Alas, I work from home so I won’t be able to participate directly. *But*, I will be sending Damian off on his bike that day, and I encourage – no, beg! – each of you commuters to do the same. And if you’re interested in other events, you can see what’s going on for the rest of the month in your city, here. I must say – I’m jealous! (I’ll be thrilled when Waits is ready for something like this)

Just a friendly reminder from your favorite eco-cheerleader (that’s me!) Happy pedaling!

Another part of me can’t quite believe it’s only been a year. Was it really just 13 months ago I was working my unfulfilling day job? Has it only been 12 short months of covering such diverse topics as gardening and urban farming, sustainable fashion and an ambitious manifesto, backyard chickens and indoor seedlings, tons of vegan sweets and savory treats, ten life-changing challenges, and so much, so much more? And of course, a year of inspired contributions from each and every reader – the blog comments and personal emails and dialogue with each other throughout the site. You all have grown this little seed of an idea into something greater than I’d ever dared to dream of.





For the first 6 months of Bonzai’s web life, I posted every. single. workday. (whew!) Since then, barring medical breaks, I’ve maintained a schedule of 4-5 posts per week. All in all I’ve written over 250 entries and articles. And we’ve received hundreds of thousands of visitors!

Articles I’ve written have been featured across the internet, most notably on sites like Lifehacker and Apartment Therapy‘s green blog Re-Nest. The most popular posts continue to be for DIY hygiene and cleaning recipes, like deodorant, drain-o, laundry detergent, dish soap, shampoo, and hair gel. Who’d have though!?

I’m so proud to say that I’ve done all of this without accepting any advertising offers! Bonzai Aphrodite operates free from external financial influence, and will continue to follow the PBS/NPR model of ‘viewer/listener supported’. You’ll never have to question my integrity – I can promise you that.

Finally, I must give some thanks. Firstly, foremostly, and foreverly, to my AMAZING HUSBAND who was the catalyst and carrier for all of this. Damian encouraged me over and over to quit my job and pursue my passion, and he has continued to support me unfailingly throughout this crazy, oftentimes incredibly stressful, process. It is absolute truth that this site would not exist if it weren’t for him (hell, he designed it!), and I cannot thank him enough for that.

And then, of course, YOU GUYS. Thank you thank you for making my dreams come true! You all amaze me and inspire me and make me excited to wake up and ‘work’ every morning, and I just can’t thank you enough for that. I wanted to show a little gratitude (and support one of my favorite local businesses in the process), so I’m giving away these adorable, special addition underwear from Herbivore Clothing Co! All you have to do to enter is visit the Herbivore site and then leave a comment here. I’ll randomly select one lucky winner next week. Boys and girls are welcome to enter (there’s boxer-briefs as well), and non-vegans can play too as long as you don’t mind sporting ‘Veganism is for Lovers’ on your bum! Good luck everyone!





So what’s next for Bonzai Aphrodite? BIG THINGS my friends! Damian and I are scheming to expand, and I have more ideas than I know what to do with. I always tell my readers to “Dream big – no, BIGGER”, and that’s exactly what I’m doing. I hope you’ll come along for the ride!

1) Vegan Donuts. They are my pregnancy kryptonite.

2) The RadioLab podcast from WNYC. If you’re unfamiliar, it’s a radio show done in the style of This American Life, but it’s all about the mystery and magic of science. Perfection!

3) Ethiopian Food. I’d never eaten it before I moved to Portland, and I can’t believe I lived so long without Injera and Berbere.

4) Learning that my son has hair (via ultrasound). WOW! Little wonderful wisps on his perfect little head.




[audio:http://dev.bonzaiaphrodite.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/03-New-Resolution1.mp3|titles=03 New Resolution]


5) The song ‘New Resolution’ by The Heartless Bastards. I know it came out in like, 2006, but I’m completely enamored with it and can’t get it out of my head. It works so well for the new year and all.

6) The teapot I got for my birthday, which is lime green and lovely, and sure beats the little sauce pot we’ve been using for almost 6 months!

7) And speaking of, I’m drinking a ton of lemon ginger tea these days. I take it with maple syrup and real lemon juice. It’s medicinal and sooo relaxing.







Harley’s lower lip, which sticks out all funny-like. It’s hard to capture on film but I assure you, it’s *hysterical*.

9) Knowing that the crocus bulbs are ripening underground, all over Portland, and that soon they’ll be popping up from every sidewalk crack to tell us it’s springtime. The wee crocus is my favorite spring flower.

10) In the meantime, the Petrichor (which is also, as it so happens, my all-time favorite word)

11) Secondhand baby clothes! Especially those with animal ears and animal feet. I’m sort of obsessed. My son will end up wearing nothing but ducks and monkeys, I swear. Ha!









12) The Origin Of Love. Plato (yes *that* Plato) conceived of the myth itself, but Hedwig and The Angry Inch brought it to life! It’s so very beautiful. Incidentally, if you haven’t seen the film, WATCH IT. It’s in my top 5, easily.

13) Taquería Los Gorditos, which was our absolute favorite take-out food cart, recently opened a real restaurant. I’m not even kidding, I ate more of my meals from there than not, in the first 2 weeks they were open. Having a go-to eatery that brings you so much pleasure is PRICELESS. And these beans and rice are like gold my friends, gold I’m telling you. I swear this baby is built entirely of vegan burritos. (Damian want’s to make a baby blanket that looks like a giant tortilla, so we can wrap the baby up like a burrito. Genius, no!!? We’re gonna be millionaires . . . )

14) My ever-growing collection of houseplants. I want them everywhere, on every counter top and in every nook and cranny. So essential in winter – and they’re even good for you!

15) Baking soda. Need. I. Say. More? (I do need? Okay – lately I’ve been using my baking soda for heartburn relief, carpet cleaning, toilet deodorizing, and mildew scouring, among others)







16) Subversive artwork, a la Banksy. I don’t agree with everything he does or says, but I certainly appreciate his presence in the world! (and most of his stuff is just RAD, as evidenced above)

17) Getting packages in the mail! Ahhh, bed rest. It can be so terribly boring. But between the Holidays, the baby stuff, and my birthday, I’ve been getting bunches of boxes and it’s SO FUN!

18) Dreaming of produce. I can’t wait for late spring/summer and all the bounty that it brings. Overflowing farmers markets, eating a high-raw diet, and growing my own tomatoes. I like to flip through recipes and plan out all the amazing new dishes I’m going to develop. Yes, I’m a food geek! (and thus I want this so bad! HA)

19) Portland. I can’t even begin to tell you why, I don’t have the time.







20) Wearing my tutu. No joke, it brings me endless amounts of joy and reminds me of the ‘fairy slip’ I practically lived in as a child. I’m thinking of giving birth in it.

21) On the sartorial tip, lets include Big Clunky Boots and Stripey Long Socks. These classics will never get old and will alway make me happy.

22) Truly embarrassing reality TV addictions. I refuse to admit what I’ve been watching, but it is sinfully delicious and I am horribly hooked. I plead the bed rest defense.

23) Getting a ‘real’ hair cut. After years of drunken DIY snipping with friends, it’s somewhat of a luxury to go to a professional. Especially at my favorite spot, where the styling is super cheap and they give you free beer while you wait. (another reason for #19)

24) A precious sip of Damian’s Chianti. I actually had a whole glass of Syrah on my birthday, enjoyed very slowly over a long dinner. But those little tastes of my husband’s wine here and there, those have been such a treasure through this pregnancy.







25) Bertrand Russell. I’ve been reading his ideas and writings, which are still so relevant. What a mind, what a mind.

26) A good soak in the tub. I’ve always been a bath person, but with the big belly it’s just extra extra fun. Plus it takes the pressure off the ol’ back!

27) Tom Waits. Always and forever, no list of things I love would be complete without him. A primer: Damian had me listen to this song when he confessed his feeling for me. I walked down the aisle to this song (which is ‘our song’) at the wedding. And when our son is old enough for his own room, the lyrics to this song will be stenciled on the wall.

28) Finding out that Brian Greene, the quantum physicist and author I’ve had a total geek crush on for years and years, and maybe one of the smartest people alive, is A VEGAN!!! Oh, *swoon*

29) The impending birthday of Bonzai Aphrodite. I can’t believe it’s been a year already! And at the same time, I can’t believe its only been a year. I have worked so hard, and learned so much, and connected to so many amazing people here. This blog has grown into something more beautiful than I ever imagined, and in only 12 short months. Imagine what the next year will bring!




Now it’s your turn my dears – what little things are tickling you these days?

You know, it’s really hard to save the world if you can’t even find your keys. And believe it or not, sometimes the ‘Socially Conscious’ part is a whole lot easier than the ‘Totally Fabulous’ side of things.

