show pony magazine

Lissy Elle On Flickr, fascination, and finding adventure in the everyday.

INSPIRATION for the CREATIVE ENTREPRENEUR

A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO TRADEMARKING FOR INDEPENDENT BUSINESS

OUR FAVORITE SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY

“ foodie top 5” cafe guide to montreal

support your local, radical, lesbian potter

OU

R PREM

IERE ISSU

E - APR

IL 2012

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I once heard it said that there are two types of people in business: the workhorses and the show ponies. The workhorses put their heads down and struggle toward their goals, resigned to a long, grueling trek. The show ponies, on the other hand, confidently trot out their accomplishments and their cleverness for anyone who will listen. One is too modest; the other too boastful.

Here at Show Pony Magazine, we believe the most inspiring entrepreneur falls somewhere in the middle: the driven, business-savvy individual who makes a living doing work they love. It’s the BBQ chef who transforms a tiny Chicago rib joint into a neighborhood hot spot. It’s the pottery artisans who blend traditional techniques and local materials into unforgettable pieces. It’s the doll maker who sells her whimsical creations and the painter with commissioned works.

These are the kinds of people you’ll meet in our pages. Not multimillionaire CEOs, not hedge-fund managers, not self-proclaimed business gurus, but creative entrepreneurs who have turned their vision into a livelihood. Of course, they’re too busy being amazing artists and living their passion to be boastful show ponies, but, as you’ll see, their work clearly deserves to be celebrated.

That’s where Show Pony comes in.

Whether you dream of opening a diner, starting a fashion line, or pursuing your creativity some other way, you’ll meet trailblazing entrepreneurs who have turned their artistic talent into thriving business. Hear their stories. Learn how they did it. Avoid their mistakes.

Think of it as part education, part inspiration.

Of course, it’s also a community. Every small-business owner faces challenges, and sometimes the thing that keeps you going is just hearing someone else say, “Hey, I’ve been there too, and I got through it.” The more we support each other, the more we empower ourselves as artists.

Those aren’t just empty words. This inaugural issue would not have been possible without the blood, sweat, and tears of like-minded artists and visionaries. We look forward to cultivating that same support system for you. (Not to mention introducing you to amazing small businesses all around the country where you can shop, dine, and be inspired.)

So, explore these pages. Get to know some kindred spirits. Reach out and tell us what you think. Above all, keep pursuing your creative dreams.

Because true joy isn’t about just making a living; it’s about making a life.

REBECCA HILLEditor-in-Chief/ Director of Photography

[email protected]

ABOUT US/PUBLISHER’S LETTER

Photo by Ala Cortez

SHOW PONY MAGAZINE 1

4 Built on a Solid FoundationTina Carter and Aaron Brouwer share how their love of climbing, family and one another, allowed them to build a thriving restaurant.

13 Finding the Beauty in the Unruly & Imperfect Michelle Scott takes us on a journey through the mysteries of her grandfather’s film, and her adventure of a lifetime.

30 Shop Local Our independent business guide to our favorite establishments in The Coachella Valley.

62 Lissy Elle On Flickr, fascination, and finding adventure in the everyday.

90 First Person with Sonia RoselliHow do you proceed if your bank rescinds your small business loan? Makeup artist Sonia Roselli rose to the challenge and opened her doors anyway.

100 Mister Wagner’s Neighborhood Honky Tonk chef brings championship BBQ and down-home hospitality to Chicago.

108 Foodie Top Five: MontrealPublisher and photographer Chantelle Grady gives us a tour of her favorite Montreal Cafes.

50 Handmade Home Venice California based artist Alison Frey uses vintage materials and organic dyes to create a handmade and heartfelt home.

SHOW PONY CONTENTS

Inside ShowPonyMag.com

The Women of Guatemala: From Artisan to Entrepreneur

Read more

One Love Organics: Learn More About the Founding Partners

Read more

2 SHOW PONY MAGAZINE

11

11

Rebecca HillEditor-in-Chief/

Director of Photography [email protected]

David CenkoArt Director

[email protected]

Kylie SigProducer

[email protected]

Jeff EdsellWeb Developer

[email protected]

Scott BeachLegal & Public Policy Editor

[email protected]

Jenna BaltesMakeup Artist www.jennabaltes.com

Aaron BrouwerPhotography www.vraiphoto.com

Tina CarterPhotography www.vraiphoto.com

Chantelle GradyPhotography www.chantellegrady.com

Chad HusarPhotography www.husarphotography.com

Jeremy LawsonPhotography www.jeremylawsonphotography.com

Arlene MatthewsFashion Editor www.kitthis.com

Brooke O’NeillWriter www.brookeoneill.com

Christina DurktonWriter

Lissy EllePhotography www.lissyelle.com

Brandon FreinFashion Editor www.kitthis.com

Michelle ScottPhotography www.michellescottart.com

Steve SurrattPhotography

SHOW PONY CONTRIBUTORS

A special thanks to all those who made this issue possible

WANT TO BE A SHOW PONY CONTRIBUTOR?

Contact Kylie at

submit@ showponymag.com


BUILT ON


FOUNDATION

A SOLID

}TINA CARTER AND AARON BROUWER SHARE HOW THEIR LOVE OF CLIMBING, FAMILY AND ONE ANOTHER,

ALLOWED THEM TO BUILD A THRIVING RESTAURANT.

Photography by Tina Carter & Aaron Brouwer

When did you begin rock climbing?

We both started rock climbing in 1995 in a little gym in Naperville, Illinois. Ironically, we both started climbing at the same time in the same gym but never met!

Can you explain the difference between rock and mountain climbing?

Rock climbing involves technical climbing up rock faces and cliffs as opposed to climbing or hiking up the side of a mountain.

Did your desire to incorporate climbing into your life influence your decision to open a business?

Our love of climbing and being a part of the climbing community brought the need for more restaurant variety to our attention. These elements inspired us to open the Rockhouse.

We also wanted to bring a passion for good food to an

In what ways did climbing change your life?

Climbing changed our lives, that is a perfect way to say it. Climbing has inspired us and given us confidence in ourselves. It has enhanced our love of the outdoors and fostered community and friendships. Through climbing we have also learned to challenge our fears, build fitness, strength, and of course, it is how we met!

impoverished area of eastern Kentucky. There are many great local farmers and we wanted to bring the local farming community to their own people. We hope to encourage our customers to eat in a farm to table way.

How did you fund opening the restaurant?

We had a private investor who funded the entire operation and to whom we are very grateful!


}‘‘CLIMBING HAS INSPIRED US AND

GIVEN US CONFIDENCE IN OURSELVES. IT HAS ENHANCED OUR LOVE

OF THE OUTDOORS AND FOSTERED COMMUNITY

AND FRIENDSHIPS.”


What was the catalyst for opening the restaurant?

Our daughter was a main catalyst for opening the restaurant. We wanted to raise her in an area where she will get more nature in her life, and where we can get out and climb regularly as a family. We want to raise her in a climbing community that we love.

What aspect of the local community made you choose to open your business in Campton?

The Red River Gorge is world renowned for its climbing and hiking. Although its resources are highly sought after, there is very little development and it is generally very poor. Most people will not invest in the area because of the risk, but we saw this as an opportunity to provide some variety, good food, and beer.

We wanted a place that people coming from around the world would like to enjoy after climbing or on rest days.

we know it is a recession, everyone needs to eat and when you are out of town, you are less likely to want to cook. Opening a restaurant in a low competition, destination area seemed like a good idea. The Red River Gorge has only grown in its tourism since the recession as people have stayed closer to home for vacations. It is a seasonal business but the winter is a good time to rest and recoup. Having the experience of being wedding photographers has prepared us for winter breaks.

Did becoming parents influence your choice to build a life in Kentucky?

Becoming parents definitely influenced our decision to move out of the city of Chicago and to small town Kentucky. We wanted a slower pace life for our daughter and for ourselves as well.

Describe your experience opening a restaurant at the peak of the recession.

Opening a restaurant was a huge leap of faith. We were so blessed to be supported by our good friend Chad who invested in us. Though


How has your business been received by the community and existing business in the area?

The Rockhouse has been well received in the area. We have really tried to reach out to everyone and welcome them into our establishment. We let people know that we are excited to be a part of this community, and our intention is not take anything away from it. Being the new kids in town, we did get a little skepticism but I think we are winning all the local hearts. We purposely offer foods different than what is already being offered to bring variety. This ensures that we do not compete with the great businesses that are already firmly established in the hearts of this community.

What was the greatest challenge in opening the restaurant?

One of the greatest challenges to opening was redoing the entire building, design, and construction ourselves. Aaron, Rob and August, spent months tearing out the walls, ceilings and some framing to create the final layout that Aaron envisioned for the Rockhouse. We reused every bit of material as

How has the restaurant contributed to the community you serve?

The restaurant has helped the community in many ways. We work with several local farms to get our pork, beef, cheese, flour and vegetables. We provide jobs for climbers and locals in town for the season. We also have live music from local bluegrass bands to support the local arts, and we used Many Moons Designs amazing reclaimed Kentucky barn wood tables and counters.

How may jobs have you created?

We have created about a dozen jobs and more to come as we grow!

well to make it more eco-friendly. They took down a shed and reused the wood for the trim, bar and wall accents. They raised the ceilings to give more space and put in skylights to give more natural light. Aaron designed the deck to incorporate the current landscape and the boys built the entire thing.

What has been the greatest reward of opening Rockhouse?

The greatest reward is serving our community and all the great people we get to meet. Meeting people from all walks of life is so inspiring and a reward in itself. We are so excited to do what we can to give back to a community we love so much.

What do you hope the life you have chosen will give your daughter?

We hope this life gives her a sense of adventure: to take risks and do something inspired by your passions to provide for yourself and your family. She will have more than a mom and a dad, but a whole community of people looking out for her, teaching her and loving her.

Left to Right -- August Wasilowski, Rob Hrabik, John Mitchell, Tina Carter, Ayla, Audrey Robertson, Aaron BrouwerKatherine West

Red River Rockhouse4000 Route 11 - Campton, KYwww.redriverrockhouse.com


}‘‘WE HOPE THIS LIFE GIVES HER A

SENSE OF ADVENTURE: TO TAKE RISKS AND DO SOMETHING INSPIRED

BY YOUR PASSIONS TO PROVIDE FOR YOURSELF

AND YOUR FAMILY.”

Show Pony provides general information only. Show Pony does not guarantee the accuracy of this information. This is not legal advice. Show Pony is not responsible for any legal advice, information, or assistance that you may obtain by using the Show Pony website. You can only obtain legal advice from a lawyer. To contact a lawyer, use a referral system in your state.

ANSWER:

Hi Kim. I’m sorry to hear about your recent job loss. Managing the burdens of unemployment is never easy, and it’s particularly hard in this economy. But, seeing your new found freedom as an opportunity to become self-employed and start that business you’ve always dreamed of can also make this an exciting time. Having the extra cushion of unemployment compensation while you get started would obviously be a great help. Unfortunately, the short answer is that you are not allowed to collect unemployment if you are self-employed. Technically, you can even lose your benefits if you spend one hour a week working on starting a business.

