The only thing that I would change is adding more vegetables to it to round out the meal.  But otherwise it was so tasty that we didn’t leave any behind for leftovers.

I was looking for another way to make catfish besides blackened catfish or frying the hell out of it.  I was also looking for a recipe on the healthier side and Pinterest, as always delivered.

We treat ourselves with rice (my husband’s favorite) or noodle (my favorite) dishes on Saturday nights.  So when it was my turn to pick, I looked in my trusty Pinterest recipe board for some inspiration and found this gem.

I couldn’t tell you what rabbit hole I fell down to come across this recipe.  But once I stumbled upon it, my eyes were opened to a treasure trove of recipes across the diaspora.  My people really know how to flavor some food.

While prepping to celebrate Diwali with our family, I was looking for some new Indian recipes for dishes I could contribute, and came across this gem.  When I say that this meal made all sections of my palette happy…

Aaron has been making this recipe for what feels like ages at this point. And when I realized that I’d never shared it with the world, I put it on the top of my list. Please note, we got it from Emeril and didn’t write it ourselves. Maybe you all can enjoy it for Mardis Gras. Bon temps roulet!

While going through our cookbooks I came across several booklets that came along with our appliances, and in the booklets were suggested recipes.  In the one for our InstaPot, there was a recipe for coconut fish curry.  I decided to zjuzj it up with several different spices and landed upon this recipe here.

We’ve been trying to consolidate our recipe books and getting rid of ones whose recipes no longer serve us.  While thumbing through one of our cooking lite books, we came across this recipe that we’d flagged, literally years ago as something we wanted to make.  Aaron has a natural aversion to putting anything other than spices on salmon since it has its own natural flavor.  But I loves me a good sauce.  So we figured we’d give it a try.  I only made a few small modifications to it. But it was a bonified hit!

This was the experiment of all experiments for several reasons. Usually, brisket is smoked.  But we live in an apartment so that wasn’t going to happen.  Therefore, we had to figure out how to make it in the oven without being dry AF.  Also, you’re usually cooking 5+ pounds of brisket.  I got the 2-pound brisket on managers special (look, the entertainment industry is on strike and times are hard).   And a smaller cut of meat runs a higher risk of, once again, being dry AF. The Black-eyed peas were an experiment too.  The hubby and I both hate black eye peas.  Or I should say, hated black eyed peas.  When we went to Louisiana for my father’s funeral, family there made black eyed peas like I’ve NEVER eaten before.

Once of our sister friends, Vicky, breezes into town like once a year and throws down for three straight days in the kitchen.  One of our favorite dishes of hers is salmon stew.  We’ve been trying to perfect it for years and still haven’t gotten it right.  But damnit if our version isn’t a decent version. 

The past several Novembers I’ve been working extra hard to not work hard at all.  I had a situation a few years ago where I was running myself ragged and it did NOT turn out well for me.  Since then, I’ve decided to take a month off from all things that were totally unnecessary to focus on rest, relaxation and rejuvenation.

I have been so busy these past few Oscar seasons that I haven’t been able to get to the FIDM Costume exhibit until the bitter end.  But if you’re like me and time got away from you this spring, don’t fret because I got in under the wire and snagged photos from all of the amazing artists who worked on costuming films last year.

When I heard that Bisa Butler’s work would be featured in a quilt exhibit at Skirball, I was super excited because I’ve always wanted to see her work up close.  And when I got there I was able to see the work of so many other talented artists who span time and background, which was a super bonus.

I’ve been wanting to visit the Academy Museum since it opened. Then this summer, when I was a part of Academy Gold Rising, I was given complimentary tickets to Community Day. But my anxiety got the best of me and I didn’t make it. Finally, I made plans to go (by myself) once the Regeneration exhibit opened and boy was that a great idea. I had such an amazing time taking in all of the beautiful history, black excellence and hitting up the museum shop, which is one of my favorite places to spend my money.

I am so grateful to have been able to catch the latest Art of Costume Design exhibit at FIDM Museum. I almost missed the last one and I would have kicked myself if I did that again. I only wish that I could have seen even more costumes from this year’s nominated television shows.

LACMA is one of my favorite museums to visit. Every season there are several exhibits that I just must visit. This season, I eagerly awaited the arrival of the McQueen exhibit.

