I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas!!!!

Let's put the green back in Christmas with these wonderful green Christmas idea's for the whole family! Here are two things For Her that will make this holiday season special ( well at least I think so!) Olivier New York a family run business makes these wonderful organic handmade soaps with goats milk, and mint or Jasmine with oats which sounds deliciously wonderful! visit http://www.oliviernewyork.com/ for more of their green products. For kissable lips under the Mistletoe, get All the better to kiss you with organic lip balms in 3 great flavours: Chai Mandarin, Pepperminty or Lavender Vanilla this can be found at http://www.babybear.com/ Lastly anything from Stella Mc Cartney because everything she does is fabulous and green. For Him I absolutely love the Hemp Converse and the Biomega Puma fold up Bike, it is a bit pricey but think of all the money you will save by not using transportation and of course you will be doing your part to save the environment! Pour Bebe!! nothing but cute stuff that's save for your baby and once again the environment. I remember when I was a wee tike I had one of those horrible looking pull phones with eyes and hands sticking out the side ( oh the horror!!!) I would pull it around and the hands would move. Today people have finally put the sweetness back in toys and I heart this dragonfly pull toy that I found on http://www.inhabitots.com/ actually I found most of the baby gifts on Inhabitots.... The wings flap when pulled and it is painted with lead free non toxic paint, it costs$34 and can be found on http://www.craftsburykids.com/. There is nothing better than curling up with a cup of tea in front of the fire or how about this adorable 5 piece pretend tea set by Erzi which can be found on www.oompa.com . I also love The Plan Toy Tea Set made with chemical free recycled rubberwood and painted with non toxic water based dye you can find this on http://www.kangarooboo.com/. Birds of a feather flock together, well I defiantly would want my child to flock with this sweet duck from Lana Organic made with 100% organic and filled with 100% wool. Well that about sums up my Green Gift idea's for the family. Stay tuned for Green gifts for the person who has everything and stocking suffers!!!

Get Spruced Up!!!

It's the most wonderful time of the year..........I truly love Christmas it's my favorite holiday, it a time of giving, caring and to be completely honest eating heaps of food!!! Once again I was digging in my heels and going through my emails from Idea Bite and I have to say the ultimate gift for me this year is the gift set from Pangea Organics there are three variations but my favorite is the first that comes with Indian Green Tea with mint and rose petal soap..... ummm sounds invigorating and refreshing Malagasy Cinnamon Cassia with cloves soap and Pyrenees Lavender with Cardamon lip balm. But the best part is they are paying homage to their friend the tree (God bless their wonderful souls!!) and they have designed their gift box to be 100% compostable, biodegradable and plantable and when I say plantable it is not your usual wild flowers. You will be planting a spruce tree!! talk about thinking out of the box. A brilliant idea for you me and of course the environment. So if your stumped on what to get for your honey or friend visit www.pangeaorganics.com

From here to there Green Restaurants are everywhere!!!

So now that I am in the nyc I'm going to put my taste buds to good use and start sampling the cities green fare! Thanks to the daily bites sent to my email from Idea Bite. I have over two hundred bites that I have to tackle and share with ya'll so I figured I would start with what I enjoy most...FOOD!

From the eclectic streets of Alphabet City to the Morningside Heights where many Columbia students call home these restaurants are sure to set your mouths watering.

Back Forty located on 190 Avenue B btw 11/12 serves yummy grass fed burgers, buttermilk onion rings and tasty local wine and beer to quench your thirst. While way uptown in Morningside Heights many Columbia students enjoy delicious wild Maine Blueberry pancakes and bottomless fair trade organic coffee at Community Food and Juice located at 2893 Broadway at 112th st. If you are up for a weekend adventure than please take the time to visit these wonderful restaurants.

It's been waaaaaaaay too long!!!!

I am soooooo sorry for the long lapse in updates I have been in the process of relocating to the fabulous NYC and unfortunately have been to busy to blog.....Here is a brief recap of our Summer. Yes I just said summer and on a day like today I wish it were still here.

This Summer my daughter joined the Green Camp down in battery park, they visited various green restaurants, a bicycle recycling plant, and built their own mini solar cars. overall my daughter gave them an A+ for the exciting trips and fun activities and I gave them an A+ also for the price!

Baby Step of the Month!!

