Beautiful Brown Skin

Alek Wek

Where Brooklyn at?

The love that I have for Hip Hop started ever since I was a young girl. There was a time in my life that I lived with African Americans and that's all that we would listen to, LOL! The funniest thing was that I didn't know English back then, so understanding the lyrics and their jokes was so hard at first, but once you get it, you are just stuck with it for life. Like they say: "Once you try Black, you never go back"

This quote, of course, can be translated to many things... sexually, musically, even with fashion, 'cause a LBD is a must!

I had the best times of my life when I would be eating oranges with pepper and vinegar and scream like crazy when my song was on the radio, I was happy without having anything but music and friends to dance to all those lyrics.

I can also understand that some people hate Hip Hop because it can get extremely offensive, tacky etc or whatever, but to me is so much more than that, is powerful! Nowadays, Hip Hop is sooo much more than that! I love being classy and listening to the old school songs, and discover new amazing artists.  Here is something funny: One day I read that Natalie Portman loved listening to dirty Hip Hop and I said to myself: OMG, I'm glad she is not stuck in just one world and that she is confident enough to have fun and admitting it.  I have a feeling that a lot of people have songs that they secretly love because they are so ashame to admit it!

Anyway, I love this picture of this chic apartment 'cause it has a huge "poster" of the most popular streets.  I totally "dig" this style, the combination of Black, Brown just empowers the room.

PS 1: I ♥ when Hovito (Jay-Z) says: WHERE BROOKLYN @! 

PS 2: I wish I could give credit to this pic!

Love this look from Halle

You can never go wrong with Halle Berry, I love the fact that she had a baby and she is still looks modern, cool and HOT; and most importantly that she didn't change the way she dresses. Why the heck women change everything about themselves when they have a baby?  This  is truly an inspiration, which makes me believe that anything can happen when you have determination and you love yourself. 
credits to:

For ever young

The H&M campaign shows that age is just a consequence of time.

Juventud divino tesoro! ♥

Animal print = HOT!

The Kanye West effect

The Kanye west effect to me is to, is leaving everything behind that is holding you to follow your dream. Is being 100% convienced that you don't have anything to lose, that you are the best and that you have it in you. To some people he is an egocentric idiot, but to me he just another mother fucker just like you and me that had the guts to follow his dreams no matter what. He even dropped out of collage 'cause he knew he has something special, he didn't want to wait any longer. This is a good example of how convienced he was that he was going to make it, that to me is the KW effect.

How many times have we wanted to drop everything, become free and run towards our dreams?  I think we all know we have it in ourselves, no matter what it is, we know that when we are in front of that mirrow and nobody is there but us, we see that we are unique, and that we have something stong inside, something that we have to achieve just to say I did it! 

If you don't achieve your dreams, you'll be deprressed and I believe people can go crazy when they are fustrated, so ama go for it!

The best fit

IMO, this is one of the best fit for a women's top when you want to look sexy, chic and also slim.  A high waisted skirt nails the look. I'm obsessed with high waisted skirts; I remember seeing my mom my mom wearing them when I was a little girl with her huge Stilettos , awww. I bought my first one about three years ago and trust me, this attracts testosterone more than anything! But what really caught my attention, was that little cut to show that model's tonned belly, that 's just so freakin' HOT! credits to the magnificent The Sartorialist

Enjoy:

The Professional

I would never get tired of this movie. First of all you have two amazing actors, again the wonderful Natalie Portman, Jean Reno, who is sexy as hell, the crazy Gary Oldman,  who I think is as nuts as in that movie, and Danny Aiello, who I always picture eating meatballs spilling tomatoe sauce all over his Italian tablecloth.  

I just love every part of this movie, I how determined Mathilda was but was still sweet to win Leon's heart. I think that some point in our lives we've all felt like Mathilda, you've felt that you have to stand strong or you'll die.

I would never forget a quote when she was interviewed by James Lipton, and said that ever since she was a little girl she would walk around NY and would always say to herself: "I think today I'm gonna be discovered". 

How impressive is that? I think its as impressive as admitting it.

The perfect curtain fabric!

As soon as I saw this picture in this magazine I said to myself: "Holy Cow, this is the same background that I have in my blog" Isn't this the best brown combination? awww, now I feel like having some chocolates...

The best bookends!

