aesthetyX blog

Helping Haitian Artisans & Families

2010-01-26T09:52:00.000-08:00

Living in California for the past 24 years I live with the threat of earthquakes and have eXperienced a few but nothing like what recently occurred in Haiti. Unfortunately sometimes it takes catastrophes like this to call us to action to help those in need. However we arrive at that point is different for all of us but we should celebrate getting there.

Organizations that we believe in are helping the Haitian people now and they all need additional support. Even a simple text that donates $10 can help towards recovery. We invite you to make a world of difference with one small action.

With our social mission being to help support and sustain local and global artisans we would like to ask for special help in assisting Haitian artisans rebuild their workshops so that they can continue to practice their crafts and trades. Artisans in Haiti are key to economic recovery so please help us help Aid to Artisans with their work in Haiti.

Please visit Save the Children's website to see how this amazing non-profit organization is helping the children dramatically effected by this earthquake.

These are just 2 simple ways we collectively can help make a difference in the lives of Haitian artisans and families.

aesthetyX eXperience No. 1: 2010 - An African Evening

2010-01-06T14:53:00.000-08:00

We are looking forward to inviting everyone to join us this Spring (date TBD) for our first amazing aesthetyx eXperience of the New Year and New decade called 'An African Evening'. Our friend and fellow lover of artisans, Sean Coetzee, is from South Africa and we fortunately crossed paths last summer in Los Angeles and he invited us to 'An African Evening' eVent in San Diego. It was so well executed and attended we thought it would be a great concept for an eVent at our Huntington Beach store.

Sean is a very inspired, motivated, and passionate young man with a killer South African accent and a great outlook on socially responsible business. It's fun for us to work with someone as talented as Sean who shares so many of our core business and social values.

Sean founded African Woodsmoke in 2007. Here is his Mission Statement:

BUY AFRICA. SUPPORT AFRICA.

This statement with the name of our business sums up our mission statement. Our goal is to bring the Woodsmoke of Africa to the West through our products, people, and culture all while showcasing the unique stories of our artists and their daily struggles. We incorporate giving into everything we do at Woodsmoke. By purchasing a Woodsmoke product you are directly helping an African artist and his/her family.

In the US education is a given, but in Africa it is seen as a privilege and opportunity because the government does not pay for education. Five percent of every Woodsmoke purchase goes to educating children in Africa.

“That’s what brings meaning to my life and this business.” Sean Coetzee, Founder Woodsmoke

AESTHETYX will be carrying beautiful gauzy scarves by one of Sean's talented artisans, Miriam Kamanthe, this Spring at our Huntington Beach store. Visit our store in early February to see her creations.

Looking forward to 2010

2010-01-03T07:13:00.000-08:00

I would like to take this opportunity to eXpress my thanX to everyone who has ever visited our store, website, and/or blog. We appreciate your interest in AESTHETYX and our social mission to showcase and sustain local and global artisans.

We are eXcited to work with more global artisans directly this year as well as socially proactive artisan businesses, non-profit organizations that help to sustain artisans and develop global economies, and local artisans who contribute to the world of handmade.

We strive to spread our artisan soul stories to all of you so that you can appreciate and understand them but can spread them to your friends & family and together we can help sustain artisans through word of mouth and commerce.

We will be relaunching our website early in 2010 to allow our customers to easily connect with us and if they have shopped in our brick & mortar store continue shopping with us. We will also use our website as a central place to keep you posted on all of our news, upcoming eVents, and new artisan stories.

ThanX again to all of you out there following us, we wish you a new decade of peace & prosperity!

Judy

December Holiday Sale

2009-12-12T16:32:00.001-08:00

Click on image to see full details:

The Day of the Virgin de Guadalupe

2009-12-12T12:20:00.000-08:00

On this day in 1531 the Virgin de Guadalupe was sighted by a humble man named Juan Diego at a place called Teypeyacac, in what is present day Mexico City. She asked Juan Diego to go to the Bishop and petition him to build a temple for her at the foot of Tepeyacac. The Bishop was suspicious of Juan Diego and called for proof. The Virgin told Juan Diego to climb to the top of Tepeyacac, where he found flowers growing completely out of season. He wrapped the flowers in his cape and brought them back down the hill to the Bishop, The Image of the Virgin appeared on the cape. The Bishop was humbled and set out straight away to build the Temple.

On this day millions of pilgrims come from all over the world to Mexico City to visit the Virgin de Guadalupe. Skeptics are quick to point out the unlikely coincidence of the Virgin's appearance on Tepeyacac, the very site of an Aztec temple dedicated to Tonatzin (earth goddess, mother of the gods and protectror of humanity) which had been devastated by order of Bishop Zumarraga.

On this special day, all of Mexico, and all Mexican sons and daughters on the other side gather for the celebration of the Virgin. An endless parade of pilgrims from the country’s four points appear at her Basilica with their flowers, songs, chants and prayers. They stream in processions led by indigenous dancers, to every church named for her. Wreaths of flowers adorn the signs of streets, neighborhoods, and towns bearing her name. Religious orders, churches and the millions of men, women, boys and girls named for her are especially joyous, as they share her special day.

The nation releases an immense sign of tenderness and experiences a profound expression of Mexican roots and essence and love for Our Lady, Virgen Maria de Guadalupe.

By the early hours of the morning of December 12th, in every niche and cranny Mexico, the burst of fire crackers is heard and their brilliant lights crown this great fiesta dedicated to the Mother of all Mexicans... Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Thoughtful Giving

2009-11-21T11:33:00.000-08:00

Here we are again, already gearing up for the Holidays! This season we invite you to join us in consciously shopping with a purpose. In other words, we invite you to make your purchases count towards more than just the act of buying and giving. We encourage you, as patrons of the artisans, to help the local and global community through commerce.

Thoughtful giving is always on our minds at aesthetyX, and this Holiday season we strive to offer you a wide variety of unique products hand-crafted by local and global artisans along with fair trade and socially responsible gifts. We want the meaning behind each one to touch your soul and that of the recipient.

'Tis the season to shop, and so we hope you will think of us and the work we strive to do for change. We are thankful for all the patrons of the artisans out there in the world that support our mission.

Our Day of the Dead

2009-11-07T11:11:00.000-08:00

Every year when the air starts getting crisp and days become shorter Dia de los Muertos seems to arrive sooner than I am prepared for and I always want to do some special in honor of this reverent Holiday which I have grown to cherish.

This year we decided to collaborate with our friends Farra & Juan Miron who have started a wonderful foodie project called 'La Mesita sin Nombre' (the little table without a name) where they host wonderful dinner parties once a month that are food and beer pairings that feature farm to table local food and local unique beer selections, usually in their lovely home in North Park, San Diego.

We supplied all of the 'ofrenda' (altar) decor complete with the vibrant orange marigolds and fuchsia coxcomb as well as the papel picados. The ofrenda turned out amazing, Farra & Lucera make an incredible arch complete with handmade paper flowers combined with the fresh marigolds. The arch perfectly framed a piece of artwork by Farra & Juan's friend Emilia of a charming Dia de los Muertos wedding couple, it was the perfect centerpiece. The ofrenda was adorned with momentos from loved ones passed including photos, dolls, notes, candles, and special items in memory of all of the loved ones gone before us. We made sure everyone learned about this wonderful holiday so that they could appreciate the celebration even more.

As always, Farra & Juan outdid themselves both with the gorgeous spread and the delicioso comida! The margaritas welcomed us in gorgeous glass dispensers and beautiful flowers adorned the tables amongst the wide variety of home-made salsas y postres (desserts).

The 'piece de resistance' and star of the show was the 'Mole Magnifico' - a true labor of love that took hours of collaborative work. Everyone participated in stirring the very large cazuela of mole on the hot stove all night long (including Charles and I). The mole did not disappoint and I have to admit that I helped myself to seconds and thirds and gave myself a self-induced stomach ache by the end of the evening.

We look forward to continuing to honor this wonderful holiday and invite you to learn more about it and participate in our celebration next year... stay tuned.

-Judy Compton

Happy Days of the Dead!

2009-10-31T12:44:00.001-07:00

Dia de los Muertos is celebrated to remember those friends and family members who have died. In keeping with this tradition, please join us on Sunday, November 1st at 4pm to celebrate the lives of our loved ones. Please bring an offering (food, beverage or special memento) for the “ofrenda” or altar that honors the departed. Homemade molé, margaritas and micheladas will be served. Come celebrate your loved ones with us! Here's the address: 3673 Grim Street San Diego, CA 92104

¿Que dice? Did you say molé? Ok, count me in! My Dear Grandmother loved molé. I'll bring her even more chocolate for the ofrenda. See you at the fiesta! -D.K.

