Tuesday, November 30, 2010

HAUTE Lashes for Instant Glam!

A little lash and flutter can transform your holiday look into instant glam. Remember the Hollywood starlets of the 1960’s? Lashes, hair, haute gowns—the girly girl look? Well, it’s back and now you can have the same dramatic effect with individual lash enhancements that make your lashes look thicker, fuller and longer in minutes. To pull off the “look,” it’s all about personality!

To get my haute look, I consulted Master Eyelash Stylist, Eryn Renee; she added individual lashes underneath my lash line creating instant “Wow!” It took less than an hour to apply, but the results are HAUTE. The lashes can last up to two weeks. But for best results avoid getting your lashes wet within the first 48 hours. 

Haute Tip: If the lash can touch your eyebrow, it’s too long.

Are you a lash girl?

Monday, November 29, 2010

My Haute Thoughts to Live By

I’m PASSIONATE about travel, writing, life, ART, design, my loves, my friends and family. I DREAM bigger because I don’t know how not to. PASSION makes me crazy but there really isn’t any other way for me to LIVE. I attract those into my life who are on the same path of fulfillment, passion, DESTINY and giving. My IMAGINATION is my greatest teacher. My VISION for my life pales in comparison to the one the universe has for me. I take risks because that’s how I GROW. I learn from my mentors, life and career coaches that I am more POWERFUL than I know. I pass on my lessons to others because it’s the price I pay for SUCCESS. I know that the people who INSPIRE and motivate me to take risks are really offering me a clue as to what my DESTINY has in store. I am a friend of COURAGE so that I can live my own TRUTH. I believe that FATE is taking me where I’m suppose to be. I’m the peace and comfort that someone else seeks. When he CHALLENGED me to do something ambitious… I never hesitated; I just started thinking. I live my life without limits because there’s no end to what my mind envisions for me. VISION is powerful that’s why my future looks so bright! My thoughts are filled with HAPPINESS, Excitement, JOY, Gratitude and LOVE! I am MANIFESTING my future by taking ACTION now. I focus on what I want because it EXPANDS, feeds and sustains me. This is the script for my life… what an amazing story!

What are thoughts that you live by?

Did they change your script?

There is a website created by WGA writers and for WGA writers only. It's where we can rant, complain, argue and generally have some support and sympathy for our own. Not to say we always get along, there have been some pretty heavy disagreements from time to time.

There are some jokes about writers and forgive me if they offend you;
"Did you hear about the Polish actress -- she slept with the writer". 

"The writer on set, is like the hooker who's finished her work but is still hanging around. You don't really need her but you can't tell her to leave"

"Writer comes home, cop tells him his house has burned down, his wife assualted, his kids gone and his agent called. Writer reacts and says "My agent called?"

"Writers are just schmucks with Underwoods" (Jack Warner, studio head) 

There are probably many more, but those are the ones I have heard.

Then there was the time I was turned down for a writing job because I had a stammer (you know, like King George), they figured I'd write like I spoke. Really.

I posted my Christmas movie on the writer's website and got some nice comments. Then someone asked the one big question; "Did they change your script?"

This is one of the most feared subjects; the sanctity of the original screenplay. Imagine if you'rer working at a desk in an office and hand in your work, then your boss takes it to another staffer to rework and rewrite it.

This is also what often happens to writers; other writers rewrite them ad more than often, other writers rewrite the other writers. Sometimes it does make a better screenplay, mostly it creates mediocrity. TV writing is a hotbed of changes and since their schedules are shorter and more often (a TV show has to be filmed for every week) they change the script even when the episode is being made.

Features are different, since it is a one-of; not a series of films, but just one. Changes are also made, and on set but generally it's not as hectic as series.

So, did they change my beloved script? Short answer, "yes".

Did I mind? No.

First of all, it was about 75%  of my original words, for a writer that's a huge success. But they changed several scenes but this was done for a simple reason; the budget of the film was incredibly low, they filmed it in 12 days which is an almost unbelievable schedule.

And as I said in the previous blog, they filmed it in late August in blistering heat. Lots of fake snow had to be used. And they had to take some outdoor scenes I wrote and put them indoors simply because the outdoors couldn't be filmed. So several scenes were changed to indoor sets and they worked well.

There were some dialog changes but that's natural as actors and director often change bits of dialog here and there to make it sound more natural. I don't mind this either. And I don't really want to be on the set because then they'll ask me to come up with a line and I really don't want to. It's their baby now, they can diaper it.

It's also a screenplay that I knew would be made by others and I have the ability to let it go when they pay me. If they want more changes, I'll do them, but only if they pay. And that's WGA/WGC rules so I'm not being fussy.

The only thing I didn't like was that, in their haste, they didn't have time to grab more reaction shots or do another take or two that was better than what they had. But that's time and money.

And after all that, I liked the movie, it wasn't all mine, but 75% was and that's more than I expected. And I'm onto my next Christmas screenplay, even with all the Christmas movies out there, they want more.


(Thurs: Planning that damn reading this time for sure)




Sunday, November 28, 2010

Shop highlight: Astero Old Things

Almost everyday, we would pass Astero Old Things, a little shop with all kinds of trinkets and antiques, on our way from our hotel. On our last day we stopped in and met the owner, Mihalis Hatzis and he was kind enough to show us around his shop and a few of his treasures. Every winter, Mihalis travels around Rhodes island and collects all kinds of goods from the townsfolk. He then spends some time polishing the bronze, copper, gold or whatever else it may be and puts it up for sale. Many of the things he sells have been in Greek family homes for several generations. We found out he's been doing this for 37 years. Every piece he picked up had a story and we had a great time browsing and letting him show us around. He also took us into his workshop next door, where he had even more trinkets, hanging from the ceiling, on every bench and all over the floor. In the workshop, the stuff was grimy and dark because it hadn't been cleaned yet. The light came from a couple of bare light bulbs hanging from the ceiling and the place looked like a dungeon. We watched Mihalis buff and shine a bronze ring for Julia with his machinery.

It was hard not to buy anything from Mihalis, there were so many great things that would have looked very nice in our home but the fact that we have to lug it around for another 4-5 months made us think again. If you're ever in Rhodes, in the Old Town, we highly recommend you stop by and take a look. If you have a chance to meet Mihalis, you'll be in for a treat. He will show you his workshop and tell you a little more about some of his treasure.

His shop is right off of Sokratous in the Old Town. The address is Ayiou Fanouriou 4.

-Yuriy

The store:

The workshop:

Rhodes - Old Town II