I watched The Academy Awards [hereafter referred to as The Oscars] like many people. It was my last hurrah to cable. Yep, I finally got rid of it. We’ll still have internet but I’ve stopped paying for the TV and phone which we never use.

Anyway, this is about the Oscars and the celebration of movies. Wait, is that what they were celebrating? I wish I thought to count the number of times they said the words “big screen” because I think there was a not so casual subliminal message going there. Either that or they were playing a different drinking game than everyone else in America.

I agree that watching movies on the Big Screen is something to be celebrated. I know that there are some movies that just need to be seen on a big screen. Of course, I watch shows and movies on Netflix all the time but we also go to the movies and by going to the movies I do mean the Big Screen.

You see we have a really Big Screen in our neighborhood. TheByrd Theatre, Richmond’s Landmark Movie Palace is right around the corner from our house and this is, for better or worse, what the kidlets are learning to appreciate as a movie going experience. It is true that the seats are less than comfortable but we cut them some slack as they are original to the theater which was built in 1928. The screen at The Byrd is very large, the curtain is red velvet and they use real butter on the popcorn!! Oh, and did I mention that tickets are only $1.99. It’s true that you need to wait a few weeks to see a show, but that’s okay with me. We saw “Hugo” Saturday night as a family and it cost us $8 – we leave the pennies in the jar. How many families can go see a movie on the Big Screen without using a credit card? Yeah, The Byrd is strictly a cash establishment but there is an ATM in the lobby now which is very helpful. But wait there's more....On Saturday nights there's an extra treat when they play the Mighty Wurlitzer! Yep, it still works and they play it every week. This, my friends, is not an experience that you’ll find at the multiplex no matter how much you pay for your ticket.

I realize that no one makes theaters like this anymore and that we are extremely lucky. It's one of the reasons we chose to live in our neighborhood. In fact, I'm not even sure this is what they had in mind during the Oscars when they kept referring to movies on the Big Screen. I think they meant going to a theater that would charge between $8 and $12 to see a movie on opening weekend. Personally, I think I'm getting a better deal even without the drink holders or extra leg room.

We have truly been Adventure Girls this summer and it's time to begin to report back on the many wonders we've encountered. The memory card in the camera will get dumped and edited and I'll put together some fun facts along the way to document some interesting things we've learned. Stick around and see what we've learned especially if you're interested in travels through Virginia or are looking for new adventures for your own kidlets.

We live in this truly great neighborhood in Richmond. It's a wonderful pedestrian shopping distict just a block from our house and on weekend afternoons or even after dinner we often stroll up and down Cary Street enjoying the sights and sounds.

Yesterday we had unseasonably warm temperatures and sunshine so we got out for a walk. The girls trooped around without the boots for the first time in weeks and we waved to shop keepers we know, dodged people enjoying the weather and doing their own shopping and walked through a couple of stores.

In one store the woman that works there said, "Don't you guys usually have those monkey back-packs?" We smiled and said we usually do but today we'd gotten out without them. See, it's nice to know that people recognize us and know that our kids go with us.

Walking further up the street a guy came out of the sushi restaurant to make balloon animals for the girl. No kidding. Right there on the sidewalk. It was clear we were just out for a walk but it was also clear that the girls were very appreciative. Comfort bounced up and down the entire time he worked on her butterfly and the ladybug he made for Joy was perfect, especially since he included a strap to go around her wrist. Genius.

On our walk home we stopped in the Goodwill/ Thrift Store and the woman at the counter says, "Well, if it isn't my two favorite girls." I find this kind considering what I heard about their behavior in the store the last time they were there but mostly I love that there are people in our neighborhood who enjoy our kids and who know them and who, in a pinch, would keep an eye out for them.

So, if you're in the area I highly suggest you come and visit Carytown. You will just love it. And if you have a similar area in your city I highly suggest you plan a visit. Local retailers need our help now more than ever. We want to do everything we can do keep these eclectic shopping areas robust. It's definitely a Cool Idea!

Even though the CSA season is over the Farmer's Market is still open and available and - let me tell you -the veggies are just beautiful. I took Comfort and Joy on an Adventure Girl morning to the market today and all I can say is - WOW!

We have a bag of beautiful salad mix, about 10 apples [red and greens], and about 12 peppers [carmen and bells] all for under $10. I could never have done that at the grocery store especially this time of the year.

First of all, even if I found those items certified organic this time of the year they would be plenty pricey. And second, I'd have to drive nearly 15 miles one way to find a Whole Foods or Trader Joes that might even have them in stock. As it was, I drove across the river 1.2 miles, we got to see the magnificent, swollen, churning James River as an added bonus, and had a bevy of wonderful produce at our fingertips by buying from our local farmer.

So, check in your area and see if your farmer's market is still open. You might just be surprised. Personally, I'm excited to get some additional veggies to use for Turkey Day and what I don't use will go into the freezer. Now doesn't that sound like an awesomely Cool Idea.

Personally, for me doing good things for the environment comes down to something basic and simple. God made it and we should treat it well.

So, how far am I willing to go? I like to drink clean water so I'd like to make sure that we keep bad stuff out of the water. I like to breathe clean air so I think we should keep bad stuff out of the air.

I know we need to balance prosperity and commerce with our impact on the world but I think the world should get a bigger vote since it was here first. You know, sort of like the Native Americans should have. Yep, you get the picture.

This comes down to a do-unto-others thing in my view and it can start small. Comfort and Joy walk to school as many days as we can even though this is clearly not the norm. In fact, I don't see any other kids walking to school. This not only gives us time together as a family but time to enjoy the world around us. We look at the colors change and the leaves drop from the trees. It's a magical time in Virginia and if we were in a car we might be speeding right by too quickly to notice or too quickly to be able to have a conversation about it. Every day. And I do mean Every Day.

Our choice to eat organically when we can afford to is another way to support the environment, but you've heard me discuss that before when I've discussed buying locally. It just makes sense and it's such a Cool Idea that I don't have any more to say on the environment issue. Next, we get closer to home.

I LOVE BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA! Sorry if it sounded like I was shouting but other than plain cheese pizza, BBQ Chicken is my absolute favorite. There is something about the sweet, tangy sauce and the gooey cheese that just makes my day.

We have two places here in town to get BBQ chicken pizza and neither one is very cheap so I've taken to making it when I need a fix. Sometimes it's 'good enough' and other times it's not even close. This last week I was so dog-gone close to perfection that I think angels wept.

Here's what I did:

Make your favorite pizza crust. I use a knock-off PizzaHut recipe and let it rise in the fridge overnight.

You'll need to let it come to room temperature before you use it and after you've formed it onto your baking sheet spread BBQ sauce on it. I used Sweet Baby Rays which was on sale a few weeks ago and I got the bottle for free. This was the perfect flavor.

Then the cheese. We always have on hand the mexican cheese blend from Costco. We go through so much shredded cheese that it makes sense for me to keep this on hand.

Then I used red carmen peppers that I bought at the Farmer's Market. I sliced these thinkly and then cut them with scissors so they would be easier to eat.

I had some leftover purple onion in the fridge that I nuked in the microwave for a few minutes and then sprinkled around.

Next came the chicken. DH had pulled off the rest of the meat off a rotisserie chicken and I cut it up with the scissors.

And because I like a lot of cheese I put some more on top before it went into the oven at 425 degrees Farenheit until it smelled yummy good. And it was absolutely yummy delicious. I have plenty of peppers, chicken and sauce left for many more pizzas, too. The peppers and chicken went into the freezer and I cannot wait until our next pizza night. This was definitely a Cool Idea!

Just because the weather is getting cooler, and perhaps a tad wetter, don't forget about the bounty of produce that can be found at your local farmer's markets. Of course, this will vary depending on what part of the country you live in but here in Virginia we're seeing a resurgence of the greens - beautiful lettuce, arugula, basil, and swiss chard - as well as root vegetables like beet, turnips, and radishes. Beans, peppers and onions can still be found and since these veggies that can be 'put away' in a variety of ways buy bunches of them and freeze or can them. Potatoes, sweet and white, will keep in a cool/ dry place for quiet a while so you can stock up on these items as well.

And then there are the fall fruits that are coming in with apples being our favorite! Crisp and delicious and most markets have a bounty this time of the year. Take advantage of the great deals to buy local produce and make applesauce or apple butter. I made a crockpot full of apple butter last year and we're still eating it! It was both easy and delicious!!

