do Morning, welcome back to another vlog.
Today's Monday.
I'm gonna take you guys through just a realistic week in my life in New York City.
I'm starting off the day with a self-tape today that I have to send into the agency by tomorrow morning.
Today's actually a holiday.
It's MLK Day.
I have a couple work things that I need to do, but it's also nice to just be able to get some errands done and stuff.
I'm gonna try and film with self-tape in as less takes as possible.
That's one of my intentions for the year in terms of sticking to my word of the year, which is being unapologetic.
Whenever I do a self-tape and I'm sure a lot of people who are in this type of industry can relate to I sometimes take hours to do this kind of thing because I want to get the perfect take and I want to get the best possible take.
And I just told myself this year, I'm not going to do that.
I'm going to take two or three takes.
I'm going to submit it and move on with my life.
So I'm going to try and get that done.
It's 1030.
I should be able to finish this by 11, so let's do it.
The nice thing about this particular self-tape is that they want it in horizontal format, so I can actually use my camera, which is really helpful for editing.
I just filmed all of my slates and introductions.
I also had to film like a full body shot.
It's always kind of awkward because I don't have another space where I could film this.
And whenever they want it wide, you end up seeing so much of the background anyway.
So I don't like sometimes.
If they want it vertically, I'll film it against this white wall.
Or I'll move the garbage can, or I'll move the bar cart.
But when they want it horizontal, regardless of where you put it, you're going to see the background.
And so I end up just filming it right here in front of the big window.
Now that I've done that, I have to record some lines actually for this one, so I just put my phone down here.
I've memorized most of it, but I'm just gonna have the lines up just in case.
It's 10.40 and we're done.
I'm actually gonna upload this now and send it off to the client, so that I don't have to think about it later.
If you wanna know what it's really like to be in New York right now, it is the coldest it's been in years, I think.
Like honestly, this is Canada level freezing.
My nose is always the first thing that turns red.
I just got back from a little Pilates workout.
It's always kind of hard for me this time of year to actually get outside and go to the gym.
Once I'm at the gym, it's fine, and I think it's this time of year where I actually need things like Pilates and boxing, because that's having those appointments and having those classes booked and knowing that they have a cancellation fee is what really gets me out the door.
But I have to say I find it really hard to actually get outside this time of year and um, I don't know my body.
I think a lot of people probably experience this, but my body just wants to be at home.
It just wants to like stay inside.
I'm gonna make some lunch.
Avery got us Indian food for dinner.
We have this Indian restaurant near us that he's been going to for a long time and I never really tried.
And then one night I had some of his food and I was like, oh my God, this is really good.
I want some of this as well.
So we've been getting it. probably like once a week or once every other week.
We had it for dinner last night and they just give you such big portions.
So I saved half of it for lunch today.
So I'm really excited about it.
I've been thinking about it all morning actually.
So I'm gonna heat that up.
I'm also gonna make like a little zucchini on the side, because that's really the only vegetable that I have right now.
And my meal didn't come with any veggies.
So I'm gonna get some greens in and then I think I'm gonna make myself coffee and stuff later.
Definitely not my most aesthetic lunch, but it is a very realistic one.
I love having leftovers to heat up the next day.
I just think it's so easy.
It's definitely gonna keep me full for a while too.
And then I just made the zucchini on the side.
Put some salt and a little bit of lemon on top, just to give it some more flavor.
And it's gonna be my lunch.
I don't know what I did to my camera, but usually There's a dial on the top of the camera where you can turn up the brightness and also turn it down.
And for whatever reason, it's not working for me.
So I don't know what I did.
I'm heading out into the cold one last time.
I have to go to a fitting right now for a client.
I checked the location earlier cause I wasn't quite sure where it was, and it's actually only like an eight minute walk from here, which is amazing.
So grateful for that.
And I'm going to try and do laundry tonight, which I'm not going to film obviously, but we've been having this thing and I think I remember us having the same experience last year.
If you live in New York, Let me know if this happened to you too.
But pretty much all of our dryers in the building are broken.
And they've been broken for like two weeks now, I wanna say.
So I've been able to do like delicate laundry and stuff and let certain things dry in the apartment.
But I'm not gonna hang towels and bed sheets and things like that to dry.
So that's been really annoying and obviously we're not the only ones who live in this building.
So everyone's like trying to get their laundry done.
I wanted to get up really early this morning and wash it, but I didn't.
So um, when i get back from this fitting, i'm gonna see if it's busy downstairs and see if i can actually wash some stuff, because now i feel like i am running out of like undershirts.
I'm running out of just clothes in general, like workout clothes and stuff.
