DC Embassy Weekend: Around the World with Passport DC

February 12, 2025February 11, 2025 Mstldelano2 Comments

Craving some international travel, but your budget is saying, “Nope”? Want to enjoy some international culture without the hassle of dealing with TSA? Every May, Passport DC hosts a month-long festival that opens up the doors to many of the embassies in Washington, DC. As someone that loves attending gala events, I’m especially thrilled to do Passport DC, because, unlike the galas, no tickets are necessary, and you can visit a lot more embassies in one day than you could normally enjoy during the average week in DC. This post highlights my experience with Passport DC 2024, and yes, I will be in attendance for Passport DC 2025.

The first weekend of the Passport DC festival is the Around The World Embassy Tour. This weekend features many embassies from Africa, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Gulf countries, Eurasian and other non-EU European countries, and the UK. The doors open around 10 AM on the first Saturday of May, and most embassies will stay open until around 4 PM. The easiest way to enjoy this weekend is to start off with the map of the participating embassies: these maps are available either digitally (through the Passport DC website or mobile app) or in paper form. There are lots of signs located in the Embassy Row area, so you will have no problem locating the stands where you can get a map and a free tote bag (while they last). I like to gather with my friends at Dupont Circle (the park located in the roundabout is a great place to get your bearings and figure out where you want to go) and walk the length of Massachusetts Avenue. If navigating on foot is an issue, then charting your journey with a map, before catching an Uber to the embassies that interest you, is advised.

This is a family friendly event, so if you want to avoid kids, this is not the event for you. There will be MANY families out, enjoying the festivities. Also, if you want to enjoy the sample delights offered at some embassies (the Embassy of Cameroon grilled meat, and it had their block of Massachusetts Ave smelling heavenly!), getting to the embassies earlier rather than later is advised. The lines get long and there’s always a risk that the embassy may run out of whatever it is that you want to sample. I got to try Sri Lankan tea and snacks, Haitian soup joumou, and Jamaican rum during my last visit.

Art adorning the walls at the Haitian Embassy (this embassy is always a must-see!)

This year, I went to the Embassies of Chad, Haiti, Jamaica, Sri Lanka, and the UK. In previous years, I’ve visited the Haitian and Kenyan Embassies. My only regret is not starting earlier in the day: I would have loved to take in even more international culture.

The Chadian Embassy (it will get its own post soon!)

Statue of Mustafa Ataturk at The Embassy of Türkiye (Turkey) – here’s hoping I’ll be able to visit the embassy AND the country in the future

Statue of Nelson Mandela outside of the Embassy of South Africa

Winston Churchill at the Embassy of the United Kingdom

My day with the embassies ended with a delicious lunch at Rakuya, a Japanese restaurant that serves fresh, delicious meals. You will want to get here a bit earlier, too: they stop serving lunch around 4 PM, and shut down to prepare for the dinner crowd. Of course, if you have time to plan ahead, I recommend you go over to U Street Corridor and get some Ethiopian food, since most of those restaurants will be open after the embassy event until late in the evening.

I had a great time in DC during the Around The World Embassy Tour! Have you ever been to this festival? I’d love to hear your thoughts below!

art · beauty · culture · hollywood glamour · international · life curation · luxury · style · travel

The Most Brilliant of Exiles: American Women in Paris at The National Portrait Gallery

February 10, 2025February 6, 2025 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Recently, I visited one of my favorite museums, The National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC. This museum is located right by Chinatown in downtown, a stone’s throw away from Capital One Arena. I was in the area while one of my friends visited from Atlanta, and we took advantage of a sunny afternoon and explored downtown DC on foot. She had never visited this museum before and, since the Portrait Gallery shares a building with the Smithsonian American Art Museum, I thought it would be a great time to visit both. I also got a chance to show her one of my favorite sculptures, The Death of Cleopatra by Edmonia Lewis (I wrote about this breathtaking work in this post).

As it just so happens, the museum had two exhibitions that were perfect for our artistic preferences. In this post, I’ll discuss one of those exhibitions (I’ll share the other exhibition in a separate post). Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900–1939 is a stunning collection of works from the various genius women that found themselves living in Paris pre-WWII for the same reason. Paris, during this time, was progressive enough for female creatives who wished to hone their crafts, giving them an environment to do so without the stigmas, pressures, or expectations of life in America. The women were often in Paris for art school, but ending up in some cases staying longer than expected, so they could continue to enjoy the freedom that Parisian life offered.

