4-Hour Work Week & Skinny B#$%&

Your like, "What?" How is working only 4 Hours a week possible? Well, it's all explained in Timothy Ferris' book, "The 4-Hour Work Week" which has been one of my favorite business reads so far! The first few pages after cracking open this book I was like, "This guy totally speaks my language!"
I have been so incredibly inspired by this book it's unreal! One of the main points that he brought up is that we as a culture are always looking to the future - but never take into consideration the present. Why should we have to wait until we are 65 to retire and start enjoying our lives? Is it really necessary to slave as much as we do - and for what? I love his views on become the "New Rich" by not having to consume every single thing on the planet - but to spend your money wisely so you can do things that actually enhance your life. Love it, love it, love it.


So the second book: "Skinny B@#$%" I accidentally came across in Barnes & Nobles. When I say "accidentally" I mean that I was looking for a diet book - but stumbled upon this Pro Vegan, Organic book instead. (A diet book in sheep skins really). Even the authors admitted that they really didn't care about anyone losing weight in the end - it was just about getting their message out. But once I started reading the book I was totally hooked! This book is really hilarious! This is how it starts off:

"Okay. Use your head. You need to get healthy if you want to get skinny. Healthy = Skinny. Unhealthy = fat. The first thing you need to do is give up all your gross vices. Don't act surprised! You cannot keep eating the same crap and expect to get skinny. Or smoke. So don't even try some pathetic excuse like, "But if I quit smoking, I'll gain weight!" No one wants to hear it. Cigarettes are for losers. They are so 1989 and totally uncool..."

So funny, right? So this book is what made me become a vegetarian ... later on in the book it goes through all the yucky meat processes and it's kind of gross. But don't worry - I don't care if other people eat meat - so next time we hang out I won't bring around a bucket of red paint to throw your leather jacket!! :)

I love books!

Thinking Out Loud...

Above are pictures of our two favorite and only nieces (Kaitlyn (top) and Avery). Since they are the closest thing we have so far to children I thought I show them off since it goes along with this post!!

So, lately I've been thinking a lot more about kids. I have to say - I think I am actually starting to get "baby hungry." Today I went to Trader Joe's and noticed a Dad doing the shopping with his little baby daughter and it was cutest thing to see. She was laughing and touching his face and he was kissing her cheeks..sigh.

I also have started crying more than ever before. (Tears of heart warming happiness of course...) I remember when I was young thinking that my mom was absolutely crazy because she started crying after seeing a billboard for "Father of the Bride Part Two" with a picture of Steve Martin in the middle and his daughter kissing one cheek and his daughters baby kissing the other. I remember sitting in the front seat and looking over and seeing tears streaming down my mom's face and wondering, "What the heck happened!"
Also, one of my favorite movies "Spanglish" (Which I've probably seen 10 times) I always cry at the end when the character Flor asks her budding teenage daughter Cristina, "Is what you want for yourself in life is to be so much different than me?" And then the older Cristina who is narrating the movie says that her identity is firmly planting in the fact that "I am my mothers daughter." (This is actually making me tear up right now - goodness).
I am a very fortunate person in that I was raised in a family that loves each other and loves being around each other. And so I have a very secure understanding that the very best things in life revolve around family.

Anyway, it's actually taken me awhile to get to the point where I'm actually excited for kids. I've always loved kids - but haven't been really anxious for my own....until recently!
Who else out there has heartwarming stories about family and children?

I went to my Grandma's house for Memorial Day and started reading this really cute book that my cousin Cheyenne gave to her. It was a compilation of all the hilarious things her kids say. Here is one of my favorites paraphrased: " We were driving in the car and me being a pregnant mommy needed to stop frequently to go to the bathroom. After about the 5th stop, Deaven said, "Mom, you need to start wearing pull ups!" SO funny!!

Girls Day Out!

Zohe Felici from Events of Santa Barbara and I have been trying to get together for months (outside of work that is!). And we just never got it together. So, then Zohe was like, "Let's have lunch and pedicures and invite all our industry friends!" Perfect.
It was awesome to reconnect with so many talented people in a fun and relaxing atmosphere.

Cathryn VanBreene and Sheila relaxing with their pedicures!

From the left: Jessica Foster, Colette Lopez, Cori Lasaghn, Ariel Yve, Alli Trowbridge, Cathryn VanBreene, Zohe Felici & Sheila. (I'm in the first picture with the sunglasses)

Colette waiting patiently for the manicure that was never to be! :)

Cori enjoying her pedicure!

Thank so much for coming everyone - it was a blast!

Grand Opening of "Mint Julep's" Downtown Office & Night with Teresa Strasser!

Michael and I were privileged to be able to attend Michelle Buckley's (owner of Mint Julep Inc) grand opening of her downtown office! Michelle is an unbelievably talented coordinator who we are working with 3 times this year! It's so awesome when we get to work with Michelle because it makes our life SO much easier! Everything that she touches turns to gold!



