"Somethings come into your life and you just know you will never be able to replace them if they left." I had two favorite fabrics that  where huge sellers. All the sudden both where discontinued and  I had to find replacements. Here are my mini totes made with the replacement fabrics ... I call them Cotton Candy Pink Swirl and Tifanni Blue Swirl. Time will tell how  popular they are...

Great Cousin Edith Bag

Great Cousin Edith Bag

I was at my mother's Shirle house taking out the trash. In the bottom of the basement trashcan I found this scrap of embroidered cotton with Spanish Dancers. It reminded me of the time I went to Mexico with Mari  and Juanita to a Girl Scout Camp. We had went to see a show in Mexico City featuring Spanish dancers. Someone worked hard on this little piece of Art. My mother t

old me it came from my Great Cousin Edith Bright's house and was probably sewed by her mother Mabel Bright..who was married to my Great Grandpa's Zed Bright Sr....Brother Virgil. Their picture hangs in the dining room on Pine Street. I went to my fabric stash and found some vintage curtains I had saved from Cousin Edith's house. I didn't know what I was going to do with it but now I have a idea ....

I  decide to make a rag bag using the scrap of embroidery as the center piece.

I love this bag... my I remember my Great Cousin Edith as one of the original Strawberry Divas. When she came to town with her red lipstick, powdered face, and fur coat... I was in Awe...!

Cha Cha Boa Fleece Scarf

Cha  Cha Boa Scarf

Tutorial

So Easy  So Chic

I had a craft night for my mother  Dr. Shirle and sister Adamma. The project was  winter fleece scarfs. 

What you need:

Four 1/3" strips of fleece 58" to 60" wide.
Pair of Scissors
Sewing Machine 
Time 30 minutes

I found the strips of  fleece at JoAnns remnant bin. My sister had a wild theme going with black, cream, cheetah and leopard print. My mother chose red, cream, black, and black and  red plaid..

Lay the strips out an  trim to 1/3" - (don't be picky you can make wider or slimmer I won't go less than 1/4"). Then trim the ends even after trimming I was down to 56 inches.

Sew  two lines down the middle about 1/8" apart. Like I said before you don't have to be perfect do not worry if the line is not straight ...this project hides mistakes. Sewing caused the fleece to stretch so I had to trim the ends again. Now am down to 53" no worries.

Cut  strips one inch wide down each side .Clipping close to the stitches down the middle....be VERY careful not to clip the stitches. AGAIN try to keep cuts straight do not  worry it  doesn't have to be perfect.

Now the fun part shake it like a polaroid film....lol
Enjoy!

Please email pictures of your boa I would like to post on the blog.. zizibright@hotmail.com

My Father, Louis Armstrong and Jazz Singer Velma Middleton.

My Father, Louis Armstrong and Jazz Singer Velma Middleton.
Todayis my Father's Birthday and I am dedicating this song to him. I hope Louis plays the trumpet while Velma sings Happy Birthday. Here is the story that my mother Shirle Ibeawuchi told me tonight about my father and Velma.
Velma Middleton (born ca. 1917, died February 10, 1961) was an American jazz vocalist born in Holdenville, OK, best known for having sung with Louis Armstrong's big bands and small groups. Born in Oklahoma, Velma later moved with her parents to St. Louis, MO. She was with Armstrong from 1942 to 1961, This African tour with Louis Armstrong was sponsored by the US state department and Pepsi Cola. He was criticized by some for going on this tour when he couldn’t even play most venues in his home town of New Orleans.
Before preforming in Nigeria they were in Ghana where Ms. Middleton broke the stage. My father was plant manager at Pepsico Nigeria in the town of Onitshia. He was told to build the stage for the concert and make sure it was strong enough for Velma who was known for her dancing and doing the splits on stage. So after the stage was built he had 10 men jump around on the stage to make sure it was strong enough. In the video you will see her dancing…The concert went off without a hitch. Unfortunately, she had a stroke in Africa on the next tour stop and died one month later in the Hill Station Hospital in Sierra Leone. Rest in Peace Louis, Velma and Daddy.

