Dalila Rodriguez

twenty-seven. chef @ cantina mariposa. downtown. fallbrook native.

[dalilaxrodriguezz]

DALILA RODRIGUEZ ; THE INTRO

FULL NAME: Dalila Rose Rodriguez 

MEANING: Hannah is Spanish and means delicate

NICKNAME(S): N/A

BIRTH DATE: June 1, 1994

AGE: 27

ZODIAC: Gemini 

GENDER: Female

PRONOUNS: She/Her

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Bisexual

CURRENT LOCATION: Downtown

LIVING CONDITIONS: three bedroom, one bathroom apartment on the third floor with a balcony with TBD & TBD

BACKGROUND

BIRTH PLACE: Fallbrook, North Carolina 

HOMETOWN: Fallbrook, North Carolina 

SOCIAL CLASS: Middle

EDUCATION LEVEL: Culinary Arts Diploma 

FATHER: Luis Rodriguez 

MOTHER: Mariposa Rodriguez 

SIBLING(S): older sibling one, older sibling two, older sibling three ( wanted connections )

BIRTH ORDER: youngest of four 

CHILDREN: None

PET(S): none

CURRENT RELATIONSHIP:  Single

PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIPS: Damien Bailey ; ex-boyfriend, Wesley Barnes ; ex-high school hook up

OCCUPATION & INCOME

PRIMARY SOURCE OF INCOME: Chef at Cantina Mariposa  

CONTENT WITH THEIR JOB (OR LACK THERE OF)?: Yes

SPENDING HABITS: She spends a lot of time at the restaurant still, so she doesn’t spend a lot of money but when she does, it is rarely on herself. 

SKILLS & ABILITIES

PHYSICAL STRENGTH: Average

INTELLIGENCE: Average

AGILITY: Average

STAMINA: Average

TEAMWORK: works well with others but has found leadership more rewarding 

LANGUAGE(S) SPOKEN: English, Spanish

DRIVE?: Yes

JUMP-STAR A CAR?: No

CHANGE A FLAT TIRE?: Yes

RIDE A BICYCLE?: Yes

SWIM?: Yes

PLAY AN INSTRUMENT?: No

PLAY CHESS?: No

BRAID HAIR?: Yes

TIE A TIE?: No

PICK A LOCK?: No

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE & CHARACTERISTICS

FACE CLAIM: Jeanine Mason

EYE COLOR: Brown

HAIR COLOR: Brunette

HAIR TYPE/STYLE: Long, straight

GLASSES/CONTACTS?: neither contacts or glasses 

DOMINANT HAND: Right

HEIGHT: 5′4″

WEIGHT: 120 pounds

BUILD: Average

EXERCISE HABITS: her exercise is pacing around the kitchen at work. she is always on the move.

TATTOOS: TBD

PIERCINGS: Ears

MARKS/SCARS: grease burn on her left wrist

PSYCHOLOGY

TEMPERAMENT: Sanguine 

PHOBIA(S): fears forgetting her mother 

DRUG USE: No

ALCOHOL USE: does her fair share of drinking when she finds the time.

PRONE TO VIOLENCE?: No

MANNERISMS

HOBBIES: cooking, mostly just cooking, yoga, roller skating 

NERVOUS TICKS: typically paces 

DRIVES/MOTIVATIONS: keeping her memory of her mother alive

FEARS: not living up to her mother’s memory 

POSITIVE TRAITS: enthusiastic, idealistic, trusting

NEGATIVE TRAITS: predictable, solitary, desperate 

DO THEY CURSE OFTEN?: Often enoguh 

FAVORITES

ACTIVITY: Cooking for others, cook-offs, hot yoga classes, tanning 

ANIMAL: Dogs

BEVERAGE: White wine 

COLOR: Orange 

FOOD: cuban rice with chicken ( her mother’s recipe )

FLOWER: Daisies 

HOLIDAY: Halloween

SCENERY: Oceanview 

SPORT: Volleyball

WEATHER: Sweater weather 

CONDENSED BIO

tw: car accident, depression, memory loss 

Born and raised in Fallbrook, North Carolina. She is the youngest of four, leaving her with three older siblings ( all wanted connections ). They were a very family oriented family. Traditions were very important to them, even as simple as movie nights together. 

Their grandparents lived a few doors down and it made it easy to stay close with them. They always had large family dinners together on the weekends to spend time with each other. It was always loud and full of laughter. And there was so much food. 