An Invitation from aesthetyX and Institute of the Americas

2009-10-25T12:04:00.000-07:00

aesthetyX and Institute of the Americas invite you to celebrate and benefit the work of non-profit organization, Barro Sin Plomo (BSP) "Clay without Lead" and Mexican artisans on the evening of November 5th. The evening will include a reception and sale of lead-free pottery, a presentation by BSP leaders Victor Aguila, Anna O'Leary and Cisco Pinedo. There will be a video by Galatea Audiovisual with wonderful footage from the BSP documentary in production, "Tierra Brilliante".

The event will take place from 6-8 PM November 5th at Institute of the Americas on the UCSD Campus: 10111 N. Torrey Pines Road. La Jolla, CA 92037

For more information and to RSVP please visit: iamericas.org

Fair Trade Month

2009-10-18T12:42:00.001-07:00

Hopefully, all of that information from our post "Evolving to Fair Trade" has sunk in. We ask you kindly, to take on our mission for you this week. In honor of Fair Trade Month, we ask you to tell three friends about Fair Trade: What is it? What does it mean? Why should you buy it? You can also tell them where you buy you Fair Trade products, and encourage them to do the same. Throughout this month, events will be held around the country to celebrate Fair Trade Month. To find out what events are being held near you, or how to start an event yourself, head to the calendar on the Fair Trade Month website!

Have you attended a Fair Trade Month event already this month? Let us know about it! Comment on this post and tell us all about the event! Thanks for sharing your knowledge of Fair Trade with the world!

Happy Fair Trade Month!!!
D.K.

Dedicated to Sustainable Development

2009-09-27T12:35:00.000-07:00

GRUPEDSAC- Group To Promote Education and Sustainable Development, is dedicated to offering solutions for poverty in the Mexican countryside through training, skill development, ecosystem restoration, and motivating the organizational and management capacities of small farmer communities with the purpose of generating knowledge and allowing them to satisfy their basic needs of pure water, healthy food, appropriate housing, and sustainable energy.

In order to fulfill its mission, the organization has two training and demonstration centers on alternative technologies where the promotion of self-sufficiency and self-development are the main goals. The Center for Education and Rural Development (CEDER) in Huixquilucan, State of Mexico, and the Instituto Tonantzin Tlalli (ITT) in Ejutla, Oaxaca. Both centers were built using appropriate green technologies and Permaculture design principles. They offer guided visits, trainings, and workshops at both sites.

During a recent trip to Mexico, Judy and Charles came across this non-profit organization at the trade show and bought some unique handbags, coin purses and clutches all made from recycled wrappers. Come have a look at the classy, intricately woven accessories made from discarded, colorful and shiny candy wrappers. Talk about sustainable!

New Sculptures and Designs by Roberto!

2009-09-13T12:22:00.000-07:00

THIS JUST IN- Hurray! We received a shipment of some new sculptures from one of our favorite artisans- Roberto Tirado. They are playful as well as elegant, and range in price from $45 to $450 depending on size and style. There are some adorable little birds that have a tall perch to go perfectly in the garden. I haven't seen Roberto's Woman with the Cat before, but now I'm in love with her. :) Hopefully you'll get a chance to see these exquisite beauties before they go away to good homes. Come have a look- there might even be one your home or garden cannot live without. I'm telling ya, Roberto Tirado has really accomplished great work in these new, unique sculptures. See you at the gallery!

- D.K.

Acholi Beads and aesthetyX- a Big Hit Together!

2009-09-05T17:38:00.000-07:00

Thank you Jim and Suzie Pearson of Acholi Beads for the great Trunk Show last weekend during the Leucadia Art Walk. It was a huge success!

We look forward to working with Acholi Beads again soon, and in the meantime we will continue to carry a wide selection of Acholi earrings, bracelets and necklaces in the store. We are proud to be an Acholi Beads retailer. If you missed the Trunk Show this time around- come on down and see what's new. Have a great Labor Day!

-D.K.

Acholi Beads Trunk Show at aesthetyX

2009-08-28T11:16:00.000-07:00

This Sunday the 30th, aesthetyX will be hosting an Acholi Beads Trunk Show during the Leucadia ART WALK. Two Acholi Beads representatives will be setting up right outside our door! Enjoy the Arts this summer by strolling the 101 in Leucadia and stop by aesthetyX to see what's new from Acholi Beads.

Elephant Paintings by an Elephant!

2009-08-22T10:51:00.001-07:00

We have some new paintings from Hong, the talented artist who also happens to be an elephant! Three years ago, Hong began painting, and has steadily developed her skills. After learning to paint flowers, she moved on to more advanced paintings. We bought some of Hong's amazing artwork through Exotic World Gifts. Exotic World Gifts supports distant villages by offering fine handcrafted items rich in tradition and cultural diversity. They travel to remote locations around the world and discover the women, men, and now ELEPHANTS who create beautiful, authentic handcrafted items. Please share their vision with all your friends and family, so we can all make a positive and lasting contribution to the world.

Come down to the aesthetyX gallery and see what Hong the elephant has created! The paintings make great gifts or conversation pieces for your home.

-D.K.

SPIRAL Foundation is Back!

2009-08-14T11:31:00.000-07:00

We are carrying merchandise from SPIRAL Foundation again! This is a wonderful organization working with global artisans. We invite you to join us in supporting their work. SPIRAL Foundation is a humanitarian non-profit that works Spinning Potential Into Resource and Love...

All net proceeds from the handicraft sales are returned to Vietnam and Nepal to fund primary health care, medical and educational projects, giving to those involved in the production process a sense of pride that comes by helping and sustaining many others, in even greater need than themselves. Members of all The Spiral Foundation Workshops have an active role in the allocation and monitoring of all funds generated by proceeds from the sales of The SPIRAL Foundation Gift Line.

Come on down to the aesthetyX store and shop with your heart as you shop to give back! We have a gorgeous SPIRAL bowl made from recycled papers that has been crafted into a beautiful piece of art.

-D.K.

What it Means to be a Socially Responsible Business

2009-08-06T14:10:00.001-07:00

Social responsibility is an ethical or ideological theory that an entity whether it is a government, corporation, organization or individual has a responsibility to society. As a socially responsible business, we at aesthetyX feel we have an obligation to certain areas that should be measured regardless of the outcome needed. These areas are as follows: economic function, quality of life, social investment and problem solving. In other words, gaining financial success in ways that honor ethical values, and respect people, communities and the natural environment is our goal for aesthetyX.

James Pearson of Acholi Beads talks about his unique "socially proactive" business in a thoughful way, "...our beads are made from paper that is being discarded by printers in Uganda, the East African country where they are made. By using this paper productively we cut down on waste and help curb deforestation. This is socially conscious. And our workers are far from sweatshop laborers. They work from their homes on their own time to make our products. And we pay them more than their asking price, because we know their prices are tailored to a local market where poverty is status quo. But we also go the extra mile. Instead of just hiring any Ugandan, we sought out refugees from northern Uganda, where a terrible war has ravaged the population for over 20 years... That is socially proactive."

Evolving To Fair Trade

2009-07-31T11:11:00.000-07:00

At aesthetyX, we strive to be a sustainable, socially responsible business that offers you unique, fair trade merchandise. We are moving in the direction of bringing you even more fairly traded and sustainable products that are authentic and rich in cultural diversity. We believe shopping with a purpose is the only way to shop!

What it means to be Fair Trade

Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as social and environmental standards in areas related to the production of a wide variety of goods. It focuses in particular on exports from developing countries to developed countries, most notably handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, sugar, tea, bananas, honey, cotton, wine, fresh fruit, chocolate and flowers.

Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers – especially in the South. Fair Trade Organizations, backed by consumers, are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practice of conventional international trade.

Fair trade is, fundamentally, a response to the failure of conventional trade to deliver sustainable livelihoods and development opportunities to people in the poorest countries of the world. Poverty and hardship limit people’s choices while market forces tend to further marginalize and exclude them.

We thank you for shopping with aesthetyX and supporting our efforts to evolve with the fair trade world and socially responsible movement. Please let us know if there is anything you would like us to carry, and we'll look into finding it for you.

