A Saturday with My Nephew

Posted on June 16, 2014 by phjiao

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!

Catching Up On Sleep

Posted on June 16, 2014 by phjiao

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

Making Friends As An Adult

Posted on June 9, 2014 by phjiao

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.

Graduations, Birthdays, Parties, Walks….Life

Posted on June 8, 2014 by phjiao

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!

Seeing the Lighter Side of Life

Posted on May 23, 2014 by phjiao

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!

24Hour Trip to San Francisco

Posted on May 10, 2014 by phjiao

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.

Birthday Celebration at Spa Velía

Posted on May 5, 2014 by phjiao

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!

Letting Go of the Little Things

Posted on May 1, 2014 by phjiao

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 🙂

Orlando Get-Away

Posted on April 24, 2014 by phjiao

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.

Happy Life And Style

Posted on April 23, 2014 by phjiao

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!

A Beautiful Stroll at Balboa Park

Posted on April 14, 2014 by phjiao

Hi friends,

There are many ways to stay active! One of my favorite ways is to walk. I prefer walks outside. I find them relaxing and a great way to clear my mind, to get some fresh air and de-stress. The walks I enjoy the most are with friends! Lola is my exercise buddy and we try to go for speed walks at least one to three times per week. I have written about these walks before. We have fun every time, we catch up on our lives, chat about a million topics, we call it our “therapy time,” and for me it has become “me” time. Most of the time we walk by the bay downtown and Little Italy, where Lola lives. Downtown is close to my office and easy to drive to after work, then I head home afterwards.

We like to periodically mix it up and walk at other locations. Balboa Park is one of our favorite places to walk at. It also happens to be close to downtown and there is ample free parking, which is a plus. Balboa Park is a beautiful public park with many museums, art studios, restaurants, event venues, fountains, and attractions. It is very green with lots of plants! It makes for a scenic walk and there is always interesting people walking. It is a tourist attraction, but also a popular for locals. There are beautiful venues and buildings where brides and quinceañeras take pictures.

Last Friday, Lola and I decided to go for a walk at Balboa Park. The weather was nice and warm, it was the perfect way to unwind from a long week at work, and also get some fresh air while we got in some exercise! We walked for a little more than one hour. In case you are wondering, here’s our route: we parked in the Federal Lot located at Park Boulevard and Presidents Way (behind the San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum), walked northeast on the sidewalk along the Organ Pavilion parking lot, walked into the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, continued north towards the San Diego Museum of Art, walked past the fountain heading east towards the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, walked around the fountain heading north past the San Diego National History Museum, turned west towards the San Diego Zoo, turned south and walked through the Spanish Village Art Studio, headed south past the San Diego National History Museum, walked into the Zoro Garden, headed west back towards the San Diego Museum of Art, then south towards the San Diego Aerospace Museum, walked all the way to the Museum, turned around and walked north past the Starlight Bowl, turned right at the Hall of Champions towards the Federal parking lot. We ended the walk with a cool down walk around the parking lot & some stretches….we kept chatting the entire time, ha!

So, next time you have an opportunity, visit Balboa Park or a park near you – enjoy the scenery and get active! Stretch your legs and get some fresh air!

Here are some pictures from our walk, hope you like them!

Do you visit parks in your area? Which park is your favorite? Do you go for walks, if yes, where? Have you been to Balboa Park?

Hugs,

Paola

We started our walk close to the San Diego Hall of Champions and headed north.

There were a few groups of people taking pictures at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.

We said hi to photographer Aron Martinez. I have worked with him on the Quinceañera Expo.

He was photographing a bride and her bridesmaids.

We also saw a Quinceañera getting her photos taken.

I stopped to use the restroom and when I came out, Lola was taking this picture. Can you see what she was photographing? Look close in the sky.

It is the moon….do you see it?

Lola stopped to take a picture. There are palm trees throughout the Park.

The Park is so green, beautiful!

It has amazing hallways and walkways!

The San Diego Museum of Art was set-up for the Art Live charity event.

We walked past the fountain.

The architecture is amazing!

There were lots of families enjoying the Park.

