#Curlfest2017

This weekend I attended Curlfest for the first time! But everyone keeps asking me….what is Curlfest?

Curlfest is an annual natural beauty festival hosted by Curly Girl Collective in Brooklyn. It was created to celebrate the beauty of black women in a world where we aren’t the majority. 2017 is their 4th year putting together this event but it was my first time attending Curlfest, or any natural beauty festival. I did not know what to expect but I was extremely excited! I have been natural for about 3 years now and although I often wear protective styles it is exciting to be in the presences of other naturalistas. So many other bloggers, hair inspiration galore, and free samples!

The festival was in Prospect Park, Brooklyn’s second largest public park, so tickets are not necessary of course. But if you want to receive a gift bag you must either purchase early bird tickets for $20 (guaranteed bag) or RSVP (first come, first serve). I decided to purchase an early bird ticket to avoid waiting in line for a gift bag with the slight chance of getting one. The $20 was definitely worth it because the gift bags included full sized products plus samples so it was well worth more than $20 (if you’re natural you know how expensive hair products can be honey!)

I’ll start by saying we had an amazing time! Leaving I felt so inspired to continue pushing towards my dreams. So many positive vibes. So many compliments. So many beautiful people! There were vendors and sponsors galore. But there were also people galore so you have to be prepared to be patient and wait in lines.

The event was scheduled to start at 12pm. We arrived around 11:40am and the line was ridiculous. I mean down the street, around the corner, so long you couldn’t see the end. Luckily for us, we had early bird tickets so our line was shorter (but still pretty long). We waited in line for over an hour before getting our gift bags. And let’s not talk about how they only had one security guard at the front of the line so after waiting all of that time the line was rushed (inserts side eye emoji).

Once we got inside, we knew we weren’t going to stay long because it was so hot and the lines for food were about as long as the line to get a gift bag. And the line for the Creme of Nature booth? Girllllll! We spent a lot of time in that line but it was so worth it. Their gift bag was EVERYTHING! No purchase necessary and you got a full box of hair color, a bottle of their ACV rinse, a compact mirror, a hair pick and several different product samples! Hands down they had the best booth which is why their line was boomin’ like Metro.

Overall, I had an enjoyable time. It is definitely an event that you have to plan for and be prepared. I would definitely love to attend again next year and encourage you to do the same!

Artechouse

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2017 has been my year to do dope things. When the year started, I set out to be more social, have more adventures, and overall live life to the fullest. With a busy schedule it can be hard but it has definitely proven to be worth it. This week’s adventure was to DC’s First Interactive Art Gallery, Artechouse.

Over the past couple of week’s I have seen more and more pictures of it pop up on Instagram. So many of my friends had been and I just had to find out what was this new, intriguing space. Once I found out and was able to visit their Instagram for myself, the nerd in me screamed let’s go!

The current exhibit is called XYZT: Abstract Landscapes. It uses imagery and digital art to create a sensory experience of the four dimensions: X (horizontal), Y (vertical), Z (depth), and T (time). It includes about 11 different pieces, several of which respond to movement and are great for pictures (no flash allowed though). I felt like a kid in a candy shop interacting with many of the pieces.

It is different than the experience you get at most museums where you are just there to see the artwork. In this space, you get to become a part of the art work. If you go after 5:30pm, only people who are 21+ with a proper ID area allowed because they have a bar. Also unlike the Smithsonians, Artechouse is not free. Tickets are $25 per adult and must be purchased in advance because there are time slots. 

As with most DC spaces, the most frustrating part about the space is figuring out parking and finding the building. It is located in a building between a pizza shop and a Potbelly’s. The naked eye would not see it at first so make sure you do that thing where you turn the music down so you can see. There is a garage right beside the building as there is not much street parking in the area.

 

 

The last day for the XYZT exhibit is September 3 so if the pictures sparked your creativity make sure you head there before the end of summer!

Silent Dance Party Recap

Last weekend I attended my first Silent Dance Party. I’d heard of the concept before but didn’t quite know how to feel about it. I would say it’s like a normal party but the experience is completely different. Instead of a club with different music playing on each floor, we were in one big space listening to different music through headphones. My friend’s like to call it the perfect “anti-social social experiment.” I originally imagined it being like singing in the shower but 10 times worse because other people were around to hear. But to my surprise everyone is singing right along with you in an awkward, tone deaf abyss of happiness and nostalgia.

