Color Addict

This summer has been filled with mojitos and mosquitos.

I'd like to keep the mojito part and lose the mosquito part — no surprise there. I'd heard of mojitos before — they're strong — but hadn't really sampled them. The best ones I've had so far are pineapple mojito concoctions made at the expensive bar at the Soho Grand Hotel, where the NY chapter of the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) meets for our local briefings. At $14 a pop, they better be good — and they are!

Strong and flavorful, biting and soothing both. Yum.

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The rooftop bar at 230 Fifth showcases an amazing city view.

The bar scene doesn't feel like New York, though, as most reviews note. It's got a Miami feeling and design, with palm trees wafting. The place was packed when I was there for an event last Thursday and the bartenders and waitresses kept up with the crowd. It was another perfect night in terms of weather and we had a fantastic time. Downstairs one flight in the “Penthouse Lounge,” you can catch a retro funky purple bar that looks a little airport-y to me, although still fun and cool, besides being vast.  

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MOMA — the Museum of Modern Art in NYC on 53rd and 5th — is holding its summer garden series.

Music sets go on at 5:30 and 7:00 p.m. every Thursday night in July and August. Cocktails of a summer bent are served. Musical performances are eclectic. The setting is pretty. Outdoor summer events offer a special New York view; the weather and setting combines to produce memorable experiences.

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Getting down in a Funk? If so, come take a Funky turn this Friday at Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing festival that runs for three weeks, Tuesday through Saturday, in July.

They call it midsummer but to me, summer has just begun and it is time to move to the grooves. You can go just to listen to the music if you're not a dancing body but I hope you are — it's nice to be out in the summer music-filled evening in that part of the city. This year, they've moved the event around the corner to Damrosch Park because of construction in the main courtyard.

Muscially, I see an emphasis on Latin music in this festival — Salsa, Samba and more — with a few other nights of Funk, Jazz, Swing and Tango. My personal dancing favorite is Funk. Tonight (Friday), you can experience what they call Afro-Soul, Funk, Afro-Latin Electro, Garage-House with three different bands. Next Tuesday is a program featuring the Harlem Renaissance Orchestra, with classic jazz played by a large band.

A dance lesson in the style of the evening's music is given at 6:30 for no extra charge. Dancing is its own art form and a great way to get exercise. Plus, it's social; you get to mingle with just the right amount of people interaction.

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The Skyliners are a drum and bugle corps from the NY Tri-State area who regularly perform at stadiums and outdoor events.

Three horn players above include my good friend, Bob Urspruch, far right, who took the solo beautifully in “Hava Nagila” at Saturday's concert. Bob's brother, John, in center. Note matching yalmukas donned for this song.

My friend Bob has played with this group for years, along with his brother, John. Both proficient horn players with in-depth knowledge of jazz, blues and other musical genres, now that I've gone to an event, I get why they enjoy playing in this different milieu.

Bob's wife, Camelia, with friend, Buzzy, lend audience support 

The power of the large group, the outdoor arena, the uniforms and synchronized marching all create a special kind of performance that is a lot of fun. Many people go to see one group but it was informative to see the Bridgemen, who played before the Skyliners. It gives you more of an idea what kinds of music and entertainment a corps like this can produce to see some variety.

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art on 82nd Street and Fifth Avenue boasts a beautiful roof garden made for taking in a panoramic city view on a breezy summer night.

Currently on display at the Met Roof Garden are sculptures by Jeff Koons

Tonight, the IDSA held their monthly stammtisch gathering there. The rooftop was jammed but it was big enough to hold everyone. Drinks are served from several bars. The view is spectacular. The weather tonight was perfect with just a touch of a breeze. Walking through the Met's vast collection on the way to the rooftop garden is awe-inspiring too. I couldn't help thinking how hard it must be for the museum to safeguard their treasures with vast throngs of people constantly going through. I don't know how they do it, even with guards, cases, ropes and security systems. Check out the roof garden if you're in the neighborhood for an appreciation of the city. It's fun to watch the lights come on in the buildings and the setting sun as the view changes. Art is all around us.

Went to dinner with friends afterwards at a place called Uptown on 88th Street and 3rd Avenue, a prime example of the countless restaurants throughout the city you can just fall into that have killer delicious food.  

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Recycled sweaters are the forefathers of this patriotic blanket made by Crispina.

The company specializes in blankets but also offers some really cute toys and other items. The fuchsia and orange add much pizzazz to the traditional red, white and blue.

Sustainable living and products are terms I'm hearing constantly, meaning to reuse materials and create less waste. These items made from fabrics that have already served people well but can live again in beautiful pieces are a great example of smart recycling. No reason to throw something away that has tons more life left to love in it. Refurbish and refresh, baby.

Possum made from recycled materials by Crispina is ready to be loved by a new family, like yours.

Happy Independence Day 

July 4th means it really is summer now. Summer means fun. Summer means swimming. Summer means dinner while it's still light out, sometimes at Leno's Clam Bar.

