My Calvins

October 20, 2015

WEARING: CALVIN KLEIN MODERN COTTON LOGO BRALETTE & BIKINI

I'm not the type to prance around my apartment in my underwear, let alone take photographs of myself in it for pure vanity purposes. Though I have nothing against it, because beauty is always such a pleasure to look at, I'm not exactly as open or forthright when it comes to representing myself in this way. I do, however, have pride in staying fit and healthy in the best way I can.

Being a woman in her early-thirties (shh!), my body just doesn't grant me the grace of beauty like it once did when I was "younger." Yes, I was the girl who could eat anything, keep up with the boys both at the bar and out on the field, live off of no sleep, and even as my Dad once put it, "livin' the rock n roll lifestyle". Back then I was more carefree, therefore a little more careless, a tad more wild. But now that I'm getting older (yes, I know I'm not OLD per se), I suddenly felt compelled to take better care of myself. I would definitely say my pinnacle point was the Big 3-0.

I've worked very hard to stay in shape! All that running, rollerblading, and yoga is really starting to pay off. About a year ago, I set a goal to obtain some "Sarah Connor" arms... because Linda Hamilton's arms for that role were INSANE! I thought her muscle definition was the perfect amount of structure and tone for a woman to still remain somewhat feminine. And I'm very happy with the results.

I'm pretty shy when it comes to taking aesthetic photos of myself. Like I mentioned earlier, it's sort of strange for me since most of my self-portraits' signify in evoking a certain feeling or emotion. Today's all about showing what I look like in my undies! Thanks, Calvin! ;)

I'm a Tomboy at heart and am actually not the biggest fan when it comes to lingerie. I'm more the type who's down for sports bras and granny undies rather than thongs (or 'dental floss' as my friend's mother once referred them to) or negligee. It's all about comfort for me. And this bralette from Calvin Klein is just divine! I literally couldn't feel it on me, it was so weightless! Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I don't own any lingerie. I just don't wear them on a daily basis.

Actually most of my underwear collection is from Calvin Klein. I used to be a Victoria's Secret hoarder, but I love the basic simplicity in Calvin' design. Less is more, even in your undies! And the famous logo, reminiscent of the Marky Mark days, will never go out of style! At least not to me, it won't!

Here are a few back view shots... I can thank all those years of figure skating for my bootylicious behind! LOL! But seriously, I do try to eat very healthy. My motto is everything in moderation. If you eat well, it's okay to have a little something sweet as well! But not too much in one category. That's where people will run into trouble. And get out and do something active! You are not going to lose any pounds sitting on the couch! Running and swimming are some of the best workouts you can give to yourself. Or get a 100 lb German Shepherd... that might keep you busy... :)

And here you have it! A full length shot of me in all my 'armor'. My closest friends know how freakishly strong I am, and I think this photo my confirm this 'myth'. Ha ha ha! Did you guys know that I was the best in the state of Michigan for chin-ups? I know, strange random fact, but it's true! At 10 years of age, I easily could do 15 of 'em. I even used to compete in the state championships and that's where I met one of my best friends! We've known each other for over 20 years now!

What are your daily workout regiments? Is there something in particular you're trying to concentrate on? Arms? Belly? Tushy? Are you all about your Calvin's like I am? Let's chat! As always, feel free to comment and share! ::Smooch::

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

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Autumn Playlist

October 19, 2015

Well... (take a deep breath) the past few days have been Hell. I've been fighting an awful respiratory infection of some kind (thanks to the temperature drop) and, after nearly ten years of living in New York City, I officially got pick-pocketed this weekend! Just when I thought something like that could never happen to me, alas, it did. Hence, the reason behind my unintentional absence. Bullocks.

