Bensimons are back. Every spring we look forward to the day when these favorites arrive in the shop.  It means summer is just around the corner.

Originally worn by the French Army, this cotton and rubber tennis shoe was redesigned in 1978 by the Serge and Yves Bensimon. They were further popularized when style icon Jane Birkin began to wear them. 

Featuring a soft canvas upper and a flexible rubber sole, we are offering two different styles this season:
The Elastique: A shop favorite, the Bensimon elastique is a casual and soft canvas slip on with a stretchy front and flexible rubber sole. 

The Tennis: Bensimon's classic 'tennis' style sneaker. A soft canvas lace-up with flexible rubber sole.

Both styles are sized in whole European sizes.  The sizing tends to run small, so for example if you are a US 7.5, go up to a size 38. 

In our brick and mortar shop we've got other fun colors available as well. Some are even posted on our Instagram account if you'd care to take a peek. But, if you're in the neighborhood come say hi and see them for yourself. If you're not local, call or email and we'll be happy to help you out.

Open on a Sunday? Yes! For a rosé tasting we will be !

Join us Sunday, May 5th from 2-4p as we welcome Kim Park from the Wine and Cheese Cask. Kim is our favorite steward of all things wine and is a wine buyer at the Cask. She'll be sharing some of this seasons' rosé wines that she thinks you should know about. A little from Provence, a little from the Basque region, and well... it's Kim's pick. Come learn, taste, and get ready for Summer. 

The Wine and Cheese Cask is a favorite in our Cambridge/Somerville community. For 50 years they've been serving up specialty wines, beers, spirits, the most delicious cheeses, and gourmet foods from around the globe. They even make sandwiches! If you're not familiar with the 'cask', it's certainly worth a visit to the corner of Beacon and Washington Streets.

And, to accompany your vino, we'll be cracking open a few of our Portuguese conservas to try on the side. It's going to be a delicious Sunday afternoon and we hope you can attend.

A special thank you to Fawn DeViney for letting us use her photograph for our promotional endeavors. XO

Pod will be open 12-5p Sunday May, 5th. This event is from 2-4p. 

This Spring we've chosen to expand our collection of Mashiko pottery. It's incredibly special, but as such, it comes with its own personality and we thought it might be a good idea to discuss it a bit. The pottery begins one way and with use, ends up another way. It's part of a larger discussion about how we live with the objects around us. How they age and evolve--just like us.

Mashiko pottery is made in the town of Mashiko in Tochigi, Japan where its historical origins date back to the Edo period (late 1800's). This area is renown for the master potter Shoji Hamada, the use of its local clay, and for its specific glaze colors. The pottery is crafted from the original thick, coarse consistency of the town's native soil and is not combined with any other types of raw material.  These organic conditions are what give this ware a warm and rustic feel that is unique to 'Mashiko-yaki'.  This contemporary Mashiko line is produced under the direction of designer, Takuhiro Shinomoto. Production is still committed to using the locally-sourced materials for all of its components and will yield subtle variations in color and glaze crazing.

Glaze crazing, which is the network of lines that run across the glazed surface, can/will occur on these products and may increase over time.  These lines are formed naturally on the surface and are typical traits of glazed earthenware, especially with Mashiko-yaki.  People in Japan expect their Mashiko pieces to craze.  It's a desirable feature that is viewed as a 'good thing' and the sooner, the better. 

We have provided an example of crazing here in the photos so you can make an informed decision on whether or not this product trait is 'desirable' to you. We do have an example in our shop too. If you prefer your pottery to remain one way, unchanged, or pristine, Mashiko-yaki is not for you. But, we hope you might be open to learn about it and maybe one day, you'll enjoy your cup of tea out of one its mugs.