Historic Stone Street in Troy Gets Extreme Makeover
Washington Place Ribbon Cutting August 3, at 2 p.m.
TROY, NY (07/19/2010) — Neighborhood activists have restored one of the Capital Region’s most historic streets to a pristine stretch of granite block pavers.
“Washington Place is one of the few streets in the Capital Region that is still surfaced with its original pavers. It’s beautiful,” said Lynn Kopka, president of the Washington Park Association. “Once streets like this are gone, they’re gone. They disappear under the asphalt.”
Washington Place is a 310-foot-long street that borders the southern end of Troy’s Washington Park. It is a rare example of an intact 19th century Belgian block paved street.
But years of neglect and major potholes eventually made Washington Place unsafe to drive on and impassable at parts. When neighborhood residents realized the city might have to replace the antique street with modern pavement, they raised the funds needed to save the treasured landmark, which is part of the Washington Park National Register Historic District.
To preserve the original street, each of its 35,000 Belgian block pavers had to be removed and stored so that the roadbed could be leveled and the correct subfill added. Workers then painstakingly reinstalled the pavers by hand, one stone at a time. Often confused with round cobblestones, used in earlier road construction, Belgian block pavers are uniform in size and rectangular or square.
Friends of Washington Park initiated the $200,000 restoration project and coordinated the work efforts. The group also secured private funding and a state grant for the preservation of the historic pavers.
Professional services were contributed by Ryan & Biggs, PC; Architecture+; and Bob Talham, Inc. The City of Albany donated more than 8,000 blocks to replace the missing stones. The Friends also coordinated with the City of Troy Department of Public Utilities and National Grid to replace and upgrade the utility lines under the roadbed.
On Aug. 3, at 2 p.m. Friends of Washington Park will host a ribbon cutting ceremony and reception to recognize the street’s reopening and to thank the contributors who made it possible.
“Very few neighborhoods would attempt to re-build a road using 1800′s pavers. But we wanted to preserve this small piece of Troy’s heritage,” said Kopka. “That street has been there since the late 1800′s, which is a testament to the structure and longevity of a road built like that. We’re hoping it will last another century.”
The street restoration is the second capital project undertaken by Friends of Washington Park in collaboration with the City of Troy and TAP, Inc. The first was the stabilization of a collapsed 19th century rowhouse at 8 Washington Place, one of 10 monumental buildings that were designed together to represent a massive Greek Temple spanning the entire block. That effort saved the whole row and spurred the rehabilitation of other threatened historic buildings at 3,4,5 and 7 Washington Place, 207 Second Street and 222 Third Street.
ABOUT WASHINGTON PARK:
The Washington Park neighborhood is modeled after the private residential green squares of 19th Century London. It is often compared to New York City’s famous Gramercy Park. Washington Park and Gramercy Park are the only two privately owned and maintained parks of their kind in the state.
For information, contact: Lynn Kopka at 518-274-6434.
TEDx COMES TO ALBANY: CALL FOR SPEAKERS, SPONSORS, VOLUNTEERS
Nov. 4 Event to Offer Mind-blowing Discussion
ALBANY (6/29/10)– TEDxAlbany, where x=independently organized TED event, will present a day of information, inspiration and entertainment in the Lewis A. Swyer Theatre of The Egg on Nov. 4, 2010.
The organizers of TEDxAlbany are currently seeking speakers, sponsors and volunteers. The theme is “Human Change.”
“TEDxAlbany is bringing the excitement of TED to New York’s Capital Region,” said Jeff Gaines, TEDxAlbany organizer. “If you still haven’t heard of TED, check out a few videos on the website and you’ll be hooked. There’s nothing more inspiring than experiencing the reckless sharing of good ideas by intelligent people.”
TED, short for Technology, Entertainment, Design, is a nonprofit organization devoted to “Ideas Worth Spreading.” Started as a four-day conference in California 25 years ago, the annual TED Conference invites the world’s leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes or less. The talks are made available, free, at TED.com.
Modeled after the annual TED Conference, TEDxAlbany will invite a wide variety of speakers, authors, business people and educators to share ideas and insights that will provoke thinking and conversation. TEDTalks video and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group setting.
James Howard Kunstler is among the confirmed TEDxAlbany speakers. The Saratoga author/commentator delivered a talk at the 2004 annual TED Conference in Monterey, Calif. An online video of Kunstler’s talk is available through the TEDTalks video podcast.
“TEDxAlbany will be a day of mind blowing discussion,” said Gaines, a motivational speaker based in Cohoes. “We’re seeking speakers to share the very best ideas our region has to offer.”
The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events, including TEDxAlbany, are self-organized.
In the spirit of “ideas worth spreading,” TED has created TEDx. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Our event is called TEDxAlbany, where x = independently organized TED event. At TEDxAlbany, TEDTalks video and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events, including ours, are self-organized.
ABOUT TED
TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 25 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives. The annual TED Conference invites the world’s leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes. Their talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Al Gore, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Isabel Allende and UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The annual TED Conference takes place in Long Beach, California, with simulcast in Palm Springs; TEDGlobal is held each year in Oxford, UK. TED’s media initiatives include TED.com, where new TEDTalks are posted daily, and the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as the ability for any TEDTalk to be translated by volunteers worldwide. TED has established the annual TED Prize, where exceptional individuals with a wish to change the world are given the opportunity to put their wishes into action; TEDx, which offers individuals or groups a way to host local, self-organized events around the world, and the TEDFellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to become part of the TED community and, with its help, amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities.
Follow TED on Twitter at twitter.com/TEDTalks, or on Facebook at facebook.com/TED.
TEDGlobal 2010, “And Now the Good News,” will be held July 13-16, 2010, in Oxford, UK. TED2011, “The Rediscovery of Wonder,” will be held February 28-March 4, 2011, in Long Beach, California, with the TEDActive simulcast in Palm Springs, California.
Foundation Encourages Atheists to Give More to Charity
Not Compassion But Opportunity Lacking Among Unchurched, Says Director
ALPHARETTA, Ga. (April 8, 2010)—A national organization is encouraging atheists to give more to charity.
“The nonreligious are generous and compassionate, but our giving lags behind the religious. I want us to do better,” said Dale McGowan, a secular humanist who serves as executive director of Georgia-based Foundation Beyond Belief.
“It’s time for those of us who are otherwise engaged on Sunday mornings to have our own easy and regular means of giving. We need to encourage more humanistic giving.”
Surveys by philanthropic research organizations like Independent Sector have shown that churchgoers give a much greater percentage of their income to charitable causes than non-churchgoers. Arthur C. Brooks, author of “Who Really Cares,” claims the statistic is “evidence of a gap in everyday virtue.” But McGowan thinks the higher level of giving among churchgoers has more to do with the act of congregating and positive peer pressure than with virtue.
“Churchgoers are passed the plate and asked to donate 52 times a year while their neighbors watch,” McGowan said. “But atheists don’t really congregate, so we’re not nudging each other in public to give to charity week after week. We don’t have systematic opportunities for generosity.”
The recently formed Foundation Beyond Belief is already giving a major public nudge to the non-churchgoing crowd with a new website that combines social media with philanthropy to provide a virtual congregation space for the nonreligious.
Each quarter, Foundation Beyond Belief highlights charities in the following cause areas: health, education, poverty, environment, child welfare, human rights, animal protection, peace, and support for nonreligious parents.
The featured charities are carefully selected for their impact and efficiency, and must not proselytize to those they help.
Members join Foundation Beyond Belief by signing up for a monthly automatic donation. They use an online personal profile to indicate how they would like their contribution distributed among the charities. At the end of each quarter, 100 percent of the donations are forwarded to the charities and a new slate of beneficiaries is selected.
Since its January launch, the Foundation has raised $15,490 for charity from 425 members and aspires to raise $500,000 from 4,000 members by the end of 2010. To reach that goal, the Foundation hired a membership coordinator with funds from a $10,000 grant by the Institute for Humanist Studies.
In addition to improving the lives of those who benefit from the charitable giving, Foundation Beyond Belief may help improve the public image of the nonreligious. But McGowan says the Foundation’s giving program is ultimately not about fear, guilt or public relations—it’s about challenging each other to live out the principle of mutual care, one of humanism’s highest ideals.
“Regardless of worldview, most people give because they are challenged and encouraged to do so, because generosity feels wonderful, and because the habit of giving turns giving into a habit,” he said.
For information about Foundation Beyond Belief, visit:
This story was syndicated in dozens of media outlets across the nation through several national newswires, including MyFoxNational, Cox News Service and Religion News Service.
Global Energy Crisis Brings New Opportunities To Connect With Community
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — A psychologist is teaching students to prepare emotionally and spiritually for life after the collapse of fossil fuel-based civilization.
“I think everybody knows deep down in their bones that changes are ahead, and that we are at the end of the world as we have known it,” said Carolyn Baker, Ph.D. “There’s going to be tremendous emotional turbulence as things unravel. People are going to have to cope with their feelings and be anchored to some kind of sense of principle or meaningfulness.”
Starting April 24, Baker will lead a four-week distance-learning course titled “Navigating the Coming Chaos of Unprecedented Transitions.” The Boulder, Colo.-based psychotherapist is the author of “Sacred Demise: Walking The Spiritual Path of Industrial Civilization’s Collapse” (2009), which is the textbook for this course offered by PostPeakLiving.com.
The premise of Baker’s book and online course is that a global energy crisis is very near. The world’s oil supply is already at peak production now. As we pass the “peak oil” point, soaring energy costs will disrupt everything from the economy to the food supply, and will make paying down the world’s debt impossible.
“We need to prepare for the daunting changes ahead in our future,” Baker said. “This course and my book are about preparing for the inner transition for life after the peak.”
Books like James Howard Kunstler’s “The Long Emergency” (2005) and television shows like National Geographic’s “Aftermath: World Without Oil” (airing March 8 & 11) are introducing the concept of peak oil to large audiences. The new Transition Town social movement is supporting communities throughout the country to re-make their local economies as they prepare for a world of expensive and likely scarce oil.
The most emphatic among the peak oil proponents are often called “doomers” by their critics and fans alike.
But getting ready for a post-peak oil world isn’t all doom-and-gloom, said André Angelantoni, founder of PostPeakLiving.com. Baker’s upcoming course is just one of many offered by the California-based online, distance-learning school. Other courses include: “Sustainable Post-Peak Livelihoods,” “Introduction to Sustainable Gardening,” “Chickens 101″ and the “UnCrash Course,” the company’s six-week intensive preparation course.
“Our course instructors dedicate a lot of time to showing people the opportunities they have to redesign their lives after oil,” Angelantoni said. “The sooner we acknowledge that the days of cheap oil are numbered, the sooner we can start making realistic plans for the next phase in human history.”
All PostPeakLiving.com courses are available to anyone with access to the Internet. Baker’s course will begin on April 24 and consists of four three-hour sessions on consecutive Saturdays. Students call into a central phone line where they can hear the instructor and each other. They follow along with an online PowerPoint presentation and complete homework between sessions.
“When most people first learn about peak oil, they get depressed,” Baker said. “But it’s worse when they are so terrified of this impending change that they don’t even want to hear about it.”
[*Note: The online version of this article links to three clients of Duncan Crary Communications: Post Peak Living, James Howard Kunstler and the KrisCan show.]
NEW e-BOOK BY JAMES HOWARD KUNSTLER
IMAGINES COLLAPSE OF U.S.
In “Big Slide,” Family Seeks Refuge in Adirondacks During National Meltdown
Available as e-Book, Kindle, and Podcast
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (Feb. 2, 2010) — Author and social commentator James Howard Kunstler is using live theater, podcasting and a self-published “e-book” to distribute his new three act-play, titled “Big Slide.”
The story centers on a large family seeking refuge in the Adirondack Mountains of New York state as the country is collapsing into economic and political turmoil.
“Right now, we are a nation going through a slow-motion train wreck. But obviously our situation is not as grave as the compressed events that are portrayed in this play,” Kunstler said. “‘Big Slide’ is a work of the imagination that happens to be circumstantially about the times we’re living in and the times we may be moving into.”
Set in the autumn of an unspecified near-future year, “Big Slide” tells the story of three generations of the Freeman family, who have gathered at their Adirondack “great camp” (near Big Slide Mountain) to take refuge from New York City and Boston during a severe national political maelstrom. We are never fully apprised of the exact nature of this event, but it appears to involve a coup d’etat in the White House and the uprising of local militias all over the nation in response.
The estate at Big Slide is isolated from these events, but news dribbles in by radio. The electricity has stopped working and law enforcement seems to have been suspended, making it dangerous to travel even to the nearest town for food and necessities.
The thirteen members of the family, ranging from the dying patriarch, Clifford Freeman, to his grown children and their spouses, to the two teenage step-siblings, Raven and Zach, struggle to work out how they will organize themselves for survival in the months ahead against a background of old and deep personal grievances with each other.
