Foodie Friday-Dinner with Friends

July 24, 2015July 24, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / Leave a comment

I love having dinner parties and cooking for friends. Usually, Sundays are my designated casual dinner party day. I made my Caribbean-ish dinner because it is something different and feeds a crowd. I have a very rogue and go with the flow cooking style. A little bit of this, a little bit of that!

I lightly coated a large casserole dish with coconut oil and then placed chicken breasts in the dish. I drizzled a little bit of teriyaki over the chicken and applied a healthy amount of curry powder and jerk seasoning. After straining a can of crushed pineapple, I topped the chicken off with it and brown sugar. I baked it at 350 until the chicken was cooked all the way through and then broiled the last few minutes to give the pineapple a caramelized finish. Top it off with fresh cilantro and scallions and enjoy.

I had more people show up than expected and having a fear of not having enough for everyone, I opened my pantry for an episode of Chopped to whip up another side dish. I mixed hominy, corn, garlic seasoning, paprika, hot sauce, cream of chicken and topped with cheddar and baked it!

I always serve this dish with jasmine rice and black beans. I topped it with raw onions and mixed balsamic with lime and a hint of soy sauce and garlic seasoning to drizzle over the beans and rice. Definitely a hit and fairly easy and inexpensive to make.

Top 5 Tuesday – Daily Healthy Skincare Tips from Joyous Faces

July 24, 2015July 29, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / Leave a comment

1) Cleanse: It is very important that you cleanse your face. Clean off any oil, loose dead skin cells and dirt from the environmental grime at the end of the day. I know the classic go to is a bar of soap or whatever kind of soap you may have in your shower. That can cause dryness and irritation. I encourage you to purchase a facial cleanser for your skin type. Neutrogen is a reasonably priced product line that can work for most skin types.

2) Exfoliation: Always make sure that you exfoliate. Use a micro-bead exfoliate facial scrub instead of the apricot scrub. Apricot scrubs, or seed based scrubs, create fine line lacerations that will develop overtime and they can actually assistant in wrinkle creation. The micro-beads roll smoothly on the skin and provide an even exfoliation. This is extremely important. When you exfoliate you remove any dead skin, therefore it sends a message to your brain to create new fresh beautiful skin. It also helps to prevents breakouts and blackheads. Aveeno Positively Radiant is my recommendation for an exfoliating product.

3) Moisturize: If you want to save the money on your cleanser or your exfoliation material, always put a little bit more money into a quality moisturizer. With a good moisturizer, make sure it is for your skin type and beneficial for your skin and needs. Always look for Vitamin C as an ingredient. My personal favorite is Dermaware Perfect Fit Hydrator. I carry this at my shop, Joyous Faces Skincare Studio and Makeup Artistry.

4. Protect: Protection is one of the most important things that you can do for your future self. The sun damage that you are exposed to today will not show up for 20 years. So, right now you may be on the beach looking like hot stuff with your tanning oil and no SPF, however, when you’re 40 it’s going to catch up with you. I always recommend SPF 30 or over for my clients. SPF 30 is the max protection and then the larger the number gets(SPF 50) the longer the sunscreen lasts on your skin. So you really get the protection of the 30 in a 50 but it lasts twice as long. Don’t forget to apply to the neck, décolletage and tops of hands.

5) Hydrate: Drink that H2O!!! Hydration is an essential in the Florida summer heat. Water flushes toxins out of your body. Toxins can otherwise present themselves as facial and/or back breakouts. Water, water, water!

Joy McGregor is a licensed esthetician and Mac Makeup professional. She co-owns a studio called Joyous Faces Skincare Studio and Makeup Artistry that offers makeup services, facials, spray tans, teeth whitening, lashes, massage and other luxury services. Joyous Faces Skincare Studio and Makeup Artistry is located in Merritt Island, Florida.

Beautiful Thursday-MacGuyvering Your Hair Through a Busy Day

July 23, 2015July 23, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / 3 Comments

I don’t want to piss off my fellow stylists, but I am a very busy single mother of three who is also a workaholic. Sometimes I go a shameful amount of time between shampoos.

