New! Fresh!

Hello loverlies!! Last week was fat full of juicy goodness! As usual, it was an up and down emotional roller coaster, but I am starting to find that is a great indicator that progress is being made. Come on growing pains! Stretch me out of my comfort zone and push my boundaries out, up and all around! I can take it, and I want it!


First there was the IBM short I booked. The theme was one that I appreciated and was proud to be a part of. How would you change the world? If you had the power to move the Universe, how would you to make it a better place? When I arrived on the set, the director and producer informed me I got the job for two reasons. The first was my submitted response. I said eye contact. It sounds simplistic, but it makes a world of difference. When you make eye contact with someone, you let them know you are truly listening. ENGAGE. I love that word. Engage. There are few emotions out there that can top the feeling of being engaged with someone. Whether it be a stranger or someone you know, when you are engaged, they feel good knowing you really care about what they are saying, and you feel good because you are learning about this person. Try it. Today for lunch, look at the person taking your order in the eyes, and sincerely ask them how their day is. See what happens. The second reason I got the job, which is not surprising since this is the reason I have gotten previous praise, is because of my mauve pom pom hat. That hat makes me so happy and people LOVE it! Even with all the holes, its tattered appearance and floppy over-sized pom, I get tons of compliments on it. The shoot was fun. It was quick and easy, and a great way to start my week.


Onto the next one: My photo shoot with Kristina V Photography (http://www.kristinavphotography.com/). In short, this woman is amazing. She is going places, and I feel blessed I got to shoot with her before she blows up and is hard to get ahold of! (I believe that is beginning already). Her studio is located in the beautiful Greenwich/Stamford, CT area. This was my first venture that way, and the scenery and overall vibe was breathtaking. We did almost seven "looks" including beauty, 3 dresses, 2 lingerie and ending on my favorite - Seventeen style pop punk!! Holly Corsano, the hair and make up artist, is a true inspiration. Her talent is so far reaching, yet she is so laid back and easy going. I felt honored to share space with such fierce ladies, and the work we produced speaks for itself:



(Image courtesy of Kristina V Photography)


Stunning. The lighting, shot, make up, hair, expression, feeling, set up, vibe, EVERYTHING. I am so proud of this shoot, and I am incredibly grateful to the talented ladies who made this whole shoot possible.


I have a feeling this roll is good, hard and fast. It is taking me to new places originally unimaginable, and immediately attainable. Big things poppin'. Keep it coming!

Eyes Wide Open

One of my favorite things about going on castings in New York City is getting to see all the studios here. I usually have an idea in my head of what I expect a particular studio to look like, and nine times out of ten, it looks completely different. The two studios I had the pleasure of experiencing last week were BBC Productions and CBS. I understand that I am probably only seeing one office of many when it comes to the bigger companies, but it is still neat to go where the creativity begins, ideas get formed, and then product comes to fruition. And the ironic thing is I get such nerves on my way, but once I step in, I realize they're just people like you and me, doing a job. A fabulous job, of course, but still just a job.


The CBS studio that I had an audition at was in a part of the city I haven't done much exploring in. I took the train to the Columbus Circle area, and the studios themselves were right next to the water. What I found interesting as well as the location was the fact that the area was also home to all the luxury car dealerships. Walking down W. 57th Street, I was surrounded by BMW, Infiniti, Acura and CBS. It was an odd mix, but I liked it all the same. The building that housed the studio where my audition was taped was so cool. It was obvious the building has been kept pretty true to its original design. They had done a fantastic job of upholding the true nostalgia and old school feel, yet was in no way outdated. It is hard for me to describe but it was neat to experience.


The BBC studio, on the other hand, was not at all what I was expecting. It was in a small building, taking up only one floor that I could tell. It looked like a small start up company type of office with low cubicles, about six meeting rooms and the tiniest bathroom I have experienced to date. (And that says something if you've ever been to New York City and used any public restroom). Due to space limitation here, the bathrooms are ridiculously compact, but the BBC studio takes the cake. It was nice, but small. The meeting room my audition was held in was small as well, with an old leather couch across from a long desk where the executive producer and staff member sat. I think I have watched too many films that exploit the entertainment industry, because as soon as I walked into the meeting room and saw the leather couch, I had to stop myself from making a "casting couch" joke.


All in all so far, things are going well. I feel like I am moving in the right direction, and meeting great people in the process. I understand people are here for years, beating the streets and knocking on doors, but I must listen to my heart and my gut and believe that I can make this happen in less than a year. I say dream big. No one can hold me back but me, and I refuse to let myself to that. I want it all, and I want it all now! ♥

I want my MTV... and any TV for that matter!

