Above the bridge
Above the bridge
Episode 140 KANAKO (HAWAII FASHIONISTA & CONTENT CREATOR)
Join us as we introduce the remarkable Kanako, known to her Instagram followers as Style.Leaf, who shares her motivating journey of health and fitness, along with the mental hurdles she overcame. Her story is more than just a tale of fitness; it’s a testament to personal growth and resilience, offering a heartfelt look into the mental health challenges that often accompany physical transformation. As Kanako opens up about her experiences, listeners can expect to find inspiration in her unwavering commitment and the valuable lessons she offers on consistency and perseverance in the world of fitness.
We'll take you through the therapeutic solitude of solo workouts, where independence meets common gym frustrations. From being mentored by friends to more lighthearted pet peeves—like machine hoggers and phone addicts—this segment is sure to resonate with any gym enthusiast. We also explore the social dynamics of gym life, touching on everything from unexpected interactions to the unspoken rules of gym etiquette that often fly under the radar.
Rounding out the episode, we dive into the colorful lives of content creators who balance fashion, thrifting, and motorcycles. Discover how personal style can be a form of artistic expression, with insights into thrifting that might just inspire you to reinvent your wardrobe sustainably. We hear tales of motorcycle adventures, sewing dreams, and the camaraderie that binds riders together. This episode promises a rich blend of creativity, authenticity, and undeniable passion across various lifestyle pursuits.
Okay, welcome to another edition of the Above the Bridge podcast. I'm your host, thaddeus Park. First thing I want to do shout out all our sponsors. Defend Hawaii has been my sponsor since the beginning. They have a store in Winter Mall called no One. They have some new in Winter Mall called Noan. They have some new drops for late winter. Go check them out at their store or go to defendhawaiicom. If you use promo code ATBPODUPON check out you'll get 15% off your purchase order. Next, we have IREP Detail Supply and they're your one-stop shop superstore for anything that you need to detail any of your vehicles. They have a store in Temple Valley Shopping Center here on the windward side of Hawaii or Oahu, and they also have a store in Las Vegas. You can also go to their website, irepdetailsupplycom. Promo code ATBPODKOUT and you'll get 15% off your entire purchase order.
Speaker 2:Last but not least, we have our Medical Mushroom Company. It's a medicinal mushroom company that's locally based here in Oahu and they have four tinctures of extracted mushrooms. We have lion's mane, chaga, turkey tail and red reishi. I take all four every day. The first three I take in the morning and the red reishi I take at night to go to sleep. Helps me sleep like a champ. But if you want to know what medicinal properties these mushrooms have, go to their website, medmushroomhighcom. And if you want to buy one, uh, use promo code ATB pot upon check out all capitals and you'll get 45% off your first tincture of extracted mushrooms. So go check them out. Good stuff, I use it every single day.
Speaker 2:Um, for anybody just tuning in to our podcasts, uh, we're on every single platform that podcasts are run off of, also our YouTube channel. So go like, subscribe, leave a comment. It matters and I definitely appreciate it and thank you for listening. Aloha, okay, this week my guest is somebody I've been a fan of her Instagram page and also the quality of the content that she's putting out there. It's unique, different, not the normal, I guess, influencer, content creator model kind of person, but she's different. Kaneko, what's up, girl? I'm sorry, kanako. Yeah, I just fucked that up, like I do that all the time.
Speaker 2:It's okay, I'm just going to call you Style Leaf, because that's your Instagram. Alright, I met you at the gym and you definitely Kind of From. The demeanor you show at the gym is a lot different than I guess what you are once I got to know you. You see, when I first saw you, I was like, oh, she's working out pretty hard and she looked like not to bother her, like nobody wants, like you look not standoffish but not approachable, which is totally the opposite of the person you are. And randomly, I got to meet you in the sauna and you were like the one girl that stands on the sauna, I would assume because it's hotter when you're higher.
Speaker 1:OK, yeah, I like to do the sauna on hard mode.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, that's intense, but from watching your Instagram I know you reach a lot of fitness goals throughout the year and I can tell by how you work out. And I always judge girls. I guess I guess I do. Yeah, I judge girls on how they work out Because I know when girls are faking it. Or I guess I do, yeah, I judge girls on how they work out because I know when girls are faking it, or I guess everybody, or girls that are just there to take Instagram pictures so they can post it, or going through the motions, but you work out pretty religious and consistent and I guess that's the key, right.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, um I how. So I started working out in like almost 10 years ago actually, it's gonna be 10 years very soon and it was just something to do with the homies, because a bunch of my friends were dudes and they like to hit the gym, so I just wanted to hang out with them at the gym and then they would teach me how to lift.
Speaker 1:so that's where I built my foundation of like how to lift weights and I would lift with, like the guys because, yeah and not, you know, I didn't have any gym like girlfriends to go with, so I would lift like a dude and I ended up really enjoying it. But it took me a long time to actually start lifting because I would, we would all go in together and then I would just go straight to the cardio room because the gym was so new to me and then, like for a few months, I was just like doing, I was running, I was cycling, I was on the elliptical and and then, once I started getting comfortable, then I joined the guys to lift.
Speaker 2:Well, it looks good, because I was noticing today that you had the horseshoe in your arms when you were working out. I was like, oh, now she's getting some cuts in her arms. I don't know. I always take notice of that kind of stuff and I like to see people progress through their fitness goals. But you kind of had some dramatic changes from, I guess, your appearance to what it is now, from what you posted on Instagram, and I wanted to know a little bit about that. But I definitely want to know, like, how do you maintain it and like, how does it work? Because I need to learn some stuff too. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, need to learn some stuff too. You know what I mean, oh yeah, so at my heaviest I was 140 pounds, which is I'm currently around 112 right now. So so bad at math, almost wait. Is that 30 pounds? Oh yeah, almost 30 pounds heavier than I am now. And I got there because basically it was because of my mental health, like I fell off a bit.
