Heather's

Yesterday I found a new place. I live in a small town and the neighboring city isn't very large either. So, there aren't many places to eat or shop that aren't a McDonald's or a grocery store. However, my small city does have a very unique and spectacular downtown. There is the largest antique store in the state, lots of vintage shops, several great restaurants and at least one phenomenal coffee house. Downtown is what makes living here tolerable. Enjoyable at times, even. Yesterday I found another place to be happy about. It's a restaurant called Heather's. I am and have been a vegetarian for almost three years now. But with a small town mostly populated by catholic, middle class white folks with an affinity for "normal" and a family that shrieks at the sight of a vegetable, it's been a big challenge for me to stay on track with my dietary cause. Not in the sense that I've been tempted to ward off the path of righteousness (if you will), but in the sense that it's been tough for me to find healthy food that also tastes great. Well, Heather's is a great place for fulfilling both of those desires. It's a vegan restaurant that boasts great meals with no single item on the menu over eight dollars. And, for those patrons who haven't been persuaded toward an animal-free diet, there are non-vegan options as well. It has a lofty feel and a great aura of warmth and welcome. A dear friend and I ventured over there for lunch and we were both very satisfied with our choices. If I were a food critic and had to give Heather's a grade, it would be an A.

                                                 The hummus quiche my friend ordered.

                                      The vegan black bean burger on a delicious kaiser roll
                                                      and fresh guacamole that I ordered.

For anyone who plans on coming to town anytime soon, I recommend taking a visit to Heather's restaurant. It's always the perfect time to stop waiting and try something different.  

Perfect isn't Perfect.

Isn't unrequited love the best? Yes. It is. I'm not trying to sound ignorant here, I just really think that unrequited love has got it going on. It's perfect. When you're not really with the person you think you're in love with, the relationship can be whatever your heart desires it to be like. No problems, no fighting (unless you like that sort of thing), no having to struggle to make it all work out and- my favorite- no disappointment. Unrequited is the only type of love that can achieve that impossible goal- perfection. Except one thing. It's really not perfect at all. Because unrequited love is the worst, too. Mostly because you can't actually be with that person. At the end of the day when you're crawling into the cozy sheets, you're alone. And no matter how much you dream or fantasize, unrequited love always leaves you that way. Cold. Alone. Still wishing for that someone. 

Since this probably seems very random, I should explain. I'm experiencing, and have been for a few months, a case of the joyed- but mostly dreaded- unrequited love. Except, for the person I would like to be with, I'm about seventeen years too young. If you can't guess offhand, here's a hint: I more than periodically feel as though this person is elemental to my happiness. Now that I've given it away...

On a lighter note, tomorrow is el Día de los Tres Reyes! Make it a good one.

A Pledge to Something Kept

As far as I can remember I've never had a real New Year's resolution. Sure, the statement about being more organized or giving up all of my guilty pleasures (like fluff literature or Mr. Goodbars) has been said to satisfy the annual question, but never anything that I really wanted to keep. I'm following the lead from someone I love very much and I'm going to post my goals on here in hopes of being even more motivated to keep them.

                My 2011 Wishes:

1. Taking Yoga classes. An interest of mine never fully pursued. 

2. Go to Peru.

3. Move to a bigger city. Whether it'll be Houston or Grand Rapids, I'm not sure. But it needs to happen.

4. Ace my photography class.

5. Read at least 20 books.

6. Plant a Tree.

7. Adopt another Cactus.

8. Drink more water! I have the terrible habit of letting myself get dehydrated. 

And, so far, that's it. As the year goes on I'm sure that I'll think of more to pursue, but for now I'm content with my eight. 

L.A.M.

My name is Lola.

Photography is one of my- as you'll soon learn- many passions. It's hard for me to not like something. Although photography is extra special to me. I'd like to share that particular joy with you. I figured that a blog is the perfect place for that. That is my hope for this: to share my love of taking pictures with whoever would like to know. Maybe even to spark an appreciation of photography in someone else. And as I go along I'm bound to incorporate a little more than that. Here's to the New Year and a new experience.