The Sunday Sanctuary With Christina Mendez
A weekly series that profiles the most fabulous, hard-working, 24/7 hustlers, and how they spend their Sundays.
Born and raised in the city that never sleeps - New York City, exotic-beauty and grand-daughter of Merengue King Joseito Mateo, Plus Size Model, Christina Mendez, has flaunted her god-given curves through magazine spreads, fashion campaigns, and runways. By creating fashionable moments in the modeling industry working with many well-respected clients such as: BET, Ashley Stewart, Sofia Vergara for Kmart, Kohl's, Maggy London, Qristyl Fraizer Designs, Cyberswim, PLY Apparel, Rue107 and more, Christina is continuing to change industry-standards, proving “curves can be marketable and sexy.”
As industry honchos began to take notice of the “powerhouse phenom” being featured in numerous fashion campaigns, Christina became (and still is) one of the most in-demand models to grace the pages and sites of leading fashion and entertainment media forums from People en Español, Elle.com, Latina Magazine, Shape.com, Essence, Cosmo Latina, Vogue.it and The Source Magazine, to being seen nationwide on ¡Qué Noche! con Angélica y Raúl, The Rachael Ray Show, The Today Show, Noticias al Despertar, Good Morning America and QVC.
With the public finally shining a positive spotlight on curvaceous beauty, Christina has been fortunate to be added to countless “curvy beauty” lists including: Centric "Curvy Style" - Curvy Models Who Are Slaying The Fashion Game, MSN Living, Zimbio.com, ODDEE-10 Incredibly Hot Women over a Size 10, StyleBistro- The Most Beautiful Plus Size Models, and Wiki Noticia- Top Sexiest Women In the World--joining fellow successful plus models: Ashley Graham, Crystal Renn, Whitney Thompson and Kate Dillon.
Continuing to garner attention and break-down barriers, Christina is one of the few plus-size models to historically walk in New York Fashion Week integrated with straight-sized models, proving to critics that the beauty of fashion is for everyone and should be celebrated through body positivity. In 2016, Christina was industry selected as "Model of The Year" by Full Figured Fashion Week, standing alongside the likes of modeling pioneers and positive body image activists of the past.
If walking the catwalk, modeling for major brands, and lending her support to various events weren't enough, Christina lends her support and time to Autism Speaks -- a charity close to her heart. As a mother of an autistic son, Christina helps raise awareness as well as provide the most up-to-date information on breakthroughs and treatment for Autism as the spokesperson for the New York Chapter of Autism Speaks.
There’s no stopping the powerhouse that is Christina Mendez!
Q: What time do you wake up or does the alarm go off ?
A: I wake up at 4:30 AM when I have to go to work and 7:00 AM on non-work days.
Q: What is your morning routine (specifically the first 15)
A: I check my phone and drink a strong cup of coffee to get ready for my long day.
Q: What is your Sunday mantra?
A: I always like the saying “Sunday well spent brings a week of content.” I strongly believe that.
Q: What’s your go to breakfast/brunch?
A: Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I can’t function without it. I like to eat eggs with cheese and bread or sometimes I enjoy the traditional Dominican breakfast which is smashed green plantains topped with 2 fried eggs, cheese and pickled onions.
Q: Do you give yourself any Sunday self-care treatments?
A: Before Covid, I would make Sunday a day of beauty where I would go to the hair and nail salon and get model ready for the work week ahead, however, due to Covid, I’ve learned to do all those things myself, so my Sundays are filled with my at home pedicure and a manicure.
Q: What song is a good representation of your Sunday?
A: Sunday Best by Song by Surfaces
Q: How has your Sunday routine changed over the years?
A: Sundays have always been a day of relaxation and recharging. The only change is now that I have two kids, they are sometimes not as relaxing as I would like them to be.
Q: Do you like to spend your Sunday alone or with family/friends?
A: I love spending Sundays with my family. But we can all use one Sunday a month to spend alone and enjoy a day of self-love and self care.
Q: What is your ideal bedtime?
A: I have a hard time falling asleep, however my ideal bedtime would be 11 PM.
Q: What are some of your favorite Sunday activities?
A: Some of my favorite Sunday activities range from taking the family on a long drive and exploring a new adventure, to something as simple as watching TV on the sofa sipping on hot chocolate with marshmallows.
Q: How do you prepare for the week ahead?
A: To prepare for the week ahead, I review my calendar on Sunday afternoon, take notes on my phone of important things to pack to arrange to make sure it happens, and I feed myself positive energy to make sure that my week is awesome and productive.