This is the fountain in front of the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, one of my favorite spots at the Park!

No, we didn’t go inside the Zoo, these are giraffe sculptures located at the Miniature Railroad.

One of the entrances to the Spanish Village Art Studios.

Sculptures of flamenco dancers in the Spanish Village Art Studios area.

We walked into the Zoro Garden (also a butterfly garden).

There are lots of flowers around the Park.

We stopped for a picture in front of the Lily Pond.

This couple saw us getting our picture taken and asked us to take their picture. They were tourists and had just gotten engaged! The fiancé (groom) had planned it, so he would propose to her at Balboa Park, so romantic! Lola took multiple pictures for them.

There are a few statues around the Park.

And art sculptures.

A little boy was playing on this art sculpture.

We walked past the Japanese Friendship Garden.

This is the cafe located at the entrance of the Japanese Friendship Garden.

We saw this antique classic car waiting for a wedding couple that was getting their picture taken.

We walked past the Spreckles Organ Pavilion again, on our way towards the southwest side of the Park.

We walked into the area where the House of Pacific Relations Cottages are located. They are open and have free cultural events or performances almost every Sunday.

We saw lots of beautiful flowers during our Walk at Balboa Park!

Making Healthy Options: Take-Out Chinese Food

Posted on April 13, 2014 by phjiao

Hi friends,

Food – it has been around since the beginning of man! We love it and enjoy it, but we don’t always enjoy gaining weight from it! At least, I don’t. Who agrees? Well, since I have been married maintaining my weight has been even more challenging. My husband likes to eat out often and he doesn’t like to eat the same thing two days in a row or eating left overs. I can eat the same thing everyday and be ok with it. I am a pretty simple eater and as long as I have healthy options around, that is what I will eat. Even with snacks, if I am craving something sweet and have some frozen mango in the freezer, I’ll eat that and bam, my craving is gone nan junk food, ha!

It is challenging for me to make healthy choices when we eat out! It takes will power! When I am sitting there, looking through the menu, going straight to the salads, then my eyes wander to the fries or onion rings! Yikes!

We order take out Chinese food about two times a month. It is hard to not go for the sweet and sour chicken, or the fried rice! And, who doesn’t love fried egg rolls? I love these! Yum! But, I am really trying to keep it healthy and low on calories, so lately I’ve been opting for steamed vegetables and brown rice. It is a healthier option. Just be cautious of heavy sauces that may be added to the vegetables. This way, when my husband is enjoying his mongolian beef, fried rice, and other heavier options from the menu….I am still enjoying the Chinese food experience, just the low calorie and less fat, and low sodium version. I still can’t resist the egg rolls and usually have one! But, eating one is better than eating three egg rolls, and this way I don’t feel deprived.

Instead of a soft drink or sweetened iced tea, I’ll drink water or a sparkling water, or green tea. For utensils, I’ll use chop sticks, we have some plastic one’s at home and it really adds to the experience of eating Chinese food (at least for me). It takes me longer to eat with chop sticks, so my brain gets the signal that my stomach is full before I end up overeating. Another trick I use, is that I serve myself on a medium size plate, not the large dinner plate, hence eating a smaller portion overall. After I serve the portion I plan to eat, I put away the leftovers right away….saving them for lunch the next day. If I leave the containers out, it is just too easy to go back to the kitchen counter and serve myself some more!

Ah, I know, the tricks we use to maintain our weight. I never deprive myself of any type of food…especially not chocolate or foods I love, ha! I just try to eat in moderation and keep it healthy as often as possible. I figure, it all balances out.

Remember, the most important thing is that you are happy with your life and yourself, at any size we may be….to enjoy life and that includes the joy of food!

Do you have any suggestions of healthy take-out dinners you buy? Do you use any techniques or tricks to eat smaller portions or healthier meals? I’d love to hear them!

Hugs,

Paola

PS – Healthy breakfast I eat everyday, how I stopped eating chips, and easy way to remember to take your vitamins.

I order steamed vegetables and brown rice. Instead of a heavier main entree and fried rice.

I serve myself on a medium size plate, not a large dinner plate, and use chopsticks.

