Founded by Carlo Petrini in Italy to protect the heritage, culture and tradition of food, Slow Food also is about enjoying life and a meal shared with friends and family. Supporting the small organic farmer, the artisanal food-maker, the oldways of food, not only ensures we have wonderful foods for the future, but also connects us to the foods we eat at the source.

Did you know a carrot can travel 1838 miles to your table?

Alice Waters founded Slow Food Nation with this in mind, to help us make a connection between our plates and the planet.

The Slow Food Nation weekend will be the largest celebration of American Food in history. Founded by legendary chef and author, Alice Waters, the event celebrates Slow Food, artisan food makers, sustainable farming, and food culture through a marketplace, tastings, talks, dinners, films and a music festival.

Our guess, knowing Slow Food, is that this weekend will not only be educational, it will also be about celebrating: taking time to slow down and savor life, delicious food and each other.

Learn More about Slow Food USA and Slow Food Nation.

Listening to music can be a political act.

We believe that the arts and culture sustain a well-lived life. This is integral to sustainability or living green. An ecology of life.

Last night was our New Music Concert. The Brad Dutz Quartet. The concert was an incredible gift to be able to hear master musicians and an innovative composer play in such an intimate space.

I realized however the true gift is that they do this work at all. That their passion and dedication to making not just music, but great music remains and they continue to refine their mastery of their instruments: marimba, cello, oboe, bass clarinet.

Brad composed a song for Paul Sherman (bass clarinet) for his PHD thesis some years ago. And I thought in the world today especially in America, how blessed we are that Paul Sherman and all the other great musicians chose to dedicate themselves to music. Because of their passion for music, they really have no choice, they have to do it. They are called to make music.

As I sat listening, a recurring thought came to me. The irony that such beautiful gifts are given to us unconditionally by artists who should be wealthy and how important it is for our society, for us to enjoy and cherish the gifts and givers.

We have the opportunity when we hear beautiful music or see a great work of art to give our support.  The first step of support is free.
Consciously recognize what we value and we begin to create a better world.

Listen to Brad Dutz Quartet here

and learn more about Brad at braddutz.com

Michelle Kaufmann, architect of the Glidehouse, is profiled on Lexus Hybrid Living website along with other visionary artists in the field of green. Click to watch video.  

Experience the mkSolaire™, "The Greenest Home in Chicago" and more at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry's exhibit "Smart Home: Green + Wired" through January 4, 2009.

Michelle will also speak at West Coast Green in San Jose September 25-27 along with noted scientist and host PBS The Nature of Things, David Suzuki. West Coast Green offers homeowners & builders information from leaders in the field on how to live greener.

Note: Michelle will custom design a Glidehouse for us for our museum use. Learn more about Michelle & our Glidehouse Initiative.

The new book by artist & visionary Fritz Haeg, Edible Estates: Attack on the Front documents Haeg's most well-known project.

Edible Estates was initiated on Independence Day 2005 proposing that the American front lawn be replaced by an intensely edible landscape.

The Foti Family Edible Estate in nearby Lakewood was his second Edible Estate. An Edible Estates was commissioned by the Tate Modern in London. And a new Edible Estate can be experienced now in the Los Angeles area through November 30th at Descanso Gardens.

Haeg's new book also looks at a deeper meaning in doing the Edible Estates in relationship to the environment, building a sense of place even in the suburbs, and about the way our food is produced.

"The best ideas are usually the simplest ones. Fritz Haeg deserves a genius award for his wonderfully subversive plan. Instead of mowing your lawn, you should eat it."
—Eric Schlosser, Fast Food Nation