A Wee Hiatus
Posted: May 19, 2012 Filed under: Life Leave a comment »
Due to a rather hectic schedule (between writing, being a Mom, and having some “Me” time), I decided it’d be nice to take a little break from the blog. Just a small one. Maybe two weeks, a month. No more than two!
That said, there’s still plenty of other places you can find me! I’ll be posting a lot on my tumblr, just because it’s easy to do from my phone & sharing pics from my iPhone is something I highly enjoy doing on there.
And of course I’ll be on the twitters, facebooks, and other social networking sites 
This isn’t good-bye, just… see y’all later.
Wordless Wednesday ft. Cake the Cat
Posted: May 16, 2012 Filed under: Photography | Tags: gatos Leave a comment »Since bringing out the D60, I decided that I should take some decent pictures of Cake. We adopted Cake two months ago from Austin Pets Alive! and we are so happy we did. She’s got quite the personality and came to find out that she also absolutely dislikes having her picture taken. After a bit of sweet-talking, I asked her to pose for me. I thought she was going to cooperate, but instead… I got this:
Cake the Cat, posing?
Gosh, I love her.
But here’s a better picture I instagrammed this morning, while she was giving me her stink eye (I accidentally stepped on her tail as I walked into a dark living room this morning).
I see you…
Oh, gato. How I love you, so.
The Nose Knows
Posted: May 15, 2012 Filed under: Products | Tags: review Leave a comment »
I’ve really got to give myself a round of applause, y’all. I’m becoming knowledgeable in the beauty arena. From foundation to shadow (even though I still struggle properly applying shadow), I’m learning about my products and what exactly I’m putting onto my precious face.
But there’s always been something that I have forever been a fan of putting on.
Perfume.
My very first perfume came in a makeup kit that I was gifted by my Mom when I was 8. It struck me a bit odd that she would even allow me to wear makeup, but I guess she figured it was the super cheap, crappy kind that I really wouldn’t be wearing it out. Little did she know that it wasn’t the makeup I was crazy for, but the little bottle of perfume that came with it. I’m sure this perfume wasn’t safe to wear, but I didn’t care. I still remember how it felt like I was applying alcohol, the scent quickly came and left.
Fast forward to my 16th year of life. My Mom has never been a fan of perfume, so I really wasn’t allowed to wear it. I would get my hands on samples here and there, but if I did wear perfume, I would immediately hear her ranting about how I smelled like spicy chile. *sigh* But one of my cousins wore Acqua de Gio by Giorgio Armani one day and my Mom loved it. So much so, I bartered with my cousin to trade her her bottle of perfume for a couple of Nirvana CDs I had. She went for it and I had my first bottle of perfume. *cue the Hallelujah song*
I was stingy with my first bottle of perfume. I was stingy with how I wore it, too. I’ve never been a fan of ladies who slathered on perfume and left a rather suffocating scent trail behind them. “Did you bathe in it?”, I always ask. Now, I like wearing perfume as often as I can. I like smelling pretty. It makes me feel like a lady. I currently have about 15 different scents to choose from. Each satisfying whatever mood I’m in, what can I say? I love having options
I recently joined BzzAgent and was eligible for their Flora by Gucci campaign. I was sent a BzzKit that held three scents. “Inspired by one of Gucci’s most iconic designs, Flora by Gucci: The Flora Garden Collection is a bouquet of refined eau de toilettes, designed to express the multi-faceted personality and depth of emotion of every woman. Glamorous, Gracious, Gorgeous — each fragrance is distinct, yet together all the scents embody the beauty and allure of Gucci’s renowned Flora pattern, originally designed for the charismatic Princess Grace in 1966. Explore each bloom, and express your loveliness, with Flora by Gucci.”
Since the arrival of my kit last week, I’ve been sporting each scent for two days. I even gave my aunts samples and they absolutely love their choice. I’ve got to say that my favorite scent for everyday wear is the pink bottle, also known as “Gorgeous Gardenia“. It is a recreation of the Gardenia flower, hence the name. Embraced by red berries and pears, frangipani flower, patchouli and brown sugar; this scent is sweet for the biggest sweetheart. I especially enjoyed the green bottle, known as “Gracious Tuberose” on Mother’s Day, great scent to wear if you enjoy tea time and hanging out with the ladies for lunch. The base of cistus and white cedarwood made it one of my husband’s favorite scents. Of course, men seem to tend toward woodsy scents. The blue bottle, “Glamorous Magnolia“, had a more fresh scent, like you just hopped out of the shower & rubbed flowers all over yourself. Mind you, if you actually did that, it wouldn’t be so glamorous. With freesia, peony, magnolia and a memorable sandalwood base, this scent is soft and subtle. I can definitely see an outdoorsy girl enjoying this one.
