All posts tagged: featured

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A Moveable Feast: 4 Hearty Lessons from Food Book Fair

Published by Khadijat Oseni

If the age-old phrase that “you are what you eat” manifests itself literally, I’d be one giant avocado rolling around the streets of New York City #deadsexy. All jokes aside, many of us don’t take the time out to recognize just how much food and the art of dining shape our collective identities, memories and social politics apart from the obvious physical implications food has on our waistlines. I got a quick reminder of just how significant each bite lends to food for thought when I accompanied the motley crew at Ace Hotel New York as they hosted this year’s Food Book Fair. Here are 4 hearty lessons I learned from foodies & bookworms alike: 1) “Come to the table with an empty stomach and leave with a full heart.” ~ Warren Bobrow aka “The Cocktail Whisper”  On opening night of the Food Book Fair, Warren Bobrow discussed his latest book, The Craft Cocktail Compendium, which encompasses a mixture of contemporary apothecary cocktails and silent nods to Robert Louis Stevenson.  I later struck up a …

An Introvert’s Guide to Travel

Published by Khadijat Oseni

Fun Fact: I’m an extroverted introvert…the worst kind possible because no one begs to think we exist. I’m equally fueled by human interaction as much as I am easily drained by said social interactions. A little part of me dies whenever I have to commit to plans, peel myself off the couch, say bye to my #bae, Netflix to head outside and interact with people…especially lots of random people! Once I get out of my own way and dart into the world, I of course couldn’t imagine a life without exploring but the steps getting there can be quite treacherous depending on my mood. I’ve found that one of the best remedies comes from building in mini breaks between commutes to fully recharge before immersing in social situations. Here are some fun ways that I’ve found helpful with hanging onto “me-time” while navigating through various points of my journey… OVERSIZED HEADPHONES Not only made for blocking out the wails of screaming babies, oversized headphones are also a stylish way of placing a visual do-not-disturb sign …

The Road Home: Marching from Selma to Montgomery

Published by Khadijat Oseni

One plane. Two feet. Three breaths. Four different thoughts flickering back and forth like a light bulb spiraling out of energy. Step after step after step definitions of purpose circle my brain as I move from point A to B, trepidation to resolve. I had been tapped by the State of Alabama and the National Park Service to partake in their 50th Anniversary Walking Classroom where 300 people from across all U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, would congregate and reenact the historic Selma to Montgomery March for voting rights – 54 miles for five days straight. We would learn and document firsthand experiences from some of the original foot soldiers, like Dr. Bernard Lafayette and Dr. Frederick D. Reese who walked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1965, and I was afraid of debasing a legacy that made relatively cold, still gravel appear like shiny rose petals beneath my feet. This was holy ground, and I was sullied in this matrimony of thought as freedom of choice is something that I’ve tasted all my …

The Curious Case of Beauty

Published by Khadijat Oseni

When it comes to the concept of beauty, I was raised from the neck up as a “smart symbol” and as a result, have always had a disjointed connection to my psychically as a point of entry to celebrate. Growing up, I found beauty in all forms of art including paintings, literature and music as well as through genuinely connecting with people and ideas outside of my general perspective. Beauty was always an experience, never quite a destination. I almost always found beauty particularly striking in two extremes – belly-aching laughter and painstaking vulnerability – expressions and emotions that could never be concealed behind any set of eyes. My confidence came from my intellectual awkwardness and although I had a brief moment during school days where I was teased because I was too tall, too skinny, my lips too big, my eyes too far apart, my gap in my teeth too wide, I never dutifully placed a value in those moments because I lived inside my head and subsequently fought back against my bullies with …

24 Hours: Luxembourg City

Published by Khadijat Oseni

“Where are you headed next?” “Luxembourg!” “Oh cool…silly question, where is that again? Switzerland?” “No, but close, there’s a “Little Switzerland” in Luxembourg!” “Wait, I thought Luxembourg was a capital city in another country?” “Yeah, Luxembourg City IS the capital of Luxembourg!” “Oh jeez, get out of here before you drive me nuts!” “Haha, love ya!” Typical conversations that surrounded my recent trip to Luxembourg always seemed to either begin and end in a cloud of confusion as to where Luxembourg is, or garner disbelief as to how I spent an entire weekend there without electing to hop over to popular neighboring cities like Brussels, Paris and Cologne. However, during my summer in London, I decided to zip over and find out what the local sensibility of this city full of drifters is, with 60% of its population being expats and having 170,000 people commute back and forth each day. Outside of having well-paid jobs particularly in the EU and financial sectors, what is the draw to life in Luxembourg City? Upon arrival, I quickly …

