Thursday, August 5, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Chronicles of a Naked Sushi Model - Part III
Back to reality
My time as a naked sushi model is up and it is time for Alexia and I to strategically remove me from the reception area. She wraps the sheet around me as leaves and flower petals leave a trail behind as a memory.
I slip back to the dressing room, pluck the leaves, flowers, and lone rice kernels from my body and put back on my new dress. I am on cloud 9. My adrenaline is pumping. I actually could really use a shot of tequila. What an experience.
My greatest fear was that the bride would be disappointed because I was the furthest thing from “of Asian descent” one can get. I walk up to her in all of her beauty and she pulls me to her and gives me the most warm, authentic hug and thanks me. She tells me the guests loved it! She was so happy! The wedding coordinator hugs me and tells me I “saved the wedding!”
That’s me, your naked sushi heroine! Funny, all I wanted to do was to give the bride her perfect day. The things we do to make others happy and to show them that we care always pay off in the end when you see their smiles and hear their laughter.
My ultimate confession—I LOVED every minute of my naked sushi modelness. I thank the bride and groom for giving me the opportunity to express myself in that way and for letting me be a part of their special day…oh, and a part of their wedding album…
My time as a naked sushi model is up and it is time for Alexia and I to strategically remove me from the reception area. She wraps the sheet around me as leaves and flower petals leave a trail behind as a memory.
I slip back to the dressing room, pluck the leaves, flowers, and lone rice kernels from my body and put back on my new dress. I am on cloud 9. My adrenaline is pumping. I actually could really use a shot of tequila. What an experience.
My greatest fear was that the bride would be disappointed because I was the furthest thing from “of Asian descent” one can get. I walk up to her in all of her beauty and she pulls me to her and gives me the most warm, authentic hug and thanks me. She tells me the guests loved it! She was so happy! The wedding coordinator hugs me and tells me I “saved the wedding!”
That’s me, your naked sushi heroine! Funny, all I wanted to do was to give the bride her perfect day. The things we do to make others happy and to show them that we care always pay off in the end when you see their smiles and hear their laughter.
My ultimate confession—I LOVED every minute of my naked sushi modelness. I thank the bride and groom for giving me the opportunity to express myself in that way and for letting me be a part of their special day…oh, and a part of their wedding album…
Chronicles of a Naked Sushi Model - Part II
We had 10 minutes to get me airbrushed, full make up on, ti leaves and flowers glued to my body, and sushi in place! With Alexia runway trained, I knew we could do it. I flung off my new dress I had purchased just for the reception (with matching colors!), and Alexia airbrushed my legs and arms with the reception design, whipped up my stage face, and I was out the dressing room door with a sheet wrapped around me by 7:48.
I laid down on the sushi table, the ti leaves and flowers were glued to my white body and over my lady parts, mass amounts of glitter were sprinkled on me, and the sushi was in place by 7:52. As I lay there with the air conditioning blowing directly down on my sushi covered body, I finally had a minute to realize...Am I really doing this? I cannot believe I’m doing this. I cannot believe I’m doing this. I have to do this! The bride is going to get her sushi model!
My bare feet faced the windows where the guests were to enter the reception area. Thoughts running through my head. Did I have a pedicure? Yes. Were my nails done? Check. Burr, it was cold! Don’t move-the sushi will fall.
As the guests lined up to enter the reception, I was their welcoming committee of sushi, plus one. I tried so hard to keep a straight face and not shiver so as to knock the carefully placed sushi off of my body. Whispers of, “Is she naked?” and “She’s not wearing any clothes!” were heard from various guests as they entered and I tried to maintain a straight face while looking at the ceiling. Everyone walked right past me.
The first brave guest came up to me after placing her belongings at her table. “Can we eat this?” she asked. That was when the Nyotaimori became interactive.
I laid down on the sushi table, the ti leaves and flowers were glued to my white body and over my lady parts, mass amounts of glitter were sprinkled on me, and the sushi was in place by 7:52. As I lay there with the air conditioning blowing directly down on my sushi covered body, I finally had a minute to realize...Am I really doing this? I cannot believe I’m doing this. I cannot believe I’m doing this. I have to do this! The bride is going to get her sushi model!
My bare feet faced the windows where the guests were to enter the reception area. Thoughts running through my head. Did I have a pedicure? Yes. Were my nails done? Check. Burr, it was cold! Don’t move-the sushi will fall.
As the guests lined up to enter the reception, I was their welcoming committee of sushi, plus one. I tried so hard to keep a straight face and not shiver so as to knock the carefully placed sushi off of my body. Whispers of, “Is she naked?” and “She’s not wearing any clothes!” were heard from various guests as they entered and I tried to maintain a straight face while looking at the ceiling. Everyone walked right past me.
The first brave guest came up to me after placing her belongings at her table. “Can we eat this?” she asked. That was when the Nyotaimori became interactive.