I focused on the Harlem Renaissance section of the exhibition, since this period fascinates me and offers many relevant lessons for creatives in the current day. I was thrilled to see some of my favorite artists represented in the collection, including Lois Maillou Jones, Augusta Savage, and Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller. And, naturally, no exhibition about the Harlem Renaissance would be complete without a Josephine Baker feature.

I was delighted to see other singers that are sometimes overlooked during the conversations around influential vocalists during this period. Florence Mills, Nora Holt, Adelaide Hall and Ethel Waters were also highlighted in this exhibition, which was a refreshing surprise.

I was tickled to see a photograph of one of my favorite jazz-era entrepreneurs, Ada “Bricktop” Smith. Her Paris nightclub realized a level of success that Smith could have not even fathomed in America. I love that her entrepreneurial spirit led her to a foreign country, where she enjoyed a long and fruitful career.

This collection also introduced me to Laura Wheeling Waring, an African American female portraitist that captured some of the most brilliant women of the time. I fell in love with her portrayal of Jessie Redmon Fauset, the poet and literary editor of The Crisis, a magazine that published the works of a number of Harlem Renaissance greats (such as Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, Nella Larsen, and many others).

Jessie Redmon Fauset by Laura Wheeling Waring

The exhibition also re-introduced me to Nancy Elizabeth Prophet, a sculptor that I’m excited to learn more about. I was captivated by her story, especially her diligence to her craft. She was so devoted to sculpting that she suffered through extreme poverty and physically demanding tasks (like carving stone and wood) in France, just to ensure that she could bring forth the art she desired to create. These hard times took a toll on her, but her efforts paid off, and she enjoyed success during her lifetime.

It warms my heart to know that, during a period of time where Black women in America were often pigeonholed into careers that were neither financially nor emotionally fulfilling, there were some brave and fortunate women that got to leave the States and experience peace and freedom in Paris. I am blessed to see portraits of these women, and even artwork that they created, during this exciting time in history.

The exhibition runs until February 23, 2025. I hope you all get a chance to check it out!

international · relaxation · travel

Summer Travel Plans … Or Not

June 26, 2024June 26, 2024 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Now that summer is officially here, I can start executing my travel plans!

And … I don’t really have any big plans. I’ll be in DC a bit more than usual, due to some conferences and a few in-person activities I have to do for work. Other than one weekend in Atlanta, I’ll be pretty close to home. I remember at one point in my life I would have been saddened by my lack of travel plans, but now I’m just enjoying the downtime. I did quite a bit of summer travel over the past couple of years which was fun but a tad tiring.

With my new role as a co-caregiver for my grandmother and great aunt, I’m no longer able to pick up and go whenever I want. I have to coordinate supervision and do resource management if I plan to take any trips. It may sound like a drag, but there’s a sweetness that permeates this situation. Aside from the satisfaction of knowing that my loved ones are well cared for, and that they are thriving in unprecedented ways, there is a loveliness that comes from being still and a tad domestic. Being home more means I can actually take a closer look at my surroundings and note, with precision, what I love and what doesn’t delight me. I figured out that this summer is a great opportunity for me to really finish turning my home into my dream house. I started already, by going through each room and ruthlessly analyzing what should stay and what should go. Once I’ve moved out what isn’t serving me, I can focus on only adding what thrills me.

Whenever I travel overseas, I often find myself having an incredible time, then coming home and having quite a bit of difficulty adjusting to my routine. It’s such a challenge getting back to the regularity of my life, and it’s in that regularity that I am my most accomplished, efficient and healthiest. So, by postponing my international travel until later this year, I give myself a chance to shore up my energy and get some of my ongoing home projects done before I get back to jet-setting. Not to mention, saving travel money this summer means more resources for incredible travel in the future!

Another perk of staying close to home during this time of the year is that it helps me to avoid many of the crowds that overtake popular vacation spots during the summer. I love London, Lisbon and Athens, but the number of visitors that descend upon those cities in the summer makes them less appealing. Navigating through throngs of people may not be completely avoidable throughout the year but it’s practically impossible during the summertime, especially in Europe. I’d rather go during a different time of the year, when most people are unable or unwilling to travel.

So, in short, no big summer travel plans. But I’m looking forward to the short getaways I have scheduled, converting my house into my dream space, and spending time with my friends. I can’t wait to take you all on this journey with me!

beauty · hollywood glamour · style

Perfume Review – Eilish No. 2

June 17, 2024June 17, 2024 MstldelanoLeave a comment

One of my favorite ways to embrace and engage my senses is to wear perfume pretty much every day. I’m always curious about trying new scents: I’m fascinated with how various notes interact with one another, and then how they combine with my own chemistry to create a personal scent signature. A recent trip to Ulta introduced me to Eilish No. 2: a warm, earthy fragrance that’s unlike anything else I’ve ever tried.

Eilish No. 2 is the second in Billie Eilish’s collection of scents, and this one did not disappoint. I smelled the first perfume she released (Eilish Eau de Parfum) and, while I enjoyed it, I didn’t feel confident that the scent would give me the wear time and sillage I desired. I like my fragrances to last a long time but also to project a bit, so I can be enveloped in my preferred scent. Though the first Eilish scent didn’t seem like it would fit my criteria, Eilish No. 2 impressed me right away. I love how this scent has depth but isn’t the typical spicy amber or gourmand: it’s warm and woody, a striking balance between earthiness and sweetness that I’ve rarely experienced. The notes for this scent are as follows:

Top: Bergamot, Apple blossom

Mid: Black pepper, Papyrus, Poppy

Base: Palo santo, Ebony, Vanilla

One look at these scents and you can see what I mean: dry spiciness (courtesy of the black pepper) crisp, fresh slightly tart top notes, and the warm woody base that is sweetened just a bit with a vanilla that is neither syrupy nor sickly. I wore this scent and it lasted all day, and the sillage was fantastic. I loved it! Here’s my video reviewing Eilish No. 2:

This is one of my favorites! I got the 1.0 fl oz (30 mL) size for $52 USD. It’s a bit heavier than I usually wear during the summer months, so I’ll be putting this one away until the cool weather returns. If you’re looking for something different, this one may be worth checking out!

beauty · luxury · style

Perfume Review – Rare Vanilla Blossom by Jones New York Signature

June 6, 2024June 6, 2024 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Perfumes have really been a mood lifter for me recently, and I’m so happy that I’ve had this very long streak of delightful scent purchases. I’m always interested in fragrances that can tell a story, and this lovely one is no different.

I got Rare Vanilla Blossom by Jones New York from Marshall’s last year, and what a buy this was! The bottle is substantial – 3.4 fluid ounces, or 100 mL- and it only cost $12.99 USD, Because this came from a discount store, I cannot guarantee you’ll be able to find it for the same price, but it is available at Walmart.com, so if you’re interested, you can pick it up from there.

I’ll share the notes, how long I could smell it on my skin, and overall first impressions. Here are the notes as listed by Walmart:

Mandarin & lemon blossom
Jungle lily & Vanilla bouquet
Musk & Brown Sugar

I was excited to see that musk and vanilla are some of the notes in here, but my excitement turned to something much . . . milder. While I could pick up on the musk and vanilla, the brown sugar was the most prominent note to my nose. If you don’t like gourmands, avoid this one: there isn’t enough lily or musk to balance against the sweetness of the vanilla and brown sugar. However, if you love gourmands, this may be a scent worth checking out!

I found that I had to reapply this a couple of times. I understand going “nose blind”, but this was not the case, and I wasn’t surprised: I generally don’t get fantastic wear time from any vanilla perfume unless I layer generously with complementary products. So, I tried wearing it alone, and I also tried layering it, and it still didn’t last very long. I was a bit discouraged that I didn’t get significant wear time, but I am realistic about value for dollars, and for the price, I’m not surprised it didn’t last as long as I prefer. Fortunately, this bottle has a lot of product, so you can spray a lot and it will take a while before you exhaust your supply.

I loved that this came is a lovely, heavy glass bottle and it looks elegant on my vanity. It has very luxurious packaging: my weakness! It smelled cozy, like warm baked goods, and does a great dance between timid and syrupy sweet. Because it’s so gourmand forward, I would wear it more during the cooler months than in the summer. However, vanilla and brown sugar are fairly versatile notes, so if you really enjoy this scent profile, it can easily be worn during the warmer months, too. I enjoyed it, though I wouldn’t purchase again (it just didn’t suit my personal scent preferences). I’d also gift this to some of my family or friends that enjoy smelling like caramel candies.

