Traded my TJs for Sprouts

Traded My TJs a.k.a. Trader Joes for Sprouts and I like it. TJs is a small grocer in Los Angeles that offers organic and local produce at a pocketbook friendly price. Sprouts is the Tejas version. Sprouts offers local farmer's market food in a well air conditioned visually pleasing mid-size space. I am finding-as I thought there would be-a lot of similarities between Austin and L.A.-Santa Monica. Though, what I find the most interesting is that Austinites believe they rival L.A. "offering more of the things you like without all the things you don't". Not sure if I believe Austin>LA; however, I look forward to offering up my two sense to this equation. I do have to say I am loving Austin thus far...

With one day down and at at least 95 more to go, I am sold. Austin, Texas is my Texas Treasure-my new Texas home. The city is vibrant, large, moving forward and socially minded. The people are warm, tatted and have stories to share. There is fashion and politics, recycling and unsigned artists. There are parties on bridges and moonlight bike rides. Best of all there is a love and pride of Texas that coexists with appreciating and respecting the world beyond the Lone Star State. I am home.

HOME is a couch surfing coach hosted by two housemates, a cat named Tuba that has been living here longer than any one else, a backyard for line drying and hamocking, an owner with a studio for violin lessons, variously painted walls, a magnolia tree in the front yard, a community shelf and fridge that closely resembles the Beaut as things seem to never leave and a bedroom and bathroom that are just for me. I think I am going to like it here.

Mom, Pops and I drove down Thursday night to move all my stuff in. We were welcomed by this beautiful site to your left as we crossed the river running through downtown Austin. When we arrived at the house, both my housemates were there to welcome me: Maryann, the Occidental (a L.A. school) graduate from Kirville, Texas who spent two years living in Switzerland and France after graduating college to work with the World Student Christian Federation and Menelaos a.k.a Mene. But not Mayonnaise!!-as my dad kept wanting to call him-oh dear lord please do not let my dad slip and accidentally call my new Grecian housemate Mayonnaise.

Mene is a some age I have yet to discover year old from Greece who studied computer engineering in the UK. After receiving his masters and working a couple jobs in the field he decided software solitude was not for him, so he packed his bags and began his journey. Mene has lived in China, Korea and various European countries, but most recently he spent time in Buenos Aires where he met his-as of two months ago-wife. Mene came to the United States because he wanted to be proven wrong. He hoped to discover that Americans were not their stereotype: rude, selfish and uninterested in others. In his opinion and to his delight, he was proven wrong over and over again. From Austin to Oregon to New York and to once more Austin he discovered welcoming individuals who taught him about life.

Cheers to you United States. I appreciate your hospitality to others.

With a new wife and permanent love of Austin, Mene is transitioning out of the Eclectic house and into a two bedroom home with his new wife where he hopes to discover the settled life. But, settled life is not quite within Mene's reach. The United States will have the final say on that. Mene is waiting for his green card to come through, so until then he passes time by taking free lance photo jobs, dumpster diving, biking and volunteering.

Dear United States,
Please swiftly process my new housemate papers with a green yes.
Thank You.
Your Concerned Law Abiding Citizen,
Samantha Harmon

In fact my other roommate Maryann may also be leaving in August. Today, she interviewed for a job in Budapest, Hungary with the organization she worked with in Geneva. Turns out my new home is a place of transition and interaction, enlightenment and warmth. I think I picked the perfect place for this young quester to dabble in quasi settled life-as Mene would call it. I look forward to watching my housemates' lives unfold in the month we have together and meeting more of their fabulously foreign friends.

I miss you girls and can not wait to see you at Alicia's wedding.
LOVE lots,
Sam

PS: Here are some pics from the couple weeks I was in the Big D and G-town.

The Generator, a 100% Fair Trade Coffee House in downtown Garland. Conscious Consumer plus 1 for Suburbia. The place is located at the square, the heart-or what's left of it-of downtown. Though, I believe there to be a surge coming. Hmmm...how does one acquire money they do not have to invest in property that everyone else believes to be dead. Any suggestions?

My Second Sewing Project. I would like to point out to you the matching horizontal lined seams, the extra long and roomy pockets and the gathered elastic waistband.












