Living Beyond Fear in 2016

I recently finished reading the book, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love. I thought this was a great book to share with all of you as we go into the new year and set new goals for 2016. I hope the tips I learned from this book will inspire you and me to live beyond fear and actively utilize our creative energy to achieve our goals for the new year!

1. Have an affair with your passion.
   • Let's face it, some of us are lazy or make excuses. We treat our passion like an old, boring marriage. Some of us are still figuring out what our passion is. Let's light that fire again. Start by doing what you love and devoting yourself to that matter what, even if you have to sneak away in a corner for 15 minutes everyday. Discipline yourself.
2. "When it's for love, you will always do it anyhow."
   • We torture ourselves enough by doing things that we don't like. Life becomes mundane. Devoting more time to the things we do love would lead to more happiness. 
3. Don't stop when things get hard.
   • "Don't rush through the experiences and circumstances that have the most capacity to transform you." We are always in such a rush that we forget to appreciate the journey. As soon as things get too difficult we are ready to give up. Don't give up because this is usually right before something big is about to happen. Be patient and don't miss out on your blessing.
4. Trust yourself.
   • Sometimes the most difficult thing to do is to put our creative work out there for the world to see. We are so terrified of what people will think that we don't put anything out there. What if I am unsuccessful? What if no one likes me? No matter the outcome, just do it anyway. Regardless if you fail or succeed, at least you were happy doing something you love.

Holiday Cheer!

Holiday party season is in full effect! I must admit at first I wasn't really in the holiday spirit but the past couple of weeks have really boosted my holiday cheer. I've actually finished most of my holiday shopping before Christmas Eve, which is big for me! I'm always last minute trying to think of creative gifts, and I end up finding cute gifts for myself in the process. As much as I loathe running around the mall this time of year, I've gotten a lot better at gift-giving. 

I caught up with family and friends before the holidays via various happy hours and holiday gatherings. Sharing moments and laughs with loved ones is one of the best gifts. I tried a new restaurant, Pearl Dive Oyster Palace, and the food and drinks are amazing! If you like oysters you will love this place. Please try the bacon-wrapped oysters. Trust me, everything is better with bacon.

To cap off this past wee, I went on a girls getaway to NYC to celebrate my friend Jasmine's birthday. We had so much fun prancing around the city in dresses and sequins as if we were Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda. We started out with brunch at Friedman's and an early dinner at Room Service. If you love Thai food, Room Service is the place for you. The ambiance is perfect for a girls' night out on the town.  After dinner, I attended my first Broadway show, The Color Purple, and it was simply amazing. The lead actress, Cynthia Erivo's voice is breathtaking. Each character had such a beautiful voice, I didn't want them to stop singing. 

After the show we headed over to the Sugar Factory to indulge in 60 oz goblets of sugar and alcohol goodness. I opted out of the huge drink and had a margarita instead, accompanied by a huge ice cream sundae. 

We ended the weekend with Sunday brunch at Pampano and stuffed ourselves (again)  with bottomless small plates and sangria. If you couldn't tell before, we love to eat.

I'm looking forward to the upcoming holiday to create more memories. I'd like to wish all of you Happy Holidays!

xoxo,

Victoria

Ready for the Ugly Sweater Party!

Me and my cousin Penny

Bacon-wrapped oysters at Pearl's 

Holiday Party at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse

Happy Birthday Jasmine!

Waiting in line on Broadway for the Color Purple.

Sugar Factory 60 oz goblets

Love life!

Baby Boom

This weekend I was surrounded by friends and their beautiful babies. I love being able to hold the babies and give them right back to their mamas when I'm ready. LOL! No baby fever for me, but I do enjoy cuddling chunky babies. 2015 was a year full of weddings so 2016 is bound to be a year full of babies. I wish my friends that were mothers lived closer so I could visit more often. I would even offer to babysit every now and then.  Babies grow so fast! Check out a few pics from yesterday's baby shower. Can't wait until Baby Harper arrives!

