It's Saturday! It's Saturday! It's Saturday!!! And what a groovy Saturday night I have lined up!!! In keeping with my recent trend of sharing new music I'm diggin', I had to hip you all to "Heaven" by Scotland's own Emeli Sande. This song is seriously MY JAM!!! I hope that you all will love the tune as much as I do, and that it will help usher forth a HEAVENLY Saturday night!!!
I've discussed with detail the revamps I've made to my diet over the past few months in a new blog series I call, "Miss Moon Gets Healthy". One of the goals I have is to ultimately lose weight. While I love being a curvy girl, it's starting to take its toll on my health (My last hospital visit really opened my eyes!) and at 34, now is the time to get it done!
95% of what I've had to drink in the past few months is water, with the occasional aloe drink peppered in here and there. While I have definitely noticed a change (especially to my skin.. can you say "second puberty"?!?) I would like to incorporate a healthy, yummy drink choice into my diet. Variety is the spice of life, after all!
I spotted this recipe via Pinterest (If you haven't checked out my boards, feel free to do so!) and was immediately excited about the prospect of trying this out! To have a tasty beverage that can actually aid in speeding up my metabolism?!? I'm so there!
According to Dr. Oz, the Green Tea in this recipe can boost your metabolism by 12%. In addition, the tangerine helps to trigger a gene that can burn the fat in your body. And last but certainly not least, the mint is a great way to add flavor to your drink without adding any calories.
Let's see, I love green tea, I enjoy tangerines, and I'm mad for mint... Sign me up, please! LOL
- 8 cups of green tea, brewed
- 1 tangerine, sliced
- handful of mint leaves
Directions:
1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a large pitcher the night before. This helps the flavors to marry.
2. After sitting in the fridge over night, drink the entire pitcher the next day to get the most metabolism boosting out of the drink!
This is another moment, where I can literally hear some of you having the Vinyl Record Needle Scratch sound in your heads when you read the title of this post! LOL Some of you (hopefully!) went "Oh, hells yeah!", in which you can appreciate where I am coming from!
Say what you want about M.I.A, she has a style that sure enough gets her noticed. And while 50% of the time, I am not bowled over an entire outfit she's rocking... There are in almost every circumstance a piece or two that makes me want to yell "Get in my closet!!!!", which is why I would love to go shopping with her. I also think it would probably be the most interesting shopping trip I've ever gone on in my life!!!
I love her ability to mix patterns and have the results look strangely cohesive and harmonious! Plus, those shades are DOPE!
That top, those nails, electric blue tights?!?! I'm there!
Those leggings = YES!!!
I heart this jacket!! I think on anyone else it would look like Blanche from "The Golden Girls", but on her it rocks!
I want this tee!!!
I am diggin' every single lick of accessories she has on in this picture!!
Love the dress, love the clutch!!!
This is hands down the outfit I would wear, like, TOMORROW.. if we were the same size. But alas...
Spring has officially sprung across the globe, and although I'm (unfortunately!) still unemployed, that doesn't mean there aren't items on my "To Buy" list! Spring essentials, if you will, that would definitely make my days brighter! So let's get right down to it, y'all!!!
First up on my list is a two-fer (So yes, it's being counted as one!) courtesy of Simply Be. I LOVE this outfit! I think it is very, very "Audrey Hepburn discovers Color Blocking".. which I think makes for an AWESOME combination! I love the Tipped Shirt, which I can totally see rocking on a job interview, and then wearing it with the Color Jeans in Wine (as pictured) on the first day of work! LOL Speaking of colored jeans...
I have two pairs of skinny jeans, which I love, but are both way too big on me now (First sign that Miss Moon's Getting Healthy? Could be...). I think I am definitely in need of an upgrade, and since it's all about vibrant, jewel toned colors... why not rock some colorful skinny jeans? I'm am really diggin' these Colored Slim Leg Jeans from The Avenue. Blue is my favorite color, and I can see myself rocking these jeans with loads of different combinations... including with the Tipped Shirt I just mentioned!
