Natalie Glebova is an “Empowerist.” She has found her calling as an agent for empowering others and helping them realize their true potential.  As Miss Universe 2005, Ms. Glebova is perfectly suited for this role: her significant public speaking engagements, establishment as a public figure, and her advocacy work with UN Women have all equipped her to be in a position of empowerment.  

To date, she has used her Miss Universe platform to empower others by writing a bestselling book about empowerment, start her own company to empower youth, advocate for UN Women, and she also started a travel startup with her husband, Dean Kelly, called Travelbook.  It is my great pleasure to have interviewed Natalie and share with you her thoughtful answers here on Rosy BVM. Thank you, Natalie, you are incredibly inspiring!

xx Bianca

Bianca: Your work as Miss Universe certainly set the stage for an incredible career that spans from being a motivational speaker, UN Women advocate, writer, travel blogger, and entrepreneur!  I am so amazed by your work and believe in how you set an incredible example for living an empowered life. You are an “Empowerist,” as you say. What brought you to this realization that this was your calling?

Natalie: There was a point in my life where I didn’t know who I was in a professional sense and struggled with what to say when people asked me what I did for a living. I tried many different paths, always striving to pursue my passion and what I felt set my soul on fire. I did blogging, designing my product line (perfumes), I wanted to create a line of workout clothes, took acting classes, received a diploma in nutrition and wellness, and even learned how to DJ. All of that was interesting for me for a short while until I got bored. Then I came to realize that I was always pursuing my passions and not my purpose. Learning from great self-development gurus such as Robin Sharma, Tony Robbins, Eckhart Tolle, Simon Sinek, and Mel Robbins, I came to understand that the difference between passion and purpose is that the former is self serving and inward facing, while the latter is outward facing and serving others.

Passions come and go, just like romantic passion – it may last up to 2 years or so, and when it’s gone you tend to get bored and move on to something else. But when you find the purpose – something that serves and provides value for other people, it brings more meaning to your own life and fuels your work for a much longer period of time. After some deep introspection and inner work where I sat with my journal over a 3-day period by myself and wrote down all of my accomplishments, achievements, talents and passions, I’ve come to the conclusion that I have a great platform and voice as a public figure to bring a message of self-love to people who are suffering from a lack of it.  

I wanted to provide a value to people and having realized my strengths like public speaking and connecting to others on a deeper level, I decided to pursue the work of an empowerment coach (empowerist). My purpose is to help others know themselves fully, assist them in finding their own purpose in life, and motivate them to  set and achieve their biggest goals in life, all while building confidence, positive thinking, and awareness.

Bianca: You wrote a book recently, I Am Winning: A Guide to Personal Empowerment, which made it to the bestseller charts on Amazon. Congratulations! What inspired you to write this book?

Natalie: I’ve always had a lot of great insights that I kept in my mind, whether from my personal experiences or those that I learned to adapt from the teachings of my favorite coaches. I knew that there was a book just waiting to be written in there, somewhere in my mind. One day, as my husband, daughter and I were sitting in a beach club in Koh Samui Thailand (after having finished DJing there) watching the sunset, listening to the waves and beautiful music, drinking fresh coconuts, my husband Dean turned to me with a warm grateful smile and said “Babe, are we winning, or what?” I had to laugh and told him, “Yes!”, feeling super grateful and content in that moment.

This has since become our family inside joke. Whenever we feel great about our lives and where we are, be it at a fancy event all glammed up, or cuddled up on the sofa at home – we feel like we are winning. That line made me think about how the simplest things in life can make us feel alive and happy – if you are aware and mindful enough. Every person in the world has the capacity to feel like that daily. I wanted to share this realization with others to inspire them to feel grateful for their lives, the small things that they can find beautiful and lovely on a daily basis, and thereby make themselves feel like winners.

Bianca: You operate a youth empowerment organization called, “Empowered,” along with another woman, Dr. Patama Mokaves Dumas, which offers programs for youth to learn about how to live their “best life” and be in “winning mindset.” I love this idea and the program’s concept since so much about being in a “winning mindset,” in my opinion, is believing in yourself and cultivating confidence. Do the programs focus on ways for youth to self empower themselves?

