Three Stone Steps in The Urbanite

We were delighted to learn that we were in the great local free monthly magazine here in Baltimore, the home of Three Stone Steps' worldwide headquarters.

You can check us out in The Goods section here. If you don't feel like following a link, I've posted the following below.

Stepping Up

While touring the Cheong Fatt Tze “Blue” Mansion in Penang, Malaysia, Ellen Reich noticed that the first three steps of the mansion’s ornate staircase were made of stone rather than carved wood. In Chinese lore, this symbolizes a promise that those who walk the stairs will have “solid footing for a good journey,” she says. Reich’s online store, Three Stone Steps (www.threestonesteps.com), which launched in late 2007, aims to capture this sentiment. The store carries bags, scarves, and accessories made by a group of artisans in Penampang, Cambodia. Reich bills the goods as fair-trade and eco-friendly, and works with the designers to create original accessories with hometown appeal. The printed silk “Little Bit of Everything” bag is a perfect cosmetics case. The durable messenger bags—such as Reich’s personal favorite, the Mingus bag, made out of woven recycled garbage bags—are handy for carrying everything from school books to laptops. Items are available online and at select Baltimore businesses and festivals listed on the website.

—Hannah M. Spangler

Georgia, Georgia

Back in November, I wrote about the crackdown on protesters in Tbilisi. I had been there a year earlier, and pretty much fell in love with that City. I am now beside myself watching the destruction of parts of that country.

I plan to write a new post on Georgia, but in the meantime, I will link to my old posts written about Georgia, one about the events in November, and one of photos.

Anyway, it's all very confusing and not the least bit unsettling.

My friend, Nino, in Tbilisi, remains optimistic. This is from an email this morning:

unfortunately I have no idea what can stop insane
russian government.but i'm still think positive.
and people around really feel themselves as if we
were winners! they say no matter what will happen
 _ we already won.
cuz you know
people are very unified and very patriotic
and even opposition, which few months
ago almost made a revolution in country,
now say they will support Saakashvili
in everything this days .
every nights and during the days
there are peaceful
demonstrations in the streets of Tbilisi...
mostly around the embassy of
russia... they showed on Tv that one georgian
guy wanted to throw an egg to the
building of the embassy but other people stopped him.
cuz our possition is that
the only aggressor here is the russia.
we are just protecting ourselves in our
country.

we are not a big nation Ellen,
we have such a small country, we are not
interested  in wars and killing people.

hmmmm, you may think that i'm crazy
but even in this situation i still think
everything will be fine :)

I will post some more photos of Georgia from a calmer time soon. In the meantime,
my thoughts are with Nino and all those others in Georgia who showed me such
amazing hospitality and warmth.