“This was designed to be a classic, three-act play with a large cast and swirling motion on two levels of the stage,” Kunstler said. “But the situation with regional theater now is that nobody wants to do a play with more than one character, so that all you get is ‘A Night With Emily Dickinson’ or somebody impersonating Truman Capote. When I was a drama student at SUNY Brockport, we did big plays with lots of characters — ‘The Cherry Orchard,”Marat / Sade’ — and that’s what this is.”
“Big Slide” was first performed before a live audience as a “staged reading” by 13 actors on Jan. 9 at the Multi-use Community Cultural Center in Rochester, N.Y. Kunstler said he hopes to see a full-theatrical production in the future. A free audio .mp3 recording of the staged reading is available through author’s weekly podcast, “The KunstlerCast.”
A script of “Big Slide” is available for purchase (price: $5) as a downloadable 116-page .PDF, or in Kindle and Kindle-for-the-iPhone editions.
Production and oversight of the “Big Slide” e-book is by Duncan Crary, an independent media and publicity consultant, who hosts and produces “The KunstlerCast.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kunstler is the author of four non-fiction books, including “The Geography of Nowhere” (Simon & Schuster, 1993) and “The Long Emergency” (Atlantic Monthly Press, 2005), which have been concerned with a wide range of urgent issues, such as the global oil predicament, the banking fiasco and the problems associated with suburban development in America.
His most recent novel, “World Made By Hand” (Atlantic Monthly Press, 2008), takes place in a post-petroleum American future. A sequel is scheduled to be published this year.
GET READY FOR LIFE AFTER OIL WITH FUN YOUTUBE SHOW
Web Videos Prepare Viewers For Life After Fossil Fuel in a Fun, Sexy Way
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (Jan. 19, 2010) — Most people don’t want to think about what will happen when the world runs out of cheap oil. But a semi-monthly Internet video program is reaching a growing audience by making the issue of Peak Oil fun and entertaining.
“Peak Oil is real. Fossil fuel depletion is real. It’s not getting better, and it’s not going away,” said Internet video host/interviewer KrisCan. “Selling bad news is tricky. But people are more likely to watch and learn about these issues when you present them in an upbeat, cool, humorous way.”
With more than 60 episodes since 2008, “KrisCan: Peak Oil Action and Adventure” tackles serious issues like energy depletion, sustainable agriculture and transportation through interviews, sexy video shorts and spoofs.
Notable guests have included James Howard Kunstler, author of “The Long Emergency,” and Richard Heinberg, author of “The Party’s Over.” Other guests include: David Yarrow, author, environmentalist and biochar expert, and Ethan Roland, permaculture designer and teacher.
One provocative episode titled “Peak” features a seemingly naked KrisCan posing behind two strategically placed oilcans. A straightforward voice over informs viewers about the impending global energy crisis.
In another episode, KrisCan parodies the Internet phenomenon “Hot For Words,” a YouTube video blog starring sexy host Marina Orlova who gives the etymology of words while flirting with the camera. Dressed as Orlova, KrisCan gives the origin of the term “Peak Oil,” a term first used by M. King Hubbert to describe the point where maximum petroleum output is reached. Many people believe the global oil supply is at or near peak oil production now.
The goal of the KrisCan Show is not only to entertain and educate, but also to use video to reflect on the predicaments arising from our energy challenges. The show also presents various solutions people are using to increase their resiliency and sustainability in lieu of a future with less affordable energy.
KrisCan created her show after observing a lack of interesting and informative media about the global petroleum shortage.
“Even now, it’s only a handful of older white men who are really talking about Peak Oil and the serious energy crisis we’re facing,” said KrisCan. “I felt an urgent need to make this message more appealing and fun for a wider audience. I want to motivate younger generations to get involved now in some of the efforts to prepare for a world that no longer runs on cheap oil.”
To watch episodes of the KrisCan show, visit: http://www.kriscan.com . For information and press images, visit: http://www.kriscan.com/what-is-kriscan .
PAPER & PEN EMAIL SERVICE MAKES GREAT GIFT FOR GRANDPARENTS
“Celery” Keeps Non-Computer Users in the Tech Loop
TROY, NY (Dec. 2, 2009 ) — “Celery” is an easy-to-use service that lets grandparents send and receive email without using a computer or the Internet.
