8.24.2009

Food, Inc.

Andrew and I saw the most interesting movie last week. I noticed when I was walking past a local theater that there was a movie showing called Food, Inc. I watched the trailer when I got home and I had to see it.

We love to cook, we're kind of foodies, we're interested in environmental issues, we like animals, we eat meat, etc. This was basically the perfect movie for us, sorta. When you leave you want to become a vegan, which means I thought of my sweet friend Caroline the entire time I was there. It took everything in me (mostly a dark theater and strangers sitting close by) not to text her every five minutes about the movie. But I also knew that if she hadn't seen/heard of the movie, she'd probably think I was just crazy.

Did I mention that we saw this documentary at a local movie theater/coffee shop called Cable Car Cinema? It's a really cute little place with coffee, sandwiches, an old fashion popcorn machine, ice cream and a one screen theater in the back! AND the theater is comprised of all leather couches and fancy reclining theater chairs! We love it. It's so unique. So local.

The movie was very interesting. It related to issues I deal with at work with the Department of Health, socio-economic issues such as "why can people get more for their money by purchasing a burger and fries off the dollar menu, than fruits or vegetables?", and it related to me as a consumer and citizen.

It addresses various food issues in the US including meat packing factories, the abundant usage of corn by-products, "intellectual" ownership over food sources, etc. The movie really caused us to stop and think about where our food comes from. We have no idea. We rarely stop to think about what the animals ate, where the plants grew, what's actually in season, etc. The movie totally grossed us out at times and deeply saddened us at others. But as much as we enjoyed the thought-provoking film we are keenly aware that we only saw one side of the issue. We're eager to learn more about what the other side (big producers, large companies, etc.) would say as well. Nevertheless, we enjoyed a little glimpse into the US food industry.

I would definitely recommend checking it out. Although it was a documentary, there were some "characters" that we fell in love with. Two farmer's in particular. It's not playing everywhere, but it is playing all over the US. Check out the list to see if it's playing near you:)



Eat up! Wait. Check the label first, then, eat up:D

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8.19.2009

Recipe of the Week

Recipe of the Week: Cheese Tortellini with Tomatoes and Corn

A nice light dish for a hot summer evening!

Ingredients:
  • 1 package (9 oz) refrigerated cheese tortellini
  • 1 package (16 oz) frozen corn, thawed or 3-1/3 cups fresh corn
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh basil
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Cook tortellini according to package directions, adding the corn during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse in cold water.

In a large serving bowl, combine tortellini mixture and remaining ingredients; toss to coat.

Yield: 4 servings.


Nutrition Facts

One serving: 1-3/4 cups
Calories: 366
Fat: 12 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Cholesterol: 30 mg
Sodium: 286 mg
Carbohydrate: 57 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 14 g

Enjoy!

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8.17.2009

A Dangerous Good Time

Yesterday's church bulletin announced that people would be heading to the beach in the evening to grill out and all were encouraged to join. Since we've had a pretty cold summer, I have yet to make my first appearance at the beach. What? A Florida girl who hasn't been to the beach by August?! I decided that I really wanted to go, but there were a few errands/chores to do in the mean time. One of these was working out.

I've been a total slacker in the "get fit for the big day" department and I had no excuse to not work out yesterday. We planned to head to the gym, but I threw an audible at the last minute with an ingenious plan: "Why don't I go rollerblading? In fact, you could sit in the park and read and I'll rollerblade around on the trail and sidewalk!" This was a brilliant plan, obviously. Andrew would be able to rest and do no physical activity while I get exercise. FYI: He's working too hard landscaping and is getting ubber toned and lean. So an opportunity for me to work out and him not to is the perfect medicine (just like my plan called Andrew Eat's A Snack/Mini Dinner Before I Get Home From Work So He Can Consume Enough Calories).

Seemed like the perfect idea. In fact the park is probably less than a mile from my apartment so I said, "Let's not drive." Well Genius (me), decides that I don't want to get my socks dirty so I put my roller blades on inside [upstairs]. Andrew had to help me down the interior and exterior stairs only for me to realize that the slope of my street is basically a black diamond to roller blades. Let's not be dramatic, I don't live in San Francisco, but yesterday, it might as well have been! After a good chuckle, some white knuckles, and a death gripe on Andrew's shoulders I said, "You might want to run upstairs and grab my shoes and car keys. We should probably drive."

