quilted chaquita duffel
$19.99
boombox necklace
$12
rainbow heart necklace
$10
birds & nests rubber stamps
$30
   
 

One recent Saturday afternoon in Chicago I was lying in bed watching Roman
Holiday for the hundredth time when the phone rang. "Hey, Lulu! Do you think you
could get on a plane to New York in about an hour?" said Keith of fred flare fame.
"I want to show you this cute, cheap apartment that we saw and chat about some
things…" I was intrigued so I packed my bag and headed East.

Earlier that afternoon my best friends had actually assumed my identity and
already rented the apartment for me. It was located in Williamsburg, just a block
from the fred warehouse and had huge potential: tin-covered ceiling, hardwood
floors, great location. Anne, a Harvard graduate student and dear friend who
happened to be in town, made the call to secure it. She and Keith had seen it
advertised on a pizza box in a random window and the plan unfolded from there. I
would move to NYC, live in this cute apartment, and work at fred flare. All things
that I’ve always wanted to do.

The key was to get me to New York and make it all sound easy. This is where the
lies began. The apartment wasn’t really "cheap." Keith had knocked off a few
hundred dollars to make it sound appealling and get me on that plane. Anne had
pretended to be me when talking to the landlord and neighbors, yet revealed
personal details from her own life. This became clear when I met the landlord for
the first time and he was expecting me to be a teacher and able to produce
paycheck stubs to prove it. Luckily I’m fast on my feet. Besides at this point I’d
quit my job and already rented my apartment in Chicago so I really had nothing to
lose. "I’m not really a teacher," I said. "I volunteer at an arts program with fred
flare at several different school districts." More lies!

He didn’t give me the apartment. He said he would have to sort out the story and
let me know later in the week. Lying never pays! I walked around Brooklyn and
Manhattan that afternoon almost in tears, trying to figure out what my next step
would be. I decided New York was the place for me and the move would just have
to happen some other way, easy or not. After all, I already had my suitcase and
the cutest lamp ever, a housewarming gift from Chris of fred flare.

The next day the landlord called and said he decided it could work. I took the
apartment and accepted the job at fred flare. And that’s how a girl with her
suitcase and lamp moves to New York in one week. Oh yeah, she had a little
help from her friends.

04/2002



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