Good Morning from Ephesus

 Yesterday, my family and I had the privilege to experience something unlike anything else. We visited the ancient city ruins of Ephesus. We walked the same steps of revolutionary Christians, like that of the Apostle Paul.

Immediately upon arrival, we were all taken away. The ruins were in incredible condition. I could so easily imagine myself in this ancient metropolis that I was lost by taking in the view.

The goddess Nike poses for ancient Ephesians.

Christians in ancient Ephesus were harshly persecuted. This became ever more evident to me as I could not walk five steps without passing a sculpture of a Pagan god. Paganism was so prominent in the town that Christians were subjected to live in hiding for the majority of their lives. 

 

This sacrifice that early followers of Christ made for their faith calls for my own self reflection--how much do I sacrifice for my faith? Paul, after being stoned nearly to death was sent away for his own protection. Despite all this, he still wanted to return to the city. That would scare me to death! What a minority these people were, and how persecuted they were just for their religious beliefs. 

Even the library features breathtaking sculpture and detail.

A view from below

Though not their spoken language, the Ephesians wrote with the Greek alphabet.

The library

Overall, the trip was fascinating, and extremely educational. I have never felt more connected to my faith! For more information on the history Ephesus, I refer you to this website.  

Returning home, all smiles (:

Istanbul Day One

Day one in Istanbul was absolutely fabulous. Turkey is a country with about 90% identifying as muslim. With plans to visit a few of the ancient city's religious sites, I dressed modestly in a long, black maxi from Anthropology. Around my purse, I carried a scarf, which was required in some sites we visited. 

I don't remember everything I learned in Istanbul, but I will always remember the people we met, and the overall feeling of the city. Istanbul is such a beautiful mix of Middle Eastern tradition combined with European ideals. It is the best of both worlds. 

I am here, Istanbul

My family and I arrived to Istanbul around 5 o'clock in the afternoon yesterday. We were immediately greeted by our kind driver Sayit, and several boisterous outdoor speakers calling us to evening prayer. As we loaded our luggage into the back of Sayit's van, I had a brief premonition of becoming the next inspiration for Taken 3, but it all ended up just fine, as we arrived safe and sound at The Ritz Carlton Istanbul only 40 minutes later.
Dirty and nauseously jet-lagged, the family decided dinner was a good idea. We ate at a restaurant here in the hotel. In typical Ritz fashion, it was a fabulous meal, in fact the most fabulous meal I had enjoyed in quite sometime. I happily spent my first evening in Istanbul chowing down on fresh bread, dipped in coarse salt and extra virgin olive oil, a fresh mixed green salad, an array of traditional Turkish hummuses, and curried vegetables and rice. A girl can only take so many smoothies, after some time, you must delight yourself to the real foodie pleasures in life.
Regressing to bed was more challenging than I had imagined. Jet lag is very real. I fell asleep around 11 PM here ( 3 PM central time), and woke up about 2 AM (6 PM CT). After an hour of unproductive tossing and turning in my bed, which I must say was extremely comfortable, I decided I might as well wake up for good. So, I reached for my Nikes and headed to the gym at 3 in the morning. I am already breaking new grounds here in Istanbul. I think that just shows how monumental this trip is preparing to be.
Now, it is 8:30 in the morning, and I am still the only one awake from my party. Single, I am drinking coffee and munching on a croissant and fruit awaiting the day's promising beginning. Though alone, I find myself relaxed and at ease. It is trips like these that remind me of the beauty found in simpler things. Like admiring a view from breakfast, though it is of mostly construction of a football stadium, there behind it a mosque with gold pointed pillars peeks at me. I am in love with this slow easiness and am inspired to find this feeling again come tomorrow morning, 8:30.

Packing... A Necessary Evil

Well, I'm off to dinner. I'm going to this hip new place called "Turkey & Greece". I guess it's a play on words..? I'm just worried the long commute won't be worth it. This better be some good dinner... 

Jokes, jokes... 

In all seriousness, though, the time has come to leave this country and vacation abroad. As excited as I am, I also harbor extreme anxiety. Why? Because with traveling comes PACKING. 

I hate packing. So much. I've been on a million trips but have never seemed to master the skill. 

Until now. 

With the help of the Internet and lots of caffeine, I will conquer my packing faux paux once and for all. 

Things I consider when I begin to pack:

-will I have enough clothes?

-will I be fashionable enough?

