Motivation | Why it’s okay to rock your hair however you want it

June 20, 2017July 14, 2017Leave a comment

A good friend of mine was making fun of me about my blog name, curlsxoxo. She said, “How can you have a blog named curls and not show your curls?” And she was right. I rarely wear my hair naturally. I’ve always had a difcult time embracing it. Mainly because the comments I get and stares (I’m assuming because of my hair). Naturally, my hair is volumonous. I’ve been known to make hairdressers sweat. Growing up in the 90’s, I was on trend. Big volumonous curls lathered in gel and mouse for that wet look. I thought I was soooo cool. 😎

I started straightening it as soon as I could afford my own straightener. I was never really good with a roundbrush and blowdryer. That’s more for people with time and patience. Something that I’m consistently having to work on. Then in the late 2000’s, the evolution of the Brazilian blowout became popular in Los Angeles. It was definitely out of my price range, but luckily for me, I knew someone that would give me a friends and family discount. And that’s how my brazilian blowout obsession started. I no longer had to spend hundreds of dollars on hair gels, creams, milks, or serums. My once tedious hair routine was no longer existent. I had a new found confidence and an even sexier swag. But why give all that power to my hair? Who am I? Samson? Does all of my strength lie on my head?

No! My hair is curly and crazy and voluminous… and I love it! ❤️ It doesn’t have to be straight to give me confidence. My friend was completely right to make fun of me for the irony of my blog name. I guess I never sat down to really think about it. I still plan on styling my hair however I want, but I’ll be rocking the curls more often.

Do what makes you happy. Natural is beautiful and confidence is even sexier. Remember that your strength doesn’t lie on your head. It’s being comfortable in your own skin and paying attention to your mind and body that gives you your strength. Do you boo and rock your hair however you want it!

Hello, would you like some hair?

XOXO

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Motivation | Why it’s okay to not give a ‘flying duck’ (insert expletive)

June 5, 2017Leave a comment

Some people just LOVE drama. You know what I mean? It’s like they live for it. They try to control so much of their life, that they even attempt to control the chaos around them. They create the drama, because they want to have something to blame. A reason for why their life isn’t going the way that they hoped it would go, and they want to bring you down with them.

I tend to think of it as organized chaos. It’s like adding gasoline to a fire in measured amounts. The fire is going to ensue, but they’re the ones in control of where and how big the fire will burn. Then they just sit back and watch crying, “Woe is me!” but they don’t do anything about it. Sometimes, maybe they’re not even the cause of the fire, but they certainly don’t do anything to help.

Why do people do this? Why? Why? Why? I just don’t get it. I don’t care to get it, to be quite honest. It’s ridiculous to some extent how much effort people put into making a big deal or making a situation more difficult than it has to be.

I know you know someone like this. It’s not worth your time or energy. These people may seem really fun and interesting for a minute, but that’s all there is, just a minute of calm in an ocean of chaos.

People do this because there’s something wrong in their lives. There’s something that they are unhappy about and they lash out in other areas and at people in an attempt to feel some control over their lives. Unfortunately, for those of us around them, we turn into their collateral damage.

And you know what? In those situations it is OKAY to give zero f*#k$. Actually, it is more than okay. It is okay because it helps you to preserve your sanity. Your mental health is more important than someone else’s negativity. Don’t let other people drag you down. You don’t have to feed into their fire. Don’t let someone’s emotions consume you or take yours over. It’s just not worth it, and not giving a f*#k is completely okay.

FOOD | Tacos at Yxta Cocina Mexicana

June 3, 2017June 3, 2017Leave a comment

Happy weekend lovelies! I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a pretty rough week. It takes a lot to get me angry and I feel like these past couple of weeks people have been on a roll to try to get me past that point of no return! 😈 Ha! 😇

Yesterday I just needed to get away. I was so emotionally drained. So what better way to start the weekend than with happy hour!

My good friend and I hit up Yxta in downtown LA for some well deserved tacos and tequila. I love this place because it’s totally unexpected. The location itself borders skid row and 6th (anyone familiar with the area knows this isn’t somewhere you just go for a casual stroll). The people that go here are making the trip specifically for the food. Luckily for me, I’m friends with a foodie that knows all the good places to go.

Since we went specifically for ‘hora feliz’, we indulged in all the menu offerings. Peach margaritas were the special of day and quite tastey with a tajin rim.

