I have always wanted to visit Strawberry Hill Hotel but I never seemed to ever get the chance. While my cousin was visiting I decided to take a chance and call Strawberry Hill to inquire… More
73 Vogue-inspired Questions
I was tagged by the beautiful As Told By Nella and though it took me almost a month to upload this POST (THANK YOU LIFE COMMITMENTS) I am more than happy to do this tag. I love the original Vogue videos and I am super excited about these questions so here we go….
1.What are you most excited about these days?
Finishing my Post Grad. Diploma
2. What’s your favorite holiday?
New Year’s Eve
3. Favorite season?
Summer
4. Where does one go on a perfect road trip?
Portland
5. What is the best activity when home on a rainy day?
Sleep
6. If you could switch lives with someone for a day who would it be?
Any full time travel blogger/vlogger
7. What is the best thing that happened this year?
I resigned from my previous job.
8. What’s your New Year’s resolution?
Live my best 2019
9. What’s your favorite exercise?
Walking
10. Best way to decompress?
Watching Netflix, Korean and Chinese Dramas
11. What’s your favorite country to visit?
Haven’t visited many places but so far St. Martin/St. Maarten
12. Last country you visited?
New Providence Island, The Bahamas
13. Country you wish to visit?
I have 2…St. Lucia & South Korea
14. What’s your favorite ice-cream?
Rum & Raisin
15. What makes you smile the most?
My family
16. What’s the coolest thing in the world?
The Internet… it has made the world more accessible
17. What is the cutest thing in the world?
Love
18. How do you know if you’re in love?
I can look past the flaws…
19. If you could go to any concert past or present, what would it be?
NSYNC, Backstreet Boys & BTS ❤
20. What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
My brothers
21. Favorite fashion trend of all time?
Skinny Jeans
22. What’s your favorite movie of all time?
Pride & Prejudice…the Kiera Knightly version
23. What was the movie that made you cry?
Selena & it still does
24. If you could make a documentary, what would it be about?
Post Independence Jamaica
25. If you could have one superpower what would it be?
Teleportation
26. What is the skill still unmastered?
Cooking
27. What is the best thing that happened to you today?
I woke up
28. Do you like surprises?
No
29. If you could do a flash mob where would it be?
Below the Eiffel Tower
30. Do you like cupcakes?
Yes
31. Do you usually bake cupcakes?
No
32. What’s your favorite desert?
Cheesecake
33. Is there a desert you don’t like?
Haven’t encountered one I don’t like yet
34. What’s your favorite bakery?
Don’t have one
35. What’s your favorite food?
Oxtail and Roast Beef
36. It’s brunch, what do you eat?
Pancakes, Bacon & Egg
37. You are stuck on an island, you can pick one food to eat forever without getting tired of it, what would you eat?
Roast Beef
38. Favorite color?
Red
39. Favorite superhero?
Spiderman
40. What do you usually order in Starbucks? (or in your favorite café)
Fruit coolers
41. Who is the last person you texted?
My friend Wade
42. What’s your favorite activity to do in your hometown?
Stay home
43. What’s the next book you plan on reading?
Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan
44. What do you love in your pizza?
Pineapples and Ham
45. Favorite drink?
Pepsi (Non Alcoholic) & Caipirinha or Mojitos (Alcoholic)
46. Dark chocolate or milk chocolate?
Dark
47. What’s your favorite band?
Currently BTS
48. Favorite solo artist?
Chronixx
49. Favorite lyrics?
“I’m the one I should love in this world” – BTS Jin
“Life is what you make it…” – Vybz Kartel
50. If your life was a song what would the title be?
“Never Give Up The Fight”
51. If you could master one instrument what would it be?
Piano
52. If you had a tattoo where would it be?
Ribcage
53. To be or not to be?
To be
54. Dolphins or koalas?
Koalas because I love Koya from BT 21
55. How do you like your coffee?
Mixed with Roma Cocoa
56. What’s your favorite curse word?
I hardly curse lately but if I do its a local variation.
