kyla jam

new blog

2009-05-03T12:38:00.000-07:00

www.thevulgareye.blogspot.com

i've been mulling it over for awhile now, and finally went through with the creation of a new blog today. While I love this project (over 100 posts in less than a year to prove it), it's been somewhat of an opinion-light travel blog. And let's face it: I'm opinionated (also, my life in nyc isn't as conducive to this format as my travels throughout asia were). So the new blog is all about likes and dislikes (including some travel-related posts, I'm sure): for almost seven years now I've been making collages of things that inspire me, but now that everything seems to be online (blogs, magazines, FB, etc), for better or for worse, I figure its suiting to take the collages online too. The Vulgar Eye isn't really a collage, but it is somewhere my friends and I (collaborators TBA) will be posting snippets of opinion, inspiration, art, etc. Collages can be used to give a general impression of a look, a mood, an atmosphere: because I can't take everything I'm stoked on and paste it to a piece of paper, I'm going to do my best to record it online, so check it out:

www.thevulgareye.blogspot.com

hello, sun!

2009-04-26T07:15:00.000-07:00

back in new york=back in love with new york I think ice cream trucks are a sure sign that the weather is a changin' (finally/hope it lasts)Central Park branch of The Strand bookstore? Books & Central Park & Warm Weather...what's not to love? It was reportedly in the high 20s (celsius) yesterday, which meant that three days after walking around bundled in a massive scarf and jacket, I was wandering through central park in shorts and sandals. Oh, and I did a 2hour inversions workshop at pure yoga yesterday morning. Suffice to say I could not have been in a better mood yesterday afternoon. Unless maybe Tom hadn't ditched out back to the land of snow and cold.

only in hong kong

2009-04-23T18:56:00.000-07:00

I've been back in nyc since yesterday afternoon, but as my upload seshes were hindered by a slow wifi connection in hk, there were plenty of photos and clips that I didn't get to upload during my trip. Thus it is my pleasure to present...

"Only in HK"

(eat meat?) (underwear, garlic, and eggs, a new culinary combination?) (the new portable AND affordable after-work hangout venue?)

p.s. my apologies for the sideways vid...

SIA: bungee jumping in Macau

2009-04-23T18:42:00.000-07:00

I need to invent some new adjectives. Incredible, amazing, and spectacular just don’t cut it anymore. Monday, the 20th of April, was a glife day (glorious + life = adjective; glorious, incorporating some or all of life’s best elements). For starters, I ate the best meal of my life at the World Peace Café (21 Tai Wont Street East, Wanchai). I made a brief visit to my agency to set a farewell lunch date for the next day, and then set off to explore.

I happened to be within a few meters of a bus stop and remembered that I had yet to take in the street view from a double-decker bus since returning to HK. The next bus was going to Central. I got off when the only other person on the nearly empty top level of the bus disembarked, and found myself quite close to the Central Ferry Piers. As I’ve mentioned before, I love a good ferry ride (the more old-school the ferry, the better). So, I headed down to the piers.

One of the signs for the piers read ‘to outlying islands,’ and, with the vague idea of scouting out a beach, given the favorable weather conditions, I followed the arrows to my left and down a flight of stairs, only to find myself confronted with the names of a bunch of places I didn’t recognize. I’d taken a few of these ferries, to Lamma and Lantau islands, but the beach on Lantau island is something I’d seen once and had no desire to see again; I wanted to go somewhere new! Unfortunately, having only anticipated stepping out for lunch, I’d left my map book at the apartment. I was pacing the pier, contemplating making a mad dash to Pacific Coffee to google ‘Hong Kong beaches,’ when it occurred to me that if only I could spot some other touristy-looking foreigners, somebody might be able to make a recommendation or lend me a peek at their guidebook.

One middle aged foreigner sat slouched on a nearby bench, morosely scanning the scene in front of him. Needless to say, his glum expression wasn’t encouraging. I kept looking and immediately spotted a group of four young backpack-toting guys standing around talking amongst themselves near a pier and looking (only to my trained eye, of course) very much like tourists. I was sure they must have a guidebook in one of those (3 of which were matching) backpacks.

“Excuse me, are you sightseeing?”

Indeed they were. When I explained my predicament they were kind enough to suggest Discovery Bay. “Or you could come bungee jumping with us,” one of them added.

Turns out the guys didn’t have a guidebook to lend, but they were meeting their friend from Hong Kong at the piers, and he was going to take them to Macau to jump off of the Macau Tower, which at 233m provides for the highest bungee jump off a building in the world.

This is where I do a blurb on goal-setting: I am a huge believer in setting goals. I find that once you’ve identified what it is you want to do, whenever opportunities arise that may lead towards that goal, you are perfectly equipped to take full advantage of them in a split second, without having to ask yourself , “what do I want?.” I knew I wanted to go bungee jumping, so off to Macau tower I went.

I doubt that Robert expected me to jump (no pun intended) at his offer, but once they realized that I was serious about joining them, the guys were all extremely friendly and easygoing about my joining them on their Macau adventure.

I’m not quite sure how to describe bungee jumping without making it sound extremely anticlimactic. I was shaking, terrified, desperate for something to hold on to up until the moment I jumped. I think the scariest part is standing on the edge of that platform getting ready to jump. I almost wish I’d stood there longer; I was more stoked and eager to jump than scared, but fear is part of the fun and those terrifying moments passed too quickly for my liking. “Five, four, three, two one!!!”

On April 20th, by a curious chain of events, I found myself bungee jumping from a height of 233m. It was a thrillastic (thrilling + fantastic = adjective; thrilling and fantastic) experience (and yes, I screamed). It was over so fast that I’d yet to touch the crash mat before I wanted to go up and jump again. Like getting tattooed, I can see how bungee jumping could be addictive, but I think I’ll make myself wait; first, I want to try something new. Any suggestions?

SIA

2009-04-21T03:57:00.000-07:00

I had an incredibly sweet SIA (secret international adventure) yesterday, which I promise I will blog about as soon as I return to nyc. Other than that, I've been cramming in as many meals with friends as possible before my departure for nyc tomorrow. I had dinner last night (nepalese) with two of my old friends from my last trip to HK:then today I took my agency to the World Peace Cafe where I had the best lunch of my life for the second day in a row. and made lots of funny faces now I'm going to check out a meditation class at the buddhist centre located above the World Peace Cafe, before I hit the hay and get some rest before my 16hour return flight to nyc tomorrow!

hk midday

2009-04-19T01:01:00.000-07:00

I discovered today that the streets of wanchai, streetmarket alleys included, are pretty dead on sundays. That didn't stop me from picking up a delicious coconut drink and some fresh fruit for lunch, though!
yummmm

Am heading off for my much-needed dose of hot yoga this evening at Pure, then to Life Cafe (!!!) in central for some vegan fuel...something a little bit fancier than my lunch! Though dining out is the thing to do in hk (or anywhere, I suppose) when meeting up with old friends, it can be somewhat of a struggle to find anything vegan aside from oily vegetables :S

2009-04-19T00:52:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos from yesterday's trip to the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery:of course, BB remained calm as usual whilst Cherin and I were pushed around by the wind and rain In spite of the rain ponchos, I was sopping wet by the end of it. So much for staying up the mountain at a hostel-not in this weather!

ferry rider

2009-04-17T04:48:00.000-07:00

As evidenced by my staten island ferry excursion and FOUR trips on the Star ferry (back and forth, back and forth) across Victoria Harbour today, I'm kind of obsessed with ferry rides. They're the perfect way to take in a view of a city and its people at the same time. I can't seem to get enough and filled my entire memory card in just a few hours today (I also took as many pictures as I could from the observation elevator of a 62-story wan chai building).Another incredible day in HK...

101.3?

2009-04-17T04:43:00.000-07:00

apparently I forgot to post this photo collage yesterday-I can hardly keep up with myself in this frenzy of tourist photos and blogging and general state of visual hyperstimulation

gloopgloopgloop

2009-04-16T20:31:00.000-07:00

Rapunzel, Rapunzel,

you have the most...
...random bits of leftover hair extension gloop stuck to your scalp?

Joy of joys, indeed, it's true.

Yesterday was interesting to say the least. I was working for a client I shot with last time I was in HK but this time they decided to fly in an american stylist/photographer couple/team. From New York. Actually, she was originally from hk, he didn't tell me where he was originally from. This is the thing I've noticed about people who live in new york. Since most people aren't originally from there, somehow it seems permissible to tell people that you're 'from new york' even if you've only lived there for a few years. After two months,I could even get away with 'from new york' while abroad.

OK, its great to associate yourself with one of (if not the) most amazing cities in the world. Cool. But when you're not ACTUALLY from there and you not only brag 'from new york' but also use it as a platform for condescension towards local crews while working abroad, I think it's a disgrace. Example: Photographer yesterday making chimp jokes, bitching about the rented camera (why he didnt bring his own i'm not sure) and making comments under his breath about how shitty it is to work in hk. Coming 'from new york' I would have expected a little more cultural sensitivity. Of course the hk crew got him back after he left by bitching about how a reputable hk crew couldve got the job done without such ridiculous delays. I'm not trying to judge either hk-ers or nyc-ers but make an observation on the interactions amongst the crew on set and the importance of cultural understanding. I've often seen an effortless melding of influences and cultures on set so it was interesting to see them clash so profoundly, and drew my attention to how surprisingly rare such an event really is in the fashion industry.

wednesday morning

2009-04-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

Found out this morning that the fitting I was supposed to have today has been cancelled and I will be shooting tomorrow in chai wan. One 10-hr. day's work-not a bad way to earn my way to hk for a week if you ask me. I'd been contemplating an excursion to the HK wetlands park and today would've been the perfect opportunity. But...I couldn't tear myself away from the busy streets. There's something wonderful about just being in the midst of it all-the organized chaos of everyday life-epecially in a foreign city. Which is why I think I'll explore my old CWB hood today before heading to Life Cafe for dinner with my mum's friend Cherin (which I am incredibly excited about)...Now, to tear myself away from my new favorite coffee place (free wifi, thank you Caffe Habitu)... Just got a message that I need to go by the agency at 12.30 to pick up my job info and take pictures of my hair to send the client...good thing I'm not at the wetland park!

101.2

2009-04-14T19:45:00.000-07:00

POST 101

2009-04-13T19:20:00.000-07:00

one-hundred-and-first post and no photos!!! how pathetic...
In my defense, I can't seem to manage a wifi signal on my laptop and have had to resort to my old fallback, pacific coffee. Oh, how terrible, that I am in hk at pacific coffee, blogging (sarcasm). I think its pretty suiting that I started blogging in HK (has it really been almost a year?) and am posting #101 from this amazing city! I've always said how much I would love to split my time between hk and nyc, my two favorite cities, and here I am, fresh from new york! well..not quite so fresh, considering the dampness of my cramped hotel room and lukewarm (if that) temperature of the water in the building. Oh, it's good to be back in hk!

