Main » September 2004

September 19, 2004

Happy Days

My mom and I are ordering opera tickets! Woohoo!!! :-D
We're going to see La Boheme on 9/26 and Marriage of Figaro in November. I'm so excited, I love the opera!

I had the best dinner today, too. It was pretty cold in New York, and, though it's not officially fall until Wednesday, it really felt like Autumn. I had a very fall inspired dinner. I cut up a Roma apple, spooned out some peanut butter, and sliced up some soy gouda cheese that I got at Lifethyme. I decided to pass on crackers because I wasn't feeling like bread, so I spread each apple slice with either the "cheese" or peanut butter, and ate it like that. It was GREAT. It really reminded me of the breakfasts my mom and I would have after going to the farmers' markets in our neighborhood in late September or early October. It tasted like fall.

I don't usually like fall very much. It feels like the end of something better (Summer, my favorite season.) But there's also a feeling of newness, of cripsness to fall. I do like that. A crisp apple with salty soy cheese and hearty peanut butter are a good embodyment of that.

I feel like I have a meal for each season... winter is definately soup, and any kind of soup at that. Pea soup, mushroom barley, tomato, anything... I am crazy for soup.

Spring is a fresh veggie season, and lots of fruit. Obvious choice, I know...

Summer is mexican food. Mexican food, and gazpacho. mmm...

If I hadn't just finished eating, I'd be really hungry right now... ;-)

Now, back to the studio

Posted by Mallory at 07:15 PM | Comments (0)

September 14, 2004

A New Friend

My first week back was draining, but my classes are great.

Today, after musical theatre class, a bunch of kids were going to Dallas BBQs for lunch and invited me to go with them. I have been to BBQs before, and while there is little there that fits my diet, I can eat green salad and drink margaritas. I'm sure their french fries--while not exactly diet friendly--would be vegetarian, too. The only places I've had to worry about non-vegetarian fries are fast food places.

The truth of the matter is, I don't like most of the people from my musical theatre class this semester. They're snobby and click-y, and even when they're nice to me, I don't feel accepted by them. Maybe it's just my own insecurities, but I don't think so. Truth is, they're a bunch of... words I probably can't say on this site... :-)

So I played the Vegan card. It was lame, I know, but I was put on the spot and couldn't think of anything else to say to get out of it without being rude. While I don't like most of them, there are one or two that I do kind of like. We're not friends, but we're in-class-friendly enough, you know? Anyway, I said that there's not really anything at Dallas BBQs that I can eat, but thanks for the invite, and maybe I'd join them next time they went out for lunch.

I feel a little guilty. I don't want people to think that being vegan keeps me from doing things I'd otherwise have liked to do. People assume that a lot. They think because there are certain restaurants that won't be particularly vegan friendly, I have to pass on fun social engagements. Truth is, I've never passed. I can even have fun at an Outback Steakhouse. I'd rather not have to, mind you, but I CAN.

God, I hope I didn't do something to taint people against veganism. I'd never forgive myself.

And now, back to the studio....

PS: My mother's birthday cake turned out GREAT! :-D

Posted by Mallory at 07:12 PM | Comments (1)

September 09, 2004

Happy Birthday, Happy First Week of Classes, Happy Days are Here Again...

Hello!

This was my first week of classes, and I must say, I am exhausted! It's been great so far, though. I love my Beyond Naturalism class, which focuses on experimental and avant-garde acting methodologies, and think I am really going to have fun in my Elements of Directing class, too. both classes are going to be REALLY hard, though, and I already have a ton of work! Tomorrow I have Intermediate Playwrighting, and Saturday I have Auditioning for Musical Theatre. Monday I have my Stagecraft class, which I didn't have this week because of Labor Day. I think it's going to be a great semester.

I have definately lost weight, and I'm not so sure how I feel about that. There is a part of me that is inclined to be thrilled, but I'm also a little nervous, because I haven't really been trying to lose weight. I'm thinking that it's a combination of stress (I've lost my appetite) and not having a kitchen (makes cooking difficult, so I'm basically living on fresh fruits and veggies and stuff that is easy to make in a rush), as well as having a tight schedule. I don't have a bathroom scale at my dorm, so I'm going to weigh myself when I go home for my mother's birthday this weekend. If I've lost more than 5 lbs in the past week, I'll be concerned. If not, I'll count my blessings and do a happy little dance, maybe buying some new jeans. :-D

As I've stressed before, maintaining a healthy weight is important to me. I don't want to be over OR Under weight, even though I know a lot of people who think being underweight is a good thing. Right now, I am at the high end of normal, so I wouldn't mind losing 5 or even 10 lbs (my average weight is something like 108-124 for my height, I'm about 118). But I know if I do it too quickly, it's not safe and there will be hell to pay, both with how my body responds to losing it (slowing metabolsim, etc) and when I eventually gain it back.

