Live (pre-recording) of 106 n Park

Today, I went to a pre-recording of 106nPark Live…oxymoron..yea i know. I went with one of my friends to support her boyfriend who was performing. The experience was awesome!

Pangea Kidz sound check at 106nPark

I have such a passion for working in the entertainment industry; and I was pursuing my dream in college through working at radio stations and planning concerts for the university. I would say in the last three years I have lost site of the dream. But, I am by no means a pity case because my distraction has been my amazing job that has polished my public relation and event planning skills and allowed me to travel all over the country.

I do want to get more focused though…even if it is just side hustling! So I have set some simple and attainable goals for myself this summer. In the next three months I plan to:

* Create attractive and unique business cards to carry with me at all times

* Touch up my resume and make it easily accessible

* Work at least one side gig via Craigslist or recommendations from networking that is directly related to the entertainment industry

Watch out…this #ambitiousgirl is going to be on the move this summer!

So Easy Nicki Can Do It!

The past three months of blogging has truly been a great experience. I have always wanted to start a blog, but I never knew exactly how to do it and what to say. In my opinion, I have a pretty eventful life, and I want to share my experiences with my readers; and as a bonus I would love for my readers to share their stories with me. I am happy to say that I WILL continue to blog after this class is over. I am thankful for my social media class, and my teacher Mitzi, for all the knowledge and empowerment I now have in the social media realm.

In honor of my new blog, my brother brought me one of those “Blogging for Dummies” books. So, I will commit to reading that, and maybe do a little remodeling to my site.

But, just so you all know this is not the end; there are many more Fabulous-n-Favored stories to tell 😉

All or Nothing

Response post #6

As you all know, I am still in my challenge of being a vegan for 30 days. This has actually not been as hard as I thought it would be. I was just reading Cara’s blog about Lent. It seems from her post that she is doing well with just a few exceptions. Everyone has asked me if my veganism was for Lent, but as I stated in an earlier post, it actually isn’t. I genuinely did it as a challenge, and an interesting lifestyle change that I possibly want to make.

I will say, if you are going to make a change like this you MUST plan ahead. My planned meals, discussions with vegans, and elaborate grocery shopping definitely helped my success this month. I have three more days to go, and then I will give you a full recap. But, I do want to share with you a great recipe I made up for some vegan spaghetti.

Nicki’s Vegan Spaghetti

Ingredients:

wheat spiral noodles

olive oil

onion

green pepper

fresh mushrooms

spaghetti sauce (preferably the kind with basil and spices)

Smart Brand ground protein

Directions:

-boil your noodles and add some olive oil

– cut up your green pepper, onion, and mushrooms

– put the smart meat in a frying pan and add some olive oil

-combine all veggies and meat and cook until tender

-combine noodles, veggie and meat mix, and sauce and simmer in pot for a few minutes

DELISH!!!

How Real are these Housewives?

Response Blog #5

What justifies a housewife? Before reality tv brainwashed half of America, I thought a housewife was someone who is MARRIED and whom is domestically savvy and takes care of the house and possibly the children. Well, BRAVO cable network has proven me wrong!  The Real Housewives of (insert almost any major city) are far from my definition.

One of my classmates, Candyce, has been blogging all semester about various reality TV shows. Check her most recent post here. I love reading her blog, because I myself am a reality TV junkie, as well. What beats some trash TV to make you realize your life isn’t half as bad as you thought it was?!

One show that Candyce has not thoroughly evaluated is Real Housewives of Atlanta. I must say this is one of my fav reality trash shows! You can see a full description of the show and cast here on Wikipedia.

Yesterday was an ideal lazy Saturday, and I spent it watching a marathon of Real Housewives of Atlanta. The show has completed its 3rd season, and I think it’s safe to say, its most drama-filled season.

But, back to my original question, what justifies a housewife? Out of the six women staring on this show, only two are married. And, one of the two is in the middle of a divorce. One other cast member is engaged, and two are already divorced. Lastly, one is just a “baby mama”. I am not trying to criticize any of their lifestyles, but I am just curious to why BRAVO selecting these women to represent the “housewives of Atlanta”.

As critical as I am on this cast, I am happy to announce there will be a season four starting this October. Let’s watch together as another dramatic, half-scripted, season unveils! (below is the season preview of season 3)

Club or Tourist Attraction?

If I am going to blog about DC Fabulous-n-Favored hot spots, I can’t go without mentioning the Park at Fourteenth. This nightclub is the mecca of nightclubs in the District. I am convinced everyone has experienced this establishment in some capacity.

For starters, The Park is in a prime location, on the corner of 14th and K St NW. It is a four-story nightclub with a covered and heated patio area. It is not uncommon to see actors and actresses, NBA players, and well-known musician on any given club night here. The Park offers a happy hour that is second to known as far as food, drink options, seating areas, and VIP treatment.

