Art, Architecture, Culture, Girl Who Would be King

Feel-good Friday: FILM FEST

Fall is Film time

**Very Intriguing Fabulous Films** is what **VIFF** also stands for

It’s a frenzy. There’s a ton of good films out there – you’ve just got to find them! And there’s literally something for everyone.

Movies are not only an escape from daily life (sometimes good, sometimes not) but many are insightful, you can learn something, or maybe you just want to be totally entertained, or shocked, or frightened, or moved or infuriated or turned on and so forth….that’s the beauty of it all.

Inuit Cowboys in the Arctic, Maliglutit was inspired by John Ford’s The Searchers (1956), a classic cowboy movie starring John Wayne. — Inuit Cowboys in the Arctic – **Maliglutit** was inspired by John Ford’s The Searchers (1956), a classic duster starring John Wayne. *I never liked cowboy movies….*

It’s like feast or famine for me (and not just with movies). I binge watched ALL the Academy Award nominated movies for the last awards show….after not having been to a movie theatre in a very loooong time.

I mean who has time to watch a ton of movies all at once when there are fashion shows to attend and foodie/wine events to go to?

Oh and I forgot about binge watching Stranger Things & Bates Motel on Netflix. There’s a lot of stuff on my plate now.. besides food.

So now I’m attending a handful (actually two handfuls) of movies not yet released in theatres – all part of the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF). So many to choose from in all genres.

Good movie but could be shortened by about 40 minutes.

THIS YEAR they’ve divided the festival guide into categories. Panorama, focusing on contemporary world cinema, Ignite, showcasing inspired works emerging from the creative nexus that is British Columbia, True North, celebrating extraordinary creativity by Canadian storytellers, Impact, uncompromising films and discussions that spark action and change the way we see the world, Gateway, a journey into a compelling cinematic world of East Asia’s most adventurous artists, M/A/D (Music, Art, Design) and Style in Film and ALT (Altered States) – Short Films.

I’ve managed to pick at least one from each category to watch and review. The first thing I do is to look at each title. If the title intrigues me then I read the blurb about the film and mark it as either YES or NO. This is a challenge in itself because most of these films (if not all) are being reviewed for the very first time as they are not yet released. So I thought I’d try my hand as a movie critic…of sorts. Keeping in mind that I only choose movies that intrigue me and that I’m going to like… or at least hoping to like. So I’m very unlikely to give a bad review having carefully gone over all critical criteria beforehand.

Finding time to fit these films into your schedule….now that can be a challenge. There are a few I want to see but cannot. There are others that overlap and a few which are several hours apart from each other, so you have to figure out what to do in the time in between. Sigh…….And you know your life is full when you must choose between seeing a movie totally filmed in the Arctic complete with dog sleds and igloos vs taking a fermented cooking class. Choices!

Time in between can be spent eating, shopping, walking the dog ~~again~~, going to a yoga class or just….meditating.

Such is life in the world of cinema and all us crazy film buffs (even if we’re only part -timers).

That’s all to say that up until October 14^th (maybe beyond) you’ll be hearing about these movies. But then you won’t….possibly for quite some time. So enjoy it (or not) while you can!

Are there any movies you’re anxious to see? Are there any that intrigue you to go and see from my notes on this blog?

Art, Architecture, Culture

Feel-good Friday: the girl with the XXX Tattoo!

At a recent gathering my friend and I could not help but notice a girl who had her back turned towards us. A very interesting back it was.

I just got back. Photo: d. king — *I just got back* Photo: d. king

Unfortunately I cannot read Chinese so my friend Margeaux and I approached this girl and told her how much we admired her tattoo and her exposed back in general and would she please mind explaining to us the meaning. There were two meanings. I have to admit that the first meaning as beautiful as it sounded I cannot remember (it was a wine tasting event after all) for the life of me. Actually we didn’t fully understand what she said but I’m sure it was as meaningful and as spiritual as the one which we clearly understood. Food for Thought:

Strong Souls have Wills, Weak ones have only Wishes.

One more thing…the tattoo wouldn’t look the same written in English. We would have a lot of figuring out how to frame it – along the width of your back or spiraling downward. Either way, it shows more beautiful in Chinese characters.

What do you think about tattoos in general?

HAPPY CANADA DAY to my fellow Canadians!

