This is one of the other looks we shot while we were in L.A. a few weeks ago. This kimono is now on sale for 50% off! Fun fact about this shoot, we got kicked out of this location. Lol. The guard that walks the premises told us that the owner of that development sent him down to tell us we had to leave and that we’d have to pay for permission to shoot there. He also said, and I quote, “People usually pay millions or billions to shoot here.” Lol. Um, yeah ok. Kristina and I just nodded then politely left. So there’s a little-known blogger secret for ya’ll, sometimes you do in fact need to request permission in advance to shoot in some locations, sometimes you have to pay (though never millions, unless you’re shooting a major motions picture or something), and sometimes its free and you can shoot wherever you like. But this guard was so funny. He was serious about those figures too, lol.
I’m SO excited to be sharing this post with you all today! Ladies and gentlemen, this is Tacotarian—a Mexican eatery based in Las Vegas that makes mouth-watering Mexican food, that just happens to vegan. That’s right, everything you just saw in the pictures above is vegan, including the people, lol. This spot opened up just a few weeks ago and it’s already becoming a favorite with the locals. I had been stalking their Instagram page before they launched and was finally able to stop by about a week after they opened. My friend Kat and I met for lunch there and we ordered half the menu, you can see that pic here. We were floored by how good everything was. The tacos are packed with flavor, the enchiladas rival the animal-based versions served elsewhere, and the desserts are not to be missed!
If you asked me for a recommendation I wouldn’t know what to suggest first because the menu is killer and the execution is even greater. BUT, if had to really choose, my first recommendation would be the tacos in this order: the baja, chorizo, chicharon verde, the super taco, and the gabacho. Next, you HAVE to get the frito pie and the takis elotes, both are great for sharing! Also you’re going to want a side of guac because it’s the best in town; I’ve tried a lot of them and this is the one, folks. Lastly, you’re probably going to be full but you can not leave without trying the concha loca and the churros with caramel sauce! Again, great for sharing! Honestly, you can’t go wrong with whatever you decide on.
I love the design of this space. Their branding is modern yet traditional, vibrant, and spotless. It flows seamlessly from the bright shade of turquoise on the benches to the fixtures and the serveware. Even the branding on the paper your food is served on is pretty. Every detail was really well thought out— the Tacotarian team are clearly professionals in their arena. It may have something to do with the fact the Regina Simmons, one of the owners is also part owner of two other popular dining establishments— Firefly, and Tacos & Beer.
Tacotarian also offers aguas frescas, margaritas, beer, and kombucha on tap! I mean do you really need another reason to go? I didn’t think so. Go try it for yourself and be sure to catch my interview with Regina Simmons, on my Instagram soon! And when you stop by Tacotarian, be sure to take a selfie with the sombrero hanging to the right of the bar (you can’t miss it) and tag Tacotarian. You can find Tacotarian in the west side of Las Vegas at the cross streets of Fort Apache and Patrick, which is about 15 min (11 miles) off the Las Vegas strip. I love that it’s off the strip because that means there’s plenty of parking and it’s free! Be sure to follow them on social media below and check out Tacotarian’s Yelp page for more Mexican food goodness!
Hey guys, if you recall I shared this cardigan in my Instagram stories last week and said I’d be sharing it as an outfit soon. Well, here it is. I present to you THE BEST cardigan for fall. This is one of the outfits we shot in Pasadena this past week. By the way, can I just say how much I love Pasadena? The weather was a perfect 86 degrees and as the sun went down, we were greeted by a light cool breeze. The city is so picturesque and two of my favorite things are that it’s the home of the Huntington Library and it also offers a wide variety of vegan dining options— one of my faves is Real Food Daily (yelp them!).
