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Life Can be hard

27 February 2011
At least my life has been most of it. But I am a survivor, a fighter, but even a prized fighter becomes tired at times. Its a struggle at best and my independent spirit is taking a beating--I dislike having to take charity or handouts or being dependent on people's generosity--however down I may be for the count at the moment, don't count me out, I always rise again.

This season  (the last 7 years esp) has been quite tough for me, but I have accomplished a lot as far as character and inner grit, but now I am looking for it to turn around, make way for my passion and talent and I believe that it will. Maybe I am a fool for believing but there it is.

**Thank god for friends who go out of their way to help me out, my biggest issue is learning how to ACCEPT generosity and help. I have always been one to do everything on my own but the other thing this season is teaching me is how to lean on people when necessary.

At the moment I am sitting on my bed, watching Coco Avant Chanel. I admire this woman, she sort of reminds me of me--bit of a bruiser personality--because life handed her a pile of stinking dung and she made it smell sweet and turned it into something timeless and beautiful. Today, Ms. Gabrielle Chanel is my role model and inspiration.


I received the last photos from the test shoot and I am posting them for you. Tonight I have a studio opening of a photographer to go to. I will be working on a project with said photographer tomorrow. To be honest I am very tired from yesterday's shoot and I really do not like socializing, but I know I must in order to find work by making connections and meeting new people.. so I am resting up and raring to go. Enjoy..

Models 
Francesca Cumani
Veronica Barone
Blair Rapp
Joanna Ekonomi
MUA: Tanisha Shulamit
Stylist: Veronica Rubini
Art Director: Veronica Rubini
Photographer: Andrea Bernardi






**Added after the post was published

Make Sure to check out the Latte Chic Boutique where you can buy this very popular bag
http://www.cafepress.com/LatteChic.505912253



Life Can be hard

At least my life has been most of it. But I am a survivor, a fighter, but even a prized fighter becomes tired at times. Its a struggle at best and my independent spirit is taking a beating--I dislike having to take charity or handouts or being dependent on people's generosity--however down I may be for the count at the moment, don't count me out, I always rise again.

This season  (the last 7 years esp) has been quite tough for me, but I have accomplished a lot as far as character and inner grit, but now I am looking for it to turn around, make way for my passion and talent and I believe that it will. Maybe I am a fool for believing but there it is.

**Thank god for friends who go out of their way to help me out, my biggest issue is learning how to ACCEPT generosity and help. I have always been one to do everything on my own but the other thing this season is teaching me is how to lean on people when necessary.

At the moment I am sitting on my bed, watching Coco Avant Chanel. I admire this woman, she sort of reminds me of me--bit of a bruiser personality--because life handed her a pile of stinking dung and she made it smell sweet and turned it into something timeless and beautiful. Today, Ms. Gabrielle Chanel is my role model and inspiration.


I received the last photos from the test shoot and I am posting them for you. Tonight I have a studio opening of a photographer to go to. I will be working on a project with said photographer tomorrow. To be honest I am very tired from yesterday's shoot and I really do not like socializing, but I know I must in order to find work by making connections and meeting new people.. so I am resting up and raring to go. Enjoy..

Models 
Francesca Cumani
Veronica Barone
Blair Rapp
Joanna Ekonomi
MUA: Tanisha Shulamit
Stylist: Veronica Rubini
Art Director: Veronica Rubini
Photographer: Andrea Bernardi






**Added after the post was published

Make Sure to check out the Latte Chic Boutique where you can buy this very popular bag
http://www.cafepress.com/LatteChic.505912253



United Colors of Benetton

25 February 2011

A couple of weeks ago I did a test shoot with a friend who had the idea to recreate a United Colors of Benetton ad campaign from the 90s.  I enjoyed the shoot because I was given the opportunity to use color FINALLY!! All this natural or black smokey was boring me.  Tomorrow I have a cool shoot with my fave Abruzzesi /Fiorentine photographer Pasquale --whom you will be learning more about next in my Weekly Muse post--and I look forward to sharing those with you guys in a couple of weeks. At the moment, I am still waiting to receive the group shots from this shoot but here's a preview.

