What will you be doing differently in 2014?

My year begins on October 3 and each year on my birthday I say thanks for the year before and set a focus for the year ahead. I don't call it a resolution because I believe I'm tempting fate which could lead to failure but I do set myself goals. Since I do this on my birthday I ignore the new year hype but if I'm honest these goals are very much focused on my own very personal needs and as I start in a new role in Jan and I was inspired by this post from Topshop (see photo) I've decided to pull together a list of things I will be doing in 2014.

1. Getting to work by 9.30am my usual time is circa 10am.

2. Making regular use of my gym membership throughout the year not just pre holiday or an important event. Let the focus be health and fitness rather than hotness.

3. Sending friends and loved ones cards and letters I started doing this at the end of this year. It's such a small thing but the response when they're received is lovely - it's such a nice surprise.

4. Improving my baking techniques - especially icing.

The hardest one for me to achieve will be getting to work earlier so it will mean early nights (in bed before 12) and getting out of bed rather than lounging in it - hopefully getting up and going to the gym will help this. What will you be doing, what's your biggest challenge to achieve it and how will you overcome your challenges - do let me know maybe we can motivate  each other.

Thank you 2012

2012 has been a roller coaster year for me some really big highs and some real lows but all in all I would say it's been a good year and I have lots to be grateful for. Most of all I'm thankful for these things (in no particular order):

Everyone who has read this blog thanks I don't know who you are but thanks for reading; if you do have any feedback than please let me know. My very own feedback to myself is proofread and spellcheck.

That all of my loved ones both friends and family have made it through the year; having them in 2013 will be a blessing.

London 2012 was such a highlight for me not only did I get to experience the actual games as a spectator on a couple of occasions - 4 to be exact; but it also gave others an opportunity to experience the city I love in one of its finest moments. Super Saturday was emotional - the video of my screaming 'go Mo' as the stadium erupts is hilarious.

I learnt a lot about myself this year, about the person I want to be, what's and who is important to me. The life lessons or challenges provided this clarity -  I believe everything happens for a reason.

My Samsung SIII and my iPad giving me the best of technology; life with an iPhone wasn't all that it could be but I still missed the App store. Now I have the best mobile phone and tablet both doing the jobs they were meant to do.

Great tv - Scandal, Homeland, Boardwalk Empire. I need more like this. I'm going to try again with Girls and I loved my ratchet tv more LHH please.

Anything French - Paris and Les Miserables are examples of some of the great memories I will have from this year.

Good music - highlights Walk the Throne concert, Hackney Weekender, Nas, Frank Ocean, The Weekend, Kendrick Lamaar.

Seeing friends get married, have babies, and make the next step in their lives and reacquainting myself with people I had lost touch with.

Being part of Pride's  beauty round table.

My Cineworld card.

Life.

instagram.

Why I should be a lady of leisure

Now that the Christmas rush is over and I'm still on leave from work I've had the chance to have a little me time, which I've spent sale shopping, baking and movie watching. But today I thought it was about time I made a venture into the great outdoors and did two things; the first was visit my new gym. I recently ended my gym membership with Fitness First and joined The Gym Group, www.thegymgroup.com because of cost - it's £26 a month cheaper which is a £312 saving over the year, as well as actually being closer to home #winning. I will miss Fitness First because it had a great range of classes, although I only went to Spin, and the free magazines - I am going to have start buying Look. Today was my first visit to the gym but it had all the equipment I needed and was clean and I would totally recommend it if you have a local Gym Group gym near you - my gym going isn't always as regular as it should be so it makes sense to not spend a lot of money on membership fees. If you prefer to attend classes you may wish to try another gym but if you happy to focus on using machines then this is perfect for you, you can trial the gym for £5 and its open 24 hours, so if you feel the urgency to exercise in the middle of the night you can.

My next stop was one of my favourite places in London, the V&A, where I spent the evening viewing the Ballgowns - British glamour since 1950 and Hollywood Costume exhibitions. The Ballgowns exhibition was exquisite especially the more recent dresses, I always stay up to tweet the red carpet so I just loved the contemporary ballgowns, but the whole collection was beautiful and if you are into glamour then I would definitely go and see the exhibit. It ends on Jan 6 so do make sure to go ASAP if you are interested. It costs £10. The Hollywood Costume exhibition showcases costumes from many classic films including Titanic, Batman, Indiana Jones, Legally Blonde, Elizabeth and much more and includes interviews from directors, actors and wardrobe designers. The exhibits showcase the importance of costume to a film, and the vital role they play in getting the actors into character.

One of the things I liked most about the collection and the interactive displays was that it enabled you to get a real feel for the role of a costume designer - unless it's a period drama my view was that it was a relatively easy job, but there is a lot more to it than just choosing a wardrobe and ensuring continuity. Costume is a key part of the film and the importance of its role in the success of a movie is showcased superbly. I would totally recommend this exhibition for film buffs, general film goers, or just anyone interested in clothes. Be warned it takes about 1.5 hrs to see everything, but it's a really good exhibition to go and see with someone who isn't into museums or galleries. It costs £14 but tickets are sold out on line and can only be purchased on site. This exhibition ends at the end of Jan but it was really busy when I went and I've always found that the last weekends are very busy so I suggest you go before then.