-what if eat too many macaroons while I'm there and these skinny jeans stop fitting?

-should I bring my fat jeans instead?

-agh but my fat jeans aren't designer and aren't near as cute! 

-I'll just bring both.

-will I work out while I'm there? 

-if so, how often? 

-will there be laundry services? 

-but, honestly, will you even utilize laundry services? 

-I'll just bring an outfit for everyday just in case

-will I paint my nails?

-how many colors will I need?

-how many pairs of shoes should I bring? 

-should I bring the shoes that I never wear incase I might wear them there??

-should I bring my ball gown? 

-you never know. 

-how much makeup should I bring? 

-what if my tan fades? 

-I'll bring two shades of foundation just in case. 

These questions plague every worried, indecisive, fashion-conscious traveler. Worry no more, for the blonde smoothie is to the rescue. Here is my intructional guide for packing for the perfect summer vacation. And there are pictures.

Luggage

Purchase a sturdy yet light weight piece of luggage. Make sure it's large enough to carry two weeks worth of clothes, but weighing as little as possible. This is because most airlines have set a strict 50 pound limit for each piece of luggage from their passengers. Keep this weight limit in mind so we can eliminate unnessary clothing items as we go through the process. 

LBDs and more

NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, beats an easy, breezy (covergirl) summer dress in the middle of hot July temperatures. Pack these like you are in a competition to be in the new wave of flower children, with every intention of winning. Dresses don't have to be hippie attire, though. The right one is chic, simple and completes an outfit almost instantly. Prints = less accessories. Black/neutrals = in need of eye catching details. Think delicate, layered jewelry. It will transform an everyday LBD into something eye catching and unique. Add your own style to everything you do. 

Pictured above is a floral print dress purchased from Antropology, a blue rhomper by Josie, a white cotton dress purchased at On a Whim Tulsa, and a black loose fitting maxi purchased from Anthropology. 

Neutrals 

Focus on neutrals as much as possible. For me, this means black. I love black. Black is the best color in the world. But for others, this might mean cream, white, tan, gray, or any of those other boring colors you can think of. Neutrals mix with everything and can easily be worn with other items. 

Bottoms

I'm bringing four pairs of shorts and several skirts. I didn't count. But there's a lot. I read that printed shorts aren't very trendy overseas, so I only brought one pair. Two pair of cutoffs for casual pool days, and two rolled trouser style pairs. 

Statement Pieces

Bring them. Without them, your wardrobe is boring. But beware of bringing the unworn items you have hiding in the back of your closet. If you don't wear them at home, chances are you won't wear them abroad. Even though this pieces are funky and eye catching, you want to feel as comfortable and confident in them as possible. You're already in a foreign country, so why make matters worse by bringing items you feel funny wearing?

But if you do wear them normally, bring them. Just do.

Footwear 

What I have below is a horrible quality iPhone picture of the shoes I am bringing on this cruise. You will notice that all but one pair are practical. And even my unpractical heals (which are five inches btw) are wedges and have ankle straps. Sandals and sneakers are what I will be wearing during the day, as they're the most comfortable to your around in. I'll naturally break out the heals at night. As much as I love stilettos, walking around the hills of Santorini is not the time to show off my latest pair of Choo's.

Swimsuits

I'm bringing two bikini swimsuits that are mix and match. This way it's like I'm actually bring four swimsuits! Just another way to stretch your outfits while still packing less. 

Pictured above are two bikinis by Victoria's Secret. 

Makeup

This is the hardest part for me. I have so much makeup. I took a picture of my makeup counter to give you am idea of all I have to chose from. 

It's chaos. But I managed to pick through it and choose only my vacation essentials. 

This Smashbox toner gives you a summer glow without trying. Wear it with or without foundation. I can't live without it. 

Chanel Vitalumiêre Aqua with SPF 15

Chanel face finishing powder 

Bobbi Brown bronzing pallet. Doubles as eyeshadow. Gives an instant, tan glow. 

I honestly don't know what brand this is. It's some Italian brand I purchased in a Duty Free shop on my way to Africa last year. Moral of the story is it also gives a really nice finishing glow to your face, shoulders, legs and whatever else needs it. 

Naked brand eyeshadow pallet 

Bobbi Brown blush and Bare Minerals blush brush

YouNique waterproof mascara. On a hot summer day, sweat is inevitable. For that reason, I'm opting for waterproof mascara and this brand is great! Shout out to my friend Christina for giving me this awesome beauty gem!

