Happy August Tomatoes – as usual summer is flying by so let’s make the most of those lazy, crazy, hazy days. Head to the parks and enjoy The Peripatetic Players in their outrageous outdoor performances. You know we love to give back to our community; a wonderful organization The Grateful Garment Project gives you a new way to serve. Crazy menu at Trick Dog – the mission cocktail bar –check it out. Women Made is a pop-up concept store that highlights women owned business and more. Let’s support each other!

Women Made

Women Made is a pop-up concept store that highlights women owned businesses, designers and artists located on Fourth Street in Berkeley. The shop is filled with art, apparel, jewelry, beauty products, home goods and more. What is also unique to this concept is that local makers will host DIY activities and workshops for the community.

Coming up tomorrow is a celebration of the launch of “Take Care Tropical” space, a new collection of works of art yoga mats. You can practice your asana on a piece of art. Tomorrow you can get Reiki sessions, self care tips, Meditate and enjoy refreshments by locally owned women businesses. Also coming up is light sculpture making on August 4^th. Check out their calendar to learn more cool things like how to upholster a stool and make a leather belt. Get the details.

We know that public speaking fills many of us with dread and speaking up is also a problem for many of us. What a great conversation we had this week with communications and public speaking expert Diane DiResta and author of the best-selling book “Knockout Presentations” who shared techniques to help us all become better speakers. Listen in here or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Grateful Garment Project

You may not be aware that that when a victim of sexual assault seeks medical attention and an exam is performed, these women, men and, yes, even children are asked to surrender their clothing for DNA evidence. Once this clothing has been surrendered, the traumatized victim often has nothing else to wear home but a hospital gown…further adding insult to injury. Concerned women created a local non-profit and their mission is to help restore dignity to victims by providing new clothing to wear home after an assault.

I personally experienced an afternoon filling backpacks with donated sweatpants, t-shirts, notepads, toiletries and more, for the police to give to victims. Two women are hosting an evening of conversation, friendship, drinks and desserts to inform attendees about The Grateful Garment Project. In 2019, TGGP is collecting 10,000 pairs of NEW leggings with their Leggings For Hope Drive. Leggings are one of the most requested but least donated items of clothing. You can bring a NEW pair of leggings and/or simply make a financial donation that will be used to purchase new leggings (financial contributions allow TGGP to purchase the leggings in bulk at wholesale prices, thereby making each dollar go further).

To attend the event on Wednesday August 7th. Rsvp

If you can’t join us but would like to make a contribution, please visit www.leggingsforhope.org.

Peripatetic Players

Those crazy actors, who travel to parks across the Bay Area, are heading to the East Bay this month to perform A Lord of a Ring in A Suitcase. Parodying Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring, this wacky gang is packing their entire production into several suitcases. Featuring the Fluxwagon, the Players’ folding mobile stage (a treat unto itself) everything also comes out of suitcases. The props, costumes, and scenic elements will be revealed as the play progresses.

The reason why? As one of the producers says, “We figured that since the Hobbits and their companions had to carry all their possessions during their epic journey to destroy the One Ring, we should do the same for our show.” Each show features a recurring cast of eccentric thespians, the Players, who take on various roles in the production, and whose backstage antics are as much a part of the show as the story itself. Especially since they don’t always agree on how to put on the show. Therefore, audience members should be prepared to lend a hand! Get the details.