I enjoy the Chinese food experience….just a lower calorie, less fat, and low sodium option.

Break The Weeknight Routine = A Fun Evening at El Agave

Posted on April 11, 2014 by phjiao

Hi friends – hope your week is going well! Mine is flying by!

It seems that nowadays we all do more than we did before, more at work and at home. My workdays can be long, filled with meetings, calls, shoots, & deadlines. I love it, but at the end of my workday, sometimes I just want some silence & a relaxing evening at home. Now that I am married, I have cut down on the number of work related evening events I attend. I made this change, mostly because I like to spend time with my hubby, to exercise after work, and so I can spend time on my blog 🙂

It is easy to fall into a routine on weeknights. We have all done it at some point. I did it even when I was single. There is nothing wrong with having a routine, trust me, I am a creature of habit and can be quite methodical in the way I go through my day (I’ll leave that for another post). But, every once in a while, it is nice to change up the routine. I try to limit my weeknight outings to once per week (personal or work related events), not counting Friday. Once a week, I will either go for a walk with Lola by the bay downtown or she’ll join me to attend an event.

A few years ago, I met a sassy Latina named Samya, uber talented and outspoken. We’ve stayed connected over the years. Last week, she sent me an invitation for the Grand Opening of El Agave Del Mar Restaurant. I did what I usually do, looked at the invitation & geographic location (I usually don’t attend events too far from downtown), reviewed my schedule, and put it with the other “tentative” invitations. But, it stayed on my mind. Then, I looked at the invitation more closely and realized it was from Samya. I RSVPd.

After the many laughs I had yesterday, I am glad I RSVPd! I go to multiple events and Lola is usually my plus 1. We always have a nice time, but yesterday was lots, lots of fun! Multiple things happened that made the night fun. First of all, even though this may not sound funny, it was and turned into an on-going joke throughout the evening. Lola had on some gorgeous Michael Kors heals she had purchased recently. She had told me about the shoes, so it was nice to finally see them on her! This was her first time wearing them. As I am complimenting her shoes, she tells me they are uncomfortable, to which I frown, but say, “oh no, but they are so beautiful!” Then she turns around and shows me a small cut the zipper has made on the back of her heel, yikes. Luckily, I had a band-aid in my purse, so that helped. Second, we were chatting so intensely in the car that I missed the freeway exit in Del Mar! We laughed and just took the next exit, we were chatting anyway, so no worries. Third, as we exit the elevator, a metal decoration on Lola’s shoe just breaks off! It broke from one side but was still attached to the other side, so it wasn’t even removable. She is a trooper and laughed it off as we entered the restaurant.

Samya greeted us nicely upon arrival! Always a pleasure to see her and catch up! We scan the room, say hi to a few people we knew. We got some food, found seats, and started to enjoy our margaritas, with the most amazing sunset in Del Mar! There was a very nice server that kept bringing Lola food and drinks! And well, since I was sitting with her, he’d also offer me some food, ha! The event was a huge success and the terrace was packed, no surprise since Samya organized it & she’s a public relations pro!

Then, I saw my friend Luis getting food, I’ve known him for about 12 years! I said hi from afar and he came over to greet us! He told me he was sitting at the bar with Nelly, also a friend, and we agreed we’d come over to the bar later on or they’d come to our table. Lola and I continued to enjoy our margaritas & conversation. Within a few minutes, Luis and Nelly came over to sit with us and the laughters did not end for the rest of the evening! Lola and Luis were sharing pics of their adorable doggies, we were all catching up, and joking. Samya came to sit with us towards the end of the evening. Between her and Nelly, it is hard to say which one is more sassy, they were both throwing out lines that were hilarious! Both are sweethearts and genuine people, love that about them!

