Hard to Go Vegan on July 4th Weekend
July 3, 2008
I’ve been thinking about it and I’m not really certain that I can go vegan…yet. I’m pretty convinced by the argument that our modern means of keeping animals for slaughter and the slaughtering process itself contributes to our ill health and harms the environment. Hopefully with all this attention there will be an increasing effort to make the slaughtering process a more humane and eco-friendly necessity in our lives.
So while I’m a luke-warm meat eater (most of the year), come the July 4th weekend (well any major summer barbecue weekend) I become a very enthusiastic carnivore.
Across the nation as we gather in our communities to celebrate our love of country and neighbor there will be a few consistent elements drawing people together. Flags, music, fireworks, and…barbecued meat! Neighbors, children, grandparents–the whole, great cross section of your community will be gathered in parks to celebrate our nationhood together.
It helps to have the sweet smell of your favorite meats cooking. It’s an image and experience we cherish throughout our lives. Food cooked really well, outdoors for all the senses to enjoy.
So for those of you that are vegetarian or vegan my hats off to you. I’m sure you’re having as much fun as the next person during your July 4th holiday festivities.
I will think of you as I lick my fingers clean! 
BBQ Ribs Southern Style:
4lbs country style pork ribs (trim the fat)
4 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp. all purpose flour
3/4 cup Jack Daniels (or to taste)
1/2 ground mustard seeds
4 tbsp. Worcestshire sauce
1 1/2 tsp. Hot Sauce of your choice
Marinate ribs: place in a baking dish. Stir together lemon juice and flour until it is smooth. Add all other ingredients. Spread mixture over the ribs - make sure you turn over ribs to coat well. Marinate for 2 hours.
Grill: Place your marinated ribs over medium to hot coals and grill for about 1 hour. Mmmm!
Tags: Featured, Holidays, barbecue, community, kids, moms
New Urban Mom: Show#11
June 30, 2008
This week we meet with Los Angeles single mom and entrepreneur Nancy Goodman Iland. Nancy is a born and bred Valley girl who in recent years chose to move to more urban L.A. where today she raises her son and earns her living as a food stylist in the film and TV industry, program producer and internet marketer! Nancy shares with us her take on why urban living is great for raising her son, building her business and meeting her own social and cultural interests. To visit archives for this show click here.
References:
Moms Talk Radio “Sister” Spotlights:
Tags: Featured, New Urbanism, Podcast, new urbanism
Resource for Business Owners and Freelancers
June 29, 2008
One of the objectives of new urbanism is to create sustainable communities. That happens when local businesses are supported and residents have the choice of securing work close to home - ideally in their community. Below is a news release about an excellent resource for business owners looking for online skilled help and contractors (freelancers) looking for a way to market their services.
Shelancers Meet the Needs of Small Business Owners
Online business management expert Nicole Dean and technology consultant Darina Loakman are making sure that business owners have a reliable resource for finding short and long-term help with the recent launch of a directory of professional female freelancers called Shelancers.
“There are a number of freelancer directories in the market place but none that have the unique focus of Shelancers. The name says it all. This is an online directory of female freelancers specializing in everything from graphic design to accounting,” explains Dean.
As business continues to heat up for online companies, managers are feeling the pressure to have quick access to reliable specialists who can
- Update the design of a website
- Write content for web pages, article marketing campaigns and brochures
- Proofread ebooks, manuscripts and promotional copy
- Provide customer service for web based or telephone help centers and
- Manage administrative and accounting tasks with ease and professionalism.
The Shelancers directory includes specialists who can address the needs of most businesses owners, especially those companies doing business online.
“The Internet has created a new and vibrant marketplace generating tremendous workloads for many small, mid-size and larger businesses. We’ve actively sought out and attracted the best people in marketing, graphic design, website management, virtual assistance (administration), public relations, business communications, accounting, business coaching and more. There is no need for business owners to panic about not having appropriate staff–not when there is a comprehensive resource available like Shelancers. Best of all there is no search fee or other cost associated with using this directory,” explains Dean.
Easy access is an attribute of this directory. Each listing provides freelancer contact information and available client feedback to help hiring managers/owners to readily secure references, quotes and samples of relevant work.
Florida resident, Nicole Dean has been helping women work from home since 2004 and is a recognized expert in Online Business and Affiliate Management. A resident of Ireland, Darina Loakman was included in a list of 50 of the most influential women in Ireland as compiled by the Examiner Newspaper (2006). Both entrepreneurial moms are available for media interviews to discuss their joint venture - Shelancers (http://www.shelancers.com). To schedule an interview please contact Sharon McMillan, Media Relations, (905)-472-5384.
