world nutella day 2010
http://bit.ly/bJBWJo
yes, you read it right!
why didn’t i know about this sooner? not that it would have mattered, i mean, everyday is nutella day for me!
forever i have resisted the temptation to buy the humongo jar (6.6 pounds, no joke) at the italian shop in chelsea market. i worry i am just one pre-menstrual cycle, heartbreaking romantic comedy away from devouring the whole thing in one sitting. would that be so bad?
anyway, i share this with you because things are tough in the world right now. everyone is doing what they can to make things better, but you also need to remember to practice self-care.
yes, self-care.
and no, losing your head down a ginormous jar of nutella is not what i mean. but, i do think any excuse to assemble your best buds, have some laughter, give some hugs & yes, a slather of nutella–well, that’s good enough for me.
maybe you need a quick 10 minute chair massage, or buy that fancy olive oil you love, or a nice scented candle or whatever you need to do for you. reprioritizing things, recognizing boundaries that need to be renegotiated, learning to say “no”–taking CARE of yourSELF.
for me, come february 5th, i hope to be surrounded by my nearest & dearest with a nutella moustache on my face! life is too short, hard, complicated. create opportunities to re/connect with people in your life–have a party just ’cause.
PS
be sure to check out the world nutella day website…the recipe list is phenomenal–although, i am a purist!
hudson valley seed library
looking for last minute stocking stuffers???
found these adorable seed packets from the hudson valley seed library at the new amsterdam market yesterday!
with provocative names like sugar baby watermelon, dragon’s tongue bean, ruby queen beet–you will want at least one of each for all the good little boys & girls on your list.
there are 16 different seeds to choose from, and choosing is difficult, as each packet is beautifully designed by a different artist–so just screw it and get the full-set for 52 bucks. novice to expert gardeners alike will delight in this great-green gift.
every year they plan on growing additional varieties on the seed library farm and contracting with organic and certified naturally grown farmers in the Hudson Valley to grow even more varieties.
By 2014, it should be 100% New York grown.
pretty images from new amsterdam market
enjoy!
new amsterdam market will be open tomorrow!
it’s on!
blizzard smizzard. the wassail will be flowing, the bells will be ringing. seriously, 120 market bells rung on the hour.
it’s an awesome NYC experience, with good foods & treats to keep spirits merry & bright!
new amsterdam always brings it, so bring your sweet self on down to south street. see you there!
xo
solar santa
growing up in texas has its perks.
i love the mythology of the place.
i love the way the slogan “don’t mess with texas” from our anti-litter campaign, was perceived as bravado (we do have tons of bravado, it’s true) instead of pure genius.
i love that “bring me a tea” means pre-sweetened & ICED!
it also means, true to “everything’s bigger in texas”, that the festival christmas lights goes bigger than big.
every neighborhood street plans months in advance for the spectacle of lights. usually there is a theme–disney, a fairytale. but, for some, the theme is quite literally, cover everything that doesn’t move in blinking lights. literally.
as a kid we would drive around at night in awe. the wonderment of it all, the decadence was brilliant. and i still can’t remember those times without a joyful smile on my face that can make a girl feel guilty about all that wasted energy.
no more! enter solarsanta.com
these solar string lights keep your holidays merry & bright sans guilt. YIPPPEEE! not cheap, but consider the investment a gift that keeps on giving to the planet.
they also have some cute solar toys for under the christmas tree!
holiday cheer–gotta get me some!
’tis the season!
for impulse shopping. getting distracted by the bling. satiating our souls at 50% off sales.
the age old wisdom, “out with the old & in with the new” has been co-opted as sales pitch. and we buy it. we buy everything. and in the process, we create a bunch of trash–figuratively & literally.
i don’t mean to sound like a scrooge.
really. i friggin’ love christmas. well, i love the holidays. i do. i just know that it sure isn’t the way i remember it. maybe it’s because i don’t have a “family” of my own. maybe it’s because my studio apartment can’t accommodate a big tree. maybe because holidays now = consumerism and i just can’t (don’t want to either) keep up with the buying madness.
what i love(d) about christmas was tradition. baking cookies with mom. decorating the tree–my brother gary hoisting me up to put the angel on top. wrapping gifts. busting out my keyboard & making everyone sing carols.
these days, tradition is being first in line at walmart on black friday. how did this come to be?
regardless of my lackluster cheer, i am finding ways to spread what little i do have, in sensitive greenie ways.
i love these christmas cards! the irony embraces my sentiments exactly this year–as what symbolizes christmas better than the barcode? this image, by steve rhodes, or any image of your own that you prefer, is printed to order via moo.com.
this online printer allows you to upload your own images and have them printed on greeting/business/postcards. they’re hi-quality–the paper is 10% recycled post-consumer fibre, and acid andC elementcal chlorine free. so, if you have a picture of your own, load it up.
i’m sticking with this fitting image from steve, though, as for every pack sold, they’re giving a buck to doctors without borders.
be merry.
be bright.
wanna know how to feed 5000?
thanks to bonnie alter, for treehugger london. i love hearing about these types of events!