I love my metal bookends! There are silver and match so great with all the rest of my kitchen items.  Now I need to hit the bookstore and get more cooking books :)

Perfect from head 2 toe

Rihanna - Hard ft. Jeezy

New York, I love you

I had some extra time so I decided to watch a movie, and I just (ten minutes ago) finished watching New York, I love you. I didn't know what was it about, but I'll watch any movie with Natalie Portman, and it gets better if Andy Garcia, Rachael Bilson and Eathan Hawke are in it. The two Asian actresses, Maggie Q and Qi Shu are hot, and nothing feels better for a women's ego than to feel as hot as that prostitute; to feel in control.

It was an nice movie, because I didn't expect anything, I wanted to watch someone else's life and I got exactly what I wanted. I gotta a little life out of every character which works great in a rainy day. I love how all the actors did their scene and that's it.

Watching people,  paying attention to all the details, is the coolest thing ever. I love doing that whenever I'm in a club, down the street, at work. Everyone has a story and we are all crazy and weird in some ways, some are just better actors but we all struggle to find happiness, love or ourselves, and some people just don't give a damn and are completely lost and we have all felt that way before. 

This scene was impressive, it shook my brain, it was sexy, deep, emotional, it was great.

Gotta love the long necklaces

Gwen Stefani - Cool

My weekend healthy snack

So my hubby and I went to the movies to watch Inception, which was actually a fun movie because I've always been fascinated with dreams. I think dreaming is the most magical thing that can happen to a human being, is transportingg and connecting with your subconscious in such a deep and amazingly level. 

We had a really healthy lunch: Pumpkin soup and a spinach, mushroom, mozzarella cheese with onions omelet, and a strawberry lemonade; and since we didn't want to screw up all this wonderful lunch we decided to try this wonderful yogurt ice cream, estaba rico (Yummy). I usually don't go for dairies, I try to have one a week or something but this was a really good choice! This healthy snack tasted like heaven, so I didn't know if I was dreaming or if it was reality!

 

You gotta ♥ this hair-style!

You just gotta love this hair-style. It will match perfectly with a blue and gray stripped sweater I have! This rocks!

This works!

Since I started school again, I haven't been able to workout, so I bought this pilates core ball which I have tried at the gym before so I know it works; It works amazingly in your abs and butt, this is perfect for squats! Tomorrow is my first workout rutine, I'm really excited. Taking care of yourself rocks!

October's gifts

Hubby gave me this wonderful gift card and a Vogue magazine! awww. Eye shadow: Woodrose 33,  Brow pencil: Grey (which is actually brown).

A good karma click

In such a competitive world of fashion is so nice to find people that are still humble and sweet  and willing to share the love for their work, even if they are miles away, you can still feel everything that was going on in that precise moment when he did the "magic click". Kamel Lahmadi, is a cool and relaxed photographer that says things like: "The great secret of photogenic is GENEROSITY" Good quote huh?

Yesterday, he took pictures of Olivia Palermo, and dedicated a post to describe how sweet she was to a fan. FIRST time I read something sweet about her, which I think was really sweet of him so now I'm dedicating a post to him for good karma, lol.  This picture is from July, when he didn't even know who she was, but the updated pictures of yesterday's shoot are at: www.styleandthecity.com

I'm obsessed with orchids

Orchids seeds are expensive and I know that they are very hard to grow. Seeds, of course, are cheaper than if you buy a plant directly from a flower shop. My aunt got one for 75 bucks and it died, LOL! I really wanna buy some seeds and give it a try for real! My favorite are the classic white ones and this hot pink awesome orchid that match amazingly with brown furniture!

Leighton Meester - Style Star

Round all around!

What a nice idea shown at CASA COR  in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  I never thought that having a round lamp and a round table could look so well, is a nice and simple idea.

My second travel goal

My first travel goal was to get lost in a jungle in the Caribbean and feeling free. I never felt so happy in my entire life, I had to be myself, I didn't have to pretend that I had anything but my smile to convince estranges that I was a good human being. This freedom and peace made me want to experience that feeling again and this is where I want to go:

  

Angkor Wat.  I'm obsessed with this place magical place that was found in Cambodia. I can look at all the details for hours, if you ever wanna travel to a mystical place, this is it!

       

Angkor is perfect, you'll find so much nature, friendly monks, and locals that  pick these beautiful flowers, respectfully from the ponds. The temples have so much detailed work, truly architectural master pieces. No wonder it took centuries to build all the temples, and one day a H. Mouhout found this hidden in the tropical forest! Imagine the look on his face!  Don't you love how nature takes over this mysterious place?

