One rainy afternoon at Blair House, the official guest residence for visiting heads of state, I found myself face to face with a portrait of the Dowager Empress Cixi.

It was haunting. Part photograph, part painting. At first glance regal, but on closer look almost illusory — her features softened with painted details, her nails long (so long I gawked) and deliberate, every stroke calculated. When Cixi posed with her strikingly long nails, it was a signal of her imperial authority, wealth, and distance from ordinary life. The portrait and her expression haunted me in the same way I was haunted 20 years ago watching The Last Emperor.

My curiosity led me to ask about it — and I learned it was the most valuable and yet the most overlooked gift in the collection. Several portraits of Cixi were created and sent to foreign leaders between 1903–1905; all but this one were destroyed.

Here’s the clincher: after being presented in 1904, the portrait slipped from prominence. During a survey by the Freer Gallery of Art in the 1970s, it was found in the Blair House attic — 70 years after it was gifted! The ornate box and silk wrappings were gone, but the portrait survived.

Wrapped once in imperial yellow silk, it carried not just artistry but strategy. Sent to President Theodore Roosevelt, the portrait wasn’t a whim — it was part of a calculated gesture when China sought favor, legitimacy, and relief from indemnities. Gifts like this were instruments of statecraft, designed to shift relationships and influence decisions. And in this case, they did.

121 years later, standing in that room, I understood it on two levels: on the surface, hauntingly beautiful and deeply human. But underneath, it called me into the story, beckoning me to uncover its threads, to feel its impact more than a century later.

That’s what a gift does. It endures. It changes how people see each other. It provokes curiosity, connection, even action. Its impact lasts generations.

Her portrait and story now sit on my desk as a reminder of what I seek with each gift: to take that ancient gesture and transform it into something layered, strategic, unforgettable.

And as one great storyteller put it in her lyrics: I’m married to the hustle — the thrill of chasing that perfect story, weaving it into a gift, and watching its meaning unfold again and again. Allow me the honor of doing the same for you.

#grandunveiling #storytellinggifts #diplomaticgifts #culturaldiplomacy #historythroughgifts #heritagegifting #legacygifting #empresscixi #qingdynasty #diplomatichistory #softpower #artofgifting #symbolicgifts #unveilinghistory #presidentialgifting

✨ For those of you who’ve ever thrown yourself fully into something you loved — do you remember those early days?✨

When you spent every ounce of energy chasing work and clients because you knew you were onto something? You believed in your unique offerings and expertise, and you knew — you knew so deeply — that it would change the way a business operated, relationships formed, the course of things, the way the idea was viewed. You felt your business had to be a part of the world. That your services could change how people connected, how they saw each other, even how the world worked.

That’s where I am right now. After 20 years in consulting, living abroad, performing, and yes — designing Presidential gifts for world leaders — I’ve taken a leap. A leap into the one thing that lights me up every time: storytelling through gifts.

Why? Because I discovered that I am pretty talented at disrupting what has become a monotonous gesture that goes back to the beginning of human interaction, and turning it into a strategic tool that harnesses what it’s designed to do.

I love learning people’s histories, what makes a business unique, the small details that get overlooked. I love the rush of weaving multiple threads into an object so that it's meaningful, clever, and deep — and the recipient picks up on how different and impactful the gift is. They want to read more about it, treasure it, come back to it, discover more. A gift that continues with layers of unveiling. A gift that changes their relationship with the giver — and that the recipient is changed by.

When I find the right gift, I don’t just know — I feel it in my body. And I’ve witnessed its power firsthand at the highest levels.

One great storyteller recently put it in her lyrics: I’m married to the hustle — that’s how I feel about my business and the thrill of seeking out that perfect, layered story and imbuing it in gifts.

I would be incredibly honored if you took a leap with me and allowed me to show you how to harness the power of gifts in whatever realm you aim it to achieve.

Now that I've seen the impact of the gifts I designed and curated for world leaders — experienced how they shifted relationships, brought connection, and were treasured — I cannot unsee their strategic impact.

