OOTD: Motownphilly Back Again

Such a dark, dank, and rainy day here in Indianapolis. had to take my OOTD inside...in a stairwell. Remember back in the 90's when Boys II Men and Mary J. made it cool to wear neckties. I had so many neckties in high school, it was an illness...Looney Tunes ties...solid colored ties...crazy! Anyhoo, I thought I'd reach into my high school days and do something fun. Yeah...I forgot my accessories today. Kiran and I are not morning people...so we fuss and fight and cry every morning. These were one of those mornings!

Shirt: Roaman's ~ Jeggings: Torrid ~ Necktie: Walmart ~ Vest: K&G Fashion Superstore ~ Boots: Old Navy

Have a GREAT day...thank God for the short week!

Janelle



Welcome Damariz to our Family!

Ruby Leonne has grown in the short two years we've been on the web and we are excited about the future. Starting in January, we will have a new layout, we will have seasonal fashion editorial features with a new fashion editorial editor, and now we have a new beauty editor.

I would like to introduce you to Damariz Candelario.

Damariz is a curvy Puerto Rican native residing in San Antonio, Texas. With 14 years in the beauty industry as a MUA, she ignites everyone with her passion for life, beauty, and glamour.

Please welcome Damariz to the Ruby Leonne family and look for her first post soon!



Castelar at the Movies: Puss in Boots

This film explores the origins of this feline adventurer who started out as a lonely orphan. Fortunately, this young cat was found and raised by a woman known as Imelda. This good hearted woman ran an orphanage and in that particular orphanage Puss met Humpty Dumpty who in this film is voiced by Zach Galifianakis.

Humpty Dumpty is an ingenious character who believes in fairy tales and there is one story in particular that caught his attention. Throughout the years, Humpty had been looking for the mythical magic beans that would lead him to find the Golden Goose. Puss decides to join Humpty on his quest and during their first years they began stealing every single bean that they could in order to find these legendary beans. Eventually, a single event would change the course of their friendship forever.

One day, Puss saves the life of an old lady which makes him a hero. As a token of his bravery, he is given his famous attire which he wears throughout the film as his personal trademark. From that moment onward, he becomes the courageous Puss in Boots; but as time went on his best friend Humpty Dumpty winds up on the opposite side of the law since Puss wasn’t there to convince him to follow a righteous path full of moral excellence.  

     Afterwards, Puss is tricked by his best friend into doing something which would make him an outlaw; constantly hunted down by the law. During this time, Puss wanders across the land as an unwelcomed outsider who constantly has many romantic adventures while flirting with danger at every turn. When Puss finds out that the magical beans that he had been looking for most of his life exist, he decides to steal them from its current owners.

The magical beans are held by Jack and Jill, the most dangerous and ruthless criminals that currently exist. These murderous outlaws are two of the most despicable characters that I have seen in these types of films as they are a pair of vile and conniving human beings that you can easily despise.

One of the best characters in this film is the slick and sexy Kitty Softpaws, who is one of the best cat thieves in the world.  Puss meets this mysterious character when it is evident that she also wants to steal the magical beans from Jack and Jill. Salma Hayek voices this sexy and dangerous feline with efficacy and at the same time she adds an interesting character to this film that is both wild and enjoyable to watch.

Overall, the film explores the themes of loneliness, honor, friendship, and betrayal in a way that is both entertaining and efficient which manages to please its audience with ease. 

Castelar

Sheraton Caguas Real Hotel & Casino Puerto Rico

Pool area

We have many great hotels in Puerto Rico. Today I’m blogging about one that is 15 minutes away from my home, in Aguas Buenas. It is the Four Points by Sheraton Caguas Real Hotel and Casino. We had to find a place for a photo shoot for the magazine Style & Mode, and wanted it to be a beautiful place because we were showcasing a model in evening dresses. I decided to contact the administration to see if we could do the shoot there and they were very gracious giving us permission to use the facilities.

I want to thank Griselle Vazquez, the manager, for her nice gesture, and Torrid for their beautiful dresses.

Shoot near the fountain- Ana wearing Torrid

We headed to the hotel with aspiring plus model, Ana García and photographer Ricardo Mercado. I was at awe when I saw the hotel. You leave the city and enjoy the peace of the country. This Puerto Rico Hotel offers what you want and need, whether traveling for business or pleasure and it is a short drive from downtown San Juan and a couple minutes away from major corporations.

