Full DisClothesure » Miscellaneous

Kimchee for a Cause

jrotem — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 04:06:10 +0000

Kimchee on Day 3

Back when I was in grad school many moons ago, some academically political thing happened to our department (as often does in academia.) I’ve long ago forgotten what it was all about but it caused a group of us East Asian Languages & Literature grad students to get together and discuss strategy. There we were, one unified bunch of Japanese, Chinese and Buddhism students, fervently discussing, copiously taking notes and enjoying the munchies our hostess placed before us.

Who knows what else was on the table, but I can tell you this: there was a small bowl of kimchee––homemade, garlicky, gingery kimchee that none of us could resist. We polished off what was in the bowl. She brought out more. I suspect we went through all the fruits of our hostess’ labors that night.

The topic of discussion, and to some degree the people, have long faded from my memory, but I can tell you this: I got the recipe and have been making it ever since. Even when I lived in Israel I’d make it, and even traded jars with a friend who prepared her kimchee using the recipe of her own Korean mom. My recipe is easy and possibly a shade less authentic than many I’ve seen online (although I have seen one very similar to this) but this remains my favorite. So as promised on twitter and facebook, here it is!

Kimchee

1 1/2 lbs. Daikon turnip (“Chinese turnip”)
1 1/2 lbs. Nappa cabbage (“Chinese cabbage”)
1 cup water
1/4 cup salt
4 large green onions
4 large cloves of garlic or 6 small
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
7 teaspoons cayenne or 10 t. red pepper flakes (less if you prefer mild)

1. Wash cabbage, cut into 1-inch lengths. Peel turnips, halve lengthwise, slice thin.
2. Combine salt and water. Place vegetables into pot or bowl. Pour salted water over vegetables and cover. Leave overnight.
3. Next day, mince green onions, garlic, ginger.
4. Drain vegetables, which should be wilted — RESERVE THE SALTED WATER.
5. Add red pepper, green onions, garlic and ginger to vegetables and mix by hand.
6. Pack tightly into jars. Pour salted water over the mixture up to 1/2 inch of the top of each jar.
7. Leave at room temperature of 3 days, then refrigerate.

Should give you 2 large jars or 4 small jars of kimchee.

Note: Many times I’ve doubled the Nappa cabbage and omitted the daikon. I’ve also been known to add extra garlic, because really, can you ever have too much?

Enjoy!

How to Sell Offline at Holiday Boutiques: Part 2

jrotem — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 23:04:21 +0000

Part Two: OK, so you’re in! Now what?

You’ve applied, you’ve been accepted and you are now ordering your shirts or ornaments or whatever. What else do you need? Read part two of the How to Sell Offline series. (Did you miss Part 1? It’s here.)

1. PR

Get your own word out. Use your own blog, website, newsletter and social networking skills to publicize that you will be at this event. It’s a mutual thing — small fairs also depend on vendors to help bring their clientele.

2. We All Need Somebody

Get a friend to help set-up, break-down and man the booth when you need a break, and for emotional support.

3. The Money Stuff

• Some people like to use cash boxes. Others use aprons, full or half, with pockets to keep their sales books and money in. Personally, I use an apron or pouch because I don’t want to worry about keeping my eye on a cash box (less of an issue if behind a table but more of an issue in an open tent) or have to cart it off with me to the restroom if I am tending the booth alone!

• Don’t forget to come with change! Get lots of singles.

** Helpful Hint: the rounder your prices, the easier to give change.

• Although less of a big deal at holiday boutiques, which often provide their own cashiers, in general accepting credit cards can make a difference in sales. If you are not sure you want to invest long term in a credit card plan, check out PayPal’s Virtual Terminal. You can use it for one month only, although the cost ($30 last time I looked plus fees) may not always be worth it. For added security consider an imprinter (“knuckle-buster”) as well. UPDATE: Nothing can beat Square for ease and cost if you have an Android or iOS device (like an iPhone.)

