Halloween Puerto Rico Style

Trick or Treat? Oh….how I remember and love those words.

I love Halloween, it reminds me of the happy times I had trick or treating when I was a kid. Being raised in the States, Halloween was always so much fun. I would go all over the neighborhood with my sister and friends trick or treating. Our neighbors would decorate their homes to receive us.

Costumes at Gay Party in San Juan

 I always remember one house. The couple would dress up as witches and do a magic show before giving us candy. I can remember it like it was yesterday and many many years have gone by. Then we would come home and sort out candy with my Mom and Dad. What wonderful carefree days they were. 

Model Lisamaris Rosado

On the Island, kids also go trick or treating. Some parents take them to the mall to trick or treat, because they feel it is safer. Now grown ups...that’s another story. Do these people love to party on Halloween or what!?!?

Drag Queen Luly Haddock 

There is a great Halloween Party that is held in San Juan. It is hosted by the Gay Community and it is amazing. Sometimes my kids go to them and I have seen pics that are incredible. They take this very seriously and their costumes are out of this world! On the other hand religious groups are not so fond of these parties, but to be honest, I think if you don’t harm anyone and just have fun that is perfectly fine. We are living through tough times and it is fun to escape to Fantasyland just for a couple of hours to forget all of our worries. I asked my Curvy Girls from the Island to send me pics of their costumes and I have posted some for my friends in the States to see that we love to party on Halloween…..….Enjoy!!!

Blessings to all,

Marta

Me encanta cuando llega Halloween, me recuerda mi niñez, criadaen los Estados Unidos Halloween era siempre tan divertido, mi hermana y yo íbamos por las casas de nuestro vecindario, los vecinos se lucían decorando sus casas, había una pareja que se vestían de brujas y hacían trucos de magia antes de darnos dulces, luego volvíamos a casa para que mis padres clasificaran los dulces, era todo tan sano en esa época.

Model Rosa M. Rivera

En Puerto Rico Halloween se celebra pero, muchos padres optan por llevar a sus hijos al Centro Comercial a buscar dulces porque se sienten más seguros, ahora si, con los  adultos es otro cuento. En San Juan la comunidad Gay lo celebra por todo lo alto, mis hijos han ido, las fotos son increíbles, ellos toman esta celebración bien en serio y las actividades se hacen sin ningún contratiempo. 

Model Susan Santana

Muchas religiones no están de acuerdo con esta celebración pero es mi sincera opinión que si no le hacen mal a nadie se puede celebrar, estamos viviendo una época difícil y escaparnos al mundo de la fantasía por par de horas nos hace falta!  Este año le pedí a mis chicas con curvas fotos de cómo celebraron su Halloween y las quiero compartir con ustedes….que las disfruten!!!

Model Isaura Garcia

Bendiciones para todos,

Marta

Indianapolis Welcomes Pattern

Last night, fashion professionals from Indianapolis and the surrounding cities got together at the Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art to introduce Pattern. Pattern, birthed from the Indianapolis Fashion Collective,  is a new fashion hub fostering creativity, ingenuity and bringing the fashion community of Indianapolis together for networking and growth opportunities.

Five fashion related businesses got to introduce their services to the guest that attended. They were Aesthetic Design Style House (the fashion services company I work for), Bullet Boutfits (a roller derby clothing line), T.Party & The Snappy Dresser (Kaitlyn Elise's t-shirt company and personal shopping/styling boutique), Minx Vintage (a blog and vintage boutique), and LModelz Model Management. 

 

It was great to be in a room with some AHMAZING and extraordinary people. Pattern will be meeting once a month in different venues throughout the city of Indianapolis. If you are in Indy, you have to make sure to attend one of the future events.

 

 Designer, Co-Worker & friend Amber Fitzgerald with her bestie from England, Emma Jesson

The cutest outfit I saw at IndySwank, a boutique located in the Murphy Building in Fountain Square.

The museum was a wonderful place to host this type of event.

Leslie Turner, Owner of LModelz Management & Designer Catherine Fritsch

Professional Makeup Artist, Kathy Moberly & My friend and boss lady, Julia Rutland of Aesthetic Design Style House

To learn more about Pattern and the fashion community in Indianapolis, make sure you follow them on Facebook and visit their website, IndianapolisFashion.org. 

