I'll be the first to admit that having grown up in Mexico City - a very Catholic and "machista" city - I never really felt comfortable playing with dolls as a kid. If I would have been caught playing with dolls at school or at a party I would have likely become a victim of social ridicule and bullying. Guys are supposed to like plastic cars, toy soldiers, monster trucks, cowboys and guns. I was always a little bit different than other boys I grew up with. I liked My Little Ponies, Care Bears , She-Ra, and yes... Barbie dolls . While I never actually openly played with dolls, I managed to steal one from one of my cousins during a sleepover weekend. It felt so wrong and yet so right. I was excited to get home to play with it. I remember hiding it underneath the washroom vanity and locking myself up to bring it out. Looking back now, I don't really know what I was so ashamed of. Society and cultural gender roles can have a big impact on the way we behave as both kid...

Recently, I feel like my life has taken a 180 degree turn and that all things have finally fallen into place. In fact, everything is so perfect and smooth that it feels like I am living in a dream. If someone would have approached me two or three years ago and asked me where I would be living in the future I probably wouldn't have guessed it would be where I am now. A few months ago, my husband @guccisimo and I decided to start the journey of moving from Surrey back to downtown Vancouver. We started by noting the neighbourhoods and buildings we would like the most and by visiting SEVERAL open houses to narrow it down to a few select areas. The process of moving was very intense as we had to list our Surrey place and hope that it would sell fast so that we could start living our dream of waking up to the Vancouver skyline sooner rather than later. Thankfully, we have a family friend and realtor who managed to sell our condo in under three weeks. At that point we could almost ta...

This year I joined a team for the MS Walk to support my friend Kim Adams and all the people with multiple sclerosis who need help financially to get through life and to help increase funding for research so that one day they will find a cure. By supporting our team, you can make a difference in the life of someone with multiple sclerosis. Proceeds from MS Society fundraising events provide support and services to help those living with this disease, their families and caregivers as well as fund research with three primary goals: to find a cause and cure for MS, repair nervous system damage caused by MS and stop MS attacks. Here is my friend KIM's story: "It was less than two years ago when I was diagnosed with MS. Doing this walk the first time I barely finished and struggled the following days. A year later, thanks in part to support from family and friends, I have become incredibly strong, improved so much, and learned so many lessons. It will just keep getting bett...

Celebrating the holidays with my family and loved ones has always been one of my favourite pastimes - the food, the laughter, the conversations - they all make an essential part of these wonderful gatherings. In these modern times however it so easy to forget about the true meaning behind some of these holidays, and thanksgiving is a perfect example of this. This year, my husband @guccisimo spent almost two weeks preparing to host our first ever thanksgiving dinner at our new home and seeing him go through all the preparations for this grand celebration made me reflect upon the meaning behind the words THANKS-GIVING.. It was exciting to be a part of his journey, as he meticulously selected recipes, ingredients and decorations to honour our guests. By the way, when I say honour I truly mean it, as when it comes down to hosting a dinner party Martha Stewart has nothing on him (although I must admit that he did follow her turkey recipe this year - but let's keep that our secret)....

The other day I decided to go through my twitter's timeline to catch up on the recent posts from those I follow. It was then that I came across a specific tweet that disturbed me and deeply saddened me. It was posted by @cuaquilino - a twitter friend who happens to be Mexican like me. @cuaquilino 's tweet is a picture of the search suggestions that come up when one types "why are Mexicans..." on Google's search bar - The suggested statements are racist and demeaning and they promote hatred amongst different nations and races. Instead of focusing on the many good things both Mexico AND Mexicans have offered to the world they portray offensive and prejudicial notions of what we as Mexicans stand for. It is extremely distressing to realize that after so many centuries of suffering and mistreatment, the human race still chooses to segregate others based on the colour of their skin, the country they were born in, or the gender of their partner. Humans are naturally...

I recently decided to change the wallpaper on my computer at work to one of Paris' pictures. At the time, I could have never anticipated the kind of reaction I would get from my co-workers for having done so. Multiple people started asking me (sometimes several times a day) what I liked about Paris Hilton and why I would decide to put a picture of her on my screen at work. I clearly knew the answers to their questions, but their constant interrogation made me reflect on why I love people like Paris Hilton, Onch, and Stephen Hampton - hence this article. Let's start with Paris - several people would come up to my desk and make statements like - she doesn't work, she is just a socialite, she has no real talent - but having gotten to know Paris better than that through interviews, BFF episodes, and most importantly through her official twitter account, I strongly defended her position. Paris IS a talented woman - not everyone can buil...

1. I believe that truly listening to someone can change that person's life for the better. 2. Pink is my favourite colour.  I love to see how people react when I say that. 3. Friendship and family are the single most important things in my life. 4. I truly believe in bi-sexuality. I know some people believe that bisexuals are just people who can't decide to play for one team or another but I believe people fall in love with a soul and not with a gender. 5. I have always loved cats but recently I have been wanting to get a West Highland Terrier "Westie" so I can walk it around on the beach and take it with me. 6. I have cried in several movies, especially in "A Walk to Remember" 7. I love any type of ice cream, but especially chocolate. 8. Music is my drive and my energy. Dancing is my second nature. 9. I am a perfectionist (too the point where it drives people crazy) and I feel that being succesful is something I must achieve before I die. ...