Speaker 1:Um, I was depressed and I was just eating my feelings away, staying up and doing all the late night eating, and then me and my friends, sometimes we'd go through the drive through twice.
Speaker 2:Like we wanted that.
Speaker 1:McDonald's ice cream cone or the Wendy's frosty, two times all right and then I just gained so much weight so quickly that I found myself not being able to fit my clothes anymore, and it was like kind of it made me more depressed actually. Yeah, and at the time, uh, I was seeing a guy, and you know I was, I was venting to this guy and telling him oh, I want to, I want to be the way I used to be, and he actually motivated me in like the most weirdest way possible, because his response to that was like you know, that time you were basically a child like you're. You're getting older now, and then I was just like wait, what? Like I think he was trying to be Um, Trying to Supportive a little bit, trying to be supportive, but it came off very offensive.
Speaker 2:Well, maybe it's because he's trying to not Like make it a situation when it's not your fault. It's like oh, you're a little older. When you get older, metabolism changes, so don't beat yourself up over it.
Speaker 1:Maybe that yeah, that's like what he was trying to say, I think, like, don't beat yourself up for like yeah now. Um, but that actually motivated me. I'm like, oh, I was a child back then, that's why I was so skinny, all right let me prove you're wrong.
Speaker 2:Game on it worked.
Speaker 1:It did work, it did. But maintaining this, oh, it had to be a lifestyle. Definitely be a lifestyle, yeah, because the one at my heaviest. I was working at a bar and I was like drinking shots all the time and then that would trigger like those late night munchies even more. And then at at work at the time, all we had was fried food and I really like the garlic fries, yeah, so I just had to not drink so much anyway and watch what I eat. Yeah, I'm I.
Speaker 1:First I made like very small changes. Like I stopped drinking Sprite, because the thing I would drink while I'm working with Sprite. So, like I know, no Sprite, just water, water. And then I tried to switch some of my carbs into, you know, like, instead of white rice, eat brown rice and then in the morning, have oatmeal to stay fuller longer and for the fiber content and, um, yeah, and then I've always loved hiking, and so while I was working at the bar, you know some girlfriends I knew they came in and then said what's up? And then they told me like they, they want to be more active and I'm like girl, I'm, I'm down, let's do it.
Speaker 1:And surprisingly, we actually did do it oh nice yeah, like for a summer, every sunday we would do something different, whether that's the beach or hike or both, and um, yeah, that was like a lot of fun, made really cool memories and um, really fell in love with hiking all over again and and then I would hit Coco Head. That was like around I would hit Coco Head more seriously and when you do Coco Head, it's such a good challenge that you want to keep getting better at it. Like my first time going there, I took like actually the very first time I didn't even get all the way up, like I went halfway and then I felt sick. And I'm like, actually the very first time I didn't even get all the way up, like I went halfway and then I felt sick and I'm like, okay, I got it and then the first time I actually completed it. It took me 45 minutes to get up and so I made my goal to get up in 20 minutes and really, yeah, I go to go, go ahead quite religiously till this day.
Speaker 2:And you can get out there in 20 minutes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, my PR is 17 minutes, 17 minutes and 20 seconds Wow that's impressive. Thank you, that's very impressive.
Speaker 2:I spend more time looking at the ground so I don't fall in between the steps. I did it once. I definitely didn't do it in 20 minutes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's great, it's been quite a fitness journey and it took me three years to lose all the weight that I have gained and I was like sitting at between 115 and 120 for a long time. And then I actually got really sick, um two years ago, and I was, I couldn't, I was so nauseous, I couldn't eat anything and I ended up losing like 10 pounds, oh yeah, so I went down to 104 pounds.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's not good.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was not good, but I jumped back in weight after a few months, after healing from what I was dealing with. Yeah, that's cool. That's when I went to the gym.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay, yeah, as you were losing your weight from hiking and changing your lifestyle, you could see gradual changes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I would take progress photos.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's smart. And then when you see it working, that's also good motivation to know that oh, it's working. I got to stick with it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, all that. Oh, it's working. I gotta stick with it. Yeah, yeah. And then people who I would see would be like, oh, you lost a little bit of weight which further like reinforced that I should keep on doing what I've been doing yeah but at the time I would never count calories oh, I like to do it intuitively and yeah, just drink water, no soda and stay away from fried food and processed food.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, that's the hard part especially. Well, I guess where you work now there's not that much bad food, Like, yeah, you have good food at where you work. Well, you said there were fries there, right?
Speaker 1:there was fries, there was yeah, well how, everything's grilled. So yeah it's, yeah, it's good we'll get into that.
Speaker 2:But yeah, I definitely like the food where you're at, so do all my friends that went. But, um, you've been in the gym religiously and you work out like I wouldn't say like a dude, but you work out like a beast like you. You're, you can tell you're, you know what you're doing, you work out correctly and, like you said, that's half of the battle, like if, um, that's one thing, because my dad and you probably see him in the gym. He's this small little old korean guy with the shortest shorts, bright yellow shorts guarantee, you've seen him, everybody's seen him in there. I'll show you him next time he's there.
Speaker 1:But oh yeah, show me yeah yeah.
Speaker 2:But he always taught me is like you gotta learn how to do it correctly, and so start off with light weights and you can always gradually increase the weight. But if you do it wrong, no matter how much weight you put on, it's still going to be wrong. So I kind of always have that in the back of my mind and I and I watch people how they work out and sometimes it's like, oh, that person isn't doing it right or it's like, but you seem to know what you're doing, and that's probably from working out with your friends.
