If I could comprehensively put my thoughts into words, I’d have a collection of books. So I’ll just share a few digestible sentences of my thoughts here… 1. I’m grateful for friends (allies & POC) who’ve reached out to me. We’ve had tough conversations and loving conversations, all ultimately fueling growth. 2. Despite all of this: Through the endless tears, hurt, anger, sadness, pain, & exhaustion, I’m still, and will forever be UNAPOLOGETICALLY PROUD TO BE A BLACK WOMAN. 3. Unity starts with ‘U/You’ Use your voice, use your platform, use your influence. I don’t care if you have two friends or a million friends. YOU can be the change. Educate those around you. If you’re the one who needs to be educated, DM me. I’ve got some great resources for you. 4. If you don’t know what to say, pray and ask God to give you the words. If you’re afraid you’ll say the wrong thing, you’ll find out pretty quickly if you’ve said the wrong thing. 5. It’s okay to cry. It’s okay to feel uncomfortable. It really is okay. 6. I’ll continue to have these tough conversations and answer any questions that come my way. 7. I love my people. I support my people. #BlackLivesMatter#justiceforgeorgefloyd
We are BLACK WOMEN!🖤 ⠀ ⠀ We BUILD.⠀ ⠀ We don’t tear down other BLACK WOMEN… ⠀ ⠀ We have felt the pain of being torn down and We have decided We will be deliberate about building others!⠀ ⠀ 👑 ⠀ ⠀ All too often, we LADIES find it easier to criticize each other, instead of building each other up. With all the negativity going around let’s do something positive! ⠀ ⠀ 🙌🏾⠀
In 2018 I decided to pursue a vegan diet for one year. It was very challenging, but I accomplished my goal nonetheless. I wanted to challenge myself to a healthier lifestyle for at least one year. Well why not make it indefinite, you ask? To be quite honest, it’s because I really love seafood. At the time, I was not willing to give up my favorite food group.
Fast forward to May 2020. Here I am, during the COVID-19 pandemic, with lots more free time and time for reflection and self evaluation. The other day, I was having a conversation with my twin brother and his friend, who is vegan. During our conversation we talked about vegan dishes, and vegan dining options. It was in that moment that I realized I was actually proud that I followed a vegan diet for a year. To be fully transparent, I really wanted that sense of pride back. There was this sense of wanting to prove to myself that I didn’t have to make excuses for everything; that I could totally take on a lifestyle change, challenge or not. My decision was more than just trying cool new recipes and taking super aesthetic photos. It was living longer. My focus was now good health, caring more for my temple (body), and ultimately, my livelihood.
So what now? It starts now. No turning back. I have a new mindset and I’m ready to live a healthier lifestyle. No excuses.
I received a lot of compliments and inquires on my recent fish tacos.
Here’s my personal recipe:
Danae’s Taco Tuesday Fish Tacos
Ingredients: Any white fish Louisiana Fish Fry cornmeal batter Corn tortillas Olive oil Shredded Mexican Blend cheese Scallions Red onion Cilantro Tomatoes Lettuce Hot sauce (if desired)
Instructions: Rinse off thawed fish filets Dip fish in fish fry cornmeal batter to cover both sides. Fill medium sized pan with 1/2 inch of olive oil on medium/high heat. Fry fish until golden brown on both sides. Once cooked, set aside & cut each filet in half vertically (like a strip).
Add a teaspoon of olive oil in medium pan, and quickly cook each corn tortilla on medium heat, flipping often to avoid burning.
Cut up remaining toppings and top off tacos to your desire. Add a little hot sauce for a kick, if you’d like.
Enjoy!
Feel free to let me know how your recipe turned out. Take a pic, post on social media, and tag me @danaetravels
Working from home definitely has its perks. I’m less stressed, more relaxed, more productive, more disciplined and I’m happier. I also get to spend more quality time with my husband and I can focus on my passions and goals.
People always say it’s hard to maintain a work-life balance (which is true at times), but this work from home life has provided that balance for me in this season of life.
On the flip side, it’s easy for people to get distracted, fall into procrastination patterns and lose focus on their priorities. I’ve highlighted my Top 3 Ways that I stay productive while working from home:
Get Dressed.
If I look good, I feel good. This doesn’t mean you have to put a full face of makeup on or curl your hair. It simply means, take a shower, put some decent clothes on, brush/comb your hair, and do what makes you feel good. When I do these things each morning, I’m ready for the day, and I hit the ground running.
Stay Active.
This looks different for everyone. I like to take a midday walk outside, either to the beach, or around the neighborhood. It’s nice to get a little fresh air and break up your day from sitting on the couch, bed, or at your desk. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I FaceTime my mom and aunt, and we do 20 minute YouTube workouts. Mondays are for dance cardio; Wednesdays are for yoga; and Fridays are for strength training. For me, accountability is everything, so it’s nice to have a partner or group to virtually keep you in check.
Set Workspace Boundaries.