I’m in Whistler with a longtime friend who I first met while working in Tokyo, before she moved to London, England. Lots of catching up to do. She first flew to San Francisco just days before BREXIT became official so we’ll be discussing the ~~pros~~ ~~and~~ cons of that.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Art, Architecture, Culture, Girl Who Would be King

The First Monday in May

There is something very exciting about the first Monday in May.

The Met Gala takes place and if you don’t know what that is ~~shame on you~~ – it’s the Superbowl of social fashion events. Bar none! By special invitation.

A splashy fundraiser featuring costumes, couture, socialites, A-listers, icons and influential people in fashion, film, art and music.

The First Monday in May is a new documentary film directed by Andrew Rossi. It follows the creation of The Metropolitan Museum of Art‘s most attended fashion exhibition in history, “China: Through The Looking Glass,” an exploration of Chinese-inspired Western fashions by Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton. With unprecedented access, filmmaker Andrew Rossi captures the collusion of high fashion and celebrity at the Met Gala, one of the biggest global fashion events chaired every year by Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour.

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 04: A view of atmosphere at "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala - Press Preview at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) — NEW YORK, NY : A view of atmosphere at “China: Through The Looking Glass” Costume Institute Benefit Gala – Press Preview at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)

The movie dives into the debate about whether fashion should be viewed as art.

As Karl Lagerfeld describes, “it is applied art”

Art or not, The First Monday in May is worthwhile seeing if you’re into fashion, glamour, culture and……style. Yes please!

magnolia pictures (in Vancouver – playing at Cineplex Odeon Cinemas)

What will I wear????

The theme for this year’s Met Gala is Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology. Sounds like we’re going to be seeing some cutting edge fashion this year!

Art, Architecture, Culture, Girl Who Would be King

And the winner is: my Oscar 2016 Predictions

EACH YEAR it’s the same story; I plan on watching ALL of the OSCAR Nominees up for Top Picture (at the very least)…but that only happened once. Before this year that is.

Tom Hardy - Mad Max — **Tom Hardy in Mad Max Fury Road**

I can’t believe I watched ALL the contenders in the top five categories. It’s not that I had nothing else to do in my life ~~okay, I had nothing else to do~~ it’s just that this time I was determined and it became my mission. I think the academy should make me an honorary member of the board if only because I sat through some movies I otherwise would not have desired to watch and that’s putting it kindly. Even though they were all amazingly well done. Have a little sympathy, all this watching is time consuming guys!

It was hard to keep my eyes glued to Mad Max, The Revenant, The Hateful Eight and some scenes in Creed. It’s not that I didn’t appreciate the astounding special effects of Mad Max and the astonishing scenery surrounding The Revenant and seeing Sylvester Stallone again after all these years, it’s just that I don’t like gratuitous violence, crazy non-stop action with mostly (except for one) raggedly looking ugly men and seeing someone eat a raw liver when I can’t even stomach cooked liver (apparently Leonardo DiCaprio did this). He deserves the Oscar for this alone. So yes, they should make me a certified member.

The Martian (semi-comedy) — **The Martian** – not a comedy but **Matt Damon** is funny considering his circumstances

This year they were all really remarkable pictures. Mostly human interest, real life stories or stories based on factual incidences. And they were heavy...the financial housing crash, a spy capture during the cold war, accusations of communism among the entertainment industry, a sex change, a deranged kidnapping, child molestations within the catholic church, an irish immigrant in the 50’s, a lesbian relationship in the 50’s, an inventor & technological wizard, a girl who founds a family dynasty, a secret that unfolds on a 45th wedding anniversary, a trek through cold uncharted wilderness, a mission to Mars gone wrong, *post civil-war bounty hunters and a man claiming to be sheriff and the collapse of civilization with the craziness surrounding that. I took a break in between to watch Train Wreck out of lightness & curiosity.

It would put me in a very awkward position to have to make choices for “best” this and that from what I’ve witnessed. There are not many years where so many movies are this great. I didn’t say enjoyable, I said great. And there were a few surprises. There was a common theme: Compelling, All Absorbing, Angry, Unbelievable and Shockingly Sad. And beautiful! Every single actor was just….perfect in their role. It’s so unfair that only one of them gets to take home the golden statue when they’re all winners.

Here is WHAT picture and WHO I think deserves to win out of the BIG FIVE (and then be able to negotiate more $$$$ for their next picture).

