The Greener Side of Cali: Cisco Home

"Eco-Friendly", meaning "not harmful to the environment"....that seems to be the way that everyone is going. Or at least it seemed that everyone was doing it, when I submerged myself into researching, studying, and trying to practice everything green that I could. When I finally stepped outside of my bubble for a bit, I realized...oh...maybe everyone isn't as advanced doesn't think like me.

Luckily in California there is a little bit more of an interest in making things sustainable, eco-friendly and just plain good for the environment and our future generations. And one place that is certainly doing their fair share is Cisco Brothers.





ciscobrothers.com



Cisco Brothers was started a little over a decade again, right here in LA. Having a great love and respect of nature, Cisco Pinedo created a line of furniture that was the first to create 100% FSC-certified furniture, none of that pressed particle board that you see so often at, oh let's see..everywhere...and they are only improving.



ciscobrothers.com



A few of the high points that make them stand out among the crowd:

• water based glues



• natural latex, down, feathers, or soy-based foam cushion options

• vegetable dyed leather

• made right here in good ol'  LA

So if you are ever in LA and need some of the best furniture around, stop in at one of their stores and see for yourself!

 

Slowing Down

I think one of the reasons why I love the Parisian lifestyle so much is the fact that every moment that they spend awake or asleep, they always seem to be truly living. Not worrying about what is going to happen next week, tomorrow, or even two hours from now. The time is just now, and that is all that matters. Why can't Americans be a little more... French?


Down at Runyon Canyon in Hollywood, there is a brilliant offer that allows yogis of all levels to come out and stretch their inner stress away and become one with the palm trees and of course, the gophers.


I think these are just the perfect touch to some calming scenery, especially when you have accidentally place your mat over one of their many, and I mean MANY holes, and they they try to burrow their way out through your mat. Nothing like a little nudge in your foot when you're trying to stand in tree pose.

On a more materialistic note. Last Friday, Kendra Wilkenson from the Girls Next Door was down in Long Beach doing a book signing for her new biography, Being Kendra.

After leaving around 2 pm and driving for over two hours trying to only go 30 miles, we arrived and get the VIP treatment! Thanks to Andrea, we were able to use her members card and get a discounted book and bumped up to the front of the line.


The signing started at 7, however (according to Kendra) she had to take a moment in the bathroom to put her eyelashes back on.

All of a sudden I got completely star struck, and had no idea what to say or ask her. Luckily, she was one of the most down to earth persons that I have ever met!

She was so humble and sweet, I could not have asked for a more enjoyable meet and greet!


She talked to me a bit about her makeup and how she was not use to all the fuss over fake eyelashes, she personalize my copy of her book, and then she signed a crew badge that B had from working on the show. Great, now I love her even more!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

It has been a little bit hard to get into the holiday spirit, when the weather is that of an ideal vacation in a distant summer land. There are still twinkling lights, and garlands strands hanging down every side door, it all just seems to tried.


There is still the holiday spirit that Ch'en can not shake. New love, listening to the recently release She & Him holiday cd. Whenever I hear Zooey's voice, I am always reminded of a mothers voice. That kind of soft, soothing sound that I would picture a fifties housewife singing to her kids to go to sleep.


We need to be friends.

Walking around our new "winter" wonderland we strolled on down to The Grove. There was a little launch of Katy Perry's new perfume, "Meow". I have never been a huge perfume fan, unless it is Stella or Ambre...or of course Miss Dior...but any hoo...Britney, Katy, Paris, they seem to all have that sweet smell of, I had to make a perfume to make more money and have more marketing and because my PR person told me to, kind of smell. Don't get me wrong, I love Ms. Perry, but I could definitely tell that she was exhausted and her ideal afternoon was not to be at The Grove with a mob of people that just wanted a piece of her. Like me.

Can I please have her dress??

She came to the stage on the trolley that goes around. Quite fitting.

All this photo taking made us require some stomach filling treats. Being able to walk from the baby pink encrusted sound stage to an all vegetarian restaurant was just the cherry on top. Speaking of cherries on top, right in the middle of the mall there was Santa's workshop. Decked out in delectable sugar plums and giant ice cream cones with swirling cherries on top! SWIRLING CHERRIES! Of course, a still photo does not capture all its glory, but still.


After a sweet photo op at the happy hut, we got to enjoy that which is The Veggie Grill.
Every thing is hippie friendly?! No thinking required, or special annoying ordering needed!



Por moi?

Bali Bliss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Indonesian styled tempeh, sautéed and grilled, lettuce, tomato, red onion, chipotle ranch. Blackened upon request. Add some avocado or portobello mushroom and a side of red cabbage slaw.



Mr. Brando embraced the The V-Burger, Marinated and grilled veggie-steak burger (really it is just a boca burger..boo.), pickles, lettuce, tomato, red onion, chipotle ranch.



They had a slew of teas and fresh strawberry or regular lemonade. However, there was an alluring glass bottle of ginger ale. I absolutely love ginger ale, and I am not talking that high fructose corn syrup crap that you can buy at Walmart. I am talking the just shredded, mixed with carbonated water and a dash of sucre, ginger ale. Je suis dans l'amour!


Now time for some American Horror Story and a glass of French wine. Joyeuses fêtes !

Picnic at the Louvre

Second part of our Europe trip.

"We decided that we would try to make it to the Eurostar at four in the morning..so that our tickets would be cheaper.. We realized this at about midnight the night before. We woke up at four, got out gear together And then stumbled out of the hostel in search for a taxi since the Underground doesn't run that early in the morning. We finally caught a taxi and had him take us to Kings Cross Station...only he didn't take cards so we had to stop by an ATM to get money out. Got to the station, bought our tickets and the two lattes and realized we had to dump our ten dollar coffees out to go onto the train...grrr..

Went thru the northern Part of France to get to Paris around 9am. St Gare du Nord.

Arriving at the train station in Paris.

Got off the train and headed up the super high steps of Sacre Couers located at the summit of le butte du Montmartre . Greeted by deaf girls and felt up, yeah for Brandon... Went in and around the famous church.

Back down the stairs to Pigoilly station completely no cue what we were doing, or where we were going. Got off around the Louvre and started looking for hotels.

Booked. Booked. Expensive. Greeted by a bird and a rat. Expensive ...all of our gear and walking around Paris, hungry, thirsty and not a clue. Awesome. We stopped in a sandwich shop and got a vegetarian with two cokes and sat in the Louvre gardens and ate. Amazing.

Walked up to the Arc and down the Champs élysées.

Even with the beautiful sites the stress and hunger was starting to wear. We walked over to the St. Germaine area and found Welcome Hotel.

They had a triple for 129€ we took it. Our room was on the top and we could see La Tour Eiffel from the window. Dropped our stuff off, took a shower and headed out to see the sites. We grabbed a crepe avec nutella and headed to the Vendetta boats.930pm we took a cruise along the Seine.



Walked around the Louvre at night and the neighborhood.Felt like walking through a history book. Seeing the prison where Marie Antoinette was held before her guillotine invite, houses of famous artists and writers. Sleeping grounds for works of art that money can't buy. Can this place really exist?

Walked around the il de cite a thousand times more.





Saturday we had to find another hotel..luckily not far was Hotel Michelet Odeon.


View outside our window.

Saturday was a hot one, and we walked over the the Invalides and around and then the Eiffel tower.Heat. No real food. Not much water, wearing all black with gallons of black coffee and cheese bread equals a bad mix..... We would return later.



We wound back around the city to the hotel, stopping by the Champs Elysee. Seeing the Arc de Triumph and the mad house of cars around it.

Next, over to the Louis Vuitton store. I always thought that it would be ideal to buy a Neverfull at the flagship store, but we went to three different ones and they were all closed! Not so lucky. At least the outside kept me entertained for a while. Walking back down St. Germain we went into a little pastry shop and fell in love with macaroons. salted caramel please.


Sunday, we went over to the market to see all the meats and cheese that were displayed like art.



There were so many people picking through the beautifully assorted ordure's.



Now to roam the Louvre, then back to Eiffel's creation and up to the top.Over to the Arc de triumph, Louis vuitton, grand palais.

Monday, morning to Versailles, and around the neighborhood.

On our way to the train station we stopped by another outdoor market that was selling everything from Simpson inspired doughnuts, to organic handmade blouses. We grabbed some pink frosted doughnuts and rode out to the countryside of Marie Antoinette.




So amazing to see her Petit Trianon and the palace itself. There was a movie being filmed while we were there, so there were all kinds of cast and crew members roaming about in period costume. I liked to think that they were there for our entertainment to get us better in the French Revolution mood.


Sat under the tower and ate pickled mustard chips and coke and San pellagrino while the tower did it's night show.





How can one city be so beautiful?? There is definitely no place like this in the world, and I can see why it is such a destination for almost everyone. Even being here before, seeing the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triumph will never get old.