FAMILY – 242Blqrze

Father’s Day: Pico’s Perfect Gift

June 14, 2017June 14, 2017 by http://242blqrze.com, posted in Fashion, Lifestyle

Hello Beautiful,

Father’s Day is one of those silent special days that you forget all about, then it sneaks up on you and your left feeling guilty that you got your father, husband or baby daddy nothing. Not one thing!

Did you even know Father’s Day is this Sunday?! Yes ma’am it is!

I know, I know… You do not have a gift! No worries… I got you!

My pick for this year’s Father’s Day gift is a PicoLapelle Pin. This year seems to be the year of the gentleman and every man should have this piece to look and feel dapper. The Pico Brand is a Bahamian-Owned luxury men’s accessory company specializing in lapel pins and pocket pieces.

PicoLapelle was launched in 2014 by GQ magazine collector and men’s fashion lover, Keron Wood. His hobby and love for fashion inspired him to tap into the men’s fashion industry, thus launching a brand that focused on a men’s fashion staple, the lapel flower. At the time, wearing a lapel pin was not the trend in the Bahamas. Thus making Keron and PicoLapelle pioneers to boost the trend and sell the pin.

The first PicoLapelle style made was the PicoLapelle Bloom. It embodies a full bloom flower made from fabric and is hand sewn. Three years later, and the PicoLapelle are offered in 7 styles.

That gives you a good selection to chose from for the different fathers in your life. I had a chance to view the PicoLapelle portfolio and there is something for the old and young fathers. However, if I had to make a suggestion on which PicoLapelle to get for the younger fathers… I would say one of the Pico Wood pins.

The Pico Wood pins are unisex (which means you get to borrow them, girlfriend). They’re the hottest trend in lapel pins for Summer 2017 and a personal favorite of designer & CEO of The Pico Brand, Keron Wood.

Keron says it’s his favorite, ‘not because of its a combination of his middle name and last name (Keron Pico Wood) but because it’s a unique style that combines art, culture, and class.

Maybe your father or the father in your life is a little more settled. For him, I would suggest the “Moncur” pin. It’s subtle but gives the outfit a little extra sharpness.

Besides the lapel pins, The Pico Brand offers pocket squares as well. These vibrant, classic men’s wear essentials complete any blazer, whether worn formally or casually. Keron also hinted about new products in the upcoming future. However, we’ll have to stay tuned to The Pico Brand’s social media outlets to find out what they are, but whatever they are I know they will be amazing! Be sure to follow The Pico Brand on Instagram and Facebook.

The PicoLapelle pins range from $20.00 to $50.00 according to the style, and the Picopockets are 25.00. Not bad for quality, long-lasting, products that any “Dapper Dad” would appreciate. Also, this Father’s Day, The Pico Brand is offering special bundle deals with up to $10.00 worth of savings!

I haven’t started my Father’s Day shopping yet, but that’s because I already know I’m getting my dad a Pico Bundle for father’s day. Any man can wear a lapel pin, but a PicoLapelle pin is a Bahamian luxury, gentleman quality, and design original.

Sunday is soon here! Get your dad the perfect Pico gift!

Xo,

Conesha

Pretty in PINK Octopus

May 4, 2017May 4, 2017 by http://242blqrze.com, posted in Blq Bite's, FOOD, Lifestyle

Hello Beautiful!

I’ve finally made it!

About a month or two ago, I saw an ad or promotion for one of Nassau’s newest restaurants on Instagram, and with an uncommon name like Pink Octopus, I was immediately intrigued.

I’ve been wanting to go for weeks, and I finally made it last week Tuesday.

Pink Octopus is located on West Bay Street, Nassau, Bahamas. So it’s tucked away in this quaint but modern space (formerly Mojos), away from the traffic of Nassau. The space has ample parking, but that may soon change as the restaurant becomes more popular.

My cousin and friend accompanied me for lunch that day, and I would advise you to take 2/3 people with you when you go as well. The food servings are small. So the best idea would be for everyone to order multiple options off of the menu and sample each others meals. Thats what we did!

My cousin ordered the Fried Grouper Tacos with a side order of Asparagus.

My friend ordered the Roasted Chicken that is served on a bed of roasted Potato wedges.

I ordered the the Spicy Shrimp with a side order of Fried Cauliflower.

The presentation of the food is just as intriguing as the name. The food is served with lots of greens and vegetables, which is just as appealing to the eyes as it is the tongue palates.

If you’re not big on vegetables, don’t fear! You hardly taste the icky stuff, just delicious kicks to the meal.

Out of everything we ordered the Spicy Shrimp & Asparagus was our favourites. So I suggest you try those when you visit.

Now, apart from a unique brunch, lunch and dinner menu… Pink Octopus has an AMAZING cocktail menu! I’m not even a cocktail connoisseur, but I know a good drink when I taste one, or two or three (covers face).

