Hartbeat Weekend in Las Vegas

Hi Beautiful People,

 

I'm trying to be a Good Girl and make sure I keep you updated on my shenanigans in a timely manner but it takes time to sit down and write these Blogs and I think their getting longer, LOL. But I have to make sure you guys get all the deets! So here it is...Vegas Baby!

I told myself upon my return from Soul Beach Music Festival in Aruba and The Essence Festival in New Orleans that I was not going to travel to anymore "major" events this year (I allegedly put myself on punishment), WELL...that plan didn't quite work out like I thought it would.

 

A few months ago, right when I returned from New Orleans, my girl Towanna (aka Nikki) mentioned that Kevin Hart & Kendrick Lamar were going to be in Las Vegas in September. My mouth fell open and my heart dropped. I wanted to go really bad but I knew I shouldn't be going so respectfully declined and told Nikki I wasn't going to go! Nikki said okay, but she don't play... she started making arrangements to make this "Girls Trip" happen. My ass knew I had already spent enough money on my previous trips and I needed to stay at home and relax. So I let go of the idea of going to Vegas and life went on.

 

A few months passed by and then one day out of nowhere I get this email in my Inbox and I almost had a  "HARTattack" LOL...there it was!! I completely forgot about going this event as I had not come across any visual reminders of the trip...UNTIL NOW. Then I see this email and I got excited all over again!!

I immediately called Nikki and told her I wanted to go to Vegas with her and the girls. Nikki loves me and so of course she called "my cousin" Kym to find out if it was okay for me to crash with them in their hotel room...and of course she said YES!! 

 

So now that the girls gave their Approval....I had to figure out what I was going to wear and buy tickets at the last minute !! 

Now I'm the party crasher so I was just happy to be going!

 

*Bought my Kevin Hart & Friends Comedy show ticket for Friday night - Check!

*Bought my Kendrick Lamar concert ticket for Saturday night - Check!

*Picked out ALL my outfits and bathing suits for Las Vegas - Check!

Sidebar - If you didn't read my last Blog...I lost 15 lbs. Yaaaay! So now I don't feel sooo self-conscious in a bathing suit. But I still choose to wear a cute one-piece suit that compliments my figure at least until I get down to my goal weight!

I was so EXCITED!! I haven't been to Las Vegas in FOREVER!!

Thursday, September 4th, Sheda was packed and ready to go! I don't know how the hell I fit 5 outfits, sandals, make-up and jewelry into a "carry on bag" ??!! I also had an extra bag for toiletries and of course a bag full of SHOES...and this didn't include all the goodies I stuffed into my Michael Kors backpack! Can you say PREPARED (aka High Maintenance, lol).

 

Oh....I must not forget...let me introduce you to "The Crew" - We had a smooth three and a half hour drive as we talked all the way to Vegas. My "cousin" Kym was behind the wheel and got us there safe and sound, Nikki was riding shotgun and Angie and I were relaxing in the backseat.

 

P.S. We had one person missing Angie's sister Nicole...she was meeting us there on Friday.

We checked into the Cosmopolitan Thursday evening and decided to eat at PBR Rock Bar & Grill. We had a cute and young male server who took VERY good care of us! Seeing that Nikki and I both are apart of the same Fantasy Football League this was the perfect place to watch the game and figure out how to navigate our CBS Sports App!! Good food and drinks and excellent service! I would definitely go back.



#sunkissed
 

Friday morning came and our #1 priority was to Lay by the pool. It was Nikki's brilliant idea to rent a "daybed" for the DAY! Comfortable couch beds on the water, umbrella for shade with drinks and food included in the price. Who could ask for a better deal?? We had breakfast and lunch by the pool and I officially became a mermaid this weekend because I lived in the water. You know I came back to LA at least 2 shades darker. Me and my SPF were best friends in Vegas. You know light bright people burn easily so like my sister says....I had to apply and reapply to protect all this goodness, LOL.

Of course WE had to make friends with the "drunkest" people at the pool (a guy and a girl).

I don't know what it is but we always attract the "special", Lol. They were fun but our new "girl friend" was falling on people, stealing french fries off strangers plates and pouring beer in the pool. Really? The shit we have to deal with for being nice... eventually they left and were suppose to come back but we didn't see them again for the rest of the weekend. #iwasn'tcomplaining

"Lady of Leisure" Lmao!

My P.I.M.P., Lmao!

Friday night Angie's sister Nicole arrived in Vegas right on time! We all got cute and went to the Kevin Hart & Friends Comedy Show in a venue at the Cosmopolitan. It was really cool. All the comedian's were funny - Kevin Hart was the host, Rodney Perry got the party started, Corey Holcomb was a damn fool and we ended the night with Donnell Rawlings.

Now that the comedy show was over we were walking through the hotel debating on where we wanted to eat dinner. Out of nowhere this "dingy" brotha walks up on me and asks "Are you a Lady of Leisure". My face frowned up and I asked him "What is that?" He said, "no one's ever asked you that?" and I said "No". He told me to "do my homework" and stated he was "A Man of Leisure". Nikki was standing with me when all this went down. I was dumbfounded so I Googled "Lady of Leisure" on my phone. Once my ass figured out he asked me if I was a PROSTITUTE I was "locked, loaded and trying to hunt his motherfu*kin ass down!" But it was too late his dusty ass had disappeared into the crowd. In hindsight, I was thinking that if he is a so called Man of Leisure there was no way in the world anyone was buying what he was selling! He looked a hotmess! P.S. I've heard of a Lady of the Night but not a Lady of Leisure, SMH.

