Khameleon Magazine

Spring has sprung and what better way to get inspired for warmer weather than outside along a coast.  Our third stop of our 5-year anniversary trip was to an idyllic seaside town named Kennebunkport, Maine.  Kennebunkport (along with Kennebunk and Kennebunk Beach) was first settled in 17^th century by the Kennebunk family and historically boomed as a shipping and fishing village.  The boom went bust during the Civil War, but Kennebunkport has now become a seaside resort town due to its picturesque landscape and Colonial and Federal-style homes.  Heading to Kennebunkport from Salem, we drove on Highway 1 where we could explore Maine’s Lighthouse Trail.

We didn’t have the time to see all of Maine’s lighthouses, but we did see a few.  The lighthouse we visited before arriving in Kennebunkport was Cape Neddick Light, aka the “Nubble Light”.  The Nubble Light sits on small rocky island just 100 yards off the mainland.

Upon arriving to Kennebunkport, we first checked into our hotel.  We stayed at the Nonantum Resort which had beautiful water views and a Cape Cod style aesthetic.  Once we checked-in, we strolled to the central part of town called the Dock Square, where it was scattered with boutiques, souvenir shops and restaurants. We shopped a bit and then we stopped into Alison’s Restaurant for a cocktail and appetizer before our dinner reservation at Earth on Hidden Pond.  At Alison’s we drank a Maine Blue-tini and slurped our first lobster bisque of the trip.  That lobster bisque was so good, it has surpassed any other soups I’ve ever ate, and the Blue-tini was a good complement to a warm soup.  Did you know that blueberries are Maine’s state fruit?

After a pitstop at Allison’s, we walked back to our hotel to get ready and head to dinner at Earth on Hidden Pond.  If there is one restaurant that Mike and I would say served us the best meal of our entire trip – Earth on Hidden Pond takes the crown.  Earth on Hidden Pond is a farm-to-fork eatery, and it’s one of the best restaurants I’ve ever dined at in my entire life.  Earth is a fine dining establishment so the prices of the entrees are more expensive, but the quality of the food is impeccable!  I ate swordfish for the first time and it was delicious!  The atmosphere was even inviting – it contained natural décor indoors with a dramatic glow of candlelight as you overlook the pond where there were intimate bonfires for guests.

After dinner we went back to our hotel for a good night’s sleep before driving to our next destination. The next morning, we stuffed our faces with a delightful hearty breakfast buffet at the hotel before hitting the road.  One place we wished we could have visited in Kennebunkport was the iconic Clam Shack, which supposedly serves the best lobster rolls.  Unfortunately, The Clam Shack was already closed for season in mid-October.

As we drove up the coast on Highway 1 before settling in Bar Harbor, we stopped at the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse and the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse.  One unique thing about the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse was the lighthouse itself sits at the end of a granite breakwater that stretches 4,346 feet into Rockland Harbor.  If you visit that lighthouse, make sure you have sturdy or waterproof shoes because its long walk to see it and some waves may splash over the breakwater.

If you have an interest in visiting all of Maine’s lighthouses, here is a good source for each lighthouse and their location.

Once we reached the coastal town of Bar Harbor, it was time for us to lace up our hiking boots for a trip to Acadia National Park.

WHAT TO WEAR:

As we entered into Maine, my wardrobe aesthetic changed slightly as it was prior in Massachusetts.  When I think of Maine, I imagine lighthouses, lobster and fishing villages, and rugged coasts.  With that inspiration, I packed fisherman sweaters and caps, rugged boots, and lots of layers.  My color theme for Maine was utilizing blues, yellows, whites, and grays.  For Kennebunkport, I wore a mustard-colored corduroy jacket over a white turtleneck and lighter washed denim.  I added my fisherman cap for a nautical touch.  The next day traveling from Kennebunkport to Bar Harbor, I wore a pair of overalls with a taupe turtleneck with a pair of rugged boots and my plaid jacket and cap.

