South Bay Wine Lovers Club = AWESOME!

I went to my very first Meet Up Group around my area tonight, and it was an AMAZING experience.

I joined South Bay Wine Lovers Club several weeks ago on meetup.com because I have really taken a deep interest in learning more about wine and also wanted to meet others that shared this common interest. It sure is awesome meeting people who share your common interests and hobbies, and wine drinking/learning has sure become one of my hobbies/passion.

We had our very first meet-up tonight. Since it was a very first meet-up ever for me, I was nervous yet excited. The group organizer (I am going to leave all the names out here for their privacy) was so warm and welcoming, and right away, I knew I joined the right group.

She had all the wines, wine glasses, cheese, chocolate and menus all laid out neatly on the table, which was simply lovely!

Everyone who showed up was super friendly and just made for pleasant company! We went from fruity (very light white wine) to rich wines. Except the very first one, I savored each one and loved it! In total, we tried 7 different wines and pairng them with the right cheese and chocolate just made the tasting that much exquisite!!

I learned how much I love pairing goat cheese and blue cheese with red wine as well as dark chocolate! Cheese & Wine = priceless!!

I felt so happy tasting these delicious wine while socializing and genuinely enjoying people's company. It was definitely one of the best things to do on a Saturday night for me, personally.

I am looking forward to going to more wine tasting events and definitely being an active participant in this group!

I got so happy from the meet-up that I actually couldn't stop dancing in the car listening to Michael Jackson (duh, who else?)!!

I can't wait for the next meet-up!!!

Are you a wine lover yourself?


Check out the following sites:

*South Bay Wine Lovers Club - meetup.com

*localwineevents.com - for a comprehensive list of all the wine tasting events in your area

*google wine education and you will find educational videos and websites that teach you more about the world of wine


My idea of a wonderful vacation would be spending the whole weekend (or even a week) discovering the wineries around the world and drinking wine while relaxing at the beach or in a beautiful cottage reading a book or enjoying a view while talking with my loved ones.

I can picture it already... :D

Twitter Overload... Like Totally

I overdid it on Twitter yesterday. Yes, you heard me. I ODed on Twitter. How? Well, it's quite simple now that I've experienced it.

As I mentioned, yesterday was the DVD & Blu Ray release of Michael Jackson's This Is It, and the MJ community on Twitter wanted to make it a trending topic. Therefore, I participated and wanted to make sure my followers and whoever was interested were getting all the questions answered and knew about the release.

In an effort to do so, I ended up being on Twitter tweeting about the movie and so forth for close to 5 hours... Yes, 5 whole hours of my day were spent on Twitter. Turns out, it is quite time consuming to respond to every single question your followers ask and also to keep writing new status updates.

I don't think the movie quite made a trending topic because of Haiti and more, but I am so proud of the MJ fan base and community for trying and making sure everyone knew about where to go to find the DVDs and Blu Rays since ever store carried alternate versions.

I am not sure if I would be willing or would want to OD on Twitter, but it sure was one heck of an experience. :)

Michael Jackson's This Is It out today!

Today is THE day MJ fans have been waiting for since October!

Michael Jackson's movie, This Is It, is out on DVD & Blu Ray!!!!!

I got the latest info on where you should get it to maximize your experience:

• Wal-mart - It is the ONLY store to exclusively sell 2 disc Limited Edition of This Is It. It already has the extra footages that a move has PLUS 60 minutes of more footage which means you get close to 3 hours of extra behind-the-scenes!
• Best Buy - If you have a Blu Ray player, this is your best destination to purchase this movie. It has 3 different editions of the movie with each one containing different features.
• AMAZON - If you want to watch the movie plus extra footage (minus the 60 mins but for cheaper), this is where you should go!

Also, if you have a few minutes, check out the Youtube Clip of the Filipino Cebu inmates dancing with THIS IS IT choreographer, Travis Payne, to MJ's Drill & They Don't Care About Us! It's an amazing dance number and a wonderful tribute.

Want to learn the original choreography for Janet & Michael Jackson? Check out Hype Studios! I take the Jackson Power Hour class every week, and it's THE BEST! In fact, we learned the iconic Thriller Zombie dance last night (the one and only, step-by-step) and it's awesome!

THIS IS IT! THIS IS IT! THIS IS IT!

Experiencing a sense of happiness and joy from eating an Eggmuffin from McDonald's

Ever since 2010 started, I've been learning about how little things can bring me so much happiness. Here I thought, for many years, that I was perhaps a superficial L.A. person who only gets happy from shopping and buying nice things, but I've learned a great deal of who I am in the past month alone.

I've learned that little things in life are indeed what make me truly happy.

Here are just some of the examples:

1) Eating a delicious Eggmuffin with a small coffee from McDonald's for breakfast - For just a couple of dollars, I get to experience this taste of heaven. I LOVE their breakfast, and my favorite combo is their strong coffee and Eggmuffin. In fact, I dreamed about it all last night and will go get some right now.

2) Michael Jackson memorabilia - Ok, I understand some of this can be expensive (case in point, MJ Official Opus), but I found some really great Michael Jackson pins, 4 for $5, and I was jumping up and down like a twelve-year old at the store. Also, seeing This Is It and ordering the limited disc edition DVD set were some of my happiest moments.

3) Spending time with my family & my dog - This is given. I realize that I don't need to have fancy dinners or be at the hot spots to truly enjoy the company of my family or friends. I also just love having my dog lie on my lap to take a nap and just spending time with her.

4) Wine Nights with girlfriends - I absolutely love drinking wine while chatting with my close girlfriends. We don't need to impress each other and can talk about anything. Nothing is off topic. It is also a fun, inexpensive way to spend quality time with my true friends.

5) Frugal Shopping/Lifestyle - I have really learned to be frugal. Every dollar counts. There are many people around the world who would be just grateful to have shelter, clothing and food. I don't want to waste anything and while working hard for the money and for what I am passionate, I also want to be frugal and save, save and save.

Ever since I started noticing about how little (and sometimes free) things make me truly happy, I've become a more positive, happy person.

Why don't you make a list of things you are grateful for and also make a list of things that have made you happy or make you happy? You would be surprised :)

Michael Jackson's Movie, This Is It, out Tuesday, 1/26/10

If you are the only person on this earth who have not seen Michael Jackson's This Is It, you now have a chance to see it!

This Is It comes out on DVD tomorrow! If you are a fanatic like myself, you probably pre-ordered yours back in October on Amazon :)

I got even better news! Wal-Mart is exclusively selling special 2 disc limited edition of the movie that includes extra 60 minutes of footage! I found this out while watching the VH1 special of the movie last Saturday. If you want to get your hands on this special edition disc, get on Walmart's website since supplies are limited.

I already got mine and had to cancel my order on the other site since I want to get the most extra footage available out there, and this one sells exclusively at Wal-Mart. Now, I have very strong personal feelings against that retail giant, but I have to admit, it's really nice how much exclusive stuff they have sometimes for certain things.

If you are in NY, go to the Union Station Best Buy to meet Kenny Ortega and Travis Payne!
If you are in LA, go to the Culver City Best Buy to meet the dancers and do the drill with them after an early screening of the movie!

I've seen the movie 10 times so far, and I love it each time!

Also, if you haven't already, please go to your nearest Target and pick you up free 3D glasses for the Sunday's telecast of the Grammys MJ Tribute!

This week is starting out fantastic, isn't it? :)

HAPPY FRIDAY!!

Happy Friday!

It's still raining on this wonderful Friday in Southern California.
I thought this would be a great song on a day like this.
Please check out Michael Jackson's "Cry" song on Youtube or Amazon MP3!!

Cry Music Video

Michael Jackson Exhibit in London Extended!!