Dalila participated in a lot of sports and volleyball was one that she got really into her high school years. She was a freshman on the varsity team, giving her an old age rivalry with Isla Ricci and not to mention, she was sleeping with Wesley Barnes prior to dating Damien Bailey. She was just naturally good at volleyball but never wanted to go anywhere with it. 

What was most important to her was her roller skating traditions with her father. It was simple, it was non-competitive and Dalila loved spending time with him as the youngest of four. She wasn’t as close with her mother, something she would regret later on in life. 

At fifteen years old, Dalila lost her mother in a car accident. Her father fell into a pit of depression and not even Dalila could pull him out of it. This put a strain on the family, pushing them all apart when they should have been pulling together. Dalila would resent her family because of this. 

When her friends went away for college, Dalila stayed behind. She planned to open a restaurant in her mother’s honor. She went away to culinary school, fall surpassing many of the students there with her many years of cooking with her family. When she was 22, Dalila opened a restaurant with the help of her father. 

It took about a year, the restaurant almost failing on numerous occasions for Dalila to get her bearings straight. She hadn’t exactly realized what all went into running a successful business but over the last few years, she has learned. 

Cantina Mariposa was something she did in her mother’s honor. She regretted not being closer to her and so Dalila found this to be the way to honor her the most since they didn’t have the best relationship. Dalila, however, pours all of herself into the restaurant. She adores her employees, goes above and beyond for them and is there more than most people. 

This has put a strain on relationships and even friendships during her time in Fallbrook but she fears that if she stops working so hard, she will not longer honor her mother. And that scares the living daylights out of her. 

Since Damien Bailey’s return, the two have been trying to rekindle their relationship from high school until an accident renders him unable to remember the last year of his life. In addition to running a business and trying to keep relationships a float, Dalila isn’t sure how to keep pushing through when life keeps throwing curve balls at her and most importantly, to the people she loves. 

[dalilaxrodriguezz]

lennoxnovack​:

x

“I can imagine. I would snack all the time.” She smirked, remembering when she did just that when she worked at Coyote Ugly. That and drank. Lennox laughed a little before nodding. “Oh, yeah. I’ve done that, actually. I gave someone their girlfriend’s name at the time and then they broke up the next week.”  She shook her head. She smiled as she listened to her talk about what she did with her mom and her mom’s favorite things. “I’m sorry you lost her. What did you like most that she cooked? Or that you helped her cook?” She asked curiously, the ideas starting to flow.

“It’s definitely hard not to,” Dalila had a habit of stealing bites here and there, especially when taste testing her food to make sure it had the appropriate amount of flavor. “Oh, no,” Dalila laughed, knowing that it wasn’t funny, because if that happened to her she would be been beyond furious about the situation at hand. “I think I would actually die if that happened to me,” though an exaggeration it felt like a truth as her laugh softened. “Thank you,” she smiled at the other. It had been nearly twenty years since the accident, but it still hurt her all the same. “Shockingly, a dessert. We made this dessert with guava in it. Gauva hulls is the more American name.” 

[dalilaxrodriguezz]

chelseamreynolds​:

-

“Yeah, pretty much. Or you can even spend time with someone a lot, and not even truly see them.” Did anyone in her life truly see her? There was so much missing from what she allowed people to see of her. The only person who she felt really saw her was Jay. Chelsea chewed the inside of her lip for a moment, not prepared to indulge in their shared loss of their mothers. It wasn’t something she tended to talk about much. “Yeah, I know what you mean. Things change, and shift, but we still keep living.”

Dalila nodded her head to Chelsea’s words. She wondered if her friend felt that way about her. Whether if she thought Dalila saw her for who she truly was or if she saw Dalila for who she really was. “We do,” she nodded her head again, “just know you always have me,” she told Chelseas with small smile on her lips, “don’t you ever forget that, okay?”

[dalilaxrodriguezz]

matthewrutherfurd​:

There weren’t a lot of people Matthew could be vulnerable around besides Arielle. His mother had instilled carrying a mask and concealing over showing any bit of mess that were his feelings. With Teodora he was able to be more himself and Dalila too, his friendship with her was one he thought on more time than he could count when he was away. When he smiled towards her he felt understood and that made coming back feel less polarizing. “I’m not sure…I don’t want to push too hard but I honestly don’t know where we stand.” He thought to the two interactions they’ve had since how completely opposite they both were. “Really, you do?!” he teased bringing hands to playfully clutch at his chest. “I love you too Dee, and I don’t ever plan on doing that or anything to incur your anger!” he promised as they neared the diner.

