A Casa da Vá

Spreading L O V E

2012-01-30T19:15:00.000-08:00

Want to make this Valentine's day extra special?

Design Valentines cards that will be donated to hundreds of children at hospitals and shelters!

Please send your lovely creations or craft supplies to:
Kindle my Heart - attention to Vanessa Adão
2805 E Oakland Park Blvd #477 Fort Lauderdale FL 33306
Photo credit 1 2 3 4

What am I up to?

2012-01-30T11:08:00.000-08:00

Nothing better than a vision board to get myself aligned with my deepest dreams...

Click on the image to view bigger

So what are you up to in life?
Have you made your 2012 goals yet?

Much love from South Florida,
Vanessa Adão

I left my heart in Jamaica...

2012-01-20T06:45:00.000-08:00

Travel Report: Negril, Jamaica

P A R A D I S E

The beaches are beyond crystal clear...

And the waterfalls are just to die for!

I was inspired by everything: the colors, the people, the culture, the textures, the sunset, the food, the music... and the list goes on and on!

The best hotel in Negril: The Rock House Hotel

Not bad, hu?

ps: The stylist girl in Jamaica, on her way to church on a Sunday morning!

And you know what that means... a Jamaica-inspired textile collection is on its way!

And I can't wait to go back there!

Wonder Woman Interview with Ashlina Kaposta

2012-01-12T12:29:00.000-08:00

The very first Wonder Woman Interview of 2012 is with the lovely Ashlina Kaposta - a New York City based interior designer, stylist, entreprenueress, writer and creative director of The Decorista blog.

She is not only a talented designer, an inspiring blogger and a skilled writer but she is also a beautiful person - inside and out! And to top it all off she is also a wonderful friend, knows the best vintage shops in NY and I got to start my 2012 in style in her company!

1. Hi Ashlina, tell us some of your super powers (and count your blessings!):
( X ) talented
( X ) loves to write
( X ) great cooker
( X ) amazing network of another wonder women
( X ) successful business woman
( X ) super cute office
( X ) creative
( X ) transforms an idea to a completed project
( X ) source of inspiration for others
( X ) loves to be in communication

2. What is your secret to get so many lovely things going on in your life? I honestly believe in the power of vision and prayer. If you want more of something in your life, see it for yourself and pray about it. I say this because It has worked for me.

3. What are some of your accomplishments that you are most proud of? I started my own business, moved to new york city and did it all on my own. It's pretty cool to know that you can accomplish anything you dream of.

4. What do you do on your free time? I spend a lot of time shopping and sourcing product, I love reading blogs and magazines, I love too cook. I love working out and doing yoga, and beauty....i love spending time of my beauty treatments.

5. Does your search for beautiful things ever goes to sleep? Oh no. no no no. never. I even see the beautiful things in my dreams.

6. Love for design is a gift or a sin? An absolute gift that I treasure so much. If my love for design wasn't so strong, I am not sure what I would be doing with my life...

7. How did your blog get to be SO cute?
( X ) I did on my own - Explain: I spent HOURS and lots of late nights researching and watching videos to teach me how to do things online...it was a lot of hard work.
( X ) Others help me - Explain: I look to my friends and mentors in the blog world for their help, their direction and their advice. For example, my header font was given to me by one of my very best blog friends. She sent me an email and insisted that my header look needed help. I was more than happy to take it. Now my header is my signature, and I LOVE it. It was all thanks to her...

8. My secret to manage my time to do it all is... I use my gmail calendar and write down each thing that I need to accomplish in the day. I also carry 3 journals for all of the tasks that I want to do. Make priorities in life and then take action, all things should follow suit.

9. I can't get enough of... TUMBLR. I have a tumblr blog and I love following others...especially the fashion ones.

10. How can you, as a wonder women, advise others that feel overwhelmed with their life goals? Know that you are NOT ALONE. I feel overwhelmed almost every single day. Don't we all wish there was more time in the day. Here are a few of my secrets:
1. Make lists. like i said, I have 3 journals to keep me sane. It helps.
write down tasks, goals, ideas, etc. There is something about writing things down.
2. Set priorities. are you doing things that are in line with your goals. don't be randomly reading magazines or blogs that have nothing to do with your goals. Keep yourself in line with your vision.
3. Breathe, exercise, do yoga, get outside and run for a bit, and make sure to get enough sleep. this will help clear your mind and keep you calm and ready.

You gotta check her portfolio, buy her awesome book and visit her blog!

Thank you for sharing Ashlina!

You are an inspiring wonder woman!

Off to the tropics

2012-01-06T18:51:00.000-08:00

Aside from feeling sick for the past 24 hours and resenting the fact that I have been more in airplanes and airports than home for the past few weeks, I am beyond excited to meet my sister and brother-in-law in Jamaica tomorrow!

