Sessi. Dancing Corners

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be in Mexico during Día de los Muertos, also known as the Day of the Dead? If you’re unfamiliar with this holiday, it’s a deeply rooted tradition in Mexico that takes place on November 1st and 2nd. While it coincides with Halloween, it is a separate celebration that stems from Hispanic, Mexican, and Spanish Roman Catholic traditions. The holiday is meant to honor and welcome back the souls of departed loved ones, and the entire country comes alive with festivities, altars, and vibrant decorations.

In Mexico City, the celebrations are grand, featuring an enormous parade where people dress up, paint their faces as calaveras (sugar skulls), and make offerings (ofrendas) to honor their ancestors. The streets are filled with orange marigolds, creating a breathtaking display of color and tradition.

My Trip to Mexico City

I had always wanted to experience Día de los Muertos in Mexico City, and in 2024, I finally got the chance! My uncle lives there for work, so my brother and I planned a trip, leaving on October 30th. We were both thrilled to not only celebrate Día de los Muertos but also spend Halloween in Mexico City.

When we arrived, our uncle greeted us with a welcome drink, which was such a warm gesture. We then visited his workplace and had lunch together before he returned to work. Later that evening, he took us on a food tour to explore different local dishes. We found a delicious spot with incredible food and drinks, and we spent the night sharing great conversations. That was just the first night!

Exploring Mexico City

The next day, my brother and I visited Palacio de Bellas Artes, where we learned about various artists and admired the stunning architecture of the building. We then walked to an old bank called Cuauhtémoc-Centro, where we saw the staircase featured in the Disney movie Coco. From there, we explored the bank’s museum, which included a fascinating tour of the cellar, where we learned about the money-making process.

Later that evening, we returned to our uncle’s apartment and then went out to dinner at Amanal, a restaurant where they prepare food as part of a live show. It was an incredible experience—one I had never seen before.

A Deeper Dive into the Culture

On Friday, we visited Gustavo A. Madero, an area known for its historic churches. We took a private tour, where our guides provided us with water, took our pictures, and even informed us about the upcoming Día de los Muertos parade, including the best time and place to see it.

That evening, after our uncle got off work, he took us to his favorite hole-in-the-wall spot for dinner. The food and drinks were amazing—we still talk about it to this day! Later that night, we went bar-hopping in Mexico City, and it turned out to be one of my favorite memories from the trip.

The Grand Finale

On Saturday, we woke up early to visit the Zona Arqueológica de Teotihuacán, home to the famous Sun and Moon Pyramids. Seeing these ancient structures in person was surreal. To top off the experience, we dined in a cave, where the restaurant had beautifully decorated altars for Día de los Muertos. Later that night, we went out to celebrate in Roma, enjoying more of Mexico City’s vibrant nightlife.

Final Thoughts

Spending time with my uncle and brother in a different country was an unforgettable experience. Mexico City during Día de los Muertos and Halloween is truly magical—the culture, the food, the celebrations, and the traditions make it a must-visit destination. If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend experiencing Mexico City during this time. It’s a trip filled with history, beauty, and memories that will last a lifetime!

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Walk to End Lupus Now

Every October, the Walk to End Lupus Now Foundation hosts an inspiring event to raise funds and awareness for lupus. The event takes place in two locations: South Street Seaport in New York City and Cranford, New Jersey. It’s a chance to walk alongside friends and family for a meaningful cause, all while enjoying the crisp fall air, vibrant orange and brown leaves on the ground, and a scenic man-made lake surrounded by a sea of participants dressed in purple. The energy is contagious, with smiling faces all around, and big-name sponsors lending their support at both locations.

As a bonus, if you raise a certain amount, you get some fun perks like a free shirt with the Walk to End Lupus logo, among other rewards.

Let’s take a look at how the walk in New Jersey is organized. You’ll receive all the important details in your email, but here’s a breakdown: Check-in starts at 1:00 PM, followed by a pre-show at 1:20 PM, the ceremony at 1:30 PM, and the actual walk at 2:00 PM. Everyone who raises $100 or more will receive a walk-day t-shirt, and if you raise $1,000 or more, you’ll get a medal to commemorate your efforts. It’s not just about walking—whether you contribute before or after the event, your support makes a difference. You’ll also get the chance to honor someone you love who’s been affected by lupus.

One of the most emotional parts of the walk is the remembrance tent, which pays tribute to those who have lost their lives to lupus. That tent always hits me hard, reminding me of the Netflix movie where a woman passes away from lupus while giving birth. The story was heartbreaking, as the sister shared the tragic news with her family in a heavy, emotional moment.

