There are waves breaking.  And nothing but water as far as I can see off my lanai.  It's early and there are few people out but it's about to get busy just like always.  It's a little surreal you see.

How about that for a daily view?

Take me where there are beaches and jungles and sea turtles.

Possibly the most content I have ever felt in my entire life.

Not all those who wander are lost.

You know that voice in the back of your head that sometimes whispers (or shouts) "You know this isn't the best idea you've ever had."?  That internal barometer speaks to me on a semi-regular basis and as I've gotten older I do listen...on occasion.  Most recently this kinda-makes-me-look-crazy conversation occurred on a late Monday in March and I decided that I was going kayaking since it would be my only chance to get out on the water for the rest of the week.  Nevermind the fact that it was 55 degrees and pouring, I was going.  I had even mapped out my latest and greatest route - from Whitmarsh Island to Wassaw Island, a wildlife preserve accessible only by boat.  Almost 14 miles one way...what could go wrong?

From the dock at Whitmarsh to Wassaw Island is almost 14 miles one way.

 Ignore the fact that my last 10+ mile expedition a few weeks ago left me with arms and shoulders that literally hurt for days and so exhausted that I could barely lift the kayak back on top of our Jeep.  But hey, that was 2 weeks ago and I wasn't backing out come hell or high water (see what I did there? haha).

Even as I tore through my closet searching for a rash guard I hadn't used since last summer that voice started popping up.  "Are you sure you want to do this today? Cause it kinda seems like iffy weather.  And by iffy I mean it's going to suck,"  At some point I will learn to listen more often but this wasn't the day for it.  Dressed, kayak loaded, map, snacks and my eternal fluffy sidekick and we were headed for the dock.  I kept looking on the bright side - there wasn't a single soul there.  It was perfect, we would practically have the water all to ourselves which meant no wake to contend with (I can't imagine why no one else was out there).

Rio is so spiffy in her life jacket.

 Once actually in the water the feel-good vibes started to dissipate if they had event been there in the first place.  It was drizzling, the water was rough enough to send buckets into the kayak (remember there's no skirt on it because our dog sits between our legs) and I can't tell where the hell I'm going, map or not.  But even then, I really couldn't just turn around and go back to the car.  We were already out here, already in the water, already wet, we had to have something to show for it.  Perhaps some higher power read my mind because the next moment there was a very recognizable bird call...almost a scream.  If you've ever heard one of these in person, you know exactly what I mean.

A bald eagle perched on a low branch not 30 feet from my kayak.  Totally made the day worth it.

Bald eagles don't have that regal call that most people think - it's a weird chirping, screamy sound that you'll never forget.  And it's totally cool to see one in the wild just hanging out.  After attempting to snap a couple pictures - a few of them turned out thank goodness - I decided that maybe we would cut our trip a little short.  We had gone maybe 4 miles out and the rain went from a drizzle to a outright downpour.  I finally gave in to that voice that had gone from suggesting to demanding.

The way back had our heart rates up a little more than is comfortable - from a easy drizzle to pouring and the winds picking up, our light kayak was doing a valiant job of keeping us from swimming.

It's freezing!  I'll go ahead and admit it, it was not my best idea to go kayaking on this particular day. I'm thanking my stars for a good guardian angel.

The story has a happy ending though - there wasn't any capsizing, thank god, because that's a different disaster than usual when you have a dog with you, even if they are wearing a lifejacket.  Fighting the wind, surf and current meant to took an extra hour to get back to the dock but thankfully other than a few close calls with big waves it was uneventful.  We made it back to the car and Rio, would is usually quite happy to sniff around, was more interested in getting in the car and out of the rain.  I didn't realize just how cold I was until I was out of the kayak and back on land though - shivering and really really really wishing I had brought an extra shirt, this trip was full of plenty of lessons learned.  Pack better.  Listen to the weather.  Stop being so stubborn.  Even though I have years of experience kayaking and other outdoors activities, I know my limits and I need to learn to listen to myself.  It can wait.  We've got all summer.  And the paddle leashes are already on order.

The dog who doesn't like to snuggle didn't mind a little extra attention once we finally made it back to the car.

Special thanks to Francisco for the title inspiration. 

Over time things change.  In life, in love, in fashion - as the days pass on everything is different even when it seems the same.  So in the interest of not becoming some boring, stagnant column, this blog is getting a face lift (literally - did you see the new cover photo??).

Why?  Well, it's been my personal experience that people are, generally speaking, quite complicated.  A myriad of interests that don't always exactly seem to go together.  And sometimes that makes people look at others funny.   But who says you have to focus on just one thing?  Why can'y you embrace all of those interesting facets that makes you, well, you?  So maybe I'm about to shoot myself in the foot and ruin my following (do I still have a following?) or maybe this will appeal to an even larger audience.  The only thing I know is that I don't ever want to be boring and I'm afraid that's where I am at the moment.  So if I have to indulge my love of absurdly expensive shoes and whatever walks the runway at NY Fashion Week as well as my obsession with kayaking, rock climbing and anything I can compete in.

Seriously, for me, having a blog that only talks about fashion is kinda like being at a party and only participating in the conversations about what everyone is wearing.  That's boring.  I hate being limited.  I want to talk about everything.  So hey, why not join me, it will be adventure for everyone.

Since when did we have to start choosing between being beautiful and girly or adventurous and athletic? Photo Credit to Starla Little and Paul Nurnberg.

