Happy Monday!

Photo by: Alysha M.

As Rory mentioned, I just moved into a new pad and started the scary adventure that people call college. I'm still settling in and adjusting to my 7 a.m. class (yikes), but I wanted to share with you the latest addition to the Girl Cave (the affectionate nickname I've given my room): the nail polish cabinet. It's three shelves of pure joy.
It makes Mondays more manageable.

What's your secret to surviving Mondays? 

OX Alysha Marie

Splish Splash!

Photo by: Rory M.

You're probably wondering what a "Holy Grail Product" is...

I'm guessing you have about twenty of them. These are the products you CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT. Now I may be a little melodramatic, but we all know when we find that product- the one that makes your hair behave, the perfume that turns heads, or that nail polish that tickles your toenails. We're going to be featuring our favorites, and share some reasons on why we are in LOVE.

First up is LUSH's bubble bars in Ma Bar. They are a little slice of heaven in a eco-friendly container. I fell in love with the company after my aunt introduced it to me three years ago, and after a long day working on the farm (where I have my second job), this hits the spot. You just fill up your tub with warm water, drop it in, and take it out once the water has a slight haze.

3 Reason to Love: #1. Unlike other bath bombs, this doesn't leave a residue on everything (yourself and your tub), so you actually feel clean when you get out. #2. It's warm honey toffee and cocoa smell (yum). #3. All of LUSH's product are homemade and made with natural ingredients!

Price: $7.95
Where: LUSH stores (I like the one on Newbury Street in Boston) or www.lushusa.com.

What's your Holy Grail Product? 
And anyone else a LUSH fan?

OX Alysha Marie

The Deets

If you've ever come home from an extend vacation (a week or more), everyone seems to know that you've been away. My Facebook friends (and their friends) know, your neighbors notice and almost everyone in my church knows that I've been off gallivanting somewhere.

In no particular order, here are the 5 most popular questions I've been asked:

#1. Where did you go?

I went to Senegal, then Madrid (and for the sake of this post, I'll hold off on Madrid discoveries).

Taken on the bus ride from Dakar to our hotel in San Louise.

#2. Where did you stay?
We stayed on the island side of St Louis (which is a 4 hour drive from the capital Dakar, where we flew in) in a hotel. We had a spacious room (the owner had mercy on us girls and offered us the largest room the hotel had to offer) with a shower and a real toilet! Our beds had mosquito nets, we had giant bugs that lived in the closet of the bathroom where the towels were held and AC powered by a generated (that we may have blown out, and the entire hotel lost power for a bit...sorry other hotel guests).

Painting a column in the Trade School.

#3. What did you do?
We spent most of our time at a trade school that a local church was building. The missionaries that hosted us, the Davis family and the Stevenson family, have been partnering with the Fall family (pastor of the local church) to make a trade school for the Tailbes boys. (They also recently opened up a woman's trade school to help families bring in extra income.) 

The Tailbes boys are children who are sold by their families to Marabouts (local religious leaders). Most of these children are moved to different parts of the country to prevent them from running away. From the ages of 5-17, they are forced to beg on the streets and live in cramped dorms with jail-like conditions. Once they turn 18, they are kicked out onto the street with no job training or literacy. The Trade School will one day teach them a trade and basic elementary skills, like reading and math.

We spent our days helping pour cement, leveling floors, and sanding and painting walls. The only snag was that girls were not allowed to stand on ladders or level floors/pour cement, so we painted as high as we could go (which wasn't that high seeing how we are all under 5'4") and then we cheered the boys on as they painted the ceiling, pour cement, moved loads of dirt and performed other manly tasks. 

#4. What did you eat?

We ate A LOT. 

Every day for lunch, we went to the Falls' house. Lunch is the main meal in Senegalese culture, so it's a time when you go home and spend two hours at home, catching up with family and taking a nap. (Random fact: It's a sign of good manners and that you feel comfortable in a home if you are able to nap during lunch time.) Madame Fall would invite everyone who was hanging around the job-site to lunch, so we got to know all the workers pretty well. We ate on the floor with about 8 to 10 people gathered around a giant pan of food. Everyone ate with spoons and it was common that, if the eldest person at your plate noticed that you loved something (say the chicken), they could spoon over a LARGE portion of it to the little "slice" of the bowl that you sat in front of and you had to eat it.