Leno's Clam Bar really hits the spot. The best fried clams and huge portions. Fantastic corn on the cob. This is the kind of place that will always seem nostalgic and is very American. The present owner's family bought the place in 1967 and the building has been there as a joint since the 1920s.

Summer means walks down to the tiny beach with bare legs and feet in the water. Summer just feels so darn good. Give into it. Happy summer and Happy July 4th.

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IDSA is the Industrial Designers Society of America.

“Float” flatware designed by Ran Lerner

Come join me and my new IDSA friends for Inside the Designer's Studio on Thursday, July 17th, co-sponsored by Design Within Reach. Cost is $15. Wine and light snacks will be served. I designed the announcement for this upcoming event. Ran Lerner of Ran Lerner Design is the guest speaker. Ran designs items including cutlery, lighting, watches and kitchen tools. He is a down-to-earth guy and I am looking forward to hearing him discuss his successful company and designs. His work is carried by stores such as Bloomingdale's, The Conran Store, Bed Bath & Beyond and MOMA. Hope to see you there. 

Time: Thursday, July 17th, 7pm
Place: DWR Tribeca, 124 Hudson Street, NYC

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Happy Father's Day to all the fathers in the land.

I made these cards for my own fabulous pop soon after I started being a designer. Luckily, he found the morbid sense of humor fun. I figure if it's Father's Day, it should be their time for a little revenge, no?

I couldn't make these images much smaller for the blog or you wouldn't be able to see the unfortunate little things happening to the children. Poor little children.

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Friday I went to the zoo.

Dazzling peacocks moseying around the grounds 

Seeing nature's vibrant colors up close is startling. What was really fun about the peacocks is that they were behaving like pigeons, walking around the picnic tables hoping for tidbits. We saw giant camels, lions and a polar bear. Turns out the Bronx Zoo is very near my home stomping ground of City Island so I intend to visit more often. We took a ride on their pleasant trolley that transports you through the gracious grounds. Here is my niece Avery with her lovely blue tongue from our lunch of science fiction-colored frozen blueberry and grape drinks with pretzels, potato chips and nachos made from what looked like the sides of taxicabs (plastic or metal combo of yellow cheeselike substance). A great time was had by all.

Avery displays her peacock-challenging turquoise tongue 

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For those who love artistic things that function well, the upcoming Crest Hardware Art Show in Brooklyn with a fun opening celebration June 7th and running until July 11th hosts a satisfying concept.

Here's what store manager Joseph Franquinha says about the recurring show:

“As manager of Crest Hardware, I am thrilled to provide a unique, non-traditional atmosphere to showcase the artwork of the creative and vibrant community we service. I have such a love and appreciation for art and I am fascinated with seeing the transformation of basic hardware materials into something other than what they are intended for.”

The celebration offers music and food as well as hardware and art. Great hardware really is art anyway but in this show, they get carried away.

One of my talented musician friends, Bill Bell, is performing. Bill's musicianship is superb (he plays pretty much every instrument and plenty you've never heard of) so stop by Saturday, June 7th if you can.

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Some people might say that

New York = Cheesecake.

Shavu'ot = Cheesecake.

June 9th and 10th (the date moves around according to the Jewish calendar) is this year's Shavu'ot, which commemorates harvesting of the first fruits and the giving of the Torah to the Jews at Mount Sinai. It is customary to eat a dairy meal during Shavu'ot. Good excuse for cheesecake, says the Kosher Giftbox, whose decadent cheesecake options range from tried and true original New York cheesecake to amaretto, chocolate ganache, brownie encrusted and caramel and pecans with chocolate. Wow. — I'm farshtopt just talking about it.

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Red Elephant Gallery, which carries Katie's Modern Rugs in their online store, calls home base Bristol, Rhode Island. They sell beautiful handmade designs ranging from striking affordable jewelry to tactile-friendly goblets and more.

Above, from Red Elephant Gallery: copper and brass wine glasses by Morningstar and pewter handcrafted salad servers by Michael Michaud

Red Elephant Gallery is a great place to find gifts (and things for yourself) because items are unusual, beautiful, often functional and reasonably priced. You usually won't find their offerings at larger design resources. Speaking with Karen, the owner, today, she told me about another furniture fair that may be a welcome opportunity to display my new rug line: the Fine Furnishings Show, which takes place annually in Milwaukee and this October in Providence. I am excited to learn about this potential showcase, which introduces diverse designs for the home. There's a lot of talent blooming in the design world. After attending ICFF last week, it's nice to know that more lies in wait. I'd love a trip to Providence and it looks like there's one in my future.

Above, bench by Todd Ouwehand and large sideboard by Frank Procopio

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In my business (design / advertising / communications), they say you can only have two of the three: FAST, CHEAP AND GREAT. Well, that is almost always true but the dinnerware below achieves all three with rare elan.

