A Wealth of Buttons, Cornelia's Pastelillos

Courtesy of Mildred Rivera

                AS CUTE AS A BUTTON

THERE was a time when buttons were the last thing on Mildred Rivera's mind. Now she spends hours learning their colorful history, polishing and restoring their luster, and turning them into jewelry at her charming Little House of Vintage Buttons on Parque St., in Santurce. 

"THEY are so beautiful," said Rivera, whose idea of a fresh new look is replacing buttons on a vintage dress or old jacket. "I knew nothing about buttons, that is why I began to research them."

IT all started with an inheritance. Her husband's father was one of three brothers who ran Casa de Las Medias y Los Botones, purveyors of buttons out of a Fortaleza St. store in Old San Juan. It ran for 52 years. Then the partners died, the store closed, and the stock ended in a warehouse until the day Rivera and her husband claimed the family inheritance and ended up with a wealth of buttons.

"MILLIONS of them," said the personable Rivera who keeps about 2,700 different models in stock at the store which is cosy and so colorful you feel like you are entering a fantasyland. Buttons are all over the place: packed in plastic bags of all sizes, pinned to bulletin boards, stored in boxes small and big,displayed in glass cases. Or they fill up bowls, serve as decor accents, or are transformed into colorful bracelets, necklaces, even flowers. The buttons come in all colors, designs, shapes and materials such as mother of pearl, bakelite, celluloid, acrylic, wood, glass, metal, and lanoline and some are as old as 100 years, a time when buttons consisted of two parts, a base and a cap, in contrast with today's compact, all one piece version. Prices range from 1 cent to $50, with the most expensive ones actually a bargain since they might easily fetch as much as $500 in some parts of the U.S. where collectors are forever on the prowl for prize vintage buttons, Rivera said.

WHEN she opened the store four years ago in another location on Fernandez Juncos, she focused her attention on island designers who would be the ones more likely to use buttons. Indeed, designers like Lisa Thon, Harry Robles, and Jose Raul became regular buyers. Now, of course, Rivera is eager to attract a broader clientele: from craftspeople and servicemen in need of military buttons to regular folks and button collectors. Clients come from all parts of the island -- as far as Ponce, Arecibo, and Mayaguez -- since button stores have become a rare breed in Puerto Rico.

WITH the bulk of the inherited buttons still in storage, you won't find Rivera purchasing any new buttons. Her time at the shop is spent learning about buttons through the bulletins of the National Button Society, winnowing buttons too damaged by time and cleaning, restoring and polishing those worth preserving. "What I like best is opening new bags of buttons," said Rivera. It figures!  

Little House of Vintage Buttons, 355 Calle del Parque, about two blocks off Ponce de Leon Ave. at Stop 23. Hours: Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Phone: 787.717.1122

Cornelia's Gourmet Pastelillos -- If you haven't tried Cornelia's pastelillos, based on fresh ingredients and a treasured recipe handed down from her grandmother, then you are in for a treat. These mouthwatering fried pastries are filled with any number of goodies such as chicken and capers or sun dried tomatoes, broccoli and feta cheese, three cheeses, beef, guava and ricotta. Order them by calling 787.647.0204 or head over to 67 Maria Moczo, Cornelia's latest homebase. You won't be able to step inside this small store with blue walls as this is actually a kitchen separated from the street by a red door with a peek-a-boo window through which all the ordering is done. The air conditioner that juts outside is decorated with a big heart and colorful flags hang from the orange awning above the door. Both food and venue are a delight!

Courtesy of Juliette Blasor

                                             "Karmageddon: It's, like, when everybody is sending
                                                            off these really bad vibes, right?

                               And then, like,  the Earth explodes and it's like a serious bummer."     
                                                    from The Washington Post

                            Copyright ©2010 Lorraine Blasor All Rights Reserved