Michelle was the one one that introduced us to Teresa Strasser Co-Host of "The Adam Corrolla Show." We are excited to be shooting Teresa & Daniel's wedding next month in Las Vegas. :)


Teresa is such a fun person to be around and is very down to earth and fun! She is also a VERY complimentary. She kept saying really nice things to me - to the point that I was starting to get confused. I'm like, "You think I'm pretty??" (She is absolutely gorgeous btw) Anyway, it was a delight to be able to get to know Teresa and Daniel.

Also, Michael and I were able to get to know a super cool couple who own 50 Foot Films. It's really fun when your able to connect with "your" type of people! We were very much on the same page about business - and our lives are very parallel to each other. Fun!

Thanks again Michelle for throwing such a great party - your obviously a professional! :)

The Anatomy of Buzz

I actually finished "The Anatomy of Buzz" few weeks ago but haven't had a chance to blog about it yet. I loved this book because it really helped open my eyes even more the the importance of creating and sustaining GOOD buzz. 

One of the points that I've actually read before but found most interesting was how concepts and ideas spread through social systems. There are five major categories: 1. Innovators 2. Early adopters 3. Early Majority 4. Late Majority 5. Laggards

I love this model because it illustrates the type of people who CREATE buzz and also TRANSPORT buzz. It's useless to try and go after a type of person or group that is generally non accepting of new ideas. 

Another point that was brought up was that most of the time we get opinions, referrals and recommendations BEFORE we buy things. Whether we realize this or not - it's true. So it's really important to spend time working with people that are information hubs and like to talk to people about you. 

There were 1 million other really awesome and incredibly helpful things about this book that I can't even hope to explain in this blog post so pick up a copy and read it! This copy was given to Michael for his birthday by David Jay, but since he was already reading it I got it!! Thanks DJ! :)

Staying over at the Coppola Vineyard...

Last weekend Michael and I are were honored to shoot the wedding of Chris & Amanda Neil at the Coppola Family Vineyard. It was a fun experience because Chris & Amanda had us stay on the property in one the guest houses. The Coppola Family owns a beautiful vineyard with a spectacular Victorian Mansion in Rutherford, CA - and since Chris is a family member they generously offered for him and Amanda to get married on the property. 

The day was absolutely beautiful with clear blue skies and the relaxing atmosphere of the beautiful vineyard permeated all around. As we drove up to the vineyard we saw the view of the mansion and then proceeded down the lane to our accommodations, know as the "Cow Barn." The Cow Barn is essential a big white house and as we went through the front door and up the stairs we realized that no only were we staying on the Coppola property but were also staying with all of Chris & Amanda's family! It was like being on a family reunion - except with a different family. Everyone was extremely welcoming and we enjoyed being submerged in this wonderful family event. 

The wedding was beautiful and serene. The party was classy and low key. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful event. 

For pictures from the wedding go to Our Photo Blog.

Lots of Good News!

So, the last few days have been awesome because we've gotten a lot of great news!


1. Michael won 1st Place in The Knot National’s Best Wedding of the Year (He's so talented...hehe)


2. We just found out that we'll be speaking for the PPA convention coming up in January in Phoenix. Should be loads of fun!


3. Our client and amazing wedding coordinator friend Ariel Yve hired us to shoot her wedding and she called us today to let us know that her wedding is going to be featured on the WE Network on their Platinum Weddings reality TV show! We are so excited to be apart of it!

We totally feel totally blessed and are so grateful that we are surrounded by such great people who have helped us so much. That's why communities like photoforthepeople.com are so awesome because it gives everyone an opportunity to share and grow for each other. Thanks to everyone who have shared with us and hopefully we'll be able to do an adequate job of returning the favor to others! :)

Iron Man Review & Pedicures

Michael and I went to the opening night of the movie, "Iron Man" and so we bought our tickets a few hours before to make sure we got in. So, in the meantime we were like, "What should we do?" We'll I spotted a nail place across the street and said, "We should get pedicures!" Michael was a little skeptical and was worried that the nail person would cut him. I had to assure him several times that they are pro's and they wouldn't cut him. So, we went a got pedicures and guess what? The lady cut him!! haha! I don't think I'm going to be able to get him to do that again...
But "Iron Man" ended up being a really fabulous and fun movie and we both really enjoyed it. Robert Downey did a great job and it was really refreshing and fun to see someone different. If there is a movie with Jude Law or someone that gets WAY over used I'm really hesitant to see it. And Michael and I are both movie buff's so we've felt a little starved lately because there hasn't been that many good movies out. All in all it was a really fun day!
On the business side, I started reading "4-Hour Work Week" and I'm totally in love this book! It's a great book for anyone who works (which would be most of us!) so definitely pick it up the next time your in a book store. I may even make it of of the reads for my Book Club!