And So It Is

The decision has been made.  I will be starting a new blog and retiring From Lola's Lips indefinitely.  There has been an abundance of change in my life and I think it only appropriate to create a new blog to accommodate that change, and to strive and maintain a better direction.

As much as I love the glorious city of Miami, I have done my time and must move on.  Who knew Miami would never be enough for me?  Miami and me?  Its almost as if its one of those doomed relationships; regardless of how much love and passion exists in its pulse, its just not meant to be forever.  I have learned much and seen more in my blessed time here and I am a better person for it.  

I will always love Miami and think of it fondly, but its time for me to wrap it up, throw caution to the wind and jump again. My final destination is undecided but I will wager a safe bet it will be out somewhere in the Wild Wild West.  As for now and the upcoming few weeks, its time for me to finish packing, take a serious road trip and enjoy the holidays with much missed family.

Besitos.
xoxo

h-i-a-t-u-s

After plenty of thought and consideration, I have decided this blog is going on hiatus. Reason being is that it hasn't really gone in the direction that I had initially planned for it. In addition, recent changes and true color revelations in my world have led me to view things from a different point of view.

I am undecided whether From Lola's Lips will go on a permanent or temporary hiatus, but I am heavily considering a new blog and that is the direction I am leaning at this point. Should a new blog pop up, you may find it, you may not ~ but it will be out there (although I haven't decided whether or not to stay at this venue yet).

Regardless of what I decide, I still have PLENTY to say, if not more.

Ciao and xoxo
“Lola”

Flamenco at La Barraca

The first time I watched flamenco live, was in a small dark café just outside the downtown core in Vancouver, Canada. I have been in love (or borderline obsessed) with it ever since. So you can imagine my excitement when I finally made it to La Barraca between Hollywood Blvd. and Harrison Street in Hollywood.

It was dark and glorious with heavy Spanish decor. The menu was, of course, Spanish and the tapas we ordered (meat/cheese plate, octopus, and sauteed veggies) were delish along with a couple bottles of Tempranillo.

The flamenco show started at 8:30 pm. One Spanish guitar played by a man with a gorgeous haunting voice, one man on a drum, and two flamenco dancers. The show was humble and beautiful. I could have sat there all night listening and watching the women passionately dance to the music.

The service was perfect, the food was good, the wine was great, and show was all but hypnotizing. Although I had a dining partner this time, the darkened restaurant, the music, and the romantic dance would have been company enough for me.

Pause.

I was out of town for a long weekend enjoying the dry heat out in the Wild Wild West. I was out of touch, but I had a good time and it was a much needed visit. I didn't miss MIA but I guess I wasn't gone very long... I hope to get back into the swing of things here at From Lola's Lips soon, as in this weekend even though I expect to be very busy in the coming weeks. (Did I mention Miss Esquire has cleared her court schedule and will be heading south for a weekend visit? YAY!)

So I guess the bitch is back.

Play.

Stuff Your Face - Paco's Way

Ever since Carlos Miller mentioned the little restaurant on Calle Ocho in this post, I have been wanting to make my way there and check it out. Finally this past Friday I did. The restaurant is Paco's Way and its located at 1444 SW 8th Street in Miami. I went with my heart set on drinking sangria and listening to the Spanish guitar.


When we sat down we were given a menu which was promptly and politely taken away because at 7:00 pm the menu changes. I didn't get a glimpse of the first menu, but I think it was primarily Cuban food. The evening menu appeared to be more Spanish food. We decided to go with tapas and ordered octopus, calamari, and a plate of sliced serrano ham, chorizo and cheese, which came with bread and a tomato spread. I was impressed. I don't normally eat octopus, but here it was cooked and served warm over sliced potatoes with red pepper. The calamari was large rings battered and fried and the quality was much better than what we normally get when we order at random restaurants. Maybe it was the size. We also ordered a pitcher of sangria which was nice and light and not too sweet. I noticed quite a bit of wine as well and think next time I will order a nice Spanish red...

