We're Throwing a Prom Party!
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THANK YOU LA! Because of the amazing support and enthusiasm of shoppers and our vendors, UNIQUE LA has become a stronghold in the community and leader in the new made-in-America movement. This December's Holiday Show, December 1 & 2, marks our 5th show! In honor of this fabulous anniversary we are throwing a party - no, a Jam - on Saturday, December 8th. And because our #1 goal is to dance, dance, dance, we are throwing a Prom Party! Get dressed in your snazziest Prom outfits and get ready for fun as we try to raise $20k in one night for the amazing non-profit Inner-City Arts.
The party will be held on the Inner-City Arts campus, a creative oasis in the middle of the warehouse district in downtown LA. We'll have an open bar and free drinks for you to enjoy, food from the fabulous Tiara Cafe, promtastic DIY projects, lots of dancing and of course, each person will get a commemorative prom portrait! Get ready to get down!
While we'd love for the entire city to join in the fun, the event is limited to 500 prom party goers... And since our after-hours events tend to sell out quickly (the last sold-out in one day), we recommend you hurry and buy your tickets today. Whether you come dressed in 1950's, 1980's or suave modern-day black-tie, we can't wait to see all the outfits! And sweet dance moves... :)
UNIQUE NYC Recap
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Take a peek at some of the UNIQUE NYC photo recap selects. For more photos, check out our Flickr page.
Thank You New York!
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New York, you rock! Our first-ever UNIQUE NYC was such an amazing show, we are grateful, excited, impressed and definitely ready to come back next year - hopefully twice! Almost 4000 shoppers attended the event over the two days, which is an amazing number for a first-time show, especially in The Big Apple. And the incredibly positive response from the shoppers blew me away. Literally people were near-stalking me both days to tell me how happy they were that UNIQUE had finally arrived, and that they were so impressed with the curated selection of designers and the venue. Also, the Chelsea Art District where we held the event has seen little-to-no traffic since the storm so it felt great knowing that not only did we bring thousands to UNIQUE NYC but that they visited the neighborhood, which is really struggling and will be for awhile. HIGH-FIVES FOR ALL!
It made us feel good to know that our mission of getting people to buy local, discover great design and take part in community was met with welcome arms. We cannot wait to start planning for next year's event, stay tuned! I also wanted to thank our great sponsors Toyota and Square, who have provided such great community-building activities and spirit... Way to go! *The photos look amazing - we'll upload them on Tuesday and share them with y'all (right now we're all packing and getting ready to fly back to LaLa Land). BIG PROPS to those around the country who helped us spread the word - we heard from about 50% of the shoppers that they were told by friends all over the country (though especially in Los Angeles) "This is my favorite thing, you have to go to this event!" Wow. THANK YOU AGAIN NEW YORK.
UNIQUE NYC Map
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Who's psyched for UNIQUE NYC this weekend? We thought you might be interested in a sneak preview of what's happening this weekend at UNIQUE NYC. Here's the map of all of the vendors and activities at the show! Plan your trip ahead.
Did you know that you can get a free American Apparel tshirt with exclusive UNIQUE NYC artwork from Toyota? Did you also know that Toyota will donate $2 to local non-profit World Up each time you mention #toyotagiving in your tweet? Come to UNIQUE NYC to celebrate and support the local designers and artists! Woop Woop!
UNIQUE NYC This Weekend
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Quick reminder that UNIQUE NYC is debuting it's first annual Holiday Show this weekend. You can purchase pre-sale tickets here and help us spread the word about our event here.
Now More Than Ever...
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As you know, we've been working hard all year to bring you our first UNIQUE NYC. When the storm hit the area two weeks ago we were overwhelmed with emotion. Were our vendors safe, were they okay? Was our venue, just a block from the water, flooded or damaged? Would the city have power and heat? Since then we've banded together to push forward and help the city in the way we know how - to indeed bring the 1st Annual UNIQUE NYC Holiday Show to Center548 next weekend and support small business and creativity!
This past Tuesday our nation made numerous historical decisions. We are inspired, invigorated and excited for what is ahead. Next weekend let's come together to help the community, to give to and strengthen the local economy, and to support the made-in-America movement which helps our country grow and thrive. If you're not in New York, help us spread the word and tell/invite your friends in the area.
Because whether you're a shopper or a maker, we're all in this together...