Speaker 1:Thanks. Yeah, one of my friends I would work out with he was real strict on me when I was being taught how to do deadlifts and squats. He would critique me so hard Sometimes, or one time I was like ready to cry. I was ready to cry but then I like sucked it back in and just did it because I was too embarrassed to actually cry. But he was hard on me but for a really good reason. Yeah, I don't want to get-. Well, it works.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but you kind of work out by yourself, right?
Speaker 1:I do. I do now, since I work in the evening and a bunch of my friends have nine to five jobs. So yeah, I I don't really have a choice but to work out with myself, which I don't mind because I get to do what I want at the pace I want yeah, I'm the same.
Speaker 2:I like working out by myself. I don't have to cater to somebody else and I can get in my own head and for me, that's my therapy. I'm constantly doing stuff for other people, but when I'm in the gym, that's strictly just for me. I don't have to worry about anybody else, and it it's my time and it definitely is my therapy. So I definitely and it it's my time and it definitely is my therapy.
Speaker 1:so I definitely understand how working out by yourself is cool and I get to meet cool people too.
Speaker 2:That's true, yeah, yeah, I, I would. Okay, I wanted to ask you this and, um, I'll let you know what mine are. But what are your gym pet peeves? And I have a few of them. I wanted to know if you have them too.
Speaker 1:Absolutely Okay. So one of my pet peeves is when people are using more than one pair of dumbbells. Oh, okay, that's my pet peeve Because sometimes I saw one person use three pairs of dumbbells. I needed I needed one of those weights yeah as a girl, like we have a limit to how much we can lift. Yeah, like I. It's not like I could like go like, but then going lighter wouldn't be a challenge. Yeah, yeah, I would get frustrated at that. And also when people don't wipe.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's a good one.
Speaker 1:I like what they use yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, mine would be when I'm trying to like, say, because I have a set schedule for the most part, cause I got to pick up my daughter from school, so I'm I kind of have a religious timeframe where I don't, I can't like my time is strict. So if I have to, I want to go on that machine or this machine and somebody's on it and they're just on their phone, and they're just on their phone. Like a couple of times I would say something where I'll go to the next thing that I'm going to do and come back and they're still on their phone and then I'll just be like you know what? Can I jump in? Or like are you done? Like that's one of my biggest pet peeves. And the other one is when someone say someone's benching or using a certain um machine or or situation, and then they put their towel somewhere else to like save that machine too. So it's like they're going, they're saving one machine, but they're using the other one and it's like I need one of them, like you can't have both.
Speaker 2:And yeah, I got into it with somebody over there One time a while ago. They were just tiled on the stairs. I was like I don't give a rip. But that's my two pet peeves. And yeah, as a girl working out, and since you're by yourself, do you get approached a lot? Do you get hit on?
Speaker 1:Surprisingly? No, and since you're by yourself, do you get approached a lot. Do you get hit on? Surprisingly? No, not in the Kaneohe location anyway, I've only been approached once and that was it. And it was very respectful, in a very respectful way and very direct, which I appreciate a very respectful way and very direct, which I appreciate. Like they're.
Speaker 1:They're not wasting my time by like sweet talking me and trying to impress me or like grunting while they're doing their sets next to me, yeah, but at the kapiolani location I I have been approached in a very obnoxious way a guy trying to ask for my number and I keep saying he keeps asking me oh yeah, I would assume that would be annoying, especially when you're trying to just get your job done and get out.
Speaker 2:But yeah, I've never hit on a girl in the gym for this reason only. Well, I'm engaged now, but, but before. I wouldn't want to get rejected and have to move gyms because the gym is right up the street from my house Because I probably would. I'd be so shamed that I wouldn't go back. So I'm like no, I just this is like. I'm not going to try.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, like, like you said, the way I work out it's not. I'm kind of like unapproachable in a way. Yeah, it's kind of on purpose. I don't want to make much eye contact with someone. It's kind of weird.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there's some interesting people there, but, yeah, you wear your hat low and you just have your bag and you're just on a mission every time. Yeah, that's what it's about, though, but getting to talk to you, you're totally not what you perceive to be as the gym. You're way different, and, yeah, it was kind of cool to check you out at work, and my friends love your place where you work. Um, they love the atmosphere, they love, they love your drinks, and, yeah, it's starting to become, uh, our pre-game spot for some reason, and we're gonna, yeah, but, um, how long have you been working at? I don't know if you, if you mind me saying where you work, but no, absolutely not at obake.
Speaker 2:How long have you been there?
Speaker 1:at obake. I've been there for um a year and a half a little over a year and a half a little over a year and a half.
Speaker 2:Okay, yeah, that place is so unique because it's kind of indoor, outdoor, and before there was an indoor right there was yeah, but you have like a little it seems like just a homemade bar and you just do your thing over there and we just cruise over there. But that place is cool and the food there is surprisingly good, I guess, yeah, surprisingly because it we're just outside and they're just grilling some stuff, but it's uh kind of different. And, yeah, my friend hansen, who's a vegan, he loves your mushrooms and the those pepper things, so yeah, it was he. He always wants to go back now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, oh, that's surprising. Like those two items are really good, but for him, as a vegan, that's kind of like all he really can eat. That's kind of like all he really can eat besides. So for those two things to be good enough to come back, yeah, it says a lot actually, so I really appreciate that I wanted to know if they uh, if it's the same grill they're using, that they're grilling the pork belly on, because then he's getting pork juice on his peppers. I guess you don't have to tell him that.
Speaker 2:I hope he don't watch this episode. If he does, then yeah, he's not really a vegan. But you make all these craft drinks and they're kind of Asian themed and we had the peach one and then the winter melon grape this past weekend and I think I like the winter melon grape. Out of the two, I think I like that one better. But who comes up with those drinks? Are they you or you?
Speaker 1:No, our head bartender Comes up with them.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I just. I just follow directions and count to four and then Serve it up.
