I recently turned 26, and I have to say that this was the best birthday I have had in a while! I had so much fun and was surrounded by so much love. My birthday was truly nothing short of amazingly special. <3

My birthday was so eventful! However, leading up to my birthday I was honestly in a funk, and if you know me then you know that isn't normal. I'm always hype for my birthday, I have a whole birthday countdown and make plans months in advance. This time, that just wasn't the case, I was operating on about a 10% excitement level. However, as it got closer to my birthday I ignored the funk and pushed through. We get one special day a year that is dedicated to us, so you always have to acknowledge it and celebrate! I made so many last minute plans that surprisingly turned out amazing. I am so thankful that I have people in my life who were so willing and able to celebrate my birthday with me the way that I wanted to. 

I had an amazing birthday! I recently turned TwentyFINE... I mean 25. It’s so hard for me to believe I am in my mid twenties because I definitely feel like I just graduated high school. Growing up is such a crazy thing and time truly does fly. Our parents tell us all these things about how we shouldn’t rush growing up and man! They are so right! Can I please go back to the time when I was bill-free and care-free!

My birthday consisted of a surprise party that my friends threw me. It was so much fun and I was able to reconnect with so many old friends. I also had a BBQ that my Mom threw me! There was SO much good food! I'm a picky eater and my mom made sure all of my favorite foods were there! The BBQ ended with a firework show and we were all snuggled up by the fire pit. The weeks leading up to my birthday and after, were full of so many birthday dinners & desserts. Throughout all of my birthday activities I was surrounded by friends and family, who truly made me feel special and made my birthday so memorable. I am truly appreciative of everything.

So about this look! I always wanted these giant birthday number balloons! I always see everyone on social media with cute celebratory birthday pics, and the huge balloons as a major accent piece, and I wanted to be down! Little did I know they were so dang pricey for some balloons that are just going to deflate, and soon be trash. HOWEVER, I still had to have them! I mean after all 25 is a big birthday, I'm a quarter! So I was so thankful when I was surprised with them on my birthday. And in such a unique psychedelic color I had never seen before!

My outfit had to compliment the balloons, it couldn't be too flashy, and needed to be a solid color, so it didn't clash with the balloons. With everything that was going on with COVID-19 I honestly wasn't looking forward to my birthday initially. I just wasn't excited for it. So, I never went and got a special birthday outfit. For those of you who don't know, I am a slight shopaholic so I always have a never-ending supply of new clothes. Luckily for me, I was able to go through my stock pile of brand new items, and I found this dress. Which I think, went perfectly, and looked great. The mustard color is vibrant, complimented my skin tone, and made me feel like I was glowing! It even has the cutest bow details on the sleeves! I paired it with some gold and brown accessories and I had the perfect TwentyFINE look!

I'm so excited for this next chapter of my life. I really feel like great things are going to happen in this upcoming year. To all of my family and friends thank you again, for making 25 so special. Every phone call, card, gift, and even simple acknowledgment of my birthday was beyond appreciated. To everyone reading this, thank you so much for supporting. I truly appreciate everyone's presence throughout my 25 year journey. I have so much in store for all the years to come.

-FASHMIRA

Oh!! One more thing I will say is, controlling those balloons is FAR from easy! Please enjoy these embarrassing pictures of me struggling to wrangle in these giant balloons! I am so glad I was able to wind up with the gems above!

Overall my trip to Atlanta was amazing! It was my first real trip without family, besides school organized field trips of course. It was just my friend and I, trying to navigate through this traveling experience in Atlanta. We got to do exactly what we wanted to do, and I can't stop thinking about just how much there was to do! It truly is something that I will never forget and a moment I will always cherish.

One of my favorite places was Centennial Park. It is an amazing park located in downtown Atlanta. It has cute water systems throughout the park that create water falls, fountains, or blasts of water which make it so serene and relaxing. The park is pretty big with tons of  places to just sit and relax. After a long day of checking out sites this is the perfect place to go because it's located right next to everything. The aquarium, Coca-Cola Factory, CNN and their stadium are all right there! So, we often found ourselves in this great park unwinding from our activity of the day.

