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successful skin bash for “european wax center”
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Just in time for the beach, European Wax Centers reveals Houston’s first painless, affordable waxing center, as close to 300 guests attended the French themed Skin bash to celebrate its first location at River Oaks Plaza. It was a night of glamour, style, and of course, lots of bare skin exposed.
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the party |
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The event began at 6 PM as guests arrived eager to check out the new European Wax Center and were impressed with its modern, spa-like facilities. Crowds of fashionable guests wearing fresh, yummy summer colors began sipping on French Daiquiri (courtesy of Seagram Rum), and Mumm Champagne. Satisfying the guest’s appetites were scrumptious French bites provided by Café Natalie, while tropical music was playing in the background.
Flickering votive candles set the mood for the interior while the tent by the entrance gave a sexy lounge atmosphere. Super sexy Brazilian swimsuits, provided by Zingara, worn by flawless models gave the party the perfect eye candy. Guests had an eye-feast as the models mingled with guests in different swimsuits throughout the party, showing off their silky smooth, freshly waxed skin. Friendly staff greeted and registered guests to win “Club 30” memberships, which offer 30% off all services and 20% of all retail purchases, as well as free unlimited waxing services. Waxing experts were on hand to demonstrate and perform the waxing process with volunteer guests throughout the evening.
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the charity |
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As a part of their ongoing efforts to give back, European Wax Center donated 10 percent of all sales from pre-paid services, gift certificates, and retail products during the party and throughout the Open House weekend to benefit The Women's Fund (www.thewomensfund.org), whose mission is to educate Houston area women and girls to be advocates for their health.
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the Attendees |
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Attendees included: Founders of European Wax Center who flew in from Florida: Jessica Streiner, David Coba, and Josh Coba; Judd & Christina Miller, Mark To & Hanh Nguyen, Russell Neinast, Danna Holly; Nelly & Eddie Cornejo; Kaye Webster, Loren Wood, Stacy Fike; Michael Pearson; Dr. Diane Do; Viet Hoang (Yellow magazine), and Stephanie & Gil Talafuse, to name a few.
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the four-step process |
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European Wax Center uses a revolutionary 100% natural beeswax and the finest polymers to create a hard, strip less wax, meaning quicker application time and significantly less pain and irritation, with better results. They are the only company that uses this type of wax. Cleanse, Protect, Wax and Rejuvenate, the awe-inspired four-step process ensures that customers receive a smooth, long-lasting wax each time. The process includes depilatory oil prep which makes a big difference in painlessness as it is applied prior to the wax to ensure it attaches only to the hair, not the skin. Afterwards the skin is treated with an ingrown hair serum, an all-natural product with lavender and chamomile to calm the area and prevent irritation.
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the free first wax |
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European Wax Center is so confident about the quality of its gentle wax, it is offering a completely free initial waxing to everyone at any time. Women may opt for a free initial bikini line, eyebrow or underarm waxing; men for a free initial eyebrow, ear or nose waxing. Visit European Wax Center River Oaks Plaza at 1564 West Gray or call 713-524-4929; or West University location at 5154 Buffalo Speedway or call 713-667-2929. Forty more locations slated to open in Houston (and 85 in Texas) will make the pleasing, affordable experience convenient for all Houstonians. www.waxcenter.com
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where roughin' it meets luxurious livin’
By: Mimi Dinh
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Only less than ten years ago, if you had asked me to spend my precious vacay days by hiking 12,000 feet to Machu Picchu for four days in the mountains without modern conveniences, I would have said, "What?! No shower? How can I blow dry my hair?" What a city slicker I was! But people evolve and change, and thankfully I have changed for the better, I think. I have even surpassed my husband in this department, dragging him to go hang-gliding, paragliding, surfing and sky diving - Not to mention biking, jogging, hiking, swimming and boating on the weekends!
And if our most recent trip to climb Machu Picchu in Peru is any indication, I am glad to find I have matured into a bonafide adventuress.
Our Peruvian enterprise began at one of the highest lakes in the world: Titicaca. Rainfall, melt water and glaciers from five major rivers combine to form this spectacularly beautiful lake, and seeing it from my plane window took my breath away. |
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Photos: Dinh |
It pays to have savvy traveling companions. Our friend Donna, who researched the hotel, wanted to celebrate her wedding anniversary with her husband at hotel Tikilaca, situated 3,812 m (12,500 feet) above sea level on the edge of the lake.
