The ESSENTIAL Alternative
Issue 01 | FALL
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR HEALTH WITH CBD
BOLD BEAUTY BE DARING WITH OUR RUNWAY INSPIRED FALL BEAUTY TRENDS
JANEL PARRISH
RED CARPET READY LOOKS WITH
STUNNINGLY SUSTAINABLE
WE G OT YOU COVE RE D WITH CO M P LE T ELY S U S TA INA BLE FA S HI O N LO O K S FOR ANY OCC ASION...
C O N T R I B U T O R S
Editor in Chief / Creative Director / Writer Bec Doyle @becdoyle_ Videographer / Photographer/ Graphic Designer Greg Levitt @gl_image
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Photographer Glenn Nutley @gnphotographyLA Photographer Ben Shani @benshanicreative Editorial Assistant Chris O’Shea @chrisoshea10 Writer Matthew David Wilder @horhaylouiseborhaze Writer Courtney Nichole @thereelcourtney Writer Tracy O’Connor @seisojbeauty Writer Dana Workman @danaworkman Writer Maddy Hayes @maddybhayes Writer Melissa Pellone @pellonedesignercollection Stylist Linda Medvene @lindamedvenestyling Stylist Dani Norton Smith @dindylousie Hair Stylist Chris Martin @bychrismartin Make-Up Artist Mina Abramovic @abmarovicm Make-Up Artist Brittany Paige Lambert @peckisme Make-Up Artist Andie Lane @andie_lane Model Agency It Model Management @itmodelmanagement
ON THE COVER Dress by Elisabetta Franchi @elisabettafranchi Moonstone and Diamond Firework Earring, Moonstone and Diamond Firework Necklace by Coly Los Angeles @colylosangeles Bracelets by PlayHardLookDope Based in New York, NY @playhardlookdope
Photographer: Glenn Nutley @gnphotographyLA Wardrobe Stylist : Linda Medvene @lindamedvenestyling Makeup: Mina Abramovic @abramovicm Hair: Chris Martin @bychrismartin Special Thanks to James F Goldstein
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20 IN THIS ISSUE
20
Janel Parrish Red Carpet Ready Looks & Featured Interview
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The Man Behind The Mutts Zach Skow Shares the inspiring story behind Marley’s Mutts and whats ahead for the organization
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Black State of Emergency “Assisted Living” Actress Courtney Nichole shares her crucial call to action
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The Art Of Upcycling Artist Shane Bell and the story behind his up-cycled artworks
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ENTERTAINMENT
12
Holly Jade Q&A with exciting new recording
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Married To The Biz Writing and Producing with power couple Carolyn Stoesbery-Levens and Philip Levens
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Lauren Mann - producer of “The Card Counter”
FASHION
36
The Future Of Fashion Business owner Dechel McKillian discusses the impotance of Shopping Sustainably
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Stunningly Sustainable A completely sustainable Fashion story proving sustainable can still turn heads
48
Pandemic Chic The Local designer handmaking masks during lockdown
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BEAUTY
58
Japanese Beauty A lesson in Less is More - when it comes to Skincare
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Bold Beauty Dare to be bold with Fall Runyway inspired beauty trends
18
70 8
HEALTH & WELLNESS
64
The Model Body
67
The Essential Alternative Take control of your health by utilzing the healing power of Cannabis
70
Lo’s Kitchen Easy and delicious plant-based
with Model Physique + a super easy full body workout!
12
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THE MAN BEHIN Z
Zach Skow turned his life around with the help of his rescue dog Marley and his lif ach Skow reached his lowest point in 2009, searching his life for meaning and connection. Eventually, it was his passion for animals and volunteering that led him from terminal diagnosis, to miraculous recovery. Along the way, he created two incredible organizations: Marley’s Mutts and the Pawsitive Change Program.
Today Zach has a beautiful family and works tirelessly to save and rehabilitate “extreme case” rescue dogs. And now he also works to rehabilitate people, giving time and energy to inmates at correctional facilities. This initiative, known as “The Pawsitive Change Program,” takes Zach and his colleagues into correctional facilities, giving inmates the the tools and training needed to rescue dogs and, in doing so, move further down their own road to rehabilitation; giving rise to the organization’s slogan “Rescue dogs, rescuing people.” After hitting rock bottom as an alcoholic and addict- diagnosed with liver failure at 28 and given ninety days to live- Zach turned his life around with the help of his dog, Marley. “My dogs just saw that I was there,” he says. With his life revolving around alcohol, he struggled to process the severity of his diagnosis, leading him to delay getting medical care. Finally his dad stepped in. “It was just a terrible time,” Skow recalls. When his symptoms worsened to the point he could no longer conceal his deteriorating condition, he was admitted to Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, where his health continued to decline. With six months sobriety required to be eligible for a liver transplant and given only ninety days to live, his future looked bleak. In a last ditch attempt to save his life, a nurse suggested Skow’s family take him to the emergency room at Cedar Sinai. He signed out of the hospital against doctors orders and, after what must have been the most terrifying two hour drive of his life, made it to Cedar’s, where he was successfully admitted to their transplant program as an emergency. Their job was to keep him healthy enough, and ensure he survived long enough, to get the transplant he so desperately needed. Withdrawals began as they took him off the long list of medications he had been on. “That was the first real thing that my dogs helped me get through, because I thought I was dying... I wasn’t mentally prepared for it, I was hallucinating and hearing voices and seeing things...
“...My dogs were with me the whole time, especially my Marley, just grounding me and keeping me where I needed to be, letting me know that things were going to be ok.”
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ND THE “MUTTS”
fe was forever changed… by Bec Doyle
One night after a particularly bad episode, he watched the sunrise and embarked on a new routine: He began by writing in his journal (a practice he kept up for 8 months) and walking in the hills with his dogs. At first the walks were, necessarily, short, but with each day his strength improved, and he found himself adding more and more dogs to his pack. Facilitating the adoptions of dogs and writing their stories gave him a new sense of purpose; “Being of service really took me out of that negative headspace,” he adds. “People at the veterinary hospital and pet lodge kept telling me: you should start a dog rescue.” He started to raise money and began speaking at high schools and grade schools, taking his Pitbull, Marley, with him, sharing their story and striving toward recovery. “By the time I got my six months sobriety I no longer needed the liver transplant... that’s how Marley’s Mutts was born”, Skow says. A couple of years in, Skow was featured in the “We Like This Guy” segment of ‘O’ Magazine, which gave the rescue’s trajectory a massive boost.
“If I ever get to see Oprah, I owe her a hug Skow adds with a warm chuckle. The relationships he formed with local media remain important to this day and have been integral to the success of the organisation. Marley’s Mutts is, predominantly, a large dog rescue located on a 20 acre ranch in Tehachapi, California. Taking in the hardest cases- the dogs no one thinks can be saved- Skow proves time and time again that, even in the worst case of abuse or injury, these dogs are worth fighting for. A very special dog named Cora makes a regular appearance on the organization’s social media. Cora survived and thrived after a double front leg amputation. She has become a beacon of hope and love for everyone following her story and was adopted by Skow and his family. “Cora causes people to rethink their notions of ‘the disabled’ and rethink what ‘quality of life’ means...
“...She’s a constant reminder not to feel sorry for ourselves, a constant reminder of how happy we can choose to be at any given time.”
