Full Moon, Blue Moon, Retrogrades, And Fairies!

Lots of things swirling about these past few weeks, what with the five planet retrograde going on, and now we've got what we like to call a "situation". Saturday's full moon, in Sagittarius this month, is directly conjunct with Mars. Add the fact that this is a "blue moon" (the third of four full moons in a season, or the time between an equinox and a solstice), and that Mars is going "red", and you've got a big situation!

Luckily, Mercury will station direct on the 22nd, so communication, at least, will free up a bit. That doesn't help a whole lot when you've still got Mars in retrograde until the end of June. The interaction between Mars and Sagittarius this month is troubling, and the key words for this time should be "be watchful, be aware, be cautious". All the bottled up frustration of normally forthright, assertive Sagittarius may manifest inward, since outlet is thwarted by the retrograde motion. This may cause a blowup of uncomfortable proportions - the Full Moon in Sagittarius conjunct Mars Retrograde heightens our awareness of this frustration and provides a channel through which we can express our rightful, righteous anger. Unfortunately, Sagittarius is not a sign known for great tact or diplomacy, so anger here may not serve any healthy purposes and instead just add to the tension. As with our keywords for this full moon, it's a good idea to be circumspect now. Remember that with Mars retrograde, this energy is high but not well aimed and can misfire.

With all this rather unsettled energy in the air, it's time for Hoopla! Emporium's semi-regular Full Moon Celebration. Come by the store at 6:00 pm on Monday, May 23, for a short cleansing and blessing by Shaman Carol Woodliff, and a wine tasting with our friends at OddBallGrape.com! We'll have a discussion on the meaning of the 5 planet retrograde, how retrogrades affect you, and what you can do to protect yourself. Our friend Sonia Chernobieff will be here reading Tarot cards for the occasion. She's also taking appointments for Tarot readings at the store, too, so you can call and make an appointment with her!

 

 

On Saturday, May 21, Hoopla! Emporium is hosting "The Enchanted Forest - Fairy Garden 101", which features local garden designer Stephanie Clements. For only $25.00, you and one child can learn how to build a water-wise fairy garden using succulents from local company, Dominus Plantarum, and fairy garden elements provided by Hoopla. Fairy Lydee will provide entertainment, Maureen Koran is providing fairy cupcakes, and Doreen Virtue certified fairy oracle reader Alyse Korn will be here, too! Be sure to register quickly, as space is limited to 20 paid adults, and it's filling quickly! There will be plants available for purchase from Dominus Plantarum, and a special pop-up appearance by Athene Raphael, who makes the most adorable floral crowns and headwear for babies. The fun starts at 3:00, and goes until 6:00 pm. We hope to see you at any (or all) of these events!

 





 

 

Happy May Day, Or, The Magic Of Beltane!

All of us remember the Maypole, right? As a child, I was always fascinated by pictures of this festive event. Pictures of bucolic, fair-haired ladies dancing barefoot, weaving brightly colored ribbons around an upright pole, while the men of the village looked on. Turns out, this May Day is an ancient Celtic pagan tradition that was cleaned up by the Christians hundreds of years ago, much like Oestre traditions became Easter traditions.

According to the Elephant Journal, Beltane "is a holiday of union, between man and woman, God and Goddess—a celebration of the divine balance in the union of Divine masculine and feminine. Because once upon a time, the two were honored as sacred parts of the one Divine balance." In Celtic, Beltane means "bright fire". Pagans acknowledge Beltane as the time the God and Goddess reunite, after a long, cold winter apart. I think you can guess where "fire" comes in, and the Beltane rituals have long been a celebration of symbolic totems and rituals honoring sex, fire, fertility, and abundance.  

