Catch Up!

Once a month I try to have  girls Night with my former Coworker and catch up on life. However recently life has been a bit chaotic for the both of us and we have gone two whole months without a night out. We were way over due.  Since we both work in LA but live on opposite sides of the city we try to pick places in Downtown close to our Offices. This time we tried a new place called Botegga Louie. I was sold after I saw photos on Yelp and saw that they made macaroons. Of course during our girl's Night we also require a cocktail and so I was thrilled to see they had a full bar as well. Parking was tricky, we both found two different lots in opposite directions but with reasonable prices.
We arrived early and a good thing too because it was packed by the time we got our food. The cocktails were decent, but we tend to keep it simple, Vodka Soda for us. The food was delicious though. I had a Caresse salad with real Mozzarella and an order of Portabello fries. The Fries were out of this world, I'd never tried anything like these and the sauce they came with was matched perfectly. So we ate and we gabbed and finally it was too crowded and noisy to stay so we headed over to the dessert counter to pick up a few treats before we left. As you can see I enjoyed them.
No matter where we meet it's always great to see my friend, but the food and desserts just added that cherry on top a great Sundae.

Photo Shoots a.k.a. MADNESS

So it's been a while since my last post. I've been in the land of chaos lately. At work were in the middle of our product photo shoots. Normally this is a fairly simple task that was once managed by someone entirely different.We began the transition of responsibility from the previous bearer to me a few months ago, but never fully finished. It's a strange position to be in since although I am the one organizing everything and communicating to all the parties involved, I'm not the one who should be heading this endeavor.
Day one of our shoot was Great, Model was on time, Hair and Make-up done quickly and without a hitch, and Locations were great! We even wrapped on time, a miracle to say the least.  I thought, "Yeah! I did well", but then Day Two came along.
On day two I grew six new grey hairs between 9 am and 9:45 am. In 45 minutes and I had a new grey patch, yeah for me. What made day two crazy you ask? Well first our Model was a no show.  I was furious. Models, especially models that work for us, have very little to do. Be on time, Look pretty, and listen to the photographer and Producer with regards to poses. That's it, that's all we ask. A model that can't even make it to work, She's going to have to look for a new profession. Actually she may not have luck in any profession if she can't manage showing for work. So as you may have guessed I was bent out of shape. While apologizing profusely I managed to arrange two of the hair and Make-up Staff to return next day and the proceeded to find a new model in a single day. Thank the heaven's for Craig's List. In moments like these it saved me. The tricky part though was getting the model approved by the head designer.
Our head designer is a tall and fierce woman. When you look at her you can see she's tough, but she's also lovely. She has an easy elegance to her that takes decades to achieve and yet she's still young. I keep trying to talk to her but it tends to be in vain. We have a small language barrier. So I to talk to her assistant designers. If you've every seen the film Lost in Translation, then you have an idea of what I'm dealing with. There's a scene where Bill Murray is doing a photo shoot in Japan and the  photographer talks forever  and the translator comes back to Bill with two word translations, that's what I'm living. In My case the assistant designer can speak a bit more English than our Head Designer but not much. So I stand there while she tells her assistant everything she wants, usually a conversation that takes 15 minutes and her Assistant, whom I love by the way, comes to me with "She wants Natural". I usually walk away with a face of horror and try to figure it out. This process tends to take days, but in this case I didn't have days, I had a few hours. 
It was 3 pm and she hadn't decided on a model. In fact she had rejected my top two picks. The pickings were slim but we managed to get a couple gems and I was certain she would love them. But NO, so I schemed a bit. I printed all the applicant photos I had received and put my two picks back in the pile. I knew once she saw all the options she would see reason. Sure enough an hour Later she had picked my top pick. In a mad dash I started calling and emailing and running around like a Crazy person. Our Offices close at 5:45 pm,  at 5:46 right before the Message system was turned on I got the call back from the model. Hallelujah the day was saved. The shoot was bumped one day but went on without a hitch.  The New Model was much better then the original selection and everyone was pleased.
I was finally able to breathe today and I am thrilled that tonight is my Girls Night with my favorite former Co-worker and best Gal Pal. I am in NEED of a Cocktail!

Let's Be Original!