As I was in full museum mode I also decided to check out the Architecture collection, which I loved and surprisingly hadn't seen before - I love architecture so I wasn't quite sure how I hadn't checked this out previously. I also saw the modern Iranian photography exhibition, which has some really great photography and provides insight into Iranian society. Who knew that magazines are censored with black crosses and dresses are extended to meet the Iranian moral code?!

I also took the opportunity to pay the African Collection, which I mentioned in a previous post, a visit. This is quite a small collection but showcases items that are in the V&A's archive but haven't been displayed previously. One of the exhibits is a range of photos purchased from an exhibition of negro art at the New York Museum of Modern Art in 1935; as I said this a small collection and I'm not sure I would make the journey just to see these exhibits but if you are at the V&A then do pay it a visit.

If I didn't mention a price it's free to visit these particular collections, the V&A ask for a donation of £3, but I love it there so I'm going to become a member. If you do go and see any of these exhibitions or have seen one that you would recommend let me know. Further info is available at www.vam.ac.uk #ballgowns.

I didn't take photos of the ballgowns or costumes but did take some of the other exhibits - naughty! Check them out ...

A lost life - Indian rape protests

So today I shed a tear for the 17 year old Indian young woman who committed suicide after trying to register a crime of gang rape (it's been reported) that she was told by the local Punjab police that she should either accept a cash payment or marry one of her attackers.

Sometimes it seems like the world is full of grey skies and rainy days. I hope that the world's attention on this sad loss of life changes the way that victims of rape are supported in this region of India.

Update 29/12/12 - Thought it would be useful to clarify that the current protests in India are in relation to a seperate gang rape attack in Delhi, another case where the victim has died- but this time due to the injuries inflicted by the rapists during the attack. More definitely needs to be done to protect women from rape in India and to ensure that victims are supported to convict their attackers and not shunned; although I'm not sure releasing the details of every sex offender (as currently proposed by the Indian government is the why forward).

Loving the Fiat 500 The Motherhood ad

I love this advert - one of the best I've seen in a while

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=eNVde5HPhYo&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DeNVde5HPhYo&gl=GB.

Do check it out and let me know if it rings true for you? I wonder what mumsnet had to say about this!!?

It's Friday

Woke up this morning to see this photo of Solange - I'm obsessed I know - so making today Solange Friday and will be head nodding to her EP today.

Product I love - hair conditioner

So I've decided to rest my hair from the creamy crack for a while; and am currently having a long stretch - aiming for 16 weeks. I've been wearing a weave for 6 weeks but the hair was in a need of a revive.

I'd purchased the Macadamia natural oil deep repair masque for my relaxed hair but had only used it once. With the other products I use I found it slightly over moisturizing which was great but it just meant I had to change the frequency of using oils and other products on my hair - which took a little getting used to.

Last night I used the masque on my hair (weave - I paid for it so it's mine) and my hair has a gloss to it that it didn't have before. Unfortunately I don't have a before photo to share but this has definitely made a difference; I now have really shiny hair that also feels smoother.

Anyway I would definitely recommend this product if you are in need of an intensive deep conditioning treatment. When comparing it to the Moroccan oil deep masque I would also say that this provides better results.

I purchased online for £13 but I think it retails for £24, I just searched for sellers of the product and who was cheapest.

If you do use it let me know what you think.

Not funny - racism is not something to be laughed at

So today I read two things on Twitter that I personally don't find funny at all. One was a joke by a white comedian "if you're having sex with a Jamaican girl, don't ask her who's the daddy"; and the second was a quote from an article on the racism Lorraine Pascale has faced on Twitter and in her general life. Although stating that Twitter US should do more to stop racist tweets, when told in a country pub that 'n**g**s need to go back, but your ok because my wife likes your cakes'; Lorraine gave an icy stare, paid for her pork scratchings and left the pub. But commented in the article that you just have to 'laugh these things off'!

Jokes are funny, and perhaps I'm being slightly sensitive about the joke I mentioned above (don't worry I know who my father is and my son's) - let me know if you think I am?! But racism is not funny at all; its not ok for people to make comments like that and if they do they need to be told that it's not appropriate. When I was 12 my friend's grandmother said that 'the coloured girl [me] was so polite and helpful'; I overheard the conversation and told Nanna Breda that people don't use that word anymore it's black.  I wasn't rude and although I did find it offensive, I knew she wasn't doing it out of spite, just a lack of knowledge.

We all have a service to do in educating those who are unaware or plain ignorant to prevent them from saying something like this to someone who can't laugh it off. I hope in hindsight  Lorraine thinks i would have done more if i could;  as its not just the authorities who have a part to play. Although I say this I do understand Lorraine's response especially as the initial shock and outrage may have meant she went into autopilot. But as a public figure speaking up at the time as well as at a later date in the media may have had an impact and made the landlord think before opening his mouth.

As I'm on the subject of racism I just want to know what the jury were thinking when they let the police officers off who called the women a monkey and asked if she was going home to cook bananas!!! I'm glad that the police are following up with a case of gross misconduct; but what do you have to do to be convicted for this crime. It seems that saying it's a joke (John Terry) or a reference to evolution (this particular case) are adequate excuses. Someone may have to relook at the law or ensure that the cases being brought forward meet the burden of proof required by the judiciary.

