agmac's party

Why have I never done this before?

2010-08-10T15:33:00.003-04:00

And so begins a series where I list things I should do in NYC in the hopes that by writing them down, I'll actually do them!

1. Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City. So close. So pretty.

2. Stitch n Bitch. I can join cool girls and embroider cool stuff like spiders and lillies onto things.

3. Kayak on the River! For FREE!

4. Meditate.

Aaah, all these things courtesy of some Facebook Friends who are helping me out of a funk ;-)

xoxo agmac

HeART for Haiti

2010-06-15T11:11:00.003-04:00

After two ++ months of incredibly hard work, the day has finally come! The exhibit of all of the beautiful art up for auction to benefit Doctors without Borders and Haiti Hurricane Relief is up tomorrow!

Please come to the viewing party and after party!

And of course, don't forget to BID BID BID!!!!

http://benefitevents.com/auctions/heartforhaiti/

XOXO

Agatha

Free Summer Stuff, Part II

2010-06-07T15:43:00.008-04:00

Sorry this is late in the game, but below is a compilation of what I deem to be the best FREE summer concerts in NYC.

Go, stand in a crowded line and be a hot mess for the love of music!

Governor's Island and Water Taxi Beach
Highlights include...
~06/19 The Morning Benders, Freelance Whales, Wild Nothing at The Beach
~ 07/04 She & Him The Beach at Governors Island

The Today Show
If you are awake from the night before, may as well.
Some shows worthy of the time slot...
~06/18 James Taylor & Carole King
~07/09 LADY GAGA!!!!!!!!!

Prospect Park Bandshell
Super nice venue. As with everything--get there early. But if you can get seats, it's a lovely experience.
Must sees...
~07/30 The Swell Season
~07/31 Sonic Youth

Central Park Summer Stage
Unfortunately, all the good shows are "sold out." You most likely wont' get in, but listening from the outside on a nice blanky ain't so bad either.

River Rocks
Take me the River they say! Great song. This is mostly string quartets, but they have some great outdoor movie screenings like The Hangover on July 7th! And Deer Hunter is playing August 12th.

Brooklyn Bridge Park
So it's movies, not concerts? So what? It's my blog and I can do what I want.

Williamsburg Waterfront
Nothing beats this line up--Pavement, Belle & Sebastian, Weezer, Primus, etc.! Sadly, most aren't free :-(

Feel free to add ones I've missed in the comments!! Enjoy people.

Agatha

Fine Art Friday: Herring & Herring

2010-06-04T08:00:00.001-04:00

I met with this artist duo after they donated a print for the HeArt for Haiti art auction I helped organize. (If you haven't yet, go and bid on something!)

At any rate, they are doing some very fresh work in fashion photography and I wanted to give them a shout out on FAF. Check out Herring & Herring, here.

Neither of their names are actually Herring, and they are friends from art school.

The technique they incorporate in some of their photos produces a kind of glow to certain parts of the image, and I'm not quite clear on how they accomplish it, but the result is stellar.

Their images are sexy, dark and dreamy.

I foresee great things to come from these guys!

Paris, Je t'aime

2010-06-01T13:06:00.004-04:00

I'm not sure that I could love a city outside of New York more than I love Paris.

I just returned from a lovely week with my dear friend Abby. It is beautiful, clean, easy to get around, has great food and great wine.

I know everyone says this, but I'm hard to please when it comes to metropolises.

My favorite things were as follows:

The Montmarte Neighborhood
Go to the Sacre Couer and the slightly touristy square, but also eat here at my friends' restaurant. And go here for fondue and drink out of a baby bottle! Warning: this is the only wine I had in Paris that gave me a headache. So take a few sips for the photo op and call it a night ;-)

China Bar
I think they have one of these in NYC. But who cares? The bar is actually below the Chinese food restaurant. The night we went was open mic jazz fest. Hot men. Great music. Lovely atmosphere.

Canal St Martin
The apartment we stayed at was in this area. Hipster and artsy, this is a great area for walking the canal, eating and people watching. Especially this restaurant/bar.

Centre Pompidou
Amazing contemporary and modern art museum. But beware, it's HUGE. Took me about 2 hours to do one floor and there are 5 floors. Also amazing views from the top floor. Spend a whole day here.

AGATHA jewelry
I went to the one in Au Bon Marche and bought myself a watch. Not only does this line of bijoux have a great name, it's lovely ;-)

We also went to Versailles, the Louvre, saw the Arc Triophe and Tour Eiffel, walked through Pere Lachaise and Jardins de Tuilleries.

But there's still more to see! I am for sure going back.
Once I lose the 15 lbs of cheese I gained while there and make some more spending money.

xoxo
French Agmac

Off to Paris

2010-05-21T10:34:00.003-04:00

Au revoir mes amis.

Back on June 1st.

Is it summer yet?

2010-05-10T20:24:00.016-04:00

Hello Fans and Air Conditioners!

I know it's not even Memorial Day yet, but I am posting my annual, here's what is going on in NYC this summer for FREEEEEE. At least Part 1 (May & June)...cuz a lot of it isn't announced yet ;-)

* May 29th--the new Coney Island opens, called Luna Park. So while not totally free, as you have to pay for the rides, the great people watching is au gratis!! (Oh and be sure to check out the Mermaid Parade on June 19th!)

* June 8th--Do you heart art? Well then Museum Mile Festival is for you!

* June 12th--Fat Bottom Girls Make the Rockin' World Go Round!!! Sign up for the naked bike ride.

*June 24th--A great show at Prospect Park Bandshell--Buena Vista Social Club!

*June 26th--Apples in Stereo live at the South Street Seaport. Concerts with an incredible view.

* June 26th & 27th--Willyburg walk--walk it out with hipsters and see some art and eat some food.

*June 30th--Not free, but it's only $10, and I love the name of the band cuz it's named after one of my favorite books ever: The Secret History, Live + Guests at The Bell House.

*On-going
--> Monday night Craft Night sponsored by Etsy!
--> Thursday Night Burlesque @ Nurse Bettie
--> Free drinks for you and 15 of our friends! Well sort of. At Bushwick Country Club.

The "IT" List--MAY Edition

2010-05-04T10:52:00.006-04:00

This is a new segment of agmac's party and it's basically cool stuff I want to see, do or eat. It's my way of remembering this info and also of sharing it with you, my adoring fans.

For the month of May, here's what I'm looking forward to (or enjoying):

The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia
This crazy redneck documentary looks both scary and wildy entertaining. I love me some meth comedy. This was just in the Tribeca Film Festival and I'm not sure when it's being released to the rest of the world, but stay tuned!

Mark Ryden Exhibit
The coolest, weirdest artist of our time. Now in New York for our viewing pleasure.

That Tree
A cool video to check out by the super fun Snoop Dog and Kid Cudi.

Holy WHAT?
Another film, yet to be released, about a Hasidic drug mule. Called 'Holy Rollers.' And it's a true story!

Ear Cuffs
For when your ears need a break from cheap metal dangly earrings, there's these cool Victorian inspired ear cuffs. No harm done.

I'm off to Paris in 16 days which is cooler than cool. I'll post a June "IT" list all about Pareee! Mon amie!

XOXO
agmac

Fine Art Friday

2010-04-02T09:00:00.007-04:00

I haven't done a photographer for awhile on Fine Art Friday. Today's FAF is photographer Perttu Saksa. If you are wondering what kind of a name Perttu Saksa is, he's from Finland.

I first saw his work on a great photo/model/stylist/etc. site New Industry Arts.

As you will see the landscapes are mesmerizing--still, quiet and majestic. Taken all over the world, including Greenland, Norway, Sweden, they are all unbelievable in their beauty.

The indoor stuff ain't bad either. Dark in lighting, but not ominous. His portraits are pretty damn good too.

Gorge!!!

Agmac

Snapshot Wednesday

2010-03-31T09:00:00.001-04:00

In honor of Easter this Sunday, here's a picture of me in my aunt's Easter hat.

This was right before my friend Julie shot ham out of her nose and my friends got wasted off of vodka with my Dad.

Happy Easter y'all!

;-) Agmac

FAF: Sarah Arnett

2010-03-26T12:25:00.000-04:00

Sorry I'm a little late today.

Here's some cool "trippy" artwork by Sarah Arnett. It looks to me like it's digital, but I love the vibrant colors and patterns.

As shown in one of her slides, some of these would make amazing wallpaper or fabric.

Do you guys remember fractals? They are mathematical fragments, loved by hippies. This reminds me of those.

Either way, it's Friday, I'm hung over and wanted to put some color in my life. So enjoy.

Agmac

Fine Art Friday

2010-03-19T09:00:00.004-04:00

Today I woke up with sea anemones on the brain, so it works out perfect that our Fine Art Friday is painter "Microbo."

This stuff is straight out of the sea with it's wondrous forms and squiggles. He (or she, I can't really tell) captures this quirky sea world and its funky textures and forms, wispies and weirdness.

Looks like some of it is painted on wood and then given extra depth and movement through a collaging of the actual canvases. A great touch.

Reminds me of a great picture of my bff Lo using a large piece of seaweed as a whip. (If I find said picture, it will surely become a Snapshot Wednesday). I also want to dedicate this post to her and her love of sea creatures :-)

XOXO Agmac

Snapshot Wednesday

2010-03-17T09:00:00.001-04:00

Yeah, so I get made fun of a lot, mostly by my friend Abby, for talking about my cat so much. But she's so damn cute!

Here's a picture of Princess Miwa to brighten up your day. She's one big lady ;-)

Love, Agmac

Weekend Warriors

2010-03-14T14:30:00.008-04:00

This weekend, starting on Thursday, was filled with amazing live music, awesome art, and a general sense of awe and appreciation for my artistic friends!!
Thursday was the Ex Debutantes show in Williamsburg, Friday was an art show at an old convent, and Saturday was a live music birthday extravaganza in honor of my friend Elise.

Nothing beats good live music so you add that to any event and it's bound to be a success.

The art show at the convent was really unique because there was a different installation in every room and in the old chapel downstairs there was musical chairs and then music by Donny Hue & the Colors.
My friend Deirdre had some pieces in the show, like the one below which I helped her "hook!"

And Saturday night, we partied the night away in Legion Bar's side room where musical acts included members of the Ex Debs & Donny Hue and the Colors and some surprise vocals by Lo Kelly.

It was a great weekend!

Ex's and Oh's

Agmac

Fine Art Friday

2010-03-11T18:19:00.004-05:00

It's 6:20 PM on a Thursday night and I'm still at work, so please excuse my lack of editorial on this post. But the work should speak for itself.

Thease are some beautiful ink drawings with some color done by Neal Murren who's represented by Breed London. They are dark, whimsical, fantastical and surreal.

They remind me of Alice in Wonderland. Which is very apropos seeing as the Tim Burton version of this wonderful story just premiered last Friday.

And if you aren't tame of heart, check out the "Commercial" link he has--Garden of Earthly Delights comes to mind.

So let yourself be transplanted into Neal's world and have a happy weekend.

Love you all.

Agmac

Snapshot Wednesday

2010-03-10T10:55:00.003-05:00

This is my cutie pie cousin-once-removed, or as I like to call her, my niecin, Kamila. (That's cousin + niece).