In what Skow now describes as the central focus of his life, the Pawsitive Change Program has saved hundreds of thousands of dogs and worked to rehabilitate close to a thousand people, both prison inmates and recovering addicts at sober living facilities. After a friend of Skow’s was released from prison, he adopted a dog who had been shot and left for dead in the California desert. Skow says that when Robert adopted Shadow, it completely changed the trajectory of his life, giving Robert the direction and confidence he needed to start over. “It became very obvious that if we could get into the prison system to train, that was something that we needed to do.” In 2016, after an arduous four years trying to get the Pawsitive Change Program into prisons, they finally 7 M . C I T I Z E N M A G A Z I N E | I S S U E 01
“The whole goal here is to elaborate on our Pawsitive Change curriculum and create for our veterans and returning citizens [former inmates,] so that they can further their education or vocational training.”
got accepted by the California City Correctional Facility where Skow credits Warden David Long as a huge advocate.
“We’ve done such a good job as a society of typecasting these men as evil because it’s easier. We’re missing out on so much potential, it’s unreal” The passion with which he talks about the program makes it apparent how invested he is in the recovery and rehabilitation of the participants. “It’s just a magical program, there’s so much that happens within that program aside from the dogs. There’s the fellowship that we develop with our guys. Substance abuse progress that guys make in their sobriety, their recovery, their confidence.” Past participants publicly praise the program, crediting it as the most valuable program they had available to them. As Skow points out, “many of our guys are professional dog trainers now, professional kennel workers, working in behavioral modification and stuff like that.” With that in mind, it was extremely disappointing when he learned that the program was not renewed. As Skow explains, the grants for these programs are renewed every three years and are predominantly awarded to new ideas. “It Costs a lot of money to run,” he admits (the program costs $70,000 a year in insurance alone.) He has not yet given up hope, although the pandemic has made fundraising for prison programs extremely difficult. With the success of the Pawsitive Change Program, Skow’s next venture is currently underway: 8 M . C I T I Z E N M A G A Z I N E | I S S U E 01
To this end, Skow is working with another organization to set up “tiny homes” on the “Marley’s Mutts” ranch, for participants to stay for the entirety of the thirty day (minimum) program. The program is set to commence as soon as the money is raised. As with so many organizations like Marley’s Mutts and the Pawsitive Change Program, they receive no government or state funding and rely entirely on donors to fund these life changing initiatives. If you want to help but are unable to donate, there are other ways to help: “Donating is really important, fostering is really important- but another thing people can do to help is sharing our stories on social media. You can digitally advocate,” Skow explains. It’s now easier than ever to contribute and advocate for a cause you’re passionate about, a simple “share”, could make all the difference.
B L A C K S TAT E O F E M E R G E N C Y BET’s, “Assisted Living” actress Courtney Nichole shares her thoughts and a crucial call to action.
of you, I was ready for 2020! Ready to win, ready to take my career to a LI hadikenewjustmany level, ready to expand my family, and honestly just ready to grow, abundantly! come back home from filming a new sitcom in Atlanta with Mr. Tyler Perry,
and I was on cloud nine. Then bam, Covid-19 hit. The Coronavirus had us all sideeyeing those “20/20 Vision” memes that were floating around on the internet at the end of 2019. We were all at home quarantining, tweaking our perfect vision, and processing what to do next when a video of a modern-day lynching surfaced on Memorial Day. Many of us watched in horror as former officer, Derek Chauvin and three other former officers, with all their weight, and in addition to the weight of their uniforms, kneeled on Big Floyd until he transitioned. That’s when one thing became crystal clear to me; we are currently in a Black State of Emergency. Normally, a state of emergency is declared by our politicians, those we have chosen to represent us like a governor or mayor. George Floyd, a common man, summoned us and declared a Black State of Emergency when he cried out for his mama, when he begged for his life, when he muttered that he couldn’t breathe, when he flat out told us, “They’re going to kill me”!
Mr. Floyd’s words impinged us; they activated a layer of humanity that had been lying dormant in many of us. 9 M . C I T I Z E N M A G A Z I N E | I S S U E 01
Americans of all backgrounds passionately took to the streets and to our social media accounts to express our disapproval of the police brutality that we witnessed. In all fifty states and internationally we marched, protested, cried, donated, prayed, chanted and heartbreakingly learned of other beautiful brothers and sisters that had been taken from us by the hands of those sworn to serve and protect; like Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain and Jamel Roberson. We also learned about Ahmaud Arbery, Kendrick Johnson, and Tamla Horsford, who were killed by hateful racists.
graphy MID DLE: by
Ryan Parill o Photo Adria : Courtney Nicole with he r husb
graphy
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n AJ by Mili ndez Photo
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and Jamal d Gardene r and so
Whew! And here we are, stronger and more united than I’ve ever felt. I have to take a moment to shout out those who have been putting in work! People have been out here peacefully protesting for over three months straight. And don’t be distracted by the agitators and provocateurs because history tells us they have always been around and probably always will be. Georgia has passed a Hate Crime Bill, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is ready to go, there are some beautiful
n J Photos BOTTOM
Prior to this moment in history, we had all seen and/or participated in these protests before in cities like Charlottesville, Ferguson, Jena, New York, and Chicago. For years the Black Lives Matter movement spread from one state to another as mostly Black people continued to fight for equity. This time, the protests looked different. In my opinion, they likened the civil rights movement when white brothers and sisters joined as freedom riders to make sure the slave catchers... I mean, the police acting on behalf of (you know, the systemic stuff )... upheld the supreme court ruling in the Boynton v. Virginia case that segregation “in” transportation facilities was unconstitutional as well. Now, they\were being very petty because in 1947 they had already ruled that it was unconstitutional “on” buses, but anywho. I have digressed. I guess the reason that spoke to me is because those white brothers and sisters have children, grandchildren, and maybe even great grandchildren that I believe are a part of this current, “Civil Rights Upgrade” of sorts.
TOP: by
We individually said, “No more” and we collectively came together as one race to exclaim that BLACK LIVES do indeed MATTER.
“We have done a great job in the midst of a global pandemic, a Census year, and an election year all while trying to change hearts and minds one conversation at a time.”
Black Lives Matter Avenues, friend circles are reading books like White Fragility and How to Be an Antiracist, and several cities are “reimagining public safety”, just to name a few wins. We have done a great job in the midst of a global pandemic, a Census year, and an election year all while trying to change hearts and minds one conversation at a time. And guess what, friends? Yup, you guessed it. We still have so much work to do.
As an actor and former educator, what I know is that representation matters. Black artists and Black athletes have always lent their voices to provoke change. So, I had to ask myself, who am I not to shine, not to lend my voice to provoke change? This year alone we have lost the Black Mamba and Black Panther, civil rights leaders C.T. Vivian, Joseph Lowrey and John Lewis. I’m grateful we had them, as well as champions like Nina Simone, Harry Belafonte, Jim Brown, Aretha Franklin, Tommie Smith, Muhammad Ali, and John Carlos. We are the new, young leaders that are standing up and speaking out on change. You and I. So, I hope you’ve found your tribe to grow, learn and fight the fight with. I hope you’ve picked a social justice organization that you support. I hope you’re finding friends and having conversations with people that don’t look like you. I hope you’re still speaking up and saying something, if you happen to see something. Now what you ask? What’s the next move? How can I help make change? My suggestion, in honor of John Lewis, we have to keep finding “Good Trouble” to get into! Let’s use our people power.
left to right: J. Anthony Brown, Na-Im Lynn and Courtney Nichole on set, Tyler Perry studios ( Assisted Living ). 11 M . C I T I Z E N M A G A Z I N E | I S S U E 01
HOLLYJADE
M.Citizen got th
Photo by Chris O'shea
“I would con having missed writing .. . I ha and some lyric awake until I
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the DL on new recording artist Holly Jade and her first music video out next month!
nstantly end up lost three subway stops ave insomnia a lot cs will just keep me write them down.”
