Sincerely (Yours), Tommy.

This is a post long overdue.  Some months ago, before my Masters studies got to the best of me, this post was in the making, about a dear friend whose sublime ambitious dream came true, and to much acclaim and fruition.  Not for nothing, this muse of a girl became a muse of a(n) “every”- woman (a woman who every stylish woman wants to be) in front of my very eyes.  I am so personally proud of her accomplishment, and am infinitely inspired by her vision and the manner which she brought this thing forth to the world, I introduce to you, Sincerely Tommy.

A minimalist concept shop, tucked at a cozy corner in the middle of BedStuy at Tompkins and Monroe, Sincerely Tommy is unexpected of the neighborhood, like a (any) sci-fi movie of 2014, ahead-of-the-times yet very right-now.  Owner Kai Avent-DeLeon comes from a line of entrepreneurial matriarchs in her family, who lead the way to her now wildly minimalistic hub of textures and sensualities…everything you see you want to either hug caress or own, or all of the above.  The visuals you will encounter at the instagram account the store represents are ethereal (my favorite word/feel), otherworldly charming, tactile and structural, elegant and visionary.  They take you far, far away from your daily grind, just enough of a fantasy that you felt the elation of a truly de-stressed vacation, but tangible enough to realize hey maybe just maybe I can afford to do this for real.  A rich minimalism isn’t an easy feat.  At least from this maximalistic-minimalist’s POV.

 

 

Congratulations hoe, you did it :p

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

recently profiled by the talented humble illustrator/blogger Garance Dore…a “classic modern” that Kai is 🙂

 

 

you can also shop online…shh there may or may not be an end-of-season sale goin’ on now

 

 

follow the shop on instagram…and let the visionaire take you away…

 

 

the quirky minimalism doesn’t stop here…see the brownstone Kai and Dan restored on Apartment Therapy…

 

 

all photo by moi – a visual documentist

Approaching the Intangible, and Filling the Void, at Intangible Beauty: Beautiful Women and the Void.

If there is a world where there exists only the random, the unfathomable, the imaginary, the fallen beauty, the disturbed, the trompe l’oeil, then this side room in Kasher | Potamkin is it.  Like artifacts of a lost world of another realm, the inaugural exhibit at this new “boutique-meets-gallery” themed itself of items with peculiar, eye-of-the-beholder beauty, and that’s just how I like it.

 

 

soft, plush, silky, not the words that come to mind when one looks at marble…this trompe l’oeil of a chair gives the illusion of a solid chair carved from white arabescado marble. even the footstool is a pillowtop for your ankles; from Maurizio Galante and Tal Lancman of Maurizio-Galante, there’s some fantastical pieces on their site I wouldn’t mind owning (or borrowing, whichever comes first)

 

not one, but two sheepy ducklings (what beastly legs are these?!), at once my desire to caress/hug/park my behind on one overcame, but quickly I took hold of myself and gave in to just photographic documentations (it’ll last longer)

 

by the Haas Brothers.  go on their site to view (or buy) more beastly creatures of comfort

 

blooms? elephant trunks? rooty explosions? these were a bouquet in their own collective existence; also by the Haas Brothers

 

silk or cellophane done with shrink wrapping process of sorts? by Jessica Janoski (not to be confused with the travel blogger by the same name)

 

gilded animal (Javanese monkey to be exact) skeleton gives natural history museum meets Fort Knox; by John Breed. his is an abundance of carcasses and limbs

 

these marble and wood receptacles of sorts by Michaël Verheyden reminds me of the jewel stand by Zoe Mowat…perhaps they know each other? or all is in the critical mass that is a design aesthetic collective consciousness

 

the reason I was brought to this fantastical kingdom of dream in the first place; true to the nature of this blog (ie. talented friends, uh-hum, I’m talking about you, Soull and Dynasty), jewelry from L’Enchanteur was also featured in Kasher | Potamkin, alongside the other artistry

