Buckle UP! It’s going to be one of our long ones!!
Our Off the Rack: Conversations at Upstairs on 7th last week was so important we would be happy to do it again. Seriously, Katy and I and everyone who came will tell you the same thing: we had no idea what it meant to have your affairs really in order, generally, and for life’s expected and unimaginable events.
Robyn Wagman and Marilee Fitzgerald, the founders of Estate of Mine Organizers (EOMO) pretty much taught us that if you think you are organized because you have a will or know all of your bank accounts and insurance policies, that is only the beginning. You need to do at least 20 other things to be completely prepared and organized in case something should happen to you or your partner or spouse. For instance did you know that it is not enough to have a power of attorney? You need what they call a durable power of attorney. Do you have passwords for you bill paying and financial life in your password manager or are they in your head? Or, are they written down on a piece of paper? Does anyone besides you know where that information can be found? If you DO have your passwords written down and someone knows where to find that piece of paper, do they have the password to your computer because Apple won’t give that out. So that my friends, is the tip of the iceberg. By the way, the EOMO system is not just geared towards preparation for a catastrophic event or the end of life. It also prepares and organizes you for the decisions you make in your daily life.
This is an extract of what you need to know: and this is what someone else needs to be able to access if need be.
Save this image to your computer and expand it. Try not to get nervous because you don’t have these things organized. You can contact Robyn and Marilee and get the Estate of Mine Organizational system. This system will tell you what you need, what you have, what is missing, and where your important information, documents, and decisions are located. It usually costs $249.99, but they will honor the price they gave us last week of $199.99 plus tax and shipping (unless you want to make arrangements to pick it up). You can call Marilee Fitzgerald at 202-603-4833 or send an email to: estateofmineorganizers@
The system comes complete with a paper copy of checklists and worksheets and a flash drive which has the fillable checklists and worksheets embedded on it. You can view the EOMO system on their website at: www.eomo.org.
Everyone who attended did get one and two people bought three: one for them and one for each of their children. We have a lot of work to do because we have to catch up but it is a great gift for our children.
The next thing to organize is your closet. Anything you have not worn in a year or two, put it aside for our annual July Recycle Sale if you bought it at Upstairs on 7th. Donate what you know you will not wear and now we are talking about those jeans that are now too big for you or in my case too small!!
Once you are all organized come to the store and fill in what you need of course. And you might need this drop dead gorgeous rain coat from Giada Forte, the designer of most of the best coats we get.
As pretty as this coat looks in this picture it is much prettier in person because the color is amazing. And the fabric is so soft and beautiful.
Anett Rostel has come in and here are a few of our favorites.
We love this white shrug.
We loved this dress so much we bought it in black and white too.
This is the perfect cocktail dress. Perfect to wear to a summer wedding.
Niche will be in this week and we have lots of Kedem Sasson dresses and also great tops from his line Amma. Our beautiful new Monies jewelry is here too. If you haven’t been here in a week you have missed seeing a lot! Christmas in March for us!
Back by popular demand: Norma Kamali jog pant. We have two in each size and last time they were gone in two days so if you want a pair let us know and we will send them out or hold them for you.
On March 24th, Ruth Marcus will be here for her Off the Rack conversation to discuss her new book Supreme Ambition: Brett Kavanaugh and the Conservative Takeover. We have copies available in the store, so if you’d like you can pick one up and get a head start. We will serve a light dinner from 6-7, and the conversation will run form 7-8. Ruth will sign books following the conversation. Please RSVP to upstairson7th@me.com to reserve your seat. We have about ten left.
Just a word about our speaker series. Please, please, please try and come if you have RSVP’d. We order everything three days before and we know things come up but we just want everyone to be aware. THANKS. We love having our series and we LOVE having all of you here.
Also, if you have been to our conversations then you know our helper Stephanie, who is just fantastic. She is available to work if you are giving a party or a large meeting and need help. Her email is: Benitez.steph@yahoo.com.
Our Small Piece Art Show date has changed to a day later to Wednesday, April 22nd from 5-8. PLEASE mark your calendars accordingly.
We are going to use the lobby for this art show so that many more people can attend from our building and also it won’t be so crowded for the artist tables. We have room for many more artists, even as many as 20 or maybe even more. If you or any of your friends want to participate please reach out to them or let us know and we will email them. And in our own “Waiting for Godot” moment two major collectors said they were going to attend so it may turn out to be a good opportunity for our artist friends. Artists can email Katy at: Katy@thecuratedgroup.com to let her know if you would like to participate.
In the “aren’t we lucky we live here” category here are some fabulous exhibitions in DC:
The Phillips Collection has a fantastic exhibit called Riffs and Relations:
African American Artists and the European Modernist Tradition. Works by African American artists of the 20th and 21st centuries together with examples by the early 20th century European artists with whom they engaged is a show not to be missed. One of the pieces by Leonardo Drew is in the exhibit and it is owned by one of our customers Patti Bleicher and her husband Bob. I got to visit the piece with them and now I am obsessed with Leonardo Drew’s work. These are not found objects: each piece is made by him. The curator said it is 300 pounds and came in pieces with instructions to hang it. It is amazing.
Here is Patti in front of her sculpture by Leonardo Drew. If you save and expand it you can see how intricate it is.
If you are ever in Montclair NJ Patti owns Gallery Loupe, a contemporary art jewelry gallery.
The James Renwick Alliance has an artist workshop and lecture from a young furniture maker Annie Evelyn that also looks terrific.
At the National Museum of Women in the Arts Katy, who is in Paris buying us fab things for fall, said this exhibit of seven monumental works by artist Delita Martin is fantastic. They are on view until April 19th.
Hope everyone had a great weekend and we hope to see you soon!
Ricki and Katy