Raspberry Moon Skin Therapy

A Sassy, Saucy Skincare & Waxing Studio in Greenville, SC

864.271.2710

1211D Laurens Road Greenville, SC 29607

Adventure

PechaKucha (PK) Nights are Back in Greenville!

Pecha Kucha is back in Greenville

We are so excited to team up with some awesome people and bring PK Nights back to Greenville!

What is PechaKucha you say? Well, PechaKucha Nights are informal and fun gatherings where creative people get together and share their ideas, works, thoughts, holiday snaps — just about anything, really, in a PechaKucha 20×20 format (20 slides, 20 seconds per slide).

Mark your calendars for June 7, 2019, come enjoy First Friday in the Village and then head over to Brains on Fire – see their new digs; meet some cool people; learn something fab and then head out for some fun or home for your comfy pjs!

Presenters are like a “Box of Chocolates” so you never know what you might be inspired by or learn.

Check out our event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/2280664445540539/

You can sign up for our newsletters/blog posts to stay in the know at: https://www.pechakucha.com/cities/greenville

Interested in presenting? Just send me an email and we can go from there.

All of our events will coordinate with First Friday Art Crawl. Can’t make June? Sad as that may be, we have 3 more nights scheduled and you are welcome to any and all of them!

  • Friday, September 6, 2019
  • Friday, December 6, 2019
  • Friday, March 6, 2020

Doors will open at 7:30 pm with presentations starting at 8:20pm (yep 2020 on the 24 hour clock, hence the 20 slides, 20 seconds!)

I hope you will come check out this fun event, meet some new people and learn something you didn’t know before you walked through the door.

Bright Pink and Delicious – Aloha from Maui Series

DragonfruitMondays adventure in Lahaina was to the Maui Dragon Fruit Farm, which is the largest one here on Maui! Mom was on the fence about going because she says dragon fruit doesn’t have much flavor and I would’ve had to agree. The only times I have had it there wasn’t much flavor but I think they are a beautiful fruit and I wanted to check out the farm since they have 16 different varieties. I am so glad that we did!

Us with our guide Lewis

The staff had a lovely platter of fresh fruit for us to try before our tour as well as some locally made jam that is so delicious. Our tour guide was Lewis, who has only been on island for 3 weeks. He is a surfer from the Northern part of Cali who used to teach 5-to-10-year-olds how to surf. Mom and I could both see him doing this and being a great teacher. Lewis has a very kind spirit and you can instantly like him. Of course Mom had to mother him about being sure he is prepared for the future and her normal stuff, which he took in stride.

A ripening dragonfruit

I can tell you the fresh Dragon Fruit we had in Maui was nothing like other ones we have tried before.

The work that goes into growing these fruits is very labor intensive and Maui Fruit Farms is a totally organic farm. The flowers are hand pollinated at night from 9pm until around midnight. There is only a small window for pollination. They do have bees that help to pollinate but they are usually out during the day and you can’t rely on them solely.

Dragonfruit flower awaiting pollinationAfter hand pollination, the fruit is ready in about 45 days. It will turn a lovely shade of pink and be soft to the touch.

Peeling of a dragon fruit!

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They use a Chinese method of planting vertically (the Chinese have had a heavy influence here in Hawaii but more about that later). The plants are grown on these vertical cement type poles to allow support and easier picking. Fruit is just starting to be ready and in another week or so it will be like mad with pollinating and harvesting. The largest threat to the fruit are birds so there are these soft white mesh bags that are placed around the fruit so the birds won’t mess with it.

Dragonfruit growth support

The farm also grows some pineapple, passion fruit, cacao, bananas and papaya, long ones we are used to seeing and then these round ones that are called strawberry papaya. They also have a zipline and this water ball thing that basically you are in a big bubble and you roll down the hill inside the ball. Makes me seasick just thinking about it.

The flowers on the farm are beautiful be sure to check out Raspberry Moon Facebook or Instagram for some more pictures.

Flower at the dragonfruit farm

Aloha from Maui

Sunrise in Maui

Mom and me at scenic lookout on the way to Kihei from Lahaina
Mom and me at scenic lookout on the way to Kihei from Lahaina

Mom and I are not doing your typical things in Maui. Neither of us lay out on the beach and she is not real big on hiking or bathing suits, but we are having an awesome time just relaxing  and listening to the waves. Except for one day, I’ve watched the sunrise every morning. I listen to the waves, drink my tea, walk on the beach, have breakfast, and do some work. I have my little birdies that come hang out with me in the morning. One is a little pistol. She is always trying to come in the house and check it out.

