Hey everybody!

My Los Angeles (via Scotland) friend Mercedes is celebrating her birthday today!  I’ve done a couple shoots with her during her time in L.A. and she’s quite the model! And quite the person! I thought I’d do a little interview with her so you can get to know her better. Feel free to follow her on instagram.com/cinnamoncandyfloss

Happy birthday, Mercedes! 🙂

1. tell me about you in 140 characters or less

I’m tall and ginger. I’ve been told one too many times that I’d forget my head if it wasn’t screwed on.

2. what’s your dream job

Growing up, I wanted to be a plastic surgeon so I could help people who had been in accidents and make them feel beautiful.
That aside, I always wanted to act.

3. who are your inspirations (music/film/tv)

Bruce Springsteen inspires me like no one else, whenever I listen to his music I feel motivated to pursue my dreams.
Audrey Hepburn (maybe this is cliche) but she had fabulous style, an amazing career and was a unicef ambassador.
My ultimate style inspiration in James Goldstein!

4. what has been your favorite LA memory

When I was here at Christmas, I went to LACMA with my friends. The Rain Room exhibition has been sold out since it opened and there’s no chance of getting tickets. We went to the desk just before it closed and the woman told us there had been a cancellation and there was just enough tickets for the 5 of us. It was an incredible experience that I shared with my closest friends. We left feeling blessed, as though someone had been watching over us and us gifted this experience. However, you’re not meant to wear black in it, and i was in black head to toe. I left looking like i’d been swimming in my clothes.

5. what is your advice for someone coming to LA to pursue their dreams

Don’t believe what everyone says they are/do. There’s a lot of phoneys out here, kids.

6. what’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced in LA (or your career)

Just because you get told ‘no’ doesn’t mean everyone will. I’ve been told no a lot but I’m not giving up.

7. tell me something fun about you

Number 1 on my bucket list is to go into space! I want to experience anti-gravity.

8. what would be your dream day

When I go to work in Scotland, it’s often in a city that I don’t live in. I get the earliest train there and read a book, go to the gym, have breakfast by myself, and go to work. If I have a long break I’ll go to a museum or exhibition (or shopping :P) and go home on the latest train after I finish a show or shoot. They are my favourite days – my job is the dream- so whenever I’m working.

9. what song must I stop everything and go listen to (or book to read, or movie to watch)

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – WRECKING BALL. I use to listen to it walking home from college, everyday without fail. It’s so uplifting and inspiring.

10. what’s your mantra (phrase/saying/quote) by which you live your life, or your favorite quote

‘We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars’ – Oscar Wilde

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Mercedes has quickly become one of my sweetest friends. She’s hilarious, super sweet, and beautiful. Here are more from our shoot for her modeling agency:

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Talk to you soon,
Dale