I’ve been eying this fetching baby rattle over at the international wonderland that is Kiosk for ages, but I was a little turned off by the paint (even though they are kind enough to use non-toxic kind!) Well, someone must be listening to my silent hesitations because they’re currently offering two stripped down, all-natural versions in simple Vermont wood.

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A new Parisian company called Verture would like you to take a green turn away from your standard taxi service. If you’re tired of uncourteous service, an invasive musical environment, torn seats and an overwhelming sense of guilt for the 3.5 minutes you just stood still in bumper-to-bumper traffic, then Venture is for you.

Venture’s fleet of all black hybrid electric/gas Toyota Prius offer similar prices to regular taxi fare, without the regular hassles. Flat screens, TV’s, DVD players, IPod hook-ups, a laptop with Internet access, a baby seat and a universal battery for recharging your must-haves are just a few of the accoutrements that Venture has to offer. And how ’bout those carbon neutral journeys? The Toyota Prius emits 1/2 the carbon dioxide of a regular car, and Venture works with Climat Mundi to offset the miniscule amounts of carbon dioxide that do manage to slip out to fund international eco-projects. 

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Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is a rare disease which is currently the #1 genetic killer of children around the world. It is also 100% fatal, with no current treatment or cure available. Massachusetts-based Tracy Seckler is trying to change that. The mother of a bubbly son, Charley, Tracy has set up an organization called Charley’s Fund along with a catalogue of wearable merchandise based on the theme of belief.

Believe bracelets, believe necklaces, believe hats and clutches- every single purchase goes towards funding medical research for this disease that her son is dying of, along with so many other children all across the world.

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Have you ever rolled around in dew-kissed blades of grass in a haute couture ballgown made out of organic muslin with the prince, or princess, of your most intimate dreams? Well, I haven’t either- but I plan to, and when I do, I will be wearing a perfume by Honoré des Prés. Composed of five different scents, each one more evocative than the next, Honoré des Prés is the first 100% natural, organic French perfume to hit the American market.

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I used to have a yoga bag that I was pretty proud of. It was shaped like a hot dog, with a drawstring opening and a comfy shoulder strap and it made me look like a hunter with a bouquet of arrows on my back. The problem was, I couldn’t find a darn thing in it. Everything sunk to the bottom- my sweatband, my wallet, my cherished tube of Kiehl’s lip balm that has an eternal lifespan and still hasn’t run out despite the fact I swiped it from a hotel room four years hence.

And then there was Lumi. Lumi stands for “Love you, mean it”, and let me tell you, they really mean it. These courageously affordable bags are designed to help you carry things in style- including your better self. Each handmade bag comes with a cell phone pocket (but only if you promise to keep it on silent), a section for your water bottle and a homemade eye pillow coordinated with each bag.

Lumi’s are green-made in Paris from leftover swaths of fabric from the creator’s interior-decorating dad. (Are you feeling the love yet, or what?) Plus, toting your Lumi bag is a charitable act. 5 euros from every sale goes to benefit the Ãdhãra-Shakti collective: a grassroots organization that helps serious yoga students participate in yoga retreats at the divine YogAriege, even if they are seriously broke.

Don’t live in France? Pas de problème! Chantal, the multitasking wunderkind behind the Lumi bags, will send you one by mail. The bags are 29 euros within Europe, and 37 dollars to the United States. Want something special? Ask for a custom order! Lumi loves you back. 

Photo credit: All photos used by permission by Chantal Tacoronte-Perez.

  

 Traveler, painter, and a mean hand with a sewing machine, Chantal began practicing Yoga in Miami and went on to study Iyengar yoga with Vladimir Ferrerio Gonzalez while she lived in Havana as the Hampshire College Cuba Program Coordinator. She is currently teaching yoga at the Centre de Yoga du Marais in Paris, while continuing her studies under Rod Stryker in the Tantric Hatha lineage to complete her Para Yoga certification.

Here, Chantal talks with us about the difference between Miami and Parisian mindsets, the eternal debate over audible sighs, and how to get your hubby to come to a yoga class. 

How did you come to teach yoga? What else might you be doing if you weren’t a yoga teacher?

I  worked at the front desk of Prana Yoga in Miami off and on between college and traveling/working in Cuba. I had just come back from Cuba and my cousin was leading the teacher training at Prana Yoga. I had always wanted to do it, and it just seemed like the next step.

