Serge the Concierge

200 Inner City Kids need a Vacation Home in August: Give the Fresh Air Fund a Hand

As time goes by, I get requests of all kind.

When Sara Wilson sent me not one but 2 e-mails requesting my assistance in helping the Fresh Air Fund find Vacation Homes for 200 Inner City Kids, I detected a sense of urgency.

So here's where and when they need help:

There are trip dates set for August 2008 for over 200 children and they need host families to volunteer to host these inner-city children. The dates and locations are as follows:

8/11-8/21

New Jersey:
Warren County, Bergen County, Union County, Somerset County, Morris County, Hunterdon County Pennsylvania:
Lancaster, Akron, Christiana, Denver, Donegal, East Earl, ElversonLititz, Manheim, New Holland, Quarryville
New York:
St. Massena, Ogdensburg, Potsdam

8/12-8/22
Harrisburg, Pa

8/15-8/22
Central Massachusetts:
Acton, Hopkinton, Lexington, Marlboro, Wayland

8/15-8/25

New York:
Western Fingerlakes: Canandaigua, Canal Towns, Dansville
Central New York: Fulton, Marcellus and Oswego

Massachusetts:
Cape Cod

Pennsylvania:
Doylestown, Upper Bucks, Lower Bucks, Chalfont

8/25-9/1

New York:
Columbia County
Red Hook/Rhinebeck (Dutchess County)
Albany County

• Unless all prospective host families are screened and vetted by the end of July these 200 children may miss out on an invaluable experience                              
                             
• Please host a child or help the Fresh Air Fund get the word out that they need folks who can welcome a child from the city into their homes next month                              
                             
• One last thing that is actually very important. The Fresh Air Fund is looking for families who want to extend an invitation to a 9-12 year old. We really need more families who want older children and boys                           
                             
• Please Email Angie, angie@freshair.org, immediately and she'll speed you through the process                                                
• Or, you can call the Fresh Air Fund at 1-800-367-0003 (212.897.8900) -- ask for Angie

Time is of the essence!

Thanks in advance to all those of you who can give a helping hand.

3 Red Wines that Don't Break the Bank (Spain, France, Italy)

Even with the rise in prices due to a weak dollar, one can still find European red wines that do not break the bank.
What I would call table wine?
Over the past few weeks, I found 3 new options.

First Clua (El Sola d'en Pol, 2006) from producer Xavier Clua, in the 'Terra Alta' appellation in Catalonia (Spain).
This unoaked blend of Grenache (40%), Cabernet Sauvignon (20%), Syrah (20%), Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo, 10%) and Merlot (10%) is a fruit forward offering, simple and pleasant (around $10).

   

I bought the second pick, Chateau Calissanne (website, French only) as their Rosé was out of stock, I thought I should give their 2006 Red a chance. From the Coteaux d'Aix en Provence appellation, it is a blend of Grenache and Syrah (harvested early September) and Cabernet Sauvignon (harvested late September) from 30 year old vines.

The winemaker describes its robe as fuschia, some wild berry touches to it, fills your mouth with flavors, balanced tannins (around $14).

David McDuff paid a second visit to the property earlier this year and shares his impressions in Getting Reacquainted with Château Calissanne (March 2008).

Last on my list and maybe my favorite of the three Ciacci Piccolomini Toscana Rosso "Poggio Della Fonte" 2005, a ruby red treat with a little earthiness and spice to it.

It is 50% Sangiovese and for the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (not sure what the exact percentages are).

Want some technical facts: It is aged for 12 months in large Slavonian oak casks for Sangiovese and in old barriques and tonneaux for Cabernet and Merlot, blendend in tanks then aged in bottle for 2 months (around $12)...

Recent Red Blends Bits:

No Quatre Quart, De Lisio Quarterback 2006, An Australian Red Blend, Almost Equal Parts

Besides Petanque: 2CV and Solex 'Bastille Day' Rendez-Vous in New York

The Citroen 2 CV and the Solex are icons of the 50's and 60's in France and Europe at least
They would take you from point A to point B in a practical if not luxurious way.

The 'Bastille Day' Rendez-Vous kicks off at 10:00 am at Grant's Tomb (Riverside Drive and 122nd St) on July 13 in New York. Check the full map of the itinerary thanks to the Greater NY Citroën & Velosolex Touring Club site.