I wanted to take a picture of the sunset and realized I had left my phone in the car, a huge no-no for me, but figured in case of an urgent matter my hubby knew I was with Lola and could call on her phone. I did have my camera. We asked a server to take a group pic of us, but bless his heart, every picture came out blurry (he took about 5 pics, I posted two below), we kept posing for the pics and were laughing each time we realized it was blurry…..finally, Luis took out his phone and that became the picture we posted for the night. Somehow, Lola’s shoe malfunction got into the conversation and we all started comparing shoes. Luis was wearing converse style tennis shoes, with a business jacket, collared shirt, and gray pants. We thought that was just the look that he had been wearing all day. He frowned and told us he changed shoes in the car when they arrived at the event because, as he stated in a serious tone “you know, mens feet also get tired in work shoes and hurt after a long day,” hilarious! Again, we all burst into laughs!

We realized it was dark out and getting late, later than we had originally planned on staying. As the saying goes, time flies when you are having fun and it did indeed! We ended the night with a group pic, with Samya (shown above). We walked out together and decided to take a group shoe picture in the elevator, again we laughed! It was a memorable evening, I am certain it will come up in conversations with Lola in the future, when we laugh about her Michael Kors shoe malfunction and Luis’ comment about mens feet hurting after a long day in work shoes, too funny!

The El Agave Del Mar Restaurant is beautiful, the food is delicious and the drinks amazing, they use good quaility tequila in their margaritas, and don’t even get me started on the freshness of the guacamole, empanadas…and sopes! The view is breathtaking, wonderful place to see a sunset or enjoy the scenic ocean view! Plus, as a Latina, I am always glad to see nice, classy restaurants that serve excellent Mexican cuisine!

I went out of my routine, my comfort level, and out of the downtown area….went to an event all the way in North County (ok, it’s not that far), and am SO glad I did because I had such a fun evening! So, next time you get an opportunity to do something fun on a weekday, try to pass on the comfort of just going home and getting in your jammies (I do this), instead go out! Break the routine, who knows what the night may bring, you may laugh and have a great time! Go out there and live life to the fullest, enjoy time with friends, a sunset, and have a margarita when you can!

Do you go to work related or personal/social events on weeknights? If yes, how often? When was the last time you had a surprisingly fun night at an event on a weeknight? I’d love to hear about it!

Hugs…TGIF it’s Friday mañana (means tomorrow;)),

Paola

Lola…in her Michael Kors shoes, before they broke that evening.

Blurry picture 1…of 5.

Blurry picture number 5, ha! Finally, a good picture…taken by someone else 🙂

Taken in the elevator on our way to the parking garage. Since shoes became a part of the evening’s conversation, the last pic of the evening was one of our shoes! It is fun to be silly sometimes!

A Mom’s Love: Plants vs Zombies Birthday Cake

Posted on April 7, 2014 by phjiao

Hi friends,

Children’s birthday parties are always fun. It is amazing to see things through children’s eyes and how much fun they have at parties, it is continuous playing, laughs, and enjoyment. It is nice to see how much effort the parents put into organizing these celebrations for their children. For the child and his parents, there is excitement leading to the party and lots of details to take care of, items to be purchased, decorations, cakes, food, drinks, prizes, and lots more. Finally, the birthday party date arrives and on the day of the party, you see the joy in the child’s face & the fun all the children have….and the other parents and guests as well. The joy in your child’s face makes all the work you put into the party , and the stress, as well as exhaustion, worth it!

Even though my hubby and I are not parents yet, we go to lots of children’s birthday parties, aka piñatas for hispanic families. In addition to my nieces and nephews birthday parties, we go to our friends children’s parties. I also accompany my sister to a few parties each year and recently went to birthday party with a Plants vs. Zombies theme (in case you are wondering, just like I was, it is a popular video game).

When we arrived, the host was finishing the decorations on the birthday cake. She baked the cake from scratch and decorated it with the Plants vs Zombies theme. Beforehand, she bought all the necessary items, including the decorations and food coloring spray. She claims she is not a good baker or cake decorator, but I disagree. This mom rocks, she is not only an amazing mom, she’s also a great cake decorator. The cake was not only beautiful, it was delicious, rich and moist! If i had not seen her decorating the cake, I would have thought it was made at a bakery.

It was so nice, that I asked her if I could post it on my blog & luckily she agreed.