Natalie: Yes, the program is focused on giving the students the tools to become empowered, self-disciplined, knowing what they want from life, learning how to set goals effectively and follow through the action plan, and knowing how to face life’s obstacles with the right attitude. While my part of the program focuses on personal development with the subjects that I just mentioned, my partner Dr. Paddy teaches them the skills necessary for thriving in the modern working world – writing with logic, public speaking, networking, dressing for success and making a good impression. With these tools the students are able to go into the world, even before they graduate, with the right mindset, knowing how to tackle their biggest challenges and taking on their biggest goals.

Bianca: On top of being a bestselling author and running a program about empowerment, you also started a travel startup with your husband, Travelbook!  What is Travelbook? I love your YouTube videos, your recent Burning Man 2018 video was so well done! Watching it really felt like you’re there (everyone should go follow your YouTube channel!).  

Natalie: Thank you! We love to travel, and that was one of the reasons from which Travelbook was conceived. It’s a one-stop platform for sharing and booking your travel experiences. When your friends ask you for recommendations on where to go, stay, eat and what to see, you don’t need to write them long messages or try to remember the names of places – you simply share your Travelbook for the place you went to with your friends with one click.

This also keeps all your memories safe in one place, so you never forget the hotels and restaurants you visited since you are able to check in and keep it all in one place. You can also book your flights and hotels directly from the platform if you trust your friend’s recommendations, so it takes all the hassle out of planning a trip and it makes it easy to share it with your friends.

Bianca: You seem quite fearless in leading an international life, which I greatly admire (Russia to Canada to New York to Thailand, you embody the ideals of Miss Universe). Since you live in Bangkok, Thailand, what do you love most about it? It is such a gorgeous place, I would love to visit Thailand one day.

Natalie: Thailand has become my home over the last 13 years and I truly love this country. It is very culturally diverse, and the people here are wonderful. They have taught me how to be more patient, self-aware, and compassionate, as well as less judgmental.

The Buddhist religion which is very much part of the culture here gives me a sense of peace and calmness and it is evident in the daily human interactions that make up this type of atmosphere. Of course, the food is incredible – I love spicy foods, seafood, exotic fruits! Ease of life – Thais call it “sabai sabai” which loosely translated means “easy going” is something that I appreciate as well. There are also great and inexpensive massages; the stunning beaches; gorgeous temples – what’s not to love?

I truly believe that immersing yourself into a culture that’s different from your own is the best school of life. You grow, evolve, become richer in a spiritual sense, and learn to be more humble. I would love the opportunity to live on yet another continent someday.

Bianca: How many languages do you speak?

Natalie: I speak English, Russian, and some Thai and Spanish.

Bianca: What has your advocacy work with UN Women included? It’s so critical for women to support other women and for men to also be part of the feminist dialogue.

Natalie: A few years ago I was appointed as one of the advocates for the campaign “He for She” run by UN Women. The main purpose of this campaign was for both men and women to support the rights of other women as well as the LGBT community. Our mission was to give minorities a voice, and show support of others through social media campaigns and daily engagement with our fans online.

Presently, I’m continuing this campaign by getting involved on the local community level to empower young women through talks in high schools, female prisons, and centers for disadvantaged women in Thailand to find the strength and courage within themselves to set goals and move towards them with a positive attitude. We also recently had a fundraiser for two  women-focused organizations for International Women’s Day called “Women Uplift Women” where we talked about the importance of women supporting each other and not competing or bullying.

Each year, the Met Gala dazzles the world with fashion that is freeing. From styles that embody ultra-glamour at its finest, to the more obscure, to the outright beguiling.

The Costume Institute always hosts the event with a theme. This year’s theme, “camp,” may have caused quite a bit of confusion with the mainstream media and even with attendees (my initial thought was ‘will someone dress as a tent?’) and then the realization quickly set in that “camp” refers to a type of fashion.

Despite the theme, guests do not need to truly adhere to it, and that can even be a responsive way to interact with the theme. For example, Kylie Jenner wore an all-black Alexander Wang gown last year which did not fall into the Catholic theme.

My personal favorite look this year was worn by Kacey Musgraves, who became Barbie in real life wearing Moschino. The idea was Met perfection; she followed the camp theme and took it one step further by embodying a character so perfectly. Moschino has had a long-standing relationship with Mattel and have created lines of Barbie-themed clothing and accessories, as well as a limited-edition Moschino Barbie.

Recently, Barbie has been portrayed by a number of public figures. Most notably, Kylie Jenner dressing as her for a photo shoot. Ms. Musgraves took it to a new level of Barbie perfection.

