My Recent Miami Adventure & The Ghost of VERSACE!

From the title of this post one would think I was going to tell a tale that is more reminescent of a Scooby Doo cartoon plot than a fabulous long weekend in South Beach Miami. As I've recounted earlier in this blog, I celebrated my birthday last weekend at the fabulous Lords Hotel on Collins Avenue in world famous South Beach. My friend Kimmy and I celebrated together because we are both December babies that normally get screwed out of birthday celebrations due to the holidays. So we took it upon ourselves, considering that it was a special B-day milestone for Kim, to make it as fabulous as ever. And it was!

While we were bar hopping from one location to the next (everything is pretty much walking distance), I could not help remembering my glory days in SoBe during the last 80s and early 90s. It was the era of Versace, Kitty Meow at the Warsaw Ballroom and Naomi Cambell at the News Cafe. It was a really special time in my life. I was young and hung-ry for life!

I attended many parties at Mr. Versace's home (mostly outside in the Italian courtyard, although one time my friend Jace and I went around the velvet ropes keeping you from going inside the house to go into the VIP...again we were young, hispanic, cute with cheek of tan. Who's gonna say NO to that!). I met amazing people there that I was too young and stupid to fully appreciate. I met model IMAN (who scared the shit out of me), Claudia Shiffer (Guess Model...she walked like a horse) and pornstar Jeff Stryker (he's really short) to name a few. I was working at a modeling agency then as their graphics guy (I designed the comp cards, catalogs and occassionally went out on shoots) and life was my oyster! And for some reason, out of youth and a sense of entitlement - I felt as if I belonged. I was a pompass little prick! lol!

It all seemed to come crashing down July 15, 1998. This was the date that Andrew Cunanan murdered Mr. Versace right on the steps outside his mansion (in fact the stain still remains to this day). Many people describe the day that Buddy Holly and Richie Valenz perrished as the day that music died, but on the day that Mr. Versace was slain glamour, fabulousness and all things that were beautiful died with him. I remember it vividly. I cried as I watched the TV coverage of friends Elton John and the late Princess Diana crying in the front row of Gianni's funeral. Never was there a more lavish and beautiful event. It was almost as splendid as one of his party. The only difference was that there was less color worn by the attendants. The only thing missing was Mr.Versace's amazing smile and laughter (it was infectious). On a side note, I have a friend that insisted he slept with Cunanan weeks before he murdered Gianni. He spread that rumor around like as if it was some sort of morbid badge of honor. Personally, I told him it was like boasting you were the one that "got away" from Ted Bundy or Jeffrey Dahmer. Some queens will do anything for attention, but I digress.

I visited the site of his death outside the now closed Versace Mansion and to pay homage to the man and my glamorous youth that he helped define. I left a simple orchid that I swiped off a nearby table cafe in memory of him. When I came home I decided to revamp one of my dolls in honor of Mr. Versace's fabulous style. I used the Miami Glow Veronique and placed her in Barbie Versace's gown (by the way - NOT EASY TO DO). I then decided to try my hand and be bold in trying a new hairstyle in the style of one Mr. Jon Copeland (another designer I admire very much...who will hopefully be kind enough to do an interview for my blog in the near future...HINT HINT! lol!).

So, I hope that you enjoy my little walk down memory lane and Ocean Drive - as a tribute to the one and only GIANNI VERSACE! Long live the Prince of Italian Rock Couture!

Registration For The 2012 W Club Is NOW OPEN!

Well kids...it's that time of year again! No not Chritmas....BUT CLOSE! Membership is now open to anyone that wants to joing the WCLUB! Hooray! This year I will starting memberships for both myself and my partner Peter (in hopes of doubling my chances during lotteries...etc) and so that he will be able to attend the WClub Luncheon at next years convention!

This year the incentive is twice as nice with NOT ONE....but TWO upgrade dolls! First, we are presented with the DIVA Extraordinaire - Natalia Fatale! Wearing an adorable ready to wear outfit perfect for spring. the pattern on the dress is impeccable! And the accessories are to die for! I'm glad also that she will be back with your "latina" skintone. I'm glad to have at least one Diva represent my people in the FR stable of fabulous boys and girls.

Finally, last but by NO MEANS LEAST comes everyone's favorite teen sensation - Poppy Parker! Poppy is truly a breath of fresh air in the new ensemble! She still represents wonderful sophistication of early 60's...while giving a pop of color which hints towards the MOD era! Best of all, Poppy will be showing off her new "side-part" ponytail hairdo! Quelle Cute....with a capital Q!

Hope you all really consider becoming members of this phenomenal club. Membership closes at 10am on January 18th....so it gives you a little time to recover after Christmas to pay for your memberships! Trust me....IT IS TOTALLY WORTH THE MONEY!

See ya soon!
xoxo,
F

Alice In Wonderland - Nu Fantasy...What's Next?

I love the NuFantasy Collection. There is not enough whimsy in our lives and this IT collection provides us with loads of it along with a ltttle glamour, as well. From the moment that the first American set of dolls were introduced at the IFDC convention, I was hooked! I knew then and there it was going to be necessary to have them both in the set! Alice reminded me of a sexy Harajuku Gwen Stefani version of the character and the Red Queen used the amazing Tatyana face mold which I adore.

