Mom's Day & Fashion Shows & Taxes & Did You Miss Me??

Dear Friends:

Thanks to all for your concerned questions.

Yes, I'm fine, I haven't forgotten how to write English or who you all are (to answer a few of the queries...) Actually, it's all the IRS's fault. After getting several extensions, I had to bite a very large bullet and learn QuickBooks software...in short, I didn't quite expect that doing the taxes for the Galleria would take me 24 hours a day for a month...(with the help of 2 accountants). Oh well, such is non-profit entrepreneurship (gosh, I'm tired). But I never, ever, ever, ever, ever complain (or exaggerate...). Not me!

Much to tell. Sunday is Mother's Day and, of course, we have the most beautiful Mother's Day gifts right here at ArtsEcho Galleria! (You didn't think I was going to suggest a trip to a mall, did you?) We have really unique jewelry, including lovely sets, beautiful earrings, rings, bracelets, necklaces and great watches! Even super-trendy CHARM BRACELET WATCHES! So cool. We also have those adorable FEDORAS (in white, beige, honey and black) and floppy SUNHATS and SUMMER SCARVES. Well, if you can't find a present here...how should I put this? FUGGEDABOUDIT! (What's the point of living in Jersey if you can't use Jersey-speak?) And you can always get a charming ARTSECHO GALLERIA GIFT CERTIFICATE for Mom (or GrandMom or daughter or girlfriend...actually, that might give the girlfriend ideas...)

We are all hard at work on the upcoming Sustainable Couture Fashion Show which is taking place on Saturday, May 15th, and promises to be lots of fun! It starts at 5pm (come a little early if you want a seat!) In addition to dresses by 2 new designers, Aileen Lowe and Ji Young Song (who just started designing for a company in LA; she's flying in for the show) we will be showing some great vintage and designer ArtsEcho Galleria goodies, all "blinged-out" to perfection by our team of superb stylists! Here is our Zoe (photographed by Ben Bendor) in "Ji Young Song for ArtsEcho Design":

Have a great weekend, Happy Mother's Day to all!

Sandra and the diligent and talented ArtsEcho Galleria team: Zoe, Ben, Crystal, Liana, Yara (beginning today!), Claude, Lina and our charming new Saturday volunteer, Shanella.

PS: A lovely article about us in InColor Magazine just came out! You can read it here:

ArtsEcho Galleria: An Artistic Ripple Effect

PPS: We are located at 3809 Park Ave in UC right across from the parking lot of the Weehawken Pathmark. You can call us at 201-617-1110 if you feel like it.

PPPS: We are open TOMORROW for your Mother's Day shopping pleasure from 10 - 6! M-W 11-7, Th-F 11-8; next Saturday...FASHION SHOW!!!!

PPPPS: Don't worry, we still have Hershey's kisses on hand...

PPPPPS: Look below for the famous "secret word"

We have "New Antiques" (...hmmm, isn't that an oxymoron, like "plastic glasses" & "found missing")?

Dear Friends: "Oxymoron" is one of my favorite words...and concepts. Two married words that contradict each other (gleefully). The most famous is "military intelligence", but a quick Google search produced my new favorite which is "Microsoft Works". Ooo, nasty (but good...). The original Greek word means "sharply dull", and then there's "deafening silence" and "real phony" and "found missing" and the well-loved "jumbo shrimp". Well, I could go on and on, but...

Back to the antiques. I have been collecting wonderful things for many years...(something you shouldn't do unless you, too, eventually want to (or have to) open a shop). Many of my lovely things have sold here at ArtsEcho, and several are not for sale, but do help make our charming little Galleria the special place it is. Here is a peek at some of the newbies:

The one on the left is a "Stick and Ball" Victorian etagere that is now housing part of our fabulous collection of scarves. The middle one is a 200 year old hand-carved English chestnut piece (that's my Irish Minstrel Harp on the top) and great designer jeans (including Michael Kors, Burberry & 7's) on the shelves. The one on the right is a Wooten desk invented by William (you guessed it) Wooten in 1870 in Indiana. Wait 'til you see the inside...it has a pull-out desk and about 60 cubbies, drawers and shelves in both the case and the doors...everything the modern businessman needed to run his office in 1870. You can see a really fancy one in West Orange at the Edison National Historic Site...(a truly amazing place and only 1/2 hour from here...you should plan a little trip if you haven't been...and not only if you have kids...you'll love it as well...)

Notice the sculptures on top of the desk? They are part of our new exhibition by superb Ecuadorian artist Manuel Velastegui. We're having the opening tomorrow (Saturday) at 5pm. All are invited! (Party time!!)