Sunny Gu, Los Angeles and Chicago based fashion artist and illustrator, has a fierce amount of talent.  Moreover, she has an ability to bring together themes of nature, beauty, and fashion and allows the viewer to enjoy how these coincide together.  I came across her artwork after seeing her recent partnership with Disney x Zales, where she fantastically painted the Disney Princesses in watercolor.  I am so delighted to feature her art on Rosy BVM and an interview with Sunny where she discusses her life as an artist and her artistic inspirations. Some of her clients have included Vogue magazine, ELLE magazine, Conde Nast, Versace, Bloomingdale’s, and Shiseido.  Please be sure to visit her website: www.sunnygu.com and follow her on Instagram: www.instagram.com/happysunnygu. If you are interested in purchasing her art as high quality canvas prints, please visit the following: https://www.icanvas.com/canvas-art-prints/artist/sunny-gu

Bianca: I saw your recent watercolor series for Zales where the Disney Princess jewelry collection was highlighted.  I was amazed at how steady you are while painting. Was there a Princess that you enjoyed painting the most or were they all fun to paint?

Sunny: So happy you saw the collaboration! It was truly an honor to be part of it! They are all very fun to paint! It’s such a dream to recreate Disney princesses in fashion illustration form!

Bianca: Your artwork is incredible; how did you realize that watercolor is your main medium?

Sunny: Thank you! I love the vibrancy and unpredictable nature of watercolor. I also appreciate the fast drying nature of watercolor, it allows me to focus on precision and trains me to work efficiently.

Bianca: What inspires you artistically?  Are there environments in nature that inspire you more than others?

Sunny: I get most of my inspirations from the smallest things in daily life, I love paying attention to details: roadside wildflowers, clothing textiles of a passerby, a fun color combination on the streets. Yes, I LOVE wandering in parks, conservatories, gardens, I can’t resist being surrounded by flowers and plants.

Bianca: How long have you been painting?

Sunny: I fell in love with doodling since I was two, it’s been a long time. 🙂

Bianca: There are themes of fashion, femininity, flowers throughout your work. I especially enjoy the vivid colors!  Do you have any designers who particularly inspire your work? I could see how Dolce & Gabbana and Versace could have an influence on your work.

Sunny: Yes, Dolce & Gabbana and Versace are absolutely among my favorites, I also love the designs by Marchesa, Valentino, and Elie Saab.

Bianca: Where is your main residence / studio located?  Are you a native of LA or Chicago?

Sunny: Currently I live and work between Chicago and Los Angeles. I was born and raised in China, I moved to Los Angeles when I was 13. I started split half of my year in Chicago ever since I got married two years ago (my husband works in Chicago).

Bianca: I saw that you recently did a partnership with Sugarfina and live painted at the recent opening of a store in LA, that is great!  Were you painting candy themed paintings for that event?

Sunny: We were celebrating the launch of Sugarfina x Barbie limited collection, so all the customers who came are all Barbie + sweets lovers.  They all dressed in candy tones and many of them wore clothing with the Barbie logo. I was creating their custom portraits, they were adorable, like real life Barbies!

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Charlie Chanaratsopon, Founder of Charming Charlie.  Opened in 2004, Charming Charlie is a women’s fashion and accessories brand with over 270 stores across the United States.  In 2015, he was named by Forbes as one of “America’s 40 Most Successful Young Entrepreneurs.” Charlie is a first generation Thai-American who graduated with an MBA from Columbia Business School.  He generously spoke with me about the emergence of the Charming Charlie brand as well as the ever changing landscape of the retail and consumer market. Charming Charlie is most notable for its unique strategy in organizing merchandise by color.  My experience speaking with him was a pleasure and I am very pleased to share my interview.

Bianca: What prompted your realization that accessories would be your business? Did you have a sense of assuredness in your vision to supply the market in the way that Charming Charlie does now? Was this because of a lack that you saw in the industry for affordable fashion accessories?

Charlie: At the core, I’m an entrepreneur, and love buying and selling “things” since I was a kid. I’m from Houston, Texas, and grew up in an entrepreneurial family. As for Charming Charlie, I knew that I didn’t want to focus the brand on apparel, as it is a highly competitive and generally difficult category to compete. I was thinking about what product mix to curate for the brand, and after studying other retail concepts, I realized that there was an opportunity in accessories. Charming Charlie could be the one stop for women’s accessories.

Bianca: I love the namesake aspect of Charming Charlie – a reference to you! How did it come about? Likely because of your charming personality?

