Porque yo lo valgo...

Blanca Romero

This morning I woke up remembering how a few years ago, when I returned home for Christmas, everyone was making a big fuss about a new TV show called "Fisica o Quimica." Back then I had curly medium length hair and everyone started saying that I reminded them of Blanca Romero, one of the actresses in the show.... haha I wish! The only thing we actually have in common is that we are both Northern-Spaniards with Southern gipsy/Jew ancestry... haha  But since then, I started tracking her career, as the model-turned-actress, surprised everyone with her great talent (common, how many cases of model-turned-actresses that can actually act, can you recall?) and, her love-affairs with the quintessential Spanish men (aka torero Cayetano Rivera Ordoñez and/or flamenco dancer Joaquín Cortes...)

She has done quite a few things, always kind of controversial... and usually involving quite a bit of sex... But if I looked like her when I'm 35, I'd do them too! haha If I ever get a boob-job, I'll ask for her boobs... haha :) In terms of style, she is usually not my type... (I will never be able to forget that blond-mohawk she sported for a while... Why Blanca? Why?) She usually dresses very comfy-looking and with barely-there make-up... But when she dresses-up, she does look amazing!

She is currently tanning in Italy, while she films the Italian series, Gente Di Mare. Apparently, she also sings... I haven't heard anything from her yet... (Although I think the space reserved in my heart for Spanish actresses-turned-singers will always belong to Leonor Watling and Marlango... They are amazing... They'll get their own little post soon).

Anyway, I just felt that she deserved a little recognition... :) And thanks a lot to all of you who access my blog through Tuenti and leave comments in my Tuenti pictures about how much I look like her... sweet-little-liers... <3

Girliest day of the month

Hello hello! :) As of last week, I decided that I should try to get a new girlie treatment (manicure, facial, massage, eyelashes, etc.) once a month, or once every two months, given that it cheers me up, makes me feel prettier and helps a lot with my self-esteem. It is so weird, how in the US, where I was heavier, I felt prettier and sexier... while since I moved to London, for different reasons, I do not feel that way at all... So I think this will help...  It is an investment in well-being :)

Given my super tight budget, I really cannot afford treatments more expensive than 30-35 pounds... So I'll be in the hunt for offers and promotions at different salons, which I'll also review. This month's treatment is....


EYELASH EXTENSIONS! at the Elegant Studio (Gerrard Street, China Town)

I really wanted to try an eyelash perm, but the cheapest salons were either booked or closed for the summer... So I came across a salon in China Town, which had an offer for the extensions, and I figured... why not? They last 3-4 weeks, so I should have them for this weekend's festivities, my trip to Spain, my birthday and my trip to Budapest... Pretty eyelashes for a hectic month :) I tried to take pictures, but they look so natural and discreet, that the camera wouldn't really pick up the difference. You can pick to have flashy ones, or more brownish natural ones, which matched my own perfectly. The procedure takes a couple of hours, as they put the eyelashes one by one, but it is 100% painless... I actually was very relaxed and rather enjoyed it.

We'll see if they actually last as long as they promised (I shouldn't swim, use mascara, eye-liner, and/or rub my eyes and avoid using soap on them). I was told at the salon, that costumers usually become regulars every month after the try them, because it's just makes life so much easier, not to have to put on mascara and the curler every day, plus all the work of removing eye make-up... But if they are not in offer, they usually cost 80-85 pounds! Which is definitely out of my budget... But with this offer (half price, and which is still on until the end of September), the experience was definitely worth it.

Elegant Studio is great. The staff is friendly and welcoming, and the place has a very Asian vibe, which I really like when it comes to cosmetics and make up. The most amazing make up I ever bought, was in Japan... They know their stuff... Also, these are very common procedures in Asia, given that they do open up the eyes a lot. (Sorry about the creepy pictures... haha).  

My next treatment will probably be a cleansing facial, or some treatment to add shine to my hair, perhaps even straighten it... We'll see which offers come up. Although I think this has made me overcome my fear of extensions looking tacky (there is nothing more vulgar than obviously fake eyelashes and hair extensions...), so I might give it a try to hair extensions.... We'll see.

Another two little girlie finds... If you go to Next now, until September the 19th, they are giving out vouchers for 10 pounds off in purchases of 15 pounds or more... haha So I got these great pumps for 5 pounds!

And they have this rather cool system (sorry if you already know this, I never buy clothes/shoes online... so it's a first for me - I'm always afraid it won't fit), in which you do not have to pay for your purchase until you have received it and tried it on... I think it's a great idea, to lure people like me... Although honestly, nothing will ever be better than going to the actual store and trying the stuff on... It's one of my favourite pastimes.

And lastly... I found this little baby for 7 pounds in the H&M close to Covent Garden. Surprisingly, it is more  expensive on their website (!), 10 pounds at the moment. I tried it on the size 38, and it was a little bit big on the chest area... (my boobs are gone! so sad!) but they did not have a 36 left... So in order not to break my promise of not buying clothes until I hit my goal weight, I bought it one size smaller, a 34 :) (34s at H&M are actually rather big, as I already have another dress from there which is a 34... I reckon I'll be an actual 36 when I hit 58-60 kg). It is now hanging on the door of my closet... I so can't wait to wear it! (Although it'd definitely look better with a tan... And on a brunette... Sorry!).

