Four Hair Washes in 40 days?! No Problem!

Can you really get away with washing your hair only four times in 40 days?  That's nearly six weeks! I am telling you it's possible, that there's benefits to your hair health, the environment, and it'll save you time and money!

Also, WELCOME BACK!  I took a long break from blog for various reasons but I'm happy to be back and sharing some thoughts, recipes, photos and fun with ya'll again 😃

Accidental Matching Coconuts ;)
And six days without washing my hair!

Let me start by explaining that I didn't plan on doing this experiment until I was unknowingly two weeks into it.  My friend, Jess, and I planned an outing in Venice and I knew washing my hair, drying it, and then walking around would be a waste of a blow-out and extra heat damage when it would be windy by the beach and ruin it anyway.  So I let it go, threw on my Yankee's hat and we were off to Venice.  We arrived at Venice Ale House and I introduced Jess to Coconut Sake Bombs (which are exactly like they sound, fresh coconuts, cut open right in front of you and a generous pour of sake on the side to put into said coconut).  We cheersed the table next to us since I had asked one of the guys to take a photo of us earlier and now there was a gal sitting with them and I didn't want to be rude so I introduced myself to her.  She was so instantly kind and genuine, a rarity in LA, that we got to talking about food, fashion and then hair.  She told us how she hadn't washed her hair in over a month but then she got to a point where she couldn't stand it anymore.  She explained that you basically wet lather your hair with just water, put in a little leave-in conditioner or condition the ends, rinse and go.  You could use dry shampoo between washes but because she left her hair in a bun most of the time, it didn't really matter.  And she noticed her hair became healthier, shinier, and it seemed to grow faster.  I was in!

My hair is naturally wavy and fine; it holds curl and a style well and for the most part doesn't get oily for a few days.  I normally shampoo once every 3-4 days, plan my intense work-outs around my hair washing, and go on with my week.  This required me to cut my shampooing to once every 7-10 days; so I did a wet lather intermittently where you get your hair wet, give yourself a little head and scalp massage, then condition the ends with conditioner and you're done.  It definitely cut a couple minutes from my showers!  We all know more time for all the fun things is worth it!

Ten days without a shampoo and waves galore
when helping Lauren move!

I noticed when I styled my hair after that rare shampoo, the style lasted even longer (my hair dried quicker and it was a lot easier to do) it looked healthier, shinier, fuller/volume-wise, and on the days I didn't shampoo it, it still did what it needed to do but I tended to keep it in a bun or went more natural and embraced my waves and curls.  Leaving it wavy/curly allowed me to skip the days between shampooing even more because I only had to dampen my hair to reactivate the product I used the first day and on day five, sometimes it looked better than on day two!  Before I knew it, I was at 34 days with only four shampoos.  And today I hit 40.

Let's look at the known benefits for a second.  The more you give your hair and scalp a chance to breathe and cut back on the chemicals and sulfates, the more balanced your hair will be, giving it the opportunity to be in it's best physical shape.  You can't eat pizza every day and expect to lose weight (hey, I've tried) and the same goes for your hair.  While the sulfates clean your hair and make the shampoo lather, they also strip your hair of the natural oils in it, causing dryness, brittleness, hair-breakage, dullness, and over time a build-up of products.  Your hair has a natural growing out period, so pulling back on shampooing will essential re-set or train your hair back to the beginning where it creates the right amount of oil to keep your hair healthy and growing long and strong because it's renewing it's natural oils!  It may take a little time to adjust but that's what you're training your scalp to do!  You can't run a marathon without training and prep.

I haven't colored my hair even semi-permanently in at least seven years but for those who color their hair, this will help keep your color brighter and lasting longer.  Even just using water on it can cause color to fade so the longer you can go between washes will save your color and money because you'll be coloring less!  Plus, over-washing can actually aggravate your scalp more since excess oils can cause an itchy or flaky scalp to worsen.  I definitely noticed the dryness of my hair and scalp went MAJORLY down the further I got into my 40 days.