Charlie: This is a good story!  I never imagined we were going to have stores all over the country, and just wanted to quickly come up with a name and get started. So, I hired a marketing firm and explained that we were going to be selling this type of product and that I needed a name. I recall the first few names that were suggested, and I only remember the awful sounding ones like “Accessory Buffet, ” “Accessories City,” or “Funky Monkey.” I asked if we could explore other names and one of the marketers sitting in our meeting looks at me and says, “What about Charming Charlie?”  That was really catchy and easy to remember, and that was it!

Bianca: The color coordination concept is fabulous; some artists would say that a color becomes a color when it’s next to other colors (the way in which colors affect other colors). Did you consider from the company’s inception that color organization would be an essential part of your brand’s identity?  I remember being struck by how great that was when I shopped in the store.

Charlie: When we had three or four stores, I asked myself, “How do we maintain differentiation/innovation, and give the customer what they want?”  I was standing in a store on a Saturday and speaking to customers. One of our customers told me, “You should present the product by color, it’s how I shop.” We first tried the color coordination in one store. We received great feedback. We then took the three front tables and color coordinated them; the customers loved it. Since then, color is such an important pillar of the brand, and all stores changed to be merchandised by color.

Bianca: Trends, fashion, and timeless style are all integrated into the brand so well, does the design team gain inspiration from a combination of current trends in the market and occasion-oriented wear (i.e. cocktail party, everyday wear, etc.)? There really is something for everyone and it’s a good mix of timeless and trendy!

Charlie: Merchants/buyers need to constantly stay on top of trends and fashion, but most importantly know the brand’s core customer.

Merchants stay on top of trends by following influencers/brands on social media, going through magazines, working with our product partners, attending fashion shows, gaining inspiration from luxury brands, and shopping at other retailers. These activities help merchants quickly bring relevant on trend beautiful product to customers.

Bianca: What points in the history of Charming Charlie do you consider most notable? It has scaled remarkably; I read on the company website that there are ~260 stores?

Charlie: There’s all sorts of milestones, but something that was very special for us was when we first expanded outside of Texas, opening in other states in the US and seeing women smile and their positive reaction as they entered the store; whether it was a woman in Georgia or a woman in New Jersey, seeing that Charming Charlie was not just a local phenomenon. It was really rewarding and exciting to see the brand resonating across the country.

Cinderella is mythical and she is also an image of social mobility; she is the classic tale of “rags to riches” and she also represents something greater than that – she represents a character of goodness and kindness among people who are petty and unkind. When Walt Disney Animation Studios released Cinderella in 1950, there was pressure to succeed given the standard that Snow White set with that monumental film’s release in 1937. Snow White set an animation standard that is still being taken seriously today. With that said, the aesthetic that Cinderella presented is also highly valuable – the ideas presented are original and fantastical, that is why Cinderella has made such a cultural impact and has stayed relevant today.

From the pumpkin that turns into a carriage to Cinderella’s glass slippers, the imaginary comes to life in Cinderella and this plays a vital role in the creative development of young children. Throughout my childhood, Cinderella made a significant impact. My mother made my fourth birthday party theme Cinderella and I still remember parts of that day fondly, and how fantastical I considered Cinderella. Furthermore, in 1997, the release of Brandy’s portrayal of the princess was remarkable and I consider that film to be one of my favorite made-for-TV films of all time.

Later into the millennium, Hilary Duff’s portrayal of Cinderella in A Cinderella Story was also unique; she played a down to earth high school girl who took orders at a diner and was bullied by the “popular” girls in school. I was 12 years old when that film was released and given the fact that I saw this film before I went to high school, the values that it presented (a down to earth nature) impacted me alongside the other values that the Cinderella character represents.

After I graduated UC Davis, I needed to find a job quickly to make a living, so I worked in a bakery; many days I would work shifts that would be closing the bakery and when I would tidy up to close the bakery, bakers who were ending their shift used to call me “Cinderella” because they always saw me sweeping and making sure everything was in order for the next morning.

Cinderella plays a significant role in how people understand social mobility; she is a character that under a set of circumstances is made to be less fortunate, and surely there is much to question about the fact that she needs a prince to become a princess, but truly, Cinderella does represent more than her story line. She represents an opportunity to consider how important your dreams are wherever you are in your life and the importance of how all dreams are valuable. Cinderella has made a significant cultural impact with this premise, more so than other famous Disney Princesses such as Snow White or Sleeping Beauty, and she remains more relevant than ever.

