Monday, March 31, 2014

VISUAL DELIGHTS

So it's been a busy time the last two weeks for me, hence my lack of posts and visits. I had been called away to another store in Boston and got back on Friday.  When you have some down time at work and receive good store visits , it is one of the downsides that you get to be sent all around to help create visual delights. But I take it as a huge compliment. This trip saw me over seeing some new designer shops, some window changes and some fun projects as well.


I will have to say, 90% of this store has had a $110 million renovation. I just had to share a picture of the stunning facilities!!!!!!!! Have you ever seen a restroom so big!!!!! And each stall was totally enclosed with a frosted glass door!  I was very impressed. I generally dislike public restrooms and try to avoid them. But this was like paradise.

 
 My one, and what was to be my easiest task took two days!!!!!! With prom season approaching, we wanted to come up with a creative way to announce the upcoming prom event, so I though why not incorporate the store imagine into the prom event itself. So I came out with three different dresses for advertising of the event, made entirely out of the three sizes of shopping bags we have. Turned out pretty nice  I thought. But what a pain. They will hit the floor later this week with signing added to them to announce the event. 



One of two windows. One for the designer Celine......


 And this one for a black and white trend statement. This is an example of a idea I get, but then a real pain to execute, but the optical illusion turned out pretty well. The back wall was taped out and painted. And then taped out again to do the black zig zag. The figure cut outs were from a past event, which I re-used and treated with wall paper of different black and white patterns. Our mannequins were added in last.
 

Here is a men's wall I did to showcase men's accessories in blue for the season. The white lines are actually PVC plastic piping, with a disassembled bike for the parts!!!!!!

 And this is the same concept, but for women's accessories. The store engineer gave me an odd look when I asked if he could saw this bike in half!!!! The back half is hanging on the wall, and the other half is coming out of the bottom of the wall. All our stores will incorporate this.

the Robert Graham Shop. We also came up with this concept as well.

 
NYC-based Ovadia & Sons are purveyors of some of the most beautifully-tailored men's clothing on the market, and this branch was first to get it in, and we were wise enough to show them some love. Shimon and Ariel Ovadia's knockout spring lineup of linen pieces, cotton trousers, light weight knits, crisply cut shirting and suiting is displayed in a beautiful shop that went live last week. And as a bonus, they'll be hosting a Fashion's Night Out event in the store for all you dudes to get a little liquored up and loosen up the ol' purse strings.


The treatment for the shop, Equipment, turned out beautifully.......


My Rag & Bone shop. I really like how the merchandising of the goods turned out.... and my empty hootch bottles even added to the look....


The all new sparkling handbag department with the new Chanel Handbag boutique at the major sightline....

Added these mannequins, re-painted in all black, to add some animation to the Bobbi Brown counter.

This was the men's swim trend Shop we came up with. The table and back boards are all from ply boards for a light, beach feel. Followed by beach graphics we printed off the web.


The one nice treat at this store is, they have a sinful chocolatier, Martine's, on the ground level, perfect for the mid day pick me up! Unfortunately my waist line disagreed..



 And luckily when I did get exhausted, all I had to do was head to the luxury bedding department for a nice spell and catch a few winks......

 
 contrary to popular belief I did work.
 
 
And thank God, like in the movie mannequin, I didn't wake up naked on display. That could have been a tad bit embarrassing. Tootles!

MONDAY AGAIN?

It's cold and damp out, the perfect day to stay in bed and under cover........
 
 
Wouldn't you agree?

Sunday, March 30, 2014

BONNIE & CLYDE

It's been a very rainy weekend, which forced me to stay in, and much needed after such a trip. This morning,  the mourning doves stopped in, yes I have named them now. Bonnie and Clyde.

 
Although Clyde saw more then he wanted to I believe.
 
No complaints from Bonnie though, she went about eating.

Saturday, March 29, 2014

GOOD HELP IS HARD TO FIND

After being away for more business, all I wanted to do was get back to the Casa du Borghese to relax. Imagine my surprise to find the houseboys and Ms.Moorecock had drank my gin dry....not happy..... upsetting really.....

 
 I sent my social director out to get my gin whilst I patiently await delivery......
 
 
and the boys could use a good cleaning....
 

Thursday, March 27, 2014

THIS JUST IN......

Good Evening to you all! This is the Casa du Borghese's Social Director Anita Moorecock, with this just in! After trying to reach the missing in action Mistress since the weekend, I only just heard back. After hearing and then seeing the forthcoming Vogue issue with Kayne and Kim on the cover the Mistress was extremely appalled and then........

 
yes, FAINTED! I hear it took many whiffs of the smelling salts to bring her back. Since then our Mistress has been taking a lot of bromide with his gin to calm a upset stomach and nerves.  The Mistress is just steaming because of a porn star and gaping hole being on the cover, and promises- on his next New York trip will visit Anna Wintour,( who has received a MAJOR down grade in the decision incidentally by the Mistress) and demands a reason for the outrageous decision on her part. And we all know just how fucking catty and bitchy a gin infused Mistress can get!!!!!! Ms. Wintour best hire extra security. The Mistress will return soon he says after this trip and shocking news.When the rag does come out I sure hope he is near a fainting chaise.
 
*Disclaimer* From here out the Mistress also added he has so much distain for the family, that he has forbidden anyone to mention this family or any members of this family, or K related words of the family, will be banned from the Casa or off with your head, depending on his mood.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

FOX IN THE HEN HOUSE

 
I must admit, when Drag Race started I didn't have high hopes for Joslyn Fox. With so many well know queens on the show, and her being probably the most unknown,  I thought she is going to get lost in amongst the giants. Well, she is still in there,  and we're starting to see her fun self. She is growing on me like Tatianna. And here's ten more things about Joslyn Fox to fill in some blanks....
 
10. BEFORE SHE HIT THE BIG TIME, Joslyn MADE A LIVING WORKING AT A SEAFOOD RESTAURANT- GIRL WAS SERVING FISH DAY AND NIGHT.
 
 
9.SHE LOVES HERSELF SOME COUNTRY MUSIC, THE CORNIER THE BETTER. DON'T MEAN A THANG IF IT AIN'T GOT THAT TWANG. 
 
8.Joslyn HAS CONVERTED AN ENTIRE BEDROOM IN HER HOME INTO A MASSIVE WALK-IN CLOSET. IT'S BIG ENOUGH TO HOLD HER ENDLESS RACKS OF CLOTHING, SHOES, AND WIGS, A FULL SIZED VANITY, PLUS A SITTING AREA FOR GUESTS TO FEAST UPON HER FOXY, FISHY FIERCENESS.
 
Picture

7.SHE IS A DOG LOVER. SHE HAS 3 AND COUNTING. THEY ARE LIKE HER CHILDREN, and SHE'D RATHER RUIN HER CARPETS THAN HER LIFE.

6. SHE LOVES MATH LIKE CARRIE BRADSHAW LOVES SHOES, SHE SEES ALGEBRA AND SAYS "HELLO, LOVER."

5. SHE HAS SEVERE ADHD. JOSLYN IS easily DISTRACTED BY ..."OOH! A RHINESTONE

4.She raised money with her third grade class to adopt a humpback whale. No lie, begging for coins in a coffee can, like a bum begs for booze money.


3.She shares her home with multiple spirits, some good, some evil, and communicates with them via her Ouija board. Bow down to the next Supreme.
 
2.SHE GOT HER START BEHIND THE TURNTABLES. EVEN BEFORE SHE HIT THE STAGE, SHE WAS COMMANDING THE CROWD.

1.SHE IS HAPPIEST WHEN CAMPING. THIS GLAMOUR GIRL IS VERY OUTDOORSY AND IS ALWAYS IN CHARGE OF BUILDING THE CAMPFIRE. WATCH HER SHOW OFF HER SKILLS ON THE NEW SERIES 'SURVIVOR: DRAG QUEENS IN THE JUNGLE' Could you just imagine?
 
