Something new, something handmade, and something delicious 🍞
October at Artisan Eyewear
Hello!
If you’ve ever wandered into the shop on a crisp fall afternoon, you know how much I love this season — the crisp air, the technicolor leaves, and the excuse to highlight warm copper and ruby-red frames. October has felt especially full: fresh inventory, cozy kitchen projects, and a few small updates that make Artisan Eyewear feel more like home.
Let’s start with the big one…
Announcement
The Artisan Eyewear website now includes a partial inventory for your browsing pleasure!
While I don’t sell frames online (you really need to see them on your face), it’s a great way to browse what’s new before you stop in. It’s a work in progress and I’ll be updating listings monthly — adding new arrivals and removing any that have found their forever homes.
New Inventory
Fifteen new Blackfin frames just landed, bringing our total collection to twenty-six — and they’re every bit as beautiful as I remember.
Way back when I first started working for an eye doctor (15+ years ago now!), one of my first pairs of glasses was Blackfin. Since then, I’ve owned more pairs of Blackfin than any other brand — they’re light, sturdy, and the colors are unreal.
Blackfin is an independent, family-owned company that’s been making frames by hand in the Italian Alps since 1971. They use premium titanium from Japan — which, fun fact, is as tough as steel but 40% lighter, and twice as strong as aluminum.
I stock a great mix of men’s, women’s and unisex styles, in literally every color of the rainbow!
4 Podcasts I Love
2. The Moth
What I’m Up To
We’re well into New England soup season, so I want to share with you my go-to staple: a loaf of crusty, no-knead bread.
I’ve been baking this one for years, and it’s basically foolproof. All you need is a Dutch oven with lid, parchment paper, and a kitchen thermometer.
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 3/4 cups water (heated to 118-120°F)
Directions
Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, stir in the warm water, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise at room temp for 5–12 hours.
Then: dust your counter with flour, pour out dough in one big blob and sprinkle more flour on top. Don’t knead or press; gently run your floured hands around and under the dough ball so its whole surface is lightly coated in flour and no longer sticky. Transfer it to a parchment-lined Dutch oven.
Place the pot in a cold oven, start the timer and then turn on to 450°F: 30 minutes covered, then 25 minutes uncovered.
I store my bread in a glass Pyrex with a big pinch of uncooked rice in the bottom to absorb moisture. It’ll keep 3 days — and if it lasts longer than that, it makes incredible bread pudding or croutons.
Optical Tip of the Month
Every week, someone walks into the shop with a pair of crooked or bent glasses and apologizes like they’ve done something terrible. My answer is always the same: “You live in them! They’re going to get a little banged up.”
One of the best parts of buying your glasses from a local shop is having an actual human (hi, it’s me) to take care of them afterward. My clients always have access to:
Free lens cleaning spray and microfiber cloths
Complimentary frame adjustments and re-alignments
New nose pad replacements
UV testing for your sunglasses — even the $5 drugstore ones
Bring them by anytime — no appointment, no charge, just a quick hello and a little TLC for your favorite accessory.
That’s all from me this month. If you’re inspired to share feedback — or tell me what soup recipe you’re making lately — I’d love to hear from you.
Warmly,
Natalie