THE LOVE ISSUE STORIES SIDE CHICK VS. WIFEY
INTO THE UNKNOWN
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ISSUE
02 2021
Letter from the Editor and Chief
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t’s that time of the year again. BayStyle Magazine is proud to announce our second issue self titled “The Love Issue” With
great demands from our readers, they wanted an issue that transcends the regular idea of romantic love during the biggest holiday in February. This Valentine, BayStyle will embark on stories that evoke emotions from the love journeys and passions that a person goes through.
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e will explore creative writings from fashion journalists’ perspectives to emphasize the idea of LOVE for your
careers and other stepping stones. In this upcoming issue, the team at BayStyle will also provide tips and tricks to get your ideal creative careers started by utilizing our new networks of professionals in the world of fashion and social influencing. We will also be spotlighting personal articles from our models, photographers, creative directors, beauty teams, and social media teams. In this issue, you will read about how they started in the fashion and media production industries.
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honta Jones, the Editor and Chief of Bay Style Magazine, would personally like to thank everyone who purchased, viewed, or commented on their #1 Issue “Thank You.” Bay Style Magazine has new faces and new concepts to introduce to you on Issue #2, “The Love Issue” As you will see, it is all about the passion for what you do. We have met many small business owners, entrepreneurs, crafters, designers, makeup artists, hairstylists, nail technicians, young adults, and youth who have been inspired to start their own business or follow their passion further.
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t Bay Style Magazine, we are all healthy and safe and doing everything we can to keep our staff, models, and clients safe through this pandemic, called Covid-19. 2020 was a hard year for all of us, and without the proper support in your corner, you may have crumbled and given up on yourself and your passion. We are thankful for the uplifting spirits of the staff and the associates we work with. Life can be hard, and we know this all so well, we have worked and worked and been told no, and we need to do more, or we need to have more to start our own magazine, but I, my staff, never gave up, and I am so grateful for that and can now we can say we are an LLC, official and registered.
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tarting Bay Style Magazine seemed so simple and maybe not a lot of work about a month ago last year, the boy was I wrong. But it has truly been a blessing, a joyful journey, even though the bad times. We at Bay Style Magazine know the pain all so well. How life can get you down, we want to let you know, and we are here to be about you, to get you where you need to be, whether that be singing, acting, modeling, dancing, or being on film or television, we can help you go down the right path and meet and network with the right people.
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honta Jones of Bay Style Magazine is a mother first, and that is how she treats all her models, staff, and clients, as an extension of her family. She wants to keep them protected and paid what they are worth. If you would like to work with Bay Style Magazine or even become a Bay Style Magazine model, please contact us via the website at www.baystylemagazine.com; we would love to work with you and help your passion and dreams come true. “Stay Amazing and Be Amazing,” I always say. Never give up on yourself or your passion.
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THE LOVE FOR FILM & IMAGES By: Vert Wright
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he good thing about giving up your day job is that you can now do what you love, full time. I didn’t retire from my day job to sit and watch TV all day. I retired to explore my fascination with filmmaking and photography, which I’ve had since I was 5 years old. I never tire of shooting or filming. Onset is where I am most at home, and I feel I was born to do it.
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sometimes think it is because I have watched so many movies and so much TV in my lifetime that I’ve been driven to learn the language from the side of a producer since I knew it so well as a consumer. Also, as a part introvert, I have come to feel really comfortable behind a camera.
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f I look back on my journey, I remember knowing what I wanted at an early age. I wanted to be on TV, and I did everything I could to make that happen, including dragging my Mom to what I thought were casting opportunities. They were really just ways for people to promise kids fortune and fame to get their parents to shell out big bucks for training and pictures. We couldn’t afford that anyway, so nothing came of that.
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o I spent the next few years involving myself in school plays whenever possible. The roles were few and far between, but I always jumped at the chance. It was in junior high school that the photography bug bit me.
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even began to develop my own black and white film. I used to break the old film cartridges open in the complete darkness of my Mom’s washroom and thread the film onto the reel of the closed, light-proof container and then pour the chemical in that would develop the film. I would then put the film in my enlarger and quickly shine the light by exposing the photographic paper. Then I would put the exposed paper in the three baths, the developer,
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the stop bath, and the fixer, to complete the printing process. This was long before digital photography and wasn’t cheap for a teenager, but I did it as often as I could afford to.
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igh school was an exhilarating time for me because we actually had real drama classes and a very active drama club called the Scarlet Masque. This is where my first real exposure to training as an actor took place, and I loved it. We did musicals, Shakespeare, talent shows, and even performed some pieces that we had written ourselves.
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y the time I left high school, I was on top of the world, having been president of the Scarlet Masque and having received a few high school acting awards along the way. I knew I was destined to be a TV star. Or so I thought. I got a wake-up call in college, where I continued my studies, but now I was a small fish in a big pond. Everybody was good, and some were even great! I still see a few of my old college pals on TV or in movies. So I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in theater, emphasizing television production and acting. Still, TV was in the doldrums, and acting jobs for Black actors were very scarce. Plus, honestly, there were plenty of better actors than me at the time, so I drifted away from it.
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he next decade or so didn’t provide much time for exploring my passions. I had lost my footing, so I was trying to find myself again and
gain some stability. I hadn’t taken my Mom’s advice about getting a more useful degree, and I was paying for it. I was tired of working fast food and grocery part-time and figured I needed to get a marketable skill quickly. So I joined the Marine Corps Reserves. Best decision I ever made because it allowed me to land a good job at a major oil company where I would spend the next 32 years.
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got married, had kids, and was fascinated with this new digital technology for video and still photography. Back in college, we used videotape and 16mm film, so we were pretty much limited to school-sponsored projects. This new technology would open things up in ways I had not imagined.