Fine Dining at X.O. Bistro

You can play a few rounds of golf, lounge by the pool, or go to the Casino; being the perfect retreat. The food is also excellent! The people who work there are so nice, they gave us the royal treatment… We wrapped up the shoot and the pics came out beautiful, I gave you a preview of some pics I took. The rest will be in Style and Mode next week, looking forward to that!

Garden

If you are planning a vacation do not hesitate to stay at this great hotel, I definitively give it five stars…

Blessings to all...

Shoot inside the Hotel

Marta

OOTD: Houndstooth & Leopard RAWR

Angela and I have a great past time...going through Facebook and finding ghetto pics. It really makes the work day go by fast and it brings joy to our lives. We've noticed, so many people are doing impromptu photo shoots. So at work this morning, we decided to have our own mini photo shoot outside of our office.

On Janelle: Scarf: Lane Bryant ~ Blazer: Ashley Stewart ~ Tank: K&G Fashion Superstore ~ Jeans: Lane Bryant T3 ~ Purse: Goodwill

On Angela: Sweater: Lane Bryant ~ Cami: Lane Bryant ~ Skirt: Old Navy ~ Tights: Avenue ~ Boots: Lane Bryant

And for my ghetto pic of the day...naturally a prison pose. It was kinda hard to stand up after this...I need to do some squats!

Janelle



My Baby's All Grown Up and Going to China: Shirley Ortiz

Ready...set...go!!! Our beautiful model Shirley Ortiz, a native from Guayama, Puerto Rico, will be leaving on November 23, 2011 to represent the Island at the Elite Model Look 2011 in Shanghai, China. Shirley is 18 years old and she was the winner of the Elite Model Look Puerto Rico; held during the opening of Puerto Rico High Fashion Week last October.

This beauty is 5’9, she is known for being humble, disciplined and a people person if you will!! She loves to dance, go out with her friends, listen to music and model. This is her passion! Shirley is very excited because this has been a dream come true for her. She knows the competition will be tough, but she believes in herself and is going to do the best she can to win the title.

She is being prepared by a great model agency named Unica; being in intensive training mastering the catwalk, photography, exercise, and personal care. Caridad Fernández, president of EMLPR said, Shirley has all the attributes to be in the finalists or even win the competition, although it is a tough competition...there are 70 countries that are going to participate! The competition will be held on December 6, 2011...looking forward to that!!!

Shirley, we wish you all the best! You can be sure that we will be cheering you on….and always remember, we will always be by your side even if you are thousands of miles away!!!

Blessings to all,

Marta

Shirley Ortiz oriunda de Guayama, Puerto Rico saldrá el 23 de Noviembre de 2011 para representar a la Isla en el Elite Model Look 2011 en Shanghai, China. Shirley tiene 18 años, fue la ganadora de el Elite Model Look de Puerto Rico que se celebró durante la inaguración de Puerto Rico High Fashion Week el cual se celebró el pasado mes de Octubre.

Esta belleza es 5'9, es conocida por ser humilde, y es muy disciplinada. Sus pasatiempos son bailar, salir con sus amigos, escuchar música y el modelaje, este es su pasión. Shirley esta muy entusiasmada porque este ha sido un sueño hecho realidad para ella, ella sabe que la competencia será fuerte, pero ella cree en sí misma y va a hacer lo mejor que pueda para ganar el título.

Está siendo preparada por la prestigiosa agencia de modelos llamada Unica, está en un curso intensivo de pasarela, fotografía, ejercicio y cuidado personal. Caridad Fernández, presidenta de la EMLPR dijo “Shirley tiene todos los atributos para estar entre las finalistas ó incluso ganar la competencia, aunque es una competencia fuerte, hay 70 países que van a participar.” La competencia se llevará a cabo el 6 de diciembre de 2011.

Shirley te deseamos todo lo mejor del mundo y puedes estar segura que tendrás todo nuestro apoyo ....recuerda que siempre estaremos a tu lado apoyandote, aunque te encuentres a miles de kilómetros de distancia!!!!

Bendiciones para ti….

Marta

Castelar at the Movies: Johnny English Reborn

   I will admit this is one of the wackiest sequels in the annals of movie history. The fictitious character of Johnny English is the opposite of James Bond in every way.  He is clumsy, unsophisticated and he doesn’t have the rugged charm of 007, but this secret agent is without a doubt a hoot to watch since this character is hilariously funny in every scene that he is in.  Honestly, Rowan Atkinson is perfect for this role as his mannerisms and comedic timing are simply impeccable which makes the film more enjoyable to watch. In the beginning of this sequel, we find Johnny English in Tibet because one disastrous mission made him lose his confidence in himself to remain as an MI7 agent. This particular mistake which has scarred Johnny’s psyche was both tragic and embarrassing. In essence Johnny is trying to seek enlightenment as penance for his earlier mistakes and he realizes that his road towards redemption will be an arduous one.