Janelle

Castelar at the Movies: Real Steel & Killer Elite

It is a true pleasure when a movie lives up to the hype that surrounds it. Shawn Levy directs an astounding film that is a true blockbuster in every sense of the word. This film is a modern sports science fiction tale which is full of emotion, action and phenomenal special effects. The main character of this story is a man named Charlie Kenton who used to be a professional boxer, but in the year 2020 humans have been replaced by robots in boxing. Hugh Jackman portrays this flawed human being as a man who has lost what gave him a true purpose in life and a person who has made many bad choices along the way. Charlie adapts to this harsh new reality by buying robots and making them fight in illegal underground boxing matches so that he can pay his debts, but lately his debts keep piling in and he seems to be running out of options on how to support himself. 

     Suddenly, Charlie finds out that his ex-girlfriend has died and that he must attend a meeting in order to decide who will get custody of his estranged son Max. When Charlie gets to the meeting he finds out that Max’s aunt Debra and her wealthy husband Marvin want full custody of the boy. Being desperate for money Charlie makes a secret deal with Marvin in which he agrees to hand over his son to him and his wife in exchange for a large sum of money. However, Marvin and Debra have to go on a trip and Charlie must take care of the boy for three months. Max is a kid who has some bitterness in his heart, because he knows that his father was never there for him because he isn’t a reliable person. Charlie is a man who runs away from the things that he doesn’t want to face because he doesn’t know how to deal with the consequences of his actions. Both characters are at a crossroads in this particular point in time and they are both trying to find something that will improve their lives.

    There is an evident sense of animosity between Charlie and his son Max. However, Charlie's friend Bailey Tallet acts as the voice of reason for this father and son duo. Bailey who is portrayed by Evangeline Lilly runs the boxing gym of her deceased father who trained Charlie when he was a professional fighter. This woman truly understands Charlie as she has never turned her back on him because she has a deep sense of loyalty and fondness for this man. When Max shows up Bailey takes a liking to this young boy because she sees that he is someone who is just trying to connect with his father in any way that he can. Bailey clearly understands the importance of family as a parent can guide you through the good times and the bad times while giving you the necessary support to find your path in life. The other element that establishes a positive relationship between Charlie and Max is an old robot named Atom who they find in a junkyard.

This robot was the catalyst that brought a sense of unity and gave these protagonists a purpose to do something together that they both loved to do. Common interests can lead you to see just how similar two people can be and by the end of this film both Charlie and Max clearly understood how important they were to each other. This movie has a heart of steel as it shows that if you have the necessary support from the people that you love then you can overcome any obstacle that stands in your way.  

Killer Elite

     Living a life which is full of violence can corrupt the purity of the human soul. In this hostile world, many ruthless people pay a lot of money to eliminate their enemies.  The best contract killers in the business are lethal and calculated human beings that do not rest until their mission is completed. A true stone cold killer doesn’t have any pity or remorse for the people that they kill. On the other hand, as time passes by even the mightiest killer may be consumed by guilt for all of the horrible deeds which have been committed in the past.

The protagonist of this film is Jason Statham and he portrays a vicious assassin named Danny Bryce who is sick and tired of all the violence and the bloodshed which he has caused. Bryce is a man that is tormented by his inner demons as he struggles to keep his sanity in a world that is full of chaos and turmoil. After a lifetime of murder and mayhem, Danny decides to retire from his dangerous profession. Unfortunately, his mentor named Hunter who is marvelously portrayed by Robert De Niro is held captive and this leads Danny to come out of retirement. The best scenes of the entire film are the ones where we have Robert De Niro and Jason Statham acting together since both of these actors are truly fun to watch, because it seems that these men have a genuine charisma which is truly priceless to watch.  

     Danny slowly learns that if he wants to save his friend, he must kill at least three members of the British Special Air Service (SAS). The man who hires Danny to do these dastardly deeds is an Arabian Sheik who seeks vengeance against these men because they have killed 3 of his sons. Sheik Amr is a man who has all the wealth in the world, but he is dying. His final request is that before Bryce kills the men that were responsible for the deaths of his sons he must make each of them confess to what they did while recording it. Of course, this threat does not go unnoticed as a former SAS operative named Spike Logan figures out are what Bryce and his team are up and he decides to stop them by any means necessary. Clive Owen portrays Spike Logan as a man who has a bitter mean streak inside his soul. Spike is a former soldier who doesn’t want a normal life because he considers it to be a dull existence. When Logan is given a specific mission he feels that his life has a purpose and a meaning which isn’t worthless. Obviously, we have two polar opposites in Bryce and Logan as one man wants to disappear without ever harming another person again while the other man wants to remain active in a world which is full of death and destruction. Overall, this action film is a battle of will and wits where one mistake can have serious repercussions in the lives of our protagonists.

