Equal Exchange now has a café!

The only bad news about the opening of the Equal Exchange Café near Boston's North Station, is that it's too far from our Coolidge Corner shop for a coffee run. Otherwise, we're delighted to read the good reviews the newly-opened cafe has received. The spot features coffee, tea, chocolate, sandwiches and pastries from local vendors, and free wireless.

Of course, the main attraction is fairly traded, sustainably grown coffee, tea, and chocolate. My daughter spent a week on an Ugandan coffee plantation last year, and learned that the difference between a fair price and an exploitative price for a farmer's coffee crop can mean the difference in school fees and mosquito nets for a rural family.

The café has been open for a while, and its the official grand opening is Feb. 10 through 12. The festivities will feature Pedro Rojas, coffee farmer and member of Tierra Nueva Co-op in Nicaragua. The café has plans for visits from more farmers, special cuppings, and other events.

So do stop by. And if you want to bring us some coffee, take the Green Line, Cleveland Circle branch, from North Station and get off at Coolidge Corner!

-- Lisa

New Jewelry at Crossroads Trade

We're making great progress in finding new sources for Indian jewelry! I've tracked down two artisans from Santo Domingo Pueblo, New Mexico, whom I'd been trying to contact for some time. Daniel Coriz makes spectacular inlaid earrings. Chris Nieto makes Santo Domingo's trademark hand-made heishi bead necklaces, in which every bead is ground by hand. Chris Nieto's work will arrive next week. We hope to have Daniel's earrings within the next few weeks.

Just received: a variety of Indian jewelry, including: Lupe Lovato's turquoise slab and hand-ground beaded earrings from Santo Domingo; Zuni inlaid and needlepoint earrings; and Navajo earrings and bracelets with a variety of stones and settings.

We also just received a shipment of lovely Balinese earrings. These pieces are made in five family workshops, and come to the US through a fair trade wholesaler. For this round, we've chosen a variety of shells in striking, simple, silver settings.

Please stop by for a look,or ask us to e-mail you photos!

Kate