NYC gift show and The Bowery

the night life

me

me

from freemans website

from Freeman website

from The General  website

from the General website

The gift show is always fun, tiring, visually stimulating,  predictable, exciting, confusing and lots of walking. Usually for me it's with George which is nice because he keeps me together and besides companionship and support he helps carry my junk. I never thought of it but he acts like my assistant. I think I need one full time:)  He's great and puts up with me as I maneuver through it all with minimal growning. This trip around I went with Deanna which was wonderful. She's a hoot and hopefully we can go again. I promise I won't make you run to catch the train back. We'll wait for the next one:)  The first night we met up with 4 of her friends on the lower east end. They were on a girls get together and had been doing the town for a few days. We met them for drinks at a cool place called Freemans in the Bowery area. We were forewarned to not let the pee stained alley we needed to walk down make us turn back. It would be all worth it. They were right on both counts. I have to say at one point when the taxi driver dropped us off a little distance away from the address that I wondered....hum! The street was a little desolate and not well lit  and as we got to the address the doors was closed. Windows blackened out.  Where the heck was this place? Deanna always able to laugh in any situation helped calm me but all I could think of was if George was here he'd be having a bird:) He's mister cautious about everything. We asked a couple of nice ladies walking their dog if they knew the restaurant. They didn't look scared....what's my problem? maybe they were carrying mace? They told us to walk down to the next corner and turn right, then go down this alley. An alley?  Freeman's alley.....oh right that's the name they gave us. They were right, lots of graffiti on the walls but I didn't look for the pee stains.  There were lots of pretty twinkling lights at the end of the alley.  Nice touch,  twinkling lights are friendly. I felt a sigh of relief. We walked thru the door and immediately ran into a long black curtain. Ok this is weird, is this a theater? but as soon as I pulled the curtain open it was magical, warm and filled with people. I almost wanted to share my surprise with the first person who would  make eye contact with me and say something stupid like " were you scared too? but wow this place is really cool! "  We were swept up these big stairs by the hostess to where they were waiting for us at a cozy sitting area. Drinks already waiting for us and some of that yummy artichoke dip you see in that  photo.  Did I tell you Deanna I love your friends?  I didn't take enough good photos. Mine are the dark moody ones.  Notice all the taxidermy. Deanna's friends thought that she would love it. She and I both did. I am now hooked on the whole natural history look.  Freeman's was a great choice for the start of our evening. We later went to an asian restaurant for dinner called The General only a couple of blocks away. So much fun and loved the streaming service (means it comes out one at a time and you are encouraged to share) I was good.... I shared. Everything was delish. 

Afterwards we went to check out the fab decor at Gemma's and have a drink of course....that's the one with the dripping candelabras. I will never clean candle wax again. Think of the time saved. I am starting one right now but I have mostly the good non dripping kind so will have to buy the cheapy ones that leave the mess I'm after.  

They are on my list and so is going back to these places .....with George next time. I promise

"Fun" NYC, Grand Central and the big show

Trying to find photos for this post was harder then I thought it would be. I love the video and wanted to capture the feel of it from my own experience in the city. Because I don't spend my time at a pub with a boat load of friends singing songs it's not the same. I do though love entering Grand Central. They just celebrated it's 100 yr anniversary. A long time for us in the US. When they shot the video it was very empty and I kept thinking that you NEVER see it that way, but actually that's not entirely true as you can see in the photo there are very few on an early Sunday morning. It's tourist day and not the usual commuter traffic. I do like both ways. Hubby will be staying home this time and taking care of the pup and the kitties. Deanna will be my buying partner,  going our own directions but meeting up for lunch. It will be fun to hear what great stuff she ordered and discovered. Hopefully I will return the favor and share my own discoveries.  I hope to get some good photos for you of the show. This time I am only taking my phone. I think the last time I took my big camera and never took one shot with it. People look at you funny when you whip it out. Plus I can sneak more with my phone. I know it's bad. SO  if you're a company from China please don't steal to copy. That sadly does happen. Even Pottery Barn does that. Yep I didn't want to mention that but one place even had a sign saying "Please no photos....especially if you are Pottery Barn" They were suing them:(   Ok now that I just brought the whole mood down I am off to do some last minute stuff.

Carry on......get it?

(well if you listened to the song)

Gift Show 2012 part 2

At Choo

God bless you!

Isn’t that a cute name???

I have always loved this booth and admired their work.

I finally decided it was time to buy something from them. 

I bought some charms and a few pieces of jewelry.

What I really love are their bottles filled with the most

 charming little pieces.

Some are little people(elves) sometimes just vintage this and that.

I didn’t take any close up since they were generous enough to let me take photos at all.

Of course the whole time my camera was being a bad girl

 and not auto focusing.

Are you getting bored with that excuse….. I am, but it’s true.

I looked into getting it fixed but its not worth it. I might as well get another camera which I’ve wanted for over a yr now.

It does auto focus half the time just not when I really need it to.

So long story, I’m sorry if these are a bit blurry.

What I was saying before I went on about my camera is I adore their bottles

but they are pricey and as

much as I think everyone would notice them and love them as much as I do

I don’t think my most customers would spend the money.

I hate when that happens  ‘,-(

You love it and you know it fits your look but it’s overpriced.

You sit on it forever to just have to give it away later.

If you could just buy anything you want and not have to worry about price

point being a shop owner would be so much easier.

I know most of my blog friends understand this so I’m not letting you in on anything new.

Just saying…..

Now this was a new line that I’d never seen before.

(again sorry for the blur)

Headbands made with galvanized wire from a gal in California.

I thought it was really different and very feminine.

The only really random shot I took.  It was opposite the booth I had bought from and just

took a chance that no one would yell at me.

I never told you but I did get yelled at once by a vendor.

Gosh it was embarrassing. It wasn’t even his booth but he came right up to me and said I needed

to delete the photos or he would call security.

I was only taking it because I didn’t want to forget

 to go back the next day.

I think he was mad because I wasn’t taking a photo of his ( not so fantastic) booth.

Just saying……

I did buy from this booth…..thank goodness!

so they were happy to let me snap away.

As a matter of fact the more photos I took the more I was buying.

I thought I was done but they were happy to keep adding to the order.

I have to say that every sales rep was super nice.

Very appreciative to have me stop to place an order.

I don’t expect to have them say anything but it was still nice to hear.

Great use for old wood for making small bookshelves.

They look like old pallets.

Now these of course are pallets cut in half. They make great open drawers. I remember seeing

them using this last year and keeping there order forms in them.

You never know where you’ll find inspirations?


Joining Kathleen at Faded Charm
for White Wednesday