Today in New York: Erica Levine

Having lived in New York for a while, one of the many things that I have learned is that most of the Italian-Americans who live there have really been able to “make it happen”. Italian-Americans can be found in almost every field, from business to coaching to cinema, and they are all doing a great job making us proud of their roots.

Of course, some some of them have been able to find their way into the creatives-only realm too: Erica Levine (a half Sicilian gal from Brooklyn) is definitely a very good example of these empowered Americans whose roots are in Italy. Fact is that Erica is not only one of the best scoopers of shops and things-to-do-in-the-City I have ever talked to (check out her answers to s4, 5 and 6 to see what I mean), but she has also been able to convey her keen sense of taste and her love for curious and special things into one cool project: Pepperhem t-shirts.

:: Why and when did you started Pepperhem? About 3 years ago, I was working as a teacher in Brooklyn and though I loved it, I was exhausted by the end of the day and didn’t have enough energy to be creative.   I have my BFA in Fine arts and wanted to find a way to get back to my roots.  I thought printing shirts would be an awesome way to be crafty and make some extra cash. It is a good set up for now,  because I can watch my son during the day and print at night.

:: Where do you get your inspiration from ? Everything around me inspires me!  When I go for a walk I am inspired by the foliage and the bricks designs on old buildings.   I love kitschy things, like the ceramic figurines you see in bodegas and 99c stores, or money plants and lucky cats from the Korean deli. Vintage fabric prints and wallpaper also excite me. Lately I’ve also found myself drawn to interesting architecture from Russian and Japanese cultures.

::Who is your ideal buyer? I’m not very picky about who wants to buy my stuff,  the most important thing is that they like the design and enjoy wearing it. I love getting emails from customers who are pleased with their purchases or customers who want to know more about my designs.

::What is your favorite NYC place? There are so many places… I love The Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, Prospect Park and other tranquil spots, but I also love the sheer chaos that is Chinatown on a Saturday afternoon. The Coney Island boardwalk is great on the first few days of summer, when everyone decides to go to the beach, and the boardwalk is packed with people walking around or waiting for a table at A Russian restaurant looking out on the ocean.  Smith Street, 5^th Ave.  and Montague Street are all fun streets in Brooklyn and of course Tribeca, SoHo  Nolita and The East Village in Manhattan.  New York is so big and I am still discovering new neighborhoods. I recently discovered Jackson Heights in Queens and ate great Indian food at Dosa Diner for the first time.

:: Do you think New York can still be considered the place-to-be for young creatives? I don’t think New York will ever not be the place to be. It’s full of inspiring places and people, and there’s lots of opportunities to find your niche.  I think that a lot of creative people come to NYC just to go to art or design school, but they end up staying here because it is so great!  It is expensive, no doubt… but almost everyone finds a way to get by, usually with a lot help from other creative people. You can find some really amazing artist collectives and communities, even in neighborhoods where you’d never think to look. There is room for every kind of person in NYC from wealthy business people types to starving artists!

::Where do you shop in NYC? One of the best things about NYC is that there are a lot of great alternatives to shopping at huge chains and strip malls. I buy my food at a natural food co-op in Park Slope or at the farmers market in Ditmas Park  and I go hunting through indie shops and flea markets for clothes and furniture. I love the Brooklyn Flea in Fort Greene, and the Brooklyn Indie Market on Smith Street. They are amazing places to meet other artists and crafters, and I love going from stall to stall and discovering new things. There are also great flea markets on  the upper west side of Manhattan and in Hells Kitchen.   Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn has trendy independent shops and antique stores and I can finish up a shopping spree around the corner on Smith Street or hit the Chip Shop for a fried twinkie (seriously!)

:: If I say Italy, you say…? Florence! My mother used to spend her summers there so I was lucky enough to have a place to crash and I completely fell in love. I don’t think I will ever have tomatoes as good as the ones I bought at the San Lorenzo Mercato Centrale and the gelato in Florence is heavenly. I also loved Cinque Terre, it’s the most beautiful place I have ever seen.  I am dying to go back there some day… maybe even to live.  I am half Sicilian so I will always love all things Italian!

Francesca Masoero

Francesca Masoero
Francesca Masoero non è la campionessa di canottaggio che appare se digitate il suo nome su Google. È l’altra, la multitasker. Ha un (in)utile dottorato in cinema e marketing; racconta in modo non convenzionale e creativo New York, Torino e Bologna su NUOK e scrive di eventi, lifestyle e cultura per Lookout Magazine; si occupa di marketing, comunicazione, pr e web 2.0 tra Torino (la sua città natale) e New York (la sua città ideale). In più, a volte fa la stylist e a volte la cool hunter. È creativa, ma pignolissima. Sembra zen, ma è perennemente sull’orlo di una crisi di nervi. La salvano le piccole cose della (sua) vita: il rock’n’roll, la pasta al pesto, internet e il suo nuovo bellissimo frigorifero da 300 litri, pieno di quello che il suo fidanzato chiama “cibo da conigli”.