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Posted by: Matthew
105degrees is a cool project all around, but one of the things that excites me the most about the project is our shop- or the “glass box”. The shop is not something that you would necessarily know that we have unless you take a visit to the restaurant- if you walk in, you can’t miss it. Rest assured the shop is not an afterthought. It is a very central part of our business.
The shop features our unique brand of retail food items, kale chips, granola, chocolate, ice cream, kombucha, etc. all of the essential raw food faves and of course, all of these things are great and absolutely necessary! However, what is most exciting about the shop is the opportunity it gives us to give back, and reach out to support like- minded business. Over the past year- researching and sourcing different products to sell has been a welcomed, exciting challenge. I have been utterly overwhelmed by all of the cool, conscious products that are out there and I am thrilled to have to chance to feature some of them here on Lifestyle.
As my first feature I would like to introduce Ariane Dutzi.
Ariane Dutzi, designer and founder of dutzi design, inc., is a former fashion editor who lived in Paris and New York, before she moved to the Yucatan. She now divides her time between New York and Valladolid, where she shares her home with two Jack Russell terriers, Luna and Cinza. Fashion was always her passion. In 2008 she started designing bags made out of Vintage burlap and recycled raffia- she wanted to use fashion as a means of contribution to our environment. Her goal was not to create just another “it” bag. She wanted to create something fashionable that could give back, by respecting nature, our resources, and the people who live on this planet. In this same year, she started her own company “dutzi design, inc.” and in 2009 the dutzi workshop followed. The dutzi workshop was created to help women, mainly Mayan, to have the opportunity to make some money on their own. Each bag is individually hand crafted inside and out by one woman. No assembly line involved. Ariane selects the materials and provides each woman with the resources needed to craft the bags. They are allowed to craft the bags on their own time, which gives them the opportunity to continue to fulfill household duties while still doing something for them. They are paid by the project, so that they are all committed on a personal level- no salaries- the attitude must be commitment. On top of giving these women the opportunity to make a little money on their own, she also takes the time to educated them on managing their finances- understanding that giving them money without the tools to handle it is somewhat futile- you must have a “backbone to stand” or so to speak. At this point, the workshop counts 23 women and is constantly growing. She is an idealist who believes in beauty, making the world a better place and that business is about more than just making money. You can see, and feel this through her products.
My conversation with Ariane was truly inspiring. I found her approach to business so unique and refreshing. Her bags are beautiful, sophisticated, and useful- the longer you carry one the more it becomes a unique part of you, your personality and style. To know that you are buying a product that has a life behind it, a soul, and a personality is such a gift in this era of commerce where almost everything you buy is a lifeless, mass produced good. It makes me happy to be a piece of the puzzle in bringing like-minded people, and companies together under one roof.
Visit dutzidesign.com
Posted by: Matthew
The Shop at 105 Degrees has many cool products- all distinctly thought out and sought after. To choose just one artist to mention was nearly impossible. So we decided to start with one of our favorite products, that we both sell in the shop and use in the restaurant.
The Glass Straw- by Glass Dharma. This eco friendly solution to a “plastic problem” is not only logical and cool- it happens to be aesthetically very beautiful and well designed. We chose the beautiful bended version to serve and sell- and customers are constantly impressed. (I think we are almost sold out!)
To mention the straw, we must mention the maker. We would like you to meet David Leonhardt. David brings us GlassDharma from the beautiful Mendocino coast in Northern California where he both works and lives with his wife Gail. After giving up his corporate life, David decided to “retire” to the beautiful coast to pursue a more peaceful existence. David worked as a lamp worker (glassblower) for over 10 years before deciding to change his glass blowing specialty to glass straws. David recognized 
the glass straw as something that is not only creative, but also incredibly useful and environmentally friendly. The goal of GlassDharma is not to focus on whether global warming is human caused or not, but to focus on ways to provide a positive impact. I bet you didn’t know that McDonalds serves an average of 52 million meals a day- if each meal only used one straw (doubtful) that would still be 52 million plastic straws a day! So even though plastic straws may seem like a minor problem in the grand scheme of things- it adds up. In a setting where re-use is an option, the glass straw is the perfect solution. And, how cool does it look to be sipping a smoothie or cocktail from a beautiful glass straw? Very. Another good reason good reason to use a glass straw? When you use a plastic straw in a hot beverage you are leaching harmful toxins into your beverage. Remember the “Don’t leave plastic water bottles in your hot car spiel?” Same thing.
Hemp Sleeves
Once we established that a glass straw is good for the environment and your health, we asked if a glass straw practical? It does sound potentially hazardous, and often the first question is, “Will it break?”
