In addition to loving L.A.’s taco trucks (see post on June 19), I guess I’m just fascinated by any business that can simply be hitched up and rolled wherever it might be needed.
That portable concept has now been applied to eco-friendly clothing and gift items. Visionary Boutique, a beautiful little shop 
headquartered at 5285 W. Pico Blvd., is owned by mom-entrepreneur Magda Rod. She and some of her “green” friends helped transform a 1966 Airstream trailer into a boutique on wheels. The result is a rolling storefront that can be “hired” for parties, eco-makeovers (to help women learn about how to keep the chemicals out of their beauty products) or other occasions.
If you want to check out the static shopping experience, bring your own wheels to the store, which is stocked with a variety of books, bedding and bath and body products. There’s clothing, of course, including Magda’s own children’s clothing line, Wildchild Wear. One of my favorite items in the line is the Visionary necklace ($32), which includes a peace sign and a tiny scroll, upon which the wearer can jot down her wish for the world.
And just to make sure she keeps it all “green,” she plants one tree for every item sold in the boutique or mobile store.
stumbled upon a great little hidden gem. Each exhibit and artifact is thoughtfully arranged and invites visitors of all ages and backgrounds to explore the depth and meaning of music in all its forms, from folk to funk and punk to pop.
You’ll find videos of his Grammy performances as well as an array of jackets – which Michael was known to wear as “house coats” – and two of his ubiquitous sparkly gloves. One of the jackets on display was worn by Michael when he received his star on the 
or other cool thing to get me through it. I have to have the shiny iPod and various podcasts to survive the treadmill, a pedometer if I’m going to take long walks and the bike with all the bells and whistles if you’re going to get me pedaling.
from sustainable natural rubber. It’s plenty cushy (3/8″ thick) and grippy, even if you’re a bit more advanced in your skills than I am. And a portion of the sale of each mat is donated to 
All kids are prone to sandwich boredom, but a mom in Melbourne, Australia, created a puzzle-based solution to the age-old problem: How do I get my child to eat her sandwich?
their love of puzzles while they fill their tummies. Each Lunch Punch set comes in four shapes that are dishwasher safe.
lunch, cleared those dishes. Can I just sit for a minute?” As soon as I leaned my head against the sofa cushion, a clear and definitive cry rang out from the back yard. Jack had taken Kate’s knee to the eye as he leapt into our inflatable pool, and the result was a good-sized gash and a swollen eye socket.
kimchi and other flavors and creating a cult frenzy of 
My 8-year-old Kate fractured her toe on Monday night, so she had to spend Tuesday morning at the office with Mom before the requisite trek to the doctor. She can easily just hang out and watch movies or listen to music, but she was drawn to the bright, friendly box on my shelf proclaiming, “Make Your Own Animal Puppets.”
Bongo. They were all amazing dogs, each special in her own crazy-dog ways. Tiger was loyal and friendly. Venus, fiercely athletic. Bongo was so smart it was like having another human in the house. Now we have Olive, a beautiful lab-pit bull cross whose energy almost matches the 4- and 8-year-olds she loves more than anything.
a tasty lesson in entrepreneurship and philanthropy. The science fair was a success, and the family developed the experimental brew into a tasty concoction, using cane sugar, molasses, vanilla and other natural ingredients. Oscar called it Margo’s Bark, after the family’s black lab-pit bull rescue, and now the Youds are on a mission to help other critters by donating all of the proceeds from the company to shelter organizations. Margo’s Bark is available at Tender Greens, Larchmont Larder, 