Me, Angel, and Baby Asa

Me and Erika

Me and Candi

Me, Jerrell, and Baby Harper

Thankful

As we get closer to one of my favorite holidays, I have to reflect and show my gratitude for the many blessings I receive on  a daily basis. As much as I love to gather and eat tons of food, the love I receive from others is much more filling! I am so thankful for supportive friends and family that have my back through thick and thin, and who aren't afraid to call me out on my craziness, or join in on my crazy moments. I am also thankful for the opportunity to GIVE. I am blessed with all of my necessities and much more. Food, clothing, shelter, a job, and the list goes on. No matter how bad I think things are going, I have to remind myself that things could be worse and they WILL get better. This past weekend I was able to pack food boxes for hundreds of families in the Northern Virginia area with an amazing organization called Project Giveback. It felt great to be able to bless others. "To whom much is given, much is required." (Luke 12:48) Happy Thanksgiving!

xoxo,

Victoria

stranger

what have you become

all for love

all for one

all for nothing

because your daddy didn't love you 

and that boy left you swollen and aching 

your mouth used to bring sunshine

and your eyes told funny stories 

but now I don't recognize you

when did you lose yourself

all for love

all for one

all for nothing.

Clarity

I woke up extra early today to take a friend to the airport and surprisingly I wasn't moody or groggy. I hate early mornings, but I'm actually a lot more productive in the morning. I took a few moments to enjoy the quiet and the stillness of a new morning. A lot of times I'm distracted by the TV or I scroll through my phone when I first wake up. But today I started off a little differently. I opened some mail I had laying around, and found a couple of Thank You cards. I love receiving little notes of gratitude from friends so it was the perfect reminder that I needed to be grateful for all of God's blessings. Even when things don't go as I planned I still have a reason to be grateful. No matter how small or big, God continues to bless me in spite of my flaws and shortcomings. I read my devotional and prayed. I continued to meditate to help clear my mind, and I felt refreshed. After a stressful week of migraines this change in routine was definitely needed. I wrote down a few personal goals and I was equipped to take on the day. I know that some of us hate getting up early or we're in such a rush that we forget to just stop and take a moment for clarity,  but making a few changes in your daily routine can do a lot more for you than you think. How do you start off your day? I hope each day brings you peace.

xoxo,

Victoria 

Mix It Up

It's finally starting to feel and look like Fall, so I decided to mix up a few prints, colors, and textures for a stroll around Old Town. I never would have thought to put these two pieces together, a mustard yellow sweatshirt with navy/orange striped wide leg trousers, but it turned out to be a fun look. I love these trousers, but I can only wear them with heels because they are so long. Short girl problems! Dare to be different while expressing your own sense of style. Mix it up! Check out more photos here.

Top: H&M

Trousers: Zara

Shoes: Shoemint

Bag: Kate Spade

Photography: Deaudrea Rich

blind

from the beginning

every freckle

every flaw

stared me in the face.

perfection.

love.

Beloved October

I love Octobers! The change in weather, the smell of pumpkin spice in everything, and of course my birthday. I love birthdays! We should celebrate life everyday, but it's a blessing to grow another year older and wiser. This past weekend I caught up with family and friends and tried out a few restaurants for the first time around the city. It was an amazing weekend and I'm excited to see what year 28 brings.

Bin 1301 Wine Bar: They have a great wine selection. It's tucked away so most just pass by it while out on U St. This would be a great date night spot or a spot to catch up with friends before heading out to the surrounding bars. I was even able to pop my own champagne bottle!

Claudia's Steakhouse: I love the atmosphere here! There was a live jazz band and the decor was very modern and chic. The food was great and it's the perfect spot for a celebration with a large party. 

Blackwall Hitch: The all-you-can eat brunch buffet is the perfect after-church spot. The Old Town Alexandria location is right on the waterfront. The buffet offered a mix of breakfast and lunch items, along with seafood. I've been craving oysters so I was finally able to get my fix. And what's brunch without mimosas?! This spot has $1 mimosas. You are welcome.

Check out more photos from my birthday celebration here.

Moments of Happiness

I've been doing a lot of traveling and celebrating over the past couple of weeks. Here are a few moments of happiness with friends.  

Celebrating my roomie Juanisha's 29th birthday

Celebrating my fabulous soror Clarybel's 40th birthday at Doyle's Vineyard in Durham, NC. She has been such a great mentor and inspiration.

Catching up with my sorors

Celebrating my soror Shennean's wedding in Virginia Beach, VA.

Selfie with the Bride and MOH

Me and Jasmine at the Boys and Girls Club Gala. We did not plan to dress alike lol.