merry merry christmas

this december has been surprisingly cold outside. when we first came to korea it was cold but we were told not to turn on the floor heat in the apartment because the cost of it was so high. (apartments here have heated floors instead of central heat) so we plugged in an electrical heater and thought nothing more of it. turns out, it was just as expensive if not more so. our bill was the highest in our building (something i'm slightly proud of) and a government official was sent to our house to find out why we were wasting so much electricity. i guess we know better for next year.

we were debating whether or not to get a tree but the holiday season just doesn't seem the same without one. we went to homeplus (the local supermarket) to look for one. we saw a lot of decorations and decided to come back the next week to pick some out. by the time we got back to the store, around the 10th of december, everything was sold out. they had a sad looking fake tree and some bulb ornaments left. we decided that we would try out luck at finding a tree out back, and by out back we mean the mountain that sits behind our apartment complex. the mister did an amazing job at finding the perfect charlie brown tree and even made a stump holder for it. i was in charge of making homemade ornaments and decorations...never again. it was kind of like our idea to string popcorn for our tree last year. we made it half way around one side of the tree and stopped. i enjoyed the first hour or so of making the ornaments and then wanted to give up. i have never folded so much paper in my life. you would think i was majoring in origami. but now it's done and over and we're going to try to save all of them for next year somehow so we can sit back and enjoy more of the season.

korea is predominantly christian but when it comes to christmas there's not a lot of celebration. the day is more seen of as a day to hang out with friends and your significant other than it is to be with family. we spent the day making crepes and mexican food with friends and watching old christmas movies. the perfect way to relax before heading back to work the next day.

these are salt dough ornaments that are really common to make with children. we tried them with our kindi classes too.

this one was probably the easiest of them all. you simply cut a star shape out of cardstock paper and fold along each point. then fold the insides so it kind of pops out. then glue two of them back to back to make a tree topper or the ornaments.

the amazing bottom that jeremy made for the tree

we'll be heading to japan tomorrow and we can't wait for a getaway! i'll be sure to get pictures posted when we get back! merry christmas!

What I learned from Sam Fine is HAUTE!

Sometimes we meet people who inspire us in ways that we’ve never expected. I can honestly say that Sam Fine is more than an accomplished celebrity makeup artist to me. He’s a great role model for girls in any field… and the magic that surrounds him can easily rub off on you.

In just the brief time that I spent with Sam, during his visit to Atlanta to headline my first Haute Travels Beauty event, I got to meet the guy who is intuitive, smart, funny and so professional. I still remember our conversations in those spare moments before and after the beauty event that always left me with something to think about.

One thing that really stood out, Sam kept telling me to think beyond 2011… because the work of 2012 was already underway. He encouraged me to celebrate accomplishments even when venturing out to do something for the very first time. And he always seems to know when there was something more on my mind. I love that he follows his heart and takes on projects that speak to him or excites him in some way. After all, isn’t that what passion is all about?

I’ve never met anyone who was more generous with his knowledge, wisdom and time than Sam. And I’m thrilled that I got to meet someone that made me think about my next steps six months from now instead of just tomorrow. I’m especially excited that this wasn’t a one-time encounter on a red carpet or step and repeat moment, but a genuine conversation with someone who makes you think and inspires you to dream bigger. Thank you Sam!

What have you learned from MUA Sam Fine?

Who's Who is Haute!

The unveiling of the 13th edition of Who’s Who in Black Atlanta was so much fun particularly since I’m profiled in the book ;). The reception took place at Twelve Hotel at Atlantic Station before about 500 guests. The turnout was amazing and everyone appeared to have had a wonderful time.

As I flipped through the book, I was inspired by so many of the stories told throughout from entrepreneurs to corporate executives who have done wonderful things in their chosen fields. The evening also included an opportunity to network with some of Atlanta’s most influential people along with up and coming movers and shakers over cocktails.

It’s an honor to have been selected for the book. I would like to thank Real Times Media Creative and Operations Director Tamara Allen for selecting me to be in the book along with a few of my friends. This has been a wonderful way to end the year.

How will you end the year?

gobble gobble

it was our first thanksgiving in korea and thankfully there were no fires! i think that alone classifies it as a success. despite being away from our families during the holidays, we have so much to be thankful for this year. not only do i have an amazing mister to spend my time with (who cooks an amazing turkey by the way) but we have great friends in korea (who saved my butt by helping me with all the cooking!). we also have great jobs this year and jobs lined up for next that enable us to save money and travel a lot. AND we have signed the contract on our new apartment! we could not be more excited. after much searching and A LOT of help from our korean co-teachers (its a little difficult to negotiate with someone who speaks no english...go figure), we are happy to say that we will be moving in january to our new place. finding a place of our own in a foreign country definitely has its difficulties but we had a relatively easy time finding a place we love. with all the help we got and with everything falling so perfectly into place, we can't take credit. it was definitely a God thing.what's thanksgiving without a mustache wearing turkey? compliments of mister diamondabout a month ago, jeremy found (ahem! stole) a wild pumpkin and brought it home. just in time for me to learn how to make homemade pumpkin puree for pumpkin pie. i'm still amazed at how many things we buy canned, processed or already prepared in the states. when i lived there i had the mindset of not going out of my way to make things from scratch because i figured that it was too difficult. i constantly surprise myself at just how easy things are to cook from scratch and how little time it takes. cooking thanksgiving dinner in korea certainly has its challenges. first off, my main helper and close friend, alissa is now 9 months pregnant and had to sit down between cooking because of contractions. not that i was a slave driver and making her do it, i was just afraid that we would have to rush her to the hospital in the middle of it all. thankfully, dinner was finished, and no baby came. another challenge came to the oven and space situation. we do not have a proper oven by american standards here in korea. the one in the picture is actually alissa's that she brought with her and ours is slightly smaller than that. as you can see, the turkey just barely fits in there. we had to set up an extra table in the living rooms and run an extension cord out there so we could have enough room to cook everything. after 6 hours of cooking, we're finished! proud mister slicing and dicing. the whole group for dinner 

Haute Travels Beauty Presents Sam Fine

Hosting my very first Haute Travels Beauty event featuring Sam Fine has been the highlight of the year. After picking the perfect team and bringing Mr. Fine on board everything fell into place. I’m a story teller so making sure that the event offered an experience was a priority. Every girl left with her own unique story after getting personal time with the man they most admire in the makeup industry, Mr. Sam Fine. He was engaging, smart, witty, but most of all authentic. He was the perfect complement to a dream come true.

I’m also happy to say that we raised awareness for Living Water for Girls among those in the beauty industry. This is an amazing organization that works to help little girls who look like us escape the world of child sex exploitation and trafficking. It’s my mission to bring the worlds of beauty and philanthropy together to make a difference… and be a Force of Beauty because being pretty is not enough.

For all the girls and guys who came out to support Haute Travels Beauty, I’m excited to have made some of your dreams come true. I’m not a beauty industry insider-but rather a girl who likes to play with makeup. It was very special for me to have you girls say, “Thank you for what you’re doing for our industry.” I’m humbled by all of your support… particularly San Tara and Jennifer who Tweeted, posted info on Facebook and emailed their friends the information about the beauty seminar… and I’ve never met them! But, they are the kind of friends that every girl should have support and invest in her goals, dreams and desires.

I’m not sure what the next Haute Travels Beauty event will look like but it will be HAUTE! My team of dream makers will be there to make sure that everything goes off perfectly… thank you Mary, Ernest, Sam, Robin, Lori, Gwynnis, Jayda, Nubia, Lydia, Crystal, Lisa, Connie, Yvette and my mom for all of your support!

Will you join our next Haute Travels Beauty event?

My Haute Beauty Team

My beauty dream team includes industry legends… Celebrity Makeup Artist Sam Fine was on hand to teach makeup technique and offer business advice to the girls attending my Haute Travels Beauty seminar on October 16th at the beautiful Ernest Washington Studios. When Sam touched my face, I almost died! I’ve admired his work for so many years; I could never have a beauty event without his genius.

Hair whisper, Robin Groover has turned my sultry brunette tresses into haute, healthy hair that’s all natural. You’ll hear more about my hair evolution in the coming months as we work on various projects promoting healthy, natural hair. You can also follow my tweets (@hautetravels) from my salon visits to Too Groovy where hair magic happens.

