New York New York Pictures & Movie Links

NYC Movies: http://s283.photobucket.com/albums/kk303/vslane/NewYork2009/
Abbie has multiple NYC Photo Albums on her FaceBook Site. Look under her albums for the following:
1. New York Dining, Dogs, and Death by Culinary Ecstasy
2. Last Day in NY
3. Winters Eve 2009 Highlights
4. MoMA - Museum of Modern Art
5. Bar Boulud
6. NY Celebrity Sighting
7. Macys Thanksgiving Parade
8. Balloon Inflation
Matt's Photos: http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/10588422_tmaeF#735859682_KSikL
Abbie was a guest blogger for MyUpperWest, check it out: http://myupperwest.com/upper-west-side/winters-eve-recap/
Winters Eve Movies: : http://s283.photobucket.com/albums/kk303/vslane/Winters Eve 2009 Lincoln Square/

2 Jokes and other madness

What does Snoop Dogg use in his laundry?
Bleee-ach.
Where does Snoop Dogg go on vacation?
The Beee-ach.
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I know, I know, that's terrible. It's all in the pronounciation! Humor me!
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We've been gloriously on vacation for the past week.
We started off 2 Friday night's ago with Happy Hour at Tijuana Joe's, and later met Matt's Friend Jeff's girly girl Bianca. All I have to say is that Bianca is a Minx. She's barely 18, but she's definitely an "old soul" if you will. To sum it all up = Memorable.
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The next day (Saturday) we had an impromptu visit from our dear friend Erika. I thought she was just stopping by to drop some stuff off, but in the wonderful way that those glorious weekends work out, she ended up staying all day, all night, and all the next day. We were sad to see her go on Sunday, but very glad to get to hang out with our lady all weekend long!
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We hit "TAP" for Gorkem's Birthday celebration, and later a quick visit to "Opera" for some dancing. TAP's slogan is "A Convivial Place to have a Pint" - so of course I asked what the word "Convivial" meant (as a test of course). I finally found 1 server who knew. Anyway I love the sophisticated verbiage and the food was divine!
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Sunday (even though Matt had TWO cancellations with models - darn them), E and I went suntanning in the park with Mr. SportyPants, and then later Ruth came over and we all had a photo shoot to cheer Matt up. It ended up being a good thing, since the new issue of the Voyeur is coming up, and the submission deadline is June 19th! ACK! We better hurry!
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Monday, Matt and I ran errands and packed for our beach trip, and ended the night at "DrinkShop" for a swell evening of Pin-ups and Cocktails hosted by the Dixie Pin Ups! Check out our photos here and here. DrinkShop is run just like an old fashioned lounge used to be run in the 1950s and 60s. The staff actually dresses like folks did in that era. There are no ice machines or soda guns, the juice is fresh-squeezed, you name it. It's like AMC's Mad Men come to life! The perfect location to, what else? Host a pin-up event! The Dixie Pin Ups are make-up artists and hair-stylists who get you pin-up ready for your fabulous close-up. Our dear friend Matt Odom was the photographer of the evening, and everyone just had a blast! I tried my best to come pre-pin-up ready, but I still let the Dixie Pin Up gals give me some fake eyelashes, eyeliner, a flower in my hair, and some "rolls" to top off my look. Where else can you go to a party where they make you even PRETTIER? I was like DAMN next time I'll just come with my hair washed and let them do everything else! Just kidding. Love love loved it!
My fave drink of the evening was called the "Hillaire" made of St. Germain Elderflower Vodka and Champagne. Pin-up-a-lishious!!!
Then I ruined my diet (as if), with some nachos from Taco Cabana on the way home. What the hell? I'm on vacation!
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Tuesday was the big drive to the beach (aka Beee-ach!). We checked into our condo, and promptly walked up the beach (with toes in the water) to Crabby Bill's for a CrabTrap drink and some Alaskan King Crab - oooh yes!
It was a week of relaxation, lots of sun (Matt got sunburned on accident, even though he was under the umbrella the whole time), games, friends, food, drinks, and fun!
I got to visit with my sister and nephew for a little bit on Thursday, and then Jamie came alone for some adult girl-time on Saturday evening.
We played Apples-to-Apples, Trivial Pursuit, and Scrabble. I played Scrabble with Gorkem almost nightly on the beach until the sun went down. We had a blast!
Girls versus Guys and Matt was on his own team for Trivial Pursuit (since he's such a smarty-pants). The girls won the first round, but day 2 Matt finally saw victory.
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Some hilarious quotes that went on during the game:
1) Q) Who was the father of Cleopatra's twin sons?
A) Marc Anthony
Comment made by the loser - "I thought he was the singer married to J Lo?"
2) You know what continents are don't you?
3) It's either a Mary or an Elizabeth. No, lets go with King Henry the 8th. (wrong it was Mary I)
4) Is Singapore an Island?
5) (after reading an arts and literature question)- is this an Art question?
6) Oh dammit I got George Clinton and George Michael mixed up. WHAM!
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All in all, it was an awesome vacation - and I'm spent.

