Inspirational Women: Monette Moio

Posted on January 06, 2017 by Trina Solomon | 1 Comment

There are so many amazing women out there that inspire us. Monette Moio is one of them. We adore her so much, we named our new bikini top after her. The Moyo Top! She spells her last name, Moio but the pronunciation is the same. We spelled it Moyo because we manufacture in Bali and Moyo is a Indonesian/Bahasa word.

A little about her: She was born and raised in Los Angeles. Being an LA native, she always finds time to go to the beach which is her favorite place to free her mind + let go. She's a firm believer that life is all about balance. She balances acting, improv, singing, baking and staying active. You can find her performing in shows at Second City, doing yoga with her favorite instructors at Equinox and on her YouTube channel 'Sweet Eats'

Why We Love her:

Not only is she multitalented, with a gorgeous voice and a captivating personality, she is also drop dead gorgeous and super sweet! It's impossible not to love her!

Find her, follow her, connect with her:

Instagram

Instagram Sweet Eats

YouTube

Second City

All photos wearing the Moyo Top and Aloha Bottom in Mamba & Paradise Print

Posted in INSPO

Buy a pair of pants, feed a pup!

Posted on December 18, 2016 by Shan Maher | 0 Comments

Did you know that SolosolMovement donates $1 from every purchase to a no kill animal rescue center in Bali? I discovered BARC through my partnership with SolosolMovement and I knew that a portion of the proceeds went directly to a nonprofit that aids in animal rescue but after stepping into BARC I truly realized what an impact every purchase with Solosol makes.

Considering that BARC is essentially run by all volunteers - except for the dog whisperer - and a few other local Balinese on staff this place only stands because of donations and volunteer dedication.

Last Monday I had the pleasure of spending my afternoon at BARC in Ubud. BARC is a no kill dog rescue center that currently houses 350 dogs ranging in age with many more waiting for a spot in one of the clinics. The dogs that are taken in are mostly found malnourished and living in horrid conditions. BARC is run solely on donations with seven locations around Bali. In Ubud they have a clinic and adoption center which is where I spent my time touring around and playing with the pups!

At the clinic there are fifty dogs. I counted at least seven that suffered from skin diseases. I asked BARC’s resident dog whisperer if this was common and what primarily causes these issues. He said that they find a lot of dogs like this and it happens from mistreatment of the animals. They give each of these dogs medicine once a week to treat the skin disease and over the course of three months, their hair slowly returns and their skin stops itching. It really saddened me to see so many of them in pain over something caused by humans. You always hear the phrase “Dogs are a man’s best friend” but here in Bali, I guess this is not the case.

It takes so little to provide these dogs with the medicine and care they need. For example, simply the purchase of seven yoga pants can provide skin care medication for a dog to be treated!

Along with providing medicine, the clinic is where they make all the food for the animals every day. They eat a mixture of rice, squash and chicken which is homemade in the small outdoor kitchen by one woman. The dogs each get their own bowl and the bowls are portioned out by size of the dog. They do this so that each dog gets a fair share of a meal!

The dogs at the clinic seemed really happy with their play area. They have plenty of room to run around on the grass and hang out in a large courtyard area. All of the dogs here have already been vaccinated and sterilized so they are ready for adoption with the exception of two puppies who are in a separate room waiting for their vaccinations.

The dogs are so sweet and loving and are just begging to be taken home and loved on. Sadly however, since most new owners are looking for puppies so many of these dogs have lived in the clinic for months and months and sadly, might never leave.

The adoption process at BARC is fairly easy, especially since there are so many dogs that are on a waiting list to come into the shelter. There is no adoption fee and all dogs are vaccinated and sterilized for you beforehand.

Like most things at BARC, the sterilization and vaccination is done on a volunteer basis. They have a Veterinarian who comes in on Mondays to perform the procedures and since I visited on Monday afternoon I had the opportunity to watch!

The procedure is quick, roughly twenty-five minutes total including the time for the dogs to fall asleep after the anesthesia is administered.

BARC also offers their services to other dogs and dog owners in the area each Monday. There were a few other dogs with their owners waiting their turn for vaccines.

I was so inspired by Lana, the woman who volunteers each day for multiple hours a day to help facilitate everything at BARC.

The staff is very kind and they all LOVE the dogs. It was warming to see that the dogs taken in are so well fed and receive the kindness and attention they deserve.

I feel blessed to have been able to educate myself and spend an afternoon with Lana, the dog whisperer and the dogs. It was truly an eye opening experience and I can’t wait to return.

How can we make a difference?

We donate, we educate ourselves and take the time to see where our money is actually going!

Want to check out more information on BARC? Please go to their website www.barc4balidogs.org.au

Posted in INSPO

Strawberry Chia Pudding

Posted on October 28, 2016 by Shan Maher | 0 Comments

Strawberry Chia Pudding

Strawberries are a classic YUM. Whether they are getting put into a sweet or savory dish, somehow strawberries always turn out to be a solid win in the taste department. Since I was a little girl I’ve always loved putting strawberries into anything - and everything possible!

This past week I caught myself having an overwhelming desire to shove strawberries in my mouth, which is odd considering I have been on a savory kick for the past month.

So, I got to thinking about how I could make something fun with strawberries that curbs my craving, yet keeps me satisfied for a few hours...

CH - CH - CH - CH - CHIA!

Chia seeds are considered one of the top superfoods! Originally from Mexico, research says that Aztec warriors would eat Chia seeds for strength and endurance and this would sustain them for up to 24 hours. WOW!

…Magic?
If we are being honest it took me a few tries to get this right. I always like to complicate things and create more complex flavor profiles, but what I have learned in life and in the kitchen is that sometimes less is more!

