Portfolio: Old Key West

Here is the latest batch of photos that I took on my trip to Key West in December. It is a truly unique place, with no shortage of subjects to take snapshots of! I had a ton of fun in old town along Duval Street and loved walking along the less traveled streets. The houses are so pleasing to look at, the colors everywhere were vibrant and there was a energy that surrounded me that I liked. Enjoy this portfolio!

"Tangerine Dream"

"White Window"

"Which Way?"

"Antique Store"

"Living Wall 2"

"Keep Key West Weird"

"Paradise Clouds"

"Blue Shutters"

"White Woodwork"

"Dream Ring"

"Key Lime Pie Co."

"Shipwreck Museum"

"Lime Green House"

"Lush Welcome"

"Front Porch Wicker"

"Key West Cottage"

"Colorful Cottage Entrance"

"Abandoned Cottage"

"Church Glass"

"Keep Out"

Engagement Pictures

Well, we had a fantastic vacation going to Disney World and the Florida Keys- we saw everything in Disney, and went snorkeling and diving in the Keys. It was so magical, we had so much fun! Now its almost Christmas. My brother will be driving here, and then M leaves on Saturday. I am so not ready for that, I was just getting used to having him here! :( We had some engagement pictures taken, take a look. New Years should be fun, the bro and I are driving to Texas for a football game.

Thanksgiving

Well, I definitely have mixed emotions this holiday season. I was lucky to have M around for Thanksgiving and Christmas last year. This year will be strange. I went to a vegan Thanksgiving potluck, it was so weird to be able to eat everything and not worry about butter, and eggs and things. Plus, I was surrounded by 200 other people who were vegans, or were open minded to eating vegan, and everything was so delicious, I think even a meat eater would have loved it. However, I didn't eat raw on Thanksgiving, I felt guilty about it, I tried to push those thoughts aside, but it was difficult. I felt like I was cheating on raw. I don't even want to feel confined by my diet, but today on my run I could definitely tell it was more difficult for me.

I guess I am just lonely. My mom left for NY yesterday, so I was alone, and will be for the next week. I am tired and weary of going through life by myself. I wish M were here. He should be here to visit soon, but I don't want to get my hopes up too high, in case anything wrong happens.

Today, the day after Thanksgiving, all the Christmas decorations in my neighborhood went up. I think these people just love to decorate for Christmas, when I am still riding my bike with shorts on. Though, it has gotten pretty chilly, I even had to put the heater on in my room, because the house was around 70, and 60 outside. Brr!! I don't think it will last though.

I think I have decided that I never want to do anything just because other people are. Christmas, for example. I don't want to celebrate it just because its the thing to do, I don't have the religious beliefs, and I certainly don't believe in spending lots of money and buying lots of material items just because the holiday condones overindulgence. If I do it, I want to do it my way, for what I believe in. Right now I am a little turned off by it all. The holidays don't mean much when you are all alone. I just wish M were here. I just can't help but think about all the millions of people who feel horrible today because they overate yesterday, how is this okay? Just because the entire world did that, drives me to not be one of them.

Cuteness personified.

Green Christmas wrapping ideas: Old maps (who uses them anymore, with GPS's now) and scraps of fabric for ribbons! Anything to not buy more paper and plastic products.

Raw banana cream pie I made for the vegan Thanksgiving potluck.

Life is a Beach

Latest Creations

I've been busy, with yard sales, and shopping, and putting together my photography and school, its fun and relaxing here.
I've learned to make whatever I feel like at the moment. For example, I made refried beans out of sunflower seeds, creating these beauties:

This was an avocado burger.

Yummy! Donut holes.

And raw pizza, you better believe it. Topped with fresh pineapple and olives. I have been raw for 19 days now!

Hydro Farm

I just found a local farm through localharvest.org. This is a hyrdo farm, which doesn't use any soil to grow the plants, which means NO need for pesticides or chemicals because everything is grown straight from water! It's only 4 miles away from my house too, and they have all sorts of fruits and vegetable that can be picked by customers. I haven't actually been there yet, but I am super excited to go next week. I am relieved at the prospect that I might never have to buy my produce at a supermarket. That would be so awesome. I advise everyone to check out localharvets.org and find a local produce farm/market near you!!

I bought a Juiceman juicer, and I used it the other day. Man, that thing makes a mess!! Everything in the kitchen manages to get juice on it. I am not too keen on the vegetable juice, so I have to start out with fruits only, and work my way up. I also tried a juice fast, which failed miserably. I haven't lost any weight and I am 18 days in. It's disappointing that I don't budge from that one number, but I was already eating well before I went raw, so the change wasn't that drastic. Regardless a few setbacks, I am not giving up! I love the feeling of being able to make all these things from raw natural ingredients.

I made the BEST brownies from a recipe I found on the web. I made them in about 5 minutues using the food processor, and they were soooo delicious! I had to stop myself from eating more than one. They consist of:::
1 C. walnuts (dry)
1 C. dates
1/4 C. cacao powder
and then I added a bit of cinnamon, vanilla, cacao nibs and raw honey.
I was able to shape them into squares, so I was eating them like a brownie, and I froze the rest.
Amazing! Check out the picture.
So, all and all, successful. I guess I just love the way I feel! I had a setback the other day (in the form of Taco Bell, eeeekkkk!) and it was probably the best thing that happened, because right afterward, I felt like there was a rock in my stomach, and I felt so sluggish. I would have done anything to take it back at that time because I wanted to feel like I do eating raw! So the next morning I worked out really hard before I ate anything, and I did feel better by the end of the day. My skin is clearing up, and I am beginning to feel weightless when I run, I can tell my bones are getting stronger, and I really feel awesome. So all that has just motivated me even more!
Yay for being raw, its so empowering!

Raw Brownies! Yum.

Coconut Breakfast Cakes made with golden flax meal, topped with berry compote and butter! So filling!

House Pictures

I can't say how beautiful enough it is here! Check out this sky sunset picture from the other day:



The big thing here on the weekends is yard/garage sales, anything to get a bargain! People flock from all around to find deals, and I have nothing better to do, so I go out too. It's fun to start the morning with $20 and see what you can come home with! I've gotten lots of frames for my photos, and this sweet chair, for $8!!!

My room with all my photography. Dresser was $40 on Craigslist. Side table was $2.

Bed was $25 from an ad in the local community center. Bookcase was $15 from Craigslist.

I didn't find Anakin at a yard sale, though he did pop out of my desk drawer ($30 Goodwill)!

I've Been Busy....

I've been so busy making raw meals lately, I have a backlog of photos that I wanted to post. I am well into week 2, and the more creations that I make, the more I am enjoying it. Some things I liked more than others. I've made only one thing that I really did NOT like. Check out the latest...


Corn chowder

Classic Minestrone-yum! M would like this soup. Sun dried tomatoes make it.

Lemon Coconut bars, probably the best raw dessert I've made yet!

Dehydrator fun! I don't know how I lived so long without it!

Dehydrating sunflower bread

Making pomegranate juice

Peel the seeds away from the membrane

Put seeds in blender

Blend to a puree

Strain out the seeds, and you have juice!

Yummy burgers with ketchup!

These were very tasty.

Save the Tuna pate

Coconut breakfast Cakes with Cheezy Eggs (use your imagination!)

Cheezecake, the most cheesecake like I've ever had!

Spaghetti with Alfredo Sauce

Tonight I made spaghetti with alfredo sauce. The spaghetti was actually zuccini squash that I julienned with my mandoline slicer, until I get my spirolizer in the mail. I had to peel apart each noodle, it was a bit tedious, and I made waay too much. I really must learn to cut all these recipes in half, because if I made the whole batch it would last me four days. I just get so full eating raw, its amazing. The sauce was mainly cashews, blended with celery, onion and herbs. With salt and pepper, it tasted pretty creamy and complimented the noodles well. Though I must say, it is hard to replicate pasta well, because that was practically what I lived on as a vegan, so this wasn't quite the same. Different, but good and something I can get used to! I don't miss cooked foods in the least, I have no cravings for anything like that, and I am eager to try more recipes, especially cakes and bars. I just need more dates, I did not buy nearly enough when I was at the store last time. Nuts and dates are probably the two most main ingredients that I "cook" with these days.


Making the noodles

Zuccini noodes

Noodles

Finished product, with alfredo sauce

My view from the kitchen while making all these creations!

Deep Forest Carob Cake with Fudge Frosting

This little raw delight satisfied all my cravings! Deep Forest Carob Cake was made with nuts, I substituted hazelnuts for some of the Brazil nuts, and I cut the entire recipe in half, and it still made a huge cake! And this thing is VERY dense, it weighs like a brick! Combined with the frosting, it made for a delectable treat. Sweet, chocolaty, coconuty. Yummy. Dates to sweeten, carob powder for chocolate with shredded unsweeted unsulphured coconut. What I love about this "diet" is that the ingredients come straight from the earth, its not even that they are raw, but its all ingredients that are easily attainable, and don't scare me because I know exactly what I am eating. This is so exciting!

This reminds me of a giant beef burger patty. Not that I would ever eat that!

This beauty is pure delight and will last a week in the fridge, but I doubt it will come to that. :)