cleandom

If you haven't visited this place you just have to! OK, some of you do not do the flowery thing but this place is not just about flowers (although there are fields and fields of them). It is a place where you can relax, bring your kids for a fun day, take beautiful (some even stunning pictures), listen to calm music, eat really yummy strawberry and just be in the moment ... yeah like really ... stop for a sec and smell the roses (and they do have a rose garden too).

 

There is more than 50-acre of in 16 different colors. I went there two weeks ago to take some pics but when I got there I was really kinda taken back by the massiveness, the vibrant colors, and relaxing feeling that took over me. The interesting thing is that they only cut about1-2% of the flowers for distribution in the US and Canada and the rest is left to die and then they harvest the bulbs.

For $5 or so you can take a ride on a real tractor through the fields. I didn't, I just walked and walked and walked. There is a pretty cool view overlooking the Pacific Ocean. A lot of professional photographers come here each year to take pictures and you will see them everywhere (in different languages)

 

The Flower Fields are open daily from 9am until 6pm, from March 1 and running through May 9. Tickets are $10.

 

My "two cents"

- get there early, when I was leaving the place was packed (I got there right around 9am and you will avoid the super bright sun too)

- bring cash - you can pay with your card but if you want (and you should) to get fresh strawberries and/or a strawberry shortcake you will need cash. The strawberries are amazing and the shortcake is good too (I'm a sucker for everything strawberry)

- got AAA membership card ... bring it and they will give you a discount, $1 but hey that's still a $1

- good shoes, some of the areas are muddy so flip flops wont do

- there is music playing in the background and while you sit down in the rose garden, relaxing and so on you might start thinking about getting one of those CDs because they just sound so right at that moment and place ... that's exactly what I did. They cost $15 each and I'm sure you can find the same exact music online later and cheaper ... it's just not the same to listen to it in the car.

- this might seem obvious but .... bring your camera!

 

The address: 5704 Paseo Del Norte, Carlsbad, CA 92008

For more info go to:

http://www.theflowerfields.com/

You know the time, when your mo-in-law from back East is visiting your comfy but not-so-super-clean pad or your new daughter-in-law is coming for the first (unannounced) visit … it’s time to clean … fast, furious and in a non toxic way. Just follow these quick tips and you’ll be done in no time.

 

1. put away the clutter (even if it means throw it in a basket and hide it in the closet or under your bed), just move from one room to another picking up odd things and items that don’t add up (a left shoe, last week’s Chinese food, etc …)
2. Have a spray bottle with vinegar/h2o and your fave essential oil handy … you can use it virtually everywhere.
3. Microfiber cloths save you time, money and sweat, have one damped and one dry one as you move through the house
4. Use the damped microfiber cloth to dust visible places (don’t bother with anything else ‘cause this is just for looks, remember this is supposed to be fast). The microfiber traps all the dust inside the cloth unlike regular terry towels that just push the dirt.
5. Use you spray bottle from above and spray once on each mirror and wipe it down with the dry cloth
6. Vacuum main areas, or swiffer where you have hardwood floors (quickly! They are coming)
7. Use the same bottle and spray lightly the hardwood floor and use a microfiber mop (vinegar, h2o and essential oils will give your floors a nice shine but wont hurt them)
8. clean the countertops and inside the microwaves (yup, a lot of in-laws look inside and that’s where they get ya)
9. While you do all this put your stove burners in the sink with hot water, add vinegar, baking soda and let it work … at the end just rinse it, dry it and put it back … looks brand new (or close)
10. Put a few more drops of your favorite essential oil in the bottle and spray in the air to get rid of odors.
11.  Welcome your in-laws!

 

- Luke

 

"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going." - Jim Ryun

<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CLuke%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><style> </style>The play takes place in Mr. And Mrs. Crocket’s school apartment on a July evening at about 6.30PM. From the way the set is staged you can clearly see that the main characters are well educated people of a higher social class. There is a lot of books neatly stacked in bookshelves as well as on Andrew Crocket’s desk. Nice crystal dishes and plates prepared for a dinner. There is a lot of texture on sofas and walls that evokes a feeling of a place that has not changed in years. Lighting created a very intimate atmosphere. Small lamps and a chandelier over the dinning room table added to the picture of Andrew Crocket’s lonely life surrounded by only his books and thoughts. The lights were somehow soft and it helped to divide the stage in sections (the library, the office and the dinning room). There were no sound effects in this play other than the voices of the actors and the sounds they made, which in contrast, did create effects in terms of setting up the mood (when Mrs. Crocket was putting plates on the table while being upset you could clearly hear the sound of plates hitting each other emphasizing her mood). The sound of pouring wine/whiskey made for a pause in between conversations. Costumes were surprisingly good. They were almost like an another character in the play. Mr. Crocket’s suit was (up)tight and well fitted as his attitude, his wife’s costume brought a light into the play (the color was somehow settled - dark blue - but the cut and the way she worked it made the scenes more uplifting). I like the costume that the pupil visiting Mr. Crock was wearing, obviously one or two sizes larger which really made him look school-ish! Acting was fine, fine as a fun, intelligent, nifty, and energetic. I say Bruce French who played Andrew Crocket was amazing, his voice and how he showed the sadness was two thumbs up! Orson Bean, playing Dr. Frobisher was uplifting, funny and somehow likable although he was the bad guy. Sally Smythe as Mrs. Crocket’s wife was funny, flirty and annoying at the same time. Overall impression for me was a great 80 minutes (with no intermission), lovely theater, a touching story and wonderful cast. I left completely satisfied.

