is the balm

WELCOME TO THE SAGE PRESS

2011-04-30T23:47:00.000-07:00

If you've stumbled upon this blog or have read my blog and wondered why I haven't written anything in a long while, it's because I started another blog called The Sage Press. The original idea was to keep all my inspirations and travels on the Sage press blog, and all my lip balm and beauty inspirations here. However, it's been increasingly difficult to keep up with all these blogs, So for now I

2010-11-20T14:20:00.000-08:00

my indulgencelot's of good for you products

2010-08-25T19:27:00.000-07:00

A Luminous touch! Some of my little secrets to looking youthfully luminous is to always remember the value of being a purist at heart. I read labels, I research chemical contents, and more importantly I try my best to adhere to products that are made in a natural, organic and chemical free way. As a lip balm maker I like to try other lip balm products with that same harmony. These days we

2010-08-04T19:28:00.000-07:00

The road to somewhere.... “it’s not about first impressions, it’s about the lasting ones”. by maharlika sage It was week of new beginnings; I set forth on my public relations mission and headed to the Siggraph/Blur after party. It is THE annual AFTER- party in the visual effects world. Over the past few years, I’ve surrounded myself with the upper echelon of techies. They fascinate me;

2010-07-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

the Mellow one It was one of those weeks, where nothing on the social front seems appetizing. Sure, there were a lot of things going on as most of my friends and social networking pals seemed to be buzzing with events. I heard about the LA Food Fest truck extravaganza, and though the idea of a parade of trucks at your eating disposal is a good one, I also thought, just how much could I eat and

2010-07-19T21:25:00.000-07:00

Summer Inception by Maharlika Sage The gloom traveled into July, creating endless rants from summer hopefuls looking to get some warmth and sunshine. Alas, Tuesday (last) the sun peaked out, the clouds moved on, and the delicious summer air was set in motion. The buzzing of activity began floating in my mind. I’ve decided to spend my summer blogging about what I do and see on a weekly

by Maharlika Sage

2010-07-13T14:18:00.000-07:00

One Big Tree Hug ! Last weekend’s impromptu getaway made for a happy kick start into summer. The summer weather has been playing tricks on us and rather than participate in the collective group of complaints about the weather going around on facebook, I opted for a positive approach and decided “weather” or not, it’s still summer and that to me means a

2010-05-21T18:05:00.000-07:00

The Welcoming Sun. As a lover of community I have been in search of a yoga class close to home, and one that I could connect with like the sun is to the earth. through word of mouth from various friends, I came into the shining light of Yonnus Becker’s yoga studio, Surya, just a couple blocks away from my house. Surya means "Sun" in Sanskrit. Her practice is very much enriched in true yogi

names vs. flavors by maharlika sage

2010-04-22T23:19:00.000-07:00

CUPCAKE FACE Since creating my lip balm my senses and taste have heightened to it’s fullest. Every time I am out and about.. I stumble upon a flavor that tempts me to ask Maybe I should create a mexican chocolate flavor spiced with chili to give those lips a hot treat?? My Ginger lime was inspired by an ice tea from a restaurant called Blossom in Downtown LA. and Grapefruit Gelato (

Geo-Adventure ( written by the Sage's)

2010-03-23T08:10:00.000-07:00

"The Wilderness Must Be Explored!!", even if its just down the block. So our usual itch for adventure took a decidedly high tech turn this weekend as we explored the exciting world of geocaching. If you've never heard of it, Geocaching is a sort of “high tech treasure hunt” where fun little doodads are placed inside of a "cache" and then hidden in creative ways. Sometimes, the adventure

...

2010-03-16T12:48:00.000-07:00

One to the Nine.. Last weekend I was asked to contribute my Hiwa lani lip-balm for a “Hollywood Soiree” by the newly established One Nine Designs. Graciously I accepted and was happy to share my buttery lip treats with owner & creator Stephanie Kimes whose keen sense of texture, composition and color I have come to admire. http://www.onenine-design.com

2010-02-12T19:51:00.000-08:00

Enter the Tiger This Sunday is a day of love and to many this is an importantLove-fest. Happy Valentines Day everyone. Enjoy the day!!! That being said, there is also a truly important tradition I celebrate each year—the Chinese Lunar New Year— which happens to fall this year on Valentines day (feb 14th). The origin of Chinese New Year is itself centuries old and continues to be celebrated today

2010-01-29T19:42:00.000-08:00

Love to Haiti If you’ve been avoiding reading the news about Haiti this post is for you. While stories about Haiti can be depressing and overwhelming there is inspiration, hope and good news to be found amidst the plentitude of bleak statistics and heartbreaking details filling the media landscape about the current conditions in Haiti. Far from intending to make light of the situation in

