Dear Younger Me

How many times do you find yourself saying: “I wish I knew______ when I was younger.” I probably do it more often then I'd like to admit. But such is life.

When life gets tough you have to keep going, but sometimes we just need a little motivation to keep us going. Today I was asked to write a letter to the child version of myself about the things that I've learned as an adult for a special motivational post on Miami Now.

I found it very interesting, so I thought I'd share it with you.

The IDEA:

Take a picture of yourself and place it side-by-side to a picture of you as a child or a teen. On a separate piece of paper, make a note of the criticisms of the younger you. On another piece of paper make a list of advice and/or encouragements that you would give a younger you. Save the positive list and keep it nearby as a reminder or update it when facing new adversities.


Hopefully, this will save you or help others who are going through hardships. Here’s my letter and I hope you share your letter with me!

Dear Younger Yamari,

Here are a few things that will help you get through life:

In life you will not always get what you want. Never let anyone tell you you’re not good enough to do something because, although you might not be right for something it has nothing to do with the person you are.

Love yourself for who you are and for who you are not. Be proud of your accomplishments. Never stop dreaming. Learn to forgive. Family always comes first. Friends come and go. Be kind. Be strong. Crying is therapeutic. Live with no regrets. Never stop learning. The older you get the more you’ll understand the importance and urgency of taking care of yourself. There’s only one of you and it should be the very best version of yourself.

Love always,
You

I also want to share my friend's letter:

Dear Younger Michelle,

You can’t plan everything and life doesn’t always happen the way you want. Keep on the path you’re on but be more forgiving to others. Chin up and take the world off your shoulders. You’re only young once, enjoy it! Life is a lesson taught only by experience. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and ask for help. Not everyone is going to like you and that’s OK. Your family and close friends will always be there so remember to say, “I love you,” to them often. I love you and always trust in God!

XOXO

Ps. your brothers aren’t adopted, your bestie will always think she’s right, and mom will always be mom:-)


What would you write to yourself?

GTG's Must-Have Hair Products

One of the most important things to me about myself is my hair. I've always longed for full, thick, voluminous and shiny hair-- you know the kind you only see on actresses in Hollywood. The truth is that kind of voluminous hair mostly exists because of extensions.

I don't personally care for extensions. They're expensive. They're high maintenance. And even though I'm somewhat high maintenance, I just can't afford to keep up with extensions.

So while extensions are definitely not for me, I've learned about a few products, which I use religiously and have helped make my hair healthier and shinier.

And in the past year I have noticed a huge change in my hair's texture. Even hair pros are impressed with the healthy state of my mane. But my hair wasn't always this healthy. And it's taken me a few years to get it to its current state and today I'm sharing all my secrets with you.

The first thing I did on my recovery road was: I stopped dying my hair. Crazy! I know. I used to be obsessed with changing the color of my hair, but as a result my hair was dry and brittle and even worse, it was difficult to manage.

Quitting hair dye was one of the hardest things I've ever done because I get easily bored and changing the color of my hair was always a way of changing my look.

The next thing I did was become more conscious about the hair products I put in my hair.

The following hair products are products I swear by:

OroFluido Beauty Elixir

This product I recently discovered in my Birchbox and I loved it so much I had to buy the full size. This is a product that you can use on your hair whether it's wet or dry and smells amazing.

When used on wet hair it:

• Reduces drying time

• Leaves hair light and silky

• Enhances shine

When used on dry hair it:

• adds instant shine
• controls frizz
• makes hair easier to comb through

Organix Intensive Hair Treatment

This is another product which is really affordable and can be used in different ways. Argan oil is known as a great conditioning treatment to leave hair looking shiny and feeling soft.

Ways to use it:

• Deep ConditioningTreatment - Apply the Moroccan argan oil intensive treatment over dry hair with a wide-toothed comb. Leave it on for up to an hour and use it as a deep conditioning mask. Once you’ve got the mask on, put a shower cap on, and wrap a hot, wet towel around the shower cap. The heat will help the mask penetrate hair even deeper, ensuring maximum conditioning.

GTG Recommendation for deep conditioning treatment: Use it this way only once a month.

• Condition Shampoo Condition Method - Apply Organix over DRY hair with a wide-toothed comb. Let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes than shampoo, condition, and rinse.
• Use as a Conditioner - Apply Organix to wet hair after shampooing. Allow to sit for 3 to 5 minutes then rinse and style.

 

Original Mane 'N Tail Shampoo

Horse shampoo, you ask? And yes it's a shampoo that was originally designed for horses, but can also be used by humans and it works wonderfully.

The shampoo which is rather gentle cleanses without stripping hair's natural oils. You will notice a difference in your hair after using it for the first time! And over time it's gotten thicker and stronger.

This really is the secret to my hair.

Original Mane 'N Tail Conditioner


After shampooing, I rinse and condition my hair. I try to leave the conditioner for a few minutes before I rinse it off to ensure that every strand is conditioned.

This conditioner prevents breakage and can also be used as a leave-in conditioner as well.


GTG's Tips for Healthy Hair:

• Wash your hair every other day. Try to push for every two days if your hair isn't too oily and you can go that long without shampooing.
• Make sure you condition hair after every wash.
• Try to not use too many styling products and styling tools because we know that both heat and chemicals are bad for the hair.
• Brush/comb your hair gently especially when it's wet because that's when hair is susceptible to breakage.
• Take Biotin or other vitamins that aid hair, skin and nails.

Hairfully yours,
GTG

"The hair is the richest ornament of women." - Martin Luther

Take a Journey to India at agua Spa

Sometimes a girl living in the hustle and bustle of a big city like Miami finds herself exhausted and in need of a revitalizing visit to a spa.

But even looking for an ideal place of Zen can be stressful, so what’s a girl to do? Well lucky for you, I’m here to introduce you to the new KeSARI beauty products and treatments which are now being offered at agua spa at the Delano hotel in Miami. Take your inner goddess on a journey to anient India without ever leaving Miami.

The KeSARI Beauty menu offers exotic treatments which are inspired by 5,000 year old Indian traditions and rituals combined with modern technology.  So you can be sure that these glamorous treatments will leave you feeling beautiful because India is known for its gorgeous women.

All of the KeSARI products used at the spa contain saffron, the world’s most expensive spice. Saffron is used to calm moods, make skin glow, aids in clearing up acne and smooths dry skin.

It's even believed that Cleopatra demanded to bathe in saffron before accepting a new lover because it made her feel more desirable!

Check the list of all the KeSARI treatments here. (Bw KeSARI is the Hindi for saffron.)

And don’t forget you can add a 15 minute neck and head massage or a 30 minute customized scrub to any treatment for an additional fee to whatever treatment you choose.

I can’t wait to try out the KeSARI glow facial which promises to leave skin looking supple and more youthful.

If a trip to the spa is not in your budget, you can always visit KeSARI Beauty and buy the very same products used at agua to try at home!

As always stay gorge!

xo GTG!

"Beauty is not caused. It is." -Emily Dickinson

Turning 30: 30 Things Every Woman Should Have And Should Know

I'm constantly inspired by the things around me, but every now and then I see, hear or read something that moves me and I must share it with my friends.

So was the case when I recently read Turning 30: 30 Things Every Woman Should Have And Should Know. The article was originally published in Glamour Magazine in 1997, when I was barely a teenager and nowhere near 30. Time sure does fly by!

Pamela Redmond was the author, but because it became so popular and was passed on so much that it almost lost its origins. Women started speculating that it was written by Maya Angelou or Hillary Clinton.

This year the article was published as a book of essays that features personal accounts by Hillary Clinton, Maya Angelou and other notable ladies that take on the different topics.

BTW: This book makes a great gift for any gal pal who is turning 30!


