ATTRACT Magazine 2015

& more

GOLDEN GLOBE WINNER: GINA RODRIGUEZ

#Ask Morgan Morgan Stewart talkS relationships, sex and fashion

LADIES ROOM Sometimes the truth hurts

beauty | relationships | fitness | sex | fashion | business |

GINARODRIGUEZ JESSICABURCIAGA MEGANGOOD SHANNAMOAKLER

@contents

Ms. CEO - 5 Editor-in-Chief - 6 CAREER E m p o w e r m e n t- 8 Re s u m e - 9 B o s s y- 1 0 C r e d i t c h ec k - 1 2

G IR L S NI G HT I love him-15 B F F s - 5 fe m a l e f r i e n d s - 1 6 BODY Me t i m e - 1 8 Q u i c k & e a s y- 1 9 Ve g a n - 2 0

BEAUTY Day to n i g h t- 2 5 B e a u t y e d i t o r s c h o i ce - 2 7 F a l l be a u t y - 2 8 W i n t e r stat e m e n t- 3 0 F o r g e t Ab o u t Diamonds- 32 Jeannie-34 Natalie-36

4

Funk a relic-38 C A PARADIS E - 4 2 B r u n c h LA - 4 3

COVER Jessica-44 Me a g a n - 4 8 Shanna-52 Gina-56 HIS Beard gang-60 Good to the last drop-62 H C I C : H E A D C HI C IN C H A R G E Pau l M i tc h e l l- 6 4 C o n n ec t e n c o u r a g e - 6 6

F A SHI O N Chic-22 OOTN - 2 4

[ ATTRACT ]

G L O B TR O TT E RS

TH E L A DI E S R O O M S Ask Morgan-68 D r e a m v r e a l i t y- 7 1 Woman to woman-72 O p e r a t i o n Ne w L i fe - 7 4

www.attractmag.com

@ms.ceo

the birth of a dream: the vision of attract magazine: When I was a teenager growing up in Torrance, CA I was always fascinated with the publishing world. In college I majored in English, with the dream of someday becoming an Editor of a magazine. After graduating from the University of California Riverside I had my first job as a loan officer. It was a job, but definitely not fulfilling, so I sought out to find a career that made me happy and pursued my passion for the arts.

While searching for a career, I interviewed with a radio station and noticed a copy of Lowrider Magazine on the table. I picked it up and the interviewer told me that the magazine was a “men’s publication,” and that I wouldn’t be interested. Not only that, he suggested that I look at the more “girly” magazines on the table, for those would be of more interest to me.

Hearing those words, I immediately went home and applied for a position at Lowrider Magazine. After 5 years of being an editor at Lowrider Magazine I felt as though I wanted more, more in the sense of creating something of my own that inspired women and showed them how to not only look good but feel good inside.

With this in mind, being a native of Southern California we are a melting pot of many cultures, so I wanted to create a publication embracing women of different ethnic backgrounds as well as career paths. From the college student trying to find her way in society, the working women with a 9 to 5 trying to survive, to the celebrity woman who is expected to always be perfect, despite the many judgments and expectations placed on her, I feel that at the end of the day we are all women who undergo struggles and are faced with trails. For that reason, I wanted to show that no matter what your status is in society, we can unite and share our stories to inspire one another and show that YOU are never alone.

My mother has always taught me to be a strong and independent woman. To know what I want in life and to live my life to the fullest without limitation. For me, my mother has taught me how to love myself and to always believe in myself, because if you don’t believe in yourself, how do you expect others to believe in you? I believe in Attract magazine and feel that it’s a great time for a publication to celebrate and inspire women and show that there are no limitations to life other than the ones that you create for yourself.

What’s my Attract? My attract is having the freedom to dream and believe in yourself. Thank you to everyone that supported this dream and believing in Attract Magazine. I appreciate and love you all.

Sincerely

Tanisha A. Brown CEO/Publisher

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@editor-in-chief PUBLISHER D ream P ublishin g g roup ll C CEO TANISHA BROWN

the letter Launching this magazine has been a journey- a lot of learning, adjusting, and self-realization. It has been a long time coming and it has been so rewarding to see a dream I have had since I was a little girl, manifest into reality.

When I was 11 years old, I sketched out my own magazine that focused on the empowerment and celebration of women. Never in my wildest dreams, did I believe it would become a reality. After high school, I enlisted into the Air Force and spent the next 6 years developing a strong work ethic and daydreaming about the day I would be doing something that was of more value to me – something that fed my spirit.

For as long as I can remember, I walked around with the feeling of displacement, acknowledging that I was never quite where I was meant to be in life. My dreams either felt too big or too unrealistic.

And as if to shake me conscious from my 6 year sleep walk, I lost my mom to brain cancer when I was just 22 years old.

Everything that I believed to be true about my life, and myself were no longer. I was left with the remains of who I was and who I wanted to be. I believe we are all two people, the person we are right now and the person we want to be and I chose to build on the person I wanted to be.

Finding the strength to persevere and follow my dreams without my mom by my side was a humbling experience.

It was the catapult, the motivation, and fire I needed to pursue the dream of Attract.

My goal with Attract is to make it relatable. I want any woman to read this magazine and be able to connect to some part of it. Think of Attract as your girlfriend, bonding together over fashion, perfecting your resume or sharing in the similar-

ities of life’s struggles.

Attract will provide it all.

With Attract I want to bring women together by shedding light on the common experiences we run into as women both personally and professionally. I want us to share in the mistakes we made, bond over the turmoil and barriers we have faced, and ultimately celebrate being a woman.

I believe women are revolutionaries and my hope is that women will learn to embrace their innate qualities and characteristics, not seeing them as weaknesses, but rather as strengths.

I see Attract as a piece of a very real movement going on with women, focusing on positivity, well roundedness, and empowerment.

I am so grateful for the people who believe in us and have supported us along the way. I intend that this magazine will be something bigger than just a magazine, but a relationship in the making with women ev-

erywhere. By definition, Attract means to possess or exert the power of attraction, so I challenge all of you to attract and unite positivity and light to those around you.

XX

Jasmine Ward

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JASMINE WARD E D I TO R - AT- L A R G E M isha H ildreth M A N A Gin g editor elle hoeni g D irector of A d v ertisin g ASHLEY PETROSIAN A S S istant A R T D I R E C T O R JUAN OROZCO C A R E E R C ontributin g W riters A lison L aw melissa molomo J asmine W ard GIRLS NIGHT C ontributin g W riters A nnette C arrion S er g io M eza F A S H I O N C ontributin g W riters J asmine W ard J essi M alay B E A U T Y C ontributin g W riters M e g an N ai k D iana L a C ounte C helsea Y usuf S ophie and S hir of I nstabraids H E A L T H / F I T N E S S W riters Katja T oal T ami k o Grimes G L O B E T R O T T E R S C ontributin g W riters L eah J osephson S mith and Kate R oland L I F E C ontributin g W riters S yl v ia M unoz J anice D enise

Attract magazine is published bi-monthly. Submissions of photographs, Illustration’s, drawings, and manuscripts are considered unsolicited materials and the publisher assumes no responsibility for the said items. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited. For advertising inquiries contact sales@attractmag.com. Printed in USA.

[ ATTRACT ]

6

www.attractmag.com

www.attractmag.com

@career

empowerment Women really should start working together instead of constantly going against one another. We should have respect for ourselves and each other at all times. Even if a woman happens to be a complete stranger—treat that woman, as you would want to be treated. We need to stop bashing one another and start building each other up. If only all women would take the time to understand this, men could no longer use this very thing against us to divert the attention away from them. Insecurities, betrayal and cheating would no longer exist if we had each other’s backs. Start today. Be honest. Be selfless. Be kind. Stop making these women your enemies and start showing them the empowerment of sisterhood.

“When women come together with a collective intention, magic happens.”

- Phylicia Rashad

By: Melissa Molomo Instagram: @MissSayWhatsReal http://saywhatsreal.net www.facebook.com/saywhatsreal www.instragram.com/misssaywhatsreal twitter www.twitter.com/mssaywhatsreal tumblr: misssaywhatsreal

[ ATTRACT ]

8

don’t y Us wombene ju st girl have to e could girls, w too. be athletes

Us women don’t have to just sit on the side lines, we could set records too.

an of u’re a wom When yo re u’ yo ment, ally doaing it. empower woman that’s re

www.attractmag.com

Us women don’t have to be just house wives, we could be CEOs too.

. e c n e r e f f i Mank’et abedan average Do ber.

Am

how to write an amazing

resume

@career

5 Steps to a Killer Résumé

By: Jasmine Ward

Résumé writing is a task that most people do not find very exciting. We spend all our time formatting, writing, editing, rewriting, and then rewriting again, just to see it fail at doing its job…getting us an interview! Writing a résumé is a job in itself and a tedious one at that. We generally expect to write our résumé, send it out, and then get a call for an interview, but unfortunately that ’s not the case.

Understanding how to write a bulletproof résumé is essential in the competitive world of job searching. Here are some tips and pointers on how to build an amazing résumé:

1. Choose the correct format!

There are over 1,000 different résumé styles, but the main four are chronological , functional, combination, targeted. A chronological résumé starts by listing your work history, with the most recent position listed first. This is good for individuals with a lot of strong work experience. Functional résumés focus on skills and experience, rather than on your chronological work history.

A combination résumé is exactly how it sounds, a combination of functional and chronological . It lists your skills and experiences first, with your employment history listed next. This résumé is great for highlighting the skills you have that are relevant to the job you are applying for. Lastly, is the targeted résumé. The goal in a targeted resume is to highlight the skills and experiences you have that directly relate to

the job you are applying for.

Also, and overall rule of thumb is to always keep your resume 1 to 2 pages. The average employer only looks at a resume for 7 seconds, so make it pop!

Once you have decided on the format, make it pretty! The visual appearance of your résumé is what will get you noticed.

Editors note: Print your résumé on cardstock paper. It makes it durable and professional.

2. Remember that everything on your résumé is fair game. You do not want to blatantly lie on your résumé because that could be grounds for termination. However, I encourage you to make the most out of your skills. If you flip burgers at your local fast food restaurant and you are applying for a job as an assistant at Sony Pictures, damn right you have experience. You dealt with “X” amount of customers daily and

provided them with quick and exceptional service. You work well under pressure, you process sales and financial transactions quickly, etc. There are so many ways to get the most out of your job skills and experiences. Get creative!

3. One of the most important tips is to use action words. An action word is a term like “Accelerated, Coordinated, Administered, or Conducted.” These words are vital for your experience section of your résumé. Most résumés go through an automated scanning system before ever reaching the employers desk. The system looks for key words that match the job you are applying for and if you have enough matches then it is passed on to the employer, the rest of the resumes are thrown out and never seen by an actual person. Make sure and read the job description and

incorporate those key words into your resume. For example if you worked customer service, you could say “Established strong customer relations to exceed sales goals.” Try to avoid using the same verb twice.

4. Remember safety first! When listing your personal information at the top of your résumé, you do not have to disclose all information. At the end of the day, you do not know the employers personally. Because people want to get a job so badly, they forget to practice common safety on their résumé.

Your résumé is being sent out over the Internet, to people you don’t know, and sitting on a desk among other papers in some location unbeknownst to you.

Listing your city and state will suffice, but you do not need to list your whole address. As far as listing your phone number, that

is your call. Employers can reach you just fine through e-mail, but if you are comfortable with your phone number being listed, go for it! Remember to include any websites or portfolio sites under your name and information.

5. Lastly, but certainly not least.

Have fun! Résumé writing is fun. You are selling yourself and you get to talk up your best attributes. That one piece of paper is the ticket to your next job! Feel free to add a little design if you are in a creative industry, or a border to set yourself apart. Make it a reflection of you and don’t forget to update it constantly so that it is always up to date. Editors note: bring at least 5 copies of your résumé to an interview.

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@career

pledge to ban bossy Together We Can Pledge to Ban Bossy

By: Alison Law

[ ATTRACT ]

10 www.attractmag.com

When a little boy asserts himself, he’s called a “leader.” Yet when a little girl does the same, she risks being branded “bossy.”

Words like bossy send a message: don’t raise your hand or speak up.

By middle school, girls are less interested in leading than boys, a trend that continues into adulthood.

Together we can encourage girls to lead. –Banbossy. com

Growing up as a child, I can remember being called the word bossy on a regular basis. Whether it was in class, during recess, or on the school bus, I only really heard it from the boys in class. One day, I was working on a group project and one of the boys in my group blurted, “you’re so bossy, and you think you a know it all” as I explained the rules and expressed my ideas. As a result of my upbringing, name-calling never made me feel inadequate. Instead, when someone would call me bossy or a “know it all”, it would motivate me. As I got older, the more I realized that I was called bossy because I was recognized as a strong-minded leader and someone who couldn’t be pushed over. The little boy that once called me bossy highlighted my ability to lead and that resulted into him calling me, “B-O-S-S-Y”.

While reviewing the videos and message on the Banbossy website I was lead to research this issue and see what the people had to say about the word “bossy”. I asked several people with different experiences and backgrounds of what their opinion was of the term “bossy”. Omar Morales is a 28yr old male Human Resources Professional for Direct TV. He went onto the banbossy.com website and took at look at the videos posted onto the site.

“I love the message delivered in these videos, it was very powerful and disruptive!” says Morales. He says when he thinks of the word bossy he thinks of someone that is “pushy and rude”. He then decided to look up the definition for the word bossy and came across bossy being defined as “fond of giving people orders.” Morales said his perceived definition and the actual definition both describe negative characteristics.

“Personally I am fond of providing people guidance, coaching, and

feedback at work, but I wouldn’t characterize myself as bossy”, says Morales. That said, the operative word in the definition is ‘orders’.

To give someone an order feels domineering, demeaning and condescending,” says Morales. However, Omar feels that if you use the words guide and coach, the sentence takes on a completely different form. “In my book someone that guides and coaches vs. someone that gives orders is the essence of leadership.”

As a human resource professional Morales fundamentally believes that tone is crucial when delivering any message. I’m sure that you’ve heard this saying before “it’s not what you say, but how you say it” says Morales. The mantra holds true in this example. Think about when order vs. guidance is provided. Again, orders may not be as well received as guidance. Yet, I don’t agree with characterizing female leaders as bossy just because they take a stance and assert a point-of-view. This however, doesn’t justify tone or approach.

Even as a female leader the tone and the approach in the communication has to be managed diplomatically to ensure that people don’t feel like they’re being bossed around.

Adrian Barnes, a Music Professor says that as a man who was raised by a very strong woman, he never used or mentioned the term “bossy” in relation to his mother. Barnes may not have always understood her authoritative ways but he never associated her with a negative connotation.

It was always Barnes understanding that women such as his mother were tough and strong willed, but just as she did, only desired the best for her love ones. At a very young age Barnes did not understand the term bossy, nor did he associate it with his mother. To this very day Barnes still doesn’t recognize the correlation between being “bossy” and being a woman. I think it is an inferiority

complex that men have when they meet an assertive women or (i.e. a week man).

Vivian.

