Q&A : 5 questions with Ashley Arabian and YOU (via teamashleyarabian.tumblr.com)

Q&A : 5 questions with Ashley Arabian and YOU = She answers your questions.

Short introduction: Friend of actress Dianna Agron, we discovered Ashley  Arabian on YM&C (youmeandcharlie.com). Since then, we try to support her projects and to share her talent.

She is a blogger (tourshi.blogspot.fr), an editor of YM&C, an excellent writer, and a great explorer.

Ashley answered all the questions we sent, and we thank her.

Each week we will post five questions. all questions will be published, do not worry. We just prolong the pleasure ;) 

=>What is the Q nobody asked you and you  wish you were asked ? Can you answer it ? @annecavril 

I don’t know! These questions you guys sent in cover about everything there is! 

=>If You could meet someone dead or Alive who would it be? @assiafio

Charles Bukowski or Tom Waits.

=>What you feel when you write? @florenciaab

Frustration and liberation. It’s a constant game of tug-o-war.  

=>Since you have practiced the dance, what is your first memory of dance? What dancer would you have liked to be? @jnybth

I haven’t had much practice in dance, actually. Well, one time Dianna and I danced for our talent show together when we were young! But that’s about it! 

=>If you had to describe your writing in 3 words, what would you call it? @jnybth

Reminiscent, curious, and desirous.

See you next week for five more questions :)

Team AshleyA xx

Your questions for Ashley Arabian to @team_ashleyA

Hey you Charlies and Ashleyholic!

Let's have fun, shall we? We know that you all looOoOooved the Q&A we made with Ashley, and this is why we want to go further! There will be more questions, more answers? and this time: YOU (yes! YOU) ask the questions!

What to do? Very easy: just send your questions for Ashley Arabian to The Team AshleyA (via twitter! via mail : teamashleyarabian@gmail.com ! whatever is the best for you!), we'll collect them all and send them to Ashley. And once a month (or maybe more, who knows?), Ashley will answer some of them? :)
How COOL is that?

And now, this is YOUR turn: Ready? Steady? GOOO! We're waiting for your questions for Ashley! 

TeamAshleyA xx 

Who am I?

In my moments of bored, I watched a lot of comments and tweets and something hit me...

People have forgotten what is important!

The school and our parents teach us the codes of life. Have a degree to be recognized. respect the rules and laws of life. be a good person.

There are these artists who inspire us by their lives, their work or personality. But it's so weird when they put a receipt on their Instagram, 4000 people like this. Hundreds comment that his picture is so amazing and so funny. If the average person, put the same picture, nobody will pay attention.

Sometimes I read, "this artist or such a thing is my life" "I can't live without it/her/him."  

I've got news for you: you can!  

The artists are there to inspire us, to show us a certain way. when I see people marveled because an actress offered a lamp at her boyfriend, I don't call it inspiration, I call it absurd.

How many sites , quotations, poems, books or movies, you say that you are exceptional because you're you. but how to be exceptional when nobody knows who you are.  

There is a quote that I love "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." John Quincy Adams. Looking in more detail, these words, we realize that we are all leaders in our actions. 

I am a teacher, I teach the children to use their imagination and grow with what there is around them. Am I a leader? I am a special person? maybe. 

What I do know is that we have the right to be inspired by famous people or not. but we must remember that even if nobody pays attention, even if we have applause, medals or anything other, each of our actions makes us leaders. 

Be inspired, but live your own life. We have to live with our anonymity but you must not think, you are less than the others, because nobody pays attention to the photo of your receipt.

Sequel...my holidays with instagram

Here's more picture

My holidays with instagram

If i don't have my camera, i have my instagram. Here some pictures taken during my vacation. No magick, or unbelievable. Just a few of my daily routine before returning to work.

Culinary time :

Flash Fiction by Ashley Arabian

A lonely man who does not think he is lonely is a very dangerous man. Your heart will break the minute you meet him, because even if he does nothing to intentionally hurt you, you know that it is only a matter of time before he forgets all about you and you are left to think of nothing but him. This is what I have learned from my last boyfriends, but this story isn’t about them. It’s about another lonely man named William. 

William lives alone, of course, because he prefers a home without people or pets. He likes to keep his domestic responsibilities to a minimum, though he keeps several plants, mostly potted, inside and by the front door. He feels a great amount of satisfaction from watching his plants grow.  He likes how little work they require and how they only need a little air and light and water and tending. His home is small and simple. It is a one bedroom, two story guesthouse in the backyard of a much larger house with a family living in it. He does not see them very much, mostly when rent is due. He has lived there for nine years. 

William lives in in a small town where nobody knows he is lonely either. This is because he has quite a bit of charm and a handsome face, each strong enough on their own to convince anyone that they are not properties of loneliness. But he is not too handsome, just enough for someone to look at him longer than the man standing next to him. 

I fell for William upon sight several years ago when I thought love could be caught like an airborne spell. I let my foolish thoughts take over my head and could not stop thinking about him for days and days. I became sick from the love. Food no longer fed me, breath no longer nourished me, and sleep no longer rested me. I had to find him and tell him I loved him. 

Of course, I did not do this. Instead, I found out where William worked and nonchalantly waltzed into this place everyday. Luckily, it was a cafe, so he did not become suspicious for a while. I would order a cup of tea and sit down with a book for hours. I would read the same paragraph over and over, never absorbing a single word, but memorizing his every manner of motion instead. If I continued to do this, I decided, I would be no better than a creepy stalker. So I approached William for the ultimate question- I was going to ask him out. 

“Hi!” I shouted at him at the cafe counter. 

“Hello. Darjeeling today again?” He asked like a happy employee should. 

“No, I…I LOVE YOU!” And I ran for the door. And I kept running, for almost five miles, before I realized I didn’t know where I was. I looked around and tried to find someone to ask for help, but I was alone. I was alone in a parking lot out of town with exhausted legs. I sat down and caught my breath and looked up to the sky. 

“Why am I so weird?!” I asked. I picked myself up and found a bus station and hopped on to join the rest of the human race. 

That night I laid in bed and wondered what he was thinking at this very moment. He must be laughing his head off. He must think I’m a nut. I am a nut. I’m the nuttiest nut there is. I’m like a half cashew with a pecan for a head that tastes like a walnut. Gross. 

A week later, I had found another cafe to drink darjeeling in, one without any good looking baristas. I actually read my book this time and only stayed for a couple hours. I then meandered home to my content but quite lonely life. You see, I lived alone too. I lived in a small apartment that contained a collection of science fiction books and exotic spices and vintage movie posters, but nobody to enjoy them but me. And my cat Manfred, but he doesn’t really like me so he doesn’t count. 

It was a Tuesday afternoon and the sun was seeping into the windows of my new cafe. It was lighting up the walls with orange and red and warming my outsides as my tea did my insides. I was very much into my book and didn’t have the attention span to see what was going on above what I held in my hands. Then, a hand that was not mine reached over and took the book from me. 

“Hey!” I snapped as I looked up. It was William. “I-um…” I stuttered. 

“Hi.” He looked at me for a moment, and I looked back at him, almost peeing my pants. Actually, I think it was a skirt at the time. 

“What’s…up?” I asked awkwardly. 

“I found you.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. I’ve been looking for you for days. I finally figured out you would need a new cafe to go to. So here we are.”

“Here we are.” 

Turns out, William was sick of being lonely, just like me, and had been waiting for someone to wave their arms in his face and say, I LOVE YOU, for a long time. Sometimes, it pays to be obvious and weird and awkward and loud. Because now, William and I live together in a little house filled with his plants and my spices and our books together. Happily. Not ever after, because who knows about that, but happily will do it for now.

via http://teamashleyarabian.tumblr.com/

Q&A with Ashley Arabian

Hi everyone,

We are all charmed by the talent and the kindness of Ashley Arabian. We discovered her on You, Me and Charlie. She is Armenian and lives in California, San Francisco, in a cabin in the woods. :)

As Ashley's enthusiasm is contagious, it was normal for us to devote her a twitter fan page : @team_AshleyA.  

Ashley is a great inspiration. She is a writer, an explorer, a cook, and a lover of nature and life. The aim of our Team is to support Ashley, in her various projects and dreams. We will introduce you to Ashley Arabian and what could be better than a Q&A?

We are happy to share all of this with you. have fun :D

Ashley, thank you so much for this Q&A, for your inspiration and share your passion and your enthusiasm with us. :)

"I am a restless writer with a love for the open road. I believe travel opens our souls, reading opens our minds, and art opens our hearts. I aim to see the world, stay close to nature, eat a lot of food, and write about it all with the hope to inspire and be inspired." Ashley Arabian

Q&A with Ashley :

When you were a kid, what was the job of your dreams ? 

I wanted to be a ballerina, as all little girls do. I quickly learned this was not the profession for me after I got kicked out of my first ballet class. My dad signed me up for soccer soon after that.

We know you're a wonderful writer. What do you like the most about writing?  

Thank you! Writing is always an incredible challenge, a struggle even. There is never a time when any person has ever thought, "Okay, I'm a good enough writer now- at the top." Writers are always trying to be better, mostly by studying other writers. There is an immense amount of material to study from. It's an endless world.

Who is your favorite author? What is your favorite quote? music? movie?

 Author: Charles Bukowski, because he showed me there are no limits to what you can say, and even the most obscene can be beautiful. Milan Kundera is also someone I look up to because every sentence he writes makes me hold my breath and read it again. Music: Tom Waits, The Fleet Foxes, and Ray Charles have permanent places on my playlists. Movie: The Professional (I cry almost throughout the whole film). Quote: "Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you." -Frank Lloyd Wright

We know you have studied the culinary arts. Who or what made you develop a passion for cooking?  

My older brother got my into cooking- his talent is incredible. Throughout my education in the culinary arts, I've learned it is similar to writing in that there is not top or no end to what you can learn. The creativity in this field is purely pleasure seeking, not just with taste, but through smell, sight, touch. I find this incredible, as not many other art forms can reach all senses like food can.

You have lots of animals: your dog Bear, your hens...! Did you use to have animals too when you were a kid?   

Daisy was my first cat. She was a total freak and didn't love anybody but me. I loved that. I now have 4 pigs, 8 chickens, 1 rooster, 1 dog, and a cat named Butter that loves absolutely everyone.

If you had to describe yourself in few words?   

Restless, curious, overwhelmed.

Which do you prefer: night in or night out?     

Night in: wine, records, typewriter.

Can you describe a typical day of yours?  

I change my lifestyle often, but right now, I start out the day with coffee (that never changes). Then I let out the chickens, water the garden, pretend to do yoga, then get to the computer to work. (novel, short stories, research, YM&C, etc). I end the day by cooking a meal with foods mostly from my garden, followed by a book or a film.

What are your travel plans this year ?  

This year has been fabulous for my traveling soul. It started in Spain, then to Hawaii, now in California. I will be in France this Fall and will finish off the year with a long road trip through the Southern part of America, where I hope to end up in Nashville, Tennessee (I'm captivated by music originated in the South). All plans are subject to change- isn't that beautiful?

What are your ideal holidays like?  

FAMILY FAMILY FAMILY & FOOD!!!

How do you feel when you receive messages or tweets of support? 

I'm blown away. I've never received anything like this before. I almost can't believe it.... Overall, I feel gratitude and encouragement.

What do you do when you feel a little blue? 

I'll walk Bear, call a friend, or try to write. If none of this works, I put on some David Bowie and have a glass of wine. This never fails.

What or who can make you forget your good manners?   

Too much Bowie and wine. Ugh...

If you were a word, which word would it be? If you were a flower? An animal?  

Word: Sassy. Animal: Fox. Flower: Scarlet Begonia.

You, me and charlie is back, you'll continue to contribute? What do you think of this site and the community of Charlies?  

YM&C is an incredible platform in the art world. I truly appreciate this and am incredibly grateful to be a part of it. I've had a hard time finding a place in this world to express my creativity, especially when the pressure to quickly figure out what to "do with your life" if so high. YM&C relieves the pressure by telling us to not fight the creativity inside us, but to dig deeper and go with it. Artists are vessels that have been given a gift, and to deprive that of the world is a terrible thing. Always create- this is why we are here.

If you were to die tomorrow, what would be your last wish? What would you do today?

I have moments in my life when I become very overwhelmed because I cannot comprehend how beautiful life is- this gives me a great fear of dying. But this is a hypothetical question, so I'll try not to get too deep. I'd probably want to be in New Mexico to watch a sunset on the mountain. I'd wish for the people of this world to realize what they are doing to it, and to make greater efforts to make it a livable place for the people of the future.

 

Ashley, do you have any questions for us?  

What do YOU love about YM&C? What do you hope to see on the new site?

Team Ashley (A+N): We love that YM&C has gathered so many people, from so many different places of the world, and make them all feel as members of one huge family. This is one place, among very few, were everything is about love, and passion and inspiration. It's safe place to be in! We hope we could still feel that way with the new site... We're very happy it's back, and we're eager to discover more about it!

Where are your favorite travel destinations? 

A : My favorite destination is Corsica. my family is from this island and I think is the most beautiful island in the world. between sea and mountains, it's an island full of mystery and passion. But if I were to discover a country, it would be Australia, maybe because my father (who was a sailor) spoke to me when I was a child, and New york

N :  I love to go camping, wherever it is, and to live in harmony with nature: when the sun rises you get up, and when the sunlight goes down, you go to bed. This is simple and relaxing. The sea also has a special power on me. I just love it, and would like to discover all the seas of the world!

My favorite question to ask people is: What would be your last meal????

A : My last meal? I think it would be the CIACE is a cake with brucciu (Corsican cheese) inside. This pastry is made only in winter and spring. And myrtle wine. It is not really a full meal, but it's so good.

N: It's so hard to choose, there's so many things that I love! I guess there would have to be some chocolate in my last  meal. And maybe pancakes... Pancakes are festive!

By Team Ashley Arabian

 links :

youmeandcharlie.com  

http://tourshi.blogspot.fr/  (Ashley's blog)

Official twitter : @ashleyarabian

Twitter fan page : @Team_AshleyA

My Playlist for the week...

TONGUE TIED - GROUPLOVE

The Naked And Famous - Punching In A Dream

The Rapture - In The Grace Of Your Love

 

Havana Brown- We Run The Night ft Pitbull

 

Jose De Rico & Henry Mendez - Rayos De Sol

 

Swedish House Mafia - Greyhound

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll (A-Trak Remix) [Project X] 

 

Tired Pony - Get On The Road

 

Welcome in the extreme south of Corsica !

As every year and several times, I go to Corsica, visiting my parents. I had the opportunity to introduce you to some places and landscapes of this beautiful island.

Again, I will make you discover the town of Propriano, Bonifacio and Roccapina.

 (Some pictures have a legend for more explanations)

Propriano's beaches :

Beach of Campomoro

Beach on the road to Porto Pollo

view of Propriano

Beach sand

Roccapina : 

Corsican coast

Bay of Roccapina

Roccapina's beach

Roccapina's Lion

it is common to find abandoned houses, because of the plurality of heirs

Bonifacio : 

PORT

the town of Bonifacio, is a citadel. the houses are all equipped with this type of staircase. a real torture

marine cemetery

Bavella needles and Solenzara :

its like the sacred animal. if you find an donkey salami in Corsican, don't eat it, it's a scam because the Corsicans don't eat the donkey.

Bavella needles

Notre Dame des Neiges

Solenzara: mountain river

by Amandine xx