A Photographer's Wife

Being a Photographer's Wife - there are some perks:
1) Free Photography
2) Frequent Modeling opportunities
3) Meeting some unique and amazing people along the way
4) Getting to play the verbal "Editor/Consultant" to everything (newsletter, photos, web design, lighting, etc)
5) Filling in as the "voice activated light-stand" every so often.
6) Suddenly knowing WAY more than you ever really wanted to know about Photography, but appreciating the art anyway.
7) Inadvertantly becoming the Business Manager, Search Engine Optimizing Advisor, Accountant, Office Manager, Sounding board, Assistant, Marketing Director, and Cheerleading Squad for the business.
8) Watching hubby's skill sharpen and "develop" (yes that was a pun) over time.
9) Learning to always "be in makeup" since you never know when he'll need to do a test shot. How often do I hear "Honey, can I borrow you for 5 minutes?"
10) Social/Business Networking everywhere (come on, everybody needs a photographer, and I have the perfect business card right here in my purse).
11) Getting to frame, mat, and bag the finished product(s).
12) Being a part of an amazing team.
13) Living in the presence of Genius.

Stimulating thoughts

Wow it has been a long time.
Well the economy sux, and since they (aka Corporate America) are laying people off (or firing them) right and left, that leaves the REST of us a TON of work to do.
ahem.
And of course employee morale is in the toilet, since everyone is paranoid they may be next.
So, the stimulus plan basically just stimulated my work load at the moment. I'm still hopeful though. Maybe things will get better someday??? PLEASE?
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Photos from the family vacation here.
Historical family photos here. Betcha didn't know my Grandpa went to OSU? oh yeah. We are Buckeye's by blood.
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Updates to Treadclimber girl story:
Well, the YMCA removed the Treadclimbers and replaced them with newer treadmill models. Since then, I have seen neither hair nor hide of the Tread Climber Beeotch. Woo hoo!
I know, an anti-climatic ending to the story. Oh well. that's life.
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Zazen Photo is helping sponsor the Chamblee Arts Alliance Celtic Fling at Get Coffee. Go to their website for details. Tickets are only $5, and the event is on March 28th from 7:30-10 or 11p (I forget how late). WOO HOO! Music by Keltic Kudzu.

Finally on the 3rd outfit change . . .

Photo Credit goes to Matthew Lane of Zazen Photo.
We spent 3 photo shoots trying to get this photo right. Welcome to a preview of our Christmas Photo for 2008. The first problem was finding an outfit where I don't look fat. The second issue was getting Matt to smile (hee hee), and then Sport needed to have his ears UP not down.
So after 3 outfit chgs and shoots, we finally got it. Don't they always say "Third time is the charm" ?

"The Voyeur Magazine: Urban Heat" issue is out now!

Photo Credit to Matthew Lane of Zazen Photo.
Well, she's done it again! Dreama put out another issue of The Voyeur Magazine, this issue is called "Urban Heat" - please check out the photography section (done by my hubby), and the models are myself and the mysterious Etrain. We did a shoot inspired by Gil Elvgren's Pin-up style art. Please note, the photographer in this shoot did NOT use Photoshop to alter the images, these were taken directly as-is, in the studio. GO MATT!
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Also featured, an interview with Mikamy Meadows Owner Amy Mattingly, and a section on my top 3 Political issues (mentioned in a previous blog.
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I'm so very excited today, because we are also doing a Photoshoot with our long-time friend Kymry (we call her KY), who has returned home from Norway (aka she calls it Borway) for a vacation in the USA. Next week KY leaves ATL and travels to NYC where our group is meeting up for Lauren and Torrey's wedding. WOO HOO!. I can't wait. Matt has never been to the big city, so he is in for a treat. All he can talk about tho, is the BNH Camera store. LOL. uh oh. I'm more excited about the trippy hotel we are staying in. More to come later.

