Friday, February 11, 2011

They Scream Spring


Spring approaches, sprouting up from the earth, awakening from their slumber, budding, opening, drinking in life giving sunlight, arising to become all they were created to be...









double click pictures for larger view-all photos by: lisa petrarca

Sitting, waiting...warmth, showering down, enveloping your soul, giving life, new beginnings...the earth screams spring.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

No More Waiting...Please

Trip to Lake Tahoe-stopped at abandoned house to take pics

Waiting for answers has to be one of the most torturous things! I thought I was getting better at it, until today. I hide things! I stuff my emotions down so deep that sometimes I don't really even know that I'm stressed or anxious. But my body knows and reacts in a very unfavorable way...forcing me to run to the bathroom with bad stomach cramps...I yigh yigh, and other unmentionables.

While waiting for my incident to pass, I got the call from my hubby that I'd been waiting for all morning.

He went into work thinking they were going to tell him early in the morning if he got the job that he went through two grueling interviews for. By noon I called and said, "WELL?" He was stressed too, but said they'd tell him at 2:45 p.m.

More waiting.....

More torture....

His friend (who interviewed for the position also) was going in at 2:30 to find out. My mind immediately went to, "Oh no, if Tom's first, he might've gotten it." Unfortunately that comment snuck out while I was on the phone with my hubby. Which of course didn't make him very happy, "Thanks a lot...it's not like I wasn't already stressed enough! I gotta go!" and he hung up on me. Oops...me and my big mouth. Sometimes things just slip out and I think, "Did I really just say that out loud?"

So it's not bad enough that I was starting to wig out, I made my hubby even more nervous, nice wife!

The phone call finally came as I sat in the bathroom, I picked it up with a tentative, "Well?"

He said, "What do you think?

Very softly, with a questioning voice, I said "Yes?????"

"YES! I GOT THE JOB!!!"
he shouted back.

I'm so excited and if I ever have to wait an entire day again, it'll be too soon! No more waiting...PLEASE!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

What? Why? How?


Over the weekend I helped my hubby with mock interviews, preparing him for a Crew Chief job interview he had on Tuesday. Monday night, we realized we had NO HOT WATER! My first question to Anthony, "Did you forget to pay the bill?" (yes...I have him pay the bills so I don't get stressed out.)

Next we tried the heater to make sure that the gas wasn't shut down in error. Finally heading down to check a very old water heater (1989). The pilot light was out and water in the bottom. Well that was that, the old bugger was shot! No showers for us, which wouldn't have been so bad under normal circumstances, but the night before Anthony's big interview? Why do things like this ALWAYS happen at the worst possible times?

So my hubby had to wake up extra early, go over his friend's house to shower. Oh AND this same friend is a fellow employee going up for the same position. Bet he wanted to say, "No, you can't use my shower...the stinkier you are the better my chances.

My son, Elijah stayed the night at his friends house to use their shower, while I just went to work without one (I'm not a sweaty person & didn't really do anything the day before...justification for being too lazy to get up early to go to someones house.) I pulled my hair back in a pony tail, put a second layer of makeup over my old slept in makeup & headed off.

Everything worked out, Anthony did great on his interview and received a "highly recommended" to go on to the second interview TODAY at 3:00 p.m. This final interview is between Anthony and his friend. Fingers crossed, lots of prayers and ultimately whatever happens is exactly what is supposed to happen.

I've learned this over the years...the Lord guides our path and we need to just do our part to walk through the open doors and accept the closed doors as shutting out the wrong things and redirecting our path to new and better opportunities coming in the future.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Hey, It's Me!


I haven't updated on my son, Jullien Herrera, who is a model, (Red Model Mgmt) living the jet set life that I can only dream of. He recently returned to New York from Paris & Milan. This time around, I sent him off with a new camera (Christmas present that I told him is a must!) he was required to take pictures for me. He said it was really hard because he had so many castings and spent his time running around trying to find the places & communicate with the French and Italians for help.

Milan Agency-.Fashion-show card

Paris Agency-Marilyn MGM-show card

But he managed to take a whole day in Paris and said he got some AMAZING pictures for me. Unfortunately he dropped his laptop & now it wont turn on...so I'm still waiting for him to get it fixed and send me my pictures!

He has been to Paris before but this was his first time in Milan. As he stepped off the plane & walked through the airport, he was surprised to find this huge picture of a campaign he did for Sisley, shot by Terry Richardson, in the store window.

Jullien Herrera for Sisley Campaign
photo by: Terry Richardson

He said, it felt pretty cool and a little weird seeing his picture in Italy. He stopped to snap it with his camera phone to send to his mommy (yes I love it!).

Unfortunately he had to return a little earlier than expected, and wasn't able to do the Paris shows due to the passing of a friend that he went to High School with. He'd just hung out with her over Christmas. He was pretty shook up. He's had a lot of friends pass away and it never gets any easier to handle especially when kids are dying so young, and needlessly at the hands of prescription drugs and alcohol.

He's doing much better now and is back in New York with his girlfriend, Nichelle (also a model) and his comfort zone, which helps when you need support.

