Awe-fully Ugly 12/09/2010
 Some things are so ugly, they're cute---like pugs and French bulldogs. The same can be said of Christmas ornaments. I'm not sure how the incongruity works, but somewhere between not-so-attractive and downright ugly, there's a loophole that allows pitiful Xmas ornaments to become a thing of beauty (well, almost). Consider this example, the lightbulb reindeer, photographed by my friend and indie artist, Jason Tinacci. His blog, Awe-Full Ornaments, is a tribute to the "ugly, tacky, funny, kitschy or otherwise, awe-full holiday ornament". Easy on the eye? Certainly not. But they win points for inventiveness, resourcefulness, and everyone's favorite category, "Made with Love". Check out Jason's blog for the best of the worst holiday ornaments. Love what you see? Then pick-up his book or some awe-full cards to send to your friends and family. Even learn how to submit your own ornament. Awe-full Ornaments by Jason Tinacci Photography Jason Tinacci Photography studio: 707.287.5397 jason@tinacciphoto.com 7" x 7" softcover book, $15.00 5" x 7" cards, $3.50 each or $28.00 for a pack of 10 (assorted) Thumbprint: I Image via Awe-full Ornaments Maine Attraction 12/02/2010
 Soda gets a bad rap, but sometimes a sweet bubbly drink just hits the spot---like when I'm biting into a slice of my favorite pizza or chowing down on a not-so-mini burrito. There's nothing like a little effervescence to cleanse the palate. I'm all for moderation, so while I don't worry about a swig (or two) of pop every now and then, I do want "the good stuff" when I reach for a drink. My recent crush hails from Portland, Maine, and is aptly named Maine Root, an organically sweetened soda that is goodness bottled. Maine Root is like micro-brewery meets soda pop. They're a small, specialty producer of fizzies sweetened with organic evaporated cane juice. And if you're into the technical details, this special sweetener is made by passing the whole sugar cane through a set of rollers and drying the extract into crystals without extra processing or additives. Sweet, huh? I think so. Bonus: The company delivers its local Portland orders in a VW vegetable-powered diesel. Maine Root T 512.517.3158 www.maineroot.com ~$6.79 for a 4-pack available at stores like Whole Foods, Wild Oats, and World Market In addition to root beer, Maine Root also produces these flavors: Ginger Brew, Sarsaparilla, Blueberry, Mandarin Orange, and Lemon Lime Thumbprint: B, C, G Kiss that Butterball Good-bye 11/18/2010
 If you've seen Food, Inc., you've got to feel a little bit sad for our feathered friends this time of year. So with Thanksgiving just a week away, I thought it fitting to say thanks to a small family run company that's been raising turkeys the right way since they were founded over 40 years ago---Sonoma's own Willie Bird Turkeys. As far as I can tell, these turkeys live the good life. Willie Bird has always been free range, so their turkeys roam free in the beautiful rolling hills of northern California. They're raised on organic grains and are certified by Oregon Tilth to be free of artificial pesticides and chemicals. These turkeys don't come cheap, but they are a good value. And your palate? It'll thank you (trust me). Guess you can kiss that frozen Butterball good-bye... Willie Bird Turkeys 5350 Highway 12 Santa Rosa, CA Tel 707.545.2832 Click here to order Thumbprint: B, O Logo via Willie Bird Turkeys Dog Business 11/04/2010
 I am fanatical about some things. Picking up after my dogs is one of them. Maybe that's because I lived in New York City and stepped in my fair share of dog piles in fancy heels, but it's also because I still hold common decency in high regard. Problem is, I find doggie bags just about everywhere---in coat pockets, tied to leashes, and stuffed into every car console (even those newly discovered ones). And while that means I'm never bagless, I think a little discretion is in order. Thankfully there are options. My favorite is the iPICK UP2 from 4U2ReUse. These doggie bag carriers are made from upcycled kite sails, so they come in bright, fun-loving colors that make a not-so-fun task just a little bit easier. They're hand-cut, sewn, and assembled in the U.S. (Los Angeles to be exact) and can boast fair trade and sweat shop free construction. iPICK UP2 Dog Bag Carrier $9.99 each Size: 4 x 5" Available at olivegreendog.com Thumbprint: F, G Image via olivegreendog.com What's your Credo? 10/28/2010
Some things just aren't any fun---like going to the dentist, cleaning up the dishes after a lasagna dinner, or changing your wireless service provider. But things must get done whether we like to do them or not and to ease the pain of switching cellular services, thankfully there's Credo Mobile. So why switch? With election day just around the corner, I feel even more strongly about spending my money with companies whose values resonate with my own. I realize that it takes a lot of time to do this research, but that's part of why I created A Worthy Splurge in the first place. And in researching my current provider, I learned that the company supported the very ideas and politicians I will not be voting for come November 2nd. Thanks to good old capitalism, we have competition in the marketplace. We have choices. And when it comes to mobile phone service, I'm making a change to Credo. Why? Because Credo is "not driven by the bottom line, but by a belief." They support progressive social change and donate funds every year (members decide where the donations go) to organizations that support civil rights, the environment, social justice, and peace---organizations that I would donate to anyway, like the ACLU, Greenpeace, and Doctors Without Borders. Bonus: You can keep your current phone number, plans cost the same as other major providers, and they'll buy out your contract. Credo Mobile T 800.411.0848 Thumbprint: C, G Sweet On You 10/14/2010
