Just Do It

Away @ Arcadia Launch Party

by Aly Semigran

Fri., Feb. 1, 6-10 p.m., free, Arcadia Boutique, 819 N. Second St., 215-667-8099, arcadiaboutique.com

If you're looking to get the hell out of Dodge (or the icy hills of Manayunk) for a bit, Arcadia Boutique has the answer for both you and the environment. Owner Ali McCloud is debuting Away @ Arcadia, an eco-travel consulting service for adventure-seeking Philadelphians who don't want to hurt Mother Earth while exploring her.

After teaming up with eco-travel companies and nonprofit organizations such as the Rainforest Alliance, McCloud has two trips on the horizon, which guests can register for at Friday night's launch party. An "eco-adventure" to Costa Rica in late May or early June will include hiking, rafting and treks into the rainforest. Another trip tentatively slated for later in 2008 to Brazil has yoga, holistic spas and organic foods on the itinerary. (Both trips will be at least a week long and cost less than $2,000.) McCloud, an avid globetrotter herself, will spend most of the evening explaining eco-tourism and eco-travel, from what shampoos to pack to what insurance programs are best. The night will also feature works by artist Jessica Herron and 15 percent off all merchandise, partial proceeds from which will benefit Sustainable Travel International.

For those who do decide to go on these journeys, McCloud predicts it will be far more than a vacation. "These are socially responsible trips that benefit the community you'll visit," she says. "You'll also get to travel with like-minded people from your own community. It isn't just a trend, it's the future of travel."