Read the full Lorraine Pascale article on the Daily Mail.

More details on the police officers who were acquitted.

Lorraine does make exceedingly good cakes, I totally recommend her cook books Let them eat cake and the Bakewell tart are my personal favourite recipes.

Rant over
Nadie

Jada let Willow cut her hair and it changed my perspective on parenthood

On lots of the blogs and websites I read as well as the Twitter feeds of those I follow there has been lots of commentary on the Facebook post made by Jada Pinkett-Smith on Willow's hair cut. It seems to have resonated with black women either as a shining example of a loving mother who supports her children or as someone who has lost the concept of the mother and child relationship. Willow cutting her hair has never been any of my concern and although I had seen photos I hadn't thought much about it at all.

Having read Jada's response to those who have criticised her for allowing Willow to cut her hair (could there be any other reason for publicly sharing this) I still have the same feelings I've always had about the Smith family. I think it's wonderful that Jada and Will support their children wholeheartedly in their endeavours and that they are raising them to have a conscience and wider sense of the world than the amazing lifestyle to which they were born. But what I truly don't understand is why with all the contacts they have and the knowledge they have; that they haven't allowed their kids to just be kids. Safe in the knowledge that when they are adults they can utilise their networks to support their careers.

As a parent I've tried to consider what I would do in their position. But I just don't understand this need in parents - Joe Blogs or Madonna - to push their children to work and be famous. If my child wanted to sing or act I would support them in crafting their skill in preparation for their future. Although I think it's important to push your children and support their success; I also sincerely believe that fame brings so many unnecessary pressures and I would hope to protect my children from this.

If I'm honest the Smith family dynamic intrigues me; I am somewhat old skool and when I read or hear Jada say things like 'Willow said 'we had to do something about this'' or 'she wanted to cut her hair because she is not defined by her beauty [paraphrasing]' it challenges my own thoughts on the boundaries of parenthood and the parent child relationship, and I had a laid-back upbringing- so go figure.

In their position would I let my 10 yr old daughter have a number 2 cut - I think not; but having read Jada's response I know this is for my own selfish reasons and need to assert my parental authority. If I'm honest I don't give a monkeys why Jada and Will supported Willow and allowed her to cut her hair; and by all accounts Willow is a child who has wisdom way beyond her years. Yet all the hub bub has helped me remember that as parents we are here to guide our children so they can be the best person they can be and at times that can be a challenge; but that's the job.

See gossip sites and tv can be educational and thought-provoking.

One of my favourite places - the V&A

When I was growing up there were a group of kids on my road who hung out together. We went to youth club, camping, Wood Craft together (a bit like Guides but mixed - even then, and pro the environment and sustainability) and generally spent a lot of time at each others houses.

On cold rainy days we would ask to do one of two things, go to a museum or to go to the wave session at Britannia;  which probably tells you a lot about my childhood. But this is really where my love of museums stems from and probably why I still love architecture and looking at historic finds to this day. I'm truly mesmerized by seeing and trying to understand how people lived centuries and decades ago including what they wore, their culture and the amazing feats they achieved (this could be just living) without many of the comforts we have.

Other than travelling where I am able to immerse myself in different cultures, I find another way to get my fix is by visiting museums. Living in London I have an opportunity to visit these regularly and best of all for free (or a small donation). My favourite museum of all is the V&A (I have a liking for all things Victoriana) and over the next few weeks plan to see a few exhibitions there. One that is free that I'm keen to check out is http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/v/v-and-a-africa-exploring-hidden-histories/, which looks at the museum's African archive and reflects on the changing attitude to the collection since the Victorian era.

It looks like it will be quite interesting and I'm gutted that I missed a talk today by the curator about the exhibits. I plan to go in the next couple of weeks so I'll let you know my thoughts. Hopefully one of the 'lates' will encompass this.

Forgiveness

If I'm truly honest with myself then my biggest flaw has to be my inability to forgive people for things they have done in the past. It's not that I hold grudges it's just that much like a panic room I shut down completely from the person or situation where there is an issue or I feel hard done by.

Today someone said to me that I need to learn to forgive and over the last 6 months or so I've been working on this (obviously a lot more work needs to be done). In some areas I'm probably better than this than others; but this is definitely a work in progress. What I've learnt is that for me being able to forgive is about three key things, trust - regaining that trust you had in a person, understanding - being able to see things from another persons perspective and ownership - taking responsibility for your own actions that led to the situation in the first place.

It's kind of a somber post but that's where my head is right now.

In other news I went to a fabulous wedding the other day coordinated by A Class Events. Even though it was the wedding of a really close friend I have to admit that it was one of the best weddings I had been to in a while. Check me in full wedding mode.

Speak soon
Nade

Women of the year

So it's awards season and that means numerous womens magazines and female friendly programmes (ok Womens Hour - note this is only available on the radio) are asking for votes and awarding their Woman of the Year awards. With so many women making outstanding achievements this year who would I pick, who has inspired me or who do I admire. So here goes - the Nadie says Women of the Year are:

Michelle Obama - we all know I love the First Lady so I'm guessing this is no surprise. Amazing, strong, loving, intelligent and all whilst being a mother, wife and President's representative in front of the media.

