NIKITAS' BAGS

WHEN it came time to name her store, Dilcia Castillo turned to
her daughters for advice. They weren't much help. In the end,
she decided to go with the name of her pooch: Nikitas.

Small and cosy, Nikitas is a little gem.  Despite its small size, every
thing in it is set out just right to create a pleasing and inviting
environment. And all this Castillo accomplished with the aid of a few
carefully chosen elements: a slab of wood to prop a vase of flowers,
two stools upholstered with a leopard print, a mirror that makes
the place look much bigger than it actually is. The store, which has
a lovely wood floor, came with a wall-length banquette on one
side and, on the opposite side, a grid pattern of square niches,
perfect for showing off individual pieces.

Castillo's collection of cotton bags, all of them made by her, includes
totes and duffels of varying sizes and colors. The simplicity of their
design is countered by the eye-catching graphics of the fabrics.
Lined in contrasting materials, the bags are accessorized with
a large, interior pocket in which to store items for easy retrieval.
Prices start at $10.

Nikitas is more than a store. It also serves as Castillo's work space
in which to create her designs and also do some basic sewing for
clients who require services such as garment alterations, stitching
hems, and replacing zippers. The instruments of her trade are there
for all to see: three sturdy Singer machines, each devoted to a
specific task and each commandeering its own separate table.

If you like tote bags,
you'll certainly enjoy
Nikitas. But what makes
the store special is that
this is Castillo's first
business. It grew out of
the painful soul searching that
followed her divorce a few
years ago. If starting a
business was a totally new
experience, sewing was quite familiar to her. After all, she had
always made clothing for herself and her children.

"I love to sew. I've always wanted to have something that was
mine, to do something, help people," said Castillo.

Starting the store was not easy. Securing the permits took time,
hiring people to get the store ready for business took patience,
and scouting a space took luck. Her dream location was Loiza
Street, currently a hotspot for business activity, but once she found
the commercial rental just off Loiza Street, a neighboring merchant
advised her to take the deal and "you can always move later."

The store is still missing
its sign but Castillo is
pleased with the
results. Her children,
skeptical at first, are impressed. "You're really strong to tackle something like this at your age,"
said one of her daughters.

Looking at Castillo, you would never guess that she recently
turned 70. Still, she credits her age with kindling the spark to
pursue her goal.

"At my age you want to continue being useful," she said.
"I couldn't stay home and do nothing."

NIKITAS #101 Calle Diez de Andino 
San Juan, Puerto Rico
(787) 565.0741

                                                       

L.A. CONFIDENTIAL

L.A. is best known for its movie industry, but this city
also supports an multi-lingual and vibrant theater scene. One 
production worth catching this week is the English version of 
playwright Lina Gallegos' award-winning play, Wild in Wichita.

Wild in Wichita is a love story between two unlikely people:
a raunchy, 80-year-old Mexican Lothario with a high school 
education and multiple past marriages and a 78-year old Puerto
Rican woman, a former teacher who never married yet became
the mother to an adopted son. The interests of these two seniors
couldn't be more dissimilar but when they meet as the only
Spanish speakers in a nursing home in Wichita, sparks fly.

As one New York reviewer wrote of a production in
the Big Apple a couple of years ago, "This play...does not 
avoid familiar paths, either for love or for stories about
old people...Yet there is much that is sweet, funny, and
touching in the banter between the two central characters."

Wild in Wichita is presented by the Bilingual 
Foundation of The Arts (BFA) in a production directed by 
Denise Blasor, who also plays leading lady opposite Sal Lopez. 

Catch opening night Friday, May 24, or get tickets
for the week-end shows. The play runs through June 2, so
don't miss out on a wonderful evening of live theater.

BFA presents classic Spanish language drama and
contemporary plays on Hispanic themes to English and 
Spanish-speaking audiences.

Bilingual Foundation of The Arts
 #421 N. Avenue 19 Los Angeles, CA 90031
for reservations call (323) 225.4044 
or go to www.bfatheatre.org
               
                                                         

Photography by Denise Blasor

"This is how my sorrow became visible: Its dust,
piling up for years in my heart,
finally reached my eyes.

