Sunday, February 13, 2011

One of our Favorite Hangouts in the Sundance Channel Lounge

One of our favorite hangout joints was the Sundance Channel Lounge!  We were walking by the lounge when this young group of guys "The 38 Special" recognized the credentials we had around our necks and beckoned us inside. THANKFULLY!
Once inside the lounge we were treated like royalty with a beautiful place to sit and an array of entertainment.  Our favorite being the Cosmopolitan hosted second floor! The Biker Baker served up some delicious cookies while we played in the Photobooth.  They completely had to coax us out of our shells to dress up and cram in to that little booth....but we managed.  (You know that we actually just took over, right?)

Thank you Sundance Channel and Cosmopolitan for always taking us in during our trip!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

K'NAAN Touches the Music Soul at Sundance

Prior to The Idaho 8 going on our journey to the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, we charted out some of the many sites and lounges that we knew we wanted to see and be seen.  One of those was the Music Cafe.  We researched some of the highlighted artist and we were excited by the lineup of musical talent but we were completely not prepared for the soul-touching we were about to have when we crowded into the cafe to see the artist K'NAAN!  This beautiful man came onto the stage with such an approachable presence and with such heart he began to tell the story of where and why his music came about.

I think every single one of us Idaho 8 girls had a lump in our throat, and a tear in our eyes...as we tried to maintain a sassy appearance while standing there mesmerized by the sound coming from this man and his acoustic band!

If you have not heard this man sing or seen him live...you need to seek him out now!

We didn't technically "seek him out" like stalkers or anything but we fortuitously ran into him later in the evening while we were running around Park City!  Lucky us!
Melissa, K'NAAN, Jennifer

Saturday, January 22, 2011

A Humbled Change in Focus

The Idaho 8 is a group of friends that have been traveling together for years...and due to the nature of our outgoing personalities (not a wallflower in the bunch),  usually cause quite a stir wherever we go. We had originally started this blog as a way to chronicle our many wonderful adventures together (a travel blog, of sorts), and celebrate the power of the female bond, but these last three days at The Sundance Film Festival have changed all of that for us. Sure we have done our share of back-bends on the dance floor, laughed until we wet our pants, and had incredible experiences that we could have never dreamed possible, but the real heart of what we love about our travels together is the PEOPLE we meet along the way...

These last three days we have met artists, actors, film makers, jewelry makers, photographers, musicians, chefs, moms, entrepreneurs, tourists from all over the world, and everyone in between. All of these people have shared their stories with us, openly and from the heart, and those raw and personal connections with total strangers have touched us deeply...to the point that we have decided the focus of our blog will be sharing THESE stores with you.  We are excited to introduce you to the wonderful people we meet along the way, and hope that you will join us in our celebration of the human spirit.

Our hearts and ears are open, and we are ready to meet YOU!

Pictures and stories COMING SOON! Stay tuned....

XO,
     ID8

Friday, January 21, 2011

HELLO SUNDANCE!

We made it here safe and sound! 5 hours in a car with 6 gals and 18 pieces of luggage makes for a VERY interesting trip...Opening party was a BLAST! We met so many SPECTACULAR and talented folks from all over the world! Can't wait to share our pictures and stories with you...but for now, we simply MUST go to bed! Tomorrow is a BIG day! XO, ID8

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Meet The Idaho 8!

Hello! We are the Idaho 8, and we are SO happy you stopped by! XOXO

JUDITH:
This straight-shooting firecracker LIVES for the arts. Whether she is acting, dancing, painting, or designing beautiful homes for people, she leaves her mark wherever she goes.

MELISSA:
This feisty little nugget is the epitome of Louisiana from head to toe! This gal can not only make a MEAN etouffee, but do it while juggling three babies (two of which are twins!) AND dancing her silky dance moves!

TRACY:
She may be small, but she is MIGHTY! This girl is taking on the skin care world one dermatologist at a time.  The only thing bigger than her entrepreneurial spirit, is her passion for MUSIC!

DENISE:
This 6' beauty has eyes that can pierce a hole in your soul, all while signing million dollar contracts. You had better be VERY secure if you want to take on this gal!

LAURA:
She likes to think of herself as a "simple Idaho girl who likes to shop in sequined gowns", but we all know there is SOOOO much more to her than that...her heart is bigger than the ENTIRE universe (AND she has "abs of steel")...no, REALLY!

JENNIFER:
She's a Southern gal who has integrated nicely into Idaho culture.  She's the kinda woman that takes charge in every aspect of her life, but with a smile on her face..("smile on the face, but fire in the eyes").  A foodie is an UNDERSTATED superlative, and all vacations center first around where to dine....OH, and watch out on the dance floor, because this girl loves a good back-bend! "SPOT ME!"

DOWNTOWN JEANNIE BROWN:
Being a new mom has nothing on this girl! She can still pull off a high-kick and the splits like the best of 'em!

TONI:
This model, photographer, entrepreneur, mom will give ANYONE a run for their money! There is NO challenge that she can't meet!

CHRISTI:
This not so long or tall Texan is NEVER without a smile on her face or an encouraging word for those around her.What she doesn't have in height, she has in soul, spirit, and "smarts"! (Umm...and you had better check your closets before she comes over, or you'll find her organizing them for you when you're not looking...we secretly leave ours dirty....)

JENN:
Don't let that pretty face fool you.  This competitive and athletic chica can probably arm wrestle you into submission...in real life AND business!

AURELIA:
Meet out hot Latina love! She is one of the most passionate, loyal, and dedicated women we know. If you are lucky enough to call her your friend, you will be loved and cherished to the very core of your being.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Never Underestimate the Importance of "Girlfriend Time"!

This was forwarded to us by a friend, and we thought it was too great and too true not to share. Your girlfriends will keep you sane and healthy, and your time with them is not to be taken for granted. The sisterhoods we form play a key role in the health of our minds, bodies, and souls. We've known it all along...but it's nice to have our little "hunch" confirmed by science! Enjoy! 

They Teach It at Stanford

"I just finished taking an evening class at Stanford. The last lecture was on the mind-body connection - the relationship between stress and disease. The speaker (head of psychiatry at Stanford) said, among other things, that one of the best things that a man could do for his health is to be married to a woman, whereas for a woman, one of the best things she could do for her health was to nurture her relationships with her girlfriends.

At first everyone laughed, but he was serious.

Women connect with each other differently and provide support systems that help each other to deal with stress and difficult life experiences. Physically this quality “girlfriend time" helps us to create more serotonin - a neurotransmitter that helps combat depression and can create a general feeling of well being. Women share feelings whereas men often form relationships around activities. They rarely sit down with a buddy and talk about how they feel about certain things or how their personal lives are going. Jobs? Yes. Sports? Yes. Cars? Yes. Fishing, hunting, golf? Yes. But their feelings? Rarely.

Women do it all of the time. We share from our souls with our sisters/mothers, and evidently that is very good for our health. He said that spending time with a friend is just as important to our general health as jogging or working out at a gym.

There's a tendency to think that when we are "exercising" we are doing something good for our bodies, but when we are hanging out with friends, we are wasting our time and should be more productively engaged—not true. In fact, he said that failure to create and maintain quality personal relationships with other humans is as dangerous to our physical health as smoking!

So every time you hang out to schmooze with a gal pal, just pat yourself on the back and congratulate yourself for doing something good for your health! We are indeed very, very lucky. Sooooo let's toast to our friendship with our girlfriends. Evidently it's very good for our health."