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Product Spotlight
Madagascar Vanilla
Nilotica Lip Care

One of my favorite products from our new African Adventures Collection has to be our Madagascar Vanilla Nilotica Lip Care. A rich blend of organic, fair trade Nilotica shea butter form Uganda and five exotic oils from all over the African continent, it glides effortlessly across the lips to soothe, enrich and nourish. Infused with kiss of Madagascar vanilla absolute and a dash of clementine essential oil, it smells positively divine…and it’s 100% natural, too!

Latest Obsession
Paper Bead Necklaces
from Bead For Life


In July, I traveled to Kampala and had the good fortune to be mentored by a nonprofit working in Uganda to help eradicate extreme poverty. Bead For Life teaches women to roll paper beads and string them into gorgeous, colorful jewelry. They buy the beads at fair trade prices and provide literacy and business training to the beaders, with the goal of empowering women to start their own businesses when they finish the 15 month program. If you’d like to help support their valuable mission (and score some beautiful jewelry in the process!), then you can pick up their necklaces, bracelets and earrings right here. The Maadala necklaces are my personal favorites!

Monthly Poll

Two weeks and $10,000 to kill. Where to?

  • Thailand & Vietnam
  • Iceland & Scandinavia
  • Conqering South Africa
  • Peru & Brazil

View results
Ingredient of the Month
Baobab Oil

The most famous tree in all of Africa, the baobab is nicknamed the “upside down tree” because its braches look like roots sticking up in the air. A myriad of folklore surrounds the baobab: in West Africa, natives believe that spirits inhabit the flowers and lions devour anyone foolish enough to pluck a bloom. In Zambia, it’s considered good luck to wash the seeds in a river as it wards off crocodiles. In Nigeria, the tree is revered as a symbol of fertility and couples marry beneath its branches. The seed of the baobab fruit is pressed to yield a luscious oil celebrated for its ability to quickly absorb and soften skin without clogging pores. Say it: Bow-o-bab. Native to Kenya.

Find it in: Baobab & Red Tea Naturally Nourishing Shampoo, Madagascar Vanilla Nilotica Lip Care, Argan & Acacia Rich Body Creme

Food For Thought

“The test of courage comes when we are in the minority. The test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority.”

~ Ralph W. Sockman

Home Spa Ritual
Cooling Cucumber Mask

The perfect remedy on a warm spring day, this softening mask utilizes our favorite skin treats from your pantry!

1/2 cucumber
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
1/2 tablespoon yogurt

Toss peeled and deseeded cucumber into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add honey, cream and yogurt and blend for 45 more seconds. To use: massage mask onto freshly cleansed skin. Grab a good book and relax for 10-15 minutes. Splash face with cool water to remove. Store any remaining mask in a covered container in the refrigerator and use within 4 days.

Drumroll, please...
Congratulations to:

Christine B. of Akron, Ohio. As our latest drawing winner, she’s enjoying a host of goodies from our new Asian Indulgences Collection. It’s a package worth more than $75…congratulations!

Want your chance to win? Enter here.

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Search our past spotlights and articles!

   
Blogroll

I highly recommend the following cozy nooks and places of interest- they represent some of my favorite stops on the web.

NY Times Travel Blog : For those days when you're trapped in your office, but dream of snorkeling expeditions to Belize or biking through Spain.

Yoga Journal : An ever-changing source of information about yoga, meditation and healthy cooking.

Women's Rights Blog : An eye-opening look at the state of women's rights around the globe.

Daily Candy : Unwrap a surprise in your email inbox every morning. It's the only site you'll ever need for the latest in travel, culture, nibbles and libations.

101 Cookbooks : Delectable new recipes every single day. Never fret over what to make for dinner again!

My favorite reading this season

December 11, 2006

I love both giving and receiving awesome books. Though I love to read, I tend to do it in spurts, consuming a dozen books in the span of a month or two and then not picking up another book for months on end. I am grateful to be in the midst of one of my reading sprees at the moment, and I thought I’d share a few of my current favorites with those of you looking for a good read during the holidays.

The Food Revolution: My 8 year old daughter recently told me that she was feeling more and more uncomfortable eating meat. Having devoted myself to periods of vegetarianism (is that even a word?) in my life, we chatted at length about the matter and I agreed to go veg in 2007 as a sign of my support for her. I picked up several books on the subject to prepare for our New Years’ resolution, and this one stopped me cold in my tracks. I read Diet For A New America (by the same author) 10 years and, shortly thereafter, gave up meat for quite a while. After reading this followup to his previous work, we stopped eating meat early…my entire immediate family. A powerful, thoroughly documented volume that details how foregoing meat will make a happier, healthier you and a happier, healthier planet. And the cows won’t mind a bit either…

The Vegetarian Family Cookbook: In the same vein, this is the best vegetarian cookbook I’ve encountered thus far. It’s chock full of fabulous recipes, including family classics and some more exotic fare. More than 300 recipes and a great reference section.

Above All, Be Kind: An insightful manual for raising compassionate children while battling apathy, materialism and negative peer influences and fostering respect for others and the planet. In 200+ pages, the author reveals strategies, profiles and activities designed to bring out the best in your child.

Buddhism For Mothers: A beautifully written book with practical advice for applying Buddhist principles to your journey through motherhood. A manual for coping with the bustling demands of day-to-day life and strengthening your family.

Food & Wine- Cocktails 2006: For when all that talk about peaceful parenting just isn’t cutting it….ha! No really, a delightful little book with more than 150 fine recipes for exotic cocktails destined to impress at your next dinner party. Includes a section on designer garnishes, essential bar tools and a “spirits lexicon”…I have my designs on the Pomegranate Crush (page 37) and Blackberry Mint Margarita (page 92) for my holiday entertaining.

The Price of Privilege: An eye-opening look into the dangers of rampant materialism and how it endangers the very children we seek to nurture. Written by a noted psychologist with 25 years of clinical experience, it will make you think twice about that avalanche of Christmas presents you’re hiding in the hall closet.

As soon as I get a few more free minutes, I’ll write up a list of books I’m giving my children for their birthdays (which oh-so-conveniently sandwich Christmas on either side). There are some awesome finds I’m excited about and I can’t wait to share them with you!


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