Hello Readers,
It is with a bittersweet tone that I write this post.
This blog was my chance to write and experiment with photography, and it was a beautiful experiment!
But now winter is upon us. And so is school. Hence, I have decided to take a break from blogging. Anyways, this might just be a "Jay-Z" type of retirement. Maybe the blogging journey is to be continued...
Until the next time,
Patricia
October 27, 2010
Why did you become a dancer?
In my teenage years, I had a hard time finding my voice and dance was a means of expression for me. Every time I danced, it felt right. I felt like I could express myself better in movement than I did verbally, like people would understand me better when I danced. Now I do it because even though I enjoy being on stage, it is the process of getting there that excites me the most. The rehearsals and learning a new routine are more intense than being on stage. Sometimes, after endless hours of rehearsal, I get on stage and think “this is it?”, but I always want to do it again.
Dancing is both physically and mentally demanding, how do you keep yourself going?
I love "the chase" – the whole process of learning the choreography and getting it on point. I feel like I haven’t danced that much, I want to keep on going! I want to keep learning about dance. When I do different styles I try to really understand the cultural background of the dance. When I started dancing salsa I studied the culture, where it’s from, why it is danced the way it’s danced. It’s the same with hip hop and all the other genres that I’ve learnt. I just love going from one genre to the next. One day I will be feeling salsa and then the next I’ll want to dance hip-hop. I just listen to my heart, that’s what keeps me dancing.
What are the skills that have contributed to your success?
Stubbornness, my ability to hustle, and always thinking that I am a beginner. If you go in [to rehearsal or class] with hunger to learn, whatever it is, you have a better chance of actually learning. If you think you know already you’re in trouble because there is always something to learn.
How did living in Toronto contribute to your career? (Natalli currently resides in LA)
Toronto is a great place for dreaming, it is also a great place for training. There’s some great talent in Toronto.
On working with Janet: " She's my idol! It was always a dream of mine to dance with her. I was really excited. Those were the best months of my life. The were tough but it was a joy, I feel so lucky to have been there. "
After my interview with Natalli was finished, I couldn't help but to reflect on the importance of dreaming big and adapting to the different circumstances that our dreams take us through. It might take a lot of "hustling" but in the end, our limits are as high as we set them. Whether life is a smooth waltz or a chaotic krump, you have to keep on dancing.
*photos are courtesy of Natalli Reznik and ctv.ca
*photos are courtesy of Natalli Reznik and ctv.ca
October 21, 2010
{Photo c/o Sarah Stevenson Design}
{I love this dress! I would wear it to work with gladiator sandals
and to happy hour with heals. You can also wear it to weddings, or fancy
parties - really, an investment piece ...and this is how I justify my shopping... }
{Would you care for some tea?}
Congratulations Sarah on your amazing debut collection!
October 8, 2010
My bf coolly said "Don't worry, I read that in Chicago there are restaurants in every corner." Half an hour of walking around, finding nothing, hope was running low and I was getting cranky (not cute, trust me). Lucky for him, we found Heaven on Seven, a restaurant offering the best is cajun cuisine.
{Heaven on Seven is know for its extensive collection of hot sauces, which include:
Hot Bitch At The Beach and its much milder counterpart Hot Buns At The Beach}
I had the Jambalaya and everything was okay with the world again.
{Ingredients: chicken, different sausages, shrimp, basil}
After all that eating, we had to working it out, so we went dancing...
WHERE TO PARTY
Chicago is home of the Two Step, a style of dancing that consists of two steps (get it?) and a series of simple turn patterns. It's very flirtatious and smooth, and I was awestruck when I first witnessed it at Funky Buddha. But that's not all that impressed me. The DJ plays reggae, afro-beat, techno, old school hip hop, soul...and everyone grooves along! The music selection is so unpredictable that you can not get enough.
{The decor is very low key psychodelic meets oriental influences}
{The Place gets packed after 11pm and the crowd dances like no one is watching}
{Can you imagine dancing in those heels all night long?}
{A Night in the life of Chicago's Beautiful and Fabulous}
At the end of the night, it doesn't matter whether you spent a small fortune or spent your night dancing as long as you try a little bit of everything this city has to offer. That is what makes travelling worth-while.
*Funky Buddha Lounge pictures are courtesy of Funky Buddha.
October 7, 2010
If you were on Twitter yesterday, you heard about the @FabFindToronto super deal of the day - $10 iPads. Yes, that's 98% off the retail price. People went nuts! Their servers crashed. The sale was supposed to go live at 11am and I don't think it actually happened until 5pm. I gave up hope after lunch, but sat back and watched as the buzz grew and their follower count grew from around 1500 in the morning to 3,584 (at 11pm, last time I checked). Another successful marketing ploy? Well, we are all talking about it.
Was it sustainable? Only time will tell.
As I watched the drama unfold I did learn a few things about dealing with people and difficult situations. I think we can all benefit from these lessons, so here it goes...
1- Plan for the worst, and then some - the servers were tested and prepared, and then they crashed. The results surpassed the expectations. Hey, it happens. They had George ready to fan things out and a twitter guy/gal ready to take the heat.
2 - Always act with class, never with sass - The gal/guy that manned the twitter for Fab Find yesterday got through most of the comments and answered them gracefully and with a sense of humour. Some of the comments were really mean, but if you can be kind to those who are rude to you, you're ahead of the game.
3- Think BIG, even if it sounds crazy (in fact, the crazier the better) - $10 iPads is just insanity. No one would believe it, but look at all the buzz it generated!
4 - Make a negative into a positive - after not being able to purchase an iPad many people started (or suggested) donating to the Canadian Red Cross or the Daily Bread Food Bank. I really can't think of a better use of $10. Brilliant. You're not going to die if you don't have an iPad, but there are people that would die without the help of these organizations.
So like they say, STAY FAB!
Agree or disagree? leave a comment.
Stay Tuned for Part 4 of my Chicago Adventure.
October 6, 2010
MILLENIUM PARK AND CENTRAL LOOP
{The Eye: Chicago - an installation by Tony Tasset is a three story replica of his own eye}
{The Legendary Chicago Picasso}
{Cloud Gate by Anish Kappor}
{Chicago Girls making memories}
THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO
{That's right! The Art Institute of Chicago has free admission on Thursday evenings}
{ Public Notice 3 connects two important world events - the First World Parliament of Religions
held on September 11, 1893, and the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center
and the Pentagon on that very date, 108 years later}
{ The LED screens display a speech delivered by Swami Vivekananda
in which he talks about the evolution of religious tolerance/ intolerance}
If art spaces are the soul of the city, then Chicago has a lot of soul and you will be inspired at every corner you turn!
Tomorrow: What to Eat & Where to Party (I go off the beaten path)
October 4, 2010
{Chicago on a lovely sunny day -
the perfect weather }
I think it’s essential to get the feel of a city and where things are before you set out to really explore it. I can’t think of a better way of getting to know a city than by bicycle. Why bike? It’s faster than walking and more intimate than a Decker bus, and the tour guides will tell you funny stories along the way. For example, did you know what Chicago is know as the Windy City no because of the wind but because its politicians are full of "Hot Air". Ha ha ha.
That and the guides are always really good looking ...
{Bobby's bikes are state of the art hybrids and they even have a front pouch for your water bottle}
{I told you he was cute ;)}
We took the afternoon Front Lake Neighbourhood tour with Bobby's Bike Hike Tours. Mark, our hilarious tour guide started off the tour by taking our group to Streetsville, known for its "Viagra Triangle" (where older gentlemen take their much younger girlfriends out to lunch) and the original Playboy Mansion. Do you see a trend here?
{The Playboy mansion was later on sold to The Art Institute for $1, since Hugh Hefner considered himself an artist and wanted to benefit future artists as well. Years later, The Art Institute sold the mansion for millions to condo developers. Units start at 2.3 millions in case you're interested}
We continued our ride to the beautiful waterfront. On a regular day the waterfront buzzes with hundreds on Chicago peeps, reminiscent of Miami beach. This time around we just happened to catch a few people engaged in a friendly game of volleyball.
{Chicagoans getting their game on}
{it really does feel like you're in Florida, the 32 degree weather we had that day sure helped}
After visiting the Lincoln Park Zoo, we ended things off with an impromptu photo shoot.
{Our lively tour group}
Thanks to the fellas at Bobby's Bike Hike for an unforgettable experience!