The Original List: 

By 30, you should have:

1. One old boyfriend you can imagine going back to and one who reminds you of how far you’ve come.
2. A decent piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in your family.
3. Something perfect to wear if the employer or man of your dreams wants to see you in an hour.
4. A purse, a suitcase and an umbrella you’re not ashamed to be seen carrying.
5. A youth you’re content to move beyond.
6. A past juicy enough that you’re looking forward to retelling it in your old age.
7. The realization that you are actually going to have an old age—and some money set aside to help fund it.
8. An e-mail address, a voice mailbox and a bank account—all of which nobody has access to but you.
9. A resume that is not even the slightest bit padded.
10. One friend who always makes you laugh and one who lets you cry.
11. A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill and a black lace bra.
12. Something ridiculously expensive that you bought for yourself, just because you deserve it.
13. The belief that you deserve it.
14. A skin-care regimen, an exercise routine and a plan for dealing with those few other facets of life that don’t get better after 30.
15. A solid start on a satisfying career, a satisfying relationship and all those other facets of life that do get better.

By 30, you should know:

1. How to fall in love without losing yourself.
2. How you feel about having kids.
3. How to quit a job, break up with a man and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.
4. When to try harder and when to walk away.
5. How to kiss in a way that communicates perfectly what you would and wouldn’t like to happen next.
6. The names of: the secretary of state, your great-grandmother and the best tailor in town.
7. How to live alone, even if you don’t like to.
8. How to take control of your own birthday.
9. That you can’t change the length of your calves, the width of your hips or the nature of your parents.
10. That your childhood may not have been perfect, but it’s over.
11. What you would and wouldn’t do for money or love.
12. That nobody gets away with smoking, drinking, doing drugs or not flossing for very long.
13. Who you can trust, who you can’t and why you shouldn’t take it personally.
14. Not to apologize for something that isn’t your fault.
15. Why they say life begins at 30.

And while the original list is great, I felt it needed a little makeover for the 30 year old women of the 21st century, so here's my take on it (I kept all the good advice that transcends time and age. I just updated a few which are in bold pink text.)

GTG's List:

By 30, you should have:

1. A small, but tight knit of friends, who are more like family.
2. A decent piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in your family.
3. Something perfect to wear if the employer or man of your dreams wants to see you in an hour.
4. A purse, a suitcase and an umbrella you’re not ashamed to be seen carrying.
5. A youth you’re content to move beyond.
6. A past juicy enough that you’re looking forward to retelling it in your old age.
7. The realization that you are actually going to have an old age—and some money set aside to help fund it.
8. Take care of yourself and all your personal business: Have a health insurance policy, a life insurance policy and a will.
9. In this economy your resume needs to grab attention and while I'm not encouraging that you pad it, I am saying make it the best you can, so you can get the job of your dreams.
10. One friend who always makes you laugh and one who lets you cry.
11. You should definitely own a black lace bra with the matching panties. Just make sure you know how to change the oil in your car and how to measure the air in your tires.
12. Something ridiculously expensive that you bought for yourself, just because you deserve it.
13. The belief that you deserve it.
14. A skin-care regimen, an exercise routine and a plan for dealing with those few other facets of life that don’t get better after 30.
15. A solid start on a satisfying career, a satisfying relationship and all those other facets of life that do get better.

By 30, you should know:

1. How to fall in love without losing yourself.
2. How you feel about having kids.
3. How to quit a job, break up with a man and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.
4. When to try harder and when to walk away.
5. How to kiss in a way that communicates perfectly what you would and wouldn’t like to happen next.
6. The names of: the secretary of state, your great-grandmother and the best tailor in town.
7. How to live alone, even if you don’t like to.
8. How to take control of your own birthday.
9. That you can’t change the length of your calves, the width of your hips or the nature of your parents.
10. That your childhood may not have been perfect, but it’s over.
11. What you would and wouldn’t do for money or love.
12. That nobody gets away with smoking, drinking, doing drugs or not flossing for very long.
13. Who you can trust, who you can’t and why you shouldn’t take it personally.
14. Not to apologize for something that isn’t your fault.
15. Why they say life begins at 30.

