Guest Blogger: {Paloma Contreras from High Gloss Magazine}

{One of My Favorite Images from the Upcoming Premiere Issue of High Gloss Magazine}

It may go without saying that the thing I am most looking forward to in 2011 is the official launch of my new digital lifestyle magazine, High Gloss. I can’t wait to see what everyone thinks of our first issue and to watch it grow and progress over the course of the next 12 months. Deciding to start the magazine, creating an amazing team, and working on the first issue has been a complete leap of faith, an incredible learning experience, and the most fun I’ve had in quite some time. So, what am I looking forward to the most in 2011? Besides sharing High Gloss with our readers and hopefully inspiring them to live as stylishly as possible, this is what tops my list.

1. Working with my Amazing High Gloss Team

{High Gloss Editors Kyle Knight, Shannon Wollack, Paloma Contreras and Art Director, Ashley Steen at Maisonry in Napa- Erin Gates and Lauren Rauter were unable to join us on that trip.}

I’m sure every editor in chief must feel like her team is the best, but I really have the most incredible, talented, passionate team out there. I hand-picked each of the amazing editors on the High Gloss team and while I thought I knew how talented they were when I invited them to join this venture, they have floored me with their creativity and fabulous ideas.

2. Conceptualizing Photo Shoots and Working with Some of the Best Talent in the Business

{Dinner in Napa After a Big Shoot- From Left: Art Director, Ashley Steen, Stylist, Maura Nealon, Editors, Shannon Wollack, Paloma Contreras, Kyle Knight and Stylist, Jennifer Keszler}

One of my favorite things about working on High Gloss has been coming up with the concepts for our stories and being very hands-on at photo shoots. Styling has become one of my favorite things to do and I absolutely love collaborating with our photographers, interior designers, floral designers, etc.

{Working on a photo shoot with the amazing interior designer, Tia Zoldan, stylist, Jennifer Keszler and renowned photographer, Grey Crawford was an experience I will never forget. It was such a surreal, amazing day.}

3. Traveling for High Gloss

{Laguna Beach, California}

I absolutely love to travel. It is my favorite thing in the world, so the fact that being the editor in chief of High Gloss requires me to travel quite a bit is just the icing on the cake. Within a period of three weeks, I visited both Southern and Northern California. We have a lot of exciting shoots planned for 2011, so naturally, it will be a year filled with travel. I’m also hoping that my husband and I will be able to return to London and Paris in 2011. He has been so incredibly supportive and I would have never started High Gloss without his unconditional support. I am so blessed to have such an amazing husband!

{St. Helena, California}

Thank you for having me today, Abbe! I hope that 2011 is a wonderful year for everyone!