You can find these scents at Macy’s and Sephora (HERE). Go check them out & remember to think of me!
What’s your all time favorite scent??
This is not a sponsored post. BzzAgent provided the Gucci Flora Garden Collection for my review. I was not compensated for this review and was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed come from mi corazón!
Oh-so-Sweet Berry Farm
Posted: May 12, 2012 Filed under: ATX, Food | Tags: farms Leave a comment »Kiddo is finally home! We arrived in Dallas Wednesday, and as soon as my Mom opened the door, Kiddo ran right into my arms. He missed us so, as we missed him. It’s so good to have him back home. I’m a Happy Mommy.
Husband took three days off at work, so we had plenty of time to do whatever we pleased. I decided it was the perfect time to go and finally visit Sweet Berry Farm in Marble Falls, TX., just an hour drive west from Austin. This little farm is a great way to spend time as a family picking strawberries, blackberries and potatoes. Next month, they’ll have tomatoes! We had a lot of fun and Kiddo learned a lot about how much of our food arrives from farm to table. He noticed what hard work picking the fruit was, and came out with a new appreciation for his food. And his passion for gardening was encouraged by this visit. How he cares for his squash, lettuce and strawberries.
I took the opportunity to bring out the D60 along for the ride. Here are some shots from our trip:
Entrance at Sweet Berry Farm
strawberry ready for picking
yummy!
Husby & Kiddo, happy pickers
yummy blackberry
Husby’s first potato picking
tomatoes will be ready for picking next month
It was truly a wonderful and educational experience. Since it was a Friday and still a bit cloudy with slight chance of rain, there really weren’t that many visitors. Which worked for us as we basically had the farm all to ourselves! But I bet when the weather is inviting, there are more things to do, as we saw they had trampolines for kids. They have all sorts of events during the seasons, with fall being a popular one with their hayrides and pumpkin patch. Sweet Berry Farm is a great place to visit anytime. Parking is free, and there is no entrance fee, you simply pay for what you pick (cash or check only). Oh and the strawberry popsicle they offer was amazing, I highly recommend those! I’m thankful for these farms, and definitely plan on visiting others.
Do you live in or around Austin, TX.? Any recommendations?
Have you ever visited Sweet Berry Farm, or a farm similar to this one? What did you think?
Wordless Wednesday: D60-ing It
Posted: May 9, 2012 Filed under: Photography | Tags: wordless wednesday Leave a comment »
*click*
If you don’t already follow me on Instagram (username: atxtrina), you probably didn’t notice the recent DSLR pics I’ve been sharing on there. I once was a fanatic of the DSLR. My muse has since left me and my D60 became my brother’s D60, then the community D60. I was recently looking through old images I had shot and was once again inspired. I guess you can say it’s partially laziness, too. My iPhone 4S takes really good shots, and it’s always with me. To say it replaced my DSLR is pretty accurate (and sad). Pero, no mas!
In attempts to get back into the groove of shooting… I’ll be joining in on ‘Wordless Wednesdays’. This is Click, the D60. Such a handy, trust DSLR. I can’t wait to get back into shooting and viewing my environment in the eye of a photographer.
Love Abounds…
Posted: May 7, 2012 Filed under: Life | Tags: adoption, family 4 Comments »It’s been a week and three days since Kiddo (age 5) has been in Dallas with his grandparents. Yes, I know it’s great for his development. Yes, I know every parent needs time away from their kid. Yes, every night is “date night” with my husband. But, gee golly, y’all. I miss that kid so so much.
The moment we arrived home without him, I broke down and cried my heart out. I sat in his room and prayed for his safety, happiness and overall well-being. I may have been overreacting, but as a Mom, I worry about that kid more than I worry about myself. I knew he was safe in his grandparents’ home. I knew that he was happy and having fun. It’s safe to assume that every parent has that worry built into them. The “what if…” worry bug, where you try not to think of the worst-case scenario and give yourself a heart attack.
Joys of being a parent. 
Needless to say, the first five days were sob sessions. I finally calmed down when we FaceTimed and I saw his bubbly face (thank Jeebus for Apple!). “I think I feel like I want to go home now.”, he said. I wanted to cry, but I knew it would only make him cry. Knowing we were missed was nice… I still find myself longing for the sound of his little giggles. I miss him.
Wednesday cannot arrive soon enough. That’s when my husband and I are planning a quick road trip to Dallas to pick Kiddo up and bring him on home. I absolutely cannot wait to smother him in hugs and kisses!
It’s this love that I have for him that makes me wonder whether I’ll ever be able to love another child. Especially if this child will be adopted.