Despite the solemn moments, the event is also uplifting, with a DJ, sponsor tents like Wegmans, a Pix11 booth, t-shirt giveaways, and even a photographer. It’s a day filled with both fun and purpose, creating an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.

Last year and this year, my dad’s side of the family really showed up for me—they’ve been the real MVPs in helping me raise funds and awareness, no questions asked. I’m beyond grateful for their support and wish I could give them the world. I’ll definitely find ways to show my appreciation for all they’ve done.

Last year, I walked with my mom and my dog on a beautiful fall day, soaking in everything the Walk to End Lupus Now had to offer. The funny part was when they thought I was a volunteer—I even helped put up signs for a while before jumping back into my role as a walker!

If there’s a foundation close to your heart, I highly recommend getting involved. Put your all into it—you’ll be surprised by how much of a difference it can make.

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Dear Justin Timberlake,

I am incredibly grateful for your music, which has carried me through some of the toughest times in my life, as well as the good times. I love that I grew up with you and your music, and I admire how you’ve remained true to yourself over the years—it’s made me appreciate you even more.

When you released “Take It from Here,” that song became a lifeline for me. During moments when my world felt like it was crashing down, I would put on my headphones, listen to “Take It from Here,” and feel like I wasn’t alone—that someone was there for me. You can’t imagine how much that song means to me. Even now, more than two decades later, I still listen to that album non-stop. “Take It from Here” and “Let’s Take a Ride” have always been, and still are, my go-to songs whenever I need a pick-me-up.

All of your concerts have become core memories for me, from the Justified/Stripped Tour to the FutureSex/LoveShow, the Legends of the Summer Tour, and the Man of the Woods Tour—and my favorite, The Forget tomorrow world tour. I can’t forget the No Strings Attached Tour and the PopOdyssey Tour either. Every time I see you perform, a happy tear always rolls down my face because it feels so surreal, but it’s real. It’s such a joyous and exciting feeling.

During The Forget tomorrow world tour , iI was feeling a bit anxious, but the moment you came on stage, my anxiety melted away. I felt calm and happy, just vibing out with you and the Tennessee Kids. It was everything I needed.

Thank you for all that you do and for the impact you’ve made on all of us.

Love , Stephanie T

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Up up and away yoga

We’ve all been there—aimlessly scrolling through Instagram during a break at work or some downtime, when something intriguing catches your eye. You stop, you investigate, and suddenly, you’re diving into research, reading up on all the details. Before you know it, you’re sold on an event, and it’s sitting in your cart, ready to be booked.

That’s exactly what happened to me with the “Up, Up, and Away Yoga” event. The venue, the timing, everything just clicked, and I couldn’t resist. Plus, the algorithm showed me a content creator who had done the event and absolutely loved it. She recommended it to everyone, which only made me more excited for my own session at the One World Observatory on March 16, 2024, at 11:30 AM.

Fast forward to the day of the event. I arrived at the One World Observatory much earlier than expected and found myself with time to kill. I decided to explore the area, maybe find a restaurant for after the yoga session. But, in a funny twist, I couldn’t find the place I had in mind. Still, I didn’t want to miss my “Up, Up, and Away Yoga,” so I headed back to the observatory.

When the time came for yoga, I was beyond excited. The view from the top of One World Observatory was breathtaking—I couldn’t imagine how incredible the yoga session would be. As we moved through the poses, the instructor guided us through warrior poses and other classic yoga movements. At the end of the class, she led us in a meditation while singing, her voice full of power and control. What she said at the end of the session stuck with me: something along the lines of “let go and be free.” Those words resonated with me for the entire week.

After yoga, I rushed to get to my lunch reservation at La Pasta, La Pizza at Eataly, but I got lost trying to leave the One World Observatory. Thankfully, some kind security people pointed me in the right direction. I even got to ride the elevator by myself, which was a cool experience. I was starving by the time I reached the restaurant, and the meal did not disappoint. I devoured a Margherita personal pizza with red wine and sparkling water, savoring every bite. I even got a colonnata to go, because after such an amazing day, I was ready to head home.

I highly recommend taking yourself out on a date—whether it’s for an event, lunch, breakfast, or dinner. Whatever your heart desires, treating yourself can be so rewarding. By the end of the day, you’ll feel incredible, and you might already be planning your next adventure. So go out there, treat yourself, and enjoy this beautiful life we have.

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On a cold November afternoon, Me and my best friend  decided  to do something different  and take a trip into the city. 