“We all know at least one person who does not use a computer or the Internet,” said Neil Grabowsky, CEO of Celery, LLC. “They feel left out, and we feel guilty for not including them. Our service acts as a go-between for non-computer users and their tech-savvy loved ones so that everyone can be included in email, using technology they’re comfortable with.”
Celery can turn any fax machine into an email machine. The service automatically prints incoming emails and photo attachments in high quality color. Outgoing handwritten messages are instantly converted into PDF and sent as email. Celery users simply write an email address or a nickname at the top of their handwritten or typed message and the service takes care of the rest. Celery sends and receives messages almost instantly, just like email.
“I still enjoy getting handwritten letters and those hometown newspaper clippings from my father. I just never had time to reply with snail mail,” Grabowsky said. “Celery delivers those long-form letters and clippings directly to my email inbox. To respond, all I have to do is reply to the message just like I would with any email.”
Celery can also be used to read blog posts, Twitter messages and facebook status updates without ever going online or using a computer. There is one octogenarian using her Celery machine to post handwritten “tweets” to her own Twitter feed!
“Celery is a great gift for your entire family. When you give Celery to a non-computer user, you are opening up a whole new world of communication for them,” Grabowsky said. “You are also making that non-computer user accessible to all of their friends and family who are already online.”
Founded in 2006 in Troy, N.Y, Celery currently serves customers in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Service plans start at $8.98 per month. For those who don’t already own a fax machine, Celery will provide a customized Lexmark X5070 fax machine for a one-time fee of $119. During the holidays, the price of the Lexmark machine will be reduced to $89.00.
Celery can be purchased online at www.mycelery.com or by phone at 1-866-MY-CELERY.
Technical Specs for Celery:
No Internet access required
Shares single phone line
No special software required
Can email any printed document
Auto-prints incoming email and high-quality color photos in real-time
Makes color copies
Sends and receives regular faxes
Spam control guarantee
Customers can set “Do Not Disturb” hours
Automatically receives messages if answering machine present
Vacation mode stores messages over extended periods
Celery can receive and print text, HTML based email messages, and JPEG, RTF, GIF, PNG, TIFF or PDF email attachments
Supports RSS feeds: blogs, Twitter and facebook
30-day risk free guarantee
Note to reporters: Celery has many customers across the country who are willing to be interviewed about their experience. Please contact Celery for assistance locating sources in your area.
STYLISH ECO-FASHION DESIGNER SETS UP SHOP IN CHELSEA, NYC, DEC. 10-23
‘e ko logic makes ‘green’ apparel worn around the world
MANHATTAN (Nov. 30) – ‘e ko logic, the designer of ‘green’ clothing worn around the world, will showcase its high-style, eco-friendly apparel at the Chelsea Market from Dec. 10 to Dec. 23, during the JINGLE holiday pop-up store.
“We were making fashionable ‘green’ clothing before ‘green’ was in fashion,” said designer Kathleen Tesnakis, who founded ‘e ko logic in 1996.
‘e ko logic is a husband-and-wife team, based in Troy, N.Y., that uses recycled cashmere and post-consumer fabric to create one-of-a-kind hats, scarves and sweaters for men and women. They also make cashmere dresses and skirts.
Every item made by ‘e ko logic is unique because of the way Tesnakis gathers and assembles her materials. After hunting down discarded cashmere sweaters and other fabric treasures, she dismantles each article of clothing while taking the time to recognize its individual character and beauty. Finally, she transforms the material by joining it with other pieces to give an old garment a new life and purpose.
“There’s a little magic and a lot of love in each piece we construct,” Tesnakis said. “We can’t request our palette. We use what we find.”
‘e ko logic clothing is sought-after by the environmentally conscious and fashion conscious alike, from New York to Japan. Even a few celebrities, like Lee Ranaldo, of the iconic rock band Sonic Youth, are sporting ‘e ko logic apparel.
Accessories by ‘e ko logic cost between $72 to $120, while clothing prices range from $242 to $570.
Most of ‘e ko logic’s wholesale business comes from New York City, which is why the company relocated from Portland, Ore. to upstate New York in 2002. They are now housed in a century-old building that was originally used to recycle left-over textile scraps from the Troy shirt collar and cuff industry. To date, ‘e ko logic has recycled more than seven tons of post-consumer clothing.
New Yorkers can purchase ‘e ko logic clothing at Cog & Pearl in Brooklyn, and Arleen Bowman in Manhattan. Accessories by ‘e ko logic are available at the Museum of Art & Design in Manhattan.
