Vegans and Gas

Im all for a healthy diet and eating well. It's pretty obvious or I wouldn't talk about polenta or quino and all the time and rave about how delicious fresh artisan bakery bread is. But I do have a problem when people force their dietary ideas on me telling me how I need to stop eating meat and advocating for a "healthy" life style when they drive an SUV.
While riding up to campus today I was riding my bike up 500 North when an SUV whizzed past me with the phrase "GO VEGAN" right above their gas cap, in bright yellow letters. I had to laugh. You think people should go Vegan and yet you drive an SUV? That makes about as much sense as the hipsters who are soooo into riding their fixie every where in order to live a "healthy" life style and yet smoke like chimneys and drink PBR like it is water.
Don't get me wrong, you can have your cake and eat it too but don't stick your life style in my face and tell me how wrong I am for eating meat sparingly (I've had it once in the past month, so shoot me) when you drive an SUV. I am not saying that this dude was telling me in particular that I need to go Vegan but I have had many a Vegan in the past few months tell me that I need to not eat honey because it's not "vegan" or do this or that to be "more vegan". I stay away from high fructose corn syrup, I eat mostly organic, I ride a bike every where every day, I eat whole grains. Don't tell me how to live my life, and I won't tell you how to live yours.
XOXO.

Here is the link to my first publication of Domestic Domination, the next one comes out Monday. my mom and sis left comments, feel free to leave some as well.

http://www.utahstatesman.com/contents/features/domestic_domination

Whats the deal?

My blog is about bikes, music, food, and life. I periodically write about one of the subjects but today I will be writing about all of them.

I am enraged right now. Not just mad or pissed off or angry. Enraged. What started off as a seemingly normal day has turned into a hurricane of anger in the span of a couple hours.
I had a lunch date with a fellow I have had the hots for since last May...on and off. Since I was in NY for the summer and he was in Idaho it was pretty clear that nothing was going to happen so I got my hopes up that something would happen this fall. Perhaps I hoped to high since today while we were waiting for lunch to cook he told me how much he likes some chick who lives in Salt Lake City. I got demoted to "Sister Status" by him in less than five minutes. wow....seriously, wow. I honestly thought we might have something going on since we both love riding bikes, listening to music, and eating delicious food. But beyond the fluff of that we get along great. We can communicate with each other (or so I thought) and have really good conversations.
I get sick of trying to find some one to date. Trying to find some one I get along with. I am probably taking this all to personally and that is why I am pissed off. I think I was hoping for just a wee bit more than I ended up with. Oh well.
On a lighter note, two great things happened to me this week. I got a column in the statesman for my cooking column and I got a job at a bike mechanic at Aggie Blue Bikes. I am equally excited about both and can't wait to get started.
Bike Polo is tonight and I can't wait to play. Rant over.

Maybe you should get to know your laws before arguing them

It feels good to be back in Logan, there is no doubt about it. I don't have more space than I did in my Manhattan apartment right now, due to the fact that I am staying with my brother and his wife in their apartment but I do have my bikes (only my Peuget, Pierre) back and thats what makes me happy.

The silver lining of being home is quickly wearing off as I get back on my bike and I am reminded of the stupidity of some fellow cyclists and motorists as well. Did I really just call some of my fellow cyclists stupid? you bet I just did, and this is why.
I
would first like to start off by commending all those who mount a bicycle daily to commute, exercise, or whatever. It is great that you are making an effort to keep Cache Valley air clean and keep your body looking good, but I am appalled by the lack of knowledge some of you seem to lack on laws about cycling.
You think it is OK to ride your bike the side walk, ride without a light at night, and ride in the opposite lane of traffic. This isn't OK! Stop, please! If there are three things that piss people off about cyclists it is that. A light is $10.00 (or more) at any one of your local bike shops in down town Logan. Please invest in one.

Riding on side walks? Do you really think that any one going 10 mph or more should be on a side walk? Side walks are for walking, roads are for riding. It is the law that you have to ride in the road. I can understand if you don't want to ride on Main St., so take another road to get to your destination. Bikes get in the way when they are ridden on a side walk and you are far likelier to run into a pedestrian. Please follow the law.

I don't know who taught you that you should ride in oncoming traffic. Please unlearn this behavior immediately. It is a good way to get in a head on collision with motor vehicles and other cyclists.

As for motorists, I understand you are pissed off because the above mentioned peons seem to think there behavior is socially acceptable. If you are so angry about bikes in the road why don't you contact your local government about it and stop trying to run us off the road. Killing a cyclist to make a point doesn't drive one home, it makes you look like an idiot and less like the "good law abiding citizen you seem to think you are". You aren't the only one who is affect by high gas prices, we are just doing our part to bring down the cost and help out the atmosphere since your truck isn't. Lets all work together to make the roads safer for everyone. Not just one kind of vehicle.

You may be asking what this rant came about. After reading the article below by the new york times (follow the link to read it), hearing my brother complain about cyclists riding two abreast (which is completely legal!) on country roads, and seeing bike commuters make fools of themselves in the eyes of the law.

I want people to understand that is it as important for cyclists to follow the law as it is for motorists.

This is what really got me going:
¶Last weekend, Utah state police arrested the driver of a pickup truck, suspected of plowing intentionally into cyclists on a morning ride.

Click here for the NY Times article

50 things to love

I’ve had writters block for the past three months. Everything thing that I write is negative so I decided to help myself over come said block by writing 50 things I love. My friend Misha did this list once and convinced me to do it too (a while ago) I figured it’s time for a new list so here it is. They are in no particular order.

1. Warm blankets
2. Herb tea with unfiltered honey
3. Fuji apples
4. Farmers Markets
5. Artisan bread
6. Moving, even though I hate packing up all mystuff
7. Good byes and Hello’s when parting for a while and getting home after a long trip
8. Goals
9. Jam sessions that go all night
10. Poetry slams
11. Dancing
12. Yoga, even though I hate it, I do it
13. Climbing, because it’s made me over come so many of my fears
14. Sleeping under the stars
15. Countries of the foreign nature
16. States of the foreign nature
17. Bicycles
18. Hill climbing on Kaji
19. Meeting some one and immediately clicking
20. Music that makes me feel
21. Jazz at Citrus and Sage
22. Listening to guilty pleasure music and knowing that no one knows
23. The Brooklyn Bridge
24. Cooking for people and having them love what I cooked
25. Baking, even though I mostly do it when I am mad
26. Getting packages and postcards
27. First Kisses
28. Last Kisses
29. Mixed CD’s
30. New CD’s
31. Knitting
32. Quilting
33. The Gospel of Jesus Christ
34. Listening to Jazz on a rainy day
35. Reading a good book and being sad when it is over (no, I am not talking about the Twilight series, I haven’t even read those!)
36. My family
37. Living in NYC because it made me realize what I want out of life.
38. Being awoken by a sudden poetic thought and jotting it down for further translation in the morning
    
39. Union Square
40. Mountains and oceans
41. Hiking in the mountains
42. Yerba Mate
43. Genuinely good food
44. Conversations that stop time
45. Laughter and Smiles
46. Japan
47. Riding my bike through all kinds of weather
48. Old friends and new friends
49. Journalism
50. Ally Cat Races

Track frames and love

I miss my bikes, Pierre and Kaji. They are my boys who get me from Point A to point B and never let me down. Even through the seemingly endless Logan Winters.
But they aren't here. They stuck in a storage shed in Logan collecting dust because I'm "Not allowed to have a bike in the apartment" here in NY. I've been desperate to ride a bike since I've been here. I see fixed gears and roadies all day long as I walk and subway through the city and want nothing more than to pedal down the roads with the air on my face, watching New York speed past me.
I've been looking online for a fixie to buy when I get back to Logan (and have a job since I can't afford one now). The KHS is pretty sweet, I really like the dementions on it and it's a light bike. The Uno is good (and cheap) and the Redline fixie is pretty cool as well but they all lack something and I realized this week that they all lack personality. Not that your bike needs to be a reflection of you but I don't find these bikes personable to me. So I am building my own. I have found a frame I want (A Pake) and as soon as I have the cash flow I will be buying it along with this sweet Sugino crank set in pink. I won't get a colored chain because I think they are lame but I have been thinking about getting a set of Deep V's. It's up in the air. I have a lot to buy for the bike so the wheel set might have to wait. I will mostly be playing pedi polo with my bike (as well as commuting) so I don't want to get a sweet wheel set only to have them thrashed in pedi polo.
My sweet bike dreams are the only thing keeping me sane right now. Can't wait to get back to Logan.....

Been a long time.....

I really should get better at this whole blogging bit. I lack motivation to do it in some ways.

Any way, I am still in the Big Apple. Living life and having fun when I can. New York is such an amazing place in so many ways, but it is no place for a girl like me. I miss my mountains, my long bike rides, and familiar faces.
Life here is fast, unforgiving, and what feels like unobtainable at times.
My internship has been good. I now know what I DON'T want to do with the rest of my life which is great! I can eliminate working in PR and stick with writing, cooking, music, bikes, and the great outdoors.
Speaking of cooking...the food here is amazing. I am loving every minute of being able to each such amazing food. Every where I go in New York there is good food. That I will miss when I leave.
I got to see Joshua James play on Monday in the Cutting Room. It felt like being home and made me so happy. I dragged along a girl I work with to it so I wouldn't be alone and drank enough cranberry juice to keep my bladder clean for years. ;) I also discovered a great musician named Amber Rubarth. Check her out. She's got great lyrics and I like her style of music. any way. More when I am not sick and feel like dieing. Seems that the bottom of my stomach has decided to drop out. yay. XOXo

End of the semester, and Ben Folds

Its the end of the semester, an I need to keep my head in the game but with so much going on I feel over committed and like I need to get out of Logan. But I have a series of events that need to happen before leave Logan.

In other news, I got the internship that I wanted with the children's theater company. I will have no money this summer but I will have a good time and a really good experience...I think.

I saw Ben Folds play in concert last night in SLC. It was amazing, everything I have ever wanted and more from seeing him. He played a good mix from his career and included the audience on Narcalepsy and Army which I have always wanted to do. It was fun to hang out with Excaliber and his family. He has the greatest mom. Don't get me wrong, my mom is awesome, but so is his. She came to the Ben Folds concert and stood with us the whole time. The only thing that made me mad was that people in SLC have no concert etiquite. They think that because they showed up late to the show in their AE flip flops and dooney and burke bag they should get to elbow their way to the front. Think again suckers, you deserve to stand in the back because you didn't show up three hours early to get a good standing spot, I DID! So stop pushing and get your ass to the back of the venue. I am writing an article for hardnews about that. any way, I just got off work and I need to use my free meal at the Market place so Im out. but I leave you with a parting picture.

My decloration of only cooking for those who apreciate it

After a day of pondering my expectations of men, their expectations of me, and where I am going wrong in the relationship process I asked my room mate Annie about my dating life because I am now well aware of what I am looking for but felt that there was something lacking on my part and she said to me "Christy, you spoil the men you date. They are so well taken care of by you that they take advantage of it."
AH-HA!! Thats were I am going wrong. I have been spoiling the men I date with delicious home made soups, brownies, sweet rolls, and other domestic things. These acts of charity and kindness have only led men to take advantage of my good graces and kind spirit, so guess what? I'm done. Yes done. No more home made cookies. No more mending of pants, no more giving of my yarn to unappreciative men. No more sharing of my organic produce with those who could give a damn. It is time that I spend my non existent free time with men who appreciate my talents and don't take advantage of them.
What does this mean to the male population of the universe? Christy's Kitchen is now closed so go eat some others girls refined sugar cookies, soup from a can and pizza from a box because I will no longer be feeding the masses with my preservative free, organic, all natural, mostly vegan cooking. You didn't appreciate it when you had it so now it is gone.
(exceptions will be made on a case by case basis)

