Great Vintage Finds at Odd Twin

For another way to be eco-fashion conscious- Go Vintage! For some reason, I forgot about this easy and often times affordable way to be stylin' and green. I used to be really into wearing a lot of thrift and vintage pieces when I was in high school and got into swing dancing. Part of the fun of going out was getting dressed up in fun finds from the vintage stores.

Walking around Park Slope in Brooklyn, I stumbled upon this very cute, crazy store, Odd Twin. The dramatic and interesting window display definitely caught my attention- if you walk by, you will know what I mean. The person behind these displays is very creative, has a great eye for color & style, and knows how to make you want to walk in the front door. Plus, every time I walk by- they have a new display! I love it.

Enough about the display, time to move onto the clothing. Ok, seriously everything I tried on in this store was seriously fabulous. It's not just another vintage shop, the owner (and buyer) really knows what she's doing! She selects very stylish, colorful and artfully designed vintage pieces in good condition. You won't have to hunt for the good stuff, because the entire store is filled with it! The sizing is also very good. Most of the stuff I tried on fit me very well and I ended up scoring 2 very adorable, unique dresses.

Besides being eco-friendly, vintage fashions are oftentimes more modestly cut than more contemporary clothing, so if you like cute blousey tops, 3/4 sleeves, little jackets and over-the-knee skirts and dresses, you are sure to find it here. Plus buying vintage also means you won't show up to a social gathering wearing the same dress as that girl...oops!

All in all, I am loving vintage again. The best part about it- it never goes out of style. Thanks for the reminder of how stylish and eco vintage can be Odd Twin!

Check them out online, or better yet, in person.
http://www.oddtwin.com/

Kukich-ahhhhh.....

What's better than a refreshing beverage on a hot summer's day that tastes good AND has tons of healing properties?

In summertime, I find an array of super sweet, sugary cold drinks, fruit juices, and caffeinated iced teas and coffees that are easy to access but leave me with a serious case of the blahs. To keep me feeling cool and energetic, I love creating my own concoctions of tasty beverages, one of which, is kukicha tea.

Kukicha tea is rich in minerals like zinc, selenium, copper and manganese. It also contains vitamins A, C, B1, B2, niacin, theanine, flavonoids and amino acids. It also contains catechins, which act as powerful antioxidants, that minimize the effect of free radicals before they have a chance to damage other cells. Kukicha tea also helps to alkalize the body, which helps to prevent disease. Pretty great, right?

An easy way to make this tea is to boil a pot of water, tear off the tea bag paper labels and toss the tea bags into the pot. Bring the water with tea bags to a boil and then simmer for 5-10 minutes, depending on the strength of tea you like. Eden Foods brand has an excellent organic and kosher kind of kukicha tea. I take the individual bags to work with me and make myself a cup every morning. This tea can be enjoyed hot or cool.

For variety, try mixing 1/2 cool tea and 1/2 organic apple juice with a squeeze of lemon. It's a nice pick-me-up. Experiment with different combos of kukicha and other beverages, and don't forget a fun garnish. Enjoy!

http://www.edenfoods.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=110550

Hot Weather + Busy Lifestyle = Kleen Kanteen

Most of us bring water bottles of some sort with us daily as we run around the city. But did you know, reusing regular plastic water bottles can actually be seriously harmful to your health? Most plastic water bottles, even the hard plastic kind, contain Bisphenol A (BPA), which is a synthetic chemical that interferes with the body’s natural hormonal messaging system. Also, when we repeatedly use the same plastic water bottle, it increases the chance of that toxic chemical leaching into our water from small cracks that are created over time. BPA has been linked to serious illness including breast and uterine cancer, an increased risk of miscarriage, and decreased testosterone levels.

Even though this sounds serious and scary, it doesn't mean there isn't a great alternative to those pesky plastics! Queue: Kleen Kanteen. This water bottle is totally BPA-free, made from high quality, food-grade stainless steel, and is super sturdy. The have a variety of sizes, colors, different tops for convenience and they even have kids sizes. I bought my Kleen Kanteen at the San Francisco Green Festival years ago, and have been loving it ever since. I seriously recommend you get yourself one if you are still drinking from plastics.

Check out Kleen Kanteen online or at your local natural food store:
http://www.kleankanteen.com/index.php

NYC Fair Trade Coalition is Just Plain Awesome!

I know there is so much out there in the world right now that needs our attention- from just taking care of our own needs, to the needs of our family, friends, and our communities. Finding extra time to put into thinking about the world outside of our immediate bubble can seem impractical at times. But, when we do have time, finding a wonderful worth-while cause and working with incredible, caring, good people is a great way to go.

My cause right now is the NYC Fair Trade Coalition. They are awesome. These people volunteer their time, energy and care into helping all kinds of people all over the world. They help others provide for themselves and their loved ones by creating opportunities for fair labor and fair wages, which is a great cause and one that truly makes an impact on the quality of people's lives.

We, the general American public, buy goods on a daily basis- so why not get good quality, stylish products that help make the world better and support good values?

I recently attended a networking event with the United Students for Fair Trade and the NYC Fair Trade Coalition. It was great! It was at this eco-boutique, Sustainable NYC. They have a good range of home products, clothing, jewelry, and natural body care products. They also have a cute little eco-cafe!

Along with meeting some cool, nice and ambitious people, I also found out more info about this very exciting fair trade fashion event, Fair Trade Fashion's Night Out. This event is scheduled for September 8, 2011, so mark your calendar's people! This is going to be a night to remember! I will keep you posted as the planing for this event evolves. Can't wait!

Think about what you are passionate about. Find a little time to volunteer somewhere that you feel genuinely helps people and does good. Get involved.

Check out more info on NYC Fair Trade Coalition:
http://nycfairtradecoalition.org/

My New Favorite Restaurant: OZU

Sorry for the lack of posts, since my move to NYC things have been hectic, to put it mildly. Anyway, I am back and excited to share some super awesome eco info with you, and I am starting with my new favorite restaurant. I am gonna go all out and say that I think this is the BEST RESTAURANT in NYC! No, really.

So, you may have heard of it, especially the macros out there, but I think it is still worth talking about. Ozu Restaurant is macrobiotic, kosher and just plain awesome. Their menu has a wide selection os tastly and well balanced fare. My favorite thing to order right now, that is great for the summer season and oh-so-relaxing after a stressful week of work is the ZARU SOBA GOMOKU, which is cold soba topped with tofu, fried tempeh, cucumbers, bean sprouts, louts root, shiitake, and kombu, served with dumpling sauce on the side. It is awesome.

Also, I am a big fan of desserts, especially kanten- and Ozu's fruit kanten is by far the best I have had in NYC restaurants.

Along with delicious and well-balanced food, they also provide excellent customer service. Ozu's servers are very friendly, helpful and will tell you what they like best on the menu if you ask. All in all, I recommend this place to anyone who likes fresh, healthy, balanced meals, a clean, cozy atmosphere and friendly, good service. Check them out online and check them out in person!

http://www.ozunyc.com/