Engaged

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Meshell McKinley

I’ve neglected this blog the past few months as I managed my full-time job and planning my wedding. The wedding is now planned, and I can get back to posting about the things I love.

I’ll start by sharing my engagement story. My fiance and I met a little over three and a half years ago. At the three year mark our friends and family began to ask the awkward question, “so…when are you two going to get engaged?” Couples know that this is one of the most awkward questions to be faced with, especially if you’re both not on the same page. My fiance always answered that he “had something special planned,” so I wasted patiently, while I wondered what was going on in that brain of his.

The surprise of my life came in June when he surprised me with a diamond ring at the Mission Inn in Riverside, California. My family was there for the surprise, showering us with rose pedals once I said yes. The proposal was followed by a carriage ride around the city, a family dinner, and then champagne in our suite. It was a magical night, and a night I’ll never forget. See the pictures below!

My Valentine’s Day

Posted on February 15, 2014 by Meshell McKinley

Valentine’s day is what you make of it. Whether you are single or in a relationship, you can enjoy February 14th, instead of dreading it. Some of my best Valentine’s Days were spent with my best girl friends. Now that I’m in the right relationship, the special holiday provides us with a way to show each other how much we appreciate having one another.

This year we spent the night having dinner at the Smoke House in Burbank, then watching Robo Cop of all things. A romantic movie? Not necessarily, but fun nonetheless. We watched the remake of the 80’s classic at the MGN Five Star Cinema in Glendale. The new luxury theater is one of our favorite spots, due in part to the reclining chairs, and clear picture quality. Wait staff also serve both drinks and food. I will warn that the food isn’t exactly up to par with theaters like Ipic, but the menu beats out AMC dine in theaters.

Looking to give MGN Five Star Cinemas a try? Click here to search movie times, and/or purchase your tickets.

Here are some pictures from my Valentine’s Day 2014

Here at Meeshme.com we hope that you enjoyed your Valentine’s Day, and want to hear from you. Let us know how you spent your Valentine’s Day below.

Best Places for Holiday Magic in LA

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Meshell McKinley

Anyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with Christmas. While many of my friends complain about the early holiday decor, I revel in it. I love the bright lights, wreaths, and garland. I love baking, and the smell of candles burning in the house. It warms my heart and lightens my soul. It comes as no shock then that I make sure to visit locations where the holiday cheer is high.

In Los Angeles there are plenty of places that put up special decor during the holidays. With plenty of shopping malls near by, there is no shortage of places to see Santa Clause. The Beverly Center is famous for their “Hunky Santa.” What women wouldn’t want a hot guy who gives gifts? Visit hunky Santa at the Beverly Center, sit on his lap, and get your picture taken. Don’t worry guys, there’s something for you as well. The Candy Cane girls perform acrobatic stunts when Santa makes his grand entrance. Want to view pics or learn more? Visit here to see what Hunky Santa is all about. The newly renovated Glendale Galleria has a Santa station right outside the Macy’s, and walk across the street to the Americana to visit Santa’s workshop.

If you’re looking for family friendly holiday cheer this season, you will want to make sure to visit the following merry destinations:

1) Disneyland

No one does Christmas magic like Disney. At Disneyland they pull out all the stops making sure you see Christmas decor everywhere you go. Sleeping Beauty’s castle is covered in twinkling lights, giving it a look as if Tinkerbell herself sprinkled pixie dust all over it. Above the pavement on Mainstreet USA hang Christmas wreaths with hundreds of lights. Mainstreet is also the location of the falling snow during the fireworks show. The Haunted Mansion is transformed into a Nightmare before Christmas. This year the movie celebrated it’s 25th anniversary, so even more changes have been made to the experience. New to Disneyland this holiday season is the “Jingle Cruise.” The Jungle Cruise ride has a special holiday theme this year. Over at CA Adventure the new Car’s Land has been decorated for the holidays. Instead of wreaths, tires are decorated and hang above the main street. Enjoy special holiday treats at any number of bakeries located at the park. Also new this year to CA Adventure is the holiday World of Color show. Expect to see Ana and her sister Elsa from Disney’s newest animated feature “Frozen”. Can’t pay the price of admission? You can still enjoy Disney magic by visiting the Downtown Disney District. The streets are decorated for the holidays, and you can ice skate with your little ones at the pixie themed skating rink. Admission is free, and parking is free for 3 hours.

