New Website Launch for A Stylish Love Story Created By Rebecca Meza of Meza Communications

Hello!  I wanted to launch my new website AStylishLoveStory.Com and let you know that you can find highlights of my content here along with my latest Instagram posts on the bottom of my website, but you will still be able to access all of my new and older content via astylishlovestory.blogspot.com.  I love my new website!  I’d love to hear your thoughts about it in the comments below.

Who is responsible for my lovely new website?  My colleague Rebecca Meza from MEZA COMMUNICATIONS.  I met her at the USC Women’s Conference this year at the business expo.  When we met she was so friendly and professional.  I saw a sample of her work and had a recommendation from another business also exhibiting there.  I was beyond impressed with the quality of her work and knew that she was definitely the one that I wanted to work on my project.  Working with Rebecca Meza has been a wonderful experience and because of her high level of quality, excellent communication skills, and attention to detail on my website, I plan on working with her on future projects as well. 

Let’s get to know Rebecca!

Tell me about yourself. 

Hello ASLS family! First off, thank you so much for letting us be a part of this project! It has been wonderful working with you and we’re fans of the mission of ASLS. I grew up in a border town, El Centro in the south east region of California – the Imperial Valley. With nervousness, limited resources but a BIG DREAM, I moved out of my small town and attended California State University, Fullerton for my undergrad. Fullerton became my first home away from home. The communications program at CSUF provided me with all the fundamentals I needed to excel in the field of Public Relations.

Upon graduation I went straight into the workforce working in Public Relations/Marketing for plus size fashion retailer, Torrid. After almost five years of pitching to fashion magazines, producing nationwide events and establishing the social media channels for the brand, a unique opportunity presented itself at the University of Southern California. At this time, I joined the Global Initiatives team at USC. This job allowed me to work with international colleagues, host international dignitaries and plan international conferences. I always dreamed of being a USC Trojan and there I was, living and breathing it every day. The natural step was to pursue graduate school and so in 2016 I graduated with my master’s from USC Annenberg.

Why did you decide to start MEZA Communications?

At the age of 9 years old, I saw my parents start their own business. I had a front row seat in witnessing the entrepreneur realities, the good, the bad, the ugly but also the perks. Growing up this way allowed me to dream of having my own business one day and so that was always in the back of my mind. As I matured and filled my bag with life/professional experiences, the Trojan spirit gave me the extra boost to go ahead and OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

What kind of services do you provide?

We provide in depth services such as developing your company’s strategic communication road map, to developing your branding, to social media management, website design and even event planning. With over 10 years of experience in these areas, we are confident we can help your business excel in this digital era!

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

I love our clients! Every client has unique needs, a unique style and teaches us how to become a better agency. As a boutique agency, we are selective about who we work with, but we do have a soft spot for small business and businesses that are genuinely trying to do good in this world. With amazing clients like this, work doesn’t feel like work, it feels like we’re all working to do good!

What activities are you involved in that give back to the community?

I am currently serving the Trojan community as President-Elect of Society of Trojan Women, helping lead this group that aims to serve our alumni community. In addition, Meza Communications is leading a motivation initiative called: “Y Not?” that aims to inspire our youth by encouraging them to FOLLOW THEIR PASSION, no matter what it is! As the founder of Meza Communications and idea leader for this initiative, I’ve made presentations in high school and college classrooms in hopes of spreading the message.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I am a firm believer that you serve others best when you are your best, so when I’m not serving others, I like to live an active lifestyle. You will find me at the gym, outside jogging, swinging at softballs at my local batting cages, swimming and of course playing with my fur baby @TrojanCharlie. The outdoors and the activity really helps me offset all the time spent in front of a computer screen.

Where can we contact you? 

I would love to be in touch! You can see more about what we do on our website:

www.mezacomm.com

and send me a direct email at rvm@mezacomm.com if you want to get in touch!

For all our adventures and projects follow us on FB and Instagram!

https://www.facebook.com/mezacomm/

https://www.instagram.com/mezacomm/

The Beauty of Boho

Photography By: Kendra Blair

Hello!  How are you doing?  Have you ever wondered why the boho chic trend has been the most popular trend in fashion for about a decade?  I feel it is no secret why so many people gravitate towards this style.  It is easy to wear and incorporates cultural influences from all over the world.  It is also that style of clothing that makes us feel like we are always on vacation. 

