names vs. flavors by maharlika sage

  
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 (originally called Pomelmo), came from having the most
delicious grapefruit gelato in Riomaggiore, Cinque terre Italy.

My inspirations come from everywhere and not just my outings but also my friends.
Usually, I am intrigued by the flavor first which inspires the name of my lip balm.

This time I am inspired by the NAME and intrigued by what flavor I will come up with.
For the last month I’ve been tasting different cupcake flavors and names. I’ve eaten and made
more cupcakes in the past month than I have in ten years.  What is the ultimate cupcake for you?

CUPCAKE FACE.. the name inspired by friend Jessica Locke... will be the latest addition to my balms. There is a lot of inside meaning to how this name came about, but it’s definitely by far the cutest and the sassiest lip balm name I’ve heard in a while.


So back in the kitchen I go.... What will this flavor be? Any Suggestions?

Geo-Adventure ( written by the Sage's)

"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 takes you into the wild, sometimes its right around the corner, either way you have to go at it with an explorers eye.

  With iPhone hand (yep, there's an app for it) we took to the back streets of Venice on our trusty beach cruisers in search of hidden treasure. Like a modern day Sherlock Holmes, we were soon sleuthing about, hot on the trail of untold fortune. Our quest this day... the "Dutch Juliet". You see a lot of these little gems have a story and many have travelled around the world, hitching a ride with other cacher's  on there way to fulfill a destiny. The "Dutch Juliet" is one of a pair of key chain sized wooden shoes whose other half, the "Dutch Romeo" is on his own journey. Currently astray somewhere in Australia, he is desperately trying to find his way back home to his beloved in a Venice Paseo, or at least thats the story anyway.

It’s a go at your own pace kind of game that's fun, inexpensive, and best of all, gets you outdoors. The treasures that are left behind can be anything from a charm from a bracelet to a matchbox Trans-Am (our reward for a job well done). If you take something, you have to leave something of equal value and often stealth is required as these chests are hidden in public and you don’t want to spoil the game by letting others in on your secret. Once you uncover your first cache, you cant help but wonder how many other little secrets are buried around town, right under your nose.    http://www.geocaching.com/  

...

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 

 

Enter the Tiger

This Sunday is a day of love and to many this is an important

Love-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. One part of this that I particularly pay attention to is the animal sign each new year brings as it can reveal what the year holds in store for everyone.

The Chinese Lunar Calendar is based on cycles of the moon. A complete cycle is 60 years broken up by the Chinese Calendar into five cycles of 12 years each. According to legend, one Chinese new year the Buddha invited all the animals in his kingdom to come before him. Unfortunately, for reasons best known to the animals, only 12 showed up. The first to arrive was the rat, followed by the ox, tiger, rabbit, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and the pig. The symbols of earth, water, wood, metal, and fire are also reflective in each animal and each 12 year cycle. Buddha decided to name each year after one of the animals and that those born during different years would inherit some of the personality traits of the animal designated to its particular year. Those born in the year of the ox would be hard working, resolute and stubborn. Those born in the year of the dog would possess among other qualities, loyalty and fidelity, just like the dog. You get the idea.
  

Predictions of what your year will be like can be based on the animal sign connected to the year you were born. Some people born in certain animals years don't get along well with those born in your birth animal year (including you). Other people for differing animal years are highly compatible for each other. Some years are years for reflection, growth, and abundance, other years are years to spend more conservatively, investing in work, and staying close to home. Not every year will be the same for you depending on your animal sign. 

 

This year is the year of the Metal Tiger.   Powerful, distinctive and fast, it can be a dramatic year with intense activity. It is the year for making an Impact, and in this year you can launch and complete major projects. It is a year to remain vigilant in your investments and many will feel wiser by saving rather than impulsively spending. It is a year for considerable opportunity, and depending on your sign, you may relish the new possibilities coming your way. It is a great year for Travel and not a good year for taking RISK.... Change will be the key word this year. It is a year for passion! 

I have drawn from various sources to compile a rundown of summaries on your animal year!

  

Gung Hay Fat Choy!...

