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June 27th,
2010 11:30 am
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The article on atrocious clothing life choices that Daisy and I collaborated on is finally finished, and I have to say, it was surprisingly easy to write. Not because of the topic (because judging people for summer apparel is too easy), but because I thought writing collaboratively would be exceedingly difficult. It wasn't, much to my relief, and I always think I benefit from someone who speaks better English than I do. Credit must go to Victoria too, of course. I like to think being nasty about socks and sandals is just something that the fashion department does well.
Well, except for Quinn, but he's too 'kind' for his own good.
There seem to be new faces around, so this is my general 'hi, welcome to Spent' sentence. I'm Theo, and you probably won't see much of me. I don't like talking to people. I have things to do, anyway, what with prep for the September style issue and all of that jazz. TJ picked such an inopportune time to get married. Why must he always inconvenience me?
Anyway, I have nothing else to say. I am going to go enjoy some of our decent weather before it thunderstorms this evening. Which I'm kind of panicking about. I hate summer. And Julian, for making fun of me. What is everyone else doing with their weekend?
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May 31st,
2010 6:14 pm
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The way people dress in the summer is so tacky. It offends my eyes in ways that I cannot even begin to express. Let us take my perpetual pet-peeve: socks in sandals. This is never acceptable. Neither are flip flops on a man if he's not actually on the beach. I've also seen an alarming amount of back fat, which can be avoided by not wearing a tube top that is four sizes too tight.
Honestly, I thought this kind of stuff was common sense. I was in Central Park today, and it was all I could do not to literally walk up to people and try to save them from themselves. I then realized that I wasn't Quinn, so I didn't do it.
I might actually make a list of offensive summer apparel for my next column. Does anyone else have any good suggestions?
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April 8th,
2010 8:47 pm
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I decided today that I might as well bite the 'bullet' (which is a very strange phrase, if I am to stop and consider it) and update this journal. You see, now that it is spring, I have zero interest in anything that is related to work. I want to spend all of my time wasting my money (because Lent is over, thank god) and people watching. Making fun of hipsters is my new favorite thing to do, replacing laughing at fat people. Fat people get sad (see: TJ), whereas hipsters never stop being funny.
Anyway, my Easter was uneventful. Julian managed to get some disgusting illness, and as such, I had to go to church with my sanctimonious sister and her nauseatingly WASP-y husband. Thankfully, there was no dinner involved, because I can only handle so much passive-aggressive sniping in one day. Why are WASPs so passive-aggressive? Answer me that, socially 'liberal' Upper East Side Republicans.
I cannot wait for the weekend. I am painting our den, since it was the only room in our house that I didn't paint when we moved into it. The people that lived there before us thought they were very design savvy, painting everything nacho cheese orange and peach, so by the time I finished making the walls not look nauseating, the neutral beige in the den didn't look so bad. It will probably just end up off-white, like 95% of the rest of the house. I also might go see that new Roman Polanski film. I want to go to the cinema, and it appears to be the only thing that doesn't involve Miley Cyrus, a hot tub that goes back in time, or Tyler Perry. Slim pickings.
What are you doing this weekend?
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February 27th,
2010 10:37 pm
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I just realized that I haven't updated this journal for a long, long time. In my defense, I do have a busy and exciting life. We went to Napa Valley for Valentine's Day, and then it was fashion week. I don't even really have time to check my e-mail during fashion week. Everyone that I know but do not see often is in town, and between running from show to social event, then to work, it is exhausting. It is, however, the most fun ever.
So, other than that, I have been very boring. My non-consumerist Lent has been very difficult. Giving up smoking was a lot easier than giving up lattes and Netflix and eighteen dollar shampoo. On the plus side, my bank account is making a much needed recovery from having to give Julian over-the-top Valentine's Day experiences, because he likes to pretend his life is some sort of weird romantic comedy.
That was an overshare, wasn't it? See, this is what happens when I cannot bury my feelings in piles of shopping bags.
Anyway, I had nothing really important to share. I'm just going to go make myself a sandwich and pretend it is as good as the sushi I really wanted for dinner.