If I weren’t teaching yoga, I would be teaching something else. Probably painting or working with disabled children and teens. I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher, but “yoga teacher” was not always the image I conjured up as I played “teacher” with my imaginary students. My make-believe took place in the form of detention with forms and grades, not straps, blankets or blocks.

Did you always follow a vegetarian diet, or did you go veggie when you discovered yoga?

When I was younger, my mom didn’t eat any red meat or anything with bones in it except for fish, which I never liked.  I learned first about veganism, then vegetarianism while I was in college learning about the planet and how much waste goes into the whole “raising of animals for human consumption” thing. It just seemed that it was more logical to eat closer to the earth.

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My moon, my man’s a changeable land...

Former actor and survival instructor, creative writer and a recovering Type A, Mark Gerow is the founder of Lunarythms Yoga™, a combination of polarity-therapy, Ayurveda, Yin and Hatha Yoga that tailors asanas to complement specific chakras associated with the position of the moon. He likes McDonald’s French Fries, drinks one cup of coffee a day and does not relate to black and white photographs of women in leotards.

When I describe the idea behind Lunarythms, people look at me like I’m a crystal wielding nutcase. But every time I take your class, the pace feels just right. What led you to organize your practice around the lunar cycles?

My background in the metaphysical began with Polarity Therapy training.  My partner at the time had grown up with a mother who was into astrology and I would hear them speak to each other through astrology references– usually about a person’s personality or a general analogy about a situation.  I began to notice the effects and rituals that go along with the new and full moons (setting intentions, conserving or putting forth energy), and one day it dawned on me that if most everything in this world is changing to include the moon’s cycles and our own human cycles, that our yoga practice could reflect these ever changing tides of life.

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 It’s 7 am. Do you know where your yogi is?

 I’m a relative newcomer to the practice of yoga. I started with Bikram about a year ago and navigated my way through several different traditions until I discovered ashtanga. In my ongoing search for the “right” practice, I’ve tried a lot of different classes and a lot of different teachers. There was the Iyengar instructor who poked me in the back when I did something incorrectly, and the anusara teacher who never showed up. The Bikram-aholic who clapped with enthusiasm when a student vomitted. (“You’re purging!!”) Currently, I’m studying under two different teachers in Paris. One is a veritable gumby of a fellow who performs meta massages with his didjeredoo. The other, a lighthearted yogi who loves to sing in English. His CD’s always skip.

The other day after a particularly good class, a friend of mine asked me about the teacher. “Do you think he…drinks?” I had to laugh because I’d been wondering the same thing every Sunday. What, exactly, did our limber guru do with himself after each class? Did he have a life outside of the studio? I was determined to find out. 

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 Slow Down Already! Quieting Our Minds, Beating Bad Habits

We live in a time of uncontested availability. Through our cell phones, laptops, and social media networks, we volunteer ourselves to friends, foes and colleagues regardless of time change or desire. It has become increasingly difficult to shut out the world and concentrate in a culture where speed and productivity are valued over mindfulness. More and more children are being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder each year and SAT scores are at the lowest level in the last decade. Children and adults are having a hard time staying focused, alert and entertained, and the need for meditation has never been this palpable.

 Yin Yoga: When the Tortoise Wins the Race

The resurgence of Yin Yoga exemplifies the desire for a meditative practice in our daily lives. Based on a series of passive floor-poses, Yin Yoga allows the practitioner to access connective tissue to stimulate moisture, new growth and energy through the meridians embedded in the fascia. The poses, held up to ten minutes or more, can feel uncomfortable- even painful- at first.

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If you’ve been to Paris in the last year and a half and you didn’t spend your entire visit slugging back Côtes du Rhône and camembert, you might remember having seen a whole lot of bikes. Like, loads and loads of them. Huge, industrial looking, cumbersome, with standard metal baskets? These curious contraptions belong to a new form of transportation known as the Vélib. A combination of “vélo” (bike), and “liberté”, (freedom), the Vélib offers tourists and locals just that: bikes and freedom. 

