Carol’s Daughter “Black Vanilla” Line: My Favorites

So this one time on Instagram my cousin and I won a Carol’s Daughter and Walmart collab giftcard and I balled out haaaard at www.walmart.com. I couldn’t have the Walmart in-store experience since, well, there aren’t any Walmart stores in Brooklyn, New York. The online shopping experience was great however. I was able to browse the products very easily and even got a few extra things other than hair products because the prices were that great. I was able to get a watch for my daughter for about 4 bucks. I bought myself a black jumpsuit for under 20 dollars and a microwave egg cooker. Don’t ask me why I got it because I don’t cooks eggs in the microwave but I had about 5 bucks left on my giftcard and I had to pick something up before checking out online.

My hair goodies (and misc goodies) all shipped and were delivered in about a week! Wow! This online shopping business is quite expedient. I have to admit that I am not much of an online shopper. I really like to see the goods that I’m buying. I cannot stand buying something online and have a certain expectation of what the product looks like and then it’s delivered and I’m stuck on sadface. Well, it did not happen here. Walmart delivered!

The Carol’s Daughter products were a real treat. It was great to have the full line and I can’t wait for shampoo days. I’ve used a majority of them before so I am a fan.

Let’s dig into my favorites:

The championship lineup. I made sure to order a shampoo, conditioner, leave in treatment, detangler, curl creme and hairdress. A full line is really essential for styles that are well defined and long lasting.

I have tried the “Hair Milk” and love it but have never tried the “Styling Pudding”. I live for a great curl pudding. I’m not sure how my curls survived before the invention of a good pudding.

Now THIS “Black Vanilla Leave-in Conditioner”, I really enjoy using. I spray it directly onto my scalp when my hair is braided or onto my hair when I’m wearing it curly for moisture, shine and just overall healthy hair. It is a staple of mine.

I’ve tried the “Black Vanilla Shampoo” but this is the first time that I’ll be trying the “Black Vanilla Conditioner”. Did I mention how amazing the Black Vanilla line smells? Yeah, it smells amazing. These two will leave your hair smelling great but not overly perfumed.

I received a small sample of this “Combing Creme” in an Essence Beauty Box and fell in love instantly. I normally detangle my hair and my daughter’s hair with spray detangler. You know the kids detangler you get from the drugstore. That was my staple but now I have a new one. This creme literally melts the tangles away. It makes combing through freshly washed hair so easy. Great for kids wash days.

This is so nice that I had to list it twice and look, there’s a wuttle baby version! I have been a fan of the “Mimosa Hair Honey” since Carol from Carol’s Daughter was selling her line out of her Brooklyn storefront. I tell you no lies. This pomade and I go way back. This pomade does not leave your hair dry and lackluster after use like most pomades that I use in my daughter’s and my hair. The shine and smoothness that it adds to the hair is incredible. Cruly hair is prone to drynesss but a little bit of this everyday goes a long way and helps to ward off the dryness.

Have you tried this Carol’s Daughter line? How do you like it and what are your favorites?

April 23, 2016 0

Welcome to Brooklyn: Bed-Stuy Wine & Soul Food

The Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn has become well known because of famous former residents like Biggie Smalls and Jay Z but it has a history that is felt when you walk the blocks and view the many grand brownstones and once mansions that surrounds you. You feel the history and grandeur that once was one of the most prominent neighborhoods in New York. Anyone who has ever strolled down MacDonough Street and soaked up the beautifully restored row houses and mansions know that the place is something special.

Bed-Stuy has made many shifts since it’s 17th century conception. It was once inhabited by the Dutch who farmed the land. By the 18th century, the land was inhabited by mostly upper middle class families of German and Irish descent. Bed-Stuy was residential and the brownstones and mansions were developed along with this booming upper class. At the same time, there was also a prominent African American community called Weeksville in Bed-Stuy. Weeksville was recognized as one of the first free African American communities in the United States. The Great Depression hit and the upper middle class families could no longer maintain the homes and African American families from Harlem and the South flocked to Bed-Stuy where they purchased the homes that we see today.

