Shiva wears the Naked Bangles on shop below.
Shiva wears the Naked Bangles on shop below.
What do you do?
I am an Alchemist for my beauty line Shiva Rose, a mother of two daughters, a custodian of the earth, a beekeeper and curator for my holistic lifestyle site The Local Rose. I am also the author of a book on beauty and rituals called Whole Beauty.
Where are you from and where do you live now?
I was originally born where the mountains meet the sea in Santa Monica, California, then grew up near the Alborz Mountains in Iran. My family and I escaped the revolution and returned back to Los Angeles. I live near the Santa Monica mountains but will be relocating to a more wild and rural place in Hill Country, Texas later this year.
Lifegoals?
To keep a connection to the Source, keep my businesses harmonious with the natural world, and love freely and with abandon, and to raise my tribe (my daughters and animals) and create beauty everyday, cultivate curiosity, passion, and health.
Favorite hobbies/pastimes?
Right now I love to take walks in nature with my German/Belgian shepherd and go on road trips with my man.
What inspires you?
Empathy inspires me.
Nature inspires me.
Rumi always inspires me . . .
When are you happiest?
I am the happiest when all my loved ones are under one roof. In the future, all of us on our farm in Hill Country cooking, listening to music, harvesting herbs and fruits, sitting round the fire. . . that will be bliss!
"I’ve come to realize it’s the simple things, with those we love, that give us lasting pleasure and joy."
All KC items in shop below.
What is your favorite music?
My partner is a musician his name is Dan Dyer (from Austin) and his music is my absolute favorite. His songs are the best kind of story telling, truthful and authentic.
Who is your favorite artist?
Just the other day though I discovered two incredible artists that are now on the forefront of my creative musings: The Indian/Hungarian artist Amrita Sher-Gil, and Cy Twombly, who has an exquisite painting of Venus.
What's up next for you?
I’ve just developed a hydrating face serum called Wild Strawberry Serum with high vibrational ingredients. I’m excited to share this with all. I also just launched a course on the moon. It's a historical, factual account of how and why we all need to connect with the long lost lunar energy which represents the feminine.
What are your favorite places that you have travelled to and where do you want to go after COVID?
Right now like many others I am dreaming of faraway travels. I hope after the quarantine we can explore romantic, culturally rich and obscure places. Every year I say that I want to explore the world, and yet every year I gravitate to Kauai. It’s been my place of joy since I was a teen and it continues to call my spirit. I also have spent many summers in Tuscany near Siena and that is close to my heart. Last year I had the opportunity to visit the Mountains of China to further my tea practice and that was truly beautiful. I also want to visit Scotland, Japan, Alaska and Oregon rivers.
Biggest luxury?
My biggest expense, and sadly it shouldn’t be a luxury but it is, is fresh, organic produce and clear, clean, spring water on a daily basis.
What are some of your favorite books/audiobooks, and films/shows?
Books of all sorts of poetry like Rumi and Neruda. I love the books by Marquez and Kundera. Witch Light by Susan Fletcher is a favorite and all of the classics. Books made me who I am today . . .
Please tell me about your daughters.
I have two daughters both named after writers. Colette blu and Charlotte Rumi.
Please tell me about your pets.
We have a shepherd named Luna Willow Bear, and a tabby cat called Fig. Both rescues, they rescued us. My honeybees were released to new homes since I will be moving.
What is your super power and/or what would surprise people to know about you?
My superpower is an open mind and ability to sit in silence for long periods of time. This is something I have cultivated over many years. One thing people don't know about me is that, I am like many, a contradiction in things. I may be liberal in some areas politically speaking, and conservative in other ways. I feel we cannot be put into a box, and once we begin to do so, we lose our ability to be truly free.
All rings KC and shop-able below.
"The world is violent and mercurial--it will have its way with you. We are saved only by love-love for each other and the love that we pour into the art we feel compelled to share: being a parent; being a writer; being a painter; being a friend. We live in a perpetually burning building, and what we must save from it, all the time, is love."-Tennessee Williams.
How do you unwind or de-stress?
I take daily baths with my Venus Milk bath and Sea Siren scrub, tea ceremonies, try to walk in nature a few times a week, and practice Kundalini yoga.
Do you unplug from devices?
I feel right now with the pandemic that we are doing a cleanse of some sort. This may be a good time to take moments of clearing our lives to illuminate what matters most. Before the quarantine, I tried to unplug once a week. Now I’m truly desiring to go off grid for good amount of time to see how it resets my nervous system.
