Chocolate Cake, High Heels, & Cameras

Brooklyn Brim With My Eyes Sittin' Low

CocoDandridge Photography

Happy Art Day !!

Instead of going to someone's BBQ, working, or sleeping in

on this Labor...

I woke up early today to get into some art. I've been so stressed out with life & I needed to relax my mind.

I painted a sunflower, ate some yogurt & nuts, & listen to some Erykah Badu.

Welcome to my Art Day!!

Photography By. Vantee

Oh...Last Month I Took A Trip Niagara Falls

For the first time ever in life, I took myself to Niagara Falls.

It was such a beautiful time because we we're celebrating Kaiya's birthday. We took a bus from Toronto, Ontario to Niagara Falls early on a Tuesday morning. The bus ride was roughly two hours or maybe less, however, it was well worth it.

After we got off the bus...we walked for about 15 to 20 minutes in the rain to get to the site. During the walk, I felt myself getting sick. Maybe I was tired or catching a cold because Canada is a cold place lol. However, after we arrived on the site, I felt like the entire trip was worth it. It was the most peaceful thing I've ever experienced in my life.

These are my two favorite photos from my trip.

What do you feel???

Black Curves. Get You Some !!

I'm so happy that curves are back in style, but then again...when I think about it...when did they ever really leave?

I took these photos because I wanted to celebrate my curves. I wanted to wear a nice soft fitted black short dress. I wanted to embrace my hips & thighs because those are some of the features that women of color were blessed with. If you watch the fashion shows & read all of the Vogue magazines...you rarely see curvy women of color. So this shoot made me smile because I have no desires to be anything under a size 6.

& that's real!

Can you believe that I bought this dress for ONLY $8 ?

Where???

Of course...non other than H&M

I have found a brand new appreciation for H&M. I remember hearing my aunts talk about shopping at this store when I was in high school & because of that, I thought it was a store for older people lol.

However, this summer...I found myself shopping there more than I usually do. H&M has so many fashion options from dresses to sweats with affordable prices. I'm not the type of shopper that is hung up on prices, but hey...if you can find you a nice cute black dress for less than $10, then I say go with it.

Photo By. Vantee

Thanks Akira For The Dress

Photography By. Vantee

H&M Magazine

Photography By. Vantee

I Was On The 1 Train

He got on the train with his son

Fixed his hair & his pockets

He told him to have a seat

After a few more stops...we can go eat.

A lady held her baby.

Sat him on her lap

Loudly

He yelled & screamed

Could tell from the scene that she was irritated

Gave him her phone so he could play with it.

Hustlers selling candies & doing flips for tips

But only three gave some change

Sometimes people could be so weak...

I mean cheap.

Support the artist.

The starving artist.

I didn't have a dollar to spare.

But...black brotha,

Keep on.

You're almost there!

A couple fights

She hits him, gets up, & leave.

He just set there as if he was some kind of King

His Queen...left in tears & he sat there as if his last dollar depended on his seat.

A mother is lonely

Worked all day

You could see it on her face

All she wants to do is get home, but then...

There's a delay.

Some lady on a mic yells out, "The 1 train is switching to the F train."

The sighs of the people.

Homeless man falling asleep

Trying to make room

Taking up two seats with his bags, blankets, but no food to eat.

The air condition breaks

Sweat starts to form over my face

Feeling light headed because there's no space

All I could do was wait...

That's the thing about the 1

Train

This Love

Photos By. Megan Warren (My Sis)

When I'm in New York, I just want to walk down the street & feel this thing, like I'm in a movie.

Photo By. Yng Savage

Everyone ought to have a lower East Side in their life.

-Irving Berlin

Brooklyn Vibes

Brooklyn, New York

Photos By. Yng Savage

It's Friday & I'm In Love

Manhattan, New York

Photo By. Yng Savage

Empire State of Mind

Manhattan, New York

Flat Iron Building

Manhattan, NY

One belongs to New York instantly, one belongs to it as much in five minutes as in five years.

Soho, Manhattan, NYC

Photo By. Yng Savage

Eyes Closed On Busy Streets in Harlem

Close your eyes & hold my hand as we cross this busy street in Harlem
125th in Lenox

Without a care or worry or a scare of getting hit by a car because the locks we hold in our hands got us so tight to the point where we have become one.
Unbreakable.

Out of sight because no one has ever seen anything like this.

I mean...

We have never seen anything like this.

We've both lost sight after that last fight that we swore was the last flight on the topic of that which we've lost sleep, shed tears, missed meals...didn't eat.
I mean...
when I lost sleep, shed tears, & missed meals because...
while you were sleep...I was somewhere drowning deep in a color that I had once knew.
See...

That's the thing about you...

That moment when I thought of you as so pure & true was the moment when you flipped the script & turned me blue.

Blue...

Just like the color.

One day bright & the next day..

dark as midnight.

How could you??

After I've removed myself from old conversations that I've had before you, kept it true, changed my selfish ways & drenched myself in the loyalty of rendering to you?

That's how I became so acquainted with the color blue.

But NOT today
I woke up feeling a new color.
I woke up & decided that I didn't wanna be like that anymore.
How lucky you are to have me...
I'm the best thing that has ever landed in your lap.
The very hairs on my head are named.
My hips that glide around the room with could make any man's day.
My passion are sweeter than the flowers & candy that you try to buy for me.
That's why I stand tall & tell you my secrets to your face.
If I can't have 100% of you then I'll be on my way.
This morning...
I woke up feeling a new color.
I'm feeling very razzmatazz
because I long for a love so deep that even Maya Angelou's poetry can't reach,
but as soft & gentle as pink.
Holding hands & sharing secrets that was never heard by man.
Souls rubbing together & setting on fire...
because the rawness of our fruit (singular) can't be handled.
Rather we be drankin' organic black tea in Brooklyn or screaming at a basketball game at Madison Square Garden..
other people will burn at just the vibe of us.
This is a new day.
A new day for love.
Not the love we've lost
No...not that love we've lost.
So come on & go with me...there's something new for you to see.
Come on & go with me...there's something new for me to believe.
Because I need to be able to close my eyes again, hold your hand, & walk across that busy street in Harlem without a worry or care of getting hit by a car because you'll be right there besides me.
& that my darling will be the type of love we will share because this love will be worth every tear.

Just Stand Still & Look Pretty

My photographer Mark Paul Walker, is amazing because he takes the best portrait photos of me. I appreciate portrait photos because they come in handy for portfolio books, profile looks, & they are very professional.

Here are some shots that Mark took of me recently downtown, Chicago.