She has the cutest hair wisps, like a little birdie.

This was posted on my cousin-in-law's blog as for "Ciocia Agatka," that's me.

Enjoy!

Oscaravaganza!

2010-03-08T21:53:00.004-05:00

Last night was my SIXTH annual Oscar party. This year my bff Lo and her lovely hubby Al let me use their lovely apartment (sadly mine is too small) for the party.

Toned it down a little this year, you know, the recession and all. But I still managed to have some themed snacks and cups.

This year's menu included:
- Stanley Tucci-zee (Recipe: Pillsbury biscuits with Gouda cheese generously lavished on top)
- Crazy Heart-ichoke Dip (Recipe from the Food Networ k)
- S'Moreniques (Um, more for the look than the taste)

Then I went to my favorite place in the whole wide world, Party City, and bought cups themed for some of the nominees: Balloon cups for 'UP,' Camoflauge Cups for 'The Hurt Locker,' Country Western cups for 'Crazy Heart,' and 'Princess and the Frog' cups.

And a new twist this year--we had a best costume vote and my friend Greggie got it. Check out his Prawn claw from 'District Nine.' The prize was a DVD set of the "Best Of" the Oscars from the past 30 years.

And congrats to this year's ballot winner, Jaime!

My favorite party of the year, another success!!

Ex's and O's
Agmac

Fine Art Friday

2010-03-05T09:00:00.001-05:00

It's March, it's almost Spring people!

We need to come alive with prettiness and flowers and happiness.

So I shall post a colorful and not dark and moody FAF today. While not sunshine and rainbows, more like shrimp cocktail heads and insects, it still comes alive with splashes of color.

This art comes from Nonchalant Sally Studios, which is artist Jo Kerlogue.

I love the mixed media and mixed color and sketch look.

I also love the comic book pieces--like an updated Cathy cartoon ;-)

Enjoy your weekend FAF'ers.

Snapshot Wednesday

2010-03-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

Hey O!!

This is a picture of my friend Kelly and I in the middle of a celery field in Southern California. We were on an Exxon shoot, hence the product!

It was so green and gorgeous there, in December! Sigh.

Ex's and Oh's--agmac

Casserole Ca-razy!

2010-03-01T22:30:00.001-05:00

Yo yo Ma.

I've recently decided to have dinner parties at my place. My place is tiny so I can have up to five people including me.
And what's the perfect dinner party dish? A casserole of course!

And thanks to my dear friend Audrey who got me "Casserole Crazy" by Emily Farris a couple of Christmases ago, and to my lovely aunt for the Le Creuset, I am able to make casseroles all-the-time.

My first foray into Casseroletown was a doozy. I made THE GREENPOINT for my friends Anna, Greg, Marc and Didier. It was a mess of Polish deliciousness!!!!

Here's the recipe, with some modifications:
- (1) lb rotelle pasta
- TWO large heat and serve kielbasa *original recipe calls for one, but that was not enuf meat!
- (1) large white onion, finely chopped
- (2) packets of sauerkraut
- (4) TBSP of olive oil
- (10) small potatoes *original recipe calls for (2) portobello mushrooms, but one of my guests isn't a mushroom fan, so I decided to add more carbs!
- (2) cups of cream of celery soup *again, recipe called for cream of mushroom soup, see above
- (1) cup grated Parmesan cheese (I put the WHOLE container in)
- Salt n Pepper
- (16) oz frozen sweet peas

Preheat oven to 350F. Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water. Cook to just under al dente, drain, and set aside.
Cut the kielbasa into 1/4" slices. In a large saucepan (or wok) over high heat, saute the kielbasa slices, onion, and sauerkraut in the olive oil. When the kielbasa is browned *add the mushrooms and sautee for 3-5 minutes.
(At this time, I was also boiling the potatoes in super salty water).
In a LARGE pot over low heat, mix the kielbasa mixture and the soup. When well mixed, add the pasta. When the pasta is well coated with the soup, add 3/4 cup of the Parmesan while continuing to stir. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the frozen peas (they should be frozen) and stir.
Take the boiled potatoes out and cool down with cold water. Slice the potatoes and place at the bottom of a greased casserole dish.
Transfer mixture from large pot to the casserole dish on top of the potatoes. Sprinke the remaining Parmesan cheese on top.
Bake, uncovered, 40 - 45 minutes or until slightly browned on top.

Let sit for a bit, then gorge!

And for dessert I made an amazing Triple Berry Pie! Reminiscent of Carey's berry pie, but I don't make my own crust ;-)

It's been a long long time...

2010-01-15T15:08:00.003-05:00

...Since I last posted. In December, I had about 5 fabulous 30th birthday celebrations, ranging from drinks and cake in LA, to an amazing surprise party in NYC, to a reunion and family filled fest in CT.

Here are some highlights in photos.

Birthday #1 (LA)

Birthday #2 (NYC)

Birthday #3 (CT)

I'll tell you this much, it feels great being 30.

This year I promise to blog about wonderful dinner parties (with recipes!), awesome healthful ways to get together with your friends, more wedding Wednesdays, and of course, more fine art Fridays.

Stay with me people, you won't be disappointed!

Love and Zen in 2010~Agmac

Snuggies All Around

2009-12-08T09:00:00.001-05:00

Tapping into the Snuggie craze of 2009, I thought of a great Christmas party--egg nog and "trimming" your Snuggie!

So instead of trimming the tree, or decorating pine cones to hang on your tree, or any of the old school Xmas activities, how about Trim that Snuggie!

What you will need:
- A Snuggie
- Felt (...to cut into Santa, Angel, or Xmas tree shapes!)
- Glitter
- Sewing needle and/or safety pins
- Fabric paint
- Scissors
- A Bedazzler
- Spiked Eggnog

Enjoy.

Agmac

D.I.Y Birthday Ideas

2009-12-07T14:06:00.006-05:00

Hello Hello...

My friend Lauren just celebrated her 30th birthday with a lovely party at a wine bar on Friday night.

She booked the space herself and ordered some appetizers ahead of time. So to add to her special night, a few of her friends and I decorated the space.

I also made a Birthday Book. What's a birthday book?

It's a book with fun photos of the birthday person with friends with lots of empty pages where guests can sign it with birthday wishes or other anecdotes!

I made mine from a cool free notebook I had from Getty Images, with different colors of paper and stock photos throughout. Then I customized the cover with a fun collage and the letter "L" for Lauren. I customized the back too and printed out lots of pictures and pasted them throughout the book.

I bought a pack of glitter gel pens in different colors and Viola! Masterpiece.

Additionally, I wrapped Lauren's present in fun tissue paper and taped a cool photo on top--DIY wrapping paper!

If you aren't lucky enough to be an Art Producer who gets lots of free cool stuff, you can use photos from magazines for a wrapping paper idea and you can buy cheap notebooks like these and customize the cover with magazine clippings and a glue stick.

D.I.Y...Why? Because I love you.

XOXO
Agmac

Birthday Wish List

2009-12-03T13:15:00.000-05:00

So this comes a little early this year, but I'm just so dang excited to turn 30! ;-) Here's my Birthday Wish List...

1. For Pete, Greg & Mike to stop smoking cigarettes
2. A Holga (in white)
3. A Cannon DX
4. A Snuggie
5. A dress from this place
6. Those Reebok shoes that work out your butt and thighs while you walk!!
7. BIG ass dangly earrings
8. The "Brooklyn Gang" photo book by Bruce Davidson, full of hotties from the 50s
9. A Nooka Watch
10. The Amy Sedaris Entertaining book (second year in a row)
11. A sexy corsett
12. Nanette Lepore perfume
13. Polaroid film!!
14. She Ra DVDs

XOXO
agmac

Winter Drink Recipes

2009-12-02T13:11:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the lack of insightful posts--maybe it's the impending 30th birthday that's slowing me down ;-)

But here are some great recipes for your Holiday Parties for yummy drinks!

From NY Times

From NY Mag

My favorite of all of these has to be the Berry Punch ;-)

XOXO
agmac

'Tis the Season...

2009-11-30T15:02:00.002-05:00

...For really "bad" Christmas movies!!!

Sadly I don't have cable this year, but am going to take my bff up on her offer to watch some at her house and take advantage of the ones on Netflix.

A list of this year's best.

Enjoy!

Agatha

Tardy Tardy Tardy!

2009-11-20T12:14:00.002-05:00

Sorry I've been so absent lately, work has picked up (Yay!) and I've been quite busy.

But I plan to be up and running again soon, so long as I keep getting inspired!

Stay tuned for Sunday's "New Moon" outing with the ladies, and numerous successful holiday parties to report on.

Here is a picture that my friends Pete and Abby drew last night at a bar. Enjoy.

xoxo
Agmac

Fine Art Friday (A day early)

2009-11-05T11:31:00.000-05:00

Maybe it's my recent interest and intrigue with the 70s punk scene or my penchant for retro looking imagery, but I LOVE this guy's work...

Niall O'Brien is a London-based photographer who I was introduced to when his reps D+V Management came to do a mini portfolio review.

He has a series of images where he has been following London punks for the past 4 years. Here is one of my favorite images from that series...

I love his color palette, and the way in which he captures street scenes without a posed quality. His Punk project work is reminiscent of Anton Corbin's young U2 and other musician portraits. But his fashion and editorial work is retro without being trendy.

Happy November Fine Art Friday.

XOXO
Agmac

Snapshot Wednesday

2009-11-04T10:00:00.000-05:00

Another great year volunteering at the NYC Marathon. Thanks to Martha and Abby for another inspiring and amazing year!!

Fine Art Friday, The Halloween Edition

2009-10-30T09:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween Fine Art Friday'ers.

These images are SPOOOOOOOKKKKYYYYYYY yet so freakin' awesome.

Apparently there's a huge movie/cinema production scene in Africa, similar to Bollywood. Who knew?

At any rate, photograher Pieter Hugo has taken some haunting portraits of some of the "characters" in these films.

"The tableaux of the series depict situations clearly surreal but that could be real on a set; furthermore, they are rooted in the local symbolic imaginary. The boundaries between documentary and fiction become very fluid, and we are left wondering whether our perceptions of the real world are indeed real." --Federica Angelucci

His other portraits are equally as haunting and equally as powerful (check out "Looking Aside"). He captures the uncomfortable, the familiar, the irregular and the strange with an exquisite tenderness not seen in many photographers.

XOXOBOOOXOXOXO
Agmac

Snapshot Wednesday

2009-10-28T09:05:00.000-04:00

Elise and my new neighbor Paw.
AWWWW....

Ask Agmac

2009-10-26T09:00:00.002-04:00

What to do..what to do!

A close family member blatantly job networks (business cards and all) at important friend and family functions such as weddings, parties and even more intimate gatherings.
Feeling uncomfortable for my guests (who at times seem taken aback) I asked that she not do this.
I know times are tough but I believe these events are not the right places for this sort of behavior.
She believes people should seize any opportunity, at any time, to speak with and connect with the right people. We have discussed this at length and can’t seem to agree.
I have a big function coming up and am tempted not to invite her but know this will cause all kinds of family strife.
What to do....what to do?

Signed,
WTD
************

Dear WTD,

That's quite a pickle! On the one hand, you want to help your friends and family members out who are struggling right now, but on the other hand, you want to be a good hostess and make your guests feel comfortable.

