wink eco beauty bar

I'm a pretty low-maintenance lady. I only wear makeup maybe twice a year, have very few products in my daily beauty regimen, and keep my nails au naturale. So these days, because it's sort of a special occasion for me to get a manicure and pedicure, I'm particular about where I have this service performed.

Luckily for me, I live right near a new eco-friendly beauty salon - Wink. I noticed their sign a few months ago, and had been waiting for an opportunity to check them out. Enter this weekend's wedding.

My friend and I got there for our appointments right when they opened at 11 am, despite the pouring rain (blech!). We picked from the selection of DBP-, touluene-, and formaldehyde-free nail colors on the wall and headed over to the cushy chairs for the pedicure. All of the products used at Wink Beauty Bar are sans parabens, phthalates and other nasty chems.

After the pedicure we enjoyed a manicure at the bar that's covered in AFM Safecoat non-toxic finish. Wink offers other services, like massage, body scrubs, makeup, and waxing, all with earth-friendly ingredients.

I highly recommend Wink for their friendly and professional service, comfortable environs, and of course, green products and practices.

W!NK eco beauty bar
602 Vanderbilt Avenue
(St. Mark's Ave & Prospect Pl)
Prospect Heights, Brooklyn 11238
718.230.3443

Don't live near Wink? Check out this post about less toxic (no nail polish is really non-toxic) options for painting those toe- and finger-tips, plus a few additions:

• Zoya
• Peacekeeper
• OPI (look for the green label!)
• Dr. Remedy
  

blogging for brooklyn food coalition

I'm psyched. I'm part of an amazing movement that's happening in Brooklyn right now. It started with the Brooklyn Food Conference (well, I guess it started months before the BFC, by those great people that planned and organized that incredible event). It's taken on new life as the Brooklyn Food Coalition, and it has the power to change the way people in this borough (and city, and nation) eat, for the better.

My part in this whole thing is specifically participating in neighborhood meetings, especially meetings in my own neighborhood, and blogging about it.

Check out my first post on the Brooklyn Food Conference/Coalition website

And in related news...
New food co-ops coming to Brooklyn
If you live in Park Slope or any of the surrounding neighborhoods, you probably know about the Park Slope Food Co-op. It's a thriving cooperative business that provides a community of participants with healthful food choices, including locally sourced produce. Well, it seems other neighborhoods in Brooklyn are seeking a similar arrangement. As I mention in the BFC post, new co-ops are springing up in other parts of Brooklyn. That's good news for small farms in the New York area, for the local economy, and of course for Brooklyn residents. When I wrote the post, I didn't know about a new Bay Ridge food co-op that's forming, but I was quickly informed. (See email message below). So if you live in Bay Ridge and are interested in becoming a member, check out their website, sign up for their newsletter, check them out on Twitter (@thefoodcoop), get involved!

Hi Liz - just saw your piece on the Brooklyn Food Conference site, and thought I'd get in touch. I'm coordinating the effort to bring a food co-op to Bay Ridge, and sat on the food co-op panel at the conference, alongside Greene Hill, Kalabash and others. I wanted you to know a little bit about us too.

The Bay Ridge Food Co-op has a database in excess of 700 people, and is now moving to start collecting membership equity from people, we've made as much progress as the other co-ops you've mentioned. Like all the nascent co-ops though, we need help to drive membership, and if you do anything on co-ops again, it would be great to get a mention...

Best wishes,
David Marangio

rally for bees, please!

By now most people know that we need bees in order to have healthy food crops. Not to mention that bees produce a delicious sweetener with health benefits called honey.

But did you know that beekeeping is illegal in NYC?

Help legalize the bees by taking action.

Come to the rally at City Hall on June 23!

A Notice of Violation for having honeybees was issued on May 20 to a backyard beekeeper in Brooklyn by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, whose health code renders beekeeping illegal in NYC. The beekeeper's hearing will be on June 23rd, let's send a strong message of support for her and other brave beekeepers in NYC, and tell City Council and the Department of Health to take immediate action to end the illegality of beekeeping in NYC!

