Los Angeles weekend

Buff Girls

I loved this shot I took with Nikki Fuller a couple of summers ago. Steve Wennerstrom was the photographer, IFBB Historian, and writer for many physique publications. I had just returned from Holland, and Nikki was ripped and ready for a show, even though she no longer competes as an IFBB Pro Bodybuilder. We were pretty much in awe of each other the entire weekend. The contrast between our bodytypes in size, muscle shape, skin color and hair was a nice effect. Yet, the similarity and fullness of the muscle bellies is even nicer. Perhaps one day, we will shoot again.

Yesterday was a good day shoulder day and I ended up military pressing (standing) about 165 for 5, no cheating. I kind of feel it in my mid back, but I used a belt and it's not really a bad sore. I also snatched the 24kg RKB for 10 each arm after the presses, and it did not feel hard or out of control. I went on to do some standing Arnold presses, which was difficult after the military presses. Then I just finished up with laterals so the shoulders will look pretty and some rear delt machine flyes and abs. Jason had to get off to a hot date, so I cut him loose early. I finished with an hour of treadmill. It's not so bad when you have good music or a good program to watch. I watched the semi finals of the Ultimate Fighter. I enjoy watching the fights, it's perhaps the only sporting event I am remotely intrigued by. I like it because it is so complex and the training so rigorous. It's a chess match of modern day gladiators. Just no lions. Speaking of which, I will post my photos of Rome soon. I have all my photos spread out between a few computers.

I have some stuff to work on the website today, and Dave and I are working diligently on the revamp. I am very excited about the launch.

I have a very good feeling that 2010 is going to be a very interesting year.

Sultry and Sexy at Santa Monica Pier

As I have told you before, I will spoil you with photos that I think capture something special. Many of these photos are not even in any of my galleries and have never been released, but are in my private stock. This one grabbed my attention because it epitomizes what I have always strived for, both as an athlete and a physique artist. And that is, sensual form and sexy curves and lines, but also a functional and aesthetic figure. My roots are in sport, training as a swimmer, track athlete, volleyball player, and a lot of other things in between. I was obsessed with strength and, later, form when I was a young girl. I can still remember the first time I ever lifted a weight, I was about 13 years old, and the volleyball coach told us to go through the Nautilus circuit a couple times. I would spend 1/2 a day there going through it several times and dabbling in free weights. It wasn't long before I was able to bench press 135 pounds at 15 years old--for repetitions. I then saw some photos of Rachel McClish and Cory Everson, and I knew immediately that one day, I would develop my body to that level. That is why this photo has so much significance to me, because it reminds me of my dream in my mind's eye of what I wanted to look like. And, I also thought that women with muscle were beautiful, and if they could retain the pleasing lines and most significantly, facial beauty, it was the height of perfection. So, I knew that after my first few bodybuilding shows, I had surpassed my dreams, and that is a great feeling. When this happens, one can only keep dreaming about pushing the genetic boundaries of one's frame as far as strength, functionality and aesthetic. With proper timing of meals, a high quality diet in wild game and vegetables, rest, and a few other factors, I think a very high quality of life can be achieved. I also believe that you must surround yourself with positive people that can enhance your outlook on life. Great friends, lovers, and family are key. I also advocate lots of good, healthy sex, (with yourself or a partner) but obviously with a partner, it's always better! And, please do not forget a little red wine, and I will throw a little vodka in there on the weekends in moderation. You must breathe heavily and deeply every day, either through your training, cardio, sex, meditation or other means. What's left? Deep breathing connects your energy to the Universe and makes you feel more alive. Ever notice how great you feel after great sex, cardio, training, or an adrenaline rush? Or the natural high of life you get by helping other people feel good about themselves in some way. I think we need to ensure that we get our own healthy dose of oxygen and endorphins daily--it does a body good and puts a smile on your face!

Back Shot

Just thought I would share my backshot with you that I had taken yesterday in the gym. I had a great back training day. I started out with a couple sets of pull ups, followed by some bent over rows, in which I went up to 205 and pulled pretty clean without cheating. I had two training partners I was assisting, so they just followed me. We went on to do an assortment of machine rows and pulls and called it a day. I always finish off now with some RKB swings and snatches at the end of every workout since I will focus on preparation for the RKB certification in April, 2010. I am already snatching 20kg for 15 each hand, and I think I will be able to increase the repetitions provided I do it regularly. I definitely feel like I am getting stronger in everything. I met my one friend, Jess in the gym, who competed in the Ms. Figure America show last weekend in Las Vegas. I wanted to try to catch her show, but missed it. When I saw her in the gym, she told me she placed 2nd! I was so excited and happy for her. She landed quite a few shoots with photogs from Oxygen Magazine and she did a mock up covershoot. I have no doubt she will grace the cover one day very soon. I met her when she was about 15 years old when I first came to Albuquerque, NM to work for the BIA. I used to eat breakfast at The Range Cafe, where she was a waitress. I always remember her chatting with me and asking me questions about training. She was so thin in those days, and played a lot of soccer. She certainly has come a long day since those days, and it makes me smile inside to know that in some small way, I perhaps motivated and inspired her. My training bud, Jason, snapped this photo, and Jess popped by to say hello. Her and her boyfriend asked me to pose once again, so of course, I spread my wings for them...LOL! We had a nice, brief chat about training and diet and we were off to eat. I grilled a bunch of chicken and had a nice salad with feta cheese, tomato and a glass of red wine. Yummy! I did not eat enough protein or food at all. It's always bad when I get on these nocturnal schedules because I end up sleeping in which cuts into my food time and I end up skipping meals. This week, though, back to the normal schedule and eating!

North Shore Bliss

I love the tranquility of the ocean and the sand, the balmy weather, and the waves smacking against my body. So simplistic, it is a reminder of the ebb and flow of life itself. The sand feels like brown sugar on my body and the salty water caresses my skin. This is one of my favorite places in the world, the North Shore on Oahu. I have been here several times, and my body resonates with mother nature on the North Shore. Words do not begin to describe the calm I feel here. It truly is a special place in the world. I am compelled to make another journey here again soon, as the ocean is calling me. And, I always listen to the call of nature--it is in my spirit to do so, and I feel an obligation to my soul and the Universe.

This photo is symbolic of how I feel about my life. Open and ready. If you observe this pose, you can see that I am offering my being to the beauty of the ocean, the sun, and I am sinking into the earth. There are certain points in my life where I have felt more open and less guarded. This is a time where I felt I was offering my body to mother nature. And, that is how I feel right now, at this very moment about my life.

I could not find a better pose that is symbolic for my feeling in life at this time. After the grand European tour, which I have promised to post more photos and stories (and I will), there is a calmness about my being. I was both anxious but excited about the tour before I left, because, inevitably and invariably, I knew there would be challenges along the journey. I could not deny the fact that my travels would go without incident. As long as I could retain my passport, a little cash and my credit cards and other identification, I knew I would be okay. It's kind of like trying to be a survivalist in the urban jungle. Pretty silly, but I don't think a lot of people in the world are equipped to be world travelers. But, I did it, and my life experiences in a few weeks time rivaled that of several years of my life, and that's pretty interesting.