Warm regards,

Sandra and the accomplished ArtsEcho Galleria team, Zoe, Liana, Ben, Crystal, Claude and Lina.

PS: Thanks for all the interest in the "21st Century Music and On" concert (in which I am singing) dedicated to the spectacular music of Ronn Yedidia, whom many of you have heard here during the past year. The concert is at Merkin Hall on Sunday at 7:30pm. It promises to be quite an event. Tickets ($35 & $20) are available at the Kaufman Center Box Office online or at 212-501-3330.

PPS: Since so many of you lovely people have told us that you need to shop here LATE, we're planning a "Friends & Family Spring Fling Shopping Extravaganza" here on Thursday, April 29th BEGINNING at 7pm (and EVERYTHING will be 30% off and, of course, we'll have nibbles, etc...we love to party). (However, if you see a nice woman asleep on the pink couch, please whisper...it's after my bedtime.)

PPPS: Thanks to Mayor Stack and the ENTIRE Union City Council for stopping in to see ArtsEcho Galleria on Tuesday night!!!! I gave the best "elevator" speech of my life (that's when you have to say EVERYTHING between the first & fifth floor...remember "Working Girl"?) and told the Mayor and Council everything we're doing here. Very exciting!

PPPPS: We are at 3809 Park Ave, between 38th and 39th in the lovely and blooming Watertower District! You can call us at 201-617-1110. We're open M-W 11-7, Th-F 11-8 and Sat 10-6.

Creating Art with Ancient Wood, Marble and...Recycled Car Engines?

Dear Friends: One of the great joys of working here at ArtsEcho Galleria is that I get to meet fascinating people, many of whom are devoting their lives to creating art. Why are they doing this? Because they have to. I'm really not at all interested in the so-called "artists" who are in it for the fame & fortune. First of all, anyone who goes into art for fame & fortune can't be too smart and I try not to waste time on people who aren't smart (this falls into the "life is too short" category).

This week, our dear friend, Ecuadorian sub-realist artist Amado Mora (whose superb work is on permanent exhibit in our charming little Galleria and was featured in the "Art Vivo!" exhibition at the Brennan Courthouse Gallery in January...that's Amado in the photo), came in with a friend of his from Guayaquil, Ecuador, renowned sculptor Manuel Velastegui.

Velastegui is a sculptor who has exhibited throughout the world (...you all know what's coming...) and beginning this week, he will add ArtsEcho Galleria to his most impressive list! Among the many honors that he has received was First Prize for Sculpture in the Festival of the Americas and (get this...) a solo exhibit at Lincoln Center in NY (now that's impressive...)! He works in marble, metal and wood and has, for many years, reused all three materials to create new (and amazing) works of art. Doesn't that sound right up ArtsEcho's alley?

The following pieces were created from engine parts. The one on the left reminds me of the Degas statue of the 14-year-old-dancer (but really edgy). The one on the right is, of course, Don Quixote. Our Don Q is about 1 1/2 feet high, but in the Parque Lineal in Guayaquil, Manuel created a "Tribute to Don Quixote" (in honor of the 400th anniversary of the book by Cervantes) that is over 13 feet high!

So, we are proudly presenting an exhibition of sculptures of Velastegui beginning this coming week. (We will, of course, have an opening party (date to be announced) to which you are all invited...we don't do anything here without a party...actually, the whole place is a party!)

Speaking of Lincoln Center, next Sunday is the concert "21st Century Music & On", in which I am performing three songs by composer Ronn Yedidia (you did know that I have not always been chained to this computer...I performed for many years...actually, my first professional performance was at the age of 3...during the TRUMAN ADMINISTRATION! I continued performing through Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, and that guy who can't pronounce the word "nuclear"). The concert is on April 18th, at 7:30pm at Merkin Concert Hall, one block north of Lincoln Center. More on this soon.

Lest you think I've forgotten our boutique goodies, here are some of the delicious things we have here at ArtsEcho Galleria to (hopefully) tempt you all!

These photos were taken this week by my adorable, very charming, tall, funny & talented husband, Ben (who is trying to get me to use fewer exuberant adjectives in these weekly emails, but he may not mind these...).

Warm regards from Sandra and the hard-working and creative ArtsEcho Galleria team, Zoe, Liana, Crystal, Ben, Claude and Lina.

PS: We are at 3809 Park Ave & at 201 617 1110. We are also at www.artsechogalleria.com! Our website is up and running and great!

