Lost (Sort Of ) In Translation !
Buongiorno! Good Morning!! Wow it’s been a minute since I’ve been “here” and it happens to be the day (after) my five year anniversary of arriving in Italy, which was August 28th 2015, once lost (sort of) in translation. It seems like yesterday but not really. If anything,the feelings I had reminiscing about this journey, which started five years ago brought me to the same feelings I’ve experienced during lockdown. Speaking of how are you guys doing? I know worldwide everyone has had a different phase or time zone of lockdown. Here in my region of Italia we went into a complete lockdown on March 11th and it ended May 1st. It was a true lockdown in the “lockdown” sense. We were allowed to get food at a few markets that were open. Our local Bread Shoppe, Fish Mercato, and Pharmacy, those were all open so we weren’t struggling for food. My region wasn’t the most affected so our city was quiet, and very calm. No toliet paper hoarding (REALLY America LOL), no hoarding or doomsday prepping here.I ventured out a few times during that period just really to take a walk and get some fresh air. I enjoyed how quiet and calm our city was honestly. For the most part I enjoyed the time “off”, although I had some work to keep me busy I caught up on some reading, studying, and some classic cinema. My husband and I enjoyed having some calm quiet nights together, on the couch just savoring each others company, it was really nice… When I first arrived here in Italia I can remember feeling excited,not really nervous. My ex-partner Tony, who we share our daughter Sophia, came with me to get us settled. Even though Tony and I separated two years into our relationship, we have remained very close, good friends. We support each other, and we have managed to raise our daughter together on two continents giving her the best life possible. We have both also remarried and I adore his new partner. She is so lovely and I am grateful our daughter has two sets of loving parents, I mean shit, who even has one set these days right!! I was feature dancing here in Italy so my manager at the time came to pick us up from the airport and drove us to our new apartment. I had to choose an apartment online so I was anxious to see what we were (literally) getting ourselves into! The first thing I notice is how small everything is compared to my spacious home back in LA,BUT I am not here to compare! I am here to start a new journey!!! Sophia and I love our place, and Tony sets out to do some simple home maintenance so we can be extra comfortable. For the next two weeks while he’s here we do some exploring. It’s the tail end of August so some places in Italy which are usually closed for the entire month are starting to open back up, yay! It’s kind of the best AND worst time to move. Not only IS everything closed but everyone is kinda still on that “coming off my holiday” vibe and doesn’t want to lift a toe to literally do anything. It’s a solid 45 days before I can get wifi (UGHHHHHH) but at least I know where the closest market, bakery, and laundry mat are until I can get the big appliances in! Good thing our apartment for the most part was furnished and had a kitchen already! I was about to learn this brutal lesson with my next house I took three months later. I wanted more space, and a bedroom for Sophia so I wanted a brand new empty place I insisted! It has to be BRAND NEW!! Oh yea the relator says, you got it!! Fuck me in the ass do you know how DIFFICULT it is to put a kitchen in a new place???!! An ENTIRE kitchen! It’s also fucking expensive! Even if you go the “cheap” route and go to that hell of a place IKEA, no no no no… Back to my original rant about how it’s like hella hard to even find a reliable guy to install your entire f$$$ing kitchen???!!! You need a gas guy AND a plumber because really how often do you ever find a unicorn of a man who can truly do it all!?!? Alright well I did it, but after Tony left I started to have those”feelings” I was talking about. After Sophia would go to sleep I found myself thinking “What in the actual fuck am I doing”, where am I??? Should I have thought this through a bit more? Wait I’m in ITALY!!! I can remember the conversation with my sister Deb, the night before our flight is leaving. I tell her, “maybe this isn’t a good idea? Maybe I’m crazy? Maybe I should stay here I mean I am comfortable???” I have everything I need”?? My sister and I are quite the opposite of each other. While both of us are intelligent, hard working, and level headed (I think?) I have always been the risk taker – spontaneous – nomad – I will figure it out when I get there one. Deb is an excellent listener and she has ALWAYS been my rock. For real though, I can’t think of one moment in my life where she hasn’t been there for me AND as the non judgemental voice of reason. I wasn’t one hundred percent sure I wanted to be so far away from someone I’ve always considered a safety net for me!?? THIS is like, the one reason right? Why people don’t GO! Why they don’t go and see what else is out there, and live their best life? It’s that fear of separating and abandoning their family, friends or any kind of support that they feel can be beneficial for them. Sigh… well it’s not their life
May the 4th (24TH) be with you!!