Yesterday I went to the Library with my daughter. We often go to the library, Chapters or Barnes and Noble when we are in New York because we are both book lovers. But I have to say my experience was very different, I began to take a real look at our local library and what I found was amazing......they had movies you could take out, music CD's, classical music, jazz, pop, country you name it. But what I loved was they had all the updated magazines I literally saved myself $30 WOW! My daughter was able to take out thirteen books and the savings there was amazing as well.
Take time to visit your local Library it is filled with many activities to do with your child and it's good for the environment!!

Rattle and Hum!!!!

I said let me see you shake a tail feather......shake it! shake it baby! Okay your probably wondering where I'm going with all this, I found this adorable website http://www.blablakids.com/ and they had the sweetest knitted bird rattles with names such as Octavio and Sonatina. I also loved the mobiles Whale girl Elephant, Catch me if you can and the whimsical blue birds. They are completely washable and the Perfect gift!

From Delicious to Weelicious

Now there is a new alternative to pureed squash for dinner and pureed pear for dessert for your little one....http://www.weelicious.com/ shows frazzled moms how to make a wee feast for your wee little beastie, free from preservatives salt and sugar. How does Mediterranean Medley and Mango Creamsicle sound! Yum! Yum! for your Tum! Tum! The best part is there is no packaging so that's one less piece of trash in our landfills.

I'm Baaaack!!!!

So sorry I was away for sooooo long but I have returned with an armful of green goodies!!! I hope everyone had a wonderful long weekend!

Dough Ray Me So Fa La Tea......

I have found the best green play dough and paint for children that will keep mother's happy and children busy for hours. The organic play dough by over the Rain Dough (love the name!) is 100% plant based coloring, 80% organic ingredients and comes in six kid friendly flavors: Berry Pink Peachy Peach, Cinnamon Brown, Lemony Yellow, Vanilly White and Purpley Grape. I found it on http://www.ecostylebaby.com/. The natural finger paints for kids is derived from vegetable dyes and has no VOC's petro chemicals or other harmful ingredients. Now we just need eco friendly glue!

Let's Get Trashed!!

I love this compact little island that holds all things trashy!! Let me break down some of the fantabulous features Trashy has: A free standing kitchen island with optional butcher block top and towel bar, while housed inside are drawers for waste, bags, recycling , compost and a spot for hazardous waste such as CFL bulbs and batteries. It is made from sustainable materials and I feel a must in any home. Visit http://www.gettrashy.com/

The Grass is Greener on the Other Side!

Tired of begging and pleading with your lawn to grow, or using horrible pesticides and heaps of water to care for it (which is totally bad for the environment). Weep no more there's a new type of grass in town. Eco-Lawn...it's drought resistant, requires little or no mowing and no fertilizer is needed. You can find it at http://www.wildflowerfarm.com/. Make your life easier and tell your old lawn to sod off!

Don't Get Your Knickers in a Knot!!

Don't you just hate when you dry stuff in the dryer and they come out all twisted and knotted. Well there is a simple solution to that wee little problem, use a clothesline. The Toronto Hydro is giving away free clotheslines in their "Take a Load off Toronto and Let it all Hang Out" initiative. The event will take place at any Costco, The Home Depot, Walmart and Zellers store locations in Toronto between 10am and 5pm on these dates: April 26th/27th at Walmart and Zellers, May 3rd/4th at Costco Home Depot and Walmart May 10th/11th at Costco Home Depot and Walmart. Their will also be great discounts on CFL's and Cold Water detergent.

Now you may be wondering why the heck would I hang my clothes outside....that's old school. It's the environment dummy! and any small step helps.

Green Footprint of the Month: Return to Sender!!!

Address unknown. No such number, no such zone! (okay I got a little carried away with Elvis).Want to stop annoying junk mail, visit http://www.greendimes.com/ they stop those unwanted catalogs. You know the one with all the nic nac's and chachkas you'd find in your grannies house! How about those credit card offers.....u know the ones you most definitely don't need check http://www.optoutprescreen.com/. If you just want to remove yourself from mailing lists altogether than visit http://www.dmaconsumers.org/. Now isn't that a great step in the right direction. Just imagine how many trees will be saved once they get the message.

Let's Get this Party Started Right!

Once again I have done it, in the midst of surfing green website I found this great little eco party site http://www.greenpartygoods.com/. Perfect timing because my daughter's birthday is coming up and I want to greenify it. On this site I found bamboo ware dinner plates Cornware utensils and plates....giving a whole new meaning to corning ware. There are biodegradable and forest friendly napkins and felt has never felt so good since it is made as party hats, party bags and birthday banners. Yippe! let's start having paperless parties!

