A long awaited update...

It's no surprise that I've been SUPER busy lately tying up loose ends in my life and getting my affairs in order, but I am thrilled to say that I moved into a small, cozy, perfect little apartment in March, not too far from my childhood home.  My roommate Zoila is a good friend of mine that I met a few years ago, and we have been having so much fun learning what it means to truly "adult." Examples range from paying our first rent, gas/light bills, and making rice without burning the pot.

Our apartment is a part of a cute community that is full of young professionals who are dog-owners, which I love. However, it's giving me puppy fever... so to say that I'm considering being a mom to my own dog would be an understatement!!

Speaking of cooking, I'm getting into the habit of really being in charge of the food I feed my body. Our gorgeous little island in the kitchen makes it so easy to actually want to cook, so that's a huge plus of the apartment that I love. I'm trying to stick to the Mediterranean diet of fish and chicken, and getting used to shopping for the freshest vegetables and fruits. When you're in charge of your own diet, it makes a world of a difference to know what you can make easily that isn't full of sugar! I feel like I'm going to really get into creating salads and healthy snacks that I can grab when I'm on the go. As soon as I master those, I can definitely share them here.

I am proud to say that I've lost a total of 25 pounds in the past year. Yes, I did it! Shout out to my trainer, Sam, for never giving up on me... and never allowing me to give up on myself. If you have the means, I strongly suggest finding a trainer that can help you improve your form and challenge your body each time. The right trainer for you will be someone who listens to you, supports you and never makes you feel like you have to be anyone else other than yourself. Your only goal will be to be the healthiest version of you, and that's a wonderful thing!

I'm also fortunate to have someone in my life that I did not see coming. In the last year our relationship has grown so much from where we started out, yet we are far from perfect. We've hit some pretty rough patches, but we've gotten through them together, and I'm very lucky that the lessons from my past have prepared me to face every relationship--romantic or platonic--with love and compassion. We all deserve to have someone love us for exactly who we are, but we must first give that unconditional love to ourselves if we really want to live authentically.

Work went from intense-but-exciting to intense-but-exhausting. As usual, a lot has been going down in the district alone, so what we all feel at school is to be expected. Honestly though, I feel another wave of change coming in my career, so I'm doing the best I can to just stay patient and enjoy the ride. The very, VERY bumpy ride!

For those of you interested in how I've been keeping myself sane through all the craziness and changes, I've compiled a list to share my current faves and obsessions. Hope you find something you'd like to try out! Please be sure to comment and let me know of anything you are into right now as well!

What are you reading lately?

I've been reading The Warrior Goddess Way: Claiming the Woman You are Destined to Be by HeatherAsh Amara and I absolutely must rave about it. Basically it's a combination of Don Miguel Ruiz's books and teachings but written by a woman, for women. Amara talks about practicing habits and outlooks that are essential for women to live like the warrior goddesses they truly are. What I really love about the way Amara writes is that she doesn't make you feel like you have to be any certain way to feel like a goddess--you just need to be yourself, learn about yourself and love every little part of you along the journey to self-acceptance and personal growth. It's honestly a must-read for every modern-day woman.

Let's talk music now.

I can't get enough of all that is John Mayer: his voice, his words, his guitar riffs, his brooding stare. I mean, it might be a little biased because we share the same birthday, but I have to say that he is quite possibly my favorite songwriter. If you're a fan of his but you haven't checked out his newest album The Search for Everything, do so ASAP. This was the first half of his new music to bait us into waiting for the next batch of songs, The Search for Everything- Wave 2, but they were worth the wait. Fair warning: this is a new version of John, pretty different from his old music.... and I'm all for it. My favorite so far is definitely this one.

Also, please tell me you have heard of Louis the Child?? They just released their latest EP, Love is Alive, which contains six amazing little tracks. Do yourself a favor and give it a listen.

I've been fairly hooked on Netflix lately too, especially since Aziz Ansari finally blessed us with season two of his brainchild, Master of None. Season one was phenomenal, but there's just something about this new one that had me absolutely hooked. It's almost like one long movie that you wish never ended, mainly because Aziz is one of the most thoughtful, creative, and hilarious screenwriters out there. If you're a Parks and Rec fan, an Aziz fan, or just a fan of cuddling at home and watching a feel-good series, be sure to check out both seasons on Netflix.

