{eco travel} sustainable new york: 24 hours in the big green apple

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a 24-hour photocentric + foodcentric jaunt through the city that never sleeps {well, sometimes it does, but we're heading to the places that are up early in the morning + stay open late into the wee hours of the night}. we're doing new york the plant-powered + eco way. welcome to the big green apple.

okay, so you've been to the guggenheim museum, toured the metropolitan museum of art, stood wide eyed before the lady of liberty, and traversed through central park. now it's time to really dig in, boys + girls. these are the places to sate your appetite; veggie eats + sustainable sites ahead:

b r e a k f a s t // l i t t l e  c h o c  a p o t h e c a r y

this is little choc apothecary. the first time i had a crêpe was in france. and it was magnifique. but that was ten years ago.

a crêpe is a moist, warm pastry: a thin, porous pancake envelopes sweet or savory fillings; think chocolate, berries + bananas or fresh veggies. as someone who is both plant powered + gluten free, i've hoped to bump into a venue that creates veg friendly + gf crêpes. i've been waiting, yes, patiently, since i first had that delectable dessert ten years ago.

the wait is finally over. and it was well worth it, my friends.

l a   c r ê p e

this is the toasted almond + clotted cream crêpe with fresh, nectarous raspberry sauce {fruits + veggies come from local farms}. it was so good it was disorienting.

t e a   t i m e 

expect a vast selection of healing teas + vitalizing sunlight spilling into every corner of this cafe {it rivals the most charming cafes in paris}. happy plants abound + dulcet french music fills the air. the warm + inviting atmosphere is perfect for getting writing or work done.

i would plan an entire trip to new york around the crêpes at this cafe. yes, they're that good.

s h e ' s  t h e  b o s s

this is julia kravets, fashion model + fearless entrepreneur; pioneer of plant-based pastries + healthy eats chef. she is the proprietress of this first fully vegan + gluten-free crêperie in new york city. in my book, she's the boss of brooklyn.

l u n c h // c l e m e n t i n e   b a k e r y

this is clementine bakery

. the folks here refer to themselves as the friendly neighborhood cake dealers. and they are also wheeling + dealing the best vegan, gluten-free bagels this gal has had in years.

b r i g h t   l i g h t s ,  b i g   c a f e

this sunny, wide open space offers a restrained palette of white walls + blonde wood + plenty of green-leafed friends. a cheerful milieu for families + meet ups with friends.

t h e  b i g  c h e e s e

this is a before picture. see that bagel in the background with just a smidge of vegan cream cheese? well, i asked for another round of cream cheese {the truth is, if i could, i would have ordered an entire vat of it}, well hmph, the after picture never happened.

as you can guess, i ate it too quickly.

this here is the schmancy sandwich with baked tofu, spinach, avocado, pesto + the most flavor one can possibly pack into a simple, yet deeply satisfying menu offering. oh my little heart.

d i n n e r // c h a m p s

champs diner is the place for all the comfort food you can dream up. and more 90's music than you ever thought was possible to resurrect. tater tots, nachos + m.c. hammer? yes, ma'am. hot dogs, philly cheese "steak", cauliflower po boys, frothy shakes + greasy fries. yesss. and breakfast food for dinner. mhmm. we only live once, so go on + do it {unless you believe in reincarnation}, then you should still do it. in this lifetime + in the next.

b r o o k l y n   f a s h i o n   +   d e s i g n   a c c e l e r a t o r

this is me at the brooklyn fashion + design accelerator. where exactly is ethical fashion born? forget stories of storks, this is where all good things take shape in the world of sustainable fashion in new york. bfda is a hub that provides pioneering designers with the resources they need to transform their ideas into successful green businesses.

z e r o   w a s t e   d r e a m s

some of my fave ethical fashion companies are headquartered here including men's clothier glass house shirtmakers + study ny. if you're in the area + are interested in learning more about the world of eco textiles + fair trade fashion, definitely call to set up a time to pop in for a tour. i might be biased, but the tour guide, faye lessler, is not only one super stylish gal, she's also smart + informed, and she is the brilliant mind that has brought to life one of my fave eco lifestyle blogs sustaining life. bfda also has a dynamite blog. can't get enough of either. both blogs are worth bookmarking + adding to your feedly queue.