Friends to Build a Nest

2009-07-18T12:11:00.000-07:00

Nest has been a great inspiration to many women, including all of us at aesthetyX. The mission of Nest is to support women artists and artisans in the developing world by helping them create sustainable entrepreneurial businesses. To do this, Nest provides micro-credit loans to be used for the purchase of the supplies and materials necessary to begin and/or maintain art or craft-based businesses. We will be meeting with a team of San Diego Nest volunteers to discuss our partnership and continued support of this wonderful non-profit. We will either start carrying new product from the women they support or donate a percentage of our store sales back into Build a Nest so that they may continue their important work with artisans. We are proud to be a Friend in a ongoing partnership with Nest. We'll keep you posted after our meeting with Nest! In the meantime, enjoy the sunshine and surf! Oh and check out Nest.

Buen Viaje

2009-07-09T09:29:00.000-07:00

As we approach our next trip to Mexico this August, we would like to share with you some of our past travel adventures to Mexico. If you have any travel stories that you would like to share with Aesthetyx, please send them our way. We'd love to hear about your eXperience... Just submit them by leaving a comment in this blog entry. Buen Viaje...

If you'd like to read a travel blog, just click below on the city of your choice. Enjoy!

Guadalajara 1 Guadalajara 2
San Miguel de Allende

Aesthetyx Summer Solstice Sale

2009-06-20T11:30:00.000-07:00

There are only three days left to find the most amazing deals at Aesthetyx! Enjoy the savings this summer! We will be holding a HUGE sale June 20th-30th. You may save up to 50% off select items for 10 days only! See you at the SALE!

Celebrating World Fair Trade Day!

2009-04-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

BIG BANG!! is a global festival of events scheduled for May 9th, 2009 to promote a fair trade solution to poverty, climate change and economic crisis. Check out: http://www.worldfairtradeday09.org for more information.

During the BIG BANG global celebration, fair trade events will pass through every continent, country, city, town and street over 48 hours and Aesthetxy will be celebrating as well by holding an event featuring global artisans from Barro Sin Plomo (BSP), Acholi Beads and more.

Our event will take place Saturday May 9th from 4 P.M to 8 P.M. at the Aesthetyx gallery in Encinitas located at 466 N. Coast Hwy 101 Suite 5. During the celebration, Aesthetyx will serve Fair Trade coffee from The Pannikin as well as Fair Trade chocolate from Askinosie Chocolate.

We are excited about participating in this global event in celebration of Fair Trade. We are supportive of the efforts of all retailers who strive to purchase their goods fairly and responsibly.

Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a "fair price" as well as social and environmental standards in areas related to the production of a wide variety of goods. It focuses in particular on exports from developing countries to developed countries, most notably handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, sugar, tea, bananas, honey, cotton, wine, fresh fruit, chocolate and flowers.

Fair trade's strategic intent is to work with marginalized producers and workers in order to help them move towards economic self-sufficiency and stability. It also aims to allow them to become greater stakeholders in their own organizations as well as play a wider role, and achieve greater equity, in international trade.

Please join us in this celebration! We will be showcasing more Barro Sin Plomo pottery and you will have the opportunity to meet BSP's developing director Anna O'Leary.

Celebrate World Fair Trade Day with Aesthetyx

April = Environmental Month

2009-04-02T09:49:00.000-07:00

Spring is here so it's a perfect time to celebrate Mother Earth on April 22nd - Earth Day!

We at Aesthetyx are taking the 3R's mantra 'Reduce - Reuse - Recycle' to heart
by supporting gloabal artisans who take the 3R's to a whole new level. By supporting these artisans, you support their efforts toward independence while protecting the environment and giving or receiving a unique gift!

Come see some of our green and sustainable products by these talented artisans next time you're in the store:

* Acholi Beads made of discarded magazines by displaced women from the Acholi tribe of Northern Uganda.
* Barro Sin Plomo (clay without lead) lead-free pottery hand-crafted by artisans in Central Mexico
* Kenyan Soapstones carved and painted by hand by artisans from Kenya

SAVE THE DATE - Saturday, May 9th
for our First Aesthetyx World Fair Trade Day Celebration
featuring Anna O'Leary and Barro Sin Plomo

Barro Sin Plomo and Aesthetyx- Working Together

2009-02-16T14:11:00.000-08:00

Aesthetyx proudly welcomes Anna O'Leary to our new gallery! Anna is the vice president of Barro Sin Plomo (BSP) Mexico and has worked in Mexico for over two years on the design and implementation of its projects. Anna was previously a consultant to Aid to Artisans in Mexico as well as the marketing coordinator of lead-free pottery. She is currently the Director of Development for Barro Sin Plomo USA. And she is working out of our new gallery in Encinitas! We are happy with the change, and hope that all of you will soon have a chance to check out the new space with all its beautiful BSP pottery. 10% of all sales of BSP pottery out of the Aesthetyx gallery will be donated back to Barro Sin Plomo. Come by and have a look at the exquisite work by these talented artisans!

A LITTLE ABOUT BARRO SIN PLOMO:

In 2003, anthropologist Victor Aquila Sanchez and ceramist Barbara Garrido, founded BSP as a non-profit Mexican organization dedicated to lead-free pottery production. Barro Sin Plomo is now working in five Mexican states with 300 potters who have or are transitioning to lead-free glazes.

In 2004, BSP helped launch a for-profit social enterprise, Echery Pottery (www.echerypottery.com) which specializes in packing, shipping, and exporting of lead-free pottery. BSP and Echery Pottery are both based in Patzcuaro, Michocan Mexico.

Barro Sin Plomo has ongoing efforts to eliminate lead glazes in traditional pottery production in Mexico and now in the U.S., construct fuel-efficiant kilns, introduce lead-free glazing technologies and equiptment which will enable these family based businesses to re-enter and reclaim important international markets for their products. The primary focus for BSP right now is to eliminate lead-glaze in the states where there is the hightest population of potters currently using lead glazes and where there are hundreds of artisans requesting assistance from BSP's training team.

The two most important ways people can help people expand this effort right now is by making a tax deductible contribution to BSP USA or by purchasing lead-free pottery.

Please stop by and visit the Aesthetyx gallery, and see what's new in the world of pottery.

A Big Change for 2009

2009-01-08T12:41:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from all of us at Aesthetyx!

In 2004 we began our business in order to achieve a higher mission to create a socially responsible company that would give back. Inspired by the artesianias (arts and crafts) of Central Mexico, we decided to showcase and sell the work of worldwide artisans in order to help support and sustain these talented individuals and their families. Through the years, we have worked directly with many artisans to achieve this goal but, there is much more important work to be done.

Our goal is to be able to further assist artisans who do not have the means to market themselves and get their products to those who will appreciate them.

In line with our social mission we have decided to refocus the concept of
our Encinitas store to become 'Aesthetyx- an Artisan Gallery and
Showroom' beginning in February 2009. Together with the multinational
organization that unites Mexican non-profit, 'Barro sin Plomo' and Barro sin
Plomo USA (clay without lead), we will feature the work of many talented
artisans that this wonderful non-profit assists. Barro sin Plomo's (BSP)
mission is to end the use of lead in traditional Mexican pottery
substituting lead-free production methods which protect the health of the
artisans and their communities.

Within the new gallery we will continue to carry most of your favorite artisans in addition to the Barro Sin Plomo featured artisans. With our new concept we will be
phasing out some of our merchandise before we temporarily close
our Encinitas store location to do some remodeling January 19th - 31st.

Starting January 10th we welcome you to take advantage of some amazing 'AS IS'(items that may be slightly damaged and/or nicely repaired) deals sold at major discounts, as well as significant markdowns of 70-90% OFF select merchandise, and 10% OFF the ENTIRE STORE!

We look forward to having you eXperience our new concept this spring and
thanks again for your support of our store and our mission!

Give Gifts that Give Back

2008-12-18T17:38:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays to you and yours! May your season be bright and full of joy.

We recently published an article on eHow.com that went a little something like this:

Shopping at a socially responsible retailer like Aesthetyx- who buys directly from artisans, is a good way to give great gifts while giving back to local and global communities.

