when the owner of a salon and spa names her stores "queen bee" you can bet she's confident in herself and her staff. meet jodi shays, our own english rose. salon to the stars, queen bee's jodi and her team make you feel like you're the star. meticulously spreading a little wax here, a little there all while shays moves around her prized possession, an authentic crushed red velvet hercules barber chair, speaking to you in her lovely british accent. clients scramble for coveted appointments with jodi and the ever friendly staff does their very best to accommodate. then again, i've never walked out of the salon disappointed with any of the estheticians as jodi only hires the best of the best!

some words from jodi:
"my red barber chair was my very first brow chair. i called her "scarlette o'hara". gone with the wind was filmed in culver city right where our bungalow is sitting! scarlette is my favorite character and i felt as though my chair needed a notorious name! i believe the chair was an original barber chair from ohio and dates back to 1897. it was kept in the original owner's family but unfortunately, due to financial hardship, had to be sold. i promised the family that i would take great care of her, and i do. two years after buying scarlette i found her sidekick, "rhett butler" at an auction and purchased him too. we keep rhett in our shays lounge men's spa - he's very sexy!"
enjoy our kai conversation with jodi below!

xo,
gaye.
how do you embody kai's "breath* life* flow" lifestyle?
the first thing i do every morning is open the door to my garden and breathe in the fresh air of the day. my first thoughts are how grateful i am to be alive, to have a wonderful family, friends, work colleagues. i love the smell of my garden, the jasmine, roses, lavender and then there are the gardenias! your first moments of the day are your most important as they set the pace for everything ahead of you.

what's the best advice you've ever received? 
to always allow the winds of change to blow. they are always blowing for me!

do you have a mantra you live by? 
yes, to mind my own business because if i don't, somebody else will!

what's your beauty secret? or must have beauty product? 
my absolute must have is la creme beaute's bee venom cream out of the uk.

go-to lipstick color?
chanel 430 "marie"

what color nail polish are you wearing right now? 
i'm not wearing any, but if i were it would be the darkest grey shellac i could get my hands on.

who is your role model? 
can i have more than one? i love women who are a little controversial, feisty and who push their way into positions usually slated for men. for me theresa may, margaret thatcher, hilary clinton and angela merkel are women i always look up to.

how would you describe your personal style? 
it changes constantly. i am most comfortable in a pair of grey jeans with my ancient fiorentini + baker leather boots topped with a white t-shirt, blazer and fab belt.

what do you love most about where you live? any secret spots you love to go to? 
i try to escape to my little ranch house in santa ynez as much as i can. it's only 2 hours away (on a good day) and to me, that part of california is really the best-kept secret - but i guess it's out there now!
describe your perfect day. 
my days off are sundays and they have to be perfect. i like to wake up early and put a pot of coffee on. i open my back door and love to walk barefoot on the grass. my dog usually follows me outside and we watch the hummingbirds and bees start to get busy. being able to sit and read with my daughter charlotte and my husband also contributes to a perfect day.

favorite date spot? 
ar cucina in culver city. amazing italian food courtesy of one of my besties chef akasha richmond.

favorite getaway? 
santa ynez valley in santa barbara county, california.

favorite food? 
vegetarian mediterranean.

guilty pleasure? 
youtube videos before bed and a quick look at thedailymail.com - terrible!

kai obsession? 
where do i start? the new rose scent is hands down one of the most divine smells i have ever rolled on my wrists and takes me back to somewhere in my childhood. i just can't pinpoint it but perhaps the smell of the many rose gardens in my hometown of bath, england. my go-to is the kai body glow, a few spritzes after a shower and the smell lingers on my skin all day. my skin feels soft and i feel fresh and clean.

morning person or night owl? 
i'm a business owner, so both!

currently craving? 
one of my mom's homemade cheese sandwiches.

ideal way to relax/unwind?
i love to hike and i am most relaxed in nature, away from the city.

what book are you reading currently?
barking up the wrong tree by eric barker (non-fiction) and i'm devouring a man called ove by fredrick backman (fiction).

what's the most adventurous thing you've done? 
i left the uk at 22 with $1,000 cash and a dream in my pocket. what's next?

thank you, jodi!