SPEAK LOUDLY WITH SILENCE for Virginia women (a silent protest) #F20

There are a number of bills up for debate and vote in the Virginia legislature that are direct attacks on women's rights. It's practically unfathomable that this is happening in 2012, yet is it. Though I'm not a Virginian, I stand with my sisters and brothers in Virginia in their powerful protest tomorrow. If by any chance you are able to physically be present tomorrow at the capitol in Richmond, please do so. Below are descriptions of the bills.

* HB 1: Grants fertilized eggs the status of persons under Virginia law, subject only to the U.S. Constitution and U.S. Supreme Court precedents. The wording of this bill is also particularly dangerous as it has been purposely left vague enough possibly deem not reporting miscarriages illegal, abortion as murder, and lead to the criminalization of birth control.

* HB 261; HB 462; SB 279; SB 484: Mandatory Ultrasound before AbortionHouse

*HB 62; If passed would withdraw authorization for Medicaid funding for termination of pregnancy for eligible women whose pregnancies have been found to be complicated by serious fetal anomalies. The serious fetal anomalies could cause suffering and psychological distress as these women consider the very difficult decision to continue or terminate the pregnancy. It is wrong to force economically-disadvantaged women to bear and care for a child with severe and incapacitating birth defects simply because they lack the financial resources or insurance to pay for an abortion. State funding for pregnancy termination in these limited circumstances demonstrates compassion toward women in distress. (Adapted from VA ACOG Suggested Statement on H.B. 62)

* HB 1285; SB 637: Prohibits abortion after 20 weeks gestation unless, in reasonable medical judgment, the mother’s life is at risk or the mother is at risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function.

* HB 464; SB 496: Creates the state’s health care exchange under the federal Affordable Care Act but prohibits the sale of insurance coverage for abortions, except when the pregnancy endangers the mother’s life or is the result of rape or incest.

(The info above is adapted from the ACLU VA, visit VA ACLU for more information:https://acluva.org/category/bills/2012/?cats=46&tags=43 )

*VA TRAP Laws or Targeted Regulations against Abortion Providers, are laws that require women’s health centers to follow regulations that other, similar outpatient medical facilities do not. These laws limit women’s access to abortions, by either forcing some centers to close because they cannot meet the new requirements, or by driving up the cost of abortion procedures so much that some women can no longer afford them. (This was adapted fromhttp://www.coalitionforwomenshealth.org/learn-more/trap-laws.shtml)

Best of my life 2011

Best of my life 2011 (originally posted at Jigsaw Underground on 12.29.11.)


café de flore

Paris with Vail ladies
Dinner at Frenchie, Paris
Inside Job wins the Oscar
Grandma's 90th birthday, Napa
Dinner at Bazaar, LA
Teaching classes for Cocinar Para Su Saludhttp://www.cookforyourlife.org/
Moving to our new home
Riding my bike to Ft. Tilden Beach
Yoga at Maya and Shambhala
Classes at Studio Maya, Brooklyn

Tybee Island family beach trip

Comet Gain at the Scala, London
Arroz Negre at Barceloneta and Arnau's birthday show 11.11.11
Puerto Rico holiday
Hot Snakes, Wild Flag, No Age and more at ATP, Minehead
Christmas tamales with Miriam

In Memory of Esmeralda Barrera

I didn't know Esme Barrera but am shocked, saddened and horrified by her death at the hands of another human shortly after midnight on New Year's Day. Many people I love loved her though and to know that she worked hard for for girls via the Girls Rock Camp Austin as a coach and mentor and for students with special needs for her regular job is all I really even need to know to understand she was a special person. Reading the loving tributes linked below make this even more heartbreaking. If you have a few dollars to spare today, please consider sending them to the fund to help pay for her funeral and other expenses at For Our Esme. Let us learn about her, remember her and be inspired by her work.

From Can't Stop the Bleeding
From Feminist Music Geek
From Meow Online  

Women Owned Businesses: Zarela Martinez

I was really sad to learn a few months ago that Zarela, the restaurant that really introduced Mexican cuisine to New York, was closing.  I was lucky enough to have attended a lecture presented by Zarela's proprietress Zarela Martinz last year, and began studying her work intensely immediately. Shortly thereafter, I attended a cooking class of hers at the restaurant and immediately felt a kinship with her. The genuine love and passion she was able to communicate for her family, her culture and her food was truly infectious. I left the class feeling like I was walking on a cloud and thinking to myself that I need to endeavor to communicate about my passions in the same way.

Zarela has been a pioneer along with other chef/owners like Lidia Bastianich in New York City. There are now many more women chefs and owners, but she was among the first. That Zarela the restaurant is now closed is truly heartbreaking but she has said that she intends to reopen in a new location (possibly downtown) and meanwhile is maintaining her catering business as well as teaching cooking classes and consulting. Please please go to her website and follow her blog http://www.zarela.com/  for all sorts of excellent information about food, Mexico and her passions and inspirations. Follow her on twitter so you know if there's a class she's offering: you can take it! If you have an event you think she would be good to cater: get in touch! If you want to learn more about Mexican cuisine: buy her books or watch her videos! 

Support women owned businesses!

R.I.P. Ari Up

We owe so much to you. 

Women Owned Businesses: Nicole Lang Key's Enterprises!

I am very lucky in the friend department and am constantly blown away by this fact. My goal (constant goal) is to be more prolific and consistent  in sharing their feats and accomplishments so keep looking here for more of that!

