Handmade St.Lucia

Yesterday I went to the duty free shops in Castries, St. Lucia. How tourist-y of me? I wanted to immediately take home this handmade lantern. The creation is by a St. Lucian expatriate...Becker( I can't remember), made with washed up sea fans, shells etc on canvas with rope and used light fixtures.



Do you like?

be good. do better.look your best.

I cheated. I am sorry.

So. I have been in St. Lucia now for 13 days. I started a new travel blog CaribbeanConservationChic at tumblr to document that journey and because I find that pictures are better looking there.

St. Lucia is good so far. Like my homeland Jamaica, but yet very different. I am working on biodiversity conservation( read: protecting trees, animals etc and managing how people use these scarce resources that are essential to the 'sustainability' of Caribbean economies)

That JCrew Button down skirt (Thrifted) Shirt- Gap, Necklace( Goodwill) Shoes(Kenneth Cole)

Shirt- (BCBG), Top- (NY&Co.), Khaki-( Gap) Necklace - (Liz Clairborne) Paparazzi, for the organization's press release.

Blazer -(Old Navy(Thrifted), Top( Max Mara, stolen form my sister), Skirt- ??? Lady Bug Necklace( Lucky Brand@ Macy's))

I have been enjoying getting dressed with less than a quarter of my closet and lots of accessories. My challenge is even greater because of what I call 'post-colonial mannerisms' that limits what "work wear" is. Typical work wear here is button downs, polyester suits, nylon stockings etc......I try not to stand out...too much. Although I had some critical commentary on pattern mixing. Still a little taboo.... I know what is expected having worked in Jamaica......but I choose not to pay attention.....While the island is usually 80 degrees the office AC is kept at 26 degrees.....so layering is okay...for me atleast.

be good. do better. look your best.

From St. Lucia

The week that was....info overload.

Will talk in incoherent manner today. Will post all of last week's pictures...week was hectic but enjoy dressing under pressure.

Prepping for the big trip to St. Lucia on Saturday. I question if the ' much anticipated' experience working on conservation with six governments of small Caribbean islands is worth me running around like a headless chicken trying to get my house in order before I leave. I could just accept a normal life by a desk someplace where wearing a silk dress to work is okay and documenting coral reef health, counting wildlife and training farmers and fishermen is not involved! With all this the mother-in-law moves in on Monday to care for Mr. Husband while I am away. Anyhow, this is not therapy so I wont go on.....this is what I wore...

Sunday

To church.. I really needed the spiritual boost.

Monday

To the supermarket and pharmacy, my Soy Joy party package arrived. More on that later.

Tuesday

The Haley House. Great food, job training for formerly homeless. Herbal teas, free refills and they use produce from neighborhood gardens.

To lunch at the Haley House with former Director at the job I broke up with. Good food awkward situation. ( felt very J-Crew-ish today)

Wednesday

To the dentist, optometrist and diamontologist ....this romper under dress for peak of color while looking pulled together. Brilliant!

To a tailoring session for the 'workshop/meetings suit', 'cause they never fit!

To Chinese Dim Sum Dinner with Mr. Husband and sister. Still in love with my 1970' Bonnie Cashin Coach Saddle bag.

The 10 day packing marathon for the big trip....still incomplete.

Thursday

To good bye dinner with grad school folks. First pair of jeans in forever.....in an attempt to wear the student 'staple' I will wear at least once each week for 6 months while on my internship.

Enter grad school folks here. They are off to Cambodia, Nepal and China to name a few.

Friday

To help out with orientation for the new cohort of students in my grad school program at Heller. I told you liked them jeans.

I am excited for the future leaders from over 40 countries.

Borrowed a friend's sewing machine to do more alterations. On a Friday night!

Saturday

To a over 30 yo dance party on a rainy night. I got in with Mr. Husband , he is that age cohort.

( cohort twice in a blog entry...how academic?)

Laundry

If you walk, jog or run in the morning? I applaud you. Better yet. I respect you. Tried it this morning after being coerced by a friend ( her name starts with B.A.I). The best part I was up so early I had a chance to do some laundry via hand washing.

Do you hand wash? It is okay if you don't. But do you air dry? Confession: the first time I saw a dryer up close was 4 years ago. On a recent trip to Barbados, I noticed that a friend of mine (who lives the equivalent of two blocks from the ocean) used a dryer. How sad?

Wasted energy and missed opportunity to watch your clothes dance in the wind. The fresh scent from the crisp air! Clothing keeps its form better and no added chemical drying agents!! You don't need to wait on summer to air dry either. Read Earthlings Handbook for tips and the benefits of air drying.

Dress- Grass @ Macy's, Embroidered top - ( I got married in this 4 years ago), Belt - from Mr. Husband's lether jacket, Flats Chinese Laundry

be good. do better. look your best.

Youth Worker

originally uploaded by tavaughn22.

I've worked with teens in the past. I was punched while separating a fight with two 13 year olds over a boy. One girl told me ' I hate you and my boyfriend will deal with you". I have her art work my bedside. 3 years later.

I vowed that working with teens was not my thing....but I know how important it is. So I do it occasionally.

This morning I had a session sharing with about 16 youth, ages 13- 18 about my career in sustainability, environment and community development....green jobs, conservation etc. It was very important that these teens, mostly of African or Hispanic descent, of immigrant parents in many cases, heard from a young person(i think that's me) in this field. That was a loaded sentence....they are many layers to it...ask me later.