With only a little over a week until Christmas, now is the time to shop! Go on a shopping outing and discover your local socially responsible or Fair Trade retailer (search online to find one if you are not familiar with any where you live). If you live in Southern California visit Aesthetyx in Encinitas or Huntington Beach, California. Both of our store locations offer beautiful and unique gifts,jewelry and home furnishings hand-crafted by talented artisans from around the world. Aesthetyx proudly features a number of talented artisans from Mexico including clay artisan Roberto Tirado and tin artisan Cecilio Hernandez. Aesthetyx also offers great gifts such as Acholi Beads. This exquisite bead jewelry is hand-made from recycled paper by the women of the Acholi tribe of Northern Uganda. These beads help these women sustain themselves and their families by providing long-term work and the ability to develop their skills.

Discover the joy of gift giving while giving back at the same time. Give artisan gifts that really give twice - once, when purchased, by supporting the Artisan and again when received by the recipient. You have a choice as a consumer in the modern world of things made in China.
SHARE the artisan stories - most of our artisan products @ Aesthetyx comes with a story card for each artisan explaining briefly their products and how it helps support them. Please ask your local socially responsible retailer for the stories to go along with the hand-crafted gifts you are purchasing. They are extremely appreciated by the recipient!

When you shop with socially responsible retailers like us you are supporting your community and beyond by purchasing gifts (or things for yourself) that support others. There is a sense of peace that takes over during the gift giving exchange, and you will feel it even more when you give back to the world while giving gifts to your dear ones. We hope you will seek out socially responsible retailers (like Aesthetyx) and see what an amazing experience shopping can be.
Shopping and giving with a social conscience - a winning combination, enjoy!

NOVEMBER NEWS

2008-10-28T13:37:00.001-07:00

Bring the kids and don't miss our Sugar Skull Decorting Contest- or participate yourself. We are celebrating our 3rd annual Dia de los Muertos by having another FIESTA! We will be celebrating November 1st from 5:30-8:00 PM at our Encinitas Aesthetyx store.

We will have the traditional offerings of fruits, flowers and chocolate, but we invite you to get creative and bring a photo or memento of your loved one and then an item they would enjoy at our Fiesta. We will also be showcasing artwork by local children from ARTS (A Reason to Survive) a program which supports young people by offering them free art programs. We've commissioned them to design some Day of the Dead tiles that will be for sale the evening of the event. All proceeds from store sales will go back to this ARTS program.

So bring your friends and family to this special celebration and enjoy authentic food, refreshments, and great prizes from the raffle drawings!

We also have a special La Luz candle offer for you. Buy your La Luz candles for your home alter and receive a gift of a travel candle. A gift from us- enjoy! This offer will run through the fall season.

If you haven't seen the new Roberto Tirado sculptures you are in for a treat! They are beautiful. We also just received some new mirrors in all different sizes from Cecilio Hernandez.

We will be holding a holiday sale Thursday 28th-30th on select merchandise. Items will be anywhere from 30-85% off. Get your holiday shopping done with us while supporting local and global artisans.

3rd Annual Dia de los Muertos Fiesta - Saturday, November 1st

2008-10-22T14:11:00.000-07:00

Please join us for our 3rd Annual Dia de los Muertos Fiesta
Saturday, November 1st from 5-8pm

Help us build our community 'ofrenda' (altar) by bringing mementos for your loved ones who have passed. We will have the traditional offerings of food and drink but we invite you to get creative and bring a photo or memento of your loved one and then an item they would enjoy at our Fiesta.

The kids will enjoy our Sugar Skull Decorating Contest and we will also be showcasing artwork by local children from the ARTS (A Reason to Survive) program which will be for sale the evening of our eVent. All proceeds will go back to the ARTS Program.

Bring your friends and family to this special celebration and enjoy authentic food, refreshments, and great raffle drawings!

Leucadia Nights

2008-10-17T15:57:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow night we will be staying open late along with other Leucadia businesses for an afterhours Walkabout along the North Coast Highway 101. Join us Saturday night October 18th from 6-9PM for this community event. Stroll with family, neighbors and friends through the neighborhood of Leucadia. Enjoy snacks, beverages and games of "Walkabout Poker" in certain businesses. Hope to see you in the cool Autumn evening!

Little Italy Festa This Weekend!

2008-10-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

We hope to see you this Sunday in Little Italy!

On Sunday October 12th, we will be attending the Little Italy Festa- San Diego's largest Italian American Festival and Festa! Visit our booth (#DS15) located on India Street between Date and Cedar Streets, right in the Heart of Little Italy. Enjoy the sidewalk chalk art while you browse! Come down and join in the festivities from 10AM to 6PM.

Upcoming Events with Aesthetyx!

2008-10-04T12:33:00.000-07:00

On Saturday October 18th from 6-8 PM, Leucadia Nights is an After Hours Walkabout with take place along Highway 101 in Leucadia. Join us and other local businesses that will stay open late for this fun-filled community event. Hope to see you in the cool Autumn evening!

This November 1st from 5-8 PM, we will be celebrating Dia de los Muertos with our 3rd annual Aesthetyx Day of the Dead Fiesta! Join in on our very special celebration for our loved ones who have passed. Participate in our interactive community ofenda (alter). Authentic food will be served throughout the event along with lively music. We will be hosting a sugar skull decorating contest for the children as well, so bring the little ones. We have also invited youth artisans from ARTS- A Reason to Survive, a non-profit organization in San Diego. The young artists will be displaying their Day of the Dead tiles for you to buy for your home. See you there!

The 8th Annual Mainstreet Oceanside Dia de los Muertos Festival will be happening November 2nd and we'll be there! Join in one of the largest Dia de los Muertos events in San Diego. Visit our booth (#M17) right in front of the fountain, located on Coast Highway and Pier View Way in Downtown Oceanside. Again, this event takes place Sunday, November 2nd 10 AM-4 PM

Don't Miss our First 'Aesthetyx Artisan Exposed Series' showcasing local artist Annika Nelson

2008-06-10T22:58:00.000-07:00

We are thrilled to be hosting a very special Summer Solstice eVent on Saturday, June 21st at our Encinitas store from 6-9pm. Local and internationally known artist Annika M. Nelson will be debuting her first clothing collection exclusively designed for the Lewsader Collection.

Annika will be signing our best-selling book 'Folk Wisdom of Mexico' with her woodblocks which are featured throughout the book. Annika will also be giving a complimentary woodblock print as a gift with any Lewsader purchase.

This special eVening will celebrate the official beginning of summer complete with pomegranate refreshments, light appetizers, and lots of dulces (sweets).

Annika will be hosting a private collection of her prints that will be available for sale that evening and even have an interactive art project for the kids.

We hope to see you to celebrate the beginning of Summer!

Viva! Verde (live green) in honor of Earth Day

2008-04-22T14:15:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Earth Day early last Saturday with our first Viva! Verde (live green) eVent at our store. We hosted a special trunk show with 'Acholi Beads' , the beautiful jewelry handmade from recycled paper by refugees from Northern Uganda. Local San Diegan, James Pearson started this wonderful company and he and his family were all on hand to showcase the beautiful beads and explain the story and mission behind them. Thank you James for the wonderful work you are doing to help the environment, sustain artisans, and support free trade!

We also gave out our 'Viva! Verde' cotton canvas reusable bag as a gift with purchase that night to encourage our customers to stop wasting the paper bags and tissue we use when packing up purchases. We still have more bags left so please come in and ask for one if you make a purchase of $50 or more. We will even donate a quarter to wecansolveit.org everytime you come back to shop with the resuable bag, which represents the cost of the bag and tissue. Also, if you request for us not to wrap your purchase we will also donate a quarter into our wecansolveit.org fund to go to the organization that Al Gore started to solve the climate crisis.

All of us at Aesthetyx are doing our best to be environmentally conscious, here are some things that we are currently doing:

1. Bringing our recyclables home to be recycled (unfortunately our Center does not provide this service).
2. Using environmentally friendly cleaning products which are biodegradable.
3. Not utilizing unecessary energy (just the essentials to operating the store - electricity for lights and equipment).
4. Using kraft paper bags which are recyclable.
**Our goal is to use less of these and encourage our customers to return with our Viva! Verde reusable canvas bags**
5. Recycling the packaging materials that accompany our shipments (reusing boxes, tissue, bubble wrap, newspaper, etc.)
6. Using solar powered lights outside where possible.
7. Using broken items and found objects for artwork (check out in-house artist Robin Nelson's environmentally friendly artwork currently in the store).

If you have any other ideas, comments, suggestions, or thoughts on how we can do more to help the environment please let us know! We all have to do our part to help our planet, after all it is home for all of us.

Viva! Verde

Aesthetyx 'La Tiendita' at The Grove Opening!

2008-04-16T15:24:00.000-07:00

For those of you who made it to the Grand Opening of our 'Tiendita' (mini-store) at The Grove in South Park during their first 'South Park Walkabout' of the year on March 29th - Mil Gracias! It was a fun-filled evening that flew by! We prepared one of my new Sangria recipes 'Primavera Sangria' which is a white-wine based Sangria mixed with Italian Grapefruit soda, blood oranges, peaches, grapes, and more! It was well received by the guests who attended the event.

Special thanks to Farra and Agnes from Mano Imports who helped us serve Sangria and entertain guests. Farra and Agnes bring in amazing textiles and wood work from Guatemala and we are thrilled to showcase some of their treasures in our new space at The Grove. We also really enjoy their company as they love Latin-American culture and artisan work as well as great food and wine as much as we do - Gracias Amigas!

We are excited to be celebrating our new space at The Grove in South Park. We have been at The Grove now for 2 years but recently moved our location which we feel much more at home in. Please come by and visit us if you have not already done so. The Grove is located at the corner of Juniper & 30th Street in South Park, an eclectic and great neighborhood in San Diego. The Grove is open Tuesdays - Sundays 11am-6pm, closed on Mondays. We hope to bump into you down there sometime soon.

P.S. There is a fabulous new Gourmet Mexican Restaurant 'El Camino' that will be opening just across the street from The Grove soon - we can't wait. We will be hosting monthly events in San Diego and we hope to have a few at El Camino once they open. Look out for info in our monthly 'eNews and eVents' e-mail blast.

Returning to SMA (San Miguel de Allende)

2008-04-16T15:19:00.001-07:00

What can we say about San Miguel other than we absolutely love coming back and look forward each and every time to walking down the cobblestone streets gazing at the gorgeous distressed hues of colors of the walls, discovering the 'Doors of San Miguel', going to the Mercado and buying the roasted corn and 'pan' (bread) made fresh every day, relaxing on a bench in The Jardin, visiting our artisans talleres (workshops), having cocktails on a rooftop, enjoying creative Mexican cuisine, watching all of the locals enjoy an evening in The Jardin with their families, and SO much more!!!!

We are currently working on putting one of our 'Aesthetyx Experience' trips together for San Miguel de Allende and as soon as we confirm the dates and itinerary we will post on our blog. If you are interested in any of our upcoming trip itineraries please send an e-mail to judy@aesthetyx.com.

Viva San Miguel!

Meet San Miguel Master Tinsmith Cecilio Hernandez 'Chilo'

2008-04-16T11:00:00.000-07:00

One of the first artisans whose work we began importing 4 years ago is master tinsmith Cecilio Hernandez (fondly known as 'Chilo' to locals, clients, friends, and family). Chilo owns a small tienda in San Miguel where anyone can visit and buy his lovely designs. We came across these designs on one of our first trips to San Miguel over 6 years ago and fell in love with them. His designs are so original, beautifully hand-crafted and exquisitely hand-painted. Chilo has a team of artisans and tinsmiths who work for him who are the best of the best in San Miguel. Chilo's attention to detail and meticulous nature is evident in his sought after work. Chilo is a local celebrity of sorts who is commissioned by many local homeowners (including many Americans) to design grand mirrors and decorative tin for their grande haciendas in San Miguel. Chilo was recently awarded the honor of the Best Tinsmith in the State of Guanajuato with an intricately hand-cut gold mirror which we were fortunate enough to see on our recent trip to his taller.

On our recent trip we were able to take our friends with us to tour his taller (workshop) and see how his one of a kind creations are made. We began at his tienda where a small fraction of his work available for sale, most of his designs are custom and require being special ordered. Above the tienda is where his extremely talented artisans who specialize in painting work. Jose being in charge of this portion of the business takes great pride in his and his fellow artisans' work. Jose is one of the only artisans who works for Chilo who speaks English so he led our group up the cramped stairway where larger than life examples of Chilo's fine design and craftmanship reside, including the now famous gold mirror that won him the award as Guanajuato's Best Tinsmith. As you reach the top Jose escorts us out onto the terrace where he explained the entire painting process to all of us in great detail. The process is very time consuming and labor intensive but once you see their finished piece there is no question that they produce a high quality product very worthy of the prices they charge. Actually after learning about all of the artistry that goes into every single painted piece everyone in the group had a greater appreciation for their 'artesania'.

After the painting taller we all were caravaned in 3 cars that took us to the main taller where they cut, craft, and weld the tin into the mirrors, headboards, and other decor. This taller is also Chilo's personal 'casa' and a museum of sorts. Every nook and cranny of his house is filled with his award-winning work. As soon as you drive into his carport/front door area you are greated by massive scale mirrors displayed on the stone of the exterior of his home, some mirrors are probably over 10 feet high and perhaps 6-8 feet wide. As you enter his home you find his love for his 'rosas' designs everywhere. His dining room wall is embellished with a 'Marco de Rosas' mirror probabaly 8 feet wide and then bookended by 2 large floor lamps all made from the 'rosas. His bedroom is the 'piece de resistance' with a magnificent natural colored (silver) headboard all hand cut in the most intricate design perched against a cobalt blue painted wall- it was jaw dropping!

After the home tour he escorted all of us upstairs to the taller where his tinsmiths and craftsmen work at oversized tables with sheets of tin penciling out designs that are to be cut and punched. Chilo took time to demonstrate how each one of the 'rosas' are made which he is currently so fond of. Chilo took a sheet of tin and hand drew with a sharpie the shape of petals then hand cut and did this 5-6 times and then punched through the center and utilized several metal tools to make just 1 rosa! Some of his 'Marco de rosas' mirrors contain hundreds so there is no surprise that these mirrors are expensive due to the intense hand-crafting each mirror takes. We were also treated to a demonstration of how they 'oxidize' the tin to make it look 'viejo' aged - they literally will dip the tin in a batch of 'acido' (acid) and keep it out in the sun to achieve this look.

After an amazing demonstration at the taller we headed back to the tienda where Chilo charmed everyone by signing each of the pieces they bought, and not with a black sharpie as I assumed he would - he literally hand-tooled a piece of tin for each person and wrote their name and did a unique design for each one with his own signature - quite a special treat. Now that's a great example of the Mexican artisan pride and hospitality we love so much!

Good Friday and Easter Celebrations San Miguel Style

2008-04-16T10:52:00.001-07:00

San Miguel is famous for it's celebrations and parades, especially those celebrating religious holidays. On our recent trip this March we arrived towards the end of 'Semana Santa' (Holy Week) on Good Friday. Since we caught a red-eye and arrived in town early in the AM we were able to grab a great seat in The Jardin (the main center in San Miguel across from The Parrochia) before the crowds started forming to see the Good Friday Procession. The procession which was supposed to begin at 11am starting on typical 'Mexican time' around 1pm. Needless to say we waited awhile and the sun started getting stronger and warmer. We were fortunate enough to meet our group of friends who were in town for their daughter's wedding which was being held the next day so we all gathered in the square before the festivities and enjoyed a great view once they began. It is a very solemn day in San Miguel and the procession begins on the side of the Parrochia and goes around the entire square. We watched an amazing parade of locals who carried grand figures of all of the Virgins including a beautiful Mary dressed in blue velvet, and an amazing figure of Jesus (shown here in our photos). They also perform a short reenactment of Pontius Pilate and local men are dressed as Roman Soldiers as they stomp through the square in an almost ominous fashion. It was an amazing procession to watch on a glorious sunny and warm day in San Miguel.

Aesthetyx Experience No. 1

2008-03-06T17:07:00.001-08:00

We have now safely returned home from a wonderful Inaugural trip to Guadalajara with a fun and festive group of 6 great guests! We would like to thank all of them - Carol, Charlotte, Leslie, Madeleine, Phil, and Sandra for joining us on our 'Primera No. 1 Aesthetyx Experience.' We have put a small slideshow together of some photos from our trip but there are far too many photos to feature on the blog so please visit www.aesthetyx.tv for more as well as some amateur video we shot.