As for my adventures in the city, there have been many great ones that I've shared with friends and family (those who watch my Snapchat stories know this to be true!). If you read my latest post, you're also aware that I was able to go behind-the-scenes at a truly magical performance downtown. I'm also trying to find some great live shows (be it theatre, comedy or music), so I recently checked out the The Improvised Shakespeare Company. Their comedy improv spoken in sonnets are seriously funny! I definitely recommend seeing a show as a date night idea. Things I want to do this summer include: staying active, improving my cooking skills, going to Cubs games, seeing more live shows, networking with fellow bloggers, and enjoying every little bit of my upcoming break!

I'm incredibly proud of a few friends of mine for graduating this summer in their respective fields of speech language pathology, physical therapy and physicians assistant programs. I remember how hard it was to finish in the last month when graduation was just around the corner, so I really do commend all of you out there who are staying on track with your studies. Please know that as strained as you may feel sometimes, the hard times do not last, so never give up on what you truly want for yourself--be it a degree, certification, or something non-traditional. As long as it makes you happy, don't listen to what others have to say. You owe it to yourself to create a life exactly the way that you want, so keep going....and as always, keep growing.

xo

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A Magical Evening at Cavalia's Production of Odysseo

Friends, I know it's been a while since my last post, but I'm extremely delighted to share my review on the most wondrous spectacle I've ever attended.

Last week I had the absolute honor of attending Odysseo by Cavalia. Perhaps you've seen the White Big Top standing tall in the south lot of Soldier Field, or ads all over Chicago showing a beautiful white horse announcing Cavalia's return to the city. If you were curious enough to investigate, you noticed that this is no ordinary show. With over 1,300 performances already in North America, Cavalia has brought wonder and nature to audience members since its world premier in 2011.

The VIP experience I was kindly given was phenomenal. Inside a beautifully decorated tent, guests were treated to a gourmet buffet dinner before the show that included delicious dishes like salmon, couscous, kale salad, sausages, and steak. Intermission was a true delight--so many yummy desserts to choose from!

According to its press kit, Cavalia's horses come from all over the world, such as Portugal, Australia, Spain and Canada. The show travels with 65 horses of 11 different breeds like the Arabian, Spanish Purebred, Quarter, and Lusitano. I was so excited to have met one of these beauties during my VIP tour of the stage and stables after the show--you can tell I was pretty much starstruck!

These majestic creatures absolutely stole the spotlight during the two hour performance. They galloped at full speed across the 17,500 square foot stage--which is covered with 6,000 tons of dirt, sand, and stone--with and without their equally as stunning riders. At one point, the stage even fills up with water! The artists who gracefully rode, trained, and essentially connected with the horses during the performance also come from various parts of the world, but their main troupe hails from Quebec, Canada. These highly talented people did seemingly everything from acrobatics, to dancing and aerial gymnastics. To say I was amazed at their precision, strength and balance is an understatement; I gripped the edge of my seat as the artists stood on top of horses, kept their posture and spun around them as they galloped around the stage seemingly effortlessly. As the men and women rode across the mounds of sand, I was honestly reminded of the Dothraki scenes from Game of Thrones--the women were very much real versions of khaleesi!

The music during the show was also mesmerizing. Everything we heard that night was live, including the amazing singer who graced the stage a few times. On both sides of the stage above were live musicians playing the violin, bass, drums, guitar, flute, saxophone, and other instruments from different countries.

Cavalia's artistic director and creator, Normand Latourelle, truly outdid himself in coming up with an extraordinary experience that combines both the femininity and masculinity found in humanity. Combined with the talents and beauty of one of Earth's most exquisite creatures, Odysseo provided an exceptional escape from reality, transporting me and the rest of the audience members all over the world. Upon leaving, I felt like I had just seen someone's dream played out, or like a painting had just come to life; either way, I am thankful for a show like Odysseo in which the wild, elegant nature of horses that sometimes goes unnoticed was center stage, and that it allowed for a soulful connection of spirits between both humans and animals that share this planet.