My favorite dish was the spicy onion and chicken rice (that's pictured below) and the most "interesting" was the fish balls (think meatballs, but with fish and they added the bones and insides for taste).

#5. What were your most memorable experiences?
Tommy (one of the team's adult leaders, pictured on the right) and I went to Bach's (on the left) family home. We traveled for about an hour and a half outside of St Louis to his village and he showed us around. We trampled through sand dunes, walked cautiously by a BIG snake, viewed lush farmland and met the entire neighborhood.

We went on a horse and buggy tour around St Louis. It was an amazing way to see the city as only locals do. We got stuck behind a parade that was celebrating the victory of a local boxer (picture a World Series and Superbowl parade combined). It was amazing to see entire neighborhoods pouring out into the streets to celebrate.

The Kids! At the Trade School, we had all the children from the surrounding houses crowding around the doors and fighting each other for a glimpse at tabas, or white people. I have never been squished by more hugs or had my hair played with more (they were amazed that my hair was soft and two different colors).

ox Alysha Marie

Full Circle

Photo By: Alysha Marie

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.

Live the life you imagined. 

As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler."

- Henry David Thoreau

Ever since eleventh grade English, when I first read this quote, I knew I had to write it down. Thoreau nailed down the things I wanted in life: confidence, dreams coming true, and simple living.

It was the first line that always drew me in: "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams." Confidence. Isn't that the word that the magazines use to describe how you need to act when you're at a job interview, with your crush or making a major life decision? As a young adult, these are the situations I find myself in almost daily and I will admit that confidence is not a word I would use to describe most of these encounters. 

You see, I always thought confidence was a natural thing you were born with: you either had it or you didn't. I always thought I didn't have it.

I always had confused confidence with perfection. Confidence is a fearlessness to go after what you want in life. If that means looking for a new job because you hate your current one, then interview. If it means talking to the cutie from down the hall, then go talk to him. If you want to travel to Africa and need to wipe out a vast sum of cash from your savings, then do it. 

The journey to get to what you want in life isn't a road. Thoreau wrote "in the direction" and last time I checked, direction means north, south, east or west. There are no street signs in direction. It means putting your compass down, focusing on your end destination and doing whatever it takes to make it there, even climbing mountains if need be.

I thought getting to Africa was a road: You sign up to be on a team. You write support letters. People love to hear the good work you will do, and they will donate resources. You will know everyone on the team well and be well-prepared. Your parents will be proud of you and support you 100%. You will serve people by doing work and good deeds, and come home with the pictures to prove it.

And of course, none of this happened. I had to beg to be on a team. I only had a few people respond to support letter (for which I am very grateful!) but not enough to pay for a $3,000 trip. I got a second job. I wasn't able to attend all the trip meetings, so I didn't really know the team and I wasn't well prepared. My parents were freaking out over their eldest baby going to a different country. 

But I went to Africa. I lived the life that I've wanted to live. I learned a lot and life became simpler. 

Hopefully, as I share about how my dream came true, you will be inspired to walk confidently in the direction of yours.

Inspiration; it's a beautiful thing, isn't it?

OX Alysha Marie

Summer Nights

I am a summer beauty nerd. It's the only time of the year where fearlessness is truly embraced. Case in point, summer cliff diving=crazy, but is socially acceptable, winter cliff diving=you have a death wish.

Now is the time to test out new looks! We've got cook outs, drive-ins, family reunions, road trips, romantic beach dates, summer flings, (insert the favorite summer activity of your choice), let's get fearless!