Jullien & Nichelle (Central Park last summer)


He's continuing to work and go on castings...New York Fashion Week's coming up.


more Sean John




photos by: Vincent Dilio

He will be heading off to Hong Kong in a few months...more pictures for me! yaya! What wonderful life experiences for my young 19 year old son!

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Super Bowl XLV- It's PACKER Time!


To say that this is the game of games, is an understatement. Green Bay Packers have been my team ever since I was a little girl and took an unlikely interest in football.

How many little girls do you know that like, let alone understand football?

I raised all three of my boys to be Packers fans too. The only thing that could make this game sweeter is if my boys were all here to watch it with me. At least they'll be cheering our team on to victory.

We decided not to go to any parties this year because:

1. It's my team & I want to watch it...when you go to parties you end up visiting and missing a lot of the game.

2. My hubby, Anthony, is getting ready for a BIG job interview for a crew chief position for the City on Tuesday. We've been working on interview questions (mock interviews), and he's been studying so he'll be completely prepared. He has school on Monday night so not much time left for his preparation (prayers for him on Tuesday please!)

3. My back is still ridiculously sore and I have to lay down all the time (x-ray on Monday).

So this year will be a chill, kick back at home Super Bowl, and once they win, I can take the Packers helmet off the top of our t.v. (vowed not to remove it until they win), so it's been a part of my decor since playoffs started.

LET'S GO PACKERS...they've overcome adversity, fighting their way from a wild card team to the Super Bowl. The Packers have been on a roll, winning game after game, behind Aaron Rodgers (who obviously learned a lot from Brett Favre, by the way he's been playing.) With Clay Matthews attacking Ben Roethlisberger, play after play, you will see one frustrated Steelers QB.

This should be just one more game on the road to bringing the Lombardi trophy home.

I'll end this post with quotes from the great Vince Lombardi:

“If you’ll not settle for anything less than your best, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish in your lives.”

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will.”

“If you’re lucky enough to find a guy with a lot of head and a lot of heart, he’s never going to come off the field second.”

“After all the cheers have died down and the stadium is empty, after the headlines have been written, and after you are back in the quiet of your room and the championship ring has been placed on the dresser and after all the pomp and fanfare have faded, the enduring thing that is left is the dedication to doing with our lives the very best we can to make the world a better place in which to live.”

“Winning is not a sometime thing…it’s an all the time thing. You don’t win once in a while…you don’t do the right thing once in a while…you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit.”

“Mental toughness is many things and rather difficult to explain. Its qualities are sacrifice and self-denial. Also, most importantly, it is combined with a perfectly disciplined will that refuses to give in. It’s a state of mind – you could call it ‘character in action.’” “Mental toughness is essential to success.”

It's PACKER TIME!

Friday, February 4, 2011

Walkabout




Yesterday my lunch plans with my sister fell through so as I was leaving work I remembered I had my camera with me. Rather than grabbing a quick bite to eat and heading home, I decided to go on a little walkabout.



yeah, ummm...think I'd keep my distance without this warning!

million dollar homes overlooking the bay, Newport Beach, CA.
(Orange County)


rabbit's in the thicket

Not really dressed for the occasion (work clothes and high heels), I sucked it up. Directly across the street from my work is the Newport Beach Back Bay (ocean filters into wetlands). It's beautiful and I drive by it everyday...but I've never stopped to walk through it.


The view was amazing, it was sunny and crisp outside, the birds were everywhere. I continued walking, dressed up and out of place, as people jogged by, rode bikes, and walked their dogs.

Giant White Egret (Newport Beach Back Bay)

I almost walked right past this Giant White Egret. It was hidden well in the brush, then I saw it moving ever so slightly, head upturned towards the wind, it's long neck swaying gracefully back and forth.
After taking tons of pics of the bay & birds, I decided to stop at a couple parks that I also drive by on my way to work.


I was now in photo mode and it felt good to get some creativity out.

My final stop was a park with mounds of dirt and hills for the young competitive bicyclists to race and jump, capturing one of them through the thicket...


As I headed back to the car, after tromping in my heels through the bushes to get some cool shots, I came out to THIS SIGN...

Hmmmm....probably would've been good to see BEFORE I walked through there! It freaked me out, I mean, I live in the middle of a big city...who would've thought there was rattlesnakes in our parks~obviously not me!

this little guy was on the sidewalk in front of me looking
back at the bushes...obviously scared to death too!




It's so cool to see the things just outside your door...

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Vintage Fashion Expo For The Fashionista

Vintage Valentino


Vintage for Men

I absolutely love anything Vintage! Imagine my surprise when I came across this 'Original Vintage Fashion Expo' happening in Santa Monica. Tons and tons of clothes, hats, shoes, jewelry and purses...yes this is heaven for us fashion girls!

So to all my Fashionista girls, (oops and you Fashionisto's)...I have a link to get in for free. It's normally a $10.00 cover charge, but who wants to buy a ticket when the money can be put towards more vintage!

Sign up for a free Goldstar Account~an Entertainment site featured on Oprah, and in New York Times and TIME magazine. It offers incredible free & discount tickets for sporting events, musicals, art shows, play's, comedy's, whale watching, wine tasting, etc. Anything you're interested in they've got it...like my FREE Vintage Fashion Expo! They send me an updated weekly list that I scan through and see if there's anything fun & interesting going on. It's very cool!