What she used:

-Cake mix (marble and chocolate), items for cake: eggs, oil, water

-Hand blender

-Unflavored whipping cream

-Food color spray (in green color)

-Chocolate frosting

-Marshmallows (large white)

-Oreo cookies

-Candy gummy flowers (multiple colors)

-Lollipop sticks (to use as stems for gummy flowers)

-Candy in the form of small rocks

-Sugar sprinkles (in green color)

-Zombies vs Plants figurines

-Cake decorating icing bag (can be replaced with icing writing tubes)

-Large rectangular cardboard wrapped to use as base for cake (wrapped with green wax paper)

-Candles (of your choice she used gray candles to go with the theme)

Theme: Plants vs Zombies

Steps:

1) Prepare the cake mix and bake the cakes – one marble sheet & one chocolate sheet, allow them to cool

2) Mix Oreo cookies in a blender to make crumbs

3) Cut the marble cake in two layers, to make two thin layers

4) On the wrapped cardboard that will be the base of the cake, build the layers, starting from the bottom with the marble cake, then a layer a chocolate cake, a layer of chocolate frosting, a layer of marshmallows, lastly add the thin layer of marble cake with the smooth surface facing up

5) Use a blender to mix the whipping cream to the right consistency, separate a small bowl of whipping cream to use to write Happy Birthday on the cake

6) Decorate the entire cake with the white whipping cream

7) Spray the entire cake with the food color spray (you should do this in a well ventilated place because the aerosol gets in the air in the room and you way want to cover the surrounding areas with paper towels or newspaper because it will get on other surfaces, but it is easy to clean off)

8) Mark the area you will decorate as the garden – make the border with the rocks and use the Oreo cookies as the dirt

9) Add the lollipop sticks to the gummy flowers, then place the flower gummy candy and a few Zombie figurines in the garden area

10) Add the remaining Zombies vs Plants figurines on the cake

11) Add a few drops of food coloring of your choice to some of the whipping cream, a few drops of black were used here to make gray whipping cream

12) Fill the cake decorating bag with the colored whipping cream, and write Happy Birthday and child’s name on the side of the cake with whipping cream

13) Place the candles on the cake

13) Add the green sugar crystals as grass on the top surface of the cake and tilt a few of the Zombies so it looks like they are crawling

Approximate time: 2 hours

She also baked some unique & delicious cupcakes, I’ll post about those later this week.

Here’s how the final masterpiece was placed on the cake table, ready for guests to sing Happy Birthday to the birthday boy & make for a perfect picture moment! Wonderful family memories!

Red Carpet Pictures: Cesar Chavez Premiere

Posted on April 1, 2014 by phjiao

Hi friends,

Hope you enjoyed the Cesar Chavez holiday! Did you see the Cesar Chavez: An American Hero movie this weekend? I was out of town Friday & missed the Cesar Chavez Red Carpet Premiere in San Diego. I heard from friends that it was a success, congratulations to the organizing committee! Here’s a link to great photos of the event : www.creativeimagesphoto.smugmug.com (once at the site, click on browse & galleries) from photographer Memo Cavada. You can tell it was a wonderful event!

How did you celebrate the Cesar Chavez holiday? Did you work today or was it a holiday for you?

Hugs,

Paola

ESPANOL:
-Disfrutaron el dia Conmemorativo de Cesar Chavez hoy? Vieron la pelicula Cesar Chavez: An American Hero este fin de semana? El viernes estuve fuera de la ciudad y me perdi el Estreno de Alfombra Roja de la pelicula Cesar Chavez en San Diego. Mis amistades me dijeron que fue un exito! Felicidades al comite organizador. Aqui les comparto un link a fotos del evento: www.creativeimagesphoto.smugmug.com (ya que estan en la pagina, opriman en browse y galleries) tomadas por fotografo Memo Cavada. Se ve que fue un evento divertido!

Como celebraron el Dia Conmemorativo de Cesar Chavez? Trabajaron o descansaron?

