NYC Places: Graffiti

Williamsburg Bridge

I love public art, especially street graffiti, which there is plenty of in NYC. And Instagram just happens to be a great platform to share my many different graffiti finds from the city. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the past couple of months. You can find me on Instagram under my nickname, Laurendy.

1) Hank's Saloon Bathroom-Brooklyn, 2) Light Post- Brooklyn, 3) Cement Wall - LES Village, 4) Auto Shop - Brooklyn

Place: Homebody Boutique

I love me some cute handmade items, but I especially love shops who support handmade goods. Homebody Boutique is one of those shops in Brooklyn and the owner, Kate Silver, does a great job curating an eclectic and unique mix of home goods, gifts, and jewelry. I stopped by this weekend with my man and we picked up a seriously sweet stash of accessories for the heart and home.

Amazing toilet seats by the owner herself!

Gummi bear bracelets

You'll have to head to South Park Slope if you are wanting your own amazing unique goods or wait for Kate's online store, which is in the works! You can also find the shop on Facebook HERE.

My new sterling silver rose belt buckle that is sure to get a lot of use.

Place: DUMBO

Dumbo is one of my top favorite neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Hands down. If I had a few million to kill, I would easily drop it on a loft in Dumbo with an amazing view of the B-Bridge. Hell, I would purchase the amazing Clock Tower Loft if I could. Can you imagine a more perfect place to throw a New Year's Eve party?

But back to what I really love about Dumbo. It's industrial, full of brick buildings, cobble stone streets, and just the most picturesque urban waterfront you'll come by. While meandering around this summer, I came across knitting graffiti artist, Olek's, knitted piano installation. The newly open glass carousel is pretty nice too and is sure to draw crowds this summer. So if you are visiting Brooklyn any time soon, stop by this spot. You won't regret it. Oh, and it happens to be the home to Etsy Brooklyn Headquarters too, which I have had a chance to visit twice.

photo from flickrhivemind.net

Local fabric

My new neighborhood is full of life and at certain moments I feel like I'm not just living in a different city but a different country all together. There is a little strip called Fulton Street near my new place that is bustling with commerce. Random, eclectic shops fill the streets; most of them run by a variety of Carribeans and Jamaicans. I recently spotted a few random wholesale fabric stores on the drag and decided to stop by and check them out this weekend.

The selection was pretty limited and consisted mostly of boring upholstery material but there was a little section of African wax print fabrics in each store.  My oh-so-naughty fabric addiction just couldn't resist buying a couple pieces. I just had to have a few swatches of these vibrant designs.
I'm still not sure what exactly I am going to make from them. The fabric itself is a very stiff cotton that has a lot of body to it but no real drape. Despite that, I am tempted to make a skirt or even a long sort of maxi-inspired dress. The best part of the fabric; it was only $3 bucks a yard!