Design Observer 5-Year Anniversary Party

November 7, 2008 • 1:48 pm • POSTED BY adamrgarcia

On Wednesday, November 5th, Kelly Dorsey and myself (Adam Garcia) went up to New York to celebrate Design Observer’s 5th Anniversary party at Element in Manhattan.

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After arriving at 30th Street Station in Philly, we realised that our train was 1 hour and 15 minutes late.

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So Kelly decided she’d nap it out for a few minutes.

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After careful deliberation, we decided to grab a drink and some chicken skewers from the in-station pub, but didn’t end up having enough time, so we got ‘em to go.

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Once in New York, our friend and fellow designer Bryan Haker told us to meet him at Tom & Jerry’s. We caught up briefly, then threw a few back and liquid-couraged our way to the Party…

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In the main entrance of the Design Observer Anniversary Jam, there was a stack of Obama posters for the takin’. A welcome image, indeed.

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Kelly and Bryan played the wall while I did some reconnaissance upon arrival.

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The crowd was thick, and the music was pretty on-point, also. I think the deejay was rockin’ “Buddy” by De La Soul as we made our way to the bar.

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…and had our first round of $12 dollar gimlets. Oops.

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An alcohol-soaked poster wallpapered the bar.

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We call this “ice grill” in the streets.

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We made our way to the dance floor.

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Then Kelly had a flash of xenophobia, and ran to hide.

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Kelly and Jan Wilker of KarlssonWilker take a moment to get a flick by candlelight.

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Jessica Helfand released a new book called “Scrapbooks” through Yale University Press and Winterhouse, and there were some available there for the browsing.

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I instinctively navigated to a page full of beautiful little monograms. Mmm.

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And check this mark out…

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Funny, we kept taking accidental pictures of Michael Beirut. He probably thought we were stalking him.

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I think they’re talking.

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We ran into Renda Morton and friends. Awesome folks.

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Then fellow MCAD alumnus Sam Sherman materialized.

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Another accidental Beirut photo. My guy Dan Dickson of DanIsGood is in the back there somewhere too. What’s up, Dan.

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This ghost-box floated above the dancefloor. We thought maybe 1,825 orange and gray balloons would fall out at midnight, to no avail.

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The staff at the party kindly gave away free DESIGN OB5ERVER tshirts, and I stuffed ‘em in my bag.

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And we headed out into the New York evening.

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We went to The Library down the street, for a nightcap as a ghostly Jesus watched us from the bar.

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I was surprised to see the 1987 conspiracy-suspense thriller Windmills of the Gods on the shelf.

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A luminescent collage is formed from faded stickers covering arcade game titles.

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Yes, its a glowing skull and be-wigged pony. It’s time to go sleep…

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But first, PIZZA!

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I got the best “Nighthawks at the Pizza Joint” shot I could of Haker and Kelly.

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And some girl walked in with awesome cowboy boots, so we shot ‘em.
(She didn’t even see us!) Now, back to Bryan’s apartment in Brooklyn to crash.

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Lil’ Kelly was all tuckered out.

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Bryan had some great work decorating his bookshelf.
Thanks for the hospitality, Haker!

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Hugging New York!