CHAMBER OF TORTURE

FAVORITES

Speaking of Gift wrapping

Surprise, surprise...

That inappropriate joke

How about that Cheese!

Picture It

Call me crazy...

This is super Cool

The Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet

Two of my favorite women ever are fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg and Harper's Bazaar editor-in-Chief Glenda Bailey. You have to watch this interview with Amanda de Cadenet. Click HERE 

Enjoy!

Flashback 2009// Love 101

“You know I love you, right?”

A million things were running through her mind.

Did she look alright?  Where her eyebrows filled out correctly?  Did she smell good?

For a brief second she was thinking about the first time they drove around for hours.  It was obvious that they loved each others company and she adored the sound of his voice.  She had been looking for him for the longest but it wasn’t until she stopped looking that she found him, or maybe he was the one who found her. 

They laughed together wholeheartedly as children do when entertained.  As the days became weeks she realized that the time they spent together inspired her and as he began to share his thoughts she fell in love with him.

Although she knew that their saga was not ideal, to her it was absolutely perfect and it sounded beautiful to hear him speak those words.

She could do nothing but look him deep in his eyes and as he kissed her she uttered the most truthful words she knew.

”I love you too.”           

Today: Day #1//Workout

Unlike a lot of people I know, I usually don't make New Years resolutions or promises or whatevers. The most popular NYresolution I've heard over the years is getting in shape and committing to going to the gym. Sooo, in true peer pressure spirit I have decided to be serious about the whole gym thing. I don't know how smart it is to have Ruth as my trainer...I feel like it may take a toll on our friendship...we shall see. I will definitely keep you guys posted, and maybe we can all do this together. If you want to that is.

Today we worked on upper arms, and tomorrow we are working on legs. I'm getting ready to pass out...in a good way of course.

Keeping you posted.

Film: Trailer//An Ethiopian Love

Books: Momzilla

Since laughter is the most powerful medicine of them all, I give you "Momzilla". I read this book a few years ago when flying from Stockholm to New York. When I landed in New York, I only had 2 more chapters to complete the entire book. Don't get me wrong, it's not the most intellectually stimulating read but it's lots of fun. It's an insight to the insane lives of the mother's on Manhattan's upper east side. Trust me when I say that I laughed from the first page to the last. Ah, joy!

Today: Made my heart smile

Here it is again...another great conversation. Driving home today I randomly thought of someone I had not spoken to for a while. I have this rule that when someone crosses my mind I must call them, no it's not superstition...I promise, either way, I picked up the phone and called. The rest is what became a great talk.

It's funny how sometimes the one person that you haven't spoken to for a while will have the most amazing things to say. It may be a few nice words, or a considerate statement, and they may even share an advice or two, not knowing that it was much needed ;) (yes, I'm talking to you). Don't get me wrong...I'm not in a slump waiting to be dragged up, actually far from it, however, everyone needs a shove in the right direction (ever so often). 

That is the most beautiful thing with people such as my friend. They may not be the most tactful individuals, but they will tell you the truth, no matter how many tears you plan on shedding. I know I definitely need to hear it sometimes!! 

So thanks A!

Ps. What does this teach us? Maybe you should call and say hi to someone who has been crossing your mind. You may be a phone call away from some great insight. (Obviously with user discretion).

Today: I remember...

Growing up I knew I wanted to do two things; write and create/make things. I loved telling stories and I loved anything that had to do with building things. I still do. The writing came from my mother and the building from my father. It wasn't more complicated than that:) When I was 7 I decided that I was going to write a play. Not any play, it was going to become a movie and I knew for sure that I would win an Oscar. I had the story in my head and it was only a matter of putting the words on paper. I was working on my masterpiece for years, and by years I mean days, back then three days really did seem like seven years.

The day I finished, we were invited to my mother's girlfriend's house. In an attempt to keep me occupied, my lovely mommy suggested that I draw the different characters in my story as well as their outfits. This sounded like a phenomenal idea and I started drawing. I did it for hours, until it was time to leave, and I voila...I was in love with fashion and the beauty of style. I always watched Fashion TV with my mother, but it wasn't until I started sketching that I really felt the love.

What about the play that was going to become a movie?? It sucked, and every time I tried to read it to my daddy he looked at me as if I had mental problems. He called it "never ending". I actually found it a few years ago in my old bedroom, and the embarrassment flashbacks that I'm suffering until this day are agonizing! Brrrr!!!! Thank God I was able to polish my writing skills...

Ps. The play was an insult to Oscar.

Today: Soft Spoken vs. Conversation Crasher

Today I committed the ultimate "proper etiquette" crime. I interrupted two people having what seemed to be a great conversation. Although this may seem rather trivial to some, I find interrupting people in the middle of a convo to be up there with chewing with your mouth open, picking your nose, and/or pushing a pregnant woman in line at Wholefoods, and several other horrible and barbaric acts that proper upbringing prevents me from doing. I don't know what was worse...the fact that I interrupted them or the fact that I couldn't care less. All I knew was that I wanted to speak to one of my victims.

