MARIA LUISA JOINS FELLOW NYACK MERCHANTS IN HEART-FILLED FUNDRAISING EFFORT FEB. 1

Maria Luisa boutique and ML by Maria Luisa (Gifts & Accessories) are proud to join in a village-wide effort designed to raise both awareness of and funds for the work of the American Heart Association. The event, produced by p.ross and Pour House in association with the many merchants and restaurants of Nyack, invites you to "Have a Heart" all day Feb. 1 when visiting, shopping and dining in Nyack. Throughout the day and evening in venues throughout the village, there will be offerings of heart-healthy drinks, heart-healthy lunches and dinners served by the local restaurants and specials for your 'heart'-throbs at many of the local shops, including ours. And in addition, $1 for every purchase made at participating shops, restaurants and businesses will be donated to the American Heart Association. For more details on this event, call (845) 348-1767 or click through to VisitNyack. And Maria notes the benefit effort is also a great prelude to Go Red For Women's "Wear Red. Raise Your Voice. Go Red on National Wear Red Day," the awareness day set for the first Friday of every February. Now aren't these events that really kick February off in the most heartfelt style? Maria Luisa Boutique, 77 S. Broadway, Nyack. (845) 353-4122 ML by Maria Luisa (Gifts & Accessories), 75 S. Broadway, Nyack. (845) 358-1293. marialuisaboutique.com

Showcasing the Work of Art, Drama and Music Students in Nyack High School

First Friday in Nyack Friday, Feb 7th, 5:00-8:00pm 77 South Broadway, Nyack NY Arts Angels does fundraising for the purpose of supporting the Works groups -- Art, Drama, & Music – in the Nyack Public Schools. The funds brought in from this event will be divided equally among the three groups to be used as they wish (including: to support trips for performances and competitions; purchase equipment and materials; provide scholarships for private lessons; support workshops and master classes; etc.).

In the spirit of First Friday, we are excited about this opportunity to collaborate with a business we all love -- Maria Luisa Boutique in Nyack. First Friday in Nyack aims to bring together local artists and local businesses throughout downtown Nyack on the first Friday of every month. Maria’s unique shop will serve as the venue for our showcase. We ask a suggested donation of $20, and for that, customers will not only have an opportunity to see student work and performances, but will also receive a 20% discount on all purchases in the shop. Together, Arts Angels and Maria Luisa are proud to showcase our student artists for First Friday in Nyack. Contact artsangelsinc@gmail.com for more information.

WINTER SALE AT MARIA LUISA - THE BIG ONE - STARTS (TODAY) JAN. 17

The holidays may be over, but seasonal shopping fun continues at Maria Luisa Boutique and ML by Maria Luisa (Gifts & Accessories). Fight those winter doldrums - and stock up on items for you, your family, your friends. Buy what you didn't get as a gift, purchase a birthday present in advance, suit up your kids in the coolest accessories, the list goes on... We've got the stuff of daydreams - cozy sweaters, chic skirts, funky jackets and pants, fluffy scarves, trendy shoes, warm (literally) boots, sparkly earrings, dazzling necklaces, sweet scents, adorable baby gifts, quirky writing accessories, stylish totes and that's just for starters. As always, it's all about the silhouette, the textures, the prints and the colors. Then there's our furniture department, which has turned the lower level of ML by Maria Luisa into a virtual apartment. You can see how that sofa looks in a room vignette, how the lamps add just the right note, how fun tabletop items can be. Practical doesn't mean boring here!

Have you lusted after our trademark cafeteria table? Now's the time to finally take the plunge. Want to re-do a small room - or simply spruce up a corner? We've got the goods. AND You'll find savings galore, across the board. Footwear will be 20 to 40% off. Winter accessories and Clothing will be 15 to 40 % off. And savings on home furnishings will range from 15 to 30%.

. As always, our team members are here to offer help, advice and good conversation. Stop by- and see what the Winter Sale is all about. Happy shopping! ML

WINTER SALE STARTS ON JANUARY 17

Maria Luisa and ML by Maria Luisa WINTER SALES begin on January 17. Stay tuned for details.

WHAT A YEAR IT WAS...

Here with 2014 within reach, we at Maria Luisa wanted to take a moment to look back over this past year.

