I wish I could say it's a 'Gag Reel'..

...but it's not. HAHAHHAHA

I am very self-deprecating - gives me some of my charm and sense of humour.. so I thought I'd post this.

I just found a video of myself on youtube that my San Diego modeling agency posted recently of me. I am not thrilled about it. It was for a specific convention client coming into town - and they requested the spokesmodels they liked to be put on film. That said, my agency decided to post it just as a general tape of me for other prospective spokesmodeling clients.

I don't agree with their using this tape as a general audition tape. I obviously had to tone down my spontaneity that I am known for in my commercial acting and modeling for this specific conservative client. Ahhh, well - - - -

Watch the better video of Terrence, my actor friend who really got to "sell" himself in his acting, personality, even doing a runway walk at the end - - much more entertaining! (And why the heck did HE get music in HIS background??)

Published!

What a gas: one of my photos I shot last Thanksgiving in Maui was asked to be published in an online travel guide "Schmap" for the Maui/Molokai issue.

The photo is alright - nothing great or compared to the shots Patrick captured. It wasn't even taken with the Canon camera I have now - just with my pocket-sized Pentax P had gifted me on our first trip ever (Oahu, 3 summers ago).

Here is a widget for it - - let's see if it works - I do completely agree with the author that this is a must-do activity in Maui - the drive to Hana is fabulous, with many picture-taking opportunities - a nature, plant and green-lovers' delight!

Happy 4th of July!!

From 4th of July 2 years ago at my Uncle Alex' house - - happy to report that everything and nothing has changed here - - :)

San Diego Yacht Club

I love being outdoors. If one hasn't noticed.

In early June my dear friend, Jaimie, invited me to Wednesday night sailing with him and friends. I, of course, said 'yes'.

I've gone sailing before. My brother, Gabriel, is a sailor. Not by profession hahaha. But he knows how to sail boats up to 40 feet or more - I cannot recall. We have had some nice times out with him, family or friends throughout the years.

I also used to learn back as a kid to sail - waaayyy back when one Summer in 4-H club.

Well, what J failed to tell me was that every Wednesday are the SD Yacht Club RACES (!) This was no pleasure sunset cruise - but an actual RACE. I am not against pulling my weight and know basics about rigging and tacking but man, there was pressure due to its being a competition.

I brought my camera and got a few shots, but really..they just put me to work onboard. HA ha/

Good times. Thanks, J :)

Click on slideshow below to see my beautiful pics!

Sailing Sunsets

Sunset Drama

Earlier this month I had driven out to the desert to 'get away' 2 weekends in a row. I have been working so much, even Saturdays - - that to get away after work even though for only about 24 hours - was so good for me.

I actually love long drives out in Nature - the first weekend I saw the amazing desert valley sunsets and revelled in it. It is my favorite time of day - going back to as a kid riding my Arabian horse and staying out as long as possible before having to return home at dark. I love that magical transition from day to night. Always have, always will.

The following weekend I did not fail to bring my camera. Sitting on the passenger seat next to me on the way home I pulled over to shoot and then simply breathe in the sky.

I followed the lowering sunset as long as possible in my car that Sunday...eventually losing my race with it as it disappeared quietly behind the mountain range.... Beautiful. Alone and basking in that kind of glory of Mother's Nature utterly feeds my soul...

click on slideshow below -

Desert Valley Sunsets

Another Night at The Casbah

Click on Slideshow below!

Manual Scan Gig

Last Friday, once again, brother Morgan drummed for the 80s pop band, Manual Scan. Fun, danceable, driving music - all their songs are 2.5 minutes - making them fun and quick, to the point - Jaimie and I noted watching Morgan tear it up on the drums that he must play with them because with such quick songs their is hardly any just him keeping the beat steady - instead he really gets to work it out and show off - really mad skills - awesome to watch!

Flight of the Conchords Unplugged

My boyfriends Brett and Jemaine (no 'r' - he isn't African-American) AKA known as the Kiwi duo "The Flight of the Conchords" came to visit and play for me in San Diego tonite at UCSD.

I decided to allow a few hundred of my other friends and a few hundred more of THEIR friends to fill up the Rimac Arena - you know, just so my boyfriends would feel the love even more.

I have written about these boys before. Patrick and I had discovered them on HBO and instantly became fans. (see my previous blog about them here)

Quirky, handsome, deadpan humour - these boys are so funny it hurt. But as good as they are comically playing off each other, and with such an intelligent wit -that is so sexy to me - so much more than most stand up comediennes - I also want to point out that they really are pretty darn good musicians. Playing several different instruments and singing - Jemaine, especially - with his natural bass low speaking voice can sing all the way to a high falsetto range that is so good and believable it's funny. Think Prince - Prince does that too. (But he black).

