I've got friends from the sticks who occasionally visit New York, and they usually task me with taking them places where they can see stuff that they can't back home. One place I usually take them is the Alessi store on Greene Street, as there's a high amount of high design in a concentrated footprint.

Now Alberto Alessi is returning the favor and coming to me, or at least, coming to those of us who live in New York, Michigan or Indianapolis. Yup, design legend Alessi is embarking on a Stateside speaking tour:

Alessi is pleased to announce the arrival of Alberto Alessi, CEO and Director of Marketing Strategies and Design Management at Alessi s.p.a, for a media tour that includes stops in New York City at the Times Center, Michigan's Cranbrook Academy of Arts and the Indianapolis Museum of Design. Alberto Alessi's schedule is as follows:

"A Conversation with Alberto Alessi", The Times Center, March 3rd, 2009 8:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.- Alberto Alessi will share his insight on a wide range of topics through conversations with T, The New York Times Style Magazine, Design editor Pilar Viladas. To purchase tickets, $30 a piece, please visit www.ticketweb.com.

"EuroDesign Symposium", Indianapolis Museum of Design, March 6th, 2009 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.- Alberto Alessi will serve on a panel to discuss European design over the last century. The event is free and open to the public.

"The History of Alessi, 1921-2008, and the phenomenon of Italian Design Factories", Cranbrook Academy of Art, March 8th, 2009 2-3 p.m. Alberto Alessi will discuss the history of Alessi from the creation of the company by his grandfather, Giovanni Alessi, to present day. Lecture is free with Museum Admission. Students with ID $4, Seniors $6, and regular admission $7. ArtMembers@Cranbrook are free at all times. For more information please click here.

Hit the jump for Alessi's bio.A third generation Alessi, Alberto joined the company in 1970, and began his first project; overhauling the company's corporate identity by commissioning Franco Sargiani and Eija Helander to work on graphic design and packaging as well as the Alessi offices in Crusinallo, Italy. Alberto has also been attributed to the design direction of Alessi through projects such as the 5070 Condiment Set by Ettore Sottsass, Anna G. Corkscrew by Alessandro Mendini and Richard Sapper's 9091 Kettle and 9090 Espresso Coffee Maker. Alberto, in collaboration with Alessandro Mendini, also launched the Tea and Coffee Piazza project in 1983 which allowed 11 young, international architects all with no previous experience of industrial design, to produce limited edition tea and coffee sets that explored new paths for Italian design in a historical context. Due to the success of the Tea and Coffee Piazza project Alberto Alessi launched the Tea and Coffee Towers project which involved 22 internationally renowned architects such as Greg Lynn, David Chipperfield, SANAA, and Zaha Hadid.