Make New Friends in Times Square “Meeting Bowls”

Longing for an "intimate'' social encounter at the Crossroads of the World?   

Try the creative new street furniture in Times Square. It's called a "meeting bowl' -- a 5-foot-tall capsule that provides seating and discussion opportunities, for up to eight people.     

The three new "meeting bowls'' also will prompt people to record and share dialogue with smartphones or laptops.     

It's bound to be a moving experience. The structures gently rock as people step in and out.     

The Times Square Alliance and a Spanish collaborative said Wednesday that the contemporary art project will be in Times Square through Sept. 16.     

The name of the collaborative is a lower-case "m,'' four times.     

To pronounce it, pretend like you've just had something good to eat: "mmmm.''