We had a growing interest list for our trips prior to our first one and now we have a waiting list -so for those of you who might be interested in one of our upcoming 'Aesthetyx Experience' itineraries, here's a sneak peak of some in the works, dates and details still to be confirmed:

*No. 2 -San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico - Tuesday, May 27th - Sunday, June 1st

*No. 3 - Tlaquepaque, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico - Friday, June 20th - Wednesday, June 25th

*No. 4 -Tlaquepaque, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico - Friday, August 15th - Wednesday, August 29th

*No. 5 -Tlaquepaque, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico - Tuesday, November 4th - Sunday, November 9th

If you have an interest in a particular itinerary please e-mail judy@aesthetyx.com and advise which number/s you are interested in and the names and numbers in your party and we will add you to the list for that/those itinerary/ies.

Greetings from Guadalajara - No.2

2008-02-20T05:50:00.000-08:00

Our itinerary for today was to see the Guadalajara Centro Historical District which is located in downtown Guadalajara, about 20 minutes from Tlaquepaque. Our wonderful driver and tour guide 'Don Abel' takes such great care of us and makes sure we see everything and explains their significance while simultaneously making sure it is safe for us to cross the street and then rounds us all up before heading to the next stop.

Our first stop today was to the Cathedral which as you drive into the Centro you are greeted by its' amazing limestone structure, gorgeous dome, and spindles. Don Abel showed us the gorgeous Cathedral and was able to get us access to the sacristy where groups are usually not allowed, this room is where the clergy changes and so does the Pope when he visits. The most amazing part of this room is the gorgeous art from the 1600's done by some of the most famous painters from Spain including Murillo. The room is also filled with gorgeous hand-carved dressers that surround the room, it is like a small museum, filled with the incredible paintings and other stunning pieces of porcelain pottery and woodwork.

Our second stop was to the 'Palacio Gobierno' to view the famous Orozco mural of the famous priest, Miguel Hidalgo, the Father of Mexican Independance. He holds a torch light in his fist. After so many years, it continues to be a beckon or warning. The magnitude of this mural is amazing, it is on the ceiling of a section of the building where you walk upstairs a limestone staircase. The murals are dark but somehow simultaneously moving once you learn what he trying to depict.

Our next stop was to Teatro Degollado, the Opera House, which as you approach is a stunning building of grandeur made of limestone whose pillars greet you as you approach, when you enter there is a lovely foyer of marble floors, and beautiful crystal chandeliers. We unfortunately could not go inside as they were practicing but we were able to hear the orcheastra practicing, quite a treat. We walked behind the Opera House where a modern bronze frieze 'Frisa de Los Fundadores, decorates the back side. This 68 ft. sculpture depicts Guadalajara's co-founders facing each other on opposite sides of a big tree.

Our next stop which by far I think was one of the most memorable was to the Hospicios Cabanas, this domed neoclassic colonial building was designed and financed by Bishop Juan Ruiz de Cabanas, the purpose of the 'Guadalajara House of Charity and Mercy' was to be a home for a sick, helpless, and homeless. It served as an orphanage during the 70's but the building needed to be restored so they moved the orphanage into the suburbs, restored the building and changed its purpose. It now houses the 'Institudo Cultural Cabanas' a center for the arts. The inside houses one of Jose Clemente Orozco's famous murals- his work could be described as dark, fiery, apocalyptic. Orozco painted the famous mural in the chapel from 1938-1939 where the central dome his 'Man of Fire is wreathed in flame, and appears to soar into a hellishly red-hot sky. His murals depict his concept of Evolution and Revolution and contain many optical illusions. Our guide, Ernesto, explained every panel in great detail and made sure we saw all of the optical illusions, which were not discovered until the 60's. Although very dark the murals are captivating, especially once you understand his thought process.

We strolled through the Plaza Tapatia and then headed to the Mercado Libertad which was built in 1958 and is the largest market in Mexico. After finding some great buys in the mercado we headed out to the Vallarta area to have a comida at one of the favorite restaurants in Guadalajra, 'El Sacromonte' where the charming spanish building greets you and the festive decor and piano music invite you to enjoy a long lunch - which we did. Everyone enjoyed the unique strawberry quesadillas and sangrita.

After a long day of touring everyone was ready for a siesta and then we enjoyed a relaxing dinner at Quinta Don Jose's Mexican & Italian restaurant 'TlaquePasta'.

Greetings from Guadalajara - No.1

2008-02-19T05:25:00.000-08:00

We started our first day of our Aesthetyx Experience with an excursion to the talleres (workshops) of Tonala, an area outside of Guadalajara famous for all of its' workshops and factories that hand-craft everything from pottery to iron, hand-blown glass, furniture, and more! Our first stop was to see the Salazar family who has been creating beautiful hand-blown glass for the past 30 years and primarily using recycled glass to do so. Everyone was amazed at the process of how they take molten glass and shape it into everything from glasses to large esferas (spheres) while working in extremely hot temperatures. After viewing the process for themselves our group had a much higher appreciation for the products that they purchased in their store next door.

Our second stop was to visit the famous Ortega Family who are renowned for their 100% hand-crafted 'betus' technique using simple 'barro' (clay) to create the most colorful, whimsical, surreal art of imagination. This technique has been passed to 5 generations of the Ortega family, 2 of which currently run the operation - the older 'hermano' (brother) Gerardo is the 'Gerente General' and then the other brothers Oscar and Eleutario oversee production and painting. The sons, daughters, nephews, and nieces who range in age of 16-30 work in production, design, and painting. It is truly a family operation. Their home in Santa Cruz de las Huertas is one in same their taller. We were immediately greeted by a small 'perro' (dog) and then once we walked through the casa were greeted by another dog and a very boisterous 'pato' (duck) who really wanted some attention! Everyone marvelled in the process which they showed us started from the fine clay powder which they mix with water to create the clay which ends up a very dark brown color, then they mold all of the individual pieces needed to create a design and then piece them together, then the design is left to dry in the sun for 2 days, then they paint the designs and finally fire them in the kiln. We were fortunate to view the sons and nephews all sitting at a table painting everything from 'gallos' (roosters) to 'sirenas' (chickens), everyone left with a piece of Ortega to take back home.

Our last stop was to visit the Jimon Family whose work is featured in the book 'Great Masters of Mexican Folk Art'. This family has passed down the art form of 'brunido' (burnished) pottery down 5 generations and we were so fortunate to meet 3 of them on our visit. Agustin Jimon's grandparents started the family tradition and Agustin who is most likely in his 80's now has passed this tradition to his sons Florentino and Zacarias who now primarily make most of the pottery, Agustin still molds the clay into forms. The Jimons work with natural clay which they mold into everything from plates to gourd shapes to bells, ornaments, large pots, and much more. Their gorgeous hand-painted designs are done in beautiful neutral colors which feature everything from birds, fish, suns, and small snapshots of local life. We have carried their charming Christmas ornaments and bells in our store and will continue to do so this holiday season.

After a great morning of meeting amazing artisans we were very hungry and headed to lunch at our favorite restaurant in Tonala 'El Arandense' who specialize in 'mariscos' (seafood) and our favorite thing being their 'coctel camaron' (shrimp cocktail) which is very different than the shrimp cocktail we are used to in the states - it is muy delicioso! After satisfying our hunger we strolled through the shops in Tonala and then headed back to our B&B for a margarita and to get ready for dinner.

After cocktails at the bar we strolled 2 blocks to town for dinner at one of our favorite spots - Fonda Adobe, a restaurant with a menu not to dissappoint including Tuna Tacos Al Pastor to great Filets to a delicious Cinnamon Mole Chicken. Fonda Adobe is also attached to Adobe Diseno, one of the most innovative and dynamic stores in Tlaquepaque owned by creative visionary Martha Figueroa and David Luna.

Aesthetyx Experience No. 1

2008-01-24T13:32:00.000-08:00

As some of you may have heard we are inviting you to join us this year for our our 'Aesthetyx Experience' trips. We will host our inaugural trip to Guadalajara February 17th - 22nd, 2008. If you are interested please e-mail us at judy@aesthetyx.com and we will be happy to forward you a copy of the itinerary. For those of you who cannot make it this February we are planning on 2 additional trips to Guadalajara and its' surrounding areas in June and November, both will be in conjunction with Art Shows that are scheduled. The June trip will be centered around 'Premio Ceramica' which is a national competition amongst potters from all over Mexico. The November trip will be centered around the 'Maestros del Arte' show featuring some of the 'Great Masters of Mexican Folk Art' from all over Mexico. Please contact us if you would like to be added to our interest list.

Upcoming January Events

2008-01-05T11:39:00.000-08:00

We wish all of you a very Happy New Year and all the best for a great 2008! Here are some events we currently have planned so mark them on your calendar and please join us!

