Monthly Archives: January 2013

(Hair) Model for a Day

31 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by in Everyday Joie, Hair Game

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A couple weeks ago I saw an article on Austin Beauty Guide that national hair product company Bumble and bumble would be flying instructors from NYC to hold workshops here in Austin at a local salon.  They were holding an open-call for hair “models” — those selected would receive a free consultation, professional blow-out, and two full-sized Bumble and bumble products to take home.  I’m always down for a free blow-out (and most anything free, for that matter), so I applied & was accepted!  Admittedly, in the days leading up to the event, my husband and I had some fun playing around with the new “hair model” title I’d earned, sarcastically mentioning my upcoming “modeling gig” and sharing a giggle.  It was quite cheeky to think I could add anything with “model” in the title to my bio.  😉

The event was on Monday at L7 Salon and it was a unique experience I’d LOVE to do again.  “Round brush blow-day set” was the official name of the class, I think, and introduced a twist on your typical blow-out by combining the use of a round brush to blow-dry sections of hair with the stay-all-week curls achieved in a classic wash-n-set.  The result was fabulous, but I’ll let the before & afters speak for themselves:

BEFORE:Image

–As I’ve previously shared here on this blog, I have a thick mane that I mostly end up taming down into a bun or braid for everyday.  Washed the night before, this is my no-product, unstyled hair, as seen just after being taken out of the loose side braid I walked in with.

Participating the event as a whole was something fun & different to do…  It was cool to observe the teaching process:  the instructor reminding the stylists of what they previously learned in the slide show, the group collectively prescribing which products would work best on this girl’s hair vs. that girl’s hair, etc.  My stylist –a super fun chick who drove in for the workshop from San Antiono– began by picking my potion:  gentle shampoo, super rich conditioner, a foundation of Bumble and bumble’s tonic lotion and styled with thickening hairspray just on the sections at the very top of my head.  Once the individual sections were blow-dried, they rolled my hair to cool and set.  However, no rollers were used:Image

Once the pin curls were shot with a blast of cool air from the blow dryer, it was time to take ’em out.  In my opinion, the genius of this blow-out process is that once the curls were all taken down, the stylist only had to use a few swipes of a natural bristle brush to obtain the look we were going for:Image

I adored the big loose curls — a very Victoria’s Secret look, if I do say so myself.  After finishing with a little “does it all” styling stray, here’s the AFTER shot:Image

Fabulous, right?  It was a super-fun morning and I walked outta there feeling gorgeous.  Top top it off, it was all FREE.  Plus, since I referred two models for the other workshop later that day, I got extra products in my goodie bag.  Look at all this loot!Image

I can’t wait to try them all!  Anyone who knows me is well aware that I’m all about spreading the word about great opportunities.  SO…the Model Coordinator I work with is actually looking for candidates at upcoming classes, with the first available appointment in Austin on March 4th at 11:45 a.m. or 2:45 p.m.  If you’re not free then, no worries, because they will have about a class a month — it’s worth reaching out, even simply to get in her rolodex, trust me!  They also do workshops in Houston, too.  She told me that ideal hair is between shoulder blade to mid-back (think bra clasp length) and not too thick/not too thin (basically hair that can easily be styled into a straight or wavy style).  If YOU are interested in being a hair model for an upcoming Bumble and bumble workshop, here’s how:  email Roxy at  AustinModels@BeCreativeHouse.com with a picture of your natural hair and be sure to mention moi.  Mentioning my name is important because a.) it helps them spread the word out to new models by working off our referrals and b.) you get rewarded with free product for each friend you refer, what what!!!

Hawaii Highlight: Hanauma Bay

29 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by in Travel

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As I was editing our photos from our trip to Hawaii last week, I was particularly inspired by our shots from Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve.  It was not the quality or artistry of our photography, but looking at those snapshots brought me right back to the experience of being surprised & delighted by this natural gem in O’ahu.Image

So, Hanauma Bay:  If you are ever visiting Honolulu (even for a night before hopping on to another island) — Go!  Please.  In fact, I wish I would’ve planned an entire day around this place.  Rather, visiting was more of an afterthought:  “Oh yeah, someone told me to go to Hanauma Bay, something about good snorkeling?  Let’s try to swing by before lunch.”  So we jumped in the car, trying to squeeze a field trip in before hotel checkout.  We had a mere hour there on the day we were leaving the island altogether — not. enough. time.  Ah, at least I’m glad to have seen it.