The Browning Version is playing at the Pacific Resident Theatre.

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Rich T. - Culver City

4/29/2009 *****

Luke does thorough job of making your place super clean--and it's all environmentally friendly!

Yelp review HERE

Ever feel like you want to get out of the town, forget the world around you and just enjoy some free time? ... yup me too! The problem with that is that most of us don't want to drive too far because we don't have the extra time. I hear you on that! ... you don't have to :o) (but a good long drive on PCH with a bunch of CDs and the windows down is priceless!)

If I need to get some energy, sort out my thoughts/ideas, talk to myself (ideally I don't talk to myself) or just get out I have a few places which are not too far from the city so that way I can leave and come back in a couple of hours if I need to.

One of the places is Palos Verde. My favorite spot is at the Donald Trump Golf Course with spectacular views. You can pick an easy trail or the harder ones (going down the bluff). What I like about these trails is that there are not that many people walking yet you are still close to where you start off. If you have small kids I would not recommend this place unless you supervise them all the time because the cliffs are high.

The easiest way to get there from Long Beach is to take Ocean Blvd west which become highway 47 taking you over the bridges and then you get off on Gaffey street, make a left on Gaffey and go all the way to 25th street. Make a right on 25th and keep going (it's getting real nice at this point) until you reach Ocean Trails Drive where you make a left. There is a public parking area on your left where you can park your car. There are no restrooms along the trails so you better go before.

You can walk, power walk, jog ... I've seen people mountain bike too. That place will give you so much energy! Enjoy.

- Luke

Best Buy now offers electronics recycling at their stores nationwide. From phones to coffeemakers, DVD players to PCs, they accept nearly every electronics product at their stores and will recycle it responsibly.

More ways to recycle. This in-store program does not accept TVs or monitors greater than 32", console TVs, air conditioners, microwaves, dehumidifiers, mini-fridges or major appliances. They have other options to handle these products.

Visit BestBuy.com/recycling to learn more about all of their easy, affordable recycling options.

Actions speak louder than words and you can start right now by adopting these three simple habits:

REUSE ... "Let's talk bags" ... whenever you shop bring your reusable bags and say NO to plastic or paper bags. Some stores will even give you a credit toward your shopping if you bring your own reusable bag and THAT is a good thing.

by Luke Vetrak

1. Using non-toxic cleaning products so you can breathe easier and not worry about being exposed to chemicals. As more and more information becomes available regarding the health hazards of toxic chemicals, there is a growing concern regarding exposure to them. With Cleandom, you won't have to worry about that. I use the most natural, yet effective products available making your house sparkle and shine without harsh chemicals. This can be especially helpful for people with asthma, allergies, chemical sensitivities - or anyone concerned with the impact of chemicals on their health or the environment.

2. Paying attention to details. I systematically clean your house from top to bottom and with care, because I do care! I am always happy when my clients are happy.

3. Small enough to give you the individual attention you need. When you do business with my company, you have access to the owner of the company. If you ever have a concern or would like to speak to me for any reason, I will be available. Just call Lukas at 438-9821.

4. Big enough to provide superior service. I network with other cleaning service owners from around the world on a daily basis. This means that I have access to the combined experience of many of other services so I can provide you with the highest standards and help you on your way to a healthier and greener lifestyle.

5. Cleandom is locally owned. I interact with local people on a daily basis and keep relationships more personal yet highly professional. I value each and every new client and find new ways and resources that benefit to them.

6. Focusing on quality and asking for feedback on my cleaning to make sure you are happy with my service. Communication is the foundation of my business, and I rely on both positive and critical feedback. I strive to improve my services in many ways, but hearing from my clients on what YOU want and need is the key for making my business a success. I offer a 100% satisfaction GUARANTEE. If there is any element of your service that is not satisfactory, I will rectify it if notified within 24 hours. I really want to know how I am doing!

