ISSUE #81: This Orange County Issue Features Yovana Mendoza, Women in Business and Puppies

Written By: Marissa Stempien Yovana Mendoza
Photographed By: Louis Rodiger
Styled By: Bebe Jean
Hair By: Jennifer Mau Yovana Mendoza
Makeup By: Karina Fonti Yovana Mendoza
Makeup Provided By: Cinema Secrets
Video By: Mathew Martinez

YouTube video

Before Yovana Mendoza even arrived on set you could feel people buzzing with anticipation. Bebe Jean, our expert stylist, decidedly flipped through a rack of colorfully bright and trendy athletic wear while photographer Louis Rodiger checked and re-checked his equipment as if he was itching to get that perfect shot.

The beach was filled with families, tourists and teenagers running around on the basketball courts, but even with throngs of people, I could feel the energy change the moment Mendoza hit the beach. Making her way through the crowd she moved with the grace and intent of a seasoned professional, walking toward us with a definite purpose. Despite never having met her prior to the shoot, I could tell it was her a mile away.

Arriving on set, her demeanor immediately softened and she happily greeted everyone with a hug and a genuine smile. Quickly jumping into her first look, a bright pink two-piece outfit, it was clear that she was most at home in workout gear and swimwear. Running around the beach as Rodiger snapped her picture, she smiled unreservedly, laughing as she struck pose after pose, the beating sun nor the throngs of tourists tempering her cheerful attitude.

Chatting between shots, we discussed her family, her favorite green drinks and her thoughts on current health trends. “Over the five years that I’ve been talking about a healthy lifestyle and how to live it, I’ve seen a lot more people becoming conscious of what they’re eating, of what they’re putting into their body,” she notes as we walk along the boardwalk. “Now you see a lot more juice bars, a lot more healthy spots…the word ‘vegan’ is on a lot more products. It’s definitely an industry that is growing and becoming more and more popular by the day, which is amazing. I’m just excited for the new generations.”

Admittedly, I’m excited too. The passion with which Mendoza talks about healthy eating and mental wellness is contagious. Of course, it’s that personality and energy that endears her to millions of dedicated followers who have adopted her fitness routines, meal plans and life advice for a better body and mind. Now, I also count myself among one of her many fans. Yovana Mendoza

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With a degree in English Literature and minor in Asian Studies, Marissa loves all things reading, writing and LOCALE. Originally from Santa Barbara, CA, Marissa is an avid traveler, and counts her well-stamped passport and battered suitcase among her favorite possessions. When not online shopping or binge-watching the latest Netflix series, Marissa enjoys writing short stories in her spare time.

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