On Friday October 30, 2009… I got in my car and drove 3 hours north from Toledo- why? TO be a part of Zombie history!
It was raining the entire day, and winds were wicked cold, but one truth remained- Zombies don’t take a day off because of bad weather. My brother and a bunch of his GR friends gathered and bloodied up with latex skin that looks like our upper layers were peeling off and blood dripping from our mouths- portraying the brains we had just consumed.
It is estimated that 8,000 people showed up this year in full character to walk the streets of Downtown Grand Rapids and take the place as the record breaking biggest Zombie Walk to date. The zombies did not take their role lightly, even after the event was over and everyone gathered to dance to music at the outside concert, many still stayed in character and did not even speak beside the grunts and growls that us zombies have always been known for.
The entire event was organized by Robert Bliss, a college student from Grand Rapids, and blew up last year when thousands were in attendance- the signatures have not been counted yet this year- but by the looks of it, we easily shattered the previously-owned record of about 4,500 in England.
Unfortunately I was not able to take too much video footage of my own due to the rain, but check out the video below and it may help you get a peak into the madness that was Zombie Walk Grand Rapids 2009.
BBRRAAAAIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!
Also- if you aren’t friends with the coolest zombie on facebook yet- add me!
facebook.com/8thlopez
Next stop- I get interviewed by the Huffington Post and co-host a show with the Broadminded Gals!
I am lucky enough that I come from a long line of very strong women. My Grandmother gave birth to 12 kids, seriously people, 12 kids and raised them while my Grandfather was a traveling businessman. My mother (the second oldest) raised her three children, me and my two older brothers, while she battled cancer. She was misdiagnosed and fed the incorrect treatment for a year- until they correctly diagnosed her and gave her about a %3 chance of survival. She went through it all: chemotherapy, radiation therapy, stem-cell transplant… and she survived. She beat cancer’s ass. And now? She has less than a year left to get her PhD.
So I tend to get very excited when I meet other strong-minded, strong-willed women because throughout my life they are the ones that have been my inspiration to succeed, grow and strive for better things. And now let me get to my point- I get to go meet and hang out with two of the coolest women I have ever had the pleasure of speaking with. Not only that- but it is all going to be live on air so you can listen to it!
Remember the awesome Broads that interviewed me on Sirius/XM Radio? Well Thursday the 5th of November from 12-2PM EST I get to go hang out with them in the studio and chat it up on air! On Channel 102 on Sirius/ 155 on XM !
But that’s not even the coolest part- afterward the Broads and I are going to to a charity event for the Duffy House and celebrate the finale of my 8th Continent Soymilk Taste of Life Tour. If you are not familiar with the Duffy House- it is a non-profit organization that offers long-term care and comprehensive support services that keep families stabilized as they progress to independent living. Essentially they help domestic violence survivors, sexual assault survivors and even provide a toll free hotline that women can call for support.
This cause is very dear and near to my heart because although many of you do not know this- I spent years in a house like this when I was growing up. My father was abusive and my mother had the strength to take me and my two older brothers and find a way to escape the abuse. Without a house like this I can’t even imagine what my life would be like or whether my mother, whom I love so much, would have even survived the relationship. Even the strongest most amazing women in our life need a little helping hand sometime.
To find out more about the Duffy House please visit:
http://www.theduffyhouse.org/
Also right now the Broadminded Ladies are promoting a Facebook Fundraiser for the Duffy House! An easy way to contribute!
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!
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?
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.
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!
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 8thContinent.
Sooo I have been looking for things to actually make in the kitchen ever since I have decided to do this whole vegetarian thing.
