A Newtown Pippin. Image courtesy of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation/Monticello by way of NewtonPippin.org

Several New Yorkers are working tirelessly to reinstate the Newton Pippin as the official apple of the Big Apple.

The Newton Pippin was originally grown and developed on the banks of Newtown Creek, NY, which has sadly since become the most polluted waterway (site of our nation’s largest oil spill, I’m told) in NYC.

But in recent years, New York City’s heirloom apple (a favorite of our founding fathers,) has all but vanished from local farm stands and fruit bowls.  Today locals are planting Newton Pippin trees by the hundreds in an effort to repopulate local soil.

In fact, through a partnership with the NYC Dept. of Parks and Recreation and Slow Food NYC, a distributed orchard is “being created among  botanical gardens, community gardens, schools, houses of worship, and other public spaces in New York City.”

And they’re donating over 100 trees over the course of 2009.  Log on to learn more.

To firm things up, the chair of the City Council environmental committee has even introduced a resolution to designate the Newtown Pippin as the official apple of the Big Apple.

Maybe we’ll be calling the city the Big Green Apple before long.

I turned 33 earlier this week.  Aaaaaah, basking in the glory of the early/mid-thirties.  Actually, I feel pretty good about it – happy, clear minded, and young (if only at heart).

And I feel especially good because I was able to ring in my new year with a toast of a Cabernet Sauvignon made from organically grown grapes.  The bottle arrived as a gift from my friends at Organic Vintners.

Up to 240 different chemicals have been found in the making of conventional wines.  But Organic Vintners believes that “what’s best for the environment also makes the best wine.”  So they deal only with wines that are made from 100% organically grown grapes.  This means that instead of using vats of chemical fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides, the grapes are grown in  strong soil that is kept biologically active through the use of cover crops, diverse plants, natural fertilizers, and even insects.

Organic Vintners also carries biodynamic and vegan wines.

So as you prepare for your weekend festivities, consider uncorking a better bottle of vino and toasting the good life!

I wouldn’t normally be so self-indulgent as to make my own birthday cake or cupcakes.  But this year I had just been sent some baking mixes from of one of my favorite gluten free products companies – Pamela’s Products - and there happened to be a chocolate cake mix in the pack.  And once the package beckoned to me, I couldn’t let the idea of chocolate birthday cupcakes go.

Because I’m not much of an icing fan, I topped the velvety chocolate gluten-free cupcakes with an organic whipped cream, some fresh raspberries and a mint leaf.  A few sprinkles on top completed the package.

Being that today is my actual birthday, I think I’m allowed at least two.  …..don’t you think??

This past weekend I spent some time running barefoot on the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan.  Aaaah-the wind in my hair, the sun on my back, and the water lapping over my toes.

But all of that outside activity left my skin feeling a little parched.  Tonight I plan to whip up my favorite homemade body scrub.  Here’s the recipe, in case you feel like enjoying with me.

Where do you stash your ID, cash or emergency information when you take off for a long run or hit the trails on the your bike?  Let me guess: in your shoe, under your sweaty socks.  Or, maybe you stuff in the more traditional location – the bra.  Well, secret stuffer, relief is in sight.

There’s a brand new product that could be your key to a more comfortable and safe  bike, jog, skate, or ski.  Founded by two long-time runners and friends, David Waxman and Jason Brown, VITAband combines cutting edge technology with the safety of a personal health network into a slick little bracelet.

The emergency medical icon on the face of the band alerts EMT’s and other first responders that emergency information like your personal identification, blood type, allergies and current medications are available in your personal profile by calling the 800-number on the band.

VITAband also holds a VITAcard which allows you to pay via contactless payment technology so you no longer need to carry cash for that Gatorade or margarita at the end of your run.  Simply load up your VITAband with as much as $200 in cash and you’re good to go.

The band retails for $19.95 with an annual membership of $19.95 and is available for pre-sale exclusively on the VITAband website: www.VITAband.net.

Sleek, safe, and secure; kinda makes that 8 mile run seem….. not so bad.

I have a terrible sweet tooth.  I try to tame it by eating fruit instead of cookies and always sorbet or sherbert instead of ice cream.

Here’s a recipe that I borrowed from the site of one of my favorite Greek yogurts, Chobani, for Vanilla Yogurt Sorbet!

Vanilla Yogurt Sorbet

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 lbs Chobani Greek style yogurt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a saucepan heat together the sugar and water until sugar has fully dissolved.  Chill before moving on to step 2.
2. Mix cold sugar syrup (from above) with yogurt and vanilla extract.
3. Freeze in ice cream freezer according to manufacturer’s directions.
4. Serve topped with your favorite fruits and a sprig of mint.