I know I haven’t written for a long time…when Thomas reminded me to do any entry, I was like, “But no one reads this except my mom!”  Maybe that’s not true, and even if it is…I still love having this blog.  Things have just been really busy.  Hot Danish Artist Thomas Warming and I are working on a huge project…probably one of the most intense things I’ve ever worked on, and one of the biggest opportunities…vague, I know.  I can’t say more, though, except this…no matter what happens, I’m thrilled to have had this chance to challenge myself as an artist and person.  And having the support of my family and friends during this undertaking means more than anything…

So, at least for a while, I won’t have time to do written blogs.  But we haven’t stopped taking pictures and having crazy experiences (of course!)  So here is a photo-blog of the past few months!

 MAYA’S BIRTHDAY!:

my birthday!

The most amazing boyfriend in the world...somehow finds and gets me a collection of autographed burlesque photos...he found them online in a tiny shop in Massachusetts.

Thomas hangs them up

without a doubt, the best birthday gift I've ever been given...and THE BEST kæreste in the universe! I love you, Thomas! (and I love "my girls")

and what is a birthday without taking out old high school notes Emo and I wrote in Chem Com?! "Oh my god, did you see My So Called Life last night? Jared Leto is HOT."

THOMAS’S DREAM COME TRUE:

we go to the geekiest screening of all time

sneak into the VIP meet and greet on the dock...free wine and a gorgeous view and the "geek elite"

meet lots of uber-fans

And Thomas sees his hero! And no kidding, Thomas's face looked like a six year-old on Christmas morning. And Shatner made the best speech ever, about how we should pretend we were aboard the enterprise and the film was entertainment provided by the Klingons or something totally nerdlicious like that, I didn't quite get it but everyone else seemed to understand and went crazy!

the documentary was pretty hilarious

 MY MOM’S SHOW IN PHILADELPHIA:

My mom on a poster with a gun for her one-woman show at UPenn...how freaking cool is that?

MY PARENT’S NEW NEIGHBORHOOD IN TEXAS:

is on a nature preserve

the deer are everwhere

...just posing for people

THOMAS’S GORGEOUS AND BRILLIANT MUTT VISITS FROM DENMARK:

AND WE GO TO NAWLINS’:

AND MEMPHIS:

making even MORE friends

Stax museum

Thomas at the Soul Train exhibit

Drama Queen

AND BACK IN NYC:

Ina fits in perfectly in NYC! Just another New York evening

We had a blast with Ina, and we miss Danish Mom!

OF COURSE, HALLOWEEN:

Danish Elvis/Okie Bettie Page

More later…for now, I’m kinda tired:

Favorite Danish Artist Pastime: taking pictures of sleeping girlfriend

I have a very close family.  Unfortunately,  both my grandfather’s died before I was born…and both my grandmothers passed years ago.  So meeting Thomas’s grandmother Helga was extra important to me.

Thomas adored his grandparents, and the minute I met his grandmother it was obvious why…and it was obvious she adored him too.  The moment she saw him it was like she’d been lit from within.

Unfortunately, she passed away last week at the age of 97.  She’d gotten sick very quickly.  But when I met her last summer, I was immediately struck by her warmth, energy, kindness.   She was incredibly close to her daughter (Thomas’s mom) Ina.  She had a joyful, loving spirit about her.  She was a ball of energy…she still got up at five every morning.  She was very independent and, even though I can’t speak Danish, I could just tell she was as hilarious as the rest of her family.

Helga showed us her town and fed us massive amounts of deserts and gazed lovingly at her grandson…and made fun of Thomas and I when we went to sleep on her floor (she totally called us out…I mean, she was 97 and didn’t need a nap, but we did!).

She visited the grave of her husband every single day.  He was buried in this gorgeous church overlooking the sea. There is something comforting about knowing that now she’ll be near him.

She was charming and vivacious…and it was such a gift for me to meet her.  And I’ll always feel lucky to have had a wonderful day with her.

I wrote about her here.

R.I.P.

Portraits Thomas painted of his grandparents:

Well, I haven’t gone this long without a post for a while…and I miss it!  Crazy how this blog turned into a kinda journal/scrapbook for me.  Albeit a public one (and therefore a pretty damn narcissistic endeavour)…but still.  I’m not sure if anyone even reads it (besides my mom…love you mom!) but having a place to reflect on everything going on kinda rocks.

