Sunday, February 21, 2010
My Life, In Perspective
My mother-in-law asked me today how I am. I thought: "well, my back has been giving me problems, one of my staff has not been able to work and the great summer vacation I had planned may not pan out." (None of which I told her, because she worries too much.) Then I got an email from my brother. My niece, Jillian, and her husband are returning today to Haiti, to work and help and live for the foreseeable future. My brother, Clay, pointed me to their new blog, and its first entry--that they wrote their last night home. I encourage you to check it out. It certainly puts my life in perspective. http://goatpath.wordpress.com
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Jewelry Wholesale Market
This weekend I went shopping for my store. Buying is one of the most fun things I do. I went to the New York Gift Show on Sunday and into the jewelry (and accessories) wholesale market on Monday.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Vintage Furniture
Just this week I reorganized my store, so all gift items, books, toys and jewelry are downstairs with my coffee shop. Upstairs is now dedicated to vintage furniture. I’ve always had a thing about old furniture. Not fine antiques—they’re too fussy and self-important. I don’t want to worry about ring marks from a coffee cup. I like furniture that’s low maintenance—pieces that are already banged up a bit, but still have style.
I like to imagine my furniture swapping stories after we’ve left for the day: the 30-year-old toy box sharing secrets with the black painted bureau; the ‘granddad’ secretary from the 1890s calling the 1950s red kitchen table a young upstart.
I rarely meet the original owner. Most pieces have a long history by the time they arrive at NoKa. When someone does decide to buy a piece, we talk excitedly about it in the store—where they’re putting it, how they’re using it. It gives us great pleasure to send furniture to a new home. It feels a little like finding a good family for a puppy.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
It's amazing how creative people are in Katonah. When I work in NoKa Joe's during the commuter hours (5:50 am to 9:30ish) I meet a lot of local people. And if they have a nano-second to talk, I often find out that they do really cool things all day long. Upstairs, where our customers have more time to talk, I learn about really interesting jobs, incredible charities people have started, and wonderful enriching programs that their children are doing.
One of those talented, local people is Marc Black a singer/song writer who lives in Katonah. Within days of the start of our NoKa & NoKa Joe's fan page, Marc posted a great, original song called 'ooh I love my coffee'. I'm posting it again here, in case you missed it http://bit.ly/4qE3Kp. Marc is playing at the Towne Crier the day after Thanksgiving. So, after a lazy Friday -- head to the Town Crier for some great, live music!
Friday, November 20, 2009
One Woman's Thoughts on Thanksgiving
Monday, November 16, 2009
Our Christmas Starts a Little Early
He’s a lot like Santa, but it’s November. He is a large man, but not fat. He can carry an amazing load of packages at one time. I can’t say he’s jolly, but he has a great laugh and tells a good joke. Who is our November Santa? It’s Bernie, the UPS man! He’s one of the most important men in NoKa right now (along with Shawn, from Fed Ex.) They bring packages every day. The boxes pile up and we gleefully read the labels to find out who they’re from. It feels like Christmas morning as we tear at the packaging. We exclaim! We admire! We wonder where the hell we’re going to put whatever it is. And we begin the daily festive event of unpacking, entering, pricing and displaying our merchandise for the holidays.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
My New Laptop!
I just came home with my new laptop. (Getting a new laptop is as exciting as getting new pads for school used to be! Remember the excitement of an unused, virgin school notebook?)