I know it doesn't seem like it here in NYC, what with the 80 degree(!!) weather and all, but April showers do indeed bring May flowers. Spring is definitely the time to invest in a good jacket to wear over your clothes. And for me, I always try to pick a simple black one that I can jazz up with a funky spring scarf. My pick is the Women's Plus Short Trench Coat by Old Navy, which is my go to place for savings and style with savoir faire. (I swear, if this blog had a drinking game... it would be take a shot every time I went the alliteration route! lol)
I've mentioned before that I've adopted a fitness routine that includes walking for an hour a day 5-6 days a week. I've recently upped the stakes and walk twice a day, giving me essentially two hours of exercise each day that I do it. A lot of the time I walk and listen to music that motivates me to keep going. Recent favorites have been "Radio" from the hit Broadway show Memphis, "Tortoise and The Hare" by the amazing Jazzyfatnastees, and (Don't judge me) "Did it On 'Em'" by Nicki Minaj. Yes, I have a very eclectic taste in music! LOL
But the number one song that I play during my walks is "The Woman Who" by the beautiful Lamya (who left this Earth way too soon!), which is such an amazing song about, well, the woman who changes her life, makes her dreams come true, and lives happily ever after... wearing her "red magic shoes", as the lyrics say. Which of course, is my motivation for getting the Converse Ox sneakers in Cinnabar. This item is one I've actually purchased and am currently waiting to receive. I am well on my path to bettering myself, but I'm certain a pair of red magic shoes will help me travel the course in style! :)
This last item is obviously a "when I get my first paycheck" purchase, unless I hit lotto (which I don't play, so it's unlikely) or some rich person stumbles across this blog and goes "Hey! I like this plucky gal's style, I'm going to buy this bag for her!" (Which is equally as unlikely! LOL), but I am madly in love with this Fiorelli Large Havana Satchel from Asos, so hopefully it will still be in stock when my finances are. LOL
What has caught your eye and is on your list of Spring Must-Haves? Leave a comment with the items you're most excited about (Links would be great, too!)
"Ask the right questions if you're to find the right answers."
~ Vanessa Redgrave
"In order for answers to become clear, the questions have to be clear."
~ Abdolkarim Soroush
In my twenties, I spend so much time asking a single question: "Why... Me?!?!?" Every time I encountered a hardship, on each occasion when someone shared something positive with me, I wondered what was it about me that made me either cursed, or blessed, depending on the situation. Why? Why? Why? And it really isn't much of a question, in my opinion. It can be more of a whiny utterance... which I can honestly say was the case with me about 95% of the time! LOL
I'm proud to say that I'm a bit older and in turn a bit wiser, and when I encounter something difficult, I ask myself, "What is the lesson in this?". Which is a question that actually can help facilitate self-reflection and inner dialog. This has proven essential in getting an actual answer, other than "Shit Happens!!", which was more often than not the definitive answer to "Why?!?!"
To limit the questions you ask yourself in life is like locking yourself indoors when its a beautiful day outside. The birds are singing, and your life is beckoning you to com play...MIND GAMES).... See what I did there?!? LOL
Seriously, though... it can be comforting, in a coddling, entertaining,warm blanky kind of way to close yourself up from asking the questions and really discovering the answers, but it's not nurturing and in reality, it's detrimental to growth. So of course this week's song choice for Music Therapy with Miss Moon is John Lennon's amazing "Mind Games". Let is serve as a reminder to always ask for the lessons and the blessings in everything and anything you do.
We're playing those mind games together
Pushing the barriers planting seeds
Playing the mind guerrilla
Chanting the Mantra peace on earth
We all been playing those mind games forever
Some kinda druid dudes lifting the veil
Doing the mind guerrilla
Some call it magic the search for the grail
Love is the answer and you know that for sure
Love is a flower you got to let it grow
So keep on playing those mind games together
Faith in the future out of the now
You just can't beat on those mind guerrillas
Absolute elsewhere in the stones of your mind
Yeah we're playing those mind games together
Projecting our images in space and in time
Yes is the answer and you know that for sure
Yes is surrender you got to let it go
So keep on playing those mind games together
Doing the ritual dance in the sun
Millions of mind guerrillas
Putting their soul power to the karmic wheel
Keep on playing those mind games together
Raising the spirit of peace and love
(I want you to make love, not war
I know you've heard it before)
Happy Saturday! Keeping with the trend of sharing new music on a Saturday Night, I knew immediately that this song would be my pick when I first heard it earlier in the week. For those of you interested in the translation of what Jada is saying in the intro, here it is (courtesy of MadameNoire):
“This song that I’m about to sing is very important to me because it’s the beginning of a new love for my husband. After 17 years, I never though I could love him even more. Here’s Burn”
Indeed! Here is "Burn" by Wicked Evolution. I hope you enjoy this Saturday Night!!
