REVAMPED vol 03 by REVAMPED

revamped

VOL 03

A CREATIVE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR ENTREPRENEURS AND BLOGGERS

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Curio Press Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. Whimsy & Wild Kisco Print Shop Peecho Printing Ever Bamboo Yvette & Joseph KusKayt Studio

Letter from the editor

e l l o , autumn! As I was dreaming about what I wanted this volume of REVAMPED to explore, I was totally overwhelmed. I’m sure you know the feeling- paralyzing fear that what you are dreaming about is total shit, that the idea isn’t coherent or that no one will actually care about your vision. The issue was inevitable, and I was drowning in the weight + growing pains of a still new passion project. How can I bring content that will inspire you? How can I help share the amazing women I am humbled to connect with? How can I connect with YOU in this issue? So here’s what I did; I took a damn break. I rested; I booked a trip to Egypt, I searched my favorite blogs, magazines and shops for new inspiration. I took a step back so that I could finally see a clear path forward. At the end, I found myself with a totally renewed creative spirit. I planned collages, created digital files, and took a few skillshare classes not related to brand identities, blogging or design. I let my curiosity lead. This is where this issue stems from: a passion for art, for visual indulgences, for making, and for passion itself. I hope you feel inspired by the content we have created. I hope the art, passion and love that went into these pages helps you to find the same spirit in your life and business. The takeaway for this issue? Let your passion guide you. Let it shine on those around you so strongly that they too are convinced that your dream is powerful. Let it guide you into new endevours and re-ignite those you already have. Let the power of art and creativity bleed into your daily routine and color it with enthusiasm. Because at the end of it all, life truly is art.

meet the vol 03 contributors to learn more, visit this issueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s homepage

MARIELA PITA

LEAH LAVELLE

model, lifestyle

travel

LAKAY CORNELL

HALEY PETTIT

lifestyle

creative lifestyle

SHANNON KATE

MARIEL CORNEL

career

style

RACHEL WATERS

DANNIE FOUNTAIN

artist, photoraphy

career

ZOE LINDA

KENZIE CARDEN

social media

travel

LARA GARNER

AUTUMN THEODORE

culture

photography

MALLORY JORDAN

ANNIE ST. CLAIR

lifestyle

NIKOLA CLINE

JASMINE EASTMAN

career

lifestyle

JUSTIN QUEBRAL

JAMIE BERG

photography

lifestyle

TIM QUINLAN

ERICA MASON

wine + spirits

poetry

contents lifestyle

THOUGHTS ON FEMINISM THE CREATIVE HEALING PROCESS VISUAL JOURNALING 101 SEXUALITY, ACCEPTANCE AND COMING OUT: LETTERS FROM MOTHER + DAUGHTER THE NEW OLD FASHIONED TURN UP YOUR TABLE MANNERS BUBBLES: A WINE FOR ALL OCCASIONS THE ART OF LIVING A CURIOUS + KIND LIFE A HEART FOR JUSTICE A BUSY GIRLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GUIDE TO GREAT SKIN

career THE BESTHASHTAGS FOR FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS RUNNING A BUSINESS WITH A MOOD DISORDER 12 INSIDER TIPS: BRAND PARTNERSHIPS FOR BLOGGERS M Y J O U R N E Y: PA RT-T I M E TO F U L L-T I M E E N T R E P R E N E U R

art + style TWO FACED:

PERSONAL STYLE

MORE IS LESS: A PHOTO ESSSAY TATTOOS: THE HISTORY AND ART

travel + culture CRETE: A SENSORY GUIDE PUERTO RICO: A ROADTRIP

get personal, get crafty, and connect with new ideas

BY: JASMINE EASTMAN

THOUGHTS ON FEMINISM

like defining terms and terms that define us. “Feminist” is one of those powerful terms that we can turn to even if we’re not so sure about just who we are or who we’d like to become. It’s both powerful and inspiring, and something we could all use a lot more of. However, uttering “I am a feminist” in mixed company can also be daunting because, as you may have experienced, there’s still some pushback on the idea that women should have equal opportunity to men. Surprising, I know. As someone who generally believes in the good of humanity with the bad being exceptions, I hope that the majority of this pushback is in the ambiguity of the terms involved. This very ambiguity is why I chose to provide a dictionary-based visual, a sweet and succinct tip of the iceberg, the door-crack light onto a subject that we should all invest more in: ourselves, as women.

: a person who supports feminism FEMINISM: the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men (this doesn’t have to stay a stagnate comparison, and is subject to evolution) INTERSECTIONALITY: the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage; a term coined by professor Kimberlé Crenshaw, USA, 1989 FEMINIST

If you’re on the fence about whether or not you’re a feminist, hopefully these defined terms will help you understand and engage in those fledgling ideas. I would be willing to bet that the #girlboss over there, yes - that one, next to you, across from you on the train, in the next cubicle, in the studio, over in the office across the way, in the board room, at the coffee shop, in the lab, at the hair salon, in the editing room, standing in the green room, etc. etc. would be more than happy to share her fears, misconceptions, and first experiences with feminism. If you have decided and you’re a long time advocate of your own rights and the corresponding rights of other women, reach out! That #girlboss I was just talking about is YOU! Help the person next to you understand where you’re coming from and try to understand where they might be going.

Finally, whether you’re the long time advocate or just a curious first time investigator, take the time to push yourself further than your defined comfort zone. Don’t stagnate with the information that you’ve recited time and time again in defense of yourself and other women, but continue to engage by researching what you can add and who else has contributed to the movement up to and including now. Intersectionality, as aforementioned, is a relatively new term but with ideas that stretch just as long as the women’s movements that you may already be familiar with, i.e. textbook history. You owe it to yourself and to those who came before you to reach out and to work harder to understand, not only yourself, but, other women in order to better identify and gain a deeper respect for the differences between you and then to find the places where you can meet. While our cause is similar, the struggle won’t be the same for all women, so connect! I can’t think of too many things better than a world full of #girlbosses.

Kisco Print Shop is one of our 03 subscription box sponsors! Check out their work + order your box to get a gorgeous print from the shop. subscriber box

I myself have n ever b een a b le to fi n d o ut pr ecisely w hat fem i n ism is: I o n ly kn ow that peo ple ca ll m e a fem i n ist w h en ever I expr ess sentim ents that d i ffer entiate m e fro m a d o o r m at. Rebecca West

reativity is defined as the use of the imagination or original ideas. In other words, bringing our imagination to life physically and by any means. Much of my life, I didn’t identify as creative. This is despite spending countless hours as a young girl sitting on my bedroom floor, sketching clothes. I had an imaginary clothing line. I also spent many years as a teen and young adult writing poems, reflections, short stories, the beginnings of several novels. Yet, until the past couple of years, I never thought much about these endeavors. I’d spent most of my childhood as a competitive swimmer, and everything else was just “for fun” with no real end game. I quit swimming and yearned to go to design school, but that seemed frivolous, childish. I didn’t apply. My long-term goal became owning a boutique, but I didn’t know where to start, so I pushed it to the back of my mind. Instead, I took the route I thought I was supposed to travel. I fell in love for the first time, and I got married. This isn’t a story about love, though.

the

creative

HEALING PROCESS BY: ANNIE ST. CLAIR

This is a story about creativity. This is a story about creativity appearing maybe subconsciously, as your body’s last-ditch effort to save itself and detach from a very dim reality.About year and a half ago, I got divorced, and a year ago, after about nine months of prep work, I launched my clothing line, A. St. Clair. I think neither could exist without the other. They are linked by the same wounds, the same hurt, failures, and disappointments. One blossomed while the other one died.

great friends, a ridiculously hilarious dog. I have clients for whom I’m grateful and in love at my very flexible “9 to 5” as a swim instructor. Here’s the thing-for a long time, I didn’t have me. I forgot me. I locked her far away and threw away the key. If you don’t understand emotional abuse and think, “How traumatic could it be?” or “Why didn’t you just leave?”, allow me to educate you. The best definition I ever read described it as “psychological warfare”, and the I was abused. abuser is not just waging his own And it was finally over. war with the victim; he’s waging I don’t say that an internal war in which the victim now as a victim; constantly battles I say it as a survivor. him or herself.

When I got divorced, there were a thousand condolences, and yet I’ve probably never been happier. Those first few months after were like walking on air. I felt good. And here’s why, and here’s the thing it took me about eight months after my divorce to say out loud: I was in an emotionally abusive marriage. I was abused. And it was finally over. I don’t say that now as a victim; I say it as a survivor. I’m not sad as I write this. I’m happy. I have a new life. I started a freaking clothing line. I have a wonderful family,

At first, I blamed myself. I said something I thought was funny and hurt his feelings. Then I felt horribly guilty because I retaliated by doing some terrible things as well. Then I thought he could change. We tried therapy. Then I felt deeply sorry for him-his lack of friends and family, his hopelessness for the future, his job where he (because of his bad attitude) was unappreciated. Then feeling sorry eventually led to numbness, apathy, but I had

to stay because he only had me, right? Plus, at the beginning, he laced the pain with just enough love and sweetness to keep me hanging in there. He locked me out of rooms when we argued. Can you imagine never finishing an argument? Never being heard? He spun my words. He said horrible things and then claimed I made them up (this is called gaslighting, by the way). He’d leave for hours, sometimes days, without answering his phone, and then come home and threaten to leave again if I so much as tried to have a conversation about it. Yet, he would expect me to continue as though nothing had happened or changed. He took my hand one night, walked me outside, and then walked me around the perimeter of my car, showing me every minor scratch I’d picked up, like I was a child. After fights, he’d lock our dog away from me in her outside pen, take the pen’s keys, and leave, so she and I couldn’t have each other. We cried for each other on opposite sides of the cage. He punched holes all over the walls of our new house. He threw pillows past my head “to scare me.” He called me names after I spent the whole day cleaning for a party and told me “all my friends would see what a slob I am.” He shook the parts of my body I was uncomfortable

with, despite hours of barre, yoga, and running daily. He told me that being mean to me made him happy, Looking back, this is what I believe about the “t-shirt and he knew that was messed up, but it’s how he felt, idea”, and I believe it deeply. I think it was the unias he let me out of the car on my best friend’s wed- verse, God, some greater power’s way of giving me ding day to get ready at her parents’ house. I cried something to be excited about, and I think it was a in the downstairs bathroom. He never took me on way of saying, “This is who you are. Stop forgetting dates because “we didn’t have the money.” We had you are someone, too.” plenty of money, but I wasn’t supposed to touch it. He constantly made fun of my optimism and excitement over little things. When I wanted to start a blog, when So I put the love I had once reserved for him into we first got married, he said, “Do you think anyone the creation of a t-shirt line. I researched how to do wants to know what you have to say?” He pondered it, since as we all know, I’d passed on design school. out loud about how pure-bred dogs were better than How do I reach manufacturers? How do I source fabric? How do I start this completely dogs from the pound; how mayfrom scratch? be people with infertility problems Surviving abuse is shouldn’t seek parenthood because it was nature’s way of weeding out I fell in love with it. I fell in love with a process. I’ve gone the weak. Note: these are the midesigning, fell in love with the rush of nor ones; these are the ones PG-13 making fabric decisions, fell in love through the phases, enough for strangers to read. with sudden bursts of inspiration and and continue to weave having to run to get a pen to either sketch or write out my ideas. through them. And for a long time, I silently cried. Maybe not so silently. Mainly in my car-the only place I could be alone. How did I marry a monster? How did I marry someone with no empathy? I am many things, good and bad, but I am, at my core, the most empathetic person in the world. If I see someone genuinely hurting, I hurt, too. Too sensitive, I would hear time and time again, and yet, I married the least sensitive person on the planet.

