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Hi friends,
The first day of summer is this Saturday! Can you believe it? It definitely feels like summer in San Diego with the warm weather and beautiful days! We are having longer days and amazing sunsets!
With summer comes colorful and light dresses. I got this dress at Marshalls and knew it would be a good dress for summer. I can wear it casual with sandals and a jean jacket, or dress it up with heels and accessories! It will also make a good dress for travel to a warm location. The color is a bright salmon, ideal for spring and summer!
I wore it recently for an early dinner we had at I’l Fornaio in Coronado to celebrate mom’s birthday. To give it a dressier look, I added the belt, silver necklace, and heels. I had a fedora hat on when we arrived, but took it off inside the restaurant and didn’t put it back on – a hat is a fun option for this outfit!
Hope you like the look!
Have you gotten any new dresses for summertime? Do you have a favorite summer dress? Are you enjoying the warm weather?
Hugs,
Paola
I brought a light jacket because it can get a little breezy in the evenings when the weather cools down.
A pic with mom and my nephew, Andrew – taken inside the restaurant.
With mom, sis, and nephew. It was nice to celebrate mom on her birthday!
Dress: SIB; Jacket: Nike; Shoes: Cathy Jean; Belt: Macy’s; Necklace: Kenneth Cole; Bracelet: Tiffany & Co.; Ring: Macy’s Fine Jewelry
ESPAÑOL:
Vestido Ligero de Verano
Hola amigos,
¡El primer día “oficial” de verano fue el sábado, 21 de junio! ¿Lo pueden creer? ¡Definitivamente se siente como verano en San Diego con el clima cálido y días hermosos! ¡Estamos teniendo días más largos y atardeceres asombrosos!
Aparte del clima cálido, con el verano vienen los vestidos en colores vivos y telas ligeras. Acostumbro hacer compras en una variedad de tiendas. De vez en cuando voy a tiendas donde ofrecen mercancia de marcas de diseñador a precios reducidos, como Marshalls, Nordstrom Rack, o Saks Off 5th. Me toma un poco más de tiempo escoger ropa que me guste, pero cuando encuentro algo, vale la pena el tiempo ya que el precio es razonable. ¡Este vestido fue una de esas compras a buen precio! Lo compre en Marshalls y supe que sería un buen vestido para el verano. Lo puedo usar como atuendo casual con unas sandalias y chamarra de jeans, o un estilo un poco más formal agregandole unos tacones y accesorios. También será una opción práctica para algun viaje a un lugar con clima cálido. ¡El color es un salmón vivo, ideal para el verano!
Me puse el vestido recientemente para una reunión casual en el restaurante Il Fornaio en Coronado donde festejamos en cumpleaños de mi mamá. Le agregue un cinto, collar plateado, y tacones, y fue un atuendo ideal para la ocasión.
¡Ojala les guste el atuendo!
¡Recuerden, la mujer feliz es la más bella! ¡Hagan su estilo relucir con atuendos en los que se sientan cómodas y contentas!
¿Se han comprado algunos vestidos para el verano? ¿Están disfrutando el clima cálido y los días más largos?
Para más muestras de atuendos y experiencias de la vida diaria, los invito a que también nos conectemos por medio Facebook/Paola-Hernandez-Jiao.
Un abrazo,
Paola
Vestido: SIB; Chamarra: Nike; Cinto: Macy’s; Zapatos: Cathy Jean; Collar: Kenneth Cole; Anillo: Macy’s Joyería Fina; Pulsera: Dress: Tiffany & Co.
Hi friends,
Last Saturday, my sister and brother-in-law had a commitment to attend during the day, and I offered to watch both of my nephews. I love those two little boys so much and enjoy spending time with them! They decided to leave Andrew with us and took their younger son with them.
I was excited to spend the day with my nephew! During the week my hubby and I started to look for options of fun places to take him. My hubby has been wanting to take the boys to Boomers, to play mini-golf, ride the go-carts, and play in the arcade. We had also recently discovered an in-door jungle gym close to our home. So, we decided we’d ask Andrew which he preferred. I had also purchased some juice and snacks, in preparation for his visit.
The day before, I went on a walk to Coronado with Lola and we stopped by The Blue Octopus, a children’s educational toy store at the Hotel Del, because I wanted to buy something for the boys. I bought them some coloring and activity books.
I woke up early on Saturday and started doing things around the house. When they dropped off Andrew, all of my attention was on him! We sat in the family room and colored in his books, and he made a drawing for us. When I offered him food, he told me he had already had breakfast, but asked if we could go to IHOP. To which I chuckled and said yes, of course! I asked my husband if we could go and knew he would say yes because he likes their breakfast, even though we rarely eat there. Andrew and I watched the movie Up, on the Disney Channel. We drew, colored, and he played on the IPad. Later, my hubby came downstairs to spend time with Andrew and I went upstairs to shower and get ready.
On our way to IHOP, my sister called to tell me they were going to be done in about two hours and would pick up Andrew. We realized that wasn’t going to be enough time to go to Boomer’s. Instead, we took Andrew to the San Diego Air Show (formerly Wings Over Gillespie). I knew the event was going on because I had included it on the Community Calendar segments which I host and produce for Azteca at work.
Andrew enjoyed looking at the planes and I enjoyed spending time with him and my hubby! I wasn’t planning on going to the Air Show, so I didn’t have a hat or my parasol. I had sunblock on because I apply it daily on my face and neck, and use a moisturizer with sunblock on my arms. Luckily, my hubby had a hat in the car, which I ended up wearing to try to get some protection from the sun. It was a warm and beautiful day, and we had fun!
After the Air Show, we met my sister at the house and they stayed to visit for a little while. They stayed enough for me to share some of the snacks with them and heat some soft pretzels for the boys.
I am not a mother yet, but the day I do become a mother, I hope my son or daughter are as good of a child as Andrew is! He is a normal boy, playful, smart, and curious, but he is also well behaved and sweet! I may seem biased because he is my nephew, but others who have had an opportunity to interact with him have said that he is a sweet boy, who has a special welcoming, kind, and warm spirit!
Do you have any favorite places to go on weekends with your children or nephews? Do you have a favorite breakfast restaurant? Have you been to the Wings Over Gillespie Air Show?
Hugs,
Paola
Here’s Andrew’s play section in our television room, with a small fold-out table, coloring books, drawing paper, colors, I-Pad, and Disney Channel.
These are the coloring and activity books I bought for Andrew. I gave my younger nephew his coloring book when they dropped off Andrew in the morning.
Andrew brought his Build-A-Bear penguin, Pancho, to brunch with us. My hubby asked why he was a penguin and not a bear? My hubby has never been to Build-A-Bear store, I have. Andrew explained to his uncle how he selected and made Pancho 🙂
This was next to the flight line displays.
This is the area with the static displays.
Another person observing this small plane started to explain to us how it works. There was a brochure holder with information sheets next to the plane and Andrew got some info.
Andrew is such a sweetheart, you see the papers in his hands? He got two, one for his mom and one for my hubby, so he could explain how the small plane worked and give each one of the the sheet! Too cute!
That’s my husband’s cap I am wearing! At least it kind of matched with my outfit, haha!
After viewing all the planes, we decided this one was our favorite. Impressive!
We got to see this plane start up, drive right in front of us, and take-off! Pretty cool for an impromptu Saturday outing!
I have been working on a big project at work, which has lead to longer hours at the office. It has also lead to less hours of free time in the evenings, resulting in less exercise and less sleep. This is common when a big project comes up, so I am working on a process to launch this initiative, then try to get back to a normal work schedule.
Luckily, I haven’t had too many work related events on weekends, so I am able to sleep in on weekends! When I work long hours, I am fine on Monday and Tuesday nights, but come the middle or end of the week and I am looking forward to Saturday morning, so I can sleep in! On weekends, I catch up on sleep or as it is commonly called my “z’s.” It seems to help me.
