Ayo & Illy's beach party

wow it's New Year's Eve.

A lot has happened this year, so many crazy experiences: I checked out loads of cities in the States, switched continents, first time on a private jet, somehow remained single (don't know why people still get shocked when I say I've never had a boyfriend), lost maybe 10 lbs, graduated with an MBA & marketing concentration (hate school so much can't believe it's finally over), learned photography, met a lot