less is more/peace

i think this will be my last post on this blog. it's too busy in here. and it's too exposing. i'm finding it hard to keep up with my online persona and to be honest i've lost interest in figuring out how much is too much or not enough or who's reading and what is real or cool. i got wrapped up in my own self-perceived hype.

so i'm starting over with a new blog. it's nameless at the moment. it's simple. free of dramatic sequels and tokens of my imaginary coolness. it's so much quieter there and i feel better about sharing it than i ever did about sharing this, my dysfunction and pretentiousness sloppily packaged in widgets, photos and prose. to my two-point-five readers, thanks for riding with me. i hope you'll join me on the next leg.

yes, less is more and i'm ready to give that a try.

peace,
laetiçia :)

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i'm tired and distracted. ms. badu said less is more. common sense to me, as i stand here shoulders sore, knuckles pale, frustrated and out of breath. i need to take a break before i break something.

see you on the other side.

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ben kenney: conception + the funeral

dope track from former roots member/current incubus bassist, ben kenney. came across his solo work way late, but i love it! have a listen.



visit his website (www.benkenney.com/) for more.

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heartbreak in toronto

i found a $75 flight to toronto. that's where i am now. i was invited to audition for cirque du soleil this morning and i rearranged my work schedule, missed class and rehearsal to come here. i'm staying with the family of a former student. the audition was just like the last one in new york, same auditors, same combination, same fabric numbers and gold safety pins. again, i didn't make the first cut. they only kept men, contemporary dancers who tumble and dancers who did anything other than contemporary. i planned to be here for the call back (which i knew i wouldn't get), just in case. my bus doesn't leave until tomorrow night at 9p :/

i've had a headache most of the weekend and i'm on my rag and i'm tired and sick. and bummed i didn't do my best this morning. and annoyed that i came all this way to not leave with a contract or the chance to say "at least i got a call back". i'm planning on leaving my job by june 8... in 3 months... 13 weeks actually. i need to have a full paying dance gig before then. i can't leave without something else lined up. and i refuse to go to retail or something else out of desperation...

patience and faith... patience and faith...

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chemical brothers: let forever be

this video is somewhere near the top of my favorite videos. it's trippy as hell and the choreography is timeless. enjoy!

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random chatter: everyday i'm hustlin'

1. these last few days have been at once hectic and enlightening and emotional and empowering. i made a lot of decisions, some i'm happy with, others i'm a bit regretful of. but i'm too much thinker-feeler. not enough doer. so i have to keep moving. stay on the path. the momentum's back, but it's got me seeing things as they relate to reality. no flying high on grand faith and feeling. i'm going to make these dreams of mine real life. this year has to be the year. i can't see the possibilities outside of my goals. this plan has to work. there is no plan b.

2. in the last week, i've auditioned like mad. i went ahead and crashed that cirque audition. for all my nervousness, i wasn't asked a thing. i was cut right away, but they have my things now. i'm hoping to go to their march audition in toronto. i haven't heard from ase yet *crossing fingers*, but i went out for another company inspirit dance based in brooklyn, which i landed. i have my first rehearsal this weekend. go me!

3. i discovered something a few days ago. my life was in perfect order when i was a disciplined student of dance. when i was taking class religiously and even with the stress of school and work, i got it done. i feel overwhelmed and just a step behind myself. so i'm getting back to it. i have to be dancing everyday, as exercise, as education, as reward, as work, as pay, as release.

4. i'm going to youngstown, oh at the end of the month. to judge a dance competition. as a kid, my local dance studio was way too avant garde for the competition scene, so i don't know the first thing about the competitive dance world. the stereotypes i have of these sort of events include underdressed, terribly trained preteen divas and the egomaniacal stage-momzillas who enable them. there will probably be a lot of bad dancing. a lot of glitter and neon lycra. but the pay is good and the organizers are covering for my flight, hotel room and meals, so i'm down!.

this covers my outta the city resolution for february. i was getting worried because my dc plans got tripped up... flaky people are the worst.

phil's from youngstown. le sigh.

5. i had my teacher training midterm last week. i stressed over it so much i wasn't sleeping! i had to create a lesson plan to present to the class. in the end, my teachers and my classmates loved my work. the comments and feedback i received were so rewarding! work hard, be successful.