I was curious about the subject and did some research. Well, apparently you actually can’t catch up on sleep that easily. For example, if you lost 8 hours of sleep during the week, you can’t just make them up by sleeping 8 additional hours on the weekend. Plus, if you do this you’ll throw off your bodies normal sleep cycle. According to a sleep related article in Scientific American, if you have deprived yourself of sleep, for example for 4 nights, resulting in 8 less hours of sleep debt, you should either add an extra hour to your sleep for eight nights, take 20 minutes naps when you can in the coming days, or go back to your regular sleep cycle until your body eventually recuperates, which may take a while.
I found another article in Psychology Today that says you can bank sleep hours ahead of time, but not make them up afterwards. For example, if you know you have a long week coming up and you won’t be able to get 8 hours of sleep each night, try to sleep additional hours on the weekend leading to it, not afterwards. One of the articles I read, in Web Md said that sleep is as important to our overall health as diet and exercise, and it also listed the negative effects on our health if we don’t get enough sleep. Yikes, interesting information on sleep and how important it is to our health! Overall, the best advise is to sleep 8 hours per night.
Well, since I can’t always manage to get 8 hours of sleep every night, after a long week I look forward to sleeping in on weekends. I feel it helps my body recuperate from a long week! On Mondays, I feel like I start my week fresh and re-energized! This week, I am going to try to get my eights hours of sleep each night!
On the weekends that I do want to sleep in, even if I don’t set the alarm, my body wakes up at the regular time it does on weekdays. In order to try to go back to sleep, I sometimes use an eyemask which helps block out the natural light in our bedroom and helps me get a few more hours of sleep. This particular eyemask is made of very soft cotton and comfortable to wear. I try to sleep until my body wakes up naturally, which is usually an hour or two later. My hubby also helps, by trying to slip out of the bedroom quietly, even though I usually always notice when he wakes up. He rarely sleeps in.
The drawing I used for this post is one we purchased in a gallery in San Francisco about three years ago. It was drawn by an artist that specializes in making pictorials of famous sayings. One of my favorite things to do when we visit San Francisco is go to galleries and art exhibits, to walk around and enjoy the pieces. We bought this one for our bedroom and hung it by our bed. Can you see the famous saying in the pictorial? Catching Z’s! We thought it was nice for our bedroom since this is where we sleep 🙂
Do you catch up on sleep on weekends? Do you take naps? Do you use an eye mask when you sleep? Do you get enough sleep every night? I’d love to hear from you!
Hugs,
Paola
Hi friends,
I subscribe to a few fashion magazines and receive several catalogues at home….even though I don’t always get around to reading them. But, when I do, I get ideas for outfits, learn about trends, tips, products, and much more! When I see an outfit I like, my mind quickly does a scan of my closet and I try to remember if I have similar items to put that “look” together. When I do, I’ll rip out the page and take it to my closet, then set out to put the outfit together.
I found this look in the White House Black Market catalogue. I had just purchased a similar jacket at Nordstrom Rack and was looking forward to wearing it. I had green pants from Arden B. in my closet and liked the contrast. The tank top has been part of my wardrobe for a few years and I started wearing it more often in recent months. The shoes are versatile nude color and the leather is super soft, so they are comfortable to wear. The scarf is a gift that a friend brought me back from a vacation in China. And, voile, I put the “look” together! A similar outfit, but with items I already had in my closet!
The outfits I photograph for the blog are outfits I really wear, all day! Not just outfits I put together for a photo shoot. I think it is important to be comfortable and practical with outfits! It is also important to be realistic with what one will actually wear to work or for the day! So, these are real outfits that I wear!
Hope you like the look!
Do you get inspiration for outfits you wear from magazines or catalogues? Or, where do you get your inspiration for looks you put together?
Hugs,
Paola
PS- I have worn this outfit three times: to work and my nephew’s Awards Ceremony at his school, on Mother’s Day to the dinner held with family, to my comadre Marissa’s birthday party. The jacket is light, so I will wear it a few more times this summer and into the fall. I may mix and match it with blue or burgundy pants, and jeans!
The first time I wore the outfit was to work and my nephew’s Awards Ceremony at his school.
At my comadre’s birthday dinner, with my goddaughter and her favorite American Girl Doll.
This is the picture from the catalogue – where I found the inspiration for the look.
PS 2- The day I wore this outfit to work we had a cake for my boss and I helped cut it. It was not a good idea to cut a cake while wearing a long scarf like this one. It kept swinging forward and I was worried I’d stain it with cake frosting. Next time, I will just take off the scarf before I begin to cut the cake 😉
Jacket: Blanc Noir, Nordstrom Rack; Pants: Arden B., Tank Top: Target; Shoes: Levity; Scarf: Gift from China; Belt: Banana Republic; Bracelet: Forever21
Photos by: Lola Raggio
Hi friends,
As we become adults many things change in our lives. One of them, is how we make friends. I am fortunate to have a few close friends. These are the friends that I speak to often, we both make an effort to spend time together, and to stay involved in each other’s lives! I also have some friends I don’t stay in touch with that often, but still consider “friends.” The rest of the people are more of acquaintances or “professional friends.”
Last Sunday, I took my nephew, Andrew, to a children’s birthday party, a “piñata” and noticed how easily he made a new friend. We were one of the first guests to arrive and there were few children his age. When he was in the bounce house, I noticed another little boy and introduced them, suggesting they play together. Before he memorized his new little friends name, he was calling him “amigo,” which means friend in Spanish. The little boy’s name is Santiago. They played together at the party and had fun! My friend Lizeth, the host of the party, told me Santiago was talking about Andrew on the drive home, saying how excited he was to have met a new friend and how much fun they had together! So cute!
When I saw them playing on the slide, it made me think of how easily children make new friends and how as adults, we sometimes have a harder time making new friends. It is for multiple reasons, as adults we have so many commitments that sometimes, at least for me, it is hard enough to make time to see my current friends. Also, when we are younger, we meet friends in school and at our extra curricular activities, such as team sports. As adults, we have less free time, between work, family, a spouse, and a household to run, we barely have time for ourselves, let alone to see our friends.
So, I did some research and found a good and enlightening article in Experience Life Magazine about Making Friends As An Adult. If you have moved to a new city or want to make a new friend, the article has some good tips! Hope you like it!
Here are some pictures of my nephew playing with Santiago, the new friend he made at the birthday party! They are so cute!!
Who was the last friend you met? Do you find it harder to meet friends as an adult? Do you have any suggestions on how to make new friends as an adult?
Hugs,
Paola
Santiago is younger than Andrew and asked if Andrew would hold his hand when they went down the slide. How adorable is this? Cuties!
They kept running back to slide down again and again! After a few times down the slide, Santiago was more comfortable and no longer asked Andrew to hold his hand.
They stood in line together during the games and cheered each other on!
They stood next to each other during the group picture with the birthday boy, Mauricio, next to the cake!
This was during the breaking of the piñata, it seems Andrew is explaining to the boys how they should hold the stick as they hit the piñata (in the white t-shirt is his younger brother, Josh).
They stood next to each other during the group picture next to one of the piñatas.
Hi friends,
The past two weeks have been a whirlwind. June is a fun month because it filled with family and friends’ birthdays, plus my birthday. This year, the start of June also included three graduations and many fun events! It has been fun, but also a bit exhausting. I am also going through the process of dental surgery, which has required multiple dentist appointments (I am thankful for having a good dentist and that this has a solution).
I am happy to finally have a Sunday at home, to sip my cup of coffee and relax, write a blog post, and catch up on things around the house.