Lastly, the less you're washing your hair, even getting it wet, the less shampoo and conditioner you'll be using, meaning you'll be saving money and adding less plastic waste to the environment going through multiple bottles of shampoo every year.  And for those of you who don't know me, saving money is my jam!

I know your concern might be what if you work-out, what if your head/hair doesn't smell good between shampoos and I totally get it.  I pull my hair into a bun before my work-outs and when I'm done and it's not one of my intense workouts where I actually shampoo or at the very least do the wet lather, I'll just blow dry my hair on a cool/warm setting and when I let it out of the bun, it has a nice wave to it.  And scent...I had multiple people compliment me on how great my hair smelled when it had been six days since my last shampoo!  And I didn't ask them to smell my hair although it kind of became a game as I was getting closer to hitting 40 days.

You're not going to see results overnight, or even in a week because this process takes time, but perhaps you can cut down from 3-4 shampoo's a week to two, then maybe one, and see where it takes you!  I want to hear your thoughts on this!  Have you tried the wet lather routine before and did it work for you?  What did you like, what didn't you like?  Feel free to share your stories in the comments below💓

It's good to be back here with my blog so Welcome Back and thanks for joining me on this adventure again 😘

I Came Back '1000 Times'

Seven years ago today my life totally changed.  Someone came into my life that I believed would be in it forever.  It wasn't love at first sight, or even first kiss, but it grew into something more than I could have ever expected.  I never had so much in common with someone, someone who challenged me, learning something new every day about each other, so much fun together, trying new things and liking them, and so much passion and intensity.  Yet all the while he told me I was his forever, it just wasn't meant to be.  And I've been left to wonder if that was a lie the entire time.

The emotional abuse at the hands of the person I loved and accepted left me broken and shattered over the years; being cheated on, lied to, manipulated, and worse was something I mistook for a deep love, thinking this was what I deserved.  This is not to say I did not make poor decisions and mistakes in our relationship, because I did, but looking at it after all these years, I would never have allowed a friend to go through what I did at the hands of someone I believed was my soulmate.  There were a lot of times that things were fabulously blissful.  Truly remarkable, really.  When someone tells you that you make them into the man they want to be, and a better version of themselves, because their life is one f*cked up mess after another, you believe and find a little slice of hope and promise aside from all the other bull that would pop up.  Drama would "magically" create itself and when a substance takes over someone's life, they need to heal themselves before you can even try to help.  'But I know blue, only blue, lonely blue.'  The roller coaster can't always be going up and each time he cheated (so many times I lost count), that feeling of being replaced built, that it was my fault, that something was wrong with me, and I began to question everything about myself.  So much that my Mom said I wasn't the same happy little girl I once was before I met him.

One thing that never faltered was my Mom and the growing resentment she felt toward this person over the years (who she initially supported and thought could make me happy, but she saw the signs way before I did and she couldn't forgive him) for hurting her only daughter and she couldn't fix the situation or my broken-heart.  I couldn't see it at the time; I had blinders on.  I wanted to believe the best in him, in every person really, a quality I have to a fault.  'Who wouldn't stand inside your love.'  I still question it at times and I think that's part of what makes losing my Mom so hard.  Was it a complete waste of my late 20's into 30's?  Could she have seen me walk down the aisle or held a grandchild had I not been so selfish with my feelings of wanting love?  She was so torn up about this at times she had said, if you stay with this person, she would never accept him and it was ruining her and I's relationship.  And I HATED doing that to her but for some reason, I still felt drawn to him and continued a relationship, even in secret for periods of time.  I hit a point where she didn't want to comfort me anymore when I was upset because it was nearly driving her insane, and that wasn't like her at all.

