The Expiration of the Ziploc Bag

For years I had been using ziploc bags to carry everything from sandwiches, to chips, to cookies, to cherries. And before that, it was the zipless plastic bag or "sandwich bag". Remember those? Well I've finally found the next progression in the evolving plastic pouch. It's dubbed: the Fresh Snack Pack, and it's the first reusable plastic bag I've found that isn't a hassle to clean. It's made from EVA plastic, the same material used for baby teethers, which has been approved by the FDA and EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) if that accounts for anything. The design in relatively sleek, and very practical. The food is placed inside the plastic sleeve, then it's folded over, so as not to allow the contents to spill out, and then a velcro strip secures it shut. On their website, they boast that:

We recently passed the 100th day of school and have been using and reusing the same sandwich bag all year...can your disposable bag do that? (That was last school year and guess what? We're still using the same sandwich bag.)

After having used my fresh little snack packs several times, they still look brand new. And they've been filled with tuna-salad sandwiches, PJ&J's, exploding cherries, you name it.

Now, the questions you all have at the tip of your tongues (or fingertips)- How much do they cost? The smaller one(4"x6"), which they call "snack size" costs a whopping $4.50, while the larger (8"x6") "sandwich size" costs $5.50. Plus, you can pick them up at your local green store, if you live in a relatively urban location, to avoid shipping costs (and packaging).

I feel like I'm creating an advertisement for this product, but really, I'm just excited to have an alternative to the ziploc bag. I've been pretty anti for a while, and I can't tell you how stoked I am to have found a sustainable substitute...

http://www.freshsnackpack.com/home.html

"Sandwich Size"

"Snack Size"

Sunday Parkways

I know that Portland, OR is considered the best biking city in the country, but I have to say I've been biking much more here in NYC, especially now that it's summer. This past weekend, Colin and I decided to explore a new neighborhood. We picked Forest Hills, Queens. Unfortunately, Queens is not the most bike-friendly borough, but the streets were quiet enough that we were able to have a peaceful seven mile ride out there. After brunch and a stroll through Forest Hills Gardens (a private community of beautiful houses) we headed over to PS 1. Unlike the neighborhood crawl we had taken to get to Forest Hills, the ride to Long Island City was a bit gruesome. We had to spend some time on a busy road and only had a bike lane for about one mile of the seven mile trip. After perusing the museum for the second time since our arrival in NYC, we realized that perhaps it is a bit too contemporary for our tastes. Nonetheless, I liked the outdoor exhibit of the giant balls in the nets, and this crazy room with a billion colors.
Then-- a free show at SummerStage in Central Park! We had been waiting for The xx since we found out they were playing there earlier this summer. We biked over the Queensboro bridge (a somewhat new discovery- it's a nice ride) and were able to get in. Not the most amazing show, but we had a fun time. And hey, free is free. The nine mile ride back home was a bit tiring (we DID have bike lanes 80% of the way, though), but luckily we had some homemade cookies and cream ice cream waiting for us...