Andi Warholas Take a Stroll on a Sunday

{{A big welcome to Gothamist Readers, the Andis love you, too!!}}

All photos by Marco Ceglie

In celebration of Andy Oh!'s birthday, the Andis did brunch at Cafe Mogador in the East Village, made a stop at James De La Vega's art store, walked past the Village Voice, then headed to see the boy in the bubble, David Blaine.

Here we are, walking toward Cafe Mogador after visiting the De La Vega store across the street while waiting for our table to be called. Yes, we did have to wait like every one else. We finally got a fabulous table for six, the five Andis of the day and Marco Paparazzo. Lovely and tasty brunchables were had by all. We read from Andy Warhol's "From A to B: The Philosophy of Andy Warhol" and tried to figure out our ultimate purpose. No luck with that, so we just ate. Andy wrote that though he knew he should eat protein, he only wanted to eat sugar.

Street graffiti artist James De La Vega relocated his art store from East Harlem to the East Village. De La Vega saw us hanging out at Cafe Mogador (like I said, across the street), and came over with his ever present cigar. He asked us to take a picture with one of his "My Mom As..." series of paintings. We thought it a fabulous idea. This one just happened to be "My Mom As Warhol." How appropos. This is one of three pictures Marco Paparazzo took of us and it. The best one (not this one) will be going to De La Vega and he promises to put it in his store.

After our lovely brunch, we strolled toward the D train (yes, these Andis take the subway; Andy was notoriously cheap, by the way); we stopped for a snap at the Village Voice. According to Warholstars.org, in early 1966 Andy took out an ad in the Voice which read:

‘I’ll endorse with my name any of the following: clothing, AC-DC, cigarettes, small tapes, sound equipment, ROCK ‘N” ROLL RECORDS, anthing, film, and film equipment, Food, Helium, Whips, MONEY; love and kisses Andy Warhol.
EL 5-9941”

Andy wrote that he wanted to be an Art Businessman or Business Artist. Andy R (who was unable to attend the day's stroll) sent the following NPR link regarding one of those objets d'art that Andy endorsed with his name.

Continuing our stroll, we walked by a fabulous store that sells retro chairs, and we had to walk in and sit down in a few of the masterpieces.


Reminds us of the Factory days...

and effective

Product Placement...

We continue on to the subway.
{{Interlude on the Subway}}

We arrive uptown.

And see a photo-op...

Which would have been perfect if not for that Andy T on the end. We need personal stylists to make sure our photo-ops are perfect. Or maybe we'll just find some Interns. Yes, we need Interns to help us, and not the leftover kind. Andy hated leftovers of all types, particularly typists, Interns, and takeout.

Our stroll finally takes us to the event of the day! Blaine in a Bubble! It was a circus! An event! A happening! But when the Lady said it was spiritual and deep, the Andis chuckled inside. We knew it was only "How People Today are Doing Things." Nothing spiritual or deep about it.

Alas, like our table at brunch, we waited in line like everyone else to get our picture taken with the man in the bubble. We were patient and kind to strangers who would ask us what we were doing, even though we ourselves didn't quite know. But they kept asking, and we kept thinking we needed to have an answer. Hmmm.

Marco Paparazzo said that we were "Blurring the Line Between Consumptive Art and Consumption of Art." Hmmmm.

After 45 patient minutes in line (what idiots stand that long in line, anyway?), the line suddenly stopped. Why? Emergency leak or some sort of freak Gary Larson Far Side moment? No. It was only dress rehearsal, so to speak, for the next night's show on ABC freeing the water-logged Blaine in a Bubble. We waited for another 1/2 hour in hopes that the line would proceed. Andis got antsy, and our patience wore thin. Finally, despite a four to one mock vote (it is a democracy, after all!) in favor of leaving (see photo below to find out which Andi didn't want to go), we left. Who would have thought that the craziest photo-op of the day would be defeated by the need to get the right camera angle?
Ultimately, we're just having fun. It was a lovely day for a stroll.

More Stroll photos here.