Summer. Summer. Summer summer summer! Even though the weather this weekend was less than stellar, the vibes are still present. The city is VERDANT and cutoffs (high-waisted, bien sur!) are in full effect.
Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to fully embrace the season by making this deliciously chilly frozen ginger lemonade.
(In order to hydrate a larger crowd, I have been doubling the amount of water and ginger, and using three cups of lemon juice instead of two, and it still packs a serious punch. I would encourage folks to mess with the proportions a bit. It also goes great with a splash or two--or seven--of vodka!)
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Summer Beauty Booty
Now that summer solstice has occurred and mid-atlantic temperatures are creeping up to the 90+ degree range, I thought I would make a sister-post to 2007's winter beauty suggestions.
I had hoped that by now I'd be making all my own beauty products, but it probably won't happen until I win the lottery and buy a farm and grow all my own food and ingredients, so for now I do my best to read labels and avoid certain chemicals in manufactured products, all while trying not to donate my whole paycheck to Whole Foods. There's possibly nothing the U.S. hates more than regulating its industries, so until someone in a position of power admits that it isn't okay that babies in this country are born with 200 different chemicals present in their umbilical cords, we'll be on our own in terms of eschewing stuff that doesn't belong in our bodies. (Recent Washington Post article about this very topic.) So for now, if I need to buy a product that I'm going to use on my skin, I do my best to avoid long lists of ingredients, and especially those containing things like aluminum, parabens, and sodium laureth sulfate.
First things first:
Earth Science Liken Plant deodorant
Having been raised by health hippies (our household medical book contained drawings of naked people that you were supposed to color in according to your aura, as well as instructions on how to give your friend a pelvic exam), I did not really appreciate the value of deodorant for a long time, and I still think it's silly for people to obsess over body odor. However, since sweat glands are working over time in summer, it may be necessary to put a thin layer of something on your armpits once or twice a day. I personally have tested every single "natural" deodorant on the market, and this liken plant stuff is by far the best for my particular chemistry. The ingredients list is short and contains none of the offenders that I usually look for, plus the unscented version is truly unscented and, as long as you tread lightly, it won't leave a major white residue on your pits (though care when pulling on dark clothes is advised). Plus, the packaging is surprisingly sleek for deodorant, if you care about such things.
Next up...
Nature's Gate Sundercover sunscreen, SPF 30
Sunscreen is one of those products that I smugly balked at for years as totally unecessary, especially as a daily application. I underinformedly agreed with my father when he declared that sunscreen "causes cancer." Now, there is probably some truth to this statement, with parabens (common in skin products) having been linked to breast cancer and good old fashioned sunshine (in the form of vitamin D) serving as a protector against certain cancers. However, skin cancer remains the most common form of cancer in the U.S., and of course excess sun causes spots and wrinkles galore. For an upcoming trip to the beach I searched high and low to find a paraben-free sunscreen and Nature's Gate Sundercover provided it. It does contain a sunscreen called Parasol-1789, which makes me think I might be better off just using an actual parasol like people did in 1789, but for beach and pool excursions this summer, its going to have to do. Plus its consistency is light and non-goopy, and the slim, lightweight tube travels well.
Jojoba Oil
I'm not sure why the Aztecs tried to keep it a secret, but I'm glad the word got out...jobjoba oil (pronounced "ho-ho-bah") apparently has a chemical structure that is very similar to that of your skin's natural oils and even though it seems crazy to apply oil to breakout-prone skin, this stuff really does work! It has a nice feel and smell and, if applied sparingly, seems to help clear up problems and impart a healthy-looking glow. According to the ancient Aztecs who bottled it, it will also make your hair manageable and luxurious. Especially if you spend a lot of time getting dried up indoors by air conditioning, a daily dab of jojoba may be just what the medicine man ordered. (Yes, I have fake plastic ivy in my bathroom.)
Jason Sea Fresh Tooth Gel
Pearly whites look good all year round, plus the name makes me think of salty summer breezes. When I visited the dentist after using Jason Sea Fresh gel for a year or so, he told me that I had no plaque on my teeth. My dentist's office may double as a jewelry store on the weekends, but I see no reason not to believe him. Be warned that this tooth gel, which contains sea algae, is a little pricey and not to be confused with Jason Sea Fresh toothpaste, which is cheaper but doesn't seem to work nearly as well. Unlike most commercial dental hygiene products, this one doesn't contain sodium laureth sulfate and has a pleasant, not sugary-sweet, taste. And p.s., your teeth will really feel clean after brushing with it!