Nikki was laughing at me and you know she had to tell the girls who were just a few steps ahead of us but missed the whole thing. Not 10 minutes later me and my girls we almost to the elevator and out of nowhere this older man stops me in my tracks and asks "Do you like Irish men?" WTH?? I was caught off guard (once again) and my response was "Maybe". He proceeds to explain that his friends were sitting at the bar and one of them was celebrating his birthday. He asked if I could wish him a Happy Birthday! I was nice enough to fulfill his request but at this point I was really confused and low-key OFFENDED. I walked back to my girls and of course Nikki had to tease me yet again, she said, "Resheda these guys really think you're a Call Girl". Of course my question was, "What part of this outfit says I'm a hooker??" I thought I was Cute & Classy! Then I thought - It's gotta be the choker necklace I had on. "Lady of Leisure" was my nickname for the rest of the weekend, LOL.

Sidebar - Lets Be Clear! If I'm going to be "working in Vegas" I'm going to be a high dolla trick and readily available to ALL the "High Rollers"...not the random strangers hanging out in the Casino...HELLO!

Saturday morning came and we were on a mission to Lay by the Pool again but we expected it to be even more FUN because Kevin Hart was coming to hangout at the pool at 1pm and there was going to be a DJ (thank goodness)! This time we attempted to find regular patio chairs but the SUN was just too HOT, there was no umbrellas and no shaded areas. There was just no way we were going to be able to lay by the pool under those uncomfortable conditions. Once again, we got a daybed by the pool. Can you say "SPOILED", Lol. Breakfast, Lunch and all you can Drink...who could ask for anything more!!

This time we enjoyed good music, massage chairs, manicure and pedicure stations and celebrities mingling by the pool - Tank, Terrance J and Kevin Hart. There was a mixed crowd and more black men hanging out today. Surprisingly none of them approached us and we were the ONLY sistah's by the pool, WTH?? did I miss something. Fuck em' I made friends with the cool white guys in the pool who photo bombed my picture. They were fun, friendly and hilarious!

It wasn't until way later when a couple of "younger men" came to hang out with us by the pool that all of a sudden we became the "popular" hangout spot. Then we were surrounded by brotha's....that was interesting! I guess the guys decided to drink their "liquid courage" so they could have the confidence to come over and talk to us! The younger guys in their early 20's were no joke they made it clear they really wanted to hang out with us! Well we had no problem with that because they were good company and their resumes were impressive! They both were college educated, one has a corporate job and the other one is making a name for himself in the music industry. I don't know how this happened but we seemed to attract ALL the younger men that weekend.

Let's Review - our waiter at PBR was a hottie in college at UNLV and about 24 years old, our server assigned to our first day bed was a cutie too in his mid 20's and then there was the pool boy who was "FINE as all get out" (we should have got a picture of him) but he was married and in his early 30's but he didn't look a day over 24 either. All weekend we were getting all this attention and enjoyed every minute of it!

Saturday evening it was time to get ready for the Kendrick Lamar concert!! The best part of the night was our girl Angie...(aka the Negotiator) who worked her magic and got us a deal on a VIP Table that included Bottle Service and concert tixs!! I sold my general admission tix and upgraded to a wristband. #NoMediocre was our theme ALL Weekend. We had SO MUCH FUN!! We were sooooo comfortable on the couches of our VIP balcony location! The drinks were flowing, the view was ridiculous and Kevin Hart passed our section several times as he was the Host that night and introduced Keri Hilson and of course "the man of the hour" Kendrick Lamar! Since we were so close to the celebrities we got a chance to take a picture with comedian Darnell Williams...he was real cool...he remembered us from when we tried to jack him for his McDonalds shake when we were all in The Cosmo Elevator, Lol.

  

Kendrick repped that West Coast as we threw up the W to Swimming Pools (Drank), B*tch Don't Kill My Vibe, The Recipe and Poetic Justice. Everyone came out to see Kendrick Lamar and he gave a great show. We walked out of the concert good and tipsy. It was Nikki's bright idea to have us ALL walk to The Grand Lux for dinner afterwards because it's open 24 hours. We thought it was a good idea until we figured out the walk was waaaaaay longer than we originally thought. I was half awake and tired. I almost didn't make it but thank goodness I had a strong 23 year old there to hold me up, LOL. Yep the younger men met up with us after the concert and walked with us to the restaurant. Eventually we arrived at the Grand Lux, enjoyed our dinner and made sure we hitched a ride back to the hotel in a CAB. There was no way in hell I was going to walk back. Nikki, Kym and I stayed up as long as we could participating in all types of shenanigans until 4 or 5am but then we had to Turn it Down because we had no more energy to be Turnt Up!

