Boozin Chemical-Free

We already try to eat all-organic, so why not drink that way, too?

 Organic wine, beer, and spirits are the newest trend in sustainable farm culture. I like to think of it as proof that organic foods have finally hit the mainstream. I mean, c'mon, when even hotel chains are boasting the marketing plusses of stocking organic cocktails, you know you've made a mark! 

The reasons for choosing organic alcohol are pretty clear: the ingredients used to make it are grown on sustainable, eco-friendly farms, and they are grown without pesticides, which means you get all of the wondrous effects of your fermented beverage of choice, with none of those pesky carcinogens. Plus, as always, organic just tastes better! Neat, huh?

We Portlanders are no strangers to the organic brew. We are, after all, home to one of the world's largest annual organic beer festivals, and most of our delicious local breweries carry at least one organic concoction on tap. Laurelwood Public House is at the top of the list for organic beers; at the moment, they are offering seven different organic brews. However, if that's a trek for you, organic options can also be found at Deschutes, Rogue, Hopworks, and  Lucky Laborador, just to name a few, and more awesome bottled options are popping up every day. This is a great site for checking up on Portland's beer scene; just type 'organic' into their search engine, and you're ready to go tasting! 

Organic wine has also made a pretty strong mark on our consciousness. By now, most of us have been exposed to it; if you have yet to try it, you have at least walked by it in the grocery store. I don't want to play favorites with my organic alcohols, but if, hypothetically, you were only able to switch out one alcohol to organic, and the rest of your spirits were conventional, you should switch to wine. As this article points out, "...grapes are among the most heavily sprayed of all agricultural crops. Typically, as many as 18 different chemicals are used on non-organically grown grapes during their growing cycle." 

The Organic Foods Production Act guidelines state that a wine can not be considered to be truly organic unless no sulfur dioxide (or sulfites, a preserving agent) has been added to it. Many farmers choose to continue to use sulfites, and just label their wine as 'made with organically grown grapes.' There are still many different discussions going on as to the effects of sulfites on humans, and I don't feel qualified to discuss them here. Suffice it to say that even wine with sulfites is still free of pesticides, and ecologically sound. For more information on sulfites, you can visit here, here, and here. If you're having trouble finding truly organic wines, this is a great source. You can research different wineries, and actually purchase the wine online. 

Surprisingly, though organic wine and beer are readily available, it is only very recently that organic spirits have arisen. Tru Organic Spirits is one of the very few American spirit manufacturers. The Organic Spirits Company, based in the U.K. has had organic spirits available for a few years now, and their spirits, along with many others, can be purchased online here, just do a search for 'organic.' Personally, I have my eye on the Papagayo Organic Spiced Rum-- put it over ice with organic orange juice and a couple slices of organic pineapple, and we can feel just like summer; even in this dreary rain! 

So go forth and drink healthily, my friends, as always in moderation, and rest easy knowing that you've expunged yet even more distasteful chemicals from the environment and from your bodies. 

Veganism

I have decided to start making the transition into becoming a vegan. I intend to do it slowly but surely, to ensure that I won't rebel from my own decision and start sabotaging myself with girl scout cookie icecream and delicious delicious goat cheese. 

My plan is to start trying vegan substitutes and vegan recipes in an non-committal fashion, finding vegan things that I like while still having that dairy net to fall back upon. "I mean, why not try vegan alfredo? I can always go back to the same old canned shit if I don't like it!" ...that sort of thing. I think, in a couple months I'll be as used to reaching for the dairy-alternatives as I am to reaching for the fake meat, and the switch won't feel at all like self-deprivation. 

After reading Skinny Bitch, I just can't take it anymore. Most of the information about the meat and dairy industry I had already, built up in the back of my head, but it was quite a different experience to have all the facts shoved right into my brain one after another after another after another. That, and it's not like dairy is good for me anyhow. I don't need calcium from it, it's linked to cancer, and it basically injects me with a constant stream of BGH and antibiotics. Plus it's fattening. 

*sigh* goodbye winey goat cheese. I assure you it's for the best. 

Skinny Bitch

Alright, I apologize, but I simply cannot help myself from plugging this book on here. One of my friends recommended it to me about a month ago, I have only just gotten to it, and it really is the best thing I have read for myself in ages. 

It takes a reasonable, logical look at the American diet, and tears it right to pieces. It is written conversationally, and truly is a lot like getting bitch-slapped by your favorite smart thin friend. 

The idea is: you're fat? Well, that's because you don't eat healthily! Why don't you eat healthily? Because you haven't taken enough time to think about what you're putting into your mouth. They then proceed to tell you what (and how) you should think about what you eat. 

This book is filled with facts. Evolutionary facts, such as the fact that our bodies are not designed to eat meat. Facts about food being a business. And facts about what your fake sugar is really made of. 

Everyone needs the information that is in this book. Even if you thought you were eating healthily; even if you're health obsessed and spend most of your "free" time researching organic food (...*cough* me *cough*...), you still need this book. I promise, there is still loads of information you're missing out on. 

"Skinny Bitch." It's on Amazon. Go get it. Then read it immediately.

It Must Be Something In the Water

Today, as I was making my daily rounds on Craig's List (as I have for 7 months now), looking for jobs to apply for, I came upon the above posting calling for a Part-time server. The post, since it's hard to see, says:

part time server wanted for busy weekend brunch.

must have experience.

please tell us a little about yourself and what kind of bike you have.

It is starting to seem very possible that everyone here is just insane.

Second-Hand Anecdotes

I was scanning around the blogs I subscribe to today when I happened upon one in which an old friend was giving fashion advice to the blogger in question. Part of the advice mentioned that you should NEVER wear clothing given to you by a female relative... mothers, aunts, anyone except a sister, this friend claimed. 

This advice reminded me of one of the many funny memories I have of my mother attempting to give me clothing. I published the following as a comment on the blog I was reading: 

"When I was 14, I came home to find my bed drowning in my mother's cast-off clothing. Apparently, she had been struck with a fit of overwhelming self-worth while I had been at school, and had decided that hot stuff like her didn't need to be weighed down by clothing like that. 

Unaware of this development, I questioned whether my bedroom had become the new dumpsite for the goodwill. Shooting me a smile overwhelming with generosity and excitement, she exclaimed: "Oh! No, honey! I found all those clothes in my closet! They were too big on me, so I thought maybe they would fit YOU!"

*cough*

...my mother was a regular 'ol size 9 at the time. Mathematically, at the very least, nothing too big on a 9 is ever going to have a chance on a size 0-1. I have, however, long suspected that my mother ascribes to an understanding of physics not realized in this dimension, so her overlooking of simple math wasn't a great surprise to me. Internalizing the necessary eye-roll, I decided to thank her anyway. 

Lesson learned: if your female relatives are anything like mine, take your dear friend's advice and STAY THE HELL AWAY from any and all cast-offs. :)"