First, parking is an issue.  Deliberate, I believe, on the part of local governing authorities, in order to limit the amount of visitors impacting this protected marine ecosystem.  The park opens at 6 a.m. and their lot fills up fast…once it’s full, there’s really no other options.  When our car was turned away at 10 a.m., we continued our drive along the main coastal road to stop at the various scenic lookout points.  Actually, my second cousin who has lived on Oahu for years recommended we take this drive, raving about the breathtaking vistas along Kalaniana’ole Highway, Route 72.  Excellent diversion — she was right!Image

We made stops at Halona Blowhole, Eternity Beach Cove, and Makapu’u Lookout before heading back to Hanauma Bay.  All beautiful and worth stopping at, even for two minutes to get out & take in the scenery.  Luckily, our second try around Noon got us in…folks left for lunch, I guess?  –There’s no food sold down by the bay, only at the gift shop area at the top of the hill.  In typical state park fashion, parking is cheap at one measly dollar.  (Admission to the beach area is $7.50 per adult.)

One thing they make you do before going in is watch their safety video.  We were annoyed at this notion, given our time crunch, and tried to skip it.  Don’t do this.  They will catch you.  And don’t think saying you saw the video on your last trip there will get you out of it…they keep a list of names.  They are very proud of their facilities (rightfully so) and want you to pay heed by watching their program as an entrance prerequisite.  I was very glad, in the end, to have seen the video because it’s a valuable overview of the reef’s inhabitants.  Later, I would be mentally checking off fish shown in the video with fish I was seeing firsthand.

OK, so you manage to nab a parking spot, pay admission, get past the educational film, walk down the big hill and YOU’RE THERE!  Not excited yet?  Neither was I.  It’s a pretty cove, but not the prettiest I’ve seen.  There’s a nice sandy beach, too, but the sand’s not the whitest you’ll find on the many local beaches at your disposal.  And as for the small circular stretch of beach that it is, it feels almost as crowded as Waikiki.  –Not the same vibe as Waikiki, though, and that helps, for sure.  Plus, what you learn to be actual living reef just looks like plain ol’ rocks from far away.  Or seaweed mush.  For a first-time snorkeler who doesn’t know what they’re looking at, it’s nice…but not hugely appetizing.Image

Plus, just as we were in line to pay the entrance fee, the skies suddenly turned grey and it began to sprinkle on us…and the little raindrops were quite chilly.  😦

We brought our own snorkel gear (all packed into my ONE carry-on bag, thankyouverymuch!) so we didn’t need to rent any.  But, that’s all ready & available for ya down at the beach if needed.  I’d recommend renting…looking back, I don’t know HOW I got six days worth of clothes plus two sets of snorkel gear into my single carry-on luggage?!?  –Guess I’m becoming quite the efficient packer!  Holla.

So, it’s raining-ish and the seawater feels cold (always does, at first, right?) and it’s still cloudy and I’m barely inching my body into the water when I spot the first one…

–a spritely little Convict Tang is inches from my shin!  I spin around in reaction to my husband (unwilling to get in the water) gasping & pointing, “There’s one!  They’re right here at your feet!!!”  Herein lies the beauty of Hanauma Bay:  you do not have to pay an arm & a leg for some ‘snorkeling excursion,’ take a boat off to some far off location, get seasick & worry about reef sharks; the huge variety of wonderous colorful tropical fish of Hanauma Bay are EVERYWHERE, swimming up to you even in knee-deep water.  Image

It’s simply amazing.  Aside from the previously mentioned Convict Tang (name’s appropriate — they are white with vertical black stripes, resembling being behind bars), here’s a short list of the fish I particularly remember interacting with:  Achilles Tang, Surgeonfish, Butterfly Fish, Sea Urchins and the Hawaiian State Fish:  the Humuhumu-nukunuku-apua´a, or the Reef Triggerfish.  Here’s a link to Hanauma Bay’s official Fish I.D. Card.  Might I point out, that this was my very first salt water snorkel experience…part of my amazement is likely due to the shock & awe of the much-loved hobby of snorkeling, period.  But, I’m convinced that this is still a very special place, indeed.  Image

It was just my husband and me, but I feel like this would be the perfect family destination…a place in which everyone from little kids to grandparents could enjoy.  There are lifeguards and a nice palm tree-shaded beach for sunbathers.  Oh, speaking of sun:  once I saw that first fish skim past my shins, I was all in!  That little sight of undersea wonder was all the motivation my pussyfootin’ butt needed to dive right on in.  The ocean was warmer than standing around in the rain, anyway.  Even so, the sun came back out in full glory within maybe ten minutes.  The fish were so plentiful, curious, hungry and all-up-in-yo-face.  I was taken aback at how close they would swim up to me.  I just loved it and didn’t want to leave…not Hanauma Bay, not Oahu later that evening.  I’m very glad to be nestled back home in my beloved Austin, Texas now, but I tell ya:  this natural wonder was such a treasure.  Hamuama Bay was the best part of my first-ever trip to Hawaii.

