Lunch With Wine and Wisdom

I laughed so much and so hard that I couldn’t finish the Watermelon and Grilled Shrimp salad that I ordered at Applebee’s.  My cheeks hurt.  Thank God that I ended up going to lunch with them.

When the announcement came over the walkie talkie “The new girl from the agency is going to lunch with the residents,” I creeped around the corner, waiting for my coworker to give me the word. I did not want to go. Who would want to go to lunch with a bus load full of senior citizens? I wanted to stay at the senior living facility. Complete my assignment. And go home.

I’m glad they chose me.

Sitting across the table watching men and women in their 90’s and 100’s pour and sip on red wine was like watching an Oscar worthy B movie. It was beyond my expectations!  I absorbed their stories of 70-plus year marriages, counts of drinking Scotch on a daily basis, world travels, loved ones who had passed on, and Cocktail Nights back at the facility. Their witty jokes and plans of escaping to Florida masked their stroke stricken arms, blindness, memory loss, pains and ailments.

I went home on a stomach full of Strawberry Lemonade and with an tugging urge to make some immediate modifications in my life….the first would be to live life to the fullest everyday.

MoKnowsHair shows us how to create and modify a trendy Halo Braid using MetaGrip Premium Bob Pins.  She says “That’s the beauty of styles like this…they can be easily modified.” I hope you enjoy her video and Happy Pinning!

 

Natural Hair Week In Review: Baked Salmon and DIY Recipes, Summer Styles and Cocktails

On the night that I heard about Alton Sterling’s death, I cooked for my family like I hadn’t done in months….Steak, gravy with mushrooms, sweet potatoes, cabbage and rice.  I aimed to fill their bellies with warmth and love.

Natural Hair Vlogger, Honestly Chic shares her quick, go-to healthy recipe that she cooks at least once a week.  “I eat Salmon weekly because it has omega fatty acids which are great for the body and hair.”

Baked Salmon with Roasted Asparagus and Wild Rice Recipe

Servings 2-4pple

2lbs of Salmon or Wild Sockeye Salmon

1 Bunch of Asparagus

1 Box of Uncle Ben’s Wild Rice

¼ of Sliced Red Onion

1 Tablespoon of Capers

Old Bay Seasoning

EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Rosemary seasoning

Wild Rice

2 Cooking glass dishes

1 Pot

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Slice red onions into 2in slices.
  • Place salmon in glass dish. Place red onions in salmon and in the dish.
  • Follow the same steps with capers. Place capers in the salmon and in the dish.
  • Season salmon with old bay season.
  • Pour ¼ cup of water in dish and place salmon in the oven for 25 minutes without a cover.
  • Cut the ends of asparagus in a diagonal manner.
  • Place asparagus in a glass dish and lightly drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Lightly season asparagus with salt, pepper and rosemary.
  • Place asparagus in the oven for 20min.
  • Follow the instructions on the Uncle Bens rice box. Place 2 ¼ cups of water in a pot, 1 tablespoon of butter and rice in the pot. Cook rice on medium heat until water is absorbed.
  • Immediately remove the salmon from the oven after twenty-five minutes, place the salmon on a plate and serve with the asparagus and rice.

 

Melissa Denise shares her DIY  hot oil treatment recipe and the benefits of adding  h.o.t. to our hair regimen.

 

“Big Sis likes Big Hair.” DiscoveringNatural gives her take on how to create quick summer styles for kids.

 

Summer cocktails aren’t just for a Friday night out with the girls.  Mo Knows Hair shows us how to treat our hair to a budget-friendly cocktail.

 

Summertime and weddings go hand in hand.  BlakIzBeautyful demonstrates how to transform a twist-out into a cascading style that can be worn at a summer wedding or any formal event.

Natural Hair Week In Review

Out and Up is my theme for this week. Three natural hair vloggers show us how to work our tresses under sweat, time constraints and bobby pins.

NaturallyQuinn visits the gym five to six days a week! She shares her hair routine using a pineapple style to protect her curls.

 

Time constraints don’t have to be a road block to beautiful hair . Michelle B gives us directions for a polished look when short on time.

 

Crystal Michelle shares a pinned-up, creative look just in time for summer.

Natural Hair Week In Review

Creative expressions flared across our Natural Hair community this week as vloggers used their talents to create, teach and inspire!  Here’s a gallery of their artwork. Enjoy!

 

After three years, BlakIzBeautyful returns to one of her go-to styles for a flawless look.

 

Classy. Creative. Royal expressions from JourneyTo WaistLength.

 

Nappy Fu modifies the Hair Puff to help save edges.

BGLH Helps With Finding Coupons

5 Ways to Find Coupons and Free Samples for Natural Hair Products

SheaMoisture

What is couponing? In short, it is the meticulous saving and searching of coupons for discounts on store-bought items, such as food, home products, etc. There was a time when I was intense about couponing and saved dollars upon dollars on my purchases. These days, I am not as intense but still do a little couponing, especially when it comes to hair care products. Today, I will share just a few basic tips I’ve learned along the way:

1. Look for free hair care samples

You can request these on certain sites or find them at hair care shows. For instance, Eden BODYWORKS currently offers six free sample packets if you pay a nominal shipping fee of $4. Meanwhile, Pantene offers free samples and promotions if you create an account (free of charge) on their site.

2. Check store sites, brand sites, or Coupon.com

Target has a coupon site. So do Kroger and many other stores. Additionally, non-store specific sites, like Coupon.com, also have printable discounts. Sometimes, you can catch coupons for hair care products, such as SheaMoisture and Pantene.  (The following are screenshots of the actual coupons.)  Additionally, certain brands, such as Ouidad, offer coupons or discounts on their sites.

3. Don’t sleep on magazines

As a customer for certain online subscriptions, you may get opportunities for free magazines. On one occasion, I was able to obtain a free one-year Essence subscription through which I received access to coupons for such hair care products as Dark & Lovely Au Naturale, Clairol, Herbal Essences, and others.  Definitely take advantage of these free subscriptions if you can.

4. Store-receipt generated coupons

A few stores, like Walgreens and Meijer, also have coupons that are generated if you shop regularly at their locations. For instance, I have gotten a $2 off Carol’s Daughter coupon from Walgreens because I frequent the store’s beauty section.  On another occasion, I received a coupon for a few dollars off Organix products. Don’t throw away these discounts!

5. Use coupons on sales (if you can)

Last, but not least, take advantage of sales! You can save even more if you use your coupon when those products are actually on sale. For instance, imagine how much you’ll save when using a $2 off coupon on a marked down Kinky Curly product!

Hair Freedom from Egypt to D.C.

IMG_20160403_181240.jpgI’m a little embarrassed yet excited to say…..there is so much history to exoerience in D.C.! Embarrassed because it was my first time visiting D.C. in my 40 plus years and excited because my heart pounds at the thought of sharing my travel discoveries with the students and patients whom I teach and serve.

It’s one thing to learn history through books and images but to actually stand at the burial site of former slaves and to stand near the same tree where students read the newly signed Emancipation Proclamation hundreds of years ago…….it’s amazing!

I was just as excited when I discovered the masterful”Hair” story created by  Chime (Hair Crush).  In her video, she chronicles the history of black hair from the elaborate hairstyles of ancient Egypt to today’s similar natural styles. I hope you take away much joy and knowledge from her video!

He’s My Best Friend

Yesterday on FB, a few of my friends answered a challenge by giving props to their boyfriends and husbands. Well, I don’t have a man in my life who fits all of the criteria of the challenge but I do have a man in my life who loved me through my mess, who loves his children and although things did not work out for us as husband and wife, he is my best friend:)

Rollie

Afroinspired Translation

I posted up near the doorway, waiting to greet students as they entered the Biology classroom. I was thrilled to see the hallway pollinated with teachers and students wearing their Curly Fros, Big Fros and Pinned-Up styles.

I got so excited that I couldn’t pass up the chance to take a picture of Ms. Robbins’ frovalicious style.

IMG_20160322_134051

Look at her smile!

Ms. Robbins inspired me that day to be more creative in my teaching.

I’d hope to spruce up the mundane assignment of copying and answering questions about the Water Cycle, so I took the terms evaporation, condensation and precipitation, and translated them into matters of community service, compassion and the need to appreciate diversity.

I think the students enjoyed learning about photosynthesis just as much as I enjoyed teaching it. We had an awesome Afroinspired learning experience!

 

 

 

DIY Curling Gel #praiseonatural

I announced that it was Free Draw Day to an Art class full of eager International Kindergarten students.  They could draw whatever their five-year-old hearts desired.

They sat around the table chatting and filling blank papers with suspended rainbows, stick figured families and leprechauns.

Ten minutes before the end of class, volunteers presented their artwork.  They came up one by one……slanted eyes, short ponytails and jeweled hijabs.  As I listened to narrations of birthday parties and days of being back home in Africa,  I smiled at the thought of God’s diverse and creative expressions.

Praise Onaturals presents her DIY, multi-purpose creation using Aloe Vera gel as a base.  She’s completely unscripted and authentic. I look forward to watching and learning more from her.  I hope you enjoy and Happy Creating!