Beyonce - motherhood seems to have made Beyonce more endearing. The way she represented whilst pregnant and then her return to the stage not long after having Blue Ivy - dayum.

Doreen Lawrence - for continually striving for justice and for supporting others to have the legacy they deserve.

Ladies in my network of friends who are doing great things such as Ronke Ige, Emi & Ben and Stephanie Mensah StylesAfrik. We see you, always good to see people you know representing and striving on.

Gabby Douglas - I lo sport and gymnastics is one of my all time favourites (I got to badge 1 as a kid) so watching Gabby take gold in the all round competition was one of my moments of London 2012.

Malala Yousafzai - sometimes I forget how relatively simple my life is and then I remember that whilst we complain about equal pay there are others out there who are fighting for simple rights that we take for granted. Malala is truly an inspiration especially as she says she will still continue to go to school even after an attempt on her life.

My aunt - I truly admire her strength to just get on with things, especially when others wouldn't.

The US presidential elections - any lessons for the UK

Four years ago I watched Barack Obama accept the Presidency, give his inauguration speech and dance with Michelle to Beyonce's rendition of At Last. Like many I had read President Obama's books and followed his progress from Senator to Democrat candidate for POTUS. I read politics at university, so I have a general interest but Barack stood out for me for lots of reasons as the kind of candidate I would back because of his ideology and his character and obviously like many I wanted to be a part of the historic moment when America elected its first African American president.

Now I am safe in the knowledge that President Obama will stay in office for another four years (yeah 4 more years of The Obama's in the White House means even more Michelle). And because I'm awake at 4am, I've started to think about what lessons we (Britain) could learn from the elections; where we saw an immense turn out from minority voters, where the young came out and voted in droves and people queued for 5 hours in some parts of the country to cast their vote. If you compare that with the turn out for the last parliamentary elections here you can see a marked difference. With numbers at all time lows for participation, it would appear that inertia has set in.

So what needs to be done to reengage voters in the British political system - do we need to look at the way political parties connect with the public, get celebs to encourage participation, have a more representative Parliament i.e. less Eton and more local comp and stress that we want a little more real world experience from candidates (your only job references shouldn't be your local pub and the parliamentary office)? What do you think and were you wishing you could vote for President Obama (to say no to Romney), whilst your name is omitted on the electoral roll - and therefore unable to vote?!

Just food for thought but the political parties and organisations with interests in the political process really need to think hard about how they get the British public vested in its own democratic process.

Nadie x

Ps Favourite bits from the President's 'I did it' speech

'We have to change that' - at times I thought I was watching a nation voting for the first time. I really couldn't believe the queues. It's obviously an indication of how many people turned out but that's crazy. For a minute there I thought Apple had launched a new iPad (not funny I know).

'Everyone has got to love Michelle as I do' - its super cute when someone just says this at a wedding, anniversary or birthday but on the world stage it's just beautiful and as you know I'm very much #teamMichelle.

'One dog is enough' - you can always identify with something in an Obama speech - humour, empathy, real ness. Such an amazing orator, once again back to his best.

Growing my hair - update 6 months

In April I told you that I was going to start a healthy hair regime, so I thought it was about time I provided an update. I've been doing the following since April:

Using heat sparingly, I've used my straighteners 5 or 6 times at most, I do blow dry my hair sometimes on the low heat setting but this is also infrequent.

Washing weekly and then if I go to the gym I will rinse out my hair and wash it with conditioner (co-washing). I also deep condition with my hood dryer weekly.

Reduce the amount of protein conditioners I use, I had a love affair with Affirm's 5in1, I only use it the week before I relax my hair to strengthen it, directly after rinsing out my relaxer but before neutralising and the week after I relax. I still think its an amazing product i just don't need to use it every week. Instead I alternate my conditioners weekly using Keracare Humeteco for moisture and Aphogee 2 minute for protein (I'm not sure I like this product so looking for an alternative).

Relax my hair every 8-10 weeks, rather than every 6 weeks. I currently have a weave in so probably won't relax my hair again to February but that depends, although that's the aim.

Stopped using products that contain mineral oil, petrolatum or certain types of alcohol.

Since doing all of the above my hair has grown from just below my ear lobe to chin length at the front and to the end of my neck at the back. Although due to constantly putting my hair in a top knot I have suffered some breakage.

If you're interested in finding out more about the health of your hair I would definitely recommend this book 'The science of black hair' it basically challenges lots of myths about black hair.

My new past time - baking

When I was growing up I was a keen baker, I regularly used to bake at the weekends, rock cakes, flapjacks and scones were my particular favourites. But as I got older and life got in the way baking took more of a back seat; however lately I've started baking again and I'm really enjoying it. I find it a great way to relax and sometimes knock up a cake after work or on a Sunday afternoon.

So far I've perfected Humming Bird's Red velvet cake recipe, tried my hand at Let Them Eat Cake, made a banana cake that my work colleagues and my niece and nephew loved and have made a number of desserts. I'm now getting requests and have been asked to make a carrot cake and am currently soaking fruits for my first ever Christmas cake - the fruits are already well laced with rum and I can't wait to bake the first attempt in late November.

