Merry Christmas To All!

Merry Christmas! Sorry for the extreme hiatus between this holiday season lately. I feel horrible for inhaling my emotions and leaving them out of the light until now, Usually, I would have an abundance of news to announce on hand at this time of year, but it has all been kept a secret for the past month and I am fully prepared for the GIANT key bulletins to be posted on the board... and review its rewards and repercussions.

December 7 commenced as a typical day. Nathan and I ate breakfast, retrieved our mailbox items in the form of shopping catalogs and newsletters, and tended the herb garden on the patio. The phone rang just as I finished watering the basil. My mom was on the line. She told me to drive to the medical center as soon as possible so I did just as she said. I arrived at the hospital my mom was directed to and was led by a certified doctor into the ER. Scary sensations. After being consulted with the doctor taking care of my mother, I learned my 50-year-young mom had a heart attack while she was waking up that morning. I didn't know what to say, but a sea of tears began to flood my eyelids automatically. Since then, I have been assisting my mom recording weekly portable defibrillator tests. It is a very unexpected occurrence, but I'm staying strong throughout this taxing time, and hold an even more powerful heart for my mother's sake.

Sliding along to an upbeat story - December 17: Right before I left the house, my cell phone rang just as I stepped foot onto the front porch welcome mat. Eliza Darielle, the first-season judge of PoptropicaStars Fashion Fever, was on the other end inviting me to attend the Pasadena Bowl X-Mas Lighting Party. I agreed to commute there right after a morning of signing New Year's Eve fashion show paperwork. Once I arrived at the Pasadena Bowl, Eliza was standing next to a gigantic SUV carrying at least twenty pounds worth of wrapped presents. I quickly learned that those gifts were embellished with neatly tied bows to give to the foster home children in downtown Los Angeles. Thus, Eliza and I rode in the vehicle to the shelter. We spent the entire afternoon distributing Barbie dolls, monster trucks, stuffed animals, edible candy jewelry, and magical Disney toys to these energetic kiddos. Although the children there may have an unorthodox Christmas holiday, nothing can overtake the joy of seeing elementary school students and toddlers leap in excitement.

Finally on December 20, 2014, Nathan and I went on a winter boat excursion to revisit Santa Catalina Island, the destination of our first date. The locale was decorated with festive lights, rows of faux Christmas pines, and candy cane statuettes dangling from two ropes. Nathan and I went on a stroll along the marina. He explicitly told me, "The day I met you is and always will be the best day of my entire life having gone through some of the toughest situations in, like, the past several years." After I said something similar, but very cheesy, we sat down on the dock to talk about memories. Within five minutes of a full, random conversation, Nathan does something unspeakable to me... he immediately gets on one knee and says the four words I wish my dream guy would say to me in my teen years, "Will you marry me?"

I immediately shout "Yes"... and I do a sport-winning victory dance. Best moment of 2014.

Our engagement rings :)

I promise there will be so much more news to come in 2015 than this year.

Get Ready For A Holiday Fashion Show

Fashionistas of Poptropica, as you spend time at dinner pondering how tomorrow's feast and praises will turn out, enjoy an hour and thirty minutes tonight dedicated to viewing Poptropica's 8th Annual Thanksgiving Eve Fashion Show live! The venue, a 70-year old hall in Historic Alvaville near Adeline Pines, Mainland Poptropica, will be the center of attention as models of average-community Poptropicans show off the featured designers' creations. Designers presented at the show as I know of will include Deedee Everglen (owner of Chic Boutique Premium Outlet), Phillip Garrett (notable fashion designer), Natasha Remise (model, accountant, & notable fashion designer), and me. I am incredibly excited for tonight!

Check your local Poptropica TV schedules for the broadcasting of the fashion show!

(Left): The show runway under construction / (Right): Photo of me with the browning autumn leaves near an old railroad en route to the event.

Relax... It's Only Halloween

All month long, I was very busy attending conferences around Poptropica in regards to the fresh 2015 PoptropicaStars - Relax line that will be revealed when the opening hours of each Madeline's Closet boutique premieres for the new year. More information will be brought out before then.

In addition to the upcoming styles, Nathan and I have been redecorating the house, RSVP'ing 20 guests, planning the menu, and shelling out pumpkin seeds to make a jack-o-lantern for a trick-proof Halloween party. Knowing how I handle stress, a million ounces of work can not be finished by frantically rushing. The most important thing I do while preparing for a festivity like this is relax, soothe my senses, and envision a therapeutic 5-minute-massage.

This pumpkin took three hours to carve, but the face is timeless. :) Haha.