And last but not least- Brushes, eyeliner, concealer, tweezers, etc. 

Jewelry and Accessories

There's no need to bring your whole collection, but do bring a few statement pieces that will help dress up your outfits. Details are what makes you unique!

Somehow I made everything fit ??

I'm not sure how I did it. Maybe it was rolling my clothes instead of normal folding. (Rolling clothes, btw, not only saves space, but reduces wrinkles.) but, I made everything for into my bag. Now all that is left is to wake up tomorrow morning and NOT have that feeling that I'm missing something really obvious and important. I'll hope for the best. Safe travels everyone! 

What are your traveling/packing methods? Comment below! 

Mom's Purple Power Drink

After a long jog this morning, I came home famished. "Feed me," I groaned to the air as I dragged my feet accross the wooden kitchen floor. My mother heard my calls of distress. "Don't worry, boo boo," she says to me. "I gotchu."

(none of this actually happened)

Moral of the story is my ghetto fabulous momma saved the day with an even more fabulous smoothie. She calls it "Purple Power".

Here's how to do it, momma style:

Ingredients:

- 1 peeled orange

- 4 oz of Kale 

- 1 serving of fruit flavored protien powder (we use FEM Intest Restore Advanced powder in Natural Cherry flavor)*

- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 

- 5 oz of frozen blueberries 

- 1 frozen banana

Place all the items in your blender. Most smoothie recipes will call for a liquid base. This one is unique in that it uses the juice from the orange in place of a liquid, thus creating an easy, sip-able, smoothie texture. 

This recipe serves one. Don't be daunted by the proportions. You'll have a lot to drink!! But this will be your post workout meal- your recovery. You won't be hungry with this drink, you will be full and energized. Drink all of this throughout today and your body will thank you with a good workout tomorrow!

Here's a pic of my mom excitingly pouring herself a drink... She's like the green smoothie version of Don Draper... What a lush.  

*more on FEM: It is basically a special blend of nutrients designed specifically for female health. Read more about it here http://www.fcehcstore.com/mobile/Product.aspx?id=37777

Nutritious AND Delicious ICE CREAM (!!)

SAY WHAT?! Yes. That is correct. I have perfected a delicious ice cream recipe that is made of all natural, whole ingredients. Everyone who has tried this recipe has said it's amazing and challenges even conventional ice cream.  This peanut butter flavor is all I've tried, but as I figure out other flavors I will post them on here. This recipe is quick, easy, and just overall awesome, so you just have to make it. 

Ingredients:

-6 to 8 frozen bananas

-2 tablespoons of honey

-2 tablespoons of peanut, almond butter, or PB2 butter, already mixed 

Place all the items in your blender. We use a VitaMix at my house which has a specific setting for making ice cream. So, yeah, anyway, I just put it on that setting and voila! 

This recipe serves about two... Or in my case, one. 

 

Today's Outfit - Southern Belle

Southern belle meets boho chic with today's outfit. The detailed blouse plus the pleated skirt says sophisticated and put together, but my messy Donald Trump styled French braid says laid back.  

Paint Party

In celebration of yet another gloomy, rainy day, today was spent exclusively indoors. My cousins Talia, Mason and Aaden decided to spend this day with me, creating our own artistic interpretations of our favorite Bible stories.

Aaden chose to draw the wall of Rahab's tower in Jericho.

My drawing was of wicked queen Jezebel. Please try to hold your applause for this amazing piece of art before you here.

Mason laughing about how he drew his Moses with a "Big Head"

The Brunette Smoothie

After a sleepless night, I woke up this morning feeling particularly groggy and sluggish. When I remembered I needed to make my breakfast smoothie, my mind was blank. What a blender was, and what it was for, were showing approximently zero results in my foggy morning brain (this is a typical symptom of blondness).

I begin to imagine myself in an Ivy League college as an inspiring law student, naturally betraying the luxury of sleep in hopes of catching a decent score on tomorrow's Bar exam. 

I am that mean fiancée-stealer girl off Legally Blonde. 

No, I am Blair Waldorf, starting my day in need of a drink that will help me rule the the Upper East side. 

After a tall glass of water, my eyes slowly begin to open, and I am just alive enough to mingle some ingredients together for this morning's smoothie. 