Speaker 2:Well, it takes a while and you gotta muddle some stuff and do all that, yeah, garnish it. What would be the Most popular drink that you're always serving?
Speaker 1:Oh, definitely the yuzu chuhai.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's Balanced, super citrusy and it's refreshing and very easy to drink.
Speaker 2:Okay, when you're working, since you're Kind of I don't know what, would you consider yourself like an influencer or a content creator or a blogger, right, or?
Speaker 1:what would it be? You know, when I hear influencer, I cringe a little, because influencer me it's always like um the like, they're always trying to sell you something Like oh, use my promo code and get a discount. Yeah, I've tried that. You know, I've tried the promo code discount thing. I never make sales. I never make sales. But I think I would categorize myself as a blogger slash content creator okay, that works.
Speaker 2:Do you get recognized when you're at work sometimes?
Speaker 1:oh, really surprisingly.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, which is a huge compliment, I think yeah, yeah, because, um, when I brought Hanson, he I was telling him, oh, this girl I met at the gym, I think she bartends here. And then he was like oh, who's that? And I told her her name. He's like I don't know who that is. And then when we got there, he's like, oh, I totally follow her, I love her stuff. And I was like, oh, okay, yeah, but I would assume you get recognized a lot. I would assume you get recognized a lot. Um, being a content creator and how you are with your content, do you think is kind of different? Well, in my opinion is different than what you normally see. But how did you come up with this kind of genre of of instagramming?
Speaker 1:you know it's. Uh, it was not a calculated move the way I even became this like influencer slash.
Speaker 2:Content creator was all by accident.
Speaker 1:I started off just posting my outfits that I like to put together and I would would cut off my face because at that time it was only the square. Um, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I would just like cut my face and it would be all about the outfit. And then people would comment and be like, oh, why are you cutting off the most important part? And they're like, okay, I'll show my face. Okay, so I I started, you know, doing my outfit of the days with my face, and it actually caught the attention of photographers. Oh, they thought like my style was really cool and I was photogenic enough to photograph, and so then I got content that I could share, you know, these like oddly photos, and it kind of went from there and then reels came out and I'm like, oh my gosh, this, this is a way to showcase more outfits in a more dynamic way.
Speaker 2:Were you, were you always comfortable in front of the camera though? Yes, okay been comfortable.
Speaker 1:I I definitely like being in the forefront of things in the background, even though I think I'm more introverted. Um, but for some reason I like to be in front of the camera well, that's good because it works.
Speaker 2:but you kind of created like your own kind of style and I don't know for one thing. I wanted to ask you how do you have that much clothes? Because you have like every video you have is like five, six different wardrobe change and there's multiple videos. I'm thinking how big is our closet?
Speaker 1:Oh man, my closet is overfilled with clothes, to be quite honest, and I love most of my pieces, like I remember when I got it, where I got it from, and that all coincides with, like, what I was going through at the time. Clothing is such a big part of my identity and symbolizes so much of the time I'm in, but it's kind of a problem, though. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Do your styles change throughout the year? Do your styles change throughout the year? Or it's kind of similar, where you can keep creating same outfits with the same clothes, or you're constantly buying new stuff it's pretty consistent throughout the year.
Speaker 1:Yeah, luckily with hawaii's weather, we don't have seat. I'm not forced to wear things seasonally.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And so I do keep re-wearing clothes that I already own. I try not to buy new too much, unless it's secondhand, because it's more sustainable that way. But if it's from like a local brand, then I really want to support it. Then I'll buy it.
Speaker 2:Oh nice, so you do thrifting. Yeah, I'm huge on thrifting oh okay, so where do you go for that?
Speaker 1:Oh, anywhere. Really, Salvation Army is my favorite.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:And I think they're the most reasonably priced.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I found some good gems there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I definitely went a few times. I took my daughter or my girlfriend and they found some stuff. I just didn't find anything that I like, but I kind of oh, I found a tie one time, but I haven't really done much of thrift shopping but they seem into it and we've done it in Seattle and stuff like that, where my girlfriend found a bunch of stuff that she uses today. And it makes sense, because if it's a good article of clothing and it it's not all musky and dirty, you just throw in a wash and then it's, it's kind of cool and I guess that way you can create your own style and it doesn't cost as much as if you're like stuff and new yeah, I, I agree.
Speaker 1:I think thrift with thrifting. It really forces you to understand what you truly like, instead of, if you're going to like a regular store, they're telling you what to like. It's being marketed to you.
Speaker 2:But yeah, or you choose what you want, and I think it's a great way to develop your own personal style yeah, I definitely wish my daughter was more into thrifting, because we just went to new york and I took her to soho and dropped some scripts on her little shopping habit. And she has her. She has her own style and she knows what she wants and the look she's going for, which I I like to support because she's creative with it and I see how she is in relation to her friends and her classmates and I could tell like she she has her own mood, her own vibe and I like that she's not conforming to how they dress. She's going to do what she wants and sometimes it kind of changes to where they start, kind of dressing like her. And if you ever see my daughter, she's less than five feet and she's just I don't know how she can influence anybody, but she has that attitude.
Speaker 2:But it's a unique thing to be able to create your own style and I've watched your instagram and your style is very I don't know how to explain it to. I don't know how to explain it to you how I think it is. I think it's very tasteful and sexy at the same time. So it's not like those ratchet Instagram girls. It's like, oh okay, there's some thought behind this and you create such a good, positive atmosphere on your Instagram that it kind of resonates that way, but you do research behind it. I noticed that you did one with Aloha shirts and I actually learned some shit from that.
Speaker 1:Thank you, that was definitely my goal. I have a formal background in fashion, design and merchandising.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's where it's from.