I am usually the one that is up and running early in the morning. Right now it is 9 am, Mom is still sleeping and I have been awake since 530 am. This morning was the first time I actually had people up as early as I was. Mostly I don’t hear people until around 8 or 9.

There is something soothing and calming about these waves. I really could just sit here all day, which we did a good portion of the weekend — just not like me at all! Of course I go swim and float a little in the ocean but for me it is kind of boring to just go hang out in the water by myself for too long.

Maui Sunset

Everyone has been very friendly and helpful. No crazy drivers on the road here in Maui really. Maui is a much different feel than Oahu and we will see when we go back and stay outside of the noisy Waikiki area if I have a different take. We all know I am not the most approachable person nor the most relaxed but I feel myself being more calm here. It is weird, I am not a big beach person. I love walking on the beach but I don’t enjoy laying out on the beach all day. I have only been snorkeling one time in Okinawa and stressed myself out while doing it, though I would like to do it again. But I LOVE listening to the waves and just looking out seeing nothing but blue water and large fluffy clouds. You can see the islands of Molokia and Lania right from the condo.

beautiful sunrise and the sound of relaxing waves in Maui

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I love that I don’t get eaten up by bugs here. There are mosquitoes here but in the area where we are right now I have had no problems. Hopefully it stays that way. Hawaii has no snakes to speak of and very few poisonous insects. Coming from the South with fire ants, spiders, snakes and all sorts of critters, it’s nice to not have to worry about them.

Today is my last sunrise in Lahaina, different look this morning with the clouds and being a little overcast but still beautiful and soothing. With all the rain last night my little friends are out having a smorgasbord for breakfast. It will be interesting to see if my zen holds out on a different environment as we had to the mountains in Makaowa. Our next few days are going to be crazy busy before we had back to Oahu on Saturday.

 

Maui Pineapple – So Delicious!

June 27 is National Pineapple Day!

Our first tour here in Maui was at the Maui Pineapple Company and Distillery! I would highly recommend this tour. Mom and I had a great time. The last time I had fresh pineapple was in Okinawa in 2002. After the tour you get a FREE pineapple per person so we have been eating a lot of fresh pineapple. Nothing compares to fresh pineapple or fresh fruits and veggies in general.

Maui Pineapple Company and Distillery Tour
Steve – Our Tour Guide

Maui Gold Pineapple is the only pineapple grove left in Hawaii. This was so interesting to see the farming process and to understand what all takes place to eat some of this delicious fruit. The best part of course is tasting the pineapple picked right before your eyes!

Pineapple Trivia

Here are some interesting bits of info we learned on our tour:

Pineapples are actually a composite fruit made up of berries that grow at the crown of the fruiting tree (more like a shrub).

Pineapples have a lot of great health benefits. For more information on their health benefits, check out http://pineapplemaui.com/pineappleshop/nutrition/

Baby pineapples at the Maui Gold plantation
Baby Pineapple just blooming

Generally they do not have a problem with pests or birds eating plants but deer have been an issue. The deer were introduced to the island in the 1950s. The deer love to eat the leaves of the baby pineapple which stunts the pineapple’s growth.

There are no hummingbirds here in Hawaii and they don’t want any. Hummingbirds would pollinate the pineapple causing seeds and would totally change the pineapple. They replant simply by using the spiky top of the pineapple once it is twisted off from the fruit. Costa Rica has a lot of hummingbirds and their pineapple has seeds.

The Pineapple Harvest

Once you plant the spiky top of the pineapple, it takes 2 years to harvest the first crop. They harvest 2 more crops with each crop becoming smaller in size and then they will turn everything under, let it go to grass and replenish the soil before they plant again.

New pineapple plantings

Most of the workers are older and come from the Philippines. This is very hard work, they can make up to $40/hour if they plant about 6,000 plants a day. Everything is paid by the piece. There is an art to this planting and everything is done by hand from planting to harvesting with only a small amount of automation used with transporting and parts of packaging.

Harvesting Pineapples

Until WWII pineapple was all planted, harvested, and shipped via hand and animals. After the War the Army left a lot of vehicles behind; the Hawaiians used those vehicles to mechanize the farms. Although planting and harvesting itself is still done by hand, packing, shipping and soil prepping is done by machine.

