Gambit's Cue Magazine- The fall issue

CUE MAGAZINE A M O N T H LY

LIFE + STYLE + DESIGN

GUIDE TO NEW ORLEANS

O C TOB ER 2018

HOME

Herbs and greens to plant in autumn FA S H I O N

Wrap dresses in fall’s most popular patterns #FOLLOWING

Maria Etkind goes Dutch to make hats

THE

R E A L E S TAT E

What type of home is right for you?

CUE TIPS

Fly Right Galaxy Gift & Studio is open for business

fall IS SU E

Cozy up to the latest in fashion, home and retail

15

[ FROM THE EDITOR ]

IT’S FALL! ... SOMEWHERE.

We New Orleanians know the drill — we don’t logically expect temperatures to dip below 70 until next month or so, but we can hope, can’t we?

While we’re waiting for sweater weather, women still can dress in one of fall’s hottest trends: the wrap dress. The fashion column features styles of this sleek silhouette in patterns and fabrics fresh off the runway. Bonus: Most of them are light enough for the warm weather still hanging around (except for one dress optimistically made of velvet).

We usually think of fall as a time for harvesting, but it’s also a good time to plant herbs and greens. In our home column, Andrew Prat of Southern City Farm explains how to grow microgreens and perennial herbs such as rosemary and mint. Rachael Reeves of Maypop Community Herb Shop tells us about some medicinal uses for those herbs, which will be ready by early spring if you plant them now.

There’s a new kid on the retail block near Lyons and Prytania streets — Fly Right Galaxy Gift & Studio just celebrated its grand opening. The shop features arts and crafts made by local artisans and a selection of vintage clothing, all at budget-friendly prices.

Fall kicks off celebration season, and if you’re hunting for a way to polish your party look, check out

ON

CUE

P H OTO BY K A R L A P H OTO G R A P H Y

Maria Etkind Millinery. Etkind is the subject of our #Following column this month, and her hats and fascinators may be just the wow factor you need.

Yours in peace, love and wishful thinking,

Publisher | JEANNE EXNICIOS FOSTER Editor | KATHERINE M. JOHNSON Creative Services Director | DORA SISON

EDITORIAL

Sales Coordinator | MICHELE SLONSKI

Managing Editor | KANDACE POWER GRAVES

Sales Assistant | KAYLA FLETCHER

Contributing Writers SARAH RAVITS, SUZANNE PFEFFERLE TAFUR

Senior Sales Representative JILL GIEGER (504) 483-3131

PRODUCTION

[ jillg@gambitweekly.com]

Pre-Press Coordinator | JASON WHITTAKER Graphic Designers | DAVID KROLL, WINNFIELD JEANSONNE, MARIA BOUÉ

Sales Representatives BRANDIN DUBOS (504) 483-3152

[brandind@gambitweekly.com]

ADVERTISING Advertising Inquiries (504) 483-3150

TAYLOR SPECTORSKY

Advertising Director | SANDY STEIN BRONDUM (504) 483-3150 [sandys@gambitweekly.com]

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823 C A M P ST R E E T | N E W O R L E A N S, L A 7 013 0 504.48 6.5900 | cue@gambitweekly.com

[ HOME ]

garden

BY K ATHERINE M. JOHNSON

Planting an edible fall garden

THERE’S NOTHING QUITE LIKE FRESH GREENS AND HERBS to complete the flavor of a dish or garnish a

cocktail. But purchasing these plants by the pack can be inefficient, say, if you need a single sprig of mint or four cups of basil with stems attached — “fresh” from the store can mean expensive or wasteful. If this is a familiar quandary, it may be time to grow your own edible garden. We think of fall as a time to harvest, not plant, but there are plenty of herbs and greens that will thrive during autumn and winter.

Andrew Prat, horticulturist and co-founder and chief operating officer of Southern City Farm, understands the do-it-yourself impulse. While in college, he noticed a niche for microgreen production in the city, so he started his own urban farm. He went from cultivating plants in his parents’ garage, to working in an apartment building storage shed to Southern City’s current 1,100-square-foot warehouse in Elmwood, which supplies microgreens, herbs and edible flowers to more than 30 restaurants, bars and markets in the New Orleans area. He shares some advice about what to plant and how to nurture it.