This is for all the lovely Michael Jackson fans out there!

If you are like me, you were probably bummed that the official exhibit was going to end at the end of this month. Worry no more! You still have time to check out the exhibit as it was announced this morning that the exhibit will be extended to February 28th due to its popularity.

This exhibit is currently happening at O2 Bubble in London and features hundreds of personal items that beloged to Michael Jackson including his costumes for the This Is It Tour.

I am definitely thinking about planning my trip to London next month!! I am not sure if this exhibit will happen anywhere else so I really want to catch it before it disappears.

If you want more information, please check out www.michaeljackson.com

POURING in Southern California

WOW!!! Can you believe this weather?

My friends are saying it is due to global warming, but whatever may be the case, this rain is unbelievable.

Yesterday, there was even a tornado warning in Orange County. If you want to see some pictures, check out www.ocregister.com for some amazing shots of this rain and its effects on several cities in South Orange County. I saw some cars upside down and trees completely knocked down.

I don't think So Cal residents are well-prepared for such bad weather because we expect our days to be sunny 24/7 (well, most of us anyways).

In fact, I am seeing more events being cancelled or postponed due to this bad weather. If you live in East Coast, you may think we are overreacting, but LA drivers do NOT drive well in the rain, and it simply is best to stay indoor while it's pouring outside.

I am grateful that I get to work from home today typing away on my laptop while many others are braving the rain and getting drenched.

Regardless, my passion for dancing is unwavering so I will be braving the rain tonight and going to my weekly Jackson dance classes to learn new MJ or Janet Jackson choreography.

Let me ask you now: What are some activities that you would NOT give up despite this bad weather?

A&E - The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty

I absolutely love the new reality series on A&E: The Jacksons - A Family Dynasty.

Last night was the finale of the six episode series on A&E, and I can't get enough! In fact, I will definitely get the DVD set when it comes out.

I am a huge Michael Jackson fan, as everyone already knows. I am also a big fan of the whole Jackson family. I admire how much talent one family has. From Jackie Jackson to Michael and Janet, it's just astounding!!

I wanted to learn more about the other members of the Jackson 5, and the show did just that! My favorite has to be Jackie Jackson because he seems to have the calmness and the aura that really seems to keep everyone together and in check.

I love them all for their unique talents and very distinctive personalities!

I highly recommend you check this show out on A&E's website!! Watching the brothers quarrel (as all siblings do, I suppose, out of love) to them really going through and dealing with the death of MJ and them showcasing their talents, it's pure entertainment and one heck of a show!

Responsiveness

I wanted to take a brief moment to write about the importance of responsiveness when it comes to family, friends, acquaintances and just about anyone you connect with.

I take great pride in responding immediately to calls, texts and emails. I admit, I probably respond much quicker by text and email rather than phone calls because it's easier to do so if I am in the middle of something at the moment. Unless I am driving or am not near the phone, I will respond to you.

However, I am noticing that more and more people aren't responding to others right away. Granted, people are busy. I know you probably have countless reasons that you can use as excuses as to why you don't respond to people's emails, texts and phone calls, but I absolutely have to disagree that it's because you are busy. It's for two simple reasons:

1) You are too lazy - Let's face it. With all the advanced, convenient technology that surrounds us, can you really say you don't have time? I don't think so. You can access your email, text and pretty much anything at the palm of your hand. You can respond to people while you are getting your coffee, walking in the hallway and anywhere, except when you are driving, of course. Surely, you can write one or two liners during commercial breaks while you are watching your favorite TV shows.

2) You don't want to - We live in a free country. I respect that. But don't you think it's disrespectful for you to not respond to someone who bothered to contact you, taking time out of their own busy schedules?

With almost a month into 2010, let's make an effort to be more responsive to people around us.

Perhaps you don't realize what impact you may/can make by simply responding to people's emails, texts and phone calls.

Common courtesy, people. It's not rocket science.

CONAN O'BRIEN- A Real Class Act!!

