What do I call myself, how do I label myself - vegetarian, flexatarian, pseudo vegetarian? What does this matter? Why do I need a label?
I stopped eating meat, foul and fish over 10 years ago - basically I became a vegetarian. I was always a picky eater. As a teenager meal time was always a bit difficult depending on the latest fad food idea I was going through. I never particularly liked meat. I ate it because it was served to me and I had to. When I went to college I had the ability to decide for myself what I wanted to eat. For years I danced with the idea of being a vegetarian. Much of the dance back towards the meat was due to difficulties in finding good vegetarian food in western New York and convenience.
When I finally stopped the dance it was mainly under the guise that it was healthier not to eat meat. As with many vegetarians once you become vegetarian you start to read & learn more. Your reasons become more ethical than health based. My reasons to date are both ethical and health based. I am an animal lover and truly believe it is healthier not to eat animal products. (I believe eliminating dairy is one of the healthiest things to do - however I LOVE CHEESE and need some vices.)
About 8 years ago I was going out to lunch with clients in Manhattan. In many instances my dietary choices would become a topic of conversation at lunch, much to my disappointment and avoidance techniques. Many NYC restaurants are extremely open and accommodating to vegetarians. Unfortunately, I have found that French style restaurants are typically the least accommodating and many of my clients at that time would choose French restaurants for meals. The menu rarely had a vegetarian entree on the menu. I would need to ask the server if they would make a vegetarian dish. The resulting meal was usually an extremely boring vegetable plate. The frustrating part of this experience was that my food preferences were brought to the attention of my clients and then it was inevitable that a conversation would start - can we say NOT FUN. After a number of these undesirable experiences I caved and decide I would order fish dishes. I could justify the fish in my mind because it wasn't on a farm, in a small cage, being tortured. I would have a couple bites of the fish, eat the sides and no one knew the better. But I did, and my body did (and my body rebelled). I did this for a year or two and decided to stop the fish again.
A couple years ago I decided to occasionally (maybe once a month) eat fish. I am not sure what made me decide to do this. I have struggled with this and struggle with this decision each time I choose to eat fish. I can eat it as long as it doesn't look like fish or look like flesh. I struggle with the fact that I am eating another living creature. It was killed to be eaten by me or some other person. Sometimes I can simply get past this because the King Tuna Roll TASTES SO GOOD! My body still does not like it when I choose to have fish - it rebels the next day.
I struggle with what do I now label myself. I am a vegetarian that occasionally eats fish. So does that make me a hypocrite, how can I say I am a vegetarian when I eat fish. How do I explain to people when they invite us over for dinner that I only occasionally eat fish when "it feels right." it could feel right at 4pm when I buy the tuna but by 7pm when I go to cook it I cant. Does it matter? Why do we need the labels? Why do we have to complicate life and put people into categories. We limit our experiences with people by creating images of who they are and limit our own experiences by trying to fit into this mold that we say we are. If we can just stop and pause, just be who we are without this idea of who we were, who we are suppose to be life could be so much sweeter.
Friday, June 5, 2009
1st Day in a New Adventure
I completed my Anusara Immersion in April and gained so much from the experience. A new deeper understanding & technique in the physical asana aspect. Deep bonds I made with the people who shared the experience with me. The emotionally and spiritual roller coaster challenging who I am, who I thought I was and who I see myself becoming. A year long experience I wouldn't trade for anything.
Today is my 1st day of the Anusara Teacher Training program. I am excited and nervous at the same time. I love to learn and be challenged. I have been out of college 14 years. Even though I know I have continued to study and learn new things during this time there is nothing that compares to the experience of learning with a group of people. The different experiences, beliefs and ideas each person brings to the learning arena creates a dynamic environment which helps me to challenge & question myself.
This is where the nervous comes in. To challenge myself to question what I think, what I thought was going to happen, what I have been told in the past, who I really am and who I want to be. It is very easy to go through our daily routine without asking these questions. We (I) get caught up in the daily things that need to be done - laundry, groceries, dishes, work, etc... without taking (making) the time to look at the other deeper more important parts of life. In this training program I will have to look at these questions and many more on a daily basis - which is both exciting and scary. I have no doubt that in the end I will be happy with who I have become during the discovery process.