Inspiration 1: Yellow bird

Model: Francesca Cumani
MUA: Tanisha Shulamit
Stylist: Veronica Rubini
Art Director: Veronica Rubini


Inspiration #2: Watermelon is good


Model: Blaire Rapp
MUA: Tanisha Shulamit
Stylist: Veronica Rubini
Art Director: Veronica Rubini


Inspiration #3: Tealo


Model: Joana Ekonomi
MUA: Tanisha Shulamit
Stylist: Veronica Rubini
Art Director: Veronica Rubini









United Colors of Benetton


A couple of weeks ago I did a test shoot with a friend who had the idea to recreate a United Colors of Benetton ad campaign from the 90s.  I enjoyed the shoot because I was given the opportunity to use color FINALLY!! All this natural or black smokey was boring me.  Tomorrow I have a cool shoot with my fave Abruzzesi /Fiorentine photographer Pasquale --whom you will be learning more about next in my Weekly Muse post--and I look forward to sharing those with you guys in a couple of weeks. At the moment, I am still waiting to receive the group shots from this shoot but here's a preview.

Inspiration 1: Yellow bird

Model: Francesca Cumani
MUA: Tanisha Shulamit
Stylist: Veronica Rubini
Art Director: Veronica Rubini


Inspiration #2: Watermelon is good


Model: Blaire Rapp
MUA: Tanisha Shulamit
Stylist: Veronica Rubini
Art Director: Veronica Rubini


Inspiration #3: Tealo


Model: Joana Ekonomi
MUA: Tanisha Shulamit
Stylist: Veronica Rubini
Art Director: Veronica Rubini









My Muse of the Week: Randy Hunt of the Yearlyglot Blog

24 February 2011

Pantheon
yearlyglot himself

This week's inspiration is polyglot, photographer, and author of Yearlyglot Blog Randy Hunt. I met Randy a few months ago on his blog because I was really impressed with his ambition to learn a new language every year not to mention the fact that he ALREADY speaks six languages. Who says that? Not me. I am still struggling with Italian, but not for long. Then again Madeleine Albright learned French to fluency in 5 months. I was able to meet Randy during his tour of Italy after learning Italian to fluency last year. Needless to say, dude was a riot and I thought we'd be kicked out of the restaurant. I was even more excited to learn that he was a budding professional photographer as well. You gotta love creative people. Below is the transcript on an interview I did with him to find out what he has been up to and what lies in the future for him.



1. Who are you and what is the name of your blog?

I am a crazy adventurer and language-lover who answers to the name Randy. But I also answer to "hey you", and I even look around when someone says "motherfucker", in case they're talking about me. My blog is called Yearlyglot.


2. What's the purpose of your blog?

The blog began as a convenient place for me to turn my interest in languages into something that could help my friends. I had several friends emailing me, asking for language tips as they decided to add a foreign language to their New Year's resolutions. I wanted to help them all, but I'm also kind of lazy, so I chose to write my advice once and put it somewhere everyone could see it. The decision to learn a new language every year was mostly just an interesting gimmick, and I knew I could succeed, given that I had just learned to speak Russian in one year — a language that many insisted would take 3-7 years.


3. How many languages do you speak fluently and which language are you learning this year?

I can speak Italian, Russian, and Spanish fluently. At the end of this year, no matter what else happens, I will add Turkish to that list. I'm also trying to fit in some improvement on my German, in hopes of bringing that up to a fluent level.


4. Why do you feel its necessary to learn languages?

There is only one reason to learn a foreign language — to talk to people who speak that language. If you're learning it for any other reason, you're an idiot. But just think, there are so many interesting people in this world, and so many languages that can make those people available to you... why isn't everyone learning a new language?

