New York Diary: Exciting New Finds!

Designer Jianhui and me

What an inspiring day in New York! I saw a collection of lines juried for boutique owners and buyers like me. What a pleasure to meet and with owners and designers themselves, and listen to them describe their vision, designs, materials and manufacturing processes.

Jianhui

I loved Jianhui's jewelry.

He creates bold necklaces made from hundreds of tiny ultra-light and heat retaining recycled wood blocks...





...or rope...

...or silk-covered chain. Colorful and creative, these necklaces are fun!

Then I met with Susan Kirschner. Her contemporary clothing line incorporates architecture, texture, minimalism and patterns to create comfortable apparel. Located in Berkeley, California, Susan has worked with the same sewers for over 20 years.

Here is the new spring green color I saw everywhere. Fresh! This German line is called Elemente Clemente.






What a cool new handbag line: Olbrish! From Berlin, Olbrish is an award-winning contemporary handbag collection featuring architectural shapes and sturdy hardware. These one-of-a-kind high quality bags are made with the finest Nappa leather from Germany.

Although Sympli is not new to Renee's, it has become one of Renee's staple collections. I love working with Kathy, who has been in Renee's and met many of you at a Sympli trunk show a few years ago. She helped me put together a new collection for spring today.

Well, I must stop here and get ready for another full day here in New York. I've loved hearing from you. Your comments and your "presence" are huge motivators as I wade through thousands of collections for you. Thank you for joining me here! Check in again tomorrow for the latest finds, just for you, all the way from New York City to Everett!

With love,
Renee

New York Beckons!

Subway Station at JFK airport

Dear friends,

We have arrived in New York City! I’ m glad you are “with me.” Your presence and feedback is a consistent positive motivator. Thank you for allowing me to shop for you! It’s an honor and a privilege.

All the dread I had about leaving the comforts of home and my routine, the early morning departure, flying hassles, high stakes decision making and pressure to gather all the energy I can muster for this working trip magically disappeared as soon as we boarded the subway at JFK.

It’s thrilling to be in the midst of all hustle and bustle; I enjoy the familiarity of the city and feeling confident enough to maneuver around here. I love New York!

One of the gifts of being a store owner and buyer is that it gives me an excuse to do things, to go places and explore. I will open my blinders and take in all of it: the wide variety of clothing (there is something for everyone here), creative designs, luxurious fabrics, texture and hand, details. Curiosity is my friend.

The bulk of our finds will be “custom;” made just for us, in the colors, sizes and quantity of my choosing. They will begin to arrive in January.

Home away from home. Upper West Side.

Most of what we picked last February is now in the store! Renee’s has transitioned into fall, and it’s full of rich autumn colors, luxurious soft fabrics, warm and cozy sweaters, and sturdy professional garb.

Still, starting over is a little daunting. The blank page is before me. The cursor is blinking. What will the store look like next spring based on finds and discoveries this week? I accept the challenge. Let’s go find out!

With love,
Renee

Contemporary Pants, Cute Shoes

Dear friends,

Renee's now proudly offers MosMosh, a new Danish line of contemporary pants and jeans. We discovered this line on our market trip to New York last February.

Available in black, caramel and denim, the hip fit and stretchy feel make this a line any body can wear with confidence.

Come in to try a pair on today.

Many of our Fidji shoes for fall have arrived. Take a look!

These patent leather boots from Naot were so popular last year that we are offering them again.

A comfy boot, the shank stretches to accommodate all calf sizes. Try them for yourself!

Hope to see you in Renee's soon!

With love,

Renee

Two For One: Totes with Function and Form

Totes and tablet covers

Dear friends,

Remember when you came with me to New York back in February? I took photos and told you about my finds. You responded most to a felted wool handbag line called Graf and Lantz. You can re-read that post here.

Waxed cotton canvas bag

Well, the bags that we chose way back then were made just for Renee's, and they have arrived! Even better than I remember, the handmade totes are perfect for the northwest.

Daily Bag fuchsia/orange

We have both felt and canvas bags. Some come with a sturdy leather bottom. Traditionally made with wool, felt is considered to be the world's oldest fabric.

