Keri Elaine

London Calling

Published on May 15, 2018May 29, 2018 by Keri Elaine8 Comments

Hello beautiful people!

In April I went to London! If you have been following me on Instagram you probably saw a few of my stories and photos. This was my first trip traveling outside the US ever! My entire life, I have longed to travel abroad, but never had the financial resources to do so. In high school, my classmates would talk about their trips to Paris, the Swiss Alps, London and Cape Town. I could never relate. We often took road trips to different states which were fun, and I am blessed enough to say I have seen about twenty of the US states. However, there is nothing like traveling alone outside your country and experiencing another culture. I always thought maybe one day I’ll travel abroad with a group of friends or a boyfriend. Nonetheless, the one thing I’ve learned this past year is if you want to do something you should plan to do it by yourself! While traveling with other people is a ton of fun, you can not rely on other people to be on the same schedule as you. Sometimes you just have to book the ticket and go! Luckily I have three sets of friends living in various parts of London. One of which is from London and has a twin sister, who I finally got to meet in person after pen-paling it through DM on Instagram. Another friend from high school who went to a University in London along with her brother. Finally, my last friend who has been in London three years with the love of her life and their beautiful daughter. Each group of friends lives in a different section of London, so I knew I would get a full tour of the city!

I must confess I had a slight moment of panic the day before I was leaving. What if I get lost underground while using the tube? What if I get kidnapped like Taken? Will the Brits accept an American girl after all the chaos and ignorance coming out of our White House? I took a deep breath, made sure I checked the weather for the tenth time, downloaded the Citymapper app and grabbed my passport for the plane. This year I promised myself to get out of my comfort zone. Last year was all about growth, change and cutting out toxic relationships. This year is about chasing every opportunity, traveling to places I’ve never been and working on my weaknesses.

As soon as I got on the plane a lovely fellow named Ollie (the first of three I would meet on this trip) talked for about five hours about music, acapella, life, dating, London, and Scotland. I probably should have gotten his Instagram or Whatsapp, but you never know I’ll visit London again and the universe has a funny way of bringing the right people to you at the right time.

My first group of friends took me to tea at the St. James. The art deco decor was absolutely stunning, and tea sandwiches were even better. I had hibiscus tea and tried about 5 different tea sandwiches. The pickled one was my favorite! Our server was so attentive and even went the extra mile to switch out a few sandwiches that my friend did not enjoy.

IMAG0942 — Champagne in the middle of the week huzzah!

Later that night I hit up the Ned and drank Mojitos with the girls while we caught each other up on the last year and a half of life. The Ned is right near the tube so it is pretty easy to get to. It was so nice to get the full story on everything going on in everyone’s lives instead of the reader’s digest version. The Ned is in the financial district, but a good amount of people were dressed business casual, so you don’t have to worry about a formal dress code here. The bathrooms are beautiful and so are the ridiculously high ceilings.

Covent Garden was such a cute picturesque area of shops. They even had multiple flower arrangements over arched benches that many women took advantage off. I also got talked into buying my beloved Bvlgari sunglasses here! I will say I got them for about 40 percent off so I could not resist! (Also save your receipts when you are shopping around London. At the airport, you can get your Value-Added Tax back)! I loved seeing the turquoise colored beams and the different art vendors. I picked up this tiny piece from a woman, who uses pencil and watercolor on her pieces. I thought it would be more interesting to pick a piece that did not have a stereotypical red bus, telephone booth or bridge. She also mentioned the piece I selected had a bit of gold paint to add shimmer.

I also enjoyed multiple Irish pubs in London with the most delicious shepherd’s pie and roasted vegetables. I was amazed at how many places had vegetarian/pescatarian options.

If you are looking for a chocolate lovers dream then you must go to one of the many Bill’s Soho restaurants throughout the city! I went to Bill’s in Soho and ordered the Melting Chocolate Bombe. It’s a Chocolate dome, with brownie chunks below, chocolate sauce, and they pour warm caramel. I don’t have a picture of this decadent dessert, because our waiter poured the caramel over before I could take a photo so I ate it all hahaha! So you’ll have to take my word for it!

