(photo) As I have mentioned in previous columns, autumn is my favorite time of the year. I love the colors, the smells, the snap in the air, the transitional nature of absolutely everything, including my self and my life on the road. It is this time when Best Beloved and I, amid fond visits by the fire with family and friends, begin to prepare for the trek to the southwest where we will spend the winter. This year in particular, the transition from Virgo to Libra, practicality toward balance and harmony, coupled with the full moon a day later, seemed an ideal combination of heavenly influences for our next to last work-related trip to the DC Metro area. We had visions of joyous reunions and much fellowship and merriment with those dear to us. We looked forward to sharing plans for the slow season in the show biz and the tattooing biz as well. We felt certain it would be a cozy, reflective and low-key visit to our old stomping grounds.

(photo) To put it bluntly, we could not have been more horribly, horribly mistaken.

This first autumn following the Grand Cross has been anything but a time of flowing transition for those around us. Our little family unit, safe and snug in our Silver Palace, is well fed, warm and living within our means, having cut out much in the way of material things in favor of space, mobility and adventure. Most unfortunately, many friends and family members still in the area of our visit have had homes foreclosed upon, vehicles repossessed, work evaporate and relationships fall apart. Loss was the predominant transitional theme at work here.

Lest you think we merely considered ourselves fortunate and shut our doors, I must tell you, dear readers, that we made the choice to set out on the road because we were quite close to such circumstances in our own lives. We chose to opt out and now we were on hand to witness the fallout we had avoided. This also put us in a position to assist where we could and with what we had to offer.

We cooked food on several occasions for our parking hosts and their employees, since we were at a place of business. We took aside the employees who were also close personal friends and offered what we could to assist them in getting through these trying times. We did these things because we wished someone had done them for us when we were struggling, and we will forever remember the few who did so. We wanted to share the moment of Zen that occurs when you realize unexpected help has indeed arrived and has relieved a burden that has been keeping you up at night.

(photo) That is a truly lovely and delicious moment, one to be savored and recalled often.

We got to watch this moment over and over again as friends entered the Airstream, sat down and breathed deeply. The stress would fall off of them, their faces would relax and break into smiles as one or both of the cats began to cuddle up and solicit attention for a moment or three. They would begin to talk about things they wanted to do, futures they wanted to have and dreams that were currently deferred. We would serve tea and snacks and, after the workday was done, beer, wine and cocktails. I created the following drink out of ingredients on hand to satisfy a request for something sweet, fruity and rummy, and gave it a name I felt was appropriate to the circumstances.

It is our hope that things will continue to transition to a place of manageability for everyone we know and love. Times are difficult for many and some are making very tough choices that will alter their hearts and lives forever. It is also our hope that we, all of us, will take the time to remember what is truly important in our lives this season, stand in gratitude for it all and pass that quiet, joy-filled moment of Zen among our fellows with genuine love for the potential for greatness we know sits within us all.

Happy Autumn, Dear Readers. May you have many, many warm and sweet moments to offset any difficulties you may encounter along your path.

TRAVELER’S MOMENT OF ZEN:
3 parts Pineapple Juice
1 part Grenadine (Always best to make your own. Gwen has a killer recipe for how to do it over here … )
1 part Sake
1 ½ parts Light Rum
½ part Triple Sec
Mix all ingredients in order and shake or stir thoroughly. I garnished this with a couple dried cranberries. As I said, sometimes, it’s about what you have on hand.

Cheers~Charon, The Most Dangerous Beauty Alive
theswordswallowers.com
oddangel.com

Charon Henning is one of a handful of female sword swallowers in the world today. She’s performed on carnival midways and at wine tastings, on theater stages and grassy lots.

Charon also reads tea leaves professionally, a skill she inherited from her grandmother on her mother’s side of the family. Tea-leaf reading is a wonderful and elegant form of entertainment, suitable for many time periods and venues.

