sensual overload

i had one of the best days yesterdays and i totally needed it. ladies, you can vouch for me. every few weeks we get into one of those moods where a good crying fest sounds really good, cookies and cream ice cream is the only answer and you just hate men in general. can i get an amen?!

well i was just coming out of that mood this week when wednesday appeared. i spent the morning and early afternoon at elle comm speaking with some representatives from fashion houses like canali, armani exchange, balenciaga, bvlgari, david yurman and hugo boss for an event our team is promoting. seriously, how cool is that?

then i made my way over to the se spa at the se hotel downtown. i had written a few pieces on the hotel's spa for discoversd here and here and here and the spa director offered an Indian Swara treatment. my esthetician was amazing. she guided me through a questionaire to find out what ayurvedic dosha i was. i'm somewhere in between a pitta and kapha. she said that i have a ton of energy, schedule too many things in my days and sometimes find it hard to make time for myself. yup, that's about right.

the treatment was amazing. it started off with a steam in my personal sauna, then an abayanga, where warm oil slowly dripped from above onto my hair and the perimeter of my forehead during the shirodhara process. i have this weird sensitivity at the nape of my neck. if i was a dude, i would have totally gotten a boner :) while the oil was soaking into my hear, my esthetician tavi gave me the best scalp massage. she scratched my head, adjusted my spine and pulled my hair from either direction. and i'm always down for that kind of treatment. the treatment ended with a massage with ayurvedic oils, an application of powdered herbs and minerals that turned into a scrub and a detoxifying body wrap. as i laid there, tavi gave me a headset and the massage bed beneath me began to vibrate in sync with the bass of the music. amazing. the sounds started out as smooth instrumental lullabies and then turned into a latin dance party all of the sudden. it was so intense and my body was all sweaty from the wrap. it was seriously better than sex. mind-blowing, and i just had to lay there! i rinsed off under a waterfall shower head and i felt like a totally new woman.

three hours later i came up to the surface brighter, more relaxed and totally rejuvenated. but just as soon as i took a cleansing breath of air, i was already on my way to see company of thieves and wendy darling at the belly up.

the show was totally amazing. i fell in love with a drummer and stole my very first set list. i think i rocked it on my first concert review and the link on thedeadhub is coming soon and i'll be posting it shortly along with some amazing shots from the photog. but for now, here's a little music video to lure you in:

at the end of this post, i've come to the realization that i need some lovin...like now. any takers??

a very colorful weekend in san diego

sometimes i wonder what type of woman i would be if i didn't live here. oceanside, the beach, san diego county in general...it definitely has helped to create the person i've become today. i focus attention on our bodies of water, restoration to historical buildings, arts and music festivals and shopping local.

this last weekend was a perfect example of the beauty that is my backyard. from stumbling into the ob global rock festival, taking pictures next to painted cows and spending hours at earth fair with my besties, i feel truly blessed to live and breathe san diego. although it may seem close-minded of me to say that i am totally ok with living by the beach and in san diego for the rest of my life, i back up that statement with these images :) enjoy! and hope you're staying cool with this desert weather with popsicles, silk sheets, bikinis and booty shorts.

i'm definitely noticing that i had a very colorful weekend...

peace and love.

why i love living in san diego. part three

i love that you can go to the beach in sd in the middle of winter...and people don't think you're crazy. here are some awesome pics from the swamis tidepools, enjoy!

luxury for less

it seems as if this economic crunch is affecting every aspect of our lives. we're driving less, vacationing less, spending less, eating out less...you name it, we're cutting it back. today i realized that the one aspect of my life that i've cut back on the most is personal pampering.

now don't get me wrong. i'm not that girl that gets fake acrylics every two weeks, or gets a pedicure every three weeks. i don't spend too much on unneccesary beauty products and i don't indulge in a massage every month. and if you are that woman, amen to you sista. you are my muse.

