sean was in
chicago
hong kong
london
los angeles
milan
new york
portland, or
san diego
san francisco
seattle
steilacoom
sydney
tokyo
vancouver, bc
victoria, bc

planned
6/7...spritwalk
6/8...siff: jeff goldblum
6/9...siff: "mama benz"
6/12...siff: "surplus"
6/21...cesaria evora

Spring 2003

tuesday, june 17 | Picked my Vespa up from the shop today. "Ru" (short for "Ruopolo", the main character in the movie Il Postino) is doing just fine after a long stay at the Big People Scooters. It was the the perfect day for a scooter ride since the Seattle rain is on the way. Even gave the Duck Tour folks a thrill when I raced past them on Aurora bridge beeping my horn.

Note on Sunday...I finally got back to Red Sky Poetry Theater at the Globe Cafe after a long break. Wasn't brave enough to read yet, but I'm sure it will happen soon enough.

saturday, june 14 | I stumbled upon WISDOM television today while channel surfing. Yes, watching too much TV again, but when you find something like WISDOM it makes it all worth it. WISDOM focusus on personal growth, alternative medicine, social consciousness, spirituality, relationships and global issues. With shows like Stars with Hearts, Today's Environment and Visonaries it would be very easy to get stuck watching WISDOM all day. Grab some popcorn and check it out.

One revelation from my time watching WISDOM was Paul Mithell's environmental commitment. He did several PSAs during an episode of Today's Environment. Cool.

friday, june 13 | The basketball court across the street from Five Ferns has been calling me for some time now...even though I'm the very definition of a white boy that can't jump. My exuse for not getting out there sooner has been that - in keeping with my sustainable style groove...not buying new unless I have a good reason to - I haven't found a bball at a second hand store yet. Well, things have changed. While down in Steilacoom helping my Dad post back surgery, I came across the perfect bball. Let the games begin.

Being down in Steilaccom for a few days, I've been visiting my old haunts. Stopped by the Steilacoom Tribal Museum for a bit and had a great time talking to Cynthia and the other folks about the status of the tribe and their current projects and activities. Bought some beautiful necklaces made by Cinthia's mother and aunt.

wednesday, june 11 | The Sustainable Seatle Board had a special meeting on lunch today. Great meeting, but the real perk was getting to have supper at one of my favorite [mostly] organic restaurants, Agua Verde. Yummmeee!

tuesday, june 10 | Wow, I don't even know where to start. I just came back from an incredible four day reunion retreat hosted by Yes! Magazine and the Positive Futures Network called the State of the Possible. Essentially, the SOP meetings bring together changemakers from around the country to network, get re-energized and brainstorm about the 'state of the possible' as far as how to create positive change in the world. I went on my first SOP retreat two years ago while still at Nordstrom and I have to say it has been a part of my work and inspiration since. Now even moreso having met so many of the other retreat folks. I continue to be SO INSPIRED by all of the people doing such incredible stuff out there.

There were over 70 people at this particular reunion retreat, all doing really impressive things. Here are a few highlights...Nane Alejandrez' work with Barrios Unidos, working to build safer communities by preventing and curtailing violence among youth. By focusing specifically on helping teens establish self-steem and a sense of cultural pride and solidarity, BU provides alternatives--meaningful alternatives-- for youth. Grace Boggs continues to be a mentor and role model for me. Her wisdom, clarity, passion and energy around positive social change are truly amazing. Jim Embry, also at the Boggs Center is THE social justice energizer bunny. When I grow up, I want to be like Jackie Bray, a student and labor activist at the University of Michigan. Vincent and Rosemarie Harding weren't at this particular reunion, but they are also HUGE inspirations for me, particularly with their current work on the Veterans of Hope project. Timothy Iistowanohpataakiiwa shared many gifts from his First Nations traditions, as did Nane, Roberto Vargas, Joe Reilly, John Mohawk and Yvonne Dion-Buffalo. Getting to see David Korten and Gifford Pinchot get their groove on while we were singing Raffi's Earth Charter song was surely one of the higlights for me. I wish my college profs were willing to let it all go more often. Speaking of music, it was certainly a major theme of this reunion (movement and dance became the big theme in my earlier retreat). We all sang with our full heart and soul, but having folks like Raffi, Chris Gallagher, Joe Reilly, Sekou, Alli Star, and Sara Williams in the group sure didn't hurt. Finally, Jamal Rahmal with his multifaith wisdom and wonderful Mullah stories was in high demand. Look for these, and many more of the SOP folks to appear in sslog in the future.

thrursday, june 5 | Went to a city of Seattle meeting on urban sustainability in the south Lake Unione area of Seattle. Some pretty cool stuff going on in Urban Planning these days. Mithun and Vulcan (Paul Allen's gig) are the Cascade community are all big players.

Stopped in the local Kenneth Cole store yesterday, happened to introduce myself to the GM who turned out to be BIG into what SSF is trying to do. I'm not surprised a bit as Kenneth Cole is big into social change and activism. I also paid a visit to Vain. Norma Straw, one of the partners, is a good friend and a fellow boardmember on the Metrocenter YMCA. Got a chance to meet and talk with Victoria Gentry, the founder and TOTAL VISIONARY for a bit. I'm psyched to hopefully partner with them on some events.