As it continued, I became a shell. Let’s say now, with all certainty, that the opposite of love is definitely indifference. I stopped crying. I stopped feeling. I stopped doing everything I loved. Stopped seeing my friends, stopped cooking, stopped walking my dog, stopped running. I just stopped. I became nothing. I could feel no more, and so I didn’t allow myself to experience anything. I asked for the divorce so many times, but he would drag me back in, at first with the cycle of abuse (yes, having the person you thought was leaving you come running back is cinematic and amazing at first), and then with my deep empathy for his sad, pathetic life. All he had was me, and he took every drop. Something then happened during my “indifference phase.” I spotted a tiny, tiny glimmer of hope in the distance and I clung to it. I was getting ready one morning and I had this idea. My t-shirt was too short to wear with leggings. I could design this better. I could start a t-shirt line. It couldn’t be that hard, right?

He became jealous. He wanted to be able to live out his dreams, too, and so as a last-ditch effort I vouched for his character (so many lies) to some friends and got him in as a partner on their new business. I offered to support him (financially and emotionally) as he went back to school for said new business. He moved away for what would be three months. I would visit half way and that would be enough, right? We made it three weeks. My steps felt lighter. I worked on my business. I didn’t have someone constantly telling me what a failure I was in every aspect of life. I slept and woke when I wanted without fear of being told to shut up. I fed the dog table scraps occasionally without having my dog-parenting skills come into question. I dreaded his calls. They were never happy and usually involved him asking me to do something he forgot to do before leaving home. Eventually, we decided, via phone call (yes, phone call), to end our marriage. I wasn’t sad. I wasn’t angry. I was relieved. Deep relief was my biggest emotion. He, too, realized I had nothing left to offer him, and I’ve never been so happy about someone seeing so little value in me. I drew up the papers and contacted the realtor the next day all by myself. I wish I could say it has all been relief and fun and my line is making me a gazillion-aire, but that wouldn’t be the truth. But I will say this, surviving abuse is a

process. I’ve gone through the phases, and continue to weave through them. There has been denial of the abuse. There’s been dark anger. There’s been bargaining (“why me?”). There was paralyzing grief. The kind I thought would definitely swallow and kill me. The grief hit me when I was six months out of the marriage and he decided to text an apology for his behavior over the previous years. He said he should have been better to me, been more positive. He was trying to be more like me-the person he berated just for being herself. He said he was different. Had we made a mistake?, he asked. No, no we had not, I said. And I beg anyone to think twice before being with someone who gets his own shine and turns his life around by trying to dim the light of another. I grieved hard. I was busy building the line at this point, preparing for the website launch, and the grief hit me head-on, and it didn’t leave for months. What am I grieving?, I thought to myself. But it wasn’t my relationship. I have never once missed my relationship. I was grieving myself. I was grieving the person I allowed to be pushed aside for someone else’s needs. I combated the grief the only way that made sense at the time. I put all of my effort into the line. I worked on the website, pulled together photoshoots, coordinated shipping, designed the following season, and I found…pieces of myself. Little pieces of myself here and there. In a color, in a fabric, in the smile someone else gets when they feel beautiful in a piece of clothing (and you designed it!). A little piece of me is now in the universe, with my name on it, and people are wearing it. People I know, people I don’t. I created something from grief and pain, and it is something beautiful. And that is what creativity is. Taking that true, raw emotion and spinning it into something that gives joy or comfort to others. And creativity doesn’t have to be a new profession, as it is with me. Maybe creativity is jotting down a poem before bed; maybe it’s knitting; maybe it’s putting your adult coloring book to use. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is you take your emotions and imagination and use them in a way that connects you to the world and allows you leave behind a little piece of yourself.

DISCLAIMER: CREATIVITY ALONE DOESN’T HEAL THE WOUNDS CAUSED BY ABUSE. THERAPY, SUPPORT GROUPS, AND A TIGHTAnd thanks to creativity, I find myself on the road to KNIT SUPPORT GROUP HELP, acceptance, and maybe eventually, forgiveness. And AMONGST OTHER THINGS. that feels so good. DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU!

visual journaling I

f your sketchbook and your diary had a baby, that baby would be a visual journal. Sometimes called an art journal, a visual journal combines image and text to express an idea, to tell a story, to record a memory, or document life. Really, there are no rules as to what you can and canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t put in your visual journal! All you need to get started is a journal, and some art supplies. Depending on what kind of pages you want to create, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need to gather different supplies. Sometimes, I like to collage magazine images with washi tape, paint, and a sharpie, but other times I just use a black pen and fill the pages with words and doodles. Remember: there are no rules! Here are some ideas to get you started!

101

BY HALEY PETTIT

PAGE IDEAS

“My Style” For this page, I started with a fun photograph I found in a magazine, and layered washi, chalkboard paint, and sharpie over the top. For the journaling part, I made a quick list of the things in the photograph that I like and that speak to my own personal style. TIP: Work with the natural tears and textures of a magazine image! I kept the rough right edge of the magazine page and even exaggerated it by placing it directly over the white notebook pages. If you want a cleaner tear, use a ruler – you’ll get a straight edge that still has the texture of tearing.

“Jane Austen” For this page, I wanted to make a list of the Jane Austen novels I’ve read, and the ones that are still on my to-read list. I printed off some stills from my favorite adaptations to add a visual element to the page, cutting around the figures to create interesting shapes. I also played with my handwriting a bit, combining print and cursive. TIP: When gluing down interesting shapes, place the image face side down on a scrap piece of paper and run the glue stick over the entire surface. You’ll get every curve and edge!

“Poem & Pocket” For this page, I wanted to journal about a poem that I read recently. I used my typewriter to type out the poem on lined notebook paper, leaving typos in place for a messier look. Because the poem was slightly too wide for the page, I folded the paper and used washi to secure it to the page. Then, I decorated the opposite page with a magazine image, a clear pocket, and a journaling card with my thoughts about the poem written on the back. TIP: Make it interactive! It’s fun to have elements that unfold, or flip. I love how poem unfolds and the journaling card

conceals the figure from the magazine image until you pull it out.

“Washi & Sparkle” For this page, I started with a washi tape collage on the left page. In between, I saved two pages to tear and create the flap, which I then wrote some lyrics on. For the right page, I crinkled up a piece of Opal tissue paper and glued it down with Mod Podge to add tons of sparkle and texture. TIP: Embrace your mistakes! I didn’t actually “save” those two pages to create the center flap – they were actually two pages that I started and didn’t like! So I glued them together, tore off 2/3 of the pages, and then wrote some lyrics I love on what was left. And now it looks like it was meant to be from the beginning!

Lust List

Before you start your visual journal, here are a few of our favorite supplies. Get crafty with your supplies. Use old greeting cards, scraps of gift wrap or digital papers printed at home. Happy journaling, babes!

GEOMETRIC WASHI TAPES TARGET NEON & METALIC MARKERS SHARPIE ACRYLIC PAINTS GREETING CARDS WORTHWHILE PAPER COMPANY STAMPED PAPERS, HANDMADE STAMPS WORTHWHILE PAPER COMPANY JOURNAL WORTHWHILE PAPER COMPANY PRINTED SCISSORS TARGET

personal essay: acceptance, sexuality and the mother-dauhter bond

sexuality, acceptance coming out letters from both a mother and daughter that explore expectations, reality and a devout sense of self through a young womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sexual orientation

BY: L A K AY + E M M A CO R N E L L

hen I found out I was pregnant, I knew immediately that I was having a girl. Before she was even born, her name was Emma and she had a pink bedroom full of dresses with matching bows and shoes. Whenever someone wondered what I would do if I had a boy, I responded, “God would never give me a boy – I wouldn’t know what to do with one!” As soon as she could walk, I had her in a ballet class. She had the most beautiful party dresses and carried a purse of her own by age 7. I taught her the rules of fashion and took her to expensive salons. As a devout feminist, being a woman was (and is) incredibly central to my person. I was as thrilled to teach her the history of women who changed the world as I was to host sleepovers full of giggling girls. As Emma grew, her own voice and style emerged. By third grade she had stopped choosing dresses and went for jeans or shorts and a t-shirt. When I tried to get her to wear skinny jeans, she chose the comfort of lounge pants and super-hero t-shirts. Soon, rhinestone accents in her bedroom were replaced by Minecraft and Pokémon. Watching romantic comedies with me was trumped by her love of video games and anime. My non-confrontational spirt and desire for everyone to get along were overshadowed by her love of a good debate and thirst for political knowledge. At times, her emerging personality made me sad. There were days when it felt like this beautiful person who came out of my body was rejecting the very parts of myself that I found so beautiful and important. Then, at 13, she came out as bisexual. I was elated, although I tried to not be overwhelming or intrusive in my support. Still, in my heart,

I was stoked that we finally had something in common: she actually was just like me in a core way. For about 8 months. Then, she came out—again—as pansexual. Making it all about me, as I am known to do, I was hurt again. I asked her why she couldn’t just be “normal.” I struggled to understand what being pansexual even means, and she struggled to explain it to me again and again. Gender is irrelevant, she said. Love is about the person. I wondered over and over how a strong feminist like myself – a lover of women and an advocate for the rights of women – could ever relate to someone who was looking past gender; someone for whom gender wasn’t just not the most important issue, but wasn’t an issue at all. When Emma was 4 years old, she looked up at me and said, “I wish everyone was just like me.” “It’s important for people to be who they are,” I said. “No,” she said, “The world would be better if everyone was just like me.” I held my ground. “No, actually the world is amazing when we allow people to be who they are.” This went on for some time until I got quite aggravated and said sternly, “Emma! If our family had one core value it would be diversity. You have to trust me on this – the world is better when we love people for who they are.” That tiny blonde-haired little girl, in her beautiful dress and fake fur coat, wasn’t trying to make a point; she was just being four—figuring out the difference between herself and the rest of the world. Remembering this conversation, though, made me realize: she isn’t so different from me after all. Certainly, L A K AY + D A U G H T E R , E M M A E N her coming out as pansexual wasn’t to J OY I N G A C A S U A L D AY F U L L O F L A U G H T E R , A C C E P TA N C E A N D reject me or who I am, nor to spite the LO V E . tradition of femininity and feminism I see myself as a part of. In fact, her bravery and independence has taken one of the philosophies I passed on to her at a very early age and has challenged its very essence. In effect, she called me on my bluff. She is living proof that people are who they are, and that we love them—not because of or in spite of who they are—but just because they are the ones we love.

