Evolution Nature Store, Soho
TUESDAY, JUNE 16TH 2009
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Evolution Nature Store is one of the coolest retail establishments I have ever experienced. Granted, I've worked as a retail designer and have had more than my share of stores with flashy colors and designer names, but this store is like walking through a natural history museum where you can buy everything you see! Their stock include items like butterflies and beetles, fossils, seashells, skulls and skeletons, medical models, and tribal art.

I spent more than an hour in this store touching everything and chatting with the staff about how they acquire their product. Their specimens are obtained from paleontologists, entomologists, anthropologists and others who supply museums and private collectors from all corners of the world. A taxidermist or doctor retires and doesn't want to keep their creepy stock of dead objects, so they donate it to this store.

I think the dendrites are the loveliest things in the store.

If I had to guess a percentage, I would say that 80-90% of the specimens in the store are the real deal, with only a handful of product being replicas (such as saber tooth tiger teeth). The store is open to renting out its stock as props for photographers and events, too.

Guess where your XMAS gifts are coming from this year!

Interior Decor Stores, Soho
TUESDAY, JUNE 16TH 2009
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Ochre was full of luxurious goods that I could only dream to afford. I was drawn to the whimsical items; a bell jar housing a robin's nest and photo frames made from repurposed wood siding. I liked that everything in the store - accessories, tables, lighting - was all for sale. I watched a woman purchase one dish place setting for almost $2K and decided it was time to move on.

Aero Studios was much less organized than Ochre, with items stacked on top of each other in a cluttered attempt at presentation. I did not care for most of the products, pausing briefly here and there to admire a wooden bowl or a glass vase perfect for terrariums.

I frequented more stores but failed to take photographs. Most stores are touchy about either the design or the name brand products themselves. I also visited Tokidoki, CB2, Muji, Andrianna Shamaris and Kidrobot.

Lunch At Boqueria, Soho
TUESDAY, JUNE 16TH 2009
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I stopped for lunch at Boqueria, a tapas bar and restaurant. I had a tasty feast on Bocata de Pato - duck confit, fig marmalade and tetilla cheese. The interior design had a pleasantly warm atmosphere. The details were a sort of modern butcher/bistro feel; hanging meats, chalkboard menus, exposed bulbs, leather straps, with warm beige tiles and upholstery.