Hair Talk: Embracing the Afro Puff

Hey hey guys,

So it's been a couple of months since I did a hair post and that's mainly because after noticing the nasty "W" I had in my hair, I've more or less kept it wrapped up in braids and weaves since then.  If you didn't see the "W" then go to "Hair Talk: Going Natural" to find it. The sight of my hair was driving me up the wall and I really just wanted to chop it all off, in theory. So anyways, I thought I'd drop a little update about how things have been going since then.

Ever since I decided to go natural sometime last year, I've been less focused on the length of my hair and more focused on the health, especially since I've been trying to combat my problem areas. As a result, I've been trimming/cutting my hair A LOT more frequently. Let me just say, I used to be that girl that would trim literally once a year, if that. But in the last 6 months I've trimmed my hair twice already, which is a lot for me. It does however mean that my hair looks like it hasn't grown at all, am i destined to be stuck with 'almost' shoulder length hair for the rest of my life? I hope not.

No more W!

And very non-see-through!

My hair is doing A LOT better now though, just look at it! The "W" is more or less gone and the "see-throughness" is disappearing slowly but surely. I really think this has to do with my decision to go natural, honestly I do. And also the low manipulation of my protective styles meant there was no unnecessary playing with my hair every day. I just seem to be unable to resist trying out this style or that! If you look closely to my February picture, you'd notice that it does look a little scraggly in some places with some really long strands, the stylist really should have suggested a trim to get rid of those but  honestly, he seemed pretty incompetent on basic hair care. For instance, you've just taken out my braids and my hair has only been lightly finger detangles, what part of "You need to detangle my hair before you wash it." is so hard to understand? It was partly my fault for allowing him to go ahead with it and then he spent half an hour complaining about how my hair was tangled... I was so mad at him that I just wanted to be out of there fast, I didn't even assess my hair till I got home. I would definitely be trimming those ends soon.

So after my stint with hating my hair and wanting to hide it away, I started missing it because oddly enough, I do really like having my hair out. I feel more in control, lol. When I washed it I must say the natural roots now far outweigh the permed ends and I think I'm literally one or two more trims away from being fully natural. So much for my 18 month transition! Haha. It's been out all of about 4 days and I've been practising a few hairstyles already, a lot of them have turned out to be huge fails. Lol. But I did really like this flat twist headband, it was only my second attempt so there's definitely still room for improvement.

And also my "Bisi, daughter of the River" style, as my mum called it after she finished braiding it. Don't ask.

And of course, my afro puffs! Which was taken off of my snapchat. Lol

Can you tell I was feeling myself? Lol

I'm quite interested to see what the rest of this journey has in store for me. Who's with me?

Also if you have any blogs/ Youtube channels or whatever that you go to for style inspiration then please let me know in the comments section!

Reni xx

Read with Reni: April's Choice

So if I'm honest I'm not sure how many people are actually "Reading with Reni" or if anyone is at all but that's alright. However, just incase there actually are some interested people out there then this seems like a perfect time to say thank you for joining me! We're more than halfway through March now but there's still enough time to read the book of the month "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn if you want to. Honestly, I finished it in 2 days or something, it was that captivating. It's been my favourite book so far this year but more on the "why's?" in the review I'd be posting later. Oh and if you're wondering what on earth "Read with Reni" is then find out here.

Remember how I said the book for April was going to be the reader's choice? Well I've set up a poll so go on and vote for the book you would like to read next month. If you would like to suggest another book then feel free to do so in the comments section, I always welcome suggestions.

April's Book Should Be...?

On Black Sisters' Street- Chika Ungwe

The Casual Vacancy- J. K Rowling

No Longer At Ease- Chinua Achebe

free polls

Also don't forget, if you write or have written a review to any of the books here then feel free to link-up at the bottom of my reviews post.

Reni xx

3 Cousins & A Crook: Longing for the Beach

Honestly, I always hate when I haven't blogged for a realy long time... I think about LTV everyday but finding the time to sit down and write is proving a bit more difficult than I expected. I guess settling down in Lagos is taking a little bit longer than I imagined, but hurrah! I finally managed to unpack all my 8 suitcases and get my room in decent working order, it doesn't look like a hurricane affected site anymore and my mind is finally free to think on other things.

So I feel that it's only right that we start my adventures in Lagos with a foodie post, predictable I know but is there anything more universal than food? Somehow I doubt it... My first Lagos restaurant (if it can be called that) is more of a little shack somewhere in Lekki Phase 1 called "3 Cousins & A Crook BBQ". I had heard about it multiple times before but just never really felt inclined to visit until Tomi suggested it. I love the name, it sounds like the kind of place you'd go to just to have a good laugh with friends, although I must admit part of me wishes they'd drop the "BBQ" at the end but hey... I can do that all by myself I suppose.

