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Brooklyn is our home[/caption]
Ah, Brooklyn…our home sweet home. Brooklyn is never short of adventure - especially in our neck of the woods, known as the Williamsburg area. Williamsburg is one of Brooklyn’s most fun and exciting neighborhoods. This semi-industrial area is mixed with a diverse demographic, attracting the young (and the not so young), as well as the Hasidic and Latino communities. Williamsburg is known for its lively arts, music, neo-rustic bars, and boutiques. Not to mention, the ‘Burg is a large gastronomical hub with a strong DIY spirit.
Of course, the ‘Burg can be a bit overwhelming if you don’t know where to go. That’s why we've compiled a list of some of the top guided walking, bicycling, and food tours that will show you all you need to know about the Williamsburg area.
Made In Brooklyn Tours
Made in Brooklyn Tours are guided walking tours with a “Made in Brooklyn” theme that tell the story of Brooklyn’s industrial revolution and revival. Dom Gervasi, owner and producer of Made in Brooklyn Tours, guides visitors through the Williamsburg area, giving them an inside look on the changing landscape and local manufacturing and arts movement. The stars of Made in Brooklyn Tours are the makers, as tours celebrate the creativity, ingenuity, and entrepreneurial spirit of glassmakers, metalsmiths, culinary artisans, and woodworkers who make wine, chocolate, bicycles, furniture, ceramics and more.
Get Up & Ride Tours
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Get Up and Ride organizes fun and engaging bicycling tours through Brooklyn’s most charismatic and unique waterfront neighborhoods. The tour offers Dutch-style urban bicycles that are beautifully designed, lightweight, and reliable. Cyclists ride along at a relaxed pace and are fully equipped with headsets and walkie-talkies so that you can stay tuned into the tour during the entire ride. The tour starts at McCarren Park and makes its way through Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Downtown Brooklyn, Broo
klyn Heights, and DUMBO. The tour showcases local artists, beautiful parks, fascinating history, and great food.
Urban Oyster Tours
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Urban Oyster Tours offer a wide variety of neighborhood and culinary themed tours that explore the people and places that make Brooklyn neighborhoods vibrant, diverse, and sustainable. Whether you select the Brewed in Brooklyn Tour, the Neighborhood Eats Tour, the Brewery, Winery, and Distillery Tour, or any of the other tour selections, you won’t be dissatisfied. Urban Oyster Tours are enjoyed by both native New Yorkers and tourists alike. During the tour, you’ll explore the growing scene of caf
és and restaurants specializing in artisanal foods, or learn about the finer side of craft beers and bars while discovering the finest places to have a pint in New York. Urban Oyster tours seek to promote a deeper sense of appreciation for Brooklyn’s history, diversity, local businesses, and sustainability in communities.
So if you are looking for a place to soak up some creative energy and hipster-esque ideals, then Brooklyn and the Williamsburg neighborhood are the best areas to explore in New York City. Whether you are interested in discovering the rich industrial history with a guided walking tour, engaging in a leisurely bike ride along scenic waterfronts, or indulging in culinary delights and refreshing ales, these tours will inspire and amaze even the most experienced New York traveler.
Don't forget to stop by our store on Kent Ave - right by the East River - to try our very own
Brooklyn scents!
The snow has melted and the birds are starting to chirp—let's celebrate the coming of spring!
Join us this Sunday, March 23rd from 9:45 am to 11: 30 am for a Nomaterra trunk show at the gorgeous yoga and pilates studio, Practice Body Mind Soul in Roslyn, NY. A special yoga and meditation class will also be held in the ambiance of live music by Ecuadorian flutist Jachamaliku Pawwkar. In addition to showcasing our perfume oils and scented candles, we'll also be sharing with you some key essential oils for awakening and energizing the soul, just in time for spring.
If you have any questions, please contact Aggie at agnieszka@nomaterra.com, or call Practice at 516-858-3095.
