Thursday, September 30, 2010

All Nighter!

What an experience!! The Travie McCoy shoot was awesome!! It sure did start a little sticky (especially as it was just over 100F and the generator in the Hair & make up trailer died)! However it quickly began at a swift pace as everyone was working with a time crunch! We were all pressed for time a we had to shoot the entire video by sunrise!! Oh and have a meal break at 1am ;) Travie was suuuch a nice guy!

Here are some sneak peak photos but I cant put photos that are going to give away the video BUT as soon as the vid is released Ill be sure to put some great ones up with Travie and behind the scenes!







Regarding the food on set, there was the typical Kraft services which consisted of sodas, Lays, cheetos, Doritos, Vickies chips (step up! lol), Ritz crackers, fruit and veggies and this one had PB and J sandwiches! Not bad huh. But of course not the most nutritional. 

For the meal though I thought by far this one was sooo good compared to others Ive had! It was all homemade by the lady who brought it (i checked with her :P) and consisted of 2 types of salads, meat pasta, vegetarian pasta, grilled veggies, chicken, carrot cake, chocolate chip cookies and juices! I was in heaven! Her veggie pasta was so simple but delicious and the carrot cake was so light and fluffy!

It kinda all inspired me to try/come up with a new recipe! Check this out!!

Fusilli Pasta with Spinach and Cheese (I recommend Asiago! :P)


What you need!
-1 pound fusilli pasta (Wheat or original)
-1/4 cup olive oil
-1 garlic clove, minced
-1 (9-ounce) bag fresh spinach, roughly chopped
-8 ounces (1/2 pint) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
-1 cup (about 3 1/2-ounces) grated Asiago (or the cheese of your choice!)
-1/2 cup grated Parmesan (Freshly grated is waaay better!!)
-1 teaspoon salt (Try Mediterranean salt!)
-3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


What to do!
Cook Pasta as package suggests. Beware not to overcook the pasta! Drain Pasta, save 1/2 cup of the liquid.


Warm olive oil in large, heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook until you get that wonderful aroma, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and tomatoes and cook until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. Add the cooked pasta and toss. Add the cheeses, salt and pepper as well as the cooking liquid you saved and stir. (Mmmm smells good huh)


Plate the pasta and enjoy! Pretty  & delicious huh!! :) mmmm & healthy!


A Few More Photos from Audreys Night Out!

Here's a few more photos! :)

Me, Kimmy and Jessica 
CC Couture


Mik Imik

Dress Im wearing is Alexander Wang :) In red is model Patricia

Monday, September 27, 2010

Shoot Tonight

Hey everyone,

So Im super excited for tonight because I got the job as the Lead Female in Travie McCoy's new video "Need you"!! Click here for you tube video! Im so excited to shoot it that the idea of shooting from 7pm to probably 3 or 4 in the morning doesn't sound too horrible. Wish me luck!! :)

Also I just wanted to make sure that all of my readers who are in california- Yes there's a heat-wave this week! Temps in the 100 are expected! SO please everyone stay hydrated!! SPF up!! and make sure if you have pets they're hydrated and have shade!

The pro about this weather- we finally have summer sunshine! :)

So here's a fun drink recipe I like to cool down with on a day like this! :)

Watermelon chill (this recipe will serve about 6 drinks)

5 pounds/about 1/2 medium size watermelon
16 ounces lemonade (try homemade lemonade or buy some good quality lemonade at the store- its a heat wave after all!! lol)
If your over 21 or legal to drink- you could totally pour in your favorite alcohol like vodka or tequila. However keep it a mocktail to stay healthier and lighter!

Working in batches of cut up watermelon, puree the chunks in a blender until  its a liquid juice texture. Strain through a sieve if your not a pulp person. You should at this point have about 4 cups of pretty pinkish red juice!
Combine the juice with the lemonade in a pitcher.
Pour into tall glass filled with crushed ice and add a watermelon wedge for decor (and a pretty finish) and voila! Stay cool with this healthy, yummy chiller!

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Sunday Brunch- finally a day to myself :)

So its sunday and wow am I exhausted! On Saturday I had such a busy day starting with a drive up to LA at 6am for Bailey Blue's Spring/summer 2011 look book and then a couple hours after that ended I shot a Nicki menaj feat Will.I.Am music video (their new song Check it out- its quite catchy actually :P).
BUT I dont want to focus on that this post as Im gonna dedicate a separate post to that day and how it went down but in this post I want to share with you my recipe for what I made this morning! :)

I wanted to make something a little more special than a usual breakfast (especially since I was having breakfast with RJ so it had to be some what impressive :P) but at the same time I was craving some sort of comfort type food to add to the relaxed, lazy sunday atmosphere. Soooo i decided I want FRENCH TOAST!!

But not just any french toast! I wanted to experiment with French Toast Casserole!! mmm yummm!

