STRUTTING IN SOHO

PHOTOGRAPHY: JESSICA CURLDERON

It’s cloudy, rainy and a bit gloomy as I write this post. I had this pictures taken last week when a hint of summer hovers in the air.
I’ve been wearing loose summer dresses with flounces on the hem. I find there fit so beautiful and can be worn pretty much anywhere. Date night, girls brunch, meet the parents, PTA meeting, movies, you get my point.
The yellow mule sandals give the flowers on the dress an extra pop making me feel like I would fit right in garden.
Oh, as we were shooting in SoHo, a cab driver pulled by, I would like to think he was watching this shoot or perhaps checking his phone. He unknowingly gave this shoot a fantastic yellow backdrop that I took advantage of while strutting on the cobble stones.
I have learnt to make whatever is around me work. Never over look anything. I think that’s what shooting with Jess so amazing. We make it work.

SUMMER DELIGHTS

PHOTOGRAPHY: JESS CURLDERON

I feel like summer came and left in a blink of an eye.

Enjoying ice-cream in a hot sunny afternoon, morning runs with clear blue skies, light loose clothes, rooftop parties, the sun setting at 9pm, afternoon brunches, sitting at the park with a good book, the sound of
Anyway, now that we are back to regular scheduled programming. I have a couple of posts that I’ve been holding on to for quite some time, like today’s post.
Every look I put together is always a fave however, this look turned our surprisingly delightful. The two color combination was divine. 
For accessories, I went all out with a Maasai piece and orange heels and took to the streets, the world is my runway after all.

Dress and Shoes: Zara

Accessories: Maasai Market

DRAPED IN ORANGE BRONZE

I read an article the other day on New York Magazine. It was a feature they did on Gywenth Paltrow’s popular wellness blog GOOP. It’s well written piece that had me chuckling at times.

The feature spoke about GP’s life, work with the  website and this all round trend on wellness that is so popular. You can read it here.

You can’t walk a block in the city without seeing green juice, Acai bowls, athleisure, yoga mat, or even a fitness club. I love the whole thing. I a huge wellness geek as well and even have a TAB right up there that says wellness.  Mind, body and Spirit? Sign me up!!

It was the ending of this article that I found profound. The author stated that after being immersed in this wellness, reiki, orange juice that will make your skin glow like the sun, center yourself, I can see your future ..hul ha ha – just coined that word. Her trip back home was a mess, She was beyond exhausted, the zen hoopla she went through dissipated so fast.  I even felt that she enjoyed that chicken dosed with MSG as she ran to catch her flight. To her wellness is a struggle. That aspiring was a struggle. Why was wellness a struggle?

As soon as I was done reading those words I googled the first word that came to mind. Aspiration. And what popped up was a sketch of a man choking a picture that indicated pulmonary aspiration but still – choke!

It also means – The hope or ambition to achieve something. Or to Tower or Rise higher. So something more external. More outward. To be like.

Then I googled inspiration. It showed The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something. It also means – to Draw breath.

I did take a few breaths because an aha moment was happening. The wheels in my head were turning. They started spinning so fast I could have wound a few spools of thread. It even brought me to my purpose for this blog that has always been the – say mission statement on my About page.

 I remember there was a period in my life where I wanted to lose weight to badly. I would find someone I aspired to look like then try and follow there regimen. Google the shit out of them with so much effort. A couple of weeks later I would just be plain exhausted and back to my good ol habits. What a struggle! I feel we live in a time that with so much info, images, constant over stimulation of just about anything, it’s no wonder things feel like such a struggle.

My favorite Philly cheese take joint guys by my place in Baltimore would welcome me in open arms wondering if I had taken a vacation or something.

The “ How’s you new diet coming along?” questions would be frowned upon. I would quickly reply it’s gone. Gone and never coming back.

I use weight because that was a struggle for me for the longest time. Nowadays, I have a people I follow on Instagram with amazing workouts, and food tips. I have my Fit Fam on whatsapp. We all have different goals, different body types, but we constantly strive to lead a healthy well rounded life. Inspiration on inspiration.

