Category Archives: Best Of Weird

Elf Girl: My Journey To Ending Up On A Book Cover

October 10, 2011

Elf Girl Book Cover by Anna at Simon & Schuster.

When you’re nonchalantly checking your email, the last question you’d expect to see is, “Hey, do you have any elf shoes?” But back in January, I was faced with that very question. The natural assumption would be to write it off as a creepy fetish inquiry and delete it immediately…except that this email was from my friend Anna who just happens to be a senior designer at Simon & Schuster in New York. Anna designs book covers for a living and runs one of my favorite blogs on the planet, Door Sixteen. She was working on the cover for Rev Jen’s new book, Elf Girl (formerly Elf Like Me) and needed a cover shot. Of course, I was up for the job.

Unused Cover Concepts. Love the variety! Anna is great at her job.

Joey and I immediately got to work shooting the cover ideas (well, sort of…Anna had to help us track down elf shoes first). Anna gave us some great direction and we then tried as many variations as possible; I know from experience that when I’m pulling selects for a job, it’s best to have ample options to work with.

We shot the images in our all white dining room, stomped through rainy, muddy parks, stood under bridges and visited the industrial area of S.E. Portland (cobblestones galore) to get the combination of images we wanted. These are a few of my favorite unused photos:

Anna came up with some truly stunning options that summed up the premise of the book perfectly and besides being a fantastic designer, she’s an all-around awesome person. We’ve known each other for a decade now (online and off) and it’s easy to be friends with someone who shares a passion for graphic design, a love of Michael Jackson and is as excited about home decor as I am. Thanks Anna for the amazing opportunity!

Elf Girl Cover Design & Direction: Anna at Simon & Schuster. Photography: Joey Maas. Model & Concepting: Nubby Twiglet.

Reykjavik, Iceland

March 30, 2011

Last month, I had the chance to visit Iceland for the first time ever — here’s my experience!

I’d heard so many rave reviews about Reykjavik but in reality, I barely knew anything about the place. When Gala began excitedly emailing me about our annual Virgo getaway late last year, we’d initially agreed on Vegas. But, within a week, that plan had quickly morphed into a doubled-up doozy of Paris AND Reykjavik. What a shift! But, I’m usually game for pretty much anything and decided that it was worth it to give up the sun for shivering European city-hopping instead.

After stays in both New York and Paris, I was glad that we had the chance to come down off of the visual overload before heading home. The first thing that stands out when you arrive in Iceland is the environment; everything is very rocky and has the appearance of a volcanic moonscape. It really is otherworldly and unlike anyplace I’ve ever seen.

After a $130.00 USD cab ride (yes, seriously) from the airport into town, we arrived at the minimal, modern 101 Hotel in downtown Reykjavik.

I’d mistakenly assumed that the architecture throughout Reykjavik would be much older but was surprised at how thoroughly modern the city was. A huge Scandinavian design influence is intertwined throughout the overall aesthetic. The downtown area is small and super easy to navigate.

The view from our room at 101 Hotel

Gala and I wandered about Reykjavik through shop-lined streets and visited boutiques, grocery stores and coffee shops. Everyone was polite and the women were gorgeous with their blonde hair and stylish outfits. I soon discovered my favorite coffee shop in Reykjavik, Kaffitar, just a block from our hotel. It featured the best hot chocolate as well as homemade veggie-friendly snacks.

What really surprised me about Reykjavik is how Americanized it was. I’d hoped to get away from any American influences while visiting European cities but it was impossible. We flipped on the TV in our hotel room and there was American Idol, in English. A few channels later, we fell upon the NBA All-Star game. American brands were readily available and everyone we encountered spoke perfect English. The world really is much smaller than I realized.

Downtown Reykjavik.

Our favorite coffee shop, Kaffitar.

Grocery shopping.

Our favorite sign.

Gala fit right in…at the gay bar.

A newspaper worth reading!

Various Signs.

The 101 Hotel: Modern Perfection

While in Paris, Gala and I had stayed in the visually stimulating Hotel du Petit Moulin, our room complete with lime green walls and a massive Christian Lacroix wall mural. I think that we were both secretly relieved to have a chance just chill out and have a few days of quiet time before heading back to New York.