I'm now looking for an amazing cake stand and tea set so that I can have afternoon tea, so if you see one  do let me know.

Film Africa 2012

I'm a bit of a film fiend, and I generally love watching movies and making good use of my Cineworld card. As well as going to see blockbusters at the cinema, I also enjoy attending film festivals; there are so many great independent films that you can see, and hearing from the director, screenwriter etc, who sometimes attend the screenings makes the experience so much richer. So when I stumbled across information on the Film Africa Festival, which runs from 1-11 November I was quite excited. With films in different locations in London, I'm sure there will be something that I would like to see.

Wise words

Saw this today and it seemed to be speaking to me, so I stole it and am now sharing it with you. If you can't read it here's a link http://instagr.am/p/RFXVMkPOEC/

For other words of wisdom do check me out on Instagram nache79

FA stop insulting our intelligence

I'm a massive football fan, I actually spent my birthday watching Arsenal at the Emirates, as a lover of the sport I am disgusted by the FAs punishment of John Terry. Not only is it way too lenient it's another indication that other things are far more important within the game eg Bentner's fine at the Euros for promoting a brand that wasn't a sponsor was doled out quick time but as yet no action against Serbia.

Although I don't believe football per se is a racist sport I definitely believe that it reflects the society that we live in. Fans of the game are the same people you meet day in day out and their thoughts, belief systems etc are not different because they saw a black player score or defend a goal that helped their team win on Saturday.

Yesterday Alex Ferguson said he was 'embarrassed' because Rio chose not to wear the Kick it Out T-shirt?! Sir Alex truly needs to get his head out of the clouds (or that large glass of red), wearing a T-shirt will not change what is becoming a more visible issue in the game. Racism exists throughout football from the lack of black managers to the limited number of Asian players and much more needs to be done by the powers that be to rid racism from the sport.

Hopefully the reports that Rio will be fined £220k for not wearing the T are unfounded and Man U will use a common sense approach to Rio's protest. The PFA, a number of other top flight managers and even commentators from MOTD believe every player should have the right to choose whether they wear the T-shirt. My guess is no matter how much Rio is fined (if he is) the fact that he can go to sleep at night knowing that he stuck to his principles will be more important to him than a couple of weeks wages.Those idiots aka the FA have made a total mare of the whole situation firstly but not hearing JT's case directly after it happened and secondly by supporting Terry's request for the criminal process to be delayed until after the Euros. Both actions were a clear indication of their thoughts on eradicating racism from the game.

It saddens me that a sport I love, and the organisation of a league that is followed by so many people around the world can't get their house in order and is using rhetoric and pr stunts to try to whitewash a serious issue. I truly hope that they will either ask black players what needs to be done or hire a consultancy to advise them; even as a start these basic steps would make a difference:

1. stop dripping money into Kick Racism Out, if you truly believe in it English FA put your hands in your pockets and bring out some real money;
2. have real sanctions for racism and racist behaviour which includes not playing international games in stadia or countries where your black players have to endure extreme racist taunts or be attacked; 
3.  not playing for the national team if you are being investigated for racism.

Until the FA do something about this there will be no England games watched in my home, my son will not be wearing an England shirt and I definitely won't be buying one. I refuse to support or endorse a team organised by those pricks at the FA. It might not make a difference to them but this is about exercising your own free will to protest in a non-violent way.

That's all from me

Nx

Since I originally posted this we have seen Chelsea fans 'help' a black steward from the stands onto the pitch, by chucking him over the hoardings. We have also witnessed another fan, a supporter of the same club imitating a monkey towards a black player. This is now getting out of hand something needs to be done now!!

Products I love - nail varnish remover

I love to paint my nails and change my nail colour a couple of times a week. Constantly painting my nails means I go through an awful lot of nail varnish remover but recently I found this product Bourjois Dissolvant and it literally has made removing nail varnish so simple.

All you have to do is dip your finger in the pot, twist and voila varnish free nails. I would definitely recommend it as its so much easier than using a liquid and much better than nail wipes on the go; that aren't very good at providing a clean nail.

I'm off to try my Ciate Caviar nail kit that I received today. Update: Check out the pick of my manicure - luv it x You can purchase the exact same kit at Selfridges. Also Boots are currently running their 3 for 2 Autumn event, so do stock up - I have!

So late but now jumping on the Elle Varner band wagon

So basically I love music, especially live music. I am a very regular concert attendee, I would say on average I attend a concert at least once a month. I couldn't imagine my life without music in it, and I love hearing a new album or song and being mesmerised by new talent. So when hearing Elle Varner for the first time, earlier this week - bare in mind its only Tuesday - I couldn't understand why I hadn't heard of her before and why one of my so called friends (if they haven't been sharing good music like this with me I'm not sure I can call them friends) hadn't told me that I needed her album in my life.

Well anyway lets just say I am now a Elle Varner fan and am loving 'Perfectly Imprefect' (her debut album) and Elle has now been added to my line of girl crushes. You can check out her video for the song that led me to want to find out more here 'I don't care'. Let me know what you think of the video x

Fitness fun

If you are anything like me then (to my boyfriend's derision) you work out so you can look hot, rather than for health! Well actually looking good is great for my general health and well-being - so I do work out for my health. But anyway I don't really enjoy going to the gym, I go because the days of just cutting back on Friday to ensure a flat pack stomach on Saturday are a few Fridays before the big night out.

