That’s my Uncle Buddy!

He used to hand-paint old-fashioned temporary tattoo transfers and sell them at a rickety little stand on the boardwalk. The first time he ever applied one on me, I was so afraid it was going to hurt (and he may have played up that fear just a little). There was the stickiness of the tattoo on my arm, the cool, wet sponge and then incredibly, the tattoo was on my skin and the paper was perfectly clean, if not a little slimy. It was SO COOL. I remember playing in the tattoo storage closet and being what felt like waist deep in Ninja Turtles, Bart Simpson heads, snakes coiled around daggers and MOM hearts. Each one was slightly different, a product of the slightest tremor or shift in focus.

Remember when the simple things were the most magical? I love those rare moments when passion and creativity blend into a delicate simplicity.

From the warm Honeysuckle of 2011 to spicy Tangerine Tango of 2012, we cool things down in 2013 with Emerald.

“The most abundant hue in nature, the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “As it has throughout history, multifaceted Emerald continues to sparkle and fascinate. Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal and rejuvenation, which is so important in today’s complex world. This powerful and universally-appealing tone translates easily to both fashion and home interiors.”

Emerald. A dreamy hue the oozes luminosity and magnificence. It’s the bold color of majestic fictional cities where the weak make a pilgrimage for missing parts. It’s the color of cascading baubles sprawling the aristocratic bosom of your Great Aunt Gertrude. It’s the shade of memories longing to be forgotten swirling into oblivion and bulbs breaking through rich Spring soil, glistening beneath a late frost.

Destinations // San Diego, CA. New York, NY. Coney Island, BKNY. Dublin & Killarney, Ireland. Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagoya & Osaka, Japan!

What I did // Finished my 1/4 sleeve of velociraptors. Graduated from SIDESHOW SCHOOL in Coney Island USA. Witnessed the wonderful weddings of Maizie, Billiam, Incredibly Good-Looking Man, and Step-cousin Greg. Got ENGAGED (to a magician. With a curley mustache. For REAL!). Saw System of a Down, Deftones, Radiohead and everyone at Mayhemfest! Fought against Stickergate 2012. Voted for the third time in my life in a third state for a third man with two first names. Survived Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy & helped those who weren’t so lucky. Went to the Ugly Mug Froth Blowing competition in Cape May. Attended my first Flyers game and had a BLAST! Saw Blue Man Group and Penn and Teller. Went to Philly ComicCon. Saw Jim Gaffigan with Liz. Fed wild monkeys in Kyoto. Wrote prayers at Meiji Shrine. Shopped at Shibuya 109 where Japanese ladies of UNREAL beauty giggled and gushed at me. Learned to pour the perfect pint of Guinness at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. Hiked to the TOP of Fushimi Inari. Learned the art of horror makeup, specifically bruising.

Most-played albums // Imagine Dragons * Night Visions. Of Monsters and Men * My Head is an Animal. The Bravery * The Sun and The Moon. Japandroids * Celebration Rock. The Wombats * The Wombats Proudly Present…This Modern Glitch. Mumford & Sons * Babel. Foster the People * Torches. Nick Bone & The Big Scene. Bush * Sea of Memories. Django Django * Django Django

Most-loved television & movies // American Horror Story! True Blood, of course. Face Off. Frankenweenie (I CRIED! In a KID’S movie! 3 Times!). Revolution. Grimm. Paranorman. Dark Knight Rises! Wreck-It Ralph. Les Mis (Seriously? Let’s just give Anne Hathaway all the Oscars. In every category.Best Animated Short? Anne Hathaway. Sound Mixing? Anne Hathaway. All the Oscars.)

Top five purchases // Vintage 1970′s greaser motorcycle jacket in Park Slope. My FIRST brand NEW car! Original (working!) GameBoy system. Engagement dress & accessories. Betty Page dress in San Diego.

Style obsessions // Wearable art. Vintage. Red lips. Betsey Johnson. My grandmother’s jewelry. Ecru. Hayden Harnett handbags, though that’s nothing new! Caramel curls. Cartoon colors. Active ink. Betty Page. Tarina Tarantino. Literally everything on Modcloth. My wishlist there exceeds $2,500.    

Best things I did for myself // Went back to the gym. Quit red meat & poultry & went pescatarian. Earned a Mini-MBA in Digital Marketing from Rutgers University. Traveled to the opposite side of the world ALONE. Planted a vegetable garden to make my home more sustainable. Jumped out of my comfort zone at sideshow school.

Top five events // Giants vs Patriots! Philadelphia Chocolate Tour. Sneaking into SDCC and rubbing elbows with Alcide Herveaux. The Cape May Froth Blowing Competition. The Big Cheesy.

Best eats //  Sprinkles cupcakes. Molecular gastronomy meal at WD-50 (especially the Rice Krispie Treat at the end). Boxty (thicker than a crepe, thinner than a pancake wrapped around your heavy Irish meal like a burrito) in Dublin. Melt Bakery ice cream sandwiches (Thai Fighter!). BBQed Wild boar (because when in Japan…). Marcie Blaine chocolates. Aburi Hotate at Pintokona, a Kaiten style sushi restaurant in Roppongi Hills, Tokyo. Donuts from Fractured Prune OC! Real onigiri in Japan. Green Tea ice cream from Franklin Fountain. Grilled cheeses from Melt Shop.

Favorite apps // Whisper. Moleskine. NY Giants (great for those times I just can’t catch the game!). Stubhub (thanks for all the summer concert tickets). Viggle, my TV watch-along buddy. Tokyo Teleport Plus! (SUPER helpful preparing for my Japan trip).

Best chocolates // Vosges Haut Chocolates * Balsamico (12-year aged balsamic vinegar + dark chocolate + Sicilian hazelnut). Meiji * Meltykisses (milk chocolate that turns into buttery silk on your tongue). Marcie Blaine * Bombay Wink (Madras Curry + coconut + gold leaf). Teuscher * Pink Pepper Bar (mild dark chocolate + Madagascar pink pepper). Marcie Blaine * Prosecco (sparkling wine truffle). Vosges Haut Chocolates * Black Pearl Bar (ginger + wasabi + black sesame seeds + dark chocolate).

Top games // Paper Mario: Sticker Star (3DS). Pokemon Black/White 2 (DS). Scribblenauts Unlimited (3DS/ WiiU). NintendoLand (WiiU).

Best new traditions // Nights making s’mores around the fire with a bottle of wine. The Big Cheesy. Phillies Home Openers. Christmas Eve ornament-of-the-year hunt.

Couldn’t be without // Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Red Dahlia. My 3DS. A pile of Moleskines in my purse. A scarf (amassed and wore quite a few this year).

Best reads // The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern! The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. 

Best of 2012 in Photos

Design by Justin Vitti.

The “I Voted” sticker. It’s the election day equivalent of tossing streamers or throwing confetti. It’s a wearable celebration of freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness! For many first time voters, it’s a right of passage.

This morning I marched down to my polling place, whipped the booth curtains closed behind me, valiantly selected the candidates I feel will lead me and my country on to an incredible future, and dramatically pushed the red “CAST YOUR VOTE” button in slow motion. When I burst forth from the election booth, ready to usher in an era of prosperity, I was instead greeted by crushing disappointment and the cold grey glares of elderly volunteers.

As a proud and upstanding American citizen who was raised in the generation of behavioral rewards and psychological validation in the form of gold stars and “You Did It!” printed on adhesive paper, I felt abandoned by my country when I wasn’t immediately presented with a high-five and an “I voted!” sticker. How can I believe in my country when my country doesn’t believe in me? Hey, America! Can you at least hang my vote on the refrigerator?

Getting a sticker for voting: it’s my right, my privilege, my pleasure and someone dropped the ball.

Georgia has beautiful stickers.

Virginia has stickers.

Why should you vote? Easy: Virginia has got Stickers! #Forward2012 http://t.co/WDtb4V6G

—
Christine (Tiney) (@tineytweet) November 06, 2012

California has stickers in every language!

America F- yeah! instagr.am/p/RsdDNKrjgH/

—
zooey deschanel (@ZooeyDeschanel) November 06, 2012

Battleground Ohio has options!

@hellogiggles #IVoted http://t.co/hJYyTX8i

—
Alaina (@Laney0709) November 06, 2012

But not me. I have no way to prove to my local donut shop that I’ve earned that free donut for voting. No patriotic bracelet at Starbucks or BOGO cupcakes for me. Fortunately (or unfortunately) I’m not alone. I was joined by the stickerless masses on twitter.

Stickergate 2012 as heard ’round the country:
Missouri

@scottfaughn most importantly being #stickergate2012 I WANTED MY I VOTED STICKER!

—
Corey Brown (@cjb2m5) November 06, 2012

@turkobitch I think my right to get a sticker is just as important as my right to vote. Where do I mail in my complaint?!

