Missing my photographer roomies

While I've been loving where I live and having an apartment to myself, I can't help but miss my photographer roommates from Brooklyn. We always had fun and would do impromptu photoshoots on afternoons or Saturday nights. Below is a picture from a shoot I did with Jennifer literally a day before I left NYC back in June (the poncho is from Peru).


The rest of the pictures and a lovely note she wrote about me are here

Fairwell Summer...

An ode to Summer, as classes and work are consuming more of my time these days...

Summer is... long, endless days,
Spent soaking in the sun's rays.
Conjures up memories from years past,
Always hoping for this time to ever last.
A time for child-like fun,
With ice cream dripping down a cone it does run.
Moonlit beach-side bonfires burn,
While messily eating s'mores & telling stories in turn.
Ocean waves crash at the shore,
Playing in them leaves me wanting more.
Traces of sea salt & sand left in my hair,
I lie in nature's warm embrace without a care.

Stormy Sunday

Yesterday I awoke to the abrupt clashing of thunder outside my window. It was rainy and gray outside with storms passing in and out all throughout the day. While driving was a bit stressful, once I reached my destination, I stayed locked up with a pal inside all day and night embracing the rainy day. Though it forces one to stay inside, stormy days, especially stormy Sundays, can actually be quite wonderful. It was the first day in a long time I didn't have anywhere to be, and just let the rain pitter-patter on the window pane.

We passed the day with a movie marathon, horoscope readings, and other musings about life in general, mixed in with munching on delicious food of course. The day couldn't have been more perfect with my good friend Stephany and with a well-rounded movie selection to boot! (She gets credit for the movie selection: Clueless, Donnie Darko, Smokin' Aces)

And I just have to add, as far as movies go, I forgot how hilarious Clueless is now that I'm old enough to enjoy the ridiculousness of it all. And Donnie Darko far surpasses the recent Inception craze everyone is on the bandwagon about.

Back to Black

Today my friend, and famed Miami nightlife photographer, Jipsy (Nefarious Girl) finally got to collaborate. We had been anxiously awaiting this day as we've tried a few times before to do a fun, artistic shoot but it hadn't worked out until now. Today, me, Jipsy, and make-up artist Keegan came together in the heart of Miami Beach to really let the creative juices flow. Thanks to jewelry by Charles Albert, we ran with a vampire-inspired idea and it came out deliciously dark. There was even a black wig that helped me get into the "evil woman" mentality and reminded me how much I miss long hair, making me consider going darker in color too. Here is a sneak peak of one of the looks... more to come and I can't wait!

Jipsy's Blog

Home Sweet Home

There is something to be said for making a house a home. Some people don't mind living out of suitcases, in a temporary sublet with barren walls and no sense of neighborhood. Don't get me wrong, I love to travel more than anything, but I am now finally feeling like I have a place to call home. I've celebrated being in my South Beach apartment for one month now and it feels like it's coming together. Thanks to the help of my parents, my desk is assembled and an organized work space, pictures and mirrors are hung, curtains are up, and the place feels like my own. While the past couple years have been a fun ride and I've enjoyed being able to pick up and go at any given moment for modeling, I am now enjoying being on my own terms and creating a haven to return to at the end of the day. But this isn't just a place for me to enjoy, I'm definitely a social person and I love to entertain and throw a good party. It feels great having a place for friends and company to enjoy themselves, a place I'm proud to share with them. It's been the little things that bring me joy like receiving mail and packages addressed to me in my own mailbox, walking down the block to instantly be among the hustle and bustle of Lincoln Road, and making friends with the neighbors and locals at the places I frequent.

Art Walk

This past Saturday was Wywood's Art Walk (the second Saturday of every month) in the design district. While it was actually my first time attending art walk, I was no stranger to the event as it's one of Miami's biggest art events in the local Wynwood community. Galleries open for the public to come in browse, sip on wine, and talk creatively with other artists and walkers. While some are truly intent on looking to buy, others can come just to enjoy the art, see what's new, and enjoy the company of friends and other artsy-type folk. I really enjoyed walking around hopping from gallery to gallery, and as the sun went down it made for a lovely summer evening that later progressed into night. I took a couple pictures with my iPhone of the amazing wall murals that provided the backdrop of our walk. It was great to see the more creative and different artistic community that exists in Miami but is often times overshadowed by the glitz and glam. I actually started working with Fabrika, an online music and lifestyle planner as well as branding company that specializes in showcasing this side of Miami. Needless to say, I'm thrilled to be getting involved. Check out the site here: www.fabrikalink.com

stars and stripes

This past weekend was not only a great American holiday for the rest of you patriotic citizens, but it also marked a milestone for me as it was my 21st birthday! Talk about a real "independence" day. Yes, I was born on the 4th of July, and yes, I get fireworks every year... what can I say? It's pretty awesome. This year it was a great birthday, not just because I can legally drink. I opted to stay in the steamy sauna for celebrations so I could enjoy it with the people I wanted to be with- both sets of parents, as well as good friends. Though the whole being 21 thing has hit me, to some extent, it doesn't feel too different. Most of my friends are older than I am anyway, and some didn't even know I wasn't yet 21. I guess you could say I'm an old soul, as my stepmom does, and probably will always be. But that doesn't mean I wasn't out ringing in my new legality with pride and drink in hand like one should! I definitely had some great celebrations and couldn't be happier with the weekend (even if I slept almost all day on Monday and was in major recovery mode). It's pretty apparent by the constant smile on my face in the pictures my friends snapped.