Transition

As you read this we're already in Sao Paulo.  The days prior to our flight were crazy busy and overwhelming.  Moving is not an easy job but, moving overseas while trying not to forget the smallest detail takes the whole experience up a few notches.  It was hard to see our home empty again like the first time we walked into it and I have to admit that as exited as I am with our new home, my heart ached a bit, well okay maybe more than a bit!  This home we left behind was the home were we had our fist son, we saw him start walking and talking and we had a great time in it sorrounded by family and friends.
I've been dealing with farewells since I was a little girl but I'll never get used to it.  It's soo painful! On saturday we went to visit my family and we cried a river when it was time to say good bye. Above all I'll miss my mom dearly.  She has always been there for me all my life and it's hard to know that she won't be close by.  As my husband and I say "the best and sweetest baby sitter possible"  My dear friends have been awesome as well, hosting farewell dinners and get togethers for us and it's been extremely moving and comforting.  Some of them already have dates to come and visit.  I know that adjusting to a new country is going to be hard mostly because I don't have anyone in Brazil but, I'm pleased and happy for this new begining and looking forward to the future, as always!

My mom in 1992

Below, shots of our trip.

Crazy LOCO! ah?  And there was more sent by air container!

photos by me

Moving to Brazil! what!

My hubby has been assigned to an executive position with his company in Brazil and I couldn't be happier for him.  If there is anyone who deserves an opportunity like this, its him.  He is an ethical and hard worker man who has been working for this same company since out of college, and like in everything else he puts his effort on he gives it all.  I remember when our little one was born, I can't believe it's been more than three years, how hard he tried to break himself into three, having to be at work every day, going two and three nights a week to finish his MBA, and wanting to be here to help with the little one. All that meanwhile remodeling our home.  And somehow he magically did, even waking up with me almost every night to help me.  Looking back I know those days were though but thanks to his help and presence it almost felt manageable.  I'm very proud for him!
After weighing all the pros and cons we decided to finally grasp this once in a lifetime opportunity and move to Sao Paulo.  At this point I'm not taking any clients unless the client is willing to work via online but my lovely blog will come with me wherever I go.
At first I was very hesitant although never doubted about the move but it has slowly grown on me and now I'm extremely excited and anxious to see what we will learn in Sao Paulo.  We already have a few plans while being there, such as visiting Buenos Aires and Punta Del Este, two places I've been meaning to go to.
Looking back. Way back, I remember I always wanted to live in different countries and one of our priorities is for our son to grow up with knowledge and awareness of all the different worlds out there and if possible learn different languages.  It scares me to death for him to grow narrowed minded, so this will be an extremely important step in his raising.  My hubby once shared with me something he read about the first 5 years of a child's life being heavily influential in their lives; and I agree.  The environment as much as the people around them is fundamental so we will be paying a visit to Sao Paulo to house hunt soon, and I'll share the process with you.  There is a relocation company who is helping us with this but I'm too hands on to let go so I've been searching about rental properties, and unfortunately like in every other category in search engines, popularity doesn't always match quality.  Too bad there is no Pinterest for real estate.  Why doesn't someone come up with that.  We were also told that rental properties are usually gone in one day.  It's pretty much take it now or never. God help us!

Random Weekend: "The best makeup primer"

Sometimes I seem to have little fashion sense or better said, I favored my common sense.  Like over the weekend, when we went for a brunchy-bite at Pastis in the Meatpacking District and literately sabotaged my cute, Century21-find, Valentino flats with a pair of unattractive gray socks.  It was cold!  I much rather enjoy running errands on a pretty cobblestone street, even when aesthetically unmatched, than not doing so at all.  Like that, I went ahead and took care of a few things we needed to do, among them, replacing our router which apparently was getting old and visiting Kiehl's.

My husband has an obsession for stacking up on things.  "Stack up sweetie pie.  Get more." he oftentimes says, to which I always reply "Why? Should we be getting ready for a famine that I don't know about".  But this time though, I did stack up on Midnight Recovery Concentrate.  Because I don't only use it for it's over-night recovering effects but also as "the best make up primer" ever.  It really is that good!  I've had a longtime love and hate relationship with makeup, afraid that if using too much it will make my crow feet stand out.  But when I go out at nights or for important events I use this Kiehl's product under tinted moisturizer and what it does is that makes the makeup run as smooth as a kid sliding down a snowy hill and not to mention the glow it adds.  If you can, go to a Kiehl's store get a sample and try it.  You'll see what I mean. 

