THIRD WORLD PROFASHIONAL . com

Giveaway!!

2012-02-02T18:30:00.000Z

So I thought long and hard about what would be my first Giveaway of 2012, I know I don't do a lot of that so I'm aiming to be a more generous blogger and just share the joy with you guys.

Presenting......

TA-DAAAAAA

The Virgos Lounge Jem blouse!

As seen here in all its glorious packaging languishing on my footstool, waiting for its new owner to come and give it a home and;

as seen here on the gorgeous Virgos Lounge model, so you can appreciate its beauty all the more.

Now, I've never really liked giveaways that involved clothing because of the size issue but I LOVE Virgos Lounge and I wanted to share some of the love with one lucky profashional. I got the blouse in a Large so it could fit a variety of sizes, if you win and its to big for you, a few minor adjustments will do the trick.

Now, le instructions:

1) You have to be following Third World Profashional with Google Friend Connect. For those of you who have asked, you don't have to have a blog to follow me. If you look to the right of the screen there's a sidebar and the second column of the sidebar is headed "Followers" and underneath it is a tab that says "Join This site". Click on that tab and you're golden.

2) You have to "like" the Third World Profashional page on Facebook.

That is all, just those two little things and you're good. I considered closing the competition to my friends but after numerous threats *cough, cough Nwabugo*, I've decided anyone can enter.....friend, foe.....anyone. I have nothing but love for my frenemies.

So the Giveaway starts on Monday 6th February at 3pm UK time, I'm assuming the North Americans would be well awake by this time. There will be a single question, the answer to which would as usual be in one of my posts. Tres easy. The Giveaway is international and not restricted to the UK like my last Giveaway, wherever you may be; Yenogoa, Bahrain, The Falklands......I will, with the help of Fed Ex, make sure it gets to you.

See you guys Monday.

Love and light xx

photo credit: virgoslounge.com

Experimental Vintage

2012-01-31T14:07:00.003Z

I'm sure my TWP fam know how much I detest vintage. Or maybe that's too strong a word, I'm not a fan of vintage accessories or clothes. I like my things brand spanking new.

I've started to have a change of heart though and that's due to a lot of vintage connoisseurs I have come in contact with who make second hand stuff look absolutely banging. Like Onyinye Fafi Obi of Fashion Phoenix who runs an awesome vintage brand called Elsie Vintage, my friends Tolu Onabanjo, Seyi Fadase and Kike Akinyosoye who own the online store Toseki Vintage. Also my friend Salewa Akin-Taylor of For Style Sake is a vintage maven, she finds the craziest things in thrift stores and to my eternal surprise they look great on her.

These people have really inspired me and based on that I decided to give vintage a try and headed to a vintage store in Aberdeen called Retrospect to check it out.

Firts off i loved the psychedelic 60s style "Rterospect" sign out front, that already attracted me to it. I went in and the store was an absolute delight, like a mish mash of all kinds of things and knick knacks, like the Old Curiousity Shop or something.

I loved these vintage trunks, I'm really thinking of getting a 50s style holdall to use as travel hand luggage, definitely on my to-do list.

I LOVED the 80s boombox, my friend Titi has a wireless radio from the 1950s in her kitchen and its soooo cool. Totally gave me gadget envy.

Saw these Bruno Magli shoes for 8 quid, would you believe it, just 8 pounds. They were a size 39 or I'd have been all over them like white on rice.

Vintage sunglasses are another fad I could definitely get behind, recently being trawling ebay searching for authentic vintage cat-eye sunglasses, if anyone knows where I can find affordable ones, please let me know. My friend Bisola has a serious stash of vintage sunglasses she got from her mother, if she ever decides to sell them I'd definitely be first up.

The badge wall just stirred the latent 10yr old Daks inside me. I was obsessed with badges when I was a kid, used to collect them from everywhere. At a point I owned roughly about 300 badges, from workshops my parents attended, to fashion ones, to cartoon characters, to those I got from McDonalds Happy Meals, my Sweet Valley ones.....

I wonder what happened to them, they could totally qualify as vintage now.

I especially loved the Jimi Hendrix one at the top. Too cool for words.

The hella eccentric owner, he gave me tips for some other vintage stores in Abz which I never knew existed.

Sure you're all wondering what I got after my excursion.........

First off, dreadful black and yellow 70s mohair jumper. So ugly I fell in love with it straight off, my friend said it makes me look like a 6ft tall bumble bee but I don't send, there's something so jolie laide about it. Love!

Aaaaand this 80s blue sequined wrap top.

I got something similar to this from my mum but in cream. I love tops like this, they give me serious Alexis Carrington vibes. The ladies from Dynasty are in my top 20 fabulous women list. The opulence, the shoulders, the big hair, terrible make-up and pushing women into pools....there'll never be a show like Dynasty again, ever.

I'll definitely make more forays into vintage shopping, maybe I'll strike paydirt like Shally, she found Salvatore Ferragamo pumps once. That's what I've been aiming for.

Love and light xx

Old Lady Blues

2012-01-30T11:52:00.002Z

I honestly thought I could party hard, I really believed that I was still the same old Daks circa early 2000s who could party with the best of them.

I was wrong....so wrong.

This weekend it felt more like I was 62 instead of 26, I fully intended to get shattered after my exams, I proclaimed the fact far and wide but after just one night I spent the rest of the weekend skyping, trying to find a suitable site to watch my tv shows and just being a big fat couch potato.

Old age has really set in and I'm not even mad, for a couple of years now I've derived more pleasure from staying in than partying hard. It is so serious that when I went home for Christmas, I only went out to a club once, just one time in the three weeks I was in Lagos.

Had to make an exception for Friday though because it was my friend Funsho's birthday so I dusted off my Miss Havisham cobwebs and set out in search of a good time.

Funsho

We went out to dinner first where I pigged out as usual, I'm biting my nails awaiting the day my super-human metabolism gives up on me and everything that goes through my lips ends up on my hips.

Hazel

Dami

Nike

Jen

I spotted a girl at the club we went to after dinner and drinks wearing the Virgos Lounge Coco dress, it is such a rockstar outfit I had to go up to her and tell how her fab she looked and surprise surprise she's a TWP fan. I still get excited when people recognize me from my little corner of the internet or they say how much they love my blog, it always seems so surreal, like "lil ol' me, really?"

Ama

Blazer, bandeau top and pencil skirt with lime accents - River Island
Glittery silver pumps - Dorothy Perkins

I don't know if anyone has noticed lately but River Island is knocking it out of the park this year. I'm not usually a River Island fan, I mean I get some stuff from there but I'm not like a devotee or anything. I went in there completely by accident to return a pair of shoes I bought over the holidays and was just floored by everything I saw. They are going hard on the neon trend, that's the store I said I went into and went a little crazy, I wanted literally everything in there, managed to cop a few budget permitting.

RI is killing it, no jokes.

After the night, woke up at an ungodly hour on Saturday and spent the day alternating between my bed and my kitchen.

Joblessness feels so good.

Love and light xx

p.s. The item for my Giveaway has arrrrrived! I am tres excited about this one because it is my second ever Giveaway and my first international one. Only clue I can give out as to what it is is that its from Virgos Lounge, you have to be following my blog and also "like" the ThirdWorldProfashional facebook page to win though.

The Only Profashional With An LL.M. (shoutout to Naeto C.)

2012-01-27T11:41:00.000Z

I cannot believe one year has gone by so fast.

This time last last year, I was just settling into Aberdeen, dealing with the ridiculous cold, getting to know new friends, discovering new experiences. Fast forward a year later and I'm saying goodbye to those friends and experiences, packing up my things for the inevitable move back home and trying to understand exactly how 365 days went by so quickly.

