The belly rules the mind

That's an old Spanish proverb. It's real old. Like all proverbs. I mean who's got time to write new ones?

Anyway, I've said it before but I'll say it again - I am really only ever concerned with my next meal. I make weekly meal plans. A new recipe finds itself pinned under my fork 2 or 3 times a week. Cooking is how I relax after work and how I most enjoy spending time with the raddest people I know. I care about where it comes from and how it came to be before it began it's journey to my stomach. Hooray for food!

I read a lot about food and the agriculture industry. I watch way too many documentaries and spend too long in the grocery store making decisions, but it pleases me. I hope some of my recent findings please you too! Some exciting stuff, some scary stuff & eye candy too.

I found out yesterday that the first zero-packaging grocery store in the US might be opening right here in Austin, TX! Sometimes when I get excited I will stammer and then say 'there are no words!' but thats a lie. I always have words. If I don't have something to say please lean in and check for a pulse, okay? So, here are my words - this is fucking amazing. Pardon my french, but that is how I feel. They need donations to make this happen though. I am going to toss $50 their way because imagining a store with out brand names and logos and goofy mascots competing for my attention and my pay check just makes me giddy. To think my pantry could be free of these things as well - eek! It means a world with a little less marketing, which don't get me wrong, great marketing really turns me on, but these days we do not get a free moment. Something is almost always blatantly or subconciously trying to get our wallets out of our pockets. It's exhausting and wether we realize it or not it fills our heads with crap that ultimately does not serve us. It forces us to make decisions about things we may never even purchase, causing stress and anxiety in small yet affecting doses. I'd rather just get to the point. Filling my belly with the good stuff while I stop contributing to the landfills that will not always be out of sight and out of mind. And now fine readers In.gredients

Now, on a less thrilling tip.. Here are some terrifying maps! One showing the locations of Americas top 8 burger franchises, the other of places where bars out number grocery stores. I feel that there are some errors on this map because Austin, TX does not show up as a hot spot. If I tried to name every bar in this town it would not only be boring, but exhausting to boot.

Okay, it's gross but... Feast your eyes on this (for a larger view just click on it).

The only thing I like more than food is good illustration. When I found They Draw and Cook my heart skipped a beat! Then I thought 'Damn it! why didn't I come up with this?' but that's a bull shit thing to think (pardon my french again! I have potty mouth today). Seriously though who cares who came up with it, just that it exists! There plans to illustrate some of my favorite recipes and I will surely let you know when I submit them. Until then, here are a few of my favorites! (again, if you want to get up close and personal just click on the images)

Well, I'm stupid hungry now and I turn into a betch when I'm hungry and I don't want to subject you lovely people to that.

xo,

Bonnie Rue

p.s. Remember, you can eat off my plate if I can eat off of yours.

Simple Do's and Don'ts on a Thursday

Do: Be inspired by Nick Gentry's paintings. Find or create things that are good out of the obsolete crap you have in your life.

Don't: Get a penis tattoo... Not on. Not of. Not that I thought you were tempted, but...

Do: Pick a lovely corner of the world and start socking away money to one day go there.
AND

Don't... Forget:

xo,

Bonnie Rue

Baby Steps

What a long week. At best I've been emotionally unstable lately. I was stressing it, even throwing a fit - but I'm just not going to allow myself to stress things anymore. Yeah, that is totally against my nature, but this component of my personality has proven to be.. less than advantageous. So, I am eradicating it. In other words I'm trying my damnedest to say good bye to my inner brat and just roll with the punches. Take deep breathes, allow myself to lean on people when I start to lose my shit and laugh when I feel a colossal cry coming on. It wasn't a bad week.

The highlights. The low-lights need not be mentioned.

*Tons of yoga. Every day in fact. Vinyasa mostly, which I found utterly irritating at first. It's meditative qualities seem hard to find, but the classes are cheap and a new challenge is appreciated right now. Believe it or not.

*Wine and oldies girl group records with a friend under the canopy of lush trees. We sweated and rapped (not literally) about our pasts, talked in depth about the wine we were drinking and sang the praises of a well stocked and organized kitchen.

*While shopping for a dinner party I was approached by an old man who told me he wished I was his wife... after he raved for 10 or so minutes about how flourless bread is the only bread worth eating and that everyone should know about the"one-ness blessing". Me = crazy person magnet.

