8th Continent Soymilk Taste of Life Tour- The House on The Rock
As I traveled from stop to stop on the 8th Continent Soymilk Taste of Life Tour- I could feel autumn approaching and Halloween costumes and candies right around the corner. I longed for a creepy encounter, a scary movie, something to raise the hairs on the nape of my neck. And then, I arrived in Dodgeville Wisconsin to go to The House on the Rock.
One of the best priced hotels in town happened to be the coolest hotel I had stayed at thus far. The Don Q Inn is a hotel that almost has the feel of a wooden cabin, with “fantasy suites” and standard suites, you can go there for a honeymoon or just to crash in town for a couple of days. I got a standard suite, no need for a mirror over my bed.
The hallways were long and creaked when you walked down them. The old-fashioned lights hung from the wooden structure and the room numbers were oddly assigned. For example, my room was 322, and was on the 2nd floor all the way at the end on the left. How this made sense? I have no clue.
There is a restaurant a parking lot over from the Don Q Inn, and as I checked in they boasted about a tunnel that connect the hotel to the restaurant so you didn’t have to face the cold weather. I checked in, lugged my things up to my room, and grabbed my laptop and camera to head through the tunnel, which I was expecting to be a hallway of some sort, to go to the little bar that had deep-fried menu options… and not much else.
I most certainly wouldn’t call it a hallway… it was a tunnel- underground and creepy as hell! I could see terrifying, eerie stuffed animals in the cracks and crevices of the underground tunnel. There was that chill I was hoping for. Then I peered around the next corner and saw a homemade body. I yelped and each dark corner got even darker and made me pick up my pace. There were abandoned doors, sinks, and even boots sticking out of the wall. I know they didn’t do this on purpose to scare guests- but it did- very much so! Luckily I met three awesome guys that played pool and darts with me until we were all ready to go, and they escorted me back through the scary tunnel to play cards in the lobby of the hotel. The “hallway” didn’t feel as long when I had three men walking me back.
The next morning, I drove 7 miles up the road to The House on the Rock. It was about $30 to walk through the whole property- and it takes about 3-4 hours… no joke!
I knew there was some really cool architecture and collections of things- but I had absolutely ZERO idea how trippy this place was! The House on the Rock was the grand vision of Alex Jordan, who believed that sights and sounds were the most effective means of stimulating the senses.
News had traveled around town, and by the time Alex Jordan finished constructing the main house, there were car-loads of people coming to get a glimpse at the man who was building a home on a rock in the middle of nowhere. Shortly afterward, Alex Jordan opened the house to the public and charged a small admission fee so he could continue his dream, and his collections. Needless to say, he got a bit obsessed.
Each room twisted and turned, sometimes with low ceilings, sometimes with massive structures, but each one… in a way seemed completely eerie. Alex Jordan didn’t explain what he has left behind, he wanted people to interpret what they wanted from his creation.
This has got to be one of the coolest places to tour during Halloween time. From the antique dolls, to the huge carousel (located inside). Hanging angels peer down at the tourists walking through and there are countless amounts of self-playing music machines that are activated into an orchestra by inserting a token. This man, Alex Jordan, MUST have been mad.
The Infinity Room was one of the main attractions of the House. It opened in 1985 and projects out over the Wyoming Valley 218 feet and contains 3,264 windows. It was specifically designed to look as if the room goes on for infinity.
There is also the Doll House building which opened in 1984 and displays over 250 dollhouses. After that you enter the Doll Carousel Room, you run into two carousels with over 500 bisque dolls. I don’t know man, but there is something creepy about antique dolls that only worsens when you put them on their own special carousel, twirling around slowly… all those little beady eyes seeming to stare directly at yours.
If you get a chance to visit this place- do it! They also decorate the entire estate with elaborate Christmas themes and Santa’s during the holiday season. Yet another success story in the history of extreme self-expression! To read more about The House on the Rock go to: http://www.thehouseontherock.com/
This was my last stop on the 8th Continent Soymilk Taste of Life Tour. Heading back to Ohio now- but I will still be active online and keep you all updated on the crazy things I am getting into everyday! Add me on Facebook!
