Chico

Pat & I road tripped it up to Chico, CA this weekend, about a 3hr drive from the Bay Area. We visited the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. for a tour & lunch. It was great to learn more about the beer brewing process and we learned that Sierra Nevada is the largest privately owned brewery in the world! It was a nice change of pace to be in a small college town and we had a great time walking around and grabbing dinner downtown. We accidentally showed up the same weekend as an annual bike race and almost couldn't find lodging! Luckily, we found something not too far from downtown for a $50/night! One reflection from the the weekend we both had was how amazing it was that every single person we encountered in Chico, was incredibly nice and exuded positive and kind energy—seriously, it was striking. 

We got back this morning to a 70 degree, sunny day in SF. To take advantage we did a 13 mile/1 hr. bike ride through GG Park, then along the ocean and back. Then we hit the sun-baked patio with our Sierra Nevada "souvenir" 6-pack and then baked a pizza. Pat's in bed, now & I'm soon to join him. Hope y'all had a great weekend! xoxo
Photo of a Chico mural found on flickr.

Green Baby Steps

Thanks, A Belle, for your earth day post (love the green type!). I like hearing about the steps individuals are taking in their own homes, it makes making a difference a more digestible concept. Every little bit helps, and I'd like to hear more about how to flush the toilet with used bath water, wonderful idea! Here are a few things we do:

• Biodegradable cleaning products like shampoo (most aussie products are), dish & laundry detergent, bath soap; it's def. a sacrifice and I often get tempted by all the yummy smells and silky promises, but I try to remind myself vanity is not a good reason to pollute water.
  
• Biodegradable trash bags & pet waste bags (we use biobags)
  
• Bring our own grocery bags shopping (most stores even give a credit or will donate a small sum to charity)
• Trying to remember to bring my steel coffee mug when I get a hot beverage out (starbucks now offers a discount & you usually get more drink anyways)
• Choose goods with friendlier packaging (i.e. avoid individually wrapped, choose cardboard over plastic, etc., this goes for tampons too)
• Make our own mopping/window solutions using things like vinegar instead of store bought chemicals. (was given this book recently that has great alternatives)

There's so much more we can do in our house, but one step at a time!

earth day everyday

about 12 years ago, two idealist teenagers set to make earth day memorable at their high school. they had plans to bike or walk to school, but most importantly, to plant watermelon seeds (found the night before after raiding the kitchen) near their treasured daily lunch spot. some plans fell through (read: were sabotaged), but at least they wore the best earth day fashions around: t-shirts with images of the globe, people holding hands, and peace signs; khaki shorts; and the essential tevas with socks.

years later, as "green becomes the new black," when even wal-mart is going organic, i've been thinking a lot about what i can do on a daily basis to help our precious planet. sometimes it seems hard to be green without spending a lot of green. let's face it, i love organic milk, but as prices continue to go up, i just won't spend $7/gallon. still, there are simple daily things we can do that don't involve buying all the seventh generation products on the shelves.

i've vowed to continue all of the water conservation methods we have learned during the drought even though drought conditions have improved: flushing only when necessary, reusing shower water to flush the toilet (who knew toilets used so much water!!!), using a makeshift rain barrel to collect water for use on our outdoor and indoor gardening (one day i will get a true rain barrel!). if no flushing scares you away, just try putting a brick or a bottle in the tank. we've also switched all of our faucets to low-flow. can't even tell the difference!

with gas prices reaching the absurd, i also am trying to walk or bike to work instead of driving. it's only 1.5 miles, but old habits are hard to break!

but what changes can we make before we are forced to make them? here are some of my other green goals:
1. plant a garden with native plants
2. shop at the farmer's market more regularly
3. buy local products when available
4. little by little, switch to green household products
5. use a clothesline instead of the dryer
6. bring my own bags to the grocery store

do you ladies have suggestions on simple ways to go green?

Video Website

Just saw this site for the first time that features some interesting videos. I appreciated seeing some of the government propaganda images from the one about North Korea and found the Kenya parable inspiring. Let me know if you find a good one. I can't speak to the quality of all the videos (I notice the N. Korean one got some flack for insensitivity), but It's refreshing to see You Tube has some competition!
This is a pic from the N. Korea video of a poster about the reunification of Korea.

Visions of Peace and Justice

Last night's lecture at CCSF was great. Designers from Ink Works Press, Design Action and Tumis spoke about the work they do for social justice causes and the history of political art from the US, Cuba and France. It was pretty fascinating and I'm interested to get a book by one of the speakers, Lincoln Cushing, on Cuban poster art called Revolucion. M Belle, you may like his book on Chinese Poster Art. I was particularly intrigued by one of the ideas shared by Favianna from Tumis, who explained, in reference to designing a poster for the cause of the disappearing and mutilated women of Juarez, her desire to steer away from showing images of women as weak or victims, but instead show empowered women putting up missing signs and organizing in the name of the cause. Subtle difference in focus but monumental in impact I thought. I'd like to remember this idea in my own design work.

In February, the Graphic Communications department also hosted a slideshow and lecture by Emory Douglas, the former Minister of Culture for the Black Panther Party. He is the man responsible for all the amazing poster art of the BPP. I saw a show at Yerba Buena in SOMA about the BPP a couple of years ago and MOCA in Los Angeles recently had a show of his work. He was a great speaker and I really enjoyed how he shared the context of the images. He addressed the issue of violence as self defense against police brutality and one of his more interesting quotes was how he and the BPP had a "law book in one hand, shotgun in the other". His graphic style is amazing, see pic:

Take-Off! Mah Belle is Officially Launched!

Ladies, we're finally on our way here getting Mah Belle online! Of course our look & feel (maybe even our name!) will need some time to evolve into its own (bring on the suggestions), but we're off to a start.
 
For our first post, I'd like to share that I have "gotten back on the bike" after 18 years. I seriously haven't been on a bike since my next door neighbor ran over my ten speed (my fault for leaving it in his driveway). So far, I've ridden from my house to Ocean Beach through Golden Gate Park, across the GG Bridge, and then on Sunday to The Legion of Honor with Pat. What a thrill, I'm so excited to be out enjoying the beauty of this city and getting some exercise!

Tomorrow night, I'm checking out a lecture at school about using Graphic Communications to promote messages of peace and justice...I'll let you know how it goes!

xoxo, H Belle