Shop Talk: Judy at The Rink

Shop Talk: Judy at The Rink

Is summer a blessing or a curse? It depends on who you ask, and most importantly, their geographical location. In the northeast, summer is met with childlike enthusiasm. Heavy sweaters and indoor activities are triumphantly cast off like prison shackles. However, in the south, summer is met with a deep inhale and the hardened resignation of an elder statesman. Undoubtedly, whichever part of the country and climate you plan to be in this summer, you will need to be prepared for beach days and outdoor dinners. I got to chat with Martha Claire Breland, German resident and owner of Judy to hear how she finds the blessings (not curses) in her summers spent both here and abroad.

What are your “must have” items for summer at Judy? Our family is always on the move in the summer from the beach to the park. Judy has a fun line from France (Simone et Georges) of portable lean back beach chairs. They are quick and easy to set up and super lightweight. They are super functional and come in an assortment of colors! We also carry Coola sunscreen and cooling mist + SPF 18, which is an absolute must have for my sunscreen reapplication.

Tips on styling an outdoor gathering? We have always been all about bright colors at Judy and the summer is our time to shine. We love mixing durable melamine with bright glassware and fun patterned tablecloths. Bugs can be a real pain in the summer, so we carry Skeem citronella incense that smells amazing and keeps the bugs away! We also have some great cocktail mixes that only require a spirit and a good shake! Perfect for cooling off outside.

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Has living in Europe changed your perspective as a shop owner/ the inventory your carry? Living in Europe has certainly changed my perspective. Germans are very conscious of sustainability, so I have taken a harder look at how and where our products are manufactured. We want customers to buy and gift items that are special, high quality and will last a lifetime. In store, you’ll mostly see changes to our holiday assortment. I attended the German Christmas Market this year and partnered with some small artists in the UK and Eastern Europe for custom ornaments.

What are your current favorite European brands for affordable home goods? We have a lot of European tabletop brands at Judy! My current plates and glassware in Germany are from Anna von Lipa. I have also had a lot of fun shopping vintage stores in our neighborhood. We won’t be living in Germany forever so buying fun secondhand items for our home has added character and been a budget saver!

Favorite German word and why? There are a lot of fun words to say in German. For example, “Schmetterling” is butterfly in German and sounds so harsh for such a delicate creature. I also love greetings and goodbyes. The word “Tschuss” means goodbye and my fluent kids say “Tschussy” and it sounds so cute!

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Penn Iarocci

Meet Penn, Shop Talk Blogger

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Penn Larocci is a born and raised New Orleanian. After graduating from Tulane University she lived in NYC for nine years working in sales and marketing at an investment bank. When she missed New Orleans more than she could stand, she moved back home, met her husband and started a family. She’s now raising two rambunctious little boys and spending her free time on environmental sustainability projects.

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