Respect for ourself guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners.
-Laurence Stern
I love Mafalda. I still read these comics hehe
I have no idea who Laurence Stern is, but I really like this quote. This is literally how I feel this week. It’s crazy how recently, I saw how people who have no self-respect of self-control mess up things and people around them… In a way, it saddens me, but in another way, you can’t help someone unless they want to help themselves. These people with no tact or self-control also exude this destructive vibe and the negativity they release is often hard to handle…well for me anyways: I’m no damn psychologist or psychiatrist, I don’t always know how to deal with them! As the eternally optimist Sagittarius that I am, I have decided to just NOT deal with them and to get away from anything negative…I just want to be surrounded by happy, positive and determined people. The moment I made this decision, I believe that my life changed for the better….you should think about doing it, too. Look at your entourage and ask yourself “What positive did _____ bring in my life? How does __________ make me happy?” If you find yourself hesitating…..you know what to do. Life is too short to worry and suffer because of other people’s personal issues.
This post is super weird, I know, but that is that. The past weeks have been rough and I’m finally putting everything into place…I know, I know, I’m growing up!!! All of this is hitting me like a brick on the head. Some of the things I used to accept from people are now things I completely despise….and I show it. Well I’ve always despised or didn’t like these “things”, but I was just patient, understanding, etc etc as I would figure to myself “Okay I see the good in this person, and I see their potential and I know they’re just going through a phase and I should be there as a friend and endure their crap because it’s eventually gonna end”. This doesn’t work, by the way, because you end up enduring so much b/s that you become EXHAUSTED. You can want the best of someone, but if they keep putting you through some s*it (sorry for the swearing, i’m trying to stop) and drama, maybe they’re just meant to be OUT OF YOUR LIFE. There! I said it.
Because everyone deserves a drama free, regular and fun life. Everyone deserves to be happy.
I’ll post a recipe soon, made a lot of yummy stuff lately. Don’t think that because of this post, i haven’t been cooking. Au contraire, the more I take time for myself to figure stuff out, the more I do things that I love doing alone like trying new recipes. I also went to the Jean Paul Gaulthier exhibit recently and it was incredible, will share some pictures soon: I was ASTONISHED! He’s a freakin genius yo. And I’m going to Paris in a few weeks, you guys have no idea how happy I am about that…. 🙂
One should be either a work of art, or wear a work of art -Oscar Wilde
I don’t just cook and obsess about fashion: I’m also a huge fan of music. Therefore, I wanted you guys to get to know someone in Montreal who is young, fresh, and talented: Reginald Toussaint. He’s Haitian too, so that’s a plus 😉
Not only does he sing well, but he’s also stylish. Even when I bump into him in random places like the metro I’m like “DAMN okay! Where are you going dressed like that?” (that’s me sounding like a dude lol). I’ve run into him a few times in the past couple of years, talked, laughed, partied and even saw him perform but I never knew too much about this dude. Quiet guy with a gorgeous smile, yes, but what does he like? Where does this talent come from? Where does he buy his clothes? I wondered… It was without hesitation that I chose him for my next interview.
Clopix
We had drinks and tapas at Barraca at Mont-Royal while I asked him a couple of questions to get to know him better (By the way, if you’re super hungry, the food there will not fill you up #imjustsayin). No lie, I was pleasantly impressed at how NONE of his answers were predictible! Usually, when I interview someone, I kind of have an idea of what they will tell me but with Reginald? No! Every time I thought I knew what he would answer, it had nothing to do with what he thought. Oops. Anyways, my eyes widened with surprise a couple of times. I was happy to discover a smart, versatile guy with an innovative mind.
Before going in with this mini interview, here are a few facts about him:
-Age: Mid twenties and something
-Born in: Haiti, has been living in Montreal for 9 years now.
-Zodiac sign: Leo
-Studied: Biochemistry then switched to psychology then studied administration
Check out a recent video of him and his also very talented little brother Medjy (also part of the group Enposib) performing their song “Yon ti pa”. By the way, they really look alike: It’s Reginald on the left, Medjy on the right 🙂
FASHION
Sass: Give me 3 words to describe your style
Reginald: Simple, different and refreshing
S: What is your favorite store? Why?
R: I like Zara a lot, I always find what I want and I won’t see people wearing there clothes everywhere I go.
S: Do you have a fashion icon or someone you admire in that department?
R: (Totally changes subjects and starts talking about how he once spent two weeks without wearing a dress shirt but still looked fly, how he doesn’t follow one trend in particular, Kanye West etc.)
S: LOL
R: In general, I like to be different: It’s not about what I wear but how I wear it.
S: Who is your favorite expensive designer?
R: None, really, except maybe for the Glamrock watches.
S: What styles do you like to see on girls? What do you find attractive?
R: Sexiness is something deeper, it’s something that is within. It’s not about what a girl has on but how she exudes confidence and expresses herself that will make her sexy. A girl can be butt naked and not be sexy! I think my biggest turn off is when a girl is “over doing it”, I prefer simplicity and natural beauty.
R: I always loved it, especially as I took piano lessons when I was 6 years old. But it was intensified when I ccame to Montreal and was part of the music group Sensasyon.
S: Oooh I remember that group (Note*Back in the early 2000’s, I was a fan of this Haitian group in Montreal)
S: Tell me about the new group that you’re in now: Enposib.
R: (Big smile on his face) It’s gonna be….wow (looks for his words, with an amazed and determined look on his face)…something you’ve never seen or heard before…it’s just gonna be….ENPOSIB! (Note** Enposib=Impossible in Creole)
S: Who is your biggest music icon?
R: I don’t have one music icon in particular, but I do admire many artists like Bruno Mars, for example. He used to write songs for other people back in the days, he is more talented than you can imagine. I like a few underground artists, Jason Mraz, Javier and others like Jack Johnson. You should listen to his song “Better together”, I’m sure you’d like it.
S: What do you think about hip hop/pop music these days?
R: It’s more about exposure and entertainment, less about talent. You won’t see Corinne Bailey Rae make millions of dollars, but Rebecca Black, who has NO talent, will have millions of views on YouTube.
S: I agree, I agree. So I assume you’re not a big fan of this type of music. How about r’n’b?
R: (Does the :S face) I don’t know…r’n’b is too sad sometimes. I prefer neo-soul, by far. I like happy and inspiring songs, not music that is depressing. Life is too short for negativity.
Which old school artists do you like?
R: So many! Jacques Brel, Francis Cabrel and Charles Aznavour, just to name a few.
FOOD
S: What are your favorite foods?
R: Definitely seafood! I like lambi boukanen (a Haitian dish made with conch) and often, you’ll see me take the “Assiette du pêcheur” at a restaurant, which is a dish with lots and lots of seafood.
S: What restaurants do you like in Montreal?
R: I like small, cozy places and I have a thing for Portugese restaurants like Beira Mar in Laval and Casa Minhota on St-Laurent.
S: Can you cook?
R: No! But I can make a great breakfast
S: *Bursts out laughing*
R: Stop laughing! I also make the best sandwiches. I can get really creative: I’ll make something out of anything.
S: Take a girl to the restaurant? Let the girl cook for you or you cook for her?
R: Definitely take her to the restaurant. Because if she cooks for me and it’s not good, then it might be a problem S: *bursts out laughing again* R: I mean, it really depends on the relationship I have with the person, I won’t eat at anyone’s place.
R: I like to walk around and discover new places, I go with the flow. But I have to admit I like La Porte Rouge: I have fun every time.
S: Things to do on a lazy Sunday?
R: Sunday is MY day! I close my cell phone. I might not even shower all day. I’ll eat chips, chocolate, drink coke…do whatever I like. You might also catch me at the studio, working on my passion.
S: Favorite drink?
R: Definitely Jack Daniels
S: Okay let’s play a little game. For each word I tell you, give me the first word that comes to your mind. Ready? Dog, Cat, Rat, Coffee, Ocean.
S: Here’s the meaning of everything you told me (supposedly…it’s a game they made us play at work hehe).
-Dog (How you are) : Cute
-Cat (How you feel about life): Hypocrite
-Rat (How you feel about enemies): Dirty
-Coffee (How you feel about sex): Hype
-Ocean (How you feel about life): Freedom
R: *laughing*
His unique personality is reflected through his music and I wish him and his group the best! I truly hope that he continues flourishing in doing what he loves!
-Check out his videos on YouTube and subscribe to his channel HERE!
versass 