HOME

The Preggers Body Butter

adela-capova_pregnant_the-models-office

I’ve been using my ‘homemade body butter’, throughout pregnancy and postpartum. I’ve actually ended up with zero stretch marks, so it definitely did the job.

Don’t forget to take your time and massage it into your baby bump, legs and back slowly and thoroughly, treat those 5 minutes as a massage, as there won’t be time for this after the baby arrives, so stock up on this aroma therapy butter now.

I’d recommend you start using it in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy, as it contains essential oils. I picked lemon and wild orange, which are pregnancy safe, but it’s still better to be on the cautious side, you should always check with your OB first.

August 20, 2016 0 comment

Pina Colada Pops

pina-colada-pops_the-models-office

This is what I’ve been surviving on this summer. We’ve had one of the hottest summers in NYC, 38C (100F) this weekend with 90% humidity. These are real life savers.

They’re obviously virgin, but you won’t be able to tell the difference. Breastfeeding woman talking, I know, but this is as good as it gets, really!

It will make around 12 popsicles (all ingredients organic, if possible):

2 cups fresh pineapple
1 can (about 13 fl oz) coconut milk
6 pitted dates
juice of freshly squeezed 1/2 lemon

Blend it all together in a blender (sometimes I like to keep a few bigger chunks of pineapple and throw them into the blended mixture later, it’s nice to have some extra texture), pour into the popsicle molds, freeze for at least 3-4 hours and voila.

When trying to take them out of the molds, it’s best to run them under the cold water for a few seconds and then hit them against the kitchen counter top, then they should slide out nicely.

August 16, 2016 0 comment

The White Shoe

converse_los-angeles_the-models-office

There’s something so classy about a white shoe, somehow they always work with whatever I have on. It’s definitely an ultimate wardrobe essential.

Here are my summer favorites from my closet this season, they happen to be the most comfy shoes I own as well.

Shoes, Converse All Star; Shorts, Levi’s vintage; Tank & Shirt, Paige Denim; Sunnies, Dior, 5 Months Bump, #MiniCooper

August 13, 2016 0 comment

Pregnancy Perks

adela-capova_pregnancy-perks_the-models-office

Last week I shared some of my struggles during pregnancy, real learning curves for me. I got many lovely messages from you, pregnant and want-to-be-mums, who shared how helpful the article was to them, so thank you! That’s exactly why I wanted to share my story and it means a lot to get a feedback.

I’m so ecstatic to share that our baby boy, Milo Sebastian Cooper arrived on August 1st 2016 at 4:12pm in New York City. He followed a 37 hour labour, after I was admitted to hospital with a high fever and and infection, this was the very last pregnancy challenge that came our way and, it was all so worth it!

So on the flip side of my ‘struggles’ and so I don’t put anyone off. Here is what I loved about pregnancy and the qualities I’d love to keep, even when not pregnant:

1- Confidence

I don’t know what it is, be it the hormones or perhaps the responsibility for another life, but, I’ve felt so confident and have ’stuck to my guns’ more that ever. It could be a maturity/ aging thing too, but I do think it was impending motherhood that did it for me. More than any other, I hope this characteristic will stick around.

2- Not sweating the small stuff

I’m a perfectionist, sometimes not in a good way. I work hard and push myself, so when something doesn’t work out, even the smallest thing, a bad photoshoot or not passing an exam, it gets me down. With pregnancy, going through the health issues and worries about my little one, these things went completely unnoticed. As long as we’re healthy, that’s all that matters, I no longer worry about the small stuff, my marathon time or a messy house for a while. I’m now an official, ‘un-perfectionist’.

3- People are generally nicer to you

This is something that probably won’t last, but I really enjoyed how people around me were kinder, more chatty and really lovely. The bigger I got, the nicer they were. They shared their stories, congratulated me, and felt for me in the summer heat, what a nice world to live in.

At 9 months pregnant, still no-one offered me their seat on the subway, in fact, I even had a guy race me and proudly take a seat from me. I know it’s NYC and everyone’s super tired, stressed & busy, but still, move your asses, New Yorkers! Of course, I didn’t sweat it!!

4- Body confidence

I’m aware of things about my body that I could improve, because of the job I do, I’m also told this by others quite often. I’m told my hips are too big, so are my shoulders. I’ve learnt to work my way around it and exercise the hell out of it. With pregnancy, all the body issues simply disappeared. Learning, what my body can do, how adjustable and capable of change it is and of course that small fact, it’s capable of creating a human being, I really don’t sweat my wide shoulders anymore.