Turns out for gingers (or at least the only ginger in my life, Tay) summer beauty is daunting. Golden bronze glows are really seas of freckles, porcelain skin turns the color of lobsters and ginger hair turns carrot top orange. So, she really didn't share my summer-time beauty excitement but after some coercing, I convinced her to let me handle her make-up for her aunt's evening baby shower on Cape Cod.

Photo by: Alysha Marie

 TA-DA! Summer Nights was born! Inspired by summer nights on the beach, we focused on a bronze eye with glowing skin and rosy lips. Subtle enough to wear near your grandma but  interesting enough to attract the interest of your fashionable cousins. Did I mention that it's SUPER easy.......

Ingredients:

1. Flirt! Eyeshadow in Peach Champagne and Bronze Splash-Khols

2. Almay Ideal Lip Gloss in Berry Shimmer- CVS

3. E.L.F. Golden Bronzer-Target

4. Angled Eye Shadow Brush- Amazon.com

5. Small Round Eye Shadow Brush-Amazon.com

6. Big Round Blush Brush- Amazon.com

7. (not pictured) bowl of luke-warm water

8. (not pictures) Q-tips

Photo by: Alysha Marie

How To:
1. Dip Angled Eye Shadow Brush into cup of water; Get damp but not dripping water. Dip brush into Bronze Splash (the third color in from your left) and then draw a line from the inner corner of your eye to the end of your lash line. Now, thinly line the bottom of your lashes using the same method with the shadow and water. Repeat for your other eye.
2. Take a Q-tip and smug the bronze line you just created on your lid. I found rubbing it in a small circle motion upwards (about 1/8 of an inch), gives you the perfect smokey eye.
3. Using your Small Round Eye-Shadow Brush apply Peach Champagne (1st shadow on your left) to your  brow bone and extend up towards the arch of your eyebrow.
4. Take your Big Round Blush Brush and apply Golden Bronzer to the apples of your checks, along your hairline and along your jaw bone. This is an awesome highlighter that works for all skin types and didn't hide her freckles but gave her a nice glow.
5. Apply lip gloss and your ready to go!

Test it out and be fearless.
In fearlessness, we might find unexposed beauty within us.
OX Alysha Marie

We're Still Alive!

Photo by: Roark T. 

Stop putting up missing person flyers and sticking our picture on the back of milk cartons: Rory and I are still alive......but busy. To demonstrate how busy we've been here's a short list of what's been going on:


#1. Graduated high school! 
#2. Turned 18.
#3. Did all those silly senior events that I will remember in nostalgia for years to come.
#4. Got my passport and have 5 weeks till I leave for Africa. (Did I mention that I still can't speak the language?)
#5. Started a new job (yup, two jobs in the summer...I'm just an over-achiever.)
#6. Started planning my big move out to Arizona in the fall.
#7. Wiped out nearly half of my bank account.


Now out of all the life changing events that have been going on, you would think that a.) going to a foreign country or b.) moving halfway across the country would be the most terrifying but it turns out #7. was enough to give me a panic attack.


Why did I wipe out nearly half of my bank account? Because that's how much is costs to go to Africa (and a pit-stop in Madrid on the way home). Last week, the money was due. I'm standing in line at the bank, shell shocked. I couldn't get over the number of zeros and comas that were on the withdrawal slip and as hysteria started to rise, I was struck by this thought: I can't take it with me.


I know very Buddha of me, but honestly, in 20 years, what will I remember: the fact that in 2012 I had X-amount of money, or I went to Africa and Spain?So I walked up to the counter and withdrew a lot of money and haven't regretted it a day since.


No, I'm not saying withdraw all your money and go hog wild, but life is short. There are never any guarantees that a door might open again, so don't be afraid to jump. I don't know what that door might be or what the sacrifice might be to get there but don't let money, something that you can earn and can be easily taken away, stop you from taking a leap of faith.


Leaps of faith lead to adventure, and adventure to exquisite beauty.

You can't take it with you.

Don't miss the beauty waiting around the corner.

Don't be afraid to leap.
OX Alysha Marie

P.S. I'll let you know how it goes.

