COSMO GIRL

Hey guys, after a short winter break I’m coming back to Cuba in a week (super excited about it) and I’m booking April/ May photo sessions. These images are from the series “In Love in Havana” what is a perfect way to explore Havana on retro bikes & convertible car while having your pix taken on a perfect Havana backdrop, but no worries if you don’t have your “Plus One”. I take single portraits as well and actually it’s less annoying that “Honeymooners who won’t stop kissing in a front of you 😂”. HOWEVER, I’m sure that if you think positively, you find someone the first day of your trip in Cuba 😂. And also I understand that you will rather bring him/her salsa dancing than having profesional pix done :) Some things just stay out of your polished & carefully edited Instagram feed & family album or your public reputation. Hey, no judgement, what happens in Cuba stayed in Cuba 🇨🇺! Unless you want to have it CAPTURED - then you message me :) If you want to see more of my professional images check out my other profiles @dianamrazi or @africa.diaries - #havanaphotographer #havana #cuba #havana #habana #havanadiaries #islandlife #isla #tropicalisland #caribean #honeymoondestination #honeymoonisland #cubaphotographer #photographercuba #cubawedding #cubahoneymoon #honeymooners #retrobikes #cubanholiday #caribbeanphotographer #havanacuba #havanastyle #havanaclub #honeymoon #newlyweds #justmarried #loveinhavana (at Havana, Cuba) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwXVtkDF3W8/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=yi86m74nwv5s

Motorcycle diaries - Tere @thaira.music is onto something... AGAIN... First she started sending me pictures of the motos 🛵 🏍 , asking me which one I like. And then she sends me a picture of herself “test-driving” a red moto in the streets of Havana, asking me if I like it... The truth is, it DOES NOT matter at all if I like it or not 😂. When I’m away, Tere would often ask me via email/ chat if she can do/buy something. For example - “Hey, what do you think about installing a new fence on the balcony /buying a bike/ cellphone/ guitar... ?” she asks. “How much is it?” I ask. “XY cuc” she says. “Hm, let me think about it,” I would say in the past until I have learned (the hard way) that Tere actually doesn’t ask for my approval (regardless whether I’m the one paying for it or not. In 99.9% of cases, these things had already been bought & installed. 😂 In case I say “No”, she has plenty of reasons to persuade me, why it’s absolutely necessary to “own it.” So I just had to comply & find the cash for it💰 I’m telling you, when it comes to “art of persuasion”, Tere could give Master classes!!! So I wouldn’t be surprised if she would have a new moto, by the time I come to Cuba (in less then 2 weeks, yay!!), because Cubans, but especially Tere, are full of surprises - Which are amazing & welcomed, and sometimes not so welcomed. So make up yr mind 🤔- ❤️ them or leave them... I know the drill by now & “can’t wait to find out” all OTHER surprises... So are we switching to a moto? Maybe Tere, but not me. I love riding a bike in the streets of Havana and sometimes giving a ride on it 😂. Actually, the only moto i’d love to own in Cuba is the one with side-car. If I have that I swear I would change the name of this Instagram to “Motorcycle diaries”. Damn, I almost forgot that the name is already taken. Che Guevarra had the same idea more than half century ago... Btw, moto is a favorite cuban transport and the first time I visited Cuba in 2007, I was surprised to see that many people store their motos at night in their living rooms. #moto #cheguevara #motobike #motocycle #havana #instahavana ##cuba #havana #habana #havanadiaries #islandlife #motorcyclediaries (at Havana, Cuba) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwKw3gnFcSs/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=miswrnf1sjt1