Dos Gringas is always a crowd favorite – Al pastor tacos on a warm flour tortilla with melted Oaxaca cheese and guacamole salsa.

We also tried a calabazita appetizer, the regular tacos al pastor, tacos de carnitas, tastadita de ceviche, and duck taquitos.

Yxta is an indoor/outdoor modern trendy Mexican restaurant offering traditional cuisine with an updated flare. This place offers a great Happy Hour menu Monday – Friday from 4:00pm – 7:00pm and Saturday from 4:00pm – 6:00pm. The restaurant offers valet for $4 and there is free street parking after 6:00pm. Make sure to check Yxta’s links for the most up to date information.

Don’t forget to indulge every once and a while. 😉

XOXO

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Yxta’s Links:

▹ WEBSITE: http://www.cocinasycalaveras.com/yxta-menu/

▹ YELP: Yxta Cocina

Travel | Santorini, Greece

July 7, 2016July 8, 2016Leave a comment

This spring, my best gal pal and I took a European adventure from France to Greece! Out of all the locations we visited, Santorini, Greece, was hands-down the most amazing.

Santorini is actually the most active volcanic center in the Aegean Sea. The island is known for being the site of one the largest volcanic eruptions ever recorded in history. The eruption caused a portion of the island to collapse, giving the area the crescent shape of today.

Today, Santorini is best known for their blue top buildings and marvelous sunsets. The food is not so bad either and the locals are kind and friendly. Things to do on the island range from sailing to wine tasting.

During our trip, we rented a car and explored every town. The rental was $40 euros for 24 hours. They didn’t even check for a driver’s license!

That day we had lunch in Pyrgos, explored the black sand beaches of Kamari, and caught the sunset in Oia.

The following day we set sail on a snorkeling sunset excursion. It ended up being too cold to snorkel, but catching the sunset off the ocean was worth it. The boat sailed around the island stopping at all of the various beaches – black sand, red sand, and white sand beach. The crew made us a great meal and shared their stories with us.

While being on that island was so surreal, hearing people’s stories made the experience humbling. I can’t even tell you how many times we were asked what is what like to be living the “American Dream.” Hearing locals’ first-hand accounts of Greece’s economic state and how they had limited access to money during the initial stages of the banking crisis really put things into perspective. It wasn’t something that we asked, but it was the stories the locals wanted to share… so, we listened. The most amazing part of all is that through it all they were still happy and kind because they have a love of Santorni…. and that’s what made me fall in love with Santorini even more.

XOXO

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Palace of fine arts San Francisco California

Motivation | To take a step without feet

June 29, 2016June 30, 2016Leave a comment

This is love:
to fly toward a secret sky,
to cause a hundred veils to fall each moment.
First, to let go of life.
In the end, to take a step without feet

RUMI

Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco, California

What does that mean, “to take a step without feet”? Feet provide you with stability when you walk. They aide you with movement and provide you with support. Without feet, you’d probably have a difficult time running, walking, or even standing up. It doesn’t mean that it would be impossible to do, it would just be more of a challenge.

I think that the message Rumi is trying to convey is that, “taking a step without feet” is like taking a step not knowing whether you can control the outcome. Not many people would be willing to do that. Control is a difficult thing to let go. What would be the incentive for you to do so?

It’s a scary thought if you think about it. If you were to take a step without feet, you would probably fall. But, on the the other hand, there is also a chance that you may not. Allowing yourself to be okay with that thought is difficult. To be okay with falling is not an instinctive trait. Human nature drives off of survival. It is that little voice in your head that cautions you from doing things that could potentially hurt you; physically and emotionally.

If you’ve been hurt repeatedly, your mind keeps building on that protection and your caution grows more and more. Sometimes to the point where your mind may be cautioning you too much, and you become fearful of exploring things that may actually be good for you.

While your body is only trying to help, there comes a point where you have to consciously decide, “What are the things you can control, and what are the things you should throw caution to the wind?” Making that distinction is the first step. You can’t control everything in life, but you can control your approach. It is about acknowledging and knowing that, yes, you can take a step without feet – it will be difficult, but it is not impossible. In the end, sometimes the biggest payoffs are the ones you approach without having firm grounding. The ones where you let go of life, and you take a step without feet.