This is also the time of the year to think about how to extend the summertime table into the winter months. Although we don't have to think ahead like our fore-mothers due to the advent of refrigeration and a grocery store in every town we all know that 'putting away', as our grandmothers called it, is not only cheaper but it preserves the freshness of the summer months of our local produce.

Now, I don't know how to do my own canning. My best friend does and I think she said she's put away over 40 quarts of tomoto products and 20 quarts of pepper of some sort. Then she did pints. Yep, she had a bounteous garden this year but then she decided it was enough. Personally, I'm about freezing things. I dice up and freeze onions and peppers. I've even frozen whole tomotoes which I learned you could do in Animal, Vegetable, Mineral. I also carmelize onions and freeze them.
Don't forget that you can make and freeze pesto. Use a ice cube tray to get 1 oz. portions then when you have cubes pop them out into a zip top freezer bag.

Well, there you go. So many ideas to get you started and so many Cool Ideas!

One thing to remember when you go on vacation is that wherever you go you are someplace 'local' and there are specialities and stores that run by the locals. Well, duh, right. I know, but sometimes when we are tourists we forget that not everything is a chain that can absorb the ebb and flow of seasonal traffic.

I'm not suggesting that you go out and buy all the random knick-knacks at all the tourist locations you visit but I am suggesting that - again - you be intentional about where you spend your money when you do shop. We did about a 50/50 job of buying our groceries local this week. To restock we hit the Sam's Club but for produce we found a roadside stand for potatoes [new, baking, and sweet], onions, lemons, tomatoes [slicing and roma], and peaches the size of a baby's head! We loaded ourselves down - two of us in four hands and we only spent $12!

Tonight we're heading out to eat at a local restaurant we found a couple of years ago that has great food and fantastic service. A yummy and Cool Idea!

Perhaps you've heard about this already. I hope you have but since we're on the tail end of my Christmas in July series it seemed fitting to discuss the issue again.

Here are the actual facts and not just the anecdotal information or math that I pulled out of my head. Details are from the flyer created by Cinda Baxter of the 3/50 Project:

3: What 3 independently owned businesses would you miss if they did not exist? Stop in. Say hello. Pick something up that brings you a smile. Your purchases are what keeps these businesss around.

50: If half the employed population spent $50 each month in locally owned businesses it would generate $42.6Billion in revenue. Imagine the positive impact if 3/4 of the population did that!

68: For every $100 spent in locally owned independent businesses $68 returns to the community in taxes, payroll, and other expenditures. If you spend that in a national chain only $43 stays here. If you spend that online, nothing stays here.

1: The number of people that it takes to start a trend.

FAQs

This is something near and dear to my heart because we live in a pedestrian shopping neighborhood and each month we are seeing stores go empty. Some have only been here for a while. Some have been here much longer. I hope and pray that our neighbor-stores will be able to weather this economic downturn and I know that as tight as things are for us, personally, when we have the option to go out for treats we choose to spend our money here in the neighborhood so that our money stays here and helps.

This is not all that different than when we choose to be frugal. I am advocating that when you spend your money you continue to make good choices. It's definitely a Cool Idea and with a little time and attention on our part it will help our friends a great deal. And if we don't take this time now, these stores won't be around in the future. That's all I'm saying.

70% off of $25 certificates with the discount code: RECIPE - so for $3 you get $25 worth of money to dine out at your favorite local restaurants PLUS for a limited time Restaurant.com will send you a code for a FREE $10 certificate with every order.

This would be a great time to stock up or try a new restaurant or double check the list of participating restaurants. I noticed the other day that a couple of new places in my area are now part of Restaurant.com and this would be a nice time to give them a try.

Buying local is a big deal with me. These are my neighbors, people who will learn your likes and dislikes and they are struggling along in this economy like everyone else. I'm not an advocate for eating out as a habit but the service industry is one in which I used to work and I have a soft spot for struggling waitstaff. Summer can be especially difficult so if you are so inclined to give yourself a break from the kitchen buy a certificate - maybe even through Upromise so you can double up the bennies to yourself - and give your local economy a little bit of a boost. This is a good deal and Definitely a Cool Idea!