I love trying new things. I love the excitement and anxiety that comes from the complete unknown. It is thrilling to walk into a place of which you have never been, to speak of a subject you have a burning curiosity for and to expose your fear - stare it dead in the face and say, "Bring it". I feel like last week was chock full of those experiences, and it took me a couple of days to mentally recover from them. I was vulnerable, open, exposed, and any other word most are afraid to be. Don't get me wrong, I was scared out of my wits on the inside, but refused to let it come through.
I went on an audition for a co-host spot for an upcoming show being prepped for pilot season, and didn't know what to expect. Without saying too much (I did sign a non-disclosure agreement) it is about a subject I have always had a passion for, although not formally trained in and it is being shopped to a network I used to adore but have lost interest in recently due to content (or lack thereof). Callbacks are this week, and I have the best feeling about it. I can't wait for my first national television experience in the spotlight. Yes, I have done America's Next Top Model, but in retrospect, I think that was just to give me a taste of that delicious cherry pie that is television, and to reiterate that feeling of "gimme more!".
I have been doing some hardcore research into acting schools in NYC. I want to see the who's who in various schools alumni, I want to know who's teaching the classes and how exclusive the program is. It's been interesting to see all the different avenues available, the different forms of training and methods of acting. I am overwhelmed by the opportunity in this city. Around every corner there is a chance to grow, to learn, to be EXPOSED. It is amazing. There's no telling how I'll get there, but I am on my way to the top of the world, and throughout this journey, I just can't get enough. Gimme more.

I got a million ways to get it...

I am fantastically ahead of schedule with my goals, and excited about making new ones to replace the ones I have already accomplished! As my former post stated, the aim of my first paid gig was a little off target - in the best way. That goal was to be attained by mid-March, and as of yesterday, it has been CHECKED with a capital C-H-E-C-K-E-D. My first paying gig in NYC was with Riders by Lee jeans. The booking included a two outfit photo shoot as the "straight missy" body type with videos. And to cap it all off, an internet video with the super fun powerhouse that is Stacy London. You may recognize that name from the TLC show "What Not to Wear" with Stacy London and Clinton Kelly. I have always adored that show, and was talking about it at a photo shoot just last week and there I was yesterday, standing next to this awesome woman. And to top it all off, she said my name in the video!
I don't know about you, but when someone you admire is right next to you, it's almost unreal. It makes you realize that anything is possible. That person of fancy becomes just that - a person. Just like you or me. At one time, they were standing next to someone they too held in wonder, and have since become awe for another. It's an incredible feeling.
I must back track a bit, mostly because I owe much gratitude to two fabulous men who helped sell my product (myself!) to this client. Keith Oberlin and Adam Maclay. The serendipity in this story makes my heart flutter every time I replay it in my mind.
About three weeks ago, I sent out a mass message to a few people here in NYC in hopes of being hooked up with some impressive photographers to help me update my book. One of those people was my sister Natalie. She has an impressive multitude of artistic people in her immediate circle, and I was hoping to benefit from that. As soon as I sent out that message, she immediately wrote back she had someone in mind. That next week, I was at Keith's apartment in the city, getting my hair and make-up done by Adam and the rest was magic. We produced some amazing shots, and it turned out better than I could have hoped. With almost no notice, Keith got the images to Natalie at work, then to me, and then into my book. Those shots were the ones that the great people at Lee favored and got excited about - and that was that. I was booked!! Here is the shot that really got the job done:



In closing, I must say just how grateful I am to be here, meeting who I am meeting, and creating the brand of my life. Who wants more? I know I do.

Just the beginning

It feels so damn good to be back in New York City. The sounds, the scene and just that overwhelming feeling of purpose that buzzes all around you. People don't come here to take the easy road. They surely don't come here to take their time. They are here to fight for their dreams at any cost. Networking takes on a whole new meaning in this place. If you seek it out, almost anyone you meet can have a significant effect on your future.


I have been back for a little over a month now, and I had some very hard, strict goals set in place for myself upon arrival. I was determined to gain representation from a modeling agency by the passing of my birthday. Check. I had a vision of revamping my portfolio with two to three new photo shoots before March. Check, and check. And I have my first paying gig by mid-March. Although the gig hasn't presented itself in physical form yet, I know this too will be checked by it's due date. It can be difficult at times to wade through the lies, the scams produced by sycophants looking to gain from the desperate and naive. Luckily this isn't my first rodeo, and one thing I bring to the table along with fierce, unwavering determination is the experience of a woman who has seen those soul suckers before. I'm onto the game, and I don't have time to waste. As Jay-Z so succinctly put it, "I'm on to the next one".


Speaking of the shoots to revamp my book, I had the unlikely luck of striking gold on Model Mayhem for the first one. I do hold an appreciation for Model Mayhem. I think they offer a great service to those starting out especially. And for veterans, it's always nice to have a place to meet like minded individuals to share the fruit of our efforts with. It can be very hit or miss on this site in planning a shoot. First off, the obvious: you are planning to combine artistic forces with complete strangers with whom you most likely will only exchange brief emails with before the encounter. Second, and what I think the biggest risk of it can be, is the chance of being stood up completely without warning or consequence. But alas, it is free, and as they say, you get what you pay for sometimes. In this beautiful instance, though, I got more than I could have hoped for. The team, who consisted of photographer Russell Spears, make-up artist Jessica Steinke and hair extraordinaire Lacey Alagia, blew my mind with their abilities, vision and overall warm presence. Here is just one shot from that incredibly fulfilling Sunday:





And in my opinion, this isn't even one of the best shots we got, which makes me feel so blessed and excited to get the rest this weekend! All in all, I am off to an unimaginably strong start, and it's only up from here. All the way to the top. Thanks for joining me. You are in for a real treat.