Bringing together the magic of Free People with the power and majesty of whole foods…
FP Gather is rooted in the belief that vitality begins with what we eat. Using local, seasonal, organic fruits and vegetables, nutrient rich grains, and limiting our intake of processed foods, our focus shifts to the nutritional properties of each ingredient to create pure, simple and inspiring dishes. The food we share will both nourish the body and bring beauty to those it serves.
In celebration of both the upcoming holiday and Gather, we recently hosted an intimate group of friends and FP family via NY’s The Foundry. Our own chef Greg Glowatz curated the impeccable vegetarian menu, including this roasted beet salad, that truly defines farm-to-table.
Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres gave way to a communal dinner shared under a twinkling cascade of lights and fresh cut greens. Befitting for a spark of magical conversation and soul-nurturing, thanks in part to our wonderful wine accompaniment: Malvira Roero Nebbiolo Trinita Riserva 2010, La Spinetta Toscana Vermentino 2015, Contratto for England Rose Brut 2010.
Look for FP Gather to further spread its love through FP Escapes, on the blog, as well as future dining events.
+ Thank you to the Foundry, Chef Greg and our wine purveyors for an incredible evening. We hope to see — and nourish — more of you soon.
Photos by Jillian Guyette.
So cozy love the decor and atmosphere!
x
StephC
http://sstephcc.blogspot.com/
Question: why are all your workers white?
Just stumbled on this beautiful post. What a lovely event. It’s unfortunate that the first thing that was immediately addressed was race; that’s what’s severely wrong with this country. My dear, we are a diverse melting pot of ancestors that connect like the roots from an elder oak tree. Everyone wants equality, etc etc but become blind to their own prejudices. Yes, it’s a two way street and you dear are in the wrong here. If you took the two seconds necessary to focus in on the big picture (literally and figuratively) you would see that there is a diverse group of individuals that attended this event above. I see African American/black, Asian, Caucasian/white…which blankets Mexicans, Indians, Greek, Italian, Mediterranean, etc etc etc. I personally am at least 10 different “labels” if you want to break me down into an American standard. However by looking at me you would never know what I am. Beyoncé has caucasian roots; so do many prestigious, famous faces you know. So my point is, how can you sit there and wrongfully point fingers and discriminate yourself. There’s a “black” woman sitting right at that table. The woman next to her could be light skinned South African decent…or Japanese for all you know. I’ve seen many types of people working at their stores; short, tall, big boned, skinny, white, black, etc. etc. Anyway…aren’t you fighting to stop this madness?! It’s time to end the racism. It exists on both ends, it’s time for everyone to take accountability and break these chains that have burdened us. Society set these standards before we were born. Now that we are here, let’s rise up, take each other’s hands and build strength. Instead of constantly continuing in the footsteps of our “fathers” hardships, let us take control of this. It’s time for positive change. Freedom takes on a larger role than color or gender. My loves, let us make those who fought for it proud. Please, please look in the mirror and take that accountability. Start working together instead of against. I don’t see your color my dear, I see your soul and the colors of a dream. Be blessed.
Wow! I wish that there was such an event here in Los Angeles!! <3
@anonymous Seriously. First thing I noticed.
Maybe because they live in a winter climate where there’s an influx of light skinned humans? I feel like a lot of businesses intentionally try to have a beautiful array of diverse humans, when sometimes it’s quite hard just because of the mass amounts of white people running around. Like, we all want to catch all the beautiful Pokemon, but not everyone can when statistically some are rarer than others.
Statistically speaking, white people are increasingly becoming the minority. Yet this is not reflected in Free People’s catalogues or hiring practices. Just look at their social media accounts that try to promote jobs, it’s so rare to see workers who are Persons of Color. If the staff of a single store is 9 or so girls, you can literally count the so called diversity on your hand.
Here’s some actual statistics so we don’t keep just saying “statistics” without citing anything: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_ethnicity_in_the_United_States
First of all, I am not heated in any way, and I think it’s really important to have discussions on observations about society because that’s how things change! So let’s totally keep the conversation going! I’m personally trying to avoid repeating things I’ve heard said before. I am trying to have fresh revelation in this moment as I sit and dwell. I am open to any fresh thought, from anyone who continues this conversation.
It seems like people rarely actually want to discuss race/societal issues. I often see passive aggressive comments dropped, followed by no discussion. Just like at my families Thanksgiving dinner! Alas, how will we ever progress? With that method, we’ll well up and explode. I know some people genuinely like processing in that manner, but if there are healthier alternatives, let’s test it.
