Out and About: New Jersey/Maryland

           So this weekend hubby and I went to stay at a friends house and to make a long story short, we ended up in Maryland lol. Oh to be spontaneous! We had a great time with the girls in Jersey and then we hopped in the car and drove to Baltimore. Little road trips definitely do the body some good, Overall we had a great time.


                              Step1: Check-in (damn... shoulda taken a pic. Oh well :-)


                                                        Step 2: Makeup duty

Fatym, Mariam, Dija

Dija, Fatym

Fatym, Dija

Step 3: Ask hubby to take pics in order for us 

to admire our collective beauty later heehee.

Mariam, Dija, Fatym

Dija, Fatym, Mariam

Dija, Mariam, Fatym

Meanwhile Kyie was staying on top of work 

with his Ipad and making fun of us lol

Kyie, Ipad (Kyie's son)

Final Step: hit the town! ;-)

Loving The Sound Of: "Red" by Daniel Merriweather

         
         Daniel Merriweather on my playlist in the car this weekend. I haven't heard much from Daniel lately but it seems he is currently touring in Australia with Kimbra. I hope he's busy recording a new album as well because I really loved the last one. Check out "Red" below and if you get the chance, purhase Daniel's record "Love & War" in stores or on iTunes.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/love-war-deluxe-version/id350895726

Loving The Sound Of: "Call Your Girlfriend" by Robyn(Erato version)

     
           On our way to DC with hubby and the girls this weekend Call Your Girlfriend by Robyn came on. It reminded me of the wonderful  and creative version of the song done by Erato. I'm sure many of you have seen this video but I thought I would post it for those of you who have not. Click the link below to buy this version of the song.

BUY THIS SONG ON ITUNES:
http://itunes.apple.com/album/call-your-girlfriend-single/id489465386
SPOTIFY
http://open.spotify.com/album/3cvdJTIvDcFZYciNIRYHVn
WiMP
http://wimpmusic.se/album/10873309


                                         Below is the original version by Robyn

Funny Video Of The Day: Girl Gets Her Wisdom Teeth Pulled

        I saw this video a while ago and I was thinking about it while driving for some odd reason lol. Figured I would post it. It's hilarious!

Loving The Sound Of: "Falling" by John Park

          John Park is an American singer of Korean descent. "Falling" can be found on Park's debut album titled "Knock." His beautiful voice will make you forget the song is in Korean.

Loving The Sound Of: "212" by Azealia Banks ft Lazy Jay

            When I first heard this song.... well let's just say I wasn't too sure about it! Somehow though, before it was over I started liking it and here I am posting it. Such is the way of the world ;-) Hope you enjoy (you better, because I am sure you'll hear this in the clubs all summer). I warn you though, some of the lyrics...NSFW

Wish List: Summer Nails

            When I saw the commercial for L'Oreal's Colour Riche Nail Polish line, I could hardly contain myself. I can't wait to get my hands on some of those suckers lol. I will definitely make my way to a store really soon to get them. Some of the colors are classic, and others are bright and edgy but they tend to fall on the pastel side in my opinion. What I am loving the most about them is the milky, soft look they have. I think they will accentuate the fashion trends we will see this spring and summer; lots of pastels paired with bold and electric colors. Must.Paint.My.Nails! Lol Well if any of you have already purchased any of them or are thinking about it let me know your thoughts.

Loving The Sound Of: "Kick Drum" by Felix Da Housecat ft. Friday (The Chaotic Good Remix)

This remix of "Kick Drum" by The Chaotic Good, is deliciously, chaotically good :-p. Take a listen!

Loving The Sound Of: "Youth" by Louisa Rose Allen aka Foxes and the remix by The Adventure Club

       Just recently heard this song and fell in love with it! Below is Youth an electro-pop song by singer-songwriter Louisa Rose Allen aka Foxes.

         
          I wanted to also post The Adventure Club's dubstep remix of this song  which is amazing. It is rare that I like 2 version of a song equally but it is incredibly hard to pick between the two. Check 'em both out! Happy listening!