Speaker 1:Where it comes from. I had to take a fashion history class and that was one of my favorite classes. I'm absolutely fascinated by the history of fashion and where things come from and how they're designed, and so I want to do more of that type of content recently, just like informing people like aloha, shirts are not tacky. It's rich in history and this is some of the history behind it I definitely like that one.
Speaker 2:and and then you, you wore an aloha shirt and you made it like cool for a girl. It it was kind of putting your own style into it and giving the history behind it. I thought that was super creative. How do you come up with your content? You just like, oh, I'm going to throw this on, or is it something that you've seen somebody else do and then want to recreate it?
Speaker 1:A little bit of both. Sometimes I create content on a whim, like I'm just like scrolling, and then I see, like, say, a shirt, and I'm like, oh my gosh, I this reminds me of a shirt I have, oh, okay maybe I should build an outfit with it, or even like color combinations that I think are beautiful.
Speaker 1:I will create like I would. I have created a series based on that and um it's. It's a lot. On a whim, though, I will say I do have inspirations saved when it comes to audio to use, yeah, or like poses I want to do with it, or like certain angles, so do you, how do you edit all your videos? I edit it all on my phone in the Instagram app, really, yeah, I mean I use like InShot for other things that Instagram can't do, but for the most part it's all Instagram app.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, I mean it's working. Where do you kind of want this whole Instagramming blogger thing to take you? Or is this something you're doing for fun or you have a goal, or is it something you want to see blossom into something in the future?
Speaker 1:it's mostly for fun. I don't make much money off of it. Unless it's um like a way to promote modeling, then, like the most I've ever made through my Instagram is the connections I make from modeling, but I definitely don't have like a set goal for it. I would like to see it grow because eventually I want to get back into my upcycling business, and so creating that following following would help with succeeding in that business. Wait, what is that? What is upcycling? Upcycling?
Speaker 1:it's taking already existing garments and creating something new out of it oh okay, oh, so you can sew and all that yeah, so like going back to like my education I I have a focus in fashion design so I can sew and pattern design things in general okay, so you can create your own products then and try and sell that. Yeah, that's kind of like the dream Okay that makes sense.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's super cool, all right. Well, hopefully that could work. I could see you running your own boutique or something like that, or online one.
Speaker 1:Yeah, one day. One day, in small, small steps. Yeah, I think with the content I make, it's not. It's not very flashy, um, or like the most sensational. So it's been very slow growth, but the growth has been very organic.
Speaker 2:Yes, well, I think that's what works for you. You don't have to like show your ass or anything, you know. I mean it's, it's tasteful and it honestly is refreshing. Like I scroll through so many dumb like instagram models and it's like, oh, like there's no depth. At At least you have depth. And one thing I do like about your stuff is you're not afraid or ashamed to be silly or embarrassing yourself or whatever, and say funny stuff or do silly things. I think that's what I like the most. That's what I like the most is because so many girls they need to keep an image or kind of a way they have to do things and you're just like doing whatever and it's funny.
Speaker 1:I appreciate that. Yeah, I think having a sense of humor is really important, and showing your personality is what defines your personal brand. Showing your personality is what defines your personal brand. Like anyone, can be beautiful or pretty, but if that's all there is, then you kind of have a ticking clock yeah.
Speaker 2:I agree and it's refreshing because, yeah, I like to see girls being silly or stupid or embarrassing themselves or not in a way where it's like mean or anything, but just like not taking life serious, because I mean, if you're not having fun doing life, then then it's kind of shitty yeah I noticed something which kind of I thought was super cool was that you ride, and I thought at first that you're just like with your boyfriend or something on the back of his bike, but you actually ride, and for me that's impressive, thank you, yes, yes, for me that's impressive.
Speaker 1:Thank you, yes, yes, you know, when I posted that photo of myself on a motorcycle, people were DMing me like, oh, you ride, you ride. Because I think they were assuming that I'm just posing on a bike and that's it. But they don't, you know, they're not realizing that that is my motorcycle. I rode it there. I have my own gear and a motorcycle license.
Speaker 2:That's super awesome, and I definitely fell victim to that Because I assumed that you were being packed and I don't know a lot of girls that ride and, for one thing, how did you learn how to ride? Because it's kind of Tricky at first.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I actually Drive Manual is kind of tricky at first. Yeah, yeah, I actually drive manual. I drive a manual car, so the concept behind driving a motorcycle is just the same. It's just different like hands and feet. It's just like different mechanically in that way. But yeah, my, my first car I ever got is still my current car, which is an Acura RSX, and I love that thing and yeah, it was just, it was easy learning it. I think the part that was difficult is getting like understanding the physics behind it, like the leaning instead of steering kind of thing. Yeah, because with the car you steer, but with the bike you lean into it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, have you ever took a class or like for me? I took the class and then, during I, at the ending of the class, they test you for your license. So it kind of worked out.
Speaker 1:But yeah, I did take a class, but prior to the take taking of the class and getting the license I I got like a crash course on learning how to ride from a friend who loves to dirt bike.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay.
Speaker 1:I learned to ride on a dirt bike first, oh, then I was like, oh shit, this is kind of fun, mike.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You know what I'm going to get my motorcycle license.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh, so you took the class at LCC.
Speaker 1:I did.
Speaker 2:Okay, I knew how to ride before I took the class. How boring was that. When you got to push each other in the parking lot, I'm just like, oh my God, you can't go faster than second gear.
Speaker 1:I was losing it, oh yeah, yeah, it wasn't too boring. I guess I was just excited to be able to ride on a motorcycle, because prior to that it was just a dirt bike. So, just like feeling the difference between like the dirt bike ride versus the motorcycle ride. Like I, I found it interesting and I um I, when I learn something new, I definitely like to do it at a slow pace, like even if I'm learning something, I want to understand it correctly yeah, so right after you took the course, you got your first street bike, or how did?
