What I've been up to...

Hello peeps!

I thought I would give a little re-cap on my last week or so just to touch base.

My brother Aly and his girlfriend arrived last Saturday and my bro's friend was supposed to be at the airport at the same time...however he missed his flight from Trinidad and had to sit in the airport for 5 hours until the next one...AND he left Miami the next afternoon!

We did a ton of fun things that day, such as get aquainted with my hood, meet my Tdot friend Neetu and her MIA bf Fred at the famous Clevelander, then Mangos, for a buzz-filled evening..then we went to the club Mansion for a super late night that had them leaving me at home at 4am then walking around downtown to find food with little Tyson in tow!

We also watched the Miami Heat lose to the Mavericks in the NBA finals...and fine, Mavs deserved the win, but I was also looking at it from a selfish, economical standpoint. I know, I know...but it's ok. According to many news outlets, the Heat being in the finals was already considered an economic stimulous package here.

We also went to Blue Martini for karaoke night and had a blast. I definitely need to go again, It was quite the ab workout! 

Some things I did were attend 2 wedding shows: The Wedding Salon @ The Gansevoort Hotel in Sobe, and the Wedding Show at the Westin Coral Gables, for Miami Romance Month...like Miami needs a month dedicated to romance...this is a hormone-filled society. Ask Fifty Cent: "... I ain't into makin love..." Back to the wedding shows: I mainly went to find wedding planners but there was 1 at each event! They were not huge events, more boutique-ish but STILL! They were not great for the purpose I went, but I got some champagne, goodie bags, and smashbox lipgloss :)

I also went to an event for the party girl Noreen (remember she is the one who gets paid to bring girls out for free food/drinks). She did a launch at Kitchen305 in the Newport Beach Hotel for her new website/web-zine: ImEcoChic.com. It was nice, saw some familiar faces from her other parties and learned that we have something in common besides nationality! I have mentioned to some people before I left Toronto, but it's worth a quick mention here: my goal is to clean up Miami once I am in a good place here with my business. Hold me to it...incase I make millions and the money goes to my head and I forget my purpose in life...that is, if I still know any of you! HAHA just kidding! I would like to implement a recycling program, since NO ONE here recycles. If you are from Toronto/Canada or Europe, you will feel that stab in the heart right about now. They don't even have any public recycling bins! 

On that note, time to sign off with a PINKY-swear on my future project, 

xox

Fatima

The Love Child of America?

What is the crazy obsession with Miami? I've had this conversation with a few people, but mostly with my friend from Toronto who, funny enough, met her boyfriend here years ago...and will hopefully be my neighbor soon!
I have had tons of Canadian visitors, run-ins with friends and acquaintances from home, and hear of others who have been in and out of this city. But they are not the only ones that find any and every excuse to be in Miami...
Miami seems to be a very transient city. In my building alone it's hard to find anyone actually born, raised, or forced to be in Miami. I'm sure there are true Miamians in the burbs, haven't found any in Brickell yet.

Loving the art installments on Lincoln Road

 So why is it that everyone wants to live or have a second home in Miami? I have been tweeting/following like crazy, reading magazines about culture and local business people, and all I come across is this love affair they have with this city. Here is a recent tweet: "Miami is one of these great places that is really sensual, physically beautiful beautiful place" EleazarDelgado (Retweeted by Miamitude). PR Queen and Business real estate princess Amy Zakarin says "Real estate was the greatest platform to leverage Miami's dynamic lifestyle, culture and future of the city."
Michele Okadoner, a visionary artist describes Miami so fondly: "When people ask me about Miami, I often respond that I believe it is the city of the 21st century. New York and Chicago are 20th-century cities, and Philadelphia and Boston are 19th-century cities. It's a fascinating thing to see what the future holds because the future is here."
The passion conveyed by German-born Aby Rosen, the real-estate Titan who built the W South Beach hotel (among other iconic structures in NY) is my personal favourite: "I always loved Miami because it has such a great history and people; it's a melting pot. And over the last eight to ten years it has turned into a place where you can create a really good business...with new wealth being created, people flock to cities like Miami. The beach in Miami is as nice as you can get. I travel everywhere in the world and when people ask 'How is New York?' I say 'New York is great but I love Miami.' Everybody loves Miami now. It's become the loved child of America."
In my mind, he said 'Miami is the love child of America' LOL.


Here's a little update on Blo happenings:
- Close to securing a liquor sponsor for grand opening through an LA brand/PR company.
- Ocean Drive Magazine Insights Blog contacted me for some pics as it will be doing a write up on Blo Miami opening!

...maybe one day Blo will become the love child of Miami...or just the love affair of all its women!

