Crew Love

My weekend was beyond amazing! This seems to be the trend and despite all the preparation, driving, and lack of sleep that comes with it, I'm falling in love with my bi-weekend trips back home and all the excitement and things to do while there with my fav people.  Friday night was my BFFs bday dinner/outting; Saturday was a real life all girls shopping marathon with said BFF, Cierra, Mia (BFF's teenage daughter) and I, and then Sunday was one-on-one with Cierra, which always includes music, movie, shopping and food.  Here's a highlights recap of what went down and pics to match:

First up, Friday night we went to Delta's Restaurant and Lounge in New Brunswick, NJ to Celebrate Shan's birthday and "they" were straight loving the crew... loving crew...loving crewwwww up in there!! LOL.  Before I go on, I just want to thank Drake for finally coining an appropriately fly term to describe what my girls and I have been experiencing for a long time... Crew Love!!! :-)  You know when you hang out and you are so hawwtt and so happy and having so much fun that other people become attracted to all that energy and start loving the crew? Yea that.  This weekend wasn't much different, except for that crew love was coming from chicks, one chick in particular, by way of straight up hatin (hate that term but aptly appropriate in this case)! Which in turn made me want to sing the rest of the Crew Love hook "...what you bothering me for? there's a room full a nigg@s! What you following me for???"  This chick was insane and was a few seconds away from getting slid across the floor or as Shan nicely explained her feelings about the prospective happenings, "getting her face rubbed on the exposed brick wall!"  Anywho, for no reason at all this chick decided she was gonna follow us around and stand in our view and within a few inches away from us and thrust, hump and bump and flick her hair all around.  Thank the Lord that we have grown since our college days of rocking people out b/c she was definitely asking for it.  When I finally realized what it was about, Crew Love, it made her laughable and from there we were able to continue to enjoy the rest of our night....look real cute, have too much fun, and loving our crew!!  Shan was looking hawwttt as usual.  I forgot to take pics but her suede cobalt blue pumps were very necessary!! I'll remember to get a pic the next time she wears them.  Based on all the events that transpired, I have to ask you honeeyz, why do women, black women in particular, do this crew loving stuff? Why can't we just go out and have a good time without someone getting all insecure and simple for no reason trying to ruin your night over something that has nothing to do with them? Why can't that happen? We weren't bothering anyone. We were sincerely happy and celebrating in our little clique of 3 straddling the wall.  There was no reason for this chick to start tripping but she did and it happens and I'm just wondering WHY???

The birthday girl (and her man in the background): "Awwweee, for me??"

And she is making the wish and prepping to blow out the candles....

Done!! 2012 is our year! 

Yaaaayyyy! 

More pics and weekend details after the break>>> click below!!!

On Saturday, Cierra and I hit up Bridgewater Mall with Shanika and Mia and shopped till we dropped and then topped it off with dinner at Cheesecake Factory.  Shan has professed that Bridgewater is her new fav NJ mall but I'm still partial to Menlo Park; however, I was very excited to finally get into the Joe Fresh store that all the fashion world has been buzzing about.  It's like a Zara meets H&M....nicely made quality clothes at a lower price point.  They had a pair of sequins tab front shorts for $70 that I have to have for a sexy summer night! Bloomingdales was an added plus. Shanika got a super duper cute pair of taupe stacked hiker type booties by Tracey Reese. LOVVVEEED!  Should've took a picture of the shorts and the booties. Next time though!

Cierra and Mia split up from us and went crazy having a ball at the mall on their own.  Cierra wanted everything she saw! Good Lord, that girl is getting out of control with the shopping lately...wonder where she gets that from?

Getting ready to peel out for the shopping trip.  I had my chucks on for that deed! 

Cierra and I had a photo shoot outside of Shanika's house while we waited for her grand arrival! :-)

My orange Banana Republic blazer made a casual Saturday comeback; Navy blue, skinny jeans and classic

stretch tee by BCBG; and very necessary exceptions to the flats rule, Converse Chuck Taylors

Oh by the way, my hair is actually growing!! Yaaayyy. I had my stylist straighten it out his go around and the growth was so much more noticeable than with the curly do. :-) 

Sunday was action packed but very resolved and loving.  Cierra and I did sooo many little things but had such a good time in each others company.  We started the morning off at Ihop, which was fun bc no one enjoys food more than Cierra and I and b/c we had our girl talk! I love that little girl more than I could articulate.  Afterwards, we went shopping (some more).  Cierra got a really cute blazer and pranced around the store in some cute little wedges (too bad she's only 12 b/c momma was really tempted to purchase them for her) and I picked up a few things here and there.  Most importantly, we were just together bonding and being happy.  I'll post some pics of Ce and her style in a separate kid style focused post.  She deserves her own post! For now here are some pics she took of me on Sunday before we departed for our mother/daughter day!

Sweater with fur shoulders and black skinny jeans by BCBG; Tory Burch hiker boots.