Monday, March 31, 2008

what's in a scent?

method has worked hard from the very beginning to give their products some amazing, and many times unique, scents! We know them well, and can't get enough of them!

My question to you is, what scent would you love to see from method? Drop me a comment, and let me know what scent/scents you'd love in your favorite method products! Also, let me know if you see this scent as an everyday line fragrance, or moreso a special edition, Fall or Holiday scent? I'll add your suggestions to the list below! (To read the details from the suggestions, just click on the comments link.) Thanks!

method scent suggestions:
New: Clove + Mandarin (Fall/Holiday), Juniper/Fir (Holiday), Minneola (special edition), Pomegranate, Sugar Cookie (Holiday)

Return Requests: Fig, Rosemary Mint

why is tiny always so cute?

Check out these tiny little pink grapefruit spray cleaner bottles! They've got them over across the way (in the UK!) and while I'm not sure if these were for sale, or were simply for marketing purposes (free samples?) I think they rock! They're packaged in the same way as the Holiday spray cleaner line is here in the ole' US! Which got me to thinking?

Wouldn't a continuation of that line work wonderfully throughout the year! Now that method has introduced special edition candles (starting this Spring; and they always having Fall and Holiday editions); what if they started doing mini spray cleaners, just like the holiday line, but as special editions for each season! Imagine, tiny floral scented cleaning sprays for spring (or uh, what about Lemongrass? OH MAN, what I wouldn't give for the return of Lemongrass! Uh, anyway...) or a cut grass special edition cleaning spray for the Summer? How about some Clove + Mandarin spray for Fall? (Hint, hint?)

Mmm, I think it's a great idea! Now I want to know what you think? In the past, the Holiday line has remained at the same price point as the larger spray cleaners. But I tend to look at it is a fun splurge, since they don't stick around for long! Would you be willing to purchase these?

the ideal solution (is method!)

We like to keep up with all our worldly goings-ons! And what with method expanding everywhere (uh, Hong Kong, Canada, Australia, anyone?) we got a lot of work to do! The folks over in the UK are currently set up at the Ideal Home Show in London (and would I LOVE to be there! Man!) In fact, they're inviting you! Check it out, via the method UK blog:

"we would love to invite all of you over to our home for a cuppa, but we don’t have nearly enough chairs. so we set up a cozy home away from home at the Ideal Home Show in London, complete with bathtub, aroma bar, and a lot of squeaky green method products (including some of our coveted “plastic bag rehab” bags).

if you’re in the Earls Court area, please stop by and take a load off (or even a bath). you can find our shiny happy faces at stand 2M1 through the 6th of April."

The show began March 14th (I didn't know, or I would have posted it earlier! Please forgive me, I'm only human. Well, mostly.) And check out their own environmentally green dog, Squeaky (you can see him in the photo above, in the upper left hand corner! Aw, cute! You can even get your own little dog here! He's not green, but I sure think orange is awfully swell!) Even the San Francisco-ian method team has gotten in on the fun, which features sneak peeks of the new squeaky green book, and an aroma bar (Heavenly!) where you can tantalize your senses and win a full Detox Home kit (one up for grabs each day) just by letting them know your favourite method scent! See the pic below for all the sniffing goodness!

And speaking of goodness, who knew such hotness worked for method! I mean, where did they all come from? Yowza! (And the girls are pretty cute, too!) I gotta go take a cold shower now, you gotta check out the Ideal Home Show!

ohdeedoh!

Hey, take a look over at Ohdeedoh! (Apartment Therapy's own children/nursery blog! And we all love some Apartment Therapy!) and check out the great write-up on method's new squeaky green baby/kids line, as well as a little hype over method lust! (Oh yeah!) Thanks!

The article begins:

"Now your babies and kids can enlist in the "fight against dirty" with a new line of personal care products from Method.

We knew Method products had a bit of a cult following, but we had no idea someone had devoted an entire blog to them. Reader Robert tipped us off to these new products and directed us to method lust which seems to have the inside scoop as even Method's own website hasn't publicized these lines yet..."

(I'm blushing! And thanks, Robert, for giving Ohdeedoh the heads up!) Check out the rest of the article over at Ohdeedoh! (How many times can we say Ohdeedoh? It's such a fun word!)

Oh, and be sure to check out this sweet little bit about the baby/kids line at lifeography {the blog}! Seems little ole' method lust is startin' to get some notice! (And Saturday brought in the highest visitor numbers yet to the blog! Me so excited! No, really, I am, I am! And it's all thanks to you!)

Friday, March 28, 2008

sneak peek!

Check out this great sneak peek of the new method moisture lounge line of personal body care products! The line will carry body wash (in a new pump bottle) and bar soap. (Never fear, with the new marine naturals line coming in August, here's hoping our dreams and wishes for shampoo/conditioner (and perhaps even bubble bath?) will come true.)

The collection extends their creamy hand wash line. (Notice the similarities of the bottle design to their creamy hand wash bottles?) The scents will also continue in that theme, featuring almond flower (pictured. I LOVE almond flower!), olive leaf (which is making a return, as this scent was used in their first personal care line), and white tea.

This seems like a much more pared down line, coming off of the bloq body collection (what with that line also having shaving cream and body lotion. And I'm still not sure if the shaving cream is going to also be discontinued, or will remain? I'd love it to stick around.) But either way, I'm thinking (but don't know) that perhaps this is a light personal care line push (and it sounds GREAT!) but that the marine naturals line coming in August will bulk up this area of the method personal care brand. All speculation on my end, but time will tell!

These should be on store shelves within the next few weeks! I'll let you know as soon as I find them! (And you let me know if you find them, also!)

organic cooking method style - final day!

It's the final day (day five) of our organic cooking, method style. One more time, Johnny! These recipes are taken from the great time everyone had during method's Detox Seattle campaign! Check method lust for earlier recipes; as well as this post for cocktail recipes, and more information on Detox Seattle! I thought this recipe would go great with the almond cookies from day one! No better way to end a week of method cooking than with dessert! So without further ado, today's recipe:

Green Tea Ice Cream
Makes one quart
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1/4 tsp salt
6 each eggs, large
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tbsp Matcha (green tea powder)

Instructions
Bring cream, milk and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Turn off heat. Whisk eggs, sugar and matcha in a bowl (tea will not completely dissolve). Add 1 cup of the hot cream mixture and slowly add it while whisking well. Then add the rest of the hot cream mixture to bowl and whisk in well. Place back in the sauce pan and cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until it coats the back of the spoon. Don’t boil the mixture! Run it through a sieve and then chill down in the refrigerator until very cold or chill quickly in an ice bath. Freeze in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Enjoy! And thanks to the method Detox Seattle campaign! What I really want to know is when they're going to have a method Nathan's North Carolina House campaign? Well, it was worth a try...

is that soap refill in your pouch, or are you just happy to see me?

The new method soap refill pouches have begun to hit the shelves! These are refills for the hand wash line, which also includes new refill pouches for their foaming hand wash and go naked varieties. So far I've only spotted the sweet water refills, but did notice the new packaging. Earlier it was reported on Sustainable Is Good:

"The company is also working on a redesign of the graphic design for the pouch. Addressing concerns over readability of some of the white text on its current pouch refills, Method's new pouches will be white with "images of the colored bottle scattered across the front in a free-form mosaic," Molinari said."

Check'em out next time you're in Target, or your local store that carries method products! (Unfortunately I don't have a photo of the new packaging yet. I need to start carrying a camera with me during Target trips! When I get one I'll post it!)

Thursday, March 27, 2008

organic cooking (still method style) - day four!

It's day fo' (that's four in slang talk, ya know?) of our organic cooking, method style. Let's recap. (In or favorite tv show voice-over) Previously, on method lust: These recipes are taken from the great time everyone had during method's Detox Seattle campaign! Check method lust for earlier recipes; as well as this post for cocktail recipes, and more information on Detox Seattle! So without further ado, today's recipe:

Bing Cherry and Red Wine Reduction
Serves 6

1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup Bing cherries, dried
1 cup red wine (Shiraz)
2 tablespoons shallot — small diced
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
1 pinch lavender, dried
1 each garlic clove — smashed
1 tablespoon butter, unsalted

Instructions
Bring all ingredients to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 30 minutes until sauce is reduced by half.

Strain through a fine mesh sieve and push sauce through with a rubber spatula. Heat up sauce just prior to serving and swirl in one tablespoon of butter. Keep warm on the back of the stove until ready to serve.

I can just taste this over some delicious roasted chicken! If anyone gets a chance to try out these recipes (and we hope you do!) be sure to post here and let us know how they came out!

leather or not

...And continuing the bad leather titles (it makes sense, if you're JUST messed up enough to get it.) I'm happy to report the leather wipes are not being discontinued! I had posted previously (see love leather straight to my heart. See, see what I mean by the titles! Who writes this stuff, anyway?) that the leather wipes were being clearanced at Target, and wondered what was going on. method is simply repackaging the wipes in flat packs (the same type currently used for the Tub + Tile wipes.) So look for them back on shelves very soon!

(I'm curious if this trend in wipes packaging will continue. See my previous post on the flat packs method uses in the UK for their all purpose cleaning wipes.)

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

because I said so!

Oh my gosh, the new method baby personal care line is almost here! And I got news to dish! In fact, it's a baby AND kids line! And it's freakin' adorable!

Check out this great new line from method, expected in stores mid-April! First off, those bottles. They are in the shape of little people, with giant mouths forming the labels. OH... MY... WORD... I can't deal. It's just too cute. I find this packaging to be so inspired! It's excellent!
The kid line comes in Fuzzy Peach and Crisp Apple scents, and features 3-in-1 shampoo (shampoo! I'm thinkin' if they're making it for the kids, can adults be far behind! More on that in a bit...), and body wash! The 3-in-1 shampoo is actually body wash, shampoo + conditioner in one! It's 99% natural, pediatrician tested (does this mean they tested it on pediatricians?), and is hypoallergenic! The body wash is listed as a gentle cleanser, and also lists being 99% natural and hypoallergenic! Great news for sensitive skin!

The baby line consists of hair + body wash, bubbly bath (that is SO mine, I don't even care if it's for babies! We adults demand bubble bath, method! Demand! Well, pretty please?), diaper cream and body lotion! They come in Rice Milk + Mallow scent. These items are listed as gentle, non irritating, tear free, hypoallergenic, and pediatrician tested. All are 99% natural, with two exceptions, the body lotion and diaper cream are listed as 95% natural. I'm not sure what the 'non-natural" items are, but I'm sure given method they're still great! I'll see if I can get more info. on that. (*see below.)
Also, if you'll notice, the line is called squeaky green! Hmm, that sounds vaguely familiar? HMM, really now? Seriously, the whole line looks great, and I've already called up and mentioned that my nephew, Jake, would be getting it ALL! (Ok, well maybe not ALL of it, since he's, well, not a baby anymore. But definitely the kids line!) So get prepared, throw out the old bath items (or just donate them nicely to someone else. Then tell them about the new method line, they'll run out and buy it, donate the items you donated to them, to someone else; they'll tell them about method, and before you know it, it'll be like a fruitcake, sent around the world, but as uh, donated bath cleansers. Ya know, always given, never used! Cause they'll be runnin' out to get this great new method line! Ok, yeah, just go with me on that one, alright?)

These sound great, I can't wait to check them out in the stores! Crisp Apple, you are so mine! (I mean, I'm buying that for little Jake, yeah, that's what I mean. Right, uh huh.)

UPDATE From Felicia, at method: That last 5% in the diaper cream comes down to a few things including an active ingredient called dimethicone; it works to heal any sensitive baby bottoms, but is not a naturally-derived ingredient. It's one of the times when we have to choose the non-natural ingredient for the greater good of our littlest advocates. Thanks Felicia!

quick bits

A brand new personal care line is just a few weeks away! It's called moisture lounge, and uh, that's all I know at the moment. But the minute I get more information, including what is in the line, and photos; I'll blog about them! Also, another personal care line is expected in addition to this one, currently called marine naturals - it will be available in August. Again, more on that particular item later this year. But I hope to get information on the moisture lounge line soon! Until then, go stock up on the bloq body line!

vintage method!

Check out this vintage method image! Circa late 2001 (ok, so is 2001 vintage? Let's just play along, ok!), it's the (as far as I know, anyway) very first method homepage! You'll notice the dot before the method name is used throughout the blurb. Of course the dot remains as an aspect of their logo today, but they no longer go by ".method" when using their name in print. Just a bit of method trivia! I think this kind of stuff is great to see, a blast from the past!

are you part of the problem, or solution?

From CNN.com:
"Some 220 square miles of ice has collapsed in Antarctica and an ice shelf about seven times the size of Manhattan is "hanging by a thread," the British Antarctic Survey said Tuesday, blaming global warming.

"We are in for a lot more events like this," said professor Ted Scambos, a glaciologist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Scambos alerted the British Antarctic Survey after he noticed part of the Wilkins ice shelf disintegrating on February 28, when he was looking at NASA satellite images.

Late February marks the end of summer at the South Pole and is the time when such events are most likely, he said. "The amazing thing was, we saw it within hours of it beginning, in between the morning and the afternoon pictures of that day," Scambos said of the large chunk that broke away on February 28.

The Wilkins ice shelf lost about 6 percent of its surface a decade ago, the British Antarctic Survey said in a statement on its Web site. Another 220 square miles -- including the chunk that Scambos spotted -- had splintered from the ice shelf as of March 8, the group said. Scambos' center put the size of the threatened shelf at about 5,282 square miles, comparable to the state of Connecticut, or about half the area of Scotland..." click here to read the rest.

