August Peculiar Person of the Month: Lab Technician and Baker Christine Alaimo




Christine Alaimo works on one of her cakes.

Christine Alaimo is one multi-faceted New Yorker. Having graduated with a Masters of Special Education in England this self-professed “lover of all things creative” is working on bridging the gap between special needs children and art. Christine started as a cake decorator to help pay for school, but soon found a new passion in it. Decorating up to 50 cakes a day gave her a lot of time to practice her love of baking and decorating. After graduating she was offered a position at the Cognitive Neurophysiology Lab (CNL) at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. It is a lab that focuses on research around multi sensory processing and integration in children with autism, which is a medical issue that is of special interest to Christine. It still wasn’t enough with a full time job, Christine started her own creative cakes and cupcakes business called Confectionery Therapy.

 
Although challenging at times, Christine admits that her commitment is untiring. After completing her masters, she has set a new goal to open a storefront bakery with a bit of a twist that combines her two passions- creative confections and working with children with autism. Christine bakes up a fresh batch of ideas as she was kind enough to take time out of her schedule to talk about her experience as a young business owner and spearhead in areas of autism research. She shows no signs of slowing down as she is getting ready to start baking classes for children with autism where life skills, social skills, and sensory stimulation are incorporated into a fun and creative environment.


This Peculiar Life NYC: Tell me a bit about you and what you are known for.
 

Christine Alaimo: Growing up, I always had a flair for all things creative or artistic. From a very young age I knew that I absolutely loved creating things- especially when I got to make them pretty! While most kids in high school were wracking their brains to figure out what school to go to and what to major in, my choice was clear; I was going to be an artist. I took every art class I could find, both in and out of school. Among my favorites was cake decorating. I received my B.F.A. from Purchase College, with a specialization in every medium I could get my hands on.  I loved manipulating materials in new ways, and experimenting with design, color, composition, and texture.  However, while I loved every minute of being immersed in a creative environment, I knew that something was missing from my time covered in dye, paint, clay, and glue.

While I was in high school, I had begun volunteering in a school for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. As someone that had always loved art, I migrated to the art room within minutes of my first day. By the end of that day, I was already in love. I continued to work at that school during any free time I had. While I was in college, I even scheduled my classes around days I worked there. Planning lessons for kids and seeing their progress was incredibly rewarding for me (especially when it involved being creative!). Occasionally our classes had access to a full kitchen, where our students would light up with the chance to crack an egg, measure sugar, or stir batter.  As staff, we wished that our students were able to spend more time in the kitchen, because they absolutely loved the experience.

 

After I graduated from Purchase with my B.F.A., I took a chance on applying to a Masters of Special Education program in England to help fill the ‘gap’ that I felt was missing from my life as an artist. To my astonishment, I was accepted and enrolled within a month of applying. In order to support myself while in school, I took on a full-time job of working as the cake decorator in a bakery/ ice cream shop. I quickly found that my place in the kitchen was one that I looked forward to every day.  I loved the challenge of being presented with new flavors to create, and novel designs to conquer.  Being self-taught, my skills were tested every day with the high volume of production required by me as the only baker.  The demand of the shop required me to decorate up to 50 cakes a day, which was quite a challenge for the perfectionist that I am! However, I quickly became very comfortable and confident in my skills, both as a baker and a decorator.

When I graduated with my MA in Special Education, I was offered a position at the Cognitive Neurophysiology Lab (CNL) at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. As the lab focused on research around multi sensory processing and integration in children with autism, I jumped at the chance to work in such an extraordinary environment. While I currently work full time in the CNL, I also now run my own creative cakes and cupcakes business called Confectionery Therapy.  It is an incredible challenge to run a business while working another full time job, but my commitment to it is untiring. Through completing orders after hours, I have gotten used to the fresh morning glow and bird’s chirp of pulling an all-nighter covered in frosting! My commitment is unwavering because of a goal that I set for myself while completing my master’s degree; to open a storefront bakery with a bit of a twist combining my two passions- creative confections and working with children with autism. Confectionery Therapy will hold baking classes for children with autism where life skills, social skills, and sensory stimulation are incorporated into a fun and creative environment.  Currently Confectionery Therapy donates 10% of profits from all orders to autism research, with the hope of opening a storefront within a few years.

 

 

T.P.L. NYC: Between working in a lab and running your own business, how do you find the time to do it all?

C.A.: It is very very hard. There are weeks that go by where I wake up, go to the lab, go home, bake until 3 or 4a.m., sleep, and do it all over again every day of the week. Friday is my busiest day. It is spent pulling all-nighters until at least 8 a.m. I usually get about two or three hours of sleep, and then I have to get up to deliver the cakes I just finished making!

T.P.L. NYC:  What do you think are the best components to making a cake? A special ingredient or perhaps do you listen to music while baking?