Tags: Featured, New Urbanism, Your Work, entrepreneurs, entrepreneur, freelancer, Shelancers, small business
Top 10 New Urbanism Communities - Submit Now
June 27, 2008
If you’re a builder, developer, marketer, resident or other interested person or group representing a new urbanism community in the United States or Canada, and you’d like your community to be considered for inclusion in the annual New Urban Mom Top 10 New Urbanism Communities list, please provide the following information by July 22, 2008:
- Name of Community
- Website information
- Location (city and state/province)
- Price range of homes available for purchase
- Description of Housing styles available
- Information on rental properties available in your community
- Information on commercial development and services available in your community
- Indicate any building industry, municipal, design or other awards received by your community
- Contact information for buyers and renters (if applicable)
All information and questions can be sent to:
newurbanite@gmail.com
Once we receive all entries we’ll review and narrow down the the list to 10 communities.
We’re looking to build once a gain a list that offers the leading eco-friendly communities in America that are built on new urbanism principles.
This annual list is the resource for families and individuals looking to live in sustainable communities that can help to support their efforts to live a green lifestyle, do business close to home and be around individuals who share these values.
Tags: Featured, New Urbanism, green living, new urbanism, top ten communities
Graduation Joy
June 26, 2008
What makes our communities so special are the interests we share and the bonds that develop because of it. Don’t underestimate it. Those bonds help to shape your community in ways that can enhance your family’s development, build your career or business, and ultimately help the wider community at large.
Last night I witnessed how the love of community and friendship really shapes a young person for the future. Our eldest graduated from high school. Yes that was an emotional moment. Not only was my little baby graduating from the very school I graduated from more than 2 decades ago, but I saw in her and her friends the same joy, excitement and anticipation for the future that I had so long ago and carry with me to this day.
As the valedictorian for her class said “We’re at the peak of our lives!”. She encouraged her “sisters” to be kind and compassionate citizens of the world and to remember their training and preparation to be responsible and conscious women in a world that needs them.
This is a community of young women who are going to change the face of the world for the better - just like millions of other young people around the world.
As I looked at my daughter hugging her girlfriends with all her might, I felt joy in the community she was blessed to be part of during her 4 years of high school and such appreciation for the common bond they built that was not only about themselves but about all that they plan to give as loving people and stewards of this world.
Congratulations to Hannah Jane and the SJMP Graduating Class of 2008!
Tags: Education, Family Life, Featured, New Urbanism, community, education, graduation, high school
New Urban Mom Podcast Show 10 - A Visionary Builder
June 23, 2008
Eat local, protect our green spaces, stop urban sprawl, rebuild our cities, drive less, work closer to home (or at home) - are all buzz words today that are making front page headlines in most major news papers across America. Listen in to today’s show as we talk to one of the leaders in the new urbanism development movement, David Pace of New Broadstreet Companies.
David Pace, was Director of Real Estate Development for Walt Disney when the much talked about early new urbanism community, Celebration was developed in the late 1990’s. He later joined Pritzker Realty Group to lead the redevelopment of the 1,100 acre Orlando Naval Training Center into Baldwin Park, a $3 billion project comprised of houses and apartments for 4,300 residents and 1 million square feet of commercial space. Today David is president of New Broad Street Companies.
David represents the expertise that goes into re-shaping inner city neighborhoods and suburban/rural areas into welcoming and rejuvenated communities that bring residents together for social and business benefits. These “sustainable” communities are also designed to make it easier for residents to not only work and carry out their businesses close to home, but to lead their personal and family lives in ways that are healthier for them and the environment.
Website references:
Tags: Featured, Green Living, New Urbanism, Podcast, Your Home, Community, David Pace, Work from Home, Work Local
Let’s Do Lunch
June 21, 2008
I love the Internet and the way it has helped us to quickly access information, manage and launch small businesses and meet friends and business colleagues from around the world.
The one minor draw back is that some of us miss that face-to-face connection - that “personal” element.
Really all it takes is one person to start the ball rolling. In this case Small Business Branding’s Vera Raposo (3rd from right in the picture above) told a few of us from the Mom Masterminds business network that she was traveling from her west coast location to Toronto - a location that was pretty accessible for some members like me.
We met in one of my favorite new urbanism towns 
(Unionville) and spent almost 4 hours catching up!
The best part is not only were we able to do some business (I may have found a new branding consultant!) but we were also able to get to know each other a bit better as colleagues and friends.
If you’ve got a small business you’ll want to ensure you visit Vera Raposo’s Small Business Branding website. If you need graphic design and branding work done by an expert that understands not only big business projects but the small business and online marketplace as well, you’ll want to visit Ed Roach’s The Branding Experts website - in case you have difficulty identifying “Ed” he’s the one at the far left in the picture above .
If you’re a busy mom looking for financial management, stress relief ideas and solid life and business coaching support you must visit Sarah Zeldman’s Solutions for Busy Mom’s website (Sarah’s the one on the far right in the picture above). If you are a home based business owner or anyone looking for quality products and services that you can locate from one convenient location, you should visit Imelda Belanger’s I Shop At Home site where her motto is: “Shop from your Seat not from Your Feet” (I love that tag line - no wonder she’s the one with the stylish bag in the picture above - she shops well!). Finally, every business owner or busy enterprise needs an efficient administrator to manage operations - if you need a seasoned virtual assistant who is also an expert internet marketing manager, you’ll want to contact Angela Wills of StarVa (in the picture above, Angela is 2nd from the right) .