The Maypole is, in itself, a symbol of the God - the divine Male - and the women, weaving those ribbons around it, symbolize the Divine Female, or Goddess, wrapping themselves around him. As Spring blossoms, the world comes alive in color to celebrate their love. Flowers bloom, trees grow and animals return. This was once the full acknowledgment and celebration of the fertility of Spring. From The Elephant Journal, "Fire jumping took place over the town fire—for the unmarried men in the town who would leap the fire to wish for a wife, the women leaped for blessings of fertility, couples jump for luck and fertility in their marriages. The May Queen and King of the Forest, or Green Man, would be chosen from among the unmarried young adults in the community, to embody the original God and Goddess, and they were the leaders of the celebrations and fun. Their entourage would follow the couple in service, everyone dressed in costumes and adorned with flowers, leaves, antlers and other nature adornment, until the couple retreated to the forest to take part in their sacred sexual union underneath the night sky." It's also said that those who were conceived during Beltane have the ability to see fairies!

In Irish Gaelic Bealtaine is the name of the month of May, while in Scottish Gaelic Bealtuinn is  May Day. Historically, Beltane is associated with the Celtic God Bel, also known as Balor or Belenus—The God of Light and Fire who was also associated with the Sun (akin to the Greek Apollo). I think it's fascinating that this tradition almost exactly matches the Indo-European/Iranian tradition of fire jumping at their Spring celebration, or Chaharshanbe Suri. This is a ritual performed during their New Year, which coincides with the Vernal, or Spring, Equinox.

What can you do to bring this special celebration into your home? Make a Maypole! Construct a small one from common household items and decorate it with colored ribbons and snippets of fabric, or, if you have a large backyard and don't care what the neighbors think, make a full-sized one! This is also a great time to clean your home - this is where the tradition of "spring cleaning" came to be! You can burn lilac and frankincense incense, or use a sage smudge stick, to cleanse, too. This an ideal time to set intentions, especially if you're looking for love, a child, or abundance in your life. Find a quiet place to meditate, and visualize your life as a garden that you populate with what you're intending. Think about what you need to do to bring these visions to reality. This is the time when the womb of the Universe is fertile and ready for your intentions to take root, like the soils of Earth are ripe for planting, the powers in charge are waiting for you to take action on your path to your own Highest Good. 

As you celebrate this day, be inspired by Nature - Beltane was honored by the ancients as a way to remember that even time stops to make space for lovers to find each other again after the long, cold night of winter. Here's a fun video showing The Circle Sanctuary's Beltane celebration: for video click here. Remember, if you need any celebratory products, such as sage bundles, crystals, incense, essential oils, or flower crowns, Hoopla! Emporium can help. Blessings to you as you celebrate the coming of Summer!

Oh My Stars, It's Retrograde Season!

 

Yes, indeed, friends, it's Retromageddon in the heavens, and on Earth this translates into "you can be all, or nothing, it's all on the table and your resistance is futile"! This month, we have five planets in retrograde - Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Mercury, and Pluto. What does that mean for you and yours? Read on to find out!

Jupiter, that huge, gaseous planet, was named for the king of the gods (Latin - in Greek, Zeus), and as such, is the planet of plenty. Jupiter is the thinking-person's planet. As the guardian of the abstract mind, this planet rules higher learning, and bestows upon us a yen for exploring ideas, both intellectually and spiritually. It's been in retrograde since January, and stations direct on May 9. Because retrograde means going backward, some may have been experiencing a feeling of being tested, perhaps in the area of self-control. However, this is mainly a beneficial retrograde, suggesting a period of increase in areas of wealth, travel, love, and/or breaking addictions.

Saturn, lord of time and Karma, is also Jupiter's father in the Roman tradition (Zeus' father, the Titan Cronus, in Greek mythology). Saturn stationed retrograde on March 26, and will station direct on August 15. This retrograde, Saturn is in Sagittarius, which means that we'll all be slowing down to contemplate just what we believe in, and that we may become pressured by circumstances to fully commit to where we're going, or, conversely, pull back. Whatever we decide, know that although the work involved in making these decisions will be hard, at the end you'll be able to put into practice what you've learned. The tag line for this period would be "timing is everything".