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spent 10 years in a rough marriage before we decided to call it quits. During that time, I did a little community theater, but that was about it. Two years into my divorce, I met my soulmate and the love of my life, and we married. Around that time, I met a local realtor who was also a filmmaker, and little did I know, but things were about to change!
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uring a conversation, he mentioned that he was a filmmaker, and I mentioned my acting background. He asked me to play the role of a cop in his latest low budget production called Blood Money. I said yes, and that was the beginning of my filmmaking journey.
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e would give me little assignments, like editing, and quickly turn them around and get his feedback. I told my new wife that it was my goal to become an integral part of his
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filmmaking machine. She told me to go for it, and she immediately went out and bought me books on digital photography and filmmaking. Her support has been an integral part of my journey.
produce a web series called San Francisco Justice. It was a wacky court series that was a take-off on all the Judge Judy type shows. I was co-producer and starring in it as the judge. This was my first real exposure to crew work and lighting, and I learned quickly what I didn’t know.
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started studying and buying equipment to practice with, and before I knew it, I was involved in production, writing, editing, casting, and producing. At this point, we decided to
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had recently bought my first lighting kit. It was a Lowell kit with 4 open-faced floodlights. Since we were filming the auditions, I decided to break out my lights and try them out. I set up a couple of lights, pointed them at the people auditioning, and to my surprise, it looked terrible! And these were professional-grade lights! I knew then I had a lot to learn.
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o we cast our series and hired a crew, and shot it over a couple of weekends. I remember hearing the phrase “We’ll fix it in post.” a lot. Well, as it would turn out, I ended up editing it, so I posted! That’s why that phrase still infuriated me to this day. We paid a Director of Photography to make sure things went according to plan since my co-producer, and I acted in the series, but I realized things were not right in the post. Shots wouldn’t cut together, cameras didn’t match, and the angles were totally wrong. At that point, I knew what I had to do. I had to learn to work behind the camera. After all, there were plenty of better actors than me to put in front of the camera.
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dedicated myself to learning everything I could about cameras, lighting, and sound. I spent all my spare time working on or learning about filmmaking. I read everything I could get my hands on and even went to filmmaking seminars in L.A. I watched movies differently, gaining a new appreciation for them because I now knew how much had to go right to make a good one. I began studying cinematography and realized that working my highly technical day job for decades made it easier for me to learn the technical end of filmmaking, which is necessary to achieve the director’s creative vision. I was also able to work with cinematographers who were more experienced than I was, which allowed me to direct. I used my experience from college after all and realized how much I enjoyed working with good actors. Having acting experience myself, I instinctively know what they need from me to give their best performance, and I would even play small roles in the films I was working
on. I started MLC Productions, a company dedicated to helping producers bring their projects to life.
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orking on cinematography and filmmaking brought me so close to photography that I drifted back into it, and now I love both equally. I have always admired what a good photographer could create by capturing the beauty around us. Cinematography and photography are cousins in a way, and when I’m studying for one, I’m learning skills that can be applied to the other. Although I study many subjects involved with photography, camera settings, composition, posing, etc., I think my favorite topic is lighting. I read somewhere that when it comes to lighting, if you really want to learn it, you have to become obsessed with it, and I have. It is imperative in photography and cinematography; it is possibly the most important element for making your film look like a film.
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s I got more and more into photography, I realized that most actors and actresses model, and many models act, which led me to work with and practice with on both fronts. I enjoy working with and coaching models and actors, and as they say, when you do what you love, you never work a day in your life. This love of photography led me to start my photography business, Moonlighting Images, specializing in Boudoir and Fashion photography, always keeping it sexy and classy.
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’ve been fortunate enough on my journey to have helped many people and businesses bring their visions to life. I have worked on short films, feature films, web series’, public access series’, pilots, music videos, and TV commercials. I’ve had the honor of working with seasoned Hollywood professionals and with people who were acting for their very first time. I’ve been able to see my work featured on outlets like Netflix and Amazon Prime. I’ve also tried many different photography types and have even been lucky enough to have been published a few times. Sometimes it’s hard work, but I realized a long time ago, if it doesn’t feel like work, you’re probably not doing it right. But it’s the work that I love and the thing that I love to do. If you are interested in filmmaking, acting, photography, or modeling, I will encourage you to reach out and go for it. Technology has led to filmmaking and photography’s democratization, so most of the barriers, real or perceived, have been removed. The equipment necessary has gotten better and cheaper. Hell, people are taking great pictures and making movies on their iPhones. So get out there and start your journey. And I sincerely hope to see you along the way.
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LOVE AND
LUST BY: NISHA BROWN
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Nisha Brown currently resides in California. She is an author, model, actress, and spokesperson. She has been writing since she was a teenager because her favorite subject has always been English and growing up she loved to read various books. She wrote and released her first book Miss Caramel in August 2016 after overcoming homelessness. Since her debut she has made the top 100 authors list from UBAWA in 2017 and became an Amazon Bestseller. She loves to uplift and support other women and is an advocate for women’s rights, the LGBT community, and animal rights. All of her books can be found on Amazon. Nisha won the 2019 Platinum model of the year award from Platinum Queens and has starred in several plays and sitcoms. In her spare time she loves to travel, spend time with family, and has recently found a love for hiking.
Lesbian Love is Da Trillest Love and Lust doesn’t always have to end in deceit and betrayal. Or does it? Jae Jae is the sexiest dope dealing stud alive and she knows it. Every female that gets involved with her is destined for heartbreak.Because of a dark secret in her past she vowed to never love another woman again. When she meets Lala a recovering addict she can’t help let her guard down and admit she’s
smitten. Lala and Jae Jae soon realize they are in over their heads but will Jae Jae succumb to love or will she fall victim to her own ruthless ways? Nova is an outspoken and proud lesbian, but the problem is that her partner Arabella is not and has always lived in the closet while running from her truth. When Arabella receives a surprise visit from her mom and dad she will be forced to choose between true love and her family. Kincy and Unique have been trying to get pregnant with no luck. When Unique makes a surprising betrayal against Kincy the question becomes if a baby will be able to save their marriage. This story will prove once and for all that love conquers everything or does it?
Confessions of a Call Center Vixen At Bankers Tech, a scandalous call center in Atlanta, GA, it’s not about who you know but who you do dirty! Let’s meet the main women: Nyema is the most beautiful vixen in the call center who everyone wants to be or be with, now what everyone doesn’t know is that she is hiding a dark deadly secret… Alexis is Nyema’s best friend who is tired of hiding in her shadows, while her secret jealousy toward her friend threatens to jeopardize her own life…
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Penelope is the miserable office manager who has all the bad luck in life, but when an even more shocking revelation threatens to turn her world upside down she takes matters in her own hands… Lisa is the definition of a woman scorned in every which way possible, no matter which way she turns life is not on her side. As a product of her low selfesteem issues she makes a deadly decision that she may or may not bounce back from… Welcome to the call center world! Sit back and watch how these women destroy themselves, and one another, in an effort to climb to the top of the vixen ladder. At Banker’s Tech none of these women will be left unscathed, and they’re going to end up getting more than their paychecks can ever amount to...
Confessions of a Call Center Vixen 2 Bankers Tech is the one call center where anything goes and where it is not about what you know but who you do dirty! Meet the vixens... Nyema has been out of the country for a year living a fairytale life with Tyriq but when she receives a letter from Banker’s Tech inviting her to come back in a more powerful position she is unable to turn it down. Little does she know she is going to get more than the power is worth when she faces betrayel, blackmail, and an unexpected stalker. Will Nyema be able to handle the pressure or will the call center bring her life down? Janelle took Nyema’s place being the queen of the call center but when she starts sleeping with Kent the Operations Manager in hopes of getting a supervisor position she will soon learn there is a cost to being the wrong kind of queen. Deedee is now dating Antwan the call center’s playboy but her insecurities are at an all time high and she hasn’t been completely honest with him about her past. Deedee is in for a rude awakening when she finds out that honesty is truly the best policy. These Vixens are going to get more than what their paychecks could ever amount to.
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Confessions of a Call Center Vixen 3 Banker’s Tech is the one call center where anything goes and it’s not about what you know but who you do dirty! Meet the vixens! After living through a traumatic car accident Nyema is suffering complete amnesia causing her to move forward in a Tyriq free life. Tyriq on the other hand is determined to move heaven and earth to get his queen back in his arms. Will Nyema let the past be the past or will she rekindle what she once had? Alexis is causing complete chaos which is what she does best but she goes to far when she tries to go undercover and seduce Tyriq in a revenge plot against Nyema. Will her plan succeed or will Nyema keep her reign as queen even though she has amnesia? Penelope is fresh out of prison and in true desperation she finds herself working back at Banker’s Tech. The new director has made it known that she doesn’t like Penelope and there is a new sheriff in town. Will Penelope be able to work under the pressure or will she fold? These vixens are going to get more than what their paychecks could ever amount to. It’s the series finale!
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QUICK LOOKS FOR PRE-FALL
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THIS SEASONS BEST ADD ONS THE IT BAG!
Looking for a quick fix to your upcoming fall season? Here are some quick looks to spice up your wardrobe. Dezire is the owner of her online clothing retail business call QT Swimwear. This season for 2021, she shows us pattern woven skirts are trendy. She is color blocking with a solid white turtle neck top sweater. A monochromatic look is easy on the eye and does not come off too busy. Simplicity is key when you want to make a statement. Create a bold 16
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statement with some minor accessories, such as earrings, hats, necklances or glasses,
BLACK & WHITE to tie in the look altogether. Change up your looks by mixing high and low items. Dezire is also presenting a quality handbag from her boutique. Finish the whole look with a strong pose!
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CARRIE SMITH’S
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COCO GODUS GLITZ AND BLING MAGAZINE
C
arrie Smith, a California native, is the epitome of Grace and Style. She is a Mother, Daycare provider, Dancer, Writer, and Positive role model in her community. At the age of thirteen she was first introduced to modeling at her church fashion shows. She was known as “the runway Diva” with the milliondollar smile, and she has been modeling ever since.
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bout eight years ago, Carrie was diagnosed with a sickness that affects her skin and which caused her to lose her hair. She thought her modeling career was over. However, through the scarring and losing her hair, she realized that beauty comes in all varieties, including baldness. In 2011 she begins her journey in writing about her living with Lupus. She found healing in writing without using her voices.
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he decided that her sickness wasn’t going to change the confidence already instilled in her. Those scars and pain allowed her to start appreciating the person that God created. She had to realize that she wasn’t her hair and she wasn’t the scars that were on her body. She had to learn how to embrace herself from within.
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oing through her journey and sharing her story has encouraged so many people to never give up on your dreams. Carrie’s dream is to be a positive Plus Size role model and an inspiring writer in her community to encourage young and older women that, as Carrie always says, “It doesn’t matter what size you are, it’s about your uniqueness and how you carry yourself.” Coco Godus Glitz and Bling
without breaking the bank! Find that perfect pop of color, fall in love with a new statement piece, or step out of your comfort zone and try one of the hottest trends of the season - the choice is yours.
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nspired by a Godus lipstick Einnaf Cosmetics products are designed to naturally enhance a woman’s beauty. We offer gluten-free and luxurious moisturizing lipsticks and lip glosses in addition to our 18 hour matte. Our products come in numerous shades & colors – neutrals… to bold …and fun, trendy night and weekend colors and are formulated to compliment women of all skin tones!
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hat inspire me is seeing the joy on my customer faces. That a piece of jewelry can make a different in someone life. If I can bring joy to whom ever I come in contact with. Then that makes me a happy.