The Brunette

- 1/2 cup of chilled coffee

- 1/2 cup of almond milk 

- 1 handful of spinach 

- 1 banana 

- 1 cup ice

- 1/2 tablespoon of raw cocoa powder

- 1/2 tablespoon of maca powder

- add stevia to taste (I used 3 drops)

Blend all the ingredients. I like to blend the spinach with the almond milk alone first, then add the rest of the recipe. This way, I can add more spinach if I want, without sipping up leaves in the finished product. Also, don't be shy about the spinach, add as much as you like, but at least one handful. If you want to be smart like a brunette you must utilize the power if this leavy green. 

Benefits of Spinach: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=43

After you have blended all ingredients together, grab a straw and enjoy. If you feel as if the smoothie is too thin, feel free to add a couple tablespoons of peanut butter to the mix. This will also give you added protein to fuel the rest of your day.

If only brunettes like Vivian Kensington and Blair Waldorf would have always started their days with this smoothie. Then, maybe, Vivian would have never stolen anyone's fiancé and wouldn't have of been so salty to Elle Woods in the first place. Maybe, too, Blair would have married Chuck in season one. Think of the heartache that would have saved (yes, that's directed towards you, Jenny Humphrey). 

Greenest Green Smoothie Recipe

The best way to start off a good morning is by treating your body to some killer fuel. This green smoothie recipe will revitalize your body and rejuvenate your energy. You will feel full, but light. It is the perfect meal to start the rest of your day.

My Greenest Green Smoothie recipe: 

-5 to 7 ounces of greens (I like to use kale, spinach, or mixed "Super Greens" by Organic Girl brand) 

-1/2 cup of almond milk

-1 banana

-about six or seven strawberries

-1 sliced miniature orange or 1/2 of a sliced regular sized orange 

-tablespoon of Chia seeds

-2 tablespoons of TriOmega SuperFood blend by Green Smoothie Girl

http://greensmoothiegirl.com/product/greensmoothiegirl-products/greensmoothiegirl-triomega-superfood/

First, I blend my greens in with my almond milk, gradually adding more greens. By blending the greens first and by themselves, I've found it creates a smooth base for the rest if the smoothie.  

After all of my greens are blended, I simply add the rest of the ingredients in. 

This recipe will make about two servings, so you can enjoy it throughout the day, not just for breakfast. 

Take a sip and see what you think! If you're not used to the strong taste of the leaves, try adding a couple drops of all natural stevia sweetener. I find this gives if a very pleasant taste. 

These smoothies are my life! They containing so many disease-fighting nutrients! This power drink is bound to
keep your body wanting more and more (even if your taste buds refuse). (:

Love Yourself Sunday beauty routine

Hey guys! Before I tell you today's activities, can I just ask- Does anyone ever have those days where everything is wrong, even though your life is actually pretty great? Is it just me?? Ugh, I hope not. These days make me feel so selfish. There are people in the world that are starving or homeless but here I am all sad because I feel fat or just gloomy for no reason... 

Today was one of those days for me. I spent all morning feeling sorry for myself, curled in my covers, binge watching Netflix, and actively deciding to not to shower, until I realized just how pathetic I was being. 

"Why am I doing this to myself?"

I realize, you really have to love yourself to enjoy a happy life. In that light, I believe the first step to loving yourself is to take care of yourself. Showing your body some TLC is a refreshing and positive way to express your appreciation for the fine gift of life we all have received. 

Today's TLC: MASKS AND MORE MASKS!!

(Actually just two masks)

One mask for hair, another for your face!

Hair: 

During summer, our hair and skin goes through a lot of damage. With endless exposure to sun and chlorine, I find that my hair tends to be more dry in the summer. It thus breaks more easily and is more prone to... split ends. (Dun dun dun).

But I have found a simple and natural way to restore my golden strands back to life- coconut oil. 

I used coconut oil for everything. Like, seriously, everything. But this is just one of the millions of ways it helps make you beautiful.

All you need to begin is a brush and organic coconut oil. 

First, towel dry your clean wet hair, then brush thoroughly through to get any tangles out.  

Grab a tablespoon or so of coconut oil. Make sure that it's mostly melted, then run it through your hair. Focus on the ends and tips since this is where most damage occurs. 

Once you have used most of the product on the ends of your hair, rub what is left on your fingers into your scalp, gently massaging. 

Your hair will seriously feel (and smell) like heaven. After you're done, wrap your hair in a top not or towel. For best results, sleep in the oil, then, the next morning, you can either just rinse the oil out with warm water, or use shampoo and conditioner to get a thorough wash. You will notice a significant change in the texture of your hair. My new goal is to do this at least once a week! 