If you want to see my video review on this, here you go:

That’s it for Jones New York’s Rare Vanilla Blossom? Do you have it? What do you think of it? I’d love to hear your comments!

books · life curation · reading list

My Reading List, April 2024

April 3, 2024April 3, 2024 MstldelanoLeave a comment

I just finished a few books recently, and now I’m on to the next set of books to read!

I hope that this new month has been treating you all well. I had a difficult time with my health recently (more about that on Friday) and I decided to lean into more enjoyable, restorative activities to help with that. One of my favorite activities for restoring my energy is reading. Recently, I completed a few books: first, I reread, Write It Down, Make It Happen by Dr. Henriette Anne Klauser. I’m considering doing another review on this, since I had some new revelations while reading it. Secondly, I reread How To Think Like Leonardo da Vinci by Michael J. Gelb (it seems that March was a good month to reread some of my favorites!). This one I’ll definitely do another review on, since I honestly felt like I was reading it for the first time: it’s been so long since I read this one, and I got so many great takeaways this time! And, as you all know, I finished True Gifts by Jewel Veitch last month, too (I reviewed it here).

Over on my YouTube, I listed the books I’m reading in April. This week, I’ll be finishing up Where The Forest Meets The Stars by Glendy Vanderah. I’ll also be diving into Take Care of Your Type – An Enneagram Guide to Self Care by Christina S. Wilcox. I’m curious about how I can leverage the enneagram to improve my life, so this should be an interesting book to read. I’ll also be reading The 5 Love Languages of Teenagers: The Secret to Loving Teens Effectively by Gary Chapman. As the parent of a pre-teen, I’m always looking for ways to deepen and strengthen our communication and connection, and I am a fan of Chapman’s work, so it’ll be great to see what strategies I can try with my child. Finally, I’ll be reading Pause, Rest, Be – Stillness Practices for Courage in Times of Change by Octavia F. Raheem. The author led a rest practice during ExodUS Summit 2023, and I was very impressed by the exercise. I’ll be replaying the rest practice at least once while I read the book.

Anyhoo, here is the video summarizing my reading list:

What are you reading this month? I’d love to hear what books you’re enjoying right now.

This post features affiliate links.

fitness · international · life curation · luxury · relaxation · style · travel

Restored and Rejuvenated: My Body Holiday Experience

March 21, 2024March 21, 2024 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Despite going to the Caribbean several times, I missed several islands. As a person that hates to leave things unfinished, I knew I’d have to return to some of those islands I missed. St Lucia had been on my list of places to go for years, but I never had the opportunity- that is, until last spring. One of my dear friends planned a self care getaway, and the location she chose was The Body Holiday in St Lucia. As a self care proponent, I happily booked my own room and made my plans to journey with her.

The Body Holiday is a luxurious, all inclusive hotel and spa. The biggest perk of going here is probably the location: the island was sunny and beautiful almost each day while I was there. Aside from the location, there were many fantastic reasons to stay there. With every booked stay, The Body Holiday offers daily spa treatments, such as massages, facials, and the like.* You can choose one treatment per day or, if you want to splurge, you can add on as many treatments as your schedule will allow. In addition to the treatments, there are numerous fitness classes, all taught by excellent instructors.

*The spa is located on a path that cannot be accessed if you are wheelchair bound or if you use mobility aids. So if you cannot maneuver easily, then you may need to see if you can have the masseuse or estheticians come to your room to complete your treatments. I’m not sure if this is available, but it’s certainly worth asking about.

Here are some pictures of my room:

Now, you may be more like me: you want self care but sweating it out in an aerobic class isn’t it. Fortunately, The Body Holiday is a great option if you want to lounge and luxuriate only: the resort has a pristine private beach where you can relax and forget all of your troubles. Now, here’s where I bring up the first (of only two) drawback: sand fleas nearly ate me alive. Of course, I laid on the beach like the sun bum I am. However, I’ve never been bitten by mites before (most of the beaches I’ve enjoyed were more temperate climates: these insects live in more tropical locales), so I didn’t realize how much bug repellant was necessary. Also, I saw plenty of birds, lizards and frogs: you’d think the insect population would be kept in check. But I guess the critters are no match for the bugs. The mosquitoes had a field day with me as well, but those were somewhat expected and the effect of those bites were much briefer. It took a couple of weeks for the itching to subside and a while longer for the discoloration to fade. This isn’t the resort’s fault: I should have done more research on which insects are the most prevalent and how to counteract them (pro traveler tip: definitely research local pests before traveling!)