(method lust will post environmental news here every once in a while, because believe it or not, environmental concerns are a large part of why method exists.)

dish the dirt

Ah, the method dish cube! So small, so powerful, so smell-tastic (especially the lavender, it made the whole kitchen smell great!), so... well, discontinued?

Why? I've been curious about this for quite some time. Years ago (I'm not sure how long, but it feels like a while), method introduced the dish cube to their line. Dish cubes had begun to gain popularity, and so it seemed natural for them to do this! And they were great! Here's a review of the product from about.com:

"Method dish cubes are convenient, work well, and smell great. Convenience is a great selling point, when consumers are able to drop a little packet into the dishwasher and be done. No measuring, no overfilling, no spilling. The Method dish cubes did a fantastic job even on baked food and grease. (Just don't get the cubes wet or they will dissolve instantly.)

Method's dish cubes are fantastic for our fast paced life. I loved the idea of my son loading the dishwasher without me worrying about spilled detergent, overfilling the detergent cup, or even using too little. He took a dish cube, put it in the detergent cup and started the dishwasher.

I hate prerinsing dishes, but some detergents just aren't strong enough to remove all the dirt on dishes. Method dish cubes did a fantastic job on even baked on food, and especially on grease. My dishes looked great without harsh chemical residue. Running the dishwasher alone with a Method dish cube, left the dishwasher clean and sparkling inside."

Sounds great, doesn't it! Then, poof, they were gone from Target shelves. method home's site states in their FAQ section:

"Where can i find the method dish cubes? - We're sorry. method dish cubes have been discontinued in most retailers. There are some available for sale at methodhome.com." If you do attempt to order them through their quickshop on the method home site, lavender apparenty has been completely discontinued, cucumber lemon is out-of-stock, but you can apparenty still order pink grapefruit, at least it let me add it to my shopping cart.

So my question is, what happened to the method dish cube? Is it gone? Only available on their site? I thought for a time they were refining the product, and going to re-release it. But no go. It seems to leave a hole in the dish washing products they carry. Not everyone washes dishes by hand only; so it would seem natural they'd have a dishwasher variety. To be honest, I had to move on to Seventh Generation dishwasher detergent, since I could no longer find the method brand. (Sacrilege, I know!)

If anyone at method knows what happened to the dish cube, drop me a comment or email! I'd like to know! According to the polls currently going on method lust (check the right sidebar) dish cubes come in at no. 2 (only below hair care) for one of the most requested new items we wish method would produce! So there is definitely still a demand for these! Are you one of those people?

method quotes

"...if all detergents were to switch to concentrated formula, it would save 400 million gallons of water and about 200 million lbs. of plastic a year."
- Adam Lowry, method co-founder

organic cooking method style - day three!

It's day three of our organic cooking, method style. (Cooking, on a method cleaning products site? Wha?) ...Annnd, let's rinse and repeat: These recipes are taken from the great time everyone had during method's Detox Seattle campaign! Check method lust for earlier recipes; as well as this post for cocktail recipes, and more information on Detox Seattle! So without further ado, today's recipe:

Saffron-Infused Fennel Soup with Almonds and Parsley Oil
Serves 6

Over the years I’ve developed a fond appreciation for all things licorice. Considering the fact that I despised black jellybeans as a child, I suppose I’m making up for lost time. I developed this soup recipe around my love for the licorice tasting fennel root, one of my favorite adult ingredients.

Passing the soup through the sieve is optional but if you want a truly luxurious texture I encourage you to do it.

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 ea onion, large — medium-diced
2 tsps salt
2 cloves garlic — sliced thin
3 ea fennel bulbs — sliced
1/4 tsp saffron
1/2 cup Vermouth
3/4 cup almonds — toasted (save 1/4 cup for garnish)
1 quart vegetable stock
Lemon — to taste
Black pepper, freshly ground — to taste
1 bunch parsley, Italian
1 clove garlic — rough chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp lemon zest

Instructions
In a medium-sized soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and salt and stirring occasionally, cook for 5 minutes until starting to lightly brown. Add garlic and sliced fennel and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add saffron threads and vermouth and scrape the bottom of the pot to release any stuck or browned bits. Add 1/2 cup of the almonds and the stock and raise the heat to high. When the soup has come to a boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook until the fennel is very soft, about 30 minutes.

Transfer the soup to a blender and blend until very smooth. If extra smoothness is desired, press soup through a fine sieve. Return the pot to the stove and taste for seasoning. Add lemon juice to brighten up the flavors (start with the juice of half a lemon and then taste again). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Parsley Oil:
Bring a small pot of water to a boil and dip the bunch of parsley into it until the leaves turn a vibrant green, about 5 seconds. Pull out and immediately dunk into a bowl of ice water. Squeeze all the liquid out and cut off the top of the bunch, discarding the bottom stems. (Some little stems between the leaves are fine). Put the parsley, garlic, salt, oil and lemon zest into a blender or small food processor and blend to a smooth paste. Taste for salt.

To finish the soup, serve in shallow, wide bowls. Top with a spoonful of parsley oil in the middle with some toasted almonds on top.

Tasty!

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

method quickies

Quick questions answered by official method reps!

Q: I'd love special handy wipes for all the electronic screens in my life. I don't know if anyone makes something like this, but I have so many screens (laptop, phone, ipod, monitor, tv) and they all get dusty or fingerprinted. I'm never sure what the best way to clean them is, so I'd love a cleaner-fluid-moistened wipe that was designed for these all important viewing areas. And I'd love for it to be made by Method!

A: Try method microfiber window + glass cleaning cloths! They're not moistened, but the millions of tiny fibers are perfect for grabbing up dust, smudges and dirt. Best thing is, they'll keep your delicate electronics perfectly dry and are washable.

bang that thread!

Yeah, I'm not sure what "threadbanger" means either (though I'm pretty sure it's a really hip term I'm totally out of the loop on! You can tell I'm out of the loop cause I use terms like "hip". Right? Right.) Either way, they're throwing a method contest:

"Hi All!
Do you have home decor projects that you've done? Send in a picture or video to tips@threadbanger.com and the most unique ones will be featured on the ThreadBanger Blog and on Meg's blog, Enderby Nest. The most unique one will win Method's earth friendly home detox kit! Send in your submissions by March 28th 2008."

So be sure to check them out, and send in your entry! The contest ends soon, so good luck!

organic cooking method style - day two!