57. What color of dress did you wear to prom?
I didn’t go to my Prom
58. Diamonds or pearls?
Pearls
59. Cheap shampoo or expensive?
Aloe Vera
60. Blow dry or air dry?
Air Dry
61. Heels or flats?
Flats
62. Pilates or yoga?
Pilates
63. Jogging or swimming?
Jogging
64. One thing you can’t live without?
My family
65. What’s one cause that’s dear to your heart?
Youth Development
66. Who would you want to shoot a love scene with?
My Person
67. What’s your favorite sport?
Athletics
68. Do you have a morning beauty ritual?
Nope
69. What’s your favorite thing to wear?
A chain my Mom gave me
70.What’s the priciest thing you’ve ever splurged on?
Carnival
71. Do you play any musical instruments?
No
72. What is your favorite book of all time?
Love Story by Eric Segal
73. What is something you always travel with?
Camera
I TAG THE FOLLOWING BLOGGERS:
Simply Local Life
Renegade Expressions
If You’re Not Busy
As Told By Alli
Until Next Time… Walk Good
It’s been awhile…
5 Financial Lessons… I wish I heeded in my 20’s
If many of us got a preview of what 10 years in the future looked like we would surely approach our present very different.
I try not to live with regrets but whenever I am sitting in any form of public transportation I usually get a bit melancholy about some of the silly financial mistakes I made & great advice I did not take in my 20’s. But instead of wallowing in said sorrow I decided to share the lessons I wish I heeded in hopes that it will help a 20 something year old or even thirty something year old get on the path to financial stability.
1. Save 10% of everything you earn not matter how small the income.
As we like to say here in Jamaica every “mickle mek a muckle” or “one one coco full basket.” No matter how small your income…save some of it (10% is a good start). In my 20’s, I did not save the way I should have. I constantly justified this malpractice by stressing how “small” my salary was at the time. I now know that saving involves a lot of patience but one day it does pay off.
2. Partners are not so bad & can help you achieve long term goals
In doing my research for this post, I discovered that partners exist outside Jamaica but have different names. The concept involves putting aside a said amount weekly or monthly and each period a partner receives a lump sum called a draw.
“A popular form of savings system in Jamaica is the “Partner”, which is called by many different names elsewhere in the Caribbean and is also found in many other parts of the world… A Partner is basically a partnership among people to save collectively. Usually an established member of a community manages the partnership and is referred to as “the banker”. The partners contribute a regular sum daily, weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis. Every day, week, fortnight or month, one member of the partner receives the total amount contributed by the partners over that period., less the equivalent of one contribution, which is given to the banker as payment for the banker’s services.
The drawback with the partner is the trust factor (many a scary stories). So I would advise that one enters such agreement with someone who has been proven trustworthy. If the traditional partner structure is not for you, most credit unions actually offer partners which are monitored & regulated by the financial monitoring authorities.
3. Pay your bills in full (or over if you can afford to) & on time
You rob yourself every time you pay a late fee…Enough said!
4. Invest! Invest! Invest!
You are not too young to invest. Speak to a trusted financial adviser and make your money work for you in your 20’s.
5. Credit Responsibly
Most of us shop online or have a Netflix account which may require us to have a credit cards. Credit cards, in my opinion, are luxury items so as with all luxury items it ain’t cheap & should be handled with care. Luckily here is Jamaica there are two banks I know that offer Visa debit cards (something I wish was offered in my early 20s) which will help you to spend responsibly.
I hope you found this helpful & look out for future posts in the 5 Lessons I learned series.
Share with me in the comments some financial lessons you have learned so far.
Until Next time…Walk Good
We Pulled Up To: @TheNewWaveJa’s Movie Night!
Words By: @ShannyDeLioness
Photos (when we tried to get them…) By: @xSvmSingx
The city lights of Kingston flickered as if it was anxiously awaiting having its stories being shared at 6B Skyline Drive. While she anxiously waited, the mood was much lighter as movie enthusiasts and creatives filled every corner of Skyline Levels for New Wave’s Movie Night. Blankets, pillows, and folding chairs lined every corner creating an intimate atmosphere to witness the cinematic genius about to unfold.