Un abrazo,

Paola

Cesar Chavez Red Carpet Premiere (courtesy of Memo Cavada)

Life’s Everyday Joys: A Relaxing Sunday

Posted on March 31, 2014 by phjiao

Hi friends,

As much as I enjoy my active lifestyle and career, I also enjoy a relaxing Sunday at home. It is a day to re-charge and rest. Sometimes, I simply need it. It is one of life’s simple joys – the art of relaxing! If you are like me, you are productive all week….I’ve had to learn that it is ok to relax. To learn that relaxing, will help me re-charge.

My husband and I like to travel, and do it often, so I don’t get to enjoy weekends at home every week. A few weekends each month I’ll work, or we have commitments with friends and family. My weekdays are pretty full and long. Like many of you, I regularly work more than 40 hours each week, then try to exercise after work. About once a week, I’ll attend a work related function in the evening. So, by the time I get home and make dinner for my hubby, it is late. I try to spend some time on a blog post, do some things around the house, prep my outfit for the next day, take off my make-up, then it is time to go to sleep. That’s it, the day is over. Does this sound familiar?

So, when I can relax at home on a Sunday….all day long….I really, really enjoy it! I’ll sleep in a bit to catch up on my z’s, make some breakfast for my hubby, enjoy my cup of coffee in my pajamas while sitting with my husband as he has his breakfast. I’ll shower, put on some jeans, then watch TV or a movie, do some reading, catch up with friends or family over the phone, organize something at home, maybe do some laundry….and if I can, I’ll take a nap…and of course, write a blog post. Later in the day, I my have some tea and make an early dinner for my hubby, or he’ll go get some take-out (he’s so sweet). I’ll enjoy my hubby’s company & spending time at our home. Once a week, it is nice to not have to look at the clock or have any commitments.

Do you ever take a day off to just relax? What do you do on a relaxing day at home?

Hugs,

Paola

Of the breakfasts I make for my hubby, waffles are one of his favorite.

Afternoon tea is SO relaxing!

I get to sleep in a bit on a relaxing Sunday…or take a nap in the afternoon.

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Time to Relax

Cesar Chavez: An American Hero – Movie

Posted on March 28, 2014 by phjiao

Hi friends,

Every once in a while a movie comes along that can touch an entire community. The Cesar Chavez: An American Hero movie is one of them – a movie that the latino community is looking forward to seeing, particularly Mexican-Americans! It will open nationwide tomorrow, March 28. I first heard of this movie about a year ago and was excited! A few months later, I received an e-mail with a preview of the movie trailer, again I was excited and touched! I tend to multi-task while watching television, but every time I see a commercial for this movie, I stop what I am doing to watch it. I am touched by the movie – and I haven’t even seen it yet! The release date is finally here! I know, this is a lot of exclamation points, but this is how excited I am!

There will be a Red Carpet Premiere at the Reading Cinemas San Diego tomorrow at 8:30pm, with a panel discussion following the conclusion of the movie. The Premiere is organized by the United Farm Workers (UFW) Foundation and includes a VIP reception at Stingaree Night Club at 6:00pm. The Red Carpet will include a number of special guests, such as actor Jacob Vargas; Arturo Rodriguez, President of the United Farm Workers; members of the Chavez family, and elected officials and community leaders. Tickets are $100 VIP Reception and movie, $20 movie. Funds raised will help support the UFW Foundation and the United Farm Workers. Tickets can be purchased at: http://secure.ufw.org/page/contribute/Chavezmoviesd. There will also be Premieres hosted in Bakersfield, Fresno, Salinas, and other locations.

The movie depicts the life and struggles of Cesar Chavez, the civil rights leader and labor organizer, and his commitment to securing a living wage for farm workers. As founder of the United Farm Workers, Chavez embraced non-violence as he battled prejudice in his struggle to bring dignity to people. Chavez inspired millions of Americans from various communities, even those who were not form workers, to fight for social justice. The movie was directed by Diego Luna and stars Jacob Vargas, Michael Pena, America Ferrera, Rosario Dawson, and John Malkovich. It is rated PG-13.

You can visit www.chavezmovieseeit.com for more information and a theatre near you.

