Swanky Salut!

In homage to my absolutely fabulous mom, I'd like to introduce you to her most favorite of summer cocktails... Lillet with orange peel. It's sweet, cold and refreshing. Perfect for a hot day or night. And you're sure to impress your friends with your knowledge of this little known, super simple, but absolutely delicious French cocktail!

What it is & when to serve it:
Lillet is an aperitif wine traditionally enjoyed before a meal. It's a blend of wine and citrus liqueurs made from a variety of oranges.

How to serve it:
1. Pour a liberal amount of chilled Lillet into a glass of your choice over ice (My mom uses large white wine glasses)
2. Flame an orange rind over the glass, squeeze and ignite the citrus oil that sprays out (this flavors the cocktail)
3. Drop rind into glass et Voila!

Where to find Lillet Blanc: Total Wine and other large or specialty liquor stores
Price: $15-26 depending on retailer

Watch this to see exactly how to 'flame' the orange peel:
http://www.chow.com/stories/10931

Background to authenticize your savvy knowledge of the finer things:
Lillet originated in 1887 near Bordeaux by brothers Paul & Raymond Lillet. One of the ingredients in their tonic drink is quinine (a drug used to treat malaria) which gives Lillet it's ever so slight bitterness. Lillet was originally marketed as "Kina-Lillet", named after the Kina tree native to Peru, from the bark of which kina (aka: quinine) is derived. There is notably less quinine in Lillet these days, but as it's still an ingredient, toasting "A Votre Sante" ("To Your Health") in this case, actually rings true.

Just Say NO to plastic!

I received this link from a friend today, which was a serious reminder about just how important it is that we go cold turkey on plastic bags. http://current.com/green/89141407_plastic-is-murder.htm.

Did you know that the plastic floating around in our oceans and fresh water actually soaks in toxins? When it finally breaks up into tiny bits after 20-1,000 years, it's mistaken for plankton or other food and eaten by wildlife. So if you eat fish or other water dwellers, those toxins end up on your plate. The circle of life can be a bitch.

It's frightening to think about how much plastic is being distributed every second around the world, which has the potential to strangle or suffocate our animals, contaminate out water and food, and crowd our world as mounds of garbage heaps.

Perhaps toting reusable bags with a bit more pizazz will make you more inclined to use them... I'm not afraid to admit I fall into this category. It's ok, we won't judge! Hey, whatever it takes!!
Here are some fun options available at ReusableBags.com:


Gecko Trader Recycled Market bags - $23 each
Yes, I know it's a bit pricey for an empty bag, but they're made to last a lifetime and they do good too! They're 100% recycled from rice & feed bags originally used for transporting goods in Asia, handcrafted in Cambodia by small groups of disadvantaged workers, fully certified by the Fair Trade Federation, and completely unique - no 2 are exactly alike!

How cute is this little guy?! Made from 100% recycled polyester, he was an umbrella in his past life! Cat, bunny, elephant and hippo are Available in several colors. Price: $15


And my personal favorites...
BlueQ Large Stand-Up shopping totes


These bags come in an array of great designs, and hold 40+ lbs so they're perfect for groceries. They're made from 95% post-consumer recycled content, and 1% of sales benefit the Nature Conservancy. Price: $12



If you already have reusable shopping bags aplenty... how about produce bags? Those add up too. These Flip & Tumble Drawstring Bags from Reusablebags.com ($11 for 5) are durable and washable. If these don't strike your fancy... there's a wide variety of other reusable produce bags online.


Make the effort to bring your own bags. With a little bit of effort, we can make a HUGE difference! And for those of us who justify walking out of a store with plastic bags because we reuse them to pick up after the dog... A for effort, but unfortunately, F for effectiveness, because reusing plastic bags once is really just as bad. (see my blog on biodegradable poop bags)

Smooth move!

Reasons to be glad you can say goodbye to shaving cream:
1. Shaving cream companies test on animals (Barbasol being the exception and my go-to... until now)
2. The waste you produce tossing that can every few weeks

3. The dreaded rusty ring
4. It's bulky and non-travel friendly

At long last! After searching high and low for a cruelty-free shaving cream which actually delivers a perfectly smooth shave and leaves zero bumps on my super sensitive skin.... I've got it!

It's not often I'm so excited by something as simple as a bar of soap, but you'll see what I mean if you suds up with this little bar of magic! Cruelty free, 100% organic, AND there's a great story (who doesn't love a great story?!).