Kate’s Honolulu

17 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by in Travel

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In preparation for my very first trip to Hawaii, I reached out to an old friend who recently returned from her own O’ahu vacay.  I was so impressed with her pictures & all that they managed to do & see in just a week — I could tell her trip was quite the well-planned getaway.  I shouldn’t be surprised…Kate’s a well-seasoned traveler, both for business and pleasure.  We initially met while working at a PR firm in Chicago, where it was basically our job to fly all around the country spreading the word about our client’s latest campaign.  The experience turned our team –all bachelorettes fresh out of college & navigating our way into adulthood with big girl jobs in the city– into legit business travelers. Now, she’s married & the head of the PR division at a huge well-known company, she’s (of course) provided me with the most comprehensive & candid travel advisory.

My husband and I are set to spend a week in Honolulu and our list of possible to-dos has covered the spectrum of everything from hang-gliding to whale-watching.  I was getting a bit overwhelmed with all the possibilities a Hawaiian vacation has to offer  –I mean, princess problems, right?  Anyway, her thoughts on Honolulu were such a huge resource for me, that I just HAD to put them out there for any future island-hoppers who might come across this lil’ blog in planning their own vacation.  Enjoy!

The Island
*       The island is a metropolis, it’s the only island with a skyline and is quite bustling. You’ll see just about everything in both English and Japanese.Image

*       We did just fine without a rental car, but you might want to consider having one if you want to do some excursions to remote beaches on your own.
*       There is a trolley that runs along the Waikiki strip and we never had an issue finding a cab.
*       If you have the chance to island hop to another island, even only for a day, I highly recommend Maui. We spent the last half of our trip there and wish we had spent more time on Maui – it’s absolutely breathtaking. Quite possibly the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen.

Beaches
*       Waikiki Beach is extremely crowded. You may want to consider exploring less populated beaches like the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve (said to have excellent snorkeling).
*       The North Shore is a really cool spot to visit, but you likely won’t be able to swim there. The day we went, we saw waves hitting 20+ feet. It’s now entering surf season and really only pro surfers should attempt those waters, could be quite dangerous. Regardless, seeing waves that huge is totally cool. Fun fact: Jack Johnson is from the North Shore.
*       Whale season should be in full swing by now, they were expecting some 50,000 whales to be entering the Hawaiian beaches. If you have the opportunity to do whale watching, you totally should. We just missed the whales by a few weeks and were totally bummed. By now parasailing should have shut down completely, they’re not allowed to operate when the whales are in.

To Do
*       We did an all-day excursion through Discover Hawaii Tours. I would definitely do it again, but perhaps skip the Polynesian Cultural Center. It included the following for about $120/person (Tour code 11A):
o       Pearl Harbor. This is hands down a must-see and do. The trick is that you want to go very early, right when they open. If you go, be sure to check out the short film that is shown, as well as the museum. The tour we did took a boat out to the USS Arizona War Memorial, completely sobering.Image

o       The Dole Plantation. This place is a tourist-haven but was actually really fun. There are beautiful grounds where you can see all the varietals of pineapples grown, a huge shop and a little restaurant. If you go, you have to try the Dole Whip, topped with chocolate. It’s heavenly. Also, there is an amazing little farm stand situated just outside the plantation, on the grounds, that sells leis the most gorgeous flower leis for under $10. If you spritz your lei with water, it will last several days.Image

o       The Polynesian Cultural Center. Set on probably 20+ acres of land, the center is all outdoors and has little villages inside it that share the history of the indigenous cultures that influenced the development of Hawaii. Our tour package included an authentic Hawaiian-style lunch, it was a buffet (unfortunately, I give the food a C+ at best). Image
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o       Our tour guide also took us on a few detours at the end, showing us the site of a few movies that were filmed there (Jurassic Park, Lost, etc.) as well as a Chinese Buddhist Temple that is a replica of a historic monument in Asia.  He also drove us by the hospital where President Obama was born (not to be confused with Kenya).

*       My husband decided he wanted to scuba dive in Honolulu, even though he is not certified. If either of you have interest in this, there is a place called AquaZone that operates out of the Waikiki Beach Marriott. With only taking a 15 minute pool-side course and then 20 minutes practicing in the pool, he was able to go out on two dives. Since I didn’t want to scuba, I was able to accompany the small group to snorkel at a minimal fee. For me personally, this was fantastic because although water was deep (not ideal for snorkel), we bumped into a family of endangered sea turtles (the huge ones, 100+ pounds). I got to swim with them for about 30 minutes – and it was almost religious it was so cool. My husband really enjoyed the dives as well (about $200 for the day).