Speaker 2:how did that progress?
Speaker 1:Yeah, after I took the course. By the way, at the course, the only bike they had that could fit my height was the Grom, and so I really liked the Grom because I could have two of my feet on the ground, which is really nice. But after I got my motorcycle license, like a year later, I got a KTM 370 or 390, and that's like a European brand bike. I just love the look of it, to be quite honest. European brand bike. I just love the look of it, to be quite honest. And I bought it from a girl rider who was in the military and, um, we're the same height, I believe.
Speaker 1:But I ended up not liking it because I couldn't. I couldn't put two of my feet on the ground very comfortably and so, like that made me very anxious, like, oh, shoot, like I think I could fall on this quite easily, and yeah, so I only rode it around a very few times and so we, I ended up selling it later on and then, a year later, I I got the Yamaha MT. No, okay, before the Yamaha, then I got a Grom. I was like, okay, maybe I should just gradually become more comfortable and confident before getting a taller bike. So I went back to the Grom and I was riding that for a little bit and then I got the um yamaha mto3 okay and it fits.
Speaker 2:I know the feeling because I'm short and I wanted a cbr and this was a while ago and I couldn't straddle it. My like, I look like a little kid with my legs. I couldn't, and I would wear timberlands and everything. I couldn't do it and I got a gixxer. But I had them shave my seat so they reapport, they pull out the upholstery and then they, they shave the foam down and which was perfect, and yeah, it made me feel I was more in the bike than on top of the bike and yeah, that was, oh man, I miss riding and watching or hearing you talk about it. I know the feeling of excitement, like the days you're gonna ride or like. For me it was always therapeutic because if I was having a bad day or whatever I I would jump on my bike, ride to Kahuku and back and I'll be smooth after Something I do miss, something that I know I can't do.
Speaker 2:Once I had a kid. My daughter is 14 now and I didn't have a bike for over 14 years because of it. Yeah, I didn't have a bike for over 14 years because of it. Yeah, as something I miss, something that I think I will do in the future, maybe not street bikes but some kind of two wheels. But as a girl rider, how fun is that? Because people must look at you like, oh shit, she's riding. That's kind of cool.
Speaker 1:I think it's pretty cool riding, that's kind of cool. I think it's pretty cool. Um, being a girl rider, I feel it is there. There is a sense of empowerment in that because it's such a male-dominated sport. And one time I was riding to work and then this guy in the truck next to me at the red light started talking to me, invite me to like their rides and stuff, and so I was pretty cool and I like the riding culture because when you're on a street bike, anyway, if, if another street biker sees you, they're like yeah, the shaka or the hands yeah it's like unspoken brotherhood in a way that's super cool.
Speaker 2:Yep, I definitely know that we'd always shaka, or especially going when I would go to north shore and stuff. When guys are riding back, they always wave or yeah, definitely, definitely a good culture. Have you ever laid your bike down?
Speaker 1:oh yes yes, really yeah, I have, it was. Uh, it was so embarrassing too, and I I was going to work and at the time I would park inside um the gate and so I would have to get onto the sidewalk in order to get into the gate and I had to do a right turn and I was going like a little too slow.
Speaker 2:Oh yup.
Speaker 1:It just tipped over and this is like Chinatown and there's people around and I try to get. I try to like lift the bike on my own, but it was just, it was too heavy. I was. I was all full embarrassment and luckily two guys were who saw me as they were crossing the street. They helped me, but I was so sad that that happened, like getting into work yeah, all right, I definitely.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think that could be very embarrassing. I my, I think I laid my bike down. It was my friend, frank.
Speaker 2:He has, uh, he had like a little chicken farm in kahalu was his, and we rode over there and his dad was outside Smoking a cigarette and dad was kind of elderly at the time and I stopped my bike and then I went to get off but where I stopped it was all dirt and grass so there was a divot and I put my foot down and it went more than I thought and I just dumped it and his dad, like, was trying to help me up and his dad's all old and shit and I was so because his dad used to ride harleys and stuff and I committed there with my little rice rocket and he's just thinking when this guy just laid his bike down in front of me. That was embarrassing. And then, um, one time I was it wasn't me, but we were kind of drinking and and riding, not at the same time, but we were we're bar hopping and my friend were on ward and he either put his foot down too late or he he put his foot down on.
Speaker 2:You know, like in the sometimes the middle road there's those reflector things yeah and his foot slit and he just went down and I was like kind of next to him and I just heard him go down like what the hell just happened and like he was shook, like because I guess he was a little drunk, and he cracked the window, um the mirror on his bike, and I was just like how did you freaking eat it, like just at a stop, I think that was. That was pretty bad. And then one time my friend had a. It was like one of those custom choppers and if you go all the way at the top of ward, um, we're going all the way to the top and the hill is kind of yeah, I it was a red light and he couldn't get it, get it into first gear. He kept stalling.
Speaker 2:You know, if you release the clutch, oh, that's scary, oh my god and it was where like two red lights changed so it went green, red, green and everybody's honking and I'm just like brah, what are you doing? And his, his bike was huge, it was like one of those chopper things. So, yeah, I'm just like bro, you gotta get it together. And he finally got it. But oh, he pissed everybody off. And yeah, that was, that was a random incident, but we used to ride a lot and we would do what they call poker runs. Have you ever did that?
Speaker 1:No, what is?
Speaker 2:that. So we'd have a group of guys and we would go riding and we'd designate spots and every single spot you get one card and then at the end of the run, whoever has the best poker hand wins. I think everybody throws in like 50 bucks or something. So we go around the island and you every every stop you get one card and then at the end of the run then you see who has the best poker hand oh wait, who's putting the cards at the location?
