urban center + the palace

Miss going to the Urban Center for Books! It was the best little store for Architecture and Design Books. When will you come back???

(image by: vivien chin)

reflections in UN

Love this reflection in the Storefront window of the United Nude store.

(image by: vivien chin)

belvedere sketch

A happy find. An image of an old sketch done in Central Park of Belvedere Castle from across the Turtle pond. Can’t wait till the weather gets nice enough again to sit out and do more sketching.

(image by: vivien chin)

bella + olly oxen free

Meet Bella the beautiful mascot of the Olly Oxen Free Vintage store. Suzanne, you have such a beautiful dog. Bella will be around if you drop by the store 🙂

(image by: vivien chin)

spoons

Plastic spoon city @ Lafayette espresso bar!

(image by: vivien chin)

olly oxen free vintage

Just went to the opening of the Olly Oxen Free Vintage Store on Sunday. Owner Suzanne Palmer has opened a great little Vintage store in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I found out about it through Kelly (pictured standing at the storefront). There’s a great selection of vintage women and men’s clothing as well as accessories, shoes, jewelry, records, books, and other miscellaneous items. There’s a 1960-70’s vibe to most of the clothing. There is even a rack of hand inked patterned clothing from India in 1971, never work. Fun, colorful, retro prints. Bohemian and mod. You’re bound to find something and best of all it’s really affordable. I love vintage stores, but they are definitely a strain on the pocketbook. Here, I felt you are bound to find something great at every price range! Kelly and I both walked out with great pieces (she’s modeling her’s above).

Olly Oxen Free also holds a donations based yoga class on Tuesdays from 7p-8:15p. Also on slate for extracurricular activities are film screenings and workshops. Really great idea to make a retail space in to a community gathering point. I’m all for that.

Check it out next time you are in the area. It’s off the Montrose stop on the L train.

Hours:
M – closed
T – 1p-6p (Yoga 7p-8:15)
W-S – 12p-8p
SUN – 2p-8p

Olly Oxen Free Vintage
137 Montrose Ave.
Brooklyn, New York
11206
(347)731-2860

(images by: vivien chin)

lace it

Lovely lace in the window of LV on 5th ave.

(image by: vivien chin)

mies_126th

Mies van der Rohe’s 126th birthday via Google today.

sunsets & towers

Sunset views on Friday from a project in Tribeca my office is working on. Progress on the World Trade Center visible as well.

(images by: vivien chin)

towering over the park

Tower spires and central park. View from 57th st. & 5th ave at the bottom of the park. Went to a meeting there yesterday and saw this! A great view.

(image by: vivien chin)

underwater ink

Beautiful ink floating through water by Alberto Seveso.  Lovely!

 

(images from colossal)

 

bridging harelbeke

Bridging to halves of Town Hall of Harelbeke in Belgium by Dehullu & Partners.

 

(image from dezeen)

 

spring beginnings

Lovely view during my walk home last night.

(image by: vivien chin)

cookie jackpot

Thin mints you won’t survive for long!

Just discovered girl scout cookie heaven. You can by them by the case or single box at their offices on 23rd street (on the north side) near 6th Ave. Ends at the beginning of May. Thanks Laura for the find!

(image by: vivien chin)

robot tea

My 2 loves combined…tea and robots!  It even hangs on to your cup!  Robot Tea Infuser by Kikkerland.

On my wishlist along with the Submarine Tea Infuser.

marimekko + spring + web

As I do love Marimekko, I have to highlight their graphic today marking the beginning of Spring on Google’s homepage.

the bear cat

“the bear cat” by Peter Woytuk at 67th St. & Broadway

(image by: vivien chin)

homemade veggie pizza

Really delicious easy pizza to make.  Either use your own pizza dough or what’s shown above is the Trader Joe’s Garlic herb fresh pizza dough.

Toppings: roasted red peppers; artichoke hearts; spinach; kalamata olives; parmesan cheese; fresh garlic; basil; oregano

Bake at 425 degrees till done.  Enjoy!

An easy, tasty meal.  Colorful and beautiful too!

(image by: vivien chin)

yellow cacharel

Cacharel yellow pumps contrasted by blue tights.  I’m inspired now…

 

 

domo pack

Spotted a the street…giant domo backpack!

 

(image by: vivien chin)

a kiwi

“a kiwi” by Peter Woytuk. Sculpture at 72nd and Broadway. Part of Woytuk’s sculpture series along Broadway.

(image by: vivien chin)

intersecting bars

retro-inspired sheath spotted on my walk today.

(image by: vivien chin)

sparkling feathers

This bird pin sparkles.  Treasure box hunting.

 

(image from Refinery29)

oana’s art shop

I’m so excited to help promote my very good friend, Oana Barac-Matei’s new online art shop launch.  She is a very talented artist and architect as well as a Cal Poly SLO alum (that’s how we met!).  Her mixed media collage pieces are absolutely lovely and unique.  10% of the profits are donated to a group of 8 organizations that help better and enrich the lives of other less fortunate.  As an artist/architect myself, I know how important it is to have art in your life and how much it enriches your everyday interaction with the world.  This is a great way to have art not only beautify your life, but the lives of others as well.  Show your support and love of art by visiting her art shop at: www.oanasartshop.com.  She’s constantly adding new pieces so check back everyday.

Also as a special promotion,  for the month of March readers and supporters of my blog will receive a 25% discount off your purchases.  Just enter the code “nummynims25” at the shop checkout.  Offer ends March 31, 2012.

Here is some background info from the artist:

Art:

Oana’s Art Shop is a collection of one of a kind handmade collage art based on or using Oana’s illustrations. Pieces are colorful and whimsical and among other things, inspired by textiles and Oana’s architecture background. All are unique and arrive framed in a choice of black or white frames. Current sizes are 8×10 and 11×14. They look great alone or can be displayed in a collection. In addition, 10% of profits are donated to one of 8 organizations that give others a chance to live a better life.

Artist:

Art has long been a part of Oana’s life, both as creator and in experiencing other’s works. She got her first break at age six upon getting second place in her first coloring contest. Oana graduated with a degree in Architecture, her favorite classes always integrated art, especially collage.  While working in the architecture industry in San Francisco, Oana realized how valuable art was to her. Oana began showing her City sketches publicly and continued collaging for herself, integrating more of it into her work.  She’s happy to introduce Oana’s Art Shop, a combination of her collage and illustrations. Oana hopes the daily joy she gets in creating her art is passed on to you through her work.

(images by: oana barac-matei)

peep city

Raylene you have outdone yourself this time! Limes move over!

Baby’s 3rd comes with fun surprises.

(image by: vivien chin)

happy birthday baby!

Happy 3rd Birthday Baby Grand!! Pop tarts, songs, great friends, new faces, secret songs, tiny art, picklebacks, the list goes on…

Lots of love to Raylene and Mike!

Superbass!!

(image by: vivien chin)

hopeless romantic

 

“Because no matter where you run you just end up running into yourself…” – Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

zip

Climbing zip ties near Astor Place.

(images by: vivien chin)

lucky miao

Good luck all in a line on 5th Ave.
Bring some luck my way please!

(images by: vivien chin)

shattered

Morphic glass and sheer stretch.  Current installation in the corner gallery at the tip of the Flatiron building.  I need to get in to glass forming.  Melting plastic just wasn’t enough for me!  Stepping it up.

“Shattered Debris Sheer Transformation” by Hu Bing

(images by: vivien chin)

today’s desk view: security

Noticed all these policemen gathering for President Obama’s fundraiser at ABC today when I went out to get lunch.

(image by: vivien chin)