Not to mention that it has actually been cold in South Florida, so I can't wait to feel the hot weather and get a pretty tan!

I am anxious to see all the colors and the beautiful people, experience their music and lifestyle, nourish myself with their typical foods and fruits and get inspired for a new collection!

All I am taking in my little suitcase are bikinis, sunscreen, sunglasses, maxi dresses and flip flops - yes all of that good stuff!

Ok, I am off to take my NyQuil and crash in bed and - cross my fingers - wake up feeling 100%. I will be back on Tuesday, have a great weekend!

Photo credit 1 2 3 4 5

My 2012 Manifesto

2012-01-04T15:54:00.000-08:00

I decided to make my very first 2012 post as a manifesto against the expected, the ordinary and the boring.

May 2012 be the year of boldness, wild colors, complete self expression and courageous choices.

May we all embrace our uniqueness, live large, play by our own rules, ignore trends and listen to our inner voice.

... and cheers to those who decided to play big:

Tony Duquette

Betsey Johnson

Christian Lacroix

Nanette Lepore

Kelly Wearstler

Alexandre Hercovitch

Agyness Deyn

Barbara Hulanicki

Diane von Furstenberg

Valentino Garavani

May 2012 be colorful, unexpected and extraordinary!

Now available: upholstery fabric!

2011-12-13T11:39:00.000-08:00

Want to add color and spice to your casa?

Now available: upholstery cotton!

Great for upholstery, home decorating, tote bags, window draperies, etc.

You may purchase it here.

Add color to your casa

2011-12-09T10:46:00.000-08:00

Want to win 4 pillows?

Check our giveaway at Emily Henderson blog.

Mix and match your favorites or choose all four in the same print!

You can also pick the fabric: linen, silk or cotton.

And this is what happens behind the scenes...

xoxo,
Vanessa Adão

Dear Santa...

2011-11-23T21:50:00.000-08:00

Dear Santa...

Can everybody in the whole entire world experience a magical Holiday season?

Can everybody in the whole entire world feel happy, deserving and appreciated?

This is my letter to Santa. I am aware that it looks pretty on paper... but what actions can we take - as friends, as bloggers, as human beings - to make a difference this Holiday?

My request is: let's bring smiles to hundreds of orphan kids in Brazil!

I am committed to take a suitcase full of toys, shoes and clothes to a local orphanage in Rio de Janeiro by Christmas. Any donation is appreciated (new or used toys, crayons, coloring books, clothing - anything!). If interested let me know and I'll give you my mailing address.

Spread the word!

You can send donations to:
Kindle my Heart
2805 E Oakland Park Blvd #477 Fort Lauderdale FL 33306

Obrigada and Happy Holidays!

image credit 1 2 3 4

Have a miraculous day!

2011-10-21T20:56:00.000-07:00

source

Just Keep Swimming

2011-10-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

You know what you gotta do when life gets you down?

Just Keep Swimming

It has been over a month that I neglected this blog and my dear blog friends - but I have a great excuse: not only I moved from Brazil back to the United States, but I also just moved across the country (aka drove by myself from Cali to South Florida!)

Why? How? When? Hmmm let me tell you how all of this happened...

I arrived in LA a month ago and suddenly found myself completely disconnected with everything. I was down because I missed my family so very much. I was down because I deeply want to create a home... and I deeply wanted it to be by the beach. So I "kept swimming", kept knocking on doors and... I felt something bigger and greater was guiding me. It turns out life was playing its magic and I got a wonderful job and a wonderful apt in south FL!

So now here I am writing with a Sunshine State of mind from the Sunshine State - and I couldn't be happier! This is it! This is home...

The weather is hot & humid (and yep I do love that!), the beaches are beautiful and have the warmest ocean waters! And even when it rains (and it does a lot) I am happy because I get to wear my fabulous designer rain boots!

So when I am not online, be sure I am at the beach!

Who is joining me?

image credit 1 2 3 4 5 6

Colorful Tile, Ingenious Decor

2011-09-09T18:40:00.000-07:00

So as my life unfolds its magic and I now find myself planning to move across the country in a matter of days, I realize this is the perfect time to have this fabulous and colorful guest post:

"Hi, everyone! I'm Susi, a writer for Design Shuffle, a social media site for design professionals and enthusiasts to meet, share interior design ideas and inspirations. It's a great place to see the work of designers from around the world!

I am in love with brightly colored tiles right now, especially Moroccan tiles, so I am happy to share some of my favorite decors that use colorful tile. Are you seeing this trend? Loving it?

Do you have colorful tiles in your own home?

