World's Greenest Homes

World's Greenest Homes is a Canadian television show that somehow made it's way into the dvd collection at the library and from there onto our holds list.  The collection that the library has is a 6-disk, two-series, 39-episode mega set, which we only had a month to watch.  So we've taken it out of the library again to finish it.

This series is pretty cool; the host goes to different houses around the world (mainly in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia) and tours them focusing on the elements of the house that make it green.  Energy and water efficiency, reuse or recycle of building materials, and the use of chemical-free building materials, along with the architectural innovation required to make all of these elements work together to form a family home, are the challenges the home-owners have taken on.

We used to watch Grand Designs avidly, but have grown a bit sick of the condescending manner of the host, constantly going on and on about how a plan cannot work, until suddenly he is surprised by the finished product (it's even put me off watching Grand Designs: Australia).  There's none of that attitude here, especially as the houses are already built.  The host is constantly in awe of the innovation and creativity the home-owners have shown, and I imagine him making mental notes of things he'd love to include in his own home!  But there's no sensationalism or hype either, it's just a tasteful and respectful show, that is so rare these days.

Definitely worth a look if you're interested in architecture, environmentalism, or simply love seeing how other people live.  Also, there's an episode about the A-frame wooden house in the protected woods in England that the man who collects peat built, that, if you've watched Grand Designs forever, you'd remember (it's my favourite episode!).  It's a few years on from the Grand Designs episode, and even more recent than the Grand Designs: Revisited episode too.

If you want to buy World's Greenest Homes, click on the picture to buy it from Mighty Ape.  If you do, I get credit so I can buy more pretty things to tell you about!

Links of the Week: III

Sorry this is late, I'm trying to post these every Saturday, but Mum's been home on leave and so we've been having fun doing... housework :-( but also :-)

Recipe:  Kaiserschmarrn at SBS

My good friend Jonathan cooked kaiserschmarrn a few times while I was living at Toad Hall in Canberra (yes that is its real name, no there are no badgers or rats...  okay, there might be rats, but only if someone were to leave their uneaten lunch in their room...) and if he had cooked it every night I would have eaten it every night without any self control.  Luckily, he didn't, and I didn't explode.  Now I have this recipe...  I can't look at it *the light, it burns us*.

Fashion:  Vintage Sewing Books at Colette Patterns

This is such a great site.  At first I thought I was simply signing up to a feed that would let me know when they post a new free pattern (like this one and this one), but I have been learning all about the different techniques used in dressmaking, properties of different fabrics, and famous and/or fabulous designers, both modern and retro.  Do sign up if you think you might be even a little interested (money back refund upon request if you don't like it, promise!).  PS:  Damn I just found a whole bunch of craft blog links at the bottom of the page.  There goes my afternoon/week.

Environment/Craft:  Plarn at My Recycled Bags

What a great idea I had on the way home from the supermarket the other day - take plastic supermarket bags and crochet them to make strong reusable shopping bags and minimise the guilt of forgetting to bring my own bags now and then.  Then I found out it had already been done and this technique is so much better than I had thought up.  Still a great idea, just not original, and done better by someone else!

Science Fiction and Science:  Science Future at Escape Pod

If you're not convinced about signing up for this podcast, this very short article should do it.  If not the article, then the two very apropriate quotations bookending it.  If you're still not convinced... then...  I don't know, just do as I tell you, minions.

Food and Culture:  Matariki at Foodlovers

As I write this there is still time to rock on up to this event if they're still taking registrations (and if you're not like me living across the other side of Auckland like a chump).  Maori and Pacific Island food has always interested me, but I've never tried cooking any...  Now, where do I buy puha?