Art Store Discounts

Reviews

The delightful narration of Gordon Jenkins' "Manhattan Tower" lasts but 16 minutes, but is worth the price of the disc; the balance of the disc is made up of fillers, each of which has something to do with New York. These include well-known pieces such as Lullaby of Broadway, Give My Regards to Broadway, and Forty Second Street. Artists include Bernstein, Cohan, Paul Whiteman, Jo Stafford, Guy Lombardo, and Frank Sinatra. The disc runs 75 minutes, and is Mono.

Many of the songs on this recording are not available in sheet music, and although the sound quality isn't "leading edge" it makes me feel as though I am listening to actual performers back in the 30's & 40's, with young and gifted singers like Frank Sinatra, Jo Stafford, and Mel Torme, as well as others who are nameless or unknown to me on this album, and a delight to listen to. Manhattan Tower is why I bought this CD, and I got so much more from it than I bargained for. The illusion I have when I play it is that I am a young jazz artist in New York, feeling the pulse of the city and filling up with everything about being a part of New York.

I bought this CD for the Slaughter on Tenth Avenue soundtrack ballet by Richard Rodgers and Lennie Hayton. But none of the tracks on this CD can be appreciated. It is a mono recording, and that immediately leaves you with a very incomplete sound. No amount of treble and bass adjustment can eliminate the awful tinny sound throughout the disc.

Reviews

The chalks worked great and my daughter has fun drawing on her Melissa/Doug board, but the chalks were a little thin and broke all within the first day of opening them. Also they are very dusty, but still I would recommend them. I'm guessing that any chalk I bought would break easily.

My son (5 years old) and daughter (2) got this chalk first with the Melissa & Doug easel for Christmas -- they promptly brought the chalk outside and drew pictures and letters on every inch of sidewalk in front of my house and the neighbors. I was upset at first and thought now we would be out of chalk, but no! This box of chalk has lasted a long time -- the chalk is not as soft as some and so makes less mess and also lasts longer. This chalk has been great for both outside and the easel. It is colorful and encourages creativity. My children like to draw "maps" along the sidewalk and pretend they are playing with Dora, they draw letters, and of course dinosaurs, robots, the works! I love that the chalk is triangular -- this encourages the children learn how to hold them properly. I see some reviewers are concerned that it occasionally breaks when dropped. Our experience has been that this chalk breaks less than the chalk we had from Target marked "Sidewalk chalk" and less then the school-style white and yellow thinner chalk sticks. Maybe we just have softer sidewalks or lower expectations, I have no idea! For the price, I honestly think this is the best toy my kids have gotten in a long time and I am ordering 2 more boxes today!

Bought this chalk for my 2 year old last year for Christmas. He broke 4 of the pieces right away by just using them on his chalk board. I would not recommend this product. Not durable.

The other reviewers have it right: This is flimsy, easy-to-break chalk. Almost like its purpose IS to break, it breaks so easily. We purchased this for our daughters' chalkboard, and it shattered when they tried to use it, and of course, when it hit the floor, busted in to several tiny pieces. Trust us -- really bad stuff. Now the stuff we love (but only comes in a few colors) is Crayola's sidewalk chalk. They are HUGE sticks, write great and are pretty industrutible.

I bought this chalk because I liked the convenience of online shopping but in retrospect I think I should have gotten in the car and saved myself $4.00 and would have also gotten much more for the money.

Reviews

I thought the colors would draw brighter on concrete, but they're still sort of dull. Maybe this is standard for sidewalk chalk because all brands seem to be that way. The kids love it though. I always bring a box of sidewalk chalk along to Birthday parties in parks and there are always a group drawing things on the sidewalks or pavilions. These chalks are very sturdy. Even when trying to break them, it's tough to do (some kid always has to try & snap some chalk in 2!). This is the 1st set I've bought that didn't break to bits after a couple of uses. Also, they're not too dusty, so not much is left behind on hands & clothes.

This is a great value and a lot of fun for kids who like to color. The only thing I would have preferred is a durable case to keep the chalk in.

Great value. My kids have spent hours playing with the chalk. Doesn't brake easily like the cheap stuff.

