Bootyful Fitness!

I filmed another segment last week -- the FIRST in Toronto so far, if you can believe it.

We drove north of the city to film with Tosca Reno, a former fitness competitor and current author, fitness model and mom (I'm not even sure that I've covered ALL of her roles). It's pretty incredible that I've been buying Oxygen Magazine since the early days of University, and had probably read endless columns and seen Tosca's photo demonstrating workouts numerous times, and never thought that our paths would one day cross.

You might be wondering why I'd be filming with a fitness pro if my film's on butts. I've had people say to me: people who do "fitness" (and I guess they really mean cardio and weight-training that trims down) don't have butts. First of all, to me fitness means cardio+weight training... and the latter, I know for a fact, also is great at building muscles as opposed to just toning them. Secondly, though I'm making a film on accepting your booty as is.... I am not advocating being UNHEALTHY!

I think this is an important distinction. I grew up with a very health-conscious family. I think back to the meals of my childhood: cream of wheat or something from the health food store called "bear mush" for breakfast, raisins and panda natural licorice for snacks.... I remember eating yogurt before yogurt had really caught on as a mainstream treat.... I think, in a way, my imposed super healthy diet was too restrictive and resulted in some major candy binges in my "rebellious tween years"... but ultimately, the groundwork was laid out for an awareness of healthy eating.

And I've always been athletic too.... In grade school and particularly in middle school (when girls were beginning to realize they were "girls" and as such, needed to do appropriate "girl" things... such as watching the boys play sports), myself and a couple other "tomboys" would play sports along with the same guys. This was back before I realized that I was more muscular than most other girls... but in sports, this was to my advantage.

Playing sports from a young age has also made me realize that I'm going to insist my children -- sons or daughters -- take up recreational sports early in life and stick to them... especially as they hit puberty. I feel strongly that this allows girls a fighting chance of not developing major body image issues and eating disorders. I can see how an activity like ballet might perpetuate image issues at the age puberty begins... so I'm thinking more along the lines of tennis, soccer...soccer, especially!

Anyhow, in my particular case, I think I started off on the right track and sort of lost touch with my sporty side -- as I already had my body image issues as I entered high school. Case in point: I was the only "bottom heavy" girl on our cross-country running team. Really funny because I totally contradicted the tall, lithe physique generally associated with the sport -- I really had more of a spriter's physique! I also played volleyball (again, breaking the mold as a shortie on the team) but with the bonus of having a killer overhand serve (thank you biceps!) and soccer.... This was also around the time that I'd feel really disturbed when older men would approach me and ask if I "worked out". This was before working out was more commonplace. And I didn't understand what they were referring to. Did they mean lift weights? That would suggest I was a musclebound chick, because only bodybuilders did that (remember, this was the early 90s...) Was it a compliment? What made them think I "worked out"? And how could they tell this about me when I was fulled clothed? It plagued me for a long time... and eventually, I got better about it. I also realized that toned arms, and especially developed quads, hams, and glutes, are hard to hide. They fill out yout clothes in a certain way. My confidence grew even more when I actually started "working out" and realized how easily I could build muscle while many others really struggled to... But anyhow...

I've gone on a major tangent....At least now you know why fitness is important to me ....back to Tosca.

She is a major inspiration to me because she's had THREE KIDS and now in her forties, is at the peak of her fitness... She works hard at it and now wants to share her techniques with other women. Fitness has transformed her life.

It's fascinating to me that she was once a heavier woman who got serious about losing weight and discovered a flatt butt underneath the extra pounds. So, whereas I believe I came out of the womb with a curvy bottom, Tosca had to CREATE hers, through her own hard work and not some doctor's handiwork.

How fabulous is she???

With a face and body like that, she could probably get away with being a diva.... but, she's extremely down-to-earth! She draws you in, you get the sense that she really understands you and wants to sympathize with you. Her "motto" or "tagline" is "I'm always listening".... and it's not a cheesy gimmick. From spending the day with her, I really could see this amazing quality about her.

Although Tosca's got her hands full -- I initially stumbled upon her when I discovered "The Butt Book" -- her book about how to build a healthy butt through a good diet and fitness..... this is just the tip of the iceberg! And as she bounded here and there in between takes during the filming, I realized that this was one woman who could not slow down.... the world is her oyster and she wants to take it all in. Her latest book "The Eat Clean Diet" is selling like hotcakes. Who knows what the buzz will spawn next!

