Guten Tag aus Berlin!

Hello from Berlin! Wie geht's?
From one hot spot to the next, this Citygurl has landed in Germany. With a few days down and about a week to go, I’ve spent my time getting acquainted with my new surroundings. Of course, I wouldn’t have been able to do that without the help of meine cousine, Lauren. She has been in Berlin for six months living as an au pair at the Jung residence.

So if you haven’t already caught on, this week has been a total transformation from the past month I spent in London with a bunch of crazy citygurlz. Lauren spends the majority of her day taking care of Emma (5) and Anna (3)- meaning she has no time for dancing, drinking, or anything fun! (Only joking!...but fur realz, this gurl has some major responsibility!)

So, to pass the time, I WALK. From getting lost, obvi, in the Tiergarten to [naked] people-watching in the Volkspark, I’ve literally wandered a mile or more in a Berliner’s shoe.

Sights I’ve seen so far in Berlin:

---Reichstag (Germany’s Parliament building)

---Seigesale (Victory Column)

---Bradenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate)


---Bellevue (Germany’s version of the White House)






---Unter den Linden (a famous Berlin street that is home to the US Embassy-the most secured building in Berlin, the Kennedy Museum, and Dunkin’ Donuts…oh, how I missed my Dunkaccinos!)

---Hotel Adlon (the hotel where MJ dangled baby Blanket over the balcony railing in 2002…)



---We also went shopping at KaDeWe (Kaufhaus des Westens)- that means, Store of the West- something similar to Macy’s in Herald Square. Being the cheapo that I am, I left with a few free cheese samples…oh, and a pair of shorts put on hold.

Sights I am anxiously awaiting to see:

---The Berlin Wall

---Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

---The Castle at Potsdam

---… Lauren with an alcoholic beverage!

Because, everyone knows that

And on that note…

Auf Wiedersehen. xo.

Ryn

GAME OVER

Greetings from Lynny’s bed where we sit- sunburned and red as lobsters- writing the last blog post before we part ways. Tomorrow, Lynny heads back home to the US and I’m off to Berlin to kick off a month of travels in Europe. What a trip this has been...let’s recap the past few days because they have been a blasttt!

Thursday was the last day of our internships. Before meeting the group for our farewell dinner at Café LaVille, we got together one last time at LOOP- our fav happy hour spot- for our usual glass of cheap (and delicious) red wine. We highly recommend LOOP’s Happy Hour if you are ever in the area, just off of Oxford.

TGIF- No school this past Friday! We managed to get our butts outta bed and saw the Changing of the Guards. Better yet- WE SAW DA QUEENY!!! She was leaving the palace in her Jag and stylin’ a red and white hat. It was a magical morning…followed by a trip to Westminster Abbey and then the Tower of London. The Crown Jewels were to die for (def worth the 15 pounds to get in). BLING, BLING…stunning!

Citygurlz xo AND Sarah spent our last Friday night groovin’, shakin’, and glowin’ at Jalouse- one of our favorite night clubs in London.

Lynny and I revisited Portobello Market on Saturday (once again, we saw a ton of stuff we loved but only ended up buying food…more waffles please!)

For our final night out on the town, a big group of us celebrated Dom’s 21st birthday at Whiskey Mist- a trendy nightclub and party hot spot for celebs like Prince Harry, PDiddy, and Beyonce. While we didn’t spot anyone like that, we DID run into a couple pro footballers…

HERE COMES THE SUN! Finally, our last full day in London was filled with sunshine and sunbathing. Lynny and I crossed off the last item on our TO DO List: Barclays Cycle Hire! We cycled through Hyde Park (there was no way we could have made it back alive if we tried to ride on the road…I mean, Lynny can’t even do dishes without getting stitches) and we sweated up a storm! Literally, it wasn’t until we got home and started overheating that we realized how hot it really was. Obviously, we saw this as a great opportunity to cool off by eating ice cream… (Dear TESCO, you will be missed.)

And that’s that. Tomorrow we part ways.

So Citygurlz temporarily loses the ‘z’…as I plan to keep blogging throughout my travels around Europe.
Until we reunite in our fav city of all cities -NEW YORK- I’m sending x’s and o’s from us all!

Cheers. xo.

Katie

Adios Amigos

WaaahhhWaaahhhDon’t make me go!

Well, today is my last day at the Fairchild office in London. On Tuesday, I said farewell to Nina, a journalist here at WWD. Yesterday I bid adieu to Snappy Tim, the photog. And today I say avvá to Sam, also a writer here at WWD, and Catherine, the editorial coordinator.

I thought saying bye to Tim was hard enough…but saying goodbye to Catherine was just as hard! As my supervisor, she was one tough cookie. But, when no one was looking, she just really wanted to be my friend. (Hahaha, she will get the joke anyway!)

To show Catherine how grateful I was for the experience, how happy I was to have met, and how much I am going to miss her, I arranged a small bouquet of flowers on her desk…behind an obnoxiously cool postcard reading 'FAB'. (She says I remind her of a 90210 girl -because of this blog- so the original plan was to find an 'OMG' card, but whatevs!)

And to my delight, Catherine had gifts for me, too! I am in love with my new Mimosa Chanel Nail Coulour (see nails in top photo) and my Cath Kidston coin purse…which Catherine assured me are both quite trendy in London at the moment!

But, of course, the fun didn’t end there! At lunchtime, Catherine and I had a picnic in the office. She brought an assortment of English foods for me to try. Obviously, I loved every bite. I’ll admit, the ham sandwhich was a little plain, but the Scotch Eggs, Wispa chocolate bar, and Percy Pig gummys were delish!

What more could I ask for from my time here at WWD!? Samantha, Nina, Tim, and Catherine have been such a pleasure to learn from and to work with. As their intern, there was never a dull moment!

...And the sweetest part is knowing that when I leave the office later today, I’ll always be welcomed back.

Well, as long as Catherine finds time to "pencil me in."

Cheers. xo.

Katie

Bloody Hell!

Last Friday was an...interesting day. It was the Citygurlz's final class with Julia, our tutor at the London College of Fashion, so obviously our emotions were at an all time high! (Saying goodbye is hard to do!) But, after class, Rynny met up with Cityboy (as you know), whilst me and Stephanninie decided to go hit up happy hour!

Right around the corner from LCF is a hotspot called LOOP that has a very good (aka cheap) happy hour from 5-8 PM. After a drink or two with our flatmates, Jill and Sarah, it was time to head home to get ready for a night out. That's when it all went downhill...

Naturally, there were dirty dishes piled up in the sink when we returned home. Being the neat-freak I am, I got to scrubbin'. I'm not sure if it was the hot water/cheap glass combo, or the vigorous motion in which I was cleaning them, but in a split second the glass shattered into pieces and my hand was bleeding profusely! The second I saw the cut, I knew it would need more then just a Band-Aid.

It all happened so fast. I think I screamed something along the lines of, "Ohhhhh nooo, I cut my hand!...Nooo, nooo it's really bad!...Oh my gosh! I'm freaking out! Heeeelllllpppp meee!" Being the Spanish Mama she is, Steph took control of the situation. She ran off in a mad dash for Profssor Balestrino's flat to get his opinion of the cut. After a quick look, we decided it was better to be safe than sorry and- after Jill put on my socks and boots (that's what friends are for)- we hopped into a taxi. "Driver! To St. Mary's in a jiffy!"

...Three hours and four stitches later, we left the ER.

So, there are a few things I learned from the incident:

1. In the UK, healthcare really is free! (I wasn't asked for health insurance info or anything!)

2. St. Mary's may look like Edgeware Road (hmmm...ya know?) but is very accommodating.

3. Sarah is- as KT would say- the BOMB.COM! (She came to the hospital to keep me company.)

4. I am ridiculously queezy when it comes to blood, stitches, shots, etc.

5. GET CLEANER ROOMMATES! (Any takers?)

Cheers. xo.

