So, finally it has arrived. The massive update. It's taken me awhile, I've been putting this off because it seems like it's only getting longer and longer. This update is really a big one.
I made a resolution that in '07 I'll be more frequent with the updates, at least 2-3 times per week as opposed to 1x per week, maybe more we'll see. Anyways, a lot has been going on at Five Four the last 2-3 weeks.
Lets first start off with a wild night. It seems like wild night and Five Four are always associated. As soon as I get back from Hong Kong we had our Christmas party. Going into it, I was still jet lagged and had only slept 3 hours in 2 days, I wasn't looking too make it past 9pm. However, where there is bar there is a way.
The day of the party I decided to have Mr. KB be the polaroid photographer for the evening along with our main man Jon be our digital photographer for the evening. Outside the club we had KB the mascot greeting people as they came in shooting their polaroids. He also happened to be modeling the new Five Four x New Era hat coming out this Spring 2007.
Everyone was ready to snap this evening...
Jon stands in front of the polaroid wall...
I don't know who brought these party hats, but they were kind of funny. Here we have Richard, KB, Davey, Fred, myself and Eman striking a pose for the camera.
This year at Five Four we decided to do a secret santa gift exhange. Branden happened to pick Dee. About 2 years ago Dee went to India to visit some family and brought us back these sandals as presents. They were kind of ugly but Branden and I didn't really say anything to Dee, it was the thought that counts. So Branden decided to package the Air Jersusalems sandals and gave them back to Dee, he was in hysteria.
Max Van Ville stopped by, you may have remembered him from the Fall '07 campaign.
Here we have Jon Alagem aka Teddy Hyde modeling the Five Four x New Era hat.
We then took the party to Element where it got crazy. Steve aka Prince and Davey greet us all for the evening.
Sameer from Five Four thinks he's a pimp. So our intern Little Chris who picked him for secret santa got him a pimp cup to let him feel like he truly is one...or not.
I think he was so enthused the whole evening, he told me the next day he had 15 drinks out of his "pimp" cup.
Richard, Amanda and I strike a pose, pret a porter.
Ray Ray was in town from Detroit, he joined sweaty Branden and dirty Brian for this photo op.
Rachel and Amanda made me the dog in their bun below...that sounds kinda dirty, love it!
Even Lugo was getting down and dirty with Christine.
Oh God, here we go AGAIN, J Dubb out of control, as usual...this guy NEVER stops...EVERYDAYYYYYY!!!
J Dubb and Amanda were getting down to some Bob Sinclair...
After this wild night of debauchery, I had a photo shoot at 7am the next morning for our Spring 2007 campaign. The shoot was shot by photographer Eric Williams and art director Will Ragland. 7am is hard for me on any day, let alone after a night of complete madness. Let's just say I didn't make it to the shoot until 10am, luckily they were still setting up at that time.
Will Ragland gets ready for the big day of shooting.
Set up for one of the shots...
The shoot was styled by Renee Ben-Shmuel and her assistant Amanda...
KB and J Dubb look on from behind the scenes...
Dee, Eric Williams and J Dubb take a time out from the shoot for a heterosexual triple hug..
Oli Trevena and I in between shots.
Day 2 of the shoot was another hectic day. It took longer than expected, but we got what we want. Look out for the new Spring 2007 campaign hitting in the New Year.
The day after this, we had planned a trip to go out to Vegas for our friend Gloria's birthday. Our posse of 9 people first headed to Tao for dinner where we celebrated her birfffffday.
Birthday girl blowing out her cake, she gave the candle a nice blow.
Rachel and I were raised on the mean streets of Hancock Park in L.A. Here we are giving up our gangsta pose...young.
Dee, Ali, J Dubb and I at dinner looking real sophisticated...for once.
In an unlikely move, on our walk to Tryst at the Wynn, I did a gentlemanly move. I gave my jacket to Gloria since she was cold...what's wrong w/me?
As soon as we got to the club, Dee and I got a little excited and started doing these ridiculous bottle dances that made us look like fools...
Dee and I both started the night's festivities taking a little taste of the vodka, making sure it was good for all of us...we're always looking out for others.
The night was getting a little rowdy after awhile, 5 bottles in 1 hour can do that to you.
Gloria was so enamored with J Dubb's ass in his Five Four jeans, she decided to take a flick.
When we popped the champagne, Christine started getting down.
So did this guy, J DUBB. Ya, here we go again, party animal.
After awhile, J Dubb was sitting on the couch and it kinda tipped over...his facial expression is classic.
This shot is even better, here he goes flying off the couch like Superman...he was so proud of himself that his drink didn't spill...what a champ!