Mars, lord of war, stationed retrograde yesterday, April 17, and will station direct on June 29. Mars typically personifies vitality, motivation, and the desire to act, but when retrograde, his normal outward nature is turned inward, and informs us to be our most authentic selves. This is a period of review, reassessment, and internal inspection, again, as in Saturn, leads us to question our beliefs. How are your beliefs enhancing your life? Are you being guided by your spiritual consciousness, or are you allowing other peoples' dogma to limit and restrict you? All food for thought during this most introspective of times.

Pluto, Roman god of the underworld (Hades, in Greek mythology) stations retrograde today, 4/18. A tag line for this period would be "keep your wits about you", but this should be a positive experience in general. When Pluto is transiting retrograde, we are urged to let go of attitudes, thinking or communication patterns, security drives, rigid emotions; a time to undergo an internal form of house cleaning. It is a good time to research into our own Souls in order to determine exactly what we do or do not need, again, like all three of the above planets. Pluto retrograde is a good time for internal cleansings, detoxifying diets, Eastern disciplines that put you in touch with the inner self and even intense psychological reforms. Never had a Reikki session? Now's the time to do it! There is also an aspect of danger to those afflicted with diabetes, or similar issues with blood sugar, and are advised to be watchful.

Mercury, the Roman god of messengers and communication, stations retrograde on April 28. At this point in time, there will be five planets in retrograde, something that hasn't happened in 10 years! Mercury retrograde normally means that Murphy's Law holds sway, that anything than can go wrong, will go wrong, particularly in the areas of machinery, travel, and communication. Hold that thought, though - because this time around, our Mercury retrograde is being softened by Taurus, the lover of all things beautiful. Often times retrogrades are said be the time to avoid starting anything new—jobs, or relationships. This three to five week period is all about review, and that is precisely why while starting something new may not be a good idea—going back to something old is always encouraged. There are no coincidences during retrogrades—the biggest challenge we face is simply to follow the direction that our hearts are pulling us. A good tag line for this would be "love is all that matters". The questions you're asking yourself as a result of the other retrograde planets find a possible answer here, because Mercury in Taurus can assist in identifying that which is of true value to you.

 

To top off all five planets going retrograde, there's a full moon in Scorpio on April 22. The planet ruling the sun sign Scorpio is Mars, in retrograde during this full moon, and is also the second full moon in Mars this year. This is a time of extremes, so success here could be all-or-nothing, or the survival of the fittest. It's time to strengthen our physic immune system, echoing lessons from Pluto, above. This full moon points to a fear of negative karma and fated events holding you back from making progress. This impact of Saturn square North Node on the full moon is reinforced by having five retrograde planets during this moon phase. It's not all bad, though - it does present an opportunity to rise above fear and prejudice by focusing on your maternal, caring and instinctive side. Being inclusive instead of separating people into groups in not the easy way forward. It is the only way forward to avoid your fears turning into reality.

All in all, this is a tremendous time in all our lives, and much good could come from this seemingly stark astrological prognosis. It's never a bad thing to examine your motives, to see where you've gone, and verifying where you want to go. Crystals that could aid you during this period of planetary retrogrades are (in no particular order) Emerald, Blue Lace Agate, Rainbow Fluorite, Black Tourmaline, Amazonite, Aquamarine, and Hematite. Essential oils that could also help are lavender, to relax you, and peppermint, to sharpen the mind. Luckily, you can find all the crystals mentioned, as well as the essential oils, here at Hoopla!

New Mooon In Aries Could Signal Need For Space Clearing, Quick!

Hold onto your hats, folks, the New Moon will phase in on Thursday, April 7, at 4:23 am, and we're looking forward to this being a new start, astrologically speaking. Aries is at the beginning of the zodiac wheel, so it could be said that this New Moon is the start of the astrological year. That means that if you didn't feel the impetus to commit to any changes back in January, you have another opportunity to make them! This New Moon will also be a Super Moon, a time when the moon is as close to the Earth as it could possibly be, and some think that this makes its powers extra potent.

