American Made in the Medina

Amy, Rabat, 2013.

As this summer winds down, I've been thinking about all the wonderful things I've done over the past couple of months. By far, one of the greatest things has been my trip to Madrid, Spain and Rabat, Morocco. I got a glimpse into the cultures of these two capital cities, a nice departure from my own routine here in NYC. My visit to Madrid was filled with regal architecture, delicious tapas, late-night sunsets, rooftop bar cocktails, and miles and miles of walking.

A Just Peachy Day

Ray, Lena, and Amy

I had such a great day yesterday. I spent the morning taking care of business (Pilates, haircut, blog things). My neighborhood was buzzing with delivery trucks, film crews (lots of TV shows and movies film on location here), and people going about their day. In the afternoon, I had the pleasure of hanging out with two of my girlfriends that I don't see nearly as much as I'd like. On the docket: a concert, some drinks, and a good old-fashioned girls night out.

Moto X Review

Today's post is by guest author Josh Miller, creator and producer of "Made in the USA: The 30 Day Journey."
 
To begin I want to say I overcame a small fear of transitioning to this Moto X. I mainly was able to sum up the guts to make the switch because Google played a role in making this phone and being the first "Assembled in America" smartphone I felt I had to take the leap. Obviously, I'm a big "Made in USA" advocate, but I do not support products only because they are Made in the USA, I support those products because of what "Made in USA" is supposed to represent, which is quality.  This stays true from clothes to electronics. Also, I believe my biggest fear was switching from the iPhone to an Android phone. I've heard rumors about operating on Android that would give anyone nightmares.  However, I pushed through the doubt and put my money where my mouth was and bought the phone. Needless to say I'm very pleased with the phone and below contains my honest review of the Moto X. I will explain what I like about the phone and what could be done better. On top of that I have a nice offer for Google at the end of this review. I'll add more later as well, I've only been using this thing since Friday.

Let There Be Light

I swore that I would never mention Walmart on this blog. I'm about to break that rule so that I can discuss GE's plans for an American-made light bulb. Yes, it's happening. According to GE, they will produce their Energy-Efficient Soft White light bulbs in the USA for sale at Walmart stores nationwide. Here's a look at some of the impact.

Martha Stewart Loves American Made

When someone so well established and with such a longstanding presence in the industry does something big to celebrate USA-made products, it's really great. To have someone like Martha Stewart create an annual contest to honor American craftspeople, it's kind of a big deal. This year's Martha Stewart American Made contest is bigger than ever.

Zkano Socks: A Review and $50 Giveaway

Zkano sent me these great striped socks to review. Fifty bucks says you'll love them as much as I do. No, really.

First Aid for Dummies

You know those days where you forget to apply sunblock to an odd-shaped triangular patch on your arm? Or you burn your hand on the tea kettle while boiling water for tea after a bad day at work? Or you scratch your leg on that same stupid corner of the coffee table? You know those dumb days?

American-Made Wednesday Links

Your hump day reading. Lots of great slideshows and lists of products made in the USA. People and fellow bloggers in the Made in America Movement making all kinds of noise. It's been a good couple of weeks in the media.

Here are nine articles that you should read if you haven't already:

Portland Made, Part II

Today's post is written by Eric Gold, a freelance writer in Portland and editor of portlandmade.com. This is Part II of a Portland Made miniseries. 

See: Portland Made, Part I

Portland Made, Part I

Today's post is written by Eric Gold, a freelance writer in Portland and editor of portlandmade.com. This is Part I of a Portland Made miniseries. 

In Portland, as anyone who can read knows, you could eat at a different food cart and wash it down with a new local microbrew every day for a month—and you’d just be getting started. But Portlanders bring the same level of craft, inspiration, and collaborative enthusiasm to their work in wood, metal, leather, clay, and fabric as they do to their Probats, cocktail shakers, and saucepans.

Portland Made launched in April with the mission of promoting Portland, Oregon-based makers, manufacturers, and retailers of local goods. You’ll find more information on these products at Portland Made, along with the stories behind the makers who make Portland one of the most creative cities in the world.

American Bubbly

I recently joined a group of women that meet up once a month to drink wine. It was not too hard a decision to join, mind you. The idea of a group focused solely on a mid-week excuse for a couple of drinks is A-plus in my book. The theme for my first event: bubbly. I was armed and ready to go.

Fall Wish List

Having my spring wish list was a great way to set priorities for things that I needed and wanted. It was really helpful for me and I've referred back to a lot over the past months, updating as I found American-made products and made purchases. While not everything got crossed off, I did find the majority of the items.

So, of course, I set out to make a wish list for fall. In addition to some basics (tank tops, tees, leggings, socks), here are the top 12 things on my fall wish list for clothing, accessories, and beauty products:

Shinola Gives Us the Birdy

Shinola Birdy with gray leather watch strap

Even though Detroit has filed for bankruptcy, Shinola's reaction might surprise you. They're giving it the Birdy. They're producing what some might have thought impossible: watches. That's right, watches made in Detroit. In fact, they're bending some of the rules of American manufacturing by not only creating beautiful American-made watches but also creating new jobs in the area. (They're still hiring, by the way, if anyone is interested.)

Foxy Lady

Skinny jeans are a wardrobe staple for me all year long. These Bullet Blues Fox jeans are a skinny, cigarette-style and 100% American made.

American-Made Tuesday Links

Read and watch this.

Here are eight nine articles and videos that you should read if you haven't already:

For the Love of Clogs

Clogs are somewhat of a polarizing topic in fashion. People either love 'em or hate 'em and there's not a lot of in between. If you appreciate the comfort of clogs, you'll appreciate even more having a fashionable and American-made choice for ones that come with options to better fit the personality of the wearer.

Top Posts for July

What a great month for me personally! I traveled to Spain and Morocco. I survived the great heat wave of 2013. I spent some great weekends with friends and family. I got a few things done around the apartment that have been on the to-do list for years (no exaggeration).

There was lots of activity on social media this month as well. If you're not following me on Facebook and Twitter, you're really losing out on some great conversations and content that don't make it to my blog. I'm continuing to make great connections via blogging and these sites that I would not have made otherwise. It's been so much fun. Thanks.

The top five posts for July 2013 are:

American Metal

 

Today's guest post is from my husband, Dan. He's a man's man. He's the kind of dude that does not mess around when it comes to motorcycles, heavy metal music, and his booze.

 

I rarely go anywhere without bringing water. Whether it's on the bike or on the subway, I almost always have a bottle with me. When I found out about Liberty Bottleworks, I was immediately interested. Here is a breakdown of what I've learned.