 

hand-made hairpieces from Tresse Agoche gives BAPS-chic (remember Halle Berry before she was HALLE BERRY?!) and beyond

 

giant orchid ink drop by Yassi Mazandi

 

guess what?! lapin butt. by Ghyslain Bertholon, a French multi-media artist that brings the art of taxidermy into the new world, amongst his swans with penises as heads and other sculptural creatures that busts through expectations of the norm

 

 

left by Vee Speers, right by Conrad Roset

 

photographic documentation of Tresse’s hair sculptures by Delphine Diallo

 

quartz cluster face by Atsushi Tawa, multimedia artist from Japan whose range is beyond description…see for yourself 

 

ceramic mask vases by Bruce M. Sherman

 

wall paper by Calico…jewel stand not included

 

no comment on the comfort of this shelf chair…

 

miniature women in a zipper pod by Kathy Taslitz

 

not your usual Russian porcelain, by Sergei Isupov

 

the backside to the unusual porcelain depicts a woman who slayyyyys…

 

sugar and sprinkles oversized medallion by Fernando Mastrangelo 

 

a close up…I was tempted but I restrained for the sake of art

 

framed this time…also by Atsushi Tawa

 

 

another unusual porcelain by Isupov…

 

the details and realism is only visible in person…by Biata Roytburd

 

my mom’s fondness for ceramic dolls come to mind when I see this eerie work by Jessica Harrison…although I’m sure she would have a much different take on these feminist versions of the women of yesteryears being portrayed this way.  Harrison has a whole series exploiting women and their tendencies to give even their most vital organs away at a constant…a not untrue observation of the structure of womanhood, even till this day

 

more portraits by Vee Spears

 

twin vision with L’Enchanteur creatives Soull and Dynasty Ogun

 

haven’t you always dreamed of caressing a lapin’s butt? well here’s your chance

 

 

The only downside to living in the vastness that is New York City is there never cease to be new things to do/to see/to experience/to get accustomed to.  But to find a space, where surrealism lives so believably, almost reasonably, stradling the subconscious and the conscious mind, where dream and reality merge seamlessly to create another realm altogether, like a second nature, is a rare treat in of itself.  Of course there will never cease to be “peculiarosities” in this town where all the Atypicals come to express their perplexities, but at last, there was a place for them/us, to call home.

 

 

curator Andi Potamkin gets a nod from Cultured magazine…

 

 

a blurb by James Tarmy for Bloomberg.com about the new gallery that is Kasher Potamkin

 

 

all photo by moi – a visual documentist

He Who Works For IT…Sajjad Works.

Of course if you have taken in any of my previous posts you would have gathered the notion of that this-here “blogging” for me is one of the ways I choose to outwardly celebrate the creative energies that surround me, many of whom I resplendently call my FRIENDS.  So it wouldn’t be a surprise that this man here, one who have been a constant fixture in the shit-disturbing, ruckus-inducing, all in the best positivity-promoting way possible, circle of “fr-amily” that reisdes in the greater area of Fort-Clint-Stuy, Brooklyn, a creative soul who I gladly admit friendship with, chose to annunciate his own brand of art, in some greatness no less than what you’re about to see.

Take it in, my soulful comrades, and make a screensaver of it (or ALL of it) while you can, because this man is about to take you on a journey through his whimsical visionary mind…here he is… Sajjadworks.com.

 

 

an accompanying soundtrack that is food for the soul, by King avriel.

 

maybe it’s my own propensity for anything architectural and out-of-this-world, this one speaks to me as its familiarity sums up all of my preferred dwelling choices in one go…

 

out of this world…as sometimes frolicking in love can feel like…

 

 

 

another favorite…can you guess why?

 

a woman’s mind is like a galaxy…she needs more than one observatories to admire her beauty and wonderment…

 

jumping into the hydrant of life…

 

I hear the song Nothing Even Matters by Lauryn Hill and D’Angelo when I see this…in the chaos that is life, we can still choose to see and feel and exude love and embrace each other…

 

 

Sajjad’s work took me out of this world, with a perspective that is at once refreshing yet soulful.

