I like this trend of eco-friendly lookalikes. There are so many of them nowadays. The ceramic Greek Cup. The "not a paper cup" ceramic paper coffee cup with travel lid. The ceramic paper plates. And now, the leather paper bag. I love it. So funny. Found on Popgloss today.

Ceramic Paper Plates, via DesignBoom

Check out this cute tote from OldNavy! Only $16.99. I like the black or the yellow. Remember this tote?

The Shopping List Bag by L-Shop, available on Propwork

I have a thing for to-do lists. Without them, I could not propel myself through time. Time would just stand still. Or stand around doing not much of anything. Or I would. I think this List Bag would be perfect for me. I really do. I can't quite figure out how the notepad is attached though, and if there are multiple sheets, or if it uses dry erase technology. I found it on SwissMiss today which may be my new favorite blog of all time. There is even a post about the Monty Python Silly Walks. What's not to like?

I must say, the Chelsea Buckle Tote on Delight.com is pretty great. And a nice price too. Under $80. Apparently, the bag blew out after hot blogger, Dooce, wrote about how happy she was with her purchase. Luckily for the rest of us, Delight brought the bag back. The Chelsea Buckle Tote is vegan-friendly, and available in black, grey, and burgundy. Alas, the "Hermes Orange" is sold out.

Is that a map of Brooklyn? Or France? (hee)

My subject stayed nice and still, but I got nervous that she would realize
I was just inches from her, stealthily taking this shot. Oops, blurry. I moved.


But I got a clear shot before the V train arrived. Phew.

I pursued the 'Brooklyn Map Tote' and my subject to the end of the V platform at 23rd Street. I had half a mind to ask her where she bought it, because I kind of want one. But I didn't. Why spoil the wordlessness of our interaction.

1. I read
2. I commented
3. I purchased
4. I blogged
   

It is a very satisfying progression actually.

The Cupcake Courier in four delicious flavors:
Petal Pink, Lemon Grass, Saffron Yellow and the original Soft Blue Sky

All three luscious layers of The Cupcake Courier, pictured in situ.
[images from cupcakecourier.com]

For the utterly cupcake-obsessed, you now can get help.

Help in transporting your cupcake booty, that is!*

You no longer have to limit yourself to just one dainty treat. With the pleasingly plastic Cupcake Courier, you can finally buy the three dozen cupcakes you always dream about, but feel too un-stylish doing so. And with The Cupcake Courier in hand, how could you not fill each and every cupcake placeholder?** You can always tell them that you are a mom purchasing for your child's class party.

Or you could actually be a mom doing just that. The Cupcake Courier was created, designed and developed by mom, Jennifer Gunn who was "in need of a product to safely transport the gazillions of cupcakes" she took to her children's various functions. Gunn is a clever Momtrepreneur indeed.

The Cupcake Courier comes in four fab colors, as pictured above, and measures a tote-friendly 12.5"x16"x14". My favorite modular feature: each cupcake tray is removable, so you can transport a cake too. It seems subway-friendly, the way each cupcake is nestled safely in its own 3"x1.1" cup. Gunn's product is doing so well, three of the four colors are currently sold out on her Web site. Pink is available now for $32.95. That would be my color choice anyway.

My fashion prediction: The Cupcake Courier will become the new pooch purse. Can't you see it now? I can.


*How quickly I change my tune from Ayurveda to cupcakes. Hmm.
**Is your mouth watering yet? Mine is. I am just one subway ride away from Crumbs as I write this.

[image from saks.com]

When I asked to see the Yves Saint Laurent Raspail Canvas Tote in black and white (it is so much better in black and white) at the Saks Flagship last week, three salespeople seemed to cluster around me, wondering where this fabulous bag came from. Er, from your counter, I thought. Don't you look at the merchandise? But anyway, the bag really caught my eye. I thought it resembled the New York skyline, or a heartbeat pattern on an EKG. By the way, don't you think heartbeats and skylines look the same? The skyline is like the 'pulse of the city' type of thing.

And bestill my beating heart, there are shoes to match the Raspail tote: the Paint Gesso Pump! What an exquisite heel.

YSL Raspail Tote, $995 at Saks
YSL Paint Gesso Pump, $495 at Neiman Marcus

I thought these cotton screen printed totes by Minus Bags were an attractive alternative to the dreaded plastic, and a quieter, more friendly alternative to the Anya Hindmarch tote. As New York is truly a tote bag city* you will probably want more than one. At a very reasonable $16 each, you can buy one for your grocery shopping and another for your gym stuff/shoes/lunch general city toting. Minus Bags are locally grown in Brooklyn and printed in New Hampshire. Hmm. That sounds familiar. My line is locally grown in Brooklyn and printed in Massachusetts. MB Mullan and I should get together and chat.

Minus Bags are a plus, aren't they?




*When I first moved here, my friend Elizabeth told me that New York was a tote bag city, and she was right. All I do is tote things. Tote tote tote. My shoulder hurts. I need a Minus Bag. Maybe the chocolate brown with the green peas. Or the grey with they yellow lemons.

Now this is a reusable shopper I find rather cute. Browsing Happy Mundane, which is always a good browse, I found these photos, and thought I would share them with you. Word has it that Method, the popular eco cleaning products sold at Target, will be offering this "plastic bag rehab" designed by Danny Seo, as a gift with purchase of $20 or more beginning in October. I like this bag better than Anya Hindmarch's, but of course you know that already.

On the back are '16 ways to feel better and look good' while using the bag. Very wry. Sure, I'll buy $20 worth of Method products to get this bag. I am sold. How about you?

The Starfish Tote


The Peacock Tote

There are so many graphically pleasing products at the grocery store. And some that are downright odd, like the Starfish Tote for only 99 cents (pictured above). If only this Starfish Tote would sweep the city as the next Anya Hindmarch eco-friendly grocery shopper! Imagine all the fashion cognoscenti stuffing their belongings and their i-Pods into this bag. I love the strange image.

Starfish Tote, Peacock Tote, and additional styles, 99 cents, photographed and available at the Food Emporium on 1st Avenue & 71st Street. If you want to investigate the Elizabeth Haub Foundation that is printed on the bag, here is the link.

[image from anyahindmarch.com]

Well it seems that mine was not the only blog-tongue wagging yesterday about Anya Hindmarch's I'm NOT A Plastic bag. Musings pro and con about Hindmarch's eco-friendly limited edition designer cloth supermarket tote has been the topic du jour. I had to do a follow-up piece because I thought you might want to investigate further. Click on this link to read the range of opinions.

For all those who like the bag and still desperately want to get their hands on one (you already know my opinion on this), good news. If you start lining up today at your local Whole Foods Market, you still may be able to grab the USA version with navy lettering for $15. when it goes on sale at selected East Coast locations on July 18.



And now, the flip side of eco-chic. Has anyone seen the back of the I'm NOT A Plastic bag bag? Take a look at this post accusing Hindmarch of not-so-green practices with respect to production. Then take a look at the official response from we are what we do (C). My favorite part of their official response is this:

"The bags were made in China”
Claims about "slave labour" were incorrect but the issue is serious and, I think, difficult. [...] The bag would have been significantly more expensive if it had been made elsewhere undermining its accessibility and I guess I buy products manufactured in China everyday. What weight should we give to these considerations?

[excerpt from we are what we do]

Indeed.

Alas, I must retire my favorite tote from my friend Jodi. And after I color-coordinated all of the accessories so nicely. When you own a clear bag, you must coordinate! If anyone happens to be in London at the V&A and wishes to send along a little belated birthday gift, I will not say no.