Well look who it is!  Yes I know I know, I've been MIA from the blogging-sphere for almost 3 weeks!  Eek!  Honestly, I needed a break.  I decided to take a brief internet hiatus simply because I felt like I was getting so wrapped up in it! Hey, it happens.

I haven't gone out in a good month, and have been regularly going to bed early/getting a good night's rest... Sometimes it's good to switch up from your normal day to day routine... My case seems to be the opposite of most, whereas instead of doing something sporadic or noteworthy, I just become a bigger homebody than I already was/get more sleep.  Basically I've become an old woman lol.

Another big factor in my hiatus is the fact that my best friend/photographer of this blog, Sasha, is moving to Europe.  Berlin, Germany to be exact.  She's been traveling the whole month throughout the states, so she hasn't been around, and she leaves for good at the end of the month for a whole year!  I'm pretty sad about it :(

I'll eventually get over it lol (I know I'm dramatic).  She's living her dream, and I'm so excited for her because she's so talented, and I plan to visit her while she's there!!

Wearing a H&M dress, H&M necklace, Sally Hansen polish in "Lightening," and Michael Kors wedges

My lovely mother, who happens to be an amazing photographer, has taken over the photography for my blog.  I'm so grateful for her!  Thanks Mom! lol

I was inspired by Dorothy Dandridge, more specifically by her role as "Carmen" in the1954 film Carmen Jones for this post.  I see pics of Dorothy Dandridge all over my dashboard via tumblr.  She was such a classy lady!

Also, I posted a new youtube video sharing some of my favorite products I've been using this whole summer!  Check it out below! :)

-Kris

Well hello there!  Yes, it has been awhile, and I don't even have an excuse!  Forgive me?  K thanks!

This past weekend was pretty eventful.  I went to the West Oak Lane Jazz Festival in Philly with my bff Leilani.  It's a 3-day, free festival that features a lot of great jazz artists, with various vendors selling art, jewelry, clothing, skin, body, & hair products, basically anything and everything!

We went the first day, on Friday, to see Chrisette Michele.  She performed in the evening, but we arrived there in the afternoon to check out some of the other artists first.

Btw, I didn't touch up my legs in any of these pics, this is all exfoliation + baby oil lol.  When the legs are out, I don't mess around!

Lei killin 'em as usual.  How cute are her shoes!!

Of course we had to take it there...

Wearing an ASOS denim top, Rogan for Target dress, Gap gold braided belt, and Enigma wedges

I've already worn this dress on the blog here, but it's my favorite dress, and I styled it differently this time.  I wanted to look casually cute, since it was a festival.  I couldn't roll up looking too dressy, so I think the denim + b&w leopard print + brown wedge combo gave me a solid "safari chic" vibe, which was the look I was going for :) lol

My plan was to take a lot of street style photos whilst at the festival, so my mom helped me make some business cards to hand out to people once I took their picture.  Thanks Mom!

Does anyone else use baby oil regularly?  I can't be the only one... Right?

Unfortunately I didn't find anyone I felt was worthy of capturing...... Business card #fail 

(I actually did end up giving out my business card to two people.  One to the owner of the artwork below, and some random dude who wouldn't leave me alone.  I need to do better next time haha)!

The first thing we did as soon as we got to jazz fest was eat (of course).  We went to a soulfood place called Victoria's Place, and grubbed on some fried fish, buffalo shrimp, collard greens, candied yams, and mac & cheese.  It was so yummy!  We then walked around to check out some performances + vendors before Chrisette's set.

This woman's artwork is created solely from banana leaves.  How creative is that!  I found her work to be beautiful!

There were also some great clothing & jewelry vendors, but I was so in awe I forgot to take pictures!  That and my Nikon was seeming to attract too much unwanted attention, so that also shied me away from taking as many photos smh...

This is the only close up pic I could find (via a google search), and these back tattoos are Photoshopped on....  Are those supposed to be wings? lol...

You CLEARLY can't see her well from my pictures, since I was far away, and don't have (yet) a zoom lens, but she looked GORGEOUS!  The dress, the hair, and she sounded great!  She is VERY entertaining as well, so effortlessly comfortable on stage.  It was enjoyable to watch and I was jammin' hard because I love her music!  Her band was killin' and her bg vocalists were hilarious.  Get it Chrisette!

Throughout the day at the festival Lei and I kept getting wiffs of baby oil (it wasn't me, promise lol), and saw sight of a LOT of interesting characters, including this one lady who got past the lazy security, basically jumping on stage to get Chrisette's autograph.  Chrisette kept it classy and gladly signed the woman's yellow lined piece of paper this fan presented to her.  The fan was super hype, making sure to wave it in everyone's faces as she walked back to her lawn chair -_-

Sunday was Father's Day, and some of the family came over to hang.  The men played golf, and unfortunately I had to work, but I rushed home as soon as I got off that evening, to spend a little time with the family before they left, and to spend the rest of the evening with my wonderful father on Father's Day.  

My mom cooked up a storm:  jerk chicken, bbq ribs (homemade sauce), potato salad, corn on the cob, grilled vegetables... We had fresh fruit, and Mom made two homemade peach cobblers, homemade coconut pound cake, and even had the nerve to make some homemade ice cream to go with it!  She really outdid herself!!  And of course it was all delicioso cuz my mom is a BEAST in the kitchen!

I've been really trying to stay focused on my workout grind and make my weight goals, but having all this food in the house is a problem!  How am I not supposed to gain weight when I have all this butter, salt, and sugar haunting me everytime I step foot into the kitchen?!?  LOL,  Ohhhhh well.

-Kris

P.S.  Today is the first day of summer! Woo hoo! :)

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