Fashion Week San Diego

Tis the season for models to walk the runways adorned in couture, ready-to-wear and everything in between. Fashion weeks are happening all over the states now. Here in San Diego paradise, fashion week will occur October 1 to October 7.

Fashion Week San Diego^TM was founded in 2008 by Allison Andrews who had the idea of creating a fashion industry event to grow the developing fashion culture in San Diego. The first Fashion Week San Diego^TM took place in October of 2008 at various venues around Downtown San Diego.

Allison is also the President of APA Business Consulting, Inc. She started APA Consulting in 2005 working primarily with fashion clients in both retail and manufacturing.

It’s been four years since your last fashion week in San Diego. What can attendees expect?

A bigger and better show. Our live entertainment this year and the designer collections are so impressive!

What is different for 2012?

A lot, we have been through our growing pains and have learned from them. It’s a large event and every year we (the team) get better.

How were you able to get the various designers to collaborate?

All designers had to do an application and go through a three part interview to be a designer in Fashion Week San Diego. We interviewed a total of 34 then cut to 18 to 14.

What has been the most challenging aspect of this event?

Getting the community and industry Read more

Extraordinary Designer By: Melissa Michaels

From Iran to Europe to New York and now here in beautiful San Diego…Rollers, meet my personal designer, Soheila Guignard who is the owner of the intimate Mona Lisa Boutique.

When do you first realize you wanted to be a designer? When I had my first child, my son in Denmark. I bought my son clothes. I realize I could make better clothes for him so I bought a sewing machine. My great-grandmother was a tailor. It was in the family. I moved to Europe at 18 to pursue my passion for design. I lived in Istanbul, Turkey for a year.

Where did you study fashion design? In Denmark at Beklaedningsfagskolen… that’s Danish. It was a five year program. My first year, I was saturated with the fashion industry wealth of information. The second year, I worked with leather. Third year, I worked with fabric and learned texturizing in London. My fourth and fifth year, I designed collections. I made four collections in college. I did an internship in Germany where I was a political refugee. They hired me by the time I graduated. Then I came to the United States and landed in New York where I got my green card. My first job here in the states was in a boutique in Manhattan named Kont.

How did you choose San Diego to set up shop? My cousin moved from Paris to San Diego and Read more

Exit Strategy By: Melissa Michaels

There’s no easy way to break up. This moment in life can get quite messy and complicated when trying to leave the cling-on. Drawing a diagram of escape routes like John Madden on Monday night football has proven to be very much necessary in these situations. Humor can be found in virtually everything including these methods of finding freedom. I spoke with Jameel Saleem, writer of the romantic comedy, Exit Strategy. Here is what he had to say:

What inspired you to write Read more

Happy Valentine’s Day

Happy Valentine’s Day

By Melissa Michaels

Valentine’s Day is just a around the corner. It brings much angst among couples and singles alike. It’s a huge freakin’ deal for women! Some of the nervous questions
loom like these: Is he sending a dozen roses to my office? Is he going to propose? Is it going to happen tonight?

Men, shall we talk? MM Gspot to the rescue. Please don’t screw up this day whatever you do. Follow these top 10 instructions and guarantee you will get some lovin’.

Set the mood for romance: Start the day with sweet everything. Serve her breakfast in bed or send breakfast to her work with long stem red roses with a sexy note to
tantalize her mind telling her what you’re going to do to her in bed.

2. Get her wet: Light some candles and incense. Cover the bathroom floor with rose pedals. Fill the bathtub with some bubbles and Read more

Cheating Hearts

Cheating Hearts By: Melissa Michaels

Love is in the air or is it? Rollers, let’s deal with this and get it out of the way before Valentine’s Day. On the count of 3 and in unison say, “Cheating Sucks!”

My girlfriends are constantly asking me for advice on you men and your “special” ways. Men, you tell me stuff that makes me feel like I’m your priest in a confessional. Thank you…but really it’s TMI. Yes, I’m shaking my head.

Cheating blows, obviously, for a gazillion reasons. As you all know, it’s hardly a recent invention. Watch Mad Men, episode [FILL IN THE BLANK].

According to the results of the MSNBC.com/iVillage Lust, Love & Loyalty survey, the study found that 22 percent of married men and 15 percent of Read more

Thin Line Between Right and Wrong

Thin Line Between Right and Wrong

An interview with author, filmmaker, former felon, James Cobb

By: Melissa Michaels

Did you know that the United States has the most prisoners in the world? Here is a large dose of reality: According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, there are 2,019,234 inmates.

In a world where bad is good and good is bad, with way too many songs glamorizing the gangster life. Too many TV shows depicts prison life as if it’s something that is cool to be locked up in the penitentiary. Not so says the man I spoke with who has done his time.

I had the most incredible candid conversation with author, filmmaker and former felon, James Cobb. This is his story:

What triggered in you to start drug smuggling?

My father, whom I had only known for two weeks, offered me a job making 30 thousand English pounds in 20 minutes. He wanted me to help him off-load a ton of hashish Read more

Science of Breaking Up

It’s a New Year full of many changes including break-ups. Ending a relationship is never easy. So I reached out to the LOVE Extraordinaire of YabYummy who teaches creating PEACE, LOVE and PASSION in your life. Meet Kypris Aster Drake of YabYummy, who is also the author of Journey to Sexual Wholeness: The Six Gateways to Sacred Sexuality. This is what she had to say about ending it:

When a good loving relationship constantly struggles with various issues when should you give up?