C.A.: I do have one special ingredient that I believe my cakes would not taste half as good without: salt. Personally I never liked the kind of cakes and frosting that make your teeth physically hurt because they are so sweet. It is truly amazing what a little pinch of salt added to batter and frosting can do! As for noise while I'm baking, I always have something playing in the background.

T.P.L. NYC: You have some amazing designs, how do you go about creating a ninja turtle or pool ball? Is there a special frosting you use to form the image or do you make your own molds?

C.A.: Having a background in art and design, sculpting edible art is something I love to do. There is no trick to it like making a mold. I bake cakes in regular old shapes like circles or rectangles, layer them and start carving. The frosting acts as a glue that holds everything together, and once I have the shape I desire, I 'dirty ice' it in frosting and let it set in the refrigerator. After that, I roll out fondant, cover the cake, and get down to the details. In my opinion, the execution of a cake is all really in the fine details...which also happens to be the most time consuming piece.

T.P.L. NYC: What is the strangest cake you have had to bake? Tell us how you went about making the concept and what you used to make it so far as ingredients, colors, and textures the actual process.

C.A.: The strangest (edible) thing that I have ever made was actually a design that I came up with for a cupcake competition. The competition required bakers to use a 12x12" space to execute a design with at least a dozen cupcakes. With zombies infiltrating every aspect of the world in games, TV shows, movies, mud-runs, and whatever else, I decided to make some amazingly horrific zombie cupcakes.

 



The Zombie Cake

For this piece, the process I used was very different than anything I had done in the realm of 'edible art' before. I used a low-temperature melting wax to make molds of my hands and fingers, filled the molds with melted chocolate, and let the chocolate harden in the freezer. After chiseling the fingers and hands free from the molds, I was left with casts so realistic, they had my finger prints on them. I chipped away at some of the chocolate and hand painted them with gel food colors to make them look like they were bloody, decaying, and severed. Then, I used crushed cookies and coco powder to cover all of the cupcakes, as well as cupcake stand to simulate dirt. Lastly, I made a deep-red sugar syrup to drizzle over the cupcakes, as well as around the fingers and hands. The result was an amazingly realistic, gruesome, gore, cringe-worthy, and very (delicious) unappetizing cupcake display....and in case you were wondering, I won the contest.

 

T.P.L. NYC: If customers have strange requests for cakes, what are you thinking when they order?

C.A.: I actually get excited when people have strange requests! I love challenging my creative abilities, and making things that I have never made before. The stranger, weirder and more peculiar, the more I love to make it!

T.P.L. NYC: Is there a cake that you enjoyed making the most? Any particular design you can say is your favorite?

C.A.: I'm not sure that there is one particular cake or display that I have enjoyed the most, but my favorites are the things I make that are supposed to look like other things. My personal favorites out of that category are the high heeled shoe cake, zombie cupcake display, and the very realistic cake of a particular male body part.

Yes, it is THAT body part.

T.P.L. NYC: Is there anything that you find hard to make into a cake? What has been the most challenging design you have tried to make?

C.A.: The most difficult things to make are the ones that are supposed to look exactly like something else. If it doesn't look like what it is supposed to, it doesn't look good. For example, the high heeled shoe cake that I made was supposed to be a particular high heeled shoe. It took me over 12 hours to make JUST the shoe, because I had to get it right.
 

 

T.P.L. NYC: Are there any obstacles in making your cakes?

C.A.: Other than figuring out which edible materials would be best in different situations, time is my only obstacle. Unlike other forms of art, you do not have weeks or days to get something right. You have hours, and those hours go by VERY fast when you have a deadline. I take a huge amount of pride in the taste of my cakes, and refuse to send customers anything other than a fresh cake. In order to do that, I have to bake it the day (or at most two days) before delivery. Because of that, I have actually worked on cakes for 25+ hours straight to get them done in time.

 





 

T.P.L. NYC: You are quite young; did you ever think that you would be a business owner?

C.A.: To be honest, no I didn't. It is a huge challenge and at times overwhelming, but the rewards that you see from it are direct. When I get praises from my customers, I know it was whole-hearted and meant for me because I did all of the work. I have been extremely proud of my accomplishments thus far, and I hope that my business just continues to grow.

T.P.L. NYC: You are auditioning to be on Cupcake Wars. What was that experience like? Were there any peculiar stories in making your audition video? How was it received?

C.A.: I first applied in January 2012, at which point I made it to the last stage of casting (there are 4 stages) which was very exciting. Then I never heard anything from them. I reapplied in April 2012, and once again made it to the last stage of casting. This time, however, I received an email saying I was in the final pool of potential participants for Season 7. However, yet again, I didn't hear anything after that stage. I love Cupcake Wars, and would love to be on the show so I'll probably apply again and see what happens. One of the best things that actually came out of applying was the publicity that my business got from casting. Everyone around me finally took my small at-home bakery seriously, and I had tons of customers pouring in!

 

 

T.P.L. NYC: How long does it take you to make your cakes?

