¡MALVAVISCOS GIGANTES!

FOUND: Giant marshmallows, mexican pastries, and delicious tacos - all at Nueva Vida Bakery in Downtown Nampa. Nueva Vida, in a converted gas station, used to be "Rita's Bakery," - it is just one block south of Flying M Garage. Downtown Nampa makes for a fun Saturday afternoon!

Favorite stops in Nampa: Flying M Garage, The Brass Razoo, The White Pine, Yesteryear Book and Record Store, any thrift store, Nueva Vida Bakery, and Wheeler's (for a "long & juicy" burger).

What else is in Nampa or Caldwell that I should check out on my next visit? Leave me a comment to let me know!


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Ignite Boise III

Ignite Boise - III

Thursday November 12th, 2009 - Egyptian Theater

Get tickets online here, or come at 6:30 for general admission.

What is IGNITE BOISE, you ask?

Ignite Boise is a 3 hour-ish idea feeding frenzy that brings together artists, geeks, entrepreneurs, academics, government officials, and others to share their ideas in fast-paced, bite-sized presentations. It’s a great opportunity to meet smart, interesting people (if we do say so ourselves) and maybe even learn something.

THE GOAL:
Bringing together embers of big ideas to spark a blaze of creativity in Boise’s business and creative community –leaving attendees more educated and just as importantly, more inspired.

HOW IT WORKS:
Presenters each get five minutes and 20 slides (automatically rotating every 15 seconds) to talk on a topic of their choice. Everyone is invited to participate, though due to the limitations of space and time, only a handful will be selected to present at each event.

Here are two of my favorite presos, from Ignite Boise past-

The super cool Jess Flynn, of Red Sky Public Relations

Jamie Cooper, of Drake Cooper (poor sound on this clip, sorry!)

I get it "Animal Style"

In-n-Out Burger

mmmmm.mmm.

An In-n-Out cheeseburger was one of the first things that I ate after being vegetarian for nearly a decade. Not living near an In-n-Out location leads Mr. VonShtupp and I to go kinda crazy when we are in California, Nevada or St. George Utah (there are in-n-outs in Arizona, too - but we don't go there).

Behold the 4X4. With onion. This behemoth is what my better half orders: four meat patties, four slices of cheese, lettuce, tomato and the opted-in onion, between two buns with sauce. It is glorious.

I'm all about the Double-Double "Animal Style". Double-Double is half of the 4x4, and "Animal Style" is an In-n-Out Burger **secret menu option. It means grilled onions, extra pickles and mustard. De-lish!

To top it off, we enjoy an order of fresh cut french fries and a milkshake (I'm a strawberry, he's a chocolate).

If you've never been to an In-n-Out Burger, you should really get to one. Located all over California, in parts of Arizona, in Las Vegas and Reno areas, and now in St. George Utah. This is a family owned chain of restaurants. They do not franchise. The food is fresh, the employees taken care of, and the locations are clean (and always packed). Not to mention that a 4x4, dbl-dbl, fries and shakes cost less than $15. Yep. Awesome.

**Link to In-n-Out Burger Secret Menu.

Moby Dick and Captain Ahab

I love Halloween, dressing up is one of my fortes. Mr. VonShtupp, on the other hand, not only dislikes wearing a costume - he's also a big fuddy-duddy when it comes to any kind of social gathering. Fortunately, I didn't attend Halloween parties stag this year, as he agreed to attend our friend's 5th year anniversary party, which was a side note to their grandparent's 50th anniversary party (Halloween Weddings are fun)!

I decided that a couple's costume would help with my husband's lack of imagination. On Halloween day I pulled together items that I already had, purchased a few things and donned a vintage male mystique, calling myself: Captain Ahab.

I dug out my acrylic paints, a ringer t-shirt and went to town painting a sperm whale. Mr. V's costume was essentially a t-shirt, something I knew he'd be comfortable in, but something that tied us together. I love the shirt I painted for him, I hope he wears it again!

Boise Idaho, 1913

University of Minnesota (1941) presents "I Want To Be a Secretary"

"I thought perhaps I should cancel History and Physics, I don't really need them."

