March Newsletter

Women’s History Month

The title “Women’s History Month” implies that we should educate ourself about women that made remarkable impacts to life as we know it. While global and national history are important I think recognizing family history can be equally important.

In my family the first women to study photography abroad was my sister NikkRich. Since her graduation, she worked on passion projects as well as industry projects. Early in her career she curated her first show Counterpoint in DC, as a compliment to the release of her first book.

Last year NikkRich shot a campaign for Shea Moisture, which featured Miss Tina Knowles (Beyonce’s mother) and Neal Farniah (stylist to the stars).

Tina Knowles

Neal Farniah

On Nikky’s last visit home we had the opportunity visit the National Gallery of Art and see two installations. The first, The New Women Behind the Camera installation displaying work from a compilation of female photographers over an extended period of time. The second, a preview of James Van Der Zee’s “A Portait of Harlem” featuring photos of the late Marcus Garvey.

WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES

Hair Therapy member Kay has her own company selling natural bracelets KayJewelMe. Kay donated 4 bracelets to the participants of RAE2022. Her natural bracelets have been worn by Malik Dope, Victorious Hall and Sean Boyce.

Natural bracelets have become popularized in recent years as the conversation about self-care and mental health get louder. Natural stones are thought to bring, peace, protection, focus and fertility amongst other things to those who wear it.

I have ordered a few for myself, and Prince Issa, Kay’s bracelets have become one of my favorite gifts to give.

Queen’s Vegan Cafe

Meet Queen the owner of Queen’s Vegan Cafe in Salem, Virginia. I found her browsing on Happy Cow for best vegan food in Salem. I was devastated to see she was closed on Sunday’s so I gave her a call. To my surprise she was holding a pop-up this past Sunday and I was able to get my hands on her food.

I noticed Queen had on multiple natural bracelets in her website photos so I brought her a KayJewelMe bracelet to encourage her to stay focused during her entrepreneurship journey. The bracelet was presented by Prince Issa and she loved it.

Mushroom Swiss Burger

The burger was Issa’s favorite of the two entrees. He liked the seasoning of patties and the sauces. He said the sauce was pretty good.

Birillia Taco’s

I liked the taco’s more than burger. I have made tacos at home but they never tasted like this. I must admit I didn't eat it the right way, I did not dip my taco in the sauce and I did not add salsa to it but I still loved it.

My favorite new snack!!!!!!!!!!! Oreo Bars are so yummy I have requested for some to be shipped to me.

THANKS FOR READING :)

February Newsletter

A NIGHT TO BE REMEBERED: RAE2022

"Rappers and Entrepreneurs" RAE was a private documentary screening event that showcased male African American community leaders, entrepreneurs and musicians from the D.C. metropolitan area. 

The event featured a short documentary on the issues faced by the participants and revealed which strategies they used to overcome personal and professional obstacles. The purpose of the event is to empower both the storyteller and the audience.

Unfortunately, Chef Rob recently passed away and the film was dedicated to him.

Participants: Victorious Hall, Malik Dope, Sean Boyce Johnson, Chef Rob

For more pictures please visit the RAE webpage.

Prince Issa: On a mission to be self-sustained

This year Issa began selling cookies during the Valentine’s season to support his music lessons. Issa celebrated his 3rd year guitar anniversary on 11/15/21. On a mission to be self-sustained his initial goal was to sell $140 a month. The monthly cost of lessons. He exceeded that goal last month and continues to wake up early to fulfill orders.

After only 10 days in business Issa received big news. He has been invited to participate in the National Young Scholar Program at Wake Forest University for Summer 2022! This fiscal goal is much more than music lessons. With Wake-Forest in mind he has raised funds through donations and cookie sales. To learn more about how to order cookies or the Wake Forest program click here.

In honor of Black History month Issa and I hosted the, “ Issa and Mommy in Morning Show” a live feed on Facebook and Instagram. The format included a reading followed by a song.

Issa read from Vashti Harrisons, Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History and played a one familiar melody before or after each reading. The highlight of doing the show together was a repost from Tom Higgenson encouraging Issa to keep on playing.

Lastly, Issa participated in a school fundraiser. A penny drive for the Prince William County Pet Shelter. He was able to collect 1,800 pennies otherwise known as $18 for the drive that ended 2/17.

What is a leap year and why is it necessary?

Is it just me or does today feel like the 29th? I found myself saying, “What is the date?” all day. When I started seeing posts that read, “today is my birthday although it really falls on Feb the 29th”, it reminded me that I don’t have that extra day this year.

We may have learned about leap years in elementary school but do we remember all of the rules and exceptions? I headed to timeanddate.com for some clarity.

According to TimeandDate.com

“Leap years in the western calendar were first introduced over 2000 years ago by Roman general Julius Caesar. The Julian calendar, which was named after him, had only one rule: any year evenly divisible by four would be a leap year.

This formula produced too many leap years, causing the Julian calendar to drift apart from the tropical year at a rate of 1 day per 128 years. This was not corrected until the introduction of the Gregorian calendar more than 1500 years later, when a number of days were skipped to realign our calendar with the seasons.”

Thanks for reading !!!

January Newsletter

Prince Issa’s Cookie Shop is Taking Orders

Prince Issa’s Cookies were a hit this summer at his first pop-up selling out in under 30 minutes. Taking orders for pick up 2/4/22, 2/5/22, 2/11/22, 2/12/22, 2/13/22, 2/14/22 text or call 703-389-6098. Issa is raising money for music. He is a third year guitar student.

Celebrating Black Men 2/22/22

I am hosting RAE for the third time. This time we are celebrating on a Tuesday at the Alamo Drafthouse in Woodbridge. Featuring Malik Dope as seen on America’s Got Talent and Sean Boyce from ABC’s, For Life.

Tickets are 20 dollars at this time and must be purchased in advance. To purchases a ticket, donate or become a sponsor click here.

TV NEWS

I am a bit late to the show Euphoria. I watched Season 1 this past summer and recently caught up on this Seasons 2 episodes. This show is absolutely insane.

The main character Rue is ALWAYS on drugs which causes her mother, sister and friends grief as she goes from one bad decision to another. The show is extremely sexually explicit. It tends to favor showing penises. Additionally, one of the main characters is a transsexual.

My favorite part of the series is the journey inside the mind of Kat. There is much to explore in her mind. I enjoyed the mental trip on self-care this week.

ABBOTT ELEMENTARY

Abbott Elementary made my night. I love shows about a dysfunctional work place, such as The Office. It is great seeing “Chris” all grown up and assuming a new role as Gregory. The principle Ava is terrible, she is vein and disconnected from her role as a leader.

My favorite episode thus far is Episode 2: Lightbulb. It highlights the relationship one of the teachers (Janine) has with her boyfriend. He is an aspiring rapper incapable of paying bills and is very immature. The show is generally funny and entertaining.

I am a huge fan of the series Sex In the City so I was obligated to watch And Just Like That. I enjoyed Charlotte more than any other character this time around. Her perfectionist ways are relatable to me.

As for Miranda and Carrie, I felt the script tried too hard for portions of thier story. Specifically for Miranda regarding race and Carrie with age. While I understand there has been ongoing public arguments about a myriad of topics and producers now feel a social responsibility to address them. I don’t like when I can feel the message being pushed on me. It needs to flow. The trifecta of gender, race and age was prevalent in this series. In my opinion they are trying a little too hard. And seriously, what is a show with no Samantha?

Thanks for Reading!!!

December Newsletter

WHAT IS YOUR CELEBRATION STYLE??

Kool and The Gang - Celebration was the theme song for my family and I from November to December. To be completely honest I prefer to spend the holidays in bed and somehow it never happens that way; with the exception of 2020.

This year my aunt celebrated her birthday on Nov 5th and hosted Thanksgiving. The last week of November I threw an intimate surprise party for my sister, who’s birthday falls in early December.

My aunt is known for her beautiful table settings. I am not much of a decorator. I focus on photo booths/photo collecting and food presentation.

AUNT ROXANNE’S BIRTHDAY

Auntie Roxxane

Left Auntie Roxxane, Right Ms. Rose

Aunt Roxanne's Table Setting

THANKSGIVING

MY SISTERS BIRTHDAY

FOOD NEWS

DINER

Remember last month when I wrote that you wouldn’t believe what I made with Tabitha Browns Hello Sunshine seasoning? Here it is, a 17 pound turkey! The feedback was, it was REALLY GOOD.This is how I made it. You can use the same method to make chicken.

1. Defrosted the turkey in the sink

2. Used rubber dish washing gloves up to my elbows

3. Removed package in the turkey cavity

4. Cut the turkey neck off

5. Rinsed the turkey thoroughly inside and out

6. Separated the skin from the turkey but didn’t remove it

7. Stabbed turkey breast, three slits on both sides ( so seasoning and butter can move through)

8. Gathered ingredients, Land o Lakes salted butter, Grace MILD jerk seasoning, Tabitha’s Hello Sunshine seasoning

9. Buttered the entire turkey placing some chunks of butter underneath the skin especially around the legs and breast

10. Lathered the entire turkey in mild jerk seasoning (underneath the skin)

11. Sprinkled sunshine seasoning on the outside of turkey and inside cavity

12. Added frozen vegetables to the cavity more sunshine seasoning, butter and garlic powder

13. Placed entire turkey in a large Reynold’s oven bag, tied a knot on top

14. Cooked at 350 degree’s from 8am to 3pm

15. Tested the internal temperature with a digital thermometer before serving

This gem of a pie crust is a game changer. Better than the crust I tried to make by hand last year and all the other store bought crust I have had in the past. It is sweet but not too sweet. When baked it has a slight crunch and melts in your mouth.