Yesterday we had the chance to do an implied photoshoot.  Implied as in people will assume that you're naked.  Well, okay, you are naked, but think Vogue Italia not playboy, lady parts are covered and it's very tasteful.  There were some boudoir shots thrown in as well with pretty, feminine, but still very sexy lingerie and it was hands down, our favorite shoot we've ever done.  We love working with Starla Little and this time the concept was to focus on the objectification of women - how women are turned into objects instead of being seen as people...they are faceless.

We have to admit, there was a little nervousness going on.  Am I going to look fat?  Are things going to bulge where they shouldn't?  Is my hair pretty enough?  Are my boobs going to look weird?  We would like to think that we're pretty secure and self-confident but those thoughts have a habit of popping up, especially in a shoot like this where there aren't really any clothes to work with.  For the most part, it's all you.  Literally.

We're all about loving yourself and accepting yourself the way you are - and if you've got any hangups about your body this may well be the way to fix them.  After seeing a few of the unedited photos (thank you Starla for the incredibly fast turn-around!) we've never felt more beautiful, sexy, feminine and self-confident.  All of those self-perceived flaws that we see in the mirror don't translate on film and it's almost like looking at a photo of someone else.  It's beautiful.  You're beautiful.



Thank you to Starla Little for some of the most beautiful shots we've ever seen.  We're absolutely in love.  Be sure to check out all of her work and if you're in Atlanta on Thursday, May 22nd be sure to check our her first exhibit with Raw Artists.

On Monday we were on location in Bluffton, SC for a hair photoshoot...it's one of the perks of being a redhead:  when someone requests models of all hair colors it's usually the redhead that's hardest to find and people will seek you out instead of the other way around.  Hair shoots are some of our favorites; we love seeing what they're going to do with our are-you-related-to-Mufasa mane of hair.  This time we learned a few tricks that we can't wait to try out at home.

Even without any styling our hair is very thick and has large curls to start with so it makes sense to work with our natural volume to create something even bigger.

Who knew that crimping would ever be popular again?  This time around, it's used to create a second texture and give hair more volume.  For this look you'll need a micro crimper - find one online at Amzazon.

Our hair is a fiery copper-red, curly and very thick.  It holds whatever stylists want to do to it making us a prime candidate for big, dramatic, over-the-top looks.  Danielle Keasling, owner of Salon Karma and who is completely amazing, started by crimping the front part of our hair, from the bangs to slightly back and to the temples.  Yes, you read that right:  crimping.  Like you used to do in middle school.  This version is decidedly more chic though - instead of crimping our entire head and leaving it all flat and melty-looking, once the hair was cooled, the pieces are brushed out resulting in some incredible texture and volume like you wouldn't believe.  Who knew?

After crimping, creating waves and braiding - look at all that texture!

Danielle then manipulated the front part of our hair into a loose, thick braid that wrapped back on itself and was anchored just shy of the crown.  Once secure, individual pieces of the braid were tugged towards the outsides to give the look more volume.  The end result is not only cool but the mix of textures is quite new.  

Double barreled curling irons (find one at Amazon) like this one will create waves as opposed to spiral curls - perfect for a look like this when you need volume and drama.

Using a double barreled curling iron, she then took inch to inch and a half sections of hair and wrapped them around the barrels in a figure-eight style.  After holding the hair there for 10-15 seconds, the barrels create pretty, imperfect but very bouncy waves that are easy to manipulate.  Add a little hand-backcombing and you've got some big, incredible hair going on.

Our newest hair product obsession, Orbite Dry Texturizing Spray (available at Net-A-Porter and select salons) is our new go-to product for creating volume since it doesn't weigh hair down or make it sticky.

Orbite dry texturizing spray is possibly the most amazing product on the planet (or at least the most amazing one that we're just recently learning about).  Part dry shampoo, part texturizing spray, it will leave your hair big and voluminous - for us it almost doubled the volume - without the sticky texture of some hairsprays or the white chalky look of some dry shampoos.  We're considering it a miracle in a can.  

After hair and makeup we're ready for the shoot - we can't wait to try this styling technique at home!

For look number two our hair was pinned up to create a silhouette reminiscent of a fauxhawk that looks incredible when viewed in profile.  And as simple as it was to create, we think we've found our new easy-to-create updo.

We're big believers in working with what comes naturally, whether that's personality, hobbies or, like in this case, hair styles.  Let us know how this worked for you - or better yet, send us some photos!  Happy styling!

With waves and volume like this, we felt that a drink with Mr. Harbin was an absolute requirement.  After all, why waste such perfect styling?

Thank you to Danielle Keasling of Salon Karma for the beautiful styling and Candace Perry for booking us for the shoot (we can't wait to see you photos!), photos courtesy of Jacqueline Harbin.

Rainy days don't have to get your spirits down - grab a fun, yet functional pair of jeans and a brightly colored bag to keep your spirits up.

Suspenders aren't just for boys these days - we borrow Mr. Harbin's on a regular basis, just make sure you add some feminine accessories to keep the outfit from looking overly like you just stepped out of your man's closet.

While our Tiffany key and charms is an ever-present staple (our 1st, 2nd and 3rd anniversary gifts from Mr. Harbin), we always like to layer on a few extras; why not add a hot pink and gold bottle opener over a pretty, chunky sparkling piece?

Life is entirely too short to be serious all the time - we guarantee you'll smile every time you check your watch with this bazooka pink strap and face and who doesn't love a chic pair of glasses?

Photos courtesy of Jacqueline Harbin.