dakota lane

NEW WEBSITE!!!!!

2010-10-12T12:50:00.000-07:00

i'm kinda excited about this new site, check it out! dakota lane.org--which means i will do good things to help.

only two weeks left to vote for me, and i will

be shooting 80 videos for nonprofits, community service programs, environmental orgs, the arts--and last but NOT LEAST_-wildlife rehabs and sanctuaries!!!!

so VOTE FOR ME! (you get one vote per day!)

moby at woodstock farm animal sanctuary

2010-10-08T07:20:00.000-07:00

Moby and chickens and Moby and the moon and Moby and pigs and Moby and roosters crowing,

a backporch benefit concert for the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. Moby played a long acoustic set with Kelli Scarr and Inyang Bassey, both with hit you in the heart voices, featuring some of his hits as well as a few quirky covers. See it now!

He sat in with the Mercury Rev Clear Light Ensemble, as they improvised a live orchestral soundtrack to the avante garde french children's film, the Red Balloon, which served as a projected backdrop to the performance. The players tracing the movements on the screen with their bows and hands. Exciting! (Video on this, down the line.)

Animals love Moby--(when I interviewed him, a turkey was listening with a real intensity in his eyes)--and Moby loves animals and this was a benefit for WFAS, run by Jenny Brown and Doug Abel, providing sanctuary and care for hundreds of farm animals who have been rescued from torture and abuse. They also work on educating the public about living and acting humanely, with care for all sentient beings!

Sean Lennon and Chrissie Hynde and others played at their acoustic benefits this summer, and the roosters were jammin along every time!

Lin-Manuel Miranda & Vanessa Nadal Wedding.

2010-09-13T09:36:00.000-07:00

As promised, more video.

love from the heights

2010-09-11T15:36:00.000-07:00

Did some reporting and produced a video for the New York Times on the lavishly orchestrated and choreographed wedding of actor, lyricist and Tony-award nominated actor, Lin-Manuel Miranda and lawyer Vanessa Nadal at Belvedere Mansion in Staatsburg. Alex Lacamoire, who won a Grammy and Tony for Mr. Miranda's The Heights, handled the musical direction of the wedding; the video includes snippets of music and song from an all star cast of friends and family, from Broadway stars in chorus and solo, to Latin Grammy nominee Dave Valentin's jazz flute, to
Puerto Rico's salsa superstar, Gilberto Santa Rosa and his Orchestra and Ruben Blades performing at the dance party. lois brady, queen of VOWs, bow to you.

Here's some stills--(from the ny times video)-- the bride and groom, the groom dancing with his biggest fan, Dr. Luz Towns-Miranda, and flanked by his other biggest fan, Luis A. Miranda, Jr., aka ma & pa.

if you love trees...

2010-08-22T10:11:00.000-07:00

check out my tree_dreams TWITTER page and find all kinds of happy tree stuff

at my tree blog!

send any and all tree stories, tree photos, tree videos, tree news and tree art to:

peaceforest@live.com,

and stay tuned for a tree art contest that will benefit our dear and noble and delightful friends!

oak tree victory in washington

2010-07-04T21:39:00.000-07:00

One hundred year old oak comes first in this neighborhood!

Ric Orlando's Salsa Recipes!

2009-11-29T14:39:00.000-08:00

I LOVE SALSA, hence the salsa lessons in hudson valley wow tv. would be nice to get recipes and demos from tons of area restaurants. salsa puts the soul into food, brightening and intensifying the eating experience, at least for me! Here are three new recipes from New World Home Cooking's owner/ chef, Ric Orlando (look for Ric's fun demos of all of them on Hudson Valley WOW TV this month, all taste-tested, and all over-the-top delish!

We thank Ric for being a great guest and for sharing with us!

Roasted Sweet Potato Salsa

This is a simple and vital little relish to pick up any dish--it is a colorful side for grilled or broiled fish, tofu, tempeh, turkey, chicken and pork. By adding a can of black beans to the recipe (rinsed well) it elevates a simple dish of brown rice or soba noodles form a plain starch to a textural, complete and substantive meal.

made enough for two servings

1 medium sweet potato

1/2 red onion, halved and super thinly sliced

1-2 tsp curry powder

juice of one orange

juice if one lime

1 tbls juice from chipotles in adobo or more to taste

1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme

1 sprig on cilantro, roughly chopped

olive oil as needed

Preheat toaster over to 400.

