Favorites

In the words of Julie Andrews, “These are a few of my favorite things”:

 

TSAOTAS Cover

This breakthrough novel by Sfinas has been getting rave reviews and Seals of Excellence since its release in April 2013.  The journal-style writing, plot structure, relatable (if not necessarily likeable) characters and interesting twists make this a must-read.

 yoon

If you haven’t heard of Jon Yoon, you will.  Trust me, you will.  Yoon is a Seattle-based ukulele rock star.  He’s frequently at local open mics, karaoke competitions (where he typically wins All The Things) and has been spotted busking at the infamous Pike Place Market.  When he’s not strumming his uke or pretending to be Psy, he can often be found volunteering both his time and talent to The Melodic Caring Project.

HeartBreakAlexVera-150x150

As biased as this sounds, I’ve had the absolute pleasure of knowing Alex Vera for more years than I care to admit, but that’s only to prevent you from basic math that would allow you to calculate my age.  And we all know, you never ask a woman her age.  Ergo, you don’t attempt to figure it out.

Oh wait, where was I?  Yes, yes, Alex.  He’s amazing.  He’s like Andy Warhol and Keith Haring rolled into one fabulous creature.  And no, I’m not just regurgitating how he describes his own art.  He’s just The Awesome.  His art is colorful, full of raw and powerful emotion and he pours pieces of himself into every canvas.

On top of it all, he’s one of the most down-to-earth artists you’ll ever meet.  He’s completely unlike his Art Basel peers.  And that, my friends, makes him all the more endearing.  Check him out and connect with him here.

parisp

Let’s step back in time more years than I care to count…I walk into a room full of other professionals at a subsidiary of one of the largest insurance companies in the world.  I know no one.  So, I take a seat next to the only other cosmopolitan looking person in the room.  (We were in NC, for the record so no offense, but there weren’t many).  This entire friendship started based on a conversation about bright red lipstick and red crystal earrings.  That’s all it takes, friends!

Paris Paull is one of the most amazing, creative, talented and energetic people I have the pleasure of knowing.  Her photography is beautiful, her Origami Owl creations are inspirational, her graphic design skills are rivaled by no one else I know.  I honestly couldn’t tell you what else she has her hands in because she already does so much!

In her own words, she hates hipsters but loves to shoot people in the face with a Canon.  She’s the proud mother of the 51st President of the United States and makes the best pumpkin bars you’ll ever taste.  She thinks cats are the enemy and pairs her Cali roots with a love of New York City that produces her particular brand of honesty while debating established truths which very well may make you laugh until you pee yourself.

13759_179960331563_5194867_n Photo courtesy of Dominic Chow

If you check out my modeling page, you’ll see that I’ve had the pleasure of working with Dominic “Nic” Chow for several years.  You can get more of the story there, but I wanted to give him his own space here on my favorites because I just think he’s that amazing. There’s not a whole lot else I can add, but his bio – which he has written so eloquently – explains it all.

“Dominic is a freelance photographer based in Boston, primarily focusing on portrait, fashion, and glamour photography. As an emerging and promising talent, Dominic captures his subjects in unique ways, emphasizing the intrinsic beauty and elegance of his models. His photography style is distinct and diverse, which cannot be easily categorized into particular genres, but often characterized by interesting compositions, unusual perspectives, a plethora of colors, and the precision of elements. His work combines classical grace and sophistication with an over-arching modern vibrancy and energy, inspired by the richness of various world cultures and the individuality of his subjects. Dominic invites you to join him in the quest of creating memorable imagery by bringing out the talent and personality in you.”