Yes, it’s true….We bought a boat! My husband is a yacht broker, so it’s not too surprising that we are on-and-off again boat owners. (Prior to this, we owned a Bryant powerboat, then a Jeanneau 54 sailboat, then we were—sadly— boatless for a bit aside from our trusty dinghy.)
This time around, we knew we wanted a powerboat. Something easy to handle, and that could get us to beloved Catalina island in a few hours. (For perspective, a sailboat takes 12-14 hours to get to Catalina from San Diego.)
We love Catalina!
My husband stumbled upon a boat listing for this 2000 Azimut. It’s an Italian-made powerboat, 39 feet. Looks amazing, right?
We loved the lines on this boat—all undulating and stylish. Those Europeans got it going on!
Sadly, the inside wasn’t as appealing. Mainly, the curtains and decor. Italians did this?
Still, the design elements were there…
In spite of the questionable curtains and touches…
We decided to go for it. After all, we’re kind of boat snobs, and although this vessel needed work, we knew we would have a hard time getting something so sleek for the price. All it needed was a major engine overhaul, new electronics, a new wall, underwater lights, a bow thruster and of course….complete decor redo…and we were in business!
I loved the mint green suede, but the hunter green? That had to stay, and I just had to work around it. Lucky for me one of my best friends does interior design, and when I said, “What in the hell do I do?”
She said “neutrals with pops of black.” I ended up straying from that a bit, but always went back to her suggestion when I ran into trouble!
First off, those ugly curtains had to go. After that, everything seemed lighter and brighter.
For help with the master stateroom, I googled “hunter green decor” and pulled up some images.
along with this one from Bungalow56, a design firm here in Coronado…
The black and white pillows are from the outdoor collection at Target.
Then it was onto the girls room. I decided to forgo the neutral idea because the room was so tiny and drab, and I wanted it to explode with energy and love.
I used the same furry and pineapple pillows as the master stateroom. And the whale pillows and pineapple bedding are from Amazon.
Onto the salon. This was easier because the mint green is so light and fresh. I went with graphic black and white pillows from Target, a graphic green pillow from DENY designs and a flamingo from HomeGoods.
My favorite place to sit. I could sit here for hours, just sitting.Okay, maybe with a glass of suav blanc.I never get sick of looking through these windows.
A seat fit for a mermaid.
Even our bulldog loves the salon. My mom too!
We also had to fix up the outdoor upholstery. It was super stained and jacked up from the sun, even though you can’t really tell from the pictures.
We added a two-tone upholstery and some fun, nautical pillows. And the boat name? Mojito, of course!
Buying “Up-Cycled” Pet Supplies Gives Homeless Dogs a Chance!
A dog is up for adoption at the animal shelter, but it’s labeled “high needs.” This means that—for whatever reason—it requires additional training to live a happy, healthy life. Maybe it came from an abusive home. Maybe it was never socialized. Maybe it just needs some extra love and care…above and beyond what most dogs require.
Sadly, this scares off a lot of people. They may not have the time or financial resources to pay for extra training. They may move on to another dog, while this one remains at the shelter.
Enter, Emily Flener and Pawsitive Intentions. She created the nonprofit to help these high-needs adoptable pets get the training they need, without placing a financial burden on the new owner.
How does she do this? But making and creating pet supplies and pet toys from donated materials…such as T-shirts from companies doing walk/run events. 100% of profits from the sales of the pet supplies will pay for the training of the dogs.
“By removing any financial burden pet training may add, we hope to remove any barriers keeping these pets from being adopted,” says Emily. “’Training’ can sometimes come with a stigma. We hope to remove that by normalizing training as part of the adoptions process.”
Here is Moshi the English bulldog chewing on her “upcycled” t-shirt rug from Pawsitive Intentions.
“Up-cycling is the re-purposing of items into something they were not intentionally intended for,” says Emily. “For example, our t-shirt tug toys are made from donated t-shirts into these delightful pet toys! You know those volunteer or walk/run shirts your company may hand out? Now they are pet supplies!”
