Archive
August 26, 2009 - 10:25 am
One of the joys of having a more-personal blog (compared to my last blog) is being able to talk about things that warm my heart and put a smile on my face. One of those “things” is food. Whether cooking, eating, or just admiring, food has a powerful hold over all of us. The reasoning is obvious: we need it to live, but sometimes, we live to need it.
My personal taste buds lean towards sweet and savory (i.e. desserts and macaroni & cheese) instead of tangy and pungent (i.e. cranberries and asparagus). As I’ve gotten olden, my tastes have certainly changed and are growing faster than I can keep up. For example, I used to hate spinach with a passion. Now, having a salad without it seems sacrilege – I even get it on every pizza I eat!
My adoration for sweets hasn’t changed much, but it has morphed a bit. I’ve gotten much more willpower to resist it (not always, but sometimes) and I continually look for that “sweet” sensation in other places (i.e. breakfast smoothies and brown sugar-glazed ham). Being an eco-geek, I often look for baked goods that are as “natural” as you can get, featuring a short list of ingredients that I can recognize.
I’ve had my eye on the kosher-certified, allergen-free Divvies brand (no nuts, eggs, or dairy; many goods are vegan) for a few years now. When their cookies popped up in my local Whole Foods store, I jumped at the possibility to try them. If I had to choose between chocolate and molasses, I’d choose molasses every time (shocking, I know!). Molasses has a deep, soothing flavor that true cacao can’t match. Trying Divvies Molasses Ginger Cookies only served to solidify that personal passion for this dark syrup.
An uncanny balance between molasses and ginger made these cookies taste indulgent – I actually spent the whole week eating through a package of 6. Why? I wanted to savor the experience over and over instead of just eating the whole package in one fell swoop. It was worth it!
The other surprise? They were so soft and, dare I say, melt-in-your-mouth delightful. Most folks think that vegan or allergen-free dessert with be dry and tough – these babies were anything but! I actually had a tough time separate the cookies once or twice because they were so sweet, they were attracted to each other (just kidding, but they did stick together a bit).
Not only keen on cookies, Divvies also makes cupcakes, hard candies, chocolate bars, gourmet popcorn, & gift packages. Whether you have allergies or not, this is a fun and tasty brand to try.
[Image courtesy of The Nibble]
August 25, 2009 - 11:36 am
I can’t remember how I was introduced to Bonnie’s Going Home to Roost blog, but I do know that it quickly became one of my favorites – and not just because she lives in North Carolina. Sometime about Bonnie’s personality shines through in all of her posts and I feel like I’ve known her forever. She was also one of the few folks who posted about my One-Day-Sale.
Just an hour ago, I was greeted with an curiously vague e-mail from Bonnie: “make sure to stop by the blog today. 
” Good thing I took her advice … she featured me & my photography work!
A massive THANK YOU to Bonnie for taking the time to write about my creative endeavors. If you haven’t visited Going Home to Roost yet, you’re missing out (especially with her new Etsy selling tips series). Bonnie also runs not one, but two Etsy shops: visit HometoRoost for handmade aprons & pillows; FabricFarmersMarket for modern & colorful crafty supplies.
- 8:17 am
Goodness – aren’t I behind! Zipping from one project to the next, I forgot to mention the second round of articles I wrote for InnerRewards (see the first set here).
During your next break, take a peak at my new topics & the vibrant InnerRewards community:
If you are in San Francisco, you can meet-up with some the ladies of InnerRewards on September 11th for a Spa Party! (wish I could make it)
August 20, 2009 - 10:29 am
I adore doing interviews … but don’t take that the wrong way. Talking about myself for an extended period of time is a bit strange – I’m just some chick who grew up in Indiana. On the flip side, I am elated to share the knowledge & experiences that I’ve gained over the years, which is what makes interviews so fun.
Last week, I was taken aback when Amanda from the Fashion, Evolved blog asked if I would be willing to do an interview. Duh – of course! She presented me with a menagerie of questions that were a hell of a lot of fun to answer.
Victoria Klein is one of those people that radiates beauty. I’m not just talking about her alabaster skin, her lovely gold locks or her charming dimples. Yes, it’s true she’s a former model and poster girl for the green fashion movement. But she’s also a gentle, creative soul who–even online–generously shares her positive energy, spiritual serenity and genuine love for humankind. I’ve been an admirer of hers for quite a while and was delighted when she agreed to do an interview with me for Fashion, Evolved. Thanks Victoria–and congra
tulations again on your recent marriage!
What a sweetheart! I don’t think anyone has said such nice things about me before. Head over to Fashion, Evolved for the full interview – we talk about everything from cross-country moves and name changes to yoga, photography, and my short hair.