At any rate, after coming home, I threw myself into the gym, only taking a couple of days off the recover. I think both Amazon fantasists and general civilians alike can appreciate my efforts in the gym. I do not quite understand it, but I am stronger than ever, nearly rivaling my strength when I lived in Holland with Sas training at Kneet's Gym. I never thought I would see that day again. My life is cyclic, and since I travel a lot, sometimes it is difficult to stay on a normal schedule in training. However, I am fortunate enough to have found a very good man, JJ, that is pushing me to be the best I can be--both inside the gym, and outside the gym. How exciting is that? I rarely have anyone that would even remotely begin to challenge me, not only in the gym, but in other areas of my life to inspire me.

I generally train alone and just try to find someone that can give me a quick spot. I have also decided to help a friend of mine, Jason, who used to train with Romeo, my old training bud, who recently moved to Oregon. It is a great position to be in, because, although I do not have the time at the moment to dedicate to training people, I will assist friends in my inner circle gratuitously, and I have other people helping me in my training. It's a good feeling, because I enjoy helping others, and it also reinforces my own knowledge.

I have also decided to go for my Russian Kettlebell Certification in April. This training methodology is also known as "Hard Style", and Pavel Tsatsouline pioneered the revolution of hardstyle RKB training. I have a good foundation already, now all I have to do is continue to swing, clean, snatch and a few other exercises daily to hone my skills. Hard Style is different from competition style. Competition is more focused on economy of motion, and the number of reps on can achieve. While I am interested in that, it is not my primary focus. It is yet another facet of training that I can add to my arsenal, and it will only help improve my quality of life and others.

My goals in training have always been on functionality, power, and last but not least, aesthetic. I don't know how many people I have told this to in the gym this week! Sometimes I think I should have a business card that states these objectives and actually begin training people, but at this point in my life, I am not ready to take on personal training, although I have done it in the past. I simply enjoy helping and educating others. Therefore, I like to incorporate a lot of power movements, whether it is powerlifting techniques, RKB, sport training, or simply bodybuilding movements. Power and speed are largely intrinsic, however, proper training methodologies can enhance this. Diet and some exercises allow for an aesthetic physique. I always know that you are what you do or eat. So, how one trains, and how one eats, is how one will end up looking. Pretty simple, huh?

So, getting to the meat of things, my strength levels are up, and I have lost about 8 pounds over the past month. I intend on getting bigger, harder, and shaplier in the next several weeks, but stronger as well. I am able to close grip benchpress in the Smith Machine nearly 300 pounds for reps, and all of my other lifts are up significantly. I am working on my grip strength for RKB training. Last year I did nearly 200 snatches with both hands in a 10 minute test, with a 16kg RKB, which is what women use in the open division for hardstyle qualification. This is nearly double the qualification standard. So I know I will not have a problem qualifiying for the certification. My goal, however, is to be be able to make the men's open qualification in the 5-minute snatch test, and that is 100 combined snatches with both arms in the 5-minute test with the 24kg RKB. Now, that would be a good goal for me. I am snatching the 20kg right now for sets of 10-15 reps, alterating arms, and taking a bit of rest in between sets. It would take me a while to get up to 24kg, however, I do not think it is something that is unattainable. Right now, I do not have a problem I am also working on athletic movements such as power cleans, snatches, deadlifts and squats. It is a great feeling getting my power base back where it belongs. Tonight, I did some Russian Deadlifts with 225lbs very easily and I did not lose my grip at all. It felt good, clean and "right"!

I think it will enable me to do overhead lifts and carries that much better and I have some friends that are professional wrestlers that will be able to teach me these lifts even better. It's all a matter of time before I can really perform them, and that is all too exciting for me.

So, it has truly been nose to the grindstone lately, but with pleasure in more ways than one, as I know how to enjoy life! No fear of that, my dear friends. So, stay tuned, as I will continue to deliver to you my progress in training, and my celebration of life.

Carpe diem!

Amber

Heavy & Late

If you read my posts regularly, several posts back, I told you that I carry my virtual office when I hit the road for travel. Since I was going to be in Europe for quite a while, I thought I would streamline my bags down. I left a lot of stuff including shoes, boots and summer type clothing I wore in Las Vegas, at my good friend, Al's, in Escondido, California. Upon arrival to London, United Kingdom, I was actually idiotic enough to bring two big Rimowa suitcases. For some odd reason, I thought it was going to be pretty cold there. And, since I have lived in Holland a couple of years ago, as I recall, both London and Holland are pretty cold this time of year, and Frankfurt, same thing, and the rest of the countries I would travel too, it would be cold and probably rain. Much to my surprise, the weather was very mild and I did not need any warm weather clothing. So, I left one huge suitcase at the hotel in London, and thought I would just pick it up on my return to the UK. As I stated in the last post, I paid for a lot of overages in luggage. Turkish Air was quite liberal with the weight, though, back to the UK. Generally, when I travel, the airlines tag my bags with two tags about 80% of the time. That is "heavy", and "late". Go figure. See the little icon man bending his knees and using both hands to lift the bag? How funny is that? When I was in the Turkish airport, they have to send you luggage through a preliminary security check for metal. This bag I had to lift up onto the conveyor belt. All I really did was just hoist it up and kick it up with one knee and it slammed down on the belt. At least it did not have "late" marked on the bag.

You are probably thinking, "Why has Amber resorted to such a boring photo?" Well, I know I have spoiled you with the past several months with cool photos but I think this little tag was so funny. It's the little things in life and the stupid things I do that make me laugh at myself.

On a sidebar note, I know I have been a bit slow in posting here. Again, I have taken the liberty to settle into my training routine, my house, and friends here in Albuquerque, and attend to my website business. I have also taken over my old training partner's client, Jason, and told him I would help him train. We have made amazingly great partners thus far. I just show him certain exercises and how I like to be spotted. He is catching on very well, and is eager to learn. It inspires me, too, because I am forced to teach, and become more of a leader with him.

I have been amazingly strong, and I will post some videos soon of my progress and training in the gym. I have been regularly close grip bench pressing on the Smith machine around 275x10 reps for triceps. I just want to pile the weight on a get stronger. I love getting bigger, too, but being stronger is more important. I have always enjoyed training for power, speed and functionality. That's way more important to me that anything else. Getting bigger is just a cool byproduct of training heavy. My bodyweight has held steady at 210 pounds. My goal is to get leaner and harder without losing any weight. I would accept a few pound weight loss, but the idea is to gain lean body mass. So, I am on the quest to accomplish my goals. Jason is a hunter, and he just got a 4x5 elk this season, and he has been giving me some elk steaks. I eat a lot of bison and ostrich as well. I just love wild game. I think we all need to have a more Paleolithic diet and eat more wild game, vegetables, roots, and some fruit. More of a hunter/gatherer diet where we foraged for our food. Think about how hard we do not work for our food nowadays. I can roll out of bed and be at Trader Joes in 30 seconds! My ancestors had to go out and hunt the bison. Our bodies really are not used to processed grains and obviously anything processed. The only processed thing I will easily accept is vodka. Oh yes, and my red wine. That's not so bad, is it? I always say, "Never trust anyone that doesn't drink".... I am not suggesting encouraging heavy boozing, but I think you understand what I mean.

