Positively Hollywood!

I have been running through Hancock Park all the years I have lived in Hollywood. I usually run at the same time and always down the same streets. Today, instead of running on the sidewalk, I ran in the street because there was more shade. In the distance I saw a young man running steadily toward me. “I’ve never seen him before.” I thought. I often pass the same runners and dog walkers, or nannies pushing strollers. This guy running toward me was definitely new, and, wait., was he smiling? The closer he got, the more I could see that, yes, this guy is smiling. As he came toward me, his smile became even more pronounced. Then, just as he ran by me, he extended his hand toward me. Instinctively I extended mine and we high fived. In the middle of the street in Hancock Park on a run I have been going on for over 15 years, listening to Death Cab for Cutie, a guy running past me gave me a high five.

I immediately felt such a strong sense of community! I actually said out loud, “Yes!” smiled, and even giggled a little. I felt like I was in the movie Rocky and some triumphant moment had just bonded us together. This stranger who had passed me had literally reached out to me and created a perfect opportunity for harmony between us. He had pronounced our one-ness in a simple gesture and I felt like we were in it together. I was filled with a warm sense of gratitude and satisfaction. I love knowing that we are all connected and that if we fearlessly reach out to each other we can truly connect and thus change each others life experience for the better.

The next two people I ran past were not interested at all in connecting with me. Now, I did not reach out to give them a high five, but I did smile and acknowledge them both, with no response. How did high five guy know I was receptive to his gesture? Did he high five everyone as he passed them? Was the moment we shared a fluke? What can I do to pass along the high five to others throughout my day? Although I did not literally pay his high five forward, I did make an effort to look people in the eye all day and give a warm smile to those who passed.

I hope that someone high fives you today. I hope that you are inspired to high five someone else. I hope that I can carry this feeling of community throughout my day and instead of burying my face in my phone (which I am quite guilty of doing) that I will choose to connect with those around me. We are just a high five away from feeling not so alone after all.

Love & Light,

Hollywood

I’m not a doctor or a dermatologist; I am just a woman with a strict daily skin care regimen that that seems to be paying off!   Women always ask how I keep my skin looking youthful and radiant.  Here is a list of what I do daily.  If my regimen doesn’t work for you, modify it until you find what works or consult a doctor/dermatologist.

1. EXFOLIATE

I exfoliate my face morning and night.  I also always use exfoliating gloves on my body in the shower.  Skin is an organ that absorbs toxins, oils, dirt, and makeup day and night, not to mention all the dead skin cells hanging around!  Hands are not an adequate way to exfoliate the face and body.  I use a brush or a buffer sponge.  I treat my skin like I do my teeth.   I exfoliate for 2 minutes morning and night with gentle pressure in circular motions upward using an exfoliating sponge or brush.

I use an all-natural foaming face wash without parabens or sulfates.  Cream cleansers feel heavy and my face never feels clean, so I prefer foam.   I also use an at home microderm abrasion kit 3x per week.  I LOVE it and feel that it is an important part of my routine.   It makes my skin soft, my pores smaller, and has reduced fine lines in my face.  Never (ever ever) go to sleep without washing your face (No matter how much you had to drink or how cute he is).

2. MOISTURIZE

I give my pores a good solid cleaning so moisturizing is key.  I try to choose products that are paraben and sulfate free and I don’t believe advertisements.  I have done research about which products are scientifically proven and work for me.  There are only a few products actually proven to do what they claim.  I always use a cream with SPF during the day.

In addition to my moisturizer, I use a lotion 2x per day that has 10% Alpha Hydroxy acid (Retinol is also a good choice but requires a prescription). They are both proven to improve the surface of the skin.  It stings a little, it is acid after all, but that means it’s working.   I would rather treat my skin with a small concentrate of acid daily than go through a major acid peel later in life.   For added moister in dry spots, I break Vitamin E capsules, and put the oil  (along with avocado oil) under my eyes, on my forehead, lips, and neck.

3. HYDRATE

I drink water (almost exclusively), rarely drink alcohol, and use a humidifier in my bedroom.   I noticed many years ago that my skin looks younger in moist climates and older when I’m in the desert.   Putting moister into the air improves the look of my skin in a very short amount of time.  I use a vaporizer because I like warm steam but you might prefer a cold air humidifier.  Either way, use one daily if you can.  When I have access to a steam room, steaming is a part of my regimen.  I also keep a small spray bottle of water in my purse or car.  I hydrate my skin throughout the day with a fine mist of purified water over my makeup. It feels great and even wakes me up a bit.

