Location: Gold Coast, Australia
back
Location: Singapore, Singapore
If you can't reach me on my phone, it's because i'm in singapore and have not activated roaming on my cell. will be back on friday...
Location: Sydney, Australia
i've been neglecting planetranger coz i'm languishing in the lull of being back home again..
came to sydney today though and am looking forward to consuming some great food and catching up with the rest of the mature gold coast population who have migrated here to actually earn a living
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
*sniff*
feels like i never even left :(
Location: Los Angeles, USA
Getting on the plane to come home in about 11 hours!
Location: Los Cabos, Mexico
hola
this place is muchos opulantos!!!
more later :)
(and i promise no more bad spanglish)
Location: Miami, South Beach, USA
the heat here is scorching! i love it!
mum is dying... she is walking around like a rapidly wilting flower and doesn't understand how i can stand to not walk in the shade.
then we went to look at swimwear and she stood aghast in front of the mirror at the white expanse of her flesh and i thought to myself "THAT'S why i get sun"
lol
Location: Los Angeles, USA
Saw Al Pacino hanging out in the lobby of our hotel tonight!!!! Gee, he's a sexy old man... if i was 20 years older... LOL
Location: Los Angeles, USA
Drove through the worst thunderstorm i've ever seen in NYC on the way to the airport last night. The normal 45 min drive turned into 2 hours worth of wading through flooded roads and squinting through the windscreen wipers, trying to vainly gauge anything beyong 2 feet from the glass. The plane was delayed 3 hours and i ended up getting into LA at 1am instead of the predicted 10pm :S
But this morning has made up for all of that. Esconced in the Beverly Hills Hotel, I woke up at 8am, after 3 hours sleep (don't ask me why because i don't know either), went down to the pool, swam laps and had breakfast, juice and coffee whilst reading the paper. It was heavenly!
Location: Negril, Jamaica
I think that it’s rude to go to another country and to have no perception whatsoever about it’s history and path of progression that has led the nation to it’s current state of affairs. After leaving Jamaica the first time and delving into the personal experiences of all the people that I came across, I took it upon myself to do some research before I went back again.
Reading about Jamaica’s history of slavery and colonialism, I’ve come again to this place looking at it through a whole new set of eyes. The poverty, so easily taken as quaint and charming (with it’s peeling paint, ramshackle hovels, braided barefoot children), is now a sad consequence of a vastly skewed ideology of white supremacy. There is now a system that has been put in place by middle-class, English (or should I say British) educated, so-called “brown” Jamaicans (not to be mistaken for the black variety). Unrepresentative of the masses, I’m learning about a system that is structured to promote the success of those that manage to fit within colonial-influenced ideals, and marginalizing those that don’t. It’s only been about 150 years since the official emancipation of Jamaica, but the struggle to keep up with the first world has left an indelible imprint on a people that were dispossessed and then forced to adapt to a system that doesn’t really want to let them in. Tourism and missionary work has formed a new, socially accepted version of colonialism. Again, the lower classes of African-Jamaicans are catering to the whims and demands of a white world to earn a measly living, in the hopes of striving towards a higher level of “civilization” (a term used frequently in the post-emancipation era and now changed to the more politically-correct “socio-economic progress”)
Although, who am I to criticize, the paramount tourist that I am? I chase the exotic and vacation in the idea of living the “authentic” life of these people for a few days at most. Then I return home to my cushy lifestyle and place the immense issues of survival that press in on my periphery on a shelf for another time to worry about (like those must-read books before you die that never end up getting read until you are too old to do anything about it).
Location: Negril, Jamaica
went swimming in the ocean during a HUGE tropical thunderstorm today! so amazing!!!
ooh! and i've been spotting dolphins too! a little too scared to go swimming with them though just in case there are sharks lurking about :S
been going out at night and dancing in the sand under the stars... equally as wonderful :)
tonight's my last night and i'll be heading back to NYC tomorrow for one night before meeting up with mum in LA for some last minute travels and quality mother/daughter bonding time before heading home
Location: Negril, Jamaica
Schedule from now till home...
