MINI-VACATION - SAN DIEGO

I love to travel, but recently I’ve been trying to stay put to focus on my writing and save a little money. Last weekend, I got that travel itch and I wanted to go somewhere. My friends Kim and Cheryl were in SAN DIEGO for work and so I planned a MINI-VACATION!

SAN DIEGO is just far enough away to feel like you’re on vacation, but close enough to LA that you can go for just a night. Saturday after teaching music, I changed into my vacation wear (bikini, shorts, flip flops and sunglasses) and hit the open road. My MINI-VACATION started slooooow due to the traffic on the freeway (there’s ALWAYS traffic on the 405! UGH!) But as I got further south, traffic subsided. I opened the windows, let the wind fly thru my hair (actually I was wearing a hat to keep my hair from whipping across my face, but whatever… you get the point). My MINI-VACATION had officially begun!

I pulled off the freeway at Imperial Ave and headed straight to the new Hard Rock Hotel. The roof top pool/bar is the new SAN DIEGO hot spot for day and night! Kim and Cheryl were still working, but I knew I could entertain myself for a couple hours partying by the pool.

During the day, the pool is for hotel guest only and I was NOT one. Here is the trick to get into places you are not invited: Walk with confidence, like you know where you’re going and hope for the best! I marched through the lobby like I owned the place.

After getting lost in the modern, sexy, music themed lobby, I finally found the elevator and made my way to the rooftop pool. The sun was shining and my MINI-VACATION immediately kicked into high gear. I settled into a seat at the bar and stripped down to my new yellow polka dot bikini. I ordered a frozen lemonade from the gorgeous, bikini clad waitress. I found a recliner chair and melted away into relaxation. Kim joined me at the pool soon after and we flirted with perfectly toned and tanned boys as we soaked in the pool. As the sun set and my fingers and toes were good and pruned, we made our way back to her long-term suite hotel to shower and change for a night on the town.

We checked out a couple different spots for dinner before choosing a table at the bar of Lou and Mickey’s Steak House. We shared a delicious steamed artic hoke with pesto dipping sauce (Artichokes are FABULOUS!), chicken parmigan and broccoli (Mmmm…). After dinner, we met up with Cheryl and her 2 friends for cocktails at Moonstone Lounge in the Hard Rock Hotel (The same pool/bar we had been at earlier had converted into the evening’s hot spot under the stars). After a couple of cocktails, we decided to cruise the strip to check out some other bars. BAD IDEA!

In LA, a group of good looking women never has to wait in line and if you do it’s NOT worth it. I HATE WAITING IN LINE AND I NEVER PAY COVER CHARGES! That’s why I only like to go to places where I know someone at the door or I know I can walk right in with no hassle. It’s a real downer to have to wait for an hour to get past the velvet rope or pay $25 just to walk in. I have NO pull in SAN DIEGO and even worse a group of good-looking women in short skirts does NOT get you to the front of the line. We walked right past a couple of different spots with huge lines and expensive cover charges.

With sore feet and bad moods, we finally settled on J6-Bar on the roof of the J Hotel (No cover and no line). We had a couple drinks under the stars then went to meet Kim’s friend at Nicky Rotten’s, a dive bar on 5th street. By this time I was getting tired, so after Kim cut a rug with her friend, we headed out. By accident my feet came to a halt in front of a pizza joint (It should be illegal for them to be open at this hour!) I shoveled a sausage slice in my face before calling it a night. We headed back to the hotel and crashed out for the night.

Kim had to be up for work early, so I slept in (I can’t sleep past 8:30am at home thanks to my doggies’ schedule, so it was nice to lay in bed without them stepping on me and whining for a walk). I got dressed (bikini and shorts again) and headed to the rooftop for a free continental breakfast (bagel, fruit and coffee). I sat in the sun and caught up on Hollywood gossip in Us Weekly (This is my idea of a perfect, relaxing morning).

I packed up my car, bid the hotel farewell and headed to the library. Yes, I said library! I try to always make time for a little writing… even on a MINI-VACATION (also they have free internet and you know I like to check my email, myspace, facebook, TMZ, Young Hollywood, etc)!