Q. How did you become a musician? A. I wanted to play the flute when I was 7. My dad went to the store, decided it was too expensive and brought home a tiny guitar. I played classical as a kid and then got my hands on an electric guitar as a teen and would play that for hours in my room. Singing and songwriting was a pretty organic progression from there, although it took me a long time to actually let anyone hear it. Q. How would you describe your sound ? A. I grew up on Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Kooks. Arctic Monkeys too- I think you can hear that influence in my music sometimes. Electric guitar, a good beat and some really dreamy layered vocals - thats my favorite sound. I’m always experimenting though. I love when things are a little lo-fi and messy. Probably because I’m messy. process? A. Public transport. I can write for days on public transport. I don’t know what it is. I think it just gets me out of my own head somehow. I lived in New York in 2019 and I would constantly end up lost having missed three subway stops writing. I have insomnia a lot and some lyrics will just keep me awake until I write them down. I also love just being in a studio with good people and bouncing ideas around until you strike gold.
A. Fun and weird! My friends at One Trip Studios had an opening in their usually busy schedule so we were able to go out to the desert and do a socially distanced shoot over 2 days. There were rattlesnakes, the car got stuck and I ruined some night shots because I was so cold I couldn’t lipsync fast enough. But it was a great time. There were some things we just couldn’t shoot because of the pandemic, but I had a great team who worked really hard to make it all come together.
A. The song happened during a writing camp I was a part of before the pandemic hit. There were a lot of musicians and it didn’t look like I was going to get to work with Jeff (Alone Architect) at all but I had a feeling that we would have some good creative chemistry. I think I texted him at about 1am one night asking if he had any beats I could write to and he sent something over straight away that was the bare bones of what you hear now. I sped the track up and wrote the hook pretty quickly. The next day we managed to steal some studio time and we had Ladidai and Mike Lim in the room who were great to round out the song with. We had a lot of fun with it. A. The instrumental had an oldwestern feel to it and it gave me this idea of a villainess who goes from town to town leaving only broken hearts in her wake. She’s telling her next victim to run. Its very tongue in cheek but there’s some truth in it too. Q. If you could perform any where why? A. Right now? Anywhere! I hope live gigs come back next year. I’d love to perform at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in 2021.
A. This is going to sound ridiculously Australian but I’m really homesick right now and I want Vegemite so badly. A: Animals! I started fostering dogs recently and it was heartbreaking going out to shelters and seeing how stressed they are there. I’m fostering a pit bull right now who was neglected - he’s just so scared of everything but he’s starting to trust people little by little. He was supposed to be euthanized a few times but I found some awesome trainers willing to work with him and we’re going to help him learn how to be a dog. I love him. 13 M . C I T I Z E N M A G A Z I N E | I S S U E 01
MARRIED
to THE BIZ
Carolyn Stotesbery-Levens and Philip Levens sat with us for a few minutes and wound up talking to us for hours about the joys and anguish of working with your spouse, living through a pandemic, and what it’s like to pitch television shows during lockdown. They’re both funny, caring and tough as nails, and are bringing a new level of exciting, sexy, and original drama to television.
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M. C Angeles ing
Citizen sat down with one of Los s’ most revered writing-and-producpower couples... by Bec Doyle
C
arolyn and Philip met nearly three years ago at a backyard party in Hollywood and a whirlwind romance ensued: engaged, married, and working together within twelve months. With Carolyn’s background as an actress on such shows as Agent X and Castle and Phillip having just finished a project for Legendary, both partners realized it was time to work together. “If you have the same simpatico mindset about the world, it makes things seamless,” Phillip says. The duo have maintained an effortless balance: one project morphed into several, currently in the pipeline. “We play to each other’s strengths,” Phillip says. “Having a female voice adds to the dimensionality of the project, with Carolyn often voicing the female characters and their perspectives. “She says anything that’s dirty or scandalous in a pitch,” Phillip jokes. “Somehow it sounds less offensive coming from her.” They both have a wicked sense of humor as well as unparalleled taste, which makes discussing their newest projects in development a real treat. On the heels of pitch season, the lively couple were faced with working together, remodeling a house while living in a rental, and raising an 11 year old son and 13 year old daughter during a global pandemic and lockdown. “For me it’s created a very intimate experience,” Carolyn says. After an initial adjustment period, they realized things were not going to ease up, and suddenly virtual pitch meetings started popping up. “We’ll work ten hours a day up till the pitch, then once it’s done we’ll take a breath,” Carolyn explains. Philip adding, that one of the best tools they’ve discovered during the pandemic has been division of labor. “We’re great at handing off the baton to each other.” The duo gave M. Citizen Mag the scoop on a few of their upcoming projects including Menace of Venice. Inspired by the true story of Dan Duchaine, the world’s first biohacker, doper of the Olympics and the man who brought PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs) to the American mainstream. The series follows his incredible rise and fall in the 80’s. And by the sounds of it, it’s going to be one hell of a ride. “He was an eccentric genius,” Carolyn says. “Imagine Andy Kaufman meets Albert Einstein, only a drug dealer being chased by the FBI, DEA and even the CIA.” He discovered Whey protein powder and created the Ketogenic Diet while he was in jail, writing by hand, because they wouldn’t give him a typewriter.” As a new, post-corona streaming era of entertainment approaches, the age of boiler plate network TV is going the way of 15
photo by Greg Levitt @gl_image
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satelite dishes and landlines, opening the door for original, out of the box ideas that never would have sold in the past. “You hear we’re in the ‘Golden Age of Television’, but it’s because there is this Renaissance where we’re suddenly allowed to tell stories that aren’t just doctor, cop and lawyer shows,” Phillip explains. “Executives have heard it all, so they know what is original,” Carolyn says, saying this new landscape has freed them up to do shows they really want to do. “Streaming is finding audiences for narratives that television ran away from in the past.”
Smallville and Ascension as the key to forging the relationships with executives and producers that they are pitching to during the pandemic. He adds this unconventional way of virtual pitching may not serve newcomers, who have yet to forge these relationships. The good news, he adds, is that now, more than ever, they are looking for original stories: “They want to see stories from different people, and different parts of the world. The potential for storytelling now is infinite.” If your dream is to write and produce,” Philip’s advice is to “look for stories that are personal and that you connect to, because in Hollywood,
Hollywood is all about the relationships you build, and Phillip credits his 20 plus years in passion sells.” the industry writing and producing shows like
“If you have the same simpatico mindset about the world, it makes things seamless.” photos by Greg Levitt @gl_image
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“They want to see stories from different people, and different parts of the world. The potential
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LAUREN MANN
t h e w o m a n b e h i n d “ T h e C a r d C o u n t e r ”, b y M a t t h e w D a v i d W i l d e r
In the manner of TAXI DRIVER and FIRST REFORMED, Schrader’s introverted violence takes on powerful political resonance. We talked to Lauren about making these darkhorse indie classics.
A: When Paul [Schrader] emailed Oscar he instantly said yes, and so when I read THE CARD COUNTER I thought of him in it. I knew he was a true actor’s actor and this was totally his movie and he was just gonna rock it and that was super exciting. There’s a quiet presence about Oscar and sometimes it’s kind of intimidating. This guy is trying to have a life under the radar. He’s a drifter. He’s been through a lot. He encounters someone who has the anger that he has had. He’s a bit reformed. And that’s why he takes this kid under his wing. He knows the revenge the kid is seeking is a losing game.
LAUREN MANN is a young producer best known for the Daniel Radcliffe-Paul Dano black comedy SWISS ARMY MAN. She recently sold Paul Schrader’s THE CARD COUNTER to Focus Features where it will, God be willing, appear in real actual cinemas in 2021.