This New Moon will also be travelling in close proximity to Uranus, and that means that there will be some extra kick to those making plans to break out of old patterns and/or habits. Make good use of this time by being bold, taking initiative, and moving away from where you're comfortable, because change only happens when you're well away from where you were. Be careful, though - because there's so much energy pushing you, you'll certainly be required to do the requisite follow-though! You'll be working hard at this, but it feels so good to make positive changes and leave old, perhaps toxic patterns/places/people that are no longer serving you.

Speaking of things that no longer serve, the New Moon is an ideal time to let them go. As great as it is to make new intentions, we can't just keep piling them up - we have to also clear space for them. We suggest doing this by making a list of behaviors, places, people, that you'd like to give up, for whatever reason. Truly let them go by ritualistically writing them down, then read your list to someone who cares about you and will hold space for you while you read. You don't need to discuss the items written down, this is not the time for that. After you've read your list to a trusted loved one (significant other, friend, relative, it doesn't matter), do a breathing exercise. Sit as if you were going to meditate (which, I suppose, this is), close your eyes, and picture yourself lighter, without the weight of those things you've let go. Breathe deep breaths, slow and easy, and see yourself expelling those things. After just a few minutes, you'll feel lighter and brighter! Don't throw away your list, either - safely burn it and sprinkle the ashes (no live embers, please) into your garden, where they will do some good.

Clean up your spaces and your person with a good sage burning, too, because negative energies can seep into places at any time - cleansing after a cord-cutting ritual is necessary. Starting from the back of the space, light the sage and walk   the room covering as much of it as you can. Using a feather or feather fan, waft the sage smoke into the corners of the room up to the ceiling. Make sure to go into every room as you move from the back of the house to the front. When you’ve reached the front, walk out the door and sage around the door and frame. Afterwards, light frankincense or Copal incense or resin incense and travel over your space again. This will help ward off any lingering negative energy, and attack it on a deeper level.

We had planned to do a New Moon Celebration and full BS Bonfire with Kristin Dwan, but we've had to cancel it. Kristin caught that nasty flu that was going around a couple weeks ago, and is still recuperating. We'll let you know as soon as possible if we can move this to a Full Moon celebration, but it might conflict with a Fairy Garden workshop we're doing later this month. Watch our Facebook page for further information, and happy New Moon to you all!

Researchers Say Eating Chocolate Every Day Can Have Serious Health Benefits

Wait, what? You had us at dark chocolate, but we'll take the good news! See this article for more information. Meanwhile, we're so glad that we carry AlterEco Chocolates from up north in San Francisco! Not only are the products made from fine quality, fair trade, dark chocolate, they're also made with coconut oil, not palm. That's important to us, since the use of palm oil seriously impacts the world's rainforests and robs habitat from many creatures that live there, specifically orangutans. Make a conscious choice this Easter - AlterEco, always no soy, no GMOs, no emulsifiers, no artificial flavors, and gluten free!

Much Ado About Service

Let's face facts, shall we? Retail is a service business, where all our best efforts all boil down to how we are seen by the people we do business with. The most fabulous offerings won't get you very far if your customer service, in the opinion of your customers, is lacking.

However repugnant it is, lousy customer service has been a part of the landscape ever since there have been transactions between merchants and the public. Nothing proves this better than this recent article we stumbled upon (hat tip to Andy Sernovitz) - Poor Service Has Existed Forever: Tablet Inscribed With 3,765 Year Old Customer Service Complaint. Pretty awesome example of an ancient merchant fail, isn't it?

What you won't find here at Hoopla Emporium is lousy customer service. With whatever service you come to us for - UPS shipping, private mailboxes, or just to browse our mostly local offerings in the store, you can expect to be treated as a valuable part of our enterprise (because you are!). We can promise you that, because Scott and I are the ones that deliver that service daily! Just as a reminder, if you have an exceptional experience, you can find us on Yelp here.

