The Boho Magazine Blog

We’ve always adored Stylish Girl Rachel McAdam’s in her films, like The Notebook and her recent release The Time Traveler’s Wife, but now we have fallen head over heels for her when we caught up with her at last Spring’s Go Green Expo in New York City and found out how eco-conscious is really is! Rachel McAdams has been a green activist for practically her entire life. Her celebrity has brought attention to her website GreenIsSexy.org, which she uses to raise awareness about issues like sustainable clothing alternatives and environmental preservation. McAdam’s is constantly lightening her carbon footprint on the planet by supporting tree planting organizations, using green power sources and unplugging everything that has a power cord! Rachel McAdam’s definitely makes the list as a World Changing Chick.

Log on to www.bohomag.blogspot.com, tweet us at @Bohomag, drop us an email or start a thread right here to let us know what you have been doing to make a change and you might be the next World Changing Chick!

Every little bit changes the world for the better. Pick up a copy of the Fall issue of Boho to read more about World Changing Chicks and to find out more about the first Boho World Changing Chick Challenge!

World Changing Chick Challenge

“Be the Change You Wish to See in the World.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Boho magazine has a brand new challenge for all of the eco-friendly fashionistas out there. We challenge you to make a change in the world and become a World Changing Chick. Boho has highlighted World Changing Chicks, big and small, for their efforts to help change their little piece of the world for the better over the past year. Now we want to know what you have been up to. Pick up a copy of the fall issue of Boho to read more about World Changing Chick Challenge. You could be in the next issue as a World Changing Chick! Let us know what you have been up to to make your piece of the world a better place!

It’s the last day of September, and I couldn’t be more content. It’s autumn! The seasons are shifting! And best of all, it’s almost October- the month of Halloween, cider, harvest festivals, beautiful leaves… you can’t beat it.

I used to think that fall was all about hunkering down, but this year, I’m learning that autumn season is all about getting out! Here are some fun activities to toss on your autumnal to-do list:

VISIT FARMERS MARKETS
So many delicious foods are in season- broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, oranges, leeks, sweet potatoes, lettuce… you might as well buy it at its freshest. Even if you don’t feel like buying fresh produce, it’s nice to visit farmer’s markets. They’re an excuse to slow down, enjoy the crisp fall weather, and indulge in some great people watching.

VISIT FARMS
Call me a late bloomer, but I had never been apple picking before. Boy was I missing out! Nothing tastes better than a freshly-picked apple. If you’re near an apple orchard, pay it a visit- or several. I picked as many apples as I could carry last weekend, and they’re already almost gone! Don’t know where to go? PickYourOwn.org can help you find a farm near you.

GO TO HARVEST FESTIVALS
Lots of local farms host fall harvest festivals, complete with corn mazes, hayrides, and pumpkin patches. I haven’t been to one since I was a kid, and I think it’s time to go back. Maybe you should too! Hey, if you’re in Utah, you can even die laughing in a corn maze of the Twilight nature- harharhar!

BAKE
I am a major fan of pumpkin pie. And sugar cookies (do you like the autumn batch I baked up?). And chocolatey sweets. Take that fresh produce you pick and purchase and whip up something delicious. Life may be chaotic, but when you’re smelling the warm aroma of baking pie, it’s difficult to fret about much of anything.

CELEBRATE
Nobody is too old for Halloween. Whether you host a party, trick-or-treat with your kids and family, or turn of all your lights and hide away from “those darn hooligans,” you can find a fun Halloween activity that suits you. Such as roasting pumpkin seeds. YUM.

No matter what you do this season, I hope you have a blast doing it. If you have any fun fall suggestions of your own, leave a comment to share it with the rest of us!

That’s right! Boho’s fall issue comes out on the 15th! Hurrah!
If you don’t already have a subscription, drop by your local bookstore and pick up a copy. This issue is the best yet. Enjoy!