PPS: Speaking of bargains, don't forget tomorrow is 30% off bags and accessories! Monday is 20% off everything you buy...Tuesday is 30% off our jewelry collection, Wednesday is 40% off any ONE item, Thursday is buy one get one half off on clothing and Friday...I forgot(but I know it's good!)

PPPS: Volunteers! Thanks to the wonderful folk who responded to my request. Please keep calling me (201-617-1110) to give us a few weekly hours of your time and get that great "funny money" (as well as a wonderful volunteer feeling...we are an official US non-profit organization). Many thanks!

Friendship, Community, Being Human, & Why We Need One Another

Dear Friends:

Here at ArtsEcho Galleria, I'm always thinking about human connections...why we are who we are and what we really (really...) need from one another, and what makes us happy. I'm sure it's not diamonds and fancy cars (or those ridiculous $4000 designer handbags...) (actually, I would love to have some of those ridiculous $4000 designer handbags here at ArtEcho, but only if I could buy gently used ones for $40. Well, if anyone has some $3850 bags lying around, bring them in...we're not snobs.) I think what makes us happy is other people...that's it...other people who share our values, our emotions and our humor (in other words, our lives) and validate what we think of ourselves while acknowledging the things we do (whew...I'm waxing philosophical ...well, better that than the floor.)

I have met many wonderful people here since opening our charming little shop and had the privilege of peeking into the lives of people doing amazing things. I will be writing about some of these friends and neighbors in upcoming emails (with your permission, of course...don't get worried.)

Our next big program, the "Sustainable Couture Fashion Show" is slated for Saturday, May 15, and we have several wonderful designers working on pieces using our collection of superb existing fabric. So many of you commented on the dress by Ji Young Song that was in last week's email, that I wanted to show you the new piece that arrived this week. Ji Young is creating a line of one-of-a-kind couture, handmade dresses; for this line she is incorporating her signature weaving which you can see throughout this dress. Here it is, the second in the collection, made from several leathers, suede and plaid raw silk; her design is based on a rose. I, for one, have never seen anything like it, and I am so delighted that ArtsEcho has been a catalyst in creating incredible work like this. Here's Ji Young Song and her art:

We have a date for the "Watertower District Festival" that will launch the "Watertower District Association" (about which you'll be hearing much more). July 10...a Saturday...we'll have music, artwork, fashion, food from our culinary neighbors, a wealth of friends and community in this special place, and lots of fun!

Have a wonderful weekend, enjoy the holiday and the weather,

Sandra and the terrific ArtsEcho Galleria team, Zoe, Ben, Crystal, Karina, Liana, Arianna and Lina (wow, that's a mouthful or maybe a handful, since I'm typing this)...

PS: Not all of the special friends in our life are necessarily human...here is Guy with the famous 10 inch heel shoes...and there he is making eyes at Raquelle with Duda Penteado's colorful canvasses in the background.

PPS: Speaking of not human...here is our new non-human friend, Martha, at the piano (she was named for Martha Argerich, the Argentine pianist, considered by many to be the greatest pianist in the world)...yes, that's Guy enjoying the music...

PPPS: We're at 3809 Park Ave, across from the Weehawken Pathmark parking lot. You can reach us at 201-617 1110.

PPPPS: We have something on sale every day!!! Tomorrow our great bags and accessories are 30% off!!!! Oh, and please forward this email to a friend.

PPPPPS: 'night, Gracie.

Talent...what is it? Where does it come from? Why? (OK, OK...Who? When?)

Dear Friends:

I am, I admit, a total sucker for talent (and talented people). I have been thinking about talent for many years, never more so than during the past year and 9 months since we opened ArtsEcho Galleria. (That's all?? Doesn't it seem like a lot longer??)

We all know that Mozart's dad was a musician, but does that account for little Wolfgang's incredible abilities? And how many Wolfies with amazing musical talent were born to farming or bricklaying families or even glass blowing families who knew little about music and never discovered the talent in their midst?

There are so many People of Talent who find their way to ArtsEcho Galleria. In honor of our upcoming 'Sustainable Couture' Fashion Show on May 15, I'd like to introduce you to one of our favorite (incredibly talented) people.

Meet Ji Young Song. She is a graduate of Seoul University's famous Fashion Design Department and also graduated with honors from FIT where she won the departmental award of the School of Art and Design. She participated in the Hong Kong Young Fashion Week before moving to NY, and went on to win the Best Design Award for Levi's recent fashion contest. She was one of the national finalists in the highly competitive Mattel Barbie Design Competition.