4. Merch and Branding

a. Inventory – How many of each product should I bring? I drive myself nuts each time with this! Unfortunately, there is no way to predict, but we can use some logic. For example, if selling t-shirts at a fashion-forward event, stock up on more fitted trendy items; at a flea market or local fair, less expensive unisex shirts might do better. Don’t over-stock. It’s tempting to want several of each size but better to sell out fewer than be stuck with a bunch of shirts you’ve paid for but didn’t sell.

b. Branding suggestions – Round lapel stickers from print-on-demand companies to stick on shirts are a good way to brand your shirts, or have hang tags made.

Hangtags are an excellent way to brand your merchandise. I like to use them on shopping bags as well for polish and so other shoppers notice.

c. Don’t forget signage. A vinyl banner (especially for outdoors or if you have a wall behind you), or a poster mounted on foam core, and even a yard sign (minus the legs for a small venue) all work well. Not all indoor venues allow attaching things to the wall so find out first and then be creative.

At 6 feet long, my banner is visible from a distance, even when hung inside.

** Helpful Hint: If you are not sure you want to invest in a large, heavy-duty banner just yet, companies like VistaPrint and CafePress offer banners at reasonable prices.

d. Price sheet or price tags/stickers. People don’t like to have to ask, so make prices easy to find.

** Helpful Hint: if you use a standing price sheet, print on both sides so that the prices are visible to you if you are behind a table, as well as to the customers.

e. Relax and chat with people without necessarily being all about the sale. Ask them about their day, how the market is, or offer free candy.

Next time (3): Must Haves and Must Dos at the Event

How to Sell Offline at Holiday Boutiques: Part 1

jrotem — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 01:56:50 +0000

Note: This is an article in three parts I originally did for the t-shirt community. I’ve gleaned many of the bits of advice I’ve learned on my own, as well the incredibly helpful tips that others in the indie biz and crafts community so generously provided that helped me tremendously when I started out.

Part One: Your First Holiday Boutique

School may just be starting, but in the retail world the holiday season is almost upon us. If you have ever thought about vending at a street fair, farmers’ market or school boutique, the time is now!

If you have never done an event and feel a bit nervous about it, holiday events are an especially good way to get your feet wet without spending the big bucks (or suffering the big anxiety) that high-end gift fairs, fashion-type shows and juried artisan events entail. Holiday events â€“ the kind sponsored by places of worship and schools, usually have very reasonable fees and are community oriented, with a friendly clientele.

What is the difference between vending at a farmers market and at a holiday boutique?

My first boutique in 2005. I had so much to learn but the temple atmosphere was friendly and I did well enough to be encouraged to try more.

My very first vending attempt was at a synagogue Chanukah boutique several years ago and while I was pretty nervous, I found it was great way to see if selling like this was something I wanted to do. Holiday fairs usually provide a 6-foot table and for the most part are indoors, having no tent or weather issues to worry about. Customers, mostly members of the congregation or from the neighborhood, were friendly and enthusiastic, and the positive interaction helped me start the learning process of how to talk with potential customers.

Where I live, there are farmers markets that allow artisans every week, some not at all, and others only on a schedule. It is best to check listings for local farmers markets and see what they charge, which may include an insurance fee. Being outdoors, you will need a tent and consider weather from morning till evening.

Both types of events do not charge an admission fee to customers (like “celebrity shopping events” and many craft shows), but will have a lower attendance. I have found to my surprise, though, that there are no rules â€“Â I have done great at a tiny event with a perfect target audience, and not so well at a big event that just did not attract visitors. Community holiday boutiques also benefit the school or church that is sponsoring it so the customers know their purchase helps their organization.

Other types of events

When you research, you might come across other types events. Know the difference between invitation-only shopping events, sample sales, flea markets and crafts fairs. Ask yourself: which do I fit? What am I ready for?

Flea Markets: Usually weekly, usually reasonable, may include all sorts of merch. Some flea markets are more upscale; some are more diverse (that’s my code for “piles o’ crap.”) Is it the kind of venue you want to be associated with? Chat up vendors with artisan-type goods.

Another early show, this time a fashion shopping event. When a space is small you have to build up. By this time I learned to include publicity (a magazine spread) and a mannequin.