Prat says the most underestimated edible plant everyone should grow is sunflower microgreens, which taste like sunflower seeds and add a pleasant nutty flavor to a dish.

“They don’t look very interesting, but they’re healthy and you can grow them in large amounts,” he says.

“They go well with salads, and they have a lot more nutrients [than] lettuces, which are mostly made of water.”

Sunflower shoots are easy to cultivate, as are radish microgreens, which have nutrient levels comparable to full-grown radishes but are significantly spicier. Rosemary also is easy. It should be planted in the ground — it’s a shrub, so it needs room to spread (it can grow to 2 to 3 feet tall).

Prat also recommends planting cilantro and mint. Mint should have its own pot because it grows rapidly and will take over a shared planter; mint and lavender are prone to root rot, so a pot provides better drainage than most gardens.

Though growing these herbs and greens is simple, it’s essential to start with good seeds and a good potting mix, Prat says. Good soil has ingredients such as peat moss that retain moisture, but shouldn’t contain clay or sand, which can clump and restrict drainage. Start seeds in a small pot indoors in a sunny window with filtered light — most edible plants don’t like continuous direct sunlight. Plant a few seeds in each pot, because some may not germinate. Water frequently as they begin to sprout and keep soil moist as seedlings start to grow.

If the plants continue to grow well, consider replanting microgreens in a larger pot (up to 6 inches in diameter); Prat recommends planting herbs in a raised flower bed covered with mulch. Whether repotting is necessary “depends on how much you cut it back, but if the pot is too small, the plant will run out of water quickly,” he says.

Plant woody-stemmed herbs (rosemary and thyme, for example) at least eight to 10 weeks before the first cold snap. Because of their short germination period, you can plant microgreens at any time, but since our “winter” is unpredictable, consider starting greens and less-hardy herbs such as mint, cilantro, lavender and parsley in pots that can be moved inside during inclement weather.

If you’re the type of gardener who can kill a plastic fern, Prat has words of encouragement.

“Don’t give up,” he says. “Keep trying — you’ll get the hang of it. … Herbs and greens don’t really need added nutrients, but the trick is that you have to water it — that’s the No. 1 thing that people don’t do.”

P H OTO CO U R T E S Y T H E CO U N T RY C H I C COT TA G E

VERTICAL

PL A NTING

IF YOU’RE LANDLOCKED FOR GARDEN SPACE, vertical planting is a way to have your

garden and eat it, too. A trendy way to plant vertically is to use a hanging shoe organizer to hold plants. You can leave a plant in its plastic pot and tuck it inside the shoe opening or fill the opening with potting soil and the sprouted plant. Prat says each opening is about the size of the 6-inch pot he recommends for maintaining herbs and greens.

“As long as you water it and it gets the right … mix of shade and filtered sunlight, it will work,” he says. “I’ve seen tomatoes grown that way, and strawberries will also do well in those.”

Shoe organizers come in plastic, but Prat (and many bloggers who’ve tried the technique) recommends using canvas, since it will hold in moisture and allow drainage. If you use plastic, be sure to cut small holes in the bottom of each slot. Prat also has seen home gardeners use old gutters for vertical planting. Simply mount rows of gutters along a fence — being sure to drill small holes in the base so the soil can drain — and fill with potting mix and seeds. Remember to hang them in a place where plants won’t get blasted by the sun.

[ HOME ]

HERBS A S MEDICINE EVER HEARD OF THIEVES’ OIL? Rachael Reeves, clinician, herbalist and health educator at Maypop Community Herb Shop, says the legend was born during the plague outbreaks of the Middle Ages. Bubonic plague spread rapidly throughout Europe, killing nearly one-third of the population. According to the legend, a group of thieves pillaged the homes of plague victims without becoming infected by the disease, owing to a decoction of herbs and other plants worn in masks covering their faces or in vials around their necks. Herbs such as rosemary, sage and lavender were mixed with other items like garlic, camphor and cloves and steeped in oil, which, when inhaled, supposedly prevented the thieves from succumbing to the infection themselves.