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or my lipstick I’m inspired by uplifting and empower women to embrace the the skin that God blessed you. It’s bigger then the lipstick. It a life change. If I can inspire other with a tube to embrace that inner her then it makes me happy.
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aparazzi Accessories are always fabulous, always fashionable, and always $5. With new styles added daily, you can shop anytime and look like a million MAGAZINE
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KINGCYBORG IS A
SINGER, SONGWRITER,
COMPOSER, PRODUCER AND CREATOR.
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KingCyborg is a singer, songwriter,
moment. I’m constantly tapping into different
composer, producer and creator,
timelines and currents. And people will have
this wild being and talented Angolan
different experiences while digesting my
artist unveils a multifaceted musical
art. Some will not at all. And, I’m at peace
world, carried by a voice tinged with
with that. We are not here to be the same.
nostalgia and soul influences.
Song: Available on every platform (new song
While THEY music is typically in English, King sings/writes songs in her native tongue (Portuguese) as well.
coming out soon). stay tuned. Social Media: Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/ kngcybrg/ Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/ KingCyborg3
KingCyborg music showcases compositions blending into Downtempo, Experimental Pop, Avant hop, Tri hop, Electro Pop, Indie. KingCyborg resides in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA I don’t have a specific point of reference for inspiration. I receive daily uploads from the universe and what I do is put out the message in the form of words, feelings and emotions. Every song I write, every art I make are a reflection of something expressed in that form at that MAGAZINE
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WIFEY VS
SIDE CHICKS
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By: Shonta Jones
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n the world we live in, the Battle between Wifey and Sidechick still goes on in households today. Wifey is the one you married or the one you would consider marrying. Wifey does all the household duties, taking care of the children, taking care of her husband or husband to be;
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ifey makes sure her family values are in order, and her household is straight. The Sidechick is the one who is called upon to do duties the wifey will not or does not perform sexually.
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he Sidechick also prepares meals and takes care of her man, the one she calls “Daddy.” The Sidechick takes to certain events as eyecandy or to impress someone or a group of people. Side chicks are also sometimes kept in the dark and do not know she is the Sidechick. Sidekicks can also perform the same duties as the wifey and have kids by the same man as the wifey.
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ome women in this world do no mind polygamy and welcome it into their
homes; some women do not welcome this into their homes and are taken advantage of by these men living double lives.
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here we get to witness this tragedy the most is around the Holidays, like the one coming up soon, Valentines Day. Some women will be receiving gifts from the same man and not even know it or know it and do not care. Some Sidechicks believe that they will eventually win over the man and leave his wifey and make his wifey. Some Wifey women know their men are cheating but want to keep their family together and deal with cheating.
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ifey vs. Sidechick has also been glorified on Reality Tv Shows, Tv Series, and Movies and has brainwashed women to make them feel that this way of living is the norm frowned upon. To willingly break up a happy home is beyond me; even if the man is interested in you, why not find a single man and have multiple partners instead of dating married men or men that are taken?
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ot saying all Sidechicks date married men is somewhat split evenly between Sidchcks dating men with a girlfriend, baby mama, or a married man. We would like to hear your comments on the Battle between Wifey and Sidechick. What do you think the battle is about, and how do you think this feud can end? MAGAZINE
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HOW TO BE
CLASSY AND
SOPHISTICATED
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“Red lipstick never hurt anyone.”
By: Shonta Jones
When model Inna steps out on the town, she puts on her Red Jumpsuit, White fur coat, and Gold Pearl and white necklace. Picking an outfit to go out to a special event, family gathering, business party, birthday, and more can be difficult for some women, so here are some tips. With it being winter and all, it should be bold and straight, starting with the hair but flowing to the bounce, light foundation on the face, natural highlights, light fall eyeshadow colors on the eyes, with a hint of white eyeshadow right below the brow. Black eyeliner on top and bottom of the eyelids, a light blush on the cheeks, followed with a beautiful bright red lipstick. Try and keep as a natural look as possible, do not over do the makeup on your face; it takes away from the garment and style you show. After that, add a bulky big gold and white pearl necklace, followed by a white fur half jacket that falls just above the hip line, a red crop top fitting and flowing jumpsuit with side flares that give the pants an artistic look, adding lines to the body and covering other lines. Inna is also seen wearing a lovely white sequence long sleeve dress, with a simple brown fur jacket that 28
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buckles right above the waist. Notice how the brown help the white stand out and pop, and not blend in with white-on-white fur and white dress, but accent it with a brown or black fur. You can not see model Inna’s shoes in the photos, but a simple closed toe nude shoe would go perfect with the red and white combination, and silver or black open-toed shoes would go perfect with the brown and white combination.
When stepping out on the town, you want to be classy and sophisticated, not overdoing it, but just adding enough glam and flair to capture the style you are looking for. Makeup can be simple and natural; just accent what your natural tones and lines are, and you are winning. Also, a little red lipstick never hurt anyone. Being Classy and Sophisticated is an art and can be pulled off the right way if you put the right clothing items together. A Classy woman wants to show off to you that she is a woman, but with a garment that accents her personality and power position. When going to parties, it is better to have garments that fit in the right areas and lose others. Walking into a room and wearing the right items can catapult you in a direction you may never knew you could go.
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When going around other Classy and Sophisticated people, you want to be looked at the same way you look at them, so the next time you go out on the town, really look in your closet and see if you can’t change up your style. Try wearing a blouse with a blazer, some slacks, and some flats, and it might change how you look at your style. Even when wearing a dress, try and see if you can find something fitting, but not too fitting, not something too tight, this way you can still eat, move, drink and dance, also try and wear heels you have worn before, trying to break in heels in the same night can cause terrible pain to your feet. Remember being classy and sophisticated can start with your style, just by adding simple items and seeing if they flow. Classy is not about how much you spent on your outfit, but how you wear that outfit, how you put it together, and the same thing goes for being sophisticated; how you carry yourself tells people about you. Clothing is an extension of us, and it speaks before we do, and we don’t even realize it. Make sure your colors flow, your shoe flow and are comfortable and broke in, make sure when you get dressed, the outfit says you, this is me, do not try to be too flashy, be humble and be quiet, listen and learn, soak up the knowledge around you.
