Created from images of pressed seaweed collages by Santa Cruz nature artist, Beth Shady. Ten percent of profits donated to ocean conservation.
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Let’s Turn Facebook Blue
You have been invited to participate in an ocean plastic pollution global awareness campaign. Healthy oceans are very important for the health of the planet and one of the most serious threats comes from the plastic pollution. Please take a look at the following video so you can better understand the enormity of this issue:
On June 8th, World Oceans Day, environmental activists from all around the world will simultaneously upload a photo of themselves wearing this T-shirt on their Facebook walls with a short caption telling everyone about one thing that they are doing to make this world a better place, with a focus on, but not limited to, plastic pollution. We are going to flood facebook walls with this. That’s not all. Participants will also receive instructions for a secret plan which is going to be a huge surprise for all. To join the Let’s Turn Facebook Blue event click here.
Real change is achieved slowly, at turtle speed– one step at a time. Change one thing in your life without thinking. If you eliminated one plastic bag or a straw you can make an huge impact in reducing plastic pollution. It does make a difference so JUST DO IT!
For suggestions on how you can reduce plastic waste and pollution, please visit The Plastic Pollution Coalition.
Order your Blue Turtle T-shirt here. Order two or more and use this coupon code worth $10 RF2013
The America’s Cup is Coming to San Francisco
My husband Bill and I were fortunate to attend a talk given last week by the CEO of Team Oracle about the America’s Cup that is coming to San Francisco this summer. Wow! It was amazing. We met a few of the crew members from competing teams who talked about the aerodynamic designs of the catamarans. They showed this video of boats on foils literally flying out of the air. Watch it and be amazed.
SeaweedArt on Display
I stopped by Scotts Valley Artisans recently and was very proud and thrilled to be displayed there. Christy did a great job of hanging my art. Thanks Scotts Valley Artisans!
In addition to my SeaweedArt note cards and prints, I also have four original seaweed pressings on sale. Both prints and originals are framed in custom made bamboo.
This is an amazing store filled with hundreds of great art work and artisanal homemade crafts, food items and soaps by dozens of Santa Cruz artists.
And there’s more! Scotts Valley Artisans offers classes such as art classes for kids, lessons on how to string beads and gourd making. To learn more click on their calendar of events.
To learn more about other happenings like gallery openings and side walk sales, sign up for their newsletter here.
SeaweedArt in Scotts Valley Artisans
I am proud to announce that my SeaweedArt original seaweed pressings, seaweed prints and seaweed note cards are now available at Scotts Valley Artisans, a non-profit community art center featuring the work of over 150 Santa Cruz County artists. If you are local, by all means check it out. They have amazing arts, crafts, handmade items, artisanal food products, soap and jewelry. It is like an art museum. I’m thrilled and honored to be a part of this wonderfully engaging and inspiring community!
How Many Toxins are You Putting on Your Body?
It is estimated that the average woman puts over 500 toxins on her body before she leaves the house. Body lotions, soaps, shampoos, perfumes and makeup are all common products that everyone uses. Evidence suggests that what we put on our skin penetrates our internal organs within 23 seconds of application. That is very disturbing. We can avoid this problem by using products that are environmentally safe, toxin free, botanically based and inspired by nature.
Arbonne is a highly regarded full line of health and wellness products with a rich Swiss heritage. I tried these products when I was introduced to them by my friend Kim and I was hooked. I first sampled the Sea Source Botanicals, (naturally) but I have since tried almost everything in the catalog and I can’t recommend them enough. I feel rest assured that I am using products that are safe for my health and safe for the environment.
Pure. Safe. Beneficial.
Happy New Year
My husband Bill and I spent New Year’s Day visiting metal marine animal sculptures in front of closed museums. Here we are posed in front of the Santa Cruz Natural History Museum whale and there’s Bill in pseudo Burt Reynolds Cosmo poses on top of the whale’s tail in front of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center. He’s wearing the new Irish Fisherman’s sweater I got him for Christmas. It was a warm and sunny beautiful day. Gotta love livin’ in Santa Cruz.
Outstanding in the Field
Recently my husband and I attended an Outstanding in the Field farm-to-table dinner at Pie Ranch Farm in Pescadero. We were the invited guests of our good friends, Dan and Kathleen, and were delighted to be treated to such an enjoyable culinary community event.
For those of you not familiar with Outstanding in the Field, it is the brain child of Santa Cruz native, Jim Denevan who started his food career as a dishwasher, eventually cooking his way up the ranks to head chef of Gabriella Cafe ,(a romantic Santa Cruz favorite of mine) where he became known for sourcing local ingredients.
Their mission is to reconnect diners to the origins of their food and to honor the farmers and artisan chefs who create it. All of the food is sourced locally, sometimes within inches of your table, and served on a long table either outside in the field or, as in our case, inside the barn. Other exotic locations have included mountaintops and sea caves. Our dinner was prepared by celebrated local chef, Marty Cattandeo of Dio Deka in Los Gatos and the meal was indeed outstanding.
In addition to great dining, we were given a tour of the farm that included a lecture and hunt for wild mushrooms, which we were later served pickled, along with squid and grilled rib eye, all of which were fantastic. Below are some photos from our “outstanding” experience.
Time Lapse of Kids Ocean Day Hong Kong
Over 1,000 Hong Kong school children, teachers and volunteers form a massive kid-designed dolphin to say in two languages “Protect” in English, and Ocean in Chinese (海洋), communicating their desires for a clean and thriving sea. Kids Ocean Day Hong Kong is organized by Ocean Recovery Alliance, Bonza Pie and the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, as well as the Malibu Foundation and Spectral Q from Los Angeles. The children are alerting the world about their appreciation of the ocean and the need to protect it. The event links the Hong Kong and California Kids Ocean Day projects, run by the Malibu Foundation for the past 20 years, across the Pacific Ocean, and marks the first beachhead in Asia which brings our young, future ocean ambassadors together to deliver a global message about ocean protection.
Aerial Art by John Quigley of Spectral Q and time lapse images from Daniel Basson.
SeaweedArt Santa Cruz Holiday Gift Fairs
SeaweedArt will sell holiday cards, note cards and prints at the following Santa Cruz Holiday Gift Fairs:
Jingle Shells at the Seymour Center, December 2nd from 10am to 5pm. Shop for unique ocean-themed holiday gifts that include ceramics, jewelry, photography and more… Includes presentations by naturalists, book signings by local authors, caroling and the beloved holiday tradition… the lighting of the whale. Very festive and fun. I love doing this show.
New Leaf Community Market’s West End Holiday Fair, December 8th from 3-8pm. It is outside in the courtyard by the wine tasting rooms so there will be plenty of delicious local Santa Cruz wine to sample. All vendors are local artists and artisans. Great local food, KPIG will be there, along with Woodworm Party Store who will be hosting a ginger bread house work shop. Proceeds benefit Second Harvest Food Bank. Bring a non-perishable canned good and receive a free raffle ticket. This fair is a first for me and it sounds fantastic!!!
Where to Buy Sustainable Seafood
Determining where to buy sustainable seafood may seem challenging and confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. FishWise has taken the guess work out of the decision by developing a myriad of purchasing tools. You can choose a Seafood Watch Pocket Guide or refer to this list. There’s even an app for that. Or you can simply enter your zip code here to find a sustainable seafood retailer. To learn more about sustainable seafood, please refer to the FishWise useful links.
Ten percent of profits this month will be donated to FishWise.
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