Orlando, watch out! I just got my new bike and I’m hitting the road. Well, I won't exactly be terrorizing the streets because my new ride is a cute purple 21-speed bicycle =)
I had been scouting Craigslist for a while in hopes of getting a second (or third or fourth) hand bike, but couldn’t find anything good, so I had to get a new one. I can’t wait to trick it out with a big basket so I can start doing my grocery shopping with it. Until now, I’ve been just carrying stuff in a backpack and in my hands… my old body can’t take it anymore! Especially in the hot Florida summer heat!
I loved riding a bike as a kid and always begged my parents to let me ride to school, but only got to do it a handful of times (overprotective parents!). But I rode around my neighborhood with my little brothers all the time and it helped to keep me healthier and happier. Did you know that the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation estimates that by the year 2015, 75% of Americans will be overweight or obese unless children and adults start getting more exercise on a regular basis?! What a scary statistic!
I’ve been meeting new people that live in my area, and turning them all into workout buddies. I love going out to eat with friends, but it’s even better if you start it right by going for a power walk first! This is something that my mom and I have been doing over the last few months, we will get up a little early and speed walk through the park before going out to my fav brunch spots – and boy do pancakes taste better after a good workout =) Hopefully, I can get my new friends to do the same with me! (Since my mom is in NJ and it would be hard for us to take walks together, except virtually over the phone!) Maybe we'll even walk or bike to our next brunch meetup! ;-)
It’s been over a week since OUC, our power company, wrongfully shut off our power while we were away for a week and a half. (It’s a long story that I won’t bore you with.) We returned on late Sunday afternoon to an incredibly hot and stinky house. I got it straightened out, but they would not be turning on our power until the next day. Luckily, I knew how to open the garage door so we were able to go get dinner and hung out at a bookstore for several hours, but we had to sleep in our humid house. Needless to say, we didn’t get much sleep that night and I felt bad for my husband because he had a crazy day ahead of him at work on Monday. (*Thank goodness we have headlamps in our hurricane stash!)
While it was irritating to have to deal the with the heat, the thing that really inflamed me was the fact that I had at least $200 worth of groceries in my refridgerator that had to be tossed. What a complete waste of food when there are people starving around the world! I didn’t mind having to clean the biohazard that was my kitchen (not that it was fun!), but it really broke my heart as I tossed my once beautiful wedges of cheese that were now moldy, perfectly packed steaks and shrimp, all the condiments that were still over 80% full, several cartons of OJ and soy milk that we always stock up on, and much more. Argh!
I can't wait until I buy a home so I can start living off the grid! E and I have always talked about how we plan to install solar panels (even back when we lived in NY where it's not nearly as sunny) and say sayonara to OUC and all the other power companies! In fact, since we now live in FL, we'll probably even generate enough power to sell back to them. Ha!
I got up at the crack of dawn this morning even though I was up at 1am last night writing my last blog entry. After all, I had a very important appointment that I didn’t want to be late for. It’s garage sale day and the early bird gets the good deals! K and I are both shopaholics that are also concerned about the environment, so this allows up to help recycle things to keep them out of landfills while also helping us to save money on the things we need (or just plain want!).
In the spirit of thrifty fun, I made healthy snackies to take on our adventure. We each for a whole wheat tortilla with organic peanut butter (the store was out of almond butter, drats!), raisins, and bananas. I also packed a few cereal bars and my own granola trail mix into a Winnie the Pooh lunchbox that I had found while unpacking earlier this week. K picked me up so that we could carpool, and she had mapped out a super efficient course that allowed us to hit about 10 garage sales, estate sales, and church rummage sales!
Some of my fave finds of the day include:
* banana tree for $1 – the market by me seems to only sell green bananas, so I always have to wait a few days before I can eat them. I like them with a few spots, so now I don’t have to wait as long!
* Colorado coffee table book for 50 cents – E has always wanted to live there (even though he’s never actually been there), but I know he’ll just love these gorgeous pictures.
* Spain guidebook for 50 cents – I’ve always wanted to visit Spain, so now I’ll be ready when the opportunity arises!
* brand new Paul Frank pjs for $1 – Even though this fits me, I got it for Georgeann because it’s sooo her, plus she’ll look so cute in it!