In life and the law there are always exceptions though. In this case the exception is a little publicized, little used U.S. Department of Labor program called Self-Employment Assistance (SEA). Its purpose is to offer people who qualify for regular unemployment benefits the opportunity to focus on starting their own business instead of searching for another job. Like regular unemployment benefits, SEA is run through each state’s employment assistance office. Right now it is only a voluntary program – meaning individual states are not required under federal law to offer SEA. Currently only ten states have an SEA program: California, Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

QUESTION:

I recently lost my job and am eligible to collect unemployment. I have an idea for a small business I want to start and think this would be a good time for me to give it a try. Can I collect unemployment while I am putting all this together? - Kim Q

If you are fortunate enough to live in one of those states you can collect SEA if you are 1) eligible for regular unemployment compensation, 2) permanently laid off from a previous job, 3) identified as likely to exhaust unemployment compensation benefits, and 4) participate in self-employment activities

including entrepreneurial training, business counseling, and technical assistance. SEA benefits are the same amount and last the same number of weeks as your weekly unemployment compensation. However, SEA participants are not eligible for any of the recent emergency unemployment extensions or the permanent extended benefits. Most states offer 26 weeks of initial unemployment compensation,

so when choosing between SEA and regular unemployment compensation you should think about whether or not you can get by without those extended benefits.

If you want to pursue SEA you should ask your state employment assistance office when filing for unemployment or as soon after as possible. Even if your state is not listed above you should check since a number of states only added SEA recently and others may add programs at any time. Good luck!

If you would like Scott to answer your questions, please send an email to [email protected].

Scott Beach is a writer and consultant who specializes in public policy issues that effect small business owners.

Technically, you can even lose your

benefits if you spend one hour a week working on

starting a business

YOUR BUSINESS QUESTIONS ANSWEREDBY SCOTT BEACH


When Michelle Scott discovered her grandfather won the first Academy Award for documentary film making she was understandably intrigued. Uncovering the mysteries of his journey became the focus of her work and the adventure of a lifetime.

Photograph by Chad Husar

FINDING the BEAUTY in the

&

PHOTOGRAPHY by MICHELLE SCOTT

You are a painter and a

photographer. How did

you develop such a well-

rounded artistic sensibility

and technical skill set?

First, thanks for the

compliment! In my college

years, I made a conscious

decision that I would work

to develop my skills as an

artist. With that, it meant

being well-rounded not

only in my strong suit of

painting, but also being

open to new mediums that

inspired me.

Are you formally trained

in any of the disciplines

you practice?

Yes, I have formal training

with a BA from Kennesaw

State University in Georgia,

with a concentration in

painting and drawing.

I also completed extra

courses in photography

during this time, getting

me closer to a minor in

Photography. I continued

my education in the later

years with photography

seminars and classes to

keep my skill expanding in

the field.

Who / what most

influences your

aesthetic style?

As a painter, I was

most influenced by the

impressionism era; it is

where I fell in love with

paint. From the unruly

color palette and imperfect

lines of Oscar Kokoschka,

to the contemporary

bold, energetic, brush

strokes of Atlanta based

portrait artist Steve Penley.

Romare Bearden’s collages

touched me with his

southern soulful prints.

In photography, I was

immediately intoxicated

with Richard Avedon’s,

timeless, black and white

portraits. He was truly a

master and his portraits

always commanded your

presence. Most recently,

in exploring my new body

of work on Kukan, I find

myself looking towards

the graphic compositions

of 1940’s movie posters,

and old illustrations from

Western novels. They

help me convey the time

period of the images I am

working in.


&


But, if you are committed, I know you will see results. You have to just be willing to do whatever it takes.”

There is a stereotype

of the starving artist:

particularly with painting.

Is there any truth to

this, or have you been

able to make a living

with your art?

Well let’s just say I have

seen both sides of the

spectrum. When I first

moved to Chicago in 2008,

I was trying to support

myself half art and half

freelance work. To some

degree it was a success,

but lets just say Trader

Joe’s frozen burritos were

becoming a staple in my

diet. There were a few years

when I actually surprised

myself at the end of the year

when I did the numbers. I

wouldn’t say by the worlds’

standards I was widely

financially successful,

but it was pretty amazing

that I had earned that

much income from a

brush, a panel of wood,

and some paint.

I have always been a strong

believer that if there is a will

there is a way. You will find

a way to make it work.

So with that, yes, I have

been able to supplement

my living with my art

comfortably for the past

four years.

The best advice anyone ever

gave me on the subject was,

“its not going to be easy”.

You will be up late hours

when people are sleeping.

You will stay home to paint

when your friends are out

on the town. But if you are

committed, I know you will

see results. You have to just

be willing to do whatever it

takes.

Please describe your

reaction to finding

your grandfathers’

photographs, and learning

of his work on this film.

When I first found the

photographs in a dusty

box at my dad’s house, I

was intrigued. After going

through the first handful

of images, I knew I had

stumbled upon something

special. I immediately

wanted to see more and

know more. When I

inquired with my father

who they belonged to and

where they had come from,

I was quite mystified. First

off, how could no one in

my family never mention

that my grandfather won an

Academy Award? Secondly,

I was dumfounded at what

an extraordinary journey

he had been on: over four

years in China, solo, in

uncharted territory. He

dedicated his life to

making a film, with

no guarantees of being

received back home. His

passion captivated me

from the start.

What was the catalyst

for you to start this

series of work?

The catalyst for starting

this work was after I had

learned more about the

history behind the images.

I wanted to go about the

best way I knew of

getting them preserved,

and carrying them on

to new audiences in this

generation. To me, this

meant creating a large

body of work that was still

contemporary while using

these historic images. After

connecting with Robin,

the producer for “Finding

Kukan”, it became clear

this was something that

needed to be shared.

I create this work for

the impact of hopefully

inspiring new generations

with a tale of courage

and dedication. I want to

honor my grandfather, and

preserve his memory and

his extraordinary talent.

I create this work for the impact of hopefully inspiring new generations with a tale of courage and dedication.


How long have you been

working on this series,

and how has it evolved

from the beginning?

I have been working since

beginning of 2009. It has

had lulls in between, but

after signing a contract

for a solo show at 2 Rules

Gallery in Georgia, it

has been a clear path of

getting it to some sort of

completion. It has evolved

because at first it was just

something I was doing for

myself and for my family,

but now is more about

bringing this story to the

people in my generation.

What personal impact has

this project had on you

and your family?

It has brought the family

a little closer in regards to

connecting with the past.

I have traveled around to

the brothers’ houses in

different states, collecting

whatever information

they had, and hearing

their stories. It has been

wonderful. We have all

been involved and more

committed to preserving

his work. It is my goal

to have everyone, all the

Scott’s, come out to the

show opening in October.

It would be the first time

we have all been together

in years!

What has been the

greatest challenge of

creating the Kukan series

of paintings?

My greatest challenge

would have to be finding

the actual images. There

are still a large number

that I have seen published

in brochures and flyers that

I can’t seem to locate.

On a personal level, it has

been challenging at times

when I’m alone in my

studio, working tirelessly.

Sometimes the fear gets

the best of me, and I

wonder...”what the hell am

I doing! What if no one

gets it, or for that matter

even cares!” The thought of

doing it for my grandfather

and for myself is what

keeps me going.

Above: Portrait of a Lady

Right: Comeback Kids


&


Can you please share

your future goals and

aspirations for your work

as an artist?

My future goal, one of

which is currently in the

works, is to have this

body of work be shown

in conjunction with the

original film, photographs,

and newspaper articles

about Kukan. I believe the

story is worth sharing. I

want to create a traveling

show where the story

continues to be brought

back to life.

What has been the greatest

reward?

The greatest reward was

at my first showing of this

work, and seeing how the

imagery, and the story,

was having an impact on

people. I knew I was on

the right track when I was

approached by a collector

who said, “the painting

and story moved me to

tears: I have to have it.”

That reaction is the kind of

impact I was going for.

Can you please tell us

about the documentary

film being made about

Kukan?

“Finding Kukan” is a

documentary film in

progress that tracks

Robin Lung and other

investigators, such as

myself, as we reach into

the past and the mysteries

surrounding the Academy

Award winning film

“Kukan.” How did the

inexperienced film makers

Rey Scott (my grandfather)

and Chinese native, Li Ling

Ai, go about getting the

attention of the President

of the United States and

Hollywood Elite? How did

he manage to trek across

the undeveloped paths of

China and get access to

Chinese leaders such as

Chiang Kai-shek without

succumbing to danger?

How was the film lost for

all these years? As the

investigation unfolds, we

discover forgotten chapters

in history.

To discover more about Robin Lung’s documentary “Finding Kukan”

please visit her website www.nestedeggproductions.comMichelle Scott - Mixed Media Artistwww.michellescottart.com


Photography by Rebecca Hill

SHOP LOCALGlen Coy was a high school student when he started

Epidemic Skateshop with a few friends. Ten years later

he owns a thriving business,

Artwork by Ron Cameron

“My whole family didn’t think it was

going to be a long lasting business:

that this was just going to be a little

project we wanted to do.”

Ten years later, I had the pleasure of

interviewing Glen Coy at his thriving

skate shop, Epidemic.

He started the business during his

senior year of high school with the help

of a few friends and a small business

loan co-signed by his family.

Twenty thousand dollars and a six

hundred square foot space were the

beginning of not only a career for

Glen, but a cornerstone of the Palm

Desert skate community.

Epidemic offers its customers a

great selection of independent and

established brands. However, their

contributions to the community are

what makes Epidemic stand out the

competition.

“The community for us is the most

important thing. When people come

into the shop 90 percent of the time

we know who they are, and we know

them by name. People come back for

that reason.”

For more of our interview with Glen Coy please click this video link.

Epidemic Skateshop72363 Hwy 111 Suite A2Palm Desert, CA 92260www.epidemicskateboardshop.com

AARON

HANSENAFRONHANSONv

Artist Aaron Hansen has embarked on a journey of self-discovery and personal expression. “Inspire the 10” is a series of murals that begin in Southern California and will eventually reach Florida. Aaron searches for walls facing Interstate 10, and after gaining permission, paints murals that reflect the positive messages he wants to share.

photography by rebecca hillMA

LN


HANSEN

Tell us about

Inspire the 10?

The Inspire the 10 project is basically

the story of someone following the

path their heart has set forth. The

objective is to show everyone the

possibilities of having faith in

themselves. The way I’m trying to

accomplish that is by taking my love

for art on the road, and painting

murals for free on Interstate 10.

The project is me trying to lead by

example. When its completed, I hope

that everyone who hears the story

will embark on their own journey.

How are you funding it?

The most difficult part of the project

is trying to fund the trip, but that

is also part of believing in myself.

Ideally, I would like to just take off

and paint walls until I hit Florida

However, I can only go as far as my

wallet will allow. I am heading to

Houston for an “Inspire the 10” art

show at JoMar Studios so I hope that

exhibition will help out a lot.

A previous art show I held at Venus

Art Space in Palm Desert, CA

got us all the way to Texas, but its

pretty much whatever funds I can

get together. A lot of help from

friends of friends has gotten this

project up and running, and the

network is building really quickly.

