"Tighten Up" Official Video

Happy Friday.

Spotlight on Matter of Trust

I heard about this great environmental organization called Matter Of Trust via Alicia Silverstone's blog post on The Kind Life, and I wanted to share their fantastic solution to the oil spill situation in the Gulf Coast. As they explain in the video below, they use hair clippings mailed to them from individuals, hair salons and pet groomers and stuff them into old nylon stockings to create what they call 'hair booms.' These hair booms float in water and, as if by magic, soak up oil completely! They are currently mobilizing volunteers and have storage locations set up to receive hair & nylons.

Here's what they're saying about it on their website:

A huge International Natural Fiber Recycling mobilization is currently taking place to help get hair boom to the Gulf Coast Spill. We have 19 donated warehouses spread along Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida that are receiving hair from donors all over the US, Canada and beyond! There are thousands of volunteers signing up to have Stocking Stuffers and Bar B Q parties where they're making the boom. They're calling them Boom B Qs.

If you or your pet is getting a hair cut soon, definitely ask to keep the clippings so you can mail to Matter of Trust or have a Boom-B-Que with your friends! Also, why not ask your salon to send ALL their clippings, or volunteer to do it for them? In order to send in hair or nylons, or your completed boom, you need to:

1. Sign up with Excess Access via the Matter of Trust website... accessible HERE.
2. Click the Activation link that they email to you.
3. You will then receive an email with a location of where to send stuff. This is important and unique, as they are coordinating space in donated warehouses along the Gulf Coast to make sure distribution is efficient. (This may take a while, as they are sending emails out in waves once daily at 12pm PST.)
4. Once you have been emailed an address, get started with these instructions from MoT:
5. Set aside a designated box and line it with a plastic bag so hair (and fur, fleece & feathers) can't slip out.
6. Put all waste hair & natural fibers in the bag!
7. After you've filled it with hair, tie the top of the bag and tape the box shut.
8. Mark the boxes DEBRIS FREE HAIR (FUR, FLEECE, FEATHERS) or NYLONS.
9. Mail boxes in to the address(es) we provide you by email AFTER you sign up.

Hair specifications:

- ideally shampooed, but it doesn't have to be
- any length is fine
- every type of hair is fine but only HEAD hair, please!

-dread locks are OK to send, although we find they have fungus inside when cut open, so please separate in their own bag and mark "DREADS". They are handled separately.

- we also accept fur and other natural fibers like waste wool, alpaca fleece, horse hair, feathers

-please make sure hair and fibers are mainly free of garbage and other contaminants

- we also accept washed, used (even with runs) nylon stocking donations in a separate bag, please.

You can read more about the Gulf Coast project and Matter of Trust's other programs HERE. Here's a video about how to make your own boom... so easy!

"Cosmic Love" Video

I saw Florence + The Machine live last fall. What a thrilling performance! Her presence is so powerful and engaging; definitely one of the best shows I've been to. This song and "The Dog Days Are Over" are my favorites.

Dior Debuts "Lady Blue Shanghai" Directed by David Lynch

The French fashion house debuted its latest short film, "Lady Blue Shanghai", today, which centers around the mysterious appearance of a Lady Dior handbag in a hotel room. Written and directed by David Lynch, the short stars Marion Cotillard and features the art direction of John Galliano.

Though this is essentially a 16 minute advertisement for a purse, the Lady Dior itself has very little screentime, and in fact, I found my attention drawn more toward Cotillard's tailored skirt-suit, the old-timey tune blaring from the record player, and the gorgeous peek at Shanghai furnishings of a bygone era. I'm not sure that I would call this a "successful" ad, as, other than a potential purchase from iTunes, it didn't spur an acquisitive impulse in me. I am still thinking about it, though, but probably not for the reasons intended.

I initially wanted to post the videos just to share them, but after letting them sink in a while, I realized there is more to say about the film, in terms of what it says about our society. While I can appreciate the foray into film as an effective form of advertising and a beautiful art form at that, I'm wary of art that glorifies an object, especially one as subject to fleeting fashions as a handbag. I can only think of all the energy, talent, and resources that went into the making of this film (not to mention the purse!), and I can't help but think it a tremendous waste: all that to sell a purse? One that will be out of fashion in 6 months? I don't mean to single out the Lady Dior or demonize luxury goods altogether; I just think that for Marion Cotillard, John Galliano and David Lynch to all get together on a project, I expect it to result in something a little more meaningful than a drive for consumerism. (Though I guess they've got to eat, too).