 

 

for more artistic interpretations of the future of humanity, dig in here at sajjadworks.com

 

 

all photo NOT by moi (but usually is) – a visual documentist

Design Your Design Week In NYC.

So this wasn’t new to me nor to the average New Yorker, but it was the first time I took it seriously and gave it a second look into the options it offered…are they functional (obvious number 1)?  Is this something lacking in the market (it satisfies the market researcher in me to know)?  Is this aesthetically pleasing without losing a purpose?  And finally does it drive the humanity towards a better place in the timeline of evolution (how very existential of me to ask but I’m sure I’m not the only one [I hope] wondering)?  Although it was not the first year NYCxDesign, aka Design Week NYC, had taken place in the Big Apple, it was certainly one of the more interesting ones.  I love a gorgeously textured futuristic-throwback-modern couch as much as the next design-intuit NYer, but given the price point they often always start at, looking from afar is as close as I’ll get for the time being.  Not so in this design circuit though; while I didn’t have as much time as I’d like to have to attend the slew of events around the city that week, I got to attend one that is massive in scale, held in a long show-dungeon that stretched avenue-width (from 11th to West Side Highway to be exact) aptly named the Tunnel, Wanted Design NYC.  But don’t let the mammoth of a fair fool you; most objet d’art were reasonably priced, definitely approachable, and most times even kid-friendly.  Being an educator has unequivocally given me that “edge” (more like softened it [the little that I had before the whole educating bit came into my life] a great deal, insert crying+laughing emoji here) to see objects beyond its superficial value (place side-eyes+pursed lipped emoji here), so I’ve began to notice myself wondering just how “the littles”, who are infinitely more perceptive and intuitive than I recall myself ever was at their age, can use-n-abuse these hopefully “functional” objet d’art.  Nothing new to this here, once again I’ve gone off to the deep end, so let us round back to where we started, this thing they call Design Week.

 

Before I jump into yet another rant about the gargantuan of a fair that is Wanted Design NYC, a dwarfish in comparison “show-space” (more reminiscent of an art gallery really) got my attention at a full halt; it packed the design punch as far as meeting each of the above “design requirements” according to me, and as simple as “the requirements” seem, to find them each checked off for good measures is no pliant task…

 

Again, I won’t bore with a lengthy detailed stop-by-stop description and will get right into the meat of things that is only the favorites (insert self-satisfied smiley emoji here), starting with the small giant that is Colony Showroom.

 

woven wall hanging by hiroko takeda; simple at a glance, once up close the depth jumps at you, daring you to come in for a less obstructed examination

 

this “giant waffle cartography series” undoubtedly drew the roadmap to my heart…every strand a trajectory to the main ticker

 

constructed with the effortlessness any modern woman stipulates for her day-to-day, this pièce de résistance of a doodad is not only a “jewelry stand”, it quietly strikes the perfect balance between function and form and is an art in and of itself

 

hanging loops ensure movement, the jewelry stand is designed to shift on a whim

 

pieces are customized per order; colors and placements are adaptable to one’s idiosyncratic preference

 

brass (also comes in nickle) hexagon side table is adjustable in height (the metal part twists up/downwards), with a base in pietra cardosa marble to stablize, egg collective commits itself to making American heirloom-quality furniture whilst fully embracing natural materials 

 

meg callahan who makes these elemental geometric “quilts” that are a spin-off from the traditional quilting styles from a hand-guided long-arm quilting machine, each piece is made to order, and definitely checks off “the 4 design requirements” list with its varied funtionalities and surely prods the evolution of quilting along to a new degree

 

another piece by meg callahan; though unusual in the darkness it’s chosen for itself, there’s still a lightness in the semi-translucent rhombus panels that one won’t hesitate to keep in good shape for generations to come

 

let’s all just sit and read in this sling chair by sit and read, but it’ll be up to you whether to read books or people

