A Letter to You

Today's guest post is from a beautiful person I know who has a story to tell - a story about love and heartbreak and what it feels like to be human. 

My love,

I once heard someone describing their heartbreak as physical pain they felt within their breast. I could not understand it and I could not comprehend how emotions and our physical being could become so synced by something as meagre as love.

The pain hit me right in the middle of my chest. It began as a tightening feeling and grew upwards to my throat and neck. Anxiety it threatened and misery it promised. It was actual physical pain and it felt like all the happiness from within my existence had vanished instantly. I thoroughly wish I was writing with extreme exaggeration - however, it seems this is why heartbreak is named as it is.

So many unanswered questions, so much yet to say and so many promises broken. “I’ll never leave” was the biggest lie we said. So much was so wrong with everything, yet everything seemed so right. Sense and practicality had taken a back seat because your smile was all I needed to forget myself. It seemed that reality had finally become better than those escaping dreams, for sleep was something we fought and every waking moment was drenched in the vibrancy of each other.

Many have presumed to have fully understood love. They say that you cannot have loved for this and that reason and condition, it is as though a rule book exists. I was once of that school of thought until I got knocked to the ground by love and all its grandeur. Love in all her magnificence and glory was too remarkable for me. I questioned her presence and I believed her loyalties lay more with you than me. Indeed I was wrong, for she was not just to either of us.

In a world far away, it would have just been me and you, me and you, just us two. However, life had something so alternative in store for us. We were never perfect for one another and no matter how much we tried to mold our shapes, these two pieces would not fit together. To love someone and for them to be your ever after are mutually exclusive, this we learnt the hard way.

In the night I can hear you call my name and in the day I can feel your smile dance on my skin. I remember every curve of your face and every hair within your beard especially the odd white ones which you hate but which I love so. I remember the sound of your laugh and the pain and sadness in your eyes as you reflected on what has passed, what is now and what is to come.

Love flowed deep within me although you doubted me and doubted my love, it was always there, however what I will admit was that I didn’t love myself enough to love you for everything you came with. Now, just like sand slipping through my fingers; I have to let you go for you were never mine to keep. You belong to the whirlwind of life and to those who have already claimed your love. You belong to someone who has enough strength to fix their own broken pieces as well as yours and who can carry the weight of the own heart and yours. I was never strong enough for the two of us.

The tears I constantly weep make no sense to me for I do not know if I am mourning the loss of you, or the loss of who I was when I was with you. The pain in my heart will continue to surface in the small moments of the day. My days will carry on as will yours, however I will always have those instants where I will stop with whatever I am doing and I will miss you terribly. For now that is my constant being.

Then a day will come, a day where my happily ever after will come and you will become a distant memory whose lines I can barely remember. The thought of forgetting you makes my heart ache and yet it gives me hope to know that someday my heart will be able to love again, and from the lessons I have learnt, it will indeed love wholly and fully.

For now, I leave you to the one who is the best of keepers, and I pray that wherever you are, whoever you may be with and however you may be that happiness will always find you. May all the hardships you have faced become easier and may every moment presented to you be filled with utmost beauty.

Forever yours,

A. 

What We Did in Wine Country (California): Part 3

Haven't checked out part 1 and part 2 yet? Make sure you do!

April 27, 2016
Happy Anniversary!! We went to town to look for an olive oil tasting, but absolutely nothing opened up till 10. We did go see the amazing Castlello di Amorosa and take pictures. We drove around and ended being the first group at Sterling. What a place! It is more of an experience than a tasting, and what a production. The tour starts with a Gondola ride up to the building on top overlooking all of the vineyards. It’s sort of a Disney effect. We got the extra tastings free with our hotel card and visited the art gallery with my favorite Chagall “Fox with Grapes”. It also included several original Ansell Adams, a Picasso and a Renoir among others. I can’t find our tasting list – but won’t give up!

After Sterling, we went to Tra Vigne for a pizza lunch.

Our next stop was Rombauer- not really what we expected. The grounds were pretty, but unlike all of our other experiences, the employees weren’t very chatty or friendly. Fortunately, another couple was there from this area and were extremely knowledgeable and happy to give millions of suggestions. I did finally make the connection with Irma and Rombauer, who was the author of Joy of Cooking and aunt of Vineyard owner. 

The wine stewards got much happier when we discussed dogs. Puppy collars were a must! This was the only vineyard shop that had them. We tasted 2014 Caneros Chardonnay, 2012 Carneros Merlot, 2013 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, 2012 Diamond Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, and a 2013 Napa Valley Zinfandel. 