Speaking of service, we just wrapped up our 4th semi-annual Open Studios Alta/Pasa/Dena Tour, and it was a blast! We loved hosting the kids from Room 13 USA, and look forward to sending them 20% of the proceeds of the weekend. We're looking forward to doing more with them in the future. Now, it's on to helping plan Altadena's Best Fest! This festival, celebrating what's great about living, working, and doing business in Altadena, is going to be huge. We're planning on closing Mariposa Ave. down between El Molino and Santa Anita, to host art vendors, local food makers, and a car show or two. As a town, we've needed a replacement for the long-gone Old Fashioned Days festival and all of us on the Best Fest committee hope this will be it!

Here are a couple of pictures of the adorable things the kids at Room 13 make, and a picture of Scott and I in front of the store during Open Studios:

Candles from crayons, Room 13 John Muir High

Needle felt creations and art from Room 13 John Muir High

Polymer clay pastry decorations from Room 13 Eliot Middle School

String doll, Room 13 Eliot Middle School

Thanks for stopping by our blog, and we'll see you again soon!

Springtime Hoopla

From time immemorial, spring has been the harbinger of change. Whether speaking of seasons, or the weather, or of something more personal, springtime is the most popular time to make a change. You'd think that New Years would have that designation, but no, it's spring that people change, or transition.

Changing up some accessories in your home is one way to make change for spring. Adding new pillows, window treatments, even picture frames, can liven up your environment and help make it feel fresh. Same thing in your garden! Adding new decorative elements in your garden can also make it look more festive, particularly in water-wise gardens. Hoopla Emporium has brought in some very fun outdoor décor that we think you'll love! Spring gnomes, solar powered fairy houses, wind chimes, plant stakes, and fairy garden components are fun and colorful, and will help accentuate focal points, or even become a focal point, in your garden spaces!

We also have some beautiful spring jewelry for you here at Hoopla - vibrantly colored sea glass bracelets from former Altadena native Shayla Diamond and her company, Lotus Moon Arts, are perfect for brightening up an outfit; as are her lovely turquoise and red coral bracelets and earrings! Long, vintage look watch necklaces are a huge trend now, and we've got some that would make fabulous Mother's Day gifts; and Lotus Moon's adorably chic key chains are always in fashion.

Spring is wonderful time for art, as well. There's new art on the walls here at Hoopla, coordinating with our gnomes and fairies. Here's a picture of Janell Mithani's beautiful painting of a fairy on tree bark:

Speaking of art, the Alta-Pasa Open Studios Tour is scheduled for June 6 and 7 this year, and Hoopla! Emporium will once again be a stop on the map. We will be hosting young artists involved in Room 13 studios in public schools in the area, and we're looking forward to it! Here's a poster that gives greater detail about the upcoming tour:

We know this will be the best Open Studios Tour yet - stay tuned for more information!

Independent Retailers Making A Comeback? Survey Says.....

 

 

 

 

 

A recent survey done by the Institute Of Local Self Reliance says that sales at independently owned retail shops were up by 8.1% in 2014. Holiday sales were up by an average of 4.2% (5.7% for those communities with a vested Buy Local program), beating the performance of many national chains and coming in well ahead of the 0.9% decline in December retail sales reported by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

 

 

 

 This bodes well for the future of independent retail, and, as one of our fellow retailers put it "people are getting sick of crappy service and cheap quality products in chain stores." While we won't go so far as pointing fingers, I think you'll find that locally owned, independent businesses are naturally more friendly than your average big box store. 

 

This is much food for thought, especially as we steer our communities toward the future. Let us know - when/where was the last place you received quality service and product? Was it a big box store, a multi-national corporate store or restaurant? Or was it in a small, locally-owned business or eatery? Why was the service different, and would you prefer to see more of this kind of interaction? We'll revisit this subject when replies have been tallied, and we thank you for your participation!

 



New Years Cleanse? Try Tea, Instead!

