Attention! New Blog URL!

I'm consolidating my interwebs nickname to superphoebe. I've migrated my blog to : http://superphoebe.blogspot.com/

you'll have to change you subscriptions to get new posts if you follow me, as this will be the last post at this address. I won't be deleting this one anytime soon either.

Bacon Apple Pie: the Recipe

Serves:

Ingredients:

Preparation:

Depression Cooking comes to DVD!

I just adore watching Clara Cannucciari cook and talk about her life and simple recipes in webisodes called Great Depression Cooking with Clara. I'll be pressuring my local library to order a copy, you should too! Not only is she completely inspiring, but the production value of the show's episodes is really fantastic.I believe the creator is her grandson?

Acclaimed documentary FOOD FIGHT opens February 28th at the Hollywood Theatre

"When we walk into a supermarket, we assume that we have the widest possible choice of healthy foods. But in fact, over the course of the 20th century, our food system was co-opted by corporate entities whose interests do not lie in providing the public with fresh, healthy, delicious food.

Fortunately for America, an alternative emerged from the counter-culture of California in the late 1960s and early 1970s, where a group of political anti-corporate protesters--led by Alice Waters--voiced their dissent by creating a food chain outside of the conventional system. The unintended result was the birth of a vital local-sustainable-organic food movement which has brought back taste and variety to our tables. Food Fight is a fascinating look at how American agricultural policy and food culture developed in the 20th century, and how the Californian food movement has created a counterrevolution against big agribusiness. "

For more info visit (warning, lots of obnoxious flash intros) www.foodfightthedoc.com

The Hollywood Theatre is located at 4122 NE Sandy Blvd. in Portland. General admission is $6.50, $4.50 for seniors 65+ and children 4-12. Monday night all shows are just $4.

Coraline!

Man, Focus Features really outdid themselves with http://www.coraline.com/

You can "button your eyes," view trailers, and it looks wonderful! I'm starting to think this is totally going to be a really big movie. I really can't wait to see it, but I will make sure (wait if I have to) I see it in 3D. I saw about 1/3 of the film in 3D while making those dang ol' Scotty dogs, and it was stunning.

Opens Feb 6th! (Also opening PIFF)

20 days later

I had my check-in tonight with Lea. OK, just about 3 weeks in, after working out six days a week: I'm pleased to report that I have lost 5 lbs and 1 full BMI unit. The calipers also indicated a good .75% drop in bodyfat. And yes, I know all these measurement systems are pretty bullshitty, so...

My pants are fitting very differently- the baggy ones are now too big. Basically, my weight loss is not too significant in the very typical way that I am experiencing fat-muscle conversion. My thighs and heart feel the most affected. (And frankly, that is what matters most!)It's pretty remarkable how quickly you can feel reassuring results, even though it takes a while to see really healthful results. I also found that turning the corner from hate & pain to feeling good happened very quickly. I was hating it like poison last Monday, and craving it Tuesday. My legs are now hungry for action, and it's great! Now, we're off to Cozumel for 5 days or so!

Gym Follow-Up: My First (official) Trainer Session

Image via Wikipedia I had my first official trainer session since becoming a member at the gym last night. Lea started me off by getting all of my deets and I made sure to have the old "seriously, I don't care about numbers and other misc. bullshit- I just wanna be healthy" talk with her. It's so disturbing to me that I've had to defend that common-sense position many times over the years, but she was totally down with it, even if she thought I was at least a little full of shit. She was extremely patient and gracious throughout our session- even when I forgot to turn off my foul-mouth switch and proclaimed that "my gunt hurts!"

I have to say, this arrangement makes me feel completely set-up for success. Having appointments to make forces me to be accountable, and my only current homework is to drag my butt in there at least once a week on my own to do 45 mins of cardio work. I find this and the general way Lea works to have such a basic logic and simplicity to it that I can't resist complying. The way she managed the counts on my workout moves made it sound absurd to not just do 5 or 10 more of whatever, or hold for 15 more seconds. This week, that has been the best motivator, with a lil bit of not wanting to be the biggest wuss in the place coming in second.

ps- my abs totally hurt today, and this is really good!