Charon loves being on the road seeing new places and meeting new people. Want to catch Charon on the road for her live show? View her tour schedule here. Or, book Charon’s talent for your next event!

page six columnist paula froelich’s MERCURY IN RETROGRADE is a good read. one of those you can’t put down and stay up far too late reading. hate that type of book, but also kind of love it…

it describes three hip new york city chicks, whose lives collide under the influence of mercury retrograde. the book’s tone is witty, naughty, and ends nicely… which is a welcome change, as i’m still recovering from that crappy, open-ended LOST finale.

my favorite line from the book is when mr. type A status-conscious fashion editor tells ms. fashion minion/surf/writer that “she’s not the pedophile’s dream she used to be…” move over sex in the city… mercury in retrograde is here. and for once, that’s a good thing! $15 simon & schuster

The Environmental Protection Agency warned that drinking water pollution is one of the top environmental threats to our health. Contaminants are routinely measured in municipal drinking water including lead, cadmium, mercury, metals, pesticides, fertilizers, and chlorine. These can enter your body not only by drinking the water, but through bathing in it.

Our blood is 90% water and our muscle tissue is 75% water. We need to drink clean water to deliver nutrients and oxygen, discharge metabolic wastes, and clear out toxins. Our ultimate goal is to relieve the body from daily environmental stressors, but what do we do when
one of these stressors is our own water? Although water from our faucets and city water supplies is ordinarily safe from bacteria and harmful organisms, undesirable contaminants in the water are an ongoing concern.

One of these contaminants is fluoride. As an additive to public water supplies, fluoride has been banned as unsafe for public health in many countries, yet it is added to many municipal water supplies in the United States with assurances that it is a “proven health measure.” Michael Barbee, author of Politically Incorrect Nutrition says, “Fluoride improperly mineralizes many tissues, including bones, joints, and teeth. It also disarms the immune system and calcifies the pineal gland.”

Despite the urgings of dentists, fluoride may not be necessary to protect teeth. Tooth decay appears to result from a poor diet and lack of basic hygiene. You can read more about this theory at http://www.westonaprice.org/notes-from-yesteryear/186-price-and-fluoride.html. And if you’re interested in how fluoride became so widespread, read The Fluoride Deception, written by Christopher Bryson, which details how public opinion has been molded to believe fluoridation is a good thing. See a review of Bryson’s book at http://www.westonaprice.org/book-reviews/thumbs-up/380-fluoride-deception.html.

(photo) Fluoride and other contaminants aside, we still must find a way to have healthy drinking water. Coffee, sodas, and other commercial drinks don’t adequately hydrate the body like pure water does. Lack of water in the body weakens immunity and increases susceptibility to disease because water actually protects cells from diseases and viruses. When your cells lack water, it is easier for foreign invaders to enter them. Adequate water holds the cells in a structure that allows for optimal functioning.

In regard to healthy water, Mu Shik Jhon, Ph.D., author of The Water Puzzle and The Hexagonal Key tells us, “What was once only theory is being confirmed. Water has a specific structure which varies with environmental conditions.” He tells us that water around cancer cells is less structured than water around normal cells. His research has shown that cancer has a common feature: the destruction of the water structure at a cellular level. Dr. Mu Shik Jhon says when hexagonal structure of water near cells is compromised, cells are more vulnerable to (photo) external stimuli. Cells surrounded by less structured water are weaker and more prone to malfunction and genetic mutation. “The failure to consider water’s impact during disease may be a glaring oversight,” he says, and goes on to say that water is especially critical for cancer patients, protecting cells from environmental damage. Through this research, some have suggested the possibility of returning cancer cells to a normal state by improving the water environment at a cellular level.

The road to good health involves being adequately hydrated with healthy water. Bottled water is not optimal unless you know the source is pure and it comes in glass, as plastic is an environmental pollutant that can leach toxic chemicals into your water.

What to do? Filter your own drinking, shower, and bath water with high quality filters. Look for filters for your drinking water that eliminate contaminants found in your municipal water. To learn more about the tap water in your community, see the Drinking Water website for the United States Environmental Protection Agency at http://water.epa.gov/drink/index.cfm.