Traded yellow taxis for red,
street art for peeling panels of canto writing,
and plastic garbage bags for bamboo baskets
flourescent lights line all the main streets,
not only Times Square, though there's one of those too (!)

Hk is a sea of color, odor, and sound. I love it. And I have a week here before I head back to nyc! Nyc...hk...nyc...bliss. Now if only I could find dragonfruits to eat for breakfast in nyc...

sunny days

2009-04-10T20:18:00.000-07:00

It can still be a little chilly, but we've been having some beautifully warm days this week. Which of course meant a walk in Central Park (last 2 pics)I've been feeling strangely under the weather but managed to pick up an appropriately-sized suitcase today and started my packing for 10 DAYS IN HK!!! Then I came home to check my email and discovered that the 's' key on my laptop mysteriously developed some sort of ailment which necessitates my pounding on it in order to type every single 's'. On the plus side, my ring finger is getting a workout. On the downside, its a pain in the assss. And I have a stomach ache.

Next update to come from HK!

peace, love.

2009-04-07T18:52:00.000-07:00

Caught a glimpse of Her Lady Liberty while riding the legendary Staten Island Ferry today. This free ferry ride/commuter transportation was something I'd always heard about and associated with new york but never got around to doing...until today, that is. I can't wait to ride the ferries in HK again-especially in 20-degree (celsius) weather, which will provide a welcome reprieve from the winds which have been sweeping manhattan and also hopefully make my sightseeing treks a little less damp than the 30-degree humidity I slogged through on my visit last summer.Quote (paraphrase from memory) of the day: "Have a great day and an even better tomorrow. You get back what you dish out. Peace, love, handshake, smile, high-fives, kisses-but only from you ladies."

hello again

2009-04-05T18:21:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks have been nothing if not a period of magic and adventure. For starters, I said 'peace out' to my Brooklyn neighborhood
and 'hello, darling!' to my UES neighborhood (and yoga only a 10 minute walk away!).

On the way to a casting I ran into my friend Karla, whom I met in HK, and she introduced me to Ethiopian food:curries and vegetables on thin crepe-like (but sort of sour) bread, which you eat by picking up with other pieces of the bread. I've tried a lot of international foods, but this was a first!

My dear friend and former roommate and subletter Lauren just got back into town from Australia via LA and we hit up the Hell's Kitchen outdoor flea market as well as my other dear old friend, Beacon's Closet:Between Karla and Lauren and Tom, my wish for friends with which to explore the city is well on its way to being fulfilled.

In other exciting news, which I restrained myself from blogging about earlier, I'm going back to HK!!! I leave on the 13th for a one-day direct booking and am planning on staying a few extra days for a mini holiday and a chance to explore the city in something other than blistering heat and humidity! I could not be more excited! Add on some thrifting, for the first time in a lonnngg time, and you have one happy camper. Tom and I also stumbled upon Metropolis thrift store in the East Village, which houses THE most extensive selection of vintage leather boots and shoes I've ever laid eyes on. While in the EV we had lunch at Quintessence, which serves vegan raw food. It was some of the best food I've ever had ('live' hummous, veggie crackers, nut-cheesey broccoli...just...wow)

New York is clearly full of many best-of-the-bests. And a relatively easy place to eat vegan. Which is what I've begun to do. I was a pesco-vegetarian for a long time (vegetarian, but ate fish), but never really ate eggs due to a childhood allergy, and have had to go off dairy because uncultured dairy makes me nauseous and cultured diary makes my skin break out. With the advent of Spring (noticeably warmer weather which has freed me-at least temporarily-from the confines of my knee-length down parka) I embarked on a three-day spring cleansing juice fast and then...I did it. I started eating vegan. I still wear vintage leather, but no longer consume any animal products. And so far, my body loves it. It's practically jumping out of its extraordinarily happy skin with joy.

characters of CP/Amanda comes to town!

2009-03-22T18:43:00.000-07:00

street/underpass musician in Central ParkWoman selling balloons and cotton candy in Central ParkAmanda, a Vancouver-based designer (http://www.kulusdesigns.com) and one of the bookers at my mother agency Lizbell (www.lizbellagency.com) was in town over the weekend visiting NYC for the first time with 2 of her friends from fashion school, one of whom we recruited to take this photographic masterpiece for us: I love hanging out with people from back home in the cities I travel to! Fingers crossed that a few more make the journey in the next few months!

blissed out

2009-03-21T18:49:00.000-07:00

I went swimming and did some yoga yesterday morning before we left,and then it was time to say goodbye to the warm air, sunny skies, and wrinkly tans of Palm SpringsUntil next time!

I signed the sublease on my UES apartment tonight after vinyasa and meditation classes at Pure, completely high on life (I think I scared by sublettor a little bit)...I am SO stoked to move neighborhoods!! yuppies here I come! I've always heard it said that everybody living in new york is always looking for at least one of three things; an apartment, a boyfriend/girlfriend, or a job. I think that's part of the charm of it, in a way...nyc really is a city where anything can happen. To take the obvious example, you can live in Brooklyn one week and UES the next!

Life=Fun

2009-03-21T18:24:00.000-07:00

welcome to The Parker! Where the doors are orange and the valets wear pink pants!after our last day of shooting, Caroline, Juli and I set out to explore Palm Springs,where, as the streetlight banners proclaim, Life=Fun (I'm inclined to think Life=Fun almost anywhere, almost all the time)after a bit of fun all around at a hat store along Palm Springs' main drag, we headed over to Melvyns for drinks. I abstained and promptly departed; I had my sights set on the rocklimbing wall we'd passed on our way through the Thursday night street festival. Having reached the top along every 'route' I descended to peruse the organic fruit stalls, which were brimming with delicious fresh produce.Following some live music viewing of my own, I returned to Melvyns (classic Hollywood stars' hangout-the walls were plastered with photos of the proprietor with numerous famous faces) where Caroline and Juli had been enjoying themselves at the piano bar (which I unfortunately didn't manage to get a clear photo of)...

desert wednesday

2009-03-18T22:22:00.000-07:00

I was unexpectedly given the day off today and set out to put it to use. Yoga, swimming, lounging in the sun! Then, after some poolside lunch, writing, and reading, I took off on one of the hotel's lender bikes for an hour-long exploration of the general area. I had no clue where I was going but managed to cover a bit of ground in all directions, sighting a lot of 'big box stores,' what appeared to be a wind-energy field (numerous large white windmills off on the horizon), vast expanses of desert, a chunk of suburbia, and a golf-course.

It was a wonderful and exhausting day (simply the heat alone is enough to fatigue anyone unaccustomed to the area's weather), and I am liable to fall completely asleep at any second. Call time: 6.30 a.m. tomorrow morning. Provided I'm not struck down by heatstroke, it should prove to be another blissful day. I'm beginning to notice a trend in the quality of the days which my life is comprised of. May the blissful wonderfulness continue!

more charming things at hand

2009-03-17T19:07:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Palm Springs yesterday, disembarking directly onto the tarmac (and into the heat!!) for the first time in my life.Spent today being made to look elfin-like and don beautiful dressesAnd will be shooting on the DIVINE (and divine smelling-jasmine, roses, lavender, orange blossoms!) grounds of the Parker Meridian hotel for the next two days!

It's a wonderful life. Especially when you're reclining in a hammock strung between palms and wallowing in warm floral scented breezes.

hip hip hooray hate mail!

2009-03-17T18:13:00.000-07:00

"funny how you think you are better than models but in all reality are still just a model"

Clearly an uneducated comment (via Facebook's glorious Honesty Box, which I thought I'd long ago deleted), the writer of which I assumed would likely be capable of comprehending only the simplest and most idiotic of responses; "fuck off and find something better to think about." While I didn't intend to waste words in a direct response to someone so clearly unenlightened, this episode did provoke some contemplation, the manifestation of which I'm now expressing via the oh-so-Sophisticated Webpost (aka Blog).

I've been reading up on the essay portion of the SATs (which are a response to a quote or statement) and what the studyguide folks suggest test writers do is identify the claim made and any assumptions inherent in the statement.

Claim: Kyla, in all reality, is just a model.
Assumption: Kyla thinks she is better than models.
Assumption #2: something is funny.

Clearly the second assumption is easiest to address; the writer probably did not mean 'funny' in the usual ha-ha sense of the word, but rather enjoys utilizing superfluous words to introduce their statements.

Moving on to address the first assumption, 'Kyla thinks she is better than models,' I would like to point out the fact that I am a model. Thus the above statement would seem to imply that I think I am better than myself. Humoring the writer of this message, however, I will accede that they likely intended to accuse me of thinking myself superior to 'other' models. This is false in many respects. Firstly, I am certain that there are a number of models who do their jobs much more skillfully than myself (consider, perhaps, the industry acknowledges supermodel extraordinaire Coco Rocha, whom a stylist on a recent shoot informed me sets aside days to practice her jumps-of course I cannot attest to whether or not this information is true, but that one would believe it certainly lends weight to the impression of Coco's skill as a model). I'm sure that if the message-writer were reading this (if I had not blocked them on facebook), they would be exclaiming in frustration, for they intended neither of the aforementionned interpretations.

I believe they were insinuating that I think I am 'too good' for other models. I don't hang out with a large number of models, nor do I party in the model circles. I will not deny that my behaviours are such. But consider also that I do not hang out with a large number of individuals, nor do I party with anyone at all. Consider also that in this world there are people who like to talk about books with other people who like to talk about books, and there are people who like to chug beer with other people who like to chug beer. And then there are people who like to stay in by themselves and read, write, and on occasion blog. To be honest it is true that I am not particularly interested in dull conversation with anyone, model or otherwise, and have had few intellectually stimulating conversations with other models. Yet those few have ranked as some of the best, and I have also eavesdropped upon some which were far beyond my level of knowledge.

The main claim of the message which I have yet to address is that I am 'in all reality, just a model.' Fine if we are defining people solely by their occupations. My brother, then is just a student (that, or just a hockey player). My best friends are just hostesses. Barrack Obama is just the president of the united states. No he's not, hes BARRACK FUCKING OBAMA. Some people who work in fast food restaurants have limited educations. Some don't. Some model snort coke, are not interested in higher education, have eating disorders and bad attitudes. Others don't. My booker Krisana has mentionned other girls with Elite who do rock climbing and one who goes to Harvard. They sound fantastic. But I haven't met them yet because they are rock climbing and going to Harvard and I am reading and writing. I refuse to be defined by my profession; what a terribly unimaginative way to view the world and other human beings! Let's group people according to the colour of shirt they're wearing right this instant, or what they ate for breakfast. No, thank you! I am friends with many people who are very different from myself; I'm too much of a hermit for life to be exciting if I weren't. When I think of the people who have influenced my life, I don't think of their professions. Erica Macdonald, one of my roommates in Paris, was always happy, and proved to me once and for all that there is no reason I can't choose to be as incessantly happy also. When I think of Erica, I don't think 'model,' rather, I hear her shouting "Paris summer 2007!!! YEAHHH!!!" from atop the Eiffel Tower.