Vivian feels that the word bossy is a very “annoying” term to use because it’s just another way to bring women down. “I’ve never heard a guy get called bossy”. Men don’t receive nearly as much negative feedback as women do when standing up for themselves or correcting a something that’s wrong,” says Vivian. Growing up, Vivian was always a leader on and off campus. Boys may have viewed her as bossy, but men realize that Vivian is a strong, intelligent, and ambitious woman.

As a teacher, Barnes says that he rarely hears his young men refer to women as bossy. Nevertheless, at such a young age, boys are still very attached to a woman (their mother).

He doubts they would use that type of descriptor to describe a woman unless they come from a home without a mother or a home where men use misogynistic rhetoric often.

Naiyah Scaife, a 29 year old female Executive Producer/Director says that “Bossy, is a word that I would often hear. The only difference is that I didn’t allow it to take away from my leadership skills”. Scaife says it allowed her to mature, becoming fierce. “I am one who doesn’t let those types of words bother me.

Although I am aware of what they can do so when I am speaking to young ladies I speak life into them”, said Scaife.

What is your opinion on using the word bossy? How many women have been teased by being called the word “bossy”? Let’s stand up together and speak up against using the word “bossy” #banbossy.com

Scaife believes that the power of words is real. “The saying “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” “Words will hurt”, says Scaife. She feels that those words could plants seeds of destruction within future female leaders. Naiyah says that changing the word from bossy to ambitious, leader, or even persistent will surely remove what #Bossy has done to many women who walk among us today living less than.

Vivian N. 22-year-old female a Howard University Student says that after watching the of the little girls on banbossy.com it made her emotional and made Vivian think about her childhood and when she started to feel how the children described in the video. “I think this video is actually more powerful because it’s relatable and believable. The diversity in the girls shown is beautiful too”, said

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@career

Credit Check The Importance of By: Karen Zullo Molding Your Future

What is Credit?

Credit is money lent to you by a lender or creditor on the condition that you will pay it back at a later date. The terms and conditions for receiving a credit vary by credit type and lender. Simply put, credit is borrowed money that you can use to purchase goods and services when you need them with the agreement to pay the lender or creditor back at an agreed upon time.

How does a lender determine whether or not to lend you money?

Whether or not a creditor decides to extend you credit and the rate of interest at which you borrow, is determined by a number of factors including your current financial obligations and monthly expense obligations as well as your credit history and FICO Scores.

Why Credit Matters Like it or not, credit is a necessary evil and your credit affects every aspect of your financial life.

What is your Fico Score?

Your credit score or FICO score as it is commonly called is a number – arguably the single most influential number in your life and it was designed to convey to lenders the kind of financial risk they would be taking by having you as a customer. Your score is generated by credit analyzing software that takes into account a number of different criteria. For example, do you pay your bills on time? How much debt do you have? How long have you had your accounts? Have you ever defaulted on loan agreements in the past? The process is complicated, however it does provide the lender a way to determine whether lending you money right now is really a smart move and if so, at what cost? The chart below will help you to have a better understanding of how your score is determined.

Obtaining and sustaining good credit or repairing less than perfect credit is one of the most important financial decisions you can make. It’s a decision that is either going to cost you money or save you money in the long run! Either way, that cost or savings is “significant” On average, consumers with less than perfect credit will end up paying 30%-40% more per month in higher interest rates if indeed you are able to get financed at all. In the long run this can cost you tens of thousands of dollars or even hundreds of thousands of dollars over the term of a 30 year mortgage. Also, it’s important to understand that poor credit may hinder future employment opportunities as well as your ability to rent an apartment, purchase a vehicle, obtain a credit card, qualify for insurance etc…

[ ATTRACT ]

What does your Fico Score consist of?

FICO Scores are calculated from a lot of different credit data in your credit report. This data can be grouped into five categories as outlined below. The percentages in the chart reflect how important each of the categories is in determining your FICO score.

12 www.attractmag.com

These percentages are based on the importance of the five categories for the general population. For particular groups - for example, people who have not been using credit long - the importance of these categories may be somewhat different.

What is a good FICO® score?

Excellent = 800 and higher With scores in this range your credit or loan applications should always be approved. In addition you should receive the lowest possible interest rates Very Good = 700-799 A great range to be in. You most likely will be approved for any type of credit or loan and you should be able to take advantage of good interest rates.

Good = 680-699 With scores in this range you should typically be able to get approved but your interest rate will not be at the lowest rate, however they will still be in a reasonable range.

Fair = 620-679 Depending on the type of loan and your credit history you may find the rates you are quoted are not the best therefore costing you extra money in the long run. If you are approved, certain restrictions will apply to the loan’s terms.

Poor = 580-619 With scores in this range the chances of approval are low however that does not mean you won’t get

approved. It does however mean that if you are approved the terms and interest rates will not be pretty.

You will end up paying a whole lot more over a longer period of time.

Very poor = 500-579 If you are able to get a loan at all, your terms and interest rates will be through the roof costing you a ton of money in the long run. You need help, contact us now and let us assist you in improving your credit so that you may qualify for an acceptable loan.

Bad = 499 and lower You need serious professional help with your credit situation. If you do not get your situation under control things will only get worse. Contact us and let us assist you in getting your credit back on track.

What is the Cost of Bad Credit?

As mentioned above, the average American with less than perfect credit spends an extra 30%-40% a month in higher interest rates. Don’t allow your less-than-perfect credit keep you from reaching your financial goals. We can help you restore you credit back to good standing.

Here are just a few aspects of your financial life that are affected by your credit: Employment Opportunities: Employers in today’s market investigate your dependability along with your track record of responsibility based off of your credit. Employers look to see how you manage your personal finances and see whether they can entrust their finances with you as an employee.

Renting Instead of Owning: The “American dream” is to own a home, but more importantly than having something to call your own is the financial repercussion of renting instead of owning an appreciating asset. The money that you are spending each year in rent could be going into your pocket instead of your landlords.

Higher Mortgage Interest Rates This one can be a killer! If your home is currently financed at a higher than average interest rate (based on the current market) then the end result of this is that the loan on your home over a 30 year period can end up costing you tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars more over the lifetime of that loan! To most people, the difference in someone with great credit being financed at 2.75% verses someone with fair credit being financed at 4.3% does not seems like a big difference but trust me when I say that can cost you or save you tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands over the lifetime of the loan depending on the size of the loan. I am sure you’ll agree that kind of money can be much better invested or spent on many things other than interest.

Automobile Financing: If you are financing a car and have bad credit, you are probably paying thousands of dollars more than you would pay once you had restored your credit.

This extra interest shows up every month in a dramatically higher payment. One of the first things that our members often do once they have restored their credit is to refinance their automobile for a fraction of their current payment or buy twice the car at nearly the same payment.

How to obtain new credit or repair existing credit You obtain “credit” by applying for it from a credit grantor, whom you agree to pay back the amount you’ve borrowed, plus applicable finances charges and interest over an agreed upon amount of time.

For many people just starting out, they may need to begin their credit building process by obtaining either secured or unsecured cards and loans. At Insight Credit Group Inc we walk our clients through a step by step building process.

If you are one of millions of Americans whose credit has been negatively impacted due to our recent economy we can help! We are experts at both removing inaccurate and derogatory information from your credit reports as well as helping you re-build new credit

What are the Benefits of Good Credit?

Simply put, a good credit scores can save tens of thousands dollars over the life of your loan or even hundreds of thousands of dollars over the life of a 30 year mortgage.

A healthy credit score of 700 or above can help you qualify for low interest rates on home loans, car loans and credit cards. If you are considered to have a good or excellent credit rating then you will benefit in the following ways:

·

Quick credit approval

·

Lower interest rates

·

Refinance current loans for lower interest rates

·

Get better credit card, auto loan, and mortgage offers

·

Better employment and promotion opportunities

·

Better insurance rates

·

Rental approval

·

Reduced deposits for utilities

How to sustain good credit Once you have obtained credit it is important that you do everything possible to keep your credit in good standing. Below are a few tips that will ensure good credit history.

Pay your bills on time each month – The largest factor that lenders take into account when determining whether or not to extend you credit is your “payment history” this is based on your ability to make your payments on time each month. If possible pay more than the minimum amount.

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@career Continue to build “Payment History – Depending on the lender and they type of credit or loan you are applying for, most lenders today want to see a minimum of 6-12 “consecutive” months of good payment history before they will even consider extending you credit.

So ideally you will need to continue to make your monthly payments on time for at least 6 – 12 months.

Understand that the longer you have an account in good standing with current monthly activity the better for your scores.

Keep your balances under 30% of your credit limit on each credit card – Once you have charged more than 30% of your credit limit on any given credit card, your FICO scores will begin to be negatively impacted.

The closer you get to maxing out a card, the bigger the hit to your credit scores. So for example, if the credit limit on your card $1000 then ideally you should keep your balance under $300 monthly.

Avoid carrying a balance each month if interest rates are high – If the credit card that you have has a high interest rate then it is best to pay it off in full each month rather than carrying a balance. These high interest rates can add up quickly and you will soon realize the if all you are making each month is your monthly minimum payment than all but a few dollars is going towards interest rather than principal. The end result is that you end up paying out money each month yet you don’t make much of a dent in your principal so now you are in this vicious cycle and on your way to getting yourself in debt over your head. My advice would be to charge no more than you know you can pay off each month.

Do not close your accounts – Many consumers make the mistake of closing out accounts thinking that this will help their scores, when in reality it may have an opposite effect. The reason being, your FICO score takes into consideration something called a “credit utilization ratio”. This ratio basically looks at your total used credit in relation to your total available credit; the higher this ratio is, the more it can negatively affect your FICO score. So, by closing an old or unused card, you are essentially wiping away some of your available credit and thereby increasing your credit utilization ratio which can have a negative impact on your scores.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOUR CREDIT REPORT Mistakes do happen…..

Mistakes on your credit report are more common than you think; research conducted by US Public Information Research Group US PIRG, Washington, D.C. and the FTC found: SEVENTY PERCENT (70%) of credit reports overall contain errors or Mistakes.

TWENTY-NINE PERCENT (29%) of credit reports contain serious errors, false delinquencies, or accounts that did not belong to the consumer.

FORTY-ONE PERCENT (41%) of credit reports contain demographic information that was misspelled, outdated or incorrect.

TWENTY PERCENT (20%) of credit reports were missing major credit, loan, mortgage or other information to demonstrate the credit worthiness of the consumer.

TWENTY-SIX PERCENT (26%) of credit reports contain accounts that were closed by the consumer but incorrectly listed as open (or) “closed by credit granter”.

[ ATTRACT ]

14 www.attractmag.com

@girlsnight

5 reasons every girls needs a gay bff!

i h e v o l i by: your gay bestie

We all need friends and we all have different kinds of friends. There are those you go to lunch with, those you share a drink, a secret, or some gossip but beyond all those there is one friend a girl must have and that is a gay best friend. Let me tell you why…

1 We are honest, brutally honest. We do not do it to be mean or to hurt your feelings; we do it to help you, we are just looking out for you girl! For example, I ran into a coworker in the hallway, she was wearing a brown pencil skirt, below the knee and a tan colored blouse. All I could hear in my head was, “What can brown do for you?” I paused, I looked at her from head to toe, and I asked, “What is going on here? I am getting a very UPS vibe.” Well, never again did she wear that skirt, she was not mad, she was not hurt, she knew. That was not the skirt for her. You want to know the truth about your hair? If a shirt makes you look fat? If you look fat? Ask your gay best friend, with every ounce of love and care he will tell you the truth, even if it’s harsh.

2 You get all the male attention without the side of creepy. We may like dick but we also have a dick and are still boys. We can still appreciate an attractive girl, and who doesn’t like playing with a nice set of boobs? Plus, we like to make the straight boys jealous. I cannot tell you the amount of girls that have changed in front of me, I have nuzzled my face into their tits or grabbed their ass and none of them ever felt threatened or objectified. Do not worry though, we do not want to have sex with you, and quite frankly most of us would not even know what to do with you. We are just physical and like touching things, we are like little boys.

3 Unlike all your girlfriends, you do not have to feel threatened by us. Mainly because we already know we are fabulous and frankly you are not competition. Just kidding, we can recognize if you have it going on. We will never try to compete with you; we will work to compliment you because two fabulous people working together are better than one!

4 You will always have a date and a great date at that. We are always down to go to events, galas, parties and if it’s an open bar even better. We are like that guy in that Debra Messing movie that no one saw, Wedding Date, except you don’t have to pay us and we will not fall in love with you. I mean, we still love you, but we are not in love with you.

5 We have the best sex stories and tips. Let’s face it, most girls are prudes. Do you want tips on how to give a great blow job? Ever heard of the taint?

And if you are really brave go for a rim job. I have always said that men are only held back sexually by women. We are the ones into all the kinky stuff, take the woman out of the picture and just have two men…well that’s a recipe for trouble, and boy do we like trouble.

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@girlsnight

BFF’s

5 Female Friend Types You Should Keep By:Annette Carrion

Good friends are hard to come by, particularly as we grow older. As women, we are expected to wear many hats and wear them well, but the responsibilities of marriage, kids, and work can be difficult to juggle. Often, we will sacrifice a social life in order to stay on top of countless other obligations. As a result, friendships are neglected and set aside.

[ ATTRACT ]

Additionally, many of us have experienced toxic friendships, which may have even soured our disposition towards other women. Sometimes the unhealthiest friendships are the hardest to let go of.

Maybe you go way back to grade school and she was your friend when no one else cared, or it’s a family friend that you have known for years. It’s easy to hold on to the good memories you shared, but then you grow up and realize that you no longer have anything in common with that friend, or that you are the only one making an effort to keep in touch.

16 www.attractmag.com

Once we let go of the unhealthy friendships, it becomes easier to recognize the genuine ones. These are the friendships that should be celebrated, because our time is precious and if we want to live longer and more fulfilled lives, we must do our part to cultivate only the meaningful friendships we have with other women. After all, no one can relate to us better than our own sisterhood.

The following are 5 friend types that if we are lucky enough to have in our lives, we should work hard to nourish.

2.

1.

The friend who calls you back Sometimes our lives get so busy we can hardly remember to eat a proper meal. Between our careers, relationships, and children, there is not much time and energy to go out with the girls. Regardless of how busy we are, a call, email, or text can go a long way. We live in a technology-driven society where most of us are also accessible through social media, so there really is no excuse for ghost friends. A good friend will let you know she’s still there for you, even though she can’t see you in person.

The friend who is up for whatever When you feel like doing something out of the norm, you can’t just call anyone. You have to contact the friend who is up for whatever – she is the kind of girlfriend that not afraid to let loose. She loves adventure, and as a result she is not afraid to try new things. Ask her to go with you to a nudist beach and she won’t bat an eyelash, or maybe you want to try an exotic dish, but you know that she is the only one who will be brave enough to try it with you. Also known as the ride or die chick, she is the kind of gal who will learn how to ride a motorcycle with you, in fact, she might just be the one to suggest it first – she’s a boss like that. You need her in your life. Otherwise your life is just, well…dull.

