test run. SON

yup. there's no way this will last me a week. haha. 

I've always said there is nothing about me that is a Virgo. 

I was under the impression that not one portion of my astological chart had anything virgo in it. 

I yearn to be more virgo. When I meet virgo's I tell them how amazingly calculated & organized they are & how badly I want to be more like them...

I double checked today so that I could write this & not be a liar- but i've been living a lie. 

my House III whatever the hell that is- in Virgo. 

I guess that means: 

House III in Virgo, the house of social & intellectual learning.

She pulls everything to pieces, analyzes, criticizes. Over-thinking and over-analyzing is probable. A busy early environment. She is proactive, tends to details and takes care of things in an efficient manner. Doesn't take on anything without examining the pros and the cons. She is very careful, sometimes to a manic extent, taking everything into account even to the slightest detail.

     Makes sense- considering I put off this Ballard Farmers Market Project of mine for 6 months. And guess what? I'm still putting it off. Because this week was just a test run. 

I'm scared. 

      It was divine intervention. I went to work- & got to leave early. I've been planning to live off of this market since October.  News flash: it's almost June. But this time, I was free for 3 whole hours on a Sunday... and I was hungry so I obviously grabbed a bag of beef jerky on my way to the market- because who wants to shop hungry right? yin & yang. 

I didn't even bring a list. or a menu for the week or anything. & decided screw it. I'll just grab whatever & see how this week goes. A very food motivated person- I will probably be out of food by Tuesday. But alas! all in the name of the test run.

Right when I got out of the car a boy was playing a guitar folky version of Sinead O'conner's Nothing Compares 2 You- a song I will always love ever since I first heard it in 7th grade. So, I was happy. For a millisecond. Then I realized how many people are there at 11am on a Sunday- how many guys with oiled up mustaches are spewing seattle music & farm land know-how. And how I wish there were no families or at the very least a way to become invisible. But I shook off my bad attitude & carried on. 

I bought shit loads of kale. 2 huge tubs of what I hope to be the best greek yogurt I've ever encountered in my yogurt loving life, carrots, garlic, blackberries & other greens. 

But the first item I purchased? Well, Toffee of course, Dark chocolate covered toffee by this guy named Toffee Pete.  Priorities people, priorities. 

It wasn't all crowds and crabbiness for me. I peeked on some zucchini flowers & thought of my old bf and how he would come home excited every august with them back east & make them for me with cheese. I love the romanticized facets of things that only pop up once a year or so. Which is why- maybe I've been avoiding this farmers market for over 6 months. It NEVER shuts down. So freaking difficult for this new englander to wrap her audacious lil brain around. 

What I learned today:

•I need to make a list or at least a template for the weeks meals- because I will talk myself out of buying eggs, fish & meat- even though I live on all 3 of them. I won't, however hesitate to take a detour to check out scarves with anchors on them at a nearby boutique while I wander around like a lost puppy. Don't worry, I didn't buy the scarf. 

•Bringing cash makes everyone happy to see you. Especially 5's & 1's people LOVE you when you pay in small bills. Like strippers but more wholesome because these people are farmers. 

•After eating almost a whole bag of beef jerky a simple carrot- is THE most delicious thing. 

An article about carrots is actually the only reason I really wanted to get started this week. I read this horrible article on the computer machine about how bleach and other bad chemicals are placed in those baby finger carrots- that everyone eats- that aren't really carrots. And it made me feel gross. I don't remember the article- and I'm no virgo- so why don't you go fact check or google that one on your own time & you can get back to me with whatever you find :)

•I am really bad at washing produce. It reminds me of the year I made "washing my produce better" a new years resolution but then realized that up until the actual resolution- that meant I couldn't wash my produce- or else I'd need to formulate a new resolution. That was 1998 and the end of my make a new years resolution years...

Any hoot! The star of today was the Greek Yogurt guy. of Sammish Bay Cheese. I liked his happy face & his jars of yogurt. 

put a sign on the door for these 2

planning, planning & thinking about planning.

Every single time I go to QFC (the supermarket on my street) I forget my frequent shopper card. I am too much of a minimal- yet stylized-psycho- to put those key chain card things on my car keys- so the odds are against me that I will have it on me.

I think it's a sign that this project is on the right track for me!

What have I been planning this week is pretty basic. I haven't put together a menu for next week. But I've been heavily observing my eating habits to get a handle on what my farmer's market'ing will need to cover. What have I learned, by making cuckoo little notes to myself on a post it note?

Oh well...let's see:

I eat an egg or 2 every morning.
Coffee is soososososo important to me.
I like almond milk. This could get tricky. I can make my own- but are there even almonds at this damn thing? I can't remember...

Lunch doesn't really happen for me.

I like yogurt & chocolate chips.

I love hot sauce.

I really really love avocados.

I really really really love avocados with hot sauce.

I like seaweed- ocean vegetables, etc...

I like to wrap avocados in seaweed, dip it in hot sauce & pretend it's sushi.
Dinner is usually fish- sushi a lot.
Sometimes red meat.
i love mayonnaise.
Never Chicken- no reason just cause.

apple cider vinegar is something I like to pretend is medicine & drink pretty much everyday.
I like lemons.
I don't drink enough water.
I like canned beer on the times I drink.
I like red wine on the times I drink (which is sporadic- but full on when it happens...)
Kale, sweet potatoes, tomatoes & beets: I like them!

I also eat bananas & pineapple's if I have them. But I don't miss them when they're gone.

I like oaxaca (mexican string cheese) & cheese in general- but I don't really ever buy it...

I only cook with grape seed oil.

After observing this week- I'm noticing that this project isn't all that scary.
I can still eat out at restaurants- this is Seattle after all! Half the stuff at restaurants around here will most likely be from a farm anyway.
(except for when I tap into my inner bro and hit up wingmaster for budweisers, wings & the mozzarella log that I dream about on the daily).

Lucky me, I work at a sushi restaurant twice a week- so...I can eat there too.

I'm going to let the grapeseed oil that I currently have & apple cider vinegar be a part of this project until I run out of them. Then I hope there is a booth that sells both of them at this market- or I'll make an executive amendment of some sort.


Doing all my produce home shopping solely at the Ballard Farmers Market can only be a good thing. Me thinks.

wait, wait wait. so we're not going to be eating pickled beets all winter?

so, this market is really open all year??

pretty sure i've said that about 50 times since i've moved here (and i've only been here a month). the ballard farmers market is like nothing i've seen in my lifetime. having just moved to ballard from boston (cambridge specifically), famers markets are a seasonal special thing to me- add in growing up in connecticut & i'm still in complete disbelief that this market is open ALL year round. rain or shine.

i have friends back east with farms. two of the sexiest couples (separately ) that i know. they've done fun local- living off the land challenges & i'm pretty certain subliminally this is where my inspiration has spawned. but i can't imagine not wanting to try this! who cares if i screw it up- living off of everything this even half of the time will blow your mind.

i'm pumped! let's see how it goes.

this week i plan.

next week it happens.