Last, but certainly not least...
The Neti Pot! The power of nasal irrigation is not to be underestimated as part of one's daily beauty routine! It helps prevent nasty winter colds but is just as useful for summer--the neti pot helps rinse out all the gritty city stuff you breathe in every day and moisturizes your over-air-conditioned sinuses. My advice: Use a non-heaping 1/4 teaspoon of neti pot salt (sold separately), mix extremely well in 1 cup of lukewarm water, lean over the sink at a 45 degree angle, then tilt left or right depending of which side you're doing. I know this one has nothing to do avoiding topical chemcial applications to the body, but it may help keep some environmental chemicals out. In any case, its positive effects cannot be overstated to anyone who suffers sinus problems year-round.
Happy summer, everybody!
I had hoped that by now I'd be making all my own beauty products, but it probably won't happen until I win the lottery and buy a farm and grow all my own food and ingredients, so for now I do my best to read labels and avoid certain chemicals in manufactured products, all while trying not to donate my whole paycheck to Whole Foods. There's possibly nothing the U.S. hates more than regulating its industries, so until someone in a position of power admits that it isn't okay that babies in this country are born with 200 different chemicals present in their umbilical cords, we'll be on our own in terms of eschewing stuff that doesn't belong in our bodies. (Recent Washington Post article about this very topic.) So for now, if I need to buy a product that I'm going to use on my skin, I do my best to avoid long lists of ingredients, and especially those containing things like aluminum, parabens, and sodium laureth sulfate.
First things first:
Earth Science Liken Plant deodorant
Having been raised by health hippies (our household medical book contained drawings of naked people that you were supposed to color in according to your aura, as well as instructions on how to give your friend a pelvic exam), I did not really appreciate the value of deodorant for a long time, and I still think it's silly for people to obsess over body odor. However, since sweat glands are working over time in summer, it may be necessary to put a thin layer of something on your armpits once or twice a day. I personally have tested every single "natural" deodorant on the market, and this liken plant stuff is by far the best for my particular chemistry. The ingredients list is short and contains none of the offenders that I usually look for, plus the unscented version is truly unscented and, as long as you tread lightly, it won't leave a major white residue on your pits (though care when pulling on dark clothes is advised). Plus, the packaging is surprisingly sleek for deodorant, if you care about such things.
Next up...
Nature's Gate Sundercover sunscreen, SPF 30
Sunscreen is one of those products that I smugly balked at for years as totally unecessary, especially as a daily application. I underinformedly agreed with my father when he declared that sunscreen "causes cancer." Now, there is probably some truth to this statement, with parabens (common in skin products) having been linked to breast cancer and good old fashioned sunshine (in the form of vitamin D) serving as a protector against certain cancers. However, skin cancer remains the most common form of cancer in the U.S., and of course excess sun causes spots and wrinkles galore. For an upcoming trip to the beach I searched high and low to find a paraben-free sunscreen and Nature's Gate Sundercover provided it. It does contain a sunscreen called Parasol-1789, which makes me think I might be better off just using an actual parasol like people did in 1789, but for beach and pool excursions this summer, its going to have to do. Plus its consistency is light and non-goopy, and the slim, lightweight tube travels well.
Jojoba Oil
I'm not sure why the Aztecs tried to keep it a secret, but I'm glad the word got out...jobjoba oil (pronounced "ho-ho-bah") apparently has a chemical structure that is very similar to that of your skin's natural oils and even though it seems crazy to apply oil to breakout-prone skin, this stuff really does work! It has a nice feel and smell and, if applied sparingly, seems to help clear up problems and impart a healthy-looking glow. According to the ancient Aztecs who bottled it, it will also make your hair manageable and luxurious. Especially if you spend a lot of time getting dried up indoors by air conditioning, a daily dab of jojoba may be just what the medicine man ordered. (Yes, I have fake plastic ivy in my bathroom.)
Jason Sea Fresh Tooth Gel
Pearly whites look good all year round, plus the name makes me think of salty summer breezes. When I visited the dentist after using Jason Sea Fresh gel for a year or so, he told me that I had no plaque on my teeth. My dentist's office may double as a jewelry store on the weekends, but I see no reason not to believe him. Be warned that this tooth gel, which contains sea algae, is a little pricey and not to be confused with Jason Sea Fresh toothpaste, which is cheaper but doesn't seem to work nearly as well. Unlike most commercial dental hygiene products, this one doesn't contain sodium laureth sulfate and has a pleasant, not sugary-sweet, taste. And p.s., your teeth will really feel clean after brushing with it!