I've talked to a few people on my floor about being vegan, and they all seem pretty surprised to learn that about me. I guess I seem too "normal" to be one of those "Crazy militant Animal Rights loonies," or whatever stereotype they seemed to have in their minds. One girl said she used to be a vegetarian but "needed to eat meat" because she got sick. I tried to explain gently, without preaching, that what she needed was nutrieunts, not meat. She seemed to get the point.

A few other people expressed interest in learning about what I feel about animal rights and eating ethics, and a few people asked if I could cook for them. Things like "I've always wanted to try tofu but never knew how to make it," and "You're a vegan? That's cool! I'm impressed!" are not uncommon to be heard in my room... maybe because I hung a "WHY VEGAN?" pamphlet on my wall in a rather obvious place! :-D

And now, back to the studio...

Posted by Mallory at 10:51 PM | Comments (0)

September 06, 2004

student housing

The Student housing I'm in is not nearly as bad as it could have been. The room is tiny and the communal bathrooms suck, but it could be worse. The worst part is going to be eating, and even that's not that terrible.

I have a minifridge that's a decent size, and I bought some groceries yesterday so that I can go downstairs and cook. But I've been grabbing food out a lot, which is a big pain in the butt. My first day here I had a greek salad (no anchovies, no cheese) for dinner, but ate all my other meals before I got here. Not too bad.

Yesterday's breakfast was half a grapefruit and some breadsticks, with lunch being another salad at the dining hall, which isn't vegetarian friendly at ALL. :-( Dinner was more salad, carrot sticks, salsa and chips, and some bread. Not healthy at ALL.

Today I did better, though. I bought a lot of fruit, so I had peaches and plums for breakfast, and made a PB&J for lunch. For dinner some people were going out, so I got six pieces of vegetarian sushi and miso soup.

Tomorrow the goal is to make everything at home, except, of course, for the free food I can grub at work.

I think tomorrow's dinner will be veggie burgers, salad, and some sort of veggie. Veggie burgers are easy to make, even in a weird communal kitchen.

Hope everyone is doing well, and wish me luck with the start of classes this week!!!

Now back to the studio.

Posted by Mallory at 04:39 PM | Comments (0)

September 03, 2004

The Sun'll Come Out Tomorrow

I've been so busy trying to get my act together for school, and finally, I think I'm done. My bags are packed, and I think I've done a good job packing. The only thing I know I over packed are shoes... but I'm a shoes fanatic, so overpacking shoes is probably a good thing, knowing me.

My room is clean and I threw away so much crap. I also found a lot of stuff that has me really happy.

I found all of my cookbooks, for example, and am determined to cook fresh in the stupid communal kitchen, even if it kills me. I've made a determination for myself for this year: If I have to have a communal kitchen, I am going to prove to everyone on my floor how great Vegan cooking can be. And, whenever I can afford it, I'll make enough to share.

I was daydreaming today, and started thinking about how much I hate it when people assume that, because I'm vegan, I live on granola and green salad. I mean, there are so many more things that I CAN eat than there are that I can't. And for most things that I choose not to eat, I can find a substitute.

Last year, I did win some converts. My friends, Laura and Ashley, agreed to come for dinner one night. I know they were expecting shredded carrots and alfalfa sprouts, and they were very impressed by my amazing veggie curry. They even really liked the Whole Soy Plain "Yogurt" that I used as a side. My birthday cake was excellent (though kinda expensive--I'll bake my own this year!) and even the people who turned their noses at last year's cake (which was VILE! lol) were impressed. When I was dating this guy, Wayne, he teased me about how I ate until I served him (over time, of course) the infamous curry, vegan chili, vegan cornbread, and vegan chocolate cake. He shut his trap and was soon asking if we could "cook dinner together," knowing full well that I'm a control freak and would take over and cook for him. :-)

This year, the only person I know I know on my floor is my friend Kim. I'm so happy to be living with her. She's a wonderful girl, and is right next door to me on the floor. I don't know who else will be living there, but I'll find out tomorrow. I hope I know some of them (and am hoping for one person in particular, heehee) and don't know others; it's always nice to meet new people. As the delicious smells of my decadent vegan meals float down the hallway, everyone has an open invitation to sample.

Maybe I'll be changing America's diet, one Marymount Manhattan College student at a time...

And now, back to the dorms... err... studio...

Posted by Mallory at 09:32 PM | Comments (0)