Yesterday there was such a thing as a free lunch. Spirits were high, despite the rain, sleet and cold, as hundreds waited in line for their free lunch of hot curried vegetables. Others queued for free groceries, and others for fresh fruit smoothies. The event was called “Feeding the 5000″ and it was organised to highlight the global problems with food waste.
All the food was donated by farmers, packers and supermarkets. The fresh fruits and vegetables had been rejected because they were imperfectly shaped, past their sell-by date or the wrong size or shape. Instead the fresh food was turned into a feast by hard-working volunteers who cooked up bubbling hot vegetable curry with the left-overs.
All the ingredients were collected from local supermarkets. Organisers cooked up a ton of wonky carrots, mis-shapen potatoes, and parsnips, and three-quarters of a ton of onions. Cumin for an extra spicy hit and (irregularly shaped) pieces of toast were offered as well as plates and cutlery.
The fruit smoothies made of apples, oranges, grapes and bananas were doled out in cups. Apparently all were made by bicycle power, although with only one bicycle on hand it seems incredible.
Any leftover food will be distributed by FareShare, to homeless shelters and other needy people. But from the crowd waiting patiently, it didn’t seem like much would be left.
It’s all for a good cause: highlight and educating people about the scale of food waste here. In London alone, 750,000 slices of bread are thrown away by consumers every day, and 176,000 bananas.
But household wastage represents less than 40% of food wastage. In fact retailers and manufacturers are responsible for the greater amount. The group “This is Rubbish” wants the government to “introduce an obligation upon retailers to reduce food waste. We want to see all retailers obliged to report on the food waste they generate in their activities, with annual reports audited and publicised by an independent commission.”
A number of different organisations were involved. Fareshare is the largest food redistribution charity in the UK. They collect surplus food from supermarkets and manufacturers and deliver it to homeless shelters and other community centres for society’s vulnerable. Save the Children and ActionAid are both international organisations involved with food issues. In fact “food waste is not just a problem in rich countries: even in hungry parts of the world farmers can lose up to a half of their crops because they lack the basic agricultural infrastructure to get it to market before it spoils.”
winter flowers–poo paper!
with winter chill upon us, it’s mostly evergreens & branches for in-season decoration.
problem is, most branches require pesticides to keep them looking good. you can however,
avoid any green-bride conundrum and carry these poo paper, yes POO, flowers.
collected from cows, elephants and horses, these odorless flowers are 100% recycled. and
will be a forever keepsake unlike their live flower counterparts!
happy america recycles day
Recycling 101
The Basics, The Benefits
With the involvement and enthusiasm of people like you, recycling is back! And so are thousands upon thousands of recycled products made from materials that would otherwise be piling up in our nation’s landfills. It doesn’t just make sense. It makes a huge difference to our environment, our quality of life and our country’s future.
Why It’s Important
Recycling helps protect our resources, our environment, our quality of life.
Learn More
How It Works
There are three parts to the recycling cycle, and you’re critical to at least two of them.
Learn More
DOs and DON’Ts of Recycling
It ain’t rocket science, but following the guidelines can give recycling a boost.
Learn More
Interesting End Products
You can make what out of what? Now that’s amazing!
Learn More
going to the chapel…
ok, you’re really going to the storefront.
but if you’re getting married, remarried or pretend-married, this is the place to do it!
“wedding chapel” is NYC’s most fun and affordable wedding spot, offering couples the chance to have long lasting memories sans church or city hall.
head over to the Grand Opening storefront on 139 Norfolk street in the LES.
it’s vegas, baby! NYC style!
1/2 hour reservation ($150) - ceremony / mini-reception / photography (75 - 100 high-res photos)
1 hour reservation ($250) - ceremony / mini-reception / photography (150 - 250 high-res photos)
1 hour reservation with DJ ($300) - ceremony / mini-reception / custom music / photography (150 - 250 high-res photos)
all reservations include:
-service performed by a certified marriage officiant
-seating for up to 24 people
-photography
-invitations (email your friends a customized invitation)
-live internet streaming (friends and family can watch & listen online)
-custom vows
-wedding programs (will print custom programs for your wedding)
-flowers & accessories
-custom backdrop (they project your names)
-music (prelude, processional, recessional, first dance and reception music)
booking information please call 646-875-8078.
