Letters/23

Happy Chuseok everyone! For those of you outside of Korea, Chuseok is the Korean Thanksgiving. It's when everyone goes to their grandparents house, makes songpyeon (look it up, it's delicious. It's rice cakes, but some have honey in the middle and they are to die for!), and some dress up in their traditional hanboks. But for us foreigners...it means a five day long weekend!

Dear Friends, I loved your idea to take roommate pics in hanboks! The pics turned out hilarious! And the fact that you could find some for the both of you to wear is pretty impressive. Now if only I could find a guy's one for the hubs to wear.  Dear hubs, the mustache is coming back I see. This happens every year around this time and I always feel the same way. I start with hating it, threatening to shave it in your sleep (I just might this year) but by the end, I can't help but laugh every time I see you. (This makes it really difficult to have even a semi-serious conversation.) Dear weekend, thank you for getting here so quickly so I can enjoy some time off with hubs. And thank you for being a holiday so we get extra time for our trip. Speaking of which, Dear road trip, after months of planning (ok we really just hardcore planned last night) you're finally here! We're going to be driving up the east coast, camping on beaches along the way and stopping by Seoraksan National Park before making our way up to the DMZ. I've heard amazing things about this course and I can't wait to see more gorgeous Korean landscapes. 
Dear speaking test makers, is this really the best photo you could find for 'fat'? Oh and on a side note, one of my students replied 'camping' when they saw the photo. Makes perfect sense though since I personally always go camping in my skivvies and make sure to never forget my tiny umbrella. I love my students and how they make every day more interesting than the last. Dear boss, I told you that I was going to be late because my car died. And how did you respond? By meeting me in my classroom with a coffee and salad. Your generosity always amazes me and I hope you know how much I appreciate your kindness and how much I love working for you. P.S. how awesome are the cups from the coffee shop?
Happy Friday everyone! Hope you all enjoy your weekends! I'll be out of commission till next Friday while I soak up the scenery with hubs!

Haute Times in the Caribbean

One of my favorite past times is sailing in the Caribbean. While in Montego Bay, Jamaica on Saturday, the Jamaican Tourist Board invited me and a few girls who met me in Jamaica on a Reggae cruise by Island Routes. When we got on the boat, the fun started immediately. There were a group of people from Trinidad who really showed us how they “drop down low and sweep the floor with it!” We had so much fun watching them dance since as American girls, we’re a little more modest about suggestive dancing with men that we don’t know. But the chemistry between all of us mixed well. And they wanted to exchange contact information so that we could stay in touch.

So after the cruise around Montego Bay, the girls from Trinidad want me to hang out with them for Carnival next year! I’m thinking, “What have I gotten myself into?” But, I’m up for visiting their island and getting to know a little more about their culture and island influence. Travel is a lifestyle and one has to adjust to the fashion and beauty of it no matter where it takes you… ;)

Have you ever gone to Trinidad during Carnivale?

Daisy By Marc Jacobs for My Haute Travels Bag!

While on my beach get-a-way, I brought these Daisy Petite Flower fragrances by Marc Jacobs to add a bit of an Indian summer garden to my weekend. The new spin on the “Iconic” Daisy design packaging is super cute and makes for a great conversation piece when you pull it out of your travel bag.

The duo fragrances in their retro chic charm offer two scents. Daisy is full of top notes like wild strawberry, violet leaves and ruby red grapefruit… with musk, vanilla and white woods as a base note. While, Daisy Eau So Fresh offers ruby red grapefruit, raspberry and green leaves as top notes with musks, plum and cedarwood as its base.

My favorite is Daisy! The set retails for $59 at select stores nationwide.

How to make your husband cry...in a good way

I’m horrible at birthdays. I’m not just saying that so I can get some sympathy, I truly am. I have the memory of a 70 year old and the secret holding capacity of a six year old. I often don't start planning until it's too late or when I do manage to plan something, I spoil the surprise. But I’ve made it my mission this year to fix that for the Hubs sake. So I did what any good wife would do...I went on Pinterest to steal find ideas. I saw one post in particular that caught my eye. There was a great idea to have all of the people close to them to write their favorite memory of them and they can open these letters on their birthday. Being overseas can be especially difficult when you can’t celebrate with the people you are used to back home. So this was the perfect way to include all of the people close to us, both near and far. Not only was it great to see the Hubs reaction to all of these past memories, I also loved reading about all of the crazy things he did before we met. My favorite by far is still the one his mother wrote about him:
When he was five years old, we were all at the mall having a field trip and I had $5.00 to spend on 4 kids for treats. We walked into a department store and found ourselves in an area full of refrigerator magnets. He noticed one that stood out from the pack, as it was an "Oreo cookie" turned plastic magnet. In an instant, he took a bite out of it and began chomping down on the resin-covered cookie. As the retail clerk observed, I timidly handed over the 5 bucks gave him the look that only a mother can give. 
So glad you had a great birthday Hubs, we'll have many more for me to perfect the celebration.

