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

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.

The wholesale market is a very UNglamourous way to buy. It feels like a chaotic, ethnic marketplace with massive amounts of jewelry in lots of low-brow stores. I bring in a suitcase with wheels and schlep around the dirty, crowded streets between 25th and 31st between 6th and Broadway. Cash is preferred and zero service is the norm.

There are literally millions of earrings, necklaces and bracelets to choose from. Hundreds of scarves and socks. Maybe 50 stores. But I'm not complaining, in fact I had a ton of fun! Come on in and check out our new jewelry, scarves and socks!

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.