From there we went to Franks Family just because everyone seemed to be loving it. The guy pouring was friendly and informative. The wine was nice – but nothing special. We had a Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon (all 2013). We ended our day at Duckhorn, which was a beautiful spot. We sat on a long porch and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We shared two tastings again so we wouldn’t overdo it! We had the 2013 Napa Sauvignon Blanc, 2012 Merlot, 2012 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Estate Merlot – Three Palms. 

Dinner was at the Market right in the middle of town. I would have loved to explore the shops, but everything closes at 4 or 5. We brought our own wine and had no corking fee! We shared the lobster roll – nothing special- and the jalapeno cornbread - not very southern, more bread – but good. Tables all around us were eating fried chicken that looked disappointing. (They need to visit Nashville – but not stay!) I had grilled swordfish. Sammy ordered champagne battered fish and chips. Richard had their bacon and 3 cheese macaroni. We shared the famous butterscotch dessert. Too much food and wine, I went back to our B&B and went to sleep! Roy let me pick a lemon from his huge tree. Brought it back and will plant the seeds.

April 28, 2016
We enjoyed another breakfast at the Spanish Villa Inn and then packed to leave. Based on the advice of the couple we met yesterday, we drove Hwy 128 to Healdsburg; it was a stunningly gorgeous drive – worth the extra 45 minutes! The town was bigger than we thought with a pretty town square. 

Our tour and tasting wasn’t until 1:30 at Schramsberg so we decided to try Wilson – highly recommended by Sylvia Ganier and the couple we met yesterday. The Wilson family owns several wineries that were recommended to us. Each member of the family has a different specialty. Tasting was an experience. Initially we were the only guests and our server was very entertaining. Wilson is a small vineyard that does mostly Zinfandels. I learned a lot - especially that I actually like the drier ones. We tasted standing at a small bar with a great view outside. 

The Wilson Family has a great metal sculpture of a moving coyote in front. We sampled a 2012 Chardonnay (loved it), 2012 Ellie’s Petite Sirah – he explained the meaning and history of the word – 2013 Bramble Zinfandel, 2013 Nolan Zinfandel, 2013 Tori Zinfandel, 2013 Forchini Reserve (100 year old grapes) Victoria Johanna Zinfandel, plus a couple of special pours that weren’t on any menu! Loved the picture of the dogs owned by family members (we met Miss Molly later).

Wilson - the famous coyote!

We grabbed lunch at Oakville and ate in the car as we travelled the road back to Schramsberg. That tour was wonderful. We went through the caves and saw what the production of sparkling wine really entails. Our guide was named Rimple! He loved cooking and shared a favorite recipe that goes well with the reserve – strawberries with ricotta, honey, balsamic, pepper and a bit of tarragon. He had pictures of many former presidents drinking the sparkling wine and a hilarious story about a young Barbara Walters mispronouncing on air Blanc du Blanc as Blankity Blank!!

Afterwards, we tried to check into our hotel (again)- Americas Best Value Inn was only moderately awful. We had dinner reservations at Willi’s Seafood and bar. It was a tapas menu and we shared lots of small plates plus a bottle of L Peterson Merlot. We had a spinach salad with dates, almonds and warm bacon dressing, sour dough bread with parsley garlic butter, a lobster roll (low point of meal), a fried fish sandwich, fried clams and shishito peppers and a seared tuna. Too full for dessert. Too tired!

April 29, 2016
Excited about a tour and tasting at Ferrari Carrano at 10:00 (free tour by reservation - very cool!) Breakfast- pastries and coffee at the Flying Goat, and off we went. Our tour guide was so informative – actually the best tour we had. The grounds were beautiful and the story behind the winery was so fascinating. The brass statue of a wild boar sits in the entrance and is kind of a symbol for the winery. We purchased a boar wine pourer/ cork stop. The tour lasted a little over an hour and then we enjoyed a tasting in the upstairs bar. You could pick 5 wines from a menu. I liked the Tre Terre Chardonnay 2013 Russian River Valley and the 2013 Lazy Day Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley. Richard really liked the Lazy Creek Gewürztraminer 2014 (I thought it would be really sweet but it wasn’t – good with spicy food).

Finally, what Richard had been waiting for: FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA! The winery is set up on a beautiful hill, but it is so different. People (California people are weird) pay huge amounts to swim in a large, okay looking public pool. We bought an average country club style salad lunch and watched them. It was something! 

