Good experiences around New York, Nov '05

Nov 11, 2005

Thanks to Marian Rich for pointing me to this CMO article, which describes how companies are investing in "good experience" in a number of different ways. It's a trend worth knowing about, given the amount of attention it's getting in board rooms across the country.

I'll admit to a slightly different take on the matter. I like to find experiences that are good by themselves, in and of themselves, without having been dreamt up by a marketing group wanting to "get us some of that experiential marketing we've been hearing so much about."

(Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course. Just that the natural and organic seems to be more compelling and, well, authentic.)

With that in mind, here are four good experiences that I've found in New York City recently, which are good without being touted as "experiences." For example, the skating rink is "The Pond", not "the Library Ice Experience" or some such nonsense.

I've also included plenty of links to show you the experience online, even if you can't make it in person.

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1. At MoMA, Safe: Design Takes on Risk explores "objects designed to protect mind and body from dangerous or stressful circumstances."

I took some photos while there, including "stuffed animals" of harmful microbes - here and here...

A safe chair that allows one to hook a bag under the bag to prevent theft - every NYC bar and cafe should have these...

...and a Sporran-Utan, a kind of Scottish safe-purse.

Finally, dining at MoMA now is always a good experience, thanks to Danny Meyer's company for running all the facilities.

MoMA overall is just plain good. Go there, if you haven't yet.

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2. Just up Fifth Avenue, "Russia!" at the Guggenheim is one of the best exhibitions I've been to. The museum's famous upward spiral allows one to walk a smooth circular path, chronologically, through five centuries of art: Medieval icons to contemporary works. It's like a crash course in Western art, showing all the major styles (impressionism, realism, cubism,..) from artists you've never heard of.

Review in The Economist

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3. Skating: Bryant Park, behind the New York Public Library, has a new skating rink, where you can skate for free (just a skate-rental fee, if you need it). It's a wonder to be in this park, which only ten years ago was still a bit "sketchy", now a gem in the middle of Manhattan with a beautiful new rink.

Views of the rink: here and here.

Hours and prices

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4. Finally, a movie recommendation for this weekend only: I highly recommend the documentary "After Innocence", which is showing at Quad Cinema (see address and showtimes) through this Monday 11/14 *only*. So this is the last weekend.

I went last night and it was one of the best, most important movies I've ever seen... a story about demonstrably innocent men who spend years, sometimes decades, in prison before being freed on DNA evidence. Extremely well-made documentary.

Definitely see it, if you have an opportunity this weekend.

(P.S. If you're outside New York, read about The Innocence Project, which is helping many of these men get exonerated.)

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