Faiz Ahmad Faiz

  ☛EYE ON PRODUCTS

If you are not familiar with The Grommet, then you are in for
a surprise: this inventive website features "products with a
purpose invented by people with stories."

One item that recently caught our attention is the sort of product
that consumers, searching for quality, might appreciate. It is an
item for the kitchen that also happens to be a beautiful object
in itself: a handcrafted clay pot known in Japan as Donabe and
used as a rice cooker or to cook one pot dishes such as soups
and stews.

The Kamado-san Donabe featured in The Grommet is handmade
by craftspeople at Nagatani-en, a company based in Iga, Japan
that has been in one family for eight generations. It takes two
weeks to produce each pot which is made out of a porous clay
from the Iga region "known for its high absorbency and heat
retention properties. The heavy clay pots are treated with a
special glaze and finished with a double lid, which circulates
steam and has the effect of pressure cooking."

This earthenware comes in different sizes and prices, ranging from
 $65 for a Hakeme, a smaller classic-style Donabe, to $180 for the
larger size Kamado-san.

"In Japan, Donabe is so close to people's hearts (that) almost every
 household owns at least one ...for regular use."

thegrommet.com

             

Photography by Denise Blasor

"I am an excitable person
who only understands life lyrically, musically,
in whom feelings are much stronger than reason.
I am so thirsty for the marvelous
 that only the marvelous
has power over me...
Reality doesn't impress me.
I only believe in intoxication, in ecstasy,
and when ordinary life shackles me,
I escape, one way or another.
No more walls.

Anais Nin

© 2013 Lorraine Blasor all rights reserved

            THE NATURE CONSERVANCY

                                         © freenaturepictures.com

WHEN THE STATE of the world gets you into such a funk even hope -- the thing with feathers -- is at risk, it is worth remembering there are many dedicated people and organizations actively working on behalf of the planet.

One admirable organization is The Nature Conservancy, a group devoted to protecting the earth's land, water and living things through collaborations with people, communities, businesses and governments in the U.S. and throughout the world.

The Conservancy has been around for six decades. Its activities include buying land for conservation and carrying out projects, both big and small, that involve science-based research, pioneering strategies to safeguard nature, and developing crucial conservation plans. There is just so much this organization has done, where to begin? Back in the early 70s, the Conservancy was instrumental in helping turn California's Marin Headlands into a national park. This area of wild, rugged beauty spanning the central hills and coastline of Marin County (next door to San Francisco) was threatened by a huge housing development which took several years to halt through lawsuits and public opposition.  In the end, though, it was The Conservancy that came through with $6.5 million to buy the site slated for the controversial project, land that it subsequently turned over to the National Park Service to become a central feature of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

This is but one among countless initiatives that this formidable organization has tackled through the years.

Much of the work done by the Conservancy can be appreciated by reading its eponymous magazine, published four times a year. It is a beautiful publication with photography that easily rivals National Geographic. The interesting stories describe projects that take place all over the globe. The first issue of 2012 featured a story about how the Conservancy and its partners have kicked off a $100 million effort across 11 Western states to revive the numbers of the sage grouse, a noble looking bird of striking plumage renowned for its primal courting ritual but in rapid decline: from an estimated 16 million a century ago, the species is down to around 200,000 these days.

Organizations like the Conservancy that are doing so much to preserve Earth embody humanity at its best: people looking at problems and seeking solutions. Still, the work of these groups would not be possible without an important resource and that is financing. Donations from the public are what sustain these groups and donations are especially important during these difficult times. So if you are looking for a deserving organization to support, the Conservancy is definitely one.

➺The Nature Conservancy at www.nature.org

(Check out Free Nature Pictures at: http://www.freenaturepictures.com/misc-birds-pictures.php)

                                                                                           
           

          The world around us 
           engages our attention.
            Stop Look 
             Enjoy
                  

           Photography by Denise Blasor

               

"Art was the truth about life - and life itself...
was more or less a lie."
Anatole Broyard
"Kafka was the Rage"

                                                                                    

©2012 Lorraine Blasor All Rights Reserved✍

CAVEAT EMPTOR 

(or watch out for some virgins)   

Is your extra virgin olive oil the real thing?