MA

LN

“I hope that everyone who hears the story will embark on their own journey”


MA

LN

Your murals have a

distinct style, will this

be your signature

throughout the trip?

I can’t really say what the style will

look like going forward. Most of the

murals are made up on the spot.

The style and look of the pieces is

evolving just as rapidly as the artists

working on the murals. I’m excited

to see what the progression of the

art looks like once we get all the

photos together!

MALN

Besides your murals,

can you tell us

about your other

art endeavors?

Paint and spray paint are my

favorite mediums. The majority

of my gallery work is done on

found wood or metal, and I rarely

work on canvas. Assemblage and

sculpture is something I have been

finding myself trying lately.

Graphic design is also a fun world

of possibility; it helps me see my

idea and try different options

before I make it tangible. Screen-

printing is also really fun and such

a strong method to know. Aaron Hansen, Artistwww.ancientyouthtruth.com

Explore

Written by Christina Durkton


OUR INDEPENDENT BUSINESS GUIDE TO THE

Coachella ValleyExploreFIX (CAFÉ & BAKERY)73-580 El Paseo Palm Desert, CA 92260 760-340-3040

Offering a luminous outdoorsy bar to enjoy the few extra hours of sunlight that daylight savings has kindly graced us with, Fix, is your spot. With reasonable prices, stellar beats, and an amicable staff, Fix perfects the alluring ambiance. Creperie by day, this Palm Desert locale offers a French- inspired breakfast & lunch menu equipped with a full coffee + tea bar. Happy Hour Hotspot by night, indulge in a fine beer, a saucy sangria, and the kitchen’s fresh gourmet tapas. Fix is set in the heart of El Paseo, the Coachella Valley’s premiere fashion strip and art gallery walkway. Scope the desert’s boutique landscape and catch a sherbert- tinged sunset while sipping on Fix’s finest!

PAPPY & HARRIET’S 53688 Pioneertown Rd. Pioneertown, CA 92268 760-365-5956 www.pappyandharriets.com

Located off the beaten path in the famed Pioneertown, Pappy and Harriet’s is bordered by an old Western town movie set and the lush desert landscape. Cowboy sightings galore, refreshing beer in mason jars, and impeccable tasting and smelling BBQ; Pappy & Hariet’s will surely keep your senses satisfied. Go for the thrill of local and popular live music, the starry desert night sky, the long bearded locals, or simply a good ol’ Western fashioned time! If you visit the desert, you must experience the magic of this roadhouse saloon; and, if not for the Honky Tonk goodness, go for the jukebox selection!

Written by Christina Durkton

THE BURGER BOX 81201 Indio Blvd Indio, CA 92201 760-342-6631

When you are in search of the ultimate fast food, The Burger Box is the truest. It is a little burger joint that is also a gas stop/mini market located directly off of Indio Boulevard. It is an order-at- the-counter style setting; the menu is a combination of burgers, sandwiches, and Mexican delights. The seating is an outdoor patio with picnic tables and blue & white striped umbrellas. Don’t come here for allure, appeal, or an eye-catching experience, because The Burger Box will be neither of these; but do come for the food! The burgers and round cut fries are simple tasting; yet, delicious! This is what fast food should taste like! If you crave a greasy spoon and are traveling in the area, then, alas, The Burger Box will suffice you!

THE HOOD74360 Highway 111 Palm Desert, CA 92260 www.thehoodbar.com

The name speaks for itself; it is simply, The Hood. House of good grunge, good beer, good live music, and good late night eats; many frequent this local dive bar. The Hood is an eclectic joint that reeks of young people, which is an arguably respectable fixation, since young people are hard to come by in the valley. If you enjoy spray paint, psychedelic art, loud music, playing pool, a crowded bar, and a smoke-filled patio, The Hood is your place. With ample bar tenders and NY style pizza slices so big that you have to fold it in half to take a bite, The Hood promises pleasure! Dig The Hood; you won’t regret it!

GYPSY THRIFT66169 Pierson Blvd. Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240 760-251-0588

Gypsy Thrift is a sparkling gem located in the high desert sands. A little flair, a little wild, a little vintage, and a lot of bizarre; Gypsy Thrift speaks miles to the frequent thrift-goer. Where someone else’s junk can substantially become your treasure, this shop is stock piled with unique clothes, shoes, jewelry, and various collectibles. Intend to spend an extra hour ooh’n and ahh’n while browsing their eclectic/retro/unique selection of furniture and record collections next door. A little pricier then your average thrift shop, but definitely worth your consideration! Discover Gypsy Thrift; you won’t leave empty handed!

BIRBA 622 N. Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 www.birbapalmsprings.com

Simple. Sleek. Stylish. Located in downtown Palm Springs, Birba houses an open-air outdoor bar & restaurant dining landscape. Equipped with a full bar, mod décor, fire pits, and live music; Birba aims to please. Birba is a chic hipster take on Italian cuisine, offering high quality food set at reasonable prices. Birba’s pizzas are Veggie friendly and also have a gluten free crust option. Pleasant staff, vibing atmosphere, signature drinks, and a young crowd; Birba will be a place that you not only want to try once but will want to come back for more! Enjoy Palm Spring’s summer nights at their finest with this outdoor-only dining wonder!

Support your local

radicallesbian potter

Sadie and Emma began collaborating by making clay gnomes on their first date. Their shared dedication to craft has now grown into a successful pottery business.

Photography and Interview by Rebecca Hill

Support your local

radicallesbian potter


“I was frustrated in art school, making performance art. I wanted to be a craftsperson, but it was looked down upon in that environment.”

What inspired you to work in this manner?

Emma: I was frustrated in art school, making performance art. I wanted to be a craftsperson, but it was looked down upon in that environment. When I met Sadie she enabled me to break free from the strictly conceptual and into the tangible. She helped me shift my focus from process to finished product, which is very un-art school. I love making useful things for people.

How has your work changed and developed since you began?

Sadie: Emma’s skill as a potter has grown enabling us to create new designs and develop more exciting glazes.

Sadie: Now that I am a full time student, our collaboration has shifted a bit. Emma is taking on more of the business side responsibilities and I am cheering her on.

Emma: Sadie still tells me if I make something ugly, this honest feedback is the most valuable thing a potter could ever wish for.

Please elaborate on how you began working together, and how your collaboration has developed.

Sadie: We started working together because we had crushes on each other (still do). Our first collaboration/date was making ceramic gnomes in Emma’s studio.

Emma: Sadie teased me for making dumb performance art and I wanted to impress her really bad so I started throwing again.

Sadie: The pottery started because I wanted Emma to make me my favorite pots, the ones I have dreamed of owning forever.

Emma: When people saw these pots they kept asking if they could buy them. We thought, woah, we could make a little money doing this.


I was frustrated in art school, making performance art. I wanted to be a craftsperson, but it was looked down upon in that environment.”

Photo of Emma’s father during his college days

Who or what inspires your aesthetic choices?

Sadie: We both love the Shakers aesthetic and mountains. I read too much “Anne of Green Gables” and want my own Sadie’s house of dreams, hence our candle stick design.

Emma: I am inspired by bad ass lady potters of the past: Edith Heath, Marguerite Wildenhain, and Toshiko Takaezu are my favorites. I also draw upon depression era thrift and falling down barns.


“I am inspired by bad ass lady potters of the past: a Heath, Marguerite Wildenhain, and Toshiko Takaezu are my favorites. I also draw upon depression era thrift and falling down barns.”


Do you have any advice for fellow artisans who aspire to build a business?

Sadie: Be skilled and patient, when you make beautiful useful products people will catch on. Also, squareup.com is a great way for a small business to accept credit card payments.

Emma: Only grow your business with cash, do not use credit. And as the Shakers said,”Beauty rests of utility.”

Is there anything you would like to add?

Thank you everyone who has supported us thus far and thank you future people who will buy our pots.

Was it always your intention to sell your work, or did it begin as a hobby?

Emma: When I was eleven, I strolled by a ceramic store and requested pottery lessons. When I was 17, my mentor encouraged me to go to business school and start a pottery business, but this advice fell on deaf ears. I am glad I met Sadie and she helped me figure out a way to support my hobby with a business.

What has been the greatest challenge of starting a business?

Emma: We did not know anything about business starting out: there was a sharp learning curve. The greatest limiting factor has been starting capitol, but we have been creative and are still chugging along.

What has been the most rewarding aspect?

Sadie: When we have received photos of people using our pots in their homes, it is heartwarming.

Emma: I love being a working artist, supported by customers instead of by the gallery scene.

Can you elaborate on your commitment to creating handmade goods?

Sadie: Emma and I generally prefer handmade goods in our own lives and there is a lack of handmade tableware available in our communities. Once you start to use handmade plates and cups daily it is hard to go back to factory made pots. We want everyone to have this specialness available to them!

Emma: We also want to contribute to the growth of local economies and support ethical food production. As a potter, I can create a surface for organic food to be prepared and eaten off of, completing the seed to table process.

Do you feel that choosing to purchase products made by hand contributes to the well being of our economy?

Sadie: We contribute to a more sustainable economy, one not predicated on forced obsolescence and fads. Our products are made of durable stoneware and will last a lifetime with care. Our customers not only get an awesome pot, they also get the satisfaction of buying an earth friendly product and supporting a local artisan. I think people are searching for connection and we offer an alternative to the impersonal big box store. The money you spend stays in the community when you buy local. Cool, huh?

For more of our interview with Sadie and Emma please click this video link

Sadie & Emma Pottery Co.www.sadieandemma.com


eco- functional

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEREMY LAWSON

ELLEN GARTLAND HAD A UNIQUE VISION FOR HER HOME AND BUILDER

DAN SHEEHY WAS THE PERFECT FIT FOR THE JOB. TOGETHER THEY

TRANSFORMED AN INDUSTRIAL LOFT SPACE INTO AN ECO-FRIENDLY

AND FAMILY FUNCTIONAL HOME.


Tell us about your space.

Our home is a 2500 square foot timber loft in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. The space was built as an awning factory at the turn of the twentieth century. It was converted into condos in 1990 and we purchased the space in 2009. We bought it because we love the open feel, the light, the brick-work and the high beamed ceilings. Also it was big enough to house the family we were planning, it has a unique vintage look and feel, and it is in a vibrant neighborhood close to downtown.

What made you decide to go with a completely custom build out?

The space is so unique it begged for it. When we purchased the apartment it had been unchanged since 1990. At that time the neighborhood was undesirable and the conversion was done cheaply with Formica cabinets and track lighting. It was a two bedroom, one bath and the bedrooms were open to the rest of the apartment. There was no privacy. We

were needed at least three bedrooms and two baths. Since lofts this big and open are hard to find we knew we’d do the space and ourselves a disservice if we did not put a lot of thought into the build out. We lived in it for a year so we could get an intimate feel for how we would use the space before we started construction.

What were the processes that lead you to find the contractor you used?

Ask everyone we could think of for recommendations and interview. We sought out a partner who would listen to us and also bring their own ideas to the table. Out was anyone who we thought wanted to plop a suburban home in the middle of our loft. On our property search we saw a lot of lofts with crown moldings and 42” cherry cabinets, an aesthetic that is incongruous and anachronistic to old loft spaces. During the interview we really wanted to feel that the contractor “got” us, and Dan really did. No one else came close.