This particular blog post is dedicated to my filthy hair, that smells like mixture of bacon and who knows what else. I probably should not even say! So, I am in between clients and pulling a 12 hour day today and finishing my evening by fulfilling my promise to take the kids to a movie. Tomorrow is a crazy day too and I still have to pack for my trip to Chicago for my training with Peter Coppola! That being said, here are some 911 MacGuyver hair tips to pull off looking fresh for even one more day:

Febreeze. Yes, I literally Febreezed my hair this morning. I have gone out one night this week into a smokey bar as well as cooked up some bacon. So, yes, I flipped my hair over and Febreezed it! Normally, my go-to is the Chi Shine Infusion spray because it brings my hair back to life with shine and also, the scent is strong and smells amazing.
Powder. I live and swear by dry shampoo. I usually have a small amount in my purse at all times. Of course, sometimes I am out or can’t find the damn thing. I prefer Sexy Hair H2NO. If you are in a pinch, you can use any powder, like baby powder or talc. I usually use my face powder because it is in my purse and is a quick way to matte oily hair in between shoots under this scorching Florida sun.
Lotion. I know all of you ladies have lotion in your car or purse. Sometimes, my hair will be extra dry or I had no time to tame it and it becomes a frizzy monster. Lotion can be a quick mane tamer if you are in a pinch. Otherwise, I use Moroccan Oil or a light creamy product such as Aquage Transforming Paste.

And don’t worry! I plan to shampoo my hair tonight….. Or tomorrow! Gotta go!

Wanderlust Wednesday – Hanson’s Shoe Repair

July 22, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / Leave a comment

Hanson’s Shoe Repair is the latest craze for a hand crafted cocktail. It is a small and hidden prohibition style bar that requires proper attire and a password to get in. Located in downtown Orlando, you will pass through an artsy bar to find a door upstairs. You cannot come in and order a rum and coke or a vodka and Redbull. Instead, you are going to try something new and special that fits the speakeasy vibe. The lights are dim and the atmosphere feels like you stepped into a time capsule or are in NYC for the evening.

For thirteen years, the sale and manufacturing of alcohol was prohibited starting in 1919. During this time, people got very creative in finding ways around this new law, thus inspiring the “Speakeasy.”

I tried the Au Revoir Ete which is made with St. Augustine Gin, Salers Aperitif, orchard peach, lemon, honey, and rosemary. Very strong and uniquely flavored. It was perfect.

27 E. Pine Street in Orlando, Florida

Call 407-476-9446 to get the password!

If you love bourbon as much as I do, try Through The Looking Glass.

Top 5 Tuesday-How to Take Care of Your Hair

July 21, 2015July 22, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / Leave a comment

How to shampoo: Most of you are shampooing wrong! The most effective way to shampoo your hair is to make sure it is wet enough and creates a lather. If it has been a few days, shampoo twice! I always do and occasionally need to use a clarifying shampoo to remove product buildup. You only need to shampoo your scalp. When you rinse your hair, it will rinse down through your ends. You want to avoid directly putting shampoo on your ends or it can cause dyness. You should not shampoo everyday. Invest in a good dry shampoo for inbetween.
Conditioning: The opposite goes for conditioning. You do not want to condition the scalp because it is new, healthy hair and your scalp produces oil already. Conditioning your scalp can cause an oily look and will require you to shampoo sooner. I like to leave the conditioner in while I do the rest of my shower business so that the steam and time helps to open the cuticle and get a deep conditioning. Finally, make sure you rinse your back after conditioning so that you do not have an oily film that can cause breakouts.
After Treatment: I chronically torture my hair with hot tools and color services, therefore, I like to use leave in treatments for my poor ends. For those with curly hair, where the hair bends is more fragile and finer than the other areas of the hair, which means: breakage. Leave in conditioners are important but make sure it is meant to be left in. I hear sometimes people leave their conditioner in and it is not meant for that.
Haircuts: I know most of the ladies want to grow out their hair, believe me, I am one of them. However, when you have split ends, the ends will continue to split up the hairshaft or break off. Maintaining a trim on a 4-6 week basis will help keep your hail healthy and prevent breakage.
Hair Ties: Please stop. Just….. Stop. You are causing friction from constantly pulling your hair up and twisting the hair ties around, which erodes the hair and causes breakage. I see this too often with clients. If you feel the need to wear your hair up daily, I suggest getting a haircut or doing something to switch it up so that you are out of your hair rut. Otherwise, I know it gets hot and some of you people live at the gym. Just use with caution and moderately.