My husband and I have discussed adopting for quite some time. We’ve decided it’s something we’re both ready and willing to do, especially since there are so many children out there seeking a home to be loved and cared for. We’ve even discussed this with our Kiddo, who has wholeheartedly agreed and looking forward to having a sibling close to his age to call his ‘sister’. We’re currently in the process of finding out how to go about adopting and if it’s truly something we want. We most definitely do not want to go into this willy-nilly.
But that worry, that fear of not loving this child as much as my own concerns me. But then another part of me believes that I have plenty of room in my heart and soul for another child. Even if this child is not from my womb, not a part of myself or my husband. If anything, knowing that I’m giving this child a home, a loving family… it brings me to tears. How can I not love enough when it’s all I want to do?
We know adopting is what we want to do. We know we need more information, as we’ve worked (and continue to work) through the emotional aspect of it. For now, we’re caring for, loving the current ball of awesomeness we call ‘Bubby’. I honestly cannot wait to see him on Wednesday!
Epipheries and Help
Posted: May 4, 2012 Filed under: Life 5 Comments »I think half of my learning experiences have derived from epipheries (Excuse me, epiphanies. Darn you, Michael Scott!). Others have been thanks to my husband. See, I have this awesome knack for getting myself into less-than-desirable situations, and an even more extraordinary talent of finding my way out of them… *sometimes*. My slogan has always been, “Don’t knock it ’til you tried it.”. Oddly enough, this slogan does not apply to new vegetables placed on my plate.
These learning experiences have taught me a lot. I dated terrible guys (after many warnings from friends not to do so). I got a speeding ticket after a car dealer suggested I hit the gas on my car every once in awhile to “break in” the engine. I even found out that broccoli is my favorite veggie (after spending YEARS mentally gagging at the mere sight of it). There was even a time I thought downing three Redbulls before a waitressing shift was a good idea, only to drop two trays of food and spent the night constantly bumping into fellow coworkers AND shoving a customer out of the way on an urgent trip to Tinkle Town.
Point is, we learn through living. We take risks. We make blind jumps and pray/hope/wish things will work out on the way down. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they don’t. But, how will you ever know unless you TRY?
‘Do What You Love’ print by Ugmonk
My most recent learning epiphery happened this week. I accepted a position with a highly reputable company here in Austin. This company, I learned, is truly crème de la crème. As I sat in orientation and training, I thought, “Wow! I can’t believe I’m working here!”. But… something was still gnawing at my heart. Because of this position, I found out I would soon have to minimize (if not altogether abandon) my passion. Not only that, but the most important people in my life would be affected. I felt as though my life would be determined by this company’s needs. I started fearing for my son’s first day of school. What if I had to work on the most important day of my son’s life?! To say I started to panic is an understatement.
I quickly realized that I’m not meant to be a worker bee. That’s not to say I cannot work. When I work, I focus. I give my 100%. I go above and beyond… ONLY if it’s something I truly love. This new job was becoming something I wasn’t able to love. Tried as I might, I could not love it as much as I love freelancing, learning and being home with my family.
Funny how I tried to convince myself otherwise. I kept focusing on the good this company was doing, and the fact that I was part of such an awesome organization. I tried to not pay attention to what I really wanted. Financially, we’re okay. But I even convinced myself that if I did not work, we would not have a place to live. I made things out to be worse than what they actually were. Yes, I can be quite the Drama Queen… hush.
It’s thanks to my loving husband that I was able to refocus on what was most important for me. His reassurance, love and support brought me down from Freak Out Cloud and reminded me what my goals were all along. That said, here I am. Back to writing, editing, brainstorming and learning… all from the comfort of my home and enjoying my family’s presence. If anything, I got quite the confidence boost knowing that such an awesome organization would want to make ME part of their team. I mean, I can be pretty awesome and quite an asset to any company. *insert my blushing, cheeky face here*
I’m pretty excited as I have a few projects in the making that I’m happy to be contributing to. The world isn’t going to end, and we’re not going to starve. I’m blessed to have a man that makes it his number one priority to provide for his family, so his loving wife can chase her wildest dreams. I may not have successfully taken myself out of this pickle… but it’s nice to know I have loved ones dedicated to pulling me out of holes I may have dug too deep for. <3
Hunger Issues, not Hunger Games
Posted: May 4, 2012 Filed under: ATX, Events | Tags: awareness, hunger, latinos Leave a comment »If you live in the Austin, TX metro area, LatinoMetro and I would be ecstatic if you could join us for the Hunger Issues Forum on May 8th, 6pm-8pm at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (aka MACC) from 6pm-8pm. The forum is to raise awareness of hunger in the Latino community during a Town Hall meeting. This event is part of TACORAMA, the 2012 Austin Taco Festival in support of the Capital Area Food Bank.