This blog, is a hobby for me, something I do on my free time, but also something I enjoy and am committed to. It is my way of sharing life experiences, things I learn, thoughts, and a positive platform. I appreciate your support greatly! It touched my heart recently when Lola told me that one of her friends, who reads my blog often, asked if I was doing ok since I hadn’t posted in a few days. It takes time to write each blog post and choose the pictures. So, sometimes I have to decide if I have time to write a blog post today….and sometimes I don’t. Sometimes, after a long day at work and an outing that evening, going to sleep wins over writing a blog post, ha! These past two weeks, I had a commitment every single day, and I had fun, it is part of enjoying my life, and time with family and friends. My busy social schedule left me without time to write blog posts. Thank you for understanding and for your support! Your words encourage me to continue writing this blog!
Here are a few pictures from the past two weeks….hope you like them!
What were you up to this past week? Did you go to any graduations, birthdays, or parties?
Best wishes for a great week – and let’s stay in touch!
Hugs,
Paola
The outings started with a night at the theatre. After seeing a great performance, my hubby wanted a hamburger, so we stopped for a late dinner. He had a hamburger, I had a few of his fries.
Thursday night, we discovered a new Indian restaurant. The art at the restaurant is beautiful!
Friday night, Lola joined me for the San Diego County Fair’s Media Party. It is held a week prior to the Fair’s opening and one of my favorite parties of the year! We didn’t stay too late this year because the next day I had to get up very early for a 5K walk.
I got up bright and early on Saturday to give a welcome & participate in the Live Well San Diego 5K Walk/Run! Lola was in town, so she joined me. It was a wonderful event, we had fun and we got some exercise!
The Little Italy Mercato (farmer’s market) is held downtown on Saturday mornings. I’d wanted to visit it for a while, but Lola is usually out of town on weekends and I usually don’t go downtown on weekends. So, since she was in town and the Walk was held close to downtown, we headed to Little Italy after the Walk. We stopped to say hi to my brother at his booth, he sells plants there – that’s his hobby. So proud of him! We bought some fruit, it was juicy and sweet, and a silver necklace. I’ll be going back!
Sunday, my sis & nephew joined me for Mauricio’s #1 Birthday Party (my friend Lizeth’s son). He’s a cutie! It was nice to spend time with Lizeth & her family – and my sis and nephew as well!
On Monday, my niece turned 15 and we got together to celebrate with a cake! She will have her Quinceañera party later this year! We are all looking forward to it!
On Tuesday, I went to an election night party downtown – and left in time to vote on my way home before the polls closed!
A family friend’s daughter graduated from high school and invited us to her graduation on Wednesday evening. We had a delicious Cuban dinner at their home after the ceremony.
Thursday, my adorable nephew Andrew graduated from kindergarten! We went to the Ceremony at his school, then my family went to lunch together and I went back to work. Later that afternoon, we had cake at his home to celebrate!
Thursday evening, my friend Elsa and I went for a walk at Lake Murray. It is beautiful and relaxing! I found a new place to exercise & maybe even go for a bike ride.
I have been wanting to go to Coronado for a while. So Friday after work, Lola and I met in Coronado and went for a walk! It was the perfect way to end a long week! We did some exercise and afterwards, went browsed through a few shops on Orange Avenue and did some shopping at the Hotel Del’s stores. I bought some coloring books for my nephews and discovered a great little jewelry store. We live in an amazing County that has so many areas to explore and Coronado is a beautiful city in the region! We saw this large and cuddly dog during our walk, just had to get his picture!
Saturday, I had fun watching my nephew! This visit deserves its own post, I’ll write about it later on.
Saturday night, we got together with my comadre to celebrate her birthday! It was nice to see her and her family! I enjoyed spending time with my goddaughter, she’s a beautiful and sweet little girl!
Hi friends,
Hope you had a nice Memorial Day weekend! Mine was different than other holidays because I spent it dealing with a toothache, a bad one! It started with a small toothache on Friday, it only hurt when I touched the tooth and I thought perhaps I had been grinding my teeth at night, particularly since it didn’t hurt with warm or hot beverages. By Saturday afternoon, it has escalated to a full on toothache, and was causing me pain and discomfort even when I didn’t touch it. I took some ibuprofen before I went to sleep. By Sunday morning, the pain woke me up and I could feel the pain in my jaw, neck, and up the side of my face. If you have ever had a bad toothache, you know the type of jabbing pain I am referring to.
I called my dentist on his emergency line and by the symptoms, he said I probably needed a root canal. He said he would try to see me Monday afternoon or Tuesday. I told him based on my level of pain, I doubted I could wait until Tuesday. I’ve had root canals before and know that it takes multiple appointments, and is an uncomfortable and painful procedure. It can also be expensive. I tried to stay positive, by thinking, well this isn’t a big problem, it can be fixed, thankfully I have insurance and a good dentist….positive things I tell myself so I think of it as a temporary situation that needs to be fixed and not a dreadful problem. I don’t think anyone likes going to the dentist or having dental surgery, but I try to stay positive about it, particularly because it usually cannot be avoided and is necessary.
I was a bit saddened because I know a root canal is the end of the natural pulp (nerve) of a tooth…and eventually I may need a crown over that tooth. Then I remembered the saying my grandmother uses, “todo por servir se acaba.” Which means, “everything wears out – eventually – after being used.” I take pretty good care of my teeth, and that tooth already had a filling, so this was just something that happened over time, a cavity got worse fast and it damaged the tooth. So I figured, oh well, let’s just deal with it and get it fixed. My husband looked for other options for dentists that took “urgent” appointments on weekends and found a few, but I wanted to go to my dentist. He knows me well and has been treating me for close to ten years now. I trust my dentist.
At that point the pain was unbearable and I could feel myself getting dizzy and feeling lots of discomfort. We had dinner plans with my sister and brother in-law, and I was close to canceling, but decided to go. I took some acetaminophen to help with the pain and penicillin as my dentist had prescribed (luckily I had some penicillin at home) . I took a shower, put on some make-up and fixed my hair, and that in itself made me feel better. Amazing how make-up can make us look a lot better than we feel sometimes! I felt lousy, but as soon as I saw my sister I felt better. I think getting out of the house was also helpful because I got distracted and wasn’t focused on the pain (plus the acetaminophen really helped).
That night, I took more acetaminophen and tried to sleep in a slightly seated position, as recommended for the blood circulation tohelp decrease the pain. I woke up multiple times throughout the night. My poor hubby also woke up every time I did. It was a horrible, sleepless night.
Monday, the pain was back because the acetaminophen had worn off. My jaw felt locked and I felt sharp pain, more intense than on Sunday. I was exhausted from the pain and the sleepless night. My husband had plans to go practice his hobby with a friend. I told him I would be ok and would try to sleep a bit. He brought me some chopped fruit to bed before he left. I ate a little, mostly because I needed some food in my stomach in order to take the medication. I tried to fall asleep and was waking up constantly. Around noon, I received a text message from my dentist asking how I was doing and saying he could see me if necessary. I replied and afterwards we spoke and made arrangements for me to go in for the root canal. I contacted my hubby and he immediately came home to take me to the dentist. For the first time ever, I was looking forward to getting the anesthesia shot into my gums, just so it would numb the pain! A few hours later, with the first stage of the root canal completed, I was feeling better. I have to go back in a week for the next appointment. I filled my prescriptions and took ampicillin that night, in place of the penicillin. I also took some acetaminophen. A root canal is endodontics and dental surgery, so it’s pretty serious and can get infected if not cared for properly.
Today, I woke up with pain in my jaw and some bad discomfort from the dental surgery. I tried to get up at the normal time, but was in such pain that I just could not do it. I have only called in sick to work once in the seven years I have worked at the station and that was the time I had strep throat. I did not want to miss work because we had a very important meeting for a project I am working on. So, I wrote a few emails and made the necessary arrangements in order to go in late to work, but not miss the meeting. I took some pain medication and tried to sleep again. An hour later, I got up, had some coffee, ate a yogurt and took the ampicillin. I took a shower and started to get ready for work, applied some make up and fixed my hair. I automatically felt better….and I looked better. I had a fever that night, so I woke up looking all sweaty and pretty bad! Amazing what a little make-up and fixing our hair can do!
