This Edition

Carla Reports:

Team Universe - NYC

Masters/Teen Nationals

USA's - Las Vegas

Fit Tip

Contest Prep

PIC of the MONTH

Team Universe - New York City

NYC

NYC- Nicki and I didn't stay at the host hotel this trip. We stayed at the Embassy Suites which is located right on the battery overlooking the water and Statue of Liberty. Given that I had double cardio sessions while I was there it made for a very scenic place to do it! Walking along the battery you would never even know you were in such a bustling city. There are parks all over, benches, families, pets, neighborhoods. It really is a quaint section of the city if you can consider NYC quaint.

Team U was no joke with way over 250 competitors. There was also a pro figure contest at this show. Jessica Paxon won with Jenn Searles coming in second and Tara Scotti third. The women were absolutely beautiful, bedazzled and elegant!

Weigh-ins were at the host hotel on Thursday (7/14). Bev Francis and Steve Weinberger are awesome. We really got a look inside of their sense of humor! It was funny because I had just gotten my Muscle Mag which profiled them from the 80's when Bev was competing. It really gave me a whole new appreciation of the two. The Steve Stone crew was in full force and as always..it's so nice to work with them. We all run things like a well oiled machine. Nicki and I worked our tails off and by Saturday afternoon I was wiped out!!! Dieting while working a two day show will do that to ya! We were able to get out and support DJ Bigpez at Tara Scotti's after party It's an awesome little club and the music was banging thanks to Rob.

Jessica Paxon

2006 Master's/Teen Nationals

Just a week from the Team U I found myself flying out to 'Pittsburgh, PA to help a teen from my gym who had flown me out with him. He was competing in only his second show and first National level show. Alberto Rubinaccio is his name and pay attention because he will be making a splash! He is a very dedicated young man who doesn't need to be told twice what he needs to do.

I hadn't been back to Pittsburgh to the Masters since I had won the overall in 2004. It was a blast!!
Because I didn't have to be working backstage I actually got to socialize and watch a show for once!!
I was able to get a great workout in with Michael Moore (national level competitor) who had come in for the weekend.

Dena Westerfield	While in the local gym we ran into Dena Westerfield and Colette Nelson, both preparing for competition at the Europa 5 weeks away. Dave Palumbo was with them. He is doing Dena's prep for her. The women looked great and really fired me up to make my pro debut! I actually did cardio with Colette several times throughout the weekend.	Colette Nelson

A terrible damper was put on the weekend after one of the male competitors died of a heart attack in his room. Anthony D'Arezzo, 44, of Johnston, R.I., collapsed Friday afternoon in his hotel room. Mr. D'Arezzo died of cardiomyopathy, according to the Allegheny County medical examiner's office. Dave Palumbo said that Mr. D'Arezzo had long battled heart disease. He had not participated in a major bodybuilding event since 1997 and was trying to trying a comeback. It was a sad and humbling situation to say the least.

Alberto and Carla

Onto much lighter news though, my boy Alberto, took a third in his class which was excellent given the level of competition he faced. My girls Debbie Bramwell took first in her class in bodybuilding and Shelly Fields took second in her class in figure. I was able to get a cheat meal in and do a bunch of socializing with Jenn, Michael, Kris Murrell (who had just come off a win at Jr. nats), Gene from GeneX magazine, Debbie and her boyfriend Freddie and Big Bill Wilmore!! As always it is so good to see my boy Bill. He is just a silly kid at heart and always knows how to make me laugh!!!!

It was great also to see many of the women that have been competing for years; Michelle Ivers and Gerri Detch to name a few. Kim Buck went on to earn her pro card and the overall. She looked incredible. I had seen her in the airport and knew she was the one to beat then!
Beth Roberts was there as well and I had a chance to visit with her and Debbie Barnes (who is from Florida a a Team Body Tech member). Beth has not competed in a few years and is hoping to make a come back in 2007. I competed with her in my very first national level show in 2000 in New Jersey! She turned pro the next year!

