They don’t call it Eden Rooftop for nothing!  Spending the afternoon at The Ivy with models Robert Goold and Sarah Roach of No Ties Model Management was true bliss.  I don’t think Robert could have been more relaxed hanging inside the private cabana with his cocktail as some Portishead played in the background.  And Sara was the embodiment of temptation lounging poolside - what man couldn’t resist taking a second look at those seductive legs and what woman couldn’t resist wanting to steal her shoes?!

The largest rooftop space in downtown San Diego, Eden is the sultry lounge, pool and sundeck at the hippest hotel in The Gaslamp Quarter.

The Ivy offers 20,000 square feet of event space to host your wedding or other special event - or just getaway for the weekend and kick it poolside with your entourage or special someone.  Views from the roof and decor throughout the property provide the perfect setting for your memorable moments.

www.ivyhotel.com

Born in Germany, Micha Kuchenhoff, made her move from Berlin to California 10 years ago and ever since she has been putting her creative mind to good use.  Not only can Micha turn any trinket or charm she finds into a wearable masterpiece, she also keeps a “Go Green” state of mind. Using materials such as recycled fabrics, home decor, and worn fabrics, her designs make a statement. Also in her line are, bracelets, jeans, rings, and earrings.  Have a sentimental attachment to a piece of jewelry, but want to spice up the look? Micha will customize and integrate it into a creative piece for you!

h: How did you get started with jewelry design?

M: I made my first necklace with unwanted jewelry from friends and then people starting complimenting me on the piece so I started doing more for Birthday presents. Then my friend Lara Matthews, founder of the Thread Show, pushed me to have a table at her show and sell some designs to see if there was a response. People loved it! Even people who never wore jewelry bought my designs – especially men. After that I started getting calls to participate in events, fashion shows and photo shots for magazines and here I am … still doing it!

h: Which magazines and celebrities have you worked with?

M: It has been an exiting ride thus far… Ocean, Woman’s Wear Daily, Pacific Beach Magazine, and Riviera to name a few. I’ve also had the incredible opportunity to work with the rockin’ Gogol Bordello, Oprah’s Big Give Contestant: Rachael Hollingsworth and Jessica Simpson.

h: What are some of your greatest achievements?

M: So far… till today… that I am really able to live from doing jewelry. It’s a blessed experience to be able to do what you love!

h: Who would be your dream client to work with?

M: Gwen Stephani! She is one fierce chica – amazing style, creativity and the looks. I’d be honored to have her wear one of my pieces.

h: Where do you recommend shopping for fashionable people on a budget?

M: You’ve got to mix and match – take an old favorite from your closet and make it new with some budget fashion from places like Forever 21, Charlotte Rousse, Closet, Twirl Boutique or some of the stores in the LA Garment District if you happen to be in that area. The key is to own your look – don’t stroll down the street looking like an ad for one of those stores. Some accessories like one of my necklaces are a great way to spice up a simple dress and cause others to take interest in your look.

h: What do you think about the trend towards sustainable living?

M: Love it and I am doing it! I use almost every material from broken necklace pieces, home décor, old hardware, vintage pearls/chains and whatever …I am all for reduce, reuse, recycle! I’ve even start a campaign where people can donate their unwanted or broken jewelry to me and receive a discount when purchasing a Micha Design Piece. Also I do commissioned statement pieces; meaning people can give me their grandma’s broche or bracelet that they love for sentimental reasons but would never wear for style purposes and I will evolve it into a more modern Micha Design piece-ready to wear.

h: Who are your major artistic influences and why?

M: I honestly don’t have any… I design what comes into my mind. I go by shape and colors and do not care it is real gold/silver. The ideas come to me when I see an item… I begin to visualize it as a necklace! People like to challenge me with random items…and are always surprised by the finished piece.  A personal favorite is my chicken necklace… the silver chicken was part of a garden planter at a friend’s house. I saw it and was in love with it and had to beg him to give it to me. He was very surprised about the finished piece and gets a kick out of how people always want to buy it off my neck when we go out together!

h: Where would you like to see your design career go?

M: I want to be known as a jewelry designer who creates extravagant designs for people who are not afraid to stick out in the crowed and love to have fun when getting dressed!

h: What are your other interests?

M: Love going out dancing! First it allows me to test my new designs by wearing it, second it’s relaxing for me since it lets me forget about everything we all have to deal with on a daily basis. Also enjoy snowboarding and wake boarding.

Check Micha out at www.designbymicha.com and www.myspace.com/michadesign

I had the pleasure of assisting Kristina Chartier of San Diego Wedding Candids during a gorgeous afternoon. The bride’s dress was reminiscent of a 1920s Hollywood bride. Upon entering the Prado room you were immersed in deep tones of rose and wood.  It was absolutely beautiful.  The design was whimsical and romantic with the use of creek stones and thornberries to decorate the place settings for the reception tables.  It was a romantic and classy affair.

Nicole Brown and I graduated from University of Victoria, British Columbia, in 2001 with large format cameras filled with film and our heads filled with ideas. A lot has changed in our lives since then. She is now Vancouver Islands most successful wedding photographer, and we remain best friends and co workers. We are currently working on our new project, Absolutely Yes photography- A destination event wedding photography conglomerate. I was honored to be her wedding photographer ( photos to come!) and I was equally as honored to take over some of her workflow in her last trimester this summer. It allowed me time to be creative and relaxed…. I still feel like my photography 7 years ago was less inhibited, less commercial….although looking at these photos, I can feel a sense of emotion and accomplishment.

h: How long have you been acting/ writing directing/ modeling and what got you into it?

G: I’d say I’ve been doing all of this seriously since about the age of 21, that’s when I arrived in Hollywood. Although I was making films as early as 16 years old. At 17 I had a 16mm film show at a festival in Denver, that was probably the beginning. A much more simple time, I think, really just making stuff for the sake of making it. No consideration of commerce at that point. As for the modeling, I never planned to do that. I kind of fell into it, and it worked, and it paid, so I kept doing it. At the same time I was out here in L.A. (Hollywood) trying to hustle writing work, and get on sets, etc… I kept being approached by people in casting, saying “Why don’t you model, or do commercials, etc…” I was a starving artist and the kind of pay I saw people could make from one commercial or print ad was enough to keep me interested in it. I always like creating things, whether it be an editorial for a magazine that I am taking part in, or a stop motion film made with toys in my apartment, or a comic book, like the last project I completed Motor City

h: who are some of the bigger names that you have worked with?

G: I’ve had the pleasure of working with some awesome people. The first name that always pops into my head is Peter Lindbergh. I got to work with him on a few ads, and some awesome editorials. We shot in some crazy places, out in the desert and downtown Los Angeles (before downtown LA was cool and “safe” again). I’ll never forget him and I wandered away from the crew and production to get a shot on the street. My hair was combed up high in a crazy pompadeur, and these gang members walked by messing with me, and talking some smack while Peter was shooting. Of course he was focused on shooting, and ignored them completely, and I they kept trying to mess with my hair, and I kept looking at the tattoos on their necks and thinking… “Crap, I’m gonna die in downtown LA with Peter Lindbergh.” Well the guys got bored and wandered along, and we got, what is probably my favorite shot I have ever done with someone. Working with him was cool, cause I started to feel like part of the family. He’s got a great crew of regulars around him on his shoots and it’s a positive environment. In the acting world I got to do a scene with Michael McKean and Martin Short and that was fantastic too.

h: What are some of your greatest achievements ?

Ugh! That’s a tough one. Surviving this long in Hollywood… Does that count? I am also very proud of Motor City. I worked on the graphic novel the last two plus years of my life with illustrator Jettila Lewis. I wrote it, and created Rebel Sidekick Studios to publish it. And, of all the various ideas I’ve had, projects I’ve started, etc… It is the most realized. Meaning the finished product, came out the way I had envisioned it to begin with. It is very original, and distinct. And I am happy it is getting such positive response from the comic community, as well as people who don’t often read comics but have picked it up because it’s different. I am also proud of the work Jettila Lewis did on the book. I saw her talent, and knew she could kick ass on a book, and was happy to be the first person to give her that opportunity and have her work prove I was right. That fact that it is an indie book and is selling regularly is a nice feeling too.

h: what would be your ideal role? As an actor?  g: I am more comfortable with eccentric. I made a digital short called Wilcox which haunts youtube somewhere. It is a good example. I love characters that you could find in any Wes Anderson movie, strange, but not over the top.

h: what are your favorite films? Geez, I have so many… I just saw Children of Men, and can’t stop thinking about how incredible it is. So many… Down By Law, The Lost Boys, The Outsiders, The Monster Squad, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Last Man On Earth, Dawn of the Dead, Wings of Desire, Stand By Me, Bladerunner, the list goes on and on. And it’s all over the place.

who are your major artistic influences and why?