Lynny

PS: Sarah, KT, and I journeyed back to LOOP yesterday for drinks and came out unscathed :) Phew...

GOODBYE FUN GUY :(

Today is a sad day as I say 'toodleloo' to my favorite Great Brit, Snappy Tim!

And that there is a little farewell token in hopes he will always remember his favorite American intern…A “cact-eye” for a “fun guy.” Ok, that's a lot of puns in one place- but that is just the way Tim and I work, clearly!

Seriously though, I am going to miss my afternoon chats with Tim at WWD. I was lucky enough to squeeze in an interview with him…and since I’ve mentioned him so often on the blog, I want to share with you how truly talented Mr. Jenkins is and the incredible places that his career have taken him!

K: How did you begin your career as a photographer?

T: I am a fourth generation photographer. Two of my great grandfathers, my grandfather, and my father were all photographers. Some sort of drifted into it. My elder brother took over the family business on the Suffolk coast, ‘bout 130 miles to the north and east of London- the round bit that sticks out towards Holland. I worked in the business for a year and then thought that I ought to gain more experience…that way I could return and work with my brother, not for him!

I then came to London and got a job as an assistant in Vogue Studios- working with lots of the world’s best photographers from that period (the early ‘70s). Photographers that I worked with included names like: Irving Penn, Horst, Lord Snowdon, and Henry Clarke. For the longest period I worked with Norman Parkinson and David Bailey, travelling to all corners of the globe- including fashion shoots in the Seychelles and the Caribbean.

K: When did you begin contributing to WWD?

T: Whilst at Vogue Studios, I started to freelance for the London office of WWD and then I was asked to join them as their London photographer. This I did. I worked for them as a “Staffer” for the next thirteen years or so, travelling to all the fashion cities to cover the shows and what we called “advances” in the run to the shows.

K: What was your training, education, work experience like?

T: Well, [I began] photographing designers as they worked on their new collections- Yves St Laurent, Lagerfeld, Marc Bohan for Dior, Ungaro & Co. in Paris, a young Armani & Versace in Milan, Valentino in Rome (etcetera, etcetera). Plus, of course, [I photographed] the London crowd. I also did travel, business, and lifestyle stories, as well as home & abroad, where I photographed Mrs. Gandhi in the garden. (That was where she was assassinated three months later). I shot in the USSR, Hungary, South Africa, USA, and pretty much most of Europe. Some of the trips included photographing the [previously mentioned] designers in the various homes or on their yachts and skiing, etc.

Then, in 1976, I was asked by the New York office of Fairchild to head up their photographic service in New York. At the same time the fledgling W Magazine asked me to be their Photographic Director (well, John Fairchild did.) I declined both which was perhaps my biggest mistake…but I don't regret the decision.

K: What suggestions would you have for someone starting in your career field today?

T: Don’t! (laughs) No, I’m only half-joking…but experience in the field is the best kind.

K: How has your field changed in the last two years?

T: Hmmm…last two years not so much. It’s more the last five to ten, with the advent of Digital. Most of all the immediacy of the shoot to get it to the publication...either in hard copy papers or on websites. Often, we [photographers] have to get images sent across the world over night or in the same day in order to get them "up on line."

Also, there are now masses of websites and hundreds of people who call themselves photographers- but are really just auto camera operators. Plus, a lot of the websites and freebie papers don't seem to care much about quality, either. This seems to have driven the price of photography down.

K: How has the online news cycle impacted your industry?

T: There are constant late requests for work to be shot and final images are literally needed almost before they are taken!

K: What have been some of the highlights of your career at WWD?

T: Let’s see. Certainly working as an assistant to Norman Parkinson. Yes, photographing Princess Anne's wedding and her engagement photographs. The trips to exotic locations. Photographing Mrs. Gandhi in a relaxed way as we “sitted” and chatted on her lawn in Delhi. Sometimes seeing an image used and thinking that's a nice “pic” before realizing that I took it. Meeting some really super people who are big in their field and realizing how humble they are. (There is also the opposite when people think that they are so much more important or better than they really are.)

K: What are some of the challenges you face as a photographer?

T: Keeping up with the equipment! It used to be that a film camera would last for years. Now, there is an update every few months. Plus, the expense and update of computer equipment, which is really an extension of the camera now.

K: What are the most important factors governing career success in your industry?

T: Luck! And also, being around to appreciate the luck when it falls into your lap. The best job is the second one from a client...it means that they liked the first one I did for them!

K: What does WWD look for in a new hire?

T: I hope they don't…as I have been involved with them photographically for the past 40 years or so and have no plans of putting on my lens cap just yet!

But, I suppose, they would look to what they were replacing; good looking, easy to get on with, quick to learn what's required, have ideas, turn up on time or just before, deliver the goods without being told what's wanted each and every time. [Someone] reliable. Don't become repetitive and stuck in old habits. Don't become repetitive and stuck in old habits. Don't become repetitive and stuck in old habits. Don't become repetitive and stuck in old habits. Look for the interesting.



So that’s Snappy Tim in a nutshell. Check out his website, www.timjenkinsphoto.co.uk, to see more of his photos! I hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know him as much as I have.

But for now he is off to shoot the chaos at Glastonbury (aka Woodstock)! Geez…what a coooool dude!

Cheers. xo.

KTea

30p to Pee

So last night in Professor Elins’ class we came to the unanimous decision that the US needs TOILETS (at least more than we need Nutella cereal, Cadbury McFlurries, or MTA doctors).

But not just any toilets. Like London has, NYC needs to get public restroom stations…that are literally cleaner than our bathrooms at home.

For only 30p- sometimes more, sometimes less, sometimes FREE- London offers the public access to immaculately clean toilets. These rest stops work wonders for those of us who just can’t hold it anymore!

…And if London has it, why don’t we?

We all know what it’s like to have to go at the most inconvenient times. Sure, you can try to walk into a store, bat your eyelashes, and ask to use the bathroom- but you know they will say, “No, we don’t have one.” Obviously, that's a lie.

Well my friends, problem solved! NYC must supply us with this service, ASAP. By simply placing public restroom stations around the City, we can all rest assured that having to go will never be an issue. Of course, NYC is going to have to charge a fee to pee- otherwise you can bet that the restrooms won’t stay tidy and/or they will become homes to the bums (for once, no pun intended). Hey, I know I’d pay…when ya gotta go, ya gotta go!

So what do you think about NYC getting toilets? Wait! Hold that thought…

Keep holding it…

Keep holding it…

Cheers. xo.

KMR

A Citygurl'z Solo Shenanigans

Something strange happened this weekend…all three of us Citygurlz went our separate ways! Steph flew off to Amsterdam, Lynny ended up with stitches in her finger, and I spent the weekend with my special Cityboy…yep, that's him with the baby blues!

While I’m still waiting to hear all the deetz on the Amsterdam trip and the hospital visit, I thought I’d share a little about my fun weekend activities.

1. Tate Modern

This giant collection of artwork is literally amazing! Tate is comparable to a modern version of the MET in NYC. After weaving through five massive floors of sculpture, paintings, photography, and featured exhibitions, Cityboy and I spent another hour shopping for artsy literature in the bookstore. The museum’s ultra trendy vibe and posh atmosphere make it a great FREE afternoon destination for anyone interested in modern art, fashion, and/or design! (This was my favorite painting: Derain's 1905 portrait of Matisse, French co-founders of Fauvism.)

2. Lisson Grove

I thought I had tasted some pretty decent fish-n-chips…but boy was I mistaken! Tim (WWD photog who I’ve mentioned a few times now) recommended a quaint little pub on the corner of Lisson Grove that’s famous for their fish and chips. The most delicious meal I’ve had in London, the halibut practically melted in my mouth. The crisp of my chips went perfectly with the fizz of my Pimms. YUM!

