DIY Natural Soothing Postpartum Pads
Healing aid for postpartum when your lady parts have gone through the ringer! TMI!!! Here’s a visual step-by-step of how to make them! Read more
Posts from the ‘Health + Beauty’ Category
Mar 19
13 Comments
Beginner Running – 5 Week Update
I LOVE RUNNING! It’s been 5 weeks since I decided to get back on the road again + let me tell you, I feel a world of a difference! Read more
Beginner Running – Learning to Run Again
I have signed up for my first 5k!!! How’s that? Well, I’ll tell you a story….. Read more
Emotional Eating
Yesterday I went to my much needed physical checkup + got a weigh in. All I can say is, yikes. Yo, I know I’ve gotten pretty doughy lately, but BOY HOWDY do I need to drop some serious LBS in a huge (no pun intended) way!!!!! Read more
Tools For Work Efficiency
Do you want to know what kind of instruments I have lined up for this week’s workload in costumes? Safety pins, scissors, sewing needles? Read more
Juicing Is Not Recommended For The Mentally Unstable
Yes, it’s 24 hour juice fast time. It is not a pretty scenario, people. Read more
Don’t Go On a Juice Fast When Packing
Note to self: don’t go on a juice fast on a major packing day.
My dear friends!!!! My real estate agent showed my very, very clean condo to a young couple yesterday + they are interested in moving in on November 15th!!! Well, hold your horses, y’all – we’re in the process of doing the credit check, so the deal is not done yet. Easy does it.
Now what does that mean??? I’d better start packing, that’s what!!! Today was going to be my big packing bonanza. I already moved a huge load over the weekend, but today was going to be the day!!! So, what did I decide to do? Yes, I am a genius! I decided to do a juice fast on today of all days!!! Reeeeeal smart. Do you want to see what I accomplished at around 2:30? 
One. Measly. Box.
Hey!!! I’m not proud about it!!! In fact, I’m downright ashamed!!!
I juiced four times today with my bomb-ass Braun juicer that I bought for $3 at the Buddhist temple bargain sale across the street from me. It was only used once + clean as a whistle! If I could only buy Japanese + German made appliances + goods for the rest of my life, I’d be happy. 
Juicers take up a lot of fresh veggies. Be prepared, people. Get your chop on the day before. Then you won’t be as apt to abandon the torture.
I feel disoriented, super fatigued, I looked at a picture of Jeff on my screen saver + almost started crying + sometimes I say to myself, “did it just get really cold in here?”. I’m a mess, y’all!!! In my defense, I did some filing + bills. But, I am so out of it, that when I went to mail my bills, I closed the door without keys + locked myself out of the condo. My condo manager, ol’ reliable Shin-san had to let me back in. What a loser. This is how I feel: 
For my last “meal”, I eased myself out of the veggie juicing by indulging in a bowl of instant miso soup. It was the best bowl of miso soup I’ve EVER HAD IN MY LIFE. What savory delight!!!!!!!! I destroyed that bowl!!!! 
That may look like a boring bowl of miso soup, but believe me dear readers when I tell you it was salty heaven!!!! Do not take for granted the humble liquid gold that is miso soup!!! I’m going to try + make this juice fast a once a week routine, but I’ll have to get back to you on that one. I’m not going to lie. It was rough.
Well, on a happy side note, I’ve received our marriage certificate + my FBI report!!! Yaaaaay!!! I’m officially not a criminal!!! A copy of these two documents shall be added to my immigration application! Getting closer!!!!
Sep 9
Mr. + Mrs. Fayle – Part 2 (aka “The Big Day”)
Sorry for the delay!!!! It’s hard to post when there’s 21 people in the house. I just want to hang out in the water all day, drink wine + sleep!!!!
After decorating the house, I went over to my mom + dad’s timeshare in Princeville to get ready. This is how the Nishinos get ready for the wedding. Watching the Kardashians + sleeping. Nice guys, real nice.
As I was doing my hair + makeup my sister asked me, “Shelli, did you do a trial run of your hair + makeup?”. To which I responded, “Nope! I’m hoping it all turns out!”. She was like, “You are so crazy!!!!!!!!”. I’ve done crazier.
At the house, Pastor Niles Kageyama + his wife Eileen had arrived. Jeff apparently was bossing people around while pointing + shouting. Like an art director or something.
The boys + their ginger stalk torches
My cutie niece flower girl, Ambur.