This was one of The BEST Vegas Trips I've had in a long time and I'm so glad I went on this Girls Getaway!

Did I have to go NO,

Did I have a good time YES,

Did I spend too much money YES,

Was it worth it YES,

Would I do it all over Again...HELL YES!!

#YOLO

#ImSinglewithNoKids

 

Although I had fun flirting with the Younger Men (a girl's gotta have some fun) I'm still in Search of a Grown Ass Man!

The Adventures of SingleNFabulous Must Go On...Smooches!

My 21 Day Detox was a Success!

Hi Beautiful People,

For once I'm actually posting a Blog ON TIME!!! LOL

So Fab Followers I believe you ALL are familiar with my struggle to loose weight. I think I've been trying to loose weight for over a year! I've tried every program you can think of but either it wasn't working for me or I wasn't trying to work with it.

Oh my goodness it's taken awhile for me to get to this point in my Fit & Fabulous Journey...and now I'm sooooo EXCITED to share the good news!!

Let's Reflect...

 

The reason why I knew I needed to loose weight was because of how I was feeling - I was sluggish, constantly oversleeping in the morning, I had no energy and I felt bloated all the time. Honestly, I was uncomfortable in my own skin...and I couldn't figure out why!! I was working with Coach Nikole and her suggestions helped jumpstart this journey but ultimately I strongly felt that something wasn't right with my digestive system! I knew something was wrong when I went out with a girl friend and I had a few alcoholic beverages and the alcohol "just sat" in my stomach. My body didn't absorb it, it just sat there. I should have had a hangover the next day (because I had a really good time, lol) but I didn't?? so I knew something was wrong. 

Fast Forward to Now!

 

I just so happened to be talking to my boss Corey D. at work who was aware of my struggle (we cool like that :) and he suggested I try Pure Proactive (Detox Program). I knew that he was on this program but I didn't know how successful he was in loosing weight because I see him every day. It wasn't until I saw pictures of him before and after that made my mouth fall open...I was amazed at what he had achieved in just 21 days. His success on this program alone was enough motivation to get me interested. He told me about the program before I went to New Orleans but I didn't want to start the program and then mess up once I went on vacation (N'awlins food, c'mon now who can pass that up). So I made sure I started right when I got back.

Please Understand - This program is no joke!! I said I needed structure but I really didn't know what I was getting myself into. Was it worth it, YES. Would I do it again, YES. I'm so excited about the results!

Phase 1

For the first 3 days I ate foods that were "energy loading" but I had to leave out carbs and sugar. When I tell you I felt like "Pookie" off New Jack City!! It was like I was detoxing off of a drug. I had an attitude, I was hungry and I had headaches. My new Coach Valerie (assigned to me through proactive) told me I was experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Who knew I was that addicted to carbs and sugars??? I've felt like this before on other diets I've tried but I always caved in and never completed the program. But for some reason I was fully committed to this program simply because I had proof that it worked.

The 4th through the 21st day I ate nothing but organic foods and took two release pills 2 times a day, prozyme pills at lunch and dinner and I also took zendocrine drops before each meal. The purpose of the supplements was to "RESET" my body: The release pills helped release toxins out of my body. The prozymes helped regulate my metabolism and break down food particles so that my body could absorb them. Lastly, the zendocrine drops helped support my digestive track.

The Hard Part...

 

I HAD to cook every meal and refrain from eating anything outside of what I cooked. There was a specific List of foods I could eat, including snacks. I almost DIED, Lol. I also ate at specific times of the day and that was really hard because life happens. So I had to put alerts in my phone and it helped me to make MYSELF a priority! It was still very DIFFICULT and Expensive too! I lived at Trader Joes and Whole Foods on the weekend. The creator of this program Dr. Ferro has a great quote he shares with us, "If we fail to plan, we plan to fail". I had to be prepared at all times when it came to my food. It took some adjustment on my part because I HAD to make things happen "failure was not an option"! So I did it.

Oh it was definitely a struggle. I complained to my sister/support system, I fell out on the floor when I was frustrated, cooked when I didn't want to, got an attitude when I couldn't satisfy my cravings and my sister had to talk me off the ledge a few times, BUT I stuck it out!

Now don't get me wrong there were times when I cheated. No one's perfect! But I did pay the price. It took at least 3 days for my body to get rid of the bad food and then I started loosing weight again. When this happened I was so disappointed in myself afterwards and it helped me recommit back to my program. Ultimately I could have lost more weight because those cheat days set me back...Lesson Learned!

When the 21st Day came I was so ready for this program to be OVER! I took before and after pics so I could see my true RESULTS. The number on the scale was decreasing and my clothes were fitting loose so I was definitely excited.

Well here's the Proof: 15 pounds lighter!

Although loosing this amount of weight so quickly may seem unorthodox. I truly feel that there were a lot of toxins in my

body that needed to be released that finally allowed my body to start functioning on a normal level again. I FEEL so much better. Now if I'd only go to bed on time...I'd have so much more energy, Lol. Now that my energy level is better I'm going to start working out again so I can maintain this weight loss and tone (I'm still working on my tummy & thighs). The next step is for me to invest in Phase 2 of this program to help me achieve these goals!  Wish Me Luck!!