I hope these pics will inspire you for your next tile project. Enjoy!

Alicia B Design via

Moroccan tile on a ceiling is truly ingenious. Love the color and pattern that draws the eye to the vertical space on this veranda. Incredible.

Style Files via

Colorful tile used to create an outdoor rug pattern on a terrace is clever and charming. Moroccan tiles have bold pattern and strong colors the work perfectly for this project.

Popham Design via

Popham Design is a great resource for incredible projects that use colorful tile in ingenious ways. This runner is created out of narrow strips of blue tiles. So clever.

Popham Design via

Another ingenious use of colorful tile: a wall of tile replaces wallpaper in this home office nook. Popham Design is based in Morocco and was founded by husband and wife Caitlin and Samuel Dowe-Sandes.

Design Sponge via

Wrapping bold patterned red, black and white tiles from the floor up the walls makes a big impact design statement. It also helps make small bathroom designs feel bigger.

Too Cute Things via

A patchwork of colorful tiles gives this bathroom a chic, bohemian style. Love the idea of mixing boldly patterned and colorful tiles into a crazy-quilt design.

Postcards from Far Away via

Love the colorful herringbone pattern in this bathroom. Ingenious! Herringbone is a classic pattern that looks amazing when done with colorful tiles.

Pinterest via

When used as a backsplash, colorful tiles make kitchen designs like this one come to life. White cabinets and clean lines allow the colorful tiles and bold pattern to shine."

And friends, thank you all for the support of my online store and I will get back to you all shortly! I am now on my flight back to LA with a beyond busy next few days of packing, followed by a 3 days drive, so if you want to contribute with guest posts please let me know, I became one busy lady!

And thanks Design Shuffle for posting this wonderful content!

Design Shuffle is a place where top designers including New York interior designers all the way to Los Angeles interior designers come and post their beautiful work for the general public to see!

My online store is up and running!

2011-09-01T12:15:00.000-07:00

Friends, thank you all for the support throughout all those months and I am delighted to announce that my online store has officially launched today!

www.vanessa-adao.com/shop

Please check it out, let me know your thoughts, advices, your favorites etc...

There are 7 collections: Bendita, Divertida, Fluida, Optica, Rosita, Tropica, Ximbica, - each one has a theme and a distinguished style - and under each collection there are 4 prints, available as fabrics by the yard, pillow covers and wallpaper. Be aware that custom orders are a possibility, so send me an email if you have any questions!

And there is much more on the way...

To daddy, with love

2011-08-16T22:36:00.000-07:00

So last Sunday it was Father's day in Brazil. I was so happy because I got to be with my dad on such special occasion after 7 years not being here to celebrate it with him.

Next week I will move back to US and I am grateful that I got to spend the last few months with my family. Today's post is for my daddy... my way to show my love and appreciation!

My dad was born in 1932 - so next year he is going to be 80 years old. Meaning: when I was born my dad was over 50! But luck for us regardless of his age he was always in great shape and so much fun to be around!

He used to take my sister, my brother and I everywhere, like to the beach every weekend!

And to Carnaval parties (he would pick our outfits himself!)

And to the swimming pool!

And to the coolest trips!

And to see Rio de Janeiro's most amazing sightseeing!

And to meet Santa Claus!

And he pretty much convince us all to cheer for Flamengo (his favorite soccer team)!

He was there for every birthday!

And he had the patience and creativity to come up with a fairy tale history every single night! No, he would not read the histories, he would just invent them on the go!

He taught us to love movies (he is a movie collector!) and I pretty much got to watch them all since very early age. So on 2008 my family went to Orlando on vacation and daddy was like a kid in a candy shop when we were at Universal Studios!

He is so much fun that while my brother and I were in a water ride at Sea World he put a bunch of coins to spray water on us!

He also taught us how to ride horses...

and to develop an amazing respect and love for them!

When I was little he would sing me "The girl from Ipanema" song, he would tell me tales of princesses, filling my world with fantasy and magic and pretty much convincing me that I am a princess!

But let me go back in time because today I found precious photos! All these people on the photo below are my family, my background, blood of my blood and I don't know their histories, I don't even know their names... and that really touches me! You can see my dad is the youngest boy sitting on his mom's lap and my grandpa is wearing a tie right behind them.

My dad was the grandson of germans that arrived in Brazil running away from the war. This is the pharmacy that belonged to the family... isn't super cool?

And here is my dad... as a baby boy - so cute!

And as you may know in Brazil we celebrate Carnaval and kids get to dress up - look at my dad and my 2 aunts! Daddy went as a cowboy - he has always been a huge fan of cowboys movies (his dream was to be John Wayne)!

Here are my aunts and my grandma (unfortunately I never got to meet her...)

