We live in Brooklyn, the land of small railroad apartments. Most of us are constantly searching for more ways to store things while ideally not filling up the place with ugly plastic containers. Even if you are one of the lucky few to live in a beautifully sized apartment, the bathroom can always be a small, awkward or tricky spot to have the storage we need while keeping the tiny room looking good.
A while back someone gave me this vintage store display rack and it has become the perfect storage addition to the bathroom, although it could really work in any room. It is simple, hangs on the wall, and has the capability of holding a lot of stuff or looking great empty. They are somewhat easy to find on ebay and not too pricy.
Calm down because you have one day left not to be a jerk to your Mom. A simple phone call is nice. “Good morning, thanks for birthing me!” And hugs are really sweet.
Cards & gifts are good, too. And food! Nothing says “thanks for putting up with all my crap” better than a delicious meal!
Don’t go buy a soulless hallmark card, make one. You can get all the glue sticks and crayons you need at Jam’s Stationary (835 Manhattan Ave) or buy a handmade card. the one well 165 Greenpoint Ave) has an assortment of recycled paper letterpress greeting cards ($4-$6).
Boxes make perfect Mom gifts; they’re great for stashing jewelry, pills and lottery tickets. Check out this adorable Mermaid Box ($32) from Old Hollywood (99 Franklin St.)
Vase @ Vintage Modern
Vintage Modern has this really pretty striped stoneware vase ($125) for that gorgeous bouquet Mom deserves for all those temper tantrums you threw (or still throw) in the supermarket.
Fill it with cut flowers from the Dutchmills Gardens stand at the Greenmarket. If she doesn’t have a greenthumb, Brandywine Gardens sells pretty cacti and other succulents. Too hung over to make it to the market on Saturday? Head over to the Greenpoint Florist on Sunday (703 Manhattan Ave.)
Bad allergies or the rotten cat you left her is a plant murderer? Flowers might not be a great idea, so pick-up scented oil from Genie in a Bottle at Kill Devil Hill (170 Franklin St.)
And of course food is always a great idea, especially for the person who has fed you since the day you were born. Cook for her! Here are a few quick and easy recipes.
Genie in a Bottle @ Kill Devil HillBellwether
Sink filled with dirty dishes? Take her out to brunch or dinner. My Mom absolutely loves Fives Leaves but if the wait is too long, head over to Nights & Weekends and enjoy the delicious Croque Signora Sandwich or check out the new Bellwether (594 Union Ave.)
How about a picnic in the park? I hear that the Lobster Joint will deliver to McCarren! Or get a yummy cheese and salami spread from Eastern District (1053 Manhattan Ave.)
Cheese @ Eastern District
Take her out to dinner. My favorite, The Greenpointer pie from Paulie Gee’s (60 Greenpoint Ave) always hits the spot, or the Cola Dorada, braised oxtail with rice and beans from Cafecito Bogota (1015 Manhattan Ave.) Give her an authentic Greenpoint experience on a budget with a BYOB dinner at the eclectic and delicious Lomyzynianka (646 Manhattan Ave.) Get pierogies and get them fried! The cheese filled blintzes for dessert are killer!
I know that Mother’s Day seems like another consumeristic holiday, but she actually made you alive, which is a big deal, so a small token of gratitude once a year is the least we can do. And keep it local silly!
Midtown sucks, we all agree. I try to be in and out, but when I have to wait around I seek a haven; a quiet place or I go to therapy, shopping therapy. It’s slim pickins’ but when I need a snack and reading time I head to Fika, a swedish espresso bar, with great coffee and pastries, including chocolate balls, great macaroons and my favorite sandwich, avocado with arugula, red onion and cream cheese on raisin bread.
And when I need to get a brain fix I head to Argosy, a 3-story fetish shop for used books and old prints. On the bottom level you can find prints from $3, like that sweet flamingo (bottom right). I also picked up that Brooklyn Amusement Park poster (top left) from the late 80s for $10. The other two, a graphic novel with a dude chain sawing a tree (top right) and a weird Russian canned food print (bottom left) were $20 each. Pretty cheap for awesome artwork!
