So, I’m happy to report we made it to her late show Friday night and shared lots of laughs!! Side Note – Comedy Zone is in a Ramada..totally random..and uh yeah, we KNEW we weren’t in Miami anymore! We got to sit in the “VIP” section, which was like a sky box at a sporting event…but then again, not really.

The next day we headed out to downtown Jacksonville to have lunch with our favorite comedienne and found this beautiful vessel, “KISMET,” docked along the St. John’s River. Not only is it one of the most beautiful luxury liners I have ever seen, but its name pretty much describes me and T…his Mom referred to us as exactly that…KISMET.

Kismet is a word meaning Fate or Destiny, a predetermined course of events.

Anyhoo, we scooped up Anjelah and headed over to Biscotti’s for lunch…GREAT PICK Cat…food was perfect! Then I opted for soft serve ice cream, while my 3 amigos went for froyo.

BTW, if you’re reading this and aren’t familiar with my girl Anjelah’s work…here’s a teaser video for a new song/video being released by her character, “Bon Qui Qui” …. I’M A CUT YOU

#10 – Host of the FIRST EVER Sustanatopia Honors 2011

SUSTAINATOPIA HONORS 2011, presented by PLUM TV is the world’s premier awards ceremony honoring those doing GOOD through impact investing, philanthropy, and sustainable business practice. Hundreds of global leaders in investment, social entrepreneurship and philanthropy will gather to celebrate those committed to doing GOOD and changing our world forever.

#9 – Back to my Pro Dance/Cheer Roots

I became a Regional Director/Consultant for Going Pro Entertainment. In my role with GPE, I coach women as they work toward their goals of auditioning and being selected as a Dancer and/or Cheerleader for a pro (sports) team! I coordinated and hosted 2 very successful all day dance conventions in Miami and the Bay Area, and I’m proud to say a handful of the women are now on pro and semi-pro teams living out their dreams…namely Rachel of the San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush! Another exciting event was the inaugural NFL Pro Cheer Alumni Reunion in Las Vegas. Watch this video for the highlights!

#8 – My first CRUISE on Royal Caribbean’s ALLURE where I met Taylor Swift

It was a quick flight to Cozumel to meet up and board the ship for a very special “at sea” performance by Taylor Swift! Not to mention I got to experience cruising on one of the biggest and newest vessels out there…very memorable!

#7 – ZUMBA with NBA Superstar LeBron James

One of my Miami gal pal’s heads up marketing for Equinox Gym’s in South Florida and she said there was an event going on with a celebrity that would be featured on The Ellen Show during a Zumba class, so could I attend!?!? I was like sure, no problem…well lo and behold…the celeb was none other than the Miami HEAT’s LeBron James!

#6 – On The Flipside’s 7 ALL NEW episodes in 2011

On The Flipside continued to take on a life of its own in 2011, bridging my passion for sports and my “career” as a host, reporter, broadcaster. It’s an online TV Show I produce, host and edit in my spare time and I’d say 7 episodes  is an accomplishment…we’re finishing the year with a 34 total episodes since its launch in 2009 and a handful of extra “specials” too. This year I had the opportunity to feature sports celebs like Santonio Holmes, Marshawn Lynch, Dwight Howard, Stephen Curry and Dwyane Wade, just to name a few.

#5 – MY SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAY

I celebrated my birthday on both coasts this year, felt like I was on “tour.” Tariq made sure it was extra special, completely spoiling me…that paired with being able to see and share the occasion with so many of my friends made it so memorable! From Miami to LA and finally back home in the Bay, my 2011 birthday was a reminder of how blessed I am!!