l e   c h a t

this is poncho. the brooklyn apartment i stayed at came fully equipped with the most gracious host + hostess, artists + activists who shared similar values, oh and to my surprise, this sweet + cuddly cat. yes, it was one happy trip.

for the definite list of new york city vegan + vegetarian restaurants, visit activist + model renee peters's plant-based restaurant guide at model 4 green living. renee is kind of amazing, and her exhaustive list of veg venues in nyc is pretty near perfect. 

until next time, stay green dear hearts! ♥

{images by ev // image of yours truly by the lovely miss lessler}

{simple pleasures} flotteurs de l'espoir: hope floats

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“I don’t care to wake up in the morning without hope. Hope is a survival mechanism, along with living in the moment.”
— Norman Lear

lever + coucher soleil: sunrise + sunset; on my recent journey to marseille, a centuries-old port town in the south of france, i had the pleasure of rising each morning with this view in my eyes, and at night, the landscape bathed in soft sunlight was equally intoxicating to take in. i woke up with hope + happiness overflowing from within.

during my travels, i deliberately took time to be present in the moment and away from social media as i voyaged from one great city to the next. and now, i'm going to invite you into my little time machine called finny+dill where i'll take you back with me and share lots of new op shops + vintage boutiques in paris, disclose why my heart went pitter-patter when i learned whom i would spend valentine's day with, and unfurl some fantastic vegan cafes in the city of light. stay tuned!

{eco travel} a cool capsule wardrobe for the eco traveler

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“reduction is the least observed of the three r’s of environmentalism {reduce, reuse, recycle} but it’s probably the most important. reuse and recycling are sensible measures in an over-productive society, but why not neutralise the problem of overproduction at the source? instead of choosing to act efficiently at the end of a product’s life cycle by reusing or recycling it, we should stop said product from being made in the first place by eliminating consumer demand for it." robert wringham

what exactly is a capsule wardrobe? really, it's the idea of a minimalist closet: it means subscribing to the idea of less purchases + investing in pieces that withstand seasonal trends. it means purchasing slow fashion items in colors + styles that play nice {aka can be worn together}, with the end goal of keeping + caring for those items for years to come {and wearing + re-wearing those items}, as was done once upon a time.

essentially, it's like having a monogamous relationship with your wardrobe. but if dating + meeting new people thrills you more than settling down with a s/o, and the idea of committing to a capsule wardrobe sounds less than exciting {yawn, snore, snooooze}, well, stay with me here {head up off the keyboard!}. a capsule wardrobe is the ryan gosling of wardrobes. instead of buying a new frock each time a celebration or special event pops up {new dress = new date}, you take ryan {committed relationship = capsule wardrobe}. that is, you wear what you have, and what you have you really, really like}.

a capsule wardrobe is adopting the notion of quality over quantity. in the end, it means investing in a set number of wardrobe pieces* {many pieces you will already own} and spending less time in department stores, which equals more time with family + friends and yes, more money for travel adventures if your heart so desires {because when it's time to shop, you're going to pop into your very own closet + select a playful piece from your own wardrobe instead of heading to the mall to purchase another bargain bin item}.

traveling challenges me to whittle down my choices even further. i own a total of 48 pieces of apparel {that's my entire wardrobe}, and like russian stacking dolls, there's an even tinier version of my wardrobe lying in wait!

here for you today, 14 ethically-produced items including shoes {and not including my hefty books} for day to night outings so you can travel unfettered + free.

from chicago to new york to paris, and then to sunny marseille, i've been a busy girl. there are many things i profess to love about traveling: the planning + packing, the humming airports + the teeming terminals {meeting riveting humans like the two sexagenarian missionaries + their three-legged dog named trinity: where else could i encounter such a diverse + dynamic set?}; i even love the in-flight magazines. 

and i love to travel light.

no check-ins, no hassle, just me + the weight of my over-sized poetry books or novels {which i can't seem to live without} and a few clothing items to stay cozy + comfortable while looking contemporary + cool.

so here's an easy guide for creating a simple, capsule wardrobe; 14 modern basics in a monochromatic palette + simple silhouettes for mixing and matching galore {all fair trade, organic, animal-friendly + ready to roll}:

1  s k i r t

the midi skirt. i love this little number. i own a vintage, pleated diaphanous skirt that gets along swimmingly with everything in my wardrobe. depending on your style + body type, you might prefer a pencil skirt or an a-line skirt. search the racks at your fave charity shop or vintage retailer. if you're stateside, check out my absolute fave collective of vintage dealers at beehive chicago + if you're in paris, check out vintage system, 3e.