October 1, 2010
As soon as the air gets chilly I start a weekend ritual that I'd like to call "Morning in Bed with a Good Book." Well, Sunday morning turned into a whole day thing, because Last Night at Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger (yes, she is the author of The Devil Wears Prada) is definitely a page turner.
Last Night At Chateau Marmont starts Brooke, a sweet, crazy in love woman who works two jobs and makes many sacrifices to support her musician husband, Julian. It all pays off when Julian, after many years of interning at a record label, gets a break. He gets invited to perform at a national TV show, and like they say, the rest is history. A cross country tour, Grammy performances, millions of fans. Was Brooke ready for all of this? Was she ready for the gossip, the glamour and her husband's new found hectic schedule? Most importantly, was she ready to sacrifice some more?
The book is really about a woman who is struggling to be supportive of her partner's dreams while remaining true to her own dreams. I think we can all relate to this at some level. At some point or another, we have put our dreams on hold to support or follow someone else's dreams. It's interesting to read what goes on inside Brooke's head as she's reaching all these conclusions and making decisions for herself. Throw in some good ol' Hollywood glamour and gossip and you've got yourself an entertaining book to cuddle up to for the chilly days to come.
OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
I remember sitting in a group of four girls discussing everyday life, when someone started to talk about her aunt's diagnose of breast cancer. She went on to say "One out of four women are diagnosed with Breast Cancer, do you know what this means?" she asked, "one of us will get breast cancer." Then there was silence. According to the Canadian Cancer Society the correct statistic is one in nine women.
So who gets breast cancer? Everyone. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among young adults. Although there are more cases where Caucasian women are affected, African-American and minority women have higher fatality rates because of the lack of early detection. In the end, more than ethnicity or age, lifestyle choices are what comes to play when reducing your risk of cancer.
Self-examining is crucial! Here's a how-to diagram.
{picture courtesy of nursingcrib.com}
Other things that experts recommend are: exercising, watching your weight, avoiding hormones and minimizing alcohol. Pretty much common sense healthy stuff you should be doing anyways, right?
September 29, 2010
{GPS - essential for a road trip }
{Chicago Girl cranking some tunes}
For now, I will just tease you with a couple of pics that sum up the perfect road trip.
Here are some highlights:
{Cloud Gate Reflections}
{Downtown at Night}
{Biking around the city with Bobby's Bike Tours, make sure this is on your to-do list!}
{The Navy Pier is the #1 Tourist Attraction in Chicago,
and if I may say so, a very romantic destination}
Stay tuned, part two and three are coming shortly...
September 20, 2010
{Photo courtesy of stuckincustoms}
So my best friend and I made a deal. We would take a couple of days off this week and conquer the open road. We are going to a very special place with incredible architecture,deep dish pizza and the worlds biggest baseball stadium. Am I giving away too much? I hope not because I want to keep you intrigued...
Hey, if you guess what city I'm going to I'll bring you a souvenir! Write your guess in the comment section. You have until Wednesday, September 22, 2010 (midnight).
NOTE - MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY OR CLOSE FRIENDS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO WIN (SINCE YOU ALREADY KNOW WHERE I AM GOING). YOU MUST RESIDE IN THE GTA TO WIN.
September 15, 2010
This is a very insightful piece written by my friend J.Lewis, who never ceases to amaze me with her quirky, yet accurate, views of love and life.
In a conversation not too long ago, a friend and I were once again participating in the female ritual of criticizing men. We ourselves have been sharing everything from the good and the bad, to the sexy and ugly for a number of years. We have had countless conversations over which men we should keep (for the meantime), which to throw to the curb, and which to love till death do us part. But no matter the man, be he the love our life or the jerk that never called us back, we have never been short of things to criticize.
During the most recent confab, I suggested our male counterparts were going through a third-life crisis, which was later revoked for the more accurate 30's-life crisis. Our loveable men, now in their early 30's, have decided it is okay to be a little moody or a little unpredictable (or both). They are taking on new extravagances and indulging themselves in what we consider more youthful hobbies.