Speaker 2:no, no, we just have a pack of cars and then you get one. Yeah, yeah okay, okay.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's seeing. You're not like the riding like there. There is structure to that. I like that yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:And then we went to um. Have you ever did?
Speaker 1:toys for tots I always get invited, but you got to do that. I I make it to one of those.
Speaker 2:I honestly could tell you one of the best days of my life was um one of those runs. My friend woke me up one day and he's like bro, you got to get up, we're going to go ride. I'm like fuck that I'm not leaving the house. And he talked me into it and we rode and it it's. You go down um waikiki and it's like all bikes and everybody's there and then you end up at I don't know if it's still there, but we ended up at um copuline community college and they had this big, big container and you throw whatever toy you brought in the container and then it's just bikes and bikes like Harley street bikes, choppers, just a whole like the whole parking lot is full of bikes and people just walking around talking story and, yeah, you get to check out all the bikes. It was so much fun. I was like anybody that rides should go Toys for Tots at least once. It's super cool.
Speaker 1:That's pretty neat. I think, riding as a group is super fun. I feel very safe when I'm riding in a group.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's super cool though, yeah, if you have a chance to do it, I would suggest do it, because Toys for Tots and it's for a good cause you get to give toys to kids or whatever but yeah, it's a good day. We went Sandy's after and, yeah, it was like it was one of the more memorable days of my life that Toys for Tots run. Well, we've been going for an hour. Um, I appreciate you taking time to come on my podcast. You're definitely somebody I wanted to have on and I think what you got going on is so unique and different. And one thing it kind of resonated with my friends that just met you and they seen your page and were like, oh, that, that um girl's different. She's not the same kind of instagram person or content creator is there like, like what I said, there's more depth to it, and they thought it was cool as well. So it's like I hope it kind of transitions in this podcast where people can check you out and see what you got going on, because I think it's something refreshing.
Speaker 1:I really appreciate that. I think your friends are more on the creative side of like the brain and so I see how they resonate with the content, because there is a lot of depth and sometimes it's kind of like art. Some people think art is boring. You know, going to a museum it's so boring, but then if you're a creative person it's like so cool because it's like an, a look like a painting or a sculpture is a look into someone's mind and I think the people who understand that is definitely the people I can vibe with yeah, that makes sense.
Speaker 2:I never thought of that. It is art and I had a videographer on that does like all these cool videos and stuff and I and I thought it was art. But now that you say it, that is art. You're creating content for fashion and stuff, which is definitely art.
Speaker 2:And I always want to be able to see things through artists eyes or hear music. Like like my, um, like my best friends, dj Hoppa boy, I would love to hear music how he hears music, because it's not the same, like he'll break down a song for me or like it will be somewhere and he'll just stop and be like, oh shit, I'm like what, and then he'll explain to me and I was like, fuck, I wish I could hear stuff like that or see art through artists eyes. I can I have different senses or different things, that kind of pop to me, but it's not the same as it would be to someone who's more creative or especially in those fields. I always thought like, oh, if I were a singer or musician, I wouldn't mind just listening to music through that kind of ear, just as what kind of what you explained, like how it resonates.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's definitely true, and I think that's kind of like the beauty, like one of the beauties of humanity. We're just so different, even though we share the same kind of being on, but, uh, our perspectives and how we see things and even like taste things are all different.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that's art. Like food, shoot, like chefs and stuff. What they do is art too. I know what I wanted to ask you. You also are a foodie, because you do all these food blogs too, right?
Speaker 1:I do, I do food blogs too, right, I, I do, I do. That was also by accident because, uh, I would. I would get invited to these food um food viewings, just like in exchange for posting about their restaurant or food spot, I can eat there for food, yeah, yeah. So I kind of fell into that and, um, people really like that content. You know everyone eats food, so it's it's content that everyone can enjoy. So I I try to put like sprinkle that in along with my fashion and lifestyle things it kind of matches.
Speaker 2:It matches like the whole circle that you're going for. But you can hype some of these restaurants up. Your delivery is very witty in how you deliver and it kind of makes it easy to listen to and understand. You're not like overdoing it or you're not sugarcoating anything, you're just kind of explaining it. And how do you just record? You just make the video and then record voice over it, or yeah, I make the video and then I just record the voiceover.
Speaker 1:if it's a lot of information, I'll write it down, just so I get the sequencing and the information correct. But it's mostly pretty candid overall, like on my phone, but I also have a mic too if there's a lot of background noise where I'm at. Yeah, and with like the my food reviews. What what I try to do is just kind of like show the product and where, where it's at and what to expect, and just like point out the things I enjoy, and I try not I try to stay away from making like very big statements like, oh, this is the most amazing, best ramen. Okay, my life. Like to me that's very over-exaggerating and yeah, that sometimes I'm coming in as like an influencer and so the the service I might get, could be biased, yeah, or like the, the quality of the food I get could be biasing too, and so I try to keep that in mind and if I really enjoy the food, then I post about it, but if I don't enjoy it then I won't post about it.
Speaker 2:OK, that was going to be my next question. Did you eat some stuff that wasn't good and just like I don't know what to say now?
Speaker 1:it wasn't good and just like, uh, I don't know what to say. You know, eaten is is pretty good. There was this one restaurant I really wanted to post about, because I didn't see anyone else posting about it, because it was really new. And so we, uh, my boyfriend and I, we went there, we ate and we hated it. We honestly hated the food. You know, while I was it I was like taking all these videos and stuff, planning to make it real, and then at the end of it I'm like I cannot post this, I can't, I can't, I'm scamming my audience.
Speaker 2:if I do post it, yeah, Well, that makes me feel a lot more comfortable watching your stuff, because I know it's legit.