Council Member Mike Martinez will welcome the audience and they will have panelists such as Jeremy Everett, Texas Hunger Initiative; Juan Sanchez, Southwest Key; and Kathy Green, Capital Area Food Bank. The event will be covered in LATINO Magazine, Latinometro and through their local media partners.
And don’t forget to join us tomorrow at the MACC at 600 River Street for the Cinco de Mayo celebration from 12pm-3pm. Featuring free food, refreshments, music performances by A.J. Castillo (1pm) and TRAMPIA (2pm) and activities for children (can you say BIG PIÑATA?). Please bring non-perishable food items to be collected by the Capital Area Food Bank.
Hope to see you there and ENJOY!
10 Myths about Introverts
Posted: May 1, 2012 Filed under: Life | Tags: 10 things, introvert 2 Comments »I feel compelled to share this, simply because I’m tired of people assuming I’m antisocial or rude. I’m an introvert. Our minds and manners work differently from extroverts. I do not want to be rude, and it’s not that I don’t like you. I hope this list will help others understand how introverts think 
Myth #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk. This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. Get an introvert talking about something they are interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.
Myth #2 – Introverts are shy. Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite.
Myth #3 – Introverts are rude. Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries. They want everyone to just be real and honest. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting.
Myth #4 – Introverts don’t like people. On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have. They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.
Myth #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public. Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG. They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities. They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts.
Myth #6 – Introverts always want to be alone. Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with. They crave an authentic and sincere connection with ONE PERSON at a time.
Myth #7 – Introverts are weird. Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd. They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm. They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy.
Myth #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds. Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.
Myth #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun. Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places. Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up.
Myth #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts. Introverts cannot “fix themselves” and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the human race. In fact, one study (Silverman, 1986) showed that the percentage of Introverts increases with IQ.
***
This list was borrowed from Jerry Brito & inspired by the book The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World by Marti Laney.
Austin Food and Wine Festival
Posted: April 29, 2012 Filed under: ATX, Events, Food | Tags: austin tx, Food, wine 2 Comments »Austin, TX. has most definitely become the Foodie Capital of Texas. From famous top chefs visiting and living here (such as Anthony Bourdain, and Top Chef: Texas winner Paul Qui), to Austin finally holding it’s first Food and Wine festival… when you’re in Austin, you have a plethora of choices when it comes to food, all given the thumbs up by these greats. I’m amazed by the high-quality, top notch cuisine served here compared to my old hometown, Dallas. And just so you know, the food here was Reason #3 we decided to call Austin home!
I had the most amazing honor of attending this year’s food festival, brought to us by Food and Wine Magazine. No one honestly knew what to expect, but needless to say, our expectations were definitely met above and beyond. I had the most amazing samplings from Stubb’s BBQ, Tiny Pies, H-E-B, and Sullivan’s Steakhouse, to name a few. Stella Artois handed out beer in their signature chalice. Chefs like Masaharu Morimoto, Andrew Zimmern, Tony Mantuano and Marcus Samuelsson were signing books. There were demos galore! Gail Simmons had a demo that I unfortunately missed out on 
The bar was full of all the beer, wine, tea and water you could consume. East Side King, mmmpanada and The Peached Tortilla even made an appearance. As you can see, this festival was truly fantastic!
I really have to be honest here, there were a few things that bothered me. I’m not a fan of large crowds. The older I get, the more I realize I’m quite the introvert. So, I wasn’t feeling the crowd too much. But I tried my best to tune them out and just enjoy whatever was placed in front of me, even if people were so rudely shoving me around. Obviously out-of-towners. *sigh* Secondly, there was some gnarly high winds and the grounds they chose to hold this festival was mainly dirt. Talk about a dust bowl. I left early simply because I got dirt in my eyes, ears and it stuck all over my body. I understand they couldn’t control the high winds. But perhaps some advanced planning would have helped? Maybe having the festival at Zilker Park next year would be ideal, too. It’s grassy there. And the whole reserving four-five rows out of eight for the VIP badge holders at the cooking demos did not make sense. People that were waiting an hour or more were lucky to even get a seat in the tent. Only for three rows to fill up with VIP badge holders, leaving two rows for last-minute Weekender badge holders to take and not having to wait. I believe VIP badge holders already have so many perks, the whole priority seating at the demos is one they should consider leaving out next year.
There were pros and there were cons to the whole event. But seeing as how it was their first year having this festival, I understand the whole “learning through living” process. I do hope Food and Wine learned from this year and make next year’s festival even better!
If you would like to see more images, feel free to check ‘em out on my flickr: ATX Food and Wine Festival.
Did you attend the Austin Food and Wine Festival? What did you like/dislike the most?