Sometimes the easiest way to have a book capture your attention is the one that you will see on someone’s coffee table. Growing up, my mother always had fascinating books of all kinds on our coffee table – from books about pop culture icons (John Lennon, Marilyn Monroe etc.) to books about Monet, Impressionism, Degas, Matisse (art in general!), to ancient mythology and the ancient world. Coffee table books can be an important part of displaying the interests that you have for your home.

I have included a starter kit here of coffee table books (controversial or not) of books that should capture anyone’s interest, but in this case are geared towards the rosy lifestyle. With the disappearance of bookstores more generally, it’s so important to cultivate a book-friendly culture around you and to foster this with your communities more broadly. Reading unlocks the world for us.

My Story by Marilyn Monroe with Ben Hecht

Classic Beauty: The History of Makeup by Gabriela Hernandez

William Blake: The Complete Illuminated Books by William Blake

Matisse by Taschen

Your Beauty Mark: The Ultimate Guide to Eccentric Glamour by Dita Von Teese

Morning Noon Night: A Way of Living by Soho House

Eat Drink Nap: Bringing the House Home by Soho House

The Queen’s Diamonds by Hugh Roberts

Barbie: 60 Years of Inspiration by Assouline

The Career Code: Must-Know Rules for a Strategic, Stylish, and Self-Made Career by Hilary Kerr and Katherine Power

Vogue: The Covers by Dodie Kazanjian

Recently I listened to an interview with Dita Von Teese where she stated how glamour should not always be equated with being expensive. She stated, “Isn’t running a bath, adding some rose petals, and having a cup of strawberries next to you glamorous? That doesn’t cost much at all.” That is exactly the mindset that I was raised to have and frankly, it’s a good one to have, I’m very lucky that my mother instilled that value in me. You should not hinder your creativity with cost; as they say, “When there is a will, there is a way.” Investing in a glamorous dressing table is part of a lifestyle attitude in my opinion and I am happy to share some of my ideas here.

Have you ever thought about creating a vintage-inspired vanity but aren’t quite sure where to start? Retro style is my favorite style and I think it’s the most timeless style, too. The beauty looks out of the 1940s and 50s are my all-time favorite. Creating a vintage dressing table is a fun project and it’s a gorgeous creation when complete. I’ve curated a few of my favorite products that are perfect for display on a vanity table and are lovely to use!

Almost all of these items are available on Amazon and are not antiques; though, if you have the time and know a lovely antique store in your neighborhood, take a look around and see what strikes your fancy – antique stores are so wonderful. Your vanity table can be found at IKEA: they have a great one here. You can also find dressing tables at antique stores for a more vintage look! All of these items are affordable and ultra-glamorous and they are sure to make you feel like a silver screen siren out of the 1940s.

xx Bianca

Decorations

1. Mirrored Art Deco Inspired Butterfly Box available on Amazon
2. Vintage Inspired Handheld Mirror and Comb available on Amazon
3. Pink Ostrich Feathers available on Amazon
4. Vintage Inspired Makeup Organizer available on Amazon
5. VENUS ET FLEUR Le Mini Round
6. Dita Von Teese Gilded Rose Glamour Girl Vase
7. Bésame Cosmetics Waterfall Mist Fragrance
8. Rose hairpiece available on Amazon

Nail Polishes

1. Revlon Red
2. Essie in Fishnet Stockings

Skincare & Makeup

1. Estee Lauder crocodile print compact
2. Benefit Cosmetics Bathina body oil on Amazon
3. Frederick’s of Hollywood Seductive Shimmering Spray on Amazon
4. Bésame Cosmetics Blushing Rose hand cream
5. Bésame Cosmetics crimson cream rouge
6. Bésame Cosmetics Victory Red lipstick
7. Bésame Cosmetics Mickey Mouse red lipstick
8. Rosebud Strawberry lip balm tin on Amazon
9. Makeup & powder sponges available on Amazon

Total Cost

Total cost of decorations and products = ~$400

Total cost of products w/ dressing table from IKEA = ~$700

Voila! You have an ultra-glamorous DIY vintage inspired dressing table that you can enjoy every day.

In my last blog post, I covered the cultural shifts that brands should be making to stay most relevant. The Mermaid Lagoon collection by Bésame  Cosmetics, in collaboration with Disney’s Peter Pan, is exactly that – the novelty provided by this collection is outstanding. The mermaids of the 1953 film are a highlight and have a remarkable amount of personality for a short appearance; the mermaids are in the film for about two minutes.

