AteItUp is a roundup of everything I’ve engaged with over the past month—books read, movies and shows watched, things I’ve bought, and anything else that caught my attention. It’s part reflection, part recommendation, and a way to document the media, objects, and ideas shaping my days.
Summer is upon us, especially here in Texas. It hasn’t hit triple digits yet, but you can feel it creeping up. I feel like I just recovered from my jet lag after our trip to London almost two weeks ago. I’m struggling to relax during summer break, but I’m so thankful I have the chance to. The urge to be outside before it gets too hot is strong. Early mornings are in. Reading as the main activity of the day is incredibly in with me! Feeling sexy in the sun is back. Flowers are blooming, and so is my newfound lack of seasonal depression. April and May blended seamlessly, filling my cup in many ways. So many trips and milestones to remember and acknowledge in just two months. Feeling ready for the new season, summer is always a bit refreshing. Enjoy :)
Notes From April
April was full of birthdays, hugs, and laughter.
Celebrated my husband’s birthday by doing all the things he loves. Had a picnic, multiple flavors of cake, quality time, and a little Transformers treat. Happy 29th to my love <3.
Traveled to NYC to wish my other love a Happy 30th <3 Love you, my sweet Serenity!! This was a short but sweet trip and I loved getting to see the city and my bestie boos new place. I am so proud of her. NYC, sunshine, and many cocktails - it was such a treat. Love you forever boo.
NYC <3 Had my final MFA presentation and exhibition. Which feels so surreal. Watching these two years come to an end brought tears to my eyes multiple times. It’s a complex ending, but overall, I'm very happy to be done and feel blessed to have made it through.
Working on a longer write up about my specific project...stay tuned Found this gem at Half Price Books, priceless!
Notes from May
May was full of big milestones, and somehow they all fit into the month.
I graduated with my MFA in Design. COME ON WITH ITTTTT! My whole family was able to show up, and I felt very proud, emotional, and loved throughout the day. HOOK EM!
Three days after graduation, Fred and I hopped on a plane to London to celebrate our honeymoon. We got married almost a year ago, but wanted to wait to go on our honeymoon so it wouldn’t feel rushed. This was our first trip out of the country, and it was amazing. London is such a beautiful city; I loved the people, the architecture, the museums, the food, the parks, and the public transportation. We walked over 15 miles a day, which felt so good. Getting to see a new place with my hubby was so special, and I find myself missing it quite a bit. LONDON IS A CITY FOR LOVERS.
While in London, I got two new tattoos! Two custom pieces by @poppytats. I love them and adored getting to meet her so much. She is one of a kind <3
We got to connect with a cousin of Fred’s while out there, along with meeting a new friend! There is little to compare traveling across the world and still feeling so much love and connection. It's mind-boggling to me, but such a sweet experience. London seems like a beat in its own way, but excites me to come back and see other cities in Europe/ traveling in general. Fred and I are already talking about where we want to go next.
Shows
Dying For Sex(Hulu)
This show felt like a hidden gem. I hadn't heard much about it, but it was excellent; I loved it. The show follows two best friends as one is diagnosed with terminal cancer. They both have to come to terms with this in their own ways, navigating what stays and what goes, questioning what is necessary at the end of life, if anything. The cast felt very genuine, and I was captivated the entire time. Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate portrayed such vivid and loving best friends. It felt like roles they were meant to play. The show was funny, painful, and so beautiful. I highly recommend it, indeed!
Forever(Netflix)
UGHHHH THIS SHOW, chokehold, me. I loved it so much, and I don’t often vibe with YA. The show follows two teens, Justin and Keisha, as they navigate love, high school, and expectations. Watching it felt like I was back in my study hall, crushing on someone I knew wasn’t meant for me. It transported me back to young love and did so tenderly and with care. I cried multiple times. Can we also talk about Justin’s mom and dad?!? They had me reflecting on parenthood so much. I love the subtleties and genuine statements the show made about growing up, being messy, being a Black parent in this society, and being a Black teen. It truly healed something in me to see Black love and a Black family treated with love and depicted with tenderness and consideration on a TV show. I can’t wait for season 2. <3
The Four Seasons(Netflix)
I stumbled upon this and said, "ooo" and started watching. I love the casting in this show so much: Colman Domingo, Tina Fey, Steve Carell, and some new faces. It follows three married couples and lifelong friends as they vacation together and grow up together. The show examines friendships and marriage, and how they fluctuate over time. It was sweet, sad, and fun. I had a great time watching it.
Kitchen Nightmares(Cable)
In London, when we got back to the Airbnb, we loved scrolling through the channels to see what the Brits were watching. Kitchen Nightmares with Gordon Ramsay had a whole channel dedicated to it, and every night we ended up watching the reruns. I had forgotten how over-the-top that show was. Was it scripted? It had to be, right? Some episodes almost brought me to tears because of how tender the people were. And it was always comforting to see people soften as the episode continued, Gordon Ramsay included, mad as he was. It was crazy to watch him get pissed off immediately, but it was also rare, if ever, that he didn’t have a right to be. If I knew Gordon Ramsay was coming to my kitchen, best believe I would at least give it a sweep and wipe the counters, my god. Otherwise, what would I look like, being defensive over a mess I needed to clean? Also, yes, Gordon Ramsay was one of my first crushes, thank you for asking!
Ink Master(Roku Channel)
We also watched a lot of Ink Master reruns on the Roku channel. As my family visited, it was nice to have something going on in the background. But I used to watch this show a lot! Watching now, I’m like, damn, this show is sexist as all hell. It felt like my skin was on fire. It was giving in-cell activity, toxic masculinity, checking every box in the book. Watching how they belittle the women and their art was a BIG YUCK. Even though the female tattoo artists were consistently better than the men! I looked it up, and the first woman won in 2016. I’m not sure when the season I was watching premiered, but it felt diabolical. Good tattoos in the episodes, though!
