Wednesday April 28, 2021

I managed to manifest a whole cloud with just my aura.

Is it just me or does it look like a halo floating above me!? o.O

-Kaillaby

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Monday April 26, 2021

O.M.G Macadamia Milk is my new favorite thing.

Shoutout to the cuzzo for putting me onto this!

It’s the best milk alternative I’ve had thus far.

It’s creamy like oat milk and has a semi sweetness that works great in coffee, a bowl of cereal, or in a glass straight up.

Even Delilah likes it ^_^

Get you some!

-Kaillaby

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Sunday April 25, 2021

This weekend, I tried something new.

After a heated discussion with Bae, it was decided that I need more alone time.

You see, I have this thing where I always want to include people on what I have going on and I get disappointed whenever I can’t find someone who is willing or able to partake in my idea.

Bae says I shouldn’t let that stop my fun, if I have to pursue ideas on my own then so be it.

Turns out, he’s right. (shhh! don’t tell him I said that)

With the little one at her Grandparents house for the weekend, I decided to go on an adventure. It felt very pre-COVID NYC.

I put my headphones on, packed extra layers to accommodate the inevitable drop in temperature and set off to explore NYC on my own time.

I ended up at the Hudson River Waterfront Greenway, as per recommendation of Bae and what an adventure it was!

It was freeing to be able to explore at my own pace hindered by nothing and held back by no one. It truly felt like the World was my oyster.

I found random spots throughout my trek to sit and write in my journal and at one point settled on a rock that was protruding over the Hudson River– making my way across it was a little scary but I thought it was worth the privacy.

I sat down on the rock cross legged and enjoyed the views of NJ to the tune of “Say it Ain’t So” by Weezer. It was glorious.

There’s a lot of fun to be had when you’re kicking it by yourself. I realize now how important it is to be your own best friend and depend on no one to have a good time.

Sure, company is nice but if you haven’t tried doing things by yourself you’re really cheating yourself out of a fun, liberating experience.

Try it some time. You never know where you may end up.

Until our next adventure…

-Kaillaby

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Saturday April 24, 2021

Found a plug for vegan buffalo chicken!

This local spot in Harlem is for the culture! They offer vegan fried chicken, shrimp and even oxtails! I’ve never eaten at a vegetarian restaurant so I was hype when Bae offered to treat.

Fun fact: I have been seeking an alternative to buffalo wings since I made the switch to a vegetarian diet and this was hands down the best I’ve had to date.

They nailed the texture and taste PERFECTLY: the “chicken legs” were crispy, the sauce was spicy and tangy and they even used a bamboo stick in the center to replicate the bone of a chicken leg. I was so impressed by the creativity, they definitely made a recurring customer out of me!

You can check check out the VeganHood restaurant on IG, here. Show them some love!

-Kaillaby

PS. If you place order, be sure to order the DMX dip! You can thank me later 🙂

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Thursday April 22, 2021

My work was featured on Black Modern Thoughts!

When I received the notification, I was floored– the review from jessciasharell moved me to tears!

As a writer, my goal is to be impactful so it means the world to me whenever anyone is affected by my work, more so when my advice is put into action.

If something I’ve written inspired you to tears, joy, laughter or sticky notes then I feel like I have done my duty as an artist.

I’d like to give a shoutout to Black Modern Thoughts for thinking of me and featuring me on their website. You can read their review here.

Be sure to check out my latest post “5 ways to protect your peace” and see what all the fuss is about 🙂

Let me know what you think!

-Kaillaby

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Sunday April 18, 2021

I never want to go another Sunday without weed and yoga in the park.

It was a whole movement. Me and the League of Extraordinary Bitches (that’s what I’ve coined for us) attended this awesome event we found on IG.

It’s called Yoga N Dub. It’s a gathering of beautiful souls who get together in Central Park East to share good vibes with one another.

We sparked up, we socialized and then topped it all off with yoga.

The workout was vigorous, the soundtrack was on point and the energy was ever flowing.

It was poppin!

There were crystals and beautiful shades of melanin all around me soaking up the suns rays and letting the good times flow. There was nothing but smiles, weed and laughter in the air.

At one point, as we were laying in Shavasana listening to “Good Days” by Sza, the sun was beaming on my face and I could hear birds chirping. It made me so happy 🙂

I definitely plan to go back. You can check out the IG for the event @yogandub
and subscribe to the mailing list, here.

They’re planning to do events throughout the Spring and Summer.

I hope to see you there!

-Kaillaby

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Friday April 16, 2021

Today Bae and I went on a hiking day-date! Man, what a bonding experience.

Todays adventure landed us in Cold Springs, NY. It’s about an hour out of the City.

Fun fact: it’s considered a village, not a town. (which was very evident–from the local shops to the friendly locals)

We loved the small town (or village) feel of Cold Springs ^_^.

After a 20 minutes trek, we found the trails in Hudson Highlands State Park.

There were multiple trails to choose from, Breakneck being the most popular, but to maximize as much solitude as possible we opted for the Bull Hill Loop which is notoriously quieter.

