Randomoscity // Get Inside Of My Head v. 01

I was born a feline from my mother's womb. No seriously, how else could I explain for the times when I was a kid when I snuck in catnip just to sniff it and roll in it or when I ate my cat's wet food? What about all the times when I used to go to my grandmother's house and I would climb all the way from the kitchen counters, to the tops of the cabinets and onto the refridgerator, all the way to the stairs that lead to a secret part of her house?

I cannot help that I can walk through the house at night when its dark and not step on a thing, nor wake up anyone. My five senses are enhanced like cats, I tell you!

Beauty, Hair & Style // Once A Year v. 01

Walking straight into a circus, the Victoria Secret Fashion Show set the bar high this year with the performances of Rihanna, Justin Beiber (obviously) and Bruno Mars through Theatre Bizarre, Dangerous Liaisons, Calendar Girls, Pink Ball, Secret Studios and Angels In Bloom.

While 'Get Ur Freak On' from the lovely Missy Elliott, 'Break On Through (To The Other Side)' from The Doors, and 'Rebel Yell' from Billy Idol played through a remixed version of the safari hunt theme in the background, aerial acts, sword swollers, yo-yo'ers, dancers and freak show performances showcased the many girls with their obvious talents.

Rihanna rocked the lingerie look (you know, the oh-so-revealing black corseted gown with a thigh-high slit that showed off her garters and stockings, lace arm warmers, five strand pearl necklace and pearl-rimmed sunglasses which undoubtedly could remind you of the timeless, classy and elegant Ms. Elizabeth Taylor), providing the highlight of the live-music soundtrack and holding her own on the catwalk with some of the world's top models. Her new single 'Diamonds' played on que when the hotel gates opened up to reveal the mansion in the background and the smoke illuminating on the runway with hanging lamps moving about over the crowd.

Ending the Victorian spectacle, Bruno Mars set the tone for the Calendar Girls theme with a jazz band that danced in tune with him all over the stage and runway to "Locked Out Of Heaven". The 50's nostalgic pin-up girls showed a seductive journey from  January's Happy New Year to December's Sexy Santa.

Right after the Calendar Girls, Justin Beiber appeared with his new song “As Long As You Love Me” through an acoustic set. What I had been dreading for the past few months to watched, turned me into a Beibs fan just from an inside joke I pulled with myself (the fact that I pictured Zak singing up there and kind of felt proud!). At least you can say that he sounds much better than he ever did from the 'Baby' days.

Justin's next hit “Beauty and The Beat”, along with his “swagger-like” dance routine, hit the spot with its mix through the Pink Ball with a pin-ball machine runway and Roller Derby Girl backdrop to speak for the girls' childhood dreams. I bet it tickled the fantasies of all the girls in this set when Justin Beiber interacted with them in a cute "here I am" dance!

Old world Hollywood allure abounds as the Angels transported us to a world of glitz and excitement. Bedecked showgirls, diamonds, feathers fineries, and the luxurious stylings of the 20's and 30's were introduced in the Secret Studios with Bruno Mars hit "Young Girls". Nothing could seem to go wrong with vintage movie reels, blue stars everywhere and lights flashing around!

Soft, sultry pastels and luscious shades mingle in a fantastical, ethereal arrangement performed by Rihanna with her latest single “Phresh Out The Runway” for the Angels In Bloom. While she danced down the runway before giving her own take on giving the catwalk in her lacy pastel floral robe, aerial silk performers set the stage for the $2.5 million Floral Fantasy Bra, created by London Jewelers.

As soon as the glitter settles from the runway, the Victoria Secret team will be thinking about next year's show. While it takes a year to plan, it only takes about five months to see the vision come to life and only that much more time to see the entire process on the runway. Are you ready for next year? I know I am, but only this time my review will be the day after. Promise!
(I blame it on being a full-time business owner and mom to five children. I also blame it on the fact that they chose Justin Beiber as a performer, but that's for another time for me to discuss.)