I kept seeing  these adverisements on Facebook and Instagram. The ad was of this two tier pink bus with a teacup and flowers painted on the side of it. Where anyone can buy a ticket and sip “high tea” The bus would gake you on a tour of Manhattan while you could drink selections of tea, pastries, and little finger sandwiches, there was someone singing music and it was just such a nice idea i knew this was something we had to go check out.  

 

We arrived at the bus stop and there was the big pink shuttle bus. The outside of the bus was exactly how it as advertised but was even nicer seeing it up close. We got to see all of the details in the art and different tones of the flowers painted on it. Our ticket was scanned by the concierge. He had a basket filled with decoareted flowers.  I was handed a rose that had our table number attached to it. As soon as we had or flower in hand we then escorted into the shuttle to the second floor and that is where our tea party began.

The theme on the bus was winter wonderland. It was decorated so classy and it was such a magical feeling from the moment we stepped on the shuttle.

Once seated in our designated place, the tea expert then greated us and let us know that our package also included champagne and started us off with our first cup of hibiscus tea. Some people choose just the tea package and some had the option of tea and cahmpagne. No matter what option your choose,  all of the pastries, deviled eggs, cucumber finger sandwiches and maccaroons will be  included in both packages that are available for purchase. 

   After our greeting and introduction from our selected tea expert, the shuttle ride began. When the bus was in motion one of the tea servers started to sing cover songs and her voice was pleasent and she sounded angelic. She would do this throughout our whole tour while we were driving to each new destintion. We got to see all the major sites and hear about the history of the archituretue of the landmarks in new York city.

 As we went from each land mark to admire,  the tea expert  would continue to offer us a new blend of tea or the same flavor we already had. It is whatever you prefer.  

As we approached our last stop before the ride was over or tea expert poured us a nice full glass of champagne and we did a little toast to the best tea party we ever went to. 

​Overall, the experience  with tea around town was amazing with my best friend Gia.  Seeing New York all ready for christimas and Winter was something special. Instead of walking around seeing the sights. You get to see it on a bus while enjoying everything around you. You get to experience New York city a different way.

I liked that all the families, friends, and people of all ages can enjoy tea around town and make memories with their love ones. I would highly  recommend  you experience this in New York city and enjoy it in another way. It is definately a once in lifetime thing to do. You can find them on Instagram and facebook. Then, book your tea time. I Hope all of you try this experience out and enjoy every little bit of it.

On September 22nd and 23rd I traveled to Italy again because the first time I went I absolutely fell in love so I just had to go again. This time around i experienced beautiful places like Milan, Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre. Those places left me absolutly breathles, I couldnt believe how gorgeous the scenery is! In a way it felt like I was back home, everyone in each town were culturely diverse which made the experience even better. I ate my way through Italy, and I have no regrets in that at all because the food was way too good not to try everything Italy has to offer. All the food was fresh and tasted so delicious in every town I went to too. Some people in those towns were nice and not so nice but it was understandable. They have tourists coming from all around the world seeing the beauty in their country, enjoying it. Meanwhile, it’s probably annoying to them, but that’s where some countries get the money from. Its definitely a beautiful thing to see the natives enjoy watching people from around the world enjoy their way of living. Overall, the northside of Italy was amazing like it was the first time I have went there. Later, I will try and enjoy the rest of what italy has to offer.

First up is Milan, when I first got there, I was taken aback by the hotel I stayed in and I loved it, the structure of it had me mesmerized. Then, I saw the Piazza del Duomo and it didn’t look real in person, That’s how beautiful it was. Even in the rain after I ate at the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and had seafood pasta with an Aperol spitz and a shot of espresso. I just got out of the plane, and I was starving, ready to take on Italy for the rest of the day. But, back to the food, The pasta seafood was so good and fresh. I literally ate it all . Then, after lunch/dinner I walked around Piazza del Duomo and took some pictures of the scenery just so that take everything in and remember it. The only con about Milan is the people are very rude compared to the people in roman, etc.

The following day I took a tour in Venice and the tour guy was very informative. It took about three hours to get to Venice , but once I got there and we took a boat through Venice and it was such a wonderful experience. There was another tour guide there to explain the history of Venice and what they do in Venice. I saw every inch of Venice, afterwards the tour guide gave us an hour to ourselves before doing the gondola ride around Venice. the ride was nice and smooth seeing ofVenice from a boat’s perspective. That was the end of the Venice experience, the next destination was…

   Florence, where I saw the Piza, wineries and all the small towns in between .  The first stop was Tuscany and Florence are right next to it.  I walked around the town where they had a wolf statue but don’t mind me, I forgot the town I went to.  After that the tour guide took us to a small winery in Tuscany. They serve you a full course meal with wine .  I was starving and didn’t pay too much attention to the wine. From the appetize, to the cheese, to the pasta, to something sweet, It was all so delicious. Then, you have got to walk and look around the winery before heading to see the Piza. When the tour guide finally got the tour to the Piza area, it looked so unreal that you had to see it from all angles. It really is a masterpiece within itself. 