6. i stood up to the two bullies in my life last week. on a whim in both the instances. i don't generally like confrontation, but i hate being treated like less than. one instance backfired and may cost me a mutual friend and a regular gig, and though there may have been other ways i could have handled it, i think the result could have happened no other way... c'est la vie. the other instance has laid the groundwork for every step i'll take from now on--most importantly, the ones to and out the door.

7. i told my boss that if i get a touring gig, i'd take it and wouldn't look back. i'll have been working there 6 years on my birthday this summer. that's much longer than i wanted. i'm ready to go. i'm waiting patiently for my escape plan to materialize. *geevus take the wheeeel!*

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on: auditioning (part 2)

1. i auditioned for ase dance theater collective this evening and all the stress and fatigue i've been feeling melted away. there were several moment tonight where i found myself on the brink of tears or feeling uncontrollably happy. i was an incredibily inspiring audition and even if i don't get the gig, i'm happy have had the opportunity to leave with so many seeds.

2. i think i'm going to make it a habit to improv more often. i always feel so relaxed and receptive after improving. another resolution maybe?

3. there's an exclusive, agency-only audition for a dream gig this weekend. it happens to be an eight-hour audition... for which i've not submitted any materials and i'm not certain i'll even be permitted to participate since i'm not with the agency called... and i don't even have a dance agent. decisions. decisions.

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dancing vs. being broke

imagine my frustration and sadness as i sit here, eyes glassy, shoulders sore, fingers shaky from hours hunched at my desk while there are agents in the conference room shuffling through headshots and watching reels. i'm overhearing conversations between choreographers and producers. i'm watching students improve and be recognized. i'm saying "have a good rehearsal!", "merde! you'll be great tonight!", and "have a wonderful time on your all expense paid two-week teaching gig in australia!" i'm winding down and feeling stuck and wishing for the courage to just say "fuck it! i'm a dancer!"

do care about dancing more than i care about being broke?

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i want to be dancing

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3/365

3/365, originally uploaded by lettuce_move.

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așa: fire on the mountain

i purchased așa's latest self-titled album this afternoon. her video for the album's first single, 'fire on the mountain' is dope.



visit her website (www.asa-official.com)

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2/365

2/365, originally uploaded by lettuce_move.

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1/365

1/365, originally uploaded by lettuce_move.

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face: miss bruno x mac brunette

face
prescriptives custon concealer + studio tech nw50 foundation + prescriptives custom liquid foundation (center) + deep dark blot powder + gold deposit mineralized skin finish.

eyes
brow nanogold shadow (highlight) + earthly riches minerlized shadow. lid contrast shadow (corner) + parfait amour shadow. crease shadowy lady. liner henna shadow (lower lash). lashes pro longlash in pitchblack.

cheeks
format powder blush + merrily mineralized blush.

lips
chestnut lip liner + sephora ultrashine lip gloss in brown + gold deposit mineralized skin finish.

[inspiration] x [inspiration]
*all makeup is mac cosmetics unless otherwise noted

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2009 Resolution N°2: project365

i thought about beginning a project365 (in which i take a picture a day for the next year) on new year's day, but january sort of came and went so fast i hardly had a moment to enjoy it! so i'm starting 31 days late and i'll end it a year from yesterday. i'm looking forward to this little project. i've been reading about other people's experiences doing this. how much they learned about themselves and what's important to them. this will be interesting.

stay tuned...

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out of the city: philly

one down, eleven to go! i spent my first venture outside of new york hanging with my home girl in philly. though the temperature was frigid and much of the sites to see wear closed on sunday, i still had a good time chatting, dinning and exploring. we did a lot of window shopping and then eating. a few of my favorite things ;)

the first thing i noticed was how attractive the men in philly are. just my steez--cool, brown, and furry faced. other than that, it's close enough to new york in terms of it's public transportation, performing art scene, and cool kid culture, that i'd considered making the city my home. i'll be back in philly soon, if not for the men, then most certainly the dance opportunities. i was so happy to discover philadephiadance.org. i've already found a guest teaching job that i want to submit for. now that i've seen how easy and inexpensive it is to travel to philly (i ♥ bolt bus), i think i'll be aiming for work there real soon. stay tuned...

grazing at ubiq









i gotta get these into my life!



a day trip ends blissfully with truffled mac + cheese. yum!


i'll be back soon philly!

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home: cotton clock

in an ideal world, this would find it way into my massive future imaginary chelsea loft.