Peel the sweet potato and slice in into 1/4 inch thick round.

Put it in a bowl. Add a few drops of olive and toss to evenly coat the potatoes with a thin sheen of oil.

Add the curry powder to taste and toss to coat.

Lay the potatoes in an even layer and bake or broil for 7-10 minutes or until lightly caramelized and tender but still al dente. Let cool.

When cool enough to handle, dice into cubes that aesthetically please you.

Put the diced sweet potato on a bowl with the sliced onion.

Add the orange and lime juice, a pinch more curry, the chile juice and the herbs.

Add a bit of salt and pepper to taste and a few drops more of olive oil.

Yum!

Puebla Salsa Verde

This is soo simple! It makes a smooth, pourable salsa that is great with shrimp, salmon, tuna and steaks. it is bright enough to lighten the richness of any grilled food.

It is also a great medium for making dips. Add some diced tomato, mango, peach or papaya to make a sexy, chunky salsa for your next chip attack.

makes two cups

To make the salsa....

12 tomatillos, husked

2 jalapeno chiles seeded or not to taste

1/2 cup thinly sliced white onion

1 medium garlic clove

1 tbls salt

1 tsp white vinegar

1-2 cups chopped cilantro

Boil 2 cups of water with the salt added.

Add the chiles, tomatillos, garlic & onion. Boil for 3-4 minutes, just enough to brighten up and slightly soften the tomatillos.

Puree all ingredients using a bit of the water to make a smooth, pourable salsa.

Pear and Sundried Tomato Salsa

This salsa, salad, relish or whatever you name it, it a breeze to make, and it rocks! The secret in a adding the warm bring to the fruits to release the flavors.

Try this on a mozzarella sandwich, as a garnish to any broiled or grilled fish, white meat or tofu. I also love it with warm goat’s cheese and crostini and a snack.

made enough for two servings

2 firm medium sized pears, Bosc is perfect

1/2 red onion, halved and super thinly sliced

1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, sliced in strips

1/8 cup white wine or cider vinegar

2 tbls honey

2 tsp coriander seeds

generous amout fresh basil

salt and pepper

olive oil as needed

Slice the pear into matchsticks, about the same size as the tomatoes.

Put in a bowl with the sundried tomatoes and the onion. Coat with a wee bit of olive oil.

In a small nonreactive pot (not aluminum or copper if possible)

heat the vinegar, honey and coriander seeds.

Stir to melt the honey.

Pour over the pear mix. Gently stir and cool. When cooled ass generous amounts of shredded fresh basil, a little more olive oil and season to taste.

Yum!

Phoenicia Fire --on my street Tonight!

2009-11-25T22:01:00.000-08:00

I left my house this a.m. to pick up my oldest daughter who was coming home for thanksgiving.

When we came back hours later, happy, car full of groceries, talking about wonderful things, including gratitude for what we had--our road was blocked--fire, they said. From the details it sounded like my neighbor's house--

and it was--and they were okay. I was moved by the amount of volunteer firefighters that came out.

The fire was contained and no one was hurt.

More food for thought.

Free Food in Hudson Valley

2009-11-22T10:01:00.000-08:00

If you Google me, you'll see I write for the New York Times and have won awards for some of my young adult books. I've been a writer and photographer in the Hudson Valley for more than 20 years, a teacher and a mentor.

You might not guess how hard I've been hit by the economy-- unable to find regular work and facing foreclosure, afraid that I might not only lose my house but have to leave the community.

After many months of fear and panic, and searching for solutions—including applying for hundreds of jobs—BAM-- the idea for Hudson Valley WOW TV landed in my brain.

Time to do something positive—and fun!

Here's the first episode of Hudson Valley WOW TV!

I thought it would be great to get out and see what new perspectives and heroes I could find, as well as providing programming on green living, health, raltionships and the arts and nonprofits. For the first few shows, I'm focusing on health and wellness (in many forms) and will be featuring pieces on where to get help or volunteer or maybe both at once! The lines between us are blurring, and I'm glad about that!

Needing help, as well as the desire to help, is what brought me here; it's good to know there are places to go where you can both give and recieve. AKA, a community!

This is not a comprehensive guide, but if

you need a cooked meal or some fresh food to take home,

or you know someone facing tough economic times, here are a few food pantries, food distribution sites and soup kitchens in the Woodstock/ Kingston area. All great places to volunteer, and every single hour helps, particularly during the holiday season.