Enjoying the claw foot tub.

The 101 Hotel was the perfect place to unwind and conveniently located near the best shopping area in Reykjavik. The hotel itself is a calculated study in modern perfection. I think that Gala compared it to the equivalent of a fluffy white cloud. The palette of the entire hotel is white with a dash of black. The rooms feature a claw foot tub, a glass-walled shower, comfy beds and a beautiful view of the city below. The restaurant / bar has a fantastic breakfast spread in the morning and if you’re feeling inept, room service can deliver your favorite hot chocolate to your door.

Other small details that I loved about the hotel: the toiletries are all Aveda, the modern furniture throughout is amazing, the hotel is pristinely clean, the desk area inside of the rooms is spacious and there are iPod docks so you can play your own tunes.

Views from around the hotel including the restaurant and bar area.

Ahhhh, the furniture. I wanted it ALL.

In our free time, we engaged in culturally enriching activities such as watching Mickey Rourke acceptance speeches.

The Blue Lagoon: Bikinis, Ice Cream and Blizzards.

After two full days in Iceland, I was still unsure what to think — it was so different from Paris that Gala and I were having a difficult time adjusting. But, there was still one big to-do on our list that we were sure would be a game changer: The Blue Lagoon. The Blue Lagoon is exactly what it sounds like: a lagoon of the most intensely bright water imaginable. It’s legendary.

We woke up on our last full day in Iceland, ready for an adventure. But, there was one little issue: a snow storm. Alas, when the clock is ticking, you just have to go with the flow.

When I’d first seen ads for The Blue Lagoon a few days before, I was a bit of a pessimist. I kept thinking, “There’s no way in HELL that the water could naturally be this blue. They must’ve Photoshopped it.” I am happy to report that I was so so so wrong. When our Mercedes bus pulled up, my jaw dropped. This place was the real deal!

We excitedly hopped out of the bus and ran along the pathway to the Blue Lagoon’s entrance, followed by a pack of foreigners from every country imaginable. When we entered the main building, we were led to the locker rooms where it’s necessary to shower before and after you enter the lagoon. I didn’t have a swimsuit so Gala loaned me one of her Forever 21 bikinis. We stood out as I spun around and noticed all the other women wearing very smart, standard one-pieces. Practicality doesn’t seem to rate high for us most of the time!

As we wandered out to the lagoon, it was snowing pretty hard. Freezing cold + snow + bikinis = not ideal. We self-conciously ran and slipped into the water. The water is amazing — an intense, milky blue that is instantaneously soothing. You basically float around in water that is about 100 degrees throughout with different pockets of the lagoon that feel toastier than others.

As you wander about, your feet sludge through silica on the base of the lagoon and it feels soft and malleable. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can pick up handfuls of the silica and smear it on your face. We spent at least an hour just floating around, soaking up the atmosphere. I can totally see why people come to Iceland specifically for this — it was the best experience of my entire visit. The Blue Lagoon is so thoughtful; on your way out, there’s an eating area. We’d already floated though the lagoon in bikinis while it was snowing so we thought we’d top the ridiculousness by indulging in ice cream cones. Delicious.

Goodbye, Iceland.

Our chill-out time in Iceland was wonderful and left Gala and I feeling refreshed — which is what vacations are for! Iceland is very expensive but worth visiting at least once for the Blue Lagoon. If you’re a nature lover, there are tons of other things to do as well. Iceland truly is magical — it’s one of those places that you have to see in person to believe.

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The Week in Pictures: 10.1.10 // Leavenworth

September 30, 2010

Hangin’ with the locals

It’s true. I am obsessed with leherhosen and I live in a Bavarian-themed house. I love dirndls and cuckoo clocks. And, I blame it all on my parents.

See, when I was growing up, we never took family vacations to Disneyland or theme parks. Every single year, we visited the same quaint Bavarian-inspired town outside of Seattle called Leavenworth, Washington. I have so many great memories and the vivid images of the costumed locals, outfitted in their finest European threads, have stuck with me to this day.

Downtown Leavenworth

I hadn’t been to Leavenworth in at least 12 years so when my dad and his girlfriend invited me along over the weekend, I couldn’t say no. We arrived just in time for Autumn Leaf Festival and little details of the town that I remembered as a child were pretty much still intact. The toy store, the local ice cream shoppe and the hotel we stayed at every single year are nearly unchanged to this day.