Camden! Camden was a cool edgy spot where the 90 grunge trend originated from. I loved all the individual shops in the marketplace. One vendor had dozens of white T-shirts with an animal screen printed peaking out of the pocket. Another spot had Chinese puzzle boxes. Some took four steps to solve others took as many as twelve. Honestly, the store owner was kind enough to show me how it works because I had no idea where to start! There was something so unique and whimsical about this market with the variety of foods to try as well.

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. This is an absolute must for actors, theatre patrons, and literary babes. I did not get to see a show since they are in their offseason. Just seeing the replica of the original globe and reading the quotes from so many of his great works is enough to leave your heart full and your soul hungry to dive into more acting roles.

Shoreditch is one of the few places I looked up before coming to London. I love the concept of taking shipping containers and reusing them in a better way. Anytime there is good food, graffiti, and an eclectic group I am so down! Thus my love of Wynwood. Time outWhen it comes to food there was something for everyone. They had greek food, vegan, create your own wraps, bubble wrap ice cream waffles which look cool, but did not taste that great (sorry😐 ).

The shipping containers below housed multiple clothing, jewelry, and paper goods stores. I’ve been stalking Astrid & Miyu online since they came up in my Instagram feed and I had to pick up a cute earcuff and rose gold initial ring while I was there! Their pieces are so dainty and the sales associates are very attentive.

My friend from high school and I realized we have been friends for over ten years now! This trip reminded us both how much we miss being around one another. Her musician friends were absolutely amazing. They completely adopted me into their tribe and I literally had separation anxiety for a week after I left. We all laughed together so much my abs hurt every day for four days. Us girls went to see a friend perform at a piano bar and she was fabulous! I love all the speakeasy vibes on the underground bars, jazz clubs and nightclubs in London.

Original we planned on going dancing at a Colombia restaurant for live music and dancing. When we got there, there was nowhere to sit and no music playing. So we left and went to Crust Bros. This restaurant had a cool urban vibe, with hip-hop music blasting through the speakers. I will say it gets pretty hot in there since there is a giant pizza oven in the center of the restaurant. However, you don’t feel the heat once you are in there for more than ten minutes. This pizza is the perfect light, fresh thin crust made to your specifications. The owner came over and told us he lived in LA for the longest then came back over here and opened this pizza place, but did not want it to have the typical Italian pizza place vibe. Thus the open loft ceilings, with industrial metal and wood touches throughout. He then mentioned how awful Miami is, I laughed because all three of us were from/lived in Miami for at least three years. When we told him that, he immediately laughed and said damn, well you know what I mean about how people down there can show off and be pretentious. We laughed and pointed out that, that happens in every major US city. I asked him if he knew what the nameless pink neon light place next-door was? WELL, it turns out he owned part of this underground all female club called Tonight Josephine.

Tonight Josephine is an all-female nightclub where you can go dance and drink with your girls without worrying about being harassed by a guy. In order for a guy to enter he has to be accompanied by a woman. This place is covered in Millennial Pink, mirrors, neon light signs, fun wallpaper, and handsome male bartenders. As you enter there is a giant neon light sign that says, “Well Behaved Women Seldom Make History”. I was talking to one of the owners and he mentioned when women enter they immediately start taking selfies in the ceiling. My girls and I were dancing to so many throwbacks when we looked around and noticed most people were taking selfies in the reflection of the ceiling. I could not stop laughing! The bartenders were super sweet and when one of the drinks my friend ordered did not taste good he remade it for her. Each of the bathroom doors had a different celebrity mugshot, Paris Hilton, and Justin Bieber just to name a few. Isn’t it funny how the nights where your plans fall through end up being the most fun? Has this ever happened to anyone else?