Anyway it is finished and I couldn't be happier, honestly this time I'm really done with school, even short courses sef I no want. Not like I'm scared of the work, I'm just sick and tired of studying. Since I took my Bar finals back in Law School my entire perspective on exams has changed. Before I got into Law School I'd heard all sorts of horror stories about how the Bar exams were the hardest in the world, people passed out during exams, committed suicide etc. This gist left me so wound up that by the first day of exams I was tense AF, went in for Property Law and came out pissed, not because it was difficult, no....but because it had been SO EASY. I'd spent a whole year losing my hair and worrying over nothing, I had gone into that exam so terrified that I messed up my Property Law paper, aced the others anyway and graduated with a 2:1 from Law School. That experience however, left an indelible mark on me, since then I have never ever been stressed about exams again, not like I don't put in my best but I don't go through everyday thinking the sky is falling because other people say so. I'm telling you I went through my LL.M finals chillin' like a villain, the only thing I was tired of was the endless studying but not the fear of mass failure like I had back in Law School.

I've made some really awesome friends in Aberdeen and after our last paper we were so hyped that the entire lot of us whipped out cameras and got snap happy

H&M Cape
H&M cream jumper
Topshop supersoft Leigh jeans in Pewter
River Island taselled loafers in Lime
Bill Blass 'Oliver' lamb bag

Ah, this brings me to my new obsession for SS12......neon.

I've been immersing myself in blinding, clashing, fluorescent colours and lime is my current favourite out of the lot. Got these lime loafers from River Island the day I finished, sort of like a "well done Daks" gift to myself, I haven't been to the shops since since December and sadly I went a little crazy. Lets just say my landlord and I are going to be having a few tense words next month and I'm going to be hiding from anyone that even remotely looks like they're from Scottish Hydro Electric.

These babies....WOOOOSSSH

So these are a few of my classmates.....

Ankur! Our unofficial class social prefect,

Manda, Miss Party Starter 2011/2012

Ankur and Manda are literally behind every class drinks do, party, game night....like everything, their energy and commitment to a good time is amazing. They're both hosting our Term End class party on Saturday and the theme is "Prom"........corny AF but I love it. I don't have any prom-like dresses but I have a Virgos Lounge dress which bears a striking resemblance to an 80s prom dress a la Molly Ringwald and the rest of The Breakfast Club....short, tight, shiny, ruffly and insanely OTT. Can't wait to rock it.

My boos Yewande, Jola and Amerie

Seriously going to miss my sidekick Amerie, she left Aberdeen finally this morning...too sad.

I give terrible pimp face.....

Scheila! Aka the Brains from Brazil. Study buddy and all round fabulous woman

My gorgeous Kings College campus.....

Stole these pictures off the school website since there's no way my baby Nikon could fully capture the beauty of this place.

The school is over 500 years old and most of the time it looked like something out of an Edgar Allan Poe poem, cobbled streets, original buildings from the 15th century, knights graves everywhere.....

When I first got here and I used to leave the library late at night, I used to get a little scared because everything just looked so old. Never thought I'd get used to it.

So the agenda is to sleep for the next two months now, like really, no joke.

Thanks for all the support and encouragement I got from you guys while I was away, I really appreciated it. To say danke I'm having a Giveaway next week! Well as soon as the item for the giveaway arrives, I've ordered it and I'm waiting on the delivery service. I won't say what it is yet but I promise, you guys are going to love it. You have to be following me first though and you have to like my facebook page too, you can do that HERE.

Love and light xx

Mini-Hiatus

2012-01-09T21:46:00.000Z

Even if you guys didn't know I was back in this Scottish wasteland it would have been pretty obvious from the lack of fun, glittery posts you had become accustomed to over the past month. To add to the general air of neglect here in Profashional land, I am sorry to announce that as my finals are coming up at the end of the month I'm going to have to go ghost on you guys till they're over. If the spirit moves me or if something of such immense magnitude occurs that I am simply compelled to share, I might make an appearance. Besides that, I'm going into lockdown till January 26th.

Pray for me dear ones as I work towards increasing the number of letters after my name, I intend to lay waste to as much paper as possible by spelling out;

Miss ThirdWorldProfashional LL.B, B.L, LL.M, ACIArb <-------------looks impressive doesn't it.

Trust me, it actually isn't that serious.

No fear, hopefully Oil & Gas State Control and Contracting would be done and dusted soon enough and I can go back to being footloose and fancy-free. Well, until I have to start looking for a job anyway. Sometimes I wish I could just stay in school forever, no matter how old you are, being a student makes you forget that you have responsibilities.

In case you thought I forgot......WELCOME TO THE WORLD BLUE IVY CARTER!!!!!!!!!

Yessir, its the second coming, the baby to end all babies (well, until my twins arrive), the blessed Knowles-Carter spawn and the highest profile celeb baby ever (in your face Suri and Shiloh). We probably will never see this child until she's 18 or so but maybe I can talk to Nda Beyonce and she'll let us have a sneak peek. Stay tuned.

I will leave you guys with the songs that are currently on heavy rotation for me on iTunes. Bruno Mars 'It Will Rain' and Lloyds 'Dedication To My Ex'.

I fell in love with the Bruno Mars song when he performed it on US X Factor, the visuals and the entire performance just blew me away. I tweeted earlier in the week that if Bruno Mars decides to love you, its a wrap because brother man loves hard. His lyrics are not just he'll be sad if you don't love him, he'll literally kill himself for love. Obviously he doesn't mean it but watching that cutie patootie with the baby face sing these songs with such heartfelt passion makes me melt everytime.

The Lloyd song, I love the retro doo-wop feel of it, you can't help but move when you hear it. The first few times I heard it were on the radio and it was always the clean version but I now mistakenly downloaded the original song. My Lawd...my ears were seared. Basically in the clean version, whenever he says "lovin", in the dirty one he actually says a slang term for a part of the female anatomy which is also another word for a cat.

Every. Single. Time.

It was a bit much I tell you, I sharply downloaded the clean one abeg. He sounds a bit like a young MJ on it, the song is fire though. Listen below;

Love and light xx

Been-To

2012-01-04T21:15:00.001Z

The title of this post is a popular phrase used in the novel 'Second Class Citizen' by Buchi Emecheta, it depicts a young man/woman who has studied abroad and has come home to Nigeria to make a success of his/her life. That book was one of my favourites growing up and it gave me such a bad impression of the United Kingdom that for many years I refused to come to the UK on holiday, always insisting on the US instead. Plus it contains the most hilarious punishment ever; Adah, the central character played hooky from school as a child and subsequently went missing, everybody, family and teachers searched for her everywhere. Finally the police were called in and they arrested Adah's mother for child neglect and forced the woman to drink a giant bowl of garri without sugar until her daughter was found. Till this day I only have to imagine the poor woman drinking a massive bowl of garri without sugar and begging the policemen to release her to keel over with laughter. Trust Adah got the beating of her life when she was finally found.

Powerful writing.

Got into Aberdeen this morning and I've been alternating between sleeping, catching up on my reality shows, tweeting and unpacking. Strangely I'm not as depressed as I thought I'd be, I thought I'd get back and be pining for Lagos but that's not even the case. I miss Lagos and my family but I think I partied myself out so I really needed to get back here where its quiet so I can chill. The weather is pretty mild, just 3 degrees today and its going to be 6 tomorrow. That's practically summer for us here in Scotland.

The journey was uneventful, apart from discovering my friend Ifeoma was on the same flight though. Same thing happened when I was going to Nigeria, Nwabugo and I were on the same flight completely by accident.

Ifeoma was headed to Rotterdam though so we parted at Amsterdam.

Ifeoma

Hmnnnn, now that I'm looking at this photo in its extra large format it looks like I put on a bit over the holidays. I don't mind though, here's to more cushion for the pushin'.

In bed now gearing up for the most legendary lie-in ever, I fully intend to not crack an eyelid till at least noon. Weird how tired I am when I didn't even change timezones.

Thank God for journey mercies.

Love and light xx

p.s. I discovered the best thing recently, my cousin Ilyasah downloaded a Rosary app on my iPad for me. Though I love my Rosary I cannot lie it gets a bit tedious at times saying the 5 decades at a time but this app reads the prayers out for you, it says all the Mysteries too. Its the coolest thing ever, today was the Glorious Mysteries and I basically just turn it on and go about whatever I'm doing and in the background the prayers are on a continuous loop. Technology is amazing. if you're interested, the app is called 'Rosary Delux'.