Procreation & Parenthood // Parenting Tips v. 01

I can already feel the tense faces of those who feel the need of knowing and understanding why Wreck It Ralph needs a reason to be in one of my parenting tips. Well you cherry-chasing dot-muncher, I will tell you why.

Oh, you don't like Pac-Man? Too bad.

Just take the hint that I am an adult in a child's body (a very tall body, if I say so!) and that I want you to know that I absolutely loved the Wreck It Ralph movie. Video games own my heart and forever will I love references made within the movie. But why is this a movie to rave about when it comes to parenting? Well....lets just say that his achievement to be fully-potty trained earned him a special trip in order to get big boy underwear...

...to sit on the big boy chair at Taco Bell (nothing new) before seeing the movie

...for him to play with video game guns after the movie (also nothing new for us)

...and to get a lollipop for the walk home all because he learned how to potty in the toilet.

And there you have it, the reason why its a good thing to spoil your kid to new underwear, big boy (video game) guns, Taco Bell and a movie (might I add his first movie theater experience?) just for using the toilet on a daily basis for months at a time. Even if your child runs carelessly throughout the theater (like ours did), still let them have their big day.

After all, he or she will feel special for being embarrassed by the concept of peeing or pooping in their diapers and finally taking the plunge to poop in order to scream at the top of their lungs so they can say "I did it!". Be prepared and do not say that I did not warn you.

Beauty, Hair & Style // Collection Of The Month v. 01

"Holy Lazy Oaf collaboration, Batman! The UK-based graphic street wear label recently teamed up with DC comics to release an awesome Batman-themed collection in celebration of The Dark Knight Rises. The collection is a totally cute retro throwback to the comic book black-and-yellow Batman of yesteryear, complete with bat-signal prints, vintage Batman logos, and - yes - even bat wing silhouettes! I want every piece and, between The Dark Knight Rises and Spiderman, I'm on a super comic book kick these days."

All I can say is that Audrey Kitching said it the best way when describing the Batman x Lazy Oaf Collaboration. To me, the photos describe the story even better than the description considering that I am a huge fan of comics (especially since I am in love with Catwoman and Selene's character in Batman). Here is the link to the photo album if you want to see more eye candy!

Randomoscity // 15 Things To Smile About

What did you think this post was going to be about.. my pill-popping, ecstasy junkie addiction while attending raves of the like (like you know, um Electric Daisy Carnival, Winter Warpdrive, Burning Man, ..etc.)?

(Thinks about it for a minute) Oh-okay well if you must know, I would be that girl high in the rave crowd. But don't think I will be taking the ecstasy!

Alright people, people..back on subject on what this post is actually about. This post is about makeup and LOTS of it make me smile a whole lot. The application, the precision and the architecture. Oh my, I must admit just everything that comes about the beauty behind the application and the aftermath of it all. Especially when it includes bright, neon colors. Could you blame a girl?

In Celebration // Martin Luther King, Jr. v. 01

In honor of one of my main men, Mr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I figured I would serve some MLK realness to show you his real sense of humor. Do you feel me?

Randomoscity // Instagram v. 02

So by now, I already have 57 pictures, which is not bad for the first week and a half into January and only have two and a half weeks to go before January is up. Twenty-seven percent there and have the photo album to prove it!

Enthusiastic Entrepreneur // DJ Kittie & Krimzon v. 01

David and I are the kind of couple who follows a specific dream: to inspire, create and to build a legacy from our art. Its extraordinary to find such a significant other such as David who not only has the same vision as I, but will include me in his plans for Sin7ul and become a Creative Director (aside from the talented, Mr. JDBundy). 

Holiday Loving // Celebrating The Holiday v. 01

Every hipster-like crafter mom or Martha-Stewart wannabe out there is of course born for the holidays with recipes, crafts and what have you. But did you know that I can see the smirk on your face when I say that I am literally born for the holidays?

[ c/o Seattle Times ]

No, no..its true I tell you. Let's just start with my name: Melanie Leann King or MLK for short. Kind of ironic for the MLK, but get this... I am the Junior of our family. Its kind of a joke / real relation to my immediate families' dynamic. My dad and I are extremely close you see, and we share a lot of things in common: our love for horses, kindred nature to living and loving life, our natural ability to pull pranks, the awareness of how a child should be raised (and this is no joke after I had Zak!), our unwilling ability to never turn down an argument, and the list can go on for days.