It's not our typical hotel for my husband and me. While we appreciate a fine hotel -- especially boutique varieties which retain a character and personality lost at the major chains -- we still want value. Neither ostentation nor opulence speaks to us, and outrageous prices are certainly a turnoff. Therefore, I'm so pleased that our friends’ desire to celebrate their anniversary here gave us the perfect opportunity to splurge on this spectacular hotel we otherwise wouldn't have experienced.
I was immediately impressed by the hotel's blend of luxury and understated elegance, all without sacrificing warmth or character. Well, maybe not immediately impressed.
The long flight, the 2-hour bumpy car ride and the unusually high altitude left me feeling so lightheaded and nauseous that when we arrived, the hotel staff took one look at me and immediately pulled out a device to measure my blood oxygen levels. Alarmed that my levels were way below normal, they put an oxygen mask on me, while my group started chuckling. “The meanies,” I thought at first. But once I regained some energy, lying limp on the couch with an oxygen mask, I had to admit the whole scene was hysterical, and I couldn't help but laugh along with them.
Not that they could talk! Everyone else experienced some symptoms too, headaches and achiness, just not as bad as mine. Apparently all this happens a lot, and the hotel staff knew just what to do to help newcomers cope with the high altitude. I was impressed with their attentiveness literally from the first moment.
So, feeling 100% better -- who knew oxygen could be such a treat! -- I now had a chance to soak in the gorgeous hotel, which offered modern architecture and decor in a clean, minimalistic style. It conveys the feel of a luxurious vacation home, with heated floors and wraparound terraces, more than a hotel.
We spent the next three days virtually blissed out on pampering from the hotel. Since we were their only guests for our first two days, we were constantly surrounded by a full staff at our beck and call. Surrendered to the experience utterly, we even stopped wearing our watches and used nature as our guide to go about our daily rhythm. |
| In the mornings, we would walk to the dining room to find a long buffet flowing with an array of breads and cereals, a rainbow of fresh fruits, many kinds of freshly squeeze juice and a variety of fine cheeses. We also had the option of a made-to-order breakfast from their menu. If you ever visit Peru, try the Peruvian pancakes. Denser than American-style pancakes, with a different texture and flavor, they proved absolutely delicious.
After our morning feast, our tour guide would appear with a full plan to take us to all sorts of amazing sites. Although our guide took us to many local sites of interest – including the town's bustling market, kayaking in the lake right behind our hotel -- the "floating village" was by far the most interesting site we visited.
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Photo: Au |
the floating village
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Photos: Au |
The entire village is built on multiple layers of floating bundles of tortora reed. Builders, following traditions handed down through generations, pile lots of reed together and place them on top of each other until it forms a sufficiently thick foundation. The residents live in charming little huts, with barely enough room for a small bed and a night table, all made from -- you guessed it, reed! It's a strange feeling walking around this village, like walking on a giant firm mattress. And there is absolutely no electricity, just solar power and batteries. Talk about green living!
The winter can be brutal here, with the temperature sometimes plummeting to 10 Celsius (about 40 degrees here). No wonder the Uros people are also called "black blooded," given their unbelievable ability to live in flimsy huts without sufficient heat during the winter.
But they have a very practical, no-nonsense view of life. One young newlywed couple in their late teens told us that they lived together for two years before getting married. They believe in living together first to see if they are compatible, because once married, there's no such thing as divorce among the Uros.
Sounds reasonable to us, but with living so close to each other where one can hear everything that's going on in the next hut, what does one do when they have a fight with a neighbor? One waits until nighttime when everyone is asleep, they told us, then uses a saw to cut through the floor around the neighbor's house and let it float away. So they may wake up to find they, along with their entire house, have drifted away from the village. There, problem solved!
We couldn't tell if they were kidding, but don't you wish you could do the same thing to neighbors you don't like?
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living large in titilaka
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Each day after our guided excursion, we would return to the hotel for a nap to find a fiesta spread of exotic hors d'oeuvres, organic cheeses, bread and fresh fruits, accompanied by a selection of red and white local wines.