The inside had several movie sets including the chair and table from the Godfather and a car that was in a movie Tucker. They also had all of Francis Ford’s Academy Awards from Patton and both Godfather films on display. They did have tastings, but we just wanted to look at all the stuff. Richard bought a bottle of Director’s Reserve. It was time to finish our tastings with one last fun vineyard and we made a good choice by going to one of the Wilson Family Wineries, deLorimier. 

It was very small but very pretty. We noticed that tastings in Healdsburg and around were much less expensive and more generous than in the St. Helena area. For $5 each we tasted 5 wines of our choice outside in a small garden. We met Miss Molly from yesterday's painting at Wilson Winery. There was a menu to pick from, and with some help from the staff we chose the 2013 Estate Chardonnay, Malbec Furlong 2012, 2013 Primitivo River Lane, 2013 Harris Kratka Reserve Zinfandel, and the 2013 Two Pear Zinfandel. It was a beautiful setting and we were thoroughly entertained by the bridal party and Pepper, the dog with a mullet. 

I’m glad we saved Bravas Bar de Tapas for our last night’s dinner. We were seated outside in a courtyard dominated by a huge orange tree and a man making Paella over a large open fire. We shared Pan Tomate and Bacon wrapped dates with blue cheese and Marcona almonds. Next we had croquettes with creamy chicken ham and Gruyere and of course the marvelous Paella. What a production. The rice was browned and the seafood and sausage were perfect. We ended the meal with syrupy delicate rum balls sweet and a little salty and a sherry tasting. It was perfect. 

Wonderful trip! I’m so glad we came in April for the weather and lack of crowds. I think we all agree it was one of the very best of our trips!!

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What did you think of Sallie's adventures in wine country? We'd love to hear from you!

Part 3: What we did in #winecountry https://t.co/rqZCPACMfE #wine #WineinKenya #Sonoma #foodblogger #wineblogger pic.twitter.com/yhInMgY3Yg

— The Kenyan Nomad (@TheKenyanNomad) May 21, 2016

What We Did in Wine Country (California): Part 2

Haven't read part 1 yet? Make sure to catch up! 

April 24, 2016

We left early for 10 am brunch reservations at Cliff House and got to explore – VERY WINDY. Brunch was at a beautiful table by the window with views of the rocks jutting out of the ocean. The champagne poured freely! The buffet was a mix of breakfast foods and lots of salads. The popovers were a specialty and the dessert bar was impressive. For Richard and I, an entire bowl of roasted garlic beside the scalloped potatoes was pretty amazing. Another specialty was Eggs Benedict. The harpist was not a specialty and played 2 songs twice in a 30 minute set (As Time Goes By and Somewhere in Time – clearly time was an issue for her).

Cliff House

After brunch, we tried to walk on the beach, but it was really chilly and so windy that our faces got burned from sand and wind. We did find a little sea glass and a sand dollar! We then drove to Golden Gate Park where we saw the bison field and drove around forever trying to park. I would have picked another day besides a gorgeous Sunday to be there if we had more time. All exhibits came with a price tag, so we picked the Botanical Gardens, which were huge and lovely. I thought the roses there were impressive until we got to Napa!! Beautiful; we walked through areas of vegetation representing different areas of the world. (We noticed sprinklers in Ancient Gardens were aimed improperly. Also, they had lots of Horsetail.)

We left to go to the old Beach Chalet (designed 1929 as a hotel) to have a drink and shared some clam chowder (we were too full to eat). Richard got a flight of their home-brewed beers. We then drove back to the hotel past the old windmills. Back in the hotel ,we all had to shower off sand quickly and then went to claim our pre-dinner wine. Dinner was at Fino’s – we were too tired to move. I had Salmon with pesto asparagus and house made rigatoni, Sammy had a pizza and Richard had pasta with Italian sausages. We shared a bottle of wine and a salad of arugula with Gorgonzola and pears. San Francisco was great!


April 25, 2016

Richard and I 

We checked out at 9 – a little later than I had planned - to avoid traffic and made a small side trip to the house used for the set of The Room so Richard could have a photo op. Crossed the Golden Gate Bridge (a route we chose for the views) and started the weirdest route to Napa until Richard and I changed phones and we realized his had gone crazy. Started seeing vineyards and finally made a first stop at Domain Carneros for a sparkling wine tasting and cheese pairing. What a gorgeous setting looking across the valley! The view took my breath away and the roses…. 

Sparkling Wine Sampler: 2011 Estate Brut Cuvée, 2012 Blanc de Noir, 2012 Brut Rosé, 2011 Verméil Demi-Sec.