Even after my Mom's tragic passing in December 2015 and the horrendous things that he said (it is literally sickening) in the hours after her death, I trusted him yet again, because 'I was his best friend, he was in love with me, and always would love me,' until I made a move to detach forever last August 2016 because I couldn't take the lies anymore.  'She is gone, but she used to be mine.'  The amount of guilt I feel because I believed all the nonsense for so long and hurt my Mom in the process, may never go away.  And I am so sorry Mom, for putting you through that.  For not seeing what you and my whole family and most of my friends saw.  For not being able to apologize in person because you cared more than anyone else and you just wanted what was best for me.

I am trying to be a smarter, stronger, and even more positive person every day and also work through the emotional turmoil that created a wall I should never have.  You were right, Mom, you usually were.  But I have fully loved and lost, and I know that you live every day in hopes that I find my true forever to create the life you always dreamed I would have, one day.  And whether that is alone or with someone, we know it is God's plan, like losing you far too soon, and we have to trust in it.  That's what Faith is, trusting in what you cannot see.  

To the person who built me up with the deepest love I have ever felt, I am grateful.  To the person who pushed me into the darkest depths with your words and actions, I am grateful.  For I am a better version of myself; I have been so low and still survived when it seemed like the impossible.  I no longer have to live with the damage you created and trash you have brought into your life. She's not me, and she never will be.  I forgive you for the pain you caused and hope you find the peace you're searching for because I could not save you from the destructive path you continued to choose.  'Goodbye my hopeless dream.'  I'm sorry for hurting you in any way.  Your feelings should not be diminished and are valid as well.  I got a fresh start because I let go of you and the false sense of forever you kept trying to sell me, and have so many precious moments to look forward to.

I have kept silent for so long, pushed these feelings deeper and deeper, tried to tuck them away, but even through the tears and emotions of writing this, it is a release I have needed for a long time.  It needed to be said.  Without my Mom, I wouldn't have had the strength to carry on throughout the heartbreak, but I live every day for her and the incredible person she was and shared with the world.  Thank you Mom, for guiding me on the right path; I love you and hope you can forgive me for the mistakes I made, and know that I would take it all back, to have one more day with you.  If I could be just half the woman, you were, I'd be the luckiest girl.  O Beechum Te, Mommy <3

Photo Post for "Nothing Bad - A Werewolf Rock Musical"

So, I wasn't able to share all the photos from our Rock Musical during Fringe because I didn't want to give anything away but since we're not doing the show for a little while, I feel like it's ok to share.  It's out of context, right?  And you'll still be totally surprised if it re-opens and you come see it...it'll be brand new!

Welcome to Perfection, California!

Mayor White and some pretty amazing Werewolves!

It was a challenge to do the make-up so quickly, I only had 20 minutes to change everything and Kenni designed a really interesting look for the werewolves. I loved being able to play the opposite of what I was, although in constant control and power.  It was totally different than any role I've ever played before.  I started with a 50's vintage make-up style after perusing some different hair and make-up looks and settled on something glam but classic.  It's something I could easily do day to day and still look natural.  The 80's werewolf make-up was rocker-esque, especially my Joan Jett wig!

We did have a professional photographer come and shoot photos at our preview and then closing night so hopefully I'll have some more Werewolf photos to add to this post later on :)

"Nothing Bad - A Werewolf Rock Musical"

We closed out our final show of "Nothing Bad - A Werewolf Rock Musical" at the Hollywood Fringe Festival the last weekend in June.  My Dad was in town to see our final show and we sold out most of our performances which as a new theater was so exciting!

"Nothing Bad" was ranked one of the Top 5 Musicals to see at the Fringe Festival this year and also a 'Pick of the Fringe.'  Our small cast of 10 people really brought it and Erik Blair created a really great script and show.  Dan Sugimoto wrote the music for the show which was a mix of 50's and 80's rock and SO catchy. Thea Rivera was Producing and doing pretty much anything she could to promote the show and make sure that we had people in the seats.  It was a success on all levels.

'Nothing bad happens here, nothing bad that we can see or hear and we've been living here all our lives!'