RAT
2010  will be a great year overall for the Rat, although you will need to put some effort in and also follow all the advice here. This year should be good for wealth, career and general luck. Those Rats born in 1960 and 1972 need to make extra time for those that are important to them. This could involve taking them on a trip that you might be planning or just spending more time socially. 2010 will be a productive year for the Rat. The Rat will need to work hard to see results which can make them feel restless about the developments  of the year. If the Rat can stay alert and is able to accept that they need to adapt then they can benefit in many ways.     

OX
2010 will be a particularly good one for Oxen. Your Yin essence harmonizes and balances well with the Yang Tiger energies. Family and security matters are high on your priority list this year and you may wish to expand or upgrade your home. The Tiger year brings good financial luck for you, but be cautious not to overspend. You will attend many social events and have new opportunities offered to you now, but all of the socialization may take a toll on your health. 2010 will be a time of commotion, uproar and some bold new moves on your part. An unusually charismatic influence surrounds you this year and you will want to be more active, involved and on the go more than usual.

RABBIT
2010 will be another mixed year for female Rabbits, however, the year is a lot better for the males and they will have slightly better luck. Overall, it will be a good year for both sexes especially if you follow this advice: it could be beneficial for the Rabbit if they start a new job where they have to travel away from their home town as the change of scenery will refresh them and give them a whole new positive attitude toward work.

DRAGON  
The year 2010 is a year of ups and downs for the Dragon although overall the  year will be good. Dragons will be enthusiastic to advance at work and will feel ready for new challenges with the new experiences they have had throughout 2009. They will be persistent when applying for new jobs. Although the year of the Tiger will produce a lack of results which can discourage you at times, stay strong. You will miss some opportunities, but a good one will appear that you thought you had no chance of getting! Aim high and do not underestimate your abilities for work in 2010.

SNAKE
The  Snake likes a slow and steady pace which may give him/her shock in the Tiger  year as it will be filled with so much activity at times. Snakes will need to adjust to a fast pace to make the most of the year of the Tiger.  You may find that your workplace is becoming unfamiliar and everything  is changing around you as you enter the Chinese New Year 2010, but this will easily mold around your way of working if you give it time and adjust a little. You may find that in February, March, June and November you are given opportunities to do well in work. I would recommend taking them.

HORSE
This is a great year to reflect on your life and be honest with yourself. Our true character is what we do when we think no one is looking. Be true to yourself and help as many people as you can in 2010. You will get real rewards from this. Read my words again, this could change your life! Expect good changes in 2010. Reputation is what the world thinks a person is, character is who they really are. Enjoy your year, it will be great.

GOAT
2010  will be a year of career and financial gains for the Goat. You may accumulate a considerable amount of wealth and fame throughout this year if you follow this advice, work hard and smartly. There could be a lot of activity this year at work; you will find that a project that has previously brought  you a lot of stress and taken up a lot of your time will bring out many of your positive qualities drawing the attention of you and others around you. If you are going to take on a new responsibility you should be warned that you will need to learn new skills quickly (this will be very beneficial to you especially if you are given the chance to go on a training course). You will find yourself meeting a lot of new people in 2010 and you will find that you win a lot of them over with your ability to relate to others. You may meet new people this year that you could build a strong friendship with.

MONKEY
2010 will bring many changes to the Monkey; this will be at work for most of you. You may find that you are introduced to new staff, a different approach to work, or you may take on a different role. Many Monkeys will not be to keen about this but you need to learn to adjust  if you are to find happiness in your work place. The Monkey is known for great people skills but you will need to be careful with your relations with colleagues—if you do not keep an eye on this you may find yourself  feeling isolated or under-appreciated. Your ability to overcome problems  and think of solutions quickly will leave you with good results this year.

ROOSTER   
2010  can be a bit tricky to start off with as the Rooster likes to plan and be organized;    this does not mean that there will be no good to this—the Rooster will have a lot of success in 2010.A great year overall offering good relationships and wealth is in store for the Rooster, although he/she will need to take care of his/her health this year especially those who like a tipple or smoke, do not have a good diet, or lack in exercise. Please take a look at your health especially if you are a Rooster born in 1945 as they can suffer most this year with regards to health. The stomach and chest are weak in 2010, but nothing to worry about.

