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

Clothes, Shoes & Spiders, Oh my!

I hate packing, I hate un-packing. I cannot tell you the recent hells I have been through, trying to decide what to take, what to leave behind, and what to toss (gasp!). If you could only see what I have already packed and how much stuff is still left...moving really makes you see how much 'stuff' you have accumulated. If I have learned anything from this for future, I will be attempting a solid purge every 6 months! I found some things that really made me question my sanity, wondering what I was going to do with them 'one day' and I also realized I don't let go of shoes. In all fairness, I did fill one garbage bag and someone else might be wearing my scuffed patent pumps. My mom came over yesterday and gave me a mom-look that said 'You realize you can't pack one whole suitcase of just shoes...'. In fact, I am sure she said something to that effect too.

In the midst of packing I have enjoyed a few nights out, all meals except a few breakfast eggs & oatmeal have been eaten at fine establishments and therefore until this weekend when a 5-hour clean was done, the house was un-lived in.
With all the dust from moving, comes a little spider (or 2) out of nowhere.

If only you could be there, although I don't wish that hysteria on anyone. The first spider was a sizeable mo-fo that decided to hang out in my bathtub. I woke one morning and my eyes went from barely open to full of potential tears. I am the inspiration for Arachnophobia, I swear. With no other options,  I grabbed a cup, filled it with water from the sink, since clearly I cannot do it from the tub, and get too close, and I splash that creeper who thought he was going to climb out and get to me. He didn't quite make it to the drain, so I did this again. Close enough. I turn on the hot water and allow it to run until I am sure he was unable to cling to anything inside the drain and come up while I lay sleeping that night. Phew!
That same night, I came home late, somewhat vino'd up, and walked into a dark house. I hit the lights, and all I can see is this spider on the floor in front of me. *Shudder*
Without even closing the front door, I lunge into the house, drop everything into the kitchen (far away from its evil clutches) and grab the central vac. I couldn't even bring myself to squish it first. Dripping with sweat, I suck that bugger up, and I continued to vacuum other random things to ensure it wasn't the last thing that went in. My awesome friends try telling me that spiders can live in the filter, and that they can reproduce in there. I just google'd that - and they definitely need a mate to have babies. I am pretty sure the ones that came after me were males anyway.

- F

Pink is the new Black

Another fantastic weekend under my belt, with some low-key, yet highly memorable friends and family time.

Time to reveal my alter-ego: Hair Force One.
I'm not even kidding. That's my Blo name. I am joining the ranks of few other savvy ladies, such as Queen Bee(Hive), James Blonde & Mane Chick.

When I tell people about Blo Blow Dry Bar, I get funny looks or guys start blushing. Let's get you some Blo Culture.

For those of you already in the know, you already know what kind of dangerous love affair this is.

Blo is North America's original blo dry bar. No cuts. No colour. We do what we do best...blo. The decor is super pinkified with sexy Mercedes-Benz silver & white accents.
Tons of cheeky phrases adorn our T-shirts and goodies, such as 'Just Blo Me' or 'You're not cheating on your hairdresser'. Girls come in to Wash, Blo & Go (while boys come in for super long head massages!). I think you get the point. If you don't go to http://www.blomedry.com/.

Ya, you are already thinking, 'why not offer other services, why not get a hairdresser to rent a chair, or do nails on the side?' No. Then it would not be a Blo dry bar, and it would defeat the purpose of quick, affordable hair, without needing an appointment most of the time. The older generation gives me these headaches all the time. The best is 'Who would pay for something like this?!' Girls, you tell 'em who.

The best part is: I get cat-walk quality hair everyday once Blo Miami opens up! You can too if you make the trek down ;)

Here is the new Blo Brickell. We will call this one the 'before' pic.


May the hairspray be with you,
- Hair Force One

"Miami? Ohh...South Beach!"

Home of the famous Diet, Art Deco, bikinis & the eponymous Kardashian shop, approximately 3.2 million people have asked me if I am moving to South Beach. I know that it has become synonymous with Miami, since that is the hot spot in the southern US.

I am actually moving to Brickell, which is downtown Miami. This is where the real people (you know in SoBe most people aren't) work, rest and play.

To demystify Brickell, it is a large downtown core, comprising of the financial district, mostly luxury condo buildings, and hip places to eat and hang out. It's like Toronto, but less tourist-y things to do. You need to go to the Everglades, Keys, or of course SoBe for that.

For more bed-side reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brickell

Whenever you hear of celebrities living in Miami, they live in Brickell, or one of the adjacent islands, like Star Island, Hibiscus Island, etc... some notable celebs include Drake & other Young Money peeps, J-Lo, Pitbull (Mr. 305 Himself), Lenny Kravitz, Oprah and Enrique. If that isn't enough incentive to visit... I am about 12 minutes from South Beach!

Time to hit the gym...the girls in Miami all look like they belong on the beach! Eek!


Jogging in heels,

- F

Our new home is on the Miami River, strangely enough called Latitude On The River. I live on the 20th floor. That little gap you see is the pool/sundeck/hot tub/gym/party room section. =)