New Music July 2015 Friday, July 10, 2015

Since I was a little kid, music has always been one of my most favorite things. A certain song, artist or album can take you to another place (either past, present or future) or can make you feel certain emotions or feelings (happy, sad, excited or nostalgic). For many years now I have been creating monthly new music playlists as I truly enjoy the process of discovering new music. I typically keep a notebook where I write down music as I download it by month. My old rule for my monthly new music playlists was that I would include music I downloaded by month, regardless of when the song came out. For over 15 years, my buddy Nick, who also shares the same love of new music would challenge me that an old song couldn't be on a New Music Playlist if it wasn't "new". He made a good a point, but my rebuttal was that if it was new to me or had become new to me again, on that particular month, then it still belonged on that month's playlist. After many years of sticking to my philosophy, Nick's POV finally prevails. Going forward I will only include "new" music on my New Music Playlists. I am stubborn, but I finally see the light. Thanks buddy, after 15+ years, I finally agree with you!:-)

And now without any further ado, my New Music July 2015 Playlist...

Listen to New Music July 2015 on Apple Music;
https://itunes.apple.com/us/playlist/new-music-july-2015/idpl.8d2eff0c5d1048aca4ce8830c8f91aa4

1. Giorgio Moroder - Tom's Diner (feat. Britney Spears)
2. Saint Motel - My Type
3. Echosmith - Bright (Lost Kings Remix)
4. Zedd - Papercut (feat. Troye Sivan)
5. Major Lazer - Lean On (feat. MO & DJ Snake)
6. Giorgio Moroder - Right Here, Right Now (feat. Kylie Minogue)
7. Gallant - If It Hurts
8. Hilary Duff - Breathe In. Breathe Out.
9. Nick Jonas - Avalanche (feat. Demi Lovato)
10. Shamir - On the Regular
11. Andy Grammer - Honey, I'm Good
12. John Hancock Iii - Left Me
13. Omi - Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix Radio Edit)
14. Beck  - Dreams
15. The Do - Trustful Hands
16. Wet - Don't Wanna Be Your Girl
17. Rachel Platten - Fight Song
18. Kelsea Ballerini - Love Me Like You Mean It
19. Hilary Duff - Night Like This (feat. Kendall Schmidt)  

Hope you all enjoy my New Music July 2015 Mix. I'm already hard at work on next month's mix. What are some of your favorites and/or is there a certain song or artist I need to research? Seriously love this stuff so all recommendations are appreciated!!! Thanks #fabfriends!!!:-)

Liomir

Ultimate Summer 2015 Mix Saturday, June 27, 2015

Happy Summer Solstice Fab Friends!!! Summer is my absolute favorite time of the year for so many reasons... I love long days, boardshorts,  flip-flops, sunglasses, driving top down, bronzed glowing skin, sun tan lotion (especially if it smells like coconut or pina colada), swimming, beach days, hanging poolside, BBQ's, Happy Hour, Margaritas, Mai Tai's (or any cocktail with an umbrella, really), bright colors (especially Hot Coral), sun rises, sunsets and of course Summer jams. The Summer months puts everyone in a better mood, gives everyone more energy and quite simply just makes everyone feel more alive. As we start this amazing season I've put  together the Esssential Summer 2015 Soundtrack to ensure everyone has a blast throughout this amazing season. Enjoy and please let me know your favorites. Let's make Summer 2015 unforgettable and don't forget to use the fabliving hashtag as you Instagram or Face Book all of your Fab Summer moments!!!

Summer 2015 Essential Playlist;

Listen to Summer 2015 on Apple Music;
https://itunes.apple.com/us/playlist/summer-2015/idpl.98f275a4bda04b7b8edff69deb298b92

1. Jason Derulo - Want to Want Me
2. Rihanna + Kanye West + Paul McCartney - FourFiveSeconds
3. Jess Glynne - Hold My Hand
4. Giorgio Moroder - Deja Vu (feat. Sia)
5. Twin Shadow - I'm Ready
6. Allie X - Prime
7. Tori Kelly - Nobody Love
8. Ella Henderson - Glow
9. Florence + The Machine - Delilah
10. Tinashe - All Hands On Deck (Remix) (feat. Iggy Azalea)
11. Mizgin - If I Said I'm In Love (Suicide)
12. Skrillex & Diplo - Where Are U Now (feat. Justin Bieber)
13. Madonna - Living For Love
14. Ciara - Give Me Love
15. Icona Pop - Emergency
16. Fences - Arrows (feat. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis)
17. Taylor Berrett - Hypontize Me
18. Seinabo Sey - Younger (Kygo Remix)

Happy #fabliving #fabfriends!!!!!

Liomir

Fab Friend Amanda Sunday, June 14, 2015

I met Fab Friend Amanda on Halloween night 2001. Amanda was working at Frederic Fekkai in Beverly Hills with my fab friend and roommate Dana. We had been invited to a party at our friend Kaitren's house. Dana dressed up as a cowgirl and I dressed up as a skier. Halloween is not one of my favorite holidays, however Dana and I did our best to create costumes with items in our closets. I wore an orange ski sweater I had purchased at the Gap, nylon pants, puffy vest and a pair of Dolce and Gabbana chrome wrap-around sunglasses. I thought I pulled off the ski look quite well, however true skiers might disagree. Dana put together a cowgirl outfit with a pair of overalls she found in her closet, one of my Western shirts and a straw hat I owned. We were now ready for Halloween. Dana informed me that her friend and co-worker Amanda wanted to drive with us and we were soon on our way to Amanda's apartment. When we arrived Cruella de Vil was waiting outside and that is when I met Amanda.