Green Eggs and Ham!

It looks like Dr Seuss knew what he was talking about way back when because anything green is all the rage now especially green restaurants. I found this article on the http://www.nytimes.com/ that excited me. "Going out to Eat, But Staying Green." It discusses how restaurants in New York have stepped up their effort to go green. The Gusto Grilled Organics in Greenwich Village is certified as organic and their construction complies with standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council. At Birdbath organic bakery their new location in Battery Park City will be outfitted with planted herbs on the roof to help with air quality and insulate the store. The inside of the store will be made from recycled materials and they use bicycle powered rickshaws. The Pain Quotidien (my favorite place!) has been using organic ingredients for years but they also has a composting plant in Queens (how greentastic!). In Park Slope the Oko frozen yogurt shop uses sunflower seeds in their walls and counters, while their awning has solar panels. This is a wonderful step in the right direction, if all restaurants took that small green step to compost their waste just imagine how much we could keep out of landfills.

Dirty Word of the Month: That's Bull%$#!

Bisphenol Aka BPA: Is an endocrine disruptor, it acts like a hormone in the body influencing gene behavior ( jigga who!). The chemical is known to leach out of plastic baby bottles and sports water containers and found in the resin that lines many food cans ( jigga what!). Through extensive experiments on rodents it is found that breast cancer, chromosomal damage, birth defects, prostate cancer and two types of diabetes resulted. Yikes! baby bottles wrong on so many levels. Thank goodness for born free and glass baby bottles.

Ooh La La! C'est Magnifique!

Planning a green wedding or an Earth Day celebration, than http://www.vertcatering.com/ is perfect for you. This green catering company with a french flair encourages organic and naturally grown food choices. The excess food is composted and recycled on site and they drive and environmentally friendly auto share. I love it! plus their menu is tres chic!

Bikers Needed!

I was on http://www.treehugger.com/ and I saw something that had me shouting "I want one! I want one! Are you ready for this......a folding bike, yes I know that they have been around for a while but now there are so many models. It's compact enough to fit in your closet. WOW! I can picture it now Manolo's, Jimmy, Christian Louboutin and my folding bike! Bring on the bike brigade I'm ready to burn some rubber.

Visit http://www.citizenbike.com/ their bikes are really affordable and for a mid priced bike visit http://www.dhon.com/.

C is for Cookie.....It's good enough for me!

And also the planet apparently! How cute is the "Love the Planet Cookie Tin by http://www.organicstyle.com/. These delightful cookie are USDA Certified Organic and come in a reusable tin. Yum! Yum!...... What a great Earth Day gift!

Sittin Pretty!

I was just on my guilty little pleasure http://www.fashionista.com/ and something really exciting is happening in Southern California from April 15th through May 4th. Elle is sending a bio diesel fueled eco salon bus, that will make one day stops in different location to celebrate their Green May Issue. They will offer mini -make overs, beauty treatments and goody bags with eco-friendly beauty products. What a greentastic idea! To find a location visit http://www.fashionista.com/.

ABC....it easy as 123!!

Teaching your little one their ABC's just became a whole lot greener and very exciting. I found two great ideas on my favorite website ecofabulous. Something Old and Something New! Remember those wooden alphabet blocks you had as a kid well now they are sustainable. Carved out of basswood and printed with non-toxic ink, the Uncle Goose Alphabet blocks work hard to minimize waste in production and packaging while following strident guidelines. What's the coolest thing every toddler today is rockin in the playground? T-Shirts with sayings that they most likely can't read, so now why not teach them their abc's with http://www.biome5.com/ brilliant Alphabet Project T-Shirts. Available in 100% certified organic cotton with animals that match the featured letter and packaged in biodegradable green film bags. This spring your baby or toddler will be the hit of the playground set!

Spring Has Finally Sprung!!!

