For the first time, I participated [...]]]>

As it’s the eighth day of Chanukah and Christmas is behind us, I’d best be posting my holiday update. From November to mid-December I was finishing up non-stop multiple client graphic design deadlines. Somehow, I managed to sail through the several holiday boutique events to which I’d committed.

For the first time, I participated in a home-based boutique-open house hosted by an old friend whom I see all too rarely.  I had to scrunch a bit, sandwiched as I was between a sofa and a piano  *wink*, and I took the photo while my display was in some disarray, but you can see some of the new cards I introduced this year.

I also had to pleasure of inviting a jewelry designer whom I’d met at another boutique. Shiho Mizuno aka Fifty50 Studio, creates wonderful chic, simple contemporary jewelry. I was thrilled when she gifted me with the middle necklace of this trio. Check out her shop on Etsy!

On a completely different track, I enjoyed posting a spontaneous giveaway on Twitter when I introduced a hashtag game inviting people to submit funny responses to the challenge to change one word of a quote or saying to “latkes.” Two people earned Rotem Gear t-shirts for their whimsy; here are some of the choice responses (we even got one from Shanghai!) Enjoy, along with some latkes, perhaps!:

“NORM!”   “What’s the story, Norm?” “Boy meets Latke. Boy eats Latke. Boy meets another Latke.”

“My name is Inigo Montoya.  You ate my Latke.  Prepare to diet!”

“Leave the Latke, take the cannoli.”

“My name is Latke. Potato Latke”

“I like big Latkes and I cannot lie!”

“I did NOT have Latkes with that woman.”

“Who is rich? One who is satisfied with his latkes.”

“I just want to say one word to you. Just one word, Benjamin: Latke.”

“Bring me the Latkes of the Wicked Witch of the West! (I hear they’re delicious.)”

“Latkes in mirror are closer than they appear.”

“In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: … These are their latkes.”

“I love the smell of latkes in the morning”

“Keep your friends close and your latkes closer.”

“Look out for Miss Latke Lenya, and old Lucy Brown.”

“I want the latke!” “You can’t HANDLE the latke!”

“Where there’s smoke there’s latkes.”

“I’ve got a latke you can’t refuse.”

And with this last one, until 2012 … “So long, and thanks for all the latkes.”

OK, maybe not so much, but lucky, lucky me, I got to taste [...]]]>

It isn’t every day one gets to go to a luxury hotel where the concierge is expecting you to pick up hand-crafted beer that has been personally delivered from half-way around the world, but I have that kind of glam life.

OK, maybe not so much, but lucky, lucky me, I got to taste three types of Israeli-made beer from a microbrewery in Gush Etzion called Lone Tree Brewery. How did I get so lucky? Social media connected me with the owner of Lone Tree, David Shire. (“Gush” is pronounced more like “goosh” than the word in the title, but I never met a pun I didn’t want to exploit.)

Let me say here that I am no beer expert; I don’t drink much beer, I know no beer tasting nomenclature and have no experience in judging beer.

But like they say about art, “I know what I like.”

That said, it wasn’t so easy to get to the beer, being wrapped in layers of newspaper, plastic, newspaper, plastic, cardboard box, packing tape and more newspaper and plastic — presumably to protect it from any possible damage during an airport terrorist attack.  But sooo worth it.

Inside the package were a Pale Ale, a California Steam Ale, and an English Northern Ale. I took a picture of the three amber hues and the unique popping graphics even before I managed to slice off the packing tape that covered the bottle tops:

Beer #1 was the Pale Ale that I shared with friends on the eve of the projected Armageddon back in May and it was the perfect beer for the possible last day on earth. Clean, crisp, perfectly balance, not too bitter… simply excellent.

The other two beers also did not disappoint. Again, remember I’m not the beer person so maybe you shouldn’t go by my word, but I thought these were the best I’ve tasted. I only wish Lone Tree Beer were available in the US. I’m waiting for Trader Joes or some other smart importer (or investor?) would get on it and bring it over here!

It doesn’t hurt that I love the Lone Tree Beer t-shirt too.

There are several types of beers including Belgian Piraate, Extra Oatmeal Stout and this extraordinary looking seasonal pomegranate date ale that I can only dream to taste:

I can’t speak for the brewery as to whether they give tours, but David keeps inviting his Twitter friends to visit. I’d say connect with Lone Tree Brewery on FaceBook, and if you happen to be in the neighborhood, contact them and find out. You don’t want to wait for Trader Joes to discover Lone Tree.