Our wine steward gave us a few extra pours because they weren’t busy – one he called the crème brulee of champagne. The cheeses were: Holey Cow: Central Coast Creamery, Paso Robles, Mt. Tam, Tamales Bay, and Essex Street Co. The Netherlands.

We traveled up the road to Cakebread and barely slid into a tour/tasting with a hilarious guy who kept us thoroughly entertained. 

 Wines were: 2014 Sauvignon Blanc, 2013 Chardonnay, Napa, Chardonnay Reserve, Caneros, 2013 Pinot Noir Annahala Ranch, 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, 2012 Syrah Napa. 

Our next stop was a quick picnic at Oakville Mkt, which seems to be in the process of a rebuild. Richard and I shared a fried chicken sandwich and ginger ale, which was full of pieces of fresh ginger. On the recommendation of the nice guy at Cakebread, we went to a charming and tiny boutique winery called Elizabeth Spencer. We sat outside in a little courtyard and the four tastings we signed up for turned into many more. 

I know we had 2015 Rose of Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, 2014 Grenache, Mendocino, 2013 ES Pinot Noir, Sonoma Block 7, 2012 Merlot Knight’s Valley, and 2 different Cabernet Sauvignons (2012) from Napa and one from Mt. Veeder. It was a lovely was to spend the afternoon. It was probably one of my favorite places. They ship so little wine; I’d have to find someone to order it. The name is a husband and wife team. We recommended it to several people we saw again who loved it! 

From there we traveled to the Spanish Villa Inn, off the beaten track. Our rooms were great – big comfy beds and Roy the proprietor was very friendly – and also spoke 7 languages. No room TVs – kind of relaxing after the noise of San Francisco. We sat outside with drinks and played Bacci Ball. More later! 

Dinner was at the Farmstead – which is a beautiful working farm. Richard and I shared a grilled artichoke and I had Dungeness crab whole and wood fired in chili lime butter. Perfect. Sammy and Richard couldn’t resist the cheeseburgers. We shared cheddar biscuits with honey butter, which came highly recommended.

The waiter brought us a beautiful dessert to share – chocolate cream pie!

April 26, 2016
We were charmed by how comfortable the Spanish Villa Inn was, and how quiet. Roy set gorgeous breakfast tables with china and linen napkins – beautiful silverware. Breakfast was coffee, tea, guava juice, several kinds of bagels and English muffins with butter, cream cheese and jam. There was also fresh cut fruit and brown eggs warm and hard-boiled. He kept asking if we wanted anything else, but it was perfect every morning.

Errands first- cold medicine and phone wires. We toured Beringer, but just to see it – no tasting. Also walked around the Culinary Institute. Very nice. We started our tasting day at Joseph Phelps which was just beautiful, maybe our prettiest tasting - definitely the most expensive. We sat on a huge porch overlooking the grounds. We shared 2 tastings. The guide was so informative and just sat with us the whole time chatting.

We discussed the ice wines in Canada and he showed us one small portion of a dog bone shaped field that was reserved for ice wine and gave us an extra tasting for all 3 (Like we had in Canada). We also enjoyed tasting the estate's newest olive oil. 

Wines tasted were 2014 Sauvignon Blanc, St Helena, 2014 Viognier, Napa, 2012 Pinot Noir, Pastrole Vineyard, 2012 Pinot Noir, Quarter Moon Vineyard, 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, 2012 Insignia, 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Backus Vineyard. That lasted for well over an hour and a half so the next stop was lunch at Gott’s Roadside Stand. It had huge picnic tables to share. We ate with a priest from Nevada and an older lady actually from Napa. She gave us her family winery card from Tedeschi. 

Of course we had cheeseburgers – what else!!! Wish we had the time to go to Tedeschi in Healdsburg. Our tasting was at Frog Pond, but with a little extra time we went to Round Pond to see the olive oils – as warned – not very friendly – but they did let us taste one. Our guide at Frog’s Leap was very sweet but not terribly well informed. We had a fun group but didn’t learn a thing. Well, I explained what some of the plants were since the guide was unsure of everything but grapes and strawberries. It is a small working farm, with a beautiful barn.

Tastings were poured while we walked, 2014 Chardonnay Frog’s Napa, 2014 Zinfandel, Napa, Frog’s Leap Merlot Rutherford, and 2013 Frog’s Leap Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon.

Got Richard a hat that says: “Times fun when you’re having flies.”

We came back and visited with Roy before dinner. He “entertained” in a large den and loved to talk and tell great stories.

Dinner at Rutherford Grill was at his suggestion. Prime rib sandwiches all the way around. I had the famous mashed potatoes, which were really potatoes with lots of green onion. Hmm. We had a long wait, but no corking fee, so we just enjoyed the wine we brought with us on the porch. Great roasted artichokes!