The Crayola multi-colored chalk is beneficial for both adults and youth. Kids may use it for a number of art projects or for a standard chalk board. We also use it to draw erasable signs on different surfaces. For fun, family and artsy friends add to our group collage wall. As an example, for a child's party, the chalk was used to write "Happy Birthday" with large colorful letters on an outside wall, which we later hosed off easily. Although we appreciate the packaging made from recyclable carton, the former plastic tub was sturdier for the weight of this product. At a very reasonable price, this chalk was well worth the expense.

Overall a nice product because it gives you lots of different colors that other manufacturers don't. The sticks are shrink wrapped inside the box in groups of four which makes it rather time consuming to unpack. The sticks themselves are thinner than other brands which makes them go faster and makes for more breaking in the hands of the little ones.

Reviews

My son and his friends had a great time with the chalk. The 3-D part worked and they got very excited to draw more images of spaceships and monsters in our driveway. We had a great time with them and it helped to bring out their imaginations.

My sons wanted these 3-D chalks since they first saw them in the store and finally got them last month. What a great gift! Not only do they learn the concepts behind primary/secondary colors, but they have a great time coming up with new things to draw, turning our entire driveway into an art gallery which washes away with a good rain or the hose. You can't go wrong with sidewalk chalk but the added "3-D" experience just makes it cool. They work with any 3D glasses (not the red/blue type, the clear type) and once you figure out the secret behind the color combos and why they become 3D, you can use any sidewalk chalk for the same effect.

I bought this for my 2grandsons,and they just love it!I would recommend this item to every one who has kids!

Ten to fifteen dollars for a set of chalk probably seems expensive but this really is different and fun. The kids used over half of it the first day they got it and played with it for hours. It's also a pretty good way to teach them how the optical illusion of 3D works. Considering how many different toys are out there in this price range this is one of the best for the price. It's fun for the kids, since it's outdoor chalk it's not messy (inside :), it's educational and creative, and it doesn't take up a lot of room (i.e. it doesn't junk up the play room) or make annoying noises (or require batteries). It really is just about the perfect small gift. As a present that the kids will enjoy and the parents will still invite you over it's ideal.

All I can say is why didn't they have this when I was little!! The 3 d chalk is really cool. It is like the 3 d movies except the drawings don't fly at you. Makes the regular chalk seem old and boring. The only thing is the package comes with only one pair of 3 d glasses so only one person can use it at a time. I wish the chalk was bigger because of the price you have to use the chalk sparingly. I still recomment this chalk and intend on buying more. I guess I can use it as a reward system.

Reviews

This book uses shadows of real life scenes that become circus characters as a child anticipates the coming event. It's an apt exploration of a child's imagination, and would work well in a circus unit to discuss characters and expand vocabulary for a primary class.

My children and I also loved this book. It has hidden things to discover on many pages that relate to the circus and there is a story line to it if you think about what is happening...it is an art to tell a story with no/little words.

This book's description and what it was did not meet my expectations. I really thought that the shadows would more closely resemble circus items.

This book is very successful in linking real world to circus. I think the idea is just wonderful, and the illustrations are exquisite. The authors show that if we only open our eyes to every-day people, we will see how skillful they are in their jobs. It shows, for example, how a food carrier could be a STRONGMAN in the circus, and how a window cleaner could be a trapezist. I really agree with the idea, I think the circus is so great because it is a place where we open our eyes and our minds to the human abilities. I believe the book represents Emerson's phrase on his Nature essay: "Nature wears the colors of the spirit." So if you want your children (and yourself) to start watching and acting in the world, instead of seeing it, this book is a good beginning.

NOTHING! Paul Fleischman has created a story about imagination, about seeing the ordinary world around you with new eyes. It's a story about what COULD be, and about transcending what IS. Kevin Hawkes has given visual life to Mr. Fleischman's concept. It's a book which shows that children still have the capacity to see the world as a place of possibilities, while the adults nearby are oblivious to the wonderful circus of events taking place around them. This book is a masterpiece. After reading the other reviews posted for this delightful book, I can only observe that those who wrote them are like the adults in this book. As a society, we are accustomed to being entertained out the wazoo. We are passive observers, waiting for someone to "show us a good time." Mr. Fleischman's book takes me back to that time in my life when all I required to have a good time was a summer afternoon and back yard. My imagination supplied the rest. Sidewalk Circus is a great book to help you take out your imagination and dust it off. Buy it today.