While I'll be the first to tell you that I'm a very poor gardener we'll be planting at least one tomato plant this year to help us keep up with Joy's love of tomatoes. Sure, we'll buy some through our CSA but I also want the girls to see how vegetables are actually grown. I want them to know that food doesn't magically appear at the store - or more accurately - on their plate at the table. People work to make that food. Rain comes from the sky. Or doesn't. Pest and weeds happen. 

Also, organic doesn't have to mean that your food was certified by a bunch of bureaucrats. "USDA Organic" does and that does add to the expense of much of the organic food out there. This is why many small, local farms have opted for different kinds of certification. In many cases, this certification is more stringent than USDA Organic and I'm fine with that. 

Here are some additional ways to make your own gardening less expensive and organic. Keep it simple. It's about making a small difference in our lives and not being wasteful. These are the things we need to keep in mind. 

Here’s a Cool Idea that couples my love of Books with something close to the Cool Idea of the CSA we belong to. Barbara Kingsolver’s book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is about her family’s decision to eat locally for one year. This wasn’t an overnight decision for them but an enhancement of many of their previous life choices. One of the most significant choices they make is to leave their main home in Arizona to live full-time at their summer home in Southwest Virginia. They’d been making preparations for several years but still it was an adjustment to move from the arid southwest to the agricultural/ Applachian land in which they settle. They plant the garden, set the rules to eat by – to buy nothing that isn’t grown/ produced within their county and stick to the plan for one year.

The book follows their work month by month through the year. To me, it’s like being in school but more fun. I loved ready about how “I” could do things for myself if I just put my mind to it. Had I ever thought about the fact I could make my own cheese or yogurt? Of course not. Those things come from stores in my world. They had to because no one was producing them locally. Had I thought of canning my own tomatoes? No, I didn’t even have tomatoes except the ones that came in my farm box each week and I was still at the point of trying to consume them before they went mushy instead of putting them away for the winter.

I loved the pacing of the book. There are stories of their work along with essays and recipes. I did try the one for Swiss chard but I hesitate to tell you how it turned out. Let’s just say there was user error. The anecdotes about trying to get the turkeys to have sex or getting seeds out of the melon in Italy are unexpectedly entertaining and kinda remind me of listening to stories my grandmother might have told – if I had been old enough to understand what she was talking about.

Is this a Cool Idea? Absolutely! I’ve talked about this book to everyone with ears. In fact, I make a poor religious evangelist despite the fact I was raised Baptist but this is a book that I have practically handed out to strangers on street corners. Check out your library. It’s fantastic and beautifully readable.

I've talked about this before and I'll talk about it again, I'm sure. Here's why.

1. Buying locally gives us a face to put with our purchases. I know who makes the ice cream in my neighborhood and she's a wonderful woman. Not only does she make great and unique flavors but she's part of the neighborhood. 
2. Plus, She's not trucking in her product from across the country and wasting fuel and increasing her carbon footprint. She makes the ice cream right here. Sure, there's a Ben and Jerry's in my neighborhood, too and it's hard to pass up some days but it's not the same anymore.
3. A drive through the neighborhood also showed that an increasing number of stores are now sitting vacant. I'm not great at math but that can't be good for the city's tax revenue. If businesses aren't open they aren't paying taxes or collecting sales tax and someone is going to lose - either by losing services or by paying higher taxes. Buying locally helps keep these businesses open and keeps tax revenue local, too.
4. You know where they came from. This can be especially comforting when it comes to food products. Buying your fruits and vegetables from the Farmer's Market or through a CSA is one way to make sure that you are eating food that hasn't been waxed or coated to make it hardy for transport or that has been mishandled in some way. You still need to clean foods properly but a reputable grower that is listed in localharvest.org will have their growing information and will answer any questions you might have. This is Earth Day Month - Go Green and Stay There.
5. Be a role model for your children. Teach them that being part of your community is important. Show them that knowing the people in the neighborhood is fun. We walked up to the Crayon Store [which actually has nothing to do with crayons but happens to have a place for kids to draw while adults shop], stopped by Amy's shop on the way back, ducked into the Mirror Store [it has a fun house style mirror out front], and then went into the Homer Store [so called because the owner used to have a dog by this name]. This is the way Comfort navigates our neighborhood. She feels a connection to our neighborhood and to the people who live and work here. What more could we want.