Sorella

There is no one on this earth I ride harder for than my sister.

My sister and I can text each other one word and will bust out laughing.

My sister is smarter than me.

My sister is 7 shades lighter than me, yet we have the same mother and father.

My sister and I are exact opposites in some ways, yet just like each other in other ways.

My sister knows everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) about me.

My sister once gave me a pencil as a Christmas gift.

My sister is the first person I call when I have good news and the first person I cry to when I have bad news.

My sister and I got matching tattoos for her birthday last year.  This year, I think I have to give her a kidney...

My sister would give me the last $5 out of her bank account.

My sister is the only person who can call me fat.

My sister is a homeowner AND a business owner.

My sister, although she's younger than me, is my conscious.

Happy Birthday to my sissy, my BFF, my first child...my sorella!

2013 Summer Bucket List

Summer is officially kinda here.  Well, in NYC, one day it will feel like summer and the next day Fall, but I digress.  Last summer, I was perusing one of my fav blogs and saw the author posted a Summer Bucket List; 10 things she wanted to do before Summer was over.  So, here's my 2013 Summer Bucket List:

Guess that about sums it up...

1. Host a dinner party.
2. Eat a beignet. (CHECK!)
3. See Above.
4. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge.
5. Eat a deep dish pizza.
6. Go on a yacht.
7. Go on the Staten Island ferry...without actually having to go to Staten Island.  And no, this does not fulfill #6. 
8. Ride one of those NYC tour buses. 
9. Hit a new brunch spot every weekend.
10. Weekend trip to Martha's Vineyard.

I'm currently seeking Bucket List Buddies.  Rigorous application process...

Envy

Do you ever find yourself having social media envy? You look at Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and see your friends living these fabulous lives & for a moment you get jealous. You see your married friends popping out beautiful babies; your single friends being fabulous in exotic locations and for a second you're envious. But you have to remember, people are only putting their best foot forward on social media. Nobody puts their fight with their husband or 4 hour naps on social media. 

I've found myself on both sides of Social Media Envy. Yes, I live a fabulous life...but not as much as y'all think. Most days, I just live a quiet life in my Harlem brownstone trying to get my DVR to 0%. Let y'all tell it, I'm out every night. 

Just remember, the grass isn't always greener on the other side.  After all, The Lord dedicated a whole commandment to this. (Exodus 20:17)

Farewell, My Beloved

Before Hedu Turkoglu. Before LeBron James, there was Grant Hill, the ORIGINAL point forward. Last week, Grant quietly retired from the NBA after 18 seasons. And officially broke my heart. 

Grant was the first basketball player I ever loved. He was a great player and a great man. While other girls had pictures of Paul McCartney or Elvis in their locker, I had a picture of Grant. After his first six seasons of his career in Detroit, Grant averaged 6.2 assists, 7.7 rebounds and 21.5 points.  His Detroit numbers are comparable to LeBron's career stats (6.9 assists, 7.3 rebounds, 27.6 points).  I'm tryna tell you, that boy was good!

He woulda been one of the greats if he hadn't been plagued with injuries. First ankle injuries, then a near deadly staph infection, then a hernia. But he still lasted 18 years in the league. To me, he'll always be Number One in my heart. 

Farewell, My Beloved Grant.

I took this picture while I was supposed to be watching my BFF graduate from Business School

Sweet N Sexy Sangria

So y'all know I love my friends & I love alcohol cooking for them.  Although I'm not a fan of wine, I do love a glass of sangria.  My friends and I recently had a picnic in Central Park complete with basket and blanket;  I was responsible for libations.

Ingredients

1 Bottle of Red Wine

1/2 c. Brandy

1 c. Orange Liqueur

*3 c. Lemon lime soda

1 c. Sugar

1 c. to 1 1/2 c. Water

A whole buncha fruit  (I used blackberries, an orange, strawberries and an apple)

*I didn't have any soda so I used my old steady Crystal Light Lemonade.  She always comes through in the clutch.

The cast of characters

1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl

2. Cover with foil and refrigerate over night

3. If it's too sweet, just add water in 1/3 c. increments

Ummm, this was delicious.

Book Review: Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office

This book is written by a female corporate trainer and lists 101 mistakes women make in business.  As a woman who was not trained in the corporate world but wound up there, this book was a necessity.  The chapter about How you Respond in business was the most pertinent to me cuz I have a big mouth and will quickly let people know that I am smarter than them...hence the lay off.  Some of my favorite chapters were:

• Denying Your Power
• Doing the Work of Others
• Asking Permission
• Protecting Jerks
• Wearing the Wrong Hairstyle (I guess the blond is a no go...)
• Accepting the Fait Accompli
• Tolerating Inappropriate Behavior
• Accepting Dead-End Assignments
• Playing the Gender Card

All in all, this book is a must read for any woman in business.

Next Up: Becoming Sister Wives