Alessi

There are several Alessi locations throughout the city, but my favorite (and the most convenient, location-wise) is the flagship store. The company started in 1921 and began the movement of transforming every-day objects (in Alessi’s case, kitchen utensils) into designer items. There is an emphasis on practicality as well as design, a philosophy that has continued far into the postmodern age. Alessi still retains their original identity, and a visit to their flagship store is the perfect place to grab a souvenir (designer cheese grater, anyone?) and soak up a bit of design history as well.