Based on customer feedback, we have decided to handle orders from Canada in the same way we handle all international shipments… on a per order basis! Originally, we thought it would be best to charge a $10 surcharge on shipments to Canada (shipping to Canada can get expensive) but we have come to realize that this isn’t best for all orders. SO, from now on, if you are a customer from Canada and would like to make a purchase from LAMA, let us know what you would like and we’ll send you the best possible shipping rate we can find (no more surcharges). Yay!!

flickr photo from meddygarnet

Thank you to our Canadian customers for your kind feedback and suggestions. We greatly appreciate you taking the time to make us an even better LAMA. LAMA loves Canada!!

If you happen to be fortunate enough to be in Buenos Aires this weekend, I highly recommend checking out the Sustentable Diseño y Ecología Festival 09.

Here’s a brief description about this very cool event: Sustainable Design is an organization that seeks to work in activities and initiatives that cross the activity of design with environmental awareness. The group stems from the interest of its founders on issues related to ecology and responsible lifestyle with environmental issues they believe will become the most important trend of consumption and lifestyle in the coming years.

Located in the stunning Jardin Botanico Carlos Thays, this event, which is free and open to the public, “aims to disseminate sustainable sustainable design strategies implemented by designers and organizations, and in turn link to designers, marketers and producers to promote the development and discussion of responsible practices in the design.” I’m personally excited that this event will feature LAMA designers Vacavaliente and Violraviol. How I wish I could trade in my Fall Oakland weekend for a Summer weekend in Buenos Aires filled with amazing designers and the coolest sustainable products in Argentina. Maybe next year. In the meantime, I’ll just admire these photos from last year’s event:

I just want to give a special thank you to the very kind and talented Lizette Greco who was sweet enough to contact me and let me know about this event. Thank you Lizette!

Yesterday I was saddened to learn about the demise of yet another Shelter Magazine. The latest victim? Another personal favorite of mine, Metropolitan Home. This is the ninth major shelter magazine to fold in the past two years. The first eight being Domino (still not over this loss), House and Garden, Southern Accents, Cottage Living , InStyle Home, Blueprint (why?!), O at Home, and Country Home. It is with a heavy heart I bid Metropolitan Home a farewell. Adios Metropolitan Home!

Aside from my personal feelings of sadness at seeing one magazine fold after another, and knowing how many talented and creative people suddenly find themselves without a job, I’m also a bit concerned about what this means for small retail shops like LAMA. I know for myself and many other shop owners I have spoken to, nothing gives us greater joy or feelings of excitement as seeing a mention of our store or a product featured in print. I attribute much of LAMA’s success last holiday season to a mention we were fortunate enough to receive in Lucky Magazine. It gave LAMA the opportunity to be seen by countless numbers of readers and resulted in sales that have sustained us throughout this turbulent year. So what happens now when our chances of being seen by a new audience of shoppers are being significantly cut every few months? What do we do now? How do we continue to bring new shoppers to our sites? The answer may lie with the emergence of online publications like Lonny Magazine.

I found Lonny Magazine’s mission statement to be quite hopeful. “In a time when shelter publications are turning their last pages… Our mission is to reopen the doors to accessible design.” I was blown away with Lonny’s premiere issue. The stunning photography and design tips were everything that I loved about Domino. In addition to the wonderful articles, I was able to discover a bunch of new stores and websites that I have now added to my favorites folder. I can’t exactly throw a copy of Lonny in my bag and head to the park for some afternoon reading, but I can still read about interesting individuals and their gorgeous spaces, find inspiration and advice on decorating, and discover the best shops around.

While nothing will ever replace the pleasure I derive from sitting down with a great magazine in my hands, Lonny is truly the next best thing. As a lover of independent shops and boutiques, and an advocate of shopping off the beaten path, I look forward to reading about Lonny magazines sources for unique and beautiful objects. I feel some comfort in knowing that small shop owners still have an opportunity for exposure through new publications like Lonny.

After repeatedly writing “create flickr page” on every to do list since early 2008, I’m happy to report that I can finally cross that particular task off my list. (*applause* *cheering* *whistling*) I think part of me realized that it was going to be an enormous undertaking, (seeing as how I suffer from extreme camera happiness), but I could never have imagined what I was taking on. It’s taken me a full work day to sort through and post about half of my photos. I haven’t even started adding titles and captions! On the upside, it’s actually been pretty fun to go through my LAMA journey again. It’s kind of like going through an old yearbook.

I can’t wait to finish up this enormous project with new photo sets with travel pictures (divided by country), blog post photos (I try to take my own pictures when I can), cutting room floor photos (you would be surprised at how many pictures you can snap during the course of one photo shoot. I think out-takes are interesting), Miles the shop dog (cutest dog ever), etc. I can’t wait to finish uploading and organizing so I can add titles and captions! Oh no, I think Flickr might just be my new obsession. Click here to view LAMA on Flickr. Be sure to check back! There’s so much more to come…

On Sunday I decided to head out bright and early with some friends to check out Oakland’s Dia de los Muertos celebration in Fruitvale. It was a little difficult to shake off the previous night’s Halloween festivities but after polishing off a yummy pupusa, I was good to go. Although the Oakland celebration was scaled down a bit from previous years due to the nasty “R” word we don’t speak of here at LAMA HQ, spirits were high, food was fantastic and we had a great time. Check out some of the gorgeous sites from Sundays festivities!