"Get out of the way, Tourists!"

shouts Patrick the Photographer as he prepares for some shots at Ke'anae Bay. It is our first day in Maui and we spent the day doing the drive to Hana Bay, stopping at various trails, waterfalls, and beaches.

Aloha and Happy Thanksgiving!

Alas, P and I are off today to Maui (my 2nd time, his first). I am very excited and look forward to such gorgeous beauty of plantlife, trees and the beaches. We won't be having Turkey on Thursday, but I will miss my family's huge get-together and am thankful for all those in my life that better it in some way. I hope to do the same.. :)

Macys Runway - part 3

Okay, allow me to point out 2 things on this clip of the Macy's INC Spring Trunk runway show from last May.

1). You may have noticed from the other clips from the same show on this blog that the person recording (mi querida mamma!) kept zooming in on my face - hello!!! When I finally saw these clips months later while trying to empty her camcorder - I exclaimed to her, "Why didn't you get more of my outfits?? Every clip is about my face - the show is about the clothes - not my face... And why not shoot more of the other girls???" Ahhh, it's the thought that counts :)

2). Also note the one girl she DID get footage of (only because the gal was almost always right behind me in the lineup order) was one of the 2 plus-size models from my agency. I want to point out that this is a true plus-size model. She is well proportioned, great face and personality and works a lot, I am sure (although she is a little short - shorter than me, even). When I think of that lame excuse of a size 8 "Plus-Size" Model Whitney who won Cycle 10 on America's Next Top Model - it makes me angry for all the true plus size models out there who represent plus size (which is a size 14 and up - not a size 8!!) It was like Tyra Banks thought she would be real PC by finally letting a plus size gal win - but Whitney was NOT plus size!

okay, I have spoken... good day ya'll :)

Star Trek - another 'New Generation'

http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/startrek/large_trailer2.html
Firstly I have a soft-spot for director/producer/writer JJ Abrahms as way back when I was really pursuing an acting career in Hollywood, I heard of this very talented young guy my age who had a new TV series that people were really excited about and everything was hush hush about. The show was "Alias" with Jennifer Garner and ended up being a huge hit for 4 or 5 seasons.

Casting director April Webster called me in for one of my biggest TV role auditions ever - the recurring role of 'Ana' - a latina villian who would reappear here and there throughout the series. It would have been huge for me to get a role in such a critically-acclaimed show - not to mention just being a cool, kick-ass spy show. I didn't get it, but it was groovy just to be called in to the NBC Studios to her casting office.

JJ Abrahms went on to then create the amazing and still-running "Lost" - which I knew would be even bigger than 'Alias'. Needless to say, I am a huge fan of his and now, even more so since he helmed the soon-to-debut next "Star Trek" movie!!

If you know me and my family my sister Sara and brother Gabe are total Trekkie nerds. I do not have the (dubious) honor of being crowned with the same title, but I am definitely a fan. - Heck even my cat's name is Jordy - after Jordy LaForge - although, it was my Sara who named him (and ALL her cats) after Star Trek characters - the Trekkie nerd...

In any case, the above trailer link that Gabe sent to me, my siblings and nephews is looking awesome! I see they cast an impossibly good-looking cast to play the younger versions of our favorite original cast members. Good move - Abrahms had the insight to rope in a newer, younger generation with that kind of casting.

It's going to be awesome and I can't wait to go see it with my Trekkie siblings!!!

Macys Runway - part 2

So what the heck are these short videos of runway? They would be the Macys Spring INC Trunk Show back on my 36th bday in May 2008. I barely got them off the camera a couple months ago and am barely getting them on utube. I find them fun as they are not high-fashion but a good lesson in down-to-earth runway walking - meaning playing to the crowd, having a good time, and being able to have personality - Tyra Banks and Americas Next Top Model fans take note: as she got more established she was able to get away with standing out and having personality instead of 'straight modeling'. In San Diego with most of the runway shows we do here they actually like a lot of personality - which is, incidentally, the biggest reason I get work in shows down here - super tall and super skinny and super young: I am NOT, but personality and being able to 'sell the clothes' - I can do...
Click on slideshow below!

