Lotus Moment: Eccentric Illustrations

Why This Is Awesome: Back when we could gather together in nightclubs, cabarets, and the like, I attended a special shindig where like-minded eccentrics and devoted patrons of the arts came together to commemorate the new edition of the Bohemian Manifesto while enjoying a sip or two of absinthe. Yes, you read that right.

Referenced in the (original and) updated version of Laren Stover and Paul Himmelein's Field Guide to Living on the Edge, absinthe is "still the drink of choice for Bohemians nostalgic for the nocturnal lifestyle of the tipsy artists and writers they revere and emulate." So after enjoying my first taste of la fèe verte in Paris 2 years prior, I was eager to join up with other aficionados in the New York City area, who meet on the third floor of KGB Bar in the East Village the first Thursday of every month.

That evening in June 2019, after Stover read from her book, and we enjoyed a tasting of that event's absinthe selection, I jumped at the offer to have my newly purchased copy of the book personalized by the illustrator who made the pages come alive with ink and paint, Izak Zenou. Exclusive to this event, anyone who bought the new edition that evening could sit and have the incomparable Izak add their likeness to the cavalcade of bohemians inside the book cover.

Above is a video I captured of the artist hard at work bringing me to life in the softly lit venue, with the buzz of the room disturbing his focus not one bit. ... ::sigh:: It was a lovely lotus moment. ... Until we can gather together again.

Note: Although they haven't shared a release date yet, the Bohemian Manifesto is poised to be released in a digital edition later this year (2021). The authors have promised some new content, including new illustrations from Izak. I can't wait!