The pandemic has made me dial-up my observational skills. And that’s made the post-lockdown experience extremely interesting and sometimes even exhilarating. This last week, in particular, has been epic for new discoveries.

This week’s discoveries run the gamut from my first foray back into department stores to the German obsession with “Lüften” to a great study on why older, single women are the happiest people on the planet. I am also extremely happy to share artist Brad Kahlhamer’s new website. It just went live and was developed by the uber-talented Jamie Dwyer.

My challenge now is to restrict myself to only 10 highlights per week when I am uncovering so many more new things and innovations.

Scroll down to check out this week’s Top 10 List.

1. First time in a department store in 6 months!

I’ve been obsessed with finding a black leather biker’s jacket that will be my signature item this season.

• I realized I had not stepped into a retail store (other than grocery or drug stores) in over 6 months! I wasn’t even sure if Bloomingdale’s was open for more than “curbside pickup.” It is: daily, from 11 am till 6 pm.
• I ended up buying a Ted Baker jacket, at 50% off, so doubly fabulous.
• I also ended up replenishing my Jo Malone fragrance and getting a new lipstick from Chanel (Rouge Allure, 104 Passion).

Big shout out to the sales staff (Carlos in women’s) and the French salesperson in Beauty/Fragrance. It was a great experience being back in a store. And while Bloomingdale’s was not bustling, there were more shoppers than I had anticipated – especially on the first-floor cosmetics department.

2. QR CODES: It only took 20 years (and a pandemic) but they’ve finally caught on!

Seek, a company that makes QR code technology, has seen a 600% increase in demand since the pandemic began in March.

• Brands like Sperry and Puma and tech giants like PayPal and Apple have all begun integrating Seek’s QR code technology. And companies that were already using them have expanded their use. (Source: Glossy)

I’ve seen QR codes utilized most frequently at restaurants, e.g., Fish Cheeks above. This past weekend, I also saw them used extensively at the Magazzino Italian Art Museum in Cold Spring, NY.

3. STREET ART + CURBSIDE DINING: A match made in heaven

Restaurants are teaming up with local artists to turn al fresco dining into an even more festive and fun experience. Last weekend I discovered Susie Carter working on this Curbside Canvas Project at Bubby’s in Tribeca.

4. Private Museums: a major trend

Wealthy collectors are establishing private museums to showcase their collections.

This weekend Rodrigo Padilla and I visited Magazzino Italian Art in Cold Spring. It was spectacular, first-rate on all levels.

Meaning “warehouse” in Italian, Magazzino was co-founded by Nancy Olnick and Giorgio Spanu. The 20,000 square-foot museum, designed by Spanish architect Miguel Quismondo, opened its doors in 2017, creating a new cultural hub and community resource within the Hudson Valley.

Other top-notch private museums worth a trip include:

The Brant Foundation (NYC and Connecticut)

Faurschou Foundation (in Greenpoint, Brooklyn)

Danish dealer-turned-philanthropist Jens Faurschou debuted his blue-chip collection in December 2019.

Glenstone, MD

Still on my to-do list. I’ve heard it’s exquisite.

Rubell Museum, Miami, FL

Also on my hit list – especially now that they’ve moved to new digs designed by Selldorf Architects.

Crystal Bridges and The Momentary (Bentonville, Arkansas)

I’ve been to Crystal Bridges (thanks to Karen Stone Talwar) but have not yet visited The Momentary, Alice Walton’s newest gem.

PREDICTION: As institutions cede control to activists whose mission is to defund museums from donors who don’t pass the “woke” purity test, the wealthy will opt out of trusteeships and establish their own private museums. This does not bode well for public institutions, many of which are already struggling financially, e.g., the Whitney, MoMA.

5. Embracing nature and fresh air

As a native German, Lüften (or “airing a room”) comes to me as naturally as it does to Angela Merkel who said this week: “it may be one of the cheapest and most effective ways of containing the spread of the virus.”

Germany’s leading coronavirus expert, Christian Drosten, of the Charité hospital in Berlin, has dedicated an edition of his hit pandemic podcast to the importance of Luftverdünnung and Luftbewegung – air rarefaction and movement – in which he extols the praises for frequent airing, while the weekly Die Zeit has published a 10-page feature on ventilation, including the science behind it and, especially how to do it in winter.