Much of this story can’t be substantiated, but science backs up the medicinal power of herbs. The volatile (or essential) oils in some plants have antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal and even antiviral qualities, which is why they’ve been used in kitchens and other places for thousands of years. Before refrigeration, people used herbs and spices to preserve food as well as treat common ailments. In the South, we think of our method of cooking as a cultural tradition, but it actually has roots in the medicinal qualities of seasonings — even the trinity of onion, celery and bell peppers.

Reeves, who offers group and individual sessions to teach natural options for at-home health maintenance, says these plants can help with many concerns, from digestion and circulation to chronic illness. She recommends incorporating these foods into your daily regimen, using fresh or dried plants rather than supplements for full potency. You also can get the benefits of intensely aromatic herbs by bathing with them or breathing in their scents, which are dispersed by those volatile oils.

“Just the smell of all these plants can actually create a response in the body,” Reeves says.

She explains the benefits of some fall herbs:

PARSLEY

SAGE

ROSEMARY

THYME

MINT

Reeves says any plant that is rich in color is also rich in minerals and antioxidants. “Parsley is amazing,” she says. “It’s also strongly lymphatic so it helps move the lymph system (which detoxifies the body). [The antioxidants] help blood vessels and vascular structure.”

Parsley root is helpful in ridding the body of mucous and other “damp conditions,” especially after a cold or other respiratory problem, and can provide relief from some thyroid and autoimmune conditions.

Reeves says sage is highly antimicrobial and antibacterial, owing to its high concentration of volatile oils.

“It can literally disinfect the air,” she says. Sage is great as a mouthwash and can help with hot flashes and menopause. “You can use things that are warming in that way to move the circulation and to move things out, or to just disperse heat,” she says.

“Any of these aromatics are going to help the digestion and the head,” Reeves says. “We put it in our memory tonic [at Maypop] because it helps get circulation to the brain.” Rosmarinic acid is derived from rosemary plants — it’s high in antioxidants and is popping up in natural products as a preservative.

Thyme may have been the first disinfectant. Thymol, an antiseptic compound derived from the thyme plant, was first isolated in 1719, but its use dates back much further — by some accounts, to the ancient Romans.

“It’s also great for the lungs,” Reeves says.

Mint has calming, cooling properties. Reeves likes using mint in teas to help with headaches and stress. “It helps disperse the blood and bring focus to the brain,” she says.

[ FASHION ]

That’s a

WRAP Wrap dresses that show off fall’s hottest runway trends

BY K AT H E R I N E M . J O H N S O N

HOT PINK

H O L I DAY

SALE GET OUR BEST RATES FOR THESE ISSUES:

PRAIRIE

• NOVEMBER 6 CUE HOLIDAY EDITION

• NOVEMBER 20 HOLIDAY BOOK

SUITING STRIPES

• DECEMBER 4 CUE WINTER

EDITION

CALL OR EMA IL SANDY STEIN: 504.483.3150 SANDYS@GAMBIT WEEKLY.COM

Wrap dress by Diane von Furstenberg in neon coral abstract print, $114.99 at Swap Boutique.

Faux-wrap striped dress, $94 at NOLA Boo.

Floral wrap dress

by Show Me Your Mumu, $154 at Hemline (Metairie Road location).

[ FASHION ]

ROMANTIC

BOLD FLORALS S PLAID AND CHECKED Faux-wrap checked and solid dress, $108 at Lucy Rose.

Flutter sleeve faux-wrap dress, $84 at Kay’s.

BOHEMIAN Floral-print wrap dress, $79 at Jaci Blue.

’80S

Velvet wrap dress, $225 at Angelique Boutique.

“Betta” silk faux-wrap dress by Dodo Bar Or, $545 at Joseph.

