IN LIVING COLOR

Monica Samuels keeps things fun with chic styles in bright hues

BY MANDY HOLMES / PHOTO BY BEVERLY SHUMWAY

Monica Samuels, the founder of Quasar Quantum Healing, is not only a trailblazer in the field of holistic wellness, but also a fashionista with a unique sense of style.

Samuels radiates a vibrant energy through her wardrobe choices and opts for maxi dresses and bold patterns. Her closet full of flowing dresses not only showcases her love for color and individuality, but also exudes a sense of effortless elegance.

Over the years, Samuels’ style has evolved to accommodate her busy lifestyle and professional commitments. While she previously gravitated toward dresses exclusively, she now incorporates different silhouettes such as pants and jumpsuits into her day-to-day wear.

“Ralph Lauren is my favorite everyday clothing brand because the pieces are timeless; you can wear the brand’s clothes at any stage of life, and you can dress them up or down,” she says.

While Samuels once followed fashion trends closely during her previous career in the fashion industry, she now prioritizes comfort and has let go of “trend-chasing.” Social media no longer dictates her style choices. Instead, she focuses on dressing in a way that suits her body and lifestyle.

What are your favorite colors to wear?

My favorite colors are anything that is bright and vibrant, usually oranges and pinks. I love cotton materials and loose-fitting, flowy clothes.

What is your most prized possession in your closet? My most prized possession is my Qiu Jin pendulum necklace that I obtained working with Deepak Chopra. I always wear her because she brings healing energy to myself and my clients.

What is your must-have item fashion item? My must-have item is my large Mary Poppins-sized tote bag that I carry with me everywhere. I have many bits and bobs that I use on a daily basis that are easily accessible in my bag. Even though it fits all my essentials, it is still reasonably sized and goes with everything.

BY KAYLOR JONES / PHOTOS BY CLAUDIA JOHNSTONE / LOCATION: OCEAN 44

Comedian and star of Family Karma

Anisha Ramakrishna on newlywed life in Scottsdale and being unapologetically herself

Say hello to one of the Valley’s newest transplants – entrepreneur-turned-comedian Anisha Ramakrishna. A familiar face to fans of Bravo’s Family Karma, the long-time Miami resident is used to the heat, but she couldn’t be more thrilled about the Valley’s beautiful weather come fall and winter.

Last fall in particular holds special a place in Ramakrishna’s heart – in October of 2022, she and her fiance, Dr. Anand Tarpara, finally tied the knot.

The intimate backyard ceremony was held on the only weekend that both halves of the busy couple were free. With so little planning time, it was a small but lavish affair, topped off with a reception at the Ritz Carlton Coconut Grove this June for all their friends and family.

“The reception wasn’t traditional, no speeches or wedding cake. We just wanted everyone to have a blast, to come and get lit!” Ramakrishna says. “Being able to celebrate with everyone was so awesome – I came back and it felt official.”

Despite the happy ending, Ramakrishna’s journey to matrimony had its share of ups and downs. “For years, everyone was telling me to just take the plunge and get married, but you have to follow your gut in life, and I was never ready,” she says. “Then during the pandemic, I turned 37 and that kickstarted the thought that maybe I want a life companion.”

Tired of the Miami dating scene, Ramakrishna moved to New York City with a mental list of traits for an ideal partner. “I’m a geriatric millennial. I’d never been on dating apps, but I kind of panicked that I would never meet somebody, so I downloaded Hinge and Bumble and swiped on over 1,000 people. I wanted a unicorn and I found him.”

When she met her now-husband, all of the important boxes were checked – integrity, ambition, physical attraction, Indian heritage – and the rest were thrown out the window.

“I had wanted someone at least 6 feet tall because I’m 5 feet, 8 inches tall. My husband is 5 feet, 9 inches tall. I wanted someone who was older than me and already established in their career. He was just starting out as a doctor and two years younger than me. But I knew he was the one right away, even if he didn’t!”