    If trust is the basic underpinning of interpersonal relationships, it is also fundamental in the world of commerce. As consumers, we purchase products from companies that we have grown to trust over  the years or believe in because of experience, advertising, or word of mouth. We make these purchases daily, confident that these products are genuine. Yet trust is easily tampered with and in the heady pursuit of financial success and profitability, some companies are all too willing to sell inferior products under the false claim of excellence. Maybe it's a case of saving money by cutting corners or lack of due diligence in failing to properly check suppliers and their raw material sources. Whatever the reason, these companies are failing the American consumer. Not only are consumers shortchanged, but consumer trust in companies is eroding.

All of which makes being a consumer terribly difficult these days as one tries to keep abreast of news regarding products and prevailing scams in the marketplace. Take the case of olive oil, a common kitchen staple favored by homemakers everywhere. There are many grades of olive oil available but the best, the healthiest (thanks to a higher content of nutrients and antioxidants) and, more expensive, is extra-virgin. Unfortunately, more than half of the extra-virgin oil found on the shelves of American supermarkets is not what it purports to be. In fact, what passes for extra-virgin is actually oil adulterated with cheaper refined oils or damaged olives not fit for human consumption. Some people might not consider this a "big deal" but oil adulterated with peanut oil, for example, could pose a health threat to people allergic to nuts. Adulterated oil also will not provide the health benefits associated with real extra virgin oil and in fact could prove unhealthy. As pointed out by the charlespoliquin.com website, "If the oil has cheaper olive oil added to it, quality and taste will again be compromised, but it may have gone through an oxidation process meaning it will contain a greater content of free radicals, which can damage tissues in the body."

A 2010 study by the University of California at Davis found that 69 percent of  imported extra virgin oil did not meet the standards for extra virgin oil of the International Olive Council(IOC) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The study identified the following brands as meeting those standards: Corto Olive; California Olive Ranch; Kirkland Organic; Lucero (Ascolano); McEvoy Ranch Organic. Those that didn't make the grade included: Bertolli, Filippo Berio, Mazola, Safeway, Newman's Own and Rachel Ray.

Since then, USDA has enacted a new set of standards for different oil grades which are strictly on a voluntary basis but are considered by some to be a positive step in tackling the problem of adulterated oil. According to The Olive Oil Times,"There is ... a possible market advantage to having the USDA grade shield on your product. If consumers learn to look for that certification as their guarantee of quality in olive oil, then it could confer an edge in the marketplace."

What is the consumer to do about fraudulent products? Clearly, the power of the purse is a mighty one and consumers should learn to wield it smartly and assertively. Companies that repeatedly take advantage of consumers should not be allowed to prosper and products that are not what they claim to be should not be patronized. In these difficult economic times, consumers would be foolhardy to throw away their money on products that are not the genuine thing. The unspoken contract between consumer and seller demands honesty at all times but since this is not the rule, consumers are advised to be on their guard and keep well informed. Writing company

 officials to question their products is a good tactic in keeping companies on their toes.

As for olive oil, the experts advise staying away from "light" olive oils which are the lowest quality olive oil on the market. "Choose either California-based olive oils, the vast majority of which are legitimate, or imported olive oils certified by IOC,"writes one expert. Oil certified as organic is also a good choice.

"I want to bite into life, and to be torn by it."
Anaïs Inn

A SIMPLE TIP: Flowers brighten any house with their delicacy and buoyant colors but can be expensive to buy. Consider then the simple beauty and elegance of plain, green plant leaves in a tall, glass vase, especially if they are leafy and abundant. Even a palm can grow in water, at least until you decide it is time to plant it in a pot, or the garden.

"Listen to the silence of the stage. Imagine all the mental
energy, all the feelings, the laughter and rage and
passion. It is still there, shut in, living

 its secret, continuous life. "

Ingmar Bergman

AN EVENING AT THE THEATER:

Los Angeles' theater scene may not compare with New York's Broadway.

