Truth time. Even though Indy is only 90 minutes away from Cincinnati, I haven’t been in years and boy, have I been missing out! My good friends at Visit Indy gave me some amazing places to check out including my stay at the beautiful Bottleworks Hotel and dinner at Modita.

While I was there of course I had to hit up The Fashion Mall at Keystone and visit Kiehl's, Sephora, Saks and Nordstrom to see the latest in beauty. I ended my shopping day at Saks for tea at Tilly's Tea Room - which was so cute and chic!
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Couldn’t leave Indy without a little self care pampering. I found an amazing #blackgirlmagic spa Bella Body & Skin Studio owned by Dr. Carla and got a little beauty maintenance.

This has to be one of the most beautiful hotel's I have ever stayed in, and it was huge. I learned that this hotel, was a former Coca-Cola Bottling company of Indianapolis. It's a great mix of history and modern luxury. When you enter the lobby you are great with beautiful architecture and decor. The room was so spacious, it felt bigger and probably is bigger than my first apartment. 

The bathrooms were modern (ya'll know I love a good bathroom).

I just CAN'T go to another city and not check out one of the malls. Keystone Fashion Mall has always been one of my favorites. I can't believe I had not been back in so long. I stopped by some of my favorite stores to see the latest in beauty like Kiehl's, Sephora, Nordstrom and Saks. I was very excited to see a Kiehl's because we don't have one in Cincinnati. I love their skin care and use it regularly. If you are in Indy, make sure you spend some time at The Keystone Fashion Mall.

High Tea? Yes please! I found this cute tea room right in the Saks Fifth Avenue in Indy. Tilly's Tea Room is on the top floor of Saks and it did not disappoint. This is the cutest place to have a shopping break and enjoy some authentic English Tea with all the fixings. I enjoyed Tea, Finger Sandwiches, Small Desserts and Scones after a great day of shopping and learning about all things beauty. Make sure you stop by Tilly's Tea Room in the Saks Fifth Avenue in Indy.

There was a very cute/romantic restaurant right next door to my hotel. Usually, I like to venture out away from my hotel for dinner but I'm glad this came recommended. It had recently opened and they were still testing out their menu, but baby - EVERYTHING was awesome. If you like Asian inspired food, you definitely need to try out Modita. The restaurant describes itself as: "The menu highlights fresh and unique ingredients with an inspired, unique spin including sushi, dim sum, noodles and rice, along with Robata grilled specialities. The dining style is casual, meant to be enjoyed with many small plates leading to the Robota grilled entree experience of flavors.”

This is what I had (pictured):

• Soup Dumplings - This was probably my favorite small plate, I love anything in a dumpling
• Crab Rangoon - This took the average Crab Rangoon and kicked up a notch
• Wedge Salad - This had a little kick to it, but I always need a salad with my meal. I've never had a wedge like this - if you like a little spice, get this.
• Bao Buns - The buns reminded me of soft pillowy tacos with pork inside, these were quite filling. 
• Robata Filet Steak - this steak was really juicy that's cooked on a Robata grill. 
• Cocoa-Cola Cake - Can't not have dessert, if you love chocolate, you'll love this.

 If you are looking for a great atmosphere with different meal choices, visit Modita.

You can find great beauty spas everywhere you go. My lastest travels brought me to Indianapolis. I was so excited to find Dr. Carla of Bella Body & Skin Studio. Rarely did we see Black Women Injectors in our region, so I was so happy to see there was a Medspa in Indy that offered more luxe skin and body treatments. Bella Body and Skin Studio was founded in order to help not just women, but everyone feel beautiful in their own healthy skin and bodies and to increase sense of wellness and well being.

Carla Jenkins is the founder of Bella Body and Skin Studio. She has 20 years of nursing experience in various areas of critical care. Currently a doctoral candidate, she has been a nurse practitioner for the past ten years working in general adult medicine as well as specialties of nephrology, neurology, gastroenterology, vascular surgery and  psychiatry. She has always taken a personal interest in skin care and  general health and well being. 

She suggested I try Dysport vs. Botox. So what’s the difference? Botox and Dysport are both popular products for addressing common skin issues. These injectable medicines relax your facial muscles to eliminate wrinkles, frown lines, crow’s feet, and forehead lines. It really just depends on your issues/needs and what the best one your injector suggests. Dr. Carla told me she likes Dysport for Women of Color.

Did you know besides beauty, Botox/Dysport can help with other issues? Such as excessive sweating and migraines I’m on a mission to spotlight and educate more about fillers/injections- it’s the self care for me💕
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Bella Body & Skin Studio offers a range of boutique beauty and body services, make sure you go check her out on IG @bellabodyandskinstudio  and visit her website.

 As we close out May, I also wondered about health issues my mother and I should be working on together. I mentioned previously my Mom is in her 60’s and I am in my 30’s. Are there any women’s health needs we both should be focused on together to support each other? I asked Samantha Sinclair, MD from @thechristhospital Obstetrics & Gynecology and she gave some great tips such as:
 What health issues should we work on together? Preventative care varies from age to age, but here are some good places to start:

• Mammogram – Starting between age 40-50 depending on your family history, every 1-2 years
• Skin Issues – If fair skinned, have moles, or lots of sun exposure, we should see a dermatologist yearly 
• If cancer runs in the family – it depends on what time and at what age. Certain family history will alter your personal screening recommendations. 
• Physical Health (staying active) – ALWAYS! Staying active is important throughout our lives.