And Celebrity Makeup Artist Gwynnis Mosby transformed my face into a work of art with her brilliant work. I’m working on scheduling a makeup class at her makeup academy where she promises to teach me how to create the Haute Travels Smokey eye and nude lips in just the right shade of pink! Click here to learn more
http://www.gwynnismosby.com/HTML/AboutAcademy.htm

Who would you want on your haute beauty dream team?

Living Water for Girls Ambassador in Hollywood

This year has presented amazing opportunities for me to make a difference. Just a few months ago, I signed on as an Ambassador for Living Water for Girls, a program designed to provide rehabilitation services and a safe home for American girls who have been victims of prostitution and sex exploitation.

Last month, I was asked to accompany Living Water for Girls Founder Lisa Williams to Los Angeles where she was honored by Variety and Lifetime Television during the Power of Women luncheon along with Eva Longoria, Mary J Blige, Annette Bening, Lea Michele, Stacey Snider and Olivia Wilde for their outstanding philanthropic work.

As Ambassador, I worked with the ladies from L’Oreal Paris who brought Lisa Williams out to Hollywood to raise awareness for our cause. The beauty company also teamed up with Designer Judith Leiber who created crystal lipstick cases that 10 celebrities signed for auction with all proceeds benefitting Living Water for Girls
I can’t tell you how much this powerful group of women in Hollywood (and men too) embraced our cause and pledged their support. The heads of studios like DreamWorks and company executives from Skechers Entertainment to various A-list celebrities believe in the work that’s taking place at Living Water for Girls… and want to help.

Please join us in helping to save our girls from sexual exploitation by joining our campaign today! https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1001798&code=%2410for%2710!Campaign

Now that you know about the sexual exploitation of American Girls what will you do?

More photos on my Haute Travels Facebook page! http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Haute-Travels-/136037489758372 

Haute Pedi at The Beverly Wilshire

When in Beverly Hills I can’t help but get in a little glam girl time. The girls over at The Beverly Wilshire invited me in to get a pedicure in their new nail suite. I couldn’t say no… so I made my way to the posh and distinctive spa serving the needs of Haute Travels girls as they jet in and out of Hollywood.

The $90 pedicure took about 45 minutes after a stimulating foot bath and massage… my nail tech filed, buffed and smooth my nails to perfection. During my visit, I checked out the latest mags with a complimentary iPad. It’s the only way to catch up on the latest news in the world of fashion and beauty for guests at the Beverly Wilshire.

When my services came to an end, I spent time sipping champagne on the patio while the pink Chanel polish on my toes dried. It was nothing short of bliss, while I sat above Rodeo Drive contemplating my next move. It’s a haute travels girl life but somebody has to live it!

To learn more about The Spa and nail suite at the Beverly Wilshire visit http://www.fourseasons.com/beverlywilshire/spa/the_nail_bar/

Where’s your favorite nail spot?

Vibe Vixen Supports Haute Travels Beauty!

http://www.vibevixen.com/tamireed/2011/10/makeup-godsam-fine-coming-to-atlanta/

Haute Travels Beauty Featured in Rolling OUT!

http://rollingout.com/lifestyle/bold-beauty/haute-travels-brings-celebrity-makeup-artist-sam-fine-to-atlanta/

Under the Sea

Yes, I did just make a reference to the little mermaid. But how can you not sing along to that soundtrack when you're scuba diving? This post is a little rewind to Bali. Partially because I miss it and partially because it's starting to get cold here. We went to Bali with the intention to scuba dive once or twice. That was before we found out how ridiculously cheap it is! At 30 bucks a pop we were able to go a whole lot more than we anticipated!  

Kind of kept expecting them to form animals or words.

If you open your mouth then these tiny shrimp start to clean your mouth. 

We were able to dive a ship wreck right off the coast. The USS Liberty was an american cargo ship that was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in WWII. Too expensive to haul back to the states, it was decided to beach the huge ship. Then in 1964, Mt. Agung volcano exploded, over 10,000 ft tall, killing a thousand villagers. the lava made it’s way to the beach and pushed the beached cargo ship into the ocean. It now sits at a 90 degree angle on it’s side and goes from 3 meters deep down to 30 meters deep in the water. We talked to our driver who was born and raised in the town and he said that his grandparents witnessed the volcano exploding. Not having any cars in the town at the time, they had to run to the next town to seek safety.They were also able to do a night dive of the wreck!

While the boys were diving one morning, Alissa and I sat and talked with one of the workers at the hotel. She gave us great insight into the traditional Hindu lifestyle of Bali. It started by her asking about Alissa’s baby and when she was due. We then found out that she had been trying to get pregnant for 10 years now with no luck. She said that it is getting more and more difficult in Bali to get pregnant, and many people have the same difficulty as she. She told us that she was starting to get worried because if a woman does not have a child or does not produce a boy, then the husband sometimes goes and marries another woman. He can continue to marry different woman until he has a boy. She went on to tell us that it is very hard to find work. Sometimes her husband works a few days in a row as a boat driver but then can go weeks without work. Many women carry water pots to earn money but at the end of the day they have to split the money they earned with their “boss”. She said that some bosses were so cruel that if you were cooking and did something wrong they would take the boiling water and pour it on you. My heart went out to this woman and her obvious day to day struggle. It made me so humbly aware of how good we have it. Not having to worry about hubs leaving if I can't have a baby or if I have the wrong gender, having a good job with a great boss. There are so many things that we take for granted in our day to day life. Sometimes it's good to get a little wake up call from others.

Confidence is HAUTE!

I love hanging out in Los Angeles so when I have a chance to head west--I do! I was in LA on a philanthropic mission but I did have time to meet friends for dinner and meetings with my American Express prepaid card in hand. I also met two of my Haute Travels followers while in town.

On this day, I just wrapped a meeting with a swimsuit designer who creates sexy suits for curvy girls. While walking through the lobby of The Beverly Hilton, I noticed the flowers matched my dress so I had to pose for a picture.

Being in Hollywood means that you can’t help but notice that some people are supper skinny. But for girls who rock their curves, we also turn heads because we tend to be more secure in our skin and our confidence shows.

When I walked through the lobby of the hotel… heads turned and people smiled. I think the color of my dress along with my glow brightened their day! And that’s HAUTE!

What do you think about a confident woman?

Haute Travels Beauty Seminar with Celebrity Makeup Artist Sam Fine

Please register at http://hautetravels.eventbrite.com/

Rhone Botanicals and Skincare Scrub is Haute!

After a long day of writing and consulting, there’s nothing like a little me-time in the bath. As you can imagine, I’m a product junky but only if I love it. I was sent a few products by Rhone Botanicals and Skincare to sample. I have to say… I really like the Dead Sea Salt face and body scrub with Eucalyptus. It’s amazing because it can also be used as aroma therapy without applying it to the skin.

Eventually, I tried the scrub on my legs and arms to remove dead skin cells revealing a smooth, soft new layer giving me a special glow. The great thing about the Dead Sea… it’s been a healing source since the beginning of time. These products improve blood circulation and detoxify the skin. The scrub really improves the appearance of dry skin and dark spots.

I’m a fan of products that offer 100% pure ingredients like unrefined Dead Sea salt and Shea butter that nourishes as it cleans and heals the skin. Rhone’s natural skin products offer a lesson in wellness that allows you to relax and release stress or tension before your day comes to an end. When a product makes me feel good… it’s tossed into my haute travels tote!

If you’d like to try Rhone Botanicals and Skincare products visit their site http://rhonebotanicals.com/learn.html and don’t forget to bring your new American Express prepaid card along for purchase!

Are you a fan of natural products?

The New American Express Prepaid Card is HAUTE!

If you’re a girl who indulges in shopping sprees you will love the new American Express prepaid card. It makes life easy because you can set your own budget. I recently decided to test the new reloadable card, while boutique shopping in Atlanta. The card allows you to keep your spending in check. It’s easy to go over the limit that you place in your mind but never actually stays there… however; with the new card by American Express sticking to your budget is easy. You can even go online and track your spending, while reloading for free.
The best thing about the new prepaid card… it’s safer than using cash and credit cards. You’ll never have to worry about identity theft because the card isn’t linked to your credit or bank accounts. Plus, it offers fraud protection and your funds will be replaced if your card is ever lost or stolen.