A mineralized glow

Okay let's put it this way: I didn't know what makeup was before I tried MAC. Of course I did know all the crap from drugstores, so I never understood how women looked so beautiful if they were wearing the same makeup that I was wearing LOL! So, I wanted to test, to confirm with my own eyes ,and so one day I decided to invest and  took an appointment with a MAC makeup artist and I sat in that little chair and bumped into a fascinating world with lots of tricks but mostly importantly with the right tools! 

The makeup is so good that I will never go back. Yes it is expensive, but in the other hand, it last a long time so is almost the same thing.  The brushes do all the work and the quality of every single thing is just perfect! 

I have tried a few stuff but this thing is just the best thing a woman can buy. Mineralize blushes give you that glow that you need specially when you are tired. I have Moon River, this product made a huge impact in my makeup kit.  Tip: I put the normal blush and then put this on top to give a fresh healthy looking glow. 

Regarding makeup, I've also tried Bobbi Brown which also works really well, but I haven't tried any other mineralize blush because I just love my Moon River!

The perfect Caribbean terrace

What a wonderful terrace in the Caribbean. I love how left corner seating space is floating in the air, just above the fresh water.

This should be a magnet on every women's fridge

I once found this image, and it made sence. 90% of women lose weight to wear their favorite jeans lol.

While I'm still young

 What a perfect shot. I have to take a picture like this when I'm still young. I wonder how many shots they took before finding the perfect angle.

Pic: O.Palermo.
 

Drinks and much more

Today hubby and I are gonna go for some drinks to my favorite restaurant "Zully" here is a pic of this magical place. The stairs always  have rose petals and candles, this simple touches make a perfect night! I really need a vodka, I'll guess I'll have to drink lots of green tea and water during the week, but who cares the memories will last for ever!!!

Bien dans sa peau

Feel good in your skin. Be comfortable with who you are, love yourself.  I believe that as soon as you feel good, see how you unique you are, and discover the magic of the human body, the universe responds and gives you something back. I started to practice this and putting any shyness aside, but something very important is to have a balance, so it has nothing to do with  arrogance is about being humble, leave your EGO where it belongs, and be grateful.

You don't need to be the prettiest, you just need to believe that you are the best that you can be  with what the universe has giving you, and everyone will get that picture, as simple as that. They will see you glow on your own. 

Some people are really good looking but if they don't know how to practice these skills nobody will notice them. Sometimes every guy on a club wants dance with one particular girl, she is not the prettiest but she has something that prettiest girls wish they had.

This is the best picture, in my opinion, of the one and only Marilyn Monroe. She was gorgeous but is more than that, she was confident, she knew the power she had and she worked it. 

 

The hot summer days of confidence

Summer is coming up, at least where I live, and I've been trying to double the amount of H20, to avoid the sugar as much as possible but I really can't stop having the addictive bread, seriously, I have one a day but I wish I could have bread just during the weekend, that's my goal. I really wanna be like Asians that have rice for breakfast! 

I really wanna be as healthy as possible, and I mean healthy but is not an easy road you have to make commitments and stick to those no matter what.  Whenever I go to a party and there is no food, I just don't eat crap, that's it. I was never that type of girl but then I decided to make an experiment with my body and this is what happened, my body started to blossom, my skin started to shine, everything started to change even my mood!!! I went to the an "alternative" nutritionist and she gave me these tips:

1) I stopped eating red meat, lambs, pigs, sausages and all that crap.  I've never cheated, it's been 3.5 YEARS and I've never felt better! and I will never go back. I just stick to fish, turkey and chicken every once in a while and I will not get rid of those.

2) Reduced the dairies to the limit. I might have a yogurt once a week, that's it. We do not need milk. Humans are the only human beings that drink milk from another animal until we are OLD!  I already had all the milk I needed when I was a child, so that makes sense. 

3) More water & green tea whenever I have the chance to oxygen my veins. I took Bobbi Brown advice and simple add lemon with no sugar to my water and that gives it a better flavor :P  I don't do this all the time but whenever I don't wanna drink water I use this helpful tip  and it works! Besides you can never have enough vitamin C in your diet, vitamin C rocks!

Results: My legs rock, my skin is glowing, my nails are stronger, my hair is healthy, my boobs are the size I wanted them, my butt is hot like fire! 