A: She did something with Billy Crystal that was a dramatic role but this was very different from everything she has done. I love more than anything unexpected and left-of-center casting. I thought Cedric the Entertainer in FIRST REFORMED was so brilliant and this reminded me of that. She was so good and so elegant and is such a natural performer and didn’t worry at all. She is just born to entertain and she is a joy to be around.
THE CARD COUNTER is a moody film noir about a card sharp (Oscar Isaac) who encounters an angry young kid who knows about his past (Ty Sheridan) and a sort of poker scout—-a woman who backs master poker players who tour in tournaments (Tiffany Haddish).
A: That was my first one to really be in it, to be making big decisions, not to be “associate producer,” not to be “co-producer,” but to be “producer.”
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“We don’t NEED to make movies, we WANT to make movies. We can go a year, two years, three years, and not make a movie, and I won’t care. I’m not desperate.”
A: We got that from our agents at WME. They know sometimes we aren’t always the fastest. It’s just me and William, and William’s in Sweden. I can’t always take it up because he has a full family life in Sweden and I can’t ask him to read stuff in 48 hours. Also, we don’t NEED to make movies, we WANT to make movies. We can go a year, two years, three years, and not make a movie, and I won’t care. I’m not desperate. I read and it was... just ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, in my opinion. I realized I would be insanely devastated if William didn’t like it and that would make me re-contemplate our newly minted partnership! I said, “I know you don’t do this, but you need to read this in 48 hours or we’re not gonna get this.”
A: It’s like being a protector. Protecting the actors, protecting the director, the script—it’s also like being a great party planner. I
think you have to really love the script. I feel fortunate in that I don’t have to hustle. I don’t have to make a movie I don’t want to make, so every movie I would die on the cross for this movie. It’s misery and heartbreak even in the best of scenarios—-misery and heartbreak and backstabbing! In every case you’ve got to stand by your man and that usually means standing by your director in a way, being communicative and protecting that director.
A: I didn’t go to film school. I’m kind of antifilm school. The greatest learning experience I had was being an assistant to people who made movies that I loved...forging really strong relationships. It’s all about who you can pick up the phone and call. That’s really the business. Producing is really all about connecting. And it’s really about having great taste. If you’re starting out? Be an assistant to someone you admire. Even if it’s a nightmare, you’ll learn more than you ever will learn in film school.
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Dress by Abyss by Abby @abyssbyabby Shoe by House Of Wasee @houseofwasee
JANEL PARRISH
RED CARPET READY LOOKS WITH GLAMOUR GIRL
Photographer: Glenn Nutley @gnphotographyLA Wardrobe Stylist : Linda Medvene @lindamedvenestyling Makeup Artist: Mina Abramovic @abramovicm Hair Stylist: Chris Martin @bychrismartin
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M. Citizen Magazine sat down with glamour girl and Pretty Little Liars alum Janel Parrish. We discussed life during the pandemic; how it felt to be back on set post-lockdown; her style and beauty go-to’s; and the muchawaited third installment of To All the Boys I Loved Before: Love Always and Forever Lara Jean, set for release early next year.
CLICK BELOW TO WATCH FULL INTERVIEW
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Dress by Abyss by Abby @abyssbyabby Rings: 6 carat pave Mastery Ring, custom 20 carat oval diamond ring, signature hex stackable, Emerald cut 120 carat Bangle all by AZATURE @azature OmbrĂŠ white topaz and ruby Ring, Necklace: Baguette diamond lariat, Earrings: Baguette Diamond Mesmerize Drops all by Coly Los Angeles @colylodangeles
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“I looked around everyday and felt so grateful that I was able to work during this time�
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Dress by Atelier Zuhra @atelierzuhra 45 carat custom blue Topaz ring with black diamonds by AZATURE @azature Fringe Diamond Earrings, Baguette overlap Diamond Ring, Queen Tennis Bracelet by Coly Los Angeles @colylosangeles White jade bracelet by PlayHardLookDope Based in New York, NY @playhardlookdope Shoe by Ego
Janel arrived on location for the first ever M. Citizen Magazine cover shoot bare-faced and beautiful, ready to kick things off. As she explains in our interview, wrapping her first film since the pandemic hit gave her a “newfound perspective on how lucky we are to be able to do the things we love.” The Hallmark Movie Holly and Ivie, dropping later this year, “is definitely a ‘tugs on your heartstrings’ kind of movie. It has some extremely sad moments but it’s also sweet and romantic as well, so--all the feels with the Christmas movie!” Parrish enthuses. But filming during a pandemic has its challenges. Masks and mandated 6ft distances jolted Parrish. “I think one of the things we love about being on set is being able to mingle with people, and people in different departments,” Parrish explains. As tough as the COVID protocols were, the picture wrapped on time, and being part of one of the first productions back made Parrish feel “so grateful that I was able to work during this time.” When the pandemic hit, like everyone, Parrish found herself with A LOT of extra time on her hands. At first, with her husband still able to work, Parrish embraced the time to relax with her pup: “We watched a lot of TV, ate a lot of food, we did a lot of cooking and a lot of cuddling.” She even picked up a new skill, cross stitching; “I just find it so soothing, but you still have to really focus,” she adds. It wasn’t long till Parrish discovered she needed a routine and structure to survive the days in lockdown, and so she set herself basic routines to get through each day. “Like everybody, there were great weeks and some weeks when you felt, ‘This sucks!’”, Parrish adds. The unforeseen time off from filming and photo shoots, allowed Parrish the opportunity to pour her creativity into a different avenue, and delve into the world of script development. Parrish discloses there are some exciting projects on the horizon, but we’ll just have to wait for now. “I might have some fun updates for you next time, so stay tuned”, Parrish adds with a cheeky laugh. To All The Boys I Loved Before : Love Always and Forever Lara Jean was originally slated for release late 2020, but due to the pandemic, it has been pushed to early 2021.So fans of the beloved franchise, based on the New York Times best seller, will have to wait a little longer to see how the story ends. “It just very beautifully wraps up Lara Jean and Peter’s love story,” Parrish says. This third installment takes a deeper look into family and relationships, and sees the Covey girls bonding over their heritage, and girls’ trip to Korea. “I’m really excited for people to see that footage, it’s going to be beautiful”, Parrish adds.
