First celebrity sighting

That's right people, that's ELIJAH WOOD! We were at Revival for Kat's birthday, probably the last place you would expect to see a celebrity (which is probably why he went there), and in he came! I saw him first and started freaking out as quietly as possible so he wouldn't hear me, and then Leighanne walked over to him thanks to some liquid courage. We snapped this picture and then left him alone, but didn't stop looking at him. AH! ELIJAH FREAKING WOOD!

Getting back up

Well it's been an interesting week, to say the least.

I started my new job at ICE and really like it. The people I work with are all fun and I'm learning a lot about food. But I can't help thinking about what I'll do when the project is over in a few weeks. I keep hearing there may be another position that might be available, but that's not for sure.

This week has mainly been full of questions. I know not all magazines will treat me the way Harris did, but I'm a little disenfranchised with the industry right now. The fact that I'm getting paid almost double to copy and paste just shows how horrible the pay scale is in journalism. I'm beginning to look at marketing, advertising and PR (I know, gasp) for possible career changes. They all pay much better with better benefits and still allow me to write and be somewhat creative. Not that money is the most important factor in a job, but it is important.

We'll see. I'm in the best city for a career change and have made some good contacts so far. Stay tuned.

In better news - Kat is coming to stay with me for a week tomorrow! My new job allows me a little more flexibility with my schedule, so I'll get to see her a little more. If there's anything I need right now, it's a good friend around. I'm sure she can take my mind off things. =)

You just never know

I was laid off today.

I was called in to the office of the managing editor today at 10:30 and she told me that they didn't have enough for me to do, so I was laid off, effective immediately.

I've never been given a warning. I've never done anything wrong. I did all my assignments to the best of my ability. I was laid off.

Thankfully, I have a plan B. I finally got a second job doing data entry for the Institute of Culinary Education. My boss and I have become friends, and I told him my situation. He has brought me on full time, effective tomorrow. It's only a temporary gig, but I'm getting paid twice as much and there's opportunity for something more permanent. Either way, I have about a month of steady money and in the mean time I'll look for any kind of an opening.

I refuse to let this defeat me. I live in New York and I'll make it work. They won't win. I'm confident this will lead to something better with a better company.

In the words of Fashion Week, "Chic will go on."

I will go on. Everything happens for a reason. It's for the best.

Success!

We got in! Armed with a badge and a ticket from last season, Leighanne and I walked straight past the guards and in to the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week tents.

Right away I noticed that the energy was nothing like it was in September. There wasn't music, there weren't as many people there, there were less sponsors shelling out free stuff, etc. This could be for a variety of reasons: the Fall season is less important than the Spring, so a lot of people don't even come, a lot of designers pulled out of the tents at the last minute due to economic reasons, and it was only the first day and there weren't really any huge designers showing last night.

Either way, I was stoked to be there. It's the 50th anniversary of Barbie, so there was a huge Barbie centerpiece with vintage Barbies holding up the flat screens, and the letters in the Barbie sign were full of, well, Barbies.

There was still an open bar and Leighanne and I helped ourselves to four free French martinis. We tried to get in to the Academy of Art show by saying that we had confirmed late and just wanted a standing ticket, but the pretentious girl with the clip board wasn't buying it. Oh well, it's only the first day. I'm just glad I got to be inside the tents again.

Now I've seen everything

As much as I love and respect fashion, some things are just down right hilarious and ridiculous. 

We have designer clothes, bags, shoes, underwear, house decor, accessories, plates ... why not have designer condoms? Now you can literally cover every part of your body in designer duds ... or at least men can.

New York Magazine wrote about this three days ago and I've been laughing ever since. Who's the designer? Why, Alexander Wang of course (Get it? Wang? Hahaha, OK time to grow up now). 

"The February 14 date of Alexander Wang's fashion show could not be more fitting for the unveiling of the limited-edition condom he designed in collaboration with Planned Parenthood. The Proper Attire rubbers will be sold at Thompson Hotels and online, with all profits going to Planned Parenthood," the blog said.

Yes, now I've seen everything. I kind of want one just to say I have it ... it's for a good cause, right?

Fashion Week schedule

My mission is to get into as many shows as possible, so I took some time to look at the schedules. There are some goodies. Stars are by the ones I really really want to see.

