Perry Ellis

And to end my fashion week coverage- Perry Ellis. Nothing stunning, but I'm into the clothes. Or the models. Or like the music, whatever.

Since Fashion Week is quick appropaching...

... and I still haven't gotten all my stuff about last fashion week up because I'm a lame-a-tron and also tres busy. The thing that has been taking up all my hours? Oh, I'll share in due time because I'm oh so excited about it.

I was also excited about the Betsey Show because it was bicycle themed and I love me a bike. The end of the show featured a collection that was about what one should wear for New Years Eve. They probably wouldn't really work with a bike but I'm not going to be picky.

RIGHT? How much fun is that collection? And then in typical over the top Betsey Johnson fashion (pun!) she went kuh-razy with the matching outfits at the end and also did her cartwheels as per usual. Yeah- a grandma who cartwheels. No big.

I mean is it high art, and sophisticated? Does any one wear all yellow checker cab outfits? No, but who the fuck cares, hey?

Why don't we do it in the road?

A little teaser...

Vivian Tam

Is there any place cooler to watch a show than from backstage? Chloe even let me put on a headset to listen to how exactly the shows are coordinated. The girls stand in line- waiting, chatting, being (omg) real people with personalities, then BAM they hit the corner and seriousface comes on. Every once and a while they would make a silly face at us as they came off the runway, or comment on something they did while they were strutting their stuff as they ran by, already getting their clothes yanked off by a wrangler. The second they finish they are running around getting into their next look. Super cool to see the inner workings, hear the commentary (because the people coordinating the shows, well they are humans too), and just get dazzled by the fashun.

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.

The Creator's Project

I got an email a few weeks ago saying I should sign up now for the Creator's Project. I read the rundown, Interpol, Mark Ronson, XXXchange, NASA, Sleigh Bells, Spike Jonez, Graffiti Research Lab, arts, all at Milk Studios. Plus free booze. Yeah- I signed up right quick.
Little did I know exactly how cool this event was going to be. It well surpassed my expectations. Its impossibile to explain everything that happened here because it was a total sensory overload and there was SO much going on at all times, but I'm going to make the attempt.
Also- I have to say never have I been so pleased with the staff. The security guards were helpful and polite instead of assholes, the event staff were super chill and calm instead of stressed out. In fact, I'd say they were happy to be working the event. It was so well organized, everything came together with close to perfect timing. No waiting around for an act or event to start, and the crowding was kept to a minimum. Whoever organized this event, you go girl, it was as close to perfect as you could have hoped, and the people working it made all the difference.
Spike Jonez screened a really sweet film about robots in love. I won't ruin it for you but I will say it tugged on my heartstrings. The short featured a band that played during the movie and provided much of the sound track. The last scene had a really charming song to bring the film to a bittersweet end and as the last frame flickered against the screen, the screen rose to reveal the band playing behind it. The had actually played the last song live. It was a beautiful surprise. AND THEY WERE WEARING GOLD JUMPSUITS!
This was a really interesting/creepy installation. These two very attractive models would stand, android like, in front of the Plexiglas cone. As one approached it the boy on the right would take you into the cone, seat you down and say "Look into the scanner." Then everything went dark and the participant would be almost blinded by the light of the scanner. A curt motion was made to leave and it was over. A minute later a distorted version of the face of the participant would be projected above the cone on a circular screen.
This was a nice video installation that was a nice escape from the loud noises and crowds. Very calming in a way.
I might have enjoyed this interactive installation the most. A cube made of LED lights strung from the ceiling that the viewer could walk into and have an experience. While I was waiting my turn to go inside I could watch everyone else. It appeared that once a new person entered the piece the cube would choose a new sound-and-light show for each viewer. This is what happened when Barbara went inside-
This installation disappeared itself once the shows really started going. Basically one could play these instruments and they were connected to a video panel on the wall. When a drum head was hit it would play a short video clip. Very cool. There was a lag that was almost a full second so you couldn't quite get a rhythm going. Very annoying.
The only installation I didn't play with was the video game hacks. They were obviously popular becuase there was always a line and I hate waiting on line really. However, it is with regret as they did look creative, well produced and fun to engage with.
Remember how I said the Creator's Project was well organized. Let me elaborate on that a little bit more. They really took technology to the next level. There were interactive touch screen kiosks on every floor that had a schedule of when and where things where taking place, a map of each floor and information about each of the events. There were flat screens hanging on the walls saying "Hey! Check out this thing going on here right now!" to remind us what was hot and happening. Plus instant updates from their twitter feed right on the wall screens. PLUS instant live video feeds of other events happening in different parts of the building. The second Interpol's set was over a screen flew down and we were able to watch the end of Die Antwood's set, which was probably more fun to experience in person, but still cool that we could watch it, as it was happening, instead of trying to run through a crowd of people trying to get up stairs to catch those last sweaty minutes. Very very well done, you can color me impressed.
ON TO THE JAMZ!
We caught some of Sleigh Bells. Now I am in love with their music, I can't get enough of A/B Machines. I think they have put together some catchy-as-fuck tunes and my co-worker and I often have them blasting out of our computers and giving our office a swift kick in the ass. If only I could say their live show was as good. Because its not. Its kinda just noise. Letdown.
Oh man, Interpol. Can I just sum it up like that? They were number one on my list of bands that I had to see. It was my first time seeing them, and it was so good. Words cannot express. Neither can my photography really. What can I say... I was in le moment.Neon Indian puts on a damn good show, complete with Theramin playing.
And Mark Ronson ended the night in the most perfect way. The hugest, sassiest, balls-to-the-wallsiest dance party. I can't decide what was the best part- oh wait yes I can. Dancing really hard to "Work It" by Missy, making eyes at a really hot dude, and then realizing that dude is Josh Hartnett. Yeah, that was the best part.
I dare anyone to top this festival. DARE YOU TO. And if you do, please be sure to invite me, darling.
Video coming soon!