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February 6th,
2010 12:38 am
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So, like June, I was going to talk about Lent. That appears to make TJ uncomfortable, so I am going to refrain. Some people like being good Catholics, TJ. This is me judging you.
For what it is worth, I am giving up shopping for things that are not groceries. I always want to give up sex, but I just don't think that'd fly at my house.
In other news, I am finally done preparing for Valentine's Day. Apparently, as someone of French nationality, I am instantaneously more romantic than everyone else on earth, therefore making me responsible for coming up with ridiculous Valentine's Day scenarios. I don't really get it, but I don't question it anymore. It's just my cross to bear.
I am not excited about all of this snow that we are expected to get. In Paris, snow was novel and exciting. In New Jersey, it just means that people will drive even more idiotically than usual, and I will probably fall on my ass while walking one of our monstrous dogs.
Anyway, this is quite pointless. At least I am not answering any HR questions, right?
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January 26th,
2010 12:57 am
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I have literally nothing to update about, so I am going with the HR questions. Largely because I find them vaguely interesting this week. Sorry, people who hate HR questions.
Are there any political issues, such as abortion or capital punishment, that are so fundamental to your core values that you could not respect and/or trust someone who held a contrary view?
Not political issues, no. I am quite aware that any number of people would disagree with my views on any number of 'controversial' political issues like abortion or gay marriage or capital punishment. However, I do not know that I could really be in a serious relationship or very close relationship with someone who fundamentally disagreed with and disrespected my core moral values. I could not live with a condescending atheist, for example. Being a bad Catholic is clearly too central to my core values.
Could you spend the rest of your life with someone who had horrific taste in music? How important is it to you to share your love of music with a good friend or romantic partner?
I am, and it is pretty terrible. Just kidding, sort of. No, I like sharing some common ground musically with my romantic partners. Largely because I like going to concerts and the like. Being able to go to one of Bruce Springsteen's last run of shows at Giants Stadium with someone else who actually loves Bruce Springsteen was a plus, though. It was easily one of the best concerts I've been to. After Daft Punk. No concert experience is superior to Daft Punk.
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December 30th,
2009 10:27 pm
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My sister was all smug when she told me that she and her husband and two brats were spending the holidays in St. Barts. And now, despite the fact that it is freezing here and balmy there, I am laughing, because the airports are crazy and her flight is delayed because of security reasons.
I am a good brother, though. I only mentally cackled maniacally.
Is anyone else excited for the three day weekend? At this rate, I feel like I haven't been to work all month. Which is okay with me, really.
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November 24th,
2009 7:32 pm
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I need to update this, and I am at a loss as to what I should say. I mean, I have no interest in listing my dream human beings from fiction, and the only thing I like less than politics is political punditry. So, it's a tough life.
It is, however, Thanksgiving this week, and I am excited for that. I like anything that involves a good meal and several bottles of wine. I think I might make my own cranberry sauce this year to take to my in-laws, if only because I have never made cranberry sauce and I like trying new things and I found a recipe that involves the liberal usage of Grand Marnier.
Oh, and why is Taylor Swift all over my tv? God, I hate her.
That is all.
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October 31st,
2009 10:04 pm
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There are way too many children in my neighborhood, knocking at my door. Don't they understand that the lights off means that we have no more candy? Who lets their children wander around Jersey City at ten pm?
I miss New York. We never got trick-or-treaters at our apartment.
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October 17th,
2009 8:15 pm
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I got linked to this story in the NYT via Gothamist, and I found it so bizarre and hilarious. I had no idea that New Yorkers were so fussy about the geographic location of those whom they dated. Had I known this, I would have guilted everyone that I dated who lived south of Houston for making me commute from Morningside Heights for sex. It would have made me look like a much more devoted lover.
Alas, I now live in New Jersey, which were I to be single, would make me unattractive to every Manhattanite I were to meet.
Does anyone here put geographic limitations to their love lives? If so, I want to know your boundaries, so I can laugh to myself about how funny they are.