So, here it is, my response to that darn honesty box message. While I'm a little embarassed that something so dimwitted could provoke such a lengthy response, now that I've typed it there's no use in erasing it. And I'm sure that it will be better appreciated in this form than as a reply to someone who likely would not understand, and worse, would not care.

Am I a snob? Well, I am particular about my time, and would likely choose to read at a casting, or stay in on a weekend night. I define people not by their professions but their qualities, and choose my friends in a like manner. I would say that I am not a snob anymore than the girls who sit at castings discussing last weekend's parties rather than inquiring as to what I am reading (which is to say, not). But I also identify myself as Kyla rather than 'a model'-this is apparently incomprehensible to some. Thus I am certain many aspects of my conception of reality might be considered strange. For example, I love hate mail. It gives me something to write about.

and P.S., for the record, being Kyla means being a model by occupation as well as a voracious reader and passionate student and lover and liver of life. It also means being stubborn and opinionated and frequently infected by a bad case of travel-bug. It means I drink a lot of licorice spice tea and wear a lot of black and do a lot of yoga. It means that if you send me hate mail, I WILL blog about it, but first I will reply with a proper 'fuck you' response!

dumb and dumber

2009-03-13T16:39:00.000-07:00

"Cream short sleeve blouse
Pull over the head."

Don't you just love the detailed (AND printed) instructions given to fashion show 'dressers?' (aka interns cohersed into menial roles by their bossmen and bosswomen)

PART TWO of TRAINTALK...

"It don't cost you NOTHIN' to say 'excuse me!' Have some fuckin' etiquette DON'T PUSH ME"
-Large black man to unseen fellow passenger who supposedly rushed a little too eagerly onto the train, thus compelling LBM to compromise all possible auditory enjoyment in a certain subway car for two stops this morning

"You're not helping the situation by driving like a DICK in the bike lane! You're a VEHICLE!"
-Irate bicycler to a vespa-er who didn't seem to understand English very well (that or he simply couldn't manage to get a word in edgewise with the woman)

traintalk

2009-03-11T18:07:00.000-07:00

I overheard an interesting conversation between a woman who had hitch-hiked to the city from 'up near the Canadian border' and an older Jamaican woman on the subway back to my Brooklyn neighborhood today...

JW: I heard Canada is naiiice but new york is more exciting

...

HH: miss Jamaica?

JW: A little bit...I go home every now and then
...In America people don't laugh as much. In a small country people laugh a lot...they got less but they have more, more in life.

Hmmmm...
this eavesdropping escapade reminded me of my earlier post on peoples' adoption of the surly-new-yorker/apathetic-and-jaded-seen-it-all attitude...

whoever said you learn something new everyday...

2009-03-08T13:29:00.000-07:00

...wasn't kidding.

Emerging from the Grand St. exit this morning on my way to a shoot, I had the strangest sense that I'd returned to HK. It had been awhile since I'd found myself stranded in a throng of slow-moving asians exiting up an underground stairway. After my job I even managed to find a red bean paste bun at a chinatown bakery-that's something I can guarantee you would not find in any other part of the city. I worked with an amazing team today and the photographer and his assistant/friend could not stop raving about their LES (lower east side) neighborhood...I WANT TO MOVE!!!

The question of New Yorkers' friendliness (or rudeness) is one oft-debated topic on which I've never really had much to say. I guess if anyone asked I'd describe New Yorkers much the way Jeannette Walls did in her memoir The Glass Castle; "...if you tried to stop them on the street, a lot of them kept on walking, shaking their heads; those who did stop didn't look at you at first. They gazed off down the block, their faces closed. But as soon as they realized you weren't trying to hustle them or panhandle money, they warmed right up. They looked you in the eye and gave you detailed instructions...[they] just pretended to be unfriendly."

I've been reading up on universities in the city (NYU and Columbia) and one thing I remember a native new-yorker mentioning about her out-of-state peers was their pride in adopting the 'new-yorker jadedness'-indifference to beggars, smells, rats/roaches, and honking horns. Considering that most people I meet in this city aren't originally from the area, I'm beginning to wonder whether the 'new-yorker attitude' might be a self-fulfilling prophecy; something people hear about before arriving here and quickly adopt in their efforts to appear adjusted. Personally, I have no qualms about whipping out my camera to snap photos of even the most common or mundane sights, such as the posters plastered on walls between chinatown and soho.

Walking home to my eastern-parkway building this afternoon in (dare I say it?) shockingly warm weather (*knock on wood*) I spotted a mother and her two fundraising box-toting kids walking towards me. I still maintain vivid memories of figure-skating, girl guides, and elementary school fundraisers for which I struggled to fill my candy or cookie-selling quotas. Those memories and a recent chocolate craving compelled me to buy some candy from the kids, whose mom seemed almost as embarrassed as I remember feeling back in the day, and with whom I struck up a bit of a conversation. Maybe it was the weather or something wonderful about moms and their kids, but it was nothing if not a friendly exchange.

AND THEN
and then..
and then.

I was walking up the stairs to my apartment, following the woman who had held the front door open for me, when I saw her pick up a candy wrapper lying on the steps and proceed to dispose of it in a GARBAGE CHUTE. (I'd been wondering about garbage disposal in this building-my roommate has been in LA for a week and neglected to mention some of the finer details). A GARBAGE CHUTE. I was ecstatic. SO stoked to take the garbage out. Hauled it all outside the door, which promptly fell shut behind me. Now, in my experience, MOST apartment doors don't lock themselves after being shut. But-and this is another finer detail my roommate failed to mention-apparently this one does. I was locked out with nothing but 5 bags of garbage and a roommate on the other side of the continent.

After asking a passing fellow-resident where the super lived (thank god the building has a super-intendent), I found myself waiting outside the door of apartment 1C. A shirtless man with dreads and half-closed lids opened the door, muttering something unintelligible. After confirming that he did not in fact have a key for our apartment, I expected him to refer me to some sort of locksmith's service. 'Just a minute' and Trevor (as he introduced himself) emerged, dressed in a baby blue velour tracksuit, nike sneakers, and rasta hat. I then proceeded to follow Trevor on a problem-solving mission to the fourth and sixth floor in attempts to gain access to the fire-escape (we were hoping one of my accessible windows would be open), then down to the basement for a 'real tall ladda' which I had a blast climbing up to reach the fire escape. With Trevor's encouragement; 'Keep going. Up. Up. Next one. There!' I located my bedroom window and was soon prying at the bottom edge of the window.

Though I suppose some might consider a jammed window which opens onto a back-alley fire escape somewhat of a safety issue, I'm extremely grateful for that stupid window's stubborn refusal to be completely shut and locked. And for Trevor, who appeared outside my door a few minutes later with his phone number for future reference. While I'd still like to relocate to an area where the laundromat windows aren't plastered with photocopies of 'wanted for rape' signs, I have to say that I've found the residents of my building to be extremely friendly and helpful. And, strange as it may sound, getting locked out was one of the best experiences I've had so far in New York.

how many new york minutes in a day?

2009-03-06T19:10:00.000-08:00

I found myself in Manhattan earlier than necessary this morning, and took the opportunity to pay a visit to one of my favorite bookstores, The Strand, identifiable by the shelves stuffed with $1 specials to be found outsideI'd intended to take in the exhibitions at MOMA for free (4-8pm Target Fridays), but upon discovering that the line-up stretched the length of an avenue block (that's long) and around the corner, chose to keep walkingand made my way through Central Parkthen headed to a yoga class at PURE NYC!!! Now I'm left pondering whether to sign up for membership before or after my shoot in Palm Springs later this month...

on my time off

2009-03-01T15:40:00.000-08:00

Times Square. Yep.Ruvan Wijesooriya's photos at the Soho Grand...I met him last week and he told me he found that 'most photographers aren't inspired'-true that. Thus in a field of photographers I would identify Ruvan as an anomaly. I like his photos because I feel them rather than simply seeing them.MAIN READING ROOM at the main branch of the library. I would go there every day of the rest of my life if I had the chance. And then I would die, and I'd probably keep coming back as a spirit of some sort. It's that great.

3

2009-02-28T18:36:00.000-08:00

Three reasons I often opt not to listen to my iPod whilst wandering the streets of an english-speaking city:

"...people watch more hetero porn..." (man exiting through subway turnstile on cellphone)

"...stop being a (he may have said 'fucking' but my memory's uncertain) bitch and come home!" (man on cellphone crossing street against the light and being honked at by traffic on the lower east side)

"HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH!" (woman walking the length of the subway station platform)

Considering the fact that two of the above quotes were gathered from people speaking on their cellphones, I would like to make public my gratitude for this mobile conversational invention: thank you cellphones, for taking what should be public conversations and throwing them out onto the streets and into the general public's (and my) auditory space. Because crossing streets and taking the subway would be so boring without these curious little pieces.

the first few days

2009-02-26T20:01:00.000-08:00

Day One:
arrive at 7a.m. after red-eye flight from LAX (surrounded by overflowing-own-seat-er, incessant talk-ers, cough-er), a little short on sleep. Shoot lookbook in Fried Chicken Outlet Central (sketch area of Brooklyn). Get settled in the room I am subletting which is in a less-sketchy-ish area of Brooklyn, relatively clean to most apartments I've stayed in, sunny, spacious, and NOT infested with pallid creatures who gawk at me whenever I eat. Get connected to the internet with help of roommate at 11pm only to discover that I am scheduled to attend castings the next day beginning at 9.30 a.m. although I don't even have cards or a portfolio on me.

Day Two:
9.30 a.m.: agency. Compile book with booker and new yorker extraordinaire and new acquaintance Kerry. 6 castings. LOTS of walking. Farmer's Market at Union Square. NYU buildings and students around University Place.

Day Three: casting. casting. casting. casting. library. library. casting. casting.

Day Four (tomorrow): casting. casting. repeat.

So, I do a LOT of walking. Sometimes because I'm early and killing time, other times because the subway just isn't that convenient for where I'm going. What this translates into is a LOT of sightseeing. and loving. Many of the people who live here came from somewhere else, which means they had to work incredibly hard to get here. I've met countless people abroad whose dream is NY and that gave me incredible insight into how special it is to be spending time here. People are driven and the population is diverse-not only in the race and class senses, but the background, perspective, and life experience senses. And by walking around it so much I get to see a lot of it (I'd say 'see it all,' but with New York that's probably humanly impossible).

