LotusHaus

Green Garmento

(photo via Greenzer)

I tried out my free sample of the Green Garmento and I must say I am very impressed. As an alternative to the not so eco-friendly plastic dry cleaning bags, these fabric 3-in-1 bags are really cool! Large enough to hold several hangers and roomy enough to be a full size laundry bag, these things really are functional. There is a drawstring on the bottom and a zipper on the side. Here is how I used mine: a) loaded in my hubby's dress shirt and slacks. I even put his dress shoes and socks inside then cinched the bottom closed, yippee! b) after he wore them I removed the hangers and shoes and carried it like a duffel bag to the nearest green dry cleaners (in Seattle, it's Blue Sky Cleaners) c) when they were done I picked them back up in the same back, all neat and ready to go again. d) repeat process

This definitely makes life simpler, enjoy!

Color Me Brussels } The Pantone Hotel in Belgium

Do you love the Helvetica font? Are you a color fanatic and can spout this year's Pantone color of the year? Or are you just in need of some color therapy? If so, book your flight to Brussels, Belgium and stay at the first ever Pantone Hotel. Wowsers! I want to stay there and have a meeting there too! Although I probably wouldn't be able to turn my brain off and end up reciting pantone numbers in my sleep. Brings back memories of when I was heavily involved in apparel design.

Rouge Tomate - Red Hot and Green Venue in NYC

I really would love a mini vacation to NYC! If I were there, I would check out the new eco-luxe restaurant Rouge Tomate. The food and decor are all sustainable and the venue boasts an impressive mult-level design... The Cranberry Pool is my favorite (pictured below) and this would be where I would have wanted my bachelorette party or bridal shower! At the Rouge Tomate site, click on the Event button to check out the very cool floor plans.

If you are in NYC, check out the Eco-Luxe / Go Green Expo on Sept. 22 to be held at Rouge Tomate. More info here.

Earth Teach Me to Remember } Earth Day 2009

Happy Earth Day! Our celebration of the Earth took place the first weekend of April when we visited with nature on the Oregon Coast at Westwind. Here is a photo of a lotus mandala sand drawing I did with my husband near the shore in the background. Not a soul in sight... just us and the beach, the sand, and the ocean...

Here are some treasures Mother Nature gave me with the wave of her shore... and here is my most treasured find... my soulmate!

Earth Teach Me to Remember
by John Yellow Lark

Earth teach me stillness
    as the grasses are stilled with light.
Earth teach me suffering
    as old stones suffer with memory.
Earth teach me humility
    as blossoms are humble with beginning.
Earth teach me caring
    as the mother who secures her young.
Earth teach me courage
    as the tree which stands alone.
Earth teach me limitation
    as the ant which crawls on the ground.
Earth teach me freedom
    as the eagle which soars in the sky.
Earth teach me resignation
    as the leaves which die in the fall.
Earth teach me regeneration
    as the seed which rises in the spring.
Earth teach me to forget myself
    as melted snow forgets its life.
Earth teach me to remember kindness
    as dry fields weep in the rain.

Carribean Blue (Enya)

Brussels in Bloom } Flower Carpet in Belgium

Holy begonias! Do you know what 1 million begonias looks like? It looks like this Carpet of Flowers in Brussels, Belgium. Every other year, since 1971, the Grand Place courtyard turns into a Carpet of Flowers to promote the lovely begonia. Chosen above all for its qualities of robustness, resistance to bad weather and strong sunshine the begonia guarantees the long life and freshness of the carpet. It also provides a rich range of colors - from vivid colors to delicate pastel shades, with in between, the parti-colored and white flowers which reflect the light so well.

2008's carpet was based on the patterns of the 17th Century French Savonnerie tapestry. How is this done? A perforated plastic with the design on it is laid down and the spaces between the floral design areas are filled with rolled turf. The stems are packed so tightly, 300 stems per square meter, directly onto the stone, so they won't be blown away. No soil is used at all. The next display will be August 15-17, 2010. Below is a video of the nighttime presentation with its special lighting and most beautiful musical score!

Thanks to Sprout Flowers in Worchester, Massachusetts for the heads up on this fabulous floral display!

What's Pink and Purple and Cute all Over...

