So I’m 31 years old now and I couldn’t feel any younger! I’m totally looking forward to all the amazing stuff the upcoming year will bring as I plan to continue living out loud and #girlbossin’ my #blackgirlmagic throughout the year!

I had an amazingly quiet, reflective and very observant birthday; soaking in the love and kind words dished my way. I was actually a little sad going into the big day, because for weeks I’d been planning a trip to celebrate getting older.

The plan was to head to Turks and Caicos for slight work and to meet up with some friends there and then hop on over to Cuba; a travel destination I’ve been dying to visit for years now, but could never get to. It’s so close to home but for some reason, the five times I’ve planned a trip there it didn’t pop off. But, everything happens for a reason and with the death of Fidel Castro, his funeral and the country in mourning, maybe it was best to wait until things calm down before a trip. Trust and believe that trip will happen real soon!

Anywhoo! It was still my birthday, I got a year older and a celebration had to happen!

Ring it in, in grand style!

I gathered my small crew and we hit the town the night before for food, drinks and dancing! There’s something special about ringing in a birthday with friends and a good shot! I’m usually the girl in the middle of the dance floor, so you know when it’s my birthday I am dancing my heels off! We had so much fun in Aura downing shots, dancing with strangers and even doing the mannequin challenge! LOL!

Blankets, marshmallows and music

I’m either all the way on or all the way off for my birthday. It’s either a big old party like I did last year, or a small intimate gathering with family and friends. This year it was the latter and it couldn’t have been better! My mommy put together a small menu and pulled out the lawn chairs. We lounged by the lake with music, drinks, blankets! We pitched a fire and roasted some marshmallows! It was so intimate and my kind of celebration!

One failed trip, makes you book another!

Remember that birthday trip that did’t happen this year? Well while I was sulking in the disappointment, I was plotting the next flight! So for my  birthday I got round trip tickets booked to an exotic location, one that’s been on the bucket list for sometime now! The trip is set for early next year and I can not wait! Think beautiful beaches, palaces, rich history, wild animals and good food! I will definitely keep you posted as I countdown to this adventure.

Waking up to Essence!

So the day after my birthday I woke up to an amazing treat: tons of likes, comments and followers on Instagram and I wondered what the heck I had done? Turns out one of my absolutely favorite magazines Essence Magazine reshared a travel throwback I’d posted a few days earlier! Talk about excited! A social media feature from a publication like Essence is so dope for a blogger like me! To have my pic in a gallery just above Kevin and Eniko Hart and not so far away from Solange was magical! YAAAASSS!!

Check out this and this for other pages that also featured me and my work!

Thank you all for the birthday love and greetings!

How do you bounce back from failed plans? Please share your tips with me below…I’ll need them!