Now onto one of the most fun parts of the trip: the food! Delicious, freshly prepared food was available every day. While I couldn’t eat whatever I wanted whenever I wanted (I always seemed to want a smoothie about 10 minutes after the smoothie stand closed), there were always some incredible dining options daily. I loved that the resort focuses on healthy food, but if you want to indulge with something more, well, indulgent, that was also available. I had some incredible desserts, exquisite entrees, and tasty, nourishing snacks. I ate well and felt amazing. There are time limits on when you can enjoy the resort’s cuisine: most of the options were closed before midnight. The nighttime cutoff only applied to food: the bars stayed open later. Since the resort was all inclusive, there were many wines, whiskeys and cocktails available to guests. I got to enjoy many Old Fashioneds, as well as some good wine, and a few of the resort’s special frozen fruit cocktails.

There was live music and entertainment every night, though it pretty much all wrapped up around 1 AM. I spent quite a few hours at the piano bar, flipping through sheet music books and chatting up the people around me. If you wanted to enjoy more of the island, the resort was a brief distance from some of the major social areas, including an area known for fantastic street parties. Also, there was a nearby rainforest where visitors can zipline or do whatever else people do in rainforests (clearly, I didn’t go).

I saw the rainforest, as well as some of the neighborhoods, on my way to and from the resort. My ride to and from The Body Holiday is my second (sort of) drawback to mention: the resort is nowhere near the airport. It’s roughly one hour between these two points, assuming that there are no traffic delays. You can arrange your transportation before you arrive, which is what I did. Also, it’s possible to get a cab once you land, but I’d caution against that. I can’t think of anything more dreadful than assuming you can just grab a taxi and finding out that every one of them is occupied and that you’ll have to wait more than 30 minutes for a ride. It’s unlikely, but certainly not impossible.

Although the resort is all inclusive, this does not include a gratuity, so remeber to budget for that. Otherwise, everything was indeed included, and the only thing better than the value you get for this trip is the service. Everyone was friendly, accommodating and professional. I truly enjoyed interacting with the staff and getting to know some of them better. The concierge’s desk is open 24 hours, so it’s easy to resolve whatever issues may come up. Each room is equipped with wi-fi, and the turn down service is such a treat!

My Body Holiday experience was dreamy: I can’t wait to return!

beauty · style

Al Rehab Perfumes: Should You Try Them?

March 11, 2024March 10, 2024 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Last year, there was a huge TikTok trend that promoted Al Rehab’s Choco Musk perfume as the IT fragrance for the IT girls. I never enjoyed being a slave to trends, so I usually avoid them like the plague. However, my YouTube channel features a ton of fragrance reviews, so I figured I’d learn more about Al Rehab and figure out what’s the big deal with their perfumes. I had to know for myself: are Al Rehab scents worth trying?

As it turns out, Al Rehab is a company under the Al Rashad parent brand based in Ohio. According to the Al Rashad website, the Al Rehab perfumes are sourced from UAE, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The products feature both concentrated oil (alcohol free) formulations, as well as denatured alcohol in the spray formulas. The sprays are determined to be halal (approved for use by Muslim customers). The company has a wide range of scents in both spray and rollerball dispensers. I checked the Al Rashad website, as well as Amazon and Fragrantica, to see reviews and fragrance notes for some of the most popular scents available through the Al Rehab brand. Most of the reviews were overwhelming positive, and the fragrance notes had me intrigued.

After doing a far more exhaustive than expected level of research, I purchased several scents from the line. I got 5 fragrances: Dalal, Dehn Al Oud, Musk Rose, Sabaya and Soft. I purchased three of them – Dalal, Dehn Al Oud and Sabaya – in a gift set, but the set is no longer available (it is still possible to purchase them, just separately). You may have noted that Choco Musk was not one of my purchases: while I thought it could be a nice fragrance to have in my rotation, I wasn’t convinced that I wanted to wear such a popular scent right now. Also, I’m a little picky about my gourmand fragrances: anything too “sweet” smelling tends to annoy me. So I decided to focus on the scents that seemed to fit my typical preferences, and I’ll review Choco Musk on another day.