Emily not only makes t-shirt rug toys, but also a braided cat teaser and a snuffle mat which is a cool interactive meal solution.
T-shirt tugBraided cat teaserSnuffle mat
“The snuffle mat is great for cats and dogs,” says Emily. It can be used for meals or treats. Sprinkle your pets dry food into the fabric, brush around with your hand and dinner is served! Pets will sniff, dig, paw and root for their food, providing them valuable entertainment and stimulation.”
So what exactly is a high-needs adoptable pet?
“We view a high-needs adoptable pet as one who requires post-adoption training as a contingency for their adoption,” says Emily. “Required training can range from basic ‘sit, stay, down’ commands to learning special hand signals for deaf or hard-of-hearing pets.”
When up for adoption these pets can be easily overlooked.
“People may be deterred by additional training requirements, nervous a dog could cause injury or just not know much about training and make assumptions,” says Emily.
What kind of training does “high needs” pets really need? Is it complicated?
“It is not complicated at all and can be fun to learn something new with your new dog! They typically only need a little extra time and attention,” says Emily. “I want to help these pets because I currently have a dog on either end of this story. My Chihuahua, Ribbons, was attacked by a dog who required training and proper socialization but never received it. Luckily she survived this attack and is still with me today.”
Emily’s other dog, a cattle dog Pryor, was adopted by Fred Keller–her significant other and a Coronado ’03 graduate.
“Pryor is a dog who really needed training to assimilate to his day-to-day life,” said Emily. “His rescuer never told us this, we think for fear that he would not be adopted. Luckily, we had the financial means and pet experience to work with him on his particular issues.”
When they learned of Pryor’s additional training needs, Fred and Emily had to adjust to this unforeseen training requirement.
“It was through this adjustment as a family when I realized training does not have to be hard and can be quite bonding for the family unit,” says Emily.
Emily hopes that with Coronado boasting the #1 Dog Beach in San Diego, local residents will find it relieving and beneficial to know more dogs will get the training they need. We couldn’t agree more!
Add some boho-chic to your Coronado Fourth of July look this year! Check it out.
1. Celine sunglasses. I’m a total sucker for these sleek shades and especially in this funky blue! Edgy and fun, you’re sure to turn heads at any parade, BBQ or house party. Check out these sunglasses on Amazon here.
2. Johnny Was Tunic. I’ve been completely obsessed with Johnny Was since I wondered into their boutique in Santa Monica. But I wasn’t so excited about the prices! So I keep my eye on their website….and also what’s on sale on Amazon. But most of the time–I buy my Johnny Was tops second-hand on theRealReal.com. (You’re welcome.)
3. Red Woven Earrings from My Style On the Go. These big, feisty earrings make any outfit! If you haven’t heard of My Style On The Go yet, do yourself a favor and check out the website and follow on Instagram and Facebook. Emma Jane curates the most amazing fashion selection of clothes and accessories–picking awesome, well-made pieces at super-reasonable prices. She’s available for parties and “sip and shops” and offers 20% off for the hostess! Yes, please!
4. DL1961 Jeanshorts. It’s not really summer in SoCal (or anywhere else, for that matter) until you throw on your jeanshorts. Love this style from DL1961. Just short enough to be sassy but covers all your nether regions. Buy on Nordstrom.com here. Or again, check them out second-hand on theRealReal.com.
5. Hammitt Leather Bag. It’s no secret that I’m in love with my Hammitt Handbag from Dollie Style & Accessories. I also like that I can walk right into the Nail Studio at 824 Orange Avenue and touch, feel, and smell all their delicious leather goodness before buying.
6. Garden Party Color Intense Lipstick from Beautycounter. What? You don’t have any Beautycounter yet? Check it out and see why Gwyneth Paltrow, Megan Markle and mags like Vogue,In Style, and shows like the Today Show all rave about Beautycounter products. Revolutionizing the beauty industry by banning 1500 questionable (and likely dangerous) ingredients currently used in the personal care industry–the line also delivers Chanel-like quality. So there is no need to sacrifice beauty for safety! Check out Beautycounter here.
