Photo by myself on 34th Street in Midtown.
The view down 34th Street includes the Empire State Building, looming above.
Macy's has been decorated with a huge Christmas tree on the canopy and a giant sign with 'Believe' in script.
It's oddly balmy outside though, with temperatures hovering around 60F, or 15 Celcius. People are walking about with their jackets flapping open.
Related posts: Looking Up at Macy's in Midtown, All Decked out Below the Empire State, and Lost Near Macy's.
12 Aralık 2012 Çarşamba
Looking Down 34th Street, in Midtown
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Jingling and Jogging, in Prospect Park
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Photo by myself in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.
Thousands of runners ran the loop around Prospect Park, this morning, dressed in costume. Nearly 6,000 runners finished the race.
The 'Jingle Bell Jog' is a 6K run held every year by the New York Road Runners club. I happened to be in the park this morning with Rupert and had no idea the run was held today. But when I heard the distinctive jingling and loud whoops of joy, I knew we were in for a treat.
Rupert and I stood to the side while hundreds of runners dashed by us dressed in reindeer antlers, red noses, santa hats and santa tutus. Runners were given t-shirts and bells for the race.
There was even a guy wearing nothing but a santa hat and a red speedo! Eek! Fortunately for him, it wasn't too cold.
What seemed to be an endless stream of runners went by, as we waited on the curb to cross.
Above, one runner wore the tshirt for the run, along with his antlers.
The least dressed runner of the morning, to the right, in a hat and red speedo.
For more about the Jingle Bell Jog on the New York Road Runner's website, click here.
Apologies for the sporadic posts once again. It's been crazy, crazy busy at work!
Related posts: With Bells on, at the Jingle Bell Jog, in Prospect Park, Leaving the Santa Convention, in the East Village, and On Line Behind Santa, Underground.
Wrapped Around the Bulgari Store, on Fifth Avenue
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Photo by myself around 56th Street and FIfth Avenue.
A giant two-headed snake encrusted with LED lights wound around the corner of the Bulgari store on Fifth Avenue.
The lights in the eyes of the snakes flicker on and off. The lights are very, very bright.
I'd see this thing whenever I passed by in a cab, so I went over Monday night to take a photo up close.
Related posts: The New York Public Library, Awash in Blue, Sparkly Lights, in Rockefeller Center, and Holiday Under the Stars, at Columbus Circle.
The Holiday Windows at Bergdorf Goodman
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Photo by myself outside Bergdorf Goodman, at 58th Street and Fifth Avenue.
The windows at Bergdorf Goodman have to be the most sumptious of all store windows during the holidays.
I'm sure the larger windows costs tens of thousands of dollars each for their designs. I try to see these displays every year, which are always elaborate and fanciful. They're less dependent on gizmos and are more like intricate set designs.
It was a little chilly the other night, but that didn't stop onlookers from oohing and aahing in front of each window, which were rimmed with large decorated frames.
In one window, a woman is shown with dozens of little white dogs performing tricks.
One stunning window showed an aerial view of a musical party in progress.
Related posts: Lost in Thought, Outside Lord and Taylor in Midtown, Holiday Displays, on Fifth Avenue, and Christmas Windows to Warm the Heart.
Shapes of Things to Come (If We're Lucky)
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The Yardbirds—first stop for three of Rock and Roll’s greatest guitar heroes—mixed blues and psychedelia into a unique soup that produced such classics as “For Your Love” and “Heart Full of Soul.” While noted for launching the careers of Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, it was Paul Samwell-Smith (bass), Keith Relf (singer/harmonica), Chris Dreja (rhythm guitar) and Jim McCarty (drums) who maintained the core. I plan to see Chris and Jim perform, along with new Yardbirds band members, on Wed., September 7, at BB Kings' in NY City (the Good Rats are opening). You can also catch the Yardbirds in a lot of other places through October.
Yesterday I caught up with Jim McCarty—far and away one of the most influential drummers of his time.
Meth: Is drumming work? It looks like work.
McCarty: (Laughs) I never really thought of it as work, Cliff. It’s not really hard work is it? The hard work is traveling around (laughs again). But I did once see an article about drummers having to be really fit. There was an experiment in England and they said Blondie’s drummer was as fit as a footballer. So I guess it’s work but being in a rhythm sorts of works itself.
Meth: You’ve been a Yardbird for what, 45 years? Did you think that was possible?
McCarty: I didn’t actually. At one point I worked for a stock broker in London and I was playing drums at night and on weekends. After a few weeks it was very tiring and I didn’t think it would last. I went to my boss and said, “I need to take a break. Can you keep the job open for me when the band folds up?” But it lasted a bit longer… I was going to become an actuary at the time. I was obviously destined not to do that but I always had a mathematical brain. It also helped with the songwriting, I think.
Meth: There was a bit of a break in there. How did you reform the group?
McCarty: We were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 but we didn’t get it together again until ‘95. I was playing in a blues band and we sort of built a place up. Jeff [Beck] and Paul [Samwell-Smith] would come and see the band but they didn’t sit in. Then Chris and I were approached by an agent and there was interest in putting the band back together. Jeff hasn’t played with us, nor has Jimmy [Page], but they’ve shown up at shows and played air guitar.
Meth: Air guitar. That's not work.
McCarty: Yes. [Laughs]
Meth: While you played musical guitar heroes, the core of the Yardbirds seemed to stay close knit. Who were you closest with?
McCarty: I suppose Keith and I were very close back then. Me and Keith and Chris were the steady members. But there was tension because it was very hectic having to work the whole time. We weren’t making any money. Even when we were signed, the LPs weren’t selling well and royalties were poor—all the money was on the road so were relentlessly working and that created tension. It was clear that Eric and Jeff were destined to be their own bosses—they were people who found it difficult to be in a band.
Meth: But there was some sense of fraternity wasn’t there? You were too young not to have that idealized dynamic.
McCarty: Well, we would go to our manager and have meetings. I remember that Eric was very unhappy about the way the band was going and didn’t like the idea of doing “For Your Love,” which the rest of us wanted to do. He thought that was selling out. We loved it but he only wanted to do blues. We tried to do bluesly singles like “Good Morning Little School Girl” but they weren’t commercial enough to be big hits and to get anywhere you had to have a single. Now the music industry has gone full circle. The LP market is dead again and it’s all about being on the road, but back then it was all about singles.
Meth: You contributed to the writing on some of those singles.
McCarty: Yes, most of the songs were team efforts. “Shapes of Things to Come” came from Keith and Paul and myself.
Meth: Well, while we're on shapes of things to come, are you disappointed with where music has gone? The death of rock culture—and for that matter, the virtual death of everything else?
McCarty: I tend to think positively about where we’re going and I try to reflect that in my songwriting. There’s a change coming but the change is for the good.
Meth: What do you see in evidence of that?
McCarty: I guess ecological things, especially in Europe. People trying to get by without using un-renewable fuels… I sort of do see a better world coming, a growing awareness and growing consciousness of other people. I think it will be alright.
(c) 2011 Clifford Meth
The Yardbirds—first stop for three of Rock and Roll’s greatest guitar heroes—mixed blues and psychedelia into a unique soup that produced such classics as “For Your Love” and “Heart Full of Soul.” While noted for launching the careers of Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, it was Paul Samwell-Smith (bass), Keith Relf (singer/harmonica), Chris Dreja (rhythm guitar) and Jim McCarty (drums) who maintained the core. I plan to see Chris and Jim perform, along with new Yardbirds band members, on Wed., September 7, at BB Kings' in NY City (the Good Rats are opening). You can also catch the Yardbirds in a lot of other places through October.
Yesterday I caught up with Jim McCarty—far and away one of the most influential drummers of his time.
Meth: Is drumming work? It looks like work.
McCarty: (Laughs) I never really thought of it as work, Cliff. It’s not really hard work is it? The hard work is traveling around (laughs again). But I did once see an article about drummers having to be really fit. There was an experiment in England and they said Blondie’s drummer was as fit as a footballer. So I guess it’s work but being in a rhythm sorts of works itself.
Meth: You’ve been a Yardbird for what, 45 years? Did you think that was possible?