Envisioning a pink city,

xo
Fatima

PS - if you are on Twitter find me @blohairforceone :)

One Extreme To Another

Can I just say how tired I am? 8 hours sleep over this past weekend doesn't help. My sis Serena just left today, and I am finally feeling it hit me. We have been on the go non-stop since she came on Wedneday for her quick trip, from clubs with full-costumed, pole-dancing bunnies and massive beachballs floating around, to squeezing in Hangover 2, to partying past sunrise...can't say where & how, but let's just say it could have been it's own 'Hangover' movie...plus the regular beach/shopping/eating.

So we had this discussion about out how extreme people can be in Miami. I think I am so used to it from multiple vacations prior that I stopped noticing.

For example, whenever you ask someone how far something or some place is, you get the usual '15-20min max' answer. It always takes longer than they say. 'How long for drawing approvals from Landlord?' gets me an answer like 'A little bit', or 'It's coming along.' What does that even mean? The same generally goes for anything you are waiting for too, such as a table in a packed restaurant, an appointment, etc. In Toronto, I feel like we don't sugar coat, we tell it like it is: 'Get on the DVP and it will take you at least an hour.'
Lesson #1: Miami Minutes are calculated differently.

When it comes to service when dining out (and sometimes buying groceries), you feel like you should be thankful to even be acknowledged. Heaven forbid you ask for any substitutions, or questions about the food, and you might end up with a not-so-subtle rolling of the eyes. The best part is that tipping is completely expected and you will see the 18% added onto your bill. Don't get me wrong, I have been pleasantly surprised once in a while by impeccable service that blows my mind too, but far and few between. I'm sticking to those few places. And I am also mentally noting that I have to teach my Blo staff some good old Canadian hospitality when the time comes.
Lesson #2: Don't expect anything but a chair to sit on. The rest is all bonus.

Lastly, like anywhere else, money talks in Miami. The difference is that it practically yells and screams for attention, probably because there is just soo much of it. I took my Audi for an oil change this weekend at The Collection, a ridiculously high-end dealership (www.thecollection.com). They have tons of celebrity clientele (remember it from Kourtney & Kloe take Miami??) and so everyone gets the star treatment, even me! Driving the car in was an experience: we are greeted with doors opened, taken to our Service Advisor in his glass office, then proceed to go over the details of the oil change. I am given the option to wait in the lounge, or given recommendations on nearby food and shopping. We take the latter since we are hurting from sleeping at 7am, and grab some lunch before heading back. When we come back, we are taken to a separate desk to pay, then escorted to a lounge to wait while they bring the car around. We are offered luxury coffees and little coke shots, while seated at barstools facing Ferrari's in the showroom. They bring my car around, washed, cleaned and fully air-conditioned before we get in! I don't even know if the feeling of that place can be adequately described, but it's REALLY nice. It also made me feel something for luxury cars that I have never felt before. In comparison, my last oil change in Toronto resulted in some CDs missing from my car...
Lesson #3: Act like you have money even if you don't. People are much nicer, and you fit in better.

Fabulously broke in my Jimmy Choos,

xo
Fatima

Inked in Pink!

So a quick update on this lovely Memorial weekend in the sunny south.

They called for thundershowers every day this weekend...not to jinx it but I have yet to see a cloud. And when it rains here, it only lasts for 20-30 min anyway, if that.

But when it rains, Blo will soon be to the rescue (and we can take care of the post-dampness frizzies too!).

Here is the latest update on Blo - so exciting!

The buzz has already started...I have seen people stopping to read the windows, doing double-takes from the other side of the street...and even taking pics in front of it (yes, I stalk the doors as often as possible!).

Let me know what you think.

Blushing pink,
Fatima

Torontonian Invasion in the Party Nation!

Today is my first day alone in Miami. Actually alone. Minus Tyson...

I have had a whirlwind of visitors since I got here, which took a lot out of me. Hotel Mia finally has some vacancy, and I have a lot of work to do. I have, however, been running around between different city buildings trying to get my drawings in the right hands so that my permits for Blo get expedited - so thankfully my guests were ok with a bit of tagging along.

This past weekend was definitely the most fun. I had a girlfriend staying with me, the most gracious/fun guest thus far, and we had a good dose of what people come to Miami for. Along the way I ran into so many people from Toronto, it was a bit scary.

