SFBayStyle

Reclaim - Green Home Store in Menlo Park

Menlo Park has a new green home store, Reclaim, that I checked out for ecofabulous as well as SFBayStyle. It's one of those stores that when you go in, you want to buy everything. The eco fan and design lover in me was oogling pillows, tote bags, furniture and even flooring. It's all green and refreshing.

Capsule Design Show Sunday in Hayes Valley

Etsy comes to life in Hayes Valley this Sunday, May 25th. One Hundred and sixty designers will come together in Hayes Valley Park for the  Capsule design show. Capsule has become the largest marketer of independent designers in the Bay Area. You will be able to find hand screened, hand thrown and hand made products, while enjoying an afternoon of music. The show is from 11-6, and is between Fell and Hays streets. Be sure to check out the many wonderful boutiques while you are there.

Rogan For Target Hits Stores Today

After reading the story in yesterday's New York Times about Rogan's lower priced, eco friendly Target line selling out at Barneys, I had to find out more. I can imagine the thrill of the shoppers finding Target prices at Barneys.

It turns out that Rogan Gregory for Target pieces are available today. I was about to hop into the car and scour racks until I took a peek at the collection. I fear it is a bit too edgy for me, or I am a bit too conservative for it, so I'll stick to wearing pieces from the other two lines that Gregory designs for, EDUN and Loomstate. That said, check it out - it might be perfect for you.

San Francisco's Epi Center MedSpa Goes Green

The Epi Center MedSpa opened its doors last week for tours and cocktails, not only to celebrate its 10th anniversary, but to launch the first eco-medspa. Director and founder Margaret Mitchell and partner Dr. Patrick Bitter, Sr., who developed the Photofacial procedure, have once again taken the lead by going green. Epi Center will now be combining state-of-the-art medical technology with medical grade organic treatments, all in an eco friendly environment. The spa was designed to "create a space that allows nature and commerce to co-exist in a way that supports the health of the planet." (Shown left: waiting lounge, with Mary Lee Bickford and Nancy Gamble, seated.)

Entering the new home of San Francisco’s Epi Center MedSpa was like a breath of fresh air, literally. I was told by one of the staff, that they just applied some touch up paint earlier; however, you could not detect even the faintest odor. The MedSpa uses eco-paint, which is free of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). Relaxing and therapeutic, the spa was constructed from ceiling to floor using eco materials. Laura, one of the estheticians, informed us that the ceilings boards were made from newspapers that could not be recycled any further. Marble countertops are throughout the spa. The floors were made from cork, and the carpet was processed from weeds.

Hip & Zen Online from Mill Valley

Hip & Zen is an online retailer for eco friendly fashion. They sell women's clothing, jewelry, baby & toddler items, accessories and home goods. They select products that are organic, hand made, fairly traded, recycled or natural. Based in Mill Valley, they cater to the green and comfy crowd. Everything on their site is beautifully crafted, and they even have a blog, run by one of the BlogHer founders, Elisa Camahort Page, referencing topics related to eco fashion and style. I like the artistic element of the items found at Hip and Zen, such as the vases to the left. I wish I could just put those in my home and make it zen, but that's a step in the right direction.

ecofabulous Barneys & Loomstate Recycled Tee Program

One of our favorite eco blogroll items is ecofabulous, where we have gotten to know the founder, Zem Joaquin, and some of her staff. I recently began writing for them as well, and my first post is about Barneys' new project to with Loomstate recycle t-shirts. So check out the post, check out ecofabulous, and make sure to drop off your old tees at Barneys in San Francisco for a discount and a good cause. (Unfortunately, as far as I know, the outlets are not participating, so taking tees to Napa won't work.)

Petchitecture Goes Green for PAWS Friday in Union Square

For pet lovers, foodies, and architecture fans, tomorrow night at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in Union Square (SF) from 7-11pm, the Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS) organization is hosting a fundraiser, "Petchitecture Goes Green," where "leading architects and designers use the best in renewable resources to create custom pet habitats that are yours for the bidding." Cool. Cocktails, live and silent auction accompany the nibbles. PAWS is a "volunteer-based organization that provides for the comprehensive needs of companion animals for low-income persons with HIV/AIDS and other disabling illnesses." Dogs on leashes are welcome at the event, and tickets start at $150/person.

Every Day Can Be Earth Day

With the environment in the forefront of news and 'green' being the new black, eco-friendly being the new trendy, eco fashion is everywhere. From the high end designers like Stella McCartney using organic and natural materials to locals like Cari Borja recycling fabrics, eco is becoming easier every day to adopt in our daily lives. So in celebration of Earth Day (yes, Earth Day is today, although it hasn't been hyped as much as in previous years), we wanted to share some of our favorite local eco fantastic sites. (Please always look to our 'eco style' list on the right column of this site, below 'local style' and 'city style'.)