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ihardlyknowher.com

just stumbled across ihardlyknowher.com, a streamlined, minimalist take on Flickr's busy interface a la Muxtape. It's actually created by the same designer and it's quite lovely. the photos are the main event with the photo info hidden until you scroll over the image. simple and to the point.



check out my site at ihardlyknowher.com/lettuce_move

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Oren Lavie: Her Morning Elegance

A lovely gem I found on the front page of MySpace (who knew?).

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Beautiful Change!

Preseident Obama looks so fly in his suit... just as cool as he wanna be! Poor Michelle looks exhausted, but she looks beautiful in that gown. The Obamas are such an inspirational couple--I feel such a sense of motivation and focus when I see these two together. I feel like love is real, that success is attainable and anything is truly possible. Congratulations Mr. President and THANK YOU!

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Want It: ModCloth

Check out these incredible vintage and vintage repro pieces from ModCloth.

Golden Chrysanthemum Dress, $85

Boca Raton Tunic by Orion, $70

Best of Both Coasts Dress by Plastic Island, $130

Little Miss Dress (in gray or mauve), $60

Clara Bow Dress, $40


Midwinter Night's Dream Coat, $150

[www.modcloth.com]

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Want It: Custom LoveLife Sundress

I own a skirt from Felice Pappa's LoveLife Collection and I'm a fan of her fabric designs, particularly her Frida Kohlo print. I saw the long version dress by the fashion line on Addy & Ferro's blog (♥) last summer, but somehow I missed it. So I called the company up this afternoon to find out if I could somehow get my hands on the dress and it turns out, I can get it made to my specifications. I'm going to order it strapless with sweetheart neck and in maxi length. It's going to be my favorite dress evar!

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Kiley Granberg: Nut + Bolt Wedding Bands

Sweet and unique wedding bands by Canadian artist Kiley Granberg.



[kileygranberg.com]

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Wishlist #6: New Gear for the New Year

1. Thugs & Kisses Leather Handbag by Tano, $198. 2. Leather Credit Card File by Abas, $24.50. 3. Beaded Cowl Neck Top by Silence & Noise, $35 4.Black Zoey Boot by Dolce Vita, $200. 5. Dressed Down Leather Handbag by Tano, $250.

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Bought it: Tano Handbag

I bought my first Tano a few years ago at Addy & Ferro (♥). It was my first highend bag purchase, but I thought it was a good investment considering it's style, practicality and quality were a far cry from the shoddy street vendor sacs I used to tote. My fanhood was further solidified when I ruined the bag in a bike accident. I went back to Addy & Ferro to find out if there was any sort of warranty that covered the damage. Yes! The folks at A&F took the bag, sent it off to Canada and a week later I picked up a brand new version of the exact bag at no charge. Bananas. Since, the only bags I buy are Tano. Well worth the price and so so stylish. I love my very first Tano (a chocolate brown shopper) but it's so annoying to deal with a shoulder bag in the winter--they always slide down my arm. And because I want to get out of the habit of carrying a huge amount of stuff I don't need, I purchased a new sling bag that leaves my arms frustration free :).

Check out the rest of their incredible collection at www.tanobag.com

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james jean: kindling

i first saw the work of california-based artist, james jean on prada's website last year. he created the concept for a beautifully animated short film trembed blossoms featuring prada's fall 2008 line. i came across his website recently and I really love his work. he's on display through 7 february at the jonathan levine gallery. go see.



www.jamesjean.com

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on: almost learning my lesson...

i told him it wasn't working and while, at first, i was sad to be alone again, i'm so proud of myself for having the sense to say 'no, thank you!' i saw history repeating and i put the kibosh on an increasingly frustrating situation. so, here i am single again, free to move as i please...

and i still work for him. that's right folks, i couldn't talk my way out of it and so i still have to deal with him. i'm not worried about it being awkward and i'm more annoyed by him than angered. it feels more like a distraction. i'm so motivated toward my goals and i've got so much to juggle, something not worth the trouble need not be part of the equation. i'm remaining firm, however, and i feel like this process will be another great lesson.

pray for me.

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2009 Resolution N°1: Leave New York Once Monthly

Traveling is my second love and this year I'm making myself a promise to leave New York once a month. I want to know what's popping off in other cities, what the dance scene is like, eat the food, talk to people, take photos, explore and educate myself. Here's what I've loosely planned through the summer.

January: Philly (first time!) for vintage shopping, cafe hopping, and chilling with my homegirl.

February: DC (first time!) to visit my peoples and to shake my ass a bit in the nation's capital.

March: Niagara Falls? Toronto? Montreal? *shrugs* Somewhere north.