This vegan pie flew off the countertop. The comments, “It taste like regular pie.” Music to my ears. The goal is to make food that others enjoy without an odd aftertaste or texture confusion.

I find the trick to a good pie is no short cuts during the creation process. I bake the potatoes, I don’t boil them. I use organic white and light brown sugar 2 parts light brown to one part white. I always use an electric mixer for smooth texture. I also let the mixture sit and bind at least 45 minutes before placing it into the crust and back into the oven. I did this even back in the day when my pies were not vegan.

Takes forever. Always taste good.

LUNCH

I had to see what all the hoopla was about with Bentgo lunch boxes. My first question was why are they 30 dollars? The first lunchbox that I learned about was during the 2021 back to school layout at Target. It was the Kids Chill lunchbox made to keep food cold for long durations of time. I purchased it as a gift. When I decided to try one out for Issa they were sold out.

I browsed the official Bentgo website, they offer tons of fun designs beyond the basic, solid pink and red I saw in Target. Bj’s sells a few adult ones in lime green and purple online, I haven’t seen them in the store.

After five months of using a classic insulated lunch bag with no dividers, I grew tired of using zip loc bags. It was Kohl’s for the win! They had the Bentgo Fresh lunchbox in a neutral grey color, the sticker price was 26 with a 6 dollar of coupon. I decided not to get him the kid box because the suggested age limit for them is 7. The portions sections seemed too small for Issa’s needs.

Thus far, I have no complaints. It has really made lunch easier.

DESSERT

I am a bit confused by this sign that reads, “Made with No Gluten Containing Ingredients”, then at the bottom of the same sign reads, “Not gluten free due to shared preparation area”. Luckily, I am not gluten intolerant. Perhaps they should consider not sharing the prep area! My friend always says, “Reading is fundamental!”

I tried the chocolate caramel dessert bar. It was too rich to eat in one sitting. I did not dislike it but I also didn’t absolutely love it.

CANDY

Finally got a great picture of the Unreal offerings. An Unreal candy was originally introduced to me as a gift in October, I have already tried two flavors. In December, I tried their version of a Reeses.

The Unreal dark chocolate peanut butter cups taste great. Within the full-size bag, each peanut butter cup is individually wrapped, making it easy to pop in a lunch box or share with friends.

To learn more about this start up created by a teenage boy and his father click here.

How to Upgrade Your Gifting Presentation

Things to consider when gift giving,

1. The size of the objects. Sometimes I take the items with me to make sure they fit and packaging is sturdy enough.

2. Matching the prints of the boxes and bags. I love giving matching gifts to a family even if all the gifts are not for the same person.

3. Over do it - I once wrapped three boxes and placed the wrapped boxes inside a matching gift bag. No one does that. They chose one or the other, sometimes I do both. It also helps with people or kids that like to peak in gift bags. When they peak and see another wrapped box they can not believe it.

4. Purchasing cloth tissue paper. Cloth tissue paper builds excitement when opening the gift and feels noticeably different than regular tissue paper.

5. Ask a child's opinion - Kids don’t lie and have a great artistic eye. Their feedback can be useful.

6. Skip cheap cards for very special occasions - Milestones and 45 year anniversaries deserve signature cards, cough up the extra 6 dollars its worth it.

7. Shop the signature section - Hallmark signature cards and wrapping paper are chic. The selections tend to have blacks, golds, plain white, pearl and unique patterns. The cards have texture, 3D features or wood on them.

8. Collect eye catching bags when the shelves are stocked - Stores such as Target roll straight into the next calendar holiday marketing set up the day after a holiday has past. Shopping the first day items are displayed will give you the most options. I saw the Valentine's Day boxes out on Jan 1st. By February the section will be depleted with slim pickings.

9. Shop for birthdays in advance - Currently I have about three cards for birthdays that are over six months away. When the pressure is low it is easier to think straight. I also like matching cards to gifts. For example shoe cards, for shoe gifts.

10. Ask Hallmark for a box - I couldn’t find a bag or box big enough for a gift I purchased. I decided to ask the Hallmark manager would she be so kind and provide a box. She gave me a beautiful large white box. Better than anything I have seen in the stores.

11. Wrap heavy items on hard surfaces - My room is cozy and it is tempting to wrap gifts on my carpet but sometimes the weight of the gift punctures the paper on the corners. This doesn’t happen when I wrap gift on a hard surface.

THANK YOU FOR READING :)

November Newsletter

Food News

The following items have made the very good list:

Trader Joe’s, Very Green juice taste good. I have hard time with most juices because I do not like the taste of ginger or celery. I lean towards green drinks mixed with pineapple juice.

MUSH : Vanilla Bean is the first flavor I tried but the flavor I fell in love with was chocolate followed by strawberry. Everytime I go the store the flavor options expand.

AUNTIE TABS SEASONING: The originator of very good Monday’s has made some amazing seasoning. The result of her collaboration with McCormick is a blend named “Hello Sunshine” that usually sells out within 30 mins. Wait until I show you what I made with it in December’s Newsletter.

Spizzy’s is carryout in Maryland just over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. I have been at home trying to recreate and duplicate this waffle ever since my visit to Spizzy’s. The lentil patties are AMAZING.

Waffles

Upper Marlboro Shake

Lentil Patty

Fare Well is owned by the same people who own Sticky Fingers. This means some of the desserts and my favorite “Challah bread” is available at both locations.

This was almond croissant was so big it was split amongst three people.

Almond Croissant

The smores waffle indulgent my son could only eat half. The waffle reheated well. It is more of a mega dessert verses a breakfast. It would not recommended it for lunch.

S’mores Waffle

OMG the winner of the food haul, these wings with Mambo sauce. THE FLAVOR. One of a kind.

Southern Fried Wings w/Mambo Sauce

Prior to discovering CHOA my son used to eat Amy’s Mac and cheese this is his new favorite. I also purchased the cheese slices. Placing some pieces in a black bean quesadilla really adds a nice touch.

Servino: Whole Food’s is where I found this vegan heat up macaroni. I added black garlic and sautéd mushrooms to it. I like that I has a bit of a crunch to it.

Vegan Mac and Cheese with black garlic and sautéed mushroom and Black Bean Quesadilla

Gardein can go ahead and cancel all the other flavors they have on the shelf. The size the flavor and the crisp of the Chipotle Lime fingers make it by far the best. Pairs well with Annie’s Spicy BBQ sauce.

Silver Hill’s plain bagels are so good. The texture when you toast it reminds me of NY bagels. I also tired the everything bagel. In the end I decided the plain bagel with everything cream cheese is the BEST combination.

Kite Hill is really showing off. The cream cheese is good, the ravioli especially the spinach is good, and the vanilla yogurt from this line is delicious.

Ozery Bakery Morning Rounds, Muesli. These muesli rounds are incredible they have tons of grains and dates in them. Makes the meal feel complete. I get compliments every time I serve them to a guest.

This candy was given to me as a part of a birthday gift. It is the vegan version of Mounds. I liked it so much I have been searching to see what else they carry. I am not sure where this candy was purchased. I was able to find the dark chocolate covered peanuts at the Natural Grocery Store in Woodbridge. Watch out M & M, the Unreal brand is coming for you.

UREAL chocolate covered peanuts

VEGAN GONE WRONG

A path to no energy and hair loss

There is a common misconception that vegans are healthy. Many vegans are first generation and are doing this for the first time. I imagine eating 6 potatoes a day can’t be the same as having oatmeal for breakfast, a stir fry for lunch, pasta and salad for dinner and an avocado for a late night snack. I convinced veganism can go wrong just like any other diet.

Millions of years ago there were dinosaurs, some ate meat and some ate plants, both were huge and functional. Something that I have experienced from some carnivores is a blatant concern and resistance to my lifestyle. Even my own therapist has mentioned several times that she believes some of my intolerance to stress is rooted in my diet. While there may be a connection to her hypothesis the biggest question for me is, “How do I eat better? Because “be like us undertone” can’t be the only solution.

Problem

My vicious cycle is going from eating greens and taking my vitamins for a week. Followed by a week of eating excessive bread, chocolate and missing breakfast. One week I am glowing, energized and positive and the other I’m pimple ridden, angry and tired. Per my therapists advice I turned to nutritionist Dr. Elliot for some guidance. I highly recommend everyone see a nutritionist to see what you can be doing better based on an experts opinion. Following an Instagram influencer, family member or nay sayer can take you away from your personal goals.

Solution

My solutions are customized to my nutrition levels. However, I would like to share what Dr Elliot recommended.