hen I was little, my bedroom was pastel pink. My mother had put a lot of work into it, but I didn’t really like it. At least, I wasn’t as excited about it as my mom was. I’d asked for curtains around the bed for privacy and make believe and she gave me sheer pink ones with frilly lace that didn’t quite close— not quite what I was expecting. I didn’t treat the room as a palace either. I hopped from the bed to the desk and tiptoed across the doll house. I rolled around on the carpet, ducking for cover after throwing a ‘glitter bomb’ (a sparkly ornament from my tiny Christmas tree). Looking back, I can see that I wasn’t the daughter my mom had wanted, but—in a way—I’m exactly what she raised. Girly girl was trumped by the other values she instilled in me. My mom grew up wanting a prince to sweep her off her feet, but that had brought her a lot of heartache. Since she REALLY didn’t want to raise a girl like that, I wasn’t allowed to play with Barbies, Bratz, or anything to do with Disney princesses. I remember fighting with a friend because I refused to touch her Barbies or watch a princess movie even when my mom wasn’t around. Of course, I knew the stories—you couldn’t be a little girl and not know them—but I didn’t idolize them. My mom also raised a critical thinker. She did her best to give real answers to my questions, even if I was questioning her rules, and avoided the phrase ‘because I said so’ as best she could. I’d say it worked. Not only because I see myself as a critical thinker now, but because I was one at such a young age. I understood why I couldn’t have Barbies or princess dolls, so I was able to make a case against it. I agreed with the rule its self, after all dependence was never really my thing, but there was one princess

who didn’t fit the rule. Around kindergarten I declared Belle was okay to watch because she married the ugliest man in town to save her father’s life. My mother wanted a free-thinking daughter, who cherished family above all else, and I gave an argument supporting that. After that, I could dress up with friends or talk about a movie they liked. Sure, I wouldn’t have lost out on much in the long run if I hadn’t made the argument, but my mom really listening to what I had to say rather than saying “She’s still a princess” promoted my critical thinking. Belle was an outlier and not only had I proved it, but doing so changed things. When I was born, my family didn’t really know how to raise a kid. Between my mom, grandma, grandpa, aunt, and godmother, only my grandma had any experience raising a kid. As a result, I was treated like an adult in most scenarios. The first time I ‘fed’ myself was when my Aunt had her hands full when shopping and just handed me the bottle! As a result, I acted more mature than other kids my age when I was growing up. I held conversations at parties and made my breakfast in the morning when I woke up before Mom, which was most days back then. I can’t say for certain that my mom meant for me to be that independent—past not looking for prince charming; sometimes I think she’d prefer I wasn’t—, but it’s who I am because of how I was raised. My mom and I disagree on some things. I think too scientifically to believe in sprays stopping nightmares or crystals healing you. I’m too disillusioned with romance to enjoy a cheesy rom-com the way she does. Perhaps most heartbreakingly to her, I ditched fancy clothes for things I could be comfortable in a long time ago—it just made more sense. In many ways, I’m not the daughter my mom expected she’d get. But I’m the accumulation of all the values she gave me. I am a strong, independent, critically thinking, young woman who loves her family.

Perfectly paired for fall, this variation on the traditional, orange-based, old fashioned is focused on a the beautiful honey-crisp apple. I felt like this would complement the bitters in the cocktail, plus it balances the notes of the bourbon. As the seasons change, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fun to switch the fruit in your old fashioned to reflect the local crops. Thinking seasonally about your cocktails is an old fashioned idea, but feels modern and fresh.

ARTICLE + PHOTO BY: MARIELA PITA

he problem with bourbon cocktails is that only bourbon lovers drink them; Gals who aren’t fans of the spirit are hesitant to try new libations. A new old fashioned is somewhat different because with the apple and the smooth bitters (our favorite is from Jack Rudy Cocktail Co.) you bring to life a very balanced and easy-to-make drink.

Ingredients

• bourbon I prefer to use high

proof bourbons, anything lower than 86 looses flavor when it starts melting. • smooth aromatic bitters from Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. • apple slices

• 1 sugar cube

How To

• Muddle fruit, sugar cube and 3 drops of the bitters • Add 2 oz bourbon of choice • Add ice and stir throrougly • Finish with an orange peel

T U R N

Y O U R T A B L E M A N N E R S

U P

BY: MALLORY JORDAN

“The spoon goes to the right of the knife, which is turned inward towards the plate. If you are serving soup, the soup spoon…”

can still hear the etiquette guest speaker of my Middle School years droning on about placing your napkin politely on your lap before eating. Gangly tweens giggled or goofed off, while the kids whose eyelids had already fell, chin cupped in their hands, didn’t notice the class clowns delicately set a napkin on their apathetic heads. The days of jelly bracelets, guilt-free pizza parties, and one-size-fits-all Popcorn T-shirts have come to a close, and the successful lifestyle of work brunches, cocktails, and fancy dinner parties reign. Even if you aren’t an individual who lives for hosting parties or friend get-togethers, it’s good to at least know how to throw a decent dinner party. Man or woman, understanding basic etiquette and hosting skills will come in handy and prevent embarrassing family gathering or date night moments. Unfortunately, in my eyes, the gift of hosting and dinner etiquette has become a dying art form. Cooking skills are hard enough for some to master, let alone timing out multiple dishes and setting a proper sit-down dinner.

ou can host like a 1950s housewife without actually having to morph into Martha Stewart. Save yourself from the Pinterest pressure of an elaborate 5-course meal. The ins and outs of hosting donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be complicated. A few etiquette insights, tips in the kitchen, and how to maintain a comfortable atmosphere will have you impressing family and friends like a #girlboss.

SET THE TABLE Ever been confused about table setting etiquette? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because is changes depending on the gathering. A few rules are universal, such as placing the bread plate to the top left of the dinner plate. But, even the salad fork switches from its usual placement on left side of dinner fork at exceedingly formal dinners, in which the placement goes fish fork, dinner fork, salad fork. Your table does not have to be themed, but a nice color scheme, matching dishes and utensils, and a proper setting are necessities.

English Etiquette (European)

LIGHT A CANDLE You won’t find this point in Etiquette 101, but it should not be overlooked. Don’t get too consumed by your table setting visuals that you forget that the fish you cooked stunk up the kitchen, or your living room smells like the dog hair you recently vacuumed. Light a candle, spray some freshener, or plug in that Glade so your guests have an appetizing ambiance to enjoy their meal.

ASK YOUR GUESTS ABOUT ALLERGIES

Checking-in with your guests prior to the meal to meet any food allergy needs is a common courtesy. No one wants a dinner emergency where a guest was uninformed that you mixed in Shellfish with that pasta dish. And, nothing will break your hosting heart more than preparing a complicated noodle or bread-related recipe, only to realize on of your friends suffers from Celiac and can’t eat the main course. Ask and avoid panics.

• Hold your fork with the prongs facing downward, rounded part towards the ceiling, Throughout

the course of the meal. Do not scoop up anything with your fork; forks are for puncturing vegetables. Do not set down your silverware unless switching utensils for a new course. Elbows on the table are A-Okay. When served peas, use your knife to spread mashed potatoes on the back of your fork and then spread and stick the peas on top to avoid a mess. • Don’t stab your meat, but saw it at a flat angle when cutting with the fork holding the meat in place.

• • • •

SET THE MOOD MUSIC Groups of family or friends might be lively enough to not need music. But, to avoid awkward silences from seeming far worse, saving a couple occasion appropriate playlists aside on your laptop or Airplay can be a lifesaver. You can’t go wrong with some classic dinner Jazz with family or a new music playlist for friend get-togethers.

A LWAY S H AV E T H E T W O W ’ S : WATER AND WINE

You can tailor the rest of the drink menu to what you know your guests prefer, but water and wine are always a must. Fill up ice water glasses on the table prior to your guests arriving. Leave a pitcher on the table for their leisure. Pick a wine or two that are most commonly preferred, such as Moscato or Cabernet, and uncork the bottle before people are ready to start pouring. You aren’t required to get fancy and pair the wine choices perfectly, but it’s polite to provide these two beverages for your guests for dinner parties. Brunch, you can switch it up with mimosas and beer for BBQs.

• The teacup should be placed to TURN DOWN THE STRESS DIAL The guests have arrived. Your chicken dish still has 10 minutes left on the oven clock. Don’t freak out. A grumpy host ruins a guest’s experience. If you want credit for your impressive dinner, don’t make your guests feel bad about the stress level your currently experiencing. Keep it to yourself. No one cares if dinner is ready on the spot when they arrive. Keep your guests at ease and occupied while you finish up. Nothing sets the tone and ambiance for your home more than your own attitude.

APPETIZERS: LESS PANIC

Tea Time Etiquette

•

• • • •

•

the lower right of the other glassware. The proper serving of tealeaves is 1 teaspoon per cup. If serving in a pot, add 1 tsp of tealeaves per person, plus 1 extra teaspoon for the pot. Do not leave your teaspoon sitting in your teacup. Carry your tea saucer with your tea cup when drinking. Hold the lid of the teapot while pouring to avoid a spilling disaster. Place a doily or small napkin underneath the teacup on the saucer as courtesy for guests to catch drips. The authentic way to drink tea is weak (steep 3-5 minutes tops) without cream or sugar. Lemon is acceptable.

MORE PREPARATION BEFORE, LATER.

The key way to avoid the moment I described above and keep your guests occupied while you make the finishing touches to your dishes is having an appetizer or two set-out. Don’t forget the cocktail napkins! If your guests have a glass of wine in one hand and a cocktail weenie toothpick in the other, they will feel relaxed to socialize among themselves. That way, they won’t see your last minute scrambles, and you gain a few more minutes to perfect the meal.

9 10 BREAD, SOUP, SALAD BASICS

8 &

The beginning of the meal basics are where the most common etiquette mistakes happen. Always have some kind of bread (rolls, garlic bread, breadsticks) in a pass-around basket for guests. When eating a roll, break off one bite-sized piece at a time, and butter each bit individually. Soup and salad are not always necessary, depending on how many courses and how fancy you want to get. You can also simply pick one. If you serve soup, make sure a separate soup spoon makes the table setting. Pro tip: scoop your spoon away from your body when eating soup and don’t slurp!

WHAT TO SERVE?

1 meat, 1 carb, 1 veggie. Your best chance at the main course is learning how to balance showy and simple without surrendering to frozen pre-made dinners. Sautee or steam veggies in olive oil and the appropriate spices on the stove for fancier fresh in 10 min. A sauced pasta is an easy route, but stuffing or topping chicken breast looks exceedingly posher and almost as stress-free. Unless you can make an impressive chicken or shrimp pasta, keep noodles as the carb side, not the main course.

SERVE YOUR GUESTS FIRST

Hosting doesn’t equal playing waiter. Arrange your meal catering style, and invite your guests to serve themselves first. Bread, butter, water, wine, and place settings should remain on the dining table so guests can refill at their leisure. Or, if your dining table is large enough, position all of your serving dishes in the middle and initiate the passing to the right, helping yourself last. Unless you’re Oprah rich and hire a waiter, let yourself relax and let guests put a much food on their plate as they desire!

Hostess gifts can be a challenge, but a scecially curated gift box like this set from Love & Bisous hits the perfect mark.

DUMB DOWN DESSERT Pinterest deceives us into thinking preparing dessert requires you to be a professional baker. You don’t know how to make mini tarts, scones, or layer cakes, and that’s a-okay. Box mixes topped with icing or cream cheese and fruit are delicious. Buying freshly prepared pies from the grocery or a local baker who knows what they’re doing is perfectly acceptable. You can say #NotTodayMarthaStewart, still receive complements, and not stress your last course. Have a separate set of clean small plates, small forks, and maybe even a little coffee brewing prior to the final, sweet touch of your dinner party.