Ok next!! SKIN TIME. Heaven knows my skin needs some TLC. 

Tonight I decided to make a homemade clay mask, using four simple ingredients I already had at home. 

They were: Edible Earth clay, water, maple syrup, and tea tree oil. 

The Edible Earth clay is a mixture of natural calcium bentonite and montmorillonite clays. 

Some of it's benefits include remineralizing cells and tissues, promoting bacterial balance, and assisting in heavy metal and chemical detoxification. With all these benefits, it's no doubt this clay will do wonders for your skin. 

To make this mask, I added one part clay to two parts liquid. If you have oily skin, I would reccomend using water as your liquid. Normal or combination skin would use almond or soy milk, and dry skin would use only honey or maple syrup. 

Since I've been breaking out a little recently, I decided to have a liquid base of water. This way I would able to draw all all of the possible impurities. 

Recipe for oily skin (about two servings):

-1 tablespoon clay

-2 tablespoons of water

-1/2 tablespoon maple syrup

-5 drops of tea tree oil

Simply add all the ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth. 

Warning: tea tree oil can be really intense if you haven't ever used it before. It is all natural, but it has a distinct sting to it. I felt that diluted in this mask, it instead gave a very refreshing, cool feeling, but it might be different for different skin types. 

This mask was so easy to make, and felt great on my skin. Apply like lotion, smoothing a thin layer over you skin. Wait about 10-15 minutes until it feels dry to touch. Rise with water and dry. If you feel like you still have residue, even after rising with water, feel free to use your usual cleanser to get a clean feeling. Moisturize and...

Voila! Your skin is photo ready! 

This mask really did make my skin feel awesome and smooth and I can already tell a huge difference in my pores. It pulled out all the inpurities in such a gentle way. 

I recommend this for all skin types, just make sure you adjust the recipe to your specific needs. 

So this day ended up on a very positive note. 

My advice if you're ever having a bad day: find a way to pamper yourself. You deserve it! These two methods show that you don't need to go to ridiculous lengths to show yourself some love. I had these things already in my pantry, just begging for me to put to good use. 

Even if it's not perfect, you must love your body! It does so much for you! Show your love with little pamper sessions like these and I promise it will repay you (:

New Magic Pill: Garcinia Cambogia

Like my usual lazy teenage self, yesterday morning, in an effort to wake up, I reached for my phone. Eyes groggy and half opened, I scrolled through my twitter feed. Then, I saw something that caught my eye. 

From an account titled Fitness Motivation, I saw an article (advertisement) about a brand new pill that helped one girl lose 20 pounds. "This is such a hoax," I said to myself, as I clicked on the link anyway. 

Come to find out, this article, though clearly promoting purchase of goods (see, I told you- advertisement), actually had some legit substance to it. 

On this site was a real clip of a Dr Oz show explaining the benefits of this new miracle pill called garcinia cambogia. 

Impressed with the big name backing, I watched the video. 

What I learned: 

Garcinia cambogia is a small, pumpkin-shaped fruit, sometimes called tamarind. It comes oringinally from Indonesia, but it is also grown in India, Southeast Asia, and West and Central Africa. Although it is recently recieving a lot of attention, the fruit is ancient and has long been used in traditional South Asian dishes. 

The benefits of Garcinia Cambrogia are endless. Through it's elements, it blocks the nutrients absorbed in our bodies from being turned into fat. Instead, it transforms our intake into energy. 

More energy? Yes, please. My Netflix addiction is the definition of laziness and it needs to kicked in the booty asap. 

Not only is this supplement supposed to give you more energy, but it claims that it also surpresses appetite, lifts mood, builds muscle, and decreases emotional eating. 

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/garcinia-cambogia-hca

I just want to make this clear. I support healthy eating and moderate exercise as a means to a healthy, fit lifestyle. I am NOT a diet pill person and I don't even believe in such a thing as a "magic pill". But by the end of all my reading I was ready to buy a bottle if this stuff. 

Turns out, my natural path master of a mother already owned a bottle and got me started as soon as I brought it up to her. 

So anyway, the brand I'm using is Naturwise Garcinia Cambogia.

http://www.naturewise.com/product/garcinia-cambogia-extract-500-mg-supplement/

I will take two capsules 3 times a day, 30 minutes before a meal. This is my official first day taking this, and I will keep you updated on how it goes and what results I see!