Go with Nani

& somehow, 4 weeks flew by just like that…

Time is not real. I’m writing this from back home in FL. Honestly, still processing what this last month of my life was. I am aware of the courage it took to take this leap, but I truly cannot imagine what things would’ve been like if I hadn’t.

I was in a space where nothing made sense anymore, things were no longer serving their purpose. I took a leap, a jump, hit a couple back flips and somehow ended up all the way in Mexico City.

A place I had never been before. A city in which I knew no one, and yet… it was the best decision I could have made for myself.

I feel like there was a misconception that I came here to find myself. Searching for something almost. When I told people I was leaving, 9 times out of 10 they told me they “hoped I found what it was I was looking for.”

Although that is true to an extent, the thing is, I didn’t leave because I was lost. I left because after a long time, I finally knew. I finally had the courage to step into exactly who I am. I now know what I want this life to be.

That was the mentality I came into week 4 with.

As I close the first chapter in this new story I now have the privilege to write myself, my own words, on my own terms… I knew I was leaving CDMX at peace, ready to be home, ready to keep this going.

WEEK 4:

THE END OF CHAPTER 1

This week was a love letter to myself 💌

My Nani girl you did it!! Something not many people get to do. You did it your way & I am so proud of you. I am so excited for you. May this be only the beginning of a very beautiful new story for you.

Art Class

You guysss! I did it!

My first piece 🥹

This was such a special moment for me.

A moment where I continue to prove to myself that I can do whatever I set my mind to. I told you guys that one of my reasons for deciding on CDMX was art & beginning my journey as an artist. I was able to find an Art Studio – Mas Arte in Polanco. (I can link it now since I’m not there each week 😂)

The ladies in the class, to my teachers, to the studio itself. I was truly so happy with the experience.

A package of 4 classes + an intro class (5 total) cost me:

• $1450 MXN ~ $75USD

This included all supplies, materials and guidance from the teachers.

I was intimidated my first class **insert the video I posted when I started the sketch**😂

I didn’t think that I would be able to paint something like this just yet, but I was chucking it off to doing it for the experience and knew that I would grow over time.

I am so proud of the piece, the depth, the tones, the shading. Like damn girl, your first piece and you really did that.

What should we name her?

First of many, cheers to more 🥂✨

COYOACÁN

If I had to pick my favorite neighborhood after a month of exploring, Coyoacán and El Centro Historico would be tied!

Coyoacán was about a 20 minute uber ride outside of the city.

This neighborhood feels like an immediate breath of fresh air due to its calmness in comparison to the rest of the busy city.

I spent a day here guided through yet another AirBnb Experience (I’m telling you guys, they’re clutch!)

The tour included the following:

• Bike tour of Coyoacán
• Local guide providing a historical tour of the neighborhood
• A quick stop at a neighborhood favorite for churros and atol
• Visit to a market for lunch, shopping and we got to try Tostadas and different natural juices
• VIP Entrance to the Frida Kahlo museum

I probably had not been on a bicycle in over 5 years but managed to ride twice in Mexico LOL I made the executive decision to buy one now that I’m back home. It was so fun!

Being able to ride through the city, learn from our guide, take in the architecture, the colors, definitely was the best way to see Coyoacán.

side note: I’ve gotta stop risking it all to try *and fail* to take videos of me riding. I just don’t have the balance LOL

S/o the girl on our tour who picked up my raybans after they flew off my head. I hope she always gets what she wants in life!

You can book this experience through the link below!

Frida Kahlo: Casa Azul

Coyoacán is also known for being the home of Frida Kahlo’s house, La Casa Azul.

This museum is one of the most popular in all of CDMX! If you are trying to buy tickets directly through the museum, you have to purchase them well in advance. (At least 1-2 months prior to your visit)

My tickets were included in my tour and we were able to skip the long lines to enter due to the VIP entrance included in our price. I booked this experience only a few days before actually visiting, so I highly recommend doing it this way!

La Casa Azul walks through many aspects of Frida and Diego’s life, their art, her fashion, and her challenging but inspiring life story. A day in Coyoacán should definitely be a part of your itinerary.

Thank you all so much for all of the support in the journey, if it has inspired at least one person to do something they have always wanted to do – then my work here is complete. 💌

my last day in

CDMX🌱

I woke up this day with it still not fully processing that I was going home – mind you, a month’s worth of clothes were there scattered all over my apartment because I left packing until the last minute, of course. (yikes)

I knew I wanted this day to be calm and peaceful, I knew I wanted to write, I knew I wanted to walk around and roam, and I knew I wanted a good cup of coffee.

So I did just that💌

I started off my day by visiting a local cafe that was walking distance from where I was staying.

I have been writing 3 pages in my journal (most) mornings since the beginning of the year. When I opened my journal to write my morning pages, I coincidentally only had 3 pages left to complete the journal.

Call me crazyyyy, but I took it as a sign. My life truly has always been so symbolic in little ways like this, it gave me even more confirmation. This first chapter was officially complete. ✨

Jardín Botánico de Chapultepec

El Bosque de Chapultepec is so huge (x2 time the size of Central Park in NYC) I visited it roughly 5 times and I STILL feel like I didn’t get to see everything!

There is a Botanical Garden that is part of the park in which I spent some time walking around, embracing the greenery and just letting myself get lost in thought.

I even ran into a couple who had just gotten married and took some pictures for them 🥹 que viva el amor

Bosque de Chapultepec + Museo de Arte Moderno

After exploring the Botanical Garden, I took a stroll through the park and browsed a few of the nearby vendor stands.

I was able to get a customized ring with my name on it (I’ve wanted one for foreverr) and then visited the Museum of Modern Art, which is located right in the park as well!

One of my favorite things about the city is how easy it is to access art, museums, and all kinds of culture. There are literally hundreds of museums to explore and learn from!

I spent a good few hours in here before I went to grab some lunch!

Ling Ling @ The Ritz Carlton

I couldn’t have chosen a better way to close off the trip.

I met with a friend to have dinner at Ling Ling, a restaurant on the 56th floor of the Ritz Carlton on La Reforma.

This restaurant was STUNNING! I was at a loss for words. It had panoramic views of the city, the interior was intimate and service 10/10.

This is a popular restaurant option, we couldn’t get a reservation until 10:30PM. Even that late, it was still pretty busy! Definitely recommend reserving in advance, but even with the later time we truly enjoyed every minute of it!

& that’s a wrap, CDMX 🤍

I know that this moment in my life will be one I take with me everywhere I go.

I look back and am so grateful that I had the courage to walk away from the familiar to step into what’s next.

This month I learned:

Living life as your true, authentic self means shedding the weight of others’ expectations and choosing faith over fear, even when the path feels uncertain.

I learned how to fully trust my intuition—she NEVER leads me the wrong way! Every decision I make must align with my bigger purpose in life.

Every choice I’ve made has led me to this point, and will only continue to take me further.

I can’t wait to keep bringing you all along with me!

I’ll see you on the next trip!

xo,

Nani