MAD, consumer.

Last night Susan and I went to the Museum of Art and Design ("MAD") on Columbus Circle. I'd actually never heard of it before, and though the organization has been around for decades, I gather their current building and location is relatively new - as in, within the past couple of years. I didn't expect to be quite as charmed as I was by the current exhibit of industrial ceramics – "Object Factory", but the creativity/innovation/overall awesomeness displayed in the works of the exhibit's contributing artists was actually quite astounding. You can see more at the previously highlighted link for the exhibition. Go for it.

So as mentioned, I indeed delved into some Consumerism yesterday, in the form of mostly benign (and easy-on-the-wallet) snooping around in the Strand and then some of the cheapo shops in SoHo before meeting up briefly with the lovely and amazing Rachel. As usual, the siren song of H&M lured me in, fortunately with minimal impact upon my finances. Ditto for Uniqlo, which I have had a hard time warming to, largely due to their vast and monotonous stock of such things as, say, polo shirts in 50 different colors. This bores me. However, I was able to find a deeply discounted shirt of which I am fond:

Who can resist a Dalmatian-y print? And to the tune of $5 USD? Not me, that's who. Woof.

I briefly stopped into the recently-opened (and much ballyhooed) NY location of the UK's Topshop – and quickly realized this was not the place for me... man, there were way too many sequins in there, thank God I got out before I had a seizure or something. I can't take that much SHINY. TOO SHINY. My GOD.

So as for the book front: the art section of the Strand – despite being populated by SUPER cranky book stockers (their employees have enough angry energy to either power a small country, or to spontaneously blow it up with the sheer force of their negativity) – was wholly enlightening in that I learned of a Francis Bacon show which just opened up at the Met. Now I just have to decide whether I can fit this into the agenda of gallery and museum sightings, or whether I'm Baconed out from previous shows I've seen at the Centre Pompidou and the Musée Maillol and such... but we shall see. I am definitely fond of the Bacon... stay tuned.