The entire Convention Center, downtown, was filled with myriad people, most of
which were from the same mind-set. It was a truly exhilarating experience.
There was everything from drumming, to Jim Hightower! We got tons and tons of
information on the world of environmentally sound investing, building, solar,
wind, of course organic gardening and even paint which is safe to use with a
house that contains our macaw!

Anyone who didn't go today, please consider going tomorrow. If you ride your
bicycle there you get in for half price. It was otherwise, ten dollars a head.
Well worth it. I understand the Convention Center has signed on for a four year
contract to carry this fair.

Many vendors, and interesting people and products. It's not the "Hot Tub" show,
as most of the Home and Garden Shows have turned into. I mean, HOME and GARDEN.
Does that mean, AS MANY HOT TUB VENDORS as we can find?

So, finally, many people of like mind all assembled together under the same
roof. It gave me great hope.

victoria

It was pretty neat. We volunteered at one of the booths for a few hours,
then walked around.

I got a kick out of the lady with the shoes made from recycled materials -
she had the little skeleton in a green dress, and was talking through it to
the passers-by via a microphone. One little kid, four years old or so, kept
coming back and trying to talk to the skeleton.

Her shoes seemed neat, too, been needing another pair, but not too keen on
high-top lace-ups, went velcro for most occasions about ten years ago. She
was out of my size, would have to mail them, but said as long as they didn't
smell she'd take 'em back should I not like 'em. Nice customer return
policy!

There was way to much to take in all at once. The new hybrid bus had nice
seats, hope the city springs for 'em, even though they're not quite twice
the price of normal busses fuel savings should even things out. The
electric car people were very nice, that red convertible was a Kharman Ghia
kit underneath, got about 45 miles before needing a charge, better mileage
available, better batteries, higher price. The Accord hybrid at the next
booth over had a sticker of 21K.

Was nice to see Wheatsville Co-Op represented, but noticed no Sun Harvest or
Whole Foods. Central Market supplied the large paper bags at the entrance,
that everyone used to hold their flyers & giveaways.

May have to jot down a more comprehensive review, if'n anyone's interested.



"animaux" wrote in message
...
The entire Convention Center, downtown, was filled with myriad people,
most of
which were from the same mind-set. It was a truly exhilarating
experience.
There was everything from drumming, to Jim Hightower! We got tons and
tons of
information on the world of environmentally sound investing, building,
solar,
wind, of course organic gardening and even paint which is safe to use with
a
house that contains our macaw!

Anyone who didn't go today, please consider going tomorrow. If you ride
your
bicycle there you get in for half price. It was otherwise, ten dollars a
head.
Well worth it. I understand the Convention Center has signed on for a
four year
contract to carry this fair.

Many vendors, and interesting people and products. It's not the "Hot Tub"
show,
as most of the Home and Garden Shows have turned into. I mean, HOME and
GARDEN.
Does that mean, AS MANY HOT TUB VENDORS as we can find?

So, finally, many people of like mind all assembled together under the
same
roof. It gave me great hope.

victoria

On Sun, 12 Oct 2003 11:27:03 GMT, "Spam-A-Ram-A" opined:

It was pretty neat. We volunteered at one of the booths for a few hours,
then walked around.

I got a kick out of the lady with the shoes made from recycled materials -
she had the little skeleton in a green dress, and was talking through it to
the passers-by via a microphone. One little kid, four years old or so, kept
coming back and trying to talk to the skeleton.

Her shoes seemed neat, too, been needing another pair, but not too keen on
high-top lace-ups, went velcro for most occasions about ten years ago. She
was out of my size, would have to mail them, but said as long as they didn't
smell she'd take 'em back should I not like 'em. Nice customer return
policy!

There was way to much to take in all at once. The new hybrid bus had nice
seats, hope the city springs for 'em, even though they're not quite twice
the price of normal busses fuel savings should even things out. The
electric car people were very nice, that red convertible was a Kharman Ghia
kit underneath, got about 45 miles before needing a charge, better mileage
available, better batteries, higher price. The Accord hybrid at the next
booth over had a sticker of 21K.

It wasn't an Accord. It was a Civic. It looked like an Accord. We have two
vehicles in paid off condition! Hopefully that will be for another ten years or
so. We run our cars till they need to be replaced, but it sure did look like a
nice hybrid to us.

Was nice to see Wheatsville Co-Op represented, but noticed no Sun Harvest or
Whole Foods. Central Market supplied the large paper bags at the entrance,
that everyone used to hold their flyers & giveaways.

I've never been to Central Market. Is it an organic food store?

May have to jot down a more comprehensive review, if'n anyone's interested.

All in all, it was a terrific experience and well worth the time and money.
Victoria

animaux wrote:
I've never been to Central Market. Is it an organic food store?

You've never been to Central Market? You have to go! It's a food-lover's
paradise...
They have the largest selection of organic produce in the city, though I buy
most of my veggies at Boggy Creek Farm nowadays. Eating in season, you know.
They have a lot of organic and natural-type stuff, as well as gourmet items.
They just started selling the best store-bought chickens I've ever had. Smart
chicken is the brand. They use the air-dry process they use in Europe, instead
of the common-bath one they use here. Much more flavorful and juicy, even
when roasted half an hour too much... ;-)
Their bakery is very good for most things, great ciabatta and their cheese
selection is second to none.

--
Victor M. Martinez

http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv

On Sun, 12 Oct 2003 17:08:06 +0000 (UTC), (Victor M.
Martinez) opined:

animaux wrote:
I've never been to Central Market. Is it an organic food store?

You've never been to Central Market? You have to go! It's a food-lover's
paradise...
They have the largest selection of organic produce in the city, though I buy
most of my veggies at Boggy Creek Farm nowadays. Eating in season, you know.
They have a lot of organic and natural-type stuff, as well as gourmet items.
They just started selling the best store-bought chickens I've ever had. Smart
chicken is the brand. They use the air-dry process they use in Europe, instead
of the common-bath one they use here. Much more flavorful and juicy, even
when roasted half an hour too much... ;-)
Their bakery is very good for most things, great ciabatta and their cheese
selection is second to none.

Ah, I will have to go. Isn't it on 38th? I thought it was a gourmet
supermarket and was wholly unaware they sold organic produce. I plan on making
a journey to the West Lake Farmers Market next Saturday for the first time. I
know, I've been living here for four years and I'm finally going.

I suppose since I started Shivananda Yoga, and making the decision to become
vegan, I will be spending more time planning food, eating in season, and buying
more carefully. I've been wanting to do this for such a long time, but till now
was just lazy.

My sister in law is a certified Yoga instructor and I love her teaching style.
Since she is just starting out, I am loving her classes, and often I'm the only
one there so I get a great private session.

If anyone is interested in this yoga instruction, may I please promote her here?
I would love to be able to bring a few people into her class with me, regularly.

To elaborate a bit, many people here know I was on Interferon (chemo) for a
year. I had hepatitis c. Being on the Interferon injections, I lost my hair,
blimped up from doing absolutely nothing for an entire year, and now I am free
of the disease. It was worth all the atrophy and horrible hair loss, flu for a
whole year, fever five days of 7 each and every week and all that comes with the
treatment. Not fun, but rewards come. I'm no longer hep c positive.

However, I was left with a virtually lifeless body, and horrible lung capacity
and a lot of added weight from the drugs and laying around doing nothing. When
I say nothing, I mean nothing. I couldn't even do my stitching hobby. I had
blurred vision all the time...I digress.

I started practicing yoga about 9 weeks ago. I bought a Pilates piece of
equipment and I've been religiously using it and attending class. In the short
amount of time I've been doing this, I can breath deeper than I ever could
before, can stretch to reach things, and actually feel my muscles getting longer
and stronger.

So, sorry for this blurb, but if anyone is interested, please do ask me and I
will email the information. She teaches on Mon and Thursday night at 7pm at
Live Oak Universalist Unitarian Church in Cedar Park and on Saturday morning at
the same location. Her class cards are 6 classes and up, 10 dollars per 1.5
hour class. Per class, it costs 12 dollars. Her name is Sita.

My email is munged, but I can be emailed at 0 remove the
zero or it will bounce.

thanks for listening,
Victoria

Victoria,

Welcome to vegan-ness! Yes, you must check out Central Market. And go to
www.vegsource.com online for info, recipes, & message boards. Check out
the link to Dr. McDougall from there. That's the way I eat.

-Nancy

On Mon, 13 Oct 2003 13:47:38 GMT, "N. Woolley" opined:

Victoria,

Welcome to vegan-ness! Yes, you must check out Central Market. And go to
www.vegsource.com online for info, recipes, & message boards. Check out
the link to Dr. McDougall from there. That's the way I eat.

-Nancy

I have the McDougall's books. FOR YEARS! Talk about procrastination. My
neighbor has a half acre of nothing. Just turf. I asked her last year if I
could use a bunch of it to make us a vegetable garden and she said yes. I
suppose I should have been solarizing the soil this summer, but I can still get
that going for spring. I have no space left for a vegetable garden, proper.

If I can get enough growing, I may never have to go to the store again. Well,
I will, but I will know exactly where my strawberries have been.

V