These feisty little mermaids embody charisma and attitude that is a lovely choice to inspire a makeup collection. This is Bésame Cosmetics second partnership with Disney. Their first was with Snow White and all of the products are authentically recreated in relation to the color archive.

Bésame Cosmetics is a wonderful company: their founder, Gabriela Hernandez opened the company in 2004 with her family; she wrote a book about the history of makeup, Classic Beauty: The History of Makeup and has a boutique in Burbank, California, that is recreated to be out of the 1930s. Her original 1940s style lipstick is also featured in the 2012 Academy Award winning film, The Artist. Quality, novelty, and history are all provided by this brand, and I am incredibly impressed.

I recently came across an article on Sustainable Brands about the cultural shifts that brands should adopt or focus on more in 2019. The following cultural shifts were listed by copywriter, Henry Richards:

1. Redefinitions
2. Tribalism
3. Activism
4. Naivete
5. Conscious consumption

It almost goes without saying nowadays that the most agile organizations will do better: they are more equipped to withstand unforeseen stormy markets or changes in consumer behavior, etc. However, it is culture that is at the core of an organization; it’s the values that the organization has and furthermore how this affects the services that they provide. This does not always take into account all of the factors that affect why or how services are used.

From the list provided by Richards, his first point is most important for brands to be most thoughtful of: “redefining” can entail roles, structures, and ideas – and it can make or break how organizations are able to adapt to external factors. Through this concept of redefinition, there can also be more emphasis on accountability internally and externally for organizations. That can be part of an organization’s redefinition of self. An ability to be highly adaptable in constantly changing times is what allows for brands to be most formidable.

A sense of extreme adaptability leads into his next point… tribalism. Tribalism is being seen in negative lights because of complex political climates globally. However, it’s natural to rally around something to understand it as part of the cultural ethos of something: for example, Benefit Cosmetics is synonymous with pinup culture of the 1950’s, which is what consumers expect from the aesthetic of that brand. Benefit has also generated a large community of women who are inclusive and support each other. Brands can generate communities for positive outcomes if they are keen to how this plays into their brand’s identity.

Communities beyond brands can be activist communities as well. Never before has it been more simple to generate capital for a specific cause (GoFundMe) or to sign a petition for change (Change.org). The most important aspect of these tools, however, is remaining authentic, though. Richards states, “No matter what your product or service is, there can be huge benefits in aligning yourself with a relevant and worthwhile cause. Meanwhile, the risks of being called out for inauthenticity are enhanced.” His statement is absolutely right; when companies miss the mark, they will hear about it. It’s important to be conscious of what causes you take ownership of.

Last, but not least, Mr. Richards mentions “naivete,” and “conscious consumption,” as important cultural shifts. Naivete presents an opportunity for brands to create joy and novelty in consumers lives, and there is still a plethora of opportunity for that. In hard times, it can be small joys that make one happy. And lastly, “conscious consumption,” is something that brands always need to keep top of mind; this plays back into the accountability aspect of the topic of redefinition. Consumers will hold brands more accountable these days, and it’s a world of opportunity we have towards a more sustainable future.

The RagDoll Pink Palace in Los Angeles is a life-sized dollhouse created by Carol Chavana. The venue has become a premier destination for professional photo shoots and film sets for Hollywood. Inspired by a combination of styles including the infamous Pink Palace owned by the late Jayne Mansfield, The Madonna Inn of San Luis Obispo, vintage Barbie, red and pink lipsticks, and Lana Del Rey’s music, the house is a “girly girl” dream come true.

The origins for what propelled Carol to pursue her creative dreams comes from a tale of horror that she witnessed in 2015. Carol witnessed a car accident where a young man was struck by oncoming traffic and was left paralyzed by the accident. The trauma of the imagery that she witnessed gave Carol the understanding and inspiration that she should pursue her creative dreams.

The house has themed rooms that are meticulously styled with antiques and a clear passion for beauty and glamour. They also include original art pieces by Carol (such as below). I think this brings an especially unique touch to the house that she styled so fabulously! Renting the space for photo shoots and film sets is great, but I also think Carol’s story for how she pursued her dreams is an important one and all the more reason to use her space: our time in life is limited, and remembering to pursue our dreams is all that matters at the end of the day.