Earthy Cups
We in the culinary and holistic health fields can be people-pleasers, so we like to hear customer feedback. Even better, we are pleasantly surprised when a customer just up and does something to help the Bex “cause.” Rachel Yu, a local potter, attended a sound meditation at Bex and, noticing the importance of water after any type of healing/meditative/massage session, crafted some beautiful handle-less mugs for us to use for water.
From the Earth
“It was a nice gesture, just seeing the opportunity for something and doing it,” Chef Becky noted. “Earthenware is better than a plastic cup, just like how in the Montessori school pedagogy they believe in using and touching as much earthy material as possible: wood, glass, ceramic, biodegradable, yarn, stone, etc. Plastic is good for certain applications but we’re overusing it, as a society, to the point of it being problematic.”
Many thanks to Miss Yu for the donation. “Water is like a massage on the inside of one’s body,” the Chef said. “Whenever the body goes through something, people instinctively thirst for water, which is the body’s way of asking for what it needs.”
Holistic Health + Community
If you are interested in pottery – almost always a relaxing experience full of creativity, freedom, and sense of challenge and accomplishment – check out Old Borough Hall Pottery. They offer popular classes in pottery as well as open studio times.
“It’s like Stone Soup, in a good way,” the Chef says. “Everybody does a little here, a little there, and voila, we’ve created community. In these challenging economic times, small businesses can stick together. That’s why I was excited to own The Gallery: it’s just an open space to do all sorts of things, with a spirit of community-mindedness. Like a blank canvas, the possibilities are infinite. We’ve already brought in yoga, art, poetry, and sound meditation, and can use the space for community events.” 
Taking a Village
“It’s really nice when people can connect and provide a resource for the community,” the Chef ruminates. “Just like last holiday season when we raised food for a food bank, it’s so important to put forth our strengths and collaborate. Ms. Yu’s cups are skillfully made and professional, and they fit right in at Bex!”
About Old Borough Hall Pottery
Rachel Yu is the owner of Old Borough Hall Pottery in High Bridge NJ. Pottery has been a throughline in Rachel’s life since she was a child; and after a long and meandering career that dipped in and out of the pottery life, Rachel opened Old Borough Hall Pottery in January of 2023. Since the studio opened, the biggest takeaway has been how a shared love of the arts can profoundly build community.
After seeing what the folks at Bex are doing to support the arts and similarly build community in Califon, and after attending the Wednesday sound meditation session, Rachel simply wanted to give back. She surmised: “I couldn’t think of a better way to give than to share what I love and create work that would, quite literally, serve the community over at Bex.”
