Archives for 2018

5 Holiday Gift Ideas For The Adult Doing The Adulthood Thing

November 29, 2018 · Leave a Comment

Adulting is hard work. Cleaning, entertaining, ironing, Not having fast food every day and being on time for work isn’t easy… Adulting it’s not for the faint of heart. So I wanted to make it easier for those folks who never quite know what to ask for when it comes gifts on the holidays. It’s always during this time of year family and friends ask “what would you like?” Ahhhh man to be young again and say a Dollhouse or a game system. Well here’s a little help with 5 things that you just may need this holiday to take ya adulting NEXT LEVEL!!!! that’s right items you can make use of all year round and enjoy.

Air Fryer

I promise you mine is the best gift I could have ever gotten. I literally cook everything in it. Air fryers take away all the fatty oil and cut calories from anything you cook. I cook everything from french toast for breakfast to chicken for dinner. It’s great for that busy adult who want to cut cooking time in half.

Dish Set

A good dish set goes a long way. We can’t have you entertaining guest with paper plates all the time. Sometimes you wanna feel fancy and hear that clank and clack of a spoon on a cereal bowl. A good dish set really can make any dinner table feel super fancy.

Food Box Subscription

Sometimes being an adult were always rushing and never have time for a good healthy meal. A nice food box subscription like Hello Fresh or Plated provides pre-portioned meals for one to make depending on the size of the household. Nothing beats getting home having everything prepped and ready for a good meal after a busy day. Also what to cook for dinner is one less thing to stress about when you already have it waiting for you.

Mattress

Now most adulters sleep on a terrible mattress or sometimes even simply sleep on a blow-up bed or futon. It’s time to get rid of that !!!!! Nothing is better than giving the gift of sleep. The great thing about investing in a mattress is it’s something you can enjoy for years to come. My Big Fig Mattress really is the gift that keeps on giving. Every morning I’m able to wake up without back pain and feel well rested. Yes, it may be pricey buying a new bed but think of you investing in sweet dreams of slumber.

Bill Payments

Not having to worry about a car note payment or a student loan payment is a huge stress lifted off your shoulders. Asking to have a bill paid lets you either invest your coins on your self or get ahead on other expenses. As responsible adults, we sometimes don’t always treat ourselves to what we really deserve. Having an expense-paid gives you the opportunity to take that trip you may have been putting off.

So when Granny or the parentals ask the big “What gift would you like?’ this year you can reference back to this little guide. Hope this helped show everyone what’s practical to ask for when trying to adult in today’s world. Lets have people invest in items you can enjoy for endless years to come even when the holiday season is over. Happy Adulting everyone!!!

HOTEL REVIEW: HARD ROCK HOTEL DAYTONA BEACH

October 16, 2018 · 2 Comments

Last weekend, I traveled to Daytona Beach Florida to attend my college’s homecoming at the Great Bethune Cookman University. This year, my friends and I just knew we had to make it back to our old stomping grounds to check out the city. If you ever watched the movie Drumline or Stomp The Yard then you would understand just how amazing attending an HBCU homecoming is. Homecoming was a great time of course but, It was my stay at The Hard Rock Hotel that made my 48 hours in Daytona a memorable experience as well. The hotel is located right on the beach side of Daytona right on the oceanfront. It was easily accessible to everything from the beach and nearby restaurants.

From the moment of arrival, I received total rock star royalty which stuck until departure. The valet staff was all so eager to meet guests needs, making my stay incredible. Back in the day, I remember the hotel’s current location being the Desert Inn which wasn’t the nicest looking hotel. The Hard Rock Hotel has totally stepped it up a notch and given Beachside a whole new upscale vibe.

Rooms

The hotel features 200 guest rooms and suites on site. All the guest rooms are named after a music album. I was super excited when I noticed my room was Beyonce’s Lemonade. ( I think that’s such a great touch, especially when I always forget my room number lol). I stayed in a Queen Ocean front view room which was very spacious and comfy. I love the fact upon check in they offer The Sound of Your Stay® program, which is an exclusive audio experience that puts the guests up close and personal with music. I got to select three genres of music which played in the background of my room (Who needs an iPod when you have a custom-made music list!). Having an ocean view room I was able to hear the ocean waves all day and night which was very relaxing. I also loved being able to see what was going on at the beach, pool, and restaurants from my balcony.

Amenities

The hotel features an endless list of amenities to guest such a renowned full-service Rock Spa® and Salon, A Rock Shop®, Body Rock® Fitness Center, Hard Rock Roxity Youth Club™ and 24/7 room service. The Hotel also includes the signature Sessions restaurant and bar, the open-air Wave Terrace bar and a beachfront pool with outdoor pool bar and grill. The pool area always had endless entertainment from a DJ spinning the latest tunes to a live band and singers at night. You seriously never need to leave the property with everything you need around you.

The Staff

The staff at Hard Rock all were extremely gracious. Everyone I spoke to had such a chill, down-to-earth spirit. From the manager on duty down to housekeeping, everyone was smiling and super pleasant. One woman at the front desk even helped me learn some new settings on my camera and taught me how to shoot better with my lens. The Hard Rock Hotel staff just made me feel really happy and at home during my stay.

