FLORIDA TODAY
FIVE THINGS
NYC reveals
treats off the
beaten path
Taste of the exotic, chess masters
and a speakeasy among treasures
By Christina LaFortune
FLORIDA TODAY
P 5.
eople who love to travel
usually have the soul of
an explorer. They enjoy
visiting a citys major sites, of
course, but theres more to it
than that.
Part of the appeal of travel
is the opportunity to experi-
ence a place the way the na-
tives do, to find things that
might not be listed in the
guidebooks, but that neverthe-
less contribute the essence of
the city. Some of my most
memorable travel experiences
have come from wandering off
the beaten path and discover-
ing hidden gems.
A recent trip to New York
City proved this true yet again.
Sure, my family and I trekked
through Central Park, saw the
Statue of Liberty and braved
Times Square to see a Broad-
way show. Those were all ter-
rific, but our other offbeat
adventures are the ones that
will stand out in my memory.
Here are five unusual
things I discovered on my trip
to New York. If you have an
Jewelry
Continued from Page 1E
women who had low self-es-
teem, because I had very low
self-esteem growing up, Gor-
don says.
Outfitting a woman with an
eye-catching piece can be the
little thing that makes her day
and attitude a better one,
Gordon says.
Just someone walking up to
her saying, Oh, my God, the
necklace youre wearing is
beautiful, Gordon says. To-
day, she got more attention
different than she would get
any other day. Its an esteem-
builder.
Ivory Murphy, 46, of Palm
Bay agrees.
I know that it does make a
difference, says Murphy, a
beauty consultant with Mary
Kay. Her pieces complete the
outfit. It just kind of makes
you feel better because people
are going to see you and say,
That is so pretty, where did
you get that? You always get
compliments when you wear
her pieces.
Tough childhood
Gordon, 45, is a Melbourne
native. She describes herself
as someone whos always dab-
bled in fashion, saying, My
flair was different from most.
Gordon worked in a logis-
tics and procurement role for
Harris Corp. before getting
laid off in 2007. She continues
to work in the field through
contracts with temp agencies,
but her passion is her jewelry
business. She hopes to expand
at some point and have her
own store.
The self-esteem aspect is
something that brewed from
her own childhood.
I felt I was an ugly duck-
ling, Gordon says, noting she
never had anyone tell her she
was beautiful.
While there were chal-
lenges, her mother was a good
one. Her father was killed
when Gordon was 9. She grew
up in a community stricken
with crime and drugs. And
when Gordon became a mother
at 14, her own mother did not
turn her back on her.
Gordon says she went on to
survive continued sexual as-
sault for a decade. She was
homeless for a bit, but realized
she was limiting herself and
decided to set the example she
needed to her children.
She went back to school for
her GED and went on to re-
ceive a bachelors degree in
business administration as
well as an associates in ac-
counting from Keiser Univer-
sity. She is a devoted member
of Truth Revealed Ministries.
My journey was not easy,
she says. I still have marks to
prove it. But no matter how
many times I was beat to the
ground, my spirit was still able
opportunity, give
them a try next time
youre in the city.
ISTOCK/
1. Durian fruit.
This bewil-
dering exotic fruit
THINKSTOCK
Durian fruit,
known for its
that I found in odor, tastes like
New Yorks China- vanilla and
town is like nothing banana.
else. With a spiny
rind covered with
thorns and a potent funky
odor like something that died,
it takes fortitude to reach the
fruit inside. Cutting into the
durian was like something in a
horror movie. Harvesting the
edible part was not unlike re-
moving organs from a body.
But overcoming the visual
weirdness (and the smell!) was
rewarding, because the
creamy fruit inside tasted like
a sweet tropical combination of an antique Roman-numeral
bananas, pineapple and vanilla
custard. Im not sure I would
do it again, but Im glad I tried
durian at least once.
2. Demolition Depot. The
East Harlem location of
Demolition Depot boasts four
floors and a backyard garden
SheNetta's X-Clusive Jewelry Designs specializes in handmade statement necklaces ranging from $45 to $75.
to stand up.
Gordon says her positive
life changes were, in part, to
show her kids they dont have
to fall into a stereotype.
You dont have to stop. You
dont have to settle, Gordon
says. It had been beaten in me
that I would be no more than a
pregnant, unemployed, unedu-
cated African-American wom-
an, by society and family.
Thats what I felt. Where I was
going? Why would society look
at me any different than just
that? They judged me wrong,
because I am more than that.
But I didnt give them anything
to work with. I was a child. I
made poor decisions, but I
learned every day.
Creating statement pieces
has given her the chance to see
what life really offers for
herself and her clients. She
tried designing by the book but
didnt like following someone
elses advice on what was beau-
tiful.
Someone like me, who felt
they were unworthy, can sit
down and design and inspire,
says Gordon, who is engaged to
be married. And as I see peo-
ple wear my designs, and its
like, Wow. That was in me? I
had all of that to give? Thats
the passion behind it.
One-of-a-kind pieces
On this day, Gordon is as proud
as the peacock that serves as
the focal point of her favorite
necklace.
full of
salvaged
antique architec-
tural fixtures rescued
from fate in a landfill. Are you
looking for an original Art
Deco lamp? A gilded fireplace
mantel that once graced the
Plaza Hotel? How about a set
of carved mahogany doors or
clock? Roaming through room
after room, floor after floor,
accompanied by several
friendly resident cats, I was
dazzled by the craftsmanship
and history of the beautiful
objects for sale. You can learn
more about this unique store at
demolitiondepot.com.
