Flashback: Hot Blogger Calendar

In the summer of 2009, I sent a two-line email to a stranger. I clicked “send” and thought that was the end of it.

Till she wrote back.

Because of that email, I made a wonderful friend and several more besides, connected fabulous people, connected with fabulous people… and had a ridiculously fabulous fall working on one of the most fun projects I’ve ever been part of: the Hot Blogger Calendar.

A funny quip turned into reality – with 360 nominees, a quarter of a million views, thousands of votes, 20 people gathering in a NYC loft… a writeup in Urlesque, an interview by Jamillah Knowles for the BBC… and more.

Two years ago this week, we got half of our subjects together for a photo shoot. To this day, as famous or infamous as many of our subjects are, a lot of them still use the stunning photography taken by Bill Wadman and Meg Wachter that day, after Jillian Villafane did their makeup.

Check out Jane’s pictures, my pictures, Amy‘s pictures, everybody’s pictures… read all of the recaps… and shake your head in a little bit of disbelief that one two-line email could have started so much!