More guests began flocking around me, carefully plucking sushi from the ti leaves on my cold body with their chopsticks and fingers, for those not as skilled with their chopstick
s. Flashes from the photographer above, “Look up here!” and from guests who politely stood back flashing away on their Blackberries, iPhones, and digital cameras. “I’m going to post this to my Facebook right now!” I hear. I think to myself, “Self, you are going to be all over the Internet and in the bride and groom’s wedding album they will cherish for the rest of their lives.” Wow. I cannot believe I’m doing this. But, the bride was going to get her model!
Women ask, “Have you done this before?” “No! My model was not going to get here on time, so I had to step in!” I reply. “Aren’t you cold?” “Yes!” I reply. “This is so great!” they say. “I’m so glad you like it!” I respond.
Men tentatively come up and carefully select their sushi bites. “Enjoy!” I say.
Wives take photos of their husbands plucking sushi from the ti leaves.
All the while, I am smiling, chit chatting, and relishing in my position as the guests are genuinely and thoroughly enjoying the wedding surprise. Flash, flash, flash go the cameras…
s. Flashes from the photographer above, “Look up here!” and from guests who politely stood back flashing away on their Blackberries, iPhones, and digital cameras. “I’m going to post this to my Facebook right now!” I hear. I think to myself, “Self, you are going to be all over the Internet and in the bride and groom’s wedding album they will cherish for the rest of their lives.” Wow. I cannot believe I’m doing this. But, the bride was going to get her model!Women ask, “Have you done this before?” “No! My model was not going to get here on time, so I had to step in!” I reply. “Aren’t you cold?” “Yes!” I reply. “This is so great!” they say. “I’m so glad you like it!” I respond.
Men tentatively come up and carefully select their sushi bites. “Enjoy!” I say.
Wives take photos of their husbands plucking sushi from the ti leaves.
All the while, I am smiling, chit chatting, and relishing in my position as the guests are genuinely and thoroughly enjoying the wedding surprise. Flash, flash, flash go the cameras…
Chronicles of a Naked Sushi Model - Part I
I have been offering the art of Nyotaimori for over a year now, so when I received the call from a local catering company to provide this service for a wedding reception in July, I was thrilled! For those of you unfamiliar with Nyotaimori, it is a Japanese art tradition of displaying sushi on a young women’s body. Typically the model is topless, with her private region covered in ti leaves. In America, the sushi is usually placed on top of the leaves that cover the women’s stomach and thighs.
The bride and her soon-to-be-husband lived in Japan for some time, so they wanted to bring the culture to their wedding as a surprise for the guests. I asked the bride if she wanted a particular look and she requested a model of Asian descent, making the Nyotaimori more authentic. She also requested the model’s breasts be covered in leaves, as she was unsure how her family would react to a topless women covered in food at their wedding! She also asked that the model be airbrushed with the design of the wedding. As a result, I booked one of my lovely Asian models and my makeup and body artist, Alexia with Isis.
The day of the event fell upon us, and I was so excited to work with Alexia and my model to give the bride the reception of her life and the guests a fun surprise! The bride and groom even had small cards made up to put on the Nyotaimori table that explained the Japanese tradition. Needless to say, the sushi model was going to be the highlight of the wedding!
My model was coming to LA for the event which was to be held on a Friday evening, with her call time at 6 p.m. Unfortunately, we all know how crazy LA traffic is on Fridays! As a result, the sushi model contacted me that she was going to run about a half hour late. She was supposed to be on the sushi table, made up, air brushed, and ready for the guests by 7:30 for the guests to come in at 7:45-7:50. Alexia said she only needed approximately an hour to complete the art, but Alexia is also runway trained, so she can handle anything.
Well…6:30 came and no sushi model. At that point, she was stuck in Oceanside traffic… 7:00 she still had not arrived and was near Pacific Beach….I called my back up, but her call time was 6:00, so she was no longer available…7:30 and the model had just gotten off of the freeway and was stuck in downtown traffic…at 7:40, wanting to execute what I was hired to do, I made an executive decision………I would be the NAKED SUSHI MODEL! It was me, or nothing at all. I went with me!
The bride and her soon-to-be-husband lived in Japan for some time, so they wanted to bring the culture to their wedding as a surprise for the guests. I asked the bride if she wanted a particular look and she requested a model of Asian descent, making the Nyotaimori more authentic. She also requested the model’s breasts be covered in leaves, as she was unsure how her family would react to a topless women covered in food at their wedding! She also asked that the model be airbrushed with the design of the wedding. As a result, I booked one of my lovely Asian models and my makeup and body artist, Alexia with Isis.
The day of the event fell upon us, and I was so excited to work with Alexia and my model to give the bride the reception of her life and the guests a fun surprise! The bride and groom even had small cards made up to put on the Nyotaimori table that explained the Japanese tradition. Needless to say, the sushi model was going to be the highlight of the wedding!