You can check out Foxes on her tumblr

http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/louisa-rose-allen

Books, Magazines, and Such: Generation Me

     

          I recently read "Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled-- and More Miserable Than Ever Before."  The author, Dr Jean Twenge, explores the ways in which our generation differs from that of the previous ones. I am not American, and although the studies relied upon in the book were conducted in the United States, I say "our generation" because I believe that many of the issues addressed  a multicultral youth. It goes without saying that we are the internet generation and that today's children and young adults from all over the world are greatly affected by popular culture and one another.

          "Generation Me" dives into the reasons why our generation which has been given so much freedom and independence is still often unsatisfied and unable to find happiness the way our parents and grand parents have. Twenge touches on the self-esteem programs that were indoctrinated into schools that taught kids from a young age that they were special and they should always feel a high level of esteem for the self. A nice thought teach children in theory, however if you teach a child that he/she should feel good about him/herself just because they were born special, you are taking away the gratification that comes with accomplishment. So like I said, nice in theory, until you realize that you have an entire generation of grown-ups walking around, saying to themselves that they are special and deserve better or more than the next person.

            Twenge also touches on how the high level of independence we have has caused us to be isolated and alone and to take for granted the social freedoms we were freely handed by our parents. Many of us have never truly understood what it feels like to be part of a community and rarely do we even know our neighbors. On the other hand, she makes sure to point out that unlike previous generations, we are more accepting and tolerant of each other's differences.

            What I really found interesting is that Twenge explained why life is harder for many of us than it was for our parents. She states how much the price of housing and living in general has increased over the years, leaving many of us unable to have a hard time making ends meet and causing us to be well into our thirties before we are remotely comfortable. It is harder to know what being "happy" entails because we have always taken it for granted. Many of us still rely on our parents for monetary supports well into our 20's and often after college. We are more educated than any generation before us. The downside to this is the extremely high level of competition making it tougher to get into the colleges of one's choice or to find employment.

             Overall the book is a very interesting read. It is very relatable and Twenge seems to identify with the issues at hand. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it helped that she was funny in her delivery. I think the book is good for both the members of "Generation Me" and their parents! Pick it up at your local library (yes, they do still have those) and enjoy the read.

Art: Tamaka Fashion House- Art Collection

     
        Below is a video of the Tamaka Fashion House-Art collection. The collection will go on sale soon and I thought it would be nice to post this beautiful advertisement video created by Graphic Designers Abdoulaye Diaw and Henri Bella for those of you that are into African art. I will be sure to post when and where the items will be available in the near future. Enjoy!

Tamaka Fashion House

Art Colletion

Loving The Sound Of: "Fight For Your Love" by Amadou King ft Dija Star

http://amadouking.tumblr.com/

           

           I realized I have not yet posted any of my music yet. It is still being mixed so I figured I would post a collaboration I did with Amadou King. The song is called Fight For Your Love and it is on Amadou's debut mixed tape hosted by DJ Ill Will. 

"Fight For Your Love"

Amadou King ft Dija Star

A few more collaborations below. Press Play!

"Alright" 

Amadou King ft Dija Star

"Fuck Yo Shit"

Amadou King ft Dija Star

Food And All Things Yummy

           
        I went to the gym this morning and was still tired from going out last night. I was also starving when I finally got out and thought it would be the perfect time to replenish my body with a big salad! Grocery shopping when you're hungry? Worst. Idea. Ever! I managed however, to bypass all the yummy, no good for you stuff and  just got a whole bunch of  healthy and colorful foods.

-a rotisserie chicken
-romaine lettuce
-spinach-
-avocados
-kiwi
-cherry tomatoes
-carrots
-black olives
-green olives
-dried cranberries
-walnuts
-feta cheese ( I couldn't help myself :-p )
-a red onion
-croutons ( which I don't have often on my salads but was in the mood for, for some reason)
-lite Cesar dressing

           
           With all these ingredients, the salad ended up being way to big so I just got a plate and helped myself to a reasonable serving lol

Closet Pick: Sunday Brunch and rooftop evening

                      First outdoor brunch and rooftop bar evening of the year, Yay! The summer is finally approaching so when I got dressed on Sunday i wanted to go for something laid back, classic but with a twist of electrifying color. I ended up pairing a simple black blazer with a black/white/grey t-shirt I stole from my brother (don't tell him hehehe), yellow jeans and black and gold pumps (kind of a gold splatter). It was comfortable and not boring. Just right for a lazy Sunday afternoon in the city! Thoughts?

Out And About: Sunday Brunch

       
         Yesterday, hubby and I met up with my cousin Yacine in Harlem for some catching up and Sunday brunch. The day started off at Cedric, a French bistro. The food was good ( I had the oysters with french fries-yum), the weather was perfect- warm but breezy, and the place was busy but not too packed. The only thing that was getting on my nerves was my hair, it didn't want to co operate and got all frizzy on me but you know what?! Who cares, we were having a great time.

Yacine and Kyie in front of Cedric's (taken by moi)

           

               We then headed off to Chocolat, a restaurant/ coctail bar a few blocks away. I got out the camera and Kyie and I proceeded to act like paparazzi as we usually do lol (well more me than him.)

Kyie taken by Dija

Yacine and Dija taken by Kyie

Yacine and Dija taken by Kyie

Kyie and Yacine taken by Dija

                      

                  We kicked it at Chocolat for a bit, got to people watch for a while hehehe, and then we decided to meet up with some friends and headed over to the Empire Hotel's rooftop bar. About 30 mins after we got there, we started noticing all these people coming in wearing wrist bands. Turns out they were having Bidal Fashion         Week event lol. I had no idea there even was a bridal fashion week :-p And just in case you were wondering, we did NOT help ourselves to free hors d'oeuvres lol. Good thing we were full cuz otherwise we would have crashed that b**ch haha.

Yacine and Kyie taken by Dija

Taken by Dija

Dija, Yacine, Shirley, Joel

Kyie, Yacine, Shirley, Joel

Dija and Kyie taken by Yacine

Dija and Kyie taken by Yacine

Shirley and Joel taken by Dija

Yacine and Wedding Planner Kevin Lee

You may recognize him from Lisa Vanderpump's daughter's wedding on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

Taken by Dija

Taken by Dija

Joel taken by Dija

Kyie taken by Dija

Had a  really great Sunday, hope you all did as well!

Loving The Sound Of: "Lies" by Marina and the Diamonds

                    I know I posted some videos of Marina and the Diamonds yesterday but I just HAD to post this acoustic version of "Lies." It is just beautiful, sad and honest. I'm totally loving it!

Loving The Sound Of: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

"Goodbye Kiss."

             I love, love, love, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals! Grace's voice is amazing and some of their songs are so sad and beautiful (tear)! I thought I would post an acoustic performance. 

Loving The Sound Of: "I Want You" by Luke James

 "I Want You" Live

                 
                  Luke James is one of those people that you listen to and instantly fall in love with! His vocal range is amazing and it doesn't hurt that he's good lookin' and dresses like a gentleman ;-). His singing ability reminds people of how much talent the music industry is missing. I definitely don't believe that everyone should have a five octave range and sound the same, but I do believe that artist should create real and meaningful art. They should carry the heavy burden of opening the eyes and mind of society all the while nurturing its heart. The packaging that music execs love so much gets old after a while and you just want everyone you listen to, to stand up and be honest about who they are and what they stand for. Just like Marvin Gaye, Nirvana, Mariah Carey, Cee-lo, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Elton John, Billy Joel, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Selena, The Foo Fighters, Lauryn Hill, Florence and the Machine were/are.... I mean I could go on forever! Its just sad when you think of all the people out there with amazing talent and potential that are looked over because record labels wanna sell sex and we the society have been so musically dumbed down that we cannot understand complex music. Wow, I got carried away for a sec. lol Anyways my point was that I would love to see someone like Luke James advance in his career.