Next came the phenomenal Oz set which, which again debuted at IFDC. They included a set of 3 this time! This one was a winner all the way around. First off, it introduced a new face mold which would eventually be known as Rayna as Dorothy. Then it incorporated the Natalia retired facemold as a steampunk version of the Wicked Witch of the West. A titian redhead Isha was transformed into a seductive Glinda, and finally there came the additional outfit representing the Wizard of Oz him/herself. That costume was inspired by the amazing "Ascot Scene" in My Fair Lady which was then reinterpreted by Madonna in the 90s Girly Show Tour. (When I was finally able to get my hands on this outfit, I knew what I immediately wanted to do with it. Imogen was the only girl that could pull off Madonna's Girly Show. The pencil skirt that originally came with the outfit, although lovely,  had to be replaced by a previous Wu separate quilited skirt that I had been saving for YEARS! See below.)

Earlier this year, we were treated to NuFantasy's version of Snow White and the Evil Queen. They were dubbed Pure and Malicious. Pure was an instant hit! I mean what's not to love - a raven haired Erin with pale skin, ruby red lips and thigh high Louboutin style boots. Malicious, on the other hand, had to grow on collectors. Whether it was her avant guard hair or her Monogram style make up, collector's had to wait to see her in person before they were fully committed to falling under her spell.

I can't wait to see what Fairy Tale IT designers choose to take inspiration from next. If you have any ideas I'd love to hear them in my blog! Hope you enjoy this set of dolls as much as I do....FANTASY WITH A TWIST OF COUTURE! Gotta love it!

xoxo,

Frank

10 Things I've Learned About My Collection In 2011!

1- My tastes are always changing and even though I try to resist new collections for fear of starting up new obsessions - the heart wants what it wants.

2- I'm not a completist when it comes to my collection. I don't have to own EVERYTHING. I derive enjoyment from the dolls in my FRIENDS collections as well.

3- It's official - I'm not a MIB collector. NO MATTER WHAT IT IS or HOW MUCH IT'S WORTH.

4- The best part about my collection is that I love to restyle my dolls....and make them truly my own.

5- I am a firm believer that there is a perfect doll for every outfit and visa-versa.

6- I really LOVE my male dolls. They are not just accessories to their female counterparts.

7- I can't imagine collecting a doll line anymore without multiple joints and poseability.

8- I totally gonna be out of display space by FR Convention 2012.

9- If you are patient you eventually come across every Holy Grail Doll at a price that is reasonable for you (see Urban Legend Sooki DG)

10- My favorite part of collecting FR Dolls and going to the annual convention is the friends that I've made and how they have reignited my love of fashion dolls!

I'd love to hear what you have learned about your collection in 2012!
Share it with me in the comments section!
xoxo!
Frank

The Day I Stalked Holly Golightly

Several years ago in a previous life, I worked at a television station that was an ABC affiliate. WPLG still sits on Biscayne Boulevard in Miami, FL and it was my first job during college which was in my chosen profession of advertising and marketing. I was 19 and worked long hours, but I didn’t mind it because I felt so glamorous working at a TV station.

One of the perks of working at the station was that we not only produced the evening news, but also a morning chat show that frequently interviewed celebrities whenever they were in town promoting their shows or appearances. I met many wonderful celebs while working there, but few could be considered true legends. On a miserable, rainy December afternoon my boss, Karen Vigurs came into the PR offices looking like all the blood had rushed out of her face. She looked me dead in the eyes and said,”I’ve got good new and bad news. Which do you want first?”  I replied,”Hit me with the good, I’ve been feeling like shit today due to the storms so I could use a little pick me up.” She replied,”Tomorrow we are doing a segment on Unicef for the morning show and Audrey Hepburn is going to be coming in for an interview!” We both stood up, grabbed each other’s hands and began to scream and jumped up and down as if someone had just told us we had won the lottery! Audrey Hepburn! Miss Holly Golightly herself! Truman Capote’s heroine from my all time favorite movie Breakfast At Tiffany’s personified. 

“So, what’s the bad news?” I asked inquisitively. She said,”It’s a closed set. “ It was as if she had let all the helium out of my balloon. Here was my chance to meet one of my favorite Hollywood actresses and she was going to be just out of my reach. We weren’t even allowed to stand off camera and listen in on her interview. Damn!

I couldn’t sleep all night long trying to figure out a scheme to get close enough to seeing Audrey in the flesh. That’s when it came to me. No one said we couldn't go up on the rigging where the catwalk above the stage was! Sure it wasn’t necessarily safe. And, so what that only Union workers were allowed up there. THIS WAS AUDREY HEPBURN WE WE TALING ABOUT! It was totally worth the risk.

I came in to work the next morning early to even see if it was possible before I let Karen in on my scathingly brilliant idea. I asked one of the grips how to climb up above the stage where the light was held from. I also asked if it could hold two people. Needless to say, he looked at me a bit oddly, but he said,”It holds hundreds of pounds of lighting, it can definitely hold 2 people.” I told him my plan and he laughed and said that he would leave the upstairs door open for us. Then he secretly confessed to having a crush on Audrey himself. I'm mean really - who doesn't!

