31.12.14

I dream of Rio... HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! x





December has been a tipsy whirlwind of work, Christmas parties, packing, new tattoos, and eating. I don't know why it is, but the only film shoots I do outside always happen in December. In the freezing cold. For several days. However, all was forgiven by the Ad Agency coming over from India with bags of bindi's. Nothing of course to do with the 'moodboard' of bindi's I sent over to them prior to there arrival. Probably my hardest work on the shoot if I do say so myself. (that can also be firmly backed up by the Producer...)



Christmas has been and gone and I rolled like a pig in a blanket (well, fur coat) back to London after leaving a note in my mothers fridge to apologize for eating all the chocolates. And taking all the cheese. I got myself some red Lana Del Rey-esque talons done before Christmas, so unfortunately I was put out of action on the sprout peeling this year for Christmas dinner. Shame. It appears all one can do with these nails is drink Prosecco? But in all seriousness, glamorous whilst they are, highly impractical they also are. The first night I realized I had to remove my contact lenses with them, it was touch and go as to whether I might have an eyeball left. No wonder only footballers wives don them on, or people with 20/20 vision.



This was the first year I have been back home for Christmas since 2008. My families happiness at my presence was only slightly tarnished by the realization that late on Christmas Eve I had rolled in drunk, and managed to consume ALL the smoked salmon meant for Christmas breakfast. Not ideal, even less so when ones hopeless cooking skills mean your unable to whip up a good egg dish to substitute. I had also managed to drunkenly destroy a contact lens (damn you lovely nails) so my comeuppance was spending Christmas feeling terribly off-balance from a one-seeing eye. (well that and the Prosecco.)



2014's been an incredible roller-coaster of a year. I've pushed my own boundaries, had some rock bottom moments, and had some of my happiest moments. Right now as I stand on the brink of this New Year I'm happier and more self-assured then I have ever been with myself, and where I'm headed in life. Growing up, and learning who you are and what you want is something that takes time. I'm off to Brazil for two months on my own, because I never want to dream something and not do it. Following that, I plan to live in Ibiza for the summer, and then India and Sri Lanka for the winter. With a little bit of lovely London in-between of course. My carbon footprint in 2015 is going to be well and truly trod.



Obviously I'm embarking on this Brazilian New Year trip in the way I do best - like an idiot. To start things off, yesterday I lost my bankcard. With all my money on. And no way to get another one in time. Did I mention I'm flying tonight?

Secondly, I casually look at my flight ticket this morning to see what airport I'm going from, to realize I am not landing in Sao Paulo on New Years day like I thought, but I actually arrive at six o'clock on New Years Eve. I mean seriously - who books flights, and doesn't even check when they arrive in the country until the day before?! Cue major freakout. I'M GOING TO BE IN SAO PAULO FOR NYE! This is going one of two ways - disastrous, or amazing. Or maybe both. Probably both...



I'm picking up my Rio Carnival costume for the parade in Rio. For those of you who haven't seen the pictures - it's huge and looks to weigh about the same amount as me. I'm probably (definitely) going to fall. But I have a go-pro (thank you dad!) and I have a headstrap for the camera - so at least my fall can be caught in all its glory in the Sambadrome! Apart from those plans, I'm pretty, well, unplanned. I know I want to be on a beach, and I've got my malaria tablets for the Amazon (check out that for organization!) so I'll be heading there too. I've packed my glittery hotpants, and a glittery waistcoat, and will probably break all the Amazon fashion rules by wearing them both on a trek. At the same time. 



It's exciting, its exhilarating, and I can't wait to share all the stories and pictures! 

I'm off to the airport now, so I wish everyone a very Happy New Year! And as to 2015... bring it on! 



Emily x

Photo by Paul J. Beard

1.12.14

I will always be haunted by thoughts of a sun-drenched elsewhere...