Portland Gym Search is Over

Image by superphoebe via FlickrSo, I used to have a bunch of health problems. Basically, I think that high stress, a bad diet, and a lifetime of sleep problems manifested as all kinds of mess from pancreatic issues to fibromyalgia to even being misdiagnosed with MS!

My only real problems that remain are annoying allergies to just about anything indoors and outdoors as well as food allergies to poultry and eggs. These things are controlled well by allergy pills and avoiding poultry and egg, so everything is pretty hunky dory.

I got on the road to wellness by getting care at Nature Cures clinic in Portland. They are seriously the only ones that ever helped me make lasting changes in my health and comfort. My treatment worked so well that I went from testing horribly to having textbook perfect results on my bloodwork at the UW medical center. It was there that the Doctor said, "Well, you're really very healthy. Just fat- that's really the only thing you have left." (OK, he probavbly didn't use the word "fat," but whatever...) And, sadly, or happily, this is true.

So, with a new-found spring in my step, I embark on my next health journey: fitness! It's true that I've put on a buncha weight since moving back to Portland, but that is really just the physical evidence of poor cardiovascular health and overall fitness resulting from too much computer sitting, a poor diet, and not enough running around and getting awesome on a physical level. Work & graduate school are my ass' enemy.

I have spent the last month investigating gyms in the Portland area to see where I will be getting awesome on a physical level. After much deliberating and comparison, I have chosen the big, somewhat douchey 24 hr Fitness in the Pearl. Why? Well, it came down to locations/convenience, a saltwater pool, price, and the personal trainer I met- Lea.

I plan to continue with at least one more blog post, maybe upload my little spreadsheet to compare and contrast Portland gyms for anyone interested, but I would also love to hear from y'all about your gyms and your workout preferences in the comments.

Do you use a gym?

Which one?

What is your favorite workout?

Do you use/have you used a personal trainer?

Holiday Handmade Shopping Guide: Winglion

OK, this is true holiday craft at it's most delightful! I was unimaginably thrilled to get my new set of Christmas tree napkins in the mail recently. These things are so much clever fun, and not detail is overlooked by the creators at Winglion.

These napkin sets, table runners and quilts are made by two sisters right here in Oregon!

Holiday Handmade Shopping Guide: Pearly Grey

It's highly possible that you, like me, know a ton of folks who are in the baby-making craze right now- just trying to get their families going before their clocks explode. This is my, at least, third round of baby-making in my groups of friends over the years. And, I have never been able to get anything more adorable, smart and truly useful than the great baby clothes, soft toys, blankets and other accouterments made by Jen of Pearly Grey!

I make a regular habit of getting the hospital takeout kit for baby showers, and I always win! She is highly skilled at making the cutest things that never fall apart, and you can find her, along with me and 180 other vendors at this Sunday's Crafty Wonderland Holiday Show!

Crafty Wonderland this Sunday! Get your shop on, and get free stuff!

I am so excited to be vendor at this year's Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Holiday Sale, sharing a table with Ladymade and sitting next to PDX Softgoods! My brother Phil and I went as shoppers last year and nearly passed out from the energy and super-sweet deals flying around. I hope I get to shop it as well as sell my goods! For those of you not selling, you should know that the 1st 200 folks will get goodie bags filled with excellent, real-life items from many of the 180 vendors there! This will be a really great time, rain, shine, or flakes!

as Sister Diane of DIY alert sez:
Winter Wonderland Indeed!
You know Portland's craft culture has arrived when our beloved Crafty Wonderland holds its Super Colossal Holiday Sale at the Oregon Convention Center. Yup, it's that big.

If you attended last year's sale, you know that this Sunday will offer a mind-blowing array of creative locals, selling all kinds of awesome. The first 200 people through the door get goodie bags! And the OCC will give us all plenty of room to shop and chat. Get all the details over here.

1st Craft Show of the Holiday Season

I'm very excited to be selling my goods at Handmade NW's super fancy, elegant & lovely craft show & sale this Sunday! Stop by to say "Hi."

Why formal? It's in a historic 1920's ballroom, with live classical music. A wide range of local artisans will be there, and once you've selected your gifts, you can stop by the gift-wrapping table and get them all packaged up. Proceeds from the gift wrapping, by the way, will benefit Habitat for Humanity.