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September 27th,
2009 1:20 am
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So, my younger brother, Vic, has moved to Manhattan. He is doing his master's degree at Tisch, and spent the last month subletting the worst bachelor known to mankind. It had no real kitchen to speak of, so he mostly spent all of his time sitting on my couch and eating all of my food. Thankfully, he is now moved into a much better studio in the village, and he can go back to being a hipster and stay out of my stash of delicious Belgian chocolate. I love my brother, truly and honestly, but he will forever be an irritating twelve year old who steals my things and tattles on me to my mother for breaking her inane house rules.
Anyway, with TJ leaving and Chandler battered, I feel like this is not a good time for the fashion department. I am expecting something awful to happen to my whilst on vacation. I don't really know what, but you know, something. Let's knock on wood, or whatever the saying is.
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September 13th,
2009 11:35 am
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Fashion week is exhausting. I'm kind of glad that I don't really do New York, Paris, London, and Milan anymore. I'd probably get alcohol poisoning and die.
Anyway, my sister is in Toronto for TIFF (she works in PR for a studio), and sent me a link to this, which I found heartily depressing. I find evolution really interesting, so I do hope the film picks up a distributor in the states.
The most startling part is the fact that apparently only 39% of Americans believe in evolution. It makes one wonder what they were all taught in science class, at the very least. I do suppose that living in New York, people are a bit more cosmopolitan, because I have never really heard any controversy about evolution and the like while here in this little corner of America. I don't exactly look for religious controversy, though.
I found it strange, anyway. The cultural disparities between regions in the United States is really bizarre to me.
( Locked to TJ Weston )
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August 27th,
2009 11:48 pm
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I got a lot of random phone calls today. I realize now that it was not reception's fault, but I was rather cross about it earlier. Sorry, ladies in reception. That is what happens when I have to climb the stairs to get to work. It was not my fault that the train was late this morning.
Anyway, in other news, who else is excited for fashion week?
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July 27th,
2009 10:48 am
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This morning on the PATH train, I saw a homeless man throw up on this perfectly well dressed woman sitting across from him. The more I think about it, the more I think it is a curse to be well dressed. The sloppy teenagers in their 'thug' outfits never seem to get thrown up on or bumped into with open cups of hot coffee. No, it is always inevitably the person that looked like they made an effort to look presentable. It's like God hates people who aren't wearing tights as pants or something.
Of course, that leads me to my next question: why was a homeless person on the Port Authority train, anyway? Do homeless people commute from New Jersey to Manhattan for better opportunities to hassle people for change? I'm kind of mystified.
Anyway, now that the disaster that was this month's issue seems to be resolved, why is everyone so quiet? You make for terrible distraction from work.
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July 5th,
2009 11:59 pm
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So, I think I have bird flu or swine flu or whatever it is. If I am looking particularly unattractive at work tomorrow, please feel free to ignore it and not comment at all.
Thank you.
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June 21st,
2009 11:57 pm
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Father's Day is kind of underwhelming when your father is an ocean away and you have no children. Nevertheless, I did give my dad a call, and I got a thirty-five minute lecture on Sarkozy and why he is Satan. I would have told him to stop ruining family time, but for my dad, giving me random lectures on things I care nothing about is family time. At least this time, he left ancient Greek political philosophy out of it.
You know, I think my very first journal entry at Spent, two years ago, was about talking to my mother on the phone and finding her annoying. It is nice to know that I've come full circle in being the most boring person in this office.
Anyway, I see new people. I'd trip over myself to welcome you, but I like to see if you last a week before I dedicate myself to that kind of effort.
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June 2nd,
2009 10:49 pm
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So, we're doing work on our house soon. For those of you who aren't up on my very glamorous life, I own a house in Jersey City, and we haven't really done anything with it at this point (other than having painted every square inch of it. The people who lived here before painted rooms in burnt red and tangerine). So many things about this house offend my very delicate sensibilities, but this summer's project is the upstairs bathroom.