If you want to take advantage of the Pure Proactive Program call 1-877-677-8767.

  

Stay Tuned...My Adventures of being Fit & Fabulous Continues...

this is only the BEGINNING!!

 

Smooches

Essence Festival 2014...20th Anniversary!

Essence Festival 2014

Hi Beautiful People,

It's been 2 month since I went to the Essence Festival and I'm so sorry for the delay in this POST. But better Late then Never!!  I FINALLY got the chance to sit down and tell you about it....and I don't even know where to start!!

All of my Fab followers know that this is the trip I look forward to attending every year. Technically, I wasn't suppose to go this year (I go every other year) But because it was their 20th Anniversary I just had to go!!

Before I left, I told myself that this was my last year and I wasn't going to go anymore...Yeah...I lied, Lmao. I had such a good time how could I not go next year!

Unfortunately, initially planning this trip got off to a rough start.

Drama

First it started with trying to book our flights - prices were ridiculous $600 and higher.  So, in order for us to get a good deal "my infamous traveling buddy" Timi and I had to fly into New Orleans on Friday (instead of Thursday) and then we left on Tuesday (instead of Monday). I initially wasn't happy about these dates but when you only pay $400 for a roundtrip ticket, you just have to Be Thankful.

Timi hooked up our reservations at the W Hotel (on Poydras) and asked for 2 queen beds...but they couldn't accommodate us so we got stuck with 1 King bed. The W Hotel is suppose to be an excellent hotel and they host this event every year, you would think they'd be better prepared. (I don't care if I booked my room late...I should still be able to get my own queen bed "Nikki", Lol). This was another unexpected adjustment I had to deal with. But it really wasn't that bad because our king bed was pretty big. I made the sacrifice because I wanted to know what it was like to have a room at  "The Party Hotel".

We were all set. Flights paid for and hotel room booked. Or so we thought! Of course, we had to have some drama pop off with our hotel. The W had the nerve to cancel our room reservation over some "minor technical shit" that was their fault...ARE YOU KIDDING ME!! Timi cussed (not cursed, lol) them out and they quickly corrected their mistake.

I love it when Timi gets mad because it's comedy!! She doesn't get mad often...she lets me fly off the handle all the time so it's exciting to see her in action when she gets upset (smiley face).

Timi & Sheda in the Building!!

Finally Friday, 4th of July comes and we arrive in New Orleans!!! You know we walked into some "Ridiculouness" when we arrived at our hotel. Who knew the Lobby at the W hotel was going to be OFF THE CHAIN, damn!! Beautiful Men EVERYWHERE!! Timi and I were just trying to get to the Lobby to check-in and we damn near got attacked. Wait a minute let me put my shit down so we can make this an even playing field, Lol (wink).

We attempted to check-in but our damn room wasn't ready (was I surprised, NO) but it didn't matter we were hungry and we needed to eat ASAP so we went to Mother's restaurant across the street. Thank goodness there was no line and we were served quickly. Once we were done we checked into our room, changed clothes and headed down to Bourbon Street.

The Notorious Razoo's

First destination...Razoo's of course! Timi and I made our way through the crowd and headed to the back patio. Timi met a guy and he ended up harassing her most of the night because his ass was drunk and didn't even know it. I was talking to his homeboy and we had a cool conversation. He and I exchanged numbers and kept it pushin. The guys were cool but we weren't trying to settle down too soon it was Friday night and we were on the hunt #OTAND was in full effect.

Sidebar - Now I don't promote the use of the "N" word but sometimes it comes in handy, Lol. That hashtag stands for "Operation Take a Nigga Down", LMAO! We are on a mission to have a great time during Essence Festival weekend. It is inevitable that you are going to meet several different guys that are worthy of your time, which is why we exchange numbers so we can meet up later if we both are free...But I can't make you any promises (wink)! I've said this before and I'm going to say it again. If you haven't been to the Essence Festival you NEED to go...at least once! It's like you're taking a vacation in HEAVEN for 1 weekend...MEN Everywhere!!!

Timi and I went to the dance floor because you know we LOVE to dance. It was hella crowded so we didn't stay long. But before we left the Club I was able to dance with this one guy to 1 or 2 songs. When it was time to go and I tried to leave, my dance partner asked for my number. Hey the night was young and the weekend was just getting started. I had no reason not to give it to him so let the texting begin!

"All White" Day Party!

Saturday Timi and I had to get ready for the Annual White "Day" Party @ Metropolitan Night Club! We were too cute in our All White outfits!! I had some "bad' gold heels I was going to wear but I'm sooooooooo glad Timi convinced me to wear my gladiator sandals because we were on our feet for at least 4 hours dancing our asses off. That Day Party was EPIC! It would have been even better if my other girl friends were there with us but they were on a boat at a different White Party. I'm sure they had a blast too! The "icing on the cake" was that my MCM Omari Hardwick came through to hang out at the party. I got GREAT pictures of him!! Too bad he's married (sad face).

Saturday night we headed back to the room and my intention was to change clothes and keep the party going....but I had to tap out, I was exhausted. Timi kept the party going on my behalf.