New Years

2012-01-02T20:09:00.000Z

I can't even lie I've had a hell of a holiday.

I usually party hard anytime I can wheedle the parents into letting us spend Christmas in Lagos instead of Arondizuogu but I surpassed my personal record this year. I ensured I had enough experiences to tide me over when I get back to the Grampians.

Fun! Fun! Fun!

My last official "partying" day was the 1st, my cousin Ilyasah's family throw down a hell of a New Years party every 1st of January and I decided to make that my last hurrah.

ASOS backless houndstooth dress
Calvin Klein metallic tote
Valentino wing-tipped sunnies
ASOS lightning bolt earrings

Stopped by Illy's before the party to see if I could help out, they had everything on lock though so we just spent the time lemming KFC and chinwagging.

Ilyasah

Went back later that night for the party proper, which rocked.com. I blogged about the same party last New Year's, if you can get yourself on the guest list its the definitely the place to be in Lagos at the beginning of the year.

Miss Selfridge cutout dress
Dorothy Perkins glitter courts

Went with my friend Nneka

Ilyasah, Nneka

It was the perfect way to end my holiday, I just need to gather the will to go back to my regular studying schedule.

Love and light xx

Countdown

2012-01-01T08:52:00.001Z

I type this with a deep and heavy heart,

I have two days left in Lagos......

My flat back in Aberdeen has been empty since the 15th and will probably take two days to warm up to livable temperatures. From Wednesday morning, I resume freezing again and the despair doesn't stop there, I'm going back to meet exams at the end of the month. Whoever structured the UK academic system and placed grueling exams after a decadent holiday deserves to be drawn and quartered. Right now words like 'pipelines', 'gas contracts', 'product sharing agreements' and 'maritime boundaries' sound like Urdu to me, words that were part of my daily vocabulary before I left for Nigeria, I'm at a loss as to how I'm going to write an exam in less than a month.

It is well.

I shouldn't get ahead of myself though, I still have two days left to have fun utunu!

So on Friday I went to see the Nigerian adaptation of For Coloured Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf. Even though I normally detest Tyler Perry movies with an almost superhuman ability, I liked the movie and looked forward to seeing the original version which was for the stage.

H&M oversize men's shirt
Topshop leopard print tube skirt
Dolce & Gabbana aviator sunglasses
Deena & Ozzy perspex gold-toed brogues
Primark statement necklace

I think I'm getting a bit better at this picture taking malarkey. Yes.....no?

I attended with my right hand woman Nwaboogie-boogie.

Nwabugo

Oh and I got to meet the gorgeous Lohita of the ace food blog Lohi's Creations. Seeing as I'd already asked her to marry me after reading her Thanksgiving post, our meeting was just a formality. Wedding invitations between TWP and Lohi coming to a mailbox near you.

So anyhoozle, the play was showing at the Muson Centre and due to the fact that Ikeja traffic refused to release me from bondage I got there at 2.45pm for the 2pm showing. I seriously considered turning back seeing as I thought I'd missed nearly half of it, well surprise, surprise it hadn't started.

The show finally kicked off at 3.10pm as opposed to the 2pm start advertised.

SMH.

I refused to let my annoyance at their tardiness turn me into a grinch for the rest of the play and allowed myself enjoy it. It was really, really good, acting is not for pussies at all. I was completely blown by the actors abilities to memorize vast reams of lines like that. The way it was adapted to include Nigerian references too was very creative, the cast and crew definitely deserve an A for Effort.

Standout performances for me were Matilda Obaseki (Lady in Green) and Joke Silva (Lady in Red). I don't watch Tinsel so I'd never seen Matilda in action even though I'd heard of her but she was really good. She got the most laughs and seemed to be the character the audience connected with the most. Joke Silva is just a winsh, the woman can act her butt off. Her storytelling is so detailed, so vivid, you can literally see everything unfolding before you as she speaks. The bit where she tells the story of the army vet who killed his children was so moving, even though I'd seen the movie and knew what was going to happen she still had the ability to make me hang on to her every nuance. her skill is definitely without comparison in Nigeria.

I was really bummed I didn't get to see my girl crush, the grunting Nigerian "Beyonce", Tiwa Savage. She played the Lady in Yellow on the 29th but I saw the play on the 30th and Omawunmi played that part then. Omawunmi was amaze but I really wanted to see Tiwa.

Tiwa Savage if you ever read this, I just want to tell you I love you and you're hot, don't listen to those leathery old bitches who try to bring you down. You have top marks in my book.

All in all, a good production. Nigerian creatives are really trying, I enjoyed it thoroughly.

After the play I bummed around a bit then headed to the launch of the Re Bahia "Meet Me in Lagos" capsule collection at Villa Medici.

Beautiful venue, beautiful people, beautiful clothes....great way to spend a Lagos evening.

After seeing the pictures Nneka of Neks2U took of me up on her blog, I had to hide the pictures I took myself in shame, she made me look like a million kobo. Had to steal them and show you guys on here.

Virgos Lounge Ruby Maxi

The dress is such a star on its own I decided to keep my accessories to a minimum.

Virgos Lounge sha has me in bondage, it was definitely my fashion soundtrack of the holidays.

Asos drop tassel cuff
Odion Mimonet aso-oke clutch

After the launch I headed to my sisteh Molly P's house for a dinner/drinks do. Met up with my other Association of Married Friends sisteh Ediri there...

Ediri

Gina, Molly, Augusta.

It was the best way to end my evening, surrounded by the people I love, good food and the tons of drinks Molly's husband David kept plying us with. He said his intention was to have us walking on our heads by the end of the night. We thank God we still managed to be upright by the time the night was over.

Happy new year to you and yours.

Love and light xx

photo credits: neks2u.com

Hello 2012

2012-01-01T07:33:00.002Z

I've had such a hectic holiday its a miracle I can even keep my eyes open as I type this. Combined with a Type A social life and the fact that as usual our househelp was AWOL the entire time therefore turning me into a professional Sikirat, by the time I get back to Aberdeen I'm going to sleep for a week.

*Sidebar* I always thought househelps going away for the holidays happened only in my family, this year however I discovered its a nationwide phenomenon. I've therefore come up with the perfect solution........'Holiday Help'. I'm starting a holiday maid/cook/steward/laundryman/driver service comprised of atheists who have no family, droids who are committed to their employers, to act as a filler during those stressful periods when the actual househelp does a runner. They will be super humans whose only interest is in making money and have no religious or familial affiliations. I suspect it will be a roaring success.

I've never been one to make resolutions or look at a new year as a time for reflection. I've always thought that if you felt any part of you needed changing you should fix it asap instead of waiting for a new year to make resolutions you have absolutely no intention of keeping.

This year however I thought some things needed sorting out; I have however decided to be

More tolerant of other people; my impatience is legendary and it has caused a lot of friction between me and the people I love
Less bitchy; I realize I tend to speak without thinking sometimes, in fact I do think a lot of my remarks are deliberate and they end up hurting people. I have to learn my sense of humour is different from other people's and things I think are hilarious are not as funny to the people I'm directing the jibes at.
More optimistic; I'm the original glass is empty person, I see demons around every corner. I like to think I'm a realist but its more like I'm a raging pessimist. Which is why I constantly play up my 'confession is possession' persona, I'm obsessed with bending the universe to my will.
More trusting; My suspicious nature will be the death of me, I believe everybody has a hidden agenda. My constant paranoia is not sexy at all, gats dump that ish in 2011.
Believe in myself more; I know I come off as confident and all but I used to be terribly shy as a child and some of that shyness still lingers, a lot of it actually. I need to become my own personal cheerleader.
Less dependent on other people; I'm really not even dependent at all, I just need to eliminate every trace of it this year because I've realized a lot of people aren't worth shit. Nobody can make you happy except you, depending on other people for your happiness is a long ting of epic proportions. Except my mother......my very existence is dependent on her, that's one person I'm firmly convinced can never do me greasy.
Do more; This year I intend to be epic, I intend to be a superstar, I intend to surpass everything I've done (which isn't even that much for my age). I'm inspired by so many young people who combine above par academics with amazing business sense. I really need to up my game.
Do less; This is an obvious contradiction to the previous resolution, but I'm trying to find the balance between over achieving and taking life easy. I feel like we're hamsters on a wheel, constantly chasing unattainable goals and in doing that we lose sight of so many important things. I've been working towards my future since my first day at Pampers Nursery and I've always wondered, "when does it end", "when does one relax"? This life is long, this life is sooo long and we have decades to make mistakes, achieve great things, love people, have children etc. Why do we try so hard to make these things happen so quickly. I mean like with the whole marriage thing, once you do it and you start having kids, its a wrap. Your life will never be your own again, we all know we'll get married one day so why the rush to make it happen now? There's still so many things; people, travel, experiences etc that you can only enjoy fully as a footloose and fancy free singleton. I'm not saying I don't want it all, I'm just saying I want it all......but gradually.