We would relax, savoring our wine and treats, as we meditated on the reflection of the sky in the lake. Meanwhile, their bar iPod played a sophisticated variety of music that I love: from Latin jazz to big band sounds, from Andes music to new age, from soft rock to alternative, from sensual French’s Carla Bruni to American torch love songs, from Schubert to Puccini. The selection was simply fantastic.
My friend Donna and I were so impressed that we asked the bartender about their collection, and thankfully the hotel makes much of the music available.Now in Houston, every time I listen to the music on my iPod, I'm transported back to Peru.
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Photo: Dinh |
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After Happy Hour, we would enjoy a candlelit, four-course meal of Peruvian fusion cuisine in their dining room. The chef combined local flavors with a continental touch, yielding sumptuous meals that managed to be both exotic and pleasantly familiar all at once. We lingered over dinner every night, just basking in good food, good wine and great company.
Finally, as we crawled into bed, a little tipsy from all the wine, we were pleasantly surprised to find a warm rubber water pouch tucked under our blanket. It was like heaven feeling the cool air from the outside mix with the coziness radiating from under our covers. It's the little touches like this that make a hotel memorable, and Hotel Titilaka can boast of truly sublime customer service. |
cusco – capital of culture
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We woke up at dawn the next morning and bid farewell to our hotel. We felt a little misty at leaving our “fantasy vacation home,” but we were excited to discover new adventures awaiting us in Cusco.
Upon our arrival there, we met up with the last group of friends to join us in the remainder of our vacation, a couple with their three boys and a male friend. |
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Photos: KC |
Cusco was a totally different experience, as a faster-paced city surrounded by picturesque mountains everywhere you look. Once the sacred capital of the Inca civilization, the El Dorado of the Spanish conquers and a great baroque center during the Spanish viceroyalty, Cusco today unites Peru as a country and is a must-stop city to start the journey to Machu Picchu. Known as a Capital of Culture, the city is drenched in Incan history. It offers gorgeous landscapes with intricate ruins and temples that feature exquisite, ancient festivals.
Since our last group of friends came to Cusco straight from the U.S., they needed a few days to acclimate, so we all enjoyed Cusco for three days. This time we stayed at a more modest hostel hotel, but don’t let the name fool you. It’s not like a “hostel” where backpackers stay for a few bucks a night. Here hostels are nice hotels with the same accommodations as 3 star hotels. Ours was a cross between an unpretentious hotel and charming B & B. Each room was well-equipped, clean, tastefully decorated with local artifacts, and it offered a nice courtyard and free Internet as well.
We carefully scheduled our travel time to coincide with Peru’s New Year so we could witness the once-a-year solstice in Machu Picchu. Therefore, we got to see a few festivals like the Inti Raymi Festival, which Cusco celebrated on June 24th as the beginning of the sun’s New Year. Also known as one of the most important festivals of the Incan year, the “winter solstice” festival is held in reenactment and honors Inti, the Sun God. |
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Photos: Dinh |
In preparation for the festival, the celebrants fast for days before and refrain from physical pleasures while presenting gifts to the Inca before the event. In return, the Inca provide them with a lavish feast of meat, corn bread, chicha and coca tea.
The celebration started on the Temple of the Sun (Koricancha), then continued to Sacsayhuaman (a stone ruin), with tons of actors and props. There was literally dancing in the streets! Traditional Peruvian music filled the city while dancers, prayers and flowers scattered everywhere. Ladies swept the streets with brooms to rid the roads of evil spirits. After sunset, student groups would perform folk dances; and firemen, teachers and other local groups marched together along with Peruvian musicians.
Meanwhile, everywhere we turned, shops and street vendors proffered handicrafts like leather goods, handbags, belts, hand woven textiles, and jewelry made of silver, local stones and filigree. Knit accessories – like Peruvian-designed hats to be worn in the winter, like a ski hat with ear flaps, made of yarn or “baby apaca” (the most quality yarn in Peru) – are one of the best buys. These hats are worn with other colorful Peruvian traditional dresses known as polleras (long, colorful skirts). Like good tourists, we each ended up with a Peruvian hat for our Inca trail later, along with lots of other gifts and souvenirs.
Staying true to our mantra of experiencing Peru physically, we walked everywhere in Cusco. We stopped and toured La Catedral (The Cathedral) and enjoyed its rich interior décor of cedar and alder woodcarvings, and the important collection of paintings from the Cusquenian School of Arts.