"I don’t have any electronic devices in my bedroom and at times I shut off the WIFI to the house. I really feel it can be good to detoxify from EMF waves so our intuition can become stronger. "
When do you feel your best?
I feel my best swimming in the sea or hiking in the woods. I also feel my best when in service to others, whether it is through tea ceremonies or teaching rituals.
Beauty routine/skincare regime?
I generally use my own products on my skin. I like to cleanse with the Pearl Milk Cleanser since it doesn’t strip the microbiome of the face. I like to exfoliate a few times a week with my Saffron Rose Mask and then use the Honey Nectar Mask after. There is vitamin C in the Honey Nectar and it can make the skin tingle in a good way. I then like to hydrate with the Glow Balm or Rose Face Serum and spray the Radiant Rose Water to seal in all the moisture. I take greens and hyaluronic acid orally. Eating ghee, butter, or coconut oil also are a plus! Clean pure water always as well as herbals teas like nettle and alfalfa.
Female hero and why?
One of my hero’s is Vandana Shiva because she truly is fighting to protect our earth from the devastating effects of GMOs and pesticides. She’s a scientist with a vast heart that transcends so much.
Do you have a favorite recipe to share?
Yes, here is a recipe from my blog The Local Rose:
Being half Persian has exposed me to the culinary cuisine of Iran. Since I try to implement a healthy life style in my cooking, I now just make a few minor adjustments to the Persian recipes so they maintain their incredible taste but minus the extra fat. Most of the Persian recipes call for what is usually in a Mediterranean diet, and therefore naturally nutritious. One of my most favorite dishes is a stew made with walnuts and pomegranate. Pomegranates are celebrated in the culture since they represent fertility, abundance, life force, royalty, knowledge and the feminine. This incredible delicious stew is equally as savory in it’s vegetarian method which is the way I usually prepare it. The chicken can be substituted with butternut squash or eggplant. The dish is best with Persian style basmati rice (recipe on this coming soon), and the other usual condiments one finds in this region like fresh flat bread, feta cheese, walnuts, and fresh Persian style greens. To make sure the stew is at its' optimal flavor, make sure to use fresh squeezed pomegranate juice available at most farmers markets or grocery stores. The combination of sweet and savory makes this a dish to remember! You can order the Pomegranate Paste or hit a middle eastern market.
INGREDIENTS
1 Large onion
2 cups walnuts
4 pieces of chicken (thigh or breast)
1 cup pomegranate paste in 1/2 cup water
1 cup pomegranate juice (fresh is best)
1 cup peeled and chopped butternut squash
2 Tbs sugar (I use coconut sugar)
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 Tsp Turmeric
1 Tbs Saffron dissolved in 1 Tbs warm water
Olive oil
Salt
STEPS
1. Grind up walnuts in food processors.
2. Toast them in a frying pan until golden. No oil
3. Sauté onion in a dutch over or pot until golden. Add chicken and turmeric and salt and cook until slightly brown and golden.
4. Add walnuts cook for a few minutes then.
5. Add pomegranate paste and water.
6. Add tomato paste and butternut squash.
7. Add Pomegranate juice and sugar.
8. Cook and stir all ingredients well.
9. Add salt.
10. Let simmer on low for an hour and half or until cooked down a bit and chicken is done. Watch the stew and add water or pomegranate juice if it gets too thick.
11. Add saffron at end and pomegranate seeds for garnish.
12. Add salt or more pomegranate paste depending on taste, also lemon if needed.
13.Serve with white basmati rice.
For Vegetarian version just omit chicken and add extra squash. You can also add roasted eggplant.
Who is your style icon, and why?
Kendall Conrad for always staying classic and elegant!
Georgia O"Keefe for picking a style and committing to it. Lately I’ve been thinking about the idea of having a uniform of sorts that is always your signature.
Lilakoi Moon (Lisa Bonet) for her ability to mix vintage with new designs.
Right now, since spending so much time in Texas I’m enamored with an Argentinian inspired, elegant cowgirl look.
Cresta II and Artemisa Rings in shop below.
What was your first KC item?
My first K C item was the Artemisa Arm Cuff. I love the way it fits on the upper arm and gives me a sense of being strong.
Favorite KC Items and how do you wear them?
I usually like to keep the same jewelry on for an extended periods of time so the delicate Toe Ring Cuff and Ear Band are also a favorite by KC. I love the Lupo Sino Clutch for evening paired with some Thick Rounded Hoops. These two items are sort of my go to uniform for day and evening. And I love the Marbella Tote-white in the summer and black in the winter.