* new bag of the faux spider web stuff that you put up for Halloween for 50 cents. I’m hoping to have my home in shape for a party by Halloween! =)
* Canasta Caliente card game for 75 cents – I have no clue what this is, but the box explains that it’s “hot, hot gin rummy.” Dan loves all card games, so I picked it up for him. I love sending him care packages!
* adorable reindeer napkin rings for $2 – if I can get my house ready for a Halloween party, then I’ll also be ready for holiday parties too!
And there were so many other great deals, such as a 10 cent sewing hand book, brand new zippers for 25 cents, and wonderful Christmas crochet pattern books for 10 cents… can you tell I’m on a crafting kick?!
K had some amazing bargains too! I’d say her best find was a set of 10 funky glasses that looked almost new for only 25 cents each! Honestly, if she didn’t get it, I would have snatched them right up!
While I wouldn’t say that we absolutely *needed* everything we bought, but they’re all certainly useful – and if I find that I no longer need it anymore, I’ll sell them at my own garage sale! That’s right, K and I were so inspired by our green shopping adventure today, that we’ve decided to join forces and host our own in two months! You can bet you’ll be hearing all about the planning efforts soon! **Side note: we found out that surprisingly, Friday morning is the optimal time to go to garage sales! Turns out a lot of the good stuff was gone before we had a fighting chance at it! This is good to know for our future trips since we both have our own businesses and can decide when we want to take off for green shopping trips! ll in the name of recycling of course!
In my never-ending quest to learn how to save the world, I joined an environmental meetup group and met them for dinner tonight. It was such a great experience!
The people I met were true environmentalists that devote their lives making a difference in the environment by getting down and dirty in regular clean up activities as well as educating others on how to be green.
I learned about an Audubon Society project called Eagle Watch that I'm very interested in volunteering for. I've already emailed the coordinator and am bummed that I'll have to wait until Monday at the earliest to get more information. I guess everyone deserves their weekends!
I also met a man that's running for the Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District and got the scoop on the history and inner workings of eco-politics. It was my first true glimpse into the life of a politician working to pass eco-friendly initiatives against the powerful developers with deep pockets. Fascinating!
Needless to say, I enjoyed the discussions (I admittedly did more listening than talking, but I'm learning more!) and the venue was one that I will definitely revisit! We went to Dandelion Communitea Cafe which serves up healthy, organic food with organic libations (that range from loose teas to beer) all in a funky atmosphere that reminds me of my beloved East Village! I had the hearty chili with a curry cashew quinoa pilaf and my tummy was very happy!! I also enjoyed a berry elixir tonic--don't ask me what it was because I just know that it was yummy! If you're in the area, I highly recommend you stop by... they also have live music and lots of community events. You may even see me there with my new environment buddies!
I've been away for quite some time now... but I assure you that I've been very productive!
I spent almost a month this summer in China and Thailand to visit family, but I learned a lot about their green practices -- which I'll share in future blog posts.
I also started the mission:POSSIBLE! team for the Florida Relay For Life event in honor of my grandpa-in-law that recently passed away. Here's a link for more info or to donate: http://main.acsevents.org/goto/mission__possible
A lot of my time has been spent redesigning the website, and I hope that have that completed soon... so stay tuned!
In the meantime, check out this addictive word game that helps end hunger! http://www.freerice.com
Smiles, lily
I just heard from my mom that the Northeast has been hit by a heat wave and they’re now experiencing the same weather that I’ve got down here in Florida! Well, I can definitely empathize because last week, our central air unit broke down! Just imagine 3 whole days and nights of 90-100+ degree weather without any sort of air conditioning. Thank goodness for ceiling fans!
Did you know that a ceiling fan uses only a tenth of the energy used to power an AC but can make a room feel up to 10 degrees cooler? According to Florida Power and Light, ceiling fans throughout a home can reduce energy bills by up to 40%. Talk about a win-win situation! Going green and saving moolah!
You may say that 10 degrees does not seem like a lot, but let me assure you that E and I definitely felt the difference! We were lucky that our house came with ceiling fans in most of the rooms, but we never had them in our apartments in NYC. Luckily, no matter where you are, ceiling fans are fairly inexpensive to buy and pretty easy to install yourself!
A simple internet search will give you a ton of info, but here are two particularly useful links with tips on what to look for when buying a fan and how to install it:
Lowes - Tips and Instructions
This Old House - Instructions with better pictures
And while I’m sure no one is thinking about heating our homes in June (at least not in the U.S.), but we are all definitely conscious about rising energy costs, so keep in mind that a ceiling fan is also great investment for the winter months. Just reverse the direction of the fan, and it will push warm air downwards to the rest of the room!