STYLE TIP: When transitioning from one wardrobe color scheme to the next during a trip, pack layered pieces and accessories that can be worn multiple times and with a variety of colors.  Have you noticed most of trip’s wardrobe consists of neutral tops and then colored layering pieces, such as mustard or a plaid print?

If you like the scenic trip of coastal Maine, stayed tuned for my next blog post about Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park!

It’s been a few months since I started to write about Mike and my 5-year anniversary trip.  Last time I wrote was around Thanksgiving, then the holidays and New Year swooped in, then I was cast in a play production in January, and then my birthday month took over in February.  With the spring season coming to the forefront and winter slowly fading in the distance, I’ve been wanting to reflect again on one of the things that makes me happy; which is traveling.

As Covid-19 vaccinations are becoming available and more states opening up for tourism, my excitement to travel again has taken over.  In my previous blog post, I explained that Mike and I were able to travel to the Northeast for our 5-year wedding anniversary back in October.  Our first stop was Boston, our next stop was Salem, Massachusetts.

SALEM

Salem – known as the City of Witches and home of the infamous Salem Witch Trails.  As a little girl one of my favorite movies to watch was Hocus Pocus. I used to pretend I was one of the Sanderson sisters (usually Sarah Jessica Parker’s character) and I would ask my dad to fly me around our backyard on a broomstick.  One of my hopes throughout my life was to visit Salem in October for the Halloween festivities and to learn about this historic town.  My dream came true this past October, and it’s an experience I’ll truly cherish. 

Salem is known for attracting thousands of tourists for their extravagant Halloween celebrations; think what Mardi Gras is to New Orleans, Halloween is for Salem.  However, Salem was different this past year due to Covid restrictions. Even though I wanted to get the full Salem Halloween experience, I’m glad Mike and I visited during a pandemic when tourism was lower than usual.  We actually got to absorb what the city had to offer; and not from a Halloween tourist destination where we may have felt bombarded by all the numerous partygoers in costumes. It felt more like a romantic fall weekend getaway to a seaside historic town. 

We were only in Salem for one day and night so we took in as much sightseeing as we could.  We rented a quaint Airbnb that was in walking distance from majority of all the sites and attractions.  The first thing on the list was to visit the Witch House and the houses that were filmed in Hocus Pocus (i.e., Allison’s and Max’s houses). The Witch House, aka Jonathan Corwin House is one of the only houses left standing that has direct ties to the Salem Witch Trials of 1692.  We also visited author Nathaniel Hawthorne’s birthplace and The House of Seven Gables.  You’re able to take a tour inside these houses, but we were cut short on time so we viewed them from the exterior. From The House of Seven Gables, we walked along the water to the Derby Lighthouse Station on Salem Harbor.

From sightseeing historic homes, we explored Essex Street where we saw the Bewitched Statue and were surrounded by alchemy and magic shops, as well as other souvenir shops and restaurants.  As we strolled down other streets, we came upon the Salem Witch Trials Memorial, which contain 20 benches each inscribed with a name of one of the innocent victims and their execution date. 

In between sightseeing we grabbed an appetizer at The Lobster Shanty where we sipped on a lobster-tini that was garnished with a lobster claw. We also grabbed a bag of goodies at Ye Olde Pepper Candy Companie, which is America’s oldest candy shop.

For dinner we dined at the Tavern on the Green inside the historic Hawthorne Hotel where we drank some craft cocktails and ate some Salem staples, such as fig risotto.  After dinner before heading back to our Airbnb, we took an evening stroll around Salem Common eavesdropping in on nighty ghost tours as we awed at the Georgian-style Salem houses lit up with their Halloween décor. 

The next morning, we ate breakfast with our Airbnb host and then took a tour at the Salem Witch Trial Museum before driving to our next destination.  For an overview of the history of Salem, I would recommend the museum because it gave an in-depth summary of the trials and how that event impacted Salem and its residents for the rest of time. I knew somewhat about the history of the Salem Witch Trials from books I’ve read, but one of the main lessons I learned from visiting Salem was hearing the stories of these innocent people and how mass hysteria can take over a community.  Looking back at this haunting occurrence, it made me draw the comparison of how the Salem Witch Trials itself was one of the first so-called “cancel cultures” in United States history, and that even through modern history to today there are still witch-hunts of some form or another.

