Quote Sundays

The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn but to unlearn.

-Gloria Steinem

Satunesday

"The Argument"
Sadiiya Rock

Sadiiya's newest single, Flatline, just dropped. Flatline has really smart lyrics and a hook that has been stuck in my head all day. Check her out on myspace! And if you love it as much as I do- please, buy her song on iTunes!

And as always, let me know what you think!

Flatline - Single Sadiiya Rock Release Date: Sep 14, 2008 Genre: Pop 2008 Urban Melodic Entertainment

Let's Say Thanks

This great idea was email forwarded to me by JD.

Around the holidays we get so caught up in gifts and food that we forget what really matters; family and friends. So today, thank our troops currently serving in Iraq. Head to this website, pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print the card and send it to a soldier for you!

It is FREE and it only takes a second.

Whether you are for or against the war, our soldiers need to know we are behind them.

Thanks for taking to time to support our military!

Happy Thanksgiving from Sarah Palin!

San Franscisco

San Francisco just became the coolest city in America.

With the help of Better Place, the Bay Area is making plans to be the first American hub for electric cars.

Better Place will construct parking meter sized battery-recharging stations in the Bay Area starting in 2010. They are already building networks for electric cars in Israel, Denmark and Australia.

The stations are critical because existing electric-car batteries go only about 40 miles on a single charge. Better Place also is promoting the idea of removable car batteries that could be swapped for charged ones at centers akin to service stations, sending drivers on their way without waiting to recharge.

The idea is that by creating an electric car infrastructure first, then automakers will be more inclined to produce the tens of millions of electric cars needed to make a significant dent in greenhouse gas emissions and the nation’s dependence on foreign oil.

California does it again.

2nd Ave Subway

They say its coming. They say there will be a stop right next to my apartment. They are even advertising it now:


The Second Avenue Subway project will run along Second Avenue from 125th Street to the Financial District. The MTA website even has a construction timeline page set up, but construction has yet to commence, so I am still skeptical. But wouldn't that be amazing!!!

Oh well, it's not like I'll live here in 2015 anyway...

Tom's does it.... again and again

You first read TOMS Shoes amazing story here.....

This holiday season, I'm helping TOMS give 30,000 pairs of shoes to children in need in Ethiopia. Please click here and join TOMS with me!

30,000 children will have you to thank.

Happy Holidays!

Quote Sundays

"Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe"

-Oprah Winfrey

Satunesday

"Another Way to Die"
Jack White and Alicia Keys

I'm a HUGE Jack White fan. And when I heard he was doing the new Bond theme song for Quantum of Solace, I couldn't WAIT. Written and produced by Jack White, this collaboration with Alicia Keys provides a great background to the opening scene of the thriller that opened in theaters 11/14. Check it.

Bush's Environmental Legacy

The elections are over and we are finally going to be rid of the WORST environmental president in history. The Bush administration is credited for its opposition to the Kyoto protocol, dragging its feet over the whole issue of climate change, it's connection to the oil industry and moreover, the continued lack of support for the Environmental Protection Agency.

But, there is still a chance for Mr. Bush to redeem that legacy with one last, big environmental project: creating a vast, new marine nature reserve in the Pacific, an area larger than Alaska and Texas combined.

This means no extractive or destructive activity allowed -- no fishing, drilling, mining or dumping. Work on the project will continue right until the end of his administration.

To his credit, Mr. Bush did establish the world’s largest marine protected area, Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, in Hawaii. The monument is the largest single conservation area in American history, home to some 7,000 species, including the monk seal, spinner dolphins and the green sea turtle.

It was a big step, but now the question is whether he can pull off the same trick on an even grander scale, by fully protecting two vast areas of the Pacific Ocean from fishing and mineral exploitation.

Free Pizza

A blog post for all my celiac friends, (ok, so I don't have any...) but for those who like to go gluten-free every once and a while... I welcome Opus to the Italian scene.

