What does Labor Day mean anyway?

I found a lot of different answers to this question on my quest to see what it means anymore.  To those who are unemployed, it's just another day off in a string of days off.   To those who work in retail it's just another day to work, no day off.  Seems to me there's not much to celebrate anymore with labor unions becoming a thing of the past as well.  But Labor day is the Ecrater Stores Network scavenger hunters theme this week, so this is what I found:  In the late 1880s labor organizations campaigned state legislatures to recognize labor with a state holiday in which New York was to be the first to declare it a state holiday in 1887. Congress made it a national holiday in 1894.  I saw some differing opinions on these statistics, but this is the one I chose.

Growing up labor day meant the start of school, and since it is always on the first Monday in Sept.  it was a 3 day week-end as well.  We had cookouts and played badminton, went to parades and celebrated the ending of summer.  Although the first day of Autumn isn't until Sept. 22nd. But that's what we did.  When I became an adult and worked it was a day off from the day job and I usually cleaned my house or cleaned out cupboards or closets.  I've labored for a loooong time! These days the "day" itself doesn't mean much to me, but "labor" does.   The paycheck is mighty nice, but labor also means to me commitment, belonging, responsibility, community, purpose, and gratitude that I do have a job in this troubling economy.

At Le Petit Marché I labor to get to get my listings on, take decent photos of the items I have for sale and to accurately describe the items.   And I bet the artist who painted this Russian Khokhloma Mini Decorative Spoon did it with a labor of love for his craft.  

Work is Winding Down

How the summer does fly by!  I got a temporary job just for the summer which I started April 30th in a real estate office, it sure has been fun and I learned a lot about real estate and the market, yay, another paragraph of knowledge on my resumé!  They'll keep me on for 3 hours a day through September then they're cutting me loose.  I'll sure miss it here, it's quiet, peaceful and I did get to work on my store quite a bit, write this blog, email friends and reflect on life.  This was the best full time job I ever had!  I'll have a few weeks hanging out at home before I head back to university at the end of Oct. to work as a part time temp in the College of Music as a graduate program assistant, which I've done since 2004 and will work there through mid April.  Another fun job as I get to help professors set up auditions for the applicants, and I get to meet (mostly through email) applicants from all over the world answering their questions and sending information about our graduate programs.  Our office is right down the hall from Grusin Music Hall so we get to hear a lot of singing and instrument playing and in the winter they'll  have mini concerts at lunch.  I like being on campus, keeps me young!  On my few weeks off I'm contemplating heading back east to Pennsylvania to see my mom and brothers but geez, the airfare is outrageous!  I'll have to rethink that and maybe just stay at home and shop and work on the store.  I added some cool Doc Martens boots recently and some awfully cool genie slippers, just in time for Halloween and theme parties.  So come on over to Le Petit Marché and see if anything jump starts your imagination.

Doc Martens Light Brown 1460 Boot 

Doc Martens Tan Denim Style Boots

Naughty Monkey Beaded Pink Flats

Vintage Genie Slippers

Tasty Chilled Sangria for Summer

There's nothing like a nice chilled sangria for a summer party and the theme at ESN this week is "cool beverage".   Back in college we used to make huge metal tubs of the stuff for our parties and used a ladle to scoop it into our plastic cups.  There's tons of recipes on how to make it, and I don't remember exactly how we made it back then, but my tastes are a bit more sophisticated (or so I'd like to think!) these days so I don't drink from metal tubs anymore either.  I like to serve it in lovely clear pitchers so all the colorful fruit and liquor shines through brightly.  Le Petit Marche has a lovely Italian Wine Decanter for sale for your next fancy party. And I've included 2 Sangria recipes if you'd like to give it a try!  Look at the differences and the similarities of the two.

Italian Crystal Wine Decanter

 From Emeril Lagasse

 Ingredients

• 1 (750-ml) bottle red wine
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1/4 cup orange flavored liqueur (recommended: triple sec or Grand Marnier)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 orange, thinly sliced
• 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1 unwaxed apple, cored, and cut into thin wedges
• 1 (750-ml) bottle sparkling water, chilled

Directions

Combine everything but the sparkling water in a large plastic container or glass pitchers. Cover and chill completely, 1 to 2 hours. When ready to serve, add the sparkling water. 

From Bobby Flay

Ingredients

• 2 bottles red Spanish table wine
• 1 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup triple sec
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 1/2 cup simple syrup, or more to taste (equal parts sugar and water, heated until sugar dissolves, cooled)
• Orange slices
• Apple slices
• Blackberries
• Pomegranate seeds

Directions

Mix all ingredients together and let stand in a tightly sealed container or pitcher for at least 24 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

It's Spring, unpack the Shorts!

I've been busy at my new job, you've all experienced "the new job" once in your life at least, I'm sure.  You're exhausted by the end of the day learning all the new stuff and meeting all the new people and trying to remember everything.  I could barely make dinner most of the time after I got home.  I just wanted a few glasses of wine, and veg out in front of the television. But Monday I start my 4th week at work, and I'm getting more comfortable. So with a renewed sense of commitment and camaraderie I am back!  This week's  ESN theme is simply "shorts".  Normally this would not be so hard, but not a single person on ESN has any shorts.  What's with frogs and shorts?  Is there a shortage (is that an almost pun??) of them?  There's tons of shirts, scarves, shawls, sarongs, dresses and other clothing type stuff.  My supplier of Barbie doll clothes didn't send me any shorts, and we all know Barbie's got killer legs, she looks great in shorts! Le Petit Marche however, has a great assortment of sandals that would go great with shorts.  Have a look at these:

Kim Rogers Gold Color Flat Sandals - Size 8 1/2 - 9

impo Black Sandal - Size 8 1/2 M

impo Multi-Colored Sandal - Size 8 1/2 M 

  

And if you want to be more casual, here's a cool pair of Converse One Star Red Canvas Shoes great for just about any occasion where shorts are involved.

The closest thing I found to shorts on ESN was absolutely nothing!  But it is spring, and summer is just around the corner so that means lots of birds and butterflies and I found this really cool baseball cap at Embroidery Fashions Boutique that says summer and is a great way to keep the sun off your face while out in your garden, shopping or just taking a walk about the neighborhood.  She has several colors, check them out.

Womens Custom Embroidered Monarch Butterfly Pink Hat