ELLE+RODRIGUEZ

Bad Bitch. Diane Keaton in “Annie Hall”

Tue, 07 May 2013 00:28:50 -0400

Bad Bitch. Diane Keaton in “Annie Hall”

Below are photos of some of my favorite Actress Inspirations…

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 01:28:41 -0400

Below are photos of some of my favorite Actress Inspirations…

The Legendary Rita Moreno

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 01:26:54 -0400

The Legendary Rita Moreno

The Always Lovely Marisa Tomei

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 01:26:13 -0400

The Always Lovely Marisa Tomei

Girl Crush You always steal my heart Eva Mendes

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 01:25:00 -0400

**Girl Crush** You always steal my heart Eva Mendes

"The Happy Show"

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 01:47:00 -0400

Being an Artist has made me appreciate other people’s art. Today I was introduced to Stefan Sagmeister’s Art; His show, “The Happy Show” is showing at the MOCA at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, CA.
I was joined by my longtime friend/colleague Jen Alex Gonzalez. Now Jen and I met in an acting class over 8 years ago and have constantly competed against each other for different roles for many years. Now when I say compete I mean, most every time I have a commercial audition I go up against her. And she usually books the job! (But in her defense, she’s a really really good actress; so I’m more flattered to even be on the same short list (short list of actresses that get called into casting rooms) w her). Now most people would think that there is some competition or cattiness behind the scenes between us; But seriously, Jen is like a sister to me. An older, shorter, wiser, sister (lol, there’s the cattiness).
So today we made our way to The Happy Show. If your not familiar, Stefan Sagmeister is a graphics artist who advocates “keeping it simple”, which he believes has huge benefits and routinely takes a sabbatical break every seven years to recharge and reflect creatively.
How fucking genius is that! It got me starting to think…I have been working my lil tail off for about the same time. There are days that I wake up and look in the mirror and think “What am I doing?” or “What does it all mean?” Now I know everyone thinks like this or has days like these, but how does one deal? Like really deal? Not just some bullshit massage or some retail therapy…how do people deal?
In Stefan’s show I realized that from a scale of 1-10, my happiness number is a 6. That’s me being honest. I’m a 6. Not a 7, not an 8, but a 6. Yup. Then I asked Miss Jen Alex what she was, and come to find out she was also a true 6.
As competing Actresses (on a daily basis) who are also real true friends, we were on the same level of happiness. How can that be? She seems like she has a more exciting life than I do! This art show got my wheels spinning, how can I get to being higher on the happiness scale? More money? Better roles? More life experience? A location change? Maybe a relationship? (ok I’m talking crazy now).
Maybe I need a sabbatical just like Stefan! Do I walk away for a little while to come back to my craft fully recharged?
The Happy Show indeed made me Happy and when I left I was feeling like an 8. Or maybe it was the sugar high from the ice cream we had afterward. Whatever the case, Happiness is all in who you surround yourself with. I have amazing artist friends who get me and allow me to get to the creative places I need to go. They let me be the crazy neurotic artist I am, and I am thankful for that. I am also thankful to see the art that they create. Jen Alex is an example of someone who creates art that I get to learn from. She’s taught me countless lessons in this dog eat dog industry we work in. The biggest maybe being genuinely happy for someone else when THEY succeed. So many people in this city/industry want you to fail…like literally LOVE when you fail. I have made countless frienemies (oh you know who you are) who don’t root for you, who talk behind your back, who are super selfish, or can’t even hangout without there being competition. Gross, right? I call those people “Haters”…lol.
But for the people you do love, When they are happy, You are happy. Their successes become Your successes. So maybe I don’t get every role I audition for, and maybe I am a 6 on the Happiness scale (not in looks; Bc I’m an 8 1/2 - 9 in that dept ;)) and maybe I will never take a sabbatical, but I did learn that “The Happy Show” is what you make of it. And at least for today, I am Happy :)) 😊💗