Long story short, I'm okay and all is good. Just annoying. And petty. To the person who stole from me, all I gotta say is Karma is a B!TCH and I know she will arrive at your front door when you think you got away with it scots free! Grrrrr! Who wants to send me a pint (yeah, right- let's make it 3 buckets) of Moosetracks ice cream? :-/

But I refuse to take it going down without a fight! I'm a Spiegoski, dammit! Music never fails to cheer me up, get me pumped up and ready to take on the world. One problem at a time. And no matter how bad things might get, music and the power of lyrics always re-center me, bringing me back to my good ole' self, remembering who I am, where I come from, and what I stand for. And that hope is never a bad thing... as Andy Dufresne in Shawshank Redemption once said, "Remember, Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies." I like to think of music that way. ♥

And how could this face not cheer you up? A couple of licks and 100lbs of pure love trying to sit on me will always get the job done. MaQ wanted to listen in on my current Autumn Playlist and get the full scoop of what's new in the industry. Ha ha ha! Check out the list below.

Autumn Playlist

Nora en Pure - Come With Me
X Ambassadors - Gorgeous
Odesza ft. Shy Girls - All We Need
Drake, Future - Big Rings
Drake, Future - Diamonds Dancing
Great Food Fine Ok - By My Side
Sigala - Easy Love
Hayden James - Something About You - Extended Mix
GRiZ, Big Wild, Talib Kweli - For the Love - Big Wild Remix
Little Giants - Lately (Love, Love, Love) Monsieur Adi Remix
Pharrell Williams - Freedom
Nu Shooz - I Can't Wait
LION BABE, Childish Gambino - Jump Hi
Karen Harding - Say Something - Zac Samuel Remix
Ella Eyre - Good Times

No, I can't sing to save my life, but it sure looks like MaQ doesn't mind hearing it! Since he was a puppy, he's really been into music. When he was only 4 months old, he heard a man play a saxophone on the streets of New York and was completely taken aback! Truly enamored with the instrument, we sat there and listened to the man play jazz, as MaQ wiggled his butt ever so slightly, getting his jam on. It's probably one of the very few times I've missed out on documenting the pup, because we were actually enjoying a moment together and (oh, the horror!) I forgot to take my phone out. It's funny because out of all the memories I've collected through the years with photographs and even video, the ones I hold deepest in my heart are the memories that are not documented.

Even so, I'm compelled to capture as many photos/videos as I can because life is precious and short. If there was one wish I could have, it would be that MaQ could live forever. Obviously this is not possible, but as a photographer, I find photographs so important and a wonderful tool to help those grieve and mourn, celebrate a new beginning, or just to reflect and remember a certain moment in time, or a feeling you projected during a photo. This is forever. This is everlasting. This is power.

Life can sometimes feel very long, but with this furry pal around, he just lights up my life when I'm feeling blue or down. I'm so grateful I've got him to help brighten up my days and to get me to smile like a little girl again. Thanks for making this less than perfect Monday somehow quite perfect! I love you to bits, Toots.

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

Shark Attack!

October 6, 2015

WEARING: ANIMAL HEARTED 'PAWS' TANK TOP | TOP PAW™ PET HALLOWEEN SHARK COSTUME

Duh nuh. Duh nuh. Duh nuh duh nuh...

I love Halloween, and what I love even more is dressing MaQ up in all sorts of absurdities. Last year we were Cowboy & Indian. I have several ideas for this year, but have yet to make a final decision. To get into the Halloween spirit, I decided to play around with a tank top I got from Animal Hearted with the word 'PAWS' on it, a hilarious reference to the movie, 'Jaws'.

I am actually terrified of sharks, finding them to be one of mankind's most primitive and powerful creatures on Earth, I'm like that African American woman who made a video that went viral about the growing concerns of shark attacks. "When you go to the beach, go to the beach. Not the ocean! That's home to the sharks." Don't get me wrong, I love the ocean. I love to boogie board. I love the taste of salt. BUT, I'm now more aware of it. So instead, we played with sharks on dry land (and with one land shark in particular)... !

Look at my baby shark! Isn't this the cutest shark dog costume?! We found this one at PetSmart when we went looking for something that would go with my 'PAWS' tank top. Here we are together, having the grandest time. Photo shoots are never a dull moment with this guy. ::: Heart Literally Melting :::

What I love about Animal Hearted is their apparel and gifts save animals! 25% of proceeds from every order go directly to help animals in need. What a win-win for everyone! I love this clothing company! Check them out at www.animalhearted.com for all their adorable products!

