What’s your take on aging?

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Gigi in Aging Comments Off

Came across this article in the New Yorker 25 quotes from famous women on aging. Love this one from Dolly Parton:

“I will never retire unless I have to. As long as I’m able to get up in the morning, get that makeup on and my high heels on, and even if I can’t wear high heels, I’m going to do like Mae West, I’m going to sit in a wheelchair with my high heels on.”

Gigi’s take on aging:

Aging is a part of life, I have loved each decade for different reasons. Childhood- no matter what was going on with the adults I still had many happy moments, teen years were the discovery years of exploring and sampling the good and lots of bad, 20’s the rebel years, against all odds, just out there in the world, 30’s motherhood, wife-hood, figuring out who am I and what is my purpose, 40’s I’m a full fledge confidant woman working on me and doing whatever I want to do, 50’s living the la vida loca, yes I can be a photographer, yes I can say “no” when I need to and if something is not working I know it is okay to quit.

As time goes by and you experience loss, heartbreak and sadness you realize that each day is a gift and you have to exhale, stretch your body and conquer each day, look for the joy and squash the negativity and always find a reason to celebrate.

Another thing, came across this article about how “skinny jeans” are out– (btw after I finally figured out what brand fit my big butt and thighs) and flare leg jeans are back. The good thing about being 50 something is that you have seen all the trends over and over. I chuckle to myself when I think about my mom telling me about when something was in “style” a long time ago, well guess what- I’m doing the same thing. The good news is I still have my flare jeans, something told me to hold on to them.

And lastly, with everything that is going in the world, why is Bey’s new bangs making all the headlines? Or last weeks reference to her “mom” do…hehehe as India Arie says ” I am not my hair”…

Bey’s mommie do and her new bangs…

Happy Wednesday

Xoxo,

Gigi

fresh highlights

What are you willing to give up?

Posted on October 1, 2014 by Gigi in Inspiration 1 Comment

I’m always reading something, online, magazines, a book or the newspaper-I’m old school I still get it delivered daily, I keep my notebook handy and if I come across something interesting I will jot it down, so the other day I came across this quote:

“People who look like they have everything they want are actually the people who are most clear on what they are willing to give up.”

I thought about it for a moment as it relates to my own life and it was so clear. Basically it goes back to being happy with what you have at any given moment, instead of what you don’t have… We live in a suburb outside of LA proper in a little sleepy town, I’m very happy here, although sometimes I hear “hmmmmm I don’t know how you live out there…it is so far” or “I could never do all the driving you all do” Living where we live, was a choice we made, and we are okay with not living in LA proper, or in my case I gave up living at the beach prior to getting married.

Beach House

Do I wish I had a hermes birkin bag? No, I’m happy with my pretty bags that I have accumulated from various sales here and there. Do I have hair envy when I see someone with long straight shiny hair blowing? Hmmmm no, I gave that up when I decided to wear my hair in its natural state. The list goes on and on.

Hermes Birkin

The key is figuring out what you can comfortably give up and still be happy. I love traveling, but being self employed there is only so much time my husband and I can take off, without our businesses suffering, so the romantic notion of living abroad for a month or so, is not in our future, but I can go and see a lot on a 4 day trip. I remember after 9/11 we scored some tickets to London for $200 RT, we left on a Wednesday and returned on a Sunday, spent 3 days there and had a blast.

Life is to short to always look for the negative, or to feel as though the entire world is out to get you. Remember there is always going to be someone who is younger than you , richer than you, skinnier than you etc. but once you exhale and give in to your authentic self, everything else will fall into place. We really are in control, and sometimes when you give up certain things other opportunities will come your way. It may be little things like waking up earlier to exercise to get the fit body your want, or taking an online class to pick up a new skill or maybe fine tuning your “friend” circle to those who really are there for you and you both mutually enhance each others lives.

So what are you willing to give up? I’m curious, we all are so different and what is important to me may not be important to you. Please share…

Happy Wednesday,

Xoxo,

Gigi

“Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn. – Gore Vidal

Who Are You?

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Gigi in Aging, Well-Being 8 Comments

Browsing the net I came across this article about “Describe yourself in 5 words.” I thought long and hard and these are the words I came up with: WRITER, PHOTOGRAPHER, WIFE, MAMA & EVOLVING .

