Yesterday, I went to see the movie Julie & Julia by Nora Ephron, with one of my younger sisters. It was a fitting movie for the two of us to see together since we are both lovers of baking and cooking. My sister is currently going to culinary school, and I mostly have a sweet tooth that compels me to bake yummy desserts from scratch as frequently as I can find an excuse or special occasion to do so.

The film toggled between the stories of Julia Child as she goes to Le Cordon Bleu culinary school and writes her cookbook back in the 1950s and Julie Powell’s experience blogging for 365 days as she attempts to cook over 500 recipes from Julia Child’s cookbook.

It was entertaining to watch a film about a woman who blogs on a regular basis. My project with 365 Hangers is very different from Julie’s cooking project. She has something specific to write about each day. I, on the other hand, have an unlimited number of subjects that I can blog about. I have lists in my head and note pads of brainstorming ideas full of topics that I could write about.

Every day there are multiple new experiences that inspire thoughts I want to put down in writing. Sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin. Blogging is still very new to me. I’m merely a week into this new world.

My inspiration comes from things that I am passionate about, have an opinion on, or think about enough, that I feel it’s worth writing about. I’m excited to see how my portfolio of thoughts develop over time. I anticipate learning how to gather my thoughts in a cohesive manner and create effective pieces of work that are clear, concise, easy to read and relate to; as well as thought provoking and interesting.

I’m an ambitious person. This will be a fun adventure, while I creatively develop a voice of self-expression.

I had an audition today for the California Lottery. The premise of the new commercials is, don’t throw away your tickets because you have a second chance to win.

So, the whole focus is around a trash can, and the girls they are casting are the hot sexy girls that are on a date with the trash can. We auditioned two at a time, and we are supposed to be in a limo with the trash can having a party. In the auditioning process, the rule is whenever you go in with another person they become your friend not your competition. Why did I have to get the girl that obviously has no female friends. The energy she brought to the casting was so awful. Not only did she ignore me, she tried to hump the trash can and she was throwing her head around so much her earring came out, which I had to call her out on right in the middle of the audition.

Oh well!! On another note,  I got so inspired from watching So You Think You Can Dance last Wednesday, I am going to take a jazz class at The Edge Saturday. I already have my dance outfit picked out. I am going to wear my baggy black sweats, my fitted red bellydancing top, and my pink and white dance shoes. I can’t wait! 

My friend Deanna took me rollerskating on the beach Sunday. I wish I would have stayed with it when I was younger because I could have been in the Olympics. Also, at some point, I want to go to the spa. Even though it is summertime hot right now, I try to treat myself to a spa day once a week. I put on my bathing suit, bring my conditioner and exfoiliation cream, and I sit in the sauna for an hour. My skin and hair feel so good afterwards. I even bring a book to read. Have you ever tried this before? And, by the way, I just go to my local gym to do this.

I always get excited when there is a big event for me to attend, and figuring out what to wear is always the most important part about it. When dressing for special events, I always take into consideration all the different elements that come into play when deciding what would be best.

The first thing to take into consideration is what type of event it is.  I was recently invited to go to a benefit dinner for a charity that my friend Sam is organizing.  Obviously it was going to be at night, and it was formal event, which meant that I had to be quite dressy.

I know that most people associate dressy or formal with uncomfortable, but not in my world. I know I have said this a million times and I will say it a million more, above all, comfort is the most important quality when dressing for anything. If I don’t feel comfortable in something that I am wearing, even after a few minutes, I will change outfits. Comfort is so important because if you feel comfortable, you look comfortable, and therefore, rock whatever it is you are wearing. So, that was my first order of business; what outfit would make me feel comfortable and still be appropriate for a formal event. 

I looked through my closet putting on one thing after another, switching tops with different bottoms, shoes and dresses, and finally decided on this plum Julie Haus dress that sits on my frame so right. This dress, aside from being a winner in the comfort department, has the nicest color and is so dainty.

