Pay It Forward Friday with Planeterra Foundation

There's lots of talk these days about sustainable travel-but what does that actually mean? Planeterra is a non-profit organization that helps empower local people to develop their communities, conserve their environment and provide supportive solutions to local problems.  Through a  global network of travel industry partners, they work towards sustainable travel in the destinations they serve worldwide.
This video gives a great overview of just how far those dollars spread and the impact reached on the global economy.

           
From the Site:

Founded in 2003, by global travel company G Adventures’ owner and founder, Bruce Poon Tip, Planeterra has a history of raising funds for the communities where G Adventures and its industry partners operate. Bruce believed that it was each person’s duty to show the ultimate respect and appreciation of these people and places by giving back.

Planeterra’s close partnership with G Adventures has given our team an insider's understanding of the challenges facing these places; this unique perspective in turn guides us to design effective, long-term solutions that provide autonomy and lasting opportunity for local people while conserving local environments.

How They Work

At Planeterra, we reach out to travelers, organizations and global citizens like you to make a donation and invest in specific, sustainable solutions to support the places you love. 

We take a serious, holistic look at how we can help these iconic destinations emerge from being exploited, to using the tools it takes to support happy communities living with proper healthcare, education, and protected environments. This means finding better jobs, sending their children to better schools, drinking cleaner water and caring for their environment.

Thanks to your support, we are able to work side-by-side with community members to identify the social and environmental obstacles they are facing. Together we create customized, long-term solutions to get to the root of the problem and restore the community’s ability to make informed decisions for the benefit of their people and for the long-term health of their environment.

Why doesn't more tourist money reach the people who would benefit from it the most?  It's just as important to keep it local when you travel as it is at home.  Investing in the local economy when you're on the road  is a way to keep it sustainable and grow the small businesses from within. Search out restaurants that serve local produce, buy from vendors that are using local craftspeople {not importing from China crafts that look local}. On a recent trip to Great Harbor Cay in the Bahamas, I saw much of the town leaving in the morning in small boats.  When I asked where they were headed, I was told "to a small island just north that services the cruise ships visiting the area." It turns out the small island had been turned into a tourist trap complete with huts and dressed up locals.  The merchandise the tourists were loading up on and hauling back to the cruise ships had been purchased on the mainland, imported from China and made to look handcrafted from the area with shells and palm fronds.  Meanwhile the local town was in a state of decay and there was no industry to speak of to support the residents.  It was a viscous cycle that would be hard to break.  This is just the sort of problem that Planeterra is addressing, and I hope you'll visit their site to find out more.

A Thought for Thursday No.17

A thought for this grey and rainy Thursday...

Mangroves protecting the Intracoastal in Vero Beach, Fla.

5 Reasons to Love My Weekend View No.32

I think the stars were all aligned for this weekend's view...

• How do four years pass so quickly? My baby was graduating, and to have family and friends together is a view I can never get enough of.
• The view in the New Hampshire mountains made me feel like I was in a scene from my favorite movie.  Can you guess?  I'll give you a hint...the hills are alive....
• Bagpipes, covered bridges, happy young people, oh my...the view had me smiling all day.
• Pretty sweet digs for the weekend {more to come}. The view of the Colby Hill Inn shows a real hidden gem.
• How good does the view of this  graduation cap make me feel.  All I can say is thank you New England College for a great experience.

I hope your weekend view had a touch of the sweetness of mine!

Pack This DIY Hostess Gift

Summer travel is just around the corner, and if you're anything like me, that means you've got maps out and are busy planning your next great escape. Sometimes, that means you're lucky enough to get an invite to the vacation home of a friend. If that's the case, and you have a little bit of DIY in you, I think I've come up with the perfect hostess gift to pack in your suitcase.

Did you know that American's use on average approximately 2,200 napkins {usually six a day} each year? By just using one less per day, more than a billion pounds of napkins could be saved from landfills in the US alone! Our household tries to use cloth napkins on a regular basis. It becomes a problem when you have a house full of people or a big family, how do you keep the napkins straight. They don't need to be washed after every use, that kind of defeats the purpose of saving energy right? But the thought of using someone else's serviette is a bit unappetizing. My solution is to have reusable napkin rings with everyone's name on them.