Making best friends is similar to falling in love and with Amanda it was definitely love at first sight. We quickly identified we had similar taste in music, shared the same sense of humor and both had a passion for life. Before long we were playfully making fun at each other. She wasn't buying my Ski Costume and told everyone at the party that I was a Raver. Her interpretation of my costume was more spot on than my original efforts and we ended up having an epic night.  Our crew is pretty tight and we are not always looking for new recruits, however Amanda soon became a part of our fab posse. It is difficult to find people that mesh with all of your friends, however Amanda quickly won everyone over.

At the time, Amanda and I were both single and living in West Hollywood. We were both extremely social and loved trying new spots. Lucky for us there is no shortage of Hot Spots in Los Angeles and Amanda and I were determined to always be at the hottest spot in town, regardless of whether or not we were on a list. We were out most nights, laughing, dancing, drinking and of course fabliving. We have had epic nights, incredible experiences and have created some of the most amazing memories together. We have traveled the world (Maui, New York City, Nantucket, Napa, San Francisco, Palm Springs, San Diego, Portland, Tulum) and have been together through some of the most important moments of our lives. She is one of my most favorite people and one of the best recruits this group has ever had. Thank you Dana.

Amanda now lives in Portland with her fab husband, Nate and two gorgeous daughters, Leighton and Fiona. We unfortunately, don't get to see each other as often as we would like, however when we do, it is as if no time has passed. Today is Amanda's birthday and although we are in different states I wish her the most fabulous of birthdays and look forward to a belated celebration soon. Happy Birthday Amanda. Loving you is easy my sweet friend and former partner in crime!! Can't wait to see what crazy shenanigans we get ourselves into next!!!

Liomir

Fab Friend Tia Wednesday, June 10, 2015

When I was 19 years old I started working for Guess at SCP (South Coast Plaza). I had just started my 2nd year in college and life was good. The Guess brand was incredibly popular at the time and the store was staffed with some of the coolest people I had ever met. That is where I met my best friend, Tia Lambert.

I had been working at Guess SCP for 6 months when a stunning brunette with legs for days walked into our store. Her name was Tia Lambert. She was born in Canada, raised in Newport Beach and was about to start her 2nd year at Orange Coast College. Tia had worked at Nautica in Fashion Island with one of our Assistant Managers and came highly recommended. She had been a star Volleyball player at Corona Del Mar High School and was also voted Homecoming Queen her Senior year (she hates it when I tell people this, but I love it.:-)). Tia was the full package; beautiful, smart and funny. She was immediately hired and soon after became a part of my work group of friends. Prior to Tia's arrival Michael was my best friend at the store, however John and Jeannie were also part of our clique. We quickly recruited Tia to the group and before long the 5 of us were hanging out all the time. We were all very close friends and everyone at the store referred to us as Sigma Alpha Guess?. About a year later Michael was accepted into the Political Science Program at George Washington University in Washington D.C. and Tia was accepted into the Art Program at UC Berkeley. I was enrolled at CSULB (California State University, Long Beach) and didn't like the idea of not having my two best friends around the following semester. I too needed an adventure and soon decided to study abroad in Paris. It was an exciting time for the three of us. I didn't hear much from John or Jeannie during my time abroad and lost touch with them after my return home. Tia eventually graduated from Berkeley and moved to San Francisco. Michael graduated from George Washington University and made D.C. his permanent home. I graduated from CSULB and moved to Los Angeles. The three of us have always been incredibly driven and passionate people. We each pursued different careers, however have always remained close friends. 

Tia is truly a special breed. She is loyal, thoughtful, caring and has a heart of gold. She is immediately liked by everyone that meets her and in 20 years of friendship I have never heard a single person say a negative word about her (myself included). Truly impressive and something every single person that knows her will agree with. She is honest, sincere and makes you want to be a better person. I love her to death and am honored to call her my best friend.

Today is my fab friend, Tia Lambert's birthday and I hope she has the most fabulous of birthdays as she is one of the most fabulous people I know. Happy Birthday Sexy Bitch!!!! I love you too pieces and could not imagine my life without you.

Liomir

Fab Friend Wendi Tuesday, June 09, 2015

Today is my gorgeous and uber fab friend, Wendi's birthday. Wendi is one of my most favorite people in this world. I am blessed to have her in my life and beyond privileged to call her one of my very best friends.

In Fall of 1996, I was working for Guess at SCP (South Coast Plaza). That season Guess introduced their new Guess Italia Collection and in order to get the company's top employees trained on this new line the company decided to have a fashion show at the SCP location.  At the time Wendi was working at the brand's Brea store and had been chosen to be one of the models for this mini fashion show. She was confident, beautiful and delivered on all levels. This was the day I met Wendi. 

A few months later I was recruited to work for BCBG at Fashion Island where I met and quickly became friends with Fab Friend Rhonda. Rhonda was coincidently one of Wendi's very best friends and we were soon reacquainted. It wasn't long before I was introduced to the rest of Rhonda and Wendi's posse. Like I've stated before, fabulous people hang out with fabulous people, therefore I quickly became a part of this fab group. We are all extremely social individuals with big personalities and the good times/fabliving quickly began. It was not long before Wendi became one of my closest friends. We were all young kids in our early twenties and looking back I now realize how fortunate we are to have found each other at such a young age. Most of us relocated to Los Angeles after graduating college and Wendi was one of my partners in crime as we navigated through our new city/home. We have been together through many adventures and have consistently remained close. We have had countless good times and unforgettable memories together, many of which could be incrementing, not mention incredibly embarrassing to document, however a few stories may come out when this blog becomes a screenplay...  

