URBZ City Guide: The Foundry

The Foundry

If you want to get away from the traffic and crowds to kick back with the more bohemian populace, hang a left over to The Foundry. Years ago, artists seeking affordable housing, open studio space, and a lifestyle away from the mainstream metropolis seeped into this deteriorating industrial district and gave it new verve. They converted the abandoned warehouses into lofted art studios, independent galleries, and coffee shops buzzing with shop talk and politics. Visitors are invited to pull up a chair at the local coffee shop or stroll through the galleries with wine-glass in hand.

Where to Go

Crispin’s Cauldron is one of the most promising up-and-coming galleries. It specializes in post-modern sculpture and industrial metal-smithing. Visitors are always welcome as long as they know to keep their fingers away from the art for risk of losing appendages entirely!

Iron Age Coffee Haus offers the best espresso and Haus-made biscotti in the city. This is a perfect spot to relax and listen to the sound of summer raindrops tap dancing on the tin sheeted roofs.

You know the party’s on when the neon and laser lights flare up around The Gearbox and engage in a high-tech Robo Battle - a “smashing” expose of mechanical art.

Shopping

There’s nothing like a funky wrought iron sculpture to finish off a modern bachelor (or bachelorette) pad; or better yet a flaming wall-mounted torch to give it that ‘European’ medieval feel.

In terms of clothing, while there is no better color than black, you can also get lovely shirts and scarves in gray, dark gray, light gray, gunmetal gray and other subdued hues.

And what better way to fit in with the hip crowd than a few well placed piercings? There are cool adornments for lobes, lips and nostrils at very reasonable prices.

People You'll Meet

Crispin Black, as I mentioned earlier, is looking for someone to help him run his sculpting business, while Bella Ciao and Arthur Pop both have some hip moves to teach their friends. Neo Flange is the most intellectual and it shows in his trendy urban “smart” clothing designs and the word on the street is that Roxanna Hardplace wants to hire someone to restyle a few of her less attractive friends, but you’ll need to get in tight with her before she’ll offer you the gig.

The job here requires quick reflexes as you balance turning molten iron into works of art, keeping your basic needs in check, and socializing with the oh-so-hipper-than-thou crowd. Prove you can multitask with an eye for detail, and your Rep in this district will skyrocket.

How to Get There

It’s invite only at The Foundry, so you’ll need to find someone with a friend in the right place. I’ve heard that these guys are surprisingly close to the kids down at Kicktail Park, so you might want to start looking there...