127 yard sale day 3: Albany-Crossville

Welcome to Tennessee!

 (Native American-wolf butter churner??  not this time)

(i am still hitting myself for taking a picture of this but NOT BUYING it!)

Saturday was a big shopping day-I bascialy went though my "allowance" and i have yet to visit my favorite vendors (all on the last stretch on Sunday, especially my very favorite vendor)-at least i know now much i SHOULD bring next year.
Met an overly-excited born-again Christian who insisted on giving me a "diploma" and 3 stones (2 with Jesus and 1 red one for his blood?)...very nice but then wanted a hug...sorry but it is WAY too hot and sweaty outside for that, i won't even grab my guys hand! But before i could say no, he was in full embrace-oh well!

While on the trip i have been doing a little personal shopping for a few people. This is something we are definitely going to do for next year (why not make a small business out of our vacation)! Working on the deets and will posting something in the wrap-up about it.
Here are some of the things i picked up for the people who wanted items:

(my friend Karen for her ice cream shop MotherMoo Creamery)

(for my friend Amy-the levels are for me)

(using this at the shop)

(ice block grabber-thingie...ROCKS!)

(this one house had AMAZING finds, we got a ton of stuff-coming up on a Good Food post!!)

Tip #3: Northern TN on 127 DOES NOT have reception for several hours.  No calls, no internet, no GPS...nada so plan accordingly.

it was nice to see familiar vendors and how their operations were growing-many had added tents, more BBQ stations, just over more-congrats on growing!!

(this vendor added an area where she was boiling soap on site!)

127 yard sale day 2: Danville- Albany

I have to say, we are incredibly thankful for the thunderstorms that have been hitting this area b/c it has been taking off a bit of the heat here. Instead of wearing a parka inside a cardboard box in a sauna, we are now in a cardboard box in a sauna...yes it gets that bad!
The 127 yard sale is essentially a weekend, but because it is so large (now over 700 miles) there are people setting up way earlier in the week-even the week before. Friday is now closing the week of shopping!
Tip #2: be prepared for some serious deals starting the actual weekend and even more on Sunday (people DO NOT want to load up a crap-load of stuff after a long weekend-see the above reason why-the heat!)

(this was a HUGE indoor set-up that we went to last year in KY also!)

One thing we have been looking forward to are the Mennonite peeps that are concentrated on the Southern KY part of 127. Forgive my total ignorance, but from what i can tell (and some google help) Mennonites are like the Amish but drive cars and are a little more techno-savvy but you can tell they are private pretty private (but you get this very peaceful way about them-and pretty cool)!
Southern KY has a few areas where you can visit Mennonites and hopefully buy their crafts..last year we bought woven hats and a few baskets- but this year, the one farm we visited has a small blacksmith area where i kind of had a Menno-crush on the group working the booth-bought some iron hooks and a black walnut block, baskets and pies (more to come on that again).

Let me just say that this is the last year we will be going without a trailer.  The more that I do this adventure, the more i see where to go, who to buy from and what prices are deals!  On our way home i will talk more on the deal part, it really is an art and takes a few years to really understand-but for now...

(a malt milk shaker: didnt know they even existed!!)

 (got my blue Ball Jar deal of the weekend-bought over 20!)

(this awesome min-pie deal for mera-mera Evan Kleiman)

My favorite thing about the yard sale are the signs...i have a number of them that will be a separate post in itself!!

127 yard sale day 1: Frankfort-Danville

Besides the fact that we love Kentucky (friendly people, beautiful drive and great shopping), we started our adventure in Frankfort for 2 reasons: Rick's White Light Diner & ummm must i say-BOURBON COUNTRY?!?!  Bourbon Country and all things booze on 127 will be my next post, but for now let's talk the obvious...

(time to wake up to go shopping!!)

Last year, while doing a Yelp! search, we happened upon this tiny, eclectic diner with an incredible owner.  Little did we know, that around that time, Guy Fieri (of the uber-popular Diners, Drive-ins and Dives) had recently visited this 15-seat eatery and hence the triple-business after-Rick's is smokin'!

(Rick tellin' it like it is)

We arrived right at 9AM, right when they open and i must say that is the BEST time. Not only do you get to have an amazing breakfast in peace (Cajun Omelette-YUM!), but you can interact with the owner-Rick Paul who is just as delicious is his dishes. Rick's personality is served not only on his plates (all local, sustainable, takes great pride in buying as a source of change), but the diner itself is a total reflection of what you will be getting (Taxi Driver posters mixed with political books, maps, funny stickers, family photos and all things proud of your home).

(why the Oyster Po Boy is pricey-pinche BP!)