Misti Blu Day is a stylist and co-owns a salon with her brother Danny Day in Cocoa Village called The Big Bang Studio. She was an educator for Sexy Hair and now is beginning training to be be an educator for Peter Coppola.

Music Monday-Summer Romance Mix

July 20, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / Leave a comment

1) Tom Waits – “Ice Cream Man” Listen

2) The Ataris – “Boys of Summer” Listen

3) Belle and Sebastian – “A Summer Wasting” Listen

4) Raveonettes – “Summer Ends” Listen

5) The Drums – “Let’s Go Surfing” Listen

6) The Like – “June Gloom” Listen

7) The Kooks – “Seaside” Listen

8) Billie Holiday – “Summertime” Listen

9) The Cure – “Hot Hot Hot” Listen

10) Elvis Presley – “Summer Kisses, Winter Tears” Listen

11) Glass Animals – “Pools” Listen

12) The Avett Brothers – “If It’s The Beaches” Listen

13) Conor Oberst – “Cape Canaveral” Listen

14) Talking Heads – “Swamp” Listen

15) Mungo Jerry – “In The Summertime” Video

16) Roger Miller – “In The Summertime” Video

Street Style Saturday-Sasha’s Modern Twist to Retro Fashion

July 18, 2015July 20, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / 2 Comments

Sasha Rosenblum is wearing a Modern Crew Tee from Gap with Button Jeans from Freddies of Pinewood. “Lately I’ve been getting a lot of compliments on my monochromatic outfits that incorporate new, contemporary purchases with older, classic vintage pieces.”

I bumped into Sasha on her way to the village post office to ship her ebay items. She is a friend of mine and a client and is always dressed on point, so of course I had to snap a photo of her style. She always rocks the modern rockabilly look and her home is like a 1960s time capsule. I will definitely have to feature it on the blog!

The hat is 40’s/50’s driving cap and would be used by men in that era while driving. It is also called a Newsboy Cap. “Wearing multiple layers of varied textures of one color add dimension to an outfit, while also allowing you to highlight or downplay certain parts of your body,” Sasha dishes the scoop on her latest styles.

Sasha also has an eBay shop with all of her amazing vintage finds.

Foodie Friday-Crush Eleven In Cocoa Village

July 17, 2015July 20, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / Leave a comment

*Photo by Misti Blu

*Photo by Misti Blu

Crush Eleven, in Cocoa Village, is the sister restaurant of The Fat Snook in Cocoa Beach. This rustic restaurant offers a very urban and modern vibe with fresh, local food and creative handcrafted cocktails. Nathan is our favorite bartender, who takes his passion home with him and is constantly crafting new spirits. They have taken bartending to a whole new level by creating artisan cocktails with a mix of prohibition and farmers market flare. My favorite was the Scotch with the chamomile tea ice ball.

*Photo by Misti Blu

Next, we tried a fresh cucumber and aloe martini that was surprisingly delicious. It was fresh and crisp and went down very smooth. There were so many jars with fresh herbs and fruit for their many mixology needs.

*Photo by Misti Blu

*Photo by 360 Enable

We had an amazing platter featuring their Smoked Pork Terrine with a deconstructed pickle slaw and cheddar drop biscuit. The Fried Marcona Almonds are warm and coated in rosemary and sea salt. The platter also featured the Kale Chips with a sambal aoili. I love the fact that I can come here and switch up the normal burger and pizza routine with foodie options. If you have not been yet, they also have an amazing brunch! You can get banana pancakes with maple bacon brittle ice cream and salted caramel with a Patron XO Latte with a candied orange zest. Foodgasms!

*Photo by 360 Enable

*Photo by 360 Enable

Beautiful Thursday-What’s With “Strobing”?

July 16, 2015July 20, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / Leave a comment

Strobing is the latest makeup craze that is breaking the Internet. Nothing about this technique is new besides the name. Strobing is an easier way to achieve a contoured look but less challenging. What you do is highlight your features using illuminating products that makes your skin glow where the light naturally hits your face. Some artists use a darker shade of foundation to make a more contrasted look with the highlights. This look is simply done using your fingers and a great product. I prefer NYX Born To Glow.

Brow bone, cheekbones, bridge of the nose, tip of the chin, center of the forehead and cupid’s bow are the areas you should apply the product. Liquid or cream highlighting products produce a dewy finish. Pat in with your fingers until you see a smooth blend. You can combine this look with contouring to give it a more luminous glow with a bolder result for a night out or photo shoot.

