July Updates
Happy summertime everyone,
June was a wonderful month for all of us here in the Mariola house. My husband and three of our kids opened our newest restaurant, Mariola Italian, and they were all logging more than a 40 hour work week in those first few weeks. It was wonderful to see the kids so invested in this project and to have the opening go as smoothly as it did. We are now, more than ever, officially a restaurant family as more often than not we have kids eating more meals there than here at our own kitchen table. I'm not sure how I feel about it, but that's how it is.
Annie, Mia and I (along with cousin Clara and Aunt Debora) also traveled together to Guatemala in early June. This was Annie's first trip back to Guatemala since we brought her home almost 17 years ago. We spent some time working with The Village Experience and Kelly Campbell and her partners at Vamos Adelante to deliver food to a Mayan village near what felt like the tip top of Volcano Fuego, and to see the new classrooms and bathroom they are building for the school there. It was so nice to see the money we were able to contribute going to something so impactful. We were there at the very beginning of the rainy season and access to food and supplies can be challenging during this time. We also spent some time in the UNESCO world heritage city of Antigua and spent some time in an art museum that had Debora and I inspired to step up our own artistic game. (You can find her work here).
This is a fine time to plug my seva/yoga retreat to Kenya in March of 2024. We will be doing similar work on the island of Lamu, and I assure you, nothing restores your faith in humanity or your significance in the world quite like investing in others and taking a good look inside your own heart and mind. Join me? It's good work.
I'll be speaking at the Wayne County Women's Network Luncheon on July 12th, and I'd love to see you there! Come join us.
All this has meant that I've spent less time in the pottery studio than I anticipated, but we have a pretty solid restock happening on the 1st, along with a couple of new items.
First off: I've restocked one of the fundraising items for the Kenya project and it's on my list to make the other this week. I'll add those to the shop as soon as they are finished- I won't wait until August because I truly MEANT to have them finished in time for this drop.
Wine glasses and whiskey/espresso cups are finally available in matte white, and I have a new low and flat bowl that we are loving in this house!
Lastly... The Libby. This is an item I've never made before and the idea was sent to me by my dear friend Libby Ladrach- a woman with an infectious enthusiasm for life in general, but especially for mental health and wellness, dogs, plants and pottery. Surround yourself with people like her. And when they make a suggestion, take it! I have a feeling these will sell out quickly.
There are still plenty of berry bowls and lots of coffee mugs available too.
As always, send your ideas my way, let me know what you would like to see for the August drop and enjoy these lovely summer days with good people, good food and sunshine. I'll be doing the same.
-Emily