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Hello my lovelies;)

I wanted to draw your attention to a pretty fascinating show, opening up in June right here in our very own Lower East Side. LostLES happens to have been designed by Clarabella’s good friend Michael Brown of Lot 71. From everything he’s told me, I think it’s going to be fantastic. Plus, it’ll be hosted by my favorite neighborhood sandwich shop, Tiny’s Giant. Can’t beat that!! Scroll down for a sneak peek image, all the details, events links and more. I’ll be at the opening and I’ll hope to see you there!!

The Low Down:

LostLES
Opening Friday, June 5 2009. On view through September, 2009.
Tiny’s Giant Sandwich Shop, 129 Rivington St.

Michael Brown, an environmental designer and EV/LES resident for over 12 years, with Tiny’s Giant Sandwich Shop and A5E Projects, announces his premiere solo art installation: LostLES - a panoramic mural at Tiny’s Giant Sandwich Shop that celebrates the vivid character of the Lower East Side through its distinct architectural heritage. On the corner of Rivington & Norfolk streets, Tiny’s is set behind two plate-glass windowed walls that create a transparent, doublesided environment - from the outside, a jewel box space on a vibrant LES street corner; from the inside, court-side seats to experience the vibrancy flow by, in all directions. Inspired by the camera obscura photography of Abelardo Morell, the mural is a reflection of the old Lower East Side superimposed across the new, as Michael Brown aims to celebrate the LES with his ideas for the work, the space it encompasses and how it will be created. The mural will be painted by local artists equally devoted to celebrating the spirit of this urban place to which they have been longstanding cultural contributors and participants. The cultural diversity, richness of spirit, and visceral exuberance of this urban place drives the narrative for LostLES - an immersive panorama that will transform Tiny’s Giant Sandwich Shop into an experiential stage to see and be seen on within the heart of Lower East Side. LostLES is both a celebration of an iconic neighborhood, as well an opportunity to give back to it. Discussions are underway to form community partnerships between LostLES and the Henry Street Settlement, Green Depot and others.

Fundraising for the project and this celebration of community is open online at Kickstarter. Pledges large and small are greatly appreciated, and for every $25 pledged, you are entered in a lottery to win a limited edition, signed, and framed 20×24″ color print of Michael Brown’s design illustration of the project.

Opening night celebrations will be held June 5th at Tiny’s Giant Sandwich Shop, 129 Rivington St on the Lower East Side, and a nearby venue for the After Party.  Please contact Michael Brown to inquire about details.

I know what you’re going to say… Again?? Really?? Really. I’m closing the shop for just one little day. Last time it was because I went home to visit family, this time it’s because family is coming to visit me. I was able to get someone to cover the shop for me on Friday and Sunday, but not tomorrow. In the spirit of living life and not missing out, I decided that seeing family was just too important, so Clarabella stays dark for one day (and one day only!) We’ll be open for normal hours on Friday and all weekend, so you’ll have plenty of time to come and hang out:).

In the meantime, and as always, check out the online shop for new goodies, sales and more!!

xErin

It’s been a little while since I’ve posted a new playlist and I’ve been on my typical ‘new music rampage’ so I just had to share;). I’m still using The Hype Machine because I still think it’s awesome. Easy way to discover new tunes - easy way to share new tunes. So… enough talk. Listen and enjoy:)

Said The Whale - The Light is You

Slow Club - Thinking, Drinking, Sinking, Feeling

Miranda Lee Richards - Life Boat

Magnet - Lonely No More

St. Vincent - These Days

The Cure - Close To Me

Iron & Wine - Sinning Hands

Jose Gonzalez - Teardrop

Horsefeathers - Curs In The Weeds

Middle Distance Runner - Naturally

Passion Pit - Moth’s Wings

Pomegranates - In The Kitchen

Sleepy Horses - Lubbock Love Song

Wilco - Bull Black Nova

Good evening my lovelies:) Just wanted to give you a heads up about a fabulous event happening tomorrow afternoon right here in downtown NY - the East Village to be exact. All of the details are below. It’s an event worth checking out, most especially to support our beloved Nicole Gagne who will have a whole range of pieces on display. I tried taking a few photos today, but of course my camera battery died;). I’ll post what I was able to grab before that happened!! Now… shop away!!

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Fundraising in Style with FAB
Shopping Party returns with spring styles
to E. 4th Street Cultural District
Saturday, May 16th, 2009 Noon-4:30PM, Teatro Circulo, 64 E. 4th Street

April 3, 2009, New York, NY - Fundraising in Style partners with Fourth Arts Block (FAB) for a spring shopping party on Saturday, May 16, 2009 from Noon-4:30PM. The event continues a series of fun, original shopping events with over a dozen independent designers to benefit New York City’s non-profits. FAB will host the event at Teatro Circulo’s theater and receive a contribution toward their programs to support artists.

