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Models Of Queens
The
Politics of Modeling
Inna
Raziyeva
Home:
Flushing
Age: 19
Height:
5’3”
Weight:
118
Stats: 36-30-34
Russian
beauty Inna Raziyeva was born in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, but was soon
moved by her family from the Russian territories to the resort town of
Pyatigorsk, which is nestled between the Baltic and the Caspian Sea.
That was a big change for a young girl, but it was nothing like moving
to Queens.
Before
Inna could even think about modeling, she had to concentrate on
passing classes in a school where the teachers spoke a very funny
language – American English. Inna had studied a little British
English behind the iron curtain, but not enough to smoothly transition
into the world of Queens slang.
Inna
had two choices: she could travel in Russian circles, speaking only
Russian and reading Russian newspapers, or she could force herself to
speak English.
She
chose the latter and today, only four years later, laughs about her
linguistic inadequacies.
She’s
now studying political science and journalism at Queens College, and
plans on getting a law degree from NYU.
She’s
also picking up a third language: modeling. Inna recently strutted
down the runway at the Faberge Expo in Forest Hills
– a show designed to promote the hair salon of the same name.
She also posed on stage in matrimonial garb to promote a Queens bridal
shop.
Modeling
is more of a hobby for Inna, who sees herself debating national
politics some day. And though she plans on looking good doing it, she
doesn’t see modeling as a long term career plan.
“I
enjoy [modeling]. I like it but, as you know, modeling careers are not
so stable, as they say. People get older, and if I dedicated all those
young years to modeling, by the time I turn 35, I’ll have nothing to
do, really.”
While
she continues to work her way to a diploma at Queens College, Inna
likes to spent her leisure time going out with friends — who are
mostly Russian — and dancing.
She
speaks a mixture of Russian and English with her friends, about a
75/25 mix in favor of English.
She
says when her friends heard of her plans to attend law school, they
compared Inna to Reese Witherspoon in the movie “Legally Blonde.”
It’s
during well-organized publicity events that elected officials can
usually hit a few easy homeruns and gain some positive press coverage.
Well,
chalk up three strikes for freshman Assemblyman Jose Peralta,
who got it all wrong at two recent publicity events.
Strikes
one and two came when Peralta tried promoting the upcoming
Pan-American Games by announcing that the event’s torch was being
paraded down Roosevelt Avenue.
Peralta
missed what should have been an easy base hit:
In a statement released by his own office, Peralta is quoted as
saying, “It is an honor for me to receive the Olympic Torch on
behalf of Queens…”
Olympic?
Sorry Jose, no such luck — the Pan American Games Torch.
Strike
two: A follow-up phone call to his office revealed that his own staff
didn’t even know when or where the Pan-American Games were being
held. The whole idea of having the torch pass through Queens was to
raise awareness for those Games.
For
the record, they begin August 1 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Then
Peralta swung and missed with the bases loaded!
He
had Miss Universe, the comely, Amelia Vega, and invited her to
speak at the AIDS ward at Elmhurst Hospital.
The
Peralta press release indicated the wrong month (June not July) and
Elmhurst Hospital wasn’t informed Miss Universe was even coming.
Finally,
if the novice legislator would have placed even a single phone call
before arranging the event, he would have learned that Elmhurst
doesn’t even have an AIDS ward.
Oooops!
In
an attempt to clarify several convoluted releases, we emailed the
Peralta office numerous times over the past month plus. After this was
written, the Assemblyman finally returned our call and scheduled a
meeting.
Jose,
welcome to the Major Leagues.
Shoe
Time
It’s
shoe time for Curtis Jackson, the insanely popular South
Jamaica rapper who’s known around the world as 50 Cent.
Reebok
announced recently that it’s starting a “long-term partnership”
with 50 that includes “a signature collection of athletic footwear
called the ‘G-Unit Collection by Rbk.’”
G-Unit
is 50’s “crew,” a circle of close friends and associates who
share his rap and other chill-out-and-make-money endeavors.
Reebok
said that the collection “will feature clean, court-inspired designs
that reflect 50 Cent’s style and flavor.”
50,
in a corporate kiss back, said “Reebok’s Rbk Collection is the
real thing when it comes to connecting with street and hip-hop
culture.”
He
introduced his new gear when he performed in the 2003 MTV Movie
Awards, and will continue to promote the collection on stage during
his “Rock The Mic” music tour, which brought him to
Jones Beach this week.
Annie
Lennox — the self portraits — at the Spike Gallery
photo:
Steve Azzara |
‘Fair’
Gwyneth
Word
has it that actress Gwyneth Paltrow has signed on for a role
playing a reporter working on a local story in the upcoming film
“World Of Tomorrow” – which borrows its title from the theme of
the 1939 World’s Fair held in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
The
film is a “1930s-set
pulp fiction action adventure involving an accomplished female
airplane pilot, a swashbuckling adventurer, and a reporter,”
according to the website starseeker.com.
The
film is described by the producer as being “retro sci-fi” in the
vein of, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and is scheduled for release
sometime in 2004.
Non-Vicious
Cycle
During
the coldest days of the U.S.-French diplomatic deep-freeze, one
bicycle shop managed to avoid politics, leaving its giant “Arc De
Triomphe” awning proudly displayed on Jamaica Avenue in Richmond
Hill.
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The
Arc De Triomphe
bicycle shop in Richmond Hill.
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Arc
De Triomphe bike shop owner Russell Alonzo said, even during
the heated diplomatic escalation regarding the Iraqi war, none of Arc
De Triomphe’s customers ever made a nasty comment about the shop’s
politically un-popular name.
“I
don’t think you’re ever going to be able to remove the French
influence from cycling. And whatever the political flavor of the day
might be, that’s something that’s set in stone and isn’t going
to change.”
It
is true, the Arc De Triomphe in France serves as the finish line for
the greatest bike race ever, the Tour De France, but the store’s
name has even more significance: the store’s founder is French.
But
this time of year, Arc De Triomphe is all stars and stripes.
“We’re
always rooting for Lance – he’s our boy,” said Alonzo, son of
the original owner, referring to Lance Armstrong, probably the
greatest American cyclist ever who this year will once again attempt
to make the French Alps look like rolling hills and win his fifth Tour
De France in a row.
Oh,
by the way, the only other cyclist to win five Tours in a row was
Bernard Hinault, a Frenchman.
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