What health issues differ at our ages (60s and 30s)? It varies person to person and with age, but the big things women don't seem to be prepared for are :

• Heavier and more painful periods after childbearing can occur
• Changes experienced during our 40s as the ovaries begin to lose steam. Periods can become irregular, can develop typical perimenopausal symptoms like hot flashes, increased weight gain, moodiness, etc. 
• Perimenopausal/menopausal transition: this is a big life change and most women only hear about hot flashes and no periods. Moodiness, weight gain, memory loss, hair loss, decreased libido, etc., are all common things to experience and women can feel like they are losing themselves

To learn more about women’s health services at The Christ Hospital or to find an expert near you, visit www.TheChristHospital.com/services/womens-health.

Vaccinated and ready to GO! I've been traveling a lot lately for work, still safely and still masked up! However, traveling these days I've made sure I bring some beauty/lifestyle necessities to help me navigate traveling and keeping my skin and lifestyle routines healthy and happy.

​Safe Travels!

With wearing Mask's don't forget to take care of your skin, especially before and after flying. Here are a few skincare travel products I always pack and why:

• Makeup Wipes - This is an easy and quick way to remove your makeup after a long day, or a refresher for your face after a flight. All that recycled air and wearing a mask can really build oil and dirt onto your skin.
• Toner, Brightener, Moisturizer Set - Little skincare sets like this are lifesavers, they are compact enough to take in your travel bag and TSA approved.
• Evian Water Mist - I like to use this as a refresher after a flight, pair this with a makeup wipe and your skin will feel refreshed.

I get it from my Mama.

On Mother’s Day this year, my mother and I had a very transparent and important conversation about our health as Women. As we get older, I feel like health related conversations need to take place so we all can maintain and take preventive care of our bodies. I sat down with her and asked her some questions about her health history with the help of my good friends at @thechristhospital. My mom is in her 60’s (and girlfriend looks GOODT) and I am in my 30’s (I know, I know). I asked Samantha Sinclair, MD from @thechristhospital Obstetrics & Gynecology what top 5 questions I should ask my mom about her health history.
 Top 5 questions I should ask my mom about her health history: (my mom is in her 60s and I’m in my mid-30s): 

1. What is our family history (focusing mainly on 1st and 2nd degree relatives)?
   
2. This includes things like breast, colon, uterine, and ovarian cancers (from a gynecology standpoint)
3. Does either parent have a history of blood clots (in legs or lungs), osteoporosis, hip fracture, heart disease, diabetes?
4. From a preconception standpoint, is there any family history of birth defects?
5. Did Mom have any trouble with preeclampsia (high blood pressure in pregnancy) or gestational diabetes?

To learn more about women’s health services at The Christ Hospital or to find an expert near you, visit www.TheChristHospital.com/services/womens-health.

So, I’ve talked about this before. Credit has always been a battle, personally. It started in college, credit card and store cards where being offered to me like candy. My parents warned me about them but as a broke college student, “free money” that I would only need to pay back monthly (in a little minimum payments) seemed like a dream to me. I had no clue about APR rates, how paying the minimum payment does nothing to help or monthly fees add to the bill. Let’s also add in that I did not have job over than being a student. All I saw was clothes, food and other frivolous things I can’t even remember getting.

My credit really took a hit. This is what always prevented me from getting a car, I thought it was best to just let my father handle these things. When speaking with William Parks at SVG, he told me to not let my credit score/history scare me into not buying a car.  Lets get into some Myths VS Facts.

Myths

1. You have to have perfect credit to purchase
2. Having your credit checked by multiple lenders lowers your credit score
3. You can’t get an auto loan with bad credit

Facts

1. You do not have to have perfect credit to purchase a car.
2. Buying a car even with bad credit is one of the fastest to repair credit.  On time payments for a year or more can help you see significant growth
3. Truth in lending laws protect you and the dealership.  The Dealership has 0 to do with the interest rate you receive.  And if you get a high interest rate it will be the same interest rate at a different lot. The banks legally can't charge you more at one place than another.
   
   

Still time to make Mother’s Day Sweet, save this recipe.
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Do you like Pineapple Upside down Cake? What about pineapple coconut vodka? I had the brilliant idea to pair these two delicious thing into one! Phoenacolada vodka + Cupcakes = Phoenacolada Upside Down Cupcakes. Get ready for your mind and taste buds to be blown away. Phoenacolada is a black owned pineapple coconut vodka brand that just made its way into OHIO - I am so excited that all my hometown friends can now purchase this so easily.

Check out the recipe below and Also, find out where you can purchase a bottle of Phoenacolada  for yourself and support a Black Owned & Woman Owned business here

Would you eat these? Shout out to @nikstate For helping me baking this recipe!

Ingredients

•         1 can sliced pineapple
•         1 package Favorite Yellow Cake Mix or Recipe
•         3 Eggs
•         1/3 cup vegetable oil
•         1/2 cup Coconut Pineapple Vodka
•         1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
•         1 cup light brown sugar
•         Whipped Cream
•         Maraschino cherries

Directions

• -Preheat oven 350 Degrees F
• -Drain pineapple slices, save 1/2 cup juice
• -In medium bowl, stir together butter and brown sugar. Cut each pineapple slice into eight pieces. Divide evenly and place in cups.
• -In large bowl, beat cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, coconut pineapple vodka, and pineapple juice with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Divide batter evenly, pour over pineapple slices.
• -Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick come outs clean.

Enjoy!