I know most people who are born and raised in your typical north american city might not take in all the 'touristy' sights the city has to offer, such as the main NYPL branch. It's probably true and there must be some new yorkers who haven't explored the city for all it's worth, but the thought is still hard to imagine. So, if there's anyone out there living near 42nd and 5th ave. who doesn't really care about that library, give me a shout! If you don't want to take new york for all it's worth, let me know! I love nyc because it looks to me exactly how I feel-brimming with potential, energy and possibility.

I think that hacking woman next to me on the plane might have infested me with some throat-abusing germ, so I'm going to get some rest. There will be much, much more to come.

NEW YORK

2009-02-26T19:44:00.000-08:00

Some Sights:
Fried Chicken outlets abound in some areas of Brooklyn, such as the one where the studio I was shooting in on my first day here was located. These are generally not nice areas to walk around in at night.Trump Toweracross from Penn Stn.NYPL!!! Most amazing library I've ever set foot in-the impact was augmented by the 25 minutes I spent beforehand in the kitty-corner castoff library full of strange smells, stained carpets, and (notably) ample seating. My new goal is to live as near as possible to 5th ave. and 42nd street and spend every spare moment of my life in the Rose Main Reading Room (literature, anthropology, philosophy, psychology!!!).Grand Central Stn.A church (one of about a dozen I see each day in my treks around the city) with the classic passing yellow cab

BONUS: Ayn Rand/Atlas Shrugged reminder, anyone??

nice to meet you, city of angels, but where are your halos?

2009-02-26T19:07:00.000-08:00

**me on the helipad atop an LA building**

I flew to L.A. on my way to new york in order to meet up with my friends Katy and Claudia at UCLA (stayed in Katy's dorm...Claudia visited from UCSD).

Here are some snippets:the view of Mount Saint Helen's on the way downflying into a cloud of smog, ahem, L.A.me, katy, and C-Lo at a USC frat party-I'm clearly quite bewildered.Of course, I would find myself with no better method of self-amusement than the imitation of cement animals.sweetest polaroids ever of some of the UCLA facultyKaty and I in the campus's botanic gardens (where we went on a fieldtrip for one of her seminar classes...after the morning's bio lecture)UCLA hospital-you can't really see what I was trying to take a photo of, but it's the valet near the entrance. That's right, folks. No public parking. Valet only. Only in LA.

My few days in L.A. were amazing. One of Katy's friends took us out driving the first night I got there and we hit up a helipad, Santa Monica, a USC frat party, and a quintessential diner (Mel's-I think it was on Sunset. There was a long line and people behaving like club promoters slipping cash to get people in. Say it with me, 'STRANGE')...pretty much a thorough guided tour of the city, without too much traffic! I hadn't seen Claudia since we were both in HK over the summer, and Katy since our aftergrad party.

It was a beautiful reunion, involving plenty of dining hall experiences (just enough to get a taste of the college life without getting sick of the salad bar), one glorious vegan restaurant meal, 2 LIBRARIES!!!! (the fuel for my fiery jealousy of all my university-attending friends), a few classes, long talks, and lots of polaroids (which I will have to update later...the battery of the camera with which I document my polaroids is currently in transit-i.e., being sent by mail from my mom 'cause I forgot it at home). 2 of the best tours I've ever been on: the one around L.A. and that which Katy took me on of the campus and the LIBRARIES! It's only been a few days but I miss my two wvss girlies already. :(

LA tomorrow, NYC tuesday!

2009-02-20T18:23:00.000-08:00

Doing what?!

That's the question that used to pop into my head when other models would tell me of the two months they'd spend at home between cities

Well, it hasn't quite been two months, but it's certainly been awhile. I've had some time to attempt to process the last 7 months of this whirlwind life and reflect on everything I learned along the way. The first few months of 2009 have marked a period of incessant study (reading, writing, and thrifted textbooks), reflection, incredible photoshoots with dear friends (Lyle&Raymond, fellow Lizbell model Leah, Ashley Gesner, and GREG SWALES-whom I roadtripped to Whistler with yesterday for shoot)and of course (being Canadian and all...) nature walks!...with one frat party thrown in for good measure, as a social experiment of sorts (thanks Nick, too bad your original cheerleader date had to cancel on you for practice).I've also had the chance to catch up with Liz, Jayne, Amanda, and David at the agency...they are all so wonderful and I always look forward to seeing them when I come back to the city. Being away from that team just makes me appreciate the level of communication I have with them so much more. I was in a few days ago sorting through old tears and came across the old contact sheets from my first test shootBefore I began spending all of my summers abroad in disgustingly humid city environments, I spent a fair amount of time doing the sorts of things you'd imagine most Canadians do in the summer months (biking, swimming at the river, surfing, boogie boarding, spending time outside in that fresh mountain air and brilliant sunlight..hard to believe, right?)I WAS TAN!!!

But alas, that shade of skin is mine no longer...I'll be hauling my pale ass out to the airport tomorrow morning...for two days of PURE BLISS amongst friends in california before landing in new york tuesday morning and-as I was informed today-reporting to work after dropping my suitcase off at the apt. in Brooklyn where I'm staying. So, I'd better get back to packing...I've got the clothes done (1/3 of my suitcase)...but I'm torn over which books to take-my prized psych text weighs a solid five pounds :S

where art thou editorials?

2009-01-21T23:52:00.000-08:00

My tale begins in the magazine section of the local Save On Foods, where I stopped in on the way home from yoga class earlier tonight, on a quest to restock a dwindling reserve of tea varieties and almond milk. The thought occurred to me that if I plan on making the transition from B market (Asia) to A market (NYC) with my modeling career, I really ought to brush up on my industry knowledge (designers, models, and publishing-house going-ons, etc.). Pardon me if I'm a little late on the uptake, but

WHERE HAVE THE EDITORIALS GONE?!

I seriously considered the possibility that I might be delusional when I found the thickness of every publication I thumbed through at least halved. Quick peeks at the (best) back sections of magazines revealed that this was due not only to the reduced numbers of ad pages I've been reading reports of, but the NEAR TOTAL DISAPPEARANCE of fashion editorials

I'm crushed. heartbroken. devestated. Not that I'm likely to be the most impacted by this recent development, but...

Is the editorial model entering into an age of obsolescence?

Alas, given the general look of pallor which plagues many an 'editorial' model, it's not exactly a wholly negative prospect...

p.s. I got mail!
(singapore Elle)

january 2009

2009-01-19T21:02:00.000-08:00

20 polaroids remaining19 days into the new year

16 books to read
one 1500-word essay written

8 more classes on a 10-class pass for yogapod, which will have to wait until 1 infinity symbol tattoo has finished healing

7 days in Calgary; 2 in Vic

4 days of fog

3 plates of home-made sushi

2 thrifted cameras:
1xoriginal polaroid + 1x autofocus 35mm
thirty-three dollars for 10 photos of original polaroid film
2 rolls of 2-year old film to develop
1 disposable camera dating back to age 14, year 2005
3 photos remaining until functionality of 35mm may be determined

1 cracked LP: Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits

endless reunions with 2 best friends

unlimited ideas
unlimited possibilities
there's no end to the dreams I can conceive
there's no end to the things I can believe
there's no reason I can't shape the life I lead

sometimes numbers are easier to manage than words,
particularly when one has descended into utter technological inconsistency; please forgive me, I should be off to new york city at the end of february...

I LOVE CANADA

2008-12-24T16:51:00.000-08:00

After a surprisingly pleasant flight (Air Canada, which is why it was particularly surprising), I finally arrived...
in.....Vancouver? I didn't quite recognize the city what with the unusual volume of snow, but nevertheless it's good to be home. Now my only concern is the possible cancellation of my flight out to Calgary tomorrow (apparently when Air Canada has to prioritize they choose to maintain international service...somewhat ironic considering that on monday I benefitted (if you can consider a 5-hour delay benefitting) from the same decision which may keep me grounded on thursday). Anyways, fingers crossed, and glad to be back in the country after 7 months.

DELAYED

2008-12-22T01:17:00.000-08:00

stuck in an airport, by no fault of my own whatsoever...
but so excited to be home in 12 hours!!

the last hoorahs

2008-12-21T09:28:00.000-08:00

I was SO excited to take the bullet train (shinkansen) to the Hakone (renowned for its abundance of hot springs) region earlier this week:too bad the view once we got there was so dreary (but as it was the hot springs we were after anyways, Chelsey and I were more than satisfied with our excursion):Also,went out to Gonpachi (the 'Kill Bill' restaurant) for dinner on Friday with the girls as the five of us were all leaving within days of each other...
...I'm not the hugest sushi fan, and I'm assuming that I won't like much other sushi after having dined at Gonpachi-the food was amazing. The company wasn't bad either.

last jobs in tokyo

2008-12-21T08:28:00.000-08:00

Spent the last 3 days working (31 hours total-the real sucker was the 15 hour day yesterday)...experiences included 'winning' a watch in a studio's christmas draw, conducted by a somewhat unconventional santa claus:I also shot outside a unique, chandelier-filled cafe on Friday: and the most beautiful beachfront studio on Saturday:

rollin'

2008-12-16T06:02:00.000-08:00

Started the morning off with a few hours at the National Museum of Modern Art:If you think the building looks kind of lame, that's because it is lame, and the art wasn't nearly as good as the flyer I found for the modern art museum in Kyoto. Anyways, after that we were off to Tokyo Dome for the day, where we had an amazing dinner at the California Pizza Kitchen, got kicked out of a hot spring/spa due to Chels' tiny tattoo on her butt, AND rode on a roller-coaster that went through a ferris wheel and part of a building, as well as a linear one:
**BONUS dorky photo:
Conclusion: roller-coasters are good for the soul and japanese spas are prejudiced and sometimes just plain MEAN

art/food/fashion (the best things in life aren't free)

2008-12-15T04:59:00.000-08:00

haven't been blogging; HAVE been exploring...Tokyo Midtown mall & park & 21_21 design center (where I saw the Second Nature exhibition)Also, went for Indian food at Lonely-Planet-recommended Moti's...really just had some curries with our gignormous Naan bread:aaaand explored the Daikanyama shopping area, home to all things cute & quirky (overflowing with hipsters and fashion-lovers who come out in full force unhindered by recent economic turmoil)...

a day at the beach

2008-12-08T06:24:00.000-08:00

a rosy tint had just begun to spread amongst the clouds,when we arrived at the deserted (save for some dedicated surfers) Chiba beachfront this morning,where I was joined for one of my 20+ shots of the day, by the most charming co-star a girl could ask for;
12 hours after our 5am meeting time (and countless preposterous jogging and yoga 'pose' imitations later-the job of the day was a sportswear catalogue), we stopped off for linner (lunner?) on our way back into the city.I'm not exactly sure what the name is for this kind of food, but it involved clams and small fish on mini barbecues at every table...oh, and I also found half a crab in my miso soup. yummm

the new (sunday)

2008-12-06T23:04:00.000-08:00

*Chalo!India; a new era of indian art* exhibition at the mori art museum (no photography permitted)
*museum entrance also included admission to the 52nd floor City View and rooftop Sky Deck...

the old (saturday)

2008-12-06T22:05:00.000-08:00

******************aoyama cemetery ******************imperial gardens & environs

falling for colour

2008-12-03T06:12:00.000-08:00

Enjoyed some beautiful weather today with a stroll through the most wonderful neighborhood oasis (park),then it was off in the boys' van to a casting, then onto the train only to spend two hours waiting for one of the girls' vans to pick me up. As such, I managed to make considerable progress with my reading of Sherlock Holmes; The complete novels and stories, Volume I whilst lounging about the Excelsior Caffe [sic] (a two-story joint, the upper of which was identified as a 'smoking' area, which I found curious). My evening then took me to a variety of castings, none of which varied particularly from the usual casting proceedings in which I find myself engaged monday to friday. Apparently there is a saying in Thailand which ought to be applied here; "same-same, but different."

