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chicago blogger

Lifestyle

6 Reasons Why You Will Love Vero – True Social Media

Honestly, thank you to the makers of Vero! This new app touts that it is the social media solution of the future and after hours of tinkering, here is what I have learned and think I will love:
Its a One Stop Shop!
Yup, its fully integrated. No more “click link in bio” – now images themselves are hyperlinked (bye bye “swipe up” feature).  On Vero you can store your reviews on places, books, movies, etc. and integrate that into your actual story. Better yet, your posts that tell the story don’t automatically delete after 24 hours — Vero actually archives your memories into easy to access categories. This creates a comprehensive representation of who you are, the things you like and what you like to do.
Vero Manifesto
Vero Manifesto
No More Identity Separation
As a blogger/small business owner, I have personal Instagram page and a blog Instagram page. Now, with Vero, you can categorize your followers and share things accordingly.  The categories are Follower, Acquaintance, Close Friend, and Friend.  This is a MAJOR plus for me — for personal posts I can just share those with my family and close friends. For my blog posts I can share with everyone! But it can all be on one comprehensive and very personalized and authentic feed.
Follower Categories
Follower Categories
Some Familiar Features
You can still search for relevant hashtags and people similar to the way you would on Instagram.  This is comforting when switching to a new platform. Hashtags are very useful for categorizing people, trends, and events as well as for searching for relevant posts.
App Aesthetic is Awesome
Instagram now seems very sterile with its white backdrop and locked-in features.  Vero has a darker backdrop that makes pictures pop. The backdrops also adjust according to the image and is lighter for lighter images and darker for darker images. Smart framing for the photos helps enhance the viewing — isn’t that everything you want on a photo-based sharing platform?!
Integrated Layout
Integrated Layout
No Ads
Yup, you read that right, no more spillage from Facebook with sponsored ads and seeing posts you didn’t ask to see.  This app will eventually require a paid membership (annual fee) but to see what I want to see, I think that is fair.
Post Are in Chronological Order
After Instagram changed its algorithm and started giving preference to more popular and engaged posts.  On Vero you see things as they happen when they happen, IN ORDER!
So far, I am very impressed with Vero. Currently I use Facebook, Facebook Stories, Instagram, Instagram Stories, Trip Advisor, Email, and my blog to reach out to my followers. But with Vero I think I can merge a lot of these under one roof. Integrating my social media presence optimizes the way I present my brand — and helps manage my time. The more you share the more complete your story is.
So, what are you waiting for? Make the switch and download Vero App.
These opinions are my own and this post has been written purely out of the exhaustion I experience managing my brand across a variety of platforms.  I see potential here, so I wrote this post.  Time will tell if the Facebook juggernaut is just too big, but for now, I am willing to try something new.
Cheers,
Rina
Fashion

Upgrade and Organize Your Closet for Less Than $100

It has been years since I have given significant thought to the organization of my closet. Until I get the Vanderpump closet of my dreams, I needed an easy and preferably inexpensive way to make my closet feel more organized and, upgraded.

To make this simple, I used only two products to achieve this: shoe organizers from Amazon and Velvet Hangers also from Amazon. 


My shoes were piling up on each other! Unorganized and often not visible to me, I would have the hardest time keeping a proper inventory on my own shoe collection. Over the holidays I found this product from TrySmarter that changed everything! Let the pictures below speak for themselves.

Before And After : Shoe Closet Upgrade and Organization

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The Finished Look
The Finished Look

My second tip to keeping everything in order in your closet is to get slip free velvet hangers. They are a game changer. Say goodbye to things falling on the floor! They also have half the profile of the plastic hangers so for tighter spaces, they actually create more closet space and look more uniform. At $22 for 50 hangers, you can’t go wrong!  

Before And After : Hanger Upgrade
Before
Before
After
After

Both options gave me more space (to add more clothes!) – which was an added bonus to an upgraded aesthetic and organization!  I was able to fit double the number of shoes in the same amount of space!

So what are you waiting for? Tune into Spring and get to cleaning your closet. Once you have organized your closet, don’t forget to add these Spring Staples into your new wardrobe.

Xoxo,

Rina

As a Bonus, the shoe organizer is great for kids shoes too!

Kids Shoe Storage
Kids Shoe Storage

 

Lifestyle

5 ‘P’owerful Ways to Connect With Your Spouse

Please tell me I am not the only one who feels like sometimes life gets too busy…to the point that there are evenings when my husband and I are hardly able to chat in the evenings.  I have spoken with my chicks and my mom about this and it seems normal for life to cut into relationships — but honestly, no one likes to feel like they are not ‘connected’ to their spouse or significant other (SO).  Having been married for 13 years with two young children, it’s easy to let one busy evening become two nights in a row and then, before you know it, a week!

Here are some important reminders, the five ‘P’s, to keep your relationship on track and healthy:

Prioritize

Identify that you miss your spouse…this is an easy way to kick yourself back into gear. The best place to start is to communicate that longing. It helps get the wheels turning for you and for your SO. I tell my husband I miss him all the time, even when he is right in front of me. It lets him know that I am thinking about him and that time with him is a priority for me.