It is all about the journey...
Today is my 1st day of the Anusara Teacher Training program. I am excited and nervous at the same time. I love to learn and be challenged. I have been out of college 14 years. Even though I know I have continued to study and learn new things during this time there is nothing that compares to the experience of learning with a group of people. The different experiences, beliefs and ideas each person brings to the learning arena creates a dynamic environment which helps me to challenge & question myself.
This is where the nervous comes in. To challenge myself to question what I think, what I thought was going to happen, what I have been told in the past, who I really am and who I want to be. It is very easy to go through our daily routine without asking these questions. We (I) get caught up in the daily things that need to be done - laundry, groceries, dishes, work, etc... without taking (making) the time to look at the other deeper more important parts of life. In this training program I will have to look at these questions and many more on a daily basis - which is both exciting and scary. I have no doubt that in the end I will be happy with who I have become during the discovery process.
It is all about the journey...
Next Door at Blu
We had dinner last night at Next Door in Montclair for the 1st time. Next Door is the sister restaurant to Blu which we have enjoyed on many occasions. They share the same kitchen.
Next Door has a more casual atmosphere and service style than Blu. The food style is more homestyle (mashed potatos, meatloaf, burgers) while at the same time has a great mix with specialty and exotic dishes. Their prices are about 20%-25% less than Blue which can make a week night meal out more reasonable. They are also offering a great 3 course pric-fix for $20.
Scott started with an octopus, white bean and roasted red pepper salad that was out of this world. The octopus was carmalized perfectly and cooked just right. The slight hint of rosemary with the beans was just perfect and not overpowering as rosemary can sometimes be. The broth that was left was perfect for dipping some good peasant bread in (and their bread is good, worth dipping and eating.) I had a an arugula salad with goat cheese, roasted beets and walnuts. I thought the menu had said pecans but I must have misread. I am not a big walnut fan, they make my mouth itch. Even with the walnuts the salad was excellent. Just the right amount of dressing - nothing was swimming - and the goat cheese was fresh, creamy and delcious.
For our entrees Scott had penne with duck, white beans and hot peppers. Wow, were those peppers hot. I had linguine with wild mushrooms, garlic and oil which was faboulous. The portions were enormous, as so many restaurants are. By the time we were both finished we each had 1/2 a bowl of pasta left in the bowl. We had eaten all of the "stuff" with some pasta and then left the balance of pasta.
I know many people like the large portions. I personally prefer "right size" portions. I don't need (or want) a heaping bowl of pasta. I would prefer to have a small amount of pasta and heaping amounts of vegetables, beans, etc... I like to be able to eat 2 -3 courses and not feel like I need to be rolled out of a place. I know, I know, I can always stop eating so I can have the next course. The problem is I have very little willpower. If I have a dish in front of me that is delicious I will continue to eat and eat and eat. It takes all my effort to stop - even though I know I should, and know I will regret it if I dont. I have started resorting to other means to prevent myself from eating to much. I will put my fork in Scott's meat dish that way I no longer have utensils to eat with. Other times I have been known to dump tons of salt on top so it no longer is tasty. I would much prefer if restaurants served more "correct" size portions - do we really need 1/2 lb of pasta in one course.
We had a wonderful bottle of Rosenblum Aparicio Zinfandel with the meal. We love zins, and Rosenblum is one of our favorite vinters. This was the 1st time we had this particular Rosenblum zin. It was a nice combination of pepper, blackberry with a bit of chocolate.
All in all a wonderful Thursday evening in Monclair.
What a wonderful meal we had.
Next Door has a more casual atmosphere and service style than Blu. The food style is more homestyle (mashed potatos, meatloaf, burgers) while at the same time has a great mix with specialty and exotic dishes. Their prices are about 20%-25% less than Blue which can make a week night meal out more reasonable. They are also offering a great 3 course pric-fix for $20.
