Back in the day I enjoyed the pleasures of Mary Jane to unwind.   Now I go to the country and just smell Herbs.  I love to cook with them, scent my home with them and just be around them. Herbs make me feel good.    Growing herbs is easy and they are pretty low maintenance.   I'm Italien so ofcourse I love cooking with Basil.    Rosemary is great to scent the house and rooms with and Lemon Balm is an amazing pick me up.    Put it on your dashboard (you can do this with any herb) and it scents your car.     Here is the Herb Garden at the Ojai Valley Inn.   Its amazing to walk through this garden and just smell the sensory delights.

If you know me you know I love to entertain my friends and cook big Italien meals.    During the summer my family hosts friends for big garden BBQ's.   I love to cook so it's more fun than work.   The key is preparation.   I usually make all the dips and sauces that morning or the night before.     It's all in the marinade.    My favorite foodie mag is FOOD & WINE.   Its elegant, contemporary, hip, has beautiful photography and lighting, and the recipes are easy and quick.

Most of the time I cook from memory or I improvise which is what makes it fun and creative.     However, there are some dishes you can't do that with.    I started a collection log book for my favorites.   Like the geek I am they are organized and separated by sauces, desserts, fish, salads etc.  Makes cooking super easy and fun.    I took this one step further and use this method to save clippings, design ideas, stories etc.    When I renovated my house I used a lot of ideas from magazines and it was easy to show my contractor a visual.   Works great for clients on jobs as well, show them a visual and everyone is happy to know what is happening.



































































































To do it, you just need glassine  inserts from staples or an office supply and a binder.    I like the plain white ones and I type the dates on the back and file them in my bookcase.    You can also put colorful food shots on the cover.    (I also collect tears, design and historical articles for inspiration this way, its easy to file, you can see the visual and makes for a clean presentation)  This is super easy and a great way to stay organized by subject.

A redesign that really works.    I've been noticing eco trends in the beauty-health industry.   Women want products that are healthy, clean and beautiful not medicinal or cold.    Herbs and natural fruits and vegies are a big factor here for me.    The texture, smell, color is all very important, the package design the most important.     Not only is the new packaging elegant and contemporary, but the new ingredients change the playing field for this drug store brand.

St Ives was never fabulous, they were below average with a lower price point.   Now you can get beauty and a gorgeous package for a great price.   This product is a hit with Reggie.   They have successfully repositioned this brand and brought it into the 08.

Im in love with Dr. Weil's products for Origins.    I found myself drawn into his eco display at japanese retail giant Isetan.    It was green and jungle-ish.   (A nice change from the more medicinal and perfumey displays you see-definitely a retail display trend happening here)    The smells were a cure for my tired sinuses.   A combo of mint, chamomile, ginger, and tumeric just enveloped me.   I was hungry too, but I was mostly thirsty to put this yummy stuff on my face.

If you have the luxury of time, which most of us don't.   Check out the new Dtox day spa in Atwater village.    I know lots of cool people live in Atwater and many artist friends are setting up their studios and shops over there.    Keep an eye out.

I love the eco-buddist vibe.   Im relaxing just thinking about it.

http://www.dtoxdayspa.com/services/

The Remote Area Medical® (RAM) Volunteer Corps is a non-profit, volunteer, airborne relief corps dedicated to serving mankind by providing free health care, dental care, eye care, veterinary services, and technical and educational assistance to people in remote areas of the United States and the world.

Founded in 1985, Remote Area Medical® is a publicly supported all-volunteer charitable organization. Volunteer doctors, nurses, pilots, veterinarians and support workers participate in expeditions (at their own expense) in some of the world's most exciting places. Medical supplies, medicines, facilities and vehicles are donated. The vision for Remote Area Medical® developed in the Amazon rain forest where founder Stan Brock spent 15 years with the Wapishana Indians. He lived with the pain and suffering created by isolation from medical care. He witnessed the near devastation of whole tribes by what would have been simple or minor illnesses to more advanced cultures. When he left South America to co-star in the television series, "Wild Kingdom, " he vowed to find a way to deliver basic medical aid to people in the world's inaccessible regions. The organization was founded in 1985 and years of research and planning yielded a vast, carefully developed network of men and women who have come together to make RAM a highly mobile, remarkably efficient relief force. Volunteers are doctors, nurses, technicians, and veterinarians who go on expeditions at their own expense and treat hundreds of patients a day under some of the worst conditions.  (taken from Ram website). http://www.ramusa.org/about/history.htm

thank god the state of Tennessee gave this guy a medal.   He deserves it and donations too.