Casting Sites Every Actor Should be On

Published on May 3, 2018May 29, 2018 by Keri Elaine4 Comments

Keri Bruner beautiful teeth commercial headshot

As an actor, things have changed so much over the past ten years. Before you could Google “commercial or film auditions in (insert metropolis here)” and you would get a list of auditions. The posting would include when, where, what time, an email address and a contact number. Your agent would send you auditions to go to as well. You would either schedule a time slot to audition or show up and wait, cattle call style. You get your sides there or before. Bring multiple copies of your headshot with your resume stapled to the back and go dazzle the casting folks!

Today you need to be on casting sites. On each of these sites, you should have your headshots, demo reel, sizing, contact information for yourself and agency.

Headshots – You need two headshots at the very least. One commercial headshot which should show you in a cheerful friendly way. Think friendly and approachable, and the other is your theatrical headshot. This shot should show no teeth and have a serious expression. You want to show your range as an actor and your personality.
Demo Reel – This should be made up of the best clips of your on-camera performances in film, tv and commercial work in less than 90 seconds. If you only have enough powerful moments for 30 to 45 seconds that is completely fine! 90 seconds is the max, two minutes can feel longer than you think.
Slate shot – A Slate shot is a short clip of you stating your name. Actors Access does a great job of showing slate shot examples here. The purpose is to show your personality and give the casting director an idea of what your voice sounds like.
Sizing – Grab a measuring tape, because you will need to list your chest, waist, hips, and sometimes inseam. Your weight, height, shoe size, and hat size as well.

Once you have a profile set up on these sites, you read through the breakdowns and submit your headshot, demo reel, resume and size to be considered for an audition. If the casting person thinks you fit the description they send you a link to sides for the audition for a self-tape and request a slate shot. Then they will hire you based on your self-tape and slate shot, or they will bring you into the casting office for a callback. Finally, you wait to hear if you got the job or silence.

If you want more experience for your demo reel, you should check with your local universities film and communications departments. These students often have multiple film projects to work on during the school year and need actors. The work will usually be unpaid, but you gain experience, and IMBD credit if they submit their work to a film festival.

Actors Access. This is one of the main casting sites. The site gives you the option of checking breakdowns for the Los Angeles, New York, Vancouver, Eastern Canada, Southeast U.S., Florida, Texas, Chicago, the Northwest and more. You can look at breakdowns for each specific region or just select all breakdowns fit for me. Actors Access also allows you to add a video clip from each project you worked on to your resume page. It is an extra charge but looks incredibly professional if you have the means to do it. If you are looking for theatre work there are casting calls for national tours on here as well.

Screen Shot 2018-05-02 at 11.29.15 PM — Just the top half of the breakdown list on Actors Access

Casting Networks. Fox is casting exclusively through Casting Networks, which was formerly known as LA Casting. This site has network tv auditions for principal roles, featured roles and commercials. There are also theatre and student films on Casting Networks. One thing I love about this casting site is they list if the job is paying, how much and the type. So you know how much you are going to make, and if it is a commercial or short film before you even open the casting call.

Screen Shot 2018-05-02 at 11.32.59 PM — This shows this commercial is paying on the SAG scale and was posted on May 1st.

IMDbPro. Internet Movie DatabasePro is perfect for when you have a couple of professional credits under your belt. A lot of the castings on here will say for name talent. Meaning a well know actor, someone people will recognize on the screen. I do not think the ranking system or “STARmeter” matters much to casting directors, but they do want to see professional credits under your name. The STARmeter just tells producers and casting who is most popular currently or most likely has a project coming out. When you pay for IMDb pro, you also can see a list of talent agencies, contact information, message boards, projects in preproduction and ongoing.

