NYC Stores – “Mooshoes” or Vegan Shoes in the LES

78 Orchard Street, New York

Walking around Orchard Street and the Lower East Side is always an opportunity for great findings and learning about new products and trends. Mooshoes started selling vegan shoes 4 or 5 years ago, when probably this type of shoes was still labelled as “cruelty free” or “vegetarian”. In the last year or two the branding as evolved to the “vegan” concept and the assortment and quality of shoes has significantly improved. The “vegan” Dr. Martens are probably the most recognizable item, however other smaller European and North American brands are worth a visit to this store. Even for non vegans.

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Perfect Pastries at La Portineria

Via Reggio Emilia 22, Rome, Italy

La Portineria is a place where the fruit, chocolate, cream and crust blend in miniature pastries that delight the palate and the eye.

The small size of these pastries and their creative design invite a prolonged exploration of flavors and textures: white chocolate and orange, dark chocolate and raspberries and much much more.

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NYC Stores – “As Seen on Kickstarter” Pop-up Shop

312 Bowery – From November 13, 2015 to December 31, 2015

Pop-up shops offer the opportunity to experiment with uncommon and creative store concepts. For a few weeks, the Bowery features a shopping window with the most successful Kickstarter products that are designed to work with Apple products. The idea of having Kickstarter-themed store is interesting and it could be expanded also outside the Apple ecosystem. By the way: I have no clue on whether and how the levitating light bulb featured in the picture could be used with an iPhone or a Mac.

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NYC Stores – Designer’s Truck

Stores and commercial activities are a significant component of the city’s image and lifestyle. In Downtown Manhattan you can find pop up shops, hyper-specialized stores and truck shops that define emerging trends or simply cater to the needs of micro-segments of potential clients.

This a series of notable stores that I found while walking below 23rd street.

Let’s start with the Designers’ Truck. Nowadays, food trucks are everywhere. A truck where you can be clothes and accessories created by local designers is something quite new. The truck is a smart way to further optimize the commercial and parking real estate space in Manhattan. Exploring the interior of the truck has the flavor of a private visit and conversation with the designers. Overall, it is a nice experience!

Designers' Truck