The movie will be playing in multiple theatres in the San Diego region:

-AMC Theatres: Fashion Valley, Mission Valley, Otay Ranch, Norwalk Oceanside, Palm Promenade

-Regal Theatres: Rancho del Rey, Parkway Plaza, La Jolla

-Signature Stadium Theatres: Vista, Escondido

-Century Tranforan San Diego

-Reading Cinemas Downtown Gaslamp San Diego

What do you think of this movie? Will you be seeing it? Do you relate to Cesar Chavez?

Hugs & have fun at movie,

Paola

Closing Night Party: SDLFF

Posted on March 24, 2014 by phjiao

Hi friends,

The San Diego Latino Film Festival had it’s Closing Night Party last night. I hadn’t been to the Closing Night Party in a few years and was glad to attend last night. We had a blast! This party was different from other Film Festival parties, it included individual musical performers, a band that performed Mexican regional music, dancing, and even a fashion show. There was also a silent auction, food, and tequila tasting stations. The red carpet was rolled out to greet guests at the Broadway Pier Event Center, on the bay in downtown San Diego.

I sat with friends and met some new friends! We mixed and mingled, and best of all I got to catch up with a friend I hadn’t seen in a while. Overall it was a fun night! It is all about the company you are with….and I always have fun with friends!

Here are some pictures from last night’s Party! Hope you enjoy them.

Did you attend the San Diego Latino Film Festival? Were you at the party? What did you think? Share pics!

Hugs,

Paola

The fashion show.

Towards the end of the evening we took this fun group picture with Edith Gonzalez (funny, someone photo bombed our pic).

Day 9: Latino Film Festival

Posted on March 22, 2014 by phjiao

Hi friends, it’s Friday, yay! I was looking forward to attending the San Diego Latino Film Festival today, to meet viewers at the station’s booth. I also had the opportunity to interview one of Mexico’s most famous actresses, Edith Gonzalez. I remember seeing her in novelas when I was a teenager. She also does theatre performances and films. The organizers told me Edith will be at the Festival tomorrow and Sunday, promoting the film Deseo. She was nice and gracious, just as beautiful in person as she looks on the screen.

Afterwards, we were able to catch a movie! We saw No Se Si Cortarme Las Venas O Dejarmelas Largas, a film from Mexico, with actress Ludwika Paletal (also a famous novela actress). It was fantastic, a comedy with a good story line! If you want to get a laugh and see an entertaining movie, this is a good one!

There are two days left for the Festival. Don’t miss this opportunity to watch the best movies from Latin America, Spain, & Mexico, and attend the closing night party tomorrow! Hope to see you there!

Hugs,

Paola

A picture from the film Deseo.

A picture from No Se Si Cortarme Las Venas O Dejarmelas Largas

Colaboracion con Periodico El Latino

Posted on March 21, 2014 by phjiao

Fotografia tomada en la Qinceaneras Expo, con Fanny Miller, la Presidenta y Editora, El Latino San Diego

Articulo de ElLatinoOnLine.com

Vida y Estilo Latina

Queridos amigos,

Antes que nada, bienvenidos! Con esta columna anuncio mi colaboración con El Latino, el periódico Hispano líder en el Condado de San Diego. Le agradezco a Fanny Miller, la editora, esta oportunidad. Será un placer poder conectarme con ustedes cada semana por medio de esta columna. Compartiré con ustedes sobre mis experiencias como Latina en este país, como mujer, profesional, y consejos de belleza, moda, y estilo de vida. Espero les guste y nos conozcamos mas por medio de esta columna. Nos divertiremos! De antemano les agradezco su apoyo! No duden en comunicarse conmigo – hay que conectarnos! Un abrazo, Paola

Vivir Una Vida Feliz Con Tu Propio Estilo

Todos anhelamos ser felices! Mucho de lo que hacemos es con la finalidad y meta vivir una vida feliz. Nuestro estilo de vestir y como lucimos también aporta una parte a nuestra felicidad.