Lafayette Cemetery Number 1 and green t-shirt

8 Reasons to Visit New Orleans

Published on May 1, 2018May 29, 2018 by Keri Elaine2 Comments

Naw ‘leans as the Southerners call it is an enchanting city. Since I had a three day weekend I decided to visit my college friend and her New Orleans born and breed boyfriend. So I was lucky enough to be given the local tour, which we all know is the best one! Her boyfriend told us all about parade floats and how each of them is known for a specific thing. There is a hierarchy among the floats and you have to join to be a part of the Krewe, pay dues and pay for the items you throw. So some floats throw one shoe (which is for decoration not actually use), purses, tons of beads and other swag. These shoes are one of a kind, hand decorated shoes. If you want to know more about the different Krewes feel free to read about each crew and what they throw here. The tradition of decorating and throwing one shoe represents

The food. Let’s be honest we all need to eat, so why not eat something delicious! The beignets are a magical and delicious reason to visit New Orleans alone. If you crossed a donut with a funnel cake and covered it in powdered sugar, then you would have the beignet. To eat one of these delicious morsels you must go to Cafe Du Monde. Insider tip: there is no formal wait to be seated rule. So keep walking past the long line of tourist and walk into the restaurant and look for an empty table. The staff there will quickly bus the table and ask you for your order. DO bring cash! This place is pretty cheap and I do not think they take credit. Also the little water cups they bring you are to wash the sugar off your fingers not for you to drink!

Try the po’ boys. There are shrimp, crawfish, catfish and fried clam po’ boys. These are everywhere and the Cuban sub of New Orleans. Named the po’ boy after the poor mans’ sandwich. It is crunchy and delicious. Usually, bread toasted on both sides with butter, tomatoes, and lettuce.

Alligator Bites. I know some of you are thinking ew. BUT the last time I had alligator was an RJ Gator’s in Florida about 12 years ago. The alligator bites in New Orleans are juicy, tender and chewy. I personally am not a huge chicken person, but alligator bites always taste like better than Chick-fil-a chicken nuggets.

Gumbo. It’s seasoned to spicy perfection, full of shrimp, crawfish, scallops, sausage, and vegetables. A must if you love soup or spicy foods.

Beautiful art work in the French Quarter of New Orleans, LA — The gorgeous painting my friend bought with reclaimed wood from the Katrina houses.

Art in the French Quarter

2. The Art in the French Quarter. I have a tradition of buying street art from the places I visit and the French Quarter was filled with photography, sculptures, and paintings. The artist my friend bought her art from told us he grew up there and was one of the first contractors to come back and rebuild. Each frame was made from the wood of the houses he helped take down to the studs and rebuild. He told us the red spray paint was how many people had passed (animals included) and the black spray paint was how many people (and animals) had been saved from the home. The green spray paint was from the homeowners spraying Help on their homes. The painting she bought was of the very street we were on that he use to look out on as he drank his morning coffee before he began to work. Stories like these are the reasons why I love collecting art, not only are you stimulating the local economy instead of the tacky tourist shops, but you also get to connect with some truly beautiful people.

Jazz band in the French Quarter on New Orleans — Photo Credit to Progrss.com

3. The live Jazz bands on the streets! There is nothing like a live Jazz band. Every couple of blocks there were four and six-piece jazz bands filling the air with sweet sounds. I loved dancing in the streets with the locals and laughing with my friend. Full disclosure I have always found Saxophones to be so sexy! Idk I blame my mom for playing so much Kenny G as I grew up.

4. The parades! It’s impossible not to, “let the good times roll,” in New Orleans! You can pay a fee to the city and have a police-escorted parade in the French Quarter. It’s super common for Bachelorette’s, weddings and birthday celebrations. So you can march up and down the Quarter with your very own jazz band, parasol. It’s pretty affordable to have your own street parade and open container. You can read more about that here.

5. Bourbon Street! I have one photo from Bourbon street, because if you have seen Girls Trip you know exactly how wild Bourbon Street is. I basically thought I had stumbled across a post-college frat party in the best possible way.

6. The shopping! I reclaimed my love of earrings in New Orleans. There were so many boutiques with interesting colorful earrings. Since I have returned home I’ve bought three more pairs, but that was partially because Babblebar had a sale. (Instagram’s ads will be the death of me). I must warn you that some boutiques are overpriced compared to others. So visit multiple boutiques before purchasing. You could save some bucks.