Last, but certainly not least...
The Neti Pot! The power of nasal irrigation is not to be underestimated as part of one's daily beauty routine! It helps prevent nasty winter colds but is just as useful for summer--the neti pot helps rinse out all the gritty city stuff you breathe in every day and moisturizes your over-air-conditioned sinuses. My advice: Use a non-heaping 1/4 teaspoon of neti pot salt (sold separately), mix extremely well in 1 cup of lukewarm water, lean over the sink at a 45 degree angle, then tilt left or right depending of which side you're doing. I know this one has nothing to do avoiding topical chemcial applications to the body, but it may help keep some environmental chemicals out. In any case, its positive effects cannot be overstated to anyone who suffers sinus problems year-round.
Happy summer, everybody!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Bagels for the soul
Oh, the places you’ll go this week! (With our guidance, that is.)
You’ll probably stumble into work hungover—or at least tired from staying up and watching Weeds--on Monday, June 16, so don’t worry about going all-out tonight. It’s totally understandable if all you can muster up the energy to do is e-mail Design Within Reach in Adams Morgan and RSVP for Eames movie night, because Monday is your last opportunity to do so.
Is this you?
Tuesday, June 17 is the first day of Silverdocs, and boy, are these folks not fucking around! We are the most stoked for Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell--“a visionary tone poem that’s as much a celebration as an elegy for avant-garde cellist and dance music producer Arthur Russell.” (When my boyfriend was like, “You’ll really like this guy Arthur Russell,” I was like, “He sounds like a math teacher. Next!” But don’t be fooled. His music is the gentlest of mindfucks. But perhaps you’re in the mood for something a little more … I don’t know … vintage?! You could go to the free screening of parts one through four of An American Family, a 1973 PBS verite-style miniseries about the Loud family. We get to witness the Louds divorcing and their son coming out—both of which were like a huge deal in the seventies. I’d like to tune in for the fashions! (Nb, this screening starts at 9 AM!)
Arthur Russell.
The Louds.
If none of this stuff has you sufficiently fucked up, the F Yeah Tour promises to do so. Baltimore bangerman Dan Deacon is headlining; a bunch of other crazies are playing. Art provided by the kick-ass Philly studio/gallery collective Space 1026. This will all go down at the Black Cat on Wednesday June 18th. Abandon all hope ye who enter here.
Dan Deacon.
On Thursday, June 19, all of your hard work from Monday will pay off—it’s Eames movie night! Show up at Design Within Reach at 7 PM for popcorn, beer, and “a screening of seven films, ranging from one to 30 minutes in length, [covering] topics from toy tops to the world of Franklin and Jefferson, from simple sea creatures to the explanation of advanced mathematical and scientific concepts.” Should we even try to fathom how stuff like this translates cinematically? Let’s just go and find out.
Ray and Charles Eames.
Friday, June 20th! Your hellish/joyful week has come to an end. Hit up the $8 Lunar Lotus yoga class at Studio Serenity before heading out to the Hirschhorn After Hours party—it’s the last one of 2008. Catch DJ People’s Champion before he bounces to Berlin and Maxi Geil! and Playcolt before they combust with cuteness.
The Hirshhorn is right here.
You might have to do some driving on Saturday, June 21st, because the second annual Pile of Craft show goes down in Baltimore! “Forty+ crafty vendors,” folks!
This little guy is by Imogene, a Pile of Craft vendor. Kawaiiiiiiiiii anyone?
Sunday Sunday Sunday, June 22nd is something that I am really looking forward to: the 2008 Northern Virginia Antiques and Modernism Show and Sale!!! “This year's show will feature at least 150 exhibitors from 15 states, with more vintage clothing dealers and a larger section of Art Deco and Mid-Century Modern dealers.” UM!!! SOUNDS AWESOME!!!
One more little thingy: Chance Encounters: Photographs from the Collection of Norman Carr and Carolyn Kinder Carr ends today. The Carrs' "exceptional holdings provide a rich overview of the genre of street photography, from its origins in the early years of the 20th century to its apotheosis in the 1970s.” Street photography! A fashion blogger’s bread and butter. Pay homage to the legit heavy hitters on whose shoulders we stand, like Diane Arbus, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Garry Winogrand, and Weegee. PS: The Carrs are local. Good looking out, guys!