Well hello there! Happy Sunyay!! It’s wayyyyyy past the 4th… but May the 4th (24th) be with you! (DUH) but I wanted to go back and share some good Star Wars memories with you guys:} I know not everyone is a SW fan… I can remember watching SW for the first time. I actually have memories of many movies I watched when I was young strangely… I’ve always been very close to my dad. I get a lot of my music and cinema taste from him. I can remember pouring over his cassettes, records and 8 tracks when I was a kid. The first Movies I can remember are Star Wars, Alien, Apocalypse Now, The first Vinyl was Emerson Lake and Palmer, Brain Salad Surgery, and the first Cassette was The Doors, Strange Days /La Woman, Oh and Paul Simon LOL 50 ways to leave your Lover… Ok Maybe I lost some of you, that’s ok…. Anyhoo SW has always been a go to for me. It’s strangely comforting. It’s one of the few movies that will ALWAYS hold up, I enjoy the many historical references George Lucas Uses and the costuming has given me so much inspiration over the years. When Sophia turned Two I wanted to do a Star Wars themed party for her. To be honest I’ve always wanted to throw a SW themed party for ME or Chopper LOL but that never happened so I got to do this for Sophia. I had so much fun cooking all the food, and coming up with the recipes. It had rained hard that day so my hopes of reenacting the Cantina scene was dashed… oh well. My bestie Charmane showed up, there was no food or Yoda Soda left and everyone had an amazing time! THAT is what counts. :} I have a Death Star PopCorn maker. TaunTaun sleeping bag and some cute yoda stuff. Also A BB8 teapot. I simply wanted to share my cute party with you all I hope you have a beautiful day XO Tera
Detroit Rock City
Hey Sunyay!! Happy Sunday!! We are open!! Well here begins “Phase one”… Some coffee shops or “bars” as we call them in Italia have opened for take away. I’ve seen many shops open now, mostly clothing and my FAVORITE organic beauty supply shoppe opened. It’s really what Italy calls an Erbosteria. That’s a shoppe where you’d find all natural beauty products, teas, vitamins, basically anything organic and healthy that has to do with health and wellness. She’s a lovely old woman, doesn’t speak a word of english so I REALLY get to practice my Italian. She must understand me because I always leave with a big bag of good stuff hahahah. Phase two begins next week. That will be the opening of restaurants, salons, maybe more clothing shops. What’s phase three? Maybe strip clubs?????? My last trip – appearance before the Lockdown was Detroit Michigan :}} Kinda laughing but I mean when do we get our entertainment back? I had tickets to see Faith No More, and flights back to the USA then off to Thailand. I don’t see those trips happening. To be honest I’m sitting 2020 out. If Comic Con Cancelled in July and that’s the END of July well then I think I’m “safe” sitting 2020 out….. I’m not sad about it. The break feels nice honestly:} I will miss my appearances and fans but things just don’t “feel right”, safety first. I’ve made three, THREE feature dance shows in the last two years in Detroit and I always get a lot of love here. 2019 I was at the Grand Re-Opening of the Penthouse club. Funny enough the owner had me at two of his other clubs back in the day (I think 2005-2006). Such a nice man, even gave my Chopper a suite to himself!!!! Chopper was like MOMMYYYYYY lol he was like”can I have my chef prepare anything for Chopper” and I’m like uh no. He wants to eat chips out of my hand but thank you. I think at that time Chopps was eating some organic tortilla chips or some pea ones lol. He had to eat out of my hand. He also shredded a Valentino high heel (another day another story lol) I was booked with another feature entertainer Rubber Doll. She was the coolest, so much fun! So nice, and wow what a feature! High energy, just wow. She’s in my top 3 of favorite entertainers hands down. Love Love her, and it was really nice to just have another cool woman to hang out with, eat with, and just talk to. My chihuahua Big Time had passed on this trip so I was happy to have a friend. :}} Feature life, tour life, you meet a lot of people on the road. Alone time is GREAT don’t get me wrong. I love the Forensic Files Marathons I get to have, but It’s nice to have some company too:}} This past trip I was at Deja Vu. They were super nice, fun club, great girls I had the best time. I wasn’t sure if I had posted the pics that Rubber Doll took of me on stage but I wanted to since I came across them :}} XO Tera Double Feature With Rubber Doll
Lockdown Round 1
Lockdown Two months In We are two months in of Lockdown .The time is passing so fast. Being at home all the time is way more work than working outside. I enjoy most of the same things I did before like errands and grocery shopping What I notice the most is that it’s very quiet in my city. No one is out and about only food markets and pharmacies are open so no one is having a coffee or aperitivo . It’s wild to see your city completely closed up with no life outside. The climate also has been very beautiful! It’s super warm and always sunny. I like to do a thirty minute meditation and yoga in the morning and night. It keeps me feeling healthy, peaceful. This is the time I connect with myself. If I don’t do yoga I don’t sleep good. Last year we had snow until May and the climate at this time last year was so cold but now it’s hot and windy. I don’t like wind it has always made me feel anxious and “prickly”. I’ve been passing my time with studying, and I’m really focused this go around with food chemistry. I’m studying soil and ecosystems. I never watch the news. I find that since March everyone is just consumed with it. So many people are either panicked, paranoid, stoned or drinking . I see people without healthy outlets… I’m not here to judge It may seem like I am but I’m not. I’m just making an observation on how I see people taking in what’s going on in the world right now. I mean what even is healthy anymore? What’s healthy to me may not work for you and vice versa. Many people on Social Media go down the rabbit hole with their “theories” about what’s really going on right now… I just observe never engage in discussion. I like to see people reading, researching and looking at things with open eyes or a “woke” mentality. That’s healthy. Life as we know is shifting and changing. It has been in the works for some time and there have been signs if you believe that .If we had a lockdown who’s to say that it just couldn’t randomly happen again? Are we prepared? How are you going to handle it? We have to learn how to evolve and be prepared. I’m not saying start shopping and hoarding TP and canned food, although that’s a start maybe! We have to stay mentally and physically strong. Don’t neglect your workouts whatever that may be. You can get such an effective workout in your home . Your brain is a muscle too and needs you to feed it. Instead of social media or binging on tv shows, try some documentaries. Crime ones are rad but they don’t do much for your psyche. I’ve been watching my classics at night. I love Black and White film noir. The lighting, the intelligent dialogue and how the interaction between male and female costars is romantic and mysterious, not lustful or graphic. Here’s a list of some of my favorites I’ve watched and rewatched so far; Movies for Lockdown 1. Charade with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. This is one of Audreys more serious roles and this movie has so many plot twists! Walter Matthau plays a great bad guy again in this one and the number two on my list. I LOVE him in these roles! 2. Strangers when we meet with Kirk Douglas and Kim Novak. This movie is shot so beautifully. It’s sweet and sad .I could see all sides of each character and it’s always a pleasure to watch for me. I love how the women look and dress in this film. So elegant . 3. Wicked woman with Beverley Michaels (1953) It’s simply hot, kitchy, and fun to watch her hustle! https://youtu.be/BZSICG1L5x8?si=eTAZApbm9jKYFPdn 4. Killer Bait with Lisabeth Scott also known as “Too late for tears” This is a true Crime film noir. She’s such a femme fatale. I love how LA looked back then and seeing all of the locations. I watched it here on youtube , gotta love that!! https://youtu.be/LGD_Brjpmak?si=GcyxBtnW-Pqwp8LT 5. Sunset Blvd. Gloria Swanson How can you not LOVE Norma Desmond ! She’s the modern day LSP!! Ok maybe this is only a reference I get but it’s a brilliant movie and true classic. 