“Cooking is both simpler and more necessary than we imagine,” writes acclaimed writer and chef Tamar Adler. “We don’t need to shop like chefs or cook like chefs; we need to shop and cook like people learning to cook, like what we are—people who are hungry.”

I love this. I love making simple meals from stuff I have laying around. It’s both a challenge and a way of living within my means (I.E. not dropping $50 at Whole Foods on ingredients for one meal—which is WAY too effing easy).

An Everlasting Meal is kind of a cookbook, and kind of not. It’s a collection of essays about the act of cooking in your home and why this is and should be important to all of us—with simple, delicious, intuitive recipes sprinkled throughout.

For instance, why can’t a salad just be a single vegetable raw or cooked with a drizzle of vinegar and olive oil?

It can—and it often is in places like Italy.

Why can’t a chunk of good bread be the centerpiece of your meal?

It definitely should be, and there are unlimited things you can put on it:

“In autumn, roast a whole butternut squash. Smash it in a bowl with good olive oil, a little freshly grated Parmesan, and a lot of freshly cracked black pepper. Spread the squash thickly on the toast, drizzle it with more olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice, and sprinkle it with roughly chopped toasted almonds.”

And so on and so forth.

Also, Adler touches on—not gluttony—but why we should be moved by what we eat: because it connects us to moments and memories and fills up our souls.

“Let the smell of salt remind you of a paper basket of fried clams you ate once, squeezing them with lemons as you walked on a boardwalk. Let it reach your deeper interest. When you smell the sea, and remember the basket of hot fried clams, and the sound of skee-balls knocking against each other, let it help you love what food can do, which is to tie this moment to that one.”

It’s nice, right?

Do you own a bike? If so, do you prefer road biking or mountain biking? For some, biking is their cardio workout, others use biking as a way of transportation, and then there are those who share the same passion for it as I do. It’s an outlet for me to find a sound mind. It’s also a huge part of my cardio workout, which can be challenging, or it can be healing because of its continuous flow of energy. Biking just feels good and gives everything in my body a chance to work together. Now more than ever, biking has become my best friend.

For those of you who aren’t aware, in December of 2012, I tore the ACL, MCL, and PCL ligaments in my knee and am on a yearlong rehabilitation program, and off snow for that time as well. This injury was devastating for the obvious reasons; I couldn’t snowboard this season, and on top of that, I had to sit back and let go of all the things I had planned to do this year. Now my main focus is healing my knee and getting it back to 100% strength.

That’s where my relationship with biking comes back into the picture. As I began my path to healing, an opportunity to team up with Specialized Bicycles came about and with their help I am digging deeper into my passion of biking. As I heal I have been given more freedom to do some of my favorite activities; one of those is mountain biking. Specialized just launched an all-new women’s full suspension 29-inch wheel mountain bike called the Rumor. I have been slowly making my way back onto the trails around Mammoth and realized I needed more girlfriends out there to do this amazing sport with. Therefore, I wanted to start sharing my story of recovery, but also my passion for biking, so hopefully I can cross paths with more women out on the trails. So who is in? Let’s all pull out our bikes and join together and get out on the open roads or on your favorite single tracks. ‘Tis the season to start spinning our wheels again! When in doubt, pedal it out.

B&W Images Courtesy of Sterling Lorence

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” Albert Einstein

Watch this for more about my collaboration with Specialized:

CP Burger Aspen
I love this clean, simple and super delicious burger spot in the heart of downtown Aspen. In a town that’s known for being over the top, CP Burger has everything you want in a burger joint with all the flair you’d expect from Aspen. Truffle fries, massaged kale salad and fancy burger toppings, too. Their standard, no frills CP Burger does me right, with just a dollop of CP sauce and a side of fries I’m good to go.
Definitely save room for a milkshake too, they’ve got the classics and if you’re feeling frisky they’ll spike it with your favorite spirit….only in Aspen.

Empire Burger Breckenridge
Nothing beats meeting up at Empire Burger in Breckenridge after a classic windy, cold, cold, cold pipe day (did I mention it gets cold?). Long tables and right in town, this place has something for everyone and if you hang out long enough you’re guaranteed to see everyone you know.

Their list of burgers is long; hickory bacon burgers, chiliburgers and Hawaiian style, too, but this place is known for their sauces. Selecting the right sauces can be tricky with nearly 20 to choose from. My recommendation…the sriracha mayo and Jalapeno Ranch, but their BBQ sauce is spot on, too.

The Burger Barn
The Bishop Burger Barn is the closest thing to a local burger joint when I’m in Mammoth Lakes. It’s a little bit of the beaten track, but totally worth the side street search. Once you get there you’ll find real homemade burgers, sweet potato fries, and the goodness you’d expect from a mom and pop stand. The Goods burger is off the charts and on a hot Bishop day their vanilla shake hits the spot.