Luckily, last week we had prepared everything for today’s meeting and I just needed to make a few copies before the presentation. I knew the subject matter and was prepared, as were my colleagues. Our team was very understanding of my situation – and I appreciated it! I could have cancelled the meeting, but knew it would take another month to re-schedule due to the participants. The meeting went very well and everyone was pleased! We moved another step forward on the project, a huge step. I stayed and worked for the rest of the afternoon.
As I was leaving work this evening, I looked in the mirror and said to myself, “I don’t look that bad, even though I don’t feel good.” Ha! So, I took this selfie in the car before I left work. Amazing what a smile, a little bit of make-up, and a positive attitude can do! Overall, it was a very productive day, even though my jaw still feels pretty bad. This too will pass and tomorrow will be better, I never lose hope of that!
Have you had a bad toothache? Have you had dental surgery or a root canal? Have you made yourself feel better on a day you were feeling ill by wearing make-up?
Hugs,
Paola
Here’s my selfie, I still didn’t feel well, but at least I didn’t look like I felt 🙂
These are the new additions to my night stand – at least for the next week. Thankfully, we live in a country where we can have access to these medications and dental care. I try to look at the positive side of things, even when I have a toothache!
Hi friends,
I don’t know about you, but I have lots of seriousness & responsibilities in my life. So, when I have an opportunity to see the lighter side of life or be silly, I do it! Particularly in my personal life, I try to laugh as often as possible. As adults, we tend to me more serious and laugh less often than we did as children. Yes, we have more responsibilities and demands on our time, but we can decide how we go about our day. Do we want to go about our days in a 100% serious mode or allowing ourselves a few laughs and smiles throughout the day. Of course, there are “appropriate moments” to joke around and others where being serious is called for. By silly moments, I don’t mean being immature or over-the-top, I simply mean having fun and light moments!
Overall, I try not to take myself too seriously (even though others may think I am too serious sometimes). Seeing the lighter side of things in life can be fun….and you know what I am going to say next, having fun adds to the happiness in our lives!
My most frequent “partners in fun” are my sis & Lola! We are so comfortable around each other that we can also be silly together. Another one is Claudia, my friend at work. Our jobs are very serious & we have lots of deadlines to meet (and we take our responsibilities very seriously), but we also find a way to laugh together and smile, every day! That makes our day seem less intense and stressful.
Here are a few samples of some recent fun moments, aka: silliness! Hope you like them…and they make you smile!
How do you have fun each day? Do you laugh everyday? Do you think being silly is immature?
Hugs,
Paola
Leaving an event with friends, we took a show group picture in the elevator. We had joked about shoes throughout the evening at an event, so it was the perfect way to end the night!
Lola and I at the gift shop in a casino, after the FWSD Spring Showcase. We just couldn’t resist taking a picture with these hats on as we were joking about preparing for opening day at the Races. We were laughing because we kept hitting each other with the brims of the hats. The other pictures came out blurry because we were laughing so much, in one of the pics I am bending from laughing so hard!
At the March for Babies with Claudia and our colleague, Allison. This is one of my favorite pictures from that event!
At a “zombie” themed birthday party with my sis & nephew, she pretended to kiss the zombie while my nephew made a funny face of shock!
This picture was taken about 10 times, but the lighting never seemed quite right, so we kept posing for more pictures. It made us laugh….eventually, we took the pic with an IPhone, that one came out great!
My sis & I at an event 🙂
We knew this picture would look silly, but I couldn’t resist taking a picture with the 3D glasses on! My “partner in fun” Lola agreed to pose with me 🙂
A “silly face” pic of the kids! Children always seem happy to pose for a silly face pic! At what point do adults stop taking “silly face” pics?
Laughing at work….I was recording a voice-over and my colleagues made me laugh 🙂
Attempting to take a selfie at an event….while my sis throws a kiss to the camera, haha!
Hi friends,
As you may know by now, my sis and I are very close. We are each others best friend! We speak on the phone almost every day and see each other often. She is probably the person that knows me the best, plus she’s known me her entire life, ha! You may relate, if you have a sister or girlfriend you are close to.
My sister gives me great advice and I have learned lots from her over the years. It is nice to see that my litter sister has grown to be such an amazing woman and good mom. In some ways, we are very different and in other ways we are very similar. We vent with each other, often! We are also honest with each other. We are supportive of each other, but don’t always tell the other what she may want to hear. We all need this type of person in our lives!
Recently we were talking about how our lives have changed since we got married and her life even more since she had children. We both feel very blessed with our families! She told me something she has learned to do is ask herself “what can I get done today?” And do just that – and that is already a very full day since she works full-time as a teacher, has two children, a husband, and runs her household. All moms out there can probably relate. She told me over the years, particularly after she had her second son, she has learned that somethings will just not get done on weekdays. For example, she will wait until the weekend to wash laundry. Before, she’d wash laundry on weeknights, no issue, but now, she prefers to spend time with her boys in the evenings. She has an evening routine to make dinner, help her son with homework, bathe them, clean the kitchen, and prepare for the next day (lunches, clothes, son’s backpack, etc). And, she still finds time to spend time with her husband and pack his lunch for the next day. Amazing, right?
Over the years, I have learned to say no and not take on too much, because then I end up exhausted! Particularly now that I am married, I look forward to coming home every evening to spend time with my hubby. I have also taken on less weeknight and weekend outings or speaking engagements, because I need some “me time” and like to spend weekends at home, and with my hubby.
The words my sister said have stuck in my head the last few days and I can relate. Just last week, I had very long days at work because we were covering the fires and organized a phone bank with the Red Cross to help the fire victims. I was working 12 – 16 hours a day and getting home very late. When I arrived at home, I barely had energy to talk to my hubby, but did manage to ask him about his day. So, something had to give, and what gave was exercise and my blog. I wasn’t able to exercise last week or write a blog post for a few days. I was exhausted every night and ready to go to sleep as soon as I arrived home. The good thing is I knew it was temporary due to the urgency the fires caused. I felt so bad for all the families that lost their homes or businesses, and people that had to be evacuated from their homes. My eyes got watery a few times just seeing the coverage of the terrible fires and homes being lost to the flames. So much was happening so fast! How was it possible for so many fires to start in one day? Terrible! I was glad I was able to provide information to viewers through the work we do, and I was able to help raise funds for the Red Cross. That made the long hours worth it.
We all have responsibilities and lots of demands on our time, but are there things that we added to our day that could have waited or just simply were really not that urgent?
So, next time you are feeling overwhelmed or tired, ask yourself, “realistically, what can I accomplish and get done today….and not end up exhausted?” And, do just that. The laundry can wait 🙂
Are you close to your sister or a girlfriend? What is the best advice they have given you?
Hugs,
Paola
Hi friends,
Black is one of my favorite colors for clothing! It never goes out of fashion, feels stylish, yet simple, is easy to wear. Plus, it makes us look thinner. I have added quite a bit of color to my wardrobe, but black is still a staple color. I used to wear all black a few times per week, love the look, but now you’ll see me in all black only a few times per month. I have practically every clothing item (multiple times) and many shoes in black. Isn’t every women’s closet like this? I’ll write a post later on regarding staple items a women should have in her wardrobe and a black skirt, slacks, cardigan, and jeans, as well as pumps are top on that list!
I got these black NYDJ tuxedo jeans at Nordstom Rack, they are quite versatile. I can dress them up with a jacket or a shiny top, or get a casual look with a tank top. They are also a good option for a casual work look by adding a collared shirt or a jacket.