Next stop, 5th street for a little shopping. I love a good bargain, so although I took a peek in Diesel and Bubbles boutique, I only shopped at The Pink Zone (a cheesy t-shirt shop). I bought 2 cute beach cover-ups and before meeting up with Cheryl, I swung back by my car to change into the black one.

On Sunday’s The Hard Rock Hotel throws a party called Intervention (at the Vegas Hard Rock its called Rehab). It’s WILD with a DJ, alcohol and scandalous bikini clad woman. Cheryl and I sauntered up to Security (It's like a nightclub by day) and we’re immediately turned away! No name on the guest list = No entry! (Losers!) We batted our eyelashes and tried to sweet talk our way in, but to no avail. We gave up (Their loss!) and met Cheryl’s friends at the J6-Bar pool. We mellowed out in the sun, swam and ate mini hamburgers and fries (healthy stuff is always important on a MINI-VACATION! Ha ha!).

Feeling tanned, relaxed and rested, I bid SAN DIEGO farewell and made my way back to LA. It was smooth sailing the whole way home! Always fun to get away for a minute!

MINI-VACATIONS are FABULOUS!

TEAM ACTIVATE KICKBALL

I like to think of myself as a pretty healthy gal. I mean… I try to eat well, I work out and I try not to over indulge in alcohol, caffeine or fast food. One thing I have never been able to do though is take vitamins! I can never seem to work them into my daily routine and swallowing handfuls of pills makes me gag. Some people get their daily vitamin intake with supplement powders like Emergen-C, but I don’t like the taste. Other people love vitamin waters, but the truth is they are full of sugar and tons of calories. As I get older, I know it’s important to give my body the vitamins and nutrients it needs and I have finally found a great option!

It’s called ACTIVATE! Recently, I began working with the new drink company. ACTIVATE is a functional beverage that gives your body a powerful dose of vitamins and nutrients with no preservatives, no sugar, only 5 calories, and a surprisingly good taste (No joke! It really does taste good)!

ACTIVATE is cool because it’s got a unique moisture resistant compartment in the cap that keeps the active ingredients fresh. Vitamins deteriorate sitting in water (Vitamin Water is basically like just drinking sugar water because the nutrients have been sitting in the water for long periods of time), so by storing them in a dry place they stay fresh until they’re released (plus its fun and looks cool when they drop into the water). Twist, shake, ACTIVATE!
For more information visit: www.activatedrinks.com

I recently joined ACTIVATE’S KICKBALL team. Yes, people! I said KICKBALL. Kickball is predominately played in elementary school gyms. It’s like softball only you kick a big, red, rubber ball. I hated it in elementary school because someone would always throw that stupid red ball and hit me in the head, knock off my glasses and not only leave me OUT, but also crawling around like a blind person in the dirt to find my broken glasses. I would later have to tape my glasses together and re-place them on my nose. I didn’t like it! Well, now that I wear contacts and I’m A LOT more physically fit than that little scrawny geek, I was stoked to play.

It’s also fun to be a part of a team again (I played varsity basketball and ran cross country in high school and rowed Crew in college). I was excited for this fun and active social outlet.

WAKA, World Adult Kickball Association is a social-athletic organization created to bring the joy of kickball to the world. Each team plays in a division for their area (ACTIVATE is in the Hollywood division) and at the end of the season, each area holds a tournament to crown one team as the area champ. Championship Tournaments are then held in Las Vegas to crown the world champion (This is serious, people)! I was excited to be a part of it.
For more information or to join a team in your area visit: www.kickball.com

GAME ONE –
I was a little nervous as I hit the field that first night. I hadn’t played since elementary school and I didn’t know many people on the team. I felt self conscious like I had reverted back to the geek I was in elementary school (minus the glasses), but everyone was super nice and soon after arriving my nerves disappeared and I was ready to play. I took the field (far, far, far in the outfield) in hopes of staying away from the action. Sure enough, as I was chatting to another gal also hiding in the outfield, that damn ball came flying through the sky towards us. She ran off with a scream, but I kept my eye on it and prepared to catch it, BUT I dropped the ball (I suck!) I had arrived late, so I was last on the roster to kick. The game finished before I could even show my skills. We won 3 to 1… no thanks to me!

GAME TWO -
I arrived at the field for GAME TWO feeling way more confident and ready to show my skills (and on time). Before the game we chatted, hung out and sipped ACTIVATES. The other team was totally practicing and running drills, which made us a little worried about their high level skills. In the end, we had nothing to worry about! I didn’t drop (or touch) any balls on the field and I got to kick twice. I scored both times! I was pretty awesome if I say so myself ☺ We won 9 to 1! I got 2 of our 9 runs! UNDEFEATED!!

GAME THREE –
The Sunday before GAME THREE, I pulled my thigh muscles chasing my new dog, Rowdy with heels on (high heels are meant for fashion, not jogging is what I learned)! When I arrived at the field, they started feeling tight again. It was cold out, so I stretched a little and tried to warm everything up. I took the field for the first inning and that damn red ball came flying right at me on that first kick. I jumped up and bolted towards it and felt the pull in my thighs. OUCH! Being the competitive (stupid) girl that I am, I continued to play (I should have headed home to ice, but I felt stupid that I had screwed up my legs playing such a low impact game). When it was my turn to kick, I bunted the ball and ran my little heart out towards first base. My legs hurt so much I couldn’t run fast, so they got out… luckily (because I literally could barely walk). I hobbled to the bathroom hoping to stretch it out, but to no avail. I had to go home! I said good-bye and wished TEAM ACTIVATE good luck! Sadly, they lost and even worse my legs still hurt and now I have to sit out for next week’s game ☹.

Get out there and be ACTIVE (be sure to stretch!) and drink ACTIVATE.

COOL WEBSITES

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A WALK IN THE PARK AT SIX FLAGS

This past Thursday, I went to SIX FLAGS MAGIC MOUNTAIN and it was FABULOUS! I hadn’t been to an amusement park in ages. I used to love to hit theme parks for a day of thrills, fun and crappy fried foods, but as I’ve gotten older just the thought of the upside down roller coasters, spinny/twisty rides and funnel cake makes me feel a little bit queasy.

BUT when my new friend Scott Lazerson called and asked me if I wanted to be a part of A WALK IN THE PARK AT SIX FLAGS, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Scott is a full time philanthropist who is making a difference across the globe with his love and passion for a better world. I feel so fortunate to have met him. He has helped me find an outlet to make a difference in children’s lives worldwide.

Scott introduced me to CURE KIDS CANCER, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving and saving the lives of children with cancer by raising funds for local pediatric programs. The 170 CURE KIDS CANCER hospitals provide diagnosis, life-saving cancer treatments, cutting edge research and pediatric cancer education programs that help children with cancer and their families find hope for the future. For more information please visit www.cure-kids-cancer.org

SIX FLAGS theme parks and CURE KIDS CANCER have joined together to raise awareness and funding for childhood cancers. A WALK IN THE PARK AT SIX FLAGS will take place at all SIX FLAGS theme parks nationwide on September 6th and 7th. During that weekend, steps will be taken to raise money so that one day our world will be cancer free. The parks will also open their gates to children fighting cancer in an effort to rekindle life’s thrills and ignite hope among childhood cancer patients.

Me and many other celebrity ambassadors came together at MAGIC MOUNTAIN to shoot a PSA commercial for A WALK IN THE PARK AT SIX FLAGS. I may not be a big name celeb, BUT my passion and commitment to children’s issues make finding a cure for pediatric cancers a cause that is very close to my heart.

Thursday morning, my friend Ina and I headed up the freeway to Valencia. We parked in the sprawling parking lot next in the Daffy Duck section and headed towards the park. My heart fluttered with excitement not only for a fun day riding rides, but also for being a part of something meaningful and important. In Bugs Bunny World, the kid’s section of the park, we met up with Scott, the WALK IN THE PARK staff, the other celebrity ambassadors (Michael Maloney from Extreme Home Makeover, Marla Maples, Courtenay Semel and more) and the childhood cancer ambassadors (kid’s fighting cancer), Cheyanne and Dylan.

After the introductions, we set out to ride the rides. I became good friends with Cheyanne Eller, a 13-year old girl currently in remission from leukemia. Hand in hand, we ran from ride to ride and the smile never left her face. We rode the mini-roller coaster 12 times (no joke), made the Yosemite Sam airplanes whirl around in the sky (she loved to feel the wind in her hair that had just grown back after her chemotherapy), bounced on Sylvester’s pounce and rode the trucks at Taz’s Trucking Co. It was amazing to see the pure joy and happiness in her eyes and it was so touching that on this day she just got to be a regular kid without the stress of hospitals, chemo and pills.

I took a break from the rides to film my lines for the PSA commercial and radio-thon to air in September (Watch out for it and be sure to make a pledge)!

Then, I headed back to the rides. Dylan, the other child cancer ambassador stuck mostly by his mom, dad and older brother. He is a 5-year old brain tumor survivor who recently finished his chemotherapy. So far, he has shown no cancerous re-growth or residual tumors of any kind. Dylan and I had a long chat about super heroes and the Super Friends. He touched my heart when he told me that he wished he was Superman because Superman can survive fire and doesn’t even get hurt or scared. To me, Dylan is the true super hero! He became more comfortable with me and sat next to me on the flying bus. We also practiced making bubbles with our bubble gum together. He’s the sweetest thing!

Before lunch Ina, Michael, Dylan’s mom and I snuck away to ride Tatsu, one of the biggest roller coaster in the park (You cant come all the way to Magic Mountain and not ride one of the roller coasters)! We sat in the front row seats, strapped ourselves in (tight) and zipped away. Tatsu is SCARY! You lie flat like you’re flying and drop down 263-foot plunges, huge spirals and sharp dives. My eyes were watering from the sheer speed (62 mph) and my heart was pounding out of my chest. When I got off, my legs were shaky and my stomach queasy! One roller coaster a day is enough for me!

We ate lunch at the cyber café (no funnel cakes! I had a salad and salt and vinegar chips), rode a couple more rides with the kids then headed home so as to miss the traffic on the 405 (There is always the worst traffic on the freeways in LA)!

Instead of leaving MAGIC MOUNTAIN queasy like I have in the past from all the spinning rides, I left feeling hopeful for a cure for kid’s cancer and excited about A WALK IN THE PARK AT SIX FLAGS on September 6th and 7th.

BEAUTY SECRETS / ADVICE

Growing up I would sit backstage in my Mom’s dressing room and watch wide eyed as she transformed from sweatpants clad Mommy to GLITTERING SUPERSTAR DIVA. I was mesmerized as she painted on the makeup, applied the long fake lashes, brushed on the bright red nail polish and fluffed the magnificent mane of hair. As she slipped into the sparkling beaded gown and the matching designer stiletto heels, she became my own life-size doll.

Growing up the daughter of a FASHION ICON, one can’t help but be drawn to the world of FASHION and BEAUTY.

I was awkward and shy growing up (I hid behind my huge, tortoise rimmed glasses, frizzy braids, baggy clothes and sneakers), but when no one was around my inner BEAUTY emerged. When the backstage dressing room was empty, I would mount the vanity table and paint my own lips and cheeks and nails. I would drape myself in the gowns of beads and sparkles and shuffled around in stiletto heels. Posing in the mirror, I was a FABULOUS DIVA (though to everyone else I was just a little girl playing dress up).

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more confident and comfortable in my own skin. I think that everyone has within them a GLITTERING SUPERSTAR DIVA. It just takes a mix of beauty and fashion secrets, confidence to know and believe you are FABULOUS!

Here are some BEAUTY tips and secrets I’ve learned through the years (I’m still listening and learning everyday) from my mom, older sisters, friends and even websites (I love beautyblabber.com). Get FABULOUS people and discover your inner BEAUTY!!!