The atmosphere of the place really did not disappoint my imagination, this is possibly the most laid back place I've ever been to in Lagos. I felt like I was on holiday in the middle of Panama or something and had just stepped into some hut that has been around for generations that everyone knows does the "best food in town". You get me right? No?... That's okay too I guess. The decor really follows the whole beach theme with random sea shells and pebbles scattered randomly around the inside... Right now I'm longing for the beach, can you tell?

But the best part about the decor for me was the wood panelling that happy customers had signed on. It reminded me a lot of the breakfast club in London. I even spotted the names of a few people I knew, that was entertaining!

There's a few seats inside but there was such a nice ocean breeze that I couldn't resist sitting on the benches outside under the shade of the trees

It's quite a small restaurant though and there's only about four of these tables but that was fine because we were the only people there anyways, but in a nice way. I did bump into two of my Aunties who were leaving just as I arrived funnily enough, that's just the way Lagos is I guess. But thank you Aunty for suggesting I get my act together and resume blogging again! :)

Seeing as it was just Tomi and I at the restaurant and we didn't order that much food, I was slightly annoyed by the time it took to be served. That killed it a little bit for me but determined not to let that ruin our experience, Tomi and I used the opportunity to have a little photoshoot. Lol. I would have bombarded you with all the pictures but trust me when I say you don't want that!

Hashtag Tomilookingflawless!

Oh you can just about see the restaurant in this picture. Yup, it's that hut like structure behind me. No I'm not joking.

 The food finally arrived and our photos hoot was cut short. We weren't too sad though, it was time for the main attraction. I had the cheeseburger and fries

and Tomi had the Baconator with fries as well.

Am I crazy for being excited that the fries actually looked like someone peeled and cut the potatoes just that day? They're so unevenly shaped and I found that really weird but also somehow very satisfying. The burgers as well have a very "homemade" look to them but they tasted delicious! My only critic would be that the patty could be a little bit smaller. I've had a lot of burgers in my lifetime but this was by far the messiest and trickiest to eat.

When we were done eating I obviously had to join the hall of fame, they tried to tell me they had run out of marker pens... But a particularly helpful guy found me one and I squeezed my name into the first space I found, believe me when I say the place is covered!

I left there with a huge grin on my face and not only because the food was really yummy but also because the price was spectacular! A lovely 2,500 naira (£8-10) for the burger, fries and drink. 

3 Cousins & A Crook is definitely a winner and I'd certainly be back there again soon. Well maybe not so soon because I need to resume my "diet" but you know... 

You can find them opposite B20 Wole Olateju Crescent, Lekki Phase 1. Trust me, you wouldn't be disappointed.

Reni xx

Artisan Manchester: Of Fine Food and Finer Art

So I remember some posts ago I alluded to having some news about what kept me away from my blog for most of February, at some point I think I only just got round to posting the winners of my first ever giveaway and not much else because I was just so busy and bogged down. The reason for my absence though is that I've made what is arguably the biggest transition of my life, I know it sounds slightly melodramatic but that's honestly how I feel. A few days ago I permanently relocated back to Lagos, Nigeria after spending the last 6 and a half years in various parts of England. Honestly I'm not filled with as much anxiety and trepidation as I thought I would be, maybe because for the first time since I graduated I feel like I'm about to start doing something. This something comes in the form of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) a compulsory year of service to the country that all graduates undertake. 

It's going to be weird adjusting to the fact that I'm not just here for holiday but I'm sure I can only go forward from here and what do you know, I got rejected from the last company I was giving a chance. God's plan is bigger than our plans! Okay now that all that's over... I felt it was only right that I ended the "Manchester" phase of my life with a food post! Food, my eternal love. One of my final restaurants of choice on one of my final trips to Mancester as I moved all my stuff was the fairly new restaurant and bar in Spinningfields "Artisan". Once I stepped into Artisan with A on a particularly rainy Sunday evening I felt I had made the right choice, the place was still buzzing and even the waiters had to admit to being surprised they were that busy. In fact, annoyingly enough  they only had a reduced menu that evening because they were sure they wouldn't be full. Nonetheless it didn't take away from the amazing ambience of the place, it's quite lowly light by these cool lights above some tables, the design really gives the whole place a nice rustic feel to it. There are also lots of paintings and other artwork around the area for sale and you can find details about each one of them in a little menu on your table, I just loved how arty-farty the whole place was.

Especially with these other lights that are essentially just bulbs on pieces of metal! Haha. I loved it though, there was something so authentic about the whole place and to top it all of they have a bar that's about 3 metres long or something crazy like that!