Here's what I'd do, I'd invite her so as not to cause additional drama to an already touchy situation. But I'd ask that instead of job networking that she try to make social contacts with people she doesn't know by inviting them to be a Facebook or LinkedIn pal, but ask her to leave it at that.

If the person doesn't seem interested or change the subject, advise her to let the situation drop. But if they agree, she can tell them that she'll get their contact info from you later.

That way, the family member can follow up AFTER the party, and save the networking for the Internet!

This seems like a great compromise that she can't refuse.

Yours Truly,

Agmac

Fine Art Friday

2009-10-23T09:00:00.004-04:00

Today's FAF artist comes recommended by one of his fans, his wife Dana. Dana is a photo agent whom I work with and she sent me some samples of her husband Michael's work. I absolutely love it.

His most recent work, "Palindromes," juxtaposes scenes with mirror images of each other, using vibrant color and pattern to illustrate mood.

Apparently, the last work in this series, titled “blue shift, red shift/red shift blue” is based on a Slim Aarons photograph, which was the subject of a previous Fine Art Friday!

His other paintings are equally as vivid--a mix of pop art and early American art, his subjects range from the traditional (sailboat) to the mundane (typewriter).

Both are equally as compelling and the timelessness of the subjects and colors would make any of these a great addition to your home.

I've met Michael once before with he and Dana's lovely children and I can say that not only does he make beautiful paintings, but he's got some beautiful children as well!! ;-)

XOXO
agmac

Snapshot Thursday

2009-10-22T09:43:00.002-04:00

Yeah, I know, it's supposed to be Snapshot Wednesday. But whatever, deal.

Here's a freaky deeky funny photo by Smallz & Raskind

Wedding Wednesdays

2009-10-20T16:24:00.004-04:00

I know the wedding of the year is over, but it's still Wednesday.

AND I have a friend who's newly engaged, so I'll try to keep these up every so often.

I just came across this website from a colleague in the photo industry, it's such a smart idea that my friend Celeste and I were like "we wish we came up with this!"

It's a wedding resource collective, where you can find a photographer, hair/make up person, or invitations!

Check the site out if you are planning a wedding!

(The above photo is my friend Pete giving his best man speech into a fork).

XOXO Agmac

"THE" Wedding

2009-10-13T14:18:00.007-04:00

So I realize I overuse "best ever" when referring to parties and such. Thus I will refrain from calling Lo and Alex's wedding the "best wedding ever," but it came pretty damn close.

First of all, Lauren looked amazing. Secondly, I was her MOH, so nuff said.

But what impressed me the most about the wedding, was how Lo managed to make it so unique to her and Alex, without spending an arm and a leg.

I'm not going to admit how much they spent, because I really have no idea, but I do know that Lauren did a lot of things on her own or DIY with the help of some friends.

Here are some great things she did to cut down on costs and personalize her wedding:

- Centerpieces--her and her mother-in-law rounded up some nice vintage looking vases and bought flowers that were in season the night before the wedding. This saves on costs and allows you full contrcol over the tables.

- Favors--Lo ordered pretty votives with a design that matched her invitations, matchbooks with the wedding date, and bought tea lights--put all three together with cellophane and ribbon (as we did in her living room) and viola!

- Make-up--She did all of the bridesmaids' make up and her own! Now, this is strictly for professional make-up hobbyists like Lo (http://lflynn.mymarkstore.com/), but she was cool under pressure and made us all look good.

- DJs--Have your fun and boisterous friends sound off on the mic and give them a few playlists. This way you get to hear your favorite music AND you give the showboats something fun to do ;-)

- Decorations--Lo's friends Jaime and Deirdre did a great job decorating the church railing AND the reception hall. It's great to ask good friends of yours who aren't in the bridal party to do some pre game stuff for you--they get recognition and love from you in return.

- Food--Do it up buffet style with recyclable plates (I recommend bamboo) and forget about pesky waitstaff spilling thigns all over your guests.

Lauren didn't skimp on the fun stuff, which was the booze, the clothes and the food. It was a beautiful and amazing wedding!

XOXO
agmac

Ripped from...

2009-10-07T16:03:00.003-04:00

I've been feeling kind of uninspired lately as to the whole social gathering/party/art posts. So I'm going to try and vary things up a bit.

Whenever I think something is cool that I read in a magazine or something from a blog that contributes to the art world or magazine world, I'm going to post it.

Here's the first installment...

Here's something that combines art with that wonderful thing we now refer to as "snail mail." Cute concept. Wish it would help out the printing/advertising/magazine world in this awful economic downturn, but at least it's making mail pretty.

Art As Mail

Fine Art Friday

2009-10-02T09:00:00.000-04:00

Today's Fine Art Friday artist is Miss Van (what a great name)! She is from France, but currently resides in Barcelona (my favorite city next to NY). She apparently got her start doing graffiti art, in what was then a man's world.

Her "infamous sultry female characters," are called ‘Poupes’, which is reminiscent of the Russian name for doll (Poupchin) and seems totally appropriate for these child-like scandalous ladies.

The Poupes are a little bit naughty, a little bit erotic, and have seemed to mature over time. (It's said they are self portraits). Either way, the F'you gaze of the characters show they own their sexuality--they are like petulant little girls whose path you don't want to cross!

Check out Miss Van's site and she has an upcoming show called "Love Stain" in the UK.

And she uses piggies in her art, and I love piggies!!

Best Bachelorette Weekend Ever

2009-09-30T11:49:00.003-04:00

So I know I use the qualifiers "best" and "ever" quite a bit, but hey, it fits. Last weekend WAS the best of the best!!!

We took our B2B (bride to be) to Atlantic City for a luxurious stay at the Borgata. (I highly recommend it for anyone who wants nice decor and class, over cheese and schtick).

Our guest of honor won $550 at the slot machines!

We didn't know until we showed up that one of our fave bands, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, were playing. While we didn't go to the show, we met the band and B2B got her picture taken with Karen O!!

We also went to a yummy fancy restaurant, Buddakan. And karaoked our night away at Planet Rose at the Quarter at Tropicana.

When we were ready to leave, instead of all 11 of us taking 3 cabs back to our hotel, we scored a limo for the same amount of money!

It really was a night blessed with good luck and awesome times.

The only tips I have is Bachelorette Parties in AC are these:
- Don't expect special treatment, e.g. to get in free at clubs. They see the likes of you all the time and the cover is usually $15 - $20 per person, so warn everyone and pick one club you want to stay at.
- For pre partying in the hotel room, buy booze before you check in because they can be expensive at the hotel.
- Get to Planet Rose early so you can actually hear your songs, the wait is LONG once you sign up.
- Stock up on snacks before you go out drinking :-)

Love as always,
Agmac

Fine Art Friday

2009-09-25T09:30:00.003-04:00

Today's FAF is dedicated to POSTERS!!

Not only is this post about art, it also doubles as a gift giving guide. People love art, but art isn't always cheap.

But some posters are. While these are a step above the Trainspotting and Pulp posters we all had in college, they aren't going to break the bank.

Take a look at some of these awesome posters. And hey, if the person you buy them for doesn't like them, they can always hang them in the bathroom.

Check out this awesome site from Poster Child Prints.

The BEST Bridal Shower Ever

2009-09-02T09:00:00.001-04:00

Saturday was my bff's Bridal Shower, or what her aunt and I dubbed "Bridal Luau."

Traditionally an aunt or female family friend throws the party and the bridesmaids help out with games and gift bags.

Lucky for Lo, she's got a kick ass aunt and some very creative bridesmaids!!

The theme of the party was tropical/luau style. To supplement the decor (leis, grass skirts, tropical flowers) and food, we centered our goodie bags around this as well.

The Goodie Bags included:

Tropical Drink recipes (also relating to one of Lo's favorite past time--mixology)
Candy like Almond Joy, Mounds, and tropical fruit flavored gummies
A drink flavored lip gloss
Colorful Swizzle Sticks
A Flip Flop coaster

The games were a HUGE hit. We didn't want to do anything traditional, obvs, and we wanted all of the games to mean something.

Keeping Lo and the audience in mind, we had the following games (prizes were either Margarita sunglasses or a tropical drink mix):

Name that Yacht Rock Love Song (crowd pleaser)!!--Just like "Name that Tune," we played a snippet from some of Lo's fave 80s songs (a la Lionel Richie, Hall n Oates, and Christopher Cross)
How well do you know Lauren and Alex Quiz--Fun questions about each of them individually, their cats, and about their relationship. Top 3 scorers got a prize.
Pin the Tail on the Japser--Lo and Al's older cat, name speaks for itself :-)

We did some traditional things that shouldn't be messed with like a champagne toast and some fun lingerie as a gift.

But you should always try something new and different at your next "traditional" soiree! It'll go a long way!!

XOXO

agmac

Fine Art Friday

2009-08-28T09:00:00.000-04:00

This week's FAF is dedicated to photographer Slim Aarons.

Apparently the LA episodes of last season's Mad Men were partly inspired by his photography. (Am I obsessed with Mad Men? Maybe a little.)

Much like Julius Shulman, RIP, he photographed architecture and life in LA during the 60's. But he also took images of celebs and the debutantes that adorned LA during the 60s, 70s and 80s.

To me, the early 60s and 70s was the one and only time LA was cool. But I'm also way into this period for its style of clothing, decor and its emphasis on partying ;-)

Enjoy the throwback.

XOXO

agmac

Snapshot Wednesday

2009-08-26T15:07:00.002-04:00

Happy Snapshot Wednesday!

This is a photo of my friend Marissa and I enjoying the crazy waves in Long Island this past Sunday.

Photo Credit @ Steve Giralt 2009

Fine Art Friday

2009-08-07T09:00:00.000-04:00

Today's Fine Art Friday artist is photographer Shannon Taggart. Not sure how I first came upon her work, but I did recently receive an email promo from her that interested me enough to click.

My favorite work on her site are her portraits. She uses some cool lighting and highlight techniques that give the subject an ethereal feel. I love the portraits of the women because they look so strong despite the soft lighting.

My other favorite work of hers is the story she did on nuns. It's so playful and wonderfully composed.

Take a look on her site!

xoxo Agmac

Snapshot Wednesday

2009-08-05T08:30:00.000-04:00

Helloooo,

Today I have a super cute Snapshot Wednesday for you. It's my little baby cousins. In honor of the California cousins meeting their Connecticut cousins for the first time, I got them all "Team Piech" t-shirts, since they are all Piechs!

I even got numbers on the back based on their birth order: Konrad in the red is #1, Artur in the navy blue is #2, Damian in the green is #3, and baby Kamila is #4!!

If you too want to personalize a t-shirt for a family event, or any other event, check out Neighborhoodies.com.

(Cuteness totes runs in my family ;-)

xoxo agmac

Fine Art Friday

2009-07-31T09:30:00.000-04:00

Courtesy of my friend Abby, I have had the pleasure to discover the illustrations of Dyna Moe. This comes just in time for the August 16th premiere of Mad Men!

Dyna, like myself, must have immaculate taste and a sense of retro style, because she illustrated a weekly desktop wallpaper for every episode of Mad Men, Season 2.