Ok, now let me tell ya about this cardi. This chunky knit oversized cardigan is super soft, cozy, and best of all, it’s wool-free! I can not tell you how hard it is to find chunky knit cardigans for fall and winter. It seems like 90% of all cardigans manufactured are made with wool or other animal materials. For as long as I could remember, I’ve been allergic to wool. I had always loved chunky knit oversized cardigans made of wool. They looked so warm and cozy but I wouldn’t even dare try them on because the times I did, my skin would become so irritated. It wasn’t until I worked at James Perse that I found out I wasn’t allergic to cashmere, so I started buying that. Then last year, I went vegan and slowly started eliminated all animal products from my wardrobe, including all my cashmere pieces. So now when I find a really well made, chunky knit cardigan that’s not made of wool or animal materials, I immediately jump on it. This is one of those pieces. The material is a little heavy, but not in a bad way, it has the perfect weight to it. I love the oversized fit and it has pockets! It also has beautiful movement and pairs equally as well with jeans and a tee. If you buy one cardigan this fall, I would suggest investing in this piece! I’m OBSESSED with it!
Ok friends, I have a few things to share with you all today. First, we shot this look a couple of months ago, but I’m just now getting around to posting it. I absolutely love this dress, and it’s under $100! It’s the perfect blend of rayon and linen. Which means the fabric has a good weight to it and it drapes beautifully. I love a good wrap dress but what sold me on this one were the pockets! Dresses with pockets are just the best, don’t you think? Anyway, this dress comes in 5 different colors; one option is a beautiful, light gingham print. I love the drop shoulder and the midi length. The cut and style are elegant enough to wear it to a more formal event, like dinner. But the fabric and drape make it more casual when paired with flat sandals and casual accessories, like a crossbody bag and a fun, long necklace. I’m so excited for fall weather, but I don’t think it will be arriving here in las vegas any time soon. So this is a good transition piece until then.
On another note, if you follow me on Instagram, you’ll see that my interview on the DM Show Podcast is now live! It was my first podcast ever, and I was so nervous to record! I think it went well overall. Anyway, I linked it in my Instagram stories, but you can also listen to it on Apple Podcasts for free here. We spoke about veganism, vegan lifestyles, vegan babies, vegan fashion and beauty, and a there’s a bit about my personal life. Please go listen to it and let me know what you think!
Also, as you can see, I’ve been adding other types of post besides fashion and beauty. I plan to start sharing more inspirational content with you all. I want to share all the things that inspire me to create a beautiful, happy, fulfilled life, that will help make the world a better place. There’s so much that I have planned and I’m beyond excited to share it all with you. I want to give back. I want to serve others. I want to do work that inspires and uplifts others. If you follow me on Instagram and you read those posts, you’ve seen a little glimpse of that in my latest sponsored post. I’m also working on covering more vegan, cruelty-free brands that are stylish and ethical. So watch out for that and make sure to subscribe to my newsletter so that you don’t miss anything. I’ll have some exclusive content on there including giveaways for subscribers only. Btw, newsletters only go out once every month.
Ok, that’s it for today. Hope you all have a beautiful Wednesday! Thank you to each and every one of you for following along, it means the world to me. 🙂 <3
I have a huge family. There are fourteen aunts and uncles (not counting their spouses) just from my mother’s side of the family. And they’re all spread out across the country and around parts of Mexico. So when the opportunity arises for all of us, or a lot of us, to get together, I really make an effort to show up. When I learned that this weekend a small portion of my family was getting together in Pasadena, I was instantly excited. If you have kids, you know that traveling with them is…difficult, to say the least. The last time we traveled with Athena, our now 17-month-old, she was only nine months old. She was still a baby, so she slept most of the car ride from Las Vegas to our destination near Salt Lake City. But even so, it was SUCH a production traveling with her. A baby’s packing list is soooooooo long. Between sound machines and multiple outfits (because oftentimes they’ll poop so much that it goes up their back and you just have to throw the whole outfit away) and diapers, wipes, breast pump, breast pump equipment, bottles, bibs, Nosefrida, swaddles, nail clippers, shampoo, lotion, the list goes on and on and on. We even took her crib with us. Yep. We did that. Anyway, the car was packed to the brim. But whatever, we did it, and overall it turned out fine.
