Beauty

My dream of 2012 Hill Country Discoveries

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As I lay in bed this morning, probably looking like a zombie pooped from the night before, you’d be surprised to know that in that very moment, there are myriad ideas bouncing off the walls of my mind.

I’d just had a dream that I was walking the grounds of a colorful mission estate in San Antonio.

The picture above is actually Bellas Artes with the Iglesia de las Monjas in the background in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato but hey! I’m trying to “put you there.” It seems this picture is what my subconscience drew on for imagery while I slept.

At first glance, the whole place was empty and it was just me and a few other people, including my husband who went venturing off on his own with my camera- the Nikon D5000 one! I was a bit annoyed by that, because I was left to work with a Kodak camera that I once used in 2000 on a trip to San Francisco for my 21st birthday. I wasn’t used to handling this little camera anymore.

When I think about what it feels like to hold my Nikon, it takes both hands to get the right shot and it can feel like I’ve got the whole world in the palm of my hands…or at least an image of it.

So I walked around the grounds of this rustic mission that was built who knows when and I was so impressed with the architecture and the huge bells used to call the faithful, and especially thrilled by the clear blue sky and occasional streaks of clouds that served as the backdrop.

Eventually, there were tons of people strolling alongside me, weaving in and around corners, going up and down iron wrought stairs. The food stands and little trinket shops had opened up for the day.

Soon, I awoke from the dream and began to think about all that is to be for The Convivial Woman in 2012.

With this move to Austin, I see myself discovering a whole new terrain of the state of Texas. Who are the people awaiting me on this new journey?What will I find in this new world I call home? What will I learn about myself and my own pursuit of life, love and happiness?

I’m going to discover all the little things that some might find weird, or not so weird, about Austin. I’m going to go in search of the puffed tacos in San Antonio that my Food Network Star crush challenged on his show, Throw Down with Bobby Flay.

Anyway, that’s what the next year has in store for me and you- discovering Austin, San Antonio, Fredricksburg (the cute little German-influenced town my grandma Lupe always talked about), and the hill country.

And something tells me there’s going to be a more fierce rebirth of my love and appreciation for the Tex-Mex culture (“my people”) in this part of Texas. I see more cumbias, more accordions, more queso (but not too much! This waist of mine is working that muffin top! I gots to control it.) and oh so much more. I can’t wait.

It’s a new dawn…it’s a new day…and I’m feeling (more than) okay.

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Behold: The Official Anthem of The Convivial Woman

It’s a great day when you hear a song that touches you, speaks to your heart, expresses how you feel or want to feel.

I’m writing at 6:45am, because 1) I haven’t been able to sleep all night, and 2) I’ve finally stolen time away for myself to share this news:

I’m officially adopting a song for The Convivial Woman!

First, let me tell you which songs it will NOT be: (more…)

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Honoring soldiers in Historic Stockyards

This past Memorial weekend, I had no big plans for cookouts or chowing down on turkey legs or anything like that, but I was able to escape to funky cow town, Ft. Worth, TX to stroll their Historic Stockyards. It never fails to be a convivial way to spend the day…

He ain’t no Tonto.

Site of the next Convivial Supper Club?

Cowgirl body art

Saddles for bar stools…oh yeah, giddy up.

Handsome urban cowboys can call me Sissy anytime.

My utmost gratitude goes out to our military for the freedom I experience on a day to day basis.

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The Convivial Supper Club

Once upon a time, I put on The Definitive Regal Chic Brunch in my home’s garden. I invited some very special women in my life for the purpose to spoil and treat them as the masterpiece I believed them to be.

From the food, to the decor and the activities we enjoyed, I can say it was an unforgettable experience for all. Recently, I’ve decided to recreate the experience for more women in the form of a dining out group in Dallas…

Introducing…The Convivial Supper Club

Fancy, eh? I like to get fancy as much as I like a bargain at the Goodwill store. But that’s besides the point.

The Convivial Supper Club is an intimate tribe of sensual, strong-willed, sublimely complex women who gather each month for private dining events around Dallas for the purpose to recognize themselves as living works of art and find ways to express it in their every day lives.

It’s an opportunity for women to let their guards down and go beneath the surface of the usual table conversation by way of mini-workshops and round table discussions that I conduct and incorporate into the dining experience.

We had our first convivial supper on Saturday, April 30, 2011 in a lovely private dining space at Cibus Ristorante in Dallas, Texas. The dinner was filled with surprises, laughter, and lively conversation, and the overall experience was enlightening, heartwarming, and simply delicious!