McCarty: I didn’t actually. At one point I worked for a stock broker in London and I was playing drums at night and on weekends. After a few weeks it was very tiring and I didn’t think it would last. I went to my boss and said, “I need to take a break. Can you keep the job open for me when the band folds up?” But it lasted a bit longer… I was going to become an actuary at the time. I was obviously destined not to do that but I always had a mathematical brain. It also helped with the songwriting, I think.
Meth: There was a bit of a break in there. How did you reform the group?
McCarty: We were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 but we didn’t get it together again until ‘95. I was playing in a blues band and we sort of built a place up. Jeff [Beck] and Paul [Samwell-Smith] would come and see the band but they didn’t sit in. Then Chris and I were approached by an agent and there was interest in putting the band back together. Jeff hasn’t played with us, nor has Jimmy [Page], but they’ve shown up at shows and played air guitar.
Meth: Air guitar. That's not work.
McCarty: Yes. [Laughs]
Meth: While you played musical guitar heroes, the core of the Yardbirds seemed to stay close knit. Who were you closest with?
McCarty: I suppose Keith and I were very close back then. Me and Keith and Chris were the steady members. But there was tension because it was very hectic having to work the whole time. We weren’t making any money. Even when we were signed, the LPs weren’t selling well and royalties were poor—all the money was on the road so were relentlessly working and that created tension. It was clear that Eric and Jeff were destined to be their own bosses—they were people who found it difficult to be in a band.
Meth: But there was some sense of fraternity wasn’t there? You were too young not to have that idealized dynamic.
McCarty: Well, we would go to our manager and have meetings. I remember that Eric was very unhappy about the way the band was going and didn’t like the idea of doing “For Your Love,” which the rest of us wanted to do. He thought that was selling out. We loved it but he only wanted to do blues. We tried to do bluesly singles like “Good Morning Little School Girl” but they weren’t commercial enough to be big hits and to get anywhere you had to have a single. Now the music industry has gone full circle. The LP market is dead again and it’s all about being on the road, but back then it was all about singles.
Meth: You contributed to the writing on some of those singles.
McCarty: Yes, most of the songs were team efforts. “Shapes of Things to Come” came from Keith and Paul and myself.
Meth: Well, while we're on shapes of things to come, are you disappointed with where music has gone? The death of rock culture—and for that matter, the virtual death of everything else?
McCarty: I tend to think positively about where we’re going and I try to reflect that in my songwriting. There’s a change coming but the change is for the good.
Meth: What do you see in evidence of that?
McCarty: I guess ecological things, especially in Europe. People trying to get by without using un-renewable fuels… I sort of do see a better world coming, a growing awareness and growing consciousness of other people. I think it will be alright.
(c) 2011 Clifford Meth
11 Aralık 2012 Salı
What's Better than Monster Hunter?
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By ladyvader99
I was 19 and I saw it from across the room. It took my breath away.
In this past six months, I have gotten a tattoo on my inner right forearm of a Monster Hunter “forbidden hunter” seal. In the manga, a monster hunter is given this mark to allow them to hunt the most dangerous and the rarest of beasts. Seeing as I have over 3000 hours logged into the Monster Hunter franchise, I deemed myself worthy. There are a total of 10 entries in the Monster Hunter series, spanning over a variety of platforms, with only 4 released here in the United States. The most current installment, Monster Hunter Portable 3, is currently Capcom’s fastest selling game ever.
I was 19 (maybe 20…the years blend!) when I came across Monster Hunter for PlayStation 2. The game play was simple; you are a wandering young person who undertakes the task of relieving a small village of the monsters that plague it in exchange for room and board. These range from small, docile herbivores to HUGE dragons. The game forces you to use every bit of cunning and strategy you possess and the sense of accomplishment when you take down that first Rathalos is immensely satisfying. Every creature you take down allows you to carve material off of it to make superior armor and weaponry, thereby making you stronger and able to withstand attacks from stronger, more hostile and intelligent creatures. There is no “end” to the game, so you can literally play forever.
I got the most fun out of Monster Hunter when my now husband, two best friends and I bought Monster Hunter Freedom for PSP. A Saturday did not pass where we four were not huddled around our PSPs for hours of marathon gaming, A/C adaptors plugged into the wall so our PSPs wouldn’t die mid-quest. Monsters are typically more intelligent and the quest objectives for each are harder when you play online with someone via ad hoc or alone so they represented a bigger challenge. I love the creature design, the landscapes are PHENOMENAL, and it’s truly incredible how they always keep you guessing, even after you think you’ve got a creature’s movement pattern down.