Dalila nodded her head. “I get it,” and she did. Though, not quite in a similar situation, Dalila was no stranger to not knowing where she stood with someone. Since the accident, her entire relationship with Damien had been put on hold, not that it had been a relationship since his return but there was a rekindling that Dalila had been looking forward to continuing. Instead, the brunette pushed her feelings aside as best as she could to allow for him to heal, to be there for him in any way possible. She rolled her eyes at his theatrics, fighting the urge to thump him across his chest with the back of her hand. “You best not,” she smiled at him, though there was a seriousness to her words. “So, you have lots to catch me up on. Did you go to the Cherry Blossom Festival? Did you sign up for the Easter Egg Auction?” She rattled off a couple questions right off the bat.

[dalilaxrodriguezz]

lennoxnovack​:

x

“That is true.” she said with a laugh before listening to what the other did for a living and nodded. “God, I know. I was the same way when I worked for Coyote Ugly. It was hard during slow times that I just wanted to snack on all the food.” She laughed softly before she reached into her bag and got out her sketch book. “That is sweet.” She said and moved her bracelet to show her tattoo of her friend’s name. “This is what I did to remember my friend that died. But I get not everyone wants a name on them.” She smiled and got a pen out. “So what kind of things would you like represented?”

“It’s hard not to snack on all the food when it’s good,” she laughed with Lennox. It was a miracle Dalila had been able to manage her impulses around food when she was cooking, though she always stole bites here and there. “Thank you,” she smiled smally as the woman moved her bracelet to show Dalila her tattoo. “Since it’s my mom, a name wouldn’t be the worst thing. I have heard the horror stories of getting a boyfriend or girlfriend’s name tattooed only to break up later. Now that was a risk that Dalila wasn’t willing to take. “We both were very into cooking, she’s how I got started. And honestly, how my family survived after she passed,” Dalila admitted to her with a laugh, “my papá, is not a bad cook but he certainly isn’t the best. Not like she was.” Dalila continued on with a smile as she thought of her mother, “Yeah, cooking was absolutely our favorite thing to do together. Her favorite flowers were tulips too. They didn’t bloom for long in the spring but oh, did she love them.”

[dalilaxrodriguezz]

penelopereyes​:

~

The question caused Penelope to turn around to catch sight of Dalila and grinned. “Depends, do you need a tutorial?” her voice carrying the same friendly challenge. She knew getting cocky wouldn’t end well for her and she should quit while she was ahead. Though the drink she had earlier and the pure fun she was getting out of today didn’t allow Penny to reign herself in like usual. She waved Dalila to join her the game having enough space for two people to play at a time. “Let’s see those chef hands and what they can do!”

Dalila let out a laugh, shaking her head. “This time, I don’t think I do.” She had been keeping a close enough eye on the other, figuring the game was easy. Though, if she knew anything about vendor games, it wasn’t as easy as it looked. “Let’s see if they are any good at more than just cooking,” she laughed, stepping up next to Penelope with a smile on her lips. “I promise that I won’t be a sore loser,” she teased, “well, okay, maybe not promise, but I will do my best.” 

[dalilaxrodriguezz]

penelopereyes​:

open starter 🌸 @fallbrookstarters​ 

Penelope had returned to the cola toss for the fourth time that day, this time more determined to leave with a prize. The attendant gave her a knowing smile as she slid some bills across and was handed the rings in turn. Penny had always been competitive, though when she was younger the need to be in the background weighed all else. Now though she didn’t even pay attention to people passing by or the others behind her in line. Instead her focus was on trying not to think too much about it. A flick of the wrist landed her first ring, then the second, and finally with a small exhale the third one. Excitedly she shimmied in spot before pointing to the prize she’d won, “And that’s how it’s done!” she laughed.

Dalila had finished up with a shift at Cantina Mariposa, having practically been kicked out of the food truck, she found herself wandering aimlessly. The final destination in which she would arrive was unknown to her. She wandered through the vendors, her attention being gathered by a patron at the cola toss game. She watched as the other flicked her wrist, landing all three rings. Dalila had moved in, captivated by the competitiveness she felt radiating from her. She knew that feeling all too well, having grown up competitive herself. “You think you can do that again?” Dalila’s tone had a bit of a challenge to it as she smiled at the other. 