Opening with "Too many dicks on the dance floor" the crowd went crazy - - and ending with me and several others yelling in request the Bowie song - the night was fantastic and well-worth it.

Cheers, boys -

I leave the rest of you with their show-stopping "Sugar Lumps" much different played acoustically in concert - but you catch their drift. The boys lost it on stage - going nuts, jumping into the crowd, and pointing and gyrating to their sugarlumps - some woman lost it and took her top off exposing herself and running to Brett onstage - - (er umm.. she was one of my friends' friends)... ;P

Brother Gabe's Bday shout-out!

Today is my big brother's 43rd bday - - (as well as my sweet nephew, Isaiah) - love to both of them - - here is a funny short video I found of Gabe fooling around with the camera when he had lost his voice - but is CLEARLY stating to his adoring nephews and nieces, "Tio Gabe is #1" - - priceless!

Dove Street years

I've got to get rid of old folders containing pics on my laptop as my new camera takes us so much space with it's large megapixel format. So, I am posting onto picassa web album old pics from another time in my life.

Ha ha ha - knock yourselves out - it's the Past, not the Present - and I always have chosen to remember the good memories :)

Click on slideshow below:
table style="width:194px;">Dove St. years

MEXX band

MEXX AKA "The Mario Escovedo Experience" plays my fave Bar Pink in North Park on Cinco De Mayo. Just down the street from my pad, I reach for my camera and saunter over after my modeling gig. Click on slideshow below and check out the many facial expressions of Chuck - hehehe

5deMayo

I90 Band

Chuck's 90s grunge band, Interstate 90 (I90) played in April at the SurfnSaddle in Solana Beach. I was coming from a party and had my new camera in the car, took it out spontaneously and voila - my first live band, low-light shoot -

click below for slideshow:

I90

E has a New Love -

dark, sleek, - a total Rebel - he shoots things like a Canon firing from my hands...

Creativity

Happiness

Joy Joy Joy!

Click below for my first pictures I ran out and took once the battery was charged - hehehe

New Canon Camera

Day After Araiza Wedding photos

I just came across photos I didn't have ready until now to post. They are from November, the day after my cousin Matt and Heather's wedding (see blog here). They are beautiful photos and worth posting, even late :)

Click on slideshow below:

Heather and Matt Day After Wedding Party

L'Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio

ahhhh - I just watched one of my new favorite foreign films from Italy, "L'Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio." I am on a high right now, feeling the music of this Roman Orchestra made up immigrants from Tunisia, India, Romania, Egypt, Hungary, Cuba, Argentina, Ecuador, Senegal, North America..to name a few...

The film is a low budget, perfect documentary shot over a couple years in Rome when the founder, former Italian pop musician Mario Tronca was the brainchild and leader in finding immigrant professional musicians as a challenge to the post 9/11 government and it's sudden, radical anti-immigration laws and protests. Overcoming financial, language and ego boundaries it is just an amazing story and if you are a world music lover, a musician, or just love people uniting (something that happens much more in the Arts than anywhere) then this movies is a must-see! By the time they put on their first concert in November of 2002, (with only 1 week of group rehearsals) I am willing to bet you will be so happy and amazed at their success - I was literally clapping and dancing on the couch with Fred-the-Basset at the gorgeous and lively music. The story is just amazing and inspiring - - not only were they able to track down topnotch musicians barely surviving in Rome working in kitchens, etc. but to write an orchestral score including all those different kinds of world instruments is a feat in itself. The collaboration is something to put the UN to shame.

I am ill that only a few short weeks ago my friend Heidi invited me to a performance of them (they now have 2 CDs out and are touring the USA in conjunction with the film) - - neither of us could make it at the time and I deeply regret experiencing that ... That said: the film is in my heart and their multi-cultural plethora of music will soon be purchased and supported by me! :) Simply wonderful stuff...

