Travel is My Love Language

I had the most amazing two trips, all in one week might I add. The first was to jax Beach. The second was to the PHoenix area. Both were exactly what I needed, a break from cold weather and a re-set before the new year. Both spoke to differnt parts of my soul, Jax Beach game me relaxation, food, and love. Arizona gave me beauty adventure and fun. Jax is one of the prettiest beaches I've visited in the US. It has the easiest sand to walk on and some of the best comfort food. Arizona was simply breathtaking. I was in awe of the scenic mountain views, adorned by palm trees and cacti. I also had one fothe best massages EVER at the cutest little spa in Scootsdale. Oh, and don't even get me started on the night trek through the Arizona Desert Botanical Gardens that was illuminated with glass scultures. All I can say is I"m ready to go back. As as always, what's a trip without cute outfits, random photo shoots and pictures of the things I saw, did and ate. 

Jax Beach

Arizona

What is This?

So in this edition of BBB think, I present to you “what I ordered versus what I got.” Let me come right out the gate and just say, never order from TB dress. NEVER!!! I ordered a few dresses from them last year around this same time for a wedding. I received two out of the four dresses that I ordered. Obviously this was problematic however the dresses that I did receive were very cute. The two that I did not receive I got a store credit for. So, roll around to this year, against my gut instincts, I ordered another dress for a different wedding. Because I remember the fiasco from the last go round, with the dresses being out of stock, I emailed TB Dress in advance to ask if the particular dress that I wanted was available. They replied yes, so I ordered the dress on October 16. I did not receive the dress until November 13. Yes, it took almost a month. Although annoying I could live with that because it was estimated as such on the website before I even ordered. Plus I have seen the number of news articles about delayed shipments from overseas and I’m pretty sure this stuff comes from China. But, I never got a tracking number, I never even received an email when it arrived. The only reason I knew is by checking the order details on my account. The bigger issue is what I received. It was nothing close to what I ordered. The dress that I saw online appeared to be a shiny, satin like, cocktail style, thick material that actually simulates something you would wear to an after-five wedding. But, what I received is a stretchy, thin, poorly made dress with weird sleeves. Let me repeat, weird sleeves. So weird it took me 10 minutes of trying to figure out if I have them on wrong just to discover they’re just made wrong. And material, so thin you can see ever dimple, crease, panty-line, etc.  The sizing is also a major issue. I ordered a 3X knowing that it would likely be too big but I figured it would be easier to have it altered down than up. Well it fits more like an XL. I can’t say enough bad things about this dress, because this would be a really long post. So, I’ll just leave you with the hard evidence. 

link to dress

https://m.tbdress.com/product/31148901.html?currency=USD&gclid=CjwKCAiAp8iMBhAqEiwAJb94z7c9o5lv_c_bA1SbH2Ce0N9hiP4LAtBzztobwoErBU0vvRz2LknsnRoChLoQAvD_BwE 

Road Trip

Y’all know I love a good trip and road trips are no exception. Two of my closest girlfriends, affectionately known as “The Twins,” recently turned Thirty Fine and what better way to celebrate than with a trip. However, with COVID numbers steady rising we decided to stay semi-local. So we set out for 95 South and landed in Richmond. We all know that Richmond is synonymous with history but I was pleasantly surprised by the array of cute restaurants, breweries, shopping and more. Usually when I’m in Richmond it’s visiting family not playing tourist. Oh, so where did we go and what did we do? I thought you’d never ask. Lol! We ate, ate, and ate some more. Seriously, the Richmond food scene is poppin. From barbecue at ZZQ to tacos at Bario Taqueria and brunch at Bar Salita we ate to our hearts were content. Oh, and don’t let me forget the Black owned Tipsy Cupcake shop in trendy Carytown. The liquor infused cupcakes didn’t disappoint on taste or buzz. We also adventured over to Richmond’s historic Scott’s Addition for music and wine at Brambly Park. Their pizza was also delish. Unfortunately we didn’t get to see enough history for me. Richmond is way too historical not engulf yourself in the past. I mean, it is the capital of the Confederacy. However, we did stop by two monuments … the graffiti covered base of the Robert E. Lee statue and Rumors of War at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. And what’s a girls trip without shopping? We went to one of my favorite vintage shops, Halcyon. It’s right across the street from the hospital that my mom was often in so it was a bit surreal to be back there. We also went to Clementine, which was one that I’d never heard of. I’m glad we went because I got the cutest Michael Kors laptop bag for the low low. Well one of the highlights of the trip was our detour to the Virginia State Faif while on our way back to DC. Turkey legs, fried Oreos and candy apples oh my!

Living my Best Life

Life is hard, life is short so I’m choosing to live it to the fullest. I promised myself during those early months of covid lockdown that I would not turn down opportunities to go out and about once things were better. Well God brought me through the isolation and has kept me safe so Im trying my best to SAFELY live a BIG, BOLD and BEAUTIFUL life. I recently went to a super cute exhibit in Georgetown, the Fashion Warehouse. This exhibit was a fashion lovers dream. It was fun and beautiful. Secondly, I went to the all-white extravaganza Diner en Blanc. I’ve been to this event in the past and it’s always a lot of work but also lots of fun. I was nervous to attend this years event because of COVID but once I arrived and realized our ability to social distance I was able to loosen up and enjoy. So I’m challenging you to live your best life. Do all the things, safely of course, but do the things! So how did I keep it frugally fly and what did I wear to these events? 

Polkadot blouse - Rainbow

Black tuxedo pants w/ stripe - Forever 21+

Red pointed toe flats - Roses

African print purse - Africann Designs

White mesh top and ruffle skirt - Versona

White ankle sandals - Zulily 

White rose headband - Amazon

Party of Five

The name of this blog, as you know, is BBB Think which is an acronym for my BIG, BOLD and BEAUTIFUL life. Well a few weeks ago I set out on one of the biggest and boldest adventures of my life. It was a trip but not just any trip. First of all, it was a trip to NEW YORK. Second of all it was with not one, not two, not three but four of my nieces and nephews. And thirdly, I went by myself. Yes, I took four children between the ages of 8 and 14 to New York City solo. Yes, I know, insane. So how did this come about? Well Easter they asked me about the various places that I’ve visited and they asked if I’ve ever been to NY. Of course I said yes and then they asked if I would take them. Well, its impossible for me to say no to a travel challenge, so I said yes. And although I wished I had a travel mate old enough to throw back a glass of wine, and tag team on the kiddos, I was determined to take them regardless. Well I’m glad I did because they had a ball and so did I. My oldest niece wanted to visit the 911memorial, the second niece wanted to walk the Brooklyn Bridge, the third niece wanted to go to the Statue of Liberty and my nephew (the baby of the crew) wanted to eat NY pizza. Well we came, we saw, we conquered. Each of their requests were met and then some! So what did I learn from this experience:

1. Always travel with snacks 

2. Plan in advance 

3. Don’t be a slave to the schedule

4. Let them workout their own disagreements (it’s exhausting playing referee to every little argument)

5. Give them a budget when shopping for gifts

6. Travel with backpacks instead of luggage

7. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes 

8. Have fun!

Back in the Air

I took the plunge y’all!!! The travel plunge that is. Last month I flew and took my first international trip since the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a little scary, very different but so much fun. We had to get covid test, complete an authorization, get another test to come back, pack Lysol wipes, hand sanitizer and more but it was worth it. Surprisingly that was my first time in Jamaica (I know…I’m late) and it was gorgeous! The weather was perfect, the people were friendly, and the company was excellent. Of course I traveled with my usual travel crew … yep the girls. We had a blast and wore our cutest swimsuits. Most of mine were from Shein. As a matter of fact most of my clothes were from Shein as well. It’s definitely my new favorite shop. So here are the fits (all are from Shein except the blue dress, which is from Rainbow and the yellow top from Madrag. All of the shoes are from Rainbow except the wedges, which are from Payless)…

Black Girl Magic

I recently had the pleasure of attending The Black Hair Experience. This unique pop up exhibit and selfie experience was a wonderful reminder of how magical Black women truly are. When my friend Megan asked if I wanted to go, I said “sure” without knowing if it was a museum, hair show or what. But in typical Robin fashion, I just said sure because I knew I would want to check it out regardless. Well I am so glad that I did. It was more of an experience, as the title states, than a museum. But nostalgia was written all over the building. From old school posters and cassette tapes to hot comes and sponge rollers (which I recently wore to bed might I add), it took me way back to the days of getting my hair braided with beads in the kitchen to tearing out pictures of celebrities in magazines to show my beautician. Hair has always been a statement piece sometimes more than the clothes on our backs. And this experience reminded me how much I love being a black woman, having black hair and having the creative ability to rock an Afro one day and a blowout the next. Simply put, Black Girl Magic! 

Oh, and what did I wear … a Black Lives Matter shirt made by my cousin, a pencil skirt from Fashion to Figure and sparkly tennis shoes ordered on Amazon. 

