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Mother’s Day is this Sunday and if you haven’t found the perfect gift for your mommy, here are a few things to consider. A recent survey by American Express OPEN found that shoppers plan to spend an average of $88 at independent businesses in celebration of Mother’s Day, bringing the total number of consumers planning to shop or dine local to 59 million. While the holiday is known to be the busiest telephone day of the year, the survey found that some consumers are planning to go the extra mile by sending a card, buying a gift or taking mom out to dinner. Of those planning to celebrate Mother’s Day, 46% plan to shop or dine at a small business, spending an average of 63% of their total budget with independently-owned merchants.
We all know it’s important to pay tribute to local businesses. I don’t know anyone who wants their neighborhood to become victim to big box stores. Small businesses bring rich culture and character to our streets and holidays like Mother’s Day provide us with an opportunity to patron these independent merchants.
According to the Shop Small Monitor survey, consumers shop small because:
- Nearly half (49%) of consumers say they will shop small for the unique selection, another 49% say it’s important to support their communities, 42% say it’s the customer service they receive and 28% say their mom would want them to
Here are a few of my favorite neighborhood spots for gifts:
· Catbird
If you’re still having trouble with ideas or maybe you’re on a budget, buy a card and grab a bouquet of fresh flowers from a local bodega. Moms are typically happy with anything you put a little thought into.
The Shop Small Mother’s Day Monitor surveyed consumers over the age of 18 on their plans for Mother’s Day. This included projected spend, types of gifts and whether or not they plan to shop or dine at a locally owned business.
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Today, Celebrate Brooklyn announced their 2013 summer concert series in Prospect Park and while I’m hoping they’ll add a few more, I am thrilled about one particular free show on July 20th – The Lone Bellow. I first heard of this soulful folk-rock Brooklyn trio last month in an NPR feature, read/listen here. As a southern girl, The Lone Bellow is a band after my own heart. With a lead singer from Georgia, the album has a Lady Antebellum vibe that is full of soul. My favorite song on the album is Teach me to Know.
Most NY’ers turn their nose up to any music that resembles country so discovering such a great country/folk band from my very own borough was more than exciting. I have no doubt that this summer show will be one to remember. In the steamy warm weather, what could be better than live soulful tunes in a beautiful Brooklyn park, beer in hand, surrounded by thousands of other music lovers?
Also, if you don’t mind spending a little cash for tickets, the Jim James and Roots benefit show on June 18th is sure to be a life changing experience.
Now, let’s all cross our fingers that the rain goes away so we can dance our hearts out tomorrow for Big Sam’s Funky Nation’s dance party at Brooklyn Bridge Park.
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With temperatures moving up and down this week, it’s hard to believe May is here. These months of transition between seasons are always my favorite. Whether it be fall or spring, people in NY always have a difficult time dressing for the weather. I’ve certainly been guilty of this – making an optimistic decision to forgo my tights when wearing a new spring dress to then freeze on my long walk to the train. I say all this to say its clear NY’ers are ready for warmer weather and outdoor activities.
Whether sweaters or sandals are appropriate, summer activities are being announced across the city. A couple weeks ago, I got you guys up to speed on the McCarren Park Summerscreen as well as free dance parties at Brooklyn Bridge Park. Since then, the long awaited Summerstage has revealed their concert calendar and it certainly lacks luster. Aside from indie band Django Django, She & Him (which I have tickets to) and Ben Howard, I can’t say I’ll be marking any of these shows down in my date book. Maybe my expectations were too high after a magical line-up last summer that included Beach House, Alabama Shakes, The Dawes and the Givers, to name a few. But I’ll let you be the judge, perhaps you’ll enjoy “vocal acrobat” Bobby McFerrin? Here to provide you with a running list of free summer shows, is one of my very favorite concert websites, OH/MY/ROCKNESS. Take a look at their summer list to date here.
If outdoor music isn’t your forte, you should check out the list of screenings planned at Brooklyn Bridge Park. I’m personally looking forward to watching 8 Mile with the view of the Manhattan skyline serving as a backdrop.
As for your apparel choices, my best advice is to wear plenty of layers!