Here in Chicago, I encounter people (read: hot girls) who speak Spanish, Polish, German, Russian, and Romanian almost every single day... which is not to mention the speakers of Mandarin, Italian, Turkish, French, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, and many others, with whom I am anxious to be flirting on a given day. A person could speak 12 languages here and have the reasonable expectation of using all of them regularly. I'm convinced that the same is true in most cities around the world. Besides, when you're single as I am, every additional language you speak means more hot chicks (or cute boys) with whom you can be flirting!


5. What is your advice on learning a language and do you have any resources for those wishing to embark on the journey of learning a new language?

My single most important piece of advice to anyone who wants to learn a language is simply to use it. Get out and make an effort to use it at every opportunity. 90% of our conversations on any given day consist of small talk, so that means you really don't need to know much! A person could be fluent (in small talk) in the course of just a few weeks, if they just tried. Save all that other difficult stuff like conjugations and grammar for when you need it, or when you're interested in it. I share lots of resources on Twitter as I find them, so follow me there. And even though I'm learning Turkish this year, my web site is written for anyone learning any language. Well, except for Klingon. And Navi. If you're looking for help with those, don't bother with my web site. :)


6. Where countries and states have you traveled to?

Believe it or not, at this time last year, I had never been outside of the United States. At 34 years old, I had visited about 23 states, most of them east of the Mississippi river. Last year, however, I made some big plans. I set out to visit all 50 states (including those to which I'd already been), as well as to finally get something stamped in my passport.

Over the course of less than a year, I managed to set foot in all 48 continental states (though I fell short of 50 by missing Alaska and Hawaii), and I crossed the border into Canada, but that doesn't count because they don't stamp your passport. However I also managed trips to Uzbekistan, Spain, and Italy, and even though I've been to German six times now, they've all been connecting flights, so one of these times I need to get out of the airport and actually see the country.

The nice thing is, when you speak the language, you can make friends abroad before you ever board the plane. I've had friends waiting for me at the airport on several trips now, who are happy to have a visitor and anxious to show me their city. That's way cheaper (and more fun) than hiring a tour guide, and it's also a thousand times better than sitting at a bar, alone.


7. Do you do anything creative as a hobby? What is it?

I do many things creatively as hobby (even language fits this description) but I think I do few other things with the interest and passion that I have with photography. I've been a serious photographer for at least six years now. Last year, a publisher found my photo stream on Flickr and invited me to participate in a collective work called New Erotic Photography --sold on amazon.com--with several of today's big names in photography, so I'm happy to say I'm now published and in good company. 

My Muse of the Week: Randy Hunt of the Yearlyglot Blog


Pantheon
yearlyglot himself

This week's inspiration is polyglot, photographer, and author of Yearlyglot Blog Randy Hunt. I met Randy a few months ago on his blog because I was really impressed with his ambition to learn a new language every year not to mention the fact that he ALREADY speaks six languages. Who says that? Not me. I am still struggling with Italian, but not for long. Then again Madeleine Albright learned French to fluency in 5 months. I was able to meet Randy during his tour of Italy after learning Italian to fluency last year. Needless to say, dude was a riot and I thought we'd be kicked out of the restaurant. I was even more excited to learn that he was a budding professional photographer as well. You gotta love creative people. Below is the transcript on an interview I did with him to find out what he has been up to and what lies in the future for him.



1. Who are you and what is the name of your blog?

I am a crazy adventurer and language-lover who answers to the name Randy. But I also answer to "hey you", and I even look around when someone says "motherfucker", in case they're talking about me. My blog is called Yearlyglot.


2. What's the purpose of your blog?

The blog began as a convenient place for me to turn my interest in languages into something that could help my friends. I had several friends emailing me, asking for language tips as they decided to add a foreign language to their New Year's resolutions. I wanted to help them all, but I'm also kind of lazy, so I chose to write my advice once and put it somewhere everyone could see it. The decision to learn a new language every year was mostly just an interesting gimmick, and I knew I could succeed, given that I had just learned to speak Russian in one year — a language that many insisted would take 3-7 years.