G: Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Jim Jarmusch, Keven Eastman and Peter Laird, George A. Romero, George Lucas, Jack Lord. Just go listen to, or watch some of their work that’s all the explanation you’ll need.

h: what was it like shooting for sky vodka?

G: The Skyy ad was awesome. I never had so many grueling callbacks for a job in my life. I knew that was one I wanted. Shooting was great, they are really nice people to work for, and I can say walking around a corner while in Manhattan, and seeing that ad and my mug on the entire side of 4 story building was pretty surreal. The funny thing about that ad is that it was used very heavily in NYC and not in LA (where I work). So people from NYC would recognize me from it, but not that much here in LA. Probably the most high profile thing I have ever done, and I lived in a city where I didn’t get to cash in on it… I was recognized much more often for a tiny scene I had in a Michelle Branch video than I was on the Skyy ad. But still, nice to have that one in the book. I love the lounge singer-Sinatra-esque vibe of it, and was glad to take part. There are two kinds of male models. The sculpted, handsome, alpha-male model, and the guy who is strange looking and weird enough to make an interesting photo. I’m glad one of the weird guys got picked over all the handsome ones to sell some vodka in that ad…

H: Where would you like to see your career go?

G: I’m a big nerd. I’ve always been nerd first, model-actor guy second. So I am really focused on writing. Comic Books, and Novels for now, but I really want to get further into TV. I love long term story arcs, and the kinds of stories and emotions and revelations that can be accomplished in the TV format. And when I say that I don’t exclude TV Animation. SO yeah, I just want to keep making things, and hope to be successful enough at it, to keep it going. I’ll be happy when my entire day consists of working on my projects and visions. After all, life is short, I really want to leave as much evidence of my walk on this earth as possible.

Next up for me… I am currently working on a webcomic with the artist of Motor City. It will be completely free to read, and will run over a 4 month period. After that we have two more volumes of Motor City to get out there into the hands of all the ghouls and gals, and we’ll just have to see what other projects pop up. More info at www.gavinhignight.com and www.motorcitycomic.com

I photographed Gavin for an Editorial Campaign for clothing Company ROYAL CHEAPSKATE out of Los Angeles. This ad has been featured in Flaunt Magazine, 944, Black Book to name a few.. Celine Elise Briggs did the graphic design. Very cool stuff!

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still one of my favorite photographs, we shot this one downtown L.A in the market. The expression on the guys face sitting next to Gavin is awesome…And why does Gavin have a birthday cake? Any one who has worked with me knows how much I love throwing in Random props!

nothing like a bit of L.A smog to make for moody photographs. Gavin came up with the glowing hamster ball idea that we used for clothing company, Camden Lock. Featured here with his good friend model Brandise Danesewich. I recently found out Brandise is involved with a photoshop scandal for them using her image without the proper consent. So not cool when big corporations take advantage of talent.

You can see Gavin’s famous Skyy Vodka ad shot here by one of my favorite photographers, Matthew Rolston.

I caught the acting bug when I was ten-years old and played Anna in the “King and I” in my school musical. I had seen Sarah Jessica Parker live on stage in “Annie” and decided that was what I wanted to do too. So it was a thrill when I got to work with her, a fellow Ohioan, in a Matrix parody for the MTV Music Awards fifteen years later. Since moving to Los Angeles, I’ve been in several commercials, theater productions, films, and television shows. I’m drawn towards comedic roles and one of my favorites was playing the mother of the young Red Hot Chili Peppers on a skit for VH1. I was trying to wrangle them up as they ran around a blanket with their musical instrument toys, wearing only socks for underwear. I just finished playing a loopy high school drama teacher in Luther’s Magic Weed and I’m looking forward to working on two movies in the next couple of months playing a soccer mom and a strip club owner. I will also be performing Improv at the IO West.

Fantastic charity event for brides in the UK….

Most new brides will tell you how they long to wear their wedding dress again — well now you can! The Big I Do Redo means brides CAN go to the ball — wearing their wedding dresses. Julia Boggio Photography is organising the event to raise money for Pancreatic Cancer UK and it’s being held in Liverpool Street, London on 1st November 2008. Julia is one half of the ‘Dirty Dancing Couple’ in her wedding video as seen on YouTube and she’s staging the event in tribute to Patrick Swayze. Find out more at www.thebigidoredo.com