With the snow melting and the temperature rising a smidge, it's time to throw open those windows and get a little spring cleaning done. Here is a little list of the Good the Bad and the Ugly of spring cleaning. The Good-now there are plenty of ecofriendly cleaners on the market that will have your house shinning like the top of the Chrysler building......Seventh Generation, Ecover, Biokleen, and Solay Simple to name a few. The Bad-the old stuff and the ingredients found in them such as ammonia-poisonous, irritating to respiratory passage when inhaled and when mixed with bleach it produces a potentially fatal gas. Butyl Cellosolve/Ethylene glycol nonbutyl ether which is a synthetic solvent common in all-purpose, window and other types of cleaners. It has been shown to damage the nervous system and bone marrow as well as kidneys and liver. Jeez!!!! and for everyone who loves the super duper clean effect of bleach, well it's a major irritant and pollutes our earth. Fragrance- ahhh! such a deceptive word but BEWARE it often contains phthalates-a chemical linked to reproductive abnormalities, liver cancer in lab animals and asthma in children. Look for organic essential oils instead. The Ugly- spring cleaning doesn't have to be ugly, once you start using products free from harmful ingredients for your family and the environment!

Boo Hoo!

Now the munchkin is sick....new posts coming soon! Sheesh! A mothers work is never done.

Off the "Beeten" Path!!

In my local community newsletter I found a writeup on a new organic shop- The Beet Organic Cafe and Market located in the Junction at 2945 Dundas St. They offer organic meals, select organic groceries and produce. They take the shop local think global approach to their produce (love it!)while their menu is designed to caters to various dietary needs. Suitable for vegetarian, vegan-gluten and dairy free diets. Their take away cutlery is 100% biodegradable and the furniture is environmental friendly made from sunflower seed husks and recycled paper.The Beet mission-to provide delicious nourishing foods of the highest quality, while reducing their ecological footprint. Now that's something that cant be "beet"!

Earth Hour!

Last Friday my daughter's school spent the afternoon with no lights and tomorrow her schools Eco Team has sent home a double sided printed letter urging students to bring a waste-free lunch on Trash-free Tuesday they even offer a recipe for a waste-free lunch.

Yes Please: REUSABLE lunch carrier, REUSABLE container, REUSABLE drink bottles

Please Avoid: AVOID paper or plastic bags, AVOID single use cans bottles or cartons AVOID paper napkins. They even go further than that they explain how much waste the average student generates per school year 30kg and the average per school per year 8500kg while waste-free is just that waste free! They also give us some costs to MUNCH on: Waste-free lunch $2.65/and average day$13.25/week $477/school year mean while regular lunch $4.02/day, $20.10/week, $723.60/year.

Earth hour was a smashing success across the board and of course we also contributed! Lights out!

You didn't actually think I was finished!!!

Toward the end of our trip I dragged my daughter to Babycakes a cupcake shop that offers all natural, organic cupcakes free from wheat, gluten, dairy, casein and eggs. Their products are sweetened with agave nectar a natural syrup from a cactus. When I set upon this cupcake journey I thought it was around the corner from my friends place who lived in the 400's on Broome St and the shop is on 248 Broome St. Oh how wrong I was! As my daughter and I marched along Broome St past Little Italy than China Town my daughter fully covering her nose and I walking gingerly to avoid slipping on a fish eye! Deep in the heart of the Lower east side Babycakes wonderful cupcake aroma finally overtook the fishy odor that chased us like the hounds of hell. I have to say it was well worth the trip not sure if my daughter agrees though!

Wait! There's more!!

My daughters best friend in New York parent's own the best shop for dish wear in the city. I absolutely love love love Fishs Eddy and I am not saying this because they are friends if I didn't like I just wouldn't say anything! They go from city to city in the States and find discarded dishes and such from hotels going out of business etc but they also carry their own line of clever dishes that represent Manhattan, Brooklyn, down to your favorite dog. I absolutely adore their Milk glass cake stands in pastel colors they are my favorite and they have these new beautiful rose dishes that they found which I lust for! They are Located at 889 Broadway on the corner of 19th and Broadway. They are a dream come true for a single green gal cause they are affordable!

Visiting Fishs Eddy turned into they usual routine for my daughter and I and a nice trip down memory lane from our days of living in the nyc. We visited Barnes and Noble and the Farmer's Market in Union Square. We love going to Barnes and Noble because I go through all the magazines while my daughter looks for a book....hmmm that sounds ecofriendly. I of course dragged her to ABC Carpet and home, they had a wonderful ecofriendly display window. On the way home we found a fabulous vintage store Stella Dallas at 218 Thompson St. Despite the rain it was a really fun day.

My best friend kindly let us stay at her apartment during our stay and I have to say that Sullivan street is by far my favorite street in New York it's peaceful and filled with heaps of goodies for any green girl. They had this cute knitting shop Purl, a sweet quilting shop that I think is affiliated with the knit shop and a lovely organic coffee shop directly across the street aptly named Local.