Israel oddities

This was the first vegetarian option available to me. It was this weird corn kernel patty with a smoked flavor, and then it was breaded. Its one of the grossest things I've ever put in my mouth. I put it immediately put it out of my mouth and into a napkin. And was never fooled again by any kibbutz's attempts at veggie friendly options.This man likes to take birds, put film canisters on their heads and flip them upside down to weigh them, which we all quite enjoyed watching. What he really does is capture birds, tag them, and set them free in order to collect data at a later point.
We met him on a trip to a nature preserve. One we had to tour in a bus, which made no sense and was kinda contradictory to, you know, a nature preserve. Our nutso tour guide kept talking about raptors, which also made no sense. We did keep a look out for dinosaurs, but saw none. They must have been lurking in the distance beyond.
There were alot of Jewish folk artists in Zefat. I'm not sure this is an oddity, but it is nice to know it exists.
Break in case of passover?
Why is there Matzoh in a box?
This cray cray man from Yemen made some really delish Yemenite food and yelled crazy things at us. It was kinda sorta love at first site.
See below, that one he's making. That one went in my stomach.

Unreal- but its real. Israel!

This looks like a hill side in Eurpoe, like Germany or Switzerland hey? But its in the Middle East, its in Israel. Cray cray.
I was lucky enough to get on a birthright trip to Israel, and the last two weeks of my life have included gallivanting around the Holy Land. The trip itself is nutty. We grabbed a plane super early in the morning and then after 10 hours of flying with very little sleep we arrived at 7AM in Israel. The only thing I wanted to do was take a nap, but that wasn't on the agenda. In fact we didn't get to lie down until almost 10pm. By that time I was awake for over 24 hours and feeling like crying. Like a little baby. Oh no! What had I gotten myself into!?

Really, it was a phenomenal trip, and I encourage anyone who can go on it to do so.
This is the city of Zefat, or Sefad, or Tsfat. They paint the doors, walls and windows blue to represent a piece of heaven which will keep the devil (?) and evil spirits away because it looks like heaven. It was a really beautiful "city", (I use this term loosely because New York is a city, Zefat is a village) the most picture-esque perhaps.
CATS! There are cats every where in Israel. Its at least three times as many as in Brooklyn. Kinda like Italy. I loved it! I loved it so much I kept petting them. And then one did not want to be pet. And it scratched me. And then I got a tetanus shot. Totes baller.

This guy was playing a mean guitar, and I asked him to keep playing because I thought it sounded very nice. It turned out he had just gotten engaged that day! He was playing for joy (presumably). As our group gathered and then traveled past the former-American guitar player he shouted at us "Don't worry! Not everyone who goes on birthright ends up looking like me!"
See that sign between Phil and I? Photo inspiration.

I'm having problems trying to organize my thoughts about this trip. It was two weeks of a total blur! Amazing, fantastic, and hopefully I can share more at a later post in a more comprehensive manner. My brains are still melting. I blame it on jetlag.

Barbara's Birthday!

Lisa made Barbara this fawesome cake by hand! Since our Barbara is really really into the jamz, Lisa fabricated a cake with this inspiration in mind. It was probably her best and most innovative cake yet! AND the fondant is vegetarian. What what!?
So the celebration took place at our favorite place Tortilla Flats. It was Monday which meant BINGO TIME! Which means tons of shots. Which is reason enough for everyone to go. And by everyone, it was really a nice mash up of people. Babs' co-workers who I adore, plus Babs' not co-workers at all, plus friends of friends who love Barbara. We all had the most fabulous time eating Mexican food, drinking and wearing party hats. Anyone who doesn't love wearing a party hat is a fool.

When its someone's birthday at T-flatz they make the birthday boys and girls compete in a PBR tall boy chugging contest. Whoever finishes their Tall Boy first gets a round of shots for the table, and also is a birthday winner. Barbara kinda won, by the most amazing of flukes. You see, in order to prove you finished your beer you have to turn it upside down over your head. Babs executed this a wee bit prematurely and poured upon her dome some flat, foamy beer. We loved her for it, and she won because she is so darn endearing! More SHOTS!

I wasn't kidding about the tons of shots. There were so many left over from the people who had enough (or were sick like me) that when three more people showed up, there were enough for them to take four shots, each.
This is me- partied out! Great timez Babz!


