Snack Mountain Blog

I believe that I live in the most beautiful city in the world! I mean look at this picture above? Why would anyone live anywhere else? I also believe in good luck! Which is why I wanted to eat black-eyed peas this month as part of the New Year’s Hoppin’ John tradition.

I was supposed to host a Hoppin’ John party two weeks ago but I have been dreadfully sick all month so I made it for myself on Friday. But alas, I am finally moving into my own apartment in 10 days so I will host many dinner parties to come. In my hibernation this month, I have been envisioning exciting plans to revamp this blog and bring some Snack Mountain characters to the forefront. Stay tuned for the re-design!

Finally, I have a confession to make. I believe in crystals. I got this one as a present from my yoga studio, Golden Bridge, and I quite like it. This is why I live in California, right?

Hello world! I have survived the EPIC cold that seems to be infecting the masses this winter! I was in bed for 9 straight days! No joke! At first, it was kind of a nice hibernation period before I became an official Instagram creeper (sorry in advance). I finished this amazing book I’ve been reading called Farm City:

I highly recommend reading it. It is inspiring me to finally build that raised bed I’ve been dreaming over ever since I moved here last year! Novella Carpenter‘s writing is hilarious. There were many moments when I laughed out loud. And! Exciting news in regards to my living situation! I am hopefully moving into my own apartment at the end of the month! More details to come on that one! Oh the exciting fermentation and food projects that will begin once I finally get my own kitchen again!

So once I finally emerged from my cocoon, I went to the Rose Bowl yesterday which was so much fun! I spotted this hilarious Cabbage Patch Doll called “Snacktime Kid” who would eat snacks you fed her! Apparently, it was only on the market a week because some girl’s hair got caught in it and it wouldn’t stop eating her hair! She totally almost died!

I love the line on the back “Feed me my magic snacks again and again.” Can this be my catch phrase too? My magic snacks are my kombucha, sauerkraut and kale salad! Hahahaha. Oddly, her snacks go right back into her backpack and bypass the whole “digestion” idea. How 1990s, right?

I almost fainted when I saw this giant collection of Garfields:

And I am pretty psyched about this butterfly rug I got for my new digs!

Finally, I’ve got some exciting work updates. I redesigned the logo for Next City’s website and did some editorial illustrations for them as well. Here’s the logo and one of the illustrations in their weekly Forefront email. I’ll be doing some more illustration work for them which is very exciting! Stay tuned!

I just got back from a week in Snowmass Colorado where my big bro designed a new hotel called Wildwood! I stayed in the Scandinavian suite with my parents. Here I am meditating in the hot air balloon bathroom.

I’ve actually become quite hooked on Kundalini yoga. I never would have expected it but I think I actually like it more than Vinyasa yoga now! I’ve been going to Golden Bridge several times a week and have even bought some books! Here’s a shot of my bro in the living room under the commisioned Wayne White painting that is in each room!

I’m not really a skier, although I did go snowshoeing and cross country. But we all went dogsledding run by this restaurant Krabloonik! They had the best home made jam ever!

As nice as it was to enjoy this winter wonderland, I’m happy to come home to my palm trees, sunshine and delicious California cuisine!

This week I have been in awe of how colorful my food has been. I never thought that the color of my food could inspire me so much. It tastes delicious so that helps too. I can’t get enough sauerkraut, roasted cauliflower and kale salad! I also made this pretty butternut squash risotto. It’s perfect for this cold weather in LA! My friends Aurora and Sam came over for dinner and I gave them a tour of my Kombucha cabinet.

Speaking of Kombucha, I really need to post a recipe one of these days. I am very proud of my brew! It’s getting rave reviews from all of my friends. I will make a batch in the New Year and share it with you. Also, if you want any starter culture, the SCOBYs are taking up some serious real estate in my fridge and need a new home. You could be the proud mother of an alien baby SCOBY! Hahahaha. Finally, I sent out a bunch of totes to my east coast friends this week. Check your mail!

Well I’m off to Snow Mass, Colorado to see the hotel my big bro designed. Holla! Happy new year!

So I finally silkscreened the indigo totes! I started off with the pink ink which wasn’t very bold on the indigo but I still kinda like them.

I was definitely having flashbacks to college and my early 20s when I used to silkscreen all the time! What a blast! Then I switched to black ink and wished I had done that way earlier because the color is so POP BANG WHIZ on the totes:

What are your thoughts? Should I screen the other side of the pink totes with black? I’m missing the feedback of studio mates right now so I am instead asking you, dear mysterious internet!

I also made a colorful and satisfying lunch today. I started biking to the farmers market but then I realized that biking in the rain really isn’t fun so I popped into Trader Joe’s because I needed a few things there. I was going to buy my produce there but I just couldn’t bare to do it. The broccoli and lettuces looked putrified and depressing in their shrink wrap so I ended up driving to the market instead. As usual, it was worth it!

Tonight I am going to the Museum of Jurassic Technology Holiday party which should be a blast! I’ll do my best to take some pics!

I can’t stop! I really can’t! After the glorious rain finally ended in LA, I went to the backyard and set up my indigo bath for dyeing tote bags! Indigo dye involves fermentation? Well, according to Wikipedia, most current methods are synthetic but the original plant “indican” was fermented to extract the color from the plant and then mixed with other solutions and made into powders. I’ve been hooked on the stuff since last year! I dyed about 50 totes plus a few odds and ends.

I pretty much threw out my back in the process and now all the totes are drying all over my house. Haha. Next up, I’m gonna silkscreen them with this new Snack Mountain logo.

My lucky friends and relatives will receive these as a holiday gift from me!

I also made a new colorful batch of Sauerkraut this weekend. This time I used both green and red cabbage and added scallions, garlic, fennel seeds, and cumin seeds! I’m psyched to try it!

Finally, I’ll leave you with some rough wall sketches! Trying to keep that process going! Yeah!!