I like to think that having an attractive, functional bathroom is a lot like having fashion sense. Some people have none (and those people clearly designed our bathroom), some people are too trendy (which is how powder blue sinks and toilets exist), and some people know how to do it properly. Then again, like fashion, a good bathroom is deeply subjective.
That said, mosaic or subway tile? My life is full of so many difficult choices.
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| Locked from Richard, Katherine, and Dave. |
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May 12th,
2009 10:42 pm
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I'm trying to decide whether or not requesting cabinmates is worthwhile, or just some sort of trick so we can be placed with people we hate. OR, he could be anticipating this, and will then put us with the people we say thinking that we hate them.
It is all too complex for me. I think we should all just get our assignments, and then decide when we get there who we want to room with. What is the point of assignments, anyway? I hate pointless bureaucracy.
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April 15th,
2009 6:16 pm
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I am so happy that spring has finally arrived. To be able to go outside and not wear heavy coats and boots is such a thrill. It also makes my walk to the PATH station more pleasant in the mornings as well. I've always preferred cities, and as a teenager, I always loathed that my parents preferred to live in Boulogne rather than Paris proper. The fifteen minute Metro ride in to school and/or work always annoyed me. Now, however, I am quite content in Jersey City, because we actually have a back garden to enjoy, and now that it is nice out, we can barbecue and eat outdoors in the evenings.
Something must be deeply wrong with me and has changed my personality, it seems.
The other good thing about spring is that it means that I get to go on vacation sooner than later. No plans have really been made, but my dad did mention French Open tickets when we last spoke on the phone. Perhaps Paris would not be a bad idea, in that regard. Plus, I always like visiting in late spring/early summer because the weather is great. The only problem is that the city is full of irritating American tourists with fanny packs and socks with sandals who expect everyone on the street to speak English and give them directions to Versailles.
Wow, that became a tangent. Anyway, I'm going to go finish my column and hopefully take the dogs for a walk before it gets dark.
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March 23rd,
2009 1:54 pm
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So, I dropped a pan on my foot last night, and it still hurts. I have this huge bruise on the top of my foot, and I honestly didn't even know that you could bruise that skin. I never used to be so graceless. I guess living with the epitome of gracelessness must wear off.
Anyway, on top of wanting a cigarette (why is Lent so long?), my foot hurts. Also? A button fell off of my Burberry trench and I haven't fixed it yet, and now I'm stuck wearing an inferior jacket. My life is full of tragedy and woe. Full of it. I have so many first world problems that I do not know where to begin.
I actually had nothing to update about. I just knew I had to. So there. Make of this what you want, office.
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February 24th,
2009 8:34 pm
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I like how Britney and I used to be friends, and it's just Julian, Julian, Julian now. J this, J that, J's penis, blah blah blah blah blah. Jesus. I'm in such a pissy mood. Also, Azra? You're not cute. Find a hole and crawl in it. Thank you. I'm going to strike all of this, because it's embarrassingly catty.
So, I'm giving up smoking again for Lent. I'll never quit smoking, because if I did, I'd have nothing to torture myself with before Easter every year. Either that or I'd have to give up things that I really enjoy, like shopping, or drinking, or sex. Besides, Jesus drank wine. Obviously it isn't a vice to give up. Which is good, because I've been drinking since before dinner. I don't actually mind not smoking for a month, it just puts me in a bad mood for a week or so. So, you know, watch out fashion. I'm very irritable.
Anyway, other than Millicent's magnificent return, my life is uneventful. I wanted to take the dog for a walk, but it is dark outside, and I'm afraid of the dark of being mugged or stabbed or something. Rough neighborhood and all.
I'm going to finish my work blog (that is, the non-stupid blog about actual fashion) and probably go to bed. I promised my sister that we'd go to 7:30 mass in the morning because she's got some social obligation in the evening. She's such a pain in the ass.
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February 13th,
2009 2:38 am
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Mmm, fashion week. A subdued, scaled back fashion week, but fashion week nonetheless. Most of our editorial shooting stuff is scaled back this week, solely because everyone in the city is busy with fashion week.
