Cooling off on Pier 6

Last week my cousin Meghan invited me to take a walk down to the water park over at Pier 6 together with her daughter Quinn. There are rocks to climb on and around, sprinklers in open areas and little rivers to meander through while getting your feet wet. It was the perfect way to cool off. I wish there was a park like that for adults, because I would go there all the time.

I gave Quinn this Yoshii towel from the store shortly after she was born, and Meghan used it to dry her off when we were ready to leave the park. It also came in handy for lining a too-hot swing seat. I want to order more for the store, so I will keep you all posted...

Oh yeah, and on the walk home we passed this lovely flower shop and saw artichoke flowers. Sooooo cool.

Meanwhile, back in Park Slope...

Witness the work of George The Great:

The lights are embedded in wooden dowls- fantastic.

George Awad, truly George the Great, has been transforming the lighting in the store this summer.

It started with an offhand comment from my friend Christine, about her father's mini obsession with LED lighting. LEDs are something I have long championed, but had disappointing experience with. 

They are magical: very energy efficient, long lived and bright, but until recently the color spectrum available to the general public was limited to very white/ blue light- not the best for my warm store.

George's interest has led him to explore the options now available, including warmer tones, and the results are remarkable, as you can see in the before and after photos above.

I'm completely thrilled. 

And, among things that may thrill you: there are lots of good things on SALE in the store now. 

Come in, experience George's magic, and find something magic of your own.

Stackables

I gave in!!!! These Mali bracelets have been among our best selling items all summer, and I have watched tons of fabulous, stylish women walk out with their perfectly customized stack of colorful rubber bangles. Yesterday I gave in to the lure of these recycled accessories and took home a stack of my own. I had dinner with a couple friends in Prospect Park last night, and they were the first thing that we talked about.

At only $2/bracelet, they are a steal. And you can keep them on at the beach or wear them straight into the deep end of the pool. I don't plan on taking mine off until the weather necessitates long sleeves, and at 97 degrees today, it's hard to imagine that will ever happen!

Summer days

Two weekends ago I had the pleasure of visiting with a friend in a very tiny town in Pennsylvania, where I spent most of the Fourth of July lying in a hammock with my book... Then, this last Thursday, I went to the first of the outdoor movies in Brooklyn Bridge Park, which is my favorite summertime thing to do. You see a beautiful view of the river and of Manhattan while you wait for it to get dark enough for them to show the movie:

Hans and I biked to the park last week, which is great because they have a bike valet so there's no need to carry a heavy lock. Tomorrow's movie is Ghostbusters, and I can't wait! I would love to wear this airy Hartford top with my shorts, bring the Matta Dupatta for when it gets chilly (which is impossible to imagine before the sun goes down, but then it happens), and of course those Coup d'Etat espadrilles that I couldn't resist: