NAIL ART: stick a feather in it!

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apologies — i fell behind on my nail posts (been traveling for work). this is a design i had from a few weeks ago.

DETAILS
  • LOCATION: STUDIO L, 247 W 38th Street, Ste 1603; (646) 499-5357
  • Nail Stylist: Manami (naturally)

when i first saw what could be done with feathers at Studio L, i just knew i had to try it on a design soon!

 ←hotness, no?

NAIL LOGISTICS:

  • Manami recommended laying a color down as a base, so the feathers would show more prominently, i decided to change up the base colors a bit to mix it between a peach / light grey / dark grey
  • lay down a clear layer of Calgel, then while sticky, position the full feather tip across the nail
  • once in place, cure under the UV, place another layer of clear Calgel over, cure again, then cut off excess. ultimately you can file off the extra excess until it’s perfect!
  • afterwards, Manami added a few accents of glitter to the feathered fingers to bring it out!

i think this is one of my all-time favorite designs i’ve done. the feathers looked so sophisticated, but it still had personality!

FINISHED PRODUCT:

a different kind of challenge: 60-Days of RAW

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so, on Tuesday, i had the ultimate NYC girl accident: while walking to the office after a press event, my high heel caught in a pothole and i totally bit it in the street.  unfortunately for me, i have an extra bone in my foot, to which i severely damaged the connective ligaments. OUTCOME: HP in crutches for the next 2 months.

another bummer: no yoga for 2 months. :(

so, rather than eating my feelings through this, i’ve decided to try and stay healthy and embark on a 60-day raw challenge: back to being 90-100% raw for 60 full days. considering i’ve fallen off the raw wagon because it was tiring being a social leper, i’m taking this gimpy opportunity to challenge myself and get back on track!

i’m only on Day 3, but already, i’m noticing a significant lift in my energy levels, my productivity and ability to focus.  it’s truly remarkable just how much of what you eat affects your body.

wish me luck — you’ll likely see more raw posts in the weeks to come!

Return to Nail Art: reviving the White Matte Marbled nail design

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it’s been nearly 2 years since i last got a crazy nail design.  unheard of, considering i’d gotten a new design every two weeks for a full year straight. but my recent trip to Japan has re-ignited my need for the nail art.

i noticed all the super-polished women rocked beautiful calgel designs, even if it was just a simple gradation! even at the mass drug stores, they had a full section dedicated to nail art:

i chose Studio L for my triumphant return to nail art — mostly because i know & trust the skills of Manami, the owner.  i know she can always execute any crazy idea i have — very rare when you’re trying to be creative with your nail art!

despite flipping through all the Nail Venus & Nail Max magazines in the salon, i had my heart set on a white-ish design in anticipation of Spring, so i revived an older design i had done a couple years ago: my marbled white design.

NAIL ART DETAILS:

  • calgel base
  • PEARL calgel color in a reverse french shape
  • took White Matte calgel color to create marbled effect

  • add rhinestones, gold micro-beads & turquoise as needed around accent nails. :)
final effect:

STUDIO L

247 West 38th Street (between 7th & 8th Ave), 16th Floor

(646) 499-5357, nailstudionyc.com

Meet the new Nail Art Studio in town! – introducing Studio L!

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the nail art craze isn’t going anywhere. i should know…i used to be an addict for a solid year (in my younger days).

in the early years of nail art in NYC, there were two very formidable places: Sakura & Marie Nails. but, as all things do — the city & the scene have both evolved. now there are a bevy of places & players from which to choose.

since i didn’t know any of the technicians at Sakura anymore, and you have to book weeks in advance to get something at Marie Nails, I asked my friend & Nail Art Junkie Keri Blair for suggestions….and so i booked an appointment at Studio L.

Studio L is a small nail art salon, tucked away on the 16th floor of a commercial building in the garment district.  it’s owned by Manami, who happened to be one of my all-time favorite nail stylists from the Sakura glory days. she is one of the most talented as far as flat art design, creativity and technical skill.

Studio L is relatively small: they only have 4 mani stations and two pedicure stations. but it’s nice that it’s not a storefront — you’re removed from the hustle & bustle of the street.  they are equipped with all the latest nail art magazines, as well as a bevy of shades — including NEON ones!

my first visit was this past Sunday — post to follow.  but here’s their info (and some nail art designs to tie you over):

STUDIO L

247 West 38th Street (between 7th & 8th Ave), 16th Floor

(646) 499-5357, nailstudionyc.com

Basic Kale Chips: an Addict’s Tips & Tricks

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after seeing a tweet from my friend Felicia Sullivan today, i got inspired to come home and whip up a batch of Kale Chips.