12 A T T E N D ING? BRING S O M E THING

How To Not Stress Out

A dinner invitation is not a free for all. Yes, it’s your turn to lean back and let someone else do the kitchen work. But, etiquette and social skills still apply. Show your host gratitude for their planning, cleaning, cooking, and hosting. Bring a bottle of wine, a small hosting gift, or a little treat for the host to indulge in on their own later. Remember your own middle school taught manners and put as much effort into politeness as your host put into preparing the meal and ambiance.

• • • •

Plan the entire course menu of your meal ahead of time. Do not wait to grocery shop the day of the event. Bulk clean your home the day before the dinner or lunch. Calculate what dishes need to be prepared first, such as chicken, and what can wait until the last 15 minutes, such as heating up rolls. • It is wise to prepare cold or room temperature items like cake, spreads, or salads the day before the event. • Set-out all of the serving dishes and utensils ahead of time so you can quickly plop the food you’ve finished cooking on them immediately. • Get ready and dressed for guests halfway through cooking.

PHOTO BY: AUTUMN THEODORE

a closer look at bubbles + why you should be considering sparkling wine more often this fall... and all year round

BY: TIMOTHY QUINLAN

here are many great problems in life nowadays, and I am not just talking about the Republican Party, the Party of President Lincoln, Senators Vandenberg, Dirksen, and William F. Buckley Jr., turning away from a party of ideas to one of thoughtless, demagoguery. I mean, we are witnessing a large segment of the population show an absence of a true moral compass on a scale not seen since the early 1930’s in Germany….but I digress….. Into more nonessential realm, I dare say that the inability of many to see Sparkling Wines as more than just a celebratory sipper or holiday guzzler is truly discouraging. There are/may be many reasons for this assertion. Many recreational sippers believe that Champagne (and its ridiculous pricing structure) is synonymous for all or most the sparkling wine world. Even if you are comfortable in navigating around the definitions of Sur Lie aging, Assemblage, and Dosage, the eruption of labels, especially from superstar grower champagne houses, has flooded the market to the point of making the holiday time Veuve Cliquot case stacks in every liquor store around seem not so ubiquitous. But fear not oh inveterate dreamers and wandering epicureans, please believe me when I tell you that yes, you can enjoy fantastic sparkling wine and not have to pay Champagne-ish pricing! The beauty of sparkling wine is its versatility. It is the closest thing the wine world has to an “everything wine”. It goes with so many foods and with its different levels of sweetness (everything from bone-dry brut nature to very sweet demi-sec and beyond), the possibility of a simple, seasonal evening of food & wine pairing turning into a night of blissful and seductive nirvana is right at your fingertips!!! bow chicka bow bow…..but, I digress

A D M I T T E D LY, U N D E R S TA N D ING THE COMPLEXITIES OF SPARKLING WINE CAN BE DAUNTING. TO START,

Lets quickly cover some of the basic rules and regulations (literally): • all Champagne is Sparkling Wine, but NOT all

Sparkling Wine is Champagne (this is the same easy logic used to educate non-Kentuckians about the differences between bourbons and Jack Daniels, ie. all Bourbon is Whiskey, but not Whiskey is Bourbon. That is for another article)

• there are 2 primary methods to making Spar-

kling Wine. Methode champenoise (or Traditional Method) that includes bottle aging and, most importantly, a second fermentation inside the bottle that produces its bubbly personality, and Charmat (or Tank Method) that introduces bubbles through an artificial addition of CO2 in the tank holding the aforementioned wine.

• By and large, the most prominent grapes used

to make sparkling wines are thin skin, high acid grapes, both white and red. In Champagne, that means Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. In Spain, for Cava production, Macabeo, Parallada, and Xarel-lo. In Italy (for Prosecco production) Glera.

• most, but certainly not all, sparkling wine will

come with a NV or non-vintage designation as many wines are held back and blended with several vintages before the final bottling occurs. This is true both inside of Champagne as well as in most other prominent sparkling wine regions in the world.

The fact that most grapes going into sparkling wine production are considered highly acidic grapes tells you a great deal as to why sparkling wine is such a versatile and effective wine for food pairing. The natural acidity helps play off richer, fatter flavors (such as cream sauces and running, gooey cheeses) while also perfectly pairing with high acid ingredients like heirloom tomatoes and fresh green produce. While the aforementioned Veuve Cliquot has always been an absolute go to from a quality (all-be-it expensive) standpoint, here are some other more affordable routes to take when building up your sparkling wine grab bag:

Ca del Bosco Brut Franciacorta, Lombardy, Italy (Standard Retail Pricing around $30) An absolute go to for most sommeliers I know, Franciacorta is considered among the most affordable great wines of the world. Ca del Bosco is one of only 2 wineries (including Super Tuscan and Barolo powerhouse Angelo Gaja eponymous winery) to have over 50 Tre Bicchieri wines in Gambero Rosso magazine. TRUST ME (damn, am I starting to sound like the Donald!!!!!), this is a big deal.

Raventos I Blanc 2013 L’Hereu Reserva Brut Cava, Penedes Spain (SRP $15.99) An exception to the non-vintage rule, the family behind Raventos recently help found a higher quality section of Cava production to help differentiate their wines from less quality driven producers. Amazing complexity and hard to find, but very affordable.

Domaine J Laurens Brut Blanquette de Limoux, Languedoc -Roussillon, France (SRP $14.99) As a good wine friend once described this wine as his “everytime, everyday crack fix” zI would have to concur. Like the above wines, it is made using the traditional method of production, but must by law include at least 90% of an obscure local grape called Mauzac. How about that for the locavores keeping it real!

Lamarca Prosecco, Prosecco DOC Italy (SRP $12.99) I felt it necessary to include at least one example of the Charmat method and although it is hard NOT to be find Lamarca in almost any package store around, its price to quality ratio is exceptionally high and it is a great, light quaffable drink and particularly well suited to mixing with fruit juices and salty snacks. Seriously!!!

Gruet For a domestic perspective- sparkling wines made out of New Mexico; Schramsberg (the best domestic producer of traditional sparkling wines in the US, without question!); and Argyle (one of Oregon’s oldest sparkling producers). And don’t be afraid to give Korbel a try every now and then. Just make sure you have that pinky raised no matter the occasion!!

the

C U R I O U S

K I N D

L I F E

Living is an art. It is more than breath and biology - it’s a filling-up of yourself, seeking all those corners and crevices and filling them with beauty and reverence right up to the top. It’s not easy, as the great works never are. It’s hard work, to live. It is intention and commitment and hard work, every day, and endless refinement. It is more than simply existing.

BY: JAMIE BERG

PHOTO BY: AUTUMN THEODORE

of living

iving is a creative act - waking up and facing the blank page, all possibility and choice. We all begin with the same untouched canvas: twenty-four hours in a day, the very same afforded to Eleanor Roosevelt and Leonardo da Vinci, Mother Teresa and Jacques Cousteau. Twenty-four hours in a day, all of us. Every adventurer, artist, activist and saint is given this same block of unmolded clay as you. Those among us that leave behind legacies and masterpieces, whose lives are a series of stories to be told under starlight, understand the value of time and recognize the potentiality in every hour ticking by. Every moment has its place and its purpose. Living is an art, and your life a magnum opus. Approach it as such. Understand that every choice you make is a brushstroke; every thought you think, every word that passes through your lips, every friendship you nourish, every toxin you purge, every dollar you spend - it all shapes the story you live and leave behind. Approach each day with the intention, commitment, and passion of an artist. Choose the ideals that you most admire and dedicate yourself. For some, it may be bravery and beauty. For me, it’s curiosity and kindness. Why choose a curious life? Because a curious life is a life of infinite hope. Curiosity allows us to imagine the unexplored, uncharted, unmapped, unfamiliar, uncertain, unsettled. It fills our lives with the novel and strange. It’s given us airplanes and automobiles; Shakespeare and Dickens; penicillin and a man on the moon. Curiosity prods us to know more, to reach higher, to keep pushing. Many of us have been taught fear - of failure, of the unknown - when we should have been taught curiosity. Fear does not advance us; curiosity does that. We innovate because we ask ‘why’ and ‘how’ and ‘what if.’ Discovery is made when we attempt, and fail, and fail again until we succeed. To be curious is to explore and to embrace possibility. It is through curiosity that we learn to listen rather

than talk, that we gain understanding over ignorance and indifference.

And while curiosity pushes, kindness connects. Because to be kind is to be gentle and authentic. It is to recognize each other, and this means acknowledging both your needs and mine, your feelings and mine, your experiences and mine. Kindness is empathy in action. Many of us were taught to be nice, a veiled directive to keep us from saying or doing anything objectionable. Instead, we should teach our children (and ourselves) to be kind - to say what needs to be said, and do what needs to be done, in a firm and gentle way. Why choose a kind life? Because kindness allows us to accept ourselves and each other. There is no room for judgment in kindness. Because of kindness we can sit at the same table. Human rights advance when I empathize with you and acknowledge your reality. Equality advances. Dialogue and diplomacy are born out of kindness. Connection is only possible through kindness.

So don’t be agreeable, be kind. And don’t be afraid, be curious. But why be both? Why choose a curious and kind life? Because curiosity drives us and kindness sustains us. It’s a balance. And it’s an art - it requires practice and constant fine-tuning, continual creation. So create.

The Art of Living a Curious + Kind Life: the takeaways

BEGIN HERE

B Decide that this is the life you want and then start building, molding, sketching * Do curious things * Ask â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;whyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; at least once a day * Wonder and wander and daydream and read * Do kind things * Smile at strangers and pay for their coffee * Abstain from judging others and aim to understand instead.

TUNE OUT THE NOISE

T Toss out the distractions * Creation requires focus * Fill your life with people and things that encourage curiosity and kindness * Pitch the rest * Curate your life as well as you do your Instagram feed * Be meticulous * Fill your space with only those things that move you * Know where your food comes from, know where your clothes come from * Do more of what makes you feel alive, because great art - great lives - come from that place.

The Art of Living a Curious + Kind Life: the takeaways

DEVOTE YOURSELF

D Devote yourself to being better, kinder, and more curious * Commit * Fine-tune as needed * Take care of yourself * Breathe through * Keep going.

Twenty-four hours in a day, each filled with endless opportunity and raw possibility. How you choose to spend this time is how you choose to spend your life. Be curious. Be kind.

BY: LARA GARNER

a heart for

As I walked the streets of Pattaya, Thailand almost three years ago, my heart was broken in two. This city is home to over 50,000 sex workers, many of whom are minors or children. Notorious for pedophile “vacations” and sex tourism, I couldn’t believe my eyes as I saw young women standing on the streets like cattle with numbers pinned to their clothing… they were literally for sale to the thousands of buyers, or johns, who travel to the city to purchase sex. I knew that my life had been forever changed that night. As I walked through the bustling city, I felt an inner urge and pull to do something on behalf of these being trafficked.

ast forward to my life at the time in 2014—I was living and working at a historic house museum in South Texas and had recently finished a master’s in museum studies. I really enjoyed my work but I constantly questioned if that was where I really needed to be. I wondered if I should be doing something that was reaching out to those in need. I took a year to do some soul-searching. I considered many different options but kept thinking about one special place that I had visited in Thailand. During one portion of our trip, we had visited a specialized aftercare home for children who had been exploited and trafficked. The level of hope there was like something I had never experienced. When I walked into the Thrive Rescue home, I met children as young as 4 who had been abused and exploited. It was mind-blowing. What was even more mind-blowing was the level of care they were receiving. Their restoration and healing was one of the most beautiful things I had ever witnessed. As I met the kids, playing board games and singing songs, I realized again that my life was forever changed. I wanted to work towards eradicating child sex trafficking. It was such an abhorrent evil, and I wanted to be the change. I wondered if there was some way I could serve with this organization. I contacted the founder through Facebook…isn’t social media grand? She told me that Thrive Rescue was getting ready to open a US administrative office. I felt my heart leap. I knew I wanted to be on board. I decided to pack up and move to Eau Claire, WI, the home of the new Thrive office. I was leaving behind the security of some things to follow a new adventure. My heart was full. I wanted to be able to use my gifts, passions, and experience in the non-profit world to benefit humanity. I was a little nervous because I knew all of the Thrive staff raised their own support for living expenses.