I could blog about the food alone. The food here is amazing! Some of my favorite menu items are the mac and cheese, jerk chicken wings, and sautéed spinach. But trust me, you can’t go wrong with anything on this menu.

My favorite nights for The Park is Thursday for happy hour and Friday for a night of dancing.  The Park is open from Thursday through Saturday. Thursdays’ Happy Hour is always packed, and filled with a crowd of young professionals, well-dressed, and ready to unwind. Thursdays’ Happy Hour spills into the evening for partying, but isn’t typically as fun as Friday night. Friday night, come dressed to impressed. The Park is the most popular spot, in my opinion, to party on a Friday night if you are looking for a young, attractive crowd looking to hear current hip hop music.

This is a very large establishment that opened in November of 2007. It is a spin-off from the popular nightclub “Love“, and ran by the same management. The Park was established to be a more grown and sexy nightlife destination in the city. It has a seating capacity of 250 and group capacity of 650 patrons.

Now that I have been in the city for a while, I am on a quest to find the next “The Park“. At this point to me it is a tourist attraction. For out of towners it is a must-experience club in DC. But, for locals, it’s old news! I only go there as a “plan b” option. Not to knock the club, I have just had my share of The Park nights out and I am ready for a new go-to spot.

With that said, it is a great club and if you haven’t been you should check it out! Below are some pictures of my favorite outings throughout the past 3 years at The Park. Enjoy!

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No More Dating Fatigue

Response Post #4

Living in DC is such an amazing experience; there are so many places to eat, drink, hang out, dance, and just have a great time. With so many options for entertainment, it makes the ideal city for dating. So, for the greater part of 2010, I feel as if, I went on 50 first dates. I did everything from dinner, drinks, dancing, movies, romantic walks, live shows, and even hanging out on a yacht at one of the piers in DC. I had such a great year of dating and getting to know some really cool people. But, this culture of hyper-dating is very popular in DC and can become very tiring. I was reading a classmate, Kay’s, blog and realized I am not the only person that feels this way. Everyone in this city “dates” so much, and so many people, to the point no one is ready to commit. After a while that gets old, and when November of last year hit I became very fatigued.

I remember, Friday night, November 19th, a good friend of mine, Meagan, came into town and we sat in my studio apt drinking a bottle of wine and expressing our frustrations with men. We drank, we sulked…it was needless to say an interesting conversation. We didn’t understand why it was so hard to find a guy that could hold our attention and interest for more than three dates. All we wanted was a man who was; tall, handsome, fit, good job, good credit, stable, his own place and car, great sense of humor, educated, dress well, family man, no children yet, driven, have a relationship with God, and willing to spoil us. I mean are we asking too much?!

…no need to say it…I know…this is why we often found ourselves single….

Anyways…to conclude my “single ladies weekend” with Meagan, another friend invited me out to watch the game with her and her boyfriend that Sunday. And that’s when it happened….I met the man who I just described, but even better! He was truly amazing and I fell for him that night!

In Seattle for New Years with "my catch"

 

I am proud to report that I am still dating him, (my so-called unrealistic catch) and more happy than I have ever been! So, thank the Lord I am finally over my “dating fatigue”, and couldn’t be happier! In Kay’s blog she mentions a new guy she met, and I wish her the best as well 🙂

The Sweet-Smelling Bathroom Sold Me!

Response Post #3

I just read a classmate, Cara’s,  blog about the growing popularity of buses from DC to various Northeastern cities. I typically do not like the bus, and it’s weird because I will jump on a metro train any day. But, as far as, easy, quick, and cheap transportation to NYC…I will gladly jump on those buses. There are so many options, as Cara mentioned in her blog. I have actually only taken one…but many times on that one.

Washington Deluxe has won me over. I had such a great experience with my first ride. I think my expectations were so low, considering my dislike for buses, it wasn’t hard to please me. I will say the free wi-fi and a sweet-smelling bathroom made me a loyal customer. For under $50 at anytime, you can travel roundtrip from Washington to New York City. At these gas prices, that can barely get you to the Jersey Turnpike. Also, for frequent travelers, Washington Deluxe offers a great deal. After you collect (8) one-way tickets you can get a FREE one way!

You should definitely check this bus out for a nice weekend getaway. There are several stops in the city for pick up and several in NYC for drop off. As well as a great variety of times throughout the week. I will say their prices aren’t as competitive as some of the other bus companies, but I don’t mind a slightly larger investment for a well-fragranced restroom. I tell ya…the things we will do to stay Fabulous-n-Favored…

Got it Made in the Shade…Sippin a Glass of (spiked) Lemonade…

Today is the first day of the year that the temperature has hit over 80 degrees….hallelujah! Everyone is rejuvenated from the bitter cold and ready to come out from hibernation. Even though it is just April, it still feels like it’s been a long time coming. Unfortunately, even with the beautiful weather, we still have to work. But, what is a day of work without an evening of happy hour?! This is the best happy hour weather! To celebrate the wonderful climate you should check out a great OUTDOOR happy hour spot.

