Bittersweets NY was created in 2002 by a girl who used to work at a foundry, welding and finishing art for famous people and housewives. In order to pay expensive NY rents she found a warehouse in Long Island City where she could live cheaply and still bike to work. The ground floor was home to several night clubs that switched from topless, to full nudity, to salsa, on a rotating basis. After 2 1/5 years living there-to avoid comparisons to Flashdance and a coked up neighbor, she moved from her spacious 1200 square foot studio, gave up sculpting and her foundry job, and started making jewelry in her new tiny apartment. The idea behind Bittersweets NY is making something exquisite out of the everyday objects and designs that are taken for granted. Why reinvent the wheel? The first project, Bloodlust Princess, was a matching necklace, beltbuckle, tiara and mini ashtray set based on the design of the dollar store Vampire Teeth available once a year for Halloween. Of the four items from the orignal set, the Classic Vamp Necklace, now cast in solid sterling silver, is still in production. The sterling silver Heart n Dagger was inspired by true love, of course. And the Maggot and Earthworm series stay within the ideology of borrowing a design from another tried and true source...nature. Bittersweets New York opened a retail shop on Broadway in Brooklyn. There you can find all sorts of bittersweet surprises including one of a kind pieces. Stop in, if you dare!
Bittersweets is located in the Financial District neighborhood of Manhattan. The financial hub of the United States, the seat of New York City government, and home to some of New York's oldest buildings, the Financial District has an illustrious history. 17th century settlers began building here, and given the many seafarers of the time, boats could be conveniently docked at one of the slips right near the settlements of wooden homes. Right nearby, in the heart of the district is Federal Hall, where George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the United States in 1789, also the meeting site for the First Congress. New York City was both the capital of the United States and New York State at the time. The street names reflect the district's fascinating history: Fulton Street, named after Robert Fulton, the inventor of the steamboat; Maiden Lane, originally called Magde Platje in Dutch; Beaver Street, recalling the once-significant beaver pelt trade, etc. The area today houses some great economic powerhouses, including the headquarters of major banks, the New York Stock Exchange, in addition to the World Financial Center. Contrasts are extraordinary, from old two- and three-story old brick buildings near South Street Seaport to the nearby modern mega-skyscrapers. Some of the numerous other attractions include Fraunces Tavern, where George Washington bid farewell to his troops (also, they have a museum!); the newly-landscaped City Hall Park; the Museum of the American Indian and the US Custom House at Bowling Green; Trinity Church, the first parish church in New York City and the resting place of Alexander Hamilton and Robert Fulton, among others; War Of 1812 strong hold Castle Clinton; the Staten Island-bound South Ferry; Battery Park; and the Federal Reserve Bank. Sadly, the biggest attraction since 9/11 has been the former World Trade Center site, although, thankfully, construction has finally filled the long-standing gouge in Lower Manhattan's face, and the stunning 9/11 Memorial and its attendant museum are welcome signs of a healing city. And, of course, soaring a symbolic 1,776 feet over the memorial is the new 1 World Trade Center!
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