#4 – VACATION ADVENTURES: Volcano Biking in Maui & Horseback Riding in Jamaica

One of my favorite things to do is travel, and while I’m usually not too much of an adventurous type, in 2011 I dared to be different. During my visit to Maui with my sister and Dad, we decided to embark on a downhill bike ride on the Haleakala Volcano! It was a 22-mile ride, that in the end I am so glad to say I did, but really there were times I was like what did I get myself into!?!? haha

Then on my Ocho Rios, Jamaica excursion, I had the unique opportunity to go horseback riding in the ocean…which was fun, but seeing the horses relieve themselves in the water while we were riding around in it…not so much! LOL

#3 – GOING, GOING, BACK, BACK to CALI, CALI

Well, what can I say, in 2011 I left Miami and the East Coast in May to return to my beloved Bay Area. I took a job as a TV Reporter at KRON and decided it was time to take that leap of faith! Needless to say, it didn’t last long…the gloom & doom, murder & mayhem nature of the news just wasn’t for me! I’ve been back living the (freelance) Miami life and 2012 is promising to deliver lots of new beginnings! I can’t hardly wait.

#2 – Virgin Atlantic’s RED HOT REPORTER in LONDON

In October of 2011 I had the opportunity and trip of a lifetime courtesy of Virgin Atlantic, after I was chosen as their Red Hot Reporter for the NFL International Series between the Chicago Bears and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Wembley Stadium! Tariq was able to come long for the “ride” and together we were privy to VIP access for all the events, parties and fun festivities!! The entire journey from start to finish was a top notch, 5-star, first class experience that I will never forget…I’ve got my fingers crossed they’ll want more of my Red Hot Reporting next fall 2012 too!!

#1 – TARIQ

Hands down THE highlight of my 2011 was finally finding my best friend and partner for life! The story of how Tariq and I came to be is something you could read in the pages of a romance novel, but certainly a long time coming…our paths have definitely crossed more than a few times over the years, but in 2011, they finally were in sync and the rest is history, with the BEST yet to come!

All that being said, anytime I can support and attend one of his events, I do my best to be there! Well, last night he definitely outdid himself. He hosted the most lavish, decadent, holiday party on Miami Beach at a private residence and he pulled out all the stops with theme, decor and entertainment..in true MIA fashion! From elf-fitted servers to nutcrackers, Santa and a crew of “Ho, Ho, Ho’s”…there was snow, elaborate lighting, exotic cars, Stoli drinks flowing and of course the music to put you in the Holiday spirit..or just party mode!

Check out more pics below…it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Then get ready for the West Coast Pro Dance Convention in San Jose, CA on Sunday, January 29, 2012!
http://westcoastprodance2012.eventbrite.com/

CHOREOGRAPHERS

Our choreographers are top alumni and directors of dance and cheer teams in the NFL, NBA, AFL, MLB and other sports leagues. They will teach 6 sidelines and 2 routines in length of 45-60 seconds.
**Aubrey Aquino, NBA Dancer – Sacramento, NFL Cheerleader – Oakland & Arizona
**Kristin Medwick, 7 year NFL Cheerleader – Oakland, “Dancer of the Year” 1998; “Raiderette of the Year” and Pro Bowl Cheerleader 2005
**Kristena Wright, NBA dancer – Washington, NFL Cheerleader – Miami
**Chris Rhyu, NFL Cheerleader – San Francisco

PRESENTERS

**Faithe David, former 49ers Cheerleader will be giving awesome dance technique class to help candidates put their best foot forward at auditions.
**Jada Law, former NBA dancer in Sacramento and LA and current TV personality & host for Lakers TV will give a fitness/health/nutrition presentation to get candidates ready for auditions.
**Audrey Asistio, an alum of the San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush and Gold Rush Ambassador now works for a news station as a reporter/fill-in anchor. Audrey will offer participants interview, attire, and overall presentation tips.
**Mindy Kreis, Director of Crunch Fitness will be knocking our socks off with a specialized bootcamp geared specifically to dancers.

LOCATION

San Jose Athletic Club
196 N. THIRD STREET
SAN JOSE, CA 95112

For complete details – http://westcoastprodance2012.eventbrite.com/

I borrowed the above pic from @CCole_E twitter, cuz apparently her tickets were slightly closer then mine…LOL!! I’m not complaining though…I had a great view of everything I needed to see.

