Katherine Chloé Cahoon

Since this 4th is the 240th anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence, there isn’t a festivity that I’m passing up…starting with a street parade and strawberry shortcake, followed by an afternoon at the beach, a barbeque, and a party in the park, and ending with fireworks! How are you celebrating? For those of you in other countries, I hope you’re having an equally fantastic day.

Top by Vince Camuto, Shorts by 7’s For All Mankind, Purse by Free People, and Wedges by Toms.

Nasty Gal founder, Sophia Amoruso, (32) just made #53 on Forbes magazine’s new list of America’s richest self-made women. She began her business by selling mostly rock ‘n’ roll vintage clothes to young hipsters on eBay, and built it into an enterprise earning $300 million…including two brick-and-mortar stores she just opened in L.A.

I chose one of her pieces for a banner picture on my website.

Here are some more pictures from my Hawaiian escape. Somehow, I kept passing by the ice cream store. Wonder how that happened?!

Top by Bar III, Shorts by Hudson, and Wedges by Steve Madden

Men’s Favorite Fragrance for Women

Even though this movie is made for kids, its appeal is universal. Personally, I was laughing harder than some of the tots in the theater…along with Dory-loving big kids and adults. Besides its wit and adorable factor, what I love most about Finding Dory is…well, Dory. She obviously has more challenges than any other sea animal in the show, and yet she is one of the most courageous and resourceful. Instead of focusing on her limitations, she concentrates on using her other talents to reach her goal. Instead of giving up when obstacles are placed in the path, she forges on with an optimistic outlook. If we all had a little Dory in us, life would go better.

Are you the kind of girl who hardly needs an excuse to get dressed up? Well, if you’re like me, you might find yourself perusing the dress section in stores so often that sales associates recognize you! Since the weekend is upon us, I thought featuring a going-out gown was the perfect choice.

Dress by Pamella Roland

Something about wearing my new favorite Free People top puts me in that free-spirit mood where the possibilities seem endless and the adventures await!

Have you noticed that in Hawaii a girl could never leave her resort and not run out of fun times? There’s the beach, the lagoon, live music, spontaneous dancing, and tropical animals.

Top by Free People and Shorts by 7’s For All Mankind.

Are you hopping a plane to Paradise anytime soon? Or some other warm, wonderful place? Well, here are some outfit ideas…mixed with fireworks, adorable animals and waterfalls. All products can be found here.

When I was little, I loved making sand castles. I was one of the first to toddle out to the ocean’s edge, and one of the last to leave. I used to stare at all the little specs of sand, marveling at how there were so many, and yet all of them came together to make up the beautiful beach. That’s like life.

….like Skating, Turning, and Stopping!

Last Sunday, the Penguins, Pittsburgh’s renowned ice hockey team, won the famous Stanley Cup in Rio de Janeiro. The same day, Team Brazil ranked fourth out of six in the much lesser-known Pan-American Hockey Tournament. Normally, these teams and competitions would not be lumped together in the same paragraph, but this year that changed. To call Team Brazil an underdog would be an understatement.

As their American coach explained, every member struggles, “Turning left, turning right. And stopping is obviously the biggest thing (WSJ 6/9/16).” These guys are in-line roller skaters in a country with no regulation ice rinks. They once practiced on a small patch of ice at a Pizza Hut that they had to share with kids, but lost that luxury when it closed.
So how did they overcome their beginning 0-16 score to rank fourth this year? Enthusiasm and learning their sport as the competition played out. They’re an inspiration to everyone who knows they’re facing an insurmountable challenge, but follows their heart and tries anyway.

Besides the three s’s…surf, sand and sun…one of my favorite activities in Hawaii is meeting the eclectic collection of travelers who come there. Waikiki draws people from around the world, including newlyweds, little families, close friends, and those flying solo who want a spontaneous reprieve between challenging work projects. All of them have something in common…they’re happy to make new friends and enjoy what paradise has to offer.

Top by Vince Camuto, Shorts from 7’s For All Mankind, and Wedges by Steve Madden

Today, I’m continuing my Seattle travel series by focusing on the chocolate scene. Every time I take a trip, dessert plays a major role in the adventure…and I want every bite to be memorable. So in this video, I’m taking you on a Chocolate Walk in the Greater Seattle Area.

This isn’t the first time I’ve talked about the Sorrento Hotel. In my mind, it’s been on the hot list for quite awhile. If you’d like to hear why this place IS the place to be, here’s my “100 Years on the Hot List” post describing it.

When Kylee and I headed out to take pictures here, she was concerned that we would not be allowed to shoot in such an elegant establishment. But I assured her that this wasn’t just any beautiful hotel—it was the Sorrento. So we went in with our equipment, reflector and all. You see, the Sorrento isn’t known just for its stunning décor, but for its friendly vibe. Not only did the staff let us take pictures, but the concierge invited us up to see the Penthouse, which was being prepped for an event later that night, and the manager made a point of welcoming us. Now that’s a hotel for you!

In this video, I’m teaching step-by-step from one of Ariana’s live performances…

To see Ariana’s dancers performing the choreography… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mbdHHv6yV8 (3:03-3:21)  Here I’m dancing the choreography with music… https://www.instagram.com/p/BGfE2pSCfDG/

This is what I call, “recycling a look.” It’s been a bit since Olivia Wilde painted her face in these stunning burgundy hues, but the picture keeps resurfacing. Today, I’m showing how you can do something similar. My palette is from years ago, but it’s all Bobbi Brown and she is featuring similar hues today.

This entire look can be created with Bobbi’s Everything Eyes Palette…minus the mascara and lip-gloss…which is fitting since you can, in fact, do everything but that with the Everything Palette.

If you have a favorite brand that isn’t Bobbi, it probably has comparable hues too.

Here are the steps to Olivia’s popular look:

First, brush the cream shadow all over your eyelid.

Second, take a fluffy brush and mix the darker and lighter burgundy colors together.

To get this look with my old palette, I mixed my pink blush and burgundy eyeshadow. Who says a girl can’t put a little blush on her eyelids?!

Use most of the product on your lid, focusing in the crease and blending down to your eyelashes.

Third, dust whatever product remains on your brush underneath your lower lashes for a slightly-smoky look.

Fourth, for an ethereal feel, don’t add eyeliner. Mascara will finish off your face beautifully.

Fifth, slip on some lip-gloss. I went for MAC Versicolour Stain in Always & Forever.

I’ve heard people say, “I’ll be happy when…” They finish the statement with “I graduate,” or “I get that job,” or “I get married.” Well, friends, happiness can’t be penciled in on the calendar. Life is about finding joy every day. I have a close friend with a relative who is a multi-millionaire. This person never has to worry about making ends meet, or saving for a rainy day…but that doesn’t make her happy. She keeps herself so busy sitting at her desk scrutinizing her bank accounts that she never looks out her window to marvel at the wonders of the sun, much less step outside and enjoy it. When I heard this, I decided that I was going to take more time to schedule balance into my life.

Dress by Alice and Olivia.

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