4.

The friend who cheers you on Chances are there will be a time in your life when you will struggle. Maybe you will get laid off, or you will have a bad accident that leaves you on bed rest. When an unfortunate and unforeseen event happen, it may be difficult to maintain a high level of motivation. It’s helpful to have a friend who believes in you during a time when you may not believe in yourself, someone who wishes you good luck on the day of an important interview, or checks in to see how you are doing. If she’s there to cheer you on through the good and the bad, that’s when you know you have a friend for life.

3.

The friend who nurtures you There are times when you need tough love and can’t be coddled. Maybe you keep going back to a crummy boyfriend and you need a stern friend to talk some sense into you. The nurturing friend is the complete opposite of that. You go to her when you need a gentle heart to listen to your woes. You know she will not judge you and she will offer the kindest of words. She is wise, and often, she is no spring chicken. She has heard it all, and will not flinch when you tell her about your moments of weakness. When your emotions are too fragile for tough love, the nurturing friend will know exactly what to say.

The friend who is your confidant Everyone needs a friend with whom they share everything with, and this includes the darkest of secrets.

The friend who is your confidant knows just about every skeleton in your closet by name, and you are completely comfortable with it. This is the type of relationship that is built over time, you trust her with confidential information based on years of friendship and good rapport. You know she won’t compromise your privacy by talking to others about your issues, because she has the best track record when it comes to keeping her lips sealed.

5.

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@body

me time

Do you ever feel like you’re coming and going 24/7? Do you also feel like the local fast food joints and take-out restaurants are your main source of nutrition? Well, you’re not alone. Statistics show that single working women spend 15 minutes less per day preparing food than married or partnered working women. Single nonworking women spend 30 minutes less per day cooking than do nonworking women who are married or have partners. The single working women that I know personally never seem to sit down, relax, and prepare a nice meal for themselves. The reasons vary from things like, “I have too much work to do” to, “I’d rather spend that time in the gym”. Some have even said, “Why cook when someone else can do it for me?” My response is always “Sometimes, you have to treat yourself better.” By eating healthier foods, you’re less lethargic, you are more focused, you sleep better at night, and you require less gym time due to a lower calorie intake. Eating out often leads to obesity and health issues, not to mention more medical bills. Check out these healthy meals that will get you back in the kitchen, eating healthier food, in less time than you think!

girl on the go

by: tamiko grimes

Start your day off right!

Every morning, try drink at least 8 ounces of homemade vitamin water to start your day. This healthy and delicious water will assist in hydration, appetite cravings, energy levels, organ function, weight loss, blood pressure and cholesterol level reduction, metabolism boosting, and a number of other amazing things for your body. It also will not cost you a lot of money or time.

Spinach and Cheese Omelette To Go Recipe: The Simple Salad: Prep Time: 8 minutes Vitamin Water Recipe: Prep Time: 3 Minutes 1 Gallon Sized Pitcher 1 Large Lemon 1 Lime 1/2 Packet Of Mint Leaves 5 Strawberries 1/2 Cucumber 2 Watermelon Wedges Directions: Slice lemon, lime, strawberries, cucumber and watermelon. Place fruit inside your pitcher and add filtered or alkalized coconut or tap water until full. Set aside in the fridge to chill for an hour and enjoy! Water can be consumed without replacing the fruit for up to 3 days. After the 3rd day, I would suggest making a new batch.

[ ATTRACT ]

18 www.attractmag.com

1 Tupperware container 2 Ounces of leafy greens (kale, spinach, spring mix, arugula, romaine) 1/4 Cup feta cheese crumbles 2 Tbsp sliced raw almonds 6 grape tomatoes sliced in half 6 jalapeno slices

Prep Time: 3 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes 1 Tbsp Olive Oil 2 Large Eggs 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1 Cup chopped raw spinach 1/4 Cup goat cheese 1 8” or 10” tortila 1 8” or 10” piece of aluminum foil

Directions: Crack eggs in a bowl one at a time and add salt and pepper. Beat eggs until yolk and whites are completely mixed. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Pour eggs into the skillet, spreading it evenly with a spatula. Eggs cook fast so be sure to keep an eye on them. Once the eggs are firm at the bottom but still runny at the top, add raw spinach Directions: Place leafy greens of your choice inside a on top. Once the omelette is bubbling at the top, tupperware container. On top, place cheese, almonds, use a spatula to flip the entire omelette over to the tomatoes and jalapeno slices. Lid the salad. In a small other side. Cook for 1 minute or until egg is cooked bowl, combine lemon juice, tarragon and splenda. to your desired firmness. Sprinkle goat cheese on Whisk until ingredients are completely mixed. Pour top of cooked omelette. Place tortilla onto a piece of dressing into a small tupperware container for later foil, roll omelette off of the pan and onto your tortilla. use. Store salad and dressing separately in a thermal Roll tortilla so that the omelette is secure, then wrap container or fridge until lunch time. When ready, open the tortilla with the foil and you’re ready to go! Grab the salad container, pour dressing over salad, replace another cup of your homemade vitamin water to the lid and shake. Open again and enjoy! wash it down.

Dressing: 1/2 juiced lemon 1/2 packet of splenda 1 Tbsp tarragon

quick and easy

@body

ffins organic banana mu e e r f n i a r g e k a m how to

by: katja toal

Method 1.) Preheat your oven to 350째F 2.) Brush a muffin pan generously with coconut oil.

3.) Mash the bananas in a large bowl.

4.) Add the eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla to the mashed bananas and blend well.

5.) Add the baking soda, salt, and coconut flour to the wet batter and blend well.

6.) Let the batter sit for 5 minutes or so to give the coconut flour time to absorb the liquids.

7.) Pour the batter into the muffin pan and bake for 20 minutes or until the top begins to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

8.) Cool fully. These are very moist when first out of the oven but tend to firm up over time. Store covered for a few days at room temperature or in the refrigerator for a few weeks, or seal and freeze for a few months

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@body

Is Going Vegan the Right Decision for You?

Breaking it Down

There are over 15 million Americans who live the vegan life. A vegan lifestyle has grown in popularity, especially over the past few years. The reasons for going vegan vary, but it seems like a lifestyle that many stay faithful to and are proud of. The demand for meat has made the meat industry a multi-billion dollar commerce and has greatly affected the environment, animals, and the health of our bodies.

Despite the multitude of vegetables,

[ ATTRACT ]

fruit, legumes, etc. that grow naturally on earth and provide us with as much, if not more, nutrition and protein that an animal-based diet does, there are still more Americans who choose the life of meat and dairy. The high demand for meat has placed millions of animals in unthinkable living conditions. These conditions not only affect their diet, which in turn affects ours, but it also affects our environment. Knowing these things, it doesn’t hurt for many of us to at least consider veganism. Veganism is

20 www.attractmag.com

not for everyone and it is definitely not easy. However, gaining an understanding of another perspective and seeing the merits of an alternative lifestyle are just as essential for progress.

Whether you choose to go vegan for moral reasons, health reasons, or simply to try it out because your curious, it is important to do your research. There are great books, videos and documentaries that provide a great look into the world of vegans.

By: Jasmine Ward and Aisha Thalia

A lot of people worry about the vegan diet and how it will affect their bodies and health. Will you get enough protein? Will you be eating excess carbs? Will you lose muscle? There are so many questions that are difficult to answer. However, lucky for us we brought in our beautiful vegan friend Aisha Thalia to share her story and shed some light on going vegan. Aisha is proof that you can still enjoy yummy food, keep your curves in all the right places, and live the lifestyle you want while being vegan.

Aisha: People often ask me how I made the transition to veganism and they ask me if it was hard. Not at all! I think once I understood WHAT I was eating and why it wasn’t good for me, the animals, or our planet, it just made more sense. I never wanted to eat it again.

I once took a quiz on National Geographic’s website about my water usage. I answered all the normal questions about how many showers I take in a day, how often I water my yard, wash dishes, etc.

The most striking question however was about my eating habits. I wasn’t aware that red meat, poultry and pork were a few of the top items that upped our water consumption. I mean, as a nation we already use more than our fair share of natural resources but water is a HUGE issue for us as well as other nations. Frankly, we are using more than we can replace.

Then when the United Nations told us that we were consuming more meat than we can produce due to population growth and urged us all to go meat free a few days a week to help conserve resources I knew there was a serious problem. Put it like this, 20 vegetarians can live off the same amount of land as ONE meat eater. That’s a serious disparity. Are meat eaters really part of the natural resources problem? Yes. Can you help? Sure.

We can all simply cut back. Years ago, meat and dairy used to be served in moderation due to the high cost of production.

Now, due to factory farming (check out ‘From Farm to Fridge” on YouTube), we are able to mass-produce low quality meat at the expense of both the heath of the consumers, workers, and environment.

What else inspired me? My body. I had a few health issues that absolutely disappeared when I switched to a plant-based diet. A huge plus was that the little pooch of my tummy also disappeared and my waist shrunk a few inches. All of this without exercise and a simple diet change.

How did I do it? I had decided long before becoming vegan (or even knowing what a vegan was) that I didn’t want to eat red meat or chicken. There were just too many recalls and warnings. I started just eating seafood. I was so in love with lobster but I was still consuming dairy. Soon after, I watched “From Farm to Fridge” and saw how the MAJORITY of the dairy industry treated its cows. In addition, that yucky feeling I got after eating cheese and milk was what made me give that up as well.

I also quit seafood the same day. That’s when I saw the biggest change in my weight as well. I lost my bloated tummy after giving up ALL meat (including seafood) and dairy. I make sure to eat lots of beans and dark leafy greens. I also watch my sugar and “bad carb” intake (although I never had much of a sweet tooth, so the sugar thing wasn’t so much of a problem).

There are always challenges about choosing veganism, but the biggest for me was explaining to friends and family over and over that, “No, I don’t want mayonnaise” Or “Yes, I get enough protein.” It can be annoying. It’s a little tough to go out to restaurants with friends and have to order salad after salad because the restaurants

have limited options that don’t include egg and/or dairy. I miss certain desserts.

The cool thing is that there is a vegan replacement for almost every dish, so even if I can’t get it at the moment I can always eventually get it. People ask me if it’s hard not eating fast food and I tell them that raw fruit and veggies are the ultimate fast food.

Did I die after becoming vegan? Nope.

Am I healthy? Extremely. My iron levels are even better than when I was a low iron levels meat eater! No lie, I feel like veganism has reversed the aging process. I genuinely feel better than I did when I was a teenager. My skin? Clear. Energy? High.

Conscience? Clear.

Attract Magazine: What advice can you give those who are contemplating going vegan, but are worried about the carb intake?

Aisha Thalia: My advice is to go for the good carbs! Avoid white anything. No white bread, white sugar, white flour, white rice. Nothing bleached. Go for the natural rice, the quinoa, etc. It can be a change, but if you load your plate with mainly dark green veggies, beans/lentils, and fruit, you will not have the urges to go crazy with the carbs because you will already be full!

AM: What is your go to vegan snack?

AT: Fresh fruit - especially berries high in antioxidants...I love blueberries, raspberries, etc. I love vegan granola! I love sliced coconut. Avocado is also my fave.

AM: For those who do not cook or aren’t comfortable in the kitchen, do you feel going vegan requires learning how to cook for yourself?

AT: Yes and no. You can be a vegan or

raw vegan and just learn to throw simple things together. You don’t have to be a top chef!

Being vegan is SO SIMPLE! If you’re on a tight budget you will want to learn to do things for yourself. Learn to use a blender, a food processor, and a juicer for sure. It’s not rocket science and I’m not even a huge fan of cooking. I do LOVE to go to vegan restaurants. HappyCow.net has all your local vegan restaurants and they also have an app for your phone. Long story short, learn how to put a few basics together.

There are lots of simple recipes! I will be coming out with a downloadable vegan cookbook on my website that will include simple recipes!

You can follow Aisha’s vegan journey at aishathalia.com, plus gain health and beauty tips!

Attract’s recommendations for going vegan: Watch Vegucated and Forks Over Knives. (available on Netflix) Read The China Study and Veg News to keep you on the right path.

@fashion

Comfortably C hic Los Angeles Fashion Week

By: Alexis Adams-Neely As fall dawns on us, it brings forth new trends, fashions and events for the fashion forward to indulge. One of the biggest events that allow expression from many is Los Angeles Fashion Week—LAFW. Many designers feature new collections on the runway, and out of those, Cheryl Koo stands out the most for her unique design elements and creative style.

Koo held her runway show, “CM2K” at the ACE Museum in order to provide a complimentary atmosphere for her most recent designs. The collection contained quilted patterns, mesh-like fabric, and pieces with a great deal of structure in order to display her haute couture look in a more artistic form. All of the looks were monochromatic, and gave the models a look of comfort while still focusing on flattering the shape of both men and women’s bodies.

Some of the style elements featured in the show include but are not limited to: Drop-crotch legging pants, plunging neck and back lines, and dramatically hooded tops. The concept for this line truly focuses on how to be comfortable without resorting to the sweatpants we all have hidden in our dresser drawers.

Also featured in the show was a dress recently used for Attract cover girl, Meagan Good. The dress has a sweetheart neckline, and a quilt-like texture accompanied by a corset around the waistline to add a tighter fit and focus on the curves that every woman possesses.

Koo’s artistic style creates an ideal look for almost anyone to attain, and her collection pieces allow comfort with a fresh off the runway look.

[ ATTRACT ]

22 www.attractmag.com

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@fashion @fashion

breakup with your bandage dress

By: Jessi Malay Styled by: Jessi Malay Photographer: Gabriel Santiago (@shotbyG, shotbyG.com)

Just say no to the bandage dress! Burn them… They had their time, and let’s be honest…they’re sexy, but also conventional, obvious, and have overstayed their welcome!

Fashion is in a place right now where there is so much room for creativity, whether it be mixing and matching different colors, prints, textures and lengths, or keeping it sleek in monochromatic tones and cutouts. Between all of the fashion bloggers, celebrities, stylists, and cool chicks of the world on social media, we have constant inspiration and variety at our fingertips! For a night out, I like to stick with basic pieces that are still body conscious but comfortable, then layer them with accent items like a great trench or leather jacket. Don’t be afraid of menswear! By working different proportions and showing off just the right amount of skin, menswear inspired items like button downs and pantsuits can be incredibly sexy. When stepping out at night, shoes and accessories are key and will make the difference between basic and bangin… Think a mirrored clutch, metallic shoes, a vintage belt, tiered necklaces or an earcuff!

For this first look, I paired a basic black crop top from Brandy Melville with high-waisted, tailored black shorts from Zara, and topped it off with a chartreuse trench coat, also from Zara. What I love about this trench is that it adds just the right amount of drama and color! Leopard mules by Tony Bianco are an unconventional choice that juxtapose perfectly with the coat. Tiered, gold necklaces by Fallon and a mirrored gold clutch by Jonathan Adler are really the key factors to dressing up this street-chic fit. This look is ideal for going to dinner and a concert with friends <3 There’s nothing that makes me feel more chic than wearing all white, so for this second look, I paired a stark white, structured crop top by Nicholas with high-waisted and tapered trousers by Intermix. Note: when rocking crop tops, please wear something high-waisted…with the exception of a few cases, belly buttons feel so 90’s. Metallic gold mules by Giuseppe Zanotti and a red, leather clutch by Onna Ehrlich can take this look from happy hour, to the club!

