BAG THE BAGS AND BOTTLES

I am trying to cut out plastic bags from my life. We don’t need them and they’re wasteful and just plain bad… for the environment, for animals, and economically (the cost to recycle plastic bags is about 2000x more than the cost of new recycled bags from the old ones can sell for!). But bags are handy.  I replaced them with paper… but wasting trees and the energy to process trees is environmentally irresponsible. So, that’s not my bag either… yes, paper’s compostable, but why waste?  Cloth seems the most sensible answer… reusable, strong & easy.

In the kitchen, cutting out bags (and plastic wrap) has been a challenge. I like my frig organized and I like to see food that is stored in it. I’m using unbleached waxed paper bags sparingly when I need a bag, and Pyrex makes great glass containers that I can store food in. There are also corn bags and compostable plastic garbage bags on the market available in many stores with “green” things, and even Ziplock has a new line of “evolve” products that look better for the earth.

Cutting out plastic bags is easier said than done. I say “no bag, please” in so many situations and STILL find bags everywhere. If you heighten your awareness, you’ll find yourself saying no to bags often and conserving, reusing and re-thinking when you do.

As I rant about bags I can’t help but “bag” on plastic bottles too… most bottled water is the same as tap water and bottles are not recycled, take money and resources to recycle and are rarely reused. They end up in landfills. Most plastic single use bottles in the US are BPA free, but really simply put plastic bottles (polycarbonates) releases a chemical (bisphenol A or BPA) into the water the bottle is storing… when the plastic gets warm and over time the effect is heightened. The chemical acts like the hormone estrogen, but it’s not, it’s a xenoestrogen, or “foreign” estrogen, and our bodies endocrine system can be disrupted when it’s introduced to the body.  Obviously, this seems an unnecessary risk that’s solution is simple and easy… glass or metal.  Washable, recyclable and accessible. Plastic water bottles in the hot car, food heated in plastic containers (especially in microwaves)… it’s all increasing the risk of our exposure and ingestion of a potential carcinogen.

The overlying theme when I dig into conservation and consumption is to re-think our modern conveniences and figure out what makes sense and what is frivolous.

Out it Easily!

My friend Suzanne found it! The OUTSPRESSO device to separate the coffee from the Nespresso pod… no more messy picking and coffee stained fingertips to recycle my favorite breakfast of champions.

http://www.outpresso.ch/index-e-1.htm

*** I have also been reading a lot of back-and-forth about the Nestle company buying Free Trade coffee. Will keep an eye out for any developments on that front too.

I HEART FLORENCE

Getting ready to go? Here are a few places… on and off the beaten path that I like… they aren’t particularly kid-friendly or organized… but I was trying to compile something short and sweet and to the point.

Piazzo Santo Spirito is where teenagers hang out. There are lots of cafes/wine bars
and music around the church steps in the evenings in the summertime.

Boboli Gardens is lovely and there are great events in the summer there worth checking
on.

Day trips to Forte del Marme, a costal town on the Adriatic are really relaxing… it’s
Italian tourist-y, not American at all (and the teeny clams are sweet & wonderful). I
also like to rent a car and go to the hill towns,
Lucca, Siena, or San Gimiano.

Teatro del Sale-
via dei macci 111r · florence · italy
membership only eatery…super kooky, Fellini-esque… great food, packaged
foods that are amazing to bring home (like honey, and preserves, and pastas)..
it’s owned by Cibreo restaurant (which is also wonderful) Teatro is
a great place to go at the beginning of a trip to meet and talk to people…

http://www.teatrodelsale.com/start_e.html

***there’s a leather book maker just 3 doors down who makes AMAZING custom
monogrammed albums, etc… go out Teatro’s door and turn right..

You can’t be a “foodie” in Florence and not go to…
Four de Aqua… they have 2 seatings and bring in fresh fish in the midst of dinner
caught that day… price fixed… 10000 courses… great
limoncello… the best GORGE!  ** this is also where you see the “chic”
Florentine actors, footballers, politico’s etc…

Camillo’s…
just down Borgo S. Jacopo
great restaurant…  lemon veal, veal piccatta… fried squash blossoms
BUY OLIVE OIL HERE!!! Family owned olive grove… ask for “new oil”
(if it’s in season)…it’s chartreuse green!!! Ask for table by kitchen to watch.

Harry’s Bar
Lungarno
it’s an institution, the “macaroni & cheese” will change your life. i love to sit outside
and people-watch.