The Green Way to see Paris

As long as you have a credit card or an ATM card (is anyone still using traveler’s checks these days?) you can rent a bike for a day, a week, even for a year! The way it works is this:  

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Slumdog Millionaire is a great movie. Uplifting and heartwarming, without being cheesy. But let’s be honest for about 45 seconds, shall we? Freida Pinto is a total babe. I’m a straight woman and I’m halfway in love with her. Want to know her beauty secrets, other than unfair genes? Here are five, for starters.

1.  Aromatherapy

Most of us know the benefits of aromatherapy, but it’s useful to know the individual benefits of the plants, herbs and fruits used in this wonderful form of alternative medicine. Basil, for example, helps with digestion, while cinnamon acts as a stimulant and lemongrass helps reduce cellulite. Florapathics has an extensive selection of aromatherapy products with prices as refreshing as their ingredients.

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If you’ve seen anyone walking around recently with parasols, goggles or ray guns, cancel that call to Homeland Security. Metropolitan cities are being invaded, but not by anyone hostile. The trend is called steampunk, and it’s something of a treat, especially if you’re into transforming metal, wood and brass into fantastic, handcrafted creations. Here’s a few tips on how to recognize (and understand!) this interesting sub-culture. 

1.  Steampunk: What is it?

The term Steampunk refers to the Victorian age that this trend is primarily influenced by, an age where steam power was used almost exclusively. Steampunk draws from a Neo-Victorian aesthetic, in which human potential, incredible inventions and fantasy abounds. The French author, Jules-Verne is a fundamental source of inspiration, and his Journey to the Center of the Earth and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea exemplify the aesthetic and cultural landscape of the Steampunk mindset.

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 Five Places You Might Not Expect to Find Stylish Yoga Wear:

As environmentalism enters into the collective conscious, designers and retailers alike are looking to the healing arts for inspiration and guidelines as they embrace a greener lifestyle. Here is a list of the top five places to find affordable, well-designed yoga wear near you:

1.  Banana Republic

Even the brand names are jumping on the bandwagon of sustainability. In honor of earth day, Banana Republic unfolded an eco-fashion line of 50 summer staples in April of 2007. For the duration of Earth Week, the retailer pledged 1% of all its in-store sales to the not-for-profit Trust for Public Lands. This eco-friendly initiative is part of the company’s quest to reduce their environmental impact in the coming years. 

2.  J.Crew

Inspired by the enthusiasm of its customers for the practice of yoga and the parallel ease and simplicity of this ancient art, J.Crew launched a line of yoga wear for its 2008 fall collection. In an article from Women’s Wear Daily, J.Crew CEO Millard Drexler explains, “We kept hearing from our associates about yoga, hearing from our customers about yoga, and hearing from people who do yoga. We always want to be where our customers are, and where they are going. That’s our mission. Today, any retailer’s job is always looking to the road that has to be traveled.”

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Bespoken: Revisiting the Belle Epoque

This spring, recessionistas will adapt Edwardian, utilitarian silhouettes to suit their personalities….and their wallets. Here are simple ways to greenify the top 5 trends from spring from the Paris runways:

1.  Elegant Fluidity

Monochronistic palettes in nude, beige, rose and cinder will take over the runway and the streets as designers downscale fuss, and play with wearability. This is good news for the eco-conscious consumer because most of us have one or more of these color combinations in our own closets. Keep it simple, and keep it solid. This season, subtile is sophisticated.

2.  Simplified Safari

Drawstrings, snap buttons and cord will tie up one-pieces, trench coats, dresses and vests, while the cargo pant takes a hint from the harem. Fluid pants will be ankle length to show off strappy sandals in thick, braided plaids of metallic leather, while tulles, frills and petticoats move the safari on towards the prairie. What this means for the eco-sophisticate: go through your mother’s closet! Borrowing is the sincerest form of flattery, so if mom doesn’t have it, check in on your roommate. Infuse spring frocks with flirtatious energy by pairing them with petticoats and bustles gleaned from your favorite second-hand store. Recycling fashion is the new black!

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I like giant music festivals- what’s not to like? Well, the mud, the cold, and the total lack of privacy for starters. And what about all that waste? Glass bottles, plastic containers, and empty potato chip bags (that’s “crisps” for you Brits!) can lead to a major case of eco-guilt for festival attendees.

Thankfully, 2009 brings good news for eco-concious festival goers. Not only have major music festivals like Glastonbury and Bestival gone green, but the clever folks behind MyHab have come up with a better way for you to recuperate in style. 

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