Vintage 70s Travel Style-Jetsetterproblems.com

Travel Style: Vintage 70s

Published by Khadijat Oseni

70s fashion has always inspired me to be more audacious with mixing bold prints, patterns, colors and high & low statement pieces in an unruly manner. One weekend this summer, I teamed up with photographer and Jetsetter Problems motley crew member, Cesarin Mateo and kindred fashionista, Kivvi Rachelle Roberts to explore the streets of lower Manhattan through a retro lens. Here’s a photo set from our session, “Wild & Free: The Rebirth” which was influenced by the unabashed attitude of 70s fashion set to the raw, gritty grooves of a Curtis Mayfield soundtrack…   Creative Direction: Khadijat Oseni, Cesarin Mateo & Kivvi Rachelle Roberts Photography: Cesarin Mateo Models & Styling: Khadijat Oseni & Kivvi Rachelle Roberts Apparel Credits: On Khadijat – BCBG (Boots), H&M (Belt), Missoni (Scarf), Urban Outfitters (Romper, Sunglasses, Stockings), Zara (Trench Coat), Vintage (Jewelry) On Kivvi – A.P.C. (Pants, Wedges), Miu Miu (Sunglasses), Zara (Top), Vintage (Jacket, Earrings, Scarf)   Instagram | Twitter    

Star Hopping: A Cross Cosmos Trip with NASA

Published by Khadijat Oseni

As a travel blogger from Bed Stuy, Brooklyn with a forte for pop culture, being invited to attend NASA’s ”State of NASA” at the Goddard Space Flight Center doesn’t immediately strike one as a union made in the cosmos. However, keeping up with the state of affairs at NASA unveils similar core reasons why I choose to travel so much and why I’m enthralled with cultural preservation for everyday consumption—a deep care and fascination for humanity, nature, and the Earth as we currently know it and how we imagine these aspects will further evolve. As a result, these central philosophies make NASA the perfect travel companion to keep on hand and here are some reasons why I’d choose to ride shotgun with NASA on any given day… Weather Forecasts of Epic Proportions Forget about your standard, daily weather forecast apps to determine if you should pack an umbrella or a light jacket. Following the state of climate change via NASA’s five slated earth science missions this year under their Earth Right Now initiative will provide …

Life As Travel

Published by Khadijat Oseni

What is Life? Is it living infinity free of expectations? Or is it roll in, roll out of bed, day in and day out, a repetition split between reluctant deadlines and enthusiastic snooze buttons with the occasional party mixed in to remind you of your existence? If this certainty were guaranteed, would you opt to have a case of the mundane everyday? Or would you gamble against the odds and dare to be different? It’s easy to ask the questions, but more difficult to provide answers, because we all desire a degree of control in some form or another. What would life be if we couldn’t create the memories we desired to collect and retell at a later time to display our glory? The problem is that with all this desire for control, there is little room left for interpretation in our stories, because for the sake of comfort, we’re willing to give up our maps to the guides of family, friends, lovers, school, and career to determine where we end up. How about picking …

24 Hours: Savannah, GA

Published by Khadijat Oseni

The haunting beauty and charm of Savannah, Georgia is not meant to be reduced to a day. From its sweeping oaks adorned with garland-like Spanish moss to its immaculately squared off patches of history and legends scattered about as points of reflection throughout the city, the air of Savannah is one that thickly lingers long after you’ve departed. With only 24 hours to explore due to a spur of the moment road trip from Atlanta, I attempted to ingest Savannah’s allure in one hardy sitting and was pleasantly surprised at how much there is to do in this small town and how deeply I long to return for more. Come take a nostalgic stroll through some of the many highlights during my 24 hours as a first-time drifter in Savannah… Exploring Savannah Streets & Architecture The streets of Savannah are pristine and picturesque with rich architecture and amazing landscaping that it’s hard not to go around make-believe house hunting and fantasizing what décor may lie behind each door. I highly recommend staying at one of …

The Perfect Staycation For A Francophile

Published by Khadijat Oseni

As the famous words often attributed to Audrey Hepburn go, “Paris is always a good idea.” Being the self-professed Francophile that I am, I constantly have a daily dose of wanderlust for Paris, which is one of my absolute favorite cities in the world. However, the luxury of time or budget isn’t always on my side to plot a getaway. It’s in these instances that I become creative and have mini escapes throughout my day that fondly remind me of Paris. Come join me on une journée Parisienne à New York (a Parisian Day in New York). Le Petit Déjeuner Chez Ladurée (Breakfast at Ladurée) Ladurée, one of the most popular bakeries and tea salons in Paris established since 1862, has two locations in Manhattan – a storefront on Madison Avenue in the Upper East Side and a full tea salon in SoHo and their macarons are my kryptonite! For this reason, I skip the typical breakfast fare and head straight to dessert. My favorite flavor is pétale de rose (rose petal), but you can’t …