I saw the facebook post that Karen Maravilla put up (owner if It's Just Serendipity) for this Easter weekend, and had to go. I wanted a photo of a "larger that life" Easter Bunny!!!! Plus, I enjoy her shop tremendously.
When I arrived, Karen was outside in her bunny outfit, complete with bunny slippers and Easter basket in hand, waiving to every car that drove by. I stopped to talk. Karen knows I am learning photography and having fun with it, so we talked about the upcoming events in Hammond this year, like the Spring Clean-up and Beautification Project, and the 4th annual Eat, Shop & Rock: Browse to the Beat Sidewalk Sale and Fest. I could not help but be re-injected with enthusiasm, to know our communities care and wanting us to care about our communities too.
Shop local! If you think about it, why do we shop the way we do: Internet, malls, places outside our community, and neighboring communities? The Internet is perhaps the most popular these days. We can search Amazon, eBay, and Etsy. We find we have time to sit, think, decide in the solitude of our home and in front of a static display. Some of us even buy on a whim over the Internet, whether it was that important to us or not. What was lost in this process? Have you ever tried to communicate with Amazon, eBay, or Etsy? Close to impossible. Was there a personal connection, an experience of reaching out to someone for help, and someone reaching back to actually help you?
Ask yourself the next time you buy something over the Internet or at the mall. Where is the money going? Does it go to "the man", or your community? Do you like your community? Do you wish your community would become a more positive place to live?
The lens I shot these photos with I purchased at Dave's Camera Mart in Munster. The art work that I have purchased came from Paul Henry's Art Gallery in Hammond. The sandwiches, soup, coffee, tea at The Blue Room Cafe. The hamburgers I go out to eat come from Rick's Grill in Griffith. More sandwiches, soup, coffee, and tea at the Grindhouse Cafe in Griffith. The entertainment of roller derby that I go see is at the Jean Shephard Community Center in Hammond. The meat that I buy and grill comes from Howard & Sons in Munster. I Zumba (or at least want too, have just photographed) at The Dance Connection. I get my pizza at Sanfrantello's in Highland, and at Zunis (moving down the street from me in Highland). I get my Yoga (okay, don't laugh, I don't Yoga yet, just take photos) at Yoga In The Park, at Wicker Park in Highland. I get my live music everywhere from the area, but mostly from the Thursday night JAM at Paul Henry's Art Gallery.
When I arrived, Karen was outside in her bunny outfit, complete with bunny slippers and Easter basket in hand, waiving to every car that drove by. I stopped to talk. Karen knows I am learning photography and having fun with it, so we talked about the upcoming events in Hammond this year, like the Spring Clean-up and Beautification Project, and the 4th annual Eat, Shop & Rock: Browse to the Beat Sidewalk Sale and Fest. I could not help but be re-injected with enthusiasm, to know our communities care and wanting us to care about our communities too.
Yes, my intent of going to It's Just Serendipity, was to photograph Karen dressed as an Easter Bunny and who I know would be enjoying every minute of it. I wanted to go into her gorgeous clean, organized shop too, and I did. What hit me when I walked in was the quality products made in the past many years, ready to be bought and cherished again. I saw local hand made goods too. There is just too much history around to not feel that a part of it. You feel the times. You feel the joy that was put into making these products, the people who bought them, and for the people who will buy them again. I do not feel that on the Internet, or at the mall.
It's Just Serendipity
5630 Hohman Avenue
Hammond, IN 46320
(219) 932-6328