7. Providing my own supplies. I arrive at your home with all of the cleaning supplies that I need to complete the cleaning of your home. I even provide trash can liners and I love pets!

8. The clients say it all! Ask me for references.

Visit www.cleandom.com for more information

Choosing a reusable bag

The worldwide annual consumption of disposable plastic bags is somewhere between 500 billion and a trillion - that works out to be around a million bags a minute.

According to Bags On The Run, a manufacturer of reusable bags, The crude oil needed to make 18 plastic bags could drive a car for a mile.

It's been encouraging to see some stores discontinuing disposable shopping bags of their own accord and some cities and states moving towards a disposable bag ban - but that leaves us with another challenge, in a world without disposable shopping bags; what type of reusable bag to buy.

We have some reusable bags made of plastic that weigh as much as a couple of dozen disposable plastic shopping bags and they don't seem to last all that long before looking decidely ratty. I've often wondered if they are doing more harm than good.

While these are recyclable, I always try and remember that Recycle is last of the three R's of going green (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) for good reason - it does take a substantial amount of energy to recycle. Also, I don't even know if the materials used were recycled or "new" plastic. Then there's cotton bags - and cotton takes vast amounts of water to grow. And what about hemp?

The following are various types of what are often referred to as "green" reusable bags and their pros and cons. I'm not recommending any particular solution, just providing the information.

Polypropylene reusable bags

Polypropylene is a form of plastic

Advantages

• Can be recycled
• Strong and durable
• Can be made from recycled materials
• Chemical resistant
• Very cheap to produce

Disadvantages

• Low quality bags made from thin polypropylene do tend to wear out very quickly
• Polypropylene is made from oil. However, if the bag is made from recycled polypropylene, it is giving new life to what otherwise may have entered the waste stream

Reusable jute bags

Jute is a plant fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It's often referred to as hessian in products, such as a hessian bag

Advantages

• Biodegradable
• One of the strongest natural fibers
• Relatively cheap to buy
• Durable
• Jute crops require little water

Disadvantages

• Not very resistant to moisture unless chemically treated
• Jute may be grown with the use of pesticides
• Most jute products are imported (travel miles = greenhouse gases)

Reusable calico bags

Calico is a usually a cotton fabric that's unbleached and not fully processed

Advantages

• The lack of bleaching and processing makes it kinder to the environment as less chemicals are used
• The fabric relatively cheap to produce
• Cotton is very strong and durable

Disadvantages

• Not water resistant unless chemically treated
• Unless organically grown, cotton requires a huge amount of pesticide
• The growing of cotton is very water intensive

Reusable cotton/canvas bags

Advantages

• Soft fabric
• Durable and strong

Disadvantages

• Unless the cotton is grown organically, high levels of pesticides are used
• Fully processed cotton required extensive additional treatment
• Cotton is a water intensive crop

Reusable hemp bags

The word "hemp" tends to stir up all sorts of association with marijuana. However, in terms of textiles, industrial hemp is a different plant from the same family with very little of the hallucinogenic properties of its cousin. Learn more about hemp.

Advantages

• Incredibly strong, durable and rot resistant fiber
• The crop can grow in poor soils with little water

Disadvantages

• Can be quite expensive due to resistance on the part of governments to allow the crop to be grown domestically, purely due to incorrect associations with marijuana; so most hemp products in the western world are imported. Thankfully, this is slowly starting to change.

General tips for choosing a reusable bag

As you can see from the above, just about all reusable bags have strong benefits, most similar, but usually a few disadvantages as well. After all, there is really nothing we do that doesn't have some sort of negative environmental impact.

Whatever your choice, look for quality as the more bags you have to buy, the bigger the associated environmental impact.

If you do choose fiber over plastic, if you can afford it try to go for organically grown fibres. Also check what sorts of dyes and colorings have been used to make the product as some of these can be quite nasty environmentally speaking.

In the case of reusable plastic bags, ensure the materials can be recycled - that way when your bag has ended its useful life, the materials can be reclaimed instead of heading to landfill where they will take generations to break down. Even better, buy one made from recycled materials.

Additionally, and purely just a personal view - if you buy a "designer" bag, you'll likely pay a ton more. Why spend the extra cash on some pithy saying or brand name slammed on a bag? You could use the money you save to do something really worthwhile. It's just a bag for your shopping folks, we don't need to make a fashion statement every time we walk out the door do we? :)

Michael Bloch
Green Living Tips.com
Green Living Tips is an online resource powered by renewable energy offering a wide variety of earth friendly tips, green guides, advice and environment related news to help consumers and business reduce costs, consumption and environmental impact .

Check for bags at Nubius Organics