Life has been crazy lately…lots of writing projects in process and nearing completion. And some just beginning (crossing fingers!)

And some big opportunity that I can’t talk about here yet…but, if your out there, think good thoughts for me!!!!

More later…for now…VEGAS!

Went with the Dane for Gemma’s wedding (one of my oldest and closest friends) …she and her family came from England.  And I haven’t seen her in SO LONG.  So of course as soon as I saw her I started bawling and used a line she says she’s been hearing FOREVER from me:  “I can’t help it.  I’m an emotional American, okay?”  But she looked gorgeous and I felt like no time had passed and the wedding was really, really lovely.
LOVE YOU GEMMA!

Seeing Vegas with Hot Danish Artist Thomas Warming was a TRIP.  Seeing Vegas with a European is a TRIP.  Seeing Vegas with a guy who already sees spaceships in his head on a regular basis…well, that was perfect!

Of course I wanted to stay in a fancy-ass hotel (i.e. Bellagio)…but Thomas was pretty intense we stay in somewhere historic…hence, the one of the first real Vegas hotels, The Flamingo.  Built to be a desert oasis by Bugsy Malone, he’s still buried on the property…and this place is still rat-pack-tastic!  Totally over the top.  I mean, kinda trashy…but that’s the best part. And what really sold us on the place?  THE GO ROOM, complete with pink neon lights:

Hallway to Heavan...

White Vinyl Headboard = CLASS

Another perk…the live flamingos:

And how can you not love a place where they are having a “booty-shaking contest” at 11 am by the pool?  I mean, you wake up all hungover, haven’t even had your coffee…and there are Ohio housewives (nothing against Ohio housewives…these were the Jerry Springer kind) in string bikinis drinking margaritas and shaking their ass…freaking awesome)  You know that shit don’t go down at the Bellagio!

The Flamingo is all about subtlty:

This Elevator Was Pepto-Heaven

The Marie Osmond Showgirl Doll (the creepiest collector's item in existance)

Flamingo Gift Shop

Downtown Vegas is still the best:

the hardworkin' cops of Old Vegas

The oldest casino in Vegas, the Golden Gate:

this was hidden in the back, right by the cafeteria

This dude worked at the Golden Gate for 37 years

Other favorite moments:

this stingray fell IN LOVE with Thomas and stared at him with his freaky fish face for a full two minutes

The Brooklyn Bridge (at NY, NY Casino)

The Stratosphere...Gemma's wedding dinner was on the top

Found this amazing club at the Luxor called “The Cathouse”…it was meant to look like an old-school brothel.  Of course we took advantage of the awesome decorations:

At the top of the Stratosphere

We went to LA… only for one day for a meeting (i.e. secret good wishes)…but we did get to stay in my favorite hotel, where celebrities go when they don’t want anyone to find them, The Biltmore.  I once saw a super-trashed Dennis Rodman hanging out there…he was hiding out while being sued for punching a paparazzi.

The place is OLD SCHOOL.  It was “the hotel”…in the 40′s, at least.

this is where they filmed that part of Pretty in Pink at the prom...y'know the one. Ducky shows up and saves the day.

They have the best pool:

And, of course, we went to my favorite Denny’s ever on Sunset in East Hollywood.  The one frequented by drug dealers and prostitutes (and the people who truly appreciate them…us!)

Q: How to turn your sophisticated European boyfriend into a true American?

A:  Denny’s Sizzlin’ Breakfast Skillet at 4 am

Hence, the greatest picture EVER:

NOTE:  As always, 95.9 % of the pics in this blog were taken by Hot Danish Artist Thomas Warming.

To all my loved ones:

I’ve been doing quite a bit of freelance writing work…so I set up a website!  I actually love doing this.  Teaching and consulting keep my own work fresh.

Please spread the word to anyone you know who might need these services and I will give you a finders fee (and by finders fee I mean a coffee at Starbucks…maybe even the new 32 oz “Trenta”!)

But seriously, I do appreciate it!

Love,
Maya

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