It's day two of our organic cooking, method style. These recipes are taken from the great time everyone had during method's Detox Seattle campaign! Check this post for yesterday's recipe; as well as this post for cocktail recipes, and more information on Detox Seattle! So without further ado, today's recipe:

Goat Cheese Tarts with Bing Cherry-Lavender Compote
and Pickled Red Onion

Tart Dough (Makes 4 7″ tarts)
2 cups All Purpose Flour
8 ounces Butter, Unsalted (2 sticks), cold — cut into 1/2 inch cubes
½ tsp Salt
6 tbsp Ice Water — may need a few more tablespoons
1 each Egg — beat well with a tablespoon of water
½ cup Bing Cherries, dried
3 branches Thyme
1 tsp Lavender, dried
½ cup Red wine
¼ each Red onion — sliced into paper thin slices
2 tbsp Red wine vinegar
¼ tsp Salt
4 ounces Goat Cheese
2 tbsp Water
1 each Egg
2 tablespoons Butter, Unsalted
1 each Leek, small — sliced thin, white and light green parts only

Instructions
Pickled Red Onions: Mix the red onion with the red wine vinegar and salt. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, mixing occasionally until it turns a bright fuscia. Set aside.

Make the dough: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the flour, butter and salt into a food processor. Pulse about 30 times. Check the consistency of the dough. You want to see the butter in small pieces (the size of small peas or large grains of rice). When you have reached that consistency, dump the contents into a wide bowl.

Add 6 tablespoons of ice water to the bowl and with one hand, with fingers in a “claw” shape, mix the dough. Squeeze dough in your hands. If it holds together for a moment, before crumbling, it’s ready. If it’s completely dry and does not hold together for a moment, add a tiny bit more water. Mix again with your hand. You do not want to add too much water. Lay out some plastic wrap. Turn the contents out onto the plastic wrap (it’s desirable that it is not in one big ball, but still a bit crumbly) Pull up the sides of the plastic wrap, using it to help form a disc out of the pastry. Cut the disc into 2 or 4 equal pieces (depending on how big you want the tarts to be). Put each ball in a piece of plastic wrap and form into rough discs. Chill completely, for at least 15 minutes.

Roll out each piece so that the dough is 1/8” thin. You will need to dust the counter and the dough with flour to keep it from sticking. Use a plate as a guide and cut a circle around it. Crimp the edges of the tart, poke the bottom all over with the tines of a fork and lay out on a sheet pan. Brush the edges with the egg wash. Chill for 15 minutes. Bake tarts in the middle of the oven for 15-20 minutes until nicely browned. You may want to rotate the pans midway through the cooking, top to bottom, front to back. Lift the tart carefully and make sure the bottom is cooked. It should be light brown. Let cool.

Make the filling and assemble tarts: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium size bowl, mix goat cheese, water and egg until it is a smooth consistency. Melt butter in a sauté pan and add leeks. Saute until tender but don’t brown.Spread onto tarts over the cheese and bake the tarts in a 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes until it sets up. Out of the oven, sprinkle the pickled red onion over the tarts. Slice each one into 8 pieces and serve right away.

This sounds way yummy, and much more complimentary to some great method influenced cocktails! Enjoy!

Monday, March 24, 2008

work it!

Wanna work for method? (And don't we all, really!) Hey, you didn't even think it was possible, did ya? Well, it is! Live in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, or hey, possibly even from your own home? Check out their method home site, as the company is growing like crazy, and new positions are posted here regularly! Check them out today!

(Ok, and can I digress for just one moment (sure, Nathan, sure.) The above photo is from the home offices of method, in San Fran. And I am swearing to you, I have not seen this photo before now (I just found it searching on their site, and thought it rocked!), and method lust carries with it the exact same color scheme as the method home offices (or at least this photo.) I mean, that is freaky! f.r.e.a.k.y! And yet so cool! It's like it was meant to be!)

here today...

Ok everyone, you might want to be sitting down for this one. This is gonna hurt...

I went on one of my Target trips today during lunch, and noticed that, sigh, the method bloq body wash and bars are being clearanced. Many of you have taken note of the fact that the lotion went away a couple of months ago, and it's with a heavy heart and lots of antidepressant medication that I say to you, the body wash/bars are following suit. The only remaining non-discontinued item in the bloq line at Target as of this moment is the shaving cream.

Discontinued, you say? But you just said clearanced, nothing about discontinued? Well, the reason for the bloq items being clearanced is a brand new personal care line is due later this year (and if you'll also notice, they've been on sale on the method home site for a while now; buy 3, save 10%; buy 5 or more, save 15%. The sale is still ongoing, so check it out!) Now, I thought later this year would have meant in the third or fourth quarter (anywhere from July - December.) But this clearance has surprised even me!

Surely we won't be without our method body line for such a long period of time? Previous rumors (posted earlier on method lust) suggested a new baby personal care line might be coming out in April. Perhaps the wires were crossed, and a new adult personal care line will be premiering then/or in addition to? I'll look into this further and see what new information I can attain. Until then, stock up! I will most definitely be doing so! I LOVE the green mint, and hate to see it go! I'd almost hope that scent would be making it into the new personal care line, but method has, up until now at least, not been big about carrying scents from previous to new lines (with a few exceptions, but very few.)

Hopefully the new personal care line will carry hair care (shampoo and conditioner) as this is currently the most requested new method item (according to our method lust poll, check it out on the sidebar!) More news as it becomes available!

to be(ad), or not to be(ad)?


Here's a question for you? Aroma beads! What were your thoughts? method released these for the 2007 Holiday season. I had hopes they would then release them in non-Holiday scents for 2008 (like they did for the aroma sticks) but so far, no go? So what do you think? Should method include these as a regular part of the aircare line?

Let yourself be heard, comment below! method will listen, so the more interest, the better the chances! Aroma beads, yay or nay?

let the countdown begin!

UPDATE Now with an excerpt from the upcoming book!

Nine days (April 1st, and I can guarantee you this isn't a joke! Dirty cleaning is the only joke here, folks; the only joke!) 'til method's first book, "Squeaky Green" shines brightly in stores! Yay! (Or, order the exclusive HSN edition before anyone else, and gloat! ...I would!)

And while we're waiting those nine days, be sure to head on over to amazon.com, and check out their great sneak peek! Pages and pages!

Here is an excerpt from the book:

"Why Detox?

Reason #1: the line where your home ends and you begin is more blurry than ever.

We believe a home is more than just a box: it's sort of a second skin. It could be a third skin if you're counting clothes. So why would you clean your tub with harsh chemicals and then soak in it?

This is why all of our bodies are literally polluted.

This toxin buildup is called a "body burden" because it does just that - burden our bodies with toxic crap. A recent study proved this burden isn't just shouldered by adults: 287 chemicals (including pesticides, garbage waste, and flame retardants) were found in the bloodstream of newborn babies. Of those 287 chemicals, 180 are know to cause cancer in people or animals, 217 are toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 208 cause birth defects in animals. Think about it: these babies were just released from what you'd think is the most sterile environment around, the womb. Talk about innocent victims.