I am just going through some of my travel photos and will be posting some of them soon, as promised about my journey to Europe. I thought I would be way more tired from the trip, however, conversely, I feel quite invigorated!

European Tour Finale in Istanbul

I knew that this European tour would test my resilience, endurance, patience and mettle. I started my journey in San Diego, and then off to Vegas for the Olympia as I stated in an earlier post. Then, it was off to NYC, London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Zurich, Milan, Rome, Athens and Istanbul, London and finally back to NYC. I have always wanted to see Italy and Turkey, and now I had my chance. I took a friend of mine, Mark, to Amsterdam with me, and we were patting ourselves on the back over how well my trip had been going so far, and how we arrived early at the airport and things were going so smoothly. I still had several cities for something to go awry. And it did. When you travel a lot, your chances of something going wrong are increased dramatically. It's bad enough that I barely get to airports on time in the USA and with too many overweight bags. I tried to streamline my bags, but alas, it was still too much weight by European standards. I ended up paying nearly $1,000 in baggage surplus. I vowed that on my next journey, I am only going to pack the bare necessities, and if I need something, I will just buy it.

The first major mishap of the journey occurred when I miscalculated my timing out of Milan to the airport. It took me well over one hour to get there. I should have asked the clerk at the front desk so I could time it out. As it turned out, I could have made my flight into Rome, but the Easyjet clerk told me I should just wait for the next flight. After leaving the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland, English was a secondary language to everyone, even in airports and public places. I found myself speaking one word at a time, very slowly. Most of Western Europe has a good grasp of the English language, but Italy, Greece and Turkey are entirely different. It becomes very frustrating when something goes wrong, like overweight luggage, missed flights, or one of my sponsors trying to find me in the airport. After the missed flight to Milan, I had no choice but to sit in a pizza place and catch up on emails. Milan was beautiful and I walked through the fashion district (very much like Beverly Hills), and I had a great dinner at the Blvgari hotel where a friend took me. I got a massage in the hotel, much needed, and enjoyed the spa. The room was free due to my Platinum status with Starwood. It was a beautiful room with a normal king sized mattress, which is unusual in Europe, as they usually just put two twins together and I end up falling in the damned crack. I hate that. So, I was very happy that it was a genuine king mattress. I like to sprawl out when I sleep. I am also a dangerous sleeper, as many a lover has told me that I elbowed him/her in the middle of the night when I turn.

I finally ended up in Rome, and my hotel was on the main street where all the fashion and fine dining was. I got yet another great room. Luckily, I had a great sponsor that grew up in Rome and took me out to sight see to all of the famous places, including the Coliseum, the Vatican, and many of the fountains. When I got home, coincidentally, I ended up watching a Gregory Peck movie called "Roman Holiday" with Audrey Hepburn. It was such a classic movie, and the fountains were easily identifiable. Since I enjoy watching a lot of foreign flicks, it's always cool to have been to many of the locations in the films.

From Rome, I ended up going to Athens, and although I made the flight on time, when I arrived in Athens, my luggage did not make it. So, I had one of the nicest suites in Hotel Grande Bretagne, at one of the finest hotels in Athens, and I had my scrubby flight clothes on. So, this forced me to rethink how I will travel in the future. One, I will bring a small carry on with my essentials such as toiletries, makeup and a change of clothes. I had to go to the pharmacy just to get the basic stuff. This trip was truly a lesson on how to travel, economize and get to the airport extra early. Not on time, but early. Because you have to account for the fact that you don't know where the hell you are going in the airport, will probably end up getting lost and asking a bunch of people directions that do not speak English very well. I have learned not to be shy and ask the first most competent looking person that may be able to help me. It was not so bad when I traveled from Amsterdam to Frankfurt, Frankfurt to Zurich, and Zurich to Milan because it was all by train. Granted, I had too much luggage, but I knew I at least had it, and I got to the train stations on time.

The day I left Athens and was flying into Istanbul, my luggage turned up, amazingly enough. Luckily, Turkish Air did not screw me over on the weight of my bags, as I was permitted to have two carry ons. Although, I completely forgot about some of the toiletries and when I went through security the ladies that inspected the bags chucked a lot of hair products. Which was fine by me, as long as it was not my expensive facial products or perfume. The ladies saw my small bottle (probably about 4 ounces, which is still too much) of Serge Lutens perfume, very pricey by the way, and I just gasped and begged for them not to chuck it. Thank God they knew what they were looking at, and they chose to ignore it and put it back in my bag. So, off to Turkey I went.

The hidden gem of my entire trip was Istanbul, Turkey. I completely forgot that I needed a Visa, and I did not realize I also needed Turkish Lira (which is about 1.47 to $1.00). So, I got my Visa for 20EUR and picked up my luggage, and it was all there. I got into a cab, and realized that I must have had the craziest cab driver in Istanbul. First of all, he did not speak much English. So, I wondered whether I would even get to the W Hotel. It seemed to take a while, and my cabbie was very aggressive, swerving in and out of traffic, yelling at people, making hand gestures, and mad dogging every driver that got in his way. When I entered the cab, I immediately tried to buckle my seatbelt, but I could not find the bottom part to insert the buckle in. So, instead, I just sat in the back bracing myself. The cabbie looked up at me a few times, and all I did was just give him a sheepish smile and tried to look indifferent about his crazy driving. Even if I said something to him, he would not understand, so that would have been futile. At one point, he slammed his brakes, and we were literally only a few inches away from a fender bender, which resulted in him yelling at the driver in front of us. When I got out of the cab, all I had was a 50EUR note, as I was in "Euro" mode. The fare was only 27YTL. When I handed him the 50EUR, (about 108YTL, which is four times what the fare was) I just told him to keep the change. Typically, cabbies only get a bit of change over the fare not only in Europe, but also in Turkey. So, he probably called it a day after dropping me off. I was just happy to make it alive to the hotel and get rid of that driver.

I had a great host/tour guide while in Istanbul, Hakan, and he took me around at night to see the mosques and old buildings and fountains. He took me to a local place where they serve a typical sausage meat on bread and some dip and a yogurt drink. I liken it to our McDonalds. But only healthier. And then, he took me the following night to a nice restaurant. I always like it when my sponsors take me to a really cool local place, and also a high end restaurant to experience the food. I went for lunch to a really great restaurant called "Kosebasi" and the food was amazing. I crave it now, and I can't wait to go back for more.

My hotel overlooked the Bosphorous and was in a very upscale fashion district with great dining options and other amenities.

