Friday, May 27, 2011

Food groups

The empty coffee mugs and paper cups are growing in number, and are forming a small village around my two laptops and the mounds of product in my office. For those of you who know the real Ella g, you know coffee is my number one staple, followed quickly by animal crackers, granny smith apples, pinot noir, with a nightcap of Emergen-C. I mention this because I think most entrepreneurs find that their food groups change dramatically as the business builds up speed. But mostly, it’s probably just the coffee intake that grows….who has time to sleep?
Note to self: Always make time for your animal crackers and coffee. One can’t live without those things, no matter how busy….
xo, ella g

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Famous at the diner

Craving gyro, the other day I walked into a neighborhood greasy spoon. The guy behind the counter said to my marketing girl and I, "Oh, it's the Ella g girls!" I think I must have looked like a deer in headlights. I looked down at my bag to see if the logo was showing, but it wasn’t. “How do you know who I am?” I asked. His flattering response: “Because you girls were in here a few months ago talking about Ella g and I want to buy a bag for my mom! When can I get one?”

Maybe I’ll get my picture up on the wall someday like all the famous celebrities….but for now, I’ll just take it as the best flattery that someone remembered who and what I am…..

xo, ella g

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Whitney's Groundbreaking party

I'm so excited! Tonight is the Whitney’s Groundbreaking party for their new site in downtown Manhattan! They had a huge festival today, which I couldn’t go to, but tonight’s event should be a lot of fun. I'm meeting a few friends to share in the festitivites, but most of all, another fab chance to show off my new collection!

Would it be strange if I carried 3 handbags around? I mean, shouldn’t every girl have 3 bags on one arm and at least 2 men on the other?

xo, Ella g

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Need intern. Rewards are great. Pay non-negotiable. Call me.


So, I finally found my perfect paper in China. Or maybe it found me, or maybe I just begged hard enough. (God, I’m getting to be a tough boss.) In any case, I found the paper, successfully completed my massive printing job, and carried all 3,000 pieces of marketing, press release, and line sheet paraphernalia home.

Then after lugging my 40-pound box of paper goods up 6 flights of stairs, and waking up at 3 am with crazy jetlag, I decided it was a brilliant idea to start stuffing envelopes, printing labels, putting on stamps, and checking zip codes. You know. The usual intern stuff. I know I sound like a broken record….but seriously?

Okay, well sometimes mindless work is relaxing….it’s better than watching TV.

But not better than spa day….

xo, ella g

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Finding the perfect paper

Paper goods in the US are so expensive. For anyone who has ever had to print mass quantities of business cards, brochures, etc., you’ll know what I mean. So I decided to outsource my paper and postcard printing to my good friends in Houjie. 

I designed the cards and had them sized, and thought it would be easy to just bring a sample to a printing place and have them print away. But in one night we visited three different paper printing places, and they all came up with different and not-so-good versions. The printing itself has been great, but we can't find the right quality paper. It’s like finding the perfect partner--you need to have all the right components to make it work.



Well, I still haven’t found the perfect paper, but I’m still on the hunt. If I don’t find it, I’m pretty confident it will find me.

xo,
Ella g

Monday, May 9, 2011

Rain, rain, and more rain...

Dear China,
If only you could not have monsoon-like rains every May, I might actually like you a bit better. I know you have to have a monsoon season, but it really causes me great discomfort. And your heat! Do you have to be so muggy this time of year? I have so many bug bites it looks like I have chicken pox.

You see, my other friend, New York, well right now in New York the weather is gorgeous. China, you must try to find a way to be more spring-like and then we can be better friends. In the meantime, I’ll find a way to learn to love you, in spite of your tempestuous weather.

xo, Ella g

Thursday, May 5, 2011

China!


It’s never more than 6-8 weeks before I’m shipping back out to the Far East for development and design. So in arriving at JFK airport, I was nervous, excited, and already exhausted. People who travel a lot have certain routines they get into when they travel. Me? I’m an early airport person. I like to make sure I have enough time to leisurely get through security, grab my cup of coffee, make my phone calls, and mentally prepare to sleep for 16 hours straight.

xo, Ella g

Monday, May 2, 2011

Madewell madness


Went to Madewell’s store opening party down in Flatiron the other day. It’s a fabulous location, and the store is amazingly designed and decorated. I love Madewell for my more casual days, and of course their clothes work great with Ella g bags. The party was probably one of the best I’ve been to in a long time. They had a great summertime theme where drinks were served in vintage lemonade glasses, and the food wasn't your typical fare, but more German in feel—pickles, roast beef, and warm soft pretzels. Thanks Madewell! And congrats on your new store!


xo, Ella g