I can not think of a better person to have by my side as we continue our journey through this crazy thing we call life. She is one of my nearest and dearest friends and I look forward to many more amazing times and fabulous experiences together. As we get older it becomes more and more difficult to get the whole crew together, however this upcoming Saturday all of our friends will be reuniting to celebrate our beautiful friend Wendi's birthday. It will truly be a special night as Wendi is one of the very best friends a person can ask for. Lucky for me, I'm one of those person's. Happy Birthday my Fab Friend!!!! Loving you is so easy.

Liomir

#pineapplesaresohotrightnow Saturday, April 25, 2015

Today we shot our first ever Fabulous People photo shoot. I could not be more pleased with how the day turned out and can not wait to share these images with all of you, my #fabfriends.

It was a stressful day, however seeing the product come to life with actual Live models (@jessstalker and @thatfamiliarface), in a professional studio (@concretestudiosLA) with an experienced photographer (@snaplord) was beyond exciting.  We are now that much closer to launching the Fabulous People website and after many months of hard work and sleepless nights I could not be more excited for my family, friends and hopefully the world to see everything I have been working on. I hope to accomplish a great deal with this website and therefore, have been obsessing over every single detail as my goal is to present a well-thought out website and collection that is reflective of the Fabulous People brand and lifestyle.

For my first collection I wanted every piece to serve a purpose and be something I 100% believe in. After reviewing and sampling lots of different options I pulled the trigger and selected 17 different items. I have worked in retail/fashion for 20+ years and feel confident that I have selected the very best style in each body/silhouette I am offering. "Fabliving" has been a catch phrase I have been using and hash-tagging for several years now so when deciding how to best present a cohesive collection it was a no-brainer to add "fabliving" to each item. I bought the fabulouspeople.com domain 13 years ago and always knew it would be a great platform for me to showcase my talents and passions. "Fabliving" is the first collection I am introducing however, the plan is to eventually offer many different collections under the Fabulous People, LLC umbrella. This is only the start as I have tons of ideas. I truly hope the first collection is a success as I am already busy planning the SU15 collection. Back to Saturday's photo shoot... 

After weeks of planning and research it was time to photograph the collection. I hired Michael Robles as my photographer. I had worked with Michael a few months prior on a photo shoot for Paw Clawset (www.pawclawset.com), a lux clothing and accessories brand for medium to large dogs. I have been working as Creative Director/Brand Manager for Paw Clawset for the last six months and had hired Michael to shoot their SP15 Collection a few months prior. I loved what he did with that photo shoot and knew he would be perfect for this project. Michael's work is amazing and he is fast gaining great attention (@arianagrande follows him) and exposure (his work is featured in April's British Vogue). He is one to watch and I am thrilled he was able to shoot Fabulous People's first collection. After securing a photographer, we decided to shoot at Concrete Studios LA (http://www.concretestudiosla.com/). Concrete Studios is located in the arts district in DTLA (Downtown Los Angeles). It's a great space with lots of natural lighting and would be the perfect locale for us to photograph the "fabliving" collection. Next we needed models. The collection features 13 Female, 10 Male and 3 Kid looks. There was no doubt in my mind that Alexia, my gorgeous niece and Ryland, my handsome nephew would be my Kid models. For the male model my buddy Kerry (@kerrymmitchell) suggested his friend Caleb and for the female model I decided to use my dear friend Jessica. #fabmodels

Now that a photographer, a studio and models had all been secured the next step was to put together clean looks and a shooting schedule in order to guarantee all necessary shots/looks were successfully captured.  My bestie Rhonda (@rhondaspies),  a well-known celebrity stylist at The Only Agency in LA (http://theonly.agency/portfolio/rhonda-spies) came over and together we selected and finalized each of the looks the models would be photographed in. Every detail had now been planned. I have now directed/assisted several photo shoots and knew I needed a trusted first assistant on set to be a second set of eyes and to help ensure every detail was on point. My buddy Kerry (http://www.kerrym.co/), a stylist, fashionista and clothing designer offered to help. We were now in business.

The day started promptly at 10am. Michael Robles (photographer) was the first to arrive and he was busy setting up his camera and lights when Jessica Stalker (female model) and I walked in. Jessica had met me outside of the studio and helped me unload my car and get all clothing and props onto a rolling rack before we entered the building. As Jess and I organized the rolling rack and discussed her looks for the day, my sister, Mairim (@mairim_g), brother-in-law Andrew, niece Alexia and nephew Ryland walked in. I quickly told everyone the game plan and we were soon taking fab photos of the entire collection. An hour later Kerry arrived to help assist in any way he could and by noon Caleb (male model) was also on set. Everyone killed it and all necessary shots were captured. Amazing work by everyone. Solid team and solid results.

What a day!!!! Exhausting, but also very satisfying. Tomorrow I will approve all of the needed images for the website. Michael will then begin cleaning the selected images and making them website ready. This upcoming week will be crazy as we push for a May 2nd launch. Can't wait to hear what you all think. Countdown...

Liomir 

Coqui Coqui Friday, April 17, 2015

I adore fashion, music, art and travel. I love being in the know and thoroughly enjoy staying current with trends and all things pop culture related. I am extremely passionate about the things I love and equally passionate about the things I don't. I have a strong POV on these topics and rarely not have an opinion about something. I have a minor in Comparative Literature, however soon after graduating college I traded in my novels for magazines. I love reading books, however my love of life, fabliving and staying current has made me replace most books for magazines. After graduating college I started reading pretty much every Fashion, Entertainment and Lifestyle magazine I could get my hands on. I currently subscribe to over 20 magazines and rather than getting these publications on my ipad as my brother-in-law who happens to be an Environmental Lawyer keeps encouraging me to do, I simply can't. When reading magazines I love ripping out tear sheets whenever I come across something that inspires me or that I want research further. I now have countless folders with different headers like, "Music", "I Want", "Food", "Travel", "Fashion", "Inspiration", "Research" "Products", etc. When I read a magazine I typically rip out a few pages for various reasons, however if something is worthy of being ripped out then I file it in it's corresponding folder for me to research or reference at a later date. I'm extremely visual and typically have a photographic memory for certain things. My tear sheets are one of these things. It's as if my brain knows it must be important if I bothered to rip it out of a magazine. I might forget a specific detail about something I read, however I typically know which folder I filed a certain tear under should I want or need to reference it later. This is exactly the case with Coqui Coqui.