Here Goes:

Best Picture: On all accounts “The Revenant” will probably win an Oscar (they were filming in extreme weather conditions and I hated Tom Hardy’s character so much). Cinematography should go to The Revenant, but my personal choice for best picture (and cast ensemble along with The Big Short) is “Spotlight” because it’s just unbelievable how a small group of special reporters took chances to take on such a powerful deity as the Catholic Church and not let up. They were passionate and successful in uncovering a time bomb. Empowering!

Best Actor in a Leading Role:

Here’s where it gets dicey but Eddie Redmayne did a believably beautiful job in The Danish Girl. But he’s up against Leonardo DeCaprio who’s always amazing and hasn’t won yet and has deserved to win in the past (can’t they tie for this one?). Oh but; Eddie it is! Powerful!

Best Actress in a Leading Role:

OMG please don’t make me choose. I love them all. Okay, Brie Larson for Room. No, no, it’s going to be the Irish Girl Saoirse Ronan for Brooklyn because (light shades of Bridges of Madison County) it really makes you question or consider the decisions you make in your life. Bittersweet!

Best Actor in a Supporting Role:

Just by the fact that I could have killed Tom Hardy’s character myself in The Revenant, it should go to him. But I feel Sylvester Stallone for Creed deserves it for sentimental reasons and the fact that even though watching guys beating up on other guys is not on my high list, his boxing movies are sheer entertainment. This one was more enjoyable than I imagined and well Rocky Balboa; he’s just a likeable guy.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role:

This one is easy (even among the other talented nominees) – Alicia Vikander for The Danish Girl. Sheer Raw depth and Emotion – Loved her!

We’ll see how I make out with the predictions on Sunday, April 28.

*I have a question for Quentin Tarantino re The Hateful Eight. How come the stagecoach road in a movie set in the 1800’s was constantly plowed? How was it plowed? This is important. Did anyone else notice?

I want to start a category for best dressed at the OSCARS and also one for sheer entertainment (not acting, not directing, just an all around FUN movie). What do you think?

Any thoughts? I can’t wait to watch something stupid. SISTERS & Zoolander next!

Art, Architecture, Culture, Girl Who Would be King

Goodbye Glenn – there’s gonna be a heartache tonight

“Vaguery is the primary tool of songwriters” – Glenn FreyOh; there’s been too many losses in the entertainment industry in such a short time span. Talented British actor Alan Rickman passed away less than a week ago (days after I watched a new movie he’s in that’s not even released yet), and only four days after David Bowie. On that very same day, Celine Dion’s extremely smart manager husband René Angélil passed. Now Glenn Frey. This news came just days after I took a photo of “Hotel California” which I instagrammed with the captioned “some dance to remember, some dance to forget – with no alibis”. Strange, right? And like Bowie, so unexpected.

I get this feeling I may know you

As a lover (I wished) and a friend
But this voice keeps whispering in my other ear
Tells me I may never see you again

‘Cause I get a peaceful easy feeling
And I know you won’t let me down
‘Cause I’m already standing on the ground.

What can I say about Glenn Frey that hasn’t been said before? Not too much. Except that my BFF and I met Glenn Frey and Don Henley at an after party following their Hotel California concert performance in Montreal at the height of their career that they personally invited us to. They were very pleasant and probably a bit tired after the exceptional show. Jimmy Buffett was the opening act at the Montreal Forum that night. I remember totally ignoring him. At the time Hotel California was my favourite album and I had a big crush on Glenn Frey. I must say once again, we were not groupies (only because we were very young, they were very famous and a lot of girls would have done anything to even be in the same room). Anyway, it must also be noted that it didn’t seem like they were all that interested either. We were not easy targets although like I said, I was crushing on Glenn because he was not only good looking and talented but there was also something naturally down home & unaffected about him which made him all that more attractive. And he spent a chunk of time talking to us like we were already friends (“but Glenn, can’t I be your girlfriend? – move out of my way Jimmy”). Sigh!

These guys were the first ones to get my mind Tiffany-twisted, and wanting a Mercedes Benz.

Oh; yeah there’s more….

The Eagles were one of the great forces of 1970’s rock. Frey co-wrote and sang most of the Eagles hits, including Life in the Fast Lane, Desperado, Take It Easy, Tequila Sunrise, Lyin’ Eyes, Heartache Tonight and of course the infamous Hotel California. He was the Lennon to Don Henley’s McCartney.

One of the most famous Album Covers of all timie — One of the most famous Album Covers of all time

Hotel California is ostensibly about a luxury hotel visit that crosses over to the dark side – but it is really an allegory about the hedonistic lifestyle the musicians enjoyed in the 1970s. Some of the wilder interpretations of that song have been amazing. It was really about the excesses of American culture and certain girls they knew (not us, I think). But it was also about the uneasy balance between art and commerce. And a bunch of other stuff.