Castelar

This Week's Fashion Inspiration: Men's Wear

I got my Harper's Bazaar this past weekend. I love fashion magazines, Jason would even say I'm obsessed with them. I've done A LOT better! In the past, I subscribed to every fashion rag there was. I had laundry baskets full of magazines...I didn't want to throw them away just in case I saw something I wanted to copy or something that caught my eye. Now I only have one subscription now that my Vogue has expired; Harper's...you're my only friend!

Black, white and red is my FAVORITE color scheme. I could dress in those colors at all times. In fact, I have to make myself by some color in my wardrobe. But these two pics from Harper's caught my eye this weekend and they are my fashion inspiration for the week.

I love menswear! In the fall and winter, I barely wear dresses or skirts. Hey...don't judge I live in Indiana and with the cold and snow, skirts are sometimes not an option...AND I HATE TIGHTS AND PANTYHO!!  (Yes I call pantyhose, pantyho, I had a friend in college and that's what is mother used to call them...it's stuck with me ever since.) I'm really stocking up on menswear pieces and I plan to post a menswear OOTD soon. In the meantime...feast on this!

Janelle

Reflection: Race Relations in the Indianapolis Fashion Industry

Indianapolis is one of the most segregated cities in the Midwest. I've come to terms with that...really I have. I grew up in a world where there was no color. People gasped at me when I brought a white man home to visit my family. What did your family say? Say about what?!?! Well....you know about Jason being white? Umm...my family didn't say anything. I don't think they even noticed. I've been in love with every race there is...I'm an equal opportunity lover. (I haven't dated an Asian though, need to fill that void...no really just kidding!) And it's not that I'm naive about race, hatred, and exclusion; it's out there and it's stronger than ever. I just try not to let it rule my life.

This time last year, I decided to follow a dream of mine and work in the fashion industry here in Indianapolis. I didn't know much about our fashion scene, but I knew one was out there. So I started researching to see where I would fit in. I have met so many new and exciting people since I've started to surface among the scene. Too many people to name...but you know who your are. I've also learned of many catty fights and division in the ranks. What do you expect? It is fashion...the mother of all cattiness, but I didn't expect any racial division. I don't know why, it's Indianapolis.

In Indianapolis, we have the black clubs and the white clubs...black stores and the white stores...black salons and white salons. Now don't get me wrong...there are some people of both races that break the mold. They don't follow the status quo and visit places that cater toward the opposite race. But the fashion industry....really?

I saw on Facebook last week a boycott against Midwest Fashion Week because it's founder, a Haitian male has been accused of purposely not promoting African American models and/or designers, because he's ashamed of his African heritage. I was floored, because this same issue was on the tongues of some when the Indianapolis Fashion Collective started. Many people said the organization was full of elitist and didn't want to particpate because they saw no representation of color within the ranks or there was no representation from IFC at the "black" fashion events. STOP PEOPLE!

Are people being too touchy? Are people looking for something to bitch about or does the Indianapolis fashion industry have a problem with color? I think certain people do, we cannot change the ignorance of those who choose to walk down a path of intolerance. But what we can do is support each other, whether that person, model, designer, photographer, or corporation is black or white or any other ethnicity or creed. Let's stop focusing on and fueling the color line, but lets step over it. Because Indianapolis is filled with talent from all sides; just think if we truly all came together and worked on making Indy the new fashion hub of the Midwest. We would be unstoppable.

Janelle 

Nelly Trinidad: Breaking New Ground

Today I’m going to blog about a fashion designer that's caught my eye here on the Island. Her name is Nelly Trinidad. I saw one of her fashion shows and she used a curvy girl. I loved this because it is not common for them to walk the runway with thin models.

Nelly Trinidad

I contacted her and she is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. She told me she was forced to take sewing lessons by her mom when she was 13 years old with Carlota Alfaro, one of the best designers on the Island, but she did not like it at all because she wanted to go to Beauty School!

She put up a sewing shop at her home and sewed non stop leading her to a physical meltdown. Nelly fell into a deep depression for three years, and with the help of her family she got better. 

An interview for WAPA-TV

Later on she realized that being a fashion designer would be her destiny. Her husband, Abimael, bought her a fabric store and things changed around. 

Her models at South Fashion Week

There was a casting for Puerto Rico Next Fashion Designer and she went showcasing her collection Petite. It was a hit! Last month, she participated in South Fashion Week. I saw the designs and they were beautiful.

Nelly and her models at a charity event

Nelly does a lot of charity work and in December she is going to have a fashion show where the proceeds will go to battered women on the Island. Loved that! She tells me she wants to do a fashion show with Curvy girls...loving this idea also. 