16th July - Jamaica
20th July - New York
21st July - LA
24th July - Miami
27th July - Mexico
30th July - Las Vegas
1st August - LA
2nd August - Brisbane
See everybody soon :)
Location: New York, USA
i love Abercrombie boys.
Perfectly chiselled, lightly tanned, cinnamon-scented, wholesome apple pie american goodness.
Location: New York, USA
I'm back in New York again, so if you want to reach me call me on my american number
x
Location: Negril, Jamaica
I think i'm going to move to Negril, Jamaica... Open a tutoring/counselling school for teens that wanna go to college and maybe a restaurant.
I'm not kidding.
just have to figure out a way to tell my parents ;)
Location: St. Elizabeth, Jamaica
NOW I feel like I’m on vacation… I’m sitting in sun-dappled shade with a fresh marlin sandwich on a terracotta precipice overlooking the ocean. The real ocean… windswept, savage and glorious in its untamed splendor. There’s a blissful breeze tickling the back of my neck, carrying the lilting sounds of reggae, punctuated with floating conversations heavily flavored in Jamaican English. There’s a thatch-roofed bar in raw timber and faded salmon pink walls to my left and a majestic, gnarled tree sprawling overhead.
I am barefoot, without an ounce of make-up on my face and reveling in the simple and over-looked luxury of not having to talk to anyone. Taking a deep breath of ocean-tinged air, blown in fresh from the Caribbean, I half close my eyes and an insuppressible grin creeps over my face. My cheeks are flushed from sunlight unfiltered by the haze of city pollution as every knot in my shoulders melts away and I’m left tingling all over.
My new Jamaican friend, Howard, has taught me several things about Jamaica that I didn’t know before and I thought I’d share some of it with you J
1. There is a multitude of crocodiles here in the wetlands and they answer by name! One of them is called Charlie.
2. No one “jives” like a Jamaican man (“jives” being a euphemism for intimate activity) and that explains why you always see foreign women with Jamaican men, but no Jamaican women with foreign men. Apparently they’ve been spoilt…
3. Fishermen here get paid astronomical amounts by drug traffickers to free-dive under cruise liners to tape bags and bags of coke shipped in from Colombia to bring into the states.
4. It will take you at least 3 or 4 months to a year to get a Jamaican woman in the sack (unless she’s a prostitute), compared to the loose reputation that white women seem to have here, because it seems that foreign women come here in hordes seeking hot Jamaican men to get jiggy with and to smoke the gunja.
Location: New York, USA
I love being out there in the world and taking life head-on. It’s exhilarating to place your life into the fickle hands of fate and see the cards being dealt to you, because, like chocolate, you never really know what you’re going to get. Admittedly, I am the kind of woman that likes to handpick her chocolates based on the descriptions in italic fine print on a smooth white card, but this is a tendency that I’ve been trying to remedy. It’s the unexpected delights in life that makes me smile spontaneously when no one else is around.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all about random adventures without the presence of clear thought and sound judgement… I do wander freely through the world, but I also listen to my instincts. We are conditioned to tune out our instincts in favour of “logic” so much that we are barely animals anymore. We don’t have the instinct to hunt or to fight because fear and aversion to risk has dampened our lives to a series of diluted formulas. I’m trying to teach myself to listen to those instincts again – to know when to walk down a certain street at night and when to run in the opposite direction, instinctively. To know when to allow someone into your life without the prescribed barriers, and when to tell them (politely of course) that you have changed your number and moved far, far away.
Fortunately, touch wood, fate has been immeasurably kind to me in this journey of self-taught lessons. I’ve managed to cross paths with some of the most exceptional people I ever hoped to meet and they’ve surprised me over and over again with their insight, thoughtfulness and varying philosophies on everything from weather prediction to finding the perfect life partner. I am in love with not knowing what’s around the next corner and having the knowledge that I can trust myself enough to make the most of it.
That said, i'm off to jamaica in about 4 hours, so if you need to get in touch, i'll be on my australian number
will be back in the states on the 4th of July
x
Location: Chicago, USA
There’s nothing quite as beautiful as going to a new place with no expectations and then being pleasantly surprised… It was a dusky blue day in Chicago today and I spent the whole time wandering the beautiful gardens, lake district, and art galleries. I know that for some, this would sound deadly boring but it’s difficult to describe the air of casual elegance that Chicago has. Granted I only saw a small portion of it, but what I did see made me fall in love with the city. This is one place that I could see myself making a home in, and that’s a big call for a perpetual wanderer like me. There is an old world charm about many of the buildings that hint at European influences, side by side with some of the most impressive modern architecture and public art pieces I’ve ever seen. I generally don’t like public art, because I find it too generic and “safe” – such is the plight of artwork that is designed to appeal to the masses. However, there is a majesty and undeniable aura of innovation in Chicago’s modern features. Frank Gehry has left an indelible mark on the city and the Bean! Don’t get me started on the Bean… Gigantic, sleek chrome kidney bean with an exaggerated fish-eye reflection of the towering city-scape on one side, and the sprawling greenery of the park on the other. Crowds of people standing beneath and under the bean, interacting with their own multiplied and distorted reflection and marveling at the scope of Chicago’s skyline, stark against the muted blue of today’s perfect weather. Must I say more? See for yourself.
I came to Chicago with absolutely no expectation of what I might encounter and now I’m feeling the bitter tang of regret for booking such a short stay. The photography exhibits that I’ve seen today alone are enough to keep me nourished for months! I was wandering around with my mouth slack-jawed at the contemporary work masterfully curated at the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Contemporary Photography and the Chicago Cultural Institute. The MCA had an awesome collection of Wolfgang Tillman’s work together with complementary ipod nano featuring an artist narrative on each section – I mean, I though I was in photography heaven…
And then you have the little beaches littered along the lake… Sweet, quiet spaces juxtaposed with a bustling city, jostling for legroom. Did I mention the parks? I know I did, but did I also mention the hundreds of bunny rabbits and birds amongst the shrubbery??? Soooooo cute!
Location: New York, USA
8 more days to go before jamaica, 8 more days to go before jamaica, 8 more days to go...
holy mary mother of god i cannot wait
new york is great and everything but there comes a time in a girl's life when enough is enough and the ocean beckons! i love the city and all it has to offer in terms of diversity and entertainment, but i think that i've actually mellowed in my old age :S
the hustle and bustle fuels me with short bursts of adrenaline and then i'm just plain drained. i need time to recollect the pieces of myself that have been blasted apart by the crazy pace of manhattan, sit on a perfect beach for a few perfect days with a nice, big book and NOT TALK TO ANYONE
Location: New York, USA
so the night is finally over and i'm happy and relieved that it went really well :) i made a little video essay in 8 parts (heehee) so that you can watch it to get more of an idea about how the whole thing went. in case you can't tell, i'm obsessed with the video function on my camera now... hmmm... maybe i'll be a film maker!
or maybe i'm just obsessed with the idea of turning myself into a reality TV show.
whatever, check it out
http://www.youtube.com/user/ying2ying
but you have to watch it in order, beginning with exhibition prep part 1 :D
Location: New York, USA
omigod... tonight's the night and i'm soooooooooo nervous...
