Manahttan Pop-Up Party: Wine and Mattresses

 New Yorkers do not need much of a an excuse to have a party. A few bottles of wine, a tray or two of sustainable fruits, vegies, and sushi, and the festivities begin.

          Recently, a pop-up party was held at the Leesa Mattress shop in SoHo where locals and neighbors dropped into the shop to test–out Leesa, look at a new line of Earth Bags, and experience paintings by gifted arts who are associated with Art Lifting, an organization that empowers homeless and disabled artists through the display and sale of their work.

                It is not usual to write about a mattress store. A mattress is a MUST rather than a NEED and is one of the least sexy products to research, shop, test, purchase. The online information on mattresses is designed to be confusing and it is. So – although I am not in an immediate need for a new mattress – I was intrigued by the invitation since I have been receiving Leesa press releases for the last year.

                I have no idea how I made it into the database, but I have been following the online Leesa bed-in-a-box story. One of the first promotions that caught my attention was the fact that the mattress is delivered in a box. When it opens, the mattress is flat; however, as time progresses, it increases in size (like dough and yeast). When it reaches the appropriate size – this is the time to put it on the bed. The Leesa bed does get a good rating when compared with other brands, but one of the factors that motivated me to actually go to the store to see the product– was their service policy and community participation.

                When you purchase a Leesa you get to sleep on it, in your home, for 100 days. Not happy? Return it! You do NOT have to send the mattress back (how do you get it back in the box?). Leesa donates the mattress to a local charity. If there is no charity willing to take your mattress, the company arranges a pick-up and it is sent to their recycling partner. The company also donates one mattress to a homeless shelter for every 10 sold and contribute to Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Earth Bags: Hamilton Perkins Collection

                At the event, the store was hosting a new bag/backpack designer who uses recycled materials to line attractive canvas totes and backpacks that fit perfectly under an airplane seat (AA Basic Economy take note).

            The company is committed to supporting fair wages and uses resources that would otherwise end up in a dump. The products are lined with recycled plastic advertising signs and used plastic water bottles and partners with organizations like THREAD in order to turn trash into fashion.

Art Lifting

                Leesa was also showcasing an art collection sponsored by Art Lifting, a non-profit organization that empowers homeless and disabled artists through the celebration and sale of their art work. (www.artlifting.com)

                This work (The Ravine) was done by Jeff Powers who stated, “The more walls my pieces are on, the more empowered I become as an artist.” Powers, who started painting at the age 0f 15, finds the creative process therapeutic and purposeful. It is also his way of “boasting about my intelligence without using words.” He states, “I had an addiction at one point, and I had a choice to throw away the addiction or my life. I chose to throw away the addiction”.

               The artist, Billy Megargel, lives with autism and does not use words to communicate; art is his way of “speaking.” He uses an arsenal of tools, from brushes and ball tip whisks, to paint rollers and bubble wrap to create expressive modern paintings that call attention to the work with their physical and emotional power.

                Before updating your bed, travel totes and wall designs, a visit to Leesa in SoHo will be a good investment.

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