La Bohème Mural

Here are a couple of pictures of Daniel's most recent mural, painted in an apartment in Downtown Phoenix, Arizona. The image comes from the album cover of the Broadway musical La Bohème.

The master at work!

The finished product!

Arriving in Arizona

Daniel and I have been enjoying the sunny weather in Mesa, Arizona for just about a week now. Our trip from New Mexico took about ten hours and went incredibly smooth compared to our last few trips! We had one burnt out headlight that Daniel easily changed and we had to take a couple of rests while climbing a mountain between Flagstaff and Phoenix but otherwise, it was smooth sailing. We arrived in Mesa on Tuesday morning and found our location; a giant backyard situated about a block from downtown, and settled in.

Angie & Daniel in front of pretty mountain range between Flagstaff and Phoenix.

Big Easy all situated in her current Mesa, AZ home.

The best part of being in the Phoenix area has got to be the warm weather. During the day, the weather has drifted between 68 degrees and 74. It doesn’t even get very cold at night, especially compared to the 15-degree night weather we experienced in Albuquerque. We love being able to slip on sandals and ride our bikes with out freezing our lungs to death.

Our first priority was, of course, to do some exploring. We spent the following few afternoons after our arrival walking around downtown, exploring the galleries, used bookshops, and even an antique store. Instead of your average paint-on-canvas galleries, we were surprised to find not just one, but two art toy stores. Art toys are a more recent medium of artistic expression, mostly originating from Japan. Essentially, the artist makes a mold of a toy that he/she wants and has them produced, typically in vinyl. The artist then takes the toy and paints it, adding clothes or accessories that make it unique. You may have one type of mold but the artist can turn it into multiple toys, like a ninja or a Cyclops. Oftentimes there are only 100-200 toys made of a certain variety, making them quite the collectible. The most famous of the companies that produces these toys is Kidrobot. We had the opportunity to meet one of the artists who makes toys for Kidrobot when he stopped at Lulubell Toy Bodega in downtown Mesa for his book tour. Huck Gee is probably one of the most famous art toy artists, known for his incredible attention to detail. Daniel, being of a fan of all art forms creative and unique, bought Huck Gee’s book and had him sign it. He was incredibly friendly and affable, leaving us very glad that we had the chance to meet him.

Angie holding an art toy (this is a mass produced one, not a super rare one).

Daniel and art toy artist, Huck Gee.

Another one of the cool places we have found so far is an Arizona chain of used bookstores called Bookmans Entertainment Exchange. They have everything from used books to used instruments as well as a yummy café with power outlets at every table so you never have to eye energy sources like a vulture, waiting for one to open up. Furthermore, their motto, “Good for your pocket, good for the planet,” really relates to our buying used and recycled ideology. The best part about this Bookmans store that really sets it apart from other book stores, though, is its electric car charging station right out front. It has a parking space reserved just for electric cars and a little green pole for them to plug into. We hadn’t seen any charging stations on our entire trip so far so we were pretty excited to see one!

On the green research side of our trip, we hope to interview a company that is involved in solar research soon. The last company we interviewed, Soilutions, was involved in composting in Albuquerque. We are trying to get a wide variety of information on many different topics since there are really an infinite number of ways that people can be green in today’s world. So far, we’ve been impressed with the landscaping in the Phoenix area; there are tons of cactus and small plants used to compliment the desert landscape. Furthermore, the public transportation is the best we’ve seen with a light rail train that runs from Mesa through downtown Phoenix for which you can get a pretty cheap monthly pass to ride. There is also a comprehensive bus system that supplements the train.

Our upcoming week looks promising with a mural in the works for Daniel and his dad coming to visit next weekend, perhaps we’ll even throw in a few pool games with some of our newfound Mesa friends. Stay tuned for some pictures of Daniel’s soon-to-be finished mural!

The Joys of Green Spaces

There is no question that driving the span of the southern United States instills in a person an appreciation for green places. With many areas in the country experiencing long and frequent draughts, it certainly enhances the value of spending a day surrounded by lush, green grass and having trees in your sight everywhere you look. If, however, you don’t often wander through the desert, it’s easy to forget how important and useful these places are. Baton Rouge Green, a non-profit who works to install, maintain and educate about green places in its namesake city, would be the first to remind you that if you don’t work towards having these vital places, they could easily disappear. It is essential to keep these spaces safe and encourage their upkeep.