• ecofabulous - Zem Joaquin and friends showcase great products and services that are eco conscious and fabulously designed
• Heart of Green - Nadine Weil writes about her eco finds including great local events, initiatives and boutiques supporting the environment
• Divine Green - Stefanie Olsen covers a variety of environmentally conscious items and ideas
• Weekly Phil - San Francisco - based locally and focused globally, Tim Gaskin's online publication also has a local site
• Eco Citizen - San Francisco eco boutique on Polk Street (owned by Joslin Van Arsdale) with an online store
• Wildlife Works - another eco boutique in San Francisco (Union Street) that also takes action by creating wildlife sanctuaries

Each of these businesses or organizations provides a service locally and globally to the community, so we applaud all of their efforts, and those of the other sites we show in our links daily. SFBayStyle is committed to covering as much local eco style as we can, so please if there's something not on our sidebar or in our articles that you think is worth mentioning that's local and eco, please let us know. Happy Earth Day!

Photo from Atherton Green Earth Week fashion show last year featuring Wildlife Works tee on child model.

H&M Spring Organic Line

A few weeks ago, my husband had a day to himself in San Francisco and he ended up, as we often do, at H&M shopping for our daughter. It's my fault - I sent him there in search of an inexpensive sparkly headband for her, since she had fallen in love with one her friend had. In addition to the headband, he came home with two darling dresses - one of which was organic cotton.

It turns out that not only does H&M now have an organic cotton children's line, but they have expanded their organic cotton spring line to using 1500 tons of organic cotton - more than the total amount of organic cotton they used during all of last year.

Recycled Couture Discarded to Divine Fashion Show This Coming Saturday

This coming Saturday, April 26th, will be the 3rd annual Discarded to Divine (D2D) show to benefit the St. Vincent DePaul Society, created by Gensler architect, Lisa Bieringer and St. Vincent DePaul's Sally Rosen. The Contra Costa Times has a great article up about the upcoming show as well as some good information about budding eco fashion.

For additional information or tickets to the D2D fashion show, see discardedtodivine.org. The show will be from 7-9:30pm at the Academy of Art tent, 601 Brannan Street (SOMA) in San Francisco.

Good Karma Coming Your Way

I was walking in downtown Palo Alto the other morning when the window display in Casiss caught my eye. There was a simple canvas tote sitting in the middle of the designer clothes that spoke to me.

No, I was not hearing voices on my way to get a coffee, but this bag made me smile. " KARMA, what goes around comes around" is written  across the tote. This is just the message that I needed to hear that morning. A message that many of us should take to heart. I am not going to get all preachy here, but  you never know when shopping will be an uplifting experience. I will proudly use this re-usable shopping bag , spreading the message to all that I encounter. I love the way  the designer, Dogeared, describes the tote , "A touch of sass, a bit of class, and lots of plastic- bag ditching earth saving goodness ". Certainly something we here in the Bay Area could use, lets stamp out the use of plastic bags with style.

Come Alive! Spring Wine Party

Now this is an event I couldn't pass up promoting because it sounds really eco and yummy. Organic raw vegan restaurant, Alive!, at 1972 Lombard St. in San Francisco, is hosting a spring wine tasting mixer this coming Tuesday, March 25 from 6-8pm for $30/person. Recommended by Paul Pitchford, author of Healing with Whole Foods and awarded the 2007 Best Raw Food in San Francisco designation by SF Weekly, Alive! promises organic wines and raw vegan cuisine (buffet style) in an outdoor "tranquil, zen atmosphere."

Garden Time

I may be one of the few in the Bay Area that has a black thumb. I love gardens but cannot tell the difference between a native plant and a weed. It is the time of year that many plants and flowers are blooming - just ask anyone with allergies. Thanks to the rainy winter we endured, our gardens should be ready to grow. (Please no more April showers to bring May flowers.)

As I look out into my small yard at the lavender in bloom and the other purple flowers- not sure what they are called, I am struck by how lucky we are to have an early Spring here in the Bay Area. Even my rose bushes have come to life. It is clearly time for me to get some planting done, but what do I plant? I want to be sure to plant native plants and flowers that do not need to much water. I want my garden to be usable. My children enjoy cutting flowers for bouquets, herbs and veggies for cooking, and we want to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. I think we should be able to do all of that.

I am planning to take a trip up to the Filoli Gardens in Woodside for ideas. There are also classes right here in Palo Alto at Common Ground, but I welcome tips for native plants that a gardener-in-training like me can plant.

All This Buzz - Hot Bay Area Fashion Designers

San Francisco and the Bay Area in general is not known for fashion designers. The Golden Gate Bridge, sourdough bread, peace rallies - yes, but fashion - no. Until now. Over the past few years, more names have been connected with the Bay Area and fashion. Peter Som, Derek Lam, Alexander Wang, Erin Fetherston, Benjamin Cho, Lily Samii, Humberto Leon. These are the new names coming from our area. Veterens Colleen Quen and Julie Chaiken get mentioned too as pioneers. I'm not the only one who seems to have noticed this, of course. The news of these hot designers is everywhere and locals are excited.