1. Don’t love food because it does not love you back. It is ok to like it a lot

2. Cook some food in and iron pan include - citrus, tomato and vinegar

3. Bad Fat: Mazzola, Canola, Soy (stay away)

4. Smart Fat: Olive, Avocado,Nuts, seeds, Coconut, Red Palm (increase)

5. Cook Pasta 3 min less than instructed, allow to cool for 24 hours, cook with coconut oil

6. Do not eat more than one cup of starch per meal

7. Take Vitamin D with good fats

8. Taking Iwi Vegan Fish Oil will supply needed Omega 3 and increase brain functionality

9. Protein Program: Legumes, Hemp Seeds, Grains specifically Quinoa, Amaranth and Teff

10. Chocolate - The Darkest is best 70-83 cocoa try the Cinderella Brand, buy expensive chocolate it reduces temptation

11. Bread - The best bread to consume are Sourdough, Sprout, Simple Flatbread

12. Skinny Fat (big belly on a slender frame) is caused by insufficient protein, stress/lack of sleep, not working ab muscles (primal movement is best)

    Chasing Balance In Fruit Consumption

The honest truth I eat grapes all the time, bananas very often and my son likes tangerines. It pretty much stops there. While I was in the doctors office I saw this chart

I have made a special point to include the fruits in the chart as well as fruits I haven’t tried before to my diet. I did a live feed on Instagram about my experience trying pomegranate and dragonfruit for the first time.

Candalada’s Banana Berry Smoothie

Thank for Reading :)

Share this blog with friends that you think will enjoy it.

October Newsletter

What are you scared of?

Halloween means many different things to different cultures around the world. Present-day in America, Oct 31st is a day to get dressed up either cute or scary and collect candy. While I do not identify with the holiday I took sometime this week to think about what I am really scared of. My top three fears:

1) Loosing my dad

The pain of loosing my mother was difficult to navigate. The reality that people can die no matter what their relationship is to you and how much you love them is uncomfortable. One of the biggest side effects of loosing my mom (besides the slight pain I feel when I breathe) is obsessing over my dads safety, health and life.

When I am with my dad, I treat each moment like the last. I take many pictures and videos. I make a greater effort to let him know how much I appreciate him. In my mind I am consciously documenting for the future, where as in the past it was more care free. While I appreciate the pictures I have of my mom, I miss seeing her movement and hearing her voice. I wish I had unlimited footage of her and I do not. I do not want to make the same mistake twice.

Just the quick thought of not having my dad puts me into tears. This is a very new angle of anxiety that I am working on conquering. In the mean time this is my greatest fear.

2) Issa’s Future

When it comes to Issa I have been told to take it easy and don’t worry more times than I can count. I always say that Issa has the biggest team of lawyers I have ever seen, his aunty and so many other people that love him. Let that baby watch some TV, let that baby have some candy etc. I give as much time as I can to his studies and eating habits because I am always thinking about the future Issa. 35 year old Issa. That is how old I was when I lost my mother.

Whatever you learn whether its responsibility, financial skills or music. It is all you have to work with when its time to be a real grown up and take care of yourself. My mom would always say, “I am not going to be here forever”. I would think to myself she was being so dramatic about wanting me to wash a dish. She was not.

I think about stuff like leaving enough money for him to have his own home to live in or pay for his education. Luckily, instead of just being scared, I have developed systems I didn’t have before. I’m looking forward to creating investment accounts for him this year.

In the meantime, I am grateful he has an official God Father and God Mother both in positions to care for him even if he had nothing but the shirt on his back.

3) Not fulfilling my dreams in my lifetime

Nubian

I woke up one day in 2009 to being tagged on Instagram by @graffoflarge. The caption read “Nubian”. The artist was in London. He liked a photo I posted (taken by John Pavilones) and was inspired to draw it. I was so surprised. It would be things like this that made me feel I was on the right path.

During this time my life, the inside of my brain looked like the interface on Ralph Breaks the Internet:Wreck It Ralph 2. I could see the map of where I was heading. Multiple plans ran at once. Most real-life moments felt like deja vu because I saw it already in the interface.

Since 2018, much has changed. I don’t see that complex interface anymore and my priorities have changed. I wonder where it went and if it will ever come back. Lastly, “How do I adjust to this archaic system of brainstorming to create goals then write them down verses having them vividly pre-dowloaded into my mind?”.

These years, I occasionally have dreams. The things that I see myself doing in those dreams are so far away from where I am currently. With no interface or road map I wonder is it just a dream or am I actually on my way there?

This past August the 31st to be exact. I woke up to a tag from @Coarista an artist I do not know personally. He found the once heavily circulated image of me from 2016 (taken by Kevin Marable) on an IG page founded in Paris called @TurbanistaParis and drew it. Coincidence or a little reminder that I am still on the right path?

Dark Turban

September Newsletter

Self-Care September

I started Self-Care September for myself in 2019 for multiple reasons. It was the anniversary of my moms passing and I noticed how much I didn't care for myself in the past few years. To the point of actually loosing a tooth! If you have already read my book “Beautiful Reject” you are familiar with how comprehensive and time consuming a thorough self-care routine can be. Upon recent research, I discovered September is actually Self Care Awareness month founded in 2017.

I started my self-care process in August this year, in honor of the month I was born and my own existence. Although, self-care August doesn’t rhyme at all. It seemed appropriate to do a few cosmetic things in time for 8/28. I would like to share a new local gem that I found; Flawless Advanced Laser Skin Care.

Flawless Advanced Laser Skin Care is a well designed and intimate establishment, located just off of Old Bridge Road, in Woodbridge, Virginia. The owner is fashionable, knowledgeable and caring. She recently relocated from Tysons Corner.

Treatment Room

Originally, I used to visit Cultura Dermatology in DC. With the school year starting and the premium ticket for services at Cultura, I decided to look for local options. This is how I discovered Flawless.

The price point at Flawless allowed me to explore removal of several areas; my face, neck, abdomen, arm pit and brazilian areas. Flawless is booked a month out for good reason. The process was seamless and the results are immediate.

I received compliments all week on the glow of my skin. It was great not having to be in the mirror with tweezers every second. My arm pit is still smooth and it has been over a month since the service. The removal of the hair was helpful because after having surgery, I was nervous to shave the area and didn’t want the burden of doing it every few days. The Brazilian experience was a little painful but not worse than waxing. It is important to remember that lasers can not destroy grey hair. The main reason I am in a scurry to have whatever I can remove, removed.

ISSA visits Erykah Badu on Tour

Prince Issa went visit Erykah on the Badubatron Tour. It has been two years since Issa has been able to attend a live concert. He was very excited. Some of the things he said he enjoyed were the lighting sequences during the performance, watching Frank Moka play the drums up-close and feeling like a very special person.

The highlight of his night; the logo maracas that Erykah gifted him. They light up and make noise.

STYLIST

Recommendations

Summertime, having surgery and then an unexpected accident were my main motivations for searching for a stylist that can help me. Admittedly, I have friends and family that are underground also help sometimes. This is the list of public and available stylists that I have visited from June-August.

Yaella @ Basic Necessity

1208 Underwood St NW
Washington, DC 20012

301-825-2477 (c)

Yaella only does small braids on natural hair, no extensions, no blow outs. Other ladies in the shop specialize in blow outs and locs. They use many of the products I love. Everyone leave out of there looking sharp as a tac.This place is FAR. Feels like its in Silver Spring driving from Woodbridge.

Neftalie @ Yams Hair Braiding

8207 Georgia Ave
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910

240-810-3177

There is no direct way to contact Neftalie. All request run though the owner mainly via text. Looking around the shop it seemed many of the braiders were amazing. I like that Neftalie is willing to do such small braids.She only works on Saturday’s.

Monah @ Sensational Stylz

2717 Potomac Mills Circle
Woodbridge, Virginia 22192

443-723-6737

After a summer of fun an experimenting Monah blew my hair out. She was patient and kind. The only modification I would make to her process is requesting a small flat iron be used on the roots. Since I have no attachment to the length of my hair, I trusted former stylist, Patrice Young to cut it for me drastically when I got home from the shop.

Shortlist of other great stylist

Karen || IG @krinklekutzbyk

Capital Heights, MD - 240-381-8848

Karen has the fastest hands I have ever seen.

Monea || IG @msmarleymar

Bowie, MD - 240-507-8174

I’ve met Monea a few times. She is known for her work on Wale’s hair. Her loc extension and styling skills.

POWER BLEND OIL

I still can’t believe that my first hair product “Power Blend Oil” has gone from a concept to reality. Thank You to everyone that has purchased the product and other items from the Hair Therapy store.

Thank You for your feedback. It has allowed me to make customer requested updates. The product images have been updated to reflect the front, and sides of the bottle. The description has been updated to educate consumers on the purpose of each oil in the blend. A “other uses” section has also been added.

First Pop Up

I am attending my first Pop-Up as a vender October 9th @ 1 PM outside of My Mama’s Vegan in Baltimore! Can’t make it? Order the product online.

sale

Power Blend Blow-dry and Nail Oil

Sale Price:$12.00 Original Price:$22.00

Thanks for Reading :)

August Newsletter

Candalada’s Birthday

THANK YOU!

July Newsletter

I’m often asked what have you been doing? Do you still do hair? Since closing the store front in 2016 I was a professor of Business Communication, I worked in IT for the government and I wrote a book. A few clients turned family have been able to find me when they need me.

Unfortunately, I’m having surgery on my arm July 27th, 2021 and I must fully transitioning out of hairstyling. As always I will continue to support my Hair Therapy family sharing referrals and information that is valuable to our community in relation to hair and beyond.

