#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.

Educating on: Student Loan Scams

I talked about my journey to financial freedom (aka navigating away from adult brokeness) a little in my article about ThredUp. A lot of people had questions about my experience and how the site worked so I figured I could share some more gems in my next few articles. Since April is Financial Literacy Month, what better way to start than by sharing what I do daily?

I work full-time as a Financial Literacy Coordinator. What does that mean? I counsel students on their student loan repayment options, scam awareness, and general financial wellness topics like budgeting and credit scores & reports. That is not to say that I am in the least bit perfect or have my sh*t together when it comes to these topics. But I am working on it!

One of the biggest questions I get asked by students/alumni is:

“What about Obama’s Student Loan Forgiveness Program?”

My manager likes to call this my “soapbox” because I’m very passionate about this part (partially because I work for the FBI in my mind). But the answer is simple: IT DOES NOT EXIST! What do I mean? Well it’s really simple. The program was never created. Then why do you see ads for it? That’s simple too. Companies understand that students want the easy way out of debt so the prey on students by making them believe in a program that actually doesn’t exist (this is the scam awareness part). If you notice these companies almost never say their name in a commercial but they always list a phone number.

These companies are also reaching out to students through emails, calls, texts, mailed letters, and even through your friends. They try to reach you when you’re the most vulnerable like after you graduate or through a “reliable source.” And that’s not to say your friends or family aren’t trustworthy or are knowingly scamming you. It just means we tend to have our guard down when something comes from someone we consider reliable.

Being that I am a recent-ish graduate (May 2014 was almost 3 years ago…yikes!) I have come in contact with a few of these companies personally as well as on the job. I will give you 2 examples of what I have seen (outside of commercials):

1. I received 2 letters in the mail. Red flag 1: neither one had a company name on it. Red flag 2: they both stated that I owed way more in federal student loan debt than I actually have. Red flag 3: they both stated final notice and came in unmarked envelopes. One even said “Final Notice” very big at the top. Red flag 4: there was a very small disclosure at the bottom that stated that the company was not affiliated with a government agency or lender.
2. Someone I know made a post on Facebook about how a woman helped them save $30,000 on their student loan debt. They encouraged their friends to reach out to the person so that the same can be done for them. The biggest red flag in the post for me was the amount of money saved. Let’s be real….we all know the government wants their money so why would they just forgive $30k without anything in return? The other red flag was that they mentioned Obama’s Student Loan program which, as I said earlier, does not exist. We actually called the company to see what it was about and turns out they’ll reward you if you refer your friends.

So what are the best ways to deal with these companies? Simple: RUN AT ALL COSTS!!! Just kidding. But you should try your best to avoid them. Start by being cautious and never giving out personal information to a company you did not contact. You should also make sure you know your loan information (i.e. who your lender is, how much you owe). If you have questions your lender should be able to help. Another big red flag is if the representative is avoiding your questions. And always be careful because if you have entered into a binding contract with one of these scamming companies you may not be able to reverse it. Last but not least stop trying to take the easy way out. Although it would be AMAZING to have all of your student loans forgiven it is not likely. Look into affordable repayment plans, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and responsible ways to lower your debt. ‘Tis better to make the payments than to be stuck in a deeper hole of debt!

Turning Natural: DMV Based Juice Bar

Eating healthier has been on my “To-Do List” since the year started. While I having been slightly changing my diet at home, it’s helpful to know of places in the area who have the same goal in mind.

I had heard of Turning Natural from a few coworkers. I had been meaning to check it out when my mom mentioned it to me so we decided what better time to go than now?

Turning Natural is a black-owned juice bar with 2 locations in the DMV. From the parking lot it looks very dim inside but there is so much light that shines once you go in. The staff was very friendly and able to offer suggestions since it was our first visit. There were even a few other customers who offered suggestions about their favorite products.

The theme of the entire store is centered around the magic that exudes from African Americans. The smoothies have clever names like Swizz Beets, Green Latifah, Just Blaze, and the symbol formerly known as Prince. There’s a bookshelf shaped like a tree on the wall that features books by and about black people. They also have signs that promote positive energy.