One of the first and foremost (and admittedly obvious) reasons that having trees and green spaces around is for environmental stability. Of course, animals use trees as their habitat but the effects of trees are even more far reaching. Susannah DesRoches of Baton Rouge Green informed us of these effects. “Trees are not independent of the water system and the soil system,” she said. “ If a developer could leave a few trees around [developments] then that’s less soil that they’re going to impact. They’re not going to carve into that land which would cause more erosion and run off during the construction process that’s going to affect the bayou and fish downstream.” In a place like Louisiana where much of the economy is based upon the healthiness of the bayous for fishing purposes, it is essential that trees protect the water supply from harmful runoff.  Of course, this isn’t limited to Louisiana. Anywhere there are operations, be it agriculture fields or commercial developments, without enough trees nearby could mean that unwanted soil and chemicals are flowing into nearby water systems. Luckily, with the hard work of organizations like Baton Rouge Green, Baton Rouge now has land ordinances that require developers to plant a certain amount of trees.  According to Susannah, “Now, anyone building a commercial development has to plant so many trees per square foot that they are developing, as well as plant trees to compensate for trees that they cut down. They actually put value on existing trees on the site and you have to replace an oak more than you have to replace a tree that’s invasive.” Unfortunately, these ordinances have no effect on individual’s private property. The city won’t force you to plant a tree, but you really should consider it. Not only will it help protect your water source from erosion from your backyard, but it will also help clean the air around your house. “Trees scrub the air. You know we have a lot of chemical plants and a lot of air pollution. Trees are the best natural air cleaner that we can be planting.” 

A view of some lovely green space in the city of Baton Rouge.

For those who are still unsure if they should go out and purchase plants to greenify their homes just because the environment is calling, they should also consider the returns on the investment they will be receiving. First of all, trees really aren’t an expensive investment to begin with. “A tree itself you can get as inexpensively as $25. I’ve also seen people that have planted a sapling for free that they got from the department of Ag. & Forestry. I’ve seen some of those grow into huge trees. We work a lot with low income neighborhoods where people are concerned with the cost of maintaining a tree, rightfully so, and its really a matter of educating people so that they understand its not a daunting task, they can maintain it themselves and probably get a lot of enjoyment from it,” said Susannah. She also informed us that even if you don’t feel like maintaining it yourself, you would probably only have to hire professional pruners once every 5-10 years to ensure the tree was structurally sound. Furthermore, having a large shade tree in regions where summer heat can become exhausting will actually give you monetary rewards, relieving your hardworking air conditioner with its expansive shade. Having a large live oak can also enhance your property’s value. Finally, having trees around your home can help save the water company money, which might in turn save you money. According to Susannah, “In Portland, Oregon, the city has partnered with their water works company to plant trees because they have so much rain and they have so much runoff to deal with much of the year. They are partnering with the water company to plant trees and the water companies help fund it because they see trees as infrastructure. They’d rather invest in a tree that’s going to take up so many gallons for so many years versus a pipe that’s going to have to be replaced so soon.” Trees have so many different uses, aside from just be aesthetically pleasing. They offer so many returns, from a delicious piece of fruit to actually saving you money.

Once you’ve decided that you are ready for the magnificent benefits of green spaces, you have to choose what is right for you. Many people make the mistake of trying to plant tall, water-loving trees in dry environments like Albuquerque or a cute cactus in a swampy environment. Not only is it unhealthy for the environment to bring in species that don’t belong, but it is also very likely that they will fail. A tall, green tree trying to grow under the desert sun will constantly thirst for water, requiring you to manually water it frequently. This in turn puts stress on water reservoirs that are already trying to survive frequent draughts. If you live in a desert environment, you should really make sure that your landscaping represents that. In turn, if you live in an extremely wet environment, find plants that will thrive with that much water. In the end, your yard will look naturally beautiful even if it doesn’t have all the plants in it that you dream of gardening.

A cactus with a pretty flower on top makes a perfect desert landscape plant.