The stunning ceilings in the Hotel Monteleone

7. The architecture. If you love French architecture, but want to enjoy it in tropical weather. If you are looking for a unique bar to beat the heat, then you must go to the Carousel bar. Inside the Hotel Monteleone is this beautiful one-of-a-kind rotating carousel bar. The floor moves around in a slow spinning motion, while a jazz band plays in the back. Make sure to get there before 8 if you want a seat!

8. The historic sites like the Lafayette Cemetery. This cemetery has been featured in multiple movies and the CW show The Originals. These beautiful giant tombs hold multiple family members some dating as far back as the 1840’s. These tombs are above ground since New Orleans is in a bowl and will flood. Sadly a lot of these tombs were damaged during the hurricane like many peoples home and through vandalism. There are tours you can take to learn about the various families, secret societies and burial styles here.

Have you ever been to New Orleans? If so what are some of your favorite spots?

Beautiful girl with blvgari sunglasses 2018 Atlanta street style in lavender with colorful graffiti

Blvgari and Lavender for Spring

Published on April 26, 2018May 29, 2018 by Keri Elaine10 Comments

Hello beautiful people!

I am so sorry I have been away from you for so long. If you follow me on Instagram you probably noticed I have been to New Orleans and London in my time away from you. I plan on doing an upcoming review on those two fabulous cities and a post on how to take a great headshot! I talked to a casting agent about the ins and outs of headshots and what casting agents see when they look at certain ones. I am going to try and post twice a week so bear with me. Tuesday and Thursday are going to be my new posting days. Without further ado let’s get into get into one of my favorite spring colors and gorgeous souvenir from London!

When I think of spring colors mint, fuchsia and lavender always come to mind. This lavender shift dress is from Francesca’s! (If you are interested in checking it out you can click the highlighted Francesca’s affiliate link). Usually, I would not find this shape flattering for my body type. Shift dresses normally make my chest look even larger and create a maternity mumu affect. I loved the color so much I decided to ignore my anti shift dress prejudice and try it on. Luckily the scalloping keyhole and racer back combination made this dress incredibly flattering! Racerback tops and keyholes are always more flattering when you have a large chest. People think you should wear a high neck, but I always disagree V-necks and keyholes are always more flattering than a crew neck top.

I was in London earlier this month the weather was a little chiller than their typical April, but I really wanted to wear this dress. So I put black tights underneath, my black ankle boots and my friend’s black motorcycle jacket to make this look a little edger. Sadly I did not take a picture that day, because of all the rain and time we spent laughing/catching up on one another lives. Luckily the weather was lovely in Atlanta so I got to take these photos!

I’m not usually one to spend a ton on sunglasses, but I fell in love with these while in London and got them at a discount plus VAT so I HAD to do it. I am now the proud owner of these cat eye Bvlgari Serpenti sunglasses. I circled the Sunglass store about ten times and kept coming back to these light rose gold mirrored sunglasses. The thing I love about Bvgari is their attention to detail. The pinkish purple around the frame and the white that mirrors the appearance of a snake is stunning in person. I’ve worn these sunglasses so much in the last two weeks and every time people stop me to tell me how gorgeous they are and I have to agree. I have not seen anything similar and I love that it is a modern take on the cat eye.

Here is a close up of these

Blvgari sunglasses spring 2018 collection with snake hexagon detail — White snake detail on the bridge of these Bvlgari sunglasses.

I have missed you all and cannot wait to catch up with you! What colors come to your mind when you think of spring?

Valentine’s Day

Published on February 14, 2018May 29, 2018 by Keri Elaine4 Comments

First and foremost Happy Valentine’s Day darlings! I think Valentine’s Day is a beautiful reminder to appreciate the ones you love. Even if that means just calling them to say two things you love about them.

Red Abercrombie and Fitch dress and off white tufted chair

I picked up this fabulous off the shoulder side tie red dress from Abercrombie and Fitch. Which is on sale btw! This looks completely different than the Abercrombie and Fitch I worked at eight years ago, so shout out to their new buyer this linen dress is so beautiful!

