09.21.08
The Editors | Miscellaneous

Design Observer's Aniversary Party: 11.05



Design Observer will celebrate five years with a party in New York City on Wednesday, November 5. The party will take place at Element (the beautiful 19th century bank building that became the Jasper Johns studio), located at 225 East Houston Street.

7pm-9pm: Cocktail hour. Meet authors and contributors. Jessica Helfand will be signing her new book, Scrapbooks: An American History. Lots of friends, so join us.

9pm-2am: Music curated by Kevin Smith (aka DJ Chroma), who will DJ along with Debbie Millman (Sterling Brands president turned disco diva), and, of course, the great Gary Hustwit (Mr. Helvetica himself).

We have timed our party to celebrate the election, which happens the day before. So save the date, tell friends, come. [The password is easy to remember: Design Observer.]

Note: Club rules require all attendees to be 21 and to show ID. No one under 21 will be admitted. We apologize to students under 21 who were hoping to come...






Comments [37]

Sometimes I wish I lived in NYC.
Ricky Irvine
09.21.08
11:56

Ahh... and sometimes I'm never happier that I don't. Nothing says "gouge my eyes out" than being in a room of designers jockeying for the attention of StarDesigners.
bobestes
09.22.08
12:03

Bobestes, Our party is open to all. We promise a lot of music and dancing. Designers are usually a friendly group -- I know the hosts are. There is nothing elitist about the invitation to join us that evening. Instead of being nasty, please join us.
William Drenttel
09.22.08
12:14

No way bobestes... the Design Observer party in Denver was a good time, and totally very free of star-designer pandering, as best I could tell.
Ryan Nee
09.22.08
12:28

"Sometimes I wish I lived in NYC." - Ricky Irvine.

totally! :-)
akrokdesign
09.22.08
03:43

> Designers are usually a friendly group -- I know the hosts are

Although their (our) mood will probably depend on the results of said previous night. 50% chance of major pouting!
Armin
09.22.08
05:51

I was thinking the same thing, Armin. But then I figure it's either a "celebratory dancing" situation or a "dance your worries away" situation ;)
Jw
09.22.08
07:43

Armin, I think your 50% estimate is nicely diplomatic!
Michael Bierut
09.22.08
01:42

remember, there's always the tradition of partying after a funeral: i.e, the irish wake, the new orleans funeral march, etc....but let's hope it doesn't come to that!
plakaboy
09.22.08
04:55

have fun. wake or celebration.
jsc
09.22.08
06:58

well done, dude
jabswact
09.22.08
07:21

Happy 5th
Jason Tselentis
09.23.08
01:11

I can't believe you actually wrote 'music curated by' with a straight face, or was your face not straight.
burntdownhouse
09.23.08
06:02

Hey, that's my 25th Birthday! Happy 5th Anniversary DO!
tv
09.24.08
12:14

Is everyone welcome or is there a list?
Ken Bakhtin
09.26.08
12:51

Ken Bakhtin, there is no list. Everyone is welcome. Just whisper the secret password: [hint: Design Observer].
William Drenttel
09.26.08
08:40

Love you guys n gals. Well done, keep up the good work! Party on, and bring your love to La la land sometime.
zh
09.27.08
05:01

Yeah, happy fifth DO. Have a fun party!
Ralphy
09.29.08
11:52

“… the desire to orchestrate in multiples remains at the core of so much of who we are. It's probably not the urge to get it right that keeps us coming back for more, but a series’ capacity for endless iteration that draws us in, makes us wonder, pushes us to see something differently.”

I’ll be missing the 5th anniversary party, so for me, what fun to fashion a notion of a theme for DO’s big do: a routine where the women of design, all wearing black, line-up, forming a grid from youngest fresh-face to the most mature timeworn as in the mallomars. The series are definitely us. We’ll be celebrating in a converted bank building not far from Wall Street where it would be fitting to have screens show Oakes’ sequences for I.O.U.S.A. Tailor made animations could include salary survey data and maybe the disparity in pay between female and male designers doing the same job. Is there time to design a mock DO5 ticket emblazoned with $2,000+ to be given as party favors? Having a film crew capture said choreography and attendees enjoying the venue would be a great investment for DO6’s VJ.
I hope you all have a blast.

Note: As it is a dog eat dog world we could include male black-clad designers in this.