Our organization is young, and this was a way to cut down on administrative fees for the organization as a whole as we continue getting established. It was such a blessing watching the generosity of others as they gave me the funds I needed to work in the new office for my first year on the job. I stepped off the cliff of faith and ran fast towards my future and my dream of being a modern day abolitionist. As of now, I am still working to raise support, but my faith is stronger. I believe in the cause and the aftercare work. These kids and their futures are worth any sacrifice I have had to make. If you have made it this far into my little essay, I ask you to consider two things… 1) What it is that your heart longs to do but you are afraid of embracing? What is holding you back? If you have a dream, how you can you chase it to make it a reality? If you are unfulfilled in your current work, don’t be limited! There is more out there. Don’t be afraid to take that job, begin that relationship, book that vacation, start that Etsy shop. Whatever is in your heart…if you can dream it, you can do it. 2) You may be wondering how you can make a difference in the realm of human trafficking. It seems like such an overwhelming social evil. I can tell you that in our organization, we measure progress by one life changed. We are trying to quantify intangibles like hope and renewal-- which can be a challenge. We believe that to change communities, you must change individuals. Some ways you can get involved to end trafficking are quite simple…sponsor a child in one of our homes, host an awareness night at your faith community or community center, watch many of the great trafficking documentaries that are out there such as Nefarious or A Path Appears. Awareness and education are two of our biggest weapons in this fight! Small steps add up to big changes. I am expectant as I think about how I can continue to use my gifts, passions, and creativity to be an advocate for hope and dignity for all.

a busy girl's guide T O F L AW L E S S S K I N epert advice, practical tips, recipes + our favorite beauty buys

Pull your hair off your face when you go to bed. Use a soft hair tie, like a scrunchie or the like, & pull it into a loose & comfortable ponytail. The benefits of this are two-fold. First, it keeps your hair nicer & fresher looking for a longer amount of time. Second, it prevents the oils in your hair from transferring into your skin while you sleep. This prevents break outs JENNIFER LOWE, WATER VIXEN SWIM

1. Ice cubes are great to relieve morning-after-too-much-partying eyes. Just lightly move the ice cube back and forth under your eyes a few times for a lift. 2. Baggy eyes? Use your fingertips to create a light, circular massage motion under your eyes. Finish by pushing your fingers toward your nose as this helps release extra, unneeded moisture through your tear ducts. 3. Recreate that vacation glow by adding two drops of foundation or sunless tanner to a moisturizing sunscreen. Mixing the two together gives you a more natural look, saves money and promotes healthier skin. CELESTE HILLING, SKIN AUTHORITY

Use Â your favorite lip scrub to exfoliate your lips at the end of the day. This will helpÂ them to look fresh but also will help with plumper fuller lips. After lip scrub, use a really hydrating lip balm to wake up with hydrated, fuller looking lips ANTOINETTE, BONBON GIRLS

The moment you get home from work, take off your makeup. This might seem like common sense, a lot of people wait to take off their makeup until they go to bed. That extra couple of hours that I have a makeup-free face has done wonders for my skin. K E L LY, MIMOSAS AND MANHATTAN

Find a great matte makeup setting spray. So many setting sprays are targeted for glowing skin, which is great for normal/dry skin types. For those of us a little shiny, we provide our own glow but need a little help to keep things from looking greasy. That's where a matte makeup setting spray comes in. These sprays can even be used on bare skin without makeup. Try a chemical exfoliating toner. You want to find one with Glycolic, Lactic and/or Salicylic Acid. These are AHAs and help refine texture, pore size and minor discolorations. Start using once a day and gradually work up to morning and night. They will improve the look of all skin types and keep skin healthy, glowing and clear! STEFFANIE, BRIGHT DARLING

I know that the idea of oil cleansing has been picking up steam, but I've been using oil as a cleanser for as long as I can remember. When you apply a fancy soap to your face, it does exactly that - it cleanses! But what it's also doing (that we can't really see) is often leaving a layer of film and residue behind. That's why a lot of women that are great at washing their face still experience break outs. The pores are still being clogged. LAURA, ISLAND APOTHECARY

A surprising or not often heard of skin care product that I know of is magnesium bath salts. Saturated magnesium salts in a hot bath soothes tired muscles and helps detoxify the body through the skin which helps with acne, eczema and other skin conditions. Lack of sleep adds to stress levels. You can't practice proper skincare without magnesium as it is a natural detoxifier and is known as the anti-stress mineral. If you are retaining toxins in your body from environmental, chemical and other toxic pollutants your skin will be adversely affected and will result in acne, eczema, etc. If you are not sleeping well, this will also affect your skin. Every bath you take should have magnesium salts! If you can't have magnesium bath salts everyday, try one of the most absorbable forms of magnesium in a powdered magnesium citrate that is taken with hot or cold water and can be sipped throughout the day. C A R O LY N D E A N , M D , N D

Everything in moderation. You can't nor should you, "do it all". Find what works for you, your skin and your body and then be consistent. Always wash your face before bed and apply your corrective serums, as a last resort keep face wipes and a moisturizer on your nightstand so that you never have an excuse that you're too tired, your face will thank you for letting it breath. In the morning, try dry brushing to awaken your skin and slough off any dead cells from cellular turnover. Consolidate your skin and fitness routines: Take your essentials to the gym with you! When you finish your workout, don't forget to work out your face muscles too. Two methods (can be done together or separately) NuFace Microcurrent - this is a handheld device that will work to stimulate the muscles and literally takes 5minutes, the benefits: a more even complexion, lifted cheekbones, tighter appearance. Alternatively, you can do facial exercises in the shower - learn 3 exercises and by the time you’re done conditioning your hair you'll be done without taking any extra time but significantly boosting blood flow in the face. KATIE WERBOWSKI, SENIOR MANAGER OF SKIN SPA NEW YORK

L E T ' S TA L K S U N S H I N E

n todays world everything has to be timely, with over 126 million people commuting and working full time jobs in the united states, many of them only have a short amount of time to tend to their skin. With work being such an important factor in how we live, often times skin care is over looked or short changed, which is to bad because now more than ever before skin care is not only cosmetically beneficial but can be life saving. Tanning only became popular around the 1920’s when fashion icon Coco Chanel popularized the idea of laying in the sun, not only to tan but also for relaxing and health benefits. Today we know that this is obviously not the case and with “over the past three decades, more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined.”1 With accidental exposure like walks to the car, going in and out of shade and even not following facial/ waxing home care protocols, sun protection is detrimental to healthier skin. So how do we stop this epidemic from affecting more loved ones? We have to educate our clients about the importance of SPF and the mandatory task of reapplying. To often large sunscreen brands try to come out with a new, higher SFP when the fact of the matter is that there is no such thing higher than "45 SPF 2” and "no sunscreen, regardless of strength, should be expected to stay effective longer than two hours without reapplication. Second, "reddening" of the skin is a reaction to UVB rays alone and tells you little about what UVA damage you may be getting. Plenty of damage can be done without the red flag of sunburn being raised. KIM PARENT

CHARCOAL FACE + BODY BAR EVER BAMBOO TOO COOL ALOE MIST KEY WEST ALOE SKIP THE GYM BODY SOUFFLE REJAVANATE SKIN BEL ESSENCE ANTI-AGING CREAM BEL ESSENCE THE SUMMER MINT FACE MIST CDF SKINCARE CERUMWORX FACE CAPSULES DERMWORX NOT PICTURED SUNLESS TANNER SKIN AUTHORITY 4 STEP SKINCARE SOLUTION THE SPA DR

Lust List our favorite skincare products from around the web

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Fruits and vegetables are foods that can go a long way toward helping skin to look great, feel smooth, and have that healthy glow that so many people seek. But choosing which fruits and vegetables will help us get our skin there isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always an easy task. Here are some of the fruits and vegetables that skin expert Katherine Goldman suggests to reach for in order to help have healthy skin:

Berries Eating a variety of berries is a great way to protect the skin from the inside out. Berries, such as blueberries and strawberries, are loaded with antioxidants, which help to protect the cells from free radicals, which can come from sun exposure.

Citrus Adding citrus fruits to your diet can help the skin to become more clear, and blemish-free. The antioxidants in these fruits help to renew damaged skin and give a healthy glow. Opt for such varieties as grapefruits, oranges, and limes. It's as simple as adding lemon to your water!

Broccoli This beloved veggie contains sulforaphane, which is a powerful antioxidant.. It is also found in other cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage and Brussels sprouts.

Carrots Known to help slow the aging process, carrots contain vitamin A and antioxidants. They are great for helping to protect the skin from sun damage, help provide even skin tone, and keep the skin moist.

Melons Due to their anti-aging properties, melons make an idea option. Opt for watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew varieties. Not only do they provide a boost in water intake, but they will help keep skin from aging.

KATHERINE GOLDMAN, CELEBRITY ESTHETICIAN

green giant SKIN-LOVING JUICE BLEND

1 cucumber, peeled if not organic 1 handful spinach or kale 1 lemon, peeled 1-inch-piece ginger root, scrubbed, peeled if old 2 stalks of celery

Juice ingredient and you're ready to glow!

BY: CHLOE JO OF GIRLIE GIRL ARMY

blogging, entrepreneurship and professional development

IN ST AG RA M

for female

entrepreneurs

BY: ZOE LINDA

PHOTO BY: AUTUMN THEODORE

ON TR IB E GR OW

best hashtags the

ith Instagram’s dreaded algorithm update in full swing, getting engagement on your photos is more important than ever. Instagram will push your posts to the top of your audience’s feeds if they are frequently engaging (liking and commenting) with your snaps. And how do you get engagement? Hashtags, my friend! Hashtags are key to growing your account, reaching

different audiences and maintaining high levels of engagement. Instagram users are constantly searching through hashtags to find new content and new accounts to follow, so you need to make sure your Insta-snaps are getting seen. Whether you are a female entrepreneur or if ‘femtrepreneurs’ are your target audience, we’ve got the best hashtags for you right here.

#COMMUNITYOVERCOMPETITION Created by @risingtidesociety, this hashtag focuses on building community instead of focusing on the competition. Expect to see lots of pastels and pretty things from fellow female entrepreneurs.

#BEINGBOSS Created by @beingbossclub, #beingboss is the perfect hashtag for creative entrepreneurs and, with just under 40k uses, your photos are sure to get seen and generate the engagement you need.

#TNCHUSTLER Created by @Melyssa_Griffin, this hashtag is for the hustlers inside all of us! Expect to see a lot of entrepreneurs getting their biz on.