Recently I read an article online regarding The 10 Commandments Of Black Hair Care, in which experts weigh in on what black women should be doing to ensure healthy, beautiful hair.
So much of the discussions online concerning natural hair revolve around some set of rules and guidelines that we are naturals should (or should not) follow... There are oodles of "Do's and Don'ts" on the subject. Think about it, many of the "Shit Naturals Say" videos that we all cackled at the tail end of 2011 all feature lines about what products we can't use and what ingredients are like kryptonite to natural hair! LOL
This led me to think seriously about how necessary and most importantly, helpful such rules are. When I was first starting my natural hair journey, if there are a universal set of rules, I would say I followed about 85-90% of them. This means that whenever I read advice online, I tried to incorporate it's practice into my regime. Now? I say "Eff the rules!" most of the time and do what feels right for me and my hair. And in retrospect, I think that was the best way for me to go about it.
When first starting out, many have no idea how to deal with their hair in it's natural state, primarily because we weren't educated on the subject, really.
This was certainly the case for me. My understanding of my natural hair was that there as a lot of it, that it was unruly, and that it must be straightened to not be unkempt. And I don't blame my Mum, she was probably given the same education, as did my Grandmother, and so on. For so many years, we were taught to achieve "good" (meaning: straight) hair by any means necessary. And the decision to go natural is much like having a blindfold taken off of you. Sure, you can see... but where the hell are you? In which direction should you go?
In those instances, I firmly believe using rules and guidelines can be helpful, because they can serve as a starting point and give directions at the beginning of your natural hair journey. This is of course provided that it's understood that the rules should not be taken as dogma. Once you have established what works and what doesn't work for you, you throw out the rules that are not applicable, and formulate your own rules for what your hair needs and thrives on based on what applies.... And even then the rules are subject to change often, as mine certainly have over the years.
Speaking of dogma, the idea of having Natual Hair Rules or Commandments kind of reminds me of Chris Rock's line from the movie, "Dogma": "I just think its better to have ideas. I mean, you can change an idea. Changing a belief is trickier..."
When I think about all of the infighting that goes on in our community, perhaps if we weren't so zealously locked into our beliefs, and instead had a general idea of what it means to be natural, perhaps we wouldn't beef so much!
So, let's talk tresses: What are your thoughts on Natural Hair Commandments or Rules? Are they helpful, harmful, or both? Leave a comment with your take on the subject!
This is a map of my wonderful home in Brooklyn called Bed-Stuy. Those little red dots? Oh, those are just all of the restaurants I have the choice of when I and the other inhabitants of Casa di Miss Moon don't feel like slaving over a hot stove!
Let's take a look at my choices: I have two (count 'em!) TWO McDonald's, Burger King, Popeye's, Applebee's, Papa John's, Domino's, Little Caesar, KFC, Dunkin Donuts, Checker's, Six Chinese Restaurants, Three Pizzerias, 8 West Indian Restaurants, and dare I mention the bodegas that will gladly make you a processed meat and cheese hero (LOADED with mayo) at 3 o'clock in the morning upon request? LOL
And to be fair, there are also 3 West Indian/Asian Fruit Markets, 2 Health Food Stores, and a newly opened restaurant called Island Salad (Foursquare users can check in at their Bed-Stuy location!) which I've tried once so far and I loved the salad I got from them!
With not too many healthy choices available to me, what's a girl who is all about getting healthy to do? Well, of course I should be cooking more at home... but this post is all about how I've revamped my Take Out food choices, so I will tell you the first step... I AVOID 95% of all the restaurants within walking distance from your house. Yes, no McDonald's... no Popeye's... no Burger King... no Pizza!! This has been my life for the past two months. Do I miss it? Sometimes... but I do not miss the heartburn, and the overall non-specific feeling of crappiness I experienced immediately after consumption!