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Photo: Dinh Photo: KC |
We arranged for a tour guide to take us to see the Sacred Valley, and we stopped by Pisaq and Chinchero, both archaeological sites and markets, to buy more things we don’t need (hey, we’re supporting the local economy!). My favorite part was when we climbed the steep steps all the way down to the base of the valley where our tour lady had us stand closely together to form a tight circle, and then performed an Incan blessing ritual on all of us and our loved ones.
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the food
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Photos: Dinh |
From street foods to local eateries to touristy restaurants, Cusco boasts a full assortment of gastronomical delights. Peruvians have two food staples that they prepare in countless ways: corn and potatoes. Did you know that they have over 3,000 different kinds of potatoes and over 300 kinds of corn? Puts our own simple “yellow corn” to shame!
Two adventurous dishes that we tried were alpaca cooked in white wine, and cuy (guinea pig). The cuy looked a little unappetizing to me – when alive, it’s like a big rat – but in Cusco it qualifies as a delicacy so popular and highly regarded that Cusco painters included it in the Last Supper painting hanging in La Catedral. Don’t worry, though; the natives make sure you can wash this delicacy down with either their famous yellow Inca Kola (which tasted like bubblegum) or their local beer, chicha. You can also just chase it with some other popular beer brands like Cristal, Pilsen or Brahma; but the best beer is Cerveza Cusqueña.
Don’t worry if your tastes aren’t quite so exotic. You’ll find a plethora of cuisines from around the world, as diverse as Italian, Israeli, and Chinese.
Recommended by the locals and our guide book, Pacha Papa restaurant got our vote immediately as we were led from the front door to its open courtyard, into our private dining quarter. Situated in the middle of the restaurant, the courtyard was a happening scene of bustling tables next to big oak trees, with a wood-burning oven in a corner. I noticed every restaurant in Cusco seemed to be equipped with one of these, which they use to make everything from pizza to bread, baked dishes to empanadas. These ovens were implemented when they discovered that open flames were very hazardous to the health of the natives who didn’t have proper ventilation like chimneys. Now these adobe ovens safely give the food a favorable taste without leaving toxic carbon monoxide behind.
We had Rocoto rellento (stuffed roasted hot rocoto pepper), Chicharrones (pork cracklings with fried sweet potatoes and Chulpe corn), tamales, and ceviche for appetizers. For our main course, we had Marinated alpaca brochette, Adobo de chancho (Pork stewed with chichi de jora), Seco de cordero (lamb stewed with beer and cilantro), and stir fried spaghetti with chicken. We washed them down with Chicha morada, a purple corn, cinnamon, spices and fresh fruity drink that tasted like a non-alcoholic sangria. Overall the menu was inventive and tasty although perhaps not very authentic. However, not bad for a touristy restaurant. |
exploring solo
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I used to always travel with company, afraid to venture outside my comfort zone, due to many fears: mainly danger and loneliness. But as I have traveled more and grown more adventurous, I have acquired a taste for experiencing things on my own.
It’s even more essential if I intend to write about the experience later. When I’m with other people, it’s a different dynamic: it lacks intensity. Don't get me wrong. My trip memories with loved ones are priceless, and I treasure them immemsely. But I also think travel appeals to many of us because in journeying to new and different places, we are given a special chance to explore the most mysterious of undiscovered countries: ourselves. So when I was given the green light to explore Cusco on my own on our second day, I was elated.
I went from square to square, stopping anywhere that looked interesting without any special itinerary. It’s both frightening and exciting when all of your planning and safety net go out the door. That’s when you forgo your inhibitions and follow your heart, and I find that so liberating.
I snacked on just about every junk food I saw along the way: honey roasted nuts, sweet and salty humitas, still-hot-from-the-steamer corn with slices of local cheese, and homemade empanadas. |
| I literally shopped till I dropped, stopping only occasionally to rest at a square’s bench or catch a festival performance. I bought gifts for everyone in the group to commemorate our time together, and countless gifts for my family and friends back in the States. Everything was much cheaper as our dollar was still going strong in Peru, even in this economy.
Having read so much about Casa Ecologica Cusco, I was delighted to stumble on its store/gallery by accident. They create their own products using sustainable materials and practice fair trade in the production, manufacture and sales of hand-woven textile, organic food and natural medicine.