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Dress by Atelier Zuhra @atelierzuhra 45 carat custom blue Topaz ring with black diamonds by AZATURE @azature Fringe Diamond Earrings, Baguette overlap Diamond Ring, Queen Tennis Bracelet by Coly Los Angeles @colylosangeles White jade bracelet by PlayHardLookDope Based in New York, NY @playhardlookdope
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Dress by Elisabetta Franchi @ElisabettaFranchi White Topaz Emerald cut eternity band, Pearl and Diamond Drop Earrings, Queen Tennis Bracelets (Rose gold & White gold), Square Tennis Bracelet (Rose gold) By Coly Los Angeles @colylosangeles Emerald Snake Cuff Featuring 14 carats of emeralds and diamonds by AZATURE @azature
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Reminiscent of an Golden Age Of Hollywood starlet, glammed and ready for our cover shoot, Parrish admits that in her personal life, she usually opts for a more low key approach to beauty and fashion. “I love getting dolled up for shoots, I could just never do this to myself,” she proclaims with a laugh. Describing her style as “a little bit rocker-chic meets girly,” she says her signature go-to outfit consists of a black t-shirt, jeans and combat boots, enabling her to have fun with accessories to mix things up. Generally opting for a minimal make-up look, when she’s not on set or the red carpet, the natural beauty reveals she can’t live without “Smith’s strawberry rosebud lip balm--I could eat it.” Parrish lets us in on the secret to her ageless appearance: an Icelandic plant based skincare line, Bio Effect. “It’s an amazing nighttime serum that I put on every night before bed, and then I wake and my skin is just glowing,” she adds. To see the full interview with our cover girl Janel Parrish, go to www.mcitizenmag.com
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Dress by Elisabetta Franchi @ElisabettaFranchi White Topaz Emerald cut eternity band, Pearl and Diamond Drop Earrings By Coly Los Angeles @colylosangeles Emerald Snake Cuff Featuring 14 carats of emeralds and diamonds by AZATURE @azature
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Dress by Elisabetta Franchi @ElisabettaFranchi White Topaz Emerald cut eternity band, Queen Tennis Bracelets (Rose gold & White gold), Square Tennis Bracelet (Rose gold) By Coly Los Angeles @colylosangeles Emerald Snake Cuff Featuring 14 carats of emeralds and diamonds, 75 carat custom Emerald pendant necklace by AZATURE @azature
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Gown by Reema Nahar @ReemaNaharx Queen tennis bracelet (white gold), Black and champagne diamond rings, Sliced Sapphire and Diamond Earrings, Handcuff diamond Earring, Pear shaped Diamond Tennis Necklace by Coly Los Angeles @colylosangeles
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Dress by Elisabetta Franchi @ElisabettaFranchi Lux Diamond Hoop, Lux Diamond Link Choker Jewerly by Coly Los Angeles Bracelets By PlayHardLookDope Based in New York, NY @playhardlookdope
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“ I love getting dolled up for shoots, I could just never do this to myself”
“I love getting dolled up for shoots, I could just never do this to myself,”
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“I think one of the things we love about being on set is being able to mingle with people�
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Gown by Reema Nahar @MaisonReemanahar Pear shaped Diamond Necklace, Queen Tennis Bracelet, Queen Baguette Bangle, White Topaz and Diamond Drop Earrings by Coly Los Angeles @Colylosangeles White Diamond Mastery Ring, 10 carat ZAR ring20 carat pear shape custom by AZATURE @azature
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THE FUTURE O F F A S H I O N Sustainability isn’t just a trend, it’s here to stay. Business owner Deschel Mckillian discusses the importance of shopping sustainably, as well as empowering women and black owned businesses. By Bec Doyle
D
echel McKilian, founder of GALERIE.LA, is a force to be reckoned with in the sustainable fashion world. This stylist turned sustainable business owner is committed to the evolution of eco-friendly and sustainable products, as well as empowering women, and standing up for civil rights in the Black Lives Matter movement.
to evolve. The retail store closed due to the mandatory shutdown, so McKillian shifted her business online, which meant pressing pause on in-person community
building events such as in-store pop-ups, interviews
with brand founders, and panels promoting female entrepreneurship.
Yet out of these difficulties launched a new era for GALERIE.LA: “The Simple Sustainability Series.” Now a regular event, the Instagram live streaming interviews introduce the audience to different brands and their founders, aiming to further educate newcomers to the movement. “I think it’s very important when you go down the sustainability journey, to take it slow and really educate yourself. It’s not like you have to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe. Once you kind of GALERIE.LA we focus learn the facts - what fabrics to look out for - then you can start to make better choices,” she says.
Located in the historic arts district of downtown LA, GALERIE.LA is part of the Row DTLA, a business collective dedicated to the mission of bettering the world through culturally innovative products and services. McKillians’s attention to detail, taste and her commitment to cultivating the best in sustainable and vegan fashion, products and homewares, is apparent with each quality item she curates. The first steps of McKillian’s “conscious journey” began with her traveling the world as a wardrobe stylist to Drake, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Fergie and Black Eyed Peas. After witnessing the extent of pollution and waste worldwide, she felt called to pull ethical and environmentally friendly fashion for her artists to wear, only to discover her options were woefully limited.
“At
Undeterred, McKillian plunged down a rabbit hole of research. She reached out to brands leading the sustainable fashion movement... and soon found herself amongst the vanguard of pioneers dåriving the industry forward. “I feel like within the sustainable fashion movement, it really is a collection of people that are working toward a common goal. And I think when you have that intention there really is no space for competition, because everybody wants to grow, everybody wants to support each other”, she says. For the customer, McKillian takes the ‘work’ out of shopping sustainably, bringing the best and highest quality brands you can trust, to one place. The Covid-19 pandemic brought new challenges and changes to GALERIE.LA. Like most businesses, they had
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Shortly thereafter, the Black Lives M atter movement compelled McKillian to re-examine her role as a woman of color in the sustainable fashion industry. “I think this [BLM] is the civil rights movement of our time”, said Mckillian. “What am I doing to amplify black businesses and voices at GALERIE. LA?”. This question inspired her to create the monthly “Goodie Bag”, a feature aimed at introducing customers to the black owned businesses at Galerie LA. “Sustainability, I think is a growing part of different industries that often target and market toward white people, she says. By promoting the women of color fashion founders, the Goodie Bags are part of McKillian’s mission to break that stereotype and diversify sustainable fashion one GALERIE.LA goodie at a time. Go to www.galerie.la to explore the future of sustainable fashion, products and homewares for yourself.
Deschel McKillian in GALERIE.LA, Model in GALERIE. LA, (Below) Interior of GALERIE. LA.
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GE:Earrings klace Jessica o Jewlery. Dark s- ilia tenderly k. Eyeliner- Tarte ake eyeliner. urglass ultra slim nsity lipstick in y. OPPOSITE Rings Jessica o Jewlery. Liner te clay pot oof shadow liner Lips- glossier int in Puff
STUNNINGLY SUSTAINABLE A collection of Sustainable Fashion that will make heads turn
Photographer: Glenn Nutley @gnphotographyLA Model: Lena Ross @lenajross Wardrobe Stylist : Dani Norton Smith @dindylouise Makeup: Mina Abramovic @abramovicm Hair: Chris Martin @bychrismartin
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THIS PAGE: Dress by Ores @oresstore Jewelry by Lucy Folk @lucy_folk Gloves: Stylist’s Own
E
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THIS PAGE:Shirt by BITE Studios @bitestudios Pants by BITE Studios @bitestudios Jewelry by Washed Ashore @getwashedashore Clutch by Svala @svalacot Gloves: Stylist’s Own OPPOSITE PAGE: Dress by Ores @oresstore Jewelry by Lucy Folk @lucy_folk
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THIS PAGE: Shirt By BITE Studios @bitesvtudios Skirt by Aniela Parys @anielaparys Jewelry by Lucy Folk @lucy_folk Clutch by Svala @svalaco OPPOSITE PAGE:Dress by Ores @oresstore Jewelry by Lucy Folk @lucy_folk 42 M . C I T I Z E N M A G A Z I N E | I S S U E 01
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THIS PAGE: Top and bottoms Aniela Parys @anielaparys. Jewelry by Lucy Folk @lucy_folk. OPPOSITE PAGE: Dress by Ores @oresstore Jewelry by Lucy Folk @lucy_folk
Top Aniela Parys @ anielaparys. Bottoms by Aniela Parys @ anielaparys. Jewelry by Lucy Folk @lucy_folk
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Shirt and Pants b @hansenandgre Jewelry by Lucy
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by Hansen & Gretel etel Folk @lucy_folk
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PANDEMIC
c i h C
Local fashion designer Melissa Pellone shared her story with M. Citizen Magazine; the pandemic, how it has affected her business and whats ahead.
