Spark of Loves this Week: Plate, Penny, Back-end, Peppers, Marshmallows, Herbs, Wax, Licorice, Cookies, Donuts

This Plate.

Because he either has one eye, or he is the number one eye doctor.  Either way, a very unique license plate.

This Penny.

Because gosh darn it, everyone needs a Barack Obama penny.  

This Back-end.

Because I am calling the HOGS even in Oregon.  Apparently I need to call them a bit louder seeing that last football season wasn't all that great.  Maybe this year they will show us what they are made of.

These Peppers.

Because being allergic to bell peppers, this is almost death in a can for me.  

These Marshmallows.

Because I can't stop eating them and I will say, they make the best marshmallow to add to s`mores.

These Herbs.

Because they are really convenient.  They are my new go-to seasons for right now.

This Wax.

Because it make me laugh.

This Licorice.

Because they were almost too cute to eat.

These Cookies.

Because they are in the shape of footballs.

These Donuts.

Because I couldn't resist them, so I got some for Skylar and for Jeff too!

Eco-Tip:  Opt for paper bags when buying groceries.  If paper isn't available then go for reusable shopping bags.  You can even make your own bag from an old t-shirt.  Cut the sleeves off and sew along the bottom of the shirt.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.

A taste of Chinese

Skylar cracked me up when he was trying so hard to eat with chopsticks at the local Panda Express.  He got the hang of it toward the end of his meal, but it was still super amusing to watch.  I love him!

Eco-Tip:  Be sure and put your electronics on a power strip and hit the off option on the strip when you aren't using them.  Even when electronics are plugged in they still can pull against the electricity and power when if they are off.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.

Choose a LEED-certified Destination for your next Getaway (by: Cliff Barre of Peace, Love, and Travel with Cliff and Tiff)

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I was recently contacted by Cliff Barre from Peace, Love, & Travel with Cliff and Tiff about writing an article to guest post on South North South.  Cliff informed me that he and Tiffany Krezinski blog about green travel and eco-friendly tourism.  He wanted to share his insight on LEED certified destinations in and around New York so you, the tourist, could make better decisions when it came to traveling more green.  Here is what he had to share.






When planning your next vacation, why not consider a LEED-certified destination?  LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and is a voluntary program that involves third-party verification. While LEED-certified buildings are designed to be environmentally friendly, this does not affect their ruggedness and ability to be used in a variety of different manners.

Destiny USA-Syracuse, New York

Destiny USA has the unique distinction of being a gold-certified LEED building. This shopping mall is the largest LEED-certified one in the United States. There is more than 2.4 million square feet of retail space that houses vendors such as Brookstone, Ann Taylor, Hollister and GNC. All of these retailers must also be LEED-certified in order to rent space in this mall.  In addition to having new tenants become LEED-certified, Destiny USA has given it’s restaurants a 5 gallon tote to compost pre and post consumer scraps.  Aside from the green initiatives and shopping, Destiny USA has a go-kart track, laser tag, cinema and many new dining options.

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Empire State Building

The Empire State Building is also a gold-certified LEED building, and is one of the few landmarks that have this distinction. This world famous building will see its carbon emissions reduced by an estimated 105,000 metric tons over the next 15 years. It also has low-flow restrooms to help conserve water resources.  Since “going green” the Empire State Building has reduced energy consumption by 38%.  The main attraction here is one of the two observation decks along with the Dare to Dream exhibit, which is housed on the 80th floor.

Hotel Skyler

The Hotel Skyler is the first platinum LEED-certified hotel in the city of Syracuse.  It was constructed with environmentally friendly materials in order to reduce its overall carbon footprint. The building is heated and cooled with the use of a 63-ton geothermal heat pump in order to provide rooms that are comfortable and energy efficient. The Hotel Skyler purchases 35% of its electricity from “Green certified” renewable energy providers.  Guest rooms come complete with wireless Internet access, flat panel televisions, refrigerator and work desk. Hotel amenities include a fitness center, business center and ATM.