It’s all fun and Livin’ La Vida Convivial

Click the album below for a full look at the convivial time our first attendees had:

The Convivial Supper Club -

Back Story: From Inspired Couch Potato to Event Planner

In case you aren’t aware yet, Julia Roberts and Barbara Walters introduced the word convivial to my English-speaking tongue, and now, I have beautiful chef, Giada De Laurentiis to thank for inspiring this new group’s name. You just never know when fun and creative ideas will hit you, so it’s best to always be prepared.

So there I was lounging on the sofa watching TV and I peeped an episode of Giada At Home on the much loved Food Network channel. She was preparing none other than an Italian meal for her friends for a monthly gathering she called her Italian Supper Club. Just then, the convivial muse made an appearance and whispered in my ear, “Psst, The “Convivial” Supper Club…”

Now we all know damn well there isn’t anything that hasn’t been done under the sun that’s 100% original, so there! I kinda copied Giada! But not exactly or entirely.

Bringing this new idea to life was more about being inspired to get creative and find yet another reason to express myself.

For The Definitive Regal Chic Brunch, I give inspirational credit to designer, Rachel Ashwell, because it was after an evening of leisurely flipping through her coffee table book, Shabby Chic Interiors: My Rooms, Treasures, and Trinkets, that I was called to create an experience for my friends that could never be forgotten.

FYI: I had a post it note on my vision board that said, “Create The Convivial Supper Club” and months had passed until one evening, I just did it. In the end, it’s all inspiration, honey. Anything can spark an idea, but it means nothing until you get busy with your creative initiatives and bring about something of your own.

What dreams await your attention? What are you ready to create? If you’re on a mission or in transition, let’s get convivial. Learn more about my 1 on 1 Strategizing Sessions and how they can benefit you here.

Always ready to serve and delight,

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P.S. DINE WITH THE CONVIVIAL SUPPER CLUB

If you’re in Dallas, click the links below and follow the steps to receive updates from me and your invitation to dining events as they happen:

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The food, the company, the intimacy and exclusivity of it all adds to the experience and I’d be honored to dine with you!

You can be sure to expect the unexpected…

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On the day you were born…

“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.” -Rajneesh

The photo you see is my belly when I was pregnant with my first son back in 2007 (just tilt your head to the left and you’ll see it right!)

I decided to post the photo this way, because it makes me think of the earth, a globe, and to me, that looks like mother nature’s hands keeping the world in tact. ‘Cause you know that’s what us mamas do!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY.

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Farewell Violet Eyes: In Remembrance of Elizabeth Taylor

Wow. She’s gone. Like, today.

I was visiting some friends this morning and popped open the laptop to check on an event we were discussing and BAM, right there on the Yahoo homepage,

Elizabeth Taylor: 1932-2011.

GASP! My jaw dropped and I announced the shocking news to my friends.
Then…a cold chill ran through my body and I had to suddenly hold back a rush of tears to my eyes.

Of course, at her age, it was bound to happen, but it’s still heartbreaking.

Elizabeth Taylor. An American Icon. What a loss.

Farewell violet eyes,

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The PowerHouse Series: Megan Monique Interviews Me

Can you imagine standing in the middle of a football field with friday night lights flashing on you? No one in the stands, no one on the field, just you and everything significant about your life being cast in the spotlight for the world to see.

Could you imagine if there was someone or something out there that could give your life such an illuminating effect? How amazing, enlightening and oh so much fun that would be! Well, guess what? I know someone who is a Life Illuminator and she’s my friend, Megan Monique Harner.

She’s been featured on here once before as a very special model for The Convivial Woman Photography Project: Episode 2 and she offers Life Illumination Courses to anyone who wants to take a magnifying glass to see how wondrous their life already is. I’ve had the chance to peek at some of her course activities and they are really cool. What’s cooler is her course lasts a whole month!

Megan offered me the sweetest gig one Friday afternoon. She asked me to participate in her PowerHouse Series of interviews. Moi? A PowerHouse? But of course! Lights, camera, action! I must say we shared quite the convivial moment together and I’m pleased to share the video here:

The PowerHouse Series with Cheryl Chavarria from MeganMonique on Vimeo.

Get to know Megan Monique Harner by following her on twitter @meganmonique and make sure to check out her Life Illumination Courses if you’re up for some fun self-discovery.

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A Convivial Little Christmas

T’was the night before Christmas and all was aglow with the love and light that shined in my heart. It was the first time I was hosting a holiday dinner for my family.