3. Abbey Road

Cityboy and I made sure to fit in a leisurely stroll to the famous Abbey Road. Despite a minor detour, (everyone now knows that I am TERRIBLE at directions) we arrived to the famous intersection! Being the groovy tourists we are, we had the iPod blasting Beatles tunes. (Corny, I know…but I couldn’t help it!) After posing for a Beatle-esque pic in the rain, the clouds parted and we boogied to the tune of “Here Comes the Sun”…all the way home. (I bet you would've done it, too...)

So, despite the Citygurlzxo temporary separation, my weekend shenanigans were simply brilliant! And with one more busy week to go here in the UK, you can rest assured there will be more posts to come!

But for now, I think I'll go fix a 'cuppa' as I wait for the other two Citygurlz to return from their weekend adventures!

Cheers. xo.

KT

London Bridge is Falling Down...because we ate too much!!

The Citygurlz all agreed that Saturday (June 11th) was the second best day of our lives! (Being the trendy Citygurlz that we are, first place goes to our Saturday spent in Paris!)

But back to this past weekend. We walked across the London Bridge and literally, ended up in heaven. And by heaven, we mean Borough Market. This food market, located in South London, is definitely one of the best things to do on a Saturday afternoon. You can walk through the market and sample everything (we mean everything!) from Mediterranean dips, to brownies, to jams and spreads, and even… drunk cheese! (Who even knew there was such a thing?) Each wheel has been aged for at least 18 months in either red or white wine before it's served. Believe us, it tastes delicious!

Over the course of three well-fed hours, we sampled savory jams, olives, British cheese, mozzarella cheese, ham (trimmed from a pig's leg-hoof still attached- right in front of our eyes), cured meats, ice cream, chocolate covered everything, nuts, hummus, apples…we stuffed ourselves full! Literally, we tried so much food that when it was actually time to sit down and eat a real meal, we couldn't even think about it! (Ok, that’s a lie... but our stomachs would have exploded if we tried to fit in one more thing).

OH! And we forgot to mention that we got to drink sangria and Pimms while exploring the market. And, BONUS: it didn’t rain at all…these things definitely made our day a big hit!

The perfect ending was making our way to Brazil, aka sassy nightclub, Guanabara! It was our friend Jamie’s birthday and he planned for us all to go out to this Brazilian disco. There, we definitely had the chance to dance off all the food we ate at the market… and then some!


Cheers. xo.

Lynny (reporting on behalf of all three Citygurlz!)

WWDetails on my internship!

Greetings on a quiet Monday afternoon at the WWD London office. As I kick off the third week at my internship, I’m feeling productive, confident in my duties, and ready for whatever the new week may bring!

(By the way, this post has taken me a while to submit because, “Snappy Tim” as he likes to be called, keeps interrupting me. Tim Jenkins, who I interviewed last week, is a freelance photographer working in the office. I was lucky enough to receive a tea-making lesson from this true, jolly Englishman!)

So far, I’ve established (and mastered) my morning routine. As soon as I get into the office, I sort through the daily newspapers in search of articles which Sam or Nina could possibly report on in an issue of WWD. (Samantha Conti and Nina Jones are the publication’s contributors here in the London office.) Once I’ve flagged, photocopied, and organized the stories, I submit them for review and move onto my next task; the WWD London archives.

Quite like scrapbooking, I find each new article that Sam or Nina have written (either published in a WWD issue, online at wwd.com, or in Footwear News) and archive them into a huge collection. I always take a few extra minutes to read through their WWD articles from prior issues. It’s been a great way to study Sam and Nina’s writing styles and also, it's helpful in recognizing what exactly WWD looks for in a contributor.

And from that point on, my tasks vary. My most challenging duty thus far has been transcribing an interviewwith author, Hugo Vickers, conducted by Samantha. They discussed the later years of the Duchess of Windsor- a rather tragic story. While the interview was loaded with interesting details, it took quite some time, loads of concentration, and a couple cups of tea in order to fully transcribe. All I can say is, that English accent is a little harder to understand than I anticipated!

