Gear Review: Bamboo iPhone 5 Case by Grove

A couple years back, I was bragging to you all about my groovy bamboo iPhone case, made by Portland-based Grove. Well, I recently upgraded to the iPhone 5 and, due to its new shape, I needed a new case. I didn’t even ponder it for more than a second – it had to be another Grove product.

When my new bamboo iPhone 5 case arrived in the mail from Grove, it was quickly apparent that they’ve stayed on top of their game these last few years, even surpassed it. In short, this new case has everything I love about my first Grove case, but with some added improvements!

Perhaps the most important new feature on Grove’s cases is that they’ve re-engineered these bad boys to make them even stronger. Now, while the old case I had was no slacker, I will come clean… I broke mine. It took several hard falls on unforgiving surfaces—we’re talking lots of hits—before finally, one fateful day, it flew out my hand (what can I say, I gesture a lot when I talk!) and connected with its killer blow. I knew I had abused it and it had held up well for a long time, c’est la vie.

But, Grove has recognized the humanity in all of us, and found a great way to toughen their iPhone cases up to withstand more of the rigors of everyday butterfingers. Their website explains that it’s a new state-of-the-art plant composite material, hiding underneath that attractive outer layer of beautiful bamboo wood, that makes it so durable. And of course, it’s made of sustainable bamboo and 100% post consumer plant materials, so it’s as just as planet-friendly as ever.

Another noticeable difference is that the fit on the phone is much tighter. The case slides on in two pieces and sort of ‘locks’ into position, and while it’s not hard to do, you can feel that the fit means business! My previous case was a bit looser, which meant that sliding my phone out of the back pocket of a tight-fitting pair of jeans sometimes worked the case loose. (By the way, I don’t actually seek to wear tight-fitting jeans intentionally, it’s just a side effect of the shape nature gave me.)

It still retains it’s sleek, slim lines and the black beveled edge facing keeps the whole look simple and classy. The only sticking point I’ve found, if you could call it that, is that something about the way the beveled edge sticks out over the volume buttons makes it a wee bit hard for my fingers to get in there. Grove decided to make an actuated bamboo button on top (meaning it sticks out a little bit) and something about pressing that little bamboo button is highly pleasing. I can’t really explain why – it just feels satisfying when it clicks under your finger.

In fact, the whole case just feels good! Grove hand-finishes their products, and they look and feel like top-quality goods. My takeaway? I love my new Grove case even more than my first one.

As always, you can order yours with featured custom artwork from super cool artists on the back, or you can have Grove engrave a case with your own custom pattern. Prices start at $79; order direct from these talented Portland peeps at http://www.grovemade.com.

I was instantly captivated by Ecuador’s capitol city, Quito. After arriving, I quickly learned that Quito’s old town was the first UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site and is exalted as the best-preserved historical center in the region. Nowhere is this more apparent than Quito’s Calle de la Ronda – a beautifully-renovated historical street, packed with historical buildings and ambiance, at the heart of the Centro Historico.

The pedestrian-only promenade, known simply as ‘La Ronda’, can be rather sleepy during the daytime. But at night La Ronda comes alive! Live music spills out of tiny bars onto the cobbled street, the aromas of local delicacies mingle in the air, and people from all walks of life amble slowly along the thoroughfare, where artisans’ shops elbow up alongside warm cafes and vibrant galleries. The old Spanish colonial buildings are festooned with colorful flower boxes, wrought-iron balconies and colorful Ecuadorian flags. Each evening here feels like a celebration of Quito’s grand past.

La Ronda, which means “small alleyway”, has an old and storied past. It was once an ancient footpath for locals to access the nearby Pichincha River during Pre-Incan times. It became the lively heart of the city after the Spanish left a legacy of art and architecture here. In the early 1900’s, La Ronda was known as the bohemian center of Quito, and it’s thriving night scene was frequented by the city’s poets, painters, writers and musicians. But by the end of the 20th century La Ronda had fallen into terrible disrepair, and had developed a bad reputation as one of the most dangerous spots in the city. (Some people blame the construction of the nearby bus terminal, in part, for this.)

