RIP to a very special woman.
[5 March 1976 – 24 July 2013]
Wednesday
I'm a proud Romette!
A few years ago I came across Pop Africana and I was intrigued. Then I came across Oroma Elewa, the brains behind Pop Africana and I was officially crushing! Pop Africana is no more but Oroma is still FIERCE as ever.
There is just something about her. I tweeted her to tell her a few weeks ago and she tweeted me back and gave me a shout out on her Instagram this past weekend. No screenshots but I promise it happened. Anyway, I am a proud "romette" ..... excited to see what she has in store for us next.
Instagram: _oromaelewa
Thursday
Half of a Yellow Sun Trailer
I am beyond myself with excitement. Half of a Yellow Sun was the first Chimamanda Adichie novel I had the pleasure of reading. I could write a book about my experience with that novel. It was the beginning of my obsession with Adichie. I'm SUPER excited to see this movie, I am even prepared to be slightly disappointed because movies are seldom as good as the book.
If you have not read the book yet, there is still time! In the meantime, check out the trailer.
Dreamlike Wedding Dresses: Berta
Berta strikes again. I already mentioned that Israel may be the wedding dress capital of the world and Berta's Fall 2013 collection is just another reminder of that. I LOVE the simple but sexy elegance. I can't help but wonder how these would look on someone without modelesque height and body (like me). Oh well, still pretty to look at.
So cool that they used the first black Miss Israel, Yityish 'Titi' Aynaw as one of the models. What do you think?
Full collection HERE
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Saturday
Thursday
Dolce & Gabbana FW 2013 Campaign
Remember how I was obsessed with this opulent collection? I came across the advertising campaign for it and it remembered just how beautiful I thought the clothes where. D&G brought the drama with this campaign, it looks like stills from a musical, a modern day opera.
What do you think?
Wednesday
Jukebox
I am a notoriously bad DJ. People hate when I have control of the music simply because my taste is so all over the place. There is no order, I just play whatever. I can go from Wacka Flocka to Coldplay to Lundi, one right after another *shrug*
On the flipside of that, I get into moods where I only listen to certain albums/songs over and over and over and over. I have been known to run many songs into the ground and then they are never heard again for a good 6 months LOL.
This is what I have been listening a lot to over the past week. If I had to pick one song from each album, they would be
Tears Dry On Their Own - Amy Winehouse [Back to Black]
Uptown - Drake [So Far Gone]
High Roller - TeeZee [Fresh Prince of Las-Gidi]
One More Time - Simba Tagz [Black]
Olurun Mi- Tiwa Savage [Once Upon a Time]
Oceans - Jay-Z [Magna Carta Holy Grail]
Tuesday
My Americanah Experience
It all started on May 14, I got the call that my copy of Americanah was ready to be picked up from the local bookstore. I picked it up and headed straight to the library for some uninterrupted reading. [Obvi I snuck an instagram picture in.]
A little over 3 weeks later, on June 7 at 4:23am, I wrote this after finishing the book. It is not a review per say, just what I was feeling in that moment. I have not edited it.
477 pages and 3 weeks later, I am finished. I just read the last sentence of Americanah and I am too happy to feel the sadness that I usually feel when I finish a book. My mind is racing because I feel like I am in Ikoyi with Ifem and Ceiling. I want to know more about their life and their love. I love them. I want Obinze to be real and I want to meet him and I want to love someone like him. I want to move back home.
It blows my mind that Chimamanda wrote about a girl who I can relate to so strongly. When I read about Ifem and all her feelings, I kept thinking of myself and my own life. It's like Chimamanda was writing to me. Like she was affirming me and all of the things I want and feel. I know many people can feel they can relate but I am so moved that it is hard to explain. Not only are the observations on race so well articulated and honest but they make me wish the blog really existed. There is still so much to say on that topic. Everything in this book was something I am familiar with. So many things that I have thought about. Things I am still thinking about. The enduring love of Ifem and Obinze. The way it was so complicated but you could feel it and you wanted it to work out. I felt like I was there and I smiled and I laughed with them and my heart swelled at the thought of their reunion. Chimamanda's writing evokes so much emotion and the imagery is so vivid that once again, I feel like I was in Nigeria, like it is a place I have been to often. The places, the people, the names, the music.....it all seems so familiar. I wonder how it is possible for someone to write so deeply to my soul. For me to see myself all over this book and all over Ifem. Blogger, natural haired, desperately wanting to go back home, works at a magazine (well not yet) but I mean my goodness, am I the African diaspora cliche? Anyway, another masterpiece by Chimamanda. Thank you.