Sidebar - Remember, the fine ass guy I met at Essence last year, who lives in Germany. Well he's been textin me since I got in on Friday in an attempt to hook up with me but we haven't been able to get together. He wanted to see me Saturday night but trying to meet up a 3am was just doin too much. I was tired and fell asleep.

Sunday morning came and I was "bright eyed and bushy tailed" and ready to GO! Timi and I met up with Nikki, Abike, Tracey, Nicole, Angela and the rest of the girls at Daisy Dukes for Brunch. Mimosas Baby...keep em comin' ...the food was Delicious. Afterwards  Timi and I headed over to the Sheraton to hang out in their Lobby to enjoy some music and more drinks. Finally I get a text from Germany...  

Quality Time

Germany and I were able to meet up at his hotel and he was such good company! When we got hungry he took me to a restaurant by his hotel. We hung out for hours just talking about any and everything. The conversation just flowed...we had dinner and drank wine. Why can't I get this type of attention & conversation back in L.A.??? I loved hanging out with him and I was sad that it had to come to an end. But he definitely gets brownie points for inviting me to come hangout with him on the east coast after the Essence Festival. Unfortunately, I had to decline the invitation because I had to get back home to take care of some family business... and seeing that I've only been at my new job for 1 year I didn't have that kind of vacation time on the books. But the good news is that he said he will be coming back to the states in a few months. So I'm definitely looking forward to seeing him again. Honestly peeps I don't know where this is going...but I'm going to enjoy the ride! (for as long as I possibly can) Stay tuned (wink).

I met back up with the girls later in the evening at the W hotel and it was CRACKIN'. The Ladies had tables, drinks and men surrounding them...now this is what I'm talkin about. I slid right on in without missing a beat. The DJ was on point, the crowd was tipsy and we were surrounded by EYE CANDY! My girl Nikki asked me..."Where you been?" I said, "getting my hair messed up" We both laughed and high fived! #OTAND. After a few hours the party was winding down and it was time to go eat.

Requesting seats for 12 women at Drago's is no joke at dinner time....but it was FUN!! It was great to hang out with 12 successful women that get along, are supportive, have great conversation, give excellent advice and know how to PARTY!! Dinner was done and we had to keep the party going...on to the next event!

Bourbon Street Shenanigans

Timi went to the Concert that night and met us on Bourbon street "Cause we like to Partaaaaaaay"...and our clique was deep!

First stop - Riding the Bull...now that was FUN! Now of course my girls were "professional" and rode that bull with muthafu*in skillz BUT those other women were Questionable?! Who gets on the bull with a dress on?? Really?? Ass and titties were out and you know the brotha's were using the video on their smartphones! You are now officially "Bourbon famous" as all your business was just posted on Youtube, Facebook, Intagram and Vine. We definitely had a good time as the music was crackin' in the background and we bought a Big Ass Hurricane to keep the juices flowin'.

When it was time to move on we headed to the Strip Club. We just wanted to be nosey and see if the strippers were any good. But we only stayed briefly because we weren't impressed with their dancing or lack thereof. There was one chick on the pole that had glasses on (that wasn't cute she don't believe in contacts??). Then there was another girl that decided to take her top off (she definitely shouldn't have done that, sheesh, I'm still trying to figure out how she got hired in the first place). There were two sistas in there but I only got to see one of them dance and she didn't do much (I was disappointed) So of course I made friends with one of the strippers (the sista who didn't get a chance to dance while we were there) and she gave me the 411 on what the drama was. The girl stated it wasn't her turn to dance so she couldn't go up as of yet. However, she said the other sista that did dance was good at doing tricks on the pole but she was mad that they wouldn't play the music she wanted to hear so she could do her routine. I told the friendly stripper that she needs to talk to her friend and let her know that she should always be practicing her craft no matter what's going on with the music. I also told her that you never know whose in the strip club and they should stay ready at all times. All my girls were ready to throw some dollas but NOT for some lazy ass strippers! We got up out of there quick fast and in a hurry. We had enough shenanigans for the night, made a stop at the Popeye's and headed back to the W hotel. Unfortunately, that was the last night I got to hang out with ALL the girls. Some of the girls were catching their flights on Monday morning/evening and Timi and I were leaving Tuesday evening.

Monday night came and I was chillin in the room. Timi had plans and tried to convince me to go with her but I passed and choose to relax in the room. Truth be told I was ready to go home! I told her have a good time, be careful and text/call me if she needed me and off she went. I was chillin in the hotel room watching a marathon of some of my favorite movies "Four Brothers and Transformers". I asked The W Hotel if they had a microwave I could use to heat up some leftover food I had and they brought one to my room!! Whaaaat, now that's room service!! I was doing what I love to do "BE A BUM" with no responsibilities. Rarely do I get to do this at home because I'm always in the streets running errands. For once I was really relaxing. But I did decide to take this time to send an email to my partner in crime Sarah at the Boys & Girls Club to give her an update on what she missed at the Club since she had been away for 2 weeks on a trip to South Africa with some club kids. Once I wrapped up that email I got a text.