I have to say it's a kinda hard finding dog outfits for a XXL dog like MaQ who is about 100lbs! Even somewhere like here in NYC, the majority of doggy costumes are intended for smaller sized ones. But dang it! My pooch likes to play dress-up just as much as his mommy! ;)

Yup. You heard it here first. Sharkies playing against other sharkies. Only in different forms. LOL! MaQ is always such a trooper with these kind of shoots. I think he just loves spending time with me just as much as I love spending time with him! Or maybe he does, in fact, enjoy being ridiculed... tee-hee!

Whoops! The costume came undone while playing. I love adding candid shots with portrait shots to make it more engaging. They're like behind the scene shots, where you can see what's going on during a shoot. With us, they're always so much fun and a pleasure to do!

Clearly, we never have an entertaining time. This fella makes me smile every single day and just for that, I'm grateful for every day spent with him. You betcha #iflmdog! ♡♡♡

Looking for a dog photographer? Or need some pet portraits done? How about a fun Halloween shoot like this one? Please go to my Contact page for further details on how to reach me!

Are you a dog costume company that carries much larger sizes for dogs like MaQ? We NEED to link up! Want to suggest your ideas on what our Halloween costumes should be this year? We would LOVE to hear from you! Like, share and/or comment below.

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

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Fall Fashion with maQ!

September 14, 2015

Fall is around the corner and I can’t wait for my favorite season! I love getting cozy in sweaters and scarfs, reading by the fire (or an electric one/space heater if you’re missing the whole chimney factor), downing chai lattes and getting anything pumpkin spiced flavored down into my mouth. Stat! With Fashion Week going on, it's got me feeling more inspired and extra stylish! I'm always trying to keep my style simple yet sophisticated. My philosophy when it comes to fashion? Less is more!

I love what I'm seeing with the current color trends. This season I’m seeing lots of richness in brown and purple tones. Think burgundy, maroon, cranberry, merlot, mahogany- sweet, earthy, but mysterious colors. A mixture of blues, yellows, nude and pink colors are also very prominent. Lots of soft blush colors. Today, I paired up my pink scarf with my blush-colored undertones in my makeup. It's probably my favorite tone during the Fall. It's feminine and fresh!

These Aldo heels are probably one of the few pairs of high heels that don't put me in immense pain and make me swear off of 'em for good! (Well, at least temporarily... women!) I love the nude color. It pairs up with pretty much anything and in any season too.

Awe! Seriously, though... isn't maQ the most adorable German Shepherd dog you could ever possibly meet?! I think it's pretty obvious how much I love him. He is such a model. I swear when I photograph him, he is more than eager to pose for me. maQ, America's Next Top 'Dog' Model! Ha ha! What a ham. He makes me happy every single day. I couldn't have asked for a better pooch.<3

I think maQ is more stylish than me! And he's got nothing but a collar on! ;)

We hope you all have a great start to your week!
Until next time...

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

Wild Child!

September 9, 2015

I live for words. But sometimes, being a writer, it's hard to find the right ones. In the exact correct place. In a particular moment. Sometimes, it's other mediums, like music, photography, and other art forms that help express those inner primal emotions.

When the words don't come, I go out and live my life. But even then, sometimes life wants to hand you the shittiest of lemons in the shittiest of circumstances, and even though I could produce an interesting concoction of what would maybe qualify as lemonade, I'd rather sing my heart out first. I always feel so much better after a sesh alone, therapeutic even. At least to me it is. I can kick it to any melody, but just like my father, the blues and more especially, rock n roll is in my soul.

I find self-portraiture to be a journey of not only exploring and discovering many different characteristics in a person, but also the best way to get the creative juices flowing and hopefully for someone to get better at their work. Since I've never done a photo shoot such as one which includes my *obvious* talent for singing, I wanted to share with you my many different expressions of moods and emotions. All I can say is it was a blast!

I re-created a playlist I had going on during this self-portrait session. Though it's mostly rock n roll, I've got some alternative, post-punk and blues in there too. Check it out below!