2) The Americana/Grove

Looking for things to do during the weekend? You can shop, dine, catch a movie, and see Santa at the Americana and the Grove. The Grove was a Rick J. Caruso project. A little known fact is that one of the original Disney Imagineers worked on the design. The Grove opened in 2002, and The Americana followed. Both destinations set up huge Christmas trees, lights, and Santa’s workshop. At The Grove it actually “snows” once a night. There are a variety of restaurants and shops to choose from at both locations. You can get your shopping done, have a cup of cocoa, and enjoy the lights. Right next to The Grove is the famous Farmer’s Market. Enjoy fresh produce, and home cooked meals hometown and ethnic. Across from the Americana is the newly renovated Glendale Galleria with even more shopping and dining options.

3) Universal Studios/City Walk

If you don’t feel like making the drive out to Anaheim, Universal Studios is close by and cheaper. Visit Grinchmas, Universal’s Grinch themed holiday area where it “snows” in Los Angeles. Fans of the holiday movie will love this area. Universal has recreated the set of the hit movie staring Jim Carey. You can visit all of your favorite characters from the Dr. Suess book. Located next to the theme park is Universal City Walk. You can shop, dine, see a movie, play in an arcade, or dance the night away at a nightclub. Universal City Walk offers something for everyone. To purchase your theme park tickets or to learn more about the holiday festivities at Universal Studios Hollywood visit their website here.

Take some time to enjoy the holidays this year.

-Love Meesh

D23: Wouldn’t You Think My Collection’s Complete?

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Meshell McKinley

Ariel said it best when she said, “I’ve got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty!” Ever since my boyfriend discovered my love for Disney every gift has been Disney related. As a result I have acquired quite a collection of Disney artwork, figurines, and dolls. One look at my childhood bedroom, and I think you’ll agree that my collection is complete. That was until we heard that D23 was coming to town once again.

D23 is held at the Anaheim Convention Center every two years. At this year’s Disney Expo we viewed upcoming trailers for movies like “Maleficent” & “Thor: The Dark World“. We saw sneak peaks of movies currently filming like “Cinderella” & “Tomorrowland“, and had access to some limited edition items at the Disney Store. All I can say is that I’m incredibly excited for the new Disney film line up. Actors like Angelina Jolie, Tom Hiddleston, Kristen Bell, and Indina Menzel were in attendance to promote their new films. Yes, Angelina Jolie is incredibly gorgeous in person, and very kind.

Infinity, the new Disney interactive game was one of the exciting products introduced at the Expo. After playing this game I can attest to it’s one of a kind experience. Your kids will love playing this game, and you can get in on the fun playing as one of your favorite Disney characters. View clips from this exciting new game here or purchase your very own game here.

At the D23 pop up Disney store we were able to view upcoming product lines. I think you’ll be excited about some of the products hitting stores this fall. The Disney Fairytale Designer Collection features some of your favorite princesses in dresses designed with stunning detail. The unique thing about this collection is that it includes both prince and princess. The collection includes Rapunzel & Flynn Rider, Jazmine & Aladdin, Snow White & Prince Charming, Bell & the Beast, and Ariel & Prince Eric. The dolls are being released one at a time. The time to purchase Snow White & Charming has already passed, but you can purchase Rapunzel & Flynn now. To view future release dates visit the Disney info page here. All doll sets are priced at $129.95. There are only 6,000 of each doll made world round, so supplies are very limited. In addition to the dolls, the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection features journals, tea cups, jewelry, make up, clothing & more. To view the Fairytale Designer Collection page click here.

In addition to the Fairytale Designer Collection, Disney also unveiled their new line of “It’s a Small World” dolls. I know I’m not the only one who growing up wondered why the iconic ride’s dolls were not for sale. The new dolls feature the iconic song sung in each doll’s respective language. View the dolls in action here before they go on sale. The dolls will be released just in time for this year’s holiday season. Guess what you’re little girl will want for Christmas?

