Velveteen Lounge Kitsch-en Salutes the Vice Presidents!

Lord, shooting in hi def, which looks GREAT and I'm very glad we took the plunge, means it takes five times as long to get an episode of the show online than it used to.  However, our new episode is FINALLY online!  Presidents' Day has come and gone, but we salute the vice presidents, the men behind the men!

Cocktail of the Week

The Shirley Hemphill

2 oz gin
1/4 oz Campari
1 oz cranberry juice
1/4 oz grenadine
1 oz coconut milk
Spoonful of plain yogurt

Blend all ingredients at high speed with ice.  Garnish with a burger and fry.

These Boots Are Made for Walkin'

It often feels to me as though, as Sandy (Teri Garr) so eloquently put it in "Tootsie," "All I do is buy things!" She was reacting strongly after a bad audition , but I know the feeling. This morning I took the train into the city with Paul and quickly realized I would likely die in my little gold shoes. We'd walked one block and my feet were numb from the cold. And this wasn't me making a dumb shoe choice this morning. None of my "walking around NYC" shoes would have been any better. So we quickly decided that , as we were in front of a Payless, I 'd better duck in and try to find something more substantial.  I figured I 'd find something cheap and at least it might get me through the day. Strangely, the shoes weren't all that cheap, but beggars can 't be choosers.  But I did find a pair of boots I liked , neither biker nor cowboy, which is kind of unusual this year, and they're actually comfortable. I always think of shoes from Payless as falling apart after a few months, but I hope these don't. I like them.

Thanks a Lot, NJ Transit

Paul boarded the train this morning and was greeted with the information that fares are going up 9% on March 1.  He was also recently informed that raises at his company will be 0% for about the third year in a row.  I'm really getting tired of this juggling act we seem to constantly perform.  And for what?  The privilege of living in New York?  We should have our heads examined.

Sick Day at the Velveteen Lounge Kitsch-en

Due to illness, our next episode will be online February 26.  In the meantime, here are some sick day tips from one of our earliest episodes:

Sick Day at the Velveteen Lounge Kitsch-en

Stay well!

Hire the Pro

I had a photo shoot for new headshots today. I hired a respected photographer and had a hair and makeup artist present for the entire shoot and it was worth every penny. I hear stories of actors who attempt to shoot their own photos, or even ladies who do their own makeup, and I think they're insane. These are business tools. Why would you cheap out on them? Jeez, don't bother if you're not going to do it right.

I might also add that the makeup artist provided extra value by recommending products (some even cheap) and showing me little tricks. He even showed me the best way to blow out my hair. I would call him in a minute if I had an occasion or really important audition.

They always say to hire a pro for things around the house. I would absolutely extend that to photographers and makeup artists, if you need the pix for work. DIY is not always the best policy!

Great Write-Up of the Show

Amazing pulp fiction author Will Viharo gave the "Velveteen Lounge Kitsch-en" a great write-up on the website Placevine today!

Velveteen Lounge: style with a smile

What a great birthday gift!

Thanks to all who've sent birthday wishes!  It means to much to me!  Happy Valentine's Day!

Cold Weather Tips!

I'm one of the contributors to this article from Rocker: The Lifestyle Magazine for Mature Hipsters, all about how to stay stylishly warm in the cold!  I have two segments:

Cool, Not Cold: 6 Ways to Say Yes to Fashion and No to Frostbite

Cocktail of the week coming soon!  I took pictures and everything, but Paul has the computer that they're on with him today.  The perils of only having Photoshop on one machine!

Projects Around the Lounge

Here's Paul, doing our taxes the way God intended, with a drink!

Cocktail of the Week

Cupid's Arrow

1/2 oz ginger liqueur

1/2 oz 100% cranberry juice (not cranberry juice cocktail)

Cava

Add ginger liqueur and juice to a champagne flute, fill with cava and stir gently.

What's Cookin' in the Kitsch-en?

Coming up on this week's "Velveteen Lounge Kitsch-en" episode!

The Big Day

You know what tomorrow is -- Puppy Bowl Sunday!  We'll be ready with chicken wings (okay, drumsticks) and nachos!  We DO need tequila, but I don't think that will be a problem.

Happy Birthday to Me!

My birthday is still almost two weeks off, but I got the early present of an iPhone 5 and I could not love it more!  It's pathetic how happy it's making me.  No more desperately texting Paul from the train, asking him to look stuff up online for me!  I'm sure that will make him as happy as it does me.  My old phone was okay - it got the job done - but the camera sucked, I hated the scrolling through the contacts and there were all kinds of weird features I never used.  Best of all, once we get past the initial phone bill, which will include our activation charges (we changed providers), I think our bill will be more or less the same as the old one.  I will never go back!