Because Monster Hunter is my favorite game of ALL TIME, whenever I attend a convention, I zoom around the dealer’s room, searching for a statuette, a key chain, or plush of SOMETHING. Japan gets amazing Monster Hunter merchandise and I long to own everything I can! So far, I’ve been able to accumulate a Felyne statue (a cat that assists you in quests and hunter “duties”), plush of a Gigi whelp (white tadpole looking thing with teeth…adorable!), some posters, and a tiny Felyne key chain.
Monster Hunter is definitely not a game for those who want to hack and slash their way through it. This kind of approach will frustrate you since you will die very quickly and quite a lot. Monster Hunter is like the girl you want to take home to your mom. Approach with love, trust and commitment because before you know it, you’ll be 10 hours in and that’s it. You’re in love.
Like what you just read? Let us know in the comments below and keep up to date by following us on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr!
I was 19 and I saw it from across the room. It took my breath away.In this past six months, I have gotten a tattoo on my inner right forearm of a Monster Hunter “forbidden hunter” seal. In the manga, a monster hunter is given this mark to allow them to hunt the most dangerous and the rarest of beasts. Seeing as I have over 3000 hours logged into the Monster Hunter franchise, I deemed myself worthy. There are a total of 10 entries in the Monster Hunter series, spanning over a variety of platforms, with only 4 released here in the United States. The most current installment, Monster Hunter Portable 3, is currently Capcom’s fastest selling game ever.
I was 19 (maybe 20…the years blend!) when I came across Monster Hunter for PlayStation 2. The game play was simple; you are a wandering young person who undertakes the task of relieving a small village of the monsters that plague it in exchange for room and board. These range from small, docile herbivores to HUGE dragons. The game forces you to use every bit of cunning and strategy you possess and the sense of accomplishment when you take down that first Rathalos is immensely satisfying. Every creature you take down allows you to carve material off of it to make superior armor and weaponry, thereby making you stronger and able to withstand attacks from stronger, more hostile and intelligent creatures. There is no “end” to the game, so you can literally play forever.
I got the most fun out of Monster Hunter when my now husband, two best friends and I bought Monster Hunter Freedom for PSP. A Saturday did not pass where we four were not huddled around our PSPs for hours of marathon gaming, A/C adaptors plugged into the wall so our PSPs wouldn’t die mid-quest. Monsters are typically more intelligent and the quest objectives for each are harder when you play online with someone via ad hoc or alone so they represented a bigger challenge. I love the creature design, the landscapes are PHENOMENAL, and it’s truly incredible how they always keep you guessing, even after you think you’ve got a creature’s movement pattern down.
Because Monster Hunter is my favorite game of ALL TIME, whenever I attend a convention, I zoom around the dealer’s room, searching for a statuette, a key chain, or plush of SOMETHING. Japan gets amazing Monster Hunter merchandise and I long to own everything I can! So far, I’ve been able to accumulate a Felyne statue (a cat that assists you in quests and hunter “duties”), plush of a Gigi whelp (white tadpole looking thing with teeth…adorable!), some posters, and a tiny Felyne key chain.
Monster Hunter is definitely not a game for those who want to hack and slash their way through it. This kind of approach will frustrate you since you will die very quickly and quite a lot. Monster Hunter is like the girl you want to take home to your mom. Approach with love, trust and commitment because before you know it, you’ll be 10 hours in and that’s it. You’re in love.Like what you just read? Let us know in the comments below and keep up to date by following us on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr!
KostumeGirl's 2011 Wrap Up
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As I look back on my posts from 2011, I'd have to say this was my best year for costumes yet! Through practice and good old fashioned trial and error I've learned how to build costumes that are comfortable without losing any WOW factor. I've also learned what can be built and what you should just purchase ready made. If you will oblige me, I'd like to take a trip down memory road and recap my favorite costumes of 2011.
