This story was written for the Wall Street Journal Asia.
Fifteen years ago, Malawan Patamapongs, an interior designer whose clients have included members of the Thai royal family and a former U.S. Ambassador to Thailand, bought a 1,200-square-meter lot in the heart of Bangkok’s central business district.
If you are like most people, then your new year probably started out with resolutions for trimming your waistline. A great intention but how committed are you? While most people have good intentions on January 1st, come mid month, they are all too willing to slip back into old patterns of comfort eating. This year, instead of training your belly, why not try training your mind instead?
Mindful eating is not rocket science. In days when life was not all about TV dinners and eating on the go, people would actually have longer and more enjoyable meals that actually resulted in skinnier waistlines. Think “French family dinners” which are inevitably a social event. Traditionally, the focus has always been on the food and the wine. Well, it’s no Ayurvedic secret that focusing on food, aids digestion. [...]
Classical Chinese paintings, contemporary Asian art and rare pink diamonds from India set the pace for a show of collectibles rooted in Asian tradition to be auctioned by Christie’s.
Christie’s autumn sales, which run from Nov. 26 to Dec. 2 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, will offer more than 2,800 works of art; the estimated value exceeds 1.7 billion Hong Kong dollars (US$219 million).
For the full story in the Wall Street Journal Asia click here.
This story was written for the Wall Street Journal Asia’s “Scene Asia” column.
Chinese watch collectors have begun to shift their focus toward vintage pieces.
It boils down to heritage and nostalgia: “As the Chinese buyers grow older, antique styles remind them of their fathers and grandfathers,” says Pansy Ku, a watch specialist at Christie’s.
A couple of years ago I made this video on a whim, mostly to prove to myself that my Sony handycam was worthy of more than recording cutesy moving pictures of the kids for our Friday night entertainment. Little did I realize that once my work of art got onto You Tube, my kids would blatantly flaunt it as their stepping stone to instant fame. [...]
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Reenita Malhotra Hora is schooled in Ayurveda, India's ancient tradition of well-being. She offers Ayurvedic advice, treatment, detox programs, healing retreats and education for individuals and professional organizations throughout the United States.
Her work as Ayurveda Clinician, writer and healthy living consultant has taken her from California Pacific Medical Center and UC San Francisco School of Medicine to the pages of Yoga Journal and Green Options Media. Born in Bombay, she currently lives in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong women are celebrated for their style, glamour and a certain je ne sais quoi that is commonly perceived to result from the power of their purse. But even though women are freer, more educated, and enjoy more legal protection than they did just 20 years ago, "success" is still a long shot.
People of Georgia have been allowed to produce food for their own consumption in their backyard since the Civil War but recently, the local government has been hampering their effort with zoning laws and “Right to Grow” bills.
But Powder Springs Republican Earl Ehrhart, who represents Cobb County in Georgia’s General Assembly, wants to change that. He wants to lift the requirement that homeowners have at least two acres before they can raise livestock.
According to Food Safety News, Ehrhart believes “people should be free to raise chickens and grow backyard crops on their property. He says the Right to Grow bill represents a basic freedom, recalling those days when Georgians all grew their own food.”
The Georgia “Right to Grow” is aimed at crops and livestock grown by homeowners for their own consumption and not for commercial use.
Local code enforcement could still address the premises if they cause public nuisance and bring actions under the proposed law.
While a similar bill introduced last session went nowhere, recent events, like a citation that was given to a couple in Powder Springs for raising 15 chickens in their backyard, have pushed Right to Grow to the forefront. The couple said their chickens were not bothering anyone, but they were still visited by a code enforcement officer. They have until Feb. 10 to move their birds.
As drafted, the Georgia Right to Grow Act defines “crops” as fruits and the products of all annual or perennial plants, trees or shrubs.
The bill goes on to say “no county, municipality, consolidated government or local government authority shall prohibit or require any permit for the growing or raising of food crops or chickens or rabbits in home gardens, crops or pens on private residential property so long as such food crops or animals or the products thereof are eased for human consumption by the occupant of such property and members of his or her household and not for commercial purposes.”
Georgia’s cities, however, are mounting vigorous opposition to the Right to Grow bill. The Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) is opposed to this bill, citing that each case is different and that it’s best to be left to the local government to decide instead of “one type fits all” piece of legislation.” Last year, Georgia cities managed to keep an earlier version of the Right to Grow bill from passing.
With gardeners being threatened to be jailed for growing food in their front yard to being cited for raising chickens in their backyard, in recent years, this bill, if passes, will be a small victory for those of us who want to grow our own. Hope other states will follow suit and make growing our own food legal in this country.