8th Continent Soymilk Taste of Life Tour- San Diego Film Festival
Every year, San Diego gets together and appreciates the amazing art that is film. This year was no exception!
The films I was fortunate enough to see:
Wyland’s Earth Day
One Water
A collection of San Diego Shorts- Including Love in Bulk
Houston We Have a Problem
*Wyland’s Earth Day*
I started my adventure with Wyland’s Earth Day. The short film was about the artist and environmentalist Wyland, who took on the challenge of painting a 2.8 acre roof in one day: on Earth day. The Earth Day tribute was titled, “Earth: The Blue Planet.”, atop the Long Beach Arena. It was truly inspiring to see the dedication of a man creating art for a cause- with the help of a few friends. The best part though? Wyland himself was there for Q&A. As I waited in line to purchase his newest book, “Wyland: 100 Whaling Walls”, he approached me, noticed my wrist tattoo and continued to show me his octopus tattoo on his forearm. He chatted with everyone that was interested, complete with hugs, smiles, and pictures.
Not only does he make amazing art, but you can check out the non-profit organization dedicated to promoting, protecting, and preserving the world’s ocean, waterways, and marine life. The Wyland Foundation encourages environmental awareness through education programs, public arts projects, and community events.
Learn more about this amazing art (and cause!) by going to: http://wyland.com/
*One Water*
The next film was about the importance and preciousness of water throughout the world. Living in the United States, it is difficult not to take our easily-accessible resources for granted. Where does water come from? The faucet right? Well in this film you see a man leading a donkey to the ice capped mountains to break blocks of ice, tediously wrap them with foliage to conserve the cold, and carefully lead the donkey, and the precious ice back down the mountains. The ice then transfers to the man’s back who lugs the ice blocks to the rest of the town. He gets his minuscule pay, and starts the process over again.
Then you see eight year old girls in India learning how to carry bowls and pots on their heads for miles to provide the only water source their family has.
One Water was truly an eye-opening film. I have always done the normal things that seem to be common sense: turn the water off when brushing your teeth, don’t shower an entire reality TV show’s episode worth, make sure your faucet isn’t dripping, etc. etc. But isn’t there something more we could do?
To read more about this go to:
http://www.onewaterthemovie.org/
*Love in Bulk*
This has to be one of my favorite shorts I got to see! VERY CUTE! Check out the trailer below:
I can just picture it now:
New film: Love in Lean!!!!
A timid vegetarian woman is shopping one day at a Ralph’s or Kroger’s and she reaches for the 8th Continent Complete Soymilk. His hand brushes hers while he reaches for the 8th Continent chocolate soymilk. After a quick glance into each other’s eyes, hers go straight to her Birkenstocks as she blushes. He starts to whisper how firm his tofu is… they pick out a bowflex together, and leave together with visions of broccoli and Boca Burgers dancing int heir heads… love? lust? let’s just call it perfection.
(Perfect reason why I write blog posts, not make films… hehe)
*Houston We Have a Problem*
Houston We Have a Problem affected me the most. The film is about America’s addiction to foreign oil and our desperate need to find renewable energy sources that we can depend on within the US. But it is not the typical anti-oil/anti-import film that you may imagine. The majority of the film is told from the point of view of CEOs, presidents, and former CEOs of these supposedly big bad oil companies. It tells the history of the oil companies, what has happened in the past with oil crises, and how history could repeat itself in the future. Despite the controversy, even the top dogs at the oil companies concur that finding renewable energy sources is a vital necessity of the future of America.
What do you think?
To find out more about the film, visit:
http://houstonwehaveaproblemfilm.com/
Until then we all know gas is expensive. Right now 8th Continent is giving away $100 gas card. All you have to do is go to:
http://www.8thcontinent.com/taste-of-life-tour
And enter the secret code:
8CT8STELIFE
The San Diego Film Festival has been one of my favorite stops so far!!! I met some amazing people, found out about some awesome causes and learned a tremendous amount about things I think we should be teaching everyone!
Next stop: UC San Diego and San Diego State!