The year was off to a running start in February with a very daring and clever (at least I thought so) costume that I wore to Kostume Kult's 5th Annual Alt. Oscars, the wildest costume Oscar party out there. Attending this year were flocks of Black Swans, Tron, Pixar characters and myself as the 2010 epic film Piranha 3D. How this film, NAY this work of art, remains yet un-nominated for an Oscar is a great travesty. Briefly, the movie is about an underwater tremor that releases millions of prehistoric piranhas from their dormant state. This unfortunate event happens to coincide with Spring Break at Lake Victoria where hundreds of coeds are letting loose in the water as well. The two make for a deadly mixer. So basically I was dressed as a college spring breaker who met an unfortunate piranha feeding frenzy demise. To read my detailed recap click here. For more photos from this raucous event, check out this great album of photos of the event by my friend Loren Darklyng. It won't be long before this event comes around again and the Kostume Kult red carpet is rolled out so start thinking about your favorite movies from 2011 and which one would make a great costume. You could win yourself a coveted Atly!
April brought spring flowers and an AMAZING event called Horned Ball 7: Road to Valhalla. Kostume Kult hosted this event at Santo's Party House this year. The Party House was transformed back in time to a viking wonderland with a ship, ice, fire and animal hides. Really an unbelievable transformation and the set up crew deserves lots of props for a bang up job. Oh and if you do not know, Horned Ball is a spring event with a horned or mythical beast theme. For the past two Horned Balls, I have dressed as a unicorn. The first attempt was pretty amateur with a paper towel roll horn but in 2011 I got it right. I found a Christmas ornament for my inspiration that was a white and red spiral and happened to look a lot like a horn! I mounted it on a headband and set to work on a red and white spandex body suit. I'm very happy with the results. Read my previous post for full recap for more pictures.
In June the NYC weather finally warms up and the sea creatures get their chance to shine at the Coney Island Mermaid Day Parade. I must admit this is the event I tend to get the most attention at. There are a LOT of great photographers there and I love finding my photos online after the parade. The event organizers have got this parade down to a science now since it has been going on for more than 10 years and there is even a family friendly section of the parade where the nudity is less brazen and the mixed drinks don't fly quite as loosely. Anyway I went to the mermaid parade with my wonderful college friend and co-creator of the "More is More" mantra, Erin. Also attending were our friends Melissa and Natalie, both Mermaid Parade first timers. The weather was great and we had an absolute blast. Read about it in my previous post recapping Mermaid Day 2011. If you are looking for an event that celebrates costumes without the debauchery of SantaCon give the Mermaid Day Parade a try. Coney Island is a bit of a trip but I love to do it once a year.
In July I was "featured" in a photographic list of "48 Things You Will Only See in NYC" on Buzzfeed.com. The photo is actually from 2010 when I was riding the train home from the Mermaid Parade.
As you can see I was resting between some of my neighbors on the 7 train. As usual I was not thinking anything odd about the way I was dressed as strangers stared at me and took pictures! Anyway I'm proud to be part of the NYC spectacle. Living here never gets old that's for sure.
July was also when I debuted my first makeup tutorial!
I did face paint for my Cheshire Cat costume for the Massive Mad Hatter Tea Party in the West Village. As I was getting ready I made a little tutorial to help out people trying to recreate the look or get some inspiration. I hope to add many more tutorials on makeup, sewing and costume crafting.
Skipping to October, I attended NYC Comic Con for the first time. There are some very serious cosplay and costumers at ComicCon so I was ready to be out dressed for sure. I went as Minnie Mouse since I've been a fan since I was about 4. I sewed my costume the week before and got a great pair of tights from work.
The ears I found in the costume dome out at Burning Man. Thank goodness I held on to them! We took some fun photos at Comic Con, walked around all day and bought some great original art! I think I am ready to upgrade to San Diego Comic Con!
Such a busy October! Only two days after ComicCon was ZombieCon. I found my inspiration for my outfit this year at Mood Fabrics. I was buying plain fabric for a sewing class when I spotted a beautiful black and white striped thick jersey. INSPIRED, I went home and started thinking about how to sew it into a horrifying zombie dress. Luckily I stumbled upon some help when I found a video on YouTube for How to Sew a Morticia Addams Dress. It was exactly the silhouette I was looking for. Then I bloodied it up with some fabric dye and paint. This picture is silly and I have no idea what I was doing, but I like it.
