Ana Ramos: Bringing the Glitz to the Mexican Metropolis

Earlier this month I had the pleasure of interviewing Ana Ramos, an entrepreneur, former VC investor, and overall trail-blazing Critical Chica to chat about her company Glitzi, an online platform that provides people in Mexico City with access to quality makeup artists, hair stylists, and other beauty professionals, helping a growing market of tech-savvy Mexican…

Mexin’ it up on the mountain: Skiing in Maine, or, learning how to confront fear

Sugarloaf Ski Resort In December 2018 I travelled to Maine for a ski trip. When crossing the Maine state border, I was struck by a sign that read: “Maine. The Way Life Should Be.” Wow. Now that was a bold statement. Yet it left me intrigued to know more about this idyllic lifestyle. Could these…

A first-gen student at Stanford: Lessons from grad school

A view of Hoover Tower in Stanford University Earlier this year my friend and fellow writer Griselda Benavides asked me if I would be willing to give an interview for her book, Thirty Before Thirty: 30 Q&As from around the world on Life, Love, and Travel. She wanted to ask me about my twenties, specifically…

Ireland, James Joyce, and Game of Thrones Tour: A Journey into Fandom

In Ireland or, "the Emerald Isle" as it's called, you'll find a culture steeped in the art of storytelling. Ever since I first read James Joyce's The Portrait of An Artist as a Young Man in high school I knew I wanted to visit Ireland. I remember reading the novel in the living room of our…

Finding a good Hip-Hop dance class in the most unlikely of places

I found an excellent Hip-Hop class in Palo Alto, CA. I know what you’re thinking. Hip-hop in Palo Alto!? I know. I know. This city is far from the California West Coast hip-hop scene that we know and love and definitely not mentioned in the litany of cities that Tupac gives a shout out to in his song “California Love.” While he does mention the … Continue reading Where to find a Hip-Hop dance class in Palo Alto, CA. (It’s possible)

Can you be “woke” and stylish?

Clockwise, from upper-left corner: Cuyana, Le Tote, Everlane, and Amour Vert Have you heard of fast fashion? It's a term that pretty much sums up most of the clothing available for the average consumer: apparel that is massed produced, "in" for a season or two, and attractively priced. These rapidly consumable goods are not only…

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What’s in a name? Chic-ana in the 21st century

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet." Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2) I looked up the word "Chicana" in the Merriam-Webster dictionary and this is what I found: "An American woman or girl of Mexican American descent." While that is technically correct (and…

Rome part II: is traveling solo all that great?

In my previous post I pointed out the highlights of my trip to Rome: the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, the Vatican City, the food tour, and meeting up with friends. Hanging out with some friends who were visiting Rome from California was a nice surprise since I originally had planned this trip as a solo…

When in Rome…check out these places

So, you're going to Rome. I'm excited for your trip! It seems that a lot of people are traveling to the Eternal City these days and the city is having a moment (not like it hasn't had its significant moment in history as the birthplace of the Roman empire, roads, and other wonders of Western…