But it’s the quality of their yarn and aesthetic of their stylish accessories that impressed me the most.I first spotted their woven products in our luxe hotel back |
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in Lake Tikicaca, where the gift shop carried exclusive items from Casa Ecologica Cusco. Then, when we were at Pacha Papa restaurant, I recognized the same fashionable hand bags, belts and hats hung on the walls as beautifully as decorative art.
Three ladies were sitting in the store's courtyard, busily weaving their crafts, using ancestral textile techniques, the most refined of all the Americas. All their textiles are hand-woven and dyed with plants, using fibers of high altitude lamb and South American llama, alpaca and vicuna. I enjoyed browsing through all the items carried but ended up not buying anything because I had already bought so much earlier. |
an interesting encounter
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One of my favorite things about traveling is meeting different people along the way, locals and travelers alike. I always try to talk to the locals, especially older folks and kids. Most of them are shy, but one of them will speak a little English and can give me a glimpse into their everyday life.
Not everyone shares my travel philosophy, though. In fact, one of our friends from the group admonished me, “Never talk to strangers, Mimi!” when I was regaling them with an anecdote from my solo time in Cusco. It really struck me then how different people see travel from different perspectives. But that's kind of a case in point for my approach to travel. I believe that diversity is the engine of personal evolution. And so, I choose to expose myself to as many different people and cultures as I can. But my friend has a good point too: it's always wise to exercise caution when traveling, especially alone, and I find great value in many different viewpoints.
Here's the story that prompted my friend's comment:
I was having a hard time locating the Pacha Papa restaurant again the next day to get a copy of their menu, so I could write about their dishes in this article. So I asked this pretty Peruvian clerk at Casa Ecologica to help me. In the States, if you are not buying anything, you’re lucky if they would give you the time of the day. But here, she gave me the friendliest smile, went out of her way to find some paper and pen to draw me a map, after a failed attempt by both of us to
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Photo: Dinh |
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understand the other, since I spoke no Spanish and she spoke little English.
After thanking her, I had barely walked a block away from her store when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and found she had caught up to me. In her broken English, she was trying to let me know that she’s done with her work day and Pacha Papa is on her way home so she would take me there. She caught me by surprise, but I gladly accepted her offer, and we walked side by side chatting in simple sentences. She told me she has lived in Cusco all her life and loved it here, that she’s a single divorcee with a small child, that she works at the shop three days a week and attends university the other two days.
She made sure we arrived at the front of the restaurant before leaving. Not sure of what's the protocol for this situation, I clumsily offered to give her some money to show my gratitude for her kindness, but she firmly refused. As we waved goodbye, I couldn’t help but smile at this lovely, unusual encounter that only could happen when I’m wandering alone like this.
Pacha Papa provided another example of Peruvian friendliness. The restaurant didn't have a “to-go” menu or a cheaper version of their glossy, book-sized, expensive-looking menu. So they gave me a copy of the real menu!
Although we had just eaten there the night before, I decided to have lunch there again just because they were so nice. This time I ordered a vegetarian pizza, which turned out to be the best choice as one of our friends in the group, a world-class traveler and a foodie himself, told me later that Pacha Papa is known for the best pizza in Cusco. I can vouch for that: I finished the entire individual-sized pizza myself, enjoying its thin, crispy crust with just the right amount of gourmet cheese on grilled egg plant, rosemary and fresh basil. After walking around all morning, to be sitting there in this beautiful courtyard enjoying my pizza with a glass of white wine from Chile, was the ultimate bliss.
I joined my group later that evening for dinner, feeling invigorated from my solo experience, happy to be together with everybody for the remainder of our journey. |
ready for machu picchu
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We could hardly contain ourselves as we were getting ready for our final trip destination: climbing Machu Picchu. Our guide Jimmy picked us up early in the morning in a big bus, each of us with a walking stick in hand and backpacks hefted, full of energy and anticipation. One word to describe our next four days of hiking the Inca trail to end up in Machu Picchu: magical.
Nothing could have prepared me for the majesty of Machu Picchu. I've spoken of my personal growth into adventure, the enrichment I experience from solo traveling, and my love of meeting locals. I see a common theme here: I cross borders to expand my own boundaries. But Machu Picchu hits you deep, so deep it touches that place where your understanding of yourself and your place in the world lives. I can't wait to tell you all about it in the next newsletter! |
