Monday, September 27, 2010

Like a Reverend



As many or you know I got ordained this spring in order to officiate my bff's wedding in Toronto last weekend. I was incredibly nervous, though i'm relatively comfortable with performing. It's always been a part of my routine whether at work in design presentations, in my old days as Toronto's premiere female-female impersonator....but this was different. It was someone else's big day! two of my best friends none the less.



The ceremony turned out beautifully- the bride and groom wrote their own vows which left everyone attending in tears and their friend/nyc musician Joanna Levine played a gorgeous version of the Beach Boy's God Only Knows while the bride walked down the isle.

Some tips I have for any other first time reverends out there:
1) PRE-GAME as always- practice practice practice.

2) Props are fun AND useful. I pasted my notes into a black leather bound Playboy notebook-official looking AND helpful and my white lace gloves made me feel totes legit!

3) When in doubt focus on the couple- I love those mofos so much, and they looked SO happy to be getting married that I knew I had to do a good job for them

4) If possible- bring your best friend and biggest supporter with you!

happy fall!!



Sorry for the lapse in posts kids!!

After my/Anne's engagement we went to gay pareeeee and I've been slacking a bit on my blog ever since.. Anne wrote an awesome blog about our trip: http://anneneczypor.blogspot.com/2010/08/parisian-games.html
which I will never be able to describe as eloquently so you should check it out :)

As for my absentee September- it's been a crazy month! Last Wednesday I competed in Regis and Kelly's High-heel-athon in Central Park. All decked out in my sparkliest I was prepared to win big.


But let me tell you there are some FAST b*tches in that race. I didn't win... THIS time, but I did recieve a jazzy "Finisher" medal and we all know how I LOVE flair! This is actually my very first piece of athletic flair so that in itself seems like quite an accomplishment.


I was also proud of the fact that though Kristin Chenoweth started 3 rows ahead of me, I managed to fly past the tiny diva, which I realized as I excitedly made rabbitears with my fingers as I passed the finished lines and a man from ABC grabbed me. I screamed and he said into his walkie talkie "Nevermind- NOT her, just another tiny sparkely blonde." Obviously flattered as a huge fan of Kristin's but startled none the less.



Though I am proud of 1) not falling and 2) my fancy finisher medal...I do plan to train harder for next years race!!

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Material Girl Clothing Launch at Macy's NYC



Madonna and her daughter Lourdes launched their clothing line ever-so-appropriately titled "Material Girl" at Macy's this tuesday.
Naturally I was one of the first in line to get my hands on the goods!!



Waiting in line was made much more pleasant than ever with the presence of:
1) a pink carpet and pink velvet ropes (a necessity for any premiere event)
2) Madonna look-alikes walking back and forth with boomboxes blaring her 80s hits
3) free giveaways from personalized "Material Girl" sunglasses to cupcakes

Once inside, I naturally attempted to buy everything!!


And made out like a bandit with 3 gorgeous dresses, a studded embellished miniskirt, sequin tap pants and some awesome jewelry all for under 200.00!!!
Go to Macy's or check it out online here

Lourdes' blog is a superfab added bonus to the site


As for the Cupcake Scandal (Yes, I recieved a few emails from individuals who had seen these associated press photos asking ARE YOU OFF CARBOLA??! DID YOU EAT SUGAR IN THE NAME OF HER HOLINESS?)





Truth be told I graciously accepted the cupcake, which was decorated beautifully with the pink "Material Girl" logo, from a Madonna doppleganger. I gave it to my fiance along with a buttondown from the collection. But I did have a tiny taste- and yes- it was just as heavenly as I imagine Madge's lips to be!

Friday, July 30, 2010

You can't always plan EVERYTHING...



But I'm starting to learn that's what makes life even better ;)

I did it!!!
Proposed that is! Sorry for my lack posts in the month of July but I had a lot of planning and pre-gaming to do...Not only was I about to ask the most important question of my life to my lady, but this Type-A chica wanted to plan AND execute it perfectly!

My original idea had been to take Ms. Anne to Paris, the city of Amor. She has never been, but has wanted to visit more than anywhere in the world since she was a teenager.



But then, in true Becca style, I had a little TOO much fun at our Christmas party:


And after too many glasses of x-mas champagne the subject of an engagement came up, and I proceeded to tell her in DETAIL, down to the hotel name, just how I planned to propose in gay Pareee.....

So- I had to revise my plan:

As many of you know, Anne has written 3 novels but has not published them yet. As a surprise, I designed a cover for her first book and self-published and printed it. On one copy, where the description would normally go, I instead placed a message from me ending in "Will you marry me?" I planned to plant it in our neighbourhood bookstore. I hired a band to play our song outside the bookstore and planned, along with my bestie, an elaborate congratulations suprise dinner party. And intended to top it off with an early birthday/congratulations present of 2 first class tickets to paris for 5 days over her birthday.

But even the best pre-gamers cannot plan for EVERYTHING :)

Saturday morning (D day=diamond day)
9:00am: we woke up and made breakfast at home. My original plan of brunching and shopping in the city as an instrument to get my lady to Barnes and Noble were foiled by
A) the 200 degree heat
B) Anne's lack of enthusiasm due to a rough work week
C) Anne's slight hangover from a friday night out with friends the night before

This was going to be tougher than I thought....

As the day progressed from an air conditioned day in the apartment to Anne's idea of "what if we paint the living room today?!"
I started to panic....

So by 3pm I decided I would have to remix this yet again, Junior Vasquez style:
I said "Babe, would it cheer you up if I gave you your bday present early?"
"You don't have to do that" She responded
"Oh I think I do" I said as I handed her a box wrapped in Madonnas sexy black and white photos from the latest Interview magazine.