So Glenn… thanks for the memories, the music and giving us food for thought:

Don’t let the sound of your own wheels
drive you crazy
Lighten up while you still can
don’t even try to understand
Just find a place to make your stand
and take it easy.

Maybe order another tequila sunrise

And always make music

Art, Architecture, Culture, Girl Who Would be King

Feel-good Friday: Pirelli Calendar 2016 by Annie Leibovitz

It’s about feeling good as you are and embracing beauty in all its glory by sidestepping overt sexiness and replacing it with beautiful women of various shapes, sizes, age, background and ethnicity.

Actress Yao Chen, the first Chinese UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador. Photo: Annie Leibovitz/Pirelli Calendar — **Actress Yao Chen**, the first Chinese UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador. Photo: Annie Leibovitz/Pirelli Calendar

Photographer Annie Leibovitz took a simple and natural approach to the portraits this year. Famous women “as themselves with no touchups.” The women who were photographed (including Yoko Ono) and many others find it to be quite empowering especially for a calendar normally famous for it’s sleek sexy look.

Showing Strength. Tennis player Serena Williams. Photo: Annie Leibovitz/Pirelli Calendar — **Showing Strength.** Tennis player **Serena Williams**. Photo: Annie Leibovitz/Pirelli Calendar

If these images give you a *Vanity Fair vibe (see my comment below), there’s a few reasons why. Not only is Leibovitz a frequent contributor to the magazine (she photographed Caitlyn Jenner’s cover this year, for example), but the calendar was styled by the magazine’s fashion and style director, Jessica Diehl, and Senior Photo Producer Kathryn Macleod served as creative consultant.

Singer Patti Smith. Photo: Annie Leibovitz/Pirelli Calendar — **Singer Patti Smith**. Photo: Annie Leibovitz/Pirelli Calendar

About time!

To see the whole Pirelli Calendar shot by Annie Leibowitz please visit:

http://pirellicalendar.pirelli.com/en/the-cal-2016/home

*I was lucky to be given a private tour of the Vanity Fair offices at Condé Nast in New York for a research project once. The magazine is so creative in not only covering fashion and movie people but also popular culture and current affairs in an interesting and evocative way. The artistically shot covers never fail to capture my attention.

Art, Architecture, Culture, Girl Who Would be King

Art/Culture/Music – you always need a back up!

IF YOU ♥ MUSIC you need to watch these two docs – both are on Netflix

I just watched a fabulous documentary called 20 Feet from Stardom and I highly recommend it to anyone who has ever loved and listened to music – so that means YOU & everyone else. This is an Oscar-winning film by Morgan Neville that is long overdue and super fascinating.

Do the names Darlene Love, Táta Vega, Judith Hill and Lisa Fischer mean anything to you? Chances are you’ve never heard of them before but chances are you have heard them before. Heard them sing that is! Many times & on famous songs and hit records. They are the back-up singers, otherwise known and relied on as being indispensable to the recording industry. The unacknowledged unsung heroes – very much appreciated by the front runners of the industry but don’t get the credit from the general public that they so deserve. Although Darlene Love was recently & finally inducted into the music hall of fame by Bette Midler.

Neville talks to the big players like Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Mick Jagger and music producers about the mind-boggling talent of these women and how much they respect them and rely on their support. Infact, most of them sing as well or better than their superstar counterparts.

It is not without sadness but it is also about greatness and possibility. Bittersweet.

Okay, I don’t want to give too much away except to say once again, you NEED to see this documentary if you love music. That’s all!

WATCH 20 feet from Stardom trailer:

I also really liked:

THE MEDICINE OF MUSIC and one Man’s Amazing Journey

Glen Campbell I’ll Be Me

While on the subject of music docs here’s another interesting one I recently watched (even though both have been out for a while now) on country singer & music legend Glen Campbell who was sadly & unexpectedly told to hang up his guitar after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2011 as he set out on an unprecedented tour across America. Instead of the original intended 5 week tour, it went for 151 sold out shows over a year and a half while being documented as his “Goodbye Tour” as he and his wife decided to go public with his diagnosis and illness. Alzheimer’s is an unpredictable, very common disease and it is great to see his family back him up with support, love, laughter and of course music (3 of his kids play on stage with him). It is interesting, educational and heartfelt.

