A climb to the Cloisters

Michael and I have been trying to get out of the city for ages but to satiate our need we made a quick trip to the Cloisters for a Sunday afternoon.
We had a lovely brunch at New Leaf and ended up sitting with our waitress’s mother who was visiting from Missouri for Thanksgiving.

We then strolled through the parks and grounds passing a white horse monument and finally ending up at the monastery multiplex. We were lucky enough to catch a tour of the Unicorn tapestries and learn lots of little tid bits that we didn’t know before.
We gazed at the head's of Virgins, amazing oak chests, knight’s tombs and tiny crucifixions carved onto nutshells, oh what they did before TV!

Then we made a quick dash through the gift shop where Michael found the most amazing medieval pop-up book before we headed back into the woods to soak up golden leaves, black squirrels and the sound of tranquility.
Perfect Sunday!

Lucy and Cators Autumnal Fling

Why did this take so long?
How did this happen?
After three years of living next door to each other and after having a combined total of more than 30 parties there has never been a double townhouse fete.
I mean, of course there have been many a night when Lucy’s has a party and I take a group over to mine for dancing or more booze but never have we had a proper mingle until now.

I believe it was in August when Lucy and I decided upon the date of our event. Both of us have dizzying calendars so we always make dates well in advance.

The event would be fun and swank and had to have some surprises. Hey lets hire a piano player! I call my friend Steven Lynch who is coming out with his own album and he is more than happy tickle the ivories for the event. Done!

Booze? I just happened to do a favor for a friend at Mirror Ball marketing and when he asked how he could ever thank me? Oh you can sponsor my party! Pernod and Amstel Light plus Bartender. Done!

Food? Justin's darling friend owns an empanada joint and owed him a favor. Pork, Veggie, Apple empanadas Done!
Dessert? As Lucy and I are shopping for party supplies in Harlem we come across a food market where we find amazing mini pies. Created by Debbie's Soulful Sweets, Debbie is there to give a card and take an order. 50 mini pies please Debbie. Done!

Now we were ready so our houses were scrubbed, candles lit and mood music turned up. We never counted but we had around 80 people. If I only had GPS on my guests. At one point my house was packed to the rafters, then people would file over to Lucy's and to booze and swivel and then back to mine. We closed shop around 4am, both houses trashed and full of fun memories.

Thanks for everyone who made the trek up and with the amount of Pernod we have left over, guess what you all are getting for Christmas?

Apollo's light was bright!

Last week Lucy, Rod, Justin and I attended the Apollo Circle soiree at the Met.
For dinner Justin and I went Brideshead and, with drinks in hand and bow ties tight, headed to Pizza 123 on the corner and ordered the Gin Lovers Pizza.
Well that’s what I ordered and the dear little lady looked at me like an alien. So I went for Pepperoni after a roll of the eyes.
We brought three slices home and soon Lucy floated into the room, an Aubergine Dream!

We filled up our 'to go' glasses and headed down to the Met.
Tonight’s event invitation said something like, 'Come and prepare to be a work of art!'
Apparently there was some bash in the 70's that was photographed as an art piece and tonight that event would be recreated!
Carolina Herrera sponsored the event and her image was emblazoned on all the bartenders’ shirts. Not a current image, but one from the previously mentioned 70's bash looking regal in black and white.

The Temple of Dendur was all aglow in purple and music was pounding amongst flickering candles, and lots and lots of flashes.
Now none of us could quite figure out what was happening (and we were not THAT inebriated yet) but there were flashes going off in every crevice of that room. Sure there were some photographers poppin bulbs but for the most part the flashes were coming from tall poles. They were so bright and so blinding that they hurt. Rod and I about passed out the first time we were at the bar and POP a flash seared our eyes.

Were these polls taking our pictures or were they just for effect? Nobody could tell us for sure.
We ran the gamut of fashion and social flocks and did a little swirl on the dance floor and one by one our little posse dwindled.

Rod was the first to go, no surprise there. I think he likes getting dressed and the drinks at home more than the actual event.
Justin had a meeting the next morning so after several hours he bade farewell, but not after an Egyptian photo shoot.
Lucy and I just plane lost each other. My phone was dead and I ended up getting hoisted to Bruno Jamais down the street where the after party for the event was apparently taking place. I don’t remember much at this point.
There was doffing of my hat, mingling in booths, entertaining in the kitchen and leaving at one point but realizing all the fun I was missing and heading back for more.

All in all it was a marvelous party. Now where are those pictures going to end up?

Price and Salman's Big Texas Wedding

Woo wee! Lord was that one action packed weekend. I've always heard everything is done bigger in Texas and last weekend I found out that saying rings true.
My dear friend Price Latimer tied the knot with her longtime boyfriend (and one of my favorite people on the planet) Salman Agah. Price is an art consultant living in LA who I met through Anna at RISD. Salman is an extreme sports celebuskater who owns his own business and often times gets asked for his autograph by skater aficionados.
Price was born and raised in Texas (her family homestead the Turkey Track is still on my list of top destinations to see before I die) so the wedding was held in San Antonio.

I have never been to Texas and was very excited about checking out one of my southern neighbors and to see the Alamo!
Justin was my date (as usual) and we kept that party going from Thursday morning until Sunday night.

We stayed at The Painted Lady Inn, in the middle of a warehouse district but only a short drive to downtown. It was a charming little gay owned and operated place with faux marble, plush carpet and a cozy hot tub on the roof! We stayed in the Oscar Wilde suite naturally.

Thursday we got in the morning and spend the afternoon decompressing from a long week. We watched King Kong and ate cookies in bed then ventured out to the Alamo and a curious bar/museum with rattle snake tail art, hundreds of moose/deer and polar bears on the wall and a giant oak mirror made for a czar in Russia (?)

That evening we got gussied up in western attire and headed out for a barn dance. Now this was no ordinary barn, it was a top-drawer stable and living area for prized polo horses. I was in hog heaven petting all the horses and checking out the tack room. The place is owned by one of Price's uncles and they had a country band, loads of food and of course two bars. We got buck wild, got to know some of the other guests and I ended up giving Salman a spin around the dance floor and dropping him on his head. Sorry buddy!

Friday was the men’s luncheon where we consumed more meat and more booze, and then the groomsmen had a tuxedo fitting at Salman's room. After a siesta we all headed out to the museum where the wedding is taking place for a rehearsal. The space is quite elegant, a casa built in 1929 and later turned into a modern art gallery crammed full of Picasso's, Manet's, Monet's and Modigliani.

After the run around of a run through we packed back into a bus and headed to the rehearsal dinner at a private club in town. Since it was Nov 1st the theme was day of the dead and the entire outside was decorated with sugar skulls, skeleton brides, piñatas and a Mariachi Band kept the music hoppin. After a drink or three we boarded boats and took a guided tour around the San Antonio River, champagne abounding of course. Dinner was divine, more BBQ! More drinks! Granddaddy told Mia that she could go on a cattle run next time she was in town. I got jealous and pretended I could cattle run too. I don’t know how I’m going to pull that one off on my next trip but we will figure something out.

Later we all stumbled over to Havana, a cigar bar located in the basement of an old mansion. I am not sure what happened here but I remember a mirror shattering and the staff asking us to leave. From there we danced at the hotel, Justin and I hit two rotten gay bars where the trannie at the door told us we were too cool to be there and asked the cab to take us home.

Needless to say the day of the wedding wasn’t pretty. Justin and I huddled in bed and watched more bad TV until 1pm when we headed to Roby's house for an afternoon of man-versations and guess what- more BBQ! Roby, Price's brother, is an avid hunter and his entire bachelor pad is hung with animal heads. Justin and I couldn't stop touching everything. He even pulled out his rattlesnake tail collection. I was in charge of the groomsmen’s ties and pocket squares so I laid them out so they wouldn’t get too wrinkled in the madness.

When It was time to get dressed I necked wrestled all the boys into their ties and taught them all my pocket square trick. I had to discipline Adam who asked what the hell the purple napkin was for. Breeders!

We all had a drink then headed over to the museum for the big game. The girls were stuck in traffic and the setting sun was blinding the guests. Finally we took our places and the cello started up, the doors swung open and there was Price, looking like the most beautiful Calla Lilly in the world! She was STUNNING.

I have never cried at a wedding but for some reason this one got me. It may have been Salman's sister singing "O mio babbino caro" from Gianni Schicchi. That stole the show.

Once the bride and groom sealed the deal we took some pictures and then headed into the palm-filmed courtyard for the fun to begin. I had one drink and almost turned green. But after my third I was in good form.

We feasted on (you fill in the blank) and mingling began immediately after the first course. The bride and groom had the first dance to The Ronette's, Be My Baby, which was so perfect.

After dancing up a storm with Big Daddy Jim (Price's amazingly wonderful and hysterical gay uncle) Justin and I went to the car for a costume change and came back to dance every last dance.
At 12 the lights went on and the party rolled over to Jim's son's house, Jay. MORE TAXIDERMY! Justin and I did photo shoots in every room. The night wound down around 3am after many shots, a bon fire, more dancing and a sing along to "Deep in the heart of Texas"

The next morning we awoke at 10, ordered breakfast in bed and then met the clan for some Mexican and a recap of the night before. Then we headed to the Latimer's home for wedding cake and a wind down at the pool before heading to the airport. Salman gave us both a big kiss and a squeeze and we jetted back to New York. My heart was warm, my stomach heavy and my head on cloud nine. The perfect wedding weekend.