The Pink Stuff

Pink has never really been my color. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with my Mom swaddling me head to toe when I first arrived- and so maybe I had my fill way back before I even had a color "/

However, Pink wine, now that is something I am willing to check out.  You have probably noticed at your local wine shop a varying selection of interesting bottles filled with different shades of pink.  Rose Season has arrived-and it will be gone before you know it.
A little back story on the pink stuff:
All wine begins white (seriously) and it is the amount of time that the skins are allowed to come in contact with the juice that transforms the color.  So Roses usually swim with their skins for about 3 days after crush depending on 1. types of grapes used to make the wine, and 2. what color the winemaker is hoping to achieve.  The pink color can range from a pale orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grapes and wine making techniques. It also varies in flavor but most commonly are dry, crisp and full of flavor.  It can also have bubbles or be still.  Rose is traditionally from Provence, France but winemakers have been exploring with all different grapes and regions with great success.

It's nearing the end of July-Rose season is in full effect!  Gather your friends, have each one pick up a bottle of Rose and meet in the park, at the beach, or around the pool.  This vintage will only be here until stock runs dry and then we wait.......until next Rose season.  So Drink up!

A Year In Provence- great book about Rose :)

Work Wine :)

It's been a while- shall we be honest and just say a really long while- since my last post.  Lots of changes and growth and goodness has been had.  I'm engaged!  I have mastered my meatball recipe and I have a new gig.  For the past 8 months, I have walked hundreds of miles around this island and continue to do so on a daily basis.  My new professional title is-Wine Rep.  Sounds awesome right?  It actually IS awesome.  Just way more involved and different and political- than I had ever really thought.  I walk- a lot!  I think I am one of the few New Yorkers that actually get more than my share of rides with my monthly metro card.  Take that MTA! That felt good to say and I'm not sure why?  I cold call like -well- it is my job and so I cold call a lot!  I'll talk to anybody.  Employees, managers if I'm lucky and lots and lots of busboys.  I bust out my pathetic Spanish to whoever will listen and sometimes....it works.  The buyer will actually give me 2 minutes to talk.  I begin with the shiny parts of our portfolio.  However- he may be  more interested in say a small, family owned, organic, Argentinian, single vineyard, vintage specific brand or wine- I swear this is what I've heard at times- and so,  I change my now well rehearsed monologue to a different tune- and I'm off and running in that whole other direction.  It's fun.  It's challenging.  It can actually be lonely.  All this being said, I am taking a new direction for the Greenstream blog.  I'm trying to find a way to share my 1.Experiences around this crazy town while tasting, smelling, swirling, whirling, looking, drinking and my 2.Wine Knowledge (which is funnier than you realize), and finally-my 3.Thoughts.  About wine, about food and about cool, fun, hip and affordable places to go and enjoy both.  I am hoping that with the help of my new job, and my
re-newed blog-
I will grow!

Better than a Staycation

It seems everywhere I look, be it magazine covers to online headliners, people are sticking close to home this summer season. Jazzing up the idea with terms like "Staycations" trying to find inspiration to tour your hometown, or at least someplace plane ticket free. Blame it on the economy and the way of the changing world- it's hard to spend money these days without guilt- for everyone else I guess. Meaning, it's always hard for me to spend money- I don't know what it is? A running joke now with my boyfriend as I carry around a pair of pants for 30 minutes while out shopping, get so close to the counter to pay and then somehow talk myself out of the purchase. "I have enough pants, don't I? I work hard for the money that I do have and want to spend it on things I can enjoy, like traveling, wine and cheese, rather than a cute little halter?! Please ladies keep reading...That being established I've decide to share with you my secrets on how I travel, green-minded and economically, and really get to explore and enjoy. Greenstream Gourmet- Goes camping!! I want to share how easy it is to find affordable adventure all across this amazing country. How fun it can be to throw together amazing campfire dinners inspired by the local specialties. As long as you start out with the must have items packed tightly in your outdoor pantry- campfire cooking can be some of the most gourmet meals you'll ever have the guts to put together. It's all about breathing that fresh air, taking time to hike around, explore, and marvel at the something that is greater than all of us put together. Then dig in to our bountiful riches and digest under the stars. I bet you'll find it hard to spend money on hotels again after a peaceful nights sleep in the great outdoors. No one is claiming to be Davey Crockett here either- don't get it twisted. We are real, easy going people who happen to love the outdoors and also love the finer things in the gourmet world. It's easy and most of all really FUN. My first camping trip out west absolutely changed my life for the better. Now I am going to show you how to still get away without blowing your budget. Lucky enough to live in the US, our National Parks are some of the most coveted natural areas in the world. It's time to think creatively, outdoorsy and get moving- your best vacation yet is waiting for you! Stay tuned....

