What has two thumbs and attended the MAGIC Show in Vegas?! This chick right here! Yeah this girl right here. Let us have a moment to bask in the awesomeness of that.
I have no idea why my husband thought this was a good picture...but I am the dummy who didn't double check.
Yeah...good times.
If you have no clue what the MAGIC Show is, go ahead and stop reading this blog. Now. I'll wait.
Just kidding! The "MAGIC Show is an incubator of fashion, where new trends surface and develop into what will be seen on the consumer." Basically meaning it is a large retail trade show where designers and brands show case their upcoming lines and retailers can get a glimpse of the clothing and place orders.
The show takes place every February and August in Sin City and according to my affable cab driver it brings thousands of fashionistas, fashion bloggers, retail buyers and boutique owners to the strip. I spent most of my time at Mandalay Bay, but I did check out Sourcing and Platform at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
I apologize in advance for my pictures. I STILL don't have a digital camera (yes, it feels like I am living in the Dark Ages) and so I picked up a cheap Vivitar camera at CVS, and let's just say, No Bueno. No Bueno, Vivitar! It was the worst camera ever! Yes, I understand you get what you pay for but...that camera was so crappy they should sell it at the Dollar Store. I will never buy a Vivitar camera again! Vivitar would have to seriously convince me they make a decent camera for me to ever even consider that ratchet mess again.
However, I digress.
I started my MAGIC adventure at Mandalay Bay. It. Was. Awesome.
Miles of vendors, fashionistas, and free stuff! If you go to the MAGIC Show you will not leave empty handed! From totes, to tees, to hats to sunglasses, the loot makes MAGIC that much better. I started at Project and just wandered aimlessly.
Loving the coral blazer!
Again, I apologize for the crappy picture quality! Thanks for nothing, Vivitar.
Yes, I still love Paper Denim
Crappy picture, but the purple of this dress was beautiful...besides, everyone needs a "freakum dress" according to Beyonce.
Gold Nikes B*&%$s!
See previous comment.
Red, black, and green. (And grey, of course)
Levi at the MAGIC Show
As much as I still love overpriced denim, Levi has stepped there game up in the past 7 years.
Even the mannequins Chucks were scuffed! Where did he go?!
Randa Accessories are pretty awesome!
This booth made me crave fall and winter...just for leather!
During my travels, I came across the bloggers table!
Fashion Bloggers table at MAGIC
You can only make out Fashion Indie
Let me just tell you, I was sick with envy! Why wasn't I invited to the grown up table?! While I fought my green eyed monster, I was literally in awe of the bloggers. Some of the "heavies" were there...you know the ones...paid to watch fashion and be cool. Sigh, one day. ONE DAY!
This cool guy saw me about to take a picture and decided to walk in front of the shot...Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame jerk!
There was literally nothing on the t.v's, but this man was engrossed. I walked around the show for an hour, came back, and he was in the same spot.
My son practicing for GQ.
Plain polos, Dockers and Brown Leather Belts....good times.
Project was awesome, every square inch had beautiful clothing, beautiful people and fashionistas. The energy was overwhelming and every where you looked were people dressed in conservative suits a lá throwback Chanel to 10Deep Tees and Paper Denim jeans. There were work stations, ping pong tables, gold Nikes, benches and half naked women; basically a Vegas style fashion show.
Next up, I went to the Pool Trade show. The Pool Trade show was awesome too. They had smaller designers, mainly jewelry, and you could BUY STUFF.
My son was more interested in the goggles than the show
I (heart) the Cadillac necklace from Retro a Go Go http://www.retroagogo.com/. They had awesome Bettie Page memorabilia check them out for a little kitsch!
I just realized home girl was all in my shot, but no worries Butter London Nail Bar was awesome! They were actually doing mani's!
The Pool Trade Show was awesome, I bought stuff and people watched. I saw a gay guy and two girls and honestly, the gay guy was way prettier than his two female counterparts! Better haircut, better outfit, and better makeup. Yep, sad but true.
Lastly I hit up the Las Vegas Convention Center. While, I would like to share with you all of the photos from there, sadly, I have none. The convention center was dedicated to shoes and sourcing (people who will design the clothes for you). Needless to say, once I hit the convention center, I lost my mind! It was a shoe utopia! Once I was surrounded with the thousands of shoes, all thoughts of my blog when out the window. At first, I gave it a try...and this was the only photo I ended up with:
Yeah, don't judge me.
Rachel Roy is pretty awesome
Don't judge me. When new shoes are in my vicinity, all time, space and reason disappear. However, I did encounter the most fashionable young man leaving the convention center.
Yeah, pure awesomeness.
All in all, I had a funky good time at the MAGIC. I would definitely recommend it for any fashionista, blogger, retail buyer and boutique owner. Besides having the actual trade shows, they offer fashion shows and seminars which I hear are excellent! Next time around I will go to the seminars and fashion shows. This time we were shopping for the hubby's store, so it was strictly business. Now I know what to look out for and what to do! MAGIC 2013, here I come!
I had such a good time I spontaneously started throwing gang signs
Have you ever been to the MAGIC Show? If so, share your experiences! If not, would you like to go?! I could use a discount on the tickets!
I have spent the better part of my morning, steaming, bathing, getting scrubbed, and having the living {insert four letter word here} beat out of me via shiatsu massage...at Spa World, USA.