Red Abercrombie and Fitch dress and off white tufted studded chair

I recently finished reading a book called The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo and it made me rethink my perspective on love. At one point in life I thought love was very black and white. Now I know there are tons of gray areas with love. Times where you are so drawn to someone that it is entirely magnetic and other times when you just get butterflies. Then just complete admiration for another person. You can read some of the reviews here to get a good summary. By nature I am a complete hopeless romantic. I love nothing more than great conversation, when a guy plans out a unique date and remembers the little things I even forgot I said. This always shocks my friends, because I’m often single and dating longer than I am in a relationship. I’ll be honest with you all, it’s because I have been afraid of commitment. Why? When I am in a relationship I am one hundred percent invested in my person. I use every spare minute I have to do what my guy wants, shop for the perfect birthday gift for him, plan a party, hang out with his friends and sometimes his family. The thing is in the past this has not been reciprocated. My ex’s have often been insecure due to rumors their “friends” made up, comments about me being out of their league or allowed their families to dictate who they can date and make racist remarks to me. The only thing I wanted was quality time with my man, who loves and trust me unconditionally and would stick up for me with his family/friends.

Red Abercrombie and Fitch dress, long brown hair and off white tufted studded chair

This past year I have taken the time to completely fall head over heels in love with myself. I have planned trips, taken acting classes, laughed with old friends over lunch, gone to viewing parties for my fellow actors, had drinks with some interesting people and honestly loved every minute of it. Ironically I had a four-hour conversation with a stranger about love, life, and marketing. Our conversation basically reminded me that through everything, I still completely believe in love. The kind that is patient, magnetic, passionate, selfless and comes when you are completely happy with where you are in life.

Laughing in a Red Abercrombie and Fitch dress and off white tufted studded chair

This year my Valentine is my fur baby who loves me unconditionally and I am completely fine with that! Do you think there are different types of love?

Red Abercrombie and Fitch dress and side ties with a grey cat

Dior Glow Lipstick

Published on February 6, 2018May 28, 2018 by Keri Elaine2 Comments

I’ve been using Dior’s mascara for years now and occasionally their lipstick that goes on as a clear light pink and adjusts to your own personal pink based on your skin tone and PH.

When Dior came out with over six new colors I ran to Sephora to try them out. Since I already have a good amount of Red, Burgundy, and Berry colored lipsticks, I tried out the lilac tinted one named 009 Holographic Purple.

rsz_imag0688 — Before without any lipgloss

I must say I have been in love with the lip color ever since! The best part is this lip gloss is not sticky so you don’t have to worry about your hair getting stuck in your lip gloss in the wind. The best thing is you can use this over or under your favorite lipsticks to enhance the color! Have you ever used a Dior product?

Were the Killers Wonderful, Wonderful?

Published on January 30, 2018May 28, 2018 by Keri Elaine2 Comments

The Killers came to Atlanta last Sunday (as you may have been able to see on my Instagram last week) and I was so happy to finally attend their concert. I have loved Brandon Flowers and The Killers since middle school with Mr. Brightside, All These Things That I’ve Done and the entire Hot Fuss album blasting through my headphones! So to say my review of their concert may have a little bit of a bias to it would be an understatement. However, we all have loved a specific artist only to hear a live recording of them and realize they do not match how they sound in person. Or that they have no stage pr or X-factor. Well, I am ecstatic to report The Killers exceeded my expectation and were even better than I imagined.

Alex Cameron opened for them and even commented that Brandon Flowers personally contacted them to go on tour with them. They reminded me of Walk the Moon and The Killers combined with a little more electronica.