However, I was not looking forward to doing all that again AND dealing with any new hurdles that might be thrown at us now that she’s a toddler, aka tiny tyrant. But how could I leave her?! I don’t think I can. The trip is only for one night so it should be easy, right? Well exactly, it’s just for one night, so instead of loading our entire house into the car and strapping the baby in for 4+ hours each way on back to back days, we decided it’d be best if I went alone. Insert sobbing emoji. I’ve never left my baby, and I’m honestly not sure how I’m going to handle being away from her for almost two days.
My worry about leaving her is literally giving me anxiety. I’ve been feeling a tightness in my chest since yesterday. I’ve been preparing food to leave behind for her as if I’ll be gone for weeks. I even bought new toys for Marc to distract/bribe her with while I’m gone. And don’t get me wrong, he’s more than capable of taking care of her on his own, but it’s different, you know. It’s different when there are two of us with her than just one. Even though we love her the same and always do our absolute best, it’s like the pressure is on when one parent is away, and the other one forgets how to function at full capacity.
For example, there have been days when I’ve been out of the house for a few hours and come home to find him frazzled and frustrated. He’ll tell me what issues he had with her, and I’ll instantly offer various solutions to the problem that didn’t even cross his mind. And somedays, our roles are reversed where I’m the frazzled one, and he’s got all the answers that would’ve never occurred to me. But like, I said before, it’s not even that that’s causing most of my worry. It’s something entirely different. I can’t even bring myself to write it because I feel like that will somehow be inviting it in to happen. Part of me believes that this type of worry is entirely typical, it’s just a mom’s nature. But the other part of me thinks I’m totally neurotic.
I’ve been practicing visualization recently, the science behind it is super cool. It’s really helped me with other aspects of life. Also, gratitude. I’ve been practicing mindfulness and gratitude which have helped immensely. I recently heard someone say that gratitude and negativity can’t exist in the same place, meaning that when we practice gratitude there is organically no space left for negativity. I think the key here is to keep practicing. But I’m curious what your experiences with this issue have been. What did you do the first time you left your baby behind. How did you handle it? Did everything turn out okay? Have you done it again since then? Please please please leave me a comment down below or on my Instagram and let me know.
Top: Anthropologie | Jeans: Nordstrom (sold out, similar here & here) | Bag: Boutique (nearly identical one here) | Sunglasses: Karen Walker (sold out, similar here & here) | Shoes: Forever21 (similar here & here) | Scarf: Anthropologie
I had of lot’s questions about the details of this outfit when I posted it on Instagram last week and I’ve been dying to share it. This wrap top has the prettiest eyelet trim detail all around the neckline and sleeve. I bought it specifically to shoot a sponsored campaign, which by the way you should check out on my Instagram because we’re doing something awesome to help those in need. I needed a lightweight top that is easy to take care of but with lots of pretty detail so I went with this wrap blouse from Anthropologie. I think it was like, 114 degrees the day we shot this and we were outside for quite some time so naturally, the blouse got soaked in my sweat and wrinkled. So glamorous, right? Lol. Anyway, it doesn’t normally wrinkle that easily, it’s super pretty, and perfect for summer—such a good find!
I’m also obsessed with these little kerchief scarves from Anthropologie. They’re made of cotton (they have silk too but let’s keep our style cruelty-free) and they’re perfect for wrapping up your hair or around your purse like I typically do. Ok, last style obsession for today, these sunglasses. They’re sold out BUT, I linked two very similar pairs from the same designer. Which pair do you like best? I have to go with the gold-rimmed pair, the gold glimmers so beautifully in the sun! I’ve been wearing these non-stop because they go with everything and I love the oversized look!
ICYMI everything I wear and all the products I use are now and always will be vegan.
By the way, I linked some cute bow espadrille shoes that are similar to the ones I’m wearing and the linked options are made of vegan leather. In case you don’t watch my Instagram stories, I decided a while back to eliminate all animal products from my life. This includes shoes, handbags, and accessories that are made with animal products. So now everything I link is 100% vegan and cruelty-free! If you’re curious as to why I went vegan, there’s a post about it and you can read it here.
Ok you guys, today I have a special guest for you all.