In June, 2008 Sarah Jessica Parker was on the cover of Vogue. That I didn't remember, I'm not that good. One thing I did remember was that years ago I had read an article in Vogue about a place in Tulum, Mexico called Coqui Coqui (www.coquicoquiperfumes.com/) where one could buy the most amazing scents. I didn't realize until just now when I started writing this blog post that it had been that long since I read that particular article in Vogue. I obviously never forgot about Coqui Coqui. Today I went through my folders and found that particular tear sheet, which is why I now know the date and cover of the particular article.  

I'm pretty obsessive about my beauty regime, actually who am I kidding, I'm pretty obsessive about everything I do. My favorite scent, since I can remember has always been the smell of Coconut. Of course there are many scents I love; Cucumber is my second favorite because of how soothing and clean it smells and love anything that smells spicy (Viktor and Rolf Spicebomb is my current favorite cologne), but Coconut has always been my favorite. My daily beauty regime isn't complicated, however it is consistent and as you can guess includes many coconut products. I use OGX Nourishing Coconut Shampoo and Conditioner, Laura Mercier Coconut Almond Body Scrub, Mountain Ocean Skin Trip Body Moisturizer, Bath and Bodyworks Waikiki Beach Coconut Body Spray and as of a month ago, Coqui Coqui Perfumes Coco Coco.

I never forgot this article in Vogue or Coqui Coqui. I never forgot that it was in Tulum, Mexico, therefore for the last 7 years it was on my list of places to visit. This past year when #fabfriend Rhonda wanted to go somewhere amazing for her birthday I suggested Tulum and it stuck. Before long the wheels were in motion and we were soon planning this fab trip. We visited Tulum in late February and it was in fact amazing. Tulum is one of the most picturesque places I have ever visited, and aside from experiencing this trip with some of my very best friends another highlight was the fact that I finally was able to visit this world famous beachfront boutique hotel, spa and perfumery Coqui Coqui. This place is small, however did not disappoint as I was finally able to get my hands on their delicious and incredibly sexy Coco Coco perfume. Success!!!!

Travel and creating new memories is one of life's greatest pleasures. I suggest starting a folder of places you want to visit and regardless of how long it takes to get there, keeping adding and revisiting your "Travel" folder often as there is no greater motivation or joy in life than visiting and experiencing new places. What's on your #fablist of places to visit? #fabliving

Liomir

Fabliving Collection Friday, April 03, 2015

Fabliving product is here. Today I picked up most of my fabliving inventory and things are starting to feel real. It's insane how long this process has taken, however I could not be more excited and proud of how everything is coming together. For my first collection I really wanted the assortment to be tight (not literally) and right. My buddy Chuy (@extrachuy) often tells me that I'm doing the most. I've worn many hats throughout this process of getting Fabulous People off the ground, however through it all I've been very careful to make sure everything is well thought out and perfectly executed. Seeing my collection today I feel confident that I've done just that. I wanted to make sure that every piece served a purpose and that the collection as a whole was perfectly curated and felt cohesive. I'm thrilled for my family, friends and supporters to see the final collection and better yet for them to wear all of the pieces I've included. The collection consists of 17 total pieces. Each item has been selected because it is the very best blank in that particular body/silhouette. To launch I'm offering 10 Adult styles (1 Men's, 4 Women's and 5 Unisexy), 3 Kids (Onesie, Sweat Pant and Zip Hoodie) and 4 Bags (1 Tote and 3 Duffels). I can not wait to see which styles and categories perform best. I already have several great ideas for Summer and Fall and really hope Spring performs well so I am able to continue growing my assortment. Truly exciting stuff. This project has been a ton of work, however has also been incredibly fun and rewarding. I hope you all love it as much as I do. Feedback is always welcomed so please keep it coming. Excited to hear what you all think.

What's everyone's favorite piece? Comment below or send me an email. Looking forward to reading your responses. Many Thanks to my amazing family, friends and supporters who have made this dream possible. I honestly could not have done it without all of the Fabulous People in my life. #fabliving

 Liomir

Fab Friend Claudia Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Today is my Fab Friend Claudia's (@claudiadisomma) birthday. Claudia is one of my sister's recruits and best friends, however soon after meeting she and I upgraded ourselves to best friend status as well. My sister and I are very close so it is no surprise that we now share most of our friends. Claudia has always been there for my sister and aside from her being fabulous on her own right, that loyalty makes me love her even more. Through the years we have shared some amazing times as we have each grown into the successful adults we now are. I may or may not still be working on this, but I digress. Through the years we have had some amazing times, including Napa and San Francisco for New Year's, San Francisco and Napa for Mairim's 30th, a few other NYE's spent together both pre and post husbands and of course lots of joint birthday celebrations. Our birthdays are one day apart so we have been fortunate to have had some epic joint birthday parties, one of which ended with a trip to Cedar Sinai, but that's a different story for a different blog. Through it all we have created many great memories and have shared lots of laughs including the time I got stuck on the freeway during a bomb scare on my way to Bayside in Newport Beach for brunch.  I'm still sticking to that story as my traffic excuse is no longer believeable or tolerated. Good times indeed. Several years ago Claudia married her best friend Mark who just so happens to be one of the greatest guys. Mairim and I were fortunate to be a part of their wedding party in Cabo.  Their weddings was ridiculously fun and inspiring as we saw two of our best friends tie the knot. Claudia is practically family and the Martinez's love to travel so my entire family (Mom, Dad and Abuela) booked flights and hotel rooms in Cabo for Claudia and Mark's big day. It was such an amazing week in paradise spent with family and best friends. Truly a fabulous vacation and a fabulous wedding. Today, Claudia and Mark are proud parents to a gorgeous little girl, Isabella. She is an absolute beauty and Claudia and Mark are of course the most amazing parents. I don't get to see them or Isabella as often as I would like, however when we do it's like no time has passed. They are two of the most fabulous people I know and I am so happy to have them in my life.

