Thanks Ana Ottman!!

I recently had a really inspiring interview by creative coach Ana Ottman. She's dope...she's out of our nation's capital and found me at Crafty Bastards '09. She is such a wonderful and strong woman with great resources for women entrepreneurs. Have a hear and snoop HERE.

In addition, I never really shared, but I am a serious cook, I throw down in the kitchen. Cooking is really an art in its own right, the color, the smell, the taste, the inspiration to do it! I have to say it's my family and friends' joy that pushes me to create in the kitchen. I will share with you what I made the other night. Eggplant (my favorite non-meat main dish), because I couldn't grill it, I pan seared it, then baked it, then made separately a Bruscetta of some sort from fresh basil, yellow pepper, red pepper, vine tomato, garlic and salt cooked in olive oil then spread on the eggplant, followed by a slice fresh mozzarella, a fresh basil leave, dash of olive oil and devour! I served this with a side of Moroccan lamb murgez. Balsamic vinegar around the plate.
Also, if you're game for a Brooklyn party with artists and designers, forget the snow and come on through to the Grand Opening of Better Than Jam, CHECK IT.

Better Than Jam Handmade Co-op Comes to Brooklyn!

Boutique Fashion Hits Bushwick
Better Than Jam Handmade Co-Op brings local indie design to a deserving neighborhood. February 1, 2010


Bushwick, Brooklyn - Better Than Jam Handmade Co-Op opens its doors on February 1, 2010. Located at 1095 Flushing Ave, the Co-Op is soon to be neighbors with 20 other diverse businesses that will inhabit the "Markets at the Loom," providing a varied destination for local shoppers to shop and browse.

“We hope to provide a unique shopping experience to the residents of Bushwick and the handmade community at large,” said designer Karin Persan, who owns the Better Than Jam Co-Op.

The Co-Op will bring to the forefront a variety of clothing, jewelry, and accessories, created by some of NYC's most talented designers. All items at the Co-Op will be 100% handmade. Better Than Jam will also host shopping and launch events, parties and workshops open to it’s designers and the local public, to grow the already hugely artistic and creative community.

" Our goal is to showcase local designers whose work is handmade and high quality, at a fair price," Persan continued.

WHERE: 1095 Flushing Ave , Brooklyn NY 11237

WHEN: Opening: February 1 Grand opening reception: Friday February 5th 7-10pm

CONTACT: Karin Persan karin@betterthanjannyc.com (631) 377-2500

Come mingle with the designers and receive complimentary drinks , 10% selected designers, and free tote bag with purchase, compliments of The {NewNew} Etsy street team.



Owner Karin Persan of Better Than Jam (www.betterthanjamnyc.com)

Sample of designers (full list at website above)

Handbags- SML Bags (www.smlbags.com)

Jewelry- The Hand of Fatima (www.fatimacouture.com)

Fashion- Joann Berman (www.joannberman.com)

Sunday Love- 624 Grand st. Brooklyn, NY, 11121

We had a DOPE time @ the grand opening of Sunday Love. I was excited I baked a damn carrot cake and made my famous tabouli pizza in like four different hummus flavors!! lol.

Anyway if you're in Brooklyn, you need to get over to Sunday Love and check out this haven of nostalgia and awesomeness. The Hand of Fatima jewelry is one of the artisan goods you will find there! Greer and Scott rehabilitate furniture and decoupage pieces into amazing home editions! Ned Martin, the third owner is a painter extraordinaire, and his work is on display @ the shop. Sunday Love is like a parallel universe, it will stand out to you, my favorite part of its history is that it was the long time tarot card reader's place...oh, how perfect that THoF is there!

I have some of my apocrathy line in there, and there is just love all around, no love like Sunday Love! So, go eat some banging Thai food accross the street and walk over to Sunday Love and get lost in time.
xo
P.S.- I bought that camera on the right, you'll see it in some ne product photos!

Grand Opening! Sunday Love- Brooklyn

Hey Everyone...I know, I know, no pictures from London yet...but I had to work like a maniac for that awesome show in D.C.-Crafty Bastards, which happened over the weekend and was exactly as expected...DOPE!!! We were put up by one of my fav girls, Katie of Catherinette, or as I like to call her..."McGiver Stewart", because she is what you would get if Martha Stewart and McGiver had a baby...she can do ANYTHING...sew you a jacket while painting a house....fix your car, while building a display...it's insane, shames me every time.
My neighbor was the ridiculously talented Margaux of The Black Spot Books...she book binds from antique leather, and even makes jewelry and raises a gorgeous, gorgeous baby called Søren, who will steal your heart away, and chase you with an antique hammer! I am amazed at not just the absolute beauty of this work, but the soul. I swear, each book has a soul, no joke. Here is a video of her studio and her process...which makes me go...."damn!" lol:


You can find her online here.
*Also, she has ghostly, unique photographs I really wish I had room for in my house, and her hubby Walter is a painter AND a woods craftsman with beautiful and SAFE toys for your girls and boys.

Now as for exciting, local news...Sunday Love is opening in Williamsburg, and the only jewelry featured in the shop is The Hand of Fatima!!!
I want to invite you! Come through for the grand opening 10-10-09 @6:30ish, food if you eat, drinks if you drink, and beauty everywhere, plus a DJ. You've gotta meat the super cool artists/owners Greer, Scott and Ned, who have made this beautiful place a new part of Williamsburg community.

BUST Magazine Craftacular and Art Star Philly

Did I ever tell you, I fell in love in Philadelphia? It's true I left N.Y.C. and tried something new, went to school and met my soul mate in a public speaking class...I guess you can say the rest is "history" and the future.
Philadelphia is haunted. There are spirits and grimy tales everywhere around the ex-industrial city. Unfortunately historic and colonial Philly is plagued with bad management and issues of crime, so there are just warehouses, factories and empty turn of the century homes abandoned and decaying. However, the greatest testament to this city of spooks is The Divine Lorraine Hotel.
After my husband, and Clarke Park, I fell in love with this place. It's abandoned and stands isolated on Broad Street. If you look at it for too long, you will become entranced.

I'm sure that when corruption forces the locals to leave and city officials and realtors decide to gentrify that this beautiful and unique structure will be turned into luxury condos or knocked down, but I only hope that the Philadelphians will fight for it...and knowing many Philadelphians, they will. Boomer, who is like my brother, told me to ask his mother about what this place was like, and although she was just a child when it closed down, she told her mother's tales of its shine.

I would do many insane things to get inside this place. To get the key tags, the escutcheons, and just walk through the ghostly hallways and spider webs.
Why all the talk of Philadelphia?? Well, I'll be at the Art Star Craft Bazaar on May 30-31 (memorial day weekend) @ Penns Landing.

I can't wait to catch up with my peeps and walk around another haunted neighborhood, Northern Liberties, a friendly way to say the beginning of North Philly. If you ever want to see another spooked out hood try Kensington...you've gotta look at that place with a certain kind of eye to understand what I am talking about. You can almost see the steam rising above the abandoned factories off of Allegheny Avenue and down by Frankford Ave. You can just feel the grit, no women in corsets with wigs and Victorian lockets...work and workers, immigrants and natives building lives, legacy and a nation on creating things.


Next Sunday, May 17th...I will be at BUST Mag's Spring Fling in Brooklyn. I've added all these events to the calendar on the website. Love Love Love!!


*Thanks to Prof. Jas. Mundie on Flickr.com for this beautiful photo of the hotel. I found this artist's stream through google and am now inspired.