We had the option to spend Christmas in colorful, colonial San Miguel de Allende or the cow tipping mini-country of Odessa,Texas (yeehaw!) where all our relatives would congregate, but we decided to pass on the big holiday gatherings and stay home to bask in the joy and company of just the four of us.

White candles burned brightly throughout my home and it was beginning to smell a lot like… (more…)

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A Convivial Love Affair

Today marks the 8th Wedding Anniversary for my husband, Martin and I. To commemorate this sacred day, here’s our story…

We met on Halloween Day 1998. I vaguely recall his face, but clearly remember his spirit. It was convivial. Our first dance was to a song called, Oye Mi Amor (Hey My Love) by the Spanish Rock group, Mana. We jumped wildly and danced together while belting out these lyrics: Hey my love…don’t tell me no…let’s get together…and join our souls…join our bodies…

To listen to the full song, CLICK HERE.

I didn’t want to give him my number, because I had strictly gone out that night with the intention to dance my ass off and walk away with the memory of it all. Fortunately, I broke my own rule. Something in him called something in me. It was never about appearances with us, but instead this sense of being high on life and experiencing an energy so contagious that we couldn’t ignore the potential for more opportunities together. I felt light on my feet as I thought

Hmm…he’s interesting…I’m interesting…we could be interesting together.

The chemistry was there from the get-go. I felt extremely vulnerable around him. I’m not someone to open up so quickly, but Martin broke me of that. He could see me in ways I wasn’t ready for him to see. (more…)

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My Convivial Photo Shoot

Recently, I experienced my very own photo shoot with my dear friend and talented photographer, Arizbe Svedvik. The purpose was to capture The Convivial Woman in me, to showcase the different aspects of my spirit and personality on camera.

This came about because of the idea I shared a couple months ago about how I believe every woman needs – must have – deserves her own photo shoot. It’s a moment when it’s ALL about her, when the woman turned model for a day ponders the question, How do I want to be remembered? It’s a moment when her own version of The Convivial Woman can come out to play.

When it came time for me to pose for Arizbe, I was so excited. I got all dolled up and met her at our secret location that wasn’t so secret since it was a popular shopping area with several passersby turned voyeurs to my photo session. We walked around to get a feel for the spots that would call us to play.

There was excessive laughter

I felt silly, sexy, extremely confident, tall, beautiful, high on life, and grounded in who I was the more I posed. It was too much fun and I’m committed to having moments like this the rest of my life.

So it’s time to finally share some of my favorite shots, ones that I believe truly captured my essence. I encourage you to make the time for yourself to experience such fun.

Here’s to my unforgettable moment on camera!

Ready to flamenco dance

In your eyes…

XOXO

Living in a Convivial World

*NOTE: Read more about The Convivial Woman Photography Project here. And if you’re local (Dallas) and want me to capture your moment on camera, send me a comment to get on this party bus! I have a couple shoots pending with some lovely ladies and as soon as the moon and stars align just right, I’ll be sharing their Holy Holy Convivialness (yeah I just made that word up!) with you.

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XO Hugs and Kisses XO

Recently, I spent a family day at The Nasher Sculpture Center located in downtown Dallas with my husband and two sons and snapped this photo. I didn’t catch the name of the artist or of the sculpture, so forgive that missing detail, but this rock-turned-work of art speaks volumes of what we crave in our lives every day- love, comfort, compassion, acceptance, understanding, and refuge. The fact that an image so simple can pull on the human eye and tug at the heart is undeniable proof of this truth.

You can see the reflection of my husband carrying our firstborn son in the glass as we all looked on in admiration of this beautiful yet simple piece. My hubby wants to create a replica of this image in our own backyard and I don’t doubt his ability to do so. We’re all artists in our own unique way- it just takes encouragement and belief in oneself. I’m curious to know what materials my husband will use to construct his piece, but we shall see. Once the project is complete, I’ll be sure to share a photo of it with you.

Hugs and kisses to the artist in you.

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Complimentary Gift For You!

An open invitation to any woman who wants to know her power, act more confidently, and live more convivially…

FREE INSPIRATIONAL DOWNLOAD FOR YOU!

Last year on my 30th birthday, I was inspired to be the giver vs. receiver of gifts. Such an act of pure selflessness gave me a great sense of what it means to be convivial and has served as a lasting memory for me and those who celebrated with me.

I’ve decided to make it a yearly ritual and this year’s birthday present has your name on it!

I’m deeply grateful for all the support and love you have shown Convivial Society, so here’s some love right back at ya!

Download your FREE COPY of
THE CONVIVIAL WOMAN: A Declaration Of Who You Are (more…)

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