3. How many languages do you speak fluently and which language are you learning this year?

I can speak Italian, Russian, and Spanish fluently. At the end of this year, no matter what else happens, I will add Turkish to that list. I'm also trying to fit in some improvement on my German, in hopes of bringing that up to a fluent level.


4. Why do you feel its necessary to learn languages?

There is only one reason to learn a foreign language — to talk to people who speak that language. If you're learning it for any other reason, you're an idiot. But just think, there are so many interesting people in this world, and so many languages that can make those people available to you... why isn't everyone learning a new language?

Here in Chicago, I encounter people (read: hot girls) who speak Spanish, Polish, German, Russian, and Romanian almost every single day... which is not to mention the speakers of Mandarin, Italian, Turkish, French, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, and many others, with whom I am anxious to be flirting on a given day. A person could speak 12 languages here and have the reasonable expectation of using all of them regularly. I'm convinced that the same is true in most cities around the world. Besides, when you're single as I am, every additional language you speak means more hot chicks (or cute boys) with whom you can be flirting!


5. What is your advice on learning a language and do you have any resources for those wishing to embark on the journey of learning a new language?

My single most important piece of advice to anyone who wants to learn a language is simply to use it. Get out and make an effort to use it at every opportunity. 90% of our conversations on any given day consist of small talk, so that means you really don't need to know much! A person could be fluent (in small talk) in the course of just a few weeks, if they just tried. Save all that other difficult stuff like conjugations and grammar for when you need it, or when you're interested in it. I share lots of resources on Twitter as I find them, so follow me there. And even though I'm learning Turkish this year, my web site is written for anyone learning any language. Well, except for Klingon. And Navi. If you're looking for help with those, don't bother with my web site. :)


6. Where countries and states have you traveled to?

Believe it or not, at this time last year, I had never been outside of the United States. At 34 years old, I had visited about 23 states, most of them east of the Mississippi river. Last year, however, I made some big plans. I set out to visit all 50 states (including those to which I'd already been), as well as to finally get something stamped in my passport.

Over the course of less than a year, I managed to set foot in all 48 continental states (though I fell short of 50 by missing Alaska and Hawaii), and I crossed the border into Canada, but that doesn't count because they don't stamp your passport. However I also managed trips to Uzbekistan, Spain, and Italy, and even though I've been to German six times now, they've all been connecting flights, so one of these times I need to get out of the airport and actually see the country.

The nice thing is, when you speak the language, you can make friends abroad before you ever board the plane. I've had friends waiting for me at the airport on several trips now, who are happy to have a visitor and anxious to show me their city. That's way cheaper (and more fun) than hiring a tour guide, and it's also a thousand times better than sitting at a bar, alone.


7. Do you do anything creative as a hobby? What is it?

I do many things creatively as hobby (even language fits this description) but I think I do few other things with the interest and passion that I have with photography. I've been a serious photographer for at least six years now. Last year, a publisher found my photo stream on Flickr and invited me to participate in a collective work called New Erotic Photography --sold on amazon.com--with several of today's big names in photography, so I'm happy to say I'm now published and in good company. 

Guest post: My Favorite Dolled-Up Male Rocker: Kevin Barnes

23 February 2011


My Favorite Dolled-Up Male Rocker: Kevin Barnes
Joy Paley is a guest blogger for My Dog Ate My Blog and a writer on accredited online colleges for the Guide to Online Schools.
When most people think of a male rocker in makeup, the terrifying face of Gene Simmons from the band KISS comes to mind. He basically ruined the highly made-up look for male rockers for a good 15 years. Luckily, we’ve had Kevin Barnes to revive the trend of dudes with guitars and face paint--but not in a black-and-white, devil-monster sort of way.
If you’re not familiar with Barnes, he’s the frontman for the indie rock group Of Montreal, who have been churning out an array of glam, psychedelic indie pop albums since the late ‘90s. While Barnes has always played with style and gender norms, the past five years have really marked his great awakening. His glitzy, tranny alter-ego Georgie Fruit was invented for Of Montreal’s 2007 album Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?, and Barnes’ style hasn’t been the same since.


