We interrupt MY regularly scheduled programming…
My everyday life is a series of routines, and I like it that way, except when I don’t, and it’s usually about that time when I start thinking about getting out of dodge… So earlier this week when I had the chance to break routine and meet Tim in New York, sans kids, I jumped ship almost before I had childcare nailed down… They’re 13 and 7, they can take care of themselves right? Besides, this wasn’t just any couples getaway, Tim was in New York for the grand opening of his latest project, #837NYC, and I was invited to join him for the opening events! Because Tim is the Vice President in charge of this project it played a very large part in our family’s every day life for the past 2+ years. Finally seeing it come to life was such an awesome experience and I am so proud of him!
You Might Be Wondering: What is #837NYC?
#837NYC is Samsung’s new flagship space located in the heart of the Meatpacking District in Lower Manhattan and the address is 837 Washington Street. The official twitter feed calls it a place where tech and culture collide and if Monday’s activities are any indication of what the future holds then I absolutely agree! I spent most of the afternoon getting to meet the amazing team of people who helped make this place a reality while trying out many of the building’s interactive exhibits. Here are a few of my favorites:
The Social Galaxy
My favorite experience was the Social Galaxy exhibit created by a company called Black Egg. A tunnel lined floor to ceiling with mirrors and Samsung devices of all sizes, the Social Galaxy, immerses you in your own Instagram feed and in essence brings it to life. Your personal images, captions and hashtags are displayed randomly all around you and at the same time a computer voice reads them out loud. It’s a massive display of sights and sounds, all your own, but viewed in a completely new light. As you walk further into the tunnel the display of your personal images becomes enmeshed with other Instagram feeds from around the world. There was something so cool about this experience, and I absolutely loved it!
Keep in mind that although I had the opportunity to walk through the Social Galaxy exhibit on my own, most visitors will be experiencing the space with others, many of whom you may not know. If you are at all worried about sharing your personal photos in the company of others or if you don’t have an Instagram account you can enter any account as long as it’s settings are public. Accounts with a private setting won’t work. We entered a random account and discovered a Dawson’s Creek super fan! Funny!
The Selfie Station
Imagine seeing your selfie projected on a screen three stories high! Like most people, I take the occasional selfie, so I thought this interactive selfie experience was pretty fun. Stop at the Selfie Station, take your photo with the already mounted phone, hit approve and like magic there you are much larger than life. The image on the screens is made up of over 60,000 other images. Don’t worry it will stay up for a few moments, so you’ll have time to pose for a photo with your selfie!
Florence + Machine
What was already an incredible day ended with a live performance by Florence + Machine! They were the perfect choice to showcase the acoustics of the space! It was an amazing show and I felt so honored to be there celebrating the opening of this lovely space with everyone who had worked so hard to make it a reality.
There are so many other things to explore at #837NYC, but you’ll have to go and visit to see for yourself!
Anonymous
Fabulous
Anonymous
So cool!
Loren Gordon
Hilary – thanks for sharing the story and photos. Love it!
baublesandknots
Very cool!