This is the Ninth Edition of the Event.

Will Lloyd Cole make a cameo appearance singing 2 CV?

Hard to believe but Velosolex models such as the S4800 (pictured below) can still be purchased in the US.

Even Catherine Deneuve rode one as that 1973 picture (courtesy of Velosolex America) shows.

Check the Velosolex America for details

Thanks to Katia of Pardon Me for Asking for pointing that Event to Me.

Related: Petanque in Brooklyn (at Bar Tabac) and other Bastille Day Events

Learn Japanese Tips and Tricks at the 'Urawaza' Book Party (San Francisco, July 13)

After reading The Maker of Balloons (Water Balloons that is) on PingMag, I wanted to learn more about this Japanese Summer tradition.

By some twist of fate, I landed instead on Tokyo Mango, one of the voices of Lisa Katayama.

She recently published Urawaza (Chronicle Books) where she shares some everyday Japanese tips and tricks such as "Can't find someone to water your plants while you're away? Place the plant on a water-soaked diaper, so it slowly absorbs water over time."

She continues a popular Japanese trend that expresses itself on popular TV Shows and numerous books.

If you are in San Francisco on Sunday, July 13, Lisa has a book signing party where she will demo some of her secrets. It takes place from 1to 3pm at Double Punch a store offering Japanese Toys, Art Books and more in the North Beach district, close to the Bay.

All the way back in May, Try Than offered her own Kitchen Secrets on Bay Area Bites. Let me quote a couple:

"After soaking dried tamarind in water, use the strained fruit and fibers to polish your copper pans and bowls.

Use the edge of a small spoon to peel the crooks and crannies of knobby ginger."

Are you hooked on the Urawaza trend?

Want to share your own kitchen and home tricks?

A side trip in the Bay Area for Tokyo Thursdays #46

Last Week: Slew of reviews on 'Japan Cuts' (New York), Could not make it to Opening Night!

Petanque in Brooklyn (at Bar Tabac) and other Bastille Day Events

Feel Tricolore as Bastille Day approaches. If you look forward to an afternoon of Pastis and Petanque, Bar Tabac in Brooklyn, New York holds its annual Petanque Tournament.

Merguez, frites and Ricard are on the menu as well as music by the Baby Blue Orchids and the Francois Wiss Ensemble.
A Bal Musette maybe.
Bar Tabac is located at 128, Smith Street  and Dean Street.

Want to keep abreast of Petanque News in the New York area, La Boule New York is the place to check.

On the New Jersey side (even though Brooklyn is closer to me), Frenchtown has a Bastille Day Festival on July 12 and 13 (my illustration).

Washington DC celebrates Bastille Day at the French Embassy (my illustration).

For events in other U.S cities such as Boston, Austin, Seattle and more, take a look at the TV 5 Listing.
Most of them take place on either Saturday 12 or Sunday 13 not July 14 as in France.

I first heard about the Brooklyn festivities thanks to Katia of Pardon Me for Asking.

As for my plans after reading Hail to the Chef (FT Week End) recounting a backyard party at Daniel Johnnes home, a Sunday afternoon cookout sounds great.

Related: Celebrating Bastille Day, Gourmet Food and Wine in Franschhoek, South Africa and A glass of Petanque...Close encounters with Bastille Day

Car becomes Burden of Suburbia, Will America call Car Pooling to the Rescue?

Paul Harris in America's love affair fades as the car becomes burden of suburbia (Observer, Guardian UK, July 6th) paints a rather bleak picture of the future of America's landscape as it is now.
He reports from the Inland Empire once farmland, now home to subdivision after subdivision.

He states that "as Americans enjoyed the 4 July holiday weekend, increasing numbers of them were staying at home rather than hitting the road. Newspapers were full of tips for staycations, not weekend breaks away. Customs once scorned, such as car pooling and cutting out trips to the mall, are now commonplace. The fact is, the vast majority of Americans cannot give up their cars altogether. Too many cities lack any reliable public transport".

By the way, Time Out New York gave its Guide to Staycations: Exciting weekends for two, starting at $105! in its July 6, 2006 Issue.

Amongst the gloomy assessments in the article are those by Chris Fauchere, a Denver-based film-maker who feels that 'Suburbia has been unsustainable since its creation'... He is producing a new documentary on the issue called The Great Squeeze.