Wavez Silent Party was at Howard Theatre and earlybird tickets were $20. The only other time I’ve been to Howard Theatre was for a Dom Kennedy concert a few years ago so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I just remembered the area by the stage being an open space, perfect for a party.

For some reason leading up to the party I was thinking it might be best to bring my own headphones. But then it hit me, “Well Erin, how are you going to tune into the stations?” (Don’t be like me. Think smarter not harder) When you walk in, they scan your ticket and trade you a pair of headphones for your I.D. They also give you another ticket with a number on it so that you can get your I.D. back at the end of the night. If you lose or break the headphones you have to pay $40 (which is why they keep your I.D.)

When we first got there, I was scoping out the crowd. I needed to know what I had gotten myself into; was this a work something twerk something type of vibe? Or more of a ‘I’m in my zone’ type thing? Mostly females or a good mixed crowd? You know the typical questions you have when going to a party. There were 3 DJs on the stage, playing 3 stations in the headphones: Afro-Soca, R&B, and Hip-Hop. 2 of the DJs were female which I find extremely dope because you don’t see that often #GirlPower. The ears to the headphones were trimmed in lights and changed based on the station you were listening to (red, blue, or green).

It was definitely an experience I enjoyed. From singing out loud like no one was watching to doing the Electric Slide with the whole dance floor. And it’s honestly a perfect way to meet people but not feel obligated to. There were times when other people would come over and sing with me because no one in there group was listening to the same thing. It was also pretty funny to see the puzzled look on someone’s face when they see you jammin’ to a song. Then curiosity leads them to changing the station to see what you’re listening to.

The crowd was definitely mixed. You had the anti-social social crowd who stood in groups with their friends. A few people who brought out the clappas to twerk. And the Afro-Caribbeans who brought their flags to twirl and wave. It was definitely a fun experience that I would recommend for anyone. Even if you don’t party all the time, it’s was a great environment, in a chill place where you don’t have to worry about being turnt up. You can just catch the vibe and do your own thing. There are plenty of Silent Dance Tours that travel around the world. Check your local Eventbrite to find the closest one near you.

Taste on Wheels

What’s better than brunch and mimosas on a Sunday? Food Trucks that serve brunch and BOTTOMLESS mimosas!

 

This past Sunday I went to Taste on Wheels (hosted by the same people who put on Taste of DC) in the National’s Parking Lot. Tickets to the event were $5 for general admission (or $3 in advance) and $19 for bottomless ($12 in advance). It was slightly different from Taste of DC; there were less food trucks but on the plus side each truck offered a signature item for tasting at the price of $3.

My $3 treat was a french toast egg roll from a truck called “Bacon N Ed’s” who have been featured on The Food Network. It was basically a stick of french toast rolled in egg roll paper sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Definitely a tasty snack!

All of the trucks had pretty long lines but when you’re having a good time with friends time always flies. To eat, I headed straight for the truck with southern cuisine. The menu at “Myra’s New Orleans” gave me flashbacks of my trip to Mardi Gras and I just knew I had to have it.

My best friend and I went with a simple order of red beans and rice (Popeyes has nothing on the authentic kind. Believe me) while my boyfriend decided to be spontaneous by ordering an alligator dog (basically smoked alligator sausage) and a shrimp po boy. All of the food was delicious (I snuck a bite of everything lol) and it definitely tasted like everything I had in New Orleans.

Last but not least, I just had to have something from the Duck Donuts stand. There isn’t one close so I had to take the opportunity while it existed. The experience was slightly disappointing. Because they had a stand outside the donuts were pre-made of course but their options were limited to 4 flavors. I opted for the Cinnamon Sugar but regretted it later due to the lack of frosting.

All in all, Taste on Wheels was a great experience. Very similar to Truckeroo or Taste of DC, just a little smaller. I definitely suggest putting it on your “Things to Do in DC”list for the next time it comes around.