Food Revolution!!

This is such a fantastic show. One time Naked Chef- Jamie Oliver filled with passion and excitement for.....Vegetables?! It's amazing. Working to clean up a rural town in West Virginia's school lunch program, Jamie must battle with children's habits, school politics and the inevitable, sort of scary, lunch lady who thinks everything is fine the way it is. Obese parents raising obese children on frozen pizza and chicken nuggets. It made me mad, and then sad, and then really hopeful that these people see the blessing that it is that Jamie has rolled up into their town. It's been about 5 episodes now and the folks of Huntington are opening their minds and mouths to wholesome, REAL food. Bravo Jamie!! Anything I can do to continue this revolution- Greenstream Gourmet is on board.

Olympic Time!!

  

From the interviews on morning shows to the billboards in Times Square to the magazine covers of all of our USA hopefuls- I am feeling the excitement! Being a huge sports fan, I  know that the Olympics is as good as it gets for competition.  The best of the best! It's not because of a special trade or a huge endorsement, but because these are the chosen ones, by a higher power; that have the ability and the extreme self discipline to mold their bodies into forms that beat the odds. An admiration I will never lose sight of. Their physical appearances do not lie.  I also  believe this can be a time of great spiritual enlightenment as well. Communities, countries and all the world watching together with intense hope and belief in realizing the dreams of these athletes.  A reason to believe that hard work pays off, an idea I think we may have lost sight of in today's times. The power of intention-the power of energies joining to make a truth.  Watching others fulfill their dreams lends hope and passion to the belief of one day having our own dreams become a reality too.   I love it!  So until I figure out my personal masterpiece idea on  bringing the Sports world and the Green world together, I will share instead a small idea from the Vancouver games on recycling:

Vancouver's green Games to recycle banners

Earlier banners celebrating the city being awarded the Olympics were sewn into schoolbags for local children.

The city plans to recycle the banners when the events are over, and Mayor Gregor Robertson said he welcomed ideas for what to do with the flags.

"Reusing these banners will reduce the environmental impact of the Games," Robertson said Wednesday.

"At the same time, we want the banners to be transformed into something that will help people in our community and will become a lasting, meaningful legacy." 

Not bad- Not great- but it's a start.  I hope to fill you in with more acts of Eco-Friendliness from Vancouver very soon.  Good Luck Olympians!!!  We'll be watching with open hearts-

Rooftop Garden

Here it is!  The Rooftop Garden in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.  I finally made it over to the greenest spot across the river and it was just what I had hoped it would be.  With plenty of visitors that day, I'm hoping their final Farmer's Market of the season was profitable.  Available for sale were greens like purple kale and various lettuces.  The head farmer Annie was there walking and talking around the garden to many of its guests.  I overheard her inquiring with a friend about how to get fish juice to the farm.  The oils and juice will nurture the soil with tons of vitamins and minerals, allowing for more nutrient rich veggies next spring. They have started a volunteer list for the upcoming winter projects and I'm hoping I get a chance to participate.   It was SO cool to see such a wonderful project excelling.  I'm looking forward to seeing more of these rooftop farms next spring. This city never ceases to amaze me.  Besides its being awesome on every other possible front,  now we get to enjoy farm fresh, LOCAL produce too?  Revolutionary- The term the "Big Apple" now has new life. 

