Monthly Archives: May 2014

Art, Cambodia, Expat, lifestyle, Music, Phnom Penh

Just dance!

Photo: Film Noir Studios

Photo: Film Noir Studios

Who doesn’t love a good performance? Especially one that engages, excites, and makes you feel like getting out of your chair and move! I danced for several years throughout my early childhood, ballet and jazz, then moved into contemporary and hip-hip into my teens so when I heard that an upcoming event was being held to showcase young talented dancers in Cambodia it sparked my interest. I’ve seen Dance World Cambodia’s performances all over town from clubs to events and was interested to see what the school had to offer this time around.

Over some chilly coconut water and iced coffee, I sat down with Laura Joy Kiddle, instructor and founder of Dance World Cambodia to hear a bit more about what’s coming up!

Continue reading →

Standard
Expat, lifestyle, Personal

A belated birthday.

Hal Mischke

Hal Mischke

As yesterday passed I looked at the date on a number of occasions: 5/28/2014. While signing papers, following up on emails, flipping through my planner, checking on documents. What didn’t occur to me was that it was my late dad’s birthday. It’s very strange that I hadn’t taken note of this or grieved not being able to give him a warm hug and cut him a slice of his favorite German chocolate cake. He was never one for making a fuss for his birthday, ever, so I suppose my lack of remembrance would have been fitting. It did make me question though, has almost five years of him being out of my daily life changed the way I miss him?

Continue reading →

Standard
Beauty, Cambodia, Expat, lifestyle, Personal, Phnom Penh

Wax on, wax off.

Is it over yet?

Is it over yet?

Going in for a bikini wax with a new technician is a lot like a first sexual encounter with someone new: heart rates are high, stress levels can sky rocket, it can be uncomfortable, a bit messy, you’re excited (for different reasons, in this case to get rid of unwanted hair) and you just hope the other person knows what they’re doing.

Continue reading →

Standard
Beauty, lifestyle, Personal

Reblog: Why Do We Hate Plastic Surgery So Freaking Much?

unnamed

This piece about the mindset and opinions around plastic surgery really resonated with me. Being overall unhappy with my lack of boobage since I hit puberty and realized those knockers weren’t coming in, I’ve always felt like something was missing. Well, two things specifically.

Continue reading →

Standard
Beauty, Cambodia, Expat, Fashion, lifestyle, Phnom Penh

Model behavior.

Photo: C. Nation Studio

Photo: C. Nation Studio

As I edged awkwardly out of my preteens with overly dry skin, lank hair, and standing about 4 foot 8, I had a strong desire to become a model-cum-actress after spending hours upon hours of flipping through glossies. I begged my mom time after time to enroll me into modeling schools, take me to LA for auditions, and avidly read seventeen like it held the truth to the universe. Luckily she had the wits about her to say “no” to the thousands of dollars it would cost to enroll me in what was likely a farce of a class, see that I wouldn’t be shooting up the eleven inches it would take to reach international modeling standards, and that like most things I had taken interest in- ballet, horseback riding, the viola- my passion to be a supermodel would peter out in due time.

Continue reading →

Standard
Cambodia, Expat, lifestyle, Personal, Phnom Penh

From sea to shining sea.

Friends

Well friends, the holiday season- in Cambodia, that is- is now over until the excitement of Pchum Benh builds in September. We’ve gotten to enjoy 5 day weekends, 2 day work weeks, and a few random days off thrown in for the past few months and I had definitely gotten used to it with days full of cat naps, ordering in, and writing to my hearts content both publicly and privately, for work and for pleasure. Continue reading →

Standard
Beauty, lifestyle

Bat for lashes.

lash out

Eyelashes have always been such a sign of luxury for me. From the start of my childhood when I first saw Thumper’s girlfriend in Bambi and my grandmother’s fluttering mascara-ed eyes to match her epically long, polished fingernails to present day where all the stars don faux mink falsies, long lashes have been a symbol of femininity and allure.

Continue reading →

Standard
Cambodia, Expat, Personal, Phnom Penh

The one and only Sheila Mischke.

mom

Photo: Film Noir Studios

Over the past year and a half that I’ve lived in Phnom Penh, living life adjacent to my mom’s who paved our way into The Charming City, I’ve learned a lot about our relationship, our strengths, weaknesses, and more than anything- our deep seeded love for each other.

Continue reading →

Standard