My Break As Told By Instagram

First day back in NYC after a lovely break! 1) My brother on Christmas morning wearing my awesome lavender fox fur head wrap 2) Me & my BFF Gina 3) Me & Christian 4) Me & my brothers on Christmas 2010 5) Me & Gina in the open space by her house in Golden, CO 6) Mona's in downtown Denver--highly recommended 7) Gina's baby Christmas tree 8) My family's dog Simba 9) Snow-covered mountain side 10) Friends outside Bar Bar in downtown Denver 11) Driving into the mountains on a snowy day 12) My brother looking snazzy 13) Chad's laser-visioned cat Apollo 14) My bro and a Christmas tree with giant googly eyes in Lacrosse, Wisconsin 15) Gina being excited 16) Gina outside Beaujo's Pizza in Idaho Springs, CO

I pictured myself in a Denver bar that night...

I'm going to Colorado on Sunday before going home for Christmas, and I cannot express my excitement. I'm pretty sure my brain is preparing for the amount of excitement about to ensue by making me unusually sad this week. It's worth it. These are pictures from the last time I was in Colorado in the winter. I can't wait to get out of New York for a while, see my best friend in the whole world, and finally eat some decent Mexican food.

My Fall As Told By Instagram

Summing up my fall:
Learning to knit, me & my cousin's collaboration on our Jack o' Lantern and our friendship rings, the first snow of the season, apples at the farmer's market, our backyard fire pit, love in Dumbo, and hanging out with friends.

Newfound Appreciation for Amelia Earhart

Miss Earhart Buys Sports Plane

Unidentified artist

Photograph, August 29, 192

The National Portrait Gallery had a great exhibition on Amelia Earhart. I've always liked her, ever since I did a report on her in sixth grade, even though I don't remember anything about her. I still have the pilot hat I wore, though. The museum had a letter she wrote to her husband right before she married him on display, and it made me realize what a badass she was. The letter expressed her apprehension towards marriage and how flying will always be her first love, which makes her the ultimate feminist.

Etsy Gift Guide

 

1. For the Raunchy Jokster: Pin Cup Beer Mug by JeezVanilla

2. For the Green Thumb Dinosaur Lover: Dinosaur Planter with Air Plant by boygirltees

3. For the Fur Friendly Fashionista: Peach Fox Fur Earmuffs by SimplyFurs

4. For the DIY-Obsessed Cheesemonger: Brie Cheese Making Kit by makecheese

5. For the Non-English Major Nerd: Caffeine Molecule Coffee Mug by DailyGrinder

6. For the Snazzy Art Student: Pompeii Bow Tie by SuperAwesomeBowties

7. For the Californian in New York: Soopascarf in Burgundy by Yokoo

8. For the Plan-Aheaders: Wall Calendar 2013 by FormbyStina

For even more ideas check out my Etsy treasury!

Olek at the Renwick Gallery

I've seen Olek's yarn-bombed bicycles around NYC before, but I never realized she's an artist working in the city until I saw her installation at the Renwick Gallery's 40 Under 40 exhibition. I'm so glad to have seen her work, because she seems like one fabulous babe. Definitely going to start keeping tabs on her.

Etsy Shop Update: Christmas Cards

I kind of dropped the ball on the Etsy shop, but I got into a bit of a crafty mood today and made some Christmas cards! They're up in the shop, so check them out.

Modern American Poets at the National Portrait Gallery

Frank O’Hara 1926–1966

Don Bachardy (born 1934)
Graphite and ink wash on paper, 1965

Adrienne Rich 1929–2012

Joan E. Biren (born 1944)
Digital inkjet print, 1981

Sylvia Plath 1932–1963

Rollie McKenna (1918–2003)
Gelatin silver print, 1959 (printed later)

My favorite part of the National Portrait Gallery was the Poetic Likeness: Modern American Poets exhibition (duh). I love the illustration of Frank O'Hara. There was also a great painting of him, but I only got one picture before I got yelled at (one of the many times I got yelled at).

Washington D.C.

After Thanksgiving, I went on a mini-vacation to Washington D.C. It was great to get out of the city for a bit. D.C. is a freakishly clean city--we only saw like one pigeon and one piece of trash on the street. Aside from admiring its pristine-ness, we made a sad attempt at fulfilling our patriotic duty by seeing all the monuments, but we only made it as far as the White House. We could see the Washington Monument in the distance more than once, though.

We did visit the National Portrait Gallery and the 40 Under 40 exhibition at the Renwick Gallery, both of which were AMAZING. I have never more thoroughly enjoyed a museum than these two. The other highlight of the trip was dancing to live jazz at the Eighteenth Street Lounge. Definitely the best night I've had in a long time.

Even the bus ride was a blast.

One of many statues in parks.

Still in the dancing mood after meeting a new friend with a lovely apartment.

Walt Whitman in the Modern Poets exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.

The State Department Building or something like that.

Jeffrey Clancy, Tea for One, 2002

Alfred Hitchcock

I've been on a Hitchcock kick ever since Halloween when I watched Psycho (the 1998 version with Vince Vaughn, but still), and then Dial M for Murder (the original with Grace Kelly), both of which were paradigms of my ideal horror flick--engrossing, suspenseful, and hilarious (because Hitchcock).

