Monthly Archives: February 2013

Beauty Chronicles: Nicka K. Cosmetics Lipstick Review

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1360292893154-2I have a new found love for lipstick – highly pigmented, rich, moisturizing lipstick. I always played it safe and wore clear or colored lip gloss, and steered clear of lipstick.  It was just never my thing – until now. 🙂

After dishing out $18-$24 per tube for a few MAC lipsticks and feeling pretty “blah” about them, I decided to experiment with a less expensive brand that did not carry the notability, popularity or price tag of the MAC brand, but definitely showed up and showed out.  While catching up on a few of African Export’s awesome YouTube videos, I came across a  review on the Nick K. Cosmetics lipstick line. Anyone who keeps up with African Export knows that she experiments and reviews A LOT of different types of makeup and makeup lines.  She as well as a slew of her commenters raved about the Nicka K. lipstick line, so I was inclined to give it a try. Continue reading →

Cooking Chronicles: Scrumptious Shrimp & Grits…My Way

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1361061238206I am not a fan of grits, which is probably why I never had the slightest interest in them or a desire to try them.  Okay, so I’ve never even had grits up until a few weeks ago.  I just mentally wrote them off and never thought twice about trying them because they appeared to be very similar to Cream of Wheat, which I do not like – the consistency, the texture, the grittiness – it just turns me off!  Shrimp and grits is such a  classic southern-style dish with a delicious history.  The look of it alone makes my mouth water, but I could never get past the grits! I decided to stop judging something that I’d never even eaten and give it a try.

The U Street Corridor in Northwest DC is bustling with eclectic and unique restaurants, bars, lounges and boutiques.  It is, hands down, one of my favorite neighborhoods in the DC area and is filled with so much history and substance. Marvin, a classic bistro and lounge named after the legendary Marvin Gaye, is nestled in the heart of the U Street Corridor and has some the best food in the area.  I visited this gem a few weeks back and decided to step outside of my comfort zone and order the shrimp and grits appetizer.  I’ll just say, I am extremely pissed that I waited so long to try this dish.  It is AMAZEBALLS! The grits were extremely smooth and creamy, and the shrimp were huge, juicy and flavorful. The dish just came together so well.  I can’t believe that I’m just now getting around to this southern classic! Continue reading →

Cooking Chronicles: Spicy Turkey Cheddar Melts

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My spicy turkey cheddar melts are one of my favorite quick, easy and guilt-free sandwiches.  While in a rush to throw together a quick and easy dinner one night, I skimmed through my fridge and pantry, pulled out a few simple and fresh ingredients and ended up with this yummy sandwich.  These melts are an awesome lunch or dinner option.

I purchase most of my bread, fruits, veggies, cheeses and sliced deli meat from my local farmers’ market.  The fruits and vegetables you buy at your local farmers’ markets are the freshest and tastiest available. The fruits and veggies are allowed to ripen in their fields and are brought directly to you — no long-distance shipping, no gassing to simulate the ripening process, no sitting for weeks in storage. The farmers’ market food is as real as it gets — food fresh from the farm. The breads and cheese are all homemade and extremely tasty.

These melts are yummy  and fulfilling.  Hungry yet? Check out the recipe below! Continue reading →

Flexi Rod Set On Natural Hair

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1360295180654-1Whenever I feel the urge to tame my mane, give my curly fro’ a break and sport a fun and flirty hairstyle, I pull out my flexi rods. If you’re a curl-lover and you’re looking for long-lasting heatless, bouncy, beautiful curls, flexi rod sets are an awesome option.  Flexi rod sets look amazing on relaxed, transitioning and natural hair. They create elongated corkscrew curls in various sizes and will definitely have the lady next to you tapping your shoulder, wanting to know how you achieved those beautiful curls. 🙂

Flexi rod sets were my go-to hairstyle during my transitioning phase.  They did an awesome job of blending my two textures and were so easy to maintain.  They are also a great low-manipulation hairstyle. Low-manipulation hairstyles are those that don’t require a lot of maintenance and are easy on the hair strands. That means there is minimal to no combing, brushing or tugging on the hair. As always, we want to keep the combing, brushing, styling etc. to a minimum to stay away from that ugly “B” word…BREAKAGE.

Continue reading →