Recently, I wore them to an event and added a bright pink leopard belt to add a pop of contrast color and a pair of bright Carlos Cantana heels! I put on two gold tone necklaces and I was ready to go! I also wore this outfit to work during the day with a suit jacket.
This outfit can easily be worn again with different color belt or shoes, even all black, silver or gold tone accessories as well. I also like to wear all black and a bright jacket or sweater, with a contrasting belt!
Hope you like the look!
Do you wear all black sometimes? What do you think about adding a contrasting belt or shoes in a bright color?
Hugs,
Paola
Pants: NYDJ; Blouse: Nordstrom; Shoes: Carlos Santana; Belt: Ann Taylor; Necklaces: Betsey Johnson & Swarovski; Bracelets: Coach
Hi friends,
Lola wore this cute Betsey Johnson dress to an event recently and I asked her if I could take pictures of her for an Outfit Of The Day post. It is the perfect dress for spring! She paired it with a pair of pink Tahari heels. The blue Coach purse added a pop of contrast color, which was a nice touch to the outfit. The dress’ style is an overlay of pink on white, a trend for this spring.
I would describe Lola’s style as classic and she tends to dress conservative. She said she had doubts about buying this dress, but once she put it on felt comfortable in it and ready for spring! It was nice to see that she went out of her comfort zone and wore this dress. She received multiple compliments at the event!
Remember friends, the most important thing is to feel comfortable with your own style and what you are wearing…..because the happy women are the prettiest women!
I loved the look – hope you do too!
Have you purchased any pink dresses or blouses for the spring season? What do you think of the overlay trend?
Hugs,
Paola
Dress: Betsey Johnson; Shoes: Tahari; Necklace, Bracelet, Ring: Tiffany & Co.; Purse: Coach
Hi friends,
As you probably know by now, my hubby and I travel quite a bit. He travels more than I do and often invites me to join him on trips. When my schedule permits, I go along. Sometimes the trips are too quick, like 24 or 48 hours, so I decide to pass on them. We have a second home is San Francisco, so we go there often. My hubby had to handle some matters in the city and asked me if I wanted to join him for a quick 24 hour trip. He booked the departing flights for Friday afternoon in order for me to join him. After my workday, we headed to the airport for our 24 hour visit to San Fran.
We arrived in the city in the evening and stopped for dinner, that was it – flight, meal, sleep. The next morning we handled his matters and had a few hours left in our day. I enjoy going to the Fisherman’s Wharf area and Embarcadero area. My hubby is not a big fan of going to the Fisherman’s Wharf area, he says it is too touristy and is always packed with people, and he is correct, but I still like going, ha! We agreed on going to the Marketplace at the Embarcadero. It is an indoor market with interesting shops. It is comprised mostly of shops selling: food, coffee, ice-cream, garden items, vegan or organic items, and a few restaurants. It is always fun to walk in the Marketplace, buy an ice-cream and sit outside to enjoy the view. That is exactly what we did, we also bought some sourdough bread (a must in San Fran) and some drinks. The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed the view from the bay.
Afterwards, we crossed the street to Embarcadero Center for a late lunch at a Osha Thai restaurant we visit often. The decor of the restaurant is very nice. My hubby had some fried rice and I tried something new, fried California Roll. It was not quite what I expected. I was envisioning more of a crunchy sushi roll. It was crunchy & tasty, but a bit too greasy.
After lunch, we headed back to the airport to catch our flight home. We always get a rental car and have to take the air tram to the terminal. The tram ride takes a few minutes and always reminds me of Disneyland, of course their monorail is a lot larger, but that is what I think of when we are on it. I like to sit at the front of the tram and follow the path as we pass multiple stops. It is a routine part of each trip we make to the city, but I still enjoy it.
We departed from the new terminal, it has a modern decor, with new chairs that look like pods, and long counters with plug-ins for laptops or phones. I sat in the chairs and they are quite comfortable. Luckily, we were upgraded for our flight home, which always makes for a more comfortable flying experience.
Just like that, we were back at home sleeping in our own bed 24 hours later. Even though it was a of a hectic trip and I was tired on Friday evening, it was worth it in order to spend time with my hubby and enjoy time with him in the city.
Have you been to San Francisco? Do you take quick out of town weekend trips? What is your favorite travel destination? I’d love to hear from you!
Hugs,
Paola
PS – Birthday Vacation at Calistoga Ranch in Napa and Orlando Get-Away.
The Marketplace.
We got some organic soft-serve ice-cream….only in San Fran! The warm weather resulted in a longer line than usual.
The other ice-cream shop also had a long line.
We stopped for some sourdough bread, a must when in San Fran!
Osha Thai Restaurant
The airport tram.
The new terminal at the SFO airport.
Hi friends,
Fashion Week San Diego (FWSD) held its first Spring Showcase at Harrah’s Resort Southern California and I attended with Lola. The Spring Showcase included multiple exhibitor booths, from designers, hair blowouts, mini makeovers, photos booths, artists, leather goods, and jewelry. It was nice to see designers I’ve met over the years and to meet new one’s as well. The highlight was the beautiful designs that were part of the runway fashion show! There was also a live performance from The Voice, third season star Aquile.
After the event, we walked around the casino and stopped by the gift shop to pick up a box of chocolates for my hubby.
Fashion Week San Diego has more events coming up this year, for details you can visit their website.
Here are some pictures from the event – hope you like them!
Have you been to a FWSD event? Have you been to a fashion showcase?
Hugs,
Paola
Lola and I arriving at FWSD – Spring Showcase.
Launch Live Art.
Lola and I enjoyed visiting the exhibitor tables.
It was nice to see designers I’ve met over the years and catch up with them – like Zoe, from I am Zoe.
And Aida from Dos Caras Swimwear.
And meet some new one’s. This designer is J.L. Rocha, from Mexico. We also noticed there were more designers for mens clothing and shoes at this event.
The Foto Box booth.
Children participated as well.
Aquiles performed.
This was one of my favorites!
Launch Live Art.
Allison Andrews, FWSD Founder, thanked the designers, sponsors, and attendees.
The casino’s lobby.
The casino’s gift show where I bought the box of chocolates for my hubby!
Hi friends,
As you know, Lola is one of my closest friends. Every year for her birthday, I try to get her a special gift. It is challenging to shop for a gift for her because she is a minimalist and in addition to that, practically already has everything she wants. She lives in a beautiful penthouse condo downtown with a minimalist decor, so she does not like to accumulate too many things. A few months before her birthday, I start to pay attention to things she points out when we go shopping or things she mentions in conversations.
This year, I had purchased a few small gifts for her, but was missing the key main gift. Like me, Lola has a busy schedule and sometimes does not have the time to go to a spa or simply pamper herself. But, she really likes spa days, just like I do. So, when I received an invitation to visit Spa Velía, I saw a light go off, like magic, aha! I had found the gift! This year it would not be an item, it would be a memorable experience! The gift I gave Lola this year was to buy a massage for her and set up a spa day! Even though we have been friends for many years, we had never gone to the spa together. She has a home in Baja and goes there almost every weekend, which is probably why we hadn’t been to a spa together since I usually go to spas on weekends. I looked at Spa Velía’s website and learned that they are open everyday. On weekdays, they are open from 10:00am – 9:00pm, Saturday 8:00am – 9:00pm, and Sunday 9:00am – 7:00pm. We could go on a weeknight, making it the perfect option! As much as I wanted to surprise her, I had to book the appointment, so I had to tell her ahead of time. She was excited and so was I! We booked the appointment two weeks ahead of time and were looking forward to it!
The spa is located downtown, in the Harbor Club Towers, across from the Convention Center. We were going to walk from her home since it is just a few blocks away, but it was windy that day, so we asked her husband to give us a ride. We did walk back after our massage, which was perfect because by then it was dusk and the weather was a warm spring evening!