You'll need:

A set of wooden napkin rings from the craft store

Primer white paint

Acrylic paint for the inside of the rings

Chalk paint for the outside of the rings

Fine sandpaper

Chalk or chalk pen

Paint the interior of the rings with a white primer. This will raise the edge of the wood, so after it is dry, sand lightly along the rough edges. Paint the interiors with whatever colors you have selected. This batch was for a friend with a house on the water. Again, lightly sand any rough edges.

Paint the outside of the rings with chalk paint. It will take 2-3 coats. Write the name of your hosts on the rings, along with a thank you on one, buy them some cotton or linen napkins in a color they'll love, and voila...Creative gift and good for the planet all rolled into one!

Have a great weekend.

Making Cheese from Yogurt with Stonyfield

You might know that i'm a Brand Ambassador for Stonyfield Yogurt.  Well, today I'm a guest contributor over on the Stonyfield's The Yogurt Dish. Have you ever made cheese from yogurt?
Cheese and Stonyfield may not normally go hand in hand, but you’ll be surprised how easily their Greek yogurt can be transformed into a protein-packed, low fat cheesy delight. Pay a visit over to The Yogurt Dish and give the recipe a try.  I'd love to hear about any creative combinations you come up with.  The sky's the limit!.

Happy Mother's Day

Yes, it's Mother's Day. And if there's anything that getting older has taught me, it's that holidays are a time for reflection.  There is always something to be gained from looking inward. Nature vs nurture, it's always a topic in our household.  How much can we influence, how much does the the gene pool count, and what about the surrounding environment.  What is the recipe that is shaken and stirred to spill us out into the being that we have become. 

I always like to listen to what people have to say, and then extract my own conclusions.  It's a definite that my love of the shore, beach and ocean came from both my parents.  They have always loved being by the water and having us by their side. All of our vacations and down time was centered around the water, and that's something that has affected each one of my siblings and  my children as well.

The travel thing with me is however a bit more complicated, and at lot more intense. It's a subject that I have a real passion for, yet my sisters, not so much. When we were young, we were taken on many visits to get a taste of other cultures. The experiences might have been staged for the tourists in most instances, and we didn't necessarily stray particularly far, but each time we traveled we were busy taking advantage of the surrounding activity, not just lounging on the beach.

My Dad might have instilled in me the desire to search deeper, for the spot off the beaten path. But I can thank Mom for something much more influential when it comes to travel.  You see when she was barely out of college, she went to Japan where my Dad was stationed to get married. Women just didn't do that then.  All by herself, she traveled across the ocean, to a strange land, to follow her heart.  That was incredibly brave and I admire her so much for it.  Since that is where I was conceived, I'm sure my first international trip is responsible for my love of all things Asian, even if it was in the womb!

I've been lucky enough to have my parents visiting with me for the last few months, and that time can give you pause to look at a lot of different issues, especially when you are again transitioning in roles with the ebb and flow of life. Today I thought about that first trip I took, my Mom and I as one, and the circumstances surrounding it, thanking my Mother for giving me her sense of adventure.

Happy Mother's Day!

Berkshires Getaway-Pump, Pack and Pamper

The Berkshires is one of my favorite spots for a girlfriend getaway. So much so, that its the start of my Pack, Pump & Pamper series. A gas tank or less away from Boston: Pack your bag, Pump your car full of gas and Pamper yourself to recharge the batteries.

      Three hours west of Boston, the Berkshires welcome you with year round art, culture and outdoor adventure.  How wonderful is it when you have a friend who is always up for a getaway, and loves to spend her time the same way you do.  Pretty special right? I just happen to have the perfect partner in crime.

I really feel like North Adams is a hidden treasure.  Still a bit gritty, with an underlying feel that you are visiting an undiscovered gem.  Especially if you go in the off season.The veranda is waiting at The Porches.  This block of former textile workers housing has been transformed into a shabby chic hotel.  The award winning renovation of this eco-friendly spot offers free wifi, a pool and fireplace with cozy reading nooks as well as breakfast.  Vintage themes are combined with modern amenities to prove that granny chic is just modern enough in this former mill town.

