Eat.Live.Modern - a Modern Design Blog

Must Have Design, Travel and Lifestyle Apps

There are tons of apps being created these days which makes it hard to find the true gems. Discovering a cool app can make a big difference in your day-to-day with location based features getting more and more advanced. 

Here are some of my go-to design, travel, foodie and lifestyle apps for your iPhone and/or iPad - in no particular order. Send or post suggestions of your favs too!

GOOP App (iPhone, $3.99)

Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP lifestyle brand released a new iPhone app today. It's a City Guide for New York and is filled with hand-picked favorites and suggestions from the actress. I can't wait to try out the GOOP app when I'm in NYC in a few weeks. It has a "What's Near Me" feature that pulls in the suggestions based on your location, and there are also a few NYC walks highlighted in the app with superb stops. Go Gwyneth.

Houzz App (iPad/iPhone, free)

The Houzz app has home design ideas and photos by room type. You can also layer on the Metro area filter or Style features to customize the pictures shown. Interior design at your fingertips.

FoodSpotting App (iPhone, free)

Looking for the tastiest key lime pie or a huge helping of lasagna? The FoodSpotting app lets you find food by location and picture. The user submitted photos allow you to navigate through the world of food - one dish after another. Eat your heart out!

Instagram App (iPhone, free)

The Instagram app makes every picture look better - without fail, guar-on-tee! This app is addicting and will have you whipping out your phone at inopportune moments to capture things just to see how they'll turn out with the various filters. A must-have for shutter bugs.

Number Guru (iPhone, free)

Ok, I selfishly debated about whether to give this one out - but here goes. Number Guru lets you get the identification for ANY telephone number. You heard me. Caller id for cell phones is freaking awesome.

Scoutmob (iPhone, free)

 

Based and started in Atlanta, Scoutmob is a mobile deal app that may determine where you are eating out each night because the deals are that sweet. What's really great about the app is that you don't have to buy anything in advance (like Groupon) all you do is show your phone to redeem the deals which in most cases is 50% off. Scoutmob is now in 13 major cities with 6 more on the way. Their marketing is charming and funny, and the deals tend to be at quality places. Mobile deals for the local curious.

 

Wearable Planter Jewelry

Carry a little bit of nature with you with Colleen Jordan's planter jewelry. The designer uses 3D printing and modeling software that allows her to create unique forms that house small, stable plants like succulents. Her shop on Etsy, A Wearable Planter, showcases her creations which are mainly necklaces and pins. Colleen's pieces are driven by the idea that "the world would be a better place if we showed a greater respect for nature, and even carried plants closer to our hearts". 

Small Homes Yield for Sustainability & Affordability

The last thirty years have seen an explosion in technological advancements. Luckily, the ability to access information almost instantly has also led to a greater awareness of our place on the planet and the importance of protecting and preserving the environment. Many people are interested in reducing their carbon footprint and like most grass-roots movements, environmental sustainability begins at home. 

Going Smaller

A home is the largest investment most of us will ever make and one that is meant to last a lifetime. In the past people often purchased as much house as they could afford and the size of one’s home was seen as a status symbol. With the growing awareness of environmental responsibility that trend seems to be reversing. Smaller homes not only take up less space, they are also more energy efficient and less expensive to heat, cool and light -- using less natural resources in the process. Limiting interior spaces also means limiting the things needed to fill them, cutting back on purchases of consumer goods and furniture.

Buy or Build?

If you are interested in an environmentally friendly home, you may want to look into building one from scratch. Modular, prefabricated or kit homes are available that are manufactured with “green” materials and processes. These homes are usually small and relatively inexpensive and they come complete with many modern energy-saving innovations. Buying and upgrading an existing home is also a viable option. The environmental impact of renovating an existing home can be less than that of new construction.

Clean and “Green”

Smaller homes are easier to clean, and you can increase the environmental benefits by using “green” cleaning products and supplies. Several companies offer organic products including household cleaners and laundry detergents. Utilize common household products to save money and the planet. Vinegar and water with a drop of dish washing detergent effectively cleans surfaces and glass. Baking soda mixed with a little lemon juice works as a scouring powder on bathtubs and sinks. Pick up a package of inexpensive cloth diapers and reuse them for regular cleaning to reduce your dependence on paper towels.

The Great Outdoors

The image of a perfect suburban home surrounded by a lush green lawn is another idea that is beginning to fade. Lawns are thirsty and largely decorative. They also require treatment with harsh pesticides and herbicides to maintain. Many homeowners are re-purposing their lawns as organic vegetable gardens or replanting with hardy native plants that require little or no watering or care. If you must keep your lawn, consider using an electric mower or weed trimmer, or better yet, an old-fashioned people-powered push mower and get a great workout while cutting the grass. If you have a swimming pool, invest in a solar cover to heat the water naturally. Upgrade to a salt-water filter to reduce or eliminate the use of harsh chemicals.

“Greening” your home will be an ongoing process as the coming years bring new and better innovations. Smaller homes are the first step to an environmentally friendly future.

- This guest post is courtesy of Douglas Elliman Real Estate Company, Agents for New York Homes.

Boxsal Picnic Boxes - Urban Picnic

Ditch the basket and grab a Boxsal Picnic Box for your next park outing. Dubbed the 'urban picnic' these clever boxes will certainly win over your sweetheart as you graze on the grass. First, pick your Boxsal theme: boom box, briefcase (totally awesome), or today's date. Each box comes with all the eatin' essentials like trays, bowls, utensils, cups, napkins, and trash bag. Best part - they are all compostable.

Enjoy a pretty.fun.picnic and get tips on what to pack too. Boxsal's modern picnic boxes are each $25.

Survey: When It Comes to Green Brands, Americans Very Price Sensitive | Adweek

Over half of the survey’s 9,000 global respondents said they think the environment “is on the wrong track,” and a whopping 73 percent of Americans said it’s important to buy products from green companies. But when asked how much more they’d be willing to pay for those products, 37 percent of U.S. shoppers said they’d pay nothing extra and only 33 percent said they’d fork over up to 10 percent more. (Various smaller fractions would spend higher amounts and some were undecided.)

via www.adweek.com

 

Soda Bottle Bird Feeder - Recycle

Go green this summer and recycle your soda bottles using this clever bird feeder adapter. The Soda Bottle Bird Feeder is a metal adapter you can screw onto any 2-liter plastic bottle - and easily create a bird feeder. Which leads to another interesting fact I read recently: bird-watching is the 2nd fastest growing hobby in the U.S. behind gardening. Tweet, tweet! The adapter is rust-proof and squirrel-proof and costs $12. Made in the good ole USA too. You can find them at Canoe's website (which has other awesome products might I add!).

Cork Displays at Anthropologie for Earth Day

Earth Day is April 22nd, and in celebration Anthropologie has decorated their store fronts with recycled corks. Cork is a very eco-friendly resource. The retailer partnered up with Kendall-Jackson who funded the shipment of millions of corks for the project. This new partnership is also a nice way to get the public to join in recycling corks. Each of the Anthropologie stores had collection bids leading up to the launch of the beautiful displays. When the displays are broken down the corks will go to Cork Reharvest to be used as new flooring, fishing bobs, and paper pulp. Overall, it's a great idea and earth-friendly project!

EcoHome Magazine - January/February 2011

Take a peek at the latest issue of EcoHome magazine. The content is focused on green products and technology for architects and has case stories of green, modern houses. (The Lusche Residence featured on pg. 28 was built by my uncle!)

EcoHome January/February 2011

 

 

Paddywax Eco-friendly Candles

Check out this great eco-friendly line of candles from Paddywax. The fragrances include Mediterranean Rosemary and Citrus, Cucumber and Mint, Bamboo and Green Tea and more. In addition, every element of the candle is eco-friendly: like soy-based inks, hemp twine, and a biodegradable box.

Find Paddywax in a store near you.

Or shop on the Paddywax website.

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