Limes & Coconuts

Photo Credit
So "you put a lime in dee co-co-nut" and then what? hee hee. I prefer to put rum and cream and shaved ice into the co-co-nut with a straw, and then drink it. Screw the lime unless you are also bringing me a Corona. LOL
Ahh "Rum Runners" in Freeport, Bahamas. I miss thee!
Link to Lime & Coconut Lyrics. Interesting.
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oh yeah - funny story. So, we went to Freeport, Bahamas for Erika's Birthday earlier this year. We go to "Rum Runners" because it was recommended by a friend who had been there. I have a thing for Pina Colada's served STRAIGHT from the coconut - it's awesome! Ok so I digress. Anyhoo, Erika, Holly, Matt, and I are sitting at Rum Runners one night - drinking of course. And we see this older dude (maybe late 40s-early 50s) who we recognized from the resort swimming area earlier that day. He was hard to miss because his face was BURNT RED. Turns out he's a nice guy from Davenport, IA in Insurance or something or other, and so he buys us a drink. We chat with him for a bit. he takes a quick photo with his digital camera of me, Erika, and Holly. We barely got the guy's first name, but he seemed harmless. Fast-forward to a week later. I'm back at work, bored, missing the Bahamas, and I get an email from a friend. This friend had put us up at the Resort for a cheaper than normal rate, and had gotten a call from the Resort's front desk. The Burnt-face insurance guy had tried to find us, but since the hotel (thank goodness) doesn't give out information on guests to weird burnt-faced dudes, they got HIS info and called us. So, my friend passes this along. The message was something like "I have something for you girls" and I had a moment of panic that we'd forgotten something at the hotel. Also I did not remember the guys name or anything, so I hadn't made the connection yet. Ok - SO being the smart girl I am, I decided I would call him, BUT I would use my un-traceable work phone, versus my personal cell. I left him a very brisk business-like message about "I'm calling to find out more information on what you have for us, and how we can retrieve it, etc" - and leave him my work phone. He calls me back in about 1 hr, and THAT's when I realize who it is. He wanted to send us the photo he had taken on his camera and he wanted our mailing address. I asked if he couldn't just email it, after all it was digital. He said he preferred to mail it. I didn't want to give some potential creep my home address, so I gave him my work address.
----6 months go by---
A box is hand-delivered to my desk by the mail guy. He wants me to sign for it. I am like "I didn't order anything this size" and then I open it. It was very sweet actually. The Insurance Burnt-faced guy had printed Three 4x6 sized images of the photo he took. He framed each in real cherry-wood frames - and he had a brass metal engraved label attached to each frame reading "Rum Runners" Freeport, Bahamas. I forget if it had the date or not. Three framed photos, one for each of us. WOW! I was really surprised. The return address on the box was a UPS store in Davenport, so I have no way of tracking down this dude. However, that's fine. It was a nice gift, a nice moment, and that's sufficient. cool beans.

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Thank you so much!
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In other news, I went to Wine Club last night. Normally, there are only 4-5 girls who show up, and that means 4-5 bottles of wine to taste. So we taste a bit liberally of course, but you aren't trashed when you finally leave.
but last night was different.
Thank goodness Mina was my surprise designated driver. She called me about 10 mins before I was going to leave, and offered to drive us. I am so glad I took her up on that offer.
the wine was "Chianti"
and somehow
this time
there were TEN women there - which means TEN bottles of CHIANTI to taste.
One of the ladies seemed hell-bent on getting them all done in a hurry. We passed around 8 bottles of wine in 38 minutes. I swear that has to be a record.
True we had to get them all done, but tasting 8 wines in 38 minutes is another way to get Abbie toasty in a hurry!
damn!
Thankfully, I had the foresight to pack myself a little bottle of Crystal Lite HYDRATION!
ahh yes.
Mina dropped me off at home, and then I almost immediately went to bed.
I do have a headache today. but it is okay. I am surviving. I am not hungover, my tummy is fine, just have headache.
Tried a new cheese last night. Cotswold. that is some GOOD STUFF! and it goes well with Chianti - of course.