Stories from quarantine: my favorite small businesses.

 

One thing I miss, in this strange time of restricted movement: popping into my favorite shops (and restaurants).

A couple of my faves, like my beloved florist and the best taqueria in Maverick Square, have simply closed down for the duration. There’s not much I can do except look forward to the day when I can visit them again. (You can bet I’ll be hugging my florist, when it’s safe to do so.) But there are a few other small businesses I’m supporting with my dollars, during this crazy time. Here’s a list, in case you’re in need of books or tea or stationery, or other fun things, and have a bit of cash to spare.

• Trident, Brookline Booksmith and the Harvard Book Store are my three favorite indie bookshops in Boston, and they’re all still operating online. (Trident’s cafe is still open, too, if you’re local.) If you’re a book lover, please support an indie bookstore during this time – they are such centers of creativity and joy, and they really need the cash flow.
• My two favorite yoga/fitness studios, The Point EB and Savin Hill Fitness, are offering online classes via Zoom. They’re super reasonable – Savin Hill even offers one free class each day – and the instructors are great.
• Mem Tea Imports, based in Somerville, is still shipping their delicious teas. I stocked up in mid-March, and I’m sure I’ll be making another order soon. They always stick an extra sample or two in each order.
• I ordered some fun quarantine correspondence cards from 1canoe2, a small stationery business I’ve loved for years. They are hilarious and cute.
• Jenny at Carrot Top Paper Shop is still bringing the cheer, even drawing some of her heroines wearing masks. Love love love.
• Marathon Sports, my favorite Boston-based running store, is still shipping online orders. They’ve provided me with new running shoes and a much-needed foam roller since this all started.

What are some favorite small businesses you’re supporting right now?

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poem for January

(Evergreens print available from redbirdink on Etsy)

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

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my first custom knits

You’ve all been so kind about my custom knits shop, which I opened up on this blog a few weeks ago. I’m proud to announce that I’m officially on Etsy! My shop is called Tea Leaf Knits, and you can head over there to order items or convo me about a specific order request.

I’ve had three custom orders so far, and I’m quite pleased with how they’ve all turned out, so I thought I’d give you a little peek:

My first order was from my dear friend Amanda – she wanted a slouchy blue beret, so I obliged:

Not long after that, Amelia ordered a cowl – she lives in Arizona, but wanted something cozy to wear when she travels home to Georgia this winter. So I knit her up a creamy cowl:

My other custom order was a Christmas surprise, so I won’t show it to you here. But if you’re so inclined, take a peek over at my Etsy shop, or email me at tealeafknits {at} gmail {dot} com for custom orders!

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first you cry

I haven’t really known what to say about Haiti. I imagine people all over the blogosphere have struggled with that. Beyond the basics of it’s horrible/please pray/please send money, I haven’t known what to make of it or what to do about it.

But I have been listening to one song from Annie Parsons’ EP over and over again this week. I’ve blogged before about Annie’s soulful songwriting and her rich voice – but as I think this week of the folks in Haiti, I’ve been turning to these words (from Track 6, “First You Cry”):

I see your tears – you’re tryin’ to understand
What do you do when life don’t wind up like you planned?

You wake up every single mornin’
Will your feet to hit the floor
You pour the coffee, wipe the counter
Make yourself walk out that door
You keep on livin’, dig your heels in
Tell yourself that you’ll get by
But first – but first, you cry

I’ve been clinging to these words as I think of the folks in Haiti, and of others who are suffering. I have a friend who’s in the middle of a divorce; two friends who’ve lost their fathers-in-law recently; and I know a family whose little girl is struggling with leukemia. Annie herself has recently moved back to Colorado because her mom has cancer. I think of all these people daily and pray for them and hope things are getting better – but I know that first, before the healing, come the tears.

In the meantime, my friend David Vanderpool and his dad, also named David, have been on the ground in Haiti with Mobile Medical Disaster Relief. You can check their Web site here and follow them on Twitter here; they are just one of many organizations doing good work down there.

In the craft world, donations/auctions/etc. are popping up all over the place; there are two Etsy shops, CraftHope and HeartsforHaiti, made up of donated items, and all proceeds go to Haiti relief. Stephanie is, as always, championing the work of Doctors Without Borders, and many Ravelry designers have decided to donate part or all of their proceeds to Haiti relief. I love that there’s so much love and money pouring toward Haiti. I know we can’t help everyone – I know the problem is too big for us – but I’m deeply thankful that people are trying.

This weekend I’ll celebrate a birthday with a dear friend, and have dinner with some other friends who’ve just moved to town. There’s still so much joy in the world, even in the midst of disasters like this one. But I’ll still be keeping Annie’s words close by for a while.

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