Friday Flow

Cheers to a freakin' 3-day weekend!!!  Have a good one, ya'll!

OUTFIT DETAILS: 

Tank - Walmart  
(they actually sell good quality tanks for cheap!)
Boyfriend Jeans - Old Navy (on sale for 15 bucks!)
Shoes - Nine West (only 39 bucks!)

Chai Shai...Again

Didn't I tell you guys that I would be going back to this spot because the food was so good?!  Well, I went back sooner than I even thought.

This past weekend, me and the hubs had some kid-free time and decided to go grab a bite and then go drink some craft beer (a hobby of ours).  I decided it was time for him to give Chai Shai a try, too!  First thing he said was "Indian & Pakistani restaurant? That's interesting, seeing that  they are enemies in real life."  I just love that handsome nerd.

This time around, I'd gotten a lamb dish and he'd gotten the chicken dish that I tried last time.  All I can say is my meal was nothing short of amazing.  Oh, and we started off with the vegetable samosas.  I actually like the veggie better than the chicken samosas.  So good!

I would go into detail over the food and what I thought of it, etc., but I'm not going to pretend to be a real food critic.  I'm just here to share awesome stuff with you all and hopefully encourage you to partake in said awesome stuff. 

 

So again I say, YES--this place is awesome.  You really should eat here some time.

After that, we had beers at 75th Street Brewery in Waldo--another KC gem.  It was a great night.

Happy hump-day!

Chai Shai
651 E. 59th Street
Kansas City, MO 64110
(816) 260-5203

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Weekend Mentions

I had a really interesting weekend--interesting in a good way.  We've all heard the Drake saying "No new friends.", but that, I tell ya is baloney!!

I've come across many people who I've developed online friendships with, back when I first moved to Atlanta and again, now that I'm in the Kansas City area.

Me, LaShonda of FashionPlateKC, Amber of Brown Bombshell Beauty, and Cyndi of Mrs. Wright Writes.

So this past weekend, I got the chance to meet-up with a few other KC bloggers.  I'd been chummy with the LaShonda of Fashion Plate KC blog for a little while, and she set up a lunch for a group of us to connect.  We had a great time!  I needed that "girl time" talking to other women and just "chopping it up".  I haven't had that in a while.  The other two ladies are Amber of Brown Bombshell Beauty and Cyndi of Mrs. Wright Writes.  Make sure to check out these blogs and show love.  You won't be disappointed!

We had a late lunch at Chai Sai, and Indian & Pakistani restaurant that's located in a cool little neighborhood called Brookside.  The food was great.  If you're in KC, I suggest you go. I may do a more detailed review another time, because I'm definitely going back.

Achari Chicken

Now, on Sunday, me and my family had lunch with my girl, Deia of Love In Tangles blog.  She's been on a huge blog hiatus (and really needs to come back. hint hint, D).  We've been online friends for a while now and I'm happy to have had a chance to meet her and her family.

By the way, it's not so much that she's super short (well, she is. Sorry D! haha), but that I'm an Amazon. 5 feet 9 inches ya'll, come see about me.  Most people don't expect that when they see me in person, and are quite surprised.

This was definitely an awesome weekend.  And with that said, I say yes to new friends!

Bolly

If you follow me on Instagram, this outfit will look familiar.  I had my hubs take a iPhone pic of this comfy Saturday look for a quick IG moment.  I wasn't even thinking about putting it on the blog.  I do this a lot actually.  I don't know why I let IG sometimes steal what could be some really good blog posts!  It's something about that "instant share" that's hard to resist!

IG post

So I'm wearing a crop top with a silk Indian wrap skirt.  I buy these skirts off of eBay because they are pretty cheap and so comfortable.  The fact that they make me feel like a Bollywood princess doesn't hurt either.  I won't link you to a specific eBay seller, but if you're interested in these skirts, just search "Indian wrap skirt" on eBay and a bunch of them will pop up from numerous sellers.  This particular one, I got from a seller who sends them from Israel!

These skirts are perfect during the summer, and transition really well into the colder months.  In the summer, as you can see, they look great with tanks, crop tops and cute gladiator-style sandals.  In the fall/winter, I pair them with tights, ankle boots, with a chunky sweater to top it off.

I've also bought skirts like this off of Amazon.  They actually have a really nice selection.  Buying from them should give you peace of mind in knowing that if you buy them using prime shipping or showing as being "fulfilled by Amazon", you have the ability to return the merchandise if you're not happy with it.  That usually isn't the case with eBay, FYI.  I've linked you to a few below.

SHOP THE LOOK:

Weekend Snaps

Just a few pictures from last Friday's art walk.

New earrings!!!

Coffee served out of an old VW anyone?

Stopped here for wine and some eats. I love Lidia and watch her show on PBS every Saturday!

We had an amazing time as usual.

No Worries

It's Friday, ya'll, and I ain't got no worries...

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.

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about what I'm getting into this evening! :)  It's "First Friday" and for me that means hitting up the monthly art walk in the Crossroads District in downtown KC!  We are also going to try out this restaurant I've been eye-ing that has a fabulous patio!  If I feel it's worth my while, I'll post a review later.