Next is, what type of hair and makeup. This is sometimes a very tricky area to deal with. A common mistake that people make is to assume that in a formal event you need to go all out with the makeup and hair. Wrong. Have you ever really looked at the type of makeup you see on the red carpet? Of course it is caked on to perfection, but there is a certain subtlety about putting on makeup that I think is important to adhere to. The important thing to remember is that you are not accessorizing your face to your dress, so there is no need for matching eyeliner, eye shadow, or lipstick. Yes, the styles should match, for example if it is vintage look go for classic clean hair and makeup. I always try to cover up my problem areas like bags, scars, or pimples, and highlight all the qualities I like about myself. Less is more ladies, especially at special events where you can’t bring your makeup kit in your cocktail purse to touch up. 

Although, somewhat basic knowledge, sometimes I know I get a little brave, and nights like tonight aren’t the type to experiment. Last but not least, is the test picture. Looking in the mirror, in the same light, for a long time can sometimes make your perception a little skewed. The best thing to make sure is that you are looking great at all angles and in print. Take a photo when you are all ready.  I know it sounds weird, but it’s a sure fire way to catch any flyaway hairs or weird shadows on your face that you may not have seen. 

Oh, the things we ladies do to stay beautiful.  

cheers…

I was sitting outside last night, waiting for a friend, getting bit to high heaven because apparently my skin is delicious to the mosquitoes out here. Anyway, as I sat there waiting, starving, and not a little impatient, I was looking at everyone around me feeling self-consciously out of place. I was at a college campus, and even though it was a graduate campus, I still felt like I didn’t belong there. I wasn’t giggling or waving to anyone coming out of the building and I wasn’t dressed in old jeans and flip flops.

And then, I realized WHY I felt out of place. It wasn’t my age, because I’m far from old, but rather the level of style that was on display that made me feel like an outsider.

I started looking at the clothes these students were wearing and I found myself having an “Aha! Moment” the more I continued to survey my surroundings.

You know when one of your friends is going on and on about someone new they just met and how unbelievably cute he/she is and how they can’t wait for you to meet her/him and see for yourself. And then you see for yourself, and you’re at a loss for words; but in a bad way? I used to wonder about that. Like, seriously, try and figure out if it was me that wasn’t seeing something or if my taste was off or vice versa; and then it dawned on me: if everyone was attracted to the same thing there’d be no diversity in the world. And, there wouldn’t be enough of the same thing to go around, which would cause major issues.

The same thing goes for clothes. I like to think that every time I walk out of the house I’m looking good. I’m sure there’s someone who’d disagree. For any number of reasons. But the fact is, I think I look good. Actually, I know I look good, at least, in my opinion. And that’s the only opinion that matters.

I like the fact that everyone doesn’t like exactly what I like. I want to exclusively wear some things and never see them on another girl, as if I’m the only one who those things.

I, honestly, can’t understand the way my sister dresses. Many times I wonder what goes on in her head when she buys certain things. I’ve tried to advise her on what I think she should be buying and how she should wear her clothes. The problem is, she loves the way she dresses. She listens patiently to my unasked for “advice,” and the next time I see her there have been no changes.

It took me a while to realize that she was happy with the way she dressed. That she, in fact, was not that impressed with my style, which is still hard for me to wrap my head around.

But what I do see is that she is happy. She could care less if I thought her dress should have stayed at whatever store she found it. She wasn’t waking up every morning wondering if I was going to like what she wore that day. Her perception is her reality and that’s all that matters. In her head, I was the one who lived in the Matrix; not her.

Dresses, shorts, shirts, skirts, shoes, are subject to fit all of us differently and perhaps cause others distress. The only thing that matters is, you always have the last word.

Every now and then, I have an itch to get away from the hectic city life in Los Angeles and spend at least a day or two somewhere that isn’t always surrounded by smog. I was planning to put together a small getaway vacation with a couple of friends and spend a weekend away from the city. Just when I was about to really start looking into package deals, a friend of mine and her boyfriend decided to rent a beach house in Santa Monica to basically relax and chill by the beach. She kindly invited me to spend the weekend with her and a few of her friends that I didn’t really know. I’m always up for meeting new people so I gladly accepted her invitation.

