DAY SIXTEEN: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO

Friday, December 16, 2011.

Here we are...outside of the United States once again. And, from here on up, it's down South all the way!

DAY FIFTEEN: ORLANDO, FLORIDA

Thursday, December 15, 2011.

Here we are...the city that Mickey Mouse built.

Here, in Orlando, we're just one step closer to the fashion capitals of the world...or at least two weeks away. But, in central Florida, where I went to school...at the University of Central Florida...they care about fashion. For me, it was like coming home again. I was wondering whether some of my old classmates, who lived in Orlando and some of the surrounding cities, were still here. Or had they moved on? Whether they were here or not would have to wait until after the afternoon show was finished.

Donatella Versace had rented the use of one of my old haunts...the Orlando Regional Theatre, where I had appeared as an actor while I was attending UCF. As I entered the theatre, I looked around and saw that very little had changed. I could almost see and hear the directors shouting out orders at the casts and crews of the plays that I appeared in.

We were led to another familiar spot...the dressing rooms backstage. As we changed into our first set of clothing, one of the other models asked me how it felt to be back at the theatre where I performed so many professional productions while I was attending the University. I told him that it felt a little strange returning here as a model and not as an actor.

When 2 p.m. arrived, we walked onstage in Ms. Versace's fashions, showing the buyers what she had to sell. When I had appeared onstage for the first time since 1994, one of the buyers recognized me...and I recognized her. She used to be the fashion editor for the Orlando Sentinel, the same paper which I used to work for as a travel journalist-photographer. I told her silently that I would see her after the show to catch up on old times.

After the show was over, I met with her. She couldn't believe that I had hardly changed. I told her that physically, perhaps, I had not changed. I told her that I was now married for 12 years and that I was the father of six children. She told me that since I had last seen her at the Sentinel, she had been married and divorced twice and now seeing another man.

DAY FOURTEEN: ATLANTA, GEORGIA

Wednesday, December 14, 2011.

Whenever I travel to Atlanta, it makes me feel a little bit like Rhett Butler from "Gone With the Wind". And, why not? This city is steeped in history, which goes back to Revolutionary times. Just look at the picture. That is the Stone Mountain, a monument chiseled in the face of a mountain...just like Mt. Rushmore. Only the sculpture here depicts the advance of Gen. Robert E. Lee on Atlanta.

The people of Atlanta, too, are like those of any other big, fashion-conscious city. We were welcomed the minute our 747 arrived at Atlanta International. But, we didn't realize just how welcomed. Undoubtedly, Ms. Versace is well-known here. As a matter of fact, her family has a store located in the ritzy downtown area.

DAY THIRTEEN: WASHINGTON, D.C.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011.

Just a little less than 200 miles south of where we were yesterday is the city which governs our country. Washington is filled with history dating all the way back to the beginning of the United States...and the wars which our forefathers fought to gain our freedom from England and to remain free.

Of all the fashion-conscious people in our nation's capitol, there is none more so than the First Lady, Michelle Obama. She sat at the forefront of the audience as each of us walked down the runway in the 2 p.m. show, admiring each fashion that passed her very carefully. After the afternoon, Mrs. Obama came backstage and met each one of us, explaining how she admired how each of us walked up and down the runway under such stressful conditions.

To tell you the truth...I've been wondering the same exact thing ever since I started modeling when I was 15.

When it came time to go to dinner, we each asked one another the same question: How have each of us been able to work under stress? One by one, each of us answered the question truthfully. I believe the one who had the most truthful answer would have been Carmen. After all, being the oldest among us, she had been doing this kind of work non-stop since 1946...65 years---way longer than any of us kids have been around.

The main question answered, we returned to the theatre to prepare ourselves for the 8 p.m. show. By now, after almost two weeks, we had the routine down pat. And we still had two months to go. When we had finished the show...and Ms. Versace took orders for whatever designs were chosen...we returned to our suites aboard the 747 and readied ourselves for a good night's sleep. We had two more cities...maybe one or two more...before we left the United States and started our trek south into Latin America.

DAY TWELVE: NEW YORK, NEW YORK



Monday, December 12, 2011.