“The pandemic affected the brand and the business plans in many ways. The fashion industry pre-sells and produces prior to the actual seasons, sometimes many months in advance so we have time to show the line. The seasonal collections were due to go to market (which was cancelled) and travel with the sales team, and a new seasonal collection was in development as well. Due to the state order/lockdown to close all offices our Design studio & workshop where everything is made was made to close, so anything we were working on was stopped. All our vendors were closed, all our factories, all the boutiques where we sell were closed. We had orders that were written and produced for specific stores back at market in February and those stores closed and abandoned the orders and never paid for them, some not even responding to emails or calls at all. The month of March into April we have Fashion Week, where we show and network with our clients, and that was cancelled. Wedding season was upon us as well and all the weddings we were creating for, those were all put on hold, and then finally rescheduled for 2021. So I made the decision to push the launch to 2021 for the Spring and Summer Collections. Later, our mayor announced the program LA protects, which allowed us to reopen under new safety and protocols in place to protect the workers and consumers, and everyone was very happy to get back to work and be creative again, only this time, instead of working on a gown for a bride, we would be making face masks to meet the immediate need for our city, our frontliners and the public.�
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Photographer: Greg Levitt @gl_image Model: Kaitlyn Raymond @Kaitlyn_Raymond 49 Makeup: AndieM .Lane @Andie_lane C I T I Z E N M A G A Z I N E | I S S U E 01
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Model wears Snake/Gold Sequin Zip-up Jacket, Snake/ Gold Sequin Panel Pencil Skirt by Melissa Pellone @pellonedesignercollection
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THIS PAGE: Model wears Ivy Dress in Red Rose Embroidery OPPOSITE PAGE: Model wears Ivy Dress in Red Rose Emboidery and matching hand-made mask by Melissa Pellone @pellonedesignercollection
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“There was a great demand for non-medical grade face masks for our frontliners. I began making the masks for my friends and family first who all live in New York. My family was affected very early by it, losing a family member at the very beginning. Devastated by this, I didn’t trust what I saw in the market, and began researching and creating masks with the guidelines set in place by our state under the LA protects program. It took about two weeks of prototyping and getting materials was also very difficult, as I couldn’t just walk into a store and pick up what I needed. So we started creating the masks and donating them to the local hospitals and then later other frontliners; police officers, firemen, and grocery store workers. Later, when I made the masks available to the public, with the need still high for medical workers, we began donating for each one sold, we’d match it, sometimes x 2 to UCLA Health.”
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THIS PAGE: Model wears Ivy Dress in Red Rose Embroidery. OPPOSITE PAGE: Dahlia L/S Top and Border Skirt in Mint Green by Melissa Pellone @pellonedesignercollection
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“ The face masks have been an incredible way to connect with our fans during the pandemic. It also gave me, personally, something to focus on and be busy designing and creating, instead of focusing on the fact I was unable to see my familyliving 3,000 miles away. It was a unique challenge to create a fit and find the fabrics to meet all the needs of our frontliners and customers, in such a unique time. We have a new line of Fall inspired face masks, after our boutiques in California and New York requested some seasonal prints.�
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“The Fall/Holiday line will launch in September/October 2020 through January 2021 in stores and online. The Spring/Summer Collection is available now for pre-order exclusively through our website melissapellone.com, in store and live March 2021 through September 2021. I also design and create custom dresses, separates and gowns and those services along with our shop are back open and available now. “
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THIS PAGE: Dahlia L/S Top and Border Skirt in Mint Green OPPOSITE PAGE: Dahlia L/S Top in Mint Green and matching handmade mask by Melissa Pellone @pellonedesignercollection
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J A PA N E S E B E A U T Y : A L E By Tracy O’Connor
Having worked in the skincare and beauty industry for over 20 years, I’ve witnessed a lot of marketing trends come and go. But perhaps the most harmful trend I’ve seen is the recent trend of “more is more” in skincare. More steps, more active ingredients, and more aggressive formulations - equals more improvements, faster results, and better skin. But this simply isn’t true. The American Academy of Dermatology reports that people who identify with having “sensitive skin” is on the rise in recent years. It’s not surprising. There are more skincare products on the market and access to stronger formulations than ever before. Many of us feel empowered by the choices. Armchair chemists at home mix and match products and ingredients, customizing their personal regimens, and slather on multi-step skincare programs. While ingredients like alpha hydroxy acids, retinoids, and vitamin c derivatives have their place in skincare, there is a dark side. We can do too much. We can overload our skin, over treat, over exfoliate, and in turn – damage our skin’s barrier. So what’s the big deal? Well, your barrier is kind of a big deal. It’s the frontline when it comes to your skin health – and it’s the first thing you see. It helps maintain moisture, suppleness, plasticity, and pH balance. It keeps bad stuff out, good stuff in, and skin looking and acting healthy. Unfortunately, this “more is more” approach can wreak barrier havoc by upsetting pH levels, killing good bacteria (that protect skin from pathogens), and stripping the surface of necessary dead skin cells, ceramides, and skin-loving lipids that lock in moisture. When the damage is done – it shows. Research demonstrates that a weakened barrier is lower in ceramides, water, and other moisturizing factors, all of which protect skin. This can lead to inflammatory issues, including dryness and dullness, acne, irritation, premature aging, dermatitis, and even eczema. Sound familiar? We’ve all been there. Who hasn’t over-slathered on skincare or tried to vacuum out each and every pore only to awaken with patchy, irritated skin? After years in the industry and attempting to control my acne with aggressive approaches – my skin had had enough. And then I discovered the Japanese approach to skin wellness, and I was hooked. I witnessed firsthand the results of a “nurturing, less is more,” approach. It was the perfect match for my sensitive, over-worked skin. I began working with a Japanese chemist who had me sample a barrier repair complex he’d been working on,
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featuring ceramides derived from Japanese koji that were identical to human ceramides. Ceramides occur naturally in our skin barrier, along with cholesterol, free fatty acids, and other stuff, like dead skin cells and necessary microbes. Believe it or not, ceramides themselves make up over 50% of our skin’s barrier and are hugely responsible for it’s elasticity, healthy glow, smooth finish – and for their water holding capacity. As we age, ceramide levels nose-dive! I’d tried so many products on my red, irritable skin – honestly – I wasn’t expecting much. But then, I was completely blown away. Within days, my skin was transformed. Smoother, clearer, softer, hydrated, and balanced. What was this stuff? After a week of using it, my skin was different skin. It felt – resilient for the first time in my adult life. See, all ceramides are not created equal. Most on the
ESSON IN LESS IS MORE market are synthetic, have a shorter-chain length and don’t migrate into the intercellular lipid network as thoroughly as these do. But these mimicked the molecular structure of the ceramides in our own stratum coreneum and therefore have high-skin affinity. I could feel it. I nearly had a stage 5 meltdown when I ran out. I knew we were onto something. At that moment the seed was planted. We began formulating Seiso JBeauty and set out to create a modern collection that would repair and strengthen the skin’s barrier, by harnessing the power of our patented ceramide complex. Natural ceramides are nearly impossible to find in products on the market. They are expensive and not generally available to cosmetic manufacturers. But natural ceramides have been shown to be hugely effective in helping to repair and restore
“Natural ceramides have been shown to be hugely effective in helping to repair and restore damaged barriers, reduce increase water levels in skin.”