*Dinner at my place with my roommate JenJen and our friend Mario who won the title of The Funniest Person in Austin a few years back. He gave me a lift when I was too tipsy to drive one night so I thanked him with dinner and picked his brain about his comedy career. Check out his book A Cynic's Guide to a Rich and Full Life. I think he's got it figured out. His contribution to dinner was a cucumber infused vodka. As far as awesomely summer-ish things go I'd put it up there with watermelon and sunscreen. Yeah.

*I hired a rock n roll therapist this week. Sounds cheezy, yeah, but he can smell what I'm stepping in and I think he can help me wash away my crazy.

*Nail Party! My ladies rallied at the house with wine+wine+wine and caboodles filled with nail polish, decals, glitter and many tricks up their sleeve. Rissa taught everyone how to "marble" their nails (see JenJen's photo) while we ate brownies and watched Daria. The house smelled a little toxic once we were all fancied up... Small price to pay I think.

*Yesterday I went swimming with a gang of ladies in vintage bathing suits then took a walk to acquire vegan soft serve and a bouquette of flowers carefully cut from my neighbors yards.

*Thrifted a pair of creepers - just like the ones I wore in high school. *heart thump*

Today I called my Father and expressed my never ever ending gratitude and love. I hope you did too. The last few precious hours of the weekend were spent ignoring the dishes, drawing stupid pictures, eating some serious quesadillas and writing, writing, writing.
Baby steps to tomorrow and baby steps away from the brat in my brain.

xo,
Bonnie Rue

Ribbons Forever

A big thank you and too many hugs to all of you who emailed me little love notes. I really appreciate your sentiment and affection, more than you'll ever know. I've been rough around the edges and it really does help to hear from my lovely readers.

Speaking of lovely friends and broken hearts, Natalie Ribbons aka Agent Ribbons who is new-ish to Austin, TX (originally from Sacramento) just released her first super professional music video! It's filled with chandeliers, carousels, the best dresses ever and haunting vocals. It's whimsical and bloody and if you are anything like me, you will la-la-love it. I've been singing her songs in the shower for years now, long before she moved to Austin. One lucky night I was shakin' it at the Second Sunday Sock-Hop, like I do... when I looked across the dance floor and SHAZAAM! There she was. Girl crush in full effect. I caught her on the porch later and we made friends pretty fast.

"I love your dress!"
"Oh, I love YOUR dress!"
"You look like a cake!"
"You look like a modern day Nico Case!"

And THAT right there ladies and gentlemen is how you win friends and influence people.

So, with out further ado, here is That's Not Edgar's Heart by Agent Ribbons

Bonnie Rue: Who, What, When, Where and How did this gorgeous video come to be?

Agent Ribbons: The video was shot in Oakland by Ryan McCoy, who went to an experimental arts high school with me in Sacramento and found me later in life when he started working for George Lucas at Skywalker Ranch. He said he had access to all this great equipment and wanted to help us make a music video on the side, so we did!

Bonnie Rue: Tell me, tell me, tell me - who put your wardrobe together? Was it you?

Agent Ribbons: Ryan had costume designer Alison Cohen do the clothes so we didn't actually pick them, but we were thrilled with the wardrobe choices!

Bonnie Rue: Can we expect more amazing video's in the future?

Agent Ribbons: We may or may not have more videos...since we have no budget for them, it unfortunately hinges upon the desire of aspiring filmmakers and people who just want to help us out!

Bonnie Rue: Perhaps a Kickstarter campaign is in order?.... So, I know you ladies were just out on tour, anymore dates coming up that I should know about?

Agent Ribbons: We just got home from tour TODAY and we'll be taking the summer off from travel to write a new album. YAY!

You can pick up her latest release, Chateau Crone at Antenna Farm Records. Buy it on vinyl so you will always and forever have it in your collection. It lives proudly in the front of my record rack *smack in the center* so it's easy to get to at any ol time AND so I can see it's lovely cover every single day!