DOG
This will be a very successful year for all the creative Dogs out there; this  includes people involved in art, drama, song, literary pursuits and anyone in the entertainment industry. Students can expect to do very well this  year. This year would be good for you to travel abroad for work as there are many opportunities in different countries for Dogs this year. Big purchases and impulse buys are to be kept to a low this year as you will be tempted to spend your money a lot. Many expenditures are not recommended as  you will need to manage your money and keep an eye on your accounts throughout  2010.

PIG
Being in a karmic “soul mate” connection with the Tiger year of 2010, a harmonious and successful year awaits Pigs! With an easy-going, peaceful and trusting personality, there may well be a promotion (or two) in store for you this year! Your popularity grows and you could ace any exam or even win an election now. Hardworking, but also very fond of pleasure, sensual Pigs must be careful in matters with the opposite sex. Exercise caution in May and August and avoid becoming involved in any legal disputes or allowing someone to pull you into their legal matters. Vivid dreams and powerful emotions could take your tranquil soul by surprise.

 

 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 Haiti, this post is intended to illuminate the capacity of the human spirit to shine in even the most difficult moments. The following two excerpts are from stories that attest to the strength of humanity and ingenuity as well as provide reminder that even when it appears that one may have nothing, it is still possible to create something wonderful.

These stories may surprise as they involve Haiti becoming more eco-friendly even in a time of crisis and not crying, but singing by remarkably, resilient Haitians. The excerpts are sourced from MSNBC, and The New York Times.

The Sun Shines in Haiti

With fuel sources low and dwindling, it has become increasingly difficult to cook food and provide electricity in especially important spaces like those providing medical aid to the wounded.

To cook food, families are starting to use donated solar ovens and additionally, water is being purified using solar power. As reported by MSNBC: “A solar-powered mobile water purification system, donated last year by the Haitian Project, was pulled from the rubble and put into service at a Red Cross aid station. Every day, the Mobile MaxPure rig is turning 30,000 gallons of contaminated city water into drinkable water.”

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2010/01/19/2178696.aspx <http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2010/01/19/2178696.aspx>


Singing in the Dark
Photographer Damon Winter was in Haiti one of the first nights after the initial quake. While he wasn’t able to photographically capture the goings on in the dark, he could hear them. This is what he said:
“There was one thing that didn’t really make pictures. It was my first night here last night. We were staying at a hotel on the edge of a pretty heavily damaged neighborhood and at night, you could hear people singing.  People are out on the street at night. It’s really hard to photograph because there’s no electricity. It’s pitch black. But all night you could hear them singing prayers. It’s pretty amazing the ways that people are dealing with this tragedy. It says a lot about the Haitian character. They are an amazing people.”
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/15/assignment-19/

————————————————————————

If you’re interested in helping with the situation in Haiti (or helping even more than you already have), you may want to check out www.lime-aid.tv <http://www.lime-aid.tv> . They are accepting donations of food (specific staples that are listed on their website) that they will be shipping to Haiti within the coming weeks. The food will then go to Haitian children foundations ANA Children’s Center and Brebis de Saint Michelle Orphanage.



xxNB

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 so grateful of each day on earth. While it is easy to let these grave happenings depress us, it is important to remember to stay positive and present:   Live For Today...Plan For Tomorrow...Party Tonight..!!!
(This may even include partying to raise money for “Haiti relief” or any great cause!)

I give you a sure remedy to engage proactively especially if the news has got you down:
Two words—House Parties.

Here are my 6 reasons these will be making a comeback as the hottest ticket of 2010.

 1). Friends: The Best Company. 
 Arguably the best company is the company of friends whether they be new friends, old friends, neighbors, and even those faithful party crashers.  Seeing friends laugh and connect can be a a great way to get inspired. If you are a writer, director, actor, in entertainment biz, et al... sometimes you’ll find yourself at a party where inspiration is sparked. Tag lines can be created from embarrassing drunken blunders, and even games like "spin the bottle" can point you in the direction of a great story or character. Think of the spec video ideas for YouTube or Vimeo! You might even meet the love of your life, but realistically a sweet one night stand likely to boost the ego Californication style is a more likely possibility.

2).  Feed a good time.
  Go for the food.  If you have a good host, it's likely he or she host will whip up a spread because one of the best thing about house parties is good food.  It could be an important key to the makings of a successful party. Great food creates a buzz at parties with comments like, "Did you taste that dip. Fabulous cheese plate. The chicken was delicious!" When people are fed well, they feel good adding to the enjoyment and possible longevity of any party.

3). Boozing.
It’s a little safer to have a few drinks with your belly full of food. And to some a party just isn’t a party unless you’ve got a well rounded stock of booze options. Cocktails like Mojitos and Chocolate Martinis can be decadent treats, but of course caraffes of wine, bottles of beer and a keg or two will always be enjoyed as a mainstay to add a little social lubricant to the party's atmosphere.


4). Photos— 
Everyone loves a good party photo, and as of recently, everyone loves FB-posting party photos even more. The especially odd ones always seem to get tagged where one's head is twisted, angled just so making you look 10 pounds heavier or to the point where you don't even recognize yourself. Then of course, there are the end-of-party photos where one often looks delirious with half-closed eyes, and most likely a quintessential "boob” shot will make its way to the photo assembly. (Last year, I saw more boob photos then ever.) There are also those party-goers who post photos to show that they were there—a secret level of exploitation if you ask me because it does matter in this day and age who you are seen with and who you hang with.  I wish this weren’t the case, but it is all true especially as I observe all the Facebook scensters.


5). Themes...
One cool part of a theme party is that getting dressed for the theme can get you in the mood for the party before you even arrive. Theme parties can magically transform a regular get-together into a new world of fun.  I personally love theme parties, and have hosted as well as attended several great ones. I once went to a murder mystery themed party where everyone was given clue when they walked in the door. I’ve also enjoyed a simple yet extremely satisfying black-and-white-and-mustache party. Whatever the theme, it’s sure to spark interesting conversation. The House Party can be a theme unto itself!


6). Free!!   
Yes folks, free entertainment in the company of your friends with food and liquor for a sure hangover (think yummy Sunday grubbing) as well a possible theme and likely photos documenting the whole night... It’s kind of like free press!! The House Party is a chance to connect with potenial new friends, or at least some soon to be Facebook friends. The party (or you) could be the talk of Facebook for the next, er, three hours! And you never know when new acquaintances will pop up at the next House Party near you.

World Class Bella

Lately, I’ve come across friends who have the “will” to pack up their belongings and take off for a great adventure. At any given age we are soul searching, it’s a necessary assessment we must do throughout our lives. The grand plan and the journey that will take us there, is just not going to be handed to you. Seeking and doing it is the key to this on-going process in making a successful creative sphere.

California designer Angela O’Brien and her husband did just that. They embarked on a year long excursion, not knowing their plan, but riding their intuition that the freedom of gaining cultural experience and being enriched in their day to day lives would lead them down a golden path.  It was the unknown land of the Balinese culture that Angela soon embraced, and one part of the journey that led her to finding a passion for design. 

Cleobella began as a way of expressing the beautiful artistry she discovered abroad. Angela’s designs are works of art. Each collection is handmade by artisans in Bali, Indonesia. Since there is no machinery involved, each piece is unique and can vary slightly. It's also what makes the look of each piece so bold, beautiful and chic. Travel-inspired patterns are flush with her attention to detail, and bring forward a feminine flair that will enhance your every day ensemble and rock your sexy evening attire.

I was luckily enough to be introduced to Angela at a luncheon, and was enamored with her sweet, generous spirit. I could tell that engaging in a year full of travel, and surrounding herself with diversity of cultures has humbled her soul and has made her keen in her ventures.

When I set my eyes on her hot pink clutch design,  I knew I had to have one, and I also knew her travel inspired creations had arrived!

Check out the Cleobella website for store locations and an on-line store is coming soon. Cleobella  supports CARE ( www. care.org/ women helping women)  www.Cleobella.com

 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 enrich Greece are incredible whether one is sampling feta cheese, olives or a local wine. Since being back, I often crave an authentic Greek meal as some of my favorite dishes are now from Greece (more on that later).

I found that the most often used sweet in Greek desserts is honey. I've experimented with all natural honey flavors for batches of my lip balms, but for one reason or another, honey has never mixed well into my recipe. The formula is just off. That is not to say that someday I may perfect a honey-infused recipe that works, but for now, it's not something I'm ready to spend time making possible. So, after a week, I gave up searching for lip balm flavors in Greece and focused on the art scene.