One of my my main sources of inspiration and perspiration (in that her drive and energy helps me get off my butt) is Nicole Lang Key. Editor of three blogs -  Tentacles, Food Punk and Dessert of the Month Club among many other activities, she is a huge force to be reckoned with. I am obsessed with her passion for food, love, friends, music and well... her passion for passion! Over the years we have become friends we have shared or dreams and encouraged one another to take risks and be scared and challenge ourselves and each other. I am eternally grateful I met her.

Right now two of the risks and challenges she has taken are in full effect. The first needs your help right now! Among her aforementioned passions is Pimento Cheese. Yes, that pimento cheese. Some of you know it in ball form surrounded by nuts (not my fave application), others know it in a classic Southern sandwich. Well, Nicole loves it in nearly all its forms and she loves it so much she's making a documentary about it call "Pimento Cheese, Please". Right now she's raising funds through Kickstarter to get it made and if you have a few bucks to spare, please throw them her way! This film will be fun, educational and yummy.

Nicole is also a baker supreme. Having recently moved to Richmond, Virginia (known to locals as RVA) she has been baking up a storm for various restaurants and has recently opened her own bake to order business called Dollop. She is a genius with cake flavors and combinations and makes the meanest whoopie pies you've ever tasted. If you happen to be in the area (or nearby I imagine) please hit her up for any of your baking needs!

Support women owned businesses!

We're going to South Africa!

Tonight we leave for South Africa for our year+ planned trip to Durban and the World Cup. I can't believe this day is actually here. I'm going to actually try to be a travel blogger on this trip, more for my personal record than anything.

Our journey begins on Egypt Air and gives us a layover in Cairo for 12 hours. We're not sure what that time will hold for us. They don't push out this info but I understand that when you have a long layover Egypt Air will either offer you a hotel room or a trip to the pyramids! If it is true we're of course taking the pyramids. We'll sleep horizontally 20 hours later!!

I am going into the office in a few to tie up some last loose ends but am going to take my lunch break at pilates class. I'm totally anxious about sitting for so long and want to try to get some serious stretching in beforehand. I'm trying to over hydrate all day and hopefully while on the plane to try to feel as comfortable as possible. My acupuncturist recommended that whenever I'm not asleep I be up moving. Sounds unlikely but I'll try get up and move around as much as possible.

I've packed my books, my camera, my laptop (will be packed when I'm done typing), my sneakers, bathing suits, mumus, sunscreen (for use after a bit of unscreened exposure to get some vitamin d going), toiletries, beach towels, beach sheet and etc., etc..

South Africa has a fairly unique electrical outlet so I'm going to search for that at the airport there. My friend Candice told me the power blew out her hair iron even with a transformer so I'm thinking I'll just buy some hair stuff there rather than breaking what I have.

Besides the games we're going to: Korea vs. Nigeria, Brazil vs. Portugal and a round of 16, we have a bunch of other activities we're hoping to do as well.  Game drive safari, waterfall hikes, bunny chow, Marine World, the Indian Spice Market and who knows what else? Oh yeah, beach!  Even though it's technically winter in S.A. it looks like it will be in the high 70s low 80s when we're there. YEAH!

We know we have to be careful and alert and that's slightly disconcerting but shit, I've lived in Oakland and had bricks thrown at my moving car and my apartment in Brooklyn was just burgled. You can't control what could happen, we just have to try to be smart.

More on the next leg!

Donate to Team Natalie

It's heartbreaking when you hear about anyone having cancer. It's even more heartbreaking when it's a sweet and loving friend you've known for a long time. Last week I learned my friend Natalie Cox who has been diagnosed with  a horrible form of cancer called Angiosarcoma was given a bad prognosis. Western medicine has not given her the options she accepts and she is choosing to fight her cancer through alternative treatments and believe in herself and her future.  If you have anything to spare and can help her in her fight, please go to her website http://www.teamnataliecox.blogspot.com/ and donate here. If anyone out there has experience with this form of cancer or recommendations for alternative treatments, please email me at molly (at) simplesocialgraces.com.

Here are some words from Natalie:
I found out last Monday that my cancer (angiosarcoma) has spread to my spleen and my liver. I have an enlarged spleen from the multiple tumours and many in my liver as well. I also have two now on my chest wall. I was told by my surgeons that there was nothing more they can do for me and told me to contact oncology to talk about chemo. They said this is not curable. That's what they say but I have never really believed doctors much. I am not a statistic, I am an individual. Many people have beat the odds and I intend on doing the same. I am still in good health with only a few bits of pains now and again and a bit of tiredness. Chemo will not cure me and it will not necessarily extend my life either (quality of life is more important to me) as this cancer is a weird bugger and not much of what conventional doctors can offer will help me. 

The plan of action is this. We are flying to San Diego to meet up with The Center for the Study of Natural Oncology Wednesday. Dee and I are having a 5 day intensive program with a specialist to discuss my cancer, make a plan of action, do blood tests, look at my diet, detox, talk about treatment options and get them organised and a whole load of other things. They are a non-profit organisation (though this is not free!) and they really know their stuff. The plan is to stop the tumours blood supply therefore stopping the cancer spreading, then to organise treatments that will support and boost my immune system all without making me sick. They believe they can help me and achieve this. It will be a lot of work and not be too cheap either as it will all be out of pocket for us but hea it's only money. This is my life and I will do what it takes to raise Dillon with my best friend Dee. I have to be there to see Dillon grow up.