Several weeks after opening, 105 Degrees provides a sound example of the durability of these works of art. In a restaurant setting, glass inevitably breaks- between customer handling and commercial dishwashers, all glass gets a lot of rough attention. I can confidently say not a single straw has broken thus far and this is not because they haven’t been through a lot already. These straws have a lifetime guarantee.
The straw in our own Blueberry Lavender Lemonade
Cleaning? Easy. David and his company send a cleaning brush with each straw.
With heightened awareness on environmental issues, the door for new creative solutions and positive impact is wide open. It is an exciting time for art and design and the shop at 105 Degrees will continue to provide an outlet for cool people and their companies.
Posted by: Matthew
Even assisted by my active imagination, I would have had a hard time imagining 105degrees after my first raw food meal. Although my interest was peaked and my full attention captured, it took a long time for me to understand the potential that uncooked vegan food contained. Fast forward 5 or 6 years, and that potential has been realized. After building 15 or 20 businesses – I have honestly lost count – 105degrees is the one that has brought me back to the magical experience I had upon opening my first restaurant, Matthew’s, in 1993. Of course, 105degrees is much more than a restaurant, and much more than a business. We will cover that in great detail in future articles, photographs and videos. For now, I would like to introduce some of the many key people who have brought the original vision of my partner, Dara Prentice, to life.
The Academy
Ladan Raissi, Academy Director
JD Arnold and Mackenzie Cobb, Cafe Managers
Geoffrey van Glabbeek, Chef de Cuisine
Don Cashion, Sous Chef
Kelly Dennis, Pastry Chef
Meredith Baird, product forager (and much more)
Dara Prentice, Founder
Posted by: Matthew
Mike and Rick Mast seem to have nailed it. Quit your day job and start making chocolate with your brother. Sounds like fun. And that is exactly what the Mast brothers seem like they are doing-having fun. Mike spent his former life in finance and Rick was a chef and worked at some of the top restaurants throughout the city- until they both quit their jobs and started pursuing their passion for making chocolate. The perfect team for making chocolate business.
In case you aren’t familiar, the Mast Brothers are a duo of chocolatiers in Brooklyn. Their product has recently gained much attention, and for good reason. As high-end chocolate bars pop up all over the place, making different claims of quality and originality it can seem a bit daunting to choose. The Mast Brothers do, however, have valid claim for their newfound popularity. They are one of the few chocolate houses in the US that takes the chocolate from bean to bar. Their hands are all over it. They carefully source organic, single origin Venezuelan and Ecuadorian cacao for their product. Once they have selected the beans they then clean, roast and process the chocolate right in their own Brooklyn “factory”. The finishing touch is added by hand wrapping each bar in beautiful vintage Italian wrapping papers. The bars are so pretty that it took me more than the usual one second to open it- and, I saved the paper.
So, how much fun do the Mast brothers seem like they are having? I was lucky enough to visit their “factory” in Brooklyn one lovely Saturday, the same weekend that they were written up in the New York Times. The space is only open to the public on the weekends, and the rest of the time it is put to good use. Needless to say, it was busy. I was a little ambivalent going into the hype, the coolness factor. Was this just another venture of reverse prestige- the kind of place where you walk in and you are quickly forced to be reminded that you actually are missing something.
The moment I entered, I changed my mind. There was a bustle and energy in the air that made you feel like you had found something special, or just walked into someone’s really cool apartment. The “factory” itself was more like a pristine chocolate laboratory with immaculate equipment, tables and tiles, some new, some vintage. The smell of chocolate and roasted cacao was in the air. The bars were tastefully displayed in a make-shift retail space on Cacao beans seducing you with the charm of the papers, and Rick Mast was behind the counter with a big grin on his face, eager to answer any questions. There were family and friends helping out, and Mike Mast was in the back making chocolate beer, observing the crowd from a distance. I felt like I was at the world’s coolest garage party. Chocolate, homemade beer and cute boys- Hello? Yes, please. When I was up for purchase, indecision kicked in as much because of the flavors as the wrappers. There were about ten different flavors to choose from, but this is constantly changing. The price for three bars was $20, or about $7 dollars a bar – very reasonable for artisan chocolate. I, of course, went for dark chocolate, which is all vegan. I chose the dark chocolate with nibs (Rick’s favorite), dark chocolate with sea salt (a specialty), and dark chocolate with cranberries (because of the paper). Rick asked if I would like him to hand tie them in twine- of course! I felt like I walked out with a little stack of presents. The taste does not disappoint. Pure, smooth, crisp and delicious- not too bitter and not too sweet. Each flavor is very straightforward. You taste the nibs, the salt, and the cranberries as separate elements from the chocolate, which I really like. My impression of the chocolate is the same as it was for the Mast brothers themselves, genuine, quality and unpretentious.
