Eureka!

One cup Silk "Very Vanilla Soymilk" + one Safeway instant mocha pack + ice + a few minutes in a blender = a better frappucino thing thatn Starbucks makes. And I get to stay vegan.

Thank goodness for this discovery...my espresso machine died this morning (after six+ years) and I was feeling pretty glum...

Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea, Series 2

My favorite tea company, Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea, has just released their second series of limited edition teas! This series is a radical departure from their first, and I think that people will love it (as much -- maybe even more -- than the first series)!I drank some of the Jackee Muntz this weekend (the inner inner circle sometimes has its privileges) and it was delicious -- sort of honeyed but brisk at the same time.

Visit their website, read the clever stories, see the freaks, stay for the tea. You'll be glad you did.

Raw Food Week

Yes, you read that right. It is Raw Food Week here at pricklygirl headquarters. I know, it seems crazy. But hear me out...

I've been vegan for a little over a year, a vegetarian for about two years before that. Lately, I've found myself rationalizing. A lot. Nutter Butters? Vegan. Oreos, too. The occasional scoop of ice cream? Close enough. I don't want to waste Paul's leftover Cocoa Crisps, so if I just skim the milk off... Obviously my standards have been bent. And even when I've been strict, my eating habits have not been all that hot. Breakfast and lunch? Several giant soy cappucinos. Several meaning a minimum of three, sometimes five. And by giant, I mean giant. This is frequently the only thing I consume before 3:00pm. Not a nutrition powerhouse, but hey, soy milk is good for you, right?

This winter I found some really cool books about raw food, chief among them, Ani Phyo's "Ani's Raw Food Kitchen". These books got me thinking -- it wasn't so hard to go vegan (easier than the switch to vegetarian had been) -- so why not go one step further? When I first mentioned the idea of going raw, Charles response, in a word, was "NO". Then he hit the accelerator. End of discussion. Thank goodness for libraries. I found "Ani's Raw Kitchen" at my library and brought it home. Left it out on the table. Charles noticed. "You didn't tell me about the hot Asian chick." Suddenly, he's a little more open to raw food. (Sidenote: She has a website, too.)

I'm on Day 3 of Raw Food Week (full disclosure: I am still having 1-2 espressos each day. I am not a masochist and everyone will be happier if I stay stable.) I'm the only one in the house doing it full-time: Charles has bread, soy mayo, a little cheese. The kids are eating pretty much what they always eat, but I am aware that I'm giving everyone more vegetables than normal. We're eating good stuff: gazpacho (lots of garlic), Asian cabbage slaw with apples, ginger, and almonds (and lots of garlic), nuts, chopped salads, dried fruits, lots and lots of vegetables (and garlic). I feel surprisingly good -- occasionally a little lightheaded, but a few apricots or nuts usually do the trick. The one thing I've been jonesing for is chocolate. Well, thanks to the cookbook, I'm able to fix that problem, too....

Mexican Chocolate Mylkshake

(This is based on Ani Phyo's recipe for Chocolate Mylk. I am not good at following recipes and think -- especially with raw food -- that experimentation way more fun than following rules.)

1/2 c. almonds
1/3 c. pitted dates

4 tbs. bittersweet cocoa powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. chipotle chili cocoa powder

2 c. water

ice cubes

Put everything but the ice in the blender and blend at high speed until very smooth (you don't want mealy almond crumbs -- yuck.) Add the ice and whip until thick and smooth. If you're not a spicy person, forgo the chili powder, but it's a nice kick.

Yum yum yum. So good that I couldn't wait to take the photo before scarfing it down. I have no self-control.

I am breaking up with you.

Dear Starbucks,

We've been together for a long, long (long, long) time. I've loved you through thick (Chantico) and thin (you got rid of Chantico...and valencia orange syrup!) I've defended your honor against serious, well-reasoned attacks. But I can't do it any more. You've changed, Starbucks. You. Have. Changed.

What were you thinking with the new soy milk? What is that?!

And, despite inquiries at three -- three -- different stores this morning, your partners insist that the new signature hot chocolate cannot be made with soy milk even though I've read that partners have been trained to make it with soy milk. I tried a tall signature hot chocolate with regular milk and tossed most of it. It's not a creation you should be proud of. Really. All style, no substance. I expected better from you.

You used to be so right. Now you're just, well, wrong. And so our love is at an end. I will no longer pay $5 for a dry soy venti cappucino. I will no longer giddily celebrate the return of summer with a venti iced americano with an extra shot. I just can't. I thought we were happy together, but I can't take this anymore. You take and take and take and never give back. You've made me so sad, Starbucks.

I'll miss you, but I'll get by. Somehow.

Sincerely,

Me.

So...How Goes Spring Break?

Big plans. Biiiig plans.

Well, other than everyone getting sick, not too bad. Lots of dress-up and tattoos. And drawing. And reading. And chaining up small children (that's the boy, not me). It's still too cold to play outside much, and we *could* go do stuff, but that would require making an effort. We've all been down with the nasties, so we're doing a low-key break. Hoping to pull it out with a trip to the beach at week's end though...

Paul and Maggie are scared because they've learned a terrible secret about their mommy...I like ELO (Electric Light Orchestra). Enough that I purchased songs on iTunes. I'm mildly ashamed of this...sort of like admitting that even though you have the world's greatest espresso machine ($10,000, if you're looking for a gift), you secretly frequent Starbucks. Or worse, Dunkin' Dounts. Then again, Paul isn't too scared -- he's been dancing around like a little maniac. We've come into some songs off of "Thriller" (you know you love it too, come on) and Paul is a dancing miracle. If, by dancing miracle, you mean "small boy who has no rhythm and cannot move his hips independent of his entire torso". He's all over that. Last night, he tried break dancing. Wow. Wow. Wow. Personally, I blame Wilco for ignoring my meal invitation. I've had to resort to guilty pleasure music of the '70s and '80s. Stop me now or I'm going to start listening to Peter Frampton and Rod Stewart! Or worse! (Again!)

Finally, did you know that princesses have tattoos? Well they do! They also drool in chocolate. And they don't like to wear clothes unless they are "beeeuoooteeef princess dresses". I don't make the rules, but I do abide by them.

Sofia Minis

Have you seen/tried this? So...pink! So...cute! I purchased a four-pack last year for CHVProm, and was very popular...up until I ran out of cans. Then I was just regular old me.

A description from a distributor:

"For a multitude of moods, enjoy a single serving of Sofia Mini Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine. A distinctive blend as unconventional as the woman who inspired it, Mini is for the impromptu, impetuous, live-passionately-for-the-moment kind of person. The kind who lives like there is no tomorrow! "

Boy oh boy! I want to live like there is no tomorrow. Only I'd like to do it today. Like right now (four hours into Spring Break.) If only there was a local purveyor of spirits that carried this wondrous elixir...