We arrived ten minutes before 8:00 pm and left at 9:30 pm, and the live music still had not started - that was my only disappointment. Even though I missed the live music, I thoroughly enjoyed Paco's Way and I am kicking myself for not going sooner. I will most definitely return to listen to Paco Aguilera.

(*Please excuse the poor indoor pictures, I think my camera is on its last leg.*)

Beauty Fix

Attention lovers of beauty products!! Look what Glambr at Beauty Blogging Junkie turned me on to! If you are obsessed, okay even just fond of new beauty products, then you must check this out. Beautyfix.com is a website/beauty club that once you join, four times a year you are sent a package of beauty products to sample for the cost of $50.00. All you do is sign up, test the products, and review them! Some of the products aren't even on the market yet! I just joined, and this is what my first shipment contained:

• Bliss ~ The Youth As We Know It Anti-Aging Concentrate
• Cures by Avance ~ Age Defyer Eye Cream
• Decleor Paris ~ Instant Radiance Moisturiser
• Degree Women ~ Body Mist (in Sexy Intrigue)
• Juara ~ Tamarind Tea Hydrating Toner
• Mei Bath ~ Shower Sherbert Cleansing Scrub
• Pur-lise ~ Pur-lip Comfort Daily Lip Nourisher
• SKINDINAVIA ~ Makeup Finishing Spray
• Sparitual ~ Instinctual Moisturizing Lotion
• Sparitual ~ Nail Lacquer (color: Airhead)
• BeautyFix makeup bag (the picture does not show it well)
  

Okay I am LOVING this! So far I have tried the Pur-lisse Lip Nourisher (which retails at $22.00) and the Degree Woman Body Mist (it actually smells nice and subtle). Once I am done here, I am off to coat my nails in OPI Nail Envy (the best nail strengthener EVER) and then test the 'Airhead' Sparitual Nail Lacquer. If you refer people, you earn credit and as you review products, you gain additional credits/perks toward beauty product shopping. There are a limited number of members each quarter, and you might end up on a waiting list. If you love me and want me to get credit for referring you, email me at dliasons@yahoo.com and I will email you. Otherwise, click here to join!

Make it gorgeous and enjoy it.

xoxo

Lola

Triathlete?

This last Sunday morning, I was up earlier than usual and out the door to Key Biscayne to volunteer and cheer on a friend competing in a mini-triathlon. I had never really given a triathlon much thought and didn't even realize they held them regularly until a friend of mine told me she was competing in one. (Unfortunately, once I was placed on the bike route to guide the cyclists, I was unable to take any pictures of the actual race.)

I found this athlete the most inspiring.

I am half-contemplating training for a triathlon since I still haven't been able to find an adult recreational soccer league for women, but it would probably kick my butt! I did a little research for those interested in competing in a triathlon. You can see a list of the upcoming Miami triathlons at multirace.com, and triathlons in other states here.

(Or you can find Miami area running races here, and national running events here.)

Congratulations Aaron Paul

I don't usually blog about what's going on in Tinseltown, but I am making an exception today. I wanted to give a shout out to an old friend of mine from school, a boy from a small town out west who is following his dream and making waves in Hollywood!

I remember when he told me he was moving to L.A., and the first time I saw him on TV in a “Gotta Have My Pops” commercial. He was in a music video for Korn. I saw him as lead singer of a band on Third Rock From the Sun, and slowly and steadily he kept at it, adding to his resume of work. Most recently he has been done some work on Big Love and Breaking Bad, the latter of which earned him an Emmy nomination for best supporting actor in a drama series for his role as Jesse Pinkman. Success!

Congratulations Aaron!!

KOMBUCHA

Ladies and Gentlemen meet my newest obsession, GT's Kombucha.

