chic Therapy

Black n Yellow

2022-04-08T18:36:00.017+01:00

I rarely get the opportunity to dress up, so when one of my faves invited me for her birthday dinner, I was excited to get dolled up.

I chose this black H&M turtle neck and yellow skirt from Shein and

finished off the look with tassel earrings and black booties. See the finished look below.

And can you believe we all coincidentally showed up in yellow and black!

Have a great weekend y'all!

An Afternoon in Saint-Louis, Senegal

2022-03-10T16:10:00.006+01:00

A few years ago, I visited the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art to see a Senegalese exhibit, Good as Gold. One of the exhibits was a video presentation of The Fanal, an end of year parade in Saint-Louis, Senegal. I was so drawn by the rich culture and knew that if I ever made it to Senegal, a stop in Saint-Louis was a must.

So when I finally made it to Senegal a few months ago, Saint-Louis was the first city outside of Dakar that I visited.

Saint-Louis is the oldest colonial city on the Western African coast. It is made up of three parts, Mainland, Island/Old City Colonial, and Fisherman Village/Guet Ndar.

Saint-Louis also known by its Wolof name, Ndar is 4 hours away from Dakar. We only planned to spend the day in Saint-Louis, so we set off bright and early.

We got to Saint-Louis at about noon, and started our adventure with a horse carriage tour.

We started our adventure in Old City Colonial and could immediately see the glaring traces of the colonial past.

The Portuguese-style buildings are typically two/three floors

The colonial French homes are generally bungalows

The colors of Saint-Louis...so beautiful!

We also spent some time in the Fisherman Village, the fishing community of Saint-Louis. The main occupation is fishing and this passed on from generation within the family structure.

However, fishing activities in this area has declined in recent times due to overfishing (mostly illegal)by European countries and

foreign industrial fishing companies.

According to a study by European Journalism Centre , Saint-Louis, ministry data shows an 81% drop in fish caught since 2016!!

The western world really does get away with anything when it comes to Africa 🙄. Still, this is a vibrant community of people who work hard in their colorful pirogues to provide for their families.

These little boys came up to me and asked me to take their photo. These ended up being my favorite photos from the entire trip

How beautiful are they! That rich melanin against the blue skies is everything!

Louis Faidherbe Bridge is Saint-Louis most notable landmark. The bridge goes over Senegal river and connects the Mainland to the Island/Old City Colonial.

L'Agneau Carnivore is a bookstore that has an extensive collection of African books and art.

The entire store was a vibe.

How beautiful are these gorgeously dressed women!

Saint- Louis was an entire vibe, and I hope y'all enjoyed seeing this West African gem with me.

Happy Thursday!

Melanin on Snow

2022-01-07T17:20:00.003+01:00

Snow day, but make it fashion. Happy new year guys!

The fair comes to town

2021-09-09T21:50:00.001+01:00

The fair came to town and my bestie niece and I decided to visit.

Now, I am scared of heights and I don't do rides at all! However, my niece wanted to go on some rides and wanted me to go with her...eek! So I ended up on the ferris wheel 🎡 and some other ride. TBH, the rides were not as bad as I had imagined, and I might have even enjoyed them a tad. However, I am in no rush to relive the experience.

Anyway, we had a jolly good time and took some really cute photos too.

Enjoy...

Did you guys visit any fair or theme parks this summer?

Nike Art Gallery: Lagos, Nigeria

2021-06-18T19:05:00.000+01:00

Hiiiiiii everyone! It has been a minute since I have been in this space. *Hides face in shame*. Hope you are all vaxed and blessed! I am fully vaccinated, and I am definitely looking forward to Summer 2021.

Anyway, now that things are opening back up, and people are beginning to travel again, I thought I'd highlight one of my favorite spots in my hometown of Lagos, Nigeria. Nike Art Gallery is the largest art collection I have come across in Nigeria. It boasts of five floors and is chock full of over 25,000 pieces of art work by Nigerian artists. Textiles, sculptures, print, paintings, beads are just some of the things you can find at Nike Art Gallery. If you are an art lover looking to cop some pieces, you will be spoilt for choice!

Now more than ever, I have started appreciating art and I find myself constantly going back to view these pictures from my last visit. I cannot wait to go back and actually cop some pieces for myself. If you are ever in this corner of the world, you should definitely stop by.

Enjoy the photos and leave me your thoughts in the comment section!