All in all the show in Pittsburgh is awesome. Everything is in one place and you always are able to visit with everyone.!
Thanks to Alberto (JAX) and his parents for bringing me out! You are the bomb Big Guy!!

2006 USA's Las Vegas

Vegas Lights

The next weekend saw us in Vegas for the highly anticipated USA's. Nicki was coming in with Dave from Tuscon as she had been out there visiting since after Team U so that meant I had to travel alone. I got to the host hotel (Embassy Suites) ready to do my cardio to find that the air conditioning was not working (and hadn't been for 2 days). Need-less-to-say Vegas in July isn't the place you want to be without air-conditioning. Once again…in Vegas you need a car!! I won't make that mistake again. You couldn't even go outside or open a window to get some air as there was nothing but a hot breeze like someone was blow drying your teeth outside!!!!

Weigh-ins were a hot mess and the poor competitors were just melting! I just stopped complaining because at least I didn't have to compete. The electricity was still in the air however with the buzz in the lobby at the weigh-ins.
Friday brought us a great workout at the Gold's on Flamingo. Mimi Jabalee and Amanda Dunbar were in there training Colette Nelson in a kick-ass leg workout. I got so amped up I went crazy in there myself! If I had that type of energy up in Gold's West Side…look out..it would be insane!! Friday night started the show. Another show with over 250 competitors (seemed like millions of them were figure girls!).

The good thing too was that Brandie and Tim were there as she was competing.
Lana Dora got in Friday night and camped out in my room. She is the absolute best!!!
By Saturday night, once again, we were beat up!!!

Omar Deckard and Mike Ergas won pro cards for the men and Heather Policky earned her long awaited pro status for FBB! I cannot even lie about the figure girls cause I have no idea who won but Brandie is slowly inching up the ladder in the national level so that is super!!
As tired as we were we couldn't pass up partying with Lana and her Goombahs at The Hotel.

It was a blast that lasted until the next morning with soooo many people I lost count. Among the many national level competitors there were also some pros; Phil Heath, Gary Strydom, Haney Rambod (the famous Procreator), Dave Henry (of course), Mike Morris, just to name a few. That Lana knows how to do things up lemme tell ya!!!! I love her. She and Phil are planning to host the after party for the O. Should be off the chain!

Nicki, Tim Brandie and Carla

Sunday brought us a day of birthday celebration! Tim and Brandie took me and Nicki and Dave out for lunch to celebrate our birthdays! They showered us with gifts, we ate burgers and went shopping. It was awesome…I love those guys. Wished I could have spent more time with them!!! Brandie was feeling super with some good food and drink in her and Tim had gotten lucky at the slots!!!! From there me, Nicki and Dave got ready and picked up Lana to go to "O" at the Bellagio. We had a birthday dinner (I got 3 cheat meals over the weekend!) at Sansei in the Bellagio and then onto the show. What a creative spectacular show it was. Just a beautiful sight to behold. We went on for pictures and birthday cake after and then home to bed. We were beat!!

Monday found me at the pool with Lana, Mike Morris and Nida. I wished I could have had a few more lazy days like that but I still was doing cardio and had to go train. Nicki and Dave picked me up, I said bye to Lana (Kimo picked her up) and we went to train at Gold's. Another great workout and then off to my last cheat meal at the Pink Taco before I had to get on my plane to go home(overnight flight). It was an awesome idea but I don't think Mexican (no matter how fresh) is the thing for me during a diet!! All in all, Vegas was exhausting but so much fun! Hanging out with Lana was unbelievable. It's crazy what great people and good friends I have met through BB. She feels like family to me!! And she is so much fun! She wants to travel to Italy….count me in!!

Saying good bye to Nicki was tough however…it started to really sink in that she is gonna be gone...moving to Tuscon…life goes on!!??

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

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