When we arrived we were greeted by their friendly staff and escorted upstairs. We were given a quick tour of the spa. The lights at the spa are kept dim, even in the hallways, so you are in the zen as soon as you walk into the elevator. The music is relaxing and everything is immaculate! In addition to the massage rooms, there are rooms for skin care treatments, and a steam room with lavender eucalyptus oil. We went to the dressing room and changed into robes and sandals, which are provided by the spa. The robes are black, which is different from other spas I have been to that usually provide light color robes. The black robes give it a touch of chic and style!
Marcy, was the massage therapist that gave me the massage. We had a nice conversation, mostly at the beginning of the massage because I had all kinds of questions. I am always interested about learning new things. I asked about the spa and herself. The spa used to be located in Little Italy and moved closer to the downtown Gaslamp area to an expanded location. Marcy has been working there for more than five years and from my massage, I can tell you she knows what she is doing! It was one of the best massages I have ever had! It was deep and she touched pressure points. My massage was from the top of my head to the tip of my toes! When she was massaging my hands, I could feel it all the way to the top of my arm and when she massaged my feet, I could feel it all the way to the tip of my head! Amazing! It was a deeper massage than I am used to, but it was fantastic, I had some tension and knots on my neck and she focused on those. She also used a technique to stretch my neck which I had never experienced. I have had a neck massage before, but never like this, it felt very relaxing, like a yoga stretch. She used organic sunflower oil, which was also a new experience for me. My skin absorbed it easily, leaving my skin feeling very soft. Lola and I got the 50 minute Velía Vitality massage, which is based on Swedish and circulatory therapies. Lola’s massage was given by Lily. Lola said she also greatly enjoyed her massage!
After the massage, Lola and I met at the relaxation lounge area which has plush sofas and a large table. There was tea, fruit infused water, cookies, fruit, and nuts. We were treated to the signature champagne, their pomegranate mimosas. It was delicious! We spent about two hours in the relaxation room talking, enjoying the classical music and amenities! Our spa visit was a little more than three hours and we enjoyed every minute of it!
The prices at Spa Velía are very reasonable, starting at $50 for the 25 minute Velía Vitality massage, $90 for the 50 minute massage. They have multiple options for skin care, massages, waxing, and body care. They also have spa packages and spa parties. There is a nice shop with candles, skincare products, and jewelry.
I plan to come back! Maybe for a spa day with my husband, then we can go to dinner or for a walk afterwards, since the restaurants in the Gaslamp area and Seaport Village are just a few steps away! I’ll also keep it in mind for spa days with friends and my sis! Or, simply come on my own to relieve the stress of a long week! Next time, I may get the purifying facial. There is a good promotion for first time visitors, $20 discount on each new service. The best way to book an appointment is on the Spa Velía website or by calling 619-235-0000.
Lola and I said we’d come back in a few weeks. We both work hard and take care of our families, we owe it to ourselves to get pampered every once in a while!! As Lola said, “this was wonderful and the best way to let go of the stress of our day!”
Special thanks to Samya for the invitation and to the Spa Velía team for making our afternoon at the spa a wonderful experience!
Hugs,
Paola
Lola checking in as we arrived to enjoy an afternoon at the spa to celebrate her birthday!
The ladies dressing room.
This is the room where I had my massage…ahhh, it was bliss!!
The relaxation room….we met here after our massages, we were in heaven!
Lola enjoying the signature mimosa! Next to her is Lily, the massage therapist that gave her a massage.
This is Lily, she gave me my massage. It was one of the best massages I have ever had! I was so relaxed afterwards, I even look a little sleepy in this picture, haha!
The tea section.
The tea cups went perfect with the spa’s theme.
Lola and I enjoying the amenities, and toasting for her birthday.
I want to print this picture and remember this everyday! I had lots on my mind that afternoon, but was able to clear my mind at the spa and focus on that moment….to enjoy time with my friend and celebrate her birthday!
We looked around the store before we left. There are lots of skin products, candles, and jewelry. In addition to buying items for oneself, this is a good shop to buy gift items!
These Aura candles are made locally. It is nice to see that the shop at the spa carries local products!
We both left feeling relaxed, pampered, and happy to have dedicated some time to ourselves with massages!
I took these last two pictures on our walk back to Lola’s home. These are the Harbor Towers where Spa Velía is located.
The walk was the perfect ending to a blissful afternoon at the spa!
Hi friends,
Before I got married, I lived alone for about five years and prior to that I lived with my sister for about ten years, we were roommates. We each had our bedroom, with individual closet, and full bathroom. Neither of us cooked much, we are both organized and clean, so the house was clean all of the time. My sister moved out when she got married, after she moved, I rarely used the kitchen and turned her bedroom into a guest room/home office. I had never lived with anyone else, apart from our parents and siblings.
After I got married, my husband and I decided I would move into his house since it was larger. I wanted us to live in my home because I really like the Eastlake area and my family and friends live just minutes away. He said it was too small (it is about half the size of the home we live in now) and so, I moved into his house, which is now our home. As many of you that have lived with someone and/or are married can relate, there are many changes that come with living with someone, particularly if you are sharing a bedroom. We each have our own office, so we have our own spaces, but we pretty much spend most of our time in the kitchen, family room, and bedroom. My husband does spend lots of time working in his office on weeknights.
When we first got married, I would notice little things that were not in order, like papers on the kitchen island or clothes stacked on the chair on his side of the bedroom. Now, I just shrug them off or don’t notice them at all. The reason I changed was because of “love.” There are very few things that my husband does that bother me. I also acknowledge that we each lived alone for a long time prior to getting married. So, we were both somewhat set in or ways. Acknowledging that and accepting that has helped me “let go of the little things.” Those little things that could bother me or that I could nag my husband about, but now realize that in the large scheme of things and our life as a couple are really not that important.
This is a simple examples of what I am referring to. Like many other people, he for some reason does not change the empty roll of paper towels or toilet paper. Why? I have no idea. I have never even asked him. He probably changed it when he lived alone, but doesn’t change it now. Every time I see an empty paper towel roll, I just chuckle. Then, I simply walk over to the pantry, grab another roll, change it, and put the empty roll in the recycle bin. As easy as that, no nagging, no getting upset, just a chuckle and in seconds there is a new roll of paper towels ready to be used. I don’t even think he notices that its been changed, and honestly it doesn’t matter. What matters is that we have peace in our home and if I can do little things to help create that peace, we will both benefit from it. In the overall scheme of things, my husband does so many other large and little, and wonderful things, that I appreciate, so this little thing does not bother me. It is funny because years ago, this may have bothered me, but now I realize that it really is better to not sweat the little things, to just let them go. I will surely write future posts with samples of little other things I just let go and how that has contributed to my happiness and that of our marriage 🙂
This may seem like a silly example, but it is a little observation I made of something that I just let go.
Do you have little things that you let go or pass? Has it helped you live a happier and more relaxing life? Have you started to let go of the little things now that you are older? I’d love to hear from you.
Hugs,
Paola
The empty role.
The pantry is just a few feet away, so I can easily get another roll.
In just a few seconds, I replace the role and voila!
Then, I recycle the empty role.
The empty role in the bathroom in our bedroom.
Luckily, we keep additional roles in the bathroom area.
This is our guest bathroom…..notice the empty role?
Fortunately, we keep this storage bin in the bathroom, which makes it easy and convenient to replace the role.
And, just like that…..we continue to keep peace in our household 🙂
Hi friends,
Spring is in the air! You can see it in the gardens with the blooming gardens and all the gorgeous colors! I like spring, it brings easter, longer days and warmer weather! The longer days are ideal for outdoor activities and one of my favorite activities, long walks!
This spring, floral print is everywhere! I got this skirt recently and was looking forward to wearing it, I paired it with a champagne blouse, pink belt, and nude suede shoes. The necklace was a purchase I made at Forever21 and just couldn’t seem to find the right outfit to wear it with, until this day!
Hope you like the look!
