in my bedding or on my floor and I fully expect to succeed unintentionally in self harming when I inevitably roll over onto it or get it lodged in my foot as I head to the bathroom in the middle of the night. I wonder if that’s the way I’ll die too. Suicide is always an ideation. This is one reason why I’m not cut out for this world…but I also can’t hack dying by my own hand. I’m a failure all around. Maybe I’ll get on a plane and it will go down. Maybe I’ll head to the grocery store and get plowed over by an SUV running a light. Maybe I’ll win the lottery and die in my sleep that next day. C’est la vie.

I pull up the suicide hotline webpage. Apparently one can chat online now. Technology is great. Technology provides support for the waves of depression and desperation that envelope me when I look at my social network of Snap stories and Instagram photos of acquaintances with friends smiling, acquaintances traveling and smiling, acquaintances getting married and smiling… acquaintances living. Successfully existing. Facebook posts about acquaintances graduating graduate school and acquaintances landing jobs or being promoted. All liked, viewed, and validated by 60, 70, 80, 90, 100+ other acquaintances. Technology is there when I look at my own screams into the void that go so under… validated. It’s good to know that technology is there to provide a nameless faceless support system that is paid to chat with me online. Technology is awesome.

Actually today, I spent 4 straight hours online looking for apartments and jobs whilst simultaneously trying not to think about how my life is spiraling out of control and how uncertainty kills me slowly. I re-confirmed, as I do every time I job search, that I’m not qualified enough to be considered by any place I want to work … mainly because even in minimum wage, shit hour, non-profit sector gigs… you need a BA. But I was unfazed by this (on its own) today. As a student of life, I try to learn something new every day and today’s factoid was: I’m uninteresting. Not only am I unqualified for a career path job, but I’m unqualified to be an interesting human that people want to get to know. Searching for affordable accommodation in gentrified cities is more difficult than applying for college. Listing after listing I read on Facebook asking for community oriented individuals. Artists. Bohemians. Vegans. Scholastics. SJWS. Extroverts. Professionals. 20-year olds. 40-year olds. Positive mentally sound people. “Link your Instagram and Facebook so that we can use those to confirm how interesting you are; how loved you are by those around you”.

I don’t fit the bill. But it would appear that so many other people do. I stand no chance. C'est la guerre.

 When I break it down:

I have nobody to talk to. I have no more strong connections. I feel unsupported (even if it’s there at times). I feel burdensome all the time.

How can a person feel like they have lost everything when, in reality, they never inherited anything to begin with? Or maybe, how can a person who inherited so much more than plenty of people, feel as if they never stood a chance?

As I’ve typed this, therapeutic self-deprecation has dried any tears. I feel the type of calm I would feel during my brief genuinely non-dramatic stint with bulimia. The calm that comes after a purge. It’s not a relaxing calm necessarily. Not a bright warm calm. It’s the calm that comes when you’re just too tired to feel anything. Too tired to do anything. Too tired to think any more. The calm of a dying person in an induced coma. The calm after a tornado that has ripped miles worth of homes from their foundations. C’est la mort.

Tomorrow is another day to wish I was someone else or nobody at all. There will never be a reprieve outside of untimely death and…

I can’t do it.

- 17 July 2017

[secretsfromwholecloth]

WBJ Day 14: Food

While we did have things like chocolate and apples turning up, we were hardly going to just leave it there. The cuisines of the Tythos system, by planet:

Nox:

The Noxian environment is really not friendly to food production; local produce from the hydroponics labs ranges from "you tried" to "kind of OK, actually", while other ingredients have to be imported or made from things no one on other planets would consider food (yes, this includes bodies). So the quality is...mostly not great.

To try and paper over this, the use of spices and other flavorings has been raised to an art form. The spice rack of a Noxian home cook will often put those of other planets' chefs to shame.

Similarly, a lot of dishes are spicy enough to qualify as chemical weapons.

All their preparation methods carry over to Noxian immigrant communities on other planets, where they have better ingredients available, so their restaurants are popular with the sort of person who thinks their spice tolerance is directly proportional to their worth as a sentient being. You know the type. Don't order anything "Noxian hot" unless you know exactly what you're doing.