Ringo’s Bar- Lunch/Wine Bar… Borgo S. Jacopo across from
a good clothing store (Piedi Nudi) and yarn shop and Lungarno Hotel
the BEST hamburger on earth… (w/champagne) and homemade
choc. cake… great for hangover! Veuve Clicot in window, Ringo grinds
his meat to order.

The Savoy is a great place to have drinks… in Villa De Republica…hip
and cool!

The Cavalli Cafe- Roberto Cavalli’s cafe
Good snacks, snotty service, pretty chocolates but the highlight for me is the
martini-glass “shakarato” iced coffee! I cannot figure out WHY nowhere here
has ripped that off to my knowledge.

I Fratellini…
MY FAVORITE LITTLE AMAZING SANDWICH SHOP… grab a beer and a prosciutto-truffle oil sand..
after the Uffizi… it’s off the Via Roma and Via Dei Cimatori (little street pictured below)

THE MALL is the outlet mall… a bus ride or hired car trip about 1hr out of Florence,
they have Marni, Armani, YSL, etc… it’s worth going only if you like Marni- the other
outlets are commercialized.

LUISA VIA ROMA is my favorite store… best shoes, great designer fashion.
STUFF upstairs modern-Italian gifty stuff, rare sneakers, etc…
19 r Via Roma, Florence

http://www.luisaviaroma.com/

The BEST kids clothing store IN THE WORLD is near train station (red-light district)…
look at the pj’s… the coats, accessories, etc…
Du Pareil De Meme
DVia Panzani 36/38R
50123
Firenze +39. 055.26.58.315
(There is also a FRETTE outlet around the corner from this- the hours are odd, but sheets and towels
are very reasonable— worth buying an extra suitcase if you hit it on the right day)

WORMS AND FLIES

WORMS and FLIES
The not-so-glamourous garbage and compost post.

Our red crawlers (worms) arrived by mail without a hitch, and my son Ziggy and I set up our new MIO vermi-compost bin we got at Target last week!  The worms have provided us much entertainment, however… we have a glitch. We have so many flies, we are all freaking out.

My husband blamed the compost. We moved it far from the house. Still tons of flies. Then, I researched flies. Black flies love, well… they love manure and rotting flesh. mmmmm. They also love the smell of beer. hummmm. That clicked. I had a recycling bin for big bottles on my patio… a source of beer smell. Moved and cleaned bin & patio with vinegar. On to trash bins… maggots and flies crawling on the lid- horror. I stopped buying plastic kitchen bags for my garbage a couple months ago. I use paper bags, or no bags at all, but the garbage “juice” stays in the bin and attracts flies. After a garbage bin scrubbing, and a major cleanup in Minky’s dog run, the flies are virtually gone.

As for the trash bag situation… I bought some “BioBag” Tall Kitchen bags at Whole Foods that are 100% biodegradable. What little garbage I have can be contained in a non-polyethylene plastic bag (which take 100 years to degrade) and will keep the flies out. Yippee!

The compost has about a trillion tiny fruit flies that POUF! when opened… but we haven’t seen black flies or maggots around it at all. The worms are much more welcome guests than the flies, however I fear that my daily green waste is greater than the appetite of 2 pounds of red crawlers. I also had a friend/consultant who suggested that i need to match my green waste with the junk mail I receive daily and “feed that to the worms” proportionately, which is (unfortunately) do-able.

So… this week I got a handle on some waste issues. Below (as promised) directions for the MIO compost bin, compiled from a few different sources and my own experience with it.

MIO VERMI COMPOST DIRECTIONS

There are 2 levels of trays for compost, a “tea tray” with a spout for drainage , and a lid with holes for ventilation.
Here’s what you need to begin…

Worms (2 lbs. are the suggested amount, available on-line @ monsterworms.com)

Bedding Material – MOISTENED dry leaves, grass, shredded paper, corn husks or fibrous garden matter or straw. Enough for about 3 inches
of a loosely packed base.

Food  (2 lb. of food per week for 2 lbs. of worms) Egg cartons, Shredded Magazines, Junk Mail, Cardboard, Fruit and Vegetable (peels, scraps, cores & overripe waste),
Coffee Grounds & Filters, Crushed Egg Shells, Tea Bags, Dead Flowers, Leaves and Plant Trimmings.

Don’t put meat, dairy, oils, salt, vinegar, metals or plastic of any kind in the bin.

