LA Countdown
Posted by: Touch of Charm on: January 25, 2012
- In: Acting | Careers
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See you soon!
So after catching up with my agent and talking about the state of the biz in Toronto, she suggested I try and get my butt down to LA for a few weeks in February. While many shows are actually shot here in Toronto (Nikita, Flashpoint, The Firm, The L.A. Complex, Lost Girl, Bomb Girls and many others) and even though the union states that a certain percentage of cast and crew be Canadian, many if not most roles are actually cast out of LA and the percentage of Canadian talent that gets hired are the folks in wardrobe and make-up as well as the background performers. Not always, but often. So for those of us hoping at a shot of 1 or 2 lines on a Toronto shot show, we actually have a better shot of getting cast from LA. How backwards is that?? Sooo I’m off to LA Feb. 10 to meet some folks who cast down there for shows shot up here. Can’t hurt right?
Stuff
Posted by: Touch of Charm on: January 23, 2012
I really do!
Getting rid of stuff is way harder than it sounds! Spent the day yesterday going through boxes I haven’t unpacked yet (moved in July) and realized that pretty much everything could go! Why on earth was I holding on to 4 boxes of staples and knick knacks from places people went that I no longer talk to or cables and cords for things I probably no longer own but kept just in case. I had 2 boxes of crap like that! I packed it from my old place and moved it here. I clearly never need it in the old place! But you get attached to this ‘stuff’ and it’s hard to let go. Then I tackled my bookcase next. Was I running a library? Was I trying to prove how well-read I was? Ok, well maybe. But seriously, I read these books, I enjoyed them. Why was I moving with them from place to place? I didn’t read them again when I moved. I put them back on the bookshelf, then when I moved I packed them and put them up on a new bookshelf. So I started pulling them off the shelf and filled up 3 huge bags of books to try to make some coin with at a used bookstore and then another bag of books that aren’t in good enough condition but still good so off to the Value Village they went.
We go through life collecting and buying and acquiring all this stuff. With every move I throw out box after box of crap. I have garage sales. And yet, every time, I seem to end up with more and more stuff. I realize when I move to LA all this stuff can’t come with me. To ship all this will cost a fortune and I’m better off starting over. I guess I will be having the garage sale of all garage sales. Then I can start buying all sorts of new stuff in LA.
The growing to-do list
Posted by: Touch of Charm on: January 11, 2012
I didn’t make any resolutions for the new year. I usually don’t so this year is no different. But I did start a 2012 to-do list and it is growing every day. It’s mostly acting related.
1. Take new classes – check. Signed up for Sears and Switzer here in Toronto. They start later this month and I’m sooo looking forward to them. I studied with Alan Goodley of The Acting Academy last year and I highly recommend him to folks looking for lots of one-on-one and great material to work with. He introduced me to some incredible plays I had never heard of. (I tried to include a link but it doesn’t seem to be working – hope he’s still teaching!)
2. Get new headshots. I should have had this one completed already but it has taken a bit more time to work this one out. I was going to get a friend to shoot them but our schedules didn’t match up. Then another friend offered and we are now finalizing deets. I also need a haircut. Should probably do that before the shoot.
3. Get my butt in front of some CDs. Harder than it sounds. Toronto CDs don’t provide generals like they seem to do in LA. And many also do not offer CD workshops. This too seems to be an LA phenomenon. So the only way is to match the type and role they are currently casting. And to somehow get on the list when they normally pull from their safe list of actors they have seen previously. If you’re a newbie…this is the toughest stage to get past. That would be my stage. Few credits + beginner demo reel = frustration. So working with my kick ass agent to come up with a game plan.
4. Kick my butt into kick ass shape. Why am I paying for a gym membership I don’t use? Ya…I know….this one is alllll my fault. Pure and utter laziness. Well no more. Operation fit Char is being deployed. And they are finally fixing the gym in my bldg so I may end up saving myself some coin.
5. Eat healthier and cook more. This one I’m actually enjoying. I love food. And who knew I’m actually a pretty good cook? I’ve been doing lots of reading on food and the crap that gets into our diet via pesticides, chemicals, steroids and all sorts of scary crap. So I’ve been switching to an organic diet. At least at home. Hard to stick to when you go out unless you bring your own ingredients to the restaurants you go to. But even eating better at home makes a difference. Want to learn more about good vs. bad food? Greenpeace put together an awesome guide on GMOs and if you’re not sure – go organic!
6. Save. Save. Save. I really suck at this one. I get money and I spend it. Repeat. The thing is like many actors out there I am making enough to pay my rent, bills and put food in the fridge and don’t have much left for anything else. Or I save for short-term things. I also have debt. Again, not good. So that could be its own item – pay off debt. But I just put it into the save category. But really it’s the 1st part of “save.” This one requires lots of work. Ugh.
And there are more. Many more. So you can see how making 1 or 2 “resolutions” just won’t cut it. These are things I have to do. So I just keep referring to my to-do list, add to it, cross things off when I can and then add some more.
Happy happy joy joy.
First day on the slopes!
Posted by: Touch of Charm on: January 6, 2012
Ahhh icy hills, my favourite
Well it’s 2012. I know lots of you actors and actresses out there are rushing around updating your headshots, resumes and demo reels, prepping for pilot season and trying to get in front of all the CDs you can with the start of a new year. But sometimes you just need a day to chill out and enjoy other passions. One of my passions is snowboarding. I was introduced to it only a few years ago but I fell in love with it. I’m not a daredevil and you won’t find me in the park or trying to do rails or anything crazy. I love the freedom of just carving your way down a mountain at your own speed and I love when the snow is fresh and powdery. But sometimes you come across a deadly hill of ice and there’s nothing you can do except try to just stay on your board and make it over the icy patch without bailing.