Besides the smoothies their menu also includes juice, black bean burgers, vegan cookies, a juice cleanse, and so much more. I’ve visited a few different times now and each time has been a great experience. I definitely recommend checking them out. Whether you’re currently eating clean or not it’s a great chance to support a Black Owned Business with an awesome energy.

Experience with ThredUp

Most people do spring cleaning. I, on the other hand, decided that I had too many clothes in my closet so it was time for a random fall/winter cleaning. I had already packed a bag full of clothes and was ready to deliver it to the Goodwill when someone said to me:

“Have you ever heard of ThredUp? Why don’t you try that instead?”

I had heard of ThredUp before this but never used it. In fact, the only time I ever used a consignment shop was when I was a broke college student and needed a few extra bucks. Other than that, I always donated old clothes or gave them away. But since I am on this new path, trying to find financial freedom (aka I’m broke at the adult level) I figured I would give ThredUp a shot. Plus it made for a great story to share.

The envelope/instructions my bag came with

My bag once I finished filling it

It took me about 3-4 days to receive the clean out bag in the mail. I had already cleaned out everything that I was getting rid of but I went through the bag again to separate the sell-able from the reusable. Once I filled up the bag I took it to the FedEx drop off down the street from work (they send you a prepaid label that is good for USPS and FedEx, which was easier for me). They offer return assurance so that you can receive the items back that they do not sell, however, I chose not to opt for return assurance because I would have given the items away anyway. There was really nothing for me to lose. I mailed the bag out on November 7th. I received an email on November 11 saying that it was received and would be processed by December 12th.

Once my bag was processed I saw that the company decided to sell 4 items out of my bag full. I wasn’t too upset about this because as I said earlier, the plan was to give them away. The most upsetting part was that the company was selling my items for a total of about $45 but I was only slated to get $1.75 back (that’s just enough for the vending machine). In fact, I didn’t even get my vending machine change back. The company charges a fee of $9.99 for shipping and handling (which is unclear in the beginning because they only mention the return assurance).

My items that were accepted/sold.

All in all, do I think this was worth it? Yes to have the experience. Would I do it again? No. I would much rather drop my clothes off at the Goodwill where I can get a tax deduction and know they will be donated than to have $1.75 that’s stuck in limbo.

But if you’re feeling lucky and would like to try ThredUp for yourself, use my link and you can earn $10 to spend on their website http://www.thredup.com/r/SCBEJP.

Exploring South Beach

What better way to start off 2017 than with a trip? I’ve been to Miami several times (my family is from Florida) but this trip would be completely different. This would be a trip to celebrate my best friend’s 25th birthday along side my cousin (aka girl’s trip). I’m always pretty anxious to travel because you never know how things will go. I knew I would have a good time with my small travel crew but how exactly would things go down?

 

A view inside our room at The Kent Hotel.

My first round of anxiety came from the hotel. We spent months online deciding should we use a hotel or AirBnB. When it came down to comparing prices it seemed like most AirBnB’s would be more expensive due to fees so we chose to stay at a hotel. Hotels in Miami can be another cause of anxiety because they offer a lot of “boutique” style hotels (meaning that most of them were places we had never heard of). The most we could do was look at reviews (I always recommend checking several different sites) and go with our gut feeling. We were not let down. We chose The Kent Hotel which had recent renovations and was about a 5 minute walk from the beach, shops, and amazing restaurants.

 

Food is one of my favorite things to try when traveling and I consider myself very adventurous when it comes to trying new places. Among the places we visited were Sugar Factory (famous for their smoking drinks but dinner was good too), The Naked Taco (the name says it all), 11th Street Diner (amazing breakfast/brunch), Sushi Siam (delicious Thai food), LimeTree Lounge (the restaurant/hookah bar at our hotel), and of course we had to stop by Wet Willie’s. Every restaurant in South Beach includes 18% gratuity automatically (Sugar Factory was 20%) so the meals end up being pretty expensive. The craziest thing to me was that no matter what time you walked down Ocean Ave (the main street so to speak) all the restaurants were saying it was happy hour and asking you to view their menu. Guess “they” weren’t lying when they said it is always happy hour somewhere.

Drunken Noodles with Chicken from Sushi Siam.

French Toast from News Cafe.

Conch Fritters from the 11th Street Diner.