It was towards dinner time when many of us began storming into the two-story house. The rooms were really spacious and all of them had killer ocean views; imagine waking up to the view of the ocean every morning! The house was fully equipped with all of the necessities; kitchen goods, bedding, towels, games, and even a Nintendo Wii system! I’ve never been to an ocean side house before, and even at night, the evening glow seemed to somehow come in through the windows! However, there wasn’t that much romance in the air as the rooms and outdoor patio were filled with people that I barely knew. My friend spent most of her time with her boyfriend, so I ventured out and decided to make new friends.

It wasn’t hard getting to know people. A girl named Megan approached me and started commenting on the dress that I was wearing. I had almost forgotten what I was wearing until she pointed out that she liked the lacey black sleeves of my Sweetees top. I matched the top with a pair of light grey pants and heels, and finished the look with hoop earrings. Now that I think about it, I don’t really know why I was wearing a weekend dressy outfit when I was hanging out at a house on the beach, but I don’t regret it as Megan and I became pretty good friends thanks to my outfit.

She introduced me to a bunch of her friends, making it easier for me to mingle with others. It makes things so much easier when I have a friend introducing me to the rest of the crowd. Surprisingly my outfit seemed to become the center of attention, and everyone asked where I got the look and what brand it was. As many of you have finally figured out by now, I love talking about fashion and various brands, so I felt really comfortable expression my thoughts and opinions on the current fashion trends and looks.

Being at the beach house was exactly what I was looking for. It was a mini-vacation away from the city, surrounding myself with nature and being across from the Pacific Ocean. Even though there are a lot of us here at the house, it hasn’t turned into a huge party or anything crazy. I think we are all here for the same reason; escaping Los Angeles.

Love always,

Mia

Today, believe it or not, was a business-casual sort of day. Being unprepared, because I somehow managed to pack more creams for my skin than clothes, I had to be creative. We were invited to attend a conference in La Spezia, the nearby port town. It’s a nice city, but a lot bigger and busier than Portovenere. So essentially, the people holding this conference were part of a bank that had given each of us students 200 euro in scholarships. It was only acceptable for us to give them our undivided attention and time. I didn’t think to bring anything business-casual so I opted for a baby doll print dress by La Rok. With the right heels and accessories, this dress was easily taken to the next level. Jewelry and makeup go a long way in making your look whatever you want it to be.

I arrived to some people in suits and business skirts, but most remained in their beach and summer attire. We sat for two hours (a seemingly endless amount of time when they are speaking only in Italian) as 20 professors read 10-page papers they had written about the region of Liguria. Needless to say, even I, who find the smallest things interesting, was bored out of my mind. I practically had to prop my eyes open.

An Italian-Canadian next to me promised to speak some English when he took his turn at the mic. He also complimented me by saying, “Now just because you’re beautiful doesn’t mean you’re from California, but are you from California?” Yes. Haha. Yes, I am.

The good news is, that at the break (after 10 professors had finished), a lunch buffet was made available. IT TASTED SO GOOD. Pizza bread, keish, cookies, coffee cakes, sandwiches, etc. I was in heaven to say the least. Then, thankfully, our professors gave us permission to sneak out. So we did. FREEDOM!

I was a little sad to leave because there was a gorgeous and well-dressed, young, twenty-something Italian boy. Oh well…there’s plenty of those here!

Matt sent me an email to check in with me. It was very sweet, but I am just going to relax and not worry about things until I get back.

I’ve already made some friends! They are all 21-years-old and they are all cooks! Che perfetto! Maybe I can get some free meals here and there. I’ve been living the student life and not eating much, but it’s actually turned out really well. I only eat when I’m hungry and when I do eat, the quality of ingredients is so good here that it’s very healthy and satisfying. I can’t cook because I’m without a kitchen, but I manage Caprese (tomato, mozzarella, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper) salad due to our tiny refrigerator in our dorm.

Right now, I’m listening to some Italian children sing downstairs at the daycare! SO CUTE! I’m going to take a little nap then head out to watch the sunset and get drinks with my roommates and new Italian friends. Tomorrow we’re going to Pisa! Leaning tower, here I come!

Today I was back at the promo shoot, and I literally worked five minutes after being there eight hours. The good thing is they had fans this time, in four different corners, blowing cool air on us, so weren’t so hot. The other cool thing is, we got to see Dennis Hopper. He looked amazing!