—
Samantha June (@samanthajunebug) November 06, 2012

What kinda shitshow polling place don't have 'I Voted' stickers?! #StickerGate2012

—
Double-Oh Suaven (@DangerSuave) November 06, 2012

#Stickergate2012 instagr.am/p/RsZzolKDG3/

—
Andrea Eberle (@my3ringlife) November 06, 2012

#Stickergate2012 right in my backyard!! http://t.co/dqccOVwm

—
Justin Visible (@JustinVisible) November 06, 2012

Looks like #stickergate2012 in Pennsylvania too. http://t.co/a5vBJQzd

—
Alison Vitti (@AlisonVitti) November 06, 2012

Lisa Frank would never have let this happen. #stickergate2012 #writeherin

—
Cézanne Colvin (@filleosophy) November 06, 2012

Since the polling station didn't give me an "I voted!" sticker.. @chelseaburcz came to the rescue. Need my s instagr.am/p/RsSrlrS98j/

—
Jennine Jacob (@thecoveted) November 06, 2012

I'm still outraged that stickers are not being provided. #stickergate2012

—
Chris Johnson (@Eenfidel) November 06, 2012

My fiance put together this helpful infographic to show the widespread effects of Stickergate 2012. Click to enlarge.

These are the important issues, people. I should have the right to feel like I made a difference by being presented with a sticker upon exiting the election booth. Did you get a sticker for voting? If not, write letters! Tweet to your state government! (Still waiting for a reply from Governor Christie. I’ll update if he comments.)

Or you can download our official Stickergate 2012 sticker fo’ FREE here.

I wrote the slogan. My fiancee Justin designed them. Carl at House of Print made them REAL! Thanks, guys! I’m ecstatic to finally have my sticker:

If that’s not enough, you can earn a badge on Foursquare by checking in and tweeting with #ivoted. Or get a digital sticker with GetGlue:

How to get an "I Voted" sticker in NJ #stickergate2012 RT @AlisonVitti: I unlocked the I Voted sticker on #GetGlue! is.gd/wAhIll

—
Alison Vitti (@AlisonVitti) November 06, 2012

1) There’s a lot of really great archery. And tears.

2) No one really wants to watch the games, but no one can avoid them.

3) Some people train their whole lives to take part in the events.

4) Everyone marches out in their costumes before the host.

5) There are more losers than winners.

With Justin, my personal flavor-ologist, at my side with a bag of limes and a knack for twisting (pun definitely intended) raw ingredients into wicked dishes, we took to the kitchen…

And bam! Your summer just got sweeter.

Procure:

1/2 cup fresh lime juice (approximately 5 limes)
3 T Tequila
2 T Orange Liqueur
1 T Orange Juice
1 1/2 C Confectioner’s Sugar
1 pint heavy cream

Combine all wet ingredients in a medium bowl.
Slowly add confectioner’s sugar, dissolving completely.
Transfer mixture to KitchenAid bowl and mix on “Stir” speed.
Add heavy cream.
Mix for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy, but not stiff.

It’ll look something like this. Roll up your sleeves; it’s messy!

Transfer ice cream batter into KitchenAid freezer bowl.
Mix on “Stir” speed for 20-30 minutes.
Transfer ice cream into a shallow, air-tight container and freeze for 2-4 hours.

Rim margarita glass with raw sugar and sea salt (optional).

Mix some Club Soda, 7-Up and Limeaid in a shaker and fill your margarita glass halfway.

Stick a generous scoop of Margarita ice cream right into the center and then fill the glass to the brim with Corona.

Coronarita with margarita ice cream

Me and Mimi last summer

She commented on how it must have been a boring weekend for me, but I never thought I’d enjoy old movies so much! The stories, the dancing, the beautifully clean and innocent love scenes… these films have a depth that we just can’t recreate in studio blockbusters these days. What made them even more enjoyable was Mimi’s occasional commentary.

“Did I ever tell you that this was the first play I went to see on Broadway with my ladies club?” she asked me during The Bad Seed. Mimi and her friends used to take bus trips up to New York for Broadway shows. Mimi talks about these trips often with me, knowing how much I miss living in New York and how much I get a kick out of hearing what a trip to NYC and a ticket on Broadway cost in her day vs. mine.

We watched Daddy Long Legs and something about Fred Astaire reminded her of Grampi and what a great man he was. He was. I told her that Grampi ruined it for the rest of us girls because no man could live up to what an extraordinary man Grampi was. I told Mimi she got the best one and that was it. She told me again the story of Grampi and his brother getting dropped off at Girard College when they were very young and how Grampi’s little brother was crying so Grampi couldn’t cry because he, at 8 years old, had to be strong for his brother. Fred Astaire sang in the background and it reminded me of Grampi singing.

