Tag: Method

Pullman and the South Side Soapbox

This post is sponsored by method.

I had visited the headquarters of method in San Francisco years ago and gotten to know the company then, so it was fantastic to see the manufacturing side of the business right here in Chicago. A lot of people don’t realize that method is a green company — the colorful packaging doesn’t fit with what you might expect! They are indeed though, and their ‘South Side Soapbox’ is a Platinum LEED certified factory (one of only two in the US), reflecting their commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability.

Method was considering a handful of other cities, but Pullman residents swayed them and Chicago won. It was the first new factory built on the south side in 30 years, and it’s ideally situated to take advantage of rail distribution. Not only did they bring new jobs to the community, prioritizing new hires from the surrounding five zip codes, the revitalized the site which was previously unusable Brownfield land. They cleaned up and remediated the soil, they are generating their own power, capturing and returning water at the same rate it’s used, and dedicating much of their land to native plantings and marsh. The building is also a factory below, and a greenhouse above.

The roof is home to a 75,000 sq. ft. rooftop garden managed by Gotham Greens. The produce is grown in the greenhouse with hydroponics, and then distributed locally. Chef Dylan Lipe used Gotham Greens for our dinner at Argus Brewery. (It was so good!)

After touring the factory, we went out to explore the surrounding area.

Exploring Chicago’s Historic Pullman Neighborhood

Pullman has long been designated a state and local landmark, but it became a national park a few years back. I shared the news here when it was announced, but somehow I hadn’t found my way down there in the time since. I was eager to check it out, and of course, I’m kicking myself for not doing so sooner.

We started off with an art tour led by local artist JB Daniel. He explained that while the front facades are historical, residents can (and do) express themselves in the alleyways and the rear of their properties.

The central arcade is flanked by curved colonnaded apartment buildings, but unfortunately the centerpiece, the arcade, was destroyed by fire many years back. Sitting proudly in the center now is what was supposed to be a temporary sculpture by Matthew Hoffman, but it’s still standing three years later. Because it’s awesome.

Go for it.

We had lunch at The Pullman Cafe, then continued on with a tour of the architecture and a stop in the tourist center. I loved the historical photos and paintings. (And I don’t know why it surprised me to see a uniformed national parks employee inside! A reminder that this is more than just another Chicago neighborhood.)

The Greenstone Church lives up to its name. That stone unfortunately is not entirely well-suited to its purpose and is delaminating, but they didn’t know that when selecting materials at the time.

The neighborhood was conceived of by George M. Pullman, President of Pullman’s Palace Car Company. The industrial town was built, starting in 1880, to house his workers. The idea was that this would be such a wonderful place to live, his workers would be happier and more fulfilled, and thus more productive. They were able to rent apartments at a variety of price points, depending on their needs and wants. The more affordable housing was built of common brick.

The most beautiful buildings in Pullman were constructed of face brick, including the Hotel Florence which is awaiting restoration.

The area was nearly demolished in the sixties, but residents recognized its unique value and they rallied to save it. It has since enjoyed landmark status, and there are various incentives and programs in place to preserve the buildings. Today, it’s one of the most diverse areas in Chicago. A living neighborhood as national park.

I left feeling inspired, and more dedicated to saving what’s dear to us.

We’ve been aware of method as a green option for cleaning for a long time now, and that’s an important distinction, but in thinking about other areas of our life I know I’m not as well educated about food as I can be. The idea of buying locally grown produce makes so much sense (yes I’m late to the party), and I think seeing how physical goods like method’s soap can be distributed in a more sustainable way drove that point home. We have a food co-op in town that prioritizes food from local growers and producers, so we really have no excuse not to seek out more sustainable choices! We also have a fantastic farmer’s market that I think we need to treat more as our first stop for groceries rather than a supplementary source. No more buying tomatoes from faraway on a Thursday when I know I’ll be able to get them locally on the weekend.

I left the method factory tour feeling encouraged to make a difference by being more mindful of what products we buy, whether it’s for the home, for our bodies, or the food we eat.

June 28, 2017
A Girly Pink Bathroom
This post is sponsored by Method.

Eleanor was pretty excited about the Method soap that came this month. She claimed the pink bottle for herself and declared that the green one was for August, then washed her hands about twenty times. I told my contact over there that they have got the toddler market covered.

Inspired by the pink your sink campaign this month, I gathered a few options for a cute, girly bathroom.
(more…)
October 2, 2012
Put the Kitchen Door to Work
This post is sponsored by Method.