Kalimahr:

There's a pretty broad diversity of regional cuisines. The main common thread is that they're all good at a certain kind of fanciness or richness that's satisfying rather than intimidating.

They're good at desserts, too. Kalimahrian pastry chefs are in a fair bit of demand elsewhere.

Their wines aren't half bad either, though there are regions on Shikaakwa that definitely give them a run for their money.

Shikaakwa:

They haven't got the terrain to go all that heavy on things like grains.

Instead, things to be had from the sea or mountains play a much more prominent role: algae, fish and other sea creatures, fruit, nuts, the hardier sort of vegetables, and space-goat or space-mutton.

The court chefs are constantly coming up with novel—well, kind of novel, enough to be amusing for a bit—ways to dress up and recombine extant foods in between wowing their employers with expensive imported ingredients. You'd be surprised how many permutations they come up with.

Ska Gora:

Those trees, of course. The rather starchy fruits are an important staple, and syrup made from the sap is the most common sweetener.

With not much else coming from the surface, fish and seaweed are huge.

Poultry and eggs are also important, because birds are hands down the easiest livestock to keep when you literally live in the sky.

Tython:

The constant influx of people from other planets means lots of import shops and ethnic restaurants to cater to the immigrants. More on that below.

A side note, with the entire planet full of Force-sensitives, food items where you have to, say, use the Force to break down poisons in them are no less accessible than those that have to be thoroughly cooked or carefully butchered, which leaves them in a position to take advantage of a lot more of the local plants and animals than they could otherwise.

Tythonian local cuisines, by Temple:

The gardens of Akar Kesh produce a lot of high-quality plant-based foods, which makes the place popular with vegetarians and vegans. Even the omnivores don't eat that much meat, because they're too busy taking advantage of the bewildering variety of awesome vegetarian food. 

The genetics department at Anil Kesh is in the business of improving food crops, among other things, so you get a lot of simple-seeming foods made from ingredients engineered to be extra-tasty and nutritious.

Bodhi is the home of the chef training program, so you see lots of culinary experiments; its tropical island location means there are a lot of good fruit and fish to be had.

Mahara Kesh is Selkath country, so I hope you like their cuisine. Algae, fish, and other sea life are the main focus.

Kaleth, up on its plateau, has a hearty, stodgy temperate-region cuisine. 

Padawan Kesh doesn't have much of a cuisine of its own, but as the point of entry for those coming in from elsewhere, it's the place to go for off-world food. The school staff do pretty decent renditions of popular dishes, but for the really good stuff, you want to hit up the places run by and for immigrants: import shops, hole-in-the-wall cafes, and the like.

Qigong Kesh is a little unfortunately situated for plant life but well-supplied with meat. Cooks from carnivorous species like togruta and zabraks really shine here. (The current regime is led by togruta matriarch Miarta Sek and her tribe, and this suits them just fine.)

Stav Kesh is home to a lot of ethical vegetarians and vegans, since violence being their job means they tend to think more about it—and the costs and consequences of it. The mountaintop location means mostly altitude-friendly grain-based food, plus a well-developed variety of vegan substitutes for the meat and dairy that otherwise figure heavily into the cuisine.

Vur Tepe has some nice, fertile volcanic soil going on, and their fruit in particular is excellent (and in everything).

The Rakata:

Cooking is very homogeneous in each region/planet, since ordinary citizens are fed at public cantinas rather than preparing their own food.

The people who have their own kitchens are the ones rich enough to have slaves to staff them.

When you have guests over for dinner, showing off with just the right level of fanciness in the meal is one of the most important things to do. Showing off too much asserts dominance, while showing off too little tells them they’re not worth the effort, so you have to get this one exactly right.

That showing off is done through expensive ingredients, showy presentation, and elaborate preparation methods; taste kind of falls by the wayside sometimes.

Cannibalism is a grand old Rakatan tradition, with the losers of battles as the prototypical victims. 

[yearsblog]

t’s 11am in a slightly dilapidated rehearsal room on a King’s Cross side street, and I can just about overhear a discussion in which Dominic Boyce, the affable drummer of psychedelic indie-pop troupe Peace, is considering returning a recently purchased pair of vegan sandals. “In hindsight, maybe I should keep them and commit to it,” he says at one point. “Maybe they’d be good for Glastonbury. Give the people what they want.”

Today, Boyce is joined by a speedily assembled who’s who – quite literally in some cases – of indie, rehearsing for Wednesday night’s NME awards, where they will perform the Rolling Stones’ Gimme Shelter, and Buffalo Springfield’s For What It’s Worth. Rallied by the NME, the group will be joined on the night by Charli XCX, who right now is somewhere over the Atlantic, but today consists of Boyce and Sam and Harry Koisser from Peace, Olly Alexander from Years & Years, Pixie Geldof, Isaac Holman from Slaves, Izzy Baxter from Black Honey, Austin Williams and Cavan McCarthy from Swim Deep, and Joe Falconer from Circa Waves.

While you may not be overly familiar with each act’s entire back catalogue, everyone in the room today is very committed to raising money for refugees, and that’s a positive and wonderful thing. The plan is that anyone watching the performance online – or reading an article about its rehearsal – can text REFU to 70700 to donate £5 to the British charity Help Refugees. It’s the sort of thing that routinely prompts a kneejerk sneer, but it’s a simple and effective move and knees can’t sneer anyway because of biology. The morning moves slowly with dramatic highlights including a broken keyboard stand, a leaking battery, Harry Koisser being unable to see the colour red, and an absence of maracas. At one point, Baxter is handed a red, gold and green guitar strap. “I’m too white to wear that,” she observes, although it’s fair to say this is one room in London where it’s impossible to be too white for anything.

After a run-through of the songs and lunch in the pizza place across the road, we’re joined by the NME editor, Mike Williams, who has turned up to check on progress. I ask him whether this whole supergroup business might be better with a few more famous people.

“That’s a bit of a mean question,” he says. “We haven’t even approached the Dave Grohls and Lady Gagas of this world – we wanted it to be in the spirit of what Bands 4 Refugees were already doing. It wouldn’t have been right for NME to storm in and swap them out for big American artists.”

Asked to clarify the message that he’s hoping to send out by drawing awareness to the refugee crisis during the NME awards, Williams adds: “Politicians and people with influential voices are being irresponsible with their words and changing the views of otherwise decent people. There’s a negative and demonised view of vulnerable people not that different from us who have been badly affected by wars and terror attacks. We want to show a bit of the reality.”

It’s cheering – but also a bit of a rum old do – that in the current climate, the first major creative statement from the global music community has come in the form of the new Katy Perry single, Chained to the Rhythm, a song about echo chambers and numbness that she has described as “purposeful pop”. But isn’t it also frustrating that the best song choices for Wednesday night’s show are both more than 50 years old?

“A song like Gimme Shelter is incredibly powerful and the message will resonate with everyone in the room on the night and watching on Facebook Live,” Williams says. “That said, bands have told me in the past they don’t want to speak out because the internet is so unforgiving, but it feels like people have got to get over that now.”

Alexander chooses his words either far more carefully or far less carefully, depending on how you look at it. “The message I’d give Theresa May is that she should resign and take her entire cabinet with her,” he says. “Someone else should have a chance now. There’s lots of talk of Clive Lewis of late, isn’t there? Is he good? I don’t know. Maybe he’s just young and a bit hot.”

Alexander initially felt wary about becoming involved in Bands 4 Refugees. “A little bit of me always worries about the perceived vanity of ‘I’m supporting a cause’, but worrying what people think actually is a vanity problem,” he says. Currently midway through writing Years & Years’ second album, he acknowledges the pressure to write about world events. “It feels like that choice is more important now than it was a couple of years ago,” he says. “You could write a song about love, and people would go: ‘We’re living in a dumpster fire apocalypse and this is what you’ve chosen to write about?’”