[getty src="108139237?et=9PptL-kbR9N6XXMxNGqYbg&sig=Lb9mD0eAW-Co1qDawtBPy9shhs2dHMvwNyc-DIPcrBg=" width="477" height="408"]If you are familiar with Nomaterra, you will know that we absolutely adore D.C. Our fragrance, D.C. Cherry Blossom, captures the essence of this prominent town through indigenous scents of cherry blossom, citrus, nutmeg, warm vanilla, and other delightful notes. While the Nomaterra travel spray can whisk you away to D.C. at a moment’s notice, making you feel like you are right there in the city, nothing beats an actual trip to our nation’s capital – specifically to the quaint and historical neighborhood of Georgetown, located just north of the Potomac River.
Georgetown is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Washington D.C. and is a vibrant community filled with upscale shopping, restaurants, and bars that line the pathway of cobblestone streets.
Shopping
For those fierce and forward-thinking fashionistas, you must stop by
Hu’s Wear - a two-story design showroom that features high-end lines such as Alexander McQueen, Proenza Schoulder, and new-comer Sumo. Other must-see boutiques include
Relish, for those whose style leans toward a more modern elegance;
Urban Chic, a shop that draws in the area’s young socialites; and
Sangree, perfect for the career woman who’s fashion sense exhibits a more worldly and eclectic flair.
Restaurants
Georgetown encompasses many fine restaurants that offer an array of cuisines from contemporary American to Mediterranean, to French or Latin American fare.
One of our favorites is the
1789 Restaurant. This historic restaurant is located on a quiet street in Georgetown and is situated in a renovated Federal period house in residential Georgetown. 1789 Restaurant features the charm of a country inn, and it is known as one of the best restaurants in the nation’s capital. Their menu highlights the flavors of the region’s best ingredients and often changes with the season.
Other lavish restaurants to visit include
Café Milano, a Washington hot spot for the affluent and influential; and for those who appreciate sustainable agriculture,
Farmers, Fishers, Bakers focuses on fresh ingredients with an unbeatable location right on the Georgetown waterfront.
Nightlife
Of course, no trip is complete without experiencing the city’s bustling nightlife.
L2 Lounge is an upscale evening establishment located in the central courtyard of Cady’s Alley. The ambiance and distinguished quality appeals to the sophisticated, internationally minded, social established, and artistically inclined strata who enjoy the finer things in life. For a more casual and laid-back experience,
Sequoia Restaurant offers stunning views of the Georgetown Waterfront, a lively atmosphere, and is a popular spot to enjoy outdoor dining during the warmer months of the year. Sequoia is not only a fun place to have a drinks and light fare while hanging out with friends, but it is also the perfect spot for people watching.
Sightseeing
Obviously, Georgetown is rich and full of history. If you have some time, we recommend taking a sightseeing tour to learn about the history of the Georgetown neighborhood. Georgetown offers an assortment of tours such as walking tours, food tours, celebrity tours, and more.
So whether you are strolling along the C & O Canal, wandering in historic Georgetown homes (such as the Old Stone House, Dumbarton House, or Tudor Place Historic House and Garden), kayaking the Potomac River, or relaxing in Georgetown Waterfront Park, Georgetown will never leave one’s heart feeling unfulfilled.
In light of this chilly Valentine's Day weekend, we learned something recently that might warm your hearts. A few weekends ago, we were invited to a friend's birthday party in NYC. We met a couple there, Nurah and Courtney, who have been dating for a little over a year now. Turns out that they had met each other at Nomaterra's Washington, D.C. Launch Party back in January of 2013!! They met there, started dating, and fell in love! It was so nice to reconnect with them, and happy to know that Nomaterra brought them together!! (Their favorite fragrance...DC Cherry Blossom of course!)
Join us TOMORROW NIGHT (02/11/14) from 6 - 8:30pm at Fort Greene's Thistle & Clover boutique for a Valentine's Day Night! Nomaterra Fragrances and Candles (including our coveted Brooklyn scent), cookies from local confectioners, Whimsy & Spice, Bruce Cost Ginger Ale, wine, and gifts with purchases! RSVP at admin@nomaterra.com for tomorrow's event!