#MYCREATIVEBIZ Instagram expert @CaitlinBacher created this tag for handmade businesses and Etsy sellers. Use this tag on your behind-thescenes crafting snaps, stalls at the art fair and other creative business shennanigans!

#GIRLBOSS With over 2 million uses, this is the ultimate hashtag for female entrepreneurs. #girlboss, created by @sophiaamoruso, is full of budding businesswomen and successful entrepreneurs.

#TCCTRIBE @thinkcreativecollective have been growing their community over the past year and their Instagram hashtag is full of creative biz babes hustling away. Use this hashtag to get involved in the tribe!

#BLOGBFFS Created by yours truly, @ZoeLinda_, #BlogBFFs is a great tribe of gals. From bloggers to creative entrepreneurs, this tag is perfect to share what you’re up to with a smaller community.

#SAVVYBUSINESSOWNER This is the go-to hashtag for inspirational quotes, desk envy and biz tips! Created by @heather_crabtree, #SavvyBusinessOwner is an essential hashtag for all female entrepreneurs, whatever their niche.

If you use these hashtags in each of your Instagram posts, you’re pretty much guaranteed to grow your engagement and your tribe. Here are a few tips about how to use hashtags in your Instagram posts: • You can use a maximum of 30 hashtags per post

• If you’re going to hashtag at all, you might as well max out and go for all 30. Don’t worry, it doesn’t look ‘desperate’ - it looks like you know what you’re doing

• Use your hashtags in a comment

underneath your post instead of in the caption. It just looks a little bit neater

• Save time and use your smart-

phone’s settings and create a keyboard shortcut for all your hashtags. This way you will just have to type something short (i.e. ‘#hashtags’) and ALL 30 of your tags will show up

• Paste your hashtags in a com-

ment as soon as you’ve posted your Instagram photo - you’ll be surprised at what a difference this makes to your engagement

ome days, I am like every other creative entrepreneur with a home office. I wake up, do some exercise, drink a caffeinated beverage or two, and sit down at my computer to create. I stop at lunch time for a break to eat, then check email and post to social media until it’s time to pick up my daughter from school. Sometimes in the evening, I’ll write some more. It’s a story that most online-based small business owners know well. But some days, I can’t get out of bed until noon, because I am paralysed by the idea of living. I forget to eat until I’m dizzy. I go from sad to elated to angry inside of a minute (and don’t mind letting everyone know it). I have panic attacks over answering emails. I get too hyperactive to sit still on my office chair. Some days, I write everything off, get in my car and drive aimlessly for hours in an attempt to get my heart and mind to stop racing. This is what running a business with a mood disorder means. Mood disorders make up the most common form of mental health diagnoses in the western world, and there are many different types. Personally, I live with borderline personality disorder and panic disorder, a form of anxiety characterised by regular and debilitating panic attacks. Other forms include Depression, Bipolar Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Each diagnosis has its own challenges and treatment, but when it comes to managing a business and creating a life that doesn’t only revolve around your illness, many of the steps you can take are the same no matter what mood disorder you might be dealing with.

running a business with a MOOD DISORDER a look behind the scenes plus techniques to help you cope

BY: SHANNON KATE

SYSTEMIZE I love systems. All my social media, my blog posts, my email responses – even my housework! – has a system attached. Yes, this takes time and effort to set up and write out, but even knowing that on my bad days I just have to click four buttons to send off all my social media posts is very reassuring. Even better is not having to talk to clients when I am anxious – I can just copy and paste what I’ve already written, tweak it a tiny bit and send it off. Not everything can be done on a system, especially things like complaint management, new purchases or one-on-one interaction with clients, but having systems in place for everything that can be systemized may make the difference between being able to do those things that need you personally and curling up in the foetal position unable to think about business.

AVOID TRIGGERS

FEED YOURSELF

Look at how you fuel your body. When I am panicky or depressed, I find it very hard to eat and this tends to put my body on a downward spiral where I’m first too sad to do very much and then too weak. Plan ahead and always have healthy comfort foods available for when heading to the shops is too much. I freeze batches of my favourite meals so I have no excuse not to eat, even on days when I feel like shit. Fuelling your body accounts for exercise and drinking lots of water too – make it easy for yourself by having a familiar exercise routine, such as walking around particular streets, or doing a certain yoga routine. Any exercise that you can do without thinking too much about it will work well. I have one litre glass bottles that I can fill up and leave on my bedside table and at the computer desk, so I don’t have to put any effort into finding something to drink.

Now sometimes looking at what triggers you (and by this, I mean something that can change your mood, make you anxious or cause some kind of emotional reaction) is a good thing. When you are in a safe place, often with a therapist or a partner, examining the things that change your emotional state in a dramatic way can really help. But if you are having a bad day, or are feeling stressed, that is not the time to go hunting through your past to see what makes you tick. If I’m feeling run down or anxious, if I know I have a big project coming up, or if I’m headed off to meet a client, I will go out of my way to avoid my triggers. Instead I give myself good things to think about, remind myself of all the times I did something right, and try to relax (fantasy fiction and a hot bath is my go to). Running a business is hard, so avoiding anything that will make it harder at times when you can’t afford to be completely stressed out is a good idea.

THOUGHT CONVEYOR B E LT

I do this exercise in a journal, but it works in your head as well. Sometimes my thoughts race so fast that I can’t get a hold of them. This often happens when I’m panicking or angry, but sometimes when I’m happy or feeling creative. I find if I imagine my thoughts going along on a conveyor belt (or write each thought down as a list) I can start to slow down my mind a little bit and also see the thoughts as just thoughts, not things that need to be done right then. This also helps identify triggering thoughts, especially if you are writing down each thought into a list. Later on, look at what thoughts came up more than once. These can be present worries or stresses, but they can also point to triggers that come from your past. If I start thinking that I am not good enough over and over, I know that it has very little to what I’m doing now and a lot to do with issues when I was younger.

D O N ’ T F E E L G U I LT Y Everyone who has lived with a mood disorder has had one of those days. Maybe to you it looks like the foetal position, maybe it looks like an escape to the forest for the day. Maybe you had to watch rom coms and eat ice cream out of the tub. Maybe you just slept for 48 hours. Whatever it looks like when you fall down, try not to feel guilty about it. Perhaps an email was missed, perhaps you lost a client, it doesn’t matter what the bad result was, it happened and now you have to deal with it. Guilt in these situations really does get you nowhere. Beating yourself up over taking the time and space to deal with your illness only makes the illness win. So whenever you have an off day, be gentle to yourself. If something bad happened, remind yourself that bad things sometime happen, regardless of whether you are hustling or whether you are eating cookie dough. Tomorrow is a new day, with new clients and new opportunities, and you’ll be much better equipped to deal with them without laying a huge amount of guilt on yourself.

Running a business with a mood disorder is not for the faint of heart. I love my business and I can’t imagine doing anything else, but it’s always a work in progress and I’m constantly aware that I need to look after myself first and my business second. And there are days where it feels like I’m failing with both. When that happens, I let myself take the time I need to stop being anxious. I remind myself that it’s not the end of the world. I do some selfcare and sometimes tune out a little with a good book or a movie. It took a long time, but I know now that I am better in my business (and in my life) when I honour my illness. I know how much work I can do in a day without getting stressed and I stick to that. I know where my limits are. I know what rewards work best for me and I know when to give myself a nice big buffer around tasks or interaction with clients. This takes time, just like establishing systems and routines takes time, but it’s worth it to develop a business that suits your life.

my journey: P A R T

T I M E

T O

F U L L

T I M E

entrepreneur BY: DANNIE FOUNTAIN

I don’t claim to have all the answers. Heck, one might argue I don’t even have some of them. My story is not meant to be a comprehensive guide to entrepreneurship, nor is it a story that’ll build a business. Businesses are built through hard work. Entrepreneurship takes determination. There will be tears. There will be doubt. There will be moments that you throw in the towel. Sleepless nights will become all too familiar - trust me on that one. What I do want to offer you is community. Camaraderie. A place and a moment for you to feel less alone and know that you are not the first to face your struggles or fight your fights. Let’s be that place together.

he phrase “part time entrepreneur” is my favorite misnomer. As written, it means someone who pursues entrepreneurship on a part time basis. However, this phrase is commonly used to refer to those entrepreneurs that have other commitments that prevent them from focusing solely on their entrepreneurial pursuit as a career. They might still have a 9-5 job, they might be a parent, or they might simply have responsibilities that inhibit the amount of time they have. However, these individuals are by no means committing “part time” effort to their business. In fact, typically they contribute just as much time to their business as they do whatever it is that keep them from pursuing entrepreneurship full time.

I started freelancing in 2009 and was 100% a “part time entrepreneur”. I was still in high school when I started working on marketing projects. My first “official” freelance gig? Youth Campaign Manager (aka head of kid marketing) for a State Representative campaign in my home state. When I reached undergrad, I went “official”. I registered my first DBA (“LE Professional Consulting”), created my first logo (a set of four circles fading in a gradient from white to blue to black), and launched my first website (a wordpress. com blog doctored up to look like a real website). It was the ultimate in DIY marketing efforts, but it got my business name out there and I landed my first few clients. Since then, I’ve “grown up” as an entrepreneur and found my niche in the world, which is marketing, of course. I firmly believe that price is no longer the primary motivator in our purchase decisions today, brands also need to deliver on brand promise, gut feel, and various levels of responsibility. As such, you also know that I am a strong believer in brands that do it “right.” Right is the secret sauce of marketing, it’s not a set recipe but rather a method for communication that garners a gut feeling so strong that people can’t help but notice. We put our dollars where our heart is when a brand captivates us so completely that our technology-age attention span spends more than the customary six seconds experiencing a story. The same can be said when considering what brands to work for or with. As I’ve grown and evolved, the one thing I’ve consistently come up against is my age. I was talking to one of my favorite people (Christina Scalera) recently

and she had an excellent point. She said that if she were me, she’d encourage me to highlight how talented and experienced I am, because most people will question how/why I am two years out of undergrad (six months out of my master’s) and working for myself unless I squash that early for them. This is so true. How many of us have a business-related Achilles’ Heel that we never address that could be costing us new clients? How do we combat this natural fear as women to put down our skills and successes, both as entrepreneurs and as humans? It’s all about the mission statement. As a human, my “mission statement” and who I am is really simple. I’m an entrepreneur, but I’m also a cat lover, an avid reader, a travel connoisseur, and a kind woman. I’m sure you can say the same about yourself - three to five facts that round out your personality and show (at least on the surface) who you are. What about as an entrepreneur? Do you have a personal mission statement that says what you do? Do you have a set way you articulate that you’re more than just a random person sitting in front of that new client? For me, this looks like the following: I build and execute strategies for busy creative entrepreneurs so you can build awareness and increase sales without having to give up doing what you love. Regardless of where you are on your entrepreneurial journey, having a mission statement is one of the best ways to state who you are, where you came from, and what you offer. What’s yours?

PHOTO BY: AUTUMN THEODORE

12 INSIDER TIPS FOR INCREDIBLE

influencer + brand partnerships BY: NIKOLA CLINE

ith over 150 million bloggers, vloggers and social media stars driving engaging content for mega brands and upstarts, the influence of social media on consumer products is massive. The opportunities are exhilarating, for sure, but in this highly competitive environment, how does one content creator stand out from the next? As a marketing executive, I have worked with influencers, firsthand, to develop brand campaigns and seven-figure ambassador programs. On the flipside, as a blogger, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been privileged to partner with brands on features of my very own and have insights on how to establish meaningful relationships that endure. Many years and important lessons later, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve amassed a handful of insider tips for influencers who want to stand out, crush the competition and create long-term relationships with their favorite brands.