If you have a special event or party to go to and want to amp it up a bit, I love turning to lingerie inspired pieces like this satin and lace pencil skirt by Lover and silk bra top by La Perla…these pieces create the same kind of silhouette you may love from the bandage dress, but are so much more alluring.

If you are absolutely a dress girl and want to slip on something sexy for a date night, try something with unique lines and cutouts like this LBD by Zachary The Label. I’m in love with fashion from the 70’s which always includes lots and lots of gold so to replicate that feel, I layered on the same tiered necklaces by Fallon, metallic gold mules by Giuseppe Zanotti, and gold mirrored clutch by Jonathan Adler. If the weather is cool enough, I’d drape a worn leather jacket over my shoulders to feel like a rock star.

day to

@beauty

night makeup look! ju st 10 ea sy st ep s By: Chelsea Yusuf Photographer: Christopher Malcolm (www.christophermalcolmphotography.com) Model: Maddy Pinkerton from Q Models Hair and Makeup: Archangela Chelsea (www.archangelachelsea.com).

skin 1. Prep your skin: Prepping your my prep ys alwa I is really important. eup. mak any ly app I re befo face tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clien wed follo r, tone Start by applying your : If by your regular moisturizer. Tips ree your skin is oily, always use an oil-f y reall is skin your if yet, moisturizer; izdry, always use a hydrating moistur the r Afte . glow skin er to make your dation moisturizer, I always apply a foun my as izer stur moi the primer on top of last eup mak my e mak to base ing start s more longer and to make the face look flawless.

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@beauty 2. Start with your eyebrows: The reason why I always start with the eyebrows first is because eyebrows really define the entire face. Once your eyebrows are done, you can adjust your eye makeup colors as well as your foundation so that everything looks balanced. Tips: For your day makeup look, you can start by applying a light color for your eyebrow, then put more defined eyebrows for your night makeup look so that your entire makeup looks stronger.

3. Eyeshadow eyeshadow! After the eyebrows, I always start by applying an eye shadow color before I apply any foundation. Always apply an eye shadow primer before applying your eye shadow to make the color lasts longer and pop.

Tips: For your day makeup look, start with a more neutral color (more warm colors such as taupe, brown, beige, and orange).

To change your makeup look from day to night, put heavier colors on your eyes. I always find that darker colors will totally transform your day to night makeup look (I like using colors like dark purple, champagne, dark brown, or even black to change my day to night makeup look for my clients). Don’t forget to blend your eye shadows if you put more than one color on your eyelid!

4. Eyeliner: For me, eyeliner is a must! You must apply eyeliner where ever you go to really define your eyes. Tips: For your day makeup look, I like to use cream eyeliner and smudge it to give more natural effect to your eyes. To transform my day to night makeup look, I usually use liquid eyeliner or black cream eyeliner to define my client’s eyes more. Don’t be afraid to wing your eyeliner or put heavier eyeliner on your upper lid for your night look or even on the bottom lash line. It will totally transform your look!

[ ATTRACT ]

26 www.attractmag.com

5. Mascara: Mascara is a must. Before you apply any mascara, don’t forget to curl your eyelashes first, using a mascara curler.

Some people find it easier to heat up your mascara curler using a hairdryer. Curling your eyelashes with heat helps them to curl better and last longer. Tips: To change your day to night makeup look, don’t be afraid to apply more mascara during the day. If your eyelashes are too short and thin, just apply your false eyelashes to change your day to night makeup look!

6. Now we are going to start with your face. First, apply your foundation! Tips: Choosing the right foundation is important. If your skin is really oily, I recommend buying an oil-free foundation or just using a foundation powder so that your face does not look greasy during the day. However, if your face is really dry, buy foundation that is more hydrating or you can use cream foundation. Apply your foundation with your hand, brush, or sponge. Use a dabbing motion to give more coverage to your face. P.S. don’t forget to use oil bloating paper during the day to remove any excess oil from your face.

7. Conceal conceal conceal! Concealer is really important, especially for your under eyes. I always apply concealer with my hands and dab it to the parts that I want to conceal. The most important parts are usually under the eyes and acne scars. Don’t forget to blend your concealer color with your foundation. You don’t want people to see your blotchy concealer spot.

8.Powder. Applying powder is optional.

Some people like to apply powder to set the makeup, but if you want to have a more glowy and dewy look, you don’t have

to apply a powder. For those who want to apply powder, don’t forget to tap the excess powder from your brush before applying it to your face. Tips: I found it really helpful to touch up your makeup with a little bit of powder so that your face still looks fresh for your night makeup look!

9. Blush and Contour: Applying blush and contouring is really important. Start with highlighting and contouring your face.

Apply highlighting powder to the center of the nose, forehead, and upper part of your cheekbone. For the contour, I like to use bronzer on my for my cheekbone to give more definition, yet still keep it natural.

For the blush, start by applying blush on the apple of your cheek then pull it all the way to your cheek bone. Pick the blush color that you like. I like to apply coral blush when I apply warmer colors on the eyes, and I like to use pink blush when I apply cooler color on the eyes. Tips: Don’t be afraid to put on a heavier contour, blush, and highlight to transform your day to night makeup look.

10.Lastly, your lips. Some people like to start with the lip pencil to frame the lip shapes before applying any lip color. I find it really useful to use a lip pencil first before applying any lip colors, yet it totally is a preference. If you don’t have a lip pencil, you can use your lipstick to frame your lips.

First, start by framing your lip shapes and then fill the shapes with your lip color. Tips: Change your lip colors during the day to transform your day to night makeup look!

Changing your lip color is everything!

@beauty

5

1

MAGAZINE

Beauty Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choice By: Chelsea Yusuf

Anastasia Brow Wiz Draw your perfect shape eyebrow with Anastasia Brow Wiz. This super slim eyebrow pencil allows you to shape, fill, and define your brows easily. This product also includes eyebrow brush that helps you blend the color to create more natural look. The most important thing, this brow wiz stays all day!

The Balm Instain Blush The color ranges as well as the cute packaging are what attract us the most from the Instain Blush from The Balm Cosmetics. The six color ranges are perfect for all skin tone. All of the colors are so pretty and easy to blend. The color also gives the natural and beautiful contour for the face, leaving your face looks fresh and clean.

Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick Never again debating to wear either lipstick or lip-gloss. This Too Faced Melted Collections are the best lip product for your every day look.

This product functions as a lipstick yet it forms like a lip-gloss. It nourishes your lips and it leaves your lips with shiny velvet finish texture.

The shades ranges, especially the Melted Berry is perfect for you who are bold and ready for the new fall season.

EOS Lip Balm coconut milk/vanilla mint Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to moisture your lips everyday!

These two new collections from EOS really nourish and condition your lips instantly. This lip balm immediately makes your lips feels smooth and soft. Create your beautiful lips with these revolutionary products everyday.

Jurlique NutriDefine Collections These three NutriDefine collections from Jurlique are your little secret for your more beautiful radiant skin. The serum as well as the

day and night creams help your skin looking brighter, plumper, and more defined. These anti-aging products are infused with natural ingredients that your skin needs the most.

These product lines from Jurlique are definitely worth to buy!

Gorgeous Cosmetics Foundation Create your flawless skin with this Base Perfect Liquid Foundation from Gorgeous Cosmetics.

Infused with Vitamin A and E, not only does this foundation good for your skin, yet it also gives you a natural glow and coverage that every woman needs the most. This foundation is easy to blend, has buildable coverage, and the color collections are perfect for all skin tone.

6 2

Umbra Sheer Physical Defense SPF 30 For you who live in sunny place like, putting sunblock is really essential to prevent any sunburn and future skin damage. This Umbra Sheer Physical Defense from Drunk Elephant is perfect for your body for your every day sun protection. This product does not dry out your skin like any other body sunscreen; yet it leaves your skin with more moisturize feeling.

7

3 8

Umberto Dry Texture Spray This texture spray is so light yet it holds hair really well. The product works for any hair types and it also creates the beautiful after shine effect that we love. Spray this Dry Texture Spray everyday to create more volume, shine, and dimension to your hair.

Too Faced Cat Eye Palette What we love the most from this palette is the intense color as well as the multitasking function. Use the darker colors as your eyeliner, and you are good to go. Create your beautiful eyes easily from this palette.

9

4 premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@beauty

beauty essentials Must have items for glowing skin, radiant looking lashes, silky hair and amazing lips.

By: Diana La Counte Blog- http://ourcitylights.org Instagram- www.instagram.com/ourcitylights

[ ATTRACT ]

28 www.attractmag.com

Marc Jacobs Twinkle Pop Eye Stick in Milk Chocolate- I’m terrible at a smokey eye. I love the look but I don’t have time to make it as flawless as I’d love it to be. This stick is so easy- one application on the ends of your lids with a little smudge with the fingers can give the illusion of a smokey eye without the sloppiness.

It stays put throughout the day but if you’re dancing through the night, add a little eye lid primer. It adds a hint of sophisticated shimmer and the color can be built on to make it darker.

Tarte Pure Moroccan Oil- Tarte’s reputation for having a natural makeup line flows wonderfully to their skin care products. I have sensitive skin and while argan oil is very popular, it makes my skin turn red and flare. Moroccan oil is maraca oil, full of fatty acids and anti inflammation. It’s gentle on the skin, heavy on the Vitamin C, and can help clear up skin. I use this on my skin before bed.

Apply your favorite moisturizer over it when it sinks into your skin for an extra anti-aging step.

Tinted Brow Gel from Anastasia Beverly Hill- Fall is made for rich tones, and I added a little more to eyebrows. I have dark eyebrows but with red lipstick, I like to tone down my brows a little.

After filling them in to their natural color, I feather the Brunette color wand over. It adds some dimension to my face, and makes them a shade lighter, and they go perfect with the Fall caramel highlights or ombre.

Malin+Goetz Mojito ing Lip Balm- Before sipp ce latte’s, all those Pumpkin Spi rated. Summer sun make sure lips are hyd the fatty een UV damage, and uns e som left e hav y ma restore damcan m bal lip the logy in acid hydration techno ssy look. glo a for ry hur a when in age. Add a little extra

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick from Stila in Beso- You can wear your scarves, have Thanksgiving dessert and look flawless in this lip color.

The formula contains high pigmentation without bleeding or drying out your lips.

It’s free of parabens, sulfates, synthetic dyes, petrochemicals, GMO’s, triclosan, and phthalates.

Phew! That’s one healthy but fabulous lip color.

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Primer- When I think of “oil” in any hair products I imagine it will weight my hair down plus making my hair look greasy. This primer does have oil in it, but it’s made with 6 lightweight moisturizers for the hair. It’s protected my hair against the blow out, I spray a little before I add rollers or any heating. Styling products work better with this primer.

The oil preps the hair for an even healthier look, no matter what type of hair or style you’re going for.

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@beauty

A

C O L O R N e v e r

B e

S t a t e m e n t

A f r a i d

t o

b e

B o l d

By: Archangela Chelsea

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be afraid to play with darker colors ! Show your bold personality with nails, eyes, and lip colors.

Be youthful, fun, and embrace yourselves!

Sonia Kashuk Nail Color

It Cosmetics CC+ Illamasqua Lipstick Glissade

[ ATTRACT ]

30 www.attractmag.com

Illamasqua Neutral Palette

Face Atelier Lip Glaze peach

Gorgeous Cosmetics Lip pencil â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Chinadoll

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@beauty

FORGET ABOUT DIAMONDS THIS A WOMANS BEST FRIEND Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen the ICEbOX luxury makeup organizer sitting on the vanities of your favorite celebrities to include Carmen Electra and many of The Real Housewives. This stunning and crystal clear museum quality makeup organizer organizes and beautifully displays all your beauty essentials and helps you find everything in 2 seconds flat! No more digging and searching for that missing eyeliner. The crystal clear Lucite sparkles like a perfectly cut diamond and creates the illusion your products are floating in thin air. Each ICEbOX comes with 3 free inserts ($45 value) and if you order any ICEbOX now you can add 2 more inserts to your cart and get it for free with code ICEbOX2015 . Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a total $75 of free inserts!

Expires in 7 days so hurry! www.sherriebossom.com

[ ATTRACT ]

32 www.attractmag.com

@beauty

Jeannie Mai The Real on Jeannie Mai

Attract got the real on Jeannie Mai’s sense of style and the behind the scenes action on The Real, one of America’s hottest women’s talk shows.

Former host of the television show, How Do I Look,? Jeannie has now exploded into the busy schedule of a daytime talk show. Jeannie is not only a fabulous stylist, but she’s also a makeup artist that the public loves! Her energy on set was nonstop, and shooting with her gave Attract an experience of a lifetime. Jeannie let us inside her fashionable mindset to give the readers better styling tips when building up their own outfits and wardrobe.

Photographer: John Hong Makeup artist and Hairstylist: Archangela Chelsea and Juan Carlos Zelaya Wardrobe stylist: Ervina Topalli Wardrobe provided by: Kenwerks and Dietch PR Boohoo, Graf & Lantz, Kristinit, and Rosel

[ ATTRACT ]

34 www.attractmag.com

Attract: What are the key pieces women need to have in their closets?

Jeannie: A fitted trench coat: it elevates any look very quickly; if you’re wearing jeans or a skirt, it gives a classic sexy silhouette. Also, a pencil skirt whether you have a butt or not, they’re great for any shape. They elongate the lower half of a woman, and every woman loves to look like they have longer legs! A great selection of belts would be super ideal. I get belts from all over the place. Get different styles: low slung, midrange, any kind of belt immediately transforms an outfit. I super, super suggest belts.

Attract: What style tips do you have for women who have limited wardrobe options?

Jeannie: I was that girl once. I would say focus on buying [wardrobe] staples and take advantage of the current trends to mix and match. Browns and blues are pretty together, lace and jeans, there’s always something. Take advantage of it: you might start a new trend in the process. Another thing, and it sounds crazy, but something as simple as changing buttons on clothing. If you have a jacket: take off the classic buttons on it and go out, get different buttons like vintage or gold. No one will remember if you wore a blazer twice when it has different buttons.

Attract: When is it appropriate to accessorize?

Jeannie: Umm…that’s like asking when is it not necessary to drink water! It’s always important to accessorize. Even if it’s just a miniscule stud, it adds emphasis. Accessories are not just earrings and necklaces. It’s hair and makeup too. They can leave an impression on the look.

Attract: Is it better to have a classic silhouette or something with a little bit more shape?

Jeannie: It depends on your mood. Wearapy is very important to me; it is the therapeutic mood that you channel through your wardrobe.

Attract: How do you change your day look to an evening look?

Jeannie: First thing: pop on a different lip color.

