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lifestyle

Fashion, Lifestyle

You Can Always Be Better – Summer Reads and Needs

How is it even possible that summer just started and now my trip to Chicago is already almost over!  Time really does fly when you are having fun!  As some of you may know, I am part of a fabulous book club (shout out to the Guilty Wives Club) and as I do every summer I take on a summer reading list with a combination of best sellers, recommendations and this year I have included some self exploration too!  As a woman I constantly second guess myself as an individual, as a wife, and of course as a mother.  I am always wondering if there is a better way to do what I am doing or how I can make sure that I am giving my kids the tools to be amazing individuals and citizens.


This year’s list had a little bit of everything but I wanted to share the life books that I really enjoyed that gave me just enough pep in my step each day to see things differently and offered some new ideas and perspective into my day to day life.

The List

You Are a Badass

Don’t feel bad about pepping yourself up sometimes- isn’t that what power posing is all about?? This book offers hilariously inspiring stories, sage advice, easy exercises, and the occasional swear word to help you stop being self deprecating and change the way you see yourself and your future.

 

 

 

You Do You

With social media shifting our focus to other people all the time, You Do You reminds you to spend just as time and energy on yourself as you do on other people.  If everyone is busy doing ‘their’ thing, shouldn’t you be busy doing yours?? This easy read may be the reminder by your bedside that you need to just do you!

 

 

 

It’s Not About How Good You Are, It’s About How Good You Want To Be

If you are like me and asked yourself if there is more out there for you in this world or this life then author Paul Arden has some words of wisdom for you! He takes on issues as diverse as problem solving, communicating, playing your cards right, making mistakes and creativity- all things I try to tackle each and every day!

 

 

 

The Little Book Of Life Hacks

Yumi Sakugawa shares a wide range of useful and unexpected tips for looking and feeling better, streamlining and improving your home life.  Everything from creating fun and artsy DIY projects that can brighten your living space. Everything from removing  dark circles from under your eyes, making cold brew iced coffee at home, throwing the perfect party on a budget, working out at home without a gym membership and (my favorite!) taking the perfect afternoon power nap…and more!  You can peek in and out of this book at will and get a whole lot out of it!

 

 

Parenting Recommendations

My next two recommendations are heavy on the parenting side of things.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have two daughters, both are amazing yet incredibly different, one is self motivated, one is not, one is independent, the other is not.  I have read both GRIT and The Power of Habit and these books have taught me so much about behaviors that successful people have and where and how they were taught them.  It allows parents the freedom to exercise a little tough love to teach your child a lesson – I find tough love to be so hard sometimes.  I always make excuses for my kids for example, I think that they don’t understand, or that they are too young, but these books have given me the gumption to challenge them.  To my surprise, I have watched the kids step it up.  If you need a scientific perspective with a track record on parenting then check these books out, you won’t regret it!

Well I hoped you enjoyed my book recommendations, what did you read this summer?

Your Chick,

Rina

Fashion, Lifestyle

A Unique Experience: Global Runway Fashion Presentation at the Atlanta Hartsfield Airport

Chicks And Salsa was honored to be included in one of this years most exclusive and unique fashion events in Atlanta.  Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) presented Global Runway 2018, a fashion presentation and retail pop-up experience on Wednesday, May 16th. Hosted by InStyle Magazine’s Editor Kahlana Barfield, over 250 guests experienced a few of the retail offerings that represent ATL Skypointe, a program designed for guests to shop, dine and explore ATL. This year, guests also experienced an expanded industry-driven fashion experience, which included a silent auction to benefit Bert’s Big Adventure.

©2018 Decisive Moment Event Photojournalism, Atlanta Airport, Global Runway Event
©2018 Decisive Moment Event Photojournalism, Atlanta Airport, Global Runway Event
© 2018 Decisive Moment Events, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Global Runway on International Concourse F in Atlanta, GA
The Designers

In its second year, Global Runway featured four U.S. retail brands: Spanx, ExOfficio, Brooks Brothers and Sean John, which is celebrating their 20th anniversary. Also bridging the gap between beauty and style, the event highlighted national brands MAC Cosmetics, Michael Kors, Bijoux Terner andXpresSpa via a pop-up shop.

The Mission

“Each year, ATL serves over 103 million passengers, and many of them are unaware of our award-winning concessions program,” said Airport Concessions Marketing Manager Pamela Simmons. “In addition to being a global transportation hub, ATL is also a hub for quality global brands and Global Runway is designed to showcase these brands and raise the awareness of all that the world’s busiest airport has to offer.”

All in all this event was beautifully planned with the who’s who of Atlanta and we were glad to be a part of it! Thank you to Angela Watts at 10 Squared PR for the invitation!

Your Chick,

Rina

Chicks Picks:
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