Eco Chic Girl

The hip store ECO-Age delivers soon EcoChic KIDS PARTY BAGS!!!

2008-06-27T03:12:00.000-07:00

Eco-Age are launching party bags for kids, Great!

My first review on Colin Firth's Eco Store is already on this blog, and I will post more information on this great launch as soon as I have more on it.

Eco Age, 213 Chiswick High Road Chiswick London W4 2DW
Phone: +44 - (0)2089957611

Health FINETUNED! The summer MUST READ Book Review, The Raw Food Detox Diet by Natalia Rose

2008-06-27T02:14:00.000-07:00

I am so very pleased to have found a great way forward for the Eco-Chic Girls that wish to learn more about seriously energizing your bodies. If you have read the EcoChicLife website - you will know I am a huge fan of The Natural Health Practice in the UK, with Dr Marilyn Glenville's Best Selling Book "Fat Around the Middle" being a huge success, for me... This was the first book that energized me.

I now have found a fine-tuned energized version that I am really excited about- this is a MUST READ. I am now talking about fine tuning yourself into Natural Food Energy, its a fascinating subject, and the US author, Natalia Rose, has sent me some amazing information that I want to share with you all.

This is a true find for anyone that has a thought that energy can be transferred to us through food, which of course it is naturally, but it is the very way in which you combine, and eat during the day, and the insight and huge exposure on the energy of specific foods; that has left me totally in awe. Never did I think I would read such a brilliant book on Energy, let alone on Food.

Natalia Rose is the Author of this very special book, called "THE RAW FOOD DETOX DIET". I have read most of the book and also listened to her latest Audio E-Book, (which if you haven't got the time to see if you would like to do a whole DETOX programme, then this may be a bite sized way of listening to Natalia personally). Natalia's Audio E-Book talks us through her nutritional aspirations for a healthy and toned body. This gives you food idea's straight away of good and bad foods and combinations. Its half an hour, and touches on de-stressing your life, grabbing your future, and is I guess a kind of New Woman's Energy Booster- guide for all of us that suffer from "too much to do syndrome, and no time for me!"- Natalia, holds secrets for our healthy mind, body and our emotion's are energised from the food she asks us to try. Quite a huge amount to learn in only 30 minutes! Only 30 minutes of your time is needed to listen to this, and see if it is something you need to do. I do, and I want to try my best at this.

I would prefer you though to get a copy of the Book, at Amazon, as the introduction on RAW food living, just blew my mind. It is not something that I have ever considered before- yet if you have read EcoChicLife.co.uk, visited the REAL Women section- you will see I have a ABC of SuperFoods. I am really into trying to make life smarter for me, and easier for me and my hectic lifestyle, and I need all the help I can get, as it is not a quick process usually to get really fit. Natalia's Book, has much information on Natural Energy, Our Energy Fields and the book has many ways, including delicious recipes, including a Quick Exit Food guide, and a very comprehensive knowledge is given to a starter Detox person like myself; on Raw Foods, Food Combining etc.

I love local food and vegetables, they are certainly a low carbon friend of the planet, so great for EcoChicLife living. I cannot recommend this book highly enough, and I had no idea of the vibrational energy that RAW foods can have on your body. I am being very slow starting this, maybe "Fear" of actually committing to a complete new food in a Lifestyle sense, but whilst shopping, and after listening to the Audio E-book, literally I found I was buying Natalia's recommended foods, drinking loads of raw Carrot Juice, and looking everywhere for RAW Goats cheese... and Avocadoes, Sweet Potatoes and Beetroot!

This is a tiny overview of a way to boost your vitality, and there is also body brushing technique that is referenced, this is a lymphatic drainage booster, so need I say any more!! So healthy, its all the little things that add up to vibrant Vital Energised health. I feel three days in much more hydrated, and want to give this more of a go, as the days pass I am longing to go to my local Farm shop and get in today’s RAW and very seasonal local food. Yum!

I hope you enjoy Natalia's wisdom and tell all your friends, I am very excited to have come across such a publication.
(http://therawfooddetoxdiet.com/).

Colin Firth's Eco Store Review- The "Eco Age" store - for planet and people is here in London!

2008-06-19T15:05:00.000-07:00

Today I was so very lucky to be in Chiswick in London, on a sunny summers day. I had a little time to go and check out the Hippest of Eco-stores founded by the star, Colin Firth, his wife Llvia Giuggioli, her brother, Nicola Giuggioli and a very close friend Ivo Coulson. Called simply "Eco" on the High Street.

