busy, busy weekend

this seems to be the norm these days, but i had another super busy weekend...lots of things happened...busy but incredibly fun!

SATURDAY:
shop was buzzing and was still doing last minute organizing of our new calendar and website up-loads (no me gusta html). but we finally finished the final touches of our much anticipated calendar of events for at least the next 2 months (if not 4!). More fermentation classes, a series of workshops devoted to all sorts of fiber arts, lectures and writing workshops, composting...you name it! see what we have been up to HERE.
Sabre, our fiber arts instructor has also been busy at work designing our awesome looking print calendar...they should be popping up here and there...i still can't believe how quickly she put the dang thing together.
After work, we went by our friends Kelly and Patrick for a delicious dinner (mostly from their garden), wine and a noteworthy Greyhound made from backyard grapefruits and honey from their hives!

(let the meeting begin!)

(working-kind of...!!)

But the real reason we were there (besides hanging out!): doing the initial planning stages of the Urban Homestead Festival, an all-day event dedicated to celebrating and educating the public to be self-sufficient and creating the farm-in suburbia! STAY TUNED for more on this!!

SUNDAY:
After a night of too many Greyhounds, we packed the VW up for my monthly stint at the Hollywood Farmers' Market bright and early and traveled up the 5 freeway with some amazing views of snow-covered mountains and the Hollywood sign. Although we were an hour late, we were still able to see old friends and some familiar faces.

(regular who LOVES kraut!)

First was Andy Richter of the Tonight Show-right in back of us at the organic coffee stand. he was kind of going incognito with a hat and sunglasses but we recognized him quickly from our stint at a film screening that we had covered for Crazy Days and Nights a while back.
Not too long after we spent a good amount of time with beloved TV host Huell Houser. This was a real treat-he was like a rock star with tons of people coming up and shaking his hand-remembering past shows...this guys is a real gentleman! He had actually attended my boyfriend's book signing a while back and had a lengthy talk...totally remembered him and talked about the Master Food Preserver program as well. we were surprised when he later came by to show us what he bought and chatted some more talking of stories and had us all laughing...GREAT guy if you ever have the chance to meet him.

(Huell bought this gorg wooden bowling ball made from discarded wood)

Not too long after i had a glimpse of a favorite that i had seen before: BOOGER (actor Curtis Armstrong) from Revenge of the Nerds. i had seen him earlier, but never got the chance to take a picture and again he was out of sight before i could think of my camera. an hour later i saw him a a few yards away and tried to do my best "take a pix in disguise", when Kevin shouted out, "Mr Booger! my friend noticed you and she is a big fan." Booger, um Curtis, happily came by and took this photo...one word: AWESOME.

(photo with "Mr Booger"...priceless..)

Our shopping had a specific agenda as i had a class at Felix's KTCHN 105 in a few hours. This class- Preserving the Season is centered around what the market had to offer so i basically did all of my shopping there...what to buy!?!

(have to use these GORG cauliflower heads and carrots)

i ended up buying items for Hot Pickled Carrots and Cauliflower using green and white cauliflower and white, red and orange carrots...this looked incredible as a mix...talk about gourmet pickles!
i also got an incredible deal on kiwi fruit ($12 for a case!), and strawberries for jam and a large bag of basil for basil jelly-a fave in the shop.
by the time we arrived at KTCHN 105 i had 1 hour to prep, print recipes and shove some bread in my mouth before the students arrived...each student walked out with 9 jars of delicious goodies. below are some pix of the class:

(Super Bowl...what Super Bowl..)

Met some new faces and spent some time with familiar faces/friends like Greer of Greer's OC, by the time we got home (with a stop at Avanti and print shop for the calendars)...i was in much need of a champs and good TV.