Met up with my friend, and we were coincidentally wearing the same t-shirt! How cool is that. #girlpower

I absolutely fell in love with this metal sculpture

This was also one of my favorites. You can't tell from this picture, but the palm oil in the painting looked so real! Nigerians are a talented bunch I tell ya

Loved this too.

We also got to meet the owner, Nike Okundaye. She loved our t-shirts, and we had a very brief conversation about feminism.

Have a great weekend guys!

Cienfuegos, Cuba: A tricycle ride, carnival vibes, and waterfalls

2020-12-31T01:14:00.004+01:00

I was passing through Cienfuegos en route to other parts of Cuba, and what ensued was a two-night stay, a tricycle ride, a carnival, and waterfalls adventure in this beautiful south coast city.

Since this was a very short stay, I decided against any organized tour. I just walked around town, talked to the locals, and generally got a sense of the everyday Cuban life.

My first stop was Jose Marti Parque which is a memorial park with impressive colonial buildings along the corners of the park.

Museo de las Artes Palacio Ferrer

Catedral de la Purísima Concepción. I didn't go inside, but it was pretty impressive from the outside.

Met this amazing artiste while perusing through art galleries close to Parque Jose Martí. We spoke for almost an hour and he dropped lots of jewels about Cuba. He is a talented artist, and he painted the paintings behind us in the photo.

August is the hottest month in Cuba, and here you see locals buying cold drinks on a hot day.

I made a new friend. His name is Rielle, and he is a host at a restaurant on Paseo del Prado, the main street in Cienfuegos. He is learning to speak English so he can become a tour guide.

Vibrant cars and buildings are always a sight to behold

The weather was ridiculously hot, so I retreated to my Air BnB, and came back out when the heat had subsided for a stroll along the Malecon.

Malecón de Cienfuegos

After a stint along the Malecon and enjoying the ocean's breeze, I hopped on a tricycle taxi to take me to Punta Gorda. Punta Gorda is a historical neighborhoods that houses grand hotels, restaurants, and fancy homes.

The tricycle taxi driver was kind enough to make stops at certain historical sights.

Palacio de Valle was one of the first stops. It is a historical building with Moorish architecture. It has a restaurant and terrace bar that is said to have an amazing panoramic view of the bay. I did not know it was free to enter, so I missed all the amazing interior it had to offer.

It was carnival week in Cienfuegos, so I got to catch some of the carnival vibes. This was nostalgic as it reminded me of the West Indies carnival that I participatedin back home (Nigeria) when I was younger.

The sunsets in Cuba are unmatched!

I wrapped up the day with a beautiful sunset, a seaside view, and a caprissima drink.

The next morning, I was off to Trinidad De Cuba. However, I opted to stop at El Nicho waterfalls on my way to Trinidad. El Nicho is a series of waterfalls, and I was very excited to visit as I had never been to a waterfall before.

Enjoying a dip in one of the waterfall streams.

The water was deliciously cold! Just what I needed in the August heat.

I took colectivo taxi from Cienfuego to Trinidad De Cuba with these lovely ladies from Spain. We did the waterfall and hike together, and of course, we had to take a selfie...snap!

Finally made it to the top of the mountains.

Isn't it wild to think that just last year we were traveling without any cares, and we were out and about without masks?! Here is hoping 2021 is a better year with new adventures.

Happy New Year, guys!

A bachelorette dinner in Havana, Cuba

2020-07-18T03:00:00.000+01:00

Hey guys, in my last post, I promised to do a separate blog about the bachelorette dinner we hosted for my friend in Havana. Here goes...

Before we left North America for Cuba, I had suggested a day for us all to wear the same color and take photos. When I got to Havana, I casually scouted for a plain wall, and found a blue wall right behind our Air BnB in Centro Havana. Blue complements yellow (our color), so I was hella excited at the possible outcome of our photos. My friend who was getting married the following month was also on the trip, so the rest of us decided to throw her a surprise bachelorette dinner after the photo shoot.

When it was time to take the photos, an outburst of heavy rain ensued. Boy was I disappointed. The rain did not look like it was stopping anytime soon, so we decided to utilize an indoor space--the stairwell of our AirBNB. When we were done inside, the rain suddenly stopped, and we dashed outside for our shoot. We took a few photos on an outdoor stairs, and as we were fixing to change positions to another wall, the rain started again, and at this point we called it quits😪.

