NYC Recap

 

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I can’t believe its’ been a month since I was in New York. Time definitely flies by…

I checked into the Q&A Residential Hotel on the Saturday evening to be welcomed to one of the largest hotel suites I have ever stayed in the city. The last time I stayed in the quiet financial district area was 5 years ago, so I was curious to see how the area changed. That night, I settled in by walking around the area – the subway and the huge Duane Reade was across the street. I can’t sing the praises of free strong Wi-Fi and fridge that could hold my Invo Coconut Water for the Sunday morning shoot.

Read my article for RESIDENT Magazine on Q&A Residential Hotel here.

Sunday morning, I had a great time with Bianca Bruno and Nicky Styles (editor from The Trend’n Female) shooting a how-to braiding guide complete with Victoria Hair clip on extensions. I’ve never had extensions before so I was quite curious to see how well they would blend into my own hair. It turned out perfect! They were not heavy at all and easy to take out at the end of the day.

Stay tuned for the How-To Braid guide in BELLA LA and BELLA NYC coming out soon.

After the video shoot, we met up with some friends and had brunch at Gentilly, a new spot in the West Village. I had a great tofu scramble and got schooled on three different ways on how to drink rose courtesy of Maison Marcel. It was great reuniting with Caitlyn from Tease Tea and picking up my favourite Earl Grey tea. My plans fell through for Burger & Lobster that night as well as my attempt to have chicken wings at Pok Pok – so I’ll have to put that on the list for next time.

The next two days were FULL of meetings:

I surprised myself not taking a cab even once! Google Maps is my new favorite friend. The biggest surprise of Monday was meeting Britney Spears’ first tour manager tied with being asked to write a pro Trump article for a magazine for $200 later that night.

Tuesday’s meetings were scheduled back-to-back and being caught in the rain was an unwelcomed surprise. I stopped by CINER to check out some new fashion jewelry and visit the lovely ladies. My friend, Lexicon of Style introduced me to a café called Culture Espresso that had cute wallpaper and fabulous décor. Rare for Midtown. Tuesday night ended by meeting Susan Mallery, NY Times #1 Best–Seller who was launching a romance novel entitled, Best of My Love.

I had two impromptu meetings on Wednesday, pre flight home. I had the pleasure of visiting the beautiful shared working space of Neuehouse. I loved the Restoration Hardware meets NYPL vibe. Such an inspiring space. I grabbed a quick lunch with a friend at Back Forty West before heading back to the hotel to grab my luggage and a package that had arrived in the nick of time before my Luxury Car Ride swept me off to LGA.

ELENA:)

ps: To find out what the package was… scroll to my next post.

 

The Love List Lounge

Check out this video of The Love List Lounge in New York pre NYFW. It’s on the world’s first touchable video platform – Cinematique

ELENA:)

 

Baja Birthday: Part 1

 

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I always find that Jan/Feb is always a great time to go away. Besides the fact that it’s usually cheaper, the end of the month marks the lovely day when I was born (Jan 29 to be exact).

This year, I spent it at the lovely million star resort in Loreto, Baja California Sur called Villa del Palmar at the islands of Loreto.

Two hours away from Los Angeles, the secluded beachfront getaway lies on the Sea of Cortez. While waters are rough on the Pacific Coast, the calm waters of the UNESCO protected sea lend itself well to water sports (kayaking, snorkeling, whale/dolphin watching).

At first walk around, the massive property seems vacant. But in fact, it’s just the nature of the resort. Peaceful. No people harassing you to buy a time share. No vendors on the beach wanting to sell you overpriced goods. Not only is the resort peaceful, it’s flexible depending upon if you want an all inclusive get away or something less structured.

Bear in mind, I do not frequent resorts often. I prefer the navigation of a crowded city, where some of the best eats are found on the side of the road. Yet, I found myself enjoying quiet serenity of the resort and waking up to hearing the birds chirping delightfully.

On arrival, I walked into the palatial one bedroom suite with full sized jucuzzi, full kitchen, 2 bathrooms and a washer and dryer. A whole family could comfortably stay for their entire length of their vacation.

The first day we were treated to a lunch where we first got a sampling of the wonderful fish tacos and yummy guacamole. I was hooked. Later for dinner we feasted on BBQ and watched a fun variety show.

The next day, I turned 35! At breakfast, I was greeted by staff who sang happy birthday en espanol and English. Very sweet.

After a quick tour of the resort we headed out on the water. The plan was to go whale watching – except we ended up playing with a pod of over 100 dolphins instead. We also saw sea lions and two lucky people saw the back of a humpback whale. Being on the boat built up an appetite for some, and more chips and guacamole did just the trick.

When we arrived back at the hotel, I devoured my cake from the morning which was thankfully, saved in my fridge. Little did I know there would be another piece of cake and another round of Happy Birthday’s sung to me at dinner!

Needing to work off the rich meal, we headed for a club in the hills to dance it off. And just when I thought the celebration was over – the turn down service had delightfully decorated my room.

PS: Want to stay at the Villa del Palmar at the Islands of Loreto at a discounted rate and check it out for yourself? You can book now and travel until April 30, 2016.

Deluxe Studio suite: $146 USD per night, plus taxes and gratuities

One Bedroom Suite: $228 USD per night, plus taxes and gratuities

Two Bedroom Suite: $370 USD per night, plus taxes and gratuities

Reference the code FAMJAN16 when you book a reservation through [email protected]

Terms and conditions apply, blackout dates apply.

ELENA:)

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