Note: A very special shout out & thank you to Mathieu Hebert-Thompson for our tickets--you were the kindest of hosts!

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Opinion: The Soul Makeover of Kim Kardashian

The first post on Kim's IG after a 3-month hiatus.

Most people detest the relationship that is Kim Kardashian and Kanye West because of what you mainly see on the surface: physically astounding bodies, with a covetable style and a seemingly indifferent attitude. Yet, in interviews they turn out to be some incredibly open, honest, and surprisingly witty individuals. While outside appearances speak loudly about a person's character, I think there is a lot more than meets the eye to "Kimye."

Specifically, to Kim's half.

Kim Kardashian West is not one to shy away from the cameras, which either impresses or outrages the general public. I'll admit there was something so addictive about keeping up with her klan that I couldn't help but become an avid watcher of their show. Although there is usually no in-between opinion about her, Kim is still pretty fearless for choosing a way of life that is constantly scrutinized and ridiculed by anyone who cares enough to comment.

Cue the 2016 robbery in France, in which she lost millions of dollars worth in jewelry, and luckily made it out alive.

The very same people bothered by her fame were certainly the first ones to say that she brought this misfortune upon herself. All that time spent in front of the cameras was surely bound to turn into negative attention, right?

You don't need to be a celebrity to know that having your life in danger is something you don't ever want to experience. Living in Chicago may toughen women up to a certain degree, but in the end, we don't happily walk around carrying mace or look forward to using our keys/umbrellas as self-defense weapons. Kim was human in fearing for her life, because no amount of fame or fortune can change the fact that human lives are fleeting, and any second can be our last.

While I was initially surprised to see that she stayed off of the Internet after the robbery occurred, I also remembered that 1) we're not forced to watch a person's every move, and 2) nobody owes us an explanation for doing what they do. However, knowing that Kim came back with an apparently more tender approach to her social media platforms was truly endearing to see. For someone who shared so much of her life to go M.I.A., it reminds us that sometimes it takes a traumatic or extremely difficult situation to make us reevaluate ourselves and our priorities.

Kim's past made her into the person she is now, and she has come a long way whether you like the woman or not. When I look at her social media platforms now, I see loving tweets to her followers, sweet photos of her family and silly posts of a woman simply being a woman. What makes her even more relatable is that she's an imperfect woman, flaws out for everyone to read/see, married to a man who's simultaneously the most hated and loved man in music, yet she isn't afraid to keep living her life. Most of us will never experience a life of luxury and fame, but it doesn't mean we can't view Kim's apparent soul makeover as inspiration to keep going after hard times.

Perhaps I'm commenting on her comeback because I can understand it on a personal level, or perhaps it's because I've always related to her in some weird way. Either way, I know what it feels like when you're placed in a situation in which you need to reevaluate/question almost everything in your life. And that's OK, because part of growing sometimes includes getting away from everything you've known, retracing your steps and asking yourself to pinpoint what really matters to you versus what is just background noise. From what I've seen, a LOT of what you think is important right now won't matter years from now, but it's up to you to decide what's worth holding onto and what you can afford to let go and let yourself grow.

xo

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Dear 2017: Let there be love.

At the beginning of 2016 I wrote a post about the inner-work goals that I set for myself. They were:

"Forgive, forgive, forgive, starting with myself.

Face the things I fear and trust that everything will be all right in the end.

Do whatever I need in order to be happy and not give a fuck about what other people might think.

Cut off anything and anyone that is a constant struggle in my life.

Let my family and friends know how much I appreciate having their love and support.

Boldly, colorfully, and fearlessly live and enjoy my life and the gifts I've received from the Universe."

While this indeed was one of the most challenging years I've faced in a while, every hardship I went through allowed me to attain every single goal I had made for myself. 

If you haven't realized it yet, whatever you put your focus, time and energy into is what you will end up with. Whether they're healthy and productive projects that bring happiness and compassion into your life, or vindictive and demeaning endeavors that bring you suffering, it is up to you to choose what you dedicate yourself to.