*What: Celebrate 'Dia de Los Tres Reyes Magos' (Three Wise Men) Happy Hour Toy Drive Event, sponsored by Los Abuelos Tequila
Where: Alfonso’s of La Jolla
When: Monday- January 7th from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Please bring an Unwrapped Toy
to Benefit the Emmanuel Orphanage in Tijuana

What: Cuban Nights
Where: Le Papagayo
When: Thursday -January 10th from 7-9pm
Enjoy Latin Cuban Guitar Band 'Lluna Lena' and select from an authentic Cuban menu.

What: Our FIRST 'AS IS' PARKING LOT SALE!!!
This is an incredible opportunity to pick up some great DEALS on merchandise that might be slightly scratched, dented, or slightly chipped but not very noticeable. For those of you who are handy or creative this is a great chance to pick up unique items that you can fix yourself or use to make something creative of your own!
When: Saturday - January 12th starting at 9am until the store closes at 6pm

What: Hillcrest Farmer's Market & Open Aire Bazaar
Where: Normal Street between Lincoln & University, Hillcrest
When: Sunday - January 27th from 9am-1pm
Enjoy the best farmer's market and Open-Aire Bazaar in San Diego
Everything from amazing organic produce, to delicious food, beautiful flowers, worldly treasures, and more!

Christmas Thoughts

2007-12-25T09:47:00.000-08:00

Today as we celebrate this special day that Christ was born I am reminded that today is actually a birthday party of sorts. With all of the hectic business of trying to get everything done for Christmas and all of the commercialism of the holiday it was probably the first year that I didn't really feel the spirit of Christmas until today. I was enlightened this morning that we should have gifts to offer for this birthday party, especially to those less fortunate than ourselves. So, today in the true spirit of Christmas I give the gift of gratitute for the rich life I am blessed with. I also give the gift of peace to all of you and your families this special time of the year. Merry Christmas and may we all take time to remember the true meaning of this special day.

2 More Days to shop for Christmas!

2007-12-23T09:03:00.000-08:00

We will be open extended hours this Sunday, December 23rd from 10am-5pm and Monday, December 24th from 9am-4pm for all of you who have not yet finished or started your Holiday Shopping.

*FREE Gift Wrapping Available
*Lots of great stocking stuffers for $10 and under
*Lots of great gifts for $20 and under

Holiday Events starting this Thursday, December 20th

2007-12-18T14:46:00.000-08:00

Thursday, December 20th - Don't miss our 1st Annual Men's Shopping Night from 6-9pm
This is perfect opportunity for all of you MEN who have not started your Holiday shopping! Get ALL of your shopping done in ONE night and enjoy holiday refreshments and snacks while checking off your list. You don't even need to worry about wrapping any of your purchases as we will wrap ALL of them for you FREE of charged. We can even ship your packages too!

Saturday, December 22nd - Join us for an encore trunk show of local artisan Jean Ryan's work 'Madonna Arts' from 10a-2pm. This gorgeous collection of Madonnas are all hand-crafted by Jean herself. Please come join us to see this one of a kind collection.

Don't Miss Sweet 15 Quinceanera @ The San Diego Repertory Theater!

2007-12-13T09:48:00.001-08:00

Last year Charles took me to this funny, light-hearted play at The San Diego Rep written by local playwright and Latino actor Rick Najera. Charles and I enjoyed it so much that we wanted to let all of you know about it as it is only running through this weekend, the last show is on December 16th! Visit www.sandiegorep.com or call for tickets (619) 544-1000.

Holiday Events starting this Thursday, December 13th

2007-12-12T13:22:00.000-08:00

Thursday, December 13th - LATE NIGHT Shopping Event
We will be open this Thursday and every Thursday night during the holidays until 9pm so that you can stop by after work and shop at your convenience while enjoying a warm beverage and some tasty treats.

Saturday, December 15th - MANO Imports Trunk Show
Shop this ONE DAY ONLY from this amazing selection of beautiful textiles and 'Santos' hand-crafted in Guatemala. We will have Cafecito's famous 'Chocolate Mexicano' and Mexican Wedding Cookies on hand to enjoy while shopping.

Our 2nd Annual Holiday Open House TONIGHT - December 6th

2007-12-06T11:50:00.000-08:00

Please come by tonight between 6-9pm for some festive Holiday Cheer, refreshments, music and fun-filled shopping! We will host our 2nd Holiday Open House tonight at our store and throughout our Gold Coast Center, the other stores in the center will also be open until 9pm. We will also host a very special trunk show of MADONNA ARTS by local artisan Jean York. You can view Jean's work on her website www.madonnaarts.com. Also, if you would like to help local families in need this holiday please bring a non-perishable food item to donate for the Encinitas Community Resource Center's 25th Annual Holiday Baskets Drive. We will also have a special gift with purchases of $10 or more of a charming hand-painted Christmas tree ornament from Oaxaca. See you tonight!

Our last appearance at The Hillcrest Farmer's Market for 2007

2007-11-30T14:37:00.000-08:00

Don't miss us this Sunday, December 2nd at the famous Hillcrest Farmer's Market. We will only be there once for the entire month of December so if this is where you usually visit us please make sure to stop by. We have lots of new arrivals from our last trip to Central Mexico: hand-crafted and hand-painted tin mirrors and wall accessories from San Miguel de Allende, lots of amazing milagros art pieces from Morelia, our ever-popular floral belt buckles set in resin from Mexico City, fabulous Mexican iconic 'kitsch' jewelry and fashion accessories, and more! Come get a head start on your holiday shopping. All registered customers receive a special offer - $5.00 OFF your purchase of $50.00 or more and $10.00 OFF your purchase of $100.00 or more. See you Sunday!

Seeing Red! (tags that is)

2007-11-26T10:04:00.001-08:00

For those of you who were not able to make it to our Holiday Sale this past weekend there are still lots of RED tags left on SALE merchandise which is anywhere from 30-90% off their original prices. Come in soon before they're all gone as this is a great way to start your holiday shopping - with an incredibly unique gift that you actually saved $$$ on! Everything from selected pottery to jewelry to milagros pieces and much, much, more!!!

Upcoming Events

2007-11-15T17:32:00.000-08:00

Don't miss these:
*17th Annual Encinitas Poinsettia Festival - Sunday, November 18th 9a-4p on Coast Highway 101 in Downtown Encinitas
* Our 2nd Annual HOLIDAY SALE - Friday, November 23rd - Sunday, November 25th
Select merchandise marked down 30-90% OFF original price!
*South Park Walkabout - Saturday, December 1st 6-10pm
Stroll through this great neighborhood event that promotes local merchants. Visit our 'satellite location' at The Grove on 30th & Juniper.
*Hillcrest Farmer's Market - Sunday, December 2nd 9a-1p
San Diego's best Farmer's Market and Open Aire Bazaar. Lincoln & Normal Streets (park in DMV parking lot).
*Annual HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE - Thursday, December 6th from 6-9pm. Enjoy holiday festivities and food while shopping. Special additional discount for registered customers for this ONE night only.
*LEUCADIA NIGHTS & LIGHT UP LEUCADIA- Friday, December 7th from 6-9pm. Stroll down North Coast Highway 101 and visit local merchants while enjoying 'Light Up Leucadia'.
*LADIES WHO LAUNCH INCUBATOR SERIES - Wed, Nov 28th - Tues, Dec 18th (3 Wednesdays and 1 Tuesday). This is an AMAZING women's networking group that we will be hosting an incubator for during this time. Visit www.ladieswholaunch.com/incubator-workshops.cfm/IncID/57 for details.

Always something new in San Miguel!

2007-11-15T17:22:00.000-08:00

When we started traveling to San Miguel in 2002 I had never been to Central Mexico before. Now, 5 years later and who only know how many trips I am always searching for something I have not yet seen to discover and do! This trip I was on my own for a lot of the time while Charles was working so I had a lot of 'excursion' time to hunt and search for new resources as well as new inspiration. There are always new stores, restaurants, and galleries popping up in San Miguel every 6 months we visit there. This trip I was sad to see one of our favorite restaurants (Azafran) no longer there and replaced with a new trendy spot. I spent additional time in the 'Mercado de Artesanias' this trip where I discovered a source for something special I have been hunting for - this truly is my joy - the hunt and aquisition of new artisans creating something beautiful for us to bring back to our customers.