It is sandal season ladies and we all know that painful side effect.   This little product will save those fashionista feet this summer from misery.     No more suffering for fashion.    It looks too good to be true, but Im going to give it a shot.

Los Angeles architect and artist Fritz Haeg narrows the divide between residents and their communities with projects like Edible Estates, an international effort to convert front lawns into working food gardens.   

http://www.fritzhaeg.com/garden_main.html

"The lawn is an actively antisocial space that also requires a certain amount of maintenance and resources, which are wasted on something we don't even use." FHaeg


Inspired by people discovering their own sense of power and sustainability Fritz Haeg makes lawns into works of art and food.    check him out.
This is a great example of how a visionary talent can use art and an eco awareness to change a family, a community and hopefully one day a country.   I'm tearing up my lawn this week.

Today is Earth Day.   Go green.




This was one of my favorite photos taken in Mexico.   I have to thank Lipsticktracez contributor, Brighdie for finding this beautiful setting and the gorgeous models.    

Go Green expo is happening right now in NYC

http://gogreenexpo.com/events/index.php

google lets grass grow over their logo in appreciation of Earth day.


Eco fashionista recommends that you rock an eco bag.     Put that Balenciaga aside for a while and go green.    Think beach bag, travel bag, kid lunch bag, grocery bag, and possibly even, evening bag.  (although I have yet to try that one)


http://mybagcares.com/









vegan/nylon bag:   http://mattandnat.com      (this is probably the chicest eco bag I have seen)






rice bag:    http://www.ecoist.com/

You can also unleash your inner artist and decorate a plain canvas bag with fabric paint.    Its great fun to do this with your kids and teach them the importance of sustainability at the same time.   It's fun to make the environment part of your every day life.

Global natural cosmetic sales are estimated to reach $10 billion in 2010. (organicmonitor.com)

In a trend towards sustainability and global organic products corporations scramble to buy up  cult brands.

Organic skin care company Dr Hauschka has always been a favorite of mine.    If you don't know them, read on.    What interested me is that recently the owner, Susan Kurz set up an irrevocable trust to make the company a non profit.     Thereby protecting the company from ever being sold and dismantled upon their retirement.  In an unprecedented move for corporate America, they started a trend here for small privately held companies that want to maintain their integrity over time.

In 2006 Estee Lauder paid $300 million for Aveda.   Both the Body Shop and Kieh'ls were snapped up by L'Oreal.     With huge corporations growing interested in sustainable products Dr. Hauschka has gotten many offers.   All turned down.    Now a trust, the profits are reinvested in operations, sustaining development in the company.

The Kurz's made sustaining their corporate culture and values a priority.   "We aim to heal the earth and humanity"

to learn more about their products go to:

http://www.drhauschka.com/

When it comes to formulating naturally pure and effective skin care products, it's all about the ingredients. Dr. Hauschka skin care understands that healing plant and mineral ingredients are able to effectively support skin health and restore beauty. We use certified Biodynamic botanical ingredients whenever possible. Our products benefit from the increased vitality and potency of Biodynamic plants just as the earth benefits from the gentle, sustainable nature of Biodynamic cultivation. If we are unable to obtain an ingredient Biodynamically, we'll make sure that it's organically and ethically obtained.

Dr. Hauschka manufacturer WALA Heilmittel combines the wisdom of herbal healing traditions with over half a century of holistic pharmaceutical experience. The resulting preparations work with the skin's natural functions to restore it to health and radiant beauty.