Weekend Recap: Stars, Stripes And A Red Mani

I spent the fourth on a friends rooftop in the middle of DC. It turned out to be a very good - albeit last minute - decision because every direction you turned there were fireworks to be seen. The firework enthusiast inside of me was pleased. My outfit was accidentally patriotic as you can see in the selfies I shamelessly took as I waited - cutoffs, striped tank, a star lariat and a red mani (the mani was on purpose). 

Amazing x Alaine

Not Yo' Grandma's Cross Stitch

... but maybe mine.

 

Every time I hear this song I think of the time that my little brother repeated this very phrase to his preschool teacher... (preschool!) and went on to tell her that our father would buy the school if she didn't stop hassling him. Lol. Imagine the look on my parents face when she repeated that back to them. I'll never let him live that down.

 

Etsy is becoming my favorite place for random and completely ridiculous finds - that. I. must. have! How cute is this mash up of oh-so dainty hoop art and in your face Mystikal lyrics?

 

It doesn't get much better than that.

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Musings x 7/2/2014

I'm not perfect,

far from it even.

the mistakes that I make I have to live with day by day
but I have a good heart
I try, and if that fails
I pick myself up and try again.
I like to believe in people
and what they say,
but more so in what they do.
I find comfort in many of the practices of Buddhism
but I'm no Buddhist.
Soy Valiente
If I claim to love you, I mean it.
and I always will...
It's something you will never have to question
ever.
I like to be surrounded by good energy and good people provide that.
I strongly believe that stress is a choice
and it's one that I'm trying to choose less and less
...again, I'm not perfect.
the desire to control and have a hold over others

is something I outgrew years ago.
I try to operate from a place of sincerity, so it hurts when people take advantage of that.
I'm aware of how rare it is that they don't.

(cue Lauryn Hill x Forgive them Father)
and operate best when I feel light and free
cooking is soothing, the ocean is soothing, as is the night sky.
I like to get my feelings off of my chest
because they don't do me any good there.
I've learned that people will say they are an idealized image of who they wish to be instead of who they truly are.
a strong awareness of self is  very important
to see what people are capable of and then watch them fall short of that is incredibly disappointing.
find comfort in knowing that "now" is all you ever truly have
the past is gone, the future is always in front of you
be present
I've learned that sometimes when you come to care about someone is when they'll start to disregard your feelings, and it's not always easy to see them not give you the respect that you'd so effortlessly allot them

... and even harder to let them go.
respect yourself by distancing yourself from what repeatedly and knowingly causes you pain.
and know that some people will never be appreciative until they no longer have something worth appreciating.
I'm working on letting go of my wants and building a stronger faith
It can be hard
and you will be tested to ensure that you truly want the things that you're praying for

don't fail those.



so much I have to say

but I can't find the words...

 

 

I'll try again later


( SIDE NOTE: last day of mercury retrograde. thank God! )

Do The Right Thing Block Party

This past weekend was the 25- year anniversary block party for 'Do the Right Thing' in Brooklyn. Unfortunately I didn't find out about it until the last minute, and although I was in town I wasn't able to make it. Luckily for me, my friend did (thanks Izzy!) and captured some awesome shots for me. So mad I missed out. Looked like a great time!

 



Sometimes you have to break your own heart

in order to save it.

Weekend Recap: Dear Summer BBQ



 

5th Annual Dear Summer BBQ

Harlem, NY

 

I needed this.

Tumblr

Back At It: New Visions

hit refresh

this one I'll keep to myself

( SIDE NOTE: Disgusted. )

It's nice to be reminded what you mean to someone every now and then… and vice versa. We oftentimes overlook the ones that are "always there" because of that very reason. A little appreciation goes a long way.

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things: Raspberry Wine

Three of these babies are on their way to my house right now.

:)

 

 

Do yourself a favor and click here.

Dream Vacation: Venice, Italy

 Take me there.

 

( SIDE NOTE: "You are terrifying and strange and beautiful.. Something not everyone knows how to love. - Warsan Shire. )

First Day of Summer 2014 is Approaching

(June 21st)

... and all I want to do is lay out on the beach.

Summer is all about bikinis, big hair and even bigger adventures.

I'm trying to grab ahold of the reigns and make this summer one to be remembered.

Summer nights, lazy picnics, music festivals, road trips, beach bodies, grilled corn, fire works, skin, brunch, summer romance, pool parties, ice cream trucks, bbq's, lemonade stands, dinner cruises, summer breeze with the top down, paint balling, wet hair, day parties, water parks.

West Coast x Lana Del Ray

everything this woman touches is sex.

Morning Discussions: Talks Of Explorations To Find Out If The Grass Is Greener ( ...It's Not )

Talks of Explorations To Find Out If The Grass Is Greener

( ...It's Not )

Crab Grass Cathy hasn't been watered all season, yet some can't help but to "find out for themselves.." lol. Eagerly hopping over the fence just to land feet first in the mud... and quickly (or sometimes, not so quickly) trying to hop back over the fence from which they came, realizing how good they had it... when they had it. But this time with their now muddied boots. What people fail to realize is that said fence gets higher and higher each time you fail to appreciate a good thing. We don't want your muddy-sticky-failed-attempts-of-a-mess tracked through our lawn. "Crab Grass Cathy's" come a dime a dozen. A nice well kept 'lawn' is hard to find. Don't you know someone will gladly move in, plant flowers and love on that land.

 

Fresh mower lines and all.

Hip Hop Icons x Nick Cocozza

 

link

The Deep End

Let life break your heart

until your heart becomes

unbreakable.