6. Gilda Rita Hayworth .Rita is just perfection. I read her biography “If this was Happiness” and that was heavy. https://books.google.com/books/about/If_this_was_Happiness.html?id=IXVZAAAAMAAJIt made me deeply sad to know she endured so much in her life. Watching her movies now I think “wow she was going through all of that yet she made such an incredible career for herself. It goes to show how professional and devoted she was to her craft.” Like so many entertainers I guess………. 7. Strangers on a Train, Rope, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Spellbound, The man who knew too much. Every single Alfred Hitchcock movie is perfect to me but start with the ones I suggested. 8. The Killing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Killing_(film)1956 Sterling Hayden. This is I think one of Stanley Kubrick’s first films. Maybe his first? I watched this for the first time since I hadn’t seen this one and I loved it. Such a good story, so good!! 9. Phone call from a Stranger and Of Human Bondage With Bette Davis My two favorite movies with her:}} 10. Ok I’m just going to list a BUNCH of my favorite movies here. Some you may have seen or hey just rewatch them for laughs I mean what else are you doing right!!! Many are from the 80’s so some of you may think what !! But they are classics and so good ! At least I think so. Romancing the Stone (1984) Kathleen Turner -Michael Douglas, After Hours (1985) Griffin Dunne, Best in Show (2000) -Waiting for Guffman (1996) – Spinal Tap (1984) – A Mighty Wind All by Christopher Guest F$$$ing hilarious I think he’s brilliant,
Saturday April 4th Lockdown 1 month
How’s everyone doing today? It’s April 4th I had to click to see the date! My promise of” I’m going to be better and update you all has gone out the window . I’ve been on a month of lockdown as of now and my family and I are doing great. I’m trying to put positive vibrations out there and I’m happy more and more of you are giving me positive feedback on here. I’ve always liked writing. It’s not only cathartic for me but I’m a n avid reader so I I feel like in reading ones blog you get a sense of who that person is like or at least their journey anyway. So if anyone caught the EXXXOTICA TV show I did last night “Happy Hour” it was a happy hour and a half of Jay Handy, Dan Davis and myself catching up.I tried not to be a boner killer and bring up anything that’s a downer but let’s be real here, we are all dealing with social distancing in various ways. Some of us are drinking more, smoking more, taking up new projects. For some it’s a really positive time to get a side hustle going, learn a new skill set or find a new job or path… I will be honest this has been a time of reflection and growth for me. I’ve been given the opportunity to take a completely different path as far as work is concerned but my soul is telling me to stay put right now. I’ve gone back to meditating and yoga first thing in the morning .I think we all can use this time to understand our purpose, path and what we are meant to do. If what the world and humanity is going through right now can teach us anything it’s that we need to be prepared. Prepared meaning don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Ok so you may not want to learn a new job, skill set or trade, but how about growing your own food? Compounding natural medicine? Teach yourself a new exercise routine, check out some self guided meditation or create your own? Teach yourself how to cook some simple recipes so you don’t rely on delivery? Fix some things around your house and learn how to repair small things. Learn a new language or watch a foreign movie and experience something different. Today I only did an hour of meditation of Yoga. My best friend Charmane and I Face Timed and chatted about all of the old 80’s stuff we grew up on. She made Udon and I made Ramen we had such a nice catch up. It’s during this time I’d also like to mention that reaching out to people you don’t get to see or talk to that often is pleasantly surprising. I’ve LOVED hearing from so many old friends from all over the world. It’s been so nice to catch up, hear what’s new in their world and see their pictures and growth as people.I don’t have Facebook so I only get on twitter really to promote (SORRY) and I’m like meh with IG. NOT because I don’t love and appreciate you guys and my friends /fans / followers I DO. I just don’t find social media “healthy” and I could care less about clout (obviously) Put your phone or tablet away and really limit yourself to an hour or two a day.. seriously… You don’t need it. You need to