HAIR –
My hair has always been one of my biggest stress points. I wish it would curl into a cascade of ringlets like my sister Tracee’s, but instead it always knotted into a frizzy mess. My hair has always been long, so I never could seem to keep it under control. A couple of years ago, I got the Yuko hair straightening. I miss my curls and frizz now and then, but the ease of having straight hair has made my life a million times less stressful (and saved me a ton of grey hairs). My advice is to love the hair you were given and if you don’t love it FIX IT! Try not to use too much color, chemicals or heat and ALWAYS condition (I love Kerastase, but a cheaper FABULOUS option is Sunsilk Hydra TLC)!

FACE -
I’ve been blessed with pretty clear skin (thank heavens) and I always wash my face in the morning and before I go to bed (ok… almost always! Unless I’m too tired to! Haha)! I just discovered this cheap eye makeup remover by Almay which is awesome to wick away the smokey eye from a night on the town (so you don’t wake up in the morning looking like a raccoon). If I break out, I try not to pick at my zits because it will scar (Don’t pick at your pimples!) and every couple months I treat myself to a facial by Terri Lawton, the woman who works miracles on many Hollywood hotties including Demi Moore (If only I would look like Demi when I’m her age)!

I love to wear makeup, particularly eye makeup! I have big eyes, so why not play it up! My makeup advice is: Don’t over do it! If you wear a smokey eye, go light on the rest of the make up (natural is FABULOUS)! If you wear red lipstick (which is so sexy!), keep it natural everywhere else. Wear lip-gloss always or chapstick! Chapped lips are NOT FABULOUS! I just learned how to put on fake eyelashes! I buy them for $3 at CVS and rock them when I go out on the town. Fake eyelashes are FABULOUS for sure!

BODY –
Clean is good. I love a good long soak in a tub or a steamy hot shower. I think bar soap is gross, so I always use a yummy smelling shower gel! I moisturize like a crazy lady (I hate being ashy or so dry I feel itchy). I think Aveno is amazing and not too expensive. I always have clean-shaven legs and arm pits. You never know when the man of your dreams might run his hand over your thigh (prickly is not cute)! Hairy armpits are stinky and stinky is NOT FABULOUS! I wax (my nether regions), but I think that is a personal preference. Some people like to go bush whacking ☺ Ha! Ha! I would love to try laser hair removal, but it’s so expensive. My advice: always be clean and moisturized!

TEETH –
Dental hygiene is so important. Not only so you don’t have stank breath, but because when you smile as BIG as I do, your teeth are the first thing people see. Brush those teeth twice a day (at least), floss more than I do (I should take my own advice. I usually floss once a month!) and visit the dentist regularly. I get my teeth cleaned every six months (which is luckily covered under my insurance). I’ve had 2 root canals when I was younger (OUCH) and I don’t want any more!

NAILS–
Manicures and pedicures are so cheap here in LA that I usually get one every 2 weeks. I feel clean, sexy and put together with a nice French Mani / Pedi. In between my manicures, I play with colored nail polish. Red is hot for a night out. Black is sleek and sexy. Light colors or white are fun in the summer. Sometimes, I feel WILD and paint each nail a different color or alternate two colors.

FRAGRANCE –
Being clean is the best fragrance, but I always like to jazz things up with a little perfume. My mom gives us Joe Malone candles and perfume for Christmas. I LOVE the rose and vintage gardenia! Right now, I mostly wear Gucci Rush, but I have to say I also like Paris Hilton’s fragrance (shoot me!) and Britney’s ain’t bad either! Smelling sweet and fresh is always a better option than musty and sweaty!

COSMETIC SURGERY –
I am not opposed to fixing your flaws if it would make you more happy and confident, but it is NOT for me. I think our differences and uniqueness is what makes us beautiful and special. There are days I hate the bump on my nose or wish my chest would fill out my top better, but at the end of the day I am happy with me! Concerning Cosmetic surgery, my advice is to put A LOT of thought into it before hand, chose a reputable doctor and DON’T OVER DO IT! Maybe a little botox for me in my future, but for right now I’m all good!

Discover your inner BEAUTY people and flaunt it!