SheaMoisture is the extension of the founders' Grand Ma Sofi's legacy. In 1916, she began gathering and trading Shea Butter and other harvests at the Bonthe village market in Sierra Leone, to support her young family. Four years later, she opened a tiny shop selling her home made products using Shea Butter, Palm Oil, Coconut Oil and other local produce. In 1992 the SheaMoisture Company was founded, offering her home remedies and their healing properties to their friends and extended family.

SheaMoisture's African Black Soap with Shea Butter incorporates the ancient medicinal properties of Black Soap and the enriching, hydrating properties of Shea Butter to cleanse and balance problem skin. SheaMoisture's Black Soap recipe contains palm ash, plantain peel extract, tamarind extract, papaya enzymes and salicylic acid to balance dry skin and treat eczema, acne, oily skin, psoriasis and other skin ailments. This rich lathering bar deep cleanses without stripping moisture.

The company also sells a myriad of other lovely products which I intend to try next... like a little ball of lovely-smelling solid conditioner, hand soaps, body scrubs, lotion, etc...

Available at Target and many online retailers (The African Black Soap is $4-5 and will last a lot longer than that rusty can of shaving cream)

Historical Tidbit:
African black soap originates from Ghana, is made from plantain skin and is a natural source of vitamins A & E and iron. The skin of the plantain is dried under the hot African sun, then roasted in a clay oven. The roasted plantain skin is mixed with palm oil and palm kernel oil to form the soap. And in some recipes, the shell of the cocoa pod is used instead of plantain.

Detangle!

It seems like the number of wires I must have on hand in order to exist as I know it today, is growing exponentially each year. Keeping them all straight, orderly and accessible in multiple locations and while traveling has become quite the challenge. That is, until I came across these awesome little Velcro wraps!

Go from unwieldy...






to "Ahhh, much better",
in a snap!

More than once, I've beat other battery-drained travelers to the last open outlet at an airport gate when I've only got a matter of minutes to power up my gadgets on a layover because I didn't have to battle a tangle of wires. And since the wraps have a little loop at the end, they won't fall off when you unwind, meaning you can rewrap-and-go in seconds once powered up.

They're available in a variety of different colors, although I favor the ones which are light on one side and black on the other because I'm just OC enough to prefer matching them to the color of the cord. These little gems come in handy for way more than the power cords on your everyday electronics (berry, iphone, camera battery charger, PC charger). I've got them hard at work in my bathroom (curling iron, hot rollers, flat iron, hair elastics), in my laundry room (extension cords, iron, steamer), in the hall closet (jump rope, extra dog leashes), kitchen (blender cord, Foreman grill, coffee grinder, mini chopper, hand mixer) and on my bike (keeping my wraparound bike lock in place so the pedal doesn't hit it and drive me bananas when I'm riding).

Sometimes... it's the little things.

Available at: Ace Hardware, Office Depot, OfficeMax, Amazon
Price: $6-9 for 50 (depending on retailer)

TIP:
Don't let one one of these near a silk chiffon skirt or your favorite cashmere sweater. (I learned this the hard way). Remember, it's Velcro... it sticks!

Great shoes + good karma!

Toms, the shoe company founded on a unique 'One to One' business model (for every pair purchased, the company donates a pair to a needy child) debuts punchy summer wedges!


For $69, you can kick around looking summer-fabulous and know you're making a difference in someone's life.


Paying it forward has never been easier... or cuter!



Their new styles are overwhelmingly popular, so if you don't find the perfect pair on the Toms.com, use their Find A Retailer search to find a local seller.



Go forth and do good, you socially-conscious fashion plates, you!

Need a sitter?

Why didn't I think of this? For those of you who may not have seen this on Daily Candy yesterday... SitterCity.com is a pre-screened, sitter database complete with background checks,
references and certifications... totally genius!

Listen up lovely girlfriends who just had babies... no more excuses for missing girls night or fun parties and events because you don't have a sitter!


But babysitters and nannies aren't the only helpers this site can match you up with. You can search for a pet-sitter, housekeeper or senior care helper too! We all need a little break now and then... so pack those bags for a weekend getaway, or let's go out and paint the town, you're responsibilities are covered!


PS - All of you girls with fuzzy faced friends who just moved/are about to move (you know who you are), this is my way of helping you find a trustworthy individual to walk the dog, feed the salt water fish, scoop poop, and/or administer shots to your cute diabetic cat since I'll no longer be next door & down the hall *sniff*.