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Keep an eye out for part 3 soon!

Here's part 2: What we did in #winecountry https://t.co/3FcljNmYDT #wine #wineinkenya #napa #TheKenyanNomad

— The Kenyan Nomad (@TheKenyanNomad) May 19, 2016

What We Did in Wine Country (California): Part 1

Sallie Swor is a 9th generation Nashvillian and a dear friend who shares my passion for great food and great wine. When she sent me her travel journal from her recent visit to wine country, I absolutely could NOT resist asking her if I could publish it on my blog- and she said yes! So this post and the next two will feature snippets from her travel journal- I'd love to hear what you think!

Sallie Stamps Swor

Cooking has not only been my obsession and creative outlet, but also my greatest pleasure for as long as I can remember. Way before the food craze, when most of my friends were poring over Cosmopolitan Magazine, I spent my time engrossed in the latest issue of Gourmet. In my first college apartment, I discovered the thrill of entertaining friends with dinner parties, brunches, picnics – well, just any excuse to cook. I also discovered that no one minded!

I have been fortunate to have a career working with students and young adults as a high school counselor and college consultant. In writing this cookbook, I’ve been able to use my experience with my students, clients, my own son, and his friends as a way to write in a voice that makes sense to a novice cook while still relating to anyone like me who just loves food and entertaining.

The cookbook itself came about as a request from my son as he moved into his first apartment. He was a well-trained food snob and a very independent young man who wanted to provide for himself instead of relying on take out and convenience food, and he wanted to do that without spending a lot of money. When his friends tasted his delicious creations, they all wanted copies of the cookbook. Soon, my friends, many of whom are very accomplished cooks, requested their own copies, so here it is: You’re Grown – Now You Can Cook. 

My on-going blog, originally started to help with the cookbook, is fun for me and I really love hearing from readers: The Deer One

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April 22, 2016
Our flight was delayed by 2 hours, so we missed our Chez Panisse reservations. We were so happy to finally get to The Andrews Hotel a little after 5. Fino – the hotel's attached restaurant, nicely gave us a reservation. We had our "guest" glasses of wine beforehand.

Dinner: Three Caesar salads to start. The waiter gave us an appetizer (I guess we looked that pitiful!)- a garlic fry tower with truffle oil and Parmesan. It was fabulous.

I had scallops, house made pasta and sautéed spinach/kale

Richard (my son): Rigatoni with prawns and tomato vodka cream sauce

Sammy (my husband): Pasta with a tomato meat sauce

Had a bottle of the same red wine from the “guest” glass.

Too tired to do anything else.

April 23, 2016
Got up early to go to the Saturday Market at Pier 1. Beautiful produce, and local products were available at every stall. (It had really grown when we left) We walked all the way down to Pier 39 to see the sea lions. Fabulous. It was a perfect walk – all the piers are different. Fun restaurants and shops were all along the way. Stopped in a middle pier for Richard to get an Alcatraz shirt.

Chez Pannise also felt sorry for us yesterday, and gave us a Saturday reservation. It was hard to find, but worth it. The charming shopping area in Berkeley was a pleasure to stroll around in. We were actually early, and were seated anyway.

Me: Roasted beets and cauliflower with fava beans and chick pea puree, Fire roasted clams, shrimp, and scallops with adorable tiny potatoes and a garlicky sauce.

Sammy: garden/spring(?) lettuces, Buccatoni with arugula and almond pesto and sun dried tomatoes. (Tomatoes were the best part!)

Richard: Garden lettuces with baked Andante goat cheese. Pizza with wild nettles, artichokes and salata ricotta. He got even with those nettles from long ago.

The waitress loved our accents and gave us a plate of olives for the table and lots of delicious bread.

For dessert: Almond tart with Chantilly cream and strawberries to share! It was miraculous!

I bought Alice Water’s (executive chef, founder and owner) latest cookbook- My Pantry – it was autographed by Alice.

That afternoon, Richard and I walked to Chinatown and then Union Square for a quick beer and wine. Chinatown was junkier than we remembered, and yet more expensive! Imagine…

Dinner reservations were at M.Y. China. It’s in a fabulous setting – 1½ million pound dome above us in a shopping mall. We got a table with a view! Also cool lights that were motion capture screens to dance with while we waited. It was amazing.

We shared seafood and pork dumplings, scissor cut noodles with beef instead of wild boar (best thing ever!!), walnut glazed shrimp, General Mao’s Chicken (too hot). Came home with chopsticks!