Keep me company on all of my journeys if you aren’t already! http:/facebook.com/8thlopez
Day 7 Veg Out Challenge! Final Day with the Carnivorous Killer!
So we have made it to day 7!!!! The last day of the week-long Veg Out Challenge! Did the Carnivorous Killer make it?
Yet again- there is only one way to find out!
Vegan Black Bean Soup
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cans (or 3 cups) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 tbsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- 1-2 tsp. chile powder
- generous grating of black pepper
- 1-2 tsp. minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
- 2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes
- 4-5 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (optional)
- lime wedges
DIRECTIONS
In a large pot, saute the onions, garlic, and bell pepper until the onions soften, about 3 minutes.
Add the beans, seasonings, and tomatoes, and stir to combine. Add 3 cups vegetable broth or water.
Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, for about 1 hour, adding additional water or vegetable broth as needed to keep a soupy consistency.
Just before serving, add the corn, if you like, and heat through. Serve in bowls with lime wedges. Makes 4-6 servings.
Recipe via Fat Free Veegan Kitchen
Day 6 Veg Out Challenge with Carnivorous Killer!
Here we are at day 6!!!!
What will the Carnivorous Killer eat today? Will he actually like it? Will he slip some chicken/ steak strips in the recipe to spit the veggie way???
Only one way to find out!!! Watch the video!!!
Meat-Free Cheesy Meat Pasta
INGREDIENTS
- Twist Noodles
- 1/2 packet of Morning Star Meat Substitute meal starters
- 1/2 cup shredded soy cheese
- fresh spinach
- 1/4 cup 8th Continent Original Soy Milk
- 1/2 Tsp Margarin
DIRECTIONS
Boil water and put in noodles till soft. (about 10 minutes) Heat up Meal starter meat substitute.
Put a few tablespoons of water in a pan with the spinach. Turn on the heat to high and shake the pan until the spinach has wilted. Drain and keep warm.
In a frying pan, put in margarin, 8th Continent Soy Milk and shredded soy cheese. Heat together, melting cheese and margarina and stirring often.
Drain the noodles, dish and put wilted spinach and meat substitute on top of noodles. Drizzle cheese sauce… and most importantly:
ENJOY!!!!
How do you like it? It tastes like awesomeness huh?
Veg Out Challenge Day 3 with the Carnivorous Killer!
Tasty Taters
INGREDIENTS
- 4 Red Skin Potatos
- 1 Bell Pepper
- 1 Medium Onion
- 1/2 Tsp. Freshly Chopped Garlic
- 1/2 Tsp. Freshly Chopped Parsely
- 1 Tsp. Soy Oil
- 1 Ripe Tomato (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Boil the 4 Red Skin Potatoes for about 5-10 minutes. Remove from water, let cool and cut into sections.
Heat Soy Oil in a pan and insert the sectioned Red Skin Potatoes, Chopped medium onion, chopped Bell pepper, chopped Parsely and chopped Garlic. Allow the ingredients to sautee in the soy oil for about 5-7 minutes. Once Potatoes turn golden remove all ingredients and dish. A sliced tomato is a great accent and snack for the side of this delicious fresh breakfast!
He likes it!
Chunky Tofu Tomato Soup
INGREDIENTS
- 2 teaspoons soyoil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 cup 8th Continent Original Soymilk
- 1 10.5-ounce package firm lite silken tofu
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
DIRECTIONS
Sauté onion in sauce pan in oil for 3 minutes or until transparent. Add tomato and garlic, continuing to sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Add basil, salt and pepper. Blend in 8th Continent Original soymilk. Cook, stirring constantly, for one minute. Remove from heat and cool briefly.
Add in tofu. Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth. Serve hot or chilled. Yield 3-4 servings. Enjoy!!!
Veg Out Challenge Day 2 with the Killer Carnivore!
Day 2 of 8th Continent Soymilk’s Veg Out Challenge!
Today I made Vegan friendly Cinnamon French Toast with Fresh Apple Cinnamon chunks.
For lunch/ dinner I made a vegan friendly pizza that turned out to die for! Who would have ever thought living so healthy could taste so good?