In these photos, you will see the detail of the ceiling of one of the fountains, and I am standing outside one of the most famous castles in the old part of the town.

Of all the cities on the tour I visited, something about Istanbul grabbed me. Perhaps it was the surprise of the diversity of the people and the sophistication of the city. I definitely want to go back and explore more and perhaps the night life on a grander scale. I am definitely going to pack less so I can come home with a few trinkets from the bazaar! And I want to return sometime in May when the weather is just about perfect from what the locals tell me. I got my hair done and a manicure/pedicure at a local salon, and it was only about 1/3 the cost of the service in a big city in the USA and they were pretty darn good. One of my biggest weaknesses is Lokum and all the great baklava, so immediately upon arrival, I took a little hike behind the hotel and got my fill. I swear I can eat an entire box of Lokum in one sitting. It's just too addicting.

After Istanbul, I returned to London and had a relaxing time with my friend, Mark, and we recapped the entire tour, and how I may do it differently the next time. As much as I say I would never do that again, I probably will. But, not on such a grand scale hitting so many cities. And, certainly not with all that luggage.

My body is finally recovered and getting back onto Mountain Standard Time here in New Mexico. I found myself falling asleep on the couch around 9:30 pm all last week. Probably because I threw myself back into the gym, mercilessly, and punishing my body by lifting hard and heavy. I always say I am just going to "ease back in" so I am not too sore. But amazingly, I am stronger than when I left for this long journey. The only thing I can attribute it to is my positive mental attitude, a lot of good quality sleep, my high proetin/wild game diet, and motivation. I guess that's what a good old fashioned European holiday will do for you. Most of the Europeans take about 30 days off a year, and it is typical for them to take several weeks off at a time. It seems to have an invigorating effect when you return to your normal day to day life.

I have a feeling I am just tapping into my global travels!

Train ride from Zurich to Milan

Zurich is very close to Milan via train, and when I organized my trip to Europe this year, I decided to take trains for three journies between cities. I love the trains, as you do not have to screw around with security, overweight or lost luggage, or all the nuisances of the airport and cabs, and hustlers. You are in, and out, in no time and it is far more relaxing to have a nice comfortable seat and beautiful view of the countryside and get a little cat nap. This lake I passed was at the foothills of a beautiful mountain range and there was no sign of commercialism in the area. It was stunning. The lake reminded me a little of Taos, New Mexico, and the mountains. It's funny when I travel in Europe, a lot of places remind me of places I have lived in the USA. Since I have never been to Italy, I relished this train ride. I made the first major blunder of my foreign travels by losing my UK cell phone. I think I left it in the cab the last night I was in Zurich. It simply had to have slid out of my little travel purse. I decided to go for sushi, and it happened to be clear across town from where I was staying . It cost me a 40Euro cab fare each way, and the sushi ran around 150EUR. I had about 170GBP on my phone, so all total, this sushi dinner cost about $500 of our good old Benjamins. Not something I relish, but hey, I screw up from time to time. So, I went to the room and activated my Iphone via internet. I think I am going to get seriously screwed on the bill, but what the hell. I will just beg them for a smaller bill and attempt to claim ignorance. I am in Athens tonight and leave for Istanbul tomorrow morning. I am playing catch up with the blog because I have been quite busy here. There are a few more crazy blunders I will tell, so stay tuned, and you will see!

Amber in Frankfurt

While I was in Frankfurt, my good friend, Olaf took these photos of me in front of all of these really cool antique cars! We went out and had an amazing Thai dinner. The night before, I had sushi. But, it's always nice to share a meal with a good friend, you know. I think the food tastes better, even if it's marginal when in the company of good people.

KO - a Vegas sweet surprise

KO, "Kortney Olsen", has got to be one of the sexiest girls I have seen in a long time. She has a natural spunk and persona to her that is just so hot and erotic. She is a complete natural. Her hard body and killer looks are certainly intoxicating. I just wanted to drink her in...every inch of her. And, I did. Again, Brain Moss did the honors of capturing us on film. The only disappointment was that we were short on time and we did not get any video footage in, but we got some really hot stills done. And, I think these photos speak volumes for themelves! We will definitely be doing some more work together in the future. Oh yea, and we rocked Vegas in our own sweet way. I will leave that to your imagination, my dear friends!

Amazons Rock Vegas at the Olympia!

Left to right: Shawn Tan, 6'0 190, Amber Steel, 5'9, 210, Buffbunny (Kristal), 5'9, 210

These photos were taken at "Nine" Steakhouse at the Palms after the Ms. Olympia night show. I have never been to the Palms, but it really is a place to people watch and be seen. In fact, Hulk Hogan was sitting directly across from our table. There is no shortage of beautiful people there, and it is a pretty hip place. Whenever I go to Vegas, I just want to relax, as I am not one to party much, drinking or otherwise. Now, if you know me, you know that I can throw down my fair share of booze with nary an ill effect with the exception of sleeping all day and have a little headache. While I do not get violent when I drink, the exhibitionist tends to come out even moreso. I am a natural nudist, and I hate clothes. So, if I have had few drinks or a bottle of wine, there is little inhibition on my part. And, in classic form, the girls in this photo with me were feeling their oats, too! So, we caused quite a stir with the guys at the bar, and in the restaurant after our meal. We posed, flexed and choked out anyone in our near proximity. The staff at Nine loved it, and begged for Shawn and myself to go into the back to put a hurting on the chef! So, we snuck into the back, as they wanted us to surprise him...ah the element of surprise! We immediately grabbed him, and I took a rear naked choke on him (not too hard) and Shawn did a body scissors on him (she is about 6'0 tall and all of 185 pounds). He panicked when Shawn was scissoring him, as he apparently had a hernia surgery not too long ago. We took it easy on him, but he totally loved it and the staff got a lot of great photos. Kristal videotaped it and got shots. All in all, we were just acting natural, doing what Amazons do--and totally loving it.

Fetish Photo Shoot

These photos were taken a few weeks ago when my friend, Fotios came out to do some work with me. I bought this corset in San Francisco earlier this summer, as well as this skirt, they were both on sale, so I could not pass it up. My back is so massive that the corset barely fit. But, that's okay. I am working on getting all the odds and ends finished before my one month trip in Europe. I am lucky I have a good support team at home to take care of stuff for me! Anyway, I will post while I am on travel so you can see where I am and what I am doing.

I have to push for the next few

months to get as much accomplished for the website and shoot more fun stuff. I will be able to take somewhat of a break from it all around the holidays. But a break for me is balls-to-the wall training and lots of good food, rest and recovery, which I do not get while I am on the road. It will be good to recharge my battery after it's all said and done. But for now, it's full speed ahead! Las Vegas for the Olympia, NYC and then Europe. Stay tuned!