It's disturbing information.

But don't freak out. Take a few deep breaths. Now, slowly walk over to your kitchen sink, then your bathroom sink, and throw away all the cleaning products you've stashed there. Wasn't that simple?

Danny's Tip: While you may think it's green to throw away all our toxic cleaning supplies into the trash and start fresh, think again. By tossing them in the trash, you're actually improperly disposing of household hazardous waste, which could end up leaking into our waterways. Instead, use up what you have and buy green the next time you stock up on cleaning supplies. But if you can't wait, then visit Earth911.org and find a local household hazardous waste drop-off site near you to dispose of these toxic cleaning supplies properly..."

Pick up the book (and check out the sneak peek) to read more!

is your home a method home?

Be sure to read this great little article from the blog, Baby Let's Shop! Especially if you're a parent!

"I hate wiping down The Babe’s (their one year old boy) highchair tray with a disinfecting wipe and then wiping it down again with a wet paper towel to wipe off the chemical residue left behind from the wipe. It totally defeats the easy one step process of the wipes. That’s why I love Method’s cleaning products. Method’s products are naturally derived, non-hazardous, biodegradable and non-corrosive. In other words no more cleaning things twice to make sure your baby is safe and not licking up poison.

We have been testing out a variety of Method’s home cleaning products. I so far own their all purpose spray, all purpose wipes, tub and tile cleaner, floor cleaner and glass cleaner and have been pleased by the results of all of them. My home is noticeably clean with out the thick heavy chemical smell in the air left after a day of cleaning after a house full of boys. My favourite product right now is the tub and tile cleaner. We have a drain in our tub that is always clogged and will not unclog, after the first time I used the cleaner in our tub the tub drained fully!

My home is now strictly a “Method” home. Shortly after trying out Method’s household cleaners I packed up all our poisonous cleaners into a big box and sent them out of our house. Their products come in a variety of scents, even scentless, which is great for those bothered by smells. They definitely aim to please everyone."

organic cooking method style

Last week we stepped back in method time to take a look at method's Detox Seattle campaign, which happened in October 2007! Check my previous post to read all about it! And to get some great cocktail recipes! (Cocktails? method? It'll all make sense when you read the post.)

So this week we're going to give you a few food recipes to go along with your cocktails! These also came from method's Detox Seattle! Here's a little background on where this recipe is coming from:

"(Chef Becky Selengut is revolutionizing the way Seattle-ites use local and organic products in their meals. As a private chef and the founder of Seasonal Cornucopia, Becky is committed to educating consumers on the availability of seasonal produce in the Puget Sound area one ingredient at a time.

Throughout Detox Seattle, Becky will cook up tasty meals featuring a few of method’s best ingredients (lavender, almond and mint!) at her organic cooking classes. Guests at the method house will have the opportunity to participate in these fun, interactive classes and learn how to make easy, healthy and sustainable meals in their own home."

...Which is exactly what we can do! - Just by recreating the recipes they made at the detox method home! So here's our first of a few recipes:

Almond Butter Cookies
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 cup butter, unsalted
1 each egg
1 each egg yolk
1 1/2 tsps almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour, unbleached, all-purpose
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup almonds – toasted, ground
powdered sugar — as needed

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg and egg yolk and extracts and mix together. In a separate bowl, mix together all dry ingredients except for the powdered sugar. Mix wet and dry together and divide dough in half.

Roll dough out into long ropes, about 1″ in diameter. Chill for one hour. Cut dough 1/4” discs. Place on sheet pans lined with parchment paper or silpat baking sheets about 1 inch apart and bake for about 10-15 minutes until lightly browned.

Sift cookies (while still warm) with powdered sugar.

Cookies and cleaning (with method products!) What could be better! (Ok, I know cookies might not go that well with cocktails! But never fear cause additional recipes (more cocktail oriented) will be here later this week!) Enjoy!

Sunday, March 23, 2008

omop FYIs

I've had a couple people comment on their omops recently. While they love them (and don't we all!) there were a few issues they've had, that I thought I'd drop a few FYIs here. One concerns the handles breaking off, and while I believe this problem has been fixed, this information may still be needed. According to the method home site:

"What do I do if my omop handle broke?

We're truly sorry about the trouble you are having with your omop. We've learned that the handles on a small percentage of our omops are breaking, and we're working diligently to get this problem resolved. In the meantime, please contact us at info@methodhome.com or at 1-(866)-9-method for resolution."

I had this happen to me, and while I'm not sure if this is how they handle each person's omop handle issues (though I bet it is) all I needed to do was take a couple digital photos of my omop's broken handle, send it to them via email, and they sent me a brand new one just like that! Which was great of them! So drop them an email if this has happened to you, and they'll let you know the steps you should take.

Secondly, this deals with difficulty in pushing the omop when mopping floors. Again, the method home site says:

"Why is my omop difficult to push/flips over?

Microfiber. It grabs dirt but can also grab your floor. To keep your omop head from flipping over (or being difficult to push forward), you may need to dampen your omop or use a little more floor cleaner. That will help the omop glide more smoothly across the floor."

Hope this helps!

Thursday, March 20, 2008

green revelations

One of the things I discuss from time to time on this blog, other than method (wha? What? How can that be? Isn't it called method lus... yeah, yeah, hold on there.) is environmentalism. - Earth friendliness. (And method's all about that! So yeah, see, I'm still talking method.) I'm working hard to change my ways. I'm not perfect, far from it. But I'm trying. And like this article I'm about to share, I need to try harder.

One of the things I honestly hear over and over from my friends about method products is "they're too expensive." They forget just why they are paying a little more money (it's for the children, and puppies, and all the kittens in the world! Ok, I jest a little, but no, it's sorta true, too!) I found this great article on sustainable style fashion, and thought I'd share it with you:

"I have a confession to make: I am a terrible person. Now, I don’t produce child porn, I’m not in charge of a human trafficking ring or anything--I don’t even honk my horn when I’m driving (which I don’t do very often). See, these things are all obvious, big terrible things in which to partake. My crimes are much more slippery. I commit them in thousands of tiny decisions each week—decisions I make because I’m tired, or broke, or late and unorganized. It’s only after a while, when I’ve realized how far I’ve slipped from my original intentions that the guilt of my sins begins to weigh on me. It’s only then when I start feeling like a hypocrite, when the guilt makes me clench my jaw at night and I get defensive over every little thing, that I know I need to make a change.

I am a young, well-educated, recently graduated 22-year-old woman. I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. My best friend has convinced me that the apocalypse is coming, perhaps related to peak oil, rapidly approaching in 2012. Last year I wrote a paper on the true state of organics, where I investigated how good organic farming really is for the environment. For the first time in my life I am living on my own and I have total control over what I do with my money and myself, but I am not upholding my beliefs. It is time for me to try harder.

