Vista MINI Blog

The month may be drawing to a close, but May is a month which always ends with celebration for Memorial Day weekend- why not head to Seminole Casino Coconut Creek. While there, you will not only have the chance to roll the dice, but you might even win a brand new MINI Cooper from Vista MINI Coconut Creek.

MINI enthusiasts know the benefits of being “green”, “earth friendly”, “eco-conscious” – monetary and otherwise. Having a healthy outside environment is one thing, but if you are polluting your internal environment, you are creating your own oxymoron.

 I have no doubt that most of you know how to “be healthy” but along with phrase usually comes a plethora of excuses ranging from, “it’s inconvenient” to “it’s too expensive”. Alas my fair readers, I too was once a believer of these aforementioned excuses, however- no longer. I have discovered one of the gems that is comes along with the privilege of living here in south Florida- GREEN MARKETS! And lots of them.

 The best organic food is that which you find close to you. The average fruit or vegetable spends 21 days AFTER being harvested being transported to your store. You can imagine the kind of costs that have to be cut in order to pay for that lengthy transportation. Those costs are usually directly reflected in the quality and taste of the food that you are putting on the table for your family. So yes, on the whole, fresh fruit and veggies may cost a slight percentage more, but you better believe that you are going to get a much longer shelf life out of them-yes, no more throwing away money  food because it went bad.

 And people, Green Markets, Farmers Markets- whatever they are masquerading as- they are everywhere in south Florida, especially during “season”.  There are some that are open year round. Marando Farms,for example, located in the heart of Fort Lauderdale, is open every Saturday and Sunday. If you are more of an open-air market lover, be sure to check out the Oceanside Farmers Market in Lake Worth, all whilst catching a fabulous view of that piercing blue Florida beachside. A land lover, eh, then head on over to the Boca Raton Greenmarket, but make it snappy because these folks only hang around until May.

 Wherever you choose to pick up your fresh veggies, artisan breads, delectable jams or one of a kind clothing piece, remember that being green isn’t just something you do on earth day or when you feel nauseous, it’s a way of living just a little bit better. Let’s Motor! Vista MINI <3 to all!

All MINI enthusiasts know the seemingly endless benefits of driving one of the most unique cars around, and here is just another to add to the list.

If you plan on taking some time this weekend to try out some of the AMAZING restaurants at The Promenade Coconut Creek- of course in your zippy MINI, there are two things to make sure and do. One, shop by and say “hi” to the folks at the Vista MINI tent and then two, take advantage of the preferred parking that is reserved ONLY for fuel efficient vehicles such as the MINI Cooper or Clubman. It’s always nice to fill your car up, then glance over when it click full around $35, only to see your buddy in their SUV’s meter racing towards $70. Now, the perks keep on coming and you get the VIP parking treatment too!

In case you missed our post on the event at the Promenade Coconut Creek, take a look here at the fun-filled events happening tomorrow, right here in Coconut Creek!

Join Vista MINI on Sunday, April 11th, from 11AM to 4PM for a scrumptious feast, as participating restaurants will be giving out free samples of their menus during the Taste of the Promenade Event.

All your favorites will be here, including Saito’s Japanese Steakhouse, Mama Asian Noodle and Bar, Cold Stone Creamery, 160 Degrees, Lime Fresh Mexican Grill and Starbucks Coffee, to name just a few.

While you’re enjoying complimentary samples from your favorite restaurants, let the kids have some fun, too. There will be plenty of activities for the young and young-at-heart, including a bounce house and some face-painting fun.

It is an event not to be missed!

So join us at the Promenade of Coconut Creek this Sunday, April 11th, from 11AM to 4PM for food, fun and a chance to win a prize.

When people are asked to conjure images of south Florida, their first response is usually an enthusiastic ‘palm trees and oceans’. While the state tree is the Cabbage Palmetto, the butterfly capital of the world, Coconut Creek, Florida, is giving away 700 hundred trees of many species to their residents in honor of the 40th annual Arbor Day.

Here at Vista MINI, we call Coconut Creek home. We can venture to guess that Mini owners (who enjoy outstanding fuel efficiency and environmental friendliness) and admirers alike can appreciate the city’s effort to make our home just a little “greener”.

Interested in joining in? Well, hop on into that remarkable little Mini vehicle of yours and head on over to the Coconut Creek Government Center on Saturday April 24. Available trees include: Blolly, Bridalveil, Pond Cypress, Red Maple, White Geiger, Slash Pine, Natchez Crapemyrtle and Live Oak.

Already have a forest in your backyard? Add to the splendor with Wildlife Habitat plants! Habitat plants available include: Native Neclacepod, White Indigo Berry, Green Buttowood, Buddleia and many, many more.

Now, as Mini enthusiast, you know just how much you can fit in to that amazing vehicle, but, “A tree you say”? No worries! All trees come in a 7 gallon pot. Just in case you are still intimidated (shame!) check out this video…

http://www.creekgov.net/arborday/index.asp

Despite being the self-proclaimed “world’s largest buyer of construction material” and everything that statement implicates, Home Depot wants you to know that they are as green as it gets. Though they are the largest wood buyer in the world, selling more than 40,000,000 pieces of FSC certified wood products in 2006 and 2007 alone and inspiring countless others to “DIY-contribute” to the vast urban sprawls that spread its cancerous tendrils over formerly pristine lands and water, they did plant several thousand saplings outside their Atlanta headquarters, so I guess that makes them a “carbon neutral” company.

