Cosmetic Blogmentation

Inspired by a Refinery email I recently received, I decided to revive that old Tumblr account. Although, I don't consider myself a style blogger I would like a more stylish blog. After logging on I found I'd been streaming from HIA and GWWBL for months. So this weekend I am dusting off the cobwebs and starting all over. Hope you guys will come along. CLICK

Joshua Rules

Joshua Mateo
November 23rd, 2010
12:43 PM
8lbs 15oz

It's total deja vu as we walk the halls of the Four Seasons of hospitals to Room 108. Only 14 months ago we welcomed Emma and now so soon after our first boy, the first boy in our family in decades! I was completely overcome as I looked down into the hospital issued bassinet. As I slipped into my requisite duties as family photographer tears fell from my eyes. I'm not sure why? I suppose for my own reasons. Maybe it was because we would have to spend Thanksgiving in a hospital room drinking red wine from a plastic cups?! (Just kidding Karina.)

So here we are our little family laughing, regaling stories just as we would if we were sitting round our large mahogany table. Things are exactly the same but unlike any other Thanksgiving before because this year we get Joshy; our most special reason to be thankful.

Besides we'll have a real party tomorrow night when he comes home.

Bale me out

Nothing could bust me out of my subway coma but the sight of this! As we all crammed onto the F train heading downtown I practically fell into a man holding the latest issue of Esquire. This month my childhood crush graces the cover reminding me I have a reason to go to the theatre, for the first time in almost a year, as Christian will be starring opposite Mark Wahlberg in The Boxer. Although, Mr. Bale is best known for his disturbingly dead-on performance as a psychopathic yuppie serial killer in American Psycho. I first fell in love with him in 1994 when he was hand picked by Winona Ryder to play the ever romantic Laurie (Theodore Laurence) in Little Women.

While Christian has received much critical acclaim I feel he has never gotten his just deserts in the babe department and I think it's time we rectify this egregious oversight. I mean based on hair alone he takes the Sexiest Man title. (Come on People magazine!) But beyond the luscious locks, furled brow, perfect body (that he's able to manipulate like a Transformer) there is a sense of fire about him. It's magnetic. He just seems like a man...a real man.

I'M CRAZY BUT YOU LIKE IT

Shakira: a kindred spirit.
Sexy.
Complicated.
Tiny.
Imperfect.
Outspoken.
Latina.
Trouble-Maker.
Loca loca loca.

After being told by about a zillion people to check out this video because it is "SOO YOU!" I finally did. So thank you to all who made the comparison. I could not be more flattered.

Constants

There are some people we meet in our lives who are constants. They are the people who are there to remind you exactly who you are because we all get lost sometimes. They call you out on your shit and tell you how loved you are. You know no matter what happens, how long you are apart or away, priority at the moment or not they are a part of you and you are a part of them.

My constants gathered around me to celebrate my 28th birthday @ Travertine on Saturday apart for one. As we all gossiped about my missing link a cold wind whispered thru the room with the opening of the door and there he was; white daisies in hand and tail between legs. So now the table was complete-new friends and old and my Matty-my oldest friend in New York, my bad influence and my touch stone. I could not have felt more special when suddenly a tart bursting with sparklers heads my way followed by my dear friend David.

So thank you Karla, Corrine, Lindsay, Brendon, Jake, Matty, David, Catherine, Valerie and others gathered throughout the evening. Thank you for coming, for getting me drunk, for helping blow out the candles and wishing me a Happy Birthday. That's all I wanted.

What are we waiting for?

My friend called me last night from LA. He visits once a year and usually stays with a friend in a sprawling Spanish style in the hills. His friend is a lonely man, independently wealthy, late 40's, never married, no children and loves to chat up his house guests. So before my friend even put down his bags the stories began. But this time the tale was so sad my friend had no choice but to really listen.

"I dated this woman once a very long time ago. We had such a deep connection I always envisioned us coming back together at some point. I thought about her all the time. Whenever I met someone I would always compare. Every five years or so I would reach out to her. We would meet and pick up right where we left off. It's been a while since I spoke to her so I recently tried to find her. I tried facebook, linkedin, yellow pages, everything I could think off. Finally I read in trade pages that she had died...five years ago. She's gone and I never got to tell her how I really felt about her. I never told her she was the one."

His story reminded me of a passage from the Paolo Coelho book I'm reading which says, "love doesn't ask many questions because if we stop to think we become fearful. It's an inexplicable fear; it's difficult even to describe it. Maybe it's the fear of being scorned, of not being accepted, or breaking the spell. It's ridiculous, but that's the way it is. That's why you don't ask-you act. You have to take risks to truly know love."

I have never feared love. I've only ever feared regret.

10 Ways You Know It's a Latino Baby Shower

1. First and foremost is the amazing white wicker chair decorated with faux flowers and ribbon which is coordinated to sex of child. It sits front and center poised for the countless photo ops as each child is perched on top for everyone to gush in concert.

2. There is a DJ. He (no or she we're Latinos) plays such classics as Mami Que Sera Lo Que Quiere El Negro, various bachata, cumbia, merengue, and salsa so loudly conversation with your neighbor is barely possible. Not one english language song is played nor may be requested.

3. You dance like it's prom night.

4. Drink options are always beer and wine: Corona and Sangria.

5. The cake is always Tres Leches. (Luckily my other sister and I have petitioned greatly against and have won one battle).

6. There is an after-party. The babies come. They gotta learn sometime.

7. The menu always includes some kind of arroz con...arroz con pollo, arroz con gandules, arroz con frijoles. It's even more delicious 2 AM post baby shower after party.

8. Not one woman wears flats. (Well maybe the mommy). Most footwear includes knee-high or thigh high boots.

9. Everyone cheats at the baby shower games.

10. The daddy is always happily wasted.