Happy Birthday my Fabulous Friend, Claudia!!! Wishing you nothing, but the best today and always!! We need to plan another joint celebration soon. Love you lots my dear friend.

Liomir

Hollywood Reporter Power Stylists 2015 Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Fab News...two my very best friends, Wendi and Nicole Ferreira (@wendiandnicole) just made the Hollywood Reporter's Power Stylists 2015 list. Every year the Hollywood Reporter identifies the 25 Most Powerful Stylists in Hollywood and for the second year in a row (three years total; 2012, 2014 and 2015) Wendi and Nicole have been selected to be a part of this prestigious group. Wendi and Nicole started their careers as stylists in the early 2000's soon after we all moved to Los Angeles. Year after year their roster of celebrity clients gets bigger and better. They started their careers dressing Sheryl Crow and Ellen DeGeneres (NBD) and have continuously built their list with some of Hollywood's biggest names.

Wendi and Nicole are currently part of The Wall Group Agency and their current roster includes, Channing Tatum, Elizabeth Banks, Chris Pine, Josh Hutcherson, David Oyelowo, Anna Faris, Octavia Spencer, Pierce Brosnan, Rosario Dawson, amongst many other Hollywood A-listers. I could not be more proud of all they have accomplished and their continued success. It is so exciting seeing two of my very best friends doing so well in such a demanding and competitive industry. They are often featured in many fashion/entertainment magazines and always #killit with their clients. These girls are the real deal. The quality of their work and taste level is top-notch, however their loyalty and commitment to their clients truly sets them apart. They are hard workers who always deliver without compromising their vision or goals for their clients. They continuously impress and somehow make it all look easy and effortless, regardless of their workload. For the 2015 Academy Awards they dressed no less than six of Hollywood's finest stars (Anna Faris, Octavia Spencer, Channing Tatum, Chris Pine, Josh Hutcherson and David Oyelowo) for the Award Show and countless others for after parties. Amazing work. Bravo ladies!!!

Aside from being ridiculously talented, Wendi and Nicole are two of the most beautiful, intelligent and all around fabulous individuals. We have grown up together and their passion and energy is always contagious. Some of the best times in my life have been spent with these ladies and I look forward too a lifetime of  memories with them. They are always a good time and of course are always impeccably dressed for any and all occasions. They are two of my partners in crime and I am fortunate and blessed to have them both in my life. Lots of #fabliving with these two as they 100% embody and embrace the fabulous people lifestyle.

Congrats my dear friends. Well deserved honor. I could not be more proud of your accomplishments, but more importantly, I could not be more proud to call you both friends. Loving you is so easy. Keep up the good work #fabfriends!!!

Liomir

Obsessed With Music Friday, March 13, 2015

 

 

 

 

The Sweetest Thing Friday, March 06, 2015 1 Comment

I didn't know what I was going to write about today and then I started reading February's Real Simple Magazine and today's topic became obvious. In the first few pages the magazine asked it's readers, "What is the sweetest thing that a loved one has ever done for you?".  After reading several responses (and getting a little choked up...I know I'm such a sap, haha!) I decided to ask myself the same question... I feel truly blessed in saying that answering this question is not easy as I truly am fortunate to have had so many "sweet" things done for me throughout my Fab life. Life gets busy, but it's important to take time out to reflect and give thanks to the people in our corner who truly empower and inspire us to become better people. Let's try this again...

What is the sweetest thing that a loved one has ever done for you?

The more I think about it, the more I realize how blessed I am to have the parents that I do. My parent's have always supported my sister and I in all of our dreams and goals. They have always been our biggest fans and have taught us that anything is possible.

Let me give you a little background on my upbringing. My parent's fled communist Cuba in 1980 in order to give my sister and I, a better opportunity and life. I had just turned four years old and my sister was two. My dad's entire family had left Cuba in 1959 after Fidel Castro took leadership of the country and made Cuba the first communist country in the Western Hemisphere. My father, however did not leave the country as he did not agree with this new regime and wanted to make a difference. He joined a group who attempted to overthrow this new communist government and get Castro out of power. My father's attempt was unsuccessful and his capture resulted in him being arrested and placed in jail for 15 years as a political prisoner. In 1977, my father was released from prison and when the opportunity presented itself to leave the country in 1980 my parent's took it. Relocating and starting a new life in a foreign country would be difficult, however my parents knew that this would be their chance to give their two small children a better life. I was too young to remember the struggles my parents went through after immediately arriving in the United States. They were now in a new country where they did not speak the language or know the customs. Through hard work and determination they made it work. They purchased a home a few years later, after working several jobs to provide for their family they started their own business and put their children through college. They are an exceptional example of the American dream.

My parents have worked extremely hard and have sacrificed greatly for their family. Because of our young ages my sister and I were quickly acclimated to our new lives and were protected and sheltered to any of the struggles or hurdles my parents surely went through. All I remember and know is that my sister and I have always been supported and encouraged to pursue any/all of our interests and aspirations. I was a soccer player, I played the violin, in the 5th grade I pursued filmmaking and in the 7th grade I was a journalist. My parents funded and supported all of these interests and hobbies. They were the parents that came to every game, every recital, drove my friends and I to "film locations", award shows, TV and radio studios, etc. My sister and I grew up in an artistic environment where all of our interests and activities were praised and encouraged. No dream or goal ever seemed out of reach or impossible. This unconditional love and support has allowed my sister and I to become the people that we are today. I still dream big and my ambitions and passions are still larger than life.

Back in November I was at my parent's house and they asked me about work. My parent's have always complimented my work ethic and passion for the projects I've been involved with. I told them that I was tired of making other people money and was ready to start my own thing. My father didn't skip a beat and immediately told me that my mother and him have worked extremely hard to create a great life for our family. He said he was proud of all that I had accomplished and if I thought I was ready they would support me 100%. Knowing that I had my parent's blessing and support made it a no brainer. I put in my notice that Monday morning and have been working nonstop to make Fabulous People successful ever since. Not many people get the opportunity to truly explore their passion and dream. Knowing that my parent's are willing to support me in all ways until this project takes off is truly the sweetest thing a loved one has done for me.

I could not be more appreciative for their constant love and support, but more than that for the confidence they have instilled in me since I was a child. Starting Fabulous People, LLC has been a scary (and exciting) endeavor, however knowing that I have my family's unconditional love and support keeps me focused and incredibly motivated. Thank you Mom and Dad for always believing in me (especially now).

I challenge you all, my Fab Friends to ask yourselves the same question. Please feel free to share your responses with me. Happy Tuesday.:-)

Magical Tulum Sunday, March 01, 2015

On Thursday, February 26th, 2015, I left Los Angeles with seven of my very best friends (@rhondaspies, @leanna_azzolini, @wendiferreira, @ndf1227, @dana.dragna, @amandavanhook and @ajrboots) en route to magical Tulum, Mexico. Fabfriend Rhonda wanted to celebrate her birthday somewhere amazing and Tulum had been on our list for several years now and seemed like a perfect destination for all of our #fabfriends. Wendi had visited Tulum before and helped Rhonda plan a truly fabulous vacation for all of us.

Most of us met at LAX on the morning of the 26th and of course had a few Bloody Mary's before our flight left. As we get older it's hard to get the crew together, however Rhonda is one of nearest and dearest friends, so of course everyone rallied as no one wanted to miss being a part of this amazing trip and celebration.

We soon boarded our flight and a few hours later we arrived in Cancun. Our fab friend Amanda had arrived an hour before us from Portland and was already having a margarita when we made our way through customs. We quickly each had a cocktail at the airport before finding driver who was taking us to Papaya Playa Project, our new home for the next few days. 

From the moment we checked in it was obvious that Tulum was incredibly charming. Magical is probably the best word to describe this amazing little city in Mexico. The people were beyond nice and our hotel was what I call "Rustic Chic". We checked into our rooms and decided to meet at their restaurant for some food and drinks. The Papaya Playa Project is situated right on the water and before the restaurant closed we ordered a bucket of Tecate's and walked down to the beach as we all caught up with each other and obsessed over this amazing trip we were all fortunate to be on together.

The next few days did not disappoint, as we rented bikes and explored Tulum. We spent an afternoon at one of the famous cenotes and had lunch and drinks at some of the most picturesque places any of us had ever seen. Travel is one of my most favorite things to do, and to be able to do it with your very best friends is truly amazing. Every night we had excellent meals and drank amazing wines and cocktails. Our last night was a definite highlight as we dined at Pasada Margherita, an Italian restaurant owned by a lovely couple from Laguna Beach, California. The owner just so happened to be in town and came over before we ordered to tell us about every delicious item on their beautiful wooden menu. We obviously ordered it up and could not have more impressed with every dish that arrived at our table. Pasada Margherita did not disappoint and I can confidently say it was one of the top 10 meals I've had in my life. Truly excellent. After dinner we headed back to our hotel, where on Saturday nights they throw a Full Moon Party. We had heard about this party prior to us landing in Tulum and were told it was the place to be on Saturday nights in Tulum. As we arrived we could hear the music blasting and could see a fun crowd who seemed to be having a great time. Drinks were soon ordered and dancing quickly began. Being outdoors, on a gorgeous beach, having delicious cocktails, dancing to some of the best EDM ever, with all of your best friends is truly what #fabliving is all about. What a fun night.

Tulum was truly a special place. What a blessing to get to enjoy this fab location with some of my most favorite people. Fab Trip, Fab Memories and more importantly Fab Life. We only have one, why not make it fabulous. Looking forward to the next trip with this crew. Happy Birthday once again Rhonda. Can't wait for our next fab vacation.

Liomir  

Fab Friend Bhavna Friday, February 27, 2015

Academy Awards Show 2015 Monday, February 23, 2015

The Academy Awards are hands down my most favorite thing to watch on TV. I look forward to it every year for many reasons... I love fashion, I love celebrities and I love film.  

Winning an Academy Award has been a dream of mine since I was in the 5th grade and wrote my first screenplay. At the young age of 10 I discovered I loved writing and performing. That year for Christmas I asked Santa for a camcorder and luckily Santa obliged. My sister and I created a variety show we called "Party Line" and soon after I started writing and making short movies. I thoroughly enjoy the entire process of movie making, the writing, the directing, the acting and even the editing. When it was time for college and picking a Major, Film was the obvious choice. I stuck with it and graduated from CSULB (California State University, Long Beach) with a BA in Film and an emphasis in Screenwriting. By the time graduation day came I was living in Los Angeles (Brentwood) and was managing the Shoe Department at Fred Segal in Santa Monica where I was making great money (for a 23 year old) and having way too much fun. I unfortunately, never finished writing my screenplay, however it is my New Year's resolution every year and who knows maybe one day this blog will become an Academy Award winning movie that will help me achieve my goal of winning my very first Oscar. Clearly, I love the Academy Awards.