Ji Young's desire is to create one-of-a-kind couture clothing that she hopes will be seen as artwork. That fits in perfectly with how we choose our collection here for ArtsEcho Galleria. We feel (and tell anyone who will listen) that many of our clothing and jewelry pieces are wearable works of art.

A few months ago, Ji Young trekked to my house in Weehawken (during a snow storm...remember those?) and chose fabrics from my large (30 years in the making) collection of silks, leathers, etc. Ji Young chose three silks; a black matte silk and two beige and black prints, and a soft black leather....and started working. She cut, sewed, and wove the fabrics together.

Here is the astounding result, modeled by (our new Project Manager) Zoe, photographed by Edwin Flores (more about Edwin later) right in that cute little Weehawken pocket park across from our shop:

There are many designers creating "eco"fashion with good new fabrics including bamboo and organic cottons, but because of our dedication to art, craftswomanship, recycling, and the very best existing designer fabric, we hope that our ArtsEcho Sustainable Couture one-of-a-kind pieces will make their own small, but important, statement in the fashion world. Ji Young is almost finished with her second design and I can't wait to see it! Remember...May 15.

Now speaking of talent, one of the most talented people who discovered ArtsEcho Galleria as we were discovering him, is fashion photographer Edwin Flores. Edwin and his partner Tyler just moved to the Watertower District. Edwin uses clothing from our terrific collection for photoshoots with some of NY's top models. Here is a photo that Edwin just sent me from the very same park (the model is wearing one of our Nanette Lepore pieces with a silver belt and purple Betsey Johnson dress). The photo on the right (with a wool Byblos jacket and purple belt) was taken on the steps leading down to Boulevard East from Sterling Place. Bet you never knew we were in such a photogenic neighborhood!

Speaking of honors...I want to publicly thank the County of Hudson and the charming (and funny) Thomas DeGise, our County Executive, who chose me to be among some pretty darned impressive Hudson County women who were honored this past week at Brennan Courthouse in Jersey City for Women's History Month in which the theme was "Writing Women Back into History". It seemed especially appropriate this year which is only the 90th anniversary of the year in which we women in the US got the vote. (Pretty shocking that it's only 90 years, hey?) Mr. DeGise introduced the evening by admitting that he grew up in a house filled with women...his only ally and fellow male was the dog...

Have a wonderful week and come visit us!

Warm regards,

Sandra and the ArtsEcho Galleria team, Zoe, Karina, Crystal, Ben, Arianna, Claude and Lina.

PS: We need volunteers! A few hours a week (on a regular basis) will net you "ArtsEcho FunnyMoney" which you can spend here on our glorious collection...it's like shopping for free!

PPS: On April 18th I will be performing in the concert "21st Century Music & On" dedicated to the amazing music of composer Ronn Yedidia (whom you may remember from the "DanzaNova" concert here last year.) The concert is at Merkin Concert Hall (one block north of Lincoln Center) on 67th Street in NYC and is at 7:30pm. There is a "Meet The Artists" reception (to which you are all invited) after the concert.

PPPS: Oh yes, 3809 Park Avenue, right across from the Weehawken Pathmark parking lot. 201-617-1110...M-W 11-7; Th-F 11-8; Sat 10-6.

PPPPS: Make sure to check out our new window displays! Very edgy...

ArtsEcho Galleria Reaches Out to the World! Well, to the eBay world...

Dear Friends:

We have enjoyed seeing so many of you here (buying beautiful things of course) during the past week. I can imagine the conversation: "The weather is so gorgeous, let's take a walk! - Where should we go? - Let's go to ArtsEcho! They're having a sale!!" That's a (hopefully) cute (and somewhat sneaky) reminder that something wonderful is always on sale here at ArtsEcho Galleria. Tomorrow (and every Saturday) there is 30% off our wonderful bags and accessories.

And speaking of Saturday and gorgeous weather, last Saturday night when the weather was truly HORRIBLE(!!!!) with umbrellas blowing inside out and trees falling and wind whipping and geese-a-laying (ooops, wrong month) we had more than 75 intrepid souls here for a phenomenal concert and art exhibit! It was such fun. Brazilian artist Duda (the amazing) Penteado read a lovely poem he wrote for the occasion and then was gracious enough to translate for Renan and Bruno. They played spectacularly on cavaquinho and guitar and sang songs of Old Rio that made you long for samba on the beach even if you've never been closer to Rio than Atlantic City. Renan even demonstrated some traditional samba dance steps and then some of the audience joined in the dancing (and we all joined in the partying). What a night!