[ CUE TIPS ]

FLY RIGHT GALAXY GIFT & STUDIO

BY S A R A H R AV I T S PHOTO BY B O B M CC AW

A new art space on Prytania Street lures an eclectic crowd with one-of-a-kind offerings ON SEPT. 1, FLY RIGHT GALAXY GIFT & STUDIO (1301 Lyons St., 504-302-9906; www.facebook.com/ flyrightgalaxy) celebrated its grand opening, unveiling a bright new retail space filled with locally made crafts and art, as well as vintage clothing.

Co-owner Lesley Nash, an artist and former bartender, says “everything fell into place” over the summer. She and her partner, Eric Labouchere, a chef, seized the opportunity when the previous tenant (and longtime friend) Debbie Kramer closed down her pottery studio and suggested the crafty couple take over the lease. Labouchere was a chef at Martinique Bistro until it closed; he now moonlights at restaurants around town. He also was looking for a new venture.

Relying on their own creativity and connections, Nash and Labouchere spent several weeks painting and renovating the space to reflect their colorful, eclectic vision.

“We’ve scraped together a lot of stuff to furnish the place,” says Nash, adding that Labouchere built and painted the countertop by the cash register.

“I want people to be able to pop in and grab a quick gift or something fun — there’s reasonably priced pieces of artwork,” she says. “I think everything is pretty reasonable.”

(It’s true: even a high-quality vintage dress sells for just $25.)

Art always played a prominent role in Nash’s life — she paints, creates things out of found objects and makes customized costume pieces,

including headdresses, hats and veils.

She has a “craft corner” in the shop filled with feathers, ribbons, hot glue guns and several containers of glitter, which she sells by the scoop.

A ukulele sits atop a vintage amplifier in another corner of the shop; a few feet away is a collection of handmade Voodoo dolls. Customers can find arts and crafts by prominent local artists, including jewelers Gogo Borgerding and Niki Fisk, as well as creatives who are just starting out in their careers.

“This isn’t just a boutique,” Nash says. “There’s something for everyone.” She points out that while there’s a “lot of commerce” in the area, there’s not a lot of art. Fly Right Galaxy wants to fill the void.

The shop stays open until roughly 8 p.m.; Nash says that business picks up in the evening when customers get off work and stop in on their way to grab a drink at the neighboring Kingpin bar. The shop is dog-friendly and soon will offer pet supplies and homemade treats. Nash hopes to host workshops beginning this fall.

She muses about hosting artists willing to share their expertise on sewing, print-making and jewelry design. The vibrant, colorful space also will continue to welcome new artists looking to sell their wares.

[ R E A L E S TAT E ]

BY SUZANNE PFEFFERLE TA FUR

Which housing option is best for you?

IF YOU’VE EVER TOYED WITH THE IDEA OF MOVING INTO A NEW PLACE, you know the factors to consider: budget and location, of course, along with personal preferences, real estate market trends and resale values. But you also should examine the housing options. Do you want to rent an apartment before committing to a permanent residence? Or would you rather take a major step in life and purchase a home or a condo? Two local real estate experts break down the pros and cons of each option.

Rental apartments are

PROS perfect for people

who don’t know how long they’ll be living in the city and for newcomers who haven’t decided which neighborhood suits their personality or lifestyle, says Brett A. Rector, a broker at Witry Collective.

“There’s a bigger learning curve about neighborhoods and areas in New Orleans than probably anyplace else I’ve lived,” says Rector, noting that he’s lived in Los Angeles and Chicago, among other major U.S. cities. “I came here over a series of a few years before I made the decision to purchase and move.”

Another plus? Apartments require little to no maintenance, adds Anthony Dazet, a real estate agent and owner of Homes + City, a New Orleans-based real estate company, the website for which will launch in late October.

“You walk in and pay your electricity bill,” he says. “With most apartment complexes, the water is paid for by the landlords, and you often have a 24-hour maintenance man.”

Those benefits usually apply to people who rent a residential home, or a unit in a residential home.

“Typically, your landlord is responsible for maintenance of the property … unless there’s something in the lease with language that’s contrary to that,” Rector says. “By and large, the water and garbage pickup are included.

The landlord factors that into the cost of what they charge for rent to cover that expense, but they are the ones receiving and paying the bill.”

