NKLA Super Pet Adoption Fair at the La Brea Tarpits

May 3-5, 2013

5801 Wilshire Blvd  Los Angeles, CA 90036

Food trucks * Vendors * Special lower adoption fees * over a thousand pets looking for homes

May 3-5, 2013 La Brea Tar Pits Free Admission Over 50 shelters and rescues Open every day at 11 AM All Shelter adoption fees less than $100 FREE microchips courtesy of Found Animals Foundation 10+ of LA's hottest food trucks onsite Plus tons of pet-friendly vendors!

In a few hours, I will be volunteering at a huge adoption fair at the La Brea Tar Pits.

Over 80 shelters and rescues will be present, featuring over a THOUSAND available animals looking for their forever homes.

Shelters are reducing their adoption fees to less than $100 and that would include spay/neuter and their shots. NKLA is a movement where we are trying to get LA to be a "no kill" city. 

We do have an overpopulation that we need to address and one of the ways in facing that issues are education and promoting adoption over buying. 

Recently I took in a foster from one of the local rescues. I just went in to look at the adoptables when I saw this one particular pup. He was a small shih tzu and he looked very uninterested in what was happening at the fair. The minute I picked him up he melted in my arms. 

The rescue volunteers asked me if I would like to foster him. He didn't have a foster parent and he would go back to boarding. Well, even though he was saved from the shelters, being boarded would still be the same as it was in the shelter- being crated and not being part of a loving home.

I took him in and with a couple of hours, he felt right at home, even getting along with my other shih tzu, Koki. I felt he had a lot of hair that was just growing every which way so I took him to my dog's groomer who does amazing work. 

This is him before the grooming

and this is him after

I didn't realize how young he was until they took out all of that hair. Also, it turns out that he is a white and grey brindle and looks like he has tiger stripes. As much as I love him fluffy, I felt that he needed a change of pace and cutting off all that hair allows him to be more comfortable.

As the weeks go by, it was a natural decision to go ahead and adopt him, making him a permanent family to my home. 

These guys are instant brothers and I couldn't be any more happier! I am extremly blessed to have such great dogs.

This is why I am now volunteering some of my time and skills to these rescues. I want to do my part in making sure that we do our best as a community to not add to the high population of domestic animals and overflow of shelters. 

and to think, THIS is him on death row right before the rescue came in and saved him.

So happy to have this guy in my life

EIF REVLON RUN/WALK 2012

This past weekend, I participated for the first time ever the Entertainment Industry Fund Revlon Run/Walk for Women's Help.

My friend Cheryl put together a team called Race for the cAnswer. She recently lost her mother to ovarian cancer and I couldn't be any more honored than to walk in her memory.

I also walked for my Auntie Lita who I lost to cervical cancer. Rest in Peace.

I also walked for Mama D who survived cancer but is undergoing treatment again. For Zandi and LaLa, that they too win their battles. May our love and strength and support add to their fire in their spirits for a speedy recovery.

It was such an amazing event, with a. Sense of community and solidarity. It was inspiring to see survivors as well as its saddening to see pictures of women who have past on, yet uplifting to see their family continue on with their legacy.


The distance is 5k, an easy 3.1 miles circling in and around the LA Memorial Colesium, USC Campus and California Natural Museum. Hosting the event was guest speaker Hale Berry and Mario Lopez and the guy who plays the teacher on Glee. (lol! sorry, I don't watch too much TV so I don't know his name.) This was a great way to start my Mother's Day Weekend.

While waiting for the rest of the team, I had the moment and space to reflect. That was the finish line.. It's exciting to know that we will be standing in the grounds where great sporting events, such as the Olympics, have taken place.

These are Cheyrl's niece and nephews. They participated in the walk as well. This event is family-friendly and we even had a pregnant walker in our team. What at trooper!

The mighty narrow tunnel leading into the colesium.

The sign

Upon completion, the medal

walking to the otherside

this should be first but my phone uploaded it how it wanted to upload

walking towards the finish line...

Maybe I'll fix the sequential order. My iPhone decides what order to put them under.

Happy Monday....

Warrior Dash 2012

Oh the things I get myself into. With much convincing, I have signed up for the first race of the year- the Warrior Dash





Warrior Dash is a 5k run with lots of obstacles and.. mud. What a way to keep myself motivated throughout the year; not only am I having fun but I am promoting being in good health, challenging myself, taking back my health as well as fundraising for good causes.
I will be running with Jenus, Darrin, Edward, Chris, Erica and 12 more folks this Saturday. We will be climbing walls, crawling under barbed wire, hurdling over obstacles, swimming through mud and aftwards, celebrate with turkey legs, music and lots of beer.
My cousin and I started Team Breast Mode. We are raising funds for St. Jude's Children's Hospital. 100% of the donations are going straight to the hospital and it is all tax-deductible.

So why BreastMode and not BeastMode?

My cousin Jenus and I are running/getting dirty/hopping over fire/climbing walls on March 31st, 2012 at Warrior Dash.

It will be our first time so why not make our bruises and muddy clothes more meaningful, we both have decided to run for greater cause.

The concept is simple: Jenus was going to the gym and posted it on her Facebook page. To show her enthusiasm, she was saying she was going all out, beast mode! But with a slip of a thumb, she accidently typed "BREAST MODE."

Hence, the birth of the Guzman coined term: We're going BREAST MODE.. which is ... ahem... harder than going balls out.

Our Team Breast Mode grew and now we have Joyce, Penny and DeAnn. I just finished the design and Blacklava Clothing will be printing these shirts up this week.

These t-shirts will be our uniform and a short run will be going on sale after the race. 

Here we go! This whole week is nothing but eating right, warming up and getting myself mentally prepared for the big race.. and doing this for the children!

By the way,  we are running with these guys!