I firmly believe we are born with an innate power--some more than others--that can be seen in the way we choose to face adversity, loss, and love. Although we can't exactly control what happens to us daily, we can control the way we react (or choose not to react) in certain situations. I used to wish for everything to be perfect all the time, but now I simply wish for wisdom. I've learned that not everything needs to be addressed in the moment, while at other times we need to ask questions immediately for clarification so as to avoid incorrect assumptions and unnecessary suffering. I am far from mastering this wholly, but the beauty is that every difficult moment in life essentially allows me to keep practicing that same wisdom that I keep searching for... all the while realizing it's been within me the whole time. Life truly is precious and divine for giving us exactly what we need at any given moment; it's really just on us to be aware of all that we are blessed with, both internally and externally.

I am also aware that letting go of control and allowing things (and people) be what they are is easier said than done. It can get so frustrating when something doesn't turn out the way you want it to, or when something you thought you were prepared for ends up being more challenging than expected, but we have to take risks sometimes. For the sake of self-growth and progress as human beings, we have to keep stepping out of our comfort zones and tackling the issues and conversations that seem too painful to have. Like a wound that hurts when we cleanse it so that it can heal, this pain isn't really anything bad--it is just your higher power telling you that you're growing, and you're exactly where you need to be in order to become even stronger.

In tracking my progress and self-awareness, I realize that my own path will always fluctuate, just like life itself. This is because we are life, and every moment we have to live is ours to learn or run from. If we outgrow others or if certain people aren't on our same evolutionary frequency anymore, we can only hold onto them for so long until we accept our different paths and let them go. It hurts so much at times, but that's because we attach ourselves onto things and people without realizing the damage we're actually doing to ourselves. That's why it's crucial to trust and be kind to yourself, be kind to others, and accept yourself as you are, because you are love itself.

I wish you pure love and light in 2017, and in all your years to come.

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A Quick 2016 Holiday Gift Guide

Let's be real: it's the most wonderful time of the year for half of us, while the other half of us cringes at the thought of joining the long checkout lines to buy gifts for loved ones. In the past I've been in between, but lately I don't mind trekking it to a decent deal at my favorite stores. While I'm mainly a Cyber Monday kinda gal, I have been doing some pre-holiday shopping and found some fabulous goodies recently. So, I compiled a list of gift ideas that you can use as a guide for the lucky ones on your Nice list--or even just for yourself!

For him:

I was ecstatic to find so many wonderful items in the last hours Black Friday at Old Navy. I loved this men's textured henley shirt in heather grey, which looks so good on any skin tone. Old Navy also has a excellent selection of sleepwear; these flannel patterned sleep pants came in so many great patterns!

Traditional gifts for guys also include cologne, so I recommend the long-lasting, clean, and classic scent of Jean Paul Gaultier.

Urban Outfitters also has the BEST random/quirky gifts for the hipster of your heart. Check out this guitar pick holder keychain, this Polaroid zip mobile photo printer, this Herschel wallet, this Pacman handheld, and this Pokemon Kanto Edition Monopoly board game.

For her:

While Gap and Old Navy usually have the sweaters of my dreams, I can't help but buy this basic sweater at Zara in almost every color. I also fell for this belted, floral printed skirt that I wore on Thanksgiving with my favorite BCBG pumps, and this velvet, lace trim cami by Who What Wear at Target.


Those sweater knit, pom-pom beanies are inexcusably adorable, so I must suggest this one I found at Old Navy. For the athletic lady of your life, check out these awesome steel water bottles also found at Old Navy--I loved the rose gold one!

Two perfumes that I recommend are Chanel No. 5 or Decadence by Marc Jacobs, which you can get in a gift set that includes the fragrance rollerball and body lotion.

The following are some quick stocking stuffers for her:

Clinique's pop matte lip colour in Clove Pop (goes on smoothly but stays with a matte finish!), Sugar Lip Polish and Rose Face Mask by Fresh, the Phase 2 Set by Glossier, and SoulKu's Gemstone Essential Oil Aromatherapy in Calm.

Bonus makeup gifts: I really liked this Extravagant Eyes set by Sephora, which includes eye makeup products like this Excessive Lash mascara by Make Up For Ever and this NARS dual-intensity eyeshadow in metallic finish.