 

Since the last blog, there has been not only one, but two engagements within my circle of friends. Utterly ecstatic for them both, my nine year-old self is also jumping inside, as I have the honor of being a bridesmaid for one of them. I've waited twenty-seven years to play this part, and cannot wait for the two weddings next summer. I also cannot wait for the hens - although I have strictly been warned about midget strippers...

However, one can't help but notice a direct parallel when two of your best friends are now planning their weddings, organizing their mortgages, and you just spent the the weekend before last wandering around Amsterdam believing you were a giant tulip. (that's a joke mum - don't worry!) But yes, I was in Amsterdam last weekend. And yes, I am still slightly ruined now. I am also terribly addicted to stroop waffles (no-one got there presents), but that's a whooole other story. And on wondering why I might feel so bad of late, I count back on my calender and realize I have been partying for the last seventeen weekends without a break. So this weekend I hung up my worn-out party shoes, did my Christmas shopping, and booked my escape to Brazil.

My dream is now a reality, and I will find myself in Sao Paulo for New Years Day. I'll be away for two months, and I'm venturing their on my own. The independence of that is terribly exciting, exhilarating and liberating, and I intend to make the most of every single minute. I mean what could go wrong?! The last time I went to South America I only got altitude sickness, bitten by a dog, and spent every other day getting rabies jabs in hospitals... and I was with someone... 

I've been warned about how strong the Caipirinha's are on the beach, and I've been warned even more so about the Brazilian men. And, quite rightfully, I fully hope to fall in love with a bronzed, speedo wearing 'Tiago' along the way. My plans are excitable, if not slightly scatty, with my notebook consisting of lists of things such as "Visit the Snoop Dog steps" and "go to Christ the Reindeer". It was only at my sisters hysterical laughter at my indignation that that was the translation, that I realized it's actually 'Christ the Redeemer'. Which reminds me, I really need to learn some Portuguese.

Apart from trekking the Amazon, visiting waterfalls and soaking up beaches, the one plan I have already put into motion is...dance in Rio Carnival. Yes that's right, I have joined a Samba School (in Rio), I am choosing my costume, and I, Emily Duffield will be dancing along in the 2015 Rio Carnival Parade. All I have to do is make it along to the rehearsals (in the Favela eek) and fit in the brashly colored clown costume. These English hips better do me proud.

Christmas is so close that you can practically smell it. The lights are on in Oxford Street, I'm living in colored variations of the same woolly jumper, and I've already eaten my way through three advent calenders. Two of which weren't even my own (sorry housemates!). This years list for Santa is more practical rather then pretty, and involves things like trek towels, mosquito repellent, and a head strap for my Go-Pro Camera. Thats right, I've surpassed the selfie-stick, and am taking it one step further on my trip - a camera strapped to my head. Spot the tourist anyone?

Tis the season to be Jolly, and Christmas parties are in full-swing. Being freelance means I have a full list to attend this year, and wanting to still be employed next year means I will have to watch the amount of mulled-wine consumed...

Happy 1st of December everyone!

Emily x


18.10.14

Footballs, Swedes and Copacabana dreams : PUG LIFE in London



Well, first things first, let's start with the most important news since the last blog. Ive fallen in love. True, deep L.O.V.E. With a friends fat (sorry big-boned)  pug called 'Miss Piggy'. Miss Piggy by name and definitely by nature, she seems to know no commands except for eat. Everything. Sadly my dreams of doggy fashion and matching pink outfits to a pink leash were left behind when on our recent outing she didn't fit in any of the doggy clothes in Primrose Hill Pet shop. But it just means there's just more to Miss Piggy to love, and she is further fueling my desire for my own little doggy one day. 



Since my last post I have been working non-stop jumping from job to job, which as a freelancer is ideal, for my bank balance is ideal but for sleep and holidays is definitely not ideal. My Ibiza holiday was replaced by the fact that I couldn't turn down a month of work, and my lack of summer holiday this year meant an unplanned trip to Stockholm this weekend just gone was long overdue, if not a bit silly with a shoot planned for the Monday. Attempting to board a packed plane at Heathrow on a Friday night whilst attempting to get a callsheet out is far from ideal. The only bright-side about embarking the plane whilst holding my laptop aloft sending emails meant that there was no danger of me leaving it in the airport chocolate shop this time. Every cloud hey....!



