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Wednesday, February 20, 2008

The love-child of Demi Moore and Soleil Moon-Frye + future wife of John Cusack = The Birthday Girl!

Happy Birthday to my left Shula from your right Shula!


This is my favorite photo of you, ever. The fact that I shot this very late one night, after many drinks, tells me that maybe I should be tipsy when I'm actually getting PAID by people to be a photographer.


You came to be the glue that holds A.I. together and kept everything running smoothly a little over a year after I started freelancing there, and since you worked during regular business hours and I freelanced after my day job in SoHo (where I worked from 9-5) until 9pm, it took a little while for our paths to actually cross. The fact that our first interaction was me writing you a note, asking you to leave out a garbage bag for me at the office (because I didn't know where they were, and I was upstairs loft-sitting as well as doing freelance work at the office for D & V, and that our first face-to-face conversation was trying to figure out how to get them to adopt us as their "children" so we could divvy up some of their incredible collections of stuff, along with the additional fact that the first social thing we did together was attend Wigstock in 1998 really says everything about our friendship: Trash, quirky yet valuable collectibles, and hanging out with men in dresses. I kid, I kid. That's certainly where it all started though, and ever since that long day with all of those drag queens, watching Debbie Harry on stage, we've been through a million things together.

You have big plans to marry John Cusack, which will be awfully convenient since he and Jeremy have been friends since childhood. I have seen more concerts with you than everyone in my life put together... From Blondie to The Black Crowes/Jimmy Page, The Stones (Woo Woo!) in several states, Bowie, The Who, Robert Plant.... and I'm sure there are a handful of other shows that have for the moment slipped my mind. We've traveled together, made friends out of strangers together and have of course, quoted movies endlessly together. We'll crush the competition at the next World Series of Pop Culture, I just know it. Who gets lost in a rental car when crossing the border from NYC to Jersey? We do. While we're at it, why don't we (ahem, you) drive the wrong way down Riverside Drive? It's never boring when we're together, and I love that about us!


Who has more fun when shopping for specialty lightbulbs in SoHo for Vince than we do? I mean, really. An entire store dedicated to lightbulbs and we get distracted for 20 minutes putting this magnifying glass up to everything in sight. The cashiers were not amused.


We also stumbled upon Bono's source for crazy glasses during our "shopping for office supplies" afternoon. How we ever actually got work done, I'll never know. In our defense, it was about 125˚ in the city that day. I blame our hijinks on the heat.


"Home" in NYC at D & V's... late, late, late after V's birthday bash. I distinctly remember that we were watching Seinfeld, and love that there is a photographic record of us laughing at it together. How is it possible that this was 10 years ago?


What do we do when we get lost driving around New Jersey? Stop for a photoshoot!


There seemed to be a problem getting cabs that night on the way to the halloween party. I wonder why?


Playing a harmonica duet with Blues Traveler's John Popper


The traditional Sangria & fish tacos at Miracle Grill in the Village. You can tell by the blur-factor that we were on our 2nd pitcher of Sangria, but who could blame us?


Two notable things about this photo: We spotted this shirt mere hours before bowling league that night, and the opposing team was called "The Crack Hos". Unfortunately most of their team didn't show up. Must have been too busy being crack hos.


A REAL PHOTO of Matthew Broderick and his girlfriends, us! This was my last hurrah before moving from NYC to Chicago. Thanks to D&V for tricking me into thinking we had an important client meeting (so I'd dress up) and then taking me to see Night Must Fall, starring Matthew Broderick. You met us afterwards for dinner a few blocks away and we actually ended up seated at the table right next to Matthew & his friends. Only in New York.



Vacation! Catalina Island, California. One of my favorite days ever, even though I got seasick on the ferry ride, which was very, very attractive. That'll teach me to drink warm Coronas on a boat in choppy water! Thanks for getting me out onto the deck and into the fresh air!


Home away from home. The best beach bar, literally IN THE SAND, in Pacific Beach, CA.


What happens when enjoying ourselves on vacation with our favorite B.A.M.F.s Danny and Mikey? EVERYTHING GOOD, that's what.


Awww! You & Mikey, aka "Mr. Zero". Because nobody F**ks with Mr. Zero. Well, except you.


At the 1:30 mark: "They're just standing there, three huge guys. One of them wearing a t-shirt that says, 'Don't F**k with Mr. Zero...'"


Our favorite way to start the day when visiting your mom & Lou in Southampton: The Golden Pear's breakfast burrito. The key is eating it at the beach, of course.


The Three Musketeers: Me, Chris & you. Can you tell that I'm in my happy place?


The Four Amigos: You, Chris, me & Benny. What could possibly top the 4 of us together? Well...


My favorite NYC peeps come to visit me in Chicago for New Years weekend (minus Vince & Donna). This is possibly the only thing better than the previous photo. If I had to rate my happiness when all of us are in the same room, it would be off the charts. I love that Dr. Jason's ass is literally resting in my hands in this photo (and as often as he allows it any other time). Oh, and who's that handsome man on the far right? I don't think we've been formally introduced. HA!


Demi Moore and Soleil Moon-Frye. Somehow you're related to these women, I just know it.

I hope you have the best birthday ever, and I can't wait to see you this summer.... xoxo!

6 comments:

Melisa Wells said...

Happy B-day Shu!! I miss ya, I luv ya, I wish you were here! :)

Can't wait to meet up with you at Egg Harbor Cafe again, or possibly Serendipity, if they get that "problem" cleaned up, or, AHHHHHH...the Miracle Grill for those awesome Margaritas.

I'll have one of my S3 Frozen Hot Cocoa mixes today, in your honor. :)

Love ya!
xoxo

Jen said...

Happy Birthday, Shula! Cheers from Texas!

Anonymous said...

Thanks R'Shu! AWESOME trip down memory lane. MANY MANY... good times to come! XXOO, L'Shu

AutoSysGene said...

Happy Birthday, Shula!!

Spammon said...

I think that it was probably hard to get picked up in a taxi not just because she is dressed like Carrie, but because she has a pleasant smile of "Man, I am so happy" on her face. If Sissy Spacek walked out in her prom dress with wicked grin like that, you better believe there would have been more urine on the theater floors.

Anonymous said...

Happy B-Day dude!!
Love,
Cha