Besides food, there were plenty of shops within walking distance. If we walked about 3 blocks one way there was a Victoria’s Secret, Ugg Australia, the Kardashian store -DASH (where I couldn’t even afford sale rack items), Nine West, Sephora, and a Walgreen’s that sold liquor. About 7 blocks in the opposite direction we stumbled upon a farmer’s market serving fresh fruit, empanadas, and other trinkets in the middle of a mile long of shops including Forever21, Alex and Ani, and H&M.

Fresh mango, pineapple, and watermelon from the Farmer’s Market.

 

We didn’t go clubbing as much as we thought we would. We decided to visit G5ive, one of the newer strip clubs in the area, instead of KOD which was a pretty fun time. The rest of our nights were spent drinking together in our room, visiting the hookah bar downstairs, or simply walking the strip of restaurants housed opposite of our hotel.

The weather was pretty warm but of course it is Florida so we did endure a few hours of rain (more like a drizzle) on two separate days. We were able to visit the beach and the water was a pretty clear/blue.

All in all, South Beach was great to experience being young and carefree. I would definitely recommend opening up your mind and taking on adventure when visiting because a lot of the places you visit will not have familiar names. That’s part of the fun in it all.

 

Shop a Small Business this Holiday!

The holidays are approaching and what better way to make your dollar go the extra mile than by supporting a small business? Small businesses provide unique products and often help create jobs in the community. Every year, small business Saturday is the day after Black Friday so you may want to consider saving some of your money for a small business (some of them offer special discounts too!). If you’re like me, you’ve already started your holiday shopping. But it’s definitely not too late to support a small business.

To help you out, I’ve included a list of my top 5 small, BLACK-owned businesses that have gifts for the Millennial Queen in your life.

1. Pinkmoon Loungewear: Those sexy velvet shorts that you’ve seen all over the internet (Warning: they sell out fast! Turn on their Twitter/IG notifications to catch the pre-order). I’ve ordered 3 pieces from them and they are all amazing quality! The next release is scheduled for December 5th!
2. Legendary Rootz: Truly a brand that helps celebrate black culture. Legendary Rootz is known for their t-shirts with phrases that remind you to stay to true to who you are. (They have shirts for men too!)
   
3. Juvia’s Place: Great eyeshadow palettes for beginner to pro makeup artist/enthusiast. I had the privilege of seeing their booth at the IMATS NYC this Spring and was absolutely amazed at the product! (P.S. They started their Black Friday Sale early!)
   
4. Beauty Bakerie: Another great line of makeup products which have been featured on BuzzFeed, Nylon, and Teen Vogue. They offer cruelty-free products including lipsticks that barely move (aka smudge proof and kiss proof!).
   
5. Tees in the Trap: Does she luuhhh God & Trap Music? Is she sophistiratchet? These tees have fun and catchy sayings that anyone would love.
   

*Pictures do not belong to me. Images came directly from company websites.*

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.

How Beyoncé Slayed My Life

      Today E is for edges. As in Beyoncé snatched every last curly, wannabe baby hair that makes up my edges!

      I attended the last leg of the Formation Tour in Philadelphia last night and got my entire life. Beyoncé is such an amazing performer with a strong portfolio of songs that you can only expect nothing but the best.

      Of course it was raining cats and dogs but that didn’t put a damper on the show. My friends and I managed to snag great seats for an extremely reasonable price. We were right on the field; close enough to be splashed by water during “Freedom” but not a part of the BeyHive sadly

      DJ Khaled opened up with a short (and I mean really short) mix of songs that he produced as well as some classics like Tupac and Biggie.

       After waiting almost an hour the Queen finally took the stage. She opened with Formation but the show was far more than a mix of Lemonade. She took us back down memory lane with songs like Kitty Kat, Partition, and Bootylicious. She also sung a heartfelt version of Survivor acknowledging all of her fans who have survived anything such as racism, sexism, or diseases.

       Everything about the show was perfect. From her all female band to the dancers and outfits to the visuals to an acrobatic dancer twirling in background.

      One of the major moments of the show that stuck out to me is when Bey referenced the audience saying,

“Ladies, when you’re born you’re born strong. There’s no such thing as a weak woman.”

       Seeing Beyoncé perform was on my bucket list and I’m so glad I got in Formation because the experience was well worth 4 hours in the rain.