Oh and I also decided to play with a banana bread recipe as I had 3 perfectly over-ripe bananas!! :) :)

Here's the recipe and some pics! :)

Playing with Banana Bread

What you need:
-1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
-1 tsp baking soda
-1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
-pinch of nutmeg
-1/2 tsp salt
-3/4 cup sugar
-1/4 cup brown sugar plus 2 tablespoons
-2 eggs
-1/2 cup oil
-3 large very ripe bananas mashed
-2 tbsp creme fraiche or milk if you dont want to use cream
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-2/3 cup walnuts (toasted and chopped) or substitute it with chocolate chips (yummm) or do half and half! (its what I did and its gooood)

Preheat the oven 350F. Line bottom of loaf pan with parchment paper. (or grease a lof pan)
Sift/mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
Beat sugar and eggs with a whisk until light and fluffy (it took me like 8-10 minutes to get a gooood texture). Drizzle in oil. Add mashed bananas, creme fraiche and vanilla.
Fold in the dry ingredients carefully. When well mixed, gently fold in the walnuts/chocolate chips.
Pour into your pan. Sprinkle the 2 tbsps of brown sugar on top of the batter. Bake for about 45 minutes. :)

French Toast Casserole

What you need:
-5 cups bread cubes (you can use any bread, I prefer challah, whole wheat or if your feeling sinful- TEXAS TOAST! mmmm!)
-4 eggs
-1 1/2 cups milk
-1/4 cup white sugar (divided-means we'll use 2 tbsps at a time)
-1/4 tsp salt
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 tbsp butter or margarine softened
-1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven 350F. Lightly butter an 8x8 inch baking pan or casserole dish
Line bottom of pan with bread cubes. In a bowl beat together eggs, milk, 2 tbsp sugar, salt, and vanilla.
Pour egg mixture over the bread. Dot with butter/margarine and let it stand for about 5-10 minutes.
Combine the remaining sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. *Drizzle some maple syrup over the top for a delicious kick!
Bake in oven for about 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is a beautiful golden color with hits of brown crusts! Mmmm you'll love this! :)


MMM baking in the oven... getting excited!

So... Im thinking it was a success! ;)

Finally found some photos! :)

Hey everyone!

So ive been searching and searching and I finally found these pics. Not the greatest but theyre better than all the iphone's and Droid's attempts :P

First face and opening girl of show for designer Yumi Kim

Designer: Mik Imik

CC Couture

Jenny Han

Fleurt (Final face and closing girl of show)

Loving the crowd!! :)

until the next post! :) xoxo

Friday, September 24, 2010

Fittings, rehearsals, hair & make up!

7:30am Im in the car, banana in hand, gas tank full and on the road to LA. Call time for Audreys Fashion night out for models was 10:30am! After fighting LA traffic and impatient drivers, I finally make it to the Petersen Automotive Museum at 10:15am- PERFECT! :)

Im the first one there and receive a lovely compliment about always being so punctual. I love it! Some of the other models start to arrive however by 11:45 only a few models are on set and several missing. IMPORTANT TIP!: no matter how big, famous, awesome, valued, wanted etc you are or think you are, dont be late and make everyone wait for you! Dont assume that others will be late so therefore you can be late. Being on time if not early is not only gonna avoid stressful situations for you, it will give you a good reputation in whatever industry you are in.

The day consisted of lots of fitting and styling into clothes for each designer/walk, practice of walks, rehearsal and of course hair and make up! :) Here are some pictures from the prep before the show! :)






Homework, banana, mini-muffins... my attempt at being productive and keeping healthy even while waiting around all day! :)














Fitting into my final outfit! A cute lingerie slip and an adorable huge bow to keep the show classy and my butt out of the spotlight! :P


















My poster with all my looks, order, and Polaroids! Super helpful for my dresser and I when trying to change into the next look as fast as possible!












My rack!! Al my clothes lined up and ready for me to jump into! Check out that red coat hanging- it looks awesome on! Gotta post a pic of that on me! :)















Hair and make up setting up! They had the super squad of hair and make up artists! Amazing job!





The stage while they were building it and putting it together. You'll see it all done up in my next post and wow did it turn out well! Amazing what people can do!









Backstage in between looks! Frantically dressing as fast as possible and running to the stage (in 4 inch heels btw!! lol)! In this picture Im caught in the act of trying to rush into the final look for the lingerie designer Fleurt! I was the closing girl!! :)












Upcoming post of pictures from the show soon (hopefully some professionally taken ones for better quality :P) !! :) Thanks! xoxo

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Less than 48 hours till the BIG EVENT!

So there's no time to make drastic, life altering change BUT in the next couple days/less than f8 hours, I'm going to share with you some things I've found helpful to get you looking and (more importantly) feeling great for a big event- in my case Audrey's Fashion Night Out 2010!

The PLAN! A combination of the right fitness, food and sleep is essential when I prepare for an event like this!

First, before anything, make sure you get a good amount of rest before your big event. You want to look refreshed and bright eyed for the event, not haggard and tired!

FITNESS

Get moving & sweat!
  Sweat, sweat and more sweat!! Doing some form of cardio exercise will leave you feeling lighter and less bloated. Plus it's always good to get in a good calorie burn session! Try to choose a cardio workout that targets the entire body. My pick---> Kickboxing & Jumprope!





Toned & Tight!
  Apart from cardio, while preparing for a big event (especially one they may be a chance to show of that bod of yours), try to do a type of exercise that has some orm of strength, resistance and stability element to it. This may be either pilates, ballet barre work, gravity training or even a 40 minute session of strength training using light weights and lots of reps and even a bosu ball! You can even use other tools that most gyms have like med balls, yoga balls, magic circles etc to really get it tight! My Pick---> Pilates reformer session and AB blast!

DONT FORGET TO STRETCH! You don't want to be super sore for your event! Drink lots of water too so your skin looks fresh and to make sure you feel your best!

FOOD

Keep eating! A lot of people who have an event coming up believe that the best and fastest thing to do before an event is to stop eating... basically starve! That is a huge NO NO! It not only sounds unpleasant, hard, painful and uncomfortable but its doesnt work and leaves you feeling horrible! Trust me I know! It's also not to mention dangerous and unhealthy! You'll be tempted to binge eat, not work out due to fatigue, and feel sickly- all things you dont want before your big event!! So here's what I recommend and am doing :)

Eat more!... no seriously! 
  Okay I obviously dont mean go out to the first In n Out or Five guys and order yourself a double double or huge burger with the works on it. I mean eat little portions, lots of times a day. You want to try and get about 5-6 small, nutritious meals in a day instead of 3 filling meals. Have something hearty when you wake up, mid- morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, light dinner and, if you want, an evening snack. (TIP: try not to eat at least 2 hours prior bedtime) Do this and you'll feel fuller longer and wont fel any cravings and sinful desires for some sweet stuff!

But what 5 times a day?!?!?!
  So what should you be consuming less than 48 hours to your big event? From my experiences, research, experiments and finds, the best  things to eat so close to an event are:
  -Veg out!- get lots of greens and colorful veggies. They can be eaten raw or cooked and can be done up soooo many different ways!! Plus even if you eat a few more than you planned on its fine because these earthy yummies are so great for you!
  -Lean protein!- White meats like chicken breast, fish, turkey or even eggs (preferably egg whites) are great for lunch eats or dinner. You'll feel energized, light, full and satisfied :). Plus there are so many ways to make a meal using these as your starring ingredient.
  -Certain fruits!- fruits are great ways to cure a sweet craving but beware what fruit you consume this close to a big event! Stick to fruits like bananas, apples, blueberries and pears. Try to avoid fruit like watermelon that have a very watery texture as these have a similar bloated affect as if you chugged a glass of water. You'll feel and look bloated.
  -Nuts and grains!- a small serving of raw nuts like almonds are great choices for snacks. Grains like quinoa, muesli, or granola are better choices if you feel the need for grain or something more substantial than veggies.
 -Water!- Im a huge fan of water with a hit of lemon! Its hydration and a detox all in one!! :)

Here's a couple of great recipes you should try that I certainly will be including in my meal plan for the day! :)

Morning Smoothie

In a blender put:
-1 whole banana
-1/4 cup blueberries
-1/4 cup blackberries
-3 large strawberries (sliced)
-2 scoops of acai powder
-splash of almond milk (or more- you want just enough so it blends smooth)
-some ice cubes
Voila! A yummy morning smoothie to start your day right and light! :)
TIP: if you'd like a protein boost add a scoop of your fav protein powder or I like to put a 1/2 teaspoon of Spirulina! <-- Click for more info

Bright and light salad

In a bowl toss:
-handful of romaine lettuce
-handful of spinach
-1/4 cup walnuts or almonds
-balsamic vinegar
-olive oil
-salt and pepper
Place in bowl and add:
-sliced fruit of choice like strawberries or grape (optional)
- sliced green and red bell peppers
- a few cherry tomatoes
-some like to add black olives and sliced onions to this (optional)
-sprinkle feta cheese on top
Voila! A Bright and light, remixed greek salad!

More recipes and pictures of the outcomes in the next few posts!

xoxo

Audrey's Fashion Night Out 2010! Come see me walk the walk! :P

Hey everyone!

Come support me & watch me walk the runway as a featured professional model at Audrey's Night Out 2010! Its going to be glamorous, incredible and so much fun! There will be music, models, fashion, and lots of drinks! It'll be a party to remember!



Quick! Buy your tickets before you miss out!! :) Who knows... perhaps i'll be first faced.. maybe closing face... come find out for yourself!! :)

xoxo

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Welcome to my new blog!

Keep up to date on what's happening in my world! From modeling jobs to horse shows and training to fun fitness experiments and of course yummy recipes I've created, tried and tested! :)

Model represented by Wunder Management

Philippines Equestrian Team. Training with Rebecca Rigdon at Arroyo Del Mar!

Need to be fit+food lover= fun, new recipes to try and fun ways to be fit and in shape!