Secrets for winning at Relationships
Anil and Rina : Established in 2005
Plan

Remember, actions express priorities. So once you acknowledge that you miss each other, it is time to make a plan. We were so good about date nights in the beginning, but lately (in the last 3 years) not so much. This year, we want to find a way to get back to that place where we set aside time for each other. Making time to do things together (yes, without the kids and hustle of daily life) expresses priorities.

Play

Remember those little things you did when you had fewer responsibilities? In our case, it was watch a lot of movies, NBA basketball games, and walking around new parts of town. Those activities are fun, flirty, and lighthearted. Don’t just go out to a fancy dinner — go to sports bar and catch the game again, like old times.  Play time together is just as important for adults as it is for kids. Remind each other of the easy, playful times amidst the weight of growing responsibilities with families.

Sonia and Badal Celebrating 10 Years!

Sonia and Badal Celebrating 10 Years!

Physical Contact

Do you know it only take 60 SECONDS of physical skin to skin contact to get the endorphins going?  Take that playfulness further by sneaking in moments to flirt at home. These moments can be an unexpected hug or kiss in the kitchen, a slight touch of the hand as you walk by. Making sure to remember that even the slightest physical contact with your spouse can make the body have a positive biological response.

Pillow Talk

This one is great. It ties in with #2, planning.  Each night, when the lights are out, it is nice to have a little recap. I tell my husband a quick story about the kids or myself. He will tell me something funny that happened at the office. We try to keep the exchange lighthearted (and phone free), to help us laugh together and end the day with a smile.  Having this brief re-connectivity can help be a reset and recharge button for the relationship. I actually think about pillow talk throughout out the day and look forward to that moment of peace when it is just the two of us.

** Bonus ‘P’: Poetry**

When I first met my husband he would write me lovely snippets in emails, on cards, and on napkins (anything he could get his hands on!) from time to time, sneaking in a romantic thought here an there really drew me to him.  Since that time, I have see many other relationships use this fun way to communicate with each other.  Check out some of my favorite love poems written by my uncle in his book, The Start Of Something Beautiful.  Maybe scoop up a copy for your honey for old times sake, or check out some of our other ideas for gifts.  Here is a sample from the book:

God Exists Poem

Hopefully, you can use some of these tips. When I am on the same page as my spouse, I move through my day with confidence and positivity. When we are ‘off’, it affects me, the kids, my work, etc.  Are you like that?  Drop me a comment below on what you do to connect with your spouse.

Cheers,

Rina

 

Travel

Park City, Utah Will Give You Life

When I first became a mother I was told by veteran Mom’s that taking time for yourself is important. When my kids were infants I found it difficult to separate myself from family life and always carried a feeling of “mom guilt.”  Now that my kids are 5 and 7, I understand why that advice is so important.  With no diapers, bottles or sleep schedules, I have a lot less “mom guilt” leaving the kids to spend time with their dad or grandparents to have some “me” time.

Destination: Park City, Utah

Back in October, I went with four friends to Park City, Utah. We stayed at the Montage in Deer Valley. Though it was off-season, and we didn’t go for skiing, there was still plenty to do! We rented a four-bedroom residence which offered a kitchen to make at-home meals or store late night snacks. We didn’t really make good use of the kitchen since we were trying to escape the daily routine of family life including cooking and dishes!  The Montage offered complimentary coffee and assorted teas in the morning which was a nice, and much needed, touch.  

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A quick note: For those of you who have altitude sickness, Deer Park sits at almost 7000 feet so you might want to come prepared with some extra oxygen or Advil for minor headaches. I suffered my first night there, but staying hydrated helped get me back up and running the next day! Learn more about altitude sickness here.

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Sundance and North Forty Escapes

Two excursions that we really enjoyed were our trip to Sundance and our trip to North Forty Escapes.  The Montage was kind enough to offer a complementary car for us to drive out to Sundance. We did a hike to Stewart Falls which made for the perfect outdoorsy addition to our girls trip. If you decide to make your way there, bring a sweatshirt or light jacket…there are several microclimates along the hike which make you both hot and cold (be prepared)!  It’s not overly strenuous but also not easy so make sure you are wearing proper shoes.  

Our drive to North Forty Escapes took us through the weaving back roads of Park City.  If you plan to drive yourself, be sure you have your bearings and directions..we lost cell service… you don’t want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere!  When we arrived we did some clay shooting and horseback riding.  It made for a fun and productive way to be together in the great outdoors.  The sign for the ranch is small so be sure to keep your eyes peeled on your drive in.  

Tried Shooting For The First Time
Tried Clay Shooting For The First Time (not hunting, I am a vegetarian and animal lover!)


No trip is complete without food!  As a vegetarian, I can be picky about the places I suggest. Two dinner spots that stuck out were, Chimayo and River horse.    Chimayo is a quaint restaurant which offers Mexican fare.  I would recommend the wild mushroom enchiladas with a delicious spicy margarita.  River horse was a more dressy upscale restaurant that offered live music and delicious food!  The pot-stickers and tofu dishes were outstanding!  Both were beautiful in their own ways and accommodating to food requests.

When it was all said and done, a quick weekend trip away was just what the doctor ordered. The spa at the Montage (the #1 spa in Park City) was the cherry on top!  When I came home I was ready to get back to the routine and daily life of being a good wife and mom to my family.

Your Chick,

Sonia