Image via TheQuietus.com

Image via Pollstar.com
What I love about Barnes is his sense of color and outrageousness—they really project a fearlessness that’s encapsulated in the genre-bending nature and melodrama of his tunes. Glittery, turquoise face makeup is a norm for Barnes, along with highly stylized, bold outfits reminiscent of ‘70s disco wear—in a good way. Barnes has let fans pour colored body paint across his body during shows and ridden a large white horse out onto the stage on occasion.
Although he’s straight and married, Barnes isn’t afraid to be ostentatious, something that male rockers have been afraid to try as of late. The over-the-top-ness of his glittered, asymmetric looks and red leather pants works because it gels with his music and his personality; he’s just being himself, a self that happens to identify with aspects of both sexes. For those unfamiliar with Barnes, consider him a male Lady Gaga, except with a more original musical aesthetic and style, and with less of a craving to get attention for attention’s sake.
And while even original women pop stars like Gaga continue to use sex as a point of intrigue for fans, Barnes’ use of physical appeal is more complicated. He’s sexy because he looks cool, original, and confidant, not because he’s showing off his flat stomach. Through his crazy style, he’s allowing men to be sexy in a different way—not because they have a rock-hard butt, big biceps, or a baby face--and that’s pretty awesome.


Image via Flickr.com



Guest post: My Favorite Dolled-Up Male Rocker: Kevin Barnes



My Favorite Dolled-Up Male Rocker: Kevin Barnes
Joy Paley is a guest blogger for My Dog Ate My Blog and a writer on accredited online colleges for the Guide to Online Schools.
When most people think of a male rocker in makeup, the terrifying face of Gene Simmons from the band KISS comes to mind. He basically ruined the highly made-up look for male rockers for a good 15 years. Luckily, we’ve had Kevin Barnes to revive the trend of dudes with guitars and face paint--but not in a black-and-white, devil-monster sort of way.
If you’re not familiar with Barnes, he’s the frontman for the indie rock group Of Montreal, who have been churning out an array of glam, psychedelic indie pop albums since the late ‘90s. While Barnes has always played with style and gender norms, the past five years have really marked his great awakening. His glitzy, tranny alter-ego Georgie Fruit was invented for Of Montreal’s 2007 album Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?, and Barnes’ style hasn’t been the same since.


Image via TheQuietus.com

Image via Pollstar.com
What I love about Barnes is his sense of color and outrageousness—they really project a fearlessness that’s encapsulated in the genre-bending nature and melodrama of his tunes. Glittery, turquoise face makeup is a norm for Barnes, along with highly stylized, bold outfits reminiscent of ‘70s disco wear—in a good way. Barnes has let fans pour colored body paint across his body during shows and ridden a large white horse out onto the stage on occasion.
Although he’s straight and married, Barnes isn’t afraid to be ostentatious, something that male rockers have been afraid to try as of late. The over-the-top-ness of his glittered, asymmetric looks and red leather pants works because it gels with his music and his personality; he’s just being himself, a self that happens to identify with aspects of both sexes. For those unfamiliar with Barnes, consider him a male Lady Gaga, except with a more original musical aesthetic and style, and with less of a craving to get attention for attention’s sake.
And while even original women pop stars like Gaga continue to use sex as a point of intrigue for fans, Barnes’ use of physical appeal is more complicated. He’s sexy because he looks cool, original, and confidant, not because he’s showing off his flat stomach. Through his crazy style, he’s allowing men to be sexy in a different way—not because they have a rock-hard butt, big biceps, or a baby face--and that’s pretty awesome.