Sweden is beautiful, expensive and full of men in bow-ties. It boasts the tastiest restaurant food I've ever eaten, the most dubious named bars of chocolate ...('plopp' being my favorite), and bicycles with brakes on the pedals. Braking being something I was unable to master, stopping came in the form of a wall, a fence, or my own feet running along with the bike. Exhilarating yes, graceful, no. I had meatballs, Daim bars, reindeer heart (sorry Rudolf), Smörgåsbord, and *ahem* MacDonalds. 



Summer is officially over (oh hiiii grey clouds), and I saw it out by attending London's last festival of the year 'Found'. I'd like to say I saw it out in style, but if my inebriated-self at the end of the night was anything to go by, it definitely was not that. Yes there was a lot of glitter, yes it was a lot of fun, and yes I woke up at 5am in a friends room wondering if I would ever feel human again. A direct contradiction to the idea that the older you get, the wiser you are...



Last month I Produced my first documentary on a past Chelsea football player. Quite ironic as I had never even been to a football match before, and certainly something which the football agent we were working with could not seem to fathom. I don't think my constant reference to the 'shed-end' as the 'cow shed' helped my weight on the subject either. The documentary is due to be aired by the BBC later in the year.



Halloween is fast approaching which leaves one with the question of what to wear? Last year I dressed up as a Fortune Teller for 'Mulletover' and very surprisingly won their best dressed of the night. So no pressure this year then...!? My grand plans of a Cleopatra-esque costume have been quelled by the next three-week stint I have shooting 14 hour days out at Black Island Film Studio's and I'm thinking Walking-Zombie will probably be a much more realistic costume...

But I complain not, as all my recent work means that my dreams of Rio De Janeiro in 2015 are now a reality, and I once again will be escaping the cold winter blues and taking a break from work by heading to Brazil for a few months in February. I can't wait, I have dreamed of sipping Caipirinha's on Copacabana beach and dancing at Rio Carnival for years. I'm practicing my Shakira hips already, and working up a tolerance to rum. (I can already see my friends disbelief at this statement) (and in all honesty I don't believe it myself).

London's getting colder and I've bought my winter hat. Large, fluffy and white, I resemble a giant cotton wool bud, but it's oh so soft to touch. I've started getting my nails done as I feel it ads to ones professional demeanor. Well, anything has to help when weeks through a job you realize the laptop you take to work everyday has your 'life goals' open on a bright pink stickie note, and no.1) is to go raving in Berlin.

Growing-up is still something I'm struggling to master, but I'm having a pretty fun time figuring it out right now...

Emily x



29.7.14

Hot Summer Sun : London Life


Good Morning London!

I can only profusely apologize for my lack of time in the blogsphere since I returned from L.A. On touch down at Heathrow airport from Los Angeles, the international idiot that I am had managed to make it back without a laptop. Having left my pride and joy (not to mention all my work!) back in Detroit airport it took a good month and plenty of panicked 3am phone-calls to Detroit airport staff, Fedex America staff, and some amazing help off a friend's American family to get it safely back in my arms. Well, that is, apart from the 3 large cracks down the center of its screen.

We wont mention the fact that this disaster could have been averted had I not left it amongst the sweet aisle when buying chocolate on the stop-over flight...


Life's been hectic since my return, and I've spent the last few months in London jumping from one home to another, jumping from one freelance Production job to another, and in-between all of this attempting to find a frozen yogurt which rival's L.A's. As of yet America's froyo is still winning. I have finally settled, and on watching television in my new home last night it was amazingly rewarding to see two of my recent adverts I've helped produce come on within the same ad-break. Hard-work paying off!

My clothing line has been a slow work in progress, but my first design is done, and has been sent off to be printed. Now I just need to spend a few days sitting around in arty cafes, eating overpriced cakes, and throwing out ideas to uninterested friends to come out with a one-syllable brand name. On the sideline I have signed up with a modelling agency for print work, and I am shooting for a friends headband brand this week.