This year before Drag Race started,  RuPaul had the finalist do a video and tell things about themselves, and then sing, yes, sing to one of her songs. I thought Joslyn, who sings RuPaul's hit "T-Chaser" from the new album "RuPaul Presents: The CoverGurlz!" had one of the more cute videos, seen here with exclusive clips from her Drag Race audition tape! She is adorable.....


 
Best of Luck to you gurl!!!!

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

BROOKLYN- A NEW DRAG MOVEMENT

The times and drag times are a changin' in New York City,  as there are less and less venues for Queens to perform, and the clubs and lounges there already have a crowded schedule of drag chanteuse entertainment. Over the past several years, following the large-scale exodus of artists across the East River and into northern Brooklyn, those engaged in drag culture in this outer borough have created a new, queer world entirely their own. Accompanied by a larger movement to understand drag culture outside of the pageant circuit, many individuals engaged in the drag community in this borough approach drag culture through a nontraditional lens of "alternative" drag or performance art, many time creating a real family like little group.I thought I would share some of these new and fresh up and coming queens......

 Scarlet Envy

"The Brooklyn queer scene is a conglomeration of love and energy that is executed beautifully. It's so much more than drag queens lip-sycing; it's a cultural shift in attention to the outskirts of Manhattan... Brooklyn has always done whatever the hell it wants"
 
 

Scarlett can be seen in her own show "Scarlet Fever"  every Friday at This 'N That Bar in Williamsburg. Drag shows for your nerves, showtime at midnight. 108 N 6th St, off the Bedford Ave L train.
 
Merrie Cherry-
 
"That is the evolution of drag: Do you and hope they love it... Be you and forget the rest. If I lived my life how my family and society told me how I should, I would be a closeted, nine to fiver, sitting in a white office

Queen-
"Brooklyn, particularly, now happens to be a hotbed for so many types of creative individuals and those hungry to both experience and create culture. In this need there are a lot of opportunities for people to insert themselves in the conversation, and in many cases create a sense of family and long-lasting friendship with all of those involve"
 
Amber Alert
 
"The queens in Brooklyn don't like to repeat numbers or looks, and we all go to see one another's shows, so there's a lot of incentive to be innovative... I would really hope that the inclusivity of the Brooklyn drag scene represents the future of drag, because people of all genders and body types deserve to be queens if they want to be."
 
Horrorchata
 
"Never in a thousand years would I have thought I'd be part of a huge drag movement. We are the future"

 
Hamm Samwich
 
"I think the essence of drag is saying no. Your body says, 'You’re a man,' and you say, 'No.' Your head says, 'You’re going to go bald now,' and you say, 'No.' Society says, 'Who do you think you are, faggot? Go get AIDS and die,' and you say, 'No, fuck you -- for the next five minutes I AM Beyonce and I OWN society.' To the command that we all be more pious and more polite and more serious and more respectful, the drag response is to say, 'No.' Because we’ve seen your piety, and we’re not impressed. Your piety is just more drag."


Alotta McGriddles and Thorgy Thor in Alotta Stuff Live Auction
 
"Alotta Stuff is a drag, well, dragg-ier version of 'Antique Roadshow'/Black Friday/Neighborhood Brooklyn Stoop Sale/Aladdin's cave. Inside the comforts of an old standard gay dive bar in Brooklyn, you can uncover some hidden jewels of sequin monstrosities while sharing a drink with a pal or some cute boys/girls. Instead of a blue genie, you get two larger-than-life drag queens, Alotta McGriddles and Thorgy Thor [pictured], as your spirit guides. It's all chill and cute until your best friend tries to outbid you on that silk Picasso-inspired '90s jacket that you know looks better on you."
 
If your ever in the New York City area, head over to Brooklyn and check these gals out for some new and refreshing drag performances!