 Still, it is every bit as colorful and lively, with productions in both English and Spanish (after all, close to 50 percent of the city's population is of Latino origin). One of L.A.'s most active Spanish theater

groups is the Fundación Bilingüe de las Artes (Bilingual Foundation of the Arts) currently readying its next production, which is sure to appeal to anyone familiar with Pedro Infante. While Mexico's famous crooner is not really the main character, he plays a very special part in this comedy that revolves around a woman who longs to retire in her native Mexico after raising a family in the states. "Pedro Infante And the Triumphant Mother-in-Law" kicks off April 20 and runs through May 6. Director Denise Blasor also doubled as production designer. 

"PEDRO INFANTE Y LA SUEGRA TRIUNFANTE"

 A new play by Toby Campion

BFA, 421 N. Avenue 18, Los Angeles, CA 90031(323) 225-4044

Performances Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sunday matinée at 3 p.m.

Tickets: between $15 and $35

           LOVE IS YOU & ME

Jewelry by Lucia Nieves Cortés

 Handmade things are magical. Even in the 21st century, when the technology of our times pushes the boundaries of the imagination with amazing gadgets like iPhones and iPads and Kindles, the simple grace of the handcrafted holds perennial appeal, especially if the pieces are original and well made. Which perfectly describes the goods sold at a uniquely named store on Del Parque St., off Loiza street in San Juan: Love is You & Me The Concept Store.

Its hand crafted jewelry, clothing and accessories vie for the visitor's attention the moment you step into the airy store decorated with flair and a vivid sense of color by owner Carolina Leonidas Rivera, a statuesque 27-year-old with a broad smile and an easy going manner.  Some of the furnishings, including the dreamy white lace tent that functions as the store's single "fitting room," serve to display the wonders that Rivera chooses with care.

The "fitting room"

"I select things that I fall in love with," says Rivera about her curating process which also takes into account craftsmanship and the impact of a piece; that is, "Does it say anything?" Rivera opened the store in partnership with boyfriend Dante Arroyo. Though once headed to a medical career, Rivera, whose family is in the restaurant business, switched over to marketing, apprenticing the retail business by working in stores and helping to sell the work of artist friends. Two years ago she conceived a pop up store, a type of business that doubles up with a stand-alone store.  Recently, the desire to set down roots led the couple to scout a location around Loiza St., currently undergoing a quiet transformation with new restaurants, bars, boutiques drawing a young crowd to this formerly honky tonk area of the city. Once they found a space, they set about transforming it into their ideal store, doing all the work themselves...with some hands-on help from Arroyo's dad.

The inventory at Love is You & Me offers a broad range of imaginative pieces yet it is small enough not to overwhelm. For sheer drama you can't beat designer Beatriz Lopez' neckwear, multiple loops of long, cotton jersey strips highlighted by a single colored stone. Available in a palette of pale pink, black and white, the loops frame the neck in the manner of a collar (prices: $25 for the short version, $40 for the long). Also on hand are a few samples from Lopez' Consuelo clothing line, built around natural fabrics such as silk and organic cotton. One particularly attractive piece from the line is a girlish white halter dress with an asymmetric flounce cascading across the side. (Consuelo clothing retails between $55 and $300)

A sense of theatricality pervades Luiny Rivera's jewelry line, named Fililí.  Her intriguing necklaces are like architectural pieces which one could choose to wear or, perhaps, hang on a wall like artwork. Combining and juxtaposing different materials such as bronze, stainless steel, stones and fabric, each necklace is put together as if it were scaffolding, creating intriguing geometric shapes highlighted with stones and fabric. A newer collection by Rivera recycles vintage pieces to transform them into showy, rhinestone-studded neckwear. And then there's her fun and playful word necklaces built around favorite Spanish words like "tropical," "suave," and "amor."

