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Daymond John Interviews With Marta Walsh

I’m so excited to share with you my interview with Daymond John founder of FUBU and star of ABC’s The Shark Tank. As a New Yorker myself the name FUBU rings many bells but mostly Mr. Daymond John and FUBU are a success story that inspired me all these years.


Daymond John

A success story, an industry leader, a young entrepreneur, a man who has reached and surpassed new heights of commercial and financial success – just a fraction of classifications used to describe Daymond John. Over the last 18 years, Daymond has evolved into one of the most successful fashion icons in business today. Known as the “Godfather of Urban Fashion,” Daymond is also regarded one of the most sought after branding experts and motivational speakers in the country. Having graduated from waiting tables at Red Lobster to being the CEO of a multi-million dollar enterprise, complete with sky rise offices in the Empire State Building, Daymond John is living “the American Dream.”’

In this interview Daymond John talks to Marta Walsh about his beginnings in fashion. What made FUBU take off. His passion for inspiring others and giving back. His encounter with President Barack Obama. Why did he decide to join ABC’s Shark Tank. Gives advice to aspiring entrepreneurs. Describes his personal style, philosophy about beauty, and talks future plans.

Marta Walsh: When did your fascination with fashion and style begin?
Daymond John: It goes as far back as when I was 5 or 6 years old. I used to watch my mother put patterns of clothes on the floor and I helped her cut them with scissors and sew them all together. My own interest for fashion and style grew when I was 13 and around the time when Hip Hop began to emerge in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and New York. The new music genre also translated into a change in how people used to dress on the street, and that was very inspiring to me.

Bree Turner Interviews With Marta Walsh

Bree Turner is an actress who began her journey in Hollywood as a professional dancer. Bree was a background dancer in such hit films as The Big Lebowski (1998), She’s All That (1999) and Mike Myers’ Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999). Bree’s love for performing and being on stage makes acting a natural transition. Most recently, Bree Turner can be seen opposite Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler in The Ugly Truth.

I caught up with Bree Turner via telephone from Los Angeles early in the morning few months ago, to talk about her beginnings in Hollywood, her role film The Ugly Truth opposite Katherine Heigl, future career plans and even some beauty secrets!


Actress Bree Turner

Marta Walsh: How did you decide on a career in acting, and what were some of your first breaks as an actress?
Bree Turner: I started out as a dancer which got me on stage. I was pretty shy as a kid so my mom decided to enroll me in a dance class, and I fell in love with being on stage and performing. I danced all through my teens and early 20’s. Dancing brought me down to Los Angeles with a dance scholarship in UCLA. I heard that you can actually make money as dancer, so I got a dance agent and began working in commercials, music videos, and the Grammys. I did that for about 6 years. I then decided to pursue acting. I was so in love with being on set and movie making. I loved movies since I was a baby. It was the only thing that would calm me down. I was very colicky as a child so my mom would take me to watch movies. Grease was the movie that would stop me from crying. Dancing, performing, and being on stage is all I’ve done forever, it’s all I really know.

Olympic Ice Dancer Tanith Belbin Interviews With Marta Walsh

I’m so excited to share with you my interview with an Olympic Ice Dancer Tanith Belbin! I love watching figure skating and ice dancing therefore interviewing Tanith is a dream come true.

Tanith Belbin is a Canadian-American ice dancer. Though she holds dual citizenship, she competes for the United States and has competed for the U.S. since she began skating with Benjamin Agosto in 1998. With Agosto, Belbin is the 2006 Olympic silver medalist, four time World medalist, three time Four Continents champion (2004–2006), and five-time U. S. champion (2004–2008). 


Photo credit: NBC Sports / USOC

Tanith Belbin was born in Kingston, Ontario and raised in Kirkland, Quebec. She lived and trained in Canton, Michigan for many years, before moving to Aston, Pennsylvania to train at Ice Works. Belbin’s mother, Michelle (McKinlay) Belbin, is a costume designer and she makes some of Belbin’s costumes. She trained as a figure skater in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

Kali Hawk Interviews With Marta Walsh

I’m excited to share with you my interview with actress Kali Hawk.

Kali’s film role came in the Lion’s Gate thriller ‘Holla‘, which cast Kali alongside Michael Bergin as the sweet, unsuspecting camper Caprice. She would follow that project with a supporting role in the Spike Lee comedy ‘Lovers & Haters’, playing a scathing Hollywood diva opposite singer/superstar Mariah Carey. On television, she has also appeared on the hit CW sitcom ‘The Game’, executive produced by Kelsey Grammer. Kali’s recent film roles include: Trudy in ‘Couple’s Retreat’ next to Vince Vaughn, Malin Akerman, and Kristen Bell. And her role as Chantal in Judd Apatow’s film ‘Get Him To The Greek’ next to Russell Brand, Jonah Hill, and Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs.


Kali Hawk

In this interview Kali Hawk talk to Marta Walsh about when she has found her love for movies and acting. What was it like on the set with Mariah Carey in Spike Lee’s film: Lovers and Haters. Her dream acting role. What’s in her makeup bag and future plans.

Chatting with Kali was such a pleasure. She was sweet, funny and witty. I would like to thank you Kali for taking the time to talk to me!

Marta Walsh: Where is your hometown?
Kali Halk: I’m based in LA these days but I’m from New York originally. My family has been in New York for at least 150 years. My mom and I were born in Manhattan; my dad was born in the Bronx. My grandmother went to Hunter College when it was still an all girl’s school. I didn’t like LA at first naturally. But now that my professional and social network has been expanded I’m starting to love it more.

Carol Alt Interviews With Marta Walsh

I’m so excited to share with you my interview with one of the greatest supermodels of all time, Carol Alt. Any of you remember Carol featured on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 1982? I was too young to remember but I do know I really loved her at NBC’s 2008 The Celebrity Apprentice, with Donald Trump. On that show, Carol came across as not only a very beautiful woman but also very smart one. A type of woman I look up to.  Carol is all about raw food and has a great book about the raw food lifestyle called: the Raw 50 (with David Roth forwarded by Nicholas J. Gonzalez, M.D.) I’m also very excited to let you know about Carol’s skincare line called: RAW Essentials.

If you are into green and clean skincare products you might want to learn more about Carol’s skincare line. I personally love the RAW Essentials Raw-finish Rigorous Face Scrub, RAW Eeentials Raw-juvenate Eye Recoup, and RAW VITA Eye Serum (image below).

In this interview Carol Alt talks about how did it all begin for her in the modeling world and some of her most memorable moments of her career. What led her create RAW Essentials and what makes it different than the rest. Gives advice to anyone interested in a RAW lifestyle and RAW food diet. Reveals what’s in her makeup bag. Gives word of wisdom to aspiring supermodels. And future plans.

Marta Walsh: Your career as a supermodel and actress is undeniably impressive. How did it all begin? What were some of your most memorable moments of your career?
Carol Alt: Oddly, my career kicked off right after a breakup with a boyfriend at the time! I was spotted waiting tables during my freshman year at Hofstra University, where I was enrolled in Army ROTC. The modeling opportunity was the perfect excuse to get off of Long Island and embark on an adventure.

Heidi Klum for VS Makeup Exotic Jewels

Introducing The Heidi Collection 2009, Exotic Jewels: a little bit of magic, Heidi-style. Inspired by Heidi’s life-changing trip to the spiritual city of Varanasi, India and the Indian-themed vow renewal ceremony she shared with husband Seal in Mexico last year, it’s her most personal creation yet. The collection interprets her exotic discoveries into a sparkling and rich palette of irresistible shades in packaging as beautiful and precious as Heidi’s favorite jewels.

Th e collection
• Lip Gloss Lasting shine and rich, shimmering color. In Passion Fruit. $14
• Perfect Lipstick Rich, creamy formula drenches lips in lasting, full-coverage color and sheen. In Exotic Spice (glimmering nude). $16
• Glitter Liquid Liner Alluring liner lends lids a kick of purple and silver sparkle. In Majesty. $12

Estée Lauder Ultimate Red 2009 Holiday Color Collection: Sneak PeeK

Talking Makeup is excited to give you a sneak peek and behind the scenes to the Estée Lauder Ultimate Red 2009 Holiday Color ad campaign photo-shoot featuring supermodel Hilary Rhoda

Persia White Interviews With Marta Walsh

I’m excited to share with you my interview with actress, singer, musician, and artist Persia White.

A little bit about Persia White (via wikipedia.org): she was born in Miami, Florida and raised in Nassau, Bahamas, and Miami. At the age of three, she earned a scholarship to the Nassau Civic Ballet Company. At age eight, she joined the Miami Coconut Grove Children’s Theater. As a teen, White studied dance, acting, singing, and painting. Her films roles include: various independent films, including Red Letters (opposite Peter Coyote) and the cult horror Blood Dolls.

Persia White’s TV movies roles includes: Operation Sandman (opposite Ron Perlman), and Suddenly, opposite Kirstie Alley. Her television work includes guest starring roles on Angel, NYPD Blue, The Steve Harvey Show, Brooklyn South, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as a series regular role on Breaker High with co-star Ryan Gosling. In 2008, White appeared in The Fall of Night, as the character Dawn. She can also be seen in Chrisette Michele’s video, “Be OK”. White recently completed the drama Spoken Word, set for release in 2010. Persia is a vegan and an animal welfare and environmental activist.

I spoke to Persia White on the phone this past summer. I had the most amazing conversation with her about her beginnings as an actress. Her role on the long-running sitcom “Girlfriends”. The award-winning documentary Earthlings which she co-produced and was narrated by Joaquin Phoenix. What does fame really mean to her. What’s in her makeup bag. And future plans. Persia to me came across as absolutely beautiful inside out. I want to thank Persia for taking the time to chat with me!!

Marta Walsh: How did you decide on a career in acting, and what were some of your first breaks as an actress?
Persia White: I loved acting since I was 8 years old. I started to do theatre in Miami on the Coconut Grove Children’s Playhouse. That was my big introduction to acting. Then a talent scout founded me suggested I should find an agent. I was also a dancer and kept dancing but eventually I got into acting, which is a bit easier. Dancing is such a hard career. I still love dancing. I used to be one of these artistic kids and always loved make people laugh. I would do stand-up comedy skits when I was young. I moved to LA when I was a teenager and booked my first TV Series: “Breaker High” with co-star Ryan Gosling. I did several TV guest star appearances like in NYPD Blue and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I then booked a soap opera in New York which so happened to get cancelled. I moved back to LA, which was good because I booked the role of Lynn Ann Searcy in the sitcom “Girlfriends”.

Josie Maran Interviews With Marta Walsh

I’m excited to share with you my interview with American model and actress Josie Maran. Josie is also the founder of her own natural cosmetics product line, named Josie Maran Cosmetics.

In this interview Josie Maran talks about what led her to create Josie Maran Cosmetics. Her ultimate beauty secret. Her passion to protect the environment and for all things green. The people that inspire her the most, and future plans.

Marta Walsh: You are known for your career as a model and actress, what inspired you to create your own cosmetics line?
Josie Maran: When pregnant with my daughter a few years ago, I decided to look for natural makeup formulas to use and discovered that none lived up to the levels of sophistication and luxury as I wanted. It was then I realized that after spending so many hundreds of hours in the makeup chair, I was uniquely qualified to create my own line of cosmetics, the type of makeup that I was searching for: chic, luxurious and, most importantly, healthy. Not long after the birth of my daughter, Josie Maran Cosmetics was born.

The Estée Lauder Companies’ 2009 Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign And Fundraising

It’s Breast Cancer Awareness month aka BCA and the Estée Lauder Companies has many of your favorite beauty products designed especially to raise funds for the Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Research Fund. Last month during my visit to New York City during Fashion Week Spring 2010 I was given an incredible opportunity to participate in an Estée Lauder special Breast Cancer Awareness event. Listening to Evelyn Lauder’s speech and the rest of the Estée Lauder team I can’t tell you enough how passionate they are about the Breast Cancer cause!!

Here are highlights of some of the people involved in the Estée Lauder Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign and And Fundraising, and the beauty products you can purchase where portions of their proceeds go towards the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Actress Elizabeth Hurley and Evelyn Lauder:

From Left: Steven Plofker, Elizabeth Hurley, Elton John, Evelyn Lauder, and Bobbi Brown