However, tenants are responsible for paying the other utilities associated with living in a rental, such as gas and electricity.

The biggest drawback for

CONS renting an apartment is that

you’re not investing in your own property.

“You’re paying somebody else’s mortgage,” Rector says. “You’re not getting anything for that money. You don’t get tax benefits for it; you’re not building equity in anything.”

P H O T O B Y S N A P R E A L E S TAT E P H O T O G R A P H Y/ I M O T O

Buying a home is a big step, but Brett A. Rector of Witry Collective says there are many incentives that make it a good housing option.

PHOTO BY IMOTO

Renting a unit in a residential home is a good low-maintenance option for people who haven’t decided in which neighborhood they want to live.

PHOTO BY ANTHONY DA ZE T

Condos appeal to a variety of homebuyers, especially those who like extra amenities such as on-site gyms, parking and security.

[ R E A L E S TAT E ]

Home ownership comes

PROS with tax advantages: You

can deduct your mortgage interest (up to a certain limit as established by tax laws) along with other costs associated with the house. Also, as the property increases in value, your investment grows, providing security in long-term growth (depending on how long you hold the house), Rector says.

“The house becomes a savings account in many ways,” he says.

“As your equity grows, at some point down the line, you either own the house outright or you have enough money or equity to — (for example) if you’re retiring and you choose to downsize — sell it, recognize a nice profit and take that money to either reinvest or use towards your retirement.”

From a psychological perspective, owning a house “gives you a level of pride,” Rector adds. He thinks it’s worthwhile to consider purchasing

Both real estate agents

PROS say that condos appeal

to an assortment of clients, including second-home buyers.

“They want a little place in New Orleans because they come in for Mardi Gras and Saints games,” Rector says.

A standard complex often is full of amenities and benefits: security, parking, a gym, a maintenance crew and an office staff. Residents can be away from home when a package arrives; an employee will accept it for them. Parents may buy a condo for a college-bound child. Elderly people who don’t want the responsibility of maintaining a home also consider condos.

Despite the continuous construction of condominium complexes in downtown New Orleans, the units continue to appreciate. Dazet says the demand is still very high — in fact, his agency’s office is located downtown to address the growing interest in purchasing condos.

Although you have a

CONS percentage of ownership

in that building, you have to abide by the rules and regulations established by the condo board and association, Rector says. Also, a condo may feel like a shared living space.

“You’ve got a unit next to you on either side; you’ve got people above you and people below you,” he says. “You have ownership in that building, but it’s similar to being in a multi-unit apartment building.”

a home rather than renting an apartment, since 100 percent financing loan options are available, even without private mortgage insurance (PMI) attached to the loan.

“There are so many loan products out there, that someone who has time on the job, a documentable income, a good work history and good credit can qualify for a mortgage,” he says.

A homeowner is responsi-

CONS ble for maintenance, taxes

and insurance, which — depending on where in the city the house is located — may be expensive, Dazet says.

Potential homebuyers also face the challenge of matching what type of home they want (and where they want it) with their budget.

“Sometimes you have to make a few adjustments to your list of needs and wants,” Rector says. “Later down the line, when you’re making a better income, you can have more flexibility.”

If you’re serious about buying a home, connect with a real estate agent who makes you feel comfortable and helps you understand how this complex process works. Professionals walk their clients through each step and put them in touch with a support network, including insurance agents, home inspectors and lenders.

“It’s important to get your lending worked out early on, so that you know what you can afford to buy,” Rector says. “Look at your credit report, because if there are things on there that need to be remedied, then you can work on that.”

The internet makes it easy to explore available homes and condos, but don’t rely on it alone, Dazet says.

“You go online and fall in love with a $300,000 house, but your budget’s $200,000,” he says. “That’s when you should consult with a real estate agent.”

Also, when you register on the website of a major real estate marketplace, several agents may contact you, hoping for your business, he says. You should be skeptical of those agents, because you don’t know their track record or success rate. He suggests working with “companies that are more established in the city.”

