Valerie Mayan: Pop Up Shop Visit

Well today was my second visit with Project Runway Star Valerie Mayan.  She is currently hosting a "pop up shop" in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland.  Valerie had invited me to the pop up shop when I met here at her pop up shop at Playhouse Square.  The shop was part of Friday's Art Walk in Tremont.  The art walk is featured monthly in the neighborhood, so check listings if you would like to attend.

The idea for the pop shop's came after Valerie's tenure on Project Runway because everyone was asking her where her store was.  Needless to say as a small business Valerie does not currently have the funds or stock to keep a store front full time.  I learned today "Yellowcake" which is her label name is a ONE woman operation.  She has some help at times setting up or taking down the pop up shops but it is not always a given.  There is NO paid employees currently. The pop up shops are "Our opportunity to introduce ourselves and our products to the community."  This shop was the fourth time doing it with the first being in Beachwood at Christmas time.


Last summer Valerie was fortunate enough to have fifteen college fashion design interns who helped with some things but NEVER cutting or sewing Yellowcake clothing.  She stated "that the standard in her opinion is that the designer you are buying from should do 98% of the work you buy."  I have to agree with her on that one.  It of course takes a lot of time and energy to give all those interns and she says "a lot of how it all works out is how badly they want to be there, how much they are willing to learn, as well as work and dedication like any other job anywhere else. It has been a pleasure having them." 

She calls her company a High Quality one "that is in it's toddler phase, who knows how to run but things like using a knife and fork is still being learned."  I liked the analogy the minute she said it in reference to the amount of work it takes to run a small business. She is  very thankful to the many Clevelander's who do support her business and she is also thankful to all the charity work she has done which has picked up since her exposure on Project Runway which in many ways brought credibility and visibility to her company which was opened a year to a year and a half  before the show. 

This came up when I got to talking to her about the "Made In America" series with Diane Sawyer and that how if the average American spent only four dollars a day on products made in America we could create at the least a thousand new jobs.  Valerie was intrigued by the idea but felt "that we had to have products that were above competitive to everything else on the market because with the economy the way it is we as Americans are currently under money strains to a degree and have to carefully pick and choose how we spend our money."  Again I had to agree.

Valerie is currently looking for investors, donors and sponsors so she could develop the Yellowcake label, because despite what some would consider "popular belief" contestants are not paid to be on Project Runway, that the only money dolled out is what you saw last season.

Upcoming pop up shops are in the works for the Ohio City area and Detroit Shoreway area.  Currently though you can catch Valerie March 18th from 11- 10, March 19th 11-10 and March 20th 11-4 in Tremont at 2406  Professor Avenue.

Thanks again Valerie for such a wonderful, fun, entertaining and edcuational experience you have been absolutely wonderful.  By the way every purchase made with Yellowcake 5%  of the purchase goes to support the Cleveland City Mission.

An Enchanted Evening with Valerie Mayen

Well tonight We had tickets to see "South Pacific" which if you have the chance tomorrow go see it.  It is there last night at Cleveland Playhouse.  Anyway the main parking garage was full so we parked our car in front of Playhouse Square and while walking across the street was a sign in a formerly empty space were "Yellowcake" signs, I looked through the windows and who was standing behind the counter none other than Season Eight Project Runway Superstar VALERIE MAYEN!

Needless to say, celebrity fan that I am made a made dash leaving Jim nearly at the curb.  In the door to the counter and probably made a complete fool of myself.  But Valerie was EVER so charming, sweet, delightful and fun to be around.  Of course dizzy queen that I can be at times had no camera so Ms. Mayen grabbed what I believe to be a IPhone and offered to take a picture with me and e-mail it to me---EECCKKKK!  I was stunned. We talked a little about my blog and she actually went onto my blog with me standing there on what I believe to be the IPad.  Talk about me being speechless.  Her here in this spce, looking and briefly reading, a dream come true.