Shopping Events: More upscale or fashion-oriented and charge admission to customers. Vendor tables are usually several hundred dollars. Sometimes celebrities are expected to attend; there may be cocktails, spa treatments, fashion shows, etc. My take is that people are more likely to be there for the freebies and celeb sightings than shopping. That said, some events around the holidays can still be worth it if organizers provide good PR.

Crafts Fairs: Contemporary crafts fairs that are not non-profit usually mean jewelry and unique artisan handicrafts. If one piques your interest, check if they accept your type of products. These often run a bit higher than non-profit events but there can be overlap.

Street Fairs: Unless they are strictly juried art fairs, they probably accept a range of merchandise. Check your local Chambers of Commerce to find out about these.

Research

Finding holiday boutiques can be a challenge since they are usually run by volunteers who are way too busy and are *ahem* tech-challenged.

1. Check local Chambers of Commerce of towns nearby to you.

2. Google using words like “holiday boutique,” “winter festival,” “winter street fair,” “Christmas boutique,” “Hanukkah boutique,” “holiday craft fair,” and every combination you can think of, and try including your city name.

3. Call up local churches and temples; in my experience most places of worship welcome vendors of all backgrounds with a variety of merchandise.

4. When possible, visit first (obviously this is not possible for a holiday fair but it is for a farmers’ market.) See what’s there, talk to vendors (most are happy to share their opinions of a fair), look at the customers and consider if your designs do fit the venue.

Things to Check

1. Does your fee include a table and chairs? Tablecloth?

2. Is your show outdoors or indoors? If outdoors, do you need to rent or buy a tent? Hint: Look for an EZ-Up or Caravan tent. Party supply stores, the kind that rent tables, usually rent pop-up tents.

3. If there is a way to find out if there will be many vendors selling products similar to yours, do so. You don’t want tons of competition.

4. Inquire as to what attendance they expect, and what sort of PR they will be doing.

Next time: OK, so you’re in! Now what? Part 2 is now up over here!

Winner of the Three Wolf Moon Haiku

jrotem — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 22:21:47 +0000

Yes, we have a winner Three Wolf Moon Haiku! To those of you who submitted haiku, thank you all — I hope you enjoyed composing them as much I did reading them. All the entries were excellent, from evocative to hilarious, and it was hard to pick a winner. So I dillied and I dallied and hemmed and hawed and in-between all the giggling I finally enlisted the aid of another judge to help me out.

So the winner is … Kip, for her haiku below. A very properly haiku-y first line replete with exclamation, a second line that embodies the whole TWM fiasco and that shark line gets me every time.

Oh, three wolf moon shirt!
Women swoon, men are jealous
Next purchase: shark tee

So lucky Kip gets a tee! (Sorry, no shark tees here.)

We now have a winner – oh yippee!
Our poet-du-jour is Ms. Kippy
She can ably disburse
A most winning verse
(I can’t come up with a last line, can you? I have to get this post out!)

A Gei Old Time

jrotem — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:08:31 +0000

A little while ago I was tickled to see some Rotem Gear tops featured in a fashion blog from Spain. When I popped over there in order to add them my blog list and looked around, I found that MundoChica is much more than a shopping blog; it’s plump with some fun looks at fashion throughout the ages and around the world.

One video I immediately found on MundoChica shows a maiko, or apprentice geisha, going through the pain-staking process of applying her make-up. It’s a bit long, but the transformation is amazing and quite interesting, if you haven’t seen such a thing before.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvyskAURwCs

By the way, for those who do not know, geisha are not, have never been, prostitutes. The word is generally mis-used. Gei means “art” and sha “person” (hmph, my kanji are not showing up after publishing, must learn how to do that in WordPress) so a geisha is someone who is steeped in the arts, in this case, singing, dancing, tea ceremony, engaging in witty conversation and banter — all activities for which geisha train for years — and making guests feel welcome and happy.

A girl can become maiko at around 17 (generations ago it was around 12); modern Japanese law requires children to attend school through age 16.

Submit Your Three Wolf Moon Haiku

jrotem — Fri, 29 May 2009 05:24:21 +0000

I am just as enamored as everyone else over the internet t-shirt sensation known as Three Wolf Moon T-Shirt. The effect this t-shirt is having on people around the world is truly inspiring. (You can buy it here.)

