taco belle cosmetics pouch
$14
victoria sunglasses
$10
hemline stationery set
$9.95
LOMO Diana F+ camera kit
$99
   
 

After the adventure of getting to New York – and what turned out to be an adventure
just moving in – I started thinking more about how this new job at fred flare came to be.
Here’s how it all began:

I met Chris in the summer of 1994. It was my first day of work at Urban Outfitters’ new
store opening in Chicago. Actually, everyone was new so it was like the first day of
school. You needed to pick your peeps carefully and hope you made the right choices.

The place was under construction so my polka dot cha-cha number and my side ponytail
was perhaps not the best look for the work I would be doing. But at least I looked glamorous.
My first assignment? Cutting wood with a big saw! We were "recontextualizing" an old chicken
coup. Once I started getting blisters on my hand I was only too happy to be reassigned.

My next project was to work with Chris. He was painting some sort of solution on fixtures to
make them rusty and it was my job to follow him around with a bucket and clean up any
messes. Glamour is a rocky road! When I first saw him he was wearing an old glitter t-shirt
that read "I’m not loafing. I work so fast I’m always finished." I immediately decided Chris
would be one of my picks.

We both met Keith on the same day at a birthday party two years later. I remember the
party had lots of candy, cupcakes, games and prizes. I had my eye on the grand prize: a
Saved by the Bell bath set. It was going to be mine! I had made it to the competiton finals
and was unstoppable. There was only one person left that could possibly win, that new cute
boy, Keith. He would make a great runner-up, I thought. But before I knew it the whole
party was outside on the street singing, playing ring-around-the-rosey and declaring him
the new champion!

Well, at least I liked him and felt it was a fair fight. The funny thing about that is years later
Keith told me he didn’t even want the bath set – He threw it in the trash the minute he got
home! – and would have let me have it had I asked. It never hurts to ask.

Anyway, that’s how I met Chris and Keith. Then in 1997 they moved to NYC and started fred
flare shortly thereafter. In between then and now there were frequent visits, lots of trend
forecasting, Nancy Drew mysteries, parties, happy hours, movies and strolls. Then one day
they asked me to come work at fred flare and I said yes! Once again it never hurts to ask.

Recently Chris and Keith celebrated their 6-year anniversary and since I was there when
they met, we also celebrated our friendship. When I look back, it’s funny to imagine that
years later we would be together dining in exclusive NYC restaurants with supermodels. (We
saw Maggie Riser working that "I just got home from Summer Camp" look.) Or having photo
shoots with movie stars. (Oops, did I just reveal a top secret fred project?) Or front row
seats at the Nancy Sinatra concert. Are you ready boots? Start Walking!!!!!

06/2002



DIARY ARCHIVES: fred friends Top Model's Sarah Vonderhaar, Jack Mackenroth, Think Pink writer Lisa Clark, Kit Pistol, Au Revoir Simone, Supayana, What the Buck, Peter Bjorn and John, Ratatat, next BIG thing! 2007, shoe designer Jeffrey Campbell, Erika Forster of Au Revoir Simone, heartist Chris Uphues, Alison Kelly of Dahl, Stephanie Deleau of Noisette, Marilyn Patrizio of M.Partizio, Liam Sullivan of Kelly "Shoes", Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy, next BIG thing! 2006, Jill Bliss, next BIG thing! 2005, Loop NYC's China Young, Sukie, The Donnas, Vinnie's Tampon Case, Leah Tinari, Peach Berzerk, The Sperber twins, Jennifer Worick, Cody, Patch NYC 2, Chip Wass, Angela Adams, Venue, Jack and Lulu 2, All Girl Summer Fun Band, 31 Corn Lane, Charlotte Ronson, Three by Three Seattle, Princess Tina, Imperial Teen, Built by Wendy 2, Dana Carlson, Sweden, Jack and Lulu 1, Bob's Your Uncle, Mary Ping & Jonathan Adler, E-Z Living, Built by Wendy 1, Endicott Five, Patch NYC 1, media blitz Mod*Mom, Aya Kanai from Nylon, Grace Bonney of Design Sponge, Samantha Moeller of Missbehave, Marie Kare of The Sampler, Pink Is The New Blog's Trent Vanegas, Martha Stewart Kids' Jodi Levine, BUST's Debbie Stoller, YM's Elizabeth Kiester, Cargo's Ariel Foxman, teeter on tour back to brooklyn, she's so rad, double handsome, wild pony, enchanted treehouse, beanz-n- rice, wide open road, crush Teeter Sperber, Kelis, Jennifer Garner, Kylie Minogue, Charlie Brown, Scarlett Johansson, employee of the month Julie, Jen, Sammy Joe & Joe Sammy, Amy, Vanessa, Tim, Anne, Chanel, Josh, Lauren, Diane, Charles, Lillian, nancy drew review the haunted bridge, the whispering statue, the mystery of the ivory charm, the message in the hollow oak, the clue of the broken locket, password to larkspur lane, the sign of the twisted candles, nancy's mysterious letter, the clue in the diary, the secret of red gate farm, the secret of shadow ranch, the mystery at lilac inn, the bungalow mystery, the hidden staircase, the secret of the old clock, lulu in the city lulu luvs, extra! extra! read all about it!, pink Christmas, thanks, new york!, single in the city, spooky lulu, roller girl, jersey girl, no lights, big city, it was a "red hot" summer!, miss independence, billyburg shopping guide, lulu and the kitty, in like a lion, out like a lamb, my best friend joe, hotpants!, the queen of brooklyn, summer in the city, the anniversary party, garbage & neighbors & mice...oh my!, lulu in the city, cheap & cheerful give thanks, hula hoops, a piece of pi, cupcakes, fred fleur, tommy: mini mode happy summer days, it's a mod, mod world, good night, sweet dreams, my girl, keep on marching, one fine day, supermodels Dana's Lucky magazine shoot, hi-fi holiday honeys, supermodel Hillary's Warhol, fallfabulous, supermodel challenge, covergirls, fred on tour Paris Dispatch: Eiffel Awesomeness, Paris Dispatch: Just Strollin', Paris Dispatch: From Colette w/ Love, Paris Dispatch: Marie & The Moulin, Paris Dispatch: Bonjour, Peeps!, behind the music, San Fredcisco, LA Flare, chartoppers: the 80's 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, chartoppers: madonna Hard Candy, Confessions on a Dance Floor, reinvention tour recap, reinvention contest winners, Madonna, Like a Virgin, True Blue, Like a Prayer, I'm Breathless, Erotica, Bedtime Stories, Ray of Light, Music, American Life, top 50 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, window shopping 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, sales and events Carnival of Cute: Holiday 2006, Fall Sample Sale 2006, Pool Party 2006, Holiday Sale 2003, let's skate, Holiday Sale 2002, Holiday Sale 2001, Holiday Sale 2000, Spring Sale 2000