Beekman Tower Hotel

The Beekman Tower Hotel is a silver LEED-certified hotel located in midtown Manhattan. All rooms here have spectacular views of the city skyline, and can be studio, one or two-bedroom suites.  One initiative that might not come to mind right away while thinking about going green, are the carpets.  Recycled-content carpeting is slowly replacing the old-school single-use carpeting as sections wear out.  Seen side-by-side and up close, the two carpets are identical.  The Beekman Tower Hotels is also working towards improving indoor air quality, reducing waste, and becoming more energy efficient.  Hotel amenities include a fitness center, luggage storage, valet parking and concierge service. The gourmet restaurant on site serves elegant American and Italian fare for breakfast and dinner.

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Planning a LEED-friendly vacation doesn’t mean you will have to skimp on excitement or accommodations. These choices are but a few LEED-certified destinations that will allow you to unwind and relax while being kind to the environment at the same time.

To read more about Peace, Love, & Travel with Cliff and Tiff, be sure and check out their blog and learn simple ways on how you can vacation and travel more green.

Dinner at Creekside Grill

If you live in Oregon, or ever visit Oregon, one of the best places to tour through is Silverton, Oregon.  It's the same location that Silver Creek Falls i located and offers a Monk Monastery, close to the Tulip Festival, and also offers some of the most quaint and downright cool places to eat.  

One of the ones we stopped at recently was the Creekside Grill.  Some restaurants just pick a cool name and go with it, but this restaurant actually sits on top of the Silver Creek therefore gained it's name "Creekside Grill."  

The restaurant is located inside the old Historic Hartman Chevrolet Garage in Silverton, Oregon and offers accommodation for large groups too.  The hallways are made to look like an old western town and this piano was begging to be photographed   

Along side the creek we enjoyed watching Canadian and mallard ducks taking flight from the water from time to time as we ate.  And when Skylar's hamburger came, it was quite a large burger for a little nine-year-old, but he knocked it out.

He was pretty stuffed afterward though.  

If you travel west and find yourself in Silverton, Oregon, give the Creekside Grill a try.  Be sure and ask to sit over the creek though, or it won't be the full experience.  

Eco-Tip:  One of the best ways to go green in your life is to set a budget and not over spend for things you don't really need.  Living within your means is one of the greatest ways to help you live a greener life.  Only buy what you need and hold back on things you don't.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.

Passing train in the rain

This train passed by over the trellis above us when we were headed to the park today.  Unfortunately there was a bit of a sprinkling of rain that came down, but the train was still a neat chance to snap some pictures.  And of course I had to make it into a GIF.

Eco-Tip:  When buying plastics look to ones that are BPA-free.  Bisphenol A (BPA) has been linked to health issues on wide scale.  Many plastics on the market may contain BPA, so look for plastics that state on their packaging that it is "BPA-free".  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.

Spark of Loves this Week: Jars, Goodies, Slushie, Corn, Mower, Pose, Flowers, Windmill, Sparkle, and Kitty

These Jars.

Because they have helped me save so much money when buying bulk items.

These Goodies.

Because Skylar got a grab bag and it contained everything I little girl would enjoy.  We laughed.

This Slushie.

Because I indulged in it this week and it was good.

This Corn.

Because I pulled it from the freezer on Monday and we had it for dinner.  It was yummy!

This Mower.

Because it's eco-friendly and I feel good about using it and Skylar thinks it's the neatest thing.

This Pose.

Because meditation is important, even in kids.  To find out more poses that are great for you and your children visit, Diary of a Yogi.

These Flowers.

Because they came from John and I still have them hanging.

This Windmill.

Because it was just begging for a story to be written about it.  You can read it HERE!

This Sparkle.

Because it was too pretty not to share.

This Kitty.

Because it seemed that she was almost standing guard over my books.  Meia loves to read! 

Eco-Tip:  When replacing flooring in your home, office, shop, or basement consider eco-friendly flooring such as bamboo, cork, or even reclaimed wood.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.