Anyway um, i'm gonna go this fitting and then i'll check in with you guys a little bit later.
I know this is a week in my life, but I had to leave the vlog at home yesterday because I was working and I just knew I wasn't gonna be able to bring you guys along.
So we're picking it up again today.
I have a test shoot today.
And now I'm going to be able to give you guys some content.
Taking you guys along to a bunch of tests this past six months, I think.
And a lot of these I've had to like style myself and do the hair and makeup myself.
But for this one, they're actually doing everything on the set.
So I don't have to bring anything with me today, which is so liberating.
For the last six months, I've really been trying to update my book and just revamp it because I...
I'm in a little bit of a different phase in my career now.
I'm a little bit older.
I'm finally photographing a little bit differently.
I know I've spoken to you guys about that.
And so my book just needed some more variety and just some new photos.
So I've been investing in that a lot.
Doing shoots like this is really good and obviously really important, but they can get pretty expensive over time, especially have, like a stylist or if you have a makeup artist.
There used to be a lot different, honestly.
When i first moved here, it was so easy to get free tests and now you're pretty much paying anyone to get a test for your portfolio.
Because i've wanted to get so much variety, i've been trying to make them a little bit more cost effective by styling them myself and doing my own makeup and that kind of thing.
Um, but it's so much work and it's such a mission.
Every time i also feel like, even though this isn't a shoot that you're doing for a client or anything,
These almost hold the most weight because you're the one that's paying for them.
And these are the photos that go into your book and that's what clients see when they're trying to decide if they want to book you or not.
And so it's a little bit of a different mindset going into it.
Just being honest and keeping it real because Even though the stuff is fun for me, it's also tough.
And I feel like keeping up with an ever-changing industry and trying to position yourself so that you can work for as many clients as possible is tough.
And it's something that actually requires a lot of time, a lot of energy and a lot of patience.
I think.
It's like a major theme in my career, I feel like, is patience.
But it's all going to pay off.
Oh my gosh, I just finished.
I still have on my makeup too.
It's easier to hide when it's this cold.
I can just put my scarf up, but such an amazing shoot today.
I don't know if I mentioned it or not.
Maybe I'll have to cut this out, but I actually shot with Paul, like almost 10 years ago, for the first time.
We did just a beauty test.
Haven't really seen him since.
And then obviously, when my agency and I were talking about getting some more pictures for the book, he came up and was like I know this name, but I don't know from where.
And then I realized over time that we had done this other test together and it was just so fun to catch up and see our lives, how much everything's changed in the last 10 years.
Also, the shoot was so much more than I expected.
We basically shot from 9 until now, it's 4.30.
Sorry, I'm just trying to see where I'm going.
Yeah, we basically shot from 9 until 430, which is super long and maybe like eight or nine outfits.
And I think these pictures are going to be really amazing.
So I'm super happy.
I am very tired though.
Also, we didn't eat lunch, which I didn't know it was going to last this long.
I thought it was going to be done around like one and then we should get lunch after.
But by the time I realized we were probably not going to have lunch, we only had like a couple looks left.
So I was just like you know what bit of power through and I'll eat when I'm done.
No, I'll eat when I'm home, like debating if I want to have a coffee, because I didn't have one since this morning and I feel like I could probably use one right now.
But it's also kind of late and I do have to work again tomorrow early, so we'll see.
If I walk past a Starbucks and it's calling me, I might go get one.
Otherwise, I'm just going to focus on food.
I'm getting the coffee.
I just feel like I really need it right now.
I'm also really cold.
It's so cold here today.
I was telling you guys about this yesterday already.
We just have a cold front, I guess is what you call it.
It's just insane.
It's a lot warmer than it was this morning.
So we're not gonna complain.
Very moody lighting in here.
Just took off all that makeup and it feels so good.
And I'm gonna put on a quick face mask just because my skin is quite dry.
Like a spot here and a spot here, which is fine.
But I just wanna give my skin some extra love.
I don't know if I've ever shown you guys this mask before but This one is from Dr. Barbara Sturm.
I'm going to be honest, I have no idea what's in it.
I have no idea what it does, but it feels really good.
And because I still have to take a shower and wash all my hair and stuff, I'm going to put this on now.
Maybe I'll leave it on for an hour or so and then I'll gently wash it off in the shower, rather than using a towel to wipe it off.
So I just thought I would share that with you guys.
I'm just going to put like a thin layer.
You really don't need a ton.
There's something amazing in it because it just makes my skin look super hydrated and almost like renewed after i put this on.
So i'll link it if you guys want to check it out.
I just got one of their bowls.