Please support my transition to e-commerce by purchasing my first product “Power Blend Hair Oil” or any items from the Hair Therapy online store. www.HairTherapybycandalada.com

Candalada Visits 24 States!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lake Michigan Waterfront, Chicago.

This month I travelled/visited 24 states (Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Wyoming, South Dakota, Utah, Nevada, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia) . I ate a lot of food and saw many things. To write in detail would lead to a book as thick as Harry Potter.

To summarize: Prince Issa was excited to see Micheal Jackson’s outfits. He was surprised to see Jimi Hendrix guitar looks just like his replica. The scariest routes I drove at night were in Wyoming, no lights and countless deer. The most heartbreaking living conditions and dangerous environment I visited was Detroit, Michigan. Minnesota the home of Prince and George Floyd forced me to reflect and feel deeply for Black Men an the nation. The best landscape I saw was in Utah.

The coldest city a foggiest city was San Francisco. San Francisco has the biggest pride flag I have ever seen . The most relaxing feeling, early mornings listening to the Pacific Ocean on Bruce Beach in California. The best food I ever tasted was in New Orleans at GWFins. The Kimpton hotel there was also lovely. Many of the streets in the neighborhoods of New Orleans were flooded and cars were almost 1/4 submerged. To me the welcome to Virginia sign on the Tennessee border was worth a picture even if it is home because that particular sign is 5 hours away from Northern Virginia.

Please enjoy my video….. for more coverage on the food reviews and additional pics please visit my Instagram @Candalada

June Newsletter

Are There Two Independence Days?

Juneteenth Outfit

Last year was the first year that I purposefully did nothing to celebrate or acknowledge July 4th. I celebrated Juneteenth by having a virtual discussion with community leaders.

This year is different than any other year in America because it is the first year that Juneteenth has been recognized as a national holiday.

Listening to the community I am hearing there are a few schools of thought.

1. Lets celebrate everything

2. Lets celebrate nothing because nothing has changed

3. Lets celebrate the Black one

Personally becoming more aware of history has taken the fun out of every holiday besides my birthday. I have gone with number 3. I still stand outside with Issa for a few minutes so he can see the neighbors fireworks.

For your reading pleasure I have linked 4 articles regarding the topic.

We can’t have two holidays

What Does It Mean To Celebrate Two Holidays

How are we supposed to celebrate July 4th after Juneteenth

Juneteenth and July 4th are complementary independence days that we should all celebrate

Prince Issa Goes To College!!!

Issa is not off to get his bachelors yet. He was invited on scholarship to attend Auburn University STEM Camp. The courses he is taking are, Protecting The Earth, Structures, Forces and Motion. He loves to build things using things around the house. He makes and destroys his creations so quickly sometimes I can’t even take a picture. The children have built bridges, wells and windmills thus far. They learning the scientific reasons for why things work.

I would like to thank Dr.Groff for recommending Issa. His Math tutor Mrs.Jackson and his teacher Ms.Bentley for pouring positivity into him. Issa finished out the year with straight A’s. I am so happy and proud of Issa.

Ms.Bentley and Prince Issa

Power Blend Oil Is Here!

Did you have a chance to try the Power Blend Oil? Looking forward to your feedback.

Thanks for Reading!!!

May Newsletter

Hair Therapy by Candalada Online Store!!!

I am proud to reveal the new Hair Therapy Online store which is centered around the culture of haircare and daily living. The summer 2021 collection is available on the Hair Therapy website, Instagram and Facebook. While browsing you may notice Hair Therapy has its own hair product.

Hair Therapy has launched its first hair product named Power Blend Hair Oil! Our Power Blend Hair Oil is a nutrient, intensive formula meant to address most hair concerns from soothing the scalp and healing scabs to nourishing follicles and protecting scalp from sun wind and smoke damage.

Available for pre-order starts shipping June 3rd, 2021.

Baby Halo for Hair Therapy!!!! Check out Halo’s debut on the Hair Therapy homepage.

THE BLACK HAIR EXPERIENCE

Described as the Black Girl Magic play ground “The Black Hair Experience” is an interactive selfie museum with several installations located at the National Harbor. My favorite was the kitchen and magazine corner exhibit.

The experience opened May 15th,2021. Tickets are also available for the Atlanta experience. I saw couples and girlfriends during my early am visit. It was a fun. The kids lounge although empty was spacious with games, jump ropes and ample seating.

Brooklyn, NY Vegan Carry Out Tour

With so much uncertainty as we navigate Covid-19 eating food in the car has brought me great joy. If you are in New York looking for great places to eat, I visited the top vegan restaurants in Brooklyn according to multiple bloggers. I added in two discoveries of my own, American Vegan Cafe and Natural Blend. Full video reviews are on my Instagram @Candalada under the highlight “Food Reviews”. Some fun summary videos are also located under the “Reels” and “IG-TV” sections. To visit the photo gallery for both the NY and NC CarryOut Tour here.

Stand Out Items:

@greedikitchen || website Jerk Burger, Banana Pudding, Chilli Cauliflower

@champsdiner || website Philly Sandwich and Girl Scout Shake 🔥

@modernlovebrooklyn || website Strawberry Basil Pop Tart, Caesar Salad

For Meat Eaters:

@toptiercatering || website Oxtail, Macaroni and Yams

April Newsletter

The NC Waterfall and CarryOut Tour

The inspiration for this trip was Prince Issa. He was approaching age 9 and about to celebrate his second birthday during the pandemic. Issa is 100% virtual; he attends school, the doctor and guitar lessons online. His melt downs were increasing which reminded me of the side affects of solitary confinement I learned about.

Since Issa and I have seen all of Virginia’s notable waterfalls including the best voted Falling Spring Falls, I started shopping for waterfalls in neighboring states. I looked into West Virginia (Blackwater Falls) which is unfortunately closed for park renovation, MD (Muddy Creek Falls) and Tennessee (Ruby Falls) on my search for cool falls in the past.

North Carolina recently peaked my interest because it is home to over over 250 waterfalls and houses two amazing things. First, the only waterfall I came across that you can walk behind, Dry Falls in Highlands. Second, one of the best vegan restaurants in the country according to The Food Network, Plant in Asheville.

Learning lessons form the first waterfall tour in Virginia. I made sure to triple check the addresses. I was devastated to learn that Dry Falls was the furthest waterfall from my home. Basically falling out of North Carolina and a whopping 8 hours away if I drove there straight. I knew I wanted to see three falls minimum. I searched for drive by falls and falls with short hikes. I added Looking Glass, known for being very accessible and High Falls noted for its appearance in The Hunger Games.

With the waterfalls towards the end of North Carolina and Plant (vegan restaurant) hours away from the falls. I decided creating a loop so I don’t miss out on all NC had to offer made the most sense. It took hours of google maps to find points of interests, vegan carryouts and operation times. I used some backward math to calculate necessary departure times. I timed everything based on arriving at the opening time for each carry out and I was successfully the first customer for each carry out.

I was able to see every planned point of interest. In Dupont State Park, I switched out High Falls for Triple Falls. High Falls had a trail that led to the trail. Once we completed the first trail, we were greeted by two signs for High Falls Loop and we didn’t know which one to take. The map was at the front of the park and internet on the phone wasn’t working. Issa immediately said, “No, Mommy No”. Sometimes its okay to listen to the kids.

We also went to eat and recharge at Madisons in Old Edwards Inn before heading to Dry Falls. We were hungry and wet from getting rained on at Looking Glass and the camera battery died! Having lunch first gave us time to literally recharge while visiting the historic, posh and restored inn.

Asheville River Arts District had art on the walls so bold we had to pull over. Apparently, the BBQ spot there is so good former president Obama went to visit “12 Bones” twice. Click here to see the video. There was no quick way to leave Asheville, so we didn't. We explored and found an art shop where the owner was a Batman and Marvel enthusiast amongst other things.

In Asheville we also visited, The Biltmore Estate a tourist trap worth seeing. Getting to it is quite a production. It has a box office! It also has a trolley system. I had no interest in touring inside. I just needed my baby to see the biggest house in the U.S. He has an affinity for architecture.

My sole purpose for stopping in Greensboro was to show Issa the International Civil Rights Museum. It was informative and great to see the original stools where Greensboro Four pushed back on segregation and the 1960 sit-ins began. It was a chilling to see an actual colored fountain.

The Best Buy in Greensboro scored us more than the tripod I forgot at home. We received local intel about Gateway Gardens, a cool garden/oasis created for kids. I delayed departing Greensboro to make sure Issa was able to visit. We were both a little sad when our adventure over. The trip was a joy and Gateway Gardens was a great ending. We left during the golden hour.

Please enjoy this recap video which was my visual birthday gift to Issa and the official “NC Waterfall and Carryout Tour” picture story (sequential order).

THE ViDEO

THE PICTURE STORY

THE DEETS

Waterfall Review

Triple Falls trail felt like it was for professionals. The walk way is wide and open but to get the close to the falls you have to earn it. I read there is a away to access rocks in the middle of the stream at Triple Falls. We were cautious and uncertain of its location so we decided to stop at the .5 mile overlook and not to explore further to find them. We may have missed out on the full experience.

Looking Glass is like the warm up to Dry Falls. Truly a baby version. It was easy to see from the roadside and not difficult to access the base of it. Dry Falls was my best waterfall experience to date. Its so powerful. No confusing trails just a long set of steps leading straight to the natural wonder. The water is so loud. When I was standing underneath it I somehow couldn’t believe it. What a refreshing perspective.

