Friday 14 November 2008

I got published!

Back in the day, a lovely canadian girl named Sarah-Catherine Lacroix left me a comment asking for my help on an article she was working on as a journalist. Of course, I was really excited and more that happy to oblige. I met Sarah-Catherine as well as her friend Nancy on a sunny autumn day, and the result was this:

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The article was published in canadian magazine FCD, so those of you from Canada may have already read it! You can click on the images to enlarge and see the text and photos better, but as the article is in french, I took the liberty of translating it by myself below. Those of you who can speak better french than me, please be understanding! I also inserted some links in the text that might be helpful. And I omitted my last name...
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Volos, Greece - My city, my life

Architecture student Penelopy ********, 25 – Lopi for her friends – is a fascinating girl. Organizer of graffiti festivals and a dedicated blogger, she loves fashion as well as her motocross bike! It’s been seven years now that Lopi left Samos, the greek island where she was born («Please don’t hate me because I 'm from a greek island» she likes to tease) to pursue her studies in Volos, a city of about 85 000 habitants situated in the middle of Greece. It’s there that she started to discover her multiple passions.

  • A TYPICAL DAY | «At the moment, my daily routine starts with me going over my friend Jasmine’s house to study. We are in the process of preparing our final thesis to get our degree and we work on it together. In the afternoon, we usually have a break to go and have some coffee in a nearby outdoors cafe. Sometimes, we just can’t resist and end up going for some shopping as well.
  • WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS | After seven years of studies, Penelopy will finally get her degree in the end of January. «It is starting to get frustrating because I still don’t know what I want to do next. I am interested in too many things! But I know for sure that I don’t want to work in an architectural office, strapped behind a desk for the rest of my life. I would love to find a way to combine my interests for architecture, design and fashion.»
  • MINIBAR | In the evening, after a day of hard work, Lopi meets her boyfriend and his friends at a really small bar called Poco Pico. «It’s about 4 m². All the students in Volos meet there, but no-one actually is in there, as it is so tiny. Everyone is outside, standing on the sidewalk or even in the street. It’s very cosy and relaxed; I don’t really like pretentious places.
  • GRAFFITI LOVE | Penelopy met her boyfriend Yorgos at the university, through Manolis, a mutual friend. Since then, she has closely followed her beloved’s art. And she participates too. «My boyfriend and Manolis belong to the Yakuza graffiti crew. The past year we went together to six different graffiti festival throughout Greece. We also helped organize Color Your Life, the first graffiti festival ever in Volos, which took place 10 to 13 of July.»
  • VIRTUAL LIFE | «I have both a blog and a MySpace profile and I keep them separate. My blog is completely devoted to my love for fashion, whereas MySpace is for my graffitis and my small sculptures… It’s more about art. When I started my fashion blog I kept it a secret from everyone for about three months. I was afraid that my friends would consider me superficial and they would judge me. I am very interested in art and for me fashion is a practical way of expressing yourself artistically.»
  • FASHION | Lopi loves to shop! This summer, she really liked Von Zipper’s range of sunglasses. Very cool, high quality, and not too expensive. She is also a devoted fan of Chie Mihara’s shoes. When on a shopping mission, Penelopy loves to stop by Attrattivo and Badila, both greek companies. She is also very fond of Zara and Mango. «My boyfriend often teases my passion for clothes by saying that my room isn’t actually a bedroom, but more of a closet that I happen to sleep in.»
  • TRIPS TO ATHENS | Approximately every couple of weeks, Lopi visits her sister who lives in Athens, to gather material for her final thesis, but also to check out the numerous shops of the greek capital. She also acts as a personal stylist for her sister, who actually hates to visit the shops. «I go on a mission, taking pictures of things that she might like. My sister then looks at them and decides; it’s her way to shop! She is quite a nerd, always with her face buried in her psychology books.»
  • MOTOCROSS AND COUTURE | Lopi is bursting with energy for her numerous passions. Last spring, she bought a sewing machine and she is now having fun refashioning her garments. «I would love to make my own clothes from scratch, but I don’t think I’m ready yet!» Other passions? «I also have a dirt bike, but don’t actually drive it off-road. I use it more like a scooter to get around the city. When guys see me for the first time on my bike they always look quite surprised!»
Thank you Sarah Catherine for doing such an amazing job on that interview, it was like I was reading my life story in french, and thank you Nancy for taking such beautiful pictures!

11 comments:

saray said...

Congrats!!

Anonymous said...

Lopi, I LOVED learning more about you, your goals, and your daily doings through this article. Thanks for sharing this with us - and for translating!!

Anonymous said...

awh that must feel fantastic! well done!
x

Elena said...

Congrats congrats congrats congrats!!!!!!!!!
Amazing article! You're a star now!

Sara said...

This is so much fun! Congrats!

Elizabeth said...

Congratulations, big shot! :D

rtmone's complex said...

Just proud of you!

Anonymous said...

Hey!I know that girl!
Special congrats.

ShoppingTherapy said...

that's so amazing!

Mari said...

YAY!!! Congrats!

Vivian Tumasonis said...

Congrats!I apreciate Greece!!!In a pictures is very beautiful!!! i need go to Volos!!! xoxo