Friday - 6:00 Nicole Miller*

       8:00 Academy of Art

       9:00 Venexiana

Saturday - 10 a.m. Lacoste

   3:00 Barbie 50th Anniversary* 

Sunday - 4:00 DVF*

Monday - 10 a.m. Carolina Herrara*

   7:00 William Rast* 

Tuesday - 6:00 Max Azria*

   7:00 TIBI

     9:00 Narciso Rodriquez

Wednesday - 7:00 Anna Sui*

Thursday - 6:00 Christian Siriano*

     8:00 Zac Posen*

How many will I be able to sneak in to? We shall see ...

My first book

I haven't talked about this much, but it's been a little rough transitioning from five years of news writing to magazine writing. In college, my professors taught me that adjectives were my enemies and to not say something in 10 words when I can say it in five. Well now I pretty much have to throw all that out the window. Needless to say, it's been more than a little frustrating. I haven't seen my stories bleed this much since I was a freshman. 

Yesterday, Mary gave me one of the main features in an upcoming magazine for practice. I worked all day on it, trying to sound cutesy but not like I was trying too hard; making sure my sentences were short while still saying enough. I felt good about it when I turned it in. It still came back all marked up, but instead of major changes it was more changing a few words here and there. She said it was really good and that she was seeing improvement in me.

Well today I got my first issue to do all on my own. It's an "in-house" issue, meaning I do it while I'm in the office instead of being a freelance issue where I take it home. I don't get paid anything more for it, but she said that once I finish this I'd be ready to do a freelance magazine. 

I'm really excited. I'm basically acting editor in chief for this book. I'm doing everything - creating a line up (deciding what goes on what pages), writing EVERYTHING, getting all the pictures, editing it. It's my book. This is a big perk of working on a small staff, and how awesome will this look on my resume?! 

I have three weeks to finish everything (it's 90 pages). It's going to be a challenge and is a bit daunting, but I really hope I live up to Mary's expectations. 

=)

Fashion Week starts FRIDAY!!!

Fashion Week starts in 4 days! While I haven't been able to snag any invitations, I've devised a genius plan. Last season I got in to the tents with a badge, but I remember people being able to get in if they had a ticket to a show. Well thankfully, I saved all my tickets from last season! All I have to do is flash it to a guard while in the middle of the crowd and I'm sure to get in. Then, all I have to do is be first in line for a show and I'll get standing room. I'm determined to sneak into at least one show this season. At least. I refuse to let Fashion Week pass me by, especially when it won't be in Bryant Park much longer!

My big break

Yep, I got my big break today. Watch out, because I'm probably gonna be nominated for an Emmy.

I was on reality TV.

What did I do? Eat bugs? Disgrace my family by acting a fool, getting drunk and sleeping with someone? Well ... not quite.

My coworker was nominated for a makeover show and they needed people to be in the background for the big reveal. But some agent is totally gonna see me and make me a star, I know it. 

The show is called "Closet Cases" on the Fine Living Channel. Never heard of it? Me either. The show doesn't premier till April and I think we're the third episode, so watch out for it. But it was a fun experience, and further proves my theory that everyone will be on a reality show at some point.  

FYI: In case there was any doubt, reality TV isn't real in the slightest. Everyone there was supposed to be at a reunion in Ohio for the class of '88. Considering I was 2 that year, that's obviously fake. And New York is probably the opposite of Ohio. We all even had fake names. I was Charolette (yes, it was spelled wrong. Not my fault). 

 

Fashion Week is relocating

This just in - Fashion week is moving from the famed Bryant Park to Lincoln Center starting in 2010.

"Although the fashion shows, now operating as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week to reflect a corporate sponsorship, were welcomed in Bryant Park in 1993, there were frequent clashes with the management company that controls its maintenance and security.

The dispute intensified in 2006, when the Bryant Park Corporation announced it would no longer allow the shows to happen in the park, because they were interfering with plans to operate a skating rink in the winter and public use of the main lawn in the late summer. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg was then asked by designers, as well as Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue, to intercede on their behalf, leading to an arrangement for Fashion Week to remain there, at least temporarily," according to an article in the New York Times today.

For as long as I can remember, I dreamt of seeing a show at Bryant Park. Thankfully, that dream came true in September, because that may be my one and only shot.