Kristen May Lee: Downtown girl or Uptown girl?

Andrea Grant: Downtown girl.

KML: Where do you live, and why?

AG: Alphabet City.  The Puerto Rican influence adds some flavor – picture gang boys walking alongside the rockers and the fashion kids, graffiti peeling off the walls of buildings, and the kids tearing off the tops of fire hydrants in summer.  It still feels like the real New York.

KML: Tell us the best place to sip a splendid cocktail?

AG: Elsa, on 3rd Street between B & C (get the Dark & Stormy), or the Bowery Hotel.

KML: What is the best place to brunch it with gal pals?

AG:  These days, the girls are more likely to pound on my door carrying a bottle of champagne in order to get my attention away from writing.  For brunch, I like to go to Soho – anywhere fun.

KML: Tell us what it is you do and what it is like?

AG:  I’m a fashion editor, and a writer specializing in comic books.  Long hours, hard work, and never a dull moment.

KML: Are there any indie book stores you frequent for obscure reads?

AG: I like City Lights Books in San Fran, St. Mark’s Bookstore and Forbidden Planet in NYC.

KML: How did Ready to Where? come about?

AG: Because truth is stranger than fiction, writers naturally exploit every moment of truth in their lives. Minx, my other comic book project, is hyper-amplified reality, but Ready to Where? is about finding humor in the dramatic things that actually happen while working in the fashion business.

KML: Explain your style to us, and while you are at it, tell us who your favorite designer is?

AG: I wear mostly black, with some accents of red, white, and grey.  I’ve settled into a ‘1940s-meets-rock-and-roll’ look, which means fitted dresses, a sleek silhouette, and some dramatic accessories.  I love Chanel, Roland Mouret, Rodarte, and the couturiers.  I’m not a huge fan of ready-to-where – I prefer extreme looks on the runway.  In real life, I wear a lot of vintage, and these retro-style dresses by Stop Staring.  I figure as long as my hair, make-up, and nails are done, then I can get away with wearing a certain uniform.

KML: Give us some secret beauty tips and your beauty regimen!

AG:  Get a prescription for Retin-A – Retisol is a good option, because it’s moistrurizing and is easier on the skin.  If you do this, you will never age, and your high school friends will suspect you of being a vampire (which is on trend anyhow).  I like Canadian skin creams: a moisturizer called Dormer 211 with hyaluronic acid acid.  And refuse to believe in age…ever notice how the people who obsess over turning 30 are the first ones to get wrinkles?  The mind is so powerful.

KM: Any advice for us on romance?

AG:  It depends on what you want. If you want a relationship, take it slow.  If you want a fling that’s hot but going to burn out, take it fast. Listen to your grandmother’s advice, not your mother’s.  Men are the hunters.  They need to pursue you – so let them be men.  Gender roles are very confused these days.

KML: What can we expect from you in the future?

AG:  The  Copious Universe is expanding, so stay tuned.  There are lots of exciting things in the works.

Athena’s meets with Nicholas Routzen…