On my way home I started to get a taste for hot wings, so, as soon as I got home, I start texting all my girls to see if they want to go to Big Wangs. These are the best wings in town, and they give you all drumsticks and they come in a half dozen different flavors. My favorite is garlic.

Three of my friends replied and we headed over there. I choose to sit outside, and everyone thinks I’m crazy, but the wings will stay hot longer. They were so good! Why can’t this food be good for you too. After we eat, I felt like seeing a movie. I have to catch up on my movies before G.I. Joe comes out. I didn’t see any last weekend. Everyone agrees on Funny People, so we head to the theatre. All my friends were jealous because I can see movies for free with my SAG card, but hey, I have dues I pay twice a year and I want to get my money’s worth. Usually I try to go during the day so anybody with me only has to pay for a matinée.

OMG! Funny People was the right movie to see in my life right now. To me, the movie is about having people in your life you can trust and respect, that trust and respect you. I am deleting a lot of phone numbers in my phone right now. How about you? Are you going through the same thing?

There are all different types of people in the world; some who make schedules and some who break them; people who plan ahead; and those who fly by the seat of their pants. I am the type of person who likes to try new things and learn as much as I can. I like to dabble.

I am an experience whore and when it comes to trying new fashions or foods or hobbies, and even jobs, count me in, because I want to learn it all.

Tonight, I am helping out a friend of a friend by helping them run a movie screening, which is something I had never done before, but was absolutely positive I could do. Before tonight, I had an entire day in front of me with nothing planned, but all that was about to change.

As I did my usual morning ritual of coffee and emails, I was also making phone calls to a bunch of my friends to see who was doing what today. It wasn’t long until one of my friends came up with the great idea of going to shoot paintballs. Now, for the people that have never done this, this is when you dress up in clothing you hate and use guns that shoot paint pellets, which literally ruin your clothes.

When I lived in Miami, all of my friends used to love going paintballing, but I had never gone and was quite interested. It ended up being a group of six of us, and as we divided ourselves into teams, I realized that aside from being the only girl on my team, I also was the most inexperienced, which made me kind of nervous.

I have to admit, it was a lot more fun than I thought it was going to be, but, on the same note, the paintballs really hurt! After a few hours of hours of battling it out on the field, it was time for me to go home and wash up for tonight’s screening. I drove home thinking about how tired I was and hoping that I would not be too tired for tonight, seeing as I was looking forward to not only helping out at the screening, but also enjoying the film.

I took a very hot, long, shower and got dressed in a BCBG dress, and after I was all ready, you would not have guessed that I was the same person from earlier in the day. As I walked towards the theatre we were holding the screening at, I felt as though I got a second wind and was excited to see this film my friend had been raving about. I saw a few of my friends that were also lending a hand tonight, and quickly realized that we were all there for much more than a helping hand, but more importantly, moral support.

cheers…

I absolutely loved The Proposal; it was funny and romantic at the same time. What a perfect combination. I thought Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds had great chemistry and the situations were just hilarious. A perfect date movie, either with your boyfriend or your girlfriends; I’m sure that you will love it. Let me know what you think and if you agree with my movie review!!

It’s Friday again, one of my favorite days of the week, for obvious reasons. And as you know, the weekend equals fun and parties!! I just have to do a bit of work this morning and then I’ll probably go for a nice swim on the beach. It’s so beautiful, and I can’t wait to feel the water on my feet and the warmth of the sun on my body. Whenever I’m at the beach, I feel at peace; it’s so relaxing and invigorating. It probably has to do with the fact that I grew up on an island. I formed a special bond with the ocean! My mom used to call me mermaid girl, I loved the water so much. I was always playing in the water, and never fearful of all the waves! We have pretty strong waves in Portugal. If you ever venture to the Azores, be on the look out, but also be prepared to eat the most amazing seafood in the world. I know it sounds a bit pretentious, but in all honesty, I haven’t had better shrimp or seabass! A must try, for sure!

I hope my meetings go quick, I can’t wait to go to the beach. I’m meeting my friend Samantha; it will be great to catch up with her!

It’s my birthday this weekend; I can’t wait to celebrate it. A big party with all my friends on Saturday and then a more intimate and romantic day with my boyfriend in San Diego!