Rooftop Rose

As I was knitting away on my rooftop tonight, with a glass of wine and NYC as my backdrop, I was suddenly comforted with this great gust of garlic.   I quickly realized this is just one of the reasons I love being back in NY.  Garlic is in the air!  It's also the month when the San Gennaro Feast and other Italian festivals pop up all over this area and frankly- I love it! Garlic is known for a number of medicinal uses such as warding off colds, the flu and Vampires.  It has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that our bodies appear unable to build up resistance to un-like pharmaceutical antibiotics.  It supplies great amounts of Vitamin C , B6 and Maganese- an important mineral for cardio vascular health.  So enjoy the tasty benefits of the amazing stinking rose-Cheers! to your health, and so much more.  

Brooklyn Flea

I finally made it over to the much anticipated Brooklyn Flea this Saturday.  It was kind of a gloomy, misty day so it wasn't the full show but still - a Great experience.  Independent artists, jewelers and foodies with their awesome goods.  A couple of furniture makers and vintage dealers as well. All that inspiration is free for the soaking in. A lot of the vendors are  selling vintage or reclaimed items.  Pictured above are old records musically re-crafted and made into stylish jewelry.  The artist was nice enough to let me take a picture, so I'm returning the favor with a little blog posting love.  It runs until the end of October and it's a great way to spend your Saturday morning outside, supporting the local-(ish- I'm living in Hoboken at the moment) community, filling up on delicious soul satisfying crafts and grub. I love Brooklyn!

If You Plant Them, They Will Grow

It's true.  Since moving into Hoboken,  I've spent the last couple of weeks cruising around my new hood. It's so beautiful with the old, now re-stored brownstones and overgrown window boxes making up the mile squared town.  The views of the city are something to see and I feel blessed to now enjoy them daily. You can basically walk everywhere and if your short on time, you can simply hop on a bike. They've recently begun 2 Farmer Market's for the opposite sides of town where you can purchase local fruits and veggies weekly. Not always organic but on their way.  I've learned about IPM-Integrated Pest Management, something I hadn't heard of in LA.  It works to fight the pests that eat away the crops without compromising the soil?  I think it's a good thing.  One of my favorite discoveries so far is the creativity of planters for my neighbors need to grow things.  I've seen a cinder block lined patio filled with ferns and flowers.  Old cabinets loaded with dirt and now home to an herb garden.  The most out of the box idea thus far goes to the folks around the corner who decided to put to use their old claw footed tub and have a garden.  Have seeds- will grow! I think I'm going to like it here.

Simple Summer Recycling

Trying to beat the heat and still be green about it? Summer Recycling has never been easier. Since I'm still waiting for my tomato plants to ripen up and share their goods, I've been using Trader Joe's Organic Tomato Sauce to spread over my pizza doughs and pastas. Bonus is, this delicious sauce is packaged in mason jars.  When all the sauce is gone, rinse out any remaining red stuff, remove the label with a little hot water and elbow grease and Voila! A perfectly great, fun to drink from glass for some old fashioned iced tea, lemonade, or other specifically summer beverage. Drink up and feel great about it.

Natural Meat-Hopefully

This is good.  Yesterday, July 13, 2209, the Obama Administration announced that they were proposing a measure to BAN the use of antibiotics in healthy livestock.  Many ranchers and pig/chicken farmers routinely administer- themselves I might add, antibiotics to healthy animals so they will produce more meat, faster. This ban hopes to reduce the spread of dangerous bacteria to humans from the treated animals and also to allow for a more normal life span and growth experience for the animal, in turn producing healthier meat. The ban is supported by the American Medical Association and the Union of Concerned Scientists who state that as much as 70% of the antibiotics used in the US are given to healthy chickens, pigs and cattle-Crazy right?Where are our health care dollars going exactly?  Representative Louise M Slaughter from right here in NY held the meeting and happens to be the chairwoman for the Rules Committee. The meeting alone is a positive step in getting our food systems back on a more Natural track.  In the meantime, I think I'm going to stick with some advice from a smart and very researched and informed man-Michael Pollan.  "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. "

RoofTop-Ology

An interesting and simple idea to off set green house gas issues caused by car fumes- Paint rooftops WHITE in the sunnier parts of the country/world to reflect the sun's rays back into the atmosphere.  Brilliant?!  A recent study performed by scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory proved that “painting urban surfaces in warm parts of the world white or a light color could offset the carbon emissions of all 600 million of the world’s cars for 18 to 20 years.”  This could mean the difference between life and extinction for those Polar Bears we've come to love.  The idea of using stimulus money to balance green initiatives with job creation fits snugly in there with goal's of the Obama Administration too. Back to basic thinking always amazes me the most.  Keep it simple and wonderful ideas and solutions find there way to the surface.  Or for this matter, the Rooftop.

