Well hello there!  Yes, it has been awhile, and I don't even have an excuse!  Forgive me?  K thanks!

This past weekend was pretty eventful.  I went to the West Oak Lane Jazz Festival in Philly with my bff Leilani.  It's a 3-day, free festival that features a lot of great jazz artists, with various vendors selling art, jewelry, clothing, skin, body, & hair products, basically anything and everything!

We went the first day, on Friday, to see Chrisette Michele.  She performed in the evening, but we arrived there in the afternoon to check out some of the other artists first.

Btw, I didn't touch up my legs in any of these pics, this is all exfoliation + baby oil lol.  When the legs are out, I don't mess around!

Lei killin 'em as usual.  How cute are her shoes!!

Of course we had to take it there...

Wearing an ASOS denim top, Rogan for Target dress, Gap gold braided belt, and Enigma wedges

I've already worn this dress on the blog here, but it's my favorite dress, and I styled it differently this time.  I wanted to look casually cute, since it was a festival.  I couldn't roll up looking too dressy, so I think the denim + b&w leopard print + brown wedge combo gave me a solid "safari chic" vibe, which was the look I was going for :) lol

My plan was to take a lot of street style photos whilst at the festival, so my mom helped me make some business cards to hand out to people once I took their picture.  Thanks Mom!

Does anyone else use baby oil regularly?  I can't be the only one... Right?

Unfortunately I didn't find anyone I felt was worthy of capturing...... Business card #fail 

(I actually did end up giving out my business card to two people.  One to the owner of the artwork below, and some random dude who wouldn't leave me alone.  I need to do better next time haha)!

The first thing we did as soon as we got to jazz fest was eat (of course).  We went to a soulfood place called Victoria's Place, and grubbed on some fried fish, buffalo shrimp, collard greens, candied yams, and mac & cheese.  It was so yummy!  We then walked around to check out some performances + vendors before Chrisette's set.

This woman's artwork is created solely from banana leaves.  How creative is that!  I found her work to be beautiful!

There were also some great clothing & jewelry vendors, but I was so in awe I forgot to take pictures!  That and my Nikon was seeming to attract too much unwanted attention, so that also shied me away from taking as many photos smh...

This is the only close up pic I could find (via a google search), and these back tattoos are Photoshopped on....  Are those supposed to be wings? lol...

You CLEARLY can't see her well from my pictures, since I was far away, and don't have (yet) a zoom lens, but she looked GORGEOUS!  The dress, the hair, and she sounded great!  She is VERY entertaining as well, so effortlessly comfortable on stage.  It was enjoyable to watch and I was jammin' hard because I love her music!  Her band was killin' and her bg vocalists were hilarious.  Get it Chrisette!

Throughout the day at the festival Lei and I kept getting wiffs of baby oil (it wasn't me, promise lol), and saw sight of a LOT of interesting characters, including this one lady who got past the lazy security, basically jumping on stage to get Chrisette's autograph.  Chrisette kept it classy and gladly signed the woman's yellow lined piece of paper this fan presented to her.  The fan was super hype, making sure to wave it in everyone's faces as she walked back to her lawn chair -_-

Sunday was Father's Day, and some of the family came over to hang.  The men played golf, and unfortunately I had to work, but I rushed home as soon as I got off that evening, to spend a little time with the family before they left, and to spend the rest of the evening with my wonderful father on Father's Day.  

My mom cooked up a storm:  jerk chicken, bbq ribs (homemade sauce), potato salad, corn on the cob, grilled vegetables... We had fresh fruit, and Mom made two homemade peach cobblers, homemade coconut pound cake, and even had the nerve to make some homemade ice cream to go with it!  She really outdid herself!!  And of course it was all delicioso cuz my mom is a BEAST in the kitchen!

I've been really trying to stay focused on my workout grind and make my weight goals, but having all this food in the house is a problem!  How am I not supposed to gain weight when I have all this butter, salt, and sugar haunting me everytime I step foot into the kitchen?!?  LOL,  Ohhhhh well.

-Kris

P.S.  Today is the first day of summer! Woo hoo! :)

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Merry Christmas!!!

I know, Christmas has passed, but I'm still in the Christmas spirit ok!  So don't judge me!!  I felt all of the positivity exuding from all of the Christmas blog posts I'd read in the past day or so, and since I clearly didn't post on Christmas Day, I decided now was the time.  Think of this as a "belated" Christmas post :)

How was everyone's Christmas?  I had a lovely time hanging out with the family.  Besides the fact that every Christmas I get into a little argument with my uncle about Beyonce.  I fall for it every.single.year.  He only starts talking bad about her because he knows I'll immediately stand up for her (ya'll know I love me some Bey).  I'm not falling for it next year though, mark my words!

My family really surprised me this year for Christmas.  I asked for a couple things, a makeup bag and some silver cross earrings (which I fortunately received).  I ended up getting a lot more than I expected,  including my biggest surprise upon opening the Christmas gift from my Pop Pop!

I got a Nikon D3100!!  I was actually saving up to purchase this camera myself!  I had been fussin' all month, Oprah had given it away as one of her "favorite things" this year, and just a few days before Christmas I had checked out the camera in a store, to finalize my decision!  I was screaming and carrying on as soon as I started unwrapping the paper and noticed the word "Nikon" haha.  Apparently everyone knew, and also knew I was going to scream lol.  It was a total suprise!  I'm so very thankful!

Here are a few lovely items I received from my family:

Lovely cross earrings :)

This beautiful cashmere scarf that is leopard print on one side, and paisley on the other, with fur tassels on the end.  How unique!  I absolutely love it!

We switched it up this year as far as food, my Pop Pop wanted fried chicken (lol), so that's what we ate! Along with, biscuits, steak, mac & cheese, collard greens, sweet potatoes, crab cakes, scallops wrapped in bacon,... It was all delicious!  I took a plate home with a taste of everything (or two)!

My hair was larger than life that day... And my behind is lookin' pretty large too lol #gymmembershippending

My dog Cocoa with her festive scarf piece haha

My late Grandmother in her first communion with her parents :)

One of my cuzzos: Clarke

I'm headed to NYC for the second annual "New Years Eve Celebration with the Crew".  This time it's going to be bigger and better.  More friends, more fun!!  I'm heading over on the 30th (which is my friend's bday) to celebrate at his bday party.  Then NYE we're going to be eating hors d'oeuvres/drinking champagne/looking fabulous until we head out to party hop until the New Year!  

I'll be heavily documenting this trip, I can't wait to show you guys!  I even have a little something something I came up with to really capture the essence of my New Year's Eve of 2010!

I can't wait for the New Year to begin.  I feel like this is going to be a great year for me.  Now that I'm graduated from college, this is the time to dip and dabble into different fields, see what I want and do not want to do.  It's all about discovery and determination.  No better time than now, right?!  I'm going to make a list of goals (career and personal) that I want to achieve in 2011, and actually follow through with them!!

Are you making any New Year's Eve Resolutions?

Best,

Kris

*photography by: aphlyonthewallphotography.com and me!