Why you must hire a Private Tour Guide

Private Tour Guide

Why you must hire a Private Tour Guide
I am a strong advocate of hiring a local guide when touring. I know some of you are thinking ..."I paid all this money for this Lonely Planet/Frommers guide book, why do I need a human guide?"


When I first started traveling I felt the same way. Why spend the money when I am an educated woman who can figure things out on my own.. It's crazy that money I save ,I can now spend the gift shops. Who wants to follow some silly know-it-all guide waving a a umbrella around?

Private Tour Guide

When touring a site there is much more to see and experience then what it in the guide books. I found myself ease dropping in on other guided tours. I was dismayed to hear tidbits not found it my books. The last time I visited Versailles I hired a private guide. It was money well spent,even though I had been before,at which time I paid for one of those audioguided tours. An audio tour or audio guide provides a recorded spoken commentary, normally through a handheld device. I remember being very stressed out during my self guided tour because of the crowds and fiddling with the headset.

Private Tour Guide

Having my own private guide was like night and day. My guide Antonio not only knew how to navigate the crowds (it was even more crowded that day)  he also was able to answer any questions I had at the moment. What a relief not having to try and find the answer in a guide book. He was also able to make the tour more interesting  because of his endless knowledge on the history of Versailles. He could gage my reactions and go in depth on the the things that I was interested in and skim over what was boring to me. I was so happy with Antonio I also hired him to show me the Louvre.


As far as the cost , yes it was more than an audio tour but there was a group of us that chipped in so it helped with the cost. Remember, you get what you pay for.There was other ways he saved us money. We where going to take a private car to the Louvre not being comfortable with the train system. He told us to meet him at  certain metro stop  he would show us the way.  It was so easy we felt silly afterwards  thinking about the money we would of wasted on a car.


Still not convinced...here are my reasons for hiring a private guide.

• Their Brains..what they know

Private Tour Guide

 You see a building and want to know more about it. A guide book will give the facts in black and white. A good guide will tell you anecdotes about the building and its history in color.  You see the building in a new light, your guide has given it a soul. They will tell you facts that you will find interesting that you would not of even known to ask. I find that every place has its tantalizing secrets ... the local tourism board doesn't like to advertise but your guide will tell you.

• Saves you time

 You will not waste your time reading plaques or trying to decider maps . Your guide will know where he/she is going and will guide you around in a efficient manor. While doing this they make sure that you don't miss out on anything of importance. You should never feel rushed because the guide knows how to get you the information you need in a timely manner.

• Helps with other aspects of your journey

Private Tour Guide

A good guide will question you on your trip. They will want to know where you have seen and what you plan on seeing. Partly yes, to see if they can maybe pick up more business guiding you again. You know that as much enthusiasm as they have for guiding it is not a hobby. For many guides this is the way they support their family. Even if you don't hire them again they are usually more than willing to give you free advice on your itinerary. Most guides will tell you about the best ways to exchange money. Where it's not safe to venture on your own. They will give suggestions for dining, shopping and entertainment. Remember that sometimes the guides do make commission these tips. I found though that they usually don't steer you wrong because their reputation is also on the line. They also realize that word of month is how they get a huge share of clients.


You spent a lot of money and time to get to your destination. While you do not need a  private guide 24/7, but just  for a couple of hours a day. You will find that hiring a private guide will greatly increase the value of your trip. Finding a good guide can be tricky. I think the best way is word of mouth. Ask around, do your research, get referrals. After all that has been said... some of the best guides I had... I just picked up along the way.

Senegal Food

Senegal Food

Senegal Food and Dining

The cuisine of Senegal has been influenced by nations like France, Portugal, and those of North Africa, and also by many ethnic groups, the largest being the Wolof; 

Cuisine from all over the world can be found in Senegal, including Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, and other international tastes. Fast food chains are rising in popularity due to convenience and their family oriented style.

