Object Factory: The Art of Industrial Ceramics at MAD
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6TH 2009
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We met with Frank in the evening at the Museum of Arts and Design for Object Factory: The Art Of Industrial Ceramics. Thursdays the museum has free/suggested admission, so Justin and I paid a dime each. The exhibit was gorgeous, but photography is forbidden so all you get are the second-rate street shots above. I implore you to visit the exhibition website where you can see some of the fabulous work. My favorite pieces involved techniques that I didn't know could be applied to ceramics, such as screen printing and laser cutting. The exhibition is an international survey of how more than 50 artists and industrial designers are reviving an interest in and re-imagining the possibilities of this ancient medium in the 21st century.

A Walk Around The West Village
MONDAY, AUGUST 3RD 2009
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Whilst waiting for the subway today I overheard Bésame Mucho played on a Chinese string instrument, and it made me smile.

I sauntered around the West Village neighborhood today, moving slowly in the heat of the afternoon and wishing I could afford a fancy lunch at one of the attractive restaurants in the area. After satiating myself with a granola bar I stopped by Yoya and Yoyamart. The former is sweet boutique for infants and tots, filled with modern baby objects, such as Scandinavian minimalist highchairs, posh toys and designer clothes. The latter store is an edgier space for toddlers and adults, the walls stacked with urban vinyl toys and racks lined with pricey graphic tees and hoodies.

From there I wandered down Bleecker Street, poking my head into the occasional boutique and antique store, of which the street has plenty. The shots above are from streets close to the Hudson River, quiet and almost suburban. The window display is from an apothecary I passed.

Later I stood behind a foreigner at Starbucks that was requesting a "medium"-sized coffee, and the barista kept correcting the man with "grande" and he was so confused that eventually he walked away, sans coffee. Stupid elitist Starbucks drink sizes.

The Flea Markets of 25th Street
SUNDAY, AUGUST 2ND 2009
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For a change of scenery from our beloved Brooklyn Flea, Justin and I decided to check out the other flea markets that NYC had to offer. This was a tad disappointing. Along 25th Street between 5th and 7th Avenues are a few indoor and outdoor flea markets. These are what I would call "typical" flea markets - aka mostly junk. Electronics, door knobs, costume jewelry, etc. One of the flea markets is inside an old parking garage whilst the others are in empty parking lots squeezed between buildings. One could find a few diamonds in the rough, but it would be a time consuming and somewhat aggravating search. All well, it was worth a shot.