Inspiration

Pomegranate Salad

Pomegranate Salad

My nephew had a Spanish girlfriend once, and she made a salad similar to this one for Christmas. November and December are a perfect time of year for Pomegranate Salad, since the pomegranates are nice and ripe. Lately, I can even find organic ones! This lovely girlfriend made the salad with escarole, but I have a hard time finding organic escarole, so I made it with a mixture of other fresh greens.

Read More →
Five Clutter-Free Gift Ideas

Five Clutter-Free Gift Ideas

When I was a kid, Santa would not come unless I cleaned out my room first. We hauled out bags of trash and donated toys to make room for new stuff. And then, as I got older, I stopped wanting new stuff but still really wanted to clean out my apartment. I love the cleanliness and the lightness that comes from clearing away the clutter. But the holidays…the rooms are an explosion of stuff and clutter. Don’t throw a clutter bomb at someone! Here are some alternative gift ideas that are awesome but won’t get someone kicked out of the cult of less.

Read More →
Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you and your families health, healing, and happiness.
Happy Thanksgiving!
—Maria

Read More →
Why I Eat Meat

Why I Eat Meat

For some reason, many people are surprised when they find out I am not a vegetarian. Oh, I’ve tried it over the years and I’ve considered it seriously, but I’ve chosen a different path. I grew up on a farm with lots of animals. Yes, the animals were cute. They were my friends and I loved to play with them. But, yes, they were so delicious after a long day of playing outside. For some reason I never questioned it or felt conflicted about it, and I learned firsthand about how integral a part of the farm the animals were.

Read More →
The Lance Armstrong Pile-On

The Lance Armstrong Pile-On

Let’s get something straight from the start. I’ve never met Lance Armstrong. I’ve never worshipped him, either. And my family owns Bicycling Magazine and I’m the CEO of the company it’s a part of. I once saw him speak at A Clinton Global Initiative, and the way all those “alpha males” were fawning over each other and calling each other “my friend” over and over kind of made me want to puke, even though I didn’t quite understand why at the time.

Read More →
Royal Watching and Royal Reading

Royal Watching and Royal Reading

Fun fact: I was almost Mrs. Prince William and thus the future Queen of England. I had been accepted to St. Andrews University and would have been in the same year as both the prince and Kate Middleton, and was planning to attend except for the outrageous interference of my mother and The Incident Which Shall Not Be Discussed. Had I gone, I do presume I would have snared the prince.

Read More →
6 Seasonal Foods That Fight Fat

6 Seasonal Foods That Fight Fat

By guest blogger Lisa Drayer. Yes, fat keeps us warm, protected, and alive. But too much of a good thing can be, well, bad. If you’re trying to drop a dress size before the new year, nibble on these seasonal goodies over the holidays. You’ll thank me.

Read More →
Happy 25th Anniversary, Social Venture Network!

Happy 25th Anniversary,
Social Venture Network!

Twenty-five years ago my Dad was still alive and the world felt like a different place, even though it wasn’t. Twenty-five years ago, he took me with him to a conference at which he was a speaker. It was the first Social Venture Network conference (SVN). And thanks to my Dad, I was there. What SVN showed me over the 25 intervening years of watching businesses and people grow, and succeed, some failing, some dying, but all leaving a good mark on the earth, was that IT IS POSSIBLE. Anything was and is possible. So it is fitting that I am bringing my daughter this year to the 25th anniversary conference.

Read More →