New York City by Lee Friedlander.
You’ll probably stumble into work hungover—or at least tired from staying up and watching Weeds--on Monday, June 16, so don’t worry about going all-out tonight. It’s totally understandable if all you can muster up the energy to do is e-mail Design Within Reach in Adams Morgan and RSVP for Eames movie night, because Monday is your last opportunity to do so.
Is this you?
Tuesday, June 17 is the first day of Silverdocs, and boy, are these folks not fucking around! We are the most stoked for Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell--“a visionary tone poem that’s as much a celebration as an elegy for avant-garde cellist and dance music producer Arthur Russell.” (When my boyfriend was like, “You’ll really like this guy Arthur Russell,” I was like, “He sounds like a math teacher. Next!” But don’t be fooled. His music is the gentlest of mindfucks. But perhaps you’re in the mood for something a little more … I don’t know … vintage?! You could go to the free screening of parts one through four of An American Family, a 1973 PBS verite-style miniseries about the Loud family. We get to witness the Louds divorcing and their son coming out—both of which were like a huge deal in the seventies. I’d like to tune in for the fashions! (Nb, this screening starts at 9 AM!)
Arthur Russell.
The Louds.
If none of this stuff has you sufficiently fucked up, the F Yeah Tour promises to do so. Baltimore bangerman Dan Deacon is headlining; a bunch of other crazies are playing. Art provided by the kick-ass Philly studio/gallery collective Space 1026. This will all go down at the Black Cat on Wednesday June 18th. Abandon all hope ye who enter here.
Dan Deacon.
On Thursday, June 19, all of your hard work from Monday will pay off—it’s Eames movie night! Show up at Design Within Reach at 7 PM for popcorn, beer, and “a screening of seven films, ranging from one to 30 minutes in length, [covering] topics from toy tops to the world of Franklin and Jefferson, from simple sea creatures to the explanation of advanced mathematical and scientific concepts.” Should we even try to fathom how stuff like this translates cinematically? Let’s just go and find out.
Ray and Charles Eames.
Friday, June 20th! Your hellish/joyful week has come to an end. Hit up the $8 Lunar Lotus yoga class at Studio Serenity before heading out to the Hirschhorn After Hours party—it’s the last one of 2008. Catch DJ People’s Champion before he bounces to Berlin and Maxi Geil! and Playcolt before they combust with cuteness.
The Hirshhorn is right here.
You might have to do some driving on Saturday, June 21st, because the second annual Pile of Craft show goes down in Baltimore! “Forty+ crafty vendors,” folks!
This little guy is by Imogene, a Pile of Craft vendor. Kawaiiiiiiiiii anyone?
Sunday Sunday Sunday, June 22nd is something that I am really looking forward to: the 2008 Northern Virginia Antiques and Modernism Show and Sale!!! “This year's show will feature at least 150 exhibitors from 15 states, with more vintage clothing dealers and a larger section of Art Deco and Mid-Century Modern dealers.” UM!!! SOUNDS AWESOME!!!
One more little thingy: Chance Encounters: Photographs from the Collection of Norman Carr and Carolyn Kinder Carr ends today. The Carrs' "exceptional holdings provide a rich overview of the genre of street photography, from its origins in the early years of the 20th century to its apotheosis in the 1970s.” Street photography! A fashion blogger’s bread and butter. Pay homage to the legit heavy hitters on whose shoulders we stand, like Diane Arbus, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Garry Winogrand, and Weegee. PS: The Carrs are local. Good looking out, guys!
New York City by Lee Friedlander.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Old-lady habits die hard.
Dudes. Grab a CityPaper ASAP. It contains a 20% off coupon good at the Marimekko store in Silver Spring.
Image via Homebug.
(If you're looking for something fascinating to mull over, read Nick Currie's excellent post in The Moment about Muji, a Japanese company that manufactures its products with the "the confident awareness that modesty and discretion are, together, the better part of style." Intrigued? Do read Currie's post. Be prepared to quietly flip out.)
Image via Homebug.
(If you're looking for something fascinating to mull over, read Nick Currie's excellent post in The Moment about Muji, a Japanese company that manufactures its products with the "the confident awareness that modesty and discretion are, together, the better part of style." Intrigued? Do read Currie's post. Be prepared to quietly flip out.)
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