In that spirit, I want to invite you to a share *your* own three-wolf-moon inspiration, and what better way to do it than a haiku share-a-thon?

Just send in your haiku by commenting on this post. Through your haiku you may reveal your heretofore hidden yearnings, courageous spirit, moon-induced longing or the magical effect three wolves and a moon have made on your life.

I might just send a “My other t-shirt has three wolves and a moon” t-shirt from Bad Cat Tees to the person whose haiku speaks most deeply to my soul. After all, at some point you will have to put your Three Wolf Moon shirt in the wash and will need something else to wear, ne’st-ce pas?

Haiku-senryu refresher:

Five syllables
Seven syllables
Five syllables

Extra points for mixed metaphors, malapropisms and other funny stuffs. Keep it relatively clean, please. My mom reads this blog and maybe yours does too.

I’ll start it off!

1. My human soul now
Infused with new wolf spirit
At the moon I howl.

2. Like the moon awaits
The song of the wolves, I too
Wait for your haiku.

Get your three wolf moon haiku in before … hmm …. *closes eyes and points at calendar to select random date*… June 15!

Let the howling haiku commence!

One Day Only Sale!

jrotem — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 02:49:10 +0000

$10 or $20 off — a great chance to snag one of our new organic tees, or maybe something to celebrate Spring, or the return of farmers markets, or for Passover! But it’s one day only so don’t let it slip by .

*ONE DAY ONLY SALE*

$10 off purchases of $50 or more.
Use coupon code 10DAY1

or…

$20 off purchases of $100 or more.
Use coupon code 20DAY1

Good through March 24, 2009

Check out some of these current seasonal designs… or just visit Rotem Gear for a whole lotta more!

Want to get notices of sales and new stuff by email? Sign up for our “only-when-it’s-important” newsletter. For an idea what they’re like, you can see newsletter samples in our archives.

We’re Livin’ La Vida Locavora

jrotem — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:27:10 +0000

That’s right, we love supporting local food whenever possible and we’re celebrating with a new colorful, tropically-infused design.

Fruits and vegetables practically pulsate in rhythm around the fun lettering “Livin’ La Vida Locavora.”

And fun upon fun — only hours after we presented this design, it got featured on the Nifty Wares site. Farmer hats off to them!

Available on tees, hoodies and market totes. From $15.99.

La Vida Locavora Women's Zip Hoodie. $43.99

The above women’s zip hoodie is a brand new item, by the way, and comes in pink or heather gray.

Of course we have more local food/local farming, community supported agriculture (CSA) and other sustainably-themed designs … all here.

Our First Holiday Boutique of the Season

jrotem — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:00:49 +0000

Ho-ho-holiday season is upon us and that means holiday boutiques and bazaars. We visited the awesome Felt Club today, saw many talented designers (and a bunch of friends among them — so fun!) and now we’re inspired!

Anyway, on November 22 from 10 am to 3 pm, we’ll be at the Beethoven Street Elementary School 5th Annual Holiday Boutique with holiday shopping for all, raffles, food, games and crafts for the children.

3711 Beethoven Street
Los Angeles CA 90066 (Mar Vista) Map

Leaving Brooklyn? Oy vey!

jrotem — Wed, 28 Sep 2005 22:22:57 +0000

NEW YORK – “Leaving Brooklyn? ‘Oy vey!’” That’s on a Department of Transportation – approved sign motorists will now see as they cross the Williamburg Bridge into Manhattan from Brooklyn, home to a large Jewish population.

Oy vey is an original Jewish expression of dismay or hurt. In this case it implies “We’re so sad you’re leaving.”

Other signs from the Brooklyn Bridge to the Belt Parkway welcome motorists to the borough:

“Not Just A Borough, An Experience”; “Name It…We Got It”; “Like No Other Place in the World”; “Believe the Hype.”

The sign was originally rejected by the DOT, which also nixed a sign reading â€œLeaving Brooklyn: Fuhgeddaboudit!â€ at the Verazzano Narrows Bridge.

(Props to Yahoo Odd News, and Landline Magazine Trucking News)