Image via Flickr.com



Studying in Italy--Applying for Scholarships

22 February 2011


Many people in Italy are under the impression that ALL Americans are rich, at least that is what was told to me when I asked if I could apply for a scholarship. Utterly ridiculous I know but unfortunately our countrymen that visit have done nothing to dispel that myth.

So that you do not make the mistake that I made here are the necessary things that you would need to have done AND to bring with you in order to apply for a scholarship. You cannot apply for any scholarships until you are accepted into a program and arrive safely at the University of choice.

1. You must gather your last three tax returns (3 years) for yourself or if you are a dependent your parents.

2. You must have them notarized and translated

3. You must have at least made €7400 and no more than €14,000 per year to qualify if you are independent.

4. You must write a letter stating your financial situation and what you have made in the last three years and have in translated into Italian and notarized.

5. All these things must then have an Apostille stamped to them.

In bocca al lupo!

Studying in Italy--Applying for Scholarships



Many people in Italy are under the impression that ALL Americans are rich, at least that is what was told to me when I asked if I could apply for a scholarship. Utterly ridiculous I know but unfortunately our countrymen that visit have done nothing to dispel that myth.

So that you do not make the mistake that I made here are the necessary things that you would need to have done AND to bring with you in order to apply for a scholarship. You cannot apply for any scholarships until you are accepted into a program and arrive safely at the University of choice.

1. You must gather your last three tax returns (3 years) for yourself or if you are a dependent your parents.

2. You must have them notarized and translated

3. You must have at least made €7400 and no more than €14,000 per year to qualify if you are independent.

4. You must write a letter stating your financial situation and what you have made in the last three years and have in translated into Italian and notarized.

5. All these things must then have an Apostille stamped to them.

In bocca al lupo!

Cleopatra/ Rockstar

20 February 2011


Last week I did a photo shoot with Model Jaya Guazzo and photographer Michele Gamberini in a town outside of Bologna. The theme Cleopatra and a rocker chick.

The Inspiration: Patricia Velasquez from the Mummy Returns:

"Cleopatra"
Photographed by: Michele Gamberini
Make-up artist: Tanisha Shulamit
Stylist: Jaya Guazzo




To get the look I combined Antique Gold and Lemon Yellow Mac pigments and placed on the eye and lips and used Black Track Fluid liner by Mac, Spiked brow liner in the brow

The second look is Rockstar.  The Inspiration was:




and this Chanel ad for the lip:


"Rockstar"
Photographed by: MG
Make-up artist: Tanisha
Stylist: Jaya






I obtained this look by using Feline eyeliner all over the lid and then adding Dark Soul pigment and winging it out.  Dirty plum blush lightly on the cheek. Nightmoth lipliner and Cyber lipstick with dark soul pigment in the center on the lip.
Me doing what I do best.







Cleopatra/ Rockstar



Last week I did a photo shoot with Model Jaya Guazzo and photographer Michele Gamberini in a town outside of Bologna. The theme Cleopatra and a rocker chick.

The Inspiration: Patricia Velasquez from the Mummy Returns:

"Cleopatra"
Photographed by: Michele Gamberini
Make-up artist: Tanisha Shulamit
Stylist: Jaya Guazzo




To get the look I combined Antique Gold and Lemon Yellow Mac pigments and placed on the eye and lips and used Black Track Fluid liner by Mac, Spiked brow liner in the brow

The second look is Rockstar.  The Inspiration was:




and this Chanel ad for the lip:


"Rockstar"
Photographed by: MG
Make-up artist: Tanisha
Stylist: Jaya






I obtained this look by using Feline eyeliner all over the lid and then adding Dark Soul pigment and winging it out.  Dirty plum blush lightly on the cheek. Nightmoth lipliner and Cyber lipstick with dark soul pigment in the center on the lip.
Me doing what I do best.