Men of planet earth, don't be discouraged by this, be encouraged. All I am saying is that the equal treatment of men in my house has commenced and my cupboards are closed. This is not a statement of " I HATE MEN!" Because we all know that I don't. It is time that men put forth the effort that I do in letting me know they love me. End of story. Leave your comments on my stove for me to burn. XOXO

Billy's Bakery and a new bike

Yesterday morning I found myself knitting on the subway down to Billy's Bakery on 23rd and 9 Ave, and by night fall I will in Salt Lake City. Why I decided to come back, I will never know. Well actually I do know, it's because I have responsibilities that I have to uphold and aparently I haven't been beaten into submission enough by the cyclists in Cache Valley for the article I wrote on Alley Cat races. If you too would like to beat me into submission (assuming that any one reads this) here is the link :
http://hjnews.townnews.com/articles/2008/03/04/news/news01.txt

moving on, I was a bit sad to be leaving the city but my spirits were lifted by two amazing events. First, me "secretly" giving a cupcake from Billy's Bakery to Excalibur and the arrival of a new bike in my living room when I entered. Yes ladies and gentleman, I now own four bikes (two of which are now on the market for any one to buy). This new bike is a white vintage Peugeot, womens specific and I have named him Pierre (he is French, I couldn't resist!) He needs some work done but in a few weeks he will be up and running as my commuter.

The Grants Tomb Crit race in New York was way fun, I didn't do very well but I had a good time and learned a lot from the race so I think that is what matters. It was my first race and I am stoked to do more.

New York; bicycles and bakery's

So I have a new resolution for the rest of this year, blog once a week. Yes, I Punkin Pants will be blogging once a week from now till the end of the year. If I can stick with it I will blog more.
I am currently in New York City siting in my sisters apartment (and what will soon be mine as well) typing this. Im on springs break so I decided to do the breaking of spring in style and come here to get away from Utah.
I had three goals in mind for coming here.
1.Find and internship
2. Check out the bike shops here.
3. Check out the bakery's of the city.

I got all but one goal ( Im still working on the internship deal) and it has been marvolous. So far my favorite bakerys have been Baby Cakes non gluten, sugar free bakery( more on that) and Billy's Bakery. Both are delicous. Now one may think that Magnolia bakery should be in there but guess what? In my opinion it sucks, not worth your time, and is over rated. If you happen to think it's the greatest thing since fixed gears got hip stop reading my blog and go away.
As far as bike shops I have been really impressed with Pedal Pushers and Bike-Metro. Those are my top two. The guys at Pedal Pushers are old school cyclists and I like that, plus all of their bikes hang from the ceiling which is brilliant. You feel like you are in a bike jungle.

Well NY has been great. I rode the bike I rented from Pedal Pushers for the Grants Tomb Crit on the Hudson River trail. So peaceful and nice, I also met a nice Brit name Luke who was riding the sexiest fixed gear I have ever layed eyes on. Powerder blue italian frame, white walled tires, white bar tape. HOT. but no front break. any way, I have to meet my sister for Thai. XOXO More on NY later.

Alley Cat Races

I haven't posted in a while because I often post my thoughts with pen in my journal but today I figured I would write about the Alley Cat races that is happening tonight. am I stoked? you have no idea. In December when I raced I came in D.F.L (thats dead f##king last) but was the only girl who raced so I got kudos for that . This time there will be more girls, and a vast majority of the USU cycling team.
I leave for NY in three weeks, I am pretty excited about that. I am trying to find out about bike events in the Manhattan and surrounding areas while I am there. I want to have some good photos when I come back from spring break. any way, I have to walk home because I didn't bring my bike to campus today. Maybe I can borrow my cousins...hmm....