This is what I usually get with brown rice.
This is their cashew kale Caesar.
I also got avocado and then my base is brown rice.
Oh, I forgot that I was zoomed in.
Oops.
Oh no.
Okay, I just made myself a little tea.
It's already getting dark.
Don't have anything to put you guys on, but I'll just give you a little update here.
It's been a really good day, but kind of a slow vlogging day.
I worked a half day with one of my regular clients this morning.
We were shooting swim, which was super fun.
And then I came home around 1230.
I've just been editing my vlog ever since, honestly.
I'm just trying to get it done for the weekend.
I'm about to wrap it up and shower and get ready because I'm actually going to dinner tonight.
I'm going to go to dinner with Mel and she's bringing one of her other friends with us, so.
It should be fun.
I haven't really shared that much about this, but I've kind of been hinting at the fact that Avery's been working a lot recently and that he's just been really busy.
And the reason for that is because the company that he works for actually opened up a new restaurant in the city.
It's basically been his baby for the last year and a half.
And now that it's finally open, it's just been so exciting.
And I feel like I've been there multiple times a week.
Partially because it's so exciting, but also because I want to try everything on the menu, obviously.
I don't want to take my camera with me tonight, but I will just include a couple of clips from the food and things like that.
And if you want to check it out more, I post a lot about it on my Instagram and I can link their website in the description box if you're interested to check it out in the city.
It's a really special place and...
Yeah, it's just been super exciting.
So we're going there tonight.
I also got a couple of packages today of some stuff that I've been wanting to add to my closet.
I feel like I need pants.
I don't have enough pants.
So I ordered some jeans, which actually haven't arrived yet.
They should be getting here soon.
I ordered a very specific style from Levi's that I saw another girl on Instagram wearing.
They looked so good.
Exactly what I want, like a straight leg, but not super tight in the hips and butt.
So I'm excited to try it.
Hopefully they get here today.
I feel like, because it's been so cold, I've been a little slow to deliver things, which is totally understandable.
I also ordered new sneakers because I felt like I was wearing my Sambas into the ground and I was like I need another pair of shoes to balance this out with.
So I got them in another color that I'm very excited about, I'll actually show you unfortunately was sold out for a while.
And then, on Tuesday, when I was at work, I got the notification that they had come back in stock, and so I ordered them right away.
I got the brown, the chocolate brown.
I feel like you can't really even.
Oh, there you go, that's better.
Super excited about them also.
Just a really good shoe at a really good price.
And then oh, I also bought this black long-sleeve maxi dress which I think I'm gonna wear to dinner tonight.
I'm gonna try it on, because I haven't tried it on yet.
Another thing that I just think will be a really good fall, winter, Even spring staple.
Quick first look at the dress.
I absolutely love it.
I'm definitely going to wear it tonight.
This is from the brand Etern.
And I'm going to give you a heads up.
It's an investment piece.
But that's kind of the intention that I had with this dress.
As a lot of you guys already know, if I'm buying something expensive, it's because I think I'm going to wear it a lot.
To me, it feels like one of those pieces that you can dress up and dress down.
Like I'm wearing it with heels right now.
These cute little heels.
But I feel like I would also wear it with sneakers.
Also just so comfortable.
And I love that the length is long enough for me.
I'm 5'9", and it hits me right at the heel.
I think I'm gonna wear it with this bag.
And then probably gonna do like big gold earrings or bigger gold earrings.
And I also have this gold bracelet that I'll put on.
But I need to do my hair and makeup first.
I just called my Uber, so I thought I'd give you guys a quick look at my jewelry.
I just decided to do these simple gold hoops from Lanier.
And then I'm also wearing my necklace from Lanier, my little Marquise diamond, my everyday necklace.
And this is the gold. bracelet that I was telling you guys about.
This was actually my grandma's.
My mom gave it to me a couple of years ago and I just love it.
I think it pretty much goes with everything.
So yeah, I'm excited.
Oh, I also ended up putting on some boots instead.
I am taking a car there, but I didn't really feel like having cold feet.
You know what I mean?
So I put on these boots instead.
I'm sure you guys will recognize these.
I've worn them a bunch.
But I will link them below.
I actually tried it with my black booties, my Reformation ones, before I put these on.
And I ended up liking these better for whatever reason.
I don't know if it's because of the black, like the different textures.
But for whatever reason, I thought that these looked better.
So...
That's what we're going to go with.
Anyway, I'm going to go get my car.
I will probably see you guys in the next vlog.
So I hope you enjoyed.
It's a very realistic look at my life.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
Don't forget to subscribe.
And I'll see you next time.