Legends MMA

Here is a shoot that we were very thankful to get. A few of the members of the Legends MMA Fight Team.

Fighters:
Curtis Hembroff
Chris Brady

Coach:
Chris Reilly

NIBS

Model: Ashley Niblett
Photographer: Ashley Crazey

Blogging is harder than it looks.

I love the concept of blogging, yet staying consistant with it can be very tough.  I have wanted to start blogging again a few times, but the embarrassment of "falling off the wagon" or... "jumping back on the wagon"... not sure how to say it, but to come back to my blog after going astray... It's unsettling. Not to mention, the issue of what to write about.



Well, I am glad to say, the problem of what to write about is no longer! My life has had so many changes lately, each one better than the last. My best friend and I started working together at Legends MMA and BeSpun in association with 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu and we could not be happier. The people there are great and we have so much fun at work, and in the classes! We will be pole dancing, ass kicking ninja's in no time!



In addition to helping out at our favorite gym, we have also got the ball rolling on our production company, "Eat The Apple Productions". Our portfolio of photography and videography is growing every day. Big thanks to my loving, talented and hard working husband and my beautiful Niblett - we are all partners in crime!
<3

People who are smothered in Awesome-Sauce

Since I've moved to Hollywood, I have met so many crazy-talented people. I'm thrilled when I find out some of these ingenious folks are from the Bay State, like me! Which brings me to the first edition of: (dun Dun DUN) "Awesome-Sauce People". From singers, directors, models to MMA fighters, keep an eye out for these ...

Awesome

Sauce 

People. 

Cassie Cardelle 

SINGER/SONGWRITER/DANCER/MODEL/ACTRESS

Fellow Massachusetts native, Cassie Cardelle, has decided to relocate from Boston to Los Angeles to continue pursuing a career in the entertainment industry. Attending an audio engineering school while finishing her second album, this New England Revolution Cheerleader plans on bringing her East Coast motivation to the West Coast.
  
Currently Max Talent's Miss June 2011, Cassie will also be featured in the upcoming issue of "Cookie Magazine." Although Cassie is a singer/songwriter, a passion for the production side of the music industry runs in her family. Her grandfather, record producer Rik Tinory, worked with one of my favorite bands, Aerosmith! Now, she's starting up an entertainment company ("CardRx Entertainment") with her father. Cassie's EP, "Suburban Diva" is currently available on iTunes.

Follow Cassie on Twitter.com 

@cassiecardelle 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 My next featured phenom-tastic person I haven't technically met, but Chuck O'Neil is the most exciting athlete I've seen on The Ultimate Fighter since Ryan Bader. Raised in Bourne, MA, Chuck is currently fighting out of Rockland, MA. He's fought all over Massachusetts and in his 4 years as a professional fighter he's racked up 2 title belts and a record of 8-4. Seven of those wins were finishes (often by TKO). Chuck was on a 3 fight win streak until Chris Cope took the decision on last Saturday's Finale of The Ultimate Fighter - Season 13. I'm not worried about Chuck though. Anyone who followed The Ultimate Fighter this past season knows Chuck did more than just impress UFC President, Dana White, with a bout that nearly blinded his opponent. Chuck went from being an Alternate for TUF13, to becoming Dana's Wild Card pick, coming back with a win against Javier Torres sending Chuck to the quarter finals of the season.

Maybe I'm just a sap for a heavy Boston Accent, but Chuck O'Neil is one of those fighters that gets me excited about Mixed Martial Arts. Having a perfect record is all well and good, but I tend to root for the fighters with the most character and heart.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Old Lady and Panman

The other featured brilliant-pants person I would like to introduce you to is actually a two-parter. First, we have "Panman", a serial-killing chef "with the recipe for murder."  Last month, Panman's feature horror/comedy film was premiered in Hollywood. It's called, "PANMAN: The Movie".

Co-Director and star of the horror/comedy, Tim Pilleri, is a long-time friend of mine. I first met Tim during a production at The Middlesex Community College Theatre Company. He was a major influence in my wanting to become a writer and actor. Tim wrote a play entitled "Pilgrim" complete with John Smith, Pocahontas and a drunk Irish Priest. Quite sincerely, it is the finniest play I've ever seen. 

On a personal note, I was recently abducted by the "Panman Promotional Van". I was forced to watch the most amazingly epic cimematic adventure of my life time. I laughed, I cried, I think may have even peed a little. 

Check out a video of me being abducted.

Tim Pilleri, Panman, Amber Marie Bollinger

at the "Panman" Premier in Hollywood

"Panman: The Movie" will be showing at select film festivals across the country this Halloween. Keep a watchful eye out for that and new music from Cassie Cardelle. And Big Congrats to Chuck O'Neil, one of Massachusetts own, making it to Las Vegas to fight at The Palms for UFC fans.   

