Hey Sister: Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday to my sister today (Feb 28th). Glad I could eat birthday sweets with you all weekend!

Farewell MD, Hello Again New York

My trip home is at an end. I've seen so many friends, eaten so much good food and bought too much clothing.

I thought about this Gernreich scarf, but $80! That be steep! And that print a bit too Boy Scouts for my taste.

(Rudi Gernreich scarf, $80 at Emporium Antiques, 301-662-7099)

I've seen my mom, which has been long overdue.

I've seen some cute kitties

And I discovered at a party that the best chip for homemade guacamole is UTZ wavy sour cream n'onion.

Fat Kid City!

Instead....

Of another piece of cake, last night I took a bath. For an hour and half. In the clawfoot tub in the bathroom my sister has designed to look like a Christmas jungle oasis.

A Perfect Day: Birthday Cake and Vintage

Umm... how many sweets and vintage treats can a little guy fit in one day?

I start the day taking pictures of my hometown early in the morning in the light, windy snow. Very cinematic and calming and not at all the Winter pummeling I hear tale about back in New York. I guess I left just in time.

Then my sister and I lunch at our fave vegetarian restaurant that I also worked at for a year or two back in the day. Many of my personal favorite items I'd get for my employee meal daily have made their way onto the permanent menu. Nice touch. My Indonesian stirfry is a nice playup of lime juice and peanut butter with veggies, rice and tofu. Exquisitely yummy. Plus the owner sends out a special birthday chocolate mousse when I explain it's my sister's birthday and that's why I'm in town. He, like the mousse, is so sweet.



At home my mom makes my sister the pink "funfetti" Valentine's themed birthday cake. Looks like Pepto-Bismol, tastes like heaven (although I also think Pepto is yummy...)


To round out the day we do my favorite thing in the world: go vintage shopping outside of New York. In the "real world", treasures can be found and trinkets can be acquired for a reasonable price. We start out at another former employer of mine, Venus on the Halfshell, a hot spot for delectable designs for girls and boys and the finds of any MD trip.





I'm mad for this tinsel topped party dress at Venus. The perfect frock for the mistress pretending that the cocktail party hostess has just introduced her to her secret married lover. Lovely to meet you, monsieur.



(60's tinsel topped dress, size Medium, $68 at Venus on the Halfshell, 301-662-6213)







The store's front houses an interior designer's dream trove of vintage furniture. Amidst all the prize contenders, this Danish shadow box mirror is a knockout. Way to illuminate the negative space and make the lines of the mirror pop. Genius!

(Pedersen + Hansen Danish back-lit shadow box mirror, $350 at Venus on the Halfshell, 301-662-6213)







My friend and the owner of Venus is not to be outdone by any of her surroundings, of course. On her neck shines a bib necklace of glass and metal from the estate sale of mid-century fashion designer Claire McCardell. Gorgeous and even better since McCardell was another local Marylander made good. Go Claire! And go Miss J.S.! Thanks for the fun and the caffeine.

(not for sale. she'd never part with it!)

Having gossiped and pawed the beautiful bits too long at Venus, we barely make it to Select Seconds seconds before close. A thrift that benefits the local hospital, this is a hunker down and hunt for the gold kinda store. We don't have much time but before our speedy exit I notice this wingdinger. Oh Aaron Burr, you give the best life advice!


(Wood sign with protective husband, $5 at Select Seconds Thrift, 301-662-8280)




I think I want more cake....

Damn Those Diffusion Lines!

After several false alarms, finally I'm going home! Yay! Haven't been back to Maryland since May 2009. Kinda due. Almost didn't happen too. Old Man Winter is dumping more snow in the New York. But it's some kinda of weird rain snow. Whatever, the Chinese be running they buses and I be on one.

Miss J and Mr. M pick me up at the Baltimore Travel Plaza and faster than you can say too many Dunkin' Donuts coffees we are in the thrift stores. Doin' our thang.

Right out of the gate I find a brilliant Halston sweater dress. Crimson, boxy and 100% polyester. Look at that pilling! Miss J didn't miss a beat with "Damn those diffusion lines!" Hilare. I should have picked it up for SJP's reference.

I almost went for an acid green Clematis print Hawaiian shirt. I think it was the colorful print.

I almost went for a yellow ringer-ed navy blue terry cloth cover. I think it was the yellow.

I did land a genius brown rectangular Seth Thomas flip clock for $1.91! $2.02 with tax! Umm, yeah! Gotta love Baltimore! I have been trolling ebay for a clock like this for awhile. What a coup! More to come (including pics) about this clock, have no fear.

And of course we have a run-in with the Friendly's. It's not a pickup from the bus stop without a visit to the land of the Fishamajig. Somehow we restrain ourselves from that dinner choice, although Mr. M got quite a "glossy" burger.