How much influence did you have in designing your space?

A lot from an overall vision standpoint. Dan really listened to us when we said we wanted this remodel to make the space look like it could have been here 100 years ago. We wanted materials and designs that worked in tandem with the beautiful brick work and hardwood beams that were already here. We created a wish book that included photographs we liked clipped from all sorts of design magazines and websites. We gave him swatches of furniture we had ordered, like the teal sofa, and he picked paint colors that went with everything and pulled the whole space together. We didn’t have to micromanage, rather Dan really got it. There was a lot of head nodding when he presented ideas, and he made it all come together.


Why was it important to include Eco-friendly and recyclable materials into your design?

Where possible we wanted to keep materials out of landfills while giving our space a unique look. Plus, you can’t get the look we got by any way other than using recycled materials. The barn wood used for the buffet and kitchen and the recycled doors give the sense of history to this place that we desperately wanted.

Describe how your aes-thetic choices influenced by the materials available to you?

Dan gets all the credit here, he is so passionate about incorporating salvaged materials and upcycling in all of his projects. He told us his ideas to bring these unique materials in, many of which we had no idea about.

Were there any design challenges in using reclaimed materials?

Without question. First, getting them to fit takes more work than buying off the shelf at Home Depot. So there are labor

costs involved. Second, you might not find exactly what you need. It makes the space quirkier, which we embrace. Paying extra labor did not bother us as we’d rather our dollars went to pay for local artisans than to buy something made in a factory hundreds or thousands of miles from Chicago.

Can you please describe some of the custom artwork that was created for your home?

We have a duck diorama above a closet of three wooden ducks “flying” out a window, which is truly an installed work of art. This was Dan’s idea to how to fix a weird open space above our closet caused by the need to place a wall in the middle of a window. As usual the best ideas come in the face of limitations as everyone who sees this loves it. Dan’s wife also generously knit the word “home” in a cool multicolored yarn that was hung in our entryway. Dan describes it as knit graffiti. We hope he paid her well as she is really talented and we love the piece.


What is your favorite room and or detail in the house?

Our favorite room is definitely the kitchen. It is so bright and open and functions exactly as we had imagined it would. The open shelving is so great, reach for something and it is at your fingertips. The rolling panel system helps keep the dishes clean and dry. We love to cook and spend a lot of time in there both cooking and eating at the marble counter. A detail we really like are the stripes painted in the baby’s room. We were expecting during the build out and asked Dan to do something unexpected and quirky in the nursery, and these are just perfect. They look great now but they aren’t so babyish that he will outgrow them.

From your experience, what advice would you give other people interested in designing their homes in an environmentally friendly way?

Think long and hard about what environmentally friendly means to you. Is it

good for the environment to purchase a product just because it’s marketed as green? I think the greenest thing you can do is “do less.” The less one literally does the less their actions can harm the environment. That is what is cool about repurposing old materials. The resources were already harvested, so there’s no further production damage being done. No factory using fossil fuels or emitting harmful pollutants. If the materials are local there are fewer shipment externalities. I also think it’s environmentally friendly to use local artisans to custom make materials. Every dollar we spent that goes to pay a local craftsman is another dollar that stayed in Chicago, improving our local environment economically. That’s something we felt really good about and something I think Dan agrees with as he is passionate about custom making things using his network of craft persons.

Do you feel it is important to the over all well-being of your family to have hand-made items in your home?

Yes! We did this in large part to provide Cal the kind of stimulating and inspiring environment we want him to grow up in. And you can’t beat coming home to a space you love that you had a hand in creating.

Builder, Dan Sheehywww.DSBLDR.com

‘‘ PAYING EXTRA LABOR DID NOT BOTHER US, AS WE’D RATHER OUR DOLLARS WENT TO PAY FOR LOCAL ARTISANS THAN TO BUY SOMETHING MADE IN A FACTORY HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF MILES FROM CHICAGO.”


“Solo Session” - 2011Indigo dyed canvas and linen, vintage Japanese fabric


How long have you been in business, or working in your current medium?

I started both the dolls and the indigo weaving pieces about one and a half years ago, after I got pregnant. I have always worked in visual arts.

Describe the medium you work in and the materials you use.

I work in classic, natural materials: linen, cotton, denim, canvas, leather, wool, burlap, twine, and vintage fabrics. Sometimes they are dyed with

Venice California based artist Alison Frey uses vintage materials and organic dyes to create a handmade and heartfelt home.

indigo, tea, marigolds, ashes, or rust. I also have a weakness for silver and reflective things.

What inspired you to work in this manner?

After I got pregnant, I started investigating materials that were non-toxic.

The waste involved in art making had been bugging me for a while. My pregnancy was a great excuse to re-examine my practice.


How has your work changed and developed since you began?

I keep trying to streamline and make things more commercial, but I can never stop being a perfectionist!

Who or what inspires your aesthetic choices?

I am inspired by quilts, flea markets, traveling, Scandinavia, Indonesia, Indian and Mexican textiles. I am also influenced by art, surfing and California beach culture. Some artists I admire are Cornelia Parker, Cy Twombly, Tomma Abts, Mary Heilmann, Anni Albers, Steven Parrino, Arturo Herrera, Charlene von Heyl, Amy Sillman, Margaret Kilagallen, Florine Stettheimer and Hannah Höch.

I want to make things that people keep and pass down to their children.

Can you elaborate about your commitment to creating handmade goods?

The only thing I really know how to do is make handmade goods. When I was a kid and thinking about what kind of artist I wanted to be, I decided to go this route over graphic and applied arts because I loved the immediacy and control of touching the materials. I still feel the same way.


“Owl Girl” is made of linen and stuffed with organic wool. Her back is a cascade of cloth feathers and her wings are attached to her removable yellow dress. She is a one of a kind girl.

Do you feel that choosing to purchase products made by hand contributes to the well being of our economy?

Yes. It is so local to purchase something handmade. It’s like the farmers market of consumerism. Supporting local efforts keeps communities alive and keeps the money in the community.

Was it always your intention to sell your work, or did it begin as a hobby?

I have to survive, so I have no choice but to sell stuff. I do think it is rewarding to have someone buy something: it validates your vision in a certain way. Also, you do need to get rid of some of the old work to make room for the new work.

Left: One of a kind vintage cloth mermaid doll. Made of vintage, recycled and new linen, cotton, felt, silk and wool and stuffed with organic wool batting. She is part of a new line of dolls made out of vintage embroidery.

Above: Found Chair Vintage Denim

“It’s a big wakeup call when you realize that you need to really put yourself out there to get anywhere.”


What has been the greatest challenge of starting a business?

The greatest challenge has been making ends meet. I am a sucker for the best materials- the dolls are stuffed with organic wool, for example. I could save so much money using polyester from Joanns, but I buy this wonderful organic wool from a lady in Santa Barbara. Where is the line between making money and maintaining the integrity of the work?

Time is of course another huge issue. I always have had side jobs styling photo shoots, working in galleries, painting houses, you name it. Now I have a baby and it’s amazing how fast the day goes.

What has been the most rewarding aspect?

Being surrounded by the things I want to see and working for myself.

What do you wish you knew when you began?

How important networking is to being an artist. I think a lot of us go into the arts because we express ourselves better in the studio. It’s a big wake up call when you realize that you need to really put yourself out there to get anywhere.

Do you have any advice for fellow artisans who aspire to build a business?

The internet is what you want to make of it. There are so many resources available now for getting your work out there. Do your research.

Alison Freywww.alisonfrey.comwww.etsy.com/people/anosila


Look around you. You’re surrounded. They’re everywhere and they’re inescapable. Unless you’re like my Luddite uncle chances are you’re reading this on your tablet or smartphone. Turn it over. They’re they are again – trademarks – our ubiquitous little friends constantly creating flashes of conscious and unconscious recognition in our minds.

For consumers trademarks act as road signs directing us to our favorite place for coffee, to the independent retailer carrying those jeans that fit just so, or to the media sites providing us the constant stream of information most important to us. Trademarks provide a sense of comfort and security in the product we throw down our hard earned money for. And, whether we like to admit it or not, with the best brands they display our sense of pride in being associated with the values of a particular company. We declare to the world that I too care about the treatment of people harvesting my coffee beans half a world away. We become part of the tribe.

To business owners these badges of product origin are often among their most crucial and important assets. A trademark is a brand’s flag planted by businesses to stake out both mental and physical territory. A properly nurtured trademark becomes associated with a standard of quality and a set of values that are at once instantly recognizable and emotionally evocative. That is your brand. And, yes, the trademark for your brand may be worth millions.

But what happens if you encounter a usurper of your trademark – a pretender to the throne of your brand? You’ve spent money and time building goodwill with your customers, and along comes this charlatan opening a clothing store of the same name across the street. What you do about it and the chances of your success directly depend on how smart you were when you first started this whole adventure.

In 1980 George Harrison was leafing through a magazine when he came upon an advertisement for a three year old company called Apple Computer, Inc. It just so happened that Harrison owned a large stake in a company called Apple Corps. founded in 1968. Thus began a nearly 30 year legal saga. Apple Corps. was a name chosen by Paul McCartney as a play on words. Steve Jobs chose Apple Computer, Inc. so it would be ahead of Atari in the phone book. Or so legend has it anyway. Regardless, these two innocuous choices eventually cost both parties millions in legal fees and Apple Computer much more in trademark settlements. Conversely, it made Apple Corps. millions. This example illustrates how quickly drastic consequences can result from an otherwise innocent naming decision.

Apple Computer could have avoided a lot of headache and saved a lot of money by avoiding a trademark conflict from the very beginning. You’re grandmother always told you an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Well, don’t let the housedress fool you – you’re grandmother clearly knew of what she spoke. Understanding the importance

of your trademarks, knowing some basics of trademark law, and developing a strategy to properly create, establish, and enforce your trademarks may just allow you to fend off a future existential threat to your brand and company.

I. Trademark BasicsTwo things should be apparent by now. First, trademarks are crucial assets and you should be mindful of them from the outset. Second, trademarks are really just another form of property. Just as the law protects and creates rights for tangible possessions, it also protects and creates rights for creations of the mind, such as trademarks. Broadly this area of law is called Intellectual Property (IP). There are a number of classes of IP, such as copyright, patents and commercial marks, each governed by different bodies of law.

TRADEMARKING FOR INDEPENDENT BUSINESSBY SCOTT BEACH

After one year we finally received our official Trademark.

And here I need to clarify something – I’ve been using the term “trademark” in the broad and customary sense it’s generally used. But, trademarks actually belong to that overall class of IP called commercial marks. A commercial mark is a name, word, slogan, logo, symbol, design, image, device, domain name or any combination of these that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods or services of one party from those of others. A distinct color, smell or sound can even become a commercial mark.

Commercial marks serve a number of purposes and functions. They indicate the source of origin of goods and services, help assure the quality of goods bearing the mark, and are used as a marketing tool to build a brand and create and maintain demand for a product or service. And they themselves can ultimately have great monetary value to a business through licensing, merchandising or franchising.