When The Killers came out, Brandon Flowers immediately thanked everyone for coming and said, “I know you spent your hard earned money on tickets to this show and I am going to do my best to make sure we reach your expectations”. How humble in a world huge egos and celebs who show up late to their own concerts. This was incredibly refreshing to hear. The Killer write based on their lives and are incredibly sarcastic. For example Andy You’re a Star and The Man. Andy You’re a Star was about a high school football player who bullied Brandon relentlessly and if you listen to the lyrics you can tell this is Brandon’s revenge song. He states, Andy you’re a star in nobody’s eyes, but mine.” The Man was based on the negative public persona he had when he first came out. He explained that after having kids he realized there was nothing wrong with being compassionate. He never felt he fit the bad boy image the label/industry tried to give him. Which would explain the pink confetti that launched from the cannon at the beginning of the concert. Since pink is often seen as “feminine” even though I know a ton of dudes who look better in pink than me. Brandon rocked a Robin egg blue blazer the first half of the concert. Then, red, white and blue confetti fell from the sky. One touch that was pretty cool and personal is the water tower on stage had Atlanta on it. I think it’s cool that they thought to personalize the experience. Before the song, Human Brandon pulled a fan named AJ out of the crowd who was wearing a jacket like Brandon in the Human music video. They let AJ play the bass for the song onstage and grab a selfie before returning to the crowd.

The Killers did a great job of blending songs from their older albums and their newest one. I thought it would be great if Brandon changed into some kind of sparkly sequined outfit. Then, he came out in a shiny, crystal-covered silver and gold colored outfit with matching shoes! The light made the look appear to be more gold.

Photo credit

Then, he did an Elvis impression that had the crowd go wild! The Killers closed out with Mr. Brightside and I must admit the 13-year old girl in me screamed her lungs out shouting out the lyrics. Mr. Flowers ended the night with the quote, “there is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man. True nobility is being better than your former self.” Overall The Killers put on a concert that was so much more than Wonderful, Wonderful.

Golden Globes and Why it is Necessary to Wear Black Now

Published on January 9, 2018May 28, 2018 by Keri Elaine6 Comments

75th Golden Globe Award

Women in Black for the Time's Up initiative at the Golden Globes Viola Davis Gal — Photo credit Vanity Fair

The 75th Golden Globe’s was a complete blackout. Usually the red carpet is full of vibrant colorful dress, suits and accessories. This year MOST celebrities showed up wearing all black. I have never been so proud to see this industry unite with Time Magazine for the Times Up initiative. A few celebrities opted to bring sexual assault activist as their dates. Why now, you might ask? Why now are all these people coming forward about sexual assault after being silent for so long? Why is Hollywood speaking up now and listening to activist? The climate we are living now. I’ve had this debate with a family friends dads who know I am actively working to be apart of the film and television industry. I pointed out to them that women have been harassed forever, but we often do not come forward because we are belittled and slut-shamed. What were you wearing? Are you sure you didn’t want the attention? Did you drink? How much were drinking? Why were you alone? Well did you lead him on? Are you sure you didn’t want it? Well were you a virgin? How many partners have you had? Well what did you think was going to happen?

None of these questions justify the perpetrator’s behavior. No one has the right to touch you or make a sexual advance to you without your permission. I believe the reason why Times Up has become a huge movement in Hollywood now, is because of our current president. To have a political election where one candidate is over-qualified for the position has decades of experience as a politician and public servant consistently answers all question about what they would do if elected. The other candidate belittles reporters with disabilities, ignores questions, does not submit their taxes, does not resign from their companies, has been accused of sexual assault, is currently being sued for sexual assault and harassment by multiple women. Then, is quoted saying, “grab ‘em by the pussy” wins over the over-qualified female candidate. This tells women they are not equal, they are not important and they do not have control over their own bodies. Add the lack of equal pay and well you’ve completely handicapped an entire sex.

The 75^th Golden Globes has been the most powerful because they did not try to sweep the uncomfortable elephants in the room under the rug. Jokes were made using Harry Weinstein and Kevin Spacey names, calling them out for their crimes. Natalie Portman also pointed out that in the director category only men were nominated (even though there have been many great female-directed films and tv shows this year). Debra Messing called out E! for lack of equality – in reference to paying Jason significantly more than Catt Sadler. Oprah accepted the Cecil B DeMille Award and gave the most eloquent speech since Obama was in office. My hope is that this momentum will continue and all workplaces will promote a safe, respectful, equal pay environment we all are owed. I can not wait for the day women and men do not have to say #metoo Did you watch the Golden Globes? If so do you think the blackout showed unity or just a fashion statement?