It would be an incredible honor to harness the strategic power of gifts for you: your business, your organization, your clients, even your most meaningful milestones.

I’m going to marry this post with one from my Diplomatic Gift days that captures this truth better than I ever could: the tale of a haunting portrait, lost in an attic, overlooked yet world-shifting. Stay tuned.

I believe a gift is never just an object. It is a story, an unveiling, and often the spark for connection. My life has been shaped by storytelling in many forms, each chapter leaving its imprint on the way I now see gifting as both an art and a strategy.

I was born in Chile and raised in Mexico — lands full of color, history, and tradition. My first stage was not a theater, but a commercial set for Pepsi and Chevrolet. Even then, I was learning how presentation could captivate, how details could delight, how moments could stay with you.

Ballet soon became my true stage. I trained in classical ballet and danced professionally, performing at Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center in Swan Lake and La Bayadère. Ballet taught me that storytelling is an art of layers — subtle movements, rich with meaning, that grow into something powerful enough for an entire audience to feel.

Life carried me across the world: China, Tunisia, Lesotho, Vietnam. Living abroad showed me that objects are never just objects — they are symbols, traditions, and histories, each carrying layers of cultural meaning. I collected textures, stories, and motifs along the way, all of which find their way into my work today.

Later, my journey led me to Washington, D.C., where I took on one of the most extraordinary roles of my life: serving as the Diplomatic Gifts Officer at the White House. There, I curated gifts for Presidents, Vice Presidents, First and Second Ladies, Secretaries of State, and world leaders. These were not just tokens — they were bridges. They honored history, conveyed gratitude, and sometimes carried more weight than any speech or handshake. It was there I discovered what I now know deeply: gifts are an underutilized strategic tool with enormous impact.

And at the heart of it all is family. My husband and I are raising three adventurous boys — my mini Indiana Joneses — who remind me daily that the greatest treasures are the ones tied to love, curiosity, and shared story.

All of these threads came together in Grand Unveiling, the gift consulting studio I founded to bring artistry, discretion, and intention to gifting. Today, I help individuals, couples, corporations, and cultural institutions discover gifts that surprise, inspire, and resonate. Gifts that don’t just delight — but leave the recipient walking away with connection, perspective, and a story to hold.

Because the right gift is more than a gesture.
It is an unveiling — of story, of gratitude, of connection.
#grandunveiling #storytellinggifts #luxurygifting #presidentialgifting #heritagemarketing #giftingstrategy #corporategifting #weddinggifting #brandstorytelling #legacygifting #bespokegifts #thoughtfulgifting #luxurygifts #historythroughgifts #heritagebrands #giftingwithmeaning #curatedgifts #artdecodesign #timelesselegance #businessgifting #philanthropygifts #executivegifting #meaningfulmoments #celebrationgifting #giftexpert #giftconsulting #giftingwithpurpose #luxurybranding #storydrivenmarketing

A Storybox for the King 

One of the five “story boxes” I envisioned would commemorate Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show in London, 1887 — staged during Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.

Buffalo Bill — William “Buffalo Bill” Cody — was a frontiersman turned showman who introduced the myths and legends of the American West to audiences around the world. His 1887 tour brought cowboys, sharpshooters, Native horsemen, and herds of buffalo across the Atlantic, captivating British audiences. The Royal Family filled the box seats, and in one extraordinary moment, Queen Victoria herself bowed as the U.S. flag entered the arena.

It’s a story few know today, but one that reveals how culture and spectacle can bridge nations.

Inside the box, I’d include:
A leather replica of the 1887 poster
A handcrafted belt buckle or hat emblem
A keepsake card retelling the story — “when spectacle and diplomacy rode together”

Buffalo Bill understood that showmanship could move audiences and shape perception. At Grand Unveiling, I take a similar approach — curating gifts that go beyond the object, transforming them into stories that inspire connection and meaning.

Because the best gifts don’t just mark an occasion — they bring history alive, rekindle connection, and honor the stories that shape us.