After partaking in some AMAZING Bourbon Pie (check out KCRW's Good Food Blog about that), we had many a chuckle with Rick's "if you eat seafood from China, then f-off" and "i hope you don't mind the f-ing cursing...everyone does it so calm the f- down". I can't help but adore this business...the small business is really at war with the Wal-$#its and Sam's Crap...they make up so much of the area we have been through and as a small business owner I will go out of my way to make sure that i can send more people to Rick's-VIVA LA SMALL BUSINESS (i kind of like that saying)!!
So off we went the short stretch to Danville and bought a few goodies on the way:

(cast iron twin bed-heavy as hell but super cute!)

(old-school ironing board)

TIP #1: if you find something a little expensive (like that cute bed), try to find a few other things to buy and negotiate a deal (i ended up buying the ironing board and several wooden mallets and scored a deal for everything).

(i also got this squirrel glass container for a nice price!)

(loved this trash bin-our new recycling container at the Apartment Homestead)

Pre-127 yard sale part 2: shopping list

(good morning Texas!)

Yesterday was a big day for us.  Starting at 3AM we left Santa Ana and headed all the way to Amarillo, TX…about 1000+ miles. Today we have a slightly shorter route to St. Louis, MO (about a 12 hour drive)-tons shorter than yesterday! The reason behind the 2 marathon drives right at the beginning is because I have been wanting to go to an Amish community to look for crafts for the shop-I love the simplicity and skill of the Amish and on last year’s trip I bought several items from the Mennonites that live around Southern KY.

So the drive from Amarillo-St. Louis is not going to have many stops so I figure this would be a good time to get a little shopping list together so I don’t get overwhelmed (which happens after the first stop).

Linens:  some of the vintage linens have been doing well at the shop, especially the tea towels with the different years on them…for sure going to hit those up! Also a big hit were some of the larger tablecloths with little embroideries on them. One of my chicas, Erin asked me to find some cute linens as well.

(like this 1976 towel from etsy seller nine20nine)

Furniture: this time we have an SUV and it is just the 2 of us, so I am going to take advantage of every inch of space and try to get a few larger pieces. One thing I am on the lookout for is a smallish desk for the building materials area of the shop. For sure tater boxes are on the list, people always compliment me on the one I have in the house from my first trip to 127 with my mom.

Canning/preserving items: what a shocker! I want to find old canning books and tools also pickling crocks and lots of old blue Ball jars, those sell really well. I will also be posting or doing videos on other fellow preservers that I meet on 127…there are plenty of canners there!

 (from etsy sellers: old bittersweet & victorian gables)

Pie/Soda/Ice Cream goodies: my friend Karen Klemmens of MotherCluck is opening an artisanal ice cream shop called MotherMoo Creamery (LOVE the name right??)…I will be keeping her in mind. I am also going to be doing a few posts for KCRW’s Good Food blog with things that I find/people I meet/things I eat called Disbatches from HWY 127. Last year I bought lots of pie-themed goodies for Good Food host and dear friend Evan Kleiman…mera-mera is getting more goodies this year too!

(Karen: am I on the right track? images from veraviola, inspired journey, and Grandmas Folly)

I also have a few shopping requests so I will be doing some other personal shopping, cross your fingers!

Anything else that might be good to grab?? let me know!

pre-127 yard sale: how to outfit your car for a massive drive

(currently driving though The Rez)

No, i didn't abandon my blog! Everyday for the past few months i have been feeling horrible about not posting, but the past 3 months have been incredibly busy...a little too busy. Not only have i had my usual Road Less Traveled/jam sales/Patchwork Craft Fairs, but for the past 4 month i have been working on the first ever LA Eat Real Festival.  Remember last year i flew out to Oakland to talk about kimchi?? Well, I was hired as the Event Manager for LA, and there went any free time that I had- I wasn't even at the shop the last 8 weeks-it has been nuts/awesome/exhausing in so many words.  More on that next week though.

The real point of me starting up with the blog again, and in particular on this day is because:

it's 127 yard sale time again!!!

Yes, as i write this post we are making our way to Kentucky to shop at the largest yard sale in the country.  This time around we brought a flip camera to do videos, i am going to take more pictures of the wacky signs and i am going to blog about the trip there and coming back.

How are we able to do this, and work on the various other things that i am a little behind on?? We have outfitted our car (or rather Gustavo's parents SUV) into a mini snack bar/DJ booth and office! By stocking some quality snacks and multiple things to occupy us, we are able to pull 12-17 hour treks without going crazy or eating tons of gas station food.