Birthdays

(photo credit:hello giggles.com)

Everyone looks at me oddly when I exclaim, "I LOVE BIRTHDAYS!!!!" 
Why this love of birthdays may you ask?
Because it's the one day that I can truly celebrate the individuals for being themselves and no one looks at you like you have three heads. Kindness is a rare commodity these days: we are more likely to call a girl a hoe than beautiful. I think we need to focus more on celebrating our days on this Earth and the people who make them special.
So in honor of my birthday this Wednesday, I challenge you to celebrate someone for one day. Do their laundry, take them our for cheesecake, walk their goldfish and pay them a compliment. As they say, smiles make the world go around.....

Isn't that a beautiful thing?

ox Alysha Marie

African Advice

Turns out that the North African Market in New York City is a good place to get life advice. 

A few friends and I decided to take a road trip to New York to get in some extra cross-cultural training for our upcoming trip to Senegal. We stayed with a missionary family that will be helping us once in Senegal and they suggested traveling to the city to get a crash course with speaking the language (a cross between French, Arabic and Wolof). So, we adventured into Harlem and there we met Mel.

Mel is from Ethiopia and sells scarfs and jewelry in the Market. My friend Kris, who has traveled to both Kenya and Gabon, struck up a conversion with her while trying to purchase some items to bring home. Mel lived in Ethiopia for thirty years, then moved to Kenya where she was exiled back to Ethiopia after her brother got in trouble with the law. She came to the States when her son was a baby and has lived and worked in Harlem ever since. She tries to travel back to Africa every couple of years, but hasn't had the money to go back (even for her dad's funeral in 2007) since she was laid off from her job. 


Before we parted, she took each of our hands and said, "You girls were respectfully inquisitive. Continue to ask questions. You are young, my children, ask the questions. Once you get old like me, the doors that are open to ask questions now will be shut and you will always wonder the answer."

My dare for you today is to ask questions. You never know what you might discover, and that's a beautiful thing.

OX Alysha Marie

Food for Thought

"Always be generous with your encouraging words, you may find they will inspire others to be the best they can be."
— CATHERINE PULSIFER

 (photo credits: weheartit.com)

Ever have just a crazy season in your life? Like a month or two when you wonder if life will stop spinning for two seconds so that you can get least paint your nails, actually enjoy the tea your drinking and catch up on you Once Upon A Time (I am SO woefully behind). The craziness has yet to cease but this quote is a challenge to myself and to you: Even in the craziness, that we can find one encourage word to say to another because building people up is prettier than tearing someone down.

OX Alysha Marie

About Me (Alysha Marie)

My name is Alysha Marie and yes, I am posing with a cow (don't worry no cows were harmed in the making of this photo). I enjoy life, seriously, I do. I have adventures and have yet to be arrested, which I perceive as very impressive. I'm in love with For King and Country (a lovely little band), my MacBook Peaches (yes I name my laptop....and also my car), and Africa (I'm going to Senegal this July with fingers crossed). I'm obsessed with coffee, clothing (my closet can attest to that) and philanthropy. I'm just starting this crazy adventure called life with graduation just four little months ahead and am excited, but a tad nervous, about starting college in the fall.

I am writing to awaken the poetry of living that has been lost by our generation. We're so performance driven that most of the time, beauty and the enjoyment of life falls wayside as we jump to the next platform. We all fall victim to it but hopefully, this little blog, one of millions, will help remind you of the beauty that surrounds you.

OX Alysha Marie

Welcome to the Eye.

"Eye of the Beholder" is about capturing the joy, beauty, and spirit of living. It acknowledges those that make the art that feeds our souls, and the hearts that seek a life inspired by the beauty around them. We’re here to showcase these hidden gems and share their stories. We want to create a new type of beauty blog and remember the beauty of living.

We're two crazy friends, bonded by a love of food, and the pursuit of the next great hairstyle, makeup trick, manicure, or outfit. Rory is the creative genius, and Alysha Marie is the rogue adventurer. Together we’ll capture the beauty of living. We'd love for you to join us. 

Love,

Rory & Alysha Marie