Festivals, Family, & Friends

Dear amazing friends who chose to pump me up this past month, y’all named this blog! From social media DMs, comments, to text messages and calls everyone has hilariously hit me with the EXACT same statement: “I see you out here living your best life”. Okay, at first I was like “really ?”, then it led to “girl I’m trying”, and most recently I decided to claim this blessing of time in my life “Yes, girl turning Ls to Lessons” or “Yes, Showing Out!” S/O to drake for the reminder to be humble but claim your grind and shine! To the main point… Coachella!!!

Coachella 2018

Coachella was everything anyone who enjoys music could have imagined plus more, with a slight headache. What do I mean? The pro’s definitely outweighed the cons but it was an overwhelming experience because of the huge crowds, and simply being unfamiliar with the huge festival! But I loved each performance I was able to see. Like life was given, and I loved that most people who come genuinely love music or a good time, or both!

My 5 day trip showed me a thing or two about myself. I am learning I am growing into a person who likes having things planned to the T or having things running exactly how I imagine they should. Which is strange because two years ago, and all my life, I feel I have been completely opposite. I have enjoyed not knowing and just going with the flow. I let things like the AirNB not being as close as I was told to bother me for one hour too long, I let the hour wait for the shuttle bus after watching Queen Bey almost break me and my body down, and I almost let the chucks I decided to wear the first day make me regret not packing a little more wiser!

That was a lot but in honesty I had to speak out loud to myself to re-adjust my mood and remind me how awesome this trip and experience still was despite the mini challenges! I had the chance to do a sisters trip with my sister! We have traveled together as a family but never just her and myself, so this was really cool! I thank God for the opportunity for us to create a memory such as this. My sister loves music too so every day once we stepped into the festival we were living! I mean one minute we’re enjoying sets from artists we have never heard of or listened to. The next minute we’re getting our entire life to the ones we love and adore! By the way she makes all the bomb treats you could ever imagine. Follow her Instagram Monet Designs to place your mother day orders today! Thank me later! 

Running into my friend Tanisha from back home who is currently finishing her travel nurse assignment in California was so fun! I even had the chance to meet her fellow amazing squad of nurses from all over the states! Let me just say nurses know how to have fun, but can save us to! Get you a nurse friend! Check out her journey on her different assignments, experiences, and inspiring highlights of fellow women of color making successful moves on her blog Black Girls White Coats.

My good friend, and music junkie, Blaire joined us for the Coachella experience as well. We both agreed that we would do it again in a heart beat. The care free vibe, seeing artist give some of their best performances, and the excitement of surprise guest like 50 Cent (Blaire’s favorite), confirmed for us that Coachella is worth the money you spend. Blaire is a talented artist and has a unique way of expressing her creativity. Head over to her page DocumentMyDay to see her work, purchase the “I Glow Hard Package” while you’re at! It’s tax season, y’all got it!

Pictured at Broccoli City Festival

Considering Coachella

• Save up or spend the money you have to go to Coachella if you have the desire to do so! Multiply 50 of the artist at Coachella by $20 , that’s $1000 dollars. So I think you are paying way less to see all these artists technically! Especially if you see Bey or other headliners who run you a good $200. Each artist puts a lot in their performance so you are truly getting your money worth.

• Book your room as soon as you decide to go

• Stay in Palms Desert, Cathedral City, any outskirt city that will more than likely have a shuttle or only takes a 25 min drive to Indio

• Take a credit card! I avoid them by choice but if I would have brought one I could have saved so much on my rental! Lesson learned for me.

• Eat outside the concert (surprisingly, eating out was very affordable in the outskirt cities)

• Enjoy the concert food as well (there were some cool venues there that you just have to try)

• Wear cute but very comfortable clothing. If I decide to go again I will be in comfortable supportive kicks or cushioned sandals like EVERYDAY. Spice your simple fits up with jewels, and your own twist!

• Use the bandanna or face mask that you bring! Especially if you have asthma, allergies, or past bronchitis like me! I promise my chest was caving in my sleep one night!

• Research Coachella owner, yeah I read some things about him and who he supports but I haven’t had the time to check the validity of it. I am definitely going to look into this more before giving him my coins again. Personal thing you may not care that much but just sharing.

• Go with no expectations, leave with endless memories

Broccoli City Festival

I ended April attending another festival here in DC. This festival was founded and operated by African Americans. This year was its 6th year and I believe it continues to out do itself. Most of the headliners were also at Coachella but I finally had the chance to see H.E.R. and Daniel Caesar perform their duet together! That itself made my entire day, I also got to see Cardi in her last performance before she births her new born, and she gave us her all! But most importantly, it did not rain until close to the end! Any one who knows anything about this festival knows this is a huge blessing! I feel like every year, some how, some way, it RAINS at #BCfest!

BC Festival was a great time, black excellence and ratchetness mixing up a pot of culture that only my people know how to do! Try to make time next year to check this festival out. Very affordable (get the tickets before people start all that hustling resale – y’all need to stop) and an awesome time! Their apparel vendors and food trucks out did Coachella (quick plug for the culture)! I can’t wait to rock a sweet jersey piece from Paradyce – a company who taglines the beauty in “escaping the real world!

All in all I enjoyed my April. I have a feeling that I had a chance to live a little before this grind bites me! Any one notice the website switch up! 🙂 See ya girlll! Until next time ❤