Vol. 12 — May 22, 2020
WHAT’S NEW
This week we’re sharing ways to support NYC restaurants, how to draw your feelings in 5 steps, and are introducing you to a new cool friend: designer, Ellen Van Dusen.
CULTURE CORNER
Listen
Why Does Sad Music Make You Happy? While this is ~technically~ an article, as lovers of sad music we think this is a pretty great read. Oh and there’s a playlist at the end by Phoebe Bridgers, Sharon Van Etten & more. Read about it here.
Cook
If you’ve followed along with us on instagram or twitter, you know we’ve been doing a lot of home cooking. We’re always looking for new recipes and now we can make menu items from some of our favorite NYC restaurants (while supporting them) from the “Serving New York” cookbook. Get the e-cookbook benefitting ROAR (Relief Opportunities for All Restaurants) here!
Support
One of our favorite design shops in Greenpoint, Home of the Brave, collaborated with three artists to design a set of exclusive Relief Artist Series blankets. The shop owners are leaders in supporting and showcasing independent designers and these blankets will aid in raising funds to keep their business afloat and continue to help local artists. PS- They are on sale until the 27th!
Create
We’ve teamed up with our friend and illustrator Jordan Sondler to help you begin a simple and rewarding creative exercise: drawing your feelings. Check out Jordan’s five steps here and follow along on instagram (@jordansondler) for more mental health content!
COOL FRIENDS
Ellen Van Dusen
Meet Ellen, a Brooklyn-based textile & fashion designer. In 2010, Ellen launched Dusen Dusen as a home for her bold and colorful prints. Her work, from dog beds to jacquard-woven jackets, is always fun and always original.
What led you to begin your fashion career?
I made clothes for myself all through high school, and knew I wanted to turn that into my job somehow but also knew that I didn't want to go to fashion school. Instead I studied the visual process from an interdisciplinary perspective and wrote my thesis on color in the brain. After I finished college I worked for another designer, and after a couple months of that I decided to start selling some pieces on the side. It took off and here I am, 10 years later!
What is inspiring you right now?
Indoor stuff! I'm loving cut flowers, my kitchen herb garden, and tv shows/movies that I'm binging right now. I've been into thrillers and horror movies recently, anything to fully distract me from the news! I'm finding ways to be creative outside of my regular practice, which keeps everything else from getting stale in my brain. Cooking and gardening have flexed that muscle, and I am trying to transfer that energy into my design work.
What’s your favorite part about the NYC creative community?
I find that everyone is super open and supportive. Some of my best friends are designers with small businesses, and we are constantly texting and calling each other for advice. We all know each other, and collaborate on events, trade shows... it's generally just a very fun group of people. To be here and to make a living making things, you really have to hustle. Being surrounded by people that work hard and believe in their work is super inspiring and keeps me going.
Follow along:
www.dusendusen.com
@dusendusen on Instagram
DINER REVIEW (Guest reviewer: Rebecca Schnieder)
Neil’s Coffee Shop
Upper East Side, Manhattan
My Rating: 4 of 5
When to go:
What to order:
What to know: