Monthly Archives: August 2011

Johnson Street Festival (August 27) 2011 in Victoria, BC (Part 1)

This past Saturday, I went to the Johnson Street Festival in Victoria. The Johnson Street Festival is a great event because it brings hundreds of people together for one common cause, which is to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In addition to contributing to such a wonderful cause, the event helps promote local business and ensures that everyone has a blast.

I really feel that it unites people in Victoria as they explore all the wonders of Johnson Street.

I arrived there at about 12:00pm and I stayed there until 5:00pm. I feel that the 5 hours I spent shooting both stills and video were definitely well spent. The sun was shining, and the temperature was just perfect for spending a nice day downtown.

I did not dress up for the event because what I cared about the most was being able to take photos and videos. Certain clothing can restrict movement as well as make you sweat, so I wanted to avoid both of the aforementioned as much as possible. Therefore, I just wore short shorts and a tank top, no make-up, and tied my hair back. I felt very comfortable that way and was able to focus on the photos as opposed to worrying about whether or not the make up will run, how my hair looks, or if I sweat.
Here is what I brought with me that day: money for donating to the cause, a notebook to make notes about what to write in this post, Nikon D200 with a 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor Lens, JVC Everio Video Camera , a water bottle, and a change of clothing.

The lighting situation was pretty tough because one side of the street was in the shade while the other was sunny. The light kept changing on me as soon as I thought I got the exposure, shutter speed, and f-stop correctly for the conditions. I also experimented with exposure compensation and ISO. I feel that it was a great learning experience for me, and I did my best. I believe that if I study photography and keep going to events like this, as well as experiment with lighting without fear of messing up the shoot-I will be good. When it comes to learning, one of the best ways to learn is to always try to challenge your own abilities.

I hope you enjoy the photos, and if you were at the event and I got you, then you are welcome to download the photos if you like them and use them for your Facebook, etc. I do ask that you credit AH Life and Style for the photos. 🙂

Above: Skateboarder getting ready to go down the ramp and charm us with his moves.

Above: Just outside of Devlish Damzels Boutique.

Above: Learn to hula with the Devlish Damzels ladies 🙂

Above: Makes me wonder what they are looking at. Well, I will leave that up to your imagination.

Above: Outside of American Apparel. I didn’t realize it was on Johnson Street…(man, I’m out of the loop)

Above: The $5 mystery. You could have won Rifflandia tickets, yoga passes, and other cool prizes.

Above: Super cool crowd of interesting people.

Above: Stylish young lady outside of her boutique.

Above: Absolutely gorgeous!

Above: At first, I thought it was a real person…then I got closer, and realized it was a mannequin. Just outside of SOHO Boutique.

Above: The owner of SOHO Boutique and the mannequin.

Above: Beautiful DJ just outside of Devlish Damzels Boutique

Above: Just outside of LeBlanc Boutique.

Above: The window of Paradise Boutique.

Above: Alex for Rifflandia Festival.

Above: Beautiful Yoga ladies 🙂

Above: Suasion Boutique Window

Above : There were so many people at the event. I tried to get images of people without appearing like a weirdo with a camera, so I was pointing the lens into the crowd as opposed to at certain people.

Above: This was actually the first photo I took that day and it was of a skateboarder in motion.

If you really liked these photos, come back again, as there will be more!! Videos too!!

What’s coming up: more boutique shots, street shots, firemen and police officers in the dunk tank and much more!!

I didn’t post all the photos here because I didn’t want to make you scroll any further than you already did. 🙂

Aviva

STYLEBOP Swimsuits by Melissa Odabash

I was browsing through STYLEBOP again, as I frequently do, since I really like the way the site works and the products that they offer. I wish I could afford some of their more high end stuff..well, that’s OK-I know one day I will (or at least a girl can dream, right?) 🙂

Melissa Odabash knows a thing or two about creating swimwear that makes your body look great by emphasizing curves in all the right places. It is not a surprise that her Zebra-print bikini had become the best selling item in the Victoria’s Secret catalogue a while ago. Another one of her items became the most popular swimsuit in America after it appeared on the cover of US Glamour. Her collections have been featured on several Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues and videos. She has also done a variety of projects with and for celebrities, which I think is very cool! For those of you who might find it interesting, she is a former model, so she adds a multi-faceted fashion industry experience to her designs.

I am very excited that Melissa Odabash’s collection is sold online at STYLEBOP!

Check out some of her suits that I like:

Above: Ecuador Purple Padded Bandeau Bikini
“Stylish bikini in a summery bright purple – in a polyamide-spandex blend – wonderfully resilient and comfortable material – the top is a bandeau bra: lightly padded, decoratively gathered in the center of the chest with a jewelry clasp – panties are slim cut, with comfortable high cut legs – looks absolutely feminine, modern and elegant – shows off a great figure – a hit for lightly tanned skin.”

Above: Mexico Brown Sugar Snake Print Triangle Bikini
“Stylish bikini in printed synthetic stretch – sexy snake print in brown. Facts about the bikini: tight cut with classic, adjustable triangle bra and fine ties – slim slip, with ties to lace – ideal for sunbathing, because so little skin is covered (but, you still look dressed).”

Above: Black Snake Halter Neck Bikini

“Stylish bikini in printed rayon – sexy snake print in black and grey – bikini facts: tight fit with classic, adjustable triangle bra and slim straps – slim slip with side ties to adjust the width – ideal for tanning, you’re barely covered, but still look dressed.”

Above: Sicily Cheetah Padded Triangle Bikini

“Stylish bikini in printed rayon stretch – sexy animal print – bikini facts: tight fit with classic, adjustable triangle bra and slim straps – slimmer slip – perfect for tanning, you’re barely covered, but still look dressed.”

You can also check out what STYLEBOP has on Sale 🙂

**Images are from the STYLEBOP(a) Website**

Enter to Win a $1000 Shopping Spree at Ricky’s NYC

Hey Beauties!!

Ricky’s NYC is an ultra-hip beauty shop featuring unique fashion accessories, cosmetics, and beauty supplies.

Every month between now and December 2011, there will be a $1,000 Shopping Spree winner at Ricky’s.

My only regret is that I didn’t find out about it sooner to tell you!

Go to their WEBSITE and enter to win a $1,000 Shopping Spree. New Winner Every Month at Ricky’s NYC.

Check out this Ricky’s Promo Code:

You can also:
**Save Up to 75% on selected products (a)

PS…Share this with friends! 🙂

My Favorite 10 Inspiring Quotes for the Month of August

Hey everyone!!

Do you recall how starting in July, I told you that I will bring you 10 of my favorite inspiring quotes each month?
Here I am, staying true to my word, just like everyone should. 🙂

Below you will find 10 of my favorite quotes for this month. I will also let you know why I like them and what I think they represent to me. These quotes inspire me, and I am sure they will inspire YOU too.

1.It is better to fall short of a high mark than to reach a low one. – H. C. Payne
WHY? Think about it, if you aspire to just be a middle manager or to be published as a model in a local magazine that no one reads, then you are setting yourself up to be satisfied in a sub par position. Yeah, it’s easier than shooting high, and yes both of the aforementioned could be considered small “victories”.

What you need to do instead (considering the previous sentence as an example) is to aim to either be a CEO or to be published as a model in an internationally-renowned magazine.

That way, if you end up being an upper manager (instead of CEO) or published in a national publication (as opposed to an internationally renowned magazine), you will have succeeded further than if you had just aimed for a low mark to begin with.

2. Every worthwhile accomplishment, big or little, has its stages of drudgery and triumph; a beginning, a struggle and a victory.-Mahatma Gandhi
WHY? Those who are willing to get what others don’t should be willing to put up with more struggles and drudgery than those who just want to be comfortable. Understand that if something is easy, then it’s most likely not worth doing and that everyone will be able to do it-which defeats the purpose of your competitive advantage.

3. Every single person I know who is successful at what they do is successful because they love doing it. -Joe Penna
WHY? Success takes time, and if you don’t love what you do, then you won’t stick at it long enough to be successful. I love doing this, and I will stick with it for quite a while.

4. When you know what you want, and you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way to get it.-Jim Rohn
WHY? Because you will try very hard to think of every possible way to get something, provided that it truly is something you want. So, I guess, the first step would be finding out what it is that you want.

5.Spend eighty percent of your time focusing on the opportunities of tomorrow rather than the problems of yesterday. – Brian Tracy
WHY? Because people spend far too much time worrying about what they should have done, or how things should have been, and why things did not turn out the way they had hoped (yes, at times I am guilty of it too). The thing is, you can’t change your past, but what you can do is create your future. How you handle what happened in your past plays a big part in the creation of your future.

6. Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. – Lucius Annaeus Seneca
WHY? You must be well prepared to take an opportunity which can make you lucky; or you can also understand that the only thing you can do is prepare to the best of your ability and believe that you will soon find your opportunity.

7. While we stop to think, we often miss our opportunity. – Publilius Syrus
WHY? Because I think that many people spend far too much time planning, analyzing, and thinking about “what if [fill in the blank with perceived problem]”. Too much thinking/planning/worrying/contemplating/etc and not enough doing causes them to miss opportunities.

8.You can’t hit a home run unless you step up to the plate. You can’t catch fish unless you put your line in the water. You can’t reach your goals if you don’t try. – Kathy Seligman
WHY? It’s great to have goals but if you don’t try to do anything and everything within your power to reach them, then you never will.