Speaker 1:I know you won't post some nasty shit, so how annoyed is your boyfriend when you're doing all that and he just wants to eat oh he's, he's uh pretty annoyed, but he's used to it as as well okay he knows that if a plate comes onto the table, to wait don't touch it okay to wait yeah and some I'll use him to like oh hey, can you like pull this bread apart so I can like film what it looks like, the texture thing so he's a good sport.
Speaker 2:I was fortunate enough to meet him that night and, yeah, he seemed like a nice dude and was cool and he gets a ride with you, so that's that's. That sounds like a lot of fun, like being able to ride with your significant other yeah, super fun yeah, I for like food stuff.
Speaker 2:Like my girlfriend will just always take pictures and I don't know why she got to take pictures of my food because it's not. I'm like why are you? You're just posing, that's not. You ain't even gonna eat that and don't take pictures of my shit, and then I can't eat it. But it's like we had a uh oh with hoppa for his birthday. So I don't know if you know who his dad is. His dad is tiny, tadani, tiny tv, oh yeah. So the dad took us out to maharani's.
Speaker 2:I love that, oh, it was, it was. It was so awesome. But we, the dad, they said he could bring his family in and he just got to do some blogs or whatever so we can eat free. So we got to try everything, like literally everything, from the poo-poos to the dessert and everything in between the poo-poos to the dessert and everything in between. They brought out a big flatbread that was like this big. It was like the best shit ever. But every single time we had to talk about it and I was like, let me just eat this. I was like getting annoyed. But yeah, that place is super good. So you've eaten there.
Speaker 2:I have yeah, did you do a blog over there? No, no. That would be a good one.
Speaker 1:I try to blog for restaurants that really need the marketing. Oh okay, and I yeah. If a place I feel is busy enough on their own, then I don't feel the need to post about them. Or if I really enjoy it, then I'll post about it. But for the most part I try to uplift as much as I can.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's cool. So, being that you're a foodie, that means you tried a lot of food and been to a lot of different places. What is your top three on the island that you would like guarantee you want to go to, because I'm always down to try new food. So I would love to hear your your picks of of what your top three restaurants would be that I would want to check out oh, izakaya naru is one them.
Speaker 1:Ever heard of Izakaya Naru? I have not. It's on King Street, next to what used to be Glazer's Coffee.
Speaker 2:Okay, okay.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so they're a very small restaurant, but they serve Japanese and Okinawan style food.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:And it's delicious. It's food and it's delicious. It's delicious and it's unique too. They sell things that you can't really find anywhere else. I tried myself going back. They have a sukiyaki pizza.
Speaker 2:Oh, that sounds pretty good.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they have the Okinawan taco rice, which is a sizzling stone pot, and then they um, mix it up for you and then you let it sit so it can get all nice and crispy on the bottom. Yeah, so that's pretty cool.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's one.
Speaker 1:And then a second one. Hmm, that's difficult. It's got to be Sorry. What was it? Sorry to put you on the spot, I don't know, oh, I don't know why I'm I'm blanking out. It's a sushi place, though, at the Prince Hotel yeah, something, midori, that's one of my. That is actually my favorite place to get sushi. Oh okay, yeah, the fish is fresh. I really enjoy the portion, Like the fish torino.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's important.
Speaker 1:Very important.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I actually got to go to their location in japan, oh, which reinforced my love for for this restaurant okay yeah, absolutely delicious all, I'll look into that.
Speaker 1:Okay, one more Okay. So this is a place I eat at every week before work, but it's for Vietnam, oh okay, for Vietnam Okay. Yeah, I eat the same thing, by the way, every week, and it's a Hainan chicken Okay, with a Hainan chicken Okay, and with a iced coffee yes, I go there every week. They already know me, they already know my order. I walk in and they're like oh, you want the same thing. I'm like yeah.
Speaker 2:Just have it ready. That's cool. All right, I'll have to try all three of those places I definitely.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there's other places to get hainan chicken, but I think the one f of vietnam is a really great value. It's um how much was it? Oh, it's 18 dollars okay and other places sell it for over 20. Yeah, but I mainly eat it for the protein okay, that's good to know.
Speaker 2:I'll. I'll check that out for sure. I uh. For one thing, you're good at describing food, like I said, and even hoppa made you describe his food when we were at your bar this past week and, like you did it professionally. So it's like, okay, she's a foodie. That's why it sounded good, did you?
Speaker 1:remember doing that. I remember doing that. Chicken, chicken thigh sauce, mushroom topped with ginger scallop sauce.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's good. At least you know your product.
Speaker 1:Yes, very important to know.
Speaker 2:Well, I will take your recommendation. I hope people listening to will kind of check those places out. Trust that your opinion is probably good. It's probably better than mine in food.
Speaker 1:I hope it's good.
Speaker 2:Like food, food is art, so it's uh subjective sometimes yeah, that's true, but if it tastes good, it tastes good. Well, like I said, we've been going for about an hour. Um, where can people find you on Instagram to kind of see what you got going on?
Speaker 1:You can find me. My username is at styleleaf.
Speaker 2:All right and go check out her content and yeah, it's definitely something you got to see and I definitely like it. And for us, as always, you can find us on Instagram Above the Bridge Podcast, our YouTube channel Above the Bridge Podcast. Our website is atbpodcom and my Instagram is thadidaddyhi. I knew I was on to something when my friends were like, yeah, I like her stuff. I was like, see, I knew I liked something. Good, I know I like stuff that's cool, but, um, it's always good to see you in the gym working out. I'll probably see you tomorrow and thank you so much for coming on my show. I know it's kind of random, but yeah, I was super stoked that you said yes. Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1:I really enjoyed, stoked that you said yes. Thank you so much for having me. I really enjoyed talking with you and getting to know you better. Yeah, it's a privilege, so thank you.
Speaker 2:Right on. Well, shakas for the cameras. All right, we're out. Shout out to the Artist Groove Network Aloha.
