Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Job Hunting, Getting Lost, and Finding Sprouts!

Afro getting in the way of my haul.... as it should be!

Roxy and Joan. Joan looked away as soon as I tried to take the picture!

See that bug? Kanye is trying to get it. I ruined her hunt and saved the poor little guy/gal
I still need to get a picture of Etta! She is normally like get me, get me when I take out the camera, but yesterday and today she's being a little bit of a pill! Afro is the one lately that wants all the love, and all the pictures!
I promise tomorrow I will take pictures of my new apartment. Even though I have nothing, it still is somehow in a bit of disarray. I plan on getting it together today. Also, I will be testing out my new/used vacuum. I gave my kitties a few days vacuum free for all they've been through. But, I have to run it today because my landlord didn't do the best job cleaning this place. I had to do a lot of scrubbing before I even put anything away. When I wiped down the kitchen floor, the cloth was BLACK. And not my grime. The bathroom too was pretty gross. Like, hair that is not mine all over. So, tomorrow when I have my empty apartment all spic and span, and as organized as possible, I'll snap pictures!
So, yesterday I passed out some resumes, I was supposed to open a bank account, but that didn't happen. One of the places I applied is a vegan bakery! I stumbled across it accidentally, after getting lost based on some hideous directions. I saw the vegan bakery sign and thought, oh, my people they won't steer me wrong.(They did, but whatever)
It's like a little coffee shop/bakery! I told the girl working that I would LOVE to work for a vegan business! And, I would love to learn more about baking.
My plan was to drop off resumes, and hit Sprouts market for some bulk bin stuff. The grocery closest to me doesn't even have any dried beans! Not even the basics like lentils or black. I was super excited because I've never even been to a Sprouts market. From the directions I saw online, it seemed simple enough to get there. SOOOOOOOOOOO WRONG! Seriously, trying to find Sprouts got me the most lost ever. And everyone had a different opinion/route I should take. But like I keep reminding myself, this is how you learn.
I first stumbled on a store called Health Market, or something like that. It's an organic, natural market with a super Co-Op feel. I got a few candies, and some smoked Gouda FYH cheese. It was on sale, so even though I am eating super cheap for the time being I allowed myself this splurge. They have a pretty amazing vegan selection, and lots of vegan cheeses! Woot!
And of course they had all the Daiya shreds, and several of their slices and blocks. The next time I'm there, (if I get brave and there is a next time) I'll get more pictures. I guess I felt nervous taking pictures, and I was already super flustered/near tears. I would have just gotten more here, but they have no bulk bins which is strange for that type of store. So, even though Sprouts is mere blocks from this place, I took several wrong turns and two hours later made it to Sprouts. I just grabbed some bulk stuff and dashed. I wasn't even thinking of pictures at that point.
Sprouts has their own line of frozen veggie burgers, and they're all vegan from what I saw, and much cheaper than name brands. I also got a Sprouts brand Kombucha, in cherry lemonade flavor! Lately Kevita has been my favorite booch, so we'll see how this stands up. I had to get the So Delicious ice cream bars because seriously the heat here is REAL! And the flavor is new to me, it's mocha almond fudge with the chocolate shell! I also thought of Vegan in the Vi when I finally saw the chocolate covered cocomels!!! I have been dying to try them! Other than that I just got tofu, and white and brown Jasmine rice, black beans, lentils, red lentils and garbanzo beans from the bulk bins. Also, my true love Just Mayo, and some spices. I guess I'm going to have to go to Whole Foods for bulk spices.
All in all it was a productive but very tiring day. The sun and heat are brutal in this city. At one point I was considering Arizona as a place to live, but I now know I am more sensitive to severe heat than I realized. I feel like I miss humidity if you can believe it!
When I finally made it home, I was starving. I whipped up some delicious potato tacos. I cut some gold potatoes into very small pieces, and sprinkled some cumin, and taco seasoning over them. I was kind of trying to mimic the potatoes at taco bell. I then shoved them in some whole wheat tortillas with lettuce, cilantro, green onion and avocado. It was so delicious and fresh tasting!
To me fresh herbs or a little green onion are inexpensive ways to perk up an inexpensive meal, and really make it special. My taste buds feel so happy when they taste fresh herbs.
It's fuzzy, but it's Etta!
Afro sleeping like an Angel!



More of the same today. I'm applying to the health market online, and a few other places that told me to go to their website. So, the hunt continues, along with some cleaning and organizing. I might even make a delicious meal tonight! My apartment has central air, and as a bonus my utilities are included in the rent. I don't really like AC, but with these temps I feel the need. What I do is leave my windows open overnight and in the morning when it's bearable, and then I turn it on during the heat of the afternoon/early evening for like an hour, and then my place stays cool enough. So thankfully I can still bear to cook.
For the first time in a long while, Happy Wednesday!



11 comments:

  1. That's so cool about finding the vegan bakery; good luck with all your applications! Awww, is Roxy kneading on Joan's belly? :D The potato tacos sound really good!

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    1. She totally is! She has become extremely loving and affectionate ever since the ordeal, and I am loving it!

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  2. It's so nice to see a game of string going on again and that picture of Kanye up the wall made me laugh out loud! The vegan bakery sounds interesting. We have a new one opening in our town tomorrow so I will have to check them out. Well done on the finds and cooking up delicious stuff despite the heat. I love the sound of those ice cream bars, you definitely need ice cream in hot weather ;) We are having a mini heatwave and that's what I keep telling myself!

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    1. One of the first things I did was tie two shoe strings together so we could play string again! It's not the same without Chunk, but we still have fun! I can't wait to hear about the new bakery opening in your neighborhood!

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  3. YAY! Updates from the new place! Congrats! And LOVE the vegan finds! Cute kitties! And good luck with the job search, too! I know what you mean about AC - I feel the same way! The humidity has been the WORST this year!

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    1. I'm actually glad summer is almost over. I can't believe I'm in Utah now, it still feels so crazy!

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  4. Hurrah for a vegan bakery! French pastries? Sign me up!
    I find dry heat much harder to deal with than humid heat, though I seem to be losing my tolerance to humid heat as well as I get older. Summer where I live seems to be getting harsher every year. So aircon is a big plus, though I don't like to have it on when I sleep!
    Sounds like an exhausting day of wandering around, but hopefully you will know your way back from now on.

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    1. I agree. I feel so dry, and I miss the moistness from the humidity! It feels so weird to say that! I tried sleeping with the air on one night, and I woke up freezing and super stuffy. Now, I turn it off before I go to sleep, and leave the windows closed to keep in the cool. It works much better.

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  5. What great updates all around!! So glad you were able to get to Sprouts and that they have a lot of your favorite things! I know it must have been draining to wander around that much but it seems like things were pretty successful! The vegan bakery was a great find and I'm really hoping that things work out with it! It seems like the kitties are settling quite nicely which is great to see :)

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    1. I was so relieved to find Sprouts, and also that other Health food Co-Op type store. Between the two my vegan needs will be met! I really hope I can work at the vegan bakery, I would love to learn the art of baking! The kitties are doing amazing, I expected to deal with a lot of ignoring,and attitude which I totally deserve, but instead they have been full of love. I strive to be as good of a person as they are.

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  6. I do something similar- windows open at night, and if need be AC at night. It has been too hot the past month though. Which stinks.

    I hope you get that job at the vegan bakery! I know places like that really want like minded employees, but that doesn't always work out.

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