My model was coming to LA for the event which was to be held on a Friday evening, with her call time at 6 p.m. Unfortunately, we all know how crazy LA traffic is on Fridays! As a result, the sushi model contacted me that she was going to run about a half hour late. She was supposed to be on the sushi table, made up, air brushed, and ready for the guests by 7:30 for the guests to come in at 7:45-7:50. Alexia said she only needed approximately an hour to complete the art, but Alexia is also runway trained, so she can handle anything.
Well…6:30 came and no sushi model. At that point, she was stuck in Oceanside traffic… 7:00 she still had not arrived and was near Pacific Beach….I called my back up, but her call time was 6:00, so she was no longer available…7:30 and the model had just gotten off of the freeway and was stuck in downtown traffic…at 7:40, wanting to execute what I was hired to do, I made an executive decision………I would be the NAKED SUSHI MODEL! It was me, or nothing at all. I went with me!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
This Wine is Good? How Napa Inspired Me.
This past weekend I went to Napa Valley, California to help my parents celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. That, in itself, is inspiring! While we were there, what else inspired me were the wineries with wine sales people who knew what they were talking about!When I go to a wine tasting room, I do not want to sample an old vine zinfandel and have the sales person/taster say I will like the wine because it is "good" and walk off. Good?!
Here is where the inspiration came in to play. The wineries in which I bought wine (which was WAY more expensive than what I would pay when shopping in San Diego!), were those in which the owners and sales people listened to what I liked in a wine. They described each and every wine and what I might taste at the beginning and the end, whether the wine was earthy, fruit forward, dry, smokey, spicy, or peppery. They not only let me sample the wine, they SOLD it to me.
At Acorn Winery in Sonoma, the owner, Betsy Nachbaur, described each wine an
d what her husband was envisioning when he created each bottle. I not only bought two bottles from the winery because I liked the wines, but I also liked her. She had personality and believed in her product. I re-visited Homewood Winery in Sonoma because I loved the Wizzbanger red table wine, but I also wanted to share the wines, tasting room and wonderful, devoted sales people with my parents.
d what her husband was envisioning when he created each bottle. I not only bought two bottles from the winery because I liked the wines, but I also liked her. She had personality and believed in her product. I re-visited Homewood Winery in Sonoma because I loved the Wizzbanger red table wine, but I also wanted to share the wines, tasting room and wonderful, devoted sales people with my parents.These experiences reminded me of why I am proud of my business and why I choose the people I do to come and work for me. To help make a promotion successful, the model or ambassador knows the brand, understands the consumer, has personality, believes in the product, and uses bigger adjectives than "good." They understand that each person is a potential customer and the models are not there to just sample or talk about a product--they are there to sell and inspire people to become loyal fans of the brand.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
What's in a Name?
Mirus (Meer-us) is a Latin word for “wonderful,” “astonishing,” "extraordinary." When thinking of a name for my marketing and promotions business, I wanted something unique that would embody what I wanted to represent. "Extraordinary" service, professionalism, people, and results.
I can imagine naming a business is a lot like naming a baby, or even a pet! (Even though my cat's birth name has changed about 6 times in the past 14 years, and she still only comes to me when she feels like it...). The name you choose is going to be with your little one for the rest of his/her life. Their name must embody their personality, looks, and style. I remember growing up, I always wanted to be named Victoria. I thought it was so regal and distinguished. Now that I am a grown woman, Julie is a much better fit for the woman I have become—fun loving, friendly, and determined.
Similarly, when naming a business, you want to choose something that best suits your personality, your goals, and your brand that will best symbolize what you are trying to sell or provide to the public. The business name will last for the life of the business. It will come to signify everything you stand for and want to exude in your day-to-day interactions with your customers and the public. Your business name is your brand—it will be used in your logo, your website, your business cards, your social media sites, etc.!
So, what’s in a name? Essentially, it is however you want to represent yourself and your brand. Whether you decide to use your personal name or something else, take the time to do the research and find what best suits you and that for which you want to stand.
I can imagine naming a business is a lot like naming a baby, or even a pet! (Even though my cat's birth name has changed about 6 times in the past 14 years, and she still only comes to me when she feels like it...). The name you choose is going to be with your little one for the rest of his/her life. Their name must embody their personality, looks, and style. I remember growing up, I always wanted to be named Victoria. I thought it was so regal and distinguished. Now that I am a grown woman, Julie is a much better fit for the woman I have become—fun loving, friendly, and determined.
Similarly, when naming a business, you want to choose something that best suits your personality, your goals, and your brand that will best symbolize what you are trying to sell or provide to the public. The business name will last for the life of the business. It will come to signify everything you stand for and want to exude in your day-to-day interactions with your customers and the public. Your business name is your brand—it will be used in your logo, your website, your business cards, your social media sites, etc.!
So, what’s in a name? Essentially, it is however you want to represent yourself and your brand. Whether you decide to use your personal name or something else, take the time to do the research and find what best suits you and that for which you want to stand.
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