It’s going to be so much fun, I just love birthdays!

Yesterday I got approved for my apartment in NY and today I moved in! You have no idea the ridiculous hoops you have to jump through to rent an apartment in the city. Despite being able to move in, at the moment, I have nothing to move in. When the movers came for my furniture in LA, at the last minute I decided to leave all my big items behind, except for my couch. I wanted a fresh start and didn’t want my old design choices influencing new purchases.

As I packed up my last apartment, I noticed that I had fallen into the trap of buying furniture that was too matchy-matchy. Everything looked so similar and I wondered what theme I was going for when I initially purchased everything. This time around, I’m determined to make different choices. I had a lot more space in LA, but I didn’t use half of it the way I could have.

Remember when I made the decision to only bring two weeks worth of clothes with me to New York (The Sum of Your Parts) and, then, only dresses? Honestly, I don’t know what the hell was I thinking, but it sure has shown me my ability to adapt and how to work with less. It has also shown me the importance of consistently maintaining my pedicure.

As I look around my empty apartment, with no furniture and two weeks worth of dresses, I realize the fun is yet to come. Many times, we get stuck in an unending pattern that is familiar, but we end up going in circles. Somehow its too difficult to dress too far from what you’re used to or its too much work to give your apartment a facelift even though you talk about doing it all the time.

They say old dogs never learn new tricks, but I think the trick to growing up is new experiences. Yes I have no furniture, but I look forward to buying new pieces and taking my time designing properly for the first time. I also need a new wardrobe, but the fun thing about living with actual seasons, is that you also get to dress for them.

Life is about choices. The more you make the more inspired you’ll be.

I like that the Internet comes on whenever it pleases. It’s so…Italian. The class I’m taking is really interesting. I almost forgot that this is the reason why I am here. The professor is so laid back, because we’re in Italy, that I am actually learning because there is nearly no pressure. The class is called “Contemporary Europe” and we’re learning all about the European Union and the historical occurrences that influenced its creation. Well, it’s very interesting to me! 

Yesterday evening, before our welcome dinner, I sat with some of the other American students and talked to them about the Italian culture they have to look forward to. Weekend trips came up and I offered to show them around Florence because my roommates and I booked a room in the famous Academy Hostel for the last weekend of June. I figured I’ll show everyone around that weekend and then have the following weekend to myself with the apartment I rented.  

Some of them mentioned that they were heading to Roma this weekend. I told them some things to make sure they saw and NONE of them KNEW WHAT THE COLISEUM WAS! WHAT THE *&^%%#!!!!!!

I laughed it off, but vented about it to my roommates later. SERIOUSLY? I don’t get it at all. 

Right now, I’m wearing a purple bikini with gold embroidery, a high waisted yellow vintage skirt, and a white crocheted beach cover. The locals are starting to recognize me, because I stand out with my blond hair. It’s kind of nice to walk around and have everyone notice you—even if it’s just for your hair color. I feel so much more beautiful here. I don’t know what it is. Something must be in the water.  

My favorite time of day here in Portovenere is definitely the evening. The bathing suits are put away and the women and men dress up in crisp linen, cotton, satin, or other heat-friendly materials. I’ve seen a woman in a wedding dress descending from the long stone stairs that lead to the town’s cathedral everyday I’ve been here so far. The first woman I saw wore the most beautiful dress. It was a vanilla cream-colored gown. It was strapless, with beaded accents around the detailing on the skirt. It flattered her olive tan skin and brown hair that was French-braided into a loose bun. The perfect summer wedding attire.  

After what I can assume was the ceremony, they did as any Italian wedding party does—they marched throughout the entire city. An opera singer of sort leads, followed by the newlyweds, the family, and the friends trail the end. They show the whole city their love in celebration. It’s a beautiful tradition, really. If you have ever seen The Godfather, you understand what I’m talking about. The scene when Al Pacino’s character marries the Italian woman in Sicilia? Ring a bell? 

This place is paradise. The fashion. The food. The weather. The ocean. The men. Though they all seem to have girlfriends…boo! At least I have Filippo to look forward to in Firenze!

