As this year comes to an end, like most of us, have attempted to summarize what we’ve been through in the past 365 days. We’ve experienced new relationships, new cultures, new music, new homes, new cars, and have probably lost some of these as well. As we reflect on this year, do you ever wish that you went back and did something that you didn’t? Continue reading
Why is that women of today’s world are attracted to the assh*les, the player, the unavailable boy, the “bad” boy, etc.? Is this evidence that chivalry is indeed dead and that the next “best” thing are men who embody qualities of those titles? Continue reading
^^^ Why are his eyes purple?
As I walked into Starbucks today, I probably made eye contact with four to five individuals (both men and women). As I made eye contact with each one of these people, I smiled… you know… to acknowledge them and such (I just thought that’s what we do when we make eye contact- unless you’re driving on the freeway then you look away quickly). Continue reading
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I’m sure the initial thought of when you read the title of this post either made you smile or scared the heck out of you. That’s exactly what it should have done.
Who are the 5 people that you spend the most time within a 24 hour period? Maybe it’s not 5, but lets select at least 3 for this exercise. I’m assuming that amongst this group will include family, friends, colleagues, or even a spouse, correct? What are they doing with their lives? Â How ambitious, successful, optimistic, or happy are they? Are they a positive force in your life? Do they uplift you? Do they challenge you? Do they see the good in people? I’m hoping that all 5 of these people in your life do so, but the reality is that not all of them do.
The older we get the more we begin to understand that people change (including ourselves), and for most of us it’s a realization that is hard to swallow. Why do people change? Values. What I consider an ideal night out now is definitely not what I considered an ideal night out 5 years ago and what I look for in a woman now is not what I looked for in a woman 5 years ago either. We also need to consider our environment because the environment always wins. You need to be conscious of where you spend your time and who you spend your time with. If you don’t feel that these people and places are substantially elevating your game and inspiring you to be bigger and better, then you need to find new people and places to be. Here’s a great exercise that I stole from another article which will help you assess what kind of people you surround yourself with and what environments you’re in:
Write down the 5 people you spend the most time with and the 3 environments you spend the most time in.
In regards to people, rate each of them on a scale of 1-10 in these categories (and don’t worry… they won’t see this):
Wealth consciousness (1-10)
Up to BIG things (1-10)
Encouraging & positive (1-10)
Health conscious (1-10)
In regards to your environment, rate each place on a scale of 1-10 in these categories:
Feels abundant (1-10)
Clean (1-10)
Good energy (1-10)
Positive & uplifting(1-10)
An 8 (for each) should be your bottom line. No less…
YES… it will be difficult to change.
YES… it will be worth it.
YES… the types of people and environments you’ve always dreamed about are out there.
You simply need to be conscious, courageous, and caring enough realize what isn’t working and make a commitment to find the type of people and places that will lift you up.
Then average your scores together in each category for each environment and person.
The most difficult part of this saying is not knowing what to do with family or friends that have been there for years (or your entire life). Do you just leave them because they don’t share the same values as you? Like they say, “it gets lonely at the top.” I’m going to go against societies norm and say that regardless of who they are, it’s your choice. You have the choice in surrounding yourself with people that will radiate positivity in your life or surrounding yourself with people that will continue to be a black cloud above you and your future. I’m sure some of you are thinking, “Christian, you’re such a douche for leaving those people behind.” I’m fine with that. With that being said, know that my parents are definitely 2 of those 5 people. I’ve adopted the saying that, “if they’re not lifting you up, they’re pulling you down.” All I ask for from people that I spend time with are that they are a positive force in my life. Now, the top 5 people in my life must contribute more than that because I know that if they’re not challenging me to be a better person and just as ambitious and goal- oriented as myself, I’ll accept the position I’m in and that’s the last thing I want and need.
