living underground in the real world
hi
Hi.
I’m Lagusta, a vegan chocolatier living in the tiny town of New Paltz, New York (75 miles north of NYC). I live in a little 1960s sunny ranch house with my sweetheart of 19 years, Jacob, and my three cats, Sula, Noodle, and Cleo. Jacob & my girlfriend Kate & eight-ish other amazing women & I work a zillion hours a week running a small chocolate shop and mail order company, and a cafe and an NYC sweets shop.
Primarily this blog is a place for me to put photos of outfits I want to wear again, so in the mornings I can go to it on my phone and figure out what to wear.
Also:
I use this blog as a way to work through the constant friction of being a thinking person in a society that has seemingly abandoned all reason. I do my best to stick to my homegrown lefty values while working for meaningful change both inside and outside “the system.”
I’m an anarchist who was until recently the head of her local Green Party chapter. I’m an anti-capitalist who owns her own business, a home owner who hates the idea of private ownership of land. I always pay my quarterly taxes on time, then have nightmares about dead Iraqi children killed with guns I bought.
I always thought my life would be more hardcore—that I would never interact with the society whose values I often despise. But I am realizing that I can live in the world without being of the world, and that running my business in the most anti-capitalist way possible is pretty damn hardcore. That I’m proud to own my house because it means that the trees on it will never be cut down. That in my small town the Green Party has a real impact, and it’s worthwhile to work inside the dreaded political system if it means we can put solar panels on Town Hall. I’m enjoying finding the difficult balance between not compromising my values and being a productive, active member of society.
“Resistance is fertile” is a slogan I have shamelessly stolen from Ruth Ozeki, a writer whose books I adore. It has become my motto. This post (at the way bottom) talks a little bit about what it means to me and should mean to you.
Hey, here’s a cookbook I worked on!
A nd here’s my professional (read: longer.) bio.
You can contact me at lagustaATlagustaDOTcom, but, you know, change the at and the dot.
25 Responses to “hi”
Lagusta,
I enjoyed going over your site and feel like I know you better but I will need to return because you have a lot to read. I like the “eye rolling & cow lick” video segment-you do not need medical attention.
Edgar
hi
i am work about organic agriculture,but naw i Found the new form to do agriculture and form is very good.
can you let me to know more of your agiruclture?
Ha!
I think your blogs are great!
-no need to reply :) te he he!
As the son of a locally famous baker of Viennese pastry, I grew up in a place where chocolate was highest on the altar of gastronomic delights. Nonetheless, I must say the photo of the nymph below the holy bon bon, is the greater delight of the two. She brings to mind in this old head, the delights of a hippy youth full of adventure and wisps of femininity that excited the heart both in their physical image and their yearning to be the wood sprites they affected.
Turn thirty if you will, but you must remain that delicate figure blending in perfect symmetry with the woods about you.
I love your blog – I can’t stop reading. Thanks for the inspiration and encouragement.
Aww, thanks Sasha! Rad!
I stumbled across your blog while searching for curry recipes, and now I check in at least once a day to see if you have any new posts with which I can distract myself from work… I don’t think I’m as radical as you are for real, but I pretend I am ever-so-often. Thanks. :)
Chelsea! Awesome! I’m sure you’re plenty radical.
Enjoyed your site. Would love to chat.
CERES PRESS
David Goldbeck
HealthyHighways.com
It’s very refreshing to hear what your doing, and your perspective. Im also trying to live in sustainable and sane way (vegan, green party member, independent media supporter/producer, etc.), to be the change I wish to see, thanks for the inspiration to keep at it. I just went to a workshop with Jim Merkel who wrote the book “Radical Simplicity”, I think you may find it valuable too. He recommends a veganic diet, along with reducing consumption way way down…
Well stay positive,
ColinD(at)veganmail(dot)com
you are beautyfull
(sometimes it’s good to be re-minded, in case the world makes me forget, don’t you think?)
Thank you. for the blog and mostly for the spirit.
don’t worry about “them”, do what you have to do…
~ “That which conforms can never flower in goodness” ~
I love your site — great recipes and very witty!
Lefty, foodie and a witty, good read. Cool.
I am very happy to have just found your blog! Looking forward to reading through all the goodness…
Thank you :)
It’s very refreshing to hear what your doing, and your perspective. Im also trying to live in sustainable and sane way (vegan, green party member, independent media supporter/producer, etc.), to be the change I wish to see, thanks for the inspiration to keep at it. I just went to a workshop with Jim Merkel who wrote the book “Radical Simplicity”, I think you may find it valuable too. He recommends a veganic diet, along with reducing consumption way way down…Well stay positive,ColinD(at)veganmail(dot)com
+1
[…] what’s a lagusta? […]
You’re the only other person that knows about the raw food people! I was always scared to say, but it’s true! They’re totally, super-mario, off the hook!!!
Nope, I know. I learnt a LONG ass time ago plastic smiles are attempting to distract you from the nervous tick-tocking behind their glazes eyes before they show the psycho freakshow. For trill.
[…] experiments will be forthcoming. As Lagusta said perfectly in an entry about Alinea restaurant in Chicago. vegans should be embracing this […]
I’ve so enjoyed reading about you, hearing your beliefs, and ideas. I’m afraid to say too much about myself because I actually like the taste of Earth Balance on toast, but that is about it. I hope it will still be okay for me to order your chocolates.
I have never been good at cooking and trying to cook back when I used to eat dead animals is what pushed me toward becoming vegan. I couldn’t handle this dead being, put it in the oven and then consume it. Alas, I have no flair for pairing foods, but I am aspiring to it and reading about your passion for compassionate and interesting flavors is inspiring.
– vegan in Atlanta
Claire
Awwwww Claire! You’re too much. My mom loves EB on toast too! It’s ok. : )
[…] Please don’t tell that to the people at Chocolove. Or this fabulous lady. […]
I came for the NYerWBW, I’m staying for the chocolate and your beautiful contradictions. I can’t wait for my first Chocolates of the Month to arrive.
[…] Lagusta je veganka koja radi najzamamniju čokoladu koju sam ikada vidjela, a uz to je feministkinja i anarhistkinja koja vodi vlastitu malu fabriku čokolade u gradiću New Paltz, NY. Proizvode i liniju feminističkih pralina, od kojih se jedne zovu Furios Vulvas. Što dodati? […]
Came to your lovely shop in New Paltz last Fall when friends where having a wedding in town. I was DYING- Pagan Bark? Everything you wrote above about anarchy, society, being a part of a system you are also trying to dissolve is EVERYTHING. It was like I was reading about myself. Thank you for being authentically yourself and for bringing beauty into this world!