I also would like to point out that the reason I'm sharing this on my blog is because it struck a chord with me. It's simply a good read and by no means is this a mandatory list. So again I hope you enjoy it and share it with all your girlfriends.

I'd like to include one more "piece of advice" and it's something I do my best to live by every day of my life which is to live life with no regrets.

Think of everything that happens in your life as a lesson. Remember it's all the things that happen to us in or the things we choose to bring into our lives that mold us into the people we are.

So don't waste your time feeling regret!

xo
GTG

blo-wn Away

I'm a little spoiled for lack of a better term. I've always said that if I were ever rich and I'm talking about filthy rich I would have a glam team on call. Unfortunately I have not reached that goal yet, but I do love to get glammed up for special events, as I'm sure you do too.

Last Friday, I needed to get myself ready for the launch of Miami Now TV, after weeks of planning and running around to host the perfect party, it was finally my turn to get a little pampered and dolled up for the festivities!

I had been dying to get my hair blo-wed at blo Midtown because I had heard great things about the salon and staff.

Sandi and Kailey are the uber chic and gorgeous owners of blo and they're also sisters, had agreed to sponsor the braid bar at the party. So naturally, I was going to go to them to make sure I had the "blo down."

I left work early that day and headed out to blo located in Midtown, Miami's newest playground . I'm such a patsy for pink, so I was delighted when I saw blo's concept revolves around the color pink!

The entrance

As soon as I walked in I was cheerfully greeted by the front desk attendant, who asked me to take a seat, while my stylist prepared for my appointment.

Front Desk.

In the mean time I made my way to the waiting area, which was pink and white and designed to be very clean and modern. I love clean spaces! The area is stocked up with fashion mags, hair products for sale and a blo menu.

After glancing through it, I decided to go with the "holly-would," a fun and flirty blo with lots of curl and bounce.

Waiting Area.

After a very short wait, my cute blo girl came out to greet me and walked me over to the back of the salon to wash and condition my hair before my blo.

While she was washing my hair, we chit chatted about the look I wanted: lots of volume and waves. I'm usually a sleek and straight hair kind of girl, but I was feeling very adventurous that day. I even ended up with a hot pink pout!

Cute blo girl

Washing station.

Am I the only girl who loves to have her scalp washed and massaged? I swear I could just fall asleep with that kind of attention to my head. So from the washing station, it was on the styling station, which was perhaps one of the prettiest pink things I've ever seen.

I seriously want need a pink vanity set in my new house! 

Styling Station.

I was completely blo-wn away by the service and by the warmth and attention to the clients. I spent the entire time talking to my stylist as well as to Sandi, which I enjoy because I love to meet new people. It also didn't hurt that my blo girl complimented me on how healthy and pretty my hair is.

The final result was a head of gorgeous tresses, which I totally forgot to take a picture of because I left in a hurry. But I do have this picture of my braid, which I got done later that night at the party. I'm not a braid girl but I absolutely loved it!

I also want to mention how awesome these ladies are that by the time I got to my car, which was parked on the same block of the salon, I had received a personalized email thanking me for stopping by. I will definitely be returning to blo Midtown for all of my future needs and I highly recommend it.

Follow my favorite sassy sisters: @themanemuchacha and thecountress who are making big "waves."

My beautiful braid.

"The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries or the way she combs her hair." Audrey Hepburn

A Fab Night at the Bliss Spa at the W Hotel

It feels as though my schedule is jam packed withgoing to fabulous events and I'm not complaining. But it's my duty to show you guys what goes down at these lush events.

Last night I headed out to the South Beach W Hotel for the "Shortcuts to Fabulous Presents Beachwear Bash" hosted by fellow blogger Ginger from Electric Blogarella.

The Invite

Bliss Spa Terrace

The shindig took place on the terrace of the Bliss Spa located inside the hotel. The event was a kickoff to summer and featured swimwear shops from Kariza and Aquarius, as well as the amazing accessories by Septimo Jewelry.

