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On Wednesday, May 16 at 8 pm, South Florida audiences have a chance to hear the raspy voice and poetic lyrics of rock star Melissa Etheridge in her Fearless Love tour. Etheridge is best known for chart-toppers such as “I Need to Wake Up,” “Come to My Window,” “I Want to Come Over,” “The Weakness in Me,” and “Angels Would Fall.” Her latest, Fearless Love, is her tenth studio album, the original title of which was Songs of Love and Fear. Fearless Love was inspired by her children and was produced by longtime friend John Shanks, who also produced Sheryl Crow and Michelle Branch.

Changes for a Rock Icon

Etheridge’s recent past has been marked by turning points. 2011 saw Etheridge, 50, receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the year before, she split from her wife of nine years, Tammy Lynn Michaels. In 2004, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and responded to her hair loss with trademark bravery, singing a cover of India Arie’s “I Am Not My Hair” while at the Grammy’s. In 2007, she performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, along with several other artists. Before that, she won two Grammy awards – one for 1989’s song “Ain’t It Heavy,” and one for “Come to My Window” off her groundbreaking 1993 album Yes I Am, which playfully hinted at questions then being asked about her sexual orientation. Etheridge is known for her confessional lyrics, classic-rock style, and passionate delivery. She is also a committed LGBT activist since her own public coming out in 1992 and often supports gay rights issues. In spite of her long history as an LGBT activist, she will appear at her very first Pride event in 2012. 

Green Activist

In the last several years, Etheridge has been involved in the environmental movement, most notably offering support to Al Gore and contributing the Academy-award winning song “I Need to Wake Up” to his documentary An Inconvenient Truth. Her website offers tips on green living. In 2006, she toured America and Canada using biodiesel and has a long track record of support for environmental and green issues.

If You Go

Melissa Etheridge will be at Hard Rock Live on May 16, 2012 at 8 pm. For more information, including ticket prices and availability, go here.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By rockzoom_de

Spielberg’s Jaws kept moviegoers out of the ocean in 1975. That may have been the start of the shark as pop culture monster, but the new SHARK exhibit at the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art shows many sides to this fascinating – and terrifying – creature. It gives South Floridians one more reason to take advantage of all that’s in our own backyard as part of a summer ‘staycation.’

This exhibit is varied, interesting, fun, and great for adventurous kids and curious adults.

Our Endless Fascination with Sharks

This multi-media exhibit is guest curated by world famous marine artist Richard Ellis. MOAFL’s latest showcase is presented in conjunction with Nova Southeastern University’s Oceanographic Center. If you enjoy Shark Week or Deadliest Catch, then you’ll love this thrilling collection.

Paintings by Guy Harvey and Others

This event is family-friendly, so bring your kids along for this multi-media adventure. A free app is available via the MOAFL website so that the audience can experience the exhibit before ever going. Famous marine artists such as Guy Harvey and Robert Longo are featured in this exhibition. Also on display are wildlife illustrator Marc Dando’s watercolors. These renowned artists depict the many different species of sharks, including angel sharks, sleeper sharks, and tiger sharks.

Jaws Gallery

Of course, no shark exhibition would be complete without referencing Steven Spielberg’s classic 1975 film Jaws. Original storyboards, film memorabilia, and posters are included in the Jaws gallery and several paintings were donated to the SHARK exhibit by Peter Benchley, the author of the original Jaws novel.

Kids and Conservation Efforts

Nature loving kids will enjoy this exhibit. Also fun for kids and adults are the museum’s shark education stations. Parts of the exhibition also focus on recent advances in shark conservation efforts, as this fearsome fish is rapidly becoming one of the earth’s most vulnerable animals.

If You Go

The Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art is located at 1 East Las Olas Boulevard in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale. For more information about this exhibition, please visit their website or call 954-525-5500. Adults are $10; seniors and military is $7; kids 5 and under are free and kids from 6-17 are only $5.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By Andy Jien

Mother’s Day is on Sunday, May 13, 2012. Show mom how special she is by taking advantage of all that gorgeous South Florida has to offer. From green bookstores and oceanside picnics to natural treats and relaxing massages, there’s plenty of gift ideas to choose from.

Books and Leisure

Is mom a reader? Out of South Florida’s many used bookstores, perhaps no bookstore is more green and stylish than my beloved Second Edition Book Shop. Better yet, if mom loves popular fiction, check out the book bundles at Second Edition. The book bundles consist of gently used books that are packaged together and sold as a set. Not only are they cost-effective, but they’re also green and perfect for Mother’s Day.

Treat mom like the queen she is and give her a tour of Villa Viscaya, Miami’s breathtaking Italian villa. Built in 1916 by industrialist James Deering, this spectacular house has been featured on Martha Stewart’s website and is considered one of the most beautiful homes in the country. If you want to pamper mom, South Florida has several green and local spas, including the organic, eco-friendly (and very chic) Uhma Organic Spa.

Picnics

South Florida has many gorgeous, natural places to celebrate Mother’s Day. Enjoy the outdoors with mom by arranging a small, beachside picnic. You can sit right on the sand with her, watch the waves, and have some organic treats. Moms and families can also take a stroll along Hollywood’s famous 2.5 mile Broadwalk, just a short walk from The Desoto.

Farmer’s Market Gifts

Get mom some fresh-cut flowers or some garden supplies at Flamingo  Road Nursery and Farmer’s Market. The local farmer’s market has many earth-friendly options for Mother’s Day, including a variety of plants and flowers. The bamboo wind chimes at the Flamingo Road Nursery and Farmer’s Market are one of my favorite items. The sound adds a sense of tranquility to any indoor or outdoor setting.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By Unique Hotels Group

Mother’s Day is just around the corner on Sunday, May 13. On Mother’s Day celebrate mom in environmentally friendly ways and give her a green Mother’s Day.

Body Care

Pamper mom with organic body wash and bath salts. (General body wash often has petroleum or parabins in it, both of which can cause cancer or have other dangerous, long-term side effects). When selecting bath goodies for mom, make sure that they are cruelty free and made without any animal byproducts. Alba Botanica has fantastic parabin/petroleum free body care items. There are many wonderful body scrubs out there, but green, organic scrubs and body washes will protect mom’s health while helping her feel like a queen.

Books

If mom doesn’t already have an e-reader, consider getting her one because the more you read, the greener of an option the e-reader becomes. If she’s an avid reader, pick her up a Kindle or other e-reader so she can download her favorites. If she really loves real books (and really, who doesn’t enjoy curling up with a real book?), get her some gently used books from a site such as Better World Books.

Traveling Mom

While nurturing her kids was probably a great adventure, it’s time for mom to see the world and explore new places. If mom enjoys packing a bag and seeing the world, make sure she’s got the eco-friendly supplies to do it. A stainless steel water bottle is a must have for any traveling mom. If mom’s taking a flight, get her some carbon-offset credits. If she’s the slow-and-easy type of traveler, you might want to plan a train trip for two, so that you and mom can see America from the window of a train. Plus, train travel is one of the greenest ways to explore.

Cards for Mom

While you could go with traditional Mother’s Day cards, let yourself get creative and make her a collage using pictures cut from magazines using what you already have. Get creative with pen, crayons, or even pictures from magazines and put your unique collage into a frame. If you’d rather go with a traditional card, find one printed on recyclable paper.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By Etsy Ketsy

When I was a kid, my parents took me to see Back to the Future. Ever since the first time I watched the Delorian speed through time, I was hooked. A few years later the sequel returned with a bona fide flying time machine. So, ever since the age of ten, I’ve had my fingers crossed that one day reality would catch up with the movies and we’d get to drive flying cars.

And soon, for the steep price of $279,000, we’ll be able to do just that. 