*       Shopping! The Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center on Kalakaua is basically the Rodeo Drive of Honolulu – fabulous shops, including Tory Burch, a favorite of mine.
*       Spa! We went to the Mandara Spa in the Kalia Tower in Hilton Hawaiian Village since that’s where we were staying – absolutely wonderful.
*       Diamond Head. There is a really cool, short hike you can do up to the top of Diamond Head that has really awesome views of the island. Its under two miles both ways and I would recommend going early in the morning before it gets hot.
*       Hilton Hawaiian Village sets off fireworks every Friday night around 8pm – fun place to stop by for a drink and watch.

To Eat
*       Alan Wong’s — amazing! Make reservations.
*       SHOR American Seafood Grill at Hyatt Waikiki – request a seat on the open terrace – lovely. Also, make reservations.
*       Waikiki Beach Marriott poolside bar and grill was fantastic for lunch (Moana Terrace) – and you can stay and use the pool which is nice as well.
*       Other than that, we had a kitchen and cooked a lot to save money. There are tons of great Japanese and sushi restaurants you can explore as well.
*       You also can never go wrong with stopping into one of the many 5 star hotels in Waikiki for dinner or a drink (Trump, Halekulani, Kahala, etc.)

I hope this is helpful! We really enjoyed our time in Hawaii and are already trying to figure out when we can go back.

~KateImage

New year, new digs

01 Tuesday Jan 2013

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Happy New Year’s Eve, people!  What. a. year.  We moved to –and fell in love with– Austin, my husband graduated with his MBA from UNC, we traveled to India (and Ryan to Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, & Guam), my Grandmother Bowers passed away, my Dad was diagnosed with cancer, and we learned we are becoming Aunt & Uncle to a little niece in March.  A year full of ups and downs making up the colorful canvas of life.  But, this post is about home, and moving, and change, and simply loving where you live.  Moving to Austin has been such a welcome change for us.  One of the things that’s made our move to Texas so splendid is where we live.  Upon moving from Missouri to Texas, we learned from previous real estate investment missteps to rent awhile before buying.  We decided to spend a year figuring out which neighborhoods fit our lifestyle, where we most like to hang out, and where we won’t have to spend our lives sitting in Austin traffic.  We were about to throw our hands up in disgust at the rental market when we talked our way into the leasing agent staying late and showing us the property at Gables Park Plaza.  This place has been perfect for our transition:  fun social events for residents, a sweet & oh-so-pretty concierge, and perfectly located on the southern edge of downtown –walking distance to West 6th St. bars, Whole Foods Market, and steps from the Lady Bird Lake Hike & Bike Trail.  The building amenities are fab, too:  a gym with a spectacular view of the lake, rooftop pool & grilling area, and a nice lounge with free coffee (you can bet my sleepybutt takes advantage of that one in the mornings!)  Most of all, we had the best little unit we could ask for:

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5th floor, 1200+ sq. ft., plus an outdoor living area with a lovely view of the water.  Lots of coffee was consumed watching the morning runners, rowers, & SUP’ers glide by, not to mention glasses of wine enjoyed in the evening, soaking in colorful Texas sunsets.  Here’s a quick snapshot I took of while sitting outside enjoying one such sunset:

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Well, as the year passed and mortgage rates continued to stay jaw-droppingly low, we casually began to revisit the options for home ownership again.  After about three months combing through what felt like every corner of South Austin, we finally found it:  a new construction townhome, good value at price per sq. ft., quality upgrades included at no additional cost, fun location in 78704’s SoLa, etc.  Well, just in time for the holidays, we received an email from our builder informing us that, due to lack of labor supply, closing would be pushed back from Feb. 15th to June 19th.  Delayed by FOUR months?!?  OMG.  We acted fast, scrambling to renew the contract on our current place –which we had previously opted-out of– only to find out that it had already been pre-leased.  Not surprised…it IS a great unit and we were sad to say goodbye to those sunset views over the lake.  Kinda bummed no longer have the flex space in my living room for a “reading nook,” too:

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The dread and frustration of knowing we would have to move out but not in to our new home was slightly alleviated by finding another unit in our building (well, nabbing the only thing available).  The move was relatively seamless & simple, stress-free as moving can get…it is still moving, after all.  But our new place is down on the ground level, with a back door leading out to the central courtyard, which is spotted by trees, little tables & chairs, and doggies saying hello.  …and little poops.  I swear, we are a dog-friendly building and I take pride in that but I’ll quickly become the poop police if I catch owner’s not picking up after their pooches.  We went down by 500 sq. ft. so it’s tight, but I suppose we can handle it for six months.  We love living here in this building so it’s all good.  The husband’s happy, too — the downsize means he’s spending less in rent for a few months.  And, change is good, especially at the new year.  That’s not to say it’s been an easy holiday season…moving three days before Christmas, hosting one family and flying to see another.  It’s left me sleepy, a little glad to have gotten past the holidays, and SO ready for the new year & all 2013 will bring.  Cheers!!!

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