Treat Street!

In honor of the super-delicious, very sweet Halloween holiday tomorrow, today's blog post is all about a tiny retail adventure friends Mary, Clare, and Crystal created in their neighborhood. These girls wanted to bake all day and night, experiment with new recipes, and make their favorite stuff but they knew there was no way on planet Earth that they could eat all the sweets they wanted to make. They had to come up with a way to share. So they founded Treat Street.

Treat Street is the original, friendly, neighborhood, underground, roving, secret bakery. Every so often, they set up cardboard shop in a driveway with a table or two loaded with homemade goodness and wait to see what happens. Everything sells out, the neighborhood kids, dogs and adult's sweet cravings get fed and the community is happy.

This is a fabulous example of community, grass-roots retail and a yummy post to share with you just in time for Halloween! Trick or Treat!

via: GOOP

Trendspotting Brooklyn - Attention to the Outside

We talk a lot here at Sphere Trending about taking the time to create a unique and innovative presence for your housing project, retail establishment or product. During our trendspotting tour of Brooklyn, NYC we found many great examples of "attention to the outside" to share with you here on the blog. Artistic murals, vivid paint schemes, sustainable sun shading panels and even bold signage and colors all mix in harmony on the streets of Brooklyn.

Retail Trendspotting - Unleash Brooklyn

Even hip trendsetters need doggie daycare or an awesome groomer, and when we heard about Unleash Brooklyn, we knew it was a unique retail experience we should see firsthand.

This 7000 sq. ft. green environment for pets was built inside of an old bread factory and comforts pets in specialized suites or in a cage free environment. An eco-friendly company, Unleash Brooklyn's interior was built using repurposed wood and shock absorbing recycled rubber flooring and all cleaning and maintenance is done with environmentally safe cleansers.
For the convenience of their busy clients, they offer a pick up and drop off service using a bus powered by bio-diesel fuels. Veterinary care. training and grooming services are also available on site, making this a one stop shop for the eco-conscious pooch looking to reduce his "carbon paw print".

And... The Winners Are??

Using a random number generator, our two winners of our first blog giveaway are...

Tom (fun is... Little League!)

Tamara (fun is... a six month old experiencing the changing seasons!)

Thank you for telling us what "fun means to you"! Please contact us so we can send you your Rubik's 360! We hope that you find this tool useful around your office during brainstorming sessions... Or for just some fun with your family! Email me: mmankvitz(at)spheretrending(dot)com with your info and I'll ship it right out to you!

Trendspotting - Brooklyn Label

Tucked into an authentic red brick building in the Greenpoint area of Brooklyn, we were happy to find Brooklyn Label where we enjoyed a leisurely lunch.

This modern American bistro prides itself on commitment to the environment, support for the local, organic farmer and the surrounding community. Bread comes from the bakery around the corner, the coffee is sustainably farmed and the produce is fresh, seasonal and local. Everything on their menu, and I mean everything right down to condiments and sauces, is made from scratch. The staff is pleasant and welcoming and Dave, the proprietor (pictured), was kind enough to take the time to share the story of Brooklyn Label with us. Thank you, we'll see you again soon!

Get your Color Caffeine!

Craving color? Searching for scenes of inspiration? Pursing palettes of perfection? Hang out here, on the LIMElight blog, because each and every Monday our "Creative Collective" of dedicated designers will be bringing you some afternoon color buzz that's sure to wake you up! Not only are the colors a dose of inspiring color therapy, we're also providing a palette teaser that is color news you can put to good use. Happy Monday!

High Point Markets - Fun at Rowe Furniture

Happiness is Rowe Furniture for us each season at the markets, it's where we always find upbeat and inspiring patterns, colors and collections. Cheerful stripes, funky fonts and enthusiastic florals grabbed our attention in vibrant corals, blues and greens. Neutral hues, such as a rich chocolate brown and cool slate were a calming backdrop to this happy collection of prints and patterns.

The Edge - Where to Live in Brooklyn

LEED Bronze certified, The Edge in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn is a eco-friendly way to live in all-inclusive luxury.

Phase one is 30 stories, one-third of which have a clear view of Manhattan, a pricey option for $1 million. The Edge's amenities include a spa, sauna/steam room with hot stone path, year round pool with retractable roof, screening room, 24 hr doorman, and underground parking. The development includes community access to 60,000 square feet of retail, a supermarket and access to the midtown watertaxi. In addition, they are currently developing a 28-acre state park with ball field and beach just steps from the front door.

70% of the building's energy is purchased from renewable sources - wind, solar, hydro and biomass. For convenience, there is an on-site hybrid zip car service for the residents, a bike storage room and the development is walking distance from the subway, water taxi and bus stops. No VOC interior finishes, EPA Energy Star rated appliances, individual lighting and temperature controls and Watersense toilets and fixtures are features of The Edge's sustainable living style.

Great Retail in Brooklyn - Jungle Garden

Our trendspotting trip to Brooklyn, NYC lead us to the Williamsburg area and the warm and inviting housing and retail environments in that part of town. Catching our eye from the street were the unique facades and inventive signage used by Jungle Garden to draw you into their retail store. In addition to the commercial and residential garden design services, Jungle Garden offers a wide variety of plants, containers, furniture and accessories for the modern and chic urban outdoor living environments. Not only that, try out their very cute and very slick website for another fun way (love the ants!!) to enjoy Jungle Garden. All around, a great experience to be had while in Brooklyn!

Have you entered to win yet? Only three more days until we give away two (2) Rubik's 360's - a great innovation and ice-breaker to use during brainstorming sessions (or long car rides!). Make sure to enter here, by simply leaving your comment answering the question - what does "fun" mean to you? Because, yes, winning is FUN!

High Point Markets - Bill Sofield at Baker

Not only has the weather been fabulous in High Point, NC, but we have had the best luck running into the most intriguing people. When we arrived for our appointment at the Baker Interiors showroom, we were pleased to find out that the very accomplished designer, Bill Sofield, would be our guide. The first stop of our walk through the showroom was an entire room designed in his signature color, "vert" - a stunning shade of verdigris green that looked rich and vibrant against elegant wood choices and finish applications.

Another key attribute was Bill's attention to gorgeous, yet "forgiving finishes" for tabletops and surfaces that can withstand the everyday use and wear-and-tear that families expect from furniture today.More from the Bill Sofield Collection from the Baker Interiors Showroom: