Alison Wu

For this month’s release, I’ve partnered with Kelly Harland of CROSBY Elements and ceramic artist Justin Caraco to create a candle that will fill your space with springtime vibes and provide a beautiful vessel to enjoy long after the candle is finished burning. Together, we worked with Justin to create a fresh + herbaceous candle that draws inspiration from not only the energy and fragrance of the spring season, but also from Justin’s background working in the kitchen in some of my favorite Portland restaurants One’s teal, one’s grassy, and one’s light pastel. Whether it’s from trees, plants or rocks, it’s the colors I see.

It’s been a long-time dream of mine to create a series of candles for Wu Haus that not only reflects my brand, but also embodies the creative spirit and talent of some amazing artists I’ve met over the years. Here is more about the candles and Kelly’s creative process, in her own words: Wu Haus: It’s a slower process, so that’s really nice. It’s this really happy element of owning this business that’s been able to come out of nowhere.

2 ⅓ cup fresh young coconut meat, chopped into bite size pieces (meat from about 4 small coconuts) ¼ ¼ cup lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon sea salt ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion, tightly packed ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped 1 ⅓ cup honey mango, cubed 1 large avocado, cubed 1 small-medium Serrano pepper, thinly sliced (optional) 2 tablespoons puffed black rice (If you’ve never puffed grains in a pan without oil, read this.) In a large bowl, marinate young coconut meat, red onion and salt in lemon + lime juice for 30-45 minutes. (I used ½ opah, ½ bigeye tuna), cut into 1/2-inch cubes ¼ cup lime juice ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion, tightly packed ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped 1 ⅓ cup honey mango, cubed 1 large avocado, cubed 1 small-medium Serrano pepper, thinly sliced (optional) 2 tablespoons puffed black rice (If you’ve never puffed grains in a pan without oil, read this.)

The city has a distinct European feel, and the tree-lined streets of the Roma neighborhood reminded me a lot of Paris. The street food culture is strong, as is the very long list of highly rated restaurants with award-winning chefs. Mercado Coyoacan – Bustling two-story market selling food items and crafts near the Museo Frida Kahlo. Mercado Roma – Modern food market with stalls selling everything from tacos to churros to wine and cheese.