Second, throw on some color somehow. If you’re limited in space bring a bold neckpiece, either a chain necklace or a colorful necklace. Nighttime is your chance to look a way that you didn’t in the day.

Showing a little bit more skin sometimes helps at night and it takes the “day” out of your look.

Attract: What is one item that should be a part of almost every outfit?

Jeannie: A smile. A smile completely transforms the look, it owns your look, and it’s a completely different accessory that you don’t even have to worry about having.

Attract: Would it be better to constantly play around with style or stay in the “safety zone”?

Jeannie: Constantly play; that’s like going on a playground and only sticking to the slide. Style is your story, and your story has so many chapters, if you were to stick to one part it would be the same story over again. Discover yourself. There might be a time when you’re moody and you’re wearing dark colors and covering up more and there might be another time when you’re in love and you’ll wear rosebud lips and cashmere textures. The more you experiment, the more you’ll discover yourself.

Attract: Who is your style inspiration?

Jeannie: My mom. She was the first person to teach me that you don’t need money to have style, confidence is going to be the thing that creates your style palette, and to have fun with everything. And those three things would get me through anything.

Attract: What new and exciting things are happening with The Real?

Jeannie: With The Real in our first season we’ve become America’s number one talk show. The goal of the show is to entertain women and talk about issues every woman is going through. I’m excited to get going on more seasons and just see the women who we’re inspiring. I’m also working on an exciting new YouTube Series and will be re-launching my website, which include stories about fashion and what inspires me day to day.

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@beauty

Photographer: John Hong Makeup: Archangela Chelsea Hair: Juan Carlos Wardrobe Stylist: Dominique Aimee Written by Alexis Adams-Neely

36 www.attractmag.com

N at a l i e D rey f u s s Getting to Know Natalie Dreyfuss Natalie Dreyfuss posed during a photo shoot with Attract magazine and gave us a heartwarming experience as well as an idea of what’s going on with her new style and productions that she’s currently working on. She’s currently focused on the CW’s hit television show, The Originals, which makes for a hectic schedule, however she still finds time to keep up with her skincare and personal mod style.

Natalie is always learning about new products and the ways in which they work for her. Natalie told us that she respects everyone’s time in the industry.

When she was younger she would wait for her mother to come home from styling celebrities for photo shoots, movies projects at any given time, and that really left an impression on her.

Attract: How do you manage to keep your face fresh and avoid breakouts?

Natalie: Well on the set of The Originals, I have a lot of special effects makeup, so when I’m not on set I try to wear minimal makeup. I use a tinted moisturizer instead of foundation. I just bought a Clinique spin brush, and I love it. Most important is to stay hydrated!

Attract: What would you say are your favorite colors to use when applying your own makeup?

Natalie: Brown smokey eyes are one of my favorites. They’re just so romantic and pretty. I also like gold and light colors. I stick to more natural colors, but I LOVE winged eyeliner. It has gotten to the point where I can do it almost

anywhere, even in the car! But when I’m going out, definitely a black smokey eye. It just always seems to make you feel sexy.

Attract: What are your best beauty tips?

Natalie: Do a nice contour, but keep your eyes and lips neutral, it makes you look awake without looking super made up. It gives you a natural fresh look.

Also, when you apply lipstick, take a tissue and place it over your lips then tap translucent powder on top of the tissue.

It makes your lipstick last longer and keeps it from running outside the line of your lips.

Attract: What is your product of the moment?

Natalie: I love the beauty blender!

Everyone needs to get one. I’m kind of a product freak, but I’m obsessed with a crème blush lip tint. I also use nude lipsticks a lot. I’m always trying different products to see which ones work best for me.

Attract: Can you tell me what your inspiration is?

Natalie: I look to the future, but I enjoy day to day. Being happy in the moment is more important than the end result. Enjoy the journey and don’t focus on the outcome of the process. I’ve been in the industry for about seven years and it is such an up and down journey. Staying balanced and humble is important because it’s about all of us. Keep going and be happy.

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@globetrotters

[ ATTRACT ]

38 www.attractmag.com

The Palm Springs Riviera By: Attract Staff Every now and then it’s great to escape from the harshness of reality; leave your cares and worries behind from work, relationships and financial hardship, and hop in the car with the girls and head out for a weekend getaway! Just 2 hours away from Los Angeles, Palm Springs is the perfect weekend escape.

If you want to go retro and live lavishly try staying in the revamped Riviera Palm Springs. With its sleek mid-century modern-inspired rooms, funky decor with an Ocean’s 11 vibe, The Riviera is the ultimate throwback to Palm Springs’ Hollywood heritage.

After arriving to this chic resort, the first step should be the pool scene, where there are plenty of cabanas, music, food, and of course delicious cocktails to indulge. You can soak up the sun or chill under an umbrella, by the lively main pool area - where if you’re lucky you can catch a pool party or hang out at the Chiki Bar and Pool.

If you’re really looking to release a bit of stress and really endure peace and quite, you can always get your zen on at SpaTerre, Riviera Palm Springs’ full-service spa. The Buddhist-themed treatment rooms take relaxation to another level. You can enjoy expe-

riences like the Balinese massage with a rose petal-infused bath and cool yogurt splash or a massage that incorporates a rare oil blend of desert sage. Sounds amazing right?

Exactly… it really is an experience worth having.

After an afternoon at the spa or by the pool, you can spend the evening in true Ocean 11 style, starting with an amazing dinner at Circa 59. Slide into a red leather booth at this black lattice-lined restaurant, or try a few small plates at the nearby Sidebar. After dinner and a few cocktails, you can then enjoy live piano music and throwback cocktails at the Starlite Lounge in The Riviera’s lobby.

The Palm Springs Riviera definitely has all of the Hollywood glitz and glamour without the Hollywood crowd that at times is needed. So gather up your best girlfriends, turn on some Katy Perry and ride out to funk-a-delic vacay.

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@globetrotters Location Situated on 24 landscaped acres, this desert oasis is 2 miles from downtown Palm Springs and the Palm Springs Convention Center.

The Palm Springs Arial Tramway is 5 miles away. Three championship golf courses are within a 10-minute drive.

HotelFeatures Two outdoor pools come with spa tubs. Furnished poolside cabanas can be rented. The resortâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s SpaTerre features 18 treatment rooms, a vast Watsu pool for aquatic bodywork, and Balinese, Thai, and Indonesian therapies. A spa boutique and a hair salon are also on site. The Circa 59 restaurant showcases eco-friendly seafood specialties and artisan dryaged beef; guests can dine indoors or under the stars. The poolside Bikini Bar features more than 50 rums and tequilas from around the world. The Side Bar patio includes a fire pit, as well as bed lounges and couches for snuggling and star-gazing. Corporate amenities include a 24-hour business center.

Guestrooms.

Guestrooms and suites face the mountains, pools, or resort grounds.

Widescreen plasma TVs come with premium channels. Connectivity panels allow guests to use their electronic devices such as laptops, DVD players, video games, and MP3 players. Signature bedding includes pillow top mattresses, down duvets, and 300-thread-count linens.

Marble-clad bathrooms offer rainfall showerheads, custom bathrobes, and SpaTerre toiletries. A daily resort fee includes wireless Internet access and local calls. All accommodations are nonsmoking. Rollaway beds are available on request in some room types (surcharge). Dogs are allowed in some rooms.

[ ATTRACT ]

40 www.attractmag.com

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@globetrotters

california’s own paradise island

The Budget Version of Hawaii By: Louise Andersson When daydreaming of destinations for upcoming vacations, paradise islands like Hawaii and Bahamas often come to mind.

However, many fail to consider an alternative that is both closer to home and less pricy.

California’s own little paradise-Catalina Island.

Thinking of the next possible trip does not always have to equal a longer travel. Many miss out on what California has to offer, by thinking that the grass is always greener.

Sometimes things get harder to see when they are right in front of us and that might just be the case with Catalina Island.

When arriving at the Avalon harbor, after a 1.5 hour boat trip from Long Beach, I was not only struck by the beauty of the island’s silhouette, but by a feeling that something was missing. Once the engine of the ferry switched off, I noticed that there was no other sound but of people’s conversation around me. It was quiet. It was hard to imagine, considering the short distance to the nearest big city, but it was a new atmosphere. It was like going abroad, but with the convenience of an English speaking population.

[ ATTRACT ]

I quickly came to realize that my first impression was correct. There was not a lot happening on the island. No clubs, no parties, no nothing. For me, that was just perfect and one of the main reasons I left the big city.

The prices of housing vary depending on convenience, from cheap camping space rentals to luxurious hotels and spa packages.

At Catalina, there are two options as I see it. First being to come and enjoy the silence.

Relax on the beach, maybe go to a spa, enjoy a good meal or two and stroll around the cute little shops available, which I did half of the time.

Or you can bring out your adventurous side and try some of the activities the island has to offer. To mention a few, you can go up in the air through zip-lining or on a helicopter tour. You can also tour the island on a tandem bike, segway, golf cart, or go into the ocean on a kayak, submarine or a pair of diving flippers.

42 www.attractmag.com

One might think that you need to be far away from land to witness the wildlife of the ocean, but Catalina proves otherwise. If you walk down a few steps in the water, put on snorkeling gear and gaze down at your feet through that surface of blue, you will find yourself facing fish the size of your face.

Speaking of horrors, the lack of cell phone reception might just be one of them. But in a way, that was what made the relaxation complete. Being isolated from the surrounding world to just, for a few days, focus on one’s self and on the things and people around you.

With an open mind and in a search for relaxation or adventure, I believe that anyone who is looking for a close and affordable getaway will appreciate the simplicity of the harmonious atmosphere in the charming island of Catalina.

The only risk, as I see it, is that you might start to notice the tumult of the city life and consider going back to your newfound paradise island again.

@globetrotters

Best Twenty-Something Brunch in LA

By: Kate Roland and Leah Smith of LA Brunchers www.labrunchers.com www.facebook.com/labrunchers http://instagram.com/labrunchers https://twitter.com/LABrunchers

It is no surprise that Bagatelle blows the competition out of the water for the best brunch if you are a twenty-something. Our friends still rave about a brunch we hosted at Bagatelle. Although Bagatelle is known for its wild and crazy Sundays complete with dancing on bar tops, it recently started offering brunch on Saturdays. Of course, we had to check it out.

The space is ideal for large parties and the ambiance is classy without being stuffy. No elevator music here. There was a DJ who was only happy to play some requests. The staff ’s friendly and upbeat demeanor also contributed to the place’s pleasant vibe. One of the waitresses courageously took the mic on a few songs.

The food was spectacular. A few of our absolute favorites are the Tuna Tartar (yellow-fin tuna, avocado, soy citrus vinaigrette, taro chips) and the Brioche French Toast (homemade strawberry-maple marmalade, whipped crème fraiche). The piece de resistance had to be the La Croque Madame (with egg). A close friend of ours, a self-proclaimed La Croque Madame expert, declared it to be one of the best she has ever had. The delicacy of the food perfectly complimented the ornate, yet tasteful, Classical French decorations. What to drink? The Fuzzy Bee. One of the best brunch drinks we have had in forever. We could not get enough and neither will you!

Made with Hendricks’ gin, lavender honey, lemon, and Moët & Chandon champagne, the drink is light and perfectly flavored. Just like with the brunch at Bagatelle, you’ll find yourself continuing to say, “Okay, just one more.”

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

[ ATTRACT ]

44 www.attractmag.com

JESSICA BURCIAGA Model Turned Entrepreneur Photographer: Odessy Barbu Videographer: LyVell Gipson By: Gertrude H. Hair: Queen Boone Make-up: Gabriella Ramos Torell Stylist: Katherine Chang, Marla Guloien, and Lisette Gallo Clothing Provided by: Sailor and Saint: http://sailorandsaint.com Glam Rock: http://GlamRockbyMarlaG.com http://www.marlaguloien.com Sugar: http://shopsugarstores. com

W

e love Jessica because she is someone we can easily relate to.

Sure, most of us aren’t models and most of us don’t have a famous boyfriend. However, her experiences are not too different from ours. She knows exactly how we feel when people say things about us that are not true.

“Everything that I’ve read about myself online…is not true,”

Jessica reveals in the interview.

“I’ve gotten better at [dealing with] it. I just block it out”. She knows all about relationship struggles, especially being in a long-distance relationship with DJ Drama. Most importantly, she is an example of a strong woman who goes for what she wants. Her love for fashion has driven her to launch her own online clothing boutique, which you can check out at www.

SailorandSaint.com.

Here, we get to know Jessica a bit more as she tells us about her business and relationship.

What inspired you to transition from modeling to being an entrepreneur and owning your own business?

Well, I modeled for about 10 years and I developed a pretty good fan base online. I kept working for other clothing companies and I thought, you know, why don’t I do this myself? I can pick out the clothes, pick out the stuff that I want to pick out. I kind of just started that way, with an idea. Now it’s doing good.

You’re in a relationship with DJ Drama. How do you guys sustain your relationship when he’s traveling all the time, on concerts, on tours and then you have your own business now and you’re still modeling?

Yeah, we are doing really well and I think that’s one of the things that make us really close.

He has his own thing and I have my own thing going on. So, the time apart kind of makes us miss each other and when we see each other it’s like this brand new feeling all over again.

What about the traveling? Is it equal? Or do you feel like you spend more time over there with him?

I spend more time in Atlanta, like I’m always out there, but I like it. It’s not a bad place. It’s pretty hot but it’s a nice break from LA. You’ve been attached to a lot of mainstream celebrities that you’ve had relationships with or you’ve been somehow intertwined with. Is there anybody who you’d like to clear the record for?

You know, the funny thing is, everything that I’ve read about myself online - I won’t mention any specific names - but it is not true. The people that I really have dated, they’ve never been on the internet. It’s so weird. I’m like, wait, I’ve dated someone better than that! That one never got out! Someone I spent more time with, I have pictures of our special moments together. It’s kind of damaging to your career, being attached to certain things, when you know you really didn’t do that.

How do you handle that? That’s got to be hard.

I mean, I’ve gotten better at it.

I’ve become a little bit numb to things, I just block it out. Now, I don’t always believe what I read.

You know, when you go on a blog and you believe everything?

I used to be one of those people. People don’t know you personally. They just know how you look and what you do. They don’t really know who you are as a person and people believe everything that they read.

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

[ ATTRACT ]

46 www.attractmag.com

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

[ ATTRACT ]

48 www.attractmag.com

MEAGAN GOOD Wife, and Actress...the Lowdown on What’s Next for Mrs. Good Photographer: Odessy Barbu Videographer: Riley Robbins By: Gertrude H. Hair: Maisha Oliver Make-up: Nia Hicks and Jessica Quesada Stylist: Shawn Llyod and Miney Felix Clothing Provided by: Sailor and Saint: http://www.sailorandsaint.com/ POOSCH Boutique Nasty Gal: http://www.nastygal.com/ Cheryl Koo: http://www.cherylkoo. com/ Eleven Paris: http://www.elevenparis. com/en/ Gola Sneakers: http://www.golausa. com/ Aldo Jewelry: http://www.aldoshoes. com/us/accessories Traffic: http://www.beverlycenter. com/directory/traffic_b Sugar: http://shopsugarstores.com/

H

ere is a woman who just makes you wonder. Meagan Good is an actress, model and producer. She’s multi-talented and successful, yet she manages to stay humble and grounded. When asked about her main beauty tips, she does not list a bunch of beauty products. To her, beauty transcends the physical.