I can't believe it's Friday already -- the week went by so fast! I guess that's what happens when you're having fun!
This week, I started going to our community gym so that I can get in shape for the summer (though seriously, it felt like summer here a long time ago!). We also have a great pool that I really want to jump into... except I can't seem to find my bathing suit. It's in one of the hundreds of unpacked boxes still sitting in my living room :( I also have to go get a kickboard since there's no lifeguard, and I only know how to swim as far as I can hold my breath -- not very far. Eugene suggested I get floaties, but they're for babies! Humph! But I digress...
In my ever-increasing effort to be green, I walked to the gym even though I had the car. It just like the good old days in the city... except it's a little harder to be a walker in Florida.
First off, the sidewalks just randomly end! And our streets are super narrow, I keep forgetting that they're two way streets, so I have to walk with the cars.
Secondly, and most importantly, it's FREAKING HOT! Like 95 degrees and 100% humidity HOT! I'm pretty careful when it comes to the sun, so I always put on sunscreen -- even if I'm not going out... I swear I've been getting tan just sitting indoors in my office by the window! So when I have to walk outside for more than 2 blocks, I now carry an umbrella. No, not one of those cute parasols, but one of those cheap $3 black umbrellas. Needless to say, I get a lot of funny looks when cars drive by.
This weekend, my goal is to find get a cute umbrella... maybe one from the Museum store that has a beautiful Impressionist painting on it. I've seen some Renoir ones and I just LOVE Renoir! (Note to self, must go visit the Met when I'm back in NY again.)
Regardless of how cute my umbrella is, I know I'm going to get lots stares as I'm walking out in the sun with it... it's already crazy enough that I'm walking in Florida, but to also have an umbrella open... that's just too much! Oddly enough, I'd totally fit right in if I did that in Taiwan! Maybe I'll start a new trend here in Florida! eh... probably not, but if you're reading this, you should join my movement and we'll all be less wrinkley in 20 years than those non-umbrella carriers!! =)
On this past trip back to NYC, I had a serious heart-to-heart with my good girlfriend, A. We talked about our goals and what makes us happy. I've thought about many times before, but discovered more about myself as by discussing it out loud with A.
If you talked to me a few years ago, I would have had a very different definition of happiness. It would not have included having kids or being my own boss. At the time, I was content with 'working for the man' and just enjoying life with E. Without kids, we could still go on our travel adventures, go out to eat every day without thinking about finances or babysitters, and have friends over for poker nights without dealing with bedtimes and such. It seemed like a great version of happiness.
Somehow, as I got older, I started to think about children more. I'm not sure if it was my biological clock ticking or the fact that I worked at Scholastic and was surrounded by mothers, expecting mothers, and tons of kids's stuff. Either way, the idea of having kids now seemed like it would be kinda fun.
Around the same time, a new and exciting entrepreneurial spirit started to grow inside of me. Yeah, it's nice to work for someone else and not have to worry about hiring, firing, accounting, etc. but there was something really intriguing about working on something was entirely your own. Something that you created and had complete control over.
In 2006, I started a handmade greeting card company and was up all hours of the night working on new designs, logos, a website... and it didn't feel like work at all. It was something that I was passionate about and enjoyed doing. At first, I made custom-designed cards for friends and family to celebrate their birthdays, new babies, weddings, promotions, etc. Then I started selling my cards in a small shop in the L.E.S.
Fast forward to the present, and I now live in Florida with E. My handmade greeting card business was put on hold when we were wedding planning and then moving, and now it has morphed into a new business. I loved making cards because I saw the delight and joy it brought to each recipient. I still love to make cards, so I am developing a line of designs that I can print so that more people can enjoy them. I have also expanded my product line to include a wider spectrum of wellness. It's great combination because my cards promote personal wellness, while my other products help people to achieve physical and environmental wellness!
Before I moved to Florida, I had thought about looking for a regular 9 to 5 job. Then, I thought about how I'd like to have kids in the near future and how I'd like to be able to stay home with them -- to watch them grow, to teach them, and of course to play with them! Spending 8 hours away from my kids each day to work in an office (plus commuting time!) was just not going to fly.