9. A goal is a dream with a deadline. – Steve Smith
WHY? A pipe dream is something that can come and go. A goal is a dream that is far more solid than that, with a plan and a deadline for reaching it. I have many goals, most of which I have spread into 5 year plans for the next 15 years.

10. Men do not succeed in business or in life, no matter how intelligent they may be, no matter how sharply their aptitudes are defined, no matter how brilliantly they may be educated unless they are oriented toward the proper goals and have the drive or motivating force to succeed. One has to want something mighty hard and keep on wanting things all his life.- Wallace H. Wulfeck
WHY? To succeed, you need to find out what keeps you motivated enough to keep going regardless of what circumstances you are faced with. You should also be motivated for the right reasons. There are so many amazingly intelligent people who are educated in top universities who are broke and generally unhappy with the rest of their lives, and the reason for that is because they have not clearly defined their ultimate life goals making it difficult to find out what motivates them.

So, what quotes inspire you? How do you stay motivated?

Laura Gibson at Reeds Jewelers

REEDS Jewelers is my newest affiliate partner. I am very excited about this partnership, which I hope will be beneficial for both of us.They offer a wide selection of diamonds, gemstones, pearl, gold, sterling silver, titanium and platinum jewelry, as well as charms, collectibles, and gifts.

When I first browsed through the REEDS Jewelers online catalog, I couldn’t help but notice Laura Gibson’s jewelry. I happy to say that I became an instant fan!

“With her mother a sculptor, her father a writer, and her grandmother a painter, it would seem natural for Laura Gibson to pursue a career in the arts. The fact is that Laura began her professional life as a sales and marketing specialist with IBM. A casual visit to the internationally renowned Tucson Gem Show resulted in Laura finding her true passion, designing hand crafted jewelry with rare and exotic gemstones. Working from her design studio in Tucson, Arizona, the demand created for her colorful jewelry soon led to the official launch of Laura Gibson in 1996. Each piece bears her special “LG” signature clasp as a guarantee of authenticity.”-directly from the REEDS Jewelers write up on Laura Gibson

Left: Laura Gibson Multi Gem Earrings

“From Laura Gibson, these 22k yellow gold drop earrings each feature aquamarine, smoky quartz, prehnite, and apatite gemstones in various shapes and sizes. Earrings are 1.18 inches long.”

Left: Laura Gibson Multi Gem Drop Earrings

“From Laura Gibson, these 22k yellow gold drop earrings each feature genuine chalcedony, apatite, rhodolite, idiocite, and tanzanite gemstones in various shapes and sizes. Earrings are 2 inches long.”

Left: Laura Gibson Multi Gem Drop Necklace

“From Laura Gibson, this 22k yellow gold drop necklace features genuine black and pink tourmaline, onyx, rubellite, and pink topaz gemstones in various shapes and sizes on a figaro style chain. Necklace is 17 inches long and the drop is 1 1/4 inch long. Toggle closure.”

Left: Laura Gibson Multi Gem Necklace

“From Laura Gibson, this 22k yellow gold necklace features genuine green and lemon topaz, lemon citrine, chrysoberyl and green apatite gemstones in various shapes and sizes. Necklace is 17 inches long with a toggle closure.”

Left: Laura Gibson Multi Gem Necklace

“From Laura Gibson, this 22k yellow gold necklace features genuine amethyst, prehnite, peridot, tanzanite, rhodolite, chrysoberyl and chrome diopside gemstones in various shapes and sizes. Necklace is 17 inches long with a toggle closure. ”

I will definitely have more Laura Gibson stuff to show you later on, as I continue my partnership with REEDS Jewelers

***PLEASE NOTE: Images as well as the text description of each piece are from the REEDS Jewelers website***

More Charms…from Charm & Chain

It has been a while since I showed you some more of my “wish list” items from Charm & Chain. Just like any other girl, I always have accessories and clothing on my wish list.

Do you like these?

Above: Blue Topaz Pendant Necklace
“Wendy Mink’s jewelry combines aspects of traditional Eastern jewelry with classic European design principles. Her pieces derive striking results from clean, simple, yet unexpected combinations of colors and materials.”

Above: Horseshoe Necklace.
“Editor’s Pick–Lindsay Huggins, Self Magazine. “I absolutely adore this necklace because it looks vintage and has that one-of-a-kind feeling, something that’s been passed down to you from your Grandmother. Also, as an avid horseback rider and my love of anything considered to be a â€œlucky charmâ€ makes me want to wear this all the time!” Who would have thought that tribal designs and vintage costume jewelry could work so well together? House of Harlow marries these two disparate influences in an eclectic, fashion-forward collection from one of Hollywood’s hottest style icons.”