If you are a history and architecture buff, Halloween fanatic, or have an interest in the practice of wicca or pagan witchcraft, I’d highly recommend you visit Salem!

WHAT TO WEAR

Since I was traveling to a city that is associated with Halloween, I knew I wanted to wear a combination of black and/or orange.  Without looking like a jack-o’-lantern, I wore a black turtleneck, dark denim skinny jeans, my autumnal plaid coat and topped it off with my burnt orange beret. The muted burnt orange color helps to tone down the bright pumpkin look.

Style Tip: When packing layers, such as cardigans or jackets, pack items that are versatile and can be worn with numerous colors and/or neutrals.  My plaid coat is neutral based so it can be worn over many colors, such as navy, black, white, taupe, etc.

If you enjoy this trip to Salem, please stay tuned for the next destination as we cross into Maine!

With Thanksgiving last week, I wanted to share three things that I have been extremely grateful this year: my health, family, and faith.

Every day I’m blessed with the health that I have been given because I know there are so many other people who are suffering with this ongoing pandemic. It has personally affected my family as I’m sure it has affected other people’s families.   Regularly, I don’t hardly ever get sick – I rarely get the seasonal flu, I don’t have allergies or am prone to sinus infections, I don’t have any immune or respiratory conditions, I’m not diabetic, nor do I have any other pre-existing conditions that can be more susceptible to contracting viruses, such as Covid-19.  Overall, I’ve always been in good physical health.  My mental health – maybe not so much since mental illness runs in my family, but I’ve coped with my depression and anxiety since I was fifteen years old.  I’ve had very unpleasant days with my depression, but it’s part of my everyday life. And I’ve written about my experiences with depression and anxiety numerous times.

Now I’m saying I’m not immune to Covid-19 or any other viruses, but I haven’t contracted it yet in which I have been blessed with opportunities this year that maybe other people have not had the luxury of having. Traveling is one of my favorites things to do. Traveling has been a huge part of my life growing up as my family would travel across the country every year, and I would write about my experiences in a travel diary. Traveling is not only an escape for me, but a time to reflect, explore and see things I’ve never experienced. If there is ever a chance for me to travel, I’ll take it.

This year I’ve been able to journey on two major trips. One was an Iowa road trip in June celebrating 10 years of when my husband Mike and I first met.  The other was our 5-year wedding anniversary vacation this past October out to the Northeast, which is an area of the United States that neither of us have explored.  Originally, we had planned to go out to the Northeast prior to Covid, but with the spread of this pandemic, we weren’t sure if we were going to be able to travel at all in the fall season.  Our trip to Europe in the summer had already gotten canceled so our hopes were low for the upcoming season.  Luckily, we were able to travel, but under certain regulations.  Prior to traveling, Northeast states require anyone that doesn’t live in the surrounding states to either quarantine themselves for 14 days upon arrival, or have a documented negative Covid-19 test that has been taken 72 hours before arrival in order to stay overnight in certain lodging.  Our Covid tests came back negative so we were good to head out.

As I mentioned before, as a child, I used to journal about my traveling experiences in a diary.  I would write about where we visited, what we ate, where we stayed, which is something I still enjoy doing.  Now as an adult, my experiences may be different than when I was a young girl, but the planning process hasn’t changed.  I’m an avid history buff so anywhere I tour, there must be some sort of nostalgia or historical aspect involved.  Whether it’s the food or drink at an historic eatery, a hotel, or the landmarks in the city itself, something historical will always be on the itinerary.  Even the wardrobe I pack is all planned out too, the inspiration of how I dress on my trips enhances the experience and will also be examined.

Now there are multiple states in the Northeast and areas to visit, but our route consisted of exploring Boston, Salem, and the coast of Maine up to Portland and Acadia National Park.  Our first stop was Boston.