Hope you do something fun today!

Bon weekend!

OUTFIT DETAILS:

Sunglasses - similar
Jumpsuit - similar
Sandals - similar
Necklace - similar

River Market

Two weekends ago, my parents were in town.  So, the hubster and I decided to show them a bit of Kansas City.  One of the places that was a "no brainer" to take them was the River Market near downtown KC.

The River Market area is one of Kansas City's oldest neighborhoods and is home to...well, a market.  It is an indoor/outdoor shopping area home to unique boutiques, shops, marts, and restaurants.  There is also fresh produce for sale, as well.  It's called River Market because it's a stone's throw away from the Missouri River (that runs through Kansas City and is the dividing line between Kansas City, KANSAS, and Kansas City, MISSOURI).

 

My mom decided to grab a snack at "Taste of Brazil", which happens to be one of my favorite eateries in the market.  I, however, chose to scarf down a few beignets while sipping on sugar cane juice.

All in all, it was another beautiful day in KC.

Birthday Behavior

Guess who has a birthday today???

THIS GIRL.

Since I'm posting an outfit on my blog today, my birthday, I thought I'd go out on a bit of a limb.  For me, that is wearing a pair of short-shorts!  You know, by today's standards, these shorts probably aren't that short.  For me they really are.  First of all, I hardly ever wear shorts and when I do, they are usually denim with about a 3-inch inseam.  I don't know exactly when I became so conservative.  Natural progression maybe?  Part of getting older?

Either way, I am a fairly firm believer in "if you got it (and it still looks good), flaunt it".  Perhaps I should apply this to myself more often.

Oh, and since it's my birfday.  It's only right I leave you all with a little birthday "jig".

I've been having a lot of fun with the GIFs lately. I can't help myself.

Shout out to my fellow Cancers!

OUTFIT DETAILS:

Tank - Bebe (old)
Shorts - eBay (HERE)
Shoes - Target (old)

T-Rex

This past weekend, the fam and I had lunch at T-Rex Cafe at The Legends Outlet Mall.  I don't have that much to write about it, except to say that the food was better than I'd thought it would be and the boys had a great time!  The restaurant has a rainforest-y feel with life-sized dinosaurs that make noises and move.  There are a few really big aquariums filled with all kinds of tropical fish, as well. 

It is an amazing site to see, and I would recommend taking the kids, if you have them, and are in the Kansas City area.  There is another location in Downtown Disney in Orlando as well!

Kente

Hello, readers!  I just thought I'd share a quick post showcasing my latest thrift store find.  Can you believe I found this Kente cloth shirt from the Goodwill??!  This is definitely a case of "Goodwill hunting" gone RIGHT.

I realized after uploading this picture, that the shirt became unzipped! I still want you guys to get a view of the back so I still posted it. ;)

The shirt is just a tad too big for me, so I will take it to a tailor to take it in a bit in the bust and waist.  Even if it was 3 times too big, I still would have bought it and given it to someone I know because it was such a great find (and deal at 4 bucks).

By the way, anyone know what kind of flowers those are in the pictures?  They are on the side of my house and are just gorgeous!

Have a great weekend!

Obvi

What do you when you have a slide, a water hose, and a blow-up pool in your backyard??

Well, obvi!

Happy Birthday, U.S.A!!!

Though, I'm a person who is intrigued by different places, people, and cultures--make no mistake that

I am a PROUD AMERICAN!  

Looking forward to the BBQ, beer and fireworks later today.  Hope you all have a happy 4th of July!!

Disclosure

NikG Life + Style is a personal blog written by me.  I accept forms of compensation that include cash, free merchandise, sponsorship, or paid insertions/links on this site.  Compensation has and will never influence the content, topics or posts made on this blog. Those advertisements will be identified on blog posts pertaining to the product or service.

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Secret Garden

Welcome to my little "secret garden".  Okay, it's not technically what I'd consider a garden, and it's hardly a secret since this area is part of my front yard.  Either way, this is one of my favorite parts of my house.  I like how the previous owners created this little section off to the side of the house filled with beautiful shrubs, vegetation, and a stone path.  An outdoor bench we already owned fit perfectly with it and created a relaxing spot to enjoy the goings-on of our neighborhood.

This spot was the perfect place to take pictures of this polka-dotted dress I received from eShakti.  When I spotted it (no pun intended. hardy har har) on the site--I knew it was the one!  There is nothing more flattering than an A-line dress.  It creates the perfect silhouette for every body type.  I also really like the retro-vibe this dress gives.

If you haven't heard of eShakti, it's an online clothing store that sales made-to-order, customizable dresses and other clothing items.  They have a lot of cute, very "lady-like" dresses to choose from, and I have a feeling this won't be my last.  Definitely check them out HERE.  Plus, when you sign-up with your email address (or Facebook), you get $25 off of your first order!

Happy Monday!

