Getting to Know a New Town

It's been a while since I have moved. I have been in the same town for seven years now. For some of us, probably not a big deal. But ask either of my parents and they will tell you for years they never wrote my address or phone number in pen - they preferred something they could easily erase when a year or less went by.

Not that I am moving, I am just testing the waters in a new town, a familiar place but new just the same. I have been going to Mammoth Lakes, California since I first moved to the west coast. That first trip inspired me but didn't make me want to move. It was the second trip that I fell in love with the Eastern Sierra. A camping trip with two girlfriends and a hike to Duck Lake. From then on I made the 5 hour drive every other weekend. Sometimes just for the day to ski. Crazy, but I was in my early 20's.

These days I prefer to at least spend a bit of time in the town before I head back to my own mountain town. Weird - going from one mountain town to another. But like products, they are two completely different brands of experience. Somewhat familiar but definitely different.

My goal: See if we like it for a potential full-time move. Or just somewhere to spend half our time. We know a few people but not enough. We know what to do but wouldn't call ourselves locals. What we do know, we like.

That said, we also have a list of towns and criteria we would like to have for the next town we call home. The list includes, of course Mammoth, but also Tahoe City and Crested Butte, and the criteria lists a pool for lap swimming, a yoga studio, live music, epic skiing, nearby crags for rock climbing and fair amount of mountain biking. While I am not sure where we'll end up, or even if we will move in the end, I am sure we'll have a great time exploring and getting to know a new town.

Slow Food Cooking

Good, clean and fair. A simple movement, gaining popularity and now five members stronger. We kicked off the Big Bear Valley Chapter with a dinner of pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, organic spinach, fresh garlic, home-made herb-crusted bread, a few bottles of wine and some excellent conversation. It was so nice to sit around a table on a stormy evening, fire in the wood-burning stove, and talk about anything and everything.

There seems to be a growing cultural shift - some even call it a return - to traditional ways when it comes to cooking and eating. A desire for self-sufficiency and quality has fueled the growth of farmer's markets in the last five years and food cooperatives now sell locally grown and seasonal produce. The Slow Food movement is also becoming popular; it's mantra of 'good, clean and fair' is driving many of us to re-think our purchases. To act and make environmentally-conscious decisions when it comes to choosing fresh foods over processed and neighborhood farms over retail giants.

Having grown up with a garden in our back yard, I was tasked with picking our evening salad right before dinner. I miss that freedom and sufficiency. Living in a mountain town where our soil is not entirely conducive for growing our own vegetables I rely heavily on our local food cooperative - Sol Food Market. Every Tuesday I pick up produce grown within 100 miles of Big Bear. It's very communal.

So as regional lines blur in our march towards globalization, our food is becoming a defining factor. As I honor my desire to connect with my food and have a relationship with the growers, I am more reflective in other aspects of my life relating to sustainability. It's an interesting concept, one that isn't innovative or new, just innovative and new right now. As I step off my soap-box, take a moment and check out the Slow Food website at http://bit.ly/70ZBld. I invite you to consider joining in on the move to slowing it down.