Given some time to let the idea percolate, I have come the the decision that there is no such thing as a 30's-life crises. Or quarter- or mid-life crises. Much like our childhood invisible friends, or our daydreams of hot makeout sessions with McDreamy, these so called life crises are figments of our imagination. In the most frustrating moments of our relationships we are forever looking for something to pin our partner's shortcomings on--because obviously WE would never choose to live with a man that did 'this' or 'that'. But this is the genius of humans, we are all allowed to be individuals who can decide what we do, and change our minds at any time. I'm certainly not saying this is always a good thing, but it's not always bad either, and as long as the thing we're complaining about is how our man has taken up paling video games for a couple hours a week, or watches sports 24/7 during the playoffs, I think we can all agree that it could be much worse.
Considering the vast majority of women are often more moody, unpredictable and indulgent than their men, I think that when the boys branch out, we should be a little more understanding. So does this mean that we shouldn't acknowledge our men when they change? Hell no. I will likely continue to call up my girlfriends and whine over a glass (or bottle) of wine, not only because it feels good, but because it is an important part of female bonding. The only difference may be that the next time I go to gossip about his latest quirks, I might be a little less sarcastic with my girls, and a little more understanding when I talk to Mr. Not-so-perfect-but-still-Mr. Right.
September 14, 2010
{Clockwise from left to right: Lipstick, Moroccan Oil, Band Aids, Milk Thistle,
Face Wipes, Raw Potatoes, Honey, Fruits and Vegetables}
Six more nights of TIFF and let me tell you, partying is fun... until the morning after. I've yet to hear how delightful a hangover can be or how amazing blisters feel or dark under eye circles look.
These are some after-party beauty tips that have never failed me:
Red Lipstick: It is said that when a female is aroused her lips turn red, which makes her more attractive to the opposite sex. It might or might not be true, but red or cherry lipstick is classic and sexy, so pick your right shade and you can't go wrong.
Moroccan Oil: Also known as hair crack. Use it to prime your hair for heat styling or right after washing your hair for silky frizz-free hair.
Band-aids: Blisters are uncomfortable, plain and simple. They are also inevitable when you're wearing heels. So just put a couple of band-aids in your purse and don't let blisters stop you from dancing.
Milk Thistle: Your poor liver has to work overtime when you drink. A few drops of MT on hot water will help you soothe and restore your liver. Choose organic.
Face Wipes: Going to sleep with your make up on is asking for trouble. If you can not make it to the sink to wash your face, simply wipe the make up off with a refreshing wipe. I love Biore because it contains Salicylic Acid that will exfoliate and remove all those nasty impurities.
Raw Potatoes: Raw potato wedges work wonders on under eye circles. You see, potatoes contain catecholase, an enzyme that is used as a skin lightener in many cosmetics. Leave on for 10 minutes and voila! no one will be able to tell you went to bed at 5am.
Raw Honey: Everyone knows that raw honey will leave your skin feeling softer than silk. If you didn't know, now you do. Apply a thin layer to your face, leave on for 5 minutes or so and rinse off with luke-warm water.
Fruits and Vegetables: This last tip is the most obvious. Not to sound like your mother but... drink lots of water and eat your fruits and veggies. You're going to need all the energy you can muster.
Party on party people! Have a beautiful TIFF.
September 13, 2010
My long standing affair with Vitamin Water started a long time ago, one busy workday afternoon. In need of some energy to help me cope with the two hours left I dragged my tired butt to the cafeteria and was immediately attracted to the colourful water. Fast forward many months later, I am checking my twitter and I catch a tweet about a #byard social hosted by Vitamin Water. They will serve Vitamin Water and cocktails. So naturally, I grabbed my Louboutins (not really) and model-walked my way to Yorkville (this is true).
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{This is not me by the way, my ass is much bigger and I don't own a pair of Louboutins...yet}
The party, of course, was pumpin', all the hipsters were there and the bar was serving Vitamin Water with Vodka. It was the place to be on a thirsty Friday afternoon.
{Everyone looked ravishing}
{Blogger extraordinaire Lauren Onizzle with blogger extraordinaire Sean Ward}
{Stylish Guests}
My favorite part about the party? Other than the free cocktails? I would say these Vitaminschticks. I only grabbed one, I didn't want to seem greedy.
{Now my lips taste like Formula 50 *muah*}
September 10, 2010
Happy Friday! I hope you're enjoying this lovely crisp weather :)
September 9, 2010
Happy First day of TIFF :)
{You're ready to go out and live out your glamorous dreams...}
{...Waiting for a train that will take you away...}
{...The City is your oyster...}
{...Here's to a good party!}
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