Mediocrity is and never will be an option. When you settle for less, you place a glass ceiling above your head and you begin to tell yourself that you’ve exhausted all efforts in reaching the top. The closer you get to the top, the more you realize that there is no “top.” When you surround yourself with people that are your backbone, your foundation, and your rock, you’re already one step ahead of everyone else. You decide the people and the environment you’re in and I highly suggest that you begin assessing these variables if you haven’t already. Are you not where you want to be? Do you feel that the people currently in your life are not as enthusiastic in your future? Are you satisfied with just being content? Are you blinded by other people’s perceptions and beliefs?
I want to take the time to personally thank the 5 people I spend the most time with. I won’t drop any names since I might offend some people, but they know who they are. They know who they are because I’m sure I’m on their list as well. Thank you for always telling me things that I may not necessarily want to hear but need to hear. Thank you for being that positive force in my life and continually pushing me to not only do better but be better. Thank you for believing in me when I may not have believed in myself. Thank you for being my foundation and loving me for me- imperfections and all. Thank you for steering me in the direction that I may not know I should be in. Last but not least, thank you for your unconditional love. Without these people in my life I wouldn’t be where I am today and I’m forever grateful for their presence. Take the time to tell those 5 people in your life that you appreciate them. A little gratitude goes a long way.
Soooooo I decided to go on this juice cleanse with several of my co-workers earlier this week and it was arguably the worst decision I’ve made this year. I would like to think that food and I are just made for each other and when you try to separate us, I clearly have withdrawals. I actually thought I was going to do relatively well, but I guess I have no one to blame but myself… since it was my choice. You definitely need to prepare yourself for something like this and ease into the cleanse. The night before my cleanse and I had a pretty large chicken salad along with some rosemary potatoes. I mean, I thought I was easing into it… I didn’t have as many carbs as I would. That’s a start, right?! Wrong.
The first day was most definitely the worst because your body is essentially is in shock and you become extremely lethargic from not consuming the sugars, carbs, caffeine, etc. that you’re typically used to. I slept 12 hours that night I was so exhausted (but like a baby). The second and third day (today is my last day. Thank God.) were not as bad in terms of feeling lethargic but I did have a pretty annoying headache which still has not gone away. I’m convinced that once I have a carb or ten (yes, ten) the headache will go away and I’ll be sure to update everyone if that is what resolves the headache. Granted, I did stay strong and I did not give into temptation, albeit the fact that my co- workers so graciously decorated my work space the second day with candies, chips, pretzels, animal crackers, etc.
(Yes, that is a heart made out of pretzels- thanks, ladies)
Now, would I ever do this again? NO. I’m only saying this because of my unconditional love for food and I just don’t believe I should make myself suffer. However, I would recommend you trying it if you haven’t already. If I didn’t try it, I wouldn’t know that it was the worst decision I’ve made recently. For those of you that are able to do this multiple times a year for longer periods of time, I definitely commend you for your discipline and ability to resist temptation. Below is the “Juicery” we used named Kreation along with tips to consider before taking upon this challenge. Happy juicing! .. or not 🙂
Kreation
http://kreationjuice.com/Â
Tips
http://altmedicine.about.com/od/detoxcleansing/a/juice_fasting.htmÂ
First impressions are everything.
When you first meet someone, you’re never really “you”, but  an ambassador of yourself. In more simple terms, you have an alternate identity that you use to represent yourself, but more times than not, that’s not actually you. Depending on who you’re introducing yourself to will dictate how eloquent you speak, your attitude, your tone of voice, the way you shake hands, an even how you introduce yourself. For example, if you’re introducing yourself to a colleague, you’re going to give a firm handshake, make eye contact, smile, straighten your posture, and probably throw in a “yes sir” or “yes ma’am” for good measure. Now if you’re introducing yourself to a friend of a friend at a party, bar, etc. you’re probably not going to be as firm with the handshake, won’t care about your posture, and lead with “what’s up man?” or “How do you know…”. This will obviously vary based on the occasion or who you’re speaking to, but the point is first impressions matter.