Most homebuyers will devote months to their search for the right home, but it’s OK if you’re certain you’ve found The One within weeks, or even days.

“I tell people all the time, when you sit down with a real estate professional and they really home in on what you’re looking for, you could find that house tomorrow,” Dazet says.

Home Works

A SPECIAL REAL ESTATE SECTION PROMOTE YOUR PROPERTIES WITH COLOR ADS BEGINNING AT $150 CALL SANDY AT (504) 483-3150

RESOURCES

A listing of the retailers and professionals featured in this issue of CUE Magazine.

How does your garden grow?

PA G E 6

Maypop Community Herb Shop 2701 St. Claude Ave., (504) 304-5067; www.maypopherbshop.com Southern City Farm (504) 473-7307; www.southerncityfarm.com

That’s a wrap PA G E 8

Angelique Boutique 902 Harrison Ave., (504) 304-9 9050; 5421 Magazine St., (504) 891-8992; 7725 Maple St., (504) 866-109 92; www.facebook.com/shopange eliqueboutique Hemline 605 Metairie Road, Suite B, Me etairie, (504) 309-8778; www.faceboo ok. com/hemline.metairie

HOME WORKS

Realtor® Sophie Brunner joined the Witry Collective in June 2018.

Client-Driven Real Estate with Collective Results!

Thank you for voting the Witry Collective as the #1 Best Real Estate Agent in the Metro Area!

Witry Collective

900 Camp Street, Suite 301, New Orleans, LA 70130 504-291-2022 - WCnola.com Licensed in Louisiana, USA • Photo: Zack Smith Photography

Jaci Blue 2111 Magazine St., (504) 603-2929; www.jaciblue e.com Joseph 5500 Magazine St., (504) 900--1422; www.josephstores.com Kay’s 5419 Magazine St., (504) 301-3366; www.shopkays.com Lucy Rose 534 Chartres St., (504) 267-0305; 600 Metairie Road, Suite A, Metairie, (504) 218-7368; 3318 Magazine St., (504) 895-0444; www.shoplucyrose.com NOLA Boo 517 Metairie Road, Suite 200, Metairie, (504) 510-4655; www.shopnolaboo.com Swap Boutique 5530A Magazine St., (504) 324-8143; 7716 Maple St., (504) 304-6025; www.swapboutique.com

Turf wars PA G E 1 2

Homes and City 523 Magazine St., (504) 256-2131; nola.homesandcity.com The Witry Collective 900 Camp St., Suite 301, (504) 2912022; www.wcnola.com

[ #FOLLOWING ]

#FOLLOWING:

MARIA ETKIND ND

Graphic artist, painter, hat maker and creator of Maria Etkind Millinery

BY K AT H E R I N E M . J O H N S O N PHOTOS BY K ARL A PHOTOGR APHY

“WORLDLY” IS A WORD THAT HANDILY DESCRIBES MARIA ETKIND. Born in Panama, raised in Virginia, college-educated in Texas and a longtime New Orleans resident, Etkind also spent four years living in The Hague in the Netherlands.

When she moved to New Orleans after college, she worked as a graphic designer until her husband got a job opportunity in Europe. Once there, she immersed herself in getting used to her new surroundings.

“I got bored after a while,” Etkind says. “I took a lot of classes — I looked at those four years as my sabbatical.

I did online painting classes, beading classes [and] Dutch language classes. … I found a flyer for a hat-making class and I thought, you know, I’ve always wanted to make a hat!”

Her boredom proved to be quite a boon. She found she had a passion for painting, sewing (“I’m terrible at it, but I try,” she says) and millinery, for which she’s shown a true talent.

The first hats she made were large silhouettes, such as fedoras, cloches and bowlers. She moved on to daintier hats and fascinators when she met Elly Stemerdink, hat maker, co-owner of The Hat Magazine and webmaster and editor of Hatlines Magazine (the official magazine of the Dutch Hat Association, or NHV, an organization Etkind eventually joined). Etkind spent three years doing graphic design and editorial work for Stemerdink and Hatlines while learning more about the art of millinery.