#GrandUnveilingGifts #TheArtOfGifting #CuratedWithMeaning #GiftsThatTellAStory #LuxuryLifestyle #CelebrationInStyle #MilestoneMoments #LuxuryGifts #ThoughtfulGifting #GiftInspiration #CuratedLiving #ObjectsWithStories #EveryStoryMatters #CulturalLegacy #HistoryReimagined #StoryCollectors #WeddingPlannersLife #LuxuryWeddings #EventPlannersOfInstagram #LuxuryEventDesign #GiftingIdeas #UnexpectedLuxury #ExtraordinaryEveryday #LifeInDetails #BehindTheGift #ElevatedLiving #StyleCurator

What might someone gift the king? Whenever a State Visit is in the news, I find myself imagining what kind of gift could rise to such an occasion — not just an object, but a collection of stories.

My idea? A series of story boxes — each capturing a chapter in the shared history between the U.S. and the UK since American independence.

From the Treaty of Paris (1784) to John Adams’ first mission (1785) … the Monroe Doctrine (1826) … Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show in 1887 … and even Queen Elizabeth II’s bicentennial visit in 1976 — each box would hold a piece of history, a reminder of how shared stories carry across generations.

Together, the boxes become more than keepsakes. They form an arc of history — proof that across wars, alliances, and cultural exchange, our nations have carried one another forward.

Because the most meaningful gifts don’t just commemorate a moment — they tell the story of a journey shared.

When you open a gift like this, you’re not just unwrapping objects — you’re unwrapping history.

#GrandUnveilingGifts #GiftsThatTellAStory #EveryStoryMatters #CuratedWithMeaning #ExtraordinaryJourneys #LuxuryGifting #StoryThroughObjects #MeaningfulConnections #ElevatedLiving #ArtOfTheGift

When the Ordinary Becomes Extraordinary

In Vietnamese folklore, the carp swims upstream, leaping through the Dragon Gate to transform into a dragon. A timeless reminder: perseverance and vision turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.

At Grand Unveiling, I bring that same spirit into gifting:

• For him: a hand-carved keepsake box with a carp pen inside, marking milestones and triumphs.

• For her: a golden pendant, capturing the carp’s metamorphosis into a dragon, symbolizing resilience and transformation.

• For a graduate or young adult: a notebook etched with the dragon motif, paired with the carp pen — an invitation to write their own extraordinary journey.

This is the art of gifting: storytelling that elevates life’s moments into legacies.

The Ordinary Which Became Extrodinary

Sep 11

Today in Hanoi, I came across this temple relief of a carp transforming into a dragon — a Vietnamese legend symbolizing perseverance, effort, and transformation.

The story speaks to me deeply. Just as the carp becomes a dragon through determination, my work at Grand Unveiling is about transforming the ordinary gesture of gifting into something extraordinary — a story, a connection, a moment that endures.

#GrandUnveilingGifts #StoriesAcrossBorders #FromOrdinaryToExtraordinary #VietnamTales #CarpToDragon #HeritageCraft #GiftedWithMeaning #LuxuryGiftDesign #ArtOfGifting #TravelInspired

Big news… our new logo is here!

Sep 7

✨ I am SO thrilled to finally share the new logo for Grand Unveiling! ✨

As I contemplated sharing my passion for gifting on a wider scale, I stumbled upon a story about Cleopatra that has long captivated me. Legend tells of her ingenious plan to both present herself and offer a gift to Caesar: rolled into a carpet that was delivered to his quarters. When the carpet unfurled, the Egyptian queen emerged — a grand surprise that sparked both a personal and diplomatic relationship.

That iconic act of surprise and connection is the very namesake of Grand Unveilings.

Our new logo carries this layered meaning: a partially rolled rug, revealing an Egyptian-inspired motif of royalty. At its center stands the vulture, symbol of Cleopatra, embodying power and protection. Woven into the design, “GU” appears as if painted with a reed brush — intentionally imperfect, reflecting the artistry and humanity behind every gift I curate.

This is more than a logo. It’s a story of unveiling, of connection, and of gifts that shape relationships.