Posts by: Beth
I spent last weekend soaking up the loveliness that is Napa Valley. We stayed in the charming town of Yountville and enjoyed it to the fullest.
Napa is gorgeous all year-round but the spring and fall months tend to be the busiest. If you’re in need of lots of some wine and relaxation I’d consider it for your next vacation. Here are some of my recommendations:
Explore One of my favorite things to do when traveling is aimlessly wander and see what I stumble upon. In Yountville its super easy to do just that. The town is small and walkable. I took a jog my first morning there to take in the beautiful hills and quaint shops. I happened upon parks, a greenhouse, and shops opening for the first wine tasting of the day (yes, at 8:30am!)
Where Does Our Food Come From, Really?
Do you ever grab a (reusable) cup of Starbucks and wonder about the lives of the farmers who harvested the coffee beans that make your caffeine fix possible? Have you ever taken a bite of a banana and pondered a typical Costa Rican banana farmers day to day work that allows Americans to enjoy this oh so versatile fruit?
It’s okay if the answer is no. In Kelsey Timmerman’s latest book Where Am I Eating: An Adventure Through the Global Food Economy he addresses these issues and more.
We talk a lot about organic food, the local food movement, avoiding GMOs and farm to table dining these days. I often feel optimistic that our country is making strides towards an environment in which we can identify where what’s on our plates came from. But the reality is America imports twice as much food now then it did ten years ago.
Kelsey Timmerman calls himself a curious person who began to wonder about where the food he ate to fuel his life came from.
The National Bike Challenge officially began May 1st. The challenge is essentially a nationwide effort to increase bicycle ridership through camaraderie and good-natured competition.
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia (BCGP) is organizing the initiative for Philly.
So how does the National Bike Challenge work?
Not only is today the first day of May we’re also just five days away from Cinco De Mayo. (And who says you can’t celebrate all week long with delicious Mexican fare and margaritas?!)
I enjoy Mexicali cuisine so much I sometimes wonder if my Italian/Irish blood doesn’t have just a bit of Mexican in it…
Anyway, if you’re looking for an easy, healthy Cinco de Mayo recipe this is for you. Yes it’s essentially a salad but the colorful, festive ingredients keep your taste buds interested without loading on a lot of fat via cheese and sour cream- like some typical Americanized Mexican dishes. (Though you’ll get a dose of good-for-you fat from the avocado.) The addition of tortilla chips adds a nice crunch and makes the “salad” feel a little more fun.
Click through for the recipe!
Today is Arbor Day, yo.
As Arbor Day is all about planting (and appreciating) trees Mayor Nutter will appropriately celebrate Arbor Day with TreePhilly at the tree planting and volunteer day held at Marian Anderson Recreation Center.
Ah, spring produce is finally here! I don’t know about you guys but I’ve had about all the apples, pears and winter citrus I can handle for a while. It’s time for some variety.
When it comes to the best of spring produce here’s what to choose, how to pick the best of the best and a few seasonal recipes to boot:
So when you think of Houston, Texas the image of an environmentally city may not be what you envision. And, well you’d be correct. It’s true Houston is well known for big hair, big houses and big oil; Plus in my experience residents don’t walk anywhere (one exception may be across the popular Galleria mall) and recycling bins in public areas are somewhat scarce.
But enough Houston criticizing – for today 
While visiting the city recently I found a restaurant gem I had to share. Haven restaurant is all about seasonal fare and inventive dishes. The atmosphere is polished yet earthy and formal enough for a special occasion but not too stuffy for a slightly boozy brunch. Plus, it’s a green certified restaurant.
Haven’s produce, herbs, and honey are grown and harvested from their organic garden located on the property.
Philadelphia is participating in walk to work day! Get your legs moving, feel healthy and perhaps score some free stuff too.
We understand it may not be plausible to walk your entire commute. If you’re a road warrior commuting from the city to NJ and Philadelphia suburbs or vice versa – 95 and 76 aren’t exactly stroll-friendly. Don’t despair – you just need to walk 15 minutes of your commute to receive 25% off of 5K Run for Clean Air registration and 10% off loaves of bread at Metropolitan bakery, along with other great deals.
You’ll just need your…
Gasland Part II will make its World Premier at the famous Tribeca Film Festival in NYC on April 21st.
The much-anticipated sequel to the ground-breaking and controversial Gasland will likely frame more heated debates from both fracking supporters and adversaries.
Pennsylvania was and is among the states where fracking is a major concern. Gasland and Gasland Part II filmaker Josh Fox has said that 60-65% of PA land is being turned over to gas companies for exploration and drilling.
Truth: I always thought that the concept of a juice cleanse was a bit of a gimmick and I wanted no part. My thinking was what’s 3 or 5 days of juice going to do for me? I try to focus on long-term, big picture health and eschew trends and fad diets.
Plus, I love to eat… I really, really love food and the ritual of meals. I’m the type of person who begins thinking about lunch promptly after finishing breakfast. Spend upwards of $150-200 only to feel hungry and deprived? No chewing? Blah, I can’t drink ALL my meals. Nope, no thank you.
Though I’ve been on the fresh juice bandwagon for some time my habit was to incorporate them into my diet in moderation I spent a good amount of time in New York and the abundance of juice bars quickly turned me on to a healthy habit. And when time allows I make juice at home.
But here’s where I started to realize I might want to take a cleanse for a test spin… Besides being an environmental blogger I also work as a Sports Performance trainer. Over the past few months more & more clients began to inquire about the pros and cons of a juice cleanse. My instinct was to tell them to avoid extremes and focus on healthy eating and exercise! But, I realized I couldn’t provide a fully formed opinion without trying one myself.
So I decided to try the 3-day Suja juice cleanse. There are a lot of juice options out there these days but Suja appealed to me for a few reasons.
Read on for the deets!
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