As 2013 Disapears Off Into The Distance....

Everyday is a chance to make a change in one's life. Every second of every moment is ours to embrace fully with the utmost enthusiasm and excited. Though there is no need to wait for a dictated date to step back a look at life, there is a tradition to do this at the end of the now passing year.

And so it is here, the end of this year. What a roller coaster it has been. I have felt pure joy and pride to then turn around to feel fear and heartbreak. I have had the most life changing year of my life. I have felt deep heartbreak, face my own mortality and discovered a strength that I never knew that I had.  There were moments of pure joy mixed into this whirlwind of the experience and emotions.

I was brought face to face with the fact that my human body is not immortal. That is such a painful reality to accept. The emotions that I felt over a period of a few months were not even measurable. Though, through is all I have found a deeper passion for my life. I live fuller, lover deeper and I make sure to take in every moment. We truly never know when it will end for us. 

The highlight of this year was my trip into the world of Burlesque. I have met some of the most enchanting humans on the planet, I have found a new love for my expression of my femininity and a clear path for my dreams. My life will be forever changed by this. Thank you to all of you who have been part of this journey so far. I love you all dearly.

The overall theme for this past year was to really discover how to start living to the fullest. May you all have a happy and healthy 2014.

All my love!

xx

Korin Monte

Back to the gypsy that I was to the gypsy that I was

Does it every feel as if your life is narrated by a succession of Fleetwood Mac songs?? Maybe I am strange but that is how I have felt lately....

Review Time! John Frieda Precision Foam Color: 3VR Deep Cherry Brown

I missed having red hair and after long consideration I decided to go back to being a ginger. Last time I had red hair it was very bright and bold but this time I wanted to have something more soft and natural. I am not a fan of box hair dyes but I decided to give the John Frieda colour foam a shot. I bought the John Frieda precision foam color in 3vr (Deep Cherry Brown)

The product is very easy to mix and use. I have long, thick hair and one box was just enough for me. I did find the application to be simple and not messy. This is not for people who want dramatic colour change though. I would not use this product if there is more then a 2-3 shade different in colour.

This is my hair colour before I used the John Frieda Precision Foam. (This colour is after I did a bleach bath on my hair to get rid of black that I used previously)

This is my hair afterwards.

Overall I am very happy with the final results. The color is beautiful and vibrant and I have received a lot of compliments on it. I use a sulfate free organic shampoo and that keeps the colour from fading. Obviously this will fade since it is a red shade and they are notorious for bleeding and fading. It didn't seem to cause any damage at all to my hair and did not dry it out. I feel that if you need to save $$ and are looking for a gentle color that you can get from home, this is your best shot.

xx

Korin M.

Tattoo Removal: Session 3

I went for my third tattoo removal session today. It has been about 8 weeks since my last session. (FYI recommended time between sessions is at least 6 weeks) It was painful as always but over too quickly to be bothered by it.

I have found that it takes around 2 weeks to be able to see what the results are. I will see some bruising and redness in the mean time.

Once I hit the 3 or 4 week mark I will post more photos of the process. I wanted to add that this has not caused any scarring at all. 

xx

Korin M.

Happy Halloween!!!

I just wanted to wish all of you amazing people a fabulous Halloween!

Isn't my Edgar Allan Poe pumpkin just amazing? I would share the other pumkins that we carved but they were stolen during trick or treat tonight!

Fierce photos from this Halloween's burlesque show here in Las Vegas. My lovely ladies including the sexy Lexxy Alizay aka Lex Lunacy.

xx

Korin M

What Do You Know About Gypsies?

I have received some questions about the origin of both my blog title and also my burlesque identity as 'The Desert Gypsy'. Well I am here to address the question. I am of Roma 'Gypsy' decent. My family came to this country to escape persecution during WW2. We all know that many innocent Jewish people were brutally murdered and tortured by the Nazis during WW2 and that concentration camps were a literal hell on earth for so many.  A lesser know fact is that over a million Roma people were also murdered during the Holocaust. My very own family suffered this and some never made it out of the camps, the rest fled to the USA.