Some items I picked up at D23 included limited edition Little Mermaid artwork, 1 of only 500 Fairytale Designer Collection makeup bag, and one of a kind paintings of Tinkerbell. The next D23 Expo will take place in Anaheim,CA in 2015. Until then don’t forget to visit your local Disney Store or Disneystore.com for the latest one of a kind items. I hope my collection is finally complete, then again there’s always something new I just have to have!

Love: Is it Blind?

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Meshell McKinley

Every man or woman who wasn’t born with perfect genetics has wondered at least once whether or not someone can love them regardless of how they look on the outside. Living in LA not a week goes by that I don’t have a friend ask me why men only treat hot women right. They wonder if someone will ever love them for who they are, not despite lacking big breasts, a flat stomach, thick hair or a perfect smile. We all want to be loved, but we all think we have to achieve some sort of visual perfection to achieve it.

Why do we think that way?

From an early age we’re teased for being overweight or awkward looking. Young boys learn to taunt overweight girls practically from the time they come out of the womb. How can a growing boy expect to enter into a relationship with a chubby girl when all of his friends are making fun of her? For heavy women the formative years are the most difficult. While others are entering into relationships, going to dances, having crushes, many overweight girls are doing their best to conceal their true feelings. The overweight girl is either hiding from sight or being everyone’s best friend, but she’s not the object of affection.

Then college comes, and all those tiny cheerleader sized women start to gain the Freshmen 15. The playing field starts to even out as the football stars start to gain their weight in beer, and the calories that were once burned on the field are now carried in the gut. The once “chubby” girls are starting to get dates, and attention they never had before. However, is this love the same kind of love they had always hoped for? Are they being seen as sexy, hot, alluring? Or are they being taken out on dates, simply because they are more accessible?

I have always wondered if someone can truly love someone regardless of appearances. I know that you can “learn” to love someone despite them being overweight or not as pretty, but that isn’t the same thing is being head over heels “in love” with someone. My ex put it best when he said to me, “I will always love you, but I’m not in love with you.” He couldn’t see past my weight, because for him love was reserved for women with perfect petite bodies, big breasts, and perfect faces.

I work in a male dominant industry, I grew up with many male friends, and so I have heard all about the hatred many men have for heavy women. To hear these men speak it’s as if a woman’s choice to not be fit is a personal attack against each and every one of them. Where does this hatred come from? Why can’t we leave people alone to make their own choices for their own lives. Why do we act disgusted when we see them simply living the way they like? I personally am very disappointed by people who find it necessary to make comments about others’ weight. There’s just no reason for it. Unless your loved one is obese, and experiencing health issues, it isn’t your place to judge. Spend more time judging your own choices, regretting your own life mistakes, and changing things about yourself which are undesirable.

happy couple

As for the question of whether or not someone can love someone, truly love them regardless of how they look I do think it is possible. I don’t think it’s possible for many people, but it is possible. I read a great article today of one such story. Reading it gave me hope that there are people out there who can be kind and loving and genuinely happily IN LOVE with someone despite their body fat percentage. Read this great story here.

Happy Lei Day!

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Meshell McKinley

May 1st is May Day, a holiday celebrating spring that goes back hundreds of years. To celebrate this day early colonists would create baskets full of flowers and treats, then place them on their neighbors doorstep. That sounds nice, but I would rather celebrate Lei Day.

Did you know that on the Hawaiian islands today is Lei Day? It is a day set aside to celebrate Hawaiian culture in general, and more specifically the culture of Native Hawaiians. The holiday was first celebrated in the 1920s, and was started by a local newspaper columnist Eric Kosciuszko. The first official Lei Day was celebrated in Honolulu in 1927.

I love all things Hawaii, and so today I am going to get Lei’d. I suggest you do as well ;).

xoxo

Meeshme

Happy Easter & Sizdah Bedar

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Meshell McKinley

I hope that everyone enjoyed their Easter holiday this weekend. Easter means different things to different people. To many it is a very religious holiday, and Sunday morning is spent at Mass. For others it’s about decorating Easter eggs, and time spent with family. For many children, it’s about finding the most eggs or getting the biggest basket.