 

in lux cow hide with a maple (or walnut) frame, this egg collective dining chair serenely straddles the line between opulence and restraint

 

I’ve had to return to the scene of the crime to get less crowded-over photographic portrayals of the show-mammoth that is Wanted Design NYC due to an obvious oversight that was the opening-night-open-bar-goggles.  Even though the extravaganza promised more goods by sheer volume, I did not find the aesthetic and obvious 4 checker-off-ers to be in line with what was paraded here; a lot of what was present felt like space fillers, and in keeping my posts positive with uplifting intentions I will only begin my visual rant on what intrigued, in my opinion (stating the obvious, as I like to, as I’m often reminded by my close friends the Boo’s, insert smiley-embarassed-sweatdrop emoji here).

 

“daylight white cloud lighting” by molo that definitely touched the soft spot in me that is all things eco-friendly/decomposable; these “clouds” looks as though they can float my worries away at any given moment

 

a funny little bear that echoes my own early childhood educator sentimentality

 

the predestined #selfie in front of the perfect mirror by Blackbody (?)

 

another set up by blackbody; these undersized OLED lights can be arranged in any way to forge an extraordinary effect 

 

pleated “textile soft wall” from molo elongates and shortens whilst staying flexible, bending to any desired urge and joining at the magnetized edges to form seamless walls even children can’t resist

 

and this, perhaps my favorite item of all, “fanning stool” made from brown kraft paper that is collapsible and can be made in benches (!)…I can’t even take it!!! this is what molo had to share with us about this series of compassionate (to Earth and butts alike):

“fanning stools can be joined to create long benches of any serpentine, circular or straight configuration. softseating is compressed for shipping and storage and fans open into the form of a cylinder held together by magnetic connectors that can also be linked together to form a serpentine bench. softseating has been designed with long-term use in mind. The surface texture softens over time into a pleasing patina, creating a beautiful organic pattern that mimics qualities found in nature, particularly in plants and flowers. Throughout this idiosyncrasy of ageing and movement, softseating maintains its structural integrity. A stiff robust unbleached paper, the warm natural kraft is 100% recyclable and made from 50% recycled fibre.

softseating fanning stool elements can also be used to create benches, see chart above

kraft paper softseating is fire retardant. Fire rating documentation is available upon request”…WHAAAAAAA?!??

 

And on this very eco-friendly Mother Earth swirling moment I conclude my investigation on this round of Design Week NYC…till next time…tata!

all photo by moi – a visual documentist

Being Enchanted by L’Enchanteur L’ifestyle.

A big part of my starting this blog was so that I can have a space where I get to shamelessly plug my infinitely talented and dextrous compadres, like I always want to do (and DO when I remember to!) in real life; one of my life’s passion is finding people’s innate ability to succeed (ergo the natural inclination towards Montessori/early childhood education [when better to start the path to greatness than when life begins…literally!]…this intent had always been innate in me, I was only lucky enough to find my own talent within myself and be able to name it as Montessori, but that’s another story for another time altogether).  Being able to find that “special-something” inside each and every one of us (read: humanity as a whole) is a high so out of this world, like inhaling helium in outer space (high-pitched AND high from little oxygen?? whaaaa), and to be able to give love to that “special-something” and nourish it until it tends fruition, that is another elation all on its own.  So as much as I can I try to give my own “special-something” aka intensely-passionate-conviction (may have something to do with the fact that I love humanity and the possibilities it brings; I constantly want to toot how great human kind can be, how with great intentions come great results), and honestly enough about what’s not “good” (the whole idea about “good” and “bad” is bs, ignoring the basis of duality which is both sides of the same coin is what makes the Earth go ’round, if this ideology can be engaged in all aspects of life, there wouldn’t be so much internal struggle and suffering, anyways of course this would be another topic for another day, for the Buddhist in all of us) because if it is true what we focus our energy on grows, then I want to be very clear and explicit about growing the human consciousness on this planet, so we can all enjoy ourselves even more fully in this life.