Trade names, trademarks, and service marks are the three types of commercial marks. Trade names identify businesses. Trademarks identify the goods of a business. Service marks identify the services of a business. A good example is, again, the legal entity Apple, Inc., which uses the trade name Apple® when selling you a mobile digital device, trademarked as iPhone®, and helps you set it up through its service and support program, service marked as Genius Bar®.

A commercial mark is declared to the world by the use of a few symbols. ™ indicates the preceding item is a trademarked good or trade name. Likewise, SM indicates the preceding item is a service marked service. If the

trademark or service mark has beenregistered (we’ll address this shortly) with the federal government the symbol ® is then used to indicate its strengthened status.

II. Creating, Establishing and Enforcing TrademarksWhile marketing considerations are equally critical when creating a mark, the remainder of this article focuses broadly on legal process and responsibilities. Before delving in I want to emphasize that you should strongly consider investing in the services of a qualified, experienced trademark attorney, which can cost between $2,500 and $3,000. This cost estimate includes a comprehensive trademark conflict search, the attorney’s counsel and opinion memo concerning your rights to the mark, and completion of the federal registration process. You should ask for an estimate of charges up front. Naming consultants and online services cost less, however their searches are generally not comprehensive and they can’t provide a legally relevant opinion as to your ability

to use a mark. Investing in sound legal counsel can save you significant money in the long run. If it’s later determined you infringed on another’s mark you could face the incalculable expenses of changing your marks, loss of customer goodwill and brand recognition, seizure of your goods, and legal penalties.

Knowing what commercial marks are and understanding their importance is fundamental. But, morphing that creation of your brilliant mind into something legally protected and synonymous the world over with quality and value also requires knowing the process to properly create, establish and enforce your mark.

When creating a mark you need to always be mindful of two legal concepts governing your ability to establish a new mark, and ultimately, protect it against infringement. They are distinctiveness and the likelihood of confusion test. All marks fall into one of five categories on the legal spectrum of distinctiveness. Listed from strongest to weakest they are called: Fanciful, Arbitrary, Suggestive, Descriptive, and Generic. Fanciful, Arbitrary and Suggestive marks are deemed inherently distinctive, and a mark in one of these categories carries a presumption of distinctiveness with it that affords the greatest protection. Descriptive marks can attain legal distinctiveness under certain circumstances, while generic marks lack any distinction and receive no legal protection. Generally, as a mark’s distinctiveness increases, the easier it will be to register it and to protect it against competitors. When contemplating a mark for your business, you should strive to create marks that fit into one of the three strong trademark categories.

The Official Trademark Research Report for businesses using the term “Show Pony”


A mark’s category of distinctiveness is then used as an aspect of the likelihood of confusion test. The law forbids the commercial use of any mark that is “likely to cause confusion, or to cause mistake, or to deceive.” Likelihood of confusion is hard to define, and courts are inconsistent in analyzing it. At the heart of evaluating the potential likelihood of confusion between marks is the use of multiple factors to make a fair evaluation of all the circumstances. The distinctiveness of a preexisting mark is the most important factor. Some of the other factors considered are the similarity of the look, sound or feel of the marks, the similarity of the underlying goods or services, the similarity of the goods’ distribution

channels, the costs of the goods, and the sophistication of the typical buyer. Remember, the likelihood of confusion test in conjunction with the concept of distinctiveness governs how similar a mark can be to a preexisting mark used in the same territory, and ultimately, how much protection the new mark itself will enjoy.

After conceiving a new mark, but before you attempt to establish it in the marketplace, you’ll need to clear the mark of potential infringement issues

through a comprehensive availability search and investigation analysis. Simply put, you need to see if someone already established a mark that looks, sounds or even feels like yours (the search), and if so, do you have any right to still use yours (the analysis). A truly comprehensive search is nationwide and includes various state and federal databases such as company name and DBA databases, individual state trademark databases, the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS), and Library of Congress databases, as well as business databases like Dun and Bradstreet and other online sources. As you can see, searching on your own, other than quick knockout searches online, is simply not practical. Also, using a trademark registration company may be cheaper than an attorney in the short-run, but these companies likely don’t complete a fully comprehensive search. An attorney, however, will provide you a thorough comprehensive search report. And because of the sheer number of marks in existence that report will very likely include a number of preexisting marks similar to yours. At this point you’ll be very happy you hired an attorney to provide a legal analysis of the search report.

An attorney utilizes the likelihood of confusion test, distinctiveness and territory of use to analyze and prepare an opinion describing any potential conflicts as well as your risks in using the mark. Remember, finding no reference to your proposed mark in every database is still not a guarantee it’s available. Because so many marks are unregistered and unsearchable, the possibility of inadvertently infringing on some obscure yet protected mark

always exists. Conversely, discovering that your ideal mark is already in use doesn’t necessarily prevent you from using it as well. If you do find that your mark (or something resembling it) is already in use, you’ll have to consider the legal issue of whether using it is likely to cause confusion in the marketplace. Only a trademark attorney can give you a fairly reliable answer on this complex question, but even that is ultimately a very educated guess because the standards for determining likelihood of confusion are so imprecise and case dependent. No attorney will clear a name of all risks of infringement. Empowered with all the information, you will ultimately have to decide if the reward outweighs any potential risk.

Establishing your dominion in the marketplace over a commercial mark is achieved through use, registration, or both. The two different methods provide very different levels of protection. The fundamental concept is that the party who first uses or first files a registration application, whichever comes first, has superior rights to a commercial mark within its territory of use. To establish first use all you have to do is put the public on notice that you believe the mark is yours by using ™ on your goods and trade name. You should carefully document the date of first use and always properly use the trademark. For instance, always use your mark as a descriptor of your goods or services, and never as a noun or verb – “iPods® sound great”, over time can legally genericize an otherwise enforceable mark causing it to lose protection. “iPod® music players sound great” is the correct way to refer to this product and maintain its enforceability.


As I’ve mentioned, rights in a mark are limited to its territory of use. If you operate one store only selling goods locally, the rights to the mark would be limited to your territory. Another business could likely use the same mark everywhere else even if established at a later date. For this reason, among others, establishing your mark merely through use carries the weakest rights along with it. State registration does establish trademark rights as well, however your territory of use could still be limited to the local area you operate in rather than the whole state. Federal registration of a mark carries with it the broadest territory and the strongest bundle of rights and benefits. Some of these benefits include: strong nationwide protection; clear evidence of ownership; the right to sue in federal court; incontestability after five years of use; priority as of the date of the application; safeguarding expansion opportunities; recovery of greater infringement damages; priority for registration in foreign jurisdictions; and the ability to stop importation of infringing goods into the United States. Federal registration confers numerous advantages.

The federal registration process is complex and, again, best completed through an attorney. Broadly, after a trademark application is filed with the USPTO it’s assigned for examination. If the mark application meets all requirements it’s preliminarily approved and published for opposition in the Trademark Gazette. Up to 60 days from publication, any one who feels your mark infringes upon theirs may contest final approval. If there is no opposition, or you survive it, your mark is then approved and you can use the coveted ® symbol. This entire process takes approximately 18-24 months if all

requirements are met and no objections filed. The application fees depend on how many USPTO goods and services classifications (these are internationally defined categories) you are seeking to register your mark within. Initial registration is valid for 10 years and then you will need to file for an indefinite renewal showing continuous use in commerce.

Regardless of how you establish your mark, it’s your responsibility to enforce your rights. A trademark owner must use reasonable efforts to prevent unauthorized and improper uses of their marks in order to preserve its protected status. In addition, you can lose your mark if you cease to use it, authorize uncontrolled use, use it unfairly, or allow it to become diluted or genericized.A mark is a crucial and valuable asset to your business. Choosing it distinctively, using it properly, registering it as necessary, and enforcing it against all others will allow a mark to become a badge of honor for your unique and profitable brand.

Additional Resources:

The USPTO provides a great deal of general information – www.uspto.gov/trademarks/index.jsp

State Trademark Information Links – www.uspto.gov/trademarks/process/State_Trademark_Links.jsp

American Bar Assoc Lawyer Referral System – apps.americanbar.org/legalservices/lris/directory/

A “collective trademark” is a trademark owned by an organization whose approved members may use it to show their products meet the organization’s established standards of quality or other characteristics. In Great Britain the Vegan Society trademarked its Vegan sunflower logo in 1944, and permits its members to use the logo on Society approved products aiding customers in quickly identifying truly vegan products. 1944 also saw passage of the G.I. Bill in the United States. In March of this year Senator Barbara Mikulski (D - MD) and thirteen colleagues signed a letter urging the Secretary of Veteran Affairs to trademark the term “GI Bill” to help protect veterans from predatory and deceptive marketing practices by for-profit colleges and universities. That same month, after more than 35 years in Congress, the 75-year-old Mikulski became the longest serving woman in congressional history. She is also the first woman to ever wear pants on the floor of the U.S. Senate.


DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

Fanciful Trademark A fanciful trademark is made-up. It’s invented for the sole purpose of functioning as a trademark or trade name. Kodak and Zappos.com are well known fanciful trademarks. Fanciful trademarks lack inherent meaning and allow you to define them out of thin air through your branding and marketing programs. Also, once you’ve invested time and money promoting a fanciful trademark, it’s easy to prevent competitors from trying to profit from your goodwill. Fanciful trademarks are the ideal trademarks from a legal standpoint.

Arbitrary Trademark An arbitrary trademark has a common meaning, but the meaning is unrelated to the goods or services offered for sale under the mark. Apple computers and Dove soap are good examples. Because of their inherent distinctiveness, they are easier to adopt than suggestive or descriptive trademarks, and easier to protect once adopted.Investing in an arbitrary or fanciful trademark to establish the link between mark and product is often worthwhile if your business model is unique or somewhat unfamiliar to consumers. However, some business owners might prefer to stick with a suggestive or descriptive mark because arbitrary or fanciful marks can require a lot of capital up front in marketing and advertising expenses.

Suggestive Trademark A suggestive trademark alludes to the qualities or characteristics of your product. A suggestive trademark requires a subtle leap in thought for consumers to reach a conclusion as to the exact nature of the goods. Equal sweetener and Greyhound bus lines are examples of suggestive marks. Many owners prefer suggestive marks because they plants a seed in the mind of consumers as to the nature of the goods and require less capital to build brand awareness. Suggestive trademarks come with one major risk – the line between suggestive and descriptive marks is extremely thin, and descriptive marks have a substantially reduced bundle of legal rights.

Descriptive Trademark Descriptive trademarks merely describe some portion of the goods or services sold under the mark. A trademark is descriptive if it “conveys an immediate idea of the ingredients, qualities or characteristics of the goods”. Descriptive trademarks may only achieve substantial federal protection if they acquire secondary meaning, which takes at least five years and a significant advertising budget. Spray ‘n Wash and Hamburger Helper are examples of descriptive marks that eventually attained protected status.

Generic TrademarkA generic trademark can never be a protected mark because it describes a category of product or service. For instance, you can’t trademark the word “Bleach”. This is because the law has determined free use of such categorical trademarks benefits consumers. Sometimes, previously strong and valid trademarks can become genericized if not protected or used properly. Aspirin, zipper, and escalator are examples of this trademark failure.


