5 Reasons We Love To Travel ft. Marichuy

Traveling has been on my mind lately and I can't figure out where I want to visit next. There's so many places to see and do that I try to keep an ongoing checklist of places that I have previously visited or have been told to check out. I have a few trips lined up for this month and next month like a trip to Las Vegas that I'll be doing for one of my friend's 30th birthday next weekend (Yay!) and my cousin's wedding in Indiana in May. A lot of fun events coming up and I can't wait to experience them all. 

For this blog post, I collaborated with one of my good friends and lifestyle blogger, Marichuy from The Real Marichuy, as we share with you all 5 reasons why we love to travel. Read all about it below!

1.) Planning aka "The Logistics"
I think planning is a fundamental thing when it comes to traveling. I learned about this whenever I would plan trips to visit my family in California. One of the things that I started doing is that I started creating an excel sheet where I would write down a list of activities that I would want to do out there and an estimated budget of how much I might spend. Majority of the times I'm with my family but other times I may go out with friends or go sight seeing. It helps me to see the big picture and the details that go into my trip. There may be times where my travel plans may not go the way that I planned it like a delay or something, but it's good to have an idea and/or a visual of your overall trip. 


2.) Packing
Ah packing. I think the process of packing is different for every one ha ha. I enjoy packing because I get to put outfits together and see what patterns go well with eachother. I also enjoy it because I get to pick out items that are comfy and that can be easily used for a day and night outfit. I know weather is a big thing especially depending on what season you're flying in, but I usually look at the weather to get an idea of what I am expecting or in other times I usually bring a light-heavy jacket, just in case. 

3.) Checking into your hotel
There's something about staying in a hotel that is just a perfect weekend or vacation getaway. I don't know if its the feeling that I am away from home for a small amount of time or that I'm staying in a new city, but it's always a good start to any trip. One of the things I do once we (my boyfriend and I) reach our hotel room, I always run to the bed and just star fish it (where your arms and legs stretch out like a starfish.) If you've never done this before then I recommend you do it because it feels awesome. It's like the best feeling after a long drive or flight. Another thing I love doing whenever I stay in a hotel is opening the blinds and seeing the view. It's a perfect Hello!


4.) The Cool Spots
Whenever my boyfriend and I are traveling, my "duty" is to look for the cool spots. This is one of my favorite things to do because I get to find places or things to do based on our interests and then we go check them out. Majority of the time we're pretty spontaneous. We usually drive around and if we see something that grabs our attention we go. Other times we use our handy dandy Yelp app for reviews and helpful tips. We may even ask the locals for suggestions, which is also pretty helpful. My favorite places to visit are vintage shops, art museums, record stores, capturing graffiti art, etc. 


5.) Live in the Moment
Last but not least is to have fun and to live in the moment! The feeling of being in a different place and to be able to share that experience with family and friends is what makes your adventure priceless!


There are many more reasons of why I love to travel but I will save that for next time. For now, head on over to Marichuy's blog to read about her awesome adventures and her 5 reasons why she loves to travel!

Until next time,
Fati <3

Artist Feature: Eden Sanchez

This week's Artist Feature is on the lovely, Eden Sanchez. She is originally from Long Beach, California and is known for her contemporary and abstract paintings. She participated in the Nasty Women Art Exhibition and displayed some of her art pieces at Picture Perfect Gallery in Lancaster, two months ago. I had the opportunity to interview Eden and learn more about her paintings. Read all about it below!  

Fatima Alliyani: When did you start painting?

Eden Sanchez: All my life. I didn't want dolls, I wanted art and school supplies. Not many people knew that I painted. It took me up until a few months back to muster up the courage to show my art to the world. There's very much emotion and feeling in a lot of my work that I put in that basically use to make me feel vulnerable if I showed it.  

FA: How would you describe yourself as an artist?

ES: As an artist, I am able to see life and experiences through different eyes which if very difficult for me to describe. My artwork tends to carry a message and is a way for me to speak out on issues that affect us all. 


FA: Where is your favorite place to paint and what inspires you? 

ES: I paint 95.7% of the time in my studio. Everything inspires me; life, death, the unknown, events, experiences, emotions, etc.

FA: Why do you paint or create art? 

ES: I can't help myself. Most of the time it's because I have something to say. As cliche as it may sound, art is how I express myself. That's why I love abstract art! It's all about pure energy and raw emotion. Letting go. It gives me a chance to escape into another realm.

FA: I saw that you participated in the Nasty Women Art Exhibition, tell me about that?

ES: It was a great pleasure to participate in this movement alongside with hundreds of artists across the nation with a very big and important message. Don't mess with women and don't mess with anybody else's lives for that matter! 

FA: When you're not painting or doing artsy thangs, what are you up to?

ES: I enjoy hiking and reading but I love looking for new things to try, especially food!

FA: Are there any projects that you're currently working on or any upcoming art shows?
ES: I'm currently working on a new series. Coming soon!

FA: Where can people find your work?

ES: I currently have a few pieces showing in Lancaster, CA at the Picture Perfect Gallery until February 28th. 


Some of her artwork!

"Creator"

"Woman Almighty"

"Cosmic Dreams & Golden Wings"

"Untitled"

"Astral Traveler"

A quick thanks to Eden for letting me feature you on my blog and for letting me use your photos! 

If you want to see more of Eden's artwork follow her on Instagram @artworldofeden!

Until next time,
Fati <3

My Weekend at Omaha Fashion Week 2017

This past weekend I attended Omaha Fashion Week. This event went from February 21-26th and took place at the Omaha Design Center which is located in Downtown Omaha. I didn't get to attend the first three nights due to work and school but I heard a lot of great things about them. There was a Kids Rule fashion show where kids ages 5-12 had the opportunity to walk down the catwalk and also a Cancer Survivor show which featured over 100+ survivors as they took over the runway wearing items from local boutiques and shops. 

I attended the Saturday show which was the Designer Showcase III and featured designers such as Michael Drummond who was the headliner of the show, Mitchell Henderson, Madyssen Jean, Hannah Swanson, Mayaklee Gayed, Crystal Brakhage Designs, and Jane Round. 

Before the show commenced, I had some time to walk around and see what else they had going on. They had a variety of cool art pieces and sculptures from local artists, a photo booth area with a red carpet, some pop up shops, and much more. I even got to take a picture in the photo booth!

As I entered the main room, I saw two giant screens with timers to let us know when the show was about to begin. All the guests started filing in as they looked for their row and seat numbers. Every seat had a Omaha Fashion Magazine that guests could take home. 

As 8'o clock hit, the show began and the crowd went wild. Well, not really but they were pretty excited when the models came out on the runway. Below are some photos that I took throughout the show. 

I spotted some of the models after the first half of the show. I absolutely loved the flowery designs on Michael Drummond's pieces and the stitching details on Madyssen Jean's pieces. 

As the second half of the show began, one of the models came out wearing the famous SAC Federal Credit Union, Money Dress. This dress was made entirely out of money, can you believe that!?

Overall, I had a lot of fun attending Omaha Fashion Week. I think my favorite part of the night was seeing the different pieces that each designer put together as their collection and just admiring their work. I love attending these types of events because you get to appreciate fashion as a form of artistry and see the creativity that goes into creating a unique ensemble. 

Shout out to all the models, they did an amazing job working that runway and to the OFW crew for putting on a great event!

For more photos of Omaha Fashion Week, follow them on Instagram at @OmahaFashionWeek or check our their website, https://omahafashionweek.com/blog/

Until next time,

Fati <3

Artist Feature: RL Soul

It's been a while since I have done an artist spotlight but I am happy to get back at it again. This week I am featuring one of my good friends from my hometown of Santa Monica, California. Her name is Raven L. Cole also known as her poet name, RL Soul. 

She is an up and coming artist, poet, and writer and is based in Los Angeles, California. She recently shared with me that she came out with a book called, "Bruises Heal & Again We Feel." It's poetry book that brings together her personal writing as well as personal experiences of finding self-love and acceptance. I had the opportunity to interview her and get to know more about her book and how she got started. Read about it below!

Fatima Alliyani: I see that you came out with your new book called, 'Bruises Heal & Again We Feel.' Congratulations! How do you feel?

Raven L Cole: "I feel accomplished. It's been a long time coming; it's something I always wanted to do and I did it ALL on my own; so I feel amazing."

FA: Can you tell me a little bit about it?

RLC: "The book is about bruising, healing, and again feeling. What that means [is that] we all go through times of hurt, whether this hurt is brought on by a break-up or even by self-infliction (negative thoughts, pessimistic thought, depression, feelings of being alone). The book goes into the healing process: healing oneself, healing another, learning to let go and giving yourself time to heal. 

When we are going through moments, sometimes we wish we couldn't feel. So the last part is about trusting yourself enough to feel again-whether in love, in taking risks, in learning to love yourself again."

FA: Who or what inspired you to create your own book? Do you have any favorite artists, writers, etc.?

RLC: "I've been writing since middle school. It's always been a dream of mine to publish a book of my poetry. I enjoy artists who empower others with their words---I love Warsan Shire, Sarah Kay, Reyna Biddy, Lang Leav, Noor Shirazie, and Tyler Knott Gregson."

FA: Is there a certain poem/passage that is your favorite?

RLC: "I Love Myself Because...", "Abyss of You", and "Live to Exist."

FA: How long was the process like? Did you have any difficulty while putting it together?

RLC: "I began the process in the summer. I had planned to release it before Christmas, but getting the right measurements for the cover was difficult, had to re-do it multiple times."

FA: Is this book for everyone?

RLC: "I would say I think the book is for anyone who has been hurt, but learned to heal. And also, for anyone who has experienced the euphoria feelings of love."

FA: Are you currently working on any projects? Where can readers find your book and follow you to see other poetry pieces?

RLC: "Right now, I am getting back into calligraphy and focusing on my street photography. I will be posting new poems on my art page. You can follow me on my social media at: @aspire2nspire on Instagram and my book can be purchased on Amazon. Link is also in bio on my Instagram page." 

Just as mentioned above, if you're interested in seeing what other projects or poems Raven is working on, don't forget to follow her on Instagram and don't forget to purchase your own copy of her book. Many thanks to Raven for the photo and for answering the interview questions!

Until next time,

Fati <3

Getting Back To It.

Today has been a pretty fun day. I got to be an extra for a friend's music video and I got to spend time with my boyfriend since he's been out traveling for work all week. It's days like these that make me wish our weekends would be a little bit longer so we can enjoy the present moment. 

One of the other things I got to do today is I got to take pictures. A goal that I had set for myself is to work on an art project on a weekly/bi-weekly basis. I know it can be tough with working a full time job while take classes on the side and that time can never be enough, but like how some people have told me, "you gotta make time for the things that you enjoy." 

Below are some shots that I took of myself and my outfit of the day. 

My outfit of the day consists of a leather Jacket, a mustard dress that I bought from UNIQLO, brown tights from Target, black Oxfords, a brown studded belt, and fringe earrings made from a local artist Amaral Jewelry. 

Looking forward to other photo projects and more stylish days to come!


Until next time,
Fati <3