For the love of ruffles...and Valentino

I have to make a confession: I am obsessed about ruffles! It is true, I have a ruffle problem! My curtains, my clothes, my pillows, my shoes, my purses and even my bed sheet set! I guess I love over the top feminine designs and ruffles are the perfect representation of it!

So you can imagine my face when I first saw this beautiful, girly and romantic Valentino collection!

Valentino - Fall/ Winter 2010

I wonder when will I ever be able to afford such a luxury. Regardless of buying it or not it is so amazing to appreciate the brilliant minds of the designers Pier Paolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri.

all images via Stylesight

Charming wedding in Sao Paulo

I noticed that most of the weddings in Brazil used to lean towards modern & clean aesthetics. That is why my mom was concerned when i told her that my inspiration is a rustic, vintage inspired, diy and over the top romantic event. I have to admit that I have every single detail figure it out already even thou I am not even engaged! I just absolutely love to surf in wedding blogs and there is a new one called Casamenteiras that is super cute!


So I got very excited to see this charming wedding in a ranch called Fazenda Vila Rica in the city of Sao Paulo. Everything about it is just adorable and I love the overall decor, the ranch architecture, the table settings, the floral fabrics, and specially the gift for the guests which are statues of: Saint Anthony and St Francis of Assisi.


Those 2 are one of the most popular saints in Brazil. You see in our culture have faith to saints is just part of our daily routine (I have tons of saints statues spread all over my house!).

Decoration: Compagnie Assessoria de Eventos 

Photoss: Lan Rodrigues

Post via Casamenteiras

Feeling the blessings from the Universe (aka Deena)

You know those not-so-often moments when you catch yourself totally alert, inspired, alive, connected and grateful for life being such a web of blessings!?


I mean don't get me wrong I love my life but I have to admit that sometimes I really put effort to convince myself that "things are not so well, they could be better - and when the heck they will be better?". Of course the hormonal unbalance caused by this crazy birth control that I have been taking hasn't helped at all. But making a long history short: my life has up's and down's and even when I insist in focusing on the 'down's there is ALWAYS a magical person and/ or event that get me out of there!
And those are my lovely angels.


You see... I met Deena in one of those crazy 'coincidences' in life. I really wanted to attend this Silence Meditation course called "The Art of Silence Course". It was all the way in Chicago, the tickets were expensive, the course was pricey and my money was very tight. My friend Neelam called me 2 days before the course and asked me if I was going. From that call things started to flow. Magical happenings such as Neelam calling the corporate office and getting me a discount made the total price for the course to be the exactly amount that I had left in my credit card. Also I found this super affordable flight ticket on the day before so without much planning I arrive in Chicago with no hotel reservation and no idea where to stay.


So here I am in Chicago with my suitcase and the lady at the registration desk informed me about this one woman that earlier was looking for 1 more to fill her room, 'but probably already taken by then'. I insisted calling and that spot happens to be available and for the amount of dollars that I had in my bank account! Not only that but in my hotel room I met Deena. I mean who would ever thought that while taking a silence course (I mean literally no talking allowed) you would ever bond, laugh, connect and develop a friendship?! I certainly was not counting on that and I can now say that the whole experience would not have been the same if wasn't for Deena.

One of the biggest things I realized from this course was how I take life too seriously and how I transform simple things into 'boring chores'! Just having Deena around me was part of my growth - she showed me how to have fun through the process! And at the last day I really wanted to go to the microphone to share my experience but I was too intimidated by the thousands of people in the audience. Deena walked me to the stage in order to help and support me. She also helped to dress up with a sari for the last day celebration! And when I woke up in the mid of the night to catch my flight back to L.A. she had left a lovely note and her earrings as a gift. That is Deena. And even thou she is in Canada and I am in L.A. we managed to be present in each other lives since that last july in Chicago. 


So a few months ago when she told she was coming to L.A. to attend the Upanishads I was so excited and welcomed her to stay at my home! Sadly yesterday she told me she won't be able to come but she kindly extended her Upanishads registration to me as a gift. I mean I really flirted with the idea of signing up for that course but couldn't afford at this point and often thought to myself "I could only attend this if something magical happen". AND IT DID HAPPEN!

The most interesting things is that I was at the Los Angeles Art of Living center as I received her email! I was there for the volunteer training for the UCS talk where Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Jonh Paul Dejoria (my boss!) and Rob Dyrdek will be talking about 'Business, Ethics & Spirituality" - an event that I am super excited about it! So while I was at that magical place I receive this email with this magical gift... yeah I just cant deny it: life is such a blessing!

So thank you Deena for giving me the gift of knowledge, the opportunity to be once again face to face with my guru and I will make sure to have you in my thoughts, prayers and in my heart from the very moment I walk in there!


Jai Gurudev and much love! Please visit soon!