Check out the video of Carnivore Killer and see how he is doing on his second day without meat!
Has we withered away yet? Has he gone mad and started gnawing on his arm? You’ll have to watch the video to find out! It’s like Meatless Madness! hehe
Cinnamon French Toast with Fresh Apple Cinnamon
This recipe replaces eggs with bananas so you can still enjoy your French Toast Vegan Style!
INGREDIENTS
- 2-3 ripe bananas
- 3/4 cup 8th Continent soymilk
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- bread, any kind is fine
- vegan margarine
DIRECTIONS
Blend bananas, 8th Continent soy milk, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla in blender or food processor and pour mixture into pie plate or wide dish.
Gently dip bread slices into the mix, coating both sides. Fry in vegan margarine in medium-hot skillet until golden brown.
Serve with maple syrup if desired, and, as always, enjoy your wonderful vegan French toast!
(via About.com: Vegan Food)
INGREDIENTS
- One Medium Granny Smith Apple
- Ground Cinnamon
- Cane Sugar
- Soy Oil
DIRECTIONS
Slice the apple into sections and de-seed. Heat Soy Oil in a frying pan and drop sectioned apple pieces in one by one. Scatter the ground cinnamon over the sectioned apples while they are in the pan. Scatter in sugar as well. After about a minute on medium high heat, you flip the apple sections and sprinkle cinnamon and cane sugar on the other side as well. Let cook for about a minute so that the apple sections start to pucker around the edges, but are still firm. Remove from pan- serve- and most importantly- enjoy!!
Vegan Mediterranean Pizza
INGREDIENTS
- ¾ cup warm water
- 1 envelope active dry yeast
- 1 T. honey
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 ¼ cups white flour
- ¾ t. and 1 t. salt, plus more to taste
- 1 ½ T. and 2 T. olive oil, divided
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup soymilk powder
- 1 T. Cornstarch
- ½ cup dairy-free soy mayonnaise
- 1 cup plus 2 T. plain 8th Continent Soymilk, divided
- ¾ cup pizza sauce, either homemade or store-bought
- Toppings of choice, such as vegetables or vegan meat substitute- I used tomato, black olives, eggplant, Cheese Substitute and Mushrooms
(This recipe makes two 12″ pizzas)
DIRECTIONS
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, gently combine the warm water, yeast, and honey. Allow the mixture to set for about five minutes or until bubbles form on the surface. (This ensures that you, indeed, have an “active” packet of yeast.)Add the whole wheat flour, mixing with a wooden spoon until well combined. Cover and let rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Add in the white flour, salt and olive oil, mixing until forming a soft, but not sticky, dough. (Your dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and should not “tear” or stick to your hands. If this is the case, add more white flour in small increments until your dough no longer sticks to your hands when you push down on it.)
On a dry (not floured) countertop, turn out the dough and knead until elastic, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add flour in small increments as needed, taking care so as not to dry out your dough. Place dough in a well-oiled bowl, turning once to coat, and cover. Place bowl in a warm place and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. In a small bowl, combine the nutritional yeast, soymilk powder and cornstarch. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the oil, soy mayonnaise and 1 cup 8th Continent Soymilk, whisking until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and 1 t. salt to the mixture, whisking until lumps are dissolved (a few lumps will still remain but will dissolve while cooking).
In a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, heat the sauce mixture, stirring constantly until desired consistency. Salt to taste.
Preheat the oven to 500 F. Lightly oil a large baking sheet or pizza pan.
On a lightly floured surface, turn out the dough and divide it in half. Cover half of the dough while working with the other. Roll out the dough into a round about 1/4-1/2 ” thick and place on the prepared sheet. Make a crust by pinching up the sides of the dough. Repeat with remaining dough.
With a spoon, spread the pizzas sauce in a circular motion on each of the pizzas. Top with cheese sauce and toppings. Lightly brush the crusts with the remaining 2 T. of 8th Continent soy milk and lightly sprinkle salt. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.
8th Continent Soy Milk’s Veg Out Challenge! Day 1 with the Killer Carnivore!
Day 1 of 8th Continent Soy Milk’s Veg Out Challenge!