Because Senegal borders the Atlantic Ocean, fish is an important staple. Chicken, lamb, pea, eggs, and beef are also used in Senegalese cooking, but not pork, due to the nation’s largely Muslim population. Peanuts, the primary crop, as well as couscous, white rice, sweet potatoes, lentils, black-eyed peas and various vegetables, are also found into many recipes. Meats and vegetables are typically stewed or marinated in herbs and spices, and then poured over rice or couscous or simply eaten with bread.

Drinks

Senegal Food

• 
  Toufam (a kind of yogurt thinned with sugared water).
• Mint tea, the first cup drunk slightly bitter, the second with more sugar and the third very sweet.
• Palm wine, which is drunk either fresh or fermented.
• Home-roasted coffee with pimento.
• Popular fresh juices are made from bissap, ginger, Buy (pronounced bouy) which is the fruit of the baobab tree and mango. 

National specialties

• Thiéboudienne or Ceebu jën, flavorsome marinated fish cooked with tomato paste and a variety of vegetables, the national dish of Senegal.
•  Yassa, chicken or fish simmered in onion with a garlic, mustard, and lemon sauce.
•  Tiebou dienne (herb-stuffed fishcakes with rice).
•   Maafe, seasoned fish, chicken, lamb, or beef cooked with vegetables in a peanut sauce.
• Dem à la St Louis (stuffed mullet). 
• Avocat au Crevettes (avocado stuffed with shrimp).
• Bassi-salté, seasoned meat cooked with tomato paste and vegetables over a local couscous called "cere".
• Sombi, sweet milk-rice soup.
• Capitaine à la Saint-Louisienne, perch stuffed with spices.
• Poisson à la braise, grilled fish flavored with lemon, garlic, and black pepper.
• Dibi, simmered, grilled lamb.
• Thiou, a bouillabaisse with vegetables.
• Fondé, rolled millet-balls in sour cream.

 Desserts

• Thiakry, a couscous pudding.
• Cinq Centimes, the Five-Cent Cookie, a peanut cookie popular in marketplaces.
• Banana Glace, a sophisticated banana dessert . Mamadou is the young owner of Les Cannibales Deux Restaurant in Dakar who went to Paris to learn French cooking techniques. The Banana Glace is his own creation and his most popular dessert. Click here for recipe

How a Dinner is Served out  in Senegal

When dining in one of the excellent Senegalese restaurants, you will select an appetizer from a list of twenty or twenty-five, all prepared with great care. The soups will be rich and full-bodied. There will be entrees in abundance; Yassa, Mate, and beautiful Couscous among them. Then a long list of fancy desserts, all served with great flair.

Or you might be served at one of the open-air restaurants where food is cooked on small tournieres, or broilers, which look like hibachis. They average about 15 inches in diameter and are sometimes round and sometimes square. The fourniere has a grate at the bottom and heat is regulated by adding or removing hot charcoal with tongs as required.

Senegal Market

Tipping: A service charge of 10 to 15% is included in all hotel and restaurant bills.

At Home 

Senegalese table manners can be somewhat formal. Wait to be shown to your seat. Seating is often a matter of hierarchy. A washing basin will be brought out before the meal is served for people to wash their hands. Woman and men may eat at separate tables in the same room or they may eat in separate rooms.  If the meal is served on the floor or a low table, sit cross-legged. Try not let your feet touch the food mat.  Do not begin eating until the eldest male does.  Food is often served from a communal bowl.  Eat from the section of the bowl in front of you. Never reach across the bowl to get something from the other side. Eat only with the right hand.Expect to be urged to take second helpings. Sample each dish.Leaving a little bit of food on your plate or your section of the communal bowl indicates that you have been looked after.

I

It is customary to give a small gift when invited to someone’s home for a meal.If invited to someone’s home, take a box of chocolates, French pastries or a nicely packaged fresh fruit.Gifts should be given with both hands. Never use the left hand.