**Fine Art Friday**

Last week Lo and I went on a very fulfilling date...if only she were a dude!

First, we checked out The Whitney. On Friday nights, from 6-9 PM, it's pay what you want. Now, personally, I think $5 minimum donation is acceptable but walking up and saying "So it's free, right?" is not so much. But that's just me.

At any rate, we went to see the William Eggelston photography exhibit, and got an extra bonus with the Alexander Calder exhibit.

Eggelston is one of my favorite photographers, mainly because his composition is so poised, that even though he takes pictures of the often mundane, his images are still gorgeous. He was one of the first fine art photographers to shoot in color and his process (which I don't fully understand so I won't extrapolate here) makes it so the colors pop vibrantly. It's not so much that the saturation is pushed, it's that the color is part of the story.

As for Calder, I was so pleasantly surprised by this exhibit. I'd never heard of him before, but his fame comes from all the wire sculptures he did (a lot of them were dubbed the first "mobiles"), but what made the exhibit so fantastic was all the toys he handmade and the full functioning circus he fashioned out of wire, cloth and other materials. The best part was that the circus "performers" were actually functional, thus being one of the first "performance art" pieces ever constructed. And lucky for myself and the other adults and children in attendance, this performance art didn't involve a naked person smearing themselves with feces.

These images don't do the exhibit justice, there are wire sculptures hung so that the light hits them and makes beautiful silhouttes on the wall. And the circus is shown on video performed by Calder himself.

I highly recommend both exhibits. Lauren and I left with Eggelston postcards, and I almost never buy anything at museum gift shops anymore.

**Snapshot Wednesdays**

Hey hey, it's Wednesday!

You know what that means! A dose of fun in the form of a snapshot.

Below is one of the best pictures I've ever taken. It was taken at my bff Lo's 25th Birthday when we rented a limo to Atlantic City. The attire was "Miami Glam," and Lauren looked like a movie star while our friend John looked like a bodyguard. Hence the Paparazzi photo!


Enjoy!

Thanksgiving is Here...Well for me at least

Hey blogowers (get it, like followers?)

Today is Tuesday and I am embarking on an almost week long family holiday.

To most, this sounds like a nightmare, but to me it means good food, free booze, fires in the fireplace, and a lot of sitting around in a warm house with a blanket.

But for those of you who don't like your family that much, or who have to deal with lots and lots of relatives and insanity, here's my Survival Guide to Holidays with the Family:

* Ear Plugs--especially good if you have nieces and nephews of the "shrieking" age

* A spare car--always try to take an extra care if you are going to a relative's house so you can leave when you want

* Netflix--when all else fails in the conversation department, a blockbuster film or a comedy are good crowd pleasers

* A good book--so you can be pretending to be engrossed in it when Uncle Ned tells you the same story for the upteenth time

* Running/walking shoes--For anyone leaving New York and going to Suburbia or Small Town USA, enjoy the trees and fresh air while you can!

* Booze. Stock up before Thursday. Nuff said.

Most importantly, just remember that while holidays are stressful, they are at least a break from work, break ups, house cleaning, cat poop and responsibility.

Have a happy and warm Thanksgiving and I'll be sending through **Snapshot Wednesdays** and **Fine Art Fridays** as planned this week.

Mwah!

30 Going on 13

Hey Hey,

Yes, you guessed right, this post is all about how my best girlfriends and I went to see the YA sensation Twilight yesterday.

We did it up in style that only 30 year olds obsessed with a tween novel-turned movie can. We started out with brunch at Audrey's with excellent Bloody Mary's (get it, bloody!), yummy bagels, and chicken sausage. YUM.

Then we took the bus to the movie theater and were the first in line, with gaggles of teenager gals behind us. Our cover story? We brought our daughters to the movie but they didn't want to sit near us. Bahahahaha.
At any rate, we followed up the awesome movie with margaritas and Thai Food.

To those "haters," I say, if you can't embrace your inner child (or inner tween) and make a fool out of yourself, well, then you may as well call yourself a hipster. ;-)

**Fine Art Friday**

As of today, November 21st, 2008, "Faux Art Fridays" will officially be called "Fine Art Fridays."

Because let's face it, it's not fake art, it's real art. And Fine Art describes this stuff much better and Fine, like Faux, starts with an "F."

At any rate, check this photographer out. His name is Gregory Crewdson. His work is a comment on suburbia, he sets up very dark scenarios with eerie twists.

The work is very cinematic and he travels with a DP to light each scene.