C.A.: A very basic standard cake can take me as little as two hours to make. I can also make a standard dozen of cupcakes in about 45 minutes.  The most time consuming part of making a cake is the decoration. Some of my really detailed or larger cakes have taken over 25 hours to make.

 

T.P.L. NYC: Do you bake anything else besides cupcakes and cakes? Is there anything else you would like to learn how to make?

C.A.: I make cookies and cake pops as well, but cakes and cupcakes are my specialty. One thing that I want to get into is molecular gastronomy. I really want to make fruity caviar!

 

T.P.L. NYC: What are some ways you helped to grow your business and build a clientele? Do you have any good advice to people who want to build their own business?

C.A.: I use Google AdWords to advertise online, which is where most of my clientele have come from. I also use Facebook as a means of targeting people I know, and I leave business cards everywhere I go. One of the funniest ways that I have gained customers is through delivering cakes. On multiple occasions while I was making deliveries people have stopped me to ask where I got that 'beautiful cake' or 'adorable cupcakes'. One of my customers was sitting next to me on the bench at a subway station while I was in transit to my brother's house, cupcakes in hand. She asked me where I got the cupcakes, and after telling her about my business and a few minutes of talking, she got up to go home. She apparently had been on her way to a cake tasting at another bakery, and my cupcakes won her over!

 

T.P.L. NYC: What is your favorite kind of cake or cupcake? Any favorite flavors?

C.A.: Typically, I have always been a Vanilla fan. However, after creating over 30 flavors of cupcakes, I have definitely branched out! My two personal favorites are Very Berry (strawberry-raspberry cake, filled with a triple berry compote, covered in blueberry butter cream, and topped with fresh berries) and The Wake-Up Call (buttermilk cake, filled with maple syrup, brushed in maple syrup and rolled in crumbled bacon, covered in cinnamon cream cheese frosting, and finished off with sprinkles of bacon).

 

Capturing the mad science in the lab

T.P.L. NYC: You also work in a lab. Tell me what is the lab like that you work in? Does it have a “mad science” feeling to it or is it kind of like an office space?

C.A.: I do indeed work in a lab, and I would say it is somewhere between 'mad science lab' and office. Actually, it's maybe more like office in the front, mad science lab in the back. Literally.

T.P.L. NYC: How big is your lab? What does a modern day lab look like?

C.A.: I work in a neuroscience lab with about 35 people and a ton of computers for data analysis.

T.P.L. NYC: What are some of the things you work on in your lab?

C.A.: My lab studies multi sensory processing in children and adults with a range of intellectual and developmental disabilities. For example, we look at how the brain processes things like sound and visual stimuli simultaneously, in comparison to how they process them individually. Personally, I am responsible for a range of things including maintaining a database with over 1000 research participants, collecting genetic samples (including blood draws), performing manual DNA extraction, and the organization of study materials.

 T.P.L. NYC: Is there a piece of equipment or technology that most people might not know about that is really cool that you get to use in your lab?

C.A.: Yes! We just finished building a virtual reality room that tracks body movements. We have an experiment where subjects walk on a treadmill while watching photos projected onto the wall. They are prompted to click a button when particular pictures pop up, all while their brain waves are being recorded through Electroencephalography (EEG), and their body movements are being tracked with V.R. sensors.

 

T.P.L. NYC: You have researched autism and have even made charitable contributions to it. Why do you like to study autism opposed to other human conditions?

C.A.: I have worked with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders for over 11 years, and have a Master's degree in Special Needs and Inclusive Education. After working in schools for many years, I saw how children had huge inconsistencies in intervention methods, based on individuals biases. I strongly believe that research is key to understanding the basic brain processing of individuals with Autism, upon which evidence-based practice intervention methods should be built.

 

 

T.P.L. NYC: Is there anything other areas of the human condition that you would like to research?

C.A.: Autism Spectrum Disorder is my main area of interest, but I am very interested in research involving a range of intellectual and developmental disabilities.

 

T.P.L. NYC: Have you ever made any amazing discoveries in your lab?

C.A.: We have had many amazing research papers come out of my lab, and I personally have learned some amazing things while working there.

 

T.P.L. NYC: Any other interests or hobbies that you enjoy that are peculiar or that you would like to share?

C.A.: In general, I am a person that enjoys all things creative. In my spare time if I'm not making cakes or other edible artistic things, I'm making something else. Currently, I am in the process of writing a children's book.

 

T.P.L. NYC: What is the most peculiar thing you have seen under the microscope?

C.A.: Once while manually extracting DNA, I thought I came across an incredible double helix strand that was very visible to the naked eye. However, it turned out to just be fiber from clothing. It was very exciting and peculiar...for a few seconds at least.

T.P.L. NYC: What is the most peculiar thing that you have baked?

C.A.: For people that haven't tried it, my most peculiar flavor is definitely The Wake-Up Call. I have had many sceptics about trying a cupcake with bacon, but so far all that have tried it, love it.

Hard at work

T.P.L. NYC: What is the most peculiar thing you have seen while living in NYC?