For those unfamiliar with Spa World, it is a jimjilbang, a Korean-style bathhouse. The jimjilbang is a recent cultural phenomenon that grew out of
a centuries-old public bathhouse tradition. Spa World is a 24-7 complex
featuring a Korean restaurant, smoking and sleeping rooms, a gym and a
child-care center. And boy, do those Koreans know how to party. Nestled in an inconspicuous strip mall off of route 28 in Centreville, VA (DC Metro area), it looks like a...well, a restaurant. However, when you step inside, a whole other world awaits you.
Entrance at Spa World USA
This place has bade pools, saunas, salt rooms, crystal amethyst rooms, blue onyx rooms, massage rooms, sleeping rooms, locker rooms; you could spend the weekend there, literally!
The first time I went to Spa World, I went with my mother. We were strictly there for massage, so we walked into the womens locker room, complete with hard wood floors, leather furniture and well, lockers and headed up stairs for a 30 minute deep tissue massage. I will not lie, shiatsu is not for the faint of heart, but after the endorphins kick in you feel amazing. When my mom headed out of her session, her disheveled hair and easy appearance made me ask her if she had a happy ending! She had not, she just felt marvelous.
Reception area at Spa World USA
So my second time around, I wanted to explore what else this spa wonderland had to offer. I paid my $85 ($35 for all day access to facilities and $50 for a shiatsu massage) and immediately changed into my citrus tangerine prisoner uniform. Yes, your uniform (the mandatory Spa World uniform) looks as if you should be picking up litter on the side of the road. I decided to start with my massage. A young lady with a small frame, worked my back and legs with force and deadly accuracy. It was borderline excruciating at first, however, after the adrenaline started pumping, it was heaven. I stumbled out of my massage room and decided to head to the bade pool. Now, when entering the bade pool, nudity is not an option, it is mandatory.
Poultice Rooms at Spa World USA
I admit, I am a bit of a prude. I am not stripping for anyone except the mirror, or my husband. When, I reached the locker room, there were ladies in different stages of undress, ages and body types ranging from slim to quite large. All of them seemed perfectly comfortable with their nudity. I stripped, and gave myself a pep talk, which consisted of, {insert expletive here} it! The great thing about being in to fashion is, it teaches you that everything in life is how you play it! Meaning, if you act like your feces smells like roses in a neon green sheath dress and black tights and neon yellow heels most people will believe you. (Hint, hint-you know that was plain ugly, I don't care what designer grafitti'ed their name across it), So armed with my {expletive} it attitude, I strode (rather quickly) to the bade pool. It was delicious. After my deep tissue massage, the bade pool was warm, relaxing and inviting.
Bade Pool at Spa World USA
Spa World calls says their bade pool is state of the art water therapy. They even have a routine for the bade pool! You spend so many minutes on each part of the pool which has a variety of jets and fountains, that are designed to offer different types of hydrotherapy. Because I was mildly uncomfortable with my nudity and the shiatsu massage turned my muscles into jelly I was perfectly content with the bubble jet.
Amethyst Room at Spa World USA
While sitting there, I realized no one else was bothered by their nudity (nor mine). There were no creepy gawkers and the bade pools are separated by gender, so my own self consciousness, slightly subsided. After about ten minutes of pure relaxation, a large group of women came to the bade pool. I decided to peel myself from the bubble jet so they could enjoy the bade pool routine. From there I moved to the Dream Bath which consisted of high pressured water streams directly on my calves, soles, waist and shoulders. I really could have stayed in the Dream Bath for the rest of the day, but the large group of women seemed like a feisty bunch and they moved rather quickly. Next, I tried the Hydro Jet. You stand and jets from all sides massage your body from the shoulders down. IT.WAS.AWESOME. After the Hydro Jet I decided to exit the bade pool, because the group behind me, made me feel rushed from station to station. My personal motto is, if I am naked, I will NOT be rushed. (smile) Plus, I really wanted to relax, so I made a beeline to the locker room, put my prison jumper on and headed to the poultice rooms.
Red Clay Room at Spa World USA
First stop, the Amethyst room. All of the poultice rooms look like earthen igloos and inside they usually have murals and designs on the wall made from whatever stone the room boasts. In the Amethyst room the walls are made with obviously amethyst, rose quartz, and green quartz. Supposedly it emits oscillating energy waves. I don't know if it did all that, but it definitely made me sweat. I lost all track of time gazing at the murals. By the time I realized I had stayed a little too long, I was light headed and dizzy. Instead of hitting another poultice room, I headed to the restaurant/juice bar ordered Bubble Tea and Chicken Wings...yes I know, out of everything in the world to order at a Korean bathhouse! In my defense, if you have ever been to a Korean barbeque...you know Koreans know a thing or two about chicken wings. And these wings were no different! I found the nearest couch and literally pigged out.
Onyx Room at Spa World USA
I would like to end this post, saying I hit all the poultice rooms...but in actuality, after my meal, I fell asleep on the couch and woke up 2 hours later. I can't make this stuff up. No one woke me, nor bothered me. It was two hours of the best sleep I have had since I was a baby. With daily routine deadlines approaching, I had to go. While changing, I felt remorseful, I did not want to leave this water oasis in the middle of a strip mall in Centreville, VA. I walked to the front desk, retrieved my shoes, and immediately headed out of the glass doors, back to the big box stores, cookie cutter housing developments and suburban sprawl reality that is northern Virginia. I shall return, Spa World. I shall return.