Well, this Earth Day, you’ll get to join them in their passionate crusade to save the planet as they host another one of their Earth Day Giveaways. This year, the Home Depot will be handing out, free of charge, 1 million CFL Light bulbs in support of the environment. For those that don’t know, CFL is short for “compact fluorescent light bulbs”. CFLs waste far less energy than traditional lighting, allowing users to make less of an environmental impact AND save big bucks every year on their power bills. Popular Mechanics estimated that the average household would save approximately $180 on their annual energy costs with a fully CFL-equipped home. That’s a great savings, and with Home Depot offering every Earth Day visitor a free CFL, the price is no longer an issue on your road to greener living.

While you’re there picking up your energy-efficient bulb in your energy-efficient MINI, we invite you to demonstrate just how many of Home Depot’s 3,500 Eco-Optioned products you can fit in your MINI. Eco-Option-labeled products at the Home Depot are classified by the company as having less of an impact on the environment. And with the deceptively generous amount of cargo space available in your MINI, you can efficiently bring a lot of those eco-friendly products home on your Earth Day visit. As for our typically wasteful lifestyles, it’s time to turn over a new leaf, people. Hopefully, that leaf won’t be brown and brittle by the time we do.

So celebrate Earth Day this year with a trip to Home Depot, score a free CFL and enjoy a full range of eco-friendly products. In the meantime, you can learn more about Home Depot’s strides toward a sustainable future on their Eco Options Website. You know your MINI is about as fuel-efficient as a vehicle can currently get, but what about your home? Test your abode with Home Depot’s own Home Efficiency audit, and learn more about how you can save yourself some money, and possibly the planet, in the long term.

Some of the pride of owning a MINI comes from knowing you are leaving a smaller carbon footprint in the world, and that your transportation is far more eco-conscious than other brands. And the best part is that you didn’t have to surrender a single minute of spirited driving to do it, thanks to MINI’s hyper-efficient engines and remarkable fuel-efficiency. Vista MINI invites you to show off just how green you and your MINI can be on Saturday, April 10, 2010 in beautiful Sunrise, FL as they celebrate their second annual Earth Day Festival. The fun is to be had at the Sawgrass Sanctuary located at 237 North New River Circle, and will be going on all day.

There will be rides and activities for the kids, a full-fledged farmer’s market and a craft center showcasing and selling unique handcrafted goods. There will also be plenty to eat, including festival foods and a range of vendors hawking their homemade ethnic specialties. Though you have already mastered the art of eco-friendly transportation, we’re sure you can find information on how to live greener in the other aspects of your life, thanks to the copious quantities of eco-conscious resources available at the festival.

In addition to the food, rides and crafts, there will also be live musical performances by Randy Kaplan, PALO!, Ruffhouse and Mike Dunn. The festival will also be hosting its unique “eco-chic fashion show”, where second-hand merchandise “upcycled” by Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale’s college students is showcased on stage. These remarkable pieces of clothing and merchandise were headed to the dump before falling into the hands of these capable design students and given a new life on the fashion runaway.

Arrive early enough, and you can prove to the world just how much cargo you can fit in a MINI. The first people through the gate will be given a reusable shopping bag, a BPA-free water bottle and a free native tree seedling. So what are you waiting for? Get greener this April 10, 2010 and do your part to save the planet by enjoying this all-ages day of outdoor fun.

I once saw a Starbucks across the street from another #@*!$ Starbucks!
- Lewis Black

The generous folks over at Starbucks are feeling kind of guilty about tricking us all into paying four bucks for our daily cup of coffee, so this Earth Day they are giving a little bit of it back. They are offering free coffee fill-ups to anyone that shows up on Earth Day with a travel mug, in the hopes of encouraging their customers to protect the environment by making small changes in their daily lives. The little, energy-saving efforts can make a big difference in the environmental scene if we all contribute, so why not visit a Starbucks and get what’s owed to you? You’ll be enjoying more taste and less waste this Earth Day, and that should put a little wind in your sails.

And, in preparation of your free Earth Day coffee, allow me to recommend the perfect vessel for your beloved morning drink. Stop into our Vista MINI boutique and pick up an official MINI Travel Mug. It’s motor-friendly and spill-proof, ensuring that your delicious guacamole tangerine latte with a touch of cinnamon winds up in your mouth and not in your lap while spiriting through Broward and Miami’s always-challenging traffic. It’s perfectly designed to fit snugly into your MINI’s cupholders, plus it’s another great way to broadcast your indefatigable MINI pride.

As an added bonus, you’ll get $0.10 off every coffee you purchase year-round each time you show up with your own mug at any of Starbucks’ 5,400 locations. So, reduce the land-fills and keep your cup filled this year at all participating Starbucks locations on Earth Day, April 22, 2010.