7. Flowerbomb Perfume by Victor and Rolf. One of my favorite scents! I get compliments on this anytime I wear it. Fresh, lovely, and just a little bit cheeky. Amazon Prime Flowerbomb here.
Maybe you’re a new consultant, like me. Maybe you’ve been working with Beautycounter for a while now, but you’ve never been to a summit. Maybe you are interested in working for Beautycounter, but haven’t pulled the trigger yet. Either way, maybe you are wondering what the heck IS Leadership Summit? What’s it like? Why should you go and what do you do there?
I just so happen to be on the plane right now, flying back from Beautycounter Leadership Summit 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.* So I’ve got the scoop, and I’m prepared to give you all the juicy details. The good, the bad, and the ugly. The beautiful, the disruptive, and the down-right in need of a touch up. (Honestly, there wasn’t much ugly and only a few areas needed a touchup.)
*I started this blog post in good faith in early May, but spring and early summer hit me like a wrecking ball. So yes, I am just completing this post mid-June. GAW!!!
Thinking about attending a Leadership Summit? Here’s what you should consider.
On board bevies! Yes, please!
1. Leadership Summit Isn’t Cheap. It’s not unreasonable considering how much you get from it, but you may need to consider pricing in advance. It cost me $325 to register, and $360 to split a room at the Hyatt (the best and closest hotel to the convention center) for three nights with a friend. Obviously airfare will depend on where you fly from. It cost me $411 roundtrip to fly from San Diego to Minneapolis.
Don’t forget your in-flight reading. Nailed it!Just landed in Minneapolis. Woot!
Pricing for the summit obviously doesn’t include some meals, but Beautycounter does really try to hook you up with free breakfast (hello, spinach and feta breakfast burrito!), lunch and snacks. Our up-line also organized an event with free apps, drinks and the like. (More on that later.) So all in all, we’re looking at an investment of $1096, not counting some meals.
2. Expect some fun perks. Beautycounter really tries to make your experience special. There are loads of treats and perks along the way! For example, the Hyatt offered us “Welcome F’roses” upon arrival!
The F’rose dude…always ready for a boomerang.We are pleased.The lovely Hyatt.Yummy snack spread at the convention center, courtesy of Beautycounter.
Beautycounter also offered FREE professional head shots at the Convention Center upon arrival, and also complimentary manicures (yes, please!)
Beauty counter provided complimentary manicures–first come, first serve.
So yes, lots of killer perks! But there are 4,000 people there, which brings me to my next point…
3. Expect a lot of lines.
After we checked in and cleaned up a bit, we walked right to the convention center to check in. This was no big deal. But after check in…there were lines. Lots of lines. Lines for the bathroom, lines for water and coffee, and lines for all of the freebies they offered like the headshot and the manis.
But with thousands of people at this convention center, I guess lines are unavoidable.
One cool bonus WITHOUT a line was the Beautycounter Studio which featured a hands-on experience to explore the entire line of products.
Boasting the longest line was the Beautycounter store, which is supposed to be the holy grail of Beautycounter shopping. But the line was AN HOUR LONG. I can’t deal with lines, so my friend went in for me and got me what I wanted most….an awesome display with ALL the new lipglosses! Yes! For $98 this was a major score and I knew it would be a hit at my next social. (And yes, armed with this bad boy I have sold LOTS of glosses!)
Come to mama.
People were buying up TONS of stuff…super-cute totes, Beautycounter tank tops, the new spray sunscreen and promotional stuff like stickers and thank you notes. (To be fair, on the last day the summit the lines for the store died down A LOT.)
All goodness aside, the lines were a bit vexing. Like, there is only ONE place in the entire area of the convention center to buy water and coffee. What? So do yourself a solid and don’t show up thirsty, starving, or in need of caffeine. Always pack a water bottle, (You can refill at that bathrooms), some bars, and a coffee, for the love of God!