But just like I didn’t always suffer from Hyper-Productivity Disorder™, I wasn’t always compulsively organized either. I had to teach myself to think systematically. In college I would take sloppy notes in lecture, scrambling to get down every essential piece of information. Then, each and every night, I would re-copy all my notes, in perfect script, color coded. It took hours, but it forced organization as a habit. These are learned behaviors, see, and that means anybody can adopt them.

After college Damian and I somehow managed to buy HQ. That was over 2 years ago, and our time since then has been spent renovating the place. We do all the work ourselves while maintaining full employment, which means 1) our living space is constantly under some degree of construction, and 2) home improvement is tailored around our jobs, thus relegated to nights and weekends. Projects tend to take a *long* time.

So, what’s the key to a smooth operation? Of course – organization!

Believe it or not, this is spread is meticulously arranged.

There have been times when our entire kitchen is emptied and under drop cloths, the cabinet contents laid out, exposed, on makeshift plywood picnic tables. Another few months where I kept half my clothes, and did half my dressing, in a separate room from the bedroom. And yet another 6-month period where we slept in our bed . . . in the living room. That was interesting when guests were over.

The bottom line is that maintaining order matters: for your sanity, for your sense of balance, and most importantly to enable you to do what you need to do. I never could have made home-cooked meals through a kitchen remodel, without sticking to strict system. And I’d never succeed at running a website if I didn’t plan everything ten steps ahead. Orderliness can turn farce into the best adventure. I’ll always think back fondly on the summer we ‘camped in the dining room’.

The hall closet is utterly uncluttered.

With the new year and new intentions on the brain, I’ve had a lot of readers asking for advice on practicing positivity and living a more mindful, fulfilling life. Let me tell you this: methodology is step one to getting everything on track. And careful organization isn’t reserved exclusively for the ‘big stuff’ like home improvement or education or activism. These principals apply to day-to-day living. They’ll free up tons of time, and allow you to put your energy (physical *and* emotional energy) where it really matters. Here’s three easy steps to get you started.

1) Keep a clean house. Everything, I mean everything, should have a place. Know what goes where, and make sure it gets there. Notice how your anxiety decreases when your surrounding are aesthetically pleasing (ie clean). We’re sensitive to these things, so don’t let it get out of control!

2) Make lists. I’m a notorious list-maker (another consciously learned behavior). I write a daily to-do list, lists of goals for each week, and long-term lists for a number of subjects (like ‘baby stuff to research’, or ‘upcoming posts on Bonzai’). I keep these in a notebook that comes with me everywhere (I like a looseleaf 3-ring binder ’cause it’s easy to shuffle stuff around, but your mileage may vary. Many are fond of the brand Moleskine) Try this, it will seriously change your life.

3) Have a vision. Sleeping in the living room would have been embarrassing and tragic if I didn’t have the image of our beautiful new bedroom to hold in my mind’s eye. Painstakingly copying notes would have been achingly tedious, were I not so damned determined to maintain my 4.0. Having these overarching plans will offer comfort when things get crazy, and ground you when you’re caught up in the chaos of life’s minutia. So dream big (no, bigger!), and then let that vision guide you.




And what about you, my dears? What are your methods for controlling the madness?

Happy Holidays my dears!

Rhonda is my 2009 Thanksgiving Turkey, but unlike the nearly 45 million unlucky others, Rhonda will be alive and well the morning after T-day. Rhonda and her rescued companions will live out their days feeling the sun on their backs, enjoying the pleasure of a summer dust bath, and living a truly free-range existence.

But many other birds – literally hundreds of millions of birds – are not so lucky. If you want to learn more about the poultry industry in general and the turkey industry specifically, including ‘cage-free’ fallacies, here is a great place to start. Or if you’re just interested in becoming better acquainted with these affectionate animals, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau shares inspiring stories of her own experience working with rescued turkeys at Farm Sanctuary.

If you’d like to get involved and help, you can do like we did and sponsor a turkey too! A one-time donation of $25 goes to the turkey of your choice, and you’ll even receive an adoption certificate in the mail. What a wonderful way to celebrate a holiday centered on the principals of caring and sharing, no?

Compassion – now THAT is something to truly be thankful for!

“Save A Turkey – Eat Tofu”

But there’s a lot of natural, non-invasive ways to keep your immune system going strong. The first is to make sure you’re eating right. I know we all want to chow down on comfort food when the cold weather sets in, but don’t forget the essentials like brightly colored fruits and veggies, plus lots of dark leafy greens. Luckily citrus season is right around the corner, so we can all make these – you know, for our health . . .