Recently finding myself single in this big ol' city I have done what any self respecting 20-something would do, and joined Tinder of course! Although I really feel the need to have words with the many guys who seem to feature exotic birds in there profile pictures...what is all that about?! I also need to have a serious word with my friends who have a great time matching me with complete crazies whenever I leave the room...

If one wishes to read a hilarious article on just how BAD men are on tinder then my Australian friend Alex conducted her own little experiment here : https://funnellism.wordpress.com/2014/07/01/proof-men-love-crazy-women/
 
With England beating Barbados temperatures in its heatwave this last month, I do not feel so bad about my so far lack of a summer holiday abroad. What does make one feel bad however, is attending LoveBox Festival in 31 degree heat, only to hydrate on alcohol. All day. The inevitable dehydration was nicely set-off the sunburn. Which in turn was nicely set off by my glittery hot-pants.

But a summer holiday is not completely lost for me, and Ibiza is on the cards for September. Now as an Ibiza virgin at the age of 27, this holiday has been long over-due. Too long have I heard people rave about Pacha, the best DJ's in the world, and the overuse of body paint... well soon enough I can be annoying people with my tales of raves and glitter! 'Future tattoo funds' have been changed to 'Ibiza overpriced drink funds', and I have Kevin and Perry Go Large on repeat.
 

The city is utterly captivating in the summer sun, and I would rather be nowhere else. London's hot evenings were made for picnics, parks, views, wine and friends... something which I am making the most of.

Happy Summer!

Emily x



26.3.14

Los Angeles to London. With love (and extra baggage...)



So here I am at LAX, awaiting my flight.

I'm too excited to make London my base again. I fell in love with the city last summer, and I'm sure that feeling will continue this year. It's about time I began to root myself, stop always flying away and have a base (for a time). I'm sure the fact that I know I'm coming home to warmer weather then I left is prompting this thought, but hell, I feel like being more settled. And what can settle one more then the pitter-patter of tiny feet? No, not a baby I hear you gasp...but a sausage dog? Ive wanted one for far too long now. Maybe the time is finally right? I'm sick of pretending to walk 'Frankie' down the street when no-ones around, maybe I just need to man up and walk a REAL one. Although 'Frankie' is very good with commands!

But that's a by-thought, really whats occupying my mind is two things. Number one; quite how expensive and inaccessible is froyo going to be back in the UK, and number two; quite how much money do I need to open my own froyo palace in East London?

I've got far too much stuff. I'm currently wearing five layers underneath a fur coat, and I've got Reece's Buttercups tucked into my shoes. The metal detector is going to have a whale of a time when I go through, and the Reece's are already starting to melt from the heat radiating off my highly layered body. This is going to be one very messy arrival at London Heathrow. I do this every time and never learn. Next time I'm going to need a man to help with this, or at least have enough left on my credit card to buy extra baggage allowance. I'm now starting to panic that I gave my boyfriend the right flight arrival details, as if not I'll be paying people in squashed Reece's Buttercups to help me lug it all onto the tube. Oh who am I kidding, I'll have eaten them all on the flight.

I give my tan three weeks until I'm back to applying to several layers of Garnier sun-shimmer. And I've given my social life two weeks where I can loftily say 'Oh this tan? It's just from living in Los Angeles the last three months dah-ling'. And then it will be over. And people will be coming back from Ibiza more bronzed, and I'll be fuming as I spent all my would-be Ibiza funds on drinking Slurpee's out here.

But I've had the best time, met some amazing people (although not Ryan Gosling), and happily ticked off one of my life's ambitions. I couldn't be prouder of myself for just doing it, and couldn't stress more the belief that if there's something you want to do, well you should just do it (as long as its like socially acceptable ya know). 