I won't get into the whole history of the Roma people and my families personal history but I will say that there is a large amount of racism and discrimination that has been endured for hundreds of years and is still presently affecting many Roma in Europe, North Africa and Asia.

I was not raised as a Roma 'Gypsy'. My family wanted a different life and experience for me and my brother. I wouldn't suffer poverty or racism like the generations before me did. My Mother vowed that I would never suffer like she did and I would not have the life of my family before me. Not only were they Gypsies but also fortune tellers and witches. This doesn't make for welcoming neighbors.

Though I was not raised in that life; I am still very proud of the colourful history of my family and ancestors.

GYPSY! In some parts of the world the term Gypsy is considered a racial/prejudice slur. Until I started to really research the history and current conditions of the Roma people, I did not realize that some consider gypsy to be a derogatory word. I have found that this tends to be considered negative in Eastern and Southern Europe more than any other region. I personally am proud of the term Gypsy and so are many other gypsies that I have met in North America and Western Europe. My family came to the USA from Romania and North Africa. I have traveled to see these lands for myself to help understand the history of my family.

I write this due to the recent backlash at the Roma community due to the Blonde Angel child found in Greece. There is a new interest in this culture that I have never experienced before. I feel that my recent influx of emails about my chosen title is due to this recent increase in press on the community.  I am proud of my heritage. I am also proud to be part Lakota Sioux, Mexican and European. All of this has made me the unique person that I am today.

XX

Korin M.

"I don't want to make money, I just want to be wonderful." Marilyn Monroe

Why did I come to Vegas. Of all of the great cities in this world that I had in the palm of my hand, I chose Vegas... I've pondered over this question for the past year. For some reason though, the Universe brought me here. I look around and I saw nothing for me. I love renaissance art, theater, opera and overall culture. So here I am in a city that lacks everything that I love, or so I thought.

While living in Europe I rediscovered a love for nude art, retro lifestyle, pin up girls and in Paris I fell in love with Burlesque. As a child I was always amazed by the culture of the 1920's, 30's, and 40's. I wanted to be part of the 'Lost Generation'. The watch Josephine Baker dance in her banana dress, to hold a conversation over a bottle of whiskey with Hemingway. The flappers, prohibition, the pinups, the strong feminine upheaval to independence. There was just so much change of world views and history accompanied with a strong feminine culture to admire. Maybe my love of this time is past life related, like I have been told multiple times that it was? Who knows what the reason exactly is for a peaked interest but I can't help but love what that time gave us. When first arriving to Vegas I overlooked all of this sub culture that was remaining strong in this city.

One year ago, while sitting at a coffee shop staring at out into desert, I overheard a conversation with a beautiful young women and her gentleman friend. Now, I try not to be a nosy person but there are always those 'trigger' words that catch one's attention. She was discussing a new costume that she was putting together for her newest Burlesque performance. I listened to the enthusiasm in her voice as she talked about her life in Burlesque, the community, her shows and the opportunities that it offered her. I felt an excitement for her but then for myself. I had just realized that Vegas had something for me. Did I have the guts to perform Burlesque? I didn't know but I knew that there was something for me in that world. I didn't turn to the girl and ask questions but I took the information that I overheard and immediately went to Google.

I'll admit that at this time I knew very little about the Neo Burlesque world. I had seen Burlesque performances in London and I also saw the cabaret in Paris. The showgirls of the Moulin Rouge and The Crazy Horse were captivating, though not Burlesque. I knew of ladies such as Dita Von Teese and Immodesty Blaize but that was the extent of it. I knew more about the history of Burlesque and the pioneers like Gypsy Rose Lee than I did about the modern culture.

With my lack of knowledge, I tackled Google. I searched for current shows, information and Burlesque in Vegas. This led me to the website for the Burlesque Hall of Fame Museum here in Las Vegas. A museum dedicated to the history and development of Vauderville and Burlesque, there is no better place to start! I soon ventured down to the museum (located downtown Las Vegas in the Emergency Arts Building) to start my new adventure in this world. I became a volunteer at the Museum. I worked as a volunteer attendant. From open to close, every few weeks, I would spend my day in the museum interacting with the visitors, meeting performers and legends. During times when traffic was quiet, I would watch the multiple videos on the history and past performances. I walked through the displays reading and rereading everything on the walls. I fell deeper in love with this world. During my time volunteering I had many people, whether performers, legends or other burlesque lovers, tell me that if I love it so much maybe I try it....