find other healthier ways to connect with yourself and manage your time. It just works a different part of your brain that can help you grow, obviously learn, and sleep better. Try to keep a schedule still and put on normal clothes during the day. Don’t let yourself go… for real. I don’t care if you’re not going out or if you live alone.Take pride in your heath and appearance. I mean unless you’re trying to grow out your roots or brows or beard I get it because razors are expensive!I know for a lot of us the unknown is what’s hard. If anything we need to utilize this time to prioritize what’s important to us in life. Enjoy everything even what we think are the little things and to have GRATITUDE. We really need to be GRATEFUL. I am so grateful for so much. Let’s be kinder to each other but also to ourselves.Some more things down below that you may find fun or things to do… if you want :}} XO Tera My friend Shawna Kenney http://www.shawnakenney.comhas some great books she’s written and published and she does a quarantine writers club! If you’d rather read one of my favorite little (literally)books it’s called The Little Book of Sloth Philosophy by Jenifer McCartney.http://jennifermccartneywrites.com Lavender and Peppermint oils. Lavender to relax and peppermint to energize. You all know I LOVE essential oils. The NOW brand http://www.nowfoods.com and Aura Cacia http://www.auracacia.comare inexpensive nice big bottles that I like a lot. You don’t even need to buy the Organic version. Tonic. Hot water in a mug with half a lemon (squeezed) cinnamon and a teaspoon of honey. Chop ginger in there if you want.It is so good and I drink this AM and PM. Apple Cider Vinegar!! A teaspoon in 6-8 oz of water 2 times a day 3x a week that’s good enough for me. I also like to use oregano oil BUT FOLLOW the directions for Oregano oil CAREFULLY because it’s very potent and spicy. I like and use the capsule form from http://zanehellas.com Ok shows : Adventure Time (LSP FOREVER), Breaking Bad, Alfred Hitchcock presents, Regular Show, It’s a Living (80’s trashy silly good LOL), Roseanne (I mean I LOVE it), Perry Mason, Murder She wrote, Fraggle Rock, Pink Panther (cartoons) You might find many of these on YOU Tube They are old but goodies, for me anyway!! Angel Dust (Japanese), Irina Palm (British), Party Girl (1958), The Big Year (2011), Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service
Comic Con / Comikaze
I remember my very first Comic Con appearance like it was yesterday . It was the year 1999 and I beelined to the artist alley to see if Jim Lee was really was going to be here. I scored my first SDCC (San Diego Comic Con http://comic-con.org) ticket and I was dying to explore every inch of this show. My last appearance at SDCC would be in 2012 mostly due to the fact that I couldn’t dedicate so much time and energy to traveling to San Diego for the full five day to exhibit . It just wasn’t cost effective and it was exhausting. As fate or luck would have it the opportunity to exhibit would present itself in Comikaze. This was the perfect place for my mash up of my two favorites Hello Kitty and The Punisher to make their debut. It has been a fan fave when I make a Comic Con appearance. Comikaze http://comickaze.com takes place in Los Angeles and I’ve attended two years in a row. I’ve also done wizard world, http://wizardworld.com(Sacramento Chicago Philadelphia). New York Comic Con http://newyorkcomiccon.com Cosplaying, shopping, watching and listening to panels, seeing what new movies are coming out. The best part is meeting the artists. I love perusing the artist alley. I’m a huge fan of Humberto Ramos and Jim Lee. Comikaze was a fun show. More mellow, a lot of artists and I felt like the fans were just there to have a fun time. I met the coolest husband and wife team who also love Star Wars and we had so much fun light sabering hahaha! This Padawan has a long way to go! The last two years our city here has tried (bless them ) to do a Comic Con but it’s just not caught on:{ I would love to go to another Con soon! I’ve done a reboot on my punisher and I’m working on two new cosplays (hint AT) hahaha! Oh one final memory and it’s arguably my favorite one! I got to sign with and meet Sid Haig. My sweet friend Corpsey of Girls and Corpses magazine exhibits at most Cons and had Sid and I together at my first Comikaze and Monster Palooza! He was full of stories from all his years of working in Film and TV and had even met one of my idols Tera Satana. He was just so kind and sweet, very humble. He signed a beautiful photo of himself for Sophia and never once did he take a break from signing! Such a professional but so kind, just really rare! I have this urge to go on an Adventure Time Bender now!! XO Tera