April: N. Hollywood to visit my sister, her new gallery/performance/event space, and to do it up BIG in LA.

May: Boston for my other favorite cousin's graduation from Bible School.

June/July: Europe! The trajectory is Amsterdam, Rotterdam, London, Paris, Copenhagen, Malmo, Gothenberg and Stockholm. Possible work could bring me to Łódź, Poland and Berlin. More on this later...

Later this year, I want to head down to Durham (for the American Dance Festival), Miami, Chicago, Detroit, and Northern Haiti (to visit my other favorite cousin). I think this is possibly the best resolution I've come up with! Go me. I plan to post about each city of course, so stay tuned!

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Guide to Fresher Lettuce: 2009 Edition

1. Bonne Année, Bonne Santé! I'm feeling 180° from where I was just a few days ago. The new year brought an incredible momentum that I pray won't evaporate. It feels so good to feel motivated towards an ultimate goal. I'm very excited about this year and as a matter of fact I'm quite proud of all that I accomplished in 2008. I had to sit and remind myself that while it might feel like my drive waned toward the end of the year, all that I'm doing is moving me in the right direction. I can be assured of that. I was recently approached with a request to teach abroad. While I'm not totally confident in my experience, this will only be a rung on my ladder, for better or worse. I just need to stay focused and get a press kit together, most importantly a performance/choreography reel. More on that soon.

2. I spent my first New Year's Eve out this year. I shelled out $30 for the AfroPunk/Coup D'etat Brooklyn Punk N' Paint Party. It was in a loft in Soho with some of the scene's well known live painters lining the walls and Dante's Fried Chicken providing the grub. I rolled solo, and while I generally avoid drinking when I'm not around people I trust, I wanted to throw my inhibitions out with 2008. I happily took advantage of the open bar and the cheap drink tickets and quickly went from nice to inebriated by 1am. I left not long after that, sliding all the way down the steep staircase from the 4th floor walkup, not feeling confident enough in my really high, slightly loose pumps to make down upright. I did manage to snag a number before I stumbled out. Go me. The three-plus-hour trip home was cold and frustrating and my bed couldn't have been more welcoming when I finally got to it. I'm proud of myself for going out alone and having a blast alone and having the good sense to make it home alone and in one piece. I let myself get discouraged sometimes, especially when I'm feeling tired. I want to be more social and this is how I have to make it happen. *pats self on the back*

3. I somehow never got around to making a list of resolutions in 2008 and I feel okay with that because I didn't put pressure on myself to get shit done. I just jumped at opportunities and was patient with the outcomes. This year, I'm going to be more proactive, however, and go a even further than just a list of resolutions. This year's Guide to Fresher Lettuce is a list of predictions. Inspired by this post, these are the moves I'm making in '09, no pressure, simply presence:

1. I will travel outside of New York once a month, exploring US cities through the spring and finally making my way to Europe this summer. I've already contacted former students overseas and friends in the States for advice and places to rest my head. I've gotten affirmative responses from everyone, further solidifying the accuracy of this prophecy!

2. I will set the foundation for being a self-employed Certified Pilates Instructor/Teaching Artist/Performer/Choreographer in 2009. I will develop a brand name, market myself, educate myself and make a comfortable living as an artist. 2009 will be the year I more match my salary currently sitting on my bum, as an artist.

3. I will immerse myself in the young art scene that in 2008 I so longed to be a part of. In 2009, I will have made a name for myself worthy of the interest of the powers that be.

4. In 2009, I will teach and land a performing job overseas.

5. Love will take a backseat to my career in 2009, saving me the distraction and heartache I suffered in 2008.

Here's to maintaining momentum in '09.
Cheers!

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Cleaning pipes

I'm starting a cleanse in 10 days. You can follow my progress here.

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Last Shoe Buy of 2008

I wish I had my camera with me on Wednesday! New Year's Eve turned out to be a pretty fun evening, though I chose to roll solo and though I drank far more than I could handle. I still feel a little wonky. Everything fell into place quite beautiful though, most notably the discovery and lucky purchase of these incredible shoes by Report Signature. Gold lame D'Orsay peep toe with sky high 4" clear heel and skull & crystal detail on its super low vamp. Originally priced at around $175, your girl scored these bad boys for a mere $26.50 at 5pm on Wednesday at the best shoe store in the city, Shoegasm on 23rd. More proof that I am quite possibly the world's best shopper.

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