4. Pack to look your best. Another thing I noticed right away…this was a big group of women. And a big group of pretty, fashionable women! In some ways, this was a little intimidating and brought me back to college when I briefly joined and was subsequently kicked out of my sorority. (Don’t ask.) Large groups of women have always freaked me out a bit and I don’t do well in ladies groups and the like. Too much drama! But I must say…I ended up actually REALLY enjoying seeing all the fun fashion!
I saw Southern Bells in floral dresses, tassel earrings and bright lips. Hairstylists in amazing yellow dress pants and cute graphic t-shirts with geometric haircuts. I saw girls in flared leather skirts and heels. I saw lots of long hair with curls. Girls in cold shoulder tops, high wasted pants and big jewelry. I saw so much fun and inspiring fashion that next year when I attend, I’m going to snap some pics of my favorite ensembles and write a “Beautycounter Summit Fashion” blog post. (Don’t steal my idea! I thought of it first.)
Beautycounter sassiness.Strike a pose!Lookin’ good!
Luckily for me, I tend to overpack and had plenty of outfit options, so I felt good about my wardrobe.
It’s good to have options.
But this is definitely an event where you want to look good. So bring it all, ladies. Your cute flats, your sassy and trendy tops, your trendy business-appropriate dresses, and don’t forget your dress and heels for the dance party. (More on that later! ) And no matter what, don’t forget a jacket or scarf, something you can cozy up in because the convention center is COLD!
5. Look beyond the pretty white girls, and you will be surprised at what you find.
Yes, there are lots of pretty white girls here. But looking a little harder, there was really a wide range of ladies…all shapes and all sizes, all colors, most in makeup, some without. I even saw a few guys.
At the welcoming talks, Gregg Renfrew spoke to this very point…how she is really seeking diversity for Beautycounter. (This year’s theme was “everyone means everyone.”) Because how can we serve everyone, if we AREN’T everyone? She encouraged consultants to seek out people of color and those of different backgrounds. The mission of Beautycounter, after all, is to get safer beauty products in the hands of everyone. Couldn’t agree more!
Gregg looking stylish and earthy, as always!
6. Find your tribe. The first night out, our up-line organized an awesome event at the Loop–a local restaurant in downtown Minneapolis. Again, everyone was dressed to the nines…skinny jeans, heels, sassy tops and again I had that old sorority feeling flood over me. Was I dressed up enough? Who WERE all these girls?
But a few glasses of wine in—and some completely delicious and badass appetizers like Mac n cheese balls and buffalo chicken wontons—and my worries melted away. And I am proud to say that our team not only STARTED but ENDED the dance party when we took over the DJ booth with a few choice selections like “Tricky” by Run DMC and Karly’s fav “My Pony” by Ginuine. (The chair doubled as a pony, and and one of the girls even kicked it away when she was done with it. At that moment…I knew I had found my tribe.)
More than a month later, I can say that the girls I met at Summit are just as awesome as I thought they would be after that first dance party! These ladies are strong, fun, down-to-earth, and HILARIOUS! I am still a little shocked that we are all part of the same team. You couldn’t hand-pick a better bunch of girls! Now when I see them at events around San Diego, it is a happy little reunion!
7. You’re indoors a lot. In huge conference rooms. It’s cold. Bring a jacket or a scarf, and don’t forget to grab water and snacks before you head into a session. I actually started feeling a little sick the first morning…probably dehydrated from the flight, under-caffeinated and over-chardonnayed, and my body was just wondering what was I DOING sitting in conference rooms for hours at a time, when at home, I am working out every morning outside and running errands non-stop. Writing this blog post is the most I have sat down in the same spot for the last 45 days. (Which is probably why it took me so long to do it.) If you work desk job, this will probably feel more natural to you, but I haven’t worked at a desk since 2009 and my body kind of freaked out. I ended up taking a lot of “breaks” outside to get fresh air and sun, and this made me feel a lot better. Next trip I would bring some extra vitamins.