I could go on in other realms including Valentine's Day and even Halloween, but I will save that for another time. Just know that I want to spread my joy for the holidays, even if that means pulling a prank on you!

Staying Healthy // Pregnancy v. 01

What a way to introduce Staying Healthy by simply saying the sex of a baby, or well.. the sex of a baby I'd rather have by the end of the year!

Honestly, staying healthy should be a major priority for every woman who is either pregnant or wants to become pregnant. For me, I want to be able to exercise through my next pregnancy and to eat all the right foods, for what? Yes you guessed it, a girl!

[ c/o Johnny In A Dress ]

Ah-ha, now you see where I am getting at with the title. Ever since I made up my mind about wanting a baby girl rather than a wedding in 2013, I knew that I had to make "this" pregnancy different because A) I had a boy and uh-duh, I'm sure you know that, B) my last pregnancy was anything but healthy even though it resulted in a healthy baby, and C) I want a baby girl so that only means eating the "right" foods with enough exercise.

Even though it is understood through my resolutions to become healthier through #11 Stick With Daily Routine and #13 Take Better Care Of Myself, the same requirements will be sought even if I have a baby. Starting in mid-February (when we get our taxes and purchase the treadmill off Jordan's hands), I will want to exercise at least five days a week and even if I have a baby, it will not stop me from wanting to exercise through two hours of treadmill, yoga and weights (as well as with swimming once a week, just because our family consists of mermaids, no joke!) until the precious baby arrives. Fourty pounds will NEED to come off me this year, no matter what!

As far as nutrition is concerned, I will follow a baby-girl only diet even while I am during the conception phase. You never know when you conceive so its better to do it right than never, especially when a baby girl is involved. I will do whatever it takes, even if it means drinking a lot of pomegranate cranberry juice (I used to dislike cranberries up until Thanksgiving when I consumed myself of some cranberry jellies).

Now that I got my plan down, can the baby just hop in my uterus already?! Just saying.

A Peace Of Love // Reviews v. 01

In about two weeks while working at Ross Dress For Less, our car broke down. At first, everything seemed like hell. Going to run errands, getting groceries, going to work...all of it. Just pure hell.

Toughing it out, we walked everywhere on a daily basis. In combination of a three person household with a child, we each walked at least seven to ten miles per day. In total, that is far more than any average US citizen would walk in a given week if they were even lucky. But to add that on every single day for six months straight?

That would give the average US citizen a heart attack just from the thought, let alone having to actually do it.

There was this one instance where David, Zak (in a stroller, one mile is enough torture for a kid to walk) and I ended up walking all over town (approximately seven miles, not including the rest of what we had to walk later on that evening) to get food at food banks.

Just for the record, before anyone wants to judge us on our circumstance, we live in a home that has a total of $1500 in bills (which is the state average for those with two-individual income and a child on the minimum with no cable, no phone and no luxuries). At the time, Wilson and I did not have a job and was solely supported by David's income. So it was a major blessing for Wilson and I to have found a job when we did, or we really would have been on the streets and that just wasn't going to happen. What we did without a car and three jobs, was to support us in every way possible without starving ourselves to death (it would have been nice to receive Food Stamps, but we were "over-income").

My main goal in 2012 was to support my family and to get them back on their feet. That meant to have a job long enough to get everyone on their feet and to get Food Stamps so we could get bus passes while we waited on getting the car fixed. Adding Andre to the addition of our already three individual home with a kid, was just the icing on the cake. It helped me with being able to stay-at-home to watch my son and our animals, to manage the home, to start the jobs I originally wanted to do while working at Ross and to have more time for things that truly meant something to me, while he worked alongside Wilson and David at an operational business.

                                                                       [ c/o Fred Novicki & Dumpster ]

But back to the original story of walking seven miles to Food Banks across the entire town of Grand Junction. We ended up leaving at 10 and wound up arriving back home at 3 in the afternoon. Five hours people, five!? Add that onto the 20 pounds of food we each had to carry.

