it’s not easy being green

i admit, living green is not something that comes easy to me. i like long, hot showers and eating off-season strawberries year round. but anyone who has spent time in another country can attest to the fact that americans waste resources. a lot. and i think we can all agree that making an effort of conscious living helps us appreciate the many luxuries we often take for granted.

the problem with many green-living tips is that they can be inconvenient, expensive and overall annoying. some are relatively easy (switching to energy saving light bulbs), while others are a nuisance (the sudless natural, organic dish detergent i bought at trader joe’s). here are some green tips that have been both easy and effective for me:

1) travel mug.  anytime you bring in your own tumbler or travel mug to a participating Starbucks, you get 10 cents off your drink every day! http://www.starbucks.com/responsibility HOLLA! plus travel mugs keep your favorite morning pick-me-up hotter for much longer.

2) unplug those unused chargers! i’m guilty of not doing this on multiple occassions. my brother, the energy warden, is always scolding me for leaving my chargers plugged in, sucking out what he calls ‘vampire energy.’

3) byob. your own bags of course. reusable bags are so convenient. not only do they hold much more, they’re cheap and don’t leave plastic lashings on your arms and hands. pretty much every store sells them now– the hardest part is remembering to take them with you on your shopping trips! make sure to keep them near your purse/keys or stash them in your car so you’ll always have them ready to go. i usually keep one in my purse at all times, just in case.

4) vegetarian-for-a-day. while i’m a full-time vegetarian, i understand this is not realistic for everyone. so pick one day a week (meatless mondays, tofu tuesdays), or even just one meal devoted to a veggie-friendly lifestyle. there are so many great vegetarian recipes out there; some of my go-to dishes are eggplant parmesan and tofu tacos. who knows, maybe you’ll find yourself a new favorite recipe!

5) send an e-card! written letters and cards carry a certain nostalgia with them, but they use up lots of paper. on that someone special’s special day, send an e-card and save both money and a tree. many sites such as http://www.hallmark.com/online/product/ecards/ and http://www.bluemountain.com/ have free e-cards for all occasions that are interactive and can be personalized with your own photos!

feel free to leave some of your own green living tips!

outfit-of-the-day

i absolutely adore this outfit, worn by ashley greene. 

patterned scarf, color block clutch and bold red lips. i think it’s the perfect way to showcase accessories that POP! she also pulls off the leather leggings (which can often look very Grease!). but in this outifit, they add that needed bit of edge and youth. 

her outfit:

• Louis Vuitton leather leggings
• LV cardigan
• LV clutch
• silk scarf
• black peeptoe pumps

royal what?

the royal wedding is this friday, which unless you’ve been living under a rock you’ve heard about (and even then, i’m sure you caught wind of it via tlc).

but i remember when the latest royal trend was this:

the princess di beanie baby.

which i still have somewhere, tag still intact of course to maintain its market value.

now, i admit i’ve watched my share of royal wedding specials (only because my sister forced me) and this has influenced me to bring a bit of poshness to my own life.

and what better way to be a brit than with afternoon tea?  to celebrate my upcoming graduation, i was accompanied by my sister and mom as we sampled tea and crumpets (and more!) at the ritz-carlton buckhead in atlanta. our visit there was first-rate, as i would expect from the ritz.

i loved that everyone at the table got their own personal teapot and tea leaf strainer. seeing our pots all lined up as trays of finger sandwiches…

   and lovely desserts…   

came our way was really fantastic!  i could definitely get used to doing this everyday. i have to say i enjoyed the entire experience altogether but my standouts were the tea (my orange jasmine was the best tea i’ve ever had) and the french macarons. in my next life, i want to come back as this guy

or maybe i’ll just bring him home as a companion for princess di…

Ritz-Carlton Buckhead

3434 Peachtree Rd, NE, Atlanta GA

(404) 237.2700

 

classics

the classics are such for a reason.or are they?

how many times have you experienced something deemed a ‘classic’ whether it be book, movie or song and left with the reaction hmm… that’s it?  it always leaves me feeling miffed like for some reason i’m not quite smart-enough, artsy-enough, or experienced-enough to understand these works. but the truth of the matter is, it’s all about timing.

i think i first read The Great Gatsby in high school. and in read, i mean skim as was evidenced by the crisp, clean pages of my old book (guilty face). but in the first few chapters of my rereading, i stumbled across these tidbits

The wind had blown off, leaving a loud bright night with wings beating in the trees and a persistent organ sound as the full bellows of the earth blew the frogs full of life.

Chapter I

and this

For a moment the last sunshine fell with romantic affection upon her glowing face; her voice compelled me forward breathlessly as I listened– then the glow faded, each light deserting her with lingering regret like children leaving a pleasant street at dusk

Chapter I

now i’m wondering what i DIDN’T like about this book! the characters are vapid and vain as befitting for the materialistic 1920’s yet somehow likable and Fitzgerald’s writing is flowery without distracting from the narrative. so far, the passage that has lingered with me the most has been:

He [Gatsby] smiled understandingly– much more than understandingly.  It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced–or seemed to face–the whole external world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just so far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey.

Chapter III

isn’t that exactly how we all want to be perceived?  i can definitely relate to this myself. i’m constantly hoping others view only the polished version of myself. the one that i’m willing to present sans worries or stress or flaws. i think it took me the last several years to reconnect with this book, but so far i’m very glad i have.

i’ve also heard talk of a remake into a film starring carey mulligan (one of my favorite actresses), leonardo dicaprio (double score!) and directed by baz luhrmann (!!!). when can i get my ticket??

it’s good to know that no matter how overused or overrated some things may seem, the classics will always be around.  and with very good reason indeed, when the time is right.

my next classics venture: finding that overdue LBD (little black dress). wish me luck!

getting to know you… err me

list of random things i love

cookbooks:

            

raincoats:

          

19^th c. British period pieces:

ketchup:

teacups:

these are just a few of my favorite things. what are some of yours?