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Archive for the ‘Green’ Category
 Danny Seo makes me feel like a slacker. Every time I see the green lifestyle expert, who visits the Twin Cities frequently to promote his Wholearth beauty line on ShopNBC, he’s got another new product and he’s just been on national TV and he’s re-doing a celebrity’s home and he’s doing something or other to save the planet (or at least rid our mattresses of bugs and other unspeakably awful stuff) – all while tweeting and blogging to keep us in the loop.
When we met for dinner at Lurcat recently, he presented me with a bag of towels from HomeGoods. Not just any towels – the new Danny Seo Eco-Existence towels. They’re super absorbent with quick drying ringspun loops – a fancy way of saying they dry faster than traditional towels and are less prone to mildew. Beyond being good for the earth, they’re soft -and extremely affordable: $5.99 for a bath towel. The collection includes bath mats, too, all in nature-inspired colors including creamy white, desert khaki and slate gray.
Of course when I told Danny I want to buy more of his towels, he advised me to hurry: He’s going to be mentioning them on The View tomorrow, June 7. Figures.
Tags: Beauty, Danny Seo, eco friendly, eco towels, Green, homegoods, shopnbc, wholearth
Posted in Green, Home & Garden | No Comments »
Elmo and the gang have gone eco! Just spotted Sesame Street Envirosax reusable bags at Fleurish, which has a fantastic new storefront on Lake Street in Wayzata. The bags – lightweight, durable and compact – sell for $10 each and will be perfect for hauling my little monsters’ gear (they don’t go anywhere with out 10 books, stuffed animals, snacks and yo-yos). You can also buy a set of them here for $39.95 – makes a darling gift.
Speaking of gifts, Fleurish has plenty of clever ideas for end-of-the-year teacher gifts, like chic reusable lunch bags, cute totes, polka dot water bottles, and many other smart ideas for $20 to $30. Fleurish, 701 E. Lake St., Wayzata, 952-476-2296
Tags: eco-friendly gift, envirosax, fleurish, kids reusable bags, Sesame Street, wayzata shopping
Posted in Baby/Kids, Gifts & Cool Stuff, Green | No Comments »
In honor of Earth Day, Twin Cities eco-retailer Moss Envy is offering 20 percent off storewide Friday and Saturday. Use coupon code EARTHDAY2011 for online orders.
Some other local retailers and resources worthy of Earth Day shopping:
CounterCouture – Fresh off an impressive MNfashion Week runway show, this brand sells “upcycled” fashion – dresses reinvented entirely from bits and pieces of old garments
Olive & Myrtle – Sustainable (and attainable) home accessories from a St. Paul-based e-tailer
Oscar & Belle – Organic luxury infant and toddler apparel from a Minneapolis-based company
Butters & Beans – Organic baby basics, blankets and more from a Woodbury-based company
Sail La Vie – Bags and vests made of recycled sails on the shores of White Bear Lake
Nature of Beauty – Mendota Heights is home to the Twin Cities’ most comprehensive organic beauty store and eco-spa
Natural Built Home – A smart Minneapolis resource for sustainable building materials
The Purple Tree – A Hudson, Wis. shop selling environmentally friendly gifts and practical goods like canvas totes
Tags: butters & beans, countercouture, earth day, eco friendly, natural built home, nature of beauty, olive & myrtle, organic, oscar & belle, sail la vie, the purple tree, Twin Cities eco friendly stores
Posted in Events, Green | No Comments »
Garage sale shoppers, take note: Haven Maven opens Thursday in a small, second level suite in downtown Excelsior offering home décor resale – up to 90 percent off retail. No digging required – the mix is quite manageable and consists mainly of small accessories – vases, pillows, decorative pieces. Perfect for those who don’t want to put in the time bargain hunting, but want the deals. Owner Nancy Muller calls herself the “thrifty” interior designer. She has over 25 years experience. 436 Second St., #204 (upstairs), Excelsior
Tags: excelsior, haven maven, thrift shopping, twin cities shopping
Posted in Green, Home & Garden | No Comments »
 Had the chance to catch up with environmental lifestyle expert Danny Seo today at ShopNBC headquarters in Eden Prairie as he hawked his new eco beauty line Wholearth for the network’s first Beauty Day (to gab for one solid hour about 12 bath and products is quite an impressive feat). Last I saw Danny in the Twin Cities, he was pitching earth-friendly Simmons mattresses and organic bedding at JC Penney. Yet I can’t think of any other human brand as earnest and admirable as Danny. Whether it’s pillows or perfume, everything Danny does starts with the environment and sustainability and eliminating toxins from our lives. He isn’t pitching green because it sells; he’s living green and creating products to support it – with style. Wholearth is no exception, plus it’s USDA certified natural and organic. Danny’s motto is “do just one thing.” Of course, he does 20 or 30 – at the same time – but if using his hand cream counts, I’m in.