North Adams has Mass MoCA to thank for the recent uptick in tourism. The sprawling 19th century mill complex offers some of the most cutting edge art around. Xu Bing is one of the most important Chinese contemporary artists working today. His Tobacco Project {above} is typical of the installations you will see. Made from half a million cigarettes arranged to mimic a tiger pelt, it makes a thought provoking statement on the global tobacco trade, luxury and colonialism.

Aside from the monumental statement of Xu Bing's two Phoenix sculptures, they are a marvel in up cycling genius. A powerful statement on the progress of modern China and the debris left behind as it moves into the future, the artist has translated this waste into an expression of the yin and yang that is found everywhere in the country's culture.

I was fascinated everywhere I looked to see what had been incorporated into the installation. Steel rebar, girders, bamboo that you see on construction sights all over China used as scaffolding, shovels, hard hats, gloves, canisters, tools and heads made of industrial jackhammers. Its hard to translate the effort it must have taken to plan and execute this work. The artistic vision and scientific calculations to create and then transport, by sea, in crates, the pieces for the 100 foot mythical birds... I was awestruck. For someone whose motto is reduce, reuse, and recycle, it was a highlight of the trip.

The complex also hosts a variety of musical events including dance, films and houses Lickety Split, a good pit stop for ice cream, coffee or a heathful lunch.

Town itself has many galleries, shops selling vintage items and plenty of restaurants. The street art pooping up around every corner reminds you that many artists are at work in the warehouses that make up much of the city.

A favorite spot for dinner is Gramercy Bistro. Walking distance from the porches, and in the MoCA complex, it is a spot committed to supporting local food producers and farmers and their menu reflects that.

Early the next morning take a beautiful walk on the Cascades Trail a short drive away.  This hidden hike, tucked in behind a residential area is minutes away from downtown and short enough to get in and still have plenty of the day left for exploring. There are plenty of additional activities and hikes listed on the web site.

Head into Williamstown after your hike for an art filled day.  The Sterling and Francine Clark Institute houses a remarkable collection of paintings, crafts, sculpture and drawings that reflect the eclectic and comprehensive taste of the couple. Make sure not to miss the Stone Hill Center located on a wooded hillside up from the Clark with beautiful views of the mountains.  There are also scenic trails if you want to hit the woods again and usually a special exhibit housed in the modern building. Plenty of spots for lunch in Williamstown, my favorite is Poppy's Deli with a lengthy list of vegetarian options. Nearby, the Williams College Museum of Art emphasizes modern and contemporay art from world cultures.  The thought provoking exhibits dig deep and ask questions that you would hope to find at a leading center of higher learning.

Now that you've fed your soul and pampered your brain, time for a taste of spa treatments. We had a good laugh when we discovered this vintage steamer in a shop, but it wasn't quite what we had in mind for rejuvenation.

Much better were the results at the In Touch Massage and Day Spa which began its life as a grist mill in 1762 and is perched on the banks of the Green River.  If you're there in the summer, make sure to book a massage outside and drift off to the sounds of the water pouring over the rocks in the river. It was a tad chilly for us , but are treatments were heavenly just the same.
On the short drive back to The Porches, we stopped at Wild Oats Cooperative, a purveyor of natural groceries, locally grown produce, prepared foods and beer and wine.  After so much art and walking, we decided a picnic dinner was in order and were able to take advantage of the special outdoor space The Porches had to offer.

On my return home, I got distracted {imagine}and ended up in Shelburne Falls.  It was a happy wrong turn, as I had always wanted to stop at The Bridge of Flowers when on route to one of my sons many lacrosse games.  Unfortunately, a teenage boy has very little interest in flowers, let alone a bridge of them, so it remained a pitstop in my mind's eye.What a delightful wrong turn.  Thousands of bulbs and plantings on a trolly bridge rescued by a visionary{ Antoinette Burnham} who saw it's potential. The town is a step back in time, a good place to stretch your legs and spots for lunch before you drive back to reality recharged and ready for what's ahead.

Stay:

The Porches

Do:

Mass Moca, The Cascades, The Clark, Williams College, In Touch Spa, The Bridge of Flowers, 

Eat:

The Gramercy Bistro, Poppy's Deli, Wild Oats Market