Also quoted is Professor Bill McKibben, whose most recent book is Deep Economy,The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future (cover above  is my illustration).

He thinks that "Distance is now an enemy...There's no question that the days of thoughtless driving are done".

One of the best short term solutions might be car pooling.

The end of Driving Alone for Green Day #34

Previously: Travel, Don't Tour and Please, Slow Down: Eco Friendly Vacation Tips

Is 4th of July (Independence Day) All About Shopping and Bargains at the Mall?

On the Eve of my first 4th of July as a U.S citizen, I had to say it loud.
Is Shopping and Bargains at the Mall all that Independence Day, the national holiday stands for?
Could it be if nothing else a chance for a day of rest and time spent with family and friends?

A short July 3rd musing in the Consumed to Thrifty mindset.

MyFarm and Your Backyard Farmer turn your Backyard into an Organic Garden

You might like the idea of walking into the garden to pick up some greens and tomatoes for a salad or fresh herbs to compliment a fish or meat dish.
For a fee, residents of San Francisco who want the garden but lack the time can rely on MyFarm to turn their backyard into an Organic Garden.
Basic installation can be from $600 to a $1000 (depending on the size of the project) and weekly maintenance costs run from $20 to $35.
You can choose between two options: Personal where you consume all your produce and Owner Member where some of your crop can be sold to others.

Ariel Schwartz shares more details on the company in Capitalist Dream: Company Designs and Maintains Organic Garden in Your Backyard (On Green Options, July 1st).

Tara Duggan calls MyFarm a "throwback to the Victory Gardens, a World War II government-sponsored program in which as much as 40 percent of the country's nonmilitary produce was grown in urban and suburban backyards" in her piece S.F. firm harvests potential of unused land (SF Chronicle, June 23).

The City of San Francisco actually launched a pilot program named Victory Gardens 2008+

Another option on the East Coast is Your Backyard Farmer with projects in and around Portland (Oregon) as well as on the East Coast according to the video below.

They've been around since 2006 and are booked solid for this year but taking applications for 2009.

Know of similar projects and endeavors, share them with us.

Related: Water is for Plants, Wine is for People

Travel, Don't Tour and Please, Slow Down: Eco Friendly Vacation Tips

While picking up a few things at Whole Foods, I noticed a new magazine on the racks, Green Guide.
I did not buy a copy.
I did like the cover story, 'Green on a Budget' (with matches my Consumed to Thrifty thread) so I checked Green Guide online and realized that it was published by National Geographic.

They have a very timely story in the second issue Going for Green: Eco-Friendly Family Vacations   by Kathy Shorr.
Her most sensible tip is Travel, don't tour as she reminds us "Vacations give us a chance to do something our daily lives don't: slow down. By choosing one spot and staying there for your whole vacation, you can become absorbed in the experience".
Second is Get on The Train, the least polluting transportation and besides that you can see the scenery in between places. I also like the rhythm of the train on the tracks.
Third Propel yourself "Instead of driving a hundred miles a day, why not try walking 5, or biking 15, or paddling even just 1? " Helps you clear your head as well as the toxins in your body.

A short Green Day #33

Related: In Europe, Drop Plane for Train with 'The Man in Seat 61'.
and Greek and Green: the Levendis Estate on a Ionian Island

 

Picnic and Party Plates that Don't Trash Nature thanks to 'VerTerra'

How much garbage all our summer parties and picnics generate, god only knows?
A little company that could, VerTerra (from New York) has come up with a solution inspired by India.

They offer a line of plates, bowls, cups, and platters that they describe as "100% renewable and compostable plant matter and water. No chemicals, waxes or dyes, like those found in disposable paper and plastic options". They suggest that theses single-use products can be used "to reheat in the microwave, bake in the oven, or cool in the fridge".

Made in South Asia from fallen leaves, after collecting these leaves they "apply steam, heat and pressure to transform the leaves into durable products that will naturally biodegrade in 2 months".

At about $1 a piece, responsibility you can afford.

Kudos!

First read about VerTerra on Springwise.

Want to discover other earth friendly products, the California Waste Management Board offers a list of Compostable Products.

Related: Wanna Compost? 'The Daily Dump' can help