Ellis Island

Some lovely old posters and things from the Ellis Island museum. Why can't things look this nice anymore?

Ellis island

We took a trip to Ellis island, which used to be where all immigrants were held while the authorities decided whether they would be let into New York or sent home. It's worth a visit, it's very moving to think of what those people had to go through. And coming from a family that has moved around for the last 4 generations, it means a lot to me too.
Top image is the main hall where people would have had to wait to have their papers processed.
Middle image is an eye test to be used for people who were illiterate or whose language didn't use the European alphabet. People found to be ill, mentally or physically, or who were not able to support themselves, were sent home. The US also imposed quotas, different numbers for different countries, and once that number of people had arrived, all those behind them were turned away. Quotas for places like England were always disproportionately higher than places like China.
The bottom image is a campaign poster that would have been common around the turn of the last century.

Bleak Coney Island

Coney Island is quite possibly the most depressing place that I have ever been. But it's still quite amazing.

Beach

Delighted to find out that we can get to the beach on the subway from NY in an hour and a half!

Dia Beacon

We took a little train trip upstate to go to Dia:Beacon. Which is, without exception, the most amazing gallery space I have ever seen. You can't really convey it with photos. But there's just so much space! And it's almost entirely lit by natural light. And the work wasn't too bad either!

postcards

Many many amazing postcards were bought at various flea markets and stoop sales around New York. My particular favourites (apart from this little gem, obviously) were on the subject of prisons, car parks, Holiday Inn, man eating fish and some very dubious photo editing. To see more, head over to my ephemera blog, daily miscellany, where I will post the lot. Eventually.

murals

Coney Island Type

It may be crap, but Coney Island has some amazing signage!

Harvard Natural History Museum

Flowers made of glass. Hard to believe but I assure you it is true.

Harvard Natural History Museum

I am a little bit too keen on taxidermy!

Rocks

ICA Boston

We went to the ICA Boston. All I can say is that it was $15 not very well spent at all. Be Warned.

Mark I

Harvard has the first computer, just sitting in the hallway. And very odd it is too. I even has a few typewriters connected to it.

MIT 2

The two most exciting things at MIT: The ROBOTS! Some students were making robots to stick inside teddies and things which made the workshop look a bit odd with teddy body parts strewn around among robotic arms. The second most exciting thing was this 3D printer that carved your face out of chocolate. I think the brief was to make a 3D printer for under $100. Pretty cool eh?

MIT 1

A friend of Toby's has a brother who is studying at MIT and he took us round the media lab, which is nothing short of awesome! Full of mad scientist students making cool things and getting paid for it by big companies. The top photo is a digital harp that has several sets of strings and people can stand inside it and play it. Next is one of the workshops, below that is a set of shelves just casually full of prosthetic foot prototypes. And this was all just 2 rooms. The whole place was so full of amazing things that I couldn't even begin to document them here!

Boston

Toby and I finished work and after a very hazy weekend took the greyhound to Boston to have a little nosy around and stay with my aunt and uncle.

Kaye Blegvad

I have been hanging out with the very talented Kaye Blegvad these past few weeks in New York. She has lovely work, you should really look at it:
http://kayeblegvad.blogspot.com/
http://www.kayeblegvad.com/

Colour Collective

Colour Collective is a great little blog that takes colour samples from all sorts of lovely images (mostly fashion). Great for design geeks.

Gay Marriage

"If you don't like gay marriage, don't get gay married."
Quite.

mermaids at coney island

We went to the Mermaid Parade at Coney Island. Costumes were made. I had a lobster on my head. There was much mirth.

The best Shop window in the history of the world

I have no idea what the shop sells (it was closed) or what on earth is going on here. All I know is it is a lot of cats, in colour order, all facing towards the virgin mary. Inspired.

Elephant props

I think I have found my calling in life. Getting paid to wander round prop houses is the best thing ever!

Conrad Botes

Loved this print by Conrad Botes.

Claes Oldenburg

Claes Oldenburg
Rather cool sculptures.
Photo via Flickr.

Heather Chontos

I have lucked out and got a bit of work with Heather Chontos as her assistant on a few food shoots! She's a very talented prop stylist and I am super excited about working with her. Especially as I assume it means I will get to take home all the excess food at the end!

NY Public Library 100 years exhibition

New York Public Library is having an exhibition of some of the amazing things in their collection to celebrate being around for 100 years. There was so much amazing stuff there, but this really caught my eye. It's an anti Semitic children's book made in Nazi Germany, which is heinous and not why it caught my eye! Click on the image to see the type a bit bigger. I've never seen anything like it, it's so unusual and beautiful. Just such a shame it's in such a book. (click on the image to get a better look).