 

 

All that being said, L’Enchanteur is something that started from similar ideology and branching into not just another “fashion” brand, it embodies the lifestyle that promotes higher consciousness and of course truthful self-expression is a big part of that.  The twin sisters Soull and Dynasty Ogun (by now you may have noticed the recurring theme of sisters doing not only exquisite but practically bewitching objects-of-substance in the world, and you would be correct to assume I have a fondness for such delicate balance of sisterhood, let alone the very phenomenal existence of twinhood <3).

 

 

With still a hint of balminess leftover from a steam room of a summer, I met the sister duo during the meat of a September Fashion week, circa 2013; in a charming studio in Nolita, in the presence of a couple of cacao-complexioned, ferociously-haired boy/man models, garbed in all-white, presided on benches made of wooden slats, each of them manning their own choice of weaponry, aka a long piece of carved wood with beans in it that slid from one end to the other to make this melodic sound that at once sounds like the ocean’s ebbs-and-flows and floating raindrops on a tin roof (someone please tell me what this sublime instrument is called!), therefore lending itself to yet another layer of this minimalistic, yet elaborate showroom/showcase/pop up shop.

 

 

So, without further ado, I now formally introduce to you L’enchanteur (though they have been endorsed much by colleagues and creatives-alike outside of this channel right heah)…the beautifully insightful collection that is simplistically complex, full of glee and channels energy that of our ancestors’ better knowledge and wisdom, with every detail thought over and gruesomely arresting aesthetic, to own and to enjoy…

 

 

the geometry employed here is simplistic, yet meaningful; the etchings on the edges is symbolic of a ruler, measuring the various marks that one’s life take on as it experiences (this is my take on their symbolism, and after many eclectic rants and extensive tangent convos with Soull, I find ourselves aligning on more than just simple belief systems and general perception of the world.  they may explain it differently, but fundamentally we have very similar outlooks.  not that I am speaking for them or anything ;p).

 

 

ladders, lunar elipses, equilateral triangles (equilateral triangles are one of the strongest shapes geometrically. they represent strength under pressure and order in all situations. just fyi), nothing escapes the hands and connective minds of Soull, who fuses all the different elements of this Earth seamlessly.

 

 

there’s references from every culture; the brass “stamp”, what one uses in ancient China, and even nowadays (me myself personally have three to my possession, from my childhood days of banking in Taiwan, each with it’s own style of font, all of them representative of Me).

 

 

much of their “jewelry” is “user-purposed”; meaning the user get to decide the purpose of each piece as they so see fit.  aside from the obvious earring and rings, the “bracelet” can serve as a napkin ring, the “hair pick” can serve as a sweater pin.

 

 

the strong shapes, squares and circles, really speaks to the minimalist of me; yet the employment of proportion vs. texture, evokes a much richer side of the aesthetic.

 

 

in my eyes, onyx is one of the most regal stones to use.  and rightfully so, mysterious yet lux, this crystal is “strength-giving, beneficial during difficult or confusing periods; centers, aligns with higher power…imparts self-confidence”.

 

 

the use of crystals and the energy they channel is prevalent; part of their philosophy behind the lifestyle “brand” is to bring more significance to a piece that just “looks good”.  those who knows a lil’ sumthin’ about them crystals and the effervescence they bring to one’s higher being, this black onyx is “strength giving…beneficial during difficult or confusing periods; centers, aligns with higher power.  promotes vigor, stamina, steadfastness, wise decisions…[also] aids learning lessons, imparts self-confidence, ease in surroundings” (Crystal User’s Handbook, p. 124).  (and yes, while I understand its place and the purpose it serves, I am not citing correctly nor do I care to, what is important here to me is the knowledge, first and foremost).

 

 

Dynasty makes the duckbills, and anything textile involved.  for this particular visit I’ve gotten only “jewel-deep” into their chaste aesthetic, but I promise to report back on the other side of the spectrum that is clothing and beyond.