Miss Athena Esmeralda joined me for the sponsored shoot we shot right before these pics. She wasn’t supposed to be in these outfits pics but she kept walking over to me, standing right in front of me staring, then asking me to pick her up. Lol, it was so cute. Her nanny Taryn, kept trying to entertain her to get her out of the shot but she just wanted mommy. So I thought I’d include some behind the scenes with Athena today. 🙂 I can’t handle that cute little face!!!
If you’re like me, you have trouble staying motivated and inspired. It’s not easy when there are so many distractions all around you. The news crushes our hopes for a better tomorrow. Social media makes us feel inadequate through comparison. And we can even get lost entirely in the roles others expect of us, mother, daughter, father, employee, etc. Well, today I just want to remind you to take a deep, long breath and remember that you are your unique self, and you deserve to go after all your dreams. The world needs you to create, teach, innovate, and bring more beauty and joy into the universe. Now, do you need some inspiration? Great because I have some for you! 🙂
Today I want to share with you my absolute favorite podcasts. I had coffee with one of my girlfriends a few days ago, and I was telling her about some of these when I realized I need to share them all with you! Honestly, every single episode I’ve listened to has been either super insightful, inspirational, interesting or all three. For those of you with iPhones, do you know that your phone comes with a podcast app and that podcasts are all 100% free?! YEP! Open your phone and look for a little purple icon with a picture of a microphone on it. That’s your podcasts app! Tap on it to open it and search for any of these podcasts to start listening right away. There’s nothing to sign up for or pay for. You just find the podcast you want, tap on an episode title that sounds good, and it will play. It’s the best thing ever! If you don’t have an iPhone, do not fret! There are other easy ways to listen, such as by downloading the Google podcasts app, Stitcher, Audible or any other similar app. You can also listen on your desktop via the podcast webpage. Click on the podcast names below to listen or find them in your podcast app.
If you want to be inspired to unlock your inner greatness, this podcast is the one you’ve been waiting for. Lewis Howes speaks with a variety of phenomenal and inspirational individuals from all walks of life. These conversations are inspiring, enlightening, and valuable. There’s so much to take away from each of these episodes. You’ll be left feeling energized and with a renewed sense of motivation for whatever it is you’re aiming to accomplish. I’m not exaggerating when I say this podcast is a treasure trove of inspiration. Go listen to it now! And while you’re there go ahead and subscribe because you won’t want to miss a single episode.
I love Yoga Girl, aka Rachel Brathen. This is another inspirational podcast that you’ll definitely want to subscribe to. Rachel is so down to earth, funny, humble, inspiring, and overall a great person. After listening to a few episodes, you’ll feel like you know her personally. I sometimes forget we are not actually friends— because she doesn’t know I exist, lol, but you’ll feel like you know as a close friend. She’s built this incredible empire and yet is still so relatable and humble. You don’t have to be into yoga to enjoy her podcast. In fact, most of her episodes are not about yoga. She speaks a lot about self-care, self-development, and mindfulness. And while I’ve been completely turned off by these topics in the past, mostly because it was from people that were disingenuine, Rachel is entirely herself.
One of my favorite episodes is from June 8 of this year, titles “Yoga with Usher and An Emergency Toolkit for Wellbeing.” The toolkit part is what really made me love this episode. It has several wonderful tools you can use immediately to bring inner peace and calmness into your life. It’s so worth listening to, I hope you’ll all check it out. If you want to skip ahead to the emergency toolkit bit, it starts around the 24-minute timestamp. Fun fact: Rachel’s baby, Lea Luna, is one day older than Athena.
If you’re interested in adopting a plant-based diet, or recently went vegan and are looking for some guidance or support, or aren’t ready to take the plunge but want to learn more about a plant-based diet and lifestyle, this is the podcast you want. Rich Roll is well-spoken, easy to listen to, and he interviews the best people on nutrition and athletic performance. I’ve been listening to this podcast for a couple years now, and there are some episodes that I’ve relistened to a few times because there’s just so much information to take in. In one of my favorite episodes, guest Dr. Zach Bush speaks about the history of pesticide use—like Roundup— on crops and the severe ramifications it has on our gut lining as well as on our individual cells.