Part Car, Part Plane, All Groundbreaking

Released earlier this month, the Transition, a “roadable aircraft” developed by Terrafugia was shown at the New York International Auto Show. According to the Washington Post, the car has completed its first flight and a select few are slapping down the 10 grand deposit required for purchase. On its first test flight, it flew for eight minutes at 1400 feet. (Your average airplane flies for several hours at a height of about 35,000 feet.) However, the Transition won’t be able to get you out of bad I-95 traffic. Drivers of the Transition will need a runway to prepare for lift off.

The Transition has two modes: a driving mode and a flying mode. The idea is that drivers will be able to drive it to a nearby airport where they can take off. Upon completion of the journey, they’ll be able to land at their destination airport and drive it off site.

Green?

It’s a little too early to tell if the Transition will be eco-friendly, but if both cars and planes produce heavy carbon emissions, then what of the Transition’s carbon emissions? After all, this flying car is a machine that is both automobile and airplane, the love child of two of the biggest contributors to carbon emissions. What does the green future hold for new inventions like this? Undeniably, the Transition is a giant step forward from the days when we dreamt of Marty McFly’s Delorian or longed for the futuristic freedom of George Jetson’s flying car. What kind of fuel will it use? Will there be a green version? Will we one day purchase carbon credits for flying cars? As we soar into the future, it will be interesting to see.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By lotprocars

When my favorite local and green bookseller Danielle recommended The Bucolic Plague: How Two Manhattanites Became Gentleman Farmers by Josh Kilmer-Purcell, I was intrigued just from her description. “It’s about this couple who leaves the big city and opens a farm. One of the guys used to work for Martha Stewart, I think. You’ll love it.” She took the book from the stand behind the counter and handed it to me. I took it home and then spent the next two days devouring it and laughing hysterically.

City Slickers Turned Country Farmers

New York Times Bestselling Author Josh Kilmer-Purcell (I Am Not Myself These Days; Candy Everybody Wants) and his partner Brent Ridge, a doctor and a former executive of Martha Stewart Living, are stars of the docu-series The Fabulous Beekman Boys, the Green Planet tv show which is now moving to the Cooking Channel for its third season. Consider The Bucolic Plague a deeper, witty look at the same premise explored in the show: a city couple decides to become farmers.

Living the Questionable Dream

We’ve all had this time-tested dream: leaving the big city with your significant other for a gentler, calmer life Away From It All. Anytime pop culture wants to chuckle with mingled jealousy and relief, we’re bound to watch a story about city slickers who try to take on country life. Usually, they go on vacation and find a gorgeous vacation spot surrounding a “fixer upper” house, and voila! It’s time to make arrangements to move to the countryside and Experience Life. What happens? The inevitable: stress, too much fresh air, and the growing horror that owning a tremendous farm may have its drawbacks.

And that’s exactly what happens to our heroes.

Honest and Hilarious

Josh and his partner Brent take a trip to upstate New York, fall in love with and purchase the two-hundred-year-old Beekman Mansion, and slowly become “gentleman farmers,” eventually starting the Beekman 1802 mercantile, a company that also partners with Williams-Sonoma on “the world’s largest community garden”.

The Bucolic Plague is hilarious and touching. This is the book that David Sedaris would have written if he’d decided to live on a farm. “The last time I saw 4 A.M., I was tottering home in high heels and a matted wig,” quips Josh in the opening lines of the book. That line starts one of the funniest scenes in the entire book as Josh transports five baby goats to from update New York to the city for their appearance on The Martha Stewart Show. However, Josh doesn’t listen to Farmer John, his caretaker, and promptly overfeeds the baby goats, resulting in a gagging Josh, a very smelly three-hour car trip, and an irritated Brent.

The Bucolic Plague is very, very funny and very honest look at life on a farm after big city life. For more Fabulous Beekman Boys fun, check them out on Beekman1802.com or look for the third season on the Cooking Network.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By greginhollywood

Spring is here, or so we hear. (In Florida our weather is pretty much the same – gorgeous – all year round.) I understand that in other parts of the world, the cold is giving way to flowers and warmth. Spring means renewal: as the earth wakes up from ice and cold, so do we. Renew your eco-joy with these springtime steps.

Eco-Bags in Light Colors

Ditch the dull black and brown travel bags for fun and funky luggage in light, festive colors. Crisp white eco-friendly luggage can put a spring in your step. So can eco-friendly purses and backpacks in hues of pinks, greens, or yellows.

Declutter Before You Depart

Before you leave town, give your house a fresh sense of renewal by cleaning the clutter out of closets and garages. Go through what you find. Contact Goodwill or your local shelter and give away any old clothes, dishes, or furniture that have seen better days. Have an upcycle party and invite friends to trade their old stuff. One green traveler’s trash is another green traveler’s treasure – and if money is tight, trading items is a thrifty way to save your green.

Before You Leave, Clean

I like to tidy up before I leave town. There’s nothing more annoying to me than coming back to a dirty house, so before I leave I make sure that counters are scrubbed and bedsheets are changed. Ditch the toxic house cleaning products as well! Instead of glass cleaner or disinfectant, use vinegar. Instead of toxic scrubbing powders, use baking soda.

Spring Showers

Not only does spring bring color and renewal – it also brings the rain. If you’re hitting the road, protect yourself from blustery days and surprise showers with cute, non-toxic raingear. This umbrella is made of recycled steel and aluminum and has a bamboo handle.

Spring Friendly Travel Apps

If you need to track the ever-changing weather, check out The Weather Channel’s app – perfect for road travel. Going to be on the road? Try Roadninja – a travel app that lets you know what’s coming up off the next highway exit. You can look up exits from anywhere on the road and it’s handy if you need to find a potty or a vegetarian restaurant in a hurry.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By notamaiar

Regulars to this site know that I’m a dyed-in-the-wool bookworm. If possible, I like to purchase my books used either from sites like Better World Books or from fun, little out-of-the-way used bookstores. Buying a used book is much greener than buying a brand-new book that’s fresh from the publisher.

And while e-readers are green and perfect for travel in their own way, some of us want to go on vacation with paper books. The publishing world is moving fast – maybe we’re nostalgic, but there’s something so perfect (and green) about a previously owned paperback.

Since we’re all about green tips at the Desoto, I wanted to share one of my favorite used bookstores with you: Second Edition Book Shop located in the Lincoln Park Plaza on Stirling Road in Hollywood. Best of all, Second Edition Book Shop isn’t a chain; its independently owned and operated by Danielle Joy-Whatley.

Independent and Green

The tagline is “Recycled Books. Shared Joy.” And this little bookstore is a joy, indeed.

I’ve been in bookstores that are one big, dust-covered mess. Often that’s what’s come to mind when I think of used bookstores in Florida, but Second Edition is a book lover’s dream. It’s easy to see why Second Edition won the 2009 Broward/Palm Beach New Times for Best Used Bookstore.

For those of us who’ve longed for the type of small, cozy bookstore often found in Portland or San Francisco, check out the Second Edition Book Shop. It’s independently owned and operated, which means that patrons are supporting a small, local business. If you’re sick of the Nook or the Kindle, no worries; you won’t find any flashy signs advertising the latest development in electronics. Looking to unload your gently loved books? Second Edition has a decent trade-back program, and if you’ve got adult paperbacks collecting dust, they’ll take them for store credit.

Cozy

From its hardwood floors and comfortable armchairs to its rows upon rows of books on dark wooden shelves, Second Edition Book Shop is the place to curl up and read for a while. Owner Danielle Joy-Whatley might offer you a lollypop from the bowl on the front counter or make a reading suggestion. There’s a never-ending flow of loyal customers of all ages, from retired folks to kids looking for a good book, all eager to chat about what they last read.

Community Involvement

Second Edition Book Shop often has sidewalk fairs that promote local crafts and food. SEBS also has a thriving Facebook page.

