Las Vegas Weekend Recap

Hi friends! Well, I have returned from the fabulous Las Vegas... and back to reality :p I had an amazing trip and got some incredible shots at my fitness modeling  photo shoot with Bobby Black.

The view from our hotel, the Wynn

The Wynn's gorgeous lobby

I traveled with my friend from New York city, Chris, and he was kind enough to pay my whole way and even treat me to dinner and shows on both Saturday and Sunday night. We saw Celine Dion on Saturday night and went to a really good Italian restaurant (so  Chris said, I had to be good because my photoshoot was on Sunday.. I did have steak though!)

Chris and I at Celine's show

Celine Dion's show

It was worth the sacrifice though, Sunday's pictures turned out sooo good!

One of the shots from Sunday's shoot with Bobby Black

On Sunday night we got to go to Cirque du Soleil's show on the Beatle's called "LOVE." It was totally mind-blowing. I kinda felt like the show probably looked like what it would feel to be on drugs. I don't know how that'd feel, but I think I do now!! Part of the show had rollerbladding hippies haha:

Crazy circus stuff

Sunday night we went to the most amazing restaurant and got the Chef's choice 4-course dining experience... and boy was it incredible. It started with an appetizer, then the BEST lobster pot pie, then steak, and finished with a dessert sampler of a bunch of different chocolate dishes. DELECTABLE.

Part of our dessert sampler was mini root beer floats
and chocolate chip cookies. YUM! It was all so good.

We also chose to do the wine pairing carefully selected by our chef for each course. Four glasses of wine later I was definitely having a good night :p

Chris and I after dinner

And a good night to you! I'm off to bed. As always my friends... blessings :)

~Ruthie

Oh to Be in NYC

Wow. If you have never been to NYC during Christmas then someday you must go. It is so so magical. I couldn't even take it all in but boy did we try :)

We got to see a ton of the city, in only a few hours! We saw:

 ~ National World Trade Center Memorial (and the Freedom Tower, to be the tallest building in the country when it's finished)

 ~ Time Square (and the New Year's Ball)

 ~ 5th Avenue luxury shops (Juicy, Fendi, and Prada oh my!)

 ~ Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree and Iceskating Rink

 ~ Little Italy

 ~ Chinatown (and not some great Christmas gift deals, Kinjal you would be proud of my haggling skills! ;p)

 ~ World Famous Lombardi's Pizza (YUM.) Voted the best pizza in the city,
and boy was it good. They had the oldest brick pizza oven and it gives the crust an amazing flavor.

 ~ Junior's Cheesecake. Yup, NYC cheesecake is famous for good reason! My favorite was the Carrot Cake version, oh mi oh my...

 
Here's photos from my whirlwind day in New York:

NYC was amazing but I cannot forget how incredible shooting with Muscle and Fitness Hers on Long Island in Syosset, NY at Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym was!! I did a feature on "5 Moves for a Bikini Booty" and also filmed a training video and interview. The magazine feature comes out in the 2012 March/April issue and the video will come out before it on the M&FHers website. Thank you to M&FHers editor Mona Muresan and her brother Sebastian, Bym owners Bev Francis and Steve Weinberger, makeup artist and hairstylist Kyra Dorman, photographer (and his crew!) Ian Spanier. THANK YOU THANK YOU!!

The cherry on top of the whole experience was the little blessings I didn't expect, like getting exit-row seats for the WHOLE trip, miraculously making my return flight after waking up an hour and a half late (yes you read that right, I had an hour to get to 30 miles to the airport, get though security, get to my gate, and board... God must have stopped time!), getting to meet up with my Bombshell teammate Bianca Berry in NYC, meeting Steve Steve Weinberger himself - an NPC National judge and owner of the Powerhouse gym. SUCH a good trip, and even my friend Chris suprising me with these gorgeous shoes:

Here's hoping you're as blessed this Christmas as I know I am! 
Blessings,

Ruthie xoxo

Christmas Came Early

Tomorrow I'll FINALLY be done with this semester of school! Yes!! I could not be more excited for Christmas, family time, chilling out, eating some yummy holiday food (crackers, meats and cheeses and wine on Christmas Eve woot woot!!), and getting some "brain food" in reading my Bible and my a couple devotional books I;ve started but haven't had time to finish. I am also excited to travel.... I didn't want to mention anything until I was sure, but now it's official:


I am going to New York City....

I'm off to the big apple!

To do a photoshoot with Muscle & Fitness Hers magazine this weekend!!!

Back in September at the Olympia M&F Hers did a mock
"cover shoot" for fans at their booth. Now I'll actually be in the magazine
for REAL! I love coincidence :)

Just think, I'll be in the same magazine as the
incredibly athletic IFBB Pro Figure Arnold and
Olympia winner Nicole Wilkins!!

...My fellow Bombshell teammate Justine Munro
made the COVER a couple months back.
Way to go Bombshell!!

 I fly out on Sunday and come back on Tuesday, the shoot will take place on Monday. I have no idea exactly what the spread will be, but no matter what I am thrilled and ecstatic to be in print as a FITNESS MODEL. This is honestly a dream come true and a true answer to many many prayers :D

On Facebook I did a giveaway of ZipFizz to whoever could guess where I am going.

Barbie will be getting a sample pack
of ZipFizz to try out. I'm sure you'll
love it!!

We have a winner!! Congrats to Barbie Gonzalez to correctly guessing where I'm going/what I'm doing on the first try! Dang girl, good job :) I need your address so I can mail off your goodies :)

This is truly Christmas come early in my book and I cannot WAIT to go to New York, I have never been there but I have heard great things. Hopefully I'll have a little extra time so I can go check out some of NY's many attractions: Central Park, Time Square, the Liberty Lady, where the Twin Towers once stood, and the big Christmas tree.

Massive ornaments as Christmas decorations

THE tree to put all Christmas tress to shame!

Liberty Lady

Times Square

Twim Towers Memorial

I won't be there long, but I hope to see as much as I can! I'll keep you guys updated via Facebook with pictures and posts about my travels. When I get back I'll defintely do a full recap too! I know a couple things New York is famous for that I'll be sure to try while I'm there....

New York Pizza

Oh New York, you're so cheesy

And for dessert, my all time favorite: New York Cheesecake!

For now it's bedtime though, one Final to go...I need my sleep so I can think tomorrow :p Goodnight and sweet dreams.

Blessings,
Ruthie