Pineapples ready for shipping at Maui Gold
Shipments all ready to go!

Maui Gold Pineapple are harvest into four categories:

  • Hawaiian Consumption – Has more yellow color
  • Mainland Export to LA and Seattle- has some yellow but mostly green
  • Distilleries – solid gold
  • Cattle – pineapples not acceptable for human consumption or distillation

Pineapple ready to harvest at Maui Gold

Did you know that when you buy a pineapple from the store that it will not ripen any further once it has been picked? It is best to just eat it when you buy it as you don’t know how long it has been traveling. You can flick the pineapple with your thumb and if you hear a more hollow sound, that is the better option. You should twist off the crown, turn it upside down, place it in the refrigerator for 1 day and let all of the juices flow to the top of the pineapple. This way the sugar flows through the whole pineapple. This is what our guide suggested for the Maui Gold so I am assuming standard protocol for all pineapples. You should eat the pineapple within a day or so.

For more tips on picking the right pineapple, cutting and even how to grow your own, check out http://pineapplemaui.com/pineappleshop/tips-facts/

At Maui Gold they use Ozone water to rinse the fruit and start it on its packaging journey. Once the pineapple is immersed in the water it turns yellow. If any fruit sinks, it means it has bad spots and goes in the cattle consumption pile. They use a vegetable wax to seal the fruit and then it is packed based on size. You will have 5,6 or 7 box categories which basically just means you can fit 5 pineapple, 6 or 7 in a box. This is all done by hand.Pineapples packed for shipping

Maui Gold is working to reduce waste and only has about 4% waste. They actually have their own distillation so be sure to do the spirits tour with the pineapple tour, the Maui Winery that makes pineapple wine (I can’t wait for this tour at the end of the week! so stay tuned for that post) and with a cattle company to feed sheep and cows. Some crowns and fruit go to Oahu for planting or fruit slices. Maui Gold Pineapples were basically saved because if they would lose the pineapples from Maui they would lose their line of spirits made with Maui Pineapple. Sometimes a company just needs new leadership to sustain itself.

Maui Gold limits its shipping to Hawaii or the West Coast, they ship to LA and Seattle. They want to leave it on the plant as long as possible and not compromise its quality by shipping too far. But never fear, if you want to try some amazing Maui Pineapple, you can order it directly from Maui Gold Pineapple. 

If you are coming to Maui be sure to make this a stop on your tour. We did this right after we landed so we had time to eat the pineapple but you can always do it on your way home as the Maui Pineapple boxes don’t count towards your carry on!

Korean BBQ Buffet in Atlanta

I didn’t realize that I hadn’t finished this post!!! My friend Eileen introduced me to this fun place on our first adventure to JeJu Spa for my Birthday last year. This is a super fun place try out if you are down in the Atlanta area. Just an FYI, this restaurant is in the same parking lot as Marshalls and TJ Maxx! Shopping, Food and Spa treatments, sounds like an awesome day to me! I’m not always a fan of buffets but I do love being able to try lots of different things when something is sort of new.

Korean BBQ
Cho Won Buffet

Korean BBQ Smorgasbord awaits!

The amazing buffet at the Korean BBQ
Hhmmm, where does one start…….

The 4 sides of the buffet all hold something different. There is a section for sushi; one of various hot dishes; a side for soups, rice and misc stuff and then last but not least, the big display of all the different kinds of meats and seafood that you can chose and have the ladies grill at the table. The grilled meats can be placed in lettuce leaves and there are options for various pickled or fermented items, garlic and sauces to go with your grilled meat wraps. I am making myself hungry just writing this!

I was SO full afterwards
A Little Bit of This & A Little Bit of That

I love being able to have a little bit of everything. Lots of veggie options and fermented stuffs!

Yummy little fish
ButterFish

Yummy little fish, called Butter Fish. These little guys are so awesome. I think a little on the salty side but very delicious.

Meat - It's What's for Dinner!
Meat – It’s What’s for Dinner!

So much fun to be able to pick out what you want to eat and then have it prepared right in front of you. Everyone for sure had their fill. I forgot to mention there are 2 different types of drinks on the side near the lettuce. They are both delicious. I can’t remember what was in them but they are for sure worth trying.

There is something for everyone really. In the evenings the buffet is a little more because it has seafood on it. It is less than $10 for lunch and around $15 for dinner. Of course it only makes sense to go to JeJu Spa after! If you go check it out let me know what you think!