I was watching Alfred Hitchcock Presents on Netflix (it's a million mini Hitchcock movies!) when my roommate told me this is happening. I usually don't get excited about a movie coming out, but this (as is Gatsby, of course) is an exception. As great as Anthony Hopkins is, he's not as adorable as Hitchcock, but the movie looks fabulous and fascinating all at once--it reminds me of Capote. I've also been on a biography kick, so this is exactly my cup of proverbial tea.

Cary Grant in North by Northwest

The famous Psycho shower scene

Grace Kelly about to be strangled in Dial M for Murder

Want: Duvet Coat by Maison Martin Margiela for H&M

Maison Martin Margiela's collaboration with H&M hits stores today, and I'm drooling over this Duvet Coat. It's literally my down comforter in coat form, which is my dream. Unfortunately the price is a little closer to MMM than H&M ($349).

The rest of the collection is kind of weird--I'm rarely okay with asymmetry--except for this sick Glove Clutch ($149). I'm dreaming up a DIY project here, but we'll see if inspiration triumphs laziness (unlikely).

Our Ladies of South 4th Street

I finally went to another Our Ladies of South 4th Street show (after like a year). Two brilliant girls, Rachel and Sophia, started Our Ladies last summer to show free awesome art out of their South Williamsburg home. You can find out more about them here.

I was especially blown away by Olivia Oppedisano, who sang original songs (as well as Lady Gaga) and was magical, and Janet Glazier, who wrote a hilarious and moving play (the first act of which was read by Josh Brechner, Carolyn Cox, Joelle Golda, and Drigan Lee).

Definitely planning on going to every show from now on! Added bonus of this month's show: all proceeds from drink sales went to Sandy relief! Further proof of Our Ladies' awesomeness.

My Life of Late: Post-Sandy

Well, I did get to go to one Halloween party dressed up as (surprise!) a fortune teller, but because of Sandy, actual Halloween was spent at home eating candy. I did make a Halloween crown and wear it, though.

I'm extremely grateful that the worst of my Sandy experience was missing out on Halloween, plus a couple minor inconveniences (honking and lines for gas). A lot of people are still in need, so I've been using that as an excuse to attend some awesome events where all proceeds went to Sandy relief efforts.

This weekend I'm going to the Powerhouse Arena in DUMBO for their Sandy Hates Books fundraiser to help save their bookstore, which was completely devastated by the storm.

The Powerhouse Arena in a very sad state :(

Thankfully New York is bouncing back (as is its nature), and we can start looking forward to the fun things yet to come! Hooray.

Brainstorming

I still get excited about Halloween, even though every year ends up being as lame as the last. Alas, I have hope. So naturally I've been thinking about what to be for the past month. My requirements are a) lots of brightly colored make-up and b) cheap. Here are a few of my past costumes, all of which are pretty uninspired.

My first year in New York we went all out to show my Swedish friend what Halloween was like. That meant a fake eyelashes and a schlep to Chinatown to get dry ice.

Two years ago I was a fortune teller because I wanted an excuse to buy a vintage velvet turban. Note my also recycling my token Halloween costume hand gesture.

 

This was probably my most last-minute costume, if you couldn't tell. I'm wearing my pilot hat from when I did a report on Amelia Earhart in 6th grade and I wrote "Ron Weasley" on one of Jon's undershirts. Voila.

This year I've been brainstorming. I'm deciding between:

1) Cherish (a.k.a. Alicia Witt) from "Cecil B. Demented," one of the many masterpieces by John Waters, director of Rocky Horror Picture Show and thus a natural pick for a Halloween costume. Pros: red hair dye, eye shadow, Sinema, badass anti-Hollywood terrorism. Cons: It might be too cold for fishnets.

 

2) A witch. I know, the epitome of Uninspired Halloween Costume. But also an excuse to buy so much good stuff. Pros: black everything, as much make-up as I want, I pretty much have everything I need (except for more make-up), tumblr-ific. Cons: boring. lame. unoriginal. etc.

Vogue Paris. Thanks, "witchy" Google search.

3) An owl. I think I'd just be a really cute owl. Pros: Major DIY fun. Cons: Okay, I already know I won't be an owl. Nevermind.

Well, clearly I could use some more ideas. Anyone?

P.S. My predictions for what EVERYONE is going to be this year: Grimes and any of the characters from Twin Peaks (not that any of those wouldn't be really fun).

Tête-à-Tête

I think I'm in for a good long nonfiction binge after an embarrassingly prolonged reading dry spell. I'm just too much of a snob to pick up anything that's been on a best-seller list, and don't even get me started on commercial fiction. I finally realized all I want to read right now are biographies.

Trial #1: Tête-à-Tête: Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre by Hazel Rowley. It's a different take on a biography, depicting their lives in terms of each other and their relationship. Never before has it been so easy to read about scandalous affairs and sexual freedom while coming off as intellectual. Very highly recommended.