When doing hard work it's important to look pretty and feel good about your self. Teens will tear you apart if you allow them to! A pretty skirt helps...Skirt - I adore this skirt, I bought it 4 yrs ago in Jamaica!! It's a very green skirt, flowers and all - how much more cheesy can I get?

be good. do better. look your best.

Ula Cafe (Updated)

It's raining and too cold for July. The breakfast meeting worked out well. If you are ever in Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA. Please check out out Ula Cafe.


My new office space...atleast for the next two hours. I tried a scallion and cheddar scone with Chai...yum, yum!!!




More pics soon.

Let it rain!!!!

On Freebies....

In one day, I received the following in the mail:
- One coupon for $25 of any purchase, sale or otherwise. No minimum value in West Elm.
- One coupon for 15% as a August birthday gift. On any purchase at Anthropologie.
- One gift card fro $25. Period . As rewards poinst from Mr. Husbands credit card.

Plus the Anthro coupon holder will become a little coin purse or card holder...it is way too cute...a bonus!!

Yeah me!! Don't you just love free and free-ish stuff?

I was too giddy with excitment to rotate the pics...plus I am of to a 8:30 rainy day breakfast meeting to break the news of my soon exist from my job to the wonderful committee I have been working with. Sniff, sniff.....
be good. do better. look your best.

If it aint broke...don't fix it.

When I find a combo that works , I tend to work it. Rather I milk it. The black , green and white combo inspired by the $1 Wet Seal cotton scarf is a winner for summer time work wear. It's quite fitting for a discussion on Invasive Species Management in urban parks. TRANSLATION: we talk about removing ugly weeds from parks and playgrounds.

Me gusta!

Polka dot shirt - H&M(4 years ago), black wide leg linen pants( F21), Scarf, Wet Seal $1

be good. do better. look your best.

What do park people wear?

As a rule, I do not think head scarves are appropriate work wear. Although I work in a very casual environment [ insert: hippie green and public park people] where I have seen everything from sweat pants to tube dresses. I am determined to 'look my best'. If I rolled out of bed and went to work I would fit right in with the gang.

My hair is braided, but am not too ready to wear it out in public like that...besides. I look quite butch(not to offend any one).

I figured if I was wearing a scarf and since I was going to playground opening with the Mayor of Boston, I should dress it up.....pumps and pearls always take things up a notch!

Scarf - $1 @Wet Seal Shirt- Lacoste Skirt - Marshall's Pumps - DSW Faux Pearls - Goodwill( a box of 9 pieces at varying length $5)

P.S I am breaking up with my job today so I wanted to look nice doing it...I think I did okay? Yeah?

be good. do better. look your best.

Do you eat food?

Chipotle: Mexican Grill Resturants has become a favorite chain restaurant of mine when I need a fast meal, that's not fast food. Their guacamole & black bean burrito is so good. 

So, I am currently reading Michael Pollan's " In Defense of Food" and was super excited to see that Chipotle is sponsoring free screenings of the 'must see' movie Food Inc.

If you eat food. Especially in America. You should see this. 

The movie examines the food and agricultural industry in the USA. I will not taint your meal today , but be reminded not everything we eat is food, or the way it is produced is completely unjust and unsustainable. Check out this site to see when and where it is showing.

 

Source

Have you seen it? What do you think? Truth or Propaganda?

be good. do better.look your best.

Sun Salutation

Still under pressure. Not much time to chatter. Weather forecasted to peak at 90 degrees, but I have formal presentation on conservation by way of protected areas in the Cockpit Country. Hence the cropped blazer over my sun dress.

Silk dress- thrifted

Fuschia tank- Guess

Cropped blazer- BCBG

Bug medallion necklace- Lucky brand

Peep my groups' poster for a proposed Multi-use Protected Area. 

be good. do better. look your best.

Tammyanka

It started with field trips

While laying bed thinking about what to wear and buying time because I did not want to leave the warmth of my bed for Economics class. I reflected on how I got into to the field of Sustainable Development. Believe it or not, it started in some  sort of way with my love for getting dressed up and traveling. 

For high school, I went to an all girls catholic school. We wore less than fashionable polyester long pleated royal blue skirts, with a cream shirt and a make shift tie. In the 9th grade when it was time to choose subjects for a "career path" I opted for geography, the only subject that had frequently had all day trips to rural parts of Jamaica where I  became more interested in inequality, class, rural poverty etc. and was allowed to wear t-shirt and denim and ........(wait for it) .....earrings! As a Geography major in college the field trips continued.

Eleven years post high school I am still excited about field trips. Today we are off to the Boston Nature Center for my Eco- tourism class.

So paying homage to my start I backed out a pair of denim for field trip day!

Argyle sweater - Gift from my BFF( since 9th in high school too)

Silk lace sleeve shirt- INC (Macy's)

Denim- H&M

Nude wedges- Nine West

Gold belt - Betsy Johnson

be good. do better. look your best.

Tammyanka

Composting

I'm spring break for the next week and half . Yeah me!! So to kick start this season , I'm doing a bit of closet organization as well as working on my compost project. 

Composting is a gold mine. Everyone who eats can do this. Food scraps (veggies, fruit peels) + dry leaf/branches twigs+ air + moisture+ time = Rich organic material for plants!!!  You eat right? 

TRY IT!!

I had to keep on my thrifted vintage red enamel bracelet for a pick me up while I mixed up the yukkie stuff.

be good. do better. look your best.

T