Saturday, July 16, 2011

Oddities


Oddities


Has anyone seen Oddities on the Discovery Channel? I just discovered it last week, and I'm already hooked. It's very Me - a fact that my loved ones will not dispute, given the number of skulls I've collected. The show is kind of like American/Canadian Pickers meets the Addams Family. The program follows off-beat, slightly morbid collectors/business partners Evan and Mike who run a shop in the East Village called Obscura, that's filled with antique curiosities. I like the Victorian objects mainly. There are some truly weird things in that shop that I wouldn't want in my home: taxidermied two-headed calves, mummified cats, enlarged human gallstones. Hey, if you've got to buy a wedding gift for a surgeon, you just might find that special something. It's a very cool store and I love the way it's run with all the care of a museum.

Go to fullsize image
Evan (centre) with Mike (left) and cool-looking assistant, whose name I've forgotten. I think it's Ryan. Mike looks like a man cave Monday Night Football kind of dude, but he's actually pretty freaky in his interests.


I do like Evan and Mike. They've got a bumbling sidekick who occasionally helps out in the store. It almost seems like the producers added him to the mix to create a little comedy. They've also got a rather dashing assistant who looks like a younger, better looking Nick Cave.

Check out the show and see for yourself.

P.S. Sorry for the lack of posts. I've honestly been looking, but there have been zero garage sales in my neighbourhood and NOTHING going on in my thrift store hangouts. I'm going to have to go further afield this week.
Erin

12 comments:

  1. I enjoy Oddities too. That shop actually reminds me of a store in New Hope, PA. If you ever find yourself that in that area, check it out. It's called Teardrop Memories...it's a store and quasi-gallery of Victorian mourning, momento mori, antiquarian books, centuries' old medical tools and other odd miscellany. And the man who owns it is really polite and chock-full of knowledge on his collection.

    <3Jackie @ Let's Go Thrifting!
    http://LetsGoThrifting.blogspot.com

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  2. Thanks for telling me about this Jackie. Now I'm just going to have to get my passport renewed and visit New Hope.
    All the best,
    Erin

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  3. I love Oddities. I wish we had a store like it here in Toronto. Where do we get pig fetus' in jars? Actual human shrunken heads?

    I can't wait to go into the shop the next time I go into New York City. I love Evan & her lack of expressions sometimes is just hilarious.

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  4. I love this show too, im pretty hooked on it! I love odd things.

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  5. L.O.V.E.I.T.!!
    The last time we were in NYC we had to search it out~ and our visit felt like we were in an episode!! Some of the 'customers' featured on the show stopped in ("is that a straight jacket?")... cops stopped by after doing research on a skull for Mike... AND Mike is a down to earth 'Nice Guy'!! Evan and Ryan weren't around the day that we were there though.

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  6. Yap me too I really enjoy watching this for about half-hour because I learn many things and get amaze with their collection. The program follows the operation of Manhattan shop which trades in antiques and personal collections.At the same time shows a unique and unusual artifacts.

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  7. Yes, I have watched this show. They are sort of creepy in a way, but aren't we all?

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  8. Hi, Toronto Yardsaler!

    I'm on a perpetual search to complete my "World Cities" cocktail glass collection.

    After several Google searches, I've come across your blog post from last summer: http://torontoyardsaler.blogspot.com/2010/07/jackpot-at-value-village.html

    Is there an appropriate way to contact you? My email is kfastuff at yahoo-dot-com

    Though I certainly understand if you plan to keep the glasses. They're fantastic.

    Best,

    kevin.

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  9. Erin, I hope you and your family are okay. You haven't had a new post in a while and that's not like you. FYI, I enjoy reading about more than just your thrifting finds. I've been stalking your blog for probably over a year now and I miss your posts when you are on hiatus.

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  10. Thanks for all the comments - especially from the anonymous source. So kind, yet so mysterious.
    I'm back!
    Erin

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  11. Good thing that discovery channel evolve because we learn a lot and know some ancient histories.Keep it up Hope for more creative and one of a kind segment.

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  12. Oditities is such a great show to be watched. You will be amazed with their lots of collection.

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About Me

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I'm a slightly off-beat Toronto-area teacher who enjoys writing and photography. I come from a family of collectors and now I'm dragging my own family around to yard sales. It's just a bit of fun. Enjoy the scenes.