Reviews

I would recomend this book to all the fashion seekers out there. This has good stuff!

This volume differs from most of the other photography books about the Japanese Street Fashion Cults in two major ways. First, unlike the majority of the other book-length color photo essays, it includes males. It's not just a collection of preteen and teenage fashion-crazed Japanese girls. Secondly, unlike its competition, it actually has some text explaining the history of the various fashion trends and fads illustrated in the book. That's useful information since for foreigners and other outsiders it's not always easy to see just how the various fashion styles actually differ especially since some of them are amalgamations of several trends. Some times the differences are really quite subtle. Also different from most of the other street fashion books currently available, this one includes five chapters including "Shibuya Girls and Guys," "Spectacular and Subcultural," "Youth Street Fashion," "The Stylish Female," "Young Men At Work." Each chapter includes samples, information on shops selling the fashions, the designers and some idea of cost and of course, lots of happy fashion devotees of the various styles pictured staring directly into the camera. Definitely unlike most of the other books on the youth culture fashions, this one includes lots of close-ups of details such as elaborate fingernail decoration and individual fashion accessories. This reviewer very much enjoyed the book except that some of the type fonts and layout styles made it unnecessarily hard to read quickly. I personally detest having to turn the book horizontal because some of the captions run up and down the sides of some of the vertical pictures. I'm also one of those people that never liked to turn "Playboy" sideways to better examine its centerpiece, so I'm an equal opportunity criticizer on that type of layouts. Otherwise this is an excellent guide to Tokyo Fashions for the teenage subcultures as well as the over-the-hill, aged thirty plus fashionistas who look wonderful in their more classic toned down fashions. The types of kimonos and elaborate hair styles typically worn during the "Coming-of-age Day, a national holiday in early January to honor all those who attained the age of 20 in the previous year" were quite lovely and harkened back to the ancient, colorful woodblock prints showing Feudal Japan. One of the kimonos pictured cost the young wearer 650,000 Yen. The traditional look kimonos are often updated with modern purses or other accent items. Another good book on these fashion subcultures is "Style Deficit Disorder: Harajuku Street Fashions-Tokyo" which also includes a decent amount of informative and helpful text but is more limited in the number of different fashion styles covered. This is the best over-all fashion guide that this reviewer has so far located.

I have been a big fan of Japanese fashion. I used to buy many Japanese fashion magazines to check out the latest styles, accessories, hairstyles, shoes and I can tell you that fashion in Japan has been a big interest for me. May it be the city of Shibuya where the hottest shops and the latest trends can be seen, the city of Harajuku where anything goes and you can easily go to a fast food restaurant and see a group in visual kei/goth style of clothing, the city of Daikanyama which seems to be a cross of Shibuya and Harajuku styles and then you have the chic, may it be Omotesandou which has its style of trendy but elegant and then Ginza which is elegant with those who have a more expensive taste in fashion. Tokyo is literally the mecca of fashions that takes in styles from the West and styles from Europe or styles that are inherently Japanese. There is no shame in some cities. It's the way how things are. So, I can' tell you how pleased I am when I read "THE TOKYO LOOK BOOK" by Philomena Keet and photos by Yuri Manabe. Well-written, well-researched and photography to pretty much finely showcase what anyone who goes through Japan can see in terms of fashion trends and various styles. The book is broken up by the following chapters: * CHAPTER I - Shibuya Girls and Guys - From Shibuya 109 and interviews with fashion designers Reiko Nakane of rienda and Miwa Mochizuki of Glad News. * CHAPTER 2 - Spectacular and Subcultural - Interviews with fashion designer h.Naoto (known for his designs which include Hangry & Angry), fashion designer Mana of Moi-meme-Moitie and Takuya Angel. * CHAPTER 3 - Youth Street Fashion - Looking at the Boutique: Dog, interview with Fashion Designer: Naoyuki Ohira of Team Message and Street Fashion Magazines: FRUiTS and TUNE. * CHAPTER 4 - The Stylish Female - Fashion Brand: Crystall Ball by GARCIA MARQUEZ gauche and Fashion Brand: THEATRE PRODUCTS * CHAPTER 5 - Young Men at Work - Fashion Designer: Kazuhisa Komura of 5351Pour les Homes and Workwear Shop: Mannenya What I enjoy about this book is how it is approached visually. The book features large photos and then a description of each photo of people that Keet and Manabe came in contact. Asking them about their clothing, accessories and pretty much interviewing the people featured. Keet does a great job in her coverage and part of the enjoyment is they go so far in capturing a variety of styles in Tokyo and so, there are literally literally over 200 photos featured. The interviews with the designers and the shopping areas were also great to see. For those who have a passion or curiosity towards Japanese fashion and the various styles, this is one book that you want to own. For me, I go through many Japanese magazines to check out the various trends and many seem to be a catalog for a clothing line and various models dressed up showcasing various fashions in cool settings. And there are websites that do a good job but are limited to showcasing the photos of their full body shot and accessories but no information on what they are wearing and why. This book has soul as the writer and photographer just approach whoever is on the street and ask them questions in regards to their fashion and the people answer honestly of why and what their favorite fashion styles are. Also, featuring a glossary and address and websites of the stores/designers covered. This is a really well-done book that covers people, young and old. Cool, stylish fashion that some may have gone simple and added a few accessories to make everything look so vibrant and for some, fashion that may be very unusual but they could care less of what people think. It's Tokyo and you expect nothing less. "THE TOKYO LOOK BOOK"... Highly recommended!