...these school children captured by Ella Limbo, my energetic designer/photographer cousin who lives in Manila, Philippines and works with my aunt who owns Mode Matrix Manila, a creative services company. Check out Ella's beautiful photos at her flickr site ellafruitella! Friends, please don't worry about these kids all being in the back of a truck with no seatbelt...the school bus broke down and you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes, to get where you're going! They look like they're having a fun adventure! I trust that they arrived at school safely with much to talk about!

Rikka in Utah } Ikebana Style Floral Gifts & Event Center

How can I possibly describe in words the true beauty of Rikka's floral design work... "Rikka" means standing flowers in Japanese and all I can say is, "standing ovation!" Combining modern east west floral decor with the art of giving and celebrating, Rikka Floral in Utah is an innovative floral studio and intimate event space (my dream business!). Check out the beautiful event center in the photos below. Just my style...I'm lovin' it!

URBN Hotels Shanghai } Eco-Modern in China

Via the new eco-modern lifestyle site FeelMoreHuman.com, I was able to surf to Shanghai and check out URBN Hotels, the first super-hip, carbon neutral boutique hotel in Shanghai! It looks absolutely stunning with its modern designed suites with wrap around seating, sunken lounge areas and eco-friendly interiors. I definitely want to stay here if ever I get a chance to visit Shanghai! Visit the website at  www.urbnhotels.com

Xeritown } A Sustainable Urban Complex in Dubailand

Via Inhabitat, you can check out Xeritown, an amazing new sustainable urban community in the new part of Dubai, which is based on the concept of a xeriscape - "an urban garden area designed to minimize the use of water." The community was designed so that the cool sea breeze is sucked into the town and the hot desert breeze is blocked out. Read more here. I love the artist renderings and the architectural details infusing traditional graphic elements with modern sustainability!

Modern Excursion } A Neutral Palette

Today I'm inspired by the idea of eco-travel in Africa...Here's what I found on my web safari hunt... khaki trouser suit by Stella McCartney | floral sculpture by Junko Miura | mango wood vases by LA-Decor | bamboo cloud chandelier by Roost | lace horses by Viva Terra | sustainable sectional sofa by RC Green | Stockholm leaf chair by Ikea | and pillows by Inhabitat.

Beijing 2008 Olympics - Fun & Good Fortune

I wish I could make it to Beijing this August! There is no end to the cuteness created for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing! These five friendly characters are the official Olympic mascots called "Fuwa," whose name signifies friendship, peace and good wishes to children worldwide.

The Fuwa embody the natural characteristics of four of China’s most popular animals – the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow – and the Olympic Flame. Each of Fuwa has a rhyming two-syllable name – a traditional way of expressing affection for children in China. Beibei is the Fish, Jingjing is the Panda, Huanhuan is the Olympic Flame, Yingying is the Tibetan Antelope and Nini is the Swallow. When you put their names together – Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni, which means “Welcome to Beijing” in Chinese. (**Isn't that so cute and awesome! I love it!**)

The campaign for the 2008 Olympic Games is really inspiring as well. Did you know that "8" is an auspicious number in Chinese culture? It's because the number eight "ba" sounds like "prosper" or "wealth." As you can imagine, the good fortune of the Olympics in Beijing will start on 8:08:08 pm on the eight day of the eighth month in 2008. (As a side note, this is really cool info for me because my birthday is on August 18, and my knickname as a baby was Jingjing, lol!)

Check out the cute Beijing merchandise at ChinaSprout.

Bunka Women's University } Japanese Fashion Show in Seattle

My fellow fashionista friend, Carlisia of Mac Fashion House, and I went to an innovative student fashion show on Sunday at our fashion alma mater, Seattle Central College. It was so inspiring! The Bunka Women's University in Tokyo has an amazing fashion program that includes not only fashion design, but also Fashion Styling, Fashion Event Production, Fashion Journalism and Stage/Film Costume Design. This annual fashion show, which is shown in the US and France, was entirely designed and produced by Bunka University design students. The goal of the Bunka Fashion Department is to "Create global minded leaders that are able to contribute to the International Fashion Scene."

