Gift it Green eco-chic fabric gift boxes are for those looking for an environmentally-friendly alternative to disposable paper wrap, gift bags, and gift boxes, but still want all of the unwrapping excitement (we all know present opening is a blast!).  Gigs were designed to be gifted forward and are super easy to reuse since they involve NO scissors, tape or waste.

And the best part?  They were developed by a Chicago mom of three boys, inspired to offer her children (and yours) easy ways to save the environment.   Additionally, Gift it Green is a Green American Bronze Certified Business and proudly support Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.

For more information on these eco-wrappings, visit their site at giftitgreen.com.

Once again, Chicago’s Green Metropolis Fair will bring the local conscious community together on April 14 to officially celebrate Earth Month. Last year’s family friendly local fair featured an amazing array of activities for both adults and children and this year is sure to trump! The 4th Annual Fair will be held at the Green Exchange Building, 2545 W. Diversey, Chicago’s premier sustainable business community.

“The vision for Green Exchange has always been about being a place to gather and educate people about incorporating sustainable choices into their lives,” says David Baum, owner and developer of Green Exchange. “Green Metropolis Fair exemplifies this opportunity, and we are thrilled to be hosting at GX!”

With the planting season just around the corner, and Chicago enjoying a warmer USDA zone classification, the Green Metropolis Fair will feature workshops and activities on a wide array of gardening topics, including urban organic gardening, composting, keeping backyard chickens and bees, and growing and preserving fruits and vegetables. Master Gardeners and Master Composters from the University of Illinois Extension Service will be on hand to answer your toughest gardening questions, and bedding plants – herbs, vegetables, and flowers ‐ will be available for purchase. Many local businesses will be part of the Gren Metropolis Fair’s Retail Marketplace, and their special handcrafted, artisanal products, along with fair trade offerings from around the World, will delight the most discerning shoppers. Wonderful local food and drink from a wide variety of purveyors will be available throughout the day, and local services like CSAs (community supported agriculture), nuritionists and chiropractors, and other sustainable businesses will be featured in the table sponsors area.

Yoga, and other wellness activities, and ways to make your home healthier and more energy efficient year round will be spotlighted. Children will enjoy petting rabbits, goats, and other furry creatures. And everyone will appreciate the beautiful new LEED certified Green Exchange Building, with it’s organic sky garden, cistern for recapturing and recycling rain water, green roof, green tenants, and other outstanding features. Again this year the Green Metropolis Fair is presented by the Green Parent’s Network.

For more information, visit www.greenmetropolisfair.com

• Prep Time: 1 Hours
• Cook Time: 1 Hour
• Ready In: 2+
• Yields: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 TBS Olive Oil
• 1/2 Large Onion or 1 Medium Onion
• 2 Bay Leaves Crushed
• 1 TSP Ground Cumin
• 2 TBS Dried Oregano
• 1 TBS Salt
• 2 Large or 3 Average Red Bell Peppers, Chopped
• 1 Jalapeno Pepper, Chopped
• 3 Habanero Peppers, Chopped
• 6 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
• 2 (4 Ounce) Cans of Chopped Green Chile Peppers
• 1 (15 Ounce) Can of Crushed Tomatoes
• 1/4 Cup Chili Powder
• 1 TBS Black Pepper
• 1 (15 Ounce) Can Kidney Beans
• 1 (15 Ounce) Can Black Beans
• 1 (15 Ounce) Can (Spicy) Pinto Beans
• 1 (15 Ounce) Can of your favorite Bean
• 1/2 of an Avocado (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

• Chop Peppers, Onions and Garlic
• Heat Olive Oil in Large Pot over Medium Heat.
• Stir in Onions, bay leaves, cumin, oregano and salt.  Cook and stir until onion is tender.
• Mix in Bell Peppers, Jalapenos, Habaneros, Garlic and Green Chili Peppers.
• When vegetables are heated, reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer 5 minutes.
• Mix in tomatoes, chili powder, black peppers.
• Stir in beans, increase heat and bring chili to a boil.
• Reduce Heat to Low and simmer for 45 minutes.
• Continue to cook until about 5 minutes before serving.
• Top with avocado for a little added ‘flair’.

Windy City Wellness Alliance
When: Thursday, February 16th from 8pm – 10pm
Where: Aligned Modern Health – 3514 N. Southport Chicago 60657

Windy City Alliance is Networking — for all of us committed to promoting good health. Please join us and bring your health profession friends!

Email info@hwcaofchicago.com to register.