Dino Don's

Hey hot stuff? What's going on with you?

My darling amazing friend and super duper pinkie-holding buddy invited me and some pals up to her dad's estate in a Philly suburb. I jumped on board right away, since it sounded like a nice relaxing weekend away from the city. Plus her dad is Dino Don.
I didn't know what that really meant but I soon found out it meant more good times than I had initially imagined. He is more or less the coolest dad.
Greeting visitors as they enter the estate, a Raptor. Its tail might be kinda molding off, but still, a highly original entrance. Little did I know that dinosaurs were wandering all around the estate.
Can you spot the Triceratops?
Also, a garage full of them.
Does this guy look familiar? Just a lil bit? This is why-
Yeah- Dino Don has the dino's from the movie. Baller? Totes!
And bubble Jimmy had fun with a fellow carnivore.
Another cool thing on the property was this electric car. ZAP! Check out what's under the "gas cap-"
A plug! That's right, you can pull it out and just plug it in. (that's what she said) Dino Don said that you can travel up to 40 miles on one charge, though it doesn't really go fast enough to sustain highway speeds. It can totally handle over 80% of most people's driving needs though, such as trips to the grocery store and stopping by your neighbors for a visit. Most errands essentially. And at (if I remember correctly) 20 cents a mile, totally worth it!
This is Paris and Nicole, the goats on the land. Yeah, that's right, Erica's dad is so impressively with it he picked out amazing pop culture names for these goats. And like the real Paris and Nicole, the goats were kinda vapid and stupid, only caring about food, but they were fun to watch!
The boys declared this a mostly shirtless weekend, which was good because there was swimming to be had!
You can't tell from this photo, but a dinosaur was totes creepy watching us from the corner.
The weekend was amazing, I got to see several kiddies from my Israel trip, hang with my best Barbara and my favorite pinkie buddie, eat good food and relax the shit out of the place. Thanks Erica and Dino Don!
Also, I got to wear my hippie dress. I just thought that was important to note.

Dinosaur BBQ

Charley and I had grandiose plans that never really came to fruition in regards to our "training" for the Five Boro Bike Tour. We were going to bike through all the boros (yes! even Staten Island!) and find sketch bars, visit landfills, and get proper lost in different and obscure neighborhoods. We wanted to fall even more in love with our great city, and find that off the beaten path stuff we crave so. We wanted to meet crazies, and have good stories worth sharing. Of course our ambitions were bigger than our packed schedules would allow. However, we did make it to Dinosaur Barbque. Its apparently no big deal to the kids who went to Columbia, its right next door, and like a zillion other people who were there (the wait for a table was an hour!) but to me and Charley we were Dino virgins and totally amped about it. I mean its NAMED AFTER DINOSAURS!
Now I'm a vegetarian so I just drank a beer, but I was still kinda excited about this seemingly isolated restaurant, under a highway at 131st street. We were just riding our bikes past on the West Side Bike Lane and ESP'd to each other that this place was probably a good spot to grab a beer. We made a big circle and locked up our bikes outside.
It looks like they have live music often- and if you like gross BBQ food, but feel like Dallas BBQ is too touristy, check out Dino BBQ. It'l be a blast! Tell 'em Nora and Charley sent you! (ed note: They will be confused as to who we are.)
Happy weekend y'all!

Intrepid

Oh look- its a whole bunch of douches, douching it up at a douche party!
OR IS IT!?
(hint: It's not)
Lisa invited a whole slew of us to the Columbia Alumni party on THE INTREPID! I've never been on the Intrepid before, so I signed up right away.
In college I once pretended to be a Columbia student and hopped on their ski team trip which happened to equal the most fun ever. Why not hop aboard the SSColumbia and see what good times developed?
Our strict instructions were to come dressed in nautical inspired garb, and the second we walked in we were given sailor hats by the museum staff. In short that doesn't make us douches, that makes us well dressed and appropriate for the event. And it was awesome.
Alex may have had my top pick for the night with his nautical themed tie.
But I was also truly impressed with Lisa and Issac's Yacht Club matching ensemble.
Fun Fact: Isaac's shorts had craw fish on them.
The party got into full swing, but unfortunately (or maybe this was good thing considering the copious amounts of booze swilling around) we were not allowed on the top deck. To make up for it they had plenty of things to keep us kiddies entertained.
Like a simulation roller coaster MOTHA FUCKERS!
I think we were all hoping it would be like this:
But it was a little more tame and was really like this:
But because we all had some booze, I think it was enjoyed by all. Barbara may have overly enjoyed it and screamed alot, but I think that's fun! (ed note: I may have screamed alot also...)
Oh no- this is what happens when you let a bunch of drunks steer a ship.
ICE BERG! Straight ahead!
And these photos were basically obligatory.
To take this photo (by the way, I'm so in love with my 40's pin-up stylin' outfit for the evening) I made a big sacrifice. To get inside the helecopter they provided a stool, which slid out from underneath me, causing my whole body to slam into the helicopter, my leg taking the majority of the hit...
...resulting in the nastiest bruise of my life.
The picture doesn't even do it justice. Owie. But totes worth it. Mostly because now when people ask me how I did it, I can say "I fell into a helicopter." That's kinda a fun thing to say every now and then.