Black Tie Ball

What:

Inside the most glamorous holiday party in South Florida: The Black Tie Ball — the official kick-off to the Winterfest Boat Parade.

Why:
Showcasing the “Aladdin” theme of The Black Tie Ball and getting a look inside the new Guitar Hotel. I love being the hostess of this yearly event, but this time, it was even better, with help from my co-worker and good friend, Jeff Lennox.
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and here’s to a magnificent 2020! And, yes, I’m blogging less, but I’m also living more.  Cheers!
Where:
Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood
1 Seminole Way
Fort Lauderdale, FL  33314
United States

 

Be Social:
IG: @shireensandoval
FB: @shireensandoval
TW: @shireensandoval

 

Write it on your heart that everyday is the best day in the year.Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

 

James Woodley Photography
Dress: TA Couture
Hair & Makeup: Odett Hernandez
Special Thanks to Lily Pardo

Pilates: A Story of Healing & Reinvention

Pilates: A Story of Healing & Reinvention

Pilates: A Story of Healing & Reinvention

Pilates: A Story of Healing & Reinvention

Pilates: A Story of Healing & Reinvention

Pilates: A Story of Healing & Reinvention

Pilates: A Story of Healing & Reinvention

What:

When I think back on my illness, getting sick was the easy part, everything that came after was, well, devastating – there’s no other way to put it. It was emotionally heartbreaking & physically debilitating; add those two things together and life-altering is what I was left with.

9-years later, the tears still fall freely when processing all I’ve been through. I’m not sure I’ll ever make sense of it, but I do know there have been some great people along the way who’ve helped me fight the good fight and one of them is my beloved Pilates teacher, Gretchen Wagoner.

Why:

When I first walked into Breathe Pilates on 79th Street in Miami’s MIMo district, it was an ordinary day, but my journey to get that moment in my life had been nothing short of extraordinary. 6 years earlier…

A neurologist changed my life forever when he said: “You have Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy.” Honestly, it didn’t surprise me. I knew it was coming. Not the diagnosis per se, but some kind of life altering news. For months, I’d been struggling with horrific pain in my lower back that eventually spread to my hands and feet. Like a bad rash, it crept its way up my arms and legs until I was practically immobile.

If you’re a regular blog reader, you probably already know the story. I contracted a virus that sparked a rare neurological condition in my body called, Guillain-Barré syndrome. Because it wasn’t diagnosed properly and in a timely manner, I now have the chronic version of it known as CIDP.

GBS is when your bodies immune system attacks its own nerves and the chronic version means I suffer neurological inflammation. On any given day, I can experience extreme muscle fatigue, numbness and pain in my extremities and severe soreness in my lower back. At the beginning of my illness, Immunoglobulin therapy helped tremendously, but as time wore on a less aggressive, more stabilizing approach became standard. Meaning…

IVIG got me out of the woods, but the years that followed, became about managing my chronic pain and trying to find some type of new normal. That’s the tricky part, no one teaches you HOW to put your life back together after getting sick or HOW to heal with limitations, but it’s been a very real part of my CIDP journey – one I haven’t shared until now.

I was referred to Breathe Pilates by one of my favorite doctors who had heard the owner of the studio, Gretchen Wagoner, was versed in neurological issues. When he told me I should try one of her classes, I rolled my eyes, mumbled something under my breath and changed the subject. I wasn’t being a bad patient, I was scared.

When I was first diagnosed with GBS, I went to physical therapy religiously, but eventually I was advised to find an exercise that would pick up where my PT left off. So — I tried a little bit of everything, but either the exercise was too aggressive or the trainer/instructor treated me like I was training for the Olympics (despite knowing my limitations.)

Sooner or later, I would end up flat on my back, in bed with an excruciating neurological flare-up. Sometimes it took days to recover, sometimes weeks. That’s the thing about CIDP, exercise too much you’re in pain, not enough, you’re in pain. It’s a fine line that’s almost impossible to balance and the fear of crossing it frightened me. So, I scaled back on my physical activity and as a result, started loosing the strength I had gained in PT. My doctor knew I was struggling and urged me to try Pilates. “What do you have to lose?” He said, matter-of-factly.

By the time I met Gretchen, I was in pretty bad shape, both physically and emotionally. I hunched to protect my spine, I was stiff from pain and inactivity and walked with a limp because of a nagging knee injury. The worst part, though, was the overwhelming sadness inside me. Serious illness does that to a person. It blatantly robs you of your physical prowess, then silently invades your psyche — until you feel helpless, alone and sometimes angry. I think Gretchen sensed that about me, though, she never said as much.

We started slowly with one-on-one sessions called Private’s, because I wasn’t well enough to be in an actual class. Gretchen helped me stretch and more importantly, breathe. She taught me that deep breathing was ultimately a way to connect the mind, body and spirit, which is exactly what I needed, although, I didn’t know it at the time. By the way, I liked Gretchen instantly, but I had my reservations about Pilates. I had been through so much suffering, why would THIS be any different ?

Week after week, session after session, Gretchen earned my trust. She was smart, funny and compassionate. She studied up on my GBS/CIDP and when my physical limitations held me back or scared me, she found different solutions; helping me rediscover myself and my body. I learned to open my chest, articulate my spine and build strength in my core area (which are the ab, pelvis and back muscles.) Eventually, I felt like a different person. I had less chronic pain and more body confidence. My limp disappeared and my posture improved.

If you’ve made it this far in the blog, I want you to know, it hasn’t always been unicorn and rainbows. “Pilates: A Story of Healing and Reinvention” is and continues to be a lot of hard work and dedication. Like any exercise worth doing, Gretchen says, “consistency is key” and while I’ve been committed, sometimes my CIDP has other plans for me. I still have flare-up’s, but the good news is, they happen less often, they’re less acute and…

When I make it to the other side of a painful few days in bed, nauseous from neuro meds and hazy from pain, Gretchen is always waiting for me — with a kind smile, words of encouragement and exercises to help me feel better. That in itself gives me strength.

Pilates hasn’t just helped my body, for the first time in a long time, I have hope again…that I’m going to be okay and that my new normal, my reinvention if you will, is the person I was always meant to be and while most of my stories have endings, this one doesn’t, because I’m busy living it and that’s the good part: just living — and that will always be one of my Favorite Things.

Where:

Breathe Pilates Miami
715 NE 79th Street
Miami, Florida 33138

www.breathepilatesmiami.com

Be Social:
IG: @breathepilatesmiami
FB: @breathepilatesmiami

Change happens through movement and movement heals.Joseph Pilates

This blog runs in tandem with an article in the latest issue of Pilates Style Magazine, featuring my road to recovery and how Gretchen has become my secret weapon in my fight against CIDP. While you have to be a digital member of the magazine to read the article, I promise to share it once it becomes available to everyone. www.PilatesStyle.com

Pilates: A Story of Healing & Reinvention

James Woodley Photography
All photos were taken at Breathe Pilates Miami with my teacher, Gretchen Wagoner (Owner of Breathe & Certified Pilates Instructor)
Digital Editor: Jessie Neft-Swinger
Editor: Matthew “Stay Strong, SS” Auerbach

Shireen’s Spotlight: Esotico Miami

Shireen’s Spotlight: Esotico Miami

Shireen’s Spotlight: Esotico Miami

Shireen’s Spotlight: Esotico Miami

Shireen’s Spotlight: Esotico Miami

Shireen’s Spotlight: Esotico Miami

Shireen’s Spotlight: Esotico Miami

Shireen’s Spotlight: Esotico Miami

Shireen’s Spotlight: Esotico Miami

Shireen’s Spotlight: Esotico Miami

Shireen’s Spotlight: Esotico Miami

What:

Friday night fun at Esotico Miami — where tropical vibes meet tiki sophistication.

Why:

One step inside Esotico and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported into a luxurious luau; better yet, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped onto the set of that famous 60’s movie, “Blue Hawaii,” starring Elvis Presley. #ThankYou, #ThankYouVeryMuch (said in my best Elvis snarl.) From its funky neon signs to the beautiful Hawaiian hand-carved wooden surf boards and pretty Polynesian chachkies, Esotico is a true tropical paradise — with air conditioning and custom-made crafted cocktails — that’ll blow your mind. 😁🍹

Like the “King Ta Moko” (made with gin, passion fruit, citrus and ginger syrup.) The amazing, hand-carved limited edition mug is included in the price. Long live the King! If you’re digging the dry ice, most cocktails come with it when seated at the bar. My favorite of the night, “Vicious Virgin,” which Esotico describes as “blue like the Miami sky and definitely not a virgin.” Lol. The description alone made me wanna try it and it didn’t disappoint. Think drinkable suntan lotion; say, Coppertone. It’s a concoction of mezcal & rum (mixed with Re’al cream of coconut, citrus and almond elixir.) If you’re really feeling the tiki vibe, try “Nu Mai Thai” (with three different types of rums, orange liqueur, passion fruit and a secret ingredient.) Souvenir glass included.

If you haven’t noticed by now, Esotico has major moxie and a lot it has to do with the brain behind the brilliance, Daniele Dalla Pola. Talk about personality: Daniele is quick with a smile, a great laugh and totally believes in what he’s doing, which is nothing less than changing up the restaurant scene in the Magic City. While Esotico is all about originality (with an Elvis flair, because Daniele is a big fan,) it’s also about adding personality to Miami’s Arts & Entertainment District, which hasn’t quite spread its wings yet.

It’s definitely on the cusp, though, and with delicious dishes like “South Sea Hamachi Tiradito” (served in an exotic ponzu sauce)
and “Wahine Dream Bowl” (filled to the brim with tuna, crab meat, avocado, carrots, cucumber, pickled ginger and more,) foodies are sure to love every minute of every meal and you will too, especially if you fancy yourself a social media guru. Believe you me, you’re gonna want a picture with the “Zombie Cocktail” which comes with a creepy hand prop, perfect for a picture on the Gram. The cheeky drink is made with Mezcal and two types of yummy rum. Speaking of, they have more than 200 types to choose from — which definitely comes in “handy” (😂) — when making a wow kind-of-cocktail.

If you like food that’s sweet and savory, the “Anakakia Lobster Roll” is otherworldly, dressed in butter lemon and sherry sauce. And, who doesn’t love a soft, melt in your mouth, homemade roll? Come to mama! Btw, the crescendo of my #Spotlight experience at Esotico was the “Peking Duck” served on a pretty platter with hoisin sauce, chives, and pancakes (I got the half portion.) The duck was so tender and juicy, I was beside myself. I washed it down with a refreshing “Missionary Downfall” (made with rum, peach brandy, agave nectar, pineapple and hint of mint.) If you like smooth and creamy, you’ll wanna order two, because the first one goes down fast and furious. Lol, or at least it did for me.

Ending the night just right, the “Molten Lava Cake,” served with mixed berries and mango sorbet. Each dessert comes with a suggested cocktail — which is sold separately. I tried the sweet and delicious “Sexy Colada” (made with rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, coconut water and a touch of ginger.)

Dinner and drinks at Esotico are only made better by its exciting atmosphere. When I was there last Friday night, a DJ duo was spinning some great singalong tunes, Daniele was showing off his nifty, portable drink cart and I may have had a shot of rum (or two). One thing’s for sure, I smiled and laughed a lot and that’s why the new Miami hot spot is one of my #FavoriteThings. Cheers!

Where:

Esotico Miami
On the ground floor of Canvas Condominiums.
1600 NE 1st Avenue
Miami, Florida 33132

When:

Monday – Thursday
Friday & Saturday: 5PM – 2AM
Closed on Sunday

Be Social:
IG: @esoticomiami
FB: @esoticoMIAMI
www.esoticomiami.com

I believe the key to happiness is:
someone to love, something to do and something to look forward to.Elvis Presley
James Woodley Photography
Dress: Cynthia Rowley
Clutch: A gift from my beloved pilates teacher, Gretchen (designer is @artAK.co)
Hair & Make-up: Odett Hernandez
Digital Editor: Jessie Neft-Swinger
Editor: Matthew “King Creole” Auerbach

Great Escape

Great Escape

Great Escape

Great Escape

Great Escape

Great Escape

Great Escape

Great Escape

Great Escape

Great Escape

Great Escape

Great Escape

Great Escape

Great Escape

Great Escape

Great Escape

Great Escape

Great Escape

Great Escape

Great Escape

Great Escape

What:

A quick trip to Tulum; where the water is the color of turquoise, the food is the stuff a New Mexican girl’s dreams are made of and the atmosphere is tropical heaven with a side of incredible hospitality. Oh, and there’s just enough internet to allow a modern day woman to rest, relax and sip on a margarita or two.

Why:

After spending some quality time in France, who knew I needed another getaway? Apparently, I DID. If you’ve ever been to Europe you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s not a place you go to rest, per se; it’s about exploring, discovering, going off-the-beaten-path, eating, drinking and sightseeing until you can’t anymore. I know, I know, I sound crazy, but if you’re like me, when all is said and done, sometimes you need a vacation from your vacation — which is exactly how I ended up making my “Great Escape” to Mexico.

More specifically, the El Dorado Spa & Resort, which happens to be one of the crown jewels of Tulum. It’s not just awe-inspiring, snuggled into the lush greenery of Quintana Roo, it’s also perfectly perched alongside a long stretch of sandy white beaches. If I were Jimmy Buffett, I’d write a song about it called “Lazy Days, Sexy Nights.” The lyrics would go something like this: “A drink in my left hand/one in my right/a white trimmed cabana/hugging me tight/Guess I found happiness/cuz I’m feeling alright/It’s just one of those Lazy Days/Sexy Nights.” Don’t worry, I won’t quit my day job. 😂

The best part of my “Great Escape” — besides the dreamy company —was my hotel balcony, which happened to be a private infinity pool. Yes, I said my balcony was an infinity pool. Oh wait, I enjoyed the swim-up bar, too. That was in the main area of the resort, where frozen Pina Coladas come out of the blender so fast & so frothy, you’ll think you’ve died and gone to happy hour heaven, every hour of every day. Then again, I’m a big foodie and with so many mouthwatering options, I had to strategically map out my menus from meal to meal: Mexican, Italian, Asian, seafood — so many restaurants, so little time.

In full disclosure, I’ve never been big on all-inclusive resorts. I just don’t like crowds or waiting in line. Plus, feeling special when I’m on vacation is a must (because like most people, I work hard and relish my time off,) but El Dorado isn’t just any ol’ place. It’s a sophisticated tropical escape where your every whim is indulged, you’re waited on hand and foot and the biggest challenge of the day is deciding what to eat and drink #OrderOfLobster by the pool, please. I’ll take fries with that and a margarita on the rocks.

Speaking of those aforementioned lines, there were none. In fact, sometimes I felt like I was on my own private island and it doesn’t get much better than that. Sigh. The only BAD part of my “Great Escape” was it ended way too soon. So, here I am, daydreaming of another stay at El Dorado. Next time, though, I’m hoping to stay in one of their beautiful over-the-water bungalows because the only thing better than swimming with the fishies is sleeping close to them, too — that’s why vacationing in Mexico is one of my Favorite Things.

Where:

El Dorado Royale Riviera Maya
IG: @eldoradoresorts #karismaexperience
www.eldoradosparesorts.com

When:

The best time to travel to Mexico is November through March. I went off-season for a special celebration, but tracking the tropics is stressful and trip insurance is a MUST during hurricane season.

We travel
not to escape life,
but for life not to
escape us.Anonymous
James Woodley Photography
Bathing Suits: @jcrew, Monokini: @Montce_swim
Jewery: @handmademiamibeach, @lexijewlery, @liliandcar
Scarves: @camarrero,
Large sunhat: @asos, the rest are from: @SanDiegoHatCompany
Cover-up’s: @bohemeboutique, @vchicstore, @camarrero
Digital Editor: Jessie Neft-Swinger
Editor: Matthew “Oh, Mexico” Auerbach