The spring party with FAB will include a great selection of clothing and accessory designers, all with items geared towards spring, as well as sets by DJ Jmz, works by local artists, and light refreshments. Join us for a decadent yet wallet friendly fun night of shopping, mingling, scrumptious treats and free sangria!

Designers Include: Lara Kazan, Leoworks (Nicole Gagne), Milda Bublys, Zoe Lou, MissWit Designs, Lewis Cho, Roka Jewelry, Ipa-nima, Belissima Collection, Time Bandits, Tamara Pogosian, Shilvy, JB Occassionals and Erna Leon.

RSVP here or pay a $3 entry fee at the door.

RS

The Designers:
Lara Kazan
Leoworks
Milda Bublys
MissWit Designs
Lewis Cho
Roka Jewelry
Ipa-nima
Belissima Collection
Erna Leon
Tamara Pogosian
Zoë Lou Designs
Shilvy
Time Bandits
JB Ocassionals

About Fundraising in Style
Fundraising in Style is a group of independent designers pooling their resources together to benefit New York City’s non-profits by throwing fabulous shopping events. 10% of the event sales are donated to a charity organization.

With the current recession, founder and knitwear designer Lara Kazan (www.larakazan.com) and fellow designers decided to create an event that would work in today’s economy. What could be a better reason to encourage people to shop then to create fun events with designers – who normally sell to high-end boutiques and better department stores – offering their wears for discounted prices and simultaneously supporting a great cause?

About FAB
In October 2005, Mayor Bloomberg officially designated East 4th Street a Cultural District – one of two in the City - and sold 8 properties to the long time cultural groups for $8. To date, FAB and partners have raised more than $16 million to renovate the cultural facilities and half a million for streetscape improvements.

With 17 performance and multi-media venues, the district already offers one of the most vibrant concentrations of cultural organizations in the city. When the district’s cultural plan is complete, space for artists and arts organizations will nearly double.

As the district’s leadership organization, FAB is working to preserve and advance the district’s dynamic artistic environment by developing the properties into permanent homes for the arts, leading centralized projects that provide a model for sustainable development, directing marketing and promotion efforts, and supporting the capacity of its members.

A few pieces from the lovely Nicole:

So I’ve got plenty of friends who think I’m crazy for watching Grey’s Anatomy. They call it the nighttime soap, and in a way I guess they’re right. That doesn’t stop me from loving it, though, and I’ll keep watching until it stops existing. I’ve been there since episode one and though there have definitely been episodes that leave me grumbling a huge ‘REALLY??’ there are also episodes that make me cry and even make me think a little. The season finale was one of those. Cheesy? Yes. But thought-provoking? Definitely. Especially in my current state of mind. In case you’re not a Grey’s watcher, I thought I’d share the final monologue. It’s worth a quick read and really… think about it.

Did you say it?

I love you… I don’t ever want to live without you… you changed my life.

Did you say it?

Make a plan, set a goal, work toward it

but every now and then, drink it in.

Cause this is it.

It might all be gone tomorrow.

Think about it… don’t focus on the negative, don’t take the people in your life for granted, hell… don’t take life for granted. Cherish the joyful moments, experience life. Focus on the positive. Tell the people in your life that you love that you LOVE them. Take care with yourself, but take a few risks. It’s not worth waiting around for something to happen. Love your life now.

That’s my speech;).

I just got word through a friend that Paste Magazine has been severely affected by the economic downturn and is in danger of shutting down. We all know that publishing has taken a huge hit lately and it’s been so sad to watch loved and cherished publications fold. It will be a sad sad day if Paste Magazine takes the fall. If you’re not familiar, please allow me to introduce you. Paste Magazine is my absolute favorite music magazine. I’ve professed my love before and I’ll do it again. I first got turned onto Paste while back working at Verve. We were shifting a bit, working with more singer/songwriters. There were a few ‘zines to watch back then… but Paste, Filter and Harp were really the ones we focused on. Harp, sadly, has already been lost. Paste and Filter have kept it going, and are both known in the industry as strong forces behind indie music. Paste Magazine is known for heralding developing artists. They include a new music CD in every issue. It’s always tightly curated and for a while, it was the main source of new artist discovery in my world. Each issue has a feature called ‘4 to watch’ that focuses on new names in the independent music world. They give background, sounds likes, mini-interviews, where to find tunes… It’s really fantastic. Paste has also worked on programs with indie retail, including Paste Recommends which highlights new artists and bands in stores with a special bin, listening options and more. Honestly, losing Paste Magazine would rob new artists of one of the best print outlets they currently have. Don’t get me wrong… it’s not just about developing artists. They’re also on top of every new release by seasoned favorites. They’re heralded by indie mainstays like Cowboy Junkies and Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips. The magazine is smart, well-written, informative and amusing. Please, please, pleeeease take a moment to check them out and if you’re able, show a little love. Even if you can’t give $ to the cause, spread the word, tell all of your friends… help us save this AWESOME magazine.