It’s easy to get comfortable and work from your bed or on the couch. If that’s your only available space to work, I completely understand, and that’s fine. If you have space to work elsewhere in your home, it’s important to set those spacial boundaries. Otherwise, you may begin to feel like your stuck in the same place the entire day. You may begin to resent sitting on the couch because you have this conditioned obligation to work while you’re on the couch. I like to create a separate office space our outdoor lounge space where I work. This way, when it’s time for bed, I can enjoy my bed. When it’s time to watch Netflix I can physically walk away from my work and enter into another space. It’s a bit of a mental and physical relief, altogether. For me, this just adds a little more separation, since I’m already confined to my home at this time.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this article, and wish you the best in creating the perfect work from home schedule that works for you!
We all have those ‘must have’ items that we can’t travel without. For me, these items just make my life a whole lot easier. If I’m completely honest— when I travel, my main concern is always my health, comfort & appearance.
So here are my 5 favorite travel essentials that you’ll find with me on every trip, no matter the distance.
Rawganic Facial wipes
My fav facial wipes are Rawganic. They make biodegradable organic cotton wipes soaked in nutrient filled water to cleanse, refresh and tone skin. I always feel so refreshed after using these wipes. Sometimes I’ll use them while on the plane, as I approach landing. I also use these to remove makeup each evening, traveling or not.
2. Nuun hydration tablets
When you travel, it’s important to stay hydrated. Sometimes water alone is not enough for me. During my long excursions where I’m walking outdoors for an entire day these Nuun Hydration tablets are so handy. I just pop one in my water bottle and sip through the day. Sometimes having access to 10 glasses of clean water every day isn’t as easy as it is when home. I’m pretty bad about remembering to drink enough water when I’m out and about, so these tablets are my favorite. I love that Nuun offers various types of tablets, with my favorite being the vitamin option.
3. Brow kit
My brow kit includes, tweezers, brow powder, and a brow brush. I don’t have a specific brand that I prefer over another, but I do know that my brows always need to be on point. I will admit that I do love Anastasia brow products.
4. Pur Gum
I’m a big fan of gum and mints in general. When I travel I make sure I have plenty gum and mints to last the entire trip. I sometimes get car sick and when I’m feeling nauseous I pop a mint or gum to ease the discomfort. Pur gum is my favorite because it contains no aspartame or other artificial sweeteners. Here are some additional factors that make me love Pur gum and mints:
Certified vegan and non-GMO*
Gluten-free, soy-free, sugar-free*
Safe for pregnant and nursing women
Keto-friendly*
Made with natural flavors and essential oils
Made in Switzerland in a peanut and nut free facility.
5. Nefeeko Collapsible Water Bottle
I mentioned the hydration tablets above because they’re actually perfect for the Nefeeko Collapsible Water Bottle. This water bottle is one of my favs because it’s a reusable BPA Free silicone foldable bottle, perfect for any trip. I even take it to work and to the gym, when I’m not traveling. It’s not only portable, but it’s leak proof. Hope you enjoy this bottle as much as I do!
If I could chose 6 items, I’d definitely add my iphone charger.
I know some of you thought I was crazy for not listing it.
If you only have a short period of time in San Francisco, you’ll appreciate this recommendation. My husband and I visited for 2 days and we had plenty of time to visit and enjoy these activities, rain or shine. Check out this YouTube video highlighting my top 5 things to do in San Francisco. Enjoy!
Have you ever been to Bora Bora? It truly is paradise.
People always ask me, “Where is Bora-Bora?” It’s actually located in French Polynesia, which is in the Pacific Ocean. We decided to take a trip to Bora-Bora for our honeymoon. It took some planning but it wasn’t as difficult as I had imagined to plan the perfect honeymoon. I would recommend visiting Bora-Bora for an anniversary celebration or a special occasion between two romantic partners. When it came to planning our honeymoon I went with the vacation packages offered by Costco. Once I narrowed down the location in which we wanted to visit they were able to provide many options based on my travel time and hotel accommodations requested.
Our trip was seven days and it included hotel stay, airfare, as well as boat transportation to and from the airport and to the resort. All of our excursions and food were paid for separately once we arrived. We stayed at Le Méridien Bora-Bora, a Marriott property. It was the perfect luxurious resort for the romantic honeymoon we had in mind. I would totally recommend this resort to anyone who is looking for a five-star resort in Bora-Bora. The hotel staff was very accommodating and went above and beyond to make sure that we were always happy and taken care of. The room staff was also always very kind and helpful. The food was delicious, and there was plenty to do on the resort. Our premium overwater bungalow was pristine and we enjoyed every moment of relaxing in and out of the beautiful Lagoon.
One of our favorite water activities was the private jet ski tour for two individuals. During this tour we went around the entire island and we were able to see the beautiful blue waters that surrounded the mountain. We were also able to see incredible sea life and beautiful coral and all shapes colors and sizes. I would recommend doing this tour if you’re traveling as a couple and also doing a romantic sunset boat ride cruise. Overall we had an incredible experience and would recommend this trip to everyone.
Can you believe 11,000 gallons of water are recirculated in this fountain every minute? That’s insane and quite remarkable. I first drove by this beautiful water wall on my way to Lakewood Church and it immediately caught my eye. I quickly added it to my list of places to see before I left Houston. This is was definitely the picturesque photo op I had in mind. If you stay at the Westin Galleria hotel, the park is only a six minute walk. You can’t help but admire such a tall beautiful waterfall in the middle of a peaceful park, surrounded by residences and a business center. This fountain is a must-see. Be prepared to get a little wet from the mist. It’s worth it for a great photo.
