Friday, June 23, 2006

The woes of the South Central Urban Farmers

If you haven't heard about this, i do not blame you because there has been grossly little about this in the media:

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/06/14/1424243
http://www.southcentralfarmers.org/news.html
http://www.organicconsumers.org/2006/article_756

LA police in riot gear were sent into the largest urban community garden in the country to forcibly shut it down so that the 14 acres used by 350 families, mostly of mexican decent can be bulldozed to build a fucking warehouse. this is one of the most telling signs of the horrible sickness that infects our country and our culture. an independent organization was willing to donate 10 million dollars to buy the land to save the farm, but the owner, Ralph Horowitz, declined, saying it was worth at least 16 million. He paid less than 5 million for it in 2003. He was then offered the 16 million, but said he would never sell the land to the farmers because he was pissy for being made to look like a villian in the situation. there are candle light vigils every evening to protest the destruction of the farm. if you are in or near LA, please go light a candle for me.

Thursday, June 01, 2006

holy pastries batman

i got lost in strip mall hell today driving around in circles- in a minivan none the less- trying to find things i need for the farmers market and biding time before the eye appt i made on a bit of a whim (i'm getting some kick ass glasses that are purple & bright blue) and i got hungry. i think to myself, " well, that french pastiserrie over on the other side of the parking lot across from the gap and the pottery barn looks better than the "south of the border" themed crap back over by the walmart and the circuit city and the second office max i've seen today. they'll at least have a croissant."

the name of this french pastiserrie is "St Roger's Abby French Pastiserrie" but i do not think too hard about that as i am every so oddly walking over to it from the borders i had been browsing when the aforementioned hunger came over me. i go in and am immediatley mesmerised by the gorgeous pastries and promise of organic coffee. and then i look around to realize that all of the women working there are wearing habits. and speaking french. the place is run by french nuns. a french pastry shop in the middle of a strip of strip malls in algonquin, illinois run by honest to god french nuns. i had to conciously control my jaw from dropping at the beautiful oddity of it. they use the money they make from their holy handmade sweets to help the poor in chicago. i see many cream puffs in my future.

next time anyone comes out to visit me, i promise i will take you to see the nuns.