So that is where that part of the story ends and the new adventure begins...

Why am I doing this? To be famous? No. To be rich? No. To be loved? Yes, I want to be loved by myself. I want to love my life and my decisions. When my life flashes before me one day, I want to see all of this.

xx

Korin 

Tattoo Removal Update

At this point I have had 2 of my laser removal procedures done. There is a recommended gap of at least 6 weeks between each session. I will be having my third session done in 2 weeks from now.

During my first session I was quite unsure of what I was to expect. I had heard how painful the removal process was and I can not deny that I was nervous. The laser technician was gentle and calming. He was hygienic and professional and so was the room where the removal was performed. He first started by blowing a stream of ice cold air on the the tattoo for about 15 seconds before putting the laser onto the tattoo. Once he started the laser process, he still kept the cold air stream on the tattoo. My tattoo is about 1 inch by 1 inch and the entire laser process only took 20 seconds total. Now the pain is very harsh but the speed of the process balances it out. By the time the pain was really getting to me the technician was done. The aftercare is simple. Stay out of the sun for 4 days and don't put any lotions or makeup onto the tattoo and then come back in 6 weeks.  

This is about a hour after my last session

The second session was quick and easy. I knew what I was in for and I was literally in and out of the building within 8 minutes. 

As for the healing, there is about a week of discomfort after the first session. My tattoo bruised and was tender for a few days. After that there was a lingering redness around the tattoo for a week. After my second session I found that the healing time was only about a week and was not nearly as unpleasant. I have heard that this is common with tattoo removal. 

I have seen a dramatic difference already in the visibility of my tattoo. The technician advised me that 5 sessions should be enough for this tattoo. I am definitely satisfied with the progress that has already been made. Once this tattoo is complete I will be having the stars on my feet removed next.

More updates to come in the next few weeks with more photos. 

XX

Korin

On Days Like Today I Need Some Advice From A Great

30 Before 30

Well.... My birthday has recently passed by. I love that on top of a fabulous celebration that was I had, I have made some goals and recent changes...

I have found myself in strange place in my life. I feel this overwhelming desire to do more than just make memories and meet some goals but to make a permanent impact on the world. This strong desire to create greatness as taken over my every waking moment. How am I going to do this? That I do not know. Maybe I will write an epic, groundbreaking, best selling novel that inspires a revolution.

How I achieve my greatness is not known yet but thinking about it has also made me consider all of the goals, hopes and dreams. I have decided to share this with the world. Therefore I have made my 30 must dos before 30 list. I am in my twenties so I have a good few years to check off the boxes of my list.

30. Finish my degree

29. Invest in real estate 

28. Get my citizenship in the UK 

27. Visit a yoga retreat in Asia

26. Get my Yoga teaching certification

25. Get tattooed in Amsterdam

24. Swim with dolphins

23. Go paddle boarding

22.Visit Marilyn's grave

21. Start my own company

20.  Start making outerwear & fashion accessories out of recycled leather

19. Perform in a burlesque show

18. Go blonde... even if only for a few weeks

17. Learn to speak french fluently

16. Learn to ski

15.  Master making the creme brulee french toast

14. Visit every continent 

13. Learn to crochet

12. Bungy jump in New Zealand 

11. Have a successful blog ;)

.....

My top 10!

10. See Fleetwood Mac live

9. Vacation on a cruise ship

8. Stay in an ice hotel

7. Hike the Appalachian Trail from beginning to end 

6. Get my Reiki attunements 

5. Ride a Vespa in Italy

4. Have published columns in magazines

3. Live in France

2. Make the cover of a magazine

1. Publish a novel 

Now I am off to make greatness happen...