The above are just a few things I feel I need to take into the new year with me. I really can't complain, 2011 was amazing, I experienced so many new things, deepened relationships, got rid of of toxic 'friends', forged new wonderful friendships.........

If I decide to list everybody who has made my 2011 memorable this post will never end but the people that mean everything to me know themselves already.

2012 will be phenomenal.

Love and light xx

The Naked Convos

2011-12-29T22:56:00.000Z

So, according to their site thenakedconvos.com, The Naked Convos ("TNC') is an interactive forum designed to create safe spaces where young men and women can engage in open and honest conversations particularly about love, sex and relationships.

I'd been reading the entertaining and mostly risque contributions to the TNC site for a while now but I never knew they actually had events were these topics were discussed until one slow gist day on twitter when pictures from TNC2 were posted on a blog, we all know how that turned out. I won't go into it because it was an unnecessary cyber attack on innocent people by anonymous idiots, however it heightened my already developed interest in The Naked Convos. Therefore when they asked me to be a panelist at the December TNC (TNC3), I was hella excited.

I'll tell you this, NOTHING prepared me for how open and candid a lot of people were. We had a married man openly state that he cheats on his wife regularly and for him its a norm, people admit to being bisexual..."admit" even connotes that there was some personal struggle behind the revelation, let me re-phrase. At some point during the event, before you spoke you had to say the number of conjugal partners you'd had (yes you read right) and a girl said and I paraphrase "does this include the girls I've slept with or do I count only the guys", or something to that effect. Needless to say I spent the entire evening picking my jaw off the floor.

But I am getting ahead of myself, let me give this tori sequentially, starting from le outfit of course.....

Decided to break out another VL for the occasion and took a few pictures before I left home

Virgos Lounge Amber top
Topshop supersoft Leigh jeans in Pewter
Tory Burch flats
ASOS portfolio clutch

Had on red lippy at first but later switched to nude, I tell you when the TNC2 pictures came out, it was a bloodbath, trust. I did not need my bright red Ruby Woo lips offending anyone to the point that they become trigger happy in the comments section.

Nwabugo and Bisola came through to cheer me on and help me hold back my hair in case I needed to throw up. I'm terribly shy and when I'm nervous (which I was throughout the event) I become terribly nauseous. Projectile vomit is a very distinct possibility.

Nwabugo

Bisola

So TNC3 was at Jade Palace in VI and the place was packed, at some point it became standing room only, people were literally hanging from the rafters. I was totally confused because I thought it was a tame literary event, like what was with the rock concert crowd...I was to find out pretty soon.

It was hosted by Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi (@Mz411) and Tula (@thetoolsman)

Gbemi's gravity defying shoes were the absolute business. As you all know by now, my picture taking skills are wonky at best so I couldn't get a clear shot of her shoes but I filched one off The Naked Convos facebook page. I figure if I credit it and all I'm good. The picture was taken by @DemiladeR.

I can't walk in heels to save my life, how she manouvered her feet that day was a huge mystery to me.

WOOOSSHHH!!! LOVE!!!!

Tula

My fellow panelists were @lumidizzle, @HayesLikeIsaac and @Afrikim.

My first inkling that TNC might not be as PG as I believed was when I saw the topics we were supposed to be talking about; cheating and sexual numbers, I still thought people might be a bit reserved but I was way off base, opinions were flying like missiles, cuss words were being served like tom-tom. The best way I can explain it is that it was like live twitter, I could totally see what people were saying condensed into 140 characters. People were definitely not shy.

Stil, frank conversations were not enough, the first entertainment of the day was a striptease/lapdance show.

I'm not kidding.

We weren't allowed to take pictures of it so I'll try to paint the picture as best I can. A girl and guy were picked form the audience and told to sit down, with Kelly Rowland's 'Motivation' blasting from the speakers, a scantily clad girl and guy came out from some back room. Babe was in a bra and booty shorts, my guy was wearing a full Santa beard and jacket. Obviously the Santa gear was intended to camouflage the guy's appearance so I wondered why the girl wasn't extended the same courtesy. Maybe she didn't want it but I thought it was hella weird.

Them people now commenced their grinding, crotches were thrust in faces, bodies were manhandled, the poor girl that was supposed to be receiving her lapdance kept trying to remove her face from the the stripper guy's straining appendage which was practically touching her nose. The guy removed his Santa jacket so he was now wearing some flimsy tighty whities a la Tom Cruise in Risky Business. I nearly bust a gut laughing.

The chick stripper refused to be upstaged, right there, before all our stunned eyes, she took of her shorts which were barely any covering in the first place to reveal even tinier lace briefs, nothing....and i repeat nothing was left to the imagination, she might as well have been naked. Lets just say I nearly lost my voice from screaming.

The next "entertainment" was the Chef Fregz challenge were 4 girls had to eat a banana covered in whipped cream with their hand handcuffed behind them, so they could use only their mouths. I swear to you, they had barely finished counting to 3 when my darling Taiwo (@TKamz); I have no idea how she did it; lifted the banana somehow with her tongue and deep-throated that mutha, in like 6 seconds flat her plate was empty.

A well deserved win I tell you, Linda Lovelace in her prime could not have done any better.

Taiwo

The challenge for the guys was even funnier, they had to inflate blow-up dolls while blindfolded. I tell you these things seperate the boys from the men, or in Taiwo's case above, the girls from the women. The guy that won the blow-up doll challenge calmly found the nozzle and proceeded to bring his doll to life while the others were still fidgeting and running their hands over their dolls in a very suspect manner.

This photo cracks me up.....

Had no idea who the guy was that day but today I found out it was @CapoeiraPanda (sp?).

Impressive job, very impressive job.

All in all it was a very fun night and it sucks that I won't be around for the next one. Nigerians are revving up their sexual revolution train like its Haight-Ashbury in the 60's, it was seriously no-holds barred. Or maybe I'm just such a prude that little things shock me, I'm sure some people weren't fazed by any of the conversations at all.

The people behind TNC definitely know how to put on a show and a half, top marks all round.

After TNC I attended the Koko Concert....I won't say anything more because I think I've vented enough on twitter but it was crap. Utter, mindless, disorganized crap in a latrine.

Never again.

Love and light xx

Chefs in the Park

2011-12-27T00:13:00.001Z

As the name connotes there were chefs in a park and the people gathered so they may be fed. Lol

Chefs in the Park was an event that took place in Lekki on Boxing day. Basically two chefs, Chef Eros and Chef Fregz had a cook-off and people came by to sample their wares. Delicious food, great music, fantastic turnout, beautiful people, jet ski-ing.......all in all, a hella fun day.

Hot AF but fun regardless.

I look busted AF here, forgive my faintly disheveled air, it had been a long ass day and car trouble + the unforgiving sun combined to strip me of any attractiveness I set out with in the morning.

Bisola, Chinye

Taiwo

Annette, Robert

Jibby

Beazy, Bisola Lumi

Obi

Uche

Nwabugo, Charles

Charles, Nneka

Nwabugo

Oby, Nomnso

Ponmile

Nwabugo, Bisola

Nneka, Agu

Good times.