Kombucha is a fermented tea which, according to the research I have done, is a very delicate process that I am not sure I am ready for, as far making my own goes (apparently it becomes toxic if done incorrectly). Until then, I will stick to GT's version. Each bottle contains two servings, with only 30 calories, 7g carbs, and 2g of sugars per serving. It's so good for you. I have only purchased it at Whole Foods and it runs between $3.00 and $3.50 per bottle.

I have to admit, after my first taste, I didn't think I would be drinking much of this “elixir,” but was I ever wrong. It is so delish! It may be an acquired taste for some (the fermented slight vinegar taste), but it was easily and quickly appreciated on my end. I am thoroughly obsessed and addicted, my favorites being Botanic No. 3, Botanic No. 7, Botanic No. 9, Gingerade, and Citrus.

Someone might have to intervene.

xo

Miami FC

For a while, I was constantly going out - restaurants and bars and it got to be overkill because it was so repetitive. Lately, I have been enjoying some down time, while laying low. Yet, I still have a tendency to get bored easily. I decided I wanted to go do something, but I wanted to do something different because I get sick of the same old thing day after day. Last week, I came across an ad for Miami FC. Did I mention I am a soccer fanatic? How perfect - something I love and something I had not yet done since I moved to Miami.

Yesterday's game was against the Vancouver Whitecaps and kick-off was at 6:00 pm. True to form, we arrived late because we actually arrived early and decided to grab a beer or two before heading into the stadium. Brilliant, I know. Anyway, mid-way through the first half we settled into the stands and Miami FC was already up 2-0. I am not familiar with any of the local players, but I have nothing but love for the "The Beautiful Game."


The crowd was minimal with maybe 200 spectators, which surprised me considering the huge Latin and European population in Miami. There was a small but vocal group of fans beating their drums and waiving their flags in the late afternoon heat. I was cheering for Miami, but I love Canada. I lived in Vancouver for almost three years, I have some very dear Canadian friends, and I even used to go watch the Whitecaps play. At one point, I gave that vocal group some competition and I learned that I have belligerent fan tendencies when I earned attention yelling at the referee. Even though they cheered my ignorant “Go back to Canada, eh!” quote hurled at the ref during a bad call, I was still embarrassed!! I don't know if the ref was Canadian, but he made a bad call, and I know Canadians hate that!

The final score was 2-1 Miami FC. Tickets were $12. Beers were $6.00. Hot dogs were $3.00. Parking is FREE. Go support Miami FC. I really had such a blast, and thoroughly cannot wait to go again.

What can I say? Soccer gets me all riled up! xoxo

PS... I am still looking for an adult recreational league for women if you know of any...

Agel

A while back, I met with a very enthusiastic woman named Kristine regarding a business opportunity. (I won't get into the details of the opportunity, I will leave that to her if you are interested.)

The concept is consuming supplements in the form of gel as opposed to pills. Its actually a very smart concept and considering athletes have been using gel supplements, it's sure to catch on. The product offers a wide range of supplements and has something to offer most individuals (such as those facing aging issues, into fitness and health, etc.). They also offer a skin care line.

This company is considered at multi-level marketing company but is rated as having one of the most lucrative income structures by MLM Kings. I am not big on sales, so I passed on the opportunity. I think the product is a smart idea, but I can't help but wonder with the new powder mixes and dissolving crystals if the gel market will have some healthy competition.

At any rate, if you are interesting in getting involved with selling Agel, let me know and I will get you in contact with Kristine.

SLC - Who Knew

I traveled a lot to Salt Lake City when I was younger and living in the west. I remember going for one birthday when my father was working out of town there but my mother was mad at him, so we spent the whole weekend there without seeing him. She told him once we got home and he was not happy ~ oh those were the innocent days...