The Guardian, Sept 30, 2020

Equinox+ In The Wild” – the first outdoor gym in NYC (30th St & 10th Avenue)

Checked this out over the weekend – unfortunately, no interior photos allowed. It’s very chic but may be less appealing once the weather turns wintry.

One very cool discovery that I did sneak a photo of was the REVS street art visible on an adjacent building to Equinox.

For those of you not familiar with REVS, he was part of COST/REVS, a MAJOR street art duo working in NYC during the ’80s and ’90s.

Pier 26 FINALLY Opens – dedicated to river ecology, & a haven for wildlife and people

This ecological wonderland is glorious. The views are amazing and as you stroll out to the river, you pass lawns, swings, and various indigenous plants and trees. You can also stop for drinks and eats at the City Vineyard or rent a kayak at the Downtown Boathouse.

The concept was executed by OLIN, a Philadelphia-based landscape architecture firm, working with Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers and Biohabitats, a company specializing in ecological restoration. Together, they designed a 15,000-square-foot wetland, called the Tide Deck. This human-engineered rocky marsh rests on a concrete platform atop 36 steel piles that descend into the river bottom under and around the end of the pier. (Source: the morning call)

6. Electric Unicycles: they’re everywhere!

Anyone else noticed this?

Haven’t found any data on sales but I see more of them every day. They go fast (up to 40mph), they’re expensive ($2000), they have a steep learning curve, and from what I can tell, ridership is almost exclusively male. Group rides are very popular (videos below from the Lower East Side this past weekend).

E-unicycle technology evolved out of the Segway. There’s also a big online community for e-unicyclers globally, from Houston to Washington DC to Perth Australia. (Source: wamu.org)

7. MEET THE OWNER: NICHOLAS MORGENSTERN, Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream

Nick has been my neighbor and friend since 2014 when he opened his first ice cream parlor on Rivington Street (two doors down from my home). He’s the consummate food entrepreneur with a background as a pastry chef in some of NY’s best eateries. He makes THE best ice cream. My favorite is the burnt sage with chocolate topping. Delish. Check it out if you’re in the neighborhood.

Locations: 2 Rivington Street and 88 West Houston

8. The Skullet: The New Mullet? (Source: DMarge)

Also known as the “dusty,” this newest hair trend is showing up on guys around the world from Australia to America. The key is to not wash your hair: the “dirtier the better.”

Sporting skullets recently: Matt Damon (left) and comic, Theo Von (right)

9. LET’S HEAR IT FOR SINGLE, OLDER WOMEN (Source: Psychology Today)

At 71, I am thriving (if I do say so myself)! So I agree with the study (below)

A study of more than 10,000 Australian women in their mid-seventies compared lifelong single women with no children to four other groups of women: married with children, married with no children, previously married with children, and previously married with no children.

The lifelong single women with no kids stood out from the other women in several impressive ways. For example, they were:

• more optimistic
• less stressed
• more highly educated
• more likely to say that they could manage easily on their income
• more likely to be active members of formal social groups
• Compared to married women with or without kids, they also had bigger social networks.

Here’s to always living our best lives, no matter the years we have under our belts!

10. And finally, Brad’s New WEbsite (Link here)

Developed by master tech-creative, Jamie Dwyer!

One of the most important outcomes of the pandemic has been the shift to online/virtual for many businesses and talents (from artists to retailers to freelancers).

Everyone’s had to up their online game in order to stay relevant. Brad’s new website is a major move in that direction. And big shout out to Jamie for making it so awesome – from navigation to design!

Here are a few images (with links) from the site.

WORK

STUDIO SELECTS

DESERT + FOREST + CITY

Major Congrats, Brad!!

AND THAT A WRAP for this week

I’m heading to Storm King Art Center this Saturday. Have not been for a really long time. Looking forward to biking around this gorgeous outdoor sculpture park. The arts excursion will be followed by dinner with two of my besties, Elliott Trice and Rodrigo Padilla at Chef Marc Forgione’s Peasant – one of my favorite restaurants downtown.

have a great weekend everyone!