Washingtonian.com had a great article about suggestions for outdoor happy hours. You can find the article here. In the article they mentioned four outdoor happy hour spots that I have never heard of, actually. These are definitely spots I would like to try out; especially “Five”, the rooftop bar sounds very enticing to me.

Of course, I have a few favorites I must mention. I think the best happy hour areas are where there are little clusters of restaurants together. It gives you many options and opportunities to mingle. The following three places are areas with many little restaurants bunched up together and offer lots of outside seating. First, the Woodley Park area right off Connecticut ave. near the zoo is awesome! This area is jam-packed with tasty little restaurants with a variety of cuisines offered. It is metro accessible and a safer area to walk around and hang out. (I am also a little bias because I lived near there for a year, and loved it!) Next, you can never go wrong in Dupont Circle. There are SO many options in Dupont, for everything! This area is very diverse, affluent, and contemporary. There are many outdoor options and late night spots to hang out. Lastly, one of the most scenic areas to eat, Washington Harbour in Georgetown. This is such a great area filled with many restaurants and the added bonus of being right on the water. I want to explore this area a little more, but one great food option is Bangkok Joe’s; the food is superb.

Happy Hour is huge in this city. We all work so hard 9-5, we need a release from 5-9! Let me know your thoughts on the HH spots I have mentioned:

The Truth about the Cherry Blossoms

Response post #2

I was reading through a classmates blog and found a great post about the Cherry Blossom Festival in DC. My classmate, Sabrina, wrote about her visit to the festival with her friends in this post. She has some great pictures in her post and ultimately it made me uber jealous!

I was supposed to go the Cherry Blossom Festival this year with some friends, but I ended up having last-minute travel for work. So, instead I brought a really cute Cherry Blossom shot glass from the airport, and had to hear entertaining stories from my friends that actually went to the festival.

It’s a shame I have lived in this area for so long and still havent gone to one CB festival. I have decided next year I HAVE to go; and next year is the centennial celebration. After missing this year’s celebration, I looked up a little bit of the history of the Cherry Blossom trees in DC.

As Sabrina stated in her blog, the Cherry Blossom trees were a gift from Japan in 1912. The mayor of Tokyo, at the time, sent all 2000 trees to DC as a gift of friendship. But, something you may not have known, the trees were originally sent to America in 1910. When the first shipment came, it was discovered that they were infested with insects and nematodes. To protect the American growers, President William Howard Taft granted his consent to burn the trees. Below is a picture of the burning of the Cherry Trees.

Next year when I attend the Cherry Blossom’s Centennial Festival, I hope to have a similar experience as Sabrina details in her blog post. It sounds like a blast, and of course just as a “Fabulous-n-favored” should, I will plan an event around it. I am thinking maybe a group lunch afterwards or maybe even a simple cupcake date. I will have to give you an update next year, same time same place 🙂

30 day pledge to PETA

Response post #1

After reading my friend Allison’s blog post and talking to her in class, I have decided to try veganism for a month. Allison’s blog post encouraged me to sign a 30 day pledge with PETA. Today I have completed 7 days of my animal-product free diet, and it has been an amazing experience.

I was a vegetarian for ten years, so I feel this alternate diet is not that foreign to me. I never was a big fan of meat. As a child I rarely asked for meat; I always enjoy bread, potatoes, and veggies. In the fourth grade my best friend’s family were vegetarians, so I decided I wanted to be one too. I swore off all meat until my freshman year in college. 

When I went to college, vegetarianism was not easy, at all! I ate pizza and french fries everyday, due to lack of food options. After gaining 15 pounds my first year of college, I decided I needed to expand my diet. Since freshman year, I have added fish, chicken, and turkey to my diet.

This decision to try veganism didn’t happen overnight. It has always interested me, and it is like one step further than something that I was able to accomplish for ten years. Being a vegan would mean I would not only avoid all meats, I also could not eat anything made with dairy products or eggs. I have been exposed to veganism a lot recently, because there are quite a few people who I work with that are vegans. I knew this is something difficult that I wanted to try, because like Allison expressed in her blog, I share the same issue of a LOVE for cheese.

I had quite  a few friends doubt that I could do this. So, it has definitely encouraged me to go through with it. On March 31st I did an extensive, $220 worth, grocery shopping at Whole Foods to accommodate my new lifestyle. April 1st I became a vegan!

I have been keeping a journal of my challenges and rewards of being a vegan. I am also tracking the recipes of the vegan meals I have cooked and hopefully will continue those habits when I convert back. And, I have been recording what restaurants I have been eating at and the vegan options they have. I will have to update you all when my 30 days are complete. Thanks Allison for giving me that extra push to experiment with this healthier diet 🙂