To counteract my general dislike of the gym, I've tried very hot personal trainers (so far this has been the best motivation), using  apps such as Nike Training Club and Spin, all which have worked, but I still seem to get bored. So a couple of months ago I found this website http://www.boutiquesport.co.uk/ and after checking out what they are all about, they describe themselves as 'the ultra-glam way to work-out' I knew I needed to sign up to their emails.

Last month I was lucky enough to receive the opportunity to attend a Boutique Sport event, and with my friend in tow, went to a yoga class at Blue Cow Yoga. The class was great fun, and the facilities at Blue Cow were relaxing.

After the yoga session we were invited to attend a cocktail session with the other attendees and the team from Boutique Sport at a bar just down the road. After a relaxing yoga session, cocktails aren't normally the order of the day but this was all about a little rest and relaxation and it would have been rude to refuse. The cocktails weren't to my taste but the goody bags we received were lovely especially the blueberry chewy that I had; and to top the night off I also won 6 months membership at the yoga studio.

 Boutique Sport is such a great idea, and its a great way for health & fitness businesses to market themselves to completely new clientèle - do check it out!


Hopefully your soon to be yogi!




Update Just got another chance to try out a new class - hot Pilates, courtesy of Boutique Sport I'll let you know what is was like. But do sign up, you can try something new for free and if you like it it you could be the next Nell McAndrews.

More Solange

More amazing Solange photos and I love that she used the Gentleman of the Bacongo in her latest video! If you haven't seen it yet its here.Yeah I'm still crushing.

Photos courtesy of http://www.skinnyhipster.com/

August - October

I would love to say that I have been travelling the world or doing something equally exciting since I last blogged, but I haven't. I've just been rather rubbish, but I plan to rectify that soon, but for now do check out some of the links below:

http://www.almonadeluwoyeart.com/#/art/4564845306 - amazing art by a very dear friend of mine, that's me!

http://www.kayosoulmusic.com/#!home/BlankPage_0 - this is the website of another friend singer Kayosoul, please check out his EP and new video released last week.

http://www.necessaryp.com/campaign.html - I love the creativity of this project.

This is one of my fave daily reads http://www.skinnyhipster.com/.

This is on my list of things to see - do let me know if you get a chance to go.

Hope to see you soon Nadie x

Just wondering ...

Saw this and wondered if the character had been black would this have affected viewing figures or dvd and video sales?

If you like to see more Disney characters as women of colour check out http://marrymejasonsegel.tumblr.com/post/27821233220/so-i-made-a-bunch-of-white-disney-characters-into

Leave Kim Kardashian alone

Although I'm a massive Kardashian fan I have to be real and say the character that Kim now portrays in the series is one I don't like and therefore she is my least favourite of the siblings. However although I'm not her biggest fan this whole did Bey-Z diss her at the BET awards thing is getting out of hand and this is why:

1. Kimye haven't been together that long and so can you really expect Jay Z and Bey to be all up her in grill. Although they will have obviously been spending time together doesn't mean they are suddenly the best of friends.

2. Kim is generally quite shy I know the sex tape, nude shoots etc project a completely different view, but when you watch any of her shows KKTNY or KKUWTK you will see that she is more introverted than the rest of her family. In live situations she always looks quite wooden, maybe it was more about not feeling comfortable in front of the camera then not being liked by her man's friends.

3. Kim is a reality star her life is depicted out in public for all to see; even though she stated that she would be more private after separating from Kris, we have all seen that this really isn't the case, Beyonce and Jay Z have only really opened up to the public recently, there is a very different approach to what they keep at home and what the general public is able to access.

4. The BET Awards were not about Kim and so she played her part subtlety, just like Stacey Keibler does. Do you see her having a big conversation with Angelina at events? No I thought not!!

Anyway good luck to Kimye I bet Kim sings 'Upgrade' every morning when she gets up.

Nadie x

PS for those of you who have better things to do than watch E news Stacey Keibler is George Clooney's girlfriend.

How can we capitalise on the skills learnt on road?

I've always believed that most criminals (or anyone who actually makes money from their criminality) have to be smart, have good negotiating skills, leadership qualities and a general brain that makes things happen. The people I know who have ended up on the wrong side of the law, have usually been guys who didn't like school, had a dream of having wealth but seeing that they didn't want to go to university or have someone to guide them on their right path and wanted to make money quickly ended up in certain situations. I am no way condoning their behaviour but in a society that celebrates the attainment of wealth over everything else is it any wonder that generations of children are focused on being rich or look to the Kim Kardashian's and Jay Z's of this world as role models??!!