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INTO THE UNKNOWN BY: MINH TRAN
In this fantasy inspired series. It tells a
of our sponsored talents. She’s great!
story of a young, innocent girl, played by
She loves to model, and her depiction
Honestly— BayStyle Talent’s very own
of the characters I assigned to her was
model and dancer. Creative director
executed correctly.
Shonta Jones manifested this original adventure-themed poster. We asked her what her vision was when directing this editorial poster?
viewers to get from these two poster images? I want viewers to experience a full ride of terror expressions as they follow the
I’ve always been fascinated by the
young girl into the dark, dangerous, and
idea of a young child being engulfed
hollow woods.
by society’s darkness. Losing her innocence and confining to the ideal norms.
The journey takes place as Honestly, the main protagonist ventures into the woods alone in the dark of night as she
Can you elaborate on your
continued to go further and further. She
selection of cast members
notices that someone or something
for these images?
is following her. In a panic of danger,
I asked Gigi to play her protector in the form of the fire goddess. She is also one
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she prays for help. The terrified young child then encounters her protector— the strong and powerful goddess,
played by Gigi. BLASTED THE dark shadows with her magical fireball. The glee of Honestly’s innocence overtook her majestic presence. Both are now linked to continuing the quest of finding themselves. Gigi and Honestly helped styled each character in custom off the rack garments by Shonta Jones.
“We intended to have this story be a series of posters that explains that journey of Honestly. Each part will carry a powerful image filled with fantasy and supernatural powerful characters,” said Jones. Who was your photographer and post-production team?
My cousin is a visual imager himself. He’s been doing it for a long time, and I thought it would be a great idea to collaborate with his imaging company. BayStyle Magazine, LLC, and a8retouch came up with an agreement, and Andre retouched the two images for our posters. As the next issue of BayStyle gets
I was the photographer. I wanted to
announced, we hope to continue this
capture what I envisioned in my mind
storyline. Providing limited, collectible
truly. It was only natural that I took the
posters for our loyal readers.
images myself.
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FINDING SUCCESS THROUGH TRIAL & ERROR BY: MINH TRAN
It took me a while to figure out what I was truly passionate about. Looking back, when I graduated from college in a field that I thought was substantial, career-wise. I compromised by telling myself that it was the best for me after 13 years of working
Now, at the young age of 30. I have learned that you should always do what you love! The idea of making money is great, and a lot of people are pursuing that journey. It’s true what they say, chase your dreams, and the money will follow.
in an industry that did not fuel my
Here is how my story started.
creative goals. I forgot that I had
As a child, I have always wanted
left something in the backburner.
to do something in the creative
I thought doing what society
fields. I joined art and design
deemed successful was the path
clubs in elementary, middle, and
to follow.
high school. I even attended an art university. You can say that I am very well educated in the
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realms of creative expressions
college. I was devastated
until I learned about starving
and discouraged from trying
artists’ ideas. This stuck in
something new.
the back of my mind for years after graduating with a degree in computer arts and new media. I knew that I didn’t want to become one of those statistics. So, I applied for a more structured
The world around me seemed not to care as days turned into months and months turned into years. I was becoming less expressive and static to the world around me since I FELT THAT IT WAS TIME. I quickly grabbed
job in
myself by the
an office
bootstrap and
setting
decoded to start
and often picking up side gigs in the food and beverage industry. The money was stable, and I thought this was what I was supposed to do for the rest of my life. You can say that my life was pretty dull compared to the colorful years I experienced in art and design
my career over. I took that drive and recently opened a creative design agency that helped small businesses create mainstream digital media and a presence online through digital marketing. It was a rough start, and the beginning phases MAGAZINE
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were challenging. My creative
and production. It was great
juices have been refilled, and
being back in a creative setting
I am happier with the time I
again. With the new pieces of
spend working since I am the
training, I learned in fashion
founder and creative director.
design school. I used it to my
I get to make all the rules and
advantage by launching a fashion
take charge of new project
drawing channel on youtube. I
proposals within my content
am pleased to announce that MY
creators’ professional networks
career had changed 360 degrees,
throughout this time. I have
and I am ecstatic to say I am truly
found a way to pursue my second
in love with my career.
passion, which is fashion design 42
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Here are some useful tips and
tricks on following what your
when you need them. Put your
purpose in life is. Or, in this case,
ego away when learning new
finding the love for your career. I
information.
have always followed the idea of figuring out what skills I possess and dreams of becoming from a younger age. Many skills can be learned along the way, but figuring out your true talents is the key to a great career. Invest your time and money into something you believe in, even though the bigger picture is harder to see. Start putting your life puzzle together one piece at a time. Find the right people in the industry to learn from and join or build your own support
Be kind and appreciative. This is key when people see you and wants to lend a helping hand. Smile and receive harsh feedbacks with the grain of salt. Post current projects that you are willing to share in the communities you are trying to reach professionally. Use those resources to connect to people as you start your career journies. These are just a few simple tips and tricks to get you started on your new transition to find a career to fall in love with.
networks. There’s nothing more
Below are my work experiences
than satisfying and rewarding
if you wish to connect and work
them to express ideas to like-
on new projects.