While we are on this little trip down memory lane, flash back to 1985 during one of my first stays in Leavenworth. Here I am in the old beer garden with my brother and grandma. When I recently inquired as to why I was allowed to leave the house without a shirt on, nobody seemed to have a good answer. The horror!!! The lederhosen were a gift from my parents when they visited Austria in 1983 — my obsession started young! Did you notice the dancing lady and children to the right?!!

On my way…..

Edit: If you’ve never been to Leavenworth, it has an interesting history. Originally a timber and rail town, it was in a steady decline for quite some time until the early 1960s. Fading away, the town tried to save itself by converting the downtown area into a tourist destination with a Bavarian theme. There are beautiful mountains surrounding the area, even giving the illusion of the Alps! It’s now known as “the most outstanding Bavarian village this side of the Atlantic.”

I fell in love with the shutters on this cottage near the the edge of town

Walking along the edge of the cottage in Dries wedges

The Enzian Inn

My favorite hotel in Leavenworth is the Enzian Inn. This time it was booked so we stayed at another hotel down the road. It’s been the place where my family has stayed since the mid-80′s and I always had the best time there. We stopped by for breakfast — check out the cute furniture and the amazing view!

Next door to the Enzian

I found the perfect socks to go with my lederhosen at a local shop

The signs in Leavenworth are the best — no neon allowed. Nearly all of them are wooden. Even mainstream businesses including Starbucks, McDonald’s and Bank of America play along. This Starbucks was below our hotel room and I couldn’t tell if it was real at first but inside it was all standard issue!

We arrived during the weekend of the Autumn Leaf Festival so there was a parade through town.

Scenes from downtown

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I stumbled upon a gingerbread-themed house!

Almost all of the streets have German names

Picture perfect. I love all the little details.

Our hotel had a little private balcony — I loved waking up in the morning and stepping outside to watch people stream through downtown in their best Bavarian finery! Hopefully visits to Leavenworth will be a little more frequent from now on; it was definitely one of the highlights of my childhood. Even today, it still retains that indescribable magic.

Peace, Love & Nubs,

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I Fell In Love With A Llama.

October 11, 2009

The One and Only Nigel.

This is probably the strangest post that I have ever made but please bear with me. I have fallen in love with a llama. Yes, I said a llama. I have never been an ‘animal person.’ In my 28 years, I have never had a pet of any kind (not even a goldfish). But, an encounter I had two weeks ago has shifted my perceptions dramatically. I now want a pet…but not just any pet will do. I want a llama.

Back in March, I got word that a llama named Nigel was coming to town. He was supposed to be standing in front of the R.E.I. store in Portland’s Pearl District for a presentation about packing gear. I’d never seen a llama up close, so I was unsure of what to expect. The second I laid eyes on Nigel though, I was sold. Statuesque and all black, he seemed to be constantly smiling. In the middle of a bustling city on a downtown sidewalk, he was totally calm. His black fur was freshly brushed and very soft. I swear that he even winked at me. This llama was a total charmer.

Normally I am intimidated by animals that are larger than me, but I happened to be wearing my trusty Dries Van Noten wedges that night so we were at eye level. I was intrigued by this animal; there was something special about him.

I took a brochure for Wallowa Llamas which is where Nigel lives but over the next six months, life became hectic as I began taking on more freelance, bought a house and traveled often. The dream of meeting back up with Nigel got pushed to the back burner.

Then, a few weeks ago I was surprised with a late birthday present; a meeting with his royal blackness, Mr. Nigel himself. The drive from Portland was very long, clocking in at close to seven hours. Once we reached Halfway, Oregon (near the Idaho border) the scenery became quite idyllic. A bustling small town with farms and horses and greenery and quaint storefronts, Halfway has a storybook quality. Finding Wallowa Llamas proved slightly difficult; it was quite far from the highway, down a series of gravel side roads.

Just look at that handsome profile!