Today I came across this article 'From gang members to board directors' which follows a sentiment that I have been pro for a while. There is an opportunity to channel some of this entrepreneurial spirit into something positive; how we do this - I have no idea but if we can save one young person from prison, or even death then it is worth a try. With unemployment still high, and the number of NEETS (under 25s not in education, employment or training) rising steadily its vital that we support these groups with jobs, business start up support etc. I don't have the answers but my greatest concern is that the government doesn't even seem to see the problem - enough from me. I'm outta here x

PS I would have loved to attend this event 'Black ephemera Depictions of people of African descent', as someone who read History at university this really hit my buttons, peed that I didn't see this until too late and at my alma mata too #vex

Sharing is caring

Saw this article on the Guardian focusing on the increasing number of all black shows available on the web.It's great to be able to watch these shows online, but wouldn't it be wonderful if they were on TV; let me know what you think. Have you read this

Lists and why they can start heated debates

Just saw Essence's 50 most influential RnB stars list and all I can say is it's kind of controversial. There are way too many people on there that shouldn't be i.e. Rihanna and I'm not even sure how they've measured influence. I'm not going to say much more than that but let it be known that I'm aggrieved man!!!

Barbie Naija style

So I'm going to let you into a little secret, I collect Barbies! I've been a fan of Barbie since I was 3 and much of my childhood was spent playing with my Barbie collection, my sweet shop, my dolls house (I had one of the Victorian style ones) and my cooker (you could actually bake in it). At this point I just need to say a big shout to my mum who overindulged me lol.

Anyway my love of all things Barbie started nearly 30 years ago and it's still going strong, so when I saw this I nearly had an orgasm (was that too much?) as a Nigerian I was just so wow. I loved the Italia Vogue black Barbie shoot; a London based photographer inspired by the Vogue shoot decided to put together a naija version http://photographybyobi.co.uk/wedding/black-barbie-kens-nigerian-traditional-wedding/. I love the creativity of it but I also think its a great way to let others know what a 'engagement' is like.

Things I like

I love this reminds me of one of the wonderful things about being Nigerian (well half).

Sharing is caring

At the moment I'm watching this http://www.brotherswithnogame.com/brothers-with-no-game-the-web-series-episode-1/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=brothers-with-no-game-the-web-series-episode-1 and checking out this http://www.almonadeluwoyeart.com/.

Another reason why I'm crushing on Solange

I've just read Solange's tweets in response to the negative comments about her hair. If you haven't seen them you can check them out here http://cdn.styleblazer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/solange-tweets1.jpg.

I'm especially fond of this comment 'I don't want to talk about my hair ... No damn mo'. Why do some women feel they can tell others how they should wear or style their own hair - bloody cheek!? Anyway good on Solange for making her own thoughts heard.

Make up

As a former Make Up Artist, I have a tonne of products that I have bought, tested or have randomly picked up from somewhere and sometimes I dig a random product out of one of my make up boxes and use it. The usual reason for this is that I can't find my fave mascara, blusher etc etc, anyway although I normally forgo powder after applying foundation,  as I prefer a fresher look, the Jubilee weekend was one where I needed my foundation to stay put and therefore had to dig out my loose powder. I'd totally forgotten I had this product in my kit, but now it is one of my staples, the finish is amazing and I've actually taken to carrying the full MAC Select/Sheer loose pot around with me in my handbag for when I need touch ups. But don't take my word for it, check out a friend's comment, who asked  to test the powder on a night out this weekend 'What powder did you have? The one I used in Sway Bar, [it] gave a really nice finish'. What more can a say!

Some of my old work

Considering getting back in the game - what do you think?

There is only one reason why I find Idris irresistible

So today's lunch time web browsing of Essence allowed me to spend some quality time with Mr Elba. Essence had very kindly pulled together a photo gallery featuring 12 delicious photos of Idris, with a few words stating the '12 Reasons why we find [him] irresistible'. Now the more cultured and refined Essence boiled this down to reasons like 'he speaks slowly' etc, but I'm going to keep it as real as I can and say the real reason we love Idris is because he looks like he is good in bed and let me tell you why.

1. His build, this is a man that has that weight that women love. Strong, firm and built.

2. His swagger, it's the East end cockiness or London cool. Whether you love his Baltimore accent or his London twang Idris just has that thang - you know what I'm talking about.

3. Idris looks like the kind of man that doesn't play you know the type that can let you know you've gone too far with one side eye. When a man has you like that it's all good.

4. His intelligence not only is he a great actor, he also directs and produces and to top it all he is a dj, rapper and music producer. Lol years ago someone said to me 'I'd like to dance to those beats'- so apt here.

5. He supports Arsenal - making him even more sexy in my eyes.

6. He looks hot in everything, boiler suit in Daddy's Girls, DJ at an awards ceremony. Hot in clothes can only be smoking without them.

To break it down Idris is yum as one of my girls would say. Check out Essence to see a collection of great photos of Mr Elba.

Have you seen it have you seen it have you seen it

Sharing is caring, check this out http://www.stylist.co.uk/beauty/hair/the-coiffure-project-by-glenford-nunez-black-women-natural-afro-hair-photo-project#image-rotator-1

Props to Stylist for continuing to represent all types of beauty, hair care on their pages. Nadiesays salutes you!