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| This is what my book looked like at the end of it all. It got rained on one day because I insisted on taking it everywhere. |
Do something nice for yourself, read this book.
Lookbook: Heatwave
We are currently suffering through a heat advisory in New York. Temperatures will be scorching all week long. That means: the less clothes you have on, the better. The looser and lighter they are, they better. Stay cool!
Monday
Instagram Chronicles
A view of lower Manhattan from Brooklyn. I was sitting in the worst traffic on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. All of this after I drove to Staten Island for this first (and last) time ever.
One of the best things about summer is that it is so good to my hair. After the dry and harsh winter, it is nice to have moist summer air. It encourages me to wear my hair out. I have been loving my afro lately and playing around with all sorts of styles.
Took this in our hotel room. Obsessed with that Vince Camuto skirt. I was on a "staycation" this weekend. For those who do not know, a staycation is when you "go on holiday" in your own city. Stayed a cute boutique hotel in Midtown Manhattan.
Currently reading this. I must say I am finding it a bit difficult to read. Taiye Selasi's writing is taking some getting used to. It is beautiful but almost at the expense of readability, if that makes sense. Only about 80 pages in though, so we shall see.
Loza Maleombho Sandals
I am currently obsessed with these sandals by Loza Maleombho. This is the gladiator trend done a bit differently and I like it. I especially love how you can wear it different ways, all the way up your thigh or down by your ankles. Things that can be worn in different ways automatically seem worth it, to me.
Loza Maleombho is an Ivorian designer. Born in Brazil, raised in Côte D'ivoire and the United States. She was based in New York and I remember seeing her name around but never took notice until THIS TOUAREG-INSPIRED COLLECTION. The brand has a unique aesthetic to it. Definitely one to watch.
Thursday
Christie Brown A/W 2013
I was over at Sash and Cinder today and came across the new collection Ghanaian label Christie Brown. Another elegant and funky collection from designer, Aisha Obuobi. What do you think?
See the entire collection here.
Jay-Z fever
In the words of Beyonce, "I love me some Jay-Z." He is at the point where it's not even all about the music. Everything else matters just as much. His reputation truly precedes him. People calling his album a classic five seconds after it comes out [*side eye*] It is amazing to watch what he does and how people react to even the simplest things. What other 40-something year old has ever been this cool without us finding him corny?
Anyway, what I love with Jay-Z is he seems to have a great personality. I genuinely enjoy listening to him speak and find him funny. Not necessarily that he says mind-blowing things all the time but his charisma just gives it that "je ne sais quoi." He has been so unpredictable since Magna Carta Holy Grail dropped, taking this #NewRules thing seriously. All of the things we thought he was past, he is doing. Back to back interviews on two of the biggest radio stations in the country, a cute twitter session...he is popping up everywhere and I love it.
I do not even love the album but I'm ALL over this hype, the marketing and the packaging. I'm here for it. Check out part II of this Breakfast Club interview over here.
Sunday
I Love the Burbs
One of the things about living in the suburbs is you have to accept that your friends from the city will NEVER come to visit. All the hanging out is done in NYC. Once every two or three years someone surprises you though.
When my friend invited me to a bbq/pool party for Saturday afternoon, I envisioned a huge gathering of drunk people and loud music. I arrived to find a very small and intimate gathering in a gorgeous backyard right on the Long Island Sound. It was complete with kayaks, great music, watermelon, beer, vegetable snacks and good company. It felt so grown up. Then we started playing a drinking game and I was happy to see that we still have some "young and ratchet" to us :)
Friday
Zuhair Murad Fall 2013 Couture
I really like Zuhair Murad but I felt underwhelmed/bored by this collection. It is indeed beautiful. The attention to the detail is second to none, as expected, but most of the gowns seemed like something I had seen before. What I did love were these shorter dresses....He did that.
Thursday
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