"Dynamos and Whirligigs" Solo Show from Horrible Adorables at PIQ Hudson Yards

    There are many ways you can open a brand new store.  You could have a local radio station stand out front blaring pop music and giving away concert tickets to performers I would have to Google search to identify. You could give away a year's worth of chicken sandwiches, or dress someone up like Pikachu and give them a sign to spin while dancing dangerously close to traffic.  Any of those things are sure to get you a fair amount of attention, but if you're opening up a designer toy and collectibles store you gotta try a bit harder than a new place to buy mattresses would.

     PIQ is set to open their new location at Hudson Yards in New York City and they are going big with husband and wife art duo Horrible Adorables.  They are hosting a show entitled "Dynamos and Whirligigs", featuring all new whimsical creations.  This is also the first time, I believe, that they will debut their brand new 3D sculpted and printed figure that you can see going for a balloon ride in the photo above.  Unlike myself, they are obviously not terrified of heights and thus able to enjoy their felt dirigible without working themselves into a bowel twisting panic.  I feel I've said too much.

    The show opens 5-7pm this Friday, March 15th on the 4th floor of the Shops at Hudson Yards ( 33rd & 10th, NYC).

Back for Seconds Custom Toy Show from Zard Apuya at PIQ

    Looking at these custom figures from Zard Apuya is making me ridiculously hungry.  I've been stuck inside all day from a snow storm and have just about eaten through all of our emergency rations.  Even the stale food that I somehow keep forgetting to throw out is starting to look appetizing as my boredom level reaches unprecedented heights.  And you know what's really cruel?  Most of what I would normally watch on tv is either in reruns or have been ditched in favor of continuous weather coverage in which they send reporters to different areas to confirm that yes, it is indeed snowing.  You know how interesting that is after about 20 minutes when all you want to do is go to the store and buy junk food?

   This Saturday you should really have a little something to eat before you see Zard's "Back for Seconds" custom show at PIQ in New York.  In case you have yet to scroll further or have not yet picked up on the prevailing theme of this post, everything is food related.  Just look at some of them and tell me that they don't make you feel like you haven't eaten in three days.  Those candy bar dudes especially look like the real thing, so if you're going make sure to exhibit self control and try not to bite one.  

    The show is opening at their Grand Central Terminal location right in Manhattan, and Zard himself will be hanging out from 2-4pm.  If you can't make it, the 60 (yeah I said 60) customs will be available online that day at www.piqgifts.com.  

Horrible Adorables Releases for New York Comic Con

    I just got back from visiting Yellowstone National Park and if you ever have the chance to go you better take it.  The scenery is breathtaking and there's critters everywhere.  I saw my first ever bear in the wild, along with a host of elk, pronghorns, mule deer, and buffalo.  And I hand fed a raven one of those Nature Valley granola bars.  He was working the parking lot trying to pick up scraps when he bounced over to my car.  I gave him a couple of pieces and with each one I got him closer and closer until finally I just held my hand out.  He would fill his beak, take his bounty to somewhere I couldn't see, then fly back and continue to peck at my hand.  I know they tell you not to feed the animals but I was pretty sure that a) he couldn't hurt me that badly and b) take me to forest jail if you must because it was too tempting to resist.  Will forest jail accept your bail money in pine cones?

    I did not see any critters of the Horrible Adorables variety while I was there, but I will see some in a few days at New York Comic Con, more specifically at the PIQ! booth #745.  Gaze upon these wondrous beasts and bring home some animal friendly taxidermy to spruce up your living space.

    

All City Style Custom Show at PIQ in Grand Central Terminal This Weekend

    New York can be an intimidating place, especially when it comes to the subway.  Not only is it confusing to figure out where you're going, but some of the stations look like they are preparing to film the next installment of the Saw franchise.  My best subway story, which I may or may not have told here before, started off innocently enough.  Sharon and I are standing on the platform, waiting for the train to arrive, and all of a sudden some lady pushes past us in disgust, continuously looking behind her, and mumbling "oh my God" over and over.  We turned to see what had got her in such a panic and no more than ten feet away from us was a grown man dropping the deuce.  Now when you think about pooping, which who doesn't, you picture someone squatting down.  Not this guy.  He was standing straight, sweat pants around his ankles, and growing a brown tail like it was as normal as checking your text messages.  Now try as I might to look away, I just couldn't.  It had nothing to do with the horror of what was happening as much as it had to do with making sure he came nowhere near us.  A man that will poop out in the open on a subway platform is a man that :

1.) is full of germs

2.) is probably a tad unstable and might decide that a stabbing is next on his to do list

    He finished his business, pulled up his pants, and got on the train like nothing was out of the ordinary.  We walked three cars up from where he got on (the recommended distance you should always have between yourself and someone who's committed such an act) and went about the rest of our day unable to speak of anything else.  

     My point behind this story is to say that the subway could use some sprucing up, and I don't mean with the random spattering of Scientologists and American Idol hopefuls it has now.  Bigshot Toyworks remembers a time when you could at least see colorful, albeit illegal, artwork adorning the sides of every train.  So much so that they created the All City Style subway train car so artists now can relive those days when Times Square was more Mad Max than Disneyland, and riding the subway meant getting an art show to go along with your mugging.

    A tone of artists have customized these cars to put on display this weekend at PIQ in Grand Central Terminal.  The show opens November 22nd and will feature tons of artists you know and love.  A listing of participants can be found in the picture waaaaaaaaay up at the top there.  

Tenacious Toys x Monster Kolor Custom Show at PIQ

   Tomorrow is Saturday and for many people that means not having to go to work.  I am not one of those people.  Nope, I'll be at work, making someone else richer.  But if you happen to be spending the day drenched in sweat from exploring the world and not from toiling away endlessly for the man, then you should check out the Tenacious Toys x Monster Kolor show at PIQ in New York City.  All the dates and times are right there in that handy flier you see.  Here are all the artists that are participating in the show:


D-LUX, 
Rampage Industries, 
Evilos, 
Forces of Dorkness, 
gorgoloid, 
Guumon, 
Jay222, 
John Cook Dooley, 
Josh Mayhem, 
Kid Ink Industries, 
Mark Nagata, 
MCA, 
MechaVirus, 
Michael Devera, 
Mr Munk, 
Prometheum 5, 
Shannon Deeds, 
Small Angry Monster, 
SoKo Cat, 
Erick Scarecrow, 
Sucklord

    And the cool thing is that the store is located right in Grand Central Station, which means if you don't feel like getting lost in the city you don't have too!