Jaunt tote orange/red with brown leather bottom

Although these days there are mainly synthetic fiber felts on the market, there are still a handful mostly European producers left that specialize in high quality wool felt.

Jaunt tote charcoal/black with black leather bottom

Graf and Lantz import their custom felts from Germany. The felts are made of merino wool, which is prized for its ultra fine fibers and soft feel. The natural oil content of the wool makes this felt stain and water resistant.

Embossed Jaunt black/gray with black leather bottom

If any spills occur you can just dab off moisture with a wet towel or rinse lightly with water. Allow to air dry, and the bag will be as good as new.

Daily Bag charcoal/gray

Best of all wool felt is a natural, sustainable and biodegradable material.

Look stylish and carry all your daily necessities in these roomy, one-of-a-kind totes. Invest in a beautiful bag that will last a lifetime today!

With love,

Renee

Let's Go Back to New York!

Dear friends,

I’m disgusted and frustrated. I tried to make a batch of homemade mayonnaise, twice now, and the result is a big, sloppy mess.

Ugh. I dislike waste. I used my best, expensive extra virgin olive oil. I don’t want to throw it out nor do I want to admit defeat.

A couple days ago we ran out, and I’d been toying with the idea of making my own. I remember making it regularly as a kid, and I never had a problem. I was always amazed at the seemingly magical emulsification.

Well, I don’t have the same recipe, and as the song goes, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to make it again.

After the failed first try, I read some more about homemade mayo, and discovered one can supposedly remedy the failure. The original recipe called for two eggs. I think my broken slurry now contains at least five eggs, and still, no thick, creamy stuff to slather on our bread.

In the midst of my drama this morning Bill had the audacity to announce he was going back to bed. How could he possibly sleep with this noisy old blender grinding away? And the poor upstairs neighbors--if they weren’t awake before I tried to mend my concoction, they certainly were soon after.

I had grand plans to pack some delicious sandwiches with homemade mayonnaise for the plane trip to New York on Tuesday. I guess the store-bought stuff will have to suffice.

 Oh, did I forget to tell you? We are going on a buying trip to the Big Apple. Will you join me anyway, sans decadent mayonnaise?

We’ll take along homemade banana bread instead, which did turn out perfectly this morning. We can munch on it when we come back to the hotel room at night.

See you soon!

~renee


This recipe originally came from my college friend Kim, and I still use it regularly, more than 25 years later. I’ve updated it by reducing the sugar and increasing the nuts. I added about ¾ teaspoon of cinnamon to this morning’s batch, just because.

Kim’s Banana Bread
½ cup butter (1 stick), room temp.
¾ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
2 eggs, room temp.
3 extra ripe bananas
2 cups flour
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. With a hand-held mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Blend in the salt, soda and eggs. Mix in the bananas. Stir in the flour, and then the walnuts. Scrape the batter into a greased loaf pan and put it in the oven. Lower the temperature to 325 degrees. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a tester inserted into its center comes out clean and the loaf is golden brown and firm to the touch. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Then turn out the loaf onto the rack to cool completely. Slice and serve with butter.

Hit the Ground Running!

Renee's is carrying classic, cool Pendleton this fall!

"Hit it!" That's what you yell when you are ready! ...for the boat to pull you up on water skis, or to get the band to play... And I'm shouting that from the store today, where I'm back after some enjoyable summer time off. We are ready for the fall season at Renee's. Here are some photos to whet your appetite.

Bodil plaid gauze smock.

Aquatalia wine-colored suede pumps.

 

Sympli wrap top and skirt, color currant.

Baabaazuzu jacket. One of a kind.

Baabaazuzu vest. One of a kind.

Graf and Lantz waxed canvas bag, Raw Earth Wild Sky top, Asian Eye scarf.

Nic and Zoe collection.

Nomadic Traders fuschia boiled wool vest and mock neck sweater.

Nomadic Traders turquoise boiled wool vest and mock neck sweater with Asian Eye scarf.

Mark your calendar. Our Asian Eye scarf show will be back just in time for the holidays on Nov. 30 and Dec. first.


Please stop by soon and get a taste of fall at Renee's. We look forward to reconnecting with you soon.

With love,

Renee