Intermission was walking around Florence to find the wine wall. Do a little food tour there. Then, once I got to the wine wall. It was cute and different. It was connected to a pizzeria and that is a smart marketing move from them. Anyways, I saw a bridge in Florence where they have locks on bridge for you and your lover .It was the cutest thing I ever saw.

Meanwhile In Italy, the next tour was in Cinque Terre and seeing every inch of cinque terre. This time the tour guide made us take the train to visit every town in Cinque Terre. Every town has its own thing to offer . The tour guide had us take the stairs to get to the restaurant that serves you a three-course meal to see if you wanted to do the hike or not. Most of the group did the hike then some choose to relax and enjoy the view of certain town in cinque Terre. When the group came back from the hike, they did not look happy after doing so. Everyone has got to walk around the last town and enjoy the beach with some drink. The group I went with was focused on that. Cinque Terre was also beautiful, and it felt like a movie with the other senary.

Overall, Italy was breathtaking and beautiful. The views and the food stood out to me more than last time. The second time around I can be in the moment with everything Italy has to offer and be memorize and be in awe with the building looking like you are walking through the museum or a work of art, even if you are the main character in your own movie while you visit. It’s life you never know what kind of surprises will give you. At the end of the day, I enjoy eating my way through Italy and experiencing it another way. I would highly recommend going to Italy but do your research on the places you go, plus the people. We live in a crazy world nowadays.

What they don’t tell you about healing is that behind all the self-love and care routine you’ve worked on all these years will get tested once you let someone else in. Boy, Can I say my whole healing journey was tested in many ways. Like for example, how you handle the situation like your old self versus how you handle said situation now that you’re healed and a completely different person. All these questions run through your mind along with all your emotions. Now, you can’t look at the situation with just how you feel. Also, I have put myself in that person’s shoes and how I would handle the whole thing. Overall, healing is lingered and there is not a right way to do it. But your healing will be tested with people, places and things. Now, it’s the current you vs the old you in all types of tests because that’s where all the real work happens. You can isolate yourself and do all the self-care and self-love all you want but life tests you on how you handle everything that’s thrown in your path. Then it’s you vs the obstacles that life throws at you. Its a battle of who’s going to handle these battles and get you over the obstacles thrown at you. Is it going to be the previous version of you or the version of you that you’ve been working so hard to achieve, the healed and stronger your? There’s so many layers of healing and life experiences, all the knowledge you can contain with everything. The healing journey, there is no right way to handle it. You must build yourself up first and start doing things you love. Try to romanticize your life, start enjoying the little things and appreciate the people that never left your side. Those who always wanted to build and grow with you. I promise you that your life will start to seem brighter and healthier. Youll feel happier and the love and appreciation you dish out will come right back to you tenfold. Things will get better for you, your energy will start to shine. That wonderful energy you work so hard to achieved by healing will be infectious and reach those around you. I want you to take it all in and it only goes up from here, Along with this healing journey you will have some setbacks but that’s okay, you will learn from it and do better than last time. But don’t forget to enjoy life while you are at it and not just focus on the healing process because life is meant to be living and not just existing while reaching every goal and vision you have for yourself. Plus, the things you love about yourself can make them better with time. Trust me, it is all worth it. In my experience, its a rollercoaster ride. im still not done, I still need to work on my anxious attachment style with lovers, friends, family. I feel like I must let them know that I am here, and I don’t want to lose them at the same time. Like I want to show people a whole different experience

Dear future me , You are sipping coffee in your new home. Taken in all that you accomplished because you always go after what you want. Even, though you been the underdog or overlooked in most situations. I’m so happy it never stop you in any part of your life. Look at you being health and healed version of you and everything you thought it will be. You don’t have stress or anxiety hanging over you anymore like it did in your 20s even beginning of your 30s . Which is pretty amazing and I’m so proud of you. At 35 years old , I hope you have the family you dream of. I know you won’t put your kids and husband what you been through. You will give them unconditional love , so they never question their worth and not feel love , seen , understood , respected, cherished, appreciated. They will have no shadow of a doubt about it . You want to feel like they can take on the world and you will be right by their side with everything that comes into this life. It will feel so good , when they look at you and see it all happen. For your future career you are in one of the top companies doing digital marketing. You see all your project comes to life and it’s everything you dream of. Steph , you finally have it all that you dream of. When you are sipping on your coffee in your new home in your kitchen and take it all in . You deserve it , you work hard and smart and always been you. Love your 32 old self.