3 1

Identify the brands you have a passion for – If you’re looking to establish brand relationships, start with those you have a natural affinity for. Authenticity always wins. No matter the category, if a brand or product excites you, makes you want to buy it and gets you talking, include it in your list of partnerships to pursue.

Make a target list and connect carefully- Create a list of brands to reach out to and sort into an A, B, C priority ranking. Reach out to two or three at a time, not ten. Brands across categories talk and marketers share intel with one another all the time. The beauty industry is, as an example, incredibly close knit. If a particular influencer is casting a wide net, they’re likely to be found out. Be sincere, proceed carefully and be patient, it usually takes diligent follow up to get to decision makers.

Connect with the right personWhile each company is different, digital media, brand marketing or public relations departments typically handle influencer partnerships. It may take a few tries to get to the right party, but stay focused. Tools like Linked In are great for identifying and connecting with brand marketers and public relations insiders, in addition to emailing the company directly. The right contact will be a great advocate or, even better, be able to green light a lucrative partnership. Stay organized by keeping notes on who you connect with, and when.

Work on your elevator pitchWhen you connect with a brand, ensure you can clearly and quickly communicate the vision, mission and core concept of your blog, vlog or social presence. Swiftly, as in 30 seconds or less, identify the value of what you can bring to the brand on a strategic level. Sure, sharing your follower base is important, but before you get into specifics consider elevating the conversation. Can you use your influence to bring the brand a more diverse customer base? Alternative product education? New product ideas? Additional distribution? A creative solution to a problem they’re having?

Create a one-page brand overview- A perfect way to show off your greatest assets, a one sheet showcases all of your strengths in one tidy, easy to read page. Yes, it should only be one page. Save the extensive show and tell for follow up conversations. Focus on your experience, your specific area of expertise and the social channels you put emphasis on. Any past partnerships that made a notable impact? Case studies are an ideal way to highlight your greatest hits.

Know your audience – Brands, large and small, look to influencers to help them grow their customer base in a different direction. By having demographic data on your followers, you can help boost your value for any type of partnership. Consider your followers’ age, education, income level and geographic location. Brands use their marketing dollars to do one thing and one thing only, grow sales. Show brands how you can leverage your audience to do just that.

Bring value- Be strategic about what you bring to the partnership, always considering what the brand finds the greatest value in. The more value they see in working with you, the more they will be willing to spend. Here are three open ended questions that will help you steer discussions in the right direction: • What are the three most important goals you’d like to realize with this project? • What has gone well with past influencer partnerships? What has not? • How will you measure the success of our partnership?

Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need- Have you scored a great brand partnership? Sweet! Ensure your success by making sure you have what you need. You and the brand, both, have a lot invested in any partnership and making the most of it is in everybody’s best interest. If you need product, imagery, brand/ product information or giveaway samples, ask away. I’ve seen influencers get product names, launch dates and even brand names incorrect, ultimately sealing their fate as a one and done with the sponsor. Do your homework and secure the necessary resources, I promise it pays off.

Go the extra mile- When working on a brand partnership, always add additional value. Provide the brand with a detailed list of your planned activities and their timing, but always throw in a little extra bonus content. It could be one extra Pinterest pin or another unexpected tweet; something small yet valuable, that comes at no additional cost to the brand. Am I suggesting you go beyond what you’re being paid to do? Absolutely. Brands look for longterm partners that bring added value to the mix.

Be grateful- Follow up any brand interactions, big or small, with a sincere thank you. The brand’s team members likely put a great deal of time and effort into getting you assets, product samples, mailings, etc. because the partnership with you was important to them. Show that it was equally important to you with a sincere sense of gratitude (I’m not talking about a “like” on Instagram). Send a thank you note or write a nice email, I guarantee this will make you sparkle as most people miss this point entirely.

12 10 Make it a point to be easy to work with – You’d be surprised at how challenging influencer partnerships are for brands. I won’t dish, but there are definitely some challenging personalities out there. Stand out and seal the deal for additional activations by being pleasant, on time, thorough and humble.

Be unforgettable- Follow up, follow up, follow up. If you have ideas for additional partnerships or activations, don’t be afraid to keep in touch with the brand and show them what you’ve got. Long-term influencer partnerships are a great way for brands to maximize their investment in social. Schedule a 30, 60 and 90 day follow up plan to keep in touch and promote your work.

create a business & brand you love

Does Your Brand Need A

Revamp? lyndsey simpson GRAPHIC DESIGNER lyndseysimpson.com @lyndseyspeaks

TWO FACED Mariel Cornel shows that style isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t about finding one look for fall, but about curating a wardrobe to show off all of the facets that make you shine... night + day

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JUSTIN QUEBRAL

donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be afraid to mix textures + patterns to add interest to your daily wardrobe

oes having inked skin make you culturally deviant? Perhaps the commonality of tattoos says more about the state of our culture than the people they mark. For the first time, the tattoos are telling a story written by the wearer versus a story about the wearer inflicted by society. We aren't getting tatted up to demonstrate our position in society. It's not about being a warrior or a branded mark to keep us in our defined role. Tattoos for modern women lean into idea of self-discovery, reflection and sometimes storytelling. Feminist writer, Germaine Greer argues that the need for self-modification or adornment stems from a feeling of otherness. Whether you consider it mutilation or adornment is for you to decide, but Greer sees it as a result of displacement. Although I fall into the 'art' side of tattoos, I have to question if there is some validity to Greer's claim. In a time of constant noise, a never-ceasing crescendo of social media, expectations and connectivity, are we somehow less connected? Women rely heavily on a strong communictive network. Our brains are wired to seek out connections. It's no surprise to hear that there is a lack of genuine connections in today's world of just 140 characters. But what's interesting is that as the number of women who are getting inked is on the rise. 58% of women have adorned their skin versus just 41% of men- a huge switch from a few generations ago. Maybe we are culturally deviant. We are actively seeking to break out of quick snaps, tweeks and captions, to stave off feeling of displacement and build communities that ignite us. Maybe it is our 'otherness' that helps us relate to one another.

nked

a closer look at tattoos + the reasons women decide to get inked

BY: SAMANTHA GROSE

for measuring small items throughout the work day

SAMANTHA NARDELLI

RACHEL RODGERS

LAUREN J. ANDREWS

ALISON MONDAY

JADE ARELLANO

JESSI NEWSOME

LEE LEE THOMPSON

KATE

AMY KURETSKY

Shawn had suffered from anxiety and addiction for years, but he was my little bubba and our bond was so strong. When my Shawny contracted staph and sepsis, we all thought that moment had come. He survived, but couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pull himself out of the cycle of anxiety, depression, and drugs. He died in the hospital on March 27, 2015. I got this tattoo of a compass surrounded by forget-me-nots because I know that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be searching for him in everything I see, everywhere I go and everyone I meet until the day I die and find him again.

AMBER MINTON

FILOMENA JACK

This tattoo took a total of 8 hrs straight! It represents the twist and turns of life, although they are hard they can also be beauitful and put behind us.

ERICA TOMTEN

This tattoo is identical to the one my long time best friend, Jaime has. My life has long been a struggle to find the balance between roots and wings - big dreams and practical every day needs. Never has this been more true than since I became an entrepreneur. As you read earlier, my daughter turned out to be incredibly grounded while I remain the dreamer â&#x20AC;&#x201D; this tattoo - roots to keep me grounded and wings to help me dream - has become beautiful symbol of my relationship with her.

LAKAY CORNELL

Mine are smaller - a red rose and 3 butterflies on my hip. The Rose is for my mom, who actually hated tattoos (ha! Sorry Mom) but was my biggest fan and supporter my whole rebellious life. She had planted what were labeled as yellow roses, but were instead huge red ones. She loved them! The 3 butterflies are for me. The pink one is small w/broken wings, for my past. The blue/purple one is vibrant, for my present. The white/yellowish one is for my big, bright future. When I got them, I hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t yet created The Blessings Butterfly. Prophetic? Maybe...

JESSI NEWSOME

his series of photographs were heavily influenced by a book Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been reading called The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz. The book discusses why more is less- the idea that the fewer amount of choices we have, the happier and healthier our life will be. The book goes on to discuss how our culture of abundance robs us of true satisfaction. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always been drawn into the minimalist lifestyle and what that can offer a person as well as the mental de-clutter it can provide you. I think now more then ever, in the midst of a society that is constantly being entertained and filled with more options, decisions, and choices then ever be-

is less

fore, it is important to slow down. Give yourself some space. And breathe. When you spend all your time and energy into trying to make the best choice or decision, the moment has passed and your true joy never really came. I think about my life specifically as an artist and how this also affects my creativity within a life of art. As I continue to minimize the choices in my life as a creative, I have found that I work better and more efficiently. My focus is honed in on what the concept objectively can be and all the stress, anxiety, and chaos fleets. They joy my art brings is not just a means to an end, but also an expression of the creative process and that is just as meaningful.

BY: RACHEL WATERS

HENRY DAVID THOREAU

THIS WORLD IS BUT A CANVAS TO OUR IMAGINĐTION.

We travel, some of us forever, to seek other places, other lives, other souls. ANAIS NIN

Crete Island in Greece is your place for clear aqua waters, sunlit hillsides, delicious fresh food, and a rich history. I had the pleasure of visiting Crete for a week this summer with my dad, and I want to share our itinerary with the hopes of inspiring your visit there. Bottom line: if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for a restful yet sensory getaway to inspire your creativity, make your way to this lush and historied island.

CRE ARTICLE +PHOTORAPHY BY: LEAH LAVELLE

reteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main airport is in Heraklion, the largest city on the island. You can stay right there in Heraklion and many do, but I recommend lodging a bit farther afield to keep the hubbub of the city at armâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s length. After all, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve arrived at a beautiful island in the middle of the Aegean Sea, with lots of opportunities to unplug, slow down and take advantage of the remoteness. No worries: there is plenty of nightlife along the medium-sized beaches even in smaller villages, to sustain your social side.

see

Crete offers a myriad of places to stay, but dad and I wanted at least 2 rooms with a kitchenette, at a value. We found a true gem. Ambelos Apartments, just north of Heraklion, offers all of the above and more at an unbelievable price. Ambelos sits on the top of a hill with a view of the sea. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comprised of a couple acres of land, covered by a grape vineyard and olive trees, many small white Greek apartments wrapped in pink bougainvillea vines, and even a sizeable swimming pool. Our room was on the first floor of one of the apartments, looking out at the vineyard. I loved the small outdoor covered patio, where we sipped coffee every morning, watching the sun move across the sky over the valley.

feel

Of course, when you’re on a Greek island, you must get to the beaches and swim in the sea more than once. Our choice was the sandy strip of Agia Pelagia’s main beach, about a 5-minute drive from Ambelos Apartments, and 30 minutes from Heraklion. If you get to any beach early enough (or late enough), you won’t have too much trouble snagging a cabana just feet from the water. There are usually plenty of eateries and gift shops nearby to snag an iced greek frappe coffee. Then, simply read your novel, dip in the refreshing clear aqua saltwater, sunbathe, marvel at life, repeat.