TA - DAH!

5 ingredients, say what!?

What you’ll need:

1 can full fat coconut milk (this is essential)
7 Strawberries (Rinse & cut tops off)
1 tbs coconut sugar (Can sub maple syrup or honey)
1 TBS of Bourbon Vanilla bean paste (Can sub vanilla extract)
⅔ cup of Chia Seeds

The “How to”:

Step one: Blend strawberries, coconut milk, vanilla bean paste & coconut sugar to create what looks like strawberry milk!

Step Two: Pour Liquid into mixing bowl & add chia

Step Three: Whisk Chia + liquid mixture together

Step Four: Pour into desired bowl and refrigerate for minimum of 2 hours. (I used TWO 8 oz mason jars!)

Step Five: Eat & ENJOY!

Toppings? Anything that you can get your hands on! I chose to use a few organic raspberries, blackberries, coconut flakes & hemp seeds.

Other suggestions? Pepitas, granola, goji berries, Melted peanut butter (yes, it’s actually amazing!), Cacao nibs, cinnamon.

Posted in HEALTH&WELLNESS, RECIPE

Yoga Pants Save Dogs

Posted on August 02, 2016 by Charlene Solomon | 17 Comments

There is a saying we learned on our first visit to Bali, “Tough as a Bali Dog”. Every time we visit, it is reaffirmed that this is True! On the beautiful, picturesque island of the Gods, things aren't always perfect and beautiful. We have witnessed the rough conditions of the street dogs: starving, dehydrated, covered in awful skin rashes, suffering from wounds and neglect. The environment doesn't always help either with hot & humid weather, no access to clean water, and a society that is not completely educated on how to treat and prevent common health conditions. We are animal lovers; first we observed the issues, then we cried for the suffering, then we decided to take action! Since we manufacture our clothing in Bali, using the talent and resources of the locals, we believe it is our obligation to give something back.

We quickly discovered BARC, Bali Dog Adoption and Rehabilitation Centre which is not your typical shelter that just rescues, cages, and attempts to adopt. BARC does so much more! Injured and sick animals are brought to the center to be healed, rehabilitated and adopted. BARC also does sterilization days where they spay and neuter street dogs and cats to control rampant overpopulations. Our favorite outreach that BARC does is education. They travel to schools to educate the next generations about caring for animals and to debunk common misconceptions about street dogs including the belief that all Bali dogs have rabies and that skin conditions are not treatable. BARC often has to speak up against the local government to prevent elimination days, where they euthanize any dog they see without a collar. Horrific pictures surface afterwards showing the results, dead dogs line the streets. Some family pets often get caught in the elimination days as well.

On our most recent travels to Bali, we made another special trip to Ubud to see the adoption center and clinic. The employees and volunteers are friendly and offer tours of the facility where you can pet and play with any animal. The shelter is open space, indoor and outdoor, where all animals can run free and eat freely. Animals are not caged! Some animals are kept separate for their own benefit. For instance, a dog who lost both of his eyes, feels more comfortable in a fenced area by himself.

We saw a puppy with a smashed paw hopping and playing. Even though his leg will soon be amputated, his wagging tail proved that he was a happy puppy. We saw a fluffy dog that had been hit by a car. Her hind end was smashed and her hips badly injured, but now fully healed, she hobbled over so we could pet her. A cat saw us enter, and jumped up howling meows at us until we stopped to pet her. The overall joy and sweetness of the animals at the adoption lights up our hearts! You can’t help but smile when you see the small puppy barking and trying to play with the cats and ducks… yes ducks are rescued animals too!

At the clinic, there are happy stories that include recovery and adoption are there are sad stories. When we entered, one of the sweetest dogs we have ever met approaches. His skin severely damaged by skin disease so bad that he has no hair left. His skin was thick, black, callused, and wet with oil the doctors prescribed and volunteers applied. At first, we were too afraid to pet him, thinking it would hurt his delicate skin. But he plopped down between us, and let us pet his sweet face. Did this dog once belong to someone? It hurts my heart to think that once this dog got sick, it is likely that his owner turned him out on the street, not wanting nor knowing how to help im. Another dog in the clinic may be a forever member. Some serious accident crushed his body requiring the amputation of both hind legs and caused a misshaped spine. This same dog was here 1.5 years ago during our first visit. But now you can see the improvement in the dog’s demeanor, with more trust of humans. It’s amazing to see how this dog gets around with the strength of his front body and determination!

We could go on and on about the stories of these tough little dogs, amazing rescues, dogs seemingly on their deathbeds rehabilitated and now full of life and energy. This is why we donate a portion of proceeds from each sale to BARC. It is our dream to see these animals in the hands of an island that is educated about and cares for them. An island not full of starving stays on the streets, but full of beloved pets, cared for, loved, sterilized, and happy! So we left BARC with our big bag of BARC swag. Feeling excited for the work they are doing. Feeling optimistic about what improvements we will see for the Bali dog during our next visit

xoxo,

Charlene & Trina

Posted in INSPO, SOLOSOLMOVEMENT

Yummy Summer Refreshments

Posted on July 05, 2016 by Trina Solomon | 0 Comments

Our Favorite Summer Sippers!

We love a fun yummy refreshment! Right now we are obsessing over Mojito Iced Coffee and Coconut Water Sangria!

The Mojito Iced Coffee is the perfect balance of creamy latte and refreshing mint to both give you a caffeine boost and keep you cool!

We are loving this Coconut Water Sangria because it is light and refreshing and keeps you hydrated. We love everything tropical but feel free to substitute pineapple or mango for your favorite fruit.