Related:

Alice Langholt, Reiki Master and teacher, shows off her new tee here. By the way, Alice has a fascinating story about the relationship between her Reiki practice, spirituality and Judaism. You can read about [...]]]>

I got this photo today from the happy winner of the Winner of the 2010 Rotem Gear Latke T-shirt Giveaway!

Alice Langholt, Reiki Master and teacher, shows off her new tee here. By the way, Alice has a fascinating story about the relationship between her Reiki practice, spirituality and Judaism. You can read about her path and practice, and about Reiki in general, at her website, Reiki Awakening.  I wish she were closer to help me with my holiday boutique backaches!

The Christmas Meerkat, on the other hand, is closer to home, [...]]]>

Yes, Virgina, there is a Christmas Meekrat. As a matter of a fact, I also read of a Chanuka Meerkat recently, when Treasure, an adorable knitted meerkat of NiftyKnits, traveled to Jerusalem to spend Chanuka with Israeli bead artist Hadas of Springcolors.

The Christmas Meerkat, on the other hand, is closer to home, and was my questionably creative way to dealing with single-holiday-sockdom. There it was, a lone sock, green and sparkly silver snowflaked and red all over, alas, but with no mate. What to do?

Christmas Meerkat graces my stoop in his holiday finery, attracting much admiration, so much, in fact, that the next day neighbors added a giant tree ornament.  And then tonight, the Christmas Meerkat brought me a gift!

Ghiradelli chocolates, some other yummies and a lovely snowflake mug — yay!

Maybe I should call him the MyrrhKat.

It’s time for a good old holiday give-away! I’m giving away 3 “Got Latkes” t-shirts to 3 lucky and deserving souls. (Well, everyone’s deserving but some are luckier than others.)

The shirts are soft vintage navy from Southern California-based Article1 and you can opt to have yours [...]]]>

It’s time for a good old holiday give-away! I’m giving away 3 “Got Latkes” t-shirts to 3 lucky and deserving souls. (Well, everyone’s deserving but some are luckier than others.)

The shirts are soft vintage navy from Southern California-based Article1 and you can opt to have yours wrapped up all swell like these babies to the left.

So what do you have to do? If you are not yet on the Rotem Gear mailing list, sign up here.  Don’t worry about spam — my newsletters are not all that frequent! And of course I’ll never share your address or coordinates with anyone.

Then, come one back here and add a your own limerick about anything vaguely related to Chanuka in the comments. It’s meant to be fun so have fun and everyon is welcome to join in!  Deadline is December 3! (Sizes are S-M-L-XL and some kids’ sizes are available too.)

I’ll start off the limericks:

There once was a gal with a grater
Compelled to grate ev-er-y ‘tater
She’d grate and she’d shred
“She’s not right in the head!”
Said the folks who would try to dissuade her.

There once was a curious maidel
Who kept trying to spin a knaidel
Alas, it would flop
With an audible “plop!”
Until someone suggested a dreidel.

Now it’s your turn!

“Para para”(Lit, “cow, cow”) means “one by one” or “one at a time.” I was suddenly inspired to make this mooving design after chatting with Cheri, my gal pal from my many years in Israel.  I never understood the [...]]]>

Not a circus act, but two new silly designs with the Israeli Hebrew slang expressions.

“Para para”(Lit, “cow, cow”) means “one by one” or “one at a time.” I was suddenly inspired to make this mooving design after chatting with Cheri, my gal pal from my many years in Israel.  I never understood the connection between cows and “one a a time.” Cows are not particularly good at waiting in queue, and to human Israelis the concept is practically foreign. So once I asked Cheri if she knew why. “Oh sure,” she said, with the confidence of one who sees the obvious even if I couldn’t. “It’s cow, cow.”  That’s as illuminated as it got.

But anyway, that expression has always amused me and so here we go. Udderly silly and a bit weird.

Never one to leave odd enough alone, I also decided to shoot for one more (ha!) The Hebrew word for cannon is “totach” (with a gutteral “ch”), but in current Israeli slang it also means a hot, attractive alpha male kinda guy. A retro-y cannon makes it fun and if you know a totach, or even a fan of old artillery (and doesn’t everyone?) it’s the perfect gift.