The Adirondack Boys Love: Heath Ceramics

We were recently looking for a new set of flatware for New York and we found an amazing shop, very well curated, called Heath Ceramics. Heath, it turns out, is a venerable old company with a history of producing wonderful earthenware and pottery, including tableware, mugs, bowls and other handmade products.  They also select very high quality and unusual products that are sold on their website and in the Heath Ceramics shop and factory in Sausalito, California.  They carry beautiful glass by Holmegaard and David Mellor flatware, among other finds.  The collection is selected carefully and includes only items of high quality, beauty and craftsmanship.

What to Wear, if You Can Find It

When we were in Paris, we found a little shop in the Marais called Bain Plus (Bath Plus) that sold luxurious bath towels, robes and high-end personal grooming products.  But they also carried a line of knitwear that we absolutely loved and bought lots of -- Harris Wilson.  The colors and quality are great.  The problem: we can't find them in New York or anywhere in the U.S.  So if you happen to be in the Marais, stop by Bain Plus and check out the great knits by Harris Wilson.  Their scarves are terrific, too -- bold colors, long and very well knit.  

Bain Plus, 51 rue des Francs-Bourgeois, 75004 Paris (corner rue Vieille du Temple), Tel 01 48 87 83 07

Patriotic Duty

The financial crisis has caused fear and destruction across the U.S. economy and in the lives of its citizens.  Yet, people seemed unfazed when they mobbed into Walmart (Save Money, Live Better) and ended up trampling one of the sales people.  Perhaps we should shop online instead this holiday season.

Many Strange Things

Paris shopping is special. The shops are unique - they offer personalized service along with original wares that you cannot easily get (or get at all) in other places, even New York. One special place to visit is Deyrolle. It is a shop filled with - many strange things. It's a hundred seventy five year old shop that sells taxidermy and all manner of natural curiosities. Next time you are in Paris, take some time to explore Deyrolle. For those who read French, here is an excerpt from the Deyrolle website:

Cette maison, qui reste un lieu unique en Europe, n’a pas failli à sa vocation pédagogique depuis qu’elle fût fondée en 1831 par Jean-Baptiste Deyrolle, très vite relayé par son fils Achille. Tous deux passionnés d’entomologie ils développèrent rapidement un commerce florissant basé sur la vente des insectes et le matériel de chasse pour les collections d’histoire naturelle tout en développant parallèlement une activité de taxidermiste.En 1888, la société Deyrolle, sous la houlette d’Émile Deyrolle, petit-fils du fondateur, s’installe définitivement rue du Bac, dans l’hôtel particulier de Samuel Bernard (fils du banquier de Louis XIV).La vocation de l’enseigne est avant tout pédagogique. Outre le matériel scientifique et le mobilier scolaire fourni à toutes les écoles et universités de France, beaucoup d’ouvrages spécialisés ont été publiés par les Deyrolle.

Photo Credit: David F. Gallagher (bottom); Deyrolle (top)

Adirondack Shopping: The Birch Store

There are more and more unpleasant shops in the Adirondacks: you know the kind - full of twiggy boxes made in China (check the bottom!) and all that ye olde country cabin stuff. The farther you get from the city, the less appealing the shopping becomes. But there are some gems among many duds, and The Birch Store in Keene Valley is one of them. In a charming little house, the store sells cool, modern, fun, edgy accessories for the home. The Birch Store is worth a stop if you get to Keene Valley, and it also has a home on the web for those virtual Adirondack travelers among us. The store is located at 1778 Main Street in Keene Valley.

Photo Credit: The Birch Store