I soon embraced the artistry and craftsmanship of their jewelry. In Old Town Chania (pronounced H-ania), a Venetian fortress on the island of Crete, you can find many celebrated local Cretan artists. Their craftsmanship is impressive and I wished I would have had more change to spare for such treasures. The jewelry makers include a mix of Venetian glassblowers and jewelry designers crafting pieces by hand. Their art form significantly reflects the unique Grecian goddess style. Many of these jewelry artists use turquoise from the depths of the Turkish mountains. One of my favorite artists uses semi-precious gems intertwined in his jewelry in a kind of macramé style—so stunning. Each design and stone places a powerful energy in each piece with the stones embodying a particular mood and spirit.  I fell in love with each piece I purchased and have been wearing them often since I returned.

Now,  with a natural love for promoting all that I do and see, I would like to give names and websites to some of the artist shops I visited, but unfortunately most of these locally run shops sell only locally—most don't even have websites or email contacts. I do have a street address for one of my favorite shops called Po'sov. The main artist here is Christina Douka. You can find the shop (and the artist if you're lucky) at 19 Theotokopoulou Street located in Old Town Chania. If you start there, you'll see the cobblestone street that leads into a narrow walkway of many more fantastic shops.

I must warn you: finding one's way around Crete provides somewhat of a challenge, but with a little patience and determination, you'll end up finding treasures. 
                                                                                

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 the Facebook and Twitter worlds it came down to interesting shared topics, and some commentary expressed through personal banter. It has certainly been a year for opinions, mindless topics, scandalous behavior, and free-for-all discussion. One positive light came of all this… a wealth of  communication both negative and positive. People shared their minds, raved about their likes and dislikes. It was as though a once-quiet storm erupted into sound—sometimes in cacophony, sometimes in harmony—now it wasn’t just the media who was publicly sharing their issues. The people spoke. Select blogs and Twitter feeds increased their influences or grew a stronger presence this year. 


Some friends felt confused about the meaning of life as economic set backs put a tail spin on their invested well-being.  For a handful, it felt just like another year. And there were a few who had momentous acquisitions.

There is much more I can get into when it comes to this… for now I will speak easy of my magnanimous year as it’s been 6 weeks since I wrote with consistency. My life, in a nutshell, has been a whirl of change, but one that has complimented my outlook and achievements. For me, 2008 was something to leave behind. Though there were sweet memories, at the end, it fell short of my beliefs. There were people in my life that provoked my attention in a manner of disrespect, and as a result I fell into a trap of contemplation. I knew I was alive and well, but my actions did not reflect this. 
So, I sat at the midnight hour of the beginning of this year with my eyes closed listening to the humming sound of deep breaths. I came into this  year of 2009 with sound mind and quiet spirit. It was the first time my lungs expanded so purely at the strike of midnight. 
I began to make manifest the thoughts springing up after enlightening meditation. Yoga is a beautiful practice by which to come into a new year. I highly recommend it in times of contemplation; it can change you.

7 months later my soon-to-be husband and I were sitting at a campfire looking up at the shining stars with the warmth of the fire by our faces, smiling new friends, and sheets of laughter that echoed through the tall trees and gleaming streams of Kern River. I spent most of this year exploring life, love and  friendship all over again. The experience kept my heart beating for more and  my mind full of new ideas. I’ve been inspired and enlightened to the next level. I not only found my soul mate and fell madly, deeply in love, but I also rekindled my faith in strong and solid friendships, ones that I can truly count on. I'm writing this because in one year's time, life can change so dramatically—some for the good and some for the bad. For me, 2009  was a change of a life time, marking 2009 as the best year of my life so far.

When my friends call up with heavy minds and heavy hearts, I look at them knowing brighter days are to come. You just have to have faith. It will not come automatically, but it will come if you allow it to.  My tip: “be real with your actions”, have a good cry, and let it go. Something much more significant will come if you do.

Dear friends of Maharlika, Chris and Is the Balm. Thank you for inspiring us and surrounding us with your friendship. I have much more to blog. This is just the start after a 6 week hiatus.  We (Chris and I) have been off getting married, visiting the family, moving into our new magical place and enjoying our first Christmas and New Years holiday together. Now that the year is closing, we are getting settled. 