For some reason I do not have a lot of photos from that event. I'm sad cause I don't think I got a good full length one of the dress. Oh well. Sometimes you just have to go out and have an experience and not worry about documenting every second of it.
I also did a Zombie makeup tutorial that got a lot of views on You Tube right before ZombieCon. This video was much more complete and polished. It even had the music from 28 Days behind it. Hopefully it helped some people achieve the sexy zombie look they were going for.
Then of course, the Grandaddy of them all Halloween. This year was a special circumstance however since I had been in California Halloween weekend for a wedding. My flight back to NYC landed at 3pm the day of Halloween so I had just enough time to go home, throw on something and head to the NYC Village Halloween Parade! It was worth it to walk along side the Kostume Kult parade float which looked insane and great with its Eye-Kandy theme and rocking sound system. Check out some of the video I took. Also a highlight my friend Erin @erinokeefe5 won the costume contest at the W hotel on Park Ave! She was a Sexy Porcupine. Spiky!
Rounding off the year was SantaCon. This event has grown to proportions that are simply epic. Telling someone you are going to SantaCon hardly requires any explanation anymore. I was a Sexy Candy Cane and I think it turned out great. The wig and headpiece required a great deal of work but the leggings thankfully I reused from my Horned Ball unicorn costume. I love the bold red and white stripes and the long length of my wig. Right as I arrived at the South Street Seaport one of the most exciting events in my creative career happened. Bill Cunningham took my photo! He is a NYC fashion and street photographer for The New York Times and was recently the subject of a documentary. He took some photos of me, I said Hi and gave him my card and prayed my photo would show up in the Times. Then low and behold a few days later, there I was in the Times Sunday Style section and even in a video of the photos he took called Reds. So very exciting! I will have to save a clipping and put it in my portfolio.
So there you have it. The many events and many costumes of 2011. As always I have ideas brewing for the coming year so check back for more updates. Happy New Year!
-KostumeGirl
Twitter @Kostumegirl
The year was off to a running start in February with a very daring and clever (at least I thought so) costume that I wore to Kostume Kult's 5th Annual Alt. Oscars, the wildest costume Oscar party out there. Attending this year were flocks of Black Swans, Tron, Pixar characters and myself as the 2010 epic film Piranha 3D. How this film, NAY this work of art, remains yet un-nominated for an Oscar is a great travesty. Briefly, the movie is about an underwater tremor that releases millions of prehistoric piranhas from their dormant state. This unfortunate event happens to coincide with Spring Break at Lake Victoria where hundreds of coeds are letting loose in the water as well. The two make for a deadly mixer. So basically I was dressed as a college spring breaker who met an unfortunate piranha feeding frenzy demise. To read my detailed recap click here. For more photos from this raucous event, check out this great album of photos of the event by my friend Loren Darklyng. It won't be long before this event comes around again and the Kostume Kult red carpet is rolled out so start thinking about your favorite movies from 2011 and which one would make a great costume. You could win yourself a coveted Atly!April brought spring flowers and an AMAZING event called Horned Ball 7: Road to Valhalla. Kostume Kult hosted this event at Santo's Party House this year. The Party House was transformed back in time to a viking wonderland with a ship, ice, fire and animal hides. Really an unbelievable transformation and the set up crew deserves lots of props for a bang up job. Oh and if you do not know, Horned Ball is a spring event with a horned or mythical beast theme. For the past two Horned Balls, I have dressed as a unicorn. The first attempt was pretty amateur with a paper towel roll horn but in 2011 I got it right. I found a Christmas ornament for my inspiration that was a white and red spiral and happened to look a lot like a horn! I mounted it on a headband and set to work on a red and white spandex body suit. I'm very happy with the results. Read my previous post for full recap for more pictures. In June the NYC weather finally warms up and the sea creatures get their chance to shine at the Coney Island Mermaid Day Parade. I must admit this is the event I tend to get the most attention at. There are a LOT of great photographers there and I love finding my photos online after the parade. The event organizers have got this parade down to a science now since it has been going on for more than 10 years and there is even a family friendly section of the parade where the nudity is less brazen and the mixed drinks don't fly quite as loosely. Anyway I went to the mermaid parade with my wonderful college friend and co-creator of the "More is More" mantra, Erin. Also attending were our friends Melissa and Natalie, both Mermaid Parade first timers. The weather was great and we had an absolute blast. Read about it in my previous post recapping Mermaid Day 2011. If you are looking for an event that celebrates costumes without the debauchery of SantaCon give the Mermaid Day Parade a try. Coney Island is a bit of a trip but I love to do it once a year. In July I was "featured" in a photographic list of "48 Things You Will Only See in NYC" on Buzzfeed.com. The photo is actually from 2010 when I was riding the train home from the Mermaid Parade.