All the worlds My Stage
All the worlds my stage… I’ve done pole work, trapeze, ariel and silks but honestly I just do a sexy, erotic strip tease show (ending up fully nude) and I invite you the audience into my space. Sometimes I’m just topless but I enjoy being nude and I love the art of stripping. Peeling off each piece of clothing and being able to provide a titalating atmosphere… I LOVE to watch old school burlesque with the flashy costumes, feather fans, Cyd Charisse is my all time favorite dancer! I’ve just developed my own sensual style… I appreciate good pole work and gymnastics but it’s simply not for me I also feel “safer”!! Shoot I’ve seen only on twatter a girl fall several stories from a pole and sheesh….. Meow Happy Tuesday!! How is everyone doing out there in this world? Where are you and what is it like? For me here in northern Italy, it’s oh so quiet (great song) I haven’t heard a car pass in days! I’m reading a lot, managed to get a few new movies in (will make you a list) and have been archiving photos! Yes it sounds just amazing right!! Well for me and my OCD I’m not just organizing and archiving them I have to “group” them. By categories, by year, hell even by my danm outfit. Why is this important? It is for only me not you lol If I have an idea or thought and “it” needs a photo then I will know exactly where it is!!! I wanted to share a bunch with you here from my Dancin Days!! I still do feature dance actually, and I LOVE it… My very first show on stage ever (Tera Trivia ) was in 2003 at The Admiral Theatre in Chicago. I was so nervous on stage I actually FORGOT to take peoples money (Tips) GASP! Like yea after my twenty minute stage show which FEELS long (4 songs) I ran off stage clutching my four piece Trashy Lingerie custom made denim cowgirl biker outfit, sweaty saying HOW DID I DO!!! I was met with shock, smiles and my manager at the time screaming “GO BACK OUT THERE AND TAKE YOUR TIPS! Oh shit… Right! I was there for THE MONEY!! LOL Good times… Fast far into the future forward it’s 2020 and I am no longer that 27 year old “newb” hitting the feature club circuit but still headlining clubs at 43. Still taking money and names as I go! I’ve featured in maybe 30 countries (I’ve lost count) and each one has brought me a fun, good memory. I can honestly say after feature dancing for 17 years I’ve truly not had any bad experiences! I’ve been in casinos,, arenas dancing for 100k plus people, broadcasted on MTV and similar channels, dive bars, you name it. It’s only been fun. I’ve always said I’d toss my mane anywhere,even someones garage lol! I Just really mean I LOVE to be on stage and perform. I really love dancing to Rock, Metal and Classic Rock personally. I rarely use props on stage although after shooting a fun movie called “Live Nude Girls’ the director Mike Hatton knew I loved Star Wars, so he created a “themed” feature show for me where I was “Slave Leia” and I had two hot Storm Troopers as my side pieces, so much fun! I used my chain on one of the customers aka My Jabba The Hutt LOL There was one show or “time” I wanted to dance. Christmas Day… Now when you’re a traveling Showgirl holidays can be a BIG payday so one club in Brockton Mass. or was it Rhode Island??? I think it was RI lol I should google it.They had two clubs in both cities called The Foxy Lady. On Christmas day there was an event called “Legs and Eggs. You’d start your feature show at 5 am and it would already be wall to wall dudes! That club served breakfast (hence the eggs) and closed at 8 am. Just in time for you to get back to the wife and kids, plus get those presents under the tree after seeing your fave stripper! LOL I never got booked for that show but I know many who did make that great Christmas money! That club also used to do girl boxing and oil wrestling. I just did a simple strip show but oil wrestling, I want to give that a go one day!! Hmmm sounds like new content???Charmane Star and I did a double /Duo show in Montreal 2010 and we had a break in between shows. I