Photo by Alan Dickson
As we enter a new decade it’s important to look back on the past one and remember the good the bad and the ugly, and boy was there some ugly in Brooklyn. We’re talking, of course, about the detritus of the real-estate boom: the half-completed glass towers, the ham-handed “luxury” details, orphaned construction sites covered with scaffolding and graying plywood. Owing to the economy, that era in Brooklyn history is mostly past, and to cap it, we’ve decided to put together a little Brokelyn Ugly Buildings Contest pool on Flickr.
Is there an aggressively tacky edifice on your block that deserves a spot in our architectural hall of shame? Take a snapshot of that eyesore, and upload it to the pool. Enter as often as you’d like, but please stick to the subject at hand. Read the rest of this entry »
The big sale at The Future Perfect was actually pretty manageable when I got there a little after noon on Friday. Expecting long lines and pushy crowds, I was pleasantly surprised by the slow trickle of bargain hunters trailing down to the basement of the Williamsburg shop. What I found in there were a few gems in a small selection of modern wares. The very pleasant and helpful salesperson said the best deals were on the Italian designers because they rarely if ever went on sale. Most items were in good condition with a few bumps and bruises, but prices were easily in the hundreds of dollars—the $5 merch advertised in the sale email was tough to find. The closest we could find were Normann, Copenhagen’s very cool and collapsible funnel ($10) and colander ($25), pictured here, both by designer Boje Estermann in green, yellow, and red. Other highlights included: Read the rest of this entry »
Seems like every shop in Brooklyn is having a sale right now, and today our friends over at the Greenpointers blog highlight a few ways to support the local economy. We’re considering breaking our design diet at Gallery 1889’s sale of “samples, prototypes, products and strangely compelling odds and ends” made by Brooklyn artists including Diane Ruengsorn. (This is her zen tableware.) The sale runs from Friday to Sunday. See Greenpointers for more on this and other local stimulus opportunities.
Brooklyn's Tracie Howarth, an Etsy success story. Photo by Patrick Fagan.
Maybe you knit or throw pottery. Or make jewelry out of Phillips screw heads. Or crochet hamster huts (that makes three of you). Maybe all you ever wanted was to sell your handiwork and never work for anyone else, ever.
You may have heard that all you have to do is open your own shop on Etsy.com, the online marketplace that aims to provide artists with the technology they need to “make a living, making things.” You simply upload product shots, tack on prices, write cute captions, then wait for those millions of members to start placing orders.
It sounds perfect. And easy. But it’s not. Read the rest of this entry »
Brownstoner is reporting today that home-design scamp Jonathan Adler is opening a store on Atlantic Avenue, between Hoyt and Bond. Yay! So why is a budget-living site excited about a guy who makes $550 boob vases and other yuppie catnip? Because he’s fun, dammit. He once told us that his favorite-ever holiday party was the one where a guest brought Lee Press-On nails and everyone put them on, men and women alike. And who else but Adler would put a sign in his new Brooklyn storefront window announcing “your 24-hour pot dealer”? Plus he’s always got some affordable little mood-elevators, like this $28 pair of tea canisters (in four colors) or groovy new tea towels for $12 a piece. And his chic summer living tips are totally free. Welcome to Brokelyn, Mr. Adler!
[via Brownstoner]
Marty Markowitz blessed the 8th annual BKLYN DESIGNS event this morning at St. Ann’s Warehouse in DUMBO, kicking off a weekend homage to furnishings and home accessories designed and/or made in Brooklyn. This sampling from the ‘Republic of Brooklyn’ (whose exports extend far beyond artisanal pickles and yoga wear) features handiwork and artistry of 45 local favorites, including a few never-before-seen designers. If you’re heading over for some (or all) of the still-full weekend left, here are a few ways to get your ticket’s worth: Read the rest of this entry »
Photo by Alan Dickson
As we enter a new decade it’s important to look back on the past one and remember the good the bad and the ugly, and boy was there some ugly in Brooklyn. We’re talking, of course, about the detritus of the real-estate boom: the half-completed glass towers, the ham-handed “luxury” details, orphaned construction sites covered with scaffolding and graying plywood. Owing to the economy, that era in Brooklyn history is mostly past, and to cap it, we’ve decided to put together a little Brokelyn Ugly Buildings Contest pool on Flickr.
Is there an aggressively tacky edifice on your block that deserves a spot in our architectural hall of shame? Take a snapshot of that eyesore, and upload it to the pool. Enter as often as you’d like, but please stick to the subject at hand. Read the rest of this entry »
The big sale at The Future Perfect was actually pretty manageable when I got there a little after noon on Friday. Expecting long lines and pushy crowds, I was pleasantly surprised by the slow trickle of bargain hunters trailing down to the basement of the Williamsburg shop. What I found in there were a few gems in a small selection of modern wares. The very pleasant and helpful salesperson said the best deals were on the Italian designers because they rarely if ever went on sale. Most items were in good condition with a few bumps and bruises, but prices were easily in the hundreds of dollars—the $5 merch advertised in the sale email was tough to find. The closest we could find were Normann, Copenhagen’s very cool and collapsible funnel ($10) and colander ($25), pictured here, both by designer Boje Estermann in green, yellow, and red. Other highlights included: Read the rest of this entry »
Seems like every shop in Brooklyn is having a sale right now, and today our friends over at the Greenpointers blog highlight a few ways to support the local economy. We’re considering breaking our design diet at Gallery 1889’s sale of “samples, prototypes, products and strangely compelling odds and ends” made by Brooklyn artists including Diane Ruengsorn. (This is her zen tableware.) The sale runs from Friday to Sunday. See Greenpointers for more on this and other local stimulus opportunities.
Brooklyn's Tracie Howarth, an Etsy success story. Photo by Patrick Fagan.
Maybe you knit or throw pottery. Or make jewelry out of Phillips screw heads. Or crochet hamster huts (that makes three of you). Maybe all you ever wanted was to sell your handiwork and never work for anyone else, ever.
You may have heard that all you have to do is open your own shop on Etsy.com, the online marketplace that aims to provide artists with the technology they need to “make a living, making things.” You simply upload product shots, tack on prices, write cute captions, then wait for those millions of members to start placing orders.
It sounds perfect. And easy. But it’s not. Read the rest of this entry »
Brownstoner is reporting today that home-design scamp Jonathan Adler is opening a store on Atlantic Avenue, between Hoyt and Bond. Yay! So why is a budget-living site excited about a guy who makes $550 boob vases and other yuppie catnip? Because he’s fun, dammit. He once told us that his favorite-ever holiday party was the one where a guest brought Lee Press-On nails and everyone put them on, men and women alike. And who else but Adler would put a sign in his new Brooklyn storefront window announcing “your 24-hour pot dealer”? Plus he’s always got some affordable little mood-elevators, like this $28 pair of tea canisters (in four colors) or groovy new tea towels for $12 a piece. And his chic summer living tips are totally free. Welcome to Brokelyn, Mr. Adler!
[via Brownstoner]
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