Remember the guy I met on Friday night in Razoo's (my dance partner) he hit me up. It was around 11pm and he asked me what I was doing. I told him I was bored out of my mind and ready to go home but I couldn't do anything about it because my flight didn't leave until tomorrow evening. He offered to keep me company. We sat in his truck and talked and then we moved into the hotel Lobby to continue our conversation. He was real cool. He's a New Orleans native and 6 feet tall but then my mouth fell open when I found out he was 22 years old!! WTH how in the world did I meet this young buck?? He also didn't believe that I was almost 40 years old. But that didn't stop him from trying to push up on me, LOL. All I know is that he was real good company and made my Monday night much better!! I didn't go to sleep until 3am.

Tuesday morning Timi and I were packed and ready to go! This was a real relaxing day. We had a late breakfast at the Rubby Slipper and later that day I dragged Timi to Cafe Du Monde. I love that place! After having a GREAT time in New Orleans we had to head back to L.A. "Home Sweet Home".

Now that you've read my Fabulous Weekend at the 2014 Essence Festival I'm sure you understand why I can't stop going! I'm ADDICTED, Lol. It's definitely something I look forward to every year (until I get a MAN)! I've already picked out the hotel we're staying in next year! We are not staying in the W hotel. It's not all it's hyped up to be! It's definitely a place to go party at but not where I want to rest my head every night.

Although I met some pretty cool guys this weekend. No one has wifed up Sheda yet so you know what that means...

The Adventures of SingleNFabulous must go on!!

Stay tuned for the next Blog COMING SOON (I promise)!! 

It's an update on my Fit and Fabulous Journey!! 

Smooches

Soul Beach Music Festival ~ ARUBA

Hi Beautiful People,

If you haven't noticed I've been out the "social loop" recently. I haven't had any significant opportunities to really go out and meet people and socialize...until NOW...Memorial Day Weekend!!

I am currently sitting in Panama City Airport on a 4 hour layover leaving Aruba and so this gave me plenty of time to finish my Nourish Minds "Beliefs" Worksheet that Nikole gave me to reflect on my fitness goals while on vacation....and write this Blog.

My "partner in crime" Timi and I heard about the Soul Beach Music Festival when we were at the Essence Festival last year. So when I mentioned this trip to another friend of mine "Nikki" and she told me she went last year and had a good time. She  suggested Infinite Journey Travel - infinitejourneytravel@outlook.com to book our room at the All Inclusive Hotel Riu Palace Aruba in Palm Beach, Aruba. Now this sounded like a great idea because everything is paid for and the only extra money we would spend would be off grounds at the parties or off-site activities. So of course I tell my "partner in crime" Timika about this deal and her response is "Let's Do This! Turn Down for What", Lol

Our traveling crew consisted of - Me and Timika, Nikki and her daughter Shelbi, Abike and her hubby Ray and their friends Keenan and Ebony.

Day 1 - Thursday in Aruba

What a Great way to start my Vacation - COPA Airlines destroyed my "brand new" luggage on the inbound flight to Aruba so if you can avoid traveling this airline please do so at all costs!! #nobueno

We checked-in at The All Inclusive Hotel Riu Palace Aruba. I expected the Resort decor to be a little more modernized on the inside but I guess they put all their money into the pool because the view was Gorgeous!!   

The first time we tried to check into our room we found out they weren't ready yet, so we went to go eat. The second time we tried to check into our room we found out we had a King size bed. My documentation says 2 queen beds?? C'mon people get it together. Finally we got to our room, freshened up, changed clothes, went to eat dinner and headed out to the Hard Rock Cafe to party.

We reserved a table with bottle service and went straight to the dance floor! For our first night in Aruba it wasn't bad.

Day 2 - Friday

I don't know about you but I like to RELAX when I'm on vacation, so naturally I slept in and of course I woke up late with just enough time to eat breakfast "my favorite meal of the day". I finished right on time for my Massage appointment at 11am. This I thought would be the perfect way to start my vacation. Although I've had better accommodations my masseuse was very good. I came out of there feeling like a new woman and ready to go to the Beach Party with my crew. We had the bar fill up our personal tumbler cups (free courtesy of Infinite Journey Travel - shameless plug) with FREE alcohol and headed out.

It's approximately a 1 mile walk to Moomba Beach where we can rent an umbrella and beach chairs, lay out on the beach, eat, drink and dance on the sand. This event happens every day during Soul Beach Weekend and it's the perfect opportunity to meet new people, network, sun bathe and relax in the water.

Now I know my goal was to be "fit & fabulous" but that journey is going to be a little longer than expected. Thankfully I already had several cute 1 piece bathing suits on deck for every day at the beach. However, after seeing all the other people on the beach Timi and I observed that we weren't the only ones that were NOT 2 piece ready!!  We could probably count on 1 hand (maybe 2) how many fit bodies were at this event and they looked good! Although Timi is on the right track and did a good job reaching some of her weight loss goals. That's my girl she's been working on her fitness!! However, WE came to the conclusion that our #1 goal for next summer is to be apart of the 1% that had the "hard bodies" that belonged in a 2 piece bathing suit.