Enjoy these wonderful renditions of some of the greatest moments of last season on her Flickr site. And make sure to tune in on the 16th for the beginning of Season 3!

And if you haven't seen any episodes yet, get them on Netflix. This show is about advertising in NYC in the 60s, complete with all the misogyny, alcoholism, and deviant sexuality. It's a well written guilty pleasure ;-)

Oh Don Draper, you're even dreamy in 2-D!!

XOXO

Agmac

Game Show Fun

2009-07-29T10:38:00.006-04:00

Some of you may know my disdain for Williamsburg hipsters and all their clever and crazy antics, but somehow, if you take the hipster out of the burg, I quite enjoy their company.

For example, last night I want to Dick Swizzle's Quiz Night at the Bellhouse. What was hipster about it? Well, it's a game show with bonus rounds of dance dance revolution and donkey kong. But who cares? It was F-U-N.

And if agmac loves one thing it's fun.

The hosts are a hilarious duo who use laser light show tricks and play the keyboard and dance and are just all around hilarious. The way it works is that you pay $5 and each round has (4) contestants who compete over three rounds of questions. There are a multiple rounds and the top scorers of each get to come back for the "finals." Prizes are given out a long the way for completing sound lyrics.

For the talent of not singing the correct lyrics to "Sister Christian" I won: a backscratcher/shoe horn, an awesome tee shirt (similar to this one, but WAY, way cooler), a watermelon door mat, a singing teddy bear and a cowboy hat.

Long live quiz night!!

xoxo agmac

Fine Art Friday

2009-07-10T09:00:00.000-04:00

Sorry it's been awhile guys, things at work have picked up (Yay!) and I've been busy.

So today's FAF is dedicated to an ex Art Director turned artist and sneaker designer, Jayson Atienza. I met Jason at a Pulse party the other night and his work was hanging throughout the Pulse studios.

As you can see his work is very unique and really cool. It's almost like illustrated stained glass. Each element of the whole is a work of art in and of itself.

And then there are the sneakers...pretty rad. (And for you ladies, some pumps).

Check him out on his website. If you frequent ad parties, you'll probably see him there. He tends to schmooze with the celeb types, from what I hear ;-)

Snapshot Wednesday!

2009-07-01T10:34:00.001-04:00

Who says you can't bbq in the rain?

This image was taken by Jaime Fallon a couple of weekends ago at our friend Dan's house.

Abby and I are having a grand ole time cuddlin' under the umbrella. Ain't we Abby?

Party with the Parents

2009-06-29T11:59:00.005-04:00

Have you ever wondered, my parents are coming to town, what the HECK am I going to do with them?

Well...I've got some ideas! My parents come to visit fairly often, but being from the woods, they don't much like to hang out in Manhattan ;-)

So I try to do fun outdoor stuff with them that doesn't involve being trampled by tourists or traveling in honking cabs. Although, sometimes that's unavoidable.

Things I've done with them in the past:
- Bike ride around Prospect Park
- Walk around the piers in Red Hook
- Walk the Brooklyn Bridge promenade and get pizza at Grimaldi's and ice cream
- Grilled at my favorite bar in their backyard with friends
- South Street Seaport
- Tour of Greenpoint/Tour of any ethnic and interesting BKLYN nabe
- Five Borough Bike Tour (if your rents are into that sort of thing)

They came to visit me this past weekend and we did something that I've wanted to do for some time--visit the Cloisters in upper Manhattan. It was beautiful. That's where these pictures are from.

A couple of tips if you plan to do this:
- If you are driving, avoid taking the Triboro/RFK bridge because there's a $5 toll each way. But make sure you don't try to get back home during Gay Pride Parade since there will be tons of traffic!!
- Bring a picnic lunch. We paid $40 for 3 sandwiches and some chips at the overpriced museum cafe. Not worth it. You are better off bringing a picnic and eating it in the surrounding park either before or after you visit the Cloisters.
- Don't pay the suggested price. It's ridiculous and you don't have to feel embarrassed to offer them what you can afford since it's a "suggested" donation.

That's it.

Have fun with your parents!!

Fine Art Friday

2009-06-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

Check out the hot mess that is Billy & Hells. Damn these guys (or gals?) are good. The fashion is so quirky, darkly comedic and well done.
Billy & Hells is a German photography duo, and I would love to work with them. Their images look old and distressed, but in a good way. Each has a look of vintage but with modern styling. The work is absolutely stunning.

They are fashion photographers who make it look like life's a party, and not in the gross way that Last Night's Party does. But in a more sophisticated, British way.

Some of it looks like creepy horror vignettes, but that's why I like it. Check out more here.

MyMyMyMy Poker Face

2009-06-10T10:31:00.007-04:00

Last night was the first installment of "Ladies Poker Night" and it was so much fun!!

What makes Ladies Poker Night different from Dude Poker Night? Well, for one, we drink wine instead of cheap beer (although we had some of that too and it's hereby known as "water."). We have yummy cheese and baguette snacks. We also have a tutorial and a practice game to make sure everyone knows how to play. And lastly, we cheer when one of us gals wins vs. grimace!

We are very happy when one of us has caught on and gets it!! Yay, ladies. I'm so happy I'm a woman ;-)

Next poker night: July 7th.

Random Tuesday Post

2009-06-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

I like buying (and wearing) summer dresses, almost as much as I like buying and wearing exquisite coats and long jackets. These two categories of items are for me what handbags and shoes are for other shopaholics.

So with that, I thought I'd post some of my fave dresses from Urban Outfitters. Why? Because I'm bored and because this is an easy post I don't have to think about too much.

Enjoy.

Summer = Free

2009-06-08T09:30:00.005-04:00

In honor of it being the offiical summer months where the tots are out of school, the restaurant patios are open, and the summer dresses are out, I've done my annual Summer in the City calendar.

This year, I've taken advantage of this funny little thing called TECHNOLOGY.

I'm using the Google calendar which allows you to share you calendar with friends and you can manage it electronically.

Here's a link to it, but I don't think I can specifically link to my own calendar, but you can email me through there and ask to share.

At any rate, I've attached July as an example--I'm the pink and my friend Jaime is the green. Yay! Summer here we come!

Free movies in the park (all parks!), free concerts, cultural events, free museum days, and the chance to drink cocktails outdoors!

xoxo

Fine Art Friday

2009-06-05T09:30:00.001-04:00

And oldie but goodie...Olivier Toscani. He's the man behind the most controversial of the United Colors of Benetton ads.

I was thinking of him because of a recent article in the NY Times about the “Controversies: A Legal and Ethical History of Photography" exhibit in Paris. A lot of talk about what's right and what's wrong to show and/or to censor when it comes to photographs.

I say push the envelope, if those images exist and they help expose horrors or wrongs that should be righted, expose them. If they are taken with the simple purpose of horrifying or exploitating, keep them away. Thanks, but no thanks David LaChapelle.

May seem simple, but that's my take. I don't believe that just by showing an atrocity, you are inuring a person to it. Does that mean the news shouldn't report on wars?

At any rate, enjoy Olivier's work and think back to a time when a corporation was doing more than using celebrities to make t-shirt designs or asking you to buy something for a small donation to Bono's cause.

Wedding Wednesday

2009-06-03T10:00:00.000-04:00

So my bff's wedding plans are well on the way, she's super ahead of the game!

But in talking weddings with other people, I realized that there are a plethora of gift registries that defy the ordinary. I was intrigued by this, because a lot of people nowadays live together for a long time before they get married. So at this point, they've already accumulated a lot of STUFF.

So what do you get the couple that has everything? Or more importantly, if you are the couple who has a small NY apartment with a lot of stuff in it, what do you ask for?

Here are some ideas...

The Honeymoon Registry! You can pick a destination and people will donate different fun activities you can do there. See a sample one for Hawaii here. The reason this is good is because you can end up going to a really bomb ass location, without having to pay with your home savings!

The Donation Registry. Let's say you are super rich or a super rich relative is bank rolling the whole ceremony. The philanthropic thing to do would be to ask guests to donate to one or two of your favorite charities in lieu of a gift.

Adventures. One of my favorites, and an oldie but goody, you can request certain activities like cooking classes or wine tours, and your friends get them for you! There is no official registry on the excitations site, but I'm thinking of writing them an email ;-) But there is another site for the true adventure seekers that you CAN register for.

One Big Ass Registry. Have too many favorite stores? This site allows you to pick from multiple places to make one master registry. Great for out-of-towners who like to physically go and buy the gift.

And finally, here's a great little piece about the etiquette of registries, both for the happy couple and for the happy guests.

Now, if you are a tad creative there are lots of things you can get a couple that are not part of their registry: depending on what city they live in, you can get art lovers museum passes, you can have a star constellation or zoo animal named after/sponsored by them (I did that once!), you can get them fun dance or season tickets to a playhouse or favorite sports team, or you can commission an artist to do a portrait of their pets!!

Buy on.
agmac

The Outdoor Series...

2009-05-26T15:22:00.001-04:00

How do you make any party better? By doing it outside in nice weather. Obvs you don't want to have a party in the rain outside.

But anyway, we had a very special 30th Birthday party for our friend Dana. We combined her favorite things (the color red, wine, cheese, pampering, and daytime fun) and threw her a special booze-y brunch.

The key to this party was definitely the backyard, courtesy of Audrey, but if you can't have a backyard, you can always simulate the outdoors by taping a sun and clouds on the ceiling, putting plants around the dining room table, putting a blanket down and serving out of a picnic basket.

Or you can go to your local park or look into reserving space at a bar or restaurant. The only tips I have if you are doing it at a park is to bring weights in case there is wind (nearby rocks will due), and tupperware to cover the food.

It's true that I love New York immensely, but I would not be able to survive it without some outdoor excursions with trees and grass. Coming up later this week--an Amagansett-mazing good time.

xoxo
agmac

Snapshot Wednesday

2009-05-20T11:00:00.001-04:00

So not only is my life a party, so is my job!

McCann Erickson, one of the biggest and best ad agencies in the world, always has fun concerts and events going on. Because people want us to hire them for stuff.

At any rate, Universal Music Group or someone like that, brought their recording artist Kate Voegele to play for us in our "blackbox" conference room last Thursday.

If you don't know her, she's on One Tree Hill. Not my type of music (angsty sugary girl pop), but I love my OTH. So here's me (looking like a hung over mess) and her (looking like a pretty 19 year old).

Billy Motion Birthday Mania!!

2009-05-17T17:28:00.000-04:00

Well this post won't be too long because the link should speak for itself.

This past Friday was my best friend's 30th Birthday. But we couldn't throw her some sort of ginormous crazy surprise party, but she had a wedding this weekend.

So I came up with an alternative--an awesome, amazing, ridiculously funny present that was a surprise!!

So I gathered my talented friends and we made a Billy Motion Behind the Music video. Special shout outs to Greg, the writer, Pete, the director and Mike, the editor.

Check it out here.

Agmac is back with more posts later this week!

Fine Art Friday

2009-05-15T10:00:00.000-04:00

First and foremost, Happy 30th Birthday to my BFF Lo.

Secondy, today's post is dedicated to an artist with a great name and a great body of work, My Dead Pony.

It's like illustration/water-color/collage/graffiti... In other words, awesome.