BOSTON

Boston – home of the Boston Red Sox, Boston Tea Party, Boston Massacre, and Boston cream pie, just to name a few.  Prior to this trip, I personally had never been to Boston, but it has been on my bucket list of places to visit, especially during the fall season.  Boston is one of the oldest municipalities in the United States, founded in 1630 by Puritans.  The location of many key events that happened during the American Revolution, Boston is a history connoisseur’s mecca.  Boston is filled with various diverse neighborhoods with people of Irish descent populating the largest single ethnic group, followed by people of Italian descent. 

During our two-day, three-night visit to Boston, we stayed at the Boston Battery Wharf Hotel, which is in the North End neighborhood.  This hotel was in a great location because it had a waterfront view of Boston, and it was in walking distance to the downtown district, various restaurants, and landmarks, including stops on the historic Freedom Trail.  A traveler’s tip to Boston is to lodge in a location where you can walk or take an uber because parking in Boston is very minimal and costly.  The North End neighborhood, aka Boston’s “Little Italy” is home to a large Italian American population.  On North End’s Hanover Street, you can find various Italian restaurants and bakeries.  We arrived in Boston on a Friday evening, so our first stop was to grab some grub. Since we were staying in the North End neighborhood, we wanted some Italian cuisine.  However, during these Covid times, most restaurants require a reservation beforehand and have limited seating now, but we were able get a table at a quaint Italian eatery called Casarecce Ristorante.  With a window view of Hanover Street, I sipped on a couple glasses of a Cabernet Sauvignon as I ate Frutti di Mare, while Mike drank a specialty cocktail and dined on Spaghetti Carbonara.

Following dinner, we strolled through the North End neighborhood and sighted a cocktail bar that I had previously researched. Experimenting with cocktails and mixology is a hobby of ours and everywhere we travel, we like to find the best or most unique cocktails bars in the area.  We stopped at a place called Parla.  Parla has a modern speakeasy ambiance that is rustic and elegant, where they serve twists on classic cocktails as well as cocktails with shrubs, which is a colonial era technique.

After Parla we walked back to the hotel, but along the way we stumbled on a unique feature in North End.  With Boston having a large Catholic population, there is a private alley way called All Saint’s Way that is lit up at night, which features memorabilia that pays tribute to almost every saint canonized by the Catholic Church.

Day 1

The following day was our first full day in Boston.  Our first stop on the agenda was to see Boston’s famous Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox.  The Fenway neighborhood is about a 15-minute uber drive from the North End neighborhood.  It was very pleasant to see Fenway Park barren due to Covid because then you can really see its entirety and take in the aura of this well-known spot. As we were walking around the outside of the park, there was a socially distanced long line of baseball fans lining up for a tour of the actual stadium.  It was mesmerizing to see how many people who still want to visit iconic places even during a pandemic. 

Following Fenway Park, we walked to a newly renovated building which held Time Out Market Boston.  During my research of places to eat brunch near Fenway Park, I came across Time Out Market Boston, which is a dining-and-culture experience that features the city’s top chefs, most talked about restaurants, and busiest bars. There are several Time Out Markets in other locations, such as New York, Miami, Chicago, and Montreal.  Mike and I split a L.E.O sandwich (Lox, egg, and onion) on homemade challah bread from Mamaleh’s Delicatessen, a Jewish deli.  It hit the spot on what we were craving to eat for brunch.

After visiting the Time Out Market, we rode back to the downtown district to start the Freedom Trail.  The Freedom Trail takes you through downtown Boston to the North End and over to Charlestown.  It consists of museums, meeting houses, churches, burying grounds, parks, and historic markers that tell the story of the American Revolution and beyond.  Some of these sites include: the Boston Common, which is America’s oldest public park established in 1634; Granary Burying Grounds where the likes of Samuel Adams and John Hancock are buried; The Old South Meeting House where The Boston Tea Party began; the site of the Boston Massacre and Paul Revere’s home.  On Day 1 we visited all the sites except the two that were located in Charlestown, in which we visited them on Sunday.