This is the back seat of a Mexican Restaurant in
Downtown Garland. I got all too excited about the seats. Liz was like "you are behaving like a tourist in your hometown" as I rushed over to take this pic of the seats. It is great to see unnecessary uses of the state flag again. I am home : )

Let Tejas Unfold!

Dear State Courts, Please legalize my relationship...

Excerpt from "Committed"-the follow-up to "Eat Pray Love" that got me thinking about a subject I have been quite luke-warm about.

"Think of it! Marriage is on the decline everywhere, all across the Western world. People are getting married later in life, if they are getting married at all, or they are producing children willy-nilly out of wedlock, or (like me) they are approaching the whole institution with ambivalence or even hostility. We don't trust marriage anymore, many of us straight folk. We don't get it. We're not at all convinced that we need it. We feel as though we can take it or leave it behind forever. All of which leaves poor old matrimony in the winds of cold modernity."

"But just when it seems like maybe all is lost marriage, just when matrimony is about to become as evolutionary expendable as pinkie toes and appendixes, just when it appears that the institution will wither slowly into obscurity due to a general lack of social interest, in come the gay couples, asking to be included! Indeed, pleading to be included! Indeed, fighting with all their might to be included in a custom which may be terrifically beneficial for society as a whole but which many-like me-find only suffocating and old-fashioned and irrelevant."

In the past when it came to the conversation of gay marriages I chose not to partake. I was torn between my belief in equality and civil rights for all and what I have been socially informed by mainly through my religious beliefs and community. But now, I am partaking.

I realized it is not my role to judge others or to tell someone they cannot marry but I can. When I don't even know if I want to enter into the institution of marriage. Why waste that right on me? Instead, give it someone who truly desires to express their love through marriage and wishes to legally solidify their relationship. As for the religious sanctity of marriage, again it is not my role to be the ultimate judge and thank God for that.

So now when a social activist asks me to sign his or her petition to legalize gay marriage I say please hand over that pen.

What do y'all think? Where do you stand on the subject?

PS: "Committed" is a great book and I really suggest reading it. The author really asks a lot of great questions about marriage.

Just got a lil more Texan

I have my first Texas home, the Eclectic House. When I read the Craigslist post I knew this was gonna be the place for me. Haha-here is an excerpt from the post

"The Roommates"

Menelaos: I am originally from Greece, but spent the last 11 years living and traveling in China, Argentina, and South America. I am photographer/photojournalist, and passionate about music. My number on addiction is skydiving. I dive several times a week.
I love meeting new people and hearing their stories and being in a house with other creative, open individuals.

Maryann: I went to school in LA, lived for two years in France and Switzerland, and love people, culture and good food. I work at a coffee shop. Yes, I wake up at the crack of dawn, but I like mornings and there is always coffee. I enjoy having a household open to good friends and international travelers with stories to share.

The Owner, Elise: I'm 36 years old, a violinist formerly with the symphony, and enjoy trees, dancing, cognitive psychology and good coffee. I'm very people oriented, and like laughing and good conversation.

These are my new people. I expect much intrigue. Well if all else fails, I only signed a 3 month lease then month to month after that which is perfect. I will have time to see how my new job goes and if I really will be settling down for a bit in Austin.

#1276558 why I love my mom: When we were meeting with the owner and maryanne and viewing the room, Elise, the owner, mentioned that they do Coach Surfing at the house. My mom was like "uhh what is that? After Elise explained it to my mama what coach surfing was for the rest of the weekend my mom kept tellin me how she was gonna surf coach at my new place. Oh really mom "surf coach"? Overall the place was quite quaint. It reminded me a lot of the beaut in that there was lots of character in the house.


My New Pink Room, come visit me : )

While the fam was in Austin we went to a couple different coffee places and so far SM is winning. Taste is comparable, but in the pretty Austin needs to pick it up.

Austin Coffee Santa Monica Coffee

I am excited to try out Austin's donation yoga place called Black Swan. It is a branch of the place I did yoga in Santa Monica. The sis and I tried out dallas's branch last night, Karmany Yoga. I really enjoyed the class because there was only 8 students vs 70 which I am use to. We got one on one attention. I learned there was a lot of poses I could be doing a lot better.

I am nervous-excited. Job starts soon and a new city....ahh, I hope I can do all this. Prayers are much welcomed. But till then it is craftime with the sis : )

Me and ash made winecorkboards yesterday

I love y'all!!