In the midst of answering phone calls, trying to fix broken office equipment, and running errands in the neighborhood, I find time to familiarize myself with the London culture through speaking with the staff here. Tim and Catherine, the Editorial Coordinator, are always giving me new places to go for the best shopping, dining, dancing, and sight-seeing. And when I’m not learning how to make the perfect cup of tea, I’m certainly learning what it takes to make it as a successful fashion journalist.

Cheers. xo.

KT (and my leopard pants)

MK is A-OKAY!

So, I've completed the first week at my amazing internship (after the downfall of GG's footwear company, I'm now at Michael Kors) and I could not feel more productive! My typical day at Michael Kors is one of responsibility, pressure, and managing to get ahold of this season's most wanted goodies.

This week at the office, I covered press from the latest social events. Just recently at the MTV Movie Awards, Blake Lively wore a skintight blue dress from our Pre Fall collection. The press that she attracted to MK was beyond amazing! I also covered the press for the CFDA awards. We dressed both Miranda Kerr and Ashley Greene (two gorgeous gals) in MK's new Resort collection.

Aside from press coverage, I read through stacks of magazines and newspapers to scout out the company's mentions. Needless to say, I sipped about five cups of coffee in the process (no, I haven't acquired the taste for British tea just yet).

With two weeks to go, all I have to say is...Be careful, Michael Kors, because this City Gurl might take over real soon!


Cheers. xo.

Steph

London Lingo: 5 Words to Know Before You Go!

Okay, friends, listen up! If you’re planning on coming to London, here are FIVE KEY WORDS that you are going to need to know…words you aren’t going to learn in school.

That brings us to Word #1: SCHOOL
-Don’t say you are here (studying in London) for a school trip unless you want everyone to think you are a pathetic, high school teenager. Instead, say, “university.”

Word #2: THICK
-This one is a little naughty. (The whole expression is: “Thick as pig sh*t,” BUT we’ve all heard it used in the offices of our internships, so we must inform you). When someone says, “I’m so thick,” it really means something like, “Ugh, I’m so out of it.”

Word #3: FIT
-When a guy calls a girl fit, he is not taking note of her extreme muscle tone or sculpted biceps. A fit girl is a HOT girl.

Word #4: PULL
-If someone asks you to pull, you better be ready to pucker up. In London, to pull means to kiss! xoxo

Word #5: PISSED
-This one has caused a lot of confusion, so take careful note! When someone says, “I’m soooo pissed,” it does not mean that they are super mad at you. What they are really confessing is that they are, ohh you know, highly intoxicated.

Well, we hope this helps (obviously, it will). When in doubt, just speak with a British accent and add a, “Jolly good!” at the end of everything!





Cheerio. xo.

Katie (aka Rynny from citygurlzxo)

City Gurlz xo Land Abroad: A Juicy Ketchup!

'Ello from London! We're finally here- after months of waiting and planning, planning and waiting- the City Gurlz xo have made our mark on European territory! With umbrellas, Oyster cards (aka Mermaid cards...we can explain later), and cameras in hand, we've explored some of London's most beautiful and exciting sights...and we even managed to squeeze in an afternoon with the Queen, chatting over biscuits and tea...(that might not be entirely true).

Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and the London Eye all filled our cultural buckets to the brim...but nothing compared to the buttery crispy delight of our first taste of fish and chips.

And while we failed at our attempts to make a Brit palace guard giggle, we succeeded at being the ultimate fashionista tourists on the streets of London (Yes, we are willing to lend out our hats for a small fee).

OH...and just for fun, the City Gurlz xo have created an online profile on a well known, prestigious dating website in hopes of finding new friends to explore the city with. While we definitely aren't looking for love in London, we are always looking for a great time (and a cheap glass of wine).

Cheerio. xo.

Lynny, Rynny, Stephaninnie