Macys Spring Trunk Show

Love me Some Irish

I really think the kid is talented, at the very least entertaining - props from elsamart!

he he he

Macys - Fashion Valley Mall - Spring 2008 INC Trunk Show

Veterans Day 2008

Sunday was a rainy afternoon, where P and I cuddled on the couch with Fred-the-Basset and watched the movie, "Pearl Harbor". I had even seen it before. And it almost focuses more on the romantic love triangle than the war itself. That said, I still cried during the war attacks scenes. And it quickly made me think back to my first trip with Patrick early in our relationship, to Oahu, where we visited the USS Arizona Memorial. Patrick rolled his eyes at my crying but war films have always made me cry. I remarked to P, "There is no way I could watch any war film if I had family that had directly fought in any of these wars."

Which leads me to today's blog subject. It is Veteran's Day. And, yes, by some grace of God, my massive family has never been directly involved in a war. My father got out of the Vietnam initial draft by being recently married, and about to be a first-time father. (At least that is what my folks told me long ago). He did have to join the army and he moved my mother up to Northern California for a couple months while he trained and she had my oldest sister, Ceci born at that Fort's hospital.

But other than that stint, my family didn't send anyone into war zones to fight. Not my uncles, cousins: no one.

But I still feel a tremendous amount of emotion when it comes to military. I don't know if it's growing up my whole life in a military town. I don't know if it's because from the age of 18-23 I met many young militia going out to the dance clubs or Tijuana where my heart always held a soft spot for these young, tough, but slightly lost young men. Heck, I short-term dated 3 or 4 navy or marines in my day. And now, the Love of my Life, who is not only a retired navy vet himself.

I asked my students on Friday why they were getting today off, and sadly, most of them didn't know, or cared. It was just a holiday to them. A reason not to go to school.

For my part, I want to say, that I cannot - even with my vast imagination -begin to feel how families with loved ones who are directly involved in wars past and present feel on today's memorial holiday.

So I, in my small way, salute all the men and women, sons and daughter, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and neighbors who have fought for our country and have given up so much in order for us to live normal, free lives.

May God Bless all our military and especially be with those overseas fighting for as I type this. Keep our men and women safe, and come home soon!

"A Time for Change"

The 2008 Presidential Election is officially over and young Barack Obama has won. I am excited and scared at the same time. Hopeful as well. It's history in the making. But, what a country he has inherited to take over. We're in bad shape, ya'll. And it is going to take a lot of work, motivation, intelligent and well-intentioned people to help take our beautiful country to a new chapter.

I couldn't in true elsa-logic back up either candidate, but I was and am open to whoever the winner would emerge as. Keep praying and hoping, I say. We have a long, but ground-breaking road ahead of us.

God Bless America!

Matthew and Heather's Wedding

 

November 1 rang wedding bells for my sweet cousin Matt and his long-time gal, Heather. Set on a lovely afternoon along the La Jolla coast, it was yet another reminder of how blessed my family is to have one another.

 

Definite memories included: everyone stampeding to the dancefloor to dance to Michael Jackson; my mother taking her first shot ever of tequila ("What does it taste like? I've never had one.."); us dancing so hard that we made the power go out a few times - hehehe. Good times. Oh, and guess who caught the boquet???

 

Click on slideshow below :)

Matt and Heather Wedding

Baahhhrego Springs Desert

  A couple Saturdays ago P had his daughter and I jump in his Honda and head towards the Anza Borrego Desert for a little photo trip. We got a late start and unfortunately ended up going to a totally different part of the desert than where P wanted to go take pictures.



  That's okay, we spent some time at a community festival in Borrego Springs and then had dinner driving through quaint Julian on the way back (and yes, we did buy an apple pie to take home).

Next time? I will make sure to plan exactly where our destinations are - he he he