Are you on a mission to build your empire? Are you a girl? Then you won’t want to miss this podcast. Okay, you don’ have to be a girl to get some information out of this podcast, boys can listen too, but they’ll have to enter a password, jk. If the name Sophia Amoruso rings a bell, it may be because you already know who she is. Have you heard of or shopped at Nasty Gal? Yep, that’s her company. Sophia started selling thrifted clothes on eBay back in the mid-2000’s. After being banned from eBay in 2008, she started Nasty Gal— a company she quickly grew to be worth millions. Girl Boss Radio features interviews with women that are thriving as entrepreneurs and, well, girl bosses. Guests include Charlize Theron, Tamara Mellon (co-founder of Jimmy Choo and fashion line Tamara Mellon), Aimee Song (creator of Song of Style), Miranda Kerr, and Leandra Medine Cohen to name a few.
Editor in Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine, Jason Feifer heads this podcast. If you’ve started a company or are thinking of starting a project, a mission, a brand, or have any type of entrepreneurial goal in mind, you’ll need to listen to this podcast. Jason speaks with entrepreneurs that have overcome huge obstacles in creating their brands. Episode titles include “How do you find your first customers”, “People love your idea, but it doesn’t make money. Now what?”, and “Build an audience without advertising”.
Do you really need me to tell you why you should listen to this one? Lol. It’s Oprah. I feel like that says it all. Okay, let’s get a little more descriptive. This podcast just recently launched and these interviews are different than those on her talk show. Instead of interviewing them, the guests just speak on their own, sharing their story with you. The format is different from other podcasts, this one feels more intimate. Each guest shares how they got into the industry, reached success, overcame adversity, and what inspired them. Guests include Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Justin Timberlake, and Shaq.
You’ve probably already watched a Ted Talk, or several, but did you know there’s a podcast? Yes! The Ted Talks Daily Podcast is a menagerie of talks from all sorts of different categories ranging from health to science to innovation. You can hear from experts in the field of arts, artificial intelligence, medicine, philanthropy, and so much more. There are about 500 episodes currently, with new ones added every day. This is an excellent podcast for those that are interested in a wide range of subjects.
I’m including this podcast for all the mamas that follow me. If you’re expecting or know someone who is, you’ll definitely want to listen to or share this podcast with them. It was immensely helpful to me when I was pregnant. In case some of you are not aware, birthing a baby can be crazy and wildly unpredictable. The creator, Bryn speaks with expectant mothers of all types. You can listen to first-time moms, moms that have had 10 kids, moms that gave birth naturally after a c-section (VBAC), moms that had c-sections after giving birth naturally.
There are interviews with moms that have given birth: in hospitals with doctors, without drugs, with drugs, in hospitals with midwives, at home alone, at home with midwives, in the car, etc. There is such a mixed bag of stories, it’s really very informative and insightful. This podcast really helped me let go of my fear regarding all the things I couldn’t control when it came to giving birth. I thought about some of these interviews during my nearly 30-hour long labor with Athena, and it really helped me surrender to the process of birth.
You guys, these pajamas (#1) are THE BEST. It’s easy to see why they’re a Nordstrom anniversary sale best seller. They’re so incredibly soft and the material is stretchy and just super comfortable. I did a try on session with everything I bought from the Nordstrom anniversary sale. In case you missed it, you can watch it in my instagram story highlights under the style category. I spoke about the style and fit of these pajamas along with several other favorites.
If you’ve not yet tried Zella leggings, you have to take advantage of the sale and pick up a couple pairs! I listed my 2 current favorites, picks 2 & 4. Zella is one of my favorite brands for cute workout clothing. Their pieces are so well made, comfortable, and perform really well. The red zella leggings are to die for. The mesh insert design is so cute, they have a 4-way stretch, and I’m absolutely loving the high waist. If your leggings begin to sag as you’re working out, especially during running, try a high-waisted legging, and of course make sure you’re wearing your correct size. I found that ever since I started wearing high-wasited leggings, I don’t have that sagging problem with them when I run. By the way, I wear a size 8 jean and I got the red zella leggings (pick #2) in a size medium and they fit perfectly.