Beautiful stuff.

(For more on this artist, check out the profile on NPR.)

A Potluck Party

So this was intended to be a "bake-off," but there was no judging or prizes, so therefore I call it a "Pot Luck."

Everyone brought something baked or half-baked that they could finish up in the oven. We had Quiche, Mac n Cheese, Cheesecake, Key Lime Pie, Fallen Chocolate Cake, Acorn Squash, and tons and tons of wine and my contribution, mulled spiked cider.

But it had a fun twist--it was at a photographer's studio! And it just so happens that this awesome photographer, Steve Giralt, also took the wonderful pictures posted here.

Now I know that not everyone is lucky enough to be friends with awesome photographers with their own studio. So...I've heard about other people renting their work studios out for parties. Check out a few of these for your next party (not all of them are studio spaces, but could work):

Laura Little Productions

Neo Studios

The Brooklyn Lyceum

It's a great idea for weekends since photo studios are rarely booked for weekend jobs. I'll do more research and get back to you!

By the end of the night, I was building a jenga-like sculpture out of wine and booze bottles and other trinkets. And we all watched Obama on 60 minutes.


















Great Sunday Night. And perfect for the cold weather evenings up ahead! Nothing like comfort food and good friends to get you ready for a Monday.

Random Thoughts by Agmac

"We're easy for an open bar. I personally would go to the opening of a can of tuna if I'm invited."
--Bryan Batt (who plays the closeted Salvatore on Mad Men)

To this quote, I say, Hear, Hear Brotha! I'm right there with ya!!!!

**Snapshot Wednesdays**

This is one of my favorite pix. It's from a party in Williamsburg, and there was a backdrop and professional photographer. Recipe for some hijinx!!

And anyone who knows me, knows that I love to stick my butt out and butt dance! WOOT!

Mmmm...Mmmmmm...MMMMMM

Hey Hey,

So I promised I'd do a post about interesting Thanksgiving recipes. Now, I am by no means a gourmet cook, but I do like good food.

Below are a few items to make Thanksgiving a little less traditional and a little more epicurious. Sorry for the links, I'm being lazee today.

Appetizers
~ Bacon-wrapped dates. Served warm. The girls and I had this at General Greene last week and they were scrumptuous.
Recipe here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/tapas-baconwrapped-dates/25031.html

~ Oysters. Yum. I prefer mine raw but here is a recipe for Roasted Oysters with Leeks and Bacon: http://nymag.com/restaurants/features/51811/index2.html

Starter Drink
Mulled cider. Spiked of course. I made this for a potluck the other night and it was a big success. And it's super easy!
Recipe: Bottled Cider, whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, brown sugar & Allspice. Bring cider to a boil with all these ingredients. Once at a boil, lower the temp and put in some orange rinds, Cointreau and your choice of Bourbon or Brandy. YUM!

Main Course
Well, obviously turkey is the traditional choice, but some people also go fancy with duck or goose. I'm not a big fan of either of those, so I'd say, try a new take on turkey! I found this in a cooking mag and it looks yummy--Stuffed Turkey Rolls with Cranberry Glaze
Recipe: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1860107

And for you Vegetarians, Gourmet Magazine has some yummy main courses that will leave even the carnivores jealous. My favorite one they had was Pumpkin stuffed with Vegetable Stew. Recipe here: http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2008/11/tgving-veg-mains?slide=7#showHeader

Side Dishes
~ Acorn squash. I recently had some of these at a party and they were divine.
Recipe: I believe you half some acorn squashes, put sugar and sweet spices and raisins in the middle and bake them. Sprinkle later with lemon juice. For a more detailed recipe, try http://nymag.com/listings/recipe/autumn-squash-in-maple-v/

~ Brussel Sprouts. This is one of my favorite side dishes ever. For an interesting and easy take on it, try http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=222318

~ Cabbage. Say it loud and say it proud. Polish people love cabbage, and it's cheap. Here is a recipe for Braised Savory Cabbage: http://nymag.com/restaurants/features/51811/index6.html

Dessert
I think the general rule is anything Pumpkin is the right choice. But try doing something that's not the regular pumpkin pie.

~ Pumpkin Flan: http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2005/11/pumpkin-flan

~ Fried Pumpkin Layer Cake: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/fried-pumpkin-layer-cake-with-cream-cheese-and-orange-frosting-recipe/index.html

Whatever you eat or do for Thanksgiving, have fun and eat lots. Bon Apetit!!!