Pics below taken at Stefan Sagmeister’s “The Happy Show” at the MOCA at the Pacific Design Center

Yum Yum in the Bum Bum @jenalexg (at MOCA Pacific Design Center)

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 00:49:00 -0400

Yum Yum in the Bum Bum @jenalexg (at MOCA Pacific Design Center)

#TheHappyShow 👌 (at MOCA Pacific Design Center)

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 00:48:49 -0400

#TheHappyShow 👌 (at MOCA Pacific Design Center)

🎨 (at MOCA Pacific Design Center)

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 00:48:37 -0400

🎨 (at MOCA Pacific Design Center)

Strugglin Today ;((

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:06:16 -0400

The Struggle is Part of the Story…

Today is Monday and I’m under the weather sick :((
Even when I want to stay in bed under the covers laying in fetal position, I chose this acting life to pursue, so I have to put my “game face” on bc The Show Must Go On!! And even if I don’t book the gig, (which seriously you have to hear 100 No’s before you get 1 YES!), I have to remind myself that “The Struggle is part of the Story” ;)) ✌💗 😉

Just Remember… 😉💗✌

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 17:58:19 -0400

Just Remember… 😉💗✌

Historia de Amor: A Love Story

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:10:00 -0400

Here are some pics from the photo shoot I recently had with Photographer Frankie X. O. and Model Jacob De La Rosa. The shoot is a story about two Spanish lovers from the barrio; the boy is a rebel and the girl is a ride or die kinda gal. Eventually the boy does have a tragic ending and the girl is left wandering the world alone. Ugh, Love Stories…they always tear at my heart strings :’( Styling by the talented Jose Calderon. Thx to all the people involved!

Photography: Frankie X.O.; Model: Jacob De La Rosa; Styling:...

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:06:30 -0400

Photography: Frankie X.O.; Model: Jacob De La Rosa; Styling: Jose Calderon

Photo

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:05:06 -0400

Photo

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 18:55:24 -0400

Photo

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 18:54:19 -0400

I'm Ready for my Close Up... Ugh, NOT Really :/

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 03:24:00 -0500

Photo Shoots are funny. They may seem super glamorous on the outside looking in, but for the people in front of the camera it’s really not that hot. It is a vulnerable experience taking pics by yourself. In one set up of the day I was being shot on Hollywood Blvd. during a high traffic time standing in hot pants and a crop top. It wasn’t my finest moment, but not my worst. (That award goes to my DUI 2010.) I felt fat, bloated, ugly and gross. But I sucked it up and turned water into wine!! A special ‘thank you’ to my Spanx!

I had the honor of doing the photo shoot with Famed Artist/Photographer/Long Time Friend Frankie X. O. I had a real glam squad that consisted of a stylist, hair & makeup, and even an Art Director. This was a REAL shoot. It was a long and unexpected hot day in Winter. (But Winter in LA is a joke) I showed up at 12:30p and got into the hair chair, then the make up chair then on into my first outfit of the day…We started shooting at 4pm. Yes, it took THAT LONG.

The shoot lasted until 12;05am. An 8 Hr Day. Of taking pictures. But time flew bc the shoot turned out to be really fun!! Needless to say, I worked my a$$ off that day! But with all the spanx under my clothes you’d never have known…

A Special Thank You to Frankie X. O and Jose Calderon. Below are behind the scene pics from the shoot (actual pics coming soon)

Santeria meets Holy Roller

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 02:52:01 -0500

Santeria meets Holy Roller

The Higher the Hair, the Closer to God! Glam Squad Member Jose...

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 02:46:39 -0500

The Higher the Hair, the Closer to God! Glam Squad Member Jose Calderon and me *Photo Shoot Realness*

Model Road Kill! Photographer Frankie X. O, Jose Calderon and me...

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 02:42:31 -0500

Model Road Kill! Photographer Frankie X. O, Jose Calderon and me on Hollywood Blvd. during a photo shoot