Friday Night we didn't go to a Concert but we went to the After Party. It was a big venue and the DJ was cool. There were a lot of people and we had a good time dancing and mingling. I met this guy briefly at the bar. He was cool and from New Jersey. He wanted to keep in touch but I told him I would see him around this weekend. I mean its Aruba and I have all weekend to meet plenty of guys!! I can't be tied down...I'm on vacation!!

Day 3 - Saturday

Saturday afternoon we headed back to Moomba beach to play in the water, do the "wobble" and "dougie" with the DJ and I tried to get a tan but I didn't have much success. It wasn't as hot as I thought it would be. So I'm sad I didn't come back nice and brown. But I enjoyed myself regardless and made the best of it.

Saturday evening we made it back to the hotel in time to freshen up, eat dinner and head out for some nightlife. Timi and I were not interested in catching a cab to yet another After party we just didn't think it was worth traveling that far and preferred to stay local so we walked towards the Hard Rock Cafe and realized that it was NOT crackin'. We then headed over to the "Sand Bar" across the street. Their set up was really cool and the bar was surrounded by sand with VIP seating and a dance floor in the middle of the sand. Timi and I met a guy at the bar who was real cool and proved that chivalry was not dead by offering us a seat and offered to buy us a drink. I was shocked! You know it's rare to find a man who offers to buy you a drink every now and then!! Timi got the 411 and told me he's in his mid to late 30s, is a practicing attorney in Atlanta and attends the Soul Beach Music Festival every year.

Sidebar - While Timi and I were hanging out with our new friend the guy I met at last nights party found me at the bar. I spoke and since we happened to cross paths again I gave him the hotel room number (and at some point I think I gave him my cell number too, I have no idea when that happened, Lol). He told me he was going to call me later on tonight and I told him I wasn't going to be up that late.

The DJ was great and had the music poppin' and our "new friend" was good company and came with great conversation. He was a really nice guy and he and I exchanged numbers. I didn't mind keeping in touch. HE has the potential to be SOMEBODIES husband, LOL. But my only question is... if you're an attorney "why haven't you fixed your GRILL ??????" He appears to be the (almost) perfect package but I strongly recommend Invisalign.

Don't get me wrong I'm not looking for someone FINE because from what I've experienced fine men can be a pain in the ass and a waste of  my very valuable time. But it is mandatory that I am attracted to you in some way, shape or form. This is not one of those relationships where I'm going to learn to love you...but I will give it a shot and get to know you as a person!

Okay so now it's 5am Sunday morning I'm in a deep sleep...who the hell you think is calling my hotel room at this hour...that fool I met from New Jersey, WTH??? I have no idea what our conversation was because I was half sleep and Timi was like who the hell callin this early in the morning?!!

From that point on I had a "stalker" - he called me at 5am, 9am and again at 12noon (but I wasn't at the room), the hotel staff left me a written message that he called. Then he text me and then called the room again!!

Timi couldn't take it anymore she picked up the phone and ripped him a new one, Lmfao!! I can't even say word for word what she told him but I fell out laughing... Here's How the Conversation went:
she asked him why he was so "pressed" and
he told her he hadn't slept since last night and
she told him to take his Ass to bed.
He asked her to pass on the message that he called and
Timi told him that she would NOT give me the message and would kick MY ASS if I even tried to meet up with him later. (Did she just low key threaten ME?? Lol)
She also told him to "wait" for me to call him back since he had called so many damn times. The whole thing was Hilarious!! He was doin the most!!

Sunday - I slept in, ordered room service, ate on our balcony with a beautiful view and relaxed. Timi and I went and hung out by the pool for a couple of hours, ate dinner and went back to the room to get ready for the concert.
 

Standing Room only Concert at Nikki Beach with SWV and Robin Thicke. Although I would have preferred not to stand it was worth it. The best idea yet was that the After Party was right next door to the concert...how convenient...thank you! Sidebar - you know I ran into my stalker at the party right, LOL. He tried to state his case but he just looked real thirsty and I could not longer even entertain the thought of talking to him anymore. I had to shake his ass real quick before he tried to hem me up all night.

Besides this minor distraction, Timi and I had a great time and partied our butts off dancing to MC Lyte spinning on the 1s and 2s...she was the best DJ all weekend.

On the way home we met a cool brotha from Oakland and he paid part of our cab fare back to our hotel. Our last night in Aruba was perfect! Timi and I agreed that if we go to Aruba next year we must plan to go on more travel excursions and participate in the water sports!!

The men were interesting and some were actually good company but did I meet
"THE ONE"...not so much...Did I run into "An OLD FLING", oh yeah...but nothing happened, LOL.

I couldn't help but compare this trip to the Essence Festival...did it compare...not by a long shot...BUT it falls into it's own category. It's a good trip to getaway and relax with my peeps!! I look forward to going AGAIN!!

Since there was no Love Connection in ARUBA...you know what that means...

 

The Adventures of SingleNFabulous Must Go On...Smooches

 

Permission To Fail

Hi Beautiful People,

I know It's been a minute and I'm soooooo sorry for neglecting my Fab followers! Please forgive me! 

This weight loss journey has definitely been challenging & frustrating at the same time! I'm not giving up but I'm on a mission to figure out what works best for me simply by "trial and error" and it helps to talk to other people too!