Faux Art Friday (No. 1.2)

Hello fans,

Here is the second installment of "Faux Art Fridays."

Today's featured artist is Alexandros Vasmoulakis.. If you haven't already guessed, he's Greek.

I like his stuff because a lot of it is done not on paper or for traditional media, but on the sides of buildings, check it:


He's definitely got a distinct look, a little bit Rugrats, a little bit Ren n Stimpy, mixed with some naughty/guerilla flair. My kind of art.

Enjoy!

Great Thanksgiving Movies

If you aren't a football or Macy's Day Parade fan, check some of these out while you're sitting on your couch digesting or to get yourself psyched for Turkey Day over the next two weeks...

Home for the Holidays
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113321/
One of the first movies I remember that basically got one set (a dining room) and paired it with an ensemble cast full of dysfunctional characters. It has Robert Downey Jr in it so it can't be that bad, right?

Pieces of April
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0311648/
Two reasons to see this movie: Katie Holmes before Tom and the chick that played her sister in this movie did Karaoke with me a couple of years back and stole "Shoop" from me. Throw things at the screen when she's on.

An American Tail
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090633/plotsummary
Whle not specifically about Thanksgiving, what makes you want to be an American more than Barack Obama? Fievel, that's who.

ThanXgiving
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0878717/
Wow, this looks awesome. Never seen it but will if anyone's down!

Tagline: No meat too tough...

Plot: A group of film students go into the woods to make a movie. They believed to have found the perfect location, a vacant campsite which soon proves otherwise...

Sounds like our camping trip! LOL.

The House of Yes
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119324/
I forgot about this one. It's so fucked up and great. I miss when Parker Posey was more than a crazy cameo.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093748/quotes
RIP John Candy.

Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068359/
You can't go wrong with aCharlie Brown holiday movie. Reading the synopsis on imdb begs the age old question, if Charlie B is putting the di nner together himself WHERE THE HECK ARE HIS PARENTS?

Thanksgiving Family Reunion
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0374275/
A Bullshit National Lampoon's without Chevy Chase. But Judge Reinhold is in it!

Celebrity Bric-a-Brac:The Story of Thanksgiving
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7755vuRLJ-Q
Something I found on YouTube. Kinda funny.

Son-in-Law
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108186/
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Poor Pauly Shore.

The Sure Thing
http://www.amazon.com/Sure-Thing-John-Cusack/dp/B00009OWJY/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1226444523&sr=8-1
Can't remember if the holiday they are traveling during is Thanksgiving or Christmas, but this is a must for any Cusack-a-phile!

The Wizard of Oz
http://www.tnt.tv/title/?oid=852
A classic. Nuff said.

James Bond
http://www.bondmovies.com/news/79.shtml
Spike TV's yearly Thanksgiving Marathon of Bond movies. A great way to "bond" with your dad. (Ha!)

And some of TV's greatest Thanksgiving moments:

Brad Pitt on Friends
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2zFlARhY-s
Back when he was Brennifer and not Brangelina.

And from Lauren—a little Saved by the Bell: The College Years
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhRLhl0HRjA

I know there are others (Alice's Restaurant & Hannah and Her Sisters) but I haven't seen those and don't want to come off as pretentious.

Lastly, Thanksgiving is for some crazy reason when corporate America starts advertising for Christmas, so don't forget to tune into A Christmas Story...over and over and over again.

Next week: unusual Thanksgiving recipes!

XOXO

*Snapshot Wednesdays*

The first, but not the last, installment of "Snapshot Wednesday." (So what if it's not alliterative).

Here's me leading a conga line at my friend Mel's wedding. Be inspired.

Faux Art Friday

Hey, so I know this post isn't about social activities, parties, gifts or anything of the sort. But I'm not a one trick pony you know? I have other interests, not the least bit of which consume most of my day job--art and photography.

That being said, every Friday I'll introduce y'all to some cool artists whose prints you and I probably can't afford.

But who cares? It's fun to ogle.

I came across this guy Brian M. Viveros in an email about a gallery show at Thinkspace Gallery in LA.

His work is retro and dark, reminiscent of WWII Army posters with a modern "gaze" if you will.
While some people might scream, MISOGYNIST!, I think the women own their sexuality and their battle scares. They are saying, "Go ahead, try and mess with me, I'll kick your ass."

Happy Friday everyone.

A Good Guest

Rules to Live By.

1. Never arrive empty handed.
Even if the host hasn't requested anyone to bring anything, a nice bottle of wine or bouquet of flowers is always appreciated.