After a ride back home on the G train, which made me wonder they leave one door half open in each car when you wait at Court Square, I realized maybe it’s to keep the A/C inside. The MTA being energy conscious?
The plan was to go to Vintage Modern for the We See Stars trunk sale, but since the train ride was supersonic fast, I mosied around The One Well and chat with Kerry. I wanted to buy a gift for my friend’s girl who is visiting from Japan. The problem with shopping for someone else is you always find things for yourself.
“That is totally normal!” Kerry assured me, so I bought these pearly pink old lady earrings ($28), which weren’t clip-ons, hallelujah! And for the lady friend I bought this adorable flower bowl ($12). Then I headed over to the trunk sale and scored those arrow earrings ($18) and ate a gallon of potato chips. See that spread! Erica, the jewelry designer, also sells at the Dekalb Market on weekends. Jon met me down the block for dinner at EAT after he ate a hot dog. Lucky! Our salad had the most delicious honey vinaigrette. Seth told us how to make it: just whisk together honey, oil and apple cider vinegar with a little salt. Magic.
While there I started unraveling all my wares from my shopping spree.
“Well I had a lot of time to kill!” I reasoned.
“So you shopped. You are such a good American,” Jon said.
“Look how adorable, right? She is going to love it!” I said proudly showing him the flowery bowl. Then I turned it over.
“MADE IN CHINA! I can’t give this to her!” Every year, my parent’s friends, the Watanabe’s send us Christmas presents from Japan. As a kid (and as an adult) I beg to open all the origami wrapped gifts. When we turn them over we find the “Made in China” sticker and laugh, even though the gifts are always gorgeous. Meanwhile, we probably send them gifts made in China, too. Or worse, Canada!
Without thinking too hard about the history of far eastern diplomatic affairs or mass consumerism, I bought her the slate colored handmade bowl from Eat instead ($7), which is Made in Brooklyn and I happily kept the cute little Chinese bowl for myself.
Oh the blunders and plunders of gift exchange with the Japanese! Now hide my wallet and hope today is payday!
Tucked away off of Manhattan on Meserole is the most adorable mid century modern vintage furniture and home store called Vintage Modern. I’ve found so many great pieces there. I want to move in and live in the storefront.
Tonight, 3/3/12 from 6-9pm, designer Erica Savard is having a trunk show of her jewelry collection called We See Stars. Refreshments, 20% off jewelry & 15% off everything else in the store.
I want these vintage arrow studs! Only $18. See you later!
An essential part of any conversion from regular person to walking Brooklyn stereotype is embracing the joys and sorrows of vinyl, and I’m proud to say that after a too-long saga involving a basement-salvaged receiver, the friendly folks at MTZ Electronics, and vast sums of money I, too, can now listen to music inconveniently.
Joking aside, record collectors take today seriously: Once a year, on Record Store Day, a wide variety of limited edition, highly sought-after recordings are released and a much needed infusion of cash is brought to local merchants. It’s a way of raising awareness and appreciation for your local record store because, despite the scalping of the rarest releases on ebay, most of today’s releases are only available in person.
Jen & Jiancarlo with the haul
Our local shop (and my personal favorite) Permanent Records gets into the swing of things with a full day of events. I arrived a bit before the 11 opening to find a line stretching up the block; the mood was chatty and cheerful, and I got a chance to meet with LIC residents Jiancarlo and Jen who were on their third shop of the day. Jiancarlo had a system and knew exactly what he was looking for; he explained that the records were mostly for himself although he’s begun trading online as well. They appreciated the calm pace that Permanent Records kept despite the crowds; I, as much more of a novice, just appreciated the chance to pick up a new release or two from some of my favorite artists. If you read this in time, check out the bands at Permanent Records today; if not, keep an eye on next year.
My Mom thinks it is okay to lie to kids. When I was little I wanted curly hair so bad that she would say, “if you eat the crust of your bread your hair will turn curly.” For some reason (because it was a lie!) it didn’t work, but Kristen, my amazing hairstylist at The Parlour Brooklyn somehow manages to cut my hair so it’s curly. It’s a miracle!