I wore each of these fragrances and, though the scents vary wildly in their notes, I did notice a few things that each of Al Rehab’s perfumes had in common:

Insanely affordable. Each of the perfumes I bought were from Amazon, and they cost less than $8 each. In fact, the price of the trio gift set (Dalal, Dehn Al Oud and Sabaya) averaged out to $4 USD per roller ball. The “priciest” of the fragrances I bought was Soft at $5.20 USD! On the Al Rashad website, the prices are similar, landing somewhere between $5 USD and $8 USD per fragrance. I didn’t do the all of the math to compare these perfume prices to some of the other “bargain” perfumes I’ve tried (comparing cost per ounce seemed specious, especially once you read the next bullet point). But, as far as the costs of getting new fragrances goes, the financial investment is quite low.
Minimal product application needed. Since these scents are concentrated, I used a light hand to apply them, and I could easily smell the various top, mid and base notes of the fragrance while wearing them. Sometimes, when I purchase a “bargain” perfume, I have to apply liberally or pair with other products (like companion body washes, oils or lotions) in order to get a “sense” of the fragrance. That is not necessary with Al Rehab: dabbing a bit on the pulse points is sufficient to experience the complexities of the perfume. Which leads to my next point . . .
Lovely sillage. These fragrances will get compliments, even when applied lightly. You don’t have to ask anyone, “How do I smell?”: if they aren’t congested, they will pick up on your fragrance easily. Consider this when applying: you may want to use significantly less if you’re going to the office or any other space where heavy perfume is not encouraged. For what it’s worth, the scents themselves aren’t “heavy”, but a heavy application can take them from lovely and fairly perceptible to bold and impossible to ignore. But what good is great sillage on its own? The sillage is always best when it’s paired with . . .
Incredible wear time. Full disclosure: while each of these scents can be purchased as a spray, I chose to do the concentrated rollerball dispenser for each. I wanted to ensure that the dispensers and, hopefully, the formulation, for the perfumes were fairly equal. I applied these in the morning and could easily smell them 8 to 12 hours later. NONE of these scents faded on me. I don’t consider myself someone that struggles to keep a fragrance vivid on my skin; however, there have been times where I applied a lovely perfume that has completely vanished within 4 or 6 hours. I generally expect about 1 hour of wear time for every $20 USD I spend on a fragrance. If I purchase a perfume for $100 USD, I expect to be able to detect it on my hair, clothing and (hopefully!) my skin in 4 or 5 hours. If I spend more, I expect the scent to last longer. For scents that are less than $20 USD per bottle, I fully expect that I will need to reapply every hour or so. Imagine my surprise when these $5(!) scents lasted all day. I wish other perfumers would take notes!

So, I’m back to the question I posed earlier: are Al Rehab’s perfumes live up to the hype? I can confidently say “YES!” I’m still in awe of how the company manages to offer such lovely, high-performing scents for such a nominal cost. In any case, I won’t look the gift horse in the mouth: I’m thankful for Al Rehab, and I won’t question how they do it! My most recent video is a review of Al Rehab’s Soft: you can check it out here. I’ve also embedded the video below. If you are interested in the other four reviews, they are linked in the cards as well as below the embedded video:

Have you tried any of Al Rehab’s scents? If so, which was your favorite? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments below!

Post contains affiliate links.

art · beauty · books · culture · festivals · international · life curation · luxury · relaxation · travel · writing

The Past Year, In Pictures

March 7, 2024March 1, 2024 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Instead of making lengthy posts about every single thing I did in 2023, I decided I should just give you a high level overview of each month, and save the long posts for some of the highlights. Without further ado, here’s my 2023:

January – I went to see “Wicked” for the first time, and I started tinkering with generative AI. My prompts are so much better than they used to be. I made time for self care, and enjoyed the beginning of the year.

February – I started diving into some books that I’d been meaning to read (namely, The Source of Self Regard by Toni Morrison and Heroine of the Harlem Renaissance – Gwendolyn Bennett’s Selected Writings, edited by Belinda Wheeler and Louis Parascandola). I also attended the one-woman show, “I Hear You But How” by Cara Pressley. I went to a whiskey and wine festival, and I first became acquainted with WomanToWomanRVA.

March – I did First Friday at the Library of Virginia, and I volunteered behind the scenes with a local aerial arts company. My daughter performed in the aerial production of Alice in Wonderland.

April – I turned my attention to my yard: spring had sprung, and I needed to identify what was growing wild outside. I started experimenting with cashew cheese recipes, and we officially celebrated the end of “Alice in Wonderland” season with a cast party. At the end of the month, we did a quick getaway to Tysons Corner VA, where my daughter enjoyed a day at American Girl Place.

