Charley and I- New York Urban Planers, I mean Co-Presidents, I mean Co-Gods, I mean Kanye and his Phoenx.

Charles: i say we just get rid of queens and slide brooklyn up

actually midtown too

so brooklyn is still close to downtown

and no one really needs midtown

me: I hate midtown

except for bryant park

Charles: maybe hell's kitchen can be an island

and we'll move bryant park into hell's kitchen

i like that reworking of the city

hmm, although losing queens might not be the best, make it an island too

i say replace it with staten island, but keep the subway connectivity

then just throw staten island into the middle of the atlantic

me: lets get rid of SI

take all teh ass holes, put it on the island and give it to NJ

Charles: yesss

me: we're so smart

Charles: we should be mayors of the city

me: yes

bicycling for everyone!

Charles: who needs midtown!

me: and lots of buses!

Charles: with bike racks on them like in SF

me: and chicago!

Charles: and congestion pricing! and upper manhattan being closer to brooklyn!

me: yes

Charles: i love how i'm charles in your gchat btw

me: hah

its your name dude

Charles: i should legally change my name to charley

like next job i have i want it to just be officially charley

in my signature i still put charles

like my formal signature

i'll still say regards, charley

and then charles ferrari client relationship manager IHS inc corporate corporate corporate

me: CORPORATE

Charles: that's exactly what it says

corporate blahdy blah

me: nice

I love that

when we start a company can it say that at the bottom of our signatures

Charles: yes

yes it can

me: when we are co-presidents of nyc

Charles: charley ferrari

co-president of nyc

corporate blahdy title manager relationship strategist specialist

me: hah

destroyers of midtown

Charles: lol

slayers of staten island

Charles: maybe we can swap williamsburg and greenpoint for inwood and washington heights

i mean they're kind of the same shape

and the architecture in north brooklyn sucks

me: green point is good stuff

Charles: the art deco apartments and hilly topography would be a nice complement to brownstone brooklyn

yea some parts are

ok greenpoing can stay

Charles: bye bye williamsburg

me: see ya bushwick

Charles: yeaaa

me: hello inwood!

Charles: just pop inwood sideways there

but keep the water surrounding it! so make it like a little inlet with inwood popping out

like seriously, we should be city planners, our plans are amazing

me: That's true

except this is more than city planning, this is earth planning

screw being co-presidents, lets me co-gods

Charles: yess

me: of nyc only

Charles: i really like this plan

we'd make awesome gods

the cloisters can be our mount olympus!

how AMAZING would that be

like i always thought, if i ever became a vampire, i'd totally live in the cloisters

me: yes charley- if you ever become a vampire

this is very likely so its good you have a back up plan

Charles: god or vampire is likely?

i think vampire is more likely

god is a good backup

i'll also be very content with satyr

me: five year plan?

Charles: hell yea

i would be an awesome vampire

i've been told on more than one occasion my teeth already look like fangs a bit

like my incisors are very pronounced

me: good to know

Charles: if you were to be something supernatural aside from a god what would you be?

besides a gho0o0o0ost

me: like an established thing, or something I can make up?

Charles: you can make it up, be entrepreneurial

me: I'd be a kanye

Charles: i could be your phoenix!

me: perfect

Sunset

Oh New York, the way your architecture grabs the last rays of sun, like a lover resistant to let go of its beloved's hands.
Oh, I can wax poetic.
This photo is an argument for the lost art of making beautiful buildings that have thoughtful details and static materials that are not GLASS and CEMENET, ones that have some staying power.
It is also a testament to my never ending love affair with the city. This just does it for me.

She'll be coming 'round the mountain when she comes!

Oh fashion week- you're just a few measly weeks away. Oh yes, how I miss you, like long distance lovers waiting to be reunited, I stare at your pictures online and sometimes feel butterflies in my stomach, tingling in anticipation.
To tide me over until we meet, so soon, so soon- the Custo Barcelona finale- a video.


I know, my posts have been video heavy lately. Whaddya think? I'm kinda into it, but maybe there's a downside?
Lemme know!

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...

Perry Ellis aka Hello Boys

Perry Ellis might not be the first thing one thinks of when one thinks FASHION! But I was excited, Judy, my co-worker was excited. And let me tell you why...
Oh gosh, hello there.... MALE MODELS. They might be 17 but they are beautiful. Beautiful boys. I had no problem going backstage after the show, really. They had already changed back, but its nice to be close to something that pretty.
Okay, enough hormonal gushing, on to the show! This guy sat across from Judy and I, and I took his picture because he was wearing the most phenomenal golden velvet blazer. And his hair. Oh his flippy hair. And his silly pre-ripped jeans.
It was Judy who-just moments later- noticed half of Project Runway was sitting next to him. That's Jesus from this season, and behind him was Jordana from last season. Amazing B-listers!
The collection wasn't ground breaking, but it was really thoughtful, detailed menswear. I have a soft spot for menswear. Sometimes I wish I were a dude, because men get to look fantastic all the time, that is if they want. Their clothes are sometimes more expensive, but once you buy an amazing suit, it can last you many, many years if you take good care. Its a real investment. And then I get disgusted by men who look sloppy, because menswear can just look so clean, tailored and posh with so little effort that you're a fool if you're wearing an ill-fitting pair of front pleated khaki pants. We're SO not friends. I look down my nose at you with extreme disdain, I'm talking to you- 90 % of wall street and midtown.
I digress...
The collection started off in a Blue/Teal area and transitioned in a Burgundy/Red zone, coming from cool and getting warm. There were some neat color blocking button downs, and great prints. The music was also really really good, I'm trying to get my hands on the jamz.
Oh I love those four boys, tie, bow tie, bow tie, tie. Adorable and sweet. The stands were overwhelmingly filled with the gents, which was refreshing to see dudes interested in their own garb.