One day at work, I was scrolling through Instagram on my break at work. I was in a mood to do another sass class work, like a three hour one. The universe and God heard what I said, and, in my email, they showed a three-hour flirty floorwork with Sophia and when I used to go to the city every weekend and take a class. These classes help you be more femininely & sensual woman that you are in and outside the dance studio. Show the world the best person/ woman you can be .

Now, I see these workshops and classes as my little escape from the daily and the sensuality and movement of it all. I just feel so much better after I do more workshops and classes.

When I look in my email from sass class workshops before they post it to the public. So, I jumped on it and secure my spot and make up for the rain room I did not get to do. It was also a plus because it was a three-hour workshop like I also wanted to do.  Then, I had to patiently wait for two weeks until this workshop. I double on the works on this beautiful Sunday morning to evening. What I mean by that is I did Pilates and then hopped on the train to go to this three-hour workshop all while it was still raining. I defiantly got lost trying to make it to class on time. But I managed to make it to class on time and was ready to work out my body some more.

The first hour was stretched every muscle so we can get all warmed up on what else Sophia was going to teach. Then, we did the scorpion across the floor. I was struggling with that movement so much that I had to ask her to show me again. Your body is not used to moving that way, I was so determined to get it and I can say I got the Scorpio movement.

 ​Then, we got to learn the choreography by Sophia, and it was fun to learn. Even though it was challenging but I needed to push myself and move my body differently. We learned the first half of the choreography and I was like “I got this.”  Then, we took fifteen minutes break and mind you, it was a three-hour dance workshop. To me, these are the best ones to take because you can soke a lot in and learn more. It has also been a better experience for me because I want to hit a whole reset button on my body doing these workshops at Sass class. 

I highly recommend you guys try floorwork with Sophia at sass class or any of her classes because it is different. Also, fun and energy is motivating to go back to her classes and learn more about the floorwork in your heels and be more feminine, sensual all at once.

                                 ​​​  Tripping into Italy

One beautiful morning heading into Italy, my mom and I took the first flight out, and it was the quickest flight I ever took. Spain to Naples, Italy was like an hour or less than that, but that was not even the start of the whole Italy trip. Once we landed in the airport, we booked a car to pick us up. The traveling company was nowhere to been seen. So, once the travel company dropped the ball on transportation. We ended up takingthe train into the center of the city to go to Rome. The weather had other plans that day, once we got off the train, it started drizzling and turned quickly to pouring rain. It did not stop us from seeing the main sights in Rome. We kept going and walking until the rain stopped all together.

Despite the pouring rain we headed to the Trevi Fountain, and the pictures do not do it justice. It is so beautiful in person, not even when it was raining on and off in the morning, did it stop the beauty. Then, we went to the city center of Rome and that was breathtakingly beautiful and taking pictures until everyone got hungry. Can you say you’ve been to Europe without sitting outside eating pasta and drinking red wine with a view that looks like a museum all over. After, we saw Piazza Della Rotonda, Piazza Navona, Monti. We ended the day with some gelato at the famous Venchi and it was delicious and a perfect way to finish. Rome is like walking through history and the biggest most beautiful museum you will ever experience.

It is the day that I have been waiting for and that day was here. It was time to see Positano, Amalfi Coast, Italy. I was so excited, that I forgot to pack my whole outfit I planned for it. So, I had to get another outfit for now until we made it to the Amalfi coast and get a better one. So, the tour we did was great and informative and the let us wander for an hour until we head to the ferry to see Amalfi coast all diverse ways and experiences this part of Italy. I got an outfit that stood out, but complimented me all at the same time. Leaving the ferry, we took another tour on a boat that shows you distinct parts of the beachy side of the Amalfi coast still in the water.

We also got another hour to explore and eat. I had the best gnocchi, and it was my first time trying it. I am glad I got the best food in Italy and views. But finally, the tour stops at the Ravello, where this beautiful that a lot of people like to get married at. My mom and I walked a little bit but wanted to stopand snack on some bruschetta bread and aportiz spitz. We took in the view and left to head back to Naples. I must say Italy also took a piece of my heart with it. I cannot wait to go back and experience so more of it because there is so much to see that I did not see. Like seeing the Amalfi was a dream come true. Everything about this trip was amazing to me and loved every minute of Italy and Spain. I cannot wait to go back and see more of both countries that I have not experienced yet. Until then, I hope you guys enjoy reading about the trip and get to experience it for yourself.