C.A.: Everything in NYC is peculiar! I absolutely love NYC, and am a proud resident. Peculiar becomes a way of life here. So much so, that I can't even think of anything peculiar that I've seen recently!

 T.P.L. NYC: What is coming up for you that is new? How can people get in touch with you?
 

C.A.: Right now, I am preparing for another busy season as soon as the fall starts. I am looking to grow my business, and have high hopes of opening a store front before the beginning of 2014.

Watch my website and like my facebook page for news about Confectionery Therapy. We hold contests periodically to win free stuff...and who doesn't like free sweets??

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Confectionery-Therapy/214295845276644?ref=ts

http://www.confectionerytherapy.com/

 

Currently, Confectionery Therapy donates 10% of profits from all orders to autism research. They are hoping to opening a storefront within a few years.

 

 

Phrases to Pages

Phrases to Pages was Pronto Comics first foray into fundraising took place on Saturday July 28^th at Pearl Studios on 8^th Avenue here in Manhattan. The event brought together writers and artists from all over the city to compete for a chance to win prizes. The premise of the event was to get participants to draw and write one comic book page based on a pre-selected phrase. Participants had free range to draw whatever they liked. The quotes selected were from a wide range of people such as Winston Churchill, Dennis Miller, and Mae West.

“It’s really interesting to have writers and artists together for different rounds. It is a really interesting idea. I like seeing the different artwork on display,” said Jack Samson a participant in the contest.

 

Early Participants enter into Pearl Studios

Phrases to Pages also offered patrons a chance to party with food and an open bar sponsored by Brooklyn Brewery and Casa Herradura Tequila. It was a night of margaritas and magic as industry professionals provided additional entertainment. Sean Von Gorman an escape artist and comic book creator performed an escape routine where he freed himself from a straightjacket and handcuffs. Also, aspiring artists had a chance to showcase their work for portfolio reviews and network the room to find creative collaboration.  



Sean Von Gorman escapes from Simon Fraser at the after party at No Idea Bar

 

Teams form to collaborate on their page for the phrase given

Julianne Serrano who was attending the event had this to say: “I liked to see everyone mingle and merge their ideas together. I think it’s a good opportunity for artists and writers to…create something within their aspects of how they want to do things.”

The guest judges were comic book professionals working in different parts of the industry. Colorist and penciler Felix Serrano of Top Cow was the events surprise guest judge. Ken Knudtsen the creator of the independent title My Monkey’s Name is Jennifer and second judge was happy with the turnout.

“I thought it was great. I was amazed at some of the artwork that got turned around in a very quick amount of time. Just seeing the frantic artists, that were not me, turning out a page of comic art in a half an hour. It was amazing. I hope we see [Phrases to Pages] again soon,” said Knudtsen.





 Ken Knudtsen talks with Pronto Comics art director Ellen Stedfeld

Simon Fraser was the events third guest judge. Fraser is a veteran artist and writer for the British based anthology comic magazine 2000 A.D. His new title is The Adventures of Lilly MacKenzie for ActivateComix also thought the night brought together many creative people.

“I thought it was great and there was amazing energy. [One piece of artwork that stuck out to me was for the phrase] “Alcohol is happiness in a bottle”, but I can’t describe [the artwork] because it’s too filthy. We got to talk about comics and how to make them work better right now. So many people there were really passionate about it,” said Fraser.

Guest judges from left to right: Simon Fraser, Felix Serrano, and Ken Knudsten

Pronto Comics is a New York City based comic book publishing collective whose aim is to produce comic books as well as help foster talent and offer advice through social media, podcasts, workshops, and networking events to help aspiring creators break into the industry. To pitch or be a part of Pronto Comics you can visit their website Prontocomics.com. Monthly meetings are the first Thursday of every month at Pearl Studios at 500 8^th Avenue. Interested parties can check their Facebook page (facebook.com/prontocomics) for more information.



A full crowd at the event.

July's Peculiar Person: Editor Leah Hansen

Editor and columnist Leah Hansen is a student of journalism. Her work can be seen in her column on Hourglassy.com a website devoted to the social issues related to women with large busts and the integral workings of bras that suit them. Leah's editorial contributions can be seen with such groups as Romantic Times Book Reviews, Pronto Comics, and formatting and editing a music column on HuffPo written by musician Danielle Evin. Find out what this up-and-coming editor thinks as she straps us in for a firm look at comics, travel, editing, and the rituals of bra wearers around the world.










T.P.L. NYC: You are a columnist on Hourglassy.com, can you tell me a bit about the site and what it offers readers?

Leah Hansen: Hourglassy.com is a blog that focuses on big busts and hourglass figures. It was started by Darlene Campbell, founder of Campbell & Kate (http://campbellandkate.com/), a line of white button-up shirts sized for women with a large bust. Hourglassy focuses mostly on fashion and lingerie, but also some social issues related to breasts. The site is one of many, many blogs that make up a huge, international online community of women and girls with large busts. These sizes are not catered to by mainstream clothing manufacturers at all. It is so difficult to find clothes and bras that fit right when you have a large breast size to rib cage ratio. This community has sprung up so we can help one another find clothes, advice, and often just a sounding board for body-related frustrations.