Love and light xx

Merry Keresimesi

2011-12-25T15:02:00.002Z

Having Christmas lunch now surrounded by family and loved ones, wanted to take out a few minutes to say Merry Christmas to the fantastic readers of this blog. Thank you guys for bothering to even click on the myriad links I put up on every social network available, for telling people who told other people who told other people about TWP. For thinking I'm even the littlest bit entertaining to keep you coming back.

Wore this to church today and my sister took this photo literally as I walked in the door, my wack version of a semi candid photo.

The abaya I'm wearing is from the same random store in Dubai I got the pink one I had on in the Gidi Girl post. Stores that sell these abaya's are littered everywhere, the markets in Deira, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Mall....you can get them anywhere. On an average they cost about 350-400DHS

Merry Christmas and God's blessings to you and yours.

Love and light xx

God's grace on the souls that were lost in the bombings today, may the evildoers be brought to justice and may the Lord give their families the fortitude to bear the loss.

I Love Weddings

2011-12-24T22:36:00.001Z

That's actually not true........I hate weddings, but my mother said I should stop saying that or else no-one will attend my wedding and I won't have anyone to scope my badass Elie Saab/Naem Khan/Marchesa dress.

So yeah, I uhm....love weddings.

Aqua by Aqua Fleetwood Maxi dress
Topshop orb purse

The one in particular I attended on Christmas Eve was pretty fun though. My friend and former classmate from QC, Mayowa, jumped the broom and I willingly crossed toll gates to celebrate with her.

Lanre & Mayowa Abiodun

Attended with my fellow wedding ambulance chasers; Bisola, Stella, Nwabugo and Nneka...fun times.

*sidebar* A while ago I stoped labeling pictures of my friends with their names on TWP, but a disgruntled male reader who had apparently being using my blog as some kind of Girls Directory pleaded that I please put names to faces so stalking may commence effectively, had to oblige him.

Bisola

Stella

Nwabugo

Toni

Nneka

Moradeke

After fighting through marauding hordes of traffic I got home and got a little snap happy with my new official TWP photographer; Ebuka. As you can see, my magic bra made the trip across the Atlantic with me.

According to my brother I look like the Queen of the Coast in the above picture. Whether he has popped eyes with the actual Queen of the Coast thereby making him an authority on her likeness is irrelevant. He said I look like her, end of story.

It doesn't show up too well in the other photos but I was wearing this gorge scarab earrings and ring from Topshop. My love for bestial jeweller roars on....

See what I did there.

Love and light xx

A Hard Day's Night

2011-12-24T21:59:00.002Z

Haven't devoted a lot of time to blogging this week, between traffic, driving license runs, hanging out, doing drinks and generally being a nuisance I've been having way too much fun to do anything TWP related.

Friday however was a doozy.

Started off with going to my mum's office, which I have very fond memories of. There's no way I can go in there without leaving far richer than when I woke up that morning. The battalion of my mum's colleagues who literally mow themselves down in a bid to top up my wallet keep me coming back every time.

So that Friday, finances were looking a little low so I decided to pay NPA a visit, luckily respite arrived pretty quickly and my day was sorted. Did a little impromptu photo session in the hella busted NPA car park. Pictures taken by my resident pest, Ebuka (he insisted on the photo credit).

Seeing as you could spot all my unmentionables from space if you wanted, had to wear a blazer to go into the office so my mum's colleagues won't start gossipping about her 'tramp' of a daughter.

Zara blazer
ASOS backless sheer top
Topshop jeans in Forest
Topshop eyelash slippers
Mulberry Daria hobo
Valentino wing-tipped sunnies

Yup, I was definitely feeling the girl here....

Done with all the uncomfortable posing, I went to Ikoyi Club, then Rhythm Unplugged later that night. I got to Unplugged really late and by the time I got there it was a total mess, crowded, no seats, total waste of time and money. Plus some random performers had the stage until about midnight and the proper artistes weren't supposed to come out till way later so I gave it a pass and headed to Reeds for dinner and drinks with Himself and his posse.

From there I headed to the Sahara Group Fundraising event at Eko Hotel which was an absolute BLAST. Went with my friends Ediri, Bisola, Amaka and Molly.

Ediri, Bisola

Flavour and Dibanj performed and there were comedians and stuff but the highlight of the night was definitely T-Pain.

I never thought T-Pain was a great performer, all his auto-tune runs completely put me off him, but dude can SING. Like he sounds really great live, he gave us a concert and a half that night. Had everybody snapping their fingers and ish.

Two snaps and a twirl to the Sahara Group, they really know how to throw a party.

From there we went on to Likwid which seems to be the current spot du jour in Lagos for Christmas 2011, everybody and their mama plus a few other relatives have set up camp there from December 1st to the weekend after New Year's. The place was packed to the rafters, good fun still though.

Amaka

Ediri, Molly.

Left Likwid at about 4ish and headed to Hush, which I'd heard of but never seen. Its inside the NNPC building which is quite strange. Why would a nightclub be situated inside a building owned by the national oil company of Nigeria. Curiouser and curiouser. Apparently there's also a restaurant there too, wonder how the employees get any work done.

Stumbled home as the sun was rising.

What a night......what a night...

Love and light xx

Sunday Bloody Sunday

2011-12-20T20:57:00.000Z

Sunday was packed.com

I had two beach parties, a wedding introduction, the L'espace private viewing and Rhythm Unplugged. However, seeing as I'm not omnipotent, I had to trim my day waaayyy down. The beach parties were definitely out because they involved taking a speedboat really early in the morning and I'd have had to miss Mass, but I managed to divide my time pretty well and I made the other events.

First off was my friend of a friend Esosa's wedding introduction which I headed to straight from church. I haven't driven in about a year and coupled with the fact that I didn't have a license, my driving was stop and quench at first but by the time I hit my very own Route 54 aka Third Mainland Bridge, I'd got my speed demon mojo back and was giving them 120 like nothing shele.

Esosa looked gorge! What is it with brides always looking so beautiful on their intro/trad/white wedding day? Maybe its just the attention that's focused on them that heightens their luminousity, but someone really needs to look into this phenomenon. @TheBlackHermit should investigate.

Esosa

Came straight from church as I didn't have any time to go ome and change into something more "into appropriate" (whatever that is), I figure my rust ASOS Ponti dress managed to pull its weight.

Chika, Nwabugo,Onyeka

Peep my drop bracelet from my Christmas Wishlist, loveage!

From there I headed to the Island for the L'espace private viewing. L'espace is the brainchild of Isoken Ogiemwonyi and Wonuola Odunsi who also run Le Petit Marche. Its a first of its kind concept store in Nigeria stocking about 35 different brands spanning fashion, beauty and lifestyle services. They carry so many awesome Nigerian brands like Ejiro Amos Tafiri, Rouge Valleri, Eclectic By Sasha, Akpos Okudu, Tote, Motara Thomas, MUD Make-up etc.

It was a really fun evening; beautiful people, beautiful space, delish hors d'oeuvre and cocktails; an all round awesome night.

Guests were not allowed to take pictures of the merchandise and I had to verify that I could take pictures of guests before I did so.

Decided to 'launch' my Virgos Lounge Aggy jacket, banging.com. I got sooo many compliments on it and I'm sure a few new Virgos Lounge converts.

Virgos Lounge Aggy blazer
Topshop matte leather look leggings
Topshop studded velvet smoking slippers
Louis Vuitton Brea MM

I was really excited to run into Onyinye Fafi Obi of the blog Fashion Phoenix and Nneka Ezeaka of Neks2U. Nneka I already know and am friends with but I'd never met Onyinye before even though I'm an avid reader of her blog. Was super stoked to see them.

Nneka, Onyinye

Spent most of the night with my friend Chizoba who I nearly had to hustle out of the store by the end of the night, her chequebook was on fire, signing cheques left and right. She was one of my Virgos Lounge converts.

Chizoba

The label that really surprised me was 'Eclectic By Sasha', I'd never seen it in the flesh and I'd never really thought much of it, but Chizoba bought a few pieces and on her they were absolutely stunning. I took back ever derogatory remark I'd ever passed about them, I was very pleasantly surprised. There's an ankara beach cover-up I have my eye on. Its an ankara print, but the material is soft like....I don't know anything about textiles and stuff so I don't know what its called but its def not regular cotton. Its stretchy like lycra but still in an ankara print. Absolutely beautiful.