For my family Sunday was a celebration of two holidays. For Persians, Sunday was the celebration of the coming of Spring. The Persian New Year is actually 13 days long, and ends with a celebration in the park called Sizdah Bedar. Sizdah is the Persian word for 13. Friends and family gather together at the park with tons of food and music. One major destination for Sizdah Bedar is in Orange County. Learn more about the festivities here.

My family and I abstained from visiting one of the overcrowded parks, and instead opted to stay local. Of course my aunts still made kabob in the park, but we hunted for Easter eggs as well. I think one of the most amazing things about my family is how they were able to keep their cultural traditions while embracing American culture. It has given me an extra identity, instead of a lost one. I am very appreciative to be able to take part in wonderful traditions from both cultures.

No matter how you celebrated, I hope that you celebrated with loved ones! Happy Easter and Happy Spring!

Twenty Seven

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Meshell McKinley

I took quite a bit of time off from the blog recently to attend a work conference, and celebrate my twenty-seventh birthday. Why is it that life speeds up so much after high school? Before you turn twenty-one the days are endless, the weeks drag on, and summer vacation never seems to come. Now I blink, and I’m turning another year older. I can’t get used to saying one age, before it’s time to say another.

This year I decided to take a break from the Vegas celebrations of the past, and spend time with family. Besides my cousins and my brother, my best friends Marta, Naty and Vlad are my family; as well as, my boyfriend Chris. The group of us spent the weekend at the Disneyland Resort. I’m not ready to grow up and face 30, so a weekend at Disneyland was my way of protesting twenty-seven.

We stayed at the Disneyland hotel, and had a blast. We enjoyed drinks at the Tiki Room inspired Trader Sams, went down the monorail themed water slides several times, and sun bathed. For dinner we ate at Carthay Circle and The Story Teller’s Cafe located inside Disney’s Grand Californian hotel. The weekend was full of laughs, good food, and good people. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate getting older, than to celebrate that I’m still young at heart.

Here are some pictures from my weekend of celebrating.

Why Meesh?

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Meshell McKinley

MmMm cake

I have always been the go-to friend for advice. That’s probably because I started giving relationship advice to my dad at the age of four. I haven’t had a perfect love life to say the least, but every day I spent in a relationship I learned something. I go by the mantra that as long as you learned something, no experience was a waste. Every argument, every set back lead me to who I am today, a better person.

I am a good listener, but above all else I genuinely like to help people. I figure, if I learned something the hard way why not help someone else learn it the easy way? Sometimes my advice is tough, but sometimes it’s exactly what you need to hear. I would like to believe I have helped a lot of people along the way, and I would like to help even more. My friends have asked me to start a blog before, and I think now is as good a time as any. It is also a good reference point, so I don’t have to keep repeating my advice to certain friends, as I often have to do (you know who you are). But this blog isn’t going to be entirely intense, we’re going to have some fun here too.

I have gone through some different looks throughout my life. I’ve been a blonde, I’ve been overweight, I’ve been underweight, my Facebook friends have seen it all. I’ve never been afraid to try new looks, and make a change. Through my experimenting I’ve picked up hair, make up, and style tips. I have received a lot of questions about my looks over the years, but especially in the past few years. Typical queries include: where I get my clothing, where do I find my accessories, how do I do my make up, where did I get those shoes, how did I lose so much weight, and so on. I will feature a different outfit each week, and share how I put it together, where I purchased the items, and how you can diversify each piece. I will share make up tips, what products I use, and how to apply. I’ll also show you how I get my big hair.

Anyone who knows me, knows I love to cook. I am a do-it-yourself type of girl. That’s why I learned to do my own make-up, and hair. I hate paying others to do something, especially when they can’t get it right. That goes for cooking as well. If I can make something at home, I would rather do it myself than intake a massive amount of extra calories, or pay a God forseen amount. I can make just about anything from scratch, but I prefer not to. We live in a time with conveniences, why not use them. I will feature a different recipe on my blog each week, with ingredients and instructions.

Meeeeshme will be a place where you can find out where I get my clothes, make up tips, hair tips, how to lose weight, relationship and friendship advice.

When you have a question, or need help, just write me.

MeeshMe

Category Archives: Just Me