T.P.L. NYC: What is the column about and how long have you been doing it?

L.H.: My column is called “Off the Rack.” It started with a focus on sewing and altering clothes to fit an hourglass-shaped body; but just as often it consists of me ranting about something boob-related. I’ve been doing it for almost a year.

T.P.L. NYC: Where you assigned to it, or did you come up with the idea yourself and pitch it to the site owner? How does it feel writing about bras? Was the opportunity something that surprised you, or were you in from the start? Did you ever think this would be something you would end up writing about?

L.H.: I found Hourglassy through another forum, when someone linked to a series Darlene had published by another writer, who wrote about her breast reduction. Once the reduction was over with, the writer stopped contributing to Hourglassy, and I emailed Darlene to see if she was interested in a replacement columnist. I had been wanting to pitch an article about bras to a more traditional publication for some time, but never really got around to it. In the end, I feel that a blog is a better fit anyways because it’s less formal and allows me to write about personal experience.

T.P.L. NYC: Between the right breast and the left, which one do you think is the more difficult for women to deal with? Which one do they have the most problems with?

L.H.: First, I think the idea of “dealing” with your breasts is a very unhealthy attitude. Breasts are just another part of the human body. That’s like asking which testicle men have difficulty with. Or, I guess, it’s more like asking which nipple men have difficulty with. There’s no one side that women have more trouble with than the other. That being said, most pairs of breasts are actually not symmetrical. One breast is almost always bigger than the other by at least a fraction. Sometimes there can even be a whole cup size difference between each one. Women should always choose bras that fit the larger breast, because you can use a little padding or a “chicken cutlet” (tan silicon bra inserts) to fill in the other. But there’s nothing you can do to fix quad boob (when the bra cuts into the breast tissue creating the illusion of a double boob) or side boob (when the cup is too small, and breast tissue squishes out under your armpit) on the bigger breast, if the cup is too small.

T.P.L. NYC: What is the biggest misconception about bras?

L.H.: That the letters mean anything at all! Particularly in America, most men and women, and even lingerie retailers, don’t know how bra sizes work. Most important of all is that the letters are variable. When your band size changes, in order to keep the same cup volume, the letter must change too. So if a woman is wearing a 34C bra, and decides the band is too big but the cup is fine, she would need to switch to a 32D to maintain the same cup value. People always assume that A is tiny, DD is huge, and F or up can only be fake. But if the letters are variable, then an A, DD, or F doesn’t mean anything unless you know the band size too. Take the size 28G. Sounds crazy, right? How can someone so thin have such huuuuuuge breasts unless they’re fake? Well 28G would be the same breast volume as 30FF, as 32F, as 34DDD (sometimes called E), as 36DD. And supposedly 36DD is the average American bra size. And consider even bigger bands. 36DD is the same breast volume as 38D or 40C. And since when is a C cup so big? Bras actually go as small as 26 in the band (and some women even need 24, though nobody makes them yet) and as high as N in the cup. And all these sizes are perfectly natural. Women come in all sizes, and trust me when I say that the alphabet does not stop at D. The really frustrating thing is that you read statistic after statistic claiming that the vast majority of American women are wearing the wrong bra size, yet major manufacturers refuse to create bras with bands below 32 or 34 and cups above D or DD. The result is that women have no choice but to wear the wrong size, and have no idea how the sizing is even supposed to work.

T.P.L. NYC: How many bras will a woman go through in her lifetime?

L.H.: Dozens, at least. Possibly up to hundreds. Bras don’t last all that long. The elastic breaks down over time, the bands and straps stretch out, and women’s bodies change enough through a lifetime that they have to refresh their bra collection pretty frequently. How many pairs of underwear will a man go through in his lifetime? It’s probably not that different. Additionally, the way you care for your bra affects its life span. Handwashing in cold water with gentle soap, hanging to dry, and skipping at least a day between wearings (to let the elastic bounce back) will prolong a bra’s life. Don’t ever put a bra in a clothes dryer!

T.P.L. NYC: Do all those expensive bras live up to their hype, or will the ones from K-Mart be better?

L.H.: It really depends on your size. If you wear a 34-38 band and an A, B, or C cup, you can probably get away with cheap department store bras. But most of those kinds of stores don’t carry a 32 or smaller, or a D cup and up. So if your size falls outside that very narrow range (even Victoria’s Secret, the supposed “bra experts,” only carries 32-40 A-DDD, and those DD and DDD’s are very rare—some of their bras don’t even go above C), then you can’t buy cheap bras. You’re stuck with the expensive ones. That being said, in my personal experience, the most expensive bras are not always the highest quality. However, you can often get those expensive bras for less if you know where to look—Figleaves.com and Bravissimo.com (two online stores that cater to large cups and small bands), for example, offer excellent sales if you sign up for their mailing list, and eBay is full of great deals.