Self Medicating

First off, let's get something straight.. I am not a hippy. Some of the facts may suggest otherwise. I mean, I live in Austin, TX. I eat mostly vegan cuisine. I sort of really hate washing my hair. Socks are something I rarely wear. I'll even admit to being accused of smelling um, "natural" on an occasion or two. But I'm not a hippy. That being said, when I get sick I do ingest a lot of herbs, vitamins, tea & green leafy things long before I'll ever set foot in a doctors office. Because I feel that food is the cure when you are sick. Eat yourself to health is one of my many motos.

These days I am not sick... but I am not well. And none of these things will cure me. My heart is broken. Everyone knows that time is the answer but I can't brew up a strong cup of time. Some days I can't even get off the couch or bring myself to eat. You can't rush this shit. There's only enduring it. Some things do help. Friends being at the top of that list. They are familiar and they love you. Which is all you want when you your heart feels like someone is trying to make sausage out of it.

Familiar isn't always good though. Like when it comes to your music collection. Every song is filled with ghosts.
"This is the first song we ever sang together!" or "This song was playing when we drove to the desert that one time.." and even "He used to hate it when I would put this record on." All of it will split you at the seems and have you wishing for a tear free existence before you even reach the chorus.

I'm trying to come up with a cure for the broken hearted. Maybe it's silly. I know it's not a fucking sore throat, but I can't just sit on the couch wondering "Did I eat today?" Knowing I did not.

Yes, a haircut helps. Self applied or otherwise. Writing is an important part of the process, but unfortunately it also makes you feel trite. My highschool art teacher once suggested doing a self portrait, which I half heartedly attempted the other day. He said it would make you spend time with yourself. Thinking of YOU and what YOU want. Not a bad exercise, but my heart doesn't feel EXERCISED.
A trip to the record store has been the most beneficial of my efforts so far. Yes, I'm writing from the couch still, but for all intents and purposes let's say that blogging is a social activity. Which is an improvement. I picked up many different things. A selection that is all over the place.. just like me. And here they are:

Story by Tiana Hux aka MC Sweet Tea
A local white lady rapper (one of my most favorite things) who I find to be inspiring and she gets me as close to giggling as possible. I first saw her perform at a fashion show this past winter. Her hair was big, her rhymes were um, phat & it was love at first note. It makes me think I could dance again. Which is much appreciated. I highly recommend it.




Xiu Xiu's Fabulous Muscles
Because part of me will not let this couch or this feeling go. So I might as well have something new to cry to. I'm in the mood for something beaming with dramatics. Something creepy and impossible to explain. Ya know, a record that sounds like it was very painful to make.






My Secret Public Journal LIVE by Mike Birbiglia
Mostly because it was on sale. Also because I love him. AND I want to try stand up comedy (once I can crack a joke again) and I feel that at some point this will be highly inspiring.






Last but not least...

Diamond Rings - Special Affections
This record IS my rebound boyfriend. John O is so cute and all the words are right. The love songs are certainly punishing BUT I'm into that and it's poppy enough to get me up and into the shower. If you've recently broken up or been dumped you should let this cute canadian boy sing to you. You might even smile.

She Was An American Girl

I don't mean to brag (or drive it into the ground) but good gawd - I've got some really bad ass friends. Some here, some there & some on the other side of the world in places like Berlin! As we speak the lovely Tara Tonini who hails from Dallas TX (just like me) is opening her first pop up shop - She Was an American Girl! It is a retail and gallery shop featuring 16 designers, 8 artists, 4 musicians and one record label. 100% Made in America!

Think American cowboy silhouettes, pop art passport covers, Native American ponchos, hipster screen printed T-shirts, studded rock ‘n’ roll dresses, jewelry designed out of vintage records, stewardess inspired swimwear (made by Tara ) and romantic accessories constructed from nature. Of course there is TONS of Model Citizen stuff up in there. Just like this Axe Slinger Tee pictured here with Leatherette Heart's Japanese Parachute Pants!

Yep - it's going to be killer! To see a list of the designers and read more about them please check out Tara's blog!

Awesome thing is - you do not have to be in Berlin to shop til you drop! All of this goodness is right here under your nose.

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ALSO - Tara is not alone in Berlin - the Oh so very bad ass Melisser Elliot (from San Francisco) is currently calling Berlin home! Check out her blog and her book - The Vegan Girls Guide to Life!



Allright, who loves you?
Bonnie Rue