Favorite Classical Music

Some of my favorite classical music includes works composed by Ludwig Van Beethoven and Frederic Chopin. The Beethoven album that I listen to most are his Piano Sonatas; there are enough of these to last for an entire day of listening, so I like to turn these on in the morning when I start working and listen to them all day. The Chopin albums I like are Nocturnes, Waltzes Nos. 1-14, and Piano Sonatas.

Listening to classical music is very relaxing and makes you smarter.

I listen to these on Rhapsody because this allows me to listen to almost anything I want, anywhere I have access to the internet. But it's all available on CD, too.

Diva Dollz- People's Pick 2008 for Favorite Women's Boutique and Favorite Shoes and Accessories

Diva Dollz, a new-ish women's clothing, accessories, and shoe store in Pioneer Square (really, it's part store, part museum), is very fun- it's fun to look in the windows, fun to try on the clothes, fun to talk to the owners, fun to get great deals on beautiful clothes.

Apparently, Hurricane Katrina is the reason the owners of Diva Dollz are in business in Seattle, and I'm so happy to see (according to the recent People's Pick results) that they are doing well.

Green Clean

Last weekend, after a family reunion down in Auburn, the 421 household made a stop at Ikea, and I got the most wonderful book: "clean" by michael de jong (subtitled, "the humble art of zen-cleansing"). For a long time I have been wanting to rid myself of the chemicals that are my cleaning products, but to replace with what? This little book is nice because it's short (and only $7), so I don't feel like I am studying for my Ph.D. in cleaning the house.

Here's a few highlights:
First, you (mostly) only need five things: baking soda, borax, lemon, salt, and white vinegar. Cheap, so I'm on board. (Except, where does one buy borax? Not at Rite-Aid. I'm still looking. Update: I found it at Whole Foods.)

A couple of the greatest-hits recipes:

• Equal parts borax, baking soda, and Ivory soap flakes for laundry detergent

• Equal parts borax and baking soda for electric dishwashing detergent

• Add to fresh flowers: two Tbsp. white vinegar, one tsp. sugar for each one quart water

• 1/4 cup borax and 1/4 cup baking soda for all-purpose kitchen and bath cleaner; add salt as needed as an abrasive

I'm on board with the eco-cleaning, as soon as I find borax (it seems like a lot of the recipes include borax). These recipes provide yet another use for the glass jars that I love so much, and because they do not involve any chemicals, I can use rags for cleaning different things and then throw them all into the washing machine without worrying about different chemicals reacting.

All these cheap and easy cleaning solutions lead me to wonder: why did I ever start buying those toxic cleaners to begin with?

The Conversation, with Ross Reynolds, and Summer Trips

I was listening to my favorite radio show the other day, the Conversation (I love Ross Reynolds), and the program was about the staycation. Listeners phoned in with some great ideas for local stuff around Puget Sound. One place that several people mentioned is Holden Village up near Lake Chelan.

It's philosophy reminds me of a place that I stayed this summer for a yoga retreat, the Whidbey Institute. Unfortunately the Whidbey Institute does not appear to allow for individual stays, however Rebekkah LaDyne of Refreshing Retreats hosts her annual yoga retreat there. This was such a great weekend: delicious food, cute little houses and cabins (and camping!) in the forest, nice people, and of course the best yoga instructor ever.

Pacific Northwest Ballet

The new season of the Pacific Northwest Ballet is starting soon! I just got season tickets for the Gallery Upper section. I contemplated getting Backstage Pass tickets, which are an amazing deal for folks 21-39. The performances are on Friday nights, however, which doesn't really work so well with my 7:30 am Saturday morning runs- Saturday night is my night of choice to party at McCaw Hall.

Moleskine

Do you love to make lists? I sure do, and I compile them all in this little notebook by Moleskine. According to Amazon.com, "This silent and discreet keeper of an extraordinary tradition, which has been missing for years, has set out again on its journey."

Actually, I have two of these. One of them I keep in the bag I carry with me, and it has lists including: things to do, things to buy (separated by store, including groceries, drugstore, hardware store, etc.), music to get, etc. I like to be able to jot down notes when inspired, like when I'm travelling. The second of my Moleskine notebooks is a large ruled notebook, which I have turned into my house journal where I detail the things that I do (to? for?) my house. I try to include what I did, products used, companies who did the work, etc.

White

There are certain household things that I like best in clean, uninterrupted white: dishes and tableware (above is Revol, white French porcelain which can be purchased from Sur la Table), tablecloths, bedding, towels for both the kitchen and bath (for the former, floursack towels), bathrobes, paint, tiles, sinks, curtains (esp. lace curtains, sheers, and cafe curtains), etc.