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At this point, Andrew is slightly concerned, but still confident. I'd expect nothing less, you know? I had told him numerous times about how I roller bladed in undergrad through Winter Park on the Cady Way Trail. And that I even roller bladed in grad school in Meadowbrook Park in Urbana numerous times. Well a few things escaped me. 1) We're not in Kansas anymore 2) I'm not as young as I used to be.

We made it safely to the park (via automobile), I got all laced up and then I was "off." Sort of. What looks "flat" on foot is not actually flat when rolling on 8 wheels! Warming up looked more like learning to skate for the first time. It was pa-thetic! I looked like a kid on Christmas trying their skates out for the first time, still trying to get that whole balance thing down. Andrew found a nice bench to sit on with his book and said, "Skate around. I'll be watching you."

"Awesome," I thought, and skated away. About 20 seconds into my "workout" I was skating on the trail, up a little incline and realized I was about to go down at a dangerously high speed. I had no idea how steep it would be or how much difficulty I would have stopping. I diverted into the grass and thought it would absorb nicely like a sand pit (it didn't) and I'd make a crash landing (I did). I looked up and saw Andrew sprinting towards me. He couldn't tell that I was laughing and proceeded to sprint the length of the park to check on me. So much for him not exercising. The park continued to be "hilly" and an utter disaster of a trip. I'll spare you the details, but let's just say it involved many panicked detours into the grass, shoulder grabbing saves, and hand-holding down ramps while clutching on the the hand rails. Needless to say, I won't be planning rollerblading as a primary form of exercise in this state. In fact, I was pretty certain that the day would end ugly; with a scraped up Kim sporting scabs or bruises for the engagement shoot in Chicago! Classy.

All in all, it ended well. Except for Andrew. His relaxing day in the park turned into a multi-mile trek with the additional weight of roly-poly-fiance leaning and pulling on him for safety.

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Post-edit: I am okay. I actually didn't fall "accidentally" once! Intentionally, yes, but unintended, no:D

8.06.2009

Another Weekend, Another Trip

I hate to put up yet another post about how I've failed again to catch up on my blog and that I'm going out of town again, but it's true. Andrew has a cousin getting married this weekend in Illinois, so we are off to the Midwest!

We are pretty excited about the trip. Andrew hasn't been home in a while, we haven't seen his family since getting engaged and I'm always excited to get a little break from work! Monday is a "holiday," you know. I always feel a little strange telling people, especially Japanese friends like Emy, that I'm off for Victory Day--the day Japan surrendered in WWII. Only two states still celebrate it as an official holiday, Rhode Island and Hawaii; go figure.

On a happier note, things I'm excited about: I get to... make a pit stop in Chicago (on State Street, that great street...). Ride the El. See Emy. Eat deep dish pizza. Raid Andrew's storage unit for lost items. Go out for Indian food. Get dressed up for a wedding. Dance. Laugh. Relax. Sleep. See the new fam. Watch cable (hopefully the Planet Green channel or some other home renovation type). Eat yummy homemade food. Listen to grandparent stories. Talk about wedding planning. And most of all, I get to be on vacation.

I'm also hoping to catch a few rays of sunshine at the pool this weekend. I would love nothing more than a few hours on a lounge chair, a little water on my toes, a frozen drink, and a good book (probably on my iPod 'cause I'm lazy like that). We'll see if the weather and the plans cooperate:) Mostly, I'm just excited for a break from work and a little social interaction with family.

Well, with that being said, my lunch break is winding to an end and I'll be signing off for a few days. I'm overwhelmed by the stories and randomness I want to share with you, but haven't found the time to!! Someday. Until then, I'll leave you in eager anticipation of the sunflower post that I'm looking forward to writing.

Lovin' Pandora,
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8.04.2009

It's Been A Year

It's hard to believe, but I've been in New England for over a year! I've survived the transition from school to work, a year in the real world, and even another cold winter. This also means I've seen all 4 seasons come full circle in Rhode Island!

I was so captivated by the view of my daily walk to work that I took a picture when I first moved here to show family and friends back home how beautiful downcity is. Then, as I stood in awe of the changing seasons, I snapped a few more. So, here is a little taste of the beauty I enjoyed over the past year:

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Much love from the pretty city, in the tiniest state,

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