Facebook is making me remember all these crazy moments that I can’t believe it’s been 3 years ago!!! Here I’m at the hospital shooting my documentary and we are waiting for Obama in Cuba! Historical arrival of American President to the island in 88 years!!!! There was so much joy in Cuba that things will change for the better! And couple months later came Trump & fucked it all up!!!! Not only for Cubans, but also for Americans and for the whole world who has to deal somehow with US and Trump stupid & ignorant mindset & ruling - when it comes to human rights (Lgbtq, abortion’s), ecology... When I started shooting this documentary 3 years ago, I had no idea what a trip it will be & how much it will influence my own life... It made me stay in Cuba for 3 years. Many things have changed since then, I advanced a lot in the production, but still working on it. Documentaries and overall all our personal works often take long time, but I’m not giving up. Step by step... Here’s my original post from 3 years ago: “I had couple scenarios in my mind what I will do this weekend in Havana, but spending my Saturday morning in the hospital was definitely not one of them. Although I must say that there wasn't a place where I would rather be... Thanks to a pure coincidence, I got to finally meet Juani, 68, first transsexual men that got couple years ago reassignment surgery in Cuba, who is going to be a part of my documentary. We were planning our meeting for weeks, and today it just happened out of blue. Well not out of blue, thanks to my friend, a doctor that is specializing in reassignment surgeries and is in the team that operated Juani the other day. We chatted with Juani and Santos for 4 hours so comfortably as we would be sitting in a living room and I was in no hurry to leave. Transitioning from woman to man is a long process, but step by step, Juani is getting it all done, so there is definitely reason to smile! ;) An he's got the best brother he could wish for, Santos, who is a great support for him.” #obama #lgbt #transgender #equality #cuba #havana #documentary #womenindocumentary #womenfilmmakers #humanrights #facebook (at Havana, Cuba) https://www.instagram.com/p/BvPsGDclSD9/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=xh8rhx7uxxq6

What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. Right?? :) That’s basically what JFK said in this quote behind me & Teresa @thaira.music that you can also find and take a picture with in @fabricadeartecubano . And that’s what my favorite writer @elizabeth_gilbert_writer wrote yesterday in her post for International women’s day - swipe for the next photo to read it. She probably didn’t even realize how much what she wrote applies in Cuba!!! We don’t have it easy here, sometimes we try really hard for something (like for example my interview with Mariela Castro or just buying eggs 🥚) and “the shit goes wrong” or it doesn’t work out. But we handle it - In a thousand different ways, on a thousand different days... For example, we forget about interview with Mariela Castro and we forget about eating eggs until they appear basically at your doorstep. True story! A while ago, after 2 months of not eating eggs, when I gave up egg hunting in the stores, one day an old man knocked on the door and had a backpack full of eggs to sell!!! I bought all of them - because I felt sorry for him, that he has to work at this age and came from some village, and I felt sorry for myself, that I didn’t eat eggs for a long time, and wanted to prevent it. So I stacked empty fridge with more than 120 eggs. And so in Cuba, you just have to go with the flow. Maybe one day, also Mariela Castro will knock on the door and she’ll tell me that she really wants to do that interview of ours that was planned, confirmed and then cancelled on the last minute... But this is Cuba. Get used to it. So according to what Elizabeth Gilbert says in her quote, we are basically all Superheroes in Cuba 🦸‍♀️ !!! :) Because we handle one way or another :) #superhero ##cuba #havana #habana #havanadiaries #islandlife #isla #tropicalisland #caribean #jfk #fabricadeartecubano #cuban #lifeincuba #motivationalquotes #elizabethgilbert #elizabethgilbertquotes #internationalwomensday #march8 #jfkquotes #marielacastroespin (at Havana, Cuba) https://www.instagram.com/p/BuzEc9dlBOn/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1e79pm5bq0r5k

Happy International women’s day to all of us ladies! I think all women deserve a big CAKE 🎂 today as a thank you for making life of you guys so incredibly sweet! 😂 Do you agree?? You better do, because we don’t take “No” as an answer! :) We are a generation of badass women who know exactly what we want - and I want my piece of cake today!!! Ok, I can have a cup of coffee ☕️ to go with it as well. You see? Pretty low maintenance. No flowers 💐 needed, just a cake :) #womenshistorymonth #internationalwomensday #internationalwomensday2019 #cake #celebration #sweet #cake #presentforwomen #flowers #flowercake #foodie #baking #cakeporn ##cuba #havana #habana #havanadiaries #islandlife #isla #tropicalisland #caribean #chocolatecake #coffeeandcake #coffeetime #badasswoman #badasswomen (at Havana, Cuba) https://www.instagram.com/p/Buv-L8mFkDq/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=dkgxxgu8qtzw