I told Karen my plan and she got nervous. After all, she was the head of the department and would be held responsible if we were caught, but after a little convincing she was game for it.

When Miss Hepburn arrived you could feel a buzz in the atmosphere. Everyone was excited to sneak a peek at her. All of our co-workers had their faces pressed up to the windows to see Audrey exit her limo. We ran to take our positions on the catwalk above the stage, There was no time to spare.

We quietly lay on our stomachs while waiting for her to come in. Then all of a sudden the doors to the studio opened quietly and there she was. We both exhaled a long sigh. She was lovely. Older, but still exuding style and class like no one else has ever before or since. We watched her get her mic and battery pack hooked up and watched as she pulled a compact out of her bag and touched up her noise with translucent powder. She tucked the compact under her thigh and sat quietly smiling politely as the assistant was telling her how the interview was to be conducted. She was perfection. Everything a fan would hope she would be.

We sat and listened closely (it was hard to hear what they were saying from a distance) and the whole time watching every move she made trying to record it forever in our mind’s memory bank. Occasionally, Karen and I would look at each other and nervously giggle. I will never forget the experience. But, wait….that wasn’t even the best part.

Once the interview was over, we quietly scurried out and went out the backdoor again to go back to our office when we noticed that Audrey’s limo was pulled around back. We looked at each other. There was no one else around. We decided to wait. About 10 minutes later, she came came out the door along with the rest of her minimal entourage. We watched as she walked to her limo wearing glasses, a headscarf and a short London Fog trench. I could not contain my excitement anymore, I spoke out abruptly,”Miss Hepburn, Miss Hepburn!” She turned and looked up at us wondering where the voices were coming from as she smiled and waved. Then she quickly ducked into her car and drove away into the grey, hazy morning.

Well, you’d think Karen and I had just gotten knighted by the Queen. We could of boasted that WE were the only ones to have a personal interaction with Audrey Hepburn herself! She acknowledged us! Problem was we couldn’t tell anyone at work because we would have definitely gotten fired. But, again, it was worth it. We had our moment with Audrey, how ever brief. It might have been insignificant to her, but it meant the world to us.

Now, years later, Integrity Toys reproduces the lovely likeness of the character that the actress made famous in the classic film Breakfast At Tiffany’s. The detail on these dolls is amazing. Ce'st Magnifique!  I’ve only received “Crazy About Tiffany’s” so far, but if that one is any indication of what the other ones are going to be like, I’m sure to love them all equally. The detail on the dress is perfection. The scale on every aspect of the doll is from the accessories to hair is utterly divine. The packaging is superb as well.

Now everytime I look at her in my collection I remember that magical day when Karen and I had our moment with Miss Hepburn. Thanks IT for doing the actress and the movie justice with your workmanship and quality.

Talk About Color Infusion! Psychedelic Erin & The Lords Hotel In South Beach!

I just got back a couple of hours ago from celebrating my friend Kim's 40th B-day in South Beach at the Lords Hotel in the center of the historic Art Deco District of South Beach. This hotel is amazing and for a while there we actually considered moving in for a summer and enjoying the SoBe lifestyle. Now we try to get down there at least once every other month or for special events.

Before I left I was able to acquire another table doll that had gotten away from me at the 2011 FR Convention - Psychedelic Erin from the Color Infusion Line. I love every detail about this doll...but I especially love the hands that she comes with because they have silver nail polish! Truly the love in the details! She had such a perfect South Beach look to her that once I was done at the Lords I decided to take a picture of the lobby and place my Erin within the pic. She looks right at home - just like all the other young aspiring models that we saw all weekend long walking up and down the streets of South Beach.

I also got to hang with some of my "doll family" (as I like to refer to them) Marly Marl, Daniel Miagany and Yvonne Feliciano! It was like having a fabulous little doll convention reunion!

Well, I'm just making it in under the wire to keep my commitment of doing one post a day for the next year! And I gotta tell you...it's a little harder than I first thought it would be! LOL! But I will press on and hopefully I won't run out of things to say....like there is any chance of that! HA!
Enjoy kids...back to work at A&C tomorrow!
xoxo,
Frank

Rhiana, Beyonce, Rupaul and Lady Gaga...Get A Make-Over!

My friend Daniel Miagany (who we are are visiting with in South Beach this weekend) had me rolling on the floor last night with his crazy comic book style story board of Rhianna, (a very pregnant) Beyonce, Rupaul and Lady Gaga getting a make over! He is soooo creative! A true artist in every since of the word. I found the comic strip, which he used mostly all IT product to produce, so hysterical I had to share it with all of you all!

For more about Daniel and his partner Glenn...check out his blog at http://danielsadoll.wordpress.com/

Well, now I'm off to spend a little time with my crazy Cuban family and maybe drop by a couple antique shops at the beach that I love to visit when I'm here. You never know what doll goodies I might find while I'm diggin' around!

More tomorrow kids!
xoxo,
F
ps Marl is still sleeping...I guess we had one to many Coco Loco shots last night!