Super Cool Stuff by Super Cool People

January 10, 2016 mellicia

My goodness, the world is filled with talented people doing incredible things! I feel like my Facebook feed is blowing up with stellar achievements by friends. As a personal stylist, recommendations are a big part of my job. And, right now, I have so many recommendations for you, Dear Reader, simply based on a handful of inspirational people around me. Whether you find better hair, films, music, jewelry or more, here's a handy list of what some people I love are doing right now that can benefit you.

Super Cool Stuff by Super Cool People for

Super Cool People (that's you!)

1. Marie Zahradnik's "Hit it and Quit it," at Velouria.

Lucky for me, I happen to have had the good fortune of working with author Marie Zahradnik and the good ladies of Velouria over the years. So, when two worlds collide, I'm especially pleased. Marie Zahradnik's "Hit It and Quit It" is now available at Velouria. Check out Zahradnik's project that involved, "interviewing people about their opinions of what constitutes 'slutty' in their own lives. It's a wonderful exploration of all the different ways we define our sexual relationships."

2. Sugar Mountain Thrifty Vintage in Portland.

An old friend of mine recently opened Sugar Mountain Thrifty Vintage in Portland last year. A very talented woman, she's somehow managed to put her entire self into a store. That's right. Walk in to Sugar Mountain for affordable vintage pieces and walk out feeling like you've known owner Hanna Humphries for as long as I have. On a recent visit, I picked up a D.C. Cab record (featuring Mr. T.), World War II temporary tatoos (my son's random request), sunglasses, jewelry and a leather ottoman. And, that was just on the first run through. Check out photos of my visit and say, "hello" when you visit Sugar Mountain.

[youtube=://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPXQFIJJPZE&w=854&h=480]

3. Bassic Reaches 10M Plays on Pandora

Another old friend Martin Lindhe's project Bassic just hit 10 count them million plays on Pandora. You can hear more of his music on YouTube. So good.

4. Hair & Make-up Artist Hanna Mazur is one of Wedding Wire's 2015 Couples' Choice Award Winners.

If you liked the hair and makeup on the Poplin video, you are already a fan of local artist Hanna Mazur. She'll also be a part of the upcoming Poplin client photo shoots. Find out more about Hanna in my blog post from 2014. Check out the reviews by real couples that landed her the prize.

5. San Francisco Based Geary And Hyde Designs Launches.

I've known the multi-talented Ryan Montgomery since we were twelve. So, there's really no surprise each time I discover that he's opted to express himself through a new medium. This time, it's all about exquisitely made jewelry. With new pieces available every day, you never know what you'll find at Geary and Hyde Designs.

6. Seattle-Based Smarthouse Creative Moves into Film Distribution

Everything about this is awesome. I'd encourage you to read the City Arts article for the low down. In short, the local film PR company is going beyond the standard PR model to distribute independent films. Even better, the company has developed a model that, "would make it transparent, so that filmmakers know where their money goes.” Why do I care? Well, anytime that we can make it easier for creatives to make art and still feed themselves is a good thing. Also I love film. Equally important, Smarthouse Co-founder Brad Wilke, is another long time friend and I'm thrilled to see him continuing to change the world.

[youtube=://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Tjc6cCfutY&w=854&h=480]

7. Scott Tomlinson's First Video is Named as One of Hairbrained's Top 150 Videos of the Year.

If that name sounds familiar, it's likely that you read the Poplin blog post with hair tips from Vain's Scott Tomlinson. The master of short hair cuts is venturing into video and scored big with his first release. Expect to hear more from Scott on the blog in the coming months including a chance to win a cut from the celebrated hair stylist. See all 150 videos at Hairbrained.

8. Amazon Pilot The Numberlys is Just Right for PreSchoolers.

Our 5 year old refuses to watch shows with meanness or aggression. You'd be surprised at how many favorite programs and movies have a looming bad guy or some hard core teasing. In the end, that leaves us with a whole lot of cooking shows, nature and just a few options designed specifically for kids. Until, the Numberlys. We already loved the book and now we love the show. An old friend works at Moonbot and suggested we check it out. If you have little ones, watch the first episode and vote for Amazon to pick it up. I could use more options:)

Yes, eight is an unusual number for a list, but that's what happens when you are working in the real world. I'm guessing you are surrounded by amazing people doing equally stellar things. Please share! And, if you have thoughts on this list, share them, too. Can't wait to hear about your discoveries.