Brew Bits: The Culture Shop

I can (and have on many occasions) spend hours in a flea market. I love old or new hand made non-mass produced items. So, I was a wee giddy to find this shop, while perusing my interwebs. The Culture Shop, is located in ubercute Takoma Park. The 'not rape your pockets priced' online store features a plethora of goods from jewelry to housewares. These are super cute items, that are great for hostess gifts or 'Just cause I feel like buying myself something, I work every gotdamn day, don't you question me and where I spend my damn money!!!' gifts.

Personally, I love these delicate yet colorful, recycled birdcages

Shop local, and Go Green Bitches!

Brew'viornment: GET IN MY BIG BELLY!

Today Must be Philly Day, not this kind...

this kind

Philadelphia joins the ranks of other greening cities and has installed new solar power Trash compactors called BigBellies (I love that name)...

annnywho... according to cleantechnica.com:

"The city of brotherly love is now the city of brotherly BigBellies. While it’s not the first city to adopt BigBelly Solar’s cordless trash compaction system, Philadelphia’s installment of 500 new solar trash compactors represents the most “comprehensive” program seen thus far.

BigBelly Solar, originally the Seahorse Power Company, has also found homes for its 32-lb trash compactors in cities throughout 40 different states, like Boston, Chicago, and LA, as well as 20 countries worldwide.
Despite the joy of a World Series title, the Philly sits atop a $1.4 billion, five-year budget deficit. A solar-powered waste basket wouldn’t appear to be the obvious solution to the city’s financial woes, but by replacing 700 standard receptacles with the solar compactors, dubbed “eco-stations,” the city will save a tidy $875,000 per year."





The only only people I can see NOT liking the money saving efforts are colleagues of this gentleman...

Brew Music: Dead Prez "Summertime"

Check out the new video from Dead Prez. It's called "Summertime" and was directed by Tao Ruspoli.

I love these dudes! The whole vibe of this song and video makes me wanna shave and put on a sundress!

Meantime...in other DP news, the dynamic duo wants you to go green. They've embarked on a campaign to encourage health awareness and environmental justice. Here are a few tidbits:

• Going Green Means Economic Development. The opportunity and the necessity to serve the needs of our people are here. We can serve the needs of our communities with holistic, fair priced, life-affirming products. We need to be more than just consumers, contributing to the Green Revolution as producers, suppliers and distributors.

• We Ain’t Gotta’ Be Sick. The hood suffers from allergies, asthma and other preventable sicknesses that can be controlled and often times eliminated with education, access to healthy food choices, economic development and conscious effort.

• It Costs More To Be Unhealthy Than It Does To Be Healthy. In our communities, complaints over the high prices of organic and natural products are completely warranted. This is a fight that must be won through our participation, advocating a Greener lifestyle.

• Self Love is Taking Care of Ya’ Self. Curly or wavy, nappy or knotty, full or free. Natural hair is beautiful, strong and expresses the vibrancy of your internal being and wellness. Stop trying to meet the false physical standards imposed by society.

• Drug addiction, Drug Abuse and Just Plain, Old Over-Doing It. Alcohol abuse and other recreational toxic substances rob our community of much of its potential.

Word to your motha, Dead Prez! It's time to paint the hood green! But, I will be holding onto my perm. I'm just sayin'...

Tweet Talk: Amanda Diva, Culture & Shoppin' a Brew Twofer

I ran across the cutest hand painted bags on Twitter the other day, (is Twitter the new Etsy?) They remind me of Keith Haring crossed with contemporary African art melded with Foxy Brown...

.. ew- not that one

.. THIS one

These super cute Eco-friendly bags are the creations of Former MTV Personality, poetess, member of Floetry (though I'm not sure if they are still in bidness- and don't feel like googling it!), Rapper, Spandex champion, Columbia U. grad and surfer (OK, I think I made that one up).

My Fave- Planet Fro $30

I digress- (as we do here at the Brew) these bags are aaaadorable, think of how cute this would be carrying all your booty from the Brooklyn Flea or Eastern Market! Check 'em out at her website Diva Works Of Art-- she has prints and cds too. Diva, get your Hustle Man on!