I also got to meet some of the amazing people behind (or probably more appropriately beside and even in front of) Tosca -- her hubby Robert Kennedy, her lovely makeup artist Franca and her competition outfit designer Berns. You really get a sense of a person by the types of people they surround themselves with -- and this group is such a positive, healthy, go-getter bunch!

The best part about the whole day, other than filming an incredible segment, is the fact that I wanted to be healthier by the end of the day. Having spent all day observing her lifestyle, her commitments to healthy eating and training, and the sacrifices she makes, I didn't leave Tosca's feeling like I was guilted into being better with my diet and lifestyle... I was motivated and inspired into being better. And I think this is why so many women are drawn to her and why she'll do well with more seminars and workshops....

Check her out! She's Canadian-born and bred, folks!

www.toscareno.com

Even fitness can be bootyful!

A Glorious moment for "America"!

So I post about my greatest nightmare -- a world full of clones. And a day later, America Ferrera wins a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy!

I've loved her ever since I saw her in Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants. Now I definitely need to see "Real Women Have Curves", especially based on the film I'm making.

She would be a GREAT interview. I should try?

Anyhow, my heart almost burst with joy at her speech and at this incredibly significant moment in the progress of women and body image. And also the fact that she made a point to mention what this means to young girls all over the country who write to her specifically to let her know that they can identify with her and are overjoyed to see someone "like them" on TV.

This is what I'm trying to do with my film. Present a new breed of role models for young girls that did not exist when I was growing up.

It will be exciting to follow America and how her career changes and evolves as a result of this monumental accomplishment!

Feeling inspired....
Tatyana

LA -- Known for its Hips & Curves???

I'm just a bit more than halfway through filming... hard to believe considering how much we've been through already!

Hopped on another plane and flew from San Francisco to LA. We were eager to hit Venice Beach and hopefully get some lovely beach booty shots. Of course, the cold spell followed us and spoilt that plan. I still find it ironic that I escape to California to escape Toronto's cold, and I keep being confronted with winter weather! While we were in LA, pretty much the entire citrus crop was frozen solid by the frigid air!

It may have been cold outside....but indoors, things were about to turn steamy with our next shoot!

Presenting... Hips & Curves online lingerie. Deliciously sexy lingerie for the full-figured woman. If anyone knows how to work a plentiful tushie, it's these ladies!

Hottest part of the day: the fact that voluptuous women can rock lingerie like no other women can....

Funniest part of the day: the priceless expressions of the handful of delivery guys who peeked into the office (complete with burgundy boudoir set right smack in the middle of it!) and quickly shut the front door again -- they all totally thought they had walked in on a PORN shoot!

Most inspiring moment of the day: ALL of it. Thus far, this particular shoot and the women behind it have left the most powerful impression on me:

Brandi and Jonnie, the models who spoke to me about the pressure to be thin in La-La Land and growing up with butts that boys didn't necessarily covet...
Kizzie, the lighting director, who shared her passion to direct an incredible film featuring young girls that I would bend over backwards to help her with....
Veronica, the makeup artist, who has close ties to the burlesque world and who affirmed that my decision to explore this community was a good one...
Marcy, the style-maven-with-the-mostest -- for her warm, cheerful and supportive spirit. Her initial timidness on camera reminded me of how I get on camera...
And finally, Rebecca, the brains behind this incredible team and company. She was tireless, positive, and extremely accommodating. She turned on the charm and even became an on-camera host... and I will never forget that she was the conduit to meeting this lovely group of women.

To meet such a collective of strong women in a place like LA has been so gratifying for me. In the 2 times I've been here, I've managed to avoid Hollywood and Beverly Hills, and more or less the superficial, plastic side to this city. Instead, I've been able to wander through Santa Monica and Venice and meet talented, healthy and downright beautiful women.

Oh ya, and the lingerie was hot too. :)

What Is Beauty?

(photo from www.africanheritage.com)

I'm climbing on my soapbox today... be forewarned!

I've never really bought into the mainstream media's and Hollywood's definition of "beauty". Or the "ideals" they promote. While I do feel that we've definitely evolved and now bear witness to a much more diverse range of "faces" in the media than I experienced as a child.... I still feel as though, on the whole, the same ideal continues to be being chased by young girls.