Consumerism in America has often been lauded as a saving grace - helping the country to bounce back after World War II and encouraged by President Bush after the attacks of September 11th. No doubt our current economy is in dire need of a little saving, but so much of what I've been reading recently indicates that what has worked in the past is no longer a viable, sustainable option.

The fashion industry is primarily an economy fueled by consumer purchases, so what happens to the creation of beautiful, awe-inspiring wearable art when people reconsider their purchasing impulses and buy vintage or heaven forbid, keep wearing the same clothes? Perhaps someday in the near future, visionary artists will come up with news ways to showcase the tremendous talents of the fashion industry without feeding into the mania of perceived obsolescence and retail shopping as "therapy". Until then, beneath Parts 1 & 2 of "Lady Blue Shanghai" I've included "The Story of Stuff" which explains exactly why shopping is no longer a solution to our economic problems and how it actually contributes to many of our current crises: health, environmental, financial, and others. You can learn more about The Story of Stuff Project here.

Week 1: Saturday Breakfast

Okay, so I woke up really hungry and craving something sort of indulgent. Unfortunately I didn't really prepare anything in advance, so I cut some corners. I made myself a quick bowl of oatmeal while I attempted to create a modified waffle recipe. We had Bisquik, but I decided I didn't want to mess around with bleached white flour, so I followed the Biskquik baking instructions using organic unrefined flour, some almond milk, some orange marmalade and, mistaking it for olive oil, some white truffle oil! (Ooops). The truffle oil made it pretty savory, but the consistency of the waffles was tough and chewy, and I think I can definitely improve up this. It tasted okay, but it was too sweet of a meal overall, and I should have balanced it with more veggies and maybe some veggie bacon or something along the lines of protein. Anyway, it wasn't terrible, but it did remind me to stay on track while I was eating and drinking at a wedding later that afternoon.

Week 1: Friday Breakfast

Today was a sort of dismal breakfast - in a rush, and all I could grab was some toasted cinnamon raisin bread with orange marmalade. It tasted good, but not very filling or balanced. I also had some baby carrots in the car. Still, I've been on track so far this week; I think writing about my breakfast really helps me stay in tune to my eating habits. I've been eating vegan now for 6 days, and pretty healthy at that! (Not like a gummy bear-only diet).

I made a really excellent ginger tofu dish and a bok choy salad one night this week...check out the photos below. It took a while for the tofu to marinate and for the rice to cook, but overall, it was delicious! Really, I will make this again. I think the key to eating according to "the kind diet" is preparing in advance (so you don't have to wait an hour before your food is ready to eat) and taking the time to cook flavorful, interesting meals. If all I ate was rice and beans every night, I would hate eating! (Even though I love both rice and beans). Eating is supposed to be enjoyable, and I have to say, so far the times I've made one of Alicia Silverstone's recipes, I've been really happy with the results. (Check out her book The Kind Diet for the recipe). I'm ready for the weekend for some more food experimenting!

Week 1: Thursday Breakfast

I missed posting about this yesterday, but I had a nice modified "oatmeal" breakfast. I had a lot of leftover rice, and just added my usual maple syrup, apples, cinnamon, walnuts & flaxseed oil... very good! It was cold, though, so not ideal.

ReVamp Your Wardrobe

I just discovered ReVamp in Downtown Los Angeles, while on a quest to find a vintage card case. I am so excited to spend more time perusing the website, and I am definitely booking a 1930's hair and makeup how-to class for my friend and myself this summer. In the meantime, for all you vintage style lovers out there, feast your peepers on this:

Cotton Candy for Your Eyes & Ears

1963 film by super avant-gardist Jeff Keen, titled "Flik Flak". (via Art Forum)

Acapulco Nights, St. Tropez Mornings After

Cointreau and Chanel are channeling the glamorous festivity and indulgence of by-gone eras in their recent promotional films. One thing is constant - summer dance parties never go out of style.

Check out Cointreau's "Original Margarita Story" below starring Dita von Teese looking glorious as ever in bakelite bangles, and reminding us that the classic drink recipe always includes Cointreau. Karl Lagerfeld's "Remember Now" features Baptiste Giabiconi and Freja Beha in Chanel's 2011 Cruise Collection.