Beach Glass- Dig In!

Calming, serene colors remind us of the beach glass we search long and hard for up and down the shore.  Well, search no more.  Oceana has recycled glass items and repurposed them into these stylish, resilient plates to bring a refreshing, sleek look to any table scape.  The colors breeze about beach memories and the unique, fun shapes create a table decor straight out of your favorite design magazine.  The glass was fired at extremely high temperatures and the company states that these plates could even survive restaurant use, making it safe to place in the hands of your wobbly young ones.  An environmentally friendly idea updated for the home fashionista.  

DIY-Aromatic Dermabrasion

DIY-Aromatic Dermabrasion.  Sounds fancy, I know. Origins, being known for their natural ingredient products, is one of my favorite beauty suppliers. Last Christmas I received this amazing scrub-Modern Friction. It contains a rice-starch base infused with lemon, bergamont, and peppermint oils to polish away those dead, dulling skin cells without irritating your face into a red tomato. Use twice a week and you will absolutely see and feel the difference.  Skin starts to glow again, makeup sits more naturally, fine line starts to disappear and your spirits rise with a little at home aromatherapy. Get glowing with GREENSTREAM approved-Modern Friction!  

Hungry For Change

"In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, herbicide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won't go bad, but we also have new strains of E. coli, are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults."

http://www.foodincmovie.com/about-the-film.php

Maybe some of you have heard of this new documentary now in select theaters?  I am torn with excitement and fear to see the truth behind the foods we eat, where they come from, and how genetically modified things have really become. I've recently moved back from the west coast where I was spoiled with year round organic produce at my fingertips.  I want to find a way on the east coast for all of us to eat seasonally, locally, and normally...again.  " The way we eat has changed more in the last 50 years than in the previous 10,000." Michael Pollen   Isn't that fact just crazy?  It's weird.  Everyday we make choices on what to nourish our bodies with.  I understand the dilemas-Hey, I'm a cookie pusher myself, however, the cookies I sell are made with organic and natural ingredients.  See, you can still have the sweet stuff and keep the natural thing in check.  Nicholas D. Kristof wrote a column this weekend for the NYTimes stating that  "unhealthy calories are cheaper than nutritious ones": broccolli compared to Twinkies-get my drift. I know times are tough - perhaps Food, Inc is a small reminder on those Really important things to keep in check?    

GREENSTREAM GOURMET-Favors

Times are tough but the party must go on, right?  Most people equate being "green" with being expensive.  For all of the brides hoping to plan an eco-friendly wedding this year, take peace in knowing that you can stay green, in budget.  Greenstream Gourmet offers many wonderful organic cookie combinations as gifts, baskets and favors.  The packaging used is always compostable, recycled or biodegradable.  Cookies are baked with fine organic and local ingredients and taste Amazing!  It's a sweet treat for all your sweet guests to remember your occasion by.  It will also give you a chance to share your concern and awareness for our home with the people you care about most.  Also available are personalized gift tags printed with soy inks on recycled papers.  WWW.GREENSTREAMGOURMET.COM

Stone Barns Center

Last week I stopped by the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture to check it out.  It happened to be on a Wednesday when they have a small farmer's market from 2-4 offering their veggies and meats straight from the gardens and pastures you look at while purchasing your goods. This is one of the best examples of Farm to Table I've come across since being back on the east coast and this place makes me happy.  We toured their greenhouses and compared their lettuces to ours at home.  We stopped by to see the turkeys, chickens, and my personal favs- the Bershire pigs.  Everybody looked so content I swear I could see smiles.  There is a small cafe open during the day for sandwiches and pastries and a beautiful dining room offering a bit more elegance for dinner.  It's a great place to picnic with family and friends on the acres of beautiful grasses and the Rockefeller Nature Preserve within strolling distance.  Cheers to Stone Barns!! Good times in nature + a little education= one sweet afternoon.   www.stonebarnscenter.org