Immigrant Women in America (in Greensboro)

Every Monday I receive the "FaithAction e-News" email newsletter from FaithAction International House. This week's e-newsletter highlights one of the YWCA's lunch series on women's issues:

INVISIBLE BUT ESSENTIAL: Immigrant Women in America

An Asian face, a Caribbean accent, or the echo of Spanish reveals that millions of Americans entrust their most precious treasures--their children, their parents, their homes--to immigrant women. Are they invisible to us? Do we undervalue their contribution?

Tuesday April 27th, 12 noon (no charge)

YWCA of Greensboro
4002 Spring Garden Street, Suite E
Between Wendover and Market Streets
(336) 273-3461
Look for the balloons!

Invited Panelists for this topic:
-Kathy Hinshaw, UNCG Center of New North Carolinians
-Susan Feit, Executive Director, National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ)
-Marikay Abuzuaiter, Co-Chair, International Advisory Committee
-Laura Burton, Attorney, Smith Moore LLP

Learn more about this lunch series from the post I wrote here.

I plan on being there. I'll see some people I know and get the itch to join the discussion.

One less plastic bag...this time

I finally used my downtown Greensboro bag for grocery shopping!

I'll admit: I am very bad about using my reusable shopping bags.

I've even made the effort to put all of my (...many) bags--cloth and paper--in the car so that I can quickly grab them before going into the store. One of three things happens:

(1) I don't need a bag (or I can put it in my purse). Ok, this is ok.
(2) I just forget. Tsk tsk.
(3) I am too embarrassed to use it.

What?! Embarrased?

Sometimes. Actually, at Earth Fare, I am more embarrassed when I forget my bags. After all my time shopping in the "healthy supermarket," my efforts tumble when I try to act like I am actually choosing the better choice between paper or plastic.

They don't let you get away with that.

I am embarrassed when I go into a Wal-mart for example. Or, I could end up being embarrassed. I know, I know, even Wal-mart sells their own bags. P.S. don't even get me started on thinking about getting started on all the stores printing their own bags. Anyhow, it just seems to me that with all the hype about these bags, in big box stores and other retailers, it doesn't seem to be a part of their efficiency to have customers give the cashier or bagger their own bags. Maybe I should focus on Wal-mart since that's where it seems to take more effort for the cashier to bag items when the bag isn't on that carousel thing-y.

Ok, I am thinking too much about this. But, honestly, I feel weird about it when I go into some stores! I just have to get over it. Just look what I can fit in a fine ol' reusable bag:

No bacon, please.

I had lunch at Iron Hen a earlier this month. Can I officially love portobella mushrooms? I think I will. Uh-oh, look at that "very good deviled egg." Vegan? No. Well, I ate it and I ate Chris' and that salad was filled with mozzarella cheese. I felt guilty. Oh well. I also am sad that Iron Hen isn't what I want it to be--more vegetarian- and vegan-friendly. I got the feeling it'd be just from the local-ish, fresh vibe about it but I know that there's such thing as local-ish, fresh cheese, bacon, eggs, and on and on.

My only hope is that Iron Hen's hash browns aren't prepared with bacon/meat or on the same griddle as bacon/meat. I assume it is but I am either going to (1) still eat it because damn those hash browns taste good or (2) just drop by for the fresh-squeezed orange juice.

Hope there's no bacon in that.

Wiki "mimosa"

Yum. A version of my "mimosa" cupcake. I am so glad that I have found options to my VCTOTW buttercream. I love the buttercream for what it is, but since I've tried the book's chocolate mousse and finally experimented with my own icings and glaze, I've gotten more excited about trying new flavors.

But, that doesn't mean that I should have made a strawberry cake this past weekend and eaten it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

But, oh did it taste good...

Trying to do it all.

Look at the photo; look at the cute little cups. Focus on the cup on the right.

I want that.

That is the Pineapple Basil sorbet at the Whole Foods in Winston-Salem. I was skeptical at first while scanning the vegan selections amongst the gelato...glad that there was sorbet available, too, but...pineapple basil?

Yes, the flavor was odd but also, well, exciting. It was weird because I never tasted those two flavors together before and it was aaaaaah refreshing. Memorieeeees...

So, why don't I get some more? (Sighing) You know, you'd think that someone who is so intent on making the "right" food choices (begin eco-friendly, body-friendly, and all) would also care enough for the Earth to not drive over 40 minutes to Winston-Salem from Greensboro for some sorbet.

Every Whole Foods is at least 40 minutes away! The Biz Journal says the Triad wants a Trader Joe's. People seem to want a Whole Foods in Greensboro. I still love Earth Fare as my local "healthy supermarket." I really only have brand loyalty to Food Lion's own Nature's Place plain soymilk. I'm volunteering for Earth Day in Center City Park. I drive a compact car. I recycle but secretly believe that the powers that be dump all of my intent into the landfill. I volunteer with GCM's Edible School Yard. I want to be able to do it all and then George Carlin gives me this.

At the moment, I'm not really trying to "save the trees, save the bees"...all I want is some sorbet!

Just for a moment.

Is the Scrabble dictionary the ultimate reference? Hmmm...

Last Thursday I participated in the Reading Connections Scrabble Challenge at O. Henry Hotel and it was a fun time! Before that night I had no real memory of ever playing Scrabble which surprised me because you'd think that with my obsession with language, I'd be a certified Scrabble-nerd. I must say, after skimming the event rules, I got quite confused since all that ran through my head at the beginning of the first round were all the short words I could use from every language I half-way learned...

I was an individual player and played the same person for the two rounds, begging her to challenge my use of "ER" because I wanted one of the Winston-Salem Scrabble Club people walking around and selling advice to whip out some Scrabble Dictionary knowledge. Plus, they were wearing funny hats, so it was fun to see that up close.

Those Scrabble Club people giving advice put some pressure on me and my opponent since we didn't bring enough money to buy advice. That's how the winner got so may points! If I had the $10 per piece of advice and someone told me that I could lay down some tiles for 50, 60 or even 100 points, I's be all over it.

Is that cheating? Noooo, all proceeds from purchased advice would go to Reading Connections so it's all good!

I didn't win any of the fab-fab-fabulous raffle prize packs during the event, but I had mucho fun anyways.

Maybe I should buy a Scrabble board? I mean, damn, no one ever wants to play Sorry! with me...

Learn more about Reading Connections.

Not so random fact.

I've had a good time living in Greensboro for the past 7 years (especially those since I graduated from undergrad). Greensboro is on my map.