1  s c a r f

the knit scarf. mine is a thrifted version from vintage boutique chine machine in paris, 10e + 18e. if you're in america, try crossroads trading co. kaight shop in new york carries this handsome, handmade windowpane check scarf as well as this singular kantha knit scarf woven from 100% khadi cotton, by indigo handloom {crafted by hand using zero elecricity!}.

2  j a c k e t s

the trusty denim jacket. a goes-with-everything deep indigo version from patagonia. i wear mine solo on warmer days + layered under my moto jacket on crisp days. check your local thrift shop for a fine vintage model with lots of character: pop into buffalo exchange in the usa, or mad vintage in paris, 4e for the best selections. 

the moto jacket. you know how i feel about the moto jacket: simplify your life by choosing your perfect mate here. wear it independently or over the denim jacket on cooler days.

2  j e a n s

the long-lasting pair. a woman's best friends are not diamonds, it's denim. the most durable jeans i own are by nudie. and i wear them frequently. by frequently, i mean i depend on these jeans weekly.

the enduring pair. i also own + wear big star jeans. they move, they stretch, they retain their shape. eternally youthful, these jeans don't fray + won't age. i'm a mover + shaker, and boy can they keep up.

3  t o p s

the perfect layering tank from miakoda. or the fitted tank from groceries apparel. 

the cool graphic tank from beetxbeet. or a striped version from threads for thought.

the multitasking chambray top from loomstate. wear it over tanks or under jumpers.

3  p u l l o v e r s

the cropped pullover from theo the label. or the cropped sweater from know the origin.

the oversized boyfriend sweatshirt from baserange. or the deep v jumper from bon label.

the long-sleeved, funnel-neck top from signe. or the cropped turtleneck from reformation.

2  p a i r s  o f  s h o e s

perfect for the happy nomad + the fearless wanderer: the white trainer by wills  + black oxfords from bourgeois boheme. both are equally comfy. 

to see how my boy-meets-girl looks come together, follow along on instagram, where you'll see the mixing + matching magic happening. 

let us not forget books, glorious books. i like to choose my travel partners carefully; sometimes i select j.d. salinger, other times i pick f. scott fitzgerald. for my most recent travels i chose  literary iconoclast e.e. cummings as my companion; his complete book of poetry enthralls me. now, i didn't include socks on the list above, but i've long considered myself an eco sock connoisseur, and have a list of ethically produced + animal friendly options here. and of course, there's the perfect little weekender bag to pack your life into and head out for the next adventure.

{don't forget the tip}*capsule wardrobes can include 35-45 items of clothing, but there's no set rule. a helpful tip for creating a flexible + fluid capsule wardrobe is to choose a color palette from the start: colors that work well together. i love monochromatic hues, so my closet is a sea of black, gray and white. i'll add a splash of red wine {a deep, dark red hue intermingles nicely} or olive green. if you lean towards pastels, choose light tones: items that can be integrated into your closet easily. try to lean away from trends; if you like patterns, stay close to classic, enduring patterns like stripes + checks. really, it's deeply satisfying + quite fun to see how many different ensembles can come together from your capsule wardrobe. and all that time + extra funds on your hands, well the world is at your fingertips, my friends!

while i was packing light for cooler weather, my friend + fellow sustainable living blogger, holly at leotie lovely, has been showing us how to put together a warm-weather vacation capsule wardrobe for those traveling to tropical climes. see how she does it from head {headphones} to toe {fuzzy socks, that is} right over here.

until next time, stay green dear hearts!

{eco mode: wearing vintage denim jacket under thrifted faux leather moto jacket + jeans by big star denim; gloves by krochet kids}