Vitamin C is a potent anti-oxidant proven to promote collagen formation when applied topicaly, but once it has been mixed into a lotion it looses it’s potency in as little as 2 weeks.   Expensive vitamin C creams no longer carry the benefit of Vitamin C.   I did some research and now I buy Vitamin C in its pure powder form online (L-Ascorbic Acid) and mix the powder with purified water in a small glass spray bottle every week.  I spray it on my face and body morning and night.  Research “do it yourself Vitamin C lotion” and find a recipe that works for you.  You will save SO MUCH money!  I spend about $20 every 6 months!

4. SUPPLEMENT

In addition to eating consciously, I take 7 vitamin supplements 2x per day.   I take vitamin E, oil of evening primrose, black currant seed oil, B complex, Biotin, Vitamin C, and calcium/magnesium/zinc.   Do some research and consult your doctor or herbalist to see what combination of supplements is right for you and your skin.   I noticed that my skin was brighter after about a month of taking vitamin supplements and my nails grew faster.  My immune system also feels stronger.  I rarely miss a dose of my daily vitamins.

Finally: Smile and be Positive!  Nothing looks better on your face than a smile 🙂

That’s it!  It may seem like a lot, but these are daily habits that I rarely even think about.  It may take a bit of effort in the beginning but I believe that when you (and others) begin to notice your radiant skin, you will practice skin care with ease!  Nothing feels better at any age than hearing, “You have such great skin!”

Here’s a pic from my Iphone au natural 🙂

Love and Light,

Hollywood

6pm yesterday I get a call from my commercial agent. “You have an audition tomorrow. Please check your email and confirm”

Like always, I checked into my account to bring up information about the audition, time, place, wardrobe, etc. 10am okay, Santa Monica…. all good, Bathing Suit…..did I read that right….wardrobe: Bathing Suit. My heart started pounding as I searched for the character description. “Brunette. All American looking. Attractive and fit. Must look good in a bathing suit, but not too skinny or too muscular.”

“Oh no!” my mind races, “My agent thinks I look good in a bathing suit. My agent has never seen me in a bathing suit” thinking, “No, my agent has never seen me in a bathing suit.  Oh crap.”  I run to the mirror to lift my shirt and look at my stomach. “Okay.  Okay.  It’s not that bad.”  I take off my cloths and lean naked frantically rummaging through my drawers for every bathing suit I own. I try them on one after the other. “No…no…no….no, no, NO!” I have to choose. I turn to the mirror. “Okay.  I’m okay.  It said not too skinny so I know I have that part down.  Not too fit is what it said.” I stare at the distorted image standing in front of me. Based on my perception I decide that I fit into the not too fit category. “Why am I freaking out? OH my God I’m freaking out. Put me in a bin of spiders. Burry me alive with rabid snakes covered in grape jelly. Make me tap dance in a lobster suit. Calm down.”

“Cake,” I remember, “There’s red velvet cake in the fridge.” I run immediately to the fridge and begin to eat the red velvet cake with my fingers chasing it with milk from the carton. “Oh my gosh, I just saw this on Oprah today! Emotional eating. I am emotionally eating cake in a bikini in my kitchen” My cats sit staring at me. I put down the cake and decide to take action. I do 35 pushups, 100 sit-ups, and decide not to eat for the rest of the day. “I always wake up feeling thinner” I reflect, “when I don’t eat at night.”

I begin my nightly routine of washing my face, exfoliating, moisturizing, more pushups. I brush my teeth, take vitamins, and finally, go to fill a water bottle to put next to the bed. “Crap, I’m in the kitchen again. Fill the water. Just fill the water. You’re almost there, focus, FOCUS!” I peak in the drawer next to the fridge as I fill the water, you know, just to see what’s in there.

My eye catches an enticing box of….. “DOTS!” I contemplate, “I can eat some Dots. They’re fat free!” I begin to chew Dots in light of my open refrigerator. Dot after Dot I chew and chew. “I’m not going to loose weight in 8 hours. I’m fine” I tell myself. Many moments later, digging colorful bits out of my teeth I catch my reflection in the mirror on the opposite wall. The box of Dots is empty.

