Introducing Bernard, the elephant

We have been working really hard at the store to complete the displays and I'm happy to report we are ahead of schedule. We just had a walk through with the corporate office this week and it went very well. I've included some photos below of Bernard the elephant and an orange and lemon screen made out of dehydrated fruit but the final reveal with some high quality pictures including some custom paintings and a rock and bamboo fountain will be coming in 2 more weeks when all the projects are 100% finished.

 I have had to assemble a lot of the display directly on the floor (or ceiling) while customers are in the store so I've had a lot more interaction with people interested in the work I do. Some just want to stop and watch for a little bit while others have asked for custom works for their homes. It definitely makes it easier to pick up side projects if I feel like doing some extra work on the weekends - the only downside is the lack of power tools that are able to fit in a NYC apartment. The most exciting customer I've talked to recently is in the process of writing a book on creativity and asked if she could contact me for an interview so I'm looking forward to that. Another great part of my job is that I'm learning more about plants! I have been setting the tone for each store concept with a lot of plant life and some of my favorites are these braided stump trees with hand crafted lemons made by the whole staff and the dreadlock looking plants seen in the picture below. 

 Other than work, I checked out "queens comfort" which was showcased on diners, drive ins, and dives with some friends from out of town. It didn't live up to the expectations but it was still a fun experience with friends. The Chicken and Waffles from Southside Grill in Cleveland is still the best I've had so far. BUT I was very impressed with "the Astor Room" in Astoria - We stopped by for a happy hour before queens comfort where we got 2 for 1 fancy cocktails made the old fashioned way complete with orange peels being set on fire for a garnish. We also got to enjoy a Ukrainian couple's 50th wedding anniversary festivities as we sipped. Overall a great weekend. Happy New York City Restaurant week to all!