Today I made it the first few times but on run 3 or 4 I hit the ice and my board went one way and my body went the other. My head banged into the ice a few times as I slid down the hill and came to a stop where the ice met snow. Thank goodness for my helmet! I’ve been very lucky to not have had any real big bail sessions but this one had me seeing sparkles for a wee bit while I got my bearings. I made it down the rest of the hill and my poor friend who was filming me coming down stopped shooting when he saw my face, probably a shade whiter than the snow. I caught my breath and jumped right back onto the chairlift to have another go at the hill. No patch of ice was gonna spook me from my day of fun. I took it easy after that and cautiously made my way over the ice until I could carve safely out of harms reach.
Lesson of the day: wear a helmet!
Other lesson of the day: take a break and enjoy life!
Merry Christmas!
Posted by: Touch of Charm on: December 26, 2011
While there was no fluffy white stuff on the ground it was still an awesome Christmas. It was a day of eating, eating and eating…and family and presents…and eating. Got some awesome swag and the steal-a-gift was made particularly hilarious by my son who picked a gift and prayed out loud “please don’t be a book, please don’t be a book” and opened the Steve Jobs mega-novel. Not to worry, it was stolen and he was able to pick a new gift. Went for a colourful bag, opened it and lo and behold, another Steve Jobs mega-novel!! What are the odds on that?? He was clearly meant to read this book. Although my cousin’s husband quickly skimmed a few pages before looking up to say “wow, that Steve Jobs was an asshole! And we already know how the story ends.”
My haul included a gorgeous new Ivanka Trump handbag from the kids and a Jamie Oliver cookbook. Also got an e-reader (yah!) and a circle scarf that apparently can be used for just about anything.
I love grey and this bag goes with my entire wardrobe and winter jacket
Meals in Minutes....hopefully not meals in more than 30 minutes
Bye bye bank account
A scarf/dress/skirt/bra/onesie
Memories of Thailand and Malaysia – Part 3
Posted by: Touch of Charm on: December 21, 2011
- In: Family | Travel
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Rowan mapping out our first day in Bangkok
Our first full day in Bangkok and we were up bright and early ready to explore the city! But first the buffet! Ohhh the breakfast buffet…mmmm….foood!! We also had to get used to the Thai way of greeting everyone, the wai. It’s a simple bow with hands placed together like you’re going to pray and because my daughter and I are female, we said “So wah dee ka” – can’t recall what you say if you’re a guy but watch the vid and it will tell you. : ) You will use this greeting everywhere you go. We also learned a few key Thai phrases like how to say thank you (khob-kun-Ka). And armed with a map we took from the hotel lobby we headed off on our adventures for the day!
Our first stop was a bit of a fluke but wow, so glad we learned about this gem! Jim Thompson was an American architect who through service in the war became rather fond of Thailand and settled in Bangkok and built an amazing home that has become a destination for tourists to the area. He also created the Thai Silk Company. Ya, he wasn’t busy at all. Back in 1967, Jim and his buddies went for a walk through some jungle area in Malaysia – Jim never returned. No one knows what happened to him.
From there we headed to Chinatownand got lost. Not hard to do. Street after street of colourful wares, food and shoulder to shoulder people, good luck trying to find that first shop where you saw that great bag but decided to look around first. Do yourself a favour – buy the first bag you see because you ain’t finding it again. And everything can be bargained so get comfy talking price.
mmm eggs
Our tactic was to start really low and let them talk us up to what we actually wanted to pay. Mind you we’re talking about starting at a buck and letting them maaaybe talk you into 2 bucks. I think the most expensive item was 3 bucks. HINT: $1 CDN = 30 THB (Thai Bhat) so easy to do the math. We found a great restaurant by the water and sat and enjoyed the view of all the boats going by and took it all in. We ordered pretty much everything on the menu and I think our meal(s) came to 180 Bhat (6 bucks – for both of us!) so ya, eating in Thailand is delicious AND crazy cheap. I want to go back just to eat all the food. I really enjoyed so much of my trip but it’s funny how I realize most of my memories revolve around what we ate. I will try and expand my memories to beyond food. But as I’m only at day 1, I can’t promise anything. Oh and you might be wondering how we got around. Well we wandered for the first bit, just enjoying the area around our hotel, which was close to all sorts of crazy expensive malls but we didn’t travel all that way to shop in a mall. If you want Gucci, Prada and LV, it’s all there. Mind you the places we did check out just for shits n giggles wasn’t showing any real savings. I guess no HST could save some coin on a $5,000 bag.
Cheap and delicious eats!
ANYhow, we ended up jumping in a cab (metered one!) after our Jim Thompson tour to take us to Chinatown. Glad we did, it was further than we thought but still the cab was 90 THB (3 bucks) so so worth taking cabs if you need to. For day 2 we braved the rail system but that’ll get covered in Part 4. I have no idea how many parts this series will be either! We were gone for 15 days….this could turn into a novel. After Chinatown we made our way back towards the hotel and spent the evening wandering the streets checking out the impromptu “restaurants” that popped up over the sidewalks. Basically, a bbq would be wheeled out, tables and chairs set up and voila! A restaurant! The smells from these places were incredible. Bangkok really does come alive at night. The streets were packed and it seemed to be a whole new city after dark. Funny to watch Hangover 2 and get the line “Bangkok has him now.” It’s hard to pull away. But pull away we eventually did and headed back to the hotel to enjoy a dip in the gorgeous pool before calling it a night.
Incredible luxury to come back to after a day wandering the city
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