The set design and staging for the show were extremely well done, they had a main stage with a platform that went up and down centered in front of it, then opposite there was another platform which could be raised as well, bringing the artists closer to the crowd across the main stage.

The lighting and use of lasers, fire and effects = mind-blowing…I was seriously mesmerized.

Obviously I wouldn’t expect anything less from Hip Hop Royalty, but all the staging, paired with SO MANY hits…all that music…WOW, just WOW!

During the 2 hour show they each had their own sets in addition to performing several songs together from Watch The Throne and elsewhere….but more than anything, I loved hearing Jay’s hits that took me back a good decade + … and being surrounded with everyone else who felt it too.

And — the best part, they did “Ni**as in Paris” 5 TIMES!! Twice to close the show and 3 times for an encore….and each time they re-started the crowd loved it that much more! “THAT SHIT CRAY!!!”

Shouts to my concert date Kimi..it was her FIRST EVER rap/hip hop concert!! I know, right!?!? It was a hot, sweaty, humid mess inside the Arena, but worth every beat that we danced too.

How many artists can make tens of thousands (grown ass adult fans) throw the Roc symbol in the air and all be on the same beat…. If they’re coming to an arena near you…you DON’T want to miss it…simply EPIC.

Following her “pinning we had a dinner at Kincaid’s in Jack London Square – their crab and artichoke dip is our FAV!! Check out this photo of Alison giving a speech..she gets “emotional! hehe

Here she is with her crew..they’ve been her close friends since she her age was a single digit!

What’s a celebration without some sweets? Ordered these “nurse” themed cupcakes from Marley’s Treats…

Alison’s proud fan club – Ade, me, T and my Dad!

Saturday was the “We Believe vs. Dubs” charity reunion game (aka GS Warriors game) at SJSU…

Look out for EXCLUSIVE footage On The Flipside…coming soon…

Then after the game, it was a trip to V Bar at Santana Row to hang out with the homies!!

LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!

This is the “prom couples” picture! haha

Then Sunday…a day at the Coliseum!!! Viva Los Raiders – was not happy about the L! grrr

My sister Ade is a Halloween lover who takes it to another level…can you guess what her get up is??? She went the “edible” route… LOVES IT!!

In costume or not…always good times with my girls!!

So then I started thinking about past Halloween (work) experiences… In 2008, I visited a haunted house in Miami that seriously had me “spooked!!” I laugh now, looking back at the video, but that “startle” factor had me shook when I walked through the haunted house!!

And — in 2007 (my original Wonder Woman cameo) I hung out at O.J. McDuffie’s “Grand Ghoul” Halloween charity event in Florida, and interviewed Michael Irvin and some Miami Dolphins…

Ah, the memories…

Kickoff was set for 6pm, but the Virgin Atlantic crew headed out early to attend the NFL Tailgate festivities being held outside before they opened the doors…

It was quite a sight to see THOUSANDS of fans out early in an array of NFL jerseys, representing virtually every one of the 32 teams… I sort of wondered how the British fans were selecting their team garb, was it the colors, the team’s city, the player?? I even saw some fans who sort of mixed and matched team apparel..hehe That’s a first! Nonetheless, great to see them all in the spirit and having fun taking part in an All-American tradition!!

Once inside, we made a beeline to the Virgin Atlantic Suite at “Pitch West,” where I was greeted/escorted by the gorgeous Virgin Atlantic Cabin Crew…

…into a stunning suite!! VERY “SWANKY!!”

Next, I ventured down to the field level to hang out on the sidelines before the game while the teams warmed up. FYI – I used the “Queen’s Lift” to make my way down!!

While down on the field for pregame, I ran into Tony Siragusa doing his thing for NFL on FOX… And — I bumped into my buddy Major Wright who is a Safety for the Bears.

