Eye on Design: Tiger Chimney By Jean-Marie Fiori

May27

Chimney by Jean Marie Fiori Photo by Gail Worley
Photos By Gail Worley

Jean Marie Fiori is a French sculptor born in Limoges. He graduated from the National School of Fine Arts (École Nationale des Beaux-arts) in Paris, where he is now based. Formerly a painter, Fiori is devoted to sculpture and more specifically, to the representation of animals.  During the years, the artist/designer improved his mastery of bronze and enriched his imaginary bestiary of designed furniture and monumental installations. In 2010,  Fiori was selected by the Chinese Official Committee of World Expo in Shanghai to create a set of urban furniture consisting of five benches. Inspired by traditional Chinese symbols, he reinterpreted turtle, bull, tiger, buffalo and duck. Over time, he developed a language of plastic arts closer to that of the Decorative Arts. He transformed deer into chairs and falcons into tables, with a sense of humor and his own originality specific to his works. This Tiger Chimney / Fire Place in patinated bronze was produced in a signed and numbered edition of 8 plus 4 Artist Proofs. Inquire Here for pricing.

chimney installation view photo by gail worley
Installation View

Photographed at the Salon Art + Design 2019 in NYC.

Product Review: ChocZero Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Cups

May26

choc zero packaging trio
All Photos By Gail

Food Boredom: it is a thing that’s accentuated by a shortage of tasty snacks in the house. Grocery shopping is much less fun these days, and with many confectionaries and gourmet shops closed, thank god that we have the miracle of internet shopping to procure favorite specialty foods and sweet treats. If you’re following a Keto diet, you don’t have to ignore your sweet tooth, thanks to ChocZero, the go-to chocolatier for premium sugar-free, keto-friendly treats. Even better: you can buy them online!

Adding to its popular line of all-natural-ingredient chocolate candies, ChocZero just launched their indulgent version of a confectionery legend: the Peanut Butter Cup. Peanut Butter Cups are one of the most popular candies in the States, and for good reason: they offer both sweet, delicious chocolate and protein-packed peanut butter. Win win!

choczero milk chocolate peanut butter cups photo by gail worley

Available in milk, dark, and white chocolate varieties, ChocZero peanut butter cups are a no-added sugar treat that gets sweeter with every bite — and, surprisingly, they are:

  • Keto friendly
  • Sugar alcohol-free
  • All-natural
  • Sweetened with Monk Fruit only
  • Soy Free
  • Palm Oil Free

choczero milk chocolate peanut butter cup photo by gail worley
ChocZero Milk Chocolate Variety

ChocZero recently sent me samples of all three varieties, assuring me that these peanut butter cups would taste as good as the well-known brands, with zero added guilt. My verdict, they speak the truth! Each bag contains six individually-wrapped candies; and when you open the package you will notice that these peanut butter cups don’t include a paper wrapper, which makes for less mess.

Review Continues After The Jump!  Continue reading →

Modern Art Monday Presents: Marc Chagall, Anywhere Out Of The World

May25

anywhere out of the world marc chagall photo by gail worley
Photo By Gail

This painting, entitled Anywhere Out of the World (1915 – 19) may be a self portrait. Mark Chagall (1887 – 1985) bisected the head of the figure because, as he explained it, it “needed a bank space right there“ to strengthen the composition. The pictorial strategy, which appears in some of his earlier paintings, could be a rendition of the “luftmensch,“ a Yiddish term used to describe a person who is concerned with intellectual pursuits rather than with the practicalities of life. The sideways cityscape adds tension to the scene. The painting’s overall geometrization is reminiscent of El Lissitzky’s Proun paintings — abstract compositions meant to be looked at from various vantage points. 

Photographed in the Jewish Museum in Manhattan.

Pink Thing of The Day: Andy Warhol Barbie with Pink Fur Stole

May22

andy warhol barbie photo
Photo By Gail

In March of 2019, I attended a fun event-thing called the Barbie 60th Anniversary Pop-Up Experience, which was just insane. Imagine being wedged into a crowded labyrinth of bright lights, neon colors, and every type of Barbie-branded doll in the universe, including Gender-Nonconforming Barbie and Dad-Bod Ken. Now, add little kids with their parents, and millennial Instagram-whores, and you’re got an idea of the scenario that I consider myself lucky to have survived with my sanity intact. Still: super fun!

While I saw literally hundreds of Barbies that day, the one that I will surely never forget is this Pink Mink Stole-draped plastic goddess known as the Andy Warhol Barbie. Here’s why: this Barbie (the third doll produced in collaboration with The Andy Warhol Foundation) is the definitive celebration of Warhol, drawing inspiration from the original Warhol Barbie portrait created by the artist in 1986. Barbie’s strapless gown features a sweetheart neckline and an overall print of the Warhol Barbie Portrait (you can see a few details of Barbie’s face on the dress if you look closely at the above photo). Beyond the fabulous Pink faux fur stole with blue lining, the doll’s accessories also include blue pumps accented with glitter inspired by Warhol’s technique of “diamond dust” crushed glass on canvas, earrings, necklace, ring and doll stand. Rad.

andy warhol barbie backdrop photo by gail worley

Sadly I could not capture details of the glittery shoes, as Andy Warhol Barbie was encased in a vitrine, to protect her from molestation.  The statement to the left of Barbie’s face in the above photo reads as follows:

Andy Warhol made his mark by creating images of American icons. Barbie was added to the list when Warhol painted her in 1986. The first Barbie portrait was reportedly inspired by Warhol’s muse, Billy Boy, a jewelry designer and member of new York downtown scene in the 1980s, who owned a vast collection of Barbie dolls.

barbie neon sign photo by gail worley

Fearless Girl Masks-Up!