I have always felt a bit different, in that I am a Caucasian woman who is not blonde, blue-eyed, and slim. It's made my "place" harder to locate and I'm still hard pressed to find media role models that I feel reflect my build and look. When Jennifer Lopez appeared in Selena, I could barely catch my breath. Could it be? A woman with HIPS and BUTT wearing skin tight white pants and causing a sensation? Yes, it was a triumph and a sigh of relief. But JLo is Hispanic and reflects a body type many Hispanic women have. As a "white gal" with some mediterannean features and a figure the origins of which I cannot pinpoint, I'm constantly questioning where I belong. Then there was Beyonce, who is both Caucasian and African-American -- but her hips have always been attributed to her black roots. It seems as though every time a white celebrity appears that I even begin to feel I can identify with, they whittle themselves away (Kelly Clarkson, Jenna Von Oy....).

I know that we are social beings and look for comfort in familiarity. I've looked for that familiarity and have not found it. This is perhaps why why I've always been a bit different from the general public in my outlook. I've developed into a person who finds true beauty in diversity. I am mesmerized by the uniqueness of a person's face, I gravitate towards defining features, I revel in what makes a person stand out.

Think about it for a second. What is real beauty? At the risk of sounding like a preachy DOVE ad, really think about it. If we all looked the same (or made efforts to achieve this sameness), would the world not be a boring, generic place?

Reflecting on the teen girls I see out there, a disturbing homogeneity becomes apparent -- the platinum-blonde-streaked hair, the eyebrows plucked into rail thin arches, the caked on makeup (especially black eyeliner) that doesn't necessarily flatter their unique complexions and colouring. I can appreciate the struggle to discover one's place in the world (ah, those memorable, tumultuous adolescent years!) and discovering one's identity. It's a phase we all go through in our quest to find ourselves. But how do we go about teaching and promoting the EMBRACING of our uniqueness as opposed to the pursuit of sameness?

I've had daydreams/nightmares about a society 100 years in the future where all diversity and variety has vanished. We're seeing it happen with the Big Box stores and globalization and gentrification. But the power of Hollywood and Paris Hilton reaching further and further, who's to say this universality doesn't one day affect the very appearance of the human race?

It's not fair to knock Paris. In many ways, I do respect that she maximizes the way she looks (although who knows what "look" she was actually born with). She hasn't gone the way of Barbie and inflated her chest, and actually WORKS WITH the fact that she is a thin, small chested woman. There's something to be said for that. However, she still does represent a singular beauty standard that we are seeing rippling througout the world.

My personal nightmare: a world of clone-like women. Which would explain why making films with diversity are so important to me. Maybe I won't change people's opinions, but I'm giving voice and exposure to women that I choose to identify and celebrate.

It is what makes us DIFFERENT that makes us BEAUTIFUL.

This has become my motto.

Tatyana

The Shimmy - San Francisco-Style!

After another day of lugging equipment and travelling, we're now in San Francisco!

The last time I was here, it was summer and I literally boarded a flight in LA in the morning, landed in San Francisco and spent the day meeting with a burlesque dancer by the name of "Kellita", before I boarded my plane and flew back to LA that night. The first day-trip flight of my life!

So this time around, I was a little better prepared. For the sporadic weather (a scarf and gloves, even though it was supposed to be balmy) and comfy shoes (not the platform espadrilles I climbed up and down Powell St. in last time).

Sure enough, the cold snap had followed us and I kept overhearing that San Francisco is never this cold in January! Suited me just fine as it was basically Toronto fall weather, which I love!

Another boutique hotel.... and another chunk of change in tips gone. But the Serrano hotel was just lovely! The rooms were super tiny and my mess was such that I opted to NOT take a photo of it. But if you're looking for an affordable place to stay in San Fran, I'd recommend the Serrano. Centrally located, nicely furnished and decorated, free wine tastings in the lobby each evening, and an awesome gym! There is nothing more unmotivating then stumbling down to work out early in the morning, only to discover a hotel's idea of a "gym" is a rickety old treadmill and possibly a stepper.... not the case here! So I took full advantage.

Ok, so because of our early flight, I had ample time to explore. Which resulted in a trip to Union Square and the main downtown mall. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Boxing Week apparently leads well into January and I scored some incredible deals. Need to make a career of this, I tell you!