Oh and Dad, I'm onto Tattoo no.7. I'm sorry, but it had to be done. I now bear an angel wing behind my right ear as a dedication to my time in the City of Angels. I hope it looks good, as I can't see behind my ear, and I went to the tattoo shop on my own. Hold up - he's blatantly inked a penis behind my ear hasn't he?! I knew I shouldn't have made that joke about his beard...

Los Angeles you've been the best, but London, your going to be even better.

Emily x




24.3.14

March Madness



My time here has flown by, and this time next week my feet will be firmly on the ground back in London. Well not firmly, as lets face it, they never are, and even less so when I have been drinking (Bambi on ice springs to mind)...something which I hope I will be doing a lot of when I return. Not from drowning my sorrows, but from catching up with ALL my friends (*cough*cough* everyone I'm coming home!).

This last month has gone even quicker then normal, probably as it's just been one big holiday. The clean-living and daily swimming routine I had going on went straight out the window the minute I left Mama Linda's (corn-chowder recipe in hand of course), moved to Santa Monica, and picked up my boyfriend from the airport. The lack of gym, pool, and eating burgers for ten days straight will kinda do that to you. Not to mention an impromptu trip to Las Vegas and copious amounts of Bacardi 151 (the devil in drink form *shudder*).

After waving goodbye to my love (with the promise that it's salads all the way for us back in London) I was re-united with my sister and a good friend, and a day later I can honestly say I don't think The Getty Art Gallery has ever seen three quite so hungover souls. A highlight of their time here was our visit to Disneyland as the 'Three Mouseketeers'. At the age of 26 I dressed as a giant Minnie Mouse for the day, and yes, I loved it. The greatest acheivement of the week however, had to be when we got enough stamps on our froyo loyalty card to receive a free 8oz of frozen yogurt. It was a proud moment for all involved.

I've been lucky enough to be with people the last month who have been brave enough to drive on the right hand-side of the road. And the only slightly hairy moment of the whole time has to be when my friend straddled three lanes of traffic oncoming at 70mph and casually asked 'Is this legal ?'. Needless to say there was a small amount of hyperventilating coming from myself on the backseat.

March has brought along two more new snack obsessions. First, Recces Peanut Buttercups. For some bizarre reason I've always believed I disliked them, without even trying them. However, try them I did, and it was as though my mouth had just bitten into a small part of heaven and all its creamy, nutty glory. Since then I have been eating at least one Reece's a day, with the justification that I cannot get these back home. When my friend pointed out I could indeed buy them back in the UK, I shushed her and proceeded to buy a pack of four. The other new fad in my life is 7/11's Slurpee. It's like I've reverted back into a second childhood where instead of being allowed to drink one a year, I can drink a x-large 44oz one a day. And I do. The only reported side effect so far is a blue tongue.

My suitcase is already straining from all my thrift shop purchases out here, so I was highly relieved (if not embarrassed) when my sister rather incredulously informed me that ranch dressing is available in England, so there is no need for me to bulk buy out here. 'How have you never tried it?? You wrote a whole blog about it, and they sell it in Subway Emily.' Ok, so I've never been a sandwich kinda-gal, but now I know that's where the ranch is at... Subway, hello.

Since I've been out here I've found myself really influenced by the creativity, and the get-up-and-go attitude of the Los Angele's people. The American Dream is truly alive and kicking, and if someone wants to achieve something, well, hell they go out and do it. Us Brits are notorious for talking down dreams we have and putting aside projects we would love to do. When I get back home I have several exciting work projects in the pipeline, but a sideline venture which I am really excited to get started on is my own clothing brand. I've been really inspired by all the self-made brands out here, and look forward to putting my own stamp on things.

My final two days are going to be spent chomping Reece's, shooting one last fashion shoot, and stuffing as much froyo as possible without suffering from brain-freeze. Oh, and of course looking out for the elusive Mr Gosling.

LAX I'll see you soon, Ryan hopefully sooner...

Emily x

28.2.14

Froyo, Flu and Freckles...February in the sun.