Along the route of the Freedom Trail in the downtown district, we stopped at one of the oldest taverns in Boston – the Bell in Hand Tavern.  There we sipped on a Sam Adams beer and had our first taste of authentic New England Clam Chowder (the first of many along the trip). After the Freedom Trail and doing some shopping, we walked over to Griffin’s Wharf to see the site of the Boston Tea Party then we walked along the Boston Harborwalk for picturesque views of the city itself. 

Along the way, we made a trip to Trillium Brewing in the Fort Point district for another New England brewsky. After our time spent there, we hiked back to the North End district for our dinner reservation at Ward 8.  I would highly recommend Ward 8 if you prefer trendy restaurants and craft cocktails.  We ate some delicious duck wings that was coated with a sweet chili sauce and we had few cocktails to the point we were tipsy by the time we left.  Our experience there was so spectacular that got a reservation the next morning for brunch!

Day 2

On Sunday morning we walked back to Ward 8 for brunch.  I ordered salmon cake eggs benedict which was phenomenal!  The brunch dishes were great; however, Mike and I preferred the dinner menu and atmosphere from the night before, yet we would still recommend this restaurant if you were visiting Boston.

After brunch we finished the Freedom Trail over in Charlestown with the USS Constitution and the location of the Battle of Bunker Hill.  Next, we strolled around Charlestown to Warren Tavern, which is THE oldest tavern in Boston; George Washington and Paul Revere frequented there.  At this nostalgic spot, we were able to experience locals watching the Patriots football game and hear their Boston accents in the flesh while we were sipping on a couple ciders.  After our pitstop at Warren Tavern, we took an uber ride over to Cambridge to visit Harvard. 

One of my favorite chick flicks is Legally Blonde with Reese Witherspoon.  Ever since I first saw that movie, I wanted to visit Harvard and pretend I was smart enough to attend there.  I also wanted to walk in the steps of numerous historic scholars and modern-day entrepreneurs who even dropped out, such as Mark Zuckerberg.  On our family vacations and road trips growing up, my dad would stop at different colleges along the way for us to sight-see different campuses across the country.  I have seen a variety of college institutions, but I’ve never visited an Ivy League school yet.  Harvard University was established in 1636 and is the oldest university of higher education in the United States.  The campus itself is astonishing to stroll through with its brick buildings and tall steeples that depict the image of ivy classicism along with the views overlooking the Charles River.  Yet the architecture of the campus has evolved overtime which reflects three centuries of architectural history.

After touring Harvard, we drove back across the Charles River to visit another iconic neighborhood in Boston – Beacon Hill.  Beacon Hill is one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods and its architecture transports you back in time with its red-brick Federal style townhouses and gas lamps lighting un-even cobblestone streets. One street to visit is Acorn Street, which is known as the “most photographed street in Boston” – it’s an Instagram influencer’s dream spot.  We unfortunately didn’t have enough time to do this, but a great way to see the Beacon Hill neighborhood is to follow the Black Heritage Trail, which links 14 historical sites, one including a stop on the Underground Railroad.

Following Beacon Hill, we walked back to our hotel to freshen up for dinner.  Our dinner reservation for our last night in Boston was at the historic Union Oyster House.  Union Oyster House is Boston’s oldest restaurant, established in 1826, and many historical figures have frequented there, including John F. Kennedy.  The ambiance of this classic establishment reminds me of the older restaurants in the Des Moines area, such as The Latin King or Noah’s Ark.  Mike and I shared a seafood platter and we finally got a Boston cream pie for dessert.

Lastly before we headed back to the hotel after dinner, we stopped at Mike’s Pastry, a well-known bakery in the North End neighborhood to try one of their famous cannoli.