Jeff + best man Steve. Very affectionate, aren’t we boys???
Pastor Niles blowing the conch at the top of the ceremony. Mom + mother Jean looking on bemusedly. I wonder what they were thinking. “Oh my! How curious!” or “How very native!”.
The procession begins!!!! Look at brave Tobin’s face!!!! So earnest!!!
Here comes the bride!!!! I really don’t think I could have smiled any bigger. Pastor Niles + Eileen played ukelele singing Hawiian wedding song, “Ke Kali Nei Au”. I wish someone had taken a picture of Jeff’s face as I was walking down the aisle because his facial expression was priceless.
Jeff’s face looked like this:
Jeff + I were both so teary eyed during the ceremony. My tactic for keeping it together + not bawling was to stare at the moustache wax in Jeff’s moustache.
Here’s beautiful Ashley in her Hilo Hattie dress. My mom hand sewed the back to take it in + show off her teeny waist. Doesn’t she look so tropical?!
Our brave ring bearers, Matt + Tobin. Tobin was so nervous about it all day, but they both did an amazing job!!! Ring pillows were made by my mom with vintage aloha fabric courtesy of the fabulously stylish Cacey Riggan!!!
Don’t you love Matt’s cool surfer dude long hair???
Pastor Niles delivered a warm + heartfelt ceremony. Jeff + I were soooo happy!!!! Here’s me clapping for ourselves. So humble!!!
Husband + Wife!!!!!!
The Fayle-Downies
The Fayle-Hoiles
The Nishinos
My lovely + sweet caterers Ann + Catherine from Heavenly Creations – aren’t they pretty?! http://www.heavenlycreations.org/ If it wasn’t for Ann we would of had to barbeque or go out to a restaurant. She saved me!!!!
Appetizers were the best poke we’ve EVER had + teriyaki beef skewers!!!
Dining al fresco, y’all!!! If you look closely, you’ll see my mom bossing me around as I’m taking the picture, + Jeff throwing his shaka.
Luckily, with the combination of families, we had an arsenal of talented photographers.
Here is one of my favorite pictures. Me with the Canadian Lady Posse. Jeff said, “Why would you post that picture?! Look at your facial expression!!!”. Exactly. Hilarious.
Dinner was better than I could have ever hoped for!!!! Grilled Opah fish, chicken, jasmine rice, grilled asparagus, salad + okinawan sweet potatoes!!!! I had seconds, y’all.
The cakes from Kilauea Bakery. Mocha Macadamia + Lilikoi Coconut. Doesn’t it look like Jeff + Rob are getting married?
What a perfect day!!!! All the elements came together so seamlessly (except when I almost couldn’t find the marriage certificate in the morning) with everyone’s love, help + contributions!!! Jeff + I were sort of winging it through most of the process, but we couldn’t have been happier with how it turned out!!! I ended the night watching two back to back episodes of “Saved by the Bell” with Matt + Ambur + then ended passing out while Jeff hung out with the family. Good work, Shelli! I will post more pictures + thought throughout the blog about the wedding, but for now I’m signing off because I’ve been in front of the computer for an hour + a half, hunched over like an old crone. Paradise + family fun are awaiting me!!! I love you all!!!!
Sep 6
Mr. + Mrs. Jeffrey Fayle – Part 1
Hizzah!!!! We did it!!! We’re still alive!!! We’ve made it!!! We’re hitched!!!! I’ll take you through an adventure to Wedding Land. Please, come join me.
THE DAY BEFORE
First things first – we HAD to get Jeff a haircut. It was getting too shagadelic even for me!!! b I found an Aveda salon called Epic Hair http://www.epichairboutiquekauai.com/- because Jeff is fancy pants + needed a “stylist”. They were tres bon, mes amis. A fabulous man’s haircut for $25!!! Bargoon (bargain) !!!! Next door was TnT Burger truck. Oh, how convenient! Oh wait, what was that you said, again??? Burgers aren’t part of the bride diet????
Next stop was the Kilauea Bakery + Pau Hana Pizza to choose our cakes. http://kilaueabakery.wordpress.com/ I found them on Yelp!!!
Cake tastings + Jeff = so goofy.
We did some paddle boarding – here’s my most fabulous sister-in-law Deb. She feeds us, gives me sympathy + the best advice. If it wasn’t for her, I would probably tear my hair out one by one. She really gets it all.
