Love Me Right - Behind the Scenes

Last spring I had to most amazing opportunity to shoot my music video for Love Me Right in the most stunning home (MY ACTUAL DREAM HOME) in Altadena, CA.

I just came across these photos again the other day and was confused as to why I’ve never shared them.

With the support and love of my friends, I was able to make this video happen.

Love Me Right is all about respect, it’s about love, it’s about wanting to be seen and wanting to be appreciated. I wanted to share these photos to appreciate and support those who helped me create it.

Anica, our producer extraordinaire. I’m grateful for her.

My team <3 JonPaul, Andy (Our director), and Bradley.

For this shoot, I had no clothing budget so I had to get very creative with my options! As I often do, I thrifted some of the pieces and upcycled what I already had, and was gifted some of the other pieces.

Outfit # 1: Mellow Yellow - The top was a Vintage Victoria Secret PJ top I thrifted, the jeans were a gift from Boyish Denim (They are an eco-friendly company and make their jeans with recycled cotton), Scissor Earring and Sterling Choker from Danica Stamenic, who let me use so many beautiful pieces from her collection for this shoot. Most of the jewelry you’ll see in these photos are courtesy of her. Nameplate and Cherub necklace were a gift from Shami.

Outfit # 2: HEART - For this coat, my number one inspiration was Shu Shu tong, one of my favorite designers. I had this black coat already so I cropped it so it could be worn as a dress and stitched hearts all over it. I paired it with some knee-high socks and shoes from ASOS that I already owned.

Outfit #3: Lady Luck - I wanted to go very chic lady tux on this one and I did just that. I thrifted this whole outfit. I found a pair of men’s slacks and cropped them into shorts, I loved the idea of the lace underneath to make it feel a little bit more feminine. I sewed the pearl buttons to the front of the cropped blazer. They actually didn’t work so I ended up having to sew the blazer on to actually wear it.

Outfit #4: Flower child - To make this dress used a vintage bedsheet. Using the elastic edges for the top and straps. My grandma used to be the queen of a halter dress and this reminded me of her. I literally made this dress in a few hours, by hand, the day before we were supposed to shoot!

Outfit #5: Black Ruffle - This was another dress that I owned and loved the bottom but the top of it just did not fit me, so I took the bottom off and attached it to a blazer. I added the ruffles and wrapped them around to the back and then sewed on vintage flower patches. At first, I was unsure about the flowers but decided it fit the mood.

Outfit #6: Pick WICK Baby - This stunning Vintage Chloe floral dress was a gift from my friend and my mom Kristen Bell. We found it at the Pick Wick Vintage Show in Burbank, CA. Underneath I wore a blouse by River Island that I already owned. I have always dreamt about making a cooking show wear beautiful designer clothing and felt that this was the manifestation of that dream.

Bantu knots by my lovely friend and neighbor Tina Deshawn.

The London Guide

Top 10 Favorite Places To Visit in London:

ONE: Dishoom
22 Kingly Street, London W1B 5QP, EnglanD

There are six locations and i’ve been to four of them. I’ve been multiple times on one trip because it’s that good!!!! Indian food is my favorite and this is some of the best indian food i’ve ever had. Chicken ruby is a must. House chai is a must. Everything else is also a must. Going here is a must. If you go as soon as dinner starts you’ll be able to sit down pretty quickly, as soon as the dinner rush gets going you could wait for up to an 1 1/2. You can have cocktails while you wait so it’s usually not too bad!

Two: Beigel Bake
159 Brick Lane, London E1 6SB, England

Hot Salt Beef Bagels. Need I say more?

You must get it with the pickles and horseradish mustard. Incredible flavor, great price (£4.50). Know what you want once you get to the front and have your cash ready, as the cashiers play no games and wait for no man. There’s been a long line every time i’ve gone but it usually moves really quickly. If the wait is long it will be worth it.