Here’s a little storage trick that works for us. I added hooks to the back of our kitchen door to keep all of our bibs, reusable shopping bags, and a couple of aprons. We also keep one tote there to act as a laundry bag for the bibs and dish towels that need to be washed. We almost always keep the door to the kitchen open, which means the side with the hooks is up against the wall. Everything is accessible, but we don’t have to see it all the time.
1. Series One Peg Rail
  So minimal and lovely! So not like the hooks I actually have!
2. Cotton Canvas Tote
  We keep one large tote to store dirty bibs and dish towels until laundry day. Ours is a grocery store bag that’s not nearly as pretty as this one.
3. Reusable Shopping Bag
  I keep a few reusable bags in my purse at all times, and store the extras in a pouch on a hook. I like the ones from Envirosax and Baggu.
4. Woodland Tumble Embroidered Bib
  Bibs are still handy for the kids when we’re having a messy meal.
5. Dryer-Activated Fabric Softener
  We used to use dryer sheets, but I was pretty excited when Method sent over some of their new softener. It’s good stuff (but we do keep this in the laundry room, not the kitchen!).
6. Kitchen Apron
  I’m kind of over cutesy aprons, but I love this simple one. Works for men and women.
Of course, that was the magazine-perfect fantasy version. Since owning a single beautiful bib isn’t actually practical, our door really looks like this.

(Trivia: That shabby chic bird hook was the first thing I ever bought from eBay.)
September 27, 2012
Orla Kiely for Method

This post is sponsored by Method.

That picture of my kitty, Violet, in the sink is from early 2008. I went back through my photos to see how long we’ve been refilling the same old Method soap bottle, and it turns out it’s been four years now. They don’t even offer this shape anymore, but I’ve never found a soap dispenser that I like better and this one has held up, so we’ve kept it. I’m working with Method though, and they sent a couple of bottles from the new Orla Kiely line… and I think I may have found a replacement.

Cute, right? (Although I’m still holding on to the old bottle too! Ha.)

There are four Orla patterns in the new limited edition line, and each has a signature scent (primrose, vanilla chai, bay leaf, and pear ginger). They became available online and in Target stores last month.

p.s. I really ought to update the bathroom, eh? It’s the only room in the house we haven’t done anything to, beyond hanging a shower curtain!

September 7, 2012
A Cute Kitchen Sink Setup
This post is sponsored by Method.

If you have to do the dishes anyway (and yes, someone has to), you may as well make the job as nice as can be. Here’s how I have my kitchen sink setup.
I’d been using Method long before I partnered with them, and that is their dish and hand soap in those bottles. I had to water my dish soap down a little bit to get it to flow through the oil dispenser, but after figuring that out I’ve been happy with the bottle for over two years now.

And speaking of my partnership with Method; their last song with Noah is out! It’s time to give your nose a little hug. (You can take a quiz too, to find your perfect scent.)

p.s. I’d like to express my thanks that the skateboarder in the video was a woman. My kids seem to think that it’s me, and I’m not all that concerned about correcting them.
July 18, 2012
The Laundry Room, As it Usually Looks

This post is sponsored by Method.

I’ve shown you my laundry room before, all clean and new and shiny. Oh, you cute little joke of a drying rack! How adorable you were, yet how ineffective! We replaced it with these folding racks, and while the function was greatly improved, it looks messier. Especially since we usually have clothes draped all over the place. This is what the laundry room usually looks like.

Is it weird that most of my clothes seem to color-coordinate with the washer and dryer? Let’s pretend it isn’t. Even the umbrella that’s in the room for some reason works with the room. (And that umbrella, by the way, is from when I first discovered the work of Salvador Dali, as a teenager. Because apparently I was an umbrella-obsessed youth.)

Brandon washes the clothes, and I put them away. I actually like putting things away when I know that they have a specific place to be, all neat and orderly, and folding laundry relaxes me. It’s part of my personality that I can leave clutter out in plain view, but the things behind doors, in cupboards, drawers, and closets, all need to be neat. Are you like that?

So yes, Brandon does 99% of our laundry; he always has. We’ve also always liked and used Method’s detergent. I like it a whole lot more now too, after learning about the company. One interesting thing they talked about was the ripple effect their laundry detergent had across the industry. They were able to super-concentrate it to previously unheard of levels, in order to package less water and be more eco-friendly. A competitor then used the technique for their own version , and the big box stores loved it — not because it was more green, but because they could fit more product on the shelves in less space. So the giant stores put pressure on the industry, and soon everyone started offering smaller versions with less water. It wasn’t done with the green conscience that Method had, but the end result was still good for the environment.

Oh, and remember when I said you were going to want to see the Method guy sing? Yeah. It’s time.

Awesome. I’m going to sing it while putting away our clothes now.

US readers can print a $2 coupon from Method’s Facebook page on Thursdays in May, and CA readers can use the discount code “WASHME” here. They also have a photo contest you can enter for a chance at a year’s supply of Method detergent.

May 1, 2012