Tiny little changes in your life can improve your health, is just something that you know you can do without stress. Life is short, you should eat the things that make you happy, but have a balance. If one day you eat crap, next day detox!

Next goal: Now that I went back to school I haven't had the chance to workout I do dance whenever I hear music on, but  next year I will sign in the gym to achieve all I have in mind.

Whenever I feel good with lots of confidence I reward myself and buy something special, is a prize for sticking to this program which is not easy but "Nothing taste as good as healthy feels" 

Pic: Shingai Shoniwa

The secret code

This is the latest ring I got: Is called  secret code and is from http://www.swatch.com/. Actually, this is the first time I have ever bought a jewelry from them and I love it, I feel mysterious whenever  I wear it!  I once saw it at the store and I couldn't get off my head.... I was going crazy, that ring started talking to me as soon as I was trying to fall asleep, lol. I think this happens to lots of women, shoes, purses, clothes and rings, talk to us, and since we don't wanna end up in  mental hospital, we cure ourselves without having a shrink's appointment! LOL!

I have a "slim" finger and I always have to have all my rings "taylored" but this ring came in different sizes and it was like finding the perfect shoe, it fitted perfectly!

The best thing is that you can change the combination and I added my own secret numbers! They come in two different colors, silver and black.

Here is a picture of me wearing the mysterious ring. Oh and you can also take a look a the nicest tablecloths I got, I love the french fabric! ♥ Nails:Opi

Record Guiness: The tiniest kitchen ever!

Kitchens rock! 

I like all kinds of kitchens, "weird," colorful, elegant, classic, modern etc. I love the relaxed feelings of kitchens,  I think people get to be themselves when  they are cooking , to me is a way of expression. 

I've lived in other 3  places before, and I never thought I'd actually pick this one as my favorite because this is the tiniest one lol! 

I had no choice, either I made it heaven or a living hell that I would complain  daily due to the lack of space. So I decided to make a funtional petite corner! It makes me feel great because it has everything I need and love: everything is brown, black and silver which works great for such a tiny space. It makes it look organized and modern, specially when is the first thing you see when you come inside my apt, so is really easy to keep it organized and cleaned!

I made that black board to write possitive messages / quotes. I love arriving home and reading them after a long day of work, they make me happy as soon as I arrive or need some confidence before leaving home! Note: We all need a little boost of confidence every once in a while :)

When did I start loving kitchens? I think it started in a restaurant... My brother was a chef in a posh restaurant in FL and I would go and seat in one of the stainless steal tables and watch him cook with such a passion. I really loved that everything was silver and nice and neat,  his work place was always spick & span, that's how I started to love stainless steal!  Aww this bring me back such sweet memories; he was always waiting for me with fresh broccoli and whenever he cashed his paycheck he  gave me 100 bucks for clothes when my parents weren't doing that well with their finances, which really made my life when I was a teenayer! 

I still wanna improve it a little bit. I really wanna put more shelves and a place to put my vodka and wine bottles, yay!  I had a picture in my hand and one day I started searching for ideas and I found JUST want I wanted! Maybe the secret is working , he he :)

We will have to hire someone and I don't know how much that's gonna cost but I hope to do it in the near future I 'll post pictures as soon as I make this project happen!

This is what I call a SPA!

I really enjoy visiting design blogs & websites, and one of my favorite is dedicated to luxury design. http://exquisite-design.com/ . I love it because it has the most amazing pictures, here I found the best picture of a SPA located in Phuket, Thailand! 

I simple adore this because it has everything I would ever need to relax. The view is breathtaking, and love how the blue soft tiles with running fresh water connect with the sea! This is just amazing...

Thailand is one of my top 10 destinations! 
 

Here is another good picture of a SPA, this is lovely.

 

scissors, paper & glue

Okay so this is my first blog entry! I decided to start by something that makes me have a lot of fun and helps me with stress: Collages! 

Give me a pair of scissors, some glue and I go crazy lol. Is nothing pro, just for fun.  

Tips: I really like using double scotch tape ‘cause that’s like using crazy-glue on a paper i.e. it works great for edges. What I do, is pick an image, put the tape then I begin to cut them, and save them. So whenever I feel inspired I just grab a paper  (notebook) and get my pictures that already have the tape on, so I just remove the other side of the double scotch tape, so basically they work as a sticker!