GWEN’S THOUGHTS: i love ASTRO SHRINK’S post this month, because i’m all about the water! after studying kangen water for 6 months now, the ground breaking research on water i have found has left me flabbergasted. forget about food. forget about nutrients (for now.) forget about everything except straightening out your water supply. a dependable source of high quality water needs to be your number one priority. then worry about the other stuff. every single disease in the world comes from a single trigger: dehydration in the body. lack of absorption. problem solved. it’s almost too simple. change your water, change your life. i have been going on about the alkalinity of kangen water, which is great at resetting the ph of our body to a normal state by reducing the acid. (photo) but, equally important is the molecular structure of the kangen water molecule. it is highly structured, and i’m told that this can be witnessed this by washing your car. the combination of soapy water on the waxed car will bead up, but kangen water will create sheets. this illustrates the water’s connective properties, which enables kangen water to move through our the body 3 dimensionally. this is akin to spirits walking through the walls of a house, the same way the spirit of this water moves through the walls our our cells. kangen water does not use the traditional pathways, or veins for lack of a better word, that regular water uses. ASTRO SHRINK advises everyone to seek out the best possible water for themselves and their loved ones, (photo) and i can promise you all that you need look no farther than your local kangen water distributor. this is the rolls royce of water. the cream of the crop. don’t put a price tag on your health. get kangen! if you can’t find one, email gwen@intoxicatedzodiac.com. and here’s a great idea, if you’re getting married, or having a Bat Mitzvah, birthday, ect… but a kangen machine on your gift list, because kangen is the china ; ) hear, hear, a toast to raising the vibration of our planet through water…

give the gift life: GIVE WATER. watch the movie trailer HERE.

Dr. Christina Grant is a holistic healer and spiritual counselor who uses astrology in her work to help people better understand their purpose and life circumstances. She works in person and by phone. She has helped hundreds of people attain physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being through personal transformation. Her writing is published nationwide. To learn more, see WWW.CHRISTINAGRANT.COM

even if you profess to not care for the likes of brandy, cognac, or armagnac, you will like it now. now that hennessy has invented the most ridiculously cute bottle cover in the entire world, that is. yes… you might wonder, why? why cover my bottle in with a silicone skin? well girls, the reason is so that now you can carry hennessy around in your bag and whip it out when the mood strikes. what mood? the mood for a sidecar, of course! this prohibition-era favorite is the perfect solution to those who think they don’t like cognac and its brethren. the simple fact is that there is no way anyone can not love a side car. the unfortunate efficiency of the human taste bud renders that impossible. if you’ve never tried one, do it now or regret it later! the classic sidecar is almost as irresistible as the limited edition hennessy VS flask sleeve. ($12.99)

SIDECAR:
One part cognac
One part orange liqueur
One part fresh squeezed lemon juice

Mix the ingredients in a shaker half full of ice. Strain and serve in a sugar-rimmed glass. Garnish with a strip of lemon rind. If it’s not sweet enough for your sweet little taste buds, add some simple syrup.

this is the most beautiful photograph i have ever taken. and the drink might just be the most beautiful drink i’ve ever created. how fitting, then, that this divinity in a glass, is ruled by the sign of the beautiful people: libra. in fact, it was a libra that inspired the title of this drink–specifically my libra sister fleur and her unique french name. fleur means flower in french, the language of love. hence i called this exquisite libation a fleurtini instead of the more well known, flirtini. and this one’s a whole lot better than that other one, too! libras don’t typically like to have ripples in their ocean of calm. or wrinkles on their serene face. or brash vulgarity in their pleasant interactions. they’re not into drama. and while i’m really not a high maintenance drama queen, really i’m not, some might say the complexity of my life is just too much for some others to entertain. and those others may sometimes of the libra persusion. and since i started my own business, a conversation that lasts more than 12 minutes between my sister and i is a long one. the stress kind of oozes out of me, and on to libra, and that is a big no-no! sis gave me a “how to meditate in 10 minutes book” for my last birthday, in the hopes that i might create a little libran harmony in my life. but it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks, and while i’ve become much better under pressure, i’m still the high strung quadruple scorpio that i always was, which makes for a total libra buzzkill. of course there are exceptions to every rule, and along with that a few libras that do thrive on stress. but i’ve found they don’t actually manage it well. for libra is the sign of balance, harmony, peace, beauty, charm, refinement, love, fairness, justice and pure harmony. discordancy goes against every libran fiber of their body. so, don’t dare throw a monkey wrench into libra’s wonderful bubble. for that would be an injustice and a crime against astrology itself.