It didn’t take long for Bull Hill to reveal itself to us. We could tell by the immediate incline at the entrance that we were in for a full body workout, and we were sooo exciteeed.

There were so. many. photo opportunities.

Including,

This tree which was marked by a brethren of the Scorpio nation.

This boulder that was just begging to be rested on.

This SUPER creepy abandoned stone house o.O

And, my personal favorite, this random act of kindness.

As we were making our way toward the peak of our trail following the path as it winded upward, we noticed a stone with the words “View” written in white chalk.

It had an arrow pointing upward to the right, off trail.

Never ones to pass up an adventure, we let our curiosities get the best of us.

We followed the arrow and O.M.G. Take a look at this:

I was so blown away, tears literally fell from my eyes but like, only one eye? The left one? Like they do in movies? It was dramatic AF. Very Demi Moore in Ghost…

We took our time up here and just took it all in one moment at a time.

The vibe was so dope.

I’m happy that Bae and I had this experience together.

I could tell we were on the same frequency and it really brought us closer together. At one point I meditated, he chilled, I wrote in my journal and we shared our dreams of one day leaving the City behind and making our way to a village like Cold Springs.

It was magic I’m hoping to recreate more often.

I would describe the entire excursion as a blissful bonding expedition.

We definitely felt something up there, a connection–not just to one another but to nature, too.

We found where our similar interests lie and I even uncovered some new truths about Bae which supports my claim that humans are ever-growing.

I hope I never stop learning him.

My Marriage has shown me that good love isn’t easy. It’s constant effort and maintenance. It’s being selfless and vulnerable and putting your ego and pride aside for your spouses sake.

It’s realizing what matters and what’s not worth the fight.

Good love is letting go of the bad times and eradicating them with good ones.

I told Bae I want us to take more pictures, not just for H.O.E or social media, but to make sure we’re capturing these moments. I never want to forget they existed.

While we were waiting for our train home, we asked each other a series of questions to pass the time (thanks again, Pinterest).

He asked me to give him one word that describes our relationship. I replied, “goals”.

Yeah, that’s it.

Until our next adventure…

-Kaillaby

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Tuesday April 13, 2021

Finally made donutsssssss. She’s from Pintrest (I LOVE PINTEREST!)

I’ve been craving them since I made the apple cider ones for Thanksgiving ::cries::

These are a cake donut with chocolate glaze ::drools::

Yes, they’re as good as you think they are lol

Here’s the recipe, give it a whirl.

Let me know how they turn out!

Oh, and while you’re at it, follow me why don’t ya?

I’d love to see the recipes and pins you’re saving 🙂

-Kaillaby

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Sunday April 11, 2021

The decision to cut my hair was not an outcry for help or an early sign of a mental breakdown, the stereotypical diagnosis when a woman chops her hair off.

No, this was an act of liberation.

Lately, I’ve been on this path of freeing myself from my mental prisons and I have certainly been held captive by my past and self-esteem.

Past me was under a lot of false pretenses and put a lot of energy into the wrong things, like having long hair.

It’s not entirely her fault. Back in her day, having long straight hair was the ultimate beauty staple.

Although the concept of beauty is a lot more flexible these days, old habits die hard.

Finally, the upkeep and maintenance became too much for her and she realized, she’d rather be putting her energy into more important things.

So she became me this Sunday, April 11, 2021, and I have been the happiest I’ve ever been.

I feel like I’m starting anew, shedding old skin, taking control of my destiny.

Let this smile be a huge middle finger to the critics and creators of beauty because frankly, I’m tired of hair and I need a break from trying to be pretty.

Most days, I don’t want to be seen. Honestly, I’d rather be heard.

I’d rather be recognized for my words before I’m associated with my looks.

Although I must admit, I’m rocking this shit (lol).

I’m happy for the overwhelming support and feedback I’ve been receiving.

People say it fits me! What do you think?

I can’t wait for Summer so I can feel the ocean waves against my scalp. I look forward to days of waking up and going without stress or worry.

Oh and you know I’m going to dye it! I’m leaning towards pink 🙂

-Kaillaby

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Tuesday April 6, 2021

Today we went on a picnic

Delilah recently confessed to me that, since the pandemic hit, she wishes she went outside more.

With the recent streak of nice weather, I wanted to treat her to a nice outdoor experience so we packed up our picnic basket (yes, a LITERAL picnic basket. One of the most thoughtful gifts EVER) and set off to a nearby park.

It was pretty empty, much to our delight and we found a dope spot right by the water.

I must admit, with my family it’s seldom a dull moment. We can have fun doing just about anything!

While Delilah ran around with her Dad, I kicked back, relaxed and vibed out to my “Beach” playlist.

After we filled our bellies with my homemade fried chicken sandwiches (plant based for me, ofc) Bae and I sipped on Sangria and we spent the rest of our time playing charades. It was another great outing for the Villalona clan.

Delilah said it was the best day ever ^_^

Here’s to good food, good laughs and spending quality time with ones you love.

Cheers!

-Kaillaby

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Monday April 5, 2021

In case you needed a reminder…<3

Click here to download this wallpaper

-Kaillaby