Note:
I'm leaving the country for two weeks. A travel excursion! I'm taking the camera along so I'll have plenty to share about "Not New York" Get excited y'all! I may be able to sneak in a post or two along the way. See you when I get back!
Any guesses to where I'm going?

The Crazies

Oh yes. I love fashion week because I love fashion. I like being around the buzz, feeling inspired, and while I do gush over a minor celeb, I'm there to feel the energy and take something profound away. While I do enjoy dressing up for the events, its because I enjoy dressing up and any excuse is a valid one. But there are some people who go to the nines, to watch someone else's show. So they can be photographed, the desire the lime light. Its a little masturbatory and self indulgent if you ask me, but then again who am I to judge another's motivation for getting' gussied up? Really I can't hate (don't hate the player, hate the game). I'm altogether amused.
Spikes out my glasses, spikes out my knees, spikes out my shoes. Leggings as pants.
A coat made of curly hair, and sunglasses inside with drool on them.
An interesting hair cut...
I can't front, I'm LOVING the shoes. I would totes wear them.
A big hat!

And what is up with all this black? Come on people, color is the new black!

Phillip Lim

The show started with this really awkward moment with these two stage hands pulling the plastic off the runway in a very "matter of fact way" that took over a minute. So the lights are dimmed low, there is no music, no one is talking, the only thing to watch is these two men who probably care nothing about fashion very slowly pull the protective plastic off the runway. You could hear crickets.
However the show was soooo fantastic that the awkward moment was soon forgotten. He started out the collection out with this great gingham fabric comprised of soft grey, beige, brown and black stripes. Plus there was a softness to the fabric, I could see it was a little fuzzy like I wanted to touch it and feel comforted. There were these great shapes, very paired down, just the essentials. The look above, I totally fell for. I loved the silhouette, the criss-cross suspenders, the colors and the porportions. Its sophisticated and pretty little girl at the same time.
AND THEN THERE WAS A FULL ANIMAL PRINT SUIT!
And lets have a little conversation about the runway and backdrop. How beautiful, a print of marble. Sleek, smooth, its not distracting, just complimentary. Perfect. Plus the single neon tube light thru the archway, providing just a little bit of 80's modernity, it could have been a parody of chic, but somehow it walked the line and ended up being just elegant.
This is how the show ended. With this bizzare hot pink dress. At first I was confused because there was no pink through out the collection, and while I loved the look I didn't feel it fit with the rest of the show. But of course I was wrong. Every once in a while there was a piece of pink peaking through as an undershirt. And there was gold detailing all over the place. He just busted it out and went big with this last dress and made a motherfucking statement. He got jiggy with himself, and I can totally appreciate that.
The shoes were all Chrisitan Louboutin for 3.1 Phillip Lim. I drooled at all the shoes. There were alot of spindly stilettos, and I'm kinda a chunky heel or wedge kinda girl, but they worked.
Also the hair was really pretty, it was straight-ish until the ears and then these soft bouncy almost 80's with a little surfer california girl thrown into the mix. It was like a dream.
The man himself, what an absolute darling!

This show was absolutely the highlight of my show watching. Major celeb watching, phenomenal fashioning, and good jams, plus amazing backstagerey. Shout out to Chloe!

I love a celebrity sighting

I mean, who doesn't love a good celeb sighting?! Its' New York! Here is man about town Simon Doonan. I must run into this gent at least four times a year (and when I say "run into" I mean be in the same room, kinda, but like far away so he doesn't actually know me...yet). I love that his bags always have his initials on them. Its adorable.
Everyone's favorite fashion editor and project runway judge, Nina Garcia. She's sitting next to- if I am not mistaken- Joanna Coles, fellow Marie Claire editor (well she's the editor in chief...).
Oh, Alexa, do you need help finding your seat?
Oh, I love on Hamish so so so much. I just want him to style me. I feel there is no one classier than Hamish. I mean even in stupid wellie rainboots which I totes normally hate- he makes it work.
And there is Fern in her usual seat, sneaking in just as the show is about to begin. I saw Scott running around but the man could not stay still long enough for me to snap a decent shot. I guess he needs to take a photo more than I need to take a photo of him taking a photo. All in all it was an excellent front row!
To what show you may ask? I'll tell you tomorrow...

I'm your dream girl

Lula, the girl of your dreams is wearing the outfit of my dreams. Stop being a jerk and not sharing your outfitz with me. I need to own at least those shoes. Gah!