 

Korean Spa Day in Atlanta

I have been wanting to go to the Korean Spa FOREVER! I finally got to go for my 43rd Birthday! Yes I know that was at the beginning of the year and I went in September but hey that’s just what happens. I went with one of my dear friends who is always up for an adventure.

The JeJu Sauna

JeJu Spa is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. You pay a $25 entrance fee, are given Korean PJ’s (basically a tshirt and shorts) and you can use the 9 different treatment saunas, the pool and the saunas and hot tubs in the locker rooms all for the entrance fee!

Inside the Korean Spa
Inside the Korean Spa

The spa is super clean and well designed. You have 9 different sauna rooms to choose from in the co-ed section (everyone is wearing their Korean PJ’s). So the hardest thing for most Americans to get past is that there are no chairs, benches or lounge chairs; you are simply sitting on the floor. They have mats and these block things for head rests. I don’t mind sitting on the floor or you can just lay down in savasana.

I love to have services done so I had a Full Body Shampoo – oh if I could have taken pictures! That was hilarious. This service takes place in the ladies locker room. Women work on women and in the Men’s locker room there are only male attendants. In the locker room everyone is pretty much in their birthday suit. You need to shower (you have 2 options: traditional standup Western shower or Asian style sitting down). And you have to soak in the Hot, Warm, or Cold tubs before your service.

My Korean PJ's!
My Korean PJ’s!

Then you enter the “zone”! There are 6 or 8 tables and those ladies worked nonstop while we were there. They for sure work you from head to toe and trust me they “miss” nothing! I thought I was going to slide right off the table several times. I kept giggling. My lady was super nice. So basically you get soaped up, exfoliated (the amount of dead skin that came off my body was just gross!), rinsed, oiled, massaged and then I got a facial treatment mask and then she did a head shampoo and massage.

I think the whole service was close to 2 hours. I felt like a marshmallow afterwards.

A one hour Chinese Foot Massage was also on the agenda! I love having my feet worked on. I stand all day long, dance in heels, walk barefoot a lot, and just walk really heavy. So I never pass up an opportunity for a foot massage. This is in the coed section so everyone has their PJs on in this room! If you have never had a Chinese Foot Massage done before, it is basically a 20 minute soak and then they work on your feet for 20 minutes on each side. It also includes massage up to your groin basically (you have clothes on so don’t freak out) and then shoulder and scalp, sometimes upper back. It is heavenly.

One of the things I have been wanting to try is an Herbal Steam Bath for your lady bits! This is supposedly great for the health of your vajayjay area. They use 19 different herbs and spices.

The herbs for vajayjay steaming
The herbs for vajayjay steaming

Basically you sit on a wooden chair with a large cut out. There is a warmer under the chair where the technician places the bowl with hot water.  There is also the magical ingredient – Salt.

Vajayjay steaming at the Korean Spa
Vajayjay steaming at the Korean Spa

According to the ladies that were sitting beside me, this is what helps shrink your “bits” up a little! They were big believers. You are wearing this pink shower curtain-like cloak to keep the steam in and man does it get steamy in there! The aromas coming from the herbs and spices are heavenly. You are steaming for about 30 minutes I think, watching some kind of ridiculous show on TV. I would have rather had a quiet place to have this service done to just relax and enjoy the aromas.

There were also massage treatments, but that creeped me out a little because those are in the co-ed room and you are pretty much back in your birthday suit and nothing to really cover up with. Not really my cup of tea (and I also thought it was the more expensive of the services).

Loved the look of the food area, again this is Asian style so you are sitting on the floor with your low table. They had some yummy Korean food–we had some kind of hot soup that really hit the spot, some ginger tea, and a fruit plate that was super yummy. All very affordable and healthy. They also had smoothies and juices. The kitchen is not open 24/7 but it is open most of the time. I think maybe closed from 2am until 6/7am.

JeJu Spa is totally worth the trip to Atlanta! Feel free to spend the night there or Uber it from a near by hotel. Better than having to drive because you will really just be out of it after your services. It is a super busy place so if you can go during the week it is better than on the weekend or during holidays.

We also went to a great place right down the road for Korean BBQ, buffet style. That blog post is coming soon!

Want to try it out for yourself?

JeJu Sauna – http://jejusauna.com/
3555 Gwinnett Place Drive
Duluth, GA 30096
678-336-7414

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. I did not receive any compensation or free services for this review. I wanted to check out a Korean Spa and so I did! All opinions are my own.