Sasha, Chizoba

Also ran into Ejiro Amos Tafiri and Akpos Okudu. My love for Ejiro has been expressed on here several time and an EAT dress was my very first Nigerian label purchase, the girl is fire and an ex QC girl to boot. I met Akpos there for the first time and surprise surprise, she's a TWP fan, I was super excited by that. Her clothes are to die for.

Ejiro, Akpos

From there I headed to Eko Hotel for Rhythm Unplugged, the comedy show. They usually combine comedy and music but in a stroke of financial genius, this year they decided to split the shows into 2. The comedy show on the 18th and the music show on the 23rd, I'm a die-hard Rhythm Unplugged fan so I loyally bought tickets for both shows.

I attended with my girls Nneka and Nwabugo.

Nneka, Nwabugo

Ran into my friend Stella, uber make-up artist and blogger of Stella's Addiction. You might also remember her from my Paris posts, she was a fantastic hostess during my time there.

Stella

Despite the financial incentive of splitting both shows into 2 I don't think it was such a good idea because the constant comedy got a bit tedious after a while, I'm sure the producers noticed it because they inserted a few musical performances to liven things up. My favourite, hands down musical performance of the night was by Dru Hill.

Yes Dru Hill.

It was a total shock when they came out, the crowd went APE SHIT.

I screamed like I was still the teenager who was in love with Nokio, I lost my voice that night from screaming. Trust when Thong Song came on, it took an enormous amount of self control not to fling my pata on stage, I was yelling and singing along like an 80s Michael Jackson fan.

Tres blurry, but yeah that's Sisquo in the middle

It took a while to get off that high, best part of my night I tell you.

The host said at the music show on the 23rd there was going to be another surprise. I don't know who else they could possibly bring but my heart can't take another shock like the Dru Hill one, its completely irrelevant to stress now that I'm a huge Dru Hill fan.

Looking forward to the rest of the week and weekend.

#ILoveLagos

Love and light xx

Gidi Girl

2011-12-19T23:23:00.001Z

Reporting live from Lagos!!

Been back for 3 days now and its been a BLAST. Honestly you'd think I'd been away for 10 years instead of a year judging by my level of excitement at being in Lagos.

I kicked off my wakajugbeness by attending a Christmas party for my old firm ACAS, the day after I got in, forgot my camera so couldn't take any pictures but I had a blast as I always do with my former colleagues. Awesome people.

The next day, Saturday I attended my friend Equi's traditional wedding. It was just like a massive reunion, we're family friends and have known each other practically since we were born, lived in the same area, attended the same church and when I was little we were all part of this huge clique comprised of the children of our mum's friends. We did everything together. Now we're all old and shit, and everybody's doing their own thing so I haven't seen a lot of them since then but loads were at the wedding, couldn't get pictures of everyone but I had a great time.

Seeing as I got into Lagos barely 2 days before the wedding, I couldn't find a tailor to fix up my aso-ebi so I wore this blindingly pink abaya I got at some random store in Dubai.

I was a bit heavy handed with the smokey eye, especially for daytime but I forgot my Mac shadows and had to make do with some strange teenage brand my 14 year old sister plays around with. Needless to say I won't be trying that again.

I attended it with Mrs. U, her equally formidable sister Mrs. N and my friends Onyeka and Chika who were spending the weekend at mine.

Onyeka, Chika

Equi looked soooo beautiful, this picture didn't even do her justice, the child was a vision.

My boo Gina was there with her baby who I hadn't seen yet, she had on the cutest ankara dress. My baby hunger has been simmering under the surface for a while now but the minute I saw her it flared right back up.

Damn I want a a baby.

My legion of family friends were running riot, it brought back so many memories. All the parties we had, the overlapping crushes everybody had with everyone else, the fights, the setting p in church after Mass (St. Leo's church was the ultimate hook-up joint when I was young).......

*sigh* Nolstagia is a female dog

I thank God my mother was such a social butterfly because her circle gave me friends for life.

Jibby and Isoken

Nnamdi, Chuchu, Uche

They're so tall, love it!

Good times....

Love and light xx

Black & Gold

2011-12-11T16:32:00.001Z

So I attended the Afro-Caribbean society at my Uni's Christmas do on Friday. Alright party, at least it got me out of my house. Weird how I didn't know we even had an African society in my Uni till recently. I'm not big on school extra curricular activities, I never join any societies, groups, whatever. The closest I came to that was when I was at Grange Primary and tried to join the Brownies because I heard they might be going abroad for an excursion, they obviously saw through my deception and turned me down. Then in QC I joined the Interact Club, only because boys came to their meetings and they had the coolest socials. I was such an active "Interactor" that by SS3 I was one of the officials.

Good times.

Backless sheer shirt - ASOS
Sequin pencil skirt - ASOS
Purple suede pumps - Aldo
Orb purse with tassels - Topshop

Hellloooo heinie!

I've begun the habit of taking Instagram pictures before I set out on a night of debauchery. Can't believe I once thought it was overrated, its like visual twitter.

Ooooh its not too clear here but I got metallic snakeskin Minx on my fingers, its the coolest and I got the gold fishnet Minx on my toes.

Ace!

The dvd of my sisters' Live At Roseland show arrived a few days ago, haven't watched it yet, I'm saving it for Christmas Eve.

Me, a mug of Horlicks and Nda Beyonce.

Oh yeah, I've got one Christmas present off my list so far...thank you you beautiful person. 1 down, 4 to go.

Love and light xx

One Young World, Nigeria Novelty Match

2011-12-11T16:17:00.001Z

ONE YOUNG WORLD, NIGERIA- FOOTIE FOR THE FUTURE NOVELTY MATCH

One Young World Nigeria (OYWON) is a movement that was birthed from the One Young World global youth summit held in London on February 8 to 10, 2010. The summit, conceived in 2009, brought together young people from over 100 countries around the world to engage in discussions with fore-runners from all walks of life such as Kofi Annan, Bob Geldof, Muhammad Yunus, and Desmond Tutu etc on issues confronted by present and future generations. As an outcome, a consciousness was raised amongst delegates that attended the summit to play active roles in addressing pressing issues faced globally and within their respective countries.

According to a statement issued by the group’s coordinator, Kaidi Eddie-Obiakor, OYWON is a joint initiative of the Nigerian delegates that attended the summit and other young, intelligent and forward thinking individuals passionate about social justice and development. It is a platform that seeks to promote change through projects that integrate principles of creativity, resourcefulness, measurable impact and sustainability at its core.

He said “the group seeks to create an avenue where everyone - young and old - can be involved in the process of positive change for Nigeria by sharing ideas of projects that are targeted towards improving lives and livelihood. These ideas are built upon and dissected into simple, practical and actionable activities that are easy to carry out in collaboration with OYWON volunteers, organizations with common goals and the general public”. OYWON seeks to engender and promote the culture of “less talk, more action”. “We all know the issues so let us join efforts to confront and overcome; even if one step at a time”, he said.

In line with its focus and Supported by the Development Information Centre (DIC) One Young World Nigeria is promoting its current project “Adopt a Library” through a novelty match. The aim of this project is to facilitate refurbishment and creation of libraries in public secondary schools. This is informed by the recognition of the malaise in the Nigerian education system. By liaising with the general public, volunteers and alliance partners, One Young World Nigeria seeks to organise collection of reference books, textbooks, storybooks and all forms of literary works to be donated for use in these school libraries. The novelty match aims to raise awareness for the Adopt a Library project in Ilado high school, Ikoyi, Lagos as well as fundraise for the project. It will be held on the 17^th of December 2011 at Astroturf, Ikoyi, Lagos, 10:00 am.

To get involved in current and future OYWON projects, share your ideas or find out more, you can contact us via oyw.nigeria@gmail.com, www.oneyoungworldnigeria.com, on twitter @OYWON or through the following numbers: +234 80 3186 1692, +234 80 6007 8028, +23480 5600 4586

My Christmas Wishlist

2011-12-08T00:10:00.001Z

Hello beautiful people, its the big dreamer again. Due to the overwhelming success of my birthday wishlist (minus my Chanel ela), I've decided I better ride that wave of success and see what God can bless me with for Christmas.