 

 

generally I have a fondness for coral; not technically a crystal, the vibrance of the color and the marine-life it exudes brings a calmness only something nature can conjure.  it is like wearing a piece of the Earth with you at all times.

 

 

in the crystal world, points have a significance in itself; here, as a single long point (also called a laser wand), it has a denoted implication of “focused energy, can be used to work on a specific point, either putting energy in or drawing energy out as appropriate…particularly useful for healing or ritual work” (Crystal User’s Handbook, p. 10).  since the point on this particular piece is not encased in brass, the extremity gives it the power to do what nature intended.

 

 

the use of geometry and lines is fluidly appointed throughout; a double ring that can also be a neck piece, and maybe even a fanciful napkin tie? the beauty of these lies in the multiplicity of the possibilities.

 

 

In a life full of chaos and unwarranted stress jumping out at every turn, it is nice to meet such refinery that knows the purpose of itself and works with the many neurosis of the human psyche and life itself; I sincerely welcome the creation of L’Enchanteur to aid our best selves in this earthly sphere, and am thankful for its existence.

 

 

all photo by moi – a visual documentist

 

 

from Ciara to Lauryn Hill, their eclectic collections have been in magazines and on stages alike…

 

you can find some of L’Enchanteur garbs and goodies on Navyblackbrown.com

 

follow the sister duo and their visionary paths on Instagram @l_enchanteur

 

the origin of equilateral triangles which dates back in the ice ages, transpired in the ancient Egypt, Greece, and all parts of Asia.

Sweeeeet Jesus (forgive my profanity here) For Sweetgreen.

So even though I proudly call myself a fried-chicken aficionado, I still do the most to keep up the other end of the bargain and that is choosing healthier (if not healthiest) intakes of all sorts…edibles, drinkables, information, self-talk and with any luck, all otherwise too.  So sometimes what this means is ingesting not as yummy, not as scrumptious, not as sensory-explosive, as it’s “evil-er”, fuller-fat, sugar-ier counterpart. However, there are exceptions to the rule, I’ve discovered, that doesn’t necessitate the usual, “oh you’ll get used to the green-y earth-y taste soon”, or “mmm this beet is totally “beeting” (haha I just couldn’t help it) out the red velvet cake I was craving!”  It means that, in this big yet small (big as in size-big, small as in how it can feel like there-just-isn’t-a-whole-lot-of-choices to choose from) world of ours, there are still choices that are equal parts healthful, and equal parts mouthwatering.  And today I share with you, maybe not a secret at all, but it is my go-to, whenever I feel like I need a breather, in life/in food choices/in anything at all, I come to this little, large-for-New-York, spot, namely Sweetgreen, to nourish and cleanse my soul, and palate.

 

 

even the font feels clean…just reading it makes me feel healthier.

 

 

Visually, this place gives varsity cafeteria meets urban juice bar meets upscale interior-designed artist loft.  In the midst of NoMad (clever real estate names be damned…not the area though, it does house several of my favorite K-town nosh spots, so I do actually have notable fondness of the area by association), where it is home to wholesale repositories that peddle bejeweled accoutrements by the truckloads, where the sidewalks are littered with stands of halal meats and spicy mangoes and good ol’ New York hotdogs, the existence of a “salad bar” can seem out of place.  But a closer look at the area one can immediately understand the choice made by SG (aka Sweetgreen) to situate the first of itself in the middle of what is seemingly an endless parade of razzle-dazzle budget embellishments and economical street eats.  Just next door to the New York flagship of SG is the new(ish) NoMad Hotel, and only a few more steps to the mainstream-approved originally-hip hotel of Ace.  But enough of this geographical talk, let’s get right to the non-meat of things and tuck into some nosh.

 

 

the ambience is minimal, so is the hassle.  the white line directs traffic to form a line, from end (choose a salad/grain base) to beginning (toss salad+pay).  not a moment behind the scene, all up-front and personal.