#RylandAndrew Monday, February 16, 2015

Fab Friend Rhonda Sunday, February 15, 2015

Tomorrow is my best friend Rhonda's birthday. I am unable to spend tomorrow with her, however all of our best friend's will be flying to Tulum, Mexico on the 26th to celebrate her birth. Happy Birthday Rhonda!!! I adore you and am so fortunate to have you in my life. Can't wait to celebrate with you in Tulum. More to come on my Tulum trip. And of course on Rhonda...

Liomir

That's Not My Name Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Fab Friend Shannon Monday, February 02, 2015

Fab Friend Valerie Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Fab Friend Michaela Monday, January 26, 2015

Like Whoa! Sunday, January 18, 2015

What a fun weekend. Talk about #fabliving in Los Angeles...

Friday I had a meeting in DTLA (Downtown Los Angeles) with my great friend Bhavna. I've known Bhavna since my early 20's. We are both from Orange County, however both moved to LA right after college and have been great friends ever since. Bhavna recently started a new company, Paw Clawset (http://www.pawclawset.com) and I am now the Brand Manager/Creative Director for her brand. Paw Clawset is a dog apparel and accessory collection "For the dog that doesn't fit in your handbag." Bhavna has designed a Fab Collection of high-end premium goods for bigger dogs. It's a genius idea and I'm confident this will be a multi-million dollar company within the next couple of years. I have been hired to maintain all aspects of the site and help grow her brand. On Friday we met with the Marketing team she hired to discuss upcoming strategies. We had a great meeting and after decided to grab dinner and drinks at Bestia. Bestia (http://www.bestiala.com is currently the hottest restaurant in LA (you need to make a reservation a month in advance to be guaranteed a table). The space is hip, the food is delicious and the service is impeccable. You instantly feel like you're dining somewhere in the Meatpacking District in NYC. Awesome place. A+ experience.

Saturday, was a busy day. I had brunch plans with my Fab Friend Jenna (@jknadle). Jenna also recently started her own company, Pow Wow Prints (http://www.powwowprints.com/). Pow Wow is a LA based apparel collection for kids. Jenna loves prints and her collection (and brand) has a lot of heart and personality. We met at Zinque on Melrose (http://www.lezinque.com/) and had so much fun catching up and discussing future travel plans (I'm going to Tulum in February and she's going to Germany in August). Zinque is one of my most favorite spots in LA. It has a huge patio and the food and service never disappoints. We had a few mimosas and I ordered the Salami Camembert Panini (beyond delicious!!!!). Awesome afternoon spent with such an inspiring friend.

Saturday night I was hosting my Fab Friend Hilary from PDX (Portland). Hilary was staying in San Diego with her Fab Friend, Brenda and the girls decided to make the trek from SD to LA for a fabulous night of cocktails and small bites (so LA). We had drinks at my place (2 bottles of Prosecco and a few Watermelon Cucumber Vodka drinks) before heading to Lisa Vanderpump's Sur Restaurant and Lounge (http://www.surlounge.com/) for dinner. We ordered several fun food items (I recommend the chicken and shrimp steamed dumpling and shrimp risotto) and cocktails (I had a delicious Mai Tai), however the highlight of the meal was the desert. We told them it was Hillary's birthday (it wasn't) and were treated to this amazing decadent tasty dish. The presentation was truly impressive with sparklers, whip cream and ice cream. Amazing!!!! We settled our tab and I decided to take the girls on a bar crawl through West Hollywood. We made a cameo at the Abbey, Pump (Lisa Vanderpump's newest restaurant) and finished out the night dancing at Rage. Such a fun and fabulous night with two fun and fabulous ladies.

Sunday morning none of us were feeling too hot.  We piled into my BMW convertible (I know so LA) and went to Hugo's (http://www.hugosrestaurant.com/) for breakfast. In typical LA fashion we were seated in a booth next to Brian Austin Green and Megan Fox in one table and Sophia Bush and Jesse Lee Soffer (Chicago P.D.) in the next. Not a bad celebrity sighting for someone visiting from Portland. Thanks for visiting Hillary. I promise to come visit you in Portland soon!

Exhausting weekend. Definitely #fabliving!!! What kind of fabliving did you all get yourselves into this weekend?

Fab Abuela Cuca Thursday, January 15, 2015

Let me tell you about my grandmother, Abuela Cuca. Abuela was born on January, 15th 1933 in Havana Cuba. Her mother was 1st generation Cuban (her parents were from Spain) and her father was Chinese. Abuela is the oldest of five children and has always lived life to its fullest. Her parents named her Olga, however she was incorrectly registered as Esther. Turns out her mother and aunt registered their daughters together and somehow accidentally mixed up their names on their appropriate birth certificates. This mistake was caught over 50 years later when my grandmother needed her passport for her first trip to the U.S. We sometimes call her Esther Olga. Her friends from Cuba know her as Olga. Her new friends from the Senior Citizen Center (where she loves to go play bingo) know her as Esther (she loves how this sounds in English), however most people call her Cuca (a nickname from her youth). I call her Abuela.

Abuela had four children and three husbands. My mother, Miriam is her oldest from her first husband (Abuelo Fernando) and she had three more children (Osvaldo, Mayra and Cary) with her second husband (Leopoldo) who she widowed with after he passed away from asthma. Years later she married and later divorced a third husband, Luis.

Abuela has always been a firecracker and although she has dealt with her share of tragedies she has always kept her head high. She is always laughing and smiling and never speaks about misfortunes. She truly loves life and is such a positive role model to anyone that knows her.