Although this title could mean many things, such as cleaning up the store after a busy holiday season, it's meant as a reference to internal body cleansing.  We get asked a lot if we carry any "cleansing" products - i.e., teas or other tisanes that might help a person's body purge any "toxins".

It's a great thought, isn't it, that you can spend the holidays eating and drinking whatever you want, and wait until the new year for a "cleanse". I sure wish that were true, and many other people do, too, it seems.  Unfortunately, the use of the words "cleanse" and "toxins" are marketing-speak to promote products that claim to rid your body of unwanted, and possibly dangerous, compounds that you (might have) ingested. Your body's liver and kidneys already rid your body of anything toxic. A "cleanse" isn't really needed if your organs are already doing their job.  You may unintentionally create an environment in your body that fosters bacteria if you do.  There have been many studies done recently that point to this same conclusion.  One of the best overviews I've read is here, and this is why we don't choose to sell cleanses here at Hoopla! Emporium.

We do, however, sell tea. Tea, whether they be true teas (Camellia sinensis), or herbal, all have beneficial ingredients that can, and do, help you stay healthy.  Black, white, or green teas all contain varying amounts of caffeine, but also contain polyphenols (a type of antioxidant) and phytochemicals, which are beneficial.  Find out what different teas can help with here.

At Hoopla! Emporium, we carry Rishi Tea, a high-quality, fair trade line with many organic choices.  We also carry World Flavorz, and Tea Drops, both local companies.  The following is a short list of the different, healthy, choices we have on our shelves:

 Mint Teas:  From Rishi Tea comes Green Mint Tea, Peppermint Rooibos, and Pacific Peppermint.  Peppermint is a fragrant herb that makes for a soothing drink. Peppermint helps you digest foods better and also reduces flatulence and digestive issues. Peppermint is prescribed to people with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and gallstones in capsules. A cup of peppermint tea will ease nausea and vomiting, especially if you suffer motion sickness. If you have heartburn, don’t drink peppermint tea as this might aggravate your condition. Peppermint tea brings down the severity of herpes outbreaks. The natural mint flavor of the herb helps to freshen your breath. Other health benefits of this tea are control of muscle aches and chronic pain, clearing of congestion and mild coughs, mild asthma and reduction of stress.

Fruit Teas: Also from Rishi Tea, Blueberry Hibiscus, Blueberry Rooibos, and Cinnamon Plum are tasty choices for a healthy sip.  Hibiscus tea is known to lower blood pressure, reduce high cholesterol and strengthen the immune system (it’s rich in Vitamin C). Hibiscus flower infusions have known to reduce hypertension as well, in people prone to this condition. A recent study reveals that hibiscus tea is rich in antioxidants, which protect the body against cell-damaging free radicals.  Blueberries, as well as certain stone fruits, are rich in antioxidants as well.

 

Green Teas:  We carry choices of green tea from Rishi Tea, and from Tea Drops.  Green Tea comes with such a host of health benefits, that it’s called the ‘wonder herb’ by tea drinkers and medical practitioners alike.
Drinking green tea lowers cancer risk and also inhibits carcinogenic in cigarettes and other compounds when imbibed. Green Tea contains potent antioxidants called polyphenols, which help suppress free radicals. Green tea also stops certain tumors from forming. Green tea lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels and thereby promotes heart health.  Green tea also lowers blood pressure, prevents and fights tooth decay and dental issues, and inhibits different viruses from causing illnesses. We suggest trying Rishi Tea's Matcha Green, now in teabags!

 

Spice Teas:  From all three of our vendors, spice teas are very popular during the holiday season.  Black tea (or green, or Rooibos) teas are mixed with certain spices, like cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and newcomers like turmeric and ginger.  These teas are festive and soothing, and we've all heard the buzz about the four spices mentioned.  Turmeric has been found to be an anti-inflammatory; cinnamon and cardamom are high in antioxidants; and ginger has a myriad of benefits, from soothing an upset stomach to fighting morning and altitude sickness. We also have Rishi Tea's Serene Dream, which contains Valerian root, lemon balm, lavender and chamomile, and can help with insomnia.