In-N-Out
Not exactly a shred town staple, but every time I have an extended layover at LAX, I make a pit stop at the In-N-Out. There is something so simple and delicious about a good old fashion ‘Merican burger served by a kid in a paper hat and fries that came from real potatoes. Especially, after I’ve spent weeks in Europe, Japan, or New Zealand. Small menu, simple choices and happy people making good food, what’s not to love? Ask for animal style if you love cheesy onion fries or click here for all their secret options.

Steak N’ Shake
My parents have had a vacation home in Florida since I was a kid so my nostalgic go-to spot is Steak N’ Shake. This is a one of those old school bits of Americana that I hit up whenever I’m down south. They pride themselves on steakburgers and pretty much anything you’d associate with late night diner grub. I keep it classic standard steakburger with a perfect vanilla milkshake, too.

Photo: flickr/alykat

For the past 4 years I’ve admired and followed Jessy’s career, remaining obsessed with everything she produces. This past December I was in Miami for Art Basel – I picked up a copy of The Miami New Times, and what do I see? Jessy’s artwork on the cover!

Jessy Nite’s art has so much sass and class, wild flare and sophistication, sexiness and prettiness – all at the same time. Her career is inspirational. I had to sit down with her and share her story with you all. I present to you the super talented, Jessy Nite.

Where are you from, where do you live now and what’s your favorite place you’ve ever been to?
I was born in New Jersey, came up in New York City and retired to Miami at the tender age of 22.  My favorite place is always an empty tropical beach.

What got you into the specific art form you’re in now? What’s your story?
I had a teacher that would say, “To be a great artist you have to experience and experiment with every medium you can.”  That always seemed to make so much sense and sounded like a blast.

Before I got mature enough to get conceptual with my stuff, I was just living life and finding my way.  And man, I did EVERYTHING during that time!  I tattooed, got my welding certification, learned about graphic design, made almost everything I wore, did independent type studies, tried to write graff (I sucked)…I even worked in the paint department at Home Depot!  Haha!  Really, I took part in anything that involved being hands on and learning about stuff that would one day help my work.

I think that’s what has brought me to where I am. Now I love building things and make a point to use as many different materials as possible. These days I do a lot of site-specific installations and experiential works that take a wide range of knowledge, so I just challenge myself with each new piece I do and learn more along the way.  It’s so much fun!

How would you describe your taste?
I like work that takes a certain amount of time and thought no matter what the medium.  I always say that art is about intention, so if it has a nice intention and beautiful application I am usually a fan.  But, if I am hanging it in my house, its most likely very colorful, well composed, with great personality.

What does your art mean to you?
Each piece comes from a different place and has its own deeper meaning, but overall I just want to make things for other people… which is probably why my interactive pieces are my favorite.  I get such a kick out of watching everyone else play with my work.  Seeing everyone get drunk and dance and go crazy coloring everywhere at the Color Me Porno: Playhouse show, is one of my favorite memories.  Oh, and seeing everyone bust out of the Hell Here experience at Primary Projects, red faced saying “I need a cigarette!” will stay with me forever.

I try to challenge and entertain my viewer with every piece I make.  I just want to transport people into my mind and let them see things and experience things from my point of view.  And I really make it a point to make my shows a party…there is work to interact with, awesome people to talk to and always the best music for the occasion.  My art reflects my lifestyle and I try to bring that out when I get the right opportunity. God, I’ve had some crazy shows this past year…

How do you express your view of women through your art?
Man I love women!  We are the coolest!  I think the feminine side of my work is very empowering.  There is a lot to be said for a strong woman that can also be sexy and witty and fun, and I think my stuff communicates that in a way that is not so serious.  And even with the dirty stuff, women tend to always be the biggest fans!

How would you like to inspire other women?
I hope that women stop competing again each other, definitely stop competing against men, and just compete with their inner-selves.  I hope that women look into themselves and realize that we are wired to handle a LOT.  I believe that women have an amazing capacity to realize goals and to achieve them.  We are great organizers and can do anything with the right attitude and the right plan. By looking inward we can be stronger, smarter and more supportive of each other.

Tell us about what you did during Art Basel week…
The piece was called Under The Scope and it was an experience that transported people into the world that I create from.  I made a giant kaleidoscope filled with gold chains, jewels and bright colored pills.

Photo by Peter Vahan

It was mounted to the sidewalk of a busy street, welcoming people to come up and give it a spin.  But, instead of looking into the scope, there was a camera inside of it that captured the interaction and projected it onto a building facade in real time.  I was able to repeat the video into different features of the building, creating this huge wall of kaleidoscoping video that took up the whole periphery of whoever was spinning the scope.  To top it off, the incredibly talented William Ryan Fritch created a soundtrack to the whole experience that played through large speakers.  It was absolutely beautiful.  And incredibly difficult to figure out. We are working on the video for it now! Stay tuned!

How did that opportunity come about?
Well, I knew Chalk (the venue that sponsored installation) was looking for something interactive for Basel week so I thought about their space and how to make something really special there.  They are housed in this beautiful Art Deco building right on the busiest street on South Beach, so I knew I had to use the building and the street traffic to my advantage.  I also knew I wanted to stick with the Kaleidoscope theme as I had just finished the Downtown Hollywood Mural Project.  But I was really tired of drawing that stuff and wanted to make it real.  That’s when the live video, projection mapping, etc, came into play.

Photo by Peter Vahan

Once I figured out some of the basic logistics, I put together a proposal and presented it to the manager of Chalk and they were totally into it!  I was so blown away that a non-gallery venue would be down to give me the big budget I needed to make it happen.  They were super supportive and it all lead to what I think is the most exciting thing I have done.

What do you have coming up?
Right now I am just working on new pieces to build up my inventory again after the busy season.  I am working on some really detailed, super clean paintings and a series of lettering pieces made out of a certain, ahem, “controlled substance.” I want to do so much experiential stuff and site-specific public work that will reach more people and make them feel something firsthand.  Not everyone can buy art and they shouldn’t have to. I want to give them something they can take away and always have. Something that’s not quite tangible… more like a feeling.

What is your final quote to the world?
ALL THRILLER.  NO FILLER.

Check out this super well done recap video of Jessy Nite painting the Downtown Hollywood Mural Project…

“The City Of Hollywood Florida kicked off a project to restore and beautify their downtown area in the form of the Downtown Hollywood Mural Project. Each month the City commissioned a different artist to contribute, and in November of 2012, Miami Artist Jessy Nite began her “Hollyhood Kaleidoscope” piece. Here’s a looks at the process from sunny South Florida.”

Downtown Hollywood Mural Project from JessyNite on Vimeo.

Learn more about Jessy Nite HERE!

With that said, my nose always has a conniption when I smell bleach or harsh bathroom cleaners. We like to think things are very clean when they smell of these things, but remember that they’re actually incredibly harsh chemicals and (on some level) are poison to you and your pets. Below you’ll find a handful of non-toxic ingredients that you very well may have lying around your house. A spray bottle and a blend of a couple of these is all you need to get everything spotless in a gentle, natural way.

Photo: flickr/artizone

White Vinegar: Thanks to its high acidity, distilled white vinegar kills most mold, bacteria, and germs. I keep it in a spray bottle under my kitchen sink and clean the counters with it on the regular. Also, a half-water, half-vinegar mix is an amazing wash for your hardwood floors. Maybe throw in a little olive oil and lemon juice to make ’em glow? If you can’t hang with your house smelling like pickles for a bit after you clean, stuff a big handful of fresh herbs in the vinegar bottle—the next time you use it you’ll be basking in a cloud of rosemary or fresh basil.

Photo: flickr/cottagerevolution

Tea Tree Oil: Both antiseptic and antiviral, this brawny essential oil is also the ultimate mold killer (here in the damp Northwest, mold’s a serious problem and harder than you’d think to eradicate). For an ass-kicking all-purpose cleaner that battles all sorts of germy, musty, griminess, combine two teaspoons of tea tree oil and two cups of water in a spray bottle and go to town.

Photo: flickr/kimberlykappel

Baking Soda: This crucial ingredient to cookies and cake also cleans, deodorizes, and gently scours stuff. Sprinkle it on your greasy stovetop and wipe it clean with a wet rag. Mix it with castile soap to scrub the tub and tiles. Or just make like your mom and put an open box in the fridge to soak up all the fishy, foody odors.

Photo: flickr/usdagov

Olive Oil: Did you know that grease removes grease? Rub a little olive oil on those greasy areas around your burners, and then wipe everything clean with a fresh rag. Also, olive oil and a teaspoon of course salt scrubs cast-iron pans sparkling clean.

Photo: flickr/sugarhiccuphiccup

Lemons: Don’t ya just love the smell of fresh lemons? I do. This super-acidic citrus is the perfect cleaner for your cutting boards—simply rub a chopped lemon half into every inch of the board before rinsing it off, and consider that shit clean. Lemon rind washes and deodorizes the teeth of your garbage disposal. And a little lemon juice, vinegar, water, and olive oil together makes a lovely wood furniture polish.

You will need:

3 cups of mixed greens
1 avocado
1/2 of a cucumber sliced
1/2 cup strawberries sliced
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup walnuts and/or almonds
Goat cheese
Fresh lemon or juice
Olive oil
Sea salt

Serves 2

Add mixed greens, sliced avocado, cucumber, strawberries, and blueberries to a large bowl. Throw in the nuts of choice, drizzle olive oil, lemon, and a few dashes of sea salt. Toss and mix it up until everything is kind of blended together. Top with crumbled goat cheese and serve.