XX

Korin

Tom's Of Maine: Anti-perspirant Review

I debated on whether I wanted to post any product reviews on my new blog. I have decided that there is a lack of blogs and reviewers that post on more natural based products and so I wanted to share my experience with trying to find quality natural and/or organic products.

A few months ago I saw that Tom's Of Main had FINALLY released a natural anti-perspirant. As far as I know this is the first and the only natural anti-perspirant on the shelves. I immediately purchased this product because it is something I have been hoping would be released soon. Traditional deodorants and anti-perspirants are full of chemicals such as parabans and aluminum. On top of the chemicals used (some of which have been linked to cancer) most brands conduct animal testing. This is something I wanted to get as far away from as possible. The problem with getting away from these products is that I live in the hot hot Mojave desert in a little town know as Las Vegas. I work in a "Glamourous" atmosphere and I can not afford to walk around in the 115 degree weather wearing only natural "rock deodorant". I had to succumb to  continuing to wear Secret's anti-perspirant, even though I was against it in every other regard.

Now onto the actual review....

 I bought this in June and I decided to wait until the end of summer to review it. I wanted to make sure I was able to give the most accurate review that I could. This anti-perspirant is really a pot of gold for those of us looking to healthier options. It was able to keep me dry even during the hottest days and the most intense Yoga sessions. They claim this is a "24 hour" deodorant/anti-perspirant and I would say that it is more of a 10-12 hour product. When using this you will need to touch up during the day if you are doing a lot of activity. Also, it is scentless. I found that using an all natural scented deodorant over it makes it much more pleasant. I use a lavender (my favourite scent) over it. Over all, I would highly recommend this product to anyone. You can buy it at stores such as WalMart and Target which are quite accessible to most people and it is the same price as most other anti-perspirants on the shelves (around $4).

XX

Korin

Perfect Quote For Myself At This Moment

“Even as age humbles me, it feeds my arrogance. There’s still nothing that interests me as much as myself.” Pete Townsend

Fly Away My Butterfly....

The time has finally come for me to do what I have wanted to do for a long time. It is time for me to set my butterfly free. Of course, when I say this I am speaking about the butterfly tattoo that I have on my right breast. I had it done on the spur of moment bad decision when I was 17 years old. The tattoo was actually well done but never the less, it was a hideous mistake that I have had to regret for years. I have allowed this tattoo to fade over the years and I cover it with makeup on special occasions but now I am going to have it laser removed. I have chosen to go to a local tattoo removal business here in Las Vegas called Erased Laser Tattoo. I am one of those people who swear by yelp and google reviews and from those sites I felt that this was my go to place. 

I will update my progress after each session. My first session is this week. Here is a fabulous before photo...

Now it is time to say bu bye! 

xx

Korin

Welcome Home..

Slightly over a year ago I found myself moving around the world, literally.

I moved to Las Vegas... or Sin City as some may call it. I came all the way from Manchester, England where I had been living for a few years prior. Many ask me "why Vegas" and my my answer is quite simple; "Why not?". I grew up in Pennsylvania before moving to England. I guess I just decided that I might as well give the west coast of the USA a shot too.

So now I am here, in Vegas, working a great job as a stylist in a shop on the strip while finishing off my degree in Philosophy at UNLV. My first year in Vegas has been an emotional experience. At times I am loving it and then at others I found myself searching for an apartment available back in Philadelphia. This city and I have had an up and down relationship but I think I have planted my feet and now I am here to stay.

I have decided to release the entrepreneur in me and start my own business. This is partly inspired by some of what I learned in my time in Europe, my 10+ years working in fashion and from my experience as a stylist. I have started a Fashion consulting and Styling company that caters to the fabulous locals of Las Vegas, Vegas Valley Luxury Lifestyle.

Beyond my new entrepreneurial step, I have also started a new love affair with Burlesque. It started in Europe but has grown into a new lifestyle since moving to Vegas. I am only in the beginning of what may be a life changing experience full of glitter and glam. 

I am loving the life that I am now living here. I am excited for all this city has to offer and I am ready to give Vegas all that I got...

xx,

Korin