How do you feel about boho style?

Personally, I feel that the true beauty of boho exists in its eclectic form. It is a great way for everyone to embrace style from various cultures all rolled into one trend.  Coming from a multicultural background myself, I feel that it is a trend that I can really connect with.  

"I believe when people share culture through style, it is a beautiful thing that should be celebrated."

How do you feel about sharing culture through style?

Sweet Cavanagh -Empowering Women Through Jewelry Design

Hello!  How are you doing?  Today I wanted to share a post with you about the new bracelet I received recently from Sweet Cavanagh.  Each piece is handcrafted by women in London who are recovering from eating disorders and addictions through creative peer support and jewelry design.  Have you ever wondered how much rehabilitation services cost?  Well, I can tell you from my personal experience (in my area in the US) that it can run somewhere around $1,000 a day for in-patient care.  Many people simply don't go to recovery or leave recovery programs early because they can't afford it.  

The proceeds from the Sweet Cavanagh jewelry sales go to the Free Me charity which helps to aid in the gap in services currently being provided for these patients by the public and private sector.

Sweet Cavanagh gives women in recovery an opportunity to become self-employed as jewelry designers and creators, and empowers them in so many ways through this creative experience.

This pretty delicate beaded bracelet is made with aventurine quartz beads.  If you are looking to add to your personal jewelry collection or for a gift for a friend or family member, you'll want to check out these beautiful handmade pieces.  What a great way to shop and feel good by giving back to those in need:)

Shop Here

Meaningful Mondays- You Can Plan As Much As You Want

Interview with Lindsey Puls From Have Clothes Will Travel

Hello!  Today I would like to introduce you to very special guest Lindsey Puls, who is known all over the world for her famous travel blog Have Clothes, Will Travel.  Truth be told, I don’t travel that much, which is why I find exploring different parts of the world through Lindsey’s travel blog so fascinating.  I have been following her blog for a few years now and she has taken me to see: museums where people can participate in DMM.Planets Art interactive art exhibits in Japan, to see what it is like to visit  Hobbiton in New Zealand which is the land where the Hobbits were filmed from the movie The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings (one of my all time favorite posts), and what it feels like to spend the night in a romantic Treehouse Lodge in the Peruvian Amazon surrounded by lots of wildlife.  Also, you won’t want to miss out on seeing the cutest pictures in the world of Lindsey cuddling with her cute sloth baby that she met in the Peruvian rainforest!

So, here we go…

Tell me about yourself.

Hi! I’m Lindsey. I’m a style/travel blogger at Have Clothes, Will Travel. I’ve recently moved to Moscow, Russia, but I’m originally from Wisconsin. (Go Packers!) My husband and I have been moving all over the country and world for the last 5 years, and Have Clothes, Will Travel has served as a way to document it all and to inspire others to experience the world through travel. I also use my blog as a way to explore my passion for style and encourage others to wear what makes them happy.

How would you describe your personal style?

Classic yet quirky. I love to wear vintage-inspired clothing but with a modern twist and a quirky accessory to top it all off.

What do you usually do to prepare for a trip?

I’ve turned into quite the planner over the years. So, preparing for a trip for me includes making itineraries, contacting hotels or B&Bs (or wherever we might be staying), making a list of restaurants to visit…making a lot of lists in general, actually! I’ll make packing lists for clothes, my camera equipment, documents I might need at country borders and on tours, etc.

Honestly, I have always been amazed at how organized you have to be to do what you do.  What is the most challenging part about living out of a suitcase and fashion blogging?

Packing a sufficient amount of shoes, haha.  Shoes take up so much space and are quite heavy, so I only pack a few shoes when I’m going to be living out a suitcase for a while.  My footwear tends to get rather repetitive in my outfit posts…but it’s also very versatile.

When you married your husband, did you know how much you would be traveling and had you traveled much previously?