I suppose it's in line with some of my past fine art fridays, subject matter: women, check. Something subversive or shocking, check. Gorgeous technique and color, check.

If I had to characterize his work, it's fashion illustration. But it has more thought and edge behind it. Definitely check it out and maybe buy something!

About My Dead Pony:
Hello, my name is Raphaël and I am a self-taught illustrator. I live in Brussels, Belgium.

Summer in the City

2009-05-11T16:35:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite things about NYC in the Summer is street fairs!! (The other favorite thing is FREE outings, but I'll get to that in another post).

This weekend was one of the first ones of the season--a street fair in the West Village on Greenwich Ave, and the nearby Perry Street Flea Market, in which peops take over Perry Street (where they filmed SJP's home scenes in SATC) and sell their "junk"--otherwise known as "treasure."

I was lucky enough to know one of the proprietors at Perry St and I got a great deal on some awesome jewelry.

At any rate, there's a street fair almost every weekend in NYC during the summer. Check them out!!

Because really, there ain't nothing better than cheap goods and STREET FOOD.

Fine Art Friday

2009-05-08T10:00:00.000-04:00

I really like Aleks Sennwald's work...I think he's a guy, but I'm not sure.

It's caricuture-y, yet flowery and "perty." Just the way I like it.

There's an element of psychadelic 60s concert posters to his work, combined with a tiny bit of darkness/weirdness. He takes everyday people and turns their portraits into something surreal--as if creating an entirely new persona for the person. Specifically, I like the portrait of Chloe Sevigny as creepy, manipulative Nicki on Big Love, and the portrait of Cat Power.

Check out his website here. He's repp'ed by The Loud Cloud, which also has a lot of other kick ass illustrators.

Happy Fine Art Friday, fellow Friday Art Lovers...

Snapshot Wednesday

2009-05-06T10:12:00.003-04:00

This is one of my favorite photos from my Spain trip. I think it's razor clams, but I'm not entirely sure. Either way, it's slimy and cool. Taken at La Boqueria...

Fine Art Friday

2009-05-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Fine Art Friday/ Spain Edition.

Today's artist is fashion/apparel designer Agatha Ruiz de la Prada.

I discovered a designer with my name whilst in Madrid! She has my name which automatically makes her cool. Apparently she's very well known over there, but was new to me!

She's a quirky lady with outlandishly bright and colorful designs, a theme I noticed and LOVE about Spanish clothes and accessories. I got a notebook and some pens while at her store, because they didn't have my size in the dresses I liked.

She uses a lot of hearts, stars, butterflies, and other "kiddy" designs, giving her adult line an air of playfulness and levity. Some of it is a little too much for me, but I like the quirk of it. I can see Bubble from Ab Fab wearing her designs!

A perfect post for the start of Summer in NY. Enjoy!

Snapshot Wednesday

2009-04-29T11:07:00.000-04:00

Head...in stuff...in Barcelona...

Agmac's Barcelona

2009-04-27T10:23:00.006-04:00

Hey Y'all! I'm back! And I've got some tips for you on BarTHElona! First off, I LOVE this city. It's clean, laid back, and beautiful.

Here's what I'd recommend...

Cal Pep
It's in all the guidebooks, yes. But sometimes you never know if something is worth the hype. Well, this place is. Definitely the best meal I had in Spain. No reservations, so you have to wait in line. But the good part to that is that you can drink wine while in line AND you can see what the other patrons are ordering since it's all about what they have that do (no set menu). And if you are pretty and nice, they may give you a special place mat (each of them are different and done by different artists) and a Cal Pep beer glass.

DeSigual
Just found out they have this store in SOHO, but whatevs! It's way better in Spain. Awesome, colorful clothes, and there are like 4 stores on Las Ramblas. Worth checking out even if you don't buy anything. I myself bought a kick ass bag.

Park Guell and Gracia District
I know, I know, the Park is a no brainer. But again, it's worth the hype. Also close by is the Gracia district, which is this super artsy, super cool neighborhood with great vintage and boutique shopping.

Andu
Wine bar in the Barri Gotic, best area to go out in. Order the kava sangria. YUM!

Casa Batilo (Gaudi designed home)
The line for the more popular La Pedrera was ridiculously long, so we went to the Batilo instead and it has an extensive audio tour. You get to visit the spectacular roof too. And the line is much, much shorter!

I also really liked our hotel, the Market Hotel. Great location and great service. Only drawbacks are that it's located on a very small "Passei" which is like an alley and cab drivers can never find it!

In general, try to get an updated street map before you go to Barcelona because there are a lot of small streets that the books will tell you to go to that people have never heard of!!!

Places not to go:
Don't go to Aqua on the beach, despite the reviews in your guidebook. WORST. SERVICE. EVER.

And I skipped the inside of the Sagrada Familia and don't regret it.

Gone Vacationin'

2009-04-13T11:18:00.002-04:00

I'm going to Barcelona.

And you are not.

But you can live vicariously through me when I get back and post about it.

Adios.

Fine Art Friday

2009-04-10T09:00:00.008-04:00

This illustrator, Audrey Kawasaki, has such beautiful work.

I have a propensity towards dreamy illustrations of women. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because I used to draw lots of lots of them when I was younger. Or maybe because I am one and can appreciate our beauty.

Either way, I discovered Audrey's work because she did a group exhibit in LA with another dreamy woman illustrator that I love, Stella Im Hultberg.

Her work is ethereal, poetic and just plain pretty. I like that most of her paintings are done on wood, it gives the work a subdued color palette and dream-like quality.

The women are either alone and naked, pensive-looking, or with another women, and often in the woods. This emphasizes the myth of woman as a creature of nature, a self reliant being that also values the bond with other women.

Or maybe all of this is because I've started watching the L Word on DVD and am all about woman power!

xoxo

p.s. She graduated from Pratt, shout out to Fort Greene!

Spring has Sprung

2009-04-06T09:00:00.000-04:00

So this post is inspired by those wonderfully weird little things that happen in New York in Spring that you may or may not have heard of.

1. The Elephant Parade
This happens, apparently, every year when the circus comes to town! It's already passed, but keep it on your radar for next year. They walk the elephants from New Jersey to Madison Square Garden.

2. Perry Street Flea Market
Flea Markets abound in NYC, but they are usually over-run by commercial crap or tourists. However, I've got it on good inside info that this one is quality. An artist/photographer friend of mine sells there every year. It's for "collectors" she says. Check it out!

3. The Orchid Fair.
At Rockefeller Center. Tuesday April 20 thru Sunday April 23 2006.

4. Watch TV Shows being filmed
Gossip Girl is often filmed at The Palace Hotel, Central Park, and at a school in Brooklyn Heights. Some people stalk the locations. Other great shows filmed here are Law & Order and Flight of the Conchords.

5. A Train to the Aqueduct Race Track
Horse Racing. Fun for some, not for all. But still, pretty cool that you can take the subway to a race track, no? (Take the "A" train to the Old Aqueduct Station.). Only a few Saturdays left...

Fine Art Friday

2009-04-03T09:00:00.000-04:00

Today's fine art friday is Aaron Ruell. You may know him as the mustached, internet dating brutha from Napoleon Dynamite.

But what you didn't know is that he's a fantastic photographer.

Much like his character, and I'm guessing his "real life" personality, his work is a little bit quirky. But it's also got an incredibly sweet personality to it.

Take a look at his work here. (He's rep'ed by Giant Artists). I particularly enjoy the random tea/ coffee cups set on cool backgrounds. The people are definitely "Napleon Dynamite-y," but unlike a lot of photographers that shoot weird looking people, his composition and lighting are fantastic.

I think he should shoot a portrait of Murray from Flight of the Conchords!

xoxo

Wedding Wednesdays

2009-04-01T08:00:00.006-04:00

Well, in case you didn't hear me announce it at the rooftops, my best friend is getting married!!

And I'm the maid of honor, which means I get to put all my agmacs party tips to good use.

The wedding is in October so every Wednesday I'm going to dedicate a post to cool wedding tips, fun ideas, ways to do weddings, bachelorette parties, etc. on the cheap.

Today's post is just a starting point. I haven't been to too many weddings but the ones I have been to have been very very special. Below are some of my favorite little things from them:

The coolest gifts to guests--a mix cd of the couples favorite songs, design of the mix matched the invitations and the colors of the wedding. A beautiful sentiment and way better than candied almonds.

Rooftop photographer--so in addition to a professional photographer, my friend had a photographer on the roof for some candids, and all out goofy pictures that were then sent to the guests in thank you notes.

Similar to the above, I just heard about a couple who tried to do everything on the cheap but splurged on a photo booth. People LOVE pictures of themselves and photo booths are so old school and fun.

Vodka on each table--an homage to his heritage and where the couple spent a year of their life, my cousin put a bottle of honey vodka on each table for toasting. Such a great addition to the party.

Personalized table numbers--instead of the regular, boring numbers indicating table numbers, one couple used photographs they'd taken, framed simply in some plastic stand alone frames. For example, table one was a picture of the Highway 1 sign. It was a great, personalized touch.

And Duh, a conga line!

That's it for the first installment!

I hope you enjoy Wedding Wednesdays.

xoxo

Monday Munchies

2009-03-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

Hey Y'all,

Sorry I've been MIA for a little bit, no Fine Art Friday last week!

But I'm back and ready to blog about all that is fun, social, innovative and quirky.

This pas weekend was filled with maid-of-honor duties (more on that on Wednesday) and crafternoon-ing.

Saturday started out with a group of us gals walking/runing/roller skating (each person did something different) in Fort Greene Park.

Then we went over to my friend Audrey's house for some crafting, eating, talking, and drinking.

My craft was cooking! I made Cinnamon buns, Apple/Peanut Butter/Granola slices, and fresh strawberries (well I didn't make those).

Sometimes something that's so simple is a crowd pleaser. Here's the recipe, which I actually stole from a catered lunch I had at work, and I'm going to name it Apple-nolas...

3-4 green apples
small jar of natural peanut butter, no salt added
a bag or box of granola, I used Bare Naked apple/cinnamon granola for added flavor

--> Core the apples if you can before slicing them. Slice the apple horizontally (so the stem is facing "west") so the slices are like discs with holes in the middle. Spread the peanut butter thinly on the slices and then sprinkle with granola. A great finger food!!

Perfect for your future crafternoons, garden parties, brunch potlucks.

xoxo

Parties that Wow

2009-03-23T10:00:00.001-04:00

So I received a party planning book from my friend Dana for my birthday and I thought I'd take this opportunity to review it.

And by review it, I mean that I will post the helpful hints I found in it. Overall, the book only focused on centerpieces and decorating a table, which is only one small part of the parties that I like to throw. (He's really really into "floating" centerpieces, which is hanging stuff from the ceiling...)

At any rate, this book is called Parties that Wow by Jonathan Fong. He is mainly an interior designer and floral arranger, which is why it makes sense that his tips revolve around centerpieces and the like.

But I did find some cool ideas for invitations and place settings. For example...