Here I am...back to where it all started. My life and my hopes for the future. It was in the back seat of a cab on one of these crowded streets of midtown Manhattan that my brother and I were born. And it was here, eighteen years later, that I graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts to start my career as an actor, singer and dancer.

But, I have to put that on hold for now. I'm here to do some high-class modeling...because that was what I was originally built for. I hadn't been back in New York since before 9/11...so a lot has changed since then.

After we did the 2 p.m. show, Evandro and I hopped into a cab and took a journey down to the former sight of the World Trade Center and found that the new WTC was already half-completed. We couldn't believe how fast builders were working...two twelve-hour shifts working seven days a week...just to get the vacant spots re-occupied.

I can tell you this...just doing one two-and-a-half hour show can take a lot out of a guy. So you can imagine how much more tired each of us are after eleven p.m. When we get back to the 747, all we can think of is getting changed into either our pajamas or nightgowns...or whatever suits us. Me? I prefer sleeping in my boxer briefs...a very fashionable pair, just in case Ms. Versace wants to have a picture taken of me while I'm asleep. But, so far...nothing of the sort.

Well...on to D.C.

DAY ELEVEN: A DAY OF REST IN MONTREAL

Sunday, December 11, 2011.

Another day of rest before we have to go back to work.

Oh, well...might as well get some shopping in while I can. I remembered from the last time I was here in Montreal about a beautiful five-story mall. I got the other guys (and gals) together and, wallets in our pockets and lists in our hands, we headed off to the mall.

Evandro went into a store to purchase a designer dress for his mother for Christmas. Where do you think he went to?

Versace!

Me? I only spent a fraction of the time in Versace, getting a beautiful evening gown and a pair of shoes for Jen. When we go to the next Academy Awards show, I have no doubt that she'll floor everybody looking on when they see her. The rest of the time was spent in stores picking up things (clothing, toys, etc.) for all the kids. When the cashier asked me whether I wanted to send them home in time for the holidays, I immediately nodded my head. My total bill for the day's shopping excursion? Fifty-seven hundred dollars! And that didn't include the gift-wrapping, shipping and handling charges!!! All in all, I was looking at a real whopping total of seventy-eight hundred dollars!

But, I didn't care...even when Evandro and the other male models stared open-mouthed as I took out my MasterCard and charged it all. On the way back to the Versace jet, Evandro asked me how I could afford all that stuff on my MasterCard. I told him that the secret to excellent credit is to pay on time and not to use your card too much. When you follow both of those steps, the credit companies give you higher and higher balances on your credit. I only use my card when I haven't got the green stuff available in the right amount.

Another good thing about the shopping excursion...I didn't have to carry anything back to the jet.

DAY TEN: MONTREAL, QUEBEC

Saturday, December 10, 2011.

Here we are...north of the border...in Montreal.

The people here are more fashion-conscious about what clothing to wear and when. So, they really appreciated it when Donatella Versace brought her spring/summer collection here. Even though the high temperature today was a blustering thirty-seven degrees (in certain spots), the buyers wanted to see what Ms. Versace and her models had to offer.

As usual, Ms. Versace asked the audience to pick out the oldest male model. The way we all looked, most of the buyers found it a trite difficult to pick me out. Only one person actually hovered over me for a few minutes...before telling Ms. Versace that he thought Evandro Soldati was the oldest. We all had our ages written on a 12"x12" card...so when Ms. Versace told us to turn the cards around, everyone was surprised when my card showed the number "40" upon it. To say the least...all the buyers were floored when the truth was revealed. I, of course, exulted in the tension when I turned my card around very slowly and revealed the dark "40".

The buyers couldn't believe that I was the oldest male model on the runway...especially when one said that I looked half my age...which I thought was the greatest compliment that I could ever receive. I've always taken pride in my body and the good fortune that I was blessed with perfect skin, teeth...and muscles. But, I also have the fact that I know just what to put inside my body to thank.

We all laughed about the day's events and the finales when we got back to the 747. I have to let Jen know about what happened...and, since tomorrow is Sunday, ask her if there's anything she wants me to pick up in some of the stores.