4th Annual Boise Zombie Walk

Saturday, October 24th, 2009

This was my fourth time to walk amongst Boise's undead. There were about 100 zombies in attendance this year, most of which turned the Zombie Walk into a spooky marathon of sorts. The course was undefined, and the leaders of the pack were the most nimble zombies I've ever come across.

We all had a great time! Kudos to Levi Johnson - this year's Zombie Walk coordinator; he did a stellar job!

Above are photos of our perspective of the Zombie Walk, it was too dark to take photos with my iPhone, so this is what Jenny and I were able to shoot.

You'll see two "Tea Bagger" zombies, that's Whitney and Wendy - one "Organic Farmer" zombie, played by Seth, Jenny as a sexy librarian zombie, myself as "Sister Underwood" aka Mormon Zombie, and a random photo of the Hello Kitty who joined the Zombie Walk.

Zsa Zsa shows us how to do it

Workout videos from the eighties crack me up! I love them! From the hilarious remake Drew Barrymore did on SNL, to the FABULOUS Richard Simmons.

These clips are always comic action packed - I get a pretty great laughter workout, I must say.

This is one from Zsa Zsa Gabor, her line of workout videos was called "It's Simple Darling" - and with Francois and Mike, why shouldn't it be simple, darlings?

Neon Graveyard

Lushing out at the Las Vegas "Neon Graveyard" off Fremont Street. Vegas is strange. The casinos get bigger and bigger, yet the memories of yesterday are the biggest part of Vegas. There is very little historical preservation in this city. The city pushes for megaplexes and corporate development, leveling anything in the way. The sand hasn't covered all of the history, but soon - money will.

1978 TOMY Fashion Plates

I used to play with this toy at my grandma's house in the early 80s. I doubt she still has it, but I think Im going to keep a keen eye out for one on my thrift or antique store-capades.

I love the 70s-80s fashion and hair styles that this toy celebrates - these plates would be great for many an art project or just for fun & nostalgia when friends come over!

If I find a set, I'll post sketched designs!

Cupcake Collective to benefit TrICA! 8-15-09

Click on the image for more info about Cupcake Collective!

Real world MadMen Advertising

These 1960s commercial clips are not from the television series MadMen, although I'm certain that men in Modern advertising had something to do with them!

BABY BABY BABY

D & D

D & D - What the nerdy me once thought stood simply for Dungeons and Dragons takes on a completely different meaning in Elko Nevada's "Red Light" District.

For another perspective of the trouble one can get into in Elko, please read Hunter S. Thompson's "Fear and Loathing in Elko" - an article written for Rolling Stone magazine in 1992 (although Gonzo's story has very little to do with Elko, much other than some whiskey and a shotgun).

Mormon Crickets Are The REAL Terrorists!

Mormon Crickets: the sight of these little bastards is nearly as bothersome as the name. Turns out they are actually katydids, not crickets. As seen in this photo taken from my car, they often travel in swarms. Swarms so large (100 crickets per square meter) that when squished between car tires and road they can make a vehicle slide. That's right, hydroplaning from bug guts.

Another unpleasant fact about Mormon Crickets is that swarming is caused by cannibalistic behavior. They have to keep moving forward from getting bitten from behind. The infestation of swarming Mormon Crickets is chemically controlled in populated areas, or areas with crops. This photo was taken in the Owyhee Mountain Range of Northern Nevada, a desolate but beautiful area.

The title "Mormon Cricket" was given to the pests in the 19th century. Pioneering Mormons were said to have been saved by the seagulls that ate the insects that were known to destroy their crops causing famine. The seagulls migrated from California to the desert area of Utah to feast on the crickets, and thus the California Seagull is Utah's state bird.

Like their namesake, Mormon Crickets are reported to dislike hard rock music. According to farmers and townsfolk dealing with Mormon Cricket infestation, the insects are deterred by loud hard rock music playing from stereo systems and boom boxes. Seems to me that Mountain City, Nevada should consider some Twisted Sister.