What is even more surprising is the fact that she is married to a minister.

“He inspires me and supports me as a woman,” Meagan revealed. A woman who values her faith and her beliefs, yet is not afraid to exercise her individuality is most definitely deserving of our attention.

When people say “multi-talented”, it’s usually an overstatement but with you, it’s not. You’re acting, modeling, and producing. Tell us a little bit about what you like most.

Do you feel more comfortable in front of the camera or behind the camera?

Oh gosh. I’d say a little bit of both. I obviously love being in front of the camera because I’ve been doing it ever since I was a kid. I love the craft of acting and where it takes you.

You actually get to work out some emotional things in your life on camera. You get to have fun and you get to be silly. So across the board, it’s amazing. I love it. But I also love being behind the camera. Producing, for me, is amazing because I love to see the pieces come together. I love to see the vision realized. I love to be collaborative with like-minded people.

But directing, for me, I don’t know.

I’ve gotten bitten by the bug. I’m looking forward to directing my first film. I’m two videos in. I really, really love it. To me, I almost get the same kind of “high” and gratification that I get out of acting, just in a different

way. Ultimately, when I do retire from in front of the camera, I’m sure I’ll be behind the camera, full time. But I’m just getting my feet wet now.

Well, congratulations on everything!

Speaking of congratulations, you are a married woman! And married to a minister. How does that affect your work?

Maybe to some people it affects it, but for me, you know, I love God. I’ve always been a Christian. I got saved when I was 12. I got baptized when I was 19 and I’ve been a Christian throughout this whole entire journey.

Sometimes people think that something might change dramatically but my husband doesn’t require that.

He loves me the way that I am. He inspires me and supports me as a woman.

Out of all the movies and everything that you’ve done, what has been your favorite cast ensemble to work with?

One of my favorites is Deliver Us from Eva. It was Gabrielle, Essence, Robinne, Duane, LL – shout out to LL! – Mel…it was just an amazing cast and I had so much fun on that movie.

That was the first time that I’ve been in an ensemble like that. You find all these people that like the same old 90s rock songs that you like. They are fun and everybody’s young and excited and ready to do this. They had such a fresh outlook. That was probably my

favorite. Of course Think Like a Man is a close number two!

For our Attract readers, what are five Meagan beauty tips?

Moisturizer…moisturizer. Moisturizer! I’m just kidding! Moisturizer definitely. Rest. When you’re tired, make sure you get rest no matter what’s going on. Sometimes you just have to shut everything down because stress leads to sickness, not just on the outside but also the inside. Time to meditate and pray. Time for yourself to just put things in perspective and reevaluate. Get your focus back on where you’re supposed to be. I want to say water but I probably don’t drink enough of it. But I love alkaline water.

Over-the-counter beauty products.

I like to keep it simple. I use Trader Joe’s daily face wash. It’s antibacterial and cleans your skin. I use Clearasil pads and glycerin lotion. But I don’t play about my eye creams though. I get very serious about my eye creams!

So that’s the only thing where I will spend money.

What advice do you have for young women who are looking to join this industry that are good Christian, God-fearing women who may think that there’s a lot of taboo for women in this industry?

Keep God first. There’s nothing in this industry that’s going to fulfill you the way God can. There’s not enough

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

money, there’s not enough opportunity, there’s not enough accolades, there’s not enough popularity. None of that stuff means anything in comparison to having a relationship with God and feeling full and feeling whole and feeling like you’re within your purpose and you’re living up to the potential of who you’re created to be. I know that because I’ve seen both sides. I’ve watched people get there and then all of a sudden they’re miserable and they’re destructive. They’re drinking, they’re doing all kinds of drugs because they don’t understand why they aren’t happier. Be original. Be yourself. I think a lot of times, there are a lot of “stipulations”, so to speak, put on us because we are Christians. You have to follow your own God-given heart. You have to have your own personal relationship with God and know what he’s telling you. And not just follow the crowd whether it be the Hollywood crowd or the religious crowd. Know what God is telling you and respond to that. And that’s how you can lend what you have to give to the world because you’re given the original version of it and nobody else can do that but you. Also know that there’s going to be rejection. Don’t take it personally.

Don’t get depressed about it. That’s when faith comes in.

[ ATTRACT ]

50 www.attractmag.com

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

[ ATTRACT ]

52 www.attractmag.com

SHANNA MOAKLER Mother and Business Woman Photographer: Odessy Barbu Videographer: LyVell Gipson By: Gertrude H. Hair: Queen Boone Make-up: Gabriella Ramos Torell Stylist: Katherine Chang, Marla Guloien, and Lisette Gallo Clothing Provided by: Sailor and Saint: http://www. sailorandsaint.com Glam Rock: www.GlamRockbyMarlaG.com www.marlaguloien.com Sugar: http://shopsugarstores. com/

I

f there is anyone who knows what it is like to constantly be under the spotlight, it is Shanna Moakler. She’s a reality TV star. She has graced the pages of magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Playboy and she was crowned Miss USA in 1995. However, such a demanding lifestyle can have its drawbacks. “It isn’t always peaches and cream,” Shanna remarked in the interview. Many people are under the impression that life under the limelight is all about privileges and excitements.

Not many acknowledge that it can also be extremely stressful. So how does Shanna deal with the pressures that she faces? “I have a really awesome family and I think family is first,” Shanna revealed.

Misha: I hate asking questions that people probably ask you all the time but your living situation….explain!

Shanna: Travis and I divorced in 2008 and we went back and forth

for a couple of years even after that. When we finally separated, the biggest thing that we said to each other was, “We are going to put our kids first” and that parenting was going to be our first priority. So what we do is we actually share a house and I have custody for the first three and a half days of the week and he has custody the next three and a half days. Most of the time, we’re there at the same time just because we are doing stuff together with the kids. He likes to take them to karate. I’m usually helping them with homework or I’m cooking or something else. So the kids are always in one house. It’s good because they know that mommy and daddy aren’t together but they know that they are priority and that we are friends. It’s not perfect, we fight sometimes, we have our arguments but overall the kids are happy.

Misha: That is really awesome!

You really truly put your kids first which is something we all preach about but so few actually do.

Shanna: It’s hard with the exes sometimes, you know? I totally get it ladies!

Misha: Totally! Hollywood Exes?

That has been an adventure for you. You seem the most put-together. How did you like being a part of that dynamic of ladies?

Shanna: It was really different because when I filmed Meet the Barkers for MTV, it was just about Travis and I. It was more about us just being in love and our marriage.

Misha: Simple!

Shanna: Yeah, easy! You know, you were in love! This is a little bit more intense because it’s an ensemble cast and there are six strong personalities on this show.

There are women who are successful, who have been married to very powerful men. They’ve been in the public eye so they just have different life experiences.

Misha: Does that make something for you guys in common?

You all have these exes and you know that lifestyle – is that the bonding between you guys?

Shanna: I was so nervous about doing this show because I’ve done a lot of stuff on my own - I’ve acted, I’ve been Miss USA - and I didn’t want people to think that I was on a show because I was someone’s ex. So that was very concerning to me. But it ended up being really awesome because these other women really have experienced a divorce and fights in the public eye, or they’ve raised children who are famous. It was actually really nice to have that bond with those women.

Misha: Speaking of all that, how have you overcome all those things?

Shanna: You know, I have a really awesome family and I think family is first. I think you also have to have a really good sense of yourself. It wasn’t always peaches and cream. There were a lot of times when I kind of had to step back and go inside. I would take myself out of the public eye and just go to the gym, read books, do yoga, and surround myself with

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@editor

[ ATTRACT ]

54 www.attractmag.com

@qoutes

good friends and family. Sometimes you just have to do that to recharge. Get back to you. All the Hollywood mess - all the stuff you see on TV- it can be fun and glamorous at times, but it’s not real life. Real life is your kids, your family, food, fun and laughter.

That’s what got me through my challenges.

Misha: What do you do that makes you feel attractive?

Shanna: I like to take care of myself. I like to go to the gym, try to eat healthy, but you know what I really love to do? I love to do affirmations. I have this really great app on my iPhone called My Thought Coach and I think it’s important to sit down at least five minutes out of the day. Whether you’re doing it in your bath or you’re doing it while you’re jogging…I do these affirmations.

They could be anything like “I am successful.” I think it’s important because it builds self-esteem and self-confidence and that’s what makes women really beautiful when they feel good about themselves.

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

[ ATTRACT ]

56 www.attractmag.com

GINA RODRIGUEZ Taking the Entertainment Industry

by Storm Photographer: Odessy Barbu Videographer: Allison Law By: Gertrude H. Hair: Kim Bui Make-up: Kim Bui Stylist: Lauren Rodriguez

M

any actors and actresses who take Hollywood by storm often make a grand entrance but soon end up disappearing from our radars indefinitely.

Gina Rodriguez defies that. She has a passion to live, a message to send, and a world to change. You might recognize her as the talented rapper, Filly Brown, but she is here to show us that she is so much more.

How have your Latino roots influenced your work?

Well, I grew up in Chicago, the Northwest side. I went to an all-Caucasian school outside of my neighborhood. I was always part of the minority from grammar school to high school. When I went to NYU, the crowd was a bit more diverse. Spanish is actually my second language. I know English better. But when I walk around, I

am undeniably what I am. I have pride in who I am. I’m all about my brown skin. I have curly hair. I’m an American girl who happens to be Puerto Rican. When I went to NYU, I realized that I was seen in a very specific way. It’s not a bad thing, but I had to start looking at that box.

If I was going to fit in a box, then I might as well make sure that I am doing roles I can relate to. I support my Latino culture to the 10th degree but whether it’s about weight, looks, being Latina, or being a woman, art is what matters to me.

What is the biggest obstacle that you have encountered as a Latina actress?

I don’t think I have faced too many [obstacles] as a Latina actress. The most difficult part is saying “no” to roles that can possibly make me more recognized. Money and fame are fickle. I have turned down things that are easily tempting. I’m a woman of my word. Of course, I’m not a saint. I would love to be wealthy and famous, but I want to achieve that with integrity and respect.

Who has been the greatest influence in your life?

My parents. My father made me a fighter. He helped me find the ambitious driven lion inside of me.

He taught me how to find my inner power and to be proud of her. My mom taught me how to be forgiving, kind, and gentle. Both of them are vital in making me who I am. I’ve been blessed and I wouldn’t be anywhere without them.

Which actors and/or actresses do you admire?

Rita Moreno. I’ve heard her speak so confidently and humbly about her wanting to use her art as a tool for change and I have seen her do it.

It’s as Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” That is totally Rita. She represents women who are driven and charitable.

In Filly Brown, you amazed us with your rapping skills. Have you ever considered expanding your work beyond acting?

Yes for sure. I am always writing music. Filly Brown was guided by music composers and the movie has

certainly led me to explore areas that I have never touched on before. I was a dancer growing up. I danced salsa so I have rhythm. I like music but I don’t have the time to dedicate to it the effort it deserves. Respect for the game and respect for the hustle. Now producing is something I definitely want to do. I am currently working on producing for “I Can and I Will Productions.” It’s a production company that I started.

I want to create films that will make people’s voices heard.

Tell us about your upcoming TV show Jane the Virgin. What can we expect?

God willing that it gets picked up.

We haven’t gotten picked up yet. It’s a really funny, adorable show. Very Ugly Betty-esque. It features second and third generation Latinos. It is absolutely hysterical and I’m very proud of it. I also enjoyed working with everyone from the cast to the production team. I hope it gets picked up, but if not, then I will continue to work hard and find other awesome projects.

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

You are a staunch supporter of voting and participated in the recent National Voter Registration Day. Why do you think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so important for people to get involved?

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to have control over your life. Have a say in what happens to your life or who leads it, whether that is in your workplace or in your country. We all have room for growth as human beings. We want to grow for the better and to be part of the decision-making process. Voting is a blessing that we have in this country and I am blown away if we are not utilizing it.

If you can send out one message to your fans and supporters, what would it be?

I would be nowhere without you. I am able to dream big because of you.

Follow your dreams because if I can do it then you can do it ten times better.

[ ATTRACT ]

58 www.attractmag.com

@his

Beard Gang Seven Point Welcomes the

By: Attract Staff Styled by: Lisette Gallo Photogrpahers: Kristina Mcmanus and LyVell Gipson Models: Shawn Suggs and Alex Medina www.seven-points.com

Should you decide to become a full-fledged member of the mighty #BeardGang there are a few things one must pay attention too. The problems that have arisen with the current trend in men growing your beards out are that A) some people really have no clue how to approach shaping up their newfound facial hair, let alone B) just when to say enough is enough and actually let a trained professional take a stab at it.

Since the beginning of time the beard has been a tricky thing for many men to master. Some guys just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the patience to get through that initial itchy phase, while some guys significant others donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the desire to be tickled and poked when getting up close and personal. Many people have no idea as to how hard it truly is to achieve that mean Rick Ross or Action Bronson like beard without going overboard. We have selected 2 young men who knows how to stay well groomed while wearing the must have items this Fall!

Jacket: Roland Sands T-Shirt: Aanerobe Pants: OPNK

Hoodie: The Squad Pants: Zanerobe Top: The Squad Pants: Zanerobe Hat: Melin Brand Jacket: Original JACHS Co.

[ ATTRACT ]

60 www.attractmag.com

Sweater: Scotch & Soda Shorts: The Squad

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@his No matter if you are the type who sips aged Whiskey, take shots of Cognac or concocting a mixed drink that is strong enough to put a gorilla on its back, you must understand one simple rule; quality always supersedes quantity. Everyone should have a “go-to” staple in their arsenal of drinks that never lets them down. Some of us prefer to enjoy our shots freezing cold while others fancy themselves as purists and imbibe their libations neat with no chaser at all. The true purveyor of a good time knows their audience and how, with just a few carefully selected ingredients a mundane evening can quickly turn into something quite memorable to say the least.

1. Bulleit 10 is the brand’s selected reserve, a delicious bourbon that, at 91.2 proof, is consistently smooth, russet in color, rich with oaky aromas and hints of vanilla and dried fruit with a long smoky finish.

Aged in charred American white oak, a select number of Bulleit Bourbon barrels were set aside to age for ten years to see how the already award-winning bourbon would develop. Bulleit distillers were thrilled to find that the additional years resulted in a special expression of Bulleit bourbon that provides a rich, deep, incredibly smooth sipping experience that maintains the inherent character and high rye content for which the Bulleit brand is best known.

[ ATTRACT ]

Good To The Last Drop

By: Cheeba Moscowitz www.TheSupremePlate.com

The Perfect Mix

2. Crown Royal XO is an ultra-premium, blended Canadian whisky handcrafted by Crown Royal Master Blender Andrew MacKay for extraordinary smoothness. The unique blend of more than 50 of the finest Crown Royal whiskies is finished in cognac casks from the French Limousin Forest, resulting in a complex expression of the signature blend. Crown Royal XO is best enjoyed neat, on the rocks or as the key ingredient in a number of classic cocktail recipes.

