Big Sweet Tooth

Dough Could Make the World Go Round

If the entire world could just have a taste of this pizza, or a couple of these pretzel sticks at the exact same time - I would think that everyone could experience happiness at its highest and fullest. 

In a blissful global dough moment.  Violence would cease, pain would erase, lives would be changed.  All over a little a bit of flour, salt, olive oil, and yeast.  Could you just imagine?

Brother's Pizza in Staten Island has perfected the pizza.  Plain and simple.  Best I had in all the time I spent in NJ shooting "Jerseylicious."  And, we ate boatloads of pie.  Every day was pizza friggin' pie.  Same goes for penne with vodka sauce.  They kill it. 

Now - Auntie Anne's - I'm gonna go out on a limb and say she's got the one up on Wetzel's.  Had the salty sticks for breakfast - dunked in some warm cheese sauce - at JFK on my way out of town.  I simply have no words.

Have some dough.  You will be so pleased.

Always the Scheme.

 You prop up in a hotel bar in the middle of no-man's-land...and drink, and work, and scheme.

Always the scheme. 

Every moment that passes, you get a tiny bit deeper with the fierceness of the scheme.  And, while you scheme, texts and emails roll thru.  Things like this:

1.  Them - Yo, buy me a MAC.

Me - No donations punk.

2.  Them - I am stuck in a cab with a lost Indian man and his wife doing circles on the turnpike.

Me - Come straight to the bar.

3.  Them - Men will never know the velocity of women.

Me - Probably cause we don't ever let them.

4.  Them - I have never hated a human being more than I do at this moment.

Me - I have no words.

5. What time will the volunteer from Australia arrive tomorrow?  

Me - Huh?  I don't know.  I have truly forgotten what day tomorrow is.

This is an honest day-in-the-life.  Not even a 100th of it.  Amazing what flows thru while one schemes.

"Is this show pitch any good?"

"Why would she lift my cigarettes?  Get your own damn cigarettes."

"This weather is for the biz-urds.  Can't wait to blow this joint."

"I am so sorry I slapped the back of your neck so hard.  I simply could not resist its ripeness."

"I despise this state."

These words flow on with such immediate impact, it's hard to comprehend.  All that said, bring on my boy Am's bale.  That is the above structure.  Am is my field director for 4th World Love in Indo and his bale is a spot for MAD MAD MAD scheming.  No money needed.  No connects had.  Just the brain on stop down and embracing all the ideas that roll about.

Miss it.  Need it.

Enola Rockin' All 3 Sails...

Haiti devastated.  I can't even get past the horrificness of it all.  Yet, a cupcake still eaten.  A faraway trip still planned.  A pal still about to cross the Pacific.  A TV show still made.  A book still read.  A laugh still had.  A workout still sweated thru.  A bargain still sought after.  A boat still cleaned.  A dream still realized.  A movie still watched.  A wall still painted.  A life still lived.

In times like these, it's just best to be on the ocean.  Period.

9 Shades of Indo Happiness

Why would you want to volunteer at 4th World Love's Indo outpost?

You walk amongst clouds...every single day.

You hang maps for people who've never before seen maps...and you show them how far away your home is.

You screw up what could have been the happiest map photo of all time by being the only one not in good form.  Yet the photo still shines.

You squat on dirt floors and find more pleasure in that motion alone than you do from an entire spa day.

You laugh with wild abandon.   Hyena-like even.

You turn a lovely scarf that took 2 weeks to weave into a fashion statement that others want to emulate.

You smile like its going out of style.  All dreamy like...all the dang time.

You learn to ride a motorbike and wonder why do cars even exist?

You forget what a shower is...and simply don't care.  Long as you wash with volcanic water now and again, all good.

You teach pigeon Spanish, combat frisbee, and plastic bottle recycling to packs upon packs of villagers.

You make entire families come together over a sweet photo.  And, you all cackle in unison with pure joy.

You brainstorm with people who never once had an outsiders ear all to themselves.

And, sometimes...you make their dreams come true.

You look back over your photos once you are home - and you want to go STRAIGHT BACK...and when you do, you are remembered by EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the village.  No matter how long you stayed.

If you ever decide you want to rock it in Indo with 4WL remember, it's cheap - $100 per week, all food/lodging/guides included.  We set it all up for you and you can roll out anytime.  Make 2010 count.

5 More Reasons to Love Baja and Want to Win the 4th World Love Contest!

4th World Love Contest Winner to be Announced in a Few Weeks!

At the end of January, we'll announce the winner of the 2009 4th World Love contest.  You still have a little time to enter if the above photo interests you.  And, if it doesn't...well, man you must have no sense of adventure in your bones!

Think:  A Misty-led road trip escape to Baja for a week, with a night on my pirate-style sailboat in Marina del Rey included. 

All you have to do is donate $100 (all donations are 100% write-off and all funds raised go directly into the quest to find and start a new 4WL location down in the outlaw land that is Baja).  The more $100's you donate, the more times your name goes in the pot!

Check out 4WL for more intel and thanks loads for all the amazing donations thus far.  Our Indonesian CDC is thriving with ideas, volunteers, programs and English lessons galore.

The trip happens this Spring 2010 and all costs are included.  Meaning, we got your back!

The Mission

Ahhhh, The Mission stads for so many things in my world.  My mission, the fate of the world and its mission, the old church down in Tucson, AZ...it could be any number of things.  Would love to loop ya in on my particular mission, but man, it swirls around like a tornado so fast I can barely keep track of it!!

Some things I do know, starting off this new year.

1.  At some point in the near future, I will sail to very far away lands.  Perhaps even around the world.

2.  Pretty pictures can be taken most anywhere - doesn't have to be in a remote locale.  Which is always been my MO (but...see pics in this post taken in AZ).

3.  Best Dance Party USA songs of 2009 - Tik Tok, Meet Me Halfway, Party in the USA.  Don't argue.  You will not win.

4.  The only way to really, really achieve a damn thing is through proper health.  Pure and simple.

5.  Eating animals is pretty gross.  But, unfortunately, see below.

6.  Sugarfish in Marina del Rey has the best sushi ever.  Ever.  Ever...

7.   I might have to become a vegan.  That would stun us all.

8.  The magazines I must hold onto forever are all my sailing ones, Saveur, Islands, and Nat. Geo Adventure.  The rest can be torn thru and cataloged accordingly.

9.  Mexico and Indo will always be in my blood.  Far as I try to run.  I cannot escape them.

10.  I have already FAILED 50x over sine my last post of no eating out.  But the new year doesn't really start 'til Monday anyhow :)

The Best Little Motel in Tucson- La Siesta

I'm not too keen on regular Joe-blow type hotels.  But, I do love, love, love quirky little motels.  Like La Siesta Motel down in Tucson.  The cutest rooms all tricked out in different styles.  Zen, Country, etc...

When I showed up on X-mas night, they had my lights on, the heater blasting and Thank God, a nice glass of red wine on the wait for me.  Now, who does that?  Free coffee in the AM - all strong and delicious - they recycle, the sweetheart who runs the place hires from the Tucson deaf community...I mean, it's like giving back in a whole new way.

It's def. more expensive than the other motels that flank it, but none of them are even near as adorable, homey or friendly.  I could plop down here and write a novel. No need to go anywhere ever again...except out to the pool to watch the shooting stars at night.

My fave room is the Zen room.  I mean, what motel rocks it like that?