*****

We keep finding more and more lovely things for our charming little shop and, since we have no storage room to speak of (or not to speak of since there isn't any), we are running out of room and finally putting some lovely vintage clothes on our new online eBay store. Here are some of the great photos that Zoe took this week:

That's a pleated, black, see-through Yves St. Laurent vintage cocktail dress (creme de menthe, anyone?) next to a blue wool mini-dress (probably an ice-skating costume) from the 60s, next to a cute frilly top, next to a Paul & Joe Made in France criss-cross knit top, next to a dusky rose vintage tea-length afternoon dress. They are all "styled" with lovely ArtsEcho accessories (on sale tomorrow!) and jewelry (BUY-ONE-GET-ONE-HALF-OFF every Tuesday). Isn't it great how that bright green necklace brings the brown and beige sweater to life?

It's fun working here at ArtsEcho (did I say working?) Just this afternoon alone, there were four wonderful artists who dropped by to say hello and brainstorm artistic ideas...Margaret Steele, magician extraordinaire; photographer Dexter Lane, of the spectacular panoramas; watercolor painter Ben Roman with two beautiful new portraits; and Teddy Schapiro, whose work is proudly hanging in the front of the Galleria. So many people have commented on the innate humor in Teddy's highly personal pen & ink drawings that we have decided to adorn our new "ArtsEcho Galleria" T-shirts (and eco-friendly bags) with some of Teddy's soon-to-be-iconic images (including one of Einstein taking a bath that Teddy created for our Einstein wall).

Hope you all have a great weekend. Come visit!

Warm regards,

Sandra and the fearless and heroic ArtsEcho Galleria team, Zoe, Crystal, Ben, Karina, Arianna and Lina.

PS: We are, as always, at 3809 Park Ave across from that huge parking lot. Our phone is 201-617-1110.

FASHION * ART * MUSIC (our new "tag" line)...says it all!

Dear Friends:

I can hardly keep up with it all...really (and I love every moment)!

Last Friday night about 100 lucky people (a huge crowd...standing practically all the way to Weehawken (which is, I admit, out the door and 10 feet away)...heard Diego Garcia play guitar. There should a word other than "play" for what Diego does. He masters the guitar. He conquers the guitar. He made those 6 little strings do things I have never heard before. Even with the door open and people listening from the sidewalk, you could have heard the proverbial pin drop. Diego will be returning to us after his concert tour in Latin America, and, for all of you who asked (begged might be the action word here), we now have some of Diego's CDs in our charming little Galleria.

And from Madrid to San Paolo & Rio!!

Tomorrow night we are hosting Brazilian artist Duda Penteado and his spectacular artwork (now making ArtsEcho Galleria proud). Two superb young Brazilian musicians, Renan Farias on cavaquinho and voice (singing in that amazingly cool way that only born Brazilians seem to be able to achieve...you know what I mean) and Bruno Menezes on guitar.

Here is a sneak preview of Duda's wonderful artwork:

And since we've "covered" ART and MUSIC...we can't ignore FASHION, (at ArtsEcho Galleria, heaven forbid). Here are a few photos of Zoe and Karina wearing "Little Black Dresses"! Why Little Black Dresses? Well, we have so many fabulous new dresses (including a ton of Betsey Johnson dresses...some perfect for the sophisticated prom-goer...) in our shop(pe) that we took all the LBDs out to a separate rack and thought that you might enjoy seeing a few:

Yes, that's Duda with Zoe...he's not in a Little Black Dress but in the honest, paint-splattered jeans of the hard-working artist.

Warm regards,

Sandra and the dedicated, fun-loving, hard-working people who make ArtsEcho Galleria such a great place to be (I'm prejudiced, but I'm also honest...)... Zoe, Karina, Arianna, Crystal, Ben, Lina, Sommer, Claude...and Tyler (more about Tyler soon).

PS: Yup, here we are...3809 Park Ave right across from the southern end of the parking lot of the Weehawken Pathmark. 201-617-1110; M-W 11-7, Th-F 11-8, Sat 10-6

PPS: Ahhhh!!!! I almost forgot!!!! Our first JEWELRY PARTY was last Sunday (you see what I mean about keeping up with it all?) It was a huge success!! Tremendous fun with a great bunch of delightful women. And now there are gorgeous, one-of-a-kind, "I've-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful" pieces of ArtsEcho jewelry adorning the hands, arms, necks and ears of some very happy ladies in Bergen county. We have two more JEWELRY PARTIES coming up this week in NEW YORK CITY! Call us for details about how to host your own party!

PPPS: See you tomorrow night at 7...we may have a huge crowd again, so come early...(I'm on my way to buy the "Brazilian Cheese Puffs"...yummmmm....)