Posts Tagged ‘commerce’

Mondieu Reviews

by on Tuesday, August 12th, 2014

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Not Just for Kids

Gamaliel’s Vintage Toys & Dolls
French Market, New Toulouse

You may know Mr. Gamaliel as the person who cracked the radio code and who, together with his wife Arijah Ankh Khalid-Zyn, operates Ravenwood Arts & Curios on Shotgun Row. He can be seen around town in various elaborate costumes. Now he has a new venture: a toy shop in the French Market district. Since was giving away free popcorn, naturally I had to take a look.

Why open a toy store in New Toulouse? He and his wife recently made a wooden doll for a little girl who visited Ravenwood. “I’ve done a lot of things in my life,” said Gamaliel. “Some good, some bad, and some … well, we’re not gonna go there. But it felt good making that doll—to know that someone will enjoy the hard work put into it. It also reminded me of my dad. When I was little, he carved me a wooden toy boat. It was probably the best gift I ever got from my old man, who lathed fine furniture by hand. So in a way, it was like living that all over again.”
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Gamaliel has in stock a fine selection of handmade jigsaw puzzles with pictures of local scenery. He also sells toy planes and is giving away a special New Toulouse version as a gift. “It’s made of a really thin, lightweight strip of wood. The propeller is wound tightly by a flexible band that makes the propeller move, so when you toss it, it flies like the real thing. On my travels I met one of the Schweizer brothers, who was exhibiting a glider prototype. This is the best I could replicate it, but I figured I’d make it look like a biplane.”

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Letter to the editor

by on Tuesday, January 21st, 2014

Dear Miss Weymann,

Thank you again for your help. I just wanted to let you know that my modest, little shop in the French Market, Les Temps Perdu, is now open for business.

I am a shopkeeper of little experience. I have come to this profession by way of necessity, having fallen onto bad times and now in dire need of supporting myself. Having lived a rather sheltered life, I have no real talents beyond reading. Thus I am obliged to sell some of my family heirlooms in order to raise sufficient funds to cover my daily expenses. I hope my customers will be patient with my deficiencies.

I have in my little shop a number of paintings that hung on the walls of my family’s estate. They are works by Louisiana artists, many of them immigrants from Europe. My great-grandmother, grandmother and my mother were all avid patrons of the arts and collected many beautiful paintings, works of art and furniture. My grandmother especially loved portrait paintings.

I moved here recently and am just getting to know my neighbors and find my way around but everyone I’ve met has been lovely and kind in their welcome. I look forward to remaking my life here.

Sincerely,
Fern Leissa