If You Go

Pack up your books and head down to Second Edition Book Shop, located at 6812 Stirling Road in the Lincoln Park Plaza in Hollywood.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By hannaneh710

You don’t have to be Irish to experience the luck that going green can bring. (There’s our one “green” joke. We’re done now, we promise.) There are many ways to be eco-friendly on Saint Patty’s Day.

The History of Green Rivers: Are Dyes Safe?

Ever since 1962, it’s been a tradition in some cities to dye the river waters green in celebration. This tradition started in Chicago and at first, city officials dyed the waters of the Charles River green with oil-based dye – not very environmentally friendly. The good news is that most cities that want to create green rivers do so with environmentally friendly or plant-based dyes. While there still exists some concern about the dyed water, most cities claim the dye is safe.

Make Your Own Shamrocks

Americans spend over an estimated 4 billion dollars on Saint Patrick’s Day. That’s a lot of plastic shamrocks. If you want to make your own decorations, settle in with a stack of green construction paper, scissors, and glue. Let the kids help out as well – they’ll love it.

Clothes

According to the American Retail Federation, about 86% of us will wear green to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. But beware! All green items are not created equal, nor are they lucky for the environment. Check out these cute and eco-friendly items like this organic tee shirt  or simply wear something green that’s already in your closet. Everyone has a random green hat, scarf, or funky pair of socks tucked away somewhere. If you’ve got the money, buy organic clothing; if not, have fun with something old-made-new or hit a thrift store to hunt up some cute upcycled green duds.

Food

For some of us, nothing represents Saint Patrick’s Day more than a heaping platter of corned beef and cabbage. Others, however, may not be all about the meat. There are some fantastic, Irish-themed vegan or vegetarian friendly recipes out there. One of my all time favorites is a veggie-heavy, meat-free version of a sheppard’s pie, which can be made with either beans or tofu in place of lamb.

Beer

Drink organic or local brews to really make your Saint Patrick’s Day truly green. Of course, remember to recycle the beer or wine bottles. Want to dye your booze green? Make sure to use an organic food dye.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By tibbygirl

Last time we did a gay travel app article for men. This one’s strictly for the women. Usually, there’s nothing cozier than curling up with a book or magazine, but when you’re exploring the globe or checking out some national treasures, travel apps are a handy way to get your information fix. Plus, the more books or magazines you have, the greener a choice it is to download apps, instead of wasting paper.

Travel

The lesbian version of Gay Scout, check out Gurl Scout, a practical travel app that’s divided into different cities. Look up lesbian-friendly restaurants, bed-and-breakfasts, resorts, and more. Over 7,000 businesses in more than 1800 cities and towns are listed in this fantastic app. It also works with Google Maps. Want to travel and volunteer at the same time? Go to Sweet.com and click on the RSS feed to download the latest from this eco-friendly, all-lesbian travel company. Looking for some e-books? Although geared toward straight women The Best Women’s Travel Writing 2011 is great. If you’re looking for globetrotting fiction, check out Justine Saracen’s novels, all available in e-book format. Her Ibis Prophecy books follow a lesbian archeologist through the Egyptian desert. The first book in the series,The 100th Generation, was a finalist for the Golden Grown Literary Society’s Popular Choice Award. Either BellaBooks.com or BoldStrokesBooks.com has an impressive collection of more downloadable novels, perfect to read on vacation.

If you’re looking for a quiet, artsy, lesbian-friendly getaway, download travel guides for Asheville, North Carolina. (Travel Hint: Bookworms will love Malaprop’s Bookstore and Café, a lesbian-owned independent bookstore that is jam-packed with events from poetry readings to author panels.)

Culture

If you’re local to South Florida, download She Magazine, available here. Chock full of all kinds of South Florida info for LBT women, She is a great way to tell what’s up in South Florida. If you’re looking for national magazines that you can load onto your e-reader or smartphone, check out Curve or OutTraveler, the gay and lesbian travel magazine.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By loungerie