Four Tips for Accomplishing Your New Year’s!

Published on January 2, 2018May 28, 2018 by Keri Elaine6 Comments

Happy New Year everyone!

This past year has been full of blessings, lessons and hard work. My goal is to continue to be open to the opportunities and changes that comes my way. Continue to set intentions for myself and visualize them. In the past everytime I have intentionally visualized myself accomplishing my goals and spoken about them it has come true. For 2018 let’s follow the following tips to accomplish our resolutions!

1. Write down your goals. Do it. There is something about physically writing down your goals for the year that holds you accountable. Personally I recommend getting a dry erase marker and writing them on your bathroom mirror, or a long mirror in your bedroom. Why? Every morning when you wake up you use the bathroom and look in the mirror. Sometimes while brushing your teeth, other times while putting on your make up or zoning out. Then, again at night as you do your nighttime routine. Twice a day you will see your goals and can reflect on what steps you need to take to be closer to crossing that goal off your list!

2. Verbalize your goal(s). Talk to your friends, family and even people you meet at networking events about your goals. Everytime I have met people and mentioned I am an actor focused on the Film and Television industry they somehow have some interesting story to share, person they must connect me with or even just general information about this industry. (Plus I love recommending films and TV shows to check out to other people)! I have always enjoyed getting to know other people. Getting to hear someone’s perspective based on where they grew up, what their cultural norms and morals are. One of my fabulous gal pals and I just had a discussion on what she does on Christmas with her family. She is Muslim and is always kind enough to wish me a Merry Christmas, but I never knew what her equivalent would be. Well she wrote this article, to explain what various Muslim’s do on Christmas. We always discuss what we want to accomplish and support each other with positive words. Verbalizing can lead to people holding you accountable and connecting with the right people.

3. Be open to change. This time of year so many people focus on dieting to lose weight, instead of making a lifestyle change for the sake of building muscle and being healthier. I can not stress enough how important your health is. That should always be priority number 1. Taking care of the only body you have the right way will save you so much stress, money and help your mental health. Change could also mean stepping out of your comfort zone, like finally taking that Public Speaking class you need so you don’t freak out when having to give a presentation or job interview. Change can feel scary and uncomfortable, but it is the only way to grow.

4. “Let live and let God”. To me, this quote means stop trying to plan and control every step of your life. This does not mean sit in your room staring blankly at the walls and expect to find the love of your life, dream career, that six-pack of abs you had in middle school and financial freedom. You have to put forth effort! Want to meet someone go to a cooking class, spoken word night or indie film festival instead of your regular bar or nightclub scene. Switch it up! Look at your bank statement, and outgoing bills. See if there is somewhere you keep splurging that you can cut back, like eating out twice a week instead of everyday, or buying the majority of your groceries from a cheaper place (shout out to Trader Joe’s! You are the real MVP)! If you want to break a bad habit start today instead tomorrow, next week, etc. We all know the longer we procrastinate the harder it is to change.

5. Do a check-in. In six months see which goals you have accomplished. See which ones still need some TLC to get them done.

What are some tips you have for accomplishing your New Year’s resolutions?

Merry Christmas!

Published on December 25, 2017May 28, 2018 by Keri Elaine6 Comments

Hello, darlings!

Scrabble Christmas letters

I know I have been away way to long. I just wanted to say Merry Christmas!

To me, Christmas has always been about the joy of spreading kindness to others. Whether that is buying gifts for Christmas Angels through the Salvation Army, holding open the door for others or tipping your fabulous server 50 percent of the bill. This time of year so many people get caught up in the gifts I think its important to reflect on doing something kind for others. Two scriptures to remember this time of year.

A reminder of unconditional love and sacrifice

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

A reminder that patience and kindness is free, something we should all aim to practice year round.

1 Timothy 1:15-16

“15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.

16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.”

So I hope your Christmas was filled with love, joy and laughter!

Feel free to check out my Instagram !