While we waited for our table to be ready I ordered a standard Strawberry Mojito to assess the quality that their 20-foot long bar could produce and I definitely wasn't disappointed at all. For me the presentation of my drink it about equally important as the taste of it and the mints and strawberry arranged on the top of the glass really actually made me happy!

Busy as they were, it was still a Sunday and so we didn't have to wait too long before we got to dig in to their limited menu. We got stuck in to their braised pork belly for starters which looked nothing like what we expected for a starter (Starters are meant to be small and cute and easy to eat!) but tasted decent enough for them to be forgiven.

But where their starter let me down a little bit, the second cocktail was truly something special. "Apple Pie" in a glass was exactly what it said on the tin, if one could drink an apple pie, that's what it would taste like. At some point the drink got so sickeningly sweet that I had to mix it with an equal amount of water just to make it bearable! I could even taste the gingerbread syrup them had stirred into it. I know it doesn't sound like I did but I actually loved this drink! And not only for the nicely placed apple slices. Haha.

We both opted for wood fired pizzas for our mains and A had the "New Yorker" whilst I opted for the "Crispy Duck". It was extremely refreshing to have nice fresh salad on our pizzas instead of the usual tiny pieces but up an drowned in the cheese and I loved that it was quite a thin base as well. I can eat a "normal" pizza guilt-free on some days but it's nice to know I can get what will definitely pass for a "healthy" pizza if I wanted one! 

My pizza had mandarins on it! Actual mandarins! Can you see them??

I think I had like 7 of my 5-a-day on that plate! Haha. As for the taste it was really good but after a while a whole pizza gets tiring to eat and so we swapped bites of each others so we could feel like we had some variety! After eating waaay too much pizza sadly there wasn't much room left over for dessert! *Boooooo* so we asked for the bill and prepared to be on our merry way. This was made even merrier by the fact that we had 50% taken off our bill for booking online! Cray-zay! All that food and all those drinks for less than £20?? Somebody say hell yeah!

As we strolled lazily back downstairs, preparing for the unrelenting rain I noticed this masterpiece.

From this picture I know it just looks like someone drew an amazing face on an old door but this face wasn't drawn unto the door, it was ETCHED on in what must have been the most painstaking project ever! But it looks amazing and made me seriously consider getting doors in my dream house etched! The amount of detail on it is amazing and because of this door that I saw mainly by chance, the artisan went from a place with nice drinks and okay food to a place that blew my mind! Forget the 20-foot long bar.

Anyways that's it. My last Manchester Foodie post for a while!
Reni signing out of Manchester and in to Lagos City! The city that raised me :)

P.S. I just checked and the menu seems to have changed a little bit from when I was last there and I'm not sure if they're still doing their 50% off offer but it's definitely still worth a visit if only for the artwork!

Read with Reni: February Review "And the Mountains Echoed"

So February is over now and that means that it's time for the very first book review on "Read with Reni". The book for February was the amazing Khaled Hosseini's (author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns) "And the Mountains Echoed"

Now I must admit, I read the entire book before the first week of February was even over, that's how much I liked it! So what's all the hype about you ask?

Well, it's a deeply moving story about a brother and sister Abdullah and Pari, who get separated from each other when they're young, it's set mainly in Afghanistan and spans years and years of their history, including the Taliban.

"You say you felt a presence, but I only sensed an absence. A vague pain without a source. I was like a patient who cannot tell the doctor where it hurts, only that it does."

Hosseini really intricately weaves the story of the siblings into the fabric of many other peoples lives and there are many "Aha!" and "Oh my goodness!" moments to be had as the plot unfolds in a truly masterful way. I had so much writers envy when I was reading it.

"You want a story and I would tell you one. But just the one. Don't either of you ask me for more"

Honestly, I found it difficult to put down once I started reading it and I'm not necessarily the type that has to finish a book in one sitting. It all depends on the awesomeness or lack of. I would say it's quite easy to read as well as the story flows nicely. I'd be honest, there were a couple of "What does this have to do with anything?" moments but I guess it was all to paint a thorough picture.

I don't know how to tell you my favourite part of the book without spoiling it too much but trust me when I say this book had me blinking furiously to hold back the tears.

"They tell me I must wade into waters, where I will soon drown. Before I march in, I leave this on the shore for you. I pray you find it, sister, so you will know what was in my heart as I went under."

"And the Mountains Echoed" is as uplifting as it is heartbreaking and it really does show the complexities of human beings as emotional creatures so would I recommend it? I'm sure you can already guess that the answer is a loud and resounding yes!

Has anyone else read this book yet? What did you think about it? Feel free to link up below if you have a review on it already.

The book for March is "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn. Buy it, download it... You know you want to Read with Reni!