Imported from...

In case you missed it, check out Chrysler's Superbowl ad!

Two Thumbs Up, Chrysler!

Food For American Thought...

This evening, as I skimmed the Hollywood Edition of Vanity Fair, I stumbled upon the 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair Poll. There, on page 110 of the March 2011 issue, I found the following question:

“How often do you check labels of items you are about to purchase to see if you are buying American Products?”  

According to the poll, 39 percent check sometimes, 25 percent always check, 20 percent hardly ever check and 15 percent never check.

For the 15 percent of you that don’t check, I pose the following question. How much time does it take to look at a label? 

Who Loves to Shop?

This is no surprise to my regular readers, I love to shop. Lucky for me, the new Made in the USA Foundation website has a "Shopping" link.

Check it out:

http://www.madeusafdn.org/shopusa.html

P.S.- There is even a "Food & Produce" Section.

Beer and Football

The Superbowl is this weekend. Personally, I am a Ravens fan, so I won’t be celebrating. For the rest of the world, I found a list of Domestic Beers for you to enjoy while watching the big game.  The Top Ten Domestic Beers (According to Melanie Winterwolf) are:

1.     Bud Light.

2.     Natural Ice

3.     Pabst Blue Ribbon

4.     Rolling Rock

5.     Michelob Ultra

6.     Miller High Life

7.     Coors Light

8.     Bud Light Lime

9.     Busch Beer

10. Michelob Honey Lager

For the full article, click follow this link here. 

Cheers!

I Challenge You....

Today, I am not going to hate on anyone. I am not going to give you my opinion on what products to buy. I’m not even going to tell you about any government agencies. Instead, I am asking you to conduct an experiment.

This weekend (Starting Saturday morning through Sunday evening) pay attention to what you buy.  Log all of your purchases. As you log your purchases, note the country of origin.

I plan on doing the same. I’ll report back on Monday. 

Have Some Wine, Help the Economy

I wouldn’t consider myself a wine connoisseur, but I do enjoy an occasional glass of vino. Last night I sipped on some California red. This led me to wonder, "What is the big fuss over imported wine?"

Turns out I’m not alone. Wine website wineography.com’s Top 10 Wine List, includes 5 wines from the United States.

In Top Wine List

The top wine list shows the top 10 wines in Wineography's system. This list is made up from the ratings in the members' online tasting notes.

Pos.            Wine           

1            Shiraz 2006 [ Greg Norman Estates, Australia ]           

2            Cabernet Franc 2002 [ Peju Province Winery, USA ]           

3            Red 2006 [ Arancio, Italy ]            94.3

4            Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 [ Kuleto Estate, USA ]           

5            Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Pinotage 2003 [ Kanonkop Wine Estate, South           

6            Grenache 2004 [ Bodegas Alto Moncayo, Spain ]            93.0

7            Barbera 2005 [ Ponte Family Winery, USA ]           

8            Shiraz 2004 [ Wattle Creek Winery, USA ]           

9            Pinot Noir 2003 [ Wild Horse, USA ]           

10            Syrah 2001 [ Agua Dulce Vineyards, USA ]           

Next time you sit down for a glass or two of wine, drink American. Think of it as helping your economy. 

For more information on the Top Wine list, check out http://www.wineography.com/top_wines.htm. 

Hey Ladies, You Need This Tee!

Props to the folks at AG Jeans. I love the new “Circle Tee” in Mustard.

The description on the website says, “This super soft scoop neck tee features a drapey fabric, narrowing at the hip for a flattering wedge fit.”

I say, super cute! (Trust me, a good tee is hard to find.)

To purchase the Circle Tee vist: http://www.agjeans.com/. While you’re on there, be sure to check out the AG Semi-Annual sale. After all, who doesn’t like saving 50%.

Oh, by the way AG proudly manufactures in the U.S.A.. So really you’re helping our economy by shopping at AG.  

Say “No” to Champagne, Say “Yes” to Sparkling Wine

This holiday season, I’m plan to be turn down the Champagne. Instead, you’ll find me sipping on some American sparkling wine.

For those of you not in the know, the terms “Champagne” and “Sparkling Wine” are not interchangeable. “Champagne” refers to a type of Sparkling Wine that is made in the Champagne region of France.

According the Office of Champagne USA, in 2007 (the last year the organization published statistics) the French shipped 21,722,220 bottles of Champagne to the United States.  I ask, why not drink American wine instead? Is it really that different? The answer is no.

Earlier this week, the Washington Times Online ran an article entitled, “Sparkling wines: Made in the USA.” According to the article, “While Champagne, France might be the birthplace of sparkling wine, it by no means is the only place to find great sparkling wine. If you’re looking for great bubbly to serve at your holiday gatherings or to ring in the New Year, you need not look overseas.”

The writer, Lourie Forster suggested two bottles of American made bubbles. At the $40 price-point, Forster recommends Schramsberg Vineyards Blanc de Blancs 2007. For about half the price, you can sip on Gruet Winery Blanc de Noirs NV.

Cheers to the U.S.A.. 

Shame on Me!

Yesterday, I challenged myself to 24 hours of living free from products made in China. I failed miserably.

My Cup that was Made in China

As it turns out, I live in an apartment full of goods made in China. Yesterday evening, shortly after I announced to the world that I was taking a one-day hiatus from products made in China, I stopped by my next-door neighbor’s apartment. I had a green cup in my hand. As I was bragging to her about my China-free day, she said, “I bet that cup in your hand is made in China.” As it turns out, she was correct.

It got worse from there. Apparently, half of my apartment is made in China. For instance, my “Lachlan Dining Table” was made in China. I did a little research, and it turns out that I could have an American made version of my table for the same price. So, shame on me.

This morning, I got dressed in a hurry. I didn’t pay attention to where any of my outfit was manufactured. Later in the day, I decided to take a look. The only part of my outfit that was not made China was my shoes and handbag. At least I have good taste in accessories.

Even though I was not successful at my day without China challenge, this was a great exercise. I think I feel much more aware of the origin of the products that I use on a daily basis.