Da Fashionista.com

The Scene
Slept like a baby. Or maybe I should say like a mermaid. You see, we discovered our clam shell head board lights up. Um, H-Y-S-T-E-R-I-C-A-L.




Enjoy a feast of a breakfast courtesy of Marilu and Eufracio. Fresh fruit, juice, breads, coffee and chorizo with eggs. Yummers.


Head into downtown Puerto Vallarta for a little sightseeing.



We window shop and look at the seaside art and pop into a cathedral.






I look for the long summer dress I've been fiending for but everything is too cheesy. Keep my eyes peeled for cool gladiator sandals but nada. Not feeling the silver jewelry either. Wah. Do see some sweet Mexican wrestler masks that I think the boys should buy.


Also like all the home stuff I see. Little Nativity scenes and beautiful tile work.


But decide to buy stuff later on the trip when I'm not such a wide eyed sucker ready to bleed American dollars.





Our big accomplishment of the day is booking a tour to do zip lining. In the jungle where Predator was filmed. We are all super excited to play Ahnuld tomorrow and then do some tequila tasting ;)


The heat and all the arduous strolling takes it out of us pretty quickly. We duck into a bar for Pacificos and snacks. Interestingly, during the ENTIRE trip, the salsa is always placed square in front of me. It's like they know I am the salsa monster/predator. LOVES IT!



We head back to the house and explore the beach that's just a few yards from us. It's like bathwater. Delish. We then head back to the pool for more swimming and then eventually have a siesta. Vacationing is EXHAUSTING apparently.



We have another feast for dinner prepared by the magical Marilu. She makes us the best carnitas I have ever had and a to-die-for tomatillo salsa. We watch a cruise ship chase the setting sun and both eventually disappear into the horizon.



Magical second day.





The Outfit
Fashion district strapless jersey dress in brick

The Accessories
Brass Plum necklace
Target turquoise sandals
Forever 21 bracelets
Hello Kitty clear purse
Chanel brown quilted sunglasses

The Grade
A-

The Commentary
I want to marry this dress. Dig everything about it. The shape and the color and the feel of it. So comfortable but so chic. It is going to be a versatile building block for summer outfits. Can picture it with some sassy scarves or structured but light jackets or even my drapey wrap sweaters. Terrific score downtown for just $19.

This necklace I love love love from way back. Less than $15 but I adore the color combos strung on the light colored ribbon. If I could design the perfect vacation necklace this would be it.


Mr. Diabolina and I again matched today. Our cuteness seriously knows no bounds. He is deliciously relaxed all day. I am thrilled he was able to get away from the salt mines. He needs this vacation more than even I do.



Today I take out my fave Hello Kitty cheapy purse. That's right it's got the kitty surrounded by colorful fruit! So. fucking. cute. It's like the HK designers asked themselves what can we do to make Diabolina squeal with delight. I rarely have occasion to wear it but god, does it make me happy when I do.



Bought it when the transparent purse thing was big. $1000 for a plastic Chanel or $24 for Kitty? No brainer in my opinion.




On a final note, I want to share something exciting and very personal: This was the first scantily clad vacation in my life where I didn't constantly fret about my weight.

I felt good in a bikini. Not completely comfortable, but the most comfortable I've ever felt. I felt like this is the body I have earned after 30 years.

This is the body I have been taking care of and making stronger for the last 4 months. This is the body that has done things like a mud run, bootcamp classes, running 5 miles - things I never imagined I could do. This is the body that has survived - survived the stress of my grandmother's heart attack when I was 8, my mother's cancer scare when I was 11, my dad's death when I was 16, and a serious car accident when I was 19.

This is the body that has traveled the world and navigated different schools and jobs and relationships with me in my 20s. This is a body that has been lucky enough to enjoy fine food and salsa and Sprinkles cupcakes. This is the body that has enjoyed a scotch or three and stayed up late partying and dancing and living.

And this is the body that will possibly in the next decade carry my children and run a marathon. Or maybe rule the world ;)

I realized this is my body and I should honor all it's been through with me. I should stop wishing for someone else's body, stop feeling ashamed of it. I should respect the body I have...in all its perfectly glorious imperfection.