how frickin cute is this dolly cork screw by ALESSI. the price is cute too – $79 at BARNEYS.

ironically, two different people recently brought the new fortune-telling phenonomon known as DICEOLOGY to my attention.

one is steven wagonheim who has just released a series of six books on his revolutionary new method of divination utilizing the humble dice. a former dungeons and dragons addict, steven grew to love the many sides of multiple sided dice. i had no idea that a 12-sided dice existed––did you?! he has also been blessed with a good pyschic ability and a love for–and understanding of astrology–numerology, cartouche and tarot. with 25 years of life-long research, he’s combined them all in DICEOLOGY, an innovative new brand of astrological divination. (6/$35.95) swing by david’s site for more info: DICEOLOGY.

the second person is JEAN NASOL, new york dice reader & advisor. any gambling addict will tell you, the lure of the dice is irresistable. i felt that magnetic pull of the dice as an hour and half whizzed by. as i asked each question aloud, i would pensively shake the dice and fatefully toss them for jean to analyze. her method of diceology is fascinating, and without a doubt, slightly addictive in an extremely fun way! one dice shows the planet involved, another shows the zodiac sign, and yet another shows a number. when all three are combined, including the order in which they sit, the anwer to the query is revealed. jean’s rates are very reasonable. if you’re in new york, call for an interesting and enlightening DICE READING the next time you need some celestial advice: 917.703.2911.

while all colors are powerful, orange is exceptionally so. i suppose it is no coincidence that the mighty sign of leo is associated with the color orange. the second chakra is our seat of power, our gut, our intuition–and it is orange. when our inner orange speaks, we would do well to listen. monks don orange colored robes as a sign of wisdom. not just intelligence, but wisdom learned or channeled from a higher source, or even our higher selves. you’re loving this, aren’t you leo? lordess of the zodiac, lady marmalade!

LADY MARMALADE is one of my all time fave songs known best for it’s naughty, aggressive and oversexed lyrics (especially for it’s time). “voulez-vous coucher avec moi c’est soir?” or in english, “would you make love to me tonight?” well, wouldn’t you know–the color orange also symbolizes pleasure, as in unquenchable lust. considering leo is essentially a big ball of orange fur, i’m thinking this pussy cat’s pretty good in the sack. am i right leo?

LADY MARMALADE

1 oz scotch
1 1/2 tbsp marmalade
1 oz honey syrup
1 oz fresh lemon juice

stir exceedingly well, or shake vigorously over ice. strain into ice packed-lowball glass.

***honey syrup: 1 c water, 1/2 c honey. heat on stove until dissolved (should be a few minutes on simmer). add splash of vodka and store in fridge.

wanna know about the spiritual manifestations of the color orange, or any other color for that matter? read TONY & TINA COLOR ENERGY. via intoxicated zodiac

you could easily ask, what came first the zodiac or the animal? animals have always been an integral part of human life.

the chinese zodiac consists of a circle of animals. this was created in ancient china so that the peasants could better understand the astrology that their emperor (and themselves by extension) practiced so religiously. which incidentally was not based on constellations, but on calendar years. because most peasants did not know how to read or write, an animal was created to symbolize each year. hence we have year of the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar.

Up until last year I thought I was a boar. Then I found SUZANNE WHITE’S website and voila, I’m a dog! Turns out… suzanne did a little research (ok, a lot) and found that it was not enough to simply go by the year in which you were born. as in western astrology, you might have been on the cusp, like me. I was born in the first week of the year, so i thought i was the chinese animal for that year. not so. i am actually the chinese animal for the year before. i suggest you make it a life priority to confirm you are the correct chinese zodiac animal!

in western astrology, more than half of our zodiacal constellations take the form of animals. leo the lion, sagittarius the horse/man, pisces the fishes, aries the ram, capricorn the goat, taurus the bull, scorpio the scorpion and cancer the crab. these soular animals are somewhat revered, especially by people like me!

so revered and so abused. the point of my post today is to celebrate WORLD WEEK FOR ANIMALS IN LABORATORIES.