damaged barriers, reduce dryness, inflammation, and help increase water levels in skin. They also protect against physical and environmental factors that damage skin. Interestingly, you know that white, waxy film on the skin of newborn babies, aka the vernix caseosa? Yep, it’s 12% ceramides! It’s designed to both hydrate baby skin and provide “waterproofing” benefits while in the womb. Additionally, it protects against bacterial invasion during birth and increases skin metabolism and healing. The vernix and ceramides are truly amazing. Our four product collection features the Fuwafuwa Foaming Cleanser, a perfectly pH balanced gentle cleanser designed to protect the skin’s delicate barrier, while effectively cleansing and moisturizing skin. It has single handedly cleared my skin of congested pores. The Pure Ceramide Concentrate, our “cult favorite” barrier repair complex; formulated to replenish and restore ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids. The Ceramide Moisture Milk, created to further layer hydration, and plump, soften, and condition. And finally, our Water Velvet Cream, the dreamiest, dewy-est barrier cream, that protects, smoothes, and seals in moisture like a second skin. For me, after two months of dedicated use with these four simple steps, my skin looked better at 42 than 32. I was using fewer products and less actives, but proven ingredients and formulations that worked. Devotees of active skincare can benefit from Seiso JBeauty products, by incorporating them into existing regimens with success, as our ceramides buffer skin and enhance the efficacy and outcomes of actives. Most dermatologists agree that natural ceramides are a beneficial skincare ingredient for all, since they are generally “well-tolerated” and super compatible with our own skin and other ingredients. As the current pandemic has forced society to rest, reset, simplify, and focus on what’s important – it seems an appropriate time to cull distractions in skincare too and return to the basics principles of skin health. A lot of things rely on a delicate balance, and so does our skin. Skin wellness shouldn’t be complicated. Glowing, rested skin can be achieved through simple means, daily dedication, and continuous improvement. Identify the essential and eliminate the rest. Your skin will thank you.
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BOLD y t u ea B
Breaking the mold with fall runway inspired beauty trends by make up artist Brittany Paige Lambert @peckisme Photography by Ben Shani @benshaniproductions Model Bec Doyle @becdoyle_ 60 M . C I T I Z E N M A G A Z I N E | I S S U E 01
THIS PAGE: “Heavy Metals” Eyes: Bodyography pefect palette Shadows, Bodyography pressed glitter pigment in “Soiree Danessa”, Lips: NYX nude beige lipliner, Hourglass slim high intensity PAGE: “Crystalized” Glow: NYX natural lipliner, Burt’s Eyes: Swarovski crystals from Micheal’s
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THIS PAGE: “Vampire Bride” Eyes: Ilia Tenderly multistick, Lips: Hourglass Cosmetics Ultra Slim High Intensity Lipstick in “I
Tarte clay pot waterproof
Rings: Jessica Matrasko 62 M . C I T I Z E N M A G A Z I N E | I S S U E 01
ALL LOOKS: Skin was prepped with Summer Friday’s jet lag mask, Foundation: beauty blender Bounce foundation, Concealer: cover fx power play concealer, Bronzer/ contour: Nudestix Bondi Bae, Setting powder: It Cosmetics bye bye pores pressed powder, Mascara: bare minerals lashtopia Brow: Anastasia Beverly Hills clear brow set 63 M . C I T I Z E N M A G A Z I N E | I S S U E 01
T H E
y d o B l e d o M by Maddy Hayes
M
addy here from Model Physique! I’m just a gal from the midwest that as a teenager would cut out Victoria’s Secret models from the magazines and plaster them on my wall, and dream of someday being a VS Model. I have a cousin who has experienced widespread success in the entertainment industry, both modeling and acting for over 20 years, and I always aspired to carry on the family tradition. At 20 years old I began traveling the world as a fashion model. My dreams were coming true… The most frequently asked question I get is: “How did you get into modeling?” The first few years of modeling were not as glamorous as Adriana Lima and Candance Swanapool made it seem. Modeling requires constant body evaluation. I’ve heard some version of; “your body is not good enough” more times than I can count. I remember working hard for 4 months to change my body only for my agent to tell me, “We think you’re still a little thick for swimwear.” After years of trying to be what the industry “thought” I should be, and trying every diet and workout known to man, I landed a full time position working as a fit model with one of the biggest pop culture fashion brands, Revolve. Fit modeling requires you to maintain consistent measurements year round. To maintain my hip measurement, I
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do strength training twice a week. I focus on burning out my glutes with heavy weights and low reps. If I need to slim down my waist, I cut back on strength training and focus on cardio. My absolute favorite form of cardio lately is jump roping. Jumping is a lymphatic drainage, which means it helps you shed extra water weight. With my extensive knowledge on diets and exercise routines, I created an accountability platform called Model Physique. Model Physique is rooted in accountability. You try any diet or fitness program and ultimately they will all heed the same result. The key is having someone cheer you on and hold you acceptable to your goals. The program offers physique toning and nutritional accountability. My scope of education is from NASM a personal training certification and IIN a holistic coaching program. Through these certifications and through my own personal journey, I have learned skills on how to coach one on one for a client to become their best self. I am humbled and motivated by my clients who come to me weekly, wanting to be the best version of themselves. They want to be “model ready” when they step out of their front door. Your Physique does not only encompass your body, it encompasses your mind, spirit and heart. When your heart is full and your spirit is free, you find alignment inside and out.
Photography by Greg Levitt @gl_image
I am delighted to share a quick workout video for M. Citizen Magazine. The video incorporates physique toning movements I do while training my clients at Model Physique. The workout requires a mat, resistance band, and jump rope (if you have one - but not a necessity). To find more information on my program, visit me at modelphysique.co. Happy Sweating!
CLICK BELOW TO WATCH THE VIDEO
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THE ESSENTIAL L ALTERNATIVE
I
f you had told me years ago that my passion and life’s work would be at the front lines of a booming medical cannabis industry, I would have laughed in your face. You see, I was the girl in college who would roll my eyes at anyone who used ‘Dope’... because that was all it was to me. However, after my father fell ill with brain cancer in 2014, cannabis became so much more. After he was given his terminal diagnosis, I made it my mission to find alternative therapies for him in order to ease his transition. What I found was something that not only helped him through the end of his life but changed my life forever, too. Fast forward to the present, and I now possess five and a half years of
by Dana Workman
experience working in the cannabis industry at a California-based cannabis company specializing in tinctures. My role in customer retention and sales support is a vital one, and it has inspired in me a duty to educate the masses. When you consider my previous background in public speaking, it makes sense I now feel this onus of responsibility in sharing the benefits of cannabis... so listen up! In a matter of just a few years, Cannabis has transitioned from illegal to legal in California. Currently, it’s even deemed an “essential business” amidst’s the world’s current chaos. It seems when humanity is shaken to its core, someone out there had a heart and was in their right mind not to revoke this very essential plant from those who need it most. People are
Dana Workman and her late father Steve Workman 67 M . C I T I Z E N M A G A Z I N E | I S S U E 01
becoming WOKE to the positive power of the plant. There is absolutely no time like the present to take control of your own health by utilizing cannabis. Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time connecting with patients mostly adults and children with cancer, autism, epilepsy - and caregivers. Many, simply wanting relief from chronic pain or their nights of insomnia. Although I personally am not a medical professional, our brand CKSoul connects patients and consumers with a vast network of cannabis clinicians to help educate them on their journey with medical cannabis and offer personalized dosing guidance, instilling hope and confidence in those that need it most. But with “CBD” becoming a fad of sorts, it can be very hard to know where to begin for the utmost therapeutic benefits. There is a lot of misinformation out there - hemp vs cannabis? Can I buy something over the counter or does it have to be from a dispensary? What do I take? How much? All of these very variable issues can ultimately lead those who are misinformed, to the following outcome: “I tried, but it didn’t work for me”. “Great! So what does this mean for me!? Just tell me what to get!” Well, in short, legal cannabis from a licensed dispensary is the safest and most effective way to get your hand on full-spectrum or “whole -plant ” produc ts. Dispensaries (especially in California) have rigorous state testing standards. Hemp, on the other hand, has no testing standards, is generally found over the counter, and many times does not contain enough cannabinoids to be effectively therapeutic. 68 M . C I T I Z E N M A G A Z I N E | I S S U E 01
To truly get on board with what I am saying, you need to understand why cannabis works so incredibly well within our bodies. I’ll try to break it down in a way that doesn’t have you sleeping by the end of this article! Our human bodies produce natural cannabis-like molecules, called “endocannabinoids”. The vast network of receptor sites (CB1 and CB2) that are found throughout our brain, gut, and body, and make up our “endocannabinoid system.” Our endocannabinoid system regulates very important physiological processes like pain, sleep, mood, etc. When we take cannabis, the “phytocannabinoids” in the plant (THC, CBD is the most well known + many more) binds to the various receptor sites in our bodies (CB1 and CB1) to help put our bodies back into homeostasis. The therapeutic benefits of all of these cannabinoids working together are vast - this teamwork is called the “Entourage Effect,” which you get from Full Spectrum Products. Terpenes also play an important role- they are organic compounds naturally produced by the cannabis plant (and many other fruits and plants for that matter), and have been studied and found to have their
“CKSoul connects patients and consumers with a vast network of cannabis clinicians to help educate them on their journey with medical cannabis”
Edibles, vaping, smoking? Sure these options of consumption are great and may provide temporary relief, but if you really want to be proactive and preventative with your health, tinctures are the way to go. Not only are they easy to dose with, but they are discreet and get to the root of what’s going on in the most effective way. As far as what will work for you and your symptoms, there is no “one size fits all” approach to dosing. Different cannabinoids at different potencies and ratios may work best for certain conditions. I always recommend speaking with a medical professional who is experienced with cannabis dosing for more personalized guidance. CKSoul
is a licensed California-based cannabis brand that not only has clean, lab-tested, quality products, but also an incredible network of experienced cannabis medical professionals they can recommend. Visit their website at www.cksoul.com to learn more! There is no time like the present to take control of your health, and your life- and I will be in your proverbial corner, cheering for you along the way!