A recent writing session helped put things in perspective. “I felt like I didn’t want to write about politics simply because I felt like I should, but then last week I wrote a song with the Pet Shop Boys. It’s inspired by a fairground in Margate called Dreamland, but while I was writing it, Neil Tennant said to me: ‘This makes sense right now with Trump closing the borders,’ and the song became something that touched on what’s going on in the world. I’d write lyrics and he’d say: ‘No, it needs to be more direct.’ He’d take a simple line and interject a subversive political statement. That’s the challenge as a pop writer, to do both at once.”

Baxter is more plain: “It’s important not to be like fucking Bono going: ‘You should do this.’ As an artist, you don’t have to answer all the questions, but you can still pose them.”

Most of today’s lineup has been assembled by Koisser, and while he’s keen not to take credit for dragging the other artists here (“All I’ll say is that I’ve probably been the most annoying person”), he hopes he can help start a bigger conversation among artists. “I’d like someone who’s a lot more important than us to see it and be inspired to do something gigantic on a level we can’t,” he says. Of course, if – meanness alert! – today’s supergroup did indeed want some more famous people, it might have made sense to ask for guidance from someone with experience in that field. Someone with a penchant for calling up superstars and getting them in a room in order to knock out a charity banger.

I mean, I wonder out loud, does anyone here today have any such contacts? It’s hard to know where to start, really. Isn’t it, Pixie Geldof?

“One or two names come to mind,” she smiles, a little wearily. “Yes, something like that may have happened before. And, yes, I see where you’re going with that. I don’t know what his plans are, but, yeah, I mean ... Band Aid is a Christmas song. Although I do like listening to the Tammy Wynette Christmas album throughout the year.” She’s clearly warming to the idea. “OK!” she eventually says. “I’ll have a word. Maybe. Oh, I don’t know.”

Back in the rehearsal room, Holman is handing out lollipops and, with each new vocalist added to the song, Gimme Shelter is sounding more and more unstable, like a pop Buckaroo. But by 5pm, it’s sounding pretty good. At one point, the band stops to debate whether the audience will clap along during the breakdown in For What It’s Worth. “Ignore the tables,” is one suggestion. “They’ll be too busy with their free dinners.” Someone else offers: “It all depends on how drunk they are.”

The group are limited to performing a faithful rendition of at least one of their chosen songs, a decision explained when I put it to Koisser that a tropical house version of Gimme Shelter might have made more impact in 2017. He says they needed the Rolling Stones’ approval to perform the song, “and there’s a thing that says you’re not allowed to change the genre or style. It has to be the same arrangement, structure, genre – and you can’t change the lyrics. Even if we wanted to do a tropical house version – and trust me, that went through my mind – we wouldn’t be able to.”

In the past, Mick Jagger has described Gimme Shelter as “a kind of end-of-the-world song, really. It’s apocalypse.” I pull Boyce to one side and ask: is the world about to end? He thinks for a while.

“I hope not,” he says eventually. “But it feels like the start of the end of something.”

The end of what?

“Humanity?”

He’s starting to look a bit troubled. “I mean I’m hoping it’s not,” he clarifies. “But something’s about to snap. It would be good to give it all another go, wouldn’t it? Start afresh.”

He’s sounding quite chipper about the prospect of life as we know it coming to an end. In fairness, the prospect of global apocalypse isn’t exactly unappealing these days. It would be great if that could wait until after the NME awards, though.

[disappontingdangernoodle]

Various Varieties of Vegans

Ethical vegan: Doesn't eat or use anything that came from or harmed an animal.

"Plant based" vegan: Doesn't eat anything that came from an animal, or anything processed or "unhealthy," but might still wear leather or use beeswax or ride horses, etc. Probably is vegan just for health reasons.

Environmental vegan: because that pound of beef used as much water as six months worth of showers. and did you even think about the amount of greenhouse gasses involved?

Raw vegan: fruit + raw veggies + sunlight + magic vibes

Gourmet raw vegan: poster child of raw food. eats raw dehydrated cashew kale chips, raw spaghetti noodles with raw cashew pesto and raw walnut sausage, and raw cashew cheesecake.