I play Mayor White, the Mayor of the town who holds a dark secret I don't share until the end of the show.  We've got a couple different stories going on throughout the show that all tie together.  I was so glad Rachel decided to join the show because I had a buddy at rehearsals and I couldn't have done my part without her.  She helped me run-lines before every show and supported me when I felt over-whelmed with everything going on.  Thanks so much, Rach <3

We found out we did get a Fringe Extension Award and I hope at some point my friends who couldn't come to see the show while the festival was going on but wanted to will be able to check it out in the future.

I also got my first ever review, and it was a positive one!  I love what I do but it's really great to hear that other people enjoy your performance and portrayal as well.  It feels really nice when someone waits for you after the show to tell you how much they loved my character.  You can read one of the reviews here: Indie Voice Blog

Mayor White in Perfection, California

Unfortunately we weren't able to pick-up an extension date because our whole cast wasn't available for any of the specific dates they had but this is certainly not the end for "Nothing Bad!"  Thanks to the cast and crew of our show.  This was a different role for me to play and I really enjoyed the challenge of playing such a strong-willed, very political character with a wild turn-around.  You were right, Erik ;)

June Karaoke

This was the first year I didn't celebrate my Birthday at Gabe's for Karaoke!  With 'Nothing Bad' performances for the Fringe Festival and my Dad being in town, there was just too much going on to have a specific night to have one too many drinks ;)  It was still a great month of Karaoke and I'll have a Theme Night soon and that's always a good time!

The Supremes - 'Baby Love' 

Mary Wells - 'My Guy'

Tim McGraw & Faith Hill - 'Like We Never Loved at All'

Madonna - 'Vogue'

Quarterflash - 'Harden my Heart'

Moulin Rouge - 'Come What May'

Jewel - 'You Were Meant for Me'

Fleetwood Mac - 'Go Your Own Way'

Badfinger - 'No Matter What'

Blondie - 'Heart of Glass'

Janis Joplin - Piece of my Heart'

Fleetwood Mac - 'Dreams'

Dixie Chicks - 'If I Fall, You're Going Down With Me' 

Lynyrd Skynyrd - 'Sweet Home Alabama'

Ciara - 'One, Two Step'

I've been singing a lot of songs lately that I haven't done in a while so that first week my new song was 'My Guy' by Mary Wells.  A song that one of our Karaoke regulars always used to sing.  It's a fun little song but I really missed singing 'Like We Never Loved At All.'  Gary and I sang that duet and he knew all the harmonies so that was great to sing with him!  The second week I opened with 'Vogue' by Madonna and it's definitely a song I'll do again.  Dad was visiting me the third week so he picked out my first song and my new song that night.  I did Blondie's 'Heart of Glass' which was a nice little change of pace.  He actually sang twice that night with a little help from Adam and Khad on his first song, 'In My Life' by The Beatles and then sang 'She's Everything' by Brad Paisley solo!  I was so proud of him honoring my Mom.  As June came to a close, I tried out 'Sweet Home Alabama' by Lynyrd Skynyrd and changed just a few of the lyrics to be a little cheeky ;) I also closed with Ciara, an artist I love singing!

We're already half-way through the year which means this is a great time to come check out Karaoke during the low-key Summer months!  Gabe's is located at 2965 S. Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064.  Hope to see you soon!

*Absolut Elyx Events in Hollywood*

Our awesome Bar Lubitsch family has been invited to the Absolut Elyx Mansion on a few occasions now for different events, along with other liquor experiences to help push certain brands.  Absolut Elyx is definitely moving up the list to becoming one of my favorite vodkas, the more I learn about it.

New York Vibes in Hollywood

Absolut Elyx is a wheat vodka that's crafted in copper stills resulting in a pure silky smooth flavor that I think has a hint of sweetness.  It definitely beats out my old go-to, Ketel One.  They're trying to re-brand since this is more of a luxury vodka on the level of Grey Goose and Belvedere.  Plus, Absolut Elyx donates a week's supply of clean water to people in need for every bottle sold.  That sells me on it even more!