Scott started with an octopus, white bean and roasted red pepper salad that was out of this world. The octopus was carmalized perfectly and cooked just right. The slight hint of rosemary with the beans was just perfect and not overpowering as rosemary can sometimes be. The broth that was left was perfect for dipping some good peasant bread in (and their bread is good, worth dipping and eating.) I had a an arugula salad with goat cheese, roasted beets and walnuts. I thought the menu had said pecans but I must have misread. I am not a big walnut fan, they make my mouth itch. Even with the walnuts the salad was excellent. Just the right amount of dressing - nothing was swimming - and the goat cheese was fresh, creamy and delcious.
For our entrees Scott had penne with duck, white beans and hot peppers. Wow, were those peppers hot. I had linguine with wild mushrooms, garlic and oil which was faboulous. The portions were enormous, as so many restaurants are. By the time we were both finished we each had 1/2 a bowl of pasta left in the bowl. We had eaten all of the "stuff" with some pasta and then left the balance of pasta.
I know many people like the large portions. I personally prefer "right size" portions. I don't need (or want) a heaping bowl of pasta. I would prefer to have a small amount of pasta and heaping amounts of vegetables, beans, etc... I like to be able to eat 2 -3 courses and not feel like I need to be rolled out of a place. I know, I know, I can always stop eating so I can have the next course. The problem is I have very little willpower. If I have a dish in front of me that is delicious I will continue to eat and eat and eat. It takes all my effort to stop - even though I know I should, and know I will regret it if I dont. I have started resorting to other means to prevent myself from eating to much. I will put my fork in Scott's meat dish that way I no longer have utensils to eat with. Other times I have been known to dump tons of salt on top so it no longer is tasty. I would much prefer if restaurants served more "correct" size portions - do we really need 1/2 lb of pasta in one course.
We had a wonderful bottle of Rosenblum Aparicio Zinfandel with the meal. We love zins, and Rosenblum is one of our favorite vinters. This was the 1st time we had this particular Rosenblum zin. It was a nice combination of pepper, blackberry with a bit of chocolate.
All in all a wonderful Thursday evening in Monclair.
What a wonderful meal we had.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Life is short
Life is short.
This is a saying that we here all the time and wave away without another thought. It takes particular situations that occur to remind us - life is really short and precious. You never know what the next hour or day may bring so you need to make each moment count. Celebrate every aspect of your life from the mundane to the extraordinary. Put your energies into things that count and not waste them on the inconsequential things you can not change.
I was at a funeral for my husband's grandmother over the weekend. She lived a long, good and at times very hard life of 86 years. The last 4 years had been very difficult as she suffered with dimension and was not always present. As I sat through the service and the events of the day that followed I was reminded how short life is and that this was truly a time to celebrate her life.
Through out the day I listened to gripes from one family member to another - this person didn't contribute money for the lunch, how could that person show up dressed like that, this person never calls me back. This went on for hours and hours. It was exhausting and emotionally draining. No one knows when their time or a loved one's time is going to come. To focus energies in a negative way serves no purpose in my world. This day wasn't about the individuals, it was about celebrating her.
Life is short! Make every moment count! Celebrate life fully!
This is a saying that we here all the time and wave away without another thought. It takes particular situations that occur to remind us - life is really short and precious. You never know what the next hour or day may bring so you need to make each moment count. Celebrate every aspect of your life from the mundane to the extraordinary. Put your energies into things that count and not waste them on the inconsequential things you can not change.
I was at a funeral for my husband's grandmother over the weekend. She lived a long, good and at times very hard life of 86 years. The last 4 years had been very difficult as she suffered with dimension and was not always present. As I sat through the service and the events of the day that followed I was reminded how short life is and that this was truly a time to celebrate her life.
Through out the day I listened to gripes from one family member to another - this person didn't contribute money for the lunch, how could that person show up dressed like that, this person never calls me back. This went on for hours and hours. It was exhausting and emotionally draining. No one knows when their time or a loved one's time is going to come. To focus energies in a negative way serves no purpose in my world. This day wasn't about the individuals, it was about celebrating her.
Life is short! Make every moment count! Celebrate life fully!
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