These nice square white plates are priced from $.95 to $4.95/each at CB2 and are just $1.95 for the medium 6.5" size. They are sturdy and look great. White looks soothing on your table when added to other striking colors. Every now and then, a real bargain comes your way. Also check out CB2‘s stemless glasses for another good deal in pretty housewares that will leave you enough money to consider owning a bed and chairs.

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Mother's Day is this coming Sunday, May 11th.

While it's great to celebrate the incredible effort of mothers and to honor them, I was raised being told that this type of holiday is a “greeting card holiday,” meaning that it was invented purely as a money-making proposition. I think my parents are right, although it's nice to take a moment and celebrate the arduous challenge of being a mother. Not being a mom yet myself, I am in extra awe of the work moms put in. It's hard enough to try to hold down any sort of job, get your own basic needs taken care of, let alone do the laundry. But try to get some tyke off to school? Rush them to the emergency room? Help with homework? Who wants to do homework?! Not to mention pay for a thousand things. Animal mothers work their butts off for their offspring too and perform heroic feats to protect their little ones. The mother instinct is a beautiful thing.

Meanwhile, whatever you do to acknowledge mothers, do NOT come to City Island on Mother's Day. For some unknown reason, the entire borough of the Bronx and more seems to swarm here on Mother's Day and you cannot get on the island after a certain hour. Why anyone would want to put themselves through this is beyond any of us residents. Last year, I had to leave for some reason and it took over an hour to get through a five-minute section. This is not the day to visit our cute spit of land. Come the day after or the day before but do yourself a favor and avoid it like the plague on the actual day.

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Today is Cinco de Mayo or the fifth of May in Spanish, a day of celebration.

Officially, the holiday commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle of Puebla in 1862. In reality, in my part of the world, it's an excuse to celebrate and eat Mexican food. A group of my friends and I went to an early outside festival on Sunday (the 4th) in Peekskill and had Mexican food at Ruben's Mexican Café, as well as at the outside fair. There was much merriment, music, food and fun, although the restaurant was strained way past capacity. The food was mostly great with one odd exception being the nachos. The guacamole was fantastic. The day turned out to be beautiful despite a week-long prediction of rain. We got to spend more time at the Flat Iron Gallery which was, as before, inspiring.

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Tonight at sundown starts the week-long celebration of Passover for those of the Jewish faith.

Through the magic of online resources, I found the Kosher Gift Box, located in Westport, Connecticut. They offer delicious gifts for Jewish holidays (you don't have to be Jewish to enjoy them) and fun other items too, such as their Passover Box of Questions. I've been told it's a Jewish trait to question things in general; the questions in this gift box are intelligent and provocative, to take seriously or with which to have fun. Check out their chocolate-covered matzoh (currently sold out so no link!) — yummmmm. Here's wishing all my friends (and enemies too, if I have any), Jewish and of other persuasions, a great new season. May you all achieve happiness and prosper this emerging spring.

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2007's all wrapped up — welcome to 2008 and a heaping helping of opportunity and new beginnings for us all.

At my first ever small party on December 29th, my place was festooned with leafy garlands and blue LED lights. Some time around November, it struck me that I should decorate my place for the holidays. The staircase was begging for garlands (never had a staircase before). I haven't had a tree in a couple years because although they're festive and pretty, they're expensive and drop needles everywhere. But I had had a break and was ready to do it again. Plus, I'm evolving as a designer and moving into interior design so I was itching to express myself this way. It was rewarding and the party was much fun. Thanks to all my lovely guests, who were very well behaved too. Guess who's the only one who spilled? That would be me. And no, I was not tipsy. I didn't see someone's glass and knocked it over onto light carpet, dousing the area with rich red wine. The amazing thing is that I got the stain out by using seltzer right away and two pet cleaning solutions the next day. 

And here's a picture of Cassandra enjoying the spoils from those nice gifts people give. Among the many insights kitties give us is an appreciation of the joy in things we sometimes overlook.

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For the first time in a while, I went out in a costume on Halloween:

In case you can't tell (duh), I'm a wood nymph. I had gotten this costume that I love, complete with (working) wings for a party two years ago that never happened. So this year, I just thought, I'm putting it on and going some place. That place ended up being Union Hall in Brooklyn, which I mentioned a few entries back as having fun and good-looking bocce ball courts. Well, did we ever have a good time (my friend and I). The place was very full but because it's so big, there was still enough room to walk around without it getting uncomfortable. It was like being in a party at a beautiful mansion. The costumes were fantastic, from Marie Antoinette to Clark Kent to pirates to many original oddball combos that were hilarious — lots of great wigs with huge hair — the inventiveness was satisfying. Everyone was friendly and you could easily talk to strangers because the costumes were a good introduction. About a fifth or so of the crowd wasn't wearing costumes and even that was fun, making it an odder and more eclectic scene. It was a perfect party and I'm so glad I went out. I'm definitely doing this again.

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