Raw til 4 vegan: smash in the carbs. nice cream. pasta.

Low carb vegan: similar to bigfoot in that its existence is whispered of but unconfirmed. probably eats lots of nuts and avocado. is suspected to be moody and undercarbed, so if you encounter one please watch out.

Junk food vegan: Oreos, potato chips, vegan pizza, just about anything the plant based or raw vegan would avoid, but at least it didn't kill any animals!

Hipster vegan: organic veggies and rainforest certified fair trade coffee. cooler than you. probably works at the farmers market or the local vegan cafe. wears bamboo fiber flannels and tshirts with inspirational quotes or funny media references.

Hippie vegan: not to be confused with the hipster vegan. this variety spends more time out doors with dreadlocks and pot. could possibly be a raw vegan.

Punk vegan: wants to abolish animal abuse. defies the capital system. wears black and cruelty free hair dye. anarchy.

Athletic vegan: bodybuilding/marathoning/intense everything sporty all the time. super fit, obv. either loves or hates peanut butter. there is no in between.

High school vegan: probably alone at the lunch table. constantly made fun of or interrogated about veganism and whether a food is vegan or not.

College vegan: usually locked in one of the deeper states of deprivation. stocking up vegan recipes until to wait until they have a proper kitchen. having to turn down beer because it's not vegan. crying over finals into a bowl of plain potatoes

Emotional vegan: oh my god did you see earthlings. did you SEE earthlings. omg i love the beautiful animals so much HOW CAN WE EAT THEM I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. i have a pet chicken. look at the chicken. ITS SO CUTE LOVE ALL COMPANION ANIMALS PLSSSSS

Stranded vegan: I WANT TO EAT BUT NOTHING HERE IS VEGAN SO I'M GOING TO EAT THIS BANANA AND CRY.

Purist vegan: no. can't eat that. that has honey in it. nope, not that either, the sugar isn't certified vegan so it was probably charred with animal bones. are you kidding me. of course i can't eat THAT. that is supplemented with vitamin D from animal sources. oh those tortillas don't have any non vegan ingredients? sorry just to be safe i'm getting the certified vegan ones instead.

Aspiring vegan: not actually vegan. typically speaks very loudly and says things such as "i would be vegan but cheese"

New vegan: i don't know what im doing but im just gonna eat this peanut butter and hope purist vegan doesn't yell at me

Lucky vegan: lives in a place where there are lots of health food stores and vegan restaurants and vegan people and vegan stuff in general. i envy you.

Vegan guy: usually sought after in the vegan community. hard to find in real life.

Vegan girl: take up the majority of the vegan community. yet they are still hard to find in real life. the struggle.

Hot vegan: all vegans. wtf did you think. gorgeous creatures

THE BEST THING IVE EVER READ

[sportsandfitnessinfo]

New Post has been published on http://fitnessandhealthpros.com/beauty/has-conscious-consumption-peaked-why-its-not-saving-the-earth-honestly/

Has Conscious Consumption Peaked? Why It’s Not Saving The Earth, Honestly

Have you ever popped onto the Internet to search for an ethical, cruelty-free product only to find that everything available was way out of your price range? I’m talking $ 1,000+ Stella McCartney vegan handbags and $ 500 ethical lingerie. Or even “natural” lipsticks that cost more than your monthly phone bill and animal-friendly shoes that wouldn’t be worth the amount of wear you’d get from them before they fell apart.

Stella McCartney vegan leather purse–$ 1,585

The problem here isn’t simply that these products exist (at such an inflated price), but that many well-intentioned environmentalists recommend expensive purchases as the antidote for the environmental damage brought on by consumerism.

“You vote with your dollars” is a phrase thrown around loosely in consciously-minded communities. You hear vegans using this as an excuse to buy pricey, faux-leather boots and dine at upscale, health food cafes. Their thought is to buy better but not necessarily less, or for less money.

There is a $ 48 beauty and wellness tasting menu handpicked by the chef at Jean-Georges’s ABCV in Manhattan.

And while their reasoning may be valid to an extent, as demand does influence the market, there is also the reality that this is an approach driven by capitalism (i.e. an exploitative, exclusive, and often corrupt system). Yes–in theory, some companies are “better” and “holier” than others. They use organic resources and source materials from within a small proximity and pay their employees fair wages, and that is great. And there are definitely costs associated with running a morally-focused company that don’t exist in other types of production.

BUT, we cannot fail to acknowledge that buying name-brand, fair-trade, locally crafted goods is a privilege. At the best of times, the products cost more because they require more initial capital to make, and at the worst, they are so expensive because they are targeting a market who is likely to spend more on a purchase they think they can feel good about.

You may have noticed that most of the people romping around in $ 400 Rombaut trainers to spread the good word of “ethical consumption” are people who come from backgrounds of limited racial and social diversity. Yet in their minds, it seems, everyone can afford to drop hundreds or thousands on a quality product and if they don’t, then they’re living selfishly or unethically. To some, conscious consumption is the end-all-be-all, and an easy response to the nearly unavoidable issue of how, what, and where to buy.

The next topic of discussion, however, is how to grapple with ethics of the products we buy if spending our life savings on a non-essential isn’t an option.

I wouldn’t propose turning to fast fashion for a second–I think the impacts are far worse than the damage brought on by the privileged liberal elite and their consumerist agenda. But I do cherish the fact that I have found other ways to combat consumerism and its associated harm in my life, and that I do sometimes meet others on a similar path. Who appreciate the fact that eco-friendly shopping options exist, but also that they are not accessible for everyone.

In a perfect world, bloggers and social/environmental activists alike would be offering up alternatives like second-hand shopping as a means of limiting consumption and over-production. They would show their peers how rewarding it can be to find a vintage gem amongst masses or previously-owned items, or to buy a coat for $ 40 that would cost ten times as much new, or one that’s quality is superior to anything available in stores nowadays.

They would reference the early inhabitants of the land who made their own soaps and makeups and paints and dyes from naturally found ingredients. Not to then turn around and sell them on Etsy or hit a niche market, but because it was the practical, ethical, resourceful thing to do.

Again, even making your own products can be a privilege. It works under the assumption that someone has the time and ability to do so. But it is a substitute for more frivolous means of acquiring goods–and the more substitutes we can provide, the better.

There are times when we might have to go to Walmart to buy underwear because we don’t want to wear undergarments passed on from someone else, and more sustainable underwear is really expensive, and Walmart is right down the street whereas a slightly costlier but slightly more acceptable store is a drive or a bus or a train away, and we shouldn’t have to justify this decision or fall into shame because of it.

If we all just do what we can, focus on our own actions, and recognize that everyone has different standards of living and spending, then we can distinguish between the “better” and the “best.” We can accept that our interpretations of each are different than someone else’s, that consumption and ethicality are not so black and white–just because someone doesn’t do something one way, or live how you would choose to live, doesn’t mean they are wrong or bad or lesser-than.

I will admit that I can enjoy a good online browse. I have an appreciation of quality and aesthetic. Yet I also love a good flea market shop or dumpster dive. I know my monetary limitations, and I never want to impose those on others or have them imposed onto me. So I leave you with my plea for inclusivity–to stop acting like everyone has the means to live an idealistic, eco-conscious, Instagram-approved lifestyle and to cater to the large population of people who want and need alternatives.

Also by Quincy: 4 Media Stars Who Are Changing The Body Positivity Talk (We’re All Ears)

Here’s How “Creative Sex” Will Obliterate You (In The Best Way Possible)

Related: How Paris Turned Me On To Minimalism & 4 Ways to Do It Anywhere

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Photo: Pexels, Stella McCartney, ABC Kitchen

Quincy is an NC-based college student who is passionate about leading a healthy and compassionate life. Aside from classes, she fills her time with cooking, writing, travel, and yoga. You can find more from her on her blog Shugurcän and on Instagram.

Originally at :Peaceful Dumpling Written By : Quincy Malesovas