May – I continued to improve my generative AI prompting, and planned for my end-of-the month trip. I spent a week in St Lucia, sunning and getting eaten alive by the sand mites. The trip to St Lucia will be its own post, because the location was heavenly and the accommodations were perfection.

June – My jasmine bush bloomed, and all was right with the world. I attended a gala event for a local nonprofit, and had a fantastic time. The rest of my flowers started to bloom, and I was on cloud 9! This was the first year that my hydrangea bush had blooms, so it was an especially exciting season!

July – I tried some new (to me) perfumes, and spent a fun day with friends in DC. And, I went to London and Edinburgh! These cities deserve their own set of posts, so look out for those soon.

August – My birthday month! No travel, but I did have a great dinner with someone special. I also visited the Mansion at O Street museum in Washington DC with one of my friends.

September – Besame Cosmetics launched the Ella Fitzgerald collection, and I was too excited to try it. I ended the month in New York City, tooling around at the Museum of Modern Art, The Brandy Library, and Patent Pending (this too will be its own post).

October – A trip to Atlanta was just what I needed as the weather started to turn from warm to cool. I went to the Highland Games, which included a whisky tasting and the Tartan Ball. FWIW I did not wear a tartan, but I did have a splendid time.

November – I did the highland games in central Virginia, because Scottish events in my backyard cannot be missed! I returned to London for a week, and had an amazing time.

December – A quiet month: the perfect way to end a busy year.

And that’s my 2023 in a nutshell! Look out for some longer posts in the near future, with LOTS more pictures and some fun ideas for how to best experience some of the places I went. Take care, and I’ll talk to you all soon!

beauty · life curation · style

Style Chat – How I’m Using The Four Essence System, Pt 3

October 11, 2022October 3, 2022 MstldelanoLeave a comment

More style chat! I’m still doing a deep dive into the Four Essence System as developed by Rita (of Style Thoughts by Rita).

The video I’m referencing for this post describes four tools within the system. These tools are used to clarify where individuals fall within the system, by interpreting who they are, how they look and their style process. The third tool of the system (tool 1 and tool 2 have their own posts) is style logic, which examines the style process itself. The logic portion of the video starts around 5:10.

Rita mentions style logic, specifically, how you think about style. So I decided to personalize this, and ask myself how I think about style.

This touches on my, “process for shopping, putting outfits together, and getting dressed”. This is all about how the effort involved with shopping and styling myself show up in the real world. If I enjoy complicated, almost ritualistic approaches to shopping and styling myself, then laid-back clothing is a fundamental mismatch. Likewise, if I prefer quick, uncomplicated, casual shopping and styling, then formal, effort-ful ensembles won’t match my energy.

According to Rita, Right Essence has “Inspiration from outside; a conceptual approach”. Meanwhile, the Up Essence highlights “Emphasis on external impact, and deliberate, lookbook approach”. The result of combining Right and Up is “Situation-focused, Conceptual, Deliberate”. As someone who has a Right-Up Essence, my style logic needs to have a good bit of effort, some ritual, and an intentional effect when completed. I’m fortunate: my style logic matches my clothing and styling approach (for the most part). Even my casual clothing tends to look like I’ve put a good deal of effort into it (because I have!) I select my clothing, makeup and hairstyle with care, and it shows, even when I’m dressed down a bit.

Alternatively, understanding my style logic can help me determine when I’m choosing clothing and styling options that do not match my essence. I’ve actually found myself hurriedly getting dressed, and realizing that my ensemble falls flat because it needs a little extra effort. So I’ll reach for an accessory or two, a more elegant pair of shoes, or even a striking coat, to give my outfit the polish it needs to look like I put more effort into it. If it looks like it took me only a few minutes to get ready, then that’s my cue that I need to do MORE, if I want to look like my Right Up self. When I do less, I noticed that no one comments on how good my casual-chic outfit looks (even if I took 45 minutes to tousle my hair or to look less formal and more chill), but when I look like put in just a bit more effort (even if it only took me 15 minutes, it should LOOK like it took me an hour or two), everyone I see will mention how great I look (go figure!)

Understanding your style logic goes a long way in determining whether you’re in harmony with your essence. I’m thankful for this great explanation of style logic – and the other tools – as used within the Four Essence System!