Summer Essentials-2010 version

Summer is within reach here in Chicago. Kids are playing baseball and soccer on Saturday mornings in the parks, pools are being cleaned and filled and dandelions are already changing from the yellow flower to a white ball full of wishes.

I spent yesterday getting my backyard deck ready for the summer season of barbecues, cocktail nights and dinner parties. On my large deck: new patio furniture, new citronella candles and hanging baskets full of ferns and herbs. My backyard is a beautiful oasis and I spend almost every minute of the summer gardening in my vegetable beds or lounging on my deck.

For this year here is my list of summer essentials:

A Good Book for Lounging in the Hammock. I am reading Wild Romance: A Victorian Story of a Marriage, a Trial and a Self-Made Woman by Chloe Schama. The true story of Theresa Longworth who married and then fought her aristocratic husband to acknowledge their marriage after he left her for another woman. This sassy Victorian woman became a world traveler and writer in an era when women weren't known for their independence or their brains.

Moisturizer with Sunscreen. Obviously a summer must. I use Aveeno Positively Ageless Moisturizer with 30 SPF. I love this product which absorbs quickly, is non greasy and has the loveliest smell.

Chilling Tunes. My music of the summer is Jamie Cullum and Amos Lee. Cool jazz mixed up with some pop and soul and you have the perfect chilling music. I love the music of Jamie Cullum so much I'm flying to Denver in July to see his concert at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Ya, he is THAT good. Now make a tour stop in Chicago please Jamie.

Farmers Markets and CSA's. Support local farmers and enjoy foods good for you and the environment. Looking for a market near you or interested in buying into a Community Supported Agriculture program, visit Local Harvest.

Ravinia For those of you in or near Chicago, Ravinia Festival the outdoor music park is a tradition as soon as the cicadas start buzzing. After years of lackluster musical acts, they finally booked a season worth getting excited about. I scored tickets to Sting and Sheryl Crow for under $30 each. Sure the parking is a nightmare, picnicking on the lawn might not be for everyone (so get pavilion seats) but most of the time it's worth the hassle to listen to great music on a warm starry Chicago night.

Reisenthal Bags. The perfect bags for the beach, hauling fresh produce home from the farmers market or carting books from the library to the house. I have the city shopper and it is my favorite summer bag.

Birkenstocks. Ya not just for tree huggers anymore. Absolutely the most comfortable shoes I own. Mine saved my feet last year with all the walking I did in Oxford. Worth every penny. Check out the collection here.

Hand Lotion. My hands look a little weathered by the end of the summer after months of gardening. The BEST hand lotion on the market in my opinion is Baume Du Jardinier Gardner's Hand Healer. I go through this stuff by the tube full. Love it.

Blackberry. I finally joined the crackberry cult. Disconnecting from my Blackberry for the summer...let's be honest, it's not gonna happen. On the boat, in my garden, I will be connected. Totally connected...everywhere. How did I ever live without?

What are YOUR summer essentials?

Happy Earth Day!

If there is a day during the year when we should all take a look at the impact we have on the Earth it's today.
Here are a few things to ask yourself and a few answers:
1. Do you know how many plastic bags are used and disposed of each year by
consumers?
38 BILLION
2. Do you know how many plastic water bottles are thrown away each year?
10 BILLION
3. Do you know what you can do to decrease that number?
STOP USING PLASTIC BAGS AND STOP BUYING WATER IN A BOTTLE. There are so many options instead of having your groceries packed in plastic bags, try reusing paper bags, buy bags made from recycled materials and keep them in the trunk of your car. Only buying a few items? Carry them! Get a reusable water bottle made out of steel such as Thermos or Klean Kanteen. When you are hosting a meeting or throwing a party
don't buy plastic water bottles!
4. Are you leaving your electronic appliances plugged in when you are not using them?
WHY? Unplug that coffee pot, toaster, television, washer and dryer, cell phone charger, DVD player, etc. Even when an electrical device is turned off, if it is plugged in it is consuming phantom usage. So turn off everything you reasonably can.
5. Do you eat meat every day or more than 3 days a week?
MODERN MEAT PRODUCTION USES ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF ENERGY AND CREATES GREENHOUSE GASES AND POLLUTES WATER SUPPLIES. Don't want to become a vegetarian, than even reducing your meat intake 1 day a week will make a difference.

In the past couple of years I've made some small but important changes in my household. It's been 112 days since I've allowed plastic bags into my home. I reuse paper bags, recyclable cloth grocery bags and my Reisenthel bags (see link under the things I can't live without)for all my groceries, produce from farmers markets, items from department stores and Target etc. Sure it drives my family a little crazy but if they don't want to tote a bag into the store I tell them they can only get what they can carry. Nothing drives me crazier than seeing someone at the Walgreens or Target who is getting 1 or 2 items and allows the cashier to throw them in a plastic bag. Really? You can't carry that bottle of Coke or prescription out with you?
Anything I can unplug in my household I also pull after use. Hairdryer, lamps, kettle, toaster, cellphone charger, wash and dryer, unused televisions etc. I keep my nightstand clocks plugged in and my flat screen tv (the plugs are behind heavy furniture) but I'm trying to find an alternative to even turn those off (battery operated clocks and using power strips are an option I am considering).
Each year I increase what I grow for my family to eat. If you don't have the space for a garden then grab a couple of pots or even recycle jelly or spaghetti sauce jars and grow your own herbs in a window. There is nothing like fresh basil, chives and rosemary!
In the spirit of Earth Day, take a couple of small steps and make a difference.

Ireland is GREEN

No I am not talking about the color of the land, but the attitude of the people. The stores and shoppers are embracing a environmentally friendly environment and serve as a role model for what we should be doing here in the USA.
Because we stayed at a large private villa for our stay in Ireland, we went to the local grocery store to stock up on things for our kitchen like tea, brown bread, peanut butter and jelly, fruit, cheese, beer, eggs etc. On our first trip into the village grocer, we realized there are no bags, not plastic or paper to put your items in. Instead all the shoppers used produce boxes or recyclable bags that they brought from home or purchased for a euro at the store. A couple of days later we went to the large Tesco (like a super Target or Meiers) and again every shopper had brought their own reusable bags. Every where we went, small villages or large cities like Limerick, everyone was carrying their own reusable bags. I purchased a few Tesco bags for myself and I am using them constantly for everything from groceries to laundry.

Check out this great website where you can read about the damage of using and disposing of plastic bags as well as purchase some great reusable bags.
http://www.reusablebags.com/
I use the Reisenthel Cityshopper (perfect for hauling food to Ravinia) http://www.reusablebags.com/store/reisenthel-cityshopper-artdeco-baroque-sand-p-1118.html
and I have posted before about how much I love the Envirosax bags
http://www.reusablebags.com/store/envirosax-flora-pouch-reusable-shopping-bags-p-1078.html
My goal is to completely eliminate my use of all non biodegradable plastic bags, grocery, produce, laundry etc. A great alternative to plastic trash bags are here http://www.dirtworks.net/Biodegradable-Foodservice-Ware/Biodegradable-Cup-%26-Plates.html
Watch this great video of Tesco's campaign to get shoppers to use alternatives to plastic bags, it's obviously working in Ireland!