Have a true weirdo in your life who’s impossible to shop for? Just watched Mountainhead and hate the idea of giving tech bros more of your hard-earned cash? redbankgreen is here to help with our seasonal feature highlighting gift suggestions from Red Bank shops and businesses.
We find ’em the old-fashioned way: walking into local shops searching for stuff that’s quintessentially Red Bank or just plain unique and fun to give or get. We’ll be popping in here again and again in the weeks leading up to Christmas to show you our finds. Here’s today’s find – and click here if you want to see the previous gift ideas.
What: An original painting by Italian-born, late 19th-early 20th century artist Michele Filanga, who was also the founder of the Brooklyn Academy of Fine Arts.
Oddly sad yet beautiful, the depiction of a young boy smoking a cigarette and another nodding off in front of a smoking pipe on the sidewalk stopped us dead in our tracks when we turned a corner into the stall filled with artwork. We love it, we hate it, we can’t stop staring at it. That’s good art, I think.
Or if that’s not for you, roam the aisles of the Red Bank Antique Center for an endless array of jewelry, clothes, and furniture. How about a Spice Girls or GI Joe action figure?
Why? At Christmas time, we all get nostalgic. What better way to cure us of that nonsense than Filanga’s depiction of the actual reality of the good old days, when unfettered child labor and shorter life spans were the accepted norm?
In all seriousness, though, the reason to visit this true gem of Red is this: if you’re stumped looking for a gift, the variety of items on sale here ensures that you will find something in your price range that’s totally unique.
And roaming the aisles is just so much fun to do. I mean, did you see these amazing antique marionettes from Asia? I want them all and I don’t know why.
How much?
The painting is priced at $2,500. The action figures are $25. The marionettes are $360 each. We saw hundreds, if not thousands of unique items under $100.
redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331 or yelling his name loudly as he walks by. Do you value the news coverage provided byredbankgreen? Please become a financial supporter if you haven’t already. Click here to set your own level of monthly or annual contribution.
(Photo by Brian Donohue. Click to enlarge.)