An afternoon with master tinsmith 'Chilo'

2007-11-15T17:11:00.000-08:00

Spending time with 'Chilo' (Cecilio) is always an adventure for me while in San Miguel. Chilo does not speak very much English and I speak 'un poco' of Espanol (I end up using added hand gestures and facial expressions to get my point across). Jose who works in Chilo's tallere speaks some English and attempts to be a translator but it doesn't always translate exactly. Regardless, I always am amazed at his talleres' craftmanship and creativity. Sergio took me to the tienda's upstairs tallere where Jose and some of the other artisans were hand-painting the beautiful tin we do so well with at our store. It is always fasciniating to see how much additional work is put into the finished product. Usually several layers of paint are used to achieve their gorgoeus aged looks in their 'El Nido' mirrors and to see them apply by hand gold and silver leaf is incredible. I brought back several new hearts and crosses from the tallere for our customers and ordered more of the beautiful 'El Nido' mirrors that consistently charm us. We hope when we take our first 'Aesthetyx Experience' tour to San Miguel (slated for August 2008) to spend a day in both of Chilo's talleres so our customers can see and appreciate all of the hand-crafted work that goes into every one of a kind piece.

Feria 'Maestros del Arte' Show in Lake Chapala

2007-11-15T16:44:00.000-08:00

We were so enchanted by the towns of Lake Chapala and Ajijic just 45 minutes outside of Guadalajara. We had heard about this fairly new show called 'Maestros del Arte' that would showcase many of the famous 'Great Masters of Mexican Folk Art' from the original Banamex exhibition as well as other extremely talented artisans from states ranging from Jalisco to Michoacan, to Oaxaca, and more. The event was held at the Lake Chapala Yacht Club and was a gorgeous day to shop! This was a very well organized event that really celebrated the artisans and gave them a venue to sell their artwork to many enthusiastic and eager customers. Next year we plan on hosting one of our 'Aesthetyx Experience' tours in conjunction with this show as we feel our customers who thoroughly enjoy meeting the artisans and shopping directly from them, just like we do!

La Forteleza & Los Abuelos Tequila

2007-11-15T16:33:00.000-08:00

If you are a tequila connoisseur you must try the new specialty line of tequila 'La Forteleza' by 5th generation Sauza, Guillermo Erickson Sauza . It is a delicious line of tequila that comes in Blanco, Reposado, and Anejo and is packaged in a gorgeous glass bottle with a top that looks like the 'pina' of the agave plant (the part where the liquor is extracted from after it is roasted). Saludos!

Excursion to Tequila, Jalisco

2007-11-15T16:21:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday Charles & I had one true 'Mexican Adventure'! We headed to the town of Tequila, 1 hour oustide of Guadalajara to visit the Sauza Family Museum and 'La Vila' - the beautiful agave plantation of friend Guillermo Erickson Sauza who is the 5th generation of Sauza's still making tequila the old fashioned way. The 'adventure' part was the movie-like bus ride to Tequila (which was not our original plan but we were on a tight schedule). The bus took twice as long to get us there but it was worth the ride. We were taken on a tour of the Sauza Family museum in the main square and then walked to 'La Vila' where agave and bougainvillea great you at every angle and rustic stone arches and cobblestone walkways pave your way. The original distillery is on this magnificent property and Charles & I were fortunate enough to get a tour of it. We also saw the 'cava' (cave) where the finished tequila barrels are stored, very fasciniting!

Special Rememberance this Dia

2007-11-15T16:15:00.000-08:00

Earlier this year Charles and I lost 'Papa Chuck' (Charles' father) and it has been hard knowing he is no longer physically present with us. I especially looked forward to Dia de los Muertos this year as I wanted to do something special in his honor. Papa Chuck was our 'honoree' at the head of our community altar and I think he really enjoyed the Fiesta. We made sure we left out some of his favorite things for him to enjoy- Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream and a bottle of Jack Daniel's. I embrace the beauty of this celebration because it truly honors those who have passed in a very reverend manner which I personally feel is so enlightened.

Sticky Sugar Skulls!

2007-11-15T16:10:00.000-08:00

This year thanks to Sandra who volunteered to make the famous 'royal icing' we had 10 fabulous colors of icing to decorate the sugar skulls with. Sandra, thanks for taking time to make all of the batches - everyone thoroughly enjoyed making a big colorful mess, especially the kids! Next year our goal is to offer Sugar Skull Making classes before Dia de los Muertos for groups with kids since it's SO much fun!!!!

Katrina's Competition!

2007-11-15T16:07:00.000-08:00

Our customer Pat Ward really knows how to dress it up! Pat came to our event decked out in her fabulous hat hand-made to look just like Posada's famous 'Katrina'. Next year I think we should have Katrina hat contest, thanks for the inspiration Pat!

Dia de los Muertos Celebration Highlights

2007-11-15T15:28:00.000-08:00

We are so glad so many of you came out on November 2nd, the true 'Dia de los Muertos' for our celebration 'La Dulce de la Vida' (the sweetness of life). We are especially grateful to all of you who participated in our community ofrenda (altar offering). It made is so special to see so many of our customers' loved ones honored on our altar. For those of you who we didn't get to say 'Adios' to we kept all of the mementoes if you would like them back otherwise we will continue to collect them and put them out again next year.

aesthetyx voted Best of San Diego Magazine 2007!

2007-06-19T11:47:00.000-07:00

Aesthetyx is proud to announce that we were selected as
'The BEST of San Diego'
by San Diego Magazine, June 2007
visit www.sandiegomagazine.com and click on the photo of "The Best of San Diego' cover on the Home page and scroll to pg. 2 about half way down to read their review. You can also pick up a copy of the magazine and we are on pg. 114 botttom right corner.
We were thrilled to hear the news and will strive to continue to be The BEST!

aesthetyX blog

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aesthetyX eXperience No. 1: 2010 - An African Evening

Looking forward to 2010

December Holiday Sale

The Day of the Virgin de Guadalupe

Thoughtful Giving

Our Day of the Dead

Happy Days of the Dead!

An Invitation from aesthetyX and Institute of the Americas

Fair Trade Month

Dedicated to Sustainable Development

New Sculptures and Designs by Roberto!

Acholi Beads and aesthetyX- a Big Hit Together!

Acholi Beads Trunk Show at aesthetyX

Elephant Paintings by an Elephant!

SPIRAL Foundation is Back!

What it Means to be a Socially Responsible Business

Evolving To Fair Trade

Friends to Build a Nest

Buen Viaje

Aesthetyx Summer Solstice Sale

Celebrating World Fair Trade Day!

April = Environmental Month

Barro Sin Plomo and Aesthetyx- Working Together

A Big Change for 2009

Give Gifts that Give Back

NOVEMBER NEWS

3rd Annual Dia de los Muertos Fiesta - Saturday, November 1st

Leucadia Nights

Little Italy Festa This Weekend!

Upcoming Events with Aesthetyx!

Don't Miss our First 'Aesthetyx Artisan Exposed Series' showcasing local artist Annika Nelson

Viva! Verde (live green) in honor of Earth Day

Aesthetyx 'La Tiendita' at The Grove Opening!

Returning to SMA (San Miguel de Allende)

Meet San Miguel Master Tinsmith Cecilio Hernandez 'Chilo'

Good Friday and Easter Celebrations San Miguel Style

Aesthetyx Experience No. 1

Greetings from Guadalajara - No.2

Greetings from Guadalajara - No.1

Aesthetyx Experience No. 1

Upcoming January Events

Christmas Thoughts

2 More Days to shop for Christmas!

Holiday Events starting this Thursday, December 20th

Don't Miss Sweet 15 Quinceanera @ The San Diego Repertory Theater!

Holiday Events starting this Thursday, December 13th

Our 2nd Annual Holiday Open House TONIGHT - December 6th

Our last appearance at The Hillcrest Farmer's Market for 2007

Seeing Red! (tags that is)

Upcoming Events

Always something new in San Miguel!

An afternoon with master tinsmith 'Chilo'

Feria 'Maestros del Arte' Show in Lake Chapala

La Forteleza & Los Abuelos Tequila

Excursion to Tequila, Jalisco

Special Rememberance this Dia

Sticky Sugar Skulls!

Katrina's Competition!

Dia de los Muertos Celebration Highlights

aes*the*tyx voted Best of San Diego Magazine 2007!

aesthetyx voted Best of San Diego Magazine 2007!