On life behind the camera:
“I think it’s pretty glamorous to wear $10,000 gowns. I get paid to, like, frolic on beaches. I’ve eaten the most amazing meals, stayed in amazing hotels. I’ve seen the world because of this job. I’ve been so lucky, you know.”

On her precious family:
“I’m okay with people speculating about my job but not my family. They said I left my children at home and went and lived at a hotel. I would never leave my children! It’s hard for me to balance work and family, just like it is for any parent.”

3 Comments Continue reading

On unflattering paparazzi shots taken in Mexico keeping her from hitting the beaches of Los Angeles in a bikini for years:
“It was really nasty. I took it very personally, and I have not [been comfortable} in a bathing suit in Los Angeles for years because of it."

On all the females she's met questioning their appearance to some degree:
"I have not met a woman who would not be at all unsure of themselves. You just have to focus on the positive things."

Two beaches have been closed after the McHenry County Department of Health found high levels of bacteria in the water.

As beaches officially open this weekend, health officials are using cutting-edge computer systems, frequent water testing and even specially trained dogs to monitor water quality and keep Lake Michigan safe for swimming.

The summer beach season came to a close today under a cloudy sky and a steady lakeward breeze, with throngs of people grasping a final sandy day and Xavier Allen grasping a plastic shovel, digging to bury a treasure he hoped the seagulls might someday find.

“My mom bought me a Spider-Man Popsicle,” said Xavier, 4, excavating a fresh hole on Montrose Beach. “I buried it. It’s a treasure. X marks the spot.