So dad joined the army...

... and he grew in his career.

Dad was cool, look at him rocking an Elvis Presley look!

He had the coolest cars...

And he met my beautiful and amazing mom!

This was their first dance (do you get why I am obsessed with bold prints and maxi dresses?)

And they got married...

They got to be the cool couple (gotta love the outfits!)

He was there when she graduated...

... and she was there when he got promoted.

And my brother, sister and I got to watch their love for all these years... and we are just so luck to have them!

Pai eu te amo!

I heart NY

2011-08-10T15:54:00.000-07:00

5 amazing and busy days on the big city

There was no time for sightseeing, for Broadway, Central park, not even for a tour bus (cheesy, I know but so tempting)! But many magical things happened on these 5 days...

To start off, let me just tell you that Mondrian Soho rocks...

And out of total luck I found the most amazing personal assistant! If you are in NYC and looking for an assistant let me just tell you: Ivonne is the best, check her website here. She helped me to understand the subway system and to set up my booth at PrintSource!

PrintSource was amazing, I met SO many talented people like portuguese designer Ana Romero and the lovely ladies from Treat and Company!

Meeting the lovely Ashlina from The Decorista was so amazing! We used to work a block away from each other in Beverly Hills and never got to meet in person until she moved to NY and we decided to have dinner - isn't life funny? So when I told her about my textiles she stopped by my room and shared her professional eye and gave input in my textile collection - PRICELESS!

I was so privileged to meet my NY blog friends: Ashlina (had the honor to hang out with her once again!), Maurenice (from Vila Bisono) and Lorena (from Traveler Designery)!

NY was also tough because I had to walk everywhere! Let me just remind you that this is Vanessa, the girl that hasn't worked out in like 4 years and drives her car around LA everywhere. So my feet was SO tired that at the very last day while I was walking around town visiting the Admissions office of both FIT and Parsons I had to wear my havaianas flip flops. Even so when I saw this spa mani/ pedicure service I just went for it!

This whole trip was on a budget so I only made 2 purchases: comfy flats from Aldo (animal print & gold = love it!) and new lens for my camera!

Then I headed back to Rio de Janeiro for just 2 weeks before I officially move back to L.A.!

Oh have I mentioned I got my bachelor degree? SO exciting!

Next adventure? My online store launches September 1st - stay tuned and wish me luck!

Closing an old chapter...

2011-08-07T21:04:00.000-07:00

As much as I want to share about my NY trip I had to spend the past 2 days working and studying like crazy. Tomorrow I will finally present my thesis to the board of teachers - hoping (cross your fingers!) to get my Industrial Design bachelor degree.

You see... I enrolled in college on 2000 and after 4 years of intense study and internships I decided to go to the US on vacation. Guess what? Never returned! I had just 1 class left to get my diploma but I got caught up partying like any 24 years old should, meeting amazing people, getting married in Vegas, getting divorced, then meeting the love of my life, building a life in LA and having a wonderful job and friends.

Well 7 years have passed and although I have a broad design experience and portfolio I still felt that I should close this old chapter in order to start a new one. I needed closure. So last february I returned to Rio de Janeiro to go back to school and since then I have been studying, researching and working on an urban furniture for a local park.

So after those months of working so hard I really hope it will pay it off tomorrow. I am scared of what the teachers may say and I am really hoping to get a good grade. Either way I put my heart and soul into this project and at the end of the day that is all that matters, right?

Now it is 1am and I need to go to sleep.

But I miss you and I will be back after these crazy few days...

Much love from Rio de Janeiro!

photo credits 1 2 3 4

Let's go to New York

2011-07-24T21:23:00.000-07:00

So in less than a week I am leaving from Rio to NY to exhibit my textiles at a 3 days expo called PrintSource. That was decided only 2 days ago - yeah totally last minute, I know.

It was a tough decision to put these expenses on my credit card and just go for it - all alone. This is vacation time in Brazil so the airfare was extra expensive - not to mention that just the concept of putting together the artwork for an exhibition was crazy enough. But it just feels like things are falling into the right place - like someone up there is just taking care of it...

And all of this is about a dream. And a game to reinvent myself. I want to show my textiles to the world, I want to put my babies out there, go beyond my comfort zone, beyond what it is safe. And then see what happens... afterall it is my dream and I am allowed to dream big!

I have been to NY only once - about 15 years ago and I loved it so very much! So now I am beyond excited but I will only have 2 days when I get to walk around town. The other days I will be working 9 til 6 (by the way if you want to see my print & pattern collection meet me at PrintSource, August 1-3).

Want to meet me in NY?

Any suggestions of what should I see and where should I go?