This blog has never been contacted by Kiehl's, nor have we been asked to review any of their products. This is simply my personal experience.

Do you girls watch Football...?

Every year my husband goes through the same ritual of playing fantasy football and me rolling my eyes at just the thought of it.  I'm so bad that two weeks ago while he was selecting his players (to form his fantasy football team) the only name I was able to recognize among the 17 players was Tom Brady.  I mean, can you blame me? And let's clarify that I didn't even know the guy before he married Giselle...  So last night, after having the TV on for the entire afternoon showing lots of big men colliding against each other and me reading the paper, Evren told me "oh, there is a football game tonight, we should watch it".  I gave him a kind of "are you talking to me?  kind of look and all he said was, This is serious stuff Julie!  You think it's a joke, you are the only woman in America who doesn't like Football!  I was in shock when he said that!  There is no way he can really believe this.  He is a big joker to the point that I don't even know when he is serious anymore.  To prove him wrong I have to throw this question out there.  Do you women watch Football!?

Tom Brady

When Traveling, dress accordingly

Before I go on and talk about my fantastic weekend and how I celebrated it.  I have a confession to make, sometimes and only sometimes I love McDonald's french fries so when I called my hubby, whom had taken Friday afternoon off in occasion of my birthday and asked him to treat me to french fries he said, Sure!  I had no idea he had gotten me a present earlier that afternoon since earlier in the week he had gotten me a make up vanity as the official present.  More on that, another day.  So, imagine my surprise when I went to open the bag looking for my french fries and saw this unmistakable orange box smiling and waving at me.  Hurray!  I was beyond excited!

I have said here before how lucky and blessed I've been to have met my husband.  He is the most considered, thoughtful and sweet person I have ever come across.  I joke sometimes saying that he is the answer to my many years of prayers.  I come from a family where you start getting the pressure of getting married as early as the ridiculous age of 20, so considering the fact that I got married after 28 that's where the joke comes from.  I always used to say "It doesn't matter how long it takes I know that when it happens, the longer it takes, the better it will be.  When I marry it will be to a fantastic man."  and that's exactly what he is to me.  I'm sharing this with you because if you're single, over 40 (that is the new age to get married) and dreaming of getting married, know that like in everything else in life the longer things take the better and greater they usually turn out to be.  With every month or year it passes, it only gets closer.

That was not the only surprise he had for me.  I had been meaning to go to Locanda Verde  in Tribeca and Evren surprised me with a reservation (the food was delicious).  So after trying on half of the clothes in my closet I went with a very chic Sea black mini dress with a half open back that I got at Barneys earlier this year, fishnet stocking and my Chanel classic flap bag.   Whenever I go out or go traveling, I try each and every one of the outfits I'm going to wear, including bag and shoes.  Sometimes I even try to put my hair the way I'll use accordingly.  I also do this when I buy clothes. After I bring them home I go and put them on and kind of do a little fashion show for my boys.  It's funny I've been doing this since I was a teenager with my sister.  Every time we went out shopping we would come back home and model everything for my mom to see. 
I also like, when I travel, to look for clothes that would relate to the place I'm going.  Not obviously just for the weather but also to fit into the culture.   For my first time visiting Istanbul last year I came across this clothing line called Eskell made here in the the US.  The clothing line evokes a fusion of old and new with sophisticated prints that for some reason I associated with Istanbul.  So since it's Fashion week I thought it would be fun to take this week and dedicate it entirely to fashion.  Today I'll start with posting these images below of our most recent trip and what I wore. 

To go to Dave's Grill in Montauk I wore a J. Crew striped top, white jeans, Roger Clergerie sandals and accessorized with a navy blue Balenciaga bracelet and a two tone Cartier watch.   These huge hydrangeas were so beautiful I couldn't help stop and smell them. 

The American Hotel in Sag Harbor is considered a very bohemian place but it's also old school and non-pretentiously formal.  I couldn't think of a better outfit than a gray silk jump suit from Barneys, a Miu Miu red belt, Pierre Hardy platform wedge and a tailored blazer from Zara.  That's an outfit I considered traditional and formal in a very laid back modern way.

To go to the North Fork and visit a few wineries I wore this Armand Basi dress I fell in love with, flat sandals, and my J. Crew panama hat.  Little did I know that my husband was going to decide to go into every little country road looking for, according to him, an undiscovered beach.  God mercy! Lucky for me at least we were driving my car and not his!  We all have our give and takes in Marriage, don't we?

images by me

While in Turkey