   Eventually, English returns to MI7 to thwart an evil plot by a mysterious organization known as Vortex. This time around his new boss is Pamela Thornton who is adequately portrayed by Gillian Anderson. Anderson portrays this authority figure as a person who always has a serious demeanor while being very strict with her agents. Johnny sees that his new superior doesn’t fully trust him as he is forced to team up with another agent during this new mission. Daniel Kaluuya portrays Johnny’s new partner named Agent Tucker who instantly realizes that working with Johnny is going to be a wild ride full of errors, danger and mayhem. These two men are very different, but they both learn to rely on each other when their lives are at risk. Furthermore, both Johnny and Tucker realize that the Vortex organization is constantly one step ahead of them and that this devious organization will eliminate anyone who gets in their way. 

     In order for Johnny to defeat this evil threat, he must come face to face with the memories which he has repressed inside his mind. These memories contain the necessary clues that will help him in his latest mission. Luckily, Johnny is able to access these repressed memories which have scarred him for life with the help of Kate Summers, MI7’s behavioral psychologist. Rosamund Pike portrays this character as an intelligent and determined woman who helps Johnny to deal with his inner demons while giving him the necessary confidence to defeat his enemies. In the end, Johnny’s unorthodox tactics and unpredictable behavior create some memorable moments throughout the film as most of the jokes in this comedy work terrifically. Even though Johnny English is too gullible and naïve, he is still one of the most hilarious characters I’ve seen on the Silver Screen.

Castelar

Retro Rewind: Layaway Is Back

I remember when I was a kid, my mother was the queen of layaway. She was a single parent with two kids and a disabled mother, so layaway was a jewel from the shopping gods.

But soon layaway went out of existence, with the increase number of people who have credit cards. Since the credit slump and the recent economy, many people have done away with their credit cards. As many retailers face quarterly losses, they are trying to find new ways to increase consumer

spending.

DAH DAH DAH DUM...Layaway is back and more retailers and consumers are taking advantage. With a little down and a small payment every week or two, you can get your heart's desire without going into debt or accruing any interest charges.

With the Christmas shopping season coming soon, I figured I would take advantage of layaway and wanted to see who still offers it.

Here are a few retailers that have an in-store layaway program:

Ashley Stewart

Burlington Coat Factory

Dress Barn

KMart

Marshall's

TJ Maxx

Sears

Walmart

Can you add to the list?

Janelle

Reflection: Give Me Some Candy Lady

Picture taken from Candy Land Wiki

So I was playing Candy Land with Kiran last night...you know spending some quality time with the kid. She picks her card and it takes her to Peanut Ville or something or other and she screams in excitement, OOOHHH I'm winning...I get to go to the Peanut Lady!! She's big and fat just like you! 

The fat girl in me almost forgot Kiran is a five year old and wanted to punch her in the mouth. Instead I shook it off and said that is not nice then nothing else was said. Kiran looked at me like what did I do?!?! We wrapped up the game, I put her little butt in the tub for bath time, then completed our nightly ritual.

Once Kiran was in bed, my emotions got the best of me and I ate eight chocolate single serving bars from her Halloween basket. Take that little one...the big fat lady is smashing your Crunch bars!!  As the chocolate overtook my mouth, I came to and couldn't believe the comments of a kindergartner would cause me to go into a depression...and later possibly a diabetic coma. 

Then I pull myself together and remember Kiran is coming from a background that is engulfed in the obsession with size. My sister is a size zero and still thinks she could lose a few pounds. One of the reasons she had an issue with Kiran not being involved in her dance classes as much as she told my mother...she didn't want Kiran to sit over my house and get fat. 

It also brought me to the realization I still have a ways to go before I'm truly comfortable in my own skin with  my own size. Yes...I do stand to lose some weight health wise, but I also need to re-evaluate the situation and see why that comment got under my skin.

I will say this...it's time for Kiran and I to have the beauty and self acceptance talk. I don't want her to obsess over weight the way her mother and I do. I don't want it to control or take over her life. I don't want her to look at someone and the first thing she sees is weight, height, race or disability. I want her to be a healthy young woman inside and out, but first I have to deal with some demons myself.

I will say this...at least Gamma Nutt knows how to accessorize!

Janelle

Castelar at the Movies: Footloose

Nowadays there are a few movie remakes which are truly satisfying. Fortunately, the remake of the beloved 1984 original which launched Kevin Bacon’s career is one of the best remakes that I have watched this year. First and foremost, this new version is wilder, sexier and darker in some aspects if you compare it to the original film.

This time around, Kenny Worlmald portrays the rambunctious outsider named Ren McCormack who comes to live with his aunt and uncle in the small southern United States town of Bomont; where he quickly realizes the youth of this town is miserable because of the strict laws of their small town. The town quickly breaks up any type of social gathering which involves loud music and dancing.

Worlmald’s performance is good, but the real standout of the film is Miles Teller who portrays Ren’s sidekick Willard Hewitt. Teller easily creates an endearing character which is funny and amusing to watch in every single scene that he is in. Willard’s friendship with Ren is one of the best aspects of the movie as these young actors seem to have a natural chemistry working with each other. 

    Julianne Hough portrays Ariel Moore in a convincing manner as she is a tough and wild young woman who is miserable because of the laws that her hometown has approved which in many aspects chain her freedom to express herself like she wants to. Ariel is a rebellious teenager who constantly likes to flirt with danger at every turn. Her father, Reverend Shaw Moore is a man who has lost his son in a fatal car accident and this tragic event has driven him to become an overprotective father figure for the entire town of Bomont. 

Reverend Moore firmly believes that the only way to protect the young members of his community is by abolishing any type of inadequate behavior. Reverend Moore is portrayed by Dennis Quaid as a man who is a natural born leader and a pillar of the community that acts as a moral guardian that wants to keep everybody safe and sound. However, by trying to protect the young members of his community he has failed to focus his attention on the one person that needs his guidance the most and that’s his own daughter. Both parents and children make mistakes and when someone makes a mistake that creates an opportunity for them to learn from their personal errors. 

Castelar

San Juan Beauty Show

Entrance to the San Juan Beauty Show

Out of this world!! This is how I would describe the San Juan Beauty Show this year, celebrating their 15^th anniversary. I went with my photographer, Apolonia Vargas and my official Curvy model Ana García, to the event and we had so much fun! I met Victor Pino one of the organizers; a very gracious man and he gave us our VIP passes.

First we went to the Beauty Show itself. I was literally in beauty heaven. They had a full house as always. My first stop was to go say hi to my friend Millie Banchs, the make up artist to the stars. She was with Lourdes Chacon, a beautiful artist from the Island.

Millie Banchs and Lourdes Chacon

I visited many booths. The prices were great and the people...so nice. I especially liked the body painting. It was incredible! They had conferences about everything that had to do with beauty. I sat down for a while and listened to their lectures. They gave great tips! I also went to see the makeup competition. This year it was hard to pick a winner because they all did a great job. The models looked stunning.

Marta and Millie Banchs

We went to the green carpet event. They interviewed people in the beauty industry and local artists from the Island. I felt like I was in Hollywood! Then we went to the cocktail party before the fashion shows and the awards.

Interviewing Nelly Trinidad

I got to go backstage and say hi to designer Nelly Trinidad, as always so sweet and humble. She looked like a diva in her beautiful white dress. Her models looked incredible and her fashion show was amazing! To end the night, designer Carlos Alberto showed his collection...beautiful as well. The Latin American Awards were given out.

Guests at the Green Carpet

I want to congratulate the San Juan Beauty Show organizers, their show was amazing!!!

Blessings to all,

Marta

Fuera de este mundo, así es como yo describiría El San Juan Beauty Show de este año, celebrando su quince aniversario. Fui con mi fotógrafa Apolonia Vargas y mi modelo con curvas Ana García, nos divertimos muchísimo! Conocí a Víctor Pino uno de los organizadores, un hombre muy amable que nos dio la pases VIP.

Giving facials

Primero fuimos al evento y yo estaba literalmente en el cielo de la belleza con tantas cosas bellas que vi allí, tenían casa llena como siempre. Mi primera parada fue ir a saludar a mi amiga Millie Banchs, la maquillista de las estrellas, ella estaba con Lourdes Chacón, una artista bella de la Isla. Visité muchas estaciones de productos, tenian muy buenos precios y la gente, muy agradable. Me gustó mucho la pintura corporal, era increíble, habian conferencias de todo relacionado a la belleza, me senté un rato a escuchar sus conferencias, y dieron muy buenos consejos!