Kale definitely lives up to its “super food” title:

One cup of kale contains 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and 15% of the daily requirement of calcium and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), 40% of magnesium, 180% of vitamin A, 200% of vitamin C, and 1,020% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus. (from WebMD)

 ←even my dog loves kale!

Kale Chips are a fantastic snack food – especially if you’re vegan/raw vegan and you’re missing that salty crunchy snack. not only is it nutritious, the recipe for basic Kale Chips seems SUPER easy:

  • kale, de-veined
  • salt
  • pepper

i mean, can’t beat simple ingredients. but after making a few batches at home, here are some helpful hints from a kale chip addict that will hopefully make your DIY Kale Chips easier:

  • Cleaning: kale has so many beautiful folds & curly-ness — but that just means you have to be SUPER thorough when you clean it. dirt/mold/bugs tend to get stuck in the folds.
  • De-veining:  they always tell you to “de-vein” the kale, which usually means you pull the stem/spine away from the leaf.  i don’t know about anyone else, but that always results in me tearing the kale leaf – not cute.  SO, rather than de-veining (pulling the spine away from the leaf)  – just de-leaf it instead (pull the leaves away from the stem).  this is far more manageable and this way, you have more control to make sure each “chip” piece is of equal size (see next tip)
  • basic cooking principle: make sure each piece is the same size to ensure even cooking. we should never forget basic principles of cooking – even when making something as simple as chips.  as best as possible – try to make sure each chip/leaf is of equal size so your batch cooks evenly
  • coat evenly:  whether you’re making a simple Olive Oil/S&P Kale Chip recipe, or you’re doing a more fancy version with a nut-mixture, you must make sure that each chip/leaf is evenly coated. this will also help ensure it cooks evenly

whether you bake or dehydrate your Kale Chips, the above tips should always apply.  personally, i prefer dehydrating — even though it takes longer, i feel it retains more of the green kale flavor in the chips.  but either will do!

  • for dehydrator: lay out on dehydrator trays, dehydrate for minimum of 8 hours at 115°F.
  • for oven: bake at 300°F for approximately 20 minutes (or until crisp). let cool

hope these tips are helpful for my fellow Kale Chip Addicts! :)

Organic Avenue Love Deep Cleanse: Day 2

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day 2 of my 5-day Organic Avenue Love Deep Cleanse.  all juices, no solid foods.

mood:  cautious. it was a monday, so the first day i truly needed to be an active member of society. also, it was the first day of my 2-day conference on learning to “lead with presence”.  scary on more than one level.

activity level:  full day of a leadership conference + a yoga class at night.  i have to admit, there were moments during my yoga class where i was feeling light-headed.  maybe after 2 days of fewer calories, i didn’t have enough to push through a really challenging yoga class.

The Menu: total calorie count (minus the Coconut Mylk) = 715 calories.  i figure the max the Coconut Mylk could be is around 700…if so, we’re talking about 1400 calories.

  • CHLOROPHYLL SHOT (0 calories)
  • COCONUT WATER (86 calories)
  • PEAR JUICE (209 calories):  one of my favorite juices, probably because it’s so sweet and palatable.  but absolutely delicious.  apparently pear is a hypo-allergenic fruit that is high in fiber but less likely to produce adverse reactions
  • MASTER TONIC (108 calories): the very typical idea of a “cleanse” with the cayenne pepper.  not as sweet but very delicious nonetheless
  • VEGGIE VIBE (146 calories): my absolute favorite “good for you juice”. it doesn’t taste (or look) that green, and it’s quite delicious!
  • GREEN LOVE (166 calories):  my 2nd favorite “good for you juice”. while it’s definitely green, i think the lemon and parley cuts through it a little
  • COCONUT MYLK (Org Ave won’t really tell me how many calories are in this, which leads me to believe that it’s really high — also not listed on their website. very suspicious…):  it literally tastes like you’re eating a coconut. delicious!

the verdict:  by the end of day 2, i had a bit of a lull in energy — especially after the yoga class.  but was hoping that it was the worst of it!