Speaking of activities..... There is so much to do in Atlanta! I think I've said this multiple times, during this Atlanta blog segment. No matter what you are interested in, it's definitely there.If you look on EventBrite there are never ending pages of Atlanta events. I swear there is a party everyday and the clubs are open all the time. The number of day parties was crazy, who knew drinking before 5 would be so heavily encouraged. Not only are there great events, but you may even see a few celebrities (I got to meet two!!!) Atlanta is a major city that alot of celebrities have made their home. Be prepared to bump into a couple especially at the night clubs. Even if partying isn't your thing, there are so many different gatherings going on everyday of the week. There's festivals, house tours, poetry, shopping centers, food tastings, and so much more! You will truly never be bored in Atlanta!

The best part about Atlanta has to be the food! Everything was just so tasty! I didn't have one bad dish while I was down there. Everything was just full of so much flavor, great portion sizes, and just overall DELICIOUS! I highly recommend Hot Chixx. They have really good chicken for low prices, and if you check out their Instagram they always have specials. Chicken Wings, Fries, and a drink for just $5.00??? You can't beat that! To satisfy your sweet tooth, I definitely recommend taking a trip to an ice cream shop called Subzero!  They make the ice cream from scratch right in front of your eyes! You tell them your desired ice cream flavor, no matter how extreme, and they can make it happen. I never had ice cream so creamy and perfectly flavored. Even if you don't have a sweet tooth, this ice cream is a must! Some other honorable mentions are Hattie B's and Old Lady Gang. If you're planning a trip to Atlanta make sure you definitely stop by some of these places for some tasty food!

Now my here are my two downsides. One thing I want to mention is to try not to go in June like we did. Apparently, that is their spring so it rained so much. Definitely go a month or two either before or after, for much more ideal weather. Number two...THE ATLANTA AIRPORT. That airport is intense. It's massive, it's crowed, it signs pointing 20 different ways, and it's just a lot to handle. Be prepared to get lost, and be prepared to bob and weave between everybody.

Nonetheless, Atlanta is a pretty great place! All of our Lyft drivers were friendly and helpful. The people are gorgeous and fashionable. The food is the best food you will probably ever have. The atmosphere is super laidback. Most importantly you will never be bored. There's always something to do in Atlanta, and alot of it is free too! Overall my trip to Atlanta was pretty great!

-FASHMIRA

Now when you think of Atlanta something that pops into your mind is the famous Georgia Aquarium.  All the pretty sea creatures, exhibits, and shows that they offer are a must see! It is currently the largest Aquarium in the United States, and they are always growing and enhancing. When I was planning my trip to Atlanta it was #1 on my "Must Do" list, and for good reason. I truly enjoyed the aquarium, there were just so many different things to take in and see!

If you're planning a visit, be prepared to make it an all-day thing. At first glance it is a little pricey, but if you visit every section and immerse yourself in the experience, it is definitely beyond worth it. There are exhibits where you get to watch the animals in their habitats. However, there are also exhibits where you can actually touch and interact with the sea creatures. This section totally reminded me of Finding Dory, so I personally left the animals alone. Lastly, there are high energy shows throughout the day that are extremely captivating. There are just so many different things to do and see that you are entertained for hours.

Now, when I left the aquarium I had a pretty bad headache. I think all of the warped glass, crowds of people, and blue lighting got to me. So, this brings me to the bad parts about the aquarium. For one, it is pricey.  The food is SUPER expensive and definitely low quality. I couldn't bring myself to pay $15 for cold lack luster food. Especially, being in Atlanta you’re surrounded by so much good food so I was highly disappointed. That's one area of the aquarium they definitely need to step up, because if the food was actually appealing I would have had no problem buying it. We actually ended our visit earlier because I needed to eat something. I definitely recommend bringing snacks or something with you because the food there is overpriced and low quality.

Lastly, it will be packed! We went on a Monday in May and it was super full. Adults, kids, babies, strollers, service dogs, there was just an abundance of people and things circling throughout the aquarium. The aquarium is quite large so at times you don't even realize how many people truly are there, because you're all spread out. That is, until a show is taking place.

You begin to see a swarm of people all walking in the same direction. When you finally get to the destination you walk into a huge theater with over 1,000 seats, and that's not an exaggeration, the dolphin show has 1800 seats! Looking back at the swarm of people, the crowd still doesn't seem large enough to fill the area. You pick out a good seat, and see that more and more people are still coming in. Finally, 10 minutes in to when the show was supposed to start, the theater is full; everyone has been successfully packed in. Leaving you wondering, where the heck have all these people been hiding all day? Another fun fact, there is another show going on, almost simultaneously, on the other side of the aquarium. After you watch the show and smile at the entertaining animals, it's time to exit. Imagine how fun it is to get 1,800 people out of a two door theater.

I say these things not to deter you from visiting, but to give you a heads up. When you have the opportunity to look at 1000s of our beautiful aquatic animals, it surpasses any frustrations you may have had throughout the day. There's nothing like watching 5 gorgeous whales glide in front of you. Or, hearing how 3 sea lions were saved and nursed back to health. I highly recommend adding this aquarium to your bucket list. The experience that I had at the Georgia Aquarium was something that I will keep with me forever.

-FASHMIRA

Go clovers! Go clovers! Go! Go! Go Clovers!
Our game is fierce, and we are hip
So get on back, you can't touch this!
Our game is bad, we're with our peers
So get that weakness outta here!

Growing up Bring It On was one of my favorite movies. When I found this cute little two piece I instantly felt like a East Compton Clover from Bring It On, so I knew I had to get it. Plus, I think I found a new favorite color combination! There was something about this dark green and goldenrod color that made me feel like a confident queen. No wonder the East Compton Clovers were just some bad behind females!  If this is what this color combo does, I'm wearing it all the time!

I scored this cute set on Romwe for just $9 !! That's right I got an outfit for less than $10! I obviously just couldn't pass that up! Romwe has tons of sets like mine, in different colors and patterns. I definitely see myself ordering more because of how cute, cheap, and versatile they are.

Two-piece sets are simple instant outfits that you don't really have to put much thought into. One of the great thing about sets is that you have the option to wear them together or separately. So I feel like I got a 3 in 1 deal. I can wear the outfit together, I could wear the shorts with another top, or I can wear the top as a shirt  to create various outfit combinations.

TRAVEL TIP: If you're ever traveling for a long time and have limited space for clothes, two piece sets can be the perfect solution for you! You can easily take one outfit and turn it into 3 or more. Purchase a plain solid color set, break it up,  and pair the top and bottom with alternate pieces that compliment it. The outfit combinations can be endless, and you'll save a bunch of space!

This was my favorite outfit that I wore while I was in Atlanta. I just love the look and vibe that it created. It was cute, flirty, fun, and also made me feel like a melanin queen. It really made my skin pop and complemented it.  This was also one of the only days it was hot down there. I really love summer clothes. So, any opportunity to wear shorts and a crop tops, is always a great day to me! Apparently, the month of May, in Atlanta is "spring." Therefore, the rest of my Atlanta trip involved rainy days, 70 degree weather, and jackets. Definitely not that Hotlanta feeling I was looking forward too. So, when the sun and heat finally shined through on this day, I took full advantage with this look!

I went to Lenox Square day, which is a major shopping center/mall in Atlanta. I also walked around Buckhead and took in all the pretty sights. In Atlanta it seemed like everyone dressed so nice at all times. All the ladies had on great outfits, perfectly done full faces of make up,  and every strand of hair was perfectly in place. Luckily this set made me look and feel fashionable, so I fit right in with all the Atlanta ladies.

-FASHMIRA