Lastly, aside from all of the individual positive aspects of tree planting, green spaces provide incredible community value. For example, Baton Rouge Green works hard to incorporate low-income neighborhoods that aren’t as likely to have maintained green spaces or even have the time to work on them. Susannah told us, “NeighborWoods nationwide is not just for low income neighborhoods, but our NeighborWoods program has mostly been working with low income neighborhoods here in Baton Rouge, all around the parish.” This includes things like working on community gardens for the neighborhoods. According to Diane, the director of Baton Rouge Green, even major companies that have significant impacts on the environment are trying to make green spaces available for their communities to enjoy. “There are a number of companies in the city of Baton Rouge and surrounding areas that support our efforts and do a lot of their own green work, if you will. Exxon mobile… has bought up the area around their plant here in Baton Rouge and planted a beautiful green belt. Hundreds of hundreds of trees and a wildflower area and every year they plant more trees. It’s the employees out of the company that come out and do it. They love to plant trees and it’s made for a very nice area.”  Even if these companies do have some negative aspects, we have to say we respect them and their employees for working so hard to create a beautiful, public green space.

In the end, green spaces are essential to living in a pleasant community and they should not be forgotten. Trees and other plants have incredible benefits, both environmentally and fiscally. Do yourself a favor and plant a nice shade tree by your house to provide the perfect summer reading nook or even an apple tree for a nice afternoon snack. After you enjoy yourself, you can even give yourself a pat on the back for helping out your surrounding environment. 

*Don't forget to check out Baton Rouge Green's website at www.batonrougegreen.com!*

R&R in ABQ

If there is one thing to say about Albuquerque, NM, it’s probably that it is the place to go if you are trying to slow down. Daniel and I could not possibly have had a more relaxing place to celebrate the holiday season. Ever since the Anglo-Americans explored the Southwest, people with bad health and high stress levels have been flocking here for a little bit of R&R (rest and recovery, respite and relaxtion – your choice, they all work here) and I can totally see why. Back home in east coast cities, I would have been shocked to not find a restaurant open on Christmas Day. And retail stores not open the day afterwards? Forget about it! Here in Albuquerque, though, if it’s going to be a holiday then it’s going to be one for everyone.

The one thing that was open on Christmas day here in town was the movie theater. That wasn’t really surprising, though, considering going to a Christmas day movie has become a nationwide tradition. Daniel and I decided to make it our own this year and we headed out in the afternoon to see Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. We were both really impressed with the movie. I was already a huge fan of the character from reading Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s books but even if you weren’t a fan, it would have been impossible to resist the charm of Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law. Even though we didn’t have any family to celebrate the day with, we felt their love from all the way back in Virginia through phone calls and cards. It was a splendid Christmas here in New Mexico.

The following week was a pretty lazy one for us, filled with writing, painting, and movie watching. Albuquerque was pretty much a ghost town, with people still gone for the holidays and shops perpetually closed down. We took this time to wander the streets, take in the beautiful Albuquerque mural work and ride our bikes until we got flat tires. One of the great things about this city is that historic Route 66 cuts right through the middle of it. There are unique stores and restaurants that line both sides of it as it travels through the city and, even if you don’t go inside any, you can still have a fulfilling day just by checking out the cool signs and neon lights.

When New Year’s Eve came around, we decided to try something a little different than going to a bar, which you can do anywhere! Our new friend Monique invited us to join her at an awesome, modern Asian restaurant on Central Ave (aka Route 66) and then attend a New Year’s Eve showing of Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life. Wasn’t that movie made in 1983, you might ask? Well it was, but this cool little low-price theater, The Guild, smartly picked it to be its one movie for the night. We not only really like Monty Python, but we also went because we love unique, small town theaters (for all you Richmonders, we miss the Byrd!). The Guild definitely fits that description with its outdoor ticket kiosk and one room theater. It also mainly shows older films, artistic films, or even subject films (for example, they have one coming up about feminism in art). We absolutely love theaters that stray from the mainstream! All in all, it was a lovely and successful New Years Eve for us.

We have about one week left in New Mexico before we head to either Phoenix or San Diego and one of the last things we plan to do is head to some hot springs with our friends Emmy and Christina. Neither Daniel nor I have ever been to them and we think it will be an even cooler experience with snow all around. We hope that you all had a wonderful holiday season and that 2012 will bring you all everything you wish for and more. Good health to all!