I want to see Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty. Any other ideas?

Image Source 1 2 3 4 5 6

Here’s to the crazy ones

2011-07-20T07:42:00.000-07:00

Here’s to the crazy ones

The misfits.

The rebels.

The troublemakers.

The round pegs in the square holes.

The ones who see things differently.

They’re not fond of rules.

And they have no respect for the status quo.

You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.

About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them.

Because they change things.

They invent.

They imagine.

They heal.

They explore.

They create.

They inspire.

They push the human race forward.

Maybe they have to be crazy.

How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art?

Or sit in silence and hear a song that’s never been written?

Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels?

We make tools for these kinds of people.

While some see them as the crazy ones, we see genius.

Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

- Apple Inc

Why Be Ordinary? Be Extraordinary

Helio Gracie

John Lennon and Yoko Ono

Leonardo da Vinci

Louise L Hay

Mother Teresa Of Calcutta

Mahatma Gandhi

Maria Calas

Martha Graham

Martin Luther King

Michael Bernard Beckwith

Pele

Who inspires you?

For the love of couture... and Valentino!

2011-07-13T08:55:00.001-07:00

As you may have noticed I am a huge fan of Valentino (see here, here and here). I cried when he retired on 2008 (have you watched his fabulous documentary yet? 'The last emperor' is a must see!) but Valentino Garavani left a legacy of luxury and the show did go on! Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli displayed a breath-taking Haute Couture FW11 collection and kept the house of Valentino's integrity and commitment with perfection, craftsmanship (one coat took 750 hours to make), luxurious fabrics and intricate details: beads, lace, feathers, burnout velvet and metallic brocade. All that paired with simple silhouettes and classic shapes that left me wondering if I will ever wear such a couture piece...

Who is your favorite designer?

The glass is half full!

2011-07-07T19:45:00.000-07:00

Oh I haven't been blogging in so long and I sure miss it! So much has happened, I went to Cali, my boyfriend picked me up at LAX (after almost 4 months without seeing each other) and we drove to Vegas to host a tradeshow, visited Utah and Arizona and while back in L.A. I stayed in Marina del Rey with my friend Barbara, had lots of fun with her (shopping, eating at our fave sushi spot and getting me a coffee cup reading - we did it all!), visit my boyfriend's parents in Ventura and saying goodbye to them once again! Along those busy 2 weeks I spent as much time as I could with my boyfriend and while he was at work I was running errands and somehow I found time to take a 2 days communication course and encountered some breakdowns but afterall so many breakthroughs! I am happy to see clearly that the glass is indeed half full!

So here I am to count my blessings and to celebrate...

1. A Lovely Feature!
Rachael from Roco Rennie invited me to be part of her lovely 'It’s all in the details' series. So today she featured some of my favorite things in life (including the vintage frames I am wearing on the pic below). So click here to check it out and also get to know Rachael - a dear blog friend from Ireland!

2. My Fabric Collection
As I mentioned earlier I exhibited my work at a trade show in Las Vegas last month. It felt great to get out of my comfort zone and put out there my textile and illustration work. The feedback was amazing and I smile everytime I look at my fabrics!

3. The magical Grand Canyon & Bryce Park
My boyfriend and I left Las Vegas and drove our hybrid straight to Utah, we visited Zion National Park (marvelous!), spent the nite at Kanab (Utah's Little Hollywood), drove to Arizona and visited the Grand Canyon North Rim (exquisite!) and then we went back to spend the nite at Kanab and at the last day we drove to Bryce Canyon (just beyond!). I love all the these magical memories I shared with my boyfriend... I got to meditate and walk barefoot at the Grand Canyon and I could write a whole post just about it (by the way I kept thinking of my friend Sarah from A Lost Feather).

4. Pillows & much more - soon to be launched!
So I recently changed my hair color (once again) and I updated my headshot to promote my soon to launch online store. See the pillows on the shot? Those pillows among many other fun items will be available for purchase here.

5. Book Mentions
So 2 textile publications from Europe recently featured several of my textile patterns - you can view the books here: Texitura 47 and Pattern Design & Beyond - very exciting! Also so happy because some of my logo design was published on 3 LogoLounge books!

6. A Beauty Day for Gia
When my friend Rose Gracie mentioned about Gia - a 6 years old fighting leukemia we knew we needed to do something to help. So we gathered our contacts and through the work I have been doing from Kindle my Heart we were able to provide a beauty day for Gia and her friends at the Bella Academy (as I mentioned earlier here)! Want to help Gia? Click here.

