Trader Joe's, Summit and Cretin

Tat Two.



I got a little obsessive about these two. At first, I noticed the dreds and the gladiator sandals, and then the freckles, and then eyes.... Mojo, chi, joy, love, life force -- call it what you will, they're stacks o' beautiful.

a true story of epic nonchalance

So I spent unspeakable hours choosing complete ensembles for every major wedding-related event -- the tea with moms and maids, the rehearsal dinner and the wedding itself. Naturally, the dress I had planned to wear to the wedding that was then supplanted by the taupe one you see in situ above fell to rehearsal status. It's a sheer vintage thing that is lovely and fragile. Friday afternoon, I found myself with two free hours and Soho within walking distance. Of course, I had googled up some thrift shops in the area. St. Luke's Thrift was in a likely basement next to the church. A cool St. Laurent opera jacket got my attention as did a fitted cocktail dress of 50s sensibilities with a mauve lace overlay. It had a tiny bow at the waist in front. Not sure if St. Luke's had a fitting room but, being a bit impatient, I slipped it on over my clothes. Normally those wiggle dresses fall flat on my nonchest but this one got my blood pressure going because it actually did fit (visualizing not having a swing top bunched up at the hips). Ten dollars for the poor and downtrodden of St. Lukes parish. Done and done. I was so smitten, I wore it an hour later to the rehearsal dinner. Alas, it was a physical relationship only and I sold it 4 days later at the Beacon's Closet in Williamsburg to fund a cashmere sweater and a Joseph linen jacket that has absolutely no biblical overtones. But curiously, I was able to part traffic while wearing it.

two people in NYC

Harrison & Greenwich




Salvation Army in Williamsburg. Yes those are permanent and you're only seeing the half of this modern faery's look. She had laced up a teeny tiny dress with some tulle and finished it with hot pink leggings and knee-high black boots.

These were the only happening people I saw in NYC. Right? Yeah prob'ly. Combination of many competing missions, sudden crippling shyness on my part and the fact that there were not three minutes together during my trip in which I was not carrying a U-Haul's worth of cargo. Contributing to all the crap I was toting around was my camera, which I lugged everywhere and used twice.

be patient, more wedding

Lacroix slippers, midtown pedicure


Better view of dress

So pretty

more wedding, June 13, 2009

In the limo

Big 'do + misbuttoned cardigan = so hot

Brides dress is silk faille, bridesmaids in silk jersey, all by Michael Kors

Borrowed veil, fitted bodice and skirt with semi-detached train. Turns out, veil was fully detached.

Windy ride on the water taxi

wedding threads, various locales NYC, June 13, 2009

On the water taxi

Cool curls

Bride contemplating liberty, hmmmm

II'm looking to see if I've lost something
Barkers in Battery Park

wireless in NYC

This is a photo of me in NYC for daughter #1's wedding without that cable that connects my camera and my computer, and thereby, my eyes and yours. When I think about everything I could have forgotten to pack, I guess that's the least calamitous. To be honest though, just like the first day of my European vacation in which I was going to take photos of cool doors (in many ways, easier than shooting people) and used up all 27 frames of my disposable Fuji cardboard camera in the first 17 minutes, my style sensors were immediately over-New Yorked and crashed. The density, the depth, the all-enveloping style-iciousness is too much for my midwestern 1.0 intake system. I am once again reduced to walking around with my mouth slightly ajar (this helps me absorb), shamelessly staring at people in the subway. I have not yet perfected fake sleeping. Afraid of missing something. Like my stop.

I laughed giddily when we exited our rented Tribeca studio onto Greenwich Street and immediately spotted a chicly skinny-jean-and-t-shirt-upholstered model striding along sans makeup. I don't wear makeup either but there are subtle differences -- some smokey eyeliner and dark lipgloss and she would be something exotic and feline, whereas I would look run down.

Instead of a condensed history of the world, I'll try to post telling vignettes. And eventually, even more telling photos. Kiss kiss.