The photos were not exactly what I was hoping for, but sometimes you just roll with the punches and keep it moving. I am sure COVID-19 has taught us this too well.

The bachelorette dinner on the other hand was perfect. The bride-to-be was utterly surprised, as she had no clue. The restaurant staff at Elizalde were amazing. They let us rent out a space for free, got us a cake at a moments notice, and George, the host even serenaded the bride-to-be with a Boyz II Men song. In all it was an amazing time.

Enjoy the photos .

Bachelorette Dinner Time

That's all folks. Have a lovely socially-distanced weekend.

Things to do in Havana, Cuba

2020-05-28T07:30:00.011+01:00

HELLO EVERYONE! Yes, I am screaming at the top of my lungs, as I haven't been in this space this year. First things first, how are you all coping with the pandemic? I hope you and your family are safe. It is a tough time for everyone, and I am hoping this passes away sooner than later.

Now on to today's post. Guys, last August I made it to my dream city, Havana! Cuba was a country that had rated high on my travel list for ages, but due to travel restrictions imposed on U.S. residents, I thought a visit there was impossible. This cannot be further from the truth, and I will explain the travel process in another blog post.

My time in Cuba was spent in 4 different cities, and I will be starting my Cuba travel series with Havana.Enjoy

1. Ride in a classic car --this is a must do

The classic car rides are a fun way to see the city. We opted for a 2 hour ride, and we got to see China Town, Havana Vedado, Revolutionary Square, and John Lennon Park.

2. Visit Plaza de la Revolución

Revolutionary square is a political symbol in Cuba. It is the spot where many of Fidel Castro's political rallies took place.

3. Visit one of the oldest cathedrals in the Americas, Catedral de la Habana

4. Wander around The Palacio de los Capitanes Generales.

This is a beautiful Cuban baroque architectural style structure in old Havana. It has an amazing courtyard and a few exhibits in the upper rooms.

5. Wander aimlessly around Plaza de Armas

This is a great spot for people watching and relaxing. You can grab a frozen drink or pop into the little galleries to check out some cool art.

6. Enjoy a stroll along the malecon

It was always such a joy to walk by the malecon and feel the cool breeze from the water

7. Drink a daiquiri or two at Floridita, one of Ernest Hemmingway's favorite bars

I didn't go inside the establishment, but I hear the daiquiris are awesome.

8. Catch the sunrise over the malecon

We stayed across the malecon, and it was always a joy to wake up to the sun rising over the water and watch the locals fish

I made a friend while I strolled along the malecon

9. Explore Havana Vieja

Although grimy (stray dog poop ), Old Havana, brims over with intriguing architecture. On my last day in Havana, I wandered about aimlessly, enjoyed conversations with the locals, bought souvenirs. and just generally people watched.

10. Eat, drink, and be merry!

To be honest, I was shocked at how great the food was. Almost every article I came across when planning my trip knocked down the food in Cuba. Boy, was I relieved and pleasantly surprised that my culinary experience was nothing short of amazing.

Two restaurants I recommend are EL Biky (Central Havana) and Elizade(Old Havana). The former is great for breakfast, while Elizalde has an incredible dinner menu. I had the best ceviche at Elizalde and we even hosted a little bachelorette dinner for my friend here (Pictures in an upcoming post). We ate at each restaurant multiple times, and now I keep in touch with some of the workers, who are now my IG friends.

Avideo to summarize the 4 wonderful nights in Havana

The People of Havana

I love Cubans! They are the friendliest people ever! They are genuinely curious about tourists. They are super helpful, and they will insist you take their picture :-)

The Cars of Havana

How beautiful are the cars of Havana! I couldn't get enough of these classic automobiles.

Random sights of Havana

Guys, how beautiful is Havana! Have you ever been to Cuba? Did you enjoy your time there, or do these pictures make you want to visit once the pandemic has subsided? Please leave your comment below and let me know what you think.

Confetti Fun

2019-12-16T16:36:00.002+01:00

Hey chica, it's that time of the year again--my yearly birthday photoshoot! Whoop whoop!

In 2016, I did the Rose, Tulle, and Leather shoot, while 2015 was Colors and Balloons. The 2017 shoot was themed Ethreally mint, and last year was Wintery Black. This year I had an elaborate theme in mind, but due to time constraints, I wasn't able to pull it off. I ended up settling for something really simple and fun. And what's more fun than playing in colorful confetti.