Last night my roommate and I got in a fight over some vegetables. On the way home, we happened by this fruit and vegetable stand with awesome looking stuff at dirt-cheap prices. We stocked up, and I was thrilled at the giant load and the tiny bill. Later, he lamented over all the pesticides we’d be eating, all the guilt he felt for not buying local and organic stuff. It’s not fair trade. It’s genetically modified. It’s covered in pesticides. It’s from so far away. Think of all the oil! And the workers! And your body!

I got mad. We can’t afford all organic food! It’s so privileged to be able to! I’m not a yuppie! Fine, let’s just throw it all away, would you like that!!??

It’s a tough thing, to be criticized for the way you live. It’s tough, after making all these rationalizations as to why, at this particular store, at this particular time, it’s okay to buy conventional. It’s especially hard to see all the milks, side by side, ranging from $2.99 to $5.99 and picking the more expensive one. But the thing is, regardless of all the ways in which I think it might be better for me, when I make the decision to buy conventional, I am not alone. If I can’t make the change, as a young, educated person who believes all the hoopla and searches “apocalypse” and “2012 peak oil” just to freak herself out on a regular basis, what does that mean for the rest of the population? If it’s so easy for me to make it okay not to buy local organics and other green products, many other people must be making the same decisions.

For me, it all comes down to this: If you type “peak oil” into wikipedia, it will tell you that depending on how quickly supplies become scarce, and depending on how much we have prepared alternative energy sources for the occasion (which isn’t much), the chain reaction might cause a global depression that may lead to the collapse of global industrial civilization as we know it. Now, regardless of whether all of this actually happens, things have got to change. It might already be too late! In any case, I want to start trying to live differently now. I want to save energy, reduce my impact on the planet, and stop benefiting from the exploitation of workers worldwide. And if that means buying milk for $5 instead of $3, well, that doesn’t seem too bad anymore, does it? - Ari"

method 101

My great friend Sam willingly decided to become my method training guinea pig last night! Well, actually he was totally up for it, as he's been checking out this blog and I've been extolling the virtues of method on him for quite some time now! In fact one of the items he got from me this past Christmas was a method candle! So he was more than happy to have me drag him down the Target aisles and show off all the method greatness that was his for the taking! (or rather, purchasing. Purchasing! Taking = bad, purchasing = good!) At one point I made him sniff each hand soap fragrance (see the photo above. He loved it! No matter what he might say otherwise.) What we've learned about Sam and fragrances: he loves almond! (Wood For Good cleaner, here we come!)

We checked out every item (no joke!) smelling all the scents, looking at the great packaging (which he exclaimed a few times, especially with the floorcare bottles and the creamy hand wash "Look at this packaging, it's beautiful!" How right he is, how right he is!) We compared pricing and packaging sizes (such as with the laundry detergent) with other "Big Brand" versions. He really wanted to pick up the aroma sticks, but thought they were too pricey (which I completely agree with, in a manner, see this earlier post.) He decided for right now the two items he'd easily use the most, to start his "method makeover" would be the HE laundry detergent, and the omop (which he's requesting for his housewarming party. I think I might oblige!)


In a moment of madness, Sam decided he needed to pick up each and every cleaner method produced, and grabbed them all up at once! While I was all for it, he later came back to his senses and decided to start small for the time being. (Unlike me, who upon viewing the new end cap of method holiday, will inevitably run for a shopping cart, rush back and commence a massive arm swiping from the shelf of all the new products, swooshing them into my cart and deciding to not worry about how I'm going to pay for groceries for the rest of the month now; at least my house will smell wonderful! Good for you Sam, staying sensible! grumble grumble) Pondering for a minute what should be his first method purchase, he returned home with:


Green Mint body wash! (Ok, he was just going to get one of the body washes, and I pushed him towards the Green Mint, cause well, it's MINT! And we all know my thoughts on mint!) Thanks for the fun, Sam, I think we've got you on the method fast track! (And check out that nifty reusable tote he's got there!)

squeaky green signed exclusive!

Check out this great deal from HSN! It's the new Squeaky Green book from method founders Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry! And you can get it before the official release, from HSN! The site says:

"Get Method's first book "Squeaky Green" The Method Guide to Detoxing Your Home here first before anyone else! The HSN world launch of this entertaining room-by-room guide also includes a bookplate that's exclusively handsigned by Method co-founders Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry. It's just their way of letting you know that they appreciate you reading their first-born book. Packed with surprising facts and a healthy dose of humor, this book gives you the low down on giving dirty the boot. It also provides tips on ridding your home of harmful household chemicals, and offers responsible ways to eliminate everyday dirt and dust for a happier home."

I'm so jealous! I might have to pick up one of these signed books myself! And at only $14.95, it's a great opportunity! (That's a two dollar savings from the cover price, and it's signed!)

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

omop, umop, we all mop

Here's a great review on the omop from method I thought everyone would enjoy reading! And she does have a point concerning the compostable cloths. My thoughts (which could be completely wrong) are at least they're "environmentally disposable" and more easily breakdown naturally over time. I could be talking out my !bleepity-blop! (do you like that? I just created it) but that's why I'm saying she does have a point about that slight bit of confusion. Anyway, overall the review is great! Give it a look see below:

"Eat Off It? ... Nah ... But It's Beautiful! by Laura Belle

I Am: Budget-conscious, cleaning challenged, mother of 2, owner of 2 often dirty hairy large dogs, cleaning crew of Pergo filled house

Pros: All-In-One, Ease of Use, Does the Job

Cons: Pricey Startup, Compost Idea Confusing

I can never find a floor care system I'm completely happy with. Initially I'll like it, but then it always falls out of favor with me, and pretty soon I'm tired of looking at my floors that are supposed to be easy to take care of, and are for the most part. My living room, stairs, and den are all Pergo, and my son's bedroom will be as soon as my husband finishes it, but so far I'm not holding breath. I have sheet goods in one bathroom and the kitchen, and tile in the master bathroom and foyer. I'll add here, that the builder put in really cheap floor tile that is not smooth and very slippery when wet, and I'm not talking about Bon Jovi. I think it's meant to be wall tile, not floor tile. The only carpeting is in the remaining bedrooms, so a good vacuum cleaner isn't nearly as important to me as a good floor cleaning system.

I've been seeing the Method Omop All Floor Starter Kit at Target for awhile now, and have been intrigued by it... While looking at the Omop this afternoon in the store, a clerk came up and told me she cleans offices as a second job and uses the Omop there. She finds that it does a great job. I took her word for it and bought it for $24.95.

The Kit
I opened the kit up at home to find a 4 part handle/wand/mop surface, bottle of cleaner, a microfiber pad, and three dry cloths. The omop itself was put together fairly easily and with humorous directions, such as telling me that fitting the female pole inside the male pole isn't as dirty as it sounds. To "swiffer" the floor, you use the dry cloths, which are compostable. The microfiber pad is meant to collect the dirt when mopping, and the squirt cleaner has a fresh, clean lemon ginger scent. The instructions include recipes so that you can literally eat off your new clean floor, as well as other humorous bits, such as the "methodsutra" for proper floor-level seating.

The Cleaning
I always prefer some type of "swiffer"ing to sweeping, as it doesn't just push the dog hair around. The omop did a very ample job. I had to sweep up a few little things, but I have to do that no matter which "swiffer" type of thing I use. I'm a little confused, though, with the compostable cloths. I don't run a compost heap, nor do I plan to start one just to dispose of these. So how do I dispose of these revolutionary cloths made of corn? There was a slight annoyance in having to carry around the cleaner in the squirt bottle once I switched from the compostable cloth the the microfiber pad for mopping. Yet, it did a fantastic job, and I can say my Pergo has never looked cleaner since I got down on my hands and knees and cleaned it all by hand daily. (I tired very quickly of that.)

Conclusion
I may have finally found that floor care system I've always looked for. Considering the price, and the fact that I like it so much, I probably won't allow my kids to clean the floor with it, I'm sure much to their dismay. My only problem is trying to figure out what to do with those darn compostable cloths.

round one!

...And in this corner! Here are a couple of interesting videos over at expotv focusing on customers of the method Tub + Tile cleaner I thought you might like to check out. The first video (select jffsingletary) actually gives a thumbs down to the product (see there, and you thought all we did here at method lust was give hoorahs to method no matter what! Shame on you, this is a serious site! Ok, ok, so far, mostly hoorahs have been the name of the game! But method is a hoorah kind of company! They just keep putting out great products! Anyway, I digress... a lot.) Then view the second video (select mamamoose, yeah I know, don't ask, I don't know either.) who gives it a thumbs up!

I just find the two totally differing viewpoints to be interesting. I will say the site the videos come from give the Tub + Tile cleaner four stars (which is pretty darn great!) I do also want to point out one thing about the thumbs down, I think what happened here is she purchased the wrong product. Instead of using the Tub + Tile cleaner, she should have purchased the Shower cleaner in ylang ylang, which does exactly what she was wanting it to do, preventing soap scum and mildew, hard water stains, etc. on her clear shower doors.

Ding Ding! Round two!...

show your love!

Hey, did you know! (Ok, I'm sure you did, but just in case!) Not only can you clean with your method, you can wear it too! Well, not actually like taking the lavender cleaning spray and snapping it to a chain, blinging it around like a necklace (you might get a lot of really odd looks that way, but then again, it's more method advocacy, so I approve!) but did you know they also sell t-shirts (and caps!) with the method logo on them! They have two versions, one says "method" and one says "cleans like a mother"; the backs (I believe, it's hard to tell from their photos) have the method circle logo and their slogan "people against dirty."

The shirts are from American Apparel, and just so you know, these shirts run a size smaller than most t-shirt brands. (So, if you wear a small in most t-shirt sizes like I do, you'd actually wear a medium in these. That's my understanding, anyway!)

Believe it or not, I don't (yet) own one of these! But the simple front method logo t-shirt is my favorite, so I need to pick one up soon! And you should too! Get them at the method home site today! (And I hear if you order a bunch of them at once, well, the guy comes with them, too! Which is really great and all cause he's cute and stuff... or the girl, whichever you want shipped with your shirts, cause method's equal opportunity like that, ya know?

Oh, and I might be wrong with all this "cute people shipped with shirts" thing, so don't take my word for it. But order and see what happens! At the very least, you get a rockin' shirt!

Did I just use blinging AND rockin' in one post. oh man.)

in the beginning

One of the greatest things about method (among the myriad!) happens to be the amazing packaging design! The beginning of the method "revolution" saw many of the designs coming from super-designer Karim Rashid! Check out a few of his package designs for method below:


And that's just the start! As his website states: "Designing for an impressive array of clients from Alessi to Dirt Devil, Umbra to Prada, Miyake to Method, Karim is radically changing the aesthetics of product design and the very nature of the consumer culture... He has had some 2500 objects put into production to date." Whew! The man just keeps on going! method definitely made the right move getting him to design many of their products! I for one was definitely pulled into method from not only their scents, but the very first viewing of their (at the time) tear drop and bowling pin (seen in the photo above) dish soap packaging sitting there, and standing out, on the Target shelves! It was so different and unique! And it definitely helped propel the company forward! Check out Karim Rashid's website for more information on the man and his products, as well as more method product photos (look under 'product'.)

sustainable is good review

Be sure to head on over to Sustainable Is Good and read their new review on the latest method bathroom products, le scrub and lil' bowl blu! The article begins:

"San Francisco-based Method's two latest products are arriving in stores across the country this month. Le Scrub and Lil' Bowl Blu mark the company's entrance into "deep cleaning" products and round out their line of bathroom products.

Featuring new distinctive packaging made from 25% recycled #2 HDPE plastic the products stand out on store shelves thanks to some clever and innovative design.

The packaging was designed in house by Method's own design team and features a soft blue color to match the products spa inspired eucalyptus mint scent Method's Katie Molinari said.

Le Scrub, a gentle abrasive cleaner gets its cleaning punch from finely milled marble contained in the product. Le Scrub's packaging was designed to be highly functional with the top of the bottle serving as a storage place for the included microfiber cleaning pad. Molinari said the bottle was designed to eliminate the all the too familiar problem of tossing a cleaning sponge under the sink after use and never finding it again..."

Read the rest at Sustainable Is Good, a great site focusing on developments in consumer products, services and packaging. Rider Thompson does a great job over there! Show'em some love!

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

the liquid muse

Let's step back in method time for a moment. In October of 2007 (hey, that wasn't too long ago) method did this great thing called "method detox Seattle!" There goal was to "detox your home, and detox Seattle - one person, one home at a time." Is Seattle dirtier than other places, that I can't tell you. But it sounded like a really cool affair! They had this great party, and they even had an entire house devoted to all things method. The method home was a focal point for the program/campaign and acted as an educational and fun meeting place for Advocates, Mavens, press and influencer groups to gather and learn more about how to detox their own homes. Check out the house:



Does that sound completely cool or what?! I wish I'd been there for the fun! Ok, so where are you going with this Nathan? Well, where else, but liquor drinks! You see, one of the classes they decided to host was a "Sustainable Sips” cocktail class, during the detox Seattle event. Man, I missed that! But never fear, because Natalie Bovis-Nelson (a.k.a The Liquid Muse - the one teaching the "Sustainable Sips" cocktail classes) was so inspired by method products that she formulated these never-before-seen cocktails to wow all the guests during her “sips” classes at the method house. And whew, all this intro is to let you know (not only about the amazing detox Seattle campaign), but that while we may not have had the chance to attend these wonderful events, we can still make these great drinks, inspired by method scents! I've already posted one on the party time? post I did a week or so ago; but here now for your drinking pleasure, are the remainder of the recipes! They all sound delicious! So be sure to try out these great drinks at your next party! And when guests start sipping their Lavender Grapefruit Martini, while looking over at your Lavender method cleaning spray sitting out beautifully on your countertop; and go "Hey, these look like a matching pair!" well, feel free to just go all crazy and extoll the virtues of method! Enjoy!


Green Harvest Sangria
organic figs, pears, apples, red grapes
Square One organic vodka
Organic pear nectar
Bonterra organic chardonnay

Finely chop figs, pears, apples and grapes. Put into bowl or Tupperware container and add a half-inch of each pear nectar and vodka. Let marinate several hours. When ready to serve, spoon one tablespoon of fruit mixture into each glass, and top with Bonterra. Garnish with pear slice or fig on the rim of the glass.


Lavender Grapefruit Martini
1 1/2 ounces Square One Organic Vodka
1 heaping teaspoon organic lavender-honey
2 ounces freshly squeezed organic grapefruit juice
1 dash Fee Brothers grapefruit bitters*
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed organic lime juice
1 organic edible flower

Pour honey into mixing glass, add vodka. Stir until honey dissolves. Add grapefruit juice, lime juice, bitters and ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with an edible flower or lime wheel. *bitters are optional


Cherry Almond Champagne Cocktail
3/4 ounce Casal Dos Jordoes Tawny Port (made from organically-grown grapes)
3 or 4 ounces Can Vendrell Cava Brut Reserva (made from organically-grown grapes)
2 teaspoon organic sugar
4-5 drops organic almond extract
1 sour cherry

Sugar-rim a chilled champagne flute by rubbing rim with a lime, then dipping into sugar. Pour one teaspoon of sugar into bottom of flute, then add almond extract. Drop in sour cherry. Gently pour in port, then top with cava.

(Recipes created by The Liquid Muse, and inspired by method)

And be sure to look here for food recipes from the method detox Seattle parties in the upcoming weeks.

Monday, March 17, 2008

the nose knows?

UPDATE I've gotten official word from method on the "unusual" scent of the new bathroom products (le scrub and lil' bowl blu.) According to the Fragrance Director at method: "...the new bathroom products are in fact the same Eucalyptus Mint fragrance from the Tub + Tile Cleaner; however, they have highlighted notes that are in the Beach Sage scent." Thanks Sarah, and Suzanne, for the information! I've got to personally say I feel the "highlighted notes" definitely take over the scent of the products, as my particular bottles definitely have the Beach Sage scent. I can barely smell any of the original Eucalyptus Mint fragrance. In fact, one advocate told me hers smelled like Sandalwood! Alas, now we know! And at any rate, like I've said before, the products work great!

Previously:

Had a chance to try out the amazing new bathroom cleaners from method, lil' bowl blu and le scrub? It's pretty great, isn't it! Especially the great Eucalyptus Mint scent... ? Wait, Eucalyptus Mint, did you say? Because it sure doesn't smell like...? Am I the only one wondering if what I'm smelling from these new products marked Eucalyptus Mint, is actually Beach Sage (the current scent running in the bloq body line, as well as their new special edition candles for this spring/summer.)

At first I thought I was just confused. But a couple other people have mentioned the same thing "the scent smells nothing like Eucalyptus Mint." so I knew we were on to something! I'll look into this, and get back with more information! Until then, give the new products a try; because Eucalyptus Mint/Beach Sage/whatever scent, these are some great new products for you bathroom, from method! Check'em out. I'll have a review on them in the upcoming week.

fighting dirty

Check out this great new article over at grist.org featuring Eric and Adam (the method founders, of course!) And what's this about "two new revolutionary products a year"! We know one of those might be the lil' bowl blu and le scrub bathroom items just released; but they mention the products will be in two different categories! So what is it we might be seeing later this year? Let the speculating begin... And, enjoy the article!

method trivia

The reason you might start to notice every time I mention method it's in lower case has nothing to do with my bad grammar (like that long run on sentence?), and everything to do with method's hip way of having themselves branded in all lowercase letters! (Which you may discover is becoming something of a trend!)

So next time you see method, you'll know it's not a typo cause I was just too freakin' lazy to hold down the shift key; but rather it was meant to be!

here, there and everywhere - or all together now?


Got a question for ya! I was pondering this recently with the release of the new method bathroom items, and wondered what your thoughts were. Now of course, I know method has probably done research out the ying-yang on this one! (that might be a NC saying, I'm not sure?) but hey, sometimes my brain just won't stop thinking method, so here goes. method has this great way of featuring a majority of their products (at least at most Target stores) in one central area. You want hand soap, cleaners, or the new bathroom toilet cleaner? All in one handy area. Of course they do have their shaving creams in the shaving section, and additional hand soap scents in the hand soap section. But for example, the (again) toilet cleaner isn't in the toilet cleaner section, but rather in the "all method" section. And the (now discontinued) bloq body lotion wasn't in the lotion section, but rather in the body wash area of the Target stores.

MY question is, do you think this sometimes hurts, or helps method? I've seen people in Target looking at the toilet cleaner section, and I think "man, they don't know about this great new method lil' bowl blu, cause it isn't in this section! They'd have to go to the method area to find it, but if they don't know about method, well, you get what I'm getting at, right?) Same with the lotion? I wonder if it might have sold better had it been in with all the other lotions, instead of with the method body wash? Should method think about placing their items in one central method area, as well as throughout the product specific departments (though that could get pricey, as companies have to pay to have their items in stores, or at least in getting a particular amount of shelf space, and placing their items on end caps, and such and on and on) or do you not think this is a big deal? Just curious what your thoughts are on this, getting others to discover method products, and if you've had difficulty finding some of their items in the past? Comment away!

Saturday, March 15, 2008

blog blushing!

I am so excited! The official method blog (on the method home site) has posted a comment about my method blog blogging about method! Are you confused yet? Whew! Well, check this out and it'll all make sense! From the method home "people against dirty" blog:

"Love all things method? No wait, better yet… lust all things method? Meet one Advocate who truly defines what it means to be a person against dirty. Nathan, a graphic artist from North Carolina, has dived head first into blogger world with his new site dedicated to method (how cool do we feel?!). And we didn’t pay him, we swear, no fingers crossed.

Remember a past product you loved? So does Nathan. Have feedback on an upcoming product? So does Nathan. Share your unsuppressed lust with Nathan! He’s the coolest.

We’ll see you there!"

Thanks guys, seriously, this means so much to me! So yay! Let's all keep spreading the method word!
Related Posts with Thumbnails