Bonus gifts for anyone: Check out this Game of Thrones Monopoly Collector's Edition game; this compilation of Humans of New York stories; this owl eyeglasses holder; this silicone glass wine set; this Amazon Kindle Paperwhite E-Reader; and this digital item tracker to find your missing keys/phone/wallet/bag by Tile.


Happy shopping!

xo

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A simple post on personal growth

Hi! It's been a busy, busy month but I am overjoyed if you've been checking the blog regularly for a new post... so here it is!

Friends, I had the most wonderful birthday celebration last month. I know I mentioned the thrill of knowing that I'd have a brand new year in my last post, and honestly, 26 has already been treating me SO well. I have more time and opportunities now to really step my game up at work, especially with my students. I have some extremely rough days, make no mistake; public education in Chicago is not what it used to be, it's true. Despite all the chaos, I get there every morning with the goal of trying my best, and accepting that my best will change depending on what the day has in store for me--be it my moods, others' moods, the weather, things going on in the world, etc. All of that (and more) inevitably has a role in how each day plays out, but doing my best depends on my effort alone... and effort means everything.

I am also delighted to say that the self-love movement I recently began in my life has also proved fortuitous. I mentioned that the incredibly profound book that I read, The Mastery of Love by Don Miguel Ruiz, has helped begin a transformation in the way I think, feel and act. I recently finished reading The Four Agreements, another truly miraculous piece of literature from Ruiz. Much like Mastery of Love, The Four Agreements is full of advice that is so simple to understand, yet difficult to implement daily in order to achieve personal freedom. To be truly free is to be free of doubts, illusions and fears that plague our minds--a task that most humans can seemingly never achieve. Each of the four agreements has its own chapter in which Ruiz explains how they can essentially save yourself from suffering internally. They are:

The second agreement, for example, is to never take things that people do or say to you personally. I could not understand at first how this could ever be possible; if someone does something or says something awful or hurtful TO you, how could it not be about you?

But he goes on to explain that according to the Toltec, an ancient civilization from which these agreements came from, this disposition is only hard to carry out because from the moment we are born, we are taught to think, speak and be a certain way that limits true self expression, or the ever-elusive idea of freedom. This is no way means that we should blame our parents or our ancestors; it's what they knew and passed down over the years, so we were taught to be part of the communities/society that we are now. But using the four agreements when people blow up in our faces, or when particular people have a constant negative vibe surrounding them, can bring us some peace of mind in knowing that everyone is just living in their illusions, in their own dreams. We have the choice, however, to make that dream our personal hell or our personal heaven.

I've been trying my best to implement these agreements not only at work, but also in the relationships that make up my life. However, it is MUCH harder to practice these daily than I anticipated.... and that's okay. Our society isn't as simple as it was for the Toltec--could you imagine these spiritual shamans staying zen in the line at Target on a Sunday? There are many, many distracting factors telling us what the definition of love, beauty, and happiness are anytime we turn on the TV or scroll through our timelines on social media. Additionally, we are all born with the tendencies to feel comfort in anger, jealousy, or sorrow, because as humans we are addicted to suffering. Thus, I heed strong warning to fans of instant gratification... though, funnily enough I was always a fan of getting what I wanted, when I wanted it.

What makes me want to uphold these four agreements is that I never really practiced self-control; I gave into instant gratification for most of my life, and hardly anything that I got so easily lasted because I didn't appreciate it enough. More so, I couldn't really understand why I let the inner judge or the pitiful victim that we are all born with run my thoughts until I focused on actually practicing forgiveness, impeccability with my word, and constant self-love. It's easy to take things personally if you are used to having it your way, so this is a reality check that some of us are afraid of admitting we need because we're so set in our ways. Some of you might not really have a need for a frame of mind like this, and that's awesome. I admire your strength. But for those of you who are interested in checking out quite possibly the most honest words I've ever read, I implore you to help yourself grow and flourish into the best person you could ever be.