As you can see I was resting between some of my neighbors on the 7 train. As usual I was not thinking anything odd about the way I was dressed as strangers stared at me and took pictures! Anyway I'm proud to be part of the NYC spectacle. Living here never gets old that's for sure. July was also when I debuted my first makeup tutorial!
I did face paint for my Cheshire Cat costume for the Massive Mad Hatter Tea Party in the West Village. As I was getting ready I made a little tutorial to help out people trying to recreate the look or get some inspiration. I hope to add many more tutorials on makeup, sewing and costume crafting.Skipping to October, I attended NYC Comic Con for the first time. There are some very serious cosplay and costumers at ComicCon so I was ready to be out dressed for sure. I went as Minnie Mouse since I've been a fan since I was about 4. I sewed my costume the week before and got a great pair of tights from work.
The ears I found in the costume dome out at Burning Man. Thank goodness I held on to them! We took some fun photos at Comic Con, walked around all day and bought some great original art! I think I am ready to upgrade to San Diego Comic Con!Such a busy October! Only two days after ComicCon was ZombieCon. I found my inspiration for my outfit this year at Mood Fabrics. I was buying plain fabric for a sewing class when I spotted a beautiful black and white striped thick jersey. INSPIRED, I went home and started thinking about how to sew it into a horrifying zombie dress. Luckily I stumbled upon some help when I found a video on YouTube for How to Sew a Morticia Addams Dress. It was exactly the silhouette I was looking for. Then I bloodied it up with some fabric dye and paint. This picture is silly and I have no idea what I was doing, but I like it.
For some reason I do not have a lot of photos from that event. I'm sad cause I don't think I got a good full length one of the dress. Oh well. Sometimes you just have to go out and have an experience and not worry about documenting every second of it.I also did a Zombie makeup tutorial that got a lot of views on You Tube right before ZombieCon. This video was much more complete and polished. It even had the music from 28 Days behind it. Hopefully it helped some people achieve the sexy zombie look they were going for.
Then of course, the Grandaddy of them all Halloween. This year was a special circumstance however since I had been in California Halloween weekend for a wedding. My flight back to NYC landed at 3pm the day of Halloween so I had just enough time to go home, throw on something and head to the NYC Village Halloween Parade! It was worth it to walk along side the Kostume Kult parade float which looked insane and great with its Eye-Kandy theme and rocking sound system. Check out some of the video I took. Also a highlight my friend Erin @erinokeefe5 won the costume contest at the W hotel on Park Ave! She was a Sexy Porcupine. Spiky!
Rounding off the year was SantaCon. This event has grown to proportions that are simply epic. Telling someone you are going to SantaCon hardly requires any explanation anymore. I was a Sexy Candy Cane and I think it turned out great. The wig and headpiece required a great deal of work but the leggings thankfully I reused from my Horned Ball unicorn costume. I love the bold red and white stripes and the long length of my wig. Right as I arrived at the South Street Seaport one of the most exciting events in my creative career happened. Bill Cunningham took my photo! He is a NYC fashion and street photographer for The New York Times and was recently the subject of a documentary. He took some photos of me, I said Hi and gave him my card and prayed my photo would show up in the Times. Then low and behold a few days later, there I was in the Times Sunday Style section and even in a video of the photos he took called Reds. So very exciting! I will have to save a clipping and put it in my portfolio.So there you have it. The many events and many costumes of 2011. As always I have ideas brewing for the coming year so check back for more updates. Happy New Year!
-KostumeGirl
Twitter @Kostumegirl
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