We chatted some more and while I don't want to tip my cards completely I will say you will see more of Ms. Mayen here VERY SOON.  I want to keep you all in some suspense .  She has an upcoming event at the Tremont Art Walk  which will be held March 11- 12

the address for the pop up shop is according to her

2406 Professor Street
Cleveland, Ohio (Tremont Neighorhood)

So my advice for all of you who can, GO and support Valerie Mayan get a chance to meet her, you will JUST ADORE her.  I know I do.  Thanks Valerie for making my evening truly and utterly enchanted.

Some thoughts for the day

Sorry I have not posted since Thursday but things have been hectic and I have not quite felt like myself the last few days. There is so much to write about, where does one begin?

Thursday night we had our Cleveland Playhouse season tickets and we went and saw Xanadu. A rather silly musical based on the Olivia Newton John movie of the same name. The movie as many of you know was a HUGE flop and while the play has no huge story line, it does have all the original music from the movie. It was light hearted, silly, very Eighties complete with leg warmers and it kept your toes tapping while you sang along at points. Would I have spent big bucks to see it, probably not but as part of our season tickets it was fun.

The weather is finally warming up a little and the snow is finally melting--hurrah and on the side of the house I can see the starts of daffodils popping out of the ground! Spring my friends is finally one its way. The dogs seem a little sad I think because they JUST LOVE the snow and until the grass is dry and green there is isn't much to play in outside. Although Toto does love running in circles in the mud!

As many of you are aware if your into the news like I am Marie Osmond's Michael Blosil committed sucide Friday night leaping from his eighth floor apartment building he was only eighteen years old.  There are a few reasons I bring this up.  The first is Michael was a student of the Fashion Design and Merchandising, the school that was featured on the Los Angeles season of "Project Runway".  We will never know what wonderful and creative things Michael could have created. (Michael is the eldest in the photogrpah on the side).  And when a fellow designer dies I for one take notice.  It is so tragic and sad that he saw no other way.

The second is the Osmonds have gone on record saying that his suicide was because of his long battle with severe depression, which I am not denying or making light of in any way.  Depression can and does many things to lead to some people to desperate actions, myself included.  In my own life time there have been two periods where I tried committing suicide by overdosing.  This topic is very close to my heart and I understand what leads to this.  I have been fortunate both times and friends rescued me who were near at the time and for that I am grateful.  It was a long painful road that lead to that period of my life and it was a long road out of that period as well.

This statement from the Osmonds has brought some heat especially from the likes of movie/television star Roseanne Barr.



"Marie Osmond's poor gay son killed himself because he had been told how wrong and how sick he was every day of his life by his church and the people in it. Calling that 'depression' is a lie!


"Hey, I want her and all the gay kids in the world to know that they are just fine being gay and that they deserve love and respect instead of insults and rebuke! I have gay people in my family and my circle of friends and I am kicking bigot ass and taking names!
"Yet even though the people they say they love the most in all of their public displays and speeches (THEIR KIDS AND FAMILY!!) are gay,-- their own children, for crying out loud- these people cannot find the Christian decency and compassion within themselves to stop their hypocritical gay bashing!! How sickening. I know so many Mormon kids who were gay and committed suicide, and I just cannot and will not stay quiet in order to not offend bigots anymore. It is all so terribly depressing.  Roseanne Barr, writing on her personal blog.

While I am not in any means endorsing what Roseanne said I find it interesting to say the least that she is the only one who brings up his sexuality and she is the only one talking about.  Religion for the most part can be for many a very oppressive and condemning aspect to many people just not gays and I find that statement very sad indeed.  If this statement is true about his sexuality I would hope that Marie has the hutzpah to honor her son, his life and this horrific tragedy by becoming a very vocal advocate and supporter of PFLAG (Parents Friends of Lesbians and Gays) and changing the lives of those who feel like there is no other way out. 

I am here to say there is someone who knows what it is like, someone who has been there and someone who understands.  Someone who cares for you and is there to help you through it.  I just wish more people would be as open, receptive and caring---then maybe

Until next time I am so glad we had this time together and that you contiue to come back and read .

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