This brings me to her Vintage Pop-Up Shop called Miracles Vintage, taking place this Sunday at The Parlour Brooklyn (72 Greenpoint Ave). There will be amazing clothing at reasonable prices (tops $18-25, dress from $35-50) and complimentary mimosas!
Kristen started Miracles with her friend Laura after the two went on a vintage shopping spree in Florida. Aside from doing pop-ups, they have an online Etsy shop.
Kristen just came back from a recent trip to the southwest with three giant suitcases filled with wonderful finds.
Miracles always buys “gorgeous” vintage classic, but it focuses on what is in trendy now, which Kristen calls “pretty 90s:” flannels, crushed velvet, long tight dresses, black lace. Think “Stevie Nix witchy-wear.” And Miracles cleans and alters to modernize each look.
As far as Greenpoint style goes, the ladies are wearing ”comfortable/functional,” Kristen noted, “like crazy shoes with a vintage sundress or and oversized button-down.” And trends we can look forward to on Franklin are ”tie-dye and hologram fabric” and “late-90s rave-wear.” I hope that includes glow-sticks.
Like all Greenpointers, Kristen is a woman of many trades. I asked whether vintage buying and hairstyling relate to one another. With both she must “stay on top of what is changing,” but always “recognize classics like a bob or a 60s cocktails dress.”
Miracles Vintage Pop-Up Shop
Sunday April 22, 2012
12-8pm
The Parlour Brooklyn
72 Greenpoint Ave
It’s no secret that Brooklyn is a giant hub for locally made anything. If you’re a local junkie and are looking for a one-stop-shop for a sustainable living environment look no further: Kerry Jones is the owner of one of Greenpoint’s newest stores, the one well, which Jones describes best as a lifestyle store. “This is for the highest degree of care about your health, your planet, and how you’re affecting your planet.” Over 50 artisans are currently featured in the one well with products ranging from hang crafted bags to locally made honey, chocolate, skin care, vintage lamps, vintage clothing, art pieces and many other lifestyle items (including vegan products!)
Kerry takes a great deal of pride in ensuring that all artisans whose products are sold in The One Well meet her standards of sustainability. She has tried every single product in the store, be it skin care, food or cleaning products (which she says work better than any other cleaning products she’s ever used, and without all the chemicals!) There are times when she has had to turn artisans away because their level of sustainability just didn’t make the mark, but in order to maintain her own credibility as a business owner and the mission of her business, it’s not surprising that this happens.
Both nights of Williamsburg Fashion Weekend were highly entertaining. The fashion show style differed from neighboring Manhattan’s fashion week in a refreshing, non-corporate, chill, handmade and environmentally friendly kind of way.
Here are a few highlights from the shows:
First up was an Andrea Diodati’s fairy kei collection, full of recycled materials & found objects. Everything from curtains, doilies, pillows, chenille bathrobes, crochet this&that and other unsuspected objects were found in this delightful collection of pink, baby-doll looks. The pink cotton candy hair w/rainbow highlights gave a serious nod to Marge Simpson in terms of height and playfulness. A few stand-out items were the spandex harem leggings, plush back-packs and jackets with “pillow” collars, giving a whole new meaning to the bed-jacket. Andrea, inspired by post-impressionist artist Henri De Toulouse-Lautrec’s “la Clownesse” (female clown), described it as David Bowie meets the Easter Bunny. The visuals were sweetheart candies for the eyes with girls dancing nymph-like to hypnotizing narration + midnight cowboy music (make that cow-girl).
It’s one more day until Valentine’s Day, and if you have a lover they will be expecting a few things tomorrow. The most important of which won’t be mentioned here, but Greenpointers has worked with local businesses to create a Valentine’s Gift Guide so you don’t have to look like an empty handed jackass tomorrow and you can score (wink wink) everything right here in Greenpoint!
Thanks to: Human@Ease, Paulie Gee’s, Kill Devil Hill, Calyer, Cafe Grumpy, From the Source, Fanaberie, The One Well, Dusty Rose Vintage & Hotel Williamsburg for sponsoring the gift guide!