Also, backstage, was TO (Terrel Owens) who plays football if you didn't' know. I didn't. I had to ask.

Custo Barcelona

Look at this little sweetheart. Not only does she slip me backstage to the Custo Barcelona show, but she takes my coat and stashes it in a safe place. What a absolute darling.
Okay so lets rewind to June 2007. I touch down in Barcelona, my first time in Europe in 16 years. WOAH I'm so excited! And because my plans fell through with meeting up in Sitges, I didn't exactly have a hostel booked. My bus from the airport dropped me off at the top of Las Ramblas, and with my pack on my back and a photocopied page from an old travel guide book I set out for mystery hostel number one. Walking down the colorful and noisy Las Ramblas (if you've been to BCN you know its kinda Times Square-y without most of the awfulness plus live bunnies for sale) the store front for Custo Barcelona still managed to catch my eye as I walked by. Something about the colors screamed NORA!!!!!!! I walked by a couple more increasingly exhausted times in my quest for a hostel that would take me (and if you're curious I finally found one that let me sleep on the floor for only 12 euros) and made note to stop by when I wasn't looking like a sweaty crazy with a two ton pack on.
I ended up going inside Custo something like five times. Always engaged with the colors and textures. So totally Spain, completely Barcelona. I was in love. I looked into working for them but alas "Donde esta el bano?" is not good enough Spanish to work for a Spanish company...
So of course I jumped on the chance to check out the line this season.
Look, I'm loving it!
Isn't that sweater just, oh there aren't even words. COLOR and TEXTURE kinda threw up on it, but not in a bad way. In the best way.
And lets just have a conversation about the shoes. Chloe watched me take photos of them and just looked at me and said, "Those shoes are so you." And rolled her eyes-in the most endearing of ways of course. Ugh- I want to own them. All of them. I will wear them, every day, unless its raining.
The show was everything you want in a fashion show. The runway was lit with spot lights and the venue was otherwise very dark. The clothes were fun, funky, spunky and le coole. The models sped down to the bumping music- I wasn't the only one dancing in my seat. This wasn't an uber conceptual display of craft and thoughtfulness, this was FASHION! Oooooh, amazing.
Texture! Fur! Patterns! Layering! Shiny! Sparkly! Super Sass!
After the show there was the maddest of mad dashes to get everything back together and out of there. Chaos. Fashion. They go hand in hand.

Arise

On Saturday evening I had the privilege of watching my first show of the season, the Arise fashion show, highlighting African designers. I didn't know what to expect as last year was a complete spectacle ala Grace Jones crazy stylin. Fun, exciting, and not super sophisticated.
This year was more toned down, but still an outrageous event. The set was more elaborate than most shows, complete with flat screen televisions along either side and steps and screens to confuse the models as the enter the runway. I have to admit I loved the hanging stretched canvases for the backdrop though.
Backstage was crazytown to the extreme. Unlike most fashion shows, the Arise show highlights three designers, so that means three times the clothes, shoes, models, and interns. Exponentially increasing chaos. Oh, I loved it.
I also loved the look of admiration/gotta pee/ate something sour? on this interviewer's face.
Front of house was crazy too. I couldn't remember most of the famous faces- readers maybe you can help me out here?- but I know this is lovely Coco Rocha and seeing her made my night. And seeing the show made my night. Have I mentioned how much I love fashion week?
Who's this guy? I know his face. How do the kinda unfashionable (okay he's totes wearing a necklace, I have to give credit where its due) make it so far in fashion?
Is that Nole Marin? I think it might be...
And I'm pretty sure this is some athlete of some sort. Foot baller? Basket baller? Baller baller?
Enough of that, everyone sit down and let the show begin!
Black Coffee made some really fantastic coats, but after a while it was just coats. There was no rise or development in the line to add texture and flavor. And while most of the coats I would kill to own, there were a few that were not, ahem, lady body friendly- placing texture and form on places where ladies don't want that noise.
They did, however, have CHANEL IMAN! HOLLER!
Following Black Coffee was something about a Lion Cloth and Ashes, which I was all eh about. Again with the weird shapes at unflattering places. I didn't really take any photos that came out. But I did like this dress.
Which was the finale of the line. The final designer was Deola Sagoe who was probably the best designer of the bunch and has some really great walkers stomping down that runway. I was so caught up in the good looks I didn't take and photos to display the spectacular line. But keep an eye and ear out for her looks. Fantastic, really.

Fashion Week- So Not Glam

Its that time again, ladies and gents. Its New York City Fashion Week! Woooo! The last one in the Tents. Hazzah! Suck my heel! No really don't, I love on it alot.
Chloe, my darling, is in the land, working back stage helping the shows get on and on. And since she has a healthy does of cynicism, she doesn't get star struck like I would. She just rolls her eyes and gets shit done, which makes her a better sound lady then I ever would. I would just drool all over Kelly Cutrone, and then she'll never hire me.During Snowpocalypse I happened to end my work day in the city (ugh a three hour meeting with new clients... 2 hours too long) and popped on by the Tents to see just how things were coming along.
Let me tell you, this is one of those cases where fashion gets exposed and we realize its so not glam.
There were boxes and cases every which where, and the heat was up to something like 100 degrees to keep the snow from piling up on the top of the tents. So everyone was sweaty smelly delicious. The staff was almost done hanging a photo installation of humorous and glamorous photos down the hallway to the main Tent. Chloe and I took time to make fun.


And of course we filled in as last minute models...


Fashion week- so not glam.