Random Toronto Trips...

I received an email Monday morning from my agency in Toronto. They were asking if I could come down for a few days, to go on castings for "the shows" in October.

I thought about it for about a minute, before replying: Of course, I'll come into town. Besides, I always need a good excuse to head on down to Toronto. I love it here so much.

I hopped on a bus yesterday morning at 7am, and arrived in Toronto around lunch time. So far, I've been on three castings - one for a very well known, Canadian luxury department store and two others for local, Canadian designers.

However, show castings always drive me a little bit insane. Unlike catalogue and editorial castings, where photographers/client look through your book, and take some snaps to see how you photograph, show castings actually require a model to "perform" i.e. walk.

It all sort of reminds me of my old ballet days. You need to be dressed in proper attire - tight, black miniskirts or dresses so the client can see the shape of your body. Hair tied back, in a high ponytail. "No makeup" makeup - just a bit of concealer and some lip balm.

Proper shoes are crucial - ideally, a model needs to be wearing the highest heels possible, yet still be able to comfortably walk. It's absolutely amazing how high heels can affect a model's walk - literally make it or break it.

I found this our the hard way, at my first casting. I had bought a new pair of black, platform high heels a few weeks ago. I hadn't spent a lot of time walking around in them before my first casting, and definitely felt a difference in my walk. They were not "broken in". I wasn't nearly as confident or as strong when I strutted my stuff in front of the client. My shoes were too big, too wobbly. Fortunately, the agency let me borrow another pair for my castings. These shoes were shorter in height, but tighter around my ankles. Needless to say, my walk improved greatly after switching shoes.

Runway castings can be such a crap shoot - I can never tell whether or not I have it in the bag. The casting itself usually involves waiting around for a long time, then walking for ten seconds in front of the client, who finishes the session with a curt "Thank You."

Runway shows are also one of my favorite things to do. It's such a cool feeling, wearing clothing that no one else has seen before. Hanging out and talking with other girls, of all ages (most of them are in high school!) Meeting and talking with the designer. The hustle and bustle of backstage. The music, the lights. The rush you get right before it's your turn to step out and "go". The walking down a catwalk, looking and feeling like a million bucks.

It's that addictive feeling, the purely fifteen seconds of fame, that spotlight that's yours as you strut, one foot in front of the other, bathed in the flashes of the cameras, towards the end of the runway.

It's the most incredible feeling in the world. It's why I'm here, spending the week in Toronto, running around from casting to casting, in hopes of booking a few Fashion Week shows.

Also, the sushi here is pretty darn good too.

xo

Happy Mondays!

Happy Monday! Another day, another week's begun. I spent my weekend participating in a CANFAR HIV/AIDS "Walk for Life", catching up on readings and lying out in the sunshine. I didn't make it to the farmers' market, but slept in and had a delicious breakfast instead. Sometimes, it's okay to be lazy.

I started doing this with my old blog, and I'd like to continue it here - I call it "Happy Mondays!" I know a lot of bloggers post their weekly link lists towards the end of the week, however, I'd like to post mine at the beginning.

Everyone dislikes Mondays, but I want to give her a bit of a break - she gets such a bad rep, poor thing. Let's change the way we think about Mondays. New beginnings, productivity, another fresh start - that's what Mondays should be all about. Forget what sucked about yesterday, forget that you put off doing the dry cleaning, make a new to-do list, enjoy the last few days of summer and be glad you're alive. That's what Mondays should be all about. Being thankful for what we have, where we live and who we have as a support system in our lives.

Check out these links below, and be glad we don't live in an era where the only alternative to calling off a wedding is to become a Pan Am stewardess.

***

Here's an interview with Justine Picardie, a biographer who wrote a pretty sweet book, Chanel: Her Life, about designer-fashion icon Grabielle "Coco" Chanel. What makes Picardie's biography different from the rest is that she was able to obtain Karl Largerfeld and the House of Chanel's stamp of approval (not many Chanel biographers have been able to do that!) I'll be sure to pick up my copy, next time I pop into my local Chapters.

The Big Business of Breast Cancer. Do you know where your donations are going? To a sick, loved one or a sick, scam cooperation?

Fashion Magazine's Celeb Poll: Vote for who YOU think was the best dressed at TIFF!

Lately, I've been eyeing Moon Raven Designs - a jewelry and accessories line inspired by nature, animal skulls and bones. So incredibly original. Check out the Etsy store HERE to see more designs, and an interview with the designer, Michael R Doyle, HERE.

I read A LOT of magazines and this article, by Bethenny Frankel, in this month's issue Glamour Magazine is probably one of the better one's I've read in a while. I think the message is simple: Learn to love yourself, find your passion in life, and a man will follow. So unbelievably true.

I'm a HUGE Mad Men fan, so what's holding me up until it airs again in March? The Playboy Club and Pan Am, that's what! I ADORE period television shows and movies, especially ones set between the 1940's-1960's. You can stream The Playboy Club's premiere episode HERE! It airs on Monday evenings, and Pan Am on Sundays!