I think it’s pretty goofy, uneducated people who hate someone purely based on the color of their skin. If we expect for the average person or business we encounter to have the ideals of a dumb dumb, they’ll have the ideals of a dumb dumb. I am trying to stop marking society by the bottomdwellers. In my limited experience of this consciousness, I’ve never witnessed someone hating someone else just based on the color of their skin. I have witnessed people using someone else’s skin color to identify what culture they might belong to. Followed by being hateful and not being understanding of any culture that differs from their own.
I’ve observed this weird idea that because there’s a main language within the US, we must all be one general culture. But – you can even go to your neighbors house and encounter a minorly different culture (haha, I began that with “but”). The problems arise when you have two or more loudly opposite cultures in one space. Again, a lot of cultures happen to be divided by skin color. White people culture and black people culture are seriously super different. I technically am black, but I grew up amongst white people. The culture of Free People is stuff *typically* white people like. More white people are going to gravitate to wanting to work there. Now that I’ve said that, I have to tread with caution. After hearing a stereotype like what I just said, people react in all kinds of ways. We are so scared of stereotypes – I am so scared of stereotypes. Maybe it’s not healthy to say them out loud. It’s hard, because we totally notice them.
My thoughts are about to get messy. Why are stereotypes bad? That doesn’t mean you’re just that one thing. That doesn’t mean you can’t evolve. That doesn’t mean you suck if you always match your stereotype. What I struggle with in my small town is people holding me to how I was when I was a child, and never allowing me to evolve. I don’t think it’s wrong to notice stereotypes, but we have to allow people to fucking breathe and, in your own mind, right now, stop passing judgement! Practice stopping judgement towards other humans everyday!
I DO notice the color of people’s skin. Diversity is fucking beautiful. One color isolated is beautiful and all the colors mixed are beautiful. People tread around being careful not to point out someone else’s skin color, when that’s not the root of the issue. By seeing a bunch of white people gathered, purple people gathered, that in no way means those people negatively judge other cultures. We shouldn’t be judging them and assuming the worst of any group that happens to be one color (especially when, what was it, 77% of Americans have white skin? That’s a lot of white people) If I worked at Free People, I would add a different color to the rainbow, but I still come from white people culture. I know some white people who are way more versed in black culture than myself. We have to evolve and work on our current issues as a society, not things we struggled with in the 1950s. Yes, some hateful people may not have evolved, but again, let’s not hold our standards to the bottom dwellers of society. I do think it’s healthy to immerse yourself in another culture, but not everyone is going to do that. Not everyone is going to want to work at a place that sells $800 dresses. It’s really stressful, fun, sad, enlightening, etc. to immerse yourself in another culture, but not everyone is going to do that. I want my best friends dog and my dog to be best friends, but they aren’t. The people who bridge the gap between cultures are saints, and we should listen to them. If humans were to be one uni-culture, minority cultures would have to allow white people into their circles too, and not everyone is going to do that. A lot of smaller cultures have pride. Just like indie-hipster people. Not everyone is going to step outside their comfort zone and enter another culture when they already have it good – but we can still coexist. That starts with stopping judgement on how people are on the inside. I’m not going to say something vague and broad not holding anyone accountable. You reading this – you as an individual – me as an individual – mentally slap yourself when you notice yourself passing a judgement on someone. We all want to be free!
(If you ever speak up about thoughts going on in your brain, you’re open to 100% more backlash than those who sit back and say shit like, “cat fight”, “drama”, or any other blanket statement that tries to discourage people from being open. A lot of my thoughts may have some errors and definitely aren’t fully developed, but please carry on the discussion!)
If you made it to the end, holy shit. What’s wrong with you. Go for a walk. If you insist on wasting your life away on the Net, go grab some whiskey, start this comment from the top, and drink every time I say “culture”.
We’ve arrived at the end of the line and I have what I need!
thanks for nothing.
When will u do this again?
I would love to be a part of anything you do in New York City or the burbs!
I am so pleased I found your company,events and more….I am sharing all of
Your great ideas with my family, friends and colleagues……here and abroad!!!!!
Count me in with anything you do please !!!!!!! I simply adore you all!!!!! SIMPATICOIIIIII Looking forward to more and more!!!!!! SMOOCHES……..Les