But on to the real reason we were here -- the Lovely Kellita of Hot Pink Feathers! She won me over during my scouting/research trip with her incredible charisma and super-cute booty-shimmying samba-moves. I got to meet her other troupmates Kerricita and Trecita -- modern dancers-turned-burlesque performers.

I must admit -- this is one of the best gigs I've ever had! I get to meet all of these fabulous woman and draw strength from them....

(Oh ya, and watch them put on makeup.... which is always fun!)

How could you NOT be transfixed by these pretty-in-pink'n'orange ladies!

(just a little tease.... the picture not the girls!)

Kellita, thank you for donning a bikini in a freezing studio space and shimmying your tush off for my film! You and your ladies are a vision and if I could learn to move like that even just a smidge, I'm sure I'd be beating the men off with a stick!

Baby Got Back -- even Back in the Day!

Wow... time flies!

I returned last week from an intense little "West Coast" filming trip and realized, it's been a WEEK and I still haven't posted about it!

I've reprimanded myself and I am now moving on.

So here's the lowdown:

Last trip: 3 cities in 6 days

Challenge: Shoot 3 really cool segments in very time-crunched situations

Complications: 2 travelling crew members (including me) and 12 bags of gear, including personal stuff... a crazy freak winter storm following us from Toronto across to the West Coast... 3 hour time difference (you chuckle, but I get loopy when I'm thrown off my normal sleeping schedule) and boutique-style hotels (more on this later)

Bright side: I'm officially a professional airport hustler! (not the gangster-kind of "hustlelah" but rather one in transit who hustles quickly and effectively)

First stop -- Seattle

It didn't even occur to me to check the forecasts but a day prior, Mother Nature had unleashed a crazy snowstorm (which in this part of the world, means about 2 centimetres...or slightly more, hah!). So the city was strangely quiet. It was as if the snow had thrown people off kilter and they panicked and stayed home. The day before, roads had been closed, there were accidents a plenty.... Bizarre stuff! Of course, I didn't realize there had been a storm until I watched the news that first night -- so my first impression of Seattle was a bit of a ghost town!

(Seattle snow -- yes, I'm serious!)

To make things worse, I had been trying to kick a bug I had recently caught. I didn't manage to get better before the trip and as a result, I endured some major ear popping and pain on the plane. I've always had some problems with this, but the last few flights hadn't bothered me so I thought I was finally getting accustomed to cabin pressure. No such luck. As the plane full of babies bawled around me, I silently wept with them. To make matters worse, one ear got blocked and didn't unblock until the next day. So I got a little taste of what old age might bring me -- as I leaned in to catch conversations with my "good" ear. Annoying? Yes. Even more annoying: my ears proceeded to pop randomly for the next 3 days! I will never fly with a cold again!

So we check into our hotel -- the Warwick. Nice enough place. Reminded me of the older New York hotels. Since I always post hotel room photos, here you go:


(my room, before I unleashed my usual mass of stuff on it)

It was a nice change of pace to the Days Inns and the Best Westerns I had become accustomed to in production. I like a hotel with a bit of personality! Unfortunately with a boutique-hotel comes a tonne of staff to tip. Don't get me wrong -- I ALWAYS tip for service. But I like to take care of myself and when I'm not permitted to grab a bellcart to transport my own gear, or park my own car, I get nervous. It's not really about the money.... I just like to be self-sufficient (did you catch that, future suitors?). And I guess it does become about the money when you have TWELVE bags and a valet, a doorman, and a bellhop with palms to grease. Pros and cons to everything I suppose....

The next day, we got geared up to drive out to film with SIR MIX-A-LOT!

Yes, my childhood idol had agreed to participate in my little film! My cameraman Mark and I met up with our local soundman Scott and headed out to the burbs. Apparently, Seattle has something like TWO snowplows in all of the city which tells you how often they get the white stuff. So some of the roads turned out to be closed...which required some manoeuvering. In fact, Sir Mix-A-Lot himself finally had to come rescue us and take us through an alternate route! Talk about a genuine, down-to-earth guy!

While we waited for him to claim us, I checked out the lamas. Don't ask....


(contrary to what I first thought, they came over not as a friendly guesture but because they thought it was feeding time)

So we finally made it to Casa Mix-A-Lot, discussed the game plan and got to work. Will I dish more? Nope! It'll be a surprise!