With aspiration the target will always be moving. Then I will always be striving to rise to, be like, look like attain more like….  Pretty much Choke!

When I started looking for people to inspire me, it made achieving the goal of shedding the weight easier. I did not want to look like them, I wanted to be motivated by them to be the best version of myself.  

As a lover of writing and sharing stories, my hope is that these words, this blog, is of inspiration. To make you live your best life. Interestingly, I too, get inspired coming on here. To create, to share, to be who I am unapologetic ally, to embrace the quirks and flaws that make me, me.

Here’s to being inspired to be the best version of YOU.

PHTOGRAPHY: JESS CURLDERON

Draped in this Orange Bronze number that is as thin as tissue. It lacked hanger appeal but the color was to divine to pass. After I wore it, Orange Bronze might be my new favorite color. Someone is starting to lean heavy on this earthy colors. Wonder where it will lead?

Dress & Heels: Zara

Earrings: Aldo

Bag: Gifted

PERSPECTIVE

Yesterday, July 19th marked my three year anniversary in New York. I have shared stories amassed on this journey on this blog. To move and leave everyone I loved for New York was a bold move and three years later, here we are. Time flies so fast.

New York City has always been a dream come true and there is no special feeling than waking up to all the noise and chaos. I was having dinner and drinks with a close friend last night who has been living in New York City for 15 years. We talked about how we each get wowed like all the time! We talked about our journeys and shared life stories while dining al fresco. The best way to enjoy a beautiful summer day.  As we were walking towards the subway, we stopped and looked at each other – we live here, crazy right? I still take photos of everything. 

On July 19th 2015 in the wee hours of the morning, my brothers' Kim and Wesh rode with me on 95 North towards New York. They helped me move in, unpacked my stuff, and they headed out. It was a special day for me. The beginning of everything in the city. I forever miss my brother Kim dubbing me Miss New York. I think he was so excited about the trip more than I was and him getting me to New York City is something I forever cherish. Getting settled in the first few months was rough. I had days I would cry myself to sleep. No job prospects. Like nothing! Just mad interviews and no call back. Yes, I am one of those crazy people who move to a new city, with no job, and only savings in the account which started running out pretty fast. I remember focusing on why I was NOT getting jobs.

The more I focused on why I was NOT getting anything, the more doors seemed to be shutting for me. I was talking to my mum at one point and she mentioned, whatever’s yours is yours. It will come to you.

Perhaps that was the aha moment I needed – and it changed the way I looked at things.

Rather than focus on what is NOT for me or what has already passed, focus on what is to come. What is already mine. Arms ready and all to receive. To be honest that mind set was something I had to work on every morning, almost as if to convince myself and my brain. It’s so easy to dwell on the negative, and whine and grumble. The positive thoughts , kumbaya – zen moments are tough especially when things are not looking up! But it had to be done.

About 8 weeks later - and a barley there savings account -  I nabbed a couple of gigs. Started a new job and I swear I could hear my friends and family taking a sigh of relief.

Over the years there has been a couple of internships,  frustrations, more jobs, more training, some more frustrations, more opportunities to learn and grow. I have gotten out of my comfort zone, gotten used to being so uncomfortable that I just kept going with it. At the back of my mind, I always remembered what’s meant for me is already mine. I just have to claim it. That’s how the universe works.

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. If I had focused on the many doors closing in my face and frustrations, and not the many opportunities that were available to me. I would have thrown my hands up in frustration and headed back home to my family in Maryland. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to my family and friends how have been sooo supportive. My 4am people who I can call when things go to shits. There have been plenty of those and a lot of tears.

I hope you have 4am people around you. The ones who will listen, laugh, cry, and root for you even on your worst days.

So back to perspective, it is everything. Be open to opportunities, take risks, and  change your perspective. You can either see it as NOWHERE or NOW HERE… it’s how you view it. :)

PHOTOGRAPHY: JESS CURLDERON

The yellow low heeled sandal mules are a fave. I can wear them with anything. They are so comfy to walk in and give you that much needed pop of color. 

Dress: Nordstrom

Sandals: Express

Earrings: HM

Maasai Bracelets: Maasai Market