Never Done

Sometimes I forget that some things will never be finished. There is always a tweak or improvement to be made. I am talking specifically about the new website, and as a former web developer I really ought to know better, and I am my worst client, etc etc. What this means is that sometime this week it will go live and I will just sigh my way through "beta" AKA people writing to tell me things are broken, and I will add more products continuously, and the world won't fall apart. And you'll have a chance to do a little shopping even if you are not in Brooklyn. It's a good thing, I think.

I am going to get in a bit of jewelry by a few ladies, Ms Joy Opfer, Ms Laurel Denise, and Ms Amy Tavern. Valentine's Day approaches and while jewelry might be a cliche, plenty of people don't mind receiving one as a present. (V-Day cards are out already, or at least cards that are predominantly red, and one really does feature an aorta.)

We're out of aqua blue stump teapots again, but more teapots in a whole Pantone set of new colors will be arriving shortly.

I'll be out of town again next weekend, off to wish my folks a happy 50th anniversary, but Laurice will be here to help you out. And then in less than ten days is the big Gift Show in NY. I will be attending a tiny bit of it, carrying bottles of water and wearing only my most ugly, comfortable shoes. I don't know if I'll see anything new to pick up but there are certain booths I want to hit, vendors I want to visit, and generally it's a weird, fun, tiring, gossipy thing. I think two days will be plenty for me.

Last ramble: someone stole my gate hook (the hook used to pull the security gate down at night) and I just want to say it did not make my week.

Matt & Nat

So, so many bags and wallets are here:



Matt and Nat is an interesting little brand, Indian, Canadian, vegan. I don't know if it's a California thing but I like to have some leather alternatives for people at the shop. These goods are made out of PVC that has been dyed and treated and generally scuffed and feels like patent, buttery-soft, or distressed latigo leather. It's pretty amazing. If you want something a step up from the casual, usual vinyl or nylon messenger bags, these are the ticket. Bonus for this rainy weather - they will wipe clean! I have both handbag styles and ones with removable shoulder straps which seems to be a must for Park Slope.

Under the Weather

Of course I have been under the weather lately, with the weather being so very inconstant and awful. But today I am back at the shop, sipping my Sprite and eating my bowl of plain rice. Over the holiday weekend, Derek and I even managed to rearrange the shop a bit and install a bigger, better clothing rack - yes, this means more room for Spring treats in just a month or so.

Coming soon - Pinder laptop sleeves. These are the best I could find at a reasonable price, besides the usual padded compartment, they have a zippered compartment, a detachable shoulder strap if you want to go solo, and they are very streamlined and thin, so they can slip into your regular bag or tote.

Also on the way: yet more teapots, this time from Beehouse of Japan. I cherish my little teapot that I got years ago in San Francisco, and I am very happy to bring them to Brooklyn. They come in a dizzying range of sizes, shapes and colors but I have selected a few for the store. If you like the Stump teapot you will love these. I'm also investigating some teas, both loose and in infuser bags, to complement the pots and make a nice gift set.

Manhattan news: Nine very good cartoonists will be showing at Pratt's gallery at 144 W 14th St. The show opens Friday and runs for a month. You should go!

Chilly

Oh my, it's quite a day today, the street outside is white with dangerous frost, the wind is whipping down the avenue and rattling the gate, the trees, and everything else unfortunately enough to be outside. Today the lock on the gate wouldn't open! I had to borrow a cup of hot water from Kiku next door, soak the lock for 30 seconds, and then open up the shop. Yup, pretty cold.

Very quiet in here, I am Getting Things Done however. Trying to get your new and improved Rare Device website with much more e-commerce up and running! We are looking at early February, just in time for readers of a certain Magazine About Shopping to visit.

We got a nice little blurb in the Park Slope Reader, there are a bunch here in the store if you want to pick one up and stay up to date on the neighborhood. So many new shops and restaurants!

That's about it. I am sitting here reading from a tiny volume of Coleridge, printed in 1902, that my brother got for the store. It has Rare Device's namesake poem in it, among other poems and such. A most thoughtful gift...