Three: Hyde Park
London W2 2UH, England

The most beautiful, expansive park. There’s sculptures, statues, art instillations, a cafe, lawn chairs, paddle boats you can rent, and it’s the perfect place for a picnic. There’s also so many species of birds which makes bird watching so much fun here!

Four: MoCaFE Tea room
25 Heddon Street, London W1B 4BH, England (Mayfair)

This is one of my favorite tea rooms in London, mainly because of the decor and ambiance. They have traditional British tea cakes as well as Moroccan food and treats. This was difficult for me to find the first time I went - It’s located in an alley (Heddon St.) right off of Regent St., next door to the Momo restaurant.

Five: Leyas
20 Camden High Street, London NW1 0JH, England

Favorite brunch and coffee in Camden. So easy, really affordable, and delicious. I always like to get the avo, lemon, chili toast or Leyas Breakfast. They also have sandwiches ready to go, which makes for a quick ‘n easy lunch!

Six: Tate Modern
53 Bankside, London SE1 9TG, England

What I really love about the few museums i’ve been to in London is that the building itself is always so stunning. The Tate Modern is chic and industrial, just seeing the architecture and design is an experience in and of itself. The main museum is free, unless you’re seeing a special exhibit. There’s a couple of cafes you can have a coffee at. If you go up to the top floor you get a view of the city!

Seven: Sketch Gallery
9 Conduit Street, London W1S 2XG, England

Every time that i’ve been to London, i’ve been to Sketch. It’s safe to say I love it. I’ve never had a meal there, just dessert and tea. It’s the most affordable option and you can still go around as well as take photos. The only room you need a reservation for is the David Shrigley Pink Gallery and the minimum price is £50 pounds a head. If you’re looking to go all out that’s your room.

Eight: Bosphorus Kebab
59 Old Brompton Rd, Kensington, London SW7 3JS, UK

There’s kebab on just about every block in London, but this for me was a stand out. It’s a tiny hole in the wall and there isn’t much seating but if you’re alone or with a small group it’s fine! The meat is prepared so quickly and the portions are really good! I shared a plate and was still satisfied in the end. The flavors are incredible and the people that work here are really kind.

Nine: Victoria & Albert Museum
Cromwell Rd, Knightsbridge, London SW7 2RL, UK

This is probably on every London tourist list ever made. There’s a reason for that! This museum is stunning! Again, this museum is free unless you’re going to see a special exhibit. Right after having Kebab from Bosphorus, you can hop over to this museum. There’s a really sleek modern addition to the museum with a cafe so you can have a some tea or coffee if you need a break from art gazing.

ten: Dover Street Market
18-22 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4DG

Five floors of beautiful clothing. Everything from high fashion to streetwear. A few different designers have their own instillations with their clothing - it’s really fascinating to see everyone’s different take on style and art. On the top floor is Rose cafe. Really nice and the staff is always friendly.

getting around the city:

The easiest way i’ve found to get around the city is the public transportation. Tubes and buses. You can get an Oyster card and load it up for however many day’s you’ll be in town and use it for both. The double decker buses are so fun to ride! Uber’s can be so slow during the daytime with all of the traffic and can be really overpriced! They do come in handy for late nights, but there are 24 hr buses as well.

Photobooths:

I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t leave a section specifically for photo booths. You can find them in Ace Hotel, Shoreditch House, and all of the major tube stations. (Victoria, Euston, etc.)

Happy Travels! If this list comes in handy to you at all please leave a comment and let me know!

While the world is falling apart

Sometime around September and October of 2017 we (Cyberlarge) were shooting my boyfriend, Mackeson's, music video. We shot some in Mexico and some in the mountains of the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles. These are some photos that we shot that day. Some of these were printed into Mackeson's zine and will be available for purchase. I've been wanting to share these for some time, so now i'm able to! Exciting! 

Photos by J. Bilhan, Tyler Swanner, and Hannah Anderson.