Category: In the Area

Stella Re-Opens on Duane

Posted on by harryhopbot

Stella, the exquisite home décor boutique, has re-opened at 184 Duane, having moved from W. Broadway last month. Owner Mischelle Arcus said that the new location is 500 square feet bigger than the old store location was, and it looks and feels spacious. She offers the same amazing inventory of textiles, linens, candles, frames and more at the new store that she had at the old one.

Stella offers the highest quality home textiles from around the world. Their items are predominantly handcrafted and made under fair labor conditions with methods that won’t harm the environment.

Now, at the new TriBeCa location, those Below 14th Street can really enjoy it all!

Picture from http://tribecacitizen.com/2012/01/08/seen-heard-stellas-new-digs/

Chaucer Remake at the SoHo Playhouse

Posted on by harryhopbot

If you enjoy one piece of entertainment this holiday season, make it “The Canterbury Tales Remixed” at the SoHo Playhouse, 15 Van Dam Street, South Village. This is an experience not to be missed. Baba Brinkman has managed to unlock the highly intimidating original version of “The Canterbury Tales” for his “The Canterbury Tales Remixed.”

The show includes original hip-hop songs and draws analogies between pop anthems and celebrities. A Canadian scholar of medieval literature, Mr. Brinkman sees clear parallels between the ancient text and modern day. He retells three of Chaucer’s tales (Pardoner, Merchant and Wife of Bath) and throws in some legends of Gilgamesh and Beowulf for good measure.

He wants to peak his audience’s curiosity. And he does so with a creative flair, using hip-hop to unlock Chaucer. Directed by Darren Lee Cole, the 85 minute show welcomes tourists, purists, Chaucer-lovers, hip-hop fans and everyone in between to come and enjoy something different this holiday until January 8th.

Picture by Ben Hider.

REI Coming to SoHo

Posted on by harryhopbot

Get ready SoHo – REI is coming to the neighborhood. With more than 70 years behind them in the business and 121 stores across the country, New York is finally getting its own REI store. The new store will be located in the Puck Building on Houston and Lafayette Streets with 35,000 square feet. It will be one of REI’s five largest stores and will have both REI-standard equipment and some special New York features, like a street level bike shop for New Yorkers to get their bikes fixed quickly.

REI plans to offer all sorts of hiking and other outdoor activities from the SoHo store. As J.J. Jameson, an instructor for REI’s outdoor school, said, “We’re also going to be appealing to a really broad segment of the market who’ve never been out of Manhattan, and we’re trying to make it really easy” to go out and explore.

REI certainly hopes to sell a lot of clothing and equipment, but they have a broader mission as well. REI’s chief executive, Sally Jewell, said that without more people who enjoy the outdoors and want to do outdoor training “as an industry we’re really in trouble in a generation.”

Zefrey Throwell’s Poker Message in TriBeCa

Posted on by harryhopbot

If you’re into racy, on-the-edge art and societal commentary, you may want to get over to Art in General, the gallery at 79 Walker Street. This week, from November 12th through 19th, the gallery is showcasing a rather unusual exhibit. Called “I’ll Raise You One…” the installation includes a series of poker games that will each run seven-and-a-half hours each day for the entire week. A new game starts as soon as the last one ends…and all games include strip poker.

That’s right. These seven card players at a time will be baring it all at the TriBeCa storefront gallery. Aside from the simple shock value there is, of course, a more significant message being conveyed here.

Zefrey Throwell created the installation to create a metaphor for the economy. The clothing symbolize the money. Using strip poker, he’s trying to show that no one can control the luck of the draw; even if some people show up in the beginning with more clothes (or money) than others, we all have to play by the rules and we are all subject to luck in our lives.

As Throwell explained,

“Wealth is unequally distributed — yet we’re all expected to play by the same rules. It’s a political and economic criticism.”

Photo courtesy of Zefrey Throwell.

Warburg Realty Halloween Party for Kids

Posted on by harryhopbot

For kids who want to enjoy being spooked today, on Halloween, there is no better place than the Warburg Realty Annual Halloween Party for Kids.  Today, from 3-6 pm at 100 Hudson Street @ Leonard Street, kids will enjoy a circus theme and an office that is completely transformed with games, prizes and treats.  The photography during the event is done by Rachel Hudgins.  See more about their famous event, in action, with this video.

 
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7FbDXdpP7I&w=420&h=315]

Ivanka Trump Store Coming to SoHo

Posted on by harryhopbot

Keep your eyes set on 109 Mercer St. between Spring and Prince streets – it will soon house the new Ivanka Trump jewelry store.  SoHo is anticipating this move, as Trump has subleased her Madison Avenue flagship shop to jeweler Aaron Basha.

Heading down to SoHo, Trump will be setting up shop in the duplex space of 3100 square feet.  The new shop used to showcase the Alaska House fold art and is now the location of the Duckie Brown by Florsheim pop up store. Trump’s new neighbors include designer Phillip Lim, Chanel, Hugo Boss and Agent Provocateur.

The new store location has 1800 square feet on the ground and another 1300 square feet on the lower level, which has a full audio/visual installation.  This Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry location will focus on her jewelry collection.  This new site will join the many other store locations that Trump has throughout the Middle East; and her first China store is expected to open soon.

Checking Out the 5C Cultural Center

Posted on by harryhopbot

Some staples of the New York scene are so important that they simply must be visited. The 5C Cultural Center is one such place.  Founded in 1989 by three Lower East Side social activists and incorporated in 1996 as a non-profit, 5CCC sees its mission as one of providing innovative educational programming, activism and performing arts opportunities.

In its 14 year history, 5CCC has had over 1600 performing arts events that include drama, spoke word theater and music.  They have a Café that serves vegetarian meals at affordable prices. Furthermore, they have arts education programs for children with autism. These are individualized instructions that are offered on Saturday and Sunday mornings and are done by appointment only.

They are a staple of the area, managing to incorporate amazing musical talents with their tutoring services and neighborhood programs.  At the moment, they have a jazz appreciation series that draws on 10,000 out of print LP records, film footage and personal experiences of those involved.  It helps viewers to appreciate the history of jazz and to get a sense of its importance as part of America’s cultural and musical foundation..

Elegance at the Mercer in SoHo

Posted on by harryhopbot

Find luxury and elegance at The Mercer in SoHo.  This hotel is one of the foremost luxury hotels in New York, with 75 guest rooms on six floors.  Situated in a landmark Romanesque revival building, the boutique hotel offers the unique feeling of loft living.

The service offers guests the feeling of a small, quaint home-away-from-home with attentive staff and impeccable service. Located at 147 Mercer Street in SoHo, the rooms at The Mercer include a complimentary copy of The New York Times or a paper of choice, a 24 hour a day concierge service, packing and unpacking services, same day laundry and much more.  Guests will enjoy 24 hour a day room service from the Mercer Kitchen, a dog walking service, in room beauty treatments and Wii and Xbox 360 availability.

The Mercer has received a great deal of positive press. The New York Times said that “The Mercer has come to symbolize SoHo” while Hip Hotels said that “The Mercer is the first to offer a taste of ‘loft living’ an urban signature that is completely original to New York.”