Can you believe we are almost two months into 2020? As the old saying goes, "time flies." In the late spring, early summer of 2019, I took a break from social media. During this time, I channeled my energy into my creative pursuits.
I sat alone in silence, staring at dresses (and cleaning out my closets) and became more interested in vintage fashion. Like vintage-n-vegan, I admired some of the clothes I purchased in my travels.
My refrigerator was full of a bunch of random produce, including bok choy. I pulled out of my closet this blue peacock-inspired dress I bought in Hong Kong in 2008. I visited a friend who lived there from my yoga studies, and at the time, attended my first major yoga conference. I remember purchasing this dress from a local market for maybe about ten or 15 dollars.
Oh the memories. Oh the past. And how I look forward to the future. This idea sparked to combine my passion for three things, photography, cooking and feminine fashion. I admire fashion, but I am not one to follow the trends or to spend a pretty penny. Like any Aquarian, you'll find me navigating the aisles at a Goodwill or a local flea market more than you would find me at Nordstrom. Though my tastes have changed through the years, I have come to appreciate the more feminine side of old-world fashion. 
Last summer, the peacock spoke to me during a moment of hardship. A horrible dating experience ripped the soul from my chest and I was left sad, broken and confused. I began to find beauty in these dresses, safety at thrift stores and estate sales and pleasure in simple things like cooking, which always made me happy. I created a concoction of inspiration with fashion and recipe development.
According to spirit animal.info the peacock spiritually means, "The peacock spirit animal is the epitome of beauty. This graceful power animal offers lessons about self-love, honor, integrity and the importance of facing life’s challenges as well as the unknown with courage and confidence. When the peacock struts gracefully into your life you may be entering a time of rebirth. Individuals whose power animal is the peacock possess a firm connection between the past and present and recognize its effect on the future. They readily see the importance of integrity and honor. Confident in all they do, those with a peacock totem also recognize the need for light-heartedness and laughter." 
I went a bit crazy collecting vintage things, but I found use for them in my props for the blog. Although this dress is not vintage, it was one of the first articles of clothing that I used to develop this Asian-inspired favorite often eaten at a Chinese restaurant.
With this blog, I am honored to introduce my Easy shop (which I'll be uploading things very very soon), called The Elizabethan Closet. Here I'll be selling dresses, kitchen ware, tapestries, salt and pepper shakers, household goods - you name it, I probably have it. This shop is a collection of my passion and love the past, and this blog is a way for me to embrace the future. In future recipes, you'll notice a variety of recipes inspired by my collection, with most items for sale. Thank you for reading, sharing and subscribing. And I hope you too can enjoy some of my bygone charms. Enjoy! 
Vegan Garlic Broccoli + Bok Choy
Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time - 15-20 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients: 1 tbsp canola oil 4 large bok choy, remove stems 1 large head of broccoli 5-6 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 heaping tsp fresh ginger, chopped Sauce ingredients: 1.5 cups vegetable broth 3 tbsp rice vinegar 2.5 tbsp corn starch 1 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp sesame oil 2 tbsp green onion, chopped ( one stalk) 1/4 cup soy sauce Directions: First mix the sauce ingredients together in a bowl until the corn starch is well blended. Heat a skillet with the canola oil. Cook the ginger and garlic for 1-2 minutes and then add the broccoli and bok choy, and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Add the sauce ingredients and cover the skillet with a lid for 30-60 seconds. Remove the lid, stir and remove from heat. If the vegetables are not to your desired texture, cook for additional time. Garnish with sesame seeds if needed. Serve over rice.
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Are you living in a fantasy? Or are you living in a reality? So many areas of life have become so confusing, I am not sure if people know what is real or not.
Just take a look at the internet. How much of the world wide web has damaged or controlled us mentally? Prior to computers, humans have lived for thousands of years, surviving on the planet, using their heads and hands to live life. Today, people cannot decipher what is real versus fake news, and many people live this "picture perfect" life on social media, discarding the darker or weaker moments. The human mind is altered and flawed. Just take a look at Hollywood and the shows on Netflix. Much of today's programming is dark, gruesome, violent, negative and stuck in some dark fantasy. Behind this programming is a darker force trying to destroy and control our minds. Beauty is inspirational, death and destruction is not. Love is inspiring and is what heals people and the planet. Living in a fantasy is either like a fairy-tale or a nightmare. Some people want to ignore the negative sides of life or a relationship because of being stuck in a fairytale where others want to destroy humans because of the demons that live inside their head. I believe most people are not in reality, but living in a virtual reality, a fantasy or delusional fairy-tale, chasing something that doesn't exist. What is reality and what is fantasy? Reality: the world or the state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them.
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AuthorElizabeth Rae Kovar M.A. is Author of her memoir, Finding Om and is a Fitness Trainer, Yogi, Reiki Master, Presenter and Lover of Life. To view her portfolio please visit www.elizabethkovar.com 
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