Today is my grandmother's 82nd birthday. My grandmother is an absolute riot and is adored by everyone that knows her. She is an amazing woman with an incredible spirit and appetite for life. She enjoys cocktails, music, dancing, telling/hearing inappropriate jokes, shopping, jewelry, animal prints, sequins, gossip, money, slot machines, bingo, gold, parties, good times and of course her family. She always has a smile on her face, a twinkle in her eye and a kick in her step. At 82 years young, she has more energy and passion than people half her age. She always looks on point and doesn't believe in medicine or being sick. Laughter, cocktails and music are the main ingredients in her recipe to a long, healthy life. She is always entertaining and never disappoints. I could not be more proud to be her grandson and 100% agree with all of her philosophies on life. Happy Birthday Abuela!!!!! Te Adoro (I adore you)!!! :-)

Golden Globe Sunday Sunday, January 11, 2015

Today is Golden Globe Sunday and as a fan of film, fashion, pop culture and really all things Fab I was pretty much glued to my TV set most of the day. I attempted to be productive in the a.m., however by 1pm (when I knew E's red carpet coverage was beginning) I was all in. Starting a lifestyle blog makes me now able to justify my pop culture obsession/addiction as I now call it "work/research". I enjoyed the insight the E network provided regarding what they thought the "stars" would be wearing and I was now hooked as I couldn't wait for the 3pm coverage to begin. As a former Film major I'm embarrassed to admit that I haven't (yet) seen many of the film's nominated (I will by the time the Oscar's get presented, it's my goal every year), however I am very well read as to what critics and industry insiders are saying, therefore feel completely validated in providing insight/having an opinion as to who should win. So what are my thoughts on the 2015 Golden Globes? So glad you asked...

What a snooze fest. Tiny Fey and Amy Poehler weren't as funny as I had hoped and I felt uncomfortable with how hot and sweaty everyone looked inside the ballroom. Someone turn on the AC please. That being said, I must say I was pleased with most of the night's winners... Boyhood for Best Drama (this movie was amazing), Patricia Arquette for Best Supporting, Julianne Moore for Best Actress, Amy Adams for Best Actress, Richard Linklater for Best Director and Matt Bomer for Best Supporting were all great choices by the Associated Press. Additionally, I loved Michael Keaton, Gina Rodriguez and Common/John Legend's speeches (I got choked up for all three/four). Aside from those highlights I thought the Golden Globes overall were underwhelming.

Now let's talk fashion... The Globes are suppose to be fun and lively. This show should feel more party and less stuffy, but I just don't think anyone brought it. As someone who loves fashion I was incredibly disappointed with most of the looks on the red carpet. There are better dresses featured on any issue of Vogue. It looked like most women picked out their dresses from the Mother of the Bride section at Neiman Marcus or Saks (Amy Adams in Atelier Versace, Jennifer Aniston in Saint Laurent, Amy Poehler in Stella McCartney, Catherine Zeta-Jones in Angel Sanchez, Cindy Crawford in Versace, Patricia Arquette in custom Escada, Lena Dunham in Zac Posen, Emily Blunt in Michael Kors, Maggie Gyllenhaal in Miu Miu, Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Narciso Rodriguez, Gina Rodriguez in Badgley Mischka, Katie Holmes in custom Marchesa, Robin Wright in Ralph Lauren, Julianna Margulies in Ulyana Sergeenko, Rene Russo in J. Mendel, Katherine Heigl in Zac Posen, Taylor Schilling in custom Ralph Lauren). Yawn...

Let's talk favorites... Kate Hudson (in Atelier Versace) murdered the red carpet (one word...Wow!!), Julianne Moore (in Givenchy Haute Couture) and Jessica Chastain (also in Atelier Versace) were my top three favorites in that order. All three women looked like "Movie Stars" and were impeccable from hair to toe. Their dresses fit them like a glove (although not like the dumb glove Amal Clooney decided to wear.). Other honorable mentions go to Emma Stone (in Lanvin...she always gets it right), Dakota Johnson (in Chanel Haute Couture), Jennifer Lopez (in Zuhair Murad Haute Couture), Reese Witherspoon (in Calvin Klein Collection) and Naomi Watts (in Gucci).

That brings me to my worst looks from the night...Amal Clooney (in Dior Haute Couture), Lupita Nyong'o (in Giambattista Valli Couture) and Keira Knightly (in custom Chanel). Let's dig a little deeper here... Amal has been hitting home runs ever since she was first photographed with George Clooney, however this look was all kinds of wrong. The gloves looked ridiculous and her hands and fingers reminded me of E.T. (anyone agree?), the hair looked a hot mess and because her dress was also black she just looked hot (not in the good way) and miserable. I wanted to really like this and I love Dior, but nothing about this look worked. Now Lupita...she was my absolute favorite last award season and the red Ralph Lauren dress she wore to last year's Globes will remain one of my favorite red carpet looks of all time, but Sunday night's dress looked like a Project Runway "project". It looked like the top portion was made from artificial flower petals purchased from Michael's, not cute nor sexy. And lastly, Kiera Knightly who I always love and was excited to see also failed to deliver. Kiera is pregnant, however that is no excuse for dressing poorly (please reference Blake Lively and Kerry Washington). Chanel is one of my all time favorites, however this dress belongs in an editorial spread in Vogue and not the Golden Globe red carpet. I wonder if anyone actually told her she looked good? Cause they lied. Truly disappointed by all three of these looks as these ladies typically hit home runs. Hopefully, they clean it up before the next red carpet event. I trust they will.

A few home-runs, but mostly misses at this year's Golden Globes. Can't wait for the Oscars...