Letters/22

Dear Wanderlust, you're kicking in again.I'm catching myself daydreaming of far off places and looking through the traveling books we have here. Vacation, please come soon. Dear Fall, thank you for showing up early this year. I think everyone will be glad that my pale chicken legs are now going to be covered by jeans and boots for the next seven months. And all God’s people said…Amen. Dear Hubs, you walked back through the door thirty minutes after leaving for class saying that you had to come back because your car flipped over from the typhoon winds. You’re the best at telling unfunny typhoon jokes. Dear Friend, I’m sad you’re leaving for good but I’m excited about the huge French press that I inherited. No longer do I have to fill the pint sized one that I had twice just to get one cup of Joe. Dear Korean law enforcement, after a year and a half in your great land, I have received my first parking ticket. I do not appreciate it. Especially since parking is so scarce in the first place. It’s like the whole city was built and then they decided to put in parking spaces. Guess I’ll have to leave the illegal parking jobs for the nighttime when the camera truck is no longer roaming around. Dear 7 year old students, today two of you yelled at each other with full force then simultaneously hid your faces in your folded arms. It's times like these that I really wish I knew Korean. Not to get around, not to be able to order food, but to understand what my kindi students get so angry about. Dear Hubs, we had our first official typhoon day together and did absolutely nothing. Let’s have one every week, shall we?

My Haute Thoughts on Following Your Heart

Just a couple of months ago, I decided to return to Jamaica but this time driven by purpose. I invited women who wanted to follow their passion and investigate their purpose to join me. I also decided to make giving back to the local community a priority and therefore participate in “Pack for a Purpose,” a program supported by the Half Moon Resort to help the Barrett Town Elementary School by encouraging their guests to pack school supplies, games and recreational items like soccer balls for the kids.

In an effort to make this work, I reached out to those who support me and my Haute Travels projects and got a few generous donations and words of encouragement. When I decided to do this, I wasn’t sure how it would come together. I just knew that I was divinely led to do it. And I didn’t focus on how it would work out. I just knew that it would; there was no need to worry. As I get closer to the date of departure, more people have reached out with generous donations, like Najah, Owner of Like the River Hair Salon in Atlanta or my friend Kimberly Patterson, a talented makeup artist in Chicago, who highlighted the beauty of Iyanala Vanzant, as seen in her new show Iyanla: Fix My Life.

My family has even stepped in to make contributions… my mom and my cousin have been inspired to support the kids! My friends, Robin, Greta, Vernon, Samantha, Rolanda and others like Christa, Angela Myers, April (an absolute travel addict) and Debbi Howard have been generous with their support of my Haute Travels endeavors. Their sponsorship has allowed me to help more kids on this trip because of their recent contributions to my love of mixing beauty, travel and philanthropy. Although, their angel investments were for a Paris project, I redirected some funds to help the kids. I love Paris but this was more important at this time.

But the love doesn’t stop there… the girls who are coming along with me are also buying school supplies to encourage the kids to discover their passions. And even the Half Moon and the Jamaican Tourist Board sponsored activities or covered costs to help offset our expenses so that we can give more. The spirit of giving is contagious!

Those who stepped up to help did so without reservation, but others who could help just remained silent, even though, in the past, they’ve benefitted from my help in a number of ways, including getting paid to work with a brand that I sent their way, receiving fully funded press trips or helped promote their projects using my own platform. I’m reminded of those things because it shows that when God puts a promise in your heart; nothing can stop it from manifesting. There is always something so much bigger at work. I’ve learned… what you give out, you always get back and this is an example of what giving and karma is all about. Sometimes people want to help but simply can’t financially, but nothing can stop them from using their own platform to spread the word or encourage someone else to do something good if they want to. If you take nothing else away from my story… know that when something is in your heart to do, just believe that it will all fall into place as the universe intended. You already have everything that you need to move forward... just believe and trust that it was put in your heart and spirit for a reason. You can do it.

Letters/21

Dear El Gitano, you are the first Mexican restaurant on the island and you open today! Be prepared to be bombarded by foreigners. We'll for sure be there this weekend. Dear hubs, we need a date night marathon. Good thing we have a five day vacation in two week and I get you all to myself! (enter evil laugh here) Dear apartment, you’re finally starting to feel like home. I just have a few more finishing touches and then you’re finished! Never thought it would be possible to make a Korean apartment feel a little Americanized. Or as Americanized as you can get when you have sparkly wallpaper. Dear 5k, less than 30 days left. Registration is done, sparkle skirts are in, and the hostel is booked. I should probably start running. Dear Kindi, I love that you now think ‘heads down’ is a game and ask to play it in class. I’ll ‘play’ it with you anytime. Dear typhoon, really? Another one? At least this time I’m already stocked up on candles.



In other news, the sweet Shireen from Eat, Play, Love that Top was gracious enough (or crazy enough)  to host me on her blog! Go check it out!

Letters/20

Dear kayaking, you’re the perfect way to spend some of the last summer days. Too bad the big dock was damaged from the typhoon; otherwise we could go sailing as well…next time. Oh! and it’s one more thing to cross off my summer bucket list!

Summer Bucket List

.sea kayaking
.fly a kite
.cliff jumping on the south end of the island
.discover a new beach on the island
.picnic
.get a tan 
.mud fest
.beach camping
.bbq on our roof
.get pictures hung in the apartment
.get a six pack
.grow an herb garden
.sand castle festival.

Dear Hubs, I loved your initiative of weekly ‘family meetings’ and also implementing these questions to improve on our communication and strengthen our bond. Dear Vapiano’s, you’re the newest and might I say the best restaurant in our city now. Thank you for being a restaurant with not only amazing Italian food but also one of the few restaurants to utilize a rooftop.
Oh, and the free wine on Thursdays and awesome coupons don’t hurt either. Sorry Koreans, as you can see, it’s ‘only for foreigners’. Dear Homeplus, (our local grocery store), I love you for two reasons this week. One, you now have adult juice boxes. And two, you have calorie counters on your carts. Woo! I burned 29 calories grocery shopping! (ok, I know in the picture it only says 1.9, but I promise that I walked more!) That validates all of the ice cream I put in my cart right?
Happy Friday!