Black Teas:  Despite the fact that black tea has caffeine, drinking it hydrates your body. We have many different choices here at Hoopla! Emporium, including Rishi Tea's wonderful chai teas. Tea Drops' Rose Earl Grey is fragrant and delicious!

White Teas: More delicate in flavor than a black tea, white tea still offers quite a healthful punch.  We suggest trying Tea Drops' Vanilla White for a lovely cuppa.

We're expanding our selection of fine teas, so you'll see more here in the store soon.  Please drop by, email, or visit us on our Facebook page if you have any questions at all regarding tea, and certainly come by if you need any tea accutrements - we carry loose leaf tea bags, strainers, and tea pots! We don't claim to be health professionals, but we do know our stuff when it comes to what we carry in the store.  Ask us, and we'll tell you all about it!

Hahamongna Hoopla

Photo Attributed To SaveHahamongna.com

As most of you reading this are aware, the situation at Hahamongna Watershed Park has grown critical.  The County Of Los Angeles, in its infinite wisdom, has decided that this quiet piece of heaven near our foothills needs to be disrupted by huge, smoke-belching trucks hauling out debris from behind Devils Gate Dam, 400 of them a day, five days a week, for the next five years.

We can't say much more than what's already been said.  Please read (and listen to*) our friends Petrea Burchard and Karin Bugge have to say about this at this link for Petrea's post, and this link for Karin's post.  In both, you'll find a link to the Indiegogo campaign to help offset costs for the lawsuit against the County filed by the Arroyo Seco Foundation and the Pasadena Audubon Society. We urge you to donate - there are some great perks you can get if you do!  Hoopla! Emporium is delighted to be able to help out with a hyper-local and Fair Trade basket of goodies for the $150.00 donation tier, and we're beyond proud that it's been snapped up already!  Here's a picture of what's inside it:

 

 

This basket includes some wonderful Fair Trade items (the bracelets, the wood sculpture, the note cards and the perfume oil) and locally made products like the Pasadena-centric notecards from Julie Hill, exquisite jam from LA Farm Girl, wonderful olive oil from Beyond The Olive, and an Altadena-centric candle block made by Cheltenham Road.  Also included is some fabulous, organic body lotion from Southern California company, Glow*Ology (although their products are distributed by Demdaco, they are made in Carson, CA). We sincerely hope that the esteemed $150.00 donator enjoys all these great products, but more than that, we're just flat-out thrilled that someone donated that amount to the cause, and that we were asked to contribute!

Please do what you can to support the Arroyo Seco Foundation and the Pasadena Audubon Society in their efforts to fight what the County Of Los Angeles has planned for beautiful Hahamongna Watershed Park.  We can all get involved, however we're comfortable doing it - it doesn't need to be monetary, although that's certainly appreciated.  Word of mouth helps, too.  Tell your neighbors and your friends, because you never know where that will lead.  Here's a huge thank you from Hoopla! Emporium!
*Petrea has voiced a video explaining what's going on at Hahamongna, which you'll find on her post.

Holiday Love - Hoopla! Emporium's Picks For Gifting

 

Being the owner of a gift store is a lot of work, particularly around the holidays. We've read several industry articles lately in regard to the stress the holidays can bring, and how we storeowners can deal with it all. It's great information, but in all honesty, I don't find this time of year too stressful, I find it invigorating and joyful.  What fun it is to pull out all the holiday decorations, trim the tree, and anticipate all the new merchandise coming into the store!