A Landmark Agreement
In February, 2008, three U.S. government agencies, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Toxicology Program (NTP), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), signed a five-year agreement to create innovative and animal-free methods to evaluate the safety of drugs and chemicals with the goal of phasing out animal tests entirely.

The NRC’s Groundbreaking Report
In July, 2007, the prestigious National Research Council (NRC) issued a report, “Toxicology for the 21st Century,” which outlines a new approach that would rely less on animal studies and focus instead upon in vitro methods. According to the report, “Over time, the need for traditional animal testing could be greatly reduced, and possibly even eliminated someday.”

Broad and sweeping changes are slowly being realized for animals, and now is the time to speak out. they ARE listening! all it takes is one letter, one phone call, one action… to make a big difference.

click here to see how you can help lab animals.

see how easy it is to shop cruelty free here.

read about the recent government scam over animal testing in the WASHINGTON POST

(photo credit)

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i’ve always had a thing for snakes. they’re just sexy, dark, and much of humanity doesn’t care for them, which makes me like them all the more. of late, an abundance of all things snake have hit the market. here are some of my faves:

ABOVE: faux python cocktail shaker and bar set from KIM SEYBERT at ($85 SAKS FIFTH AVE)

RIGHT: reversible snake goblet from VIVRE. ($375-$450) but think of it as two glasses for one. a martini on one end… flip it over and it becomes a oversized goblet on the other.

these amazing glazed python coasters from KILN have become some of my most prized possessions. porcelain & cork; hand fired in brooklyn; ($90/set of 4) check out the incredible detail below:

and remember kids, real snake is BAD.

fake snake is GOOD. the former is often nailed to a tree and skinned alive. i wouldn’t wish a death like that on my very worst enemy. ok, my second to very worst enemy ; )

how kitchy are these faux plastic cups?!

i don’t know where to buy them, but these glass “plastic” cups out of the Czech Republic are pretty cool… check em out at QUBUS DESIGN

i wish i thought of this! what a great idea from DCI GIFT… the I’M NOT A PAPER CUP cup… i want one now! ($20) VIA DESIGN MILK

those of you familiar with Intoxicated Zodiac know that pretty much every day is EARTH DAY around here! so i’m going to honor this holiday by paying homage to another that was sorely overlooked. that would be WORLD WATER DAY. it passed without much fanfare about a month back.

angus winchester wisely declares in the march 2007 issue of BARTENDER MAGAZINE, that the most important cocktail ingredient is not vodka, not gin, not lemon, nor sugar… it’s water! ice, ice, baby…

he states that “the most important thing he has learned in 15 years of bartending is a pint of water and two paracetemol before bed.” ok, i have no clue what para whatever is, but angus goes on to rightly claim that “bartenders should give them tap water at every opportunity. [he] suggests after a while those who drink water will feel better the next day and make the connection, or maybe you could use the reason you are encouraging water drinking to demonstrate your knowledge and increase your connection with the customer.” in [his] fantasy bar every cocktail would come with a water back.”

i could NOT agree more. i practically have to beg the bartender to get me water when i’m out for the night. not to mention, in a crowded bar who needs dehydrated bad breath? plenty water makes for more than just long lines at the lou, it helps freshen breath.

there are several types of waters which include mineral water, artesian water, sparkling water, spring water, sterile water and well water.

of course there are a zillion enhanced waters on the market. most recently, HOLY DRINKING WATER, has become available! yes, blessed water in a bottle.

last year, THE NEW YORK TIMES wrote a pretty groundbreaking piece on cocktails. it had to do with the spiritual quality of water and it’s effect on the taste of cocktails.

EMPLOYEES ONLY in NYC did an experiment inspired by a Japanese photographer Masaru Emoto, who believes that water is positively or negatively affected by energy. “By taking photos of frozen water molecules, Emoto found there was a difference in the crystal structures of water that had been blessed with prayer and water that hadn’t.” “So [they] conducted an experiment. Five bartenders, all making the same drink. A daiquiri. Measured pours. The same ice. And the drinks were all different. [They] repeated the experiment many times, and always the same result.” it brings a whole nother meaning to the phrase “think positive,” doesn’t it?

“We cannot know why this is,” Mr. Zaric said. “We can only observe the consequences.” But Mr. Zaric has a theory, of course. “If the bartender is relaxed and confident the drink will taste one way,” he said, pausing to shake a martini. “If he’s anxious, if his buttons are being pushed, the drink will taste another. The bartender doesn’t want to make you a bad drink — it just comes out that way.”

THE CRYSTAL ON THE LEFT WAS PHOTOGRAPHED WITHOUT PRAYER. THE ONE ON THE RIGHT WAS AFTER AN HOUR LONG PRAYER SESSION. a picture is worth a thousand words! (credit)

Below you’ll find some interesting water-related tidbits…

***the average amercian family consumes 300 gallons of water a day. when you count watering the lawn and washing dishes, clothes and cars. some ideas on recycling water:

1. while waiting for the tap to heat up, save the cold water in a pitcher and use it to flush the toilet. got a humidifier? empty it into the plants. and don’t let your pet’s unused water go to waste. don’t just dump it down the drain, dump it into a plant.
2. install a low flow showerhead.
3. collect rainwater. yes, you can set up a fancy gathering system. or just use a few five gallon pails to start with.

***the term WATER WAR refers not to kevin costners bombed movie, but a very possible catastrophe. corporations are buying up what was once free. forget about gold – water treatment stocks is where it’s at – but keep it diversified. not every company will make it, but the future is strong for liquid investments.

***if you’re in the big apple, catch the WATER=LIFE EXHIBIT running though may 26th, at the MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY.

check out this cool water “bridge” recently discovered by scientists. VIA PHYSORG

celebrate this earth day by appreciating water. also, it wouldn’t hurt to check out my OFFICIAL LIST OF ECO-ALCOHOL or to peruse colleen’s EARTH DAY PIECE too.

virgo’s thick plumes of fragrant lemongrass are mercurial in nature. while people ruled by mercury have a reputation of untouchability, plants ruled by this planet are known for their unphotographability! their fine, whispy leaves just won’t hold still for the camera. mercury is the also aloof planet that lends this quality to citronella bug repellent. that smell is lemongrass, and it keeps the bugs far, far away. hard to have, hard to shoot, hard to please—that’s virgo in a nutshell. they are demanding… but in a good way, of course. that perfectionistic quality is what drove them to become the richest sign of the zodiac. yup, the top 12% of billionaires are virgos! (unsurprisingly, sagittarius the party animal came in last). well if i didn’t before, i certainly do now… wish i were a virgo : )

UNTOUCHABLE

1 1/2 oz coconut water
2 oz lemongrass syrup*
2 oz white rum
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice

*chop 2 stalks lemon grass and simmer with 2 cups organic sugar and 1 cup water for 20 minutes. strain, add splash of vodka, and store in fridge.

CREDIT

thanks to COFFEE AND VANILLA for hosting WEEKEND HERB BLOGGING

no, actually the IZ zodiac cocktail tote is still the only one that visually combines astrology & cocktails. but EDYE SANFORD’S ZODIAC BAGS offer a nice “twist” with their zodiac printed cocktail party bags. ($24.99)

VIA STYLEHIVE

you know how they say opposites attract? well i believe that holds especially true in astrology. opposite signs attract. being the cold blooded, hard-assed, cynical old goat that i am… warm, passionate, fiery, optimistic signs enliven me. i’ve mentioned this before, but almost every single ex of mine is an aries. old patterns die hard, no? take a look at the peeps in your life. bet they’re mostly made up of the same bunch of signs… excluding family of course. that’s a no-holds barred area! but back to the birthday baby, aries. when you see an aries, you’ll often know it. they are energetic, fun, positive, ardent and probably playing some cheesy drinking game i wouldn’t be caught dead in.

heath ledger was no exception. a wild party animal (enough to keep up with mary kate). he aptly fit the aries profile. but as we all see now, he had a much more serious side, thanks to the heavy influence of water signs in his chart… moon in cancer and venus in pisces, to name but a few. while fire signs indicate a passionate nature, water signs indicate a sensitive one. remember peeps, we’re much more than our sun sign… happy birthday heath.
(PHOTO CREDIT)