2010-01-15T22:11:00.000-08:00

the Hot ticket party As the Winter season in So-Cali breezes by, everyone is finally settling into 2010. We are now in full force figuring out plans of action for 2010. So much has already happened in the course of this new month, new year, and new decade. Political plans proposed, and untimely disasters struck. We're reminded once again, early this year, of how precious life is, and to be ever

2010-01-08T12:17:00.000-08:00

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2010-01-05T16:32:00.000-08:00

Treasures in the Fortress. On a recent trip to Greece I was in search of a sweet, decadent taste for a possible new flavor for my lip balm line. From my previous travels and adventures, I have found that taking a trip out of town inspires many lip balm flavor ideas. However, this wasn't the case in Greece. Don't get me wrong, the flavors that

2009-12-31T13:48:00.000-08:00

A sweet farewell to my fairytale '09... Welcome Twenty10 For some it might not have been a close-to-perfect year. I heard grunts at the proposed presidential plans as well as at the flashy scandals filling celebrity media news. All this proposed “change” seemed to culminate into a vicious cycle of over-analyzation by many news outlets who seemed to turn so called news into chatty gossip. In

Battle of the Networking Style

2009-11-19T10:46:00.000-08:00

a2a_linkname = "Battle of the Networking Style"; a2a_linkurl = "http://isthebalm.blogspot.com/2009/11/battle-of-networking-style.html"; a2a_onclick = 1; a2a_linkname=document.title; a2a_linkurl=location.href; a2a_show_title = 1;a2a_num_services = 10; a2a_prioritize = ["digg", "delicious", "reddit", "twitter", "blogger_post"]; Just the other day I attended Style Wars

2009-10-23T02:06:00.000-07:00

Romancing the Style I have always been an ardent supporter of independent designers. Whether they are local or not, I have been fascinated by the creativity they possess when they are truly passionate about their craft. On my journey to develop a very personalized look for my upcoming wedding attire, I stumbled upon a talented artisan pair in a shop called Lo Boheme . This wife-husband

2009-10-15T22:49:00.000-07:00

A Lucent Dream awaits… I’m in dreamy heartfelt state of mind as my wedding in Greece awaits… the next few weeks I will be dedicating my writings to dreams, fantasy, and exploring a period in time of love, passion and romance. Last week I had a date night with my beloved. In true lovers fashion I was whisked away to a magical castle full of magicians, beautiful imagery, fantastical

2009-09-16T22:08:00.000-07:00

So you think you can Truffle? I am a big fan of chocolate and one of my favorite chocolate delights is a truffle. Enter truffle class 101—the class took place in a sleek downtown loft that is also home to Learn about Wine. Paula Page who has vast knowledge on wine paired this stellar truffle class with exquisite wine choices poured. Pastry chef/owner Clemence Gossett whose culinary

2009-09-14T00:42:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to me... Moving Soul This journey took place twenty years ago. A young ingénue, who wore many hats as a fashion statement, discovered her journey was the along the path of the many lives she had once lived. She soon realized that each individual she came across was for a reason. Some to protect and nurture, others to inspire and still others to disappoint. The

2009-07-23T14:24:00.000-07:00

Almost five years ago I came up with the idea to make my own lip balm. Challenging myself to do something like this was a task in itself as I planned to do the entire venture independent of a manufacturer, a marketing team, or any outside funding. All I have learned during the course of creating my product feels like a Chemistry and Psychology course rolled in one. From cooking up the lip

Gratitude

2009-07-17T20:23:00.000-07:00

I feel it important to express the fact that I am completely surrounded by the most talented and beautiful friends. I look around and know how blessed my life has been to be around such a caliber of personalities. My sincerest Gratitude goes to so many of these friends who lent their time and energy to my new website and being a part of my lip-balm brand. I will be featuring their talents on my

The Rare LA Sport

2009-07-08T22:30:00.000-07:00

In Los Angeles, with the magnificent array of state-of-the-art gyms, yoga studios, cycling zones, tennis courts, swimming pools, personal trainers, surfing spots, polo fields, martial art centers, golf courses, dance academies and climbing walls, it is easy to forget that one of the easiest ways to burn calories, catch-up on your bronzing and enjoy the gorgeous California weather is

LA's Quiet Entertainment

2009-07-03T00:06:00.000-07:00

It may come as surprise to some that the art scene is booming in LA. Unlike movies, concerts, or new TV shows broadcast around the city via digital billboards, radio commercials, and long posters rolling by on buses, art generally announces itself by simply showing up in a small gallery space in an unassuming corner of Los Angeles. While NYC is known for high-end galleries teaming on every

On the Verge... but still.

2009-06-27T11:44:00.000-07:00

My plan was to write my inspirational topics and post every Thursday night. This is the first week in 3months that I fail to write on a subject or post on Thursday. It's now Saturday. rather then not attempt it at all, I will at least write this.... There are so many ideas brewing but none stuck to write about. I am the kind of person that can spend months thinking about several ideas. then

2009-06-18T00:44:00.000-07:00

This week's blog is Quotes: In the course of the year I have had many personal challenges, growth spurts and surprising encounters. Here are some quotes that reference the kind of growth I've had in the year...We know what we are, but not what we may be.William ShakespeareBeautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.Eleanor RooseveltGreat minds discuss

2009-06-10T21:51:00.000-07:00

From what have long been referred to as “Roach Coaches” comes the new wave of food trucks. Fleets of mobile catering trucks have emerged on the Los Angeles scene, taking the crowds by storm with sleek new designs and specialty food options that keep them lining up for more.Spin-offs of the well-known taco truck standard provide new cuisines to adventurous eaters. Some of these new trucks have

2009-06-05T11:08:00.000-07:00

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter are but four reasons to visit Kern River often. If you are in touch with your earthiness, embrace your inner boy scout, bust out your fashionable tents, grab your sleeping bag and bring your favorite nature friends along for the ride. Three hours by car, north of Los Angeles, I did just that. I feel the wind whistling through the air as I cruise to a place called

Exploring Africa

2009-05-29T12:08:00.000-07:00

Africa for me is one of those far off places that fascinates my mind in amazement. The safaris, the wildlife, the hikes, the fair trade markets have always peaked my curiosity. I sat down with Frank Castro of Summits Africa for my first Q&A.Frank and Summits partner Ake Lindstrom met while Frank was running a lodge outside of Arusha Tanzania. Their interest for mountain climbing lead Ake to start

Soulful Paradise

2009-05-22T19:34:00.000-07:00

One of the coolest things about living in Southern California is being so close to many a great mountain, desert, and beach hideaways. For a weekend getaway, I was invited to travel just a few hours south of LA to a little utopia called La Villa del Valle. This bed and breakfast winery is located in the hills of Ensenada, Baja Mexico. After uprooting their Hollywood lifestyle to build this

A refreshing surprise

2009-05-14T12:50:00.000-07:00

Refreshing Summer Hydration: the Cold Shower In the heat of the summer, when a heavily iced drink and the AC just doesn't seem to cut through the thick swelter, consider a simple yet refreshing solution that has more benefits than you may have realized. May I remind you of the cold shower. This energizing alternative to sitting begrudgingly with a fan in your face all day, the cold shower

Mother Love..

2009-05-07T12:39:00.000-07:00

“The mother, more than any other, affects the moral and spiritual part of the children's character. She is their constant companion and teacher in formative years. The child is ever imitating and assimilating the mother's nature. It is only in after life that men gaze backward and behold how a mother's hand and heart of love molded their young lives and shaped their destiny."~ E.W. CaswellIn the

Secret Garden

2009-04-30T12:53:00.000-07:00

Caroline Elizabeth has shared some of her Secret Garden tips. Here's what my favorite garden gal has to say....There are some really simple and inexpensive ways to brighten and landscape your outdoor small spaces- even if you are a renter. We all deserve an outdoor sanctuary to call our own! I recently turned my neighbor's concrete and weed infested side yard into a paradise for their new puppy

One for the show...

2009-04-23T12:22:00.000-07:00

My topic this week is Movies. a short but sweet write up, my dear friend who shall be called " accordion girl"... lends her voice on one hot summer flick.. here's what accordion girl has to say.My absolute don’t miss movie this summer for anyone in love, or anyone who really hates that I just said that, is music video director Marc Webb’s debut feature 500 Days of Summer starring the almost

The Locals Triangle

2009-04-16T09:32:00.000-07:00

This week my topic is both delectable and necessary. Can’t live without it (and why would you want to?): FOOD. Everyone who knows me knows how much I love all that it stands for. Food entertains our taste buds and enriches our soul. It charms us during friendly gatherings, and keeps us satisfied enough to try alone. It can provide spontaneous fulfillment and change one’s mood at almost any time.

Good Stacking

2009-04-16T09:24:00.000-07:00

Chef and sandwich aficionado, Alex Guzauski has some seriously scrumptious ingredients of sweet and spicy he stacks and spreads thick to tantalize your taste buds. His ultra delicious sandwiches keep your mind guessing for flavors and your belly incredibly happy. The majority of Alex's menu is made from an incredible mix of different types of breads, cheeses, meats, veggies and sinfully

Plant a...

2009-04-16T09:20:00.000-07:00

Listen up all you health fiends: if you really want to know about the many cures in life, it’s eating the macro way. Macrobiotics diets have been around a long time but somehow, as much as is written, it still makes a steady climb into our worlds. I believe it’s because eating macro is ultimately a strict discipline and not a fad. May the real vegetarian stand up! The awareness alone you get from

a Brooklyn vibe

2009-04-16T09:19:00.000-07:00

There is so much to be said about Venice Beach Wine that arrived recently on the edges of what old school locals used to call Ghost Town. Not too long ago, Venice gangs ran deep through pockets of this area in Venice. Although the community has cleaned up greatly since then, if you are a local you’ll remember the hardships this community faced. The re-opening of this sleek, edgy and slightly

2009-04-15T14:28:00.001-07:00

Lastly, out of all these wonderful and magnificent haunts, nothing beats the gathering of friends; BBQ’s and dinner parties are hands-down my favorite foodie-experience. Here are a few captured moments from a recent dinner party in my hood.the NEXT TWO WEEKS... a little treat for me. I have asked two of my friends to lend their voice on something they're quiet passionate about. MOVIES AND

Beauty and the Photo

2009-04-09T13:01:00.001-07:00

If you are checking in for the first time, every Thursday I am posting a weekly topic with a few choice picks. This week's topic is Photography, in particular, my talented friends who lent their vision in helping make my lip-balm ideas and campaign come to focus. My upcoming site "Is the balm" (formerly Beauty By Maharlika) which will be launching sometime this month (fingers crossed!), and will

Intellectual Propriety

2009-04-09T12:39:00.000-07:00

Ming Hsiung has a genuine approach for sensibility, his photos captivated the provocative look I chose for the cover of Is the balm website. With each image, Ming captures subtle fantastical elements from his design background. He was mindful of the sleek and sexy look, incorporating my vision for the "lady aviator" shot. Working alongside Ming was Matt Evanz who helped position each photo with

The Verge of Mastery

2009-04-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

Cory Strassburger can be a master at many things. As you look deeply in each of his photographs there is a constant air of mystery. He approached the downtown urban vibe with simplicity and a punch of serious edge that keeps you guessing.

Energetic Transmission

2009-04-09T12:33:00.000-07:00

Alain Vasquez is a vivid, likeable craftsman. There is so much thought in each of his shots, so much detail, so much existential motivation in how he conveys his ideas.

A Zest of Eternal Youth

2009-04-09T12:23:00.000-07:00

Brandon Hickman has a serious but playful tone in his story telling artistry. His extremely professional approach and attention to natural lighting infused the pureness my product deserves into every aspect of his shooting. Brandon shot for my first website and helped launched the look for my Hiwa Lani lip-balm. Some FavoritesI have been lucky enough to model for and admire the work exhibited by

Trade Secrets

2009-04-02T14:30:00.000-07:00

People are often surprised after they meet me to find out how old I actually am. I suppose that my youthful appearance is partially genetics, but I do believe it's important to keep up with what is given to you. I have always made sure that my skin is taken care of and as I get older, I notice that lifestyle makes all the difference is one's radiance. I am very product conscious and can't lie: I

Taming the Wildflower

2009-04-02T14:18:00.000-07:00

My dear friend and esthetician, Pamela Ford Stevens is the queen of trimming your wildflower to its state of grace—as painlessly as possible—might I add. She also does fantastic facials which include a peel that are more than a generous bargain. And to add more icing to the cake, she gives an incredible massage while your new face is hydrating and pumping with antioxidant. Pamela's eco-conscious

A bit of Sunshine

2009-04-02T14:10:00.000-07:00

A bit of SunshineI bow down to the creator of one of my favorite face products—Magnolia by Lenor Greyl. This oil makes your skin look goddess. Its texture is light and satiny and makes my skin glow every time I use it. You can find it at Vert on Abbott Kinney, Venice.

Maintaining the power

2009-04-02T14:06:00.000-07:00

Seaweed is another little trade secret. Seawood is a powerful source of lipids, minerals and vitamins which are easy to absorb, moisturize and nourish the skin. It's a great detoxifier too!I usually take Kelp capsules daily, as well as make a few bowls of sauteed or raw seaweed from the japanese markets at least 3 times a week. It's important we try and do what we can to maintain our elasticity.

Change is in the air....

2009-03-17T13:15:00.000-07:00

Over the past year I have been exploring the idea of sharing my interest in a variety of avenues that have inspired me in so many ways. Most bloggers with their experience and free flowing thoughts share daily. For me, exposing my stream of consciousness style of writing and openly sharing my thoughts and ideas for public consumption has not been in the forefront of my personality. That being