WHAT TO WEAR

When I travel on a vacation, I plan all my outfits so it’s easier for me to get ready in the morning. And each wardrobe inspiration is different – depending on the location, what I’ll be doing, and what season it is. Since we were traveling to the Northeast in October, I knew I was going to be packing numerous sweaters and layers that can be mixed and matched along with comfortable walking boots. Particularly for Boston, my wardrobe inspiration was sporty collegiate.  On the first day of sightseeing I knew we would be visiting Fenway Park and The Freedom Trail.  With that itinerary in mind, I wanted to wear red to complement the Red Sox and colors of our nation.  It was rainy our first day there, so I wore a neutral raincoat, a baseball cap, and duck boots.

For Sunday, I played up the collegiate side of my wardrobe with a navy cable knit sweater, a plaid coat, and burnt orange beret.  I picked this color palette to coincide with the beautiful fall foliage that is found in the Northeast. In addition, crossbody bags reminds me of academic briefcases so I swapped my backpack with my go-to neutral crossbody bag. 

Style Tip: a neutral crossbody bag is an excellent option for a multi-day vacation because it can be casual for daytime or can spruce up outfit at night.  

Overall, our weekend in Boston was wonderful.  I would highly recommend our itinerary and I would travel back there to visit more neighborhoods that we didn’t get to see.

If you enjoyed this quick trip to Boston, stay tuned for the next part in this travel blog series where I take you to Salem!

All most a year ago, Oscar winning actress Cate Blanchett (who happens to be one of my favorite actresses) accepted the Style Icon nod at the Instyle Awards and what she conveyed in her speech, had a profound impact on me that I will never forget. In her speech she stated,

“For me, the true icons of style are always those women who’ve been utterly themselves without apology, whose physical presence and their aesthetic is really integrated in a non self-conscious way into part of who they are, and women who know how they look is not all of who they are, but just an extension of that. It’s about women who feel free to wear what they want when they want and how they want to wear it. We all like looking sexy, but it doesn’t mean we want to f*ck you.”

This was the statement that I was waiting for someone to say as the #MeToo movement gained more momentum because this is how I felt; and how I still feel. Read more of that article here.  If you have read my earlier blog posts, you know I have always expressed myself through fashion and how I dress myself even down to my choice of lingerie. But just because some people (including myself) choose to wear their clothes a certain way, and show some skin here and there, doesn’t mean it’s an invitation for sexual advances or that we are easy and slutty.

I’ve been 5’10” since I was 14 years old and I have always loved my height even when I was shamed for being a tall girl.  But I know I have to think twice before walking out of my house to make sure something about me isn’t too revealing, especially if I’m wearing heels or a shorter skirt, because I know the looks I can get for having a similar stature as a Victoria’s Secret model. To be honest, I don’t like having to think about doing that.  I like wearing what I want, when I want and how I want to wear it. Now there is a time and place to wear certain types of clothes.  I’m not going to walk into a corporate office wearing a swimsuit, but I think women should be able to wear a form fitting cocktail dress at an event without feeling like they have to cover up because they show their cleavage subtlety after being gawked at up and down. In the culture we are living in today where women [and men] are getting the courage to open up about their experience with sexual assault and misconduct, there are a variety of people stating their views on how things should be handled regarding when women in particular are assaulted and how it can be avoided.

I have read different articles stating there needs to be more protection for women, which I agree with somewhat. But there have been some people who suggest that women need to wear more reserved clothing so they won’t attract more attention, which I don’t agree with.  I don’t want to be told that I have to change what I wear just because men can’t seem to keep their hands to themselves.  Women have been told what to wear, how they should look, how they should act by society for far too long. I think taking personal responsibility for your actions and owning up to mistakes needs to happen and be at the forefront, regardless if you are a man, woman, or however you identity yourself. I believe there would be a lot more respect for one another if that can happen; along with forgiveness.

