How To Slow Down Time

Its that time of year when everyone is getting tipsy and you hear amongst friends,"OMG this past year went by SO fast!!"

Not me. My last two years seem to have gone by, well, relatively slowly!

And I'm thinking, "How can this be?!!" These past few years have been some of the busiest, most tiring, lucrative, challenging, yet fulfilling years... at least in awhile.  And this was boggling my mind because, well, wouldn't that mean those years would have flown by? Don't get me wrong. I'm glad my life isn't passing in a blink of an eye but...??

Nope.

According to my brother in law, who happens to be a psychologist, my mind boggling predicament makes sense.  As we grow up, the years seem to speed up because adults have fewer novel experiences than children.

So there you go. Keeping life new, spontaneous and exciting appears to slows things down. Does it slow down the aging process too? I'd like to think it does. I think I'm getting younger. Yay!! I won't ever grow up. I won't!

After leaving NYC, I enjoyed my time back in Los Angeles for about a year and a half. Then I spent the  Summer in Paris.  Ah, c'est la vie!

And now.... you guessed it. I'm back in NYC.  I always knew I'd be back.

So Happy 2013 everyone! Be inspired to create a year full of non stop, spontaneous awesomeness and keeping it real.

And here are some photos of the Holiday Season. Its SO GOOD to be back.

Bonjour!

Bonjour à Paris! My home for almost 3 months.

Clearly living in Los Angeles didn't inspire me to make an appearance on my ever so neglected blog, hence my year and a half absence. Thankfully, Paris does.

And can you blame me?! Around every corner is an art gallery, a church or some other architecturally magnificent building constructed centuries ago, a new exhibit every 3.5 seconds for EVERYTHING (I'm not exaggerating) and every person I meet is in a creative field or pursuing an artistic endeavor.  

And did I mention I live in Montmarte?! Living in Monmarte is like living in a scene from the film Midnight in Paris (For real! See below the cobblestone streets!) 

Right now I am living in a dream. Please don't wake me up.

City of the Sacred Heart

Basilique du Sacre-Coeur 

Montmartre's local vineyard

Ralph Lauren 4D Light Show

This is quite amazing. And I am ever so BUMMED I didn't go see this spectacular light show that took place at the Ralph Lauren store on Madison Ave.

Video from CHIC.TV


Pretty awesome, right?!

This Was Supposed To Be My Halloween Post....

I'm pretty boring when it comes to Halloween. I'd rather be working, and if I'm not, you may find me (sort of) getting into the fall holiday spirit by throwing on hair extensions and calling myself, "the girl with long hair." This year, I put on a black dress and red boots and called myself "the assassin in disguise" (Creative yes I know). And at least I impressed the handsome guy who asked if he could borrow my dress to wear to a local lesbian bar. At which I laughed awkwardly saying that I couldn't because, well, I'd be naked and besides... you're not a lesbian. To his reply, "Girl, I am WORKING on it!!"

I heart NYC. 

And if you live in NYC, you're bombarded with at least a full week of celebration for any holiday. Which is annoying to me to say the least because I hate parades and streets full of drunken idiots (especially drunken idiots in costume... that's the worst!) But this year, I happened to partake in three days of celebration for a holiday I feel pretty impartial about. Go figure!

A nice dinner with friends and a small Halloween party at someone's apartment was one night (which is totally my style). Another night was a party with a bunch of improvisers that lasted until the sun had risen (is it 7 am?! Really?!!!)

And then there was a night with Patrick Walsh. 

Patrick is my friend who I always somehow end up in bizarre situations with. He is also the creator of the podcast ScreamQueenz. 

So we venture out to a Haunted House- a Haunted House put on by a theatre company, that made me sign a waiver warning me in writing that I will be touched and may encounter violent and sexual situations (Okay? Maybe this isn't a good idea?). 

Well, let me summarize how it was by what I screamed right after the bizarre experience.

"PATRICK!!!!!! That was NOT scary at all. That was just plain CREEPY!!! There were NAKED (and I mean completely naked) zombie like people trying to have a THREESOME with me. They were FIGHTING over me and RUBBING UP against me and some freak girl licked my boot and was caressing my neck and those actors better be getting paid a WHOLE LOT!! I thought I'd see projections of sexual and violent situations NOT BE A PART OF IT!!!!"

And if you're interested in hearing a very detailed account, go to episode 14 where I guest star and help him remember the night I'm trying to forget ;)

And speaking of "bizarre" situations, here's a photo of Patrick and I posing with an actor after a hilarious play that took a shockingly unexpected turn (actors dancing around in dildos). What you can't see is that the actor is still wearing a 4 foot dildo (thanks to the apparently conservative foreign man who didn't think I'd want that in my photo... seriously? Why else would we take a picture?!)

But is it any surprise that my time with Patrick is always a little bizarre? I mean, after all, he is the creator of ScreamQueenz. And that's a pretty interesting genre of podcasts to say the least ;) Don't you think?

Hope everyone else had a wonderful and eventful Halloween!!

You Should Know Darryl Jagga

If you don't know Darryl Jagga, you will. And you should! Aside from the fact that I will continue talking about him (and shamelessly promoting myself in his beautiful dresses on this blog), his talent has been recently spotted on celebrities and the fashion world is taking note.

And its no wonder. His dresses are designed for everyday wear, but with a chic and sophisticated style. I wear his dresses on the streets of New York  and never have I once spent a day or evening without receiving several compliments about how gorgeous my dress is and how wonderfully it fits me.  Thank you Darryl Jagga...