O.K.? Thanks.

2008-12-01T06:10:00.000-08:00

My workday-the entire 16-hour ordeal of it-was a study in the truly ridiculous. Mediocre hair and makeup, explicit instructions as to the position of ever hand, foot, limb, etc., and, without fail, the subsequent dissatisfaction of the party who had issued aforementioned instructions, along with the tragic misuse of what was undoubtedly an exorbitantly expensive studio, left me with only one choice if I was to avoid a bonafide fit: I just had to laugh. To this, the 'stylist' in the process of repositioning my arm 3mm to the left responded by asking; "what's funny?" Ummm..this is ridiculous? A plastic mannequin would be better suited to performing this task? This entire setup is remarkably inefficient? No, I couldn't think of anything to say to her. For I was fairly certain that I found myself the sole party present whose intellect was entirely focussed upon the UTTER RIDICULOUSNESS of the situation.

A dozen dense dufuses all in a row..when faced with such an assortment of japanese-catalogue-photoshoot crewmembers, amongst which at least one suit-clad headboss male is always sure to be found, one's only law-abiding resort can be laughter. My laughter in Guangzhou was consistently met with more smiles and more laughter. My laughter in Tokyo today was met with concern (I have surmised that un-provoked laughter must be considered rude). It shouldn't have surprised me, after the makeup artist sumimasen(excuse me)-ed herself for letting out what was apparently an offensively obvious sigh of exhaustion heading into hour 13. Oh, the intrigues of a city in which an accidental bump on the street or in the metro is superseded by a curteous, apologetic bow, rather than quick (guilty) glance away and step in the opposite direction.

Consider this post my second foray into investigation of Japan's alarmingly high suicide rate; what people seem to be lacking is a 'healthy'-by which I mean, mentally healthy-sense of humor. A grasp of sarcasm-the lowest form a wit, but a form of wit nonetheless-would also prove beneficial, I'm sure. However, as much sarcasm involves saying things one may think freely but only express verbally under the guise of humor, I'm guessing that might be too much to ask. I wonder if they have the expression 'speak your mind' in japanese? Well, at least they have fleecy rubber ducky printed bathrobes:BONUS CONVERSATION SNIPPET: Makeup/Hair Lady (pushing hairpin into my scalp): Does it hurt?...Yours truly: Well, it's poking right into my head...M/H Lady: O.K.? Thanks.

Shibuya Sights

2008-11-30T02:04:00.000-08:00

I've been a very bad blogger. Posts have been sporadic, at best. Effort; negligible. Enthusiasm; lacking. It's curious that the place where I had the most chaotic schedule and least amount of spare time (hk) was the one where I posted most frequently AND predictably (almost every day). My days in Tokyo are long and exhausting; it's that kind of lethargic exhaustion you get from spending hours doing practically nothing. So, every chance I get (weekends) I take the opportunity to stretch my legs. Places to be and people to see! For example, this tree, one of the thousands that have recently sprung up all over this enthusiastically festive city;the legendary Shibuya shopping mecca Shibuya 109,Shibuya crossing (as seen from the 2nd floor of THE Shibuya Starbucks),cute shops (ahem, 3-floor Disney store) in which to strike imitation japanese-schoolgirl poses/behave like a walking tourist cliche,and miscellaneous smile-inducing sights...Not to mention, as I explored last weekend, 'traditional' and 'cultural' sights aplenty (kabuki theatre, temples, anyone?):

meet me on the 52nd floor

2008-11-14T15:51:00.001-08:00

Why would I submit myself to playing the role of the short, non-drinking model at a fashion party??simple:
THE VIEW! Oh, and the free stuff (bag, bracelet, booze (donated to Chelsey the Insomniac's cause of attempting to drink herself asleep), courtesy of Zadig&Voltaire) arigato gozaimasu!

fishy fish

2008-11-14T15:51:00.000-08:00

Set the alarm to 4:45a.m. Saturday morning in order to make it to the sight of a mass fish massacre (Tsukiji Fishmarket), where I watched giant tuna being auctioned off, and tried some fresh sashimi.To be honest, I was so excited about the big sightseeing excursion that I didn't give much consideration to how much the sight of all that blood and all those piles of freshly killed fish would make me feel. Needless to say, the combined experience-walk through the market, fresh sashimi and all-has put me off fish for awhile. Full-fledged vegetarianism beckons.

After our early morning my roomie Chelsey and I were in desperate need of a midday siesta, but after a few hours rest we were back out on Takeshita street taking in the Harajuku sights, which included throngs of people as usual, but also:some interesting paper lanterns, and:a lineup of people waiting to get into the new Harajuku/Omotesando H&M, which we stumbled across before the store itself was even in sight.

Sunday is usually a 'Holiday' (day off work) here in Tokyo, but not for me! I spent my morning/early afternoonlooking happyto be japanese-catalogue-lady-posingin an extensive selection of heinous fur coats.
O.k., so I wouldn't identify the fur as the root source of my happiness, but I managed to be happy in spite of all the animal fluff. A significant portion of the credit is likely due to my new reading material, David Crystal's The English Language; a guided tour of the language, which sounds dull but in reality is remarkably interesting-to me.

outrageous advertising ploy/mistaken identity

2008-11-12T08:01:00.000-08:00

Just look at that child. Is it asian, or is it white? If you ask me, it looks a little bit like both. And I think that's the point. I'm not surprised, considering the tendency of clients to photoshop 100% caucasian models into eurasian-ressembling crossbreeds. Just look at this cookie package! It's a raceless advertising baby-ploy!

joke of the day/Holiday-Jolly

2008-11-09T06:36:00.000-08:00

Exhibit A:Exhibit B:Exhibit C:Question: What do exhibits A, B, and C have in common?

It's a joke.

In other news, Roppongi has been looking rather festive lately, all decked out/lit up:

Tokyo on Film

2008-11-05T09:32:00.000-08:00

Since uploading the video to blogger didn't work, I had to create a YouTube account, so here's the link:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4YsXy6eXxAM
It's just a short little video (edited on windows movie maker, gag me, at least then I can't try to explain such insanity)...shot entirely on my little 8megapixel canon digicam, from inside either one of my Tokyo agency's vans in which I get shuttled to my castings everyday along with up to 6 other girls (there are 2 vans). The song by (amazing band) Camera Obscura is titled Let Me Go Home, but do NOT mistake this for me wanting to get out of Tokyo!!! really for me the idea of going 'home' is about getting somewhere, whether that be within yourself or to a geographical destination.

cute as buttons

2008-11-05T06:32:00.000-08:00

Like any model who has suffered through a uniform-catalog photoshoot, I'll admit I'm prone to cursing the very existence of any uniform. But there is something so darned cute about the uniforms japanese schoolkids wear, even though I would like to denounce them as weapons of conformity
kawaii!!!

daibatsu

2008-11-02T02:46:00.000-08:00

Daibatsu=giant buddha. Kyla+Sasha=pilgrimage to quiet suburban town of Kamakura:where the daibatsu is located
Not quite as big as the giant buddha in Hong Kong, but no less interesting or beautiful.

harajuku ^^

2008-11-01T08:18:00.000-07:00

So today Sasha and I managed to navigate this subway system:to get here:meet Harajuku. Nothing compares. No video or photographs or measly little blog post could even come close to communicating everything there is to see in Harajuku. From the shops to the people to the tourists to performers to a wedding party (the lucky couple got carried through the crowded street like royalty, though in a much more chaotic fervour) to the traffic-crossing guards to the cafes and restaurants and meiji park/shrine, I was fascinated by everything I saw today. No disappointments, 100% hype-worthy.

October 31st

2008-10-31T10:57:00.000-07:00

met up with sasha (an amazing friend I met in HK) tonight and ate some metal:well, actually we went galavanting and took about a billion pictures with people in crazy costumes who were out and about wandering the clubbing mecca of RoppongiSo far since leaving home on this asian adventure, I've celebrated my birthday in HK, thanksgiving in Singapore, and now Halloween in Tokyo. F***in' eh.

culture quest(ions)

2008-10-29T08:39:00.000-07:00

With much nicer weather than when I first arrived, this has, more or less, been my view for at least 5 hours a day all week. The other 5 hours in the van are spent in complete darkness after nightfall until we are freed-no earlier than 10pm. Though at times I wish I could sue for infringement upon my auditory space, the offenders being techno music and excessively loud portuguese conversation, I'm also grateful to be shuttled between castings. Because; a) I get to spend my days above ground rather than on a subway, and b) being absolved of all navigational responsibility, I'm free to do other things, such as discuss Japanese culture with my Jack Johnson, Tupac, and Bob Marley-listening driver, 'Tats.' Tats is the bomb (used to run a restaurant in Nairobi: major coolness factor). Anyways, today we drove by a lineup of homeless people waiting for food in a random park (homeless people are a rare sight here-most of those found sleeping on benches simply got too wasted after work the night before and passed out) and delved into a comparison of the issues surrounding homelessness in Vancouver and Tokyo. This of course led to the topic of mental illness.

According to Tats, many young people in Japan are being affected by mental illness these days, particularly depression. More people (30,000 a year if Tats' stats are right) die from suicide than in car accidents. One of Tats' friends killed himself because his girlfriend broke up with him. The popularity of blow-up sex dolls and cafes where men can go and pay girls to play boardgames with them both seem indicative to me of a culture of loneliness, though of course further investigation over the next seven weeks may lead me to other conclusions. Tats was saying it's interesting how in Kenya where everyone is so poor, suicide is pretty much a non-issue, whereas in developed/rich countries the problem just seems to be getting worse. I wonder, are certain cultural values more conducive to mental stability? Or is it simply that people who have 'less' manage to gain a better understanding of what is truly valuable? Afterall, as Seneca wrote, "It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor." Is our 'more, more, more' culture driving us insane?

I clearly get a lot of time to think these days
dewa mata (see you later)

hello!