I went to the taping of The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien today. What a coincidence that I happened to go to the taping on the day he made a major announcement.

I want to start it off by saying that I have so much respect and admiration for Conan. He has been with the network for 17 years and has been doing a superb job. He is highly educated (hello, Harvard!), is truly funny, and I absolutely respect how he does not offend or take jabs at people personally. He is a class act in the industry that is often full of backstabbers and scums.

He was so entertaining and was absolutely cordial with the audience. I am sure he isn't happy about the whole situation. I know what it feels like to be promised something and later be told that it isn't the right fit or that it just isn't what they initially said/stated/sold. IT REALLY SUCKS!!

I really hope that NBC comes to its senses and realizes that Jay Leno's time was up the moment his show folded last year and the baton was passed to Conan O'Brien.

They need to let Conan keep The Tonight Show because people absolutely adore him, and it truly is nice to have a classy host once again after Johnny Carson :)

Please show your support for Conan O'Brien. Let's not make false promises to good people like him and give him a chance to bring real class back to The Tonight Show.

Please follow teamconan on Twitter!!

Check out these women-empowerment songs!

We can't help but worry and fret about things in life sometimes. Life gets you down, and we're bound to experience some bumpy roads. It's nice to know that your family and friends love you and support you no matter what. Depending on your personality though, you may not want to talk to anyone about your problems and gain strength through music. This one is for you!

I wanted to list some of the songs I found that often give me extra courage and strength when I am feeling down or when I just need that pick-me-up music.

10 women-empowering songs:

1. Jennifer Hudson - I Am Changing
2. Beyonce - Listen
3. Whitney Houston - Greatest Love of All
4. Whitney Houston - I Didn't Know My Own Strength
5. Alicia Keys - Superwoman
6. Christina Aguilera - The Voice Within
7. Destiny's Child - Survivor
8. Christina Aguilera - Fighter
9. Mary J. Blige - No More Drama
10. Alicia Keys - Sure Looks Good to Me


And if you really feel like screaming out to the world about who you are, listen to Michael Jackson's Wanna be Starting Something:

"Lift your head up high, scream out to the world. I know I am someone and let the truth unfurl. No one can hurt you now because you know what's true. Yes, I believe in me so you believe in you."

ENJOY!

Lady Gaga

I finally understand what the whole fuss is about regarding Lady Gaga!

At my friend's suggestion, I've bought some of her hit songs including "Paparazzi" and "Bad Romance", and wow, she is one talented entertainer!

She not only can sing but can also dance and write great songs! It's nice to know that we still have talented pop stars such as Lady Gaga in the music industry!

Check out Amzon's MP3 songs of Lady Gaga, and let me know what you think!

The Good Wife on CBS

I've become a fan of the new CBS Drama, The Good Wife.

I admit, when I watched the first episode, I thought it was a cheap imitation of the whole Spitzer scandal, but boy was I wrong!

It actually chronicles one woman's strong journey as she copes with the scandal and the downfall of her husband, the former State Attorney of Chicago. She holds her head up high, supports her children as well as her husband while making a name for herself as an attorney.

Last night's episode really highlighted the negative (though sometimes positive, I suppose) effects of the media, especially concerning the "commentators" and so called "experts" when it comes to important trials.

I highly recommend you check out this show on CBS. This is really for all the strong, independent, career-women out there as well as family-women!

I AM BACK!

WOW!!! I am finally back to writing for my blog!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!

2010 will be an awesome year indeed!!

Here's what you can expect from my blog this year:

* more up-to-date stories on all the latest trends and fashion!

* human interest stories - I am adding this to my blog as I think hearing about people's stories really inspire and teach us to be better human beings.

* career advice/stories especially aimed for young professionals - as if we don't get enough, right? :)

* music - I love all kinds of music, and I will tell you what songs you must be listening to!

* and finally, just about everything else that I, Angela, am crazy about!

Let's get started!!!