This new UES joint serves delicious Italian food but better yet-- offers gluten-free versions of nearly everything on its menu, including pizzas till 5 a.m.!!! Look for dairy-free pizzas and house-made soy and rice milk gelati for lactose-intolerant patrons to come.

But the best news is: starting this weekend, Opus will be offering free slices every day through the holidays with the purchase of a drink at the bar. Please note the deal is only available between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.- the early bird gets the worm!

Opus, 1574 Second Avenue, between 81st and 82nd Streets (212-772-2220)

It's time for a (climate) Change

Former Vice President Al Gore wrote an editorial to the NYT last Sunday about what he knows best, the global climate. I'd like to share his plan with you, because I think it is important to be aware of the steps needed to make this planet a better one.

He suggested a 5 part plan to repower America.

1. Alternative Energy: the new president and the new Congress should offer incentives for the construction of solar thermal plants in the Southwestern deserts, wind farms in the corridor stretching from Texas to the Dakotas and advanced plants in geothermal hot spots.

2. Energy Transportation: construct a national grid for the transport of renewable electricity from the rural places where it is mostly generated to the cities where it is mostly used. New high-voltage, low-loss underground lines can be designed with “smart” features that provide consumers with sophisticated information and easy-to-use tools for conserving electricity, eliminating inefficiency and reducing their energy bills.

3. Electric Cars: we should help America’s automobile industry (not only the Big Three but the innovative new start up companies as well) to convert quickly to plug-in hybrids that can run on electricity.

4. Construction: Require the use of better insulation and energy-efficient windows and lighting in new construction. Approximately 40 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States come from buildings — and stopping that pollution saves money for homeowners and businesses.

5. CO2 Cuts: cap global carbon dioxide emissions and encourage nations to invest together in efficient ways to reduce global warming pollution quickly, including by sharply reducing deforestation.

Oprahs Keys to Healthier Skin

The older I get the more important I realize it is to take care of your skin. I've spent hours upon hours baking in the sun and am scared of what my skin will look like when I am in my 30's, 40's, etc. But, the good news is that we can repair and heal the damage that is already done. Here are a few easy steps to taking care of yourself.

Prevent wrinkles (or if you are part of the beautiful, older set... reduce the laugh lines you might already have)

• Choose creams with Vitamin A, C and E.
• Put Niacin cream under and around your eyes
  
• Exfoliate
• Licorice Extract (acts as a skin brightener) You can add it to your cream.
  

Cleanse your skin every night with a gentle cleanser. Look for the USDA Organic seal. Clarks makes a nice one.

Moisturize after you cleanse.

Hydrate by drinking lots of H2O.

And finally- our skin is THICK. Don't forget that if you stop doing damage to your skin today, then you can shed the years of sun spots damage from the past and regrow new, healthy and glowing skin.

Check out organic, safe products here.

Why I'm Single

New Blog Alert!! Why I'm Single...

It is my pleasure to welcome new blogger, Cheese, and her blog, "Why I'm Single" (please, hold your applause.) Her blog regales stories associated with being young, single and looking to mingle in this crazy city we call home. Her stories may not be unique to Manhattan... but they always bring me to tears and I know will do the same for you!

Check her out!

And, you can always find my favorite bloggers at the link on the left of the page!

Keith

Quote Sundays

"I believe life is a series of near misses. A lot of what we
ascribe to luck is not luck at all. It's seizing the day and
accepting responsibility for your future. It's seeing what
other people don't see And pursuing that vision."

— Howard Schultz: CEO of Starbucks

Satunesday

'Can't Go Back Now' by The Weepies
Can't Go Back Now
The Weepies

A friend of mine from work just wrapped this video and passed it along. I love the melancholy quality of this song and never want it to end.

Celery

Eating right can be hard around the holidays. So, when you are tempted to make that famous leftover Thanksgiving sandwich, instead reach for some celery.

Celery contains phthalides, which some studies have shown reduce stress and work to relax the muscle walls in arteries, increasing blood flow. As a result, it has long been used in Chinese medicine to help control high blood pressure. Celery is an excellent source of vitamins K, B6 and C, and a very good source of potassium, folate, molybdenum, manganese and fiber.

In fact, because of the fiber in celery, it is valuable in weight-loss diets. But don't be fooled, in a recent episode of Food Detectives, they proved that celery does not have "negative calories." Instead, the amount of calories burned digesting it burns the calories taken in, so it's like a free, nutritious snack!

Flying Pig?

Think Holland would have the highest use of Cannabis in Europe?

Well, according to a recent article in the Economist, (via a report on drug use from the EU's drug-monitoring arm) levels of cannabis use all over Europe remain high by historical standards.

Around a quarter of all Europeans aged between 15 and 64, or some 72 million people, have tried mary jane. And no, the Dutch are not the heaviest J smokers in Europe, despite their lenient laws; it's the Danes!


**The highest levels of usage are reported among people between the ages of 15 and 24.

The Green Apple

When NYC Mayor, Michael Bloomberg announced his plans to make New York City “the first environmentally sustainable 21st-century city,” he offered a whopping 127 ideas.

They included congestion pricing, more parks, tax on plastic bags, windmills to produce energy and a promise to plant one million trees in the next 10 years. But, with the recent acts by the New York State Legislature, greening the apple is not so easy.

First, his forward-thinking plan for congestion pricing was thwarted. More recently, a federal judge blocked Mr. Bloomberg’s proposal to replace the almost 15,000 gas-guzzling taxis with cleaner hybrid cabs by 2012.

Fortunately, Bloombergs' proposal to charge 6 cents for each plastic bag sold in the city would not need state approval. There may be some opposition in the City Council, but this would not only generate up to $16 million per year, but, set an example for cities across America AND help protect the the city’s environment, (since these dreadful little conveniences can last for hundreds of years, kill wildlife, clog landfills and spread litter across the urban landscape.)

But, some say these green proposals come at a bad time, when many New Yorkers are struggling to pay for basic necessities, myself included.

New York’s minor controversy illustrates a larger dilemma: whether environmental objectives will be cast aside, or whether they should be put on the back burner, due to the global economic crisis.

In October, an Associated Press article discussed whether the “focus on stabilizing the economy” would thwart efforts to pass environmental laws, such as caps on greenhouse gases. “At the very least, it will push back when the reductions would have to start,” the article said.

But others say, and I agree, some environmental good can come from this downturn. Michael T. Klare writes that the poor economy will result in less driving, flying and energy use in general, thus lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Global oil demand is already down from 2007.

Let's hope that this is true and continue to consider the environment in everything we do.

Sweet Dance Moves

Van Gogh by Night

"It often seems to me that the night is much more alive and richly colored than the day."

- Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890)




Dont miss van Gogh and the Colors of the Night exhibit at the MOMA.

The show brings together paintings from all periods of van Gogh's career. They depict the world by starlight and in shadow, shown in some of his most famous works- Sunflowers, The Sower and Starry Night, a dozens more.

Pop Rally is a group that organizes events for young people to explore the museum after-hours. Sign up now and be sure not to miss the MOMA's exclusive parties!

Quote Sundays

"Death Ends a Life, Not a Relationship."

- Morrie Schwartz

Satunesday

Telograph
"DNA"

I've known lead singer Andy Boliek (Boner) since high school but have only recently fell in love with his 90's Brit rock inspired band, Telograph.

I hope you can come out and support him perform LIVE at The Annex TONIGHT at 10pm.

Proposition 8

While we were all celebrating the dawn of a new America with the election of Barack Obama, rainbow flags everywhere are flying at half mast.

On Tuesday, California voters overturned same-sex marriage rights. Proposition 8, which establishes marriage as a union between a man and a woman ONLY, passed with 52.1% of the vote, against 47.9% opposed. California was the second state in the US to legalize gay marriage and I am afraid that this vote could stand to impact how the issue plays out elsewhere in the nation.

Proposition 8 marks the first time a vote to ban gay marriage has taken place in a state where such unions are already legal. The status of the current unions could be thrown into doubt should the measure pass.

A ban on gay marriage was approved in Arizona and a similar measure passed in Florida. Meanwhile in Arkansas, voters approved a measure banning unmarried couples from serving as adoptive or foster parents. Supporters made clear their main target was gays and lesbians.

What can we do? We can continue to support our gay friends and family in life, love and their marriages. We can encourage others to remain positive and look towards the future. We can hope that the same rights bestowed upon hetero couples are not reserved for heteros only. The choice of Obama for our President Elect is a promising step towards a changing values system where all people are created equal.

Check out the map of CA here.

Happy Birthday!!!

Crumbs... more free stuff

Crumbs will give away 1,000 free cupcakes (one per person) at three new stores beginning at 8 a.m. on Friday, November 7.

The stores are: 501 Madison Avenue (corner of 52nd Street)
1418 Lexington Avenue (corner of 93rd Street)
124 University Place (between 13th and 14th Streets)

Yum!

Congratulations!

November 1st, 2008
Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Miller

YES WE DID!

"A new day is dawning in America. Times Square was amazing last night. People literally dancing in the street 'til 2 in the morning. A cacophony of sound, cheers-horns-sirens etc. rising to the roof on the Marriott Marquee where my camera was positioned. I feel a renewed excitement for the future of my country. History."

- Gary Jelaso, Cameraman in Times Square Last night

I voted!

It only took 45 minutes... how long did it take you?

Ben and Jerry's

Did you vote?

Come to participating scoop shops on November 4th from 5-8pm, show them you voted and you'll get a free scoop of ice cream.

Election Day answers

Ever wonder why Election day falls on the first Tuesday after the first Monday? Well, I did...

Found on the web site of the Federal Election Commission

". . . For much of our history, America was a predominantly agrarian society. Law makers therefore took into account that November was perhaps the most convenient month for farmers and rural workers to be able to travel to the polls. The fall harvest was over, (remember that spring was planting time and summer was taken up with working the fields and tending the crops) but in the majority of the nation the weather was still mild enough to permit travel over unimproved roads.

Why Tuesday? Since most residents of rural America had to travel a significant distance to the county seat in order to vote, Monday was not considered reasonable since many people would need to begin travel on Sunday. This would, of course, have conflicted with Church services and Sunday worship.

Why the first Tuesday after the first Monday? Lawmakers wanted to prevent election day from falling on the first of November for two reasons. First, November 1st is All Saints Day, a Holy Day of Obligation for Roman Catholics. Second, most merchants were in the habit of doing their books from the preceding month on the 1st. Apparently, Congress was worried that the economic success or failure of the previous month might prove an undue influence on the vote!"

Quote Sundays

America is not just a power; it's a promise. It is not enough for our country to be extraordinary in might; it must be exemplary in meaning.

-Nelson Rockefeller, 41st U.S. Vice President

Satunesday

Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile
Live

When double bassist Edgar Meyer started playing professionally, mandolinist Chris Thile was four years old.

Bobo and I had the amazing opportunity to see these two perform Thursday night at Carnegie Hall. Their chemistry and respect for each other helped the music fit together like a jig saw puzzle. Thile has even gone far enough to call Meyer his hero. Their sound is a classical, jazz, folk, and bluegrass mix; toe tapping and foot stompin'.

"Edgar is one of the biggest influences on my musical life, and now I'm in a duo with him and writing songs with him," Thile said recently. "This was my dream. I always wondered what it would be like to be playing music this hard."

Meyer notes, however, that such comments are a little misleading.

"I learn a lot from him, and honestly a lot of the time I wish that I could do the things that he can do," Meyer says. "He's a very remarkable musician. I think the one thing is that because he grew up very aware of a lot of the music that I was involved in, we had a lot of common ground, and are able to get places faster sometimes without having to talk about it."

Both hearing and seeing the virtuosic duo's quick repartee was an amazing experience. Check them out on Myspace.