i've invested a large amount of my paycheck into high quality beauty products, like dermalogica skin care that are proven to keep my face clear. i get a facial once every few months, or when i have a massive break out. the one thing i don't let get out of hand, my visits to the beehive every 6 weeks. no man likes a sasquatch, even if they say they don't mind it :)

if i had it my way, i'd go for a monthly massage at my favorite spa in san diego, spa velia. then i'd head to urban calm in east village for the best two hour facial on this planet. one of these days, it'll happen.

but for now, i'm pampering myself wisely and always looking for money saving deals. here are my top picks for incorporating pampering and luxury into your life and not spending a boatload for it.

1. one of the not-so hidden jems in san diego is the reader. those nifty papers are full of advertisements, crazy stories about party crashers, church of the week and where to get the best pho in kearny mesa. on the flipside, new and even seasoned spas, salons, tanning salons and waxing studios are all vying for your attention and your business. last week, i took advantage of a company offering a $24 brazilian wax. next week, i plan on booking an hour massage for half the price at a cute spa that i've always wanted to check out. always be on the look out for companies with offers to new clients. they are eager to show you what they're made of and it's your decision to stay with them or not as part of your monthly beauty regimens.


2. if you've had your eye on an upscale spa but never thought that you could afford their services, check out their website. if they have an email opt-in page, join it. if you're afraid about the spam, enter an email address that you don't use regularly. or, if you're a fan of a particular spa or salon, join their newsletter. you'll be kept to date on monthly events and special promotions. i'm on the mailing list of my neighborhood aveda salon, adora and i get weekly emails about last minute hair cuts and colors. since stylists are trying to book their appointments, the salon offers 20 percent off of particular services and particular times. since the beehive waxing salon is my waxing studio of choice, i'm also on their newsletter mailing list and have saved a good percentage on services throughout the year. this month, they're working with soles4soles and i can get up to $10 off a service just by bringing in a donation of gently worn shoes. and we all know that we have some shoes piling up and are ready for the donation bag.


3. pretty much every neighborhood in sd has some type of beauty college. whether it's for hair care, holistic massage, or acupuncture, our city is bursting with young enthusiasts looking to make a name for themselves in the beauty world. take advantage of this! scour the streets for these colleges and check out what services they offer. today, i got a 60 minute deep tissue massage for $50 at the vitality college of healing arts. the student was eager to get her hands wet, no pun intended, and worked out ALL of my knots and back pain. other colleges you might want to check out: paul mitchell the school in downtown, mueller college of holistic studies and the marinello schools of beauty.


4. if you're so lucky to be blessed with these people in your life, become buddies with an aspiring stylists or aesthetician. they'll need to get some hands-on training hours in and when they graduate and start looking for jobs, they'll need models like you to prove their skills to potential employers. i had a friend whom i met in college and she was pursuing her career in beauty. she needed a model on numerous occassions, which meant that i got a free hair cut or color and i treated her to cocktails and dinner. what a pleasant medium.


5. lastly, treat yourself at home. go into your favorite beauty supply store and browse the aisles for aromatic and natural beauty products. i'm currently into klean bath and body and indulging in the yuzu sugar body polish. just be careful while you're in the shower, things get real slippery :) and anything from bath and body works' true blue line is always awesome.
   

even though we're all in a bit of an economic spaz, it doesn't mean that you have to give up the things that make you happy and serene. with all of the stress you'll be going through about budgets, mortgages and finding a job, you're definitely going to need a few moments to yourself to unwind. just be smart about it and don't be afraid to look around for special savings.

the loft hair design

i went to the 10 year anniversary of the loft hair design last month and i discovered a great hair salon and my new favorite facial aesthetician. to celebrate their ten years of existance, the salon hosted a great party with music, drinks, food and raffle prizes.

lingerie designer and project runway season 4 participant ricky lizalde was also their to show his support of the local salon. ricky is also a escondido native and the cousin of a good friend of mine...small world.