My brother-in-law, Tom + best man, Steve. They are setting up the lights with minimal tools. If there’s ever a rigging question, everyone always says, “Give it to Tom, he’ll figure it out.” Very handy, indeed.
This is when we skedaddled to Hanalei Farmer’s Market in search of flowers. We bought ALL the flowers in the ENTIRE market, y’all. And thank god for that because I would have been majorly boned if flowers were lacking. Jeff + I were haggling + bargaining + wheeling + dealing like we were at a Thai street market or something.
This is Juan, a real bruddah. Da kine. Blessings.
There was a stand for Niihau shell jewelry + I FREEEEEAKED!!!! Full on cold sweat, y’all. I’ve wanted a Niihua shell necklace for my entire adult life!!!! For reals!!!! Kahelelani are the tiniest and most prized of the Hawaiian shells that are sewn into leis. Kahelelani are found in varying degrees on most of the Hawaiian Islands, but are most abundant on Niihau and Kauai. These shells are so rare they are comparative to a semi precious gem + jewelry is commonly insured. Jeff bought me a necklace + earrings for the wedding! Can you say family heirloom???!!! May Outzen made my jewelry + she was the sweetest lady ever!!!!! Oh yeah, Lisa Bonet has been on the island + everyone’s been really psyched about it. We saw her at the market.
Lisa Bonet in all her dreaded glory.
I just want to remember her like this:
We collected all the flowers from 5 different vendors + Jeff yelled, “We’re going to need all hands on deck!!!!”. Wow. Taskmaster.
That night we had a family dinner, merging the Fayles with the tiny Nishinos. Here’s my brother-in-law Rob at the grill. Beer in hand. Oh yeah!!!! This is how we roll!!!!!!!
Kenny first at the dinner table. Surprised??? Hmmmm, no. His body language is saying, “C’mon!!!! Let’s do this!!!!!”!!!!!!
THE DAY OF
Here we go, y’all. I know this is the meat of the blog. The day of was busy but I was so zen about everything because I was so freaking exhuasted out of my noggin. Every other sentence that came out of my mouth was, “Yeah, okay cool! Sure, sounds good! Whatever you think!”. Of course I started my day with “calisthenics” as mother Jean calls them. Then Ashley + my mom picked me up to get a dress for Ashley (last minute, much? runs in the family) + vases for the flowers at our new favorite place, Walmart.
We didn’t have time for lunch so we had a quick bite at Walmart’s McDonalds. You’re all aghast. I know. In my defense, time + resources are very limited on Kauai!!!!! Sue me!!!! My mom is such a local, they didn’t have saimin (noodle soup unique to Hawaii) on the menu, but she asked + received.
Meanwhile, at the Anini house things were coming into effect.
Deb + Liz helped me do the flower arrangements, which turned out insanely gorgeous. Future brides, it helps to have artistically inclined in-laws.
Okay, you’re all going to kill me because I am a tease + I just now decided to make this post a two parter. I can’t even keep my eyes open with toothpicks right now, god help me. You are all going to have to wait + see my wedding attire tomorrow. Goodnight, sleep well everyone!!!!!! Check in tomorrow!!!
Sep 1
Getting Real
This morning Ashley walked the 1.7 miles to our place. She + I found an article in Women’s Fitness called, “No gym? No problem!”. It was a circuit of various timed exercises with as many reps as physically possible. It was hardcore. We were in the zone in our zen garden yelling, “YOU CAN DO IT!!! GOOD JOB!!!! 10 MORE!!!!!”. We were pouring with sweat! After, we did Billy Blank’s ab bootcamp. For any of you ladies who hate doing abs – this is the video for you, sister!!! Billy is your buddy + the best motivator ever!!!! Feel the burn!!!!
Today was marriage license day!!!! We went to Pono Market. A local plate lunch spot where you can eat + get a marriage license!!! Our marriage license agent was also Pono’s barista!!! So, when we were filling out our application, every once in a while he had to excuse himself to make a cappuccino.
We even got a bumper sticker!!! Da kine!!!!! And they took a picture of us to put on their wall.
Afterwards we were all famished!!! Pono Market has the best plate lunches evah, brah!!!! Plate lunches are typically two scoops of rice, a main entree + sides, like kalua pork, lau lau pork, nishime, seaweed salad, poke, etc. Poke is cubed raw sashimi, onion, soy sauce, garlic, hot sauce – omg. Where else can you get a marriage license + eat after?! Here’s Ashley salivating over the choices.
We had some fun window shopping around Kapa’a. Jeff was his overheated polar bear self, so he had to take a dip at Lydgate Park. Lydgate Park has an enclosed + protected pool where kids can swim + snorkel.
After, we headed south towards Lihue to do more wedding errands. My poor sister. Jeff + I are running her into the ground. She has had it, y’all. O-V-E-R IT. While we were all driving down the country highway, Jeff + I were making up stories about all the people we were driving by – but in Jamaican accents. Sometimes it would morph into an Irish accent.
This was going on for about 20 minutes. Ashley was pretending to be asleep + finally she burst out, “Okay!!! Enough!!!! Enough with the Jamaican accent, you two!! I was wondering when it was going to end + it didn’t!!!!”. Sneaky.
We did some pick ups at Wal Mart + scurried to Lihue airport with leis + kukui nut necklaces in hand to greet 3/4 of Jeff’s family.
Step-brother Rob, Mac + Aidan
Kelly!!!! She was so tired from being up for 48hrs that she thought I was a random Hawaiian girl handing out leis.
Jeff’s sister Daphne.
Kelly, me, Daphne + Jeff.
Me, Jeff’s niece Ambur, Jeff’s mother Jean + Jeff
We headed towards their hotel where Jeff’s brother Tom, Deb, Tobin + Matthew had already arrived.
Jeff is giving kukui nut necklaces to a reluctantly shy but excited Tobin (with Jeff’s brother Tom in the background) + a happy Matt.
Dinner was 11 hungry scavengers stalking tables at Monico’s Taqueria in Wailua. I told the kids to linger by the door + rub their bellies with sad, hungry looks on their faces. It was well worth the wait!!! Everyone was super happy with their meals – I had their famous fish tacos, which were insaaaaaane!!!! I would go back tomorrow!!! Same with Mermaids Cafe, BTW. Check out this family!!!!! And this is only 3/4 of us!!!
Soon we shall conquer the world…..soon.
Aug 12
Calgary – it’s slightly unimpressive
Hello all!!!! I am officially in Canada. During the flight I watched LA Ink the entire time + was pretty fascinated/disgusted considering I don’t watch TV + had never seen it before.
Jeff got production to help us out with a hotel room in Calgary since I arrived so late at night, he was working + a shuttle to Canmore (where he is staying during shooting) would be expensive + about an hour drive. When I got to the room there were chocolate dipped strawberries waiting for me + a congratulations note on our engagement! Oh la la!!! Classy!!!
When Jeff walked through the door I screamed like he was one of the Beatles. We haven’t seen each other in over 2 months. That is longest we’ve been apart. It is so great being back together, y’all!!!! Look at his outfit:
Can you say, amazing?
Today, I walked around downtown Calgary doing research for Jeff’s linen suit that he wants to get for the wedding. Don’t worry everyone, he’s only going to wear the pants because it’ll be too hot, but he said every man needs a nice linen suit. I saw this statue + became confused because I didn’t know Jeff played hockey + was made of wood: 
I ambled along Stephen’s Avenue Walk which is an outdoor pedestrian mall which contains a high concentration of registered historic buildings in the city. Most of these building are sandstone; a result of the construction of fire resistant buildings that followed a fire in 1886 that damaged much of the city.
The building themselves were beautiful + the atmosphere was a little bit like 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica with the shops, kiosks + unsavory characters hanging out on benches all the live long day – but just not as good. I was going to delete this horrible boring picture of Stephens Avenue:
But then I took a closer look + went, “whoah”. 
That dude is not messing around.
Here’s another fine gentleman who I believe is dipping into his bag of chew.
LILASH UPDATE:
I almost forgot. Lilash has been making my eyelids slightly sensitive. I’m not gonna lie, y’all. It gives my eyelids a slightly pinkish tint. But, it’s so faint that it could possibly pass for pink fashion eyeshadow 
:
Or a geisha:
Don’t worry I’m exaggerating a little bit. Today feels better. But I just wanted to warn everyone of the slight side effect. It’s a once a day application for two weeks. After that it’s a twice a week kind of deal. Beauty = Pain.
Ok! Goodnight everyone!!! Love + miss everybody!!!