Detailed Carryout Review

Click here.

Prince ISSA TURNS 9!!!!!!

We chose to stay local for the big day. The Craving’s vegan cup cake was average. The space and the aroma was more amazing than the cup cake. Issa loved the textured wall.

Local food news

I have been following the development of Epiq Food Hall since the closing of its neighbor, Habitat for Humanity Restore. Originally, when I visited the Epiq Food Hall website the vendors where not populated and there was no hint about what type of food to expect. I saw two ladies with Gucci belts taking a tour of the Habitat for Humanity Restore space in October 2020 and that was my first indication that something other than the hall or expansion of the hall was on the way.

Epiq Food Hall celebrated its grand opening April 1st, 2021. The decor is swanky. It has an edge on other food halls I’ve travelled to in Baltimore and Manhattan. I was delighted to have the opportunity to listen to Joseph Brotherton, Collin Chambers and Tyler Leak play live jazz music on April 17th from 6:30-7:30pm.

Piano: Collin Chambers, Drums: Tyler Leak, Trumpet: Joe Brotherton

According to a recent article the reason for choosing Woodbridge as the location for Epiq Food Hall was to appeal to Northern Virginia residents who do not want to travel to the city for atmosphere, music and diversity in food options. Phase two the project will be in the old Habitat for Humanity Restore space. It will host ax throwing, corn hole, and giant Jenga.

I tried tacos from two places:

Teddy’s Taco Shack

The Raw Chopped Cauliflower taco was very spicy. I couldn’t taste anything but heat. The Red Hook, a cooked taco made of mushrooms, brussel sprouts tossed in szechuan sauce, corn salsa, micro cilantro, green onions had a texture I didn’t like and a burnt flavor, although, the food wasn’t burnt. I didn’t like either of these tacos.

Harmony’s Pho and Grill

The Hawaiian Taco made with fresh pineapple, onion, carrot, tomato, cucumber and crispy tofu. I ordered it without the lime sauce which is mayo based. I enjoyed it. I haven’t had this combination of flavors before and I love pineapples.

Thank You for Reading :)

March Newsletter

Prince Issa’s Covid-19 Interview

In March 2020 life changed for everyone. Heavy governement restrictions were implemented and the future seemed uncertain. As March returned, some have returned to work, some have returned to school while others remain home. I used a Covid-19 interview recommended by Dr.Groff to see Issa’s perspective on Covid-19.

The Virtual Book Launch for “Beautiful Reject” opened some amazing dialog amongst attendees. I answered questions in relation to my personal journal, dating experience and the process of publishing on Amazon. Below are a few excerpts.

The group was diverse an included representation of various careers, and age groups. As a follow up to the launch I am holding a book club discussion where we continue to discuss topics from the post reading perspective.

Please join me Saturday April 3rd @7 P.M. to share your thoughts and ask questions. Click here to register and join the meeting.

TOP PICKS Movie and TV News

Judas and the Black Messiah is about a man named Bill O'Neal who infiltrates the Black Panther Party per FBI Agent Mitchell and J. Edgar Hoover. Bill gets close to the Party Chairman Fred Hampton and has internal conflict about what he is sent to do.

The main stars are Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons. The movie was directed by Shaka King. I watched this movie alone in the dark on a projector screen with surround sound. I felt every word of it.

In an interview with The Source Magazine LaKeith specifies he experienced panic attacks after playing the role of Bill. He especially had tough time with the poisoning scene and differentiating his reality from some scenes.

The United States VS Bille Holiday lights a fire of WTF inside of me. Drug usage was the charge but her real crime was “potential inspiration of African- Americans”.

For me the most frustrating thing about a movie based a true story is wishing I can change the facts while I watch. The way the government never let up on Billie and followed her around like a queen pen over a song was shameful.

Two scenes that really stood out to me:

1. The love scene between Billie and Jimmy (Andra Day and Trevante Rhodes). The fact that she was so uncomfortable being loved on showed how much trauma she suffered.

2. The final hospital sequence. Between her quotable sentences and creative profanity it was evident she was “unbreakable” and for the cause. I love that.

Franklin Saint!!!!!!!!!!!

Snow Fall created by John Singleton has been out since 2017. I started it and caught up in March, 2021. The show has been recently renewed for another season (5). Damson Idris plays Franklin Saint. A young man that gets turned onto the drug game and works his way to the top. Damson is British and has created the best accent for Franklin. He has become popular for his impersonations when being interviewed. His most recent viral interview includes sharing his embarrassing experience on a zoom call with Jay-Z.

BEAUTY NEWS

CEO of Rising Beauty Brand Found Dead

The creator of The Ordinary Brand was found dead at 40. This happened after he was ousted from the company. It is suspected to be a suicide, however, not being ruled as one. This article caught my attention and it was through this article that I learned of The Ordinary beauty brand.

SKIN

While looking on the internet for a professional that could explain how to properly use the popular acids on the market. I found a video by April Basi, a chemist: 5 best products from The Ordinary to use for dark skin After viewing it.I purchased them all.

1. Retinol 0.2% in Squalane https://theordinary.deciem.com/produc...​

2. Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2% https://theordinary.deciem.com/produc...​

3. Lactic Acid 5% + HA https://theordinary.deciem.com/produc...

4. Salicylic Acid 2% Masque https://theordinary.deciem.com/produc...​

5. 100% Plant-Derived Squalane https://theordinary.deciem.com/produc...​

To be more informed I also looked at her video about the 5 worst products for dark skin from The Ordinary and took note of why. I learned from the video bigger molecules are applied last. The line is extensive which could confuse of overwhelm new customers.

Thus far I have used the squaline and the hyloraunic acid. I was impressed by how thick the consistency is for the price.I am practicing using less to ensure I don’t clog my pores. I used way too much and woke up with small bumps. My best experience has been with the ascorbic acid. My skin is very sensitive the slightest change brings new acne. This item fit flawlessly into my routine creating no new bumps.

My face has been so juicy. It's not dry and flaky anymore. Looking forward to trying the other items. Especially the blemish control masque.

Urban Skin RX sells the sponges seperatly

I was excited to see that RX sponges are sold separately on the website. You don’t have to by their face wash to have access to these amazing sponges. I started using Urban Skin RX last year. I did a few videos about my quest to acquire acne free even skin again.

For now the Urban RX even tone cleansing bar, witch hazel from Target (they recently came out with a witch hazel toner, guess I was onto something) and RX hydra balance moisturizer is my regimen when I am not trying new products. The face wash comes with two thin round sponges the inflate when wet. Although they hold up well. I like to use a new sponge each week now that I have found the five pack.

NAILS:

I had a chance to visit the Instagram famous Vicky. Owner of Sunshine Nails. It is so tough to book with her through the online system. Its best to try to message them on Instagram because she runs the IG page. Try to book with her on a weekend day or call and ask to receptionist to notify you of any cancellations on the weekend. Techs Linda and Kathy also popular techs but owner Vicky is hailed the design queen.

THANKS FOR READING

February Newsletter

Candalada Wrote A Book!

To register for the Virtual Book Launch Party March 6th at 1pm click here.

Photo: Kevin Marable

I am excited to share that I have completed my first book. I started writing it in 2016 vowing to finish it every year since. It wasn’t until December of 2020 I made the conscious decision that 2021 would be the year it leaves word document format or I would scrap the idea completely.

Please enjoy this video of the top questions about, “Beautiful Reject”.

I was holding the paper back in my hand a few days ago and I said to myself, “Girl, I am so proud of you.” I turned my trauma and relationship failures into a body of work that I am proud of. In my opinion, there is nothing better than telling your own story. While there many that keep their “business” to themselves. I have always found healing and closure in being honest about my experiences and what I have learned from them.

The video marketing was conceptualized and edited by myself and can be viewed primarily on Instagram @Candalada. Pre-publication the promo videos depict the sexiest available version of myself with a variety of background music. Promo videos post publication are informative with a classic commercial tone and no background music.

The cover was shot by my trusted partner in creativity Kevin Marable.

My book is available on Amazon.

The Michael B. Jordan Take Over

Micheal B. Jordon’s new relationship and new Alexa commercial have taken over the internet, reaping in 78 million views on YouTube.

After a month of wearing the extra thick mustache, he has been making appearances, topless on boats with his new heart throb credited as the picture taker and burning down timelines with his new Alexa commercial. If that wasn’t enough Michael’s new coach commercial to the Shaft theme song is comical.

TV Show News

Bridgerton has the people walking around saying, “Your Grace” as a greeting. I didn’t read the books so I didn’t know what to expect. The things I enjoyed seeing were the outfits, visualization of Black royalty and the complex relationship between the Duke of Hastings and the Daphne Bridgerton, the princess.

I loved hearing the modern songs played as instrumentals in the background. There is an escalation of passionate sex scenes as you get deeper into the season. I enjoyed that also.

I struggled a bit through the first episode but I had faith in Shonda. Six episodes later, the sun was rising and my eye balls were cracking from sleep deprivation. Mentally, I assumed the roll of the Daphne and needed to know my fate.

Watching the show excited some anger because in these times to have sex before marriage deemed you worthless. Many of the conflicts derived from trying to uphold that expectation which men did not have to worry about.