Rach and I had just gotten back from our trip to New York a couple days earlier so we decided to keep the fun going!  There was an open bar with amazing cocktails that were almost too pretty to drink and served in fancy copper drink-ware, BBQ (even Johnsonville brats), and good people at the event.  Plus, each room in the Mansion up in the Hollywood Hills was prettier than the next.  My favorite had cherry-colored wood, a stunning emerald couch, and copper accents.  We tried all the different types of cocktails, and before we knew it, we'd been there for a few hours.  After snapping some pictures in the photo booth we knew it was time to call it a night!

*Cheers...Our Bar Lubitsch Family, lovely hand-crafted Absolut Elyx Cocktails, Bae & I...Skal*

We had another event earlier this month and I wanted to spread the love around so I invited Kristina to join me for a 70's Disco Party (themed clothing was encouraged) at the Mansion.  There were 70's inspired cocktails, Fondue for everyone, the Disco Ball room was playing the jams.  I got to catch up with some co-workers at the event, and it's always so nice to see everyone outside of Lubitsch. I couldn't drink anymore so Kristina and I took an Uber to Bigfoot West to catch up with James who was back in town and DJing with Sum that night!  It was a little Saint's & Sinner's reunion, seeing Charlie and Steve behind the bar as well.

Kristina and I at the Absolut Elyx Mansion for the 70's Disco Event!

I was bummed to miss the Gin Lab we had a couple weeks ago, where people got to make their own gin using botanicals and there was a Tequila Tasting and Dinner tonight as well.  It's awesome to get to check out these events and push something we really believe in!  Thanks Committed Inc...so proud to be working for such a great company :D

May Karaoke

After getting back from New York, I knew I'd be jumping into rehearsals for "Nothing Bad - A Werewolf Rock Musical" for the upcoming Fringe Festival in June.  We were finishing up Season 12 of "Supernatural" and just delving into "Real Housewives of New York" at Afterbuzz TV so May was a crazy busy month!

Celebrating a successful
'Supernatural' season at Gabe's
with Mario!

Pat Benatar - 'Heartbreaker'

Shania Twain - 'Any Man of Mine'

Sara Bareilles - 'She Used to be Mine'

No Doubt - 'Spiderwebs'

Destiny's Child - 'Say My Name'

Rihanna - 'Umbrella'

En Vogue - 'Don't Let Go'

Nancy Sinatra - 'These Boots are Made for Walking'

Journey - 'Separate Ways'

Pat Benatar - 'Promises in the Dark'

Dido - 'White Flag'

The Eurythmics - 'Sweet Dreams'

Cassadee Pope - 'Wasting All These Tears on You

Dolly Parton - 'Jolene'

Natalie Merchant - 'Jealousy'

Les Miserables - 'I Dreamed a Dream'

The first week back at Karaoke I had to sing 'She Used to be Mine' by Sara Bareilles after seeing her perform the week before in "Waitress" on Broadway.  I love the song so much and the lyrics are just incredible.  Surprisingly, my new song in that second week was 'Umbrella' by Rihanna which has been around for forever.  I kept it an R&B night singing Destiny's Child and my favorite En Vogue song.  I sang some fun songs in the third week and my new song was Dido's 'White Flag.'  As I no longer had 16 hour Thursday's and now 10 hour Wednesday's, I even went out to get a late night bite with Kenni and Ace that night.  The closing week of May was an all-female week.  My new song was Cassadee Pope's 'Wasting All These Tears on You' which I'm glad I took down one full note; it was much better for my voice.  Since Kenni was there we decided to close out with our Musical songs. 

As it's already half-way through June and I've been busy with Fringe, Karaoke has also been busy and fun!  Since it's my Birthday month we'll be celebrating that soon enough ;)