To illustrate the change, I will share with you how I used to nom-nom on Chinese Food (Which I LOVE!):
Deliciously decadent Sesame Chicken... How I love thee? Let me count the ways.... all 1028 calories worth!!!! Again, I've been advised to maintain a 1300 calorie per day diet, so.. yeah! LOL
This is what I'm working with nowadays... Steamed Shrimp with Broccoli with a side of brown rice. What's great is that one of the Chinese Restaurants in the area actually gives you a "no sauce" option, which I of course take. To drink? Water!!!!
And the damage calorie-wise? Around 377 calories! Drastic difference, huh? The steamed shrimp and broccoli will run you around 161 calories, while one cup of brown rice is 216 calories.
When you are encountering a lazy day and do not want to cook (it happens.. often! lol), you can enjoy food from your local take out joints, but you have to be savvy as to what you're putting in your body. And since I've adopted this change, I have truly noticed the difference in the way I feel after meals.
Comedian Louis C.K. has a joke about his doctor asking him to describe his "eating habits". His doctor is curious to know how soon into eating a meal does he stop because he's feeling full. Louis' classic response is, "The meal is not over when I feel full... the meal is over when I HATE myself! That's when I stop!" LOL
That pretty much sums up my past experiences with take out food. But lately... I get full and I STOP! So full, in fact.. I can't finish the meal! Which means.. Yippee!! Leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day! As the weeks progress, I will be exploring the healthier meal options at my local restaurants, instead of running to the big chain fast food joints when the family graves takeout. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.. so please leave a comment!
Let's face facts: I am unemployed, and broke!!! While I am grateful as all holy hell for the weekly compensation given to me by the New York State Department of Labor, it really doesn't allow me to go crazy on my hair care products. It's times like these I wish I was a more popular blogger, so I can get scores of freebies! LOL
You can totally send me some, though! Just sayin'.... I mean, look at this punim, doesn't it inspire you to WANT to send products?!?!?
But alas, I'm not... so I have to work with what I got, within my modest budget. I've also put myself on a temporary spending freeze when it comes to purchasing products, which means that I am using up a lot of the more expensive brands I purchased when I had a steady paycheck, in addition to using products I've grabbed on a whim from my local Duane Reade. Two products in particular have worked themselves into my weekly routine, so I thought that it would be a great idea to share them with you because.. that's pretty much what I do, isn't it? LOL
Shea Moisture Restorative Hair Conditioner ($9.99 at most stores). Now, my wet hair is not crazy about this stuff.. like, at all! But when I tried it on my hair when dry, Whooo!!! Magic Happened!! I use this every night before bed, when I put my hair into two (or four) braids before wrapping it. I love how my hair looks when I take the braids down in the morning.
Kuza Coconut Oil Conditioner and Hair Dressing ($3.99 at most stores) I can almost hear the collective gasp in the natural hair universe. "Hair... grease?!?!" Yes, hair grease. My hair L-O-V-E LOVES this stuff!!! I don't apply this to my scalp, because... I'm not crazy, but this is another product that I use once or twice a week to maintain my braid outs. And the smell is AWESOME!!!
I've been using both products since the beginning of the year, and I am very pleased with the results thus far. Do any of you use Drugstore brands for your hair? Leave a comment with your faves!!
"Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy."
~ Norman Vincent Peale
This week is beginning with a lot of new opportunities for yours truly. After a month-long dry spell, I have two job interviews lined up for this week, starting today.
Proof positive that I am getting older and wiser is how I think about job interviews nowadays. Of course, I want to present myself in a positive light, and show each person I meet with that I am a hard-working, talented and competent candidate for the job. But a lot of the fear and the panic associated with job interviews don't effect me as strongly as they once had.
Lately, I've been approaching each opportunity to meet with someone regarding a position as a possibility to connect and find a match. If they don't hire me, I assume it wasn't a match, and keep it moving. Sure, it's frustrating when you don't find a match right away, but eventually, I will. And as I've discovered, it's usually very much worth the wait. For myself,and the the lucky company to add me to their ranks.
It's all about confidence. I am good at what I do, and I'm the type of employee that will positively contribute her time, energy and creativity into her job. So I walk into each job interview knowing this with certainty. Hopefully it's something that will resonate with the people interviewing me. Because, and I say thing quite humbly, I am a super woman! Which leads me to this week's song choice for Music Therapy with Miss Moon...