When it came time for the game’s opening ceremony, it was very comparable to what you’d see in any NFL Stadium on a Sunday. They had the pregame performance by the cheerleaders, the anthems, the pyro, etc…

There’s just something about hearing the US National Anthem in another country…makes me proud to be an American! And, I think they did a little ‘extra’ for this game too, with a performance by the Goo Goo Dolls!

T and I even got to visit with some of his friends from Chicago who made a spur of the moment decision to fly out for the game! Talk about loyal fans…

Eventually, we ‘retired’ to the Virgin Suite to take in the beautiful view!!

We also got an unobstructed overhead look at the shirtless guy running laps on the field…LOL Sort of random, but even more amusing was how he easily ran up and down the field, stopping to “high 5″ one of the Bucs and eluding a few security before they could tackle him! WOW!

The NFL International Series game experience in Wembley was nothing short of awesome…definitely something I will never forget!

Sadly, the next day was time to travel back across the pond -I did try to extend my trip, but flights were tight, so I’ll just have to go back another time! However…BONUS!! We experienced the Virgin Atlantic VIP treatment once again when we got to Heathrow to check in for the flight home.

First was a separate VIP entrance for check in and security…

Then a MEGA 12,000 square foot Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, where we could chill out prior to boarding!

Talk about “swanky” this place was super plush with lounge seating, a restaurant, spa and salon as well as fully-stocked bar! See for yourself….

Usually I’m not trying to have a LOOOONG time at the airport before my flight, but I could hang out in this clubhouse all day! Too bad I didn’t have more time, as I would’ve indulged in ALL the services!! haha

Thank you Virgin Atlantic for hosting us on this absolutely FABULOUS, one of a kind, trip of the year!! My experience as #RedHotReporter was nothing short of AMAZING and I can’t wait to do it again!

T is from Chicago, so he suited up in his BEARS gear…and I did too for the occasion!

The place was packed with British and American fans. Thousands of people flooded the square, and it was really cool to see the NFL getting so much LOVE in London! And even though it was technically Tampa Bay’s “home game” in London, there were clearly more BEARS fans in the crowd. BTW, did you know the Bucs owner also owns Manchester United, hence a great UK tie-in for them!  **NOTE: I kept thinking if the RAIDERS ever get to play in London, I KNOW the RAIDER NATION would be out in full force and England would be covered in Silver and Black!

We caught this moment of the Chicago Bears making a brief appearance at the event…

One of the main attractions were the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders…they can’t get enough of the NFL Cheerleaders in London! And — since the BEARS are one of the few NFL teams who do not have Pro Cheerleaders, the spotlight was squarely on ladies from Tampa Bay! I had the opportunity to interview a few of the ladies before they got on stage to perform, that will pop up On The Flipside soon!

At the same time I bumped into the cheerleaders, I also got the chance to meet NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. He was very cool and took a few moments to chat with me about being the Red Hot Reporter and what I was doing for Virgin to share my NFL London experience with my peeps on social media..he was into it!

The rally was a cool experience, I met many NFL Legends, including members of the 85 Bears, as well as fans who trekked from the U.S. and other parts of Europe to experience the festivities.

Uhm, did I mention I was interviewed for NFL Network?? I have no idea if this has aired or what they are going to do with the footage, but I’m sure someone will let me know if they catch my interview!!

After the rally, the excitement did not stop as we did a quick wardrobe change and set off for the NFL London Bash!

It was a swanky “invite only” event with some “celeb” sightings…

Jerome Bettis (Above) & Cuba Gooding Jr. (Below)

I haven’t talked too much about the cuisine in London, and they are NOT known for it, but one kind of “interesting” dish they had at the party was a beef meatballs with tomato sauce over mashed potatoes dish…not bad! :/ hehe

The highlight of the evening was a performance by London native, now international superstar Estelle!

All in all, a FUN night, overall GREAT day..and the best is yet to come!! At this point, the credentials are stacking up and I needed to get a good night’s rest for the big game at Wembley Stadium.

DAY 3 of my Red Hot Reporter RECAP is coming up tomorrow!!