For breakfast we made Banana Oat Pancakes (insert Jack Johnson’s awesome Banana Pancake song here!) and a black bean burger with a veggie medley I whipped up off of the top of my head. And surprise surprise! It actually turned out pretty well!
You can take the Veg Out Challenge too! Share your experiences/ pictures/ videos on Facebook Group: Veg Out Challenge, or you can leave your experiences in the comments section of this post! Stay tuned and see if the Carnivorous Killer can actually make it through the week completely meatless! DUH DUH DUHHHHHHH
If you haven’t watched the video yet-
Check it out!!!!
Banana-Oat Pancakes
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup unbleached flour
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup soy flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups Vanilla 8th Continent Soymilk
- 2 bananas, thinly sliced
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, unbleached flour, soy flour, and baking powder. Add the 8th Continent soymilk, and blend with a few swift strokes. Fold in the banana slices.
Pour 1/4 cup of the batter onto a hot nonstick pan. Cook for about 2 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip the pancake and cook for another minute or until heated through.
Serve the pancakes with maple syrup, fruit spread, or applesauce.
Black Bean Veggie Burger
INGREDIENTS
- 1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1/2 onion, cut into wedges
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce or hot sauce
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
DIRECTIONS
If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. If baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and lightly oil a baking sheet. In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty. In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Then stir into mashed beans. In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and chili sauce.Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into four patties. If grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side.
(Via allrecipes.com)
Veggie Medley
Take one can of sweet corn, on half diced onion, one quarter diced clove of garlic and one can of kindey beans. Sautee and serve!
Create Your Own 8th Continent!
So by now, everyone has heard me say many times- “Welcome to the 8th Continent.”
The 8th Continent to me is a place that is created through mind frames and decisions that can easily be made every day in your life.
Throughout all of my travels and the people I have met and the challenges I have faced; I have learned a few tips on how to get to your own 8th Continent.
These simple steps and tips seem obvious, but the major difference is when you take time out to concentrate on each of these goals.
Which ones are you doing?
8 Easy Steps to Getting to Your 8th Continent
1. No matter how grown-up you get, never lose your childish sense of wonder.
2. I have heard people say “Any decision is better than no decision.” I highly disagree. However I do believe the right decision is most commonly obvious, we are just clouding our judgments with “what if?”s Never make any decision based on fear and you will be able to see which path is best for you.
3. What’s better than someone buying you flowers? Buying yourself flowers… or even better, planting something that will bring you flowers for months or even years to come. You deserve it.
4. Don’t compare yourself with others.
5. Learn from the past, but live in the moment.
6. Don’t beat yourself up. There are way too many other people out there that will try to take it upon themselves to bring you down. Appreciate yourself and if you happen to misstep- know that will always happen when you are hiking through paths of life. Learn from it, heal after it, and move ahead of it.
7. Give away what you don’t need to someone who does.
8. Always keep learning. Better an apprentice at the age of 95, than a master at the age of 20. There is always more to know, more to learn. Always remain an apprentice.
These are my eight steps to getting to your own 8th Continent.
Strawberry Orange Smoothies Recipe! Soy!
Lactose Free and Delicious!
5 min
5 min
2 servings
1 1/2 cups 8th Continent® vanilla soymilk
1 bag (10 oz) Cascadian Farm® frozen organic unsweetened strawberries, partially thawed
1 medium banana, cut into chunks
1/3 cup calcium-enriched orange juice
Honey, if desired
1. In blender or food processor, place soymilk, strawberries, banana and orange juice. Cover; blend on high speed about 1 minute or until smooth. Sweeten to taste with honey.
2. Pour into 2 glasses. Serve immediately.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):
No change.
1 Serving: Calories 200 (Calories from Fat 25); Total Fat 3g (Saturated Fat 0g Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 130mg; Total Carbohydrate 37g; (Dietary Fiber 5g, Sugars 25g); Protein 7g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 10% Vitamin C 170% Calcium 30% Iron 8% Exchanges: 1 1/2 Fruit 1 Low-Fat Milk Carbohydrate Choices: 2 1/2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.