Carol Goman wrote an article for Forbes a few years back that I bookmarked which covers what you need to do in order to make a solid first impression in seven seconds. Based on these nonverbal cues, one can make several computations including: “Are you someone to approach or to avoid? Are you friend or foe? Do you have status and authority? Are you trustworthy, competent, likeable, confident?.” To sum up the article, here are several nonverbal cues you can do to make a positive first impression:
Now how does this translate into dating? Great question! I may not know what to do, but from experience I can tell you what not to do- which may be just as (if not more) valuable.
Although I’ve been distant from the dating scene for awhile, I think I’ve finally mastered the art of the “first impression”. This may be contradictory to the fact that I’m still single but lets imagine that my relationship status was insignificant for this topic. Whether you’re out painting the town red or this is your first date with another person, what you wear is arguably the most important thing. This is where judging a book by a cover matters- yea, I went there. Gentlemen, a dapper suit for women is equivalent to what lingerie is for us. Dress to impress: make sure you’re groomed, collared shirt (tucked in), slacks, and some wingtip shoes should do the trick. Granted, adding subtle accessories such as suspenders, a tie (bow tie), colorful socks, and a watch will let the woman know that you mean business. The goal of dressing nice is to show that you put some effort into the date. Now that you’re ready for the date, what do you do?
If I haven’t told you already, I am the ultimate tourist.. regardless of the city. Yes that even includes LA. I’m about a month late with this post but better late than never, correct?! I visited New York earlier this month (the first week of this month to be precise) and I couldn’t have asked for better weather. When I visited New York earlier this year in February, it was 19 degrees with a constant wind.. during the day. At night, well let’s just say as a Los Angelian, I didn’t adjust as well as I thought I would. I believe it was 60-65 degrees the ENTIRE time I was there and I heard that just before I arrived it was raining so God was definitely wanted me to enjoy my trip and I did. 
I’d like to shout out my amazing co- workers at the NY Adconion office for making me feel at home and involving me in lunches and happy hours after work. When visiting a city that you know absolutely nothing of, I would definitely encourage you to bring a friend or hopefully you’re just as fortunate to know people that are currently residing in that city. Sidebar: Now I’m upset that I wasn’t able to snag a picture of all of us. Womp. If I wasn’t there for business, I can guarantee that my memory would have been filled. On Friday, we went to Hummus and Pita in Chelsea which is sort of like a Chipotle but with all the fixings in a Pita sandwich (is that what they call it)? The point is, we absolutely need something like this in LA and if there already is please direct me in the right direction so that I can stuff my face. We then got drinks at Brio which is in the Flatiron District which has an amazing assortment of alcoholic beverages. Of course I ordered a whiskey sour because that’s the only hard liquor I order (aside from a Sidecar or Old Fashioned, so maybe not the only drink), and I was very pleased that they made it the correct way. If you don’t know much about Whiskey Sours, you need to make it with egg. Yes egg.
On Saturday, as soon as I took the 4 train from the Bronx into the city, I walked everywhere. I started in Time Square where I actually bought an iPhone 5 because I was due for an upgrade and I thought no better place to buy my new phone than NY. From there, I walked all the way up to Central Park and then walked all the way back down to the Flat Iron District. I have absolutely no clue why I chose to do that, but it kinda just happened by chance. I suppose that when the weather is beautiful, you have your headphones on, you’re in an amazing city, and you have no worries then you walk as if you’re a traveling man. What can I say? I was vibin’ with the city. I concluded my journey at Blue Water Grill where I had this amazing.. I actually don’t remember what I have but it was hella good! See below:
I refuse to go to NY during the summer when it’s humid and such but I will be making my back east at least 2x before the year ends. If you’re looking for a travel partner and don’t mind being spontaneous, please join me! 🙂
La Moda x 365hangers
…and if you don’t know, well now you know.
Lamodabyandriana.com
365hangers.com
I know that I haven’t interviewed someone in an about 2 months, but I promise that I’ll be back on my game.. soon.. real soon. I had the pleasure of interviewing this beauty this week and I believe it’s safe to assume that we agreed that LA (particularly the valley) is much smaller than we thought. I went to middle school with her best friend, she went to high school with my best friend, we used live around the corner from each other, and my best friend and her best friend are relatively close friends. Are you still following? If not, I completely understand because I may have lost myself as well. Any who, as a fellow blogger, Andriana has been able to turn her hobby into a part time position at 365hangers.com. Her love for fashion and “look books” is evident through her work and I have no doubt that she will exceed in any role that she chooses in her young life.