Desde mi niñez, recuerdo ver a mi abuelita muy bien arreglada, aveces sencilla, pero siempre impecable, elegante, y con estilo. Creo de ella y mi mama fue de quien aprendí a tener mi propio estilo. Cada uno de nosotros tenemos nuestro propio estilo, quizás no lo sabemos, o no lo hemos descubierto, pero lo tenemos. No siempre es necesario tener la ropa mas cara, zapatos de diseñador, o lo ultimo de la moda, para lucir con estilo. Es suficiente tener artículos clave en nuestro closet y combinarlos con algunos artículos que están de moda. La elegancia y el estilo, no son una moda que pasa, son parte del porte de uno, de como uno puede hacer lucir el atuendo, cualquier atuendo. Hasta el atuendo mas casual se ve bien, si uno lo sabe combinar y lucir.
Debido a mi tipo de carrera profesional, es necesario que tenga una variedad de ropa y que sea de calidad, pero no por eso significa que tengo que comprar todo de diseñador o gastarme todo mi salario en mi atuendo, zapatos, y accesorios. Desde antes de tener este trabajo, que es mas visible públicamente que otros puestos que he tenido, he procurado andar bien vestida, moderna, aveces sencilla pero elegante. Con el paso de los anos he aprendido cual es mi estilo, que tipo de ropa me favorece, y lo mas importante, con que ropa me siento mas agusto.

Es muy importante que uno se sienta cómodo con lo que trae puesto. No me refiero a solo sentirse físicamente cómodo, como que la falda no este demasiado apretada, sino que sea algo con lo que nos sentimos cómodos emocionalmente también ya que demuestra nuestra personalidad y estilo. Por ejemplo, por mas moderna que me quisiera vestir, si me pusiera algo muy rockero, no me sentiría agusto ya que ese no es mi estilo personal. No tengo nada contra ese look, pero no es un estilo para mi tipo de personalidad. Otro ejemplo podría ser, si una mujer acostumbra vestirse muy conservadora, probablemente no se sentirá agusto con un atuendo muy escotado o revelador. Cada quien su estilo, lo que le gusta, y como se siente cómoda! Tu sabes cual es tu estilo?

Esta es la primera nota de una serie que escribiré sobre Vivir Una Vida Feliz Con Tu Propio Estilo. En las siguientes columnas compartiré con ustedes como: procurar ropa que nos favorezca a nuestro tipo de cuerpo, como mantenernos dentro de nuestro presupuesto y aun así lucir bellas, piezas claves para todo guardarropa, piezas en las cuales vale la pena inventir, y como estar contentas con nosotras mismas y lucir con nuestro estilo propio, sin importar si tenemos unas libritos de mas o menos, hay que ser felices y lucir esas curvas!

Para mas sobre Vida y Estilo Latina, y ver mis fotos de Atuendos del Día, los invito a que nos conectemos por medio de mi blog LatinaLifeAndStyle.com. Ahí se pueden comunicar conmigo y dejarme sus comentarios o preguntas.
Un abrazo y hasta la próxima semana,

Paola

Muchos televidentes de la region de San Diego conocen a Paola Hernandez-Jiao como conductora de television. Es autora del blog LatinaLifeAndStyle.com, sobre moda, belleza, estilo de vida, y experiencias personales.

Para visitar la pagina de El Latino San Diego, opriman en esta foto (link/enlace):

ElLatinoOnLine.com

Paola's Lifestyle

Life Experiences, Entertainment, Travel, Motherhood, Beauty, Fashion & More

Category Archives: Lifestyle

A Saturday with My Nephew

Catching Up On Sleep

Making Friends As An Adult

Graduations, Birthdays, Parties, Walks….Life

Seeing the Lighter Side of Life

24Hour Trip to San Francisco

Birthday Celebration at Spa Velía

Letting Go of the Little Things

Orlando Get-Away

Happy Life And Style

A Beautiful Stroll at Balboa Park

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A Mom’s Love: Plants vs Zombies Birthday Cake

What she used:

Theme: Plants vs Zombies

Steps:

Red Carpet Pictures: Cesar Chavez Premiere

Life’s Everyday Joys: A Relaxing Sunday

Cesar Chavez: An American Hero – Movie

Closing Night Party: SDLFF

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Day 9: Latino Film Festival

Colaboracion con Periodico El Latino

Vida y Estilo Latina

Vivir Una Vida Feliz Con Tu Propio Estilo