Ruben Domingo
K.O.N.G

Ruben Domingo

Venice Canals at sunset
Ruben Domingo


Lizzeth Noreiga

So it's official. I love L.A, and I love frozen yogurt. I'm twelve days straight at the moment and bar the brain-freeze, maaan it feels good. Or rather I should say, tastes good. And I should know. I've fully sampled my local Yogurtland's WHOLE range, and when a new flavor of the month came out at the weekend (red velvet cupcake in-case your interested) even I was embarrassed at how excited I got.

So I figure as an avid lover of frozen yogurt who could be a better brand ambassador then moi? Ok, so the one time I tried this with Pepsi they didn't quite fall for it, but I was pitting myself against the likes of Britney Spears and Beyonce. Yogurtland's mascot is like a cow or something, so I figure our appeals on a similar par.

Yogurtland I hope your hearing this. I would write to them to tell them this, but hey who uses letters in this day and age. Instead I plan to work my way in through instagram... by posting heavily filtered froyo's and hash-tagging the hell out of them. I think this is the best option; my boyfriend back in the UK is pretty sick of waking up each morning to a different whats-app picture of a frozen yogurt, so I need to expand my audience.

Apart from building up my collection of Yogurtland's takeaway spoons, since my last blog post I have been lucky enough to shoot a lot of fashion with some great photographers and companies. (And Father since your last email, I apologize in advance for the smoking in the above images). One of my favorite shoots was on Venice Beach, and shot entirely on old film cameras. The fun really is in waiting to get the images back, completely unsure of how they are going to turn out. And all the films imperfections only add to its charm. (for the ease of distinguishing the film from digital I have placed them at the end of this post!)

And when I haven't been shooting Ive been flu-ing. If that is such a word. My mouse-like immune system has not taken well to being in and out of the cold Californian sea, and my glands decided to swell up sumo-wrestler style. Now I'll admit I'm a hypochondriac at the best of times, so I self-diagnosed glandular fever and started crying about having to book flights home.

I didn't book flights home however, as I found out my boyfriend had booked us tickets to Disneyland as my Valentines day present, and I'll be dammed if I don't live out my dream in March and go round for the day dressed as Minnie Mouse. So I ate an entire pack of jelly vitamin C tablets. Didn't help, but hey, they tasted like fruit pastels. Cue Mama Linda and her 'super chicken corn chowder soup'. It may have looked like the dogs dinner, but it worked. Like a dream. And coincidentally it also tasted like a dream. Creamy, chickeny and potatoey it is yet another thing to add to my growing list of favorite American foods.

The weather is still delightfully sunny, and I have grown freckles. It's only taken twenty-six years. If I could have told this to my thirteen year old self who used to try to recreate them with brown felt-tip, then I feel my teenage years may have been less angsty, and would have looked less like I had some weird large blackheads on my nose every weekend. My twenty-six year old self however has suddenly realized its only going to age me, and little too late has bought an anti-wrinkle cream and decided to start applying suncream.

I look forward to the month of March as I have some really special people coming out to see me. One of those is my baby sister who I have not seen for over a year due to her living in Australia. Like me she has wanderlust, a taste for the sun, and also like me she has written into The Ellen Show to play on our 'reunion' story. (Ellen give us tickets - and possibly a car too?!) Whilst my loved ones are out here I plan on playing the tourist and adding to my tattoo collection with some new ink.

I'm leaving Mama Linda and the beautiful Marina Del Rey to move to an apartment in Santa Monica for the next month. I'll miss Mama Linda's home cooking, but shes promised to send me on my way with a full compilation of the best Motown and her corn chicken chowder recipe.

February may be drawing to a close, but my Yogurtland campaign is only starting... cows beware.

Emily x


Above images shot on CONTAX 645 - 80mm Lens - BW - ACROS 100 Film by Gabe Sachs
Above shot on CONTAX 645 - 80mm Lens -COLOR - PORTRA 160 by Gabe Sachs
Above images shot on LEICA M6 - 50mm Summicron - BW - ACROS 100 Film by Gabe Sachs