When she asked me if she’s ever told me how she and Grampi met, for a moment, my brain formed the word “yes.” But I didn’t say it. It’s a story I’ve heard over and over. I’ve written poems about it. I get goosebumps when I tell it. I couldn’t say yes because another part of my brain stopped me. There will come a day when I’ll never get to hear that beautiful story again. There will come a day when Mimi’s voice will be a memory that lives in my head. And I realized that no matter how many times I’ve heard that or any of her other stories, the only response when Mimi asks, “Did I ever tell you…” is always, “Tell me, Mimi.”

It’s really hard to find a photo of Joe Manganiello with his shirt ON.

Alcide arrives on my doorstep 10 minutes early for our Saturday night date. He’s wearing tightish jeans and a grey crew neck T-shirt under a weathered brown leather jacket. I invite him in for lemonade while I finish getting ready. I’m wearing dark skinny jeans and a white tank top under my vintage 1970′s motorcycle jacket with my barely broken in Frye boots. I go easy on the jewelry and makeup, but I do throw on some special occasion mascara.

He sniffs my jacket and even through my perfume he recognizes the scent of its former owner- a packmaster from upstate New York Alcide met on a couple of road trips. He asks if I often date wolves. I can’t tell if he’s joking or not. I tell him I found it in a consignment shop. He gives me a toothy grin, shifts his weight and chuckles at the coincidence. As we head out the door, he nods toward his big black Harley-Davidson. I suggest we ride together. He scoffs at my Honda Rebel, but also looks a little impressed and agrees.

We roll up to a local BBQ joint and stake out a picnic table near the water. He goes up to the window to order for both of us. I check in on foursquare and Yelp, bookmarking the place to review later.

Alcide sits across from me and talks a bit about his surveying company. He asks me about my writing, my childhood and other generic first date topics. He likes my smaller tattoos, but not my half-sleeve. I sense that he feels it obstructs my femininity as he seems to like uber feminine girls. He likes my eyes and curly hair. He says I remind him of the forest at night.

Our food arrives- two hearty plates of pulled pork, baked beans, corn on the cob and lavish slices of corn bread. We debate Carolina vs Texas style BBQ, Louisiana falling somewhere in the middle. We both like a little kick in our sauces. He dives into his plate foregoing his utensils. It vaguely reminds me of the way my dog eats wet food and I find it both endearing and slightly repelling.

I point out that he’s got a little BBQ sauce on his shirt and he nonchalantly tears his whole shirt right off. I am immediately uncomfortable. Alcide senses my discomfort and sheepishly puts his jacket on. We continue pleasant chitchat and discover we have similar tastes in music, movies and meat.

After dinner, we leave my bike and go for a ride on his. Alcide likes that he doesn’t have to give me riding instructions and I like having my arms wrapped around him. Our banter has gotten better and we’re laughing at every red light before careening off into the night again. He stops near a trail in the woods and we walk for what seems like an hour- me clinging to his arm because I’m terrified of the woods at night and him with his free hand gently clasped over mine as he leads me to a small dock overlooking a lake.

I wonder how many dates he brings here as we sit on the edge of the dock with our toes in the water. Alcide seems much more comfortable here. He puts his arm around me and we play connect the dots with the stars reflecting on the water’s still surface. He tells me he feels like he can really be himself around me. I wonder if that’s just a line.

When I start to yawn, Alcide rides me back to my bike and then back to my place. He carries my helmet for me as we approach my door. I thank him for the nice evening and he leans in with a meaningful kiss that lasts just long enough before handing me my helmet. He tells me he had a great time and that he’ll call me next weekend.

He calls on Tuesday and we talk all night.

Bring your useless umbrella. Watch helplessly as the wind not only turns it inside out, but snaps it clear in half.

Fall up the stairs.

Twice.

In the same trip.

Arrive in your office looking like you detoured through the waterpark. Ask your boss if he has a pair of gym shorts you can borrow because, dear God, is there anything worse than soaking wet jeans? Watch him look at you like you’re nuts.

Send the intern out in the miserable monsoon for a pair of stretchy pants from a kind female coworker’s car.

Feel horribly guilty about it.

Change into the stretchy pants. Spend the whole day feeling like that kid who peed her pants in elementary school and had to wear the spare pants from the Nurse’s Office.

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Who says carnies can’t be classy? Can’t you just smell the stale popcorn and fire eater’s fuel? We got engaged one month ago at a molecular gastronomy restaurant on the LES while attending Coney Island Sideshow School. Naturally, we’d love our engagement shoot to reflect our love of sideshow, carnivals and circus chic.

My dress and his suit are the textile embodiment of our personal styles and they also miraculously compliment each other. All we need are some snakes to charm, torches to eat, some sideshow banners and… oh, a photographer as quirky as we are!