minded people who see the same vision as you do. Don’t be afraid to ask for help MAGAZINE
43
Thong Minh Hong Tran 415.216.8931 ttran10261@gmail.com www.cravecreative.us
Profile: Skills Product Design (UX / UI), User-testing, Visual Design,Typography, Digital Photography / Editing, Motion Graphics, digital video, sound editing, Layout Publishing Design, illustration design, character design (vector artwork/drawing), Mood-board researching, Identity Branding, Motion Graphics Management, Project Coordination, Office Administration, Customer Relations, Sales/Public Relations Fashion Trend Analysis / Trend Forecaster
Tools Adobe CC 2020 (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Xd, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Lightroom) Sketch Cinema 4D Final Cut Pro X Figma Sublime Text (HTML5, CSS3, SCSS, JQuery) Logic Pro Soundtrack Pro Terminal usage .php / Wordpress / WebFlow
Overview I’m a visual and product designer who specializes in dynamic and organic designs. I enjoy innovating in the creative realm of design for various companies and agencies thought the United States. Experimenting and exploring new design and illustration ideas excites me, and working with teams of all types inspires me. Being the youngest Vietnamese-American production founder for at-risk youths in San Francisco, I’ve learned to think differently when involving design and innovation for catering to different demographics. I have a passion for visual and performing arts; I also love to incorporate photography and fashion design in my spare time.
Employment History BayStyle Magazine, LLC Freelance Senior Visual & Layout Designer (2020- Present) Lead image retoucher, layout, and web content creator. Using HTML and CSS language to design and populate the company’s online website. Helped execute creative direction by creating visual elements and copy for their omi channels distribution. fiverr.com Visual/Graphic Designer (2014 - Present) Provide marketing materials and designs, including logos, visual graphics, branding, and package design for various companies.
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Clients include Fiverr.com, San Francisco Muni Ads Commission, Crave-Creative.us, BayStyle Magazine, and Asian Week Magazine. Collaborated with Fiverr owners to develop a Macintosh environment and create original motion graphics for advertisements. Fresh for LVMH Visual/Key-Holder (2015-2016) Contributed to graphic designs and layouts for promotional materials. Led store in daily quotas and sales projections as key-holder Managed additional administrative responsibilities, including customer email management, promotional digital advertising, and client relations. Commission / Asian Week Magazine Freelance Visual Designer / Graphics, San Francisco Muni Ads (2011- 2014) Designed posters and promotional materials for billboards and banners throughout San Francisco. Reached an audience of 1 million customers throughout the Bay Area Experimented with new and innovative design techniques Worked with a team of 2 designers in the realm of visual design and communications
Education Master’s MFA, Fashion Courses Taken Academy of Art University, San Francisco / 2017 Bachelor’s BFA ,Web Design & New Media Academy of Art University, San Francisco / 2009-2014
Management Skills Project Coordination, Office Administration, Customer Relations, Sales/Public Relations Fashion Trend Analysis / Trend Forecaster
Awards, Key Accomplishments, and Return on Investments Fashion Trend Forecaster (Press team), Mercedes Benz Fashion Week (NYC) (2012- 2013) Academy of Art University: President / Visual Creative for Beyond the Front Row fashion club (2011-2013) Creative Director at FashionClyp (ClypMedia, Inc.) (2013-2014) Creative Illustration Nominee – “Anni-mal, a Vector story” (2009) Designed published via SFMTA billboards & banners, Asian Week, Voice of America
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THE HIP HOP CULT
/EXPLORE INTO YOUTH CU 46
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TURE
ULTURE MAGAZINE
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Hip Hop Culture and How it Affects our Youth By: Shonta Jones Hip Hop has always influenced our lives; whether it be politics, gun violence, poverty, war, or unity, the artist would use worldly incidents and incidents in
the Power” by Pubic Enemy released on July 4, 1989. Hip Hop brought people together to fight against the injustice in their communities and governments.
their hood to talk about on their
Hip Hop is a form of public
records in their lyrics. Hip Hop is
speaking, letting the mass
a style all in its own and can be
know what they need to know
found as far back as the 1970s,
about and what they should be
with rappers like Kool Moe Dee,
aware of. Hip Hop has been a
LL Cool J, The Fat Boys, KRS-
trendsetter for many years, and
One, Grandmaster Flash, to
it can empower someone or
name a few. Growing up in an
tear someone down. Hip Hop
Era where Hip Hop was very
has changed over time and has
political and always encouraging
become more mainstream, more
Black Empowerment, Unity,
about hoe’s, money, and drugs,
and a community that works
making the fast buck, and how
together is Power, belonging
many females or males you
to a community that supports
can sleep with. The new Hip
one another and fights for one 48
another, just like the song “Fight
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Hop reality shows portray this
not have to diss records, but now
the most. Hip Hop has a feel, a
of days, dis records are getting
sound, a beat that is like no other
out of hand, just taking over the
and when you hear it, you know
music. Some of the Hip Hop you
it is Hip Hop, some artist today
hear today is about talking about
has great sound, great beat.
how someone is better than the
Still, it can not deliver a positive
next person, how they slept with
message, not all Hip Hop rappers
the girl, disrespecting people’s
are like this, but some new and
families and kids; it has just
old hip hop rappers understand
gotten crazy. I would like to see
what Hip Hop means and how
the true Hip Hop artist get the
to present it to the world in a
shine they deserve and not want
mainstream light. Hip Hop is
to be the life they portray today.
a building stone, a message, a
Family is everything, and some
story, a way to get a message
people seem to lose that sight
to the masses of people with a
once they are in the lam light.
word of encouragement.
