Loving Life!
with Playboy Africa December 2022 Cover Star Gabi Ashton / @gabi_ashton
Photography by Shannon Laurine | @shannonlaurine
PR: LA Media Group / @la.mediagroup
Such an absolute honour to have you on Playboy! Tell us about your daily schedule as a model, do you have a routine? Thank you so much! My schedule has been insane! I would be completely lost without my wonderful assistant. She updates and organizes my calendar daily. I meet with my trainer in the morning before my meetings. My photographer and I will plan our shoots months in advance, so we’ll spend hours picking out locations and coming up with ideas. The planning and creative process is so rewarding.
How do you like to begin your day? I wake up early and have a healthy breakfast. I’ll go for a walk outside and listen to music — it’s my favorite way to start my day, and a great way to clear my head. If I’m traveling I usually get in a quick workout before I go out to explore the city.
What do you typically eat in a day? I’m all about balance. For breakfast I’ll usually have oatmeal, or a breakfast sandwich. For lunch, fish and salad. Dinner could be ice cream or Mac and cheese. I love food so much. I’d rather gouge my eyes out than follow a restrictive diet. I have a list of restaurants from all over the world that I want to try. Sometimes you just have to eat your way through a city.
What helps you decompress? I’ll usually take a few days at home and just rest. I’ll eat good meals and spend some time with my friends. The other day I had pie for breakfast, and binge-watched documentaries.
Who has been the most influential person in your life and why? My mom is incredibly supportive and open-minded, so that really shaped who I am today. Because of that, I’m unafraid to be myself and had no desire to take the conventional path in life. I didn’t want to follow the “life script” — get a degree, get married, and have kids. That’s not for me. My mom was always supportive of that. I want to travel the world, and go on romantic escapades. I don’t want to be tied down.
How romantic are you? I’m a sucker for romance! Romantic dinners, flowers and love notes, helicopter rides over the city, and anything romantic — I’m in full support of it all. I just love when someone goes out of their way to make me feel special. Planning a romantic date or trip with someone you care about is so much fun. The anticipation makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.
What is the most memorable date you’ve ever had? I’ve had so many wonderful dates. There’s one story in particular that stands out, and it took place at Nobu. We were at our table discussing our disdain for biscotti when, shortly after, this beautiful woman saunters over to our table, and sits next to me. She was so gorgeous. We start making out in front of my date. It was so random and hilarious. She gets up to leave with her party, and my date looks at me and says, “That was fantastic!” What a way to break the ice; right? I’ll never forget that.
What was the biggest lesson from your worst breakup? The most important thing I learned was that my last relationship held me back in a huge way, and the relationship I have with myself is what I need to focus on. I want to be able to do what I want, whenever I want. Simple-minded men typically can’t handle being with a woman who lives life on her own terms. Some men still have such an archaic view of women, and feel the need to control them — it’s a huge turn off. I’m not here to appease a man. Their fragile ego is not my problem.
Would you rather be loved, respected, or admired? This is easy. I want to be respected above all else. If someone doesn’t respect you, how can they truly love or admire you? If you have self-respect and high standards, you’ll attract people who respect you. If you go through life trying to please everyone, you’ll attract people who will walk all over you. I’m not afraid to state my boundaries and expectations clearly.
Are you a city traveler or nature explorer? I am a total city girl! I’m shooting in London and Paris next month but getting out of the city is a must too. I have no interest in camping, and I’m not into hiking. Now, a ski trip is definitely something I can get behind — I’m going on a ski trip in Vail, Colorado in a few weeks. Next year I’ll be shooting in some really cool tropical locations.
What’s on your travel bucket list? Zanzibar is on the top of my list.
Where can our readers catch up with you and stay updated with your work? Follow me on Twitter and Instagram.