A lot of my clients ask me this question and it is a very complicated thing to access. Every relationship is going to have its challenges and conflicts, so breaking up just because these things are happening, or expecting a relationship to be “perfect” is not the best idea. Also, if you are feeling very upset and emotional, is NOT the time to break up with your partner. In my mind, there are two times when it is really best to break up: a.) When you have a strong inner knowing that it is the right thing to do or b.) When you are truly incompatible.

When do you know that’s it?

In my own experience of what I call a “healthy” breakup is one that comes after everything has been tried to save the relationship. There is a feeling of calm knowing that happens. In relationship, breaking up has to happen at the right time, not just for the Read more

Beautifully Fit

Ladies and some gentlemen, this is for you. Men, you may recall the summer of 2011 when this Hottie first graced RollinSD. Remember this?:

Local-Hottie-Holly Dean

She is a celebrity make-up artist, creative director, fitness model and soon to be author. Ahem, Ms. Dean is also my stylist. Over the holidays, we had a chance to shop and talk and talk shop about helpful tips for staying beautiful and fit. Rollers, I thought this would be great to share our conversation with you to begin 2012 by bringing Sexy back. Pay attention now:

MM: What are the top 3 beauty do’s?

HJD: Well beauty comes in all forms, face, body and style. Most important is your skin. It is the largest organ on the body and most seem to neglect it. The skin has 5 main functions: Protection, heat regulation, excretion, absorption and water resistance. You should always use lotions, moisturizers, eye creams, serums, toners, primers, etc. to help balance and hydrate your skin. Make sure to use sunscreen for protection from the damaging ultraviolet rays that will also help slow down the aging process (Choose lotions that fit your specific skin types such as Read more

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays

Dear Staff,

We are having our holiday party this year on Friday, December 23, 2011 starting at 4:00PM at XY Chromosome R Us Restaurant. After all, it is RollinSD. We will do our absolute best not to offend anyone. Please know, we are taking measures to ensure we have addressed every: religious, political, dietary, alcohol sensitivity ever known to mankind.

There will be no Santa Claus, no Christmas tree, no Christmas carols, and no alcohol in case anyone is in recovery or should Read more

Dead Man Christmas Shopping

So you survived Black Friday and came back for more bargains on Cyber Monday. You swooped up some awesome deals. But wait, you didn’t begin to look or have the thought of shopping for your lady (ladies for some), right men?

Not to panic! It’s been requested that I help you out with this. Take a deep cleansing breath and exhale.

You can relax knowing that all gifts do not require a purchase but rather some creativity and Read more

Happy Thanksgiving Rollers

This time of year is magical. The extremes of relationship scenarios are typically being exhausted. It goes something like this: “I love you and so thankful for you” or “Get the f*ck out and NO you cannot have any more money.” Families are either coming together or will beat the crap out of each other after the second serving of pumpkin pie dessert…Wait for it.

To say its tough all over is the understatement of the year. Yet, it is a valid statement.

News reports confirm more people are falling below the poverty line. Many Americans are out of work, unemployment running out; people are hurting on various levels. According to CNN Money, about 46.2 million people are now considered in Read more

Stand By Your Woman

Traditional wedding vows need an addendum. It should go something like this: I promise before God and these witnesses to be your loving and faithful wife; in plenty and in want; in joy and in sorrow; in sickness and in health; as long as we both shall live. I will also stand by your side as you make a mockery of our love, embarrass our family, risk our future in the process of your present and past behavior comes to light thus becoming national news as you serve in public office and/or make a bid for the presidency.

If the roles were reverse men would be nowhere to be found. Men, I beseech you to say otherwise. Bring it!

Men, you have a sanctum of directionals of how to escape anything that does not stroke you the “right way” and backups at your disposal. Stand? I don’t think so. Run is more like it.

Gloria Cain, Silda Spitzer, Elizabeth Edwards and Hilary Clinton have stood by their men. If their husbands had to spend a day in their wife’s shoes they would undeniably fail. These accomplished and regal women possess smiles so large camouflaging any cracks of pain.

Women are simply conditioned to take shit. It starts all so very early. In elementary school at the sandbox when the boy pushes the girl down that is somehow construed to mean he likes her. That contorted thinking of hurt and love goes hand-in-hand plays Read more

Supermodel Superfitness Superhero

Ladies, I have a treat for you. Men, have your morning coffee and pay close attention. I present to you supermodel, Jmiah, who has many bragging rights. He is such a doll, eye candy, humanitarian stand-up dude, etc and etc. He was one of the first celebrities to wear my eco-friendly, socially conscious tshirts as I was beginning few years ago. I must share with you our conversation. Let’s go.

Q: What is Jmiah your name a combination of?

A: Well, I started my graphic design/PR business back in 2005; it was the name I had come up with for it. When I began competing in Fitness Model competitions, I just passed out my Jmiah Design business cards and everyone began calling me “JMIAH”. LOL, I should’ve known. So, I marketed myself with that name.

Q: When did you get your start in modeling?

A: I got started in modeling January 2006. For World’s Fittest Model Olympia Weekend in October 2006, I was a top 15 finalists out of over 3,000 auditions. Placed 3^rd in Read more