Escondido, California

This photo is perhaps one of my favorite photos of all time for various reasons. Number one, because it is with one of the most gorgeous female bodybuilders of all time, my friend, Nikki Fuller. I have posted a photo of us indoors a few posts ago on the steps, and Steve Wennerstrom did a magnificent job, as always in capturing the epitome of female bodybuilders in all their glory. I have to tell you, though, his mind was in muscle overload! One magnificent subject of art is more than enough for one poor photographer, but two? You have got to be kidding me. His mind did not know what to focus on next, it was in such overload with this much muscle in front of his lens.

And, Steve and Nikki go back many years, from her early days when she graced the cover of every major muscle magazine on the stands. And, I remember, too, because I was a hardcore fbb fan when Nikki was in her prime. As far as I am concerned, Nikki combined the grace and beauty of what female bodybuilding is all about. Very few women on the pro stage still have this magnificence. Even now, 15 years after her last major show, she still carries a tremendously muscular, lean and vascular physique.

I admire her so much, that I do not mind trading dominant and submissive type poses with her. And, she did the same for me, and she verbally admitted being submissive to me, which surprised me. But, at the same time, it was quite a turn on, a woman of her stature, and iconic force in the bodybuilding industry would feel submissive towards me.

Life is like that; a game of being passive and active, submissive or dominant. And, it's good to know that you are comfortable in your own skin to be in either position. If you can be in either position, you are truly a grounded human being. It's all about balance, as I have mentioned before in my previous posts. And balance is so beautiful and such a turn on. In fact, a major turn off is discovering someone is out of balance.

I have just finished editing a final project with my good friend, Dave, while I am gone in Europe for my website updates, so they will be regularly updated as well as my Clips4Sale store. It is so much fun editing with Dave. We have a blast. And, I cook him some food, and we just shoot the shit about whatever crosses our mind. It is perhaps one of the most exciting things about my work, is reflecting on what I have done, and how I can improve upon it. But, it's all about my approach and finding balance in my work as well. If you try to force things, it never comes, you know? Anything in life is like that. So, if I am feeling a bit confused or wary, I stop and take time to relax and reflect on the answer. It may take a day or a few weeks for the answer to arrive to me, but eventually, it comes. And, there is value in waiting, because it is all about discovery.

I will post a few more times before my long journey to Europe. It is only for one month. I know as long as it seems on paper, time will fly.

Be well my friends.

I am BACK!

Ok, so I know it has been a long time since I have posted, but for good reason(s). It is not my intention to make excuses. I focused on bringing one of my favorite male models/friends, Fotios, into New Mexico to shoot with me over the Labor Day weekend. We went into the studio and got some pretty good shots. It was a combination of fetish and some wrestling stuff. So, I wanted to be a good host and show him around my favorite hotspots in New Mexico. He is an east coast boy, from Boston, a virgin to green chile, so I had to introduce him to some mild stuff first. Just our luck, there was an arts and craft fair in the plaza, which always attracts world class talent to Santa Fe. As we walked around on the beautiful warm sunny day, and perused the art in the tents, I was eyeing up some clothing that looked right up my alley. I stopped into the booth and was impressed with the cut, the fabric, and most importantly the sexiness combined with the "stretch factor". If there is one thing I hate, that is shopping for clothes and finding nothing fits, and what's worse, is getting stuck in them and nearly ripping them. I have been in positions where I have had to ask the salesperson to help me get out of something. When you are built like me, with a very healthy bust, back, shoulders, arms, etc., it's easy to get stuck in clothes. Not fun. So, the man inside this cool clothing tent asked me the proverbial "Do you train?" I looked at him, and said, "yes a bit". Then, he told me who he was, and I immediately recognized him. Lynn and his wife, Trish, owned the company called "Hotskins" and were based out of LA right near Venice Gold's gym. We immediately began talking shop about the good old days and their world famous lycra wear which crossed over into street wear and club wear. At one point in the early 90's, I had a wholesale account with them, and I would sell them at the gym when I was stationed in the military at Canon Air Force Base, New Mexico. In fact, the last garment I bought from Lynn was an all black catsuit that was originally designed for Chyna, the WWE wrestling superstar. And, you can see the catsuit on Rebecca Swanson in the post dated, July 8, 2009, next to me in the red catsuit. At the time, Chyna was at the top of her game, and she probably weighed around 200 or so when it was fitted for her. So naturally, it would fit myself or Rebecca like a glove. The good thing is, Trish lives in Taos now, and she can design for me once again like the good old days. I bought a few very cool items from her, as I could not resist, her stuff fits so well. Trish finally made it back to the tent, and shared all kinds of stories about how she got started in fashion. It's always interesting to hear how people got started in whatever they do. She told me that I am the first person in the "industry" they have had contact with since they left Malibu. They pretty much got fed up with the rat race in California, and just decided to retreat to Taos. It was cool talking to them, because the bodybuilding/fitness industry is like one huge extended family, and we all know each other. And, I was glad I was the first one they made "contact" with in so many years.

Trish is a real horse lady, too and she loves to train and ride her horses, so she invited me up for a weekend after my Europe trip. Truly, meeting old friends was the highlight of the Santa Fe trip. And, it often happens this way, as New Mexico attracts a lot of interesting, earthy people. And, I love mingling with the locals and artisans that visit. Unfortunately, we were running out of time, as we got a late start (as usual), and the sun was beginning to set, and a nice rain started to shower us. I really wanted to take Fotios to some of the cool landmarks and museums, and other interesting shops, but alas, that will have to wait for another time. Instead, I took him to my favorite retreat just a bit north of Santa Fe, a Japanese style spa/resort, Ten Thousand Waves. My favorite time of the year to go is the winter, because the contrast between the hot sauna and hot tubs, and lying on the deck in the cold winter is so invigorating. What's even more refreshing is that you can go totally nude there (except the common areas of course) and I love that since I am a natural nudist. I hate clothes. There are both communal and same sex areas. That's one of the things I enjoyed most about living in Den Haag. On weekends I went to this amazing spa on the seaboard of Scheveningen. And, Zurich has an amazing spa right down the street from where I usually stay. I must go there again while I am there! Yes, I am a spa junkie! And, the 10,000 Waves is at elevation, and the pines and the outdoor high desert fragrance of sage and other desert plants is refreshing. Generally, a couple hours of sweating, cold plunging, and the hot tubs work up an appetite. So, usually, I will go get sushi afterwards. Since it was so late, we did not get to indulge ourselves. One of the fun parts of the ride is coming back down the hill into Santa Fe, and I usually like to ride with the top down on my 32 SLK AMG hardtop Mercedes. Unfortunately, this time, it was in the shop for some minor repairs.

All in all, it was a great short day trip to Santa Fe, and Fotios got to sample a bit of my favorite things to do. We had dinner on the plaza just before the spa, and we got a nice view on the patio of the plaza. We went into the Overland shop to look at furs, hats and caps and had fun fooling around trying them on. I bought one that was on sale (of course) a black patent leather Russian fur cap. It's pretty sexy. I will take a photo in the winter somewhere with it.