2008-10-28T23:16:00.000-07:00

How could I resist the opportunity to post off a harajuku wifi signal? well clearly I couldn't

sunday

2008-10-26T07:16:00.000-07:00

What's this? a beautiful park through which to venture?I can't say I was surprised to find such a sight awaiting me at the bottom of an obscure flight of stone steps leading off from the sidewalk; it's so Tokyo. And so wonderful. What I was surprised to find was this old friend:Campbell's! And I thought I was destined to search the city in vain for comfort from my pesky cold!

BONUS PHOTOS:
5p.m.

A-tittyboo, you say??

late october air = love

2008-10-25T02:26:00.000-07:00

Spent 9.5 hours in the van yesterday (12.30-10pm), 5 of them in the dark taking in the night-time city views:I was grateful to be given the weekend off, and did a fair bit of wandering around my Roppongi neighborhood today.After breathing in humid air for five months the crisp coolness of the air here feels absolutely incredible. I have fallen in love with breathing.

moshi moshi

2008-10-23T08:07:00.000-07:00

went bike riding around east coast park with tom one of my last days in singapore..accidentally deleted the pics of the wakeboarding pool where people are pulled around by a cable a-la ski-hill rope tow. Did not delete the pictures of the pier off of which plenty of locals were fishing:but had to leave singapore for tokyo eventually, so here I am.
getting rained on.

Ok but seriously, its f***ing amazing. Just seeing the bus attendants bow at the driver as the airport bus pulls in was an abrupt reminder of the massive influence tradition has in Japanese culture. Kind of like origami, with all its pleats and folds, Tokyo just feels intricate. Absolutely Amazing. And I'm so stoked. More to come.

chowfest/5

2008-10-16T08:10:00.000-07:00

went to the hardrock cafe for Anna's last dinner on tuesday night...and discovered the wonder that is the restaurant-calibre veggie burger--surprising only because I had long ago forsaken veggie burgers as mediocre imitations of something I don't want to eat (meat):then stayed up with Anna until 3am when she left for the airport...3am!!! oh yeah, I think that's what time I left for the airport in hk...remember, that time when I got to stay in the airport for 18 hours? I anticipate a 6am wakeup call on the day of my departure for Tokyo, which is rapidly approaching
anyways, the next day Emily, Tom, and I took a bus to a hawker centre (giant outdoor foodcourt) for some chow
BONUS PHOTO:
I MISS MY ANNA!!! :( now I have no one to share in my favorite hobby of mockery (all in good fun), or any other adventures/endeavors for that matter. Also, since my departure date is exactly one week after Anna's, this means my days in Singapore are numbered. 5 to be precise.

pretty flowers!

2008-10-11T23:44:00.000-07:00

took another field trip yesterday, to...guess where:

saw innumerable breeds of orchids in the orchid garden, as well as plenty of other interesting flora/fauna, and...bonsai trees!!! so cool

portable what?

2008-10-09T20:43:00.000-07:00

recently got my hair all 'fro-ed up: And later checked out some place called Aquabar down in the Clarke Quay nightclub area. It was like some sort of travelling circus (a.k.a.: mobile). The third time the power went off, Anna, Emily, and I took it as a sign from the heavens that it was time to leave. But first, we made the mistake of trying to use the 'bathroom.' One of the bartenders directed our attention to two portable toilets a short distance away.
me: "are you serious"
him (with a deadpan expression): "yes"
me: "ok, just checking" Needless to say we opted to make use of the facilities at a nearby restaurant before booking it out of there.

field trips and more

2008-10-07T08:32:00.000-07:00

In a brief flurry of uninterrupted internet connectivity, I was able to upload some photos from the last few days, during which I had leaves taped to my body as a top, ate some delicious fish curry from the Muslim section of the SPH cafeteria, saw Mamma Mia for the second time with Anna and Emily, went on the Singapore Flyer, AND trekked out to Sentosa again to visit the aquarium. phew. enjoy.

Land of Rules rules

2008-10-01T03:01:00.000-07:00

Oh Singapore, must thou truly encourage blatant acts of rebellion so? With such a plentitude of rules, it becomes almost mundane to bother breaking them. Except when 7-11 five-cent candy and roommates are involved.

pearly whites

2008-09-23T05:51:00.000-07:00

one of my favorite signs in singapore, outside the Singapore Press Holdings buildings (the pilgrimage to which I dedicate many of my weekday mornings):the bus back from the SPH building passes through Little India, resulting in serious vegetarian indian food cravings, which I indulged today with a lunch of yellow dahl (delicious). Walked lunch off with an hour-long discovery of all that the Mustafa Centre (a massive discount department store) had to offer. I struck upon an assortment of treasures; discontinued perfume, effervescent vitamin C tablets, almond, chocolate, AND coffee scented incense,and lots and LOTS of toothbrushes

oh internet, where art thou?

2008-09-16T17:28:00.001-07:00

I just realized that this blog has practically become a chronicle of the quality and presence-or, as is more often the case, absence-of the internet connection at our apartment. So if you've become attached to such updates, you might be interested to know: it still sucks.
and I'm pretty sure it will suck the rest of the time I'm here so I'm just going to stop writing about it.

In other, perhaps more interesting news, Anna and I got a new roommate yesterday, named Emily. Haven't really gotten to know her yet as she seems to be that rare breed of roommate who doesnt spill her entire identity on you the first time you meet her, but she seems pretty cool. Especially since she travels with books and has read the twilight (vampire love story) series that has been consuming both Anna's and my attention lately. We managed to tear ourselves away from our readings this weekend to entertain mildy social aspirations, hitting up the boys' model apt. for a delightful vegetarian lasagne cooked by Michael as well as some Sentosa beachtimes on sunday followed by my introduction to Spize, which has been touted by many a singapore acquaintance as the place to dine after partying (it's hours are 6am-6pm). Not bad.

green

2008-09-13T02:29:00.000-07:00

the newest green mode of transportation involves harnessing the energy of the testosterone OD-ing male to propel you down the street in style (depending on your definition of style).

this week flew by almost as fast as myles pushing anna down the hill in a shopping cart. I had a pretty eventful day yesterday having the majority of my body painted white and my hair crimped/backcombed/sprayed out scary spice style. I haven't had a chance to see many singaporean sights in the lat few days, though anna and I did get a peek at the horses at the polo club here. Unfortunately we missed what was to be our first-ever polo viewing due to the fact that our cab driver COMPLETELY misunderstood our directions, a situation which eventually disintegrated into him criticizing OUR english and telling us we need to work on our language skills. I think something got lost in translation between english and singlish, and the irony of the situation made my day. 'Cause what's life without a little irony, metaphor, or simile thrown in?
On the topic of literary devices and thus reading materials in general, I recently finished reading Freakonomics, which I highly recommend in case anyone is looking for a new read.
Also, I finally figured out that sitting right next to the internet router in our apartment, though somewhat of an inconvenience due to its lack of proximity to anything ressembling a private and quiet place, is the only way to get a decent connection, so I'll start posting more pictures asap.

sentosa sunday

2008-09-07T18:19:00.000-07:00

took a trip out to sentosa island after the bridal show which Claire (awesome south african girl) and I worked yesterday in an industrial sized freezer (read: ridiculously airconditionned ballroom).
'twas a reunion of the zoo crew, with michael, myles, and anna, as well as newfound friends robert and elena. Sentosa was interesting-I hear its a man-made island, or at least the beaches are manmade. The entire place is very sterile and the outdoor nightclub on the beach we went to was pretty much a gongshow, with a bunch of (mostly) young, rich internationals getting completely shitfaced to blaring loud music. There was a pool at the bar, which I'm pretty sure is some kind of health hazard considering how inebriated everyone was...lucky for me there was also a quieter expanse of beach nearby to which I was able to escape. no photos right now because the connection IS KILLING ME and ive been trying for an hour but have to run to castings. GR

its fresh!

2008-09-03T07:13:00.000-07:00

first I have to say...HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRODIE!!!! (my little bro's sweet 16 was sept.1st)

chinatown+singapore=pretty unbeatable. how could I tell I was still in singapore? wayyy less people, and the sound of singlish! oh, and did I mention the fresh air?

p.s. these photos took half an hour to upload, which after 5 castings (one was for tic tacs and involved the dramatic 'swirling' of the mints in my mouth-I swear I looked like an emu or camel or something) and a fitting, took the last of the steam I had left for the day!! up in a few hours to look 'fresh' all day for a beauty shoot...damn slow internet! grrr

homesick!!!

2008-08-31T20:55:00.000-07:00

It's probably no surprise that I'm homesick by now, finally! Not only am I missing my family and friends back home, but also my HK families:my agency, ModelOne, and all the wonderful people I've worked with at Me! magazine.

Everything seems to be changing every time I call home or get an update from a friend, and I feel like I'm missing out. My little brother is probably going to have his license before I ever learn to drive, my best friend's being serenaded by the posh clientele at the restaurant where she hostesses, and everybody seems to be growing closer together, while I'm growing, apart...from the most important people in my life. Not apart from them, but just growing into myself somewhere far away.
By Christmas I'll be home, surely itching to be on the move again, hopefully with some good stories to tell and some newfound wisdom.

Anyways, yesterday was Sunday, aka almost-guaranteed day off; Anna and I found ourselves hanging out with a hong kong acquaintance of mine, Myles, and his roomie Michael. They're cool guys and we made for a pretty good sightseeing group, though by the end of the day the humidity certainly had us dragging our feet.
Oh yeah, if the pictures weren't a dead giveaway, we went to the zoo. chimps, zebras, reptiles of all sorts, tigers, etc. etc. pretty amazing.

sing pride

2008-08-28T08:22:00.000-07:00

There's a lot of signage here professing Singapore pride:I also walked one block where all the buildings had singaporean flags hung in the exact same spot under each window...I need to get me a canadian flag and start representin'!
I wanted to post more pics but the internet connection in our apt. is uber slow so it'll have to wait 'til tomorrow...
Basically, Singapore kind of reminds me of Seattle, with a little bit of fake Paris thrown in, making for an interesting mix.

little india!

2008-08-26T06:54:00.000-07:00

heck yes!
awesome thing about traipsing about a city lugging a book and heels in one's bag; all the totally random and unlikely areas one happens upon...today was a case in point: Little India!
picked up a neat snack on the way back (after passing by prostitutes lounging on stairs behind barred doors...Singapore's Little India's Red Light District?) from a stand on the streetcorner-in response to my dubious 'can I drink this?' the stall man took a butchers knife to the top of the coconut and stuck a straw in it. rad.
$1.90 sunglasses. Another reason to love Little India. Another reason to love Singapore.

say it ain't so

2008-08-25T21:16:00.000-07:00

I picked up a Singaporean Sunday Times paper from the grocery store when I first arrived, and have been dwelling on it ever since. One amazing thing about Singapore is that practically everyone speaks english. Expanding my ability to communicate with locals-clients and strangers alike-and providing me with open access to local media, it's a welcome change from Hong Kong (I can actually READ the magazines!). After reading the ST, however, I'm beginning to wish I'd stayed in the dark on some issues.

