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Category Archives: health & wellness
living walls
Living walls are cropping up all over the Bay Area! Vertical expanses of greenery provide a restful connection to nature without taking up too much space. They also require less water than horizontal gardens. The living wall at left serves … Continue reading
designing spaces that support innovation
What type of environment supports creative thinking? The Bay Area’s most innovative companies have been asking – and answering – this question for years. Touring their offices brings us a great set of “best practices” that can be applied to … Continue reading
Posted in design ideas, health & wellness, San Francisco Bay Area
Tagged Brainstorm, California Academy of Sciences, Collaboration, Creativity, designing for innovation, Facebook, Genentech, Golden Gate Park, Google, Googleplex, Health, IDEO, Innovation, interior design and creativity, interior design and innovation, interior design ideas to support creative thinking, offices that support innovation, Play, Playfulness, Twitter, Wellness
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come and breathe for Japan with me
Japanese culture has had a profound impact on my life. Raised as an outspoken and independent American woman, I got quite a dose of culture shock when I first moved to the rural outskirts of Hamamatsu in my early 20s. … Continue reading
musings about Milano
I was at a home décor trade show in Milan last month, and I’m still digesting the experience weeks later. Like most Americans, I have a soft spot in my heart for Italy. The ancient roads, the ubiquitous little scooters, … Continue reading
Posted in health & wellness
Tagged Anodea Judith, Catholic Church, Freedom, Italian, Italian people, Italy, Liberty, Love, Milan, Soul, United States
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keeping fresh food fresh
First some good news: Americans have made some major progress when it comes to dealing with our garbage. Disposal of waste to landfill (as a percentage of total waste) has plummeted dramatically, and in 2008, we recycled and composted 83 million … Continue reading
Posted in appliances, countertops, health & wellness, San Francisco Bay Area
Tagged food freshness, food storage, reducing food waste, storing fruits and vegetables, storing produce, why do fruits and vegetables spoil, why do fruits go bad, why do vegetables go bad, why do you think fruit and vegetables spoil?
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CFLs and EMFs
In the past few years, I’ve taken a number of steps to make my home more energy-efficient (improved weather-stripping and insulation, all new windows, Energy Star appliances, etc.), but there’s one area where I’ve really dragged my feet, and that … Continue reading
deep and peaceful sleep
Harvard Health recently reported that one in five Americans are sleeping less than six hours per night, and that a large majority of us report having sleep difficulties at least a few nights a week. I was somewhat startled (and … Continue reading
Posted in design ideas, feng shui, health & wellness, window coverings
Tagged bedroom, Electronics, Health, Insomnia, nature images, Sleep, Sleep disorder, White noise
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blessing your home
The essence of a blessing ceremony in feng shui is to open your heart and cast your loving awareness into the environment around you. Moving slowly and patiently, greet each object with gratitude, compassion, acceptance and reverence. It’s amazing how … Continue reading
Posted in feng shui, health & wellness
Tagged blessing ceremony, compassion, gratitude, reverence
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the sensuality of chaos
We all enjoy a clean and organized space, but getting too rigid about this can make your home feel sterile and disconnected from nature. Life itself is blatantly sensuous, not fussy… imagine the scent of fresh dark soil, the relaxed … Continue reading