Merry, merry.

We hope you are.

xoxo COUNCIL

Camera Obscura.

And another reason to go the Met, the incredible Robert Frank exhibit. The exhibition space weaves you through a sequential tour of works from his amazing book The Americans (1959). This photo, included in a collage of his working prints, got us thinking about new year's eve - what we'll be wearing, who we'll be kissing...

xoxo COUNCIL





P.S.

If you're still feeling gun shy about making the trip, you can peek at more images from the show here.

Walk like an Egyptian.

On a recent snow day in New York, we remembered Egypt by way of the incredible Egyptian wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. That visit, and the fact that our amazing (and we mean that - he really and truly is!) landlord is a native of Egypt have inspired us to get some lovely vintage books on the subject for the shop. They're coming real soon, so stay tuned.

xoxo COUNCIL

Special delivery.

Our dear friend Cydney Puro had the most beautiful arrangement from our neighbors at Opalia delivered to us. It looks like an undewater dream and boasts Orchids and berries and green Hydrangeas that smell just like honey.

Thank you Cyd, we adore them!

xoxo COUNCIL

To friends with cheer Pt.2, photographs

And without further ado, photos from the Music Tapes holiday show.

xoxo COUNCIL

the mobile set, with yule log accompaniment

the boys, preparing

bowing banjos

trio of saws

storytelling

xylophoning

our lovely host, Stephanie, and COUNCIL partner, Pam, enjoying the show

To friends with cheer.

Our good friend and once featured artist Stephanie Schwallie hosted her second annual holiday party featuring a performance by Julian Koster of the Music Tapes (and formerly Neutral Milk Hotel). This and last year's performance were part of an ambitious caroling project that attempts to take Julian to ever more living rooms and homes, performing multiple shows a night in countless cities across the country. This year Julian brought friends (in addition to Badger, his musical saw); he was joined by two other performers as well as a pop-up set of illuminated drummer boys and lambs. And, just like last year, his father sat in the audience, beaming with a glow of pride and boasting the loudest laughter in the room. The performance was nothing short of beautiful and we all felt so lucky to be there. Thanks to Julian and company for performing and to Steph for hosting! We will post photos soon, but in the mean time enjoy a video from yet another of his living room performances.

xoxo COUNCIL

The Music Tapes - Freeing Song For Reindeer from Hard to Find a Friend on Vimeo.

This just in!

A class of 1965 year book from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. The type, layout, illustrations, and photographs are some of the most special we've seen in a little while.

Come and see for yourself before we sell it to some lucky so-and-so.

xoxo COUNCIL

And, giving.

And on the subject of giving, we have a few ideas. We have thought long and hard this year (our first holiday season!) about what could make your annual looting easier, especially for those who like to shop in a one-for-me-one-for-you-kind-of-way (as we usually do...). Here is a sampling of a few new items that you can currently find on offer in our shop, in addition to our stable of staple Plume and Miranda Bennett pieces.

xoxo COUNCIL

Assorted vintage books. Art, design, and inspiration.

A little YSL-esque magic for your head, just in time for the cold. Plume wool hats. Various sizes. Available in grey and black. Photo courtesy of *

Pieces of memory. Miranda Bennett floating pressed flowers. Each tagged with date of collection and place of origin. Photo courtesy of *

Felt, in the wild.

One half of the little felted wonders have arrived from team Mouton, and they have already found places of repose in the store. We captured them in their new (temporary) habitat. At $12 each, you may be wondering how they will look in yours.

xoxo COUNCIL

Our house stud.

Refinery 29 recently included our very own Pamela Johnston of Plume Jewels in their editor holiday picks list. Have a look! Our thanks to the lovely Christene.

xoxo COUNCIL




Above, from left:

Pamela Johnson Gold Bars Stud Earrings, $205, available at Council. "I love the simplicity of these long gold bar studs."


To read the full article, click here.

Kissing Cousins.

COUNCIL commissioned a dynamic duo of felting cousins who are very close to our hearts, Bridget and Monique Mouton, to make holiday pieces for the shop. Their work is shipping to the store this week, and we cannot wait to unpack their creations and show them off to you. Until then, enjoy some teasers in the form of other works by still other felters. Oh, the possibilities of what's to come!

xoxo COUNCIL

image via them

image via them

image via them

image via them

image via them

image via them

Thanks & Giving.

There are many things to be thankful for, all day, everyday. In addition to the air we breathe, the golden yellow piles of Ginkgo leaves on the sidewalk this time of year, and the blessing of a city such as ours, we are thankful for: meals cooked together. And family. And friends. The ability to appreciate beautiful things. And having these exorbitantly expensive roofs over our heads (for they certainly are better than no roofs at all). And for one roof in particular, we at COUNCIL are particularly thankful. More than the roof itself (obviously), the love - the warm, generous, overwhelming, graceful, demanding, gratifying, and sometimes completely surprising love that it has sheltered this past year. For that, and so, so much more, 

Thank you.

xoxo COUNCIL

P.S.

An excerpt from our supper (that turkey's a fake!!!).

And when the night calls.

Scenes from our Alexis MacDonald opening.

xoxo COUNCIL