Location: New York, USA
judged a poetry slam competition tonight
emos voicing their sorry plight
a lot of black post-slave revolutionary talk
rhyming words and soulful hip hop
crew cut lesbos and their manhatin' demeanor
mixed in with some super mean talent... fo sho
Location: New York, USA
went to the puerto rican day parade today and it was one of the craziest most amazing events i've ever been to in my entire life! hordes and hordes of latinos and bruthaz hit the streets to scour for hotties, party and basically carouse the normally staid area of Madison Ave on the upper eastside. small armies of NYPD lined the outside of Gucci, Chanel, Givenchy..etc... ready to leap into action at the first sign of violence, but all that was pointless from what i could see because everyone just wanted to have a good time!
it was AWESOME!!! sigh.... wish it was puerto rican day EVERY day
Location: New York, USA
went to a HUGE fashion party last night at the Gaanesvort with the likes of Amanda Moore and Alyssa Sutherland. Spilled a drink all over my dress halfway through the night. Luckily everyone was so shitfaced that they didn't even notice!
i also hung out with every hetero man's wildest fantasy - a group of lesbian/bisexual supermodels.
Location: New York, USA
hi everyone!
sorry about being such recluse but i'm soooooo ridiculously busy that i haven't even had time to catch my breath :) school is awesome and i've been in class 7 days a week learning so much that i think my had is about to burst with information... all of this is more than good though - it's great being in an environment that actually allows growth (all you coasties know what i mean).
between learning how to develop my own pictures, messing around in the darkroom, discovering the myriad of lighting tools, getting to know the fashion industry here and having a bit of a social life, there's not much time for anything else.
i'm trying to put together my first solo exhibit here in new york at the moment too, tentatively scheduled for June 20 :) it's my international debut and i'm extending an invite for everyone to come to the opening (not that anyone is going to rush to the travel agent to book a ticket right away, but i thought i'd let you know about it anyway).
i haven't even had time to do much shopping! i emphasise the word "much" because it would be a lie if i said "any" ;)
Location: New York, USA
HAHAHHAHAHAHHA!
ok, so i just got back from watching X-Men 3 and went to my local cinemas in a very gay neighbourhood. i KNEW that i was surrounded by gay america when i was surrounded by very buff, bare-armed men in 2's and 3's. THEN during the previews, i hear an impatient "MMMM HHHMMmmmm, bring on Wolverine!" in a very Queen Latifah-esque voice. Later on in the film, when Jean pashes Wolverine after killing Scott (sorry to those who haven't seen it yet :P), i hear "OOOOh noooo gurrrl, you didn't, you dirrrty bitch!"
HAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHA!
Location: New York, USA
so adam and i just got home from the Film School concert and there was a police blockade on our block. 4 people got shot on our street tonight!!!! WHAT THE?!?!?
Apparently the club on the corner up the road was having some kind of hip hop party...
that shit is wack
i wonder how Linda Evangelista, Sandra Bernhard and the Dixie Chicks feel about this considering they live on our block too!
Location: New York, USA
had my first day of school yesterday and it was soooooooooooooo sooooooooooo soooooooooo good!!!!!!!!!!! i've learnt so much in the last 2 days and i can virtually see my progression powering forward in leaps and bounds :D
i developed my own film for the first time today and it was so exciting i nearly wet myself.
Location: New York, USA
i can't stand it!!!!!!!! i want to move here FOREVER!!!!!!!! launching a career as a fashion photographer anywhere else in the world apart from London and Paris is a farce.
please refer to photo page "Freja Beha" for an explanation for this outburst
Location: New York, USA
i can see the statue of liberty out the window of the gym while i'm on the bicep curl machine!
oh, and this is where you can check out video footage that i've taken along various points of my adventures :)
www.youtube.com/user/ying2ying
Location: New York, USA
Binky arrived on Sunday and took her to a party that happens every sunday nite apparently... very fashionista type place. Kate Moss was there last week and Chloe Sevigny was there when we went, much to adam's excitement. Binky and I spent most of the 3 days that she was here shopping - surprise, surprise... Shopping, eating, drinking, people watching, shopping some more...
Here is ying's 3 day shopping guide to Manhattan:
Day 1 - SoHo
Day 2 - Meatpacking district
Day 3 - Upper Eastside
Day 4 - Go home because you're TOTALLY broke.
Last nite we went to my favourite little cuban shithole for a quick bite to eat and binky spots lindsay lohan eating one table away from us! HOW random.