The fashion show was extremely well choreographed and the lighting and music created the kind of dramatics and theatrical vibe you would expect from high end fashion houses. I was so incredibly impressed. Not to mention, I enjoyed seeing all of the lovely Japanese models with their sweet faces and normal heights. The students, who worked in groups, wowed the Seattle audience with their 11 distinctly themed fashion sets. The highlights for me included COSMIC: a space age mod/Matrix set, MATSURI: a neo-traditional Japanese festival theme, KNIT: a completely crocheted, precious, pastel colored collection, and EMBROIDERY: a collection of A-line dresses with elaborate embroidered flowers. I messed up and forgot my camera or else I would have more photos for you, oh well...take my word for it, it was fantastic! Make sure to go next year!

Andrianna Shamaris } Global Organic Flavor

Andrianna Shamaris is an amazing designer with a tasty blend of global, modern and organic flavor. A world traveler, Andrianna designs, sources and retails all of the luxurious items in her stores on each coast ~ one in Soho, New York and the other in Malibu, California. I love her color story...it's seems very coastal but with global appeal ~ ivory, sea glass, teak and driftwood colors with touches of indigo and gold. She scouts the globe for materials and my favorites are shown in the photo above. *Antique Balinese ceremonial sarong pillows*Custom L-shaped sectional*Antique shell necklace and throw*Live Edge Teak/Resin coffee table* I'm lovin' it!

San Francisco GREEN DESIGN SHOW ~ Sept. 19-20, 2007

Oh, how I want to go to this event! It's the San Francisco Mart's first green expo. The theme for this green event is "Live Green, Live Well"  and the show is dedicated to green furnishings and design. Sounds exciting! For more information, go here.

Chopra Center } Wellness in New York City

Ah, tomorrow's my 32nd birthday and I'm reminiscing about my two business trips to New York last August. During my second trip, I splurged on a glorious 60 minute Ayurvedic Spa Treatment at the New York Chopra Center. I have a little knowledge of Ayurveda and have read many of Deepak Chopra's books so it was a real treat to be in the physical presence of these sacred philosophies and rituals of wellness. The spa itself is absolutely beautiful and I felt so at home with the fusion of ancient and modern. Even the aroma of the essential oils and orange mint water, have left a lasting impression on me. As you can see from the pictures, the colors and architecture are so...umm...me! Wish I could zoom there right now...Have a restful weekend!

Fall 2008 Green Trends } The Hong Kong Textile Show

In October, the textile trade show presented by Interstoff Asia will take place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The autumn/winter 2008 fabric collections are going green as ecology and the environment take center stage.
Here's the scoop from Interstoff Asia Via Ecotextile News:   

“This season is an invitation to an ‘ecological space trip‘, cast away from monochromatic landscapes. We take note of nature‘s elements, and we are in quest for soft contacts – delicate wool, organic cotton, brushed mohair... but at the same time we are tempted by the conquest of the future and its darkness: metallic tones, onyx black, compact aspects,” said Nelly Rodi of the Nelly Rodi Agency, France.

The three trend stories, "Ice Eco", "Bobo Craft" and "Techno Fiction" will be illustrated in a vivid display using exhibitor fabrics at the exhibition, scheduled for 3 - 5 October at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre.

*One thing I will be watching out for is how to achieve "metallic tones" in textiles, because in my experience this process is not eco-friendly if it makes up the majority of the material. For items labeled "organic" there are guidelines that prohibit the use of metallics. Download this pdf file for more information about the Global Organic Textile Standards for labeling and manufacturing.

Hmmm, maybe I should plan a visit back to Hong Kong! I love the shopping there! (FYI, when I worked for Mecca USA, I traveled to our Hong Kong design/production office over 7 times! It was in Hong Kong where my love for interior decor, retail design and spa services flourished)

Rang Decor } Interior Ideas from India

A blogger after my own heart! Via decor8 I discovered the lovely Archana Srinivas from Bangalore. Her blogs feature beautiful decor & imagery with Indian sensibility. I also LOVE the decor of her home, which was also featured on decor8. Check out her amazing blogs, Rang Decor & Rang Colors of Life for some serious global inspiration!

E-Jeepney } Green Cars in the Philippines!