Yay Fashion Week! I love the excitement, new designs, blossoming trends, enthusiastic buzz… it’s like a big ice cream sundae of aesthetics and innovation. Mmmm.

One can also expect a number of cool duds to result from the exercise, of course. One such article of clothing is “Not Just Another Tee.” As of today this limited edition designer tee by fashion icon Miguel Ardrover has become available at select Whole Foods markets nationwide. Hessnatur is behind the launch, which is intended reflect how clothing can be environmentally and socially responsible while still being stylish, accessible, and (at only $20) very affordable. A portion of the proceeds go to hessnatur’s Schoarship Program, so the shirt even does its part to eradicate poverty through education. Not bad, eh?

Anyhoo, enjoy Fashion Week! If you’re in New York, lucky you!!! If you’re elsewhere, like me… hit up those blogs!!!

Going green has never been so good. The newest trend in vacations is glamping- as in glamorous camping. Think sleeping under the stars, but with a nice clean shower tucked behind that grassy knoll and a helpful guide to set up the fire and s’mores. Mark Penn recently wrote about it in his Microtrends colum of the Wall Street Journal, and I’ve noticed it myself too.

Penn suggests the trend is in its early stages, but I bet a lot of Boho readers are familiar with the concept. After all, going green in style isn’t something we started yesterday! Pshaw! It’s in our blood!

Nevertheless, because eco-consciousness is on the rise, and because people are looking for local, reasonably-priced vacations, the Great Outdoors are more attractive than ever to America’s mainstream population. Consumers benefit from price savings and a chance to get close to nature without the hassle; nature benefits from increased awareness of her value and a growing number of businesses that protect her ecosystems rather than develop and exploit them.

I’m still a fan of roughing it, believe me, but I’m also excited about this growing movement. After all… sometimees we just need pampering, and now it’s easier than ever indulge in the most beautiful setting imaginable- nature.

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As a side note, I thought I’d share some cool glamping sites and directories with you- just in case you’re craving fresh air and relaxation as much as I do!

Go Glamping - A great luxury camping directory. Yurt, anyone?

Glamping Girl- An informative blog about luxury camping!

Canvas Chic- A beautiful getaway at Mille Etoiles in Southern France. For modern-day Marie Antoinettes.

Costanoa - An eco adventure resort on the California coastline. Spa included.

Clayoquot Wilderness Resort - 30 minutes (by boat from Tofino, Canada) Their tents make my apartment look like a cardboard box.

It seems as though everyone I know is experiencing massive change in their lives. I’m constantly hearing about new jobs, cross-country moves, graduation, retirement… it strikes me as rather insane that so much is happening all at once, though I suppose that change is the one thing we can depend on, right?

Here’s my issue though: change is so stressful! So uncomfortable! So uncertain! And so much work!!! Ooooh, it makes me furious- or at least it did.

Just recently, I went backpacking with a bunch of friends, and at first I dreaded the trip- resented it even. We were to be wilderness camping, and had to drive way out into the mountains, then load all of our gear into canoes and paddle to an island in the middle of a lake. It seemed like so much work for a trip that was only to last two nights, and I wasn’t exactly thrilled about abandoning my internet connection and pillow top mattress for some wild place that I had never even seen. Nevertheless, we went, and when we got there I realized that it really was worth all the effort. For the fist time in ages, I could go rock climbing, paddling, and stargazing, and it struck me that I had really missed being outdoors.

Out on that lake, I learned that it really pays to accept change, not just because it’s inevitable, but because we really need it. So often, we get stuck in narrow ruts, focusing on limited, highly specialized activities, and completely ignoring the greater world around us. We also tend to forget about simple but essential elements that have been sidelined by our current careers and obsessions, like friends, family, relaxation, and nature. Now that I’ve embraced change, I have an easier time putting things in perspective, and I am more aware of what really matters to me. Yes, change is tough, but it makes us deeper, wiser, and stronger.

