MHS Charm City Gala

From a performance of Good Morning Baltimore to Hons and a city scape that spanned the entire school, it was as if I had stepped onto the set of Hairspray-- my first Charm City Magic Gala was so much fun I can't believe I hadn't been in the six years it's been held at Mercy High School. I even won a silent auction item for a spa treatment at the Federal Hill Massage and Wellness Center and a gift certificate to M Salon, also in Federal Hill.

An additional live auction and various raffles and donations alone, by my count should have raised over $30,000 toward the school and tuition assistance for families who have been challenged by the recession.

Thank you to all attendees, student volunteers, bidders, sponsors, Board of Trustees and the Alumni board for your support and dedication to MHS. What a great night to celebrate the successes of alumni and the anticipation of what the future holds for graduates-to be. I am already marking my calendar for next year's Gala and Mercy's 50th Anniversary!

Xoxo, Nicole c/o 2001

Photos below are of mercy girls, the high anticipated puppy, fave faculty and SMAS:

GSCM Around the World on Thinking Day 2010

This year's GSCM Around the World on Thinking Day was held at the Seton Keough High School in Baltimore. Headed down Caton Avenue I recall the first and only other time I had been there, the fall of 8th grade (seems like a million years ago!) before I decided to attend Mercy High School in Towson.

Throughout the morning, the gymnasium quickly turned into an international fair-- World Thinking Day was created in 1926 at the Fourth International Conference. The delegates to the conference decided there should be a special day when Girl Scouts all over the world think of each other and give thanks and appreciation to their "sister" Scouts.

I had the fun task of being the Mistress of Ceremonies for the day's events-- cultural dance performances in the theatre, Daisy pin ceremony (an official induction into the organization), SWAP ceremony (during which the girls traded hand made pins with other troops as a momento of the celebration and friendship), presentations by the Peace Corps and more.

A special hello to Mercy High School representatives who sponsored a booth at the event-- see you at the Gala next month :)

Photos below are of a group of Daisies after their pin ceremony, the Philippines and Germany troop booths.

Phew! What a fun day!

National Eating Disorders Awareness Month

For various reasons (ahem, the flu. and they are typically outdated by upwards of 2 years), I rarely pick up the magazine available at the gym. But today I couldn't help but peek into the newest issue of Glamour, in all its glossy, untattered glory with Victoria Beckam on the cover.

February is National Eating Disorder Awareness month. Often criticized for her size (not suggesting she suffers from the diseases herself), I would have appreciated someone with a more relatable frame. That being said, the magazine DOES offer a great feature on related topics, namely "What eating disorders do to your body."

A few of the consequences highlighted include:

Infertility Not having enough body fat can halt ovulation. In your teens this may be the least of your problems-- no fat, no baby, no problem! The good news is that for women in recovery and those that have gotten healthy, fertility returns without any lingering problems.

Heart Problems With heart health also in mind this month, anorexia can lead to cardiac arrest. Fortunately again, any damage is reversible once a health weight is reached and maintained.

Tooth Loss More related to those suffering from bulimia, stomach acid erods tooth enamel, causing cavities and tooth lost. I can absolutely empathize with this point-- dentures in your thirties is not a road you want to go down!

For more consequences, pick up the issue at your newstand, refer to glamour.com!

Baltimore Sun "Scene and Heard"

Thank you to photographer Colby Ware for the lovely photo and feature in the Baltimore Sun's Scene and Heard gallery!

19th Annual Chocolate Affair

Per an invitation from fashion designer Victor Rossi, I along with America's Miss 2009 Caroline Kuhlman and the newly crowned America's Miss Maryland 2010 Alison Tripple, attended a benefit for Healthcare for the Homeless (HCH). Outfitted in beautiful gowns, we sampled treats from over 50 of the city's best restaurants, caterers and chocolatiers, mingled with attendees as well as tv, radio and print personalities.

By the way if you've never had chocolate covered BACON, it was surprisingly yum-o! Kind of like a salty/sweet chocolate covered pretzel, genius!

Hailed as one of Baltimore's premier fundraisers, the 19th Annual Chocolate Affair did not disappoint. What started as a meeting of local leaders concerned about poverty and homelessness in the city has outgrown its roots to occupy the entire club level of M&T Bank Stadium. Last year the event raised $165,000 for the healthcare needs for the homeless. Many thanks to the vendors and supporters of HCH, the proceeds of tonight's event will allow Maryland families to become self sufficient.

Over the years HCH has witnessed the number of people seeking their services rise. In addition to direct health-related services, HCH advocates for an end to poverty and homelessness at both the local and national levels.

To learn more about the organization please visit their website: http://www.hchmd.org/

Photos below are of the queens and chefs from Chef's Expressions, Baltimore Business Journal's Jerry Caplan and Victor Rossi:

Macy's RESCHEDULED!

Due to the incoming snow storm, the Macy's and American Heart Association Go Red for Women Fashion Show and Health Fair scheduled for this Saturday has been postponed until February 27, 2010. I hope you all can still attend this important event.

Thank you again to Jane Trader and the staff at Macy's for pulling some great looks for me today and for remembering me from last year's event!