It started on Thursday night, when I went out with a girl whom I met through mutual Toronto friends, who has a promotion company where she takes girls out and it's basically free food and drinks for ladies - and she makes money off that! So I walk over to Segafredo's, have some of my freebies, and then we go to the back where there is a club completely separate from the main bar/lounge area. We get to our booth and I run into 3 guys from Toronto! They are beginning their bachelor party weekend and know the same girl. Next thing you know I am leaving this club, my friend who lives in my building (former Torontonian) picks me up and we head to Ocean Ten, a huge bar/patio in South Beach. Of course we are meeting friends we know from Toronto who are in town for the weekend. One of the guys is talking about a bachelor party, and how his friends are in Miami too...and of course it's the same guys I saw an hour earlier!
Friday night, more friends from Toronto come in, and my friend Nicki came in on Saturday. That night we ended up at the club Set, with about 15 other Torontonians in a booth that cost the guys approx 6k!! Needless to say we partied like Rockstars! On top of that, I ran into my former co-worker there too! It was almost smothering!
Each day until yesterday had us sleeping on the beach every afternoon, and staying up til 6am every night! There was a bit of shopping in between...someone went home with Louboutins!! We even did our own Jersey shore tour, starting at the Gelato shop, to the Metropole hotel, UGG store, and tons of made up acronyms such as DTC or DWB! ;) Hehe try and guess....

We ended Nicki's stay with a very fun yet random night out. We started at the Clevelander for drinks and to watch the Miami Heat kick Chicago's butt in Game 4 of the eastern finals. After Patron shots and strong capirinhas we walked down Ocean and stopped for tons of pictures at the Versace mansion and the Loews hotel. Ben, A New Zealander staying there was taking our picture for us and he and his friend Ray ended up taking us for drinks at a sketchy place called Liquor Lounge. Guys were doing Karaoke to Akon as we walked in, then we convinced Ben & Ray (who we both swear is from Toronto) to do karaoke and they did a lame rendition of Better Man lol. Fun times didn't end there. Next we went to Louis Bar at the Gansevoort Hotel and danced the night away. Actually so hard that my peep toe shoe came apart and I was hanging on by a thread! Thanks to the tape from the bathroom attendant and Nicki's skills, I was back in action in no time.

Last night a scotch tape saved my life...

Did I mention my sister flies in next week? LOL

As you can see, there is no shortage of fun...but it can easily suck you in if you don't stay on track....so with that I head out to a meeting with the landlord and sort out the designs for my leased space.

Trading shots of tequila for shots of coffee....

xo
Fatima

Time to relax...

So finally some time to write....I'm sitting by the pool composing this on my iPad wondering when this will feel like home. Reality has not set in yet. The only thing that is different now is that usually a trip to Miami consists of mad frenzy/little sleep, trying to squeeze in as much partying, shopping, tanning and swimming as 72 hours will allow. I'm wearing my swimsuit under my hooded dress, but have no desire to go in the water... and that's ok because the pool will be here tomorrow, and next week, as will the good weather.

There is a large hispanic community in south Florida, and since you don't see many South Asian/Arab/Indian people (just various degrees of tanned) most people are either confused or just assume I'm some type of Latina. I really have to learn Spanish so I can get away with it when necessary, or atleast understand when they speak to me. Right now I get this foreign look on my face...
Speaking of, the other night I walked Tyson around Mary Brickell Village at night, to go see the nightlife around my future Blo. Two separate times I was asked for directions to a restaurant, then a pub in the area. It was so great that I could actually help, and I think I got a bit too excited. They have never seen someone so enthusiastic or proud to give directions in their life LOL!

Last night I went to watch Erik's soccer game on a rooftop soccer pitch! Then I went to a ladies night at this resto/lounge called "Dolores, but you can call me Lolita" and being part of this girl who promotes 'crew' I received free dinner and drinks :)

I keep asking myself: Who lives in Miami?? It's a vacay spot.
But I'm starting to realize I can live more here, than maybe I can in Toronto. People have a good time all the time....now I just need to get this business going so I can keep up!

"I wanna get rich in Miami"
                      - Pitbull

xo,
Fatima

Rooftop soccer!

End of an Era...or an Account Manager

So the day finally comes....never imagined it would play out the way it did. My last day at John Hancock....and it felt like every single other day here, with a whole bunch of hugs. Oh and one threat, if I don't keep in touch.

I am definitely going to miss the people here, some of my clients, and just the 'non-work' stuff that happens at work. I suppose I will have to drown my sorrows in mojitos.

I thought I would feel so relieved, but I think I am going to miss the day to day, I am definitely a creature of habit, I love my routines. I am sure I will come up with something new, and I think that's the most exciting part. A fresh new routine. It will definitely include the gym, because I have been slacking hardcore.

Well I have nothing profound to say here...I feel like it might just be a normal weekend. I am sure that will change in a few days.
Saying goodbye to the Bloor Street shops, to my dual monitors, timmies ladies, and everything else that made this better than just a job.

xo
Fatima
Former Account Manager, John Hancock