The blue sky of 2010 is arriving.  I will embrace it and take each day by the hand knowing each day will be different—some significant and some, just another day. Whatever your 2010 may be,  a wish for Good tidings to you. Happy 2010!!

Battle of the Networking Style

 

 Just the other day I attended Style Wars by House of Diehl in support of stylist and fashionista friends Deoshia Hopkins (known as Dee Dee.. Deedub), and her partner in crime Lisa Davis.   When I checked out the site to buy my tickets ( http://www.houseofdiehl.com/stylewars/ ), I didn’t know what to expect as this was the first time I had heard about this competition. My first thought while scanning through the site was; what a great way to promote up-coming fashion stars and I was all for it. Some of the most talented friends I have are in fashion and most were not formerly trained or schooled. They just seem to have a natural sense of fashion and elegance that proves that training is not a prerequisite for great style. For me there are three kinds of fashion personalities. 1).  The general population- people that look at ads, catalogues, shop at malls in search of what they saw that looked good on someone else. 2). The bourgeois- the seeker of labels (label whores if you will), as if the only way to real style was through designer labels and your pocketbook 3). The uncompromised- seekers of their own personal affinity with good looks and great feel, not dependent on popular vote or price tag. The problem with the third group, the one that most accurately describes our Dee Dee, is that sometimes it can be difficult to catch the eye of the more established fashion machine and get promoted.

 Enter Style Wars--A project runaway type event on a racetrack. Side by side, 2 teams are given design themes, and armed with a small collection of personal supplies and a selection of objects provided by the host, they are challenged to re-invent style in under 5mins. The audience cheers with exhilaration in anticipation of what these stylists will conjure up to dazzle them with their unique vision.

So there I was, standing on my seat, wide eyed and exhilarated as each concoction Team Dee Dub came up with seemed to out style the last and dominate their competitors.  I knew DeeDee possessed great fashion sense but the ability and confidence to whip up cool, edgy, wearable garb in just under 5 mins. WOW!  Team Dee Dub killed it, winning over the judges handily. With each passing challenge they displayed an almost sixth sense for how each swath of fabric, metal screen, strip of tape and even parts of a lawn chair would meld together to create a runway ready showpiece. As the time came for the final round, we were sure that Team Dee Dub would emerge victorious against the more established industry challenger who had competed in previous events. The final theme was "Pimp my Bride" and the last two teams were given a box that contained a secret ingredient that they were to use in their ultimate creation. Team Dee Dub opened the box to find a fully completed wedding dress and the other team discovered a box of trash bags. Now at first glance, getting a completed wedding dress would seem like a blessing, but being tasked with creating a unique look and to think outside the box, it would prove almost useless as they would surely be labeled as cliche. As the other team was hurriedly slapping trash bags all over their model, Team Dee Dub was creating a truly unique wedding dress out of the ripped train from the dress, a colorful armor like chest piece and lace belt. I mean this dress was amazing, it was as if it had come off the runway in Milan and all in under 5 min. As for the other team, their wedding dress looked like, well... trash, layers of clear trash bags, bunched together in an awful mess. The only part that looked like it belonged on a pimped out bride was the head piece and that was something that was provided in the kit.

At this point we were all certain that Team Dee Dub would take it, they had done an amazing job and everyone seemed to feel truly inspired by the work... boy were we wrong. The judges, despite overwhelming audience support for our champions in cheers and applause, voted for the trash bag bride, a look that was decidedly "un-pimped". In defense of their decision, the judges cited the creativity of using trash bags, mind you that was a prop that was given too them to use not selected by them as part of their unique sense of style. We were robbed....

To be fair, fashion is largely a matter of opinion and it would appear that the judges have achieved some degree of personal success in their careers, demonstrating an understanding of what fashion works and what doesn't. What I feel was really in play here was a bias towards a more "trained" veteran designer over an unknown that just has good taste and talent on her side. In the end, much to our disappointment, the judges opted for a familiar face over the renegade newbie.

 Bravo!! Dee Dee and Lisa Davis, your sense of style and sophistication impressed many that were out that night, including me... This was only the beginning, you have a bright future ahead.


     All Photos taken by Justin Johnson