This list is a tad more modest than my last one, well apart from #1, the rest are bupkes for you guys, I know this.

So without further ado, I present to you (oooh that rhymed)

1) SINGAPORE

I've always wanted to visit the Far East; China, Thailand, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, the Phillipine's....any of them will do. Someone should just please, for the love of God get me there.

If that is too tall an order, this next destination is a little closer to home,

HAWAII

Lumahai Beach, North Shore, Kauai on the left and Waikiki Beach, Southern Shore, Oahu on the right...again I repeat...anyone will do. Danke.

2) MULBERRY BAYSWATER IN METALLIC HEDGEHOG BRONZE

Please pretty please with sugar on top. You can buy it HERE

3) LINDA FARROW FOR ALEXANDER MCQUEEN GOLD TIPPED CAT-EYE SUNGLASSES

The awesomeness that is these pair of glasses right here....I can't even speak. I want! I wantI I want!

Get it HERE

3) VIRGOS LOUNGE POPPY SKIRT

Due to unforeseen difficulties *cough* poverty *cough*, I couldn't get all the VL stuff I wanted, precisely this Poppy skirt. S/M, merci! Get it HERE

4) VERSACE FOR H&M MENS BELT

If you follow me on twitter you'd have witnessed my immense irritation when the H&M site kept crashing the day of the Versace launch. Not like I wanted much, I thought all the clothes sans the leather dress were awful only a few accesories caught my eye; this men's belt above, the Versace insignia choker and bracelet and the lion's head choker. Sadly I couldn't get them because the damn site didn't want me to be great. Surprise surprise, while I was writing this here post, I had to go to hm.com to get a picture of this belt and I idly checked to see if they had re-stocked and SCORE!!!! The choker was back in stock! Right now, I barely have 2 pennies to rub together but I had to get it, just had to. Nothing short of a miracle I tell you. You can find it HERE or at any sensible H&M store because I doubt its still available online.

5) ASOS CHAIN DROP CUFF

Verrryyyy affordable, thanks in advance! Get it HERE

See what I said about this list being more sensible than my birthday list, Jehovah Jireh is in control, I foresee success. Sending this list to the necessary parties...Ikenga U. and Lolo U, you know I mean you guys, just stand by.

I decided to do the bulk of the work this time and provide links, so the people that love me won't be stressed trying to find where to get these items. For the destinations...well, you know what to do.

Confession is possession.

Love and light xx

Gleek

2011-12-07T19:01:00.001Z

So I don't know if I've said this on here before, but I'm a massive Glee fan, HUGE. Yeah it can be corny, sometimes schmaltzy but it never fails to make me smile...not once. No matter how depressed I am, I watch one episode of Glee and I'm singing along, smiling like an idiot, it totally defines the phrase "feel-good".

So what inspired this sudden ode to Glee? Last night's episode.

This season has been very....I'm not really sure how to describe it, but its been a season of extreme highs and lows, unlike previous seasons where every episode was amazing, this season has had some very meh moments and some very standout ones. Favourite episodes this year, the 'First Time' episode, where Rachel, Finn, Kurt and Blaine all did the dirty for the first time, not all together though; another standout episode was when the Troubletones did the Adele Mash-up and Finn outed Santana and the BEST. EPISODE. EVER.......last night's.

I don't know what it was about it exactly but I bawled from start to finish, the Michael Jackson tributes were amazing, Mike Chang and his fathers reconciliation, Rachel taking a backseat for once, the Troubletones and the New Directions coming together again, I was intensely happy throughout....and I'm a lifelong pessimist, it takes a lot to make me happy.

Anyway last night's Glee introduced me to my new favourite song and I want everybody to hear it and love it with me too. I've already downloaded it and its looking to be the soundtrack of my life for the next few weeks or so. I usually wear songs out, Hearts 'Alone' and Christina Perri's 'Jar of Hearts' recently received the Daks treatment, these songs practically skip on my iPad now. I've worn them out.

The song is called 'We Are Young' by Fun; if you look on youtube there's an acoustic version featuring Janelle "I Might Die If I Ever Wear Anything Besides Black & White" Monae.

There's no video for it yet on Glee's Vevo page but once they put it up, I'll post it here. Beautiful song, absolutely beautiful. Makes me want to be 17 again.

Just to throw it in, here's Glee's Adele mash-up by the Troubletones, another home run.

#ProudGleek

Love and light xx

UPDATE!!!

I managed to find a video of the performance of We Are Young on perezhilton.com.

Enjoy

MILK Bar & Shisha Lounge

2011-12-07T17:24:00.001Z

The MILK Fashion Bar and Lounge is a fashion- inspired concept bar and shisha lounge opening in Lagos this December.

With an emphasis on privacy and restrained sexy, we aim to introduce a new way to party at night AND relax during the day. Our MILK Model hosted theme nights are set to become the by-word for fashionistas in the know. If you can't get to the scheduled events, come join us on other nights where the popular watering hole will be a mash-up of celebrities and fashion industry heavyweights.

MILK mixes a dark, almost sinister vibe, with the mystery and sensuality of the Middle East and North Africa. Think sumptuous, oversized floor pillows, dark leather seats, burnished gold lamps and backlit alcoves.

A sexy shisha lounge by day and a fashionable bar at night, MILK offers an extensive drinks menu featuring an impressive list of Champagnes and the opportunity to experience our specially formulated cocktail list , signature blends and some spectacular shisha.

The Shisha Lounge at MILK Bar brings you a quintessentially Middle Eastern tradition with modern flair.

Indulge in a wide variety of shisha flavours, enjoy our specialty mixes and novel preparation techniques.

The Milk and Honey shisha mix and the Vodkatini are absolutely gorgeous … just to name a few of the delights we have in store.

From connoisseurs to shisha virgins, we look forward to welcoming you all at these times.

The event this week is being hosted by German/Nigerian model Nalu Jennifer Rittner; a Canadian based model of German, Nigerian and Brazilian heritage. She is born to a German father and Nigerian/Brazilian mother. Nalu’s first job as a model was a photo shoot and spread for Elan magazine. Since then, She has worked for top Nigerian designers and She is currently featured on the Chris Aire Red Gold Campaign. Nalu is also a 1^st year law student at the University of Toronto Canada

MONDAY: 4PM-MIDNIGHT
TUESDAY: 4PM-MIDNIGHT
WEDNESDAY:4PM- MIDNIGHT
THURSDAY: 4PM-2AM
FRIDAY:4PM-3AM
SATURDAY:6PM-MIDNIGHT

To get on the Guest list, Please contact MILK Fashion Bar and Shisha Lounge on +2348089833398 and Blackberry Pin 22D6AEFF

Old Friends & Birthdays

2011-12-04T22:27:00.001Z

This past weekend was hella fun, it was my friend Dami's birthday and an old friend of mine from QC; Toun, came into Abz for the day. After I'd spent the whole week in a mad rush to complete my classes and coursework, Friday was the perfect "let off steam" day. Oooh, one thing, my LLM is about 95% over, all my classes and coursework are done and all that's left are exams in January. One year is really not very long, it feels like it was just yesterday I was having my Wardrobe Sale in Lagos.

Time is a female dog yo.

So Friday started awesomely with the early morning delivery of my ASOS lightning bolt earrings and portfolio clutch. Honestly joining ASOS Premier was one of the best decisions I ever made; free next-day delivery for an entire year, wonderful. Second to that was my decision to pay for Megavideo and Videobb, I have not regretted it one bit, no more 60 minute video watching.....another word for unlimited is God-sent.

These earrings.....WOOOSHHHH.....LOVE! Of course they're a total rip-off of Melody Ehsani's but who cares when they are a fraction of the price.

Pink double breasted blazer - Bershka
Leather look tights - Topshop
Silver smoking slippers - Topshop
Portfolio clutch - ASOS

This mahoo-sive clutch is totally giving me life right now, funny but it reminds me of those clear, plastic file thingys they sell in traffic in Lagos. Not in looks of course, but in size. The thing is huge.