62 www.attractmag.com

3. Beginning with a soft and elegant nose reminiscent of warm spice, biscuit and butter cream, Barterhouse Whiskey pays off cunningly with a mellow taste of roasted grains and charred oak. The taste concludes with a pleasurable finish of spice and brown sugar.

Fancy Bourbon: 2 oz bourbon whiskey 1/2 tsp triple sec 1/4 tsp superfine sugar 2 dashes bitters 1 twist lemon peel Directions: In a shaker half-filled with ice cubes, combine the bourbon, triple sec, sugar, and bitters. Shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with the lemon twist.

XO Sour: In a cocktail shaker, combine: 1 oz Crown Royal XO .75 oz Amaretto .75 oz lemon juice

The Classic Sazerac: ¼ oz. Lucid Absinthe 2 oz. Pendleton 1910 Canadian Rye Whiskey 3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters 2 dashes Angostura Bitters ½ oz. simple syrup Directions: Lemon peel for garnish Add all liquid ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass with ice. Rim the glass with the lemon peel, twist over the surface and garnish.

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

of

@hcic

The World

By: Alexis Adams-Neely

[ ATTRACT ]

64 www.attractmag.com

Paul Mitchell The modern day is a time that beauty and style are taking over. Because there is such a high demand for various beauty services, this is also creating a demand for the men and women who provide these services.

Attract interviewed Margaret Cromeans, owner of Paul Mitchell Schools, to see how she got her start in creating a business that trains so many of the professionals we book appointments with to style our hair or give us the mani-pedis we so look forward to!

Margaret originally started working in a salon in Scotland at the age of thirteen with her friend Linda, and then moved to the United States with her husband in 1985. The two attended beauty school, and after a product knowledge class, a Paul Mitchell (PM) associate approached Margaret trying to recruit her to become an associate as well. Margaretâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s husband joined forces with PM and things skyrocketed from there.

Margaret opened her own salon in 1990 the space was small, but after her sister moved to the US, they were able to maintain a bigger salon. By the mid 90â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Margaret and her husband had three salons within three different states; at the same time there was buzz going on about schools out of the salons as well. They created the schools in San Diego and Los Vegas, but they also created DVDs that are used to teach in schools that are not PM. Margaret and her husband have since split, Margaret, partnering with her sister, Annie kept the schools and her ex the salons.

Attract: What do you love most about what you do?

Margaret: I love that we get to change people’s lives; kids come into our culture thinking it’s all glamorous and fun and it is, but we also believe in giving back. You watch these “future professionals” shine, I can usually see who’s going to be “big time” being that I’ve been in the industry this long, I just know who has the “It factor.”

Attract: Describe a typical day in your world?

Margaret: Usually I go onto my e-mail first thing and see if there’s anything that needs immediate attention. After that, I get my kids up and ready then off to school. Then I plan out my day…If I am going into school, I usually go at 10, if not, then I get on conference calls. Right now, I’m remodeling in San Diego, and scouting out new locations for a second school in Las Vegas.

Attract: How do you balance being a mother and a business owner?

Margaret: My kids are adopted, and I was 37 when I did this, but my kids are my priority. I’m a single mom and I am lucky that I surround myself with great people. I manage my schedule so that I get them to school and I’m always there when they get home. If I have to travel, I take them with. Everyone knows if you want me, you get my babies too.

Attract: what advice do you give to others who are considering becoming involved in the beauty industry?

Margaret: It’s the best industry, but it can be hard. You need to know that for the first 3 years you are going to work hard growing and building your clientele. Always be prepared to start early and stay late, never show up under dressed, never turn a client away, always help a fellow stylist, have a mature attitude, never gossip about others, and present yourself well because you are the brand.

Attract: What advice do you have for other people wanting to start their own business?

Margaret: Make a plan and a budget, don’t let anyone tell you not to. Know that it is going to take up your life for a few years; know whom you want as an employee, don’t just hire bodies. Know when to let go, keep your morals, integrity and values. More importantly, have trust.

Attract: What has been the hardest part as well as the most rewarding?

Margaret: The hardest part is when someone you have loved and helped grow decides it’s time to move on. It’s sad and I take it personally, but the most rewarding part is when they move on, open their own business and use everything you’ve taught them and they take it to the next level. To see them succeed in the same industry is something I’m always inspired by.

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@hcic

By: Jasmine Ward

The Journey of Judy Goss

Connect, Encourage, and Inspire [ ATTRACT ]

66 www.attractmag.com

On a sunny morning in California and a snowy afternoon in New York, Attract Magazine had the pleasure of speaking with Judy Goss. Inspired by her story of triumph and women empowerment, Attract magazine thought of her as the perfect person to feature in our magazine.

Judy is a mother of 2 (twins to be exact), a wife, entrepreneur and inspiration to many. Before becoming the founder and CEO of the networking organization, Over 40 Females, Judy was a former model, TV correspondent, author, and magazine editor. Goss has interviewed many A-list celebrities and notable women, one of which was former first lady, Lady Bush.

While traveling for work as an Editor and National TV Spokesperson for More Magazine, Goss met thousands of women all of whom had their own individual story to be heard. Feeling like the

market for women over 40 was neglected, Goss felt inspired to create an organization that served as a networking group and supporting platform for women over 40 who would be given the resources they desired. What started off as genuine friendships and interest into the lives of the women she had met while traveling, morphed into collaborations and sponsorships that helped launch her company into what it is today. Goss credits Over 40 Females as being a completely organic process that now serves as the most trusted organization of women to connect for guidance and inspiration.

Judy Goss is no stranger to life struggles, which makes her even more fascinating.

Before the much-deserved success that Goss has now, her and her husband experienced back-to-back troubles. Judy lost her job and the house in which her family shared, went into foreclosure, eventually

causing them to file for bankruptcy. With the support and positivity from her family, Goss was able to focus her energies on Over 40 Females, eventually turning her struggles into success.

Over 40 Females helps members grow their businesses and enhance their personal life. The organization gives members many different tools to follow their dreams both personally and professionally through scholarships, job opportunities, networking opportunities, television shows, education, print editorials, media exposure and many more avenues.

Today, Over 40 Females has 20 chapters and is now a global organization. The company’s founding motto of “Connect, Encourage, and Inspire” has served as the roots and foundation for the company.

Everyday, women everywhere connect to other members, encourage one another and inspire each other through their own separate journeys.

When asked how she balances life as a CEO, mother, and wife, Goss responded with being present in every moment. She believes in giving herself breaks and being 150% present when she is with her family or with her work. She credits her husband as her source of inspiration, saying that his everyday positivity and support helps her to stay grounded and motivates her to move forward.

Goss’ incredible passion for life and open honesty with every question asked of her bred an amazing inspiration. After asking her advice for someone who wants to start their own company and the characteristics that are essential to success, she responded with, “You have to live, eat, and breathe what you’re doing to be a successful entrepreneur. Focus on what

you inspire to do and do not allow anyone to sway you. Have faith and confidence in yourself. Be passionate and just go for it! Make sure there is a need for your market and test it out. Make sure you are giving people something they want and if you don’t get a reaction you want, then tweak it, but be realistic. Believe in yourself!”

You have to live, eat, and breathe what you’re doing to be a successful entrepreneur.

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@ladiesroom

ask morgan!

getting to know the real rich kid of beverly hills By: Misha Hildreth

It was a very hot Tuesday afternoon at the Beverly Hills Montage when I met Ms. Morgan Stewart of RKOBH. Bare-faced and dressed in casual clothes, Morgan explained how she had just left the gym and politely proceeded to apologize for not having been more prepared.

We started the interview over some cocktails…

Attract: Good afternoon. I’m here on behalf of Attract magazine. So Morgan, tell us more about your self-proclaimed nickname “the selfie queen”.

Morgan: What are we talking about?

How I said I was the selfie queen?

Well, I lied!

Attract: Whaaaaattt!? We love your selfies though!

Morgan: I don’t even really selfie that much anymore. Ever since the show started, I can’t selfie without full hair and makeup. I just feel like I’m always looking too puffy from the night before, or the lighting is off, or maybe there’s some acne scar creeping up from somewhere!

Attract: Ok, let’s talk about your blog, Boobs & Loubs.. I honestly love this blog. I’ve read it for quite some time.

However, I’m starting to see some backlash from the things you write.

Morgan: Really? There’s backlash?

What are they saying?

Attract: Well, there was some backlash about you talking about Leonardo

DiCaprio and Ashton Kutcher. People are saying that you don’t actually know them.

Morgan: Okay, first of all, Demi Moore bought my house. Well, my parents’ old house. Leo DiCaprio came to my house back when he was in Titanic, back when he was basically the biggest star in the world and every girl wanted him. He came by my dad’s to sign a paper. Wow, this is just insane!

Attract: Well let’s not stop talking about it I’m still interested in learning more about your blog. Like I just read your blog about you not wanting to ever wear make-up.?

Morgan: I hate make-up! Even though I clearly need it, I hate wearing it. I hate the “cakey” look and feeling. I want a fresh face. I don’t want to do two applications throughout the day. I’d rather have a clean face during the day and put on my make-up at night.

Attract: I absolutely love and respect that. It’s very true. I also want to talk about - and please stop me if I am crossing any touchy or sensitive subject lines - but, I would like to talk

about your brother.

angry teen?

Morgan: Well, I put it on national TV so it can’t be that touchy of a subject.

Morgan: Right. We just knew when he started to become really secluded and then started to hear voices, which wasn’t until months and months after.

So wasn’t anything traumatic growing up with him back then, just more so now. He’s completely schizophrenic and lives in Switzerland. He lives in a home with people that take care of him. He reads, writes, and speaks, it’s just unfortunate that while trying to do all that, he has four people constantly talking to him in his head. He’s consistently being tortured! So for me it’s more or less just knowing someone one way and having to see them transition and become something so different. If that makes sense.

Attract: I get that. I have a nursing background so I want to gain a deeper understanding of what it was like for you growing up with somebody suffering from schizophrenia?

Morgan: There’s a lot of talk that I ruined the episode of Rich Kids where we visit the children’s hospital, with me talking about that and making the whole situation about myself.

But it was about me, because I was explaining from my perspective with my experience. I wasn’t talking about someone else and their experience.

So I just wanted to clarify that. My brother and I are seven years apart and he is my half-brother. We have the same mom, different dads. Still, at the end of the day, that doesn’t matter. We are brother and sister.

Growing up with him, it didn’t really seem to affect him until he turned about 19 and I was in my teen years.

That’s when we started noticing it.

Attract: So you guys didn’t know if he was just being a rebellious or

Attract: Yes it certainly does. So for people who hear the diagnosis of schizophrenia and make a big hype about it and present it like it’s so negative, what would you say to them?

Morgan: It really does have such a huge stigma. I didn’t even realize!

Attract: So what would you say to someone encountering somebody with schizophrenia? Like say they’re

encountering your brother, how would you want them to treat him?

Morgan: I’m not going to lie and say it’s a comfortable experience. It is very uncomfortable. You’re talking to someone who’s not in complete control of their own mind! And they do react. Like I’m sitting here talking to you looking at you and you’re talking to me looking at me.

Well imagine while I’m sitting here looking and talking to you, I’m also sitting here responding to the people that are talking to me in my head.

You’re just completely overtaken by other things. It’s a situation I would take with a grain of salt and try to ease my way into, because it’s not easy and it’s definitely not the most fun thing to try and do.

Attract: I respect you and appreciate your honesty and thank you for opening up with us on that topic. I feel like a lot of people wouldn’t have answered that so honestly.

Morgan: You’re welcome. I just have to be honest with that.

Attract: Okay here’s another question that you may not like me for. What

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@ladiesroom

is your relationship like with the rest of your cast members? For example Dorothy and Roxy and different sets of friends are always fighting and not getting along.

Morgan: So Roxy and Dorothy have been friends for so long. We all grew up together so we tend to fight like family. And the show is no bullshit!

Everyone’s always asking how much of it is scripted. Well none of it is scripted! If it was scripted I would be on ABC. Attract: Well some reality shows are very scripted. But I know producers are ok as long as you have substance going on.

Morgan: Yeah, but we’re not to the point where we need a script, you just need to be able to have a personality for this and we do! It’s like you’re either a crazy white drunk and 45, or you need a Man. Attract: (laughing hysterical) No shows mentioned. That was not a dig on any sort of housewives right?

Morgan: Noooooo. I love ALL their shows. That’s all I watch. Brendon and I watch them together and totally get into it. We are like, ‘which wife should we feel bad for?’ But then it’s like, OMG don’t feel bad for anyone, it’s great entertainment.

Attract: You know I happened to run into Lisa Vanderpump one weekend down at the Ritz in Laguna. It was Lisa, her husband, Giggy, my boy friend and I all in the elevator. We exchanged in short polite conversation, she was very sweet, but then

[ ATTRACT ]

they walk out and the only thing my boyfriend says is she’s got a great ass for an old lady......! I just died.

Morgan: Oh my God...... (Laughing) Well I know Kyle really well, and just know that she’s my favorite.

Attract: I like Kyle as well. She has a very strong personality.

Morgan: Yeah, she very real.

Attract: Ok, next thing I want to talk about is a question of my own; something that goes through my mind. People in Hollywood, and I don’t mean those whom live in Hollywood, but rather those who are essentially “Hollywood” (actors singers performers and entertainers), they tend to get their lives violated.

I feel like with reality stars though, theirs are violated 10 x’s more. There is a feeling of entitlement to judge and pry because the public feels you signed up for it. Do you feel like that’s unfair? Or there should be some boundaries? Or do you take it with a grain of salt because you’re only seeing a piece of the picture?

Morgan: I do think you need to take it with a grain of salt, but let me be clear that I’m not at the point where people are necessarily violating me or judging me. Well maybe they are, but I just really A. Don’t care and B. A lot of it isn’t brought to my attention.

As much as social media and all that is involved, I don’t really have time to read through 3200 Instagram messages, like seriously, I’m busy. I’m having lunch with you!

But let’s also remember I’m not like, Kim Kardashian over here. Yet

70 www.attractmag.com

I kind of feel like people should be appreciative of the fact that these people and all of us are putting our lives out there for people to watch.

Like we’re giving you entertainment and it’s real life entertainment, so why don’t you appreciate it and stop judging? Because I will say, when you find yourself on reality TV, you do end up in positions you never thought you would ever be in. You say things you never thought you’d say, like the brother thing. It just came out.

Attract: Word vomit?

Morgan: Yes, but that was meant to be the way everything happened and so I just feel like people need to relax a little bit and be chill. There are bigger problems than being worried about violating reality stars.

Attract: Got it. Ok well last but not least, (Up walks a sweet young man who apologizes for interrupting our lunch, but kindly begs for just one picture with Morgan. After stating how much of a fan he is of her and the show, she obliges and takes several photos.