 

 

There was something about this place that made me stay longer than my usual meal time of 20 minutes maximum (I tend to inhale my food, working on that though).  Maybe it was the high ceilings, maybe it was the loftiness of it all, the minute I entered I slowed my pace down, taking in the aromas of warm grains, and the zest of fresh kale, it felt like this could’ve easily been my own living room, except for the continuous new arrivals served as reminders that it really wasn’t; nonetheless I felt cocooned by the warmth that is wellness and refuge, all at once, yet I did none of the work to make this happen, ergo the linger and begrudging departure that always seem to follow each meal.

 

 

do excuse the less-than-optimal photo, but don’t let the blurriness fool you, these teas and -nades are the bee’s knees.

 

the idea to include sweet potaters in human mulch shows aptitude in salad making.

 

any place that wall-stencils an inspirational quote from Christopher Wallace is B.I.G. in my book.

 

its varsity-ness to the fullest.

 

more than run-of-the-mill juice bar selection, this juicery boasts unusual use of bok choy (a great source of protein, which is great for maintaining muscle mass and keeping your hair and skin healthy and strong) and isn’t shy on using multiple greens in one go. 

 

finally! the grub!   I made my own with a kale/quinoa/farro/wild rice base, with corn, sweet taters (duh), alfalfa sprouts, and apple, tossed in a miso sesame ginger dressing, with a ton of course (cuz I like it like dat) cracked black pepper and a smiley face of sriracha sauce, healthyheartyearthy all in one bite…all the meat texture without the meat (I mean the protein choices are there if desired too)!

 

 

It is not unusual that I dive into something without looking behind what started it all, but nowadays with a more intentional self I wondered the objectives that prompted the serendipitous notion that is Sweetgreen; with not-a-whole-lot of digging I find out this consortium commenced in 2007, with a few college friends, in a small bungalow in Georgetown, Washington D.C..  This small dream where locally sourced organic ingredients all come to party on your plate/in your bowl, snowballed into what is now inclusive of all things sustainable (meaning recycled, reused, compostable, reclaimed, gentler carbon footprints, solar-paneled, the list does go on-and-on-AND-ON and cover all it’s tracks in all things consumable), a Brobdingnagian of a music and food festival, and a give-back program that educates young students about plant life and it’s many consumable benefits, on top of partnering with local DC farmers to accomplish allllllll that.  Besides getting on board with it all I’m not quite sure what else is a choice in this matter…it seemed all too-good-to-be-true, yet it is…<3…and I couldn’t be gladder.

 

 

On a total side note at the time of post the frozen yogurt was taken off the menu at the NoMad location (a very, VERY sad face from me, because it finally delivered a taste that what is FROZEN and YOGURTY should and would taste like in your imagination and mine), something about it taking away from the main mulch selection (who what WHYYYYYYY??!) was the explanation I was given (side-eye).  Anyways, if you get to DC and other parts of the country that luckily has a Sweetgreen, be sure to try the very delectable fro-yo made with Stoneyfield yogurt (why this was never conceived before may be beyond our best sensibilities).  Mmmmm I can still recall the deliciousness six months later and having only had it once in my life!  Bring it back SG!!!!!!!

 

 

 

as if I needed a reason to stay longer…a mélange of reading materials underpin the ideology behind Sweetgreen.

 

walked in daytime, and walked out night.  time flies when one enjoys the company it keeps. and this company is a keeper, that’s for sure.

 

 

What once was my stumbled-upon and now a destination, this urban oasis in the otherwise non-descript area that is now chicly named (by the renaming lords of real state agents as expected) NoMad (North of Madison Square, for those of us unfamiliar with all the new geographical names of nieghborhoods in New York and it’s five boroughs), is truly for the nomad in us…I wondered in a lost soul, and left found and profoundly nourished.

 

 

all photo by moi – a visual documentist

 

 

this year’s festival is already sold out, but one can gather that it is not to be missed next year ’round…

 

many-a good quotes that is at once a pick-me-upper and a life-long inspiration, found on their Instagram

 

here’s what Washington Post had to say about the first ever SG.