Anne carefully opened the box with the ticket, hotel and trip details. She looked at me dumbfounded and asked "Is this for
REAL?"
"Of course, I wouldn't FAUX give you a trip to paris!"
"We have to go to the Barnes and Nobel! To get city guides!! Oh my god Oh my god We're going to Paris!" she squealed

As I went to bathroom, Anne reached into my bag to grab my phone to call her mother to tell her about her early birthday gift as her phone had died. This lead to an accidental glance at her book's cover. I walked out at the same moment and clenched my chest.

"I might have seen something I wasn't supposed to..." Anne said looking stunned and sheepish.
"Uhh, ok.. lets just still go to the barnes and noble"

(Luckily anne had only seen the cover, not the back with the proposal message)
After a very awkward walk there we finally arrived Anne spotted the band holding orange roses (her favourite) and sarcastically asked "Are those for me?"
"NO!" I shouted awkwardedly. "Jeez isn't PARIS enough!" I giggled.


We walked up to the travel section to look at Paris books, and I continued with my plan of slipping Anne's book onto a shelf when she wasn't looking. She picked it up- still stunned that her book had been printed. When she turned it over she was floored. I got down on my knee right there in the barnes and noble and pulled out a diamond ring in a nut shell box (Anne loves a good pun) and said "I'm nuts about you. Will you marry me?"



She said yes and got down on the floor with me hugging me and picking me up to my feet. *
*She doesn't remember this part as she said she was so stunned and ecstatic that she blacked out for a good portion of the book store.

She does however clearly remember walking out to a band playing "Such Great Heights" and handing her a bouquet of orange roses.
"OH MY GOD! They WERE for me!" she laughed

Now all I had to do was to get her to the restaraunt below our apartment to meet "friends" for a small dinner. I thought I was finally in the clear until one of my besties, Oz, who hadn't read the invitation clearly, showed up at our buildings entrance INSTEAD of the restaraunt with presents in hand.


"OZ!" I exclaimed agressively, "What are you doing here?"
"Ummm I'm headed to a...babyshower?"
"A babyshower at 8 o clock at night?" Anne asked "Who had a baby?"
"Ya know....straight people" he answered awkwardedly
"well we better get into the RESTAURANT where we're meeting our friends for dinner" I practically shouted at the poor boy

I pulled Anne in and said I was pretty sure they must already be there, probably seated in the back.
Luckily she bought it and all her friends and family jumped out on cue, yelling "Surprise!"

It was the best day ever. Nothing makes me happier than seeing the love of my life happy. She was glowing. I would do it all over EXACTLY as it happened because sometimes the little monkey wrenches in a perfect plan are what makes the actual event that much more fun :)

Friday, June 11, 2010

Sassy New Neighbour: valsecrets.com




I'm so excited to be invited to Valsecrets.com special guest panel including chef Rossella Rago and actress Fran Drescher. This is a super fun site with a lot of great fashion and lifestyle tips from some sassy and chic chicas :)

Check out some of my fave fashion tips here

Sexy Summer Shopping- NYC Limelight Marketplace




Former NYC Church- turned nightclub-turned even shadier nightclub has reinvented itself again Madge-style to become the cutest center of boutique shops in Chelsea! Offering everything from a full spa to Mariebelle Chocolates to my favourite: Old Hollywood gifts and accessories shop.

That's where Anne got me this GORGEOUS hat! It was intended for our July vacation but I've discovered that if you wear it in Manhattan, while it does tend to annoy people, it creates an invisible bubble of extra space! People literally move out of the way as they stare you down with a glare that says one of the below:
"That hat is RUDE!"
"Is she crazy?"
"Is she famous?"
"Is she crazy AND famous?"

If you're not easily phased by what others think, $60.00 is a low low price to pay for more personal space in NYC ;)

Get yours at limelight marketplace


Limelight Marketplace
Northeast corner of 6th Ave and 20th Street
Mon-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 11am- 8pm

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Long Weekend in the City




So for the first time in a very long time my partner and I were going to be in our favourite spot for a long weekend:Manhattan. I decided to surprise her with a gorgeous new 1950s style bathing suit and a gift card that read "for where I'm taking you this weekend" with a picture of the Hotel Gansevoort's pool. She was ecstatic and we trekked the 5 blocks to our "staycation" Saturday afternoon....

Now for those of you outside NYC this probably sounds excessively ridiculous, but let me explain: Unless you want to take your chances at public pool or happen to have a gym membership that includes outdoor pool access, there are very few pools you can lounge by on the island of Manhattan. The Gansevoort is supposedly the best....

Let me tell you friends- I don't recommend this venue. First of all, we arrived an hour past check in and our room was not ready. We were told to wait at the rooftop bar/pool (without comped drinks or snacks) after an hour+ we returned to the concierge and requested a refund as we'd decided just to head home. They gave us a large discount on the rate so we stayed. We returned to the pool area to find it overrun with too many bachelorette parties to count and drunk singing irish-men with guitars...we felt a little ridiculous with our magazines and travel scrabble but made the best of it.

For any of you readers looking for some Manhattan pool action I would recommend the much less "sceney" Empire Hotel on the upper west side, or if your looking for a more serious commitment, a membership at the Soho House- where there is an unwritten precedent against Bachelorette parties.

We still had an awesome weekend- saved by the Radio City Glee concert on Sunday where Anne and I arrived as Rachel Berry and a very pregnant Quinn Fabrae