in the fervor of upgrading your iphones, take a minute to recognize that the phones, cameras & computers that have become ubiquitous in american culture follow a trail of tears on the way to market. i wasn’t aware of this supply chain, but now that my friend colleen wainwright shared it with me, i feel compelled to share it with you. from the huffington post, hello, i’m a mac, and i’m a pc—here’s how i help fuel the world’s most deadliest conflict. if it is possible to demand we do better, i say we do it today!

diy container gardening

[image: rachel wray / re-nest.com]
if you have some great containers, boxes, crates or cans, it’s a great time to get some potting soil and plant some collections together or propagate from cuttings. this round up from re-nest.com is a fantastic snapshot of how you can pair cool containers with plants: upcycled succulent planter inspiration.

cycling in los angeles

[image: ciclavia.wordpress.com]
exciting news for the changing landscape of cycling awareness in los angeles. cicLAvia is planning a route of cordoned streets to be used solely for cycling on september 12, 2010. for more information & to see the route up close, read planned ciclavia route for september 12, 2010.

food

[image: lacucinaitalianamagazine.com]
green & wax beans abound at farmer’s markets around los angeles, and tomatoes have just started to appear in my garden. it’s the perfect time to make this delicious insalata di fagionlini with entirely fresh, seasonal ingredients. i made a variation this week [i didn’t have carrots, but i thin-sliced orange bell peppers instead] and it’s delicious!

celebrating the national holiday this weekend & need some food ideas? take a look at epicurious.com’s independence day recipe collection: 4th of july recipes, menus & drinks.