T.P.L. NYC: What do you feel the best kept secret is concerning bras? Fill us in for men and women?

L.H.: The internet is a bra shopper’s best friend! Women shouldn’t feel bad or fat for having breasts that go above a D cup. Yes, it is difficult (sometimes truly impossible depending on where you live) to find those sizes in retail stores, but stores will only increase their offerings if consumers demand it. So stop squeezing yourself into the wrong size just because it’s all you can find in person. If you require a band smaller than a 32 or a cup above DD, shop online! There are multitudes of brands and online stores that cater to these sizes, and they don’t only offer full-coverage “granny” bras, either. If you need help figuring out the right size, you can do a free fitting over Skype with Canadian retailer Butterfly Collection (http://www.butterflycollection.ca), or find advice in any of the dozens and dozens of bra blogs. Some of my favorites are ThinAndCurvy.com, InvestInYourChest.co.uk, and BrasIHate.blogspot.com (and Hourglassy.com, of course).

T.P.L. NYC: What bra do you think is the worst?

L.H.: Anything from Victoria’s Secret! Sure, they look pretty, but the company fits such a narrow range of sizes that they’ve really drawn the ire of the big bust community. Plus, VS does a terrible job at fitting women properly—they’re known to put women in the wrong size just to make a sale. If you look at VS catalogs, even their own models are usually in the wrong size, and nearly all are sporting some seriously laughable Photoshopping.

T.P.L. NYC: I have been hearing that women are getting breast jobs more and more, tell us, what is the future for the A and B cup size?

L.H.: It’s true that surgical breast enhancement in the U.S. has increased in recent years (by about 40% over the last decade, according to a 2011 study from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons). However, America is not a litmus test for the entire world. Most women on earth don’t even have access, nor care, about such a surgery. Note, also, that in the world of high fashion, large breasts are not acceptable. So there are still large swathes of people who appreciate or prefer small breasts. So even though the popularity of large breasts may feel pervasive thanks to mainstream pop culture, small breasts aren’t going anywhere.

T.P.L. NYC: Since many women get breast jobs, does that change how bras will fit? In essence, does that make your job harder?

L.H.: Yes, it absolutely changes the way bras fit. Silicon doesn’t move the way human tissue does. There are actually lingerie brands out there that create bras especially for fake boobs. It has no bearing on my job. Whether breasts are fake or real, women still face similar problems with regards to finding clothes for their big-busted body shape.

T.P.L. NYC: Do you ever travel and do demos with models? If so, to where do you go?

L.H.: No, though I occasionally attend lingerie trade shows, such as the yearly Curve Expo.

T.P.L. NYC: When people don’t wear underwear they call it going commando, is there a more technical term for going without a bra other than braless? Do you think you can trademark a word here?

L.H.: Nope, it’s just called “braless.” And since I would never dream of dressing as such (boobs flopping around are painful), I have no interest in coming up with a new word.

T.P.L. NYC: How do you feel about man boobs? Do you think you could write a column on helping men out?

L.H.: Breast reductions have apparently been growing among men in recent years. But even men who have “moobs” do not face the same stigma or clothing problems that large-breasted women do. So I definitely could not write a column for men. I don’t even know what kind of help they would need. Plus, man boobs are usually the result of being overweight, whereas women can be perfectly healthy and very skinny while still having naturally large breasts. And men don’t get catcalled on the street, groped on the subway, or called a “slut” by complete strangers just because they may have larger than average boobs. There is simply no comparison.

T.P.L. NYC: What do you feel is the biggest mistake women make when putting a braw on?

L.H. Well buying the wrong size is the biggest mistake. But another mistake is that many women don’t do the “swoop and scoop.” In fact, many women smush their boobs down into the cups, often because they're wearing the wrong size and this is the only way to get the bra to “fit.” Once a bra is on, you need to use your hand to scoop up all the breast tissue from the outer side and pull (or swoop) it into the center of the bra. Once you do this, you may notice that you’re getting quad boob. This means you have the wrong size and need a bigger cup.

T.P.L. NYC: Is there a bra that men prefer more than women?

L.H.: Men seem to prefer when women wear bras that are too small, because it squishes your boobs together and makes them look extra cleavage-y. However, an improperly fitting bra can lead to breast tissue migration, back pain, bad posture, quad-boob, and just plain discomfort. So I don’t recommend it as a routine choice. It must be noted, though, that not all men prefer big boobs. Some do like small ones, some like medium ones, some like fake ones, and some don’t care at all as long as they’re there.

T.P.L. NYC: How do you research new topics for your column?

