~ Farmer's Markets, Organic Produce & Just Plain Good Eating ~

•  While they often don't run during the winter months, the move to organic, fresh and wholesome food is alive and well in Richmond. Give the markets in downtown Richmond, Oregon Hill. Goochland and Ashland a try. Hot off the press - a new market on Saturday's at 42nd St. and New Kent Rd. at Forest Hills Park has just started and there's entertainment + food! They're fun!
• For more around the country, go to Local Harvest.
• Froghollow Farm in California not only ships organic produce, but they also have just yummy pastries and chutneys and other goodies.
• Wonderful Moravian cookies - such a burst of taste in a deceptively simple cookie - the phone number for ordering is 1-800-274-2994.
• Chocolate, caramels, pastries, confections that melt in your mouth - Boule in LA is the essence of quality and good taste.
• Ellwood Thompson is starting a monthly book group to talk about living "greener". Their site has a wealth of information on organic and healthy living topics.
• Food Blogs out of the wazoo....
• Organic meat tastes wonderful.

~ Unique, weird and wonderful items and services ~

• Stationery, bookplates, baker's labels, notecards - the list goes on... as Felix Dolittle creates tiny watercolor treasures.
• Cheap, paper flower vases called  "NoMing" - get it?
• Picnic supplies - such as dinnerware that folds flat, wine glasses that un-screw, a chiller for your vino & an inexpensive Basket to cart the goodies.
• The best salad dressing you'll ever find is Crane's Crest French Dressing. It's so good, I used it at my wedding luncheon. There isn't a web site, but 617-277-1325 will get you a case. You won't regret it!
• Tart...sweet...hot - you'll love Peppadew Peppers. 
• Is the big push on, or your overwhelmed and having trouble getting to your deadlines?  You can hire a virtual assistant to take off the pressure. What a clever idea!
• You can buy limited edition prints by up and coming artists for $20 to $30. They are introduced every Tuesday at 7:30 and a portion of the proceeds goes to a charity of the artist's choosing.
• Here's a site - doodle - that let's everyone weigh in on their availability - no more multiple emails!
• Ideas galore - all on a daily download.
• order artisanal goodies from all over the world. We do live in a glorious time, don't we?
• wondering how to compare prices without getting in the car or surfing the web forever?  Try texting google with this code. They'll send back a list or prices found at retail outlets. 466453 - type  price and the item name.
• Wonderful organic flowers can be ordered online. They won't last as long as normal flowers, but the fragrance and beauty can't be beat, plus they donate a portion of every sale. The agency is noted with each bouquet.
• Great cards  and more great cards (they donate 5% to American Cancer Society) for notes and thank yous.
• I love bulbs blooming inside during deep winter. Here's a great source for them.
• You'll love this Rosemany and Olive herb mix from Ima Partaan. It's great.

~ Books and Reading ~

•  Are you starved for reading time?  There are several sources that download snippets to your computer - usually on a daily basis. Remember how Charles Dickens, among others, used the serial approach to sell his stories?  I've gotten Dear Reader for years.  Another one to try is Daily Lit. 
• Jack Bogle of Vanguard fame, wrote The Little Book of Common Sense Investing.

~ Websites, Products and Ideas that Make a Difference ~

• The Lifestraw - costs just $3 & makes polluted water safe to drink.
• Time Magazine's Top 50 websites for 2007
• The 25 websites you can't live without!
• up to date list of all of Google's offerings
• How about gift certificate for a teacher's special project?
• Help stop child labor being used in the production of rugs.
• Belief Net gathers the teachings of all faiths along with guidance for your life.
• I love finding the perfect quote, don't you?
• All of the news isn't negative. Check out what's good out there!
• The world is full of wise sages.  You just need to listen.
• Film Director Mira Nair, runs shelters for the street children in Delhi, India.
• Determing where to donate to charity can be overwhelming. These sites, #1 , #2, #3 and #4 will help.
• A charity gift card allows your recipient to choose from about 200 groups.
• Once a year some of the most gifted, thought provoking and interesting folks gather at the Ted Conference. They have one stage and 18 minutes to talk. The best has been put on the web as they talk about Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED).
• Why buy history books when you can find what you want on the web? This archive service is sponsored by the Library of Congress and Smithsonian.
• Do you have money to give away?  Maybe these sites can help.  For $25.00, #1 gives a microfinance loan that the recipient repays. $50.00 lets #2 target health issues. Some of the programs they've supported are training/paying midwives where medical care is basically non-existant, providing sanitary napkins for young teens, suits for women interviewing for jobs and clearing of land mines.With $50.00, #3 gives nets that protect a family from malaria. $100.00 helps cover the costs for a family that has a gap with insurance coverage. It will also plant a tree.  Now $500 can to to some bigger groups such as Doctors Without Borders and the Hunger Project.
• I'm really enjoying the daily downloads I get from Skirt. It's called the Daily Muse. They have other great articles as well.
• and while I'm on the topic of daily downloads, NPR sends out clips from various musicians. I've found some great new artists that I'd have never discovered. It's called Song of the Day. You need to sign up for it on NPR's site.
• Have you begun exploring the social network scene?  Facebook, MySpace (probably the most popular), Gather (for NPR folks), Eons (for the over 50 crowd) and LinkedIn (a good place to find folks with similar and/or business interests) are some of the most popular. 
• DIY for everyone - but this site really focuses on getting the word out to women that they are capable and able to do all sorts of things.
• Need HELP gathering your playlists for your ipod? This site helps you build them.
• Coupons for all kinds of stuff.