Wrapping candy bars in gauze and making 'yummy mummies'--great for Halloween
Samiches wrapped in perty floral napkins, tied with ribbon and flowers--great for a fancy ladies garden party!!
A snow globe invitation--using those DIY snowglobes, awesome
Using a strawberry pot to serve snacks--this one was for a Fiesta theme so the different compartments had cheese, salsa, sour cream, etc.
Patron candles as name cards--so funny, you get those patron candles at the bodega and wrap them with the person's picture and name

So the take-away is that you can find inspiration in books, but you should add your own flare to any party.

XOXO
-

Fine Art Friday

2009-03-20T10:00:00.001-04:00

I've been following this artist for some time now, her work is ethereal and gorgeous!!

You can take a look at Pomme Chan's work here.

Sometimes it's pure illustration and sometimes it's mixed media, but either way, the outcome is cohesive and elaborate.

Her typography work is similar to that of Hellovan and Si Scott, in terms of typography, but Pomme combines this with fashion illustration and photography and storybook type illustration.

I wish I could get her to design a tattoo for me!! That would kick some serious butt.

Day of Fun!!

2009-03-18T10:00:00.000-04:00

In lieu of Snapshot Wednesday, I'm going to give you loads of amazing snapshots from my friend Audrey's Birthday, otherwise known as "Day of Fun."

We went to Maracas in the West Village which has a 90-minute, all you can drink for $6, Margarita special!!

Pair that with Mardis Gras masks and a group of fun loving ladies, and you get, well, you get some naughty plastic animal poses (see below).

We really know how to party it up on a Saturday morning. And then sleep for 2 hours in the mid afternoon.

But most of us (not naming any names...Dana) rallied and made it out that night to the Birthday Celebration Part 2!!

Ask Agmac Time!

2009-03-16T09:30:00.002-04:00

Dear Agmac,

I am doing an AIDS ride (bike ride to raise money for AIDS research) from May 31 - June 6! And I need help thinking of fundraising ideas/events to raise money. I want to raise $3k minimum, but want to aim for $4k!

Signed, Marty Rivers

*******************
Dear Marty,

This brings back memories of The OC and all their wacky Chi Chi charity balls! I loved those!

But for us real folks who don't live in La La Land, but in the coolest borough in the world, Brooklyn, I have some ideas:

- Band Aid (with a donation at the door--see my post about Jaime's party for ideas)

- Stoop sale with all your friends donating stuff

- Some sort of "Bake Off" where you split the pot (something hipstery like mac n cheese or chilli)

- A singles auction OC style!! (your hot friends offer themselves up!)

- Clothing drive (again with a 'lil help from yo friends)

- Facebook drive (auction of something crazy like a week of wearing the winner's face on your shirt)
(Welcome to the BK, bitch!)

Fine Art Friday

2009-03-13T10:00:00.000-04:00

Today's fine artist is Paula Sanz Caballero.

I have seriously never seen anything quite so inventive and COOL in all of the portfolio reviews I've been to.

This illustrator uses embroidery and textiles to illustrate fashion. It looks time consumming, and to those of us who can't sew to save their life, excruciating.

But she's incredible at it. Sometimes she mixes the technique with traditional pencil drawings, but every time it's spectacular.

She comes from a family of four generations of textile merchants, so combine that with talent and art school, and this is the result.

Check out some of the details in these samples--they are impeccable!

Love it love it love it.

Adhesive*Sticking Together

2009-03-11T12:00:00.007-04:00

There is a fantastic event called Adhesive that I heard about since starting at McCann. It's a monthly event (usually on Wednesdays, how appropriate that I'm posting on a Wednesday!) that gets together creatives, photographers, photo reps, agency art producers and the like.

The "adhesive" part is that everyone gets a name tag that sticks to your clothes and you go around meeting people.

One of the organizers of this event is my co-worker Wini (pictured below at an Adhesive event at Ace Bar) so I asked her and the other (3) organizers to do an interview for agmacsparty. Answers are below.

If you work in a related field, or would just like to meet creative people, sign up for their invites on Facebook! There's always a great turnout and I've met some great people so far.

Adhesive consists of:

Shabnam Azadeh, Agent, Kate Ryan Inc.
Wini Barron Alcorn, Senior Art Producer, McCann Erickson
Brian Bergeron, Assistant Creative Director, The Museum of Modern Art
Tim Willis, Partner, Lockbox Productions LLC

Q: What exactly is Adhesive and how did the idea of it come about?

Wini: Well, “It was a dark and stormy summer night...” The story is Shabnam and I were trying to setup two mutual friends. Neither wanted to go on a 1 on 1 date, so we organized a small happy hour of about 10 people, with the “couple” as part of the ten. We all had such a good time,and even though the matchmaking was a bust, we decided to do another one the next month, invite a few more friends, and then again the next month with more friends.... and there you go. It has just been growing ever since. We started the name tag idea at maybe the 4th one. As more and more people came, we thought it was a fun way to introduce yourself, and make it known you were at the bar for the Adhesive event.

Q: How long have you been doing it and what is the role of the organizers?

Wini: The first drink night was in August 2007, and we have been fairly successful with doing one every month. As for our duties as organizers, one of the biggest challenge is picking a date and finding a venue. Also, as the mailing list has grown, we are now using facebook and a website to announce the next dates.

Brian: We are the public faces of Adhesive and welcomers/greeters. Shabnam is in charge of flirting with everyone.

Shabnam: I think we have all 4 do a pretty good job of splitting the months playing Host and all support each other at the events writing nametags and introducing people.

Q: Are there any criteria or commonalities among the bars you guys choose and any special activities or things that set the Adhesives apart from the rest of the bar scene?

Wini: Dive bars, inexpensive drinks, and a BIG space, and food is always a nice bonus.

Shabnam: We are always asking for recommendations.

Q: Do you have a website?

Wini: Yep, my husband designed it. It is REALLY basic as we think simple is best. There is some discussion about expanding the content, but we haven’t really decided where we want this to go. Check the site out!

Shabnam: David has been so patient and knowledgeable with designing and maintaining the site....as far as expanding the site we are open to people that can volunteer their time and skills to help!

Q: How do you envision Adhesive expanding or evolving in 2009?

Wini: Adhesive has been asked to co-host events with other groups, and we have hooked up with Casey Kelbaugh from Slideluck Potshow a few times, as we both speak to the same NY creative community. As a group, we are excited but unsure how we will grow and change, but with the volume of people attending our events, it seems like we have found a niche. The random, organic quality of the drink nights is a big plus to us, as we feel it is not an overly produced, high profile networking event with member fees, sponsors, our agenda. Adhesive is about chilling out with friends, making new ones, and getting to know the people you talk to all the time for work, but have never met.

The Billy Mo Show

2009-03-08T10:00:00.001-04:00

Yo Yo Yo, it's Billy MO-tion...And Ludacrazy and the Bahama Mamas.

Two Friday nights ago was the second show of the Bahama Mamas with Billy, and it went awesome!!

Billy did all his hits like 'Caribbean Queen' and 'All Night Long,' and the BM's joined him on 'When the Goin Gets Tough' and 'This Heart of Mine.'

And then Billy went a little out of character for a hilarious rendition of BBD's 'Poison' and Paula Abdul's 'Opposites Attract' with LudaCrazy.

The Bahama Mamas thank Billy Motion from saving them from a life of performing on cruise ships and hope y'all come out to the most fun dance party, sing-a-long next time Billy performs.

Ex's and Oh's

agmac

Fine Art Friday

2009-03-06T09:00:00.002-05:00

Today's Fine Artist is photographer Melissa Kaseman.

I first came across this photographer because her rep called me to ask if I'd meet with her. After seeing her work, I said YES! Then I picked up PDN's "30" issue, which is all about emerging photographers, and there she was!

I had the privilege of meeting with her yesterday and she's adorably little and cute. And very nice on top of that!

Her work is subtle and simple, with a quiet elegance to it. A lot of photographers out there try to photograph the "mundane" but they do it in a way that shows no sense of lighting, composition and technical prowess. Melissa Kaseman is not one of those photographers.

Her images of an ailing woman, of a small town, of a modest house, are all touching and artful.

Happy 30th Anniversary Mom & Dad!

2009-03-02T13:30:00.002-05:00

This Saturday I threw the best surprise party ever, because I surprised the people that for my whole life were un-surprisable--my parents!

For the longest time, I couldn't put anything past them. They always knew when I was up to something ;-)

So this was no small feat. And let me tell you, they were floored! And most importantly, they were ecstatic.

It all started with a custom-made invite, a picture of my parents when they were dating in high school. It was sent to all of their friends and our family. The only problem was I didn't put an RSVP number!

Good thing I knew all their friends would come!

The venue I chose was in Middletown, CT, a 15-minute drive from my parents' house and also a convenient middle ground for all their friends. The venue was a restaurant so the ruse was that I was taking them out to dinner for their anniversary.

I also got a custom-made cake at Stew Leonard's with another vintage picture of them when they were young. They did a fablous job, and it cost about 1/4 of what it costs to get photo cakes done in CT!!

Lastly, I decorated the place with a vase on each table (on sale for only 69 cents from Ikea) and a few yellow roses in each, gold and silver balloons from Party City, a place card with important events of 1979 (including their marriage and my birth!), and most importantly, a table of pictures of my parents and my parents and me over the years. This was the best received part. I've said it before and I'll say it again, people love looking at memories.

I got a lot of praise from their friends on the great food and the great party, but what meant the most to me was that my parents were so happy. I'm so glad I could do this for the people who have done so much for me.

My only regret was not asking for the leftovers! I was so pre-occupied and they never asked. But oh well, now I know and so should you--you have every right to take the extra food home!!

(You can check out more photos on my Flickr page.)

XOXO
agmac, ultimate party girl

Fine Art Friday

2009-02-27T10:00:00.009-05:00

I just met with this kid, yes KID, on Tuesday who is 19 years old, never finished high school, and is currently shopping around a book he himself made with images from his 2 month stint in tribal Africa.

In other words, he's a prodigy. A full fledged, real life art prodigy who looks like a teenager. (Oh wait, he IS a teenager!)

His work is beautiful--some dark and gritty, but not overly retouched and manipulated. His lighting is gorgeous and he has a terrific sense of placement and composition.

He's already worked on nationally recognizable campaigns, such as the Twilight posters (we all know I'm a fan of those!), and numerous editorial images of musicians.

I hate him because he makes me think of all the things I have NOT accomplished, but I love him because he's an amazing photographer.

Check out Joey L's work here and here and see for yourself. Don't start crying, just appreciate that some people in this world with born with talent. And some of us just blog about it ;-)

Thursday Thoughts

2009-02-26T11:41:00.002-05:00

So I was thinking that I should start reviewing good places to hang out, be social, meet up with friends, have b-day parties, etc., and of course, warn you of the bad places.

So here is the first installment. My bias, if you've been paying attention, is towards Brooklyn. So most if not all of the reviews here on in are going to be based in BK, so deal with it.

Below are a few places I've been to during those hours past the Happy Hour hours...

Clover Club (Thumbs Down)
210 Smith St, Cobble Hill
I find the staff humorless and unhelpful and the atmosphere stuffy. Who wants to pay $18 to get treated rudely? That sounds like some kind of masochistic crap to me.

Franklin Park (Thumbs Up)
618 St. John's Place, Crown Hts
Great music, Great bartender, Great beers. The only complaints are that they don't take credit cards and they don't have food. BUT they do have a vast array of local menus, just ask the bartender. Can't wait till it's warm and they open up the patio! (P.S. They have trivia on Monday nights).

