A Jypsea Soul

A Jypsea Soul

A Jypsea Soul

A Jypsea Soul

A Jypsea Soul

A Jypsea Soul

A Jypsea Soul

A Jypsea Soul

Creative, smart and talented: those are just a few of the adjectives I would use to describe up-and-coming bathing suit designer, Stefanie Holtzheuser. She’s the young, genius (or better yet, self professed mermaid) behind a thriving little company called “Jypsea Local Swimwear.” When you walk into her pretty and personable boutique, it’s as if you’ve stepped into a tropical island retreat.

It’s made and meticulously constructed to cater to the South Florida fashionista who has a penchant for all things surf, sand and sexy. Its walls are a greenish-blue, (like the ocean) and it smells of some yummy coconut concoction. It’s not only warm, casual and welcoming, it’s filled with some of the most unique bathing suits you’ll ever see. The best part is…

Those creations aren’t from overseas or ordered from some on-line company and touted as her own. Stefanie hand-makes (with love, care and devotion) each suit herself. She drafts, designs and sews bikinis, one-pieces, cover-up’s, work-out wear, jewelry and pretty much anything else she sets her mind on.

If you can’t find the perfect bathing suit at her boutique, she’ll easily custom design one for you. It’s the creative concept behind her bikini bar, which is smack dab in the middle of her store. As most women know, finding what fits your individual body type can be frustrating; especially when it comes to buying an off the rack cookie cutter design. Jypsea Local is trying to change that by serving-up a variety of choices that fit all different types of the female form.

This isn’t just some girl sitting behind a sewing machine, by the way (which is pretty cool in itself.) It’s someone who knows and loves the water, beach and the lifestyle that goes along with it. Although Stefanie was born in Canada, her mother, who is originally from South Florida, moved the family back to the Sunshine State after almost ten years in the frigid north. Stefanie describes it like this: “My mother needed the warm breeze back in her life.”

Read the rest of the blog at www.WSVN.com or shop the looks with the information listed below.

WWW.JYPSEALOCAL.COM
Twitter: @JYPSEA_SWIM
Instagram: @JYPSEA_SWIM
Facebook: JYPSEA LOCAL SWIMWEAR

Green stacked bracelets: www.goodluckcharmsmiami.com.
Pink statement necklace and bracelet: www.josetteredwolf.com
Metal/crystal earrings, necklaces and bracelets www.lgeorgedesigns.com

Twitter: @ShireenSandoval
IG: @ShireenSandoval
ssandoval@wsvn.com
www.shireensandoval.com

Photographer: James Woodley
Twitter: @BritFloridian
IG: @BritFloridian
www.James-Woodley.com

Hair & Make-up: Odette Hernandez
Twitter: @Odettehernandz
IG: @O.D.E.T.T

Styling & Assist: Jackie Kay
Blog ideas: jackie211@yahoo.com

Editor: Matthew Auerbach
MattAuerbach@yahoo.com

The Great Escape … (featuring The Moorings Village)

The Great Escape ... (featuring The Moorings Village)
The Great Escape ... (featuring The Moorings Village)
The Great Escape ... (featuring The Moorings Village)
The Great Escape ... (featuring The Moorings Village)
The Great Escape ... (featuring The Moorings Village)
The Great Escape ... (featuring The Moorings Village)

What’s a desert girl from New Mexico doing in South Florida by the ocean? I’ve always called it, “The Great Escape.” It all started on a hot muggy night a little over ten years ago, when a plane from the cold midwest touched down at Miami International Airport carrying a young journalist with big dreams. When I stepped onto the jet bridge the humidity slapped me across the face, wrapped its warm arms around me and whispered in my ear: “You’re meant to be here.”

I shrugged off the premonition and cabbed it to a part of Miami I’d never heard of called North Bay Village. It was so dark outside I couldn’t see the landscape, which I found disappointing. I had never been to Florida before and was eager to see its lush palm trees, crystal blue waters and much talked about “sexy people.” I settled for a grumpy cab driver, who smelled of cigars, stale sweat and cheap cologne.

After a short and relatively smooth drive, he dropped me off in front of the Best Western strategically placed next to Channel 7, where I would audition for Deco Drive in a few hours. I had been summoned by one of the most powerful stations in the country after their plans to hire a male entertainment reporter had fallen through.

I’ve never been great at auditions, but when I met Lynn Martinez and Belkys Nerey for the first time, it was as if I had known them for years (despite never having seen the show before.) For lack of a better description, we got on famously. After visiting with one another, the three of us did a scripted run-through of Deco, then an unscripted one (we call that ad-libbing in television) and I felt really good about it. Matter of fact, I nailed the audition. I just knew, for whatever reason, Miami was where I was meant to be.

I left South Florida as quickly as I came. I had to get back to Indianapolis, where I was working on a morning show at the time as an Entertainment/Features correspondent. Most job auditions in television are done on the sly and mine was no different. On the way to the airport, though, my agent called and said I had been offered the job. I accepted.

Read the rest of “The Great Escape” at www.wsvn.com or to shop any of the looks featured in the blog go to www.kokopalenki.com.

www.themooringsvillage.com
Twiiter @MooringsVillage
IG @MooringsVillage
FB The Moorings Village and Spa
Reservations: 305-664-4708

Blog styled by Shari Bloch
Twitter: @soblondie729
IG: @ShariBloch
FB: Styling by Shari

Blog Wardrobe provided by:www.kokopalenki.com
Twitter: @KokoPalenki
IG: @KokoPalenki
FB: Koko Palenki