If you are feeling grateful for what you have, volunteering keeps the love flowing—and takes the edge off any holiday loneliness! Definitely the perfect way to connect with others.

Contributions of food and money are also fantastic!

For volunteers: you could start with the big grandaddy of the local organizations,

the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley. It is a branch of the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and a member of Feeding America, the national food bank network. CLICK on AGENCY LIST to see service places, soup kitchens and food pantries listed by county. There are hundreds of places!

If the Food Bank is the grandaddy, then Family of Woodstock, is the Fairy Godmother of organizations, serving Ulster Coutny and surrounding areas since 1970, helping to fight homelessness, build strong communties, end domestic violence, be there for teens and assist with emergency food and shelter. They have food pantries and can often head people toward logner term solutions. Ellenville: 647 2443; New Paltz 255-8801; Woodstock 679 2485, or Kingston 338-2370.

Queens Galley of Kingston, 254 Washington Avenue, has served thousands of wholesome meals. You do not have to prove income and families with children, as well as people from all situations are welcome; the purpose of the soup kitchen is to provide for those faced with any issue of food insecurity, due to the economy. Breakfast is served 8:00am-9:00am. Lunch is served noon - 1:00pm Dinner is served 5:00pm-6:00pm.

Helping Hands of NY, in Phoenicia has distributed more than 170,000 pounds of food this past year, providingmeals to 600 peopel a month. And now PET FOOD is available! FOOD DISTRUBUTION DATES & LOCATION

Dates - 2nd & 4th Mondays of each month.

(The pantry will be closed on Holidays falling on Mondays. Will open the next day TUESDAY)

Location - M.F. Whitney Firehouse rt. 214

Phoenicia, NY 3pm – 7pm.

More dates will be posted soon.

Anyone in need of help please

Call 845-688-9825 or email

HelpingHandsofNY@yahoo.com

Volunteers, donations of food & people experienced in fund raising Needed for all the organizations.

Sneak Preview of Hudson Valley Wow Tv!

2009-11-20T17:19:00.001-08:00

EPISODE ONE: Chef Ric Orlando from New World prepares Sweet Potato Salsa, Breakfast Club with Robin Kramer and Kiran Sancious (we're talking about PLEASURE), finding hotties in Phoenicia to help with Helping Hands Food Pantry...and last but not least, a bit of a bounty hunt in Adam's Fairacre Farms in Kingston!

I couldn't wait until the official date--so many were begging me to put up the first show!

Hope you enjoy it and I aim to get better! Also to include what YOU want to see.

I'm looking forward to green living, fine arts, nightlife, studio tours, meditation and yoga,

and profiles on the people and organizations that are helping make things happy around here.

Big huge thanks to all the people who helped me to do this little show, particularly Christopher who took off several days to shoot and was so patient!

If you've got a camera and/or a steady hand and want to be involved (credit only for now)

or maybe have some original music you'd like me to use with the stories, let me know!!!

Happy TGIF!

Do you feed the hunger or the hungry?

2009-11-19T07:37:00.000-08:00

A growing number of Americans are going hungry or eating less, due to the economy, and you'd be surprised at how many people I know—(including Obama-voting Dems as well as Republicans)-- who actually think that someone else's hunger is not of concern to all of us.

The people I hear saying "not my problem" or "let them help themselves" are often the same people who sign petitions for world peace, unite for social justice causes, wish for a greener planet, and seem to think that ONE.ORG means ME.ORG.

They fill their carts with groceries, eat out , take vacations, buy beautiful clothes, have funds tucked away, and yet claim that they have too little to give to others. They tell themselves they are stretched to the limit by simply taking care of themselves and their families.

Unless you have nothing, you do have something to give.

Luckily, there are millions people who ARE ready to share.

Ready to open their heart, go beyond their little circle of friends and family to share what they've got: money, time or food.

They're ready! They are sooo ready!

But they're waiting.

There are a lot of waiters out there.

If you are a waiter, you're waiting for the perfect opportunity....some day!

Or you're waiting until you can give more than five dollars or more than a box of mac and cheese or more than one hour to your local food pantry.

Well, forget it—those dollars and hours and mac and cheese boxes add up!

Everyone always uses that oxygen on an airplane metaphor—take care of yourself first or you will both be dead.