Apolonia and Ana at the cocktail

También fui a ver a la competencia de maquillaje, este año fue difícil elegir un ganador, porque todos hicieron un gran trabajo, las modelos lucían regias! Fuimos al evento de la alfombra verde, donde entrevistaron a personas de la industria de la belleza y los artistas locales de la isla, me sentí que estaba en Hollywood con tanto glamour!!!!

One of their gorgeous models

Nelly Trinidad and her beautiful models

Luego fuimos al cóctel antes de los desfiles de moda y los premios, fui a saludar a mi amiga la diseñadora Nelly Trinidad, como siempre tan dulce y humilde, parecía una Diva con su bello vestido blanco y sus modelos estaban preciosas, su desfile de moda fue increíble! Para finalizar la noche el diseñador Carlos Alberto mostró su colección, hermosa también y los Premios de América Latina fueron otorgados.

Body Painting

Quiero felicitar a los organizadores del San Juan Beauty Show, el evento fue increíble y un éxito total!!!

Bendiciones a todos,

Marta

San Juan Beauty Show: November 6-7

In Puerto Rico, people love anything that has to do with beauty; from fashion shows, to beauty contests to beauty shows. The most important Beauty Show of the Caribbean, The San Juan Beauty Show, celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. They are going to have the Latin American Awards recognizing talent that have contributed to the Beauty Industry with the famous Red Carpet. It will be held on November 6-7 at the Convention Center of Puerto Rico in San Juan. Looking forward to that!!

The San Juan Beauty Show Inc. is an international company that was founded in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1997. As beauty industry developers they offer seminars, shows and services that contribute to professional growth. Their objectives are to reach and maintain a position of leadership in the industry by supporting activities, recruiting educators, and maintaining and organized show of international projection. I have gone to these shows and trust me they are incredible.

Nelly Trinidad and her model Andrea Nicole on their way to the Press Conference

The distributor, the exhibitor and the manufacturer work in an extensive environment that is favorable to advertising and business. Their achievements have been acknowledged by the cosmetologists from the Caribbean and Latin America who have attended their activity; which attracts over 67,000 people. Amazing! This year my friend, designer Nelly Trinidad will be showcasing her collection Le Petite along with the famous designer Carlos Alberto. I was asked to cover the event for Ruby Leonne by Victor Pino one of the organizers, a very gracious and professional man, I’m so looking forward to that. So stay tuned to my next blog, I will be blogging about everything that happened at this amazing show!!!

Blessings to all,

Marta

En Puerto Rico a nuestra gente le encanta todo lo que tiene que ver con la belleza, desfiles de moda, concursos de belleza y  eventos de belleza. El evento de belleza más importante del Caribe es El San Juan Beauty Show ycelebra su  aniversario número quince este año, van a tener los premios de América Latina reconociendo el talento que ha contribuído a la industria de la belleza y las artes con la famosa alfombra roja y se va a llevar a cabo los dias 6 y 7 de Noviembre en el Centro de Convenciones de Puerto Rico en San Juan, me imagino que va a ser espectacular!

Full house EVERY year!!!

El San Juan Beauty Show Inc. es una compañía internacional que se fundó en San Juan, Puerto Rico en 1997. Estos desarrolladores de la industria de la belleza  ofrecen seminarios, espectáculos y servicios que contribuyen al crecimiento profesional. Sus objetivos son alcanzar y mantener una posición de liderazgo en la industria mediante el apoyo a las actividades, la contratación de educadores y el mantenimiento y la muestra organizada de proyección internacional. He ido a este evento y es increíble!

Designer Carlos Alberto

 Sus logros han sido reconocidos por los cosmetólogos del Caribe y América Latina que han asistido a sus actividades, y que atrae a más de 67,000 personas! Mi opinión es que su gran trabajo en equipo ha sido el éxito por todos estos años. Este año, mi amiga, la diseñadora Nelly Trinidadestará presentando su colección Le Petite junto con el famoso diseñadorCarlos Alberto. Victor Pino me pidió cubrir el evento para Ruby Leonne, el es uno de los organizadores un hombre muy amable y profesional. Así que estén pendientes a mi próximo blog, les estaré contando todo lo que sucedió en este grandioso evento!!!

Bendiciones para todos,

Marta