Hip Hop in the Bay Area
Hip Hop talks a lot about poverty,
has been a big part of my life,
street violence, death, money,
growing up with rappers like
how we deal with crime and
E-40, Too-Short, Richie Rich, Mac
life in the hood daily, how some
Dre, Mac Maul, B-Legit, Celly
people are affected by poverty,
Cel, to name a few. Hip Hop in
and how others get out of
the Bay Area was a few different
poverty. Hip Hop is a movement
kinds of sounds, Hard Core Rap,
all on its own and can be used for
Trap Music, and Soft Rap, and
so much good and not hate; not
you could hear them through
saying back in the days, we did
the streets everywhere, songs MAGAZINE
49
like “Sprinkle Me.” “Go Dumb,”
anything they do not already
Aint Nothing but a Word to Me,”
know or see daily. Listening
“Just Another Day,” Bay Area has
to the music in Hip Hop today
always produced some amazing
seems to relate to the generation
Hip Hop Music.
living in this time; we have some
The Greater Bay Area attracts many other musical Hip Hop artists to their city because it is a melting pot, and you never
a powerful message about life, politics, community, and togetherness.
know who you might collaborate
I look forward to the journey of
with. Hip Hop affects our youth in
our upcoming new artist, can
ways by the lyrics and the beat.
not wait to see what they bring
If a song is continuously talking
to the table and produce to the
about shaking your butt or being
world; being Unique is being one
a thot, some of these kids try to
of a kind, unique with your own
be the same way; another way
sound, beat, and lyrics, an artist
kids have affected the flash and
should write his own music or
jewelry; they want the fast money
use excellent ghostwriters to
and not the smart money. Hip
start your career, top celebrities
Hop artist are not all like this,
do this often and he has
and we have Hip Hop artists like
catapulted their careers.
E-40, P Diddy, Wiz Khalifa, and more have started their own alcohol products, clothing lines, and tech businesses. Some Hip Hop is not good for our kids to hear, but it is not showing them 50
amazing lyricists and can deliver
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Hip Hop is on a new movement, and we can not wait to see what the changes will be and what new sounds and artist we will hear.
Are you a small or sole brand identity in need of community outreach? Are you tired of looking for a great way to increase sales for your business? Join BayStyle Magazine’s paid advertisements to help create your awareness. We provide content writing, ad space for editorial spreads, and service or product placements in our online and print publications. Contact us today at www.baystylemagazine.com/membership to get your custom quote. What are you waiting for? Take the first steps to grow your company. MAGAZINE
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www.baystylemagazine.com/baystyle-talent
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Are you a seeking individual that is passionate about modeling, singing, acting, dancing, or a savvy tech social media influencer? Looking for management and professional coaching and training in your selected craft? Welcome to BayStyle Talent. We are a sub-layer of Bay Style Magazine. The brainchild of Shonta Jones and her affiliates. By joining forces, both networks have worked and been in the fashion production and entertainment industry with a combined experiences of 30 years. With enormous passion for the arts. Shonta Jones wanted to extend her publication platform to help and encourage new talents to follow their dreams. BayStyle Talent / BayStyle Magazine LLC offers custom coaching and training for people that are interested in joining the modeling, singing, acting, and dancing industries. With custom curation of personal online zoom classes (limited time, until COVID -19 is regulated). Students will learn from industry professionals on the correct protocols and methods to become successful in the fields provided by BayStyle Talent.
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Honestly
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Divante
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Aliyah 56
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Josiah
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Gabriella MAGAZINE
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Are you a small or sole brand identity in need of community outreach? Are you tired of looking for a great way to increase sales for your business? Join BayStyle Magazine’s paid advertisements to help create your awareness. We provide content writing, ad space for editorial spreads, and service or product placements in our online and print publications. Contact us today at www.baystylemagazine.com/membership to get your custom quote. What are you waiting for? Take the first steps to grow your company. 60
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YEAR-ROUND CELEBRATIONS
Year-Round Celebrations. What is a good time to start taking down your decorations from the holidays? BayStyle Magazine is always celebrating each other’s successes and the stories they tell. Last holiday, we celebrated our first official editorial story. We created a safe place for content creators to share and tell their fashion stories. We have also created a companion to social media by launching an online website.
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Nam elitaspit, corepta epudia ad minctibus, sit laborendis sit des in ped et aut lat elleserae dolorep
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BAY STYLE MAGAZINE, LLC
Face life with
LOVE.
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Join the network of
420Tasters
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THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CBD AND THC BY: SHONTA JONES What is the difference between CBD and THC, and how can each one improve their Health and Mind? In the world we live in today, Cannabis Medicine can be seen as a bad drug and not a good drug that could help so many people with ailing ailments. People go through chemotherapy, physical therapy, aching bones, depression, anxiety, and no will to eat. For example, a person who is malnutrition and never wants to eat, by taking a certain strain, by inhaling or consuming food, can help that person want to eat. We should educate children,
Adults, and Seniors on how CBD can help with pain, inflammation; without THC within the product. There are Creams, Oils, Edibles, and a Flower Strain that is just CBD that patients and people can take to cure their daily ailments. Instead of taking prescribed medicines and over the counter medicines that make you take pill after pill and take another pill to counter act that pill, and all you were trying to do, was take care of the ailment you had, not gain more. People say that Cannabis is harmful to you and will rot your brain and make you a drug addict; I say to those people, “You need to educate yourself and learn how it is more helpful
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“THE FEELING THAT HELPS YOUR BRAIN RESPOND TO PAIN” than harm. Some doctors want
it may affect the brain’s chemical
you to believe it is bad, but some
receptors, which may help the
Doctors say this is helpful and
patient with Mood Elevation
has helped many patients in their
Depression, by positively making
care. This article will learn more
mood elevation, therefore
about the difference between
changing the mood of the
the two and how it may help
depressed individual. CBD
you or someone in your family.
has also been known to help
Education is key, so why not
Cancer patients who go through
learn more about Cannabis.
chemotherapy by stimulating
CBD has been known to help and treat symptoms such as; relieving pain, as stated above, by creating an anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effect from different stimuli, helping your cells respond, helping the patient with pain management. Some experts believe that CBD does not necessarily boost the serotonin levels in the brain. Still, 68
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their appetite, relieving their pain, and helping with nausea, vomiting, anorexia, neuropathy, and insomnia. Although there has not been a study proven that CBD cannabinoids may help cancer patients, there is nothing on record proving that this can reduce cancer symptoms or cancer treatment side effects. More studies are being done in
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different states, including right
and be mellow. This is the strain
here in the Greater Bay Area,
for people who don’t want the
learning how cannabis can help
body high, making you all sleepy
their patients and not hurt their
and sluggish. Indica is a “Body
patients.