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L O ’ S K I T C H E N R d e s a B P lant 70 M . C I T I Z E N M A G A Z I N E | I S S U E 01
l l a F r o ecipes fit f
1 Sweet potato 1 Avocado 1 spring onion Half a lemon Handful of Cilantro Salt
Super simple and delicious, this dish can be served as an appetizer or a main course.
Place your sweet potato on a baking sheet and rub with oil and salt, this will help the skin become crispy while baking. Bake for 1 hour at 425 ° F until soft. in a bowl with a good squeeze of lemon and some salt. Chop up your jalapeno and cilantro and add to your bowl. When your potatoes are cooked, slice in half and mash the middle slightly, then add your guacamole topping equally over the two
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Follow along with Lo to see all these delicious recipes come to life! CLICK BELOW TO WATCH THE VIDEO
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2 carrots 1 onion
2 garlic cloves / garlic paste Olive oil
2 tins of chopped tomatoes 1 tbs red wine vinegar 1 tbs worcester sauce 2 tsp of cumin
2 tsp of cinnamon
li
l i h C
e i g Ve g
e rit o av f l Fal e th o t e ativ A hearty and healthy altern
To top Spring onions chopped Avocado sliced Vegan Cheese
Roughly chop your carrots, onion, celery and garlic, don’t worry about it being a little chunky. In a pan heat up a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and add your garlic, onion, carrots and celery and leave to sweat for a few minutes. Then add all your spices and stir well so all the vegetables are covered. Add your chopped tomatoes along with your worcestershire and red wine vinegar. Leave to simmer for 40 mins on a medium heat till all your vegetables are cooked through. Check regularly, add a little water (or vegetable stock), to avoid drying. 10 mins along with some fresh parsley or cilantro. Serve in a bowl with more fresh herbs, spring onions, sliced 73 M . C I T I Z E N M A G A Z I N E | I S S U E 01
3 bananas
2 tsp of vanilla essence 1 tsp cinnamon
Vegan Banana & Chocolate Chip Loaf A yummy treat, or perfect Fall dessert Grease and line a loaf tin with parchment paper. In a bowl mash your bananas keeping some chunks. Add to your kitchen aid or mixing bowl with sugar, vanilla, oil and vegan yoghurt, and mix till combined. cinnamon. Slowly add this to your wet mixture until well mixed. Fold in your dark chocolate chips and then pour the mixture into your loaf tin. Sprinkle the top generously with more dark chocolate chips. Bake at 350°F for 50 - 60 mins.
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Pomegranate Spritzer
by @nelcha
1oz Vodka 2 table spoons of pomegranate arils 2 oz of pomegranate juice Top with prosecco Garnish with a rosmary sprig
Entertain at home in style this Fall with a simple and elegant cocktail
75 M . C I T I Z E N M A G A Z I N E | I S S U E 01
THE
A r t OF UPCYCLING
! " # $ % & ' ( " ) ( * + , ' " & , * ) & ) - & # $ " . # * ( & ) / ( & 0 $ ( 1 ) & % ( $ ( * , ) # - $ 23 & ! " & # $ % & ' ( " ) $ “Sustainable art” is not a new concept. The “Earth Art” movement of the late 1960s was the first to use the environment itself as a medium to express ideas and social commentary. Over the years, sustainable art has evolved and now covers a myriad of sub-genres, highlighting a diverse range of issues from ecology and sustainability, to social justice and non-violence. Using sustainable materials and/or practices, an increasing number of artists are exploring the connection between nature and technology while, at the same time, expressing their social and environmental ideologies.
invited to identify with the emerging creatures, perhaps recognizing, in them, our own journey and humanity. In Bell’s re-imagining of Michelangelo’s classic “The Creation of Adam,” he uses his signature sci-fi references to challenge the concept of existence. In this acrylic on canvas, he incorporates all the things that inspire him: alien life, spirituality, technology and the human experience, bringing them together in a fun and thought provoking piece.
One particular artist working in the sustainable art realm is Shane Bell. Bell is using up-cycled materials to create evocative depictions of advanced alien life, examining the dividing line between nature and technology. A self-defined surrealist-impressionist, character artist; Bell’s work is vivid and immersive, drawing inspiration from both contemporary science fiction and nature. Bell is heavily influenced by pop-culture, referencing shows like Rick & Morty, and is regularly commissioned to recreate iconic scenes from various Sci-Fi cult-classics. While exploring a thrift store in his hometown, Bell discovered a pile of “factory style” reproductions of impressionist landscapes. As he tells it, “they were from the 70’s or 80’s when they were just mass producing paintings with no signature or anything.” These images inspired him to envision the epic sci-fi scenes that he creates. By upcycling old materials, Bell retains a sense of the familiar, while at the same time creating futuristic, alien landscapes; thematically connecting the earth, nature, technology and the unknown. Using the past to create the future is recycling in its realest sense. Another series of Bells depicts wild underwater scenes and uses a 3D technique to have creatures appear to emerge from the canvas. “There’s part of the world that’s awake and aware that they are conscious beings, but I feel like a lot of the world still sees them as a product,” Bell says. The illusion he creates, of the animal coming out of the artwork, becomes a representation of emerging consciousness. We, the viewer, are 76 M . C I T I Z E N M A G A Z I N E | I S S U E 01
Above: “The Creation“, Below: “Invaders”
To see more of shanes work, go to @shanebellart
Above: “Stormlandia“, Below: “Mother Whale”
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