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Keep an eye out for part 2 of Sallie's California adventures!

Join Sallie Swor on my blog this week as she travels through #winecountry #wine #wineinkenya https://t.co/8N3MArIK1f pic.twitter.com/VkFpHsBMJr

— The Kenyan Nomad (@TheKenyanNomad) May 16, 2016

The REAL Difference Between Fashion and Personal Style Bloggers

Another post by my guest blogger from the HCBN network, Ak Brown. 

I hope you guys are familiar with one of my last posts on "Why Everyone Can't Be a Fashion Blogger".  If you do you might have noticed a comment from a great blogger I know, saying something along the lines of how fashion bloggers and style bloggers are very much different.  I do agree that fashion bloggers and style bloggers are different in a way, but to be honest, the real difference between a great fashion blogger and a great personal style blogger is absolutely nothing.  Yep I said it, stop looking at the screen like I said something dumb or confusing.  The real difference between a great fashion blogger and a great personal style blogger is nothing.  Here's why;

Going back a bit to my last post, it surfaced around how a lot of these girls believe that if they post some cute pics here and there that they're instantly a fashion blogger, and a lot of my readers think that if that doesn't make them a fashion blogger, then that makes them a personal style blogger, and that's also very much wrong.  Even though fashion blogging and personal style blogging are in two different niches, they still serve a purpose of providing quality content that will engage the reader, spark interest, get a conversation going, and sometimes go out of the box when it comes to topics that are being discussed.  Just because you are a personal style blogger doesn't mean that your reader base doesn't expect quality content from you.  I don't care to just look at pretty pictures of the same type of outfits.  We all know the typical Instagram blogger outfit, a signature Chanel chain bag, blazer, and pointed toe heels, sunglasses glued to the face and walking down the street as if she didn't have a goddamn care in the world.  That is not blogging!  I would prefer much more style tips on how to dress for different occasions, celebrity looks for less, where to find staple pieces, makeover stories, etc.  Just because your niche is to showcase unique ensembles, that doesn't mean quality content shouldn't follow behind it.

More importantly, a lot of bloggers are both fashion and personal style bloggers, we are indeed.  We like to not only give our opinions on controversial topics going on in the fashion industry but we also try and give some tips and outfit inspirations here and there.  In my opinion, I think we are all fashion bloggers, and then there are the sub categories where personal style comes into play where some people love to focus heavily on that.  Nothing wrong with that by any means, but once again, just don't think that putting up a few generic outfit pics make you a blogger.  It's more work put into it.

Blog: www.mindofafashionista.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mindofafashionista

Twitter: www.twitter.com/mofafashionista

Instagram: www.instagram.com/mindofafashionista

Ak Brown: Creator and Head Fashion Blogger

Mind of a Fashionista

www.mindofafashionista.com

Sewanee: A Few Years Later

Today's guest blogger is one of my best friends, the wonderfully talented and beautiful Catherine Clifton, and she's writing about one of my favourite places in the world!

Picture taken by Caroline Williams, C'14

“Where’d you go to undergrad?”

“Sewanee: The University of the South.”

“Oh. Cool.”

You have no idea, person who has never seen my mountain views and my Gothic architecture and my black-gowned scholars and my madras sportcoats. “Cool” will suffice if you’ve never heard of Sewanee, but let me educate you, because the love I have for my alma mater just can’t be contained.

Picture a place where it’s entirely possible to meet a new person, but feel like you’ve known them for a good long while. After all, they had that English class with Reishman and his tattered gown that only covers one of his shoulders; they missed the sound of bells over the summer when they went home; they know that Lake Trez is probably radioactive; they’re familiar with Highlanders, Wellingtons, heathens, and lurches; they tap the roof of their car without knowing they’ve moved their hand from the wheel; and they know a girl with a red flower behind her ear will drink them dry of Cuervo.

There are places in the world that people of faith refer to as “thin places”—places where the barrier between God and man is thinner, more transparent. Go to the Cross on a snowy morning. Walk through Abbo’s Alley after a storm, and let the smell of green fill you up until you feel chlorophyll in your veins. Snap your fingers in All Saints’ and wait for the echo from the stone and glass.

Here is the place where abandon is found not only in the fraternity houses but in the classroom and the grandstand. Abandon: to give (oneself) over unrestrainedly. To revel in the moment of discovery, of accomplishment, of fragility, of competition, of young love, of debauchery, of growing pains and growing joys.

Here is the place that teaches all aspects of life. It is not perfect; far from perfect, it is deeply flawed, and it has danger and hurt and conflict and fear. But it brings together people who have felt those feelings and people who have lived in bubbles, and it flings them toward an embrace made of diverse arms and hands. Sewanee holds itself together, and it never lets go. You leave the Holy Mountain. You take your angel with you, and your friends’ phone numbers, and your pictures and T-shirts and bachelor’s degree—but the Mountain keeps you close. Even in the deepest fog, the cornerstone waits and does not move.

Ecce quam bonum et quam iucundum habitare fratres in unum.

Behold how good and joyful a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.

Picture taken by Caroline Williams C'14

Outfit of the Day

Today I'm featuring a guest blogger who's also a member of Her Campus Blogger Network. I loved her post, and I hope you do too! 

Hi everyone!!  My name is Abril , I consider myself as a fashion amateur girl who also loves makeup, exercise and reading a good book. I have a bilingual blog: The Color Palette where I talk about everything fashion and beauty related. Lately I've been starting to post my daily looks and I have to admit I have so much fun doing it even when my boyfriend always tell me I look  like very uncomfortable when he is taking the pictures.

I'm currently living in Chicago, one of those places where spring is still a little bit chilly, and even though  everybody thinks it is already warm I'm still freezing all the time because I'm from a place where heat and humidity rule the day.

In this type of places where the transition from winter to spring is slow, a light jacket is a must have in the wardrobe, and this one is my favorite it isn't too light or too warm and I think a military green jacket is almost a neutral, it can be mixed with different colors, patterns and even styles. 

This time I styled my favorite jacket with a light gray sweater, high waisted jeans and a leopard print clutch to add a pop of color. Since the look is a little bit "masculine" a pair of combat boots with a little bit of heel (of course) compliment the outfit.

GET THE LOOK

H&M gray tank top

thrifted gray sweater (similar HERE & HERE)

American Eagle High Waisted jeans

Military Green Jacket (similar HERE & HERE)

Heeled combat boots (similar HERE & HERE)

Leopard print clutch bag (similar HERE & HERE)

Photography: Eric Alanis

I love this outfit edgy feeling and I was really comfy that day. What do you think about it?

Thank you to the lovely Roshni Walia for letting me be here today with you!

xx,Abril

Social media:

twitter:  twitter.com/tcolorpalette

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How to Organize Your Closet

Today’s guest blogger is fellow Her Campus Blogger Network member, Ak Brown! This is the first post in a series of posts she’ll be doing on The Kenyan Nomad. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have!

Ak’s bio: Fashionable with a hint of unconventional rawness, that's what I used to describe myself and my blog Mind of a Fashionista. Started in 2013, I have transformed this blog along with my best friend into a diverse source of fashion, style, and beauty news, trends, tips, and tricks while also conveying opinions that normally don't go with the "norm" opinion.

It's morning, 6:58 to be exact.  It's time for you to get up, get ready, and get going.  After showering, brushing and flossing your teeth you head over to your closet and say to yourself "What in the f***".  Shirts are hanging off of their hangers, pants look like they got up for a late night drink and passed out on the floor, and long story short, your closet looks like an abomination.  But you're not alone.  In fact my closet use to look the exact same way, if not worse because I never took the time to put my clothes in the correct place.  For some reason my way of thinking is to dig and find outfits out of piles of clothing (makes no sense) and by thinking that way, it has caught up to me.  For those of you who need a crash course on how to tame that closet so that picking the perfect outfit isn't a nightmare, check out these tips I came up with:

Ditch what you don't wear

I have a rule that if you have something you haven't worn in at least 2 months, not given the season changes, then most likely you won't wear it again.  Either find a way to get some extra coins and sell it, or be charitable and give it to the Goodwill, Salvation Army, or any other local thrift store or charity.  No use in having a shirt or pair of pants still in your closet you won't wear when someone else can get more use out of it.

Shirts

After doing a mini "spring cleaning" of your closet, it's time to get things in order.  First, when organizing your shirts sort them out by color. The color categories are white, pastels, brights, dark, and blacks. Next you will organize by sleeve length. No sleeve goes first, then cap sleeve, short sleeve, 3/4 quarter length sleeve, long sleeve, cardigan/sweaters, and last blazers/jackets. After organizing you will find that your closet will look like a uniformed color spectrum roller coaster, each color going from no sleeve to long sleeve.

