LA CHIWINHA, WATER CLOCKS & DIVA CUPS

A bend in the road is not the end of the road...
unless you fail to make the turn.

Helen Keller

(Photo by Denise Blasor)

 SAN JUAN OASIS: LA CHIWINHA

 La Chiwinha

TEA and sympathy are comforting. Tea, or coffee, accompanied
by a scrumptious dessert are comforting and a delight to the
palate, especially if you are enjoying the treat at one of San Juan's
best well-kept secrets: La Chiwinha.

This charming store tucked in a quiet, residential corner of Río
Piedras, within walking distance of the University of Puerto
Rico, is many things under one roof but above all it is a business
committed to serving the community and upholding fair trade
practices that help guarantee a living wage to artisans and manual
laborers in the world's poorest regions. More than 50 per cent of the
store's inventory is fair trade.

In the language of Peru and Bolivia's Aymara people, the word
chiwinha means "a meeting place" and that is precisely what La
Chiwinha has become since opening for business in 2008.

It is a welcoming store. Owners Joel Franqui and Karla
Duran -- a married couple and professional landscape architects
turned entrepreneurs -- have clearly taken a lot of care and effort
into making it the kind of place where people can feel at ease,
whether they are buying or curiously perusing through the eclectic
inventory. The decor is decidedly funky:  mismatched furniture,
disparate shelving. The cool, white tiling on the floor and the
overhead fans hark to another time. In one corner, a bookcase
invites you to pick up a book and take it with you with the tacit
proviso that on another occasion, you might leave a book there for
someone else to take home. The street-level space has the feel of a
well-lived living room: Homey, inviting, colorful.

Follow these directions to get to La Chiwinha
(the box in the middle of the map)

Here you will find food products like chocolate, grains, spices,
coffee and tea, many of them organic; beauty care and home
products, items of clothing such as T-shirts, tote bags, handcrafted
goods and toys, lovely jewelry from around the world. The store
is also a café cum compact kitchen that serves up light meals like
homemade soups and sandwiches and incredibly delish baked
goods made by some of San Juan's best bakers, including Gisela
Jung.

Franqui said he and Duran were exposed to the concept of fair trade
during their travels. "Fair trade is not charity," he explained.
"It allows people to build a dignified life through their work." One
aspect he likes about dealing directly with fair trade cooperatives is
that "you are developing a long-term relationship with a producer,"
said Franqui, adding that his store helps to support cooperatives in
more than 20 countries. The location of some of these co-ops are
marked on the large map of the world that takes up a back wall,
proof of the importance of commerce in raising the living standards
of so many.

Any day is a good day to visit La Chiwinha but Wednesday is
especially favorable because on that day the café offers a special
vegetarian lunch menu inspired by the slow food movement.
Priced at around $11 per person, the meal is served between
11:30 am and 1:30 pm.

The imperative of slow food is to celebrate regional cuisines
and to create food using the freshest ingredients, particularly
locally grown produce and fruits. Each week a different chef takes
charge in creating a delectable meal that includes two or three
choices for people to enjoy. Quantities are limited, so diners are
advised to call ahead of time, either Monday or Tuesday, so as to
reserve the plate of their choice. The menu is posted at the store's
Facebook page (check events) but keep in mind that this special
lunch will not be available in June or July, when the chefs take a
break.

In addition to its role in promoting ethical business practices through
fair trade and healthy eating through its Wednesday slow food
lunches, La Chiwinha also contributes to the community by
offering its space for workshops, presentations and performances.
These activities are usually programmed on Thursday.

No wonder then that it has developed such a devoted following.
The business has grown to the point that its owners are now
considering moving to a bigger locale that would allow them,
among other things, to run a bakery.  But for the time being,
La Chiwinha is staying just where it is, an oasis for many
in the big sprawling city of San Juan.

La Chiwinha
1051 Calle  Gonzalez Rio Piedras 787.925.0707
Hours: Monday through Friday, 11:30 am - 6:30 pm
Saturday, 11 am - 5 pm
For activities, go to http://www.lachiwinha.com

Photography by David Uozumi

"Language is the house in which man dwells."

Jean Luc Goddard

 ☛ EYE ON PRODUCTS:

IT RUNS ON WATER
Photography by Lorelei Albanese

Too many battery-operated gadgets?

Then head over to Echo Verde, purveyors of
environmentally friendly
consumer goods
and some positively astounding finds
such as a clock powered by water, instead of batteries.
It comes in a variety of colors and all you have to do with
it is change the water every four months.

There are so many interesting products in this store that you
practically need to devote a few hours to carefully examine its
many offerings. And while you look around, don't forget to
check out the marvelous repurposed pallets used as tables
throughout the store and the beautiful stained glass checkout counter.

Echo Verde is located at Montemar Plaza, which is just up the
street from Best Buy in Hato Rey.

Monday through Saturday, 9 am to 6 pm; Sunday, 12 pm - 4 pm
www.echoverde.net    787.756.8163


MONTHLY VISITOR

If you are female and have not reached menopause, then you're
all too familiar with the monthly visitor and the requisite need
for tampons and pads. But a new product on the market could
very well do away with both those options, perhaps not for
all women but for many of them. It's called The Diva Cup,
"a reusable, bell-shaped menstrual cup worn internally,
collecting rather than absorbing your menstrual flow. Menstrual
cups have existed since the 1930s when women were searching
for an alternative to the choices of the time. Yet, its breakthrough
into the feminine hygiene industry is much more recent."

Due to the nature of the product, its mention in Consumer Planet
is not meant to be an endorsement; however, we consider it such
an interesting alternative that we encourage those curious enough
to learn more about it by going to divacup.com where they will
find plenty of information. Here in San Juan, The Diva Cup can
be purchased at La Chiwinha.

Photography by Denise Blasor

Joy delights in joy.

Shakespeare

 © 2013 Lorraine Blasor all rights reserved☂