What Happened at the 2013 Imagen Awards?

**SPOILER ALERT**

'Hola LA!'  Did not win the Imagen Award

First let me tell you, 'Hola LA!' was proudly nominated for Best Local Informational Program and we got all gussied up, walked the red carpet, sat at the CBS table and, and, and...waited for our name to be called so we could all go up on stage and claim our award............But, alas, the beautiful Imagen Award slipped through our well manicured and bejeweled hands.  

You know the saying, "It's an honor just to be nominated"?  I can vouch for that!  We were, after all, glad to be recognized for our hard work and efforts; that alone is pretty impressive.   So instead of this blog being about how amazing it was to win and all that happened (which is how I originally envisioned it - hehe) it's now an insightful photo blog chronicling the before, during and after.  

*Photo Blog*

Photo by: Kevin Carmona

With tips from my hair stylist, I attempted to style my own hair...No, this isn't the finished result.  But I did get a little nervous right at this point.

Meet my paparazzi friend, Kevin Carmona, who came over to take behind the scenes photos of me prior to leaving for the award show

Photo by: Kevin Carmona

Edgar Anthony Arreola putting on the finishing make up touches.  And look, my hair did come together :)

 Edgar Anthony Arreola and Kikey Castillo

And here is Edgar Anthony Arreola showing off his excellent make up work.  I loved it!!  And I'm dressed and ready to go, but not before taking a few pictures

Actress & TV Host: Kikey Castillo, Styled by: Steve Galindo, Dress from: InPRess LA, Make up: Edgar Anthony Arreola, Photo by: Kevin Carmona

I like this picture a lot because I'm at home looking all glamorous and I'm posing right next to two of my favorite pictures - my college graduation photo and my gold medals from Wushu martial arts...says Fierce and Smart!

Styled by: Steve Galindo, Dress from: InPRess LA, Make up: Edgar Anthony Arreola, Photo by: Kevin Carmona

Now it wouldn't be me without getting a little silly and poking fun at myself  :p -- OK, I'm off to the red carpet to meet up with the 'Hola LA!' gals!!

Hola LA! Hosts: Kikey Castillo, Dyana Ortelli, Naibe Reynoso, Bel Hernandez & Hola LA Producer: Lorena Alvarado

At the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills just finished walking the red carpet.  Don't we all look super FABULOUS!!!  Wow, I was so excited and proud of us at this moment.  Now to the red carpet interviews where we will plug our show, 'Hola LA!'

And don't say, "this is our good side" hahaha.  Plugging away and having a good time doing it!

LtoR: Dyana Ortelli, Kikey Castillo, Robert (CBS Hola LA! editor), Mansan (CBS Hola LA! Sr. Producer)

After the red carpet, it's time to sit at the CBS table so we can eat and get the show started.  Hope dinner is good.  I've been on a strict diet so I could look good in that body hugging dress!

It's tradition that right after the salad and before the main course you get up and mingle going from table to table...I guess you would call that "schmoozing" :)  Ran into actress friend Jacqueline Calderon-Guido (we did the play "8 Ways..." together) her son, Fabrizio who was in World War Z and actress Patricia Rae, who was a guest of ours on 'Hola LA!'  Among many others...

Joe Minos from Chicago Fire and Kikey Castillo

First of all let me say, I love me some 'Chicago Fire'. Ok now during the show I needed to get up and stretch my legs and I ran smack dab into Joe Minoso, who plays Joe Cruz on 'Chicago Fire'...my fav show!!  He too was nominated for an Imagen Award and he too did not win, we talked about that LOL.  Lovely man, who was very nice.

So here we are, after the show hanging outside enjoying the beautiful evening air - still having fun, smiling, and laughing even though we did not bring home the trophy.  We even had some fans and friends of 'Hola LA!' come hang with us a bit...we always enjoy that :)

This is just a great shot of actor Enrique Castillo looking all dapper and handsome with two beauties on each arm lol.  He's the man in our 'Hola LA!' lives as Senior Producer of the show and we adore him!!

Lorena and I at Johnnie's Pastrami in Culver City

And that brings me to the end of the night...What?? I had to eat!!!!  You've never seen two girls in sequin dresses pigging out on pastrami sandwiches late at night :p  No more strict diet for me...mmmmmm, so good!!

Don't forget 28^th Annual Imagen Awards will premiere locally on PBS SoCaL this Saturday, September 21^stat 10pm and will re-air on Sunday, September 22^nd at 4pm. The show will also air outside of the Greater Los Angeles area on different PBS stations across the nation, including New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, Boston, Phoenix, Miami, Houston, and more. 

**Special Thanks to my friend and go to Stylist, Steve Galindo for Styling me and to InPRess LA Celebrity PR for the loan of the dress**

Steve Galindo and I celebrating with mimosas after finding my Imagen dress!