U.S. Royalty x Submerge

I love shooting rock shows. Maybe it's because I used to manage my friends' band (sexy rock jams HERE) and I get nostalgic, but I love it. And not just front of house in the pit during the first three songs (though that's fun too), but the hang out behind the scenes, ritual and Jameson-laden mundane day to day prep for shows and rehearsals. There's a sense of camaraderie in bands and the people they attract that is hard to find elsewhere in the creative world, and I think it's something worth documenting.   

As part of the incredible programming planned by No Kings Collective in their pop-up gallery Submerge where I showed in late 2012, they brought in the band US Royalty for a raucous basement set that ended up being an intimate industry who's who hangout. They sounded on point and I had fun taking some snaps during the show and at the after-party at DC dive bar extraordinaire, Jimmy Valentine's (no sign on the door, sticky floor, redlight-soaked interior, exceptional atmosphere). The guys have some of the best style in the city, and the crowd was intensely well-dressed as well. Enjoy!

Recap: Get Your Brand On

In case you missed it, I wanted to do a recap of the panel I hosted on Tuesday for Social Media Week, "Get Your Brand On". With the help of moderator Eric Schulze of Thirst DC (who did an incredible job) and my fellow panelists, we got a full house all riled up and nerdy about personal branding! Read on for the hilarious oath our moderator asked us all to take, some hot tweets, and of course, photos.

Come to the Get Your Brand On Afterparty!

After an overwhelming and excitingly swift sell-out of my upcoming Get Your Brand On event for Social Media Week, I want the discussion on personal branding to go even further - with an awesomely nerdy, stylish, boozy afterparty! Generously hosted by the Dunes, doors for the party will open as soon as the discussion wraps at 9pm and will rock until midnight with DJ Jerome Baker III (@jeromebaker3rd) live streaming and tweeting his set. Tweet @ his handle with the hashtag #SMWBrandBeats to make live requests or ask him questions about branding as a DJ for some intense music interactivity! What does your brand sound like?

Come "Get Your Brand On" at Social Media Week!

After Tweeting, Facebooking, Instagramming, and Pinteresting my little heart out in 2012, I'm excited to announce that I was asked to be on the Social Media Week DC Advisory Board. Yippee! With that comes an invitation to throw an event, and I couldn't resist putting something smart and stylish together. 

I'm happy to introduce Get Your Brand On: How Social Media is Changing Our Identities (#SMWGetYourBrandOn), a guided discussion and debate about the role social media is playing in personal branding. Whether your online persona is the same as your real identity or if you position yourself in a completely unique way, we'll hash out the many ways that people use social media to brand themselves.  Co-hosted by some seriously brilliant social media mavens (check out their deets below), the panel will share how social media has impacted their professional career, and then act as devil's advocates in a group discussion that everyone can jump in on. Read on!

Magnifying Details

Here are some portraits I shot of painter and illustrator Martin Swift. His illustrations (you can check them out HERE) are incredibly detailed, so he uses a magnifying lamp to make sure he gets every pen stroke just right. Amazing! I have three of his illustrations in my collection, and you could definitely say I'm a bit of a fan girl! We took this pair of photos one afternoon while co-working together, and I love how they turn his tools on him and make his portraits as detailed as his drawings. 

Have a happy and productive Sunday, everyone! I'm holed up working on some exciting new projects and can't wait to share. 

Hirshhorn Hang Out

In my first day off in a long time, Martin Swift and I went to the Hirshhorn to see the Ai Wei Wei exhibit. Everyone's raving about it, and with good reason - while controversial, the work is incredibly beautiful and artisanal. Here are a few quiet photos of Martin and I dressed casually to bop around the gallery. I'm wearing a vintage mink hat, scarf by local knitwear designer Denada Design, leopard coat from a boutique in Vermont, and Frye booties. The light dusting of snow was perfect! 

Hot Toddies with Worn Abroad

With the weather all blustery, I can't help but hibernate a bit - so when I received an invitation for hot toddies and editorial chats in the Worn Abroad studio, I was glad for the chance to be cozy and social at the same time! Of course, the ladies in attendance were stylish, and couldn't help but document. 

Haya Tetroashvili of GoodGoodGorgeous and Melanie from La Belle Mel were there all kitted out in stripes and accessory-laden tweed. After the party, I stayed on for some music and laid back chats with Worn founder Nicole Aguirre and her assistant Anastasia - there's nothing more stylish than music while sipping a hot drink on a cold evening! Many thanks to the Worn team for hosting - now that I'm settled in my new apartment I hope to return the favor!