2. House Warm
If it's a housewarming, bring a plant or some cutesy house item like modern art salt shakers or a fruity fragrant candle.

3. Don't overstay your welcome
If the host is trying to clean up or has made hints about how tired they are, LEAVE. Don't hang out. Unless you are too drunk to drive and then ask if you can stay on the couch. But don't keep your hosts up. It's annoying. If you do it, you will forever be dubbed "Dupree."

4. Thank you
In this digital age, it's acceptable to send a Thank You email to the host for the party, even if you had a bad time. However, if the party was thrown in your honor or if the host did something in particular that was special and you enjoyed it, a nice handwritten note is appropriate.

5. Don't bring an entourage
If the invite says guests are welcome, an acceptable amount is 2-3 people, unless otherwise noted. Don't bring 15 of your closest friends to someone's house party.

6. Music
Don't take it upon yourself to change the music or increase the volume. That's not your job. Unless your the DJ.

7. Keep it Clean
If you have to take a big sh*t, try not to. And put the toliet seat down after you pee fellas, for Chrissake! ;-)

8. Clothes
Keep your clothes on. Unless you are taking porn Polaroids in the bathroom, then it's totally acceptable to get naked.

9. Shoes
If the host asks you to take your shoes off, don't make a big deal out of it. It's totally within their rights as owners of the home to not have dirt and schmutz tracked across their floor or carpet.

10. Throw up
If you gotta puke, don't do it behind a couch or someplace the host will never find it. Not cool, dude, not cool. You know who you are.

11. Pets & Kids
Always ask in advance if children or pets are welcome. Don't assume that just because you think your Pomeranian is cute, that everyone will. They won't. And if you bring your screaming baby to a hipster party full of singles, this might happen...

12. Don't make inappropriate toasts
For anyone who's seen Rachel Getting Married, you know what I mean.

13. Attire
If you are dressed just like the hostess, GO HOME AND CHANGE. For reals, SWF.
14. Don't eat all the crudite

15. Don't tell the hostess she looks like your mom
Unless you're name is Maddox, Shiloh, Zahara, Pax, Knox Leon or Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt

16. Don't fall out the window
Injuries and deaths are a buzz kill.

17. Don't take your crap home
If you brought a six-pack and people only drank one, don't take the other five home. It's gauche as hell.

18. And per my friend Lo...
If plastic cups are provided, don't rummage through the cabinets and use the host/ess's nice glasses. Cuz you'll break them loser face.

BEST NIGHT EVER

Last night, November 4, 2008, was the best night I've had in my 28.92 years. It was the night that we elected President Barack Hussein Obama.

It was so momentous in so many ways. And one of which is that I got to share it with my favorite people in the world (excluding my parents of course)--my best friends. Thank you to all of you who came to Fort Greene to watch the election on a tiny TV on Dekalb.

I am so glad to be a part of the Brooklyn and the New York City community.

Pictures to follow tomorrow.

BEST WEEKEND EVER

Hello fellow professionals,

This post is dedicated to this past weekend, one of the best weekends I've ever had.

The weekend commenced on Thursday with RHTL's DJ night at Last Exit where we toasted at midnight in honor of my friend Deirdre's birthday.

Then on Friday, both having the day off, Jaime and I sweated for 90 minutes in hot yoga and followed up our date day with some lunch and a movie (Rachel Getting Married) at BAM

Friday night, everyone dressed up and went to a grand Halloween ball at Union Street. We had Dorothy after the Fall, Katy Perry, the Morton Salt Girl, Sweeney Todd Palin, and some party crashers from the Church of Ladder Day Saints.



Saturday was spent recovering, but then Lo and I rallied and went to the Brooklyn Museum's First Saturday, which was AMAZING. We danced it up to Brit pop with senior citizens and adorable Brooklyn toddlers till 11. Then off to Soda bar in honor of our friend Allison's Birthday.

And it doesn't stop there folks! Sunday morning, bright and early, my friend Martha and I made our way to Lafayette and Classon to fill cups of water for the ING Marathon runners. Since we ran out of water, we enlisted the help of a few good friends--Abby, Jaime and Audrey saved the day and helped us fill more cups and hand them out to the amazing runners.



The weekend ended last night with a girly girl movie night. Lauren, Abby and Jaime came over and we watched Ladies and Gentleman, The Fabulous Stains. I have four words to describe this film: Diane Lane is fabulous.



That's all folks! I'll blog later this week with rules on how to be the best guest ever.