Enchanted by the rounded well shaped displays, that are stacked upon each other, beautifully with one product carefully, hand selected for the maximum amount of natural sunlight to show off their eco wares. I was really astonished how many really cool products were in store, with the minimal amount of waste of space, whilst a modern retro edge to the space makes it feel very stylish and designer. Designer, chic, earth-tailored eco, would be my best description.

I found that they had products from a solar powered little helicopter, made in pure wood, to a solar powered light set for the home, to bags, books, to the most amazing stone squidgey carpet, (this really looked as if it was a carpet of stones formed to be a lovely beach on a summers day). Just a stunning earthy chic present.

The gadget that was on the counter top, (and even the cash till looks as if it is from a uber cool eco manufacturer from the future) was a little flashing counter display, that shows you your total amount of volts that you are using in your home.

I was also amazed that that this is not only the hippest "green hub" for Eco-Chic shopping in the whole of London, but also in the downstairs of the shop, there is the most fabulous array of eco designer interior design pallets. Any home would wish be totally remade from this whole shop! with the latest, eco-fabric - anything you could ever want to be an eco-superhouse!

The feel downstairs is one of a real home. There is a just a natural affinity to the collections that are proudly, and again, very carefully, hand chosen walls filled with the most stunning colours. Everything in the downstairs space just wants you to look more closely at the fabrics, touch the examples.. as it almost looks as if you have entered Eco home heaven! This eco interior design section was a totally awesome find for me, and one that excited me enormously. Everything under one Eco roof, pure brilliance.

There is a huge movement in LA, where Interior Eco-Chic Designer Danny Seo, has really been a trail blazer, on every magazine, and in every stars home for the last ten years. Danny is the original Eco-Chic interior designer, and is world famous for putting Vanilla essence and the most odd of things into paints, just to see if they can reduce the fumes when you paint, or just to see the effects you can get with minimalist and earth based interior products. Danny is one of the most Eco-Chic pioneers in America. I would think this London Eco store, will have the same effect in the UK. "Eco" is pioneering, and yet very much of our Time... The taste of these guys is quite exquisite and I felt honored just to be in such a energized space. The great news is that this store is in London- this is big news!!!

I found the most amazing "Charlie and Lola" book, all about saving the planet, for my little girl, and this is a brand new book, and it just made me feel great to come out with a little gift for my little person. A real gift-something of educational value, and something that can be taken to school and read to the whole class.

I was also extremely honoured to meet Llvia Giuggioli personally, whilst I was in her beautiful store. I have to say a more beautiful woman who radiated a natural energy, you couldn’t wish to meet; and who herself looked just a million Eco -Chic dollars. I must confess my total surprise at seeing her there, and I was quite shy! You could instantly see this store was part of her, a family run atmosphere of pride resounded throughout "Eco".

For any real eco-chicer, this is a little haven of eco bliss. It was highly educational, and the whole building has an eco-design. Using natural sunlight, the building has been modernized with renewable energy savers, they use all natural sources throughout the building, so I would imagine its carbon footprint is pretty tiny.

So a little bit of the countryside, in the middle of Chiswick, and there are a couple of great stores that compliment "Eco's" setting nearby. So for a fun few hours this summer, head just a little West out of the centre of London to this store. It certainly will be a talking point for many years to come, and I for one felt just honoured that Llvia Giuggioh was so very charming to me. In this age where everyone and everything is so very in the "eco - crowd", it is very easy to spot the real thing instantly. "Eco" and its owner certainly left me in doubt of their truth and sincerity to make a real eco store, fairytale almost, come true.

Check it out, these guys are super, in their eco chic cool green hub - offering consultancy, energy saving solutions and many little "Eco Chic" treats for family, heart, planet and home.

http://www.eco-age.com/page.php?id=home

Where is your favourite local shop?

2008-06-17T15:39:00.000-07:00

Supermarkets have a bigger choice, but local is usually better- less car miles, less carbon is good, Local in season food tastes great. Go to http://www.ecochiclife.co.uk/ and email them to upload one of your favourite local business in The MiLocal section (My Interactive Local Listings service). Then you can email all your friends the link and show them where to buy the best seasonal vegetables, and lower your carbon footprint at the same time.

Money saving tips on petrol buying, reducing carbon tips when driving, (tyre pressures correctly set and empty your car of rubbish- reduce speed and don't accelerate to hard) are ace too, and find your cheapest local garage- is at http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/. Log in and get to the fuel section- then login to the fuel saver site- and you can get tips for planet and purse.

Eco products, Food and Home.

