I take photos

I know- I've been really naughty and not ever updating ever. You can shake your head in disappointment. Anyways, just a quickie- check out my photography on the New York Spaces blog. And also, the event I helped put together. Thanks to anyone who came!
http://www.newyorkspacesmag.com/New-York-Spaces/March-2011/Samuel-amp-Sons/

Paris- the sights

The day after Christmas I flew to Paris for a little vacation. I desperately wanted to speak French, use Euros, and get so lost in another culture that I forget simple English. I mean Europe is not so far from our American customs- its no India, for example, but there are beautiful subtleties that are so perfectly foreign.

Mean Mr. Blizzard was crafty and decided that he would start dumping the day I was supposed to leave. I got an email from the airline that my flight was cancelled, and the one after that, and the one after that. I called first thing in the morning when the AirFrance offices opened so I could figure out how I could get my American ass into Paris. PARIS! Don't deny me Paris! After debating several options I was able to get a flight, but not until the 29th, cutting three days out of my Paris trip! How absolutely awful! Depressed I went ahead with the best option. I was transfered to my new carrier, Delta, to confirm the trip details. Then the Delta Angel picked up the line-

"Don't you just want to leave today?"

"What!? Yes! Of course!"

And she put me on the Magic Flight. A few hours later the snow started coming down. I checked the website obsessively, but every 20 minutes it was still confirmed that I would indeed be leaving. At the airport the greeters again confirmed that my flight was scheduled to leave on time. As I waited for my plane, I checked the departure board. CANCELED, CANCELED, CANCELED, Nora's Flight- On Time, CANCELED, CANCELED. Some how I magic'd my way on to the ONLY flight that left JFK that day. Some sort of Zen had settled over me, and I didn't even care that I had to sit in the plane for almost 2 hours while I watched them de-ice my wings. I was leaving. Magic.

There is something really special about the city. Everything is super compacted-on-top-of-each-other-why-you-all-in-my-grill and the architecture- well I can't get enough. I can see the city in its past, right in front of my eyes. This lends itself to the way they lead their lives. Everything somehow fits in these small spaces. Take their staircases-

Yes, you're supposed to carry your wardrobe, your queen bed, your sofa up these stairs. There is, of course, either no elevator or one so teeny that no more than two people can fit inside. In most of the apartments I had the pleasure of being invited it was filled with all this this old, worn yet truly beautiful furniture . As a lover as aged, wooden things with hand working details and worn down edges I was very charmed. I felt it very fitting that the furniture should fit with the buildings that housed them.

A detail from this door.

They keep their outdoor cafe sections open during the cold weather.

Street art!

Tourists!

Sacre Coeur!
I loved this building- which is actually very typical for Parisian architecture. I have trouble trying to articulate exactly what it is that I am so drawn to. Something about it massive presence, ability to host many people, and to be beautiful and unobtrusive all at once.

I was in Paris for a social visit only- I did hardly a single tourist thing. I did not even see the Eiffel Tower. But I did walk by Notre Dame at night. There is a reason its famous. Because its fucking impressive.

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.

Hey did you know?

I kinda started Tweeting, which is something I said I would totally never do, but now I do. I promise that in general they won't be "I'm brushing my teeth." Except when I feel that teeth brushing would be interesting. Which it probably isn't.

Anyways- here is el link-o.

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?

Holiday Sweater Time

Remember when it was before christmas and not actually February already? Somehow time just ZOOMED on by and I couldn't even get any decent blog-a-loging in. First and foremost, hello to all the people who have just started reading! I can tell I already like you, mostly because you feed my narcism.

Secondly, its like, been a hot minute, but not taking a few minutes, however seasonally un-appropriate, to talk about the fabulous Holiday Sweater Party that Blaine and I threw would make me a Grinch. Why, it would be down right Scrooge-like!

My dog was not invited- but on Christmas he wore a sweater because he likes to and it makes him look handsome. Plus its got pockets for all the things he has to carry.

This is Blaine- and he takes me on the best dates. You might think you have taken a lady on a date that knocked her socks off, but you didn't because you're not Blaine.

That lipstick that Blaine is wearing, the color is called Leading Lady, he stole it from me on my birthday. This is what he had to say about the subject-

me: lets go to the bar we went to for my birthday

where you STOLE LEADING LADY

Blaine: STOLE!?!?! more like drunkenly liberated and applied to everyone in sight

i offered to give her back!

ten minutes go by

Blaine: we have duel custody over leading lady

What is even more important to know is that Blaine was the one who originally gave me the lipstick because he felt he no longer had a use for it, as in he went to Sephora and spent 22 dollars on it because there was a time that he had need for it. And then he needed it back because I had to go to the Sephora and buy another tube. I am realizing that I could actually write a whole post just on Leading Lady debauchery and funny texts regarding the lass, but this is about Holiday Sweaters, which it must be noted encompasses Ugly Sweaters, but casts a wider net. These subtleties should be recognized.

Our facebook invite to the masses went like this-

Because we have an unlimited supply of love for holiday sweaters but not an unlimited season an event must be had.

this is not a holiday celebration
this is a celebration in honor of holiday sweaters
I think the distinction is important
a celebration of awful holiday sweaters
co-sponsored by grandpa's and bad taste everywhere

Specialty cocktails and a bar crawl come free with your participation. And obviously there is a dress code, don't be a douche, we're giving you plenty of time to get your act together.

Crafting was especially encouraged, and I crafted the goddamn shit outta this amazing sweater Kirsten had lent me last year. That fucking cat needed a santa hat so hard. Also please note the sweet stockings Blaine hand personalized for the occasion!

Laura gets first place in the crafting bonaza. She made zomie santas and brains presents. HOLY COW! I also had no idea that Laura was into zombies, so I learned something new about Laura.