Black History Months Affect on Movies

There seems be to a hard split between showcasing Black love and Black History this year. Movies that received major chatter in the Black community are Malcom and Marie, Sylvie’s Love, One Night in Miami and American Skin.

I didn’t feel the inclination to rate them. Mainly because I do not want to deter anyone from watching them.They all have different take aways. The only one I would watch again is Sylvie’s Love.

In my opinion:

Malcom and Marie was made to make us think about why we do and say things to the person we love. Why we omit certain speech, get fed up and try again. It challenges the audience to question what makes us feel strong, weak and happy in a relationship. Question will we stay or leave the one we “love”.

Sylvie’s love was made to tug on our heart. To encourage us to be patient for love and break the rules for love.

One Night in Miami was created to make you want to go do some research. The film has many characters based on real people that lived lives with a long list of accomplishments outside of what is discussed in the film.

American Skin was made to remind Black people we are not crazy and show White people that even without hard evidence we know when their actions are egregious because of our skin color.

CANDALADA MOVIE REVIEW CONTINUED

Malcom and Marie has the longest on-screen relationship argument I have ever seen as the centerpiece of the movie. I thought Malcom (John David Washington) was overly animated at times. His dancing, some mannerisms and screaming were over the top. Marie (Zendaya) was perfect. Perfect! I was especially fond of her verbiage. The way she cursed the phrases she used sounded like things I would say. This made her character feel more relatable to me.

Loved the vintage style in Sylvie’s Love. There was much attention given to the Chanel dress in the cover photo. My favorite outfit was the black fit she wore in a pivotal break up scene. This was a beautiful love story. Something I would watch again and again.

I enjoyed the temperament of Robert Halloway through out the film. His character was relaxed, smooth, talented and believable. Sylvie dealt with pressures of being “high society” amongst other things. Their love remind me that the journey to happiness can be long but worth it.

One Night in Miami directed by Regina King was given all the glory by reviewers. It took me some time to adjust to Kingsley Ben-Adir who played Malcom X. I have seen Macolm X portrayed so many times, the previous actors that played the role kept coming to mind. Eli Goree as Mahammed was entertaining. Aldis Hodge (Jim Brown) and Leslie Odom (Sam Cooke) were good supporting characters.

The scene that was the most important was probably the scene I had the hardest time being fully vested in. A large portion of the movie took place in a hotel room. I have a hard time watching movies in the same setting for a long time. There were times when the characters were so frustrated it was hard to believe they would all really stay a room, angry with each other for that long.

Wow.Wow.Wow. This movie hits directly on the nerve of racial issues. I really liked this movie. Despite most of the movie taking place in a police precent, the intensity of story helped me forget about my same setting phobia. This movie needs to be mandatory watch for all races.

IN HONOR OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH

I wanted share this article that dives into the specifics of how Black History Week turned into Black History month. I hear jokes every year about it being the shortest month in the year and I never find the jokes to be funny.

PRINCE ISSA PLAYS AMAZING GRACE

Food News

Valentines’s weekend had many looking for exotic food options. Dining out is still potentially risky and local chef options are on the rise. There are the three local chefs that we tried on Valentine’s weekend.

IG: @Sassychefkitchen delivers in the Woodbridge, Virginia area

IG: @touches_yasoul pick up meet up in Lorton

IG @gfksoulcuisine23 pick up meet up is Stonebridge Town Center

Crab Cakes on Friday, Salmon Alfredo with a side of Garlic Shrimp on Saturday, Steak, Rose and Bailey Cream cup cakes on Sunday.

I was able to try the Vegan Cauliflower by GFK. I enjoyed them. Really well seasoned and not too salty.

IG: @Sassychefkitchen delivers in the Woodbridge, Virginia area

IG: @touches_yasoul pick up meet up in Lorton

IG @gfksoulcuisine23 pick up meet up is Stonebridge Town Center

IG @gfksoulcuisine23 pick up meet up is Stonebridge Town Center

Vegan Cauliflower Mambo Wings

IG @gfksoulcuisine23 pick up meet up is Stonebridge Town Center

VISITINg Spice Suite : DC’s SPICE SHOP

Spice Suite is a Black Owned business with lots of Instagram buzz. The owner Angel tells her story often. She encourages new business owners to stop telling the story of struggle and focus on the processes they need to put in place become successful. I had my first visit to the intimate space last week.

Her spices can not be purchased individually online and can be purchased individually at the store. As of a few days ago (Feb 23rd, 20201). Her customers decided to create a personal shopping system. DC natives that live nearby are going to the store on behalf of you and shipping to you direct. The Spice Suite is not responsible for mishaps directly connected to this personal shopping, shipping system. However, Angel did somewhat endorse this movement by following the new page and publicly saying thank you for the visible increase of in-store shoppers.

The instagram for the personal shopping system is @weshopthespicesuite

The Facebook community for the personal shopping system is www.facebook.com/groups/weshopthespicesuite

I was curious about the electric grinder she just released. It was in the top of my purchase list. I also purchased, Thai Vibes, a berry lime bourbon lollipop, and strawberry basil syrup. The grinder is 25 dollars. Once the spice runs out you can refill it with any spice.

Senbeb Cafe -Vegan Soul Food

Senbeb in located in NW D.C. Walking in and seeing such a comprehensive menu was refreshing. Cakes, soups, crab cakes, teriyaki salmon all within my dietary restrictions. I tried so many things.

Vegan Steak and Cheese: Yummy, so well seasoned, sooo good. I do not even like green peppers and I ate them all. This was my favorite lunch dish and the crab cakes were my favorite dinner item.

Cajun Chicken: My sandwich had mayo. I just couldn’t get over it. I don’t like mayo, even in the vegan version. I will have to try this again without the sauce.

Vegan Teriyaki Salmon and Rice, Plantains and Macaroni: The macaroni alone was bland. I put some sauce from the main dish on it. The seasoning and sauce from the main course was delicious. Smells exactly like salmon.

Vegan Crab Cakes, Yams and Plantains: These crab cakes look underwhelming and taste excellent. They are by far the best vegan seafood like dish I ever had. The yams and plantains are average. Eaten all together the flavors are tasty and satisfying.

Sweet Potato Cake: This cake is wonderful because it is moist and it smells good. It is a great breakfast cake. Goes well with tea and coffee. Good for all pallets. A new family favorite.

Peaches in DC

Peaches is located doors down from Senbeb. This is great if you have friends and family with different dietary needs.

Oxtail, Rice and Peas : My cousin said the oxtail and rice was good. The macaroni was terrible. The main concern was the type of cheese used. The banana pudding (not pictured) was good.

Thanks for Reading

January Newsletter

Kamala Harris is Officially the First Female Vice President of the United States

Today brought tears to many peoples eyes for different reasons. The series of events over the past four years, compounded by the visible rage expressed during the passed few weeks makes a moment like this even sweeter. Time stood still today. During the wake of destruction, hatred and difference of opinion, a significant number of Black women organized the way in which they wanted to be seen and heard through what has become known as the fight for “democracy”.

Madam Vice President stepped in to her new role wearing Black designers Christopher John Rogers and Sergio Hudson.

Former President Barack Obama was reportedly heard saying the words, “ I am so proud of you” before this picture was taken.

Amanda Gorman stole the show with her poem, “The Hill We Climb”. Asking Americans "Where can we find light in this never-ending shade?" Undoubtably, there was much to take away from her message and the poem will be quoted for years to come.

Former First Lady, Michelle Obama’s presence drew instant obsession with her plum outfit also designed by Sergio Hudson and bouncing hair by stylist Yene Damtew who has been receiving lots of praise via Instagram for the look.

Quarantine Cooking

Yellow rice made with vegan butter, turmeric and himalayan salt. Fried chicken using spices, oat milk and almond flour.

Annie’s Sweet and Spicy BBQ sauce is giving Sweet Baby Ray’s Sauce a run for the money. Try this sauce the next time you bake some wings.

I combined Tessamae’s lemon garlic dressing with a bit of chopped cilantro as a marinade. Once baked I added a dash of garlic salt with parsley dry seasoning. My cousin said they were delicious.

Tried the new Nasoya vegan wraps for making your own spring rolls. I did not drain the cabbage enough. Oil was flying everywhere. I almost killed myself cooking these. They tasted very good. I seasoned the veggies using Badia Complete Seasoning. First, I pan fried them. Then, I cooked them in the oven until brown. Served with Wegan’s brand sweet chili sauce.

WHATS NEW IN HAIR CARE?

Babyliss Pro Prima 3000. I have upgraded my Babyliss flatiron to the newest model. The Prima 3000, straightens and curls. I enjoyed using the new tool, however, pre-fixed heat settings take some getting used to.

Soft Curls made with the Prima3000

Mielle Product Overload

Mielle is my favorite hair care line. I mainly use some of the Pomegranate Honey line (shampoo, conditioner, leave-in). Over the past few months I have been exploring the brand and these are my findings.

Voted the worst product Mielle ever made.

This butter is heavily perfumed. Leaves the hair feeling hard and dry no matter what you try to combine it with. I hated it.

One Out of Three

Of the three products I tried in the rice collection I would purchase the hair milk again. The clay mask is heavily perfumed and doesn’t leave the hair soft. The shine mist is wet and left my hair sticky and dry.