“It was such an incredible experience and such a beautiful opportunity to have somebody believe in you,” she says.

Now that she’s back in New Orleans, she finds her muse in books (such as Paper to Petal by Rebecca Thuss and Patrick Farrell), vintage hats and other fashions, classic movies (she just watched the musical dramedy Funny Girl), documentaries about fashion heavyweights such as Diana Vreeland, Iris Apfel and Alexander McQueen, the work of hat designer Philip Treacy (unofficial milliner to the British aristocracy) and the runway shows of designer labels like Fendi, Chanel and Rodarte, which she binge-watches on the Made to Measure channel. Pop culture gets her going as well — a Halloween-themed capsule collection she created for

LIKES

Favorite New Orleans restaurant? “I like Juan’s (Flying Burrito). They have really good tacos.”

What very New Orleans thing have you never done? “I’ve never ridden the paddlewheel boats down the river. I used to live in Algiers Point, so I would hear the one with the calliope and I loathe that sound.”

Favorite thing to cook? “Pasta carbonara.

That’s a staple in this house. When you’re sad, happy, hungover — it’s like brunch.”

Favorite New Orleans tradition? “Costuming.

I’m always some kind of monster. I tried to be cute and sexy one year and it didn’t work.”

Guilty pleasure? “Lay’s jalapeno-flavored kettle chips. These are my ‘I’m going to start my diet tomorrow’ meal.”

MUSTHAVES

The New Orleans Costume Center features a hat inspired by the three-eyed raven in HBO’s Game of Thrones series.

Much of her work is custom.

Clients contact her with a few pins from their Pinterest pages or photos of an outfit they plan to wear for a special event, and Etkind crafts a unique headpiece from new and/or vintage materials.

Everything about her hats is handmade — from crowns made by molding and stretching felt or sinamay around her Dutch hat blocks to the delicate stamen bunches at the center of her fabric flowers.

“I’m working on starting a readyto-wear line, with small hats at a good price point that come in a lot of different colors,” she says. “But I don’t want to lose the design and the aesthetic. … I love the fact that (all of my hats) are different. … A lot of the stuff that you see online is my own crazy design, and then some things are just one-of-a-kind, like, that is the only vintage veiling I have or that is the only vintage felt, and maybe I’m not ever going to bead that bow again.”

One style that Etkind plans to

revisit in the future is the saucer hat, a tall, round and flat silhouette worn perched near the hairline.

The design won her second prize the first year she competed in the NHV’s annual hat competition. Her creation was made of plum-colored sinamay with a vine of hand-beaded leaves trailing down the right quarter mark of the hat.

“I want to learn more wire structure,” she says. “I want to learn how to create the (base) for bigger pieces, while still keeping them light. Women want bigger hats in the South.”

Etkind isn’t afraid to push boundaries with her designs, especially since hats are having a moment right now, thanks to icons like Meghan Markle. Etkind hopes to see her designs around the world — maybe even at the next royal wedding.

“You know, more is more,” Etkind says. “When the hat goes on (someone’s) head, it comes to life, and they come to life. You see their posture change, and there’s a twinkle in their eye and they feel pretty.

I want to make women feel pretty — I think that is so important.”

Hat blocks — “Each block can be something new. They represent the possibilities of creativity, and the challenges, too.”

Young Chang piano — “I love Chopin. I listen to Chopin when I need to sew or when I just need that moment, and my son just finished learning a Chopin piece, so it was full circle.”

Passport — “I love traveling and to get out and go see the world.”

Eyeliner by Kat Von D — “I’ve been wearing a black cat-eye eyeliner forever.”

Smartphone — “We’re all addicted, especially now. I read the paper, I listen to music, I talk to my friends, I talk to my clients, I read books, I binge — it’s an extension of everything.”

Where you can see her next: Hats On Happy Hour, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4 at Wedding Belles bridal boutique (3632 Magazine St., 504-891-1005; www.weddingbellesnola.com). Call the store to RSVP.

Uptown, New Orleans, LA

1818 Veterans Blvd, Metairie | 504.888.2300 | nordickitchens.com