Aug 11
Packing, Comfort Zones + Long Lashes
I FLY OUT TO CALGARY TODAY!!!!! For those of you who are Canada inept, Calgary is in Alberta. Canadian cowboy country. The Canadian Rockies. Ring a bell? Probably not. Jeff is working on an AMC western episodic called “Hell on Wheels” about the building of the railroads. The Rockies is where we filmed Inception + Jeff, Tom (brother-in-law) + Deb (best sister-in-law ever) had previously lived there for 20 years, so I’m joining him there + going through all the MANY storage spaces he still has out there. Plus, while we were filming there it was the dead of winter + I didn’t really get to enjoy the mountains. Excited.
Check out “Hell on Wheels”: http://www.amctv.com/amc-news/videos/amcs-first-look-at-hell-on-wheels
Common the rapper is in the show + Jeff likes to hang out backstage with him at rap concerts. Jeff’s so street!
Here’s a map of where I’ll be for those of you who are still confused about Alberta:
Here it is in relation to Vancouver:
Take notes. There will be a test.
Strangely enough, one thing that has calmed my anxiety the past couple days has been watching pieces of Jane Campion’s “The Piano”. I take little breaks from circling around my 568 sq ft apartment in overwhelming packing confusion. Not only is it one of my favorite movies, but maybe it’s the haunting soundtrack, gloomy beauty, + unbelievable New Zealand setting that soothe me.
And who can resist this mug? I mean, c’mon?! If that doesn’t say soothing, I don’t know what does??!! 
“That’s totally weird, I don’t get it.” you’re thinking. I completely agree.
Oh, by the way, I saw my friend Kaori the other weekend + her eyelashes looked INSANE LONG. She told me about a product called Lilash. You can buy it on amazon. It’s kind of expensive, but I thought it’d be nice to have purty eyelashes for the wedding. It’s applied like liquid eyeliner.
This is my second day using it, so if my upper eyelids start swelling up like the Elephant Man, I’ll be sure to let everyone know! 
Well, I’m off to do more errands + keep packing until my flight!!! I’ll post tomorrow in Canada!!! Still hasn’t hit me yet!!!! EEEEEK!!!!! Goodbye stars + stripes!!!!
Aug 9
Rings + Korean Spas – as girlie as I get
RINGS
Today my awesome, most fabulous jewelry friend, Alex Hopp stopped by Little Tokyo to show me the final samples of our rings!!! Perfection! It’s been a really special experience having Alex be the one making our custom rings. She’s smart, funny as hell + is like a living cartoon character with insane, gorgeous beaming red hair. Oh, + she loves thrift store shopping. Jeff + I have been to her studio in San Diego + watched her cut, solder + brush. AND she showed us a whole cabinet full of hammers. How cool is that?! But no, she’s not related to Thor, if you were wondering.
The rings are the ridgeline of Fortress Mountain – the mountains in the Canadian Rockies where Jeff + I met on while we were working on Inception. Dreamy!!! Mine is more simple + abstract, while Jeff’s is detailed + realistic to the mountain range. These are the samples to be cast + dipped! Hizzah!!!!
SPA
Later tonight my fabulous Korean gal pal Debbie took me to my first Korean spa experience at Natura Spa. http://natura-spa.com/ Oh, have to give a shout out to my fabulous Chinese gal pal Kim Shek from Brooklyn who recommended Natura to me in the first place. What up, Kim???!!! I thought, might as well get my skin rubbed down before I bum people out with my scaly skin in Hawaii. I was so dry I looked like a Galapagos dragon. For real. Check me out before: 
So, the deal is you go to the front + pay. They give you a locker key with a number. In the locker is towels + a robe. Fully undress + enter the bath house. That’s where you get full on nekkid to the world. But it’s cool because there’s ladies of all shapes, sizes + colors. First take a shower (bring your own face soap, lotions + face creams, etc. if you so desire). Then while you wait for your number (the number of your locker) to be called by the scrubbing ladies you can jump into the jacuzzi, dry sauna + other extremely hot rooms. When you get scrubbed, you really, really get your money’s worth!!! These ladies GO TO TOWN!!!!!! GO TO TOWN!!! I had so much skin coming off of my body, I could feel it on the bed surrounding me. It was like as Debbie said, eraser shavings. And I mean chunks. Dizgusting, y’all. There is no nook or cranny or stone unturned on your body. They really get in there if you know what I mean. And very thorough because they scrubbed the front twice, the back side twice + both of your sides. AND WAIT!!! THERE’S MORE!!!!! Your hair will get shampooed + conditioned, your face lightly massaged + your entire body lightly massaged + lotioned up!!! All this for $45!!!! Check me out now: 
how's it going, eh? 