I understand that is easier said than done because when someone is assaulted, that is ingrained in their brain and does affect their life and how they live from that point forward; trust me I know.  But I refuse to be afraid of today’s world and what the future holds. I’ve seen some people post on social media that they scared to have their daughters grow up in a society like today, which I personally think that is ridiculous to say. Now I’m not a mother, but I do have a mother who has lived an interesting life and one who didn’t shelter me from the world. My mother taught me to how to be a strong, independent thinking woman who knows how to protect herself, especially around egoistical men who think I’m sexually desirable. I’m not afraid of men and I never will be even after certain experiences I personally have gone through. I refuse to let certain experiences define who I am and I will not tone down my so called sexiness because of it.  As Cate Blanchett expressed, we all like looking sexy, but it doesn’t mean we want to f*ck you.

Truth be told, I have been called sexy in my life. And when I’ve asked these ogling onlookers what makes me “sexy”, they’ve usually answered saying, “You have the perfect body”. Don’t get me wrong, I’m flattered when I’m told that. I do pride myself in maintaining the physique I was blessed with, but I roll my eyes at the same time because in my opinion I think the word sexy means more than just referring to physical looks and someone’s appearance.

I think the word sexy can describe attributes in one’s personality or behavior; also how one feels about themselves outwardly and inwardly. If you have self-respect and confidence in yourself, I find that very sexy. In one point in my life, I was someone who didn’t have a lot of self-respect for themselves. I did things to myself that I’m not proud of; but once I regained my confidence, I started staying true to myself and being happy with who I am.  And I’m a woman who isn’t afraid to show some skin.

Last year I modeled in my first boudoir photoshoot with Elaina Rose Photography and I’ve never felt more empowered. I felt so confident and alive doing it. It made me want to continue doing more shoots like this.  I’ve shared some of those photos on social media overtime, and I’ve had some people ask me, “What does Mike [my husband] think of you doing a shoot like this and posting these photos of yourself just in lingerie for the whole world to see?” I’ve responded by saying, “Well, I don’t need his permission to feel empowered and doing shoots like this are empowering.” I don’t think any woman needs a man or anyone’s permission to feel empowered, it has to come from within themselves. Some people may not be at ease in exposing themselves that way to the world, which is alright; but I do feel comfortable.  I’m extremely comfortable with my body because I think the human form is one of most beautiful things to view; everyone has one, but not one is the same.  At times it can be scary and I can feel insecure, but I enjoy showing different sides of myself; including my sensual side. Some may not think modeling like this is art or in good taste. Frankly I don’t care because I think it is.

Modeling in boudoir photography is an art form and another way of self-expression. But I don’t do it to gain attention from others to look at my body in a sexual manner. If you choose to see it that way, then that’s your decision. I do it because my sexuality is a part of who I am. As an artist, I enjoy showing the emotions and vulnerabilities that everyday people don’t like to depict outwardly or only in their private lives. But all these intimate emotions are a part of every human being. I am a sexualized woman and I’m not afraid to say that I am.  I have dreams of sexual fantasies and I have experimented in different sexual acts in my past.  I think women sometimes feel afraid to really show who they are sexually because they don’t want to be judged for not being ladylike or stereotypically reserved as women were told to be by society.  I am here to say that if you feel this way, it is ok to be who you are. I’ve never been a reserved person. I’ve been told I’m an aggressive, competitive, loud person with a vulgar mouth; all qualities that are stereotypically associated with men. Now I’m not telling you to engage in boudoir and erotic photography, I’m just encouraging  you to embrace your sexuality in however way you want to be; and that it’s alright to display it without judgment.

For instance, I was at my friend’s wedding last weekend and anyone who knows me, knows my favorite part about a wedding is the dancing.  I love to dance and when I dance, something inside me takes over and I truly show who I am. I will show my sensual side when a slow R&B song comes on or my silly, nerdy side when a musical song and dance number is blasted. I know I get looks every time I dance because I am “that crazy person” on the dance floor who does splits and breakdances in a cocktail dress, but I don’t care because dancing put a smile on my face. It gives me a reason to feel sexy and silly at the same time, and that is who I am. So whether you are more reserved or more open about your sexuality, be true to who you are, and remember to please don’t pass judgement on those you are different than you because they are just embracing who they are.