I had to choose Alicia Key's amazing anthem "Superwoman", a song that will be guiding my steps this week, as I venture forth to find my destiny. May it inspire and uplift all the superwomen and supermen reading these words!
Everywhere I'm turning
Nothing seems complete
I stand up and I'm searching
For the better part of me
I hang my head from sorrow
state of humanity
I wear it on my shoulders
Gotta find the strength in me
Cause I am a Superwoman
Yes I am
Yes she is
Even when I'm a mess
I still put on a vest
With an S on my chest
Oh yes
I'm a Superwoman
For all the mothers fighting
For better days to come
And all my women, all my women sitting here trying
To come home before the sun
And all my sisters
Coming together
Say yes I will
Yes I can
Cause I am a Superwoman
Yes I am
Yes she is
Even when I'm a mess
I still put on a vest
With an S on my chest
Oh yes
I'm a Superwoman
When I'm breaking down
And I can't be found
And I start to get weak
Cause no one knows
Me underneath these clothes
But I can fly
We can fly, Oh
Cause I am a Superwoman
Yes I am
Yes she is
Even when I'm a mess
I still put on a vest
With an S on my chest
Oh yes
I'm a Superwoman
Trayvon Martin was only 17 years old when he was gunned downed after paying a trip to a convenience store for a snack. He purchased a bag of skittles and an iced tea. He was unarmed and was merely walking back to his Father's home.
According to a police report, George Zimmerman, a captain of a neighborhood watch team, who was patrolling the neighbourhood in his car, had initially called police to report a 'suspicious person in the area'.
Despite being told to keep his distance, there was some kind of confrontation between him and Martin, which resulted in Trayvon's death. The teen was shot once in the chest just yards from his father's home. Zimmerman claimed he had fired his 9mm handgun in self-defence and the police say they have "no reason to suspect he is lying". George Zimmerman has to this date not be charged for the death of Trayvon Martin.
Today, Miss Moon's Musings is joining forces with For Harriet in staging a Blog-In for Trayvon Martin today. I stand with the Martin family and urge you to sign the above petition, and/or to reach out to Sandford Police Chief Bill Lee, as well as Florida State Attorney Norman Wolfinger to demand justice for Trayvon Martin.
This week, I am honoring the newest celebrity to step out of the lace-front closet and rock the hair her Mama gave her, Viola Davis! How super psyched was I to see Viola strutting the red carpet with her beautiful fro? Of course, I had to showcase her, because I sincerely HEART her hair!
Hooray! It's the first (and probably not the last!) Solange Knowles inspired post of 2012! I made it to March without recreating one of her outfits. How's THAT for self-control?!? LOL
When I saw this photo of Solange spinning at the grand opening of the Miu Miu store in Houston, I literally was like, "I was trying to wait... But... Eff it... I'm recreating that for plus size fashionistas!" And recreate it, I did! Of course, Solange is rocking Miu Miu, but here's what I have come up with:
Dress: Joe Browns Ditsy Print Dress ($89.00, Simply Be) Shoes: Blue White Multi Fabric Gingham Print T Strap Platform Heels ($12.99, Ami Club Wear) Earrings: Beaded French Wire Earrings ($3.80, Forever 21)
You can complete the look with my new favorite lipstick shade! I'm contemplating taking a braid-cation this spring, and boy is Solange's Goddess braids tempting me. LOL What do you think, guys... should I go for it?!?
My name is Audrey. I have been called many, many things. My Pirate Sistahs dubbed me Pirate Yemaya Chalice Moon, Mother of the Secret Realm (or Yemmy for short), which I remixed P-Diddy style into Miss Moon the Brooklyn Geechee. This blog is basically all about me and my life. I call it the rantings, ramblings and revelations of your average Brooklyn Geechee.
I have a lot of interests, and I admittedly get a bit dorky about them. So this blog will be about music, movies, politics, tv, getting healthy, and as Lisa Jones dubbed her book Bulletproof Diva (a must read!)... tales of race, sex, and hair.
I hope you like it. And if not, I welcome constructive criticism.
My only rule is be nice or leave.
" by Scotland's own Emeli Sande. This song is seriously MY JAM!!! I hope that you all will love the tune as much as I do, and that it will help usher forth a HEAVENLY Saturday night!!!
".
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