Gigi

It was difficult to narrow my list down to only 5 words, I like to think of myself as this complex individual, and it would certainly take more than 5 words to describe moi. I realized that throughout my life these words would have changed numerous times. Growth and change are a part of life, it is what keeps us interesting. I thought about what others see me as compared to who I see…the public image versus the private one- or are they the same…well I think you all know I am an open book, I share everything, I’m very transparent almost to a fault.

In my 20’s it was SINGLE, EXPLORER, BOHO, DREAMER, ENTREPRENEUR. Moving on to my 30’s it was MARRIED, MOTHER, VOLUNTEER, CONFORMIST, QUESTIONING.

Gigi @ 25

Nov 18 1996

Late 30’s early 40’s PHYSICAL, KINKY-CURLY, DESIGNER, TRAVELER, STUDENT Mid-40’s another shift, FOLLOWER, VEGAN, FOCUSED, WIFE, MOTHER.

Reinvent

Gigi’s Graduation 2006

Gigi & Ele

Late 40’s PERI-MENOPAUSE, SKIER, WIFE, MOTHER, DISCOVERER.

How would you describe yourself in 5 words? I’d love to know…

Happy Wednesday,

XOXO,

GIGI

What Are You Afraid Of?

Posted on August 7, 2014 by Gigi in Inspiration 11 Comments

Fear

It is easy to pretend to be fearless, to be brave in all situations, to be invincible- but we all have something that scares the SHIT out of us.

quote

As I get older my “fear list” has changed. When I was younger my list was simple, things like spiders, roller coasters, heights, and oddly enough losing my teeth.

losing teeth SCARY

fear of heights…

Now my fears are more serious- grown up stuff-complex- I realize that to have fear, the scary kind, you have to care about something, you have fear because something matters to you. I try and manage my fear but it is not easy, yoga is helpful, just have to practice more often.

My top 5 fears, in no particular order:

1. My children. My daughter lives in NYC, and I can’t help but to worry about her, especially at night. My son-17 year-old African-American boy-enough said…

Gigi’s son

2. My well-being. With 4 of my immediate family members having cancer-it is something that is on my mind. I try to do the “right” things, but I know that Cancer sometimes has no rhyme or reason, so I just do the best I can to take care of my health and carefully choose what I put in my body.

3. My husband. We are at the age where stuff happens…so I can’t help sometimes to think about the “what if” s.

4. Losing my teeth.

5. Earthquakes-they scare the Shit out of me…just recovering from the one we had a few months ago.

earthquake

What are you afraid of? And how do you deal with your fear?

Happy Thursday,

Xoxo,

Gigi

Rejection is the New Acceptance…

Posted on July 15, 2014 by Gigi in Quotes, Uncategorized 3 Comments

quote

This took me a long time to learn and receive. Rejection whether professional, from a friend, a club, a lover, a client, or any type of relationship can be painful, at the time it is difficult to be open to see what is “around the corner”. I believe that some things or persons are only meant to be in your life for a season, and you have to be able to accept the good and know that these situations contribute to making you the person you are today.

As I reflect on my own life experiences I certainly have had my ration of rejection, everything from the boyfriend that I thought the world revolved around to the weird “job” that was going nowhere. I had so many weird jobs, even got fired from a couple, that I knew early on that I had to work for myself. I have had friendships that ended, but after the pain of the perceived loss was gone, I could focus on all the good that came from the relationship and how I am “me’ because of bits and pieces that I gained or learned.

My daughter Amani, is working on becoming an applicant for medical school, I am constantly telling her to be open to all possibilities, don’t focus on “if I don’t get in”…Reggie will be a senior and I am telling him the same thing, you can only go to one college so you really only need one acceptance and that you will get. For me and my business if everyone wanted me to photograph them I would not have the time, I shoot an average of one client per week, which if I worked every week, which I don’t, that would be about 50 people, so with that limited number, I don’t worry about why is that person not booking a session with me…which allows me to really focus on each client and really get to know them and give them a special unique experience, instead of a “formula” shoot.

So my friends embrace your day including any rejection you may have and know something better is waiting for you!