I'm not someone that's into fashion too much on a personal level. I have my own style, but I don't particularly care to spend all of my money on clothes and a particular look, but I can appreciate why people do and find it interesting on a certain level. Judging from what I've seen on television and in movies, etc. the love affair with fashion is taken to an entire other level in Tokyo. The detailed descriptions of the fashion "dos and don'ts" of particular subcultures was interesting and infinitely more intricate than anything I could've possibly imagined. I figure if I found it interesting and I'm not even particularly interested in the subject, then I imagine this is a treasure trove for the folks that live for fashion. The text is certainly interesting, but it can be enjoyed even as a coffe table/picture book type of things as well. I've always wanted to go to Japan and it's made me want to factor in an entire day just to people watch in some of the fashionable neighborhoods of Tokyo. If a book can make you want to explore something further that you never had a great interest in then the author and photographer have done a good job.

As a total Japanophile, I really loved this book! The pictures are beautiful and its just a perfect example of why I love those Tokyo Fashionistas. Unlike North America, where we are slaves to what we think other people want to wear and try to "fit in", a lot of the young Japanese people on the streets where what they want and have no qualms about standing out and looking unique! The book shows and describes the different looks, and often which district the look is from or originated. The text is mostly narrative, but I would've preferred some more informational style text. Such as a list of what elements compose each style and/or how to recreate the look for yourself.

Reviews

I am a brazilian architect, working now in a thesis research about movie theaters located in my city, Porto Alegre, in the south of Brazil. I found this book in B&N store, in New York. It's a great book! GOOD for my work in research end for teaching architecture design (at an architecture school)about movie theaters. (sorry for my poor english...)

Having worked and managed movie theatres from the 40s thru early 70s, and now considered a "dinosaur" of that age, was completely captivated by the coverage accomplished by Ms.Valentine, especially on the accomplishments of architect Lee.She captured the "flavor" and context of that wonderful era,never to be again. And surprise of surprises,I actually managed or knew intimately of some of the theatres Mr.Lee designed or worked on! I have nearly all the books published on movie theatres,et al,but have to admit this particular tome really grabbed me emotionally with text and photos so for the while it took me to read this book(hard to put down)I re-lived that era in a way I never thought possible. (The Arden in Lynwood, Tower in L.A., the old Alhambra in Alhambra, are only a few I "set foot in again"!)..if I could give it more than 5 stars I would! A tip of my hat to Ms.Valentine, to Mr.Lee, and the great bunch of people I worked with, and for, oh, so many, many years ago

My sister has written a very intelligent and well thought out book. She deserves to be rich and famous.