think she gave me too many shots of Jager and I just walked out into the snow to “cool off” Whaaaaaat yea in lingerie at like -3 below! Thanks Jager! LOL The last few years of the EXXXOTICA Expo in Chicago and New Jersey I’ve performed my sexy show on stage. Just long enough so you have an idea of what I do (wink) My dear sweet friend and artist Christy Bomb astounds me not just with her talent but her kindness! We are both lovers of Hello Kitty and she custom made me an incredible bra and panty set that I just LOVE wearing onstage! The ladies AND gents have given me so many compliments on how much they love my Hello Kitty set, and my lingerie outfits in general. Some say feature dancing is “dead”. I will admit that from 2003 (when I started) to say 2009 clubs were always filled to capacity. I had the longest lines after each show to take photos with fans (ahhh the polaroid) and just hang out, sell my DVD’S (remember those?) It was great business for the clubs too, bringing in Adult Stars for the fans to meet, it gave the club some “clout” and it was great for the Housegirls too. A win-win all around. Obviously a lot has changed. Clubs just don’t have
Great Wall of Tera
My recent visit to Maui reconnected me with one of my oldest and best girlfriends Lisa Boyle. I first met Lisa in 2003. I was starting out on my own in 2003 and determined to rebrand myself and start fresh. My adult film company Teravision was just about to start filming its first production and my website was now under my full control. Right away I loved Lisa. She’s an Iconic model and actress in her own right http://lisaboyle.tumblr.com Her personality made the long shoot days fly by and so fun. “Get up on this table! Hike this hill (in Jimmy Choo heels) here’s a cigarette, lets paint you in glitter then dunk you in the ocean ” she was super creative but also knew she had to get those critical “pink” shots so desired by all the Porn film companies, and fans. Lisa Boyle has probably shot a good fifty percent of my website and many many editorial pieces and fashion spreads for me. When I had my daughter in 2012 Lisa came over and shot newborn Sophia and I together. I cherish those photos so much. One month after giving birth I agreed to shoot with Lisa again, she was going to publish a cool photo book compiling all of her work . I’ve never really been self conscious of the many phases my body has gone through. In 2012 as I am here yes, a month after giving birth I’m still a bit “swollen” if you will but I love seeing myself here. I was blissfully happy even shooting while I was pregnant. Pregnancy was good to me and it remains one of the most incredible periods of my life :} This Tera Wall was Lisa’s idea. I think I took her into my storage closet to show her GOD only knows what, and she saw my “supplies”. Stacks upon stacks of 8×10’s, posters, cards etc.. and she said “yes iI have an idea!! Her and Lindsay Hancock (bomb ass make- up artist and model who I LOVE) “built” the Tera Wall. It’s kinda cool to see a lot of your work on a wall. All these different phases I went though with my hair, make-up, body. I’m hoping to pull the pics Lisa and I took that day, they were on a Macbook that I hope and pray isn’t forever lost Both are gone and had more than thirty thousand images on them :{ If I EVER do recover them they are going on terapatrick.com first!! Such a fun memory of shooting enJOY XO Tera
Chopper
Chopper!! My beloved Chopper!! I have this special “boing boing” sound my phone makes when I receive a text from my dad and the latest caption reads”proof of life!!” DAD!!! I’m like come on It’s a grainy pic of Chopper in his bed.My dad who cares for Chopper full time now likes to send me pics knowing in the past when he doesn’t respond to my” how’s Chopper’ queries fast enough I will ask for “proof” he’s still got Chopper! I’ve even asked for him to pose with the days paper… I know what you’re thinking! Who the f$$k still reads the paper and she’s nutso.. And so if you’re new here you may also be wondering who is Chopper? Chopper is my Toy Fox Terrier. He’s turning 17 on December 5th. He now resides in Malibu with my dad because it isn’t easy traveling the world with him like it once was.He has his own passport and yes traveled the world with me, thirty countries at least!! I had a backpack for him and many times he just stayed in my purse. He has been my constant companion, and was my first “baby”. Pets are extremely cathartic for us aren’t they? I know that two very difficult periods in my life were made easier by my little guy. They absorb so much of our feelings and stress and are able to comfort us with just their presence. I found Chopper one afternoon in 2003 while driving in Florida. I was there to do an in store appearance (remember those) and ended up in a town called Pembroke Pines. It was a place that masqueraded as a pet shoppe but was in fact a puppy mill… I won’t go into specifics but that ended up being one of the best days of my life and we were meant to be together. I believe in some ways rescued each other. The years have passed and I’ve seen Chopper through his many heath issues. He was kidnapped and held for ransom by a fan (read about it in my memoir Sinner Takes All) https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/305692/sinner-takes-all-by-tera-patrick/ and he survived my first marriage with me . I became pregnant with my daughter Sophia in 2012. Chopper and I first moved to Vancouver BC, then Chicago to be close to my daughters father who was working on the film “Man of Steele” at the time. Having Chopper was my everything. He was my constant companion as I explored the new cities I was in, shared in some of my food cravings, I shopped for baby stuff with him taking up most of my purse, and since many nights were spent shooting, Chopper and I would fall asleep to many marathons of “Alfred Hitchcock presents” Cyd Charisse movies, and Forensic Files. Every few months as I make it back to California to see my dad (really Chopper lol) I cherish all the moments I still have with him. I hope you enjoy some of these pictures. I have so many and these I found recently and wanted to Share. Comment please and tell me if you have a pet XO Tera
Palm Springs Pin-up Girl
I love Film Noir type films and classic cinema.Back in the glamour days The Rat Pack, and most of my famous classic cinema stars I adore so much had homes in Palm Springs where they would often escape the hustle and bustle of Hollywood and take refuge here. I personally find the Palm desert and desert landscapes to be very pretty. One of my favorites is Joshua Tree park http://www.nps.gov/jotr/index.htm Quick sidestep : In 2008 when I felt I had enough of my Hollywood life (for like a week) I checked into the We Care Health Spa in Desert Hot Springs. I thought “oh eight days with no food and people, colonics, tonics, infrared sauna, and meditating is like SO what I need”. I guess it was. I felt better in some ways and definitely had a clearer perspective! In 2012 I did a photoshoot for Pin -up Girl Clothing http://pinupgirlclothing.com a beautiful elegant brand of retro style clothing created by Laura Byrnes based in Burbank California. We were to shoot in Palm Springs at the Riviera Resort hotel http://rivierahotel.comand it was just lovely. I love modeling, it’s actually my first love and if you can believe I started my career with my clothes on! Such beautiful clothing I had a blast. My favorite dress to wear was The Lorelei which was inspired by Marilyn Monroe in Gentleman prefer Blondes. The resort itself is very pretty and I’m not even exaggerating they had the BEST fish tacos! I had them every meal. In palm springs… at the Riviera… who knew?? Not the best model diet but hey I’m in clothes… so eat up right!!! The photos were featured on Pin Up girl’s website. I was invited back for New Years 2013 to do a feature burlesque show with some of the other models and did a few other appearances and shows with PUG… It was a lovely experience. I can’t recommend much for Palm Springs. I did find the Riviera to be lovely and the service was outstanding. I had a delicious dinner at http://roosterandthepig.com it’s Vietnamese and they have a good cocktail list. Kings Highway http://kingshighwaydiner.com had good food and I liked the atmosphere I did find some country western shops because my sister LOVES this stuff She’s a little bit country and I am VERY Rock and Roll.. actually I am Metal lol and I found her a beautiful pink pair of cowgirl boots. I am that weirdo who buys gifts year round like yes I do my Christmas and birthday shopping early and just hide and save it I am actually planning a desert trip this Christmas when I going back to Cali so maybe I will get through palm Springs again!! XO Tera
