Krrb Blog, Neighborly living

Can someone make me an Old Fashioned?

After a long hiatus, Mad Men is back with its fifth season. And while wiggle skirts are out, a stiff drink is always in fashion. I’m eyeing this beautiful cocktail set ($125) for our living room. The chrome and wood caddy is a perfect blend of the changing times in the 1960s.

I’m thinking this set (complete with ice trays and original glass stirrer) is ideal for our Mad Men viewing party. We’ll stay up in the late hours of the night discussing Matthew Weiner’s take on Rolling Stones, the race riots, and the Vietnam War over vodka gimlets.

If you’re also looking to add some history to your home, pick up this cocktail set on Park Slope Vintage’s Krrb corner in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Oliver Jeffers is a kid at heart. Photo: Timeoutnewyorkkids.com

From the Berenstains Bears to The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the art of storytelling is really about reaching to the inner child in all of us. On the most basic level, children books break down the life lessons that shape who we become – the good ones at least! Read over and over again, certain childhood books fuel the fire on inspiration and curiosity. We asked children’s book author and friend of Krrb Oliver Jeffers for the five children books on his required reading list.

Keep an eye on Oliver Jeffer’s Krrb corner to see his latest projects and read on for Oliver’s favorite reads below …

Even if you don't have a green thumb, this air plant requires minimal upkeep.

Welcome to “Quick Picks” where we scour Krrb for remarkable finds and amazing pieces guided by just one word. Today’s word: Bloom! …

Last minute prep at the Dekalb Market yielded smashing results.

Krrb HQ has been buzzing with activity lately. Maybe it’s the warm weather that’s got us jumping or maybe it’s just the fact that we’ve had the opportunity to partner with some truly great folks recently. Whatever it is, it’s been a blast.

This past weekend found us working with Domino and The North Brooklyn Merchants Association to help put on Shop, Drop & Drink featuring a weekend’s worth of amazing deals from many of the incredible merchants who populate the biggest borough in the biggest city in the United States. We are always up for getting to know our neighbors a bit better—especially when those neighbors include the likes of Hickoree’s, In God We Trust, Bird, A&G Merch and Momofuku Milk Bar. The weather was beautiful and the deals were hot and New York came out in full force. …

Mike takes his love for illustrations (and for his lovely wife Jenna) to another level.

The first grasp of a Pat the Bunny book can spark a love of reading in a child. The power of children’s literature is so strong that it begins before the mind is capable of reading and when the focus is on the illustrations. The details of well-loved children’s book become ingrained in us and continue to provoke the imagination into adulthood. We asked children’s book illustrator Mike Herrod for the five quintessential children books on his bookshelf. Be sure to check out the My Carrot Industries Krrb corner for prints of Mike Herrod’s illustrations …

Some of the letterpress samples that decorate the tiny Purgatory Pie Press studio.

The tiny work studio in Tribeca, NYC that houses Purgatory Pie Press is a throwback to simpler times. The manual elevator is only accessible at odd hours, the air smells of ink and inside the studio is a comfortable peace due to the lack of computers whirring. Esther K. Smith and her husband Dikko Faust each work in their corners, collaborating at times. Dikko uses a letterpress and hand-sets wood and metal type while Esther designs and stitches books. We sat down with Esther to get a one-on-one lesson on the craft of binding books. You can check Esther’s handmade creations and her books on Purgatory Pie Press’s Krrb corner …

Is there anything better than a picnic on a sunny day?

As part of a series called 5 Easy Pieces, we’ll be gathering our favorite upcycled, re-purposed, vintage, and handmade stuff from around the web for you to buy or make yourself. So stay tuned for quick lists of 5 must-haves and get ready to wish you had thought of that …

The Krrb Container at the Dekalb Market, stocked full with rotating merch from Jane Borock, aka Jane Plantain.

The Dekalb Market is back for another sunny season full of unique shops in awesome shipping containers, food vendors, and live entertainment and the celebration begins with Spring Weekender this Saturday and Sunday. Krrb is joining in on the fun with our very own Krrb Container, and we’re working with seller and curator extraordinaire, Jane Plantain and her rotating collection of vintage finds. Check back as we introduce other Krrb sellers in the shop and as our Krrb Container corner rapidly develops. Follow Jane on twitter for up-to-the-minute goings on at the Dekalb Market.