L.H.: Since a lot of my columns are about sewing, I just photograph all the sewing projects I’m doing anyways, and turn them into an instructional blog post. If I get a new product or bra, I write a review. I don’t really do a ton of research, I mostly just notice something and file it away in my brain for a later post. Like a few weeks ago, I was window shopping in the cheapo clothing stores on Broadway between Canal and Houston (Amsterdam Boutique, Necessary Clothing, Chill, etc), and found a bustier top covered in spikes. It was so bizarre and out of place in the store, and got me thinking about “dangerous” breasts. So I ended up writing a column about that.

T.P.L. NYC: Of all the columns you’ve written, which one do you remember, or stands out, the most to you?

L.H.: The ones that get the most comments and discussion definitely stand out the most. That’s how I know it was a good column. I recently wrote a post about how annoyed I was that Modcloth.com is selling a bra from the line Parfait by Affinitas. That brand specifically caters to women who have a small band size and large cups, but Modcloth doesn’t offer the full range of sizes and lists useless fit information, which is completely contrary to the whole point of the brand’s mission. I thought it was kind of a throwaway column, honestly. It was just me ranting. But it generated a ton of comments and good discussion. So maybe I should give myself more credit!

T.P.L. NYC: How many different types of bras are there for women to use now-a-days? Which one do you think is the best…is it lace, sports, pushup or those diamond beaded ones from Victoria’s Secret?

L.H.: Again, nothing from Victoria’s Secret. They sell a one-of-a-kind bra made of precious gems (diamonds, sapphires, etc) every Christmas for a million dollars. But it only comes in one size—a 34 or 36B, I think. It’s just so ridiculous! But seriously, there are dozens and dozens of different bra styles these days—balconnet, molded, push-up, seamed, plunge, wire-free…the list goes on. There is absolutely no “best” type of bra. It all depends on the woman’s size, shape, preferences, and the clothes she happens to be wearing that day. A slinky tee shirt needs a seamless bra, a sleeveless top needs a strapless, exercise requires a sports bra. Plus different boob shapes simply fit certain bra styles better than others. For example, plunge styles (a low, plunging center) tend to be better for full-on-bottom breasts, while full-on-top breasts may be more comfortable in a balconnet (which is more horizontal and open at the top of the cup). There are also bras meant strictly for the bedroom, with all kinds of frills and charms and things that would show through clothing. It’s never-ending.

T.P.L. NYC: You mentioned that you like to edit material, what made you want to be an editor? What kinds of things do you like to edit the most – books, articles, etc.?

L.H.: I graduated from college with a degree in English and art, but had no idea what I wanted to do or even what options were out there for me. I just knew I wanted to do something with writing and art. Luckily, the university in my hometown (Syracuse) had just started an arts journalism masters program in their journalism school, the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Thank goodness I got in, because it not only improved my writing skills and taught me how to research and write journalistic stories, but also helped me figure out what I wanted to do and how to get it. The career development center at Newhouse was really amazing. They helped me get internships, and focused so much on teaching students about resume-building, networking, and job-hunting. I would’ve been lost without it. Anyhow, I discovered that I’m not so much cut out for long-form articles, but I love working with the written word and am really anal about grammar, punctuation, and that kind of stuff. I think I’m best at editing articles and shorter pieces because I tend to have a hard time focusing on the big picture (as you need to do with a book) compared to details. But I think I’m getting better the more I do it.

T.P.L. NYC: You are also a book reviewer, how did you get started with that? Do you pick the books or do they give them to you?

L.H.: I write book reviews for RT Book Reviews magazine. The RT stands for “Romantic Times,” but I actually review mainstream fiction, urban fantasy, sci-fi, and a little bit of contemporary romance (chick lit). I got into it because RT was a client of the computer consultant for whom I work as a part-time assistant. When I had to drop something off at their office in Brooklyn, I just asked about reviewing books for them. Many of their reviewers are just fans, not necessarily professional writers, so I basically just joined the ranks. I sometimes pick the books if the editors send out a list of available titles, but most of the time I just tell them to send me whatever. I really enjoy reading and always need something to read on the subway, so I like doing it even if I end up not liking the book.

T.P.L. NYC: You work so many different jobs, does it feel overwhelming or do you enjoy the fast pace of working with different creative people?

L.H.: There are things I both do and don’t like about freelancing and working lots of different jobs. The freedom is great, and at this point I have enough regular, long-term gigs to add up to a salary that affords me a pretty comfortable lifestyle. It’s also never boring, because I get to do lots of different things. But it would be really nice to have health insurance, paid vacation and sick days, and more co-workers. But I’ve applied to literally hundreds of full-time, traditional jobs in the last few years, and only gotten a handful of interviews and no offers. So unless the economy magically turns around, I don’t see myself getting a “real” job any time soon. It’s become clear to me, though, that even if the economy weren’t doing so badly, traditional applications are just not the way to find a job anymore. Literally every job or gig I have right now is from knowing the right person, putting myself out there, and making sure everyone I work with knows I’m on a constant hunt for more work. It’s kind of unfortunate, because if you’re shy or just starting out, it can be extremely difficult to find work in a creative or humanities-related field.

