Have you ever been to...

TELLURIDE, COLORADO ?
Ring in festival season!

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Ever hear of those vortexes of the earth from where positive energy - some kind of magnetic field of good karma - radiates?  Welcome to Telluride.  Now toss in a mandolin, and a menagerie of pickers the likes of Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, and endless jams from Yonder Mountain String Band - just to name a few, and you have the king of all summer music festivals: The Telluride Bluegrass Festival.  

Now, to be completely honest, I really hate to spread the word of this tiny festival (tickets sold out in about an hour this year!) Set at the base of a spectacular box canyon in the heart of the San Juan range, Telly can only support a fairly small affair.  If you were lucky enough to land Warner Field tickets this year, stop by "Camp Blow-It-Out" and check out all of their solutions for sustainable celebrating.  http://www.bluegrass.com/telluride/

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June 2011 (these shots were taken a day apart...How cool is that?!)

Not one of the lucky ones? Head to a vortex near you: The Grassroots Festival of Music & Dance in Trumansburg, NY.  Just outside of "gorges" Ithaca, this down-home festival is the real deal.  The atmosphere is super-friendly and the living is easy.  The food offering can't be beat, though I'm a fan of preparing a spread with friends.  Don't forget your favorite noisemaker; jam circles spring up 'round the clock.  Don't miss the velvety voice of Uniit, the hypnotic grooves of Plastic Nebraska, nor the ceaseless celebration put on by Thousands of One. http://www.grassrootsfest.org/festival/

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In Season... STRAWBERRIES

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I admit - I loved Strawberry Shortcake.  And I'm not talking about the delicious cream treat you see above... I had all the dolls - Huckleberry Pie, Lemon Meringue, even wicked ol' Sour Grapes.  I think this early passion was a fitting segue to my love of colorful foods. 


And now, this season, the super sweet and nostalgic aroma of fresh, ripe strawberries abounds.  I picked up 2 lbs. for a few bucks and whipped up these merry-makers in minutes.  

How many of Strawberry Shortcake's friends can you name??  

(Here's a cheatsheet when you're ready...)

Anyone who knows me knows I hate to waste a beloved piece of produce, so what do I do with those super-ripe berries not pretty enough for my shortcake?  Throw 'em the blender of course! This basic, PG smoothie includes about a 1/2 cup of vanilla yogurt, and a splash of berry juice, but why not use Bacardi Dragon Berry instead of yogurt for a different kind of sauce.

In Season - HERBS

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Parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme... lavender, cilantro, tarragon, chive... Fragrant, delicate bouquets set the table this season and the possibilities are endless.  I love to snip up a mixed bunch in my salad for a surprise with every bite.  If you're not afraid of flavor, herbs are so fun to experiment with, so try a new combo and let us know what you discover.

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The Garden Gimlet:

Ok, it’s not really a gimlet (gin based), but it is 8 ounces of refreshing paradise, brought to you from Puerta Plata…

-Generous handful of chopped herbs: basil, mint, parsley, watercress

-5oz Brugal Anejo

-2oz freshly squeezed jugo de naranja

-dash of bubbles (soda water), if you so desire

-serve over ice and take in a warm breeze

Cheers!

Have you ever been to...

ALASKA?

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In a stroke of misfortune, I lost my wallet about 2 hours into my week-long trip to Alaska. A serious challenge while traveling alone, but since I was prepared for camping and resourceful by nature, I took the experience in stride. There was plenty of inspiration with 20+ hours of gorgeous soft-box daylight overhead. With my Coleman stove and fair stock of rations I made my veggieful ramen soup, which I sipped on the shore of Resurrection Bay.  This stove rocks: Coleman Exponent Multi-fuel

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In an amazing stroke of good fortune, my wallet was recovered (perfectly intact!). Tired of the dreary wetness of the Kenai Peninsula, I headed 5 hours north to Denali National Park. I camped riverside, and hiked well into the night (11pm!), whistling and singing loudly to alert any unsuspecting wildlife of my approach.  My happiness-factor soared. Further good fortune granted me an uncovered view of Mount McKinley’s snowcapped peak, a rare sight typically shrouded by vapor.