To get our party of 3 started the bartender mixed us a shot called the “Pink Lemon Drop”. It was served in a shot glass, with sugar around the rim and a lime on top. Yes, of course, it was coloured pink!

It wasn’t as strong as most shots, and I was able to handle it. I like that shot, and will be ordering another round when I go back!

Personally, I ordered the Blood Orange Margarita. I heard the Mr. Pink is their popular drink, so I opted to go with the minority, and I wasn’t disappointed. Mixed with a muddled Blood Orange, Dry Curacao, Tequila and garnished with a slice of an actual Blood Orange, the margarita wasn’t too strong but it gave you a nice buzz.

I notice the restaurant didn’t have loud, overbearing music and it was quiet enough for us to have a good conversation with out everyone hearing our business. Thats a plus for me because I enjoy intimate conversations when I’m out to eat.

We had a small complaint, but nothing to keep me away from referring Pink Octopus or going back. Also, I’m not sure if the manager thought it was My birthday (I was Pretty in Pink like it was My Birthday) or if it was his way of apologizing but he sent out a complimentary Dulce de Leche Flan covered in toasted Sesame Seeds with a Happy Birthday candle (I haven’t seen one of them in years lol) and had the bartender, Alan, sing Happy Birthday to me.

Listen… Alan’s voice was enough to make up for any wrong! It wasn’t my birthday but I felt like it was. If you’re planning on celebrating anything special at Pink Octopus, make sure Alan is there to serenade you in the moment.

Back to the Flan! I’m glad the manager chose the Flan to send out to us, because it isn’t something I would usually order, but it was surprisingly good and the seeds give it a distinct taste at the end.

The surprises didn’t stop there! We got another round of shots. This time, Chocalate Cake shots and I’m not sure what all was in the mix but I tasted Bailey’s for sure.

Lastly, I orded a slice of Orange Cake. It was beautifully served on top of smeared yogurt and almonds, and covered with chunks of orange pulp. The cake was moist and delicious.

Pink Octopus menu is made to order, so you will have a little wait on your meals. When we went, our meals came fast because the restaurant wasn’t crowded, but keep this in mind if you go on a busy day or night.

The price range varies depending on what you order, but it’s pretty affordable especially if you’re splitting the bill.

Our bill came up to $124.96 cents including tax. We asked them to split the total in three and each paid about $42. This is another great tip when dining out with friends, share the food and split the bill evenly.

Overall I enjoyed my first time at Pink Octopus. From the decor to the decadence of the food & cocktails. The staff was inviting and very knowledgeable about the menu. Don’t be afraid to ask your waitress what she suggest, if you’re not sure what to try. Lastly the price point was on point. I didn’t feel like I broke the bank to enjoy an exquisitely different menu from the typical Bahamian culture, and be serenaded as well.

I will visit Pink Octopus again… hopefully sooner than later! And I hope I see you there so we can sip on a Mr. Pink while taking an Usie!

See more pics from my lunch at Pink Octopus below.

Xo,

Conesha

Munchies for Menchies!

March 3, 2017 by http://242blqrze.com, posted in Blq Bite's, FOOD, Lifestyle, More, Uncategorized

Hello Beautiful,

Nassau has a new Froyo spot (possibly the only one on the island) and its the new craze!

I can guarantee you, if you’re a Bahamian instagrammer, you’ve definitely seen one of your Bahamian instafriends posting a pic of a purple bowl of frozen yogurt, hash tagged #MenchiesBahamas.

Menchies is an American frozen yogurt chain, that recently made its way to the Bahamas’ shores. It is actually named after the pet name the founder called his wife! How sweet is that?

Menchies Bahamas celebrated their grand opening on February 25th, but I went in a day earlier to check out the new spot, and I was delighted I did.

From I walked in I met Alicia. She’s the littlest person behind the counter with the biggest “Hello! Welcome to MENCHIES!” served with a smile. She encourages you to sample the flavours on the wall free of charge before creating your own Menchies bowl.

You know no one can deny a little “Free.99” in my Kanye West – The New Workout Intro Voice.

So I grabbed me 3 sample cups, and headed over to try the Froyo & Sorbet flavours.

Froyo is short for Frozen Yogurt, and as the name suggest it is a frozen dessert made with yogurt and other diary products. It’s considered to be a healthier alternative for ice-cream, as it is lower in fat due to being made with milk instead of cream.

I looked at the options on the wall and chose 3 out of 10 to sample. I sampled the Take the Cake Batter yogurt, the Pink Lemonade sorbet and the Original Tart yogurt.

The Take the Cake Batter yogurt was my favourite. I suggest you try it if it’s available when you visit Menchies!

Although Menchies Bahamas has over 100 flavours to chose from, they display 10 at a time, so that everyone can get a chance at their favourite.