Another huge plus was not having to suck my stomach in during photoshoots, although I still did sometimes, as I’d forget, it’s just force of habit. On the other hand, my brain didn’t keep up with my growing belly. In my mind it was always smaller than I thought. I can’t count how many times I tried to squeeze past my husband and the fridge to get into the kitchen, thinking there’s a load of space, only to get stuck again. A few weeks ago I was trying to pass a person

in the aisle on a plane. His eyes wide open, head turning side to side, trying to gesture, as politely as possible, that it just won’t work, well it didn’t. Hopefully it will work the other way around as well and I’ll be so nicely surprised how small my belly is, now that our little one is no longer a bun in the oven.

So good luck, pregnant ladies. For me, the journey is over for now. It’s been an awesomely bump-y ride!

Photo by Robert Clyde Grima

August 9, 2016 1 comment

The Preggers Green Juice

the-preggers-green-juice_the-models-office_1

#pregnancy

#MiniCooper

This juice has been my favorite throughout my whole pregnancy. It’s sweet, so it gives me enough energy and, it tastes great, which is a huge plus when my taste buds are changing all the time. There were times when I couldn’t even look at food.

I’ve been trying to avoid eating too much kale and other cruciferous vegetables due to my under active thyroid, so this juice, containing 1 medium bulb of fennel, 1 cup of spinach leaves, 1 cup of pineapple, 1 small apple, 1 cup of filtered water and 1 tsp of green powder (anything you have at home, in my case- green barley, spirulina and chlorella) is a perfect combo.

Do the usual, blend all the ingredients together, then pass the mixture through a sieve to get liquid consistency. This recipe will make two full glasses. Don’t throw away any leftovers in the sieve, this green ‘meal’ will make for yummy green ice-pops (about 6 of them!) Freeze them for a few hours and enjoy!

July 27, 2016 0 comment

Pregnancy Uncensored

adela-capova_pregnancy-uncensored_2

I had this thing, pregnancy, all beautifully planned out. It was going to be the best time ever, filled with joy and positivity, the timing of it couldn’t have been any better in my life.

It was going to be the time, when I finally catch up on all the things that I’d never had time to do. I’d write a book, do this blog properly, finally finish my ‘personal trainer’ certificate. I’d finish designing my swimwear collection, I’d even have time to make and sew all my own baby clothes, I really thought that! I thought I’d be running until at least 7 months pregnant, I ordered the Tracy Anderson Pregnancy DVDs, so I could keep exercising until the end of 9 months. I had it all planned out…

Well, things went slightly off track….

July 25, 2016 7 comments

Healthy Eats: The Butcher’s Daughter, NYC

the-butchers-daughter_the-models-office_1

My mum actually is, ‘The Butcher’s Daughter’, so that means that I’m ‘The Butcher’s Granddaughter’, I guess! It’s nothing to do with this post but, I always like to proudly share it. Don’t come to this Nolita locale, looking for meat dishes though!

Long gone are the times when this healthy vegan eatery was a big secret and, I was able to have the long communal table all to myself. They have another location opening in the West Village, and they already have a great spot in Venice, California. I’m hoping the growing footprint will spread the crowds a little and, once again, I’ll be able to find a spot in the original again, with not much of a wait.

The food is delicious. My favorites are the ‘avocado toast’ and ‘the quinoa salad’. Their ‘Goddess of Green’ juice is just heaven and their little take-out shop next door is perfect for a coffee to go.

The Butcher’s Daughter, 19 Kenmare Street, New York 10012

July 21, 2016 0 comment

Caribbean Postcard

Adela Caribbean

The Caribbean means so many things:

it means the best lobster you’ve ever eaten (thank you, Eden Rock!)
the best jumbo jet blast you’ve ever experienced (well, if you’ve ever experienced another one, good for you)
the smallest and most challenging runways in the world, (right, Saba?!)
the best hikes, easy ones (Pic Paradis), difficult ones (Boiling Lake) and the most challenging and painful ones (Morne Diablotin)
the whitest sand beaches (ahhh, Anguilla!)
the most delicious French wine (hello Grand Case, the Gourmet Capital of the Caribbean) and as many mudslides as you could wish for (Rum Point in the Caymans is your best bet)
the most exquisite sunsets
crossing the Dutch and French border as many times as you wish (way too cool, St Martin, or should I say Sint Maarten)
the best duty free shopping you can imagine (St Barth’s Gustavia has it ready for you)
it means iguanas are your neighbors and parrots will sing tunes for you
it means rowing, sailing, paddle boarding, jet skiing, swimmimg, surfing, beach yoga, running, horse riding, para-gliding, resting and tanning

November 26, 2015 1 comment