The segment is going to be fab! And it means so much to me to have this man in my film. I got the opportunity to tell him that to this day, when"Baby Got Back" comes on the radio or a dj spins it at a club, I strut my stuff with pride. I told him how, as kids, it was super cool to recite by heart every single word of the suggestive lyrics (back then the only thing I thought about "I'm long, and I'm strong and I'm down to get the friction on" was "oh cool! All the words rhyme!")... ah, childhood innocence....

It was a bit of a shock, though, to realize that though the song feels playful in its delivery, the gentleman certainly has an interest beyond just bowing down to the booty. On the day of our shoot, I realized that the song wasn't written to empower women but to profess a true fetish for booty-lovin. I suppose this caught me by surprise because the songs today on the subject are just so blatant in their message and I assumed Mix's cheekier approach meant a less red-blooded-male-minded.

I hope I get to pull off an un-cut version because some of the footage we filmed is priceless! And completely inappropriate for broadcast television...


(Sir Mix-A-Lot and I in front of his wall of album sales award-goodness)


Thanks again, Mix!!

Failing Blogger-School....

I've posted a few delinquent posts from December about Chicago, so please scroll down to check them out.

Who would have thought regular blogging would have been so hard? Ok, so I've slapped myself on the wrist and I'm moving on!

:)
T

Sir Mix A Lot - Baby Got Back

We've all seen and heard it before. But when was the LAST time you've seen it? It's amazing how playful and innocent this video looks now up against the video vixens and violence of today's offerings. And to think this video was BANNED by MTV back in the day.... ;)

He's the man who started it all for me.... He made it ok to talk about big booty. Whether you laughed or didnt laugh over the lyrics, this song and video made it no longer "taboo" to talk about the booty....

Watch The Video!

Enjoy!

Tatyana

Happy 2007, Friends!

I think I was in work overload because I found it extra hard to get back into the swing of the film after a well-deserved holiday break.

I originally started this blog solely to write about my journey to make a documentary, thinking "wow, finally something in my life worth blogging that other people might be interested in reading!" But since my work IS my life and I don't even see a defining line between one and the other and they are constantly intertwined, I suppose it's alright to let people in on my life outside of BUTTS....

With a lot of my close friends far, far away this holiday season, I decided it would be great to get out of Toronto for NYE. You know, on the kind of trip that would be a nightmare to coordinate if there were a large group of people involved...

So my oldest friend, my sister and I decided to splurge on an overpriced hotel room and party ticket and head to Niagara Falls, ON.

We'd been to the new nightclub there - Dragonfly -- in the Fallsview Casino for Halloween and really love the vibe. Basically, a slightly-older-than-the-usual crowd in Toronto, with lots of people from all over the GTA looking to dress classy and have a good time. Also a nice mix of nationalities, which I always appreciate. I'm sure there are no strangers to NYE's price markups, but let's just say our room at the Hilton on Niagara Falls had jumped from somewhere around $150 to about $500... :) So we found a great spot on Clifton Hill (I'll divulge the spot if you email me directly because I want to be able to book there the next time I head out) for a smaller fortune and braved the rain (which wreaked havoc on our carefully styled hairdos) and the gridlock (no cabs in site and too yucky to walk) to get to the club.

(the rain couldn't keep away the famous Niagara fireworks show... we could see em from our window!!)

Fortunately, we made it there well before 12 and enjoyed an amazing nite out. I think Halloween and New Year's are a tie for my most favourite party nites of the year. EVERYONE has their guard down and is chatty and celebratory. The attitude disappears and I find myself chatting and meeting with people I probably wouldn't approach or be approached by any other day of the year.

With everyone going more and more casual it seems, seeing women in dresses and **especially** men in suits and ties is so glamorous and almost retro. Really wish we could bring back the '30s glamour (maybe this is why I love burlesque so much). I know this is probably overly-optimistic but I would LOVE the excuse to do a nice roller set and not be mistaken for a performer on her way to a gig!!

(some wonky camera setting that created this extra-trippy pic of the NYE party)

Passing out at around 5:30am, I felt blessed to have have a wonderful 2006. Things are starting to looking great for 2007 with a few new ideas and projects brewing....

Best wishes to All!

Tatyana