For Ramakrishna, the key, especially as someone getting married later in life, was finding an independent partner, one with his own career, his own friends, and his own hobbies. “Someone to share my life with instead of becoming my life,” she says.

Spilling the Chai

Overall, the pandemic led to a lot of self-reflection, which proved essential for Ramakrishna in the long run. “I was a late bloomer – I didn’t have my first boyfriend until 21. I really wasn’t comfortable with what I looked like and who I was, whether I’m funny or not, whether I’m a good fashion designer or not. None of that happened for me until my mid-30s, when I started really taking the time to focus on and take care of myself. By the time I was ready to date, I had been single for five years.”

But if she could go back and change one thing, she would. Faced with the looming pressure of “the dream” – the white picket fence, a dog, x-amount of kids before a certain age – Ramakrishna feels she wasted too much time trying to conform to the idea of how women are “supposed to” behave.

“For a lot of years, people have told me to tone it down, to be more feminine, to not be so loud and outspoken because guys don’t like that. For so long I was doing all those things and it really wasn’t me. But I found someone who thinks that what I do is cool, someone who says, ‘Absolutely, you should do whatever you want and live the life you’ve dreamed of.’”

For anyone who’s seen Ramakrishna’s candor and natural sense of humor in action, it’s no surprise that her most recent dream involves comedy. She’s had her eye on this prize for a while – previously, the tour for her podcast, Currently Cringing, was cancelled, but in November of 2022 she was invited to perform stand-up at Carolines on Broadway. “It was amazing, a one-and-done. I was just there to have the best time ever.”

But then Carolines referred her to Miami Improv – on Ramakrishna’s home turf – and she resolved to put on a killer show for her friends and family. She practiced like a pro, but when the time came, she bombed.

“I choked, I got nervous, I forgot things,” she says. “Comedy is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I’m a conversationalist, so I can easily talk to someone, but when you’re on stage, you’re storytelling by yourself in front of 200 people. You’re feeding off the audience, and you know when the jokes are good or bad.”

In the months since, Ramakrishna has performed all over the country, with each show presenting a new challenge. Still, she wouldn’t have it any other way. “Stand-up is something I’ve been wanting to do for years, but we all want a lot of things. You can only work toward something and hope for the best. I’m turning 40 next year, so this is it. It’s happening.”

You Do You

Ramakrishna’s favorite subjects for her sets include waiting to have kids and freezing her eggs, the trials and tribulations of being a “girl boss,” and all things marriage, from finding her partner later in life to being the first person in her family to not have an arranged marriage. “It’s like therapy for me. Then when I talk to the audience after a show, a lot of them tell me, ‘I thought I was the only one, you’re so relatable.’ It’s like therapy for them, too.”

Much of Ramakrishna’s story undoubtedly rings a bell to viewers of Family Karma, which follows the lives of seven Indian-American friends navigating through life against the backdrop of their families’ expectations and traditions. What sets the show apart, Ramakrishna says, are the organic relationships between the castmates and their parents and grandparents, who at first were far from thrilled about the idea of putting their lives on TV.

“I was 33, had just left my job in New York to start a fashion line, and was single and living at home,” says Ramakrishna, who had previously earned her MBA in finance and worked for the fashion brand Elie Tahari for 7 years. “My parents were concerned. They said, ‘Are you sure you want to do this? Maybe instead of being on a TV show you should focus on getting married.’ But after seeing how the show has impacted so many people all over the world, I can say that my parents are really proud of me.”

From sharing her rollercoaster ride of a dating life to the challenges and rewards of running her size-inclusive, eco-conscious clothing line Currently (www.shopcurrently. com), Ramakrishna – who lives her life by the Hindi maxim “no sharam,” or “no shame” in English – wants her time on people’s screens to help them realize that they shouldn’t be anyone other than themselves.

“I hope viewers realize they don’t have to be bogged down by societal norms, or any rules or restrictions placed on them by other people. I want people to see that I was authentic, that I always stayed true to myself and lived life by my own rules. That’s me – what you see is what you get, and not everyone’s going to like it, but you have to stay true to who you are.”