2008-06-17T13:56:00.000-07:00

When we wash and clean our homes- just as we do ourselves- most of us use whatever gives us the best and fastest results, but what does all this long term use of products do to us, our homes and planet?

Ecover laundry products are coming top of my list every time.. The reason is because I have learnt about something that is called neutralizing toxicity- this is what happens to the products after they have cleaned our clothes, the chemical footprint I guess you could call it, for cleaning products in the home.

With every one wash of Ecover laundry product- it takes 1,750 litres of water to neutralize the harmful effects on our planet- the nearest eco laundry product takes 10-20,000 litres!

To clean our loo's, it’s the 50,000 litres for any regular cleaning and de-scaling product.

The good news is that Ecover, not only admit that household cleaning , by its very nature at this point in time cannot be 100% planet friendly, it does show me at least that again the tiniest of changes do have an impact on the planet when I'm shopping in a supermarket.

Ecover also are putting in unconditionally £250,000 over the next two years in money to Water Aid, to help Ethiopian people without any access to clean water. This is after Water Aid has already helped give health back, and water and education to over 11 million people already.

I also was amazed at how fresh smelling my clothes were after using the Ecover for my washing- its smells yum- and also I have just got the stain cleaning removal product too- so I will have to see if this also works as well as their other products.. Vinegar is also another natural de-scaler and loo cleaner as well if left overnight.

I am still looking for a natural Antibacterial cleaner for the house- ended up getting a regular one, but will use the bottle only when needed desperately- and will do a half vinegar and water mix for most things, (including cleaning windows - which gives ace results).

Tesco which was where I was today also had loads more eco products in the cleaning section- which is great- and I was again pleased this week at Sainsbury’s to see a difference when looking for a natural bubble bath replacement- they have heaps in store as well- not to pricey either.

It’s all about the big clean out in my home- and trying to do as much as I can without killing off the planet in the process- and after all I don’t want to live in a clean palace full of toxicity! I also had to stop my child putting in lots of air fresheners, because the packaging looked great... its all from the TV ads! I prefer incense any day... but the point was that they see the adverts and think everything is so great- But saying that my little girl did win one battle of the eco chic arguments in her consumer habits... we bought a little mr men soap, and it has essential oils in it- and the little Mr Men plastic thing- is something for the bath, so a longer term use for some piece of plastic. This is the problem with the kids, they see everything- want to buy everything- to me, it’s my choice, I am paying, but I don’t want the planet paying on top! And her with the overload of chemicals. So from me she got a little soap, with essential oils in- hardly any packaging, and the little Mr. Men thing can be a toy. Were both happy about this one! And believe me, when it comes to a six year old and bubble bath and novelty soaps, it’s always the chemicals and non eco products that she wants! But once she has the new ones- she loves them and doesn’t go for the others any more, which is great.

We also are supporting White and Wild Milk- they plant trees for every 20 bottle sold... I am hoping that Waitrose end up with their refillable milk bottles that they hope to introduce soon...

Our people on our planet are thirsty for clean water..

2008-06-17T13:27:00.000-07:00

Examples of stat's that I have found out are as follows, and these are horrific.

I attended the recent Ecover and WaterAid launch and these statistics were quoted.

Only one fifth of the planet have access to clean water.

One third of the planet have no sanitation.
This just means the kids , the mothers, the families, are ill constantly- no clean water, nothing is clean, and how do you wash? Imagine, your child has illness all the time as no water...you have no money for a doctor..

Pretty big numbers, and really sad.

Hello World, and welcome

2008-06-17T10:20:00.000-07:00

Dear All,

This is my first post, welcome to my blog.

There are so very many tests we are all sent in life, life is now so busy- Many of the things that seem hard, the tests, sometimes so many, all at once...I believe these are for a reason- many though, still, I do not yet understand. But when it comes to the planet and people, I will always follow my instinct, and I will always know when I should try harder to be a better person. I think nature offers us so very many ways to chill out, to be healthy, so we can enjoy life. So in return, and in thanks for what I have been blessed with, my family, the world, the animals, the trees, the sky, the stars and the oceans..I hope to learn how to be more ethical and a better consumer- and I hope a little less of the consumer society person, that is what we are taught to want, and to be.

Life is hard for many of us, but when you take time out, and look after yourself and the planet- usually life just gets better and better each day...

I believe there is a huge shift in society, I believe we all deserve more, and we can all be healthier and happier and more ethical if we choose. There are so many solutions and products available now to us all. For me, the simple choice is for the Planet and People to work together, this is one powerful and awesome combination.
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