Tag Archives: Shopping

Searching the (he)ART of Haiti

Searching the (he)ART of Haiti
"Home Is Home"

“Lakay Se Lakay” / “Home Is Home”

When I travel to a country for the first time I usually try to do some homework in preparation for my visit. I love the way that travel brings history, geography, and humanity to life, and provides a deeper understanding of the world. Still, sometimes I visit a place like Haiti, that is so enigmatic and full of surprises, that I realize no amount of advance preparation could have fully primed my understanding of the place. I loved the way Haitian Fashion Designer of Rapadou, Marie Therese Hilaire who goes by “Tetes”, expressed it:

“We have a country that has a feeling, se la pu la, You have to be there to understand it“.

It took less than two hours to fly there from Miami, but could not have felt more worlds away.

Packets of fried plantain snacks for sale

Packets of fried plantain snacks for sale

The art of any country always provides insightful cultural cues. In a country like Haiti, which is deeply infused with a visual arts culture, it can be a primer into the ethos of the population. Read the rest of this entry

UncommonGoods $75 Giveaway!

UncommonGoods $75 Giveaway!

 Enter To Win Our UncommonGoods $75 Giveaway!

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Bike Chalk Trail Kit, Art Print, Kalaidascope Necklace, Golf Cufflinks & periodic Table Tie

UncommonGoods is my absolute favorite gift catalog out there!  I was thrilled to write about their  Better To Give program back in September, Where with every purchase you make, $1 is donated to the non-profit of the customers’ choice. 

Now I am even more thrilled that they have offered a $75 giveaway for my readers just in time for holiday gift shopping! Their catalog is filled with fantastic gift ideas, creative, fun and unique items you will love! Check out their HOLIDAY GIFTS COLLECTION! Here are a few more of my own personal favorites!

 

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For A Chance To Win You Can Sign Up for UncommonGoods e-mail updates and specials & add entries below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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GOOD LUCK!

UncommonGoods is based  in Brooklyn, NY, and supports artists and environmentally friendly products, always finding unique items that take gift giving to a new level. You can Follow UncommonGoods on Pinterest or on Instagram to keep track of all their fabulous finds!

Molas Shoe Obsession! Bright, Fun & Fair-Trade!

Molas Shoe Obsession! Bright, Fun & Fair-Trade!

Molas Shoes

At the recent Festival Fete art festival in my town I came across the Molas booth and went crazy for their shoes! And that was even before finding out that they are fair trade artisan fabrics created by the indigenous Kuna people of Panama and Columbia. LOVE!

The Kuna are known for producing  molas, a colorful textile art form made with the techniques of appliqué and reverse appliqué. Molas are collected as folk-art and can take two weeks to six months to create.  The Molas fabric used to create the shoes for Molas4u.com are all one of a kind, fair-trade, handmade fabrics, and the shoes are assembled by the family members who run the business out of Norfolk,VA.

You can check out their website to see if they will have a booth selling shoes anywhere in your area, to see how the shoes are made, or to purchase online. I had to try on a few pairs to find the right sizing so recommend finding your size in person if you can first.

Let’s just say I own a few pairs of bright new shoes…..
FAIR TRADE STANDARDS ARE PART OF THE MOLAS4U.COM MISSION

•We Provide fair wages in the local contextIMG_9087

•Support safe, healthy, and participatory workplaces

•Ensure environmental sustainability, (using 100% recycle supplies)

•Respect and embrace cultural identity, of the Kuna families and community

•Build direct and long-term relationships

•Educate and collaborate with partners on sustainability
-From the Molas4u.com website

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Roberto is one of the business owners & shoe designers

Roberto is one of the business owners & shoe designers

 

Fashion Flash: Don’t Miss Narciso Rodriguez at kohl’s!

Fashion Flash: Don’t Miss Narciso Rodriguez at kohl’s!

This Wednesday November 11th, Kohl’s launches their collaborative collection with Narciso Rodriguez, one of the hottest designers out there, for their Design Nation line.  Stores debut the collection nationally at 7am, and since this is a limited edition line, on sale for a limited time, if you are a fan, I suggest you find your nearest Kohl’s. If the quick selling Target lines by Missoni and Jason Wu could be any indication, price conscious fashionistas could wipe out the supply in no time. From the Kohl’s website it looks like some great color block pieces, hot patterned pants, and sleek dresses are part of this affordable collection. I had to let you know!! Just don’t push me out of the way when we are stampeding in at 7am, I may not have had my coffee yet!

Hit Your Target

Hit Your Target

Downtown Aspen

When I say hit your Target, I mean hit your local Target store May 6th, and be there when they open!   I’m serious, mark your calendars because if you can’t make it to Aspen this year to get your fancy Cos Bar products you are in luck! For six weeks starting May 6th the Aspen based spa and beauty company that celebrities love will be offering their products at your local Target store.  Also available on May 6th will be products from Polka Dot Dog Bakery of Boston, The Candy Store of San Francisco, The Webster of Miami and Privet House of Warren, Ct.

This is part of Targets’ brilliant mini-store concept, bringing high end designers and products to us common folk for limited engagements.

 

A few months ago I found myself at 8:25 am on a Sunday morning zipping through the deserted streets of the commercial area near me.  A woman flew past me and ran the red light I had reluctantly stopped at!

My Jason Wu for Target scores

I had to laugh because I knew exactly where she was heading! Target was opening at 8:30 and the Jason Wu line was about to debut. If, like me, you missed out on the Missoni frenzy when they released that limited edition collection, you would understand why she was willing to fly through a red light for this one.  I screeched into the parking lot as she parked, jumped out of my car and shouted after her  “I knew you were coming here!”  We both laughed and raced through the just opened doors.  Other shoppers were already in the store grabbing at  the racks of Jason Wu.  By 8:45 that morning the racks were nearly picked clean of the designers’ Target collection.  So set your alarm clocks, and wear your track shoes, May 6th could be a crazy morning at Target! See you there!