Exactly a year ago in Havana and nothing changed 😂 This is how Cubans and also Africans “still” clean their houses! With loads of water 💦 , which leaves them sparkling clean!!! Teresa @thaira.music has always told me that I don’t use enough water for her taste, the apartment has to be flooded, so I was really happy to leave all this housework for her 🙂 She actually enjoyes it. Whenever we needed “wet cleaning”, creative cooking, painting the walls or even drilling something into the wall, it was Teresa’s work. Whenever we needed something to sort out, file, or get organized - it was my job, because it gives Teresa anxiety, and I excel in that for change. So it’s all about setting your house chores right. If you give me a mop to clean, I would f.cking hate it & I would hate you (I’m writing a book about relationships and will share there a story about one Cuban exboyfriend who once LITERALLY dragged me out of bed after all night parting to clean his house where I wasn’t even living!! He even had the nerves to complain that I’m not using enough water!!! I was so sleepy & so furious, that I was ready to stick that mop up his ass. That was a serious red flag, we broke up soon after 😂 There’s more to the story but I have to leave something for the book. So I’m soo happy that even when I’m at home in Slovakia, my mom never asks me to do “Wet cleaning”. On the other side I can organize big mess really fast & well. I guess I have that from journalism work & filing photos & materials & screenshots I always take. If I wouldn’t be organized, I wouldn’t be able do my job at all. I’m always in my hardrives searching for something. For my African diary follow me on @africa.diaries by @dianamrazi —————- #housekeeping #cleaning #sparklingclean #havanacuba #cuba #havana #habana #havanadiaries #islandlife #isla #tropicalisland #caribean #thisiscuba #vedado #mulata #housechores #couplesgoals (at Havana, Cuba) https://www.instagram.com/p/BubedIyg2bu/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1uhx54ap7kons

When I saw sad news about fashion designer legend Karl Lagerfeld passing at age 85, at first I thought to myself - “Amazing, Karl! You’re an example for me of how to live a life - be active to the very last moment. I applaud you, Sir, you put up a great show to the last moment.” And then I thought about whether I have ever met Karl Lagerfeld in my life. I couldn’t remember that I would, so I wrote a random post about something else because I’m not a fashionista to post about Karl’s passing... And as I’m scrolling my Cuban social media feed, I see an image of Karl walking with a child model during Chanel Show in Havana, and I’m like: “Damn!!! I was there as well!!! And I took a similar image and many more!!! I actually saw Karl Lagerfeld LIVE in 2015 when he did a huge Chanel show in Havana that I was photographing!!” So, I feel entitled enough now to make a post about it. Here are my best photos from that great night with celebrity guests such as Gisele Bundchen, Vanessa Paradis, and one of my favorite actresses Tilda Swinton. It was a remarkable event which also stirred a lot of controversy so back in 2015 I started cutting a short documentary about it. I was doing my Masters from Documentary filmmaking at the time at @eictv_san_antonio and since it took a lot of time, and I had to work on my Masters documentary, it stayed unfinished... See my next post, I’m posting short bits from it, and I’ll try to spend a night on it and finish it. I was thinking about it for 3 years now and I think now it’s the night - as a tribute to Karl. Sleepless night ahead... See next post for short bits and then hopefully mañana- tomorrow the finished version. All photos @dianamrazi . #karllagerfeld #tildaswinton #chanel #rip #karl #havana #instahavana ##cuba #havana #habana #havanadiaries #islandlife #isla #tropicalisland #caribean #giselebundchen #vanessaparadis #chanelshow #fashionshow (at Havana, Cuba) https://www.instagram.com/p/BuFCTNwFQDf/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=f29d3yxzmh5o

“The best things in life are for free and available to all of us” and it’s so true for Havana’s beloved ocean boardwalk Malecon. I have Malecon associated with the memories of the longest morning, evening or nighttime walks, magical sunset bicycle rides, sunrises with Usko & @thaira.music (the few times we were able to wake up before 7 and & then extremely proud of it), great first dates, and some not so great breakups, but it also reminds me so much of another ocean boardwalk in another exotic country called “Corniche” in Dakar, Senegal 🇸🇳 where I used to live from 2010-2013. And “Corniche” is also associated with the memories like first date (no breakup - at least not on the boardwalk 😂), long sunset walks, one crazy knife attack on me etc... It’s amazing when you can find similarities in completely different cities on different continents (the last 4 images I posted are from Dakar). Just like we live by Malecon in Havana, I lived by Corniche in Dakar and would go there for long walks or runs every day. I would watch strong Senegalese men exercising and Wrestling 🤼‍♂️ on the beach (in french it’s called La Lute and it’s a very popular Senegalese sport). Speaking of similarities between life in Dakar & Havana - Another similarity is that in both of them you need rather strong nerves to survive because many things just work here on their own pace :) In Havana it’s “mañana socialism mode” and in Dakar it was “inshallah - If God permits mode”. That’s why most of us have a “love & hate” relationship with both of these cities. Moments of pure joy or pure frustration. Nothing in between. They don’t leave you indifferent. Check out my @africa.diaries to see more about my life & work in Senegal and Africa. #fitnessmotivation #fitness #outdoors #outdoorworkout #sports #africadiaries #africa #tripinafrica #wanderlustofafrica #dakar #bike #gym #outdoorgym #outdoorgymlife #corniche #senegal #toubab #havana #cuba #malecon #similarities #expatlife #expat #expatliving #nomad #nomadlife #digitalnomadgirls #wrestling #lalutte (at Havana, Cuba) https://www.instagram.com/p/BuE1M0HlVkU/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1hpmbhl7nbxvw