First, we extend our very best wishes to you, our preferred customers of Maria Luisa Boutique and ML by Maria Luisa (ML Gifts & Accessories). We say customers since we truly value your loyal patronage, but we also value your friendship, something we never take for granted.

So many of you are a part of our lives. You stop in frequently, sometimes just to say hello. We love that. It’s gratifying, as we enter our 27th year in business, to know our shops and our team members are part of a larger community – and part of your lives. In that spirit, we again say that we hope your holiday season has been one filled with every happiness, a time to celebrate family, friends and the true meaning of the season. And we also extend to you our best wishes for a new year that brings you all good things. 2013 was a rewarding one for us in many ways – and we thank you for your patronage, your loyalty, your support of our numerous philanthropic and community efforts – and our special events. Our signature series “Ladies’ Night: The Maria Luisa Way” continued, though in recent months it has morphed to include our participation in “First Friday,” Nyack’s successful downtown art-themed evenings held the first Friday of each month. We’ve hosted art openings and musical performances to the delight of all. Our special evenings,

though, have also continued, notably with our summertime storytelling event that gathered a handful of local writers, from novelists to poets, who captivated us in a truly memorable outdoor gathering. We again participated in One Day Without Shoes to raise awareness of those around the world who go without, a campaign tied to TOMS, one of our favorite shoe brands. And we were thrilled when so many of you joined in our “Say No to the Bag” pledge, our effort at reducing waste and inspiring recycling. We began our sponsorship of the Local Arts Index, a feature found on Nyack News & Views that spotlights the artistry found in our own backyard. We participated in ARTWALK 2013, the eighth annual edition. We were among those supporting the “Mostly Music” concert series in Memorial Park and had a presence at each and every one of Nyack’s famed street fairs. We welcomed new team members with enthusiasm, along the way saying goodbye to those moving on, including Denise and Ruth. We also offered best wishes to Howie Siegel, a longtime neighbor and Nyack pioneer through his iconic store, Christopher’s. On the technical front, we installed a new point-of-sale system that makes our transactions smoother and allows us to track all kind of information (including customer birthdays so we can extend offers to help in the celebrating). As the holiday season got under way, we were proud to conduct a number of initiatives to help those in our community. You shared foods with us that was displayed in our windows (to draw attention to the project) and was then donated to People To People.

We collected coats to be donated to the Nyack Homeless Project and purchased turkeys to feed needy families, again through People To People. We held a benefit shopping event with proceeds donated to The Nyack Center, a cause dear to our hearts. The year also had some events that reached even beyond our own community and that included Maria’s trip to Peru. An exploratory journey designed to investigate new sources for fashions and accessories, the trip was quite a success – on many levels. It was a learning experience, a rewarding journey – and resulted in some lovely finds, many of which were soon in the stores to be purchased by you. We have now established a few connections – with both a designer and a community of craftspeople - that will continue to blossom in coming months; our sweaters and accessories were just a sampling of what’s in store. With the first of the trade shows coming up in January, we will be on the lookout for even more fashions, accessories and merchandise to bring to you. And as always, we encourage you to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and our blog, which continues to grow.

Speaking of growth, we proudly point to our own ML by Maria Luisa, which has long been known as ML Gifts & Accessories. As we continue to transition to its new name, we point to its revamped main-floor layout, expanded offerings and our lower level, which has become a true destination for furniture and home accessories with a certain flair. It has been a rewarding element of our continued growth – and we thank you for supporting our satellite shop in addition to our adjacent flagship.

This year even found us in the national news, first as Nyack was selected as the first community of some 20 throughout North America to be “spruced up” as part of Main Street Matters. The contest, sponsored by paint company Benjamin Moore, brought quite a bit of attention – and a freshening up, literally, of our downtown facades. We were also featured as part of an MSNBC segment on Nyack, broadcast in conjunction with Small Business Saturday. It was an exciting moment – and another sign of good things to come. And on a final note, stay tuned for details of the introduction of a new Maria Luisa philanthropic initiative in coming months. An effort that mirrors the commitment so many of you share when it comes to community and supporting worthwhile causes, this new opportunity to band together in social responsibility has us truly excited – and we look forward to teaming up with you all in this exciting project.

As you can see, lots has happened – and lots more is planned. We look forward to sharing it all with you, to whom we wish a year filled with health, happiness and all good things. — Mary Shustack, Maria Luisa newsletter editor