[Chickens in Open Cage via Shutterstock]
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If you’re used to a consumer lifestyle, going green can be challenging at first. There’s a host of new habits to pick up and new skills to learn, like crafting, cooking, and gardening. It’s also often about restraint – going without, cutting back on plastic, reducing waste. It asks that you learn about our problems, pushing you to engage with the darkness of the world. It’s noble, and it feels good to do good for yourself and the environment, but it can get challenging and depressing.
How can you be more conscious of your actions and take care of your happiness at the same time?
What is mindfulness? Psychologist and mindfulness meditation teacher Jon Kabat-Zinn defines mindfulness as “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.”
Cultivating the ability to pay close attention on purpose and without judgment can be challenging for those who haven’t considered it. But there are small ways to infuse your life with more mindfulness.
The more mindful you become, the more effortless it is to practice living green. It frees you to make better decisions for yourself. Here are a few simple ways to get you started.
Before eating, send gratitude to the nature, farmers, workers, and cooks who provided your meal. When eating, savor every bite. What does it taste like and feel like? Really indulge your senses.
When walking, pay attention to yourself and your surroundings. What’s around you? How do you feel in this particular moment? Don’t place judgment on anything, but simply observe and be aware. Every corner of the world changes every moment of every day. Whether it’s sunny, raining, snowy, windy, or wet, the world around you is ever changing and ever evolving.
When you take home food from a restaurant in plastic and styrofoam trays, consider where they came from and where they’ll go. Consider this for everything you use.
When cooking, indulge in the colorful food, the aromatic spices, and the process of transforming raw veggies and grains into a delicious cooked meal.
One of the best ways to begin cultivating deeper mindfulness is through meditation. The basic premise of meditation is relate differently to your passing thoughts and emotions. Instead of seeing them as the truth of who you are, see them as simply that – passing thoughts and emotions. Be grateful for their presence, but let them float away so your mind can return to a relaxed and centered state.
The easiest way to begin meditating is to sit still in a quiet, comfortable room. Begin to breathe deeply, focusing your attention on where your breath moves. When thoughts come in, be aware of them, and float them away.
Practicing mindfulness can be challenging if you’re used to a busy life schedule. But with a little bit of effort, you can find pockets of time to be more attentive, be still, and see yourself in the world more fully. So the next time you pick up the car keys on auto-pilot, you can take note and choose differently – maybe you’ll walk or bike instead.
[Photo from Shutterstock]
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Hosting a Super Bowl party can be fun, but it can also be very green. Why not allow your football festivities showcase your green living? Here are just a few ideas for throwing an eco-friendly Super Bowl Party.
Homemade chips
Think of all the snack bags thrown away at the end of Super Bowl Sunday and think of the impact making your own chips can make. Both potato and tortilla, two popular choices, are easily made at home. Potato chips can be made by thinly slicing potatoes and then deep frying or oven baking along with your favorite seasoning and some olive oil. Tortilla chips can be made by cutting corn tortillas into wedges, spritzing with olive oil, lime juice and salt and then baking until crispy.
{cc photo courtesy of bamalibrarylady on Flickr}
Compostable plates
Disposable dinnerware is the easiest solution for many and the most common method for Super Bowl parties. However, instead of simply purchasing plates that can be thrown away and which will take a space at the landfill, go with a brand that will compost well.
{cc photo courtesy of dani920 on Flickr}
Paper flowers
Make some pretty decorations that are too good to throw out after the big game. Tissue paper flowers can easily go from a cheerleader’s pompom to permanent flower decoration in any room of the house. In care you didn’t know, this year’s teams share some of the same colors in a very patriotic scheme. Red, white, blue and silver are the main colors that are interchangeable for both teams. Those are some great colors that can easily find their way into any decor. Make them out of newspaper spritzed with colored water and allowed to dry or take old t-shirts and cut them up for decorations. Simply cut the paper or t-shirt into strips and tie the strips together in the middle. You can make the strips as long or short as desired, depending on the look you’re going for.
{cc photo courtesy of greenplasticamy on Flickr}
Recycle bins
It may seem simple if your household is already recycling, but it’s one of the easiest ways to save materials destined for the local landfill. Make sure to offer clearly marked containers so guests know which items belong in the appropriate bin. Glass, plastic and paper are the three main recycled items but they can be broken down even more or all included in one bin. Being a model for guests is also a great way to get others following your lead.
{cc photo courtesy of epSos.de on Flickr}
How do you make your parties for eco-friendly? What’s your favorite green hosting trick?
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