8. You will be inspired. As I mentioned, Gregg Renfrew is just as awesome as you would imagine. No fuss, down to earth and 100% passionate about the mission–what you see is what you get. It’s obvious why she has almost a cult-like following…she’s totally real, smart, inclusive, and DRIVEN! We also heard from the lovely and witty Chief Revenue Officer Gina Murphy, and an incredible story from Ayesha Dawley, a cancer survivor and Managing Director with Beautycounter. I also loved hearing from Erica Schneider who added 29 consultants to her team in her first year, and actually got a commission check for more than $100,000 from Beautycounter in just ONE MONTH! What??
One of my favorites was Lindsay Dahl who spearheads our advocacy work, mission-related campaigns, charitable-giving and sustainability efforts. A tireless leader, she works vigorously to create real change in policy.
This is the chick who led efforts to elimate BPA from sippy cups a few years back. Can you say badass?
I also love this slide of all the district meetings that have taken place in the last year across our country to foster stricter safety standards in personal care products!
And of course–the most memorable session was when Gregg Renfrew interviewed Maria Shriver. I don’t know how I didn’t know this, but Maria Shriver is a total badass and is SUCH an inspiration! She is funny and fearless, real and raw, but also so compassionate. I felt beyond honored to be in her presence (even among thousands) and Amazon-Primed her book before the session got out.
Just feeling lucky right now.
9. You will learn a TON! The product information and training seminars were super awesome and informative. I can’t believe how many new products are coming down the pipes and how progressive and forward-thinking the product development is! I loved hearing from the Beautycounter development team like Micheal McGeever (formerly of Marc Jacobs, Elizabeth and James) and Xavier Ormancey (who worked at Chanel and Yves Rocher.) They have a super funny banter, and gave us the low-down on all the new skincare products set to hit the market!
Michael McGeeverXavier Ormancey is the child of witch doctors and grew up in France plucking ingredients for his parents concoctions before he went to work for Chanel. Again, can you say badass?
Ah…the new products!
The new Countersun line has launched since the summit, and I am just crazy about the mist!
A Mineral Sunscreen mist! And NON AEROSOL! hell to the yeah.
We also have the new Cream Illuminating Highlights (I loooooove them, can you tell?) and the Overnight Resurfacing Peel. (We all got a free peel to take home! What?) Which brings me to my next point.
Hooray for highlighters!The new peel!
We also got to hear from the crazy talented Christy Coleman who is wizard with colors! I took notes like crazy when she shared all of the new goodies headed our way. I wish I could tell you now, but I am sworn to secrecy!
I love this article about Christy Coleman from Dressed to Kill. Check it out here: http://dresstokillmagazine.com/christy-coleman-makeup-artist/
10. You will leave with a goody bag PACKED with full-size products. I can’t tell you what’s in there ladies, (except for the peel) but I can promise you it’s the BOMB!
11. Expect some reward lunches. I’m such a badass I got to attend not ONE but TWO reward luncheons with Greg Renfrew and Gina Murphy! (Honestly, I’m not a badass at all, but the starts really aligned for me the first few months!)
The lunches were lovely…a couple hundred of us were seated in the beautiful Seasons rotunda and treated to a healthy grilled chicken salad, fruit and dessert. There was an empty seat next to me at the first lunch, and when Gregg walked around to all of the tables, she sat right next to me!
I got to tell her how much I enjoyed her speech about diversity and she totally expanded on it and chatted with her table for a while until one of her handlers told her she needed to move on to get to everyone. I had the feeling that if she wasn’t told to move on, she would have sat and chatted for hours. And yes, I did get this picture with her! Hooray!
12. Beautycounter knows how to throw a dance party. Holy, moly! Beautycounter took over the Armory which is a massive, beautiful events center close to the Convention Center.
Gratuitous pre-party selfie.Another one.
They hired an incredible lady DJ–Hannah Bronfman– who kicked some serious ass.