The night’s agenda saw the viewing of three films, Nile Saulter’s “Fever Dream“, the premiere of Joshua Paul’s short film “Kinto“, and the feature presentation by Storm Saulter’s “Better Mus’ Come“. At 9PM the lights dimmed to usher in the first short film, “Fever Dream“. The 12 minute film shared the endeavours of a Scrap Metal Collector whom though…
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#DryLandTouristChronicles: Travelling the Caribbean on a Budget
Ever scroll through Instagram and see some breath-taking shots of The Pitons in St. Lucia or Store Bay in Tobago & thought when am I going to be able to experience that?
Well here are five ways to help you travel the Caribbean on a budget!
Continue reading “#DryLandTouristChronicles: Travelling the Caribbean on a Budget”
#DryLandTouristChronicles: Duppy Church & Colbeck Castle
The past is our definition. We may strive, with good reason, to escape it, or to escape what is bad in it, but we will escape it only by adding something better to it. -Wendell Berry
Jamaica has so many hidden gems in plain sight. Some of the most mundane looking buildings have some of the most fascinating stories to tell. Recently, I had the opportunity to explore two hidden gems in plain sight, the infamous Duppy Church in Mile Gully, Manchester & Colbeck Castle outside Old Harbour, St. Catherine.
Continue reading “#DryLandTouristChronicles: Duppy Church & Colbeck Castle”
#DryLandTouristChronicles: Sunday Chill at Hope Botanical Gardens, St. Andrew
I grew up hearing people say the best things in life are free or close to free…LOL… & the older I have become is the more I believe this to be true. Visiting the Hope Botanical Gardens also known as the Royal Botanical Gardens is something I have been doing for years and as one of Jamaica’s oldest attractions I am happy to see the maintenance of this gem which is actually a Jamaica National Heritage Trust site. The Garden is currently ran by the Nature Preservation Foundation.
A Little History Lesson…
The Royal Botanical Gardens, commonly called “Hope Gardens”, occupies 200 acres of land in the Ligunaea Plains of urban St Andrew. The gardens were established in 1873 on a section of land from the estate of Major Richard Hope, one of the original English colonisers who arrived with the invading force of Penn and Venables. Today the gardens are the largest public green space in the Kingston metropolitan region, and are home to Jamaica’s most popular collection of endemic and exotic botanical collections. Of particular interest is the Cassia siamea grove by the main entrance, which was planted in 1907, and the other mini-gardens within the park – notably the cacti garden, with its rare varietals; the bougainvillea walk with its magnificent explosions of tropical colours; the annual gardens, with numerous species of exotic flowers; the sunken gardens and the lily pond.
Source: https://www.visitjamaica.com/listing/hope-botanical-gardens/432/
Continue reading “#DryLandTouristChronicles: Sunday Chill at Hope Botanical Gardens, St. Andrew”
Love after 30?
If you have internet access or live in the Commonwealth & didn’t know that a Royal Wedding took place on Saturday, May 19…I want to know your secret!
The world was a buzz over the nuptials of Prince Harry and American Actress Meghan Markle (now officially the Duke & Duchess of Sussex). Some celebrated the fact that Meghan is a mixed woman, some celebrated the fact that she was American, and some celebrated her activism & humanitarian work and the impact all these attributes will have on her new role as a Royal.
As for me, I celebrated that this beautiful successful woman was walking down the aisle at 36 years old! Yes…I…went…there!
Mas is for Every BODY-Type
mas (noun) WEST INDIAN – carnival celebrations. 1. “mas bands”más (adjective) SPANISH – more
All my skinny days I would have never been caught dead on the streets of Kingston in a bedazzled bikini! Fast forward to today …at 200 + LBS I proudly bear it all for Jamaica and the world to see!
Falling for YS
I am the go-to girl for information on excursions for a few of my friends; so when my BFF Alicia called me for some suggestions of spots to go for her birthday I was super elated! Her original choices were Dolphin Cove, Mystic Mountain or Yaaman Adventure Park, however, based on the date we wanted to go none of them would have been feasible. So of course my adventure radar zoomed in on my fave parish other than Portland…St. Elizabeth. The first option was definitely YS Falls.
