MY THREADS
Jeans Vintage High Rise Levi’s
T-shirt Uniqlo Crewnecks
Socks Out from Under, Happy Socks, Uniqlo 3-Pack (Black)
Shoes Small white heel, penny loafers, Nike Aqua Rifts
Day bag Vintage Coach bucket bag
Jewelry Depends on the outfit but typically, small gold and silver hoops and my gold chains
Fabric Silk
Color Terracotta, kelly green
Workout wear Girlfriend Collective leggings and Paloma Bra
Designers Spring: William Okpo Summer: Nikki Chasin Fall: Rachel Comey Winter: Entireworld sweatsuits
Stores Lit Bar, Sincerely Tommy, Opening Ceremony (R.I.P)
Online shopping site ASOS, TheRealReal, eBay
Swimwear Zaful, Saltwater Collective
Style Icon Maybe not style but I love the easeful nature of Zoe Kravitz and Kelis’ style. I’m focusing on clothes that make me comfortable and happy.
MY BAG OF TRICKS
Sign Cancer Sun, Sagittarius Moon, Libra Rising
Workout Quarantine biking and walking Pre-Rona: High-Intensity Interval/Strength Training
Studio/teacher Trainer Douglass Knox (@rbcfitnesstherapy)
Morning rituals Smoothie, emails, oatmeal, emails, bike ride, shower
Evening rituals Dishes, wash face, tea or snack, bed
Astrologer Amber Finney @amberthealchemist
Shower or bath Shower
Extrovert or introvert Ambivert. I’m extroverted where I’m comfortable.
DIY Mask Rhassoul Clay + yogurt with Aztec clay, turmeric and water
Stress management techniques Avoidance (not the healthiest), sleep, journaling, therapy, working out
Who is your get out of jail call? My mom.
MY PANTRY
Tea or tonic drink Yerba Maté tea or Golde Turmeric Latte w/ coconut milk and honey.
Wellness idol @sdirshe + @foodheaven
What’s always in your fridge Coconut water, buttermilk, frozen bananas, frozen ginger, baby kale, romaine, miso, sweet chili sauce, chicken thighs, frozen brown rice, salmon, avocado
Go-to dinner recipe Tequila lime chicken thighs, red beans and rice
Go-to dinner party recipe Cast iron pizza and a nicely dressed salad
Snack Chips and guacamole, Kettle corn chips
Drink Grapefruit seltzer water, watermelon juice, tequila, whiskey-ginger beer
Grocery store Trader Joe’s!
Favorite flavors Citrus, Lychee, Miso
Cookbooks Essense Brings You Great Food (Jonell Nash), Ways to Cook Vegetarian (Cooking Light), Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat (Sami Nosrat)
MY MEDICINE CABINET
Toothpaste Trader Joe’s Peppermint Toothpaste
Soap Dr. Bronner’s Citrus mixed with Dr. Bronner’s Eucalyptus. Heaven!
Lip Hanahana Beauty Lip Balm. So luxurious. So affordable.
Hair stylist 90% of the time me, but Char at H2 Salon in Brooklyn trims my hair.
Shampoo/ Conditioner Pattern, Dr. Bronner’s, TJ’s Tea Tree Tingle shampoo and Pattern, TJ’s Tea Tree Tingle conditioner
Cleanser Chagrin Valley Carrot Honey soap
Serum Versed Found the Light Vitamin C Powder/Vital C Vitamin C serum
Moisturizer Indie Lee Oil free moisturizer mixed with squalane oil
Mask YTTP Yerba Mate Resurfacing Energy Facial
Beauty tool Green tea ice cubes or cold jade roller/spoons
Makeup E.L.F. eyebrow pencil and Glossier Lash Slick, that’s all you need. Maybe a NYX colored eye pencil on a day that needs some “razzle dazzle”.
MY DIGS
Where do you live Up, Up, Up, Uptown, NYC
Artists Carrie Mae Weems, Emma Amos, Cassi Namoda, Jordan Casteel, Tschabalala Self. I could go on...
Piece of art in your home I’m painting a self portrait so mine! (lol)
Museum Studio Museum of Harlem and ICA
Local restaurant Beastro and RokC
Best cup of coffee/tea in your town Chamomile lavender or Yerba Maté tea from my kitchen!
Pottery Most of my planters
Favorite piece of furniture My green velvet chair in the living room.
Furniture store or designer Coming Soon, CB2, flea markets and vintage websites
Minimalist or maximalist Intimate maximalism
Hotel Chateau Maumont, Claremont Club & Spa
Dream dinner party guests Rodeo Caledonia, Toni Morrison, Octavia Butler, Lisa Nicole Carson, Sister Souljah, Phyllis Hyman
Most used kitchen gadget Kitchen-Aid mixer, NutriNinja Blender
What do you collect Museum postcards
LIGHT MY FIRE
Who or what inspires you Black women/femme artists.
Quote "I'm comfortably asocial - a hermit in the middle of a large city, a pessimist if I'm not careful, a feminist, a black, a former Baptist, an oil-and-water combination of ambition, laziness, insecurity, certainty and drive." –Octavia Butler
Beach Hanover Beach in Miami
Charity SPRMKT
Favorite place in the world Mexico City and The Bay Area (Home)
Films Love Jones, The Associate, Clueless
Favorite albums Aaliyah (Aaliyah), CTRL (SZA), When I Get Home (Solange), Velvet Rope/All for You (Janet Jackson), They Say I’m Different (Betty Davis), Love Jones soundtrack
Books What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day (Pearl Cleage), Sula (Toni Morrison), If Beale Street Could Talk (James Baldwin)
Photography or coffee table book Lorna Simpson Collages, We Wanted a Revolution exhibition books, Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power
Who would you want to be for a day Frasier or Niles Crane (lol)
Inner age It volleys between 22 and 47
Song in your head at the moment Dragonball Durag (Thundercat)
Magazine The Gentlewoman, Apartamento, GrlSquash
WIRED
Apps Instagram, Giphy, Spotify,
Phone iPhone 11
Phone case Cheapy periwinkle blue case
Website NYTimes Cooking, Into The Gloss, various blogs (including my own– Spicy Mayo) Podcasts Serial Killers, You’re Wrong About, Crimetown, The Happiness Lab, Man in the Window...basically, anything from the L.A. Times or Wondery.
Favorite Instagram @kiacooks, @lifewithjrdn, @beerbottles_chainsaws, @ihartericka, @darian, @theglogoddess, @unfriendlyblackfoodie– most of this list is made up of my friends but they’re all so creative, funny, and doing exciting things that inspire me.
News source Black Twitter and Robin Givhan’s Washington Post column