Crimes against mankind

So summer is finally here - if you blink you'll miss it. But as the sun decides to pay us a flying visit we are all aware that we will be faced by certain crimes against mankind - here are some of my favourites:

Wearing inappropriate clothes when you live in a city. Now we are not at Sunsplash or Crop over so if your clothing only covers your nether regions please return back to your house and put some appropriate clothes on. I have holiday clothes that I wear when I have boarded a plane and safely landed. They have never seen the light of day or night in the UK, they have been bought strictly for sitting around a pool or at some tropical beach.

Toes hanging over your sandals, you may wish to be a size 5 but you're a 7 or 8, therefore the sandals you have on do not fit your feet. Your toes are actually dragging along the floor as you walk. I get it you like them and couldn't leave them in the shop I know I've been there but I did and so can you!!!!

Puny chests on display, I understand it's hot but we live in Britain and we have rules of decency here. Its the stiff upper lip and all that bs, so in a park or the beach you can take your t-shirt or vest off other than on those occasions leave them on. Amber Rose and whatever his name is (Wiz something) aren't together anymore so dream on no one thinks a pigeon chest is sexy, follow Snoop he keeps his shirt on - actually notice how baggy they are its for a reason! Men with chests, abs and pecs your woman likes to know that other women look at you and think dayum they can daydream but they don't know - understood!

Wearing black when the sun is beating down, I understand you have a limited wardrobe. It's only frivolous people like me who follow the Scouts motto, I have more summer clothes than the amount of days we've had that hit 25 oC or over in the last 2 years but wearing black doesn't make you look cool. It's hot man embrace the warm weather and wear light grey at least.

God is a genius even though Adam and Eve didn't know it toenails were meant to be painted. God thought I'm going to make toenails and then they'll learn how to create nail polish, it started off with a range of natural dyes but now we have millions of ways to make toe nails look pretty. Let me ask you now who are you to mess with what God intended, quick, quick all women out there paint your toenails before unleashing your feet on the world and if your feet aren't looking great treat yourself to a pedicure.

Time for me to go and get a pedicure before going out to enjoy the sun.

Taking away the COOKIE

So its been reported that recently engaged Megan Good has decided to put her man on a cookie diet (no sex until they married). As the 'diet' implies they were having sex so this decision has been made to help make their wedding night extra special, to bring them closer to God as they move towards their union or just because.

Now as a young all knowing woman I was confident that I would follow the path Megan and her fiancé have chosen. Wanting to bring something special to my wedding night (blame Hollywood - Mystic Pizza) I had grand ideas of having a bit of a break for 2 to 3 months before getting married.

Even when your not in a relationship celibacy is hard so making the decision to not have sex for an extended period when in a committed relationship and engaged is a bold choice, but as their marriage will be based on many facets of love why not. We all know when you haven't had your favourite junk food for a while the first bite always tastes so good!

On rainy days....

On rainy days my favourite things to do are:

1. Stay in bed
2. Read a fantastic book 
3. Watch a great movie - Sound of Music or Beaches preferably please!
4. Dunk a Digestive into a cup of tea
5. Eat cake

Basically just veg! It's not because I've lost the black girl vs rain and wind battle. I have hats, wellies and coats to deal with that dastardly (I think Wacky races when I see this word) combo; but mainly because its just so miserable and secondly its a no peep toe situation. I wear peep-toe shoes for at least  8 months of the year and the rain prevents that #imserious.   Come on you didn't believe did that- I just don't like the cold, wet, greyness of it all, its so miserable!

So at times like this when I'm stuck in the house, or unable to emerge from the office at lunch-time; I think of funny moments in my life to cheer me up. Let me share some with you (I'm basically a klutz so feel free to laugh):

• I'm on a first date, I've had a cocktail or 4 and I'm leaning over on the stool and I fall off the stool. But I fall in a way that the stool is kind of stuck on my arse. I obviously keep my eyes closed in the hope that if I can't see anyone laughing then I can climb into the abyss and pretend it never happened (wishful thinking). My date is trying not to laugh, finally I end up sitting back on the stool, my date laughs but everyone in the bar continues on as if something like this happens every day!
  
•  I'm on a another date, he (another guy) picks me up we drive 5 mins down the road and his car breaks down in the middle of the main high road of the area we live in. I know how to play the game so I offer to push, but the heels and dress I have on mean that isn't a possibility. So he tries to act like he can push the car himself, I offer to steer but he is like 'no I got this'. The traffic is backing up all along the high road; he is so embarrassed and I am trying my best not to laugh. I don't think we've spoken about it since.  Lol but I need to remind him of this the next time I see him because it was so funny.

• I walked into a bottle of brandy - as in head first into a bottle that someone was holding at a party (my spatial awareness is poor any wonder why broken down car guy didn't let me steer). Lol I try to act like I'm all cool and collected but I'm not. These situations seem to happen to me quite regularly, grazed ,my knee as I fell down the stairs on Saturday.
  
•  Just asked one of my friends who said I had a blonde moment recently (please don't take offence - most of you aren't true blondes anyway) and spent 5 mins trying to get something out of the boot of his Porsche. How was I to know that the boot was at the front of the car (erm I was totally engrossed in something else when we put the bags in there, and yeah its not the first time I've had to go in the boot but I have a bad memory). Question for you is why is it a boot when its at the front lol!

I love funny pictures and videos, although not mean ones; If you have any good ones please share my way. I like this one at the mo  --------.>>>>>>>>