Do you have any floral print clothing, shoes, or accessories? Do you like this floral print trend? What is your favorite thing about spring?
Hugs,
Paola
Skirt: Ann Taylor; Blouse: Forever21; Belt: Banana Republic; Shoes: Cathy Jean; Necklace: Forever 21
Hi friends,
Hope you had a great week….and weekend! This past week, was extraordinarily busy for me….and very fun! There was lots going on! I know I haven’t written a Week In Photos post in a while, but I’ll try to get back to posting these since some of you commented that you liking seeing them, thanks!
What did you do this past week….and weekend?
Hope you like the post & have a great start to your week….May starts in a few weeks! Unbelievable how fast time goes by. I wish you an amazing, productive, and HAPPY week!
Hugs,
Paola
My week started with meetings for Live Well San Diego, a partnership the stations have with the County of San Diego for this program. I manage the stations partnership and this is a very exciting project for me! I am motivated & inspired to work on this initiative! I also hosted an interview for Azteca San Diego regarding Live Well San Diego, called Vive Bien San Diego in Spanish!
This week was full of festivities at the station, one my colleagues in the department had a birthday and we celebrated with this delicious tres leches caramel cake (from Costco). I had never had the caramel version, it was different & yummy!
This was my boss’ last week at the station and the department staff went out to celebrate his farewell lunch. The lemonade glasses were cute and I had a Pellegrino, for some odd reason these are the only two pics I have from the lunch. We were all reminiscing and chatting, maybe that is why I didn’t take too many pics. We also had cake for him at the station.
Someone very kind left Thursday’s Union Tribune newspaper on my desk at the station….Lola and I are in it! Thanks for this anonymous act of kindness 🙂 I showed it to Lola, she always gets a kick out of pictures of us in publications. Also, thanks to the photographer for taking our picture! We met him last week at FWSD’s Flaunt Your Fashion event.
Lola and I went to the movies at Westfield Mission Valley, we saw The Other Woman….and she took my outfit of the day pics before the movie. I changed my shoes and took off my jacket, and we managed to take a 30 minute walk outside the mall before the movie started. She also motivated me NOT to buy See’s chocolates before the movie. I love See’s chocolates and there is a store at the mall. We each had a See’s chocolate lollipop instead, it has less calories and fat. I’ll post those outfit pictures soon!
My goddaughter had a play at her school and we visited her classroom afterwards. They called it the “After Party with the Cast!” She showed me around her classroom & shared her school work with me. She is such a sweet girl, beautiful, and smart! Just like her mom, my comadre.
I went to San Diego Magazine’s Best of North County event on Friday evening, it was fun! One of the best events I’ve been to in San Diego! We spent time with Catherine Arambula (far right), from Mana de San Diego, and Karen Mullen (second from right), from San Diego Magazine. Lola is the one in the light green jacket.
Bright and early on Saturday, I participated at the March for Babies at Balboa Park. It was nice to spend time with my 10News and Azteca San Diego colleagues and friends. The weather was windy and cold, and it started to rain just as the walk portion started, look at the banners on the stage….the wind broke them off! We were still there, with thousands of San Diegans, supporting the March of Dimes, a great organization that helps moms and babies!
After the walk, I went to the baptism of my friend Lizeth’s baby boy. It was a nice ceremony at St. Pius X (I went to grade school at St.Pius, it was nice to visit the church again). The baby looked adorable & Lizeth was beautiful! Her dress was perfect for the occasion and the headband looked wonderful on her – a nice touch, loved the look! After the ceremony, she had an intimate luncheon with family. I was honored to have been invited to share in this very special moment! Lizeth is one of my closest friends, like a sister to me. It was nice to catch up with her and her family, her mom is an aunt to me. She is a very wise woman! I visited Lizeth the day her baby was born…. and look forward to seeing him grow up! Many more celebrations to come as he grows up!
She had keepsakes & so many cute details for the baptism….and for dessert, multiple types of cheesecakes, delicious! I had a piece of the key lime pie!
Lola and I went to FWSD’s Spring Into Fashion Showcase at Harrah’s. We had fun, as always….ran into some of the designers I know and some new one’s as well. It was nice to see a few Hispanic designers at the Show! I took lots of pictures and will write a blog post about the event this coming week.
Finally, Sunday arrived…..as much fun as I had during the week, I needed a day to rest and re-charge at home. I even took a nap in the middle of the afternoon, because I was feeling sleepy, it was a Sunday, and I needed it. I had been invited to attend two events held today, but knew I would have a full week, so I had declined. I know my limits and have learned to say no, and dedicate some R&R to myself. I have another full week ahead of me, it would have been too much to work seven days straight. I also wanted to give my skin a break, when I have shoots and work events, I wear pretty heavy make-up. I like to give my face at least one day to breathe…I call it no make-up Sunday! I’ll write a blog post soon about learning to say no and allow yourself some down time.
Sunday afternoon, I was looking at pictures on the March of Dimes California Facebook page and saw that they posted this picture of me from the March for Babies walk in Oceanside two weeks ago. I shared it on my Facebook page.
They had also posted this for the March for Babies held Saturday at Balboa Park, this was the caption: “We’re looking forward to welcoming Kimberly Hunt 10News and Paola Hernandez of 10News – ABC San Diego KGTV and Azteca América San Diego: AztecaSD.com as our March for Babies hosts and media sponsors for our San Diego event in Balboa Park Saturday, April 26. Be sure to say hello and thank them for their incredible support!”
As you can see….I had a full and HAPPY week! Feeling blessed and looking forward to having another awesome week! Be HAPPY!
Every so often, my hubby and I have the opportunity to go out of town. In time, we would like to try to have a baby, so I try to take advantage of opportunities to travel now because I know that in the future it may not be as easy to take these get-aways. We recently went to Orlando, a beautiful city which we have visited in the past. My husband used to live in Florida, so he has friends there. In the past few years, we have been to Orlando about two to three times per year. I have been to all the Disney World Parks and they are amazing, and to most of the top tourist attractions. Now, when we visit Orlando, we go to less “touristy” locations. We also like to enjoy the amenities at the resort, such as the pool and spa. I know, may seem funny, we live in San Diego where there are also lots of pools, spas, and palm trees, but when we get away we disconnect a bit and relax!
We split our seven day stay in Orlando between two hotels. First we stayed at the JW Marriott & Ritz Carlton Resort, where we have stayed before. For the second part of the trip, my husband was taking a pilot course (flying is his hobby) and we moved to the Hilton, which was on the other side of town and closer to the flight school. As we were preparing for the trip, I was making plans of what I would do while he was busy during the day attending classes – from going for long walks, enjoying the resort, floating in the lazy pool, going to the jacuzzi, maybe going to the gym, and writing some blog posts. Well, I didn’t really get around to doing it all! I did lots of relaxing, reading, and sleeping!
The first day, I slept in because I was tired from working long hours the days prior to leaving on vacation (you know how that goes) and from the flights (it takes two flights to get from San Diego to Orlando on United). We left our home about 9:00am and arrived about ten hours later in Orlando. It was about 11:30pm east coast time when we checked into our hotel. We ordered room service for dinner. I try not to eat that late, but did have half a piece of key lime pie as my dinner – I was on vacation after all – and you have to eat key lime pie when you are so close to Key West in Florida!
The first day it was raining, we had a late breakfast, watched a movie and relaxed. The room had a nice view and a couch next to the window – it was heaven! I even enjoyed watching the rainfall. Rain in Orlando is different from San Diego rain. In Orlando, it rains more often, it is a sudden storm and in a few hours it passes. We got out of the room for a long walk around the resort & surrounding area. It is a beautiful property!
The second day, we explored the Resort further. The weather was cloudy, we didn’t get in the pool, but did enjoy the jacuzzi! We did some shopping and went out to eat.