May21

defiant girl in mask photo by gail worley
Photo By Gail

This week I went on an adventure! I had to make a trip down to Wall Street for the first time since our work-from-home directive went down in mid-March, because I had dermatologist appointment. Wee! After braving my masked-up, socially distanced subway ride, I had about 30 minutes to kill before my appointment time, and I enjoyed walking about in the financial district in relative solitude. It was awesome.  And what a fun surprise to see artist Arturo Di Modica’s now-iconic bronze statue, Fearless Girl, rocking a face mask to reflect the Covid Life we live in. Inspiring! If you happen to be in that area, you can find her on Broad Street standing across from the NYSE.

Eye on Design: Accessible Icon By Tim Ferguson Sauder

May20

accessible icon photo by gail worley
Photos By Gail

The original International Symbol of Access (image below) was designed in 1969 by Susanne Koefoed. Enlarged above is the Accessible Icon, a recent redesign that portrays a person in forward motion, propelling through space. Surrounded by small images that depict various iterations, the new symbol represents people in wheelchairs as dynamic, rather than static bodies. The Accessible Icon Project began as a social intervention with the goal of making cities more inclusive. Its symbol is open source and available in a multitude of formats and sizes. This image was designed by Tim Ferguson Sauder, Brian Glenney and Sara Hendren between 2009 and 2011.

wheelchair accessible symbol

Photographed in the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum in Manhattan.

East Village Life: Photos of Social Distancing From My Neighborhood Walks!

May19

Cure Covid Meme
Brilliant Cure Covid Meme: Origin Unknown. All Other Non-Meme Images By Gail

Hello and welcome to week four of My Covid East Village Life! This week we are checking in with the act of Social Distancing, Masking-up, and related Covid Memes! Fun!  Let’s get to isolating!

Mask Instructions Meme

First off, if you’re not wearing a fucking mask every time you leave your house, I have ZERO sympathy for you if you get the virus.

trader joes mascot beary

A Trader Joe’s market opened in my immediate neighborhood earlier this year and shopping there for delicious food has allowed me to keep my shit together. Like most stores, TJ‘s began requiring customers to wear face masks a week or so into lockdown; which I have no problem complying with, because I am not a selfish cunt. Even Beary, the store’s mascot, is masked-up, as we all should be.

delphine in fancy mask photo by gail

This mask with Red Rringe — worn by my very fashionable neighbor, Delphine — is definitely the fanciest face-covering I’ve seen.

dog in a mask photo by gail worley

Tiny dog, which I was told is a Miniature Pinscher, in a mask, spotted in the East River Park. He is saying: “Mask-up, Bitches!”

mask graffiti photo by gail worley

Mask graffiti on the LES.

Attn Runners Flyer Photo By Gail

Flyer seen in my neighborhood. Zero sympathy for the Chads and Karens as well.

wear a mask sign at duane reade photo by gail

Rules like this make me feel safer. Thank you, NYC, for giving a shit!

Covid Traffic Warning Photo By Gail Worley

There is literally no excuse for not knowing the rules.

This Post Is Observing Social Distancing! More Photos After the Jump!

Continue reading →

Bantam Bagels Offers a Gift For Graduating Seniors!

May18

Bantam Pretzel Bagels

Being a bit of a foodie, but also someone who is not very experimental when it comes to my own cooking, the thing I miss most since NYC went into lockdown is eating a variety of foods. Fortunately, there are many tasty frozen food options (especially when you are looking for breakfast foods that are different, tasty, and also convenient) and one of my favorite discoveries is Bantam Bagels stuffed bagel bites. I was first turned-on to  Bantam Bagels delicious mini stuffed-bagels at the Summer Fancy Food Show in 2018, where I was blown away by the innovative taste of oven- toasted bagels stuffed with scrambled eggs and cheese. Two thumbs up, for sure!

bantam bagel bites photos by gail worley
Bantam Bagel Bites Booth Display from SFFS18

If you’d like to give Bantam Bagels a try, and happen to be among the Graduating Class of 2020, check this out: through May 22nd, Bantam Bagels is running a campaign for graduating seniors. To celebrate graduation, and the stuffed Bantam Pretzel Bagel (pictured above), the company is giving three (3) Graduating Seniors a chance to win a year’s supply of Mini Stuffed Bagels!

Here’s How To Enter:

  1. Post your Senior Picture — or nominate a friend with their photo — on Instagram
  2. Tag @bantambagels and use hashtag #bantamsforayear
  3. Tell us why you/they deserve to win this reward in the caption!

This Pretzel Bagel stuffed with Cheddar Dijon Cream Cheese is Oprah’s personal favorite, so you know it must be good. Please share this post with any graduates you know, and wish them good luck!

Modern Art Monday Presents: Florine Stettheimer, Family Portrait I

May18

family portrait I photo fs by gail worley
Photo By Gail

In Florine Stettheimer’s frequent group portraits, her family and friends are not only clearly identifiable, but represented in attitudes that express their inner selves — an idea with roots in Symbolist painting of the late nineteenth century.  In Family Portrait I (1915), she shares an elegant afternoon outdoors wither sisters and mother. Ettie, at left with a Japanese parasol is turned away, conversing with Carrie, who gazes at the viewer. Florine, too, looks outward, presiding over each bouquet of flowers and a dish of fruit that pays homage to the apples of Paul Cezanne. Their mother, Rosetta, the proper Victorian in black, is reading a novel by Ettie, the family intellectual.

Thick brushwork, deep jewel-tone colors, shallow perspective, and  wealth of surface pattern all suggest Stettheimer’s familiarity with Post-Impressionist painters such as Pierre Bonnard and Paul Gauguin, infused with her own brand of social perceptiveness

Photographed in the Jewish Museum in NYC.