Iacoli & McAllister jewelry

Geometry is at the heart of the simple yet elegant bronze jewelry produced by the Seattle-based design team of (Jamie) Iacoli & (Brian) McAllister, whose line of furnishings and house ware Rivera plans to add very soon. One houseware item already available is a strangely shaped bottle opener made out of bronze that is practical tool, fancy artwork, and conversation piece all rolled up into one (price $55). Rivera's lineup of some 20 artists, both from Puerto Rico and off the island, also includes Berlin-based Lucia Nieves Cortés, the creator of eye popping and intriguingly shaped acrylic and silver rings and necklaces. The rings are ideally worn stacked; buy more than one and it gets you a discount: The first ring is $25; the second, $23; the third, $20.

Rounding out the store's offerings are select vintage clothing items and cotton t-shirts decorated with a small pocket in vintage fabric. The whimsical tweaking is the work of none other but Carolina's boyfriend (The line is called El Pocket). The store likewise carries hand painted cards by Hélène Pe, a French artist living in New York; tile coasters by Aslan, the noted Puerto Rican street artist; and CDs and vinyl records by Puerto Rican singer Mima, whose latest music is a mix of Afro Caribbean rhythms, folk and jazz. Love is You & Me offers a truly fresh take on things. Visiting the store is an aesthetic experience of the most enjoyable kind.

Love is You & Me, Condominio Balmoral, 110 Calle del Parque, 787.503.3003

 Hours: Tue - Sat. 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Monday by appointment

Photograph by Denise Blasor

"By then I knew that everything good and bad left an emptiness when it stopped. But if it was bad, the emptiness filled up by itself. If it was good you could only fill it by finding something better."-- Ernest Hemingway

A SIMPLE TIP

The tops of Old Fashioned Quaker Oats 18 oz cartons are made out of paper ringed
with plastic and, once you have polished off the oats, make practical lids for half empty cans of cat food, like Friskies. The tops also make convenient, graphic coasters to use under cold or hot drinks.

"Our revels now are ended...We are such stuff
as dreams are made on, and our little life is
 rounded with a sleep."
  William Shakespeare
"The Tempest"

Copyright ©2012 Lorraine Blasor, All Rights Reserved

                    BUYING GREEN

Photograph by Juliette Blasor

IN Roger Corman's wonderfully loony 1960 movie "The Little Shop of Horrors," a florist assistant finds a mysterious plant resembling a Venus Flytrap. The plant, which he names Audrey II in honor of a secret love, is in dire need of care. But as the poor bloke soon discovers, Audrey prefers human blood to water and before long, mayhem ensues as he tries to keep up with the plant's pressing command: "Feed me." The American marketplace is a lot like Audrey; it too is a monster that requires constant feeding and American consumers are all too eager to respond to its incessant one syllable refrain: "Buy."

STILL, new forces are coming into play to reshape the American marketplace.
 Environmental concerns and growing awareness about man's impact upon Earth's limited resources are encouraging more and more consumers to rethink their role as buyers. In turn, corporate America is responding to this awakening sense of environmental consumerism by delivering products that respond to the new zeitgeist. How to find out about these products?

LOOK AROUND the internet and you'll be surprised at the number of interesting websites devoted to green products. Of course it's all in the service of commerce but at least these are products that embody an ethos of environmental responsibility. Pristineplanet.com, which has been around since 2004, connects eco savvy consumers with socially responsible merchants selling apparel, furniture, food & beverages, health & beauty products and more. Under home & garden, for example, you'll find many categories such as appliances, cleaners, products for the different rooms of the house, lighting, even musical instruments. Each product is accompanied by a brief explanation and picture, plus a link with the corresponding merchant for anyone interested in buying the item. Some products are quite unusual like the unisex movie film belt listed under belts in the apparel section.  Retailing for $22, this belt is made from "35 mm Hollywood movies that are no longer run in theaters. The movie film is backed with a clear film leader so you can see the images when held up to the light." Now that's one exciting way to recycle film!

