I normally despise cheesy pop tunes like this one, but it's funny...cheesy pop tunes can be incredibly comforting if you hear a new one just when  you've had your heart broken or are going through something that makes the song feel like it was written just for you. 

And right now it feels like this cheesy pop song was written for me.

Right now my family and I are going through a difficult time, and this song is really helping me feel like I can get through this. A close family member has been diagnosed with cancer. I don't want to go into details out of respect for that person's privacy, but I'll say it's stage one, found early and I'm sure everything is going to be fine. 100 percent sure. But it's still hard and scary and painful. On top of this news our old landlord is basically demanding our firstborn child for leaving our lease with two months to go even after telling us we could leave our lease! They claimed to have never "said" this but unlucky for them I keep all my emails. We'll still have to pay a LOT but not as much. 

Of course cancer puts all this financial worry into perspective. It's just money ( a LOT of money-- two months PLUS our two months of security). But at the end of the day family is all that matters.  

A few lessons here: get it in writing and get yourself screened annually.

Thanks for your support and patience. I doubt I'll be posting any style pictures for a few weeks at least until after the surgery... I don't feel much like dressing up these days.

As sad as these things are it's funny how all the petty stuff doesn't matter anymore. I do feel stronger.

I'm not sure if we've moved to the deep countryside or not since Brooklyn is officially part of New York City, but in the past week we've seen TWO giant raccoons, attended several farmer's markets, seen the crocus poking up out of the earth in multiple gardens and in general felt as if we've earned a long-deserved break from the madness that was our lives in Manhattan. Below you'll see some pics followed by Ryan's German Pretzel Recipe. Such a fun and easy (and delicious) thing to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon in the country :) 

Heigh-ho! It's off to the farmer's market we go...I like to call this shot "My Two Favorite Butts."

We picked up some fish and vegetables. All we had to do was lay down aluminum foil, chop up the vegetables, lay fresh fish on top with some olive oil and bake! Voila!

Once dinner was out of the way we got into some serious baking...

In other news I've been experimenting with shorter fiction pieces. I thought it might be good for me since (as anyone who reads this blog knows) unedited I do tend to go on and on and on and on... I just love to write so much! If brevity is the soul of wit, then I must be soul-depleted let's say. Anyway one of my shorter pieces is being featured here yay!

It's a great exercise, and one I'm going to work on more. That said here's your recipe for deliciousness :)
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/german-soft-pretzel-sticks

I've been dying to post on here. This past weekend Ryan and I went to the Brooklyn Farmer's market and then made our own pretzels and cooked brunch for our friends. I've got the recipes and the photos! But...I had the flu  or probably just a virus for five miserable days, and I'm still playing catchup. Please check back later today or tomorrow. The pretzels were really easy to make, delicious and a fun thing to do together. I hope to have time to update soon!

In other news we're officially unpacked and fully moved in. I can't wait to start taking style photos in here. We're living in an old, beautifully renovated brownstone with its original moldings intact plus the renovations our landlord originally did for their own retirement before deciding to continue living in their old much bigger house instead of this one bedroom plus office. So we REALLY got lucky. Ryan got the kitchen of his dreams and I got the office of mine!

I am really, really excited to take you all on a tour. Recipes, photos and more all coming sooooon :) I've also managed to do more thinking about my life in five (inert, pain-filled) days than I managed in two years in Soho. Peace and quiet...who knew that's all a person needs? 

                                                                                         Meet my newest sponsor!

 UNESTABLISH.COM sounds as cool and minimalist as their clothes and accessories look. Stocked from an array of global brands the website is easy to navigate filled with styling that has the clean polished feel I try to achieve but rarely manage to. Looking at the styling inspired me to give it another try. They're an online multi-label boutique stocking an array of brands like Free People, Finders Keepers, Evil Twin, Mink Pink, Life/After/Denim, Kling etc.  And they're my newest sponsor :) 

I'll always disclose which designers and companies I'm working with. I created this blog to showcase my writing, acting and modeling (not to make money) and I will only work with companies I feel excited to represent here and share with you all. I'm totally in love already with the styling on the website and these items in particular and very excited to be sponsored by them. 