Two topics which feature prominently in the ST are 'babies' and 'foreigners.' There was apparently a long period of time in Singapore's somewhat-recent history during which families were discouraged from having more than two children. Not simply discouraged, but forced to pay higher hospital fees, restricted from accessing good schools unless one or both parents underwent sterilization, and sent to the bottom of apartment wait-lists. Now the government has enforced new measures to encourage families to have more children, sparking debate amongst Singaporeans. One writer of the ST rang in on the issue;
" ...I think the Government should not have to pay couples to have children...The fewer children we have, the more foreigners will be encouraged to settle here. That awareness should be a fillip for citizens to have many children. Singaporeans have to procreate without prompting and be responsible for the fate and direction of the nation..." (Gabriel Yue)

Apparently the influx of foreigners to Singapore which has prompted such concern has been "taking place for the past 15 years" (Sumiko Tan), leaving locals feeling uncomfortable, "especially when [they] realise that among the foreigners are those who are clearly smarter, richer, taller, better looking, better educated and hungrier for success than [them]" (ST) According to Tan, 'true' Singaporeans identify themselves as part of a multiracial society in which 'all races are equal, or at least strive to be equal.' The issue seems to be that foreigners are not assimilating thoroughly enough for Singaporeans' liking.

As a foreigner having just arrived in Singapore, picking up a paper containing such articles was a humbling experience. I'll be hard at work trying to make a good impression for Canadians. Which may be difficult with Singaporean men, as a 'dating' article in the ST reports that men want women who are "gentle, demure, and sometimes submissive" and can be "successful but not more so than him."

Foreign, Independent and Ambitious young woman feels unwanted in Singapore. eek!

WELCOME TO SINGAPORE

2008-08-25T06:56:00.000-07:00

It may just be my eyes doing funny things after staring at the airport screens for too long (see above), but I feel like there isn't as much to see in Singapore as somewhere like HK or NYC. Hong Kong felt like a city filled to the brim with energy, chaos, color, culture, and inspiration. I'd been warned that Singapore was a lot more sterile, but I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Sterile is certainly the word. Everything starts to look the same along the main 'strip,' Orchard Road, aka shopping mecca for the masses. There's something unsettling about so many new buildings in one place.

This is going to take some getting used to. However, considering the Malay, Muslim, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese, Western, Japanese, Curry, and Rice & Porridge restaurants which await just down the street (and I mean literally, less than 2 minutes away) from my Singaporean Abode, and the Pure Yoga studio a short walk away (yes, I'm already a member), I think I'll be just fine. Since I've already mentionned the Abode, a few more details seem prudent; 1 supercool room-mate who is a fellow west-coaster and with whom I share a NYC agency (Elite), 1 very nice and hotel-smelling bathroom, 1 small walk-in closet, 1 extra bed. Step outside the bounds of our master suite and there are 6 other roommates, common room, and kitchen to be found. Not too shabby. A few ants in the kitchen cupboards, but apparently no roaches or mould.
WELCOME TO SINGAPORE. ENJOY YOUR STAY. thank you, I'm quite sure I will.

NURI & best of hk

2008-08-22T15:01:00.000-07:00

Having postponed my flight to singapore in order to shoot until 1a.m. the other night in winter clothes on the streets of hk, I was ready to fly out early the next morning. And then something happened...for the fourth time since I got here...a typhoon hit. Nuri was her name, level 9 was her rating (highest of the 4 i've witnessed); she cancelled my flight and left me stuck inside all day yesterday. I slept most of the day away, leaving me utterly insomnic last night. Maj and I caught the 4am airport express train to the airport from the city and I am currently camped on a marble slab counting down the hours (three) left until I can stand in line at the flight counter and try to get the next flight out to singapore on ghetto airline Jetstar. Meanwhile, Maj gets to fly on cathay. damn her.

So to pass the time I figured I may as well write a little memo on the best of hk;
eat/drink: Life, Bookworm Cafe, Mix (also the best/only? place to take wheatgrass shots)
sweat it out: the hills of Hong Kong Island (innumerable trails), Pure Yoga (multiple locations)
read: Page One (Times Square in CWB)
hook up to the internet: Pacific Coffee
explore: CWB (shopping, dining), Mongkok (flower and bird markets, cheap, crowded shopping), SoHo (galleries), Sai Kung (seafood restaurants and off the main streets, small-town vibe), Lamma Island (totally chill, good seafood, many artisans reside here), maybe...ALL OF HK
get inspired: Giant Buddha (especially if you go on a rainy day when its way less crowded and just as spiritual...but what matters more than the weather is your attitude and state of mind)
cheapest sightseeing: a ride on the tram ($2 hk, equivalent to less than 30cents cdn)
inhale second hand smoke: D-i on a crowded night, Volar always

p.s. Despite being SEVEN HOURS early for my flight today and the FIRST PERSON to check in, after calling various jetstar numbers a DOZEN or more times, being sent back and forth between terminals THREE TIMES, waiting AN HOUR to find out which gate I was supposed to board from, and FORTY FIVE MINUTES going through security (I attempted to ask for help but the man only told me 'everybody same today everybody same'...as if everyone else's flights were scheduled to leave half an hour before they got midway through the line), I MISSED MY FLIGHT. I was then given the complete runaround by even more jetstar staffers (as if the first five who'd given me faulty instructions weren't enough)and after wasting inumerable HOURS of agents' time from vancouver to hk to singapore, eventually ended up having to pay the full price for tonight's flight out...20 hours after arriving at HKIA. eff jetstar. I'm not a violent person, but I totally wanted to strangle them with their tacky purple neckscarves.

hot hot hot

2008-08-19T19:49:00.000-07:00

I thought I was going to burn myself leaning on this car for a shoot yesterday:

both myself and the dude I was shooting with were sweating buckets (30+degree weather, clear skies & humid), but I managed to combat heat stroke with some pocari sweat (for anyone who's unfamiliar, it's basically asian sugar water in a bottle)

the stella mccarneys almost thwarted my goal of survival, but I made it through (pocari one, stellas zero).

Also, I finally figured out how to connect to the internet with the help of a friendly australian I found whilst lurking in my neighborhood pacific coffee, but the connection is quite slow, thus my failure to reveal to all the beautiful sights of Lamma Island. I'll just say, if you go, you MUST check out the bookworm cafe (organic vegetarian cuisine)!!! The whole island has a kind of bowen-island vibe for you vancouverites. Maj and I hiked from the ferry on one side of the island over to Yung Shue Wan and earned our Bookworm dinner. ho ho mei.

what's goin on?

2008-08-18T18:10:00.000-07:00

went hiking on lamma island yesterday...AMAZING place!
moved to another crib in cwb, this one does'nt have internet;
i'm at pacific coffee right now using the computer 'facilities'
will post pics when i find a street corner to camp out on where i can catch some sweet wifi waves

also I leave for sing. on friday now, long story, more exciting explanation to come...

hk from above

2008-08-17T08:47:00.001-07:00

6 hours of incredible views, hiking, jogging, chilling in some trail-side pools, and about a dozen mosquito bites: another day in hk.

p.s. if anyone knows anyone who knows of some good hiking to be had in Singapore, hook me up. I'll be there next week.

hk dining experience

2008-08-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

hot pot, dim sum, red bean paste bun.
ho ho mei means yum.

goodbye Chai Wan

2008-08-14T02:10:00.000-07:00

Goodbye Chai Wan
Goodbye spiders, goodbye mould
Goodbye leaks
Goodbye toilets which never cease
to overflow

Goodbye Russians
Goodbye Brazilians
I am so sorry that I never knew your names

Goodbye black scum round the sink
and smells from the pipes
Goodbye drips on my head that wake me up at night

Goodbye camping stove to cook on,
Goodbye single bowl for 13 girls,
goodbye, sayonara, ciao.

After sleeping in cwb for a night and waking up to realize the cold I thought I was coming down with had disappeared and must thus be a symptom of the dust, smells, and other indistinguishable particles which litter the air of my chai wan abode, the simple thought of returning there to rest my head was enough to make me want to cry. What started out as me being so broke that I had no money to move somewhere else and the agency telling me there was nowhere else available eventually developed into a sort of personal challenge/self harming marathon of survival. I made it 9 weeks. I have finally caved. My bags are packed. With Michelle and Ariel, my two best friends from the apartment gone, the only person I will miss is our local laundry lady:

rented room in cwb, hotel, or couch, I don't care where I stay,
so long as it was built for human habitation (read: not in an industrial building)
and chai wan is far away!

pieces of causeway

2008-08-14T01:45:00.000-07:00

CWB retreat

2008-08-13T06:47:00.000-07:00

Am escaping the mold and bugs of the chai wan hovel to a great little apartment in CWB for a few nights to stay with my mum (the friend she has been staying with can't have her there during this time because of the Chinese belief that her recently deceased (r.i.p.) g-ma's spirit will be returning tonight or tomorrow night)...
was in CWB today between yoga and work for a little walkabout and got some great pics but no time to post them now so they'll be coming in a few days!!

a crewtastic, viewtastic day

2008-08-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

Though it's certainly true that hardly a rainy day goes by without a konger whacking me in the face with their umbrella whilst passing by, I somehow manage to end up working with people who are apparently the nicest, friendliest, most helpful bunch in hong kong. Today of course was no exception, though many of the crew were foreigners (french hair and makeup artist, aussie photog, italian, brazilian and fellow canadian (!!) models).

With the earliest call time of us all, I'd already finished a few shots before any of the other models showed up. This left me with a bit of a break at the end of the day; as everyone else finished up the last shot, I set off up the hill from our location (where we were shooting winter coats in 30+ degree weather) to explore. Lucky for me, I had someone to share the views with--a CANADIAN backpacker I met on my way up the hill--otherwise I would've had nobody to take this picture:

or explore the abandonned military structures with...

and lucky for him, SuperCool Client of the Day Cherry Chen agreed to give him a ride down the hill on our crewbus before taking us all out for some well-deserved Linner (yumm)

profundity

2008-08-11T07:30:00.000-07:00

noun
1. depth, esp. great depth
2. intellectual depth
3. a profound idea, matter, etc.