Yes. This means that there will be time for shows, and for that, I could literally cry tears of joy.
In other news, I'm torn about what to give up for Lent this year. Right now, I'm debating sex and shopping (for clothes, not necessities of life like shoes or groceries). It's a tough one. And... I'm posting this just to bother Julian, ahahah. He's so easy.
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January 25th,
2009 2:51 pm
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World, did you hear that joyous sound? No? It's the sound of the door hitting Emilie in the ass on her way out. HALLELUJAH! No, not dignified. Striiiiiike.
Sundays are my favorite day of the week. Why, you ask? Please, allow me to elaborate. One, no one has any social expectations of you at all. On Saturday, you're expected to have a social life. On Sunday, you're expected to sleep until ten, and make crêpes. Which is what I did today, and they were so good. I might make more breakfast food for dinner, because it's Sunday, and that's socially acceptable.
In other news, who is replacing Chris? It should be Julian, I want to remodel the bathroom and that will not be cheap. In other news, there's a really busy week coming up in fashion. It's that fun time of the month where we all spend a week scrambling around to organize clothing and models for next month's shoots. I'll be so happy when winter is over; I'm tired of slush, especially when I'm carrying expensive designer clothes. I know it is all in garment bags, but what if slush somehow got underneath? I'd probably cry.
I think this has been sufficiently inane. I'll end it here.
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January 4th,
2009 7:39 pm
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I'm desperate for your attention, office. Please pay attention to this post. I should be reinvigorating my sex life with romance, but I'm too tired. Sitting at my desk is so much easier.
So, I went shopping today (because on Sundays, you either have to go to church or shop, and I usually opt for the more expensive option), and I have to say, I don't think some people ever learned proper shopping etiquette. I notice it so much with Americans, but touching things. I don't just mean feeling a cashmere scarf, but people maul things. It's gross. Also on the list? Taking your children into an upscale store unless they can behave themselves. You can let your little monsters run around Toys R Us all you'd please, but do not bring them into Barney's.
In fact, you shouldn't take your children in the store at all. But I'm one of those hateful human beings who hate children and fluffy animals, so whatever. Does anyone else notice things that irritate them to death while in stores? My list is as long as my arm, but I'm such an asshole, I never know if my irritation is normal, or just because I spend an inordinate amount of time shopping.
Anyway, I am almost happy to be going to work tomorrow. I get bored when I have too much time off.
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December 22nd,
2008 2:05 am
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( Private )
That was an excellent Christmas party, Lena and co. I commend everything but the karaoke machine. Karaoke is God's plight upon mankind, if you weren't aware; only people who cannot sing (see: Julian Evans) perform, and then you inevitably wake up in a cold sweat for a week afterwards, reliving the trauma.
The food was great, though. As, of course, were the lovely ladies of Spent. There is nothing I enjoy more than an opportunity to see everyone dressed up in something tasteful except, as always, Emilie, whose tits I thought were going to escape and smother the nearest person.
I am looking forward to the week off, what with all of the excitement of Christmas and other various social engagements. Fortunately, I get to spend the holidays with my family; my parents, brother, and a few extended family members flew in Saturday afternoon. Thankfully, my mom and dad are staying with my sister in Manhattan, but we ended up receiving my twenty-one year old brother and my eighty-five year old grandmother.
I love my grand-mère, and all of the delicious things she makes (I haven't actually been allowed in the kitchen since she's arrived, and I definitely do not mind), but she goes to bed at ten. Apparently old people aren't heavy sleepers either, because she scolded me this morning for making noise in my office all night. I was very shamed.
Anyway, this is kind of a pointless update, Spent. Since I probably will not update again until after Christmas, happy holidays, and safe travels.
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December 1st,
2008 1:31 pm
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So, it is officially December. I'd just like to ask where the fall went, because it all went by so quickly, what with all of the fires and melodrama that occur around this place. I don't mind the winter, by any means (it is an excuse to buy boots and a new jacket, after all), but I liked fall. It wasn't long enough.
I'm still drunk from lunch, because I literally guzzled a bottle of vinho verde to be able to tolerate lunch with Elise feeling a little light headed and tired today, I've no idea why. Probably too much food and drink over the weekend - I'm going into turkey withdrawal.
Anyway, tomorrow is a pointlessly busy day. We've got orders coming in from three or four houses, so I'll need a fashion assistant to check and inventory all of it, so we can start figuring out fittings for models. I've also got three or four appointments with designers, if someone wants to come with and carry stuff gain some sort of brilliant work experience or something. Wow. I'm really tipsy. Let's cut this off before I embarrassingly typo or something. Anyway, if someone wants to volunteer for these exciting opportunities, that would be great. I hate forcing people to do their jobs.
Oh, and the auction was really lovely. Congrats to all of those involved in its conception/set-up/running. Hopefully lots of money was raised for children who cannot read. Or whatever the charity was.
( Locked to Julian )
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November 18th,
2008 3:02 pm
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I'm so happy to have fashion assistants. Really. The whole 'running around by myself' thing that I was forced into whilst Danielle had disappeared didn't work for me. For one, I was still jetlagged from Italy, and secondly, no one ever looks dignified while running anywhere. Oh, and I spilled my latte on the front of my jacket in front of Marc Jacobs. It was traumatizing.
A shit week all around, really. I do prefer being on vacation, I think.
Moving on, I'd like to welcome all of the new people. Hi, I'm Theo. I'm the assistant fashion editor, which means I do everything that TJ doesn't want to do. Which is to say, I run the non-editorial part of fashion. I do hope you all enjoy your time at Spent. At least until your spirits are broken and you sob yourselves to sleep every night. I'm French, and I think that gives people the general conception that I'm kind of cruel and mean spirited, but I won't correct that. It is true.
Anyway, I'd update about something deep and meaningful, like giving bad fashion advice, but Emilie has cornered that market. So, I'm going to go back to work now so I can try to get home before seven tonight.
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November 3rd,
2008 1:53 am
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So, I am sitting in a café in Geneva, eating my breakfast, and I think to myself, "What should I be doing right now?"
And clearly, updating my work journal came to mind for some twisted reason. So, yes. I am on vacation. And am in Switzerland. The weather is nice and mild, and despite the fact that I slept on a train last night, I'm in a very good mood. Probably because I'm not at Spent. We're only in the city for the day (it's our 15 hour layover on the way to Florence) but I intend to buy exorbitant amounts of chocolate. And perhaps a precision time piece, though I'll likely go hungry for the next week if I do that.
Other than the high prices for everything, I love Switzerland. It's possibly the most beautiful place in all of Europe. Despite living next door for most of my life (probably because my father thinks the Swiss are 'money-hungry assholes'), I've only been two or three times, and never to Geneva, so it's a bit of an adventure.
Anyway, I must go. So many international organizations, so little time, as you know. I'll likely update again in once in Italy. Behave, fashion department.
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October 13th,
2008 11:15 pm
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I love long weekends, especially when the weather is so agreeable. I have a serious preference for the fall; something about the heat and humidity of Manhattan in the summer doesn't agree with me. We went camping this weekend, at the Delaware Water Gap, and it was gorgeous. The fall colors were amazing, and it wasn't too hot or too cold.
Not to mention, I caught the largest trout, much to Julian's disdain. His reputation as a master angler is really overrated. Anyway, it was really excellent to get out of the city, and the dogs enjoyed all of the fresh air and nature. Somehow, our backyard doesn't really cut it for Great Danes.
Moving on, back to work tomorrow, sadly. The Men of Spent thing is looking to be excellent. And, well, weird, but that's okay. I'm going to have a meeting Tuesday afternoon for all of the non-editorial fashion sorts to discuss it and other stuff we have on the go. We're getting a lot of clothing in from designers and fashion houses in the next week or so, Danielle and I will be fairly busy with that. I'll probably have to end up stealing admin assistants or something of the like to keep up with the amount of running around that needs doing. If anyone wants to volunteer, I'll gladly put you to work.
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