New York Minute

I'm currently working on a project in New York, but will be back in full swing the week of April 6. I bought a couple of new items prior to leaving and should have them photographed and posted in the GGG shop by April 8.

I'm really looking forward to getting back to springtime in LA as it is cold and raining in Brooklyn!  

Vintage Saybolt Cleland Cocktail Table for Sale!

I have put a new item up for sale on Lushpad!  This is a gorgeous Saybolt Cleland Vintage Cocktail Table that has a Barbara Barry vibe going on. Priced at $125, it is a fraction of the price of one of her designs. Crafted of solid mahogany with a zebra wood trim, this table is a true classic.  Saybolt Cleland was a highly esteemed American maker of fine furnishings, on par with Kindel and Baker.  

Modern Mar Vista

My post about the T Lofts alerted my hazy memory to the paper I wrote many moons ago on the Mar Vista Tract housing development designed by Gregory Ain. I used to drive by these houses everyday on my way to work.  I'd zip down Beethoven and wonder, "What's the story on these cool modern houses?" My question was soon answered in an art history class taught by Anthony Denzer, who has since released a book, Gregory Ain: The Modern Home as Social Commentary. 

These houses were part of a 52 house tract built in the late 1940's that adapted the principles of modern design into housing for the masses. They were considered to be a commercial failure at the time, but have now become highly valued and are a part of a Historic Preservation Overlay Zone. 

When I look at a project like the T Lofts, I can't help but feel disappointed.  While a VAST improvement over the usual "Contractor Mediterranean" style, they just can't compare to the vision, ingenuity and design quality shown in the Mar Vista Tract. Time has moved forward 60 years, but our inventiveness has not. 

Check out these links for more info about the marvelous Mar Vista Tract:

Mar Vista Tract 

Eichler Network

Homes for Hipsters

LA Times Home & Garden Article

More Mod!

I just posted some new items in the GGG Shop! They are all fabulous and very, very mod!

Bounty of Boxes

STOP!  

Don't throw out those boxes!  

There's someone out there who will purchase and/or take them from you.  Who? Well, lot's of people.  Have you seen what boxes cost these days? You can easily spend hundreds of dollars on boxes and other packing materials for even a small move. Here's a list of places to advertise your used boxes and packing supplies:

Craigslist 

Free Cardboard Boxes 

Box Cycle

Need boxes and can't find everything you need from the classified sites listed above? You can buy great recycled boxes from Used Cardboard Boxes. They offer the same sizes and package deals as moving supply companies like U-Haul, but they are less expensive and more eco-friendly. 

(Thanks to Ideal Bite for this great tip!)

Stop Bounce(ing) - The Dangers of Dryer Sheets

I have to admit, I was pretty much in the dark about the dangers of dryer sheets. My husband came home yesterday and said, "Dryer sheets are really bad for you. You should look into that for your blog." I thought, "That's a good idea. Luckily I've been buying the environmentally friendly kind."

Well, that is what I thought, anyway. I obviously wasn't paying very close attention. I took out my almost empty box of "Bounce Free" and casually glanced at it. I saw such green announcements as "Box made from 100% recycled paper" and "No dyes and perfumes." When I looked at the ingredients list, however, all it said was, "Bounce contains biodegradable cationic softeners." That doesn't sound so bad, right?

Wrong. They just aren't required to list all the awful chemicals that make up these biodegradable elements. What's worse, these chemicals infiltrate your clothing and are slowly released into your system every time you wear this clothing. There is detailed information about this from SixWise, so I won't go into details here. Suffice to say you would NOT want this stuff entering your bloodstream if you could help it.  I know some of you are thinking you are safe because you use liquid fabric softener, but, trust me, it's is just as bad.  

So, what are the alternatives?  How can you soften, scent and de-static cling your clothing without chemicals? The good news is that the options are all much less expensive than buying dryer sheets and fabric softener. 

• Air Dry: I know the best thing you can do for your clothes, yourself and the environment is to not use a dryer at all.  It saves energy and makes your clothes last longer, which you can read about in more detail courtesy of this article from The Golden Spiral. It also eliminates static cling.
• Vinegar: Add 1/2 cup of plain old white vinegar where you would normally put liquid fabric softener in your washing machine.  It will soften your clothes, cut soap residue than can dull colored items and naturally remove static.  Do NOT use it in conjunction with bleach.
• Fabric Type: Synthetic fabrics are the major culprits for static cling, so try to wash them separately from cottons and take them out when they are still slightly damp. 

I also tried using aluminum foil in the place of dryer sheets, as I'd read that eliminated static cling, but it didn't work for me.  Some manufactured products, such as dryerballs and the static eliminator, claim to be better than dryer sheets, but both are made of synthetic ingredients and the dryerballs are plastic.  The best actual dryer sheets I've found are the Method Dryer Cloths, but they still waste precious resources and energy, all to solve the horrid first world problem of static cling and fabric softness! 

Best Green Blogs

Check out the entry for Glamour Goes Green on Best Green Blogs: 

http://www.bestgreenblogs.com/glamour-goes-green/