As we pulled up, one of the owners of Wallowa, Raz came out to greet us. Normally, they are accustomed to doing hiking trips that are multiple days in length and bringing the llamas along for the purpose of packing gear but made special arrangements for a shorter day trip instead. Raz took us over to a side plot of land where Nigel was hanging out. I spotted him from 50 feet away; even among other llamas, he stands out. As Raz was prepping the gear, he let us take Nigel into the orchard and spend some quality time together. Nigel ripped into one of the fruit trees and loaded up on leaves. Llamas chew funny, in a circle–8 motion just like camels.

Once the supplies were ready, Nigel was loaded into the back of a pickup truck with tall, enclosed sides and we drove a few miles to a secluded trail. As we hopped out of the truck, Nigel seemed confused; he is used to packing quite a bit of equipment but was free of the usual load that day. I spent most of the time pulling Nigel up along the path and we made a stunning pair, both in all black. He trotted right along, never stalling or tripping (unlike me)!

We took a few short breaks and Nigel chowed down on plants while we sat down, enjoyed the view and drank water. During one break, we heard some rustling and turned around to see Nigel rolling around, taking a dust bath! His fur became coated in dirt and full of debris but he seemed quite proud of himself.

On the way down, the trail was pretty steep and Nigel was going faster than me. He kept getting a little too close, breathing over my shoulder and making high pitched noises. I thought something was wrong, but I was told that it’s really just a sound he makes when he knows he’s getting ‘close to home’ (the truck). Pretty cute if you ask me!

Nigel was on absolutely perfect behavior the entire journey but when he was being loaded back into the truck, he did get a little grumpy, ducking his head down. It was pretty funny to watch!

When we returned back to Wallowa, we were taken on a brief tour to meet the girl llamas and then the boys (they are kept separate to keep inbreeding from taking place). The girls really do look like girls! My favorite female llama was Mary Priscilla (I’m pretty sure that was her name. A fancy name for a fancy llama)! Her fur looked dip-dyed. She subtly faded into a beautiful spectrum of colors. The girls seemed inquisitive and simply stared at us, quietly taking in the situation.

In contrast, the boy llamas were much more rowdy and aggressive. They enjoy chasing each other around and occasionally fighting. Obviously, Nigel is much too evolved and refined to participate in this type of behavior and chooses to spend much his time away from the pack.

After the tour, we said a sad goodbye to Nigel and vowed to return next year.

I know this sounds crazy, but I’d like to skip the whole dog and cat phase altogether and move on straight to a llama. They are very quiet, go to the bathroom in relatively neat piles and don’t eat an absurd amount of food. Michael Jackson used to talk about taking his Llama named Louie on walks near his parent’s mansion and how he would stop traffic; I want to do the same!

Find out more about llamas and guided trips at Wallowa Llamas.

Oh, I almost forgot. My favorite part of Nigel, besides that adorable face? These handsome little feet.

Readers: What was your first ever pet?
If you had an unlimited budget and space, what would your dream pet be?

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Mastering the Art of Bed Jumping!

January 7, 2008

Bed jumping is an art. It requires great poise and agility. Yes, it should be an Olympic sport! To get started, all you need is a loose fitting outfit and a cushy bed. Mine was in a NYC hotel room, complete with a leather headboard!

To be a bed jumping star, follow my simple tips:

1. Act like you don’t care. Even if your blood pressure is going through the roof (or hotel ceiling) before your performance, appear nonchalant. Give off a look of indifference. Act like a seasoned pro even if you haven’t done the splits since Taekwondo class back in 1992. Stretching is for weenies. You’re the #1 ranked bed jumper in the world- there’s no need to warm up!

2. Focus on your ascent! Flail your arms if that helps you get some air.

3. Reach for the heavens! Channel David Lee Roth in the Jump! video. Yeah, still act like you’re unfazed even if this is the most cardio you’ve done in the last 10 years.

4. Raise your hand when you’re jumping to avoid smacking your head on the ceiling. Bed jumping should remain concussion free! I hit my head during a session in Hawaii and learned my lesson the hard way.

5. OK, now show some personality! You’ve proven your agility to the judges, now separate yourself from the competition. Think of those Olympic ice skating performances where they start out all stylized and elegant and end up playing dead in the center of the ice rink during the finale. Once again, borrow some moves from Diamond Dave (but skip the zebra spandex).