Special thanks to my models in order of appearance ... Emarie (human), Jack (feline), Hugo (canine), Oscar, Crabby, Bozo, Pierre & Santa (aquatics)

Resurrect a worn out straw bag in a flash!

My (formerly) bright aqua straw bag had seriously seen better days. Between long, lazy days at the beach and sitting in the backseat of my car, it had been bleached. It's once gorgeous caribbean hue, had gone the way of pea soup.

But the bag was still in great shape so I couldn't bear to toss it. I can fix this, I thought. A quick trip to Home Depot, one can of pretty blue spray paint and a little sewing later... back to fabulous! In fact, I think I
like the bag this color even better! Joy! I'm off to the beach....

What you'll need:
Spray paint (Rustoleum satin finish worked great for me and dried in 30 minutes)
Embroidery floss (A color similar to the bag's new shade)
An embroidery or other sewing needle with an eye big enough for the floss

Step 1:
Carefully snip and rip
to remove lining



Step 2: Spray
I sprayed over the grass, away from cars and anything else that could could get coated with overspray. I wore rubber gloves, worked from the bottom up, then hung it from my wrist to make final touches (you'll need to spray from all angles). I finished by hanging it on a hanger to dry.

Step 3:
Pin lining back into place and sew.


Step 4:
Pack fabulous new bag. Hop on beach cruiser and meet your friends at the beach!

A little squeeze

Get your money's worth out of your products with a tube wringer. Great for any product that comes in a tube, including paint for you crafty types and mayo, mustard and tomato paste for those of you who haul it back in bulk from trips to Europe like I do. There are tube keys that will achieve a similar squeeze, but you won't have that nice crinkle effect, which, in my humble opinion looks nicer than a rolled up tube with a key hanging off of it on your bathroom counter. There are a couple kinds of tube wringers out there and some work better than others. The first one I bought was plastic, which didn't really work on metal tubes. It's just not strong enough to really grip them, and then it fell apart. Next, I bought a metal wringer at Sally Beauty Supply for $12 and I'm happy to report that it's been working like a charm for a year so far. You can find them online, at Sally's and in many paint/art supply stores.

Badass Plants for Dad

Ties, Belts, golf paraphernalia, cuff links, cologne, BBQ gear... SNORE! Carnivorous blood sucking plants... Oh YEAH!

Get Dad a gift as badass as he is this year. He'll amaze his friends and co-workers and love you for not getting him something he already has or doesn't need.

Toys R Us - $20

Because we can't all afford La Mer

La Mer delivers. There's no doubt about it. But at $130 per ounce of moisturizer and $160 per half ounce of eye cream, it may not quite fit into everyone's budget. Unless, of course, you're willing to forgo your entertainment allotment every month, but then you'll be looking fabulous... while sitting at home on the couch. If you want to have your cake and eat it too, I recommend giving Weleda products a try. 100% natural and made of ingredients tenderly grown in Biodynamic gardens since 1921, Weleda's products are based on healing, wellness and balance. The company is appropriately named after the Celtic goddess of wisdom and healing.

I'm partial to the green tube - Skin Food ($13-18) - and not just because the company has Swiss roots like yours truly. While it's not La Mer, I have to say, Weleda's Skin Food packs one heck of an emollient punch. I've got extremely sensitive skin which is in a perpetually desert-dry state because I have discoid lupus. This is the only product (aside from La Mer) that keeps me glowing, without causing breakouts. It's thick, so if you're oily, you may be better off with one of their lighter weight Wild Rose, Almond or Iris products, which are designed specifically for the face. Either way, you'll be looking fabulous and saving a bundle. Target carries some travel/trial size versions of several Weleda products (including Skin Food) for $2.99 if you want to try before buying.

Available at Target, Whole Foods and other retailers ($13-18)

Mermaid Dreams

Love Love Love. That's what I thought when I spotted these Mesi Jilly rings in a magazine a year or so ago.

Crafted out precious metals and stones, at $800-$1400 each, their price tags were just a tad over my 'frivolous spending budget', but I was determined to have one.

Though how could anyone decide which one is the most beautiful? I couldn't choose, I'd have to have more than one! But then I'd really be over budget. What a conundrum. And then I wondered... could I make my own Mesi Jilly-inspired rings at a lower price point? I do live in Florida where seashells are aplenty.

But I was at the great disadvantage of not having NYC's garment district and all of the places I go for crafty bits and pieces around the corner anymore.

I decided to try and was determined to end up with some lovely pieces to wear. After some thought, and several trips to several stores for a variety of supplies, I got to work. Then I got carried away. Shell ring anyone?

My versions...

Perfect nails in a hurry!

Simply the best no chip top coat I've tried. It really dries to the touch in 30 seconds flat and stays super shiny for days! It's perfect for making that manicure last a couple more days, or fixing the disastrous smudge you made right after you finished polishing.

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat
$5.29 at Walgreens

Uncorked Recycling

If you've got a wine cork collection, or think you may be well on your way to having one after this weekend is over, here's a clever and rather useful way to display and recycle them.

Here's what you'll need to make this sweet sustainable bath mat:
Shelf liner
Hot glue gun
175 wine corks (or more)

Instructions:

www.craftynest.com/2010/03/wine-cork-bath-mat/

Doggie Doo Good

With environment so prevalent in all of our minds as the horrors of the BP oil spill continue to be a daily reminder of human impact on the planet, you may be wondering what else you can do to tread more lightly on the earth. I thought I’d share some ways Fido can help minimize his footprint too. If you’re like me, and agonize over what the lesser evil is… reusing plastic bags to pick up after the dog or recycling them at the grocery store (which uses a large amount of energy to do)… you probably cringe at the thought of tossing 3-4 bags away per day during your daily dog walks. I stop and read the fine print on the bags in my local Doggie Spot poop scoop stations to check if they biodegrade before grabbing one. But the big question, even if a bag is labeled ‘Biodegradable’, is exactly how long it takes to break down. According to ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) specifications, to be classified as ‘Biodegradable’, a product must degrade at a similar rate as an apple, and leave no large plastic fragments behind. Frustrated with the choice of bags I find in most big box pet stores that boast more eco-friendliness than they actually deliver, I decided to search for something better online. Here’s what I found, the price points, where to find them and the pros/cons of each:

Walk the Dog
Cost: About $10 for 45 bags – that’s .22 per bag

Available on: Amazon.com and WalkTheDogmfg.com

Pros: Flushable! 100% biodegradable (in 90 days if not flushed), free
shipping on $50 or more on the vendor site. Because the poo ends up in the sewer instead of to the landfill, these little bags pack a punch when it comes to keeping potential toxins out of our ground water systems

Cons: The price point hurts a little


BioBags
Cost: Small bags are $4.49 per bundle of 50 / Large bags are $5.99 per bundle of 50 – that’s .08 to .11 per bag

Available at: Petco, BuyGreen.com and other online retailers

Pros: Made from cornstarch, biodegrade like food scraps in 10-45 days, leaving no harmful residues behind. Comes in 2 sizes, and they also make cat litter liners.

Cons: Around $6 for shipping


PoopBags

Cost: The 1 Month Bonus Buy Pack is $19.99 for 100 bags – that’s .19 per bag

Available on: PoopBags.com

Pros: Made of renewable resources like corn, decompose in a commercial composting environment between 60 and 90, free shipping in the US

Cons: I can’t find any


Scoopies
Cost: $4-5 per box of 30 mitts - that’s .13 - .17 per bag depending on retailer

Available on: eBay.com, Amazon.com and other online retailers

Pros: It’s a glove. Oxo-Biodegradable plastic completely disappears from the environment in about 18 months and as opposed to compostable products, don’t produce methane during degredation

Cons: Contains very small (catalytic) amounts of metal salts (which aid in the natural degradation process), shipping adds about $5 to cost

If you’re still not motivated to buy biodegradable poop bags… consider this:
Plastics are the 4th highest generated waste in the U.S., originate from petroleum which is non-renewable, do not biodegrade, and take thousands of years to break down. Plastics are the least recycled with a 6.8% recovery rate. In 2008, the U.S. produced 31.5 million tons of plastic and only recycled 2.14 million tons (Source: EPA.gov)

Shoe-In: Seriously Scalloped!

I love them! I want them! And at $34.99, I can afford them (in both colors)! Payless continues to impress.

These gorgeous heels by Christian Siriano remind me of blossoming peonies. The scalloped edges, the low feminine cut, and the delicate (gold!) heel have got me skipping over to pick these up!
In champagne, (which will go with just about everything) they're like shimmering seashells for your feet.
And in black, they're work-to-evening perfect!