When: Tuesday, June 23th at 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM

Where:

• Press conference & rally with beekeepers, bee supporters, and David Yassky and other Council Members will be held at City Hall steps at 12:30
• Beekeeper Citation Hearing will be at NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene's Administrative Tribunal, 66 John Street, 11th Floor at 1:30
  

Please RSVP with subject line "bee rally" to nadia@justfood.org.

Sign the petition to legalize beekeeping

It's easy, just click here!

[via Just Food]

nothing over $30 sale at the greenloop

You read that right. The Nothing Over $30 sale is on at the Greenloop, online eco-boutique. What better time to introduce some low-impact, high-style items into your wardrobe?



You can get adorable duds like this Stewart & Brown organic cotton dress for only $29.99! (it was $138)


Or this sweet fair trade organic cotton Loomstate tee for just $19.99! (it was $60)



Greenloop was recently named best online eco-boutique in Treehugger's Best in Green Awards.

food, inc.

A couple of days ago I mentioned Food, Inc. in a post about, of course, food. If you're interested in seeing the film, and maybe even asking the director a few questions, it's playing at Film Forum for a limited engagement that begins tomorrow (Friday, June 12). Director Robert Kenner will be at 4 shows, Friday, June 12 and Saturday, June 13, both at 6pm and 8pm.

Joel Salatin, a farmer who raises pastured animals, (and who was featured in The Omnivore's Dilemma) is also in the film. While I didn't get a chance to visit his farm, I recently was fortunate enough to eat some of his products (see next post).

Here's a preview of the film (not the official trailer):

shenandoah valley and national park highlights

I'm finally getting to recap my adventures from last week, when my boyfriend and I drove on down to Luray, Virginia for 5 days (well, really it was more like 3 plus travel days). It was a great trip, but I haven't had a second since I've been home to write about it. So, I'm going to sum it up in photos.

the park




Jewell Hollow Overlook


The valley below, a landscape altered by man (I try to imagine what the mountain would look like if the national park had not been established).


Cloudy day


Don't fall in!


Lewis Falls


Mountain laurel, one of the fragrant flowers pervading the mountain air (honeysuckles were rampant outside of the park, delicious!)


Volcano-like cloud


the wildlife


Three black bears on the roadside, a mama and two cubs


A lone black bear


One of two young bucks on Skyline Drive


Wild turkey, Skyline Drive


Ducks on the Luray Greenway, a nice little path running along the Hawksbill Creek.

We also saw 3 bald eagles, a couple of great blue heron, and many other birds on a kayaking trip (didn't want to tip the kayak and drown the camera).


the farms


We were surrounded by them. Seemingly idyllic pastoral Americana, but many were Cargill farms. (If you've read The Omnivore's Dilemma, you may have just shuddered).


This farm was literally in our backyard. Our little cottage at Piney Hill B&B was just steps from this fence. Unfortunately, we learned the hard way that my boyfriend is allergic to hay. Acchhoooo!


Hellooooo!



Oink oink (Virginians love their pork).


the food


Breakfast delivered to our doorstep every morning.


Joshua Wilton House in Harrisonburg, VA. One of the best meals we had on the trip. (The other was at Ivy Inn in Charlottesville)


They served Polyface Farms products, like this pork loin and the chicken in the background. If you're not familiar with farmer Joel Salatin, check out his books or website.


Ice cream! (without knowing the origin of the dairy, probably not the most sustainable dessert we could have had)

the storm


A big storm's a-brewin'


Take shelter, Dorothy!


"Safe" inside the cottage


Not just golf-ball-sized hail, a tornado less than a mile away


the caverns


Luray Caverns, much more interesting than I expected


Grand illusion


For scale, check out the people at bottom right of this pic


Drapery formations or as they called it in the audio tour, "bacon" (can't get away from the pork products)


Please don't fall on my head!

the history


One rainy day, we visited Monticello (took the house tour, but couldn't take photos inside).


We're finally coming around to rainwater harvesting after all this time.


Thomas Jefferson was quite the horticulturist. This is the restored garden and orchard.


A plantation tour gives the slaves' perspective.


TJ's laboratory


This bee seems right at home.

coming home


It was good to come home to a thriving indoor vegetable garden.


After all of the rich Southern food, I was more than ready for some fresh veggies. Thankfully, we got home just in time to visit the farmer's market to stock up on some delicious seasonal produce.