Put the bedding in the lower worm “apartment”, making sure that the grate on the bottom is covered (so the worms don’t fall down), but
air can flow and excess moisture (worm tea) can drain. Put the worms in… and watch them squirm into their new home. Mix in some food and voila… add food once or twice
a week, mixing it in with the bedding each time.

The first few days open the bin and check on the worms… some may fall into the tea tray and need rescuing.

Keep the worms moist using the moisture from the bottom to re-wet if necessary. Keep the worms cool, but don’t let it freeze. Says on directions that they can be kept indoors in a room with good ventilation — perhaps a garage or greenhouse would work in a cold or harsh climate.

Harvest the compost when the bottom bin is at full-capacity and touches the “apartment” above. It will look like dirt. Get the top level ready with first a loose bedding and start putting food in that tray…. wait 3 weeks, and the worms will migrate upstairs to the food. Remove the bottom tray and use the compost for your garden! Move the active tray back to the bottom, clean out the used bin and start the rotation over. The worm population is said to regulate their numbers.

WAITING FOR MY WORMS

Vermi composting… the latest green step I’m taking for our family. The desire to compost came to me in a wacky way…by way of food. I am stuck at home right now, waiting for the afternoon FedEx delivery of 2lbs. of red crawlers from monsterworms.com (seriously) so they don’t sit in the sun too long in their packaging.

My dear friend Carrie gave me a book, The Raw Food Detox Diet last year which changed my life.

SIDEBAR:
*I followed the book to the letter for about 4 months, shed 15 pounds and most importantly improved the overall health and nutrition of my family. I cannot sing the praises of Natalia Rose, the author enough… The “Green Lemonade” recipe I got from the book, and subsequently drink every day, is the catalyst for my desire to compost. It consists of fresh organic Kale+Romaine+Ginger+Green Apple+Lemon. I dump most of the pulp bi-product into our green waste bin (I’m in California, and frankly, I think it’s for “garden waste only”)– I mix some up in with my dog’s food too.. but bottom line, it’s a lot of “pulp” every day. If you want to start off your day right… try this delicious, vitamin rich, cleansing juice- it’s a great ritual, and healthy start to a healthy, green day.

ANYHOW…we have a small garden where we grow herbs, tomatoes and squash, and a lovely lush backyard with fruiting banana trees, ferns, palms and Mandarin oranges. The small amount of land we have didn’t seem substantial enough to really do a “full-on” compost, and because our space is limited we were concerned about the pests that a compost bin could attract. In researching all types of residential composting, I quickly learned that because you do not compost animal products, the only “pest” you should attract from composting are the teenie little fruit flies, and NOT black flies or vermin. Phew.

I was looking at a design website and entered a give-away drawing for the design award-winning MIO vermi-composter. After 10 days decided I didn’t win it, but looked further to find that they carry it at (drum-roll… ) Target! (http://www.target.com/MIO-Composter/dp/B001OREK1S)  Done and done. Bought it last week, set up the “bedding” portion of the new worm motel and am waiting for the worms! It looks simple to upkeep, isn’t an eyesore & even can be used indoors. Upon reading product reviews, I have made some changes to the lacking instructions that were included, and next week will provide complete instructions on the vermi-composter’s first week here in Silverlake.  Until then… try some green lemonade!

KITCHEN NEEDS AN OVERHAUL

After 2 months of really funny-fun lunch-making I have an itch to upgrade the kitchen and am shopping around for
someone (hopefully you) to help… SIJCC is a no-brainer for a makeover show… we have cute kids, the kitchen will
be used for education and nutrition for those cute kids, and we are a pretty “green” facility… Zero waste lunches,
room for lovely vegetable gardens and a great space for the heart of the school to be reworked.

Silverlake Independent JCC, the developmental preschool on the corner of Sunset Blvd. and Bates Ave., housed in an
architectural 50s building is in need of a better, eco-friendly kitchen. The building is home to about 100 preschool children and acts as a Jewish Community Center, offering adult learning classes, meeting space for the Chinese Cultural Center, yoga, Miss Helen’s ballet and My Gym’s Silverlake location for Karate classes. The gym at The Center was recently renovated and is being leased by Klub Gymnastics, which serves the community as well. The Community Center aspect of the SIJCC is expanding and could be much more dynamic with it’s heart, the kitchen, in better shape. Here’s my experience…

Like, did you know that kids will eat anything that is ORANGE?
Or, that whole-wheat tortillas to toddlers have the same effect as kryptonite to Superman?
And WHY is the only sink that works filled with Lego?