DOG EAT DOG
It's dog eat dog--I'm just waking up
The dove is in the dungeon
And the white-washed hawks pedal hate and call it love
Dog eat Dog
Holy hope in the hands of
Snakebite evangelists and racketeers
And big wig financiers

Dog eat Dog
On prime time crime the victim begs
Money is the road to justice
And power walks it on crooked legs
Prime--Time--Crime
Holy hope in the hands of
Snakebite evangelists and racketeers
And big wig financiers

Where the wealth’s displayed
Thieves and sycophants parade
And where it’s made--
the slaves will be taken
Some are treated well
In these games of buy and sell
And some like poor beast
Are burdened down to breaking

Dog eat dog
It's dog eat dog, ain’t it Flim Flam man
Dog eat dog, you can lie, cheat, skim, scam
Beat'em any way you can
Dog eat Dog
You'll do well in this land of
Snakebite evangelists and racketeers
You could get to be
A big wig financier

Land of snap decisions
Land of short attention spans
Nothing is savored
Long enough to really understand
In every culture in decline
The watchful ones among the slaves
Know all that is genuine will be
Scorned and conned and cast away

Dog eat dog
People looking, seeing nothing
Dog eat dog
People listening, hearing nothing
Dog eat dog
People lusting, loving nothing
Dog eat dog
People stroking, touching nothing
Dog eat dog
Knowing nothing
Dog eat dog

—Joni Mitchell

Shahla
09.30.08
05:46

ah! joni mitchell. i forgot about this one, 1985. perfect for the occasion. had fun just now researching it and reading reviews. woof!

happy birthday DO!
rk
10.01.08
08:03

i won't be there because the music is gonna suck (is this facebook?)
leslie smith
10.03.08
06:42

Happy Birthday! Wish i could join you all. I am far away in Bahrain.
unnikrishna menon damodaran
10.04.08
08:08

Love to come. Hopefully some of us from the Paul Rand generation will be there too.
Emerson
10.05.08
06:06

Oh doggone it! I should have put my comment here, cuz it means job creation and health care and ... uh ...

Anyway, thanks for votin' for me and for plannin' to celebrate my election!
Sarah "Sixpack" Palin
10.05.08
08:10

maybe have the 6th anniversary by the bay -- in sf? i'd love to be in nyc for this -- but i'm stuck on the left coast.

i have to say i'm quite dismayed by the snarky comments -- in these times, it is inspiring to have something to celebrate -- especially, the continued existence and promotion of our shared, collective creativity as designers.
chandra renee walker
10.26.08
11:50

DO DO HAVE FUN AND HAPPY BIRTH!
pat Taylor
10.28.08
11:20

The folks at HUGE look forward to seeing you there!
PatriciaKM
10.29.08
06:52

I suspect there will be some groggy heads from the night before, either from celebration or mourning. Hope it doesn't impact turnout!
Matt
10.30.08
03:38

Congratulations on your five year anniversary. Thanks for the debates, inspiration and amusement, and for helping bring our industry together. Best wishes for the next five!
Mike W
11.01.08
03:08

Hopefully someone will have a chance to thank Steven Heller for his celebration of GOP campaign buttons in the New York Times.
Cindy McCain
11.03.08
12:07

heller goes to bed at 7:35pm (to get up at 4.20am)

no sleep for the tireless.. see you there!
felix sockwell
11.03.08
01:37

I think there might now only be a 40% chance of major pouting!

I'm there! Oh yeah.
james Reyman
11.03.08
05:55

Certainly would love to be there but I'll be teaching a class in lovely Baltimore at the time. But all the best on your 5th Anniversary and I raise a virtual glass to many, many more.
Rob
11.04.08
11:22

...this building was also home to the defunct NY Gentleman's Club (RIP).
Brian Ponto
11.04.08
05:11

Now I can attend your party and have a ball instead of having a bawl.
james Reyman
11.05.08
10:11

When you witness a group of designers that join together to celebrate because of the content and culture created by a website, you know it's special. Thanks for a great event.
Gavin Wassung
11.06.08
11:50

I can throw a party like this....invite everyone to a hip club...and then let them pay for their own drinks...
like 5 bucks for a coke in a plastic cup?!
edward johnson
11.06.08
01:21


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