When changing from one "learned" lifestyle and making an adjustment to a completely different lifestyle that is extremely "foreign" to you can be a MAJOR Struggle!

I want to "Enjoy the Journey" but I'm having difficulty with being "consistent" and as a result I consider myself a "failure". My coach Nikole explained to me that I mentally focus on what I believe to be a failure but I forget to celebrate the things I have been successful in achieving. 

I now make much better decisions in what I chose to eat and my water intake has increased tremendously. Who knew you are suppose to drink more than half of your body weight. The last couple of times I've met with Nikole my intention was to "quit" meeting with her every two weeks because I keep feeling like I'm wasting her time and I'm not accomplishing anything. Which she pointed out in our last meeting is really not true.  I have to acknowledge what progress I've made and give myself credit and positive feedback.

I'm glad I'm documenting this journey because when I finally come out on top I will be proud of myself and be able to look back on how and what I did to conquer this struggle!

Although this may seem like an extreme description sometimes this is how I feel.  Several things in my life, outside of my attempt to loose weight, are just not going the way I want them to. But you would never know it...because Black women are raised to be strong. We put on a happy face, provide support to everyone else first, neglect ourselves and ultimately know that we have no other option but to push through whatever personal struggle we are dealing with. Although I love being ME there are times when LIFE can just be overwhelming and I don't always know what to do. But you know what...things must change in my life and ME has become a PRIORITY!

So now that you know I'm still working on achieving my weight loss goal that means I wasn't very happy when I didn't loose enough weight before going on my Aruba trip!!

But that doesn't mean I didn't have any FUN...minus that damn STALKER!!

You definitely have to read the next Blog Post to find out about 

The Adventures of SingleNFabulous in Aruba!

Smooches!!

Stay Tuned...My Fit & Fabulous Journey Continues...

The Struggle is Real

Hey Beautiful People,

I know it's been awhile and I apologize for neglecting my Fabulous followers. To my defense my trusty PC died on me and I've been without a personal computer for a few months. I'm trying to decide if I want another PC or invest in an Apple. Good news is...I just found out an Apple has the ability to run like a PC (the best of both worlds)...SOLD...now I just have to save the money to buy the computer! #applesaintcheap

All that being said...here's a loooooong overdue update on my Fit & Fabulous Journey!!

After committing to and successfully completing a 30 Day Detox in the month of February. I got sick with a cold in the beginning of March. This is like the 4th time I've been sick in 2014.

Sidebar - Nikole told me that the reason why I keep getting sick is because this was my body's way of releasing all the toxins in my system. This makes complete sense to me! I was not taking care of myself and therefore my body made sure I knew about it.

I hate being sick because it is so uncomfortable and it messes up all of my plans! I started off really sick on a Sunday and was in the bed all day. Come Monday morning I still felt like crap so I didn't go to work and I was in bed all day again. That's the other bad part about being sick...I wasn't productive at all. But I know the overall point was for me to rest because I wasn't going to heal unless I relaxed. For the rest of the week I was not at 100%. I didn't go to the gym and I couldn't go to my hot yoga class. Consequently, my eating habits weren't bad because I was forced to eat soup and crackers, Lol.  I've been really tired lately and this cold took a lot out of me so I decided to go to the doctor to see if they could run some tests to make sure I'm not low on Iron or B12. I was a little disappointed when the nurse weighed me and gave me the results. But then she told me how much I weighed in late December and then I realized...OMG, I lost 8 pounds!!! If that isn't MOTIVATION I don't know what is!! It helps a lot to know that changing my eating habits and being consistent with exercising REALLY makes a difference!! I am so proud of myself for completing my 1st Race for Success 5K.

Now I didn't do so well with being consistent in March but I will definitely be back on my fitness come April. I'm so Excited.... 

In case you're wondering, I "borrowed" this pic below, hence the word proof on the front of it, LOL.

Fast forward to one month later...

Well we are 2 weeks into April and I'm still not consistent (sad face). I had a "heart to heart" talk with my Nutritional Coach (Nikole) last weekend and she helped me to realize that "I" am getting in my own way. Of course I completely agree. Apparently, I have "self-defeating thoughts" and I can and will talk myself out of any and everything. The other thing I discovered, realized or just finally accepted is that I don't MAKE time for myself. This past week is a perfect example, I should have been either in the gym or working out at home. But I either took work home with me or stayed at work too late. I have to get to that point where I believe that "this weight" is No Longer Acceptable! and make the time to do what it takes to get rid of it!

I have this Quote saved as Wallpaper on my phone!

So now I am giving myself a 30 Day Challenge starting on Sunday, April 20th. I am going to workout every day (except for 1 day of rest, if I need it) either by going to the gym, utilizing one of the millions of fitness DVDs I have at home or using the list of exercises Nikole has given me. NO EXCUSES!

This is my Countdown to Aruba!! Now don't get me wrong I'm not expecting any miracles in 30 days but I at least need to make EXERCISING a PRIORITY in my life and the RESULTS will follow!! #gohardorgohome

I Love this Ecard!

Stay Tuned for More Fit N Fabulous Updates!!

Happy Easter!!

Smooches