san diego artist, cynthia colis also had her self-portraits on display and was auctioning one of her pieces that evening. i swear i was the muse for these images.

i've had the best luck lately and won three facials from the loft's aesthetician. my mom, younger brother and i went back to the loft a couple weeks later to receive our facials and we all plan on getting another round of pampering soon. morgan, our aesthetician, was great. she was well-informed on the dermalogica products and the different types of skin between the three of us. it was the first facial that my brother ever had and even he had a great experience. now that says something. she even offered to switch the soothing spa music to some rock tunes to make him more comfortable.

the staff at the loft were welcoming and the services were definitely up to par with other trendy salons around the area. check them out soon!

why i love living in san diego. part two

1. you pass by at least a dozen different yoga and pilates studios between leucadia blvd. and swamis beach on pch
2. the downtown skyline at night
3. pedestrians and bike riders always have the right of way by the beach
4. summer really starts in late april/early may and doesn’t end until the fire season is cleared
5. sunday brunch and thursday night jazz night at le papagayo
6. concerts at the belly up
7. free yoga and pilates at lululemon at the forum
8. discovering hidden jems in different cities, like birdrock, encinitas and leucadia
9. hiking at the presidio
10. cbtl 101 og's :)
11. watching the dogs and the dolphins play in the surf at del mar shores on my lunch break

why i love living in san diego. part one

1. it's possible to get sun burnt in the middle of novemeber. wear sunblock people!
2. if i had the time in the morning, i could avoid the 78 and 5 and just take pch all the way to work
3. there are nightly fireworks at seaworld during the summer. san diego's unofficial welcome of summer.
4. we've probably all worked in an office that all of the sudden smells like sex wax around noon each day of the summer because the guys are hitting the waves during their lunch break
5. the choice for your morning coffee isn’t simply between starbucks and the coffee bean. support your local coffee shop! (shout out to bill and the crew at the solana beach coffee company)
6. i can take my dog to the local farmer's market and people are eager to feed her organic and locally grown almonds, apples and pears
7. the soothing sounds of tristan prettyman, jason mraz and greg laswell
8. the encinitas and carlsbad street faires
9. hash house a go-go and extraordinary desserts in hillcrest
10. acai bowls at swami’s café
11. the beaches: moonlight, tamarack, swamis and del mar shores

why 11? it's my favorite number :)

stay tuned for other editions.

my top pick for the best north county waxing studio

i've been going to the beehive waxing salon for the last summer and would NEVER go anywhere else! i've visited at least a dozen different waxing studios around the county and could never settle on one studio to return to for my regular waxings. and then i found the beehive.



not to be confused with the hive in encinitas, which i also love for their $9.99 eye brow waxes and kitschy jewelry, the beehive is an uber feminine space where the girls can go to pick up the latest in beauty products, lingerie, pajamas, accessories and seasonal products.



as soon as you walk into the beehive, you're instantly greeted and offered coffee or tea. there are cozy couches and magazines to keep you entertained if you have to wait a few moments for your room to get ready. however, there are so many cute products and clothes that you will want to look at, that you may not find any time to sit down before your session.



my suggestion: don't go there on an empty stomach. the whole studio is filled with little nooks filled with chocolate and candy surprises that you might end up throwing them in your purse for later. trust me, i've done it :)



i go to catherine or jessica for my waxing services and they both have always been gentle and gotten rid of every unnecessary hair while making you feel comfortable at the same time. some of the women i've seen to get waxed are sometimes awkward or silent during the whole process. if you are a newbie to getting waxed, these girls will automatically give off that friend vibe and you'll be done with your waxing in no time. i've never been so happy with one waxing studio and constantly praise the beehive for their staff, services and products.



one of the neat things about the beehive, is that after every bikini or brazilian wax, you can choose from their wall o' panties and pick out a free pair of cute undies to take home with you--free of charge. i've never seen any other studio offer this and this is another reason why i love going here.