Movies
Sinners(In Theatres)
GIRLLLL. GIRLLLL! Have you seen this movie? I’m begging you! This movie caught me completely off guard. I did a little research beforehand, but in my mind, I was like, Ryan Coogler is great, Michael B. Jordan is great, I’m rooting for everybody Black, always, so I’m going to show up. This movie was on some freak shit. In the best way possible. It follows twin brothers (cousins, if you know, you know), Smoke and Stack, as they travel to their hometown and work to open a juke joint. The night is full of music, legacy, and steam as vampires arrive and terrorize the party. This film is such a powerhouse of a story, questioning freedom and at what cost it comes. Is it for all of us or no one? I need to see it again in theaters and honestly want to own it and buy a DVD player. If that tells you anything. NO NOTES!
Anora(Watched on airplane)
After watching this film, watching it on the plane was a crazy choice. I know I’m grown, but I kept looking over my shoulder to see if folks could see my screen. The story follows Ani, a dancer who falls for the son of an oligarch and ultimately marries him. This movie truly broke my heart. Mikey Madison embraced this role beautifully; amazingly, it was her debut. It was such an entertaining watch. I loved the framing and the casting; overall, it was much funnier and sadder than I expected. Ani :/
Nosferatu(Watched on airplane)
I didn’t realize Nosteratu was played by Austin Butler until Fred told me afterward. Crazy watch. Also, it’s a crazy thing to watch on a plane, oop. This film is Robert Eggers’ take on the classic, and what a take it was. Not only were the shots eerily beautiful, but I also laughed quite a bit (not sure if it was meant to be funny). Something in the film felt lacking for me, though. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it seemed like there were plot holes that bothered me, that I couldn’t get past about halfway through. But it was something!
The Wild Robot(Netflix)
Loved this movie. The animation is so stunning. I was holding my breath at how beautiful so many shots were. The story follows a helper robot(Roz) as she wrongly lands in the forest. Slowly, she gains the knowledge of communicating with the forest animals. It is as good as people say it is, and just as sweet as well. A new classic indeed!
Books I read in April + May
Posted two book reviews on Instagram linked below.
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
Currently Reading
Martyr by Kaveh Akbar - I just finished…stunning, no notes <3
Sula by Toni Morrison
The Secret History of the Rape Kit by Pagan Kennedy(audiobook)
Book Pickups: In London!
Sista Sister by Candice Brathwaite
Food/Recipes:
Nothing Bundt Cake, Lemon Raspberry GF bundt for Freddie's birthday, so yum!
Bird Bird Biscuit: Queen beak, fried chicken sandwich with bacon-infused mayo, one of the best things I’ve eaten. I got Fred a sandwich for his birthday breakfast. Now, we get one almost once a week because we are addicted. The perfect sandwich does exist.
London was full of delicious eats!
Triple-fried chips at Whippet Inn, I still think about these. I love a potato.
Everything I had at Lahpet! SO GOOD!!!
Turkish eggs at Eggbreak
Matcha mochi cookie Uchi in Hackney
Sweet potato fries at Bob’s Cafe, best sweet potato fries I’ve had…
An Aperol Spritz with every meal! A requirement for summertime!
Poached eggs almost every day for breakfast, BIG YUMMMM.
Cadbury and soft serve(not pictured because it had to be eaten) every day <3. The buttons and caramel nibbles were my fav, I think I had almost a bag a day.
Music
In the End It Always Does - The Japanese House
I’ve always been a fan but never really listened to the group’s full albums. Finally came around to giving this one a listen, cause I love the single, Boyhood, and finally was like let me listen to the album. It feels so nostalgic, emotional, and playful. I have been turning it on on my morning walks, and it sets my day in such a good tone. My favs are Boyhood, Sunshine Baby, Touching Yourself, and Spot Dog.
SABLE, fABLE - Bon Iver
LFGGGGGG we are so back! I love Bon Iver down. In a lot of ways, I think listening to Bon Iver taught me a lot about myself. For Emma, Forever Ago, don’t even get me started. I truly love this album. It makes me want to jump into a body of water fully clothed and float towards the sun. His tone is still tender, vulnerable, but I do feel the hope in this album compared to others. It is separated by tone, SABLE being more melancholic, while fABLE feels like an awakening. My favs are Everything is Peaceful Love, Walk Home, Day One, and If Only I Could Wait.
MUSIC - Playboi Carti
I love Carti… This album brings out my rage, but makes it a movie. I love it so much. I love throwing it on at the gym, listening on shuffle or in order, and continuously finding something new. My favs are MOJO JOJO, RATHER LIE, , MUNYUN, FINE SHIT, BACKD00R, GOOD CREDIT, LIKE WEEZY, 2024. Fred and I walked around London listening to this, which also aids in its sweet spot.
Wishlist/Pickups
In April, I thrifted two new pairs of pants, green(Madewell), Black jeans(Levi’s), tall Black boots, and bought some new red jelly sandals. The link to these is similar, but I copped mine from Marshalls for $12, Steve’s prices are acting up lol. I also picked up two Baggu dupes before heading out of town, $14 each from Walmart, so I could have some bag options!
I did quite a bit of shopping in London, but not too badly. From Uniqlo, I got a sleek button-up, 2 skirts, 2 shirts, and some new New Balance shoes.
Feels good to be back, resting and getting back into the groove on summer break. In my next post, I’m gonna chat about my MFA thesis as well as my next steps now that I've graduated. Lots of love to you all, thank you for reading and your continuous support. Happy summer <3.
Love you, mean it! XOXO,
Ya Little Mama