I loved the romance, the asymmetry and the yellow that I saw in a lot of the collections. Hmmm...I wonder if I could achieve some of these looks with a handy pair of scissors :)? Anyway those were my favorites-- especially VPL! What do you think? Any you'd wear or too far out? Personally I really love how everyone's showing just little glimpses of the midriff-- sides or above the belly button. It looks cute without looking like you're trying too hard to be sexy....plus if you ate one too many ice cream cones the night before the outfit's still wearable.

Thanks to Michelle Coveny for this interview in The Rising Hollywood about my acting. Please check it out if you have a moment. Thanks :) 

I'm going to be making some changes to this site over the next few weeks to reflect the changes in my life and priorities, so this is just to let you all know. Specifically I'd like to link my various online sites and personas since maintaining them all is starting to make me feel a bit...er...schizo. 

I'd love to continue writing about street style, women's health issues and self-esteem and other similar things that would cross-reference my interests. 

On the subject of combining modeling and writing I'm currently reading a fantastic book one of my photographer friends recommended to me. It's written by an experienced and very savvy model Christie Gabriel and offers lots of useful and down-to-earth advice about starting a career in the current modeling climate in which the agency is in decline and the internet as a marketing tool is in ascendance. Her book in no little way precipitated my desire to try to make my online presence less schizoid! 

I can't recommend the book enough if you're considering making modeling a serious business venture. Back to reading and unpacking...My first photos of this beautiful brownstone I hope to call home for at least a few years will be up soon as we finish straightening up and hanging our art work, so check back :)
xxx
Izzy

As some of you might know if you're following my blog I was invited by the online fashion site What I Wear to shoot street style photographs for Sachika, a New York Fashion Week show, the same day we were moving to Brooklyn-- i.e. two days ago, and I just barely survived doing both! What a crazy only in NYC day that was. I'm writing you from my new home in Brooklyn with a cup of tea on my left and sleepy animals surrounding me on the floor. It couldn't be warmer or cozier. It's like an alternate reality NYC :) I can't wait to take you all on a virtual tour. I'm already in love with it here. Meanwhile here are the photos from the show. What do you think of my first photographic efforts? I need some practice I know, but I had so much fun anyway. And I thought the attendees were just as interesting to look at as the models. Don't you agree? Enjoy! 
xxx
Izzy

I should be back online tomorrow with INCREDIBLE pictures of the fashion show and some of its attendees from last night. I can't wait to show you guys, so please check back and comment on my first photographic efforts :) It was really fun to be on the other side of the lens I have to say.  Right now we're just packing up the last few odds and ends including my computer and I need to run!

On a side note: I definitely need to write a post soon about moving in NYC. It's quite an adventure. Speaking of which fingers crossed the cable guy will come to our new place tomorrow. If all goes well I'll be up and running again. 


We're so excited about our new home and life in Brooklyn, New York-- my ancestral homeland, my mom calls it. That's where my great-grandparents lived when they first came to America! I'm looking forward to sharing it all with you!
xxx
Izzy

Happy v day! I can't believe what a magical, challenging day this has been from start to finish: Soho to U-Haul in midtown to Soho to Brooklyn then back to Soho then midtown again to shoot a fashion show then back to Soho to pack a few more things and back to Brooklyn to unpack!

I'm exhausted but sooo happy! Valentine's Day can be about love not just the romantic kind-- love for yourself, for your family, for your friends, your pets and if you have that other kind, well, that's great, too! Dessert :)

Will be posting about the fashion show tomorrow once I'm settled in BK I hope!
Meantime thanks so much for the comments and support.
Lotsa V-Day LOVE to you all,
Izzy