P.S.  Can we all pretend to not notice how completely frizzed out my hair became 2 seconds after I stepped outside? kThx. It's what I get for trying to wear straightened natural hair a day after a rainstorm. It's a journey, not a destination, folks.


OUTFIT DETAILS:

Dress - c/o eShakti
Shoes - Steve Madden (Old)
Clutch - F21 (old)


Linking up with:

Papaya

Isn't she beautiful? This is some serious fruit porn, right here.  I love tropical/exotic fruits and I buy them up whenever I can get my hands on them.

I'm still on that juicing/green smoothie/any smoothie bandwagon and am not getting off anytime soon.  I've come to see that with some fruits, it is significantly cheaper to buy them fresh, cut them up and freeze them myself instead of buying pre-packaged frozen fruit.  This is true, especially when trying to stick to organic fruits/veggies.

So I bought this papaya the other day, and I just thought I would share with you guys one of my favorite smoothie recipes.  This one is not a green smoothie.  By the way, it is AOK to drink healthy smoothies even without the green stuff sometimes.  I eat a lot of veggies regularly with meals, and I still juice and drink them as well.  So I feel like it's still beneficial to have straight fruit smoothies sometimes, as long as they're packed with protein and fiber!

Papaya+Peach+Plum Protein Smoothie:

1 cup of almond milk
1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
1/2 cup of fresh or frozen papaya
1/2 cup of fresh or frozen peaches
1 small red plum
1/4 cup of rolled oats
one small squirt of Agave nectar
Ice (if you didn't use any frozen fruit)

Blend all of these items together and top with chia seeds for extra fiber and protein.  Enjoy!

Bloomin' bloomers

Have I told you guys how much I love rompers?  I'm pretty sure I have, so I won't elaborate. (Hellooo, instant outfit!)  Well, that love hasn't waned a bit and I still find myself buying them up every summer.  

This romper I'm wearing I got from trusty Forever 21.  It caught my eye because of the elasticized hem which gives it that "bloomer" effect.  It reminds me of the little rompers we use to wear when I was a young little whipper-snapper running around at the playground. 

I titled this post "Bloomin' bloomers", but really the print on this romper is paisley--but it looks like flowers almost to me.  I do what I want.  I paired it with chunky espadrilles wedges and gold accents.  By the way, this gold and (tiny) diamond flip-flop necklace I'd bought off of Amazon ages ago.  Lo' and behold, it is still there.  It's one of my favorite necklaces!

Happy Monday!

OUTFIT DETAILS:
Romper
Shoes (similar)
Shades
Necklace

Festa Italiana

We've been living here in the Kansas City metro area for almost 6 months now.  Since I choose to view this move as an "adventure" (albeit, temporary), I've made it a goal to do as much and see as much in this town that I can.  There seems to be a lot of events, especially family-friendly, that go on during the summer months--which is great for us.  

This past weekend, we decided to check out the annual Festa Italiana (Italian Festival).  It took place in yet another huge outdoor shopping area in KC, called Zona Rosa.  (Sidenote:  I'm so intrigued that this place that gets snow and freezing temperatures during the winter has sooooo many outdoor shopping districts!)  So in the name of trying to blog more, here are a few snaps.  Enjoy!

Life Lately...

As usual, I've been slackin' on my blogging.  Fortunately, I'm never slackin' on my picture taking!  If you'd like to keep up with what I'm up to in a more "real time" basis, I suggest you follow my Instagram account!

As for now, I will leave you with some random snaps that I will from-here-on-out, call "Life Lately" posts.

The canal next to The Plaza.

Family dinner at Yard House at The Legends.

Thing 1.

Thing 2.

Beer and windblown hair.

Memorial Day weekend, we took a road trip to my hometown.  These are a couple flowers in my Grammy's garden.  I wish I'd inherited her green thumb, but I've only been able to keep cacti alive. Ah well. 

My little biggest man graduated from Pre-K.  Proud mommy over this way!

Yay for Fridays!

...well, First Fridays, that is.  I figured it's fitting that I publish this post on a Friday since it's about "First Fridays" in Kansas City.  Here in KC, the first Friday of the month is all about the art walk in the Crossroads Art District in downtown KC.  The area is made-up of art galleries, boutiques, restaurants, creative businesses (i.e. architects, marketing firms, etc.)--you name it.  On a first Friday, these businesses, especially the galleries, open their doors showcasing their latest installments.  If you're lucky, you'll score some free wine too! There are also tons of street vendors of handmade items like jewelry, pottery, art, etc.   Oh, and you can't forget the plethora of street performers and live bands who just set up shop in parking lots, alley ways, etc.  It's like everyone is out to showcase their "talent"--whatever it may be.  It's an amazing, quirky atmosphere, or what I like to call "a hipter's wet dream". 

 

I'm so happy that spring/summer is here, which makes outdoor events like this doable for me here in the Midwest!  I hear KC has tons of outdoor festivals this time of year, as well, and I look forward to showcasing all the happenings here on my blog.

Have a great weekend!

P.S. I'll leave you with a little music...