Tasting Tease
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UNIQUE's Coffee & Whiskey TastingLast Thursday evening 45 lucky ticket buyers got the chance to experience our exclusive Coffee & Whiskey Tasting and Tour... Wow, it was a truly delicious night! The amazing founders and staff of Handsome Coffee Roasters hosted the intimate event, giving people the chance to not only go behind-the-scenes in their coffee bar but also the roasting facilities. And on-hand all the way from New York to take the crowd through a series of five (!) whiskey tastings was Gable Erenzo, the co-founder of Hudson Whiskey. Guests also got to munch on goodies from Gotta Have S'More. These folks truly understand UNIQUE's passion for quality, craft and design - and of course producing a great product!
This was the very first in a new series of small events that UNIQUE will start holding around the country, so stay tuned for the next one. If you don't already subscribe to our weekly newsletter, get on the list today so you don't miss out on the fun!
Take a peek at the amazing night in our video below... And make sure to check out the entire album of tasty event pictures here.
Get Ready for UNIQUE NYC
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UNIQUE NYC is right around the corner and we thought it would be kind of amazing if you guys would help us spread the word about the show! Here's what you can do:
#1 Download our UNIQUE NYC buttons and fliers below to share online (lots more sizes and options coming soon). Post them on your blog, website, Facebook pages, Tumblr, Pinterest – heck, wherever you can! :) (Please point the ads back to http://stateofunique.com/unique-nyc)
#2 Join and share the event on Facebook.
#3 Tweet about the event & follow us @UniqueNYC
#4 Wanna help us with our grassroots marketing effort? Email (aisha at stateofunique dot com) with your mailing address and we’ll send you postcards to give to friends and family and distribute in your neighborhood/at work/in your community/at your favorite cafe/etc., plus we'll include a gift!
Coffee & Whiskey Event!
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An Exclusive UNIQUE Tour + Tasting with Handsome Coffee and Hudson Whiskey
UNIQUE LA is excited to bring you an exclusive and intimate night of tastings, education and tour of the Handsome Coffee roasting facility. Whether you're a coffee geek or a newbie, a whiskey connoisseur or amateur, this will be a fun evening for all! I created this unique event because I was inspired by the guys at Handsome Coffee, who over the past few months have managed to teach me (a non-coffee drinker) about great coffee. That intimate, and yes perhaps nerdy, attention to detail is what to expect at this super-rad event.
The evening includes all cocktails, tastings, tours of the Handsome Coffee Bar & Roasting Facility, bites of food (including some amazing treats from Gotta Have S'more), a patio/parking lot party at the end of the evening, and a killer gift bag with goodies worth $35 (includes a 12 oz bag of tasty Handsome Coffee, a cocktail glass from Hudson and a gift from UNIQUE LA). This is no doubt going to be a tasty evening, good to the last drop! There are only 45 tickets available, purchase yours online now!
Tour #1 Espresso Take an inside look at the technique behind crafting a Handsome coffee espresso and milk drink with 2010 world barista champion Michael Phillips. From pulling a shot just right to steaming perfect milk this section will show you how it is done.
Tour #2 Roasting Step inside the Handsome roasting facility to get a demonstration of coffee roasting along with a tasting of the effect of roast. Learn the whys and hows of the Handsome Coffee Roaster philosophy and style with Co-founder Chris Owens.
Tour #3 Brewing Tips on how to select coffee and proven recipes for brewing will be covered by Handsome Coffee Co-founder Tyler J Wells. Learn how to make that same great cup you had in the coffee bar in the comfort of your own home.
Tour #4 Whiskey Tasting Join Tuthilltown Distillery founder Gable Erenzo for a history of Hudson Whiskey. We will taste Baby Bourbon, Manhattan Rye and Single Malt. Gable will speak about locally-sourced grain from farms within 10 miles of the distillery. He will also reveal Hudson’s brash mix of Scottish, American and some one of a kind whiskey-making traditions. After the tasting, Gable will demonstrate how to make a classic whiskey cocktail.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About Handsome Coffee Roasters: Handsome Coffee Roasters is a celebration of the simple things in life. Good service, great company and amazing coffee. Firmly planted in the Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles, Handsome has become a gathering place for this neighborhood on the move. Providing seasonal delicious coffees from all around the world, there is sure to be just the right cup for you. About Hudson Whiskey: Gable Erenzo and his father Ralph bought a farm in New York’s Hudson Valley in 2001 intending to build a rock climbing ranch. After fighting a losing approval battle with neighbors, they instead opened a distillery in 2003. Since then, they have been making Hudson Whiskey by hand, one small batch at a time from locally-sourced grains. Hudson Whiskey is 100% sonically aged, non-chill filtered and bottled on site at a generous proof.
