NYFW (like the way I got the lingo?) just finished for the autumn/winter season, so it’s about time I put up some photos from my experience of the spring/summer back in September, last year.
I had never been to the US, aside from a stopover in LA en-route from Sydney to Sweden (longest trip in the history of the universe – cheap ticket), so I jumped at the opportunity to go last September because Sonny was having his first ever exhibition there and that was something I did not want to miss.
There must have been an element of foolhardiness about me when I offered to be his assistant while I was there. I saw a lot of the inside of the hotel room, and came to know the computer screen in minute detail, and I probably saw more fashion from fashion week than I any antifashionarian like myself ever should, as I processed and sent out hundreds of photos to all corners of the globe. Lucky for me, I managed to saw off the shackles a few times and get out and about, and I’ll show you a bit of it here.
An interesting thing between the picture above and the picture below…
…the picture on the top is taken from the airline I feel most comfortable on (I have a fear of flying, so this is important), and in fact, when I found out it was the new A380 I was on, I was even able to stop crying. I was fed and ‘watered’ well on this Qantas flight and was super impressed with the entertainment system having in it’s library of 100’s my favourite movie of all time, The Deer Hunter, and Patti Smith and Led Zeppelin in it’s music selection.
I had a stopover in LA between 2pm and 4pm. As in, not lunch and not dinner. So, I didn’t eat, thinking that I would be eating on my next leg, with American Airlines, after all, if I happened to be with Qantas for that leg, they would give me dinner. Not so, old AA. Not only are you charged for ‘dinner’ (I believe a salad was on offer), but by the time they got to my seat dinner had all runned out! Thanks, AA, for my scrumptious and nutritious meal of
At least I had a good laugh with the bloke next to me, though by then I was too drunk to remember his name.
I arrived in New York some time after midnight, starving. Thank goodness that city never sleeps, and Sonny whisked me off to a nearby restaurant for some macaroni cheese. I love the fatty delights of macaroni cheese, and it’s everywhere in New York. Huge serves of all types of food is the norm, which is ironic because I have never seen so many super-skinny women in the one place, and I’m not just talking about the models, I mean every 2nd chick I saw was a size 0.
In bed after 3am, but there was no time for jetlag. I was woken at 8, and set to work helping Sonny get his exhibition ready. It was held in the lobby of the Tribeca Grand, where we were staying, so we didn’t have to go far, but we had to prepare the area and display the photos. It ended up taking all day.
The night before the opening there was a party in the hotel and 2 of these prints were stolen. Security cameras recorded video footage of this happening and Sonny has included these on his blog, for you viewing pleasure. Stealing is such a low act and I think the miserable little turds should have had the cops called on them, but Sonny is more generous than I, and let it slide. The next day Sonny was at the shows and I was putting up 2 new prints in their place with a bit of extra signage for the opening night…
The exhibition was a great success – the photos looked hot – and the party was good fun. I even caught up with Della Bass, who I haven’t seen since I was at school – our friendship was originally founded on a common interest in underage clubbing and the designer, Reva – and it was really lovely to see her again.
Unfortunately my other expat friend, and two-time flatmate, Tom Corbett, couldn’t make the opening as he was out of town, but he came along to have a look a few days later and we reminisced and had some laughs then.
Sonny and I…
and Sonny and I, with the scumptious Miguel Villalobos…
…who I bonded with over a love of good food (no, not macaroni cheese), and when Miguel offered to give me the special guided tour of the early morning Union Square Farmer’s Market, it was an offer too good to refuse.
That’s breakfast, with some of the yummiest chocolate milk
Miguel had invited me to join him for a duck egg omelet, my mouth was watering with the idea and I hadn’t had a decent brekky since I got to NY, but sadly I had to decline -poor Sonny was working so hard, and there was a backlog of photos waiting for my attention. Next time, maybe?
The price of these small punnets of flowers makes me laugh. Then again, I guess many people in New York have nowhere to grow any plants, let alone ‘exotic’ edible flowers like nasturtiums.
Skater chess dude
Art class
I was in Union Square again, this time in the evening to visit with Nick Cave. I had grossly underestimated his popularity in the US, turning up to Barnes and Noble, on time, to find the upstairs bulging with people waiting to hear him read, and it was only by sheer luck that I managed to be in the right place for him to sign a book for me and a book for Kerstin (my Cave-obsessed Swedish friend). I’ve just finished reading it, “The Death of Bunny Munro”, and I loved it. Nick’s writing always makes me smile, he has a genius touch with words, and this novel is no exception. Of course it’s dark, but if you can see through the dark to the light, you’ll love it too.
Outside my hotel window
Out and about
I was hanging for this hot dog. It was actually just a warm dog – not so awesome.
The weather for the most part was great, but when it rained and blew, it really meant it!
It was this day that the MoMA had free entry after 4pm
So I queued up in this, with wet tight-arses stretching around 3 corners of the block!
It WAS worth it.
Loved this. Name, date and heights.
With his friend directing, he moves in for the kiss…
I was in heaven at the MoMA, but never more so than when I saw my favourite piece of art, ever. I’ve loved it since I was at school – the beauty and simplicity of Brancusi’s ‘Bird in Space’. How yummy is it!
Finish with a self-portrait.
More out and about
Top of my must-see hit-list in New York was the Chrysler Building. Love it!
I was keen for a better view of it, though and Sonny had a plan…
He happened to know of a certain office that afforded a great view, and took me up there.
Chromy gargoyles make me smile.
Stoked with having seen The Chrysler, I let Sonny go back to work while I sought out my second must-see building, The UN. I’ve always had a curious interest in Le Corbusier.
On my way down I stumbled across these amazing buildings giving a big nod to gothic architecture, and such a huge complex, I was really surprised to see them.
The sign says they’re called ‘Tudor City’
Then, only a couple of weeks ago, I was watching Scarface for the umpteenth time, and there they were – the bomb under the car scene.
And how funny is this. I had just watched a yappy handbag dog being walked along here, and it had stopped for a wee on this hydrant. Less than a minute later, this man comes out of the lobby of one of the buildings and polishes it.
Not a job I’d love.
The United Nations building was right near. As I took this picture, I noticed the reflection…
My two favourite buildings in one!
Physical Graffiti album cover…
Third favourite building? But, oh my god, the queues and security checks! An hour to queue, and no more than 5mins at the top? I went shopping insted.
The Tribeca Grand has free bikes for it’s guests. I kinda adopted this one, ‘Bluey’, I called it. New York marked a huge change for me. In Europe only a year before I had been close to tears riding through the streets of Paris after not being on a bike since I was a kid, but with Bluey, I went places (even in high-heels)!
In fact, one day, Bluey and I got so bold, I rode from Tribeca, all the way up the west side, until I saw this building. I think this just flicked Empire State from it’s 3rd place position. Wow. So cool!
Little ride out on to the wharf.
But, looking back, and I couldn’t take my eyes of that building.
As I got closer, I realised how easy it was to see inside. I became a voyeur!
I couldn’t stop staring at the maid making the bed in the bottom window. It just looked so cool. I found out later it’s a hotel called The Standard. If anyone wants to be really nice to me, put me up there for a night!
Bluey and I pressed on. I was desperate to see the rock landmark that is The Chelsea Hotel. Check out their roll-call of fame here, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_Chelsea
Up, up, up the hill we rode…
As Leonard sung in his ode to Janis,
I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel
you were talking so brave and so sweet
giving me head on the unmade bed
while the limousines wait in the street
Those were the reasons and that was New York
we were running for the money and the flesh
And that was called love for the workers in song
probably still is for those of them left
Ah but you got away, didn’t you babe
you just turned your back on the crowd
you got away, I never once heard you say
I need you, I don’t need you
I need you, I don’t need you
and all of that jiving around
I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel
you were famous, your heart was a legend
You told me again you preferred handsome men
but for me you would make an exception
And clenching your fist for the ones like us
who are oppressed by the figures of beauty
you fixed yourself, you said, “Well never mind,
we are ugly but we have the music”
And you got away, didn’t you babe,
you just turned your back on the crowd
you got away, I never once heard you say,
I need you, I don’t need you
I need you, I don’t need you
and all of that jiving around
I don’t mean to suggest that I loved you the best
I can’t keep track of each fallen robin
I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel
that’s all, I don’t even think of you that often
From the Chelsea, I zig-zagged back down to the water,
and continued all the way up and through Central Park to East 89th. This is a really, outstandingly, insanely, long way to ride a bike, especially for a non-bike rider, but I really enjoyed it!
The purpose for the ride was to see the Guggenheim.
It was closed that day.
I had to laugh.
I like this one, with Bluey.
New York Fashion Week??
Yeah. I went to a couple of shows.
Backstage at Karen Walker. Sonny does his thing.
Pow! Her face bleached by the flash.
Why I won’t be a famous runway photographer in a hurry….
Then, at Narciso Rodriguez
where I had better seats and
where I had my photo taken, you know, with Courtney Love, Anna Wintour, and all of them. You can see me here
http://www.patrickmcmullan.com/site/event_detail.aspx?eid=30765&page=3&pgSize=16&sortdir=DESC
I got quite busy gettin’ ’round town like a good sort.
I even had models cook pancakes for me,
with fig jam and cheese –
oh so yummy
in a home, with a light I very much coveted
while my very tired boyfriend looked on.
Sonny summed up the trip pretty beautifully on his blog here http://sonnyphotos.typepad.com/sonny/2009/09/my-other-half.html#comments
Shame my links aren’t working properly, and my apologies for my lack of font control. I guess it is a long post. Hope you managed to stay awake for the duration!
Leave a reply