You'll be glad to know that the native garden at Five Ferns, my sprawling estate in Wallingford is almost finished. Well, it's almost native and Five Ferns is more like a 600sqf, one bedroom flat...but when you're up against Martha Stewart's vast list of estates, you gotta make it sound good. Having sold a three bedroom 2400sqf place in Montlake, I'm way into downsizing. Anyway, The native garden includes a Japanese Ariala, (Fatsia Japonica) that is just too cool to take out. In the back I have a 3' x 12' bed that is the 'ornamental' garden. Together they make up the "Kuhstadt Gardens" in honor of my German heritage and Nebraska roots. "Kuhstadt" means "cowtown" in German by the way :-) So, when and if you are in Seattle, please do stop by and visit the Kuhstadt Gardens at Five Ferns

monday, june 2 | I almost peed my pants this morning when I saw the press release on UNEP's Shopping for a Better World program. Did one of SSF's little 'seeds of sustainability' produce such an international development? Who knows. Regardless, it's pretty exiting. I of course, forwarded on to all of my fashionista groupies.

In other news, Dea and I are busy trying to get the Seattle Chapter office up and running. We have a great large room just above a space called The Gates which also houses the Swansea Cafe and the Seattle Independent Mall. It's a fabulous space and we look forward to many an Afterglow event in the many striking nooks and crannies of the vintage building.

Finally, there's a great thread on sustainable style underway on Organic Gardening's Gardener to Gardener: Over the Fence message board. Chime in and check out all the other great boards and resources.

sunday, june 1 | OK...I'm loving the new show on the Style Network called A Second Look, essentially life makeovers for people needing a reason for hope to turn the tide. Yes, I do watch way too much TV, but hey I do get a lot of great info for SSF off of the Style Network and this new show is really inspiring. The fact that a show like A Second Look is on next to Style Star and Fashiontrance makes me think there really is hope for positive change in the world.

saturday, may 31 | I was doing my coaching thing at the Issaquah Triathlon today and was PSYCHED to find out that Clif Bar has gone organic! Being a pentathlete and all, I already know Clif Bar is cool and everything, but now they are even better...and they hit two sustainable style industries - food and sports. NICE!

friday, may 30 | Just got back from Portland attending the Oregon Sustainability Forum. Lots of great SSF networking, as well as some full on sustainable style. Had dinner with another Sustainable Seattle board member on Wednesday at Higgins Restaurant and Bar where I ordered the locally raised, organic beef. Paired with a locally grown and bottled red merlot it was outstading! Can't guarantee they'll always have it, but if you do still eat meat and are in Portland, Higgins is a must. The service was incredible as well.

Another amazing revolation...my friend Eric at Nike informed me of green drinks, a casual group of environmental types meeting over beers. OH MY GOD! This is the best thing since organic cheetos. I'll be setting up a Seattle chapter post haste and I suggest you do the same favorite city.

As usual, I stayed at the very stylish Hotel Lucia in downtown Portland. Much MUCH more pleasant experience than staying at a mainstream hotel. With a towel/sheet option card that states "conserve" or "don't conserve" and a bathroom full of Aveda products, they're on the verge of being yet another 'green hotel'. Gotta love their black and white photographs all over the place too (all signed by the artist). There's even one of a young Donald Rumsfeld exchanging a chopstick with a Geisha-girl using just his lips and nose.

monday, may 19 | More second-hand style...picked up a Donna Karan sweater and Kenneth Cole jeans at Value Village. I'm always in for more Kenneth Cole since he's all about style and social activism.

tuesday, may 6| Found an awesome pair of Donald J. Pliner shoes at Value Village today. SCHWING! I actually got a chance to meet Donald Pliner when I worked at Nordstom. He's an incredible deisgner but also an amazing person. His morning briefing before the trunk show was ALL about his strong feelings that companies had to become more socially responsible, particularly in response to 9-11. High-style shoes, second hand.

saturday, may 3 | Green life is good...I just found out that Nigella's kitchen is powered by 'juice', npower and Greanpeace's renewable wind power. Nigella Bites is one of my favorite shows these days. I love when she says "and nowww" in that sultry British accent. Another thing I love about Nigella, she doesn't waste anything. She even saves undrank [is that a word?] wine from her guest's glasses and then freezes it in ziplock baggies for use in later recipies. Good food, green power.

wednesday, april 30 | Rebecca and I had our weekly meeting at Caffe Ladro, known for being really cool and hip, as well as their switch to Tony's shade-grown coffee.

thursday, april 24 | Danny Seo is my superhero. His latest installment of greenbuzz in Organic Style totally has me jazzed to dive head first into getting SSF up and running. For the full monty, I suggest picking up an the May/June issue, here's a brief version...celebs like Chynna Phillips are stepping up their customer power and stepping into Evo Limo, a new LA-based car service that uses comporessed natural gas; Shakira, Shania, Pink and Bjork are all getting into Genevieve Gaelyn and Atom Cianfarani's latest designs that feature animal and earth friendly fabrics; Michele Marcombe's groupie bags area an off the shoulder hit with Tory Amos, Joy Bryant and SuChin Pak; Bill Clinton opened the Rolling Stones' benefit concert for global warming and celebs including Cameron Diaz, Leonardo DiCaprio and Lisa Kudrow, subsequently showed up to glow at the launch of the NRDC's Turn up the Heat - Fight Global Warming Campaign.

wednesday, april 23 | Dea and I had lunch at the Sterling Cafe, n fairly new organic restaurant in Seattle. YUM-EE! I had the BLT and a very tasty organic rootbeer.