Show Pony provides general information only. Show Pony does not guarantee the accuracy of this information. This is not legal advice. Show Pony is not responsible for any legal advice, information, or assistance that you may obtain by using the Show Pony website. You can only obtain legal advice from a lawyer. To contact a lawyer, use a referral system in your state.

YOUR HANDY-DANDY GUIDE TO THE SPECTRUM OF DISTINCTIVENESSBY SCOTT BEACH

The process to trademark “Show Pony” in one category took approximately one year and cost close to $3,000.

What was your initial inspiration to begin photography?

I have been taking photographs on and off with varied interest since I was 6 years old, but the discovery of the website Flickr encouraged me to take it in a more serious direction.

How did you choose self-portraits as a means of expressing your self?

It was a complete accident that I started taking self-portraits, and was based purely on the lack of expendable models. Although reluctantly at first, I grew to love it.

Who/what influences your aesthetic choices?

My aesthetic choices are based on what I find utterly fascinating at the time. What I find fascinating is the collective work of everything I’ve ever seen, heard or felt, and that’s what makes it so personal.

Do you feel that a formal education in photography important or necessary to your development as an artist?

I don’t feel it’s necessary to anyone’s development as an artist. Not to say that it won’t help, I believe it can, but there are so many other ways to progress and grow and art school is just one of the more expensive options that might look good on a resume.

Location: Ontario, Canada

www.lissyelle.com

Represented by: www.lisabonnici.com

INSIDE THE PORTFOLIO OF Lissy ElleLissy Elle creates dreamlike images that at first glance seem to merely be an expression of fantasy. However, like the surrealist

women before her, Lissy’s photographs reveal so much more.

Left: “Alice Saw Some Shiny Things”

Right: “How Alice Hides”

Photography by Lissy Elle

Represented by Lisa Bonnici

Talk about your process from conception to completion. Do you construct the scenes by building props, or use post processing to create your environments?

I have only recently been experimenting with prop making, and had thus far been relying on my good

friend CS5. Generally to start I pick a concept from my giant list of concepts, make a mental list of the things and people I’ll need to complete it, compile those things, sketch it out, and then throw it all away almost the moment I start shooting and let spontaneity keep things interesting.

What has been the most important thing you have done to advance your career and development as an artist?

Definitely the 365 project. I made great progression my first year, and when I started my second year last May I was trying to use it as a motivational tool to take photographs more often, but instead, even with several months left, I can already see the change in my style, my editing techniques and just generally how I do things.

Tell us about the trajectory of your career path. How did you go from posting photos on Flickr to being represented?

It was a technological path, most of it, if not all of it took place online. It was a matter of saying yes to everything that was offered to me, gaining more exposure from that, and having my work happen to fall into the right hands at the right times.

“ My aesthetic choices are based on what I find utterly fascinating at the time.”

INSIDE THE PORTFOLIO OF Lissy Elle

“The Snow White Dilemma”

Now that your work is gaining recognition, Do you feel less freedom to create work from your heart? Are you more self-conscious now that you have a wider audience?

That’s something I definitely used to feel a lot when I was just posting on Flickr. I have a large number of social networking sites I post on now. Flickr I keep my fine-art stuff, Tumblr I keep my fashion, Facebook I put out-takes and pretty much everything else. My website is what I would like people to consider my portfolio.

What type of career do you aspire to build? Do you believe it is possible it make a living solely as an artist, or do you plan to pursue commercial work as well?

I love fashion photography, which by nature is commercial photography and I hope to one day be in the position to pursue that as well as fine art.

How do you envision your work changing as you get older?

I don’t know. I assume it will bend and shape to my personality, and change with my interests and current passions. It’s like asking who I will be when I am older. I can never really know.

What have you been most criticized for? Have there been any images you regretted creating or sharing?

I don’t regret anything. Nothing jumps to mind in terms of criticism, although sometimes when I meet more conservative people who mention they’ve seen my photos, I can just tell they are rather displeased with my nudes.

Thus far, what has been the greatest reward of being a photographer?

A sense of accomplishment, and that I have a general idea of my place in the world.


Find adventure.

Top: “Dust in the Wind”

Bottom: “Creationism”


FRESH OUT THE BOX


Everything was still a toss up:

I didn’t know exactly what I

wanted to do, but I knew I hit

a point where I was unsure of

what to do next.” Eddie Ochoa

was studying advertising at the Art Center

in Pasadena when he decided to make a

change. His dream of becoming a creative

director lost its luster as ideas of starting a

clothing boutique began to take over

his thoughts.

“When I started, it

(Fresh Out The Box)

was just a thought.

From there it turned

into research: what’s

the next step, what do

I need to do?

At the time when I

returned to the desert

I was as a server at

the Olive Garden, and

I was also helping my

dad with his business. In my free time I

starting doing research on what brands I

wanted to carry. I also started looking at

other shops, how their layouts were, and

what it took to have a really nice boutique.

Basically, I put together a brand list and

I went to my first show. I snuck into it

because you have to be an established

retailer in order to get into the trade shows.

“SHOW PONY MAGAZINE 67

“The very first show I went to I convinced

my mom to come with me. We tried to do

everything the right way, but we didn’t have

the right documents. I literally ripped up

one of their applications, got a lanyard, and

made it seem like I had a legitimate one. I

was able to sneak in and went to check out

the scene. I immediately fell in love with

it. I was walking around the show trying

to make contacts, and I made my own

business cards. I went to start talking to all

these people, but you needed one thing

in order to get the next. It was so hard! I

just gathered all of the contact information

I could and I started planning and looking

at different buildings. Finally, I found one

that I liked. I would go and look at the spot

almost everyday. I remember peeking my

head through the window and just looking

in an visualizing. I just stared doing that

everyday. I went on to design the space

and I finally got a bunch of lines to sell

to us.

Studying advertising allows you to touch

base with everything. You pick up a

camera so you learn how to shoot and

how a professional photographer works.

It was the same experience with film and

graphic design. Honestly that knowledge

is what has probably kept me in business:

The fact that I knew how to design my

own logo, print my own t-shirts, and shoot

the products myself. I was doing it all.”

It wasn’t until a couple months into the

opening that I noticed were weren’t really

selling that much. I started to think of ways

we could promote the shop.

In addition to using traditional forms of

promoting his business, Eddie began

to incorporate the talents of the local

community by sponsoring shows and events.

“One of the first events we did was an art

show with ten to fifteen different artists.

Not much art was sold that night but we

had a crazy turnout. So many people


came in, and the night was amazing! It

was just so crazy to see so many people

show up. There was a crowd of people

lined up around the block waiting to get

in. They wanted to see what the shop was

all about. We had people coming back the

following day, week, and a month later

saying that they had been to the art show.

The events and working with the local art

community changed everything for me.

Everyone that I’ve met has been because

of the shop. Its a business and its a

starting point, but its also a platform

and an outlet to do so much more.”

For more of our interview with Eddie Ochoa please click this video link.

Fresh Out The Box73-614 Hwy 111 Palm Desert, CA 92260www.freshouttheboxshop.com


Photography and interview by Rebecca Hill

ARLENE MATTHEWS AND BRANDON FREIN ARE THE SAVVY, AND CHIC WOMEN BEHIND THE SOON-TO-BE LAUNCHED WEBSITE KIT THIS. A STYLE DESTINATION FOR WOMEN OF ALL AGES, KIT THIS IS A CURATED COLLECTION OF PIECES FROM ESTABLISHED AND EMERGING BRANDS. NOT ONLY DOES THE BOUTIQUE CARRY EVERYDAY AFFORDABLE LOOKS, THEIR EDITORIAL CONTENT ACTUALLY SHOWS YOU HOW TO WEAR IT.


Best

BUSINESSFRIENDS&

Tell us about Kit This.

Arlene: We are focusing on real women making their own careers happen, having great personal style and following their dreams.

I know it gets hard, especially with women our age. There is really no one to show us what’s in trend.

Brandon: Who are we supposed to look to the Real Housewives? I love Anna Dello Russo but I’m not walking around with a cherry on my head. We have always targeted women in their thirties and up.

How did you meet?

Brandon: Arlene interviewed me for a job as a salesperson in a boutique. She was the owner of the shoe salon within the business and happened to answer the door. She was wearing a circle skirt and these really cute pink Chloe kitten heel moccasins. I looked at her and said “Chloe” and she said “yeah.” We became instant friends.

What has working with a friend through a start up and a rebrand been like?

Brandon: I don’t think if we weren’t such good friends we could have made this work. Your business is your baby and its been really hard. When I fall down Arlene lifts me up.


How did you go from working in the boutique to starting a business together?

Arlene: Timing! Just when you are both at the bottom and think life is going to end...

Brandon: Arlene left the company and I was fired shortly after her departure. We got thrown in it together because we had no other options.

Arlene: At that point I thought “god, do i have to try a whole new industry.” I remember thinking “ I’m not done with fashion yet.”

The decision was really quick. It was the last week of fall market 2008 and we thought “lets just go to New York”. We applied for market as a retailer and had our license.

Brandon: And, don’t forget we had business cards from Kinkos.

Arlene: We knew certain lines that we loved and wanted to sell.

Brandon: We had a lot of industry contacts and local customers. I lost my job literally two weeks before the end of fall market. You would not have merchandise in your store of another year if you didn’t buy it then. So we just hopped on a plane with the money I figured I could get my hands on, and we placed our first order. We got back from New York and then had to figure out what we were going to do. We wanted to work in fashion but not be in retail. We live in Chicago and have families. We don’t have the option of moving to New York, Paris, or Milan. We had to find what we could create for ourselves in Chicago.


You ladies represent wonderful brands, not the type who would just sell to any boutique. How were you able to make that happen with a startup company?

Brandon: We got really lucky because we had a contacts at Opening Ceremony and Loeffler Randall. We loved those lines and I feel they both say a lot about our personal style. Loeffler Randal is so pretty and downtown chic. Opening Ceremony is eccentric and trendy. It was a really great mix and really represented who we are.

How did you decide to open your boutique online?

Arlene: The internet was a whole new horizon for us.

Brandon: We didn’t know anything about selling online. That’s when we knew we were middle age ladies. Someone had to teach us how to hyperlink.

Arlene: It was grass roots retail! We stuck with what we knew which was retail, and we called friends and family for advice and connections.

How did the editorial side of your business develop? Your ability to translate the clothing you sell into original content isn’t an easy thing to do, especially on a regular basis.

Brandon: When we first started talking about the internet we realized people put so much into the branding and design of their brick and mortar businesses and then launched online counterparts that had nothing to do with the image of the brand. We looked to www.lagarconne.com. She styled an editorial: A really simple shoot with one girl in an empty house, natural light, but truly gorgeous.

Arlene: I just kept going back to that editorial over and over because it was so beautiful! I remember going through the images so many times. It was just so different. There was trench I wanted to buy and I

could see that she was selling it quickly through the editorial. Each time I clicked on it there were less and less available. She was selling it! It was only four years ago, but it was just so different and so new. No one else was doing it. There was nothing like it at the time.

Brandon: No one was styling. Arlene and I knew from retail that you had to break it down for women. If you say “put a white shirt with it”, well, they need to know exactly what white shirt. They need to literally see what you are talking about. So we figured if we could show women how to put together an outfit, our business would work.