Nelly with Neysha Martinez Orengo, the curvy girl she used in her Fashion Show in Puerto Rico Next Fashion Designer.

This amazing woman is so humble telling me she does not want fame or fortune, she just wants people appreciate her designs and enjoy them. That is her greatest triumph. You can be sure I will be going to her December fashion show for battered women and blogging all about it!!

Blessings to all!

Marta

Curvy Girls Brought It

Photo taken from Nuvo TV

So I'm honestly done with reality television. No really...I want some truly scripted TV. But there is always a piece of me that feeds into my reality TV guilty pleasure. I hope the TV gods are not feeding us big gurls what we want and then dump us once they have our undivided attention, because I'm loving all the big gurl reality love!

The Curvy Girls special preview aired last night on NUVO TV, a station I had no idea existed, but it will be set on my favorites list. I know some people don't have this station, but if you have AT&T UVerse you should...SCORE!

The show followed plus size models Rosie, Denise, Lorna and Victoria as they put their best foot forward working in the strenuous and superficial world of modeling.

Okay so I'm a little bias on my cast favorite...I LOVE ROSIE MERCADO!! Such a beautiful humble woman. I had no idea she had three little ones. I'm so happy to see her success and hope she does well in the modeling industry. I wish there was room in the modeling world for a larger woman especially with her proportions. As a hip heavy chica myself, I understand the plight of finding clothes that fit my child bearing hips and would love to see more women on the scene that has that issue. Ms. Rosie is trying to lose weight to get more modeling gigs and we are behind you lady...every bit!

So there was a part where Rosie had a semi blind date with a person she had been chatting with online. Soon as he came into frame, he just seemed smarmy to me. The guy ended up wooing Rosie on their date, but failed to follow through after with communication and phone calls. I hate men...especially men that say I've never dated a plus size girl before. That means you have a problem with it buddy cause if you didn't her size would have never been an issue. Boo Hiss to you sir...

Denise is the face of every plus size retail store on the market. You've seen her EVERYWHERE. I really don't relate to her character at all and since I don't know her personally, just what I've seen on TV, she seems a bit haughty. I do hope that she works out a schedule with her baby daddy so he can see his daughter. I also didn't understand why he showed up at her apartment looking for her while she was in NY. Did you not tell him you were in NY? What if something happened and no one knew where you were? That seemed kinda weird. I hope my instincts are wrong about her because she is truly a beautiful woman, but from the show last night, she sucks a little. But editing is horrible on these shows...

Victoria, another model, has issues with her "botched" ta-ta job was getting on my nerves about her boobs. She had implants done, but the doctor added a little bit too much. So she was unhappy with the result. Victoria wanted to get her secrets reduced. But honestly, her breast looked natural. They looked awesome to me. Eventually she did get the reduction, hopefully the new girls are to her liking...so she can quit being ta-ta obsessed! If she talked about breast ONE MORE time, I was going to go through the TV and choke her.

Lorna is a curvy model looking for work, so she leaves NY and heads for LA to find her mark on the industry. She leaves her boyfriend behind in NY, but tries to get him to come live in LA. Lorna feels long distance relationships doesn't work. I feel her on that! LDR are hard especially if the parties are not willing to work on it and there is always the whole out of sight out of mind saying. I just hope they had that discussion of work when their relationship was still young. As a model, you do live that fast paced life and that may mean moving where the jobs are. I just hope she didn't lose a good thing. I wish her the best and hope to see her face more.

The one thing I loathe was when the girls got together for a luncheon and another model approached Denise out in public calling her and the other ladies out of their name and making a scene. I HATE THAT!! I hate when women, especially black and brown women, act an ass out in public toward each other. You are not going to like everybody and not everyone will like you...that's life. If you have issues with a person, bring that up with that person PRIVATELY. Not on a public street, in a busy restaurant, in front of that person's friends. I mean ol gurl was loud too. The owner escorted her out. I hate that. It makes it rough for Black and Latina girls who don't act in that manner rise above the stereotype. Don't feed into the hype people.

In all, I really enjoyed Curvy Girls and I hope they bring it back for a full season. Like Big Sexy, it is refreshing to see women on television that look like me and share the same feelings and insecurities. In the meantime, I will just wait until someone offers me a show. But you probably wouldn't want to see me and my friends drink wine by the gallon...or would you?

Janelle

Weekend Love & OOTD

This weekend was my anniversary celebration. Because our anniversary was during the week and we had the little one, we had to postpone our festivites until the weekend. Jason and I went to our favorite restaurant, Ruth Chris Steak House, and we came home to a nice bottle of Easley's Reggae Blush wine. Thanks to the beautiful staff at Ruth Chris for making our anniversary wonderful!

