Almost just as soon as Bearaby collaborated with Whalebone on opening a pop-up shop in NYC’s West Village, they are shutting it down again. The shop, where you can explore the brand signature hand-knit blankets and sensory pillows first-hand, is helping shoppers take a breather during one of the most stressful days of the year.Β
From today until the end of Cyber Monday, Bearaby is working toΒ #WeightOutBlackFriday,Β giving consumers a chance to pause amid a chaotic season by shutting the physical location and creating a relaxing web page where browsers can “collect rest”. The evidence is clear.Β Bearaby-funded research conducted in partnership with Duke University found that Black Friday is one of the most stressful days of the year, with heightened anxiety and an increase of calls to crisis and mental health helplines.
At its Bleecker Street location, BearabyΒ invites visitors and passersby for a moment of rest in the form of a cozy bench, covered in the sustainable cotton used for the brandβs patented weighted blankets. A sensory βrestometerβ will total up the amount of rest the bench collects, serving as a reminder to recharge during this busy season.
To further shine a light on the importance of collective mental well-being,Β BearabyΒ is making donation to NAMI,Β the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nationβs largest grassroots mental health organization, for every minute spent having a moment of rest.
Casita Mariaβs Fiesta! was held for the first time since the pandemic in New York Cityβs Plaza Hotel on October 11. The event honored Latino groundbreakers such as Puerto Rican Postwar and Contemporary artist Tony Bechara, chairman of the NBCUniversal New Group, Cesar Conde; and immigration rights leader Gaby Pacheco.
As the son of immigrants, Cesar Conde took to the stage with gratitude for both Casita Maria and his parents. βThey always taught us, the one thing in life that no one could ever take away from you is your education,β Conde recalled. βThe work that Casita Maria is doing in educating and empowering our youth and opening up all those opportunities in life for them, that is the work that is priceless,β he marveled. Tony Bechara expressed the same sentiment noting, βI want to thank Casita Maria because many, many years ago, waves of compatriots of mine from Puerto Rico were arriving here in New York looking for a better life. New York being the beacon of hope. There was no one to help them. Casita Maria filled that void. They were the first to do it.β
For desert, we indulged in a few pastries. To start we had a fluffy brioche slice filled with a passionfruit sauce, the perfect sugar kick for anyone with a sweet tooth. Next up was the Green Tea Scone which was full of white chocolate that was flavorful but not overpowering; a great pair for tea. Lastly, it was only right to close off on a classic chocolate chip cookie that was crunchy in all the right places.