• Receive and get listed in an electronic directory of all businesses who attend the event
• Develop relationships, collaborations, and referral partnerships
• Introduce your business by offering an item for our raffle (so far you can win 8 neurofeedback sessions or 3 private yoga lessons!)
• Nosh on healthy food and drink provided by KIND bars, the Health Coaches of Chicago & natural foods chefs $10 at the door

Our internal dialogue or self-talk, particularly when we’re under stress, may consist of negative messages. This can increase distress and encourage self-destructive ways of managing or dealing with stressful triggers. Our self talk is so automatic, that we often are not aware of what we are saying to ourselves. As a result, these messages go unchallenged and appear to be the truth.

When our self-talk is realistic and more encouraging, compassionate and non-judgmental, this enhances wellness, may provide a barrier to stress that may accumulate, and re-train the brain’s neuronal pathways. Affirmations are one strategy that may help with this.

Affirmations are specifically “engineered” statements that are meant to create a new “highway” in your brain’s structure, thus providing a different option for the thoughts, synapses and other aspects to travel. These statements focus on a specific outcome and the intention to obtain whatever the result stated. For many people this may be a new road construction and thus, will take time to become routine.  Here are some suggestions to help you get started.

• Use concrete “I” statements. Avoid “iffy” words like “might, could, should, maybe”.
• Focus on what is desired, keeping it positive. For example, rather than stating, “I’m not in debt”, an option may be “I am financially secure” or “ I have financial abundance”.
• Keep the statement present oriented as opposed to what you want in the future. State it in the now. For example, “I am drinking 8 glasses of water a day”, rather than “I will drink 8 glasses of water a day”.
• Keep the statement short so it’s easy to remember
• Keep the statement realistic.

For example, stating “I have a great, six-figure job” will be challenging to manifest, if you are not “doing” anything towards this. Affirmations are not “magical” like a “spell”. When structured utilizing the guidelines and followed through with some action, they can reinforce the behaviors, events, traits desired. Affirmations are personal. Avoid using them for what you want for others. This may fall in to a different category.

Once you’ve created an affirmative statement, your brain needs to become familiar with it. Here are some ways to do this:

• Use affirmations before, during, and after a particular event
• Use affirmations on a daily basis to help increase its imprint in your mind/brain.

Maybe you say the statement 15 times to yourself or aloud in the mirror, driving in the car, while your working out. Maybe you decide to write it out. Another option is listening to your own voice stating the affirmation repeatedly in a recorder while you’re sleeping.

Whatever you choose, affirmations may help with how you talk to yourself and provide a “New” way of helping yourself manage stress!

Here’s to your success in managing your stress!

Serena Wadhwa Psy.D., LCPC, CADC
www.triqualiving.com

I was going to post on reframing and affirmations. I decided to add those in the coming weeks. Given we’re smack dab in the middle of holiday season, I thought it more fitting to post about the concept of gratitude. “Gratitude” is the art of being grateful for “something”. In these days and times, this can be challenging for many people to find “things” to be grateful for. However, given that “stress” triggers past and/or future focus, gratitude can keep up in the present. When we pay attention to what we are thankful for having, being, doing, being a part of, buying, letting go of, etc., we are “zoning in” to these things. Some research indicates that this “focused attention” can actually influence how our brain develops and what connections, (neurologically) occur. This is fascinating information and useful when we are looking for ways to prevent, manage, reduce and be with “stress”.

Some of the literature on the “attraction” theory discusses this concept as well. When we are thankful for having, being, doing, involved in, buying letting go of, etc., the theory proposes that we continue to “attract” these things. Some literature indicates that the art of gratitude also increases our sense of joy and harmony. And we can definitely all use some of that. One thing to keep in mind is that gratitude, like other concepts that I discuss in relation to stress are holistic. There’s a thought, a feeling, an act, and a spiritual (being) component that interweave for the experience to manifest. This integration of these various factors allows different parts of ourselves to connect with one another and open our experience.

So how does one bring more gratitude into one’s life?  Here are some suggestions:

1.  Say “thank you” whenever possible;
2.  Give back what you received when you needed it most. Maybe it was
monetary, maybe some comfort, etc. Whatever it was, giving this back brings
more. It follows the adage of giving what you have received.
3.  Begin a gratitude journal. I have clients (and keep one myself) of five things
that I’m grateful more. This varies day-to-day and when I feel stuck, I find
consistency in the things I’ve grateful for.
4. Avoid conditional and minimizing words like “only” and “just” as well as other “lack” words.
5. Send hand written letters this season to individuals that have a special meaning to you. Let them know what you appreciate about them and how much they mean to you.

Here’s to your success in managing your stress!

Serena Wadhwa Psy.D., LCPC, CADC
www.triqualiving.com

Tanning beds can cause skin cancer and aging, and “spray tan” machines produce a cookie cutter tan that isn’t always flattering. Golden Girl Chicago uses the industry’s finest equipment, from top of the line airbrush machines, to 100% organic, environmentally friendly tanning solution. Golden Girl Chicago expertly mixes a formula customized to each client’s skin tone. The result is an airbrush tan, done only by hand, that leaves clients perfectly sun kissed; never streaky, orange, or with unnatural scents. Golden Girl Chicago is behind the tans of some of Chicago’s most notable faces including CelebTV’s Kelli Zink, NBC meteorologist Ginger Zee NBC anchor Marion Brooks, Cheeky Chicago’s Jessica Zweig and Erica Bethe Levin, and Bright Pink’s Lindsay Avner.

The new Halsted Street location boasts over 2,000 square feet and features “rustic vintage” décor created and constructed by the Golden Girl’s themselves from reclaimed materials. The urban oasis is adorned with pictures of Golden Girl Chicago’s actual clients, sporting their Golden Girl Glow. The space features three airbrush tanning rooms as well as a full service hair and makeup salon, and a full kitchen to allow private parties and events.

“When I moved to Chicago from Florida, I quickly realized I needed to figure out a way to achieve the tan I was accustomed to from days at the beach, without harming my skin,” says owner, Jenn Dieas. “I discovered airbrush tanning, and with my background in skin care began researching the best equipment, and the best solutions.”

If all this tan talk has excited you to get your glow on, share that sunshine with a friend and nominate someone you feel could use an in-salon beauty day to lift her holiday spirits this time of year. Golden Girl Chicago is looking for special ladies that need a little sunshine their life.

Email Jenn a snippet of their story and why they could use a day of beauty. Try to stay hush, GGC would like to keep it a surprise if possible!

The day of beauty will include:  Haircuts and Style, Airbrush Tans, Make-up, Manicures, and Mini-Massage and then a nice dinner dinner to show off her new look!

This will take place at GGC’s West Loop Salon on  Sunday, December 18th.

You can email Jenn nominations and for more details at Jenn@goldengirlchicago.com

Stay golden ladies!

-Chickagoan

Pre Appointment Glow Instructions

*DO NOT USE shaving cream, razors with shaving cream built in, oil based body scrubs, Dove soap or any other bar soap that can leave detergents and oil residues on the skin the day of your appointment.
Oil based products and residue from drugstore soaps stay on the skin and can block your tan from developing fully. We recommend using just a wash cloth to exfoliate during a hot steamy shower.

Please arrive shaven, exfoliated and without makeup, lotion or deodorant for your appointment. Your choice of undergarments can be worn during your appointment. Loose fitting clothes should be worn following your appointment. Tight clothing that rubs on skin will cause an uneven glow.

Please check our website for more tanning tidbits at www.goldengirlchicago.com

All mobile appointments ~ Please be aware that traffic and parking can take extra time, please allow 15 minutes to the start of your appointment for the unexpected.

In Hotel appointments ~ A valet charge will be added to your room.

When booking appointments please be ready to provide a credit card number to hold your reservation.

Cancellation policy ~For individual visits we require 24 hours notice to cancel your appointment with no charge, for parties we kindly ask for 48 hours. In the event that we do not receive proper notice 50% will be charged to your credit card.

This is a PINK Grand Opening of epic proportions that should not be missed! The Grand Opening will feature a DJ, goodies and a free PINK Chicago water bottle with any purchase (*while supplies last).  All customers and press are invited to shop the latest PINK collection and get a glimpse at the first and only store of its kind in downtown Chicago!

The excitement doesn’t stop with the Grand Opening – VS PINK at Water Tower Place will host a “Bling Your PINK” weekend from November 11 -13, 2011. At an in-store kiosk, customers will be able to personalize their purchases of sweatshirts, tees and more by adding customizable crystals in the name or design of their choice, free with any purchase over $50. For details about PINK in Chicago and to RSVP to the Grand Opening of PINK at Water Tower Place, visit www.facebook.com/vspink or text CHICAGO to 888465.

Chickagoan will be there — gettin’ our PINK on!