T.P.L. NYC: You will be working with the Huffington Post, tell us how you landed that? What is it like inside the Huffington Post?

L.H.: Well I’ll really only be working for HuffPo tangentially. One of my old co-workers from a previous job helps edit and format a music column on HuffPo written by musician Danielle Evin. My friend needed a new partner for that gig, and suggested me. So now I’ll be doing the work with her. Since it’s all done online, I don’t know anything about the inside of the Huffington Post. But I’ve been reading the site for a long time and really admire Arianna Huffington.

T.P.L. NYC: You are also a big comic fan, and you edit scripts for the New York City-based Pronto Comics? What do you like about editing comics?

L.H.: I like that editing comics is so different from editing articles or books. You almost get to ignore the minutiae of line-editing and have to focus more on the big picture—characters’ motivations, dialogue, and even the visuals. It’s up to the writer to give enough guidance to the artist. So as editor, I have to imagine what the writer is trying to describe. I often do little thumbnail sketches as I’m reading a script, and if I can’t figure out what the writer is trying to explain, then I assume an artist won’t be able to either. Everything has to be clear, but leave room for creativity at the same time. It also has to be a good, compelling story overall, whether the writing is up to par or not. I think it’s harder than traditional editing because there are no hard and fast rules.

T.P.L. NYC: You also speak French, how did you learn it? You also like French comics, how do you feel their comic books differ from American books?

L.H.: Well my mother is French. Her parents immigrated to the U.S. after getting married, and my mom and her brother attended the Lycée Français in New York, so they had a very European upbringing. They all spoke French to each other, so I picked up a little bit of the language as a kid, then took French in middle school, high school, and two semesters in college. Unfortunately, my high school teacher was so bad that my language skills are not where they should be. But I can certainly hold a conversation or get around a French-speaking city no problem. I also make a point of reading books in French (especially comics!) and watching French movies, to keep my language up to par even though I don’t speak it that much. As for the difference between French and American comics, I think the greatest difference is how much respect the medium gets in its respective country. Unlike the U.S., comics in France are not considered “kids’ stuff,” and adult women are not completely ignored by the market. For more analysis, I’ll point you to my recent post about French and Belgian comics on the Pronto Comics blog (http://prontocomics.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/pronto-abroad/).

T.P.L. NYC: What French comic books do you like and why?

L.H.: There are sooooo many French (and Belgian) comics that I love. I grew up with TinTin and Asterix, for starters. Now I read the hilarious and somewhat dirty children’s titles Petit Spirou and Titeuf, as well as anything I can find by the amazing female comic creators Madeleine Martin, Pénélope Bagieu, and Margaux Motin. I also read a lot of manga in French, because so many more series are translated to French than English, particularly titles geared at adult women, which are almost nonexistent in the U.S.

T.P.L. NYC: You do a lot of traveling, you were recently in Belgium. Was that your first time? What other countries have you been to?

L.H.: Yes, that was my first time in Belgium. I really want to go back some day, especially to the city of Ghent. Other countries I’ve visited are Canada, France (lots of times), and Costa Rica. I’ve also spent just one day in London, Nicaragua, and Spain, as day trips while I was on vacation in other countries.

T.P.L. NYC: So what is the most peculiar thing you have encountered while in Europe?

L.H.: Definitely some of stuff you see at the markets in France. Whole, disembodied calf and sheep heads in the display case with charcuterie are a little shocking. The most peculiar thing about Belgium was the city of Brussels’ obsession with urinating art. They are really into the “Mannequin Pis” fountain, which is a statue of little cherubic boy peeing, and the fountain water actually comes out of the statue’s penis. It wouldn’t be so peculiar if not for the fact that there is merchandise, murals, and all kinds of imagery all over the city featuring this little pissing boy. It’s basically the city’s mascot.

T.P.L. NYC: You have a busy freelance life, what are some of the projects that you have coming up? (This is where you can promote yourself shamelessly. Tell me anything new you have coming up- columns, comics, trips, your own art endeavors, a website that people can go to find out more about you, or anything that you might be doing that you feel would be interesting to readers.)

L.H.: Nothing really specific, as I have all these ongoing gigs now that take up pretty much a full-time job. If people want to keep up with my work, they can follow me on Twitter @twingomatic, my blog, twingomatic.blogspot.com, or my new Tumblr, soup-a-day.tumblr.com, where I write reviews of Hale & Hearty soups (my coworker and I order it for lunch every single week).

T.P.L. NYC: So the blog is about peculiar things, what do you feel is the most peculiar thing you have experienced while living in NYC?

L.H.: Where to begin? Mostly I would say the people, I guess. Last week I saw a girl on the subway platform carrying a little rainbow-colored parrot, and she kept kissing it over and over until the train came. Then a couple days later I saw a guy on the street with a small boa constrictor draped over his shoulders, and another one in his hand. Who walks around with a snake, much less two? If you keep your eyes open, you’ll see something peculiar every day in this city.