There will be plenty to see and do this kickoff weekend with a local beer and wine garden, crafting and gardening workshops, live music and an Easter egg hunt! Stay tuned to Krrb to preview the goods from more than 40 shops and food vendors before you head out this weekend and all weeks to come.

Get a sneak peak of some the Dekalb Market shops

More than just a shopping destination, it's also a gathering place to eat, booze and listen to tunes.

Kira Kira Jewelry | An Etsy Art Assembly | Brooklyn Lime Green | Hot Trash Vintage | Grumpy Bert | Honeysuckle and Hearts | Hank and Jojo | Ebb and Flow | Love of Pretty | Eleanor’s

The Dekalb Market is open 7 days a week at 138 Willoughby Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Full schedule at Dekalb Market.

Photo: Guillaumegaudet.photoshelter.com

It’s no argument that Williamsburg is a thriving neighborhood brimming with creative people and shops. It’s why we teamed up with Northside Merchants Association and Domino Brooklyn to provide Shop, Drop, and Drink — a mobile shopping experience on Saturday, April 7. Find out more about Williamsburg’s finest vendors and their shopping and drinking habits, and check out a selection of our favorite picks from each. If you can’t wait till Saturday to start shopping, preview the goods here: krrb.com/shop-drop-drink …

Cynthia of Retro Schmetro, holding guard at her stoop sale in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.

Meet Cynthia Tirado, the woman behind RetroSchmetro, your one-stop shop for all things vintage and kitsch. Need a seashell covered salt and pepper shaker? How about an Elvis bust table lamp? Head on over to Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn and while you’re there, ask Cynthia about her vintage sewing patterns and (scary) dolls from the turn of last century. If you’re one of the lucky few to get a glimpse of her home, you’ll see that her entire apartment is her warehouse, stocked with merch, waiting to be unloaded during stoop sale season. You’ll get lost in the row, upon row of knick-knack and bric-a-brac, were everything, literally, is for sale. The only open space is in her kitchen were she likes to bake scrumptious cupcakes for her customers.

So if you are a chronic stoop sale shopper, get over there because Cynthia’s sales are epic. She’ll be doing them monthly so stay tuned to her Krrb corner to find out the exact dates …

This rare Lady Manhattan dress is the perfect summer white.

As part of the series called The Hot Corner, we’ll be featuring Krrb corners that catch our eye with their well-curated inventory. Whether it’s upcycled, secondhand, vintage or handmade, be sure to see for yourself why we think these Krrbsters have it going on. …

These timeless pieces are just calling for a dinner party.

My cupboard is a mix of chipped Ikea plates, plastic mixing bowls and hand-me-down serving ware. I rely on my cooking skills to distract company from the unsightly dishes I use to present food. I’m inspired by this Russel Wright Mid-century modern serving set to make some changes.

The clean lines and soft shape of the oval bowl, dish, and serving platter set ($95) offer a platform for my culinary masterpieces. This 1940s vintage collection from Steubenville is a timeless investment for any kitchen.

If you’re also looking to upgrade your kitchen with style, check out this Mid-century modern serving set on Salyarcht’s Krrb corner in Evanston, Illinois.

Printer ink is never cheap. Take advantage of Brooke's overstock. Photo: Krrb.com/thisisauthentic

Welcome to “Quick Picks” where we scour Krrb for remarkable finds and amazing pieces guided by just one word. Today’s word: Ink! …

Use industrial pieces to organize your book collection.

As part of a series called 5 Easy Pieces, we’ll be gathering our favorite upcycled, re-purposed, vintage, and handmade stuff from around the web for you to buy or make yourself. So stay tuned for quick lists of 5 must-haves and get ready to wish you had thought of that …

Cover some ground this weekend. Photo: Photo-dictionary.com

It’s Friday and we can’t wait to unchain ourselves from our desks and get out and about. Weekend Wanderer is a series that you’ll find every Friday morning featuring a few activities we’d like to explore. Check them out for yourself or do something in your neck of the woods. Either way, just get out and wander. …