Overall, My stay at The Hard Rock Hotel was very memorable and one I plan to do again. I love fun edgy hotels and this definitely lived up to my expectations. From the cool, fun staff to the amenities and location, The Hard Rock Hotel is worth it and surely will bring Daytona Beach tons of business.

Disclosure: Thanks so Much!!! to the staff at The Hard Rock Daytona Beach. I was guest at the Hard Rock Hotel Daytona Beach,As always all opinions are my very own. To book a stay make sure to check them out https://www.hardrockhoteldaytonabeach.com/

Taking On Curvy Con With The Big Fig Recap

September 25, 2018 · Leave a Comment

Hey everyone I know I’m super late on my Curvy Con Recap but better late than never right. Two weeks ago I attended The Curvy Con in NY during NYFW. This year I got to team up with my Big Fig Family and hang around the booth. I wanted to give you a little recap of why I really loved attending this year.

This was my 2nd year attending Curvy Con thanks to Big Fig. Now If you aren’t aware of who The Big Fig is, I advise you to check out my previous post here. Any way Curvy Con is a three-day event created by Plus size Bloggers Chastity Garner of Garnerstyle and CeCe Olisa of Cece Olisa. The event brings plus size brands, fashionistas, bloggers and more into one space to chat, shop and embrace being curvy.

On Friday morning I arrived for the first day of Curvy Con ready for the festivities. We kick-started the day with well-known dancer Jessie Diaz and Beyonce …Yes, I said IT!!! Beyonce’s very own choreographers Amore and Jore Marshall. Jessie 1st lead us in a great early morning workout to wake us up and get our energy going. Then Amore and Jore taught us all the latest Beyonce moves. I was ready to go on tour with the queen herself after learning all her latest dance moves.

After the workout, we got to indulge in an infused water station and got free goodies from Target. Later in the afternoon, I threw on my outfit styled by Courtney Noelle and attended the fashion show sponsored by Loft. Loft showcased the latest styles for the new plus size collection currently available in stores. The styles on the runway were absolutely amazing, I can’t wait to buy a few items for myself. What I loved most about the fashion show was the diversity in the model’s used to represent the brand.

The second day was when the fun really happened. It was a day full of panels and celebrity guest speaking on different topics and workshops. Since I was working with my Big Fig Family I spent the day at the Big Fig Booth. I loved the fact I had a chance to meet and greet some of my fav influencers, celebs, and bloggers and share how amazing the Big Fig brand is. So many people loved just lounging on the huge king size bed and were shocked to find out just how comfy it really is. I always tell folks sleeping is a key factor in life. So having a good supportive mattress is key to getting good rest.

Also the day of the event there was a huge shopping area for attendees to shop different brands. Many brands had discounts exclusively for attendees and offered items only being sold at the event.

Last but not least they ended the event by giving all those who purchased platinum or glitter tickets a cute giant swag bag full of goodies. Hunny let me tell you the number of goodies given was BOMB. My bag was full of stuff such as pants, panties, gift cards, portable chargers, and coupons. Also throughout the event, there was plenty of raffles and tons of free items. I literally had no room to put all my stuff going back home lol. The night ended with the Curvy Con after party which was full of laughs, memories, and lots of dancing.

I had such a great weekend attending this event. I’m also happy I got to spend it with my Big Fig family and share just how amazing the brand is with all those who attended. I literally can’t wait to attend next year’s Curvy Con. If you missed this year make sure to buy tickets for next years event because they SELL OUT FAST. Thanks to Courtney Noelle for dressing me and Big Fig for bringing me to this awesome event. Hope you all enjoyed and Owl talk to ya soon.
Love

Ps. Make sure you check out the Big Fig mattress if you’re in the market for a new bed, I promise you won’t be disappointed and make sure to use code VANABLACK for a big discount !!!

Stavana

Why I Am Proud To Be Afro-Latina

July 31, 2018 · Leave a Comment

Often as a child, I struggled with trying to figure out exactly where the hell did I fit in with everyone. According to society, I was always pressured to pick a side; I either wasn’t “Black Enough” or “Latina Enough.” I recall as a child coming home crying to my mom because the little Spanish girls in my dance class didn’t believe I was Puerto Rican. The girls were always mean and teased me because I didn’t have the same hair or speak Spanish. I was heartbroken as a kid dealing with the teasing, why did I have to prove to people what I am. Today as a proud Afro-Latina woman I am honored to identify with two incredible sides. It took time and growth, but I learned it’s okay to embrace both my Black side and the Latin side.

So I know you’re probably reading this like what is this Afro-Latin/a word I hear her using. Afro-Latin Americans or Black Latin Americans refers to Latin American people of significant African ancestry. Now that’s Wikipedia definition but depending who you ask the answer can vary. Afro-Latin in my eyes is someone like me! A person who’s not only Black but also mixed with Puerto Rican.