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Gravity Rides Everything: Exercise

Gravity Rides Everything: Exercise: "How do you make yourself remember how good it feels to get up and get some exercise? I wouldn't say that I'm by any means completely seden..."

Boston Bound

I was so excited to come home to Massachusetts and visit for a week. There was so much on the agenda, I was worried that I would not be able to fit everything in. I'm very happy to say I accomplished just about every thing that I wanted to do while visiting my home state. I flew on a red eye Tuesday night, arriving in Logan on Wednesday. I flew Virgin America and it was amazing. I highly recommend flying Virgin, purple lights, relaxing-spa-like music, it made the whole plane feel like first class. Although I had very little sleep on the way over, I was wide awake when I saw my mom pull up to the terminal!

"I want Dunkin' Donuts." I told her, explaining that there are no Dunkin's in the great state of Cali-for-ni-aye. After getting a mocha iced coffee, we headed to my brother's house to see my perfect nephew, Callum. He and I laughed and played and joked around. He has a great sense of humor for a five month old.

The next day I spent the whole day with my sister. We went to the mall, went shopping and bought some cute new out fits. I was especially happy about this mirror I bought, we each got one because... well because I think it's cute that we have matching mirrors! We got our eye brow's done and the went to her house and had veggie burgers for lunch - which by the way - were delicious!

That night we went to JJBoomers for some serious karaoke. There were so many people there and I was so excited to see everyone. There were friends I hadn't seen in 15 years, co-workers I hadn't seen in 10 years, it was an extremely nostalgic night.

Me, Ashley, Val

Friday I spent the day in Springfield, visiting my old work, Aeropostale in the Eastfield Mall, have dinner with some friends and then Karaoke, of course, at Applebee's Boston Road with Vinnie the Hitman and DJ Denise. Visiting the people who had donated money for me to audition for Idol was amazing. It really felt like the last year had come full circle.

Saturday was the big day, the whole reason I flew 3,000 miles across the country. The Hometown Expo was even more amazing than I thought it would be. I got to meet Ashley Rodriguez, which was awesome, along with meeting, and jamming with, Randy Vera - a bad ass guitarist who I look forward to working with in the near future. Also, I was able to judge the "Hometown Idol Singing Contest"! Nineteen kids sang and everyone did a great job, I had no idea Walpole, MA was filled with so much talent! Everyone working at the Expo was so nice and I can't wait to go back next year.

Saturday night I attended the Annual MCZ Awards at my old College Theatre Company, The MCC Theatre. Thomas Orion did a great job hosting, with co-host Courtney Jones. I was glad to have a chance to visit the theatre while I was in town.

Sunday was spent with family, at my cousin Maggie's graduation party. The food was great, all my family was there and it was so nice to see every one. I just hope my cousins, Maggie and Jack come visit me in Hollywood soon!

  

Maggie, Jack, Kerri, Hannah, Felicia, John Kim, Callum, Ryan and Me.

The last two days of my trip was spent with friends and family and I am so glad that I was able to see my nephew as much as I did. He is getting so big, and I hate not being around to hang out with him, but I am so appreciative of the time I do get to see him and when I am the cool auntie that takes him to Disney Land, it will all be worth it.

You can take the asshole outta Mass but...

I'll always be a Masshole. I have been missing home so much lately, so I'm super stoked that I get to visit home soon. There are so many people that I want to see! For starters my sister, who I'm just crazy about. She recently was inducted into the national honor society and I wasn't there to celebrate with her. I guess one of the costs of following your dreams is missing important events in the lives of the ones you love. But I will make up for lost time soon...

I'm also excited to see other family members as well. My mom of course and my brother and sister-in-law and MOST OF ALL my lovely nephew, Cali. He and I are very tight. He tells me everything. I love the little guy and I just want to snuggle his little face. He's only a few months old but already, we just click.

I'm also excited to see my friends! I miss everyone so much, Chris and Josh, Chrissy, Jessy, Caitlin, Thomas Orion and so many more... I can't wait to Karaoke with my friends in both eastern and western Mass. I can't wait to go back to Applebee's, where my Idol adventure began almost exactly one year ago.

A major highlight of my trip to Massachusetts is, obviously, the reason I'm going! THE HOMETOWN WEEKLY EXPO! There will be a Hometown Idol singing contest and I am going to get to meet Micky Ward and Dicky Ekland!

Living in Hollywood is a dream come true, but I'll get home sick no matter where I go. I'm glad that even if I live 3,000 miles away, I can always call Massachusetts home.