Bobs, Poodle Skirts, Acid Wash Jeans, and Peas

Today for lunch I brought some leftover brown rice and black beans, and a handful of English peas. Growing up, we grew peas on the vine in my backyard. I don't know if they were specifically "English" or not, but I always used to eat them pod and all. When I bit into one of these English pea pods that I brought, it was so tough and not at all chewable! So of course I googled the proper way to eat these. What I found, in addition to learning that the pods are best eaten when steamed, was delightful! Peas have an under-publicized pop history, according to Leah A. Zeldes of Dining Chicago. She writes:

They were mainly used dried until the 17th century, when green peas became all the rage in the French court as Françoise d’Aubigné, marquise de Maintenon, wrote in 1696: “This subject of peas continues to absorb all others, the anxiety to eat them, the pleasure of having eaten them and the desire to eat them again, are the three great matters which have been discussed by our princes for four days past. Some ladies, even after having supped at the Royal table and well supped too, returning to their own homes at the risk of suffering from indigestion, will again eat peas before going to bed. It is both a fashion and a madness.”

When was the last time a vegetable was all the rage! Too funny.

Week 1: Wednesday Breakfast

This morning I got up a little earlier and made the totally delicious oatmeal that I tested out on Sunday. It is SO filling, and SO sweet! I made it the same way I did Sunday, but I'm thinking I can start lessening my use of maple syrup as I don't normally use that anyway. (Are there health benefits to maple syrup?) I accidentally doused my bowl of steaming oats a bit too much with flaxseed oil, but I think I'll live. Flaxseed oil is apparently good to have daily, so since I don't think I had any yesterday or the day before, I should be nicely provided for! Here's what the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine says about flaxseed oil as a good source of omega-3 fatty acids:

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are important in the normal functioning of all tissues of the body. Deficiencies are responsible for a host of symptoms and disorders including abnormalities in the liver and kidney, changes in the blood, reduced growth rates, decreased immune function, depression, and skin changes, including dryness and scaliness. Adequate intake of the essential fatty acids results in numerous health benefits. Prevention of atherosclerosis, reduced incidence of heart disease and stroke, and relief from the symptoms associated with ulcerative colitis, menstrual pain, and joint pain have also been documented.^{2,3, 4}

It is important for vegetarians to include foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids on a daily basis. Alpha-linolenic acid, a common omega-3 fatty acid, is found in many vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and fruits. The best source of alpha-linolenic acid is flaxseeds or flaxseed oil.

While supplements and added oils are not typically necessary in the vegetarian diet, good sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fats should be included daily. It is important to take these two fats in the proper ratio as well. Omega-6 fatty acids compete with omega-3 fatty acids for use in the body, and therefore excessive intake of omega-6 fatty acids can be a problem. The U.S. diet has become heavy in omega-6 fats and low in omega-3 fats, secondary to a reliance on processed foods and oils. It is necessary to balance this by eating a low-fat diet that is low in processed foods and with fat mainly coming from omega-3 fatty acids.

I used Spectrum's Organic Flaxseed Oil, and it added a barely perceptible nutty flavor, which was nice!

Week 1: Tuesday Breakfast

Yikes, I was a little rushed this morning, but I still managed to make a yummy breakfast to keep with my 4 week vegan goal, albeit on the go! I'll have to plan better for tomorrow, because I can't keep eating the same thing in a row! That oatmeal was really yummy on Sunday; now that I've got some brown rice syrup, I'm interested in trying that out as a sweetener.

Spotlight on SurfMonk (and Tiger Lily)

Today, as summer is slowly extending the daylight (if not the warmth!) of the days, I'd like to highlight SurfMonk, a beach apparel line started by a pair of locals. I initially heard about SurfMonk from my mother, who is friends with the owner, Claudia Taylor. It wasn't until I came across the SurfMonk twitter account that I realized it was all eco-friendly and locally manufactured! That certainly got my attention.

Here's the SurfMonk philosophy:

SurfMonk is 100% committed to sustainable and local manufacturing. Made in Los Angeles, all goods are sweatshop-free, organically dyed and made of raw materials developed without the use of chemicals. We believe in the use of natural resources without destroying the ecological balance of our world.

So, not only can I feel good about buying these products, but they are super cute!! Some of my favorites are below, all of which you can order online here.

SurfMonk also features cool accessories from other brands - my favorite of which is Tiger Lily. My neighbor, Heather Gardner, designs all of Tiger Lily's exquisite, nature-inspired pieces, and I love her stuff. Her feather earrings are featured on the SurfMonk website, but you can also see her whole collection here. Heather was on of the boutique vendors at the Tribute to the Human Spirit Awards gala that I produced last week, and she lent me a beautiful gold/blue Swarovski crystal set of necklaces and earrings for the evening!

Week 1: Monday Breakfast

This morning I had a thick slice of bread from Julian Bakery (of San Diego) with a slather of almond butter and some orange marmalade on top. To add some veggies into the mix, I had a side of baby carrots. A little strange, but very satisfying and yummy!! I like to dip carrots in peanut butter usually anyway, so this was an easy stretch.