Bruise Cruise Fashion: Part Two

Update: The passport has arrived.

I'm now official to travel internationally as Monica McGivern.

Yesterday was just an amazing day. I was wearing everything from Versace to vintage! Thanks again KISMET!

All Images by Liam Milano

You can view more of Liam's artwork here!! Including a Polaroid of our shoot yesterday.

And now, more photos! Please feel free to comment about which outfits would be best!

Outfit # One. With and Without jacket



Outfit #2
Classic tourist dress made hip with the cotton belt.



Me with a Flamingo



Aly & Me





I have to admit with my normally yogic balanced brain it's been quite some time that I've been this swept up in the current of excitement. An important lesson I've experienced through my practice has allowed me to recognize that it's not that yogis find a way to permanently relax, it's the the ability to create the capacity to relax DESPITE all that is happening. Exciting events and happiness can be just as (if not more) distracting as their opposites. No need to judge for or against that which arises. Enjoy each experience as it is, an opportunity to learn about ourselves. :)

Bruise Cruise Fashion: Part One

What a day! I am very grateful to Aly Gore and Liam Milano, as well as Daniel Millay. Today I relinquished my camera to "model" a bit. More photos soon, but for now enjoy this silly one from today's shoot:


Me photographed as I re-enact the "Jack and Rose moment."

Bruise Cruise: ANTICIPATION!

Made the trek to Miami yesterday to get my passport in order. The form was the last of the paperwork to organize in the "I'm Never Changing my Name Again" file I'd made sometime close to my wedding in May.


Who knew there's so much involved??

The passport process was pretty simple considering there's only nine days until we set sail on the Bruise Cruise, and I'll have my amended passport in hand just two days* after I submitted the paperwork (*IF I want to drive back to Miami to pick it up.) I opted to receive it by mail so the worst part is awaiting for it to arrive in the mailbox. It SHOULD be here either Monday of Tuesday.

What are rockers supposed to wear on a Bahamas cruise anyway?
To help the time pass, my Bruise Cruise guest and friend Aly and I are doing a fashion photoshoot tomorrow featuring the clothes found at Kismet! I can't wait to see what Aly picked out for me to wear :)

In anticipation of the trip I posted this little video of my last visit to the Bahamas in 2007.
My dorky laugh makes me laugh every time I watch this.


The view.


Shark behind glass.

In the Studio: Palm Beach County Music Photographer

I love the sound of the sitar. Yesterday Kevin R. Williams joined me in the studio for a photosession.

Free download of Kevin's personal project:

Download the whole album here.


First we hit up Kismet in Delray Beach to grab a few clothes options. I can't say enough about Kismet. While waiting for Kevin to arrive I enjoyed watching peoples' reactions upon entering the colorful shop. There's always so much to discover! Each piece selected is done so through the discerning and fashionable eyes of Aly Gore. In most stores you have to look for a particular style and then see if the size will fit. At Kismet there are so many beautiful pieces that it's really just a matter of making sure it fits, and then the trouble of not buying EVERYTHING!



Sorry if it sounds like I'm trying to "sell" anyone on this place, but as you might guess, I really like the place. Aly and I were chatting one day and came to the mutal agreement that we both try to make people look, and feel "cool." She uses fashion, and I utilize photography. Look forward to more photos with Kismet as we're planning a photoshoot around our preparations of our cruise attire. So excited for the Bruise Cruise! In fact, the next time I see Kevin it will most likely be on the ship as he's currently playing bass guitar for Surfer Blood and someday I hope they'll add sitar to the mix...


More sitar! Sitar is the new cowbell.

South Florida Music Photographer: John Ralston LP is here!

Thanks again to John Ralston for allowing me to be involved! Just got BOTH of my copies (yes I had him sign them!) one in a translucent red, and the other in white. Makes for a great Christmas in February present. It's John Ralston, he gets to celebrate the holidays whenever he chooses.

SPIN Magazine: Bruise Cruise Giveaway

In an interesting twist of fate, I won SPIN Magazine's Grand Prize Giveaway. It's still surreal and yet surprisingly perfect news in every way. I know there are so many people who are sad that they don't get to go, but I hope that me being the observant person photography has trained me to be, I can report about the event to make everyone feel as if they were there too.

South Florida Music: John Ralston and Friends

I wrote my first review for New Times!

CLICK HERE to read about John Ralston's official White Spiders album release party.