Tags: Danny Seo, eco beauty, enviornment, Green, JC Penney, shopnbc, simmons, wholearth
Posted in Beauty, Green | No Comments »
Eco-tique on Grand Avenue in St. Paul has morphed into Nature of Beauty, as the online retailer has gradually taken over the entire space with its eco-friendly skincare and cosmetics. But not one to remain idle for long, owner Terry Bly is planning a big move to The Village at Mendota Heights, where she will open a Nature of Beauty store and spa, offering a full menu of massage facials and body treatments using organic products. She’ll be bringing on spa-grade brands, so you can be green and get a glycolic peel. The store will open Oct. 1 followed by the spa on Nov. 1.
Tags: eco, enviornment, Green, green beauty, mendota heights, nature of beauty, spa
Posted in Beauty, Green | No Comments »
Organic cotton tees just aren’t enough anymore. Veteran Twin Cities gift and clothing store Bibelot is getting into the used clothing business. Rewear will open on the second floor of the Como store in mid-July. Fall and winter women’s apparel, size 4 to 14, in “like new” condition is now being collected. When selected items have been priced, customers will receive 50 percent of the resale value on a Bibelot gift card. If it seems an unlikely choice for an independent shop that makes itself a draw with high-quality, unique items that aren’t always the cheapest, Bibelot says its customers want to recycle and refresh their wardrobes at the same time.
Tags: bibelot, recycle, resale shopping, Rewear
Posted in Consignment/Outlet, Green | 1 Comment »
 It’s not easy being green – so Twin Cities Green is becoming Moss Envy. The new store will open June 19 at 3056 Excelsior Blvd. near Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis, next to Whole Foods. It will still be green, but a little less GREEN as owners Ryan and Tina North try to move from niche to mainstream lifestyle store selling a broader range of goods, from furniture to clothing – all of which happens to be eco-concious. (Read more about the evolution of Twin Cities Green and the green movement in my Savvy Shopper column.) May 28 will be Twin Cities Green’s final day at 2405 Hennepin Ave. S. in Uptown. A moving sale is on now.
Tags: eco-conscious, Green, green retail, green shopping, minneapolis shopping, Moss Envy, twin cities green
Posted in Green | No Comments »
As the holiday hangover lifts, reality sets in. January tends not to be the most joyful month for retail…shoppers are burned out, not ready to think spring and store owners are facing facts. First to announce their closing: South Minneapolis eco-friendly store Birch. The good news is, they will continue to exist online. And with that news comes the closing sale. See Sales/Specials for details on this and many other January sales.
Tags: Birch, eco-friendly retail, minneapolis shopping, store closing
Posted in Green | 1 Comment »
 Got a question? Need some help? You could wander around a store forever. But quietly stroll the sales floor with a notebook in hand and managers appear out of thin air. Today's locale: JC Penney at Rosedale Center. My shopping companion: green lifestyle expert Danny Seo, designer of JC Penney's very own Simply Green home line. There he was, picking up one of his own pillows when a manager with a clipboard surfaced offering to "help us." What she really meant was: who are you and what are you doing that may get me in trouble with corporate? Danny, who is a fixture on the JC Penney website, not to mention the author of best selling books, a magazine columnist and frequent guest on national shows like, oh, Oprah, couldn't have been more cordial, but it was clear he was a little hurt. "I work for JC Penney," he told her, and recited the names and numbers of folks in the corporate office to verify this. "He's decorated for Tobey Maguire!" I offered. The manager retreated. We finished shopping. At least he gets a corporate card, which he used to pay for around $100 of his own merch, which he'll give away on Shop Girls Saturday, June 20.
Read more about my shopping spree with Danny in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on June 21.
Tags: Danny Seo, green lifestyle, JC Penney, rosedale center, Simply Green
Posted in Green | No Comments »
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Danny Seo makes me feel like a slacker. Every time I see the green lifestyle expert, who visits the Twin Cities frequently to promote his Wholearth beauty line on ShopNBC, he’s got another new product and he’s just been on national TV and he’s re-doing a celebrity’s home and he’s doing something or other to save the planet (or at least rid our mattresses of bugs and other unspeakably awful stuff) – all while tweeting and blogging to keep us in the loop.
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