7. The power of a gift
I am so glad there are people like Rayn - the founder of the amazing non-profit called Things of my very own - they are a safe retreat for children that are victims of abuse. Can you help me in this cause? We can uplift those kids by sending gifts to: 1011 Cheyenne Road Glenville, New York 12302

8. The power of communication & a 1 year commitment

So I took another course from Landmark Education - this time the Advanced Communication. To say it was a breakthrough in my life it would be an understatement. It changed how I see communication in general, made me realize how much I avoid certain subjects and certain people and it made me get in touch with all that was behind it. It also made me dig some truths and find out not so pleasant news - but at the end of the day I felt free and learned to have a better listening of others. Overall I noticed how much we all have the power to create miracles in our lives. After this course I signed up for TMPL - a program where I will be 1 year being coached to create something grand with my life! Inspired? Check this out!

9. 24 hours with my man...

It was wonderful to just be with my boyfriend at my very last day in L.A. We woke up together and had brunch by the Marina, went for a wine tasting at Cornell, then back home and enjoyed 30 min of jacuzzi and then we went to watch Midnight in Paris... it was just lovely to spend 24 hours hanging out with my adorable boyfriend and I can't wait for more!

10. And now... I am back in Rio!
Although it has been pretty cold and rainy I am so happy to be back with my family and my dog Fanny. This is home... and I am back in school to finish my Industrial Design bachelor degree. I have been writing my thesis and working really hard to design a fabulous urban furniture piece for a local park - will share with you once it is done!

Photo credit 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

For the love of meditation... and NY!

2011-06-22T12:08:00.000-07:00

Well it has been no secret that I have been seriously considering to move to the East Coast. Yesterday I sent my final application for a Master at Parsons and now I just have to wait for their answer... I am aware that it might be too late for sending my application since Fall classes start pretty soon, but I gave it a shot - so my destiny is in God's hands now (or should I say Parsons admission dpt's hands?)

With all the things going on in my life lately - specially moving back to the States after staying at my parents in Brazil for almost 4 months - I have found that I am already home sick and that I am not sure where is my place in the world. So NY may become my next bet but I wonder: Can I take the new yorker lifestyle?

I heard some wonderful things about the city, I watched all seasons of 'Friends", 'Sex in the City' and 'The City' and I actually visit the big apple once when I was really young, maybe 14 years old. I just remember thinking to my young self "One day I am going to live here".

Now just turned 30 - yep the clock is ticking - and I am kinda worried about living again in a studio apt that is the size of my closet in L.A., lacking square footage, dealing with old buildings and most importantly I am worried if I can take their lifestyle and the cold weather! I am a pretty calm person but I don't tolerate someone being rude or mean at me (trust me you should not ever step on a latina toes - the beast comes out and it is not pretty - and you see... that is why I practice meditation!), so if new yorkers are really rude like I have heard, I will either be crying 24/7 or arguing 24/7. But is it really like this? Can someone please give me the heads up?

Anyways I was thrilled when yesterday I read an article about the amazing campaign "I meditate NY" where the founder of The Art of Living Foundation is spreading the word of meditation to new yorkers. I was pretty fascinated by the fact that The New York Times wrote an article on this and I now believe that this might be indeed the right time to move to the big city. I am huge fan of this foundation and have taken many of their meditation courses, including a Silence Meditation course with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar himself!

I copied and pasted the article from The New York Times and I hope you all enjoy it!

Seeking bliss among the honks and hisses

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, 54, the Indian spiritual guru, said it was his first time in Times Square, as he walked up Broadway on Monday morning. “It’s a nice place for a stroll,” he said. “A lot is happening.” Indeed there was. The Crossroads of the World was as hectic as ever, teeming with traffic and sidewalk crowds toward the end of the morning rush.

Mr. Shankar stood, taking it all in: police officers, tourists, office workers, vendors, bomb-sniffing dogs. Even for Mr. Shankar, who lives in the city of Bangalore, this might seem to be sensory overload: a news “zipper” sign overhead trumpeted items like “Long Island Serial Killer Taunting Victim’s Teen Sister.”

The guru smiled broadly — he always seems to be smiling — and ambled up Broadway, dressed in sandals, a flowing, white robe, and a tan, wool scarf. He has a full, dark head of hair and beard, and suffice to say, he stands out even in a crowded Times Square. Mr. Shankar was in town to offer a workshop to inaugurate the program I Meditate NY, which provides meditation classes to deal with city stress. On Sunday, he conducted a program for 2,700 people at Avery Fisher Hall. “There is so much energy here, you need help to cope with it all,” he said, looking across Times Square. “When you have so many people of such diversity squeezed together, you need a lot of it.”