The truth is, that back here on earth, it raises you up to

be part of a community, to think in terms of us, to contribute as well as consume, in a balanced and thoughtful way.

From my own experience, if I kept waiting until I was "ready to stand on my own two feet," I would never have experienced the joy of expanding my love from self to world. True, there are many who are truly kept by circumstance from giving more at this moment, but there are many more of us who could drop our excuses and do something right now.

Watch the first episode of Hudson Valley WOW TV to catch a glimpse of Helping Hands in Phoenicia, a privately run food distribution organization that runs out of the M.F. Whitney Firehouse, Route 214 Phoenicia, on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. They provide fresh and canned food and local baked goods to mroe than 600 people a month.

The first episode of HV WOW TV is about THANKSGIVING!

Stay tuned to this spot for more on food pantries and more on the first HV WOW TV episode!

Test drive the new Hudson Valley WOW TV !

2009-11-15T14:17:00.000-08:00

Checking out google videos-- for future airings of the show!

Please send suggestions about video host sites: hvwowtv@yahoo.com

Thanksgiving centerpiece contest!

2009-11-14T08:03:00.000-08:00

Going into Adam's Fairacre Farms today to shoot the first Hudson Valley Wow TV

treasure hunt. Going to grab six random shoppers and give them three minutes to choose

three interesting items from the produce aisle. Anne Marie, the resident designer and florist will

turn it into a masterpiece....

I like the idea of these public, unplanned spectacles; street theater meets reality tv?

Stay tuned!

Also, will be offering updates on area community t-giving dinners--where you can eat, contribute and/or volunteer.

Hudson Valley WOW TV guests

2009-11-06T13:01:00.001-08:00

Had a lot of fun the other day, shooting with fellow blogger, Robin Kramer, at her house in

a Breakfast Club segment, with her guest, Kiran Sancious. What we were talking about is

TOTALLY OUR BUSINESS! (Until you tune in to the show.)

Also, most delicious and healthy morning of our year, spent with Ric Orland0 in his kitchen, while he whipped up some wondrous goodies for us at New World Home Cooking, just outside of Woodstock. Want the recipes? You'll have them.

Had an interview with Kingston Dr. Dan Hafner and some of his associates about SWINE FLU and they were quite candid. I would trust him with my life--and have already done so a few times. He is one of those broke-the-mold sort of people, and as a doctor has an extraordinarily

rare balance of humanity and wisdom.

Now we are scouting a yoga person, and hope to visit several food pantries and organizations that are offering delicious and nutritious food to those of us who have been struggling in this economy. Have been interviewing random women about health care and hearing horror stories as well as innovative solutions.

P.S. Christopher has been offering his time as an angelic videographer and you will see his work and hear more about him!

hudson valley wow tv coming soonish!

2009-11-03T18:42:00.000-08:00

See it here! and subcribe, for instant, free shows every week. All Hudson Valley content,

aiming for fresh, interesting and uplifting real life coverage. Future topics:

health care, treating flu, cooking demos, green living, family, relationships, social justice, yoga, meditation and attitudes!

2009-11-01T20:42:00.000-08:00

CHECK OUT hudson Valley Wow TV!

HUDSON VALLEY WOW TV!!!!

2009-11-01T19:53:00.000-08:00

I'm starting a new Hudson Valley TV station--right on youtube!

HUDSONVALLEYWOWTV!

The first "Season" will run a few weeks and include six mini-shows, all about women's health!

WIll be serious features on hormone replacement and skin care and natural approaches to health and beauty, and a story about what happened to one woman when she had to wait five years for health care. There will be a meditation minute from Lama Karma D., a Tibetan Buddhist teacher.

Also fun features, like at home with Robin Kramer (author of the new lazy woman's blog!)

Still looking for the gynecologist who will let us do "A Day in the Life of a Gyno."

Also finishing shooting a Hudson Valley Arts program. Sponsors have been popping up and people are excited. This is not one of those slick (HA!) comprehensive HV coverage things!

It's short takes on juicy bits of art, fashion, social justice, eco-living, realtionships, etc.--all in the HV!!! YAY!!

HOT NEW BOOKS for 2008!!!

2008-03-26T22:47:00.000-07:00

imaginary gothic lolita covers

2008-03-25T19:52:00.000-07:00

i was thinking about my dream covers for gothic lolita...