High” that can help patients with
THC has been an antidepressant and helps patients with Euphoria, Relaxation, Laughter, and Talkativeness, all things some are too shy to do unless medicated on THC. THC is mixed with CBD creating a double whammy on its patients, giving them relief from pain and the mood to laugh or talk more than they would normally. THC has three different Flower Stain types you can smoke, Indica, Sativa and Hybrid. Sativa is a more uplifting medical marijuana that helps people dealing with depression and mental illness and want to still function through their day. Sativa is a “Mind
spasms and create an urge to eat. Indica is a strain that, when it is more dominant in flower it will take over. Hybrid flowers strains have Indica and Sativa in them, but Indica can be dominant, or Sativa can be dominant. It is always important to ask your Budtender which is the more dominant. Most people prefer a Sativa dominant and not an Indica; Indica can be very potent and create much resin. Gum can compare resin to gum from a tree, and when we smoke it and light the fire to the flower when it burns, it creates the resin you see, like sap from a tree.
High,” a strain that can keep you
Cannabis is not harmful but
focused on your task at hand,
helpful and I hope you have
read more, clean, concentrate 70
anxiety or have pain or muscle
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learned more about CBD, THC, Indica, Sativa and Hybrids and the differences. Make sure you do your research on what you are smoking and putting into your body, also. Do your research if you are going to down Cannabis Medicine and do not understand how it can help. Stay educate and stay aware. You can also lookup facts on Google or Bing search engines or ask your local Cannabis Medical Doctor.
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We’re a group of creative thinkers who have built a business to change the world. At “THE CREATIVE HOUSE” we use decades of combined experience in design to help clients achieve their creative goals. With a combined 30 years of experience in fashion, photography, digital and print design, “THE CREATIVE HOUSE” will produce designs that will give tangible and profitable results. Here at CraveCreative, we value the importance of having a strong and innovative team. Our diverse team is from various backgrounds with a large array of skillsets and design knowledge. By integrating our team as a unit, we maximize the talent on hand to turn your business’s vision and ideas into reality. Contact us at www. cravecreative.us to get your custom quotes. Logo Design This is for those who are starting a new business or looking for a logo refresh. You understand your messaging but want a properly defined brand-mark Brand Identity You’re starting from scratch or refining your company’s existing branding. You need direction and a toolkit of visual and verbal elements. Strategy Knowing how and what to communicate is the core of your entire marketing. We collaborate with business and individuals to develop the proper plan, to get clarity on what their customers want, find the right message that resonates, and build their unique compelling content. Interactive Web / Product Design Prototyping, wire framing, spec packs, are just some of the work we start off with to get your website right. In the end you’ll receive a fully functioning website that works well on any device, from smartphones to computers. MAGAZINE
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Are you an inspiring fashion model? BayStyle Magazine, LLC is announcing its Spokesmodel search for the 2021 Summer’s Issue #3. Get a chance to be the cover girl for our domestic fashion media publications. Be the face of our Omi channels throughout the county and city of San Francisco and the BayArea. Requirements: Personal/ Artist’s Bio Submission Fee: $5.00 Age: All Ages are welcomed.
The winner will get an all-expenses-paid by BayStyle Magazine, LLC (includes a 2-days, one night stay at Airbnb and transportation) to San Francisco, California for the Summer’s cover photo shoot.
Date to be announced soon.
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MEDICATION THAT HELPS BY: SHONTA JONES
Cannabis and how it makes me feel when I inhale marijuana into my lungs and consume marijuana by infused foods. First of all, I want to start by saying this is different for every person; I am about to tell you how I feel when I am medicating or medicated off Cannabis. When I inhale Cannabis, I feel it instantly, and my body feels all relaxed, and my mind feels ready to work and create art magic in my mind.
no getting fully out of bed, no washing the face or brushing teeth, just straight wake up and bake up. By smoking Sativa to start my, I am focused, energized, and ready to start my task. When I consume infused foods, it may take a little longer for the THC to get into my system, still having the same effect or maybe a higher effect than inhaling smoke, but you will still be medicated. You can eat edibles as most people do, or you can get creative like I do and infuse your
Medicating with Cannabis helps
own meals, like fried chicken,
me start my day, called “Wake
mac n cheese, mashed potatoes,
and Bake.” You get up and wash
salads, fish, and more.
your face, brush your teeth and maybe drink or eat a little something, but most get up, roll up, spark up and inhale, 78
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All you need to know is how to measure your dosage and dosage, which means how much THC you can take into your body
before you go into shock. When it
more important than worrying if
is time for bed, and I want to go
this may get you in trouble; if you
to sleep, I meditate on Indica; it
are not here, you won’t be around
helps me with my insomnia and
for the trouble. Medicating for
makes me want to sleep. Indica
me is truly a medical need. It
at night helps my mind not to
helps me with my chronic pain
wonder or keep working while
in my back from an epidural,
I am trying to sleep, meaning
depression, anxiety, the will to
laying in bed, and you cannot
eat, and insomnia, all of which
stop thinking about work or what happened through your day or what you are going to do tomorrow. Indica at night truly relaxes me and puts me to sleep better than a sleeping pill. I tell people to smoke in moderation and know their limit, and it is just like drinking. You can overdose. A tip I got from a doctor was that if I feel too high, my anxiety levels feel out of control, and my body feels weird. I want to shake, take CBD to bring the THC down, and please go to the Hospital; your life is MAGAZINE
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