If you’re looking for shapewear, and even if you’re not, get picks 5 & 6— they’re total game changers! I’ve had the power short midi thigh shaper for over a year now, I wear it under all my dresses. It perfectly smoothes everything out so you get long, clean, smooth lines; it really makes all the difference! I recommend this piece to everyone and it’s on sale right now for under $25. It’s probably my favorite piece of shape ware I’ve ever owned.
The spanx arm tights are also amazing but in a totally different way. I have chubby arms so when I first heard about the arm tights, I was all over it. They really help smooth everything out and they’re perfect for wearing under sleeveless tops and dresses without adding any bulk. Like I said, these are a game changer.
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Top Picks in Accessories & More
I really wish there were more vegan leather shoe options included in the Nordstrom anniversary sale. However, the few that I did find, I absolutely love. Pick #4 is perfect for summer and fall outfits, especially since western style pieces are going to be a big fall trend. Pick #6 is just perfect for fall and winter outfits. They’re such a classic over the knee boot. I actually purchased a very similar pair during last year’s anniversary sale and I wore them with everything, as I plan to do this year. You can see how I styled those similar boots here and here.
I also purchased pick #7 and I love them even more in person. I showed these crawler earrings in my instagram stories, you can see them in my highlights under the style category. I love the effect of wearing multiple earrings without having all those extra piercings so these crawler earrings are perfect. I also love that this pair is plated in 14k gold.
The Nordstrom anniversary sale is the perfect time to buy a pair of Hunter rain boots (pick #5). These boots are my favorite of all the rain boots I’ve tried thus far. I have 3 pairs of them and I LOVE them. They are so useful during the rainy season, and a must have if you live in a rainy climate. They are super well made, VERY durable, and stylish! They’re a little on the pricier side but I alway recommend them when I’m asked about rain boots because I really think they’re worth every penny. I’ve worn them in flooded areas here in Las Vegas during the rainy season, I’ve walked the rainy streets of Seattle with them, and even worn them in the snow during Utah winters. They’re held up marvelously and still look good as new, love them!
I’m loving the selection of dresses in the Nordstrom Anniversary sale. Those that have been following this blog for a while know that I love a good James Perse dress. That’s why I included two of his dresses in my top picks. I wore James Perse dresses all throughout my pregnancy and well before that too. I just love how comfortable and easy to style they are. They’re also very versatile, well made, and the fabrics are always top notch. I’ve been buying them for years so I have a nice little collection and when I got pregnant, I had no need for maternity dresses because all the James Perse pieces fit right over my belly. I have dress number 8 and it’s a good one. The top part is blousy and the bottom is more fitted. You can wear it really casual with sandals and a crossbody or dress it up with wedge espadrilles and cute jacket.
Dress number 5 reminds me a lot of the James Perse dresses but it’s only a fraction of the price. I love these more plain dresses because they’re so versatile. I was surprised to see dresses 1 and 2 on sale because I feel like this brand rarely goes on sale. So if you’ve had your eye on either of these stunning Self-Portrait dresses, buy them now! The Nordstrom Anniversary sale ends August 5th and prices will go up August 6th!
Bodysuit: Yummie | Jeans: AGOLDE | Shoes: Steve Madden (old. Similar here and here) | Bag: I.N.C. (old. Similar here)
We shot this look a few weeks ago during the beginning of summer. It was blistering hot so I opted for an easy, casual outfit that still looked put together. I ended up with this white long sleeve bodysuit, my new favorite pair of ripped denim jeans, and I finished the look off with nude pointed toe pumps and a nude purse. You know those super hot summer days where you don’t really want to wear much or even accessorize because you’re just going to end up covered in sweat? Yeah, this was one of those days.
I really love this body suit though because it has a shaping effect and it’s really lightweight. It’s just barely, slightly sheer but I wore a nude bra underneath and wasn’t worried about it. It’s so stretchy and comfy and I know I’ll also get a lot of use out of it during fall and winter. Long sleeves are typically not a good idea here in Las Vegas but the material on this bodysuit is so lightweight and breathable that the sleeve actually serve as protection from the sun without making you feel like you’re burning up. I love this piece!