Enjoy!

Featured image courtesy of flickr/stacyspensley

This town is famous for its original pottery, placed in a mountain valley of Saga where it is surrounded with beautiful yellow and purple wild wisteria and nanohana fully bloomed all around.
佐賀県の山あいに位置する陶芸で有名な街、有田は、黄色と紫の野生の藤と菜の花がとても印象的でした。

It’s said that since the town of Arita, 70% of which is filled with forests and mountain and had plenty water and woods which are necessary to produce potteries, many people gathered here from other cities to produce potteries.
街の70%を森と山で占められている有田は、焼き物作りに必要な水、燃料となる木などが豊富であったということが幸いして、各地から人が集まり焼き物生産が
活発になったと言われています。

You can find many pottery studios and brown chimneys in Arita, and there are various studios that allow you to make and decorate your original pottery.
各所に工房や茶色い煙突を発見することができ、絵付けや陶芸体験ができる工房もたくさんあります。

Every year, a big pottery festival is held there from the end of April to early May.
毎年4月末から5月頭にかけて、大きな陶器市が行われます。

This trip to Arita made me want to learn more about Arita pottery and Japanese pattern design.
有田焼や日本の模様、デザイン、もっともっと知りたくなりました。

The main trick to this cocktail is the Ginger-Lime syrup, which is pretty simple.

Ingredients
• 1 cup peeled and thinly sliced fresh ginger
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 (1-inch) piece lemongrass, smashed and sliced
• Coarse salt

Direction
1. Place ginger, lime juice, sugar, and lemongrass in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Transfer to the jar of a blender or bowl of a food processor; blend until pureed. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and set juice aside for base mixture.

2. Place pulp in a small food processor and grind to a fine powder. Mix with an equal amount of salt and set aside for rimming cocktails

Once you’ve dialed in the simple syrup, it’s like a regular Marg, just plan ahead so the syrup is cooled before put it in the shaker!

Ingredients
• 2 lime wedges
• 3/4 ounces Ginger-Lime Syrup
• 1 1/2 ounces anejo tequila
• 1/2 ounce Cointreau

Directions
1. Place salt in a shallow dish. Moisten the rim of a rocks glass with one of the lime wedges and dip in salt mixture to coat; set aside.

2. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add tequila, ginger-lime base liquid, and Cointreau; shake to combine and strain into prepared glass. Squeeze remaining lime wedge over glass and add to cocktail.

Enjoy!

Like Vile’s previous albums, the new one has grit and stonery goodness. However, Wakin On A Pretty Daze is also way warmer than records past, lazier, slower burning from start to finish. It’s just the stuff for channeling all that leisurely, sun-toasted contentment of the fairer season.

Photo: k8lane/Flickr

1. Bring your own food. One of the best and only ways to make sure you won’t spend a ton of money, and actually know what you are eating, is to bring some of your own. While it’s not ideal to carry perishables, a few things like energy bars and trail mix can save you more often than you think. In instances like this it’s beneficial to plan ahead.

Photo: Bourgeoisbee/Flickr

2. Stay hydrated. Sometimes you may think you’re hungry, and you’re actually just dehydrated. I always bring my own empty water bottle to fill up at water fountains. Staying hydrated is important while traveling, but blowing five dollars on a bottle is no bueno. Also, you are helping minimize waste by not buying plastic. Don’t be fooled into buying costly sodas or energy drinks. Water will do the trick. Bringing your own instant coffee and tea also isn’t a horrible idea if you need an extra something.

Photo: MJorge/Flickr

3. Find fresh fruit. Bananas and apples at the newsstands and cafes are priced well and one of the healthiest options you can get in an airport. They may not always be organic, but they are better than the majority of things you can get. Feel better about yourself and what you are putting into your body by picking up some fresh fruit.

Photo: Scriptingnews/Flickr

4. Get nuts. Don’t let yourself go nuts in the airport by starving yourself, eat ‘em up and get some fulfillment. Most newsstands have bags of various nuts, just make sure they aren’t packed with fake fruit, sugars, and salt. Try and find the most raw and clean option available. This is also another item to pack on your own whenever possible. Nuts are both filling and nutritious.

Photo: roboppy/Flickr

5. Find the “healthy” whenever possible. Even airports have begun to get health-conscious about food options. Find and ask about items that show the calorie and nutrition facts on them. For breakfast, opt for oatmeal with cinnamon and fruit, and for lunch find reasonable salads and wraps. Usually healthy and filling options can be found, they just take a little effort.

Lead courtesy of David McKelvey/Flickr