Try. Fail. Risk.

Jump off the deep end.

 

There are no conditions to love.

And no end to it's depths.

 

-Jeff Foster

 

 

( SIDE NOTE: I've discovered a new obsession with Ancient Egyptian culture. Currently taking in everything I can find on the subject. )

I Was Feeling Pouty This Day...

I was feeling pouty this day,
clearly,

and my lips look huge…

but in the best of ways.

(Brought this Jimmy poster home all the way from the West Coast. 

Love it.) 

I think it may be time to go back to straight hair soon, although the weather will undoubtedly disagree with me. (Thinking about getting bangs re-cut too, and a bunch of other stuff that ya'll probably don't really care about... lol). I get bored if I get stuck with the same style for too long. In all honesty, I'm just excited to see how much my hair has grown since these pics were taken back in April. The way my curls are falling now I should have my full length back by summers end.

Finally.
:)

Cleva/ Booty x Badu

epitomized.


( SIDE NOTE: We're all in a constant state of not only being, but becoming.. )

Musings: 6/15/2014

eckhart tolle

I'm getting that tattoo.

a little appreciation goes a long way
set the precedent

off social media... again
(but on tumblr heavy) 

feel so much lighter when I disconnect

Good, Bad, Yin, Yang.

For every bad thing that happens in the world, there is good happening as well. A very positive start to my day gave way to me feeling extremely overwhelmed by noon (crazy how quickly the tides turn). To overcome this feeling I reminded myself that within everything that happens to us there is purpose; I then proceeded to do a good deed for someone and instantly the weight on my shoulders lifted. I think that every time I start to feel myself drifting too deeply into my thoughts I will do something to bring light to someone else. It is through service unto others that we can help encourage ourselves.

I also began looking up the philosophy behind yin and yang. Good read here.



Help Me Lose My Mind x Disclosure

( SIDE NOTE: All of this won't be for nothing... )

Musings: 6/12/2014 Pt. 2

growth has never been comfortable.

think back to adolescence

they don't call them "growing pains" for nothing

 

the awkwardness of being the first in your class to have a growth spurt...

having to wait months, and at times even years for others to catch up

spiritual growth is no different

 

it's like being 6 feet tall in the third grade

 

you're going to stand out.

you're going to feel different.

 

uncomfortable at times, trying to hunch over to fit in with those who haven't stretched their spiritual "limbs" yet

 

soon you'll realize that hunching and trying to lower yourself to an unenlightened level hurts.

 

 

so don't.

 

stand tall in your conviction.

if others catch up, great

if not,

don't lower yourself to meet them

have them rise to meet you

 

 

+++

continued growth in self

not visible to the naked eye,

 

but felt

 

understood only by those who are growing toward the same light



Musings: 6/12/2014

waking up earlier to make the most out of my day

the goal is to upgrade every aspect of my life... one change at a time
can't wait to get back to Cali!

look book photo shoots on the horizon

tired of talking

action, and only action, from here on out

I enjoy my alone time
cranberry juice
GOOD VIBES ONLY.
I'm a to- do list making fool

this was karma, I'm ok with that.
I actually like when people point out my short-comings/ hold me accountable.
have to start somewhere

my journal entries will find their way into a book one day

I miss some things... but I don't have to

 I choose to.
please check out this amazingly inspiring post from my friend Chelli, "The Basting Stitch Called Life." 

'if you love something, let it go,
if it comes back it's yours, if it doesn't it never was'
= real.

brave heart

respect is just the minimum

wethetribe.bigcartel.com

 tomorrow is Friday the 13th...
and truckeroo
"The space between where you want to go and what you have often requires loss before regaining ground." —Greg Hartle

absence makes the heart grow fonder or the mind grow clearer
free will,
don't push
did something today my future self will (hopefully) thank me for
"The best advice I ever came across on the subject of concentration is: Wherever you are, be there." —Jim Rohn

focus.

Fairytale Heroine Mugshots: A Different Story

Not that innocent.

Link



OITNB Season 2, Episode 6 (No Spoilers)

The thought of Valentine's Day literally makes me cringe. No really, this year pretty much ruined it for me. But all bitterness aside (lol) I loved the Valentine's Day episode of Orange is the New Black. Much like the rest of the world, or anyone with Netflix or a Netflix password, I'm breezing through the new season at a pace that will make the year wait for Season 3 that much harder. But I digress. In this episode, much like in a previous post, the main character Piper (although not so much in this season, as there is a lot more attention paid to the rest of the cast's back stories) went around asking the inmates what their definition of love is for a new prison "newsletter." We all have our own interpretations of love and what it means to us, and the responses given were as unique as the characters themselves. Below is one of my favorites from the oh-so adorable Poussey.

 

Another thing I love about OITNB is waiting for the end of each episode to see what song will wrap it up. The music selection is genius. I find myself racing to Google to type in the lyrics often. This episode did not disappoint, wrapping with Jessie Ware and Sampha's "Valentine." (also below)

 

 

---

 

 

 

Happy Watching!



"Your Hair is Awesome!"

Enjoying the beautiful weather we've been having lately

on the water in Georgetown,

jazz and wine

Musings: 6/10/2014

I want to be married one day

but I hardly think about the actual wedding.

of course I want to have one,

but I've never been that girl to have it all planned out by the age of six

I did decide one thing though...

I don't want a big wedding

I don't want the act of getting married to overshadow what it's really all about

 two souls becoming one




I don't know where that came from


 

Lust List: Satya Diamond Zodiac Necklace

Aries.

"The image of where you are going has to be more dominant than the image of where you are."