Culture Fairs

I joined the PTO at the boys' elementary school earlier this year. They're always looking for people and I thought it'd fun to be a bit more involved.

In November we hosted a multicultural fair. Stevenson Elementary is surprisingly diverse considering its size and each year the school holds a culture fair to celebrate that diversity. There are parents and students from nearly every continent, and many of them volunteer to host rooms.

We had rooms dedicated to: India, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, China, Brazil, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Native America, Russia, Vietnam, and Sweden. (Though not officially a Swede, I felt Jenni and I could at least represent.) Each room had crafts, clothes, activities and most importantly food. As the kids and their parents entered the school, each child was issued a passport like you see on the right. After a presentation in the gym and some music, the kids took their passports to each room to have them stamped, have a snack and maybe do the activities. It was a great way for the kids to be exposed to cultures from around the world. There was clog dancing in the gym, henna tattooing in the cafeteria, and a virtual world tour in the library.

Living in a university town we have a lot of culture fairs and international festivals, but I'd have to say this was one of the best I've attended. The best thing about it was having parents volunteer and participate at the school. If you're more of a stay at home traveler, which we've become lately, this is a great way to share your knowledge and bring a bit of the world home.

It's Not The End Of The World

Have you ever wondered what your intrepid blogger sounds like when he sings in the shower? Well, wonder no longer. Here's a copy of the album my band and I recorded in February/March of 2011. It's a fairly low key affair compared with some of the things I've recorded in the past.

It turned out pretty well all things considered. I'm working with an animator to create a couple of videos to go along with the tracks.

FlightBoard

Is there a more powerful travel tool than the iPhone or iPad? Having information in the palm of your hand everywhere you go, (as long as you're on the grid) has certainly changed the way I travel and communicate. The FlightBoard app allows you to track the arrival/departure board at airports around the world just like you're there. As you hustle through the busy holiday season, this might be a handy app to have in your arsenal.
 
Turn your iPhone or iPad into the Arrivals and Departures board for any airport in the world! FlightBoard lets you check out the boards of your favorite airports and view all the flight information in real-time. We used the board at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris as inspiration for the design so it has a beautiful, old school feel.

Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

I've never been a huge fan of cakes. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because cake is harder to carry around in your jacket pocket than say, a cookie. Maybe it's because baking a cake is as much about creating something pleasant to the eye as it is about something pleasing to the stomach. Maybe the stakes are just too high with cake.

If, like me, you lack in cake confidence it might be best to shoot for the cup variety. Jenni picked up Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, of The Post Punk Kitchen  when she went vegan in January. Jack and I used it to make: chocolate, vanilla, and apple cider cupcakes for his and Harry's 7th birthday. They turned out fantastic. My niece said they were the best cupcakes she'd ever eaten.

Forks over Knives

Have entire generations grown up eating post industrial food that's more commodity than sustenance? Can adopting a plant based, whole foods diet prevent diabetes, decrease cancer risk, prevent heart disease and help you maintain an appropriate weight?  Have we in the West become the victims of our own success?

Forks over Knives, Lee Fulkerson's compelling and widely viewed documentary takes Food Inc. and Fast Food Nation into the operating room and beyond. The film traces the evolution of the American diet during the 20th century and focuses on the testimony of two doctors, Dr. T Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn. The doctors conclude that the Western diet with its heavy reliance on animal protein and processed foods has made us sicker and heavier than any people in human history. Based on their research and the results they've seen with their patients, adopting a 'veganized' diet can actually reverse its harmful health effects.

I'm always a little dubious when I watch shows like this. I think there are a myriad of reasons Americans are overweight, diet being just one of them. Nevertheless, it is a compelling argument. Even Ozzy Osborne found it inspiring. Worth watching if you wanted one more reason to go vegetarian.

Atom Retro (Mod Clothes)

If you're looking for something unique for the mods on your Christmas list; you should check out Atom Retro. I was looking at their Christmas jumpers this morning. I can remember kids on my school bus wearing these back in the '70's. Back then we were far more concerned with being warm, than being cool. Still, nice looking sweaters.

Spinach Salad

Here's a great salad recipe that I appropriated from Giada De Laurentiis. I made this last weekend while I was watching football and making bread. It didn't occur to me to take a picture of it, till it was already gone. 

Giada's calls for prosciutto, but I used tempeh bacon instead (pictured below). I thought is worked pretty well. If you're using fresh citrus in your dressing, remember it'll turn bitter after a day or two.   

1 bag of baby spinach rinsed

4 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or walnuts (optional)

6 slices vegan bacon or tempeh cooked according to the instructions

2 oranges, zested, and juiced

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

1 clove garlic crushed

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup olive oil

For the dressing:
Combine the orange zest, orange juice, balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth. Add the olive oil in a steady stream until combined.

To serve:

Crumble the bacon onto the spinach, and sprinkle with nuts, if using, then drizzle with dressing and serve.Goes well with some sliced avacodo too.

Fitz and The Tantrums - MoneyGrabber

Kurt Wallander Mysteries - Henning Mankell

Ystad in southern Sweden might seem an unlikely setting for a series of murder mysteries. But there seems to be more than enough crime, crumby weather, and personal demons to keep Inspector Kurt Wallander busy. Henning Mankell's troubled detective has been on the job for nearly 20 years. He's spawned 13 novels and numerous films and television shows, including the award winning BBC series starring Kenneth Branagh featured below. I was probably as intrigued at reading something set in my family's home province of Skane as anything. But I've enjoyed reading the first three novels in the series: Faceless Killers, The Dogs of Riga, and The White Lioness. Cool stuff, if a little grim.

Kasabian - Days Are Forgotten