GREENANDMORE.COM, a one stop eco-shopping site for energy-saving and recycled products, came online in 1999 and is run by Boston Green Goods Inc., currently ranked #421 on the Internet Retailer Top 500 websites. It covers a broad spectrum of products including air purifiers, appliances, dehumidifiers, electronics, furniture, bedding and plenty more. The three products featured under bicycles were hand picked by the company as "some of the best options for getting around cities and towns across America." They don't come cheap but boy are these bikes a beaut: the Strida 5.0 LT Folding Bicycle ($649); the iXi Breakaway Compact Bicycle ($999); and the iXi Standard Compact Bicycle ($799). The bags & backpacks section offers some intriguing choices like purses made out of license plates (prices range from $60 to $280). The electronics section offers portable solar battery chargers and kill-a-watt electricity monitors to help you unplug. Under bedding, you'll find organic pillows, mattresses, and mattress pads. Recycled products sold through greenandmore.com are manufactured from such materials as soda bottles, rubber tires, street signs, copper, recycled paper and even car seat belts, according to the site. Even if you don't buy, it is interesting to see the diversity of green products for sale nowadays. A real eye opener for this reader!

WITH A NAME LIKE ecostiletto.com and sections devoted to beauty, food, fashion and shopping (via digital store), this website is arguably attuned to female buyers. Still, there is no reason why male consumers can't drop by and check out the site since some information is clearly of interest to both sexes. Like a piece currently posted under the section ESTV about how Ford company became the first auto car manufacturer to create an entire car  -- the new Ford Focus Electric -- composed of 100 percent sustainable materials. Furthermore, "The company incorporates post-consumer recycled materials into all aspects of design, including transforming yarn into seat fabrics, upcycling nylon carpet into cylinder head covers, and recycling two pairs of used jeans into each car made. And Ford established a protocol that recycles 95 percent of materials from all 'retired' Ford cars."

SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS, recycled/repurposed products, fair trade products, cruelty free products, vegan and organic products. They're all part of a movement that is gaining traction and aims to enable mankind to continue developing without completely wrecking the environment. Presidential contender Rick Santorum recently stated that "We're not here to serve the earth. The earth is not the objective. Man is the objective." Earth and man are tied to each other in a permanent and ineluctable bond; it's not a question of either serving the other. It is simply a question that should we  destroy the planet through our relentless misuse and exploitation of its finite resources, man will end up digging his own grave. Without Earth, man is a goner.

"Cherish"
  Artwork by Denise Blasor

                                 

                    This is how we go on: one day at a time, one meal at a time,

                        one pain at a time, one breath at a time.  --  Stephen King

✄A SIMPLE TIP:
Notices, forms, advertisements with a blank side make ideal notepaper.
Just cut the paper into four sections and keep the stack handy to write down
messages, reminders or thoughts.

Photograph by Juliette Blasor
I would listen to my heartbeat.
I couldn't imagine that this sound
which had been with me
for so long could ever stop.
Albert Camus, The Stranger

Copyright  © 2012 Lorraine Blasor All Rights Reserved

THE HEALTHY BURGER

BUNS Burger Shop, across from Marriott Hotel
on Ashford Ave., San Juan, P.R.

What is it about the hamburger that makes it such a favorite everywhere?

Such a homely food and yet a whole array of condiments and toppings can turn this simple pairing of ground meat patty and bread buns into a gustatory delight. San Juan has no dearth of hamburger options, from big league franchisers Burger King and McDonald's to homegrown El Hamburger whose little grilled burgers and al fresco locale in Puerta de Tierra have earned it iconic status. And now comes along BUNS, the new burger shop in Condado that's ready to give the competition a run for its money with an affordable yet upscale hamburger featuring a top of the line ingredient: 100% certified all natural Black Angus feef that is free of hormones, antibiotics and fillers and is delivered fresh, never frozen, by a stateside distributor.

This newest entry in the local burger scene is the brainchild of two young entrepreneurs in their 20s, Fidel Alonso and Benjamin Aruca. The two are old friends who decided to team up and start a business where they could apply their individual skills. Aruca has experience in the food industry thanks to his family connection with Los Chavales, a well-known restaurant in Hato Rey, while Alonso studied finance in Rhode Island. "We were looking for something simple and that we obviously liked," said Alonso, who most days can be found at the restaurant making sure that everyone is running smoothly. Both liked hamburgers so "we jumped in."

