kai conversations... with rebekah steen

like all of us here at kai, rebekah steen is "always dreaming of hawaii" - making her a natural fit for our kai conversations series. her blog, goldfish kiss, is a sunny and happy spot on the internet and always leaves us inspired and thinking tropical thoughts. read on below for your own dose of inspiration from this beloved devotee!

xo,
gaye.

how do you embody kai's breath* life* flow lifestyle?
oh man. great question to start this off with. i'd have to say it's my ability to step back, take things into perspective, make the most of each day and circumstance, and just see where it takes me. in short, i'm a pretty laid back, yet motivated gal who loves getting fresh air as much as possible too.

do you have a mantra you live by?
get rich each day in ways that don't count at the bank. gerry lopez said it in a surf movie i love, called "waterman". i hit pause and wrote it down when i first watched it.

what's your beauty secret? or must have beauty product?
aside from any sort of kai fragrance? i honestly think smelling anything by kai instantly makes me feel beautiful. a great scent is magical like that. other than that, it's drinking a ton of water, a big tub of organic, virgin coconut oil, and it cosmetics cc cream.

go-to lipstick color? 
chanel boy or nars velvet lip pencil in sex machine. i'll even use them both at once. looks fantastic.

how would you describe your personal style? 
i think i always answer this question differently, right now it's dialed in basics, with a slight edge and little tropical touch.

what do you love most about where you live? any secret spots you love to go to? 
that i am in driving distance to santa cruz. i absolutely love the place, the beaches, and the surf is amazing. really, i have lived in nor cal/the bay area for six months, and the coast here is unbelievable. once a week i take my pup, kili, and my 13-month-old son, levi, to half moon bay and we go for an hour long beach walk. some days we see maybe one other person. it's heavenly.

describe your perfect day.
it was my wedding day: woke up overlooking hanalei bay, had breakfast with my family, went and surfed with my husband, came back and hung out on the beach with my friends, got married, had a party, and sat on the beach and watched the stars with my husband. pinch me. that was an awesome day.

favorite date spot?
a little italian restaurant in playa del ray called cantalini's. we've gone there three out of our eight anniversaries. i love it. or, when we lived in hawaii we'd grab a six pack, tostitos hint of lime chips, something to grill, and our little mini grill and have a bbq on the beach at sunset.

ultimate getaway? 
a week long surf charter throughout french polynesia. but we'd also stop and dive and paddle board a ton too. and we'd have a personal chef on board. oh my goodness, that would be amazing. i've always wanted to live on a catamaran in paradise for a few weeks.

favorite food?
a gigantic wet burrito the size of my head.

guilty pleasure? 
a gigantic wet burrito the size of my head... with a few margaritas. and chips and guac.

kai obsession? 
the perfume oil, reed diffuser, candle, and body glow.

morning person or night owl? 
i am both these days. i love the early mornings with my son, then also have to stay up late at night, which is when i am able to work, focus, paint, and do all that kind of stuff these days. hallelujah for strong coffee.

currently craving? 
a trip back to hawaii, or somewhere tropical.

ideal way to relax/unwind?
surfing. it clears my mind, invigorates me, and after that first duck dive, i seriously feel an internal ahhhhhhhh from head to toe. unless it's a gnarly crowd. then it's a walk on the beach with my pup.

what book are you reading currently? 
barbarian days: a surfing life, by william finnegan. it's soooooo goooood.

what's the most adventurous thing you've done?
i'm drawing a blank.. but off the top of my head, one time my older brother and i climbed a 14er in colorado. we brought along some ski pants, then just slid down the front face of the thing to get back down since there was still snow. to say we went just a little fast, would be a huge understatement. then there were some things i did when i lived in europe for a little: like having a shepherd with a huge flock of sheep show me how to jump a certain fence and sneak into the ruins at delphi.

thank you so much, rebekah! xo