Model For A Day

Ever wonder what the world would be like if everyone did what they were passionate about for a living? It seems like such a simple thing and yet I'm always so surprised to learn at how many people are stuck in occupations they absolutely despise. I'm a firm believer that in order to be successful at anything in life (sports, relationships or a career) one must be passionate about it. I applaud all those brave enough to follow their dreams and start doing what they love. No one should wake up every morning and dread going to work.

Michelle Belsky is a woman who made those changes. Quitting her steady and safe job in the finance industry, Belsky pursued her love for photography. She is currently living and working on an overwhelming amount of creative projects in Toronto . She's collaborated with top modeling agencies around the city to shoot fashion editorials, catalogues, creatives and studio work. She's also teamed up with actors and musicians and some of her most recent work includes behind-the-scenes shooting for top music videos.

So when Belsky asked a certain blogging gypsy to be involved with various projects she had on the go, I was more than happy to join in. Months ago we sat down and discussed inspirations for a shoot over cappuccinos. The next day we were on location and Belsky began putting those plans into motion. Being my second photo shoot ever, I started off a bit shy in front of the camera. However, with some professional direction, great communication and the general relaxed vibe Belsky brings to the table, it wasn't long before I felt comfortable in front of that canon 24-70mm L series lens.

For the first series of photographs, I wore an over sized men's dress shirt with my hair pulled back into a messy bun. Natural sunlight was used to capture a soft morning feel while I posed in the window sill of a loft. The next series of photos were taken in a kitchen wearing a vintage sequined dress with high shoulder pads and exposed back. The dress and Belsky's idea of having the shoot in a kitchen were brilliant. Wearing a fabulous evening dress in the least expected of places was such a unique idea.

Since this shoot, she's asked me to be involved with other projects and I made sure to clear my schedule. We've worked on a vintage clothing shoot in studio, an industrial-inspired shoot as well as a music video which is currently being edited and will showcase on MuchMusic these coming months. Don't worry readers, I'll include these projects on my blog as soon as I can.

Here are a few pics from our first photo shoot!

For the Winos

OMG my eyes lit up when I found this while blog surfing. Anyone who knows me well, knows I LOVE wine. I often follow the motto:

Beer before liquor, never been sicker.

Liquor before beer, you're in the clear.

Wine is fine all the time.

This secret wine passage just blows me away. When I move into my dream home, I am definitely getting one of these!

Weekend Words

Brother Sharp

So let me get this straight. There's this Asian Adonis who walks around the Ningbo hood in Zhejiang province all day smoking cigarettes and dressed in shabby chic. He has an edgy Johnny Depp kind of style with scruff, unkempt hair and great bone structure. Deemed a style icon, he is one of the most talked about personalities in Chinese cyberspace despite one little catch...

He's a homeless beggar. He walks the streets all day because he has no home. The cigarettes he smokes are actually picked up from cracks in the sidewalk, the clothes he wears are found by rummaging through trash cans and his messy hair is attributed to the fact he doesn't bath regularly. Because he cannot always be located and no one knows his given name, fans and media have nicknamed him "Brother Sharp" due to his piercing sharp eyes and stylish flare.

Brother Sharp literally became an overnight sex symbol and celebrity in China. People have become so fascinated by his handsome looks and bohemian dress code that he's been written about in magazines, newspapers and blogs all over the world. With no money in his pockets and no food in his stomach, he still radiates confidence strutting down the streets. He's often seen wearing women's clothes which he has supposedly admitted is because he yearns for a home and woman to feel close to again.

Only until recently has his birth name and life story unraveled. Brother Sharp is really Cheng Guorong. He's 34 and traveled to Ningbo several years ago to find work and provide for his wife and two children. He was very successful until he was robbed of all his savings which began an downward spiral of bad luck. Embarrassed by himself and his misfortune, he never contacted home again and his family believed he was dead until recent pictures of him surfaced in the media and on the Internet.

His fans have donated thousands of dollars to help Mr. Guorong get back on his feet. He currently has overwhelming offers to appear in magazines, interviews and advertisements. He's even done a catwalk appearance and a Chinese producer is now shooting a film based on Brother Sharp's life. This is what I call a true rags to riches story.

Below - Brother Sharp vs. male model for latest Dolce & Gabbana collection. Similarities? I think so.

Downtown From Behind

Currently a favourite site of mine, downtownfrombehind is an outlet that features creative people in a creative way. It's a photographic project capturing subjects riding their bicycles from a rear view on more than 200 streets, avenues and lanes in downtown New York City. Each post includes the photo, persons name, occupation and street name.

"The concept is an environmental portrait for each street and its subject. The goal is to highlight a unique set of individuals who have an impact, previously or currently on downtown New York City, making downtown what it is today." It's also a great way for artists, actors, models, musicians, stylists and even restaurateurs to showcase their true colours. I love scrolling through the photos and trying to guess occupations beforehand. I'm getting pretty good at the game.

Very Carrie Bradshaw. She's a model.

Philanthropist

Lovers who also happen to be singers, songwriters and musicians.

My boyfriend. Just kidding, but I really wouldn't mind having this bouquet delivered to my doorstep.
It's probably no surprise I like this one best! He's an event designer.

Stylist, actress and fashion lover.

Pothole Gardens

Myth or fact: pothole gardens? Apparently it's true and although I haven't seen one yet, I'm intrigued by the idea. As a random act of kindness people plant beautiful blooming gardens in those dreary potholes in the road.

Now it's snowing full force in Toronto, so gardens are the farthest thing from my mind. However, coming across this idea made my day just a little bit brighter.

It's really quite brilliant. Not only does it add beauty to nasty craters in the road, but I bet it also helps drivers swerve to avoid hitting them and banging up their cars. If we can put our time and energy into making something so simple as a pothole look pretty, just think of all the good deeds we are capable of doing. Thank you pothole planters. I applaud you all for having such a wonderful way of seeing the world and reminding others that we can find beauty in just about anything.

Once the snow melts, I'll be sure to keep an eye out for one of these.

Heartbeats

What better way to start the new year than with something ultra beautiful. The song, the artist, the words, the melody, the video, heartbeats and the millions of bouncy balls make me smile and want to plan a trip to San Francisco very soon.