Rings - Topshop

So Madam Birthday Girl aka Dami, had us all convene at TGI Fridays which I love. Their Tennessee and Jack Daniel's sauce are so sinful they should be illegal, the ribs, sesame chicken, prawn skewers....kai I like food sha. Only thing I don't like about TGIF are the freakishly happy employees, they act like they're under some sort of perenially happy spell, and its the same at every TGIF you go to anywhere in the world, like they're gassed up on helium. About 2 years ago, I went to a TGIFs in Dubai with my friends Ediri, Erenma and Amaka, for kicks we decided to lie it was my birthday so we could get a free cake. By the time like 27 demented looking employees in bunny ears, clashing cymbals and singing loudly in incoherent voices came to present the cake, me gan I'd gone off it.

Too much happiness is just.....weird.

So as I was saying, we went to TGIF.....

Dami Lola COCO! aka Birthday Girl

My friend from QC, Toun, came along with us and I don't think I'd seen her since graduation in 2001 (hell of a long time I know), but she looked exactly the same. I was talking about it with a few friends how we all look pretty much the same as our teenage selves. I really expected 16 to be very different from 26, but apart from issues like getting jobs or getting married etc, there isn't that much of a difference. The next 10 year mark will be 36 and I expect my issues then to be getting my kids into good schools, juggling family with an awesome career, trying to decide whether to go to the Maldives or Maui over a long weekend.....

You know, trivial stuff like that

Toun!!!

It was like a very very mini QC, Y class reunion because Nike, Yosola, Toun and I were all in the same class from JSS1 to SS3. Yosola was even my seat partner in JSS2, incidentally that year holds the record for the most times in my entire secondary school life that I landed on the names of noisemakers list.

Who's fault? Yosola's of course.

Nike, Yosola, Toun

After lemming tight we decided to show Toun a bit of Aberdeen nightlife and headed over to a Japanese bar called Konichi that happened to be having an African night (what are the odds eh?). Fun night, good music and Toun witnessed first hand the enormous thirst that holds Aberdeen guys in bondage.

Y'all might remember the post I did on clubbing in Aberdeen when I first moved here and how the guy avalanche was like an assembly line. Literally wave after wave of men besieging me. No shame, no fear for little things like propriety, dignity, pride etc; they just toast diligently to quench their awesome thirst. It can go to a girls head a bit but once you realize that all you're experiencing is "fresh meat syndrome", you'll sharply fix up.

That night Toun was fresh meat and as always the Aberdeen mating dance is pure entertainment. Poor girl, she barely took a step without some eager beaver popping up and declaring undying love.

The THIRST!!!

We sha managed to have fun despite the constant interruption.

Good times....

Love and light xx

Toseki Vintage

2011-12-03T12:59:00.001Z

Fabulous, fashionable Nigerians keep upping the style stakes everytime. Vintage fashion is slowly becoming the trend du jour in Nigeria thanks to savvy people who are willing to sift through the muck and find gold for the rest of us to wear. The latest vintage label to berth on our shores is Toseki Vintage.

Toséki Vintage is a label borne by three young ladies Tolu Onabanjo, Oluwaseyi Fadase and Kikelomo Akinyosoye.

For all stylish ladies wishing to add unique and classic pieces to their wardrobe, Toséki Vintage offers you vintage clothing as well as accessories which will not break the bank.

With prices starting from as little as N1000, we provide a wide range of hand picked pieces in good condition, for all kinds of occasions. We deliver to any location within Lagos, for a small fee of N500.

Here's a sneak peek at the treasures they have on offer; I see you Ani!

At Toséki, we believe that fashion and style should be individual, beautiful and fun! You never know what treasure you may find in our chest... Please do a search for ‘Toseki Vintage’ on facebook and like our page. Pictures of our complete collection will be released shortly.

I don't know about you guys, but these clothes are giving me oxygen right now, buy! buy! buy!

For price information and to keep up with the Toseki brand, please check out their blog HERE.

Contact numbers: 08068944930, 07055903026, 08023158109.

Credits:

Make up - Seuny A of BlackDiamonds&Pearls

Photography: Folajimi Alli-Balogun

Editing: Ighosime Oyofo

Models: Ani and Onyebuchi

Styling: Tols for Toséki Vintage

Love and light xx

Sophia Grace Brownlee does 'Moment For Life'

2011-12-02T17:46:00.001Z

......and my obsession chugs on. My Lord this child is amazing, i think she deserves her own tab on my TWP toolbar, I need to archive all her videos.

Totally blown away.

You guys might recognize the pianist, that's Dapo Torimiro aka Dapo Miro, he used to be in the gospel group KUSH with T.Y. Bello, I remember their The Experience album, it was so amazing. Dapo's kind of a big deal now, he's worked with Justin Bieber, Olivia Newton John, Jesse McCartney, Chrissette Michelle, Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Andrea Boticelli, Toni Braxton, Brandy, David Archuleta and Jordin Sparks. He is also signed to Walt Disney Records and has written songs for the Disney movies; Camp Rock 2 and The Princess & The Frog.

Yay for him.

Check out the pint-sized wonder Princess SGB....

I actually think Sophie Grace has grown quite a lot since she burst on the scene, musically I mean. Her hand gestures here are fiyah, and her confidence has always been on point, but here she's just....for lack of a better word....transcendent.

Truly when God decides to bless a person, He does it in spades. This child is BLESSED.

Love and light xxx

Everybody Loves Virgos Lounge

2011-12-01T19:21:00.001Z

Including yours truly of course.

Virgos Lounge is a very special Nigerian label, with the amount of detail and craftsmanship that go into their clothes I would have expected a far higher price tag than the one that's currently placed on it. The beading, the sequins, the finishing....everything is perfection....and more importantly, the average person can afford it.

My obsession was kick started by my friend Molly who ordered a ton of VL while I was staying at hers, I'd of course seen lookbooks and editorials of Virgos Lounge before and thought the clothes were really pretty, but it wasn't till I saw them in the flesh that I was just blown away. I was expecting some ridiculous price, but no, perfectly reasonable, and thus began an absolutely cracking affair.

The Virgos Lounge team consist of Fioye Akinsola, Nike Ajanaku and Oyeyemi Wemi-Akinsola and the fact that they are making this kind of impact at such a young age is nothing short of impressive. There are very few Nigerian brands that I personally (correct me if I'm wrong) have seen on international celebrities or garnering international acclaim. Besides, Deola Sagoe, Jewel By Lisa, Bunmi Koko and Duro Olowu, I can't think of any other ones. Virgos Lounge however happens to be on that list because they are not only popular back in Nigeria but also causing a major stir in both the United Kingdom and the United States.

They've been featured in popular magazines like Look, Ok Magazine, Heat and online publications like FashionBombDaily, Vogue Italia and TheYBF, to name a few

Amelia Lily of the X factor UK and Angela Simmons are Virgos Lounge girls

I started building my VL cache with the beaded Vanessa Dress from the Spring 2011 collection, then I copped the gold ruffle-shouldered dress. Luckily I managed to catch a 24 hour flash sale they had and snatched up the Onyx Dress.

l-r gold, ruffle-shouldered dress; Vanessa dress; Onyx dress

I remember eagerly awaiting the Party Collection, Molly and I stalked the VL site everyday counting down till it was released. As expected, the site was inundated the day the Party Collection launched but luckily I was able to get everything I wanted.

l-r; Amber top; Ruby Maxi; Aggy blazer

After much gnashing of teeth and renting of clothes, my VL loot arrived today!

My new best friends, hey Ruby, hey Aggy, hey Amber......

The Aggy blazer especially is sick, every inch of it is covered in the most intricate beading, practically encrusted with the stuff. There's definitely no hiding your light under a bushel with the Virgos Lounge Party Collection.

I'm mentally girding my loins for the launch of next season's collection.

Officially a Virgos Lounge girl!

Love and light xx

photo credits: virgos lounge facebook page; virgoslounge.com; fgb2h.wordpress.com