So if you’re like everyone else I know and are also seeing your fair share of change, don’t fret. It may be uncomfortable at times, but you’ll end up so much the better!

With September looming around the corner, I know that a lot of people are about to go back to school. For one more year, I am proud to include myself among them. Still, as an environmentally (and sadly, budget-conscious) girl, I am utterly flummoxed by the wasteful and expensive world of college textbooks. I detest having to shove out tons of money for costly new editions, and I hate the idea of all the older editions being discarded. It’s dreadfully wasteful!

Ah, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some of the websites I used this summer in an attempt to avoid the high cost and regretful waste of underutilized college textbooks:

CourseSmart- allows you to buy your textbook as an e-textbook. It costs less (I saved $143 on one book), doesn’t involve printing an enormous book on virgin paper, and is SUPER convenient. They even have a free iPhone app that allows you to read your textbook on the go. Fun fun!

Chegg - allows you to rent your book- either for a quarter or a semester. This is a great alternative to buying a book used and then being stuck with it when nobody wants to buy an older edition.

Campusbooks - allows you to compare prices of textbooks from various sites. For each book, it’ll give you a summary of the lowest prices (for international, used, new, and rentals) and also list various other price offerings. How AWESOME is it to have a site that does the comparison shopping FOR you? VERY awesome, thankyouverymuch.

If you’re not a student, thank your lucky stars you can read what you choose, and pass these sites on to someone who might benefit. If you are a student, happy hunting! It’s nice to have so many options these days, no?

P.S. If you know of an awesome textbook site (for used books, e-books, or rentals) that I didn’t mention, leave a link for it in the comments!

Sometimes, a girl has just got to get acquainted with her roots- in all senses of the word.

While visiting Santa Cruz the other weekend, I had the pleasure of touring my grandfather’s backyard vegetable garden. As an Oklahoma native who survived the Dust Bowl, Great Depression, World War II, and even a plane crash in the desolate mountains in which he was the sole survivor, my grandfather is one tough dude. Even at age 89 he is still working away in his personally designed wood shop, planting and harvesting delicious fruits and vegetables in his garden, and making delicious pies and jams with his hand-picked harvest.

Under my grandfather’s careful supervision, my mother and I pulled up some potatoes and onions to bring home. He also picked some choice blackberries from the vine for us to sample. As we discussed his past on the farm in Oklahoma, I was reminded of just how much we can learn from previous generations. After all, my grandfather was, and still is to a great extent, living a sustainable life- growing much of his own food, repairing tools and furniture instead of throwing it away, and creating his own identity instead of buying it prepackaged from a designer or store.

As I devoured the freshly harvested potatoes back home, I was filled with a vision for a new generation- one that has the sense to use the wisdom of our ancestors, as well as the ingenuity to incorporate it into modern design. Then this summer’s Boho magazine caught my eye, and I realized that this generation already exists.

Thank goodness! I know we’ve got a great future ahead of us.

Today, I present to you an inexpensive, versatile, and beautiful adornment: the ribbon!
One of my favorite accessories of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries is the simple ribbon choker. They are showcased in countless paintings and fashion prints, and their simplicity and elegance never fails to flatter the neck.

Ribbon chokers are quite versatile- there’s the option to wear the bow in front, on the side, or at the back; one can go with thick, embellished ribbons, or simple small ones, and one can even dress up a simple thin ribbon with a bauble borrowed from another chain.

The brilliance of it all is that it’s incredibly easy to make your own choker (or any sort of ribbon necklace or bracelet for that matter). All you need is a length of ribbon and a pair of scissors. Simply tie the ribbon around your neck and (if you did not pre-measure it) trim the ends off as desired. Make sure that you can easily untie the necklace with just one tug, and keep it fairly loose (you should be able to slide your thumb under it without feeling discomfort).

I hope my little rant has inspired you to get creative with ribbon- however you might choose. It’s a fantastically inexpensive way to spice up your style, and by using simple, biodegradable materials, you’re doing the environment a favor as well.