Urban life would especially lend itself to his form of breathing and meditation, he said, with its goal of rejuvenating participants physically, mentally and emotionally. “People who have a lot to do in life, they have a greater need to meditate,” he said. “When you live in the middle of this hustle-bustle, and you have a lot of responsibilities and demands on you, you naturally have a greater longing for it.” “It is important for people to take a few minutes every day to sit with their eyes closed and look for inner peace,” he said, walking up Broadway, and passing a panhandler holding up a cardboard sign with the words, “I listen to your problems for $2.”

“You need a source of silence and sanity and it is healthy to clearing the mind,” he said. Mr. Shankar said he envisioned a world free of stress and violence and said that meditation helped nurture the individual love, compassion and enthusiasm to reach these broader goals.

Every few moments, he was interrupted by passers-by who recognized him. At 45th Street, a group of Indian immigrants bowed to him and smiled, and a half-block later, an English tourist, Charlotte West, 20, stopped him and said she took his meditation class at an ashram in India several years ago. Then a truck rumbled down Seventh Avenue and the driver bellowed out: “Sri Sri Ravi, you’re the greatest.” The guru’s followers stared at each other and burst out in incredulous laughter. Mr. Shankar simply smiled and kept walking. Still smiling, he then passed Foot Locker, the Swatch store and a souvenir shop displaying “I Love New York” T-shirts. That logo has been imitated by his group I Meditate New York, with the heart replaced by a sitting meditator.

Mr. Shankar founded the nonprofit Art of Living Foundation in 1982 to help spread the use of meditation to alleviate stress and societal problems and violence, he said, conducting programs for people of all religions and cultures.

Mr. Shankar’s father was an auto executive, but young Ravi took a spiritual path early on, and by age 4 was able to recite from the Bhagavad Gita. He was born on the same day of the year as the Hindu philosopher Adi Shankara and followed the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, developing a rhythmic breathing exercise to help relieve personal suffering. The technique came to him in 1982 “like an intuition” after a 10-day period of silence on the banks of a river in India, he said.He calls the technique Sudarshan Kriya and has made it the core of his Art of Living courses. “It gives you a deeper rest than sleep,” he said. “It adds dimension to your life, and it is so suitable for today’s busy life.”

Standing at the curb at 46th Street, an Indian man stopped next to him and did a double-take. The man, Sunin Elias, 42, and his son Nikhil, 13, shook the guru’s hand. Mr. Elias said he lived in Bangalore, where he runs a software company. A stylishly dressed woman standing on the sidewalk in front of the DoubleTree Hotel was next to approach Mr. Shankar. The woman Kavina Trujillo, 38, a skin care specialist from Seattle said she had come to New York on business and taken his meditation lecture and workshop in Manhattan on Sunday. “I kept falling asleep,” she told Mr. Shankar, who in response kept smiling but did not speak. “You’re making me nervous,” she said with a giggle. Finally she shook his hand again and said, “You changed my life.”

At 48th Street, he turned and began walking down Seventh Avenue. He passed several husky men standing next to an inflated 12-foot-tall bedbug and handing out notices attacking a local business. In front of Planet Hollywood, he was greeted by a young man wearing a gold chain and a red baseball hat. The young man, Kenny Pena, 23, a music producer from Brooklyn with the nickname Nyce and a production company called Money Game, shook the guru’s hand. “I felt a lot of positive energy just shaking his hand,” Mr. Pena said.

Mr. Shankar’s handlers were anxious to rush him to his next appearance, but he said he enjoyed walking Times Square. “Once in a while,” he said, and piled with three other handlers into the back of a waiting car, smiling all the while.

XXX

So what is your take on NY? Any advices?

Photo credit: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Fresh out of the oven!

2011-06-18T22:05:00.000-07:00

I hope you will enjoy this sneak peak into my textile collection - can't wait to show you more!

Sorry to be away for so long! I hope you you have missed me as much as I have missed you all. There has been so much going on I haven't even had time to blog about it (pretty busy). I just moved back to the US, did my first trade show exhibition, and visited three different states in the past few days and I am off to Bryce Canyon National Park tomorrow.

I will be catching up with all of you soon!

Bringing joy...

2011-06-10T13:37:00.000-07:00

If I were God I would create a law to assure that every single child is happy, joyful and healthy. Unfortunately that is not how things turn out sometimes. So how can we help?

There is so much going on out there: violence, depression, global warming, wars, cancer, abuse, corruption, poverty, tsunamis... and more than often I find myself talking about somewhat shallow things. Trust me I am still a designer and appreciate the field immensely and feel lucky for having found a career that I love so much. But what else can I do?

All of the sudden the image above seems so disturbing...
What is our mission as fashionistas/ bloggers?

