Yoga De Rose'

She lives in my lap lol

If you’re reading this, it’s my birthday... cash app me and tell me nice things lol. This year my birthday plans were a bit different. Since my actual birthday is on a weekday and my dad would be visiting (today) I knew that I’d have to celebrate early.While I try and have it all together, for the past two years I haven’t been able to think of anything and have settled for random happy hours. I say settled because while happy hours seem convenient, you never know how the traffic will be in the DMV. I was literally 2 hours late for my own happy hour last year due to there being a fire on the bridge… I digress. This year I had a feeling that I’d do something different, being a new homeowner with an adequate amount of space, I’m now able to have house parties/get togethers whenever I choose to. Being a semi control freak, I’d rather just plan the type of day that I’d like to have (FYI, my baby shower is planned too #NotPregnant).

A good friend of mine was recently certified to teach Yoga and I thought that it’d be great to let her utilize her talents and teach a twerk yoga class. I’d be able to get a work out in and celebrate my birthday with a few of my favorite people.  I chose a cute name that would incorporate what we’re doing and my favorite summer time drink, hence the creation of Yoga de Rose`. I also sent out invitations and went into full on planning mode. In the past I’d only assisted in hosting or asked people to bring items over, potluck style. However, I wanted to dive in and really make this my celebration. Now that I live alone, I totally realized that… its on me baby (kool points if you got the rap reference). I had to invest in everything… cake plates, serving trays, and cheese knives. Luckily, I’ve learned a few tricks from my old roommate which made things sooo much easier.  I came up with a budget (which I exceeded), the menu, and the floral arrangements. Then I literally slaved and cleaned up my house including the basement where the Yoga was held. 

Yes, I did all of that!!!

The combination of yoga, trap music, and twerking was everything. Let’s just say that this turned out to be one of the best birthdays ever. Since my friends are just amazing, they brought additional rose’ and we had one big turnup after twerk yoga, the party literally lasted until the night. Special thanks to everyone that joined me and made my day special.

Home Revamp with Decor Haven

Meet Adrienne from Décor Haven, her home is fab!!!

I won a birthday contest hosted by Décor Haven’s owner Adrienne on her IG page a few months ago. Now Adrienne and I have known each other for quite some time, we’re sorority sisters and she’s also one of my close friends. I entered the contest initially just to make sure that Adrienne had access to my network without the intention of winning, but I was very surprised and excited when I won. I’ve seen Adrienne’s work time and time again (look at her IG) and it shows that she is very passionate about what she does and is taking the necessary steps to ensure that this part-time business will become a full-time venture.

Time to stage

The prize included an online consultation of a small space to be decorated, an online portfolio of that space and 30 mins of staging. From the announcement of winning to the actual staging everything was very professional and done in a timely manner. I chose my entryway to be designed as it’s a bit unwelcoming. I described my style to Adrienne during the consultation and provided items that I currently had that could be used in decorating the space. Because I’ve seen Adrienne’s work I didn’t have any restrictions on the space. I was very surprised when Adrienne mentioned that my prize also included $100 worth of decorations. After the initial consultation, Adrienne provided me with the online portfolio that mapped out her vision. Once I viewed the portfolio, we decided on a date to complete the work.



The before look included a headboard and a cute pink tool box

Adrienne arrived with tools in tow and the additional items that she purchased to pull my space together which included a new colorful rug, candle, dreamcatcher, catch all dish, and a faux plant. During the staging, Adrienne kept me informed every step of the way with her progress. My newly designed entryway describes my personality as well as the overall vibe of my home; warm, eclectic and unapologetic. I cannot wait for my friends and family to come over and see her work in person. 

When in doubt contact a professional...

Walah… magic

My gallery wall totally fits me

I'm loving this cute catch-all and terra cotta candle

Can you tell I'm addicted to cacti?

Although I won this contest, I will be reaching out to Adrienne for assistance with other areas of my home. Because of the quality of work and professionalism provided by Adrienne, I’d recommend her over and over again. Join me in supporting local small businesses run by women.

Home Sweet Home...

Your girl has officially been a homeowner for a little over 6 months. Let me tell you… this was not something that I even imagined at the beginning of 2018. After a string of unexpected lay-offs my main thing was just to live on my own. And if I’m keeping it all the way real, I NEVER wanted to own a home without a spouse, however, God’s plan. Honestly, I am beyond blessed to be able to handle such a large responsibility on my own. The first six months of homeownership has already taught me sooo many lessons.

• Sh*t Happens – There is no amount of home inspections nor walk throughs that’ll let you know every single issue or problem regarding your home. New appliance will break just as quick as old appliances and since we can’t control the weather, external damage can be inevitable. I had to get my brand new HVAC system repaired (multiple times) and a bad windstorm peeled back the siding on my place.  Now there are certain moments in my life where I recall the fact that I’m a grown a** woman and doing home repairs is one of those times. 

Ice took over my HVAC

This happened...

• Take Your Time – If you are a shopaholic like myself, you’ll want to buy EVERYTHING!!! However, taking your time and truly defining the vibe of your home makes a difference. Also, if you’re making a BIG purchase, you’ll want to be 100% sure of your choices. My BIG purchase was my sofa… Now I totally knew I wanted this beautiful green sofa while I was renting, but the price had me looking at less expensive options. I went back and forth and forth and back and all around before I decided to make the investment in what I really, really wanted. Taking your time could also be a bit tricky because I found THEE perfect coffee table and waited until it was sold out *insert angry face here*. Usually I’m really good about finding items that have sold out but nope, not this time. 

• Get Organized – I lost count at the amount of documents I signed during closing. However, a few of those documents have come in handy during tax season. It’s best to have a set location for every document because there will come a day that you need it. Let me tell you… I am still working on having the type of organization you find in the magazines.

My fav little area and an attempt at organizing

Unexpected guest... robins eggs

2019 Veuve Cliquot Polo Classic

If you missed the Veuve Cliqout Polo Classic  this year you missed an entire vibe… think Black Excellence sprinkled with sophistirachet. The Polo classic is THEE ultra-posh affair that kicks off the Summer in style. Last year was my first time attending, however, this year was definitely better than last year because I knew what to expect. After experiencing such a great time I have to eat my words that I’d mentioned to my friends prior to arrival, saying that this year would be my last year springing for the $500 VIP ticket but… I LIED. While this event and trip to New York can get pretty expensive, it is well worth it in my opinion. After multiple lay-offs, (see previous blog post) I haven’t had a proper vacation so this event allowed me to enjoy a dope weekend getaway.

I found a cute hotel (thanks to Priceline) in the financial district with dope view of the water. We freshened up a bit and chose Chinese Tuxedo for a late night dinner. I really wished we made reservations because this this place was everything that you’d think a trendy NYC restaurant would be… very low lights,  exposed ducts huge plants, and everyone dressed like they’re headed to fashion week. Although we were unable to be seated at a table, we were able to snag a spot at the bar. The food and drinks were super delicious and they even had a secret cocktail room below. If you’re in New York, definitely check them out. Since the night was young, we decided to find a rooftop and continue drinking. Thanks to Yelp we were able to find a spot that was walking distance to our hotel. Loopy Doopy was a super cute rooftop bar with a view of the Hudson and located in the Conrad hotel that had alcoholic popsicle cocktails. The cocktails were just ok, but they made for a really cute IG boomerang lol. Can I just say that I want to stay in the Conrad hotel the next time  I’m in NYC. As much as we wanted to continue the nightlife we knew we had to get back because we’d planned on hitting the Polo Classic early this year.

Look at that skyline

As much as we wanted to get an early start it just didn’t work out that way. I woke up with a massive sinus headache and had to hunt down the only medicine that works for me. After my medicine kicked in we were able to get the party started. As we approached the water taxi,  I realized that VIP is a must. Just see for yourself as the pictures are worth more than a thousand words…

What a view...

Everyone looking dapper

The menu in VIP was BOMB

This was EVERYTHING!!!

The bottle straws came in handy

I started out super classy...

Then my entire mood changed after the champagne set in!!!

         Can't wait to do it again next year!!!

How I Survived Layoff #4...

Party time... oh its party time (day after layoff #4) Guess who just survived their fourth layoff… me!!! Yes, you read correctly, I’ve been laid off four times, and twice within a year. Let me tell you, it gets easier when you are prepared mentally and financially. This time around the stakes were extremely high for me since I’d just become a new homeowner and I'd be living alone. Having being a contractor prior, I know the contracting game pretty well. Contracts can ad will come and go just as soon as they started, this lay-off literally came out of the blue. There was no inclination that things were going askew. When I received the news, I was actually at home to prepping for a potluck with my co-workers, which was scheduled for the next day and never happened. Although it may have appeared that I was living the life on Instagram, every day wasn’t great. I honestly have NEVER experienced a lay-off like this before. Let’s just say my previous company was TRASH. However, I had a few tips and tricks under my sleeve. Here are a few things that I did i(n-between random outburst of tears) to get me back in the job market. 1.    Network Effectively- While this may come as no surprise… I always say that every opportunity you have is a networking opportunity. If you are in a contracting or consultant role you should be networking without a doubt. Having access to someone else’s network is extremely helpful if you’re looking to obtain a new position or gain additional knowledge in general. One of the first steps I took was reaching out to previous colleagues to see which projects they were working on or looking forward to. Luckily, networking comes pretty easy for me. My previous role required me to have relationships with several stakeholders within the organization and I was able to build solid relationships. Believe it or not during my lay-off a few of the stakeholders I worked with tried reaching out to me regarding upcoming roles within their department. If you happen to network within your organization, it is imperative that you are doing quality work, providing excellent customer service and trying to exceed expectations. Trust and believe, even when you think people aren’t watching and taking note on your professionalism, they are. Volunteered with a non-profit organization 2.     Utilize LinkedIn Effectlively- I have probably created a profile on every job site there is. I’ve also seen firsthand how companies utilize employment sites and when it comes to engagement, LinkedIn is definitely the way to go. While networking over brunch a friend suggested that I utilize the free LinkedIn trial which gives you access to the paid features. I took that advice and was able to message HR professionals at companies I was interested in. I would strongly recommend you update your LinkedIn profile prior to the free trial or utilizing the paid service. Celebratory drink for getting the job offer 3.    Create A Routine- Even if you’re not a routine person, going to work is usually a routine of some sort. When you are unemployed that particular routine is out of the window. Creating a routine gives you something to look forward to. The quote that says ‘Repetition Breeds Success’ stands true when it comes to obtaining a position. During one of my layoffs I woke up and ate breakfast, applied for jobs and had phone interviews until around 1PM, then I went daily to grab a bubble tea (#Extra), and ended my day relaxing by the pool. During this layoff, I made cooking breakfast a daily habit, caught up on Netflix shows, and I went to the gym. This layoff was a bit different for me because I knew I had the position (unofficially) when I applied (prior to the actual lay-off); it was just a waiting game. Took my sister to NYC  4.    Have Fun- Although this is a trying moment in life, remember bad times don’t last forever. After you’ve created a routine of networking in person and applying to open positions, it’s time to live a little. I semi thought of this as an unpaid vacation. I knew I had to hustle to gain income but I also knew that I wouldn't have this amount of free time to just come and go as I pleased.  Stepped out for a play Black Love event 2019