And that was just some of the girlie fun I had today... I just wish my little Ela had been there with me to enjoy it all... :) Well, it's been a long day... night night! xxx

She is not in her room...

Back in 2008, I attempted to start writing a book of short stories, linking three generations of women in a typical Spanish family, from the civil war to the present. I did not get far... It required more research than I first expected... But here is the first story.

For the non-Spanish speakers, the story describes the thoughts of a young teenage girl, while she looks for her grandma around her house. She has Alzheimer's disease and has become just a little child, with wrinkles and dark black eyes, which mirror a past never told to anyone. It is a story about vulnerability and love. Personally, I did not get to know my paternal grandma, as she died of Alzheimer's when I wasn't even eight years old. However, the only memory I have of her plays an important role in the story, as it is exactly the moment when the young girl finds her grandma hiding behind the curtains, playing hide and seek.

It is a bitter-sweet memory. And probably, one of the scariest of my childhood.

"- No está en su cuarto.

- Se habrá vuelto a esconder – dijo mi madre sin mirarme a los ojos, mientras aplastaba las arrugas de su delantal con las palmas de las manos, antes de esconder la cara entre los vapores de las ollas hirviendo. – Búscala y tráetela a la cocina, que ya es hora de comer.

Cerré lentamente la puerta, saliendo de la cocina con una sensación de pesadez en las manos. Me paré en frente del espejo que estaba al lado de la entrada principal de la casa. Tenía los bordes dorados, a ratos, ya que algunos pedacitos de color se iban despegando de vez en cuando. Conté mentalmente los huecos vacios de color mientras sentía la fría superficie del espejo con las yemas de los dedos. Acerque mi nariz y exhale para observar la superficie humedecida, considerando la tentación de escribir algo sobre el vaho. Su risa al fondo del pasillo me obligó a recordar la orden de mi madre y me encaminé hacia el dormitorio de donde provenían los ruidos.


Era una habitación hermosa, de grandes ventanales, muebles macizos y colchas estampadas de flores verdes. Los grandes cortinones blancos se descolgaban como si pesasen una tonelada de puntillas, encajes y vainica. Me reposé contra el marco de la puerta y respiré profundamente emitiendo un breve suspiro, intentado hacerle saber que la estaba buscando. Más risas ahogadas danzaron detrás de las cortinas, y los vi. El borde de su falda negra con topos grises y sus pies blancos. Comencé a andar de puntillas, jugando a jugar al escondite, acercándome al cortinón, hasta que me abalancé sobre ella gritando “te cogí!”. Forcejeamos levemente unos segundos, balanceándonos en los brazos de la otra, hasta que su cara asomó entre las cortinas, con aquella sonrisa. Esa sonrisa abierta y sincera, inocente de niña pequeña.


Entrelacé mis dedos con sus canas y le di un beso en la frente mientras ella repetía “Eres mi niña ardilla, mi niña ardilla”. La observé cuidadosamente, como si en sus rasgos fuese a encontrar el significado de tal apodo. Su nariz era aguileña y sus labios finos, descansando sobre un mentón prominente. Sus ojos eran negros, negros. Tan negros como un espejo, devolviendo tu reflejo al intentar averiguar que se escondía tras ellos. “Mi niña ardilla” repitió mientras sostuve sus manos en las mías. Eran delicadas, frágiles como el cristal. Sus dedos eran delgados y finos, se podían contar todos sus huesecillos. Sus meñiques eran extremadamente pequeños, redondos y con una pizca de uña. Eran meñiques de bebe. “Mi niña ardilla” repitió, mientras presionaba la yema de su menique contra la punta de mi nariz, y sonreía. “Abuela, mírame” le rogué mientras sostuve su cara en mis manos por unos segundos, indagando seriamente en los ojos de aquella mujer que apenas conocía, intentando averiguar qué pasaba por su mente, que significaban esas risas danzantes, porque me llamaba niña ardilla. Me miró fijamente unos segundos, sonriendo sin cesar. La luz que entraba a raudales por la ventana se reflejó en el negro de sus ojos, lanzando un destello al aire. Fue aquella fracción de segundo en la que me percaté de la belleza de esos ojos inmensos. “Debiste ser muy guapa de joven abuela” le susurré.


Dócil como un borrico, me siguió a la cocina, a través del pasillo, pasando lentamente por delante del espejo que era dorado a ratos. Abrimos juntas la puerta y mi madre se quejo, “ya era hora”. Había de comer lentejas con chorizo y las tres nos sentamos a la mesa. Volví a mirar sus meniques de reojo y tras hundir la cuchara en el potaje, suspire silenciosamente. ‘Aahhh, abre la boca abuela, ahhhh, que viene el avión’ y me miro con ternura con esos ojos negros inmensos, como espejos, mientras se tragaba una cucharada sopera de lentejas."