Aside from eating right, you can also load up on the good stuff via supplements. I’ve been feeling a bit low-energy lately, so I’ve been doing a daily packet of electrolytes + Vitamin C + bonus vitamins in water (there are a variety of brands). It’s tasty and keeps any lurking bugs at bay. On top of that I down my daily multivitamin and a few other supplements.

When I’m feeling like I really might be getting sick, I take a power dose of Vitamin C. That’s 1000 milligrams, 3 times a day, for 3 days. But don’t go longer than 3 days at this dose! Zinc is also an immune booster, and great to have on hand.

This year I’ve really begun exploring medicinal teas, for all sorts of afflictions. At the moment I’m drinking a ‘cold care’ herbal blend that’s simply delicious. Many brands offer a ‘throat coat’ or ‘sore throat soother’ type tea, that can really help ease a scratchy and swollen throat. Look for products with licorice root, ginger, and of course echinacea. If you’re not into store-bought stuff you can always boil some hot water with lemon juice and maple syrup. This wonderful (and cheap!) home remedy is perfect for calming an angry cough.

If things get really bad, I recommend investigating a neti pot. I’v never used one myself, but I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews. Hopefully I’ll never need one (knock on wood), but if I ever end up with a serious sinus issue, you can be sure the neti pot will be my first line of defense.

So them’s are the Bonzai basics for making it through sick season, the natural way. But what about you guys? What precautions do you take? What are your best home remedies, your most effetive tips and tricks? Sharing is caring guys, so bring it on!

And remember: ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS! (with plain soap + hot water; leave that antibacterial crap alone)

“To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place . . . I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.”
~ Elliott Erwitt


It’s become my favorite part of the week, this Saturday morning farmers market. The bustle of the bazaar engages all of my senses, filling me with inspiration: the sights, the smells, the sounds, and oh the PEOPLE!

My darlings, I want to share these images with you, so that they may inspire you as my market always inspires me. Let me know what you think – I’m considering a recurring series.

Do I stand out in the crowd?

These artichoke flowers look like dayglow ocean creatures.

Mmmmmm falafel.

NOM NOM

If you’re reading this on a computer screen, you’re part of a new reality; a world where you’re granted greater options – an almost overwhelming array of ‘choices’ – more so than anyone else before you.

So why, then, does the 21st century condition seems to be that of helplessness? Why do we all feel so damn LOCKED on the course we’re already headed, be it academically, professionally, geographically, or in the grander scheme of loving our life?

For decades the ‘youth’ has been pegged as apathetic (you hippies were a lot to live up to, Mom and Dad!) And I’ll admit it, I’ve played that blame game myself – writing off my peers with uncontained frustration.

But that’s a simplistic perspective, the reflected image of our own insecurity. When I really look around me, when I really strive to witness, the picture is very different. I see a vast [and growing!] collection of incredible movers and makers, of fighters and artists, intellectuals and entrepreneurs, all burning with creative fire to DO SOMETHING meaningful.

But for some reason, these dynamic, diverse individuals, are allowing themselves to be pacified. They’re mired in doubt, convinced that what they may do . . . won’t matter. ‘Resistance is futile’.

What’s missing?

Image by Cig Harvey

Last night I shared a long conversation over steaming tea and jaggery, with a girlfriend who’d just had a startling realization. She proclaimed to me, giddy in her liberation, “I could just quit my job. I could . . . I could move to Brazil and teach yoga! I could totally do that!”

YES! Yes Yes Yes! That’s the connection to make.

Maybe you live in Nome, Alaska. But maybe, eating local organic whole foods would mean the world to you, would change your relationship to your body or to the Earth. Well . . . you don’t have to live in Nome Alaska! You *can* uproot your life and LEAVE (I did!)

If your city lacks an inspiring subculture . . .

If your partner scoffs at your wildest ambitions . . .

If your parents won’t accommodate your veg*n intentions . . .

If your job leaves you wilted and unfulfilled . . .

MAKE CHANGES. Take risks, dream big, no bigger, follow through, and don’t ever be passive in your life’s direction. Be an active player – an ACTIVIST – in Every. Thing. You. Do.

Statistically speaking, periods of recession are hotbeds of revolution. Now is the time to be extreme. Now is the time to find your bliss and live your truth.

There is nothing strong enough to stop you.

Conclusion: I would never dream of telling you how to live your life. My point is to remind you to stay EMPOWERED. You are in control, and your decisions set the course. And the course can change, anytime you wish it.