[dalilaxrodriguezz]

damienbailey​:

special delivery - @dalilaxrodriguez​

There was pacing involved, the second he walked into the festival his eyes found her. He didn’t want to seem like he was desperate to see her even though he had been. Of course, his memory still hadn’t returned but he could remember the feelings he had for her in high school. He would have done anything to be with her and when they broke up, going their own ways. It was one of the hardest things he had ever done. He walked in the direction of her stand but stopped when he noticed one of the paramedics talking to her and she was laughing. Her hand reached out, touching his arm and he knew that touch. He straightened his posture and a different expression came across his features. He almost turned away but she called his name. Busted. He cleared his throat lowly before walking over to the stand, closing the distance. “Dalila,” he nodded his head as the guy extended his hand and introduced himself as Tobias. “Ah… Hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

Dalila had been standing with Tobias at the Cherry Blossom Festival. They hadn’t come together, but running into him, it was easy enough to fall into natural conversation. He made a joke, she laughed, reaching out to touch his arm. They had rolled around in the sheets a few time, but Dalila knew it wasn’t serious, not for either of them. Her heart still belonged to Damien. Her eyes caught the sight of him as she talked to Tobias, pausing their conversation to call out to him. “Damien!” She called his name, lifting her hand in a wave to motion for him to join. Dalila watched as the men introduced themselves to each other, her eyes darting between the two of them. “Not at all,” Dalila smiled at Damien, finding herself unable to draw her eyes away from him now that he was here. “I was just on my way to grab a bite to eat, if you want to come?” She asked Damien, “Tobias is off to relieve one of the emergency shift workers.” 

[teodoraxperez]

dalilaxrodriguez​:

“Consider me in.” Dalila smiled at the other, not missing a beat. A girls day was just what the brunette needed, if she was being honest with herself. “I think we do,” it had to be true, she couldn’t think of any other logical reasoning. “Can you imagine? The only perk of breaking something might be getting one of those hot doctors at the hospital. That might not be so bad but the rest of it? Absolutely bad.” She laughed, shaking her head. 

x

“Good. I think we can use this.” She said and laughed as she continued to struggle to keep standing. “True. Maybe we could break something.” She teased and shook her head. “Okay. Let’s try this again and see if we can’t get our groove back.” Teodora said before trying to move again and falling again. “Shit!” She said and looked up at Dalila. “Or maybe we should go home.”

END

[dalilaxrodriguezz]

toviyahbernthal​:

…

Tobias let his eyes drop down towards her face as she rolled towards him. He leaned down to meet her, pressing his lips delicately against hers as he hummed. “Well, I have to ask what your signature breakfast dish since I have yet to taste anything you’ve made,” he teased as he shifted to stand up from the bed, grabbing his boxers and pulling them up as he turned his head to look back at her. “You got anywhere you have to be today?” Maybe he was looking for an excuse for another round or two.

“That’s such a shame, by the way,” she teased as their lips parted from one another. Dalila prided herself on her cooking, something she had learned from her mother growing up. “I can make just about anything you want,” she flicked her tongue against her lips, “but my favorite and most signature breakfast dish is classic pancakes sprinkled with chocolate chips. It’s my favorite,” not that she expected the man beside her to care, watching him as he slipped into his boxers “I don’t,” she shook her head to his question, pulling herself from the bed. Dalila slipped into her own underwear, snagging just her t-shirt to put on next. “shockingly they convinced me not to come into the restaurant today.”

[dalilaxrodriguezz]

starter for @willowcreed​ location: cherry blossom festival 

Dalila didn’t have a shift signed up until later in the day, after having spent the morning planting Cherry Blossom trees. Her commitment to volunteering was one that kept her busy but she always tried to make time for her friends, especially her closest ones. Dalila walked side by side with Willow, taking in everything that was happening around them. There was a happiness in the air that brought joy to the woman, though it made her miss her mother. Though she had lost her mother at ten, it was these moments that she saw herself as a young kid running through the crowd of people, laughing as her mother chased after her. The Cuban swear words ringing in her ears. “Did you sign up for the blind dates?” She questioned, taking her attention from the crowd of people.

[dalilaxrodriguezz]

starter for @celineedcz​ location: photobooth 

“Okay, these are absolutely going up at my office at work.” Dalila wasn’t often at her office, tending to the kitchen when she was working receipts for the evening, she liked to have something positive to look at. “I am obsessed with how cute these came out.” She handed a copy over to Celine, smiling brightly at her roommate. “Are you hungry? Or do you want a drink first?” She questioned the other on their next move.