August 16, 2009 - 10:46 am
Just when I thought I couldn’t enjoy Country Living Magazine more … their September 2009 issue is their best ever! Lauded as their “makeover issue”, it’s full of fresh finds, cool product histories, a wide variety of before-and-after homes, and a great tour of Boston’s North End (one of America’s oldest Italian neighborhoods) – I’m already planning a weekend getaway for my husband & I.
Another nifty feature is their quick, easy, and cheap crafty projects that will spiff up any home:
This is just the start of the hundreds of great creative ideas Country Living has – here’s another collection of fun and fresh crafty endeavors.
[Images courtesy of Country Living; taken by Steven Randazzo]
August 13, 2009 - 10:45 am
Can money buy happiness?
Along with “What’s the sound of one hand clapping?” and “Why do they report power outages on TV?”, the correlation between money & happiness is a mystery many of us ponder.
According to Brett Graff and her article in the July 2009 issue of Good Housekeeping – yes, happiness can be bought, and for cheap!
Before this goes too far, let me assure you that I in no way think you can literally buy happiness, and neither does Brett. “The golden rule: devote your dollars to things that further your goals and beliefs.”
The gist of the article is that what or who you spend you money is more important than how much you spend. To make it even simpler, “one great way to invest in happiness: focus on doing rather than owning.”
As a 20-something looking to make something of herself, money is not plethoric – in fact, my credit card companies probably wish I had a lot more of it to give to them. I tried to buy happiness for years. It’s not for sale. Reading this article was a great joy & a fantastic reminder that making time to do what you love is far more important than any big house, flashy car, brand-name purse, or massive diamond ring.
Life isn’t about stuff … it’s about life and truly living it. The human experience is a unique one and we shouldn’t waste any extra time bulking up our bank accounts if we are going to waste the money on needless material obsessions. Would I like a new pair of jeans? Yes, and one of those sweaters I’ve always liked … but I’m still happy without them, and I bet you can be too.
The things I own that have value are such because I add value to them. Their history makes me smile, not how much I paid for them: furniture my family brought over from Germany and Sweden; the scarf I knitted for my husband; the muffins my mum and I made together; the custom-designed print Tara made for my wedding. The only value our objects have are the value we place upon them. Just because some is new, “it”, or made in a far away land from some fancy fabric, doesn’t give it value … only you do.
August 12, 2009 - 4:08 pm
Who says an “indestructible interior” can’t be cozy and swank? Deborah Cox’s Summer Guesthouse, from Martha Stewart Living, is stylish and welcoming – just what I want in my home (you know, once I finally have/make one).
Bonus points for converting an old barn instead of building a new space.
[Images courtesy of Martha Stewart]
- 10:17 am
I’m taking a big step here by personally recommending a skin-care brand. Since hitting my teenager years over a decade ago, it is safe to say that I have spent more money (both mine & my parents’) on beauty products than I have on food.
After adopting a fully-sustainable lifestyle over 5 years ago, I’ve spent my money on nothing but eco-friendly options. Unfortunately, I found myself disappointed many times & pass my “misses” onto to mum, who happily uses anything she gets for free (while I’m just trying to replace her addiction to Suave).
For the past 4-5 months, I’ve reeled in my spending & haven’t had the chance to try anything new. As expected, my list of skin care brands I want to try continues to grow. At the top of that list? It’s always been suki.
Why suki? Lots of reasons!
+ Ingredient lists I can always pronounce, which include nothing but natural, organic, fair trade & local ingredients.
+ All products are certified cruelty-free.
+ Sublime packaging that is easily reusable & recyclable.
+ An uber-impressive rating from the EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database (though not all of their products are listed yet).
+ Company founder, president, and sole formulator, Suki Kramer is in her 40s, but looks 23 – if anything, that should be all the proof you need that these products work!
Mentioned in nearly ever major magazine, suki is an even more amazing company than I realized. A few fun facts that I learned recently: all products are made & shipped from their factory in Northampton, Massachusetts (about an hour from me!); 100% owned by Suki herself and staffed 95% by women; active supporter of 16 worthy non-profit organizations, including the Clean Water Fund, Co-op America, Friends of the Earth, Breast Cancer Fund, and Cancer Prevention Coalition.
OK, so I love what suki stands for … but I’m not going to recommend something if I haven’t tried it myself. The opportunity to test a few suki products, selected especially for my skin (see them in the picture above, which I took in my bathroom), presented itself and I jumped at the chance!
For the past month, I’ve been using sukiface transformative cleansing clay and sukispa bio-active purifying face serum twice a day, every day. It was less than a week before I started seeing results: smaller blemishes, less redness, more even skin tone, and less newly-formed blemishes. The results only got better as I kept using the 2 products. Right now, I have one zit … just one; that hasn’t happened in years. I’m still a bit flabbergasted at how well this stuff works – I’m just waiting for my skin to break out in a zit orgy (but keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn’t).