Radegast Hall & Biergarten (Thumbs Up)
113 N 3rd St, Williamsburg
I love this place and it almost erases my horrible experience at the Astoria Beer Garden last summer (the words, military state come to mind). You get a great deal on the food if you order in the back at the grill. I personally LOVE the bratwurst and the choice of mustards, ranging from spicy to not so spicy. And of course there's lots of beer. Only downside? Can get really crowded really fast, so try to go on a weeknight on the early side.

Bell House (Thumbs Up)
149 7th St, Gowanus
This place is a good mix of older people and hot, hot hipsters. It's like the new Williamsburg. They have shows in the backroom for extra admission, but the bar area has a lot of seating and really cheap deals on Sixpoint beer. Only downside? The location is in the middle of Rapetown.

Chez Oscars!

2009-02-24T10:32:00.015-05:00

I'm back!

This post is dedicated to my 6th Annual Oscar Soiree, and if I must say so myself, it was one of the best!

It was held at my friend Jed's house this year since my teeny tiny apartment would not accommodate all of my wonderful friends.

What made this year so special? Well, aside from the general enthusiasm for the party, there was a new twist--themed snacks and drinks.

We had, in no particular order, libations and munchies based on the Oscar nominees. Such as:

Vicky Cristina Sangria
Mickey Roquefort Cheese
Marisa Tomei-toes (and mozzarella cheese)
Happy Go Lucky Charms Treats
Tropic Thunder Punch
Milk chocolate chip cookies & M&M's
Slum Dogs with Curry Dippin' Sauce
Benjamin Button Baby Carrots and Baby Corn
Vegan Cristina Barcelona Dip
Kung Fu Panda Edamame Salad
Etc. Etc.

In addition to the themed spread, I also artfully (LOL) decorated the paper cups with Oscar nominees so that people could drink out of their favorite star or who they came as.

And finally, last but not least, the big winner of all my Oscar parties, the Oscar poll!! This year's winner, same as last year's winner, was Jed. Which I guess makes up for the fact that I spilled punch on his floor ;-)

Enjoy the pictures and see if you can guess who people came as!

On hiatus!!

2009-02-19T11:34:00.002-05:00

Hey Y'all, sorry I haven't posted in awhile, but things have gotten busy at work and I'm diligently preparing for the Oscars!!

Stay tuned for an awesome post next week about my annual Oscar party!

Kisses.

Fine Art Friday

2009-02-13T10:00:00.002-05:00

This is something a little different. I was in a Czech cafe a few weeks ago and this cartoon came on. My Polish cousin got so excited because apparently the Poles grew up on this cartoon too.

It's called Krtek, which translates to mole, and is about the adventures of a mole and his friends.

The animation is so freakin' cool that I needed to post about it on Fine Art Friday. The actual cartoon can be seen below on You Tube and I've accompanied some stills.

The character was first originated and drawn by Zdenek Miler in 1954. It was super popular among little kids in communist countries in Eastern Europe, and gained popularity in India, China and even the US since the characters' expressed themselves in short sounds that could be easily recognizable in any language.

People love this lil guy...

Happy Valentine's Day?

2009-02-12T10:00:00.002-05:00

Um, yuck.

I'm not a fan of Valentine's Day, even when I'm in a relationship, I don't like the "forced" romance of it all.

Here are some fun things to do INSTEAD of being icky and gooey on Saturday night...

1. Throw an "Anti-Valentine's Day" Party
The best ones I've been too involved cut out hearts with dirty words on them (like "STD") that you can tape to your body while getting wasted and making out with other haters.

2. Go see a horror or action movie
You want to see something where happy people are killed for no reason. It's very therapeutic.
I recommend this one that's out now.

3. Treat yourself to some dessert
Go all out and forget about the fact that you are buying dessert for yourself. At least you don't have to fit into some stupid fancy dress. Try this place out .

4. Go see an anti-Valentine's Day show
Apparently there's a comedy show at Upright Citizens Brigade.

5. Go watch other people be sad
Such as in these short films about "love" and heartache.

6. Go graffiti
Ok, so I've never done this myself, mainly because it's illegal, but I bet it's super therapeutic to go out there and deface something with red paint. Paint the town red, y'all!

Ha. But for reals. If you're in love, awesome, be in it 364 days a year and skip this night. It's so cliche. :-)

Snapshot Wednesdays

2009-02-11T10:00:00.001-05:00

This is my friend Celeste after she wet her pants...well, actually, she just spilled a drink on herself. But still...

BAHAHAHAHA.

Hey it happens, why not make it into a photographic event :-)

Party Essentials

2009-02-10T11:37:00.005-05:00

Everyone should have the following if you plan on entertaining more than one person in your home, and especially if you plan on entertaining the right way.

Wine Glasses
Everyone should own a set of 4. They are not that expensive, so you have no excuse. Granted, it's chic to use small drinking glasses or stemless wine glasses, but I prefer the traditional. Cheap ones can be found at Ikea. When in doubt, go with red wine glasses as they can be used for white as well. (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50133069)

A Serving Platter
It's better to have one of these than putting your snacks and hors d'ouevres on a regular ole plate. Platters are decorative, larger and shows you are an expert host/hostess. I like the ones available at Elsewares.com. (http://www.elsewares.com/commerce/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=tray&x=0&y=0)

Candles
These can be tapered (as seen on traditional dining room tables) or they can be pillar candles if your setting is a coffee table. Either way, they add to ambient lighting and the scented ones add an extra "spice" to the party. Joe Malone has some great ones, although you can definitely find cheaper at Bath & Body Works. (http://www.jomalone.com/templates/landing/candles.tmpl)

Wine and Snacks.
I always try to have two spare bottles of wine in my apartment for impromptu dinner parties or spontaneous guests. I also think everyone should have a set of snacks, like nuts or oriental snack mix (http://www.nutsonline.com/snacksmixes/oriental-mix.html).

Seating
It's important that your guests are comfortable. So have a set of folding chairs (if your apt is small you can easily store these), or a set of throw pillows so people can sit on the floor and not hurt their bum. Try Target (http://www.target.com/gp/search/ref=sr_ln_2/178-9805031-4724842?ie=UTF8&rh=k%3Apillow%2Cn%3A1038616&field-keywords=pillow)

XOXO

Ask Agmac

2009-02-09T11:22:00.000-05:00

Dear Agmac,

I recently stayed at my friend's parent's house for the weekend house party. They were gracious hosts and made sure I was comfortable and well fed. If I gave them a bottle of wine and flowers as a thank you gift, do I still need to send a thank you card when i get back? What is the proper protocol when it comes to thank you cards?

Thanks, House Party Guest
*****************************

Dear House Party Guest,

You seem very gracious, so cheers to you for that.

However, you don't want to seem desperate-to-please or overly gracious, so one thank you gift is definitely enough! Thank you cards are generally reserved for when one gets gifts or something thrown in their honor.

Protocol for house guest hospitality is definitely a nice gift of vino or flowers/plant.

The only time you'd want to do an extra thank you after the fact is if the host/hostess went above and beyond the call of duty and gave you a very special time. In which case, you can reference it in your thank you note.

Best,

Agmac

An Affair to Remember

2009-02-05T09:30:00.015-05:00

To my avid readers,

I apologize, I feel that I may have lost sight a little bit about what this blog is about. It's not a format for me to "blag" (brag/blog) about my wonderful parties, but it's a place where I can give people pointers on how to throw parties as excellent as mine and my friends!

So with that, I give you a case study.

A couple of weeks ago we threw our friend Jaime a belated 30th birthday party (long story). We wanted to make it memorable and grand. And we did.

What did we do?

We threw her a concert where all of her friends played a role or performed.

Here are some tips on how to throw an amazing party yourself...

Tip #1
Use your Friends' talents!

Get someone to make the invitation who is artistic or a designer as their profession (we got Raven & Crow Studio to do ours!)
Get someone to take the photos!
Get your friends to sing or play a show!

Tip #2
Incorporte Live Music! Whether that be karaoke, booking an actual band, or having your friends play, it's all good! In the case of Jaime's party, I am lucky enough to have know some amazing musicians, one of whom, Rubyrae, organized the venue through her contacts and "booked" all the acts.

Tip #3
Personalize, personalize, personalize. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, there ain't nothin' better than centering an event and all its accoutrements around the honoree.

At this even, we personalized the sh*t out of it in the following ways:

The cake. We put Jaime's face in place of "Bella" from the Twilight series, one of J's favorite book series. I used Cakes n Shapes but there are a few places in any given area that will do "picture cakes"
The lyrics in the songs (You Tube video of Billy Motion and his guest rapper to come soon!)
Trivia about the person with prizes that relate to the party
The invitation (see above)

Tip #4
Use a ruse. People love surprises and people who love to throw surprise parties love to see people cry. Tears of joy of course.

Our ruse? Well we did tell Jaime something was happening on Sunday but we didn't tell her what. So a small group took her out for drinks beforehand and then said they had to pick some people up at a bar, and that bar was where we were!

(All photos courtesy of Dennis McKinley)

Snapshot Wednesdays

2009-02-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

Continuing in the tradition of me sticking my head into things, here's a virtual one!

For all you ANTM fans out there, this is me channeling Yoanna House...

From Day to Night: Party Essentials by Jaime

2009-02-03T14:45:00.016-05:00

We wear many hats in a given day, figuratively and sometimes quite literally as we try to properly costume ourselves for social and professional obligations. Many times these experience overlap resulting in a wardrobe dilemma. How do you go from day to night, from the office to the party?

Being sensitive to current recessionary measures, it is important to be creative, using things already in your closet to create updated looks. Here are a few tips on how to transform an outfit to meet all your needs for the day and night (without having to maintain two wardrobes.)

I work in a midtown office that mandates corporate “business” casual attire. Often this means button down shirts, cardigans, sensible pumps. Often, by simply adding different shoes, accessories, applying more dramatic makeup, and/or replacing one article you can transform a boring day look into an exciting “ready for anything” ensemble.

1. Accessories
By simply adding colored tights, bold necklace or energetic earrings, belting a dress or a sweater, changing into boots/booties/high heels you can create an exciting new look. For example you can convert a simple black dress into a “downtown party dress” by adding a plaid scarf and brown belt (see below.)

Below are some examples of the effect of colored tights/ Shoes/ Scarf/ Belt modifications.

2. Make up
I think that this is the most powerful statement when going from day to night; it should read all over your face. Darker or smoky makeup can give an entire outfit a dramatic new feel. It’s dark out, so go crazy. A day look should be more natural, subdued. A night look can be anything (with in the confines of personal taste.) Feel free to darken the eyes and/or lips and use daring colors. Below is a before and after picture taken from my secret hidden work camera i.e. my cell phone in the ladies washroom. I was headed to a party in Brooklyn. I went from natural soft browns to charcoal/black Smokey eyes.

3. Shorten it up
At my office, I have in my desk drawer allocated to Emergency party essentials. In said drawer is an “emergency skirt.” It’s denim, short, looks good with black tights and instantly dresses down an office look. Of course, it does not have to be a denim skirt (baring the late 80’s and 90’s) it is not for everyone. The same affect can be accomplished by swapping out a pair of dress pants or a moderate length skirt with something considerably shorter. Please see below.