Thankfully, La Ronda did not languish too long as a tarnished gem. A thoughtful restoration and revitalization project took place in 2006, and now a group of traditional craftspeople have returned to the neighborhood and opened the their workshops to visitors. Strolling La Ronda now provides not only the chance to observe, but also to buy directly from these artisans, working out of traditional casas lining La Ronda. You’ll find treasures such as handmade toys, fresh quesadillas, an old-school silversmith, a chocolatiers, piano and violin makers, and traditional Panama hats. (A great gift, since Panama hats actually come from Ecuador.) On chilly nights, locals sip canelazo – a warm, sweet, spicy cider-like drink with (sometimes) just a bit of booze, to warm up.

Though Quito is still fighting a negative reputation for safety, and still has some ‘hoods that are best visited judiciously, La Ronda is very safe at night. As a solo female traveler, I greatly appreciated being able to step out of my hotel at night (La Cason de la Ronda – amazing, review coming soon!) and enjoy some nightlife safely by myself. It’s also very family-friendly. Traditional games like hopscotch and ‘El Sapo’ (where players try to toss coins into a brass toad’s mouth) are brought out into the street, and grandparents look on as kids play the games they remember from their youth. There’s a noticeably large (but friendly) police presence looking on; it’s apparent that Quito is assuring La Ronda does not fall back into darker days again.

I have been struggling for days on end with this post. As a sustainable travel blogger, Earth Day should be a pretty big deal, right?

I could share eco tips, round-up the array of worldwide events, or even talk about global climate change. But none of this has felt right, and until just a few minutes ago, I’d spent some painful hours with a blank screen, wrestling the knot in my stomach.

I’ve decided to come clean with you. I’m starting to find Earth Day a bit unpalatable.

For me, the easiest way to put it is to say it’s akin to Valentines Day. Yep, I’m one of those people – those who get pissed at “having” to buy a ridiculously inadequate greeting card or ecologically atrocious red roses to prove my love for the most important people in my life, according to some strange societal code. You won’t find chocolates or candlelight at our house on Valentines. I figure if I need to be reminded once a year to tell my sweetheart what he means to me, there is something crucially wrong with our relationship!

But I know we all get it, really. We all understand that our closest relationships have to be consistently nurtured. We thrive off of the exchange of affection, the feeling of connection, with others. Most of us make a point to tell the important people in our life that we love them all the time.

And this is what is starting to get to me about Earth Day. Most of us also inherently know that we can’t just use a single day out of the year to stop and ask ourselves, “Hmm… how are my actions impacting the planet?” Much like any other relationship, we know we have to keep the planet in mind all the time as we move through our lives.

We don’t have to be told the money we spend, the way we navigate each day, and the choices we make have an impact that reaches beyond us and around the globe. And we know that, likewise, we need to stay connected with our planet and let our actions carry our love for it everyday. Mother Earth likes the hearts-and-Hallmark treatment about as much as I do.

So, I don’t want to give you 10 Earth Day Travel Tips today. I don’t want to preach to you about how you should be recycling more, or flying less, and I don’t want to ask you to find a sapling to stick in the ground. I don’t think I need to remind you, especially today, that climate change is a true and serious reality of our time. We both know we’re better than that.

I absolutely commend all the wonderful things that people are doing to commemorate Earth Day today. But I have no instructions or recommendations on how I think you should mark this one day of the year. I only invite you to join me in reflecting on the sheer awesome beauty of the planet we are privileged to share and celebrate it’s undeniable importance in our lives.

(I found this video to be quite helpful in my reflection. )

And maybe then let’s move forward with the rest of the day, the month, this life, carrying the earth in our hearts with everything else we hold dear, always.

Photo credit:
Earth Day heart by CARCA MAN