Author: Kbaumlier

Kristen Baumlier’s work spans the full spectrum of interdisciplinary media, including performance, interactive installation, video and audio works.
A Unique Fundraiser:  Food Truck Rodeo and Clothing Exchange

A Unique Fundraiser: Food Truck Rodeo and Clothing Exchange

This past Friday I stopped by a unique event that combined a clothes swap with a food truck rodeo in as a benefit for the nonprofit Peoples Channel and Durham Community Media. The Peoples Channel is a community television center where anyone can learn to make a television show.

The fundraiser event was held  in downtown Carrboro, NC and I stopped by to take a look.  For the benefit, you could buy a ticket which would allow you to sample food from each food truck, and also get a t-shirt or tote bag.

At the event there were about 5 food Trucks were parked in a lot (aka – a Food Rodeo) and a booth with Indian food.   I wasn’t able to eat the food, but I watched as people took their tickets and got samples of food from each of the food trucks.  Dumplings, Hawaiian ice, and polenta were some of the variety of food that people got to eat.

Next to the Food Rodeo was the clothes swap – where you could bring a bag of clothes pay a small fee, and take clothes that you wanted. Volunteers sorted the clothes into categories and participants can take what they like.  There were also silkscreens on site, and people could screen print on clothes if they wanted. I watched as people brought big bags of clothes to the swap.  The clothes were organized on large tables and people chatted and interacted while they held up and tried on various items.

I was on my way to buy a gluten free pizza and on the way back from my errand, the event was picking up.  The parking lot was getting crowded and the pile of clothing had gotten even taller.

 

Links:

Thepeopleschannel.org/rodeoswap.htm

CIA Food Font Activity – New Video is Posted

CIA Food Font Activity – New Video is Posted

I just posted a video from the Food Font activity that was done at the Cleveland Institute of Art last Spring.

Students, faculty and staff worked to create 2 food alphabets: The CIA Vending machine food alphabet (made of food from the vending machines) and The CIA Packed Lunch alphabet (made of food from food from packed lunches.)

You can see the video on the Food Font Vimeo channel.

 

Food Font – at the Shaker Square North Union Farmers Market Sat. August 18th

Food Font – at the Shaker Square North Union Farmers Market Sat. August 18th

Food Font will be at the Shaker Square Farmers Market this Saturday from 8am – 12 noon.

You can read more on the Facebook event page.

I am hoping that tomatoes are out this week – so we can make a tomato alphabet.  Otherwise, we will work with some other seasonal produce to make letters.

If you are in the area – come stop by and make a letter and say “hi!”  (Or better yet – you can make a “H” and a “I” out of food!)

 

Locopops:  Popsicles that Taste Good and Do Good

Locopops: Popsicles that Taste Good and Do Good

Last Monday after I ate dinner dinner in downtown Durham,  I had a cherry chocolate Loco Pop.  Loco Pops are popsicles with unique flavors that are made in locally in Durham, NC.  I did a little research and the story behind the popscilces is pretty interesting.

In 2004, Summer Bicknell, the founder of Loco Pops was working in Nashville and felt ready to do something different. One day she ate a frozen popsicle from Mexico, called a paleta.  She did some research, and then moved to Tlazazalca, a town in the southwest Mexico state of Michoacan.   Here she did a three-month apprenticeship at a paleteria, learning to combine traditional Mexican flavors to make paletas.

She later moved to Durham, N.C. to start her business just two freezers, a basic kitchen and some whiteboards, and opened Locopops in 2005.   In Durham she met Connie Semans who became her business partner.    They both shared a desire to run a business that supports the community in a variety of ways.   Locopops expanded from its original store  Locopops began to be sold in other stores and venues in the area.

Locopops use fresh fruits, locally grown herbs, and locally produced cream.  The flavors are unique, and the choices are constantly changing.  Some of the flavors include rosemary lemon, orange cardamom, chocolate chile, mango coconut rose, blueberry thyme, raspberry hibiscus, strawberries and cream, cherry bay leaf, and nectarine ginger.

I have tried about three flavors, and my favorite still remains Mexican chocolate, which is a rich chocolate popsicle that has cinnamon and nutmeg in it.

The slogan of Locopops is “ Taste Good, Be Good, Do Good”  Locopops works to  support community groups, PTA’s, student groups, animal shelters and other non-profits through fundraising activities, donations, and public art space.

I can’t wait to get back to NC – so I can get my next Locopop. This time it will be the Mexican chocolate.

Image Source:
http://www.ilovelocopops.com/

Links:
http://www.ilovelocopops.com/

 

 

Food Font at Weaver Street Market in Carrboro, NC

Food Font at Weaver Street Market in Carrboro, NC

The Food Font Weaver Street Market in Carrboro, NC went well yesterday.  Lots of people stopped by and made letters out of peppers from Peregrine Farm.   There were two types of peppers – purple bells and cubanelles.

We had a short break when a rainstorm came through, when everyone went under the overhang area of Carrboro to stay dry.  Soon the rain stopped, the jazz band started up again, and we set up the alphabet area and continued making the Weaver Street – Peregrine Farm Pepper alphabet.  Thanks to everyone that came out for the event.

Pictures from the event as well as the images of the alphabet can be seen on the Flickr site.
Below are slideshows from the event.  (NOTE: if you are on some mobile devices the slideshows will not show up since they are made with Flash so view the pictures from the Flickr site.)

Links:

Weaver Street Market – Food Font Event

Peregrine Farm – Website