By 3am the party was getting out of control, here's Gloria, Rachel and I on the dance floor making faces...the evening only gets younger after this point. We partied until 6am in true Vegas fashion!
The next day was real funny. I got a call from Rachel and Gloria in the evening saying that they were driving home, however they took a wrong turn. They were in UTAH! I mean, who the f**k does that? Utah? I still don't get it.
We finally got back to L.A. on Sunday night and got some much needed rest. The next week would be a busy one.
Got paid a visit by my friends Hollywood club promoters Michael Bellisario and Steve Harlow.
One of our sales reps Alan was in town for the week as well, he always has VERY interesting things to say.
My friends from high school Chris and Dave also stopped by the Five Four office. One is in law school and the other in biz school now, good to see everyone doing well.
Our West Coast sales rep Chris decided to get a haircut for the holidays, he did something very unique to it...see for yourself.
Stopped by Element, saw our friend Eric Dlux spinning.
Jamie from Red Bull thought he was in the North Pole up in the club.
The next night I stopped by my friend Lauren's birthday to wish her a happy one.
Went to meet up for lunch with our friend designer David Appel from Blue Tattoo. One of the funniest dudes I know.
Dee and I went to Nike to check out the 25th year anniversary presentation for the Air Force sneakers. The full Nike experience was truly incredible, they are defnitely the most admirable apparel brand out there overall from a product and branding perspective. Got hooked up with four pair of shoes, all super super dope. Also, got a book about the whole 25 year overview and what's coming out in 2007. Some incredible things coming your way...
Got these new shades from "Dita":http://www.dita.com/. The white Decades, they are FIERCE.
Since I got these shades, I decided I needed some matching kicks to go with it. Dee got me these hot kicks from Dior for Christmas, however they didn't fit so I went to go for an exchange and walked out with 2 more pairs. Peep below, they are fire!
Last Saturday was Brian's birthday, so we did a big dinner then party party.
Here's the birthday boy at dinner.
We sure know how to party.
Brian gets ready for some bubbly.
Downing magnum bottles is not a good look...
But champagne bottles is...
Brian, quite the host, was trying to hook up Gloria with Ali...what a great guy.
J Dubb wasn't getting that rowdy, well not THAT rowdy, but a bit rowdy.
Five Four posse in effect
Steve blessed us with his presence, this guy spends about 3 hours doing his hair before he goes out...
Brian is quite the ladies man. Here he is with Kim, Gloria and Rachel balllllinnnnn. Rachel is yelling out, "utah what what". And what's up with her gloves...young.
Next night was Christmas Eve. Hung out with my friends Mikey, Sammy and Perry. Played some Madden on 360, pretty off the hook.
Next day was Christmas. Celebrated it with my family. Got some nice gifts for my fam, all the guys got Five Four. Food as always was incredible.
My uncle's dog Keegan is off the hook.
I took a photo op with my uncle Carlos and cousin Marcel. Since I had some shades in the car I thought it would be a little more Tony Montana if we did it with shades...my mother thought it was a little bit childish, but then again, who cares.
The day after Christmas we decided to go get our party on. Another fun time.
Ali and I were partying like we were still USC college students.
I guess Santa brought me a gift this year of 3 chicks to dance at our table.
This dude straight up bit this girl's big booty, R Kelly would've been proud.
J Dubb and Glotown show off some tongue action.
There's nothing like a girl with a bottle between her legs.
Gomez gets his angry on.
Saw my main man Michael Bellisario out, always a laugh w/this guy.
We also ran into super producer JR Rotem, who was featured in a past Five Four campaign in 2005. My my, we've both come a VERY long way. Much props to JR for all of his success, if you don't know, you should know who this guy is...one of the hottest producers in hip hop, r&b and pop.
As we were leaving the club we noticed our friends club promoters Nick Montealegre and Frankie Delgado performing a concert outside the club with that big dude that's always outside of the clubs trying to get the drunk white girls to rap with him.
Lastly, it was KB's birthday yesterday. So we got him a nice big cake. KB only announced that it was his birthday about 50 times this past week. In typical Five Four tradition, we got him a cake. But we waited until the end of the day to give it to him so he could sweat a little bit about it. He was starting to get nervous that we forgot about him, when he finally saw the cake he had tears of joy...haha.
And obviously this guy's cake had a trick candle.
Those of you that know KB, when he started at Five Four he was a size large. Now he got a belly and is "between a size l and xl"...that really means he used to be a large but now is an x-large and is in denial that he's a xl. Anyways, here he is enjoying his birthday cake.
And he keeps going on...
And going...
And going...
Wait, now second slice...
That's all, thanks for your patience. Happy New Years. Go USC!