Apex Surplus
▶️ Buttons to Push Buttons ▶️

On my Los Angeles list was a stop at Apex Surplus, a “museum” (to me at least) of industry and histechnology (I made that up.) It was an odd excursion I guess, but I really like the look of vintage machinery. Though the coolest goodies are reserved for serving as Read more…


Los Angeles Vegan
All the Eats

The gang back in LA. Really, going to LA feels like going to a friend’s house. There is a comfort and at-home-ness I have always felt there. So with all significant tourist attractions kinda already done, it is always about the amazing vegan food there! Just What I Kneaded in Read more…


These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things: Tiki Bars 🍹🌺🗿

You might have forgotten since I told you in 2018, but I have a thing for tiki bars. Real ones. Ones that opened long ago. There are two in Los Angeles and I was happy to have hit them both, along with a new one which, of course, was not Read more…


A Morning at Joshua Tree National Park

It is really difficult to capture the beauty of these trees with the camera. But that doesn’t mean I won’t try. During the beautiful blue hour I began shooting them and I continued until my hunger pangs won the battle. Meet Joshuas. It is when they are plentiful and layered Read more…


A Night at Joshua Tree National Park

Looking at these shots from my evening at Joshua Tree National Park, I am grateful I pushed myself to darkness when my body was calling for a motel room. I had originally planned to camp near Mojave, where I spent the day in the sun. But the forecast for the Read more…


Deserted in Mojave National Reserve

When you travel to the desert in the middle of the summer, it is a given that you will be on your own. While I do prefer solitude to most company, it is more about the Milky Way season for me. The desert is dark, free of artificial light of Read more…


Truth & Tonic
Las Vegas, Nevada

It was time to head to the desert again, for the third summer in a row. There is just so much to see in this region–and I like to catch up with my friend in Los Angeles annually. For financial reasons, flying in and out of Vegas is always the Read more…


The Sunset Over the Narrows {Pictorial}


Long Island Fun in the Sun

Mermaid scouting we found the most perfect beach. So perfect, so uninhabited that I am not even going to share the location. Just look at these rocks and imagine a beautiful mermaid perched on any or all or them. The water looks almost tropical This will motivate me to finish Read more…


Wild Berry Coconut Cream Tart

One of the differences between growing up in a rural vs. suburban area is an ingrained sense of boundaries. In the suburbs, where I grew up, nature exists between managed borders, named by an official sign. It’s on the way, in between, with a superficial depth indicative of the priority Read more…


Long Island’s Vegan Pride Enjoy
Wading River, New York

I was excited to learn that Pride Enjoy now had its own storefront on Long Island. Wading River now has a place for top quality gluten-free, vegan sweetness–in varying forms. Presentation comes first and all these treats spoke loud and clear–these aren’t your average gluten-free vegan options that you’ll tolerate Read more…


Arkansas, Carnival, Undated

Watch out. If I know you don’t mind photoshoots at the whim of my fancy, you may be a redneck… sipping on a tall boy, sauntering through a carnival, with nothing more to do than lean on the car. Though this shoot was initially planned to be at the monster Read more…


Summer Food Break

Though my summer has been quite the whirlwind since it began, I have been laying low this past week. I have been laying low preparing for some oncoming whirlwinds to be clear! Below a collection of eats, mostly made by me celebrating the gorgeous fruits and vegetables of the Earth. Read more…


Dad’s Birthday Mango Cake

To celebrate my father’s birthday and the joyous mango season, this layer cake made from two cups of mango puree. Yes, another one from Rainbow Nourishments! Baking is the perfect way to acclimate to home. Because I miss all my baking stuff while I am away… Let’s get started! A Read more…


Vegan Pan D’Arancio 🍊🇮🇹
Sicilian Whole Orange Cake

Pan D’Arancio is a traditional Sicilian cake made with the region’s gems–oranges. Unique is that this cake uses the ENTIRE orange–peel, rind and segments. It’s traditionally free of dairy but has lots of eggs. I was so excited to find Rainbow Nourishment‘s vegan version to channel my Sicilian grandmother who Read more…


From Such Great Heights


Lots of Vegan Food in Rochester, NY {Part 5}

My list of vegan eats in Rochester, New York continues to grow. So allow me to dive right into sharing some food highlights from my most recent stay. Eden Cafe & Bakeshop in Batavia is just a quick drive from Rochester. They’ve got a selection of carrot dogs on their Read more…


Mermaid of Lake Ontario (2022)

When I saw this rock at Chimney Bluffs State Park in April, I knew I would be returning for a sunset mermaid shoot. And though there were more clouds during our eventual visit, the subtle sunset proved to be perfect for the shoot I had dreamed up in my mind. Read more…


Some Cookie Dough Brownies

Feeling the need to bake, it was a batch of cookie dough brownies. But I wasn’t in my kitchen, so I’d need to illicit the help from a little helper. The brownie dough getting mixed up Two batters ready to be panned… Glops and glops and glops But I kind Read more…


The Milky Way at Hemlock Lake Park

To follow, my successful Milky Way mission at Hemlock Lake Park, just 40 minutes outside Rochester. Though the bright moon was at 86%, it went down around 3 a.m. The pictures I took before this presented as daytime. And though you can see its glow at the horizon still, the Read more…


Mendon Ponds Park
Birdsong Fairy Trail 🐦🧚

Fairy Trails are one of the newest things I hunt for when I travel. They capture a whimsicalness that I find to be reaffirming and balancing. Within the efforts related to their creation, upkeep and popularity, a nurturing of a childish belief in magic, goodwill, and simple wonder. It is Read more…


Blackberry Pancakes For The Win

Pancakes are the easiest path to morning pleasure. And this batch of beauties was sublime. Pancakes are also an easy way to use a bunch of berries that may soon go bad. In this case, blackberries. The cast iron is definitely an ingredient. This intricate golden hued design is how Read more…


Summer Rolling With the Punches

I really love hitting international grocery stores. Today is was Rochester’s Asia Food Market for summer roll ingredients… and a general exploration. Because Asian cuisines have been my go-to vegan friendly choice for over two decades. My goodies. Always like to stock up on agar agar powder for marshmallow making. Read more…


Summer Nights: S’mores & Fireflies

S’mores on a summer night outside… it’s a love I get to experience far and few between. So the magic stays, never dissipates. But I am not the biggest fan of graham cracker. So more marshmallow, please! But a marshmallow vessel to hold the toasted marshmallow. Rice crispy treats would Read more…


Let’s Hear It For the Dole Whip

Though Dole Whip is a vegan, it is certainly not as healthy as simply blending frozen fruit yourself. But it does serve a participatory purpose. Its widespread availability, especially in the places with a dearth of vegan options, makes it a sight for sore eyes. Like, say, Lake George–as pictured Read more…


Rando Bando En Route to Rochester