After sampling my 3 flavours, I grabbed a bowl and started mixing my personal Menchies creation. I mixed the Take the Cake Batter yogurt with the Pink Lemonade sorbet and headed over to the toppings sections.

Menchies offers a range of toppings from nuts, candies, fruits, cool whip and more!

Oh and get this! The scoopers in the toppings are either solid beige, or clear. The solid beige scoopers warn against most allergy triggers such as nuts. So if you’re allergic to nuts, stay away from the beige scoopers… only pick up the clear ones!

I topped my yogurt and sorbet mixed with the Strawberry bursting bobas (yumm!), blueberries, raspberries, and pineapples.

Menchies has a Mix – Weigh – Pay set up! So the amount you pay is all up to you! A bowl can average about $10. However your price can be more or less, depending on how heavy or light you make your mix.

Menchies has a little something for every one – young and old, lactose intolerant, or diabetic! Just read the fun signs on the wall for information that may be helpful to you!

I love Menchies already! The ambience, the selections, and staff makes me want to visit every week.

You can make Your visit toMenchies a family outing or a date for two!

See more of My visit to Menchies Bahamas below:

Fun at the Festival!

October 24, 2016October 24, 2016 by http://242blqrze.com, posted in Lifestyle, More, Uncategorized

Hello Beautiful!

Saturday October 22^ND, was the first time I got out and enjoyed myself since Hurricane Matthew and it really was a great feeling! I curled my hair, applied some make up, and threw together a cute boho chic outfit to attend the 21^st International Wine Cultural & Food Festival held at the Botanical Gardens in Nassau, Bahamas.

Boho Chic – Turban Head Wrap, Oversize Off the Shoulder Blouse, Vintage Gap Jeans Shorts, Cognac Sandals, Michael Kors Vanilla Print Backpack, and Stacked Bangles

The “Food Festival” as it is called for short is one of the most anticipated events in the Bahamas every year! With countries from all over the world participating and selling some of their native dishes, and crafts, the event draws a huge crowd of all ages for a celebration of uniqueness & culture.

I’ve been attending this event from I was a child. My mom would take me and my younger brother every year, until we were old enough and started going with our friends, and hopefully one day I’ll be going with my own little family.

I love the “Food Festival”! Here’s a recap of my day…

First I stopped by a Bank of the Bahamas exchange booth, to change my Bahamian money into Festival dollars. You’re not allowed to change the Festival Dollars back into Bahamian money, so I decided to start with a small amount of $30. By the end of that day I spent like $60 in total.

Next, I took a stroll around the garden, just to see what all the countries had to offer before I started shopping and spending money. I stopped by Peru, Haiti, Jamaica, and The Bahamas amongst others.

After walking around I found my first stop! The Eye Candy Makeup store booth was offering face painting, temporary tattoos and Henna ink. I’m a big tattoo lover and I’m intrigued by the Indian culture so I was excited to get a Henna Ink tattoo on my left hand. It was $10.00, and I paid it in Festival Dollars.

Next, I started searching for food. A friend recommended Tacos from Mexico, but I didn’t see their booth this year. Eventually I settled for something quick and easy, a stuff crab from a Bahamian booth. I didn’t want to walk around with food, and the stuff crab is small, easy to hold and you can eat it quickly.

I’m not a big alcoholic drinker, but Kalik had a special drink at the festival called the “Pink Front”. Don’t ask me why it’s called that, but it was a very light but tasty drink. It’s a mix of Peach Schnapps, Cranberry Juice and the kicker, a Kalik Radler. Kalik is a Bahamian beer brand. I loved that drink, and plan on mixing my own when the mood hits.

At the festival there are also live performances, so I took some time out to watch a dance performance and fashion showcase before more walking around again. I saw people sitting on blankets and cots watching the show. I’m going to keep that in mind for next year so I can sit and watch the performances comfortably.

The International Wine Culture & Food Festival is a beautiful event that brings so much people together. The Bahamas is truly a melting pot, so it must be such a pleasure for non-Bahamians who live here to enjoy their culture during the 2-day event. You will smell different aromas of different foods and the sweet sounds of each countries national music. You will see old friends and meet new ones. It’s a blast to attend.

Do’s for the Food Festival:

Wear Flat Shoes! Some parts of the ground are uneven and you may fall.
Dress Cool and Comfortable because the sun is very hot!
Budget how much you want to spend that day, because you can go overboard.
Ask for samples of the food and drinks.
Carry an Umbrella and a blanket or lounger chair. Seats are limited, create your own!
Research some main dishes from other countries and make a list to try them.
Go with Family, Friends or PETS!
Carry a tote to collect all the goddies and trinkets you may purchase.
Go early, and leave late! Make a day of it.
Carry a camera, the day makes for great pictures!