FLEURTINI
2 oz elder flower liqueur
2 oz coconut milk
.5 oz rose water

Shake over ice, strain into glass. Garnish with edible flower.

we’re not just cool here at IZ, we’re DEAD COOL. at least our shot candles are anyway… yah: we love press!

found this amazing pic on MAHALAS ASTROLOGY, along with a universal/galactic/celestial synopsis of what’s taking place as we speak in our very heavens! it’s a breathtaking photograph, isn’t it? i just love the heart shape–such a girl over here… and wouldn’t ya know it: i was just thinking how awesome it would be to have a wall calender featuring this type of imagery when i was walking through urban outfitters and what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a notebook with a magnificent celestial image on the cover. so, do you hear me barnes & noble? 2011 wall calender… get crackin! and thanks to sandra for letting us know that LOVE=ABUNDANCE.

if you’re looking for love in what seems to be all the wrong places, have no fear because help is here. astrology goddess, jessica sheperd of moonkissd, wrote A LOVE ALCHEMIST’S NOTEBOOK to lend us all a hand in the relationship realm. in her informative, practical, enlightening, fun and witty book, she outlines the NINE SOUL MATE SECRETS, and explains how she captured her wonderful husband using these very steps. personally, i’m not a big fan of seeking out love… i’ve always subscribed to the theory of when it shows up, it shows up. but if you are actively looking for mr./ms. right, don’t waste your time on match or eharmony, when this book is all you really need. when i read jessica’s book, the information was so sensible, i couldn’t believe i hadn’t read it somewhere else before. but alas no, to me, jessica’s words were for the most part new. the magic element to this book makes it fun, mystical, creative, hip and just about guarantees soul mate success—all for $17.95! so much cheaper than a subscription to lavalife, or that fish site… true love is made in heaven, and manifested on earth, especially with A LOVE ALCHEMIST’S NOTEBOOK at your side… cheers!

check out steven tyler’s personal kangen water case below. now steven can give even more of a killer performance on stage, as this water will extend his energy level far beyond normal. (every time i go jogging after drinking kangen water, i come in five minutes faster.) as an energetic aries, steven’s all ready got above average stamina, but now it’ll be off the charts! kangen water is the most healing product i have ever encountered, and i have come across some really great products. read my kangen post, and remember you can buy one through gwen. now i want my own personalized kangen case!

i wish i could attend, but this is one weekend that i am booked solid for. if you can make it, there is a SPILL INTO WASHINGTON DC to rally for the gulf, this labor day saturday & sunday. (BTW, did you know that our commander in chief cashed in his BP stocks the week before the accident, along with BP CEO?) if that doesn’t get ya fired up, i don’t know what will!

for details on this unprecidented march on the capital, visit SPILLINTOWASHINGTON.org, or buy a tee shirt now for $20. car pools are being organized… this will be one for the history books, peeps.

you can also help the gulf by purchasing our charity SPILLTINI™ martini kit. fifty cents from each sale will be donated to gulf rescue.

we here at IZ are trying our best to do what we can for the gulf disaster… thanks to my friend katherine for suggesting i turn the GULF SPILL COCKTAIL into a saleable item. great idea! for only $10, you can sip your very own SPILLTINI™, fifty cents from each purchase will be donated to charities assisting with the gulf of mexico oil spill. each kit makes about eight-ten drinks, because SPILLTINIS™ are best enjoyed with friends.