Saturday, September 28, 2013

Species by the Thousands: Little Magical Treasures of Williamsburg

For as long as I can remember I have always had such a soft spot for earthy, psychedelia inspired jewelry items, although I am not sure where this love for these magical pieces came from. You see, I grew up in NYC and never had a proper backyard or that many encounters with raw nature yet I still find myself so entranced and intrigued by pieces that draw inspiration directly from the natural world. Maybe I am subconsciously making up for the lack of Mother Nature I had growing up.

That said, I found a charming little shop in Williamsburg, not too far from my job, that I stumbled upon while window shopping for a friend's birthday present. I had seen passersby holding "Species by the Thousands" paper shopping bags around town and am almost certain I follow them on Instagram  but had never before bothered to visit their brick and mortar store. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint.


Although I was quite in a rush to catch the bus so I didn't have the time to properly browse and eventually purchase something, there were quite a few items that caught my eye:

Moon Phase Earrings $60.00

Inca Palo Santo Resin Incense $20.00

Soap Rocks $15.00

Sun Necklace $120.00 



Species by the Thousands
171 S. 4th St.
Williamsburg, Brooklyn 11211




Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Fashion Week for the Imaginative


 
Oh bother, looks like I have been MIA once again. Apologies, apologies. Anyways, as you may have noticed, Fashion Week(s) has been happening all over the world which means it is time for us to ogle clothing that we perhaps cannot afford.

As one who has attended fashion school but currently really does not have any strong connections to high fashion any more (my closet is comprised of thrift store finds and great-aunt handmedowns) Fashion Week, for me at least, is more of a time to daydream. Yes, daydream. You know what I mean - when you see a piece of clothing and do not just necessarily see the actual item but instead a whole storyline of how and when and where you could wear it (no matter how farfetched) comes to mind. Clothing for me is a storytelling medium, an extension of oneself that can be used to inspire or elicit.

I have only seen a few photos from the runway shows, but these are the ones that stirred my imagination the most: *all photos belong to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

Exhibit A: Ralph Lauren Spring 2014 Collection

I would wear this while marrying my rocker boyfriend, a la Bianca Jagger, at the Justice of the Peace before dashing off to JFK Airport to catch a flight to India or Bali or some exotic destination. There we would walk barefoot and build schools and help orphans. (See? Fashion dreaming is fun).

Exhibit B: Ralph Lauren Spring 2014 Collection

There Ralph goes again making my imagination tingle. What I like about this outfit is how futuristic it is - I imagine myself wearing this when I emerge from the Starship Enterprise onto Mars to be a part of the Mars One Project (look it up, it is a real). And I am not saying this like it is a bad thing.

Exhibit C: Anna Sui Spring 2014 Collection

I would wear this while going on a cross-country road trip in a weathered Westfalia. We'd sing the Rolling Stones, the Doors and Joan Baez the whole way while stopping at quirky roadside attractions. Flower crowns would be made in abundance and we would spend nights camping alongside streams full of wild horses.

Exhibit D: Nicole Miller Spring 2014 Collection

And lastly, I would wear this while meeting Gatsby for a bite to eat or for some afternoon tea. We would walk around his estate as he would explain to me his dysfunctional but ever so charming life while I am daydream about him driving me around in his convertible. 

So there you have it. Clothes can be expensive but dreaming is forever free.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

//Cutlog

*All photos belong to Brittany Natale unless otherwise noted.* 

May is not only only wonderful because it means that summer is just around the corner but because it also means art fairs galore. Although I intended on going to more (such as NADA, Bushwick/Ridegwood Frieze Night, Parallax...okay, you get the idea) I was very pleased I made it to Cutlog. Cutlog, a French art fair that debuted in the Lower East Side this past weekend, included an extensive list of exhibitors from all over the world. Systematically set up in an old school (The Clemente on Suffolk Street) fair goers were able to easily browse through art of all kinds. Bring on the art!

Photo property of House of the Nobleman
Ryan and Trevor Oakes, "London City," Ink on cotton paper, linen tape, 7"x9"x12", 2012 shown at Cutlog NYC 2013.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Borrowed Books


Now with the weather finally getting nicer and the days becoming longer it is much easier (and tempting) to go on little adventures around town. I found this little gem, The Brooklyn Art Library, after stumbling upon their website. I was instantly hooked! It is a library space in North Williamsburg that is home to The Sketchbook Project - over 26,000 (rapidly growing) sketchbooks from people all over the world of all ages and backgrounds. What I thought would be a short visit actually turned out to a be whole inspirational afternoon full of looking through these lovely little pieces of art. If you can't make it to the art library (take a trip - I ensure you it is worth it!) you can always browse their digital collection through their website. Here is one of my favorites (that is also super impressive) Marie Lefebvre's.  


And if getting the chance to snoop through people's personal sketchbooks isn't an incentive enough, did I mention that Mast Brothers Chocolate Factory is right down the block? 

The Brooklyn Art Library
103 North 3rd St. Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Mast Brothers Chocolate
111 North 3rd St. Williamsburg, Brooklyn