I removed the cardigan, kept the button down shirt, shortened the skirt, and added fun suspenders and booties. I didn’t have to change my tights since my skirt was long enough to make them passable for the work place.

4. Convertible outfits: The best solution is to wear something that could pass in either situation. For example a fun cotton dress can be corporate with the right shoes and a conservative cardigan. Remove the cardigan, add colorful tights, boots/ or booties, night time make up and you’ve got a look that can take you out for the night.

Possible pit falls: The outfit is slightly inappropriate in both situations. You may need to make minor changes to improve on the same concept. For example, removing the cloth belt (if there is one), that is the same material as the dress, and adding one or one that is more thrilling. See Exhibit A in the “Emergency Party Drawer.”

Emergency Party Drawer contents:
A black, elastic belt with silver buckle, short skirt, tights, earrings, dark lip gloss, Black Eyeliner, kicky shoes, crazy necklace. Sometimes I need to empty the drawer to accomplish my look other times I can pick and choose my best weapon.

My best advice is to be creative and have fun. The rest will sort itself out.

Ask Agmac

2009-02-02T09:52:00.001-05:00

Dear Agmac:

My friend's apartment is too small to throw a party in, so I've offered to let her use mine. What is the normal division of labor in terms of party preparation for these kind of arrangements? I pretty sure it would be rude not to offer to help out, but I also don't want her to feel like I'm trying to horn in on her party.

-Ghost Host
****************************

Dear Ghost Host,

Do you happen to be a New Yorker? Because that's a great question for anyone living in a great city with tiny living spaces.

That said, since this person is the one hosting the party, all responsibility goes to him/her for the refreshments, beverages and clean-up. They are also financially responsible for said arrangements.

The only thing you are responsible for is making sure there is toliet paper in the bathroom and maybe cleaning up a bit beforehand.

However, if you want to help in decorating or thinking of fun additions to the party, I'm sure your suggestions and help would be much appreciated.

Hopefully he/she will reward you with a thank you gift. That'd be the right thing to do.

Signed,

Agmac

Fine Art Friday

2009-01-30T10:00:00.002-05:00

Today's Fine Art Friday is dedicated to a very sweet photo project by the prolific and talented Phil Toledano.

Phil came in a few weeks ago to give a presentation of his work. His work is beautiful and quirky but always shows a sense of his personality.

There is one project, however, that is more personal and touching than anything else he's done. Phil is a very funny British man, and his work is usually very funny. But the photo story he has done about his father is not funny at all.

It's about how he is dealing with his aging father and his aging father's dementia.

The photos, and Phil's father, are beautiful. Have a look.

Snapshot Wednesdays

2009-01-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

Remember when I told you guys that I love sticking my head in random things and taking a picture?

Well it all started at an early age!

Check me out at Disneyland circa 1984 with the Governor of CA.

Yeah, I'm a barbarian baby!

Just Trust Me On This One by Deirdre

2009-01-27T09:30:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you just gotta have faith. Whenever I'm all "Hey, do this..."or, "Hey, give me a hand with this thing...", or, "Eww, smell this..." there's usually someone around to ask, "Why?" or "What's in it for me?" or "Wait, what did you do to it?"

Not me. If someone tells me to try something new, unless it's like super dangerous, I'm like, "What's the worst that could happen?" That's why I barfed all night once when I ate a bunch of oysters. But it wasn't so bad, I felt great after all the barfing.

Here are a few tried and true methods for getting the party started that are usually met with skepticism. So you have to be really charming when you suggest them, and if that doesn't work, you just have to be a little bossy. Because they are SURE FIRE HITS!! Afterwards, everyone will be thanking you for forcing them into it.

1. Celebrity: It's like Charades only with more rules. It's good for big groups of people with adequate seating who aren't itching to leave for the bar. IDEAL for ski trips and beach weekends. That's me up there teaching everybody the rules.

-Break your group into teams. (Can be 2 teams, can be more)
-Everyone writes down the names of 10 celebrities on 10 little pieces of paper and puts them in a bowl/bag/hat, whatever. "Celebrity" is broadly determined as someone the majority of the people in the room should know, and it can be a fictional character. Examples: Batman (the superhero), Sir Rudy Guiliani (our favorite former mayor), Mr. Ed (the talking horse), Drew Barrymore (from Steven Spielberg's ET).
-One person from Team A goes, then one person from Team B goes, then the next person from Team A, the next from Team B, etc.

Round 1: You have 30 seconds. Pick a piece of paper from the bowl, say anything you want about the celebrity besides their name, and your own teammates guess. If they get the answer right, you pick another piece of paper. If you accidentally say a word that's in the name, throw it back into the bowl. At the end of 30 seconds, you get a point for each correct answer. Leave the used papers out of the bowl. When all the papers are done and all the celebrities have been guessed, put the papers back in the bowl and move on to Round 2.

Round 2: Charades. You have 30 seconds to act out as many as you can without saying any words. But all your smartie teammates will remember the celebrities from Round 1. When all the papers are used up, put them back in the bowl and move on to Round 3.

Round 3: One Word. You have 30 seconds. Pick a piece of paper from the bowl, and use only one word to make your teammates guess. Again, your smartie teammates will remember the celebrities from Rounds 1 and 2. If at any point in any round, you have one that's too hard or that no one guesses, you can put it back in the bowl and skip it with no penalties.

Sounds tedious and long-winded, right? Not at all! That's why I'm saying you gotta trust me! I have super funny memories of this game, my favorite was in the Canadian Rockies with about 20 people. Check out that beautiful fire!

Ok.

2. Pick someone up. Not like "Hey, what are you doing later?" Like, actually, pick them up. Pick them up a la Richie Cunningham when he scores the winning basket in Happy Days. Get four people to surround someone, two on each side. Then hoist him/her up sorta like they're sitting on a chair. So two of you are supporting his/her seat and two are supporting the thighs. You can do this to a friend on his birthday, if you want. I prefer doing it to perfect strangers on the dancefloor. Hilarity ensues. Here's us picking up Lauren.

See, everyone's laughing!

3. Top That. This is another game, but with a more nebulous form. I did not make it up, but I wish I did. It was started by some college friends, and I'm thankful I was around during its inception. The premise is: one person does one thing, another person does another thing, another person does another thing, etc., in no particular order. You can go once or you can go many times, but you cannot go twice in a row (it just wouldn't make sense). So the only rule is that you have to do something that "beats" the thing that came right before it, and when you finish, you have to say "Top That." Eventually someone does something amazing, says "Top That," and the crowd erupts in cheers and laughter because everyone knows that it can't be topped.
Some amazing moves I've seen:
-a gal hang out of a second story window with her elbows on windowsill, and remove her underwear while she's hanging out there!
-a guy ride a six foot wooden painting down a flight of stairs into the street!
-a guy drink the dog's water out of the dog's water bowl! Eww!

Tom (of the dog's water bowl fame-I think that was his name)

The best case scenario is that you initiate the game yourself, and start out with something easy, and just sit back and let the rest of the crew entertain you with the gross/dangerous stuff. Oh, and one more tip: it's not against the rules to take your clothes off, but inevitably someone does it and it never quite gets the extreme reception they were hoping for. I can't explain why. It's just doesn't work. Above all, be careful!

Witness John circa 2007, victim of a game of Top That gone too far. He's smiling but he doesn't mean it.

Fine Art Friday

2009-01-23T10:00:00.002-05:00

The best thing I can come up with to describe Joe Sorren's work is "Creepy Kewpies."

Check out his
work.

It's surrealistic and a bit "trippy," but also dreamy and beautiful.

He's also got a blog where he posts "works in progress" and other random thoughts.

Enjoy.

A Lovely Post Holiday Surprise!

2009-01-22T09:30:00.000-05:00

I want to take this opportunity to do a shout out to a friend of mine who threw a spectacular holiday party POST holidays!
My friend Jaime invited all her close girlfriends over to give them their holiday gifts. But not only did we get gifts, we got a tasty dinner, complete with appetizers, AND she shared the most precious gift of all with us...a bottle of Cristal!

Now that's what I call a great party.

Hostess of the Month award goes to Jaime Fallon!! She opened up her heart, her home and her bubbly.

As far as how the Cristal tasted? "Like feathers and coulds."~~agmac~~

Snapshot Wednesdays

2009-01-21T09:50:00.000-05:00

Apologies for repeating the event (New Year's) but this snapshot is just too fun not to post. Don't we look like we are having just the best time ever??!!??

Well we did!!!

Oh yeah, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAIME!!!!!!!

agmac's party

Why have I never done this before?

HeART for Haiti

Free Summer Stuff, Part II

Fine Art Friday: Herring & Herring

Paris, Je t'aime

Off to Paris

Is it summer yet?

The "IT" List--MAY Edition

Fine Art Friday

Snapshot Wednesday

FAF: Sarah Arnett

Fine Art Friday

Snapshot Wednesday

Weekend Warriors

Fine Art Friday

Snapshot Wednesday

Oscaravaganza!

Fine Art Friday

Snapshot Wednesday

Casserole Ca-razy!

It's been a long long time...

Snuggies All Around

D.I.Y Birthday Ideas

Birthday Wish List

Winter Drink Recipes

'Tis the Season...

Tardy Tardy Tardy!

**Fine Art Friday** (A day early)

*Snapshot Wednesday*

Fine Art Friday, The Halloween Edition

*Snapshot Wednesday*

Ask Agmac

Fine Art Friday

Snapshot Thursday

Wedding Wednesdays

"THE" Wedding

Ripped from...

**Fine Art Friday**

Best Bachelorette Weekend Ever

**Fine Art Friday**

The BEST Bridal Shower Ever

Fine Art Friday

*Snapshot Wednesday*

Fine Art Friday

Snapshot Wednesday

Fine Art Friday

Game Show Fun

Fine Art Friday

Snapshot Wednesday!

Party with the Parents

Fine Art Friday

MyMyMyMy Poker Face

Random Tuesday Post

Summer = Free

Fine Art Friday

Wedding Wednesday

The Outdoor Series...

Snapshot Wednesday

Billy Motion Birthday Mania!!

Fine Art Friday

Summer in the City

Fine Art Friday

Snapshot Wednesday

Fine Art Friday

Snapshot Wednesday

Agmac's Barcelona

Gone Vacationin'

**Fine Art Friday**

Spring has Sprung

*Fine Art Friday*

**Wedding Wednesdays**

Monday Munchies

Parties that Wow

Fine Art Friday

Day of Fun!!

Ask Agmac Time!

**Fine Art Friday**

Adhesive*Sticking Together

The Billy Mo Show

Fine Art Friday (A day early)

Snapshot Wednesday

Snapshot Wednesday

Fine Art Friday

Fine Art Friday

Snapshot Wednesday

Fine Art Friday

Fine Art Friday

Wedding Wednesdays

Fine Art Friday

Fine Art Friday

Fine Art Friday

Fine Art Friday

Snapshot Wednesdays

Ask Agmac

Snapshot Wednesdays

Ask Agmac

Fine Art Friday

Snapshot Wednesdays

Fine Art Friday

Snapshot Wednesdays