As a CSUN alumni (GO MATADORS!!) and a broadcast journalism major, she interned for ABC7 and NBC4 which gave her the initial exposure to the broadcasting world. Like many other students in college, we’re all so eager to leap into our fields but what we fail to realize is that we need to be able to crawl before we walk. By interning for these major LA networks, Andriana was able to receive a hands on experience in her field. As the sole writer and owner of Lamodabyandriana.com, she displays a portion of her lifestyle which encompasses make up tips, food secrets, season trends, and her sophisticated style.
At 365hangers.com she researches other bloggers to be featured on their website to assist with content, so if you’re an avid fashion blogger please reach out to her and I’m sure that she would be more than happy to assist. They’re actually hosting a Twitter party next Thursday (5/23) at 11AM PST, so be sure to follow along and enter to win their grand summer prize using the hashtag #365HANGERS.
Sitting down with someone that has such passion and drive for her craft is always a warming and rewarding experience. For someone that has to drive just as far (actually further. Sucker.) for her job, it’s definitely reassuring to know that it’s her passion that allows her to make those trips. For anyone that commutes from the Valley to the Santa Monica area, we feel for you. Would you like to carpool? I’m sure Andriana and I would love to take the carpool lane which should shave off around 20 minutes from our commute. I actually use the carpool lane regardless. Just kidding. But not really. Her inspiration for blogging is drawn from wanting to showcase what she loves to do but not having to attend to it on a daily basis and isn’t that what we all want? Doing something that we love to do but not having to feel committed to do it. Thanks again Andriana for vibin’ with me during a chilly summer night! See below for ways to contact Andriana and 365hangers.com and additional questions from the interview:
Andriana
Facebook:Â https://www.facebook.com/andriana.olivares
Instagram:Â http://instagram.com/andrianao/
365Hangers.com
Instagram:Â http://instagram.com/365hangers
Twitter:Â www.twitter.com/365HANGERS
Facebook:Â www.facebook.com/365HANGERS
What do you value the most?Â
FamilyÂ
What is one of your long term goals?
Hosting a fashion show (in terms of a television show)
What would you describe your style as?
California girl, Feminine, Classic, Old SchoolÂ
What is something that most people don’t know about you?
My favorite color is white (so weird- just kidding) 🙂
Shy
Loves to cook
What’s a deal breaker for you?
Men that aren’t ambitious and that lie.
If there was one celebrity that you would to play you in a movie, who would it be?
Salma Hayek- “hottest little Latin lady” or Charlotte from Sex and the City with Carrie’s style.
Working in the online industry, I’m always coming across some of the most interesting sites on the web. Bangwithme.com would fit under that umbrella. I was reading several tech blogs late last year when an article about this website was featured and I couldn’t believe why something of this nature had not been thought of yet. It’s ingenious, yet something that is definitely not suitable for young teenagers. They actually launched their mobile app a week or so ago, so now you’re able to use this service wherever you go. Here’s how it works..
You start by logging in using your Facebook account (and I highly suggest that if you partake in this service that you adjust your privacy settings) and you begin to select those who you would like to “bang” or “hang out” with. Once you log in, you’re directed to a page where you’re able to choose the gender of your preference and begin the frenzy. What’s interesting is that in order for you to receive a “match”, the app won’t reveal your intentions until that friend picks you back. According to several reviews, you’re notified by either e-mail or a notification if you have the mobile app. The founders of this app have managed to take a social networking site that the majority of us use on an everyday basis and turned it into a dating (ish) site. If you’ve ever had a secret something for someone and you’ve never known how to “tell” them, well here’s a discreet way of telling them. You’re welcome.
Happy Banging!
Christian Liquigan
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