December 2024 Favorites

“Trust me when I say that one day it’s going to hit you– that you woke up happy, that you’re smiling for no reason, that your hands aren’t shaking anymore. One day, you’re going to remember what it was like to be you a year ago, or three years ago, or even a week ago,Continue reading “December 2024 Favorites”

September 2024 Favorites

By: Gabriela Yareliz It’s officially autumn!!! (Yes, that deserves three exclamation points). Man, I love this season. The mornings are dark and glowy. It’s raining as I type this, and I am playing an “Autumn Jazz” playlist. The diffuser is going with all the yummy oils. The only word that comes to mind is “glow.”Continue reading “September 2024 Favorites”

July 2024 Favorites

Hello! Is it just me, or did July just FLY by? Suddenly, one Friday I found out it was time for Summer Stroll (think of Summer Stroll as a giant block party); My favorite vendor on the commercial avenue told me. The shock set in. Summer Stroll means summer is almost over, and my leaseContinue reading “July 2024 Favorites”

Morning Trains

By: Gabriela Yareliz Here we are speeding toward the Times Square train station, which is a non-stop circus. Each corner curiously serves a different genre of music. I heard an old black man sing “Stand By Me,” better than the original (as I ran past him); a man singing and dancing salsa with an enviableContinue reading “Morning Trains”

The Train Awards

By: Gabriela Yareliz There we were. All of us in the moving train car. A small bullet of speed moving underground (much too slow). All of us like shards of glass soon to be dispersed into a million little directions, launched into our day. But before that, we are sharing space. We are avoiding eyeContinue reading “The Train Awards”

Becoming Fascinating

By: Gabriela Yareliz We got an unseasonably warm and sunny day at Fonthill Castle, Henry Mercer’s home and tile empire headquarters. The sun was dancing with the daffodils and revealing to us the clear nature of the stream below the castle terrace. Who is Henry Chapman Mercer? That is a good question (I had noContinue reading “Becoming Fascinating”

March 2024 Favorites

Here I am– a bit late. Late on many things. I literally have to do my taxes tonight. March was a month of overwhelming joy. There is sort of no other way to describe it. I was overwhelmed at work. Overwhelmed with gratitude in my personal life. I spent time with family and beautiful peopleContinue reading “March 2024 Favorites”

The Eyebrow Spa

By: Gabriela Yareliz Ms. Shah is a pro— or so I heard. She had on spa music that matches my favorite massage place, and her storefront business was packed. “That music is the secret to keeping everyone calm while they wait,” Ms. Shah said laughing. I had wandered over to Ms. Shah’s eyebrow spa becauseContinue reading “The Eyebrow Spa”

Warm Wishes

By: Gabriela Yareliz First Star I See Tonight. I Wish I May, I Wish I Might, Have the Wish I Wish Tonight. “Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars? Because I could really use a wish right now.” B.o.B. ft. Hayley Williams, “Airplanes” Yesterday, I saw bright specs hoveringContinue reading “Warm Wishes”

All Outta Blake Videos

By: Gabriela Yareliz I am keeping another time zone. Just kidding; I can’t sleep. I don’t know what it is, but I am staring at the ceiling after a marathon of Blake Shelton interviews that failed to knock me out. What is it about hormones in general that makes weird emotions just take possession ofContinue reading “All Outta Blake Videos”