Pride 2008

 
I noticed while perusing my photos on picassa stored on my laptop that I have pictures and memories that I still have yet to blog about. I kind of would like to get them up and stored on my picassa google web albums so that I can delete them off my hard drive where they take up space and memory. So, please excuse the tardiness - here goes:

 








This was from Gay Pride parade in Hillcrest from last July. I was working like a fool last summer and pretty much went out twice all summer - I am not exaggerating. So this was a beautiful, warm day for me to have fun with my galpal Richele. We ended up not watching the entire parade as it nears 3-4 hours in length nowadays and I had to go back to work that afternoon. So we ducked in to our fun and fabulous Baja Betty's gay bar - the one-time site of major mischief back in the day - - including a very inebriated Richele once trying to pay for a whole round of drinks on her Banana Republic card. Or our friend Joanna who was 9 sheets to the wind and her boob kept popping out of her spaghetti strap tank top. But nothing tops the memory of when our old friend Bubbachunk, Danny, my ex Mik with Richele and I stole a pinata and a huge punch bowl FULL of margarita from the back patio where we crashed the thank you party for the volunteers for the Rock and Roll Marathon. Bubba got his bright obvious yellow Xterra car, pulled into the alley behind the patio and the rest of grabbed and went out the emergency exit fence and sped off with the booze jostling and spilling everywhere. We were laughing so hard I am surprised we did not crash and although Richele and I have both moved on for personal and sanity reasons from that group I have no problem acknowledging how funny that incident was. (and oh yes, the manager of Baja Bettys vaguely knew T and recognized his big head and tracked him down calling him the next day telling him to bring it all back...) HAHA HA - busted!

That said - Richele and I found ourselves much more composed, sharing the huge plate of nachos there and enjoying a couple of their 'Kick-ass Margaritas' -that is really the name, when we were eventually joined by Shannon and another friend.

There is so much fun in people watching and support - always a good, colorful time - plus it's nice to see the community and families come out and support. Tolerance must be taught and exemplified.

Hopefully next year I won't be working that day at all so I can enjoy it more... :)
Click on slideshow below!

Pride08

New Years Blessings 2008

Tonight is New Year's Eve 2008. In true Elsa-fashion my mind is going a mile-a-minute reflecting on all that has happened this past year and my dreams for the rest of my life.

I have so much to write about in my heart that it is overwhelming and I am just going to say that I remain exceedingly grateful for any positivity, goodness, health and love in my life.

May God grant me the strength and Grace to be an even better person this year to come...

Retro Elsa

Modeling for quite a few years now I've had my hair and makeup done in many ways. Not all of it works well with my ethnic features (read: my Basque nose and big bedroom eyes). But once in a while the stars align and voila! I come out with something that tickles me pink!

 

This video was shot after modeling bridal gowns all weekend in Orange County. I returned to have dinner at my parents and where I am caught on camera (oh man - I didn't mean to sound bossy - I was being silly) modeling my 1920s 'do and makeup.

Upon returning home to Patrick he broke out his camera like he usually does when I come home full of hair and makeup to shoot some impromptu shots. I love these shots as they remind me of an old picture I've seen of my grandmother Araiza looking as glamorous as possible in the heat and dirt of Mexico posing Hollywood style for the camera = = I obviously got a little bit of flair from her - amidst the modesty we were brought up with heheheh :) I'd also like to thank Patrick for his shots of me - they are fun and show a bright side of me that doesn't shine as often as it used to..
Click on slideshow below for more!

RetroElsa

Holiday Goodies!

 
  I would like to thank the very playful and talented Shannon and Richele who spend about 20 hours and a couple hundred bucks baking an assortment of 13 (yes! 13!!) cookies, fudge, peanut brittle... dare I go on??? They annually make it and give deliver a big tin to I'm thinking around 30 friends(?)! I am very lucky to be on their friend list and Patrick is very lucky to be dating me as he helped me the very first night to 1/3 of it! UMMMMMM....!!

*editor's note - oh, don't let the pictures fool you - that was from one of my old house parties years ago - they've grown up nicely since then :P

A Bonitacasa Christmas

Again, this video is from last year (2007) but I barely got it off my folks' camcorder in September and now onto Youtube - it took over 2 hours to load 8 minutes onto Youtube - so slllooowww!

That said: this video is quite amusing. You see a typical day at my mom's house - a lot of people talking at once (there is a reason why I speak so loudly, ya'll - - it is just to be heard!!); kids playing and running around, animals running around, and my mom's ever-present knack of shooting the ground when using the camera.

If you can stick watching it though, it's pretty funny. Starting with my mom's opener: "It's Christmas 207," and brother Gabe corrects her, "2007, mom..." - priceless.

Then if you can look out the window you see Patrick's dog, Fred-the-Basset chasing me and the kids around randomly while my niece recounts Fred visiting her dog, Lucy.

Also note that when Aunty Elsa takes over the Big Wheel Green Machines that Santa brought the kids for Xmas - I always liked those things as a kid - I am out for blood - - when you see me crash, I really am in pain landing on my tailbone... and what is funny is that no one pays attention to me but skips my injured body face down on the concrete to pay attention to the escaped Chihuahua named "Weeny" that ran into our yard from the neighbors to play with Fred...

Total pandemonium - that is why we are a lively bunch in our family! :)