When I tried the strobing technique on myself, I felt like it switched up my normal makeup routine and had produced a radiant summer look. My only suggestion is to not forget blush. I see so many makeup artists on the contour wagon and blush has been on the back burner. Rosy cheeks are healthy and pretty. I personally love strobing now with a BB cream and blush, a bold lip, brow fill and mascara for a daily wear. So, have fun! Play around!

Wanderlust Wednesday: The Hunt For Local Organic Farm Fresh Goods

July 15, 2015July 20, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / Leave a comment

Cocoa Green Market and 12 Palms Farm
4880 Coconut Avenue,
Cocoa, FL 32926
Hours:
Tuesday 12-3
Friday 10-5
Saturday 10-2

I am enamored with living a simple way of life.
Fresh fruit and veggies from the farm…
Milk from happy cows…
Eggs that are produced by healthy hens that rule the roost…Clean Wholesome Simplicity.

Full Disclosure: I am typing this on my iPhone while scarfing down a brown sugar PopTart and a Diet Coke.

This is my lifelong inner turmoil. An acute, bone-deep longing for a sane way of living and the lure of Pop Tarts. Add in the fact that in an urban setting it’s unusual to find a place that offers these “luxuries”.

Yes! Natural wholesome food and goods are officially a luxury! Crazy, right?

About 2 months ago, I stumbled across a video of a Cocoa, Florida farmer lovingly feeding homemade sourdough bread to her rooster, Elvis. I watched this beautiful bird peck the morsel from her hand, take a few steps away, and leave his bounty on the ground for his “lady” hen.
Charming and endearingly sweet… especially after viewing the atrocities on the documentary,Food Inc., with my boys a few days before. I was determined to go there even though their business hours typically coincided with mine.

What I expected was a farm that had a table set up with some vegetables. What I discovered was a bevy of creative people living the dream.
Well…MY dream anyway.

The property is sectioned off with different pens for goats, pigs, ducks, a horse and a llama. The hens, however, were not confined. Everywhere you went little hens roamed the property, undisturbed by the comings and goings of visitors.

Uncertain which building to enter, we followed a brood of hens (we are pretty sure they were escorting us) towards a lovely archway. We were delightfully surprised by a garden bordered with upended wine bottles and adorned with polka dotted boots and brightly painted chair frames.

Repurposed Pop Art ….in the middle of a farm.

The little vegetable stand that I expected, gave way to an outdoor room with refrigerators smartly painted with chalkboard paint filled with quality farm fresh meats, woven baskets filled with brightly colored produce and a hen who made herself comfortable in a basket in the corner.

When I stepped inside their air conditioned retail space I was warmly greeted by the owner, Judith McKenna. When asked, she spoke of the farm and the participants of the cooperative with both pride and affection. She was keen to point out that they were not a farmers market. This was a group of small farms and businesses that have a shared vision of healthy living, humane practices and of being good stewards of the enviroment. This is evident by their approval from The Animal Welfare Institute.
“Animal Welfare Approved has the most rigorous standards for farm animal welfare currently in use by any United States organization. Its
standards were developed in collaboration with scientists, veterinarians, researchers, and farmers across the globe to maximize practicable, high-welfare farm management. Animal Welfare Approved’s standards incorporate best practices and recent research and have been adopted only after rigorous review.” (see full statement about accreditation on their webpage)

Have I mentioned the happy animals?

My boys begged for some of their homemade ice cream, which they devoured while I perused their wide variety of crafts and goods. I want to give proper credit and description of all the products but there was so much I will surely forget someone. Freshly baked goods, hand sewn bags cleverly made from recycled materials, beautiful soaps and lotions, loose tea in glass jars…It makes a girl think its REALLY possible to live this way. It’s so accessible!

Wendy, one of the artisans that make the clever bags, was kind enough to take my boys outside and introduce them to Tony the llama while I made my purchases. Most items were comparable to regular supermarket prices. Some items I was pleasantly surprised by how inexpensive.

A carton of eggs, unpasteurized milk, homemade yogurt in a mason jar, local wildflower honey and a promise to return weekly.

If you haven’t yet, subscribe to their facebook page to see some great videos and pictures and go visit!