As I walked into my internship today, I noticed something very different compared to the past recent days. It took me a while to realize that everyone in the office was actually dressed professionally and no one was in their usual jeans and T-shirt! I didn’t ask too many questions and proceeded to set up my work station for the day, when my supervisor Kelly approached me and told me about our scheduled meeting with the Vice President of Sony! My heart skipped a beat and even though I knew that I wasn’t going to be participating in the meeting, I was so relieved that I’d decided to wear my grey Karen Kane pencil skirt and lavender blouse to work!

Sony is one of my dream companies; I would love the opportunity to use my Japanese skills and perhaps even be sent off to Japan for my career. If I was given a chance, I’d definitely take it.

Like I expected, I didn’t participate in the meeting. I did, however, go into the meeting room every so often to check in on everyone and, of course, get lunch for the whole team. You know, the typical intern duties. I must admit, I might have gone in that room a little too often, I just really wanted to know what they were discussing!

Every time I walked in, my eyes shot straight to the VP of Sony. When she first stepped into our office, she had a black business suit on with a beautiful silky scarf tied elegantly around her neck. While she was in the meeting, she’d taken the scarf off, revealing the grey vest she had on and a pastel pink blouse under it. She wore simple jewelry and light makeup; a look that was fresh and summery. I admired her fashion sense, simple is, indeed, beautiful.

I’ve always noticed that those with a higher work title seem to be dressed better and with more style. Is it because they have a higher salary or do they just have a better eye for fashion? Perhaps they have their own stylist that just lives in their large walk-in closet and tells them what to wear every morning. Hmm, perhaps I should re-think about my career…

Love always,

Mia

I am doing a promo shoot today for the TV show Crash. My character is the “Regular Girl.” When I get to set, I kept thinking they would think I was playing the role of the hooker. It wasn’t like I wore anything risqué, but my pants and top were form fitting and I couldn’t get the thought out of my head. I met another one of the models and she was playing the role of “Rocker Chick.”

We hit it off right away and decide to hang out together for the rest of the day. We walked onto set, got our paperwok and headed over to the “roach coach” to get some breakfast. After we ate, we are told to head over to wardrobe, and as we are walking some elderly people playing tourists ask the Rocker Chick if I was the hooker. I just started laughing and shaking my head because I knew it was going to happen.

After we are done with wardrobe, the “Hooker” finally shows up, so they can stop asking me. When it’s my turn to shoot, I have to go on this treadmill and walk as if I am walking down the street while they take pictures of me. When I first get on, they couldn’t adjust the speed right, so I am running on the treadmill in my platforms and the photograper had to give the assistant a dirty look for him to get it right. 

I could not believe how hot working on green screen could be. If you ever wondered what it is like to walk on the sun, that’s what it’s like working on green screen.

When my shoot is over, it is lunch time and after lunch we were done. We find out before we leave that we have to come back the next day to do the same thing, but to put it on video. I love working!

Today I started my day started early by going to the gym early for spin class. I love spin classes because they really get my adrenaline pumping and get me ready for my day.

I had an audition early this morning for this catalog and I was really excited. I always get a little nervous before a casting, even though I’ve been on so many. I always get butterflies in my stomach, but you know what, a little bit of nerves actually help; it gives me the energy I need to do well.

It’s summer already, and I’m feeling the heat! Summer, for me, equals dresses. Love them. I know I’ve already mentioned my love for dresses, but I really love them, and when you have a passion for something, you just can’t stop talking about it right?

During the summer time, my boyfriend is always making fun of me, and asking me if I own any pants or if dresses is all I have! 

For my casting I felt nothing would work better than one of my favorite dresses, my chiffon dress by Max Studio. I absolutely love this dress. The design is so unique. I feel confident, I’m ready for my day, I don’t know what I would do without my dresses!! 

The casting went really well. They loved my dress and loved the way I looked in their outfits. I think I got the job because they said they were going to call my agency tomorrow and schedule the shoot. I tried to play down my excitement and not look too excited. I wanted to keep my cool. As soon as I got to my car, I started screaming out of happiness. As I pulled out of the parking lot, the security guard is looking at me in a weird way. I think he saw me screaming in my car!! He must think that I’m going crazy. Well, I guess all of us have a little insanity inside of us. And insanity out of happiness, I believe is always justified!