I started Kindle my Heart to uplift lit girls that been abused or that are fighting life-threatening diseases. It all started as a project from a class at Landmark Education but when I came to Brazil to deal with my own health issues I kinda left Kindle my Heart on the side. But when my friend told me about lit Gia - a 5 years old fighting leukemia from Pittsburgh - I sent an email to a local Paul Mitchell salon called Bella Capelli (visit their website here) and their director Gina Garone agreed right away to give her a Beauty Day! The salon hosted a Justin Bieber-themed event for Gia and 9 of her friends. They all got manicure, make up, hair dos and Gia got to wear a princess costume and received toys as gifts!

Who would think that one simple email could give a girl this much fun? And isn't amazing and inspiring people like Gina Garone that just want to help? If you are in Pittsburgh please visit their salon and give Gina Garone a big hug from me!

But my point is we can - and should - do those things. Internet is out there not only to see the latest trends or to learn about the latest tragedies! We can help people's well being, we can make a difference. Yesterday 600 people visited this blog - so what is my voice aside from showing you my work and what new design I like or dislike? Here it is: I ask you all to donate.

I ask you to support this lovely foundation called Things of my very own - a non-profit that provides impoverished children that are victims of abuse, and/or neglect, and those in at-risk situations with basic necessities to ensure a successful retreat to safety. They are in need for summer pajamas - a pajama set at Wallmart is just $7 - I think we can all do that, don't we?

Here are a few of suggestions to bring a smile to those girls... Pajama Set $7 at Wallmart. Floral Heart Print $12 at Rifle Paper Co. Stuffed Fleece friend $24.99 at Oompa. Owl backpack $12.99 at Oompa.

Send donations to:

1011 Cheyenne Road Glenville, New York 12302

Thank you all my lovelies!

For the love of exotic... and eclectic!

2011-06-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

I just love rooms that have a mix of all sorts of styles and eras. That kinda room we usually see at Anthropologie catalogs but it seems so hard to pull it of - you know what I am talking about? Interesting furniture, vintage textiles, retro lamps, asian-inspired pieces, embroidered pillows, piles of books and lots of art!

I am coming back to the U.S in just a few days and I wondering how to pull this sort of fell for the new place. I have been designing a lot of asian inspired prints so I am planning to wallpaper a room with one of them! I guess I am just in an exotic season of my life! For the bedroom I found the 2 inspirations below - one very clean and another very colorful. I find both exotic, eclectic and somewhat sexy. Which one do you prefer?

I have been looking for exotic inspiration, these are my fabulous finds:

1. Jewel Lantern from Anthropologie 2. Lantern from Anthropologie 3. Adaeze Print from Cozamia 4. Embroidered and mirror embellished indian dress from Net-a-porter 5. Arabian Tea Set from Just Morocco 6. Console from Anthropologie 7. Peaceful Pendant Necklace from In Honor of Design 8. Linen Wedge Sandals by Theodora and Callum from Net-a-porter 9. Marrakech Curtain from Anthropologie 10. Gold Moroccan Pouf from Ada & Darcy 11. Drumming up Side Table from Wisteria 12. Ikat Chair from Anthropologie 13. Calling Card by Made by Girl 14. Safari Candle from Anthropologie 15. Jerome Dreyfuss shoulder bag at Net-a-porter

The ultimate bachelorete pad

2011-05-31T09:36:00.000-07:00

It has always been a dream of mine to design a feminine space. So this project was envisioned for 2 single ladies with an eye for fashion and exquisite taste. Hope you enjoy it!

A Casa da Vá

Spreading L O V E

Want to make this Valentine's day extra special?

Design Valentines cards that will be donated to hundreds of children at hospitals and shelters! Please send your lovely creations or craft supplies to:Kindle my Heart - attention to Vanessa Adão2805 E Oakland Park Blvd #477 Fort Lauderdale FL 33306Photo credit 1 2 3 4

What am I up to?

I left my heart in Jamaica...

Wonder Woman Interview with Ashlina Kaposta

Off to the tropics

My 2012 Manifesto

Now available: upholstery fabric!

Add color to your casa

Dear Santa...

Have a miraculous day!

Just Keep Swimming

Colorful Tile, Ingenious Decor

My online store is up and running!

To daddy, with love

I heart NY

Closing an old chapter...

Let's go to New York

Here’s to the crazy ones

For the love of couture... and Valentino!

The glass is half full!

For the love of meditation... and NY!

Fresh out of the oven!

Bringing joy...

For the love of exotic... and eclectic!

The ultimate bachelorete pad

Design Valentines cards that will be donated to hundreds of children at hospitals and shelters!

Please send your lovely creations or craft supplies to:
Kindle my Heart - attention to Vanessa Adão
2805 E Oakland Park Blvd #477 Fort Lauderdale FL 33306
Photo credit 1 2 3 4