Blake chats with the delightful co-founders of Kingston Social, Helena, Anne, and Samara, about the founding of the beautiful new cafe, gallery, and mercantile in Uptown Kingston.
HELENA PALAZZI has a passion for European coffee culture nurtured during her upbringing in Sweden. Fueled by her love for art and photography, she pursued studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Perugia Italy before settling in New York City, where she forged a successful career as a professional artist and photographer. Steeped in the culture of fika - a social coffee break with a sweet treat - through the years, she now brings the art of blending coffee, conversation and culture to the CAFÉ at Kingston Social.
ANNE SANGER is the founder of Pinkwater Gallery, voted Best Art Gallery by the readers of Chronogram in 2023. The gallery made its debut in September 2019 on North Front Street in uptown Kingston and recently moved to become part of Kingston Social, where an ever-evolving assortment of fine art is nested within the context of a light and airy space that also hosts a café and mercantile shop. The aim is to offer folks from all walks of life a way to experience art in a welcoming environment. In addition to curating the gallery, Anne is also a fashion illustrator and an abstract artist whose work can be found on her website, www.studioparapluie.com (pronounced "pah-rah-ploo-ee")
SAMARA DALY has an innate understanding of the value of living a life filled with beautiful things and centered around family and a close-knit group of good friends. Now based in the Hudson Valley, she is the co-founder of DalyGonzalez and a partner at Bolton St. Johns, both successful consulting firms specializing in government and community affairs, having spent her earlier career in New York City government. In selecting products for the MERCANTILE at Kingston Social, Samara is bringing to life her long-held dream of creating the perfect 'modern general store'.