I was catching up on Blogs that I had neglected lately when I came across a cute set of shoes by Jefferey Campbell. They were simple, for Campbell, and very cute. I know the label and I've seen many of the styles but it's always been a hit or miss for me. I tend to lean toward at least a 70% success rate. Anyway I hunted down the shoe and came across some very interesting posts on one of my other favorite fashion Blogs, Fashionista. Apparently Jeffery Campbell is becoming Infamous for "borrowing other designers work. I wish I had caught this earlier but in truth I don't really track designer shoes with the exception of Louboutin which is more of a Goal/obsession rather than fashion study. I've always said, "I'll know when I've reached my career goal because that will be the day I buy my first Louboutins".  I tend to look at labels I can actually buy since my love of shoes is a bit insane, so I took notice of Jeffrey Campbell but was unaware of his "inspiration".
 I've been in this game a while now and I'm well aware that hundreds of companies copy other styles, particularly designer labels. It's just how this industry works. Steve Madden became the company they are today because they "knock off" other designers. I don't think it's right and I know there are always financial and PR back lashes.  Personally I think Steven Madden is a Lost cause there's no changing them, but Jeffrey Campbell has such a Fashion forward following that they should take this golden opportunity to make their own designs. They do have some great and original designs and i think they need to stick to those, no more "knock-Offs" please. Step up be a Fashion Leader.

The shoe that caught my attention and an "inspired" design.

One of my favorites!-The Saturn in Black

A great Staple shoe- The 99 in Black

The Statement shoe!- The Tick Paint

 

I miss you Valentino!

 I'm sorry to report I only just saw the documentary on Valentino's second to last year as head Designer. It was wonderful and sad all at the same time. It truly was the end of an era. He had such a style with just the right touches of glamor and elegance. He designed dresses for women who loved to be women. A woman confident enough to wear shear lace, or ten pounds of gems, even ruffles without hesitation. I still flinch at ruffles, I'm working on it. The difference in design from Valentino Garavani and current Designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli is almost tragic to me. The designs are lovely and certainly geared toward selling however versus the extravagance and opulence that the  label once was it's looks like a different company entirely. They should have shut down "Valentino" the moment the creator left, and simple adopted a new name. It's isn't Valentino any longer. Don't take my word for it see for your self. Below is Fall/Winter 2007 followed by Fall/Winter 2011.

It's like Night and Day!

Jellies!

When I was eight or Nine Jellies were the coolest thing to wear, I very quickly learned that was SOOO not true. It was a fashion world lie. Jellies were uncomfortable and well gross. Which is why I was shocked when they came back. I laughed and then dismissed the trend sure that people would get over them quickly and never look back again. While doing my usual Fashion reading I came across a Fashion post on Elle.com.

I couldn't believe it, Jellies still around, not just still around but still cool?!!!! Please say it ain't so. I'll admit the styles are better looking then back in the eighties but still they don't look much more comfortable. I'm sorry but I don't think this is a trend I will be following again. Here are few styles that aren't too bad to look at but will not be donning my feet.

Love Vivienne, but no.

Closest to the jellies I knew of the Eighties

Cute but seem more like fun in theory.

Into the Wild......Sort of.

Tomorrow is the first day of my Annual Camping trip. YEAH!!! I'm swapping in my Aldo pumps for Teva Sandals, My Maxi skirt for my Worn and torn jeans and Abandoning all jewelry and some makeup! I get to release the inner Tomboy and just hang out. No email. No blog. No press updates. No Work of any kind!!! My iPhone will only serve as a fancy gameboy.  I am so ready to go! Much love to you all and I will be sure to post Photos upon my return to society!

Under My Skin

So I'm a vegetarian, not by choice it's a stomach thing and a very long story. But I've been a vegetarian for most of my life, and so now I'm starting to notice that the smell of meat cooking is kind of gross. Not too bad,  not bad enough to stop cooking it for my family but definitely noticeable. Another thing I've slowly been getting weirder and weirder about is leather goods. I tend to stay away. I get a little freaked at the idea of it. However much like meat it's not an absolute. If I see a killer pair of shoes I won't really hesitate simply because it's leather. I don't own any fur though, The fashion just doesn't appeal to me.
However today I did see something that irked me. It was a Stingray Leather Clutch, from Pantera.  I actually had a physical reaction in my stomach. I don't know if this means I should just join PETA and get it over with but I just can't condone a Stingray Purse. It's sad to me.  What do you think?

They also offer this bag in Lizard.

Embossed Leather not Snake-Why doesn't this freak me?