Are you Cuba aficionado, but can’t travel for some reason to the island? I have many friends who work for the US government or simply just can’t move to Cuba like I did and spend here much time as they want to. Never mind! You don’t need to travel to Cuba to meet Cubans or feel the Cuban vibes. Cubans are living all over the world and almost each capital city has their “Havana Club” where you can dance salsa all night long and where Cubans and other Latino Americans meet. My most memorable visit to a Cuban Club was in Los Angeles, a place called La Descarga @ladescargala - it’s a great experience as it’s kind of a “secret spot” and once you get through the shady back door that you’re wondering what are you getting yourself to, a 50’s Cuba opens up and you are right in the middle of the show - so dress accordingly! I have been living in Cuba for 3 years now, but I actually haven’t seen such a great show as in La Descarga. Special shows in the cuban resorts and hotels are usually way too touristy and animated, and I don’t like that, but if you have any great experience of the show in Cuba, or outside of cuba, please share it! :) #cuba #havana #habana #havanadiaries #islandlife #isla #tropicalisland #caribean #losangelesnightlife #losangelesnightclubs #ladescarga #ladescargahollywood #danceshow #burlesque #burlesqueshow #cubandancer #50s #50sfashion #cuban #cubanosenelmundo #cubancigar #cubanos #cubanosporelmundo #shownight #showgirls #havanaclub #cubanclub (at Los Angeles, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt5_gwplLDD/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1wmw5xg1c4iuz

As I’m preparing a 10-year Cuba 🇨🇺 challenge photos, because it has been actually exactly 10 years since my first trip to the island, I can’t resist to share first this gem picture I took in Havana of this man taking a nap 😴 in the middle of the busy fruit 🍉 and veggie market “Mercado” under the selling stall. #cuba #havana #habana #havanadiaries #islandlife #isla #tropicalisland #caribean #mercado #siesta #dormir #sleep #napping #sleepy #timeout #tired #workmotication #chilling #relax #relaxing #funny #thisiscuba #whatever #balancedlife #resting (at Havana, Cuba) https://www.instagram.com/p/BtlojUNFhDx/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1xakur5ehxh1k

Teresa @thaira.music getting ready for a meeting with a great cuban rock singer @davidblancofficial and dressing “rock-style” accordingly. Let’s see what they can come up with for this year... Do you know David Blanco? He’s great!!!! When you get sick of Salsa dancing in Havana, you better go & listen to some rock music! And DANCE!!! Like we did!!! David plays a lot in Bertol Brecht in Vedado, but check his instapage for the event updates. Last year when my father was visiting us in Havana from Slovakia we had a blast!!!! Now you can see who have I inherited my love for dancing 🕺 and my dance moves from 😂 #rocker #rockerchick #rockerchicks #rockmusic #havananights #cuba #havana #habana #havanadiaries #islandlife #isla #tropicalisland #caribean #fatherdaughter #fatheranddaughter #fatheranddaughterdance #fatheranddaughters #dancefloor #rockstyle #davidblanco #salsadancing #bertoltbrecht #teatrobertoltbrecht (at Vedado, Ciudad De La Habana, Cuba) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsqns9AF5lG/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1h7iwigzavr83

I just ❤️ my new dress👗 that I found randomly laying on the stairs of @laguaridahavana restaurant!!! Every woman knows how damn hard it is to find a good fitting dress that flatters your body type and this one is just perfect for me!!! 😂 The good news is - You can have it too!The only catch is to take the photo from an angle so it looks this realistically!!! And it’s not that easy :) But try it and tag us @havana.diaries, so we can do a contest who wore it better!!! :) Will post photos here and the best part is that the winner gets to take the dress home! 😂. #bodypositivity #lovemybody #whoworeitbetter #perfectdress #summerdress #goddess #greekgoddess #diana #goddessofhunt #contest #havana #cuba #havana #habana #havanadiaries #islandlife #isla #tropicalisland #caribean #laguarida #happy #happyinhavana #happy #hiphavana #ig_cuba (at La Guarida) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsOBdxdl6kf/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1hs09bd5u8kfe