Loving The Sound Of: "Primadonna" by Marina and the Diamonds

                      Marina and the Diamonds is one of the artists that I really like. She is able to pull of a pop song all the while poking fun at our popular culture obsessed society. I love that she is visually very put together. People often assume that eclectic artists are all over the place, however Marina dispels this notion. She is able to deliver a look that is sometimes 50's glamour infused with grunge and other times 80's breakfast club infused with 2010 hooker lol. It is truly amazing. You will always notice elements of previous decades in her work.

                 I thought I would also post another video off of her upcoming album "Electra Heart." This one is called "Radioactive" and it is more along the lines of electro/dance. Take a listen!

Loving The Sound Of: "30 Days" by The Saturdays

           
          "30 Days" is a fun pop song by The Saturdays that will stay stuck in your head like it has in mine. Watch the fun and colorful video above or simple click Here. The single will be released May 13th for those of you who would like to buy it. Happy listening :-)

Loving The Sound Of: "Happy Pills" by Norah Jones

           I can't stop listening to Norah Jones' new single called 'Happy Pills'. Her voice is so smooth, the vintage look of the video is great, and the ending is unexpected. "Happy Pills" will be on Norah's fifth studio album titled "Little Broken Hearts" which is set to be released May 1st!  Happy listening, hope you enjoy!

Speaking Of Television....

                    Shonda Rhimes' new show 'Scandal' is premiering on ABC tonight. The series features Kerry Washington who will portray Olivia Pope, the main character and a pro at covering up the scandalous secrets of DC's elite. I am very excited to get a first glimpse of the show. Shonda is just so great at creating complex characters that are anything but stereotypical. She has done a great job of making sure that  people of all races and types are portrayed on Grey's Anatomy and I am sure she will do the same with this new show. Even though I do believe t.v has come a long way when it comes to portraying Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians, I still think there is much further to go. I would like to see more show creators take on characters of all colors shapes and sizes without engulfing them in a sea of outdated stereotypes. Well, I will let you know what I think of 'Scandal.' Until then, a plus tard!

Farewell One Tree Hill

                 One Tree Hill had its 9th and final finale last night :-(. I could not believe that time had gone by so fast. It was surreal to think that the cast I had grown to love and could swear was real was leaving our television screens for good. I kept thinking that one day I'd be walking down the street and accidentally bump into Brooke Davis (Sophia Bush) or Hailey James Scott (Bethany Joy Lenz) lol. No worries, I have not lost my mind! I am fully aware that they are fictional characters lol. Anyway, I thought I would post the links to Bethany Joy Lenz and Sophia Bush's blogs for those of you who might be fans.


                  I truly love Bethany's blog! She talks about fashion, gardening, children, food, travel and just life in general. It is incredibly wholesome and beats reading celebrity gossip, I promise ;-).

http://www.bjgofficial.com/

                  As for the breathtakingly beautiful Sophia, she does not post as often as Bethany does but when she does, she reminds us all that there is a  great big world out there worth fighting for. It is great to read about all the charity work she is involved in which also includes actively trying to boost the self esteem of young girls and women. Plus she also has great beauty tips as well as music!

http://www.sophiabush.com/blog/

 I will surely miss OTH and all its wonderful music, great messages of love, trust, friendship and hope.

The Ah-mazing Cannon 5d mark II

Just thought I would show you guys my new cannon 5d mark II! I got this camera a few months ago and although I am still learning to use it, I am already in love with it. The images it produces are breath taking and I can't wait to shoot my first video with it. In the meantime I thought I would upload one of the first pictures I ever took with it. Hubby and I went to see a bff in Montreal at the end of January. That is where the picture below was taken. Don't you just love the stylish background of a fast food joint?! heehee

Love this pic of Hubby

All About Me

Picture by Kyie Wallace

Hey everyone! For those of you who don't know me, my name is Dija. I am 26 years old and originally from Senegal although I consider myself to be a citizen of the world( I know...cheesy). I've spent most of my life living in Canada, Cameroon, Indonesia and Long Island and would love to see the entire world, although I'm pretty sure that it's impossible. I absolutely love all things travel, culture, art, fashion, and social science related. In the end, I'm just a girl in search of meaning and understanding about the things that drive our world. Now enough about me! Let's talk it up people!