We danced (in heels) for about four solid hours until I slipped in someone’s wine and had a real “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up moment.” My tailbone is still sore and it took me out of Pilates and yoga for four weeks! But it was worth it. So the secret is out…if you stayed at the party until the end and were wondering who slipped and fell…yes, it was ME!
Important to note…like all the other parts of the summit, expect lines at any large events. This means lines for food. It was almost damn near impossible to get anything to eat at this event, but it was reasonably simple to get a drink. Which made for lots of drunk chicks! (Including myself.) Next time, I will definitely eat something before I head out to the dance party!
13. Get out on the town. Yes, you are here for Beautycounter but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t sample some of the sights, tastes and sounds of what your host town has to offer. Minneapolis is a BLAST and Jesi and I ventured out to Chino Latino for some amazing “equator food” and cocktails. We also paid a visit to the Gay 90s, a local gay bar which was super fun!
14. Return home completely psyched about everything you’ve experienced and learned! Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. Not only was it an amazing bonding experience with my girls, but I learned sooooo much. But the biggest thing I learned? That our company is run by smart, progressive, talented and most of all–kind people. That means so much to me. Birds of a feather flock together, and the birds I’ve met through Beautycounter have been proven to be lovely indeed!
Ok moms…I admit it, this is a little crazy. See, I was at a birthday party on Tuesday and one of the ladies shared a cool story with me.
She was friends with a mama who, every summer, let her daughters dye their hair some cool and funky color. Something crazy they couldn’t quite get away with during the school year, but would rock in the summer months. Then before school would start, their color would have all but washed out, they’d get a haircut, and start fresh for fall. All I could think was, “I love this Mom!” And “I HAVE to do this for my girls!”
And I just so happen to know Danielle B. who works at Salon DeVille up the street, and she does ah-mazing color. Of course, Danielle was game. My daughter Marley is 9, Holland is 6, and they were both pumped to get their hair done.
Marley decided she wanted “galaxy” inspired hair, and found this picture online. I’m not sure what “galaxy” inspired actually means, but I think we can all agree it’s festive and fun!
So yesterday I pulled my girls out school early (Mom of the year, I know) and we made a trip to the salon. Here is Marley before. Medium brown hair, as you can see.
After taking a closer look at Marley’s hair, Danielle told us she would need to (gasp) bleach the ends of Marley’s hair so the bright color would show. I hesitated for a minute, but knew she was right…and we would probably be chopping off the bleached ends before school started next Fall anyway. (Besides, by the time I was her age I already had at least two spiral perms. I grew up in Texas in the eighties, yo!)
Meanwhile, little sister surveyed the scene and decided there was no way in hell she was getting her hair done today. We decided she could just watch and observe.
So first, the bleaching of the ends…
Then a quick blow dry.
And now for the fun stuff…the color!
Danielle used emerald, magenta, violet and blue.
Do these colors not make your heart sing???
Next up, the “foils” where Danielle strategically painted on the hair color. Ooh la la!
A little Saiko Sushi for the hungry girl during the process. (She has a terrible life.)
And next, a rinse, blow dry, quick trim and styling!
Love how the colors pop in the curls!
Epicness!!!
And now for the the end result…a very happy 9-year-old with Galaxy Hair!
Do you have a little girl, tween or teen would love this look? We are SUPER happy with the results! But here’s what you need to know.
This process will work best on lighter-haired beauties…if you’ve got dark hair, you’re going to need to get the ends bleached or the color won’t show as well. Also, this is a long process…Marley was in the chair for 3 hours. It’s a legit salon experience! Finally, this isn’t cheap. You’re getting an amazing experience and results, but what we did was akin to a balayage with funky colors.
But my older girl is getting to the age where she doesn’t want “stuff” as much as she wants an experience. This would be an amazing summer birthday present or a fun mother/daughter bonding time. And it’s the gift that keeps on giving, each time your kid looks in the mirror!
Interested? Stay tuned for special pricing from Danielle. And happy almost summer!!!
Even our bulldog loves the salon. My mom too!
And we were ready to play!
But most of the time–I buy my Johnny Was tops second-hand on 