'twas a day of profundities.

took in the view from tung chung up to the giant buddha on the new skyrail (gondola) line;as you can see, it was pretty overcast and raining the entire day, which made for a pleasant experience keeping heatstroke and swarms of mosquitoes (and tourists) at bay.
it was a nice walk up the steps to the giant buddha...after taking a look around and trying to soak up as much profundity as possible we made our way out to the Wisdom Path, which looks like this:
the trunks are inscribed with the heart sutra, a famous buddhist scripture, and are arranged in the shape of the infiniti sign. Disobeying the posted signs not to venure from the paved trail, maj and I followed a slippery clay side path and found ourselves on the peak of a hill with a beautiful view of the giant buddha, only partially concealed by the ever-shifting clouds. Needless to say my camera had died by that point...which meant I also missed out on pics of the monastery. Hopefully we'll get a chance to check out some temples before I leave for singapore in a little over a week!

exploring

2008-08-10T08:10:00.000-07:00

Went out adventuring today with my mum and her kayaking friend Paul (www.kayak-and-hike.com)...it was a day of bodysurfing, jetboating, snorkeling, swimming, kayaking, hiking, sightseeing and five SPF60 reapplications.

took some pictures of the island temple and the fish tanks in Sai Kung, where Paul docks his boat. wish I got some pics of the bodysurfing and all that jazz but sometimes I have too much fun and forget cameras exist...woops

One Size Fits All

2008-08-08T08:09:00.000-07:00

Perusing my contract for singapore today, I was pained to discover that I am to be banned from wearing shorts on castings. Such a regulation results in many difficulties. Bend down to change from flip flops to casting heels? Not without revealing a little more than anyone's expecting to see, you don't. Sit on subway without crossing your legs in order to prevent vericose-vein formation? I don't think so. Pass inconspicuously over subway air-vents? Not a chance. Thus, a frantic search for Kyla-proof skirts ensued. I was profoundly grateful to be accompanied by my Posse of One (a.k.a. maj) on this epic adventure through the streets of CWB, which of course were crowded as usual.Even after summoning all my courage, all my strength, all my patience, I emerged from the battle...skirt less. High-waisted non-synthetic-mesh composed circle skirt, anyone? anywhere in HK? apparently not. The expression displayed on the man in the photo above is probably a pretty accurate depiction of my face after a two-hour search in one of the most densely packed retail districts of hk. Not impressed.

other beefs with hk retail to note:
a) when we first began our quest, maj and I were dismayed&confuddled to discover about half the shops seemed to be closed. Porque, you ask? Most of the smaller ones don't open 'til 2pm (but stay open 'til about 11pm).
b) clothes are almost without exception available in only one or two sizes. Dressing rooms are rare and most clothes have little to no shape. HK style can be summarized in these four words: One Size Fits All.
and YET I have spotted some extraordinarily well-dressed people gracing hong kong's streets. The mission for Kyla-proof skirts shall go on...

moremoremore

2008-08-06T09:22:00.000-07:00

As soon as the storm died down a bit today, I took my boots out for their first adventure (to park 'n shop, our local grocery store), pausing only to take a picture with this cute lil' palm tree:

then headed back out at night with Michelle and the girls for her last night and Shea's (http://redchardonnay.blogspot.com/) birthday dinner at d-i (aka dragon-i, local model haunt).Shea was feeling pretty under the weather and a little camera shy (see above). I ditched out early to go meet my mum who got into town tonight (I'm not sure how to emphasize the point of how incredibly stoked I am on this development...so I will leave it at that). On the walk over through the mtr exit I came across this:
it's me. photoshopped masterpieces, as predicted.

After a little fam-reunion sesh with maj, it was time to head back home and get some rest in order to avoid playing the grouch at work tomorrow. My otherwise uneventful ride on the mtr was punctuated by this utterly confusing signage:

I don't get it. Anyone?

level 8

2008-08-05T22:21:00.000-07:00

apparently the 'level 8' typhoon warning thingy means no going to work. For a workaholic such as myself, this was devestating news. At least I managed not to make the same mistake as last time, when I left the house early for work and was halfway there before I recieved the agency's 'typhoon signal 8. Pls stay indoor for safe' text message warning, and ended up walking home for 15 minutes in the storm because none of the buses were running...

Rather than risking it by venturing outside, where I spotted debris flying through the air at 6 am (woken for the millionth time as every window leaked rattled and clattered) I have resigned myself to galloping around the apartment in my new boots. Between the fringe and the simple black leatherness, I have determined them to be the perfect crossbreed between moccasins and black leather boots. I predict full satisfaction of winter footwear needs in the months of november and december, when I will emerge from the eternal sauna of Singapore and enter the fall/winter climate of...

T O K Y O
(http://www.bravomodels.net/)

Another adventure awaits!
...but for now I will have to settle for the company of my crossbreed boots and some damn good literature (James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, if what I'm currently reading, rather than the fact that I read, interests you).

smells like typhoon

2008-08-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

It's windy. It's raining. Theres a puddle of water and a funny smell in my room. It's typhooon seasonn!!

Almost lost Michelle on the way home tonight

I was pretty frazzled

but consoled by my awesome new fringey suede boots. First time shopping in six weeks. love.

Also newly near and dear to my heart are these two lovely ladies (Madi on the left, Kelly on the right), from Vancouver and Colorado, respectively, whom I worked with today. We kind of messed up the synchronization/walking formation of the show. Needless to say, someone got mad.

But didn't manage to instill nearly as much fear in me as this public art installation at Times Square (along with IFC, one of the top places to go in hk when one is aching to hear the english language spoken aloud). Note the Cute Azn Kid crazy-posing. Azn Kids. One of the top five reasons I love HK. I'm not sure what the other four are. True love is inexplicable.

really?

2008-08-03T23:36:00.000-07:00

...................................................I'd like to see someone try.This was the scene on the street in Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) today at about 8am, as I made my way to the show whose backstage bathroom only served to reinforce my conception of Asia as a bountiful land of hilarious translations. Sometime between the moment this photo was taken and the time I left the show, a wave of unbearable heat and humidity seems to have swept the city and I am currently radiating heatwaves from our living room couch before venturing outside once more...

chinese ladies like to get in my pants

2008-08-02T08:25:00.001-07:00

Every chinese catalogue set seems, without fail, to come equipped with an overly agressive assistant dressing lady, whose job it is to undo my pants, ensure that all shirts are securely tucked in, all pants pulled as high, and all nether regions as thoroughly molested as possible. I've become so adapted to this situation that the experience of having someone sticking her hands up my skirt for 6 hours as I change, cool/natural/lazy/relax/strong/wide/big/short, and lady-pose in over 100 outfits no longer phases me in the least. Which would explain why, against all odds, I managed to emerge tired but triumphantly happy from Guangzhou, round two. 'Cause dude, they fed me watermelon.

And this time, I managed to barter a ride to the train station with one of the crew, who likes litening to 'rab' music...and doesn't speak very good english (example: "you pose ok. professional." this, I took to be a compliment..)

casting quest

2008-08-01T08:31:00.000-07:00

I knew it was going to be a long ride, but I still wasn't prepared for the epic two-an-a-half hour journey to my first casting today. Three buses and an mtr ride after leaving the apartment,

after taking in the views from central to hong kong university,I was there! Where is this 'there' I am referring to? Cyberport! It's a flashy complex originally intended to serve as an i.t. company center, but apparently too inconvenient to attract all of said companies. The result? A futuristic looking, ridiculously expensive complex that looks like the set for the crappy scarlett johansson movie the island, and is populated by a very international group of folk.

on my way back I got a little turned around and took a minute above street level to get my bearings...presenting: Causeway Bay, ridiculously overcrowded, ridiculously awesome.

diamonds

2008-07-31T08:00:00.001-07:00

day three:
I mentioned my job was for a jewellery company, but did I mention the diamonds?
mirrored set?

amazing crew?

when they heard I lived next door to the studio in an industrial building models' apartment, they couldn't resist the temptation and had to come check it out. They didn't realize I meant literally next door and almost walked past the entrance. This is the ride up in the elevator. I love HK.

polaroids & curry

2008-07-30T07:26:00.000-07:00

Though not a huge fan of the incredibly spicy foods which one ingests purely in order to elicit an amazed response from one's dining companions, I am a curry lover. Tonight I was treated to some curry, japanese style:

My dining companion of the night was the gent pictured above, who I've worked with numerous times at a magazine studio here in HK. He came equipped with a polaroid camera. am-az-ing. Curry and polaroids in one night; it doesn't get much better than that. I anticipate many curry moments in the next month or so, as I hear singapore has a Little India! as well as lots of thai and chinese food...basically a multi-cultural mish-mash, and my kind of city!

show me the money

2008-07-29T08:49:00.000-07:00

Lucky for me, I managed to book what we models refer to as a 'money job,' a.k.a., one which pays the expenses (or a solid chunk of them) for an entire trip. This one is for a jewellery company, and tonight I wrapped up the second of three days of shooting...

day one:
photographer and crew assembling the 'field' in which i was to spend the day frolicking...

day two:
one of the perks of modelling: fun co-workers. this one kept me company (as my groom) for part of a 12.5hr day, and burst into laughter with me at the photographer's instructions to 'put out, put in, put out slowly, put in [the wedding ring]'...we're pretty sure that meant 'put on and take off'

another one of my favorite things about modelling in asia: all the foreign delicacies I get to sample. Dinner tonight was a perfect example
A closer look:

That, my friends, is a chocolate pizza. no kidding.

Day three to come...

more adventures to come

2008-07-28T06:13:00.000-07:00

here's a photo of a photo of me from my shoot yesterday for which every millimeter of my face was painted with glitter... I'd already worked with some of the crew before, and mostly because everyone was so sweet, we had a lot of fun (even though I was suffering from a minor case of food poisoning due to my mistake of ingesting food in Guangzhou)...

p.s. I just found out today that I will be departing HK on a singaporean adventure august 21st, to be represented by mannequin models (http://www.mannequin.com.sg/) ...off on another adventure!!! until then, I'll keep the posts coming from HK

one day in china

2008-07-26T08:23:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a long day in Guangzhou, 3rd most populous city in China if you believe the rumours. The video below is mostly me pointing out the obvious...such as the sun...which does look different from China afterall (due to all the smog)

We found the subway station, my translator left me partway to my destination in order to catch her bus home, and I made a friend! The oddity of seeing another young foreigner on a Guangzhou subway was enough to merit a conversation, which led to a tour of a nearby park and brief stop at starbucks before boarding my train back to HK

(that's the tallest building in Guangzhou in the background)

Raul is from Ecuador and has been living in Guangzhou for about FIVE months studying mandarin and enjoying it (!!!) Considering that this is a place many models dread and which had been described to me previously as 'either the armpit or asshole of China, not sure which one...' I find that quite the feat...but then again, I thoroughly enjoyed my Guangzhou Experience as well.

translation?

2008-07-25T08:49:00.000-07:00

I'd have a hard time believing anyone who tried to convince me that the name of this clothing store is the result of a poor translation. Then again, I'm not sure any explanation for this one would make sense...

my view

2008-07-24T02:14:00.000-07:00

step one: look out window

step two: squish face up against window and look to the right

...

at least I have a window now. I'm loving the natural light thing.