Arlene: We knew from retail that if you could get them in the fitting room you were good to go. There were so many options for such great interaction. That is what we are trying to

accomplish: to have a boutique feel for the shop along with the editorial inspiration that shows our customers what is fashionable.

Brandon: With the editorial we had no parameters. We had nothing to lose. We thought lets just make some outfits and collaborate with great people and see what happens.

Kit Thiswww.kitthis.com


Inspiration is often found in unlikely places. So many people long to finally take the leap and start doing the things they have dreamed about for so long. But what is catalyst that takes us from dreamer to doer? Jose Tallon is the owner of Adornmment Tattoo, which due to strict zoning laws, is the only tattoo and piercing shop in Palm Springs. He shares how the art of suspension gave him the self-confidence and professional drive to start his own shop.

“It’s all about finding who you are: trusting yourself, and showing yourself what you are capable of. Until I suspended I never completed anything in my entire life. I was a quitter and a recovering drug addict. My whole life I had people telling me that I talked too much, that I was a trouble maker, and that I was never going to amount to anything. Then six months into my sobriety I suspended and it changed my entire life. I showed myself what I was truly capable of. I thought that if I could do this, I can do anything.“

ADORNMENT TATTOO AND PIERCING2825 Tahquitz Canyon Way Suite 109 Palm Springs, CA 92262

www.facebook.com/adornmentstudios

www.adornmentstudio.com

www.adornmentstudios.tumblr.com/

UNEXPECTED INSPIRATION

PHOTO BY STEVE SURRATT


menswear inspired style to welcome in the new season

photography by rebecca hill fashion editors: arlene matthews & brandon frein

hair & makeup by: jenna baltes models: lauren johnson & kerrington true at ford models chicago

SpringForward

PHOTO BY STEVE SURRATT

LeftSurface to Air patched denim skirt $118

Edith A. Miller scoop neck stripe tee $70

Cotton Treats bow tie (from Hazel)

Stylist’s own vest

Model’s own white shirt

Rachel Comey granby platforms $202

RightRachel Comey pleated skirt $184

Shourouk phoenix necklace $595 (by special order)


Project watch (from Hazel)

Sam Goldberg druzy quartz ring


Rachel Comey vendor high-waisted shorts

Rachel Comey madge heeled oxford $190

Stylist’s own vest, blouse and hat


LeftRachel Comey loose lace leggings $391

Anagram striped shirting top $110

Vanessa Bruno athe white blazer $192

Stylist’s own leather biker jacket

Rachel Comey boyer flat slippers $402

RightAnagram metallic stripe dress


Stylist’s own black button-up

Rachel Comey jasper sheer shirtdress $529

Rachel Comey Oslar wingtips $391

Cufflinks at neck and wrists (from Hazel)

Stylist’s own black button-up


Surface to Air flare jeans in red $159

Sonia by Sonia Rykiel red belt $155

Rachel Comey oslar wingtips $391

Stylist’s own vest and tee


Rachel Comey long Opus dress $633

Dibi skinny knit tie (from Hazel)

Stylist’s own pumps and white button-up


FIRSTPERSONWITHSONIAROSELLIMAKEUP ARTIST AND ENTREPRENEUR SHARES HER JOURNEY FROM HOME OFFICE TO RETAIL STOREFRONT



A creative business is one of the most challenging businesses to be in and only a creative person will understand what I mean. To own a business takes a lot of mental energy. To be creative takes a lot of mental energy. Combine the two and most days you just want to lay down and take a nap.

What is the one most important thing I have learned on the journey of being a creative business owner? If you treat your team and clients with love and respect, you can make it in a creative business.

One thing I will say is this: To make it in this business you should never apologize for your talent or the talent of your team. You must praise and listen to your team. You must thank and listen to your customers. Because without either of them you are setting yourself up for failure.

When I wrote this piece for Show Pony magazine blog in early 2011, I had no idea the hurdles and hoops that lay ahead of me. I also wasn’t sure how much I wanted the world know about me and my personal business. But when I thought about it, I decided I should be candid as my story may help other creative business owners.

To begin my journey I must tell you how it all started. I was already a working makeup artist but had dreams of having my own makeup studio. It was late 2005 and I started collecting information on what I would need to open a brick and mortar store. While I searched for storefront spaces, I ran my credit report to be sure there was nothing to keep me from getting a business loan. After correcting a few simple reporting mistakes I had a near flawless report.

Storefront property in Chicago is insanely expensive. I often wondered how small businesses ever made a profit in this town. I looked at property in popular areas that were asking over $10-25 thousand per month. Even in less desirable areas, I don’t recall seeing anything for under $4-5 thousand per month. If I did find space for less money, it needed so much work that it would have depleted my entire savings. I felt like I needed one of those naps.

In June 2007, I fell madly in love with one particular row of storefronts on Maxwell Street in Chicago’s South Loop. Determined that the fit, location and parking was great, I finally made my move and applied for the space. But the excitement and joy was very short lived.

IF YOU TREAT YOUR TEAM AND CLIENTS WITH LOVE AND RESPECT YOU CAN MAKE IT.


As I filled out the rental application, perfect credit and all, the management company determined they wanted a $100,000 cash deposit because I wasn’t a “big name” player. Even if I had $100,000 cash to hand over as a security deposit, I wouldn’t have any money left for inventory or products. Sadly the management company turned me down. Not because of my credit but because I didn’t have $100,000 cash to give as a security deposit. Ironically, four years later that space is still sitting empty.

I decided to look in smaller neighborhoods with individual owners that offered storefronts for rent. In all, I applied for 4 spaces, but they were pulled out from under me for a variety of reasons. I was mentally and physically drained from the entire process and felt helpless.

After many nights of crying myself to sleep, I decided all I wanted to do was open. I wanted a space near my home that I could teach my makeup classes out of, consult with my bridal clients, and ship my products from my online web store. I didn’t need to be in a supreme location and be held hostage to the high rent districts.

I DIDN’THAVE$100,000 CASH TO GIVE ASA SECURITY DEPOSIT...


Makeup Artist Rebecca Males

Makeup Artist Brandon Trumfio

I pondered the idea of a bigger space in a less than attractive area. After chatting with my good friend Becky (on somewhat of a crying jag), she calmly said something that struck a cord. “If clients have been coming to your home to meet with you in Rogers Park, why not open a studio there?” With that I went out to find an inexpensive storefront, in my not so up and coming neighborhood that I adored so much.

Finally late in 2007, I found a studio space that would work and a management company that actually cared about getting me as a client. Rogers Park Vintage Management really made me feel like a “big name player”. Not only did they charge me a fair deposit and rent, they also helped pay for my build out with my 48 month lease.

As my build out was being done, I filed all the necessary paperwork, opened a commercial bank account, became an S-corporation and did everything you are supposed to do when opening a brick and mortar storefront. I went to my bank and applied for and received a small business loan.

So that I wouldn’t have to start making business loan payments before my studio was actually opened and generating revenue, my banker advised me to use my credit cards for inventory and equipment purchases. It made sense to do it this way and who doesn’t trust their banker, right?

Two months later I had nearly maxed out my credit cards buying things I needed to open the studio. Computers, fixtures, cabinets, inventory, you name it, it all went on the credit cards.

I went to the bank to withdraw money from my business loan to pay off my credit card balances. After I arrived at the bank, I found out the bank pulled my business loan and I was no longer eligible to receive the funds. Not only did the bank rescind funding, they didn’t offer me a reason on why they withdrew the loan. I was already approved and paperwork signed so why were they doing this to me now? I had put nearly $80,000 on my credit cards and now I had no business loan.

On September 15, 2008 news of the banking industry and overall economy downturn hit the news. I think we

were all shocked to learn of what the big banks had really been up to. Now it was clear why my business loan was pulled from out from under me. Even if I tried to get a new loan at another bank, banks weren’t lending money. Having no way of securing a new loan to pay off my credit cards, I was left with huge amounts of debt and as a result my perfect credit score was ruined.

Since my glass is always half full, we opened anyway with what we had in October of 2008 and we have been rocking since day one. I could tell you it’s been an easy ride but it hasn’t. I have made some very costly mistakes along the way and not ashamed to say it. As a business owner you must take chances. You also need to be resilient and fearless.

Since writing the original piece for Show Pony, so much has happened. I never thought tragedy could really happen to my team, or my business. But when man plans, God laughs.

WHEN I SAY YOU CAN’T DO IT ALONE, I AM SERIOUS


On August 9, 2011 I got a call no one business owner wants to hear. My studio manager, Susan called me crying telling me that our hairstylist, Claudia and her son, were killed by a drunk driver that morning.

Claudia had over 32 weddings booked with our studio. I have never experienced anything like what I experienced that day. I found myself

in the absolute worst place to be as a human being and a business owner. How do I grieve the loss of a friend and team member, yet still take care of my brides who also mean so much to me? These brides were counting on me and my team for their wedding day. It’s not like we can “reschedule” their days. It was the absolute worst feeling in the entire world. How do I

show compassion for a family who has suffered a loss, yet be cold enough to help keep running the business while everyone and everything around me had fallen down around us?

When I say you can’t do it alone, I am serious. I can’t even begin to express how dedicated my team was during this tragedy. It was then I knew how truly blessed I was. My team,

YOU NEED TO BE RESILIENT AND FEARLESS...

especially Susan and Rebecca really helped keep things together. It’s always a fine balance to be true to your team and be true to the business. But it was then I knew that my team loved me as much as I loved them. We came out ok after all was said and done and to this day I can’t believe what rock stars I truly have working along side me.

There are very exciting things coming down the pipeline here at our makeup studio. I have been approached by TV execs who want to do a reality show about us and have been asked to teach with one of the worlds largest cosmetic manufacturers. Without my team I would never be able to do everything that is asked of me. Because without a team you are only one person. It really

does take a village to be successful. And with a great team such as mine, I find I really do need less naps lately. Well at least not every day.

Sonia Roselli Esthetique

7363 N Greenview Ave Chicago, IL 60626

www.soniaroselli.com


Honky Tonk chef brings championship BBQ and down-home hospitality to Pilsen.

WAGNER’SNEIGHBORHOOD

MISTER

Story by Brooke O’Neill

he restaurant doesn’t open until 4 p.m., but for Willie Wagner running Honky Tonk BBQ is a round-the-clock job. “I ate brisket today for breakfast with two hands,” confesses the award- winning Chicago chef.

By 9 a.m., he has chickens in the oven and is whipping up garlic mashed potatoes and baked beans for catered lunches. As hours tick by, the aroma of smoky, homemade barbeque wafts out from the kitchen, conjuring memories of backyard picnics and lazy summer days.

“Barbeque always seems to be what people do when they want to get together socially,” says Wagner, who opened Honky Tonk in Pilsen four years ago. A third place finish in the 2008 Memphis-in-May championship, the world’s largest pork competition,

and a visit from celebrity chef Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, quickly catapulted Honky Tonk onto the national foodie radar. Renowned for platefuls of succulent pulled pork, creamy mac and cheese, and, of course, beef brisket, the outpost evolved from a tiny rib joint into a mecca for barbeque aficionados—all without sacrificing its cozy, neighborhood feel.

“The word ‘barbeque’ is almost synonymous with ‘day off,’ and ‘friends,” says Wagner, a Pilsen local as passionate about his community as his corn muffins. Tucked at the corner of 18th and Racine, his restaurant draws some of the city’s most diverse crowds with its homemade dishes, live music, and eclectic artwork.

T

WAGNER’SNEIGHBORHOOD



“There are people here from all over town,” says Wagner. “Rich, poor, young, old.” A brightly colored mural of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo hanging inside the entrance welcomes diners to the predominantly Hispanic neighborhood, while retro gems like a Golden Arm wrestling machine and coin-operated antique horse bring an old-timey twist. An upright piano sits in the far corner.

“You get the country-western bands playing and you feel like you’re in a saloon,” says Wagner. Open six days a week, Honky Tonk offers nightly live performances with genres ranging from Americana and bluegrass to soul and Chicago jazz, all with no cover charge.

The walls have their own rhythm. “I would call it American homemade art,” says Wagner. “That guy calls himself a white-trash folk artist,” says the chef, pointing to a woodcarving near the stage. Collected

by a longtime friend with a “crazy antique store habit,” the paintings are mainly early 20th-century and come from art-world outsiders foreign to the gallery circuit.

Offbeat and unassuming, Honky Tonk is exactly the sort of friendly watering hole that gives the neighborhood its character. “The recession really saved Pilsen,” says Wagner, wary of gentrification in his beloved surroundings. A resident for 25 years, he dreamed of making Honky Tonk the place where locals pop in at midnight for a drink or quick bite.

Based on the diners rushing to 18th Street, we have two words for Wagner: mission accomplished.

TEAM UP: “We don’t have a bunch of outside investors. It’s our restaurant. My wife, Beth, manages some of the inventories and schedules. Karie [Leonardo] manages the people, the bar. Everyone’s involved. If I had to do everything, I would crack up. You have to have a management team with different strengths.”

STAY HUNGRY: “There’s too much average food in this town. Yes, what we do here is simple, inexpensive comfort food. But people are very passionate about the quality of their corn muffins. If you keep the food good, people will come. If you let the food slip, they’ll slip away.”

CARPE DIEM: “Honky Tonk was wacky, oddball place off the beaten path when Guy Fieri and the Food Network came. It was an opportunity for us and we took it very seriously. We didn’t want to goof it up. And we grew up from being a dive to being a beautiful, food-centric restaurant.”

DOWNBIZ

THEBREAKING

’d always been sort of mystified by little BBQ shacks,” says Wagner, who worked in commercial print sales for two decades before finding his passion as a restaurateur. “I’d peek in the back and think, ‘This is an interesting way to make a living: cook good food all day.’”

As the oldest of 11, he grew up grilling big meals, but never imagined it as a career. “If you had told me I was going to have a restaurant,” he says, “I would have told you that you were Froot Loops.”

Yet cookouts with friends and family eventually turned into barbequing at street festivals. In 2007, Wagner opened Honky Tonk and has been serving up delectable food ever since. He recently sat down with Show Pony to dish out some of his entrepreneurial secrets.

BE INSPIRED: “Figure out some way to fuel your passion, because you’re going to run out of gas a few times. Decide you’re going to do it right.”

FIND A NEW SPIN: “Originally, a South Side rib joint was a carry-out place. It’s the kind of food that you eat out of a bag in your car…. Originally, we were just one room with 24 seats. But then we slowly evolved and thought, ‘What if it were a real place with seating?’ We were one of the only rib places in town like that.”

I SHOW PONY MAGAZINE 105

TIM MORGAN CHEF

The mastermind behind Honky Tonk’s homemade sides, sauces,

and desserts, he’s cooked in Chicago restaurants for nearly five decades, including 28 at the now closed Hickory Pit. “Tim is the

genius here,” says Wagner. “He’s got lots of tricks up his sleeve.”

(p.s., Don’t miss his candied yams, banana pudding, and

peach cobbler.)

Favorite menu item: Beef brisket.

CRAIG CUNNINGHAM

BARTENDER A Pittsburgh transplant, he loves Honky Tonk’s diverse

crowds. “You get a lot of people from the neighborhood coming in,

but also people from all over the country,” says Cunningham.

“They travel thousands of miles to Chicago—and come here.”

Favorite menu item: Links sandwich with garlic-mustard

sauce and black-eyed peas.

+ TEAMDRINKKITCHEN

JIMMY TILTON CHEF

Morgan’s right-hand man, he’s been in the kitchen two years. “It’s been a great

learning experience for me,” says the Indiana native. “When customers come

in and have a good time, that’s why a cook does what he does.”

Favorite menu item: My favorite item on the Honky Tonk menu would be the viking beef short rib. The viking beef is

handsdown a flavor that is unmatched and stands alone when it comes to taste.

Photography by Chantelle Grady - A Little Relish

We here at Show Pony know that it usually takes a team of people to produce a publication filled with original, substantive content. Can you please share your process of creating A Little Relish?

After observing a city and immersing myself in it for a little while I select the places I’d like to feature in the magazine. I also take note of foods enjoyed and how they are presented as well as the activities and social scene of a city. From all this I then begin to plan the structure and recipes to go into the magazine. And then the

cooking begins. The kitchen is a mess and I’m off taking photos nearly everyday, gradually building up the magazine. When I’m near the end I usually go back and perfect the things I’m not totally happy with. I have a few close friends run their eye over it and then I launch it for all to see.

Can you elaborate on how you developed such a well-rounded artistic sensibility and technical skill set?

All my life I guess I have noticed the details in things. I was never really good at remembering facts but I was always very good at describing a scene or an atmosphere. I’m also really drawn to things that create a feeling. I am inspired by the scenes around me and how people live. The technical skill set has developed from an interest in interiors, photography and design and working in the industry on various accounts.

Byblos Le Petit Café

1499 Ave Laurier E Montreal, QC H2J 1H8

My favorite thing to order is their feta omelette with sweet bread and jam. That and a pot of their Iranian tea.

Chantelle Grady is the food photographer, stylist, and editor of one of our favorite magazines, A Little Relish. She was kind enough to share what it takes to self publish a magazine, along with her top five cafes in Montreal.

www.chantellegrady.com

www.alittlerelish.com

FOODIE TOP FIVE Montreal108 SHOW PONY MAGAZINE

Are you formally trained in any of the disciplines you practice?

I studied interior design and graphic design and then worked in the industry as a graphic designer for eight years. I worked for advertising agencies and found my strength was in creating moods and concepts for photo shoots. I really enjoyed the photography side of things and that’s when I picked up a camera and started practicing and taking my own photos.

How do you go about the production aspects of the magazine: choosing locations, obtaining permissions, fact checking?

Choosing locations takes some time. I first of all do research online to find out places people love, and I ask locals and those living in the city what their favourites are. I then go to these places to see for myself along with those I’ve noticed in my travels. Then I’ll contact the owners and tell them about the project and if it’s ok to take photos. In regards to fact checking, the magazine is more about visual images and

observation of an atmosphere than it is about facts. But I do also ask the business owner a few questions about their cafe or restaurant to understand the story behind it.

What has been the greatest challenge of creating and publishing the magazine?

The greatest challenge is realizing my goal of printing the magazine for people to enjoy. Anybody who knows or works in the magazine industry knows how expensive it can be to print. I really hope one day I can provide that to people. That and all the eating! I have to work extra hard in the gym when putting the magazine together.

What has been the greatest reward?

The positive comments and emails I’ve received from people. I’ve had so many people say that the magazine has inspired them to visit the cities featured. Also, the emails from those living in the cities saying it has helped them look at their city with fresh eyes. I think when

we live in a place for a long time we often overlook the things we see everyday. I’m happy that a little relish reminds people to appreciate these things and start enjoying them again.

Can you please share your future goals and aspirations for A Little Relish?

I would love to see a little relish in print. I’ve received a lot of emails from people asking where they can buy the magazine. Going forward my goal is to provide that to people. I think there is something quite special about feeling the pages of a magazine as you turn them. It’s an experience in itself.


Thank you Show Pony for allowing me to get involved. I think it’s great that you profile creative entrepreneurs and small business and help inspire so many out there wanting to do great things.

FOODIE TOP FIVE Montreal110 SHOW PONY MAGAZINE

Café Sardine

Plateau Mont-Royal 9 ave. Fairmount est Montreal, QC H2T2L9

A tiny place. Great for a morning coffee and a freshly baked beignet.

Café Névé

Plateau Mont-Royal 151 Rachel est Montreal, QC H2W

My favourite place for coffee. Their porridge with grilled peaches is delicious and so too are their freshly baked muffins and huge chocolate cookies.


The Sparrow

Plateau Mont-Royal 5322 Boulevard St-Laurent Montréal, QC H2T1A5

I great place for a lazy weekend brunch. They have a fixed menu ranging from pulled pork, hush puppies and slaw to a special Sugar Shack breakfast of beans, eggs, potatoes, pancakes and sausages drizzled in maple syrup. You won’t need to eat for the rest of the day!

Café Santropol

3990 Rue St-Urbain Montréal, QC H2W1K2

A great place for sandwiches prepared on their special Santropol bread. I love the Killer Tomato with cream cheese, sundried tomatoes, basil and garlic spread topped with fresh tomato slices. Their Hot and Spicy Apple Juice is good also on a cold day.

SHOW PONY MAGAZINE REACHES A YOUNG, ENGAGED, AND INSPIRED AUDIENCE. WE ARE INTERESTED IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH BUSINESSES THAT SHARE OUR VALUES AND ENCOURAGE THE ASPIRATIONS OF OUR READERS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADVERTISE, PLEASE CONTACT US AT [email protected]

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Ubud is best experienced early when the

streets are absent of the traffic and tourists.

The Ubud produce market begins at dawn.

To an outsider this crowded and chaotic

maze of commerce offers a glimpse into

the daily lives of Balinese people. It also

offers the uncomfortable sensation of being

both conspicuous and invisible. This is where

business is done and daily needs are met.

It is easy to romanticize the idyllic nature

of the local marketplace. We are all aware

that this dying form of commerce is rapidly

being replaced by mini marts. While it is

easy to bemoan the death of authenticity it is

much more difficult to take a closer look at

the vendors in this market. There is a great

deal of dignity coming through tired eyes

and weathered faces. This environment is

a hot, dirty and competitive place to earn a

living. There is nothing romantic about the

challenging circumstances faced by most of

the people who make their living here.

BALIWORKING AROUND THE WORLD

STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY REBECCA HILL

I have a profound respect for this community,

especially when they look me dead in the eye

and command prices more than double what

a local pays. When it comes to bargaining

here I simply make the choice not to. If

you are buying produce at double the local

prices it is still extremely cheap by Western

standards. When it is a difference of $.20 or

$.10 it really does not make an impact on

your trip budget. If you spend enough time

in the market you will realize that it does

however make a difference to the vendor

you are purchasing it from.


ISSUE NUMBER 2 OF SHOW PONY MAGAZINE COMING JULY 2012

CHECK OUT WWW.SHOWPONYMAG.COM FOR EXCLUSIVE FEATURES AND VIDEO UPDATES.

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