Spy Girl

When searching for the first place of my own, I didn't care about square footage, or building amenities, I wanted a balcony.

My current view doesn't sweep across the geometric Toronto skyline, and it doesn't stare at a body of water, or a wild forest. Instead, it faces a narrow alleyway where I can see a sign for a dental office, and a dry cleaner. Adjacent to me are two apartment buildings.

I can see inside other people's lives, while they watch The Toronto Maple Leafs lose win play another hockey game, or as they step outside to smoke a cigarette. I can see people shaking their sheets to make their bed. My view has an Alfred Hitchcock Rear Window kind of feel, minus murder, binoculars and Grace Kelly. I'm not trying to pry, it's just right there.

When I was a kid my hero was Harriet the Spy.

She was always writing things down with her scratchy pencil in her black and white notebook. She observed the world in her own way. She was brave. While Harriet got busted by her friends when they found her notebook, I know better than to have my personal thoughts lying on my kitchen table. Instead, I have password protected word documents. While I do have this blog, I am a very private person. Even after five years of writing, I still struggle with sharing my thoughts and photos publicly.

While I'm not a professional spy, I sometimes dress like one. I also write to figure out my small place in the world. As my favourite writer Joan Didion once said, “I write entirely to find out what I'm thinking, what I'm looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear.”

I don't know if I'll ever stop.

Photo credits: Stefania Sgambelluri

Visit: Yellow Rose Portraits Travel Gallery

As most of you know, Stef has been taking a lot of the photos on Not A Model since its inception. While she knows how to take my best angle, her talent far surpasses my little blog.

Stef has a travel gallery up for the month of February, in Toronto featuring portraits from her adventures in South America; Peru and Nicaragua in particular. She captures the emotions of her subjects, from the most wrinkled happy faces to the innocence of children.

Last night was the opening party, and her work will be up for the entire month. If you're in Toronto, check it out at 221 Soraruren Ave., or if you can't make it, check out Yellow Rose Portraits. x

The Roses

Yesterday I visited Giardino Delle Rose, translation: Garden of Roses.

Roses remind me of my best friend Stefania, who has a sleeve of roses on her arm, and who also launched a new website/photography company called, Yellow Rose Portraits.

While you sometimes see her photos on my blog, she also has an impressive portfolio of travel, lifestyle and portrait photography. I took her photo for the "About Me" section of her site, and below is my favourite shot. You can also check out her website here. Congrats Stef!

Now, back to the rose garden.

I huffed and puffed up many steep slopes, and for the first time since being here I was uncomfortably hot. Summer has officially arrived in Florence and my adventures now leave me gleaming in sweat. The rose garden was lovely and although some of the flowers were wilted from the heat, there were plenty more to stare at.

I don't listen to headphones here in Italy (too dangerous) and it seems that my daily walks and explorations are more vivid, and my mind is more alert. The saying, "Stop and smell the roses," is not just a cliche, as I've begun to find a great calm from being around nature lately.

This weekend, I hope you find the sun, a steep hill or something to marvel at. I have a full weekend planned in Tuscany so I will have much to share next week!

Below are my photos from the garden. Enjoy! x.