‎– if you’re asking yourself why you aren’t moving forward, the answer is simple: Stop holding yourself back.

[the beautiful KG]

It’s been a little more than a week since the much hyped about event that I was promoting all of August — The Love Affair. I unfortunately didn’t have my camera on me during the night of the event (I know, right? So unlike me…) so I was waiting to steal some photos off of the photographer who was hired for the night of the event. Honestly, this Slick Nick guy really does live up to his name. I love these pictures!! They’re so vivacious and really captured some candid moments, especially of the performers.

[The Granby Girls on the Santa Monica Pier]

Summer of 2010 is definitely one for the books:

– quitting my job then running off to Mexico with the Granby Girls
– I adopted Sinthuja, spent three weeks jobless and biking the city incesssantly
– NYC/Brooklyn to work with Lance Drummonds
– working for the Tri-Mentoring Program
– my birthday getaway to the country, non-stop tanning, bbqs and nature
– T.O. to BK trip with MANIFESTO for the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival, Okay Africa feat. The Roots, and T.O. to BK showcase
– Crazy stupid amazing 22nd birthday party at The Main Ingredient with Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest
– the official Lovehard blog launch
– the upgrade from my babyboi T.I. to Tutti (Canon Rebel t1i to a t2i)
– LOS ANGELES/VANCITY weekend trip for Rock The Bells with Lauryn Hill, Slick Rick, KRS-One, Wu-Tang, Snoop, ATCQ
– endless amounts of iced coffees consumed
– too many amazing artists I got to film: Tanika Charles, Rich Kidd, Aloe Blacc, Nneka
– too many parties, art shows, celebrations and Toronto night timing to count
– bike rides, night rides, me and Sinthuja all day err day
– summer lovin’, had me a blast
– LUCY PEARL SIRIANNI GALLEY LORO aka… the kitty edition to the Granby Girls
– the Love Affair! and all the incredible artist profiles I got to do — Made Wade, Smash Brovas, Miss G, KG, Vibonics, DJ Soundbwoy, Ron Dias
– Ryerson Orientation/Frosh week craziness — BEST dance party/Guiness World Record Biggest Beat Box Ensemble in the Quad, goin down in hisssstoryyy
– BBQ’s, house jams, meeting and getting to know soooooo many new wicked peeps and friends

This summer was pretty freakin’ good. There’s just something about summer that brings out the craziness in everyone. I loved it for everything that it encompassed — the hustle, the relaxation, the celebrations, the different faces, the learnings, the trials, the growth,
and of course, the love.

Here’s to the Fall/Winter of 2010. Here’s to a new school year, layering and leather season, new projects/artists to work with, a new mindset, a new focus, and new inspirations. BRING IT.

In search for white freezies and iced coffee beverages, Addie, aka Miss G, and I perused Liberty Village, an unfamiliar area of downtown Toronto for me. I enjoyed the absence of sidewalks and these adorable cafes/bars/restos that seemed to cater itself to the young professionals that resided in the area.

Upon exiting the Remix Project studio, Addie filled me in on what she’s been doing there for the past four months — recording and producing her own mixtape album, the Best of Both Worlds, incorporating her spoken word poetry and new found dabble into rapping as an emcee. Born the same year as me, it was wicked to bond with another fellow young woman who’s out to take over Toronto with her passion and words.

“So, do you like smoking hooka?” I asked the unidentifiable mixed woman sitting comfortably on what we’ve dubbed at the Granby Household as “The Pimp Chair”. “Yeah! I love Shisha!” Tacha exclaimed, bouncing in her seat almost as excitedly as her tight ringlets of curly dark brown hair. Setting up my hooka machine, also known as “Bejewzled”, I got Tacha to break it down for me what mixes in her family has given her such a unique look. Unable to truly remember at this moment, Tacha is made up of at least 5 different nationalities, and by just looking at her, you wonder how one has such beautiful tight locks, freckles, ivory skin and dark eyes.

Trying to dry off from the little pool of sweat that was formulating on my upper lip (it’s apparently a very filipino thing, lol) I cooled out to the slight breeze blowing on the steps of the outdoor stage at Dundas Sq. I hate humidity and what it does to my sweat glands. Smirking at the billboard TV ads displaying the debut of my face of a recent Ryerson marketing spot I did, I laughed watching my 2 seconds of fame. I need to record this ish asap and send it to me moms back home in Vancity to show her Toronto did more to me than just a nose piercing and a side-shaved head.

Sippin’ on a half-sweet iced coffee from Timmy Ho’s, I sat on a concrete bench with the least amount of dried up pigeon excrements defacing it. Tanning my back and watching the water recycle itself in the middle of the water fountain, I wondered aloud  which was cleaner, Lake Ontario, or this water fountain/ice rink (in the winter) that is situated in front of Nathan Phillips Square.