By appealing to the health conscious, BUNS is decidedly breaking ground. After all, antibiotics and hormone-free meat, readily available in large metropolitan centers like New York and Los Angeles, is not commonly found in Puerto Rico supermarkets though specialty stores like Meats N' More on Loiza St. carry it. Still, Alonso makes no secret that the company's special take on the burger is aimed at the general public, not just consumers who are particular about the content of the meat they eat.  

During the eight months it took them to get the concept off the ground, the duo scouted locations and visited different franchises in Florida for inspiration.  Friends helped suggest names for the business with the cheeky "buns" winning out in the end. Most challenging, according to Alonso, was devising " an extraction system that would efficiently dispose of the smoke and grease that is produced (in making burgers)."

BUNS revolves around a basic concept: a simple menu built around burgers, hot dogs, and french fries that are hand-cut fresh every day from Idaho Russet potatoes and cooked in trans fats-free canola oil.  Beverages span a selection of 45 local and foreign beers in addition to red and white wine, soft-drinks, and four kinds of shakes. The food is served on trays, take out style. No dishes:  burgers and hotdogs are wrapped up in aluminum foil while fries are served in small paper plates.

The restaurant operates out of a ground floor space that is casual and airy with hip wall graphics and a bold, flashy color scheme of black, red, white and grey. Sit outside if you like to watch the world go by. Inside, there is seating along the windows or at mall square metal tables; a huge picnic-style wooden table with benches around it is ideal for large parties.  Diners can place orders by phone and have the food ready by the time they arrive or they can place an order right at the counter and wait for the little gadget that looks like a TV remote control to start ringing, which means the order is ready to pick up. No waiters hovering over clients; instead, the staff at the restaurant is busy in the kitchen, handling the register or keeping the place clean.

Running a lean operation enables management to keep costs down and concentrate resources on the biggest expenses, such as top quality meat. Since opening two months ago, the business partners have seen their volume grow, with week-end traffic particularly lively. And while BUNS has all the makings of a franchise, any such conjecture belongs to the future. For now, according to Alonso, "we have exceeded our expectations."

 BUNS Burgher Shop is located on the corner of Ashford Avenue and Caribe St., across from the Marriott Hotel.  Telephone: 787.725.7800
Prices range from $3.95 for a single plain burger to $7.25 for a double bacon & cheese burger. 

Open 7 days a week: Sun-Wed, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Thursday, till 1 a.m.;  Friday and Sat, till 4 a.m.

Photo by Denise Blasor
"Almost everything we know we know incompletely at best.
And almost nothing we are told remains the same when retold."
Janet Malcolm

ECOCENTRIC
 "Because of crowding, stress-inducing conditions, and unnatural diets that often occur in the conventional meat and dairy industries, antibiotics are needed to fend off disease. In addition to antibiotics, animals are also given growth hormones— to stimulate year-round high production of milk, for instance. It is estimated that as much as 80-90% of all antibiotics given to humans and animals are not fully digested or broken down and eventually pass through the body and enter the environment intact through wastewater and runoff.  Although the USDA and FDA claim these hormones are safe, there is growing concern that hormone residues in meat and milk might be harmful to human health and the environment."

FROM sustainable table.org  Check it out at ecocentric.blog, a digital publication devoted to water, food and energy issues.

"Viajando," Wall art on Loiza Street
Photo by Denise Blasor

A SIMPLE TIP: Save the nutrients-rich water left over from steaming vegetables, or sauce remnants from chicken dishes, in a glass jar and use to flavor a homemade soup.


Copyright 2012© Lorraine Blasor All Rights Reserved

PEOPLE FUNDING DREAMS  

The third most funded project at Kickstarter.com

We The People have populated the earth, built great societies and towering structures, fired rockets into space and landed on the moon. We have discovered, developed, engendered, despoiled, destroyed. We The People are an awesome force and none more so than when we exert our collective might for some grand purpose, preferably for the good.

Which is what makes crowd funding such an exciting and novel way of making individual dreams a reality -- dreams that involve creative pursuits such as art and books and theater performances and documentaries but can extend to a wide gamut of commercial endeavors. It's a far cry from the traditional funding methods most people are familiar with, such as small business loans, venture capital, public or private grants, and "angel" investors. And the model is also being used to finance business projects, social enterprises and charities.

Crowd funding websites, of which there are quite a few, essentially match interesting projects with people who might become interested in funding them. The beauty of it is that anyone can get involved and vicariously become part of the dream.  You don't have to be  Mr. Trump or Carlos Slim to participate. Even a small pledge of $1 is acceptable to help grow the chain of pledges into a significant sum. People power at its best.

The thing about dreams it that they nearly always depend on the help of others.Vincent Van Gogh would probably have fallen into oblivion had it not been for his brother Theo's wife, Johanna Gezina van Gogh-Bonter, whose advocacy of Vincent's work helped secure his reputation as a great artist. Or take cinematography.  Behind every great movie, there is a crowd of talented professionals whose individual skills contributed to the realization of a film classic. The success of one is built on the support of many.

And so with creative pursuits, which make our lives more interesting and meaningful. For any of these projects to get off the ground, money is of the essence.  With crowd funding, the public at large is enlisted into a collective  that evaluates sundry projects and decides which ones to fund: the competition for attention and funding  is tough as the projects are many, some more worthy or fascinating than others. But each one is clearly the product of the imagination and passion of one or more individuals.

Kickstarter.com calls itself the largest funding platform of creative projects in the world.  Founded in 2009, this New York-city based site has raised more than $75 million in pledges for projects spanning music, film, art, technology, design, food, publishing and other creative fields.  A little less than half of the projects submitted to the site are successfully funded. The most common pledge is $25. The average raised is $10,000 although some projects have raised considerably more. Such is the case of Chicago artist Joshua Harker's Crania Anatomica Filigree scultpture project which attracted 955 backers and raised more than $77,271 as of  its Oct. 24 deadline, making it the third must funded project ever.

"This is not about investment or lending. Project creators keep 100 percent ownership and control over their work.They offer products and experiences that are unique to each project, " says Kickstarter. " Projects are big and small, serious and whimsical, traditional and experimental. They're inspiring, entertaining, and unbelievably diverse."

To enroll in the platform, project owners submit their idea to Kickstarter which makes sure they are within established guidelines. Project owners decide on a minimum funding target and a deadline for raising money which backers pledge through Amazon Payments.  If the funding goal is not met by the deadline, none of the money raised changes hands. "It protects everyone involved. Creators aren't expected to develop their project without necessary funds, and it allows anyone to test concepts without risk," according to Kickstarter, which collects a 5 percent fee from the project's funding total, if the project is successfully funded. For its part, Amazon charges credit card processing fees ranging from 3 to 5 percent.

By vesting people in the dreams of creators, crowd funding essentially enables everyone to be a dreamer too. More than one million people visit Kickstarter each month. A visit will leave you enthralled and amazed at the wealth of imaginative projects waiting to see the light of day.  In the words of Kickstarter.com, "Passion, ideas and ambition abound. Start exploring!"

Photograph by Denise Blasor
You desire to know the art of living, my friend?
It is contained in one phrase: make use of suffering.
Henri-Frédéric Amiel

PANTS PERFECTION
If you are looking for the perfect item to slip into at the end of a long weary day, you can't do better than a pair of unisex yoga pants by girlskirtmission.com. Light and breezy, these curious pants -- a rectangular swath of fabric separating at the crotch into
pant legs and cinched at the waist with a thin cotton belt -- are made of authentic Indian hand loomed cotton and are a joy to wear...plus they come in a rainbow of pretty colors with lovely sari border trims. According to the website, the pants are produced in sweatshop free environments. Price: $39.

© Good Looking Hugo

"There's something about North,
something that sets it apart from all other directions.
 A person who is heading north is not making any mistake, in my opinion." -- E.B.White

Copyright 2011© Lorraine Blasor All Rights Reserved