By day three, I was done with relaxing. It was the first sunny day and the weather was perfect, just the right level of warm. We got up early, packed since we were changing hotels, and went for a long walk around the resort. It was the first day that I was able to take some nice pictures to share with you. Midday we changed hotels and then drove to Palm Beach to meet friends for dinner.
The next day, my hubby went off to pilot school bright and early. I explored the Hilton resort and spent time by the pool. My hubby came back mid-afternoon and we met for a late lunch. That day definitely felt like a vacation because we ate outside by the pool and had fruity drinks! In the evening we ate ice-cream in the room and watched a movie.
By the fifth day, I wanted to visit the sights and we went to Celebration, a cute development (community) with residences and retail shops. It was like visiting the set of Wisteria Lane on Desperate Housewives. We had a delicious Italian dinner and ate ice-cream outside!
The day before we returned home, I got up early and left the hotel with my hubby. I dropped him off at the flight school and was about to head to Universal City Walk, when I read that the parking lot had been evacuated due to a bomb threat. I didn’t want to deal with the traffic and decided to visit downtown Orlando instead.
On our last day in Orlando, I decided to check out of the hotel early and accompany my husband to the flight school. I set-up my laptop on one of the desks in the library and spent some time writing on the blog. So, I did manage to write one blog post while on vacation 🙂
It was nice to get away, to disconnect and re-charge. It also helps me to clear my mind and make plans for projects I am managing at work or upcoming production shoots. It was a nice vacation, my favorite part was spending some down time with my hubby!
Hope you like the pictures – I took lots!
Have you been to Orlando? When was your last vacation? Did you go out of town or do a stay-cation?
Hugs,
Paola
PS – Our trip to Germany: Enjoying Sonnora Waldhotel & Restaurant and Black Forest in west Germany, spa day in Baden Baden, and visiting Kurhaus Casino & Kaefers’ Restaurant.
Below are pictures from our stay at the JW Marriott, the property is located on the same resort as the Ritz-Carlton Orlando (they are sister properties), guests can enjoy the amenities at both hotels.
The lobby at the JW Marriott – gorgeous!
This was the view from our room!
Our room.
I enjoyed fresh fruit everyday for breakfast.
You know I love having a robe provided in the room! Gives it an extra special touch!
I spent most of my vacation wearing these.
I enjoyed watching a few movies.
I took a book regarding WordPress with me and planned to read it….but actually spent time reading these 🙂 Hey, don’t judge – after all, I was on vacation! I usually catch up on these magazines while getting a pedicure at the nail salon back at home.
This picture and those that follow are from my walks through the hotels and resort – beautiful!
The children’s pool.
The pool at the Ritz Carlton.
These little critters freak me out. There are lots of them in Florida!
The Ritz Carlton.
The “adults only” pool at the spa.
The lazy river pool at the JW Marriott – it is so relaxing to float around in it!
I did take a break from my walk to relax by the pool.
Hi friends,
First of all, thank you so much for your support of the blog – Latina Life And Style! It is becoming a community where we share ideas, life experiences, and perhaps is becoming a break in our day. I am inspired by so many things I see and read everyday, and am glad to have this blog to share these with you. It touches my heart and brings a smile to my face every time each one of you makes a comment or likes a post – and of course, when I see you and you tell me about a recent post you read or outfit you liked! Thank you – gracias amigos! Your support inspires and motivates me to continue growing the blog!
There is a lot in a name. I had initially wanted to call the blog Happily Ever After, because that is how I feel. I am of course, referring to my marriage and life. After many years of relationships and dating, I finally met the man that is the love of my life, my best friend and my partner on this journey of life. My hubby was actually one of the biggest supporters of the idea of starting a blog! But, he thought that name was too cheesy, of course, he is a guy and that would be something a guy would say. But, you women understand me, and what I mean, right?
Even before I was married, I was very happy with my life, mostly because I have lots to be grateful for, the most important being the love of family and friends, my health and that of my loved ones, my faith, career, and a good life in many aspects! My hubby came to be the cherry on top of it all, which helped make my life even better and of course, happier! I always knew I wanted to get married and that someday, I would…. I just didn’t know when it would be and that was hard sometimes. Then, as they say “the day I least expected it” came and I met the right person for me and it happened. Now, I am happily married. I’ll write more about that in future posts….the point is that happiness if very important for me, for many of us, for people around the world!
We do lots of things in life to achieve the goal of being happy. We work hard to provide a good life for our children and loved one’s, to see them being happy! We make changes in our life if we are not happy, like change jobs, learn new skills, end relationships, and take on many other challenges to try to achieve that goal and aspiration! Happiness is not a goal you can obtain one day and it just stays forever, it is an on-going feeling and science that you work towards every day. You may not feel the same level of happiness everyday, but as my Mamita (grandmother) says, “there isn’t a problem that doesn’t have a solution, except for death.” I know, it may seem harsh, but it is true, no matter what happens in life, our perspective on a situation can help determine how we overcome it and as long as we are alive, we should not lose hope and continue to aspire to be happy!
After further thought, I decided to name the blog – Happy Life And Style because I believe that in everyone’s life, acceptance of one’s self and our life, our body, and our personal style can lead to happiness. My mission for the blog was to share ideas and topics regarding happiness, those moments in our everyday life that bring us that warm feeling of happiness and that make us smile. How to turn a frown into a smile, a negative moment into a learning experience (trust me, it’s not always easy, but with practice, it can happen), how to deal with life’s issues and try to make the best of them, how gratitude can help one increase their level of happiness. How to surround yourself with positive people and increase your own happiness by learning to say no, or not including people that are toxic in our life. How to “not let others rob you of your peace”, a saying my mom has said to me hundreds of times, and now I say to myself and to others. How to determine what forms your circle of happiness and focus on those priorities, as well as guard them. There are many topics and strategies we can use to live a happy life, to thrive!
Then, there is the “style” aspect of happiness and in this I am referring to one’s personal style. Not only the way we dress, but the way we handle ourselves, interact with others, have confidence in ourselves, be kind, and accept ourselves and our bodies. To be happy in our own skin and bring out the best in our own unique way. How to enhance our features to bring our personality, and rock that red lipstick or nude lip gloss if that is what will make you happy! To stick with what works for you or try some new things, it is up to you, the most important thing is to be comfortable in your own skin, be confident, and that will lead to happiness. I try to remember that the happiest women are the prettiest women! It is so true, turn on your smile and you will automatically feel prettier….and look prettier!
So, my friends, this week, I made the change from LatinaLifeAndStyle.com to HappyLifeAndStyle.com. Both urls still work and I will not lose the Latina Life And Style in me. I am proud to be Latina and I am a happy Latina too! Latina Life And Style will continue to merge into Happy Life And Style! Do you like the play with words yet?
What do you think of the change in name for the blog? It will still be the same site, same author, same content, just expanding, growing in a positive way, and covering the topic of happiness more often!
Are you happy with your life? What are your happiest moments? What do you do everyday that adds to your happiness? Do you use gratitude as part of your happiness? I’d love to hear from you.
Hugs,
Paola
Here’s are a few pictures from the happy moments I experienced with my comadre (mother of my goddaughter) and my goddaughter this past weekend! It is moments like these that fill my heart with joy and form happy memories that are priceless! The picture of my goddaughter laughing with me will forever live in my mind! How adorable is she?!
My comadre is one of my closest friends, we have been friends since college. She is a sister to me!
The background was beautiful and my husband was going to take some impromptu outfit pictures of me at the end of the pier. As we were about to take the first picture, my goddaughter came running up to me and we decided to take pictures with her instead. She is growing so fast and I feel privileged to be a part of her life. I can take outfit pictures anytime, these moments with her are precious!
I love these natural pictures! My hubby was able to capture this happy moment where we were both laughing together! I love this little girl 🙂 She’s adorable & one of the nicest girls I know!