This December, ‘e ko logic will join several independent designers who will be selling clothing, jewelry, stationery, and art made from recycled products during the Chelsea Market JINGLE holiday pop up store.
Chelsea Market is located at 75 9th Avenue (Between 15th and 16th Streets). JINGLE’s grand opening is Dec. 10 at 4 p.m. The event continues through Dec. 23. Hours are Monday through Friday 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“We like to think of the Jingle as Brigadoon in Manhattan. It’s a special place that only appears once per year, full of creative energy and talented artists,” Tesnakis said. “Most people don’t know where their clothing was manufactured. Buying directly from the designer is a meaningful way to shop for clothes.”
‘E KO LOGIC TO HOST GREEN FASHION OPEN STUDIO IN TROY, DEC. 6
Troy Designer Was Making Green Fashion Before Green Was Fashionable
TROY, N.Y. (Nov. 24, 2009) — ‘e ko logic, the designer of high fashion recycled cashmere clothing, will host an open studio during Troy’s Victorian Stroll, this Dec. 6, from noon to 5 p.m.
“We love inviting people into our beautiful space in Troy so they can meet us and see how our clothing is made,” said Kathleen Tesnakis, ‘e ko logic founder and designer. “Most people don’t know where their clothing was manufactured. Buying directly from the designer is a meaningful way to shop for clothes.”
‘e ko logic is a husband-and-wife team that uses recycled cashmere and post-consumer fabric to create one-of-a-kind hats, scarves and sweaters for men and women. They also make cashmere dresses and skirts.
Every item made by ‘e ko logic is unique because of the way Tesnakis gathers her materials and assembles them. First, she hunts for discarded cashmere sweaters and other clothing treasures. Next, she dismantles each piece of clothing, taking time to recognize its character and individual beauty. Finally, she transforms the material by joining it with other pieces to give an old garment a new life and purpose.
“There is a little magic and a lot of love in each piece we construct,” Tesnakis said. “We can’t request our palette. We use what we find.”
‘e ko logic clothing is sold around the world, from New York to Japan, and is sought-after by the eco-conscious and fashion-conscious alike. Even a few celebrities are sporting the Made-in-Troy clothing. Lee Ranaldo, of the iconic rock band Sonic Youth, was recently photographed for the national music magazine “Blurt” wearing apparel by ‘e ko logic.
Not every piece of ‘e ko logic clothing makes it into the limelight, but many items continue to have adventures of their own. One ‘e ko logic hat traveled the world on the head of a monk, and two hats met while stationed in Antarctica. Just recently, Tesnakis received a call from a woman who wanted to replace an ‘e ko logic hat that had been stolen off her husband’s head by an owl.
“Somewhere in Washington State there is an owl with a very comfortable cashmere nest,” Tesnakis said. “I’m glad our clothing was recycled.”
At ‘e ko logic, recycling extends beyond the clothing. The century-old building where ‘e ko logic is headquartered, at 444 River Street, was originally used to recycle left-over textile scraps from the Troy collar and cuff industry, turning “batts” and “shoddys” into things like pillows.
“A hundred years later, we’re still doing the same thing in this building,” Tesnakis said. “We were making fashionable ‘green’ clothing before ‘green’ was in fashion. And we’re proud to be located in a city that was known for making clothes and reusing textiles.”
After the Victorian Stroll in Troy, ‘e ko logic will be selling a special line of apparel at the Chelsea Market JINGLE in Manhattan, from Dec. 10 to Dec. 23. But visitors at their Troy Open Studio will have a sneak preview and the chance to buy those items before their New York City debut.
‘e ko logic accessories cost from $72 to $120. Clothing ranges in price from $242 to $570. Credit cards are accepted at the studio and online.
“My motto for this year has been: be revolutionary, act intentionally,” Tesnakis said. “When people support creative businesses like ‘e ko logic, they are empowering themselves. Because we have the ability to enrich our community by making conscious choices about where we shop.”
For information, visit: http://www.ekologic.com . For high resolution publicity images, visit: http://duncancrary.com/clients/ekologic.html
CHELSEA MARKET GOES JINGLE AGAIN W/HOLIDAY POP-UP STORE, DEC. 10-23
Shopping extravaganza decks the halls of Chelsea Market with art & industry
MANHATTAN — (Nov. 23, 2009) — Chelsea Market will be serving more than fabulous food this holiday season. Beginning Dec. 10, and continuing until Dec. 23, the market will host “JINGLE” a Holiday pop-up store now in its third year.
JINGLE is a shopping extravaganza featuring a collective of independent designers, selling their wares directly, and various performance art and video designed to tickle the imagination.
Items at the JINGLE will include nostalgic, vintage groove jewelry and home accessories, green products recycled from cashmere and felted wool (both edgy and high style), candles, fine handmade contemporary porcelain, natural skincare, wall art constructed from recycled spice tins, fine stationery and curiosities, quirky and fun knitted wire sculpture, playful letters and words in metal, retro kitchen fashion, handcrafted leather goods, kitsch stocking stuffers, and a bounty of other beautifully designed products for body and home and for just about everyone and everything.
The shopping festival is a natural extension of the playful architecture that characterizes the retail level of Chelsea Market, and its visiting designers will pick up where the hall leaves off.
“Our edgy, yet arty take on gift giving promises to put excitement into your holiday shopping,” said festival creator Jill Schwartz. “This is the perfect setting for us as ‘Art Meets Industry’ in our store, and Chelsea Market’s unique spirit reinforces our vision.”
JINGLE’s grand opening is Dec. 10 at 4 p.m. The event continues through Dec. 23. Hours are Monday through Friday 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
About the vendors:
ELEMENTS/JILL SCHWARTZ: Tickle your fancy side with the preciousness of Jill Schwartz’s elements… Incredible vintage groove assemblage work expressed in artware jewelry, heirloom albums, picture frames, and more.
‘E KO LOGIC: Where “Green” meets Couture. Clothing and accessories hand constructed in New York by recycling post-consumer cashmere sweaters.
THE MACBETH COLLECTION: A home & accessories line that marries functional home storage and organization with high-design.
MOTEL DELUXE: Purveyors of fine stationery, journals, photo albums, and a wide variety of great gift items.
GAUGE: Cool and clean metal letters and words, precious one-of-a-kind metal snowflakes, and other unique metal products, all handmade in Brooklyn.
JILLERY BY JILL FAGIN: A line of jewelry, Judaica, and home accessories, handcrafted in New York City from recycled aluminum.
PRIMITIVE TWIG: Wall art figures from recycled material and vintage parts.
YEEHAW INDUSTRIES: Original products from fine woodblock prints to hand-printed letterpress stationery.
REBEL DESIGNS: Hip and chic jewelry and leather goods, offering style and sophistication to fashionistas all over the world.
MARY JAEGER: Designs sculpted and dyed, women’s and interior accessories focusing on hand-made details and a sensitive use of color, pattern and texture.
ELIZABETH GILLETT: Unique scarves, cozy sweaters and special evening cover-ups that are feminine and fun!
KITSCH*N GLAM: With a wink and a nod to ’50s design, Kitsch*n Glam’s colorful line of lifestyle products are fashionable, flirtatious accents to express personal style.
AUSTRALIAN SCENT: 100 percent natural, hypoallergenic skin care. Nothing compares.
AYALA JEWELRY: Ayala Naphtali’s jewelry incorporates sterling silver with recycled coconut shell and semiprecious stones. Her modern and elegant adornments are earthy and beautifully textured.
REINA MIA BRILL: Adorable Quirky Knitted wire sculptures.
KLEIN REID: Fine handmade porcelain.
BLUE Q: Kitsch objects and other awesome & artful curiosities.
PUTAMAYO WORLD MUSIC: CDS offering Afro pop, folk, Celtic, world beat artists, and holiday music for both children and adults.
The story centers on a large family seeking refuge in the Adirondack Mountains of New York state as the country is collapsing into economic and political turmoil.
Kunstler is the author of four non-fiction books, including “The Geography of Nowhere” (Simon & Schuster, 1993) and “The Long Emergency” (Atlantic Monthly Press, 2005), which have been concerned with a wide range of urgent issues, such as the global oil predicament, the banking fiasco and the problems associated with suburban development in America.
Every item made by ‘e ko logic is unique because of the way Tesnakis gathers her materials and assembles them. First, she hunts for discarded cashmere sweaters and other clothing treasures. Next, she dismantles each piece of clothing, taking time to recognize its character and individual beauty. Finally, she transforms the material by joining it with other pieces to give an old garment a new life and purpose.