Recessionistas Unite!

Recessionista:
A creative spirit who uses charm, ingenuity and grace to balance a fabulous lifestyle with a depleted bank account. The Recessionista eats well, looks great, and inhabits milieus which please her.

She is ahead of the game.


She borrows from the Freegans' philosophy, but does not sacrifice quality for her endeavours: binning for cloth behind outlet stores to make her own yoga clothes? Indeed! Binning for food scraps behind a downtown fancy restaurant? Oh Muffin, don't do it!

A shift in perspective is often all one needs to kick start the challenging yet charmed life of a Recessionista: instead of looking to those who appear to have more money than you and pining for the life they lead, stop and realize how much is actually at your fingertips. Not in a smug way, but with gratitude.

And anyway, one look into the dark recesses of the 'well to do's' credit ratings or debt load would reveal that perhaps their situation is not as enviable as we thought, therefore envy is wasted energy and often groundless. Use that energy to find the cheapest organic apples in the city, to organize clothing, shoes & book swaps, and to barter your way into a show with a basket of cookies or a half finished bottle of Sailor Jerry...

This is no trend: it is a state of mind.

Living in Vancouver is expensive, but who ever said that paradise would be cheap?

My Tiffany's: Eternal Abundance

Let it be known: diamonds are not my best friend. I do not yearn for tennis bracelets or engagement rings. I am much more impressed by the sensuality of gorgeous food and fine wine. I delight in the intangible state of knowing you are truly loved, cherished, or admired. And as often as possible, I revel in the joy of being in a milieu which both fulfills and inspires my tastes, desires and passions.

Holly Golightly, an excruciatingly chic and adorable heroine, feels this way about Tiffany's. It's a place where she feels safe, a place where nothing bad could ever happen, a peaceful haven, an oasis. It isn't inherently so, but Tiffany's is absolutely all of these things to Holly.

I've been lucky enough to find many 'Tiffany's' in my world: my favourite yoga studio, Vancouver's seawall, a hug from my boyfriend. If The Sartorialist blog were a place, I'd hang out there often.

I also have a small but growing list of restaurants and grocery stores which grace this list. As soon as I step in the door of any of these establishments: BAM! I have arrived! Blood pressure drops, eyes dilate. Sigh.

I'm eager to share them all with you, but at the same time I'm curious to know: what's your Tiffany's?

First on my list: two in one! Eternal Abundance on Commercial Drive in Vancouver. They sell organic produce. No frills, no fancy displays, no 'organic' junkfood..just gorgeous organic produce. They are also home to the Truffle Cafe which serves up drool worthy RAW meals in the back of the store. The produce is kept fresh with filtered water from spray bottles, unlike big name health food stores that mechanically spray dubious tap water on all their lovely organic fruits and veggies.

J'adore!

Confessions of a Neophyte: Spring 2010

Neophyte that I am, I have a few self-made rules for blogging that I will attempt to follow:

1. I will talk about myself as little as reasonably possible

2. I will never apologize for the length of time it takes to publish blog posting

3. I will keep things as brief and to the point as possible

4. I will spread joy and flamboyantly healthy ideas


That said, here is a bit more context to Vibrant Fare:

If I were to define myself by my passions (what other way is there?) I can be described as a Vegan Chef, Blogger, and Yogi. However I do not make money at any of these things right now. I am broke. I live in Vancouver. And my life is fabulous.

I like to eat well, help build community, and enjoy all the good things in life. Despite being broke.

Although situations such as mine demand a massive amount of creativity, charm and ingenuity, partaking in everything you enjoy on a budget is absolutely possible. It just requires some restructuring.

I am surrounded by people whose creativity and spark light my way. This blog is a love letter to them, and to you.

Thanks for stopping by. xox


Yours truly, lying on the kitchen floor, contemplating the future.