(the carffice- front seat was electronics, back seat the galley)

THE LONG HAUL CAR TRIP (trips with small kids would probably not find this the best resource)

• inverter: we use this one and powered all electronic devices around the clock (it has been super worth it, we use it in the VW all the time)
• zip ties/ twisty-ties: something to organize all of the damn wires or you will go crazy, tape, scissors some basic office items (the tape is great for taping papers up on the dashboard to increase the sqft-age of your "desk"
• tethering: the whole reason I can work on the go was because we had an internet connection (sometimes slow-but SO MUCH BETTER than nothing!) via the smart phone.
• SIRUS: Howard Stern, non-stop 80's music, no commercials, tons of stations-what are you waiting for!
• laptop desk: helps for organization and keeping the hot laptop off your legs.
• baby/sanitation wipes & paper towels: clean your hands, feet or face before you eat or whenever you are getting that nasty travel grim going on.
• a few large paper grocery bags: just start a trash bag as soon as you turn on the engine
• The Complete Book of Questions: there is always a conversation that comes from this book.
• Food: lots of fruit, hummus/pita, cheeses, cured meats, breads and a good mustard.  Your can easily make a sandwich using the top of your cooler as your counter. I also made orzo salad prepackaged in plastic containers (with roasted tomatoes, feta and pepper flakes). of course drinks!
• food tools: bottle/wine opener (i always find myself buying these when we stop!), a small cutting board, spreader/cheese/sm bread knife, eating utensils, bring a large mason jar with a plastic lid for the coffee stops too.
• driving: leave as early as possible (we left @ 3am), you will make great time and avoid all the traffic...and cruise control makes life easier.

(first purchase: a turquoise necklace and some sweet leather hair ties!)

Tomorrow's post: the stops for the trip and the shopping list

Preserved Lemons-find someone with trees NOW

On Sunday I helped to celebrate the anniversary of the Hollywood Farmers Market by doing a series of demos on the multi-purpose and fantastic lemon.

So my demos had to do with preserving lemons 3 ways: preserved lemons, limoncello and lemon curd. in a few day i will post on curd, next week limoncello, but for now= PRESERVED LEMONS

PRESERVED LEMONS

*info* preserved lemons are a North African lemon condiment, like a pickle/ like a seasoning...they are not to snack on alone but more for enhancing heartier dishes or ingredients...

•  3-4 lemons
• 3-4 t salt
• *additions: cinnamon sticks, bay leaf, peppercorns, chili flakes, paprika (all not necessary)

 the traditional way of making this is to cut a whole lemon almost down to the core, but leave it whole. this is traditional, BUT hard to fit in a jar and you wont use the whole thing so i like to...
wash and cut the lemon into segments, think 6...you dont want it too thin but not a whole lemon-experiment with cuts.  see here:

for every lemon, you want about 1tsp of salt, sprinkled around the lemon so that there is salt (PLEASE USE SALT w/out iodine-NASTY). and get a clean jar (canning not necessary) and mush the crap out of it.  you will notice, especially after a few hours that there is a ton of juice.  the salt really helps to pull the liquid out of the lemons and hopefully you will have enough to have the brine cover the lemon bits.

 Wait till the end of the day, smashing down what you have, if you don't have enough liquid, add some from a spare lemon. Let this lit (with the lid ON, you dont want bugs or dust) on the counter for a month, mixing to make sure the salt and lemons get nice and friendly with each other.  after a month-put it in the fridge.

(this is a batch made with chili flakes and is about 9 months old-perfect!)

so at this point you notice that you have a jar of soft lemon peels-the "fruit" part has fallen off...seems at a loss but this it GOOD.  but dont go eating it like popcorn...here are a few basic ways to use it
*note* use preserved lemons like you would a condiment that you want lemonly-salt added to.

(new batch on right, 9-month old on left)

OLIVES DEVINE: mix with a number of cured olives, just a wedge will do, just mix well
QUINOA: add to cooking water of quinoa
FISH: rub a wedge on fish while cooking

farmers' market contest: May 2011

oh boy do I feel like a loser...here i am quack-quack about, "i'm a gonna blog everyday for New's Years resolution-BS" and what do i do?  take a month off here and there...depressing! (cute soundtrack-PLEASE play while continuing to read)


But I will promise this because this past week i turned 35 (on Cinco-DeLilah of course!)...which to me is like a real-time number-that's for some reason a real adult age...I don't feel a day over 28, but who knows, i can't even keep a regular blog schedule.
Back to the promise AND the contest- i need to post a few things this week b/c i told people today @ the Hollywood FM that i would (and other people) so this is what I promise to do this week:

1. post a recipe on how to make preserved lemons
2. post on how to make lemon curd-yes you CAN (but you should eat it fresh)
3. a CSA recipe
4. what the funk i have been up to and why i haven't been posting...

as for the contest: be the first to post on this blog and win (i will ship if you are not in the area) 1 VEDA salt (organic celery salt) and one Citron Pepper package (great on good ole bagels and cream cheese).

CONTEST MAY 2011

This actress, was once on a BIG TV (in the past 5 years) show and pretty hilarious movie. Known as a B-, but i could not tell, she was super sweet as she came up to me probably enjoying Mother's Day in peace (not really, i guess there where like 3 people taking pictures). Despite all of this, she asked me about trying the lemon curd-it had been sitting out for hours, so i said, "hells no!"...after offering a recipe she said she had one at home-she was making it later that day (laughing sweetly)...pretty nice if you ask me!