Happy Spring!

Two weeks ago I was in Seattle for a little get-away. Originally, I was going to do the sit-on-a-beach thing but Seattle kept calling me and I just missed it and decided to go. I’ve also been contemplating giving into to my foodie tendencies—no not gaining a million pounds although Pike’s Place Market is good for that! I’m working on marketing my dehydrator treats, some sort of green-foods cracker to start, maybe mole macaroons or something that’s just not out there right now. A “green” macaroon would be cool I’m thinking about becoming a raw food chef. Although, I’m not vegan I do love working in the arena sorta-speak. I really want to perfect my product first then design some great packaging and sell it. Ideally it would be highly green, not too fatty and so delicious that even junk food eaters would like it. I will definitely have to get my friends to taste stuff. I also like the idea of marketing to those with food allergies since that is how I started on this journey anyway. I get the crunchy foods from raw dehydrated treats that wheat crackers used to provide and I get the diary-like creaminess from things like soaked nuts and avocados.

When I was in Seattle I spent most of my time at Pike’s Place Market. I may take my product to the farmer’s markets. I love farmer’s markets so much I might as well work at them. I could see—and now this is being dreamy but opening up a restaurant that caters to the five senses—maybe a cafe with elixirs, smoothies, juices, organics teas and coffees plus a few small pate raw entrees and some deserts. It could also serve as open mic, a gallery where I show my work and the work of others, I would also like to have yoga classes there—my friend Jen’s Body Holiday classes, a place to showcase positive speakers, anything that is body positive. Seattle would be more open to a raw omni style cafe, maybe even a ceviche of sushi, raw dairy plates. It could have a bookstore, sell raw food products. I could faux finish and design it, etc. etc. Get Clark Willington to put in an Art-O-Mat machine, don’t get me started.

Okay, getting back to my trip. I went to a great co-op market called Madison Market and they had a few raw entrees and some great K-tea made by a local brewer I think it was called Pirate brewery. Seattle is very supportive of local business and do-it-yourselfers. They also have a great love of purity and a good product which is why I need to work hard to make whatever I sell phenomenal. I had a great duck dish of all things at the hotel restaurant called Red Fish. I was in the mood to try something new and it was great so was their sashimi. I had a ceviche at the Athenian Room which was so-so. That place is better for the view than anything. I also went to Seattle’s only raw restaurant called Chaco Canyon Cafe. I had a spinach lasagna and carrot cake. Both were good not great, but lighter than a lot of raw food in Chicago. Not as heavy on the nuts. I had numerous lattes. I don’t normally drink coffee but when in Rome! I avoided Starbuck’s in favor of Tully’s. We don't have Tully's in the Midwest. I give there Yerba Matte latte a big thumbs up!

When I wasn’t stuffing my face I managed to see some great art. Pioneer Square has some great galleries. The Pacific Northwest really has some creative people they are really clever with their materials—printmaking with collage, modernizing Intuit art or even making wallets out of ducktape. I’m looking forward to re-doing some of my collages and making them a big more glossy. I think Seattle re-inspired my art as well.


Also, I’m working on my mini Cool Globe. I didn’t get chosen for the big globe for the Field Museum but a mini globe that may be shown at Richard Gray Gallery. The globes might also be apart of a traveling exhibition. Actually, this might be a better deal since I don’t have to figure out how I’m going to fit a six foot heavy fiberglass globe into my studio.