Interesting Tidbits: Bet you didn’t know that Glen Campbell played with the Beach Boys? Yes, he did on occasion.

My friend’s talented daughter has the priviledge of recording at his son’s (Cal Campbell) home recording studio in California and said he is a lovely man.

GLEN CAMPBELL I’LL BE ME Official Movie Trailer

Directed by James Keach

Have you seen either?

Art, Architecture, Culture, Girl Who Would be King

Art/Culture – East Side Cultural Crawl

Enjoying ART & CULTURE on Vancouver’s EAST SIDE

In it’s 19th year now, this year marked the biggest ever for the Vancouver Eastside Cultural Crawl, with artists showing off the best of their craft, and thousands of people in attendance.

The crawl has grown from what started out as only three buildings and a handful of artists to over 80 buildings and almost 500 artists. Last year was the very first time I attended and I couldn’t believe the diversity of art and the number of people. It was very lively and educational. It was a good example of what this city has to offer for ART’s sake. We have quite a few talented artists to be proud of.

The crawl began on Thursday November 19th and ran through until Sunday, the 22^nd giving the public four days to check out the various work of these artists in all the locations for free.

'Pieta' by sculptor David Robinson, one of the artists whose studio is open to the public for the Eastside Culture Crawl. (David Robinson ) — **‘Pieta’ by sculptor David Robinson**

The massive building at 1000 Parker has the densest collection of artist studios on the map every year and so starting the crawl experience here is always advisable. Not only was there something magical about this building on the opening night of the crawl (crowds were thick and fast with energy, studios full and artists ready to chat) but to cover as much ground as possible, Parker Street gives you that solid start.

**Zoe Pawlak | Show Me with Your Eyes | Parker Street Studios**

There’s a lot to take in – so much to see.

Tanis Saxton's sculptures have been referred to as visual poems that inspire and often leave the viewer with a thoughtful stillness. Taken from website — **Tanis Saxby sculpts ethereal works of art. They have been referred to as *visual poems* that inspire and often leave the viewer with a thoughtful stillness. Taken from website.**

There really is something for everyone’s taste and budget. If you missed it, there’s always next year.

If you attended I’d be interested in your comments

Art, Architecture, Culture

Feel-good Friday: DANCE

It’s a little like a love affair It starts out great, makes you feel good and then there are a few bumps along the way. You begin to doubt yourself. You settle in, become comfortable with the same steps and work into a routine. But if you want to improve your dance and keep things fresh you have to always evolve and work at it. You have to be eager to take it one step further to keep it interesting and alive. And to make the leaders want to dance with you.

Anyway, that’s my little analogy of the dance

You just can’t take a crash course to be a tango dancer in a movie – Robert Duvall

Dancing is not only social and good exercise, it makes me feel good. But I’ve been lax in going regularly for a long while now and I feel like I need to improve. With tango, it seems so easy but you never quite feel like you’ve mastered it. It is said that it takes a lifetime. Well since I have some time left I started lessons with one of the best instructors – Nadia of “Strictly Tango.” She spends several months a year in Buenos Aires. She’s professional but makes it fun, doesn’t miss a beat, watches your posture, corrects you on the spot and her dance space is incredibly appealing – the most ambient dance space for learning in Vancouver. Her base is ballet – actually the best base for any dance. She’s lovely. (See a short bio below). I already feel a big improvement. But I have a looong way to go.

“A good dancer is one who listens to the music…We dance the music not the steps. Anyone who aspires to dance never thinks about what he is going to do. What he cares about is that he follows the music. You see, we are painters. We paint the music with our feet.” – Carlos Gavito

Nadia's dance studio — Nadia’s dance studio (and photo above)

I also started taking West Coast Swing – opposites attract! Think Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing (but not as dirty). I took West Coast Swing years ago but was travelling and didn’t continue when I came back and forgot the steps. It’s more funky, casual but lots of fun and the music is upbeat…a mix bag of rockabilly, country, blues and current pop music – club style dancing with a partner. The opposite of tango although there is a mixer where both dances are incorporated into the evening which should be interesting. My instructor Pamela Podmoroff is one of Canada’s top competitive dancers – but she knows HOW TO TEACH. A rare package. She’s fun, friendly and patient. Both of these classes are gender balanced.