Above: Antwerp Necklace
“Drama queens know a keeper when they see it. Drape the cascade of chains and medallions over your decollete, tie the gunmetal silk ribbon closure behind your neck, and away you go. Suzanna Dai designer Suzie Gallehugh is the kind of gal who finds beauty wherever she goes, whether it’s Paris or Poughkeepsie. Her obsession with travel, foreign cultures, and all things vintage translates into exquisite statement pieces that are truly to Dai for. Note: As seen on Serena on Gossip Girl. Chain beaded medallions Backed in grey suede. Silk satin adjustable ribbon tie closure.”

Above: Crystal Cluster Necklace
“Specially selected for a wedding or a formal event, this necklace will instantly make you feel like the belle of the ball. This line contains some of the most decadent, spectacular pieces that Charm & Chain carries. Badgley Mischka’s designs have a jewel-centric and often Victorian aesthetic; they tend to meld ornate motifs with an â€œold moneyâ€ quality that stops short of being too, too ostentatious. Glass Crystals Silver Hardware.”
I don’t particularly know what I would wear this one with, but I think that it would look great for going to Galas.

***Description text and images are from the Charm & Chain (a) Website***

GIVEAWAY!! How to Model! Coaching Package

Hey!

A few days ago I was contacted by the social media manager of How To Model Coaching, and informed that there is a contest going on.

How To Model Coaching was founded by Mike L. Murphy, American film maker, animation director, animator, and previsualization designer in film and television.

To enter, go to http://www.howtomodelcoaching.com/contest and follow the instructions. You must enter before AUGUST 21st!

They are giving away:
★ $600 course teaching YOU how to become a successful model!!
★ The latest season of Americas Next Top Model!
★ The complete 8th Season of Project Runway!
★ A goody bag stuffed with Hard Candy cosmetics!
★ A beautiful hardcover copy of Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen’s book “Influence”!
★ Winner of Project Runway, Christian Siriano’s book “Fierce Style: How to Be Your Most Fabulous Self”!
★ J. Alexander from ANTM’s book “Follow the Model: Miss J’s Guide to Unleashing Presence, Poise, and Power”!
★ Free products from How to Model! Coaching for LIFE!!
★ Get amazing exposure by being FEATURED on their website!
★ One-on-one coaching from their professional models for LIFE!

***Disclaimer: You, the participant, enter the contest at own risk. Aviva and AH Life & Style are not held liable should you incur any personal damages as a result of your entry in the contest. Other terms and conditions apply.***

Lady Gaga: Born This Way Video

There is something about Lady Gaga that makes me want to watch her videos over and over.
Maybe it is her fashion sense, or maybe her music is just fun to listen to.

What I like about her though is her extra-ordinary sense of style. She is not afraid to stand out and wear something so “out there” that people can’t help but watch.

So, I hope that you enjoy her video “Born This Way” as much as I do.

The album is also called Born This Wayin case if you want to look it up.

Leonisa Has More Great Swimsuits For You To See

Hey ladies!!

It’s about time I went back to the Leonisa website and checked out some of their newer stuff. For those of you who didn’t know, Leonisa sells high-end lingerie, shapewear and swimwear.

Yes, I know summer feels like it’s coming to an end here, although, did we even have a summer? Well, anyways, swimwear can be used on vacations, at indoor pools, and even photoshoots, so just because summer feels like its coming to an end, doesn’t mean that your swimwear shopping should. Haha. (Over the last few years, I’ve spent a lot of money on swimwear, perhaps even too much.)

Different styles are available for various body types, since every body can look beautiful in the right bikini or shapewear. You don’t have to go through painful dieting to make yourself look beautiful in a bikini; in fact, you shouldn’t.

Above: Natural Push Up Swimsuit & Tanga Bottom
“Halter bathing suit with removable padding that allows you to select the level of push up that you want. You can adjust the back and center. Super sexy, modern bathing suit. You’ll turn heads!”
I LOVE the model’s expression in this one!!

Above: Paisley Natural Push Up Halter Top & Tanga Swimsuit
“Halter swimsuit with removable pads that offer a natural push up. Ties in the back and around the neck for a perfect fit. Tanga bottom with paisley print.”

Above: Bandeau Bikini & Scoop Bottom
“Bandeau bathing suit with removable pads that offer a natural push up and good coverage scoop bottom. Elegant decorative accessory in the center of cups. Multi-way straps to wear around the neck or strapless.”

Above: Push Up Underwire Top & Hiphugger Bottom Bikini
“Padded bathing suit with underwire top to lift the bust. Fabric gathers in the center of cups with a knot for added appeal. Feel super sexy with this stylish bathing suit.”