NYC ROADTRIP

New York Central Art Supply
62 3rd Avenue, btwn 10th and 11th; 8:30-6:15 pm, Mon-Sat; 212 473 7705 

Serving the city’s artists since 1905 or so, this historic art store offers a world-class inventory of art supplies, including old standards, new technologies, the rare and exotic.  Their selection of paper, both handmade & manufactured, for instance, is said to be one of the best in the world. Every material artist’s wet dream-come-true.

Obscura Antiques & Oddities
280 East 10th St.; 212 505 9251

Obscura is a neat little shop of horrors brimming with taxidermied creatures, victorian clothing, old medical illustrations, coffin plates, old dolls, glass eyes, mourning wreaths, vintage photographs and… well, the list goes on and on.  This is a must-do for anyone in need of a bizarre gift for a friend with unusual or just plain morbid sensibilities, collage artists, junk junkies, or if you just love rummaging for weird, unique stuff.