Once again, there is a huge cultural shift happening in Bed-Stuy and in the rest of Brooklyn for that matter. Gentrification is changing the face of the neighbors that we see everyday along with the cost of housing. The brownstones, many of which got a face/body-lift, are now being sold for millions or rented for something close to that sum. The gentrification has brought about many business but many of them are owned by African Americans. The gentrification that we are sometimes overwhelmed by might have also breathed life into the entrepreneurial spirit that has always existed in the Black Community. There are some great places to sit and chat with folks from Brooklyn or those that call Bed-Stuy home.

Check out two of my favorites below:

Therapy Wine Bar

Went there with friends and had a fantastic time. It was karaoke night and even though I sucked at karaoke the crowd didn’t make me feel like I was at the Apollo Theater about to get Sandmanned. That’s how you know you are with good folk.

The artwork on the brick face wall was cool. It was all things Brooklyn and all things Soul.

Peaches and Peaches Hothouse

If you are looking for Southern fare with a cool atmosphere then please do visit “Peaches” or “Peaches Hothouse”. Do get the fried chicken or anything fried. Get the extra butter and the extra sauce. Get your food fried, with butter and slathered in sauce. Forget about the resolutions or the promise to eat your kale and just have some chicken or some grits darn it.

Have you ever visited Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn? Where do you like to eat or hang when you are there?

April 19, 2016 0

A Short Layered Cut and a Sassy Coat.

I’ve been obsessing about a cut and a color recently. I would like to testify. I think about hair accoutrements way more than I should and way more than I would truly like to confess. I am guilty. So a few days ago, I woke up and decided that I want shorter hair. I didn’t google the stylist or the salon. I just walked into a spot where there was parking (NYC woes) and asked for a short layered cut. I did ask the stylist if she does cuts. I’m spur of the moment but I am not crazy. She assured me that she is versed in doing layered cuts and I submitted to the chair and the scissor. The results? I love it! She could have gone a bit shorter and my hair could have been better layered but all together, I am pleased. I would like to add that I am not overly picky or hard to please though.

Today, I picked up my daughter from school and was so happy that it wasn’t raining or freezing cold. She told me her good news. She got a solo in her school’s music performance! (Happy Fingers). I asked her to shoot a few photos for me because the sun made me happy. She acquiesced and I happily posed for her.

Photos: Angelique R.

April 15, 2016 0

Oatmeal: Warm or No Cook?

You know this staple. You used to have it for breakfast when you were a kid. It wasn’t the most exciting of breakfasts but it was warm and satisfying. It was either too clumpy, smooth from the right amount of milk or perfectly in between. You can compare the different ways it’s made to the porridge from the “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”. Oatmeal has had a major makeover and it is now being served for breakfast and brunch in all sorts of cool Brooklyn spots. I recently visited Qathra on Cortelyou Road in BK and had the most amazing bowl of FRESH and milky oatmeal. It was warm, had the right amount of grain texture from the oats, drizzled with fresh sweet honey and topped with ripe fresh fruit. I wanted to hug the chef.

IMG_0958 (1) — Look at that beautiful bowl of oat goodness!

I brunched with my daughter who had the grilled cheese sandwich paired with a salad topped with the most amazingly sweet balsamic vinaigrette.

Enjoying a cup of peppermint tea. I love coffee but not with my oatmeal. The light and refreshing flavor of peppermint makes the oatmeal even more delicious.

There are other amazing ways oatmeal is now being prepared that is so healthy, health conscious and easy. Check out these options below:

http://powerhungry.com/2015/08/no-cook-overnight-steel-cut-oats/

http://ohsheglows.com/2011/09/20/make-ahead-steel-cut-oatmeal-4-new-oatmeal-recipes/

http://www.marinmamacooks.com/2013/06/easy-overnight-steel-cut-oats/

How do you like your oatmeal?

April 11, 2016 0

West End Gem: Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew

When you think of New York City you think of skyscrapers and modern sleek buildings. You don’t often think of majestic churches and architecture that makes you feel like you are roaming through a European street. One of those churches that seems to transport you back in time is the church of St. Paul and St. Andrew located on the Upper West Side in NYC. It is beautifully old and beautiful flawed. The large wooden doors have worn down from the bottom and is missing a chip or two. The tiered marble steps have clearly been swapped out and replaced by stones that don’t quite mirror the same color. It is all of these imperfections that I find so glorious about this aged and worn out building that stands in one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in Manhattan. We decided to stop and take in some of the beauty.

http://stpaulandstandrew.org/

April 7, 2016 0

BET Honors “Black Girls (Who) Rock”.

This year’s Black Girls Rock was one of my absolute favorites because some Black women were honored that I truly believe deserved to be recognized for their excellence in what it is that they do. Excellence. It is something many strive for but achieved by very few because excellence often times takes a great amount of work. Many of us want to “do” but don’t want to “do the work” necessary to achieve the greatness that we sit in audiences or in our living rooms to view. Most of us may just feel like we can’t withstand the pressure or the sheer nerve that it takes to be great. The comfort zone does not exist when you are standing on stage in front of thousands to perform or stand in a boardroom to pitch a brilliant idea. Achievers like Beyonce and many of her performer peers assume a personality for the stage. We have come to learn that her Alter Ego’s name is “Sasha Fierce”. She assumes an entire persona necessary to take charge and take the stage. In reality, the Alter Ego is probably very much more her actual personality than anything else. You don’t achieve greatness by just being able to perform on stage. A woman like her exude the same type of fierceness and grabs the reigns behind the scene as well.

A look at some of my favorites from “Black Girls Rock”:

brandy — Brandy’s performance was amazing and she looked fantastic.

tracee — Tracee was the hostess with the mostest. She did a wonderful job, as per usual.

monica — Monica and her little baby girl looked like angels.

rihanna — My favorite Bajan lady, Rihanna, told the girls to just be themselves. Message.

gladysknight — Ms. Gladys Knight was honored and she performed a medley of hits. Loved it!

The honorees stood on stage together at the close of the show and Ms. Shonda was beaming.

black-girls-rock-2016-jazmine-sullivan — Can we take a minute to just acknowledge how great Jazmine’s performance was and she is serving face and hair.

www.bet.com

http://www.bet.com/shows/black-girls-rock.html

http://www.blackgirlsrockinc.com/

April 7, 2016 0

Wash Day Rituals: L.O.C and Wash n Go.

So it’s been a busier than usual hair week for me. I decided to do a “Wash n Go” early in the week because I wanted to try a Pantene Mousse instead of a curl cream. Before curl creams, my only weapons for curly hair victory was the mousse and gel. The mission was always to find a gel and mousse that did not leave my curls crunchy and hard. Crunchy curls are no fun to feel or detangle. I popped in to Walgreens/Duane Reade in NYC and saw they were having a BIG sale on hair products. They had an amazing 3 for 2 deal and I was there for it. I ran out of Pantene shampoo and conditioner and decided to re-up and then thought about trying the mousse for the wash and go. I saw “volume” on the canister and was sold. My hair has been thinning and I’m not sure if it’s because I’m getting older of if my hair is just plain old damaged. I’m a lover of “big hair” and anything selling me volume is considered sold.

It guaranteed volume and that’s what it delivered honey! My hair was big and I was loving every minute of it. The only thing I added to this combo was some hair oil. Curly girls know that dry hair is the devil.

IG vurls — The curls were soft and bouncy. Just the way I like them.

So after about 3 days of volume and big girl curls, it was time to detangle (insert scared emoji face here). It really was not that scary. The front of my hair always detangles easily but the back, eeek. The nape is always a bit scary because this is the portion of your head that rubs against your coat or sweater and those elements cause the hair to tangle. I whip out the large tooth comb and my spray detangler and get to work and the hair was detangled in less than 15-minutes. The next day was a wash day for both my daughter and I and thought that the L.O.C Method would be good for getting some oils and moisture back into the hair and prepare for buns and braids.

Right, L.O.C Method? What’s that? Look above. I like the method and quite frankly, you were probably doing this before someone coined it as a method. After doing the L.O.C, I like to braid or plait my hair. I feel like everything is soaking in and I don’t have to worry about putting my hair through another detangle session anytime soon.

Which rituals have you been using lately?

March 26, 2016 0

Matcha Latte at Caribeana in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.

Matcha powder has been used in Japanese tea ceremonies for centuries but there is a huge boom in the use of matcha in coffee shops in and around NYC. A spoonful of matcha powder is said to have the benefits of around 10-12 cups of green tea. The powder is actual ground tea leaves emulsified and grounded into a fine powder and used for making tea.

Now let’s talk about how this has evolved into the matcha latte. New York City has a coffee shop on just about every block. Here in Brooklyn, every new little shop that opens up seems to be a “mom and pop” coffee shop. (FYI, I love a mom and pop and support whenever I can). I was driving in Crown Heights recently and came across a new spot, a Japanese and Caribbean fusion cafe, with a little chalkboard advertising their matcha latte. I pulled over and decided to try it. For $4, I was served a medium sized cup of a smooth latte with all the taste of matcha and no taste of coffee. It was my first taste of the tea and I was pleasantly surprised. The latte starts off with a very green foam but settles into a great pastel green cup of latte. I had it unsweetened and was glad. Glad I tried it and will have it again.

caribeana cafeout — The Caribeana Cafe’s Entrance.

Caribean Cafe

634 Park Place
Crown Heights, NY 11238

Check out their YELP Page here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/caribeana-crown-heights-3

March 26, 2016 0

The Military Diet:My Review

Winter is coming to a close and Spring is on our heels. It is this time of the year that always finds myself in a mad dash to lose a few pounds quickly in order to jump start a healthier regimen. I recently realized that I no longer wear a 2-piece bathing suit, not by choice, but because my body does not feel comfortable in it. I strive for comfort with my body. When I move, breath, cross my legs, I have to feel comfortable. There is no perfection and God knows that I am not striving for that. Flaws are good. The older I get the more I find myself embracing some of the things that I thought were flaws. I don’t even like using the term “flaws” because in reality those flaws are just things that make me who I am. The flaws are me but I want to be flawfully comfortable in my 2-piece swimsuit.

So back to the jump start. Looking to lose a few pounds quickly and I came across the Military Diet on the interwebs. It looked strange (in it’s food selection) but doable. It is short term, only 3-days, so I thought I’d try. I did it and did it with ease. Mind you, I had a cold and barely had any tastebuds so that might have helped the situation some. The plan is a 3-day meal plan that consists of very few calories and a kind of odd but recognizable food combination. It does not require a lot of preparation or an exorbitant list of foods to shop for.

This is a sample of the meal plan:

Day 1:

Breakfast

1/2 Grapefruit
1 Slice of Toast
2 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter
1 cup Coffee or Tea (with caffeine)

Lunch

1/2 Cup of Tuna
1 Slice of Toast
1 cup Coffee or Tea (with caffeine)

Dinner

3 ounces of any type of meat
1 cup of green beans
1/2 banana
1 small apple
1 cup of vanilla ice cream

So yeah, the meal is super stripped down but you get to have vanilla ice-cream for dessert and still lose weight. How awesome is that?

Results: At the the end of my three days on the plan I lost a total of 3 pounds. That’s a pound a day. I started at 143lbs and ended at 140lbs. Not bad for the 3 day commitment. The first 3 days were ok but the third day was torture and really hard because the calories were cut even more than day 1 and 2. Prepare yourself for that. Also, if you choose to try this please do go to the official diet linked in this blog post and look up the food substitutions. Those were a lifesaver. I replaced rice cakes for crackers and bread. This really worked for me. If you try this or have tried this before shoot me a comment.

Plans: The plan is to alternate, do this for 3 days then low carb for 4 days then back to the Military for 3 days. I’ll keep you posted!

March 12, 2016 0

A Laduree Brunch.

I love macarons. Just wanted to start with that statement and get it out of the way. They are delicate little French cookies that are just the right amount of sweet and they have the most amazing texture. Not too crunchy and not too mushy(soft). No one makes the macaron better than Laduree. They are the purveyor of the French biscuits. A friend invited me to her birthday brunch at the flagship store in Soho, NYC. It is one of the fanciest tea salons in New York. Hands down. I was elated and could not miss the brunch experience. For the pre-fixe thirty five dollars, the brunch is a deal and the store is a “must visit” if you are in the neighborhood. The seating areas are ample and the decor is very Parisian a la Versailles. There is also a very Victorian feel to the rooms so you feel like you are transported to a fancy NYC or Parisian museum. It is a change of pace from all of the very modern and sleek architecture of newer restaurants in New York.

Swag bag was a gift from the birthday girl.

The menu transports you to a Parisian Cafe. We even had a French speaking waitress who was so super sweet.

zara — While strolling through Soho, I came across the new Zara store. There was a garden trellis arching over the entrance of the store with the most amazing fresh flowers. Amazing! Hello Zara!

Happy Birthday Ebony!

March 6, 2016 3