Don't Give In & Don't Give Up

Dear BBBThink Divas,

I try not to talk about my weightloss journey so I don't annoy people or seem like I'm always patting myself on the back. However, when I'm reminded of something that I think others can benefit from, I can't help but to share. Full transparency ... I have tried to lose weight literally my ENTIRE life. I was a chunky kid, I was an overweight teen, and a morbidly obese adult. I have tried almost EVERY diet known to man, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Adkins, Slim Fast and the list goes on. I have joined too many gyms and tried too many exercise plans to count, Curves, LA Fitness, Zumba, Water Aerobics, Trampoline Workouts and more. And don't let me get started on all of the diet supplements from B12 shots to "It Works" products. I even tried those weird diet sprinkles that you shake on your food before you eat it, which were supposed to help curve your appetite. At least I got a couple of bucks for that one when the company was sued for false advertisements. Oh well, I say all of this to say. DON'T GIVE IN and DON'T GIVE UP! Don't give in to the hundreds of weight loss tricks and gimmicks. Some actually work well like Weight Watchers but most of them are TRASH. And don't give up when you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. When I was at my largest weight, diagnosed pre-diabetic and feeling hopeless when it came to my weight that's when I saw the light. I literally went back to the basics and began thinking, what can I do that will not stress me out even more and what can I maintain this week, next week, next month and next year. For me that was walking. Every time I got on the phone, I would stand up and walk or march in place. It was simple, the time flew by because I was talking (which I love to do, LOL) and it was easy to be consistent with. Before I knew it, I started shedding pounds and by the time I went back to my doctor, I was no longer in the prediabetic range. It wasn't until years later that I began to kick it up a notch, doing more intense workout routines and tracking my calories through my fitness pal, which I had also tried on and off for years before I became consistent. But the bottom line is just DON'T GIVE IN and DON'T GIVE UP. You will find something that works for you. You will find something that you can maintain and be consistent with. If you're reading this and want to brainstorm ideas to help you live a healthier and more active life please reach out. I am ALWAYS  happy to help.  

Then and Now

Birthday Behavior

Dear BBB Think Divas,

My birthday is always a special time of reflection and rejuvenation. This year was no exception. Lots of reflection on the past year, a little rejuvenation, but also lots of tears. More tears than usual. I miss my mom EVERYDAY but I miss her even more on special occasions. And ironically this year my birthday fell on Easter so it was quite the double whammy. Nonetheless, my family and friends made it a day or shall I say a week of joy, laughter, good food and more. I kicked the celebration off with my amazing friends and family at Robin Hill Winery in Maryland. Yes, I know, such a befitting name. I spent my actual birthday at my grandma’s house with my dad, brother, sister-in-law, nieces and nephews. They spoiled me with cookout food (a fave), lots of gifts and a surprise sip and paint night. It was wonderful!! And I wrapped up the celebration with a girls trip to Virginia Beach. Normally I would have had some exotic escape planned but due to COVID I kept it low key which turned out to be just what I needed. Sometimes you go a away and come back more exhausted than when you left, VA beach was the opposite. It was just what I needed, a little sun and sand. What I learned this year, life is literally precious, literally short and should be lived to the fullest. I wanted to crawl in a hole and wait for everything to pass by. But with the help of a few special people, I pulled myself together, got dressed up, did my hair and makeup, put one foot in front of the other and stepped into another year. I guess the point of this entire post is to tell my village how much I love them and blessed to have them. Thank you ~ Thank you

So I know y’all just want to know what I wore, LOL! Well here it is and yes, I kept it very frugally fly...at least for the most part. 

Shirt - Madrag ... Pants - Ashley Stewart ... Shoes - Walmart

Headband - Shein ... Ring - Street Vendor in Miami ... Purse - Chanel

Bathing Suit- Shein ... Headband - Forever 21

Shirt - Madrag ... Pants - Forever 21 Plus ... Shoes - Walmart ... Purse - Vintage

Swimsuit - Shein ... Necklace - Witter Shop

Jacket - Rainbow ... Pants - Fashion Nova ... Shoes - Walmart

Dress - Rainbow ... Headband - Forever 21 ... Sunglasses - I forgot, LOL!! 

Off to the Awards

Dear BBB Divas,

Yes, I know what you’re thinking. Who’s going to award shows during a pandemic? Well no one. Well actually, a select group of celebrities but even most of them are watching from home and accepting their awards on Zoom. Well tonight were the Golden Globes and it got me thinking. Since I won’t be attending awards, galas, etc again this year, I should get all dolled up and watch the 2021 awards from my home. Yes, I know a bit extreme but it’s kind of like spending your money on a staycation. You didn’t even leave your neighborhood but you still felt like you went somewhere when you returned home. So here’s to getting all dolled up...fancy dress, face beat, hair did, nails did, everything did and having a feel good night in your living room. And if you’re looking for cute, inexpensive fancy dresses checkout Shein. I got a number of dresses for my cousins wedding last year. Don’t judge me, I ordered eight because I couldn’t decide, four from Shein and four from TB Dress (only six pictured because two of the TB Dresses never arrived). Let me know if you take my advice or have other fun self care ideas during a pandemic. 

Love,

BBBThink

Shein Dresses

TB Dresses