As it is now, the kitchen is not safe. It’s not envoronmentally sound. There’s not enough storage and it always looks
messy. It COULD be great… It could be used as a teaching kitchen for children AND adults. If it was nice I’d consider
making lunches and snacks more often than just Fridays.

The range has exposed pilots that blow out easily and teachers who use the kitchen to make snacks re-light it
with wooden stirrers or rolled up paper towels. It takes the old Wolf range about 1 hour to get a 5 gallon
pot of water to the boiling point. The faucet doesn’t reach to all 3 sinks. The drains run slow.
There’s no garbage disposal. There’s no recycling or composting for kitchen waste. The soap dispenser is
aquarium tubing. We use spoons to keep the cupboards closed…And don’t get me started on the tools!!

If there is any way you can help us, or know someone who can… please let me know!

*** for more information on the center, you can find it at www.sijcc.net

Thank you on behalf of the Silverlake Independent Jewish Commmunity Center.
1110 Bates Ave. LA, CA  90029

RE-PURPOSE!

My Little White Wedding Dress

I never went to Prom (or Homecoming or Sadie Hawkins). I didn’t have a “proper” wedding either, my husband and I after 10 or so great years together just popped into a wedding chapel one random day and tied the knot. SO… when the theme of our preschool fundraiser was announced  WHITE WEDDING… I shuddered. I didn’t have a wedding dress, and haven’t ever “been into” that sort of thing.

All my buddies were a-flutter, taking dresses out of storage, skipping meals to fit into their dresses, and so on… What to do?

I decided to have a look around. I went to Goodwill and found nothing. Then went on to Squaresville. There were 2. The first was a white eyelet cotton Lantz of Saltzburg day-dress… I was picturing it with daisies and espadrilles… but then I saw a long chiffon and lace getup with Stevie Knicks sleeves (for $30) and jumped into action. It was champagne colored and really odd.. but I knew that I could make it work. RE-PURPOSE ME, it screamed!!!

My sis (and former styling partner) and I jumped into action… we did a few alterations… ripped out the lining (I just got a beautiful new Wacoal lace bra that was perfect underneath) shortened the dress by tacking it up (creating a pouf), paired it with some old Sigerson Morrison gold flats, a grosgrain ribbon, and a feather & rhinestone headpiece added to the veil we made my sis for her wedding of tuille and seed pearls. I borrowed my Grandma’s diamond and pearl earrings and wore pale blue undies! Done and voila!

It was totally fun to wear the faux wedding dress to the party… it was funky and vintage and modern all at the same time. The final pricetag was $56 (including false eyelashes).  All in all… I felt special, pretty AND proud that I made it myself and made an old cool dress my own!!

I Got Schooled at Pre-School (again)

Friday lunches at my son’s school were abysmal. They do a “hot lunch” as a fundraiser… greasy quesadillas with beans & rice or soggy cheese pizza. I saw it once when I was there for a meeting. What were we/they promoting to our children? Grease, fat & carbs.

Last month I overheard the Director ask a mom if she wanted to take over Friday lunches for the school of 100 kids. She laughed… and I moved in. I made up a menu based on a NorCal lunch program my friend sent me, what my kid likes, and what I make well. The goal was to provide the kids with fresh, non-processed seasonal food that they will eat and enjoy. I got overwhelmingly great response from all the parents and teachers.

Yesterday was Day 1. Almond butter, honey & banana roll-up’s on whole wheat tortillas, cutie tangerines and carrots, celery & broccoli with ranch dip. All organic except for the “cuties”. I made the roll-up’s Thursday night, lovingly blending the almond butter with creamed honey,  wrapping them up like little bon-bon’s in natural parchment. I par boiled the broccoli to get the most intense green… chopped the celery, etc… Friday I laid it all out, digging out the most appealing hodge podge of leftover plates & bowls from bake sales gone by from the funky 70’s kitchen at school. It looked cute. I felt like the “mom-a-nator”… I was going to feed all these kids healthy, fresh food and they were going to like it.

First up… the littlest kids… 2-3 year olds. Some were expecting quesadillas, some knew that “Ziggy’s mom” was making lunch. The expectation was high. The teachers picked up their trays and immediately said that they wished the “sandwiches” were on “regular” bread (they didn’t even try them). They served the kids. Roll-up’s rejected. Not even touched. We went from class to class and cut off hunks of cheese and replenished the Cuties and carrots… Seemed that anything orange was a hit. They liked to dip. But the roll-up’s were a total loss.

As the lunchour wore on, it got better… as the kids got older, the roll-up’s were better received. My son ate 2, and so did 3 of his friends. My buddy Ira tried to love them, but he couldn’t get past the “brown” tortilla. As I observed the children with Ruthie, our Director, I realized a lot about children and change. It’s hard. Children need to deal with change in their own time and talking them through changes helps, but they accept new stuff in their own time.

Mom-a-nator schooled.

Next week… Mac and Cheese!

** check out Madeleine Brand’s Parenting on the Edge interview with Ruthie about “What to Expect from Preschool”… or all about delayed gratification at… http://www.madeleinebrand.com/

GELATO TODAY, CASH TOMORROW

Our neighborhood elementary school has fallen victim to  serious budget cuts. Ivanhoe Elementary, a gem in Silverlake (and yes, I spelled it Silverlake 1 word, which I’ve been informed is the “hipster” way to spell it rather than the proper way, the 2-word Silver Lake)…

Neighborhood Gelateria, PAZZO GELATO – 3827 W. Sunset Blvd… (sunset junction) is donating $1 to Ivanhoe for every regular 2-scoop gelato sold today.

Ivanhoe needs to raise money… every year. Last year it was salaries for 3 valued teachers plus. This year looks like it’ll be similalr (http://tinyurl.com/cjo5k5).

We STILL concider ourselves lucky to have an excellent public school to send our children to, and we all will band together to raise the necessary funds. Personally, my son starts Kindergarden there in September and for us the financial aspect of donating a few G’s & time to Ivanhoe is a lot less than the tuition, fundraising, volunteering & donations to the private nursery school we currently attend. We bought our house (and paid more for it) because we are in the Ivanhoe school district.

My point? Eat lots of gelato. Support your public schools and fight for the right to get all children a free excellent public education.

I’m hoping they have chevre and champagne today— as I just ran around the lake in anticipation of my splurge!

Donate anytime directly to Ivanhoe at http://www.friendsofivanhoe.org/

The Obama’s Arms

(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

President Obama today in Prague made a speech condemning arms testing. I think it’s great news. A strong stance on something the Senate can vote on soon. I’m not a politico… I just think it’s ironic that this week all eyes are on both of the Obama’s arms. A former fashion editor and stylist, I’m curious too about Michelle’s.

I will not bore you with my punditry on her wardrobe… I will merely say that I wish she would contact me to work out her wardrobe because I could work out her hi/low, American designer steez much better than what she’s doing. But, I love her and don’t truly give 2 shits about what she wears (because she is smart and cool and has a clue about what it’s like to be a smart, sexy mother!).

What I do care about is… wearing sleeveless clothes all the time (even inappropriately when it’s cold outside) and how does she combat B.O.? And how is she removing her hair to a sufficient degree to meet the English Prime Minister?  I know she is health conscious, so I’m curious… does Michelle Obama wear ANTIPERSPIRANT/DEODORANT with aluminum (hissss!)? Or does she stink like us pleebs that use the herbal stuff and always have a hint of stank? I hate to stink, but when I was nursing my son I couldn’t bring myself to slather the rosewater Mitchum that I love under my pits, so close to the “liquid gold” he drank from my breasts. I switched to Toms. It smells nice, but just covers up the stank. I tried Aubry Organics, no-workie. JaSon, the Crystal, Weleda, Dermologica, Epicuren, Earth Science, Burts Bees, EO and so on. They smell nice, but if you sweat you stink eventually, which I concede to be better than the impending Alzheimer’s. To be foul or forgetful? I chose the stank.

And that is my point.

I forgive Michelle Obama’s fashion, because she is of the people, and she has her own “style”. She has great arms and I wish only that we got to see them, A). When it’s hot outside;  B). In her workout clothes or, C). in a very formal setting when her (non-fur) wrap is at the coat-check. I work out and I admire her toned arms. I also love the color of her skin. But she’s the First Lady and I wish she looked more chic.

All in all, however petty it may seem… I wish she dressed like Carla Bruni. I love the idea of Michelle Obama dressed to the nines in Marc Jacobs or Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang or Zac Posen… or a zillion other classic American designers… conservative little suits- business-y chic… but she didn’t ask me.  If she did, it would be a farewell to arms…literally. The best part is that this is only the beginning… perhaps one day she will*.

check out “First Black First Lady” by The Lady Tigra at Spaceland!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s0gI3dDcls

*Ask me, that is.