Well, we're back from New York and getting resettled in Shanghai. It was a trip with numerous highlights. The New York International Gift Fair was the main purpose for visiting New York. And we had a tremendous show. Monday was one of those all-time days. It was good seeing a number of our current friends and customers, and forming many more new partnerships.
As any visitor to New York knows, a few days in the city can fill a highlight reel. Among my particular highlights on this trip....shopping at the Soho store of bambu customer, Dean & Deluca, an amazing array of culinary finery, browsing another store that carries a wide selection of our products, plus a whole lot more at the Whole Foods Union Square - shopping at 11pm in the full NY bustle is an event we don't get in Shanghai.
I finally had the opportunity to go to Yankee Stadium for the first and last time. The venerable home of more Hall of Famers than any other place. We sat through a 90min rain delay to watch a great game despite the Yankee loss.
Had one of the best meals I've had in a long time at Mary's Fish Camp. A great neighborhood find that rekindled my love for lobster roll, steamers and oysters on the half. Thanks Rachel! (I know I shouldn't post this - the line is already too long, but it's that good - there's another in Brooklyn)
I have visited this Renzo Piano building several times. I love the materials and the interior natural landscape that draws you in from busy noisy 8th Avenue. I am infatuated with the hundreds of digital screens relaying every word from every blog in rapid-fire succession.
And of course, the Muji flagship store is a must. Dean & Deluca is soon to open.
Fishs Eddy is another one of those quintessential New York kind of stores. They are unique in how they carry and present our products, and always do a great job at merchandising our tableware and always do up their windows with customer-stopping appeal.
One of my favorite NY moments was visiting the inventive installation by David Byrne. The project is entitled, Playing the Building
There are images and videos of the project at the link above.
I caught it on a beautiful late afternoon when the light was just right. It's a wonderful structure that comes alive with its own sounds. Reminded me of the wonderful BBC program, Can Buildings Learn?. Can buildings make music? Yes they can.
David has a gift for pushing and merging art, urban life, music and architecture.
His latest project which was launched while I was in NY, is his art, slash, installation, slash, bike rack project which is peppered around the city. You can see his drawings and the installations here.
The city keeps on offering up great experiences. Thanks New York.
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