If-you're-Fi-li-pi-no-and-you-know-it-clap-your-hands...because the Jeepney has now gone down the electric avenue! For those of you not yet clapping, the Jeepney is a Filipino innovation in public transportation, and art for that matter. After World War II, when the US wrecked havoc in the Philippines, they left behind their standard issue military jeeps. Being crafty & resourceful, Filipinos reused these jeeps and gave it the Filipino flip. With flamboyant decoration and crowded seating, the Jeepney has become a symbol for Philippine culture as well as the people's transportation. But now, flash forward to 2007, and southeast asia is forever changed because Greenpeace and GRIPP (Green Renewable Independent Power Producer) have helped to launch the electric jeepney. The Electric Jeepneys are part of an innovative project led by GRIPP to help reduce the use of fossil fuels and address urban problems like air pollution. Magaling! Excellent!

The ingenuity and individual creativity of the Jeepney has also inspired an urban clothing line from fellow Sea-town pinoys, called Jeepney clothing.

Yelo } Color Therapy, Sleep Therapy & Reflexology in NY

Yelo is a new kind of wellness center. One that I wish was on every corner and in every airport. With it's bright magenta and yellow chambers for power naps & massage, "It is a sanctuary designed to help urbanites deal with the pressures of modern life through a unique combination of sleep and reflexology therapies." Right now it's only in New York (of course), but Yelo plans on expanding quickly. Lights out kids, the nap is back! zzzzzzz

ZOOZOOM } Avenue A Flea Market in NY

Take a trip over to ZOOZOOM, the original online glossy of fashion & lifestyle. The current story features the Avenue A Flea Market in New York's East Village. The flea market has been a landmark for nearly a decade. Sadly, this great example of sustainable, community oriented shopping closed its doors in May. Go here for a list of some other flea markets in New York.

T House } Tranquility in Tagaytay, Philippines

Swoon ~ part two! Via Dessert Comes First, a very cool Philippine foodie blog, I found the T House hotel in beautiful Tagaytay, Philippines ~ pronounced "tah-gai-tie." Tagaytay, which is just a 90 minute drive south of Manila, offers a breathtaking sight of the famous Taal Lake & Volcano - a volcano within an island within a lake. I've personally seen the lake and it is absolutely incredible! Tagaytay is a perfect getaway for people seeking respite from the daily pressures of life in the hectic Manila metropolis. That's where the T House comes in. "Every facet of T House has been designed to let relaxation flow naturally. From the clean modern architecture, the sound of flowing water and the birds in the fruit-bearing trees, the smell of fresh herbs of our food, to the spa treatments, each of your senses will be refreshed and rejuvenated during your stay here." T House take me away! ...or check out my video above with pictures from Dessert Comes First & the T House website.

Bali } Modern Garden Tour

Via HouseMartin, I discovered this unique landscape & architectural tour of Bali, focusing on the modern art form of gardening. Visit the website to see more lush photography and learn more about the tour! I'm definitely adding this to my list!

"In Bali.. the modern art form of gardening combines with a rich traditional culture to create a truly unique blend. The result is a cutting edge style of its own. The fusion of traditional craftsmanship with modern influences set against a lush landscape produces the most extraordinary examples of garden design, artistry and architecture. The use of outdoor living spaces and fluid transitions from interior space to exterior is only one example of this small island's impact on the international design community."

Abaca } boutique resort + spa

Swoon! Abaca resort & spa is on the must see list for my next visit to the relatives in the PI (Philippine Islands)! Abaca is a new tropical boutique resort and spa with modern styling, luxurious spa treatments and luscious culinary arts. The resort is located on the tip of Mactan Island, a short flight's trip from the modern city of Cebu, which to me, is the capital for naturally modern furnishings. Cebu is also home to my favorite, world reknown Filipino designer, Kenneth Cobonpue. The resort's name is a wonderful tribute to the very important natural plant fiber derived from a banana-like plant called "abaca" or Manila hemp. As you watch the movie, you will also notice the book entitled, Abaca Philippines, which happens to be the first comprehensive reference guidebook on abaca plants and the many by-products that have been created with this eco-friendly natural fiber. You can buy the book as well as abaca soaps & lotions here. Enjoy!

Luxe City Guides } Just add passport

Aspiring globe-trotters like me rely on stylish travel advice. If you're going to do it, do it in style. The Luxe City Guide's fabulous Grand Tour Box has twelve major hip city guides nestling in a stunning imperial purple faux suede box with a striking gold logo. Each handmade box opens to reveal Paris, Madrid, Istanbul, Dubai, Bali, Hong Kong, Bankok, Beijing, Singapore, Shanghai, Sydney and Tokyo... And who could deny the beautiful patterns adorning each cover!