Bottoms

Whether you hang your bottoms in the closet or fold them on the shelf above, organizing your pants, denim , and other bottoms is just as important.  Just like with shirts, you will organize your bottom by leg length and style, meaning skirts first (short to long), capris, and then long pants (skinny, boot cut, flare).  Next is the color.  You will arrange your bottoms by white, colors, dark, white denim, colored denim light denim, medium wash denim, dark denim, and black denim.  Lastly if you hang your bottoms up, I prefer to put them before my tops.

Shoes

This is definitely optional because a lot of people, including myself, tend to not have their shoes in the closet, rather in separate locations in the house.  But if you do keep your shoes in the closet, I simply organize them by sandals, tennis, wedge, kitten heel, then pump, and put my shoes I wear the most in the forefront for easy access.

These tips sounds a little insane, maybe narkish, but from experience it shaves time off in the morning when you're tying to get ready, which equals less stress for you.  Do you have another way to organize your closet?  Let us know in the comments below!

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Ak Brown: Creator and Head Fashion Blogger

Mind of a Fashionista

www.mindofafashionista.com

10 Reasons to Visit South Africa

Have you always dreamed of visiting South Africa? I just got back from a two week vacation spent in Kruger National Park and Cape Town and let me tell you, it was AMAZING! I was so fascinated by the seemingly endless beauty, culture, and adventures that South Africa had to offer. So, if a trip to South Africa is not yet on your bucket list, here are 10 reasons why you should go:

1. SAFARI #ENOUGHSAID

Going on safari is an experience of a lifetime that you simply cannot miss out on! When else will you have the chance to get up close and personal with all kinds of amazing wildlife?? Leopards, rhinos, hippos, elephants, lions, the list goes on…South Africa is arguably the best place on the planet to go on safari and I saw all of the Big 5 within the first couple of days.

2. FRIENDLY, HAPPY, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE

Whether having a drink with safari rangers or striking up a conversation with locals on the train, one thing is certain: the people here are wonderful! Maybe it’s the great weather, delicious food, or just the laid back lifestyle, but everyone in this country was so welcoming and hospitable.

3. MELTING POT OF CUISINES

One of my favorite things about visiting South Africa is the wide variety of food options. While South African food itself is delicious (with lot’s of meat), there’s a lot of Malaysian and American influence in the cuisine - especially in Cape Town. If you love to eat, you’ll definitely satisfied!

4. EPIC SCENERY

This probably goes without saying, but the views here are to die for. Watching the sun set over the vast landscape of Kruger National park was incredibly unreal. But my favorite view was definitely in Cape Town, at the top of Lions Head hike. You can also climb to the top of Table Mountain for some amazing views of the city.

5. FASCINATING HISTORY

South Africa has an incredible history of European conquest, racial violence, and the more recent political revolution led by Nelson Mandela. I learned a lot about the history of South Africa from listening to our tour guides, reading The Covenant, by James Mischer, and visiting the District 6 Museum.

6. WORLD CLASS LIBATIONS

Wine. Great, really great wine. And Amarula. That is all.

7. GREAT FASHION

Hipster, stylish, fashionable, whatever you want to call it, South African’s have a SUPURB fashion sense. Pair that with affordable prices, and this girl is in heaven! How cute is this sundress I found for just $18 US!

8. GREAT WEATHER

South Africa’s climate is rather subtropical. We went at the end of March and the weather was perfect: warm and sunny during the day, and cool at night. It can get pretty chilly in the winter (May through July) with lots of rain, but there is not heavy snow. On the flip side, it can get VERY hot in the summer (October - February) so make sure to bring your sunscreen!

9. IT’S AFFORDABLE (compared to the US, at least!)

Affordability is all relative, but relative to the US, I was in heaven with the $1 coffees vs. my $4 Starbucks latte back home! And that dress I mentioned in #8? It would have been double the price in the US!

10. ONLY IN SOUTH AFRICA

• Sundowner - a drink taken as the sun goes down, AKA “happy hour” for you Americans
• Biltong - the most amazing snack of dried meat, AKA beef jerky (but not limited to beef)
• Springbok - shooter of mint liqueur and Amarula
• Boboti - South African casserole made of minced meat and topped with a layer of baked egg
• Boerewors - the most amazing sausage ever

Have you been to South Africa? What were your favorite experiences? For more details on my amazing trip, check out my South Africa blog series on Strum Simmer Sip.

Guest Author Bio:  Lisa is the founder and author of Strum Simmer Sip - a lifestyle blog dedicated to those who share a penchant for great food, music, and life experiences. Originally from San Francisco, CA, Lisa currently lives in Evanston, IL where she is a full time MBA student. She enjoys eating, cooking, playing guitar, traveling the world, coffee, working out (sometimes), shopping, and blogging, of course!