Do you remember guys the huge hit by @pharrell (Pharrell Willams) “Happy” and people in different parts of the world making HAPPY DANCING 🕺 videos in their cities? So yesterday I was reading a new book about Nomad lifestyle by my nomad friend @silvia_puchovska and she mentioned how she did a “Happy vídeo” with locals in Nicaragua 🇳🇮. And that made me wonder if someone did “Happy” in Havana. So I googled it and of course it’s done!!! There are couple different videos but this one by Emilie Minos Ruiz is the best!!! I posted a youtube link to it - click the link in my Bio. Watch it, you will love it!!!! Such a great ambiance!!! These pix are also screenshots of the video. All filmed and edited by Emilie Munoz-Ruiz (can’t find her on Instagram - but if you read this Emilie, write me so I update it). #happyinhavana #pharrellwilliamshappy #pharrelwilliams #happy #cuba #havana #habana #havanadiaries #islandlife #isla #tropicalisland #caribean #dancingvideos #emiliemunozruiz #happydancing #streetdancing #bailando #bailandoenlacalle #dancingonthestreet (at Havana, Cuba) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsLciHvFTkW/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1mcjdd9jj0fy0

And on the positive note - This little one with 2 big ears “Usko” deserves “The best of 2018” post of his own because he brought us so much joy this year since April when he decided to leave his “street gang” and come live with us. (Sometimes we joke that he probably had more food when he was out on the street than in our house but more on that in a special post next year. But we try to make it up on other ends - by giving him lots of love and he seems happy - just look at his face :) Look at the last picture - it’s the day when he met with Teresa in the WiFi Park and she took him home to give him a bath.... I didn’t have a dog before but I am amazed how great it is to have one - I guess it helps that Usko brought his “streets smarts” with him, is very independent, extremely well mannered, low maintenance!!!!, loving, doesn’t bark!!!! and everyone just loves him. Our friends actually gave him a nick name - “Usko - anti-stress” because he really relaxes us and is a great companion. I guess those who have pets know what I’m talking about - although some cats can have “I don’t give a shit about you attitude” and their owners still love them. So cheers to all the pets that gave us their unconditional love this year and made us happy :) #dogsofinstagram #dogs #perritos #mascotas #doglovers #dogoftheday #bestof2018 #perrosfelices #happydog #chien #animallovers #love #dog #usko #perros #streetdog #adopted #adopteddog #pet #petsofinstagram #cheers (at Havana) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsEASZSlDeY/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1j7xpj9ljp9pq

As everyone is sharing “The Best of 2018” moments in photos, I’m going to do the same. To keep the digital memory that there was “A LOT OF LIGHT moments IN THE DARK”. Because the truth is that I have felt most of the 2018 like I can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel... I couldn’t reach Tere yesterday. She was supposed to come home from a week-long cycling trip in las Terrazas. As I feared that something happened, I called the house phone and her father told me that she’s in the hospital. I thought that she had a cycling accident, but then I learned from her that she had something similar to an epileptic attack and need more tests to know what’s going on. Actually, I’ve been living with a constant fear that something will happen for the last 2.5 years since I’ve known her, because she’s got a history of anxiety attacks for the last 5 years. I have never heard about anxiety problems before, although I have 2 best friends dealing with mania-depression. It’s been a rollercoaster ride since we’ve met, because no matter how much love there is, anxiety and mental issues, does affect not only the one who is suffering it but they take a huge toll on the partner. And so while I tried to pull her up, she dragged me down - I hit my low and had a total burn-out over the summer - ironically it was when we came for our dream vacation to Slovakia, and I thought that things are going the right direction and we passed the worst. These mental issues affect everything - personal life and work. My personal work was piling up which created anxiety for me, because all my focus was on her, our relationship and her health issues. I’ve had busy & successful career years before, I believed that this was more important. But it got to the point that I was so focused on her, that I have forgot about myself. My burn-out was just a tip of the iceberg of the exhaustion & stress accumulated over time. Luckily, it served as a wake up call for me and I emerged full of energy and creativity in November and been very productive since then - which makes me happy. (I continue my text in the comment section as I ran out of space here and it’s important to share this) (at Cuba) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsDrR7xljDb/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=6l575asu4gt6