As you can imagine, I found a number of items to take home along with the security of knowing that I stayed within my budget. If you’re looking for a great way to shop without worrying about fees or overspending… the new American Express prepaid card just may be for you! Order your card today by visiting www.americanexpress.com/Prepaid

What do you think?

Disclaimer: As compensation, funds were provided to use for loading the card in exchange for a review of my experience with the new prepaid card.

Chuseok Holiday

This past weekend was Chuseok, or Korean Thanksgiving. Koreans travel from all over the country to meet with family, usually at the grandparents home. For us, it means we get a long four day weekend. We heard that most people in Seoul leave the city to go to family's homes so the city is far less crowded than usual. Also, there there are big names such as Van Gogh and Monet on exhibit at the Seoul Art Center this month. We decided to head out early (and by early I mean 5:40 am) Saturday morning to beat any holiday traffic there might be. Thank goodness i have the gift of being able to sleep anywhere and got a nice long nap in on the bus.

Our first stop was the art museum. It was so amazing to see paintings that I have admired for so long in person. Pictures truly do no justice to these pieces of artwork. 

 They have really tall ice cream cones in seoul (and hubs took the time to show me the "correct" way to point)

A short side note. Starting the Wednesday before we left I started not feeling well. This was the first time that I have been sick since we have arrived in Korea (pretty impressive I think). I took some aspirin before I went to sleep one night but I made one mistake. I took it on an empty stomach. If you've never done this before, I highly suggest against it. It feels like a mix between someone punching you in the stomach and feeling like you're going to vomit. Not the best scenario when you have to be upbeat and energetic teaching kids all day. Thankfully I only had to go one day of teaching before the weekend. I felt a little better before we headed out on Saturday so we decided to still go. As the day wore on, I felt worse. After talking with my mom and finding out that something as simple as an antacid would help me feel better we headed to the pharmacy. No medicine is sold in convenient stores or grocery stores here. You have to go to the pharmacy. We got a very small amount to last us on Saturday and didn't think anything else about it. The next day, Sunday, we went to the pharmacy to get some more medicine. Little did we know that all pharmacies in Seoul are closed on Sundays. Apparently Koreans have some secret to not getting sick on Sundays. Wish I knew it. All turned out well though. After a few hours we came across a popular indoor mall with an open pharmacy. The pharmacist inside probably wondered why we were so excited about getting an antacid.

We traveled south of the Han River which divides to city to the Bongeunsa Temple. It is over 1200 years old and the country's leading training centre for Buddhist monks specializing in zen meditation.

Twice a day monks perform a percussion ceremony on four instruments, each designed to awaken and save beings on the ground(drum), underwater(wooden fish), in the sky(cloud drum) and under the ground(gong). We were fortunate enough to arrive at the temple just in time to see the night ceremony. Once entering the temple, you could feel the silence begin to surround you. You didn't dare make a sound for fear of breaking the humbling silence. Even though we were alone walking the grounds, we still talked in hushed whispers.

This was in the pavilion of the dharma king. it houses 3,300 miniature statues of gwanseum bosal which glorify the essence of the buddhist spirit. 

We were also able to witness a buddhist ceremony for the chuseok holiday. it was held in the heart of the temple. sakyamuni buddha is in the center with amitabha buddha and the medicine buddha on either side. 

There are two main theme parks in Korea, one, Everland, being significantly larger than the other, Lotteworld. We figured that if there is only one substantial park in the country you're in, you have to check it out at least once. During the Chuseok holiday there is a big discount for foreigners since all Koreans are typically with their families that morning. Another plus about going during Chuseok...no lines. we were told the average wait for T-Express is a few hours long, we waiting 30 minutes.

The main square and view of t-express roller coaster, the steepest wooden roller coaster in the world at 77 degrees.

Posing with the theme parks featured characters all dressed up in hanboks (Korea's traditional wear).

After leaving Everland we caught the first bus back to Geoje. As nice as it is to explore the island that we live on, sometimes it's nice to be able to have a little city getaway.