[dalilaxrodriguezz]

starter for @mictyler​ location: cantina mariposa food truck 

Dalila had just finished up her shift at the food truck, tossing her apron off to the side as one of her most trusted employees took over for the next shift. Dalila wasn’t needed back until later in the evening when more festivities would be taking place. “Dom, hey,” she greeted him as she hopped off the step of the food truck and onto the ground before him. “it’s been a busy ass afternoon so I’m ready to have some fun. Where are we going first?” 

[dalilaxrodriguezz]

DALILA RODRIGUEZ || CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL OUTFIT

[dalilaxrodriguezz]

damienbailey​:

…

Damien raised his hand up towards his nose, brushing his fingers against it as he turned his head to look over at her. “Obviously it wasn’t enough.” He knew how negative that sounded. It had been getting harder and harder not to get frustrated at the fact nothing was bringing back his memories. All the doctors told him he had to be patient and give his head time to heal that maybe only maybe would all of it return. “Sorry,” he cleared his throat, putting down the pipping bag and raising his hand up to the side of his head, pushing his fingers against it. “Didn’t mean to bring down the mood plus… I have another headache.”

Dalila watched as he pushed his fingers against his head. “Oh, no,” she set aside her pipette, “I can let you rest.” She smiled at him, “I will clean up, put these in the fridge. No one said you can’t eat half frosted cookies.” She lightly teased, keeping her voice soft as she began to gather some of the supplies. “I did leave some extra food in the fridge, if you get hungry later.” Dalila told him, unable to help herself from making far too much food at the restaurant. She had already had an outrageous amount at the townhome she shared with Celine, so she figured she would leave more for Damien. Putting everything either in the fridge or her bag, she looked over at Damien with a small smile on her lips. “I, I had fun today,” she knew that their lives might not ever be the same and that was something she had to deal with. “Maybe I will see you at the Easter weekend festivities.” Dalila slung her bag over her shoulder, “Just call or text me if you need anything.”

END.

[dalilaxrodriguezz]

mictyler​:

 “Oh trust me, I know. Whenever I got you into trouble, I tended to avoid your house at all cost until I was sure she was over whatever mischief we got up to.” He chuckled a little to himself at the thought of their childhood memories. He had just nodded slightly at her following statement. A part of his was relived that despite his efforts to push her away, she still stood by his side. He hadn’t always been the best of guys, especially after his dad had passed, and maybe even a little before that, but he appreciated her more than she knew. “I guess that is good to know.” He said. “I appreciate it. Even if I like, don’t always show it or whatever.”

“Yeah, you did seem to disappear didn’t you?” Dalila stuck her tongue out at him. With being the youngest, the temper from her mother was lessened though it wasn’t nonexistent. It never seemed to fail that her friends were far from the wrath of the Mariposa when she let it loose. “I know,” she smiled at him, tipping her head to the side, “that’s what happens when we’ve been friends for as long as we have.” Dalila told Mic, “I just know that you appreciate having me around,” she teased him, “I mean, how could you not?”

[dalilaxrodriguezz]

islaricci​:

 Isla had just offered her a small smile, although it  didn’t really meet her eyes when Dalila had accepted the offer, and Isla had put down the bag of powder sugar next to her. “There you go.” She stated simply, before turning back to finish of the remainder of the cookie dough. “You are welcome.” She had added with a small nod, three words she had never thought she’d ever say to the other woman, but they had to make the most of the situation. They both wanted to win, after all. She began shaping the cookies and putting them down onto the tray next to herself before she walked over and popped them into the oven. “They will be ready in about 8 minutes.” She said. “Then we can put them in the freezer to cool them down before we paint them.”

Winning was what was important to Dalila in the moment. The brunette had always been known to be rather competitive. It had been something that stuck with her for as long as she could remember and even more so, Isla brought out an even deeper competitiveness in her. “Okay.” Dalila only spoke a single word to Isla’s, nodding her head once as she began to work. Eight minutes, it was a long time in a competition but it would go by quickly as she continued to whip up more of the frosting. She could only hope that that the cookies cooled as quickly as Isla said that they would. Her hands worked quickly, whipping and mixing up a variety of colors in the most fluffy frosting whip that she could manage. It wasn’t her strong suit, but she was doing her best. The timer for the cookies went off, Dalila not missing a beat as she brought the cookies to the table to start frosting them. “Here,” Dalila handed her a frosting bag with the tip correctly placed, “try not to make a mess. We only have five minutes before the judges decide.”