Recharging!

As I sit inside on yet another “snow day” I have never been happier to read (http://www.chiff.com/a/groundhog-day.htm) that, “at 7:25 AM ET on Wednesday, February 2, 2011 Punxsutawney Phil did NOT see his shadow - predicting an early spring!” I will admit that I am a bit superstitious and especially when the subject plays in my favor. Last Friday in my mind marked the end of winter as I placed my fall-winter orders and quickly transitioned to spring, at least in my mind, on paper, and with merchandise. Island Company is so strategic with their late January visits. On Sunday, Jenna and Linda, my Island Company contacts, show up at BSQO with their Palm Beach color, outdoor chic shirts, board shorts, and skirts, making my choices easy. I am excited for you all to see them. Be sure to watch for our upcoming Valentine’s Day email.

After their visit I headed to the New York Gift Show. To complement my picks from Island Company I found some fun beach toys and accessories from a new company called Nauti & Co. So even though it is not springy outside here in NY, or in Colorado where my friend, Andrea, tells me it is negative 17, Black Squirrel is gearing up for what should be an early spring. I CAN’T wait.

New Year’s Eve in the Catskills

I apologize to anyone who is inconvenienced by Black Squirrel Outfitters being closed on this Friday, January 21. I left town this past Friday to recharge the batteries before attending the annual Outdoor Retailer show. I find there is nothing better than a few days on the slopes to help get my

mind right and this trip has been no exception. We’ve had a particularly wild ride with a little bit of everything – lots of family time, a wonderful day in Deer Valley with old and new friends, and a variety of temperatures and conditions which included sunny warm temperatures, one wet rainy day, some fantastic snow and some that was “not so much.” Plus, the people, architecture, styles and attitudes always inspire me.

I do hope you will take advantage of the one day 40% off sale on Saturday, January 22. Jon who has been helping me will be running the show. There are some great deals to be had so be sure to check out the goods on-line or in the shop (Saturday 10-5).



We are excited to get to OR and find next years must have items, as well as check in with old friends who have been great partners to BSQO through the years.

Hope you make the time to recharge too!

Nuts of the Month

We hosted our second annual New Year’s gathering up in the Catskills. 2009 was so much fun I thought for sure 2010 would be a let down, but I was wrong. Thanks to twenty inches of fresh snow, followed by Colorado blue skies we all had a grand time.

The fun started with a “luge” sledding track that my boys made in our back yard. Check out the picture; they did a pretty good job. Sledding was followed by s’mores and singing. What more could children ranging from 3 years to 14 years want….

The next morning the sub 14 year olds headed to Hunter Mountain to downhill ski and the 14 and older group went on an awesome snowshoe.

Snowshoeing is the best sport; it takes no talent, is aerobic, and allows you to quickly get into the woods.

Our wine and cheese spread at the top (which was carried by our 14 year old Sherpa, a.k.a Quinn) was just divine. The Go Vino glasses were a nice addition.

The festivities were topped off with a fun dinner at which every male at the table had on a Black Squirrel ensemble –- yes, I was touched. I like that Black Squirrel outfitted my friends and family from sledding to s’mores to snowshoeing to dinner.

Holidays are coming!

With the temperatures dropping, these “Nuts” are an easy pick – one is new and one is just a long time BSQO staple. The new arrival from 66 North is their kid’s Baldur Jacket. While I am never sure how my new products will be received – I was really excited about the reaction to the Baldur. It is an extra thick and cozy fleece – warm enough to be outerwear on most days. More importantly it has received rave reviews from my young product testers and has been a hit with the Moms at recent shows in NYC and Greensboro.

A close second and long time favorite is the Cloudveil Run Don't Walk pullover. This item was part of my first collection when BSQO opened in 2007 and has remained part of our inventory every year. This is a really nice performance piece made from Polartec Power Stretch fleece; It is warm and light with a great fit. It is extremely versatile and can be a mid-layer or worn by itself. I take mine running, skiing just or lounging around the house.

Thanksgiving will be here in less than three weeks and Christmas four weekends after that. I think it is never too early to start getting organized and doing a few things now will certainly make the last minute crunch more enjoyable.

We will host family for Thanksgiving up in the Catskills. My plan is to create a very simple meal and a weekend of fun. To begin, I am searching for some new recipes that are a bit non-traditional; I am convincing my family that we don’t need SOOO much food (simpler is better), and I have mandated casual attire, meaning jeans. Setting the tone always helps me set expectations to then make a game plan. Once my game plan is intact from food to activities then I will need to execute and DELEGATE. I know the weekend will be fun, but too quick --- and then we are into December.

So a quick Christmas to do list has been started. #1 on the list is the old Christmas card which is always a bit stressful. I’ve learned through the years to let go of my perfectionism, as I have realized few people will ever scrutinize our card as closely as I do. So when I found a good picture of our family from this summer, I made a quick decision that while it is not perfect, it would be close enough for this year, and for better or worse it is now at the printer. I always have to remind myself that the fun with cards is opening up the happy pictures from friends, and no one really cares if someone’s eye is shut or they don’t have their best smile. While there is plenty more on the to do list, at least I am making progress!

Remember, get prepared and keep it simple. If you need jeans, I love our new Patagonia ones.