Here is a behind the scenes compilation of a recent photo shoot I did with another lovely model for his 43.46 Aggaj line: 

 Later that day on my way home, I stopped to browse at a popular store in Manhattan and spotted one of his dresses. I was SO excited to see them on the rack that I texted him a photo (as if he didn't already know!)

And here's a flashback of me wearing his dresses in his fall 2010 runway show:

And just the other night I went to see my friend and fashionista Lauren Reeves, hostess of the popular Chic.tv, perform at an improv show at the Magnet Theater.  She was wearing Darryl Jagga. She had no idea she was wearing the dress of the designer I always tell her about.  She simply discovered the dress at the same popular store where I had seen it displayed earlier that week. And this makes me happy! And doesn't she look lovely in that fantastic purple dress?

Its awesome to see a designer you admire, not only as a talent, but as a truly good-hearted human being, start to rise to the top.  And its especially awesome when you are one of his models :) 

And Then Plans Change

I had the most amazing time in China. And maybe I'll write about my trip more later... or maybe I won't. But you know when you finally feel as though everything is falling into place? As if "that thing" you've been wanting or wanting to do... you know,  the "thing" you sometimes can't figure out, and "it" makes you anxious and you keep searching for "it" and you work to find "it" and then suddenly you do"it" and you don't question "it" anymore?

(I apologize for this rumble jumble mess. I'm too lazy to put my thoughts into concrete sentences that actually make logical sense) But I hope you do understand....

Well, for those two months in China, I was doing "that thing." The "thing" that settled my "it." (Okay I promise I'll seriously stop....) In plain terms, I finally got to do the work that I love, while traveling and experiencing culture shock and forming wonderful friendships with amazing people all around the world.

I had been thinking of all the possible countries I wanted to go to in November.  You know, a market fitting for me and where its not too cold and perhaps with no snow... good idea, right? I met some agents and bookers and one in particular who offered to help place me somewhere with a 3-6 month contract. All was good and going as planned and my spirit was high.

And then I returned from my altered reality to my home in NYC, and to the one I missed the most... my kitty!

And here she is helping me blog. (Or rather wondering what on earth would possess me to pay more attention to a computer than to her pretty little face)

And yet I returned to a kitty who suddenly was throwing up at least twice a day. And after two weeks or so of praying that it was nothing, just the stress of me being gone, I took her to the vet where I was informed she has mast cell tumors aggressively destroying her body.

 And so now my kitty who I love, (and my God do I love her dearly... in a really annoying "I talk about my cat and to my cat and sing pop songs to my cat constantly" kind of way), who I thought I would have for at least another 8 years or so, now only has less than a year or perhaps less than 6 months to live.

And so my plans have changed.

I am disheartened because of the obvious, and also the worry of me aging out of the modeling industry before I fully get what I want from it is always in the back of my mind. Its like I got a taste of what I finally wanted and now I can't pursue it.  And yes, I know there's no stopping me from traveling again once my cat is gone... but that thought right now just makes me so sad.

And so what have my plans changed to?

Well I still say... screw the snow and the 14 degrees (feels like 8 degrees with wind chill I need more Vitamin D and I don't want to leave my apartment ever and wearing all these layers is so freaking annoying) kind of weather.

 Kitty and I are coming home to California!!

I'm not particularly happy about it, but it will be a nice change to be home for a little while. And if any of you by chance have a place where kitty and I can rent for a few months in LA please let me know....

And just an update, kitty is getting both conventional and holistic treatment and throwing up has stopped and she is as active and affectionate as ever.  I know things can change suddenly overnight, and most likely will, but for now all is good.

Have any of you ever had to change your plans and it worked out for the better? Please tell. I'm hoping that will be the case!

Why I Love New York City

Back in the city that I love.

 Where there are toilets instead of holes in the ground and driving laws to follow. Where I can order my vegetarian meal without wondering if it will come mixed with ground beef.  A place where clients don’t gasp in horror when they see I have short hair and where I  can walk down the runway and not hear the Star Wars theme song (this happened in 2 different shows!!)

But this isn’t a post about the oddities of China. I’ll leave that for later. As I return to NYC on Sept 11^th, I want to take this time to tell you why I heart NYC. 

1. When life overwhelms me I can get lost in the midst of the crowd and the noise and the lights and the hustle and bustle of city life and feel completely at peace.

2. It’s a place where I have gotten  yelled at by the person at the take-out counter for taking too long to order a sandwich (and there was no one waiting behind me!) only to finish our transaction with laughter. No lingering decisions. Gotta make’em snappy! 

3. Its  a city where I can get decked out  in my sexy black dress and heels  at any time of the day and not look out of place. 

4. Its a life where there is always something fun and interesting going on, a VIP event to go to and free drinks and dinners to be had. 

5. This city screams success. I’ve never met more amazing people anywhere else that go after what they want with such determination, And then get it.

6. It’s the race. It’s the adrenaline. It’s the fear of being left behind that keeps me determined to not give up.

7. Its so easy to meet people and have amazing conversations with just about anyone 

8. I run into people that I know constantly. It makes Manhattan feel small. So don't go burning any bridges here. You'll more than likely find yourself suddenly sitting right next to someone you know on the subway.

9. It’s a rollercoaster. I’ll be on such a high one day and have everything crashing down on me the next. It makes me want to keep coming back for more. (Wow now that sounds like a dysfunctional, codependent relationship... )

10. Because my dreams here really are, slowly but surely, coming true.  And the possibilities seem endless.

And if you love NYC as much as I do, make sure you check out these following blog entries from some of my favorite bloggers.

Only in New York - Lacey in the City

New York State of Mind - by Kid in the Front Row

Hey Amber Rae

 

Photo Credit 

From LA to NY, it was the best decision I ever made!