the two dog blog

my work for GOTHAM BLONDE, in video form

2011-12-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

here's the launch video for the new brand i shot for,

Gotham Blonde

PHOTOGRAPHER : LANDIS (campaign work for Love Culture)

2011-12-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

recent work for Love Culture,

the holiday campaign print :

PHOTOGRAPHER : LANDIS (the Seraphim Project from Church Boutique, Los Angeles)

2011-12-22T17:30:00.000-08:00

some of the most beautiful hand-made gowns i've ever seen,

from Church Boutique in Los Angeles.

HAUNTED BY THE PAST : one family's terrifying discovery of their ROYAL ROOTS

2011-12-21T16:30:00.000-08:00

i jokingly refer to my mother as a

"character from a Pat Conroy novel"

at times,

because she has both the mad talents of a woman who constantly re-invents herself,

and, yes,

she was once a beauty queen.

but not just ANY beauty queen.

nooooo.

the queen of puerto rico's annual equivalent of mardi gras.

the first non-native to ever hold the crown.

that's right.

she was once queen of an entire island nation.

IT EXPLAINS SO MUCH.

for instance.

the way she carries herself?

she once dragged THIS around behind her :

there was a headdress,

and attendants,

and escorts . . .

the woman was given her own COURT.

before you say it,

both lauren and i were like

"um, mom, what's with the kids dressed up as coolies?"

and she was like

"huh. i have no idea."

spoken like a true monarch.

of course, there were some tender discoveries too,

like the shots of my grandparents :

check the gown on grandma.

i obviously inherited her taste.

i would SO ROCK that dior.

my sister, however,

inherited my mother's beauty and sense of regal poise :

and i?

i was going to be an ASTRONAUT!

that's right, bitches.

SPACE CAMP.

i was going to be,

according to the banner behind me,

MAN IN SPACE!

i guess what we learned from all this

is that when you are descended from royals

you can never destroy all the photographic evidence.

but that if you ask REALLY NICELY,

la reina will dig out the crown jewels,

and let you try them on.

LANDIS SMITHERS : an interview

2011-12-20T08:30:00.000-08:00

found this yesterday in some old files.

back a few years ago when i was working at Old Navy

(pre-mannequin, post-kitsch)

our goal was to make the brand more fashion-focused,

while keeping energy and spirit high.

fashion with a smile,

i was told,

the american Zara.

ok.

the work was turning out really beautifully,

the team i worked with was amazing.

this interview was done about mid-way through that time.

Divas, Dogs and YouTube
A few words with Landis Smithers, Old Navy's VP of Marketing.

Heworks with models who speak seven different languages. He talks to "dogagents" in, of course, Los Angeles. He thinks about moodier lighting onthe set. And he can't wait to see how customers react to Old Navy's TV spots... by checking YouTube.

That's a snapshot of how Landis Smithers, Old Navy's VP of Marketing, spendshis time. He recently chatted with GapWeb about his job and the evolution ofthe brand's voice.

How do you describe the primary responsibilities of your job?
Hmm. Ok, I’m officially V.P. of Marketing / Creative Director for Old Navy.But that doesn’t tell you much.

What it really means is that I work with this amazing team of people here tocreate every single piece of 'creative' that heads out into the world andtouches the consumer, from in-store signage to online ads to direct mail tomagazine print to the television spots. We produce an average of 1,600 distinctpieces of creative a week, which makes me sweat just thinking about.

Ultimately, my team and I are responsible for the creation and continualevolution of the Old Navy brand voice. And that's made this year particularlyinteresting for us all.

With Old Navy’s denim relaunch, you recently said it shows how the brand hasbeen “growing up.” What do you mean by that?
With all that’s going on over here, much of our job has been to bring ourcustomer from the great heritage of kitsch and energy that Old Navy has beenknown for into a place where we are seen as more fashion relevant, younger --and a little sexier. Coming off of the dress and swim campaigns, denim allowedus to really show a combination of great re-invented product, elevated and moremodern brand sensibility, and, basically, a new attitude.

This was also the most integrated campaign the brand has ever executed,covering every in-store to in-home vehicle we employ.

The latest TV spot, “Diva Denim,” is more upscale and elegant compared withprevious ads. What’s been the reception so far?
I think it’s most fun to see what people say on YouTube. Let’s face it, that’syour unfiltered demographic there, ranging wide and pretty direct. Sofar? They love the models, they seem to freakin' adore the music, theywant to know all the details.

From breed of dog to fit of the denim, they're asking and debating (Which modelhas the hottest, well, behind? I don’t know, but they all seem to weighin). Rule No. 1 in marketing: get them talking about your brand.

Tell us a little about how the ad was put together and where it was shot.
We shot again with arni and kinski, and did it all on back lots and soundstages. The models came from all over, as usual, including London, Thailand andNew York. We worked on moodier lighting, tighter color palettes and moreintimate stories than we have in the past to draw out the distinct features ofeach of our denim fits. It was one of those shoots where you could feelthe story come to life ... and the brand changing before your eyes.

How are casting decisions made and how difficult is it to find the rightmodels to feature in our ads?
You know, while our models have become more aspirational in look this year,we’ve stuck to a pretty consistent filter around here. There’s an Old Navyapproachable quality that has to be present in order for them to “click” withus.

Every cast member actually has a pretty distinctive personality in theircasting sessions -- and it shows through on the film. Our Diva, Florence,was raised in Thailand and France, is profoundly sensual, but also a real dollin person. Zoe, the Flirt, is a psych student in London, and truly lightsup on film. And Judith, our Sweetheart, speaks seven languages, travelsthe world and has the best laugh you've ever heard. All that stuff, that’swhat makes them so special in the end, and we work to get that out of them andon film.

We heard something about your “favorite” casting decision – pit bullpuppies. Can you explain that?
Ah, that’s a personal one. We decided our Sweetheart girl needed a gray dog to sether off, something playful. We worked with a “dog agent” -- yep, you readthat right -- in Los Angeles who finds rescue dogs and trains them forcommercial work. The morning before the shoot day, he found a litter ofeight “blue” pit bull puppies, the perfect blue-violet color to set offJudith’s amazing eyes.

On set, one little girl puppy kept sitting on my foot, just following mearound.

So I kind of had to take her home with me. My partner and I named her Avec,and, yes, she’s turned out to be the perfect blend of Diva and Sweetheart.

this was the best gift out of that time period:

god she was SO SMALL!

and shortly thereafter,

the work got mentioned here.

which i thought was one of the best compliments of my career.

fashionista.com,

you made my day back then.

THE LANDIS LIKES :

2011-12-19T16:30:00.000-08:00

colored roses around the house.

rodney's obscene black and indian rose cut diamond alligator cuff.

the presentation of the sashimi at nobu.

the fact that i know these people.

the fact that i get invited to masquerades. randomly.

my mother. in africa. getting "inspired" for her paintings.

them. all three of them.

PHOTOGRAPHER : LANDIS (campaign work for Gotham Blonde)

2011-12-16T12:00:00.000-08:00

various landing pages

for the new site

Gotham Blonde

i love shooting this kind of work.

JANE SMITHERS - my mother keeps creating, and i keep learning . . .

2011-12-15T09:30:00.000-08:00

my mother returned from africa,

and shared these pictures with me.

i don't know how to describe it,

but i am constantly fascinated by her.

she paints oils with a palette knife,

and taught herself,

now showing in galleries everywhere.

she sketches and watercolors some of the most beautiful images

in her journals

i've ever seen.

it's like glimpsing someone's inner eye,

her flash of insight into WHY this,

not THAT.

then she shows me these:

photography?

now she's into photography!

seriously?

did she POSE THEM LIKE THAT?

this woman has always been about re-invention.

PHOTOGRAPHER : LANDIS (campaign work for Love Culture, fall)

2011-12-14T10:00:00.000-08:00

selects from Love Culture's fall campaign

BESOS - or, why the people you choose to keep in your life should be the ones that make you feel like THIS :

2011-12-13T09:00:00.000-08:00

granted,

they can get a little "handsy" with each other,

but these people are the ones who believed in me,

or saw something in me i didn't see in myself,

and for the past three years

(3 YEARS!)

have worked tirelessly at my side.

this one random night out,

i looked around that table

and saw

my "ladies in red",

my "bang",

my manacop,

and my man.

they've worked for free on jobs,

they've brought new ideas and new possibilities to the table,

they've kept my spirits up . . .

find your people, people.

in the end, they're the only reason we ever succeed,

but more importantly,

they're the only reason we're ever happy.

it never felt like labor with them,

which i think is the whole point,

and how i want to live the rest of this life.

besos,

babies.

PHOTOGRAPHER : LANDIS (some male model beauties i've worked with recently)

2011-12-12T17:00:00.000-08:00

some art studies of boys from the last few months.

you're welcome

the artist's studio : jane smithers paints here

2011-12-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

this is the studio.

it's on the grounds of the house,

and where maman paints.

inside,

large palette knife canvases,

vintage posters,

antique painter's smocks.

when she travels,

she watercolors.

i'm trying to get her to start a tumblr

on her journals.

for obvious reasons :

so much creation

under that little red roof.

THANKSGIVING IN A SMALL TOWN : not as terror-filled as i might have thought. ;)

2011-12-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

high hampton.

the resort not far from my mother's house,

where my family would spend a week every summer

at a reunion/dirty dancing/event.

she also took us around, to see the "mountain folk",

and brought in patty and ed for thanksgiving dinner . . .

um, ok, you really have to look at this statue again,

and try to figure out

WHAT THE HELL THE SCULPTOR WAS THINKING???

i know, hollis.

it's freakin me out too.

this is how patty and ed roam around the mountain.

i want one for west hollywood.

little Jeeves was the best guest at thanksgiving!

thanks, maman.

was kind of perfect.

the view from up here : the meadow on the mountain

2011-12-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

at the top of my mother's mountain,

there's a meadow.

we like to walk up there,

bring a little champagne,

and take in the view.

and get drunk and take pictures of ourselves.

it got better and better up there.

yeah, it was pretty perfect.

welcome to WHITE WING COTTAGE : my mother's retreat in the mountains

2011-12-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

jane smithers

(ma mere)

has always known how to create a home.

not just a space you life in,

a home.

she has owned catering companies,

and run design firms,

and raised lauren and i,

(someday, she'll be asked to give a TED lecture on that one . . .)

but whenever i enter a space she has touched,

i feel it.

"home"

White Wing Cottage,

the home she built in the blue ridge mountains

when she restarted her life in her fifties,

is one of the best.

set on the side of a mountain,

with a view of three ranges out the back,

it is warm, colorful, sedate, elegant,

and the perfect space for her to return to after her travels

and set up her canvases.

i finally got back this thanksgiving,

and spent a few amazing days with she, my sister, and my brother (in-law, but really just brother).

perfect.

i found out a few things the first day.

one,

she has begun to paint figurative,

not just landscape.

amazing. adore.

second,

tim and i had started collecting bakelite bangles for her

YEARS ago,

not quite knowing how they'd explode as a collectible.

and seeing them in her home,

they have been well loved,

not "collected"

and finally,

i remembered how nice it is

to put your feet up by the fire

with your mother

and just be.

GOTHAM BLONDE, GLITTERBALL, LOVE CULTURE, MR. BLACK, and other assorted reasons LANDIS hasn't been blogging . . .

2011-12-05T16:00:00.000-08:00

picking up where i left off.

sorry, i've been lost a bit from the blogosphere,

and not sure this is where i want to post everything.

i've been having an affair with tumblr,

and kind of feel like between that and facebook,

it may be where i head.

but for a trial,

for a few more weeks,

i might post here and see how it goes.

love you all,

just am having fun exploring new worlds.

and we all know i get a little stuck on the new.

so here,

a few behind the scenes shots of where i've been and what i've been up to.

more to come.

for a little while.

-
shooting for
gothamblonde.com
-

-
shooting the holiday campaign for Love Culture.
-

-
shooting editorials.
-

-
going out to Mr. Black's
(none of the above are me. sadly.)
-

-
shooting in my home studio for a friend's new brand.
-

-
shooting for a friend's new nightclub opening.
(variety = spice, remember)
-

-
loving on the whole reason i started this blog,
after all.
-

LANDIS SMITHERS IN DETAILS

2011-12-02T17:40:00.001-08:00

think of this as a random assemblage of things i might adopt

for myself.

art by my friend richard haines

tim and i. but specifically, tim and i in paris.

this unbelievable marble fragment.

belongs in my home.

peonies.

fortune cookie truths.

this palette. everything from walls to clothes to dogs.

dries van noten.

men's or women's lines.

don't care.

i will in all likelihood never get ink.

but there are times i ponder.

sleeping dogs, lying.

2011-09-27T15:07:00.000-07:00

frosting -

2011-09-26T13:03:00.000-07:00

alright,

you missed my birthday.

i forgive.

the holy day of landis was celebrated on one of the friday cocktail parties,

and i just found these pics of the night.

starting with frosting,

ending up in laughter.

how every party should proceed.

pools and pectorals -

2011-09-23T15:49:00.000-07:00

i would like to think this speaks to my immense security with myself,

in both my ability to wear lots of stripes at once,

AND

stand next to chris puckett with his shirt off.

if he wasn't the nicest person i know,

i'd probably bludgeon him to death with . . .

something striped.

you can't escape genetics . . . most of the time.

2011-09-17T16:14:00.000-07:00

tim snapped this pic a few weeks ago when dad visited.

proving genetics runs in the family.

or, as sweet grr seems to notice,

the nose does.

shooting GOTHAM BLONDE : a website launch and glamour run amok

2011-09-15T15:13:00.000-07:00

any day now,

a new women's accessory site called Gotham Blonde

will launch,

and i got to shoot their first campaign.

it was kind of perfect.

i got to do the full blown glamour meets sex

stuff i love,

and pull in the team and let them loose.

judd and kira practising her signature

"captain morgan" pose

everyone gathered round . . .

one of my favorite shots of the day:

and then out to poolside for some final shots.

remember,

this is just for shoes, jewelry, and bags.

no, seriously,

i love my job.

SEPTEMBER?

2011-09-14T16:04:00.001-07:00

so . . .

this just happened.

shot the fall campaign for love culture,

along with helping them creative direct a new focus for their brand.

perfect blend of "dip your toe in the c.d. waters"

and "shoot the hell outta what you love.

great people too.

pics to come . . .

more ridiculously cute shots of our pit bulls :

2011-07-20T17:36:00.000-07:00

grr,

the first,

the prima.

avec,

the misfit,

the hugger,

the little soul.

can you tell i got a new lens?

THE HOLY DAY OF LANDIS IS UPON US ( a brief history and how to prepare )

2011-07-20T13:44:00.001-07:00

today is, according to scripture, the "HOLY DAY OF LANDIS".

typically, it required sacrifice in the form of lanvin and the burning of tevas.

in recent years it has evolved into much imbibing of tequila,

tipping of go go boys, and indiscriminate laughter among friends.

the church now requires all able bodied male models to report to the altar in costume for photographs

and slightly too long ogling.

the costumes shall consist of something off-the shoulder and something revealing rear decolletage.

female models are required to bring quantities of sprinkles cupcakes

and the newest chanel nail lacquer,

and ample amounts of gossip.

friends of the landis (or acolytes) will be called upon all during the holy week (check the calendar)

to imbibe, overindulge, and generally "make merry".

the "HOLY DAY OF LANDIS" is a good thing.

so let it be written. so let it be done.

- (paraphrased from michael 7:20)

- (translated from the original tagalog)

leader of the church, HRH tilda swinton.

DOUX CHEZ NOUS ET BAMBOO :

2011-07-19T15:31:00.000-07:00

pit bulls in black and white, or, more reasons to be in love . . .

2011-07-15T17:26:00.001-07:00

grr always gives us "the look" :

avec needs to sleep ON you :

they compete for your attention :

and you never seem to care that you always let them both win :

june into july . . . details and detritus in picture form . . .

2011-07-14T17:52:00.000-07:00

my husband was just named the head of ecommerce for love culture,

a booming fashion brand based here in l.a.

as a result,

we traveled up to sf

and moved all his world back down into ours.

after a year and half,

it's a huge relief to have him home full time,

not just on weekends.

here i am,

in front a mural in the mission district,

waiting for tim to get the shot

before we get our tacos from La Taqueria.

the angels,

fast asleep.

gay pride in sf,

at zuni cafe,

with nicki and gang.

gay pride in l.a.

at wonderland,

wondering if i'm just "over" the whole circuit crowd thing.

excellent advice from a placemat.

my first photo reblogged on tumblr.

LANDIS ON THE STREETS (of nyc.)

2011-07-12T17:07:00.000-07:00

some of my favorite moments,

taken by my personal papparazzi,

tim :

taking public transportation.

major breakthrough.

at the entrance to the mcqueen store,

meatpacking district :

waiting for mat and bryan outside the soho house :

heading to mcqueen through lower manhattan :

ten minutes later,

donut for the hangover :

a piece of art,

a personal motto,

a nyc moment :

FASHION TRANSCENDS : moments from McQueen at the Met

2011-07-11T06:49:00.003-07:00

on the edge of central park

even the met's posters seemed to portend the experience

the museum where i took yoga as a child,

and wrote poetry in classes in the medieval rooms

hosts alexander mcqueen's work,

a personal hero of mine.

i literally cried from the first room,

where the mannequins were more like creatures,

speaking of his mind and mourning his loss:

the "oyster" gown from the shipwreck collection,

made from 260 yards of circular cut chiffon.

a victorian bride,

beached by alexander's imagination.

one of my favorite gowns ever,

live,

before me:

the accessories room was a treasure box of oddities,

each more sculptural than the last:

scottish nationalism,

rape and royalty,

all rolled together.

you were NOT supposed to take pictures.

but how could i resist?

the details alone called out to be captured!

rumored to be the last design he touched before he took his life,

gold hand painted duck feathers.

if you see the divine, must you leave?

from a mind like this, came such great beauty:

RE-GROUPING : going out with friends in NYC

2011-07-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

every night,

another adventure.

there was dressing up and walking a few blocks

to meet katy and her fiance at their new loft.

for champers,

for celebration of their engagement,

for the sushi restaurant she took us to

that you have to have the secret phone number to find :

-
look how happy she is to have scored those rezzies!
-

-
then a few jaunts with mat zucker and bryan fuhr,
along with the met for mcqueen,
there was the rooftop bar of the james.
-

-
a cornell re-union, seventeen stories above lower manhattan :
-

-
and dinner with hillary,
at beauty & essex,
the gem hidden behind a pawn shop on the lower east side.
cocktails and fried oysters . . . YES!
-

DETAILS THAT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE : shopping til it hurts in nyc . . .

2011-07-07T17:27:00.000-07:00

this city is made for retail therapy.

and even if you don't buy,

there's so much to be seen,

so much to be marveled over,

so much to TRY ON!

so, from uptown, near st. patrick's cathedral

(patron saint of overindulgence or something or the other)

best building wrap for a brand?

UNIQLO:

nice tag. nice iterations.

best house-wares?

BARNEYS TOP FLOOR :

i love me a good fornasetti.

these like our originals as home . . .

only ours are smaller. and found in an antique store,

ten years ago,

stacked in a pile :

i digress . . .

the agousti stingray pieces were about the most beautiful thing i've seen:

the texture of the shagreen was only enhanced

by the unexpected shapes

and the almost "in motion" stance of the pieces.

best bags?

CELINE :

points for the details of :

color blocked and pattern mixed totes,

taking it to a new level.

and inset white croc on a classic "luggage" bag.

delicious.

best mode of transport?

this.

best windows?

BARNEYS, again,

displaying pieces from daphne guiness' private collection

of alexander mcqueen pieces,

some of which she acquired when she purchased

all of isabella blow's clothing before it went to auction last year :

here, details don't make just a difference,

they literally hold the clothing together.

best men's clothing?

have to give it to BERGDORF's.

you see things here you never see anywhere else :

this lanvin blazer,

right from the runway,

but LOOK AT THE MATTELASSE TREATMENT!

and this junya blazer still kinda haunts me :

a run downtown through JEFFREY :

i love him.

so chic.

matching the displays.

best shoes? ATELIER.

all handmade.

all one of a kind.

all perfect.

best detail of the whole trip?

this,

on the waistband of a new brand,

the black sweater club :

Dinner at Corton (the sea and the leaves)

2011-07-06T06:30:00.001-07:00

our first night in the city

(and our only night alone, as it turned out)

we dined at Corton.

it reminded us of Blackbird in chicago,

but with a romantic touch.

minimal.

sleek.

all white.

save the pale plaster vines along the walls,

in bas relief,

with butterflies and random touches of gold leaf.

the food was simply inspired.

this wasn't really a meal as much as it was an exploration.

From "the sea" course ...

Oyster in sea water gelee with lemongrass cream,

hazelnuts, tamarind, and gold leaf:

The scallop with freeze dried soy, olive tapenade, crispy popped rice :

This was the peeky toe crab salad.

The green liquid? The hot salad purée.

insanity.

Poached quail egg. Yellowtail. D'anjou pear.

Cucumber. Lemongrass gel. Sea salt marshmallow.

easily, tim's favorite:

they sent us two of those, he raved so much.

This is foie gras. And beets. And rhubarb jam. And brioche:

Baby sucking pochette. (piggie!).

Black truffle. Asparagus. Yuzu vinaigrette.

this?

this is a very happy tim:

THE JAMES HOTEL, NYC . . . an escape, for important reasons . . .

2011-07-05T17:30:00.000-07:00

he kidnapped me.

to the city.

NYC.

there is only one.

we stayed for five amazing days

at the James hotel in soho.

seventeen stories of clean glass and killer food and amazing views

and peace

and quiet.

suffice to say,

it was much needed.

we all need to break from the world now and again,

and leave puppies and friends and stress and "reality"

tapping their feet for our return.

so we did some of this,

some of that,

and lots of this:

few things as beautiful as that,

the 4pm filtered light

nap.

flashback moments (our second place in sf, after we moved in)-

2011-07-05T15:39:00.000-07:00

a SF weekend, for no reason. which, of course, is the best reason.

2011-06-07T09:05:00.001-07:00

tim seems to know that every once in awhile

it's important to drag me away from routine,

that even a few days out of my comfort zone

revives,

inspires,

makes things click again.

so,

in may,

a jaunt to san francisco.

by now, if you haven't figured out that virgin america is the ONLY airline

worth flying

(in other words, you don't feel like you're crammed on a bus with a chicken coop)

you're missin'.

and their new sfo terminal?

have you ever seen an airline terminal that looks like this?

it makes dressing up for a flight worthwhile again.

really.

it does.

plus,

any excuse for white luggage.

the city was alight that weekend.

crisp, bright, flawless.

we did the retail rounds.

leather corset by jean paul gaultier from his last collection for the house

in the window of hermes?

schematic for a PEGASUS?

check:

vintage jewelry on sutter street,

and the jewel of a menswear store,

THE ARCHIVE?

check:

can i tell you how much i love the archive?

i would wear every single damn thing they pick out that's how much.

brunch at absinthe

for french 75s and the best burger in town?

oui.

pick up green roses

and meet evie and her new beau, john?

of course.

best part?

telling "big O"

that she gets to come home soon:

THE FRIDAY CHOSEN FEW (edit, mix, shake, release.)

2011-06-06T07:41:00.001-07:00

with tim back in los angeles full time,

we decided it was time to revive a chicago tradition,

the friday chosen few.

simply,

take the people in your life,

from every aspect,

that you truly adore.

make sure there are new finds with long-standing family members.

add flowers.

mix in desserts and strong cocktails.

step back, stirring occasionally to ensure the proper

cross-pollination.

watch new things happen.

(tim, rick farber, hairstylist, and jo strettell, hot chick and my make-up and image guru)

(abby wake, model, dancer and chris puckett, actor and my personal male muse)

(me, and crazy inspiring dj aaron elvis)

(stylist and bff, bic owen and tim, soooo serious!)

(jonathan clay harris, casting agent/photographer/make-up whiz and chris salvatore, model/actor)

(serena radaelli, hair genius, and marco souza, make-up artiste & latin firebrand)

(kyla fox, model, kyle sweeney, and tom whitman, amazing promoter and "mr. west hollywood")

(luke nero, event guru and "mr. black" himself, and krissy lindquist, producer)

(landis, devastatingly arch, and assaf blecher, dick clark productions maestro)

one of the fun reasons to know what everyone does

is that as small as this town is,

some of the best talent rarely gets to socialize or get to know each other.

in addition,

we've only held two of these nights,

and someone has gotten a job at each of them

from someone they met that night.

not that that puts ANY pressure on future events.

of course, jo could just keep showing up in bunny ears,

and we'd all be happy.

april. APRIL? good lord, i've missed blogging . . .

2011-06-03T14:41:00.000-07:00

time, it gets away from one, don't it?

so . . . some of the little fun things that we did in APRIL.

richard haines was in town for the opening of his show

at a gallery literally around the corner from our house,

so,

we got to have dinner with one of our favorite illustrator/blogger/renaissance men,

got to go to a great opening,

and i got to wear that purple scarf again.

(in order of importance.)

(plus, met a model for a show coming up, but dan vickery is another story . . .)

(a semi-naked american flag story, but another story, nonetheless . . .)

easter.

puppy loves still good with los angeles being 75, always.

brandon hermann, friend, artist and photo mentor,

let me collaborate with him on an editorial shoot recently,

and it was the great combination of glamour and edge

that an artist and a fashion fiend can find

when the like to create

together:

lots of nightlife.

love watching chris puckett dance.

he . . . um . . . really lets loose:

time out at tom whitman's events,

from size to cherry pop to sanctuary . . .

love this boy.

and, lovely tim,

once again surprised me,

putting one of my favorite pieces of brandon's on layaway

for two years,

only to unveil it recently.

i love working and having "ethan green"

watching over us:

details make the difference :

2011-04-22T17:27:00.000-07:00

things worth noticing,

though small:

the influence of phoebe philo's PERFECT bags for fall:

haider ackerman's draping and sating layers

and how they will trickle down

to mass:

the return of glamour, big jewelry, and slip dresses.

because of liz.

the continued,

oddly timed,

persistent

national discourse on trans-gendered issues.

and adrei pedjick's continued rise in editorial:

the divine "helmet" at sarah burton's mcqueen show,

made from hair clips!

the divine collection at mcqueen,

portending (please god) catherine middleton's gown:

danny robert's incredible fashion illustrations.

where cheek meets "cheeky".

the advent of PRINT in outerwear for men

ryan korban's new luxe interiors, a fresh point of view:

one tinted view on the world:

one perfect handle on everything:

this platinum blonde dye job thing

FINALLY leaping the shark:

GRIS MEANS GRAY -

2011-04-21T07:47:00.000-07:00

oh, the dog?

the dog is real, red, rare,

and will cost you one million pounds sterling.

not gray, but pretty fucking cool.

where to eat in buenos aires : TEGUI and SUCRE

2011-04-20T17:12:00.000-07:00

you know how i love good food.

this city is rife with amazing steaks,

and short on salad.

heaven, but a bit much after two weeks.

which is where these two places come into play.

TEGUI,

in palermo,

is behind a door with no sign,

and opens onto a sleek,

black and white,

modern prix fixe menu

boite

where the food was wildly inventive,

and yes,

quite delicious:

that lamb tartare was amaze-balls.

and, i loved the reading material in the bar area:

SUCRE,

that's my favorite.

located ON the park,

it's a vast concrete bunker that opens onto the green,

with a wine cellar lifted from the earth like a tomb,

and a bridge to get to the restroom.

the pumpkin risotto is flawless,

the sea bream with porcini is insanity,

and the molten dulce de leche cake at the end

pretty much makes you want to fuck it.

excuse my spanish.

it's also a great "client dinner" place,

fun and convivial:

god, i must have had one too many caipiroskas.

or too much cake.

shooting, day DOS :

2011-04-19T08:07:00.001-07:00

day two,

back around the pool,

unruly children,

and obligatory group "hug".

one of the nicest groups in recent memory,

and good film in the can.

though, it is digital,

so, on the drive.

shooting in b.a., day UNO

2011-04-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

shooting started in the streets,

with murals and puppies and firetrucks to wet down the streets

(movie magic trick, shines up the pavement for the lights),

rolling film and stills.

then it was off to a home,

for a "dream kitchen" set up:

GABRIEL DEL CAMPO (perhaps the best antiques store, ever) :

2011-04-15T09:17:00.000-07:00

also in san telmo,

on the main square,

stands the flagship of GABRIEL DEL CAMPO,

an amazing store filled with things you never knew you needed,

yet now,

now you need.

vintage louis vuitton trunks?

oh. dear. god. yes.

marble statuary feet?

manacop found this sculpture of a centaur . . .

wanted it SO badly.

how about to-scale vintage racers for children?

with hermes leather seats?

bugatti says what?

more statuary:

i, on the other hand,

died over this marble piece.

nice profile, no?

and i even found some
"so wrong they're right"

bambi meets mid-century chairs

to direct from:

wrap em up, baby.

the SAN TELMO SUNDAY FLEA MARKET, buenos aires :

2011-04-14T16:29:00.000-07:00

this is a must.

every sunday in san telmo

(a neighborhood much akin to new orleans in feel)

in the main square,

a huge antiques fair is held,

and the place is crawling with amazing finds.

manacop and i went with our clients and spent the afternoon taking in this part of the city:

the theme is : PANTS I WORE

2011-04-13T07:33:00.000-07:00

when you're slightly crazy about clothes,

like me,

planning your wardrobe for two weeks

in a foreign country,

on a shoot,

requires drugs.

and a color scheme.

so those of you who know me,

know that a post about the pants that i wore

isn't THAT odd.

those of you who don't,

welcome to my world:

loved these vintage kenzo floral combat pants:

just found these by a new japanese label : TIM

thought that was a good sign.

plus, good "ass pants".

and,

a great pair of helmut lang sweatpants

to get you through scouting.

with a japanese cardigan.

and gray loafers.

hey.

it's a lot of crazy,

but it works.

things that happened already : i went back to b.a.

2011-04-12T12:11:00.003-07:00

returned to buenos aires a few weeks ago.

this time,

stayed at the four seasons:

spent the first week casting,

and scouting locations:

and yes,

partaking of local fare:

THE MALBA MUSEUM OF ART, KARIN, and lunch along the river . . .

2011-03-23T07:47:00.000-07:00

on our one down day,

we hit the malba museum of art in buenos aires

to see their collection of latin american art.

lovely space,

nice pieces,

but not quite the impact of a MOMA or even a GETTY.

i dare say,

the art we found OUTSIDE on the street

while meeting up with karin

was more our speed.

then off to the puerto madero area of the city,

a mini "sydney waterfront"

across from all the historic districts:

italian food on the water on a perfect day?

approved.

BACK TO BUENOS AIRES, DON'T CRY FOR ME, yet.

2011-03-22T08:32:00.000-07:00

so manacop and i headed back to the beautiful b.a.

once again to film a spot for a client

in the midst of an early fall (down here).

the city remains rife with amazing architecture,

cerulean skies,

and some of the greatest street art out there:

the skies alone . . .

this time we are at the four seasons,

which is not exactly my taste.

it's more republican chic

than park hyatt modernism,

but

no complaints:

the first week has largely been locations scouting,

calls,

pre-wardrobe,

crew line ups,

d.p. meetings,

and stuff that eventually drove me to "landis time"

on the roof of film planet.

you have to carve out your head space,

your creative time,

and your "breathe, landis, just breathe".

in case you were wondering . . . fur is back.

2011-03-11T08:10:00.011-08:00

everywhere.

big time.

and,

like cigarettes and self-destructive over-indulgence,

fashion will embrace it every time.

which is not a judgement call,

just a fact.

coming from a man who has lived through chicago winters,

and owns several furs himself,

drives a vintage v12,

eats red meat,

and still loves his pit bulls,

his liberal ways,

and his men.

contradiction rocks.

INSPIRED : extremes -

2011-03-10T17:55:00.000-08:00

this time,

offered with little commentary,

but full endorsement.

(please ask away for sources)

(but just absorb, first.)

and remember: