Brittney daCosta

Western Turkey Travels

February 24, 2015 By Brittney Leave a Comment

Referring to my bucket list during my last post reminded me of one of my recent top bucket list experiences: riding a hot air balloon in an exotic place. Luckily, I had some free time in Turkey and my roommate and I decided to take full advantage of it.

For the first time ever, I decided to go with a tour company as having already spent just enough time in the country to know full well that even the most simple things can get seriously complicated and take ages. We had about a week off before castings started back up again because Turkey was celebrating Ramadan so we did our research and decided to take a 5 day, 4 night bus tour of Western Turkey. The tour started in Izmir where we visited Ephesus, one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, then to Pammakale to see the great white mountain and ended in Cappadocia, the world’s top destination for hot air balloon rides. The tour included most meals, 3 overnight bus rides and tour guides in each destination.

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Brittney’s FOMO Bucket List

January 27, 2015 By Brittney 6 Comments

A friend once told me he had a severe case of FOMO and once he explained what that meant (fear of missing out), I realized I can totally relate. Anytime someone says they’re doing something I’ve never tried or traveling someplace I haven’t visited, I suddenly have this strong urge to have that same experience. We only have one life to live and I feel as though in order to live it to the fullest, I need to experience as much as possible during that time. If you do the exact same thing every day, never challenge yourself, never step outside the box, how can you grow as a person? I don’t believe that the experiences need to be as extreme as my own; it could be something as simple as going to party where you don’t know anyone. Anything that puts you out of your comfort zone is a new adventure all in itself. FOMO on the other hand, is for those of us opportunists that just aren’t good at saying, “no”, to any new adventure. …

Modeling in Istanbul: Behind the Scenes a (Better) Day of Work

September 15, 2014 By Brittney Leave a Comment

I knew this was going to be a good day when I saw I was working with one of my friends here in Istanbul. At 7:30am, we get whisked to location. Upon arrival, we’re asked what we want for breakfast and the next thing we know, we have more than enough fruit and more than enough time to eat it: the team isn’t arriving until 10am. We spend the morning hanging out and go for a short walk to the Bosphorus for some pictures to kill time. The photographer and crew arrive as promise promptly and we go from being in a not so good area to walking into a beautiful gated home on the water equipped with a pool, three levels and much more. …

Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Pesto >> Food For Beauty

Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Pesto (Raw)

I realized when I made this for the fourth time this week, that I should post the recipe. Seeing as how I have extremely limited time on my hands between work and castings, I have to resort to everything super quick these days. When I was at the farmer’s market this past Sunday, I bought…

7 Modeling Myths Busted

Typically what you see on the internet makes everything in life seem oh so rosy but we all know that’s just not how it is. I actually prefer social media that way. The last thing I want to see online are daily depressing quotes or political battles but a blog… a blog can show many emotions and…

Model castings in Istanbul >> Food For Beauty

Modeling in Istanbul: A Day of Castings

Castings in Istanbul are a completely different experience from anywhere else I’ve been for so many reasons. Here’s a rundown of what our day might look like: Late every evening we get a sheet posted in our living room that tells us whether we’re working or casting and what time to be ready. The model apartment I’m…

The Worst Part About Traveling & Antibiotics >> Food For Beauty

My Trip to the ER + Antibiotics

What’s the worst part about traveling? Getting sick. If there’s one thing I can vouch for first hand, you don’t want to end up in the hospital in a foreign country. The symptoms started shortly after arriving in Istanbul although very sporadic and far between in the beginning. For me this is pretty standard when…

Modeling in Istanbul: Model Apartment Living

In each market, the living situation is completely different. In Cape Town, I shared a room in a hostel for several months where all the models were put on the same floor and for the second half of my stay, I had my own room in a tiny guest house with the bare essentials. In Hamburg,…

Zucchini Hummus (Raw, Bean-free)

I love dips! I especially love hummus but oftentimes I’m running around and don’t have time to cook the chickpeas and don’t want to resort to using them from a can. (I avoid cans because of the chemicals associated.) This dip is a tasty alternative and works great as a salad dressing or a substitute for…

It’s Time for Turkey + Turkish Green Beans

In two days I leave for Istanbul, Turkey and I couldn’t be more excited! It’s been a whirlwind few months here in Hamburg but I’m ready to move on. Not only do I get to experience a new and completely different place, both my sister, Nekol, and my good friend, Heather, are going to be there as well!…

Hamburg: Places I Love

Alster Lake: There’s nothing more I love doing in Hamburg than going for a run around Alster Lake. This 160 hectare lake lies in the heart of the city and the permitter is approximately 7.5 km (4.7 miles) around. Along the shoreline, read a book and soak up the sun, meet friends for a bbq, or come back in…

Hamburg, Germany view from St. Michael's Church >> Food For Beauty

American in Germany (Part 2): The Good, the Bad, the Funny

Germany has a wide variety of quirks I find intriguing. The Good No bicycle helmets required. I like being able to take my life into my own hands. Who wants to wear those ugly helmets anyway? It makes total sense if you’re on a motorcycle but regardless, I like having the choice. Dogs don’t have…