Well, as odd is this sounds, my husband and I actually got married in order to travel. We needed to be married for me to go with him on a move abroad. It’s a really long story and it all went horribly wrong, and we ended up homeless and living with my parents for a while! (You can click here if you want to read the entire story.)

But marriage was always in the cards for us, at the time we had been living together for a couple years and dating for gosh, maybe 4 years? We just hadn’t been in a rush to get married until this travel opportunity presented itself.

What is one of the funniest things that has ever happened to you while traveling?

Oh this is a surprisingly tough question! I’ve gotten myself into a lot of unusual situations while traveling. But hmmm, one time I was invited to play a drinking game with a Geisha while in Kyoto… And I lost, haha. (This video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yls6t0gtIxI)

And on our recent trip to the Amazon Rainforest, our guide gave us a banana to feed to a semi-domestic monkey, and while I was filming my husband handed the banana to the monkey and it fell out of the tree on to him! I managed to get it all on film too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pnp7Ul7MBo

Out of all of the places you’ve traveled to so far, where did you feel the most welcome?

I would say I’ve felt the most welcome in Argentina. It is one of the few countries I’ve been that didn’t seem to have a terribly negative stigma about Americans. I was never hesitant to say I was from the United States (or Estados Unidos) and everyone I meant was incredibly kind and went out of their way to make me feel welcome (and even inviting us over for Asados! – which is a famous Argentine BBQ).

What are your top three favorite places to visit and why?

Oh, another tough question!

The top three right now are in this order:

1.)    Japan – Japan, had the most amazing food, culture, and public transport, historic and new sites to visit. Climbing Mount Fuji is one of the best travel memories I have to date. Japan is also amazingly safe, clean and quiet. I’ve never been any place like it, and I hope to return one day.

2.)    Peru – Like Japan, has amazing food, so many incredible sites to see and the hiking here is fantastic. A close second for me in terms of travel memories is hiking Rainbow Mountain in Peru. It’s just such a diverse country. We actually visited Peru twice, and I still want to return because we haven’t seen all it has to offer!

3.)    New Zealand – The natural landscapes of New Zealand are unparalleled. Queenstown and Milford Sound are some of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been, and once again, the hiking in New Zealand is amazing! The people in New Zealand are also very, very kind. I also loved the extreme sports you could do while you’re there like jumping off the world’s first bungy jump bridge!

After traveling to so many places, what new dishes have you learned to make and what new customs or traditions have you adopted?

After living in Argentina for a year, my husband and I have both come to enjoy sharing Mate. It’s a tea-like drink that you share with a group of people and you drink it out of cured gourd with a straw.

I also learned to make the Peruvian dishes, ceviche and Papa a la Huancaina…which is a Peruvian Potato Salad. I really like Peruvian food.

What advice would you give to someone who has never traveled that much internationally and is entering into a life of constant travel and change to their daily life?

Be open-minded and be ready for change. You can plan as much as you want, but when traveling, things are never going to go according to plan. The key to a successful travel experience is how you are able to react and adapt to the changes and challenges you’re presented with. If you are able to roll with it and laugh off the cancellations and delays, language snafus, and also embrace the cultural differences you encounter, you’ll have an amazing experience.

It’s also important to be cautious but not afraid while traveling. As Americans, we seem to have this idea that every city outside our borders is terribly dangerous. And while it is true, you should always exercise caution wherever you travel to, it’s also important to realize that not that many places are dangerous warzones…and we shouldn’t let our fear of these foreign places stop us from experiencing them. I always ask people if they would you ever NOT visit Chicago because it’s dangerous? Sure, Chicago has dangerous parts, but you’ll be perfectly fine if you visit Navy Pier, the South Loop, etc. It’s the same idea in just about every other city in the world.

Where can we find you?

Thank you so much for featuring me, Joanna!

Feel free to check out my blog, Have Clothes, Will Travel.

I’m also on

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/have_clothes_will_travel/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HavClothWilTrav

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/haveclothes/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haveclotheswilltravel/

Bloglovin’: https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/have-clothes-will-travel-12848585

Thank you Lindsey for sharing your time with us today!  You’ve shown me so many places that have sparked my interest for future travels.  Thank you for sharing your knowledge and beautiful photos with us, I can’t wait to see where you’ll go next!