Calling All Creative Angelenos!
/I am pleased to announce that in honor of our 5th anniversary I will be publishing the very first UNIQUE Magazine this December. This exclusive, full-size magazine will be distributed at our LA Holiday Show, December 1 & 2, to all for free! Since starting UNIQUE LA we have attracted 200,000 people to the events, those shoppers have spent close to $15 million buying local, made-in-America goods, and our community has truly created a huge movement toward conscious consumerism that has spread across the country. W-O-W! As a 'Thank You' to all those who have helped support my vision and passion for local design and "quality over quantity", the magazine will be stocked with articles written by some of the top journalists in the country, it will include stunning photography and art, and it will show-off this amazing city we live in and the creative people who drive it forward - basically, the magazine is my love letter to LA. And we want you to contribute...
+ WRITERS! If you've got a great story idea about LA or know someone doing interesting things in the city, we'll be accepting pitches from writers today through Sunday September 30th. Send emails to uniquela@gmail.com, using the subject line "Magazine Pitch". + COOL ANGELENOS TO BE MODELS! We're looking for people to star in a fashion shoot that features all Made in LA products... We're looking for all types and want to show LA's diversity. You can peek at the Lookbook below to see some of the friends and people we've photographed including the amazing writer Alissa Walker (who contributes to Fast Company, Dwell, Details), the guys from SEW LA and book lover Morgan Macgregor. Send us your bio and a picture of yourself by Sunday March 30th to uniquela@gmail.com, using the subject line "Potential Model".
Boogie Nights Recap
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Last month (and for the first time ever) we held the UNIQUE Movie Nights at our very own office. Aside from a pretty impressive crowd of people, we were excited about the amount of people dressed head to toe just like the characters in Boogie Nights (little to no clothing and roller-skates). Check out the upcoming schedule to get your tickets to the next screening.
The Summer Show Rocked!
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We want to give props to our amazing partners Toyota, Square, Oh Snap Studios, I Spy DIY, Swellmayde, Diabolo, Hendrick's Gin, The Naked Grape, O.N.E. Coconut Water, Honest Tea and GT's Kombucha - their great support not only helped to make the event possible but to make it more refreshing and fun! The feedback y'all have been giving about our new Toyota Retreat has been really great to read. Yes, as you guessed, we worked very closely with Toyota to create an area we thought you'd enjoy, filled with free interactive activities such as live screen-printing, hair braiding and massages, kick-butt DIY crafts and more. We're glad you loved it!
As always, Oh Snap Studios offered unique portraits at their live photo booth… You can download your portraits here. See all of our Official UNIQUE LA photos from the event, plus share yours with us on our Group Flickr page!
Thanks again for a great event, we'll see you on December 1 & 2 for our 5th Anniversary Holiday Show! If you don't get our newsletter sign-up now to stay in the loop... :)
Unique LA This Weekend!
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Cost: $10 at the door, or buy online to also get a free ticket to the OC Fair! Kids 12 and under are free. 10% of all ticket sales go to the local non-profit organization GreenWish.
Admission includes: • An exclusive UNIQUE LA tote bag! • Unlimited re-entry for both days • Free drinks from our friends at The Naked Grape Wine, Hendrick’s Gin, O.N.E. Coconut Water, Honest Tea, GT’s Kombucha, Diabolo Drinks and more! • Free DIY workshops + crafts all weekend long in the Toyota Retreat with I SPY DIY and SWELLMAYDE • Free photo booth portraits and a print at the Oh Snap Studios Photo Booth • Our curated food truck alley, so you can enjoy lunch, snacks or a sweet treat • Live screen-printing, a Braid Bar, massages, a lenticular photo booth and more (all free)
Thanks SF!
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We also wanted to thank our amazing partners, whose support made it possible to expand to the city. Toyota worked with us very closely to create an area filled with free interactive activities such as live screen-printing, hair braiding and massages (yes, free massages!), kick-butt DIY crafts and more.
A very special area that we offered at UNIQUE SF was an Analog Zone, which was created by my good friend Levi of The Digital Detox. In this 'device-free' area people could get their portraits taken, type letters, partake in yoga, play board games and more. It was really inspiring to see everyone interacting live, in real time, and not typing a play-by-play about the cool area on their phones!
Oh Snap Studios offered unique portraits at their live photo booth... You can download yours here.
Were you snapped? Make sure to take a peek at all the rad photos here.
Last Friday we threw a launch party for 