Again, the hard days are still going to be hard; given the recent political turmoil, society is pretty messy right now, so people are much more angry, confused and sad than normal. But I think it's just part of the ebb and flow of humanity, because if you look at our past, the good times don't last--and thankfully, neither do the bad times. So even though we will be dealing with more wretchedness around us for the next four years, that doesn't mean you can't create a dream in which you love and respect yourself while others are busy hating themselves. You can either give in to the lies and the fear that weak people wish to spread, or you can be secure and happy with yourself so much that you spread the love and honesty that this society so desperately needs. Before you wish to change the minds of others or save the world, first take care of your needs: follow through with your word, stay true to yourself, and you will see that everything else falls into place the way it needs to.

xo

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Kicking off fall with fashion, friends & fun!

Fall is undeniably the BEST season to see emerge in Chicago; there's just something so satisfying about crunchy leaves, crisp air and the notion of Mother Nature wrapping up another glorious year of beauty. But let's be honest: fall fashion is pure bliss. I get a genuine thrill starting the season off with the right boots, scarves, and dark nail polish (my go-to is usually Lincoln Park After Dark by OPI).

For this post then, I wanted to share some fabulous events that I was lucky to attend as the leaves began to change colors. Be warned: there are a lot of pictures!

Latino Fashion Week was hosted at Block 37 from September 29 through October 1. Arabel Alva Rosales and Cesar Rolon--the masterminds behind Global Runway--succeeded once more with their 10th annual event that featured celebrity emcees and models--including Vinicus Machado from HBO's "True Detective" and Ruth Diaz from Azteca Chicago. Each night of LFW had a different theme; guests were encouraged to wear white on Thursday, lace and velvet on Friday, and to channel their inner black swan on Saturday. Although I wasn't able to attend the lovely tea party hosted on Friday during the day, I still enjoyed just about everything provided by LFW. The food was catered by popular restaurants like 90 Miles Cuban Cafe, Nando's Peri Peri, La Havana Cafe, La Bomba Restaurant and Cesars, while music was played by Czarina Mirani, 5 Magazine, and Bear Who. I absolutely loved the live performances by David Guevara and Ricky Luis as well!

The beauty about LFW is that, in accordance with their slogan "By Latinos, For Everyone," the mix of fashion designers, emcees, models, sponsors, and additional talents all helped the event thrive. My personal favorite fashion designers of the event were a collection of local and global innovators: designers like Moi Soli, Iridium and Catterina Rose hailed from Chicago, while Willfredo Gerardo from Miami, Yirko Sivirich from Peru, Edgar Lozzano and Benito Santos from Mexico and Royal Black from Puerto Rico all added stunning glamour with their creations.

Here are some snapshots of all fabulous nights!

A Night of Opulence

My photographer for the night, the handsome Zubair.

Ricky Luis doing his thing. Such a great performer!

My favorite, Ruth Diaz.

Iridium's models and head designer.

Memories de la Moda

Willfredo Gerardo

Willfredo Gerardo

Willfredo Gerardo

Willfredo Gerardo

Willfredo Gerardo

Willfredo Gerardo

The beautiful Heather and I.

Snapchat fun with Alex and Eric.

Black Swan Soiree

Too pretty to eat?

Ruth Diaz interviews Arabel. FYI- Arabel designed that dress herself!

Arabel and Cesar closing out the night.

After party shenanigans with amazing new friends and social media moguls, Tornu and Jennie. We were so photobombed by our bartender at Latinicity!

As you can tell, there was SO much to see, eat, and do at LFW. I'm so grateful and honored to have gotten the chance to attend as a special invite blogger. Shout out to Shantallah Hagerman and Nailah Simpson for the hookup!!

My friends and family have also been on the forefront of my social life. No matter how busy work may get, I still strive to make time for the people who make me laugh and smile the stress away. Below are some pictures from the birthday party of a good friend of mine, as well as the notorious Applefest at Ravenswood. Applefest had a variety of goodies, food, live music and activities for the family. I was a little bummed that The Chopping Block stopped selling whole apple pies on Sunday, but I managed to get a slice and cup of hard cider from their tent.

Enjoy!

Lane Tech grads gather round ye Anthony for his birthday.

Simple is the name of my style game.

The Chopping Block's menu at Applefest

Delicious.

Hi Aaron!

Also, how 'bout those Cubs?! This is IT, this is our year! Go Cubs go!!!!

Are there any fall activities you've done already, or can't wait to do? Comment and share!

xo

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