See what musicians are saying about Paste here

Learn about what else you can do here

Read the editors’ letter to Paste readers here

Check out some music and media here

Follow Paste on Twitter

Be a fan on Facebook

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Thanks for Listening;) xErin

To the amazing women in my life!!

My Mom, Barbara Ann

My Stepmother, Christina

My Sister, Lea

My Cousin, Tara

My wonderful Grandmothers, Ellie and Rita

(click links above for the stories)

Today is Mother’s Day. The day on which we are encouraged to honor our moms… our grandmothers, sisters, friends (who are moms). I love that there is a day for this, but also think that we should honor our moms all the time. I want my mom to know how unbelievably remarkable she is every day, not just one day in May. That said, I’m still dedicating this post to her and am very much looking forward to seeing her again in a few weeks. We’ve got lots of family things planned, but I’m pretty certain that we get a whole Sunday all to ourselves. To stroll around the Bronx Botanical Gardens and the Zoo and to talk Jane Austen for our new Mother/Daughter book club. Jealous? You should be. It’s going to be fabulous:).

[my mom, in her early 20s]

So, my mom. My mom is Barbara Ann Grandolfo. She is and always has been pretty remarkable. She comes from strong stock. From the Italians who worked the land back in the old country and made the long journey across the Atlantic to pass through Ellis Island and settle in the Bronx. From a father who cooked like an old Italian Grandma and a mother who gave the best hugs known to man. She is the oldest of 4 with two younger sisters and a baby brother. She grew up in the Bronx and lived in NY until she was 29, moving to Maine a few short months after she had me, her only daughter (and only child at that!) I know that it’s common for mothers and daughters to have a strong bond, that it’s not unusual for there to be that close connection, but with me and my mom… well, it’s a bond that can never be broken and a bond that’s been there since the day I was born.

[me and mom in the very early days]

She’s taught me so much. About life, about strength and perseverance. About how to be a woman and how to be myself. About how to treat others and how to question the ways of the world. I talk with my mom on the phone every day. Some of you may think that’s crazy, but I think it’s wonderful. She’s seen me through every major detail of my life and supports me unconditionally. When I have tough days and don’t know where to turn, she tells me she’s proud of me and is in awe of what I’ve accomplished. When I’m smiling, she smiles with me. I know it hasn’t always been easy for her. She’s been through divorce, single parenting, the loss of her mom and then her dad, the loss of her sister Carol. She handles each hardship with grace and finds news ways to keep going. She’s been pretty lucky as well. She met my dad and though that didn’t work out, it was right for them at the time. They’ve always been pleasant to each other around me, and always kept any conflict of theirs away from me. For that, I feel unbelievably lucky. She met my step-dad Gordon, the wonderful man to whom she’s been married for 23 years. She lives in a beautiful house in the Maine countryside. She has me, 3 beautiful step-daughters, 2 gorgeous grand-children and a strong support system of friends. She is not quick to judge. She is aware of what’s happening in the world,  but doesn’t let it consume her life. She has learned how to love and appreciate what she has and always feel grateful. She is unbelievably generous. With herself, with her time.

[top: Mom in Ireland, middle: me, Lea and mom in Ireland, bottom: me and mom]

I flew home to Maine for a quick visit last week. During one of our daily chats, I mentioned to mom that my sister was going to be in class and I would probably just take a taxi to the house, or head to a coffee shop. She immediately said, why don’t I come pick you up? I flew in on a Monday and mom was waiting there to meet me. She drove the hour just to come in and spend a few hours wandering around with me. Then the next morning, she did it again. She is just that type of person. Last fall I felt in a bit of a rut and desperately wanted to do something to change my apartment. I talked with mom about it and told her I couldn’t do it alone. So what did she do? She flew to NY to spend the weekend with me. We went through every little nook and cranny of my place… reorganized, rearranged, got rid of things. By the time we were done, it looked like a whole new place. It was amazing. One weekend with my mom transformed my apartment into a place that I looked forward to going home to. This is the type of mom I have.