Enjoy the photos.

That's all folks! What do you think of this year's birthday shoot?

Fall in Palmer Alley DC

2019-12-06T14:29:00.000+01:00

The pictures here were taken at one of my favorite spots in DC--Palmer Alley, City Center.

Every season, the alley is decorated with installations that depict the weather. The installations are always fun and I get pretty excited to see what each season brings.

Currently, the alley is decked out in fall trimmings, and since fall is slipping away real fast, I took a trip a few weekends ago to get some shots of the alley. I missed this year's summer installation and I definitely did not want to miss fall's. However, I was a tad disapointed that this year's fall installation was the same as the past two years.

I also included photos of the alley over the years, through the changing seasons.

Enjoy the photos

Fall 2019

Previous Installations

Summer (The umbrella installation is my favorite yet)

Winter Holiday 2018

Summer 2018

Spring 2018

Fall 2017

Winter Holiday 2017

Spring 2017

Isn't Palmer Alley a pretty cool place? Which installation is your favourite?

Living Colorfully in Old Town Alexandria

2019-11-13T21:17:00.000+01:00

Hey guys, happy humpday! Just two more days, and the weekend is here--whoop! Speaking about weekends, this past Saturday was a fun one! My cousin was visiting from Lagos, so we decided to take a train ride to Old Town, Alexandria in Virginia.

The day started with brunch, and ended with super fun vibrant colors we encountered all around Old Town Alexandria. I usually do not publish videos here, but we also took many cool videos and I couldn't resist not posting it here.

Enjoy...

We had brunch at a restaurant called Warehouse.

I have been to this restaurant several times, so once I got in, I found my way to this wall that I love so muc

In addition to American dishes, Warehouse offers Cajun & Creole dishes. I love NOLA style food, so of course I had gumbo and beignets--it was yum!

Now unto the streets

Color makes me happy

I have several photos in front of this vibrant Torpedo Art Factory wall

Random

More Randoms

Potomac Water front

You know I have a thing for colorful doors 💙

Then we came across this uber cool reflecting color installation

This colorful installation makes me wanna jump for joy 😂

Here's the video. Enjoy the rest of the week chicas.

Spring in Fall

2019-11-04T17:49:00.000+01:00

Who else is stil rocking vibrant colors and not yet ready for winter?😂

Happy new month guys.

Twirling Red

2019-08-05T22:08:00.002+01:00

Took these photo around the way, but the background got me looking like I am on vacay in Catargena or Cuba. The layers of the dress and the twirl it gave off also added to the vacay in a Spanish city vibe.

Talking about dresses, I have always found it hard finding dresses with the right fit in my size, but I just discovered a women dresses store that offers a myriad of affordable styles for every woman. Definitely check them out.

Happy new week, chicas

Blind Whino

2019-07-09T01:55:00.000+01:00

I am a sucker for colorful buildings, but non tugs at my heart strings like Blind Whino. A traditional church architecture doused in bright colors and then turned to an art center is right up my alley.

I have visited Blind Whino several times for art exhibitions, but I must confess, there are times I just wander over there and bask in the colorful glory.

See photos of my various visits to "favoritest" colorful building yet.

Isn't this the most colorful building? Are you guys in love like I am ?

Pink Florals

2019-05-20T16:15:00.001+01:00

"Just living is not enough... one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower"

Happy new week.

Sprung in yellow

2019-04-15T11:24:00.005+01:00

It's beginning to look (and feel) a lot like spring 🌸🌺🌹

Happy New week chicas

Green X Short Hair X Statement Earting

2019-03-24T03:23:00.000+01:00

I have never really been a statement earring kinda girl, but since I cut my hair, I have been experimenting with all types of earrings. Right now, my favorite kinds are tassels. And for me, the bigger and brighter, the better!

Love on Blagden alley

2019-02-10T18:12:00.000+01:00

Right now I am on the metro on the way to work, and the weather is absolutely disgusting. Rain and snow on muddy grounds is all it takes to put me in a funky mood. Fortunately, I just came across these photos I took in the summer, and it reminds me that the snow is only here for season and would soon be gone.

How gorgeous is this colorful mural? It was designed by Lisa Marie in support of the LGBTQ community. I love it! I had seen the LOVE mural on several instagram pages, and on this sunny summer day, I set out to Blagden Alley in DC to check out the vibrant wall art. It was totally worth it!