Cute Combo Discovery

I was in the beauty store and I saw that they bundled the rosemary oil with the horrid hair butter for Christmas and they didn’t see well. Mielle should have paired these two together. The milk detangles and oil adds much needed shine with a scalp tingle. Great combo for styling children’s hair and natural wash and go hair.

NEW NEW!!!!

I tested the curl defining mousse and the edge gel. I am still exploring the almond oil blend.

The edge gel does not spread much. After taking this pic I had to get a bigger brush and distribute the gel some more. Overall I like it. It did not turn my hair white and my two braids looked decent for a few days.

The curl defining mousse is a yes for me. It is a little firm but not too crunchy, It held my curls until I washed them out. The curls also looked good when I separated them.

Thanks For Reading

December Newsletter

TV Shows

I have been excited to use this winter break to catch up on shows. The show that blew me away was RAMY. I am a bit late to the party seeing that season one of this show aired April 19th, 2019. I eased into the show with no expectations.

I identify most with Ramy’s struggle to be a true to his faith and still wanting to indulge in everything! Low key Ramy is a POS (piece of shit) because he repeatedly makes terrible decisions and hurts others. The language in the show is wild.

Several groups are represented in this series, first generation Egyptians, African-American Muslims, disabled persons, White males and veterans. Pressures represented in the series include societal, religious, martial, and sexual. Issues represented; double standards, porn, incest, racism.

Left: Sheikh Malik || Right: Ramy

My favorite character in the show is Sheikh Malik played by Mahershala Ali. The first time I heard him pray I had to investigate why the prayer rolled so eloquently off his tongue. The results include an article I found. The article is of the interview by Ramy Youssef (show creator) of Mr.Ali. Click the picture to learn more. Now it all makes sense. The power of authenticity!

TV Movie Reviews

The ratings below reflect how good the movie is for the genre it’s in. I am using a scale of 1-5. Five (5) representing excellence, three (3) okay and one (1) trash.  The category legend is as follows:

(S) Superhero 

(L) Love or Comedy 

(ST) Story/Biopic

(A) Action/Thriller or Mystery 

Soul (ST) : Rating 4 - Soul reminded me of Onward specifically because it was a movie that address aspects of death that was marketed to children. On a broader spectrum one could say Coco was made with Latino children in mind; Onward targeted Caucasian children and Soul targeted African American children.

The best things about Soul are the visual explanation for how personality is created, how the living become lost, who is accountable for all souls and the duality of life and the spiritual world.

The design of the characters and the music was enjoyable. The conversation and verbiage of the African American female characters were believable. The supporting character being a soul forced me to think about my own soul and the quality of my life. The title of the movie “Soul” is a clever pun from a marketing aspect.

For me the great debate/ controversy in the film revolve around the opportunities and chances we have in life. My son said aloud during the movie that he wanted to cry. In my opinion the movie should have ended right there to make the message more impactful. One could argue that is not the Disney way. I say, we already jumped out the window so let’s go all the way.

Jingle Jangle (ST) : Rating 4.7 - Jingle Jangle was magical and fun. I’m never tired of seeing Phylicia Rashad on screen. She feels like a relative at this point. I loved Journey’s (main character) hair style and clothing. Forest Witaker delivered as expected for the role of Jeronicas. The real entertainment came from Ms.Johnston played by Lisa Phillip. Boy did she have the hots for Jeronicas.

The musical numbers were well coordinated; this movie gave me Broadway’s 1998 Ragtime vibes. A movie I would watch with kids annually.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (ST) : Rating 4.2 - The acting in the movie is good. That fat suit and bad make up Viola Davis had to wear was something else. The goal was to depict that Ma was hot and uncomfortable and they did that.

My least favorite thing about the movie were the portions where the setting didn’t change. I have a hard time watching movies where the setting doesn’t change. I know it was based off the 1984 play and I could feel that. I didn’t like that. There is also a lot of messaging in the movie. Directly towards the black community. One must be prepared for that.

I most enjoyed Ma Rainey’s fuck you attitude and her total understanding of how to yield music producers to her will. I also had affinity for Levee’s (Chadwick Boseman) confidence in himself and his talent. Lastly, if there is a standing record for the most times the N word is used, they may have a broken it in this film.

Gifting Food: Tips and Tricks

I give baskets and well packaged gifts but this year was my first time sharing a dish as a gift. I just love presentation I think it makes gifts more exciting.

Transparent containers are more intising

Colored foil can be used to show different types of food. Silver foil for chocolate chip almond cookies. Gold foil for peanut butter chocolate chip walnut cookies.

Mini pies fit in cookie containers

Bake and share pie dishes are handy

Swap Out Tissue Paper for Cloth

BEST HAIR OF 2020

Crochet : Virtual Class Reunion

Two braids: Interstate Snake Branding Shoot

Twist Out: Graduation Photo Shoot

HAPPY NEW YEAR

November Newsletter

Pancakes and Sweet Potato Pies

Tasting the vegan pistachio, blueberry pancakes at Silver Diner inspired me to create my own.

Candalada Pancakes

Walnut Banana Pancakes

Left: Walnut Banana Right: Chocolate Chip

Chocolate Chip Banana

Walnut Banana

Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Grilled Banana

Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes and Coconut Whip Cream

Candalada Sweet Potato Pies

Fall Vegan Meals

16 Bean Soup

10 hour simmered bean soup, crisped kale with almond and cranberries, twice baked sweet potatoes brown sugar and vegan marshmallow, Abes cornbread.

Pizza

Pan fried/ baked Beyond meatballs, Agave sweet and savory biscuits with Kelly’s smokey parm seasoning.

VEGAN DESSERT

S’MORES

When I say these smack lol. They are so good. Everyone that likes s’mores will like these. Thinking about making a distributing kits next month.

I had a few options to choose from. I chose the chocolate made with oat milk because I figured it would cut some of the bitter flavor of dark chocolate.

I was excited to learn more about this chocolate when I opened the wrapper.

Nikk Rich Photographs V.P. Elect Kamala Harris

The following photos were taken by my sister NikkRich during the VP election campaign. To see Nikky’s recent work please visit her website.

Nikky currently overseas a team of retouchers in LA, California and is the lead photographer of a budding black owned LA boutique.

Photo by NikkRich

Photo by NikkRich

Photo by NikkRich

Photo by NikkRich

Thanks for reading!

October Newsletter

Breast Cancer Awareness

Photo by IG: @kmarablephoto

This month my friend (a year younger than I) told me she had stage 3 breast cancer in the middle of a conversation about sunflowers on a Sunday. I guess there is no easy way to deliver such shocking information. My friend was 7 months pregnant with her first baby. I had no words. For the remainder of the day I had a somber feeling and I was unsure of how to process the information for several reasons.

I wondered what happened to the days when cancer was something you heard about in the news. What happened to the days when causes were represented by ribbon colors on the internet and I didn’t know anyone that actually had the disease? How and when did cancer awareness go from pink socks on football games, to instagram influencers, to a friends mom, to my mom, my aunt, my grandmother and now my good friend? How long will it be until it’s me?

Each time that I hear about a new case of cancer from a loved one it incites fear and sadness simultaneously.

1. How can I be supportive and positive when I am scared shitless about the journey to recovery or the possibility of losing them?

2. How do I fight through the trauma of my moms loss to be present for the people that need me now?

The response is simpler than I imagined. Just do it. Thinking about it is paralyzing. I missed out on a few opportunities to be supportive lamenting on the “what ifs” and the “how to”.

Currently, we FaceTime and we text but most importantly I listen. I listen to her feelings and thoughts. I learned it is okay to not speak and be present. I am grateful that her baby has made it to earth and she is healthy and beautiful. I am inspired by the strength of my friend. Watching her rise above the disease to and step into motherhood really melts my heart. I know it is difficult and she does it with such grace.

After the arrival of baby Halo my friend asked me to take some photos so she can share her story. I saw her vision and felt it was beyond me and I called on my creative professional kindred spirit, Kevin. In a very intimate session we curated a series to capture this moment in time.

Here she is ……..Wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, warrior!

Please conduct self examinations and ask your doctor about any masses that you discover.

The Uncaged CheF

BRAND New Location and Vegan Monday’s

The new home of Uncaged Chefs: 6027 Marlboro Pike, District Heights Maryland

This is my third write up on The Uncaged Chefs. My last update was in the September 2019 Newsletter. I wrote about my first exposure to the Uncaged experience was when it was a pop up being held inside of another restaurant on Sundays. Since then the following has grown and the location has changed twice.

The Uncaged Chefs moved from a pop-up to a space within a food hall in Brentwood before the pandemic. They had endless lines from open to close. During the pandemic after a short period of closure to respect the safety of staff and the community they transitioned to a stand alone corner location in District Heights! My son Issa describes the decor as “black paradise”.

6027 Marlboro Pike, District Heights, Maryland

The owner, Damian Brown is a young African American man. He attributes his success with the brand to culinary training, bootstrapping, non-stop hustling and instagram marketing.

Three weeks ago The Uncaged Chefs rolled out Vegan Monday’s at the new location. Monday’s have become the highlight of my week. I am most excited because the lines are manageable on vegan Monday’s.