I'm now working hard to build my business, but I'm happy because it gives me the flexibility to still travel home to NY because I can work remotely and set my own hours. I also know that when I do have kids, I'll be able to be there for them. It will still be a juggling act to balance a business with kids, but at least it's doable. (I heard about a woman who I used to work with that had to quit her job because they would not allow flexible work hours for her to be with her children!)
In addition to flexibility, another huge plus for my business is that I'm helping to make the world a safer and healthier place for future generations. I know that I will be providing my family with a safe environment and take great pride in knowing that I'm helping others do the same.
Just got back from a nice long visit to my family and friends in NJ and NY, and what did I miss the most from Florida? Breakfast!
Now, I often talk about how much I miss the diverse restaurants in NYC, so I was couldn't wait to go back to my favorite yakitori joint, pizza parlor, korean tofu restaurant, and dim sum place... but after a week and a half of gorging myself with good eats, I craved the simple breakfast that I often make for myself when I'm at home.
What is this, you ask? It's a mixture of greek yogurt, dried fruits, flax seed, and cereal. I love it not only because it's a really yummy treat that's also super healthy and really filling, so I don't need a lot of it to be satisfied. Here's my little recipe:
Lily's Yogurt Jumble
3/4 cup plain non-fat yogurt (I use Fage 0%*)
1 tbsp ground flax seed
1.5 tbsp goji berries, raisins, and/or dried blueberries (I mix all 3 in)
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 tsp organic honey (optional, I usually don't use it)
2-3 tbsp Kashi GoLean Crunch or granola (I like Kashi bc it's high in fiber and has a little sweetness so I can skip the honey)
All you need to do is mix all the ingredients into a pretty bowl (I use a smallish one so that I have the illusion of a lot of food) and then dig in!
Also, for those of you on the run in the morning, you can also make this the night before and just store it in the fridge. I have class on Wednesdays from 9am - noon, so I'll jumble this all up in a little container and just grab it to go when I head out. It's almost better the next day because the flavors have melded together.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I do! =)
*If you love Fage too, then check out my friend Jessica's great tip on saving money at WholeFoods!
I found out last night that my mom's doggie, Cappuccino (a.k.a. Chino), died over the weekend. He was the friendliest, happy-go-lucky dog in the world! Whenever he saw us, his tail would wag so much, my mom would always joke that it was going to fly off!
I still remember the day my mom found him. He was just a little puppy at the time, and since I name all my pets after food, we decided he was a beautiful cappuccino color and that would be an appropriate name since my mom is also a caffeine-addict! (As he got older, his coat got lighter, but by then we had shortened his name to Chino because it was easier for my mom to say!)
Chino was only 7 years old and was perfectly healthy (though a bit pudgy). Then all of a sudden, about a month ago, he stopped eating, which is very unlike him! My mom took him to the vet and they gave him different medicines over the course of several weeks and finally determined (too late) that he was poisoned by toxic fertilizer! The vet said the fact that Chino stayed alive for so long was a miracle. We all believe that it's because my mom's other doggie, Nina, kept him company and strengthened his will to live, but it was a losing battle.
My mom gave Chino a proper burial and also went to pray for him at the temple near my old apartment. The monk told her that Chino was a good dog with a big heart, so he would reincarnate as a human in the next life. This helped my mom to feel better, and she told me last night that she was finally at peace. I wanted to be strong for her, but after we hung up, I cried.
My tears were both from sadness and anger. Our happy dog was stolen from our family by some idiot that used toxic fertilizer! This is one of the reasons why I started my business. Too many people unknowingly use toxic chemical cleaners and fertilizers for their homes, but there are safe and economical alternatives out there!
Corporate giants encourage you to use these chemical cleaners to mop your floors, spray baby’s high chair, and wipe your counters before kids put food on them. What they don’t realize is that these chemicals are toxic and can cause serious damage to developing children’s brain functions, headaches, respiratory problems, and more. How come people are not aware of this? Because companies are not required to list the chemicals that cause chronic toxicity, but only those that will blow up or are poisonous when swallowed.
Isn’t that scary? Kids and pets are most affected by these dangerous cleaners and chemicals because they tend to practically live on the floor and tend to put things in their mouths. If we all switched to safe, natural products and educated those around us, we could stomp out this problem.
I’ve done a lot of research on this topic, so if you need help, please let me know! I don't want anyone to have to go through what my family experienced with Chino!
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