We visited Crete partly because my dad is a Classical Studies professor and author, with a passion for Greece and its ancient history. Long ago, Crete was home to one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest civilizations, the Minoans, and so of course we visited a couple of ancient sites there. One of my favorites was the Diktean Cave of Zeus of Lasithi, where supposedly the king of the Greek gods was born. Located just under a 1-hour drive from Heraklion, and a fair hike (or donkey ride) up a hillside, the cave is deep, cool and a little creepy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a nice change of scene from the heated sands and dry hills of the rest of Crete.

taste

Joyfully, you can’t help but try the Greek food on Crete. Grown locally, the tomatoes are lusciously red, juicy and sweet and the olives small, chewy and salty. Dad and I usually at light at lunch, but indulged a bit at dinner. We’d share a half-carafe of red wine almost every night, and it was a treat to take a first sip of the whatever the house offered; smooth, bold and satiating. Without exception, at every dinner the restaurant owners finished our meal with complimentary dessert (usually fruit or a small slice of cake), and raki, the local digestive liqueur of choice. (Word to the wise: save a tiny bit of room for these, since it’s considered polite to sample what is put in front of you.) There are so many places to dine on Crete, and menus are similar, so you’ll likely find your favorites via TripAdvisor. But a couple of our picks were Vasilis at Mononaftis Beach, where the staff was chummy and the tzatziki perfectly tart; and Taverna Thea on the hillside of Rodia, where the pork chop was mouthwatering; the wine, plentiful; and the view, magic.

Paradise Found

D A Y S

I N

PUERTO RICO ARTICLE + PHOTOGRAPHY BY: KENZIE CARDEN

DAY 1 & 2

STAY

You’ll arrive at Puerto Rico’s Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport where you should pick up a rental car in order to really explore the island. 10 minutes from the airport is Old San Juan (OSJ). Parking can be tricky in this area as the town was laid out before cars and the streets are rather narrow, but there are multiple budget friendly garages scattered throughout that allow overnight parking. Old San Juan is extremely walkable and where you should spend the bulk of your first two days but there are a few places outside of this area that are worth venturing to.

The ideal accommodations in Old San Juan are based on your budget and comfort level. For those wanting an offbeat experience, check into the quirky Base Hostel owned and operated by Jose, who is equally as eclectic. With a prime location in the heart of the city’s night life, multiple co-ed and private rooms, and prices starting at $20 a night, it is a steal. For those looking for a more private stay, the beautiful Casa Sol Bed and Breakfast is a perfect choice. This gem boasts 5 cozy rooms located in a restored 18th century Spanish colonial building, which is also committed to practicing sustainable tourism.

EAT

EXPLORE

There is no shortage of delicious food options available in this city. Delve right in to the local cuisine with a stop at El Casita Blanca, a rustic and authentic restaurant located 10 minutes from OSJ in a small house in a residential area. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re craving breakfast and a fresh cup of joe, head to Caficultura, located near Plaza Colon. They use locally sourced beans, and have an extensive coffee menu, along with serving brunch. Stop by Punto De Vista for a predinner mojito and enjoy a stunning view of the city from their rooftop patio before having dinner at Marmalade Restaurant and Wine Bar. Rated one of the top restaurants in PR, Marmalade offers tasting menus of 4, 5 or 6 courses with wine pairings.

The neighborhoods of San Juan are a mix of old and new. In Condado, high rise resorts line a splendid beach with calm waters, surrounded by strips of high end dining and shopping. But the pulse of this city, is Old San Juan. This historic area is filled with beautiful architecture, museums, art galleries, local restaurants and tons of history. Spend a day roaming the cobblestone streets, people watching in one of the many plazas, or taking advantage of the free trolley that circumnavigates the area. The 16th century fort Castillo San Felipe del Morro sits on the cliffs overlooking San Juan Bay and is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. The sweeping lawn leading to the citadel is a perfect spot to fly a kite, have a picnic or just enjoy the view. The Castillo San Cristobal is another fort built in the 18th century, and is a mere 20 minute walk from El Morro. You can buy a day pass for both at either location for $5.

have free range of the island until their owners Take off before sunrise and head an hour and round them up. Settle in to the island lifestyle, a half east to the town of Fajardo where the and prepare to spend the day lounging at one ferry terminal is located. Skip the line for the of Viequesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; many breathtaking beaches. more popular island of Culebra and catch the early morning ferry to Vieques. For just $2 you S T A Y get a scenic hour along ride through the blue There are many guesthouses available on the island through sites like Airbnb, but Vieques also boasts waters of the Atlantic. Be warned, this process some world class resorts and out of the box accomis chaotic but the payoff is well worth it! Vi- modations. The W Retreat & Spa is a lavish and indulgent resort, named one of the top 500 hotels by eques is the Caribbean paradise you dream of. Travel & Leisure Magazine. El Blok is a visually unique with 21 rooms that are simple and chic with exThis sleepy little island, off the eastern shore hotel posed wood and intricately carved concrete throughof the mainland, is only 4 miles wide and 21 out. To experience the best of indoor-outdoor living, into the eco-conscious Hix Island House. With miles long. Everything is slower paced here, check outdoor showers, and open air balconies with pandotted with unspoiled beaches and horses that oramic views situated in a 13-acre natural refuge, this DAY 3

retreat has all the features of a perfect island getaway.

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On this small island, there are ample food choices, from roadside shacks to 5 star dining. Since your time on Vieques is most likely going to consist of beach hopping, here are a few choices that you can visit without ever ditching the swimsuit. Fuel up for your day of adventure at Buen Provecho, a small market with a selection of deli sandwiches and produce, located in Isabel Segunda. In the evening, check out Duffy’s, situated on the malecón in the town of Esperanza. It is the perfect example of casual beachfront dining and is a hit with locals and expats alike. Another option is Tin Box, which as the name suggests, is a tin shed with an open air patio boasting views of lush gardens and the jungle. They champion the farm to table movement, and harvest their own produce and herbs grown onsite.

Home to over 40 beaches, Vieques is an ocean lover’s paradise. From the sparkling blue waters of Pata Preita, to the black sand of Playa Negra, there are so many options to find a shady spot to park yourself for an afternoon of pure bliss. You can also venture into the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge, which was named the fourth best national refuge in 2015. The area is teeming with native wildlife which includes over 190 species of birds, marine mammals such as manatees and humpback whales and reptiles including four species of endangered sea turtles. Mosquito Bay, located on the southern shore of the island, houses one of, if not the brightest Bioluminescent Bay in the world. Caused by a micro-organism in the water that when agitated creates a spark, the bio bay glows with millions of these tiny creatures which in turn creates a trail of neon blue and green. The best way to experience this is by kayak at night when there is little to no moon.

DAY 4

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After a day of R&R in Vieques, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time for an afternoon of adventure in the only tropical rainforest in the US National forest system. Take the early ferry back to the mainland, grab the rental car and head west to El Yunque Rainforest, which is home to some of the most exotic terrain in the US. There are many hiking trails as well as driving paths that take you into the forest, making it an all-day affair.

Located on the southern edge of the rainforest, sits Casa Cubuy Ecolodge. This unique guest house, is rustic in its accommodations but the views from its multiple verandas are that of an exclusive resort. Each private room has sliding glass panels that open up to a balcony facing the rainforest. There are hardly any bugs, so you can leave these open at night and listen to the sound of the Coquis (local tree frog) sing their soothing song and the rush of the waterfall situated in the valley below. Matthew, the owner, holds a wealth of information on the best trails to hit and the flora and fauna surrounding the lodge.

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Before venturing into the rainforest, make a stop at the Luquillo Beach Kiosks. This is a strip of yummy street food vendors, and small shops where you can load up on every handheld snack possible; empanadas, tostones, papas rallenas, you name it. Grab a cold Medalla Light, and wander along the row of delicious options, stopping whenever you see something appetizing (trust me, it won’t be long.) There are limited options when it comes to dining near the south side of El Yunque, but you’re in luck! Casa Cubuy has their own restaurant a ten-minute walk from the lodge. Guests can dine at the open air counter overlooking sweeping vistas of the rainforest while enjoying savory, authentic Caribbean food. Mornings at Casa Cubuy Ecolodge are a real treat. All ecolodge guests are invited to sit together at a communal table, and are presented with a plethora of homemade dishes. Fresh fruit, warm buttery biscuits, and spiced oatmeal are just a few of the options that guests have a chance to enjoy.

At the base of the rainforest is the El Portal Visitor Center which contains multiple educational exhibits, a short film and a coffee shop. Grab a map and trail advice before venturing farther. For a one of a kind experience, make the somewhat treacherous hike to one of El Yunque’s many peaks to reach the Dwarf or “Cloud” forest. Located 2,500 feet above sea level, the fog is denser in this area and the trees are shrunken and twisted from the lack of sunlight. For a less strenuous journey, set off on the trail of La Mina that is located behind the Palo Colorado Visitor’s Center. The trail follows along the La Mina River that leads to a striking waterfall that cascades over rocks into a glistening pool. Pack a lunch to enjoy sitting in one of the multiple shelters, or a take a dip in the refreshing waters.

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After enjoying a night in the rainforest, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to pack up and head back into the city. Take a leisurely drive north from Casa Cubuy to the town of Loiza and then onto Highway 187. This scenic road follows along the ocean and passes through a cozy town called Pinones. Saturated with African and Caribbean heritage, the food kiosks in this area are not to be missed as they offer some of the best and freshest cuisine youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find. Continue along the highway 10 minutes until you reach the neighborhood of Ocean Park, your final destination.

Situated in the middle of a gated residential area, The Dreamcatcher vegetarian guesthouse is an intimate experience like no other. Upon arriving, you are greeted with a tour of the grounds and a hand drawn map outlining every possible place you could imagine within walking distance. Around every corner you will find a comfy hammock, lush gardens, multiple communal tables and vintage furniture pieces. Owners Sylvia & Stephen have put so much attention to detail into every aspect of the property so that it radiates peacefulness and is truly an urban oasis.

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The majority of restaurants in Ocean Park are congregated along or near Calle Loiza, the main drag. Pirilo is a casual place serving creative takes on pizza. I highly recommend the La Pampa, which consists of Argentinian sausage and skirt steak topped with chimichurri and fresh mozzarella. Another must is Kasalta, a classic Puerto Rican bakery, which was graced with President Obamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presence during a visit in 2011. Here they dish up authentic cuisine in the form of scrumptious pastries, sandwiches and desserts as well have a sizeable tapas menu and fine wine list. And if you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think The Dreamcatcher could get any better, in house chef Jerome serves a delectable 3 course vegetarian brunch for only $17/person. The menu changes daily, and the real treat is being able to watch Chef Jerome and his sous chefs prepare your meal on site in the open kitchen.

The Ocean Park neighborhood lines a serene beach that is often filled with locals. Enjoy an early morning beach yoga session offered by The Dreamcatcher for a refreshing start to your day. The main strip, Calle Loiza, is home to multiple consignment and jewelry shops, restaurant and nightlife options. A short 10 minute drive away is the La Placita Santurce (Santurce Marketplace) where you can immerse yourself in the culture and traditions of real Puerto Rico. By day, it is full vendors selling an array of native goods and produce. But in the evenings, the market springs alive and turns into a festive block party. The streets are filled with the sounds of salsa, and locals flock here to take a break after a long work week, where they relax with cold drinks and fry up delectable treats.