You can't have a party without the essential "part"; that is what we call food. The menu is being finalized as I am obligated to make half of the dishes and a caterer will deliver the remaining savors two hours before showtime. Here is the lovely menu.

MY DISHES:

• Lots of Toasted Pumpkin Seeds (with and without dashes of paprika)
• Salt And Olive Oil Popcorn
• Roasted Acorn Squash stuffed with Rice, Bell Peppers, Kale, And Mozzarella
• Peanut and Milk Chocolate M&M's, Candy Corn, and Peanut Butter Cups to grab anytime
• Orange-Lime Punch

CATERER'S DISHES:

• Bacon-Wrapped Pepper Poppers
• B.L.T. (Beef, Lettuce, Tomatillo) Sliders
• Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream
• Strawberry Pie
• Lemonade and Licorice Margaritas

I simply can't wait for October 31st!

HZ-15's 2015 Collection Photoshoot

Hip-hop culture in Poptropica is not nearly as recognized as pop culture or modern smoove (tranquility), but still holds a huge part in territorial history. From TyAiShA's astounding R&B debut that opened mouths across the nation with her single "Marco Polo", to the commercial use of hip-hop choreography, and to the trend of baggy pants and baseball caps, Poptropica has covered each subject - music, dance, and fashion - of the established art. Now what does this have to do with a photoshoot? HZ-15!

HZ-15 Urban Apparel is a Poptropican clothing brand infusing the art of hip-hop with the motley fashion appetite of the younger Poptropican generation. Although my modeling niche is "vibrant haute couture", I was very excited to receive a call from the company's marketing director to take at least twenty pictures of me in a purple sweater, tennis shoes with blue accents, and big girl pants.

I flew from Los Angeles to San Miranda, Mainland Poptropica early in the morning. Once the plane finally landed in Poptropica, I took a taxi over the Maricruz Sulma Bridge to the Port Domingo Steel District where the photoshoot would occur. David Erck and Paola Cucomo, models I have worked with in a 7-Up photoshoot, welcomed me with open arms. We had time to waste before our noon appointment so we walked around the district "window shopping" welded material and discussed our lives like two elder-aged moms reminiscing grapevine stories. At 12:00 sharp, we speed walked back to the photoshoot location, fitted into samples of HZ-15's newest articles, and jumped onto the bed of a truck to take our photos. Unbeknownst, we had to look emotionless though we appeared more disappointed and glum (which isn't the actual case) after reviewing the final product. Haha! Afterward, a Subway sandwich lunch was on Paola's behalf.

In case any of you are wondering, HZ-15's 2015 line of new clothing will be distributed to select department stores in Poptropica in the beginning of October.

(Raw HZ-15 photoshoot) From left to right: Me, David Erck, and Paola Cucomo.

A Night at the Opera

On Monday, I was sitting at home in San Miranda multitasking until Nathan sneaked up from behind and startled me, dropping my pen in the process of taking notes for a fashion show analysis. I let out a laugh thinking he played a practical joke on me again. (No harm done!) As I went to pick up the pen, he handed me a white envelope with thick rectangular figures enclosed. I quickly figured out what the letter was for and tore open the seal to find three tickets to the premiere of the new contemporary opera, Santa Barbara. I pre-ordered a trio of tickets to see the performance with Nathan, but then I thought, "What's a little more fun if I invite a friend who has distinct taste in opera?" That is when I called Angie Camer, the magnificent Poptropican journalist, to see the show with us.

Yesterday, Nathan and I picked up Angie from the airport and booked an early dinner at Sandtrekker, a Moroccan restaurant Angie wanted a taste at while she was visiting. There, we shared an authentic antipasti platter embellished with fresh olives, khoubz (Moroccan flatbread), Edam cheese, cherry tomatoes, cannellini beans, and a lovely olive tampenade spread smack in the center of the plate.

Afterward, we were at the Brynne Opera House awaiting the wonderful performance of a lifetime. Nathan, Angie, and I sat together near the front where we could see the stage perfectly while at a ear-satisfying distance from the San Miranda Concerto tuning their instruments. As the libretto began, the lights dimmed and spotlights were all directed towards the strong voices. The show is about Champ, a world-renown surfer, meeting an ordinary hairdresser named Florentine. I don't want to give too much away as that will ruin the story line for people who wish to see it, but I will say this: "Santa Barbara is worth sitting for four hours."

(From left to right: Angie, PoptropicaStars, Nathan)
We were standing at the entrance of the Brynne Opera House in our sophisticated casual-wear.