Thistle & Clover Boutique
221 DeKalb Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11205
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Nomaterra's DC Holiday Pop Up THIS WEEKEND![/caption]
The perfect opportunity to pick up some last minute holiday gifts for the wonderful friends and family in your life!
Calling all D.C. locals! Mark your calendars because Nomaterra is returning to D.C. to host our last pop-up shop for the year! We're co-hosting the event with Kim Schalk Apparel, Timeless Pieces Jewelry, and Pico Vela Knitwear.
The shop will last from Friday, Dec. 20th through Sunday, Dec. 22nd at Tabula Rasa, 731 8th Street SE, Washington, D.C., and will be open from 10 am - 8 pm. With Christmas just around the corner, this is the perfect event to pick up a special hand-crafted fragrance or soy candle from Nomaterra. We will also be offering free gift wrapping and gift certificates.
If you are not able to attend our DC Pop-Up Shop, the Nomaterra Boutique in Brooklyn (240 Kent Ave. Williamsburg, Brooklyn) will be open from 12-7pm or you can place your order online (FREE SHIPPING) on www.nomaterra.com or via phone at 516-353-4352. Any orders BY Friday, Dec. 20th will arrive before Christmas.
Join us tomorrow night for "The Shops at Kent" Holiday Night Market—30+ shops open until MIDNIGHT, music, drinks, food, and artisanal holiday gifts! 240 Kent Ave. in BK. #shopsatkent #nightmarket #holiday gifts.
We're so excited to have our new roll-on perfume oils now available in Bellacara Boutique in Alexandria, Va, and in Shen Beauty in Brooklyn, NY. Please do check them out, try on the different scents, and let the staff know that you want to see more!! Thanks to all of you for your ongoing support!
Bellacara (1000 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314) - this boutique was recently named one of the area's top places to shop for beauty by the Washingtonian. They are currently carrying our Nomaterra Malibu Honeysuckle, Savannah Magnolia, DC Cherry Blossom, and Oahu Gardenia Roll-On Perfume Oils.
Shen Beauty (315 Court St. Brooklyn, NY 11231) - this gorgeous shop is the hub of all things beauty in Brooklyn. They carry brands both well-recognized as well as those hard-to-find, unique gems. Shen Beauty is now carrying the Nomaterra Malibu Honeysuckle, East Hampton Atlantic White Cedar, Oahu Gardenia, and Savannah Magnolia Roll-On Perfume Oils.
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Nomaterra Fragrances is back in their Capitol Hill location for this weekend! Visit us from Fri-Sun 10-7 pm.[/caption]
Nomaterra Fragrances is back in our Capitol Hill Pop-Up location this weekend (731 8th St SE, Washington, DC 20003), Friday through Sunday (Nov. 22 - 24) from 10 am - 7 pm. Come try out our newest scents--Malibu Honeysuckle, Oahu Gardenia, Boston Tobacco Leaf, and Savannah Magnolia. We will also have our hand-poured soy candles on sale, as well as a very special, all-natural, all-organic fragrance created exclusively for the holidays, titled, Beimeni. Beimeni is based on the mythical island of Beimeni, and legend has it that the fountain of youth could be found there, as well as riches that inspired prosperity. Our Beimeni uses notes of narcotic Egyptian Jasmine, Egyptian Rose, and the very rare East Indian Sandalwood. We will be making it fresh, on-the-spot for you.
Looking forward to seeing familiar and new faces this weekend!
We're gearing up for the official grand opening of our store TOMORROW (11/16/13) at our first brick and mortar location at 240 Kent Ave. in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Join us tomorrow between 2-6pm and experience some of our newest city-scents and candles, including our Brooklyn Cologne and Candle, ONLY available in our Brooklyn store, as well as a very special, all natural, all organic youth elixir called Beimeni, only available for the holidays. See you tomorrow!