Celebrating Two Sides
As an Afro-Latina I have the privilege of having two different backgrounds come together. I have the best of both worlds mixing two cultures together. Family gatherings are always full of lots of love and food because you have everything from Arroz con Gandules, Fried Chicken, Pernil, and Mac&Cheese. It’s like an assortment of flavors all under one roof( trust me once you mix Mac&Cheese with Pernil you’ll never turn back lol). It’s also cool because I know so much about music; I grew up listening to salsa and bachata but also embracing artist like Patti Labelle, Whitney Houston, and Diana Ross.

Spanish
People assume that because you are an Afro Latina you should speak Spanish. So many times in my life folks have asked “How are you Spanish ,if you don’t speak Spanish?”. Easy because my house was Americanized my father is Black and we spoke English. Hence, on my mother’s side, the majority of my family speaks Spanish and English also known as Spanglish. Therefore I grew up speaking English, Of course, my mom’s mother talked to me in her native Spanish language, and I took a few classes, but I’m still not 100% fluent. At the end of the day, I’m not less Latina because I can’t speak fluently I just happen to be raised more Americanized than most fully Latin families.

Hair and Skin
Being Afro-Latina our hair texture and complexion is very unique because it can vary from person to person. Some people have curly thick hair while others have kinky straight hair. I use to wish my hair was more like my mom’s which is very fine and curly. Now I love and embrace the thickness and fullness of my Afro-Latina hair due to the endless possibilities when it comes to styling. My skin color is another unique trait being Afro-Latina . Afro Latins come in a wide range of skin tones from Chocolate, Caramel, White Chocolate, and Mocha. I know I’m describing it like food, but that’s the sweetest thing about us. No matter our skin or hair texture we are all beautiful in our own way.

Heritage
With having African and Latin roots, I descend from two powerful groups of people. I made it my duty to understand the trials and tribulations my ancestors faced and issues people of today battle. It makes me so overjoyed to identify with being an Afro-Latina. It feels incredible to stand next to my brothers and sisters in the fight for Black Lives Matter and come together to raise money for the influential citizens of Puerto Rico during such a tragic time. Both sides of my heritage are not only fighters but are strong trailblazing people who have all overcome so much adversity to be where they are today.

No matter how many times people deny me of being Latina because I can’t speak Spanish fluently. Or I’m not black enough to fight for black rights, I always remember I’m black and beautiful and just as Latina as anyone. I only have one little difference I am Afro-Latina, and that’s what makes me unique.

Thanks For stopping by

Vana

The Big Fig Mattress:Bedroom Makeover

July 17, 2018 · Leave a Comment

Hey everyone, Hope all is well in the world. I recently did my room over, and wanted to let you all know about my new bed from The Big Fig that’s AMAZING!

I moved into a new place and wanted my bedroom to be something new and fresh. This meant getting rid of my old bed and getting a new bedroom set and room layout. The mattress I had been sleeping on was TERRIBLE, and I refused to take it with me to my new home. When Big Fig reached out to me on doing a review it came in perfect time. I have since been sleeping on my brand new Big Fig mattress which has been some of the best sleep EVER! I wanted to make sure if I told y’all about it, I had gotten as much rest possible on it to give a fair accurate review.

Before I had my Big Fig mattress, I honestly can’t even tell you where my old mattress was from or the brand. All I can recall was the springs were super loud and it was only like 3 years old. I loved how soft my old mattress felt, but my back didn’t love the way that mattress felt. The last 4 months of me sleeping on my old mattress my back was aching every morning that I woke up. When I received the Big Fig mattress I was a little skeptical seeing that it’s a firmer higher mattress. The mattress was delivered to me by Big Figs white glove service where they put together your entire bed for you. Big Fig is an ultra-durable mattress designed for sleepers on the heavier side. The mattress is made for larger figures who may have had issues in the past with a mattress sagging, softening, loss of support or comfort over time.

The Big Fig company boasts that their bed, box spring, and railings can hold up to 5000 pounds. Now, I haven’t put that to the test HAHA! but I’m sure it stands true. I have the Queen size Mattress and did some jumping on it just to test it out. I will say it’s very sturdy and durable just like they advertise. I love that it comes with a 20-year warranty which shows how much they believe in the product, that’s more than any average mattress company offers.

There’s honestly not a single bad thing I can say about my new bed. I do miss the softer mattress, but since switching to the firmer side of the mattress world I think they won me over. The Big fig mattress really has given me some great sleep and really supports my back and body frame. We as humans spend a good amount of time sleeping, so why not be comfy doing it. My dog Henny even loves my new bed. I sometimes think he likes it more than me because I always catch him sleeping on it.

So if you’re in the market for a new bed that supports a plus size frame or just a taller built. I say check out the Big Fig it’s so worth the investment. Also If you order make sure to use my code VANABLACK at checkout for $100 off your purchase. Everyone deserves to have a nice comfy sleep and the Big Fig makes sure of that.

As Owl ways thanks for reading

Vana

Disclaimer: I was not paid to review, but received a complimentary mattress, from Big Fig.