The items I have tried this far include, the vegan jerk burger, vegan nachos, vegan nuggets, peach tea and vegan cauliflower nuggets. The vegan nachos are my favorite. For unfiltered reviews please visit the food review tab on my Candalada instagram page. Tip: Eat the food right away.

Vegan Jerk Burger

Vegan Nachos

Vegan Chicken Nuggets w/Henny Mambo Sauce

What about the rest of the week?

The other days of the week are for meat lovers. They host Trap Tacos on Tuesday’s. Wed- Saturday they serve chicken waffles, shrimp grits, various new items and an eclectic collection of mouth watering desserts.

The menu changes by the minute the best way to stay updated on changes is to follow them IG: @TheUncagedChefs

Thanks For Reading :)

September Newsletter : Fall Edition

Black Men That Will Change Your Life

Abu the contractor, Yorker Handyman services

Abu is gifted in mathematics making all of his cuts precise and his work exceptional. Abu does not paint. Work completed: reframed front door, replaced back door, tiled the kitchen (571) 991-0687 Facebook @yorhms

Dom the gardener, Augie’s Aeration Services

Dom learned about landscaping from his father. Dom is easy going and tactical. He devised the plan to work on the yard a half at a time. This gave me time to adjust to the increased watering requirements of sod and gave him time to analyze if the sod would take to my once dehydrated and rocky terrain. The worst yard on the block is now a contender for the best yard on the block.

TJ the handy man, TJ Jackson Services

TJ offers handy man and personal training services. Work completed:emptied and organized a shed, removing multiple insect nest in 100 degree wheather. Replaced 2, 20 year old exhaust plans. Hauled /removed bricks and debris, delivered /hauled rocks for back yard landscaping.

TJ the trainer, SWOP (Slight Work Open Hips)

Hair Therapy member Alicia has worked with TJ training three times a week for the past few months. He hosts a private out of gym experience. Alicia’s review boasts of boosted self confidence and a sculpted refined shape. 571-316-9509 IG:SWOPTraining

Chef Christian, DownSetEat

Chef Christian provided such a lovely spread for my birthday his chicken was well seasoned and the rice was the most creative compilation.

I reached out after the festivities to learn more about meal plan options. I opted for getting a pan for the week since I do not have the need to stick to small portion meals.

I have a standing order with him every Sunday. The weekdays run smoother knowing what I am having for lunch/dinner from Monday -Wednesday.

Specialties: meal plans, weekly orders, catering, private dining (703) 398-2377 IG @DownSetEat

Chef Ricky

Chef Ricky prepared a private dinner for three on my birthday and a private dinner for approximately 13 people for my cousins birthday. Chef Ricky is quiet when he is working and personable when he speaks. He is enthusiastic about creating customized experiences. He provided a sangria that was handmade and received rave reviews. Specialties: catering private dining special occasions (301) 542-5035 IG @Chef_DMV

How Virtual Brunch Turned into a Book Club with Dr.Miles Davis

Feeling a bit blue about the impossibility of a face to face 2020 Brunch Tour I took a shot at having a virtual brunch on May 31st. It was great, we spoke about the current state of the world, race relations, safety, stress and the importance of therapy. Guest appearances were made by Dr.Groff (reverend and educator) and Ms.Jackson (licensed therapist). We set a date to meet up again on Juneteenth 19th.

During the Juneteenth meet up my sister NikkRich (professional photographer) was on the call. She spoke about the artificial urgency to work with Black people that has been created in the Hollywood photography industry and how it has affected her choices on who to work with.

Following the trend of meeting on holidays the July 4th call was more of a welfare check in. Discussion was centered around questions such as: Did anyone give into celebrating July 4th? If yes why? How do we feel about White people asking us if we are okay? How do we effectively respond to what is going on?

After much private deliberation with my peers Dr.Miles Davis joined the call to offer a few words of perspective and instantly we all be came enrolled in an unofficial class of history and critical thinking.

Currently the sitting president of Linfield University in Oregon, Dr.Davis challenged us to start with ourselves, protect our family, check on our neighbors which strengthens the community, join causes that support our beliefs and lastly, vote. He also recommended that we read the book “ The Mis-Educated Negro” by Cater G. Woodson and promised to join to the next call if the group completed the book.

Screen shot from July 4th

I am not much of a reader and I pushed through the assignment by listening to the audio version on Kindle in order to complete the book by the due date Sept 9th.

Wednesday Sept 9th, 2020 was my first time using a book as a reference to address my modern day concerns with my peers. It was an engaging and positive experience. Dr. Davis’s next suggested read is “The Souls of Black Folk by W.E. Dubois”. The recommendation was warmly received by the group. The next discussion is October 23rd at 8:15 P.M.

Screen Shot from Sept 9th Book Review Discussion

Read with me and join the next discussion if you can.I use Facebook meeting room. I promise it is more refreshing that going back and forth on Facebook or feeling hopeless and concerned alone. It is the temporary reset that we all need.

Thanks for Reading :)

September Newsletter: Summer Recap

Candalada’s Waterfall Tour

In 2019 I was dreaming of a wonderful vacation and hoping to see some of the world’s most popular waterfalls. Covid-19 crushed those dreams and challenged me to think local. While searching online I found an article titled “The Ultimate Virginia Waterfall Road Trip That Will Take You 8 hours.” I was excited at the thought yet discouraged by the energy and time needed to get both Issa and I prepared for such a voyage. This is the map from the original article.

Observations

1. The Natural Bridge is 3 hours from my house. This automatically added 6 hours to the trip. Three hours to get the starting point and the three hours needed to get home after closing the loop.

2. Some falls looked more appealing than others. There were 8 stops listed in the article. I narrowed the tour down to 3 stops. The Lace Falls at the Natural Bridge, Roaring Run, and Cascade Falls.

3. The waterfall addresses listed at the bottom of the article were not accurate. Below are the addresses provided by the article. Lace Falls is in Natural Bridge, VA, 24578 not Bristow, VA (2 hours difference). Cascade Falls in Pembroke,VA 24136, not Bristow, VA (4 hours difference) !

The Plan (Inaccurate Addresses)

Address: Lace Falls Loop, Bristow, VA 20136, USA (stop 1)

Address: Roaring Run, Virginia 24426, USA (stop 2)

Address: Cascade Falls Dr, Bristow, VA 20136, USA (stop 3)

The Actual

1. I planned to wake up early and arrive to the Natural Bridge by 8 am. I didn’t leave the house until 9 am! Arrived at 11:30 am left at 1:30pm. I typed in Natural Bridge and was there without incident.

2. Finding Roaring Run was a nightmare listed as Roaring Run, VA 24426 the waterfall is actually located in Eagle Rock, VA 24085.

3. First we were 38 min out of the way in 24426 due to following the article address. This was my highest point of frustration on the voyage. Driving through the zig zag hills was nauseating. Then we were led to a closed gate trail by GPS (15 min out of the way). I went to google to secure an address from Trip Advisor and was able navigate to Roaring Run road but unable to find the address 450.

4. Finally a local told us the trail can be easily found searching for the Roaring Run Furnace. Arrived at 3:30pm and left at 5:00pm

5. Sunset was upon us, I decided that Cascades Falls was too far and revised the plan. Learning lesson from the last major detour. I took to trip advisor to find an address for Falling Spring Falls. It was located on Hot Springs Rd, Covington, VA 24426 which of course was not the address listed on the article. It was 39 minutes away from Roaring Run and a great way to end the trip. Arrived at 6:30pm and left at 7pm.

6. Starvation was upon us, we visited the Omni Hotel and Resort in Hot Springs, VA. Arrived at 7:40 PM left at 9 PM

Without the massive detours this is what my tour would look like. The map says 8 hours however it took 15-16 hrs total. Getting out to walk, hike, take pictures, film, eat and get lost takes time. Please stay tuned to enjoy my picture story and informal documentation of this journey. I live for videos all this writing is for the readers and detail oriented.

This Candalada’s Ultimate Waterfall Tour took place in mid July. Other falls visited include Great Falls (our first fall viewing) in early July and Cascade Falls in September.

PICTURE STORY

Great Falls

Lace Falls

Roadside Attraction

Roaring Run Furnace

Roaring Run Falls

Falling Springs Waterfall

Cascade Falls

Cascade Falls

Waterfall tour video footage with Prince Issa

Summary

Great Falls was beautiful and local easy to see with no major hiking required. Lace Falls was small, the Natural Bridge was more interesting. The trail was peaceful and well paved. Roaring run was like a local swimming pool not worth the drive from Woodbridge. Falling Springs was breath taking and required no hike at all. It was my favorite.

Cascade Falls hike is rough and not for kids or rookie hikers. The feeling of getting to it is rewarding. Getting back to the car felt like it took hours, I wanted to shoot a flare gun and get rescued by a helicopter. According to CNN’s list 1o of the best waterfalls across the U.S. only one is in Virginia. The Cascades Falls listed at number 7. I am happy to have made it there.

Blackwater Falls in Davis, West Virginia is listed as number 4. Hopefully I can get there before it gets cold. I have found these voyages to the water helpful in creating a bond with Issa and distracting my mind from sadness. As a girl from Brooklyn the last place I thought I would be is deep in the woods. The nats are annoying. Viewing natures miracles with my own eyes makes the temporary discomfort dissipate. The sound of the water and the mist in the air feels renewing and awakens hope in my heart.

Thanks for Reading