The only drawback? Cost – $43.95 and $75 respectively. I’ve been looking for an all-natural, DIY recipe to help keep my skin clear, but in over a year of research, I have yet to find one that really works. If you could only splurge on one skin care product, I’d recommend the sukispa line of serums. Yes, they are $75-80 a piece, but since you only use 2-4 drops with each application, they last 1-2 months before you need to buy more. They strong, concentrated, and powerfully effective.
Sometimes, the old saying is undeniably true – you get what you pay for.
[Image taken by Victoria Klein]
August 10, 2009 - 10:45 am
Ahoy & welcome to issue #192 of the Carnival of the Green, a weekly round-up of eco-news on the web, originally conceived by Treehugger.com.
Unexpectedly, COTG was without a host for this week. Having hosted it 4 times already, I was delighted to step up & bring you the latest in sustainable headlines from the past week.
Before we begin, let’s hear a round of applause for last week’s COTG host, Humane Connection – y’all rock! Make sure you check back next week and say “HI” to The EcoChic, host for the week of August 17th, 2009.
The Organic Advantages and the Labeling Confusion from Free Organic News: Organic produce is grown with no synthetic chemical pesticides, no synthetic chemical fertilizers and with great attention paid to the health of the soils, animals and ecosystems that are involved in its creation. As a result, organic production offers the following benefits …
Be Green, not Elitist from Frugally Green: The best way to lead a more sustainable life is to influence others to follow suit. But nobody listens to a snob. It takes effort to make a real connection with people and influence them to make a change.
Going Back to School the Eco-friendly Way from Guffly: Guffly is a one product per day online store and community featuring eco friendly products and fair trade lifestyle goods like home, pet, clothing, office and personal accessories. We know that people aren’t interested in ugly stuff, so you can bet Guffly’s green products are stylish, fun and attractive – eco stylish if you will.
Will Peak Oil Log the Internet Off? from Ooffoo: Ooffoo answers the question “will peak oil log the internet off?” with a firm “no”. But take heed – creativity and change will be needed. Are you ready?
Leopard Adventure: Male and Female Clash Over Prey from Veggie Revolution: Sally and Ken continue their quest to see more African wildlife. On Veggie Revolution this week, read about the leopard battle they came across. Then read what you can do to protect this beautiful endangered species.
Win a Green Makeover and a Spa Trip to New York City from Wise Bread
Fueling the Future…With Urine and Chicken Remnants from Mauka to Makai: We’ve been looking everywhere for the perfect alternative fuel while the answer might be right in front of us…kind of. Recent research shows that urine holds promise as a source for hydrogen fuel and chicken feather meal may be the perfect source of biodiesel.
Beth’s Big Back to School Binder Debate & Give-Away from Fake Plastic Fish: Recently the debate about new vs. used school supplies has generated a lot of discussion in the blogosphere. Please weigh in on the issue and also enter to win a set of recycled or reused 3-ring binders.
12 Cool Urban Bicycles Ready to Replace Your Car from Lighter Footstep: Forget Cash for Clunkers. If you really want to make a green statement, save money, and significantly reduce your environmental footprint, start parking the car and riding a bike. Here are 12 rugged models designed specifically for daily urban duty.
“Fresh” the Movie Review from not the jet set: Even if you are not an “environmentalist” type the film teaches you without lecturing you about where your food really comes from.
New Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies from Fake Plastic Fish: The CHEJ just published a fantastic free downloadable guide to PVC-free school supplies. But what’s wrong with PVC (aka vinyl) in the first place?
August 8, 2009 - 8:52 pm
[Friday] Spent most of the day @ mum’s house: visiting mum (of course), doing laundry, swimming in the pool with my hubby (he only has 1 day off each week), showering, dentist check-up/cleaning (haven’t been in over 3 years!).
Line-dried laundry = love.
Fallen buds can still retain their beauty.
How does your garden grow?
Red leaf lettuce, partially removed.
An albino bee?
Mother Nature returns …
[Saturday] Hubby’s working, so I spent today home alone: nap, fitness test to see how exercise program is going, editing pictures & check e-mail from Friday, adding cream cheese to the crock pot stroganoff for dinner, and taking a walk.
Contemplating whether my feet can handle a 2.5-3 mile walk.
All dressed & ready to go – wearing my favorite jeans from Del Forte.
Ready to take the first step – off the porch and into the world.
Berry bushes seem popular around here (cherries?).
From bud to bloom – all on the same bunch!
Ready for a pitcher of sun-ripened iced tea & riveting conversation.
[Plans for Sunday] Visiting the Hill-Stead Farmer’s Market sometime between 11am and 2pm with mum. I plan on taking my camera, so expect some yummy pictures afterward!
[All images taken by Victoria Klein]