Jacket by Chic Therapy Accessories

Mural by Lisa Marie Studios

Photo by kind stranger on Blagden Alley.😊

Snow Day

2019-01-18T13:14:00.003+01:00

Happy new year! Brrrr. Yes, my first post this year is a chilly one. We've been getting snow in my corner of the world and it's been pretty cold. We had a snow day on Monday, and instead of just been stuck indoor, we decided to have some fun in the snow. I was feeling my hunter rain boot ensemble, so of course, a mini photo shoot ensued 😁.

Hope you enjoy the photos as much as we enjoyed playing in the snow.

Happy Friday!

Wintery Black

2018-12-31T20:39:00.000+01:00

Hey Chicas, if you are familiar with my blog, you'll know that I do a yearly photo shoot to celebrate my birthday. The shoot really is nothing elaborate and usually zconsists of me setting up my tripod and taking the photos myself.

In 2016 I did the Rose, tulle, and leather shoot, while 2015 was colors and balloons. The 2017 shoot was themed ethreally mint, and I wore white and took the photos indoor. This year I decided to do the exact opposite of the 2017 shoot by opting for an outdoor shoot while wearing all black.

The location was a beautifully adorned spot in DC (City Center) and the winter themed decor and lights were the perfect back drop for my all black ensemble. I really love the photos and I hope you do too.

Enjoy!

What do you guys think of my all black 2018 birthday shoot? Please leave a comment and share your thoughts.

A Red Chrismas

2018-12-25T21:21:00.003+01:00

My little cousin and I, all dressed in red and wishing you a joyful holiday.

Merry Christmas guys!

Pink Balloons

2018-12-07T16:55:00.001+01:00

At the end of the summer, my little cousin and I decided to do a photo shoot with our matching pink sweaters (New York & Co). We decided to complement our outfits with our light pink sneakers and pink balloons. We went to the dollar store, came home and blew up the balloons ourselves...and voila, a budget photo shoot.

Enjoy

When you fly a balloon you don’t file a flight plan; you go where the wind goes. You feel like part of the air. You almost feel like part of eternity, and you just float along-- Jeannette Piccard

Pint shop: The Museum of IceCream, NYC

2018-09-24T14:39:00.000+01:00

The phrase" like a kid in a candy store, became a reality, when on a Sunday afternoon in Manhattan, I found myself at The Pint Shop/Museum of Ice cream.

Museum of Ice Cream, NY is a pop up store that retails its own brand of ice cream. The pop up store also features playful installations that represent the 7 flavors of the ice cream. I had seen pictures of this colorful place on Instagram, and a visit was a must! The colors, installations, and over all ambiance offered a playful vibe that made it the perfect "instagrammable" spot. Plus they were offering free samples too--winning!

Below are pictures of my fun time at the museum.

The Installations

The Aisles

The Icecream

How deliciously wonderful is the Museum of Ice cream! What do you guys think of the pictures? A fun place to be, right?

Red Stunna

2018-08-03T13:58:00.000+01:00

When Fenty Beauty came out with their Stunna red lip paint last Fall, it was all the rave. I have about 80 liquid lipsticks, so dipping into my pocket to buy this new lipstick was a big NO! Then a few months ago, I stepped in Sephora to pick up my Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation ( My shade is 450), and just for fun, I decided to try on the Stunna lippie. Oh my! The shade was so pretty and the application seemed seamless. I had come for foundation, but found myself paying for the lipstick too.

It is a really beautiful shade, and I love the application wand. However, this lipstick tends to bleed and smudge! It will transfer on right about anything! With this lippie, I have learned that less is more, and to minimize bleeding, I swipe the wand just once on my lips. I really love the orangeish/red color, so I decided not to return it. Will I be repurchasing this when I run out? Most definitely NOT!

Scroll below to see me stunning in Stunna!

What do you guys think? Do you like the color? Do you own this lipstick, and do you have the smudging issue too? Please comment and let me know.

Happy Friday y'all!

Wrapped in print, surrounded by laughter

2018-07-15T17:43:00.001+01:00

This ankara wrap dress is currently my favorite piece of clothing. I bought it when I visited my home country, Nigeria earlier this year.

A few weeks ago, when I attended a graduation ceremony and lunch, my wrap dress came to the rescue. It's such an easy piece to wear. I slapped on purple lipstick and a pair of black pumps and I was good to go. See the pictures below.

Happy new week, chicas!