Choosing Glee by JENNA USHKOWITZ

Do you like to watch GLEE? I followed it every series and watched their music videos in YouTube as well. The Glee is fun to watch. It reminded me of my Glee Club years too. Music, friendship, food, laughter's, relationship, hang-out, and drama combined into one. Anyway, do you like to read books?

Jenna Noelle Ushkowitz was born in South Korea, an American stage and television actress, singer and writer, who is known for her role as Tina Cohen-Chang on Glee. At 3 months old, she was adopted and raised in East Meadow, New York. Look what she accomplished! I saw her promoting her book at Fox news today.

Choosing Glee is a practical guide on how to be true to yourself and how to gain self-esteem. The book is a guide to find your inner confidence. Jenna shares her life experiences from rejection to success.  She shares her insight on what lessons she learned from those experiences.

If you are a big fan of Jenna, you will learn more about her life before and after Glee. Of course, included in the book is her story of being adopted from South Korea. You will also learn what appearances and commercials she did. You will learn about her moments in Sesame Street; her first Broadway role in The King and I and most especially, having the part of Tina on Glee.

The book also speaks about her long-time friendships with Lea Michele (Rachel Berry) and Kevin McHale (Artie). Choosing Glee speaks about Jenna's life and "the choices she has made that have shaped her positive outlook".


Check this book in the bookstore today. A great book not only for teens but, for adults too.

Kara Laricks: First Fashion Star Winner

Kara Laricks is the first Fashion Star winner bringing home a jaw dropping prize of $6 million from Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue and H&M stores.

Fashion Star is a reality TV show on NBC about fashion design hosted by Elle Macpherson. There were 14 contestants who were competing to create the best clothes and have them purchased by Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue, and H&M.

Each week they were restricted in time, materials and theme. Each designers whose clothes are not purchased was up for elimination from the show. Three celebrity mentors: Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie, and John Varvatos have the power to save one contestant before the three buyers chose which of the remaining unsold designers sent one home.

Kara Laricks, Ronnie Escalante, and Nzimiro Oputa were the finalists. They compete on creating separate designs for each stores: Macy's Saks Fifth Avenue and H&M. For the whole season, Kara Laricks sold $630K, Ronnie Escalante sold $420K while Nzimiro Oputa earned $320K.

Cultural Adventures

Contributed by Maria Ruiz:

When my family bought a vacation home in Tucson, Arizona, I knew that, while we were buying in one of the most gorgeous and cultural cities in the country, my children would not wish to be without a television on their visits to the great southwest! I went in search of the best Dish TV deals and got the connection scheduled and made before we made our first trip back with the kids. There is so much to see and do in Tucson. I love God’s handiwork in the desert, mountains, and open ranges there. I enjoy the spas and art museums and my husband loves that the weather is perfect for playing golf almost every single day of the year! There is a lot of cultural history there and my children are being educated without even realizing it every time to head out for a new adventure. The food is fabulous and the people are amazing! I think we will truly enjoy the family vacations we have here and will create lasting memories for my children to carry with them forever.

Nate Applemann

I was watching the Food Network show called Chopped. But, the episode I am watching was for All Star Chopped Competition which they will be judged according to skills, speed and ingenuity. The last four chef experts standing for 50K prize which will be donated to their chosen foundation. The last four standing are: Chef Aaron Sanchez, Chef Anne W. Burrell, Chef Michael Michael Proietti and Chef Nate Applemann. The latter won the First Chopped All Star Champion. Nate worked at A16 and SPQR in San Francisco and also in Pulino’s Bar and Pizzeria in New York.Chef Nate donated his winnings to KDF or Kawasaki Disease Foundation. It was a heartwarming cause and he deserves to be the champion! Chopped is a show in Food Network where four up-and-coming chefs compete before a panel of three expert judges. Their goal would be to take everyday items and turn them into an extraordinary three-course meal. The show will "chopped" the chef per course until only one winner remains. This is tough and challenging because they have seconds to plan and 30 minutes to cook from a basket of mystery ingredients. Then, they have to listen to the Chopping Block portion where three judges gives their culinary criticisms on their course! Ted Allen is the host of Chopped!

Willing Willie on Channel 5

Last October, I decided to subscribe a TFC Channel and I can only get ABS-CBN. I noticed that most of the shows were alien for me in fact, I did not recognized the new faces of ABS-CBN talents. I am a fan of Sharon Cuneta therefore, I kept my subscription. I also noticed that Wowowee show hosted by Willie Revillame were gone. When I arrived in the Philippines last October, I found out that the host and the show was totally gone for so many reasons.

Anyway, I was so amazed with all the "behind the scenes" drama about the show. The host transferred to Channel 5 and I was impressed as to the improvement of Channel 5. Willing Willie followers were the ones who support the host back in Wowowee. Amazing that the fans of the show are super Loyal! Before, this channel has good choice of shows but, the signal captured towards the household was really bad. Today, Channel 5 compete with the giant network like GMA and ABS-CBN. In fact, Channel 5 ratings soar up high! Congratulations Channel5.

John Gidding of HGTV

I can"t remember how I stumbled his name in TWITTER (last year) but since then, I read his twitter updates. The gorgeous man in the picture below is John Gidding, the host of HGTV Curb Appeal: The Block. He is a 33 year old American/Turkish architect. He is a fashion model and an actor. He is a graduate of BA in architecture from Yale University and studied in Harvard Graduate School of Design with Masters in architecture. Now, I am so envious of his educational background, LOL! At least we have one thing in common. Both of us belong to a Glee Club, Yayyy!

Have you seen HGTV's "Designed to Sell"? Well, you are in! He sang acappella with The Yale Society of Orpheus and Bacchus, and also with the Yale Glee Club. While in Harvard, he sang with the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum. How I wish to hear him sing though. As a model, he performed in runway shows for Armani, Gucci, and Hugo Boss. He was also became the spokesmodel for Jhane Barnes in 2004 and 2005. If you love romance novels, John Gidding's face is on the covers too. Watch his show in HGTV and you will surely adore his designs.

An HGTV Fan

Since I was in the Philippines, I watched HGTV channel because I was fascinated with home designing, flipping houses, room makeover and every show in it. When I came to the US and lived in Orlando, I was a plain housewife and my only entertainment was watching TV. From sunrise to sundown, the TV is glued on HGTV. My husband doesn't like it because for him, it was boring. When I started blogging two years ago, one of the hosts of HGTV became a follower of my blog. Well, he is a blogger too and he came to my blog because of another blogger who is an artist and home decorator. Amazing right? Of course, they do not visit my blog too often because I talk about anything and they can't relate if I talk about my culture. They only visit if I talk about home design and post pictures about lovely interior of homes.

Why I reminisce all these? Now that my husband took an early retirement and I am presently working, it took me by surprised that he is now a fan of HGTV! A miracle happened,LOL! Since we moved here in Mississippi temporarily to be with my father in law, all we dreamed is to buy a new property. It fascinates him to see the show about flipping houses. He said he had a good information about how to find a good property. I know a little bit about that already, LOL. I own a property before we got married and finding a good location is a must.

Right now, if I had the time, I watch the show with him. It was really FUN! Try it yourselves! Watch the show and I bet, you will love it too.