Its not something you see
every day. Then again, you
shouldnt. Its a one of a kind.
(And shes not selling it, ei-
ther.)
Gordon shows off the frosty
acrylic centerpiece, explaining
in its prior life, it served as a
Christmas ornament. She in-
corporated a layer of chain and
beads for its bold rebirth. Ev-
erything starts from a look she
thinks she can improve. She
adds Swarovksi crystals,
uniquely shaped stones, glass
beads, pearls and more.
She describes her style as
elegant, whimsical and roman-
tic. Its luxurious, yet budget-
friendly, with pieces ranging
from $45 to $75.
How can I make this better,
this broken piece? Gordon
explains of her thought proc-
ess. Every piece that I look at,
how can I make this broken
piece, the woman I was, bet-
ter? Every piece I look at as
that broken vessel that I was. I
build from that piece.
She points to one necklace
that boasts a flower as the
focal point, with smaller jewels
filling the petals. The flower,
she explains, was once a ring.
Now, its the centerpiece of a
design lined by chunky black
beads and vertical strips of
silver-hued metal.
Shes done craft shows at
the University of Florida, de-
signing a necklace in the
school colors of orange and
blue, with chunky, gatorlike
3. Foot Heaven. After a
long day of walking
around the city, what could be
more soothing than a little foot
reflexology? OK, maybe
soothing isnt precisely the
right word. The practitioners
at this Chinatown spa really
dig deep to find your pressure
points, and the treatment is
occasionally painful. The idea
is to relieve tension and stim-
ulate your energy flow, and its
not for the delicate. But if you
can hold on through the ag-
gressive foot rub, it is well
accents completing the look.
Shes been a vendor at a Bass
Pro event in Palm Bay, where
she brought with her 15 pieces.
Murphy, the aforemen-
tioned beauty consultant, has
hosted home shows for Gor-
don. Shes also bought about 10
designs from her.
She makes one-of-a-kind
pieces, Murphy says. Its
unique, and its like a show-
piece. Not something youre
going to another store or a
boutique and find. Whenever I
have an outfit I want to cus-
tomize a piece for, she just
puts it together.
Fashion tips
Trends anchored on timelines
mean nothing to Gordon.
For me, its all about the
feeling, she says. How do I
feel today?
Murphy echoes that.
I just wear what makes me
feel good, Murphy says.
When I get up, thats how I
dress. And I like bright col-
ors.
Gordon doesnt design for a
person, but for their soul, she
says. Sometimes, clients send
her a picture of shoes, an out-
fit, something for which they
want the perfect piece.
And not what the fashion
magazines are touting. But she
encourages women to go bold.
If you start out with some-
thing a little bit larger than
what you wear, then you gradu-
ate, Gordon says.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 24, 2014 5E
worth it. By the end of the
surprisingly affordable 30-
minute session, my feet felt
like I was walking on clouds.
4. Washington Square Park
chess. The game played
in the southwest corner of the
park is not the refined chess
you might know. Many of the
resident players have mas-
ter-level skills and give chal-
lengers a crash course in the
gritty psychology of the game
in addition to the standard
chess tactics. If you dont ex-
pect to win, you probably wont
be disappointed. But you will
come away with an educational
experience like none youll
ever find in a book.
Speakeasies. With only
one night free without
our child, my husband and I
decided to make the most of
it and check out a couple
of hidden high-end
cocktail bars. First, we
ducked out of the rain
into an unmarked door-
way to visit Raines Law
Room, where the atmos-
phere is plushly dim and the
beverages are complex and
potent. To get into Please Dont
Tell, we ventured into a tiny
East Village hot dog shop, co-
vertly called a number in the
old-fashioned phone booth,
gave the name on our hard-to-
get reservation, and were ad-
mitted through a secret door-
way into a cozy, taxidermy-
adorned speakeasy. We tem-
pered our strong, delicious
drinks with gourmet hot dogs
from the adjoining shop.
Email LaFortune at clafortune@
floridatoday.com
Twitter: @lafortunec
CAROLINE PEREZ/FLORIDA TODAY
And dont pull the I dont
really go anywhere excuse.
I wear this with a pair of
jeans and a T-shirt, she says
of her peacock necklace. And
my 6-inch stilettos.
Show it off wherever you go
be it a grocery store or base-
ball game, she says.
And dont pick the jewelry
to match the outfit. It should be
the other way around, she says.
People say, I have the
outfit, I need to pick out the
jewelry, Gordon says. Be-
lieve it or not, thats not going
to be a piece of jewelry you
pick up too often, just for that
outfit. Heres a piece of jewel-
ry I can wear with a multitude
of things.
Consider what time of eve-
ning youre dressing for, as
well as what the neckline is.
Also, pay attention to eyesha-
dow. And bright colors are
best, she says.
Dont be afraid, Gordon
warns. Dont be limited. Dont
be timid.
Youre not cookie cut,
Gordon says. Your smile is
different, your shape is differ-
ent, your hair is different. Your
heart may be the same, but you
are your own individual. What-
ever aspect, be that person.
Dont fit into this mold because
thats not you, and youll spend
20 years trying to be someone
else. Just be who you are.
Contact Paulson at 321-242-3783 or
spaulson@floridatoday.com.