 Turns out, you can have your chocolate and eat it, too. Just when I thought chocolate couldn't get any better, Sweet Riot entered my life. Their chocolate covered cocoa nibs make me weak in the knees. And that first bite? It was intense. The purity and richness of the cacao is balanced by the slightly sweet and silky texture of the chocolate shell. They're like M&Ms for grown-ups (only so much better!). And in case you haven't heard, chocolate does the body good. Seriously! It's chock full of antioxidants, but also has the hard-to-come-by mineral, magnesium, as well as copper, iron, calcium, and phosphorus. Check out Sweet Riot's health facts to get the skinny on all of chocolate's benefits. But the thing I love most about these delectable confections is that they're made by a company that's beautiful on the inside and out. Their mission is noble, "To create a more just and celebrated multicultural world for our next generation." So they believe in fair trade, celebrate culture and diversity, and care about the environment, their partners, employees, and customers. Even their packaging supports their mission by featuring the work of emerging artists. Chocolate that's good, good for you, and good for the world? It doesn't get any better than this. Sweet Riot 670 Broadway, Suite 302 New York, NY 10012 212.431.RIOT (7468) Shop online or find products near you Thumbprint: C, F, G Good Moode 10/07/2010
 When it comes to art, I know what I like. Right away. So when I trekked up to LA a few weeks ago to check out the Los Angeles Printers' Fair at the International Printing Museum, I was immediately smitten with the work of Michelle C. Moode. A mixed-media artist, her work is "an exploration of the non-linear nature of memory." It's an interesting topic that's also kind of romantic, no? I love that each piece becomes an archive of Michelle's thoughts. Her work is clearly personal, yet inclusive with its soft colors and organic shapes. And the best part? Her work is affordable (at least for now anyway!). That means you can toss those old Rothko reprints and get some "real" art to adorn your walls---all while supporting an indie artist like Michelle. Check out her items for sale on Etsy and follow her blog---millionsofpeoplehappy.blogspot.com Michelle C. Moode Mixed Media Artist Los Angeles, CA Thumbprint: I Tulip and Smoke image above via millionsofpeoplehappy.blogspot.com One for the Record Books 09/22/2010
 When I was in third grade, I remember flipping through the Guinness Book of World Records with one of my best friends and wondering how we could get our names into that famed book. We certainly didn't have any abnormal physical traits or brute strength to work with---we were just your average nine-year-olds. And after calculating that we could never make the world's largest brownie in our families' standard-sized ovens, we gave up (rather quickly) on our momentary dream and went back to playing hop scotch. Fast forward twenty-something years and I think I've found a way to get us into that record book after all. For almost 26 years, the California Coastal Commission (CCC) has sponsored Coastal Cleanup Day. Last year, over 80,000 people came out to collect 1.3 million pounds of trash and recyclable materials from California's beaches, lakes, and rivers. That's A LOT of trash, right? The Guinness Book of World Records thought so, too, which is why they declared this event as "the largest garbage collection" (1993). Even if you've never dreamed of setting a world record, Coastal Cleanup Day will be quite an event. Learn how to volunteer at this year's affair on Saturday, September 25th (9 am - 12 noon). Already got plans? Then participate in nature walks, restoration efforts, and workshops near you on another day or help clean-up our beaches year round through the CCC's Adopt-a-Beach program. Be sure to check out Algalita Marine Research Foundation's video, Synthetic Sea, too. It'll make the decision to volunteer this Saturday that much easier. Coastal Cleanup Day, Saturday, September 25th, 2010 - Sponsored by the California Coastal Commission www.coastal.ca.gov Learn how to participate at this year's event on 9/25/10 Thumbprint: G Image via www.coastal.ca.gov That's Sketchy 09/16/2010
 I am not an artist, at least not in the traditional sense. I can't really draw or paint and as for my photography skills, I figure if you take enough pictures, eventually you'll find one that is A-okay. And yet, I'm totally intrigued by The Sketchbook Project. Heard of it? I'm quite sure it's one of those cool "what if" ideas turned reality. Anyone can participate (there's no level of skill required), so even "non-artists" like me can join in on the fun. What is required is $25, but in exchange, you get a Moleskine sketchbook which you must use in some way to convey your art. Now here's the totally rockin' part! You send it back to The Sketchbook Project and they slap on a bar code. Why? Because your book is going on tour---from Portland, ME to San Francisco, CA, your book will be out and about before reaching its final destination at The Brooklyn Art Library (where it will become part of the permanent collection). And once it's cataloged with the bar code, you can track your book, see where it is on tour, even how many times someone's looked at it. Amazing, right? My art? Not so much. At least not yet, but I'm working on it... The Sketchbook Project Sign-up date is October 31st. Book postmark date is January 15, 2011. Tour starts March 2011. Thumbprint: I Image via arthousecoop.com How Refreshing 09/13/2010
 What were you doing when you were 12 years old? I wasn't doing anything too noteworthy. Best I can recall, I spent most of my summer at the town pool chit-chatting with friends and reading Bop. Not that I didn't have fun. I just didn't have much of an agenda other than myself. On the other hand, there's my little cousin Chloe. She's a new breed of kid---the kind that already realizes the world needs saving and is willing to roll up her sleeves and do her part. At the same tender age that I was playing Truth or Dare and cutting out pictures of Fred Savage to tape inside my school locker, Chloe is cooking up homemade chutney, tending to her rooftop garden, and thinking up ways she can turn her green ideas into reality. She just entered the Pepsi Refresh Project with the hopes of obtaining funds so her Montessori school's shuttle bus can run on used restaurant veggie oil. Her goals are to:
Thumbprint: G | AuthorAnju is a thirty-something ex-New Yorker who will forever miss the city. Likes running enough to keep doing it. Considers herself a pizza aficionado. Sections
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