Kariza

 

Aquarius

Septimo Jewelry

Guests were treated to complimentary mini spa Bliss treatments such as hand massages, (my favorite) mini massages, oxygen facials and painless eyebrow waxing (Painless? Is that even possible? I'll fill you in in a minute), while they sipped on refreshing cocktails and enjoyed the grooves being spun by the DJ.

***Note: I tried the hand massage which was about 10 minutes long (I really could've used an extra 10 minutes that's how good it was.) I spend my days typing and writing, so I put a lot of stress on my hands and wrists and this was just what I needed to unwind!

My new and amazingly talented friend Claudia, who designs handbags accompanied me and she tried out the painless eyebrow waxing, which she testified to being completely painless and quick. She explained it was painless because of the product they use, so ladies book your waxing appointments at the Bliss Spa.

***Note # 2: Keep your eyes out for my interview with Claudia who designs Diamantina handbags that are effortless chic and sophisticated.

Bar Area



Bartender spreading cheers.

 

DJ spinning music

Guests enjoying the outdoor event.

As always,  I had a wonderful time and want to thank Shortcuts to Fabulous and the rest of the girls for organizing another amazing soiree!

Until next time!

xo GTG

"For better or worse, I've always tried to march to my own drum and tell it like it is, while preserving some integrity and style. God, I'm fabulous!" Michael Musto



Special Thanks:The Miami Now TV Launch Party

You may have heard about the launch of Miami Now TV  last weekend. And while the party was a complete success, a lot of hard work went into the planning and I, along with the Miami Now TV family thought it was highly important to thank all of our wonderful sponsors and guests!

First and foremost we want to thank Ford for sponsoring the #FordFocusFotos PhotoMingle booth, which was a huge hit with all of the movers and shakers of South Florida.

Make sure you check out the all new techno talented Ford Focus with features that were designed to keep you in control of your vehicle at all times!

Thanks to the great folks of Drinx After Work and Viceroy Miami for allowing us to host our party on that gorgeous rooftop that has views of the city like no other building in Miami. 

The lovely lady behind the Premier Posh Productions company made one-of-a-kind props like the TV set you see in the picture below just for us! Thank you Princess!

Thank you Vitamin Water for providing Miami Now TV's Blogger Bar and Media Center.

Thanks to Sara from popchips. BTW if you're looking for a new snack to sink your teeth into, these yummy chips are it! Everyone loved them!

How cute are the retro TV set and cake pops that Bella's Cake Boutiq designed for us? Totally cute and so yummy!

Make sure you contact Martha of Bella's Cake Boutiq if you need cakes, cupcakes or cake pops! BTW her chocolate cake pops were to die for!

If you were in attendance then you probably had the opp to try some O.N.E. Coconut Water. Who knew you could package the awesomeness of coconut water into a box? Delish and refreshing!

So there's this really great hair salon that's owned by gorgeous sisters, Sandi and Kailey in Midtown and they specialize in blow drying hair and braids. They sponsored a blo-tastic braid bar.

Make sure to book a hair appointment at blo Midtown the next time you have an event to attend. Tweet @themanemuchacha or @thecountress.

A special shout out to DJ Knowledge who kept playing the right tunes throughout the night! And we can't forget to thank Type Styles for providing us with shirts for our production staff!

We also had some amazing giveaways, so we have to thank the folks who were responsible:

• Jet Blue: had two round trip tickets giveaway
• Moon Palace Resort Spa & Golf Cancun: gave away a free 3 night stay in its resort in Cancun, Mexico.
• Adrienne Arsht Center: gave away 2 tickets to The Donkey Show: A Midsummer Night's Disco. 

Lastly the Miami Now TV family would like to thank radio personality Tamara G, and news personality Neki Mohan for their support.

Tamara G, formerly of Two Girls in the Morning

Co-host Vanessa James, Neki Mohan, local Channel 10 anchor and host Michelle Madison

DJ Knowledge and Papa Keith (radio personality)

Recording Artist Teedra Moses (center).

