September 24, 2011

I Meditate NY has created an urban meditation series for the BMW Guggenheim Lab to be held every Saturday at 10 am from August 6 until October 15. This series introduces meditation to empower participants to contemplate what “comfort” means to them. It provides a technique for examining the inner environment to enhance the outer environment. Sessions aim to challenge comfort zones and provide a tool to create sustainable comfort: comfort that comes from within and goes with you. Each session includes an introduction to meditation.

An Archtober event

Image: courtesy I Meditate NY

To learn more about I Meditate NY visit: http://www.imeditateny.org.

An annual tradition for over 15 years, the First Street Block Party is an event that brings together neighbors and friends of the block for a day of fun and festivities. Come celebrate this year at a special edition of the block party as the BMW Guggenheim Lab joins in on the fun.

This year’s event will offer attendees an opportunity to try various foods (including chicken served by a resident of First Street who has made chicken for the annual block party since 1979), purchase goods from a diversity of vendors,* and enjoy live music on First Street between First and Second Avenues. Music will be performed by a variety of artists representing a diversity of styles, including jazz, soul, rock and roll, hip-hop, and R&B. The tunes will set the tone for the day as the yearly First Street Block Association flea market is joined by a host of new sellers. Vintage clothing, original artwork, jewelry, custom hats, pottery, textiles, sweets, and stationery are just a few of the offerings. The musicians will also have CDs for sale, and Frank 151 Magazine will be giving out magazines and stickers.

Come take part in a celebration of this gem of a street, and see what this neighborhood is all about.

*All proceeds from vendor fees will be donated by the Block Association to a local cause.

Event Video

Photo: used by permission under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 License from Art Institute of Portland

Who needs to outsource manufacturing anymore? Meet the kid-friendly future of manufacturing as the cooperative team of HTINK and the folks at MakerBot Industries bring their mobile mini-manufacturing plant to the BMW Guggenheim Lab. Whether you’re a real kid or just a kid at heart, a certified techie or confused by touchscreens, you’ll have fun using MakerBot’s mini 3-D printers to make your own gizmo, thingy, or doohickey. For young people and adults.

Image: courtesy Jonathan K. Santiago

Photo: courtesy Pash Buzari

Photo: by and courtesy Marlis Momber

Whether you have been a long-time resident of the East Village or Lower East Side, or are simply a temporary passerby feeling at home here, join us for an evening of storytelling based on your neighborhood experiences, hosted by local Mx Justin Vivian Bond. Described by the New Yorker as “the greatest cabaret artist of [v’s] generation,” Bond is known for v’s great voice and buoyant sense of humor. Come and share your neighborhood dreams, nightmares, histories, joys, and sorrows with Justin Vivian, and neighborhood guests including Laurie Weeks, author of ‘Zippermouth,’ singer Little Annie, artist Kembra Pfahler best known as The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black.

Photo: by Amos Mac