Grinning ear to ear, he thanks her and leaves.)

So funny! The humor is that you just got done saying you’re never violated or really approached, but here we are and yet it’s begun.

Morgan: I swear that normally doesn’t happen, especially when I’m not wearing makeup. They don’t notice me.

Attract: Well he was a true fan and

that was nice of you to take the picture, especially with no make up on and all. Ok well back to the last but most important topic, Attract Magazine is planning to have an ASK MORGAN section! 1. Congratulations and 2. What can our readers expect and look forward to?

Morgan: Well you can look forward to some blunt honesty. I don’t think I’m going to hold anything back. So I want people to be very aware of what they’re asking me, because if I feel it’s stupid, I’m going to let them know.

For sure. So yeah.....

Attract: So then what kind of questions would you suggest they come to you with?

Morgan: I feel like it could be a wide range of anything from beauty to sex, health, relationships, family, louboutins, and gift guides. I feel I’m really good with things like that. Wait, I just lied because I’m not but I know I’ll figure it out. I mean what else do you ask people?

Attract: Well, how big are you into men’s fashion?

Morgan: Pretty big.

Attract: So if a woman wanted to buy her boy friend or husband a gift?

Morgan: Oh yeah, definitely. Plus my boyfriend is very homosexual in that department, so he can also really help me out. We are both equally very much into shopping and all of that stuff so I feel like I have the best of both worlds. Like I can definitely help girls out with their Valentines

Day gifts and what not, even though they shouldn’t be buying them [boyfriends] gifts. Girls shouldn’t be buying Valentines Day gifts.

Attract: Is that your PSA? Don’t buy your boyfriends Valentines Day gifts.

(Laughing) Let him buy for you.

Morgan Stewart will return every issue with her very own ASK MORGAN column. Feel free to ask her anything, but be prepared for her answers. Email her at askmorgan@ attractmag.com

@ladiesroom

a dream vs. reality We’ve all experienced unhealthy relationships before, and some of us are still having a hard time improving or getting out of them. Let me get this out of the way: there is no such thing as a perfect relationship.

The main reason why we stay in toxic relationships is because we see potential, whether or not it actually exists.

Instead of accepting someone for who they are and what they show us, we focus on the image we create in our heads of who this person should/could be. We figure if we stick around a little longer things will get better. Well, that’s the thing… Are things getting better? How long have you already been waiting? How many times is it going to be the last time you put up with something you don’t deserve?

You know right from wrong. You know when someone isn’t treating you properly.

You know when you deserve better, but you choose to stick around. Why? Is improvement being made or is it because you’re scared of being alone or because you love this person way more than you love yourself?

You know you’re in an unhealthy relationship when you put yourself last.

Don’t forget, you still matter. You seem to have forgotten about the simple things.

The things you love, the books you used to read, going over to your friend’s house to watch your favorite movie or show, or working late because your career is so important to you. Instead your thought process has become more stressful than it is happy. It becomes where is he/she, what is he/she doing, why isn’t he/she answering their phone? Why is he/she treating me like this? Thus in conclusion: mental breakdown. EVERYTHING becomes about your significant other, but what about you? What about the things you love to do? Why did you stop doing them, to please someone else?

Do not lose yourself to win someone else.

Everything you like to do, find a balance and keep doing it. There’s a huge difference between growth and completely changing who you are. At the end of each day, you need to love yourself.

Now when someone is treating you properly it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re being wined and dined every night.

It’s the little things that matter, like being checked up on throughout the day, not being lied to or disrespected, working together as one instead of going against one another like enemies would do.

If your relationship does not have: Respect Honesty Trust Support Equality Separate identities Good communication Playfulness/fondness Either the both of you as a team need to figure out a game plan to make this work or you need to look at the situation for what it is and let things go. Each relationship has both healthy and unhealthy characteristics. Healthy relationships need to be maintained. Unhealthy relationships are forgotten about and put on the back burner. If you love your significant other and they truly love you, then do whatever it takes to make things work.

If a partner ever tries to harm you physically, sexually, verbally or emotionally consider getting help immediately. This is never okay. You might not want to admit it, but if someone truly loved you hurting you would never be an option.

Unhealthy Relationships By: Melissa Molomo Instagram: @MissSayWhatsReal http://saywhatsreal.net www.facebook.com/saywhatsreal www.instragram.com/misssaywhatsreal twitter www.twitter.com/mssaywhatsreal tumblr: misssaywhatsreal

Do not give to get.

Accept someone who for they are without looking to change them.

Protect your relationship by keeping thing private. Do not expos one another.

Look to fix, not to see premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

@ladiesroom

For years men have always wondered why women tend to always go to the bathroom in packs. I mean as females, it’s something we don’t normally think about it’s more of a given. The majority of the time we go together in packs to borrow each other’s makeup, check to make sure our period hasn’t mysteriously appeared, fix a loose track or 2, but most importantly, to talk about our issues that we are experiencing in our relationships and lives. It’s nice to vent for a bit in a place where WE feel that we are not alone and that there might be someone else dealing with the exact same issues.

Come join us in our retreat, where here at the Ladies Room, we don’t sugar coat but give you the raw truth So my boyfriend wants to move in with me, I’m not sure how I feel about that.

I mean I do pretty well on my own and like my own space. If I let him move in with me, should I expect him to cover my living situation now? –Rebecca, Van Nuys CA

Woman to Woman

Great questions! I have to assume, based on the very first question, that you are the type of woman that has her life in order, along with a more stable household to grow in. Now, do I think it’s appropriate? It really depends on the terms of the move in. I’d never advise a girl to allow a man to share her roof while never contributing, but that’s because I’m conditioned to say that. There are lots of women that have stay at home husbands and are as happy as can be. As far as paying bills, most men make more money than women, so it’s only natural for the man to be responsible for the majority of the bills. If your man is not included in that percentage, then no I don’t

[ ATTRACT ]

72 www.attractmag.com

think he should be responsible for paying the monthly expenses on his own.

Me and my guy tend to break up constantly, basically consider us to be a human seesaw, because one minute “I love him and he is my world” and the next minute I can’t stand him or the sight of him. Is this healthy?

How do I know if I’m really in a healthy relationship? –Tammy, Long Beach CA Well Tammy, a woman knows she’s in a healthy, well balanced relationship by the way she feels, day to day. If you’re having relationship issues, it will seem as though you just never have a full day of happiness, there’s always something wrong and you drag your relationship through every aspect of your life. If your relationship is good on the other hand, you’re happier at work, you’re less likely to be easily irritated, and you’re usually more helpful to others.

Below are 4 things a woman should EXPECT from her man, if you ARE NOT getting any of these, it’s time for you to move on.

5 Things a woman should expect from her man: - Respect - Honesty -Loyalty -Forgiveness -Understanding

I am so in love with my boyfriend, but sometimes I don’t know if its love, lust, or simply I just don’t want to be alone. I feel as though I’m happy but I’m not completely satisfied…when do you think it’s time to walk away from a relationship where you are not completely satisfied? When is it ok to stop trying to make it work and except the fact he’s not the man for me? Trina San Diego, CA OMG!! This is a really awesome question! I find myself preaching this to a few of my girlfriends MONTHLY!! You should walk away from any relationship, with the opposite sex, or just a good friend, when that person is no longer trying to grow WITH YOU! A relationship is about 2 people working together to make each other better people. If your other half has no interest in being better with you, and making you feel good about yourself, you’re wasting your time. A lot of men have a few women on the side because we allow them to. Do we verbally say “Yes, you can cheat on me” no we don’t. But our actions when they are treating us poorly, says that for us. Your man is only going to do what you allow him to do. One of my married girlfriends is going

through a divorce right now and one day I asked her when the abuse and disrespect started. Her reply: It started when we were dating, but I expected it to stop once we got married. WOW!! I really couldn’t believe she thought it would stop!

One of my professors told me a long time ago that men get married because they want things to stay exactly the way they are; while women get married hoping things will change once they walk down the aisle. Ladies!! Hear me good!

If he isn’t the one, don’t waste your valuable time. And for damn sure don’t let him put all of those miles on your “Pikachu” either! You can’t ever get those back.

to give up his “freedom”, but better yet have the ability to provide for a family, because marriage is a really big step in anyone’s life. If he is forced to get down on one knee, chances are it won’t last very long. I say give it another year, and see how things go, if things are amazing maybe you casually run the question by him to see what type of response/reaction he has.

You don’t want to be the woman that he practices on until he’s ready to become a husband to someone else. If this conversation goes wrong, then maybe it’s time for you to reevaluate the situation on a deeper level and figure out what YOU really want.

My boyfriend and I have been dating for 3 years now. I mean everything is pretty good for the most part, but like any relationship there are issues. I mean it’s been 3 years and I’m wondering do you think it’s time for him to pop the question. Susan- Hollywood, CA

So my boyfriend isn’t financially stable. I mean he’s maintaining but at the end of the day, his money flow isn’t consistent. I do think about our future, hoping that it will get better, but do you honestly think money matters in a relationship? – Shantel Palos Verdes, CA

This is a question that all women ask and want to know. In my opinion, I feel that when a man is ready to propose he will and doesn’t need the pressure from his girlfriend or family. Usually a man wants to make sure that he’s ready

I like this question! I have been in a struggling relationship with a man that was not financially stable, as we as one with the opposite financial situation. I can honestly tell you that it really didn’t matter how much money there is in the

bank, as long as your heart isn’t hurting. There is no cure that you can purchase to heal a broken heart. There will be problems in any relationship, but how you treat a person will always be more important than how much you can spend on them. A lot of people think wealthy or well off people are naturally happier because they don’t have the burden of late notices and declined credit cards.

I’ve found that wealthy people that are happy are happy because they are in loving relationships and their partner treats them like gold.

There are plenty of families that are not living very comfortably at the moment, but they have a partner that loves them unconditionally.

When you go out into the world as a working citizen in this tough economy, you would feel so much better about doing so if you come home to a person that is so happy you woke up that morning.

For any questions on relations please email or relationship expert at: info@attractmag.com

premiere issue

[ ATTRACT ]

It’s Monday morning, my routine coffee shop stop. I find my place in line behind the other regulars, eager for their quick fix that gets them through the next 4 hours of relative productivity until their next refill of energy. It is apparent these patrons, including myself, have become such regulars the barista rarely stops to ask for each individual’s order, merely accepting their payment and delivering their usual. As I stand now, before a menu of options previously overlooked, a smile emerges on my face. Today I change it up.

I order something brand new to me, and while the barista seems far less amused by this than I am, this Monday morning statement speaks volumes to me. Volumes of a life prior to today, a life that had become so regular, so routine, I had stopped placing my order long ago. My energy for life and every potential each new day brings having been dulled behind the next task, producing this usual life that I knew as comfortable.

Recently, being faced with accepting the proposal of marriage within a seven year live-in relationship, the option of continuing into the known or separating into what would be my unknown presented itself.

Though a daring, yet deemed necessary task, I questioned my routine, my usual, my known, my source of energy, my production of growth, and my comfort. After intense examination of self with detailed consideration of past, present, and future;

[ ATTRACT ]

I opted for the unknown. I opted for change. Change, though inevitable in varying degrees throughout one’s life, presents challenge. Always being game for a good challenge I sought to tackle this. I was, after all, the same girl who joined the boys playing football, at age 12, to prove the expected wrong.

By any outside view, I was expected to accept this handsome, generous, hard working’s man proposal. He provided a comfortable life for me. That comfortable life a young girl dreams of when composing her scrap book of white fluffy dresses and white picket fences. Only I never composed such a scrapbook of tangible luxuries, nor was this relationship meeting the aspirations I had dreamed of when entering it. What had I become comfortable with? Was my sense of self stemming from being a partner and support to this man? Being loved as my comfort? Yes, I loved him, but where was my heart and passion for individual growth? Where did the energy for pursuit of this lay? Was it lost amongst our goals as a couple? Did he encourage my individualism outside of what defined us? Our interactions had for years been merely the routine, “How was your day?” variety, despite me seeking to spark thought through introducing new topics of intrigue. We were dull together, a union inevitably stagnant. I paused to truly contemplate what is fulfilling for me and does this relationship exude this? I concluded that to remain in my current relationship would be settling for a forever, absent of many attributes I deemed valuable.

Against the naysayers, against my fears I sought to let go of what was formerly the acceptable plan in order to discover the root of me, thus recreate:build a new life.

“Change is the constant, the signal for

74 www.attractmag.com

rebirth, the egg of the phoenix”-Christina Baldwin I walked through the fire of everything known crumbling before me, the fall of my former identity and subsequent reaction of what my decision meant for others and spoke of me personally. I presently stand emerged on the other side of this change, amid rebirth: empowered and strengthened with a sense of self as never before. The stages of loss I felt. The facing of self, even when what I saw was not desirable. New goals put into actions, moving forward: achieving, sometimes failing. I often observe women meeting possible change with fear and reluctance to proceed into the unknown, clinging to the comfort of what is predicable. Instead choose to view change as an opportunity, instead of an overwhelming task that hinders you with defeat before you begin. Take that first step. Let go of your comforts. Don’t question what you already know to be true. What you don’t yet know is what is waiting for you on the other side of this decision. There is power in the possibilities of the unknown. There is an energy that flows there that inspires.

The process one faces when making such an impactful change can be overwhelming. Be honest with yourself. Consider your current situation. You already know what to expect should you stay in your current option. Is it fulfilling for you? If the answer is anything but yes, establish a plan to leave the situation. Remember you only have control over yourself and the actions you take toward what you want, don’t waste time and would be opportunities waiting around for another to give this to you. Once you have made this decision, don’t look back. As Albert Einstein so simply stated, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” You had doubt about your current situation and made the decision for this change within good reason. Do not doubt yourself. There may be those that question your decision and

seek to convince you otherwise. Tune out the naysayers. Remember they are viewing from the outside. You are the one that lived it and knows the entirety of what was and the fulfillment you seek. Reject any guilt associated with this decision, while it is admirable to acknowledge your past misgivings, these regrets do not justify staying in a less than fulfilling situation.

Let it all go. That is now your past. You are currently learning and growing in the present toward your future. With this, allow yourself time. This change will not and should not feel immediately comfortable. You will adapt and become more at home with yourself, as time and the process progresses. Though there may be times you feel you don’t know how you’ll keep going, you can! You, a year from now, will look back at this time and recall how difficult it was, but how necessary and entirely rewarding. Personally, I have not once looked back with regret over my decision for change. I am only further confirmed of it’s necessity by consistent new opportunities, awareness, relationships, and interactions that would have otherwise not been present, had I not detached from my comfort.

Through adapting to change, growth emerges. One can’t always decide what or when change occurs throughout life, but you do have control of your response to it. I am still in the process of responding, learning, building, and growing. I hope I will never again lose my inspiration for such. Such a process brings a new light to life, an awakening of self and I’m excited to continue to embark into possibilities.

I give you this to take with you: Nothing remains as it was. If you know this, you can begin again, with pure joy in the uprooting.”

-Judith Minty, Letters to My Daughters