Growing up where I did, we always poked a bit of fun at SLC for its significantly dominant religious population. However, as I got older, I heard that along with an abundance of "Jack-M's", it had a great club, culture, and social scene (all things considered of course), although I never explored that aspect. It was only about four hours from home but I never went to vacay as an adult. Reason being, I never had much desire to explore SLC, it wasn't one of those cities that drove me to explore like NYC, Seattle, Las Vegas, L.A., San Fran, Phoenix, Portland, Boston, Miami and other cities did. I just never had the desire to go there on a personal trip... And then, 12 1/2 years ago, my father died in that city while working out of town there. My father was only 49... and I remember it like it was yesterday. Instantly my life was turned upside down. We waited three days for him to be returned home. I was only in my latest teens, and still, that was my life's biggest heartbreak.... I went back to SLC once shortly after his death, driving someone to the airport but it was a quick trip. We did what we had to do and went home.

I have been to SLC several times since, but only to change planes and never stepping foot outside SLC International Airport. I never thought I would WANT to go there, but now my brother-in-law has been stationed at Hill AFB. I am more homesick (or should I say family-sick) than I have ever been, and I can't take it anymore. I learned my mother and step-father will be visiting my sister and her family, and the possibility that my other sister and her son will be there as well, so I did it. I booked a long weekend trip to SLC, the city that took my father, the city I never had love for, never had desire for, until now. I can't wait to be in Salt Lake City, who would have thought? What might just be more shocking to you all? I am not even going to check out the bars or shopping; I am going just for the family meals, morning coffee conversation, running with my sister, harassing the coolest brother-in-law EVER, jokes with the kids, comfort from my mother, learning from my step-father, for family love that I have always had but for some reason miss more now than ever. Not to mention that western air and those Wasatch Mountains...

And now I must just wait for my departure day to come.... A few weeks and counting.

Love me.
xo

POST SECRET OBSESSION

So, because of this post by SFDB (damn you Rick and I say that with nothing but Love), I am completely obsessed with this.... I have so, so, so many ideas to submit... Think you will know mine if you see it? I doubt it but I love you all anyway...

Below are two of the most recent posts that strike a cord.... but there are just too many to love to pick a favorite. xo

*photos courtesy of postsecret.blogspot.com*

How Should I Plan To Celebrate?

I can't believe July is upon us. Time is running out before I mark another notch on my age belt, ugh. I have a couple weeks before the planets align for the Leo astrological sign to fall correctly in the stars and I celebrate ME and the time for change. That's right, I fit the Leo stereotype to a "T" ~ I am selfish at times, arrogant, proud and a royal pain in the ass, but I love me and I am not the only one... (Yet... "Those most worth of love are rarely made happy by it...")

I sit here thinking about how much I absolutely love Miami, but can't help acknowledge the fact that whether I want to believe it or not, I feel I am starting to get to that point where I am so OVER the Miami scene. Who would have ever thought Miami would never be enough for me? Shocking I know. This is my curse. Will any city ever be enough?? I need something more refined, something more sophisticated, less DJ saturated, more diverse, more hip, more trend, more grounded, more culture less superficial, and pumping full of much more passion... I know that makes no sense to most of you, but I am sure Henroo knows what I mean, as well as Lafi. The problem is I may not know what I want, but I am sure I know what I don't want and time may soon be upon me to to take the step, even if that next step is first only a baby step slightly north in SoFla. . . for now.

So anyways, how do I celebrate my birthday towards the end of the month? I would love to disappear, travel and get away and drink champagne and mingle with strangers, but at times I find myself in a situation I can't remove myself from yet, a prisoner if you will.... Regardless of where and what I end up doing, you know it will definitely entail pampering myself and champagne.

Suggestions welcome (just make sure you include champagne!). xoxo

ShoeDazzle Me With Kalida

As I told you previously, in first month of my ShoeDazzle membership I ordered the Liza which I ended up loving. That was May. In June, I ordered the Kalida which I also ended up loving and have received several compliments on.

But I am really kind of disappointed with my July selections, what do you think? Although I am half considering first, third and fourth, that is only a half consideration, I don't LOVE any of them!! Overall, I am thinking my July selections are thoroughly disappointing. I can't decide if I should skip July (July is such a horrible month for ME to skip) or if I should give one a shot or order one from a previous month. Please, do tell, what say you???