I’ve auditioned in fitness cloths a bunch of times, fine. I’m a runner. I work out. Fitness cloths, no problem. I have never, however, been required to awkwardly strip down quickly and unbalanced to a bikini in front of a camera man in a cold florescent casting room with an actor playing my husband uncomfortably watching (while pretending to look away) in his board shorts and t-shirt while the client observes anonymously behind a double sided mirror. Today, that is just what I did.

You know what? It was great! I felt great. Once I got through the strange process of taking off my cloths, I actually felt really good. The camera man had a big warm smile on his face, and the actor playing my husband willingly held my hand as we pretended to “walk along the beach” (basically we strolled slowly across the room and smiled at each other lovingly) Even when I had to do the dreaded 360 turn in my bikini I felt good. I was FREE! My mind had made a monster out of a kitten.

The mind is a cunning saboteur. When I was in college I will never forget the time a random girl I barely knew said to me, “I think you are so pretty” “Thanks” I replied. Then she followed it with, “I told my friend how pretty I thought you were and she said she thought your body was weird but I said I thought you looked like a model” My stomach sunk. Between all the compliments that random girl gave me that day, all I heard was “your body was weird.” I agreed with her friend. My body IS weird. My neck is too long, my hips too wide, my boobs too low, my ankles too skinny. My body is weird. I spent years breaking that agreement and creating a new one. I spent years overcoming the distorted image I created of myself and coming to a new understanding.

My body is awesome. Not because I’m skinny or fit, but because I can walk and run and play! My body is capable of standing for hours on end and walking long distances. My body can play instruments, and reach things in tall cabinets in my kitchen. My body is the vehicle through which I perform all of my daily functions. I am so blessed to have a healthy, functioning body!

But the mind is a cunning, cunning trickster. It didn’t take much to send me into a crazy downward spiral backward into the past. I recovered from this experience and have taken so much from it. Celebrate your body! It is the only one you have. Cherish your body! Cherish YOU! You’re the only one in the world and yours is the only body like it. You are an original model. We all are 🙂

Be Silly. Have Fun.

Love and Light,
Hollywood

I’m not one of those people who thinks babies are really cute.  They always seem a little gross to me with their hazed over eyes and dry patchy skin, exuding waste from every orifice.  It was pointed out to me by a friend that babies actually kind of look and behave a lot like larva, squirming about unknowingly.  At least larva can sustain themselves…or can they?  I’m gonna look that up.  BRB.

According to Wikipedia: “Animals in the larval stage will consume food to fuel their transition into the adult form.” and “Larva is Latin for ghost”  Larva is Latin for ghost?  That’s beside the point but very interesting.   So larva, unlike babies, do take care of themselves until they transform into adults.  

We respond to certain unattractive behavior with the expression “Stop acting like a baby.”  There must be some truth then that babies are sort of annoying or we wouldn’t say that.  Maybe it’s more true of other people’s babies.   I’ve watched people get annoyed with babies that are brought out into public and I myself have been annoyed with babies if I have to sit too close to a screaming one or witness a diaper change.  Not everyone feels this way about babies.  Maybe you are one of those people who loves babies.  Anne Geddes has made an entire career out of photographing them, as seen below.  Even really well lit in beautifully poetic context and sleeping peacefully, I still don’t want to look at that ugly baby.

I do, however, look at and am fond of every single cat I see.  Maybe I wouldn’t be so afraid of having and caring for a baby if in the larva stage they looked like kittens.  I would like to think a cute little kitten is growing inside of me.  I wouldn’t even mind holding it when it came out it even if it was all covered in gunk if it were just a cute little innocent kitten.

I do think kids are super cute.  When I tell you I think your kid is super cute, I really mean it. But if I say “I think your baby is so cute” I am probably lying.  Believe me, I feel bad about it.  I wish I thought your baby was cute, I promise.

I still want one some day, though.  So now I’m wondering…am I a bad person if I don’t think my own baby is cute?  Or will I think my baby is cute no matter what it looks like because it’s, well, my baby?  If I ever have a really ugly baby and I hold it up to you with love and pride and say, “Look how cute my baby is” please lie to me.  This is one of those times where I think a little white lie does more good than harm 🙂

Be silly. Have Fun.  Post baby pics if you have them!  I’ll ask my mom to send me one of mine and I’ll post it here

Love and light,

Hollywood