So why even write an article about someone else’s really great chocolate that isn’t raw or even all vegan for that matter. Whether you love Mast Brothers Chocolate or not- or think that it is comparable to the finest French or Italian delight, there is one thing that I gained from my experience. The Mast Brothers are cool, and what they are doing is very cool. As elements of our own country and economy are in such a state of disarray, it is important to support our local artisans, who are putting forth a great effort to bring a product to the market with integrity, heart and soul. And that makes you a little bit cooler too.
www.mastbrotherschocolate.com
Posted by: Matthew
Growing up on Penobscot Bay, one of my first sights each morning would be Sears Island, floating motionless in the cold blue waters. As time passed and I moved away, I still maintained my attachment to that view. Although it took me many years to find the freedom to do so, I eventually found a summer cottage to rent along the bay, a few hundred yards from my childhood house. In an equally inspiring setting, it not only brought me home, but also refreshed my perspective on the natural beauty of the area. From its wooden porch, the island view is even more impressive – so much so, that it often feels as if it is my own front lawn.
Sears Island is a rare gem in a world increasingly reliant on development, often to the detriment of the environment. It was formed 12,000 years ago when the last glacier retreated. In its early years, it was often occupied by the Penobscot Indians living in the region. The American Revolution would bring squatters to the Island – in one incident, an American Ship was sunk in the Island’s harbor. In the late 1700s, several farming families were living on the Island. It was purchased and given its current name in 1813 by David Sears, who built and lived on his summer estate there, until it was destroyed by fire in 1893. During this time, a few families continued to farm and there are some who believe that the Island served as a base for alcohol smuggling during prohibition. In 1905, the Island was purchased by the Bangor & Aroostook Railway, with the intent of it being a tourist destination. However, the invention of the automobile caused that plan to fail. In the 1930′s, the last farm abandoned the Island and it began to adjust back to its natural state.
It is currently the largest uninhabited body of land on the East Coast of the United States, but it has had to fend off numerous attempts at development to maintain that title. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, proposals were made to develop an oil refinery on the Island. When that was rejected by the State, a Nuclear Power Plant was proposed by Central Maine power. This was fought aggressively and when the project was abandoned, additional proposals were produced for a coal fired power plant and an aluminum smelter. All were met with passionate objection and debate, and ultimately, were also abandoned.
In 1982, things began to get even more interesting. Plans were developed to build a deep water cargo and container port on the Island. Initial studies seemed to indicate that it would move ahead. A causeway was constructed to gain access to the Island (at the time, the only means of access was to wait for low tide and cross on the sand bar, or to arrive by paddle boat.) Many recognized the destruction that would take place and appealed to the Sierra Club. Numerous injunctions were filed, the project would be halted a number of times, and eventually it was stopped in 1996 amid a litany of allegations including a criminal investigation into one of the environmental study’s results, which indicated that the Island had no wetlands – a fact that was later proved to be an enormous distortion and the pivotal reason for the final rejection of the project.
Much had changed during the 25 years that Sears Island had been targeted for development. Although still a low income area, Searsport and its surrounding towns had begun to have a small, but vocal, influx of new residents. While those who lived there in the 70s and 80s were somewhat split on the benefits of development and preservation, many of the newer arrivals had come specifically for the natural character of the region and the quaint charm of its small bay. Thus, in 2003, when a proposal by the State of Maine to build a liquid natural gas terminal was presented, the outcry was loud and clear. Many had grown tired of being told what would happen to their waters, their land and the little town where they lived. The small sailboats seen on any summer afternoon, and the early morning lobster fisherman were not going away quietly. This project quickly disappeared, and the developers retreated once again.
The most recent developments are perhaps the most significant, and the most specific, with respect to the future of Sears Island, both from a conservational, and from a developmental, standpoint. In January, Maine Governor John Baldacci signed an Executive Order, directing a conservation easement between Maine and the Maine Coast Heritage Trust, for 601 acres of the Island, while retaining 300 acres for development and construction of a cargo and container port.
Needless to say, this plan is unfavorable to many, as well as potentially devastating to the Bay’s aquaculture and its surrounding environment. Enter Ron Huber, an insightful and passionate environmental activist from Rockland, Maine. I met with Mr. Huber to discuss the recent lawsuit he filed against the Maine Department of Transportation. The basis of the suit charges violations of state law and the Maine constitution, among other others. It is an interesting case to read.
The Department of Transportation, oddly, missed its filing date on all motions, leaving the current status up to the Judge’s opinion as to whether a default judgment is in order. It will surely be interesting to observe. I found Mr. Huber to be a very intelligent and driven man, committed to the environment and the state he loves.
For now, Sears Island sits in silence, although a week will not go by without some chatter and discussion about what may happen next. Given that the State is now consistently been pro-development, it may not lie idle forever. At least for the moment, it offers up its wild beauty to many locals and visitors.
