GIft Guide Six: Happy Homestead

1. Stainless Steel Fustis 2. Matteo Linen Scarf 3. Amish Made Scooter 4. Simple Steps 5. Thorocraft Moccasins 6. Ladak Blanket 7. Igloo Play Mod Rocker 8. Villa Soy Candle 9. Homestead Print 10. Wise Sage Soap 11. Heart Dress

Plant Food

While I wish we celebrated Earth Year, or Earth Decade or plain and simply just celebrated the Earth every day, I will settle on just Earth Day (for now). What I don't want to settle on, however, is keeping it green in the kitchen just on occasion; rather, I'm working towards cooking organic and being conscientious all of the time. As you know, our little tummies are connected to the the land, the air, the animals, the planet--all of it-- and by eating organic and locally, you make your green impact big and your body happy. And in the land of farmers markets how easy is it to be an eco-friendly California foodie? Just look at some of these local (from my favorite green shop The Green Life) and online offerings right at your reach. Happy Earth Day (every day)!

Cork Pad, Mangold Glass Plates, Ready, Set, Green, Bambu Bowls, Imagine Green Tote, Bambu Gamby Crumb Board, Sagaform Herb Pot Trio, Cool Cuisine, Fast, Fresh & Green, DCI Heart Shaped Spoon,

Eye on LA: Scott O'Brien

Please welcome Scott O'Brien, owner of the hip and eco-friendly store The Green Life in Santa Monica!

You can check out his store's Monkey feature here.

Stage Name: I don’t really have a stage name, but my wife calls me “monkey”. I’m not sure if that is a reflection of how I behave or not. You have to ask her.

Neighborhood: West LA, a very eclectic neighborhood, which keeps things interesting.

Day Job: Owner of The Green Life, an eco-friendly lifestyle store on Main St in Santa Monica. Previously featured on Monkey in LA!

Moonlight as: Amateur pancake chef, guitarist, and painter.

Los Angeles is: a great city with a lot to offer. There are infinite outdoor activities, a ton of great restaurants and plenty of culture.

One day in LA. Go: hiking in Griffith Park. The views are amazing and it is a great escape from the urban sprawl. On the way home, browse the vinyl stacks at Amoeba Music.

Food/drink that is LA: I like raw food from Euphoria. My favorites are the cheese stuffed jalapenos and the goji chocolate balls.

Recipe please?: This is what I bring for lunch most days when I am in my store.

Scott’s Awesome Grilled Veggie Sandwich

1 Medium sized eggplant, 1 cucumber, 1 white onion, 1 green bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper, 1 red bell pepper, 6-8 Italian sub rolls, 6-8 cloves of garlic, 2 cups Veganaise, 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, ½ lemon

Veggies:

Slice all vegetables into medium size strips

Toss vegetables in a bowl with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and one diced clove of garlic

Lightly coat a skillet with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and fry vegetables until they are charred and cooked through

Sandwich Spread:

Grill 4-6 cloves of garlic and then dice

Mix grilled garlic with, 2 cups of Veganaise, and juice from ½ lemon

Grill Italian sub rolls face down and lightly spread sandwich spread on inside of bun.

Fill subs with grilled veggies and enjoy!

Getaway from LA: Encinitas to my in-laws house to relax by the pool, go to the beach, or go for a hike.

Cheap Eats LA: I’m not sure if there is such a thing in LA. It seems like you get what you pay for!

Hideout in LA: An awesome Italian restaurant within walking distance from my house on Robertson called “Café Bella Roma”. It is the best Italian food I have had since I moved to LA. Totally hidden from the street, super small and intimate - you feel like you aren’t even in LA anymore.

Clothing that is LA: Board shorts. They work for everything from swimming to exercising to working around the house.

Scariest place LA: The parking garage at the Getty Center. I’m just waiting for the day I am 7 floors down and the big one hits.

Officially from LA when: you donate all of your winter coats. I grew up in Cleveland and have no warm clothes anymore for when I go back to visit.

Green LA: My store, The Green Life! Just kidding. Go check out Green Drinks, it is a weekly green mixer that is a lot of fun. Green Drinks.

K-Town or Thai Town? N/A

Beachside or Poolside? Definitely beachside because I like to swim in the ocean. Though with how much I work, I’d gladly deal with either.

Happy Hour or After Hour? I’m not much of a club person so I will have to say happy hour. It’s usually a good time to catch a Cavs game.

Hancock Park or Hollywood Hills? I don’t really spend much time in either, but the views are nicer from the hills so I will go with the Hollywood Hills.

Speakeasy or Shake Your Sh**? Speakeasy. See Happy Hour or After Hour.

Monkey Find: The Green Life

While carting my parents about town this weekend, we stopped at Urth Caffe in Santa Monica for Spanish Lattes (just like in Spain..delicioso!) and then came upon a year-old gem up the street: The Green Life. While there are many shops that carry organic items, none that I have found have such a range of products. This little shop, started by Scott O'Brien, carries everything from eco-friendly light bulbs to recycled wine and beer bottle glasses, aviary cage cleaner to great pieces by Amenity bedding. Much of their offerings can be found online, but certainly visit at least to tell them congrats on their birthday or to check out their monthly events. Also, if you ask nicely, they may let you peek at the interesting loft in the back.

Here's a bit of the green life: