Empire State of Mind
I’m headed to New York for a very long weekend and thought I would share this little number by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys.
Capitol Hill Apartments
As you may have read, the apartment buildings of Capitol Hill are some of my favorites. See The Patrician. I don’t know of any particular reason for the names but one street is called ‘Poets Row” because of the naming. In an attempt to find out more, I’ve recently contacted a Denver historian to see if they could shed a little more light on the subject.
In the meantime here’s another gem from the neighborhood, the Galaxy, located at 1260 Humboldt Street. Perhaps the only space-aged feature of this structure (which now houses condominiums) is the distinctly Jetsons-esque typeface employed on the front of the building to spell out its name.
- The Galaxy
Design After Dark
So much fun did Alastair and I have on Friday night at Design After Dark that it’s taken us till today to report on it. DAD is the big fundraiser for the Denver Art Museum’s Department of Architecture, Design, and Graphics, and this is the third year in a row that Alastair and I have attended. And aren’t we glad we did!
The event was packed, filled with the art and design crowd of Denver (yes, such a thing exists! we promise): architects, fashion designers, graphic designers, furniture designers, artists, and all kinds of admirers and fans. One of the things this means is that some of the people were actually well dressed! I know, I know, difficult to believe; this is Denver, after all. But when you get this many design-conscious people in a room you actually get some decent outfits as well. People’s clothes fit! (Including men’s pants and jeans; on this issue, see Alastair’s recent post here.) And some might even be called fashion forward. Alastair and I don’t flatter ourselves that we necessarily fit into that category — we dress ourselves in the well-fitted grays and blacks of the sophisticated urban homo; tasteful and understated without pushing the envelope too much — but we recognize interesting fashion when we see it. And it was there to be seen this past Friday! Of course because there are so few chances to dress up in Denver, some people took this as an opportunity to go a little overboard. Word to the wise, ladies: prom dresses are for one occasion only. And some of the boys suffered from the opposite problem, natch: jeans and sloppy shirts untucked. This is Denver.
DAD winner by Semple Brown Design and Cataform
But enough of dress. This years’s DAD theme was SKIN and so all contributing designers fashioned a composition with skin as its theme. These pieces were offered up in a silent auction, as were many other items (at least twice as many as last year) donated by local businesses and individuals: artwork, furniture, gift certificates, accessories, you name it. The auction process could have been a little more streamlined, it must be said. There was some confusion about when it actually closed, meaning that some people bid within the allotted time but had their bids discounted by overzealous auction-closers with red markers. Yours truly lost out on a truly bizarre looking lamp that I thought was a lock. Alas…
The drink — wine, beer, and vodka cocktails — was included in the price of entrance, doing away with the complicated drink-ticket system of years past. Wise move, planners! And while the food was just as tasty as last year, there was definitely less of it. Some of us need to buffer that open bar with a little sustenance! That said, it was all tasty, especially the Asian-themed table complete with any number of dumplings, won tons, crab rangoon, and spring rolls. All in all, the DOD boys had a fantastic evening.
We wish all DOD readers a great weekend as we jet off to opposite coasts for some more fun and excitement away from the surprisingly design-conscious state of Colorado!
Lauren Hutton on Project Runway
Hutton in a recent GAP ad
You know things have gotten crazy when Alastair and I post twice in one day (see below), but that’s the kind of mood we’re in: excited for Design After Dark tonight (a fancy social event in Denver! a chance to dress up in this city of constant casualness!) and still reeling from the wonderfulness that was Lauren Hutton on Project Runway (and Models of the Runway) last night.
Hutton in earlier modeling days
That’s right, la Hutton was on PR as the guest judge. And about time! We are very glad that LH never stepped in to fill Janice Dickinson’s shoes on America’s Next Top Model (too lowbrow), but that doesn’t mean she has to confine herself only to selling her line of makeup on the Home Shopping Network. That’s right, LH hawks makeup on TV and many of us probably also remember her turn as the spokeswoman for Hormone Replacement Therapy before HRT became linked to the possibility of higher rates of breast cancer. But before all that Lauren Hutton was the original supermodel (take that, Janice Dickinson!), signing on to be the face of Revlon in 1974, the first time a cosmetics company would associate itself with one model only. She graced the cover of Vogue 28 (yes, that’s right, 28!) times. And of course she also acted, hosted a talk show and a travel show, modeled for J. Crew, and for many years has devoted herself to causes benefiting the environment and women’s health. In short, she’s a wee bit of an icon.
Hutton as Judge
Well, last night, she finally graced the guest’s chair on PR. And it was well worth the wait. Wearing a simple blue button-down and what looked like a suede blazer, LH was her casual non-flashy gorgeous gap-toothed self. And the voice! Just as gravelly as ever. Though at first she was hesitant during the final deliberations, telling Heidi “You go first,” she warmed up considerably, noting of Amy that she “gloried” in the burlap assignment and paying particular attention to the fact that the seams in Pamela’s dress were not so flattering to her model’s ass.
But the best part must have been when Lauren popped backstage to see the models after the show was over. I was worried that they, children that they are (well, save Brandise [32] and Alison, who is clearly lying about her age) might not even know who she was, but oh no. Cerri’s exclamation might have summed it up best: “Sweet Mother of Jesus, it’s Lauren Hutton!” One of them even shed tears. Lauren’s advice to the aspiring supermodels? Work four times harder than anyone else. After all, she explained, she was shorter than her competition and had a “lopsided face” and yet she became, well, Lauren Hutton.
La Hutton was clearly the high point of last night’s hour and a half so far as I’m concerned. The designers all did a good job with their potato sacks, Jay and Mila particularly (I didn’t care for Amy’s dress as much as the judges did). Ping’s contraption was kind of a disaster, and while Pamela’s was a little trashy looking, at least it covered her model’s ass. If I was surprised by anything it was that Pamela was kicked off instead of Jesus or Ping. I see the hand of the producers here: Ping is loony and Jesus (easy on the eyes) brings in the gays. Buh-bye Pamela. The other surprise of the evening was that Ping ditched Elizaveta, despite the model’s loyalty to Ping in the model-chooses-designer twist at the beginning. And for Ping to do so without shedding a tear signals something of a transformation. Not that I disagree with Ping’s choice, but when did she become so hard-hearted?
OK, that’s enough. I have other design choices on my mind; I must select my outfit for the big event tonight!
Jean Genie
Blake and I spend a significant amount of time lamenting over the unusually large number of ill-fitting men’s jeans in this town. We’ve discussed writing an entire entry on the subject. Hell, we could start a series with all the material at our fingertips, Denver.
In the meantime, I thought I would share with you Guy Trebay’s recent Fashion Diary for the New York Times, “Read My Hips: These Are Jeans That Fit.” Why are blue jeans, that most blameless and universal item of apparel, the one thing men always get wrong? Click here to read more and perhaps we’ll see you tonight at Design After Dark.
The Patrician
The Patrician, located in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood at East 11th Avenue and Corona Street, is just one of the innumerable apartment buildings and complexes around Denver that have been given a proper name. It’s a feature of Denver that has always intrigued me and is something that I only recall experiencing in such great numbers during my time in London. What’s particularly fascinating is that in most cases, but not all, the name given to the building and its design or architectural style often have little to no shared features or attributes. Seriously, what’s so patrician about The Patrician? And why are so many apartment buildings in Denver given these names? Well, Alastair is hitting the pavement and scouring the Denver Public Library to find out. Stay tuned.
The Patrician
Friday Night Lights
Happy Sunday readers and greetings from Hi*Rise. I am happy to report that I have finally recovered from my Friday night out… which quickly became Saturday morning. And it was well worth the loss of my entire Saturday.
Looking to escape our mid-winter blues, Blake and I started the evening off crashing a Denver Art Museum event at SPIRE—a recently completed forty-one-story condominium building at 14th and Champa streets in downtown Denver. (If you have any interest in high-rise living stop by their sales room across the street at the Convention Center.) The event was an intimate gathering of just over two hundred well-heeled architects, designers, artists, and design enthusiasts of every age and background. The evening was a sort of pre-party celebration for the department of architecture and design’s annual fundraiser, Design After Dark. If you haven’t been to Design After Dark, I highly suggest dropping by RedLine Gallery this Friday, January 22. The event is a “a dynamic and diverse celebration of design.” Funds raised through ticket sales and a silent auction are used to support programming for the department. The centerpiece of the event is some “30 one-of-a-kind objects created by Colorado’s most recognized architects, artists, and designers.” Blake and I are attending for our third year in a row and the event never disappoints. It feels like something we’ve seen in New York, San Francisco, or Chicago and who can pass up the great food and an open bar! This year’s theme is SKIN.
Design After Dark 2010
After hob-nobbing with Denver’s design community and taking in the sights from SPIRE’s ninth floor: modern furnishings, rooftop terrace, pool, fire pit and most importantly, the open bar, Blake and I headed over to the legendary Cruise Room with some of our gal pals. Somewhat difficult to find, the Cruise Room is located just off the main lobby of The Oxford Hotel. It’s one of those places with an atmosphere that immediately transports you to another time and place. They are known for their martinis, but I often choose the Manhattan or Old Fashioned. The Art Deco décor and dim red lighting is a must-see. Original chrome and neon reflect onto the wall panels depicting “toasts” from around the world.
Here’s to a successful Friday night in Denver. Kompai!
The Cruise Room
Models of the Project Runway Premiere!
The Cast of Season 7
Like other homosexuals across North America, Alastair and I were glued to the screen at 8:00 MST last night for the season premiere of Project Runway. Well, I was; Alastair arrived precisely at 8:01, which meant I was running down the stairs to let him in just as it began. “It’s already started. Run!” I yelled as I opened the downstairs door. And to his credit, and never a great one for exercise, Alastair ran. We were also joined – mid-runway show – by our southern gal pal, Bonita Lou (but this time I had left the door open for her so I didn’t have to miss one single minute).
Anyone who has bothered to read this far does not need a recap of how Project Runway works – is there any sane person left in this nation who has not enjoyed its wonder? – so let me cut to the chase. I believe I can speak for Alastair when I say that we are excited for the prospects of this season, more so than last. Three reasons: More talent. Crazier people. Much more model drama.
The Models of the Runway, Season 2
And here I am willing to go on record (albeit pseudonymously) and say that I am a convert to Models of the Runway. Lifetime – while it may make me sit through trailers for “The Pregnancy Pact” (dear god, has it come to this, Camryn Manheim?) – has been pretty savvy in its development of this sister show for PR. If you’re in for one, why not stick around for an additional half hour? Especially if you think you might learn something extra about PR itself. And of course you do. They are also well aware of a sizable chunk of their demographic: the gays. And what is Models of the Runway but an upscale version of the perennial gay favorite, America’s Next Top Model, except with actual models? Well played, Lifetime.
OK, some initial thoughts, in no particular order:
Back to New York! Amen.
We’re thrilled that, at least for the first episode, Heidi and Tim were joined by both Michael and Nina. Too often last season was one or the other absent.
Anthony is all kinds o’ gay. And that’s fantastic. He wears it well.
Ping is more than a little loopy. Also fantastic. All the better for us.
Seth Aaron needs to pick one first name and ditch the other. Haven’t the gays gotten over this silly habit yet? One is enough. (Jay and Janeane also seem to have two names but they don’t insist on being called both at all times.) He also needs to fix his hair, which is not nearly as “rocker” as he seems to think.
Janeane’s crying jags will start to wear pretty soon. Get a hold of yourself!
There are some pretty cute boys this time around. And I do mean “boys.” They just get younger and younger! (Or maybe it’s that I get… No, I won’t think of it that way.) We’ll see if they last.
As for the models: Allison may claim to be 23 but she kind of looks like a 40 year-old housewife from her native Ohio.
Brandise, 32 (!!!) and proud of it, is from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and you know how I love a Canadian!
Sophia, while meeting with the approval of the ornery model coach, Anastasia, and quickly becoming one of Alastair’s favorites, definitely rubs me the wrong way. The woman was apportioning out clothes hangers within minutes of arriving in the Flatotel. Really??
But the one to watch – only for the sheer crazy factor – is Alexis, from right here in Denver! She proudly told the camera that her religion was witchcraft. She’s a witch model! (A witchodel?) But fear not: she only practices white magic, not black. Phew!
As for the verdict: Bravo to Emilio for winning, deservedly, in our humble opinion. Seth Aaron’s Avril Lavigne-inspired silliness was not to our taste, but you can’t pick ‘em all. (We had him pegged for the bottom three.) And Christiane – who not only created a loud mess of a dress, but also was rather cocky about it – was a great choice to be first off. We were disappointed to see the designers exhibit so much loyalty to their models right off the bat (especially as the previews make it seem like this is not going to last and indeed that at least one model, in a total twist, is going to reject her designer!); Kelly was tall and beautiful and deserved to stay. Alas…
Not all that surprisingly, we are hooked and will be back next week to see what happens. Stay tuned…
How Do I Love Thee, Sandra Rinomato?
Sandra Rinomato
Let me count the ways… Yes, I’m back to talk about HGTV again, specifically the host of “Property Virgins,” where first-time homebuyers see a few homes and then attempt to purchase one of them. I did not always love Sandra Rinomato; in fact, the first time I ever expressed an opinion about her at all, it was in this email to the friend who had introduced me to HGTV: “I hate this woman, and she’s even Canadian!” These were harsh words, because I love Canadians. But I have seen the light and become Sandra’s biggest fan. Yes, she tends to make bad “virgin” jokes a bit much, and yes, she does that same hokey routine about delivering “bad news” at the end of the show that is always a fake. But I still love her. For all these reasons:
1. In the beginning she takes the would-be homebuyers to a neighborhood that they love and then has them guess home prices. And promptly tells them that they are wrong and cannot afford to live there. This may sound cruel but I like how she very quickly checks people’s expectations and lets them know that – contrary to many of their beliefs, and like life more generally – they cannot actually have exactly what they want.
2. She lets the property virgins look at the homes first without her being there. Yes, the cameras are obviously there but Sandra is not, so the shoppers can make up their own minds about what they think and say bad things about the house or apartment that she has chosen for them without worrying about offending her.
3. This is my favorite: Many of these shoppers tend to fixate on things like dirt, bad carpet, or ugly paint or wallpaper. Sandra will have none of it! She consistently makes fun of these people—to their faces—for focusing on the cosmetic, telling them that she will not hear of these things as reasons not to consider a home.
4. She makes them guess the price once they’ve seen the home. I think I like this because it sort of makes it like a game show. That and trying to guess which house they will choose to buy.
5. She doesn’t rush the potential homebuyers, letting people take their time in making what is clearly a very important decision.
6. The show doesn’t always end in a sale. Sometimes property virgins discover that they don’t want to make an offer or they don’t want to pay as much as the sellers demand. In other words, this is a reality real estate show that actually resembles reality now again.
7. Did I mention that she’s Canadian?
If I ever buy a home, I want Sandra by my side every step of the way!
San Diego!
The view from my hotel room
It has been a full week since we posted and part of that is because I was off to San Diego for the weekend for work. My apologies. I have little to say except that the weather was absolutely stunning. Apparently that’s what San Diego is known for, but it was my first trip there so I had no idea. I left Denver this past Thursday morning when the temperature was hovering somewhere just above zero (Fahrenheit!!!) and arrived to a balmy 70-something that continued throughout my four days in San Diego. I stayed downtown by the harbor and the bay and had the view above from my hotel room. I also ran along that promenade down below. Needless to say — and with a sunset like the one below — leaving was a little painful.
Sunset across San Diego Bay
That said, I’m not sure I would actually want to live in San Diego, maybe just visit regularly during the winter? It reminded me a little of LA in its shininess and the freshness and plasticity of some of its people. It also seems to be a driving city, not that we had cars. I am a walker whenever possible. I went out only one night to gay bars — with friends of a friend who actually live in San Diego and so we got something of a tour — and one of these friends told me that gay life there is a wee bit mindless. His example: he’d gone to San Francisco for New Year’s Eve and met himself an eligible gay doctor, whereupon he realized anew that gay people actually could be doctors. His point was that gay life in San Diego was more than a little vapid and shallow. Reminds me of somewhere else I know…
That said, it sure is pretty and while the weather in D-Town is pretty nice today (and promises more of the same tomorrow) I can’t say I’m not missing an outdoor lunch with 75 degree temperatures and not a cloud in the sky.
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