XOXO, GIGI

Gigi

Post Holiday Weekend

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Gigi in American Life Comments Off

Gigi & Blue

This extended weekend was relaxing by the pool, a road trip to Riverside to visit family, hot yoga with my hubby, a movie “Tammy”, barre booty with a friend, dinner @ Gracias Madre, harvesting from the garden, teaching my son how to juice, a new addition to our family “Blue”, a real live scorpion, lots of conversations about life, the future, and navigating the college process with my son.

Blue & Daddy

On a sad note, my husband received the worst phone call- a friend/business associate drowned while on vacation with his family in Costa Rica. We don’t have any details, but regardless, our friend is gone to soon, another reminder of how tomorrow is not promised. Rick Robins R.I.P.

flowers

Gigi’s Garden

As I mature, I find myself focusing on the simple things in life, like picking tomatoes from my garden, or inhaling the scent from a rose I picked, or playing with this little ball of fur I recused from my local nursery…did I need another fur baby? No. Not really, but life is so short, why not? She is so cute how could I resist?

Blue

I love the freedom of being me and working on my agenda and not worrying about if it is okay or not. It has taken me a long time to get to this place, but it feels really good. The “young” me was concerned with what others thought, sometimes making choices that I felt would please the masses, regardless of what I really wanted to do or say. It is a powerful thing to follow your own “Truth”…

quote

Summer is zooming by quickly, the days are long and many hours are spent driving my son (no license) to and from his appointments, classes etc.. Monday – Thursday I am gone from 6:45 AM to 7:30PM, squeezing in my PS Couture shoots, and appointments where ever I can. The one good thing from all of this driving is that I am spending a lot of time at the gym, it is the perfect place to kill a couple hours before pick up and Lord knows this 54 soon to be 55 year-old body needs lots of repair and upkeep.

I hope your long holiday weekend was enjoyable.

Happy Tuesday!

Xoxo, Gigi

Gigi

Time Goes By…

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Gigi in Thoughts Comments Off

My life is full, but I feel as though it is zooming by at the speed of light. Most days there are not enough hours to do everything, always something hanging over my head. There are those never ending projects like going through all my pictures from the pre-digital era or deleting 1,000’s of emails and of course we can’t forget the dreaded garage.

I sometimes think about how I am starting a new career at an age when most of my contemporaries are retiring. No, I won’t get rich from what I am doing, but my work nourishes me, is always challenging and there is never a dull moment.

work

photographer Gigi

It has been a journey discovering my real self. At 54, I know my limitations, the past year I have had many reminders of the importance of living life to the fullest…enjoying every moment. I take time to laugh out loud and find simple pleasures that put a smile on my face. Sometimes I wear my “after 5” duds during the day, just because and wear non-sensible shoes more often than I should.

I find that balance is the key, knowing that on any given day I do all I can without sacraficing “me” , knowing when to take a break and start fresh again . Accepting that it is OK if I don’t make that deadline and “work in progress” is good.

Where are you in your life journey? Do you ascribe to markers of where you should be in life? How do you balance? I’d love to know your secrets.

XOXO,

GIGI

Your Story…

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Gigi in Thoughts 2 Comments

rug pulled out from under you…

Sometimes you can feel as though a rug has been pulled out from under you, and life as you know it is totally different. It could be a relationship, financial, physical or a mental change and your world can suddenly seem upside down. At these times you will challenge your belief system and question the “why”. The older I get I am finding myself a witness to these stark changes that come like a stealth bomber in the night, catching everyone off guard, only to be awaken to mass destruction and the thought of where and how to start over.

stealth bomber

It does not have to be a negative change, the positive ones can wreck havoc as well. a career change, new relationship, relocating, a birth or something as simple as losing weight or changing a hairstyle.

Gigi @ big “50” “straight is for parties…

Week old hair from a WnG

I always have a loosely structured plan, one that can easily be adapted with a moments notice. Case and point when I did my photography program I envisioned myself being this extraordinary “family” photographer. I enjoyed that, but then on a whim I took this course from a woman photographer that specializes in women portraiture, and it was life changing. I realized that I love photographing women, I never get tired of coming up with ways to capture that light within and taking beautiful images that make my clients smile. I love nothing more than having a session with a client who shared that they cannot remember the last time they had a portrait taken.

Sign

I am fortunate to be setting my goals based on my dreams. Goals that are flexible enough that I know it is okay to vary the direction, if need be to make an occasional sharp turn or a detour to see something that may have been missed if I stayed on the main road. Life would not be nearly as interesting if it did not have some false starts, different beginnings, a few scandals, different characters, plots, part 2’s etc..

We all have our story, all of it may not be a page turner, but it is uniquely ours. Who wants the predictable story? Think about your life, your story and be true to yourself and your beliefs.

Dream Big!

Xoxo,

Gigi

photographer Gigi

When the Stars don’t Line Up…

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Gigi in My Life Comments Off

Stars

Do you every have a day when everything is off? And you wonder what the heck is going on? Well yesterday was that day. It started off when I could not find a client’s memory card, that had images that would have been irreplaceable. The thought of having to tell her that I “lost” her images made me sick to my stomach. I spent hours looking for it all the while thinking of what could I tell her, when out of no where it appeared, actually it was lodged between a book, don’t ask me how. Lesson learned.

Friday we are going to New Orleans for a medical meeting. I do all of our travel arrangements, so I’m looking for our flight reservation to print and I cannot find the email confirmation, I searched my credit cards and no record of any airline purchase. I realize somehow I FORGOT to buy the tickets, btw this is a meeting that all the opthamologists from all over the world attend, so I go online to purchase last minute tickets and the price has skyrocketed to 1600. each for coach tickets. I can’t pay 3500. to go to New Orleans for the weekend so I do my research and figure that we could fly to Mississippi for about 400. and then rent a car and drive.

The day continued on with incidence after incidence, you know the usual suspects, running late, can’t find a parking space etc., crazy traffic driving home. A friend calls to tell me that her son saw an intruder come in their backyard and steal her bike, mind you this is in a neighborhood that you would not think someone would do that at the “homework” hour with cars in the driveway.

off balance

The day ends with another friend telling me she had some diagnostic tests in which she will get the results on Thursday morning. Results that would be life changing, hearing the fear in her voice and trying to comfort her made me realize my little inconveniences were nothing in comparison. It put everything in perspective. We take so much for granted and get caught up in petty silly things that at the end of the day really don’t matter. Another reminder to savor each moment and really take time to smell the roses.

smell the roses

Roses from my garden…

Happy Wednesday,

Xoxo,

Gigi

Your Practice is YOUR Practice

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Gigi in My Life, Well-Being Comments Off

quote

Saturday night we attended a special 2 hour hot yoga event, the room was steamy, the reggae rhythm was bumping, the “quiet storm” perfect pitch voice our yoga teacher Scott was smoothly guiding us through the vinyasa flow. As I struggled through the poses I reminded myself that my practice is just that “my practice” my moment to be the best that I can be at that given moment, no more no less. Within ten minutes I was in my trance, not longer worrying about if my butt looked gi-normous in chair pose, or that my back bend was pretty lame, or that annoying fat roll was appearing when I did a side bend nor that my leg was not lifted as high as the rest of the yoginis. All of those conscious thoughts disappeared as I moved through the poses, taking an occasional child’s pose when needed for a short reprise.

After about an hour or so, my emotions began to come to the surface, perhaps it was when Scott said something like “release what binds you, so you can be free” I felt my eyes as they began to fill with water, slowly releasing tears that merged with the salty sweat forming a shiny glow on my face. I continued the poses with a spurt of energy, thankful for this time, for my life, my breath and my sanity.

I realized that the key to real happiness is accepting your personal best, rather than comparing yourself to your neighbor, friend, relative, or stranger, I may not ever do a beautiful headstand in the center of the room and that is OK. In life it is easy to compare ourselves with others, but when you are able to “let it go” and accept that your personal best is good enough, you eliminate the “keeping up with the Joneses” effect or the “green eyed” jealousy and her partner envy at bay. Find contentment with your own success and growth, I can do my passion without worrying about if I will be a six figure earning photographer or if I will be famous, shooting magazine covers.

I can do “ME” without thinking about if I am meeting someone else’s expectations. I can accept my imperfections and mistakes and I can forgive and forget. Free from the judgement of others or the petty punishments inflicted, I can purpose to improve on yesterdays actions and continue to “practice” and give my best.

I practice at Purple Yoga– a fabulous studio with awesome teachers. Scott Winslow led Saturday nights class.

Namaste XOXO,

Gigi

yoga class

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