I am seriously considering purchasing one of those Pan Am blue bowling-style bags. Oh, and a pair of white gloves.

Have a fantastically productive week, everyone!

xo

Parc Omega!

Last weekend, The Boyfriend and I decided to make the most of this gorgeous weather we've been having, here in Central Ontario, and took a day trip out to Parc Omega, in Montebello, Que.

Parc Omega can be described as a combination of a wild life reserve and a petting zoo. The animals, all native to North America, have access to acres upon acres of land to roam and graze. Predator animals, such as black bears and coyotes, are kept separate from the herbivores - safety first, you know!

Once you've purchased admission into the park, you're allowed to drive through and watch the animals roam around in their habitats. Some areas allow you to roll down your windows and feed carrots to the animals. In other sections of the park, such as the Bison section, you're only permitted to drive slowly through the path.

It was absolutely breath-taking, more fun than Disneyland by far. And obviously, you have to be very careful and respectful when interacting with the animals.

I never thought, in my entire life, I'd experience petting and feeding deer. Deer are usually very shy creatures - a lot of the females I fed were quite skittish. They really didn't like to be petted; they just wanted to get in and out, when it came to our carrots!

We were warned, before entering the park, that it is currently mating season and, therefore, the male animals may act aggressively. We were advised not to feel them or pet them - but this one buck was quite adamant to get his share too!

It's absolutely mind-blowing, getting so close to a wild animal and seeing their antlers up close. They're so graceful and power and beautiful, all at the same time.

Unfortunately, our cameras ran out of batteries - we also saw two small, white-tailed deer bucks play-fighting, head to head, with their antlers locked. It wasn't a very aggressive "fight", but it was still absolutely amazing to witness. As well, we saw a stag chasing after a heard of larger, female deer, beaver dams and arctic wolves. So unbelievably cool.

Definitely turned our weekend into an absolutely amazing one - I'm already bugging The Boyfriend to bring me back there!

xo

Cheers to the Weekend

Finally, the weekend has arrived. I am looking forward to catching up on readings, taking care of The Boyfriend and his stuffy nose, farmer's markets (probably my new favorite thing) and, perhaps, some socializing.

This week was a bit crazy - being in my last year at university, I absolutely have to keep on top of my readings and articles. I've already handed in one assignment and did a presentation on Jane Austen's family today, for my 18th Century Literature class. We read a novel a week for that class, and are expected to hand in weekly reading responses (read: book reports). It's nuts, but I sort of love it. In a sick, nerdy way.

To wind down, I've been spending a lot of time on style.com, browsing through "the shows". I am anticipating Toronto Fashion Week like I've never anticipated anything before. As much as I love cram reading Sense and Sensibility the night before my lit class, fashion is where my heart is at. No matter what I do with my life - be it going to law school or not - it will have to do with fashion. After all, fashion people need lawyers too, right?

I've also taken a big liking to snapping digitals of myself with Photobooth. I promise I'm not a vain person - I just really love the way the light comes through my Ikea curtains mid-morning. I'm also trying to experiment with taking snaps of myself without having to ask someone else to do them for me. That way, my poor boyfriend doesn't get cornered into taking polaroids of his crazy girlfriend, when he gets home from work. I like being self-sufficient.

(I also really like my cheap Ikea curtains. A lot.)

Cheers to the weekend, friends.

xo

Back to School...

Last Monday, I started school again. It feels absolutely amazing to be back in an academic setting, using my brain and interacting with people who genuinely care to know my opinion, on, say, drug laws or Jane Austen. I'm actually sort of in academic-hog heaven, plowing through Sense and Sensibility and cases about the wrongfully convicted.

My new apartment is 99% set up - The Boyfriend and I still need to consider whether or not we wish to go through with minor touches, such as hemming the living room curtains a bit shorter or buying another bookshelf. However, I am absolutely in love with our white Ikea drapes:

My new home feels very cosy. I am happy that, after traveling around for eight months, I have a place to call my home, my nest.

Lately, The Boyfriend and I have been taking advantage of this wonderful Indian summer we've been having, here in central Ontario - in the past few weeks we've gone kayaking, visited a farmer's market and, most excitingly, Parc Omega. I'll post photos of Alex and myself feeding deer very soon.

As per usual, I'm itching to get back into my alter-ego, to be in front of a camera lens. I'm very excited to go up to Toronto for Fashion Week in mid-October - mainly because I LOVE TORONTO and I LOVE FASHION, so what's better than combining my favorite city and favorite... everything, in one fantastic week? And I'll definitely be documenting it, so stay tuned for fun-filled, fashionista updates.

But for now, I need to get back to my "Drugs, The User and The State" class readings. Being a student may not be glamorous but, boy, do I sure appreciate it after taking a semester off. I blame my mother for raising me in an education-valuing environment. Thanks, Mom.

xo.

My name is Laura. I used to blog HERE. Now I blog here.

I write. I model. I study. I srat.

Welcome to my life. My model life.