Gotta love that Maryland! Good to be home.

Don't I Look Cute Today: last night's date outfit

A rainy evening out calls for the right look. Something that honors the need to be dry but shines with an extra dose of cheekiness. Something eye saturating to turn the attention away from being soaking wet. Dressed in graphic circle print Ben Sherman dress shirt, blue tweed vest from Urban Outfitters and my fave vintage black boots (unzipped, of course) and black GAP skinnies, I look the part.

Before my date, I go with Miss M to the local karaoke bar/tiny gallery for a photo opening celebrating its one year anniversary featuring photos of all its regulars. That be me. And my roommate, Mr. G. Don't we look cute in our photos? Doing our best Linda Evangelista.

While Miss M and I throw back a celebratory shot with the bar staff, I smell something funky. Oh great my pleather doctor bag I've had for years is cooking on the radiator. Why did I think that was a good place to lay my belongings? Jeepers. Now a small burn adorns my bag. Battle wounds earned everday, folks!

Post Pat Benatar belt, I run to meet my date. A crazy tall German guy awaits me. Jumpin' jacks, what do they feed you in Germany?! And I'm wearing my heels. Sigh, the plight of the little guy. Nonetheless I catch his stature when he stands to greet me. Nice touch. Points to you, Germy. We have relaxed and "cheeky enough" banter over seitan and salad and the evening is going smoothly. That is until he flatly states in his clean lines German minimalism way his lack of faith in relationships. "They never work. What relationship do you know that lasts?" Umm, hi... your date here. Why am I here?

Incredulous of love and I eat and then go to a bar for a drink. Two more drinks actually at the open vodka bar we crashed. I love that this is his idea of picking up the tab. He proudly confesses to being a cheap skate. Umm, you think? Lucky for you, Germy, I'm not bougie.

A quick peck after he walks me home and I scamper into Mr. G and the cat.

Mr. G: how was the date?

Me: I think I made a new friend.

Oh but then Germy texts me to set up a 2nd date. Ok, I'll bite. My brain knows this is just fun. No pressure. No expectations. It's a nice distraction and I can do "no investment". And I'll look cute doing it!

Umm... This Be Good: Rainy Days Be Good

In New York it has been a light but steady rain all day. I love it. The splashing around in boots, the trench coats, the brightly patterned scarves and umbrellas. At least that's what I notice when it's raining and with an upcoming first date tonight, I am eager to figure out the perfect rainy evening outfit.

well hello there

well hello kids. yes I know you're thinking "great another fashion fag, another blog", but I have lots of ideas cranking around in my football head beyond just fashion (I am obsessed with all forms of design and beauty and color and flare and fun) and I hope you'll take this journey with me.

I guess this marks the place for the intro, so let's go.

About me I'm a gregarious little guy who was always hooked on fashion, clothing and style. When a fashion assistant job at a magazine, Budget Living, opened up in 2005 I moved from Maryland to New York. I loved working at BL, but it was the first lesson I got on the shaky foundation of magazines when it folded in 2006. Bummer. What was I to do? Where was I to go? I was out on my fanny.

But then I got up and worked it out. From 2006-2009 I freelanced at lots of other great magazines styling, writing and editing. I worked on movies and tv shows. Ads and personal styling. I was on top of the world. A small town boy living his dreams of frou-frou nonsense.

Then the economy said "alright now, there isn't much wiggle room for fashion and silliness right now" and fashion put the brakes on hiring. This timed right with my tired spell. I had been freelancing and working steady for the past 3 years all based on word of mouth and hustling. I was beat. So I did what any self-respecting gay does: I worked retail. I worked for Alexis Bittar and I sold the bejesus out of that plastic jewelry. It was fun for awhile and God knows the idea of a full time job (and health insurance!) had its appeal, but ultimately this job was not for me. In January 2010, I was on my own again. Adding insult to injury, I ended a 5 month romantic relationship that was souring by the minute. Jeepers, can a boy get a break?

So now I'm in that disorienting waltz that is complete life overhaul (cue dramatic music). I am in the "looking for my next career path break and looking for love" boat. I guess that brings me to this blog. One of my best friends and I coined this term "It Can't All Be Dior" back in college as a saying that not everything can be perfect and beautiful and brilliant. For every slice of pecan pie, you gotta eat a lot of canned green beans first. The saying has stuck with me through my life and it feels 100% on point for how I feel right now. It can't all be Dior, but some of it can!

I hope this blog will be an enjoyable outlet and a great look into the life of a recently 30, recently single and recently unemployed gay man who is in love with fashion, design, food, writing, animals, his friends, FUN, and, most importantly, in love with life.

cheers!

-mac