And, of course, it has been nose to the grindstone in training. Since I know I will be in Europe for nearly one month, I am busting ass right now to stay big, hard and of course, sexy! So, Romeo took a photo of my back in the gym today after my session. I love back shots, probably because I can never appreciate or see it. I can see that my back has made some gains in width and overall thickness in the past couple of months. And, in such a short time, it's amazing what you can do with your body, up or down, leaner or more massive when you train hard and eat good clean food.

So, I am hoping with this post you will have forgotten and forgiven my absence from the blog, but as I stated, for good reason.

European Holiday set

As I make this post, I have secured my dates for my travel to Western Europe. It was a bit painstaking, and I dredded calling my Starwood Ambassador, a concierge of sorts. I was fearing the hotels would be very expensive--and they are! However, since I am a Platinum member at these properties, having traveled around the globe for the past several years, I have accrued points that will help defray the expenses. So, it turned out fair enough for visiting eight European cities. You can view my travel on my main website.

Here, I am pictured with my friend, Nikki Fuller, IFBB pro bodybuilder, last summer. She looks like she could have stepped on a bodybuilding stage and won in this condition! She was absolutely ripped. While I admired her condition, Nikki admired my strength, size and fullness. I think it made for a great photo shoot. Steve Wennerstrom, former Women's Physique World editor, IFBB women's bodybuilding historian, and women's physique photographer for many publications tried his hand at my digital camera. It was strange for him, because he still enjoys shooting in 35mm film. Nikki and I sure worked the camera, and we had a lot of fun. And, of course, Steve enjoyed shooting us.

Today, I just edited some clips with my friend Dave. I am going to be shooting with one of my regular male victims/models this weekend, and a good friend of mine here locally, Brianna, is going to do the stills, and my regular video girl, Sheryl, will be in. So, I look forward to getting some exciting work done.

I have decided to also attend the Ms. Olympia show this year. I have a good feeling my friend, Iris Kyle, is going to blow everyone away again. She just keeps getting better and better every year, and widening the gap between her and the rest of the field. She is truly an amazing human being, so humble too.

I think I will get on cam early tonight (yes, this is still early for me!). My sleep patterns have been erratic lately, as I have so many things on my mind, sometimes it is hard for me to turn my sleep switch "on", and my full throttle switch "off".

Happy Thursday!

Just because I no longer work a regular "9-5" job does not mean I am oblivious to time. Although, somedays, I will admit, I have to look at my Iphone or my computer to sort out which day I am on. The only time I know generally, is that I train one bodypart per day, and it is generally, more or less on the same day of the week.

So, it has been a great week for me in training, have not missed a day.

I just thought I would spoil you with this photo, despite the fact I don't really have a whole lot to say today...LOL. But, with a booty like this, do I need to say more?

Chest Day

Today, I trained by myself at the NM Sports and Wellness. It's not really the gym I favor, as I have mentioned earlier, because there are very few athletes and hardcore trainers, but it is close to my house, afterall. And, it is nice and air conditioned, so no excuses of it being "too hot".

So, I trained chest by myself today. I put up 215 on the Smith machine incline bench. I could have easily gone to 225, but I wanted to feel the chest, not my shoulders and back. Plus, I did not have a spot, nor did I want to ask anyone there. I set the pins just below chest level, and gave the bench a dry run, in case I had to bail and ditch the weight, all I would have to do is push the bench back, let the weight drop into the pins. I have a Smith at home, and it's probably one of the safest pieces of equipment to train heavy on alone. My shoulders are somewhat sore from yesterday's heavy military press. The two places I feel it the most are my deep lats, serratus tie-in my rhomboids, and my medial delts. My front delt is pretty sore, too. So, I opted to not go too heavy. Last week, I was able to handle 75 pound dumbbells for inclines, so mixed it up this week.

Then, I hit 45 minutes stairclimber at a pretty wicked pace, just in the fat burning zone.

Did a little webcam tonight for my "day job", and did pretty well. I would really like to get on earlier to capture the Americans, but at 2:00 am - 4:00 am, most are fast asleep, or getting up to go to work. So, it is good to say hello to my European friends and everyone from the rest of the world at www.Herbicepscam.com !

My webmaster will have a draft ready for me by the end of this week, and boy am I ever excited about that! For once in my website's life, I feel like I am in good hands.

So, life could not be more perfect.

Cheers!

Shoulder Day

This is one of my favorite shoots with physique photographer, Mike Yurkovic. What I like most about Mike's work, is that I just have to be myself, and I do not really have to pose hard, but just act natural. This trait is the epitome of what makes a photographer great, and nearly always produces high quality work, pending the model knows what she is doing. This photo was taken on Santa Monica Pier, the day after I won the Excalibur in December, 2005.

So, today I trained shoulders. I got up to nearly 200 pounds in seated military press, then did a drop set. Needless to say, my delts were on fire! This will help me do the necessary lifts of my victims for many of my video and photoshoots. That, and strong legs and back are very important for these types of lifts.

I did 45 minutes of treadmill at an incline of 12 and called it a day. Made myself a nice buffalo steak for dinner with a baked tater and a nice glass of cabernet, and life is good!

Sleepy Sunday

Ok, so today, I just slept! I am gearing up for this week, ready to pound the gym very hard and aggressively. So, I needed all the beauty rest and muscle sleep I could get!

I am also scrutinizing my European tour, and sought the advice of one of my fellow Amazonian Muscle Goddess travelers. Amazingly, when I searched the prices for hotels in Europe they are still very pricey compared to the USA. And, the Euro and British Pound have been getting stronger, which means, it takes more of our Benjamins to their currency. Or, better stated, our dollar is getting weaker against other foreign currencies. What is an Amazonian Globetrotter to do?

So, I heard from my good friend, Saskia, in Holland, so with the right timing, perhaps we can visit. I do not think she is preparing for any shows.

So, I will keep my nose to the grindstone here in New Mexico until duty calls.

Saturday

I am going to have to change my nocturnal ways very soon. I find that, while creative at night, it's hard to maintain a normal human schedule when I sleep all day. Today, I did not do that, though. I had to get up "early" at 1:00 pm, as my friend Dave was coming over to work on some stuff with me for the website.

This week I want to get my Russian Kettlebell swings and snatches done early, do my first cardio session early, and get to the gym by mid afternoon. This still gives me time to get all my meals in, run my errands, and work online at home after all of that.

The other big problem when not on a normal human schedule, is that if you sleep odd hours, it's hard to get all the meals in on time.

So, I am off to bed tomorrow, since tomorrow is the beginning of a new week for me.

Cheers!