The Autry Museum of the American West has an exhibit called Dress Codes currently on display. I took a trip to the Museum JUST for this exhibit, which explore dress and identity through classic western wear like plaid shirts and blue jeans.

I’d planned to visit the FIDM museum for their annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibit before the Oscars. But life got in the way and I didn’t make it until the closing day, June 4th.

Being the last day, it was pretty packed. But I was still able to navigate my way through and get some decent pics. Peep them below.

One day, early on this semester, one of my instructors, Eddie Bledsoe, introduced the class to his dear friend Maxwell Barr.  Maxwell Barr is an artist and instructor specializing in couture construction, fashion and costume history, graphic design, and a bevy of other amazing things. The reason why Maxwell was at LACC that day was because he’d been working very closely with one of our extremely talented staff members, Christopher Brown to recreate a print from a garment worn in a Manet painting.  Once the print was finished, Christopher used our sublimation printer and giant iron press to transfer the print to fabric.  Finally, the panels of fabric were given to Maxwell, who constructed the garment .  Through a series of talks at The Getty called, “Artist at Work: Fashion and Impressionism,” Maxwell takes the audience through his process, while also educating on 19th century fashion and costume by having a live model get dressed in classic wear on stage.

My path first crossed with Helix’s several years ago when I was working in media.  I’d been a part of several mentor-mentee programs while trying to navigate the corporate arena.  Many of them were disastrous.  But when I received Helixx as a mentor, I knew things would be different…because she was different.

I met Crystal through mutual friends after moving to Los Angeles a few years ago. Her personality is so incredibly effervescent. She can walk into any room and instantly make it lighter and turn your frown upside down just by her sheer presence. So it was no surprise when she realized that her purpose was in the mental health field. Please meet, the woman I am so incredibly proud and privileged to call friend, Crystal M. Clark.

I first met Pabvon about 15 years ago when we both worked in ad sales. My first thought when seeing her was, Thank God, another black girl. My second thought was, She better be cool. Well I learned soon enough that she is not only cool, she’s literally every woman. She’s one of the few people who can be whatever you need whenever you need it. Wanna know the best place in Dubai to have a bottomless Hennessy brunch…she’s got you. Standing on a cliff in Jamaica, scared to jump off, she’ll grab your hand and hold on to it the whole way down. Unsure what color scheme to go with for your wedding, she’s shows up at your door with a color palette presentation. Going into an emotional tailspin in the middle of the night…call her. She’ll not only pick up but give you some practical self-care tips to calm you TF down.

Oh, she’s also an amazing event planner and experience concierge. With that said meet Pabvon Carter…the definition of every woman.

Like many of the muses, I met Krystle through a mutual friend. What can I say? Fly chicks beget fly chicks.

My path first crossed with Helix’s several years ago when I was working in media.  I’d been a part of several mentor-mentee programs while trying to navigate the corporate arena.  Many of them were disastrous.  But when I received Helixx as a mentor, I knew things would be different…because she was different.

Have you ever met someone and you can instantly feel their light shining through? That's how I felt when I met Myra.  She was vending at an event I attended.  Her specialty? She makes jewelry from pieces of discarded pianos. I thought, how unique, how sustainable, how jealous am I that I didn't think of this first. 

Ashley may be the most positive person I’ve ever met.  I’m inspired by how she attacks life with such ferocity and fearlessness.  But one of the most impressive things about her has to be her dedication to health and fitness. Her fitness journey has never been about losing weight or having the “perfect” body (although she’s got a pretty amazing bum). Ashley’s journey has been about loving Ashley. She’s out here practicing a new brand of self-care and I’m 100% here for it.

If you’ve ever spent any time in New York City, particularly in Times Square, you’ve been approached on the street by some rando, asking, “Do you like comedy?” They’re usually met with a gruff, “No!” or even better, “Fuck off!” New York City: The friendliest place on earth. The purpose of their terrible lead in question is not to get to know you better, it’s to sell you tickets to a comedy show.

In such a short time she’s built a blossoming business making cakes that are not only gorgeous but taste UH-MAY-ZING.

Meet pastry chef and supermom, Jennifer Sheppard.

Blue haired, buzz cut, buxom, beauty...those are the four B’s I would have used to describe Arianna Brown when I first met her.  Actually, that’s not true.  That’s how I would have described her when I first SAW her.  But after I met her and eventually got to know her, I believe the best way to describe how I feel about her is impressed.