[top: LZ, Mom and Shalynn, middle: Mom and LZ, bottom: Mom and little Amanda]

I feel extraordinarily lucky. I know not everyone gets a mom like mine and I feel thankful for her every day. I can only hope that I’m someday able to do as much for her as she has done for me. Happy Mother’s Day Mom!! I wish I were there to celebrate with you today. I love you!

I’m pretty sure that I was only a month or two old when I first met my step-mother, Christina. You see, she and my parents were friends within a pretty fantastic community of people up in Maine. She lived on a beautiful farm in Hiram, ME with a huge old barn, horses and sprawling fields with lots of room to run around. Christina first became my step-mother in January of 1991, but she’d already been a big part of my life for years.

[top: Zoe, Christina, Me, Hannah, and Lea on the day she and my dad got married :: bottom: me, Helene (Christina’s mom), and Chris]
At that time, she had a gorgeous old house on Thomas Street in Portland’s West End. My dad and I spent quite a bit of time there as his apartment was only a block away, before we eventually moved in. She was there while Lea and I were likely giggling over cartoons. Our relationship wasn’t always easy, but I think that was to be expected. It was particularly memorable then, when she and made something of a break-through when I was in college. I’d come home to visit and we’d sit around and talk for hours. She’d tell me stories and I’d relate all the crazy (or not so crazy) happenings of my college days. It was the first time that I felt truly connected and I will always treasure those talks. Christina (like Lea) is one of those magnetic people. I watched her with others over the years and she has this ability to draw people near to her. She can talk with anyone, anywhere and probably still makes a new friend every time she goes out. When I was a junior in college, I spent my semester abroad in Cork, Ireland. Chris’s dad comes from strong Irish stock - a Lyons! She and my dad traveled around the West coast on their own a bit and I loved hearing stories of the people they met along the way. I know that was a pretty magical trip for both she and my dad.

[top: Chris in Ireland :: bottom: Chris in Ireland at a Lyons Cafe]
Chris is mother to three (Hannah, Zoe and Lea), was mother to baby Faith who was taken far too soon, is step-mom to me and Grandma Chrissie to Shalynn and LZ. It’s a strong system of women and I know we all feel that bond. Happy Mother’s Day Christina!! I love you!

[top: Lea, my dad, me, Christina and Hannah at my college graduation :: bottom: Chris with Shay and LZ]

My gorgeous, vivacious, strong-willed, creative, caring, phenomenal cousin Tara:). Tara and I are 8 months apart - funny because our moms were about 11 months apart. We were the granddaughters, the partners in crime during all family visits when we were little. I don’t remember all of it, but pictures tell me that we were fast friends, playing with Grandma’s shoes, reveling in the huge ‘pool’ of a bathtub at Grandma and Grandpa’s place in Florida, and probably all sorts of other shenanigans.

[top: Tara and her mom, bottom left: T and me, bottom right: a very good example of how much hair she had when she was little compared to how little hair I had;) - and I’m sure she’s going to loooove me for posting a photo of her with a ball in her mouth!]

Growing up, we lived pretty far apart, so most of our time together was on vacation. I remember one summer, Tara came to visit us in Maine and came with me to my dad’s house. We spent all day out on the lake near his old house in Sebago. Neither one of us are particularly good at tanning and we both finished the day with the most ridiculous sunburns, Tara’s worse than mine. I think that night was spent on the daybed, eating snacks, watching movies and trying not to move and exacerbate the sunburn. Ah, youth. We didn’t get to see each other quite as often during our college and post-college years. We actually lost touch for a little while. But then Ms. Tara got married and her husband, Tom, got a job here in NY. They moved to the city in May of 2003 and a whole new friendship took form. I am so incredibly thankful for the day that they moved here. Since then, she’s no longer just my cousin, but one of my closest friends. We even trained for and ran our first half marathon together (have run another since, and have another one planned this year!) In May of 2007, Tara and Tom left the city for the Jersey shore. They were going to have a baby and could get more space and better living by moving out. It was sad to see her go, but thankfully the trek is only 45 minutes by ferry. On June 11, 2007 Tara’s daughter, Amanda Carol was born. She was and is the spitting image of her mom with a gorgeous full head of blond hair. Watching Tara the mom has been pretty amazing. I’m both in awe of her and inspired by her and feel that I’m learning little bits about motherhood every time I visit. On April 22, Tara and Tom had another baby girl, little Allison Sonia. Tara is an amazing mom and I have no doubt in my mind that she’s going to be just as wonderful with Allison as she has been with Amanda. Happy Mother’s Day T!! I miss you!!

[top: Tara with baby Amanda, bottom: Tara with baby Allison]