It's all very exciting, but the thing we like most of all is discovering fabulous products for you that are made locally or regionally.  The talent that we have here astounds us!  From artists and authors, to food producers and gift or card makers, this is our partial list of our absolute favorites (which can change without notice, and often does!) -

• Jus D'Amour The Essence of Love Perfume Oil by Perfumes Mercedes - hands down, our favorite new scent, created by singer, songwriter and performer Mercedes Ganon.  Included in this line are the original Jus D' Amour, its companion scent Sassy, and Legend Cologne for men.  Jus D'Amore is a timeless, romantic blend of fresh coco palm and aqualeaf accord, gentle violet, night blooming jasmine, Tahitian vanilla and deep sandalwood.  Formulated to coordinate with Sassy, a fresh and sexy blend of juicy sweet orange mandarin and vibrant grapefruit, exotic jasmine, bergamot and cassis, the two scents together are bliss!  Legend for men is an evocation of nature's combination of fruits, woods, and florals to capture that very distinct masculine flavor.  Notes include melon, black currant, citrus, green leaf, ozone, bergamot, jasmine, violet, wood musk, oakmoss, and sandalwood.  We highly recommend this as a personal gift to yourself this year! 

 

• LA Farm Girl jams and jellies - this local specialty food product line is so delicious, we can't describe it well enough in words.  Because no matter how hard you try, you just can't smell or taste words, can you?  Rest assured that we've done the tasting for you, and can tell you how much we love them!  Not just for breakfast, either, these jams, most infused with wine or spirits, are so versatile in the kitchen.  From your holiday baking (Linzer cookies, anyone?) to a glaze for roast meats, we invite you to transport your taste buds this season! Currently in stock are Habanero Honey, Peppered Pineapple, Strawberry Sangria, Bourbon & Vanilla Berry, Fig & Sweet Marsala, and Sherry & Cinnamon Persimmon.  Caramel Tangerine, Cognac & Vanilla Cherry, and Blood Orange & Rosemary Mimosa are on their way in about a week or so.

• The Safety Godmothers by Ellen Snortland and Lisa Gaeta - this book is a must-have for all young people, particularly females, and gives sound advice about personal safety without the preachy-ness. We love Ellen and Lisa's humorous tone in this book, as they interview young people who have been attacked, and survived, by using the tactics the authors recommend.  If you have a young daughter or son, or are a grandparent to either, this is our pick for you! It's not a sexy, beautiful, or delicious present, but don't let that deter you.  This is something that will resonate for years with your young ones and, help save a life if, God forbid, they are ever stalked or attacked.

We'll be back again soon with some more suggestions for you.  Until then, be well and enjoy the season!

Small Business Saturday Hoopla

 

 

Back in 2010, American Express created Small Business Saturday, to bring attention to the nation's independent mom & pop stores, and was inspired by The 3/50 Project.  Fast forward to 2014, and we find that Small Business Saturday has become a thing, an event that was grown maybe not so organically (American Express, a huge financial corporation, is behind this, after all) but it has given us small business owners a chance to be recognized.  For that, we are eternally grateful.  And although we like getting customers in the door on this day, we wouldn't be who we are unless we dedicated the day to another group that does great things in our community.

Take both Room 13s in our area, first at John Muir High School and then at Elliot Middle School. Overseen in North America by Pasadena's Light Bringer Project, these are complete art studios run by the students, who not only learn about art, but about the business of art, as well.  They are responsible for hiring their own Artist In Residence, who guides the students in their endeavors, and they make and sell products to keep the studios running. Tom Coston, who heads Light Bringer, has been named to Room 13 International's Board Of Trustees.  You might recognize the name - it's Tom and Light Bringer who bring us the fabulous Doodah Parade, and the Pasadena Chalk Festival, among other wonderful community oriented events.

If you know anything about Hoopla Emporium (and Webster's Fine Stationers prior to our move), you know that we love supporting our local artists and entrepreneurs.  Here we have an opportunity to support our budding artists, and entrepreneurs, so we'll be dedicating this day and 15% of our proceeds from it, to Light Bringer and both Room 13s.  Come see us on Saturday, November 29, shop around, meet some of the kids our donation will be supporting, and if you make a purchase, you'll get a little surprise they've made just for you! 

Scott and I wish you a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving! Hoopla will be open Saturday the 29th at 10:00 am - we'll see you then!