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I first heard about Sofar Sounds from a Brooklyn blog back in October. You can imagine how captivated I was. What was this Sofar? How do people get invited? Why is it secret? I clicked onto their website and read that Sofar Sounds is a series of secret, pop-up music gigs hosted in people’s living rooms around the world. Their mission? To reinvigorate the way in which people listen to music, aiming to make a major difference in the lives of up-and-coming artists as well as the people they perform for. Sofar began in North London 3 years ago as a grassroots movement of alternative gigging and has since expanded to 35 cities across the world. These include Paris, Berlin, Barcelona, Dublin and in the USA – NYC, LA, Austin, Seattle, San Francisco – also Mumbai, Sydney, Melbourne, Sau Paulo and Buenos Aires.
This sounded incredible. I didn’t hesitate, I signed up to be added to the email list for news on future gigs. I was soon contacted about an upcoming show during CMJ and RSVP’d right away. It felt like I was part of some super cool music club, the email provided possible dates but nothing of where or who would be performing. I had heard of secret supper clubs before but nothing like this – nothing involving music in such an intimate setting. I’m pretty sure a guy playing an acoustic guitar at a restaurant was the closest I had ever come to experiencing music in a living room.
And then the day finally came. I received an email on the day of the gig with a Brooklyn address and was told to show up at 8pm sharp! Upon arriving, I was greeted with a smile and a hug from Sofar NYC coordinator, Jodie. The open space loft soon filled up and the show began. Artists were announced when they were standing in front of us, ready to perform. Each act played a short, stripped-down set of four songs. There was no talking, no one on their phones – just music. It may seem extreme to say, but it was truly an emotional experience. Some performances literally brought tears to my eyes, including one a cappella performance. From that night on, I was a believer. Attending shows at traditional venues, like Terminal 5 or Bowery Ballroom, just wasn’t the same. I was more aware of how much people chat during shows and take photos (using flash) to later instagram. I felt so badly for the bands, whether they were openers or not. I thought about how frustrating and discouraging this must be to artists. Sofar had certainly shifted my perspective and I have since attended three more living room shows that have all been equally amazing.
If you are a music enthusiast of any kind, I highly recommend checking out Sofar and signing up for future gigs. Recent acts to have played include some of the world’s hottest new artists – UK current no. 1 artist Bastille and Brit winner Tom Odell, Grammy nominee Jon Fulbright, The National, Sheepdog, Allah-Las, Pearl and the Beard, Lucius, X Ambassadors, Wake Owl, Memotone, Radiation City, Morning Parade and Elle Varner plus UK stars King Charles, The Staves, James Vincent McMorrow and Slow Club. We even had a performance from Twilight star Robert Pattinson.
LINK: http://www.sofarsounds.com/
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If you’re anything like me, you have probably been anxiously awaiting the Summerstage and Celebrate Brooklyn concert announcements. Last year offered so many memorable free shows, from The Head and the Heart to Alabama Shakes – this year certainly has big shoes to fill. So, I’ve followed them on Twitter, liked them on Facebook and check their websites daily for updates. I can’t help myself – free summertime activities are what I’ve been dreaming about all winter, not to mention I’m quite the planner. Anyone else like to color-code their date books? Anyone else own a date book? No? Just me?
This morning, my date book received a little activity when McCarren Park announced their Summerscreen line-up. The screenings are FREE and usually kick-off with music from local bands. Food trucks are also known to park around the screenings so you’ll have plenty of dinner options but will need to sneak in your own booze. Now, let’s get to the line-up. Clearly the park planners know their Williamsburg/Greenpoint demographic because these movies are a flashback from the yesteryears. Take a look:
July 10: Can’t Hardly Wait (my personal favorite on the list)
July 17: Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure
July 24: The Craft
July 31: The Goonies
August 7: Speed
August 14: Cruel Intentions (audience choice)
Anxious to pencil in another FREE summer activity? You’re in luck – Brooklyn Bridge Park is bringing back free summer dance parties. The very first one, on May 9th, will feature New Orleans-based trombonist Big Sam’s Funky Nation. This is bound to be a wonderful night, with cool weather, great views and southern funk that will definitely get your feet moving.
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