You would think that we would have slowed down just to smell the roses. Wrong!

David and I ended up organizing all the food we got into our refridgerator and pantry (which took at least some 30 odd minutes) before deciding on taking a break. This break so-called turned into watching a documentary named Dive! Living Off America's Waste.

"Inspired by a curiosity about our country's careless habit of sending food straight to landfills, the multi award-winning documentary DIVE! follows filmmaker Jeremy Seifert and friends as they dumpster dive in the back alleys and gated garbage receptacles of Los Angeles' supermarkets. In the process, they salvage thousands of dollars worth of good, edible food - resulting in an inspiring documentary that is equal parts entertainment, guerilla journalism and call to action."

You would think that since we live in an economy with millions of families who starve on a daily basis, the economy would do something about it. Well you my friend, are most definitely wrong. At least for some people out there, they wind up like Jeremy Seifert who have been given the wrong hand in life and turn it into something positive. Something ful-filling and what can seem like the world to those who really need it. To coordinate and transport food to homeless shelters, food banks, food pantries and soup kitchens, seven days a week.

To me, this man is truly inspiring. Inspiring enough that I will dwelve into the realms I would have never wanted to go in because of the waste involved, just to put more food on the table for my family and to coordinate a plan in order to reduce the amount of food just thrown out...

...when it can clearly be given to those who truly need it. Our economy.

Beauty, Hair & Style // Hair Secrets v. 01

Have you ever watched Shameless (the American version anyway)? Just note on why I ask specifically for the American version: much more raw (can you handle nudity? our family can..), easy-to-follow, and entertainingly brutal than the British version can ever be. Props to the British version for being the first, but Michael Hissrich (the producer) made the US version more appealing to its audience.

The American version follows the dysfunctional family of Frank Gallagher, a single father of six children. While he spends his days drunk (even leaving the states several times without knowing, which is extremely hilarious in my opinion - but that's up for you to decide when you watch it), his kids learn to take care of themselves (mainly with Fiona, the eldest girl, in charge).

Now let me tell you, raising one kid is NOT easy (even on a two individual salary)...but five others to feed, house and what not, I honor Fiona's ability to do so without loosing her sanity. She makes sure that e.v.e.r.y. single dollar is stretched so it makes a good use for what the children and the home really need, without Frank's back-stabbing help.

[ c/o Examiner ]

In honor of the show and the mere fact that every little thing must count, I decided to take the action upon myself a month ago when we had no money toward shampoo for like a few days (mind you, we're not poor...we just forgot to buy shampoo before we paid the bills!). I figured that since I really needed to wash my hair and our Dawn dish soap was available, I figured heck, why not?! The worst it can do is make my hair dry for a few days.

Oh.my.goodness. The reaction of the Dawn in my hair as opposed to what I originally thought, took me by shock. It was so silky after a normal shampoo and conditioner routine that I had to try it again the next time I washed my hair.

The same thing happened the very next time I washed my hair, which simply made me fall in love with the idea of saving money on shampoo while helping the environment of grease spills. Fiona, you're a lifesaver.

(What I recommend is to use it every week, at least once a week to clarify your hair of all the natural oil build-up. I used regular shampoo the third time and it made it even more silkier than what my hair originally felt like the first time before I used the Dawn dish soap).

Wine & Dine // All For The Animals v. 01

In approximately 17 days (or two weeks and 3 days if you want to get super technical), our Harley Quinn will turn one years old. No more puppy days for her and especially no more excuses for peeing on the carpet or running away from home because she just wanted to. 

[ c/o Delish ]

Upon celebrating her birthday, David and I have decided on making pup ice cream from four simple ingredients, which include: 

• Three 6-Oz. Containers Of Plain, Low-Fat Yogurt
• 1/2 Cup Low Sodium Peanut Butter
• One 4-Oz. Jar Banana Baby Food
• 1 Tablespoon Honey

Can you believe I learned about this recipe when I was a kid from my grandmother?