In front of the basis of our fights for the past few weeks, the Great Camero Caper of 2011!

Yes...and I took pictures of what I wore...WHAT?!?! This is one of my favorite outfits. It's so light and comfortable. Plus the whole outfit cost under $25!! Yeah...no lie!

Cardigan: Cynthia Rowley Marshall's Clearance $9.99 Dress: Norma Kamali Walmart (Online) $12.99 Boots: Old Navy ~ Two seasons ago

Fashion doesn't have to be expensive!

On a side note, today is picture day at Kiran's school. Ugh for picture day...getting her dressed in the morning is like a part time job, now just add tights. So here is her OOTD...

So early in the morning...

Janelle

We've Come A Long Way, Baby

No...I'm not talking about Virginia Slim cigarettes! It's Jason and I's fifth anniversary. I can't believe it's been five years. Time flies when you're having fun, I guess. It's been one crazy ride. I've been blessed by God to find a best friend, a lover, a confidant and a kindred spirit all wrapped up in a 6'2 package.

2007/2008

2008

2009



2007

2009

Here's to many more years together...love you DJ Wonderloaf!!

Janelle



Fall is Death...LET ME EXPLAIN!

Fall is my FAVORITE time a year. I love wearing sweaters and drinking warm apple cider. I love the brisk wind as it whips through my open windows at night as a snuggle with Jay because we've got no where to go.

It's a season of transition. In my mind, fall is...well death. WAIT!! LET ME FINISH!!  Look around you. Look at the trees with their reds, oranges and yellow leaves or barren with skinny twigs blowing in the breeze. Gestation dying...animals preparing for a seasonal death. Halloween and the Day of the Dead, two holidays that focus on the afterlife or all things fearful. Fall is death, but sets us up for preparation of a new year..new lives.

Now to get prepared for winter and wait for the other transition period...spring. The season that brings life and fruitfulness.

I have a group of friends...we play together...we drink together...we eat together...we cry together...we do everything...well together. But once in a while, we like to get our families together and do some bonding. For our fall outing, I decided we celebrate the season by going to Waterman's Family Farm here in Indianapolis, IN. Here are some of my favorite shots from the day.

Kiran with her second pumpkin of the season.

Donovan searching for that perfect one.

The kids running without a care in the world.

Indiana is so beautiful this time of year.

Kiran vs. Donovan the saga continues!

Welcome fall...oh how I've missed you!

Janelle

Marta's Vacation

If you want to relax, have fun and be pampered for a week what should you do is take a cruise..of course you will not regret it.

I went with my family on a Carribean cruise last week and it was a great experience. We sailed on the Carnival Victory, visiting the Islands of St. Thomas, St, John, Barbados, St, Kitts and St, Maarten in that order.

The tours we took were the one’s that showed us the island. The tour guides were great; explaining everything with detail.

Apolonia and Ana in St. Thomas

In St. Thomas, they took us to the Rum Factory and let us have a sample of each Rum. Well...I tried all the samples and everything was a bit blurry after that. I took a taxi back to the ship because I was literally in a daze. Won’t do that again!

Amber Fountain in St. Thomas worth 2 million dollars

The second day was at sea and it was Captain’s Night where everyone got dressed up, went to the formal dining room and had a great meal. Our waiters were great and the food was amazing.

In St. John, we were taken to another Rum Factory, but this time I just had one sample of Rum. I learned my lesson. We were also taken to an Old Colonial House. Simply beautiful!

Artist Reggie giving a demonstration

I liked the Barbados Tour. They took us to Medford Mahogany Creations. Reggie was the artist. He is so talented, I actually bought one of his creations.

Music in Barbados

Dining room in Colonial home in Barbados

St Kitts was so much fun, we took a train ride all around the island and everytime we passed people they would wave to us. Very friendly.

Train Ride in St.Kitts

The last island was St. Maarten. This island is beautiful. Celebrities like Diana Ross and Chuck Norris have homes here and the views are breathtaking.

Fine Dining

If you decide to go prepare yourself mentally for food 24 hours a day and photograhers popping out from everywhere to take your pic.

I also recommend the comedy shows; they were great especially a comedian named Happy Cole, very talented.

St. Maarten

Well all good things come to an end, but you can be sure that will not be my last time on a cruise vacation, God willing. So remember when you plan your next vacation think about crusin, believe me you will have a great time!

Blessings to all,

Marta