As I approached my targets I realized that it may not have been the brightest thing to do. Once my IQ decided to kick in I was too close to act as if I was just walking by...pretending at this point would have only portrayed me as a psychotic-stalker-beast, and I will take rude over p-s-b most days of the week. 

My "I don't mean to interrupt" was met with a "but ya did". Yes people "but ya did"!  

Once I was done committing one of my father's cardinal sins and the source of all evil (yes, interrupting) I turned around and walked away. A few minutes later there he was...nice, easy going and very forgiving:) I couldn't help feeling a tad bit embarrassed...which made my awkwardness come out, which in turn unleashed my shyness, which resulted in him calling me soft spoken. Yes, Freud would have had a field day in my brain today. After a short conversation he was on his way and Shukorina.com gets an INTERVIEW!

Can I get a woopwoop for NO pride:) 

Moi on the radio...

...don't be scared, I'm not singing!! I'm being interviewed on my best friend Nadja's radio show here in Gothenburg. You guys can tune in tomorrow right here at 11.30am (Swedish time, do the math) but only if you promise not to laugh:/ See you there!!

Oh, Starbucks...my feelings are hurt!

I have been on a strict NO Starbucks diet for almost 1 year. Actually ever since Sineet moved:( sadness in my corazón. Sorry for the sleezy Spanglish:) it's something new I'm trying. I kind of like it! Anyway, I'm not a coffee drinker so my Starbucks drink of choice is Earl Grey Tea Latte. I used to love that little cup of delicioso...however, at the risk of sounding like a Tea-Elitist there are only a few locations that know how to really get it right. It's an art to get it perfect. I'm so serious!!! This is where my <3 would tell me that I'm a drama queen, which I'm NOT, obviously.

So this morning I decided to break my Starbucks hiatus with a nice, hot cup of tea. FAIL! They could have given me detergent or even dog food and it probably would have tasted the same as the drink that I'm staring at right now. I sort of want to go Godzilla on the cup, but I'm thinking I would get arrested if I did that and I have a very important meeting today at 12 that I cannot be 1 second late to!!! 

In conclusion, I'm back on my diet!!!

Ps. My Favorite Starbucks Coffe Shop in Atlanta, GA is the one located on Lavista Rd (Lavista and North Druid Hills) aka the Romantic Starbucks!!! 

In the mail...//What to wear?

Question from a reader...

Question:


Hey Victoria,

First Lemme tell u am a big fan of your shikorina site and i follow ur posts on FB. Do me a favour. I just bought this black blazer and I dont know how to wear it. I am more of a tom boy and btw and i dont wear high heels. Am into oxford shoes and converse. Any tips would be highly appreciated. Muchas Gracias.


Answer:


Hi A, 
Hope all is well with you. Thank you so much for taking your time to support Shukorina. Feel free to give me good and maybe not so good feedback:)

Ok...BLACK BLAZER:

I think a black blazer is a must in every girls closet. You can definitely rock you Converse with them...especially if they are white...low or high work.

If you want to stay true to your tom-boyish look...I would do black leggings, high top converse, a fitted dress or maybe even an oversized loose rocker t-shirt (covering at least half of your butt:) and then just throw on your blazer...maybe even roll up the sleeves just to give it a bit of extra personality. Your hair could be in a bun. Add some RayBans and a small messenger bag and you will look HOT!!!! Not to say that you're not already hot. 

Also...I know you say you don't do heels...but there are some great alternatives to the classic girly slingback heel. A great wedge heel doesn't have to be as girly.

Hope this helps:)

This is sooo cute!!

Diary #2 - Letters

I miss writing letters. I know it may sound weird, as I was born during the email era...but still, I did enjoy writing them. I used to have a pen pal in Bremen, Germany. I couldn't stand her!! Let me correct that, I hated writing her letters because they had to be in German. We even met twice. No, I didn't randomly meet her. She was "given" to me by my middle school teacher. I wonder what ever happened to that girl. Although I felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders the day we stopped writing each other, I do wish good things for her. Seriously!

Something to think about: Letters are wonderful, if they are from the right person.


Smooch!

Diary #1 - Secrets

When I was younger, keeping a diary was the dumbest thing you could do. It was basically documenting your crimes. I was never a stupid kid but my love of writing always got the best of me. I just couldn't stop writing stuff down, and every time my mother was cleaning the house a'la search warrant she would get a nice little update of what was going on in my life. This happened every single week and I was equally shocked, every single time. Anyway...fast forward to now...not much has changed...I still keep a journal, I have for years. Not too long ago I asked my <3 if he wanted to read it and he gave me a "you are a weirdo" look and said 'later'.

Rule # 1 in journal keeping: Unless you're planning on writing your secrets in a language that only you speak don't write it down. Remember....as soon as it hits that paper, it's not a secret!

Smooch!