I’m just so pumped from my meeting with these fantastic business owners. Thanks to the Internet for bringing us together virtually and for the spirit we’re all blessed with that never lets us forget the joy to be experienced from being in real community and close proximity to one another!
Tags: Featured, New Urbanism, entrepreneurs, community, networking, new urbanism, work at home
Father’s Day Blossoms
June 15, 2008
Blossoms that we’ve been waiting to open all week decided to make their grand entrance on Father’s Day. How appropriate given the loving care that they’ve received from the Dad in this household.
In today’s post I’ve included pictures of our just opening peonies and other blossoms including those from our weigela bush and the other bush beside it with the cream colored blossoms that I can’t remember the name of at the moment…Feel free to post if you recognize this plant.
Sunny Sunday’s like today make me wish for year-round weather like this. I know come August I’ll change my tune as soon as I sense the brisk changes in the breeze that signal fall is coming. I love fall. But for now I’m so in love with this warm, hazy weather and the colorful explosion of blossoms that makes our garden come alive!
I hope you had a moment to share some warm words or thoughts with or about your father today.
Tags: Family Life, Featured, Holidays, New Urbanism, family, garden, holidays
Work Local Option - Freelance
June 12, 2008
You’ve decided that new urbanism fits with your beliefs and focus on green living and vibrant, local communities. For many of you that means cutting the environmentally unfriendly commute to your daily job so that you can work in your community. The problem is no one is hiring where you live. What are some of your options?
Well the fact that no one is hiring can be a temporary thing. It takes a lot of smart searching and networking to find what you’re looking for and I’ve already posted about some of the strategies to finding a job. There is, however, another option for replacing your income and it depends on the skills you developed in the workforce or your overall training, experience and interests.
I’m talking about freelancing. Let’s say you were a marketing specialist for a firm during your 9-5 life. Perhaps you could promote your marketing strategy development skills as an outside contractor to local entrepreneurs and employers in your region. Replace “marketing specialist” with graphic designer, administrative assistant, customer service specialist, etc. and you’ll soon realize that what you do at your full time job represents a skill-set or specialty that many companies might appreciate on a project or outsource basis.
In many cases it makes better business sense for companies to hire outside contractors than to take on full-time employees - especially in tough economic times.
Many freelancers who market themselves well to business owners are able to replace and even surpass their previous full-time incomes. How much you earn really depends on how much your clients enjoy your work and how well you succeed at marketing yourself.
I’m going to share with you a great way to market yourself and to reach employers who may be local or even thousands of miles away and you won’t necessarily have to step outside your door to do work for them (depending on the type of work you do).
Shelancers is an online directory of professional female freelancers. That’s a unique angle for a freelancer directory and one that is sure to get the attention of your potential future clients. You want to featured in a directory with that kind of promotional appeal.
This directory is being promoted far and wide by the two innovative and leading women entrepreneurs who created Shelancers - Nicole Dean and Darina Loakman.
I’m a member of Shelancers and I can tell you that we have freelancers in various fields from graphic designers to accountants to virtual assistants. Best of all, we have monthly resources to enhance your business, and a great forum called “The Watercooler” where we share ideas, questions, look for partners on projects and generally support one another.
If you’ve made up your mind that now is the time for you to make your move back home to create a lifestyle where you can work where you live instead of 20,30, 40 miles away, then think about freelancing and visit Shelancers by clicking on the graphic above.
Tags: Featured, New Urbanism, entrepreneurs, freelancer, new urbanism, women, work from home
Mommy Bloggers, Corporate Women and the Local Connection
June 9, 2008
If you’ve wondered if there was a resource to help you network effectively both locally and online - your search may be over. On today’s show I talk with Diane Danielson the owner of a networking organization that connects women business owners and career women both online and in person, according to their preferences, lifestyles and schedules.
The local connection is the one aspect of online networking that some women find lacking especially those in new urbanism communities. Diane Danielson’s Downtown Women’s Club (DWC) is an organization that seeks to address this need.
From numerous online events and resources that include a DWC facebook interface to local cocktail events and mixers for women, DWC provides choice for today’s WAHMS, other women business owners and career professionals.
Diane stresses that “downtown” is a state of mind not just a place. Whether you’re in the suburbs, rural areas, or a major metro area like Chicago, D.C. or New York, DWC likely has a chapter near you. If not you can easily start one without paying any fees. You can also network with the thousands of women in sister chapters across the country and now the world.
The other topic discussed during our talk was the gap in knowledge and engagement between mommy bloggers and corporate women. Mommy bloggers and work at home women are way ahead of their counterparts in the corporate world when it comes to using web 2.0 technology to further their businesses. Listen in to today’s program as Diane shares some perspectives on the reason for these differences and what the future holds for women online.
Additional References You May Find Interesting:
Tiffany Washko - A Mom Internet Marketer
Tags: Featured, New Urbanism, Podcast
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