A good reason to dance West Coast Swing – CHECK OUT this short video:

Strictly Tango with Nadia (BIO):

Nadia’s love affair with dance began early, with lessons in classical ballet at age ten in her home country, Iran. By the time she was fourteen, she’d earned a scholarship to study ballet in New York City. By nineteen, she was the youngest company soloist of the San Diego Ballet. Even when university studies and a successful career as a high school teacher demanded her focus — and took her from the United States to Canada and on to New Zealand— Nadia continued to teach ballet at the urging of her students. Her love of dance also took her to Cuba on three occasions, where she studied modern dance. In 2000, back in Vancouver and ready for a change, Nadia put dance on centre stage again, devoting herself full-time to her own studio, the Forufera Centre for Dance.

The Dancing King

My sis took this recent pic of me in the kitchen. Me at my most natural.

Have a great weekend

Art, Architecture, Culture

The Power & Business of Blogging

BLOGGING, as it so happens is quickly becoming part of our culture. You never know exactly what will draw people to a blog.

You’re reading this but have you ever wondered “what exactly is a BLOG?”

It took me a while to figure this one out. A blog always sounded so….blah. In simple terms, a blog is a website, where those referred to as “bloggers” write stuff on an ongoing basis. Most are not seasoned journalists (although with the way newspapers are going some are) but each have something to offer and a point of view. Readers can read & refer to whatever is new, make comments, link to it or email you. Or not. Finding a blog: people know about it by referral, going to your website or they can find it by accident by typing in a “key word” looking for something specific which brings them to your blog page. You can then follow someone’s blog by typing in your e-mail address & getting frequent updates but more often than not, people will directly visit the blog site itself. It’s not unusual to have as many or more visitors than followers. Every morning I look forward to checking a few blog sites that I’m drawn to.

**The power bloggers – they appeal to what people are looking for**

Blogs appear on the news pretty often these days. For example, a reporter is tipped to a story by a blog, or a blog reports another angle on a story. Blogs show up in magazines a lot, too. For instance InStyle Magazine for the past six years has featured a “Best of the Web” descriptive issue on hundreds of amazing and not-so amazing sites and apps. One of the things that is so remarkable about blogs is their simplicity. Short and sweetly to the point. People lose interest so quickly but sometimes keeping things short is not such an easy feat.

A blog is also a personal diary, a daily stage, a collaborative space or a political soapbox. A breaking-news outlet. A collection of links. Your own private thoughts and those sourced from others. Memos to the world. Sometimes blogs are very specific one-topic subjects. I thought at first this blog would attract mostly women but I’m finding out that there are as many men who check in (although not everything appeals to everyone), a wide variety of ethnicities, age & careers. That makes me feel good.

Your blog is whatever you want it to be. Like magazines, there are tons of them, in all shapes and sizes, and there are no real rules (I like that).

Blogs have reshaped the web, impacted politics, shaken up journalism, and enabled millions of people to have a voice and connect with others.

Making a Living. Many don’t. Most working bloggers cobble together an income from various sources, and their personal blogs are only part of that income. So making a living (or even part of a living) as a blogger does require creativity, discipline, courage & perseverance…but not necessarily fame. Although some bloggers have become famous and some famous people (like Gwyneth Paltrow) have blogs that have cult followings. Income can come by way of advertising, links to sites that sell things or shopping pages on your own site. Then there are the perks because bloggers (not everyone of course and depending on what they write about) get invited to many types of press worthy functions. Everything from special events, restaurant openings, store/product launches, concerts and the occasional trip. I met a food/travel blogger recently at an opening and that is her job. Basically many successful blogs can translate to full time careers. I’m working on it and I’ve pretty much covered all my bases. To date I’ve been invited to events & functions to do with fashion, beauty, food + theatre mixed with a little art & music. Travel to follow…

One in a Million:

For me it started out as an add-on to my growing e-commerce website. Just another way to promote my products by sharing more information of and about them. Then it became more of an outlet & platform for contributing thoughts about other interests which didn’t have anything to do with my products at all.

This is where I’ve left things – a bit of this and a bit of that. A daily compilation of little personal things I care about & curiosities that may also be of interest to others. An assemblage of inspirations for fashion, design, art, recipes, product reviews, health tips, quotes & personal posts, all with a stylish slant. It inspires me to have an overall healthy lifestyle which includes a comforting environment for mind, body + soul. Where it goes from here is anybody’s guess – I’m still having fun doing it. If I end up making some money as a result that’s a bonus.

Now I’m going to direct you to my SHOP page

https://girlwhowouldbeking.com/shop/

Signing off….XO