Here are a few shots of our fans:

Stay smart.
Stay sassy. 
But above all stay sophisticated!

xo
GTG

Go-to Guest Blog: A Fella Tackles the New Birchbox Man

Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to @hypergraffic aka Rob, one of my besties. He's giving us the scoop on the first Birchbox Man ever!

Check it out:


Listen up, gentlemen: Birchbox Man is finally here. If you’ve got a special lady in your life who happens to be on the fashion up and up then you’ve probably heard of Birchbox, the online subscription service that delivers beauty samples to her door each month. While I lack a special lady, and (let's just get this out of the way right here) ANY semblance of style, I do happen to have direct line of communication to none other than Your Go-to-Gal. When she mentioned the prospect of receiving a male-oriented version of Birchbox I gave in to my curiosity and registered for the waiting list.

“Well hello there. Oh you’re 49 CFR 173.4 compliant? Me too, I think.”

The Experience

Dat box. It's a nice box, guys. And it's fun to open. Brown and blue cardboard, minimalist design, and you even get to do a little unwrapping. You feel cool just opening this box.

There's an index card inside that lists and explains each of the products, as well as directs you to their website if you'd like to pick up a full sized version, which they ever so conveniently happen to sell. More on that later, though.



The Contents

Inside that box we have:

- .05oz sample of Costume National's "Scent Intense" fragrance. Described as "the mystery and sensuality of amber", whatever that means, the scent itself is a mellow, floral, yet masculine scent that would work well worn during the evening

-3.2oz bar of Kiehl’s Ultimate Man Body Scrub Soap. Made with bran AND oatmeal (this thing will solve a lot of continence issues if swallowed, apparently) it has a fresh citrus scent and does not fail to live up to its name. This bar of soap is not for the fair skinned. Those oats? They scrape your skin. Brusquely, let’s say. And yet it feels great. And smells excellent as well.

-2oz sample bottle of Billy Jealousy’s Liquidsand Exfoliating Facial Cleanser. Liquidsand is right. The fine grain in this face wash is much more pleasant than the typical Clean n Clear that your humble writer might purchase at Target. This cleanser doesn’t have much, if any, fragrance, which is a nice change from that “I feel like I just rubbed toothpaste in my eyes” feeling that most facewash gives you.

-Finally we come to the coup de grace of this inaugural Birchbox Man ensemble: A pair of Richer Poorer socks. “Uhh, socks?” you ask?  This is where the Birchbox Boy is separated from the Birchbox Babe. The ladies just don’t get this type of item in their boxes, which explains why the dudebox is double the price. As for the socks themselves, while simple, they’re comfy enough, and will add some pop to a boring work outfit.

The Problem

Ahh, but it isn’t all roses with Birchbox. While they invite you to visit their website to purchase full sized versions of their samples, their prices are a bit... exorbitant. Consider, for example, the Kiehl’s Scrub Soap, which is available for $13 on birchbox.com. I found it for as low as $9.99 on Amazon.com. I know that $3 isn’t much, but the Costume National cologne was almost half of Birchbox’s price on Amazon.com, for a savings of $63! Though I may find something interesting in my box each month, I can’t consider Birchbox.com a one stop online destination for both inspiration and shopping. Not when I can so easily find these products for less with a simple Google search.

The Future

A question that begs to be answered is: “Did you like what was in the box?” Well, why bother answering that? While I may have liked what was in this box, you could easily hate these products for whatever reason. So a better question might be: “Are you going to continue your subscription?” Yes, I will. And it was those socks that made up my mind. Birchbox played it just right for guys by including these. Standard beauty products probably won’t keep many men coming back. But the promise of a surprise such as this; an element of style the entire world can see, rather than just something you know you scrubbed your butt with, is what will keep your average guy subscribed.

Thanks for reading this guest blog, and thanks to our favorite Go-to-Gal for letting me write it! And find me on Twitter while you’re at it! @hypergraffic