Nerissa Pacio wrote an interesting piece in 7x7 where she imagines what Fashion Week in San Francisco could become. "This could be the moment... when San Francisco finally stakes out its own fashion territory: local, organic, green, artisanal, ethically produced, sustainable..." like the Bay Area has with food. "Is this the future of San Francisco fashion?" she asks. Names like William Good, Lily Achatz, Margaret O'Leary and Linda Loudermilk are becoming more known every day. Not just for show, these clothes are coveted by savvy customers. Pacio also reminds readers that Esprit, Bebe, Levi's and Gap were all founded here.

Some of the buzz comes from New York Fashion Week. I was impressed by some of the Academy of Art University pieces from their first New York show, particularly those by Sherise Eways. (See photos in this month's Nob Hill Gazette.) They stood up next to other designers presenting shows in New York from all over the world.

Organic At CARROTS - SF Boutique Hosts John Patrick & Fall Collection

Last night, a dedicated group of San Francisco's eco fashion followers met and mingled at the five month old boutique in Jackson Square, CARROTS, to view and purchase unique pieces from John Patrick's internationally developed fall line of clothes, under the label, Organic. This is the real deal - organic cotton supervised from the ground level by Patrick working with farmers in Peru and Japan. His garments feel smooth, soft, and very wearable. And the prices are reasonable (think BCBG).

The story begins with John Patrick. "I met this whole group of farmers in Lima..." He was a successful designer in New York who gave up his business to work on the local level and who began just with the idea of designing some unique organic scarves. Friends convinced him to make more and brought him to Paris Fashion Week where he showed his clothes.

Eco Friendly Sneakers

The Bay area has quite a green movement. Being green is the way to go around here - I am always thrilled when I find something that is fashionable, eco friendly and affordable. (The affordable part is often a challenge with eco fashions. )  My daughter, Darrow, is an Imelda Marcos in training. She has quite a collection of shoes that she never wears. Thanks to Garnet Hill, we found a pair of sneakers that she has actually worn two days in a row. Simple has designed an eco friendly kids sneaker. Made of organic cotton, and recycled tires, I predict that these little shoes will be adorning the feet of many little fashionistas. I'd better order another pair!

New Nude Supplements and Product Event at Barneys

Bono's sister company to Edun, Nude, provides a variety of skincare products that are sold in San Francisco at Barneys. Tomorrow, naturopath Cheda Mikic will be presenting a new line of supplements between 12-4pm, including "Detox", "Age Defence", "Hydration", and "Multivitamin" founded for Nude by him.

Nude supplements are made from probiotic and whole food ingredients rather than synthetic components commonly found to keep vitamin formulas intact. They promise no artificial colors or flavors, and no solvents. Their process of nutrient extraction is done with carbon dioxide vs. chemicals, and the goal is to increase vitamin absorption to 90% vs. typical vitamins which average around 30%. Each supplement type comes with individual instructions for use. (Note: "Hydrate" and "Age Defence" are not vegan whereas "Detox" and "Advanced Multivitamin" are.) Check out the event and the supplements and let us know what you think.

Gorgeous & Green Fashion Show Recap

In case you missed the eco party of the year, we have some great photos from Global Green's "Gorgeous & Green" fashion show and information about why each of the garments selected for the show are actually green.

Here's the full designer list first: Amber Marie Bently Jewelry, Bahar Shahpar, Beyond Skin, Cari Borja, Charmone, Del Forte Denim, Eco Citizen, Kelly B, Kirsten Muenster Jewelry, Lara Miller, Lily Achatz, Linda Loudermilk, Margaret O'Leary, Pierre Andre Senizergues, & William Good.

Mac Book Air: Geek Chic and Green

            

                        

Perhaps the next hottest accessory for the tech crowd and greenies alike will be the new Mac Book Air. Thinner, lighter, and gorgeous in its design, Apple's new laptop weighs in at a mere 3 pounds. There's no doubt that it'll turn heads and start conversations with perfect strangers, much like its cousin the iPhone did last fall.

Since MacWorld isn't part of my world anymore, I couldn't resist checking it out virtually. Does the name "Air" refer to the minimalist form factor? The sleek aluminum clamshell opens up to reveal a bright, 13.3-inch screen that's backlit using LEDs. Kudos to Apple!

Envirosax Saves The Day

I own too many tote bags. I have a trunk full of the re-usable Trader Joes's and Whole Foods Bags. I buy every tote bag I see. I can claim that I am really trying to be eco-friendly, or that I am a tote bag addict. Maybe a little of both. I refuse to use the boring canvas bags that my husband brings back from conferences. With the many choices of re-usable bags, I no longer have to use those.

However, the sad truth is that I often forget to bring my bags to the store with me. Then I found a solution. I was at SFMOMA with my family last week, and saw the compact, very cool Envirosax bag. Of course, I just had to buy one. I placed it in my purse, and forgot that I even had it...until yesterday. We are in Hawaii and I forgot to pack a beach bag. I was all set to have to buy something from the over priced hotel gift shop, when I found my Envirosax bag. I unrolled it, and I had a hip, cool, usable beach tote. Envirosax saved the day!