Grand Crafted Sweater Prize, however, went to Caleb and Jackie for making a hat that lights up, a 40 oz holder that is a stocking and sewing actual christmas bobbles onto a sweater. Plus matching outfits were all the rage! Just ask Rosalie and Lester....

... uh I mean Lisa and Isaac. Lisa found these amazing vintage holiday sweaters that were actually once her parents. If ugly sweaters are wrong, I don't want to be right! I mean the detailing in Lester/Isaac's sweater, those are PEOPLE either golfing or ice skating, being watched by other people! In a park! Near an office building!Roz was on "anti biotics" and "wasn't drinking."

Jealous of Santa, we tried to make our own beards from Jackie's garland.

In fact Jackie was so jealous of Santa she later did this-

Its ol' St.Jackie on her dresser/sleigh with three tiny "reindeer!"

And her voice lifted through the cold New York air with cheer-

ON BLAINE! ON CALEB! ON ASHLEY!

HAPPY SWEATERS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!

Penguins are RUDE

11:50 AM Ankura has joined

Charles has joined

Charles: hi!

me: I want to talk about the ginger bread man chase all together

me: that was a good day

Charles: awww!

me: a great day even!

Ankura: hahahaha

Charles: super day!

me: as you can see I'm working relaly hard today

Ankura: i wish today could be like that day

Charles: better than squirrel appreciation day!

11:51 AM

me: OH CHARLEY

Charles: OH NORA

me: you have to fucking buy your dman tickets to boston

babs and I bought ours

me: if you're not on the bus with us drinking vodka you're not our firend

Ankura: superbowl weekend! in boston!

Charles: aahH!

hahah

11:52 AM Ankura: hot toddys will be drank

me: drink drank drunk

Charles: yay!

Ankura: and socks will be worn, to terrys party

air mattresses will be inflated

and space heaters will be used this time, haha

Charles: haha terry throws me off by sending evites and not facaebook invites

hahaha

Ankura: its because he's over 30, hahaha

11:53 AM Charles: haaaha

me: hahahahaha

HAHAHAH

I love ankura

Ankura: i love nora

Charles: i'm in love with nora

Ankura: i

oops

i'm in love with a gingerbread man

11:54 AM me: OH SNAP

as in ginger snap

wokka wokkame: FUCKING BUY YOUR TICKETS

Charles: listen woman

11:58 AM Ankura: have you guys ever had Bison Grass vodka?

me: don't think so

11:59 AM Charles: moi auci

me: aussi

dummy

Charles: you're a dummy

me: that's true

Ankura: haha

in quebec they spell it auci

(thats a lie)

Charles: hahaha

12:00 PM OUE OUE OUE

Charles: i got home 3:40am last night! boston doesn't exist after 1:30AM

me: charley, did you buy your ticekts yet?

Ankura: i know, it kind of falls off the map

Charles: it enters a temporal shift

Ankura: haha or that

Charles: and reappears at 6AM

Ankura: just in time for the T to start running

12:08 PM Charles: haha if a city's metro isn't running the city doesn't exist

fact

Ankura: so that means boston doesn't exist after midnight haha

Charles: it's like the whole if a tree falls in the woods thing

woa this random hot guy just walked into the office

12:09 PM Ankura: get his digits

Charles: he's just so attractive

me: CHARLEY
DID YOU BUY YOUR TICEKTS?

Charles: NO

let me get on that

me: this might be as important as your hot coworker

Charles: haha, i need the tough love

me: or you're gonna have to take the china town bus by yourself like last time

and babs and I will be on a honeymoon

Charles: nooo!

12:10 PM me: and you will have to hold hands with a crazy smelly person

Ankura: yes, you'll be forced to

Charles: it's true, they enforce handholding

Charles: this guy needs to stop being so good looking and in my office

me: because hes distracting you from buying a ticket?

Charles: hahaha actually yes he is

12:12 PM Ankura: clearly

bring him on the bus with you

Charles: he's totally unexplained too! i have no clue what he's doing here

12:14 PM Ankura: i sent him there

Charles: i bet you did

12:15 PM me: CAN YOU PLEASE SEND HOT MANZ MY WAY?

12:16 PM Charles: well my guy just left i'm sure he's on his way to your office nora

to just inexplicably show up, look hot for a while, then leave

Ankura: oooh, too bad i dont have an office

Charles: the world is your office

Ankura: maybe he'll show up looking hot in my house

12:17 PM me: and then things can really get serious

in a house as opposed to an office

Charles: wooo!

Ankura: this is true

i'm sure he's heading to port authority right now

12:18 PM me: I read that as the pot authrority

me: which was confusing

but not THAT confusing

Ankura: pot authority

nyc needs a pot authority

12:19 PM Charles: at the port authority

Ankura: yes, thats exactly were it should be

12:20 PM me: you're right

12:21 PM Charles: I BOUGHT MY TICKETS NORA

12:22 PM me: I just peed my pants

in excitement

Charles: clean up before the hot guy shows up

12:23 PM hot guys don't appreciate pee on the pants

they do appreciate squirrels

2:32 PM Charles: haha

12:34 PM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11xs9mFKObs

just look at that penguin

12:36 PM digest that for a second. i'm going to grab a sandwich.

me: la la lives here

and this king penguin is really living like a king

I CANNOT DEAL

they gave him a backpack

that is PENGUIN shaped

Charles: I KNOW

12:37 PM me: and then he just SWALLOWS A WHOLE FISH

and walks away

and doesn't say thank you

Charles: I KNOW

hahha

me: he's a rude penguin

Charles: penguins are nature's assholes

12:38 PM me: hahahahHAHAHAHA he left his change in his other suit

and who names a male pengin LALA?