First Look
In mid-July, Pier 3 in Brooklyn Bridge Park will open to the public with an interactive labyrinth (nr. Clark St. and Furman St., Brooklyn Heights).
1. Plaza: An area reserved for programmed events like small performances and readings.
2. Labyrinth: Made of hedges of varying sizes and interspersed with sensory elements including kaleidoscope mirrors, salvaged 1-train tracks, and rotating granite stones.
3. Lawn: An acre of open green space with black-locust logs for seating, plus 554 newly planted trees.
4. Gardens: Concrete planting beds with juniper trees; Adirondack chairs and umbrellas for shaded relaxing.
2x2: Gradient Glasses
Lemonade enhancers.
Three Colors
Short: Poketo Gradient Glasses, $48 at poketo.com.
Tall: Dechem Bandaska Vase, $327 at pamono.com.
Two Colors
Short: Tom Dixon Bump Short Glasses, $65 at tomdixon.net.
Tall: Wade Logan Ombre Taper Vase, $73 at wayfair.com.
He Said, He Said
This month, old friends Kurt Bollers and Eric Esquilin will open a ’70s-inspired comic-book shop in the West Village (304 W. 11th St.).
Kurt: In the ’90s, I sold comics on the street. I sold a copy of The Amazing Fantasy No. 15 for $3,700. Today, it’d be worth over $37,000.
Eric: The shop is pretty much a mom-and-pop comic-book store. Behind the counter, we’ll keep stuff like signed editions of Batman Dark Nights: Metal and The Amazing Spider-Man No. 798. I just went to MegaCon in Florida to get signed copies of Spawn No. 285. We will go anywhere to buy a book or dig through a filled-up storage unit to find stuff.
Kurt: Maybe not anywhere. Within reason.
Ask a Shop Clerk
Gerard Masci of Lowercase, the only NYC-made-eyewear brand, has a pop-up in July at the Wythe Hotel (80 Wythe Ave.).
I hear you make every pair?
“I literally make every pair, which, five years ago, when I was working in finance, I had no idea how to do. It’s a secretive business — there’s no glasses school — so I mostly watched short little YouTube videos. Some people can’t believe I actually make sunglasses with my own hands. I’ve had to show them a video of me doing it to get them onboard.”
How to
In June, ultramaximalist-makeup site Il Makiage opened a Stateside pop-up (490 Broadway). Co-founder Shiran Holtzman-erel on how to achieve a dramatic, anti-Glossier eye look.
1. “Apply Jackpot — our metallic-green eye shadow ($29) — all over the eyelid, using our 188 Cream Shader Brush ($30), which is flat with a rounded tip.”
2. “Use the same brush to apply a silver eye shadow — like Worth It ($29) — around the outer frame of the green shadow. Then blend those two to create a gradient look.”
3. “Finish it off with a few coats of our Icon Mascara ($30). Make sure to separate the lashes — then you’ll get that super-crazy fanned-out effect.”
Top Five
Fernando Aciar, who recently opened a kiosk at Williamsburg’s North 3rd Street Market for his cheerful ceramics, on his favorite cappuccino mugs and hand-cut tiles (103 N. 3rd St.).
“Doesn’t this jar ($120) have a funny neck? I shape it with wet sponges. I love it for water. But also for white wine in the summer. Or lemonade. With mint.”
“The cappuccino cup ($28) was one of the first pieces I ever made. They’re friendly-looking, which seems right, because design should be approachable.”
“I make my breakfast bowls ($35) in all different colors. This is dipped in yellow. When you eat out of it, you feel … not necessarily healthy, but fresh.”
“The handle on this ear cup ($45) is cut with a cookie cutter. I used to be afraid of handles; now I’m into them!”
“I cut these tiles (from $25) by hand with a ruler and a knife. I have 12 different patterns. I actually prefer when they’re not perfectly straight and flat.”
*This article appears in the July 9, 2018, issue of New York Magazine. Subscribe Now!