Amber

Contemplation

Okay, so the title of this post is "Contemplation". That is what I get to do when I am home, and it's a good thing. A quiet respite from traveling around the globe. Today, I took the day off from the gym, my abs are still insanely sore from the other day, but I am going to amp up the training this week, particularly the cardio and abs. I have been eating much cleaner and on schedule, which is better than my normal routine. I did not take the day off because I think I deserve it, or that I was too sore, but here in Albuquerque, they close the gyms early on Friday through Sunday. And, since I am on this weird nocturnal schedule, I got up too late in the afternoon to get to the gym. So, I will have to get on track with shoulders tomorrow. I could train in my garage, but only in the wee hours of the morning, as it is still in the 90s here during the day and it's way too hot. Holds too much heat in there. Guess I would work up more of a sweat! Okay, off to uploading a clip to my website and doing a little webcam.

Nocturnal Creature

I just got done performing on www.HerBicepswebcam.com. I started around 3:00 am. I knew I would catch the Europeans. And a few Americans, but they are usually fast asleep, or they wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat thinking of me. LOL. Really. So, they just get online to see if I am on, because anyone that really knows me, knows that I am a very nocturnal being. Well, I didn't get to the gym today until close to 11:00 pm! I went to bed this morning at around 9:30 am, and awoke at 5:00 pm, getting my much needed beauty and muscle rest. It takes plenty of rest to grow and retain the vitality and vigor, you know.

Generally, when I travel, I am on a more normal human schedule though, because I opt to skip the webcam. But, what a great way to reach out and socialize with all my fans and friends. I remember when I used to work full time, I would do my last session of cardio, then get online to make few bucks. Sometimes it would be so good that I would have to stay on, then I would have to go to work the next day. Sometimes I just had to call in or go in late. Those were the days when I worked full time, did bodybuilding shows, trained a couple times a day, traveled on the weekends, and was trying to develop my website. I felt like I was being pulled in so many directions, and I was only getting a few hours sleep each night. What's worse, was the fact that I used to use my leave for bodybuilding shows, (another "job/hobby") and then I would run out of leave for myself for friends and family stuff. It was terrible. So, I tried to take leave without pay, but I was always pushing the envelope! Those were crazy times and I was always so damned exhausted. The condition you see me here was at the Nationals, 2005, my last national show, and then the following year was my "Swansong" and the Masters 2006 was when I decided I no longer felt the need or had the desire to compete in bodybuilding.

I saw the inconsistency in judging standards and what a woman must do to get to the ultra dry shredded look, which by the way, looks terrible on most people. Very few women can really pull it off and still look sexy. A few days before the show or after, fine, but not he day of the show. No matter how much makeup a girl uses, she can't hide the harshness of the face. So unnatural and not pretty.

So, every now and then, I take a look at these photos, and remember what state of mind I was in when I got ready for these shows. I literally had no time to spare, and had to stay on schedule every minute of the day due to all of my obligations.

I also always wanted to travel to Europe, and only dreamt of it. So, in September of 2006, nearly three years to date in another month, I resigned my federal position. It was so difficult moonlighting like Wonderwoman and then sitting at a desk for nine hours a day. In the summer of 2007, I met Saskia, and if you have been reading the old posts on this blog, you know I lived over there for a short time, and it was very rewarding.

The most rewarding thing about it was that at first, I knew it was going to be a big leap, and take courage to leave the stability of federal position with benefits. But, being the risk taker, and wanted to live life to the fullest, I left unceremoniously, giving management about three weeks notice.

After leaving, I felt all those proverbial sayings, like a mountain was lifted off my shoulders, unshackled, free at last, liberated, empowered. And I never looked back. A lot of organizations are so unhealthy, and they can totally wear you down, wear you out, and rob you of your spirit.

And, that is exactly what was happening to me. I knew I had a lot of life left in me than to continue plodding along where I was, and I celebrate every day knowing that I am always in control of the direction I move in my life.

And, the bar is always set so much higher than when you work for yourself, and sure, I have tripped a lot over the past few years, but that's okay. I have learned a lot. And, I have lived a lot.

Life is beautiful. I always try to see the beauty in everything, the good in everyone. I embrace each day, knowing the gift of life to live on this planet. I try to live mindfully and carefully, being in the moment of what I am doing. I look back at how I used to live, racing around here and there, and everywhere, not taking time to live mindfully. It's all too easy to get caught up in the "rat race", and lose sight of things in life that matter.

Enjoy life, my friends, enjoy life.

Famous Red Booty Shorts--Boo-ya!

As Ali G would say, "Boo-ya"! Well, that's all I have to say about the famous red booty shorts. I think I still have them in my special latex drawer, awaiting my next victim.

Well, as promised, I would keep on top of this blog because I am home now. I am immersed in the gym these days, and it has been a great week back. I generally train one bodypart each day, and have been getting my 30-40 minutes cardio in as well.

I can't believe I only weigh around 185 in this photo. I am 210 now. 25 pounds is a lot of weight! The goal is to have this hardness and definition at around 200 or 205. So, I will have a net gain of about 15 pounds of muscle since this photo was taken. That's pretty exciting! My calves and arms are at least one to two inches bigger now. Although I like contest shape, I just love the big, full sexy voluptuous look.

At any rate, I will keep you posted on my progress with both the revamp on the website, and my homelife. I have a bit of a reprieve now, and it feels sooo good! You could say I am in "chill" mode right now, tending to my house and cats and catching up with my peeps in Albuquerque. Life is good...

Home Sweet Home, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Saskia and me at the Arnold Classic, 2008. Sometimes, I will just pick random photos to post on this blog, that probably have nothing to do with my journal, but more likely that I just plain like the photo. I like this one, because we just exchanged some small chit chat as to how we were about to conquer the massive crowd, but for some odd reason, our eyes simultaneously shifted downward to our chests. We both look pretty intent, and I thought it was a cute photo.

I think it takes me longer to recover from my NYC trips than to California and Las Vegas. For one, the trip is about 4.5 hours in the air from Albuquerque to NYC. The weather is always great in Vegas and Cali versus going back east, as sometimes, you never know what you are going to get. So, dear readers, if you will forgive me again on the delay posting to the blog. I plan on staying home all the way up until the end of September, which is only just six short weeks away, when I will venture over to Europe in October. I have been crazy busy the past week just trying to get back in the gym, which I have done diligently, not missing a day, and hitting my cardio and eating clean. I have also sent the new website design off to the webmaster, who will begin working on it this week. In the meantime, I will be back at the drawing board farming out my editing projects, and working with my good friend, Dave, who has been magnificent in holding my hand and getting me squared away with all my technology and is a brilliant graphic designer, as I have mentioned before. Really, I am grateful for him, and I don't know what I would do without him. Once the redesign is done, it will all just be a matter of producing content and editing and polishing the footage and stills for the site. It's all so exciting to me! For the past three years since I resigned my federal position, I have been consumed about my work, and now, all my hopes and dreams are finally coming to fruition.

I am also thrilled to travel to Europe, and I have decided to do a Mediterranean tour. I plan on my point of entry to be London, then off to Greece, Italy, Turkey, and I am going to try to squeeze Amsterdam in the middle. I have never been to Italy, nor have I ever been to Turkey, so it ought to be an interesting experience.

So, between the website, webcam performances, training, and preparing for my European trip, it leaves little time for much else. But, I would not have it any other way.

Enjoy Life--Carpe Diem my friends!

Amber Steel

The Big Apple

This photo was taken in my favorite city in the USA, New York City, March 2008, where I am heading early this morning.

My good friend, Saskia, and I came to the USA to attend the Arnold Classic by way of NYC, and we went to this place called the Buddha Bar. We got there pretty late and closed the place down, as you can see, there is no one in the club, but we didn't care, we had a great time. I have always wanted to visit this bar, as I have almost all of the CDs by the Buddha Bar, an eclectic mix of world music, very soothing and ambient.

Speaking of Sas, I just heard from her this past week, and she is doing well in Holland. She is a personal trainer in Kneet's Gym, where we used to train, and she is training some rockstars now! Pretty interesting. Bodybuilders have been well known to train celebrity types and rockstars in the USA. Everyone in the entertainment industry needs to look good, so it makes sense. When I visit Europe in October, there is a chance we may meet up if we can coordinate our schedules.

I just wanted to post a little blog for you all, as I need to finish packing, and I don't want to be "heavy" and "late" for my check in, so I had better get going!

Complete Makeover of Goddess of Fetish near completion

One last thought before I do other tasks. I am such a nocturnal creature. I am like my cats. Sleep all day, play all night. I am happy to announce that the makeover of my new website, www.GoddessofFetish.com is approaching completion on the artistic side. Now, the webmaster has to do his magic and add all the bells and whistles. This new design and layout is a complete custom design from the ground up. It's so good to be in contact with my old pal, Dave, who has really kept me on track in between all of my travels and productions. Just wait...you will see...a brand new day in the Steel Universe is approaching the horizon, and I am so happy.

RX Muscle Interview

Ok, so I am spoiling you now because I feel guilty about not posting in one week. I generally do not have guilt in my repertoire of emotions, but in this case, I make an exception.

I will be doing an interview tomorrow, August 3rd for RX Muscle at www.RXMuscle.com. I am featured on their "Sex and Muscle" talk show hosted by Dave Palumbo. It will begin at 3:00 pm EST. You will get to take a peak into the inner workings of the Steel Universe, so I hope you will tune in. Of course, if you happen to miss it, you can just replay it any time after the interview.

Mind you, when my website gets made over, I will begin doing my own talk shows, so you will have to stay tuned to the Goddess of Fetish to get the latest in my travels and productions and interviews with sexy, interesting people.

Recovering from Las Vegas

The lovely Nikki Fuller, and yours truly, Amber Steel, at the NPC USA Bodybuilding Championships, July 25, 2009.

I know it has been quite a while since my last post, so please forgive me. Sounds like the beginning of a Catholic confession, no? Well, in a way, this blog is a confession of my life to you. And, I reveal some fun, personal things about me that you would not ordinarily know about me. And, I like being intimate, honest, and forthcoming about everything I do in life. I realized a long time ago, there is no other way to live.

The trip to California was a good one, and then, finally up to Vegas to the USAs. I turned 42 on July 26th, and I have never felt better than I do now. Luckily, I have some great anti-aging genes, my good oily skin, the Indian blood I suppose, and clean healthy living. I don't smoke, never have, only the good stuff sometimes, I drink lots of good red wine, and my fair share of vodka and tequila (funny how I resist the alcoholism gene), have lots of great sex, enjoy life, and do not worry or stress out about much. Oh yes, and laughing a lot helps, too. And, so does having pets or something to take care of. Since I do not have any children, and do not plan on it, my three cats keep me busy enough, and are the perfect low maintenance animals for me.

My friend, Angie Salvagno took the light heavyweight class, at the USA Championships, and rightly so; her conditioning was spot on, and no one was even close to her. She will make her pro debut this weekend in Tampa. It's hard to believe that she just had a baby less than a year ago, too! When I visited her in Florida back in December, she told me a surprise that she did not want me to tell anyone. That was, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl in August of 2008! In December, she was nearly back to her normal off season weight, and you could not tell she had given birth at all! An amazing woman. Well, we did not get a chance to work, due to her win and other commitments, but we will work in the near future, after her shows are over. She really is a fun girl, and one of my favorite bodybuilders, and I am glad she was awarded her pro card finally. I remember in my very first national level show, when I met her in 2003, I remember watching her in the pump room backstage and admiring her physique and conditioning. If you log into my site, you will see our first wrestling scene ever, which gets, ahem, very steamy shall we say! LOL. We are just girls wanting to have fun, as Cyndi Lauper sang.

I did get to see my friend, Nikki Fuller briefly at the show, as you can see we are in the lobby of the venue. We did not get to hang out as much as we wanted to, due to her personal obligations as well, but we always enjoy the time we do spend together.

All in all, I had a very relaxing and nice birthday in Vegas, despite the fact that I did not get as much filming done as I wanted, however, as anyone in our industry knows, that's just how the cookie crumbles, and it's always hard to shoot girls when they are competing or have other obligations at a big show. I know the feeling; I have been there and done that. A lot of times, I am so busy I never get to the big dance. Such is life a a bona fide Muscle Goddess, right? Makes a poor girl feel like Cinderella, but that's okay. I would not have it any other way.

Last Night in Amsterdam

This photo was taken on March 13th, 2009, the last night in Amsterdam. As you may know, I lived in Den Haag in early 2008. So a friend of mine, Mark (the tiny man in the middle poking his head out between the two Amazons) and I decided to spend a few nights in Amsterdam.

The big girl on the right is Aimee Molleman, a Dutch bodybuilder. Her next show will be in Holland around October 10th. I will be back in Europe then, so Mark and I may just try to get to her show. We decided to get into some sexier outfits, since we were both wearing black boots that night, we decided to show off a little.

Mark is great friends with the famous Amazon, Isabelle, who owned her own wrestling club, Abundance, in Amsterdam. I never got the chance to meet her, and she has since sold her home in Amsterdam and is residing in Portugal now.

At the time this photo was taken, we had just eaten at the Hotel Okura Japanese restaurant, known for Teppan style cooking. We then decided to do this impromptu photoshoot.

Perhaps if we reunite in October, you will get to see more of our get togethers, and Aimee will be in super ripped contest shape!

Hercules

This is Hercules, my last baby kitty addition to the Bengal boys family. He turned one year old April 1st, 2009. I have this game where I chase him and stalk him, and he runs away from me and thinks he is safe on top of his cat tree. My other two Bengal boys, Zeus and Cesare have accepted him, of course, and they all keep each other company while I am gone. Hercules is by far the most energetic of the three, with Cesare coming in a close second, and Zeus, well, he is not even in the race.

I want to get them a catwheel so they can get more exercise. A Bengal cat is a hybrid between an Asian Leopard Cat, and a domestic tabby. They love to leap a lot on high objects.

I sure do miss them and playing with them when I am on the road. But, we all have a great time when I get home.

I am heading into the next several days with lots of shoots lined up, so stay tuned!