I remember when I first decided to move to Hollywood, CA from the Virgin Islands...
So many people said:
"Are you crazy?!? Why would you leave the Virgin Islands to move to LA?!?"
Believe me, I LOVED living in the Virgin Islands...
I've lived in New York City, Scotland, London & The Virgin Islands is one of the most beautiful places I've lived to date!
Hey, I left home when I was 17 with my journal, backpack, and guitar, & have been traveling ever since...they don't call me "Gypsy Spirit" for nothing!
I'm turning 40 this year!
Aahhhhhh...the beautiful turquoise ocean, the mountains, the trees, the donkeys, cows & goats roaming free, the fresh air, the pace, the lifestyle, not to mention I would go scuba diving or sailing every chance I got...It's probably the most inspiring place I've lived to date...Not to mention, I really learned a lot about myself living there!
BUT, there were still things in my life that I wanted to accomplish as an artist & I ALWAYS felt in my heart that I wanted to live in California!
FLASHBACK...
When I was a child, my mother took my sister & I on a trip from New York City to California as she was considering moving...
During our entire trip, the thought "I'd could live here" crossed my mind about a zillion times!
I felt right at home in California!
For the first time in my life, I had this feeling "I belonged" here!
When we reached San Francisco, while my mom was doing the tours of the condos, I went out of the hotel (don't think I was supposed to, I was like 10 years old) and ventured on my own...
Was I scared?
On the contrary, I felt SO at home, I was so comfortable, something seemed so familiar about this place & I somehow found my way around quite easily! Keep in mind, I was like 10 years old!
I followed my gut, which led me to where the street musicians were busking. I ended up hanging all day with this one street musician and his daughter, and when I asked him if he could play "Hotel California" for me, he played one of the most beautiful renditions I've ever heard, besides the "Eagles" of course!
I got in trouble for leaving the hotel, of course, but it was well worth the experience...
The following day, I was with my family, doing the tourist thing, and we came upon those musicians I hung with the day before...
THAT WAS AWESOME!!!
...They all greeted me by name, and the look on my mom's face was priceless! I couldn't tell if she was stunned, or surprised about the musicians knowing my name...the one guy said "this one's for you Denise" & he played "Hotel California"...I knew then I was HOME!
So back to when I moved to California...
I ventured out to California a few times, in trying to decide where I would want to live before finally moving to Hollywood between 1999-2000.
As some of my friends put it "You're living in the belly of the beast!"
I just laughed...
I believe happiness is a choice, and you can find whatever you're looking for anywhere you go!
I'll never forget the feeling of excitement that flowed through me as I was on the plane, listening to "GOING TO CALIFORNIA" as I was on my way...
The feeling of not knowing what's to come was sooooo enthralling! I was on a my way HOME!
One of the many reasons I left the Virgin Islands...While living in the USVI, I managed to get some work in music videos, commercials, feature films...but the opportunities there were so few & far in between, and even the opportunities I created for myself weren't enough!
So I moved to Hollywood...the City Of Angels...So many artists like me....so many dreams...
There were so many opportunities here...I was in heaven!
Music, art, acting, writing, production...Living in Hollywood, I had access to all of these opportunities! I was high on life!
Living in Hollywood for over 9 years was a major accomplishment! I dared to dream & I was living it...that was until I fell it & needed a break away from everything!!!
I don't really want to really go into it right now in this blog, but to make a LONG story short, I was in and out of the hospital for 11 months, before ending up in the hospital for a week (talk about being misdiagnosed ~ that's another story)...
My partner & I decided to move away to a quieter place in order to heal...which we did! We moved to a beautiful place called Ventura! Ventura has everything one could need for healing...the beautiful ocean, fresh air, rolling hills, slow pace, the sounds of birds singing, and silence!
We found a spacious 3 bedroom, beautiful house to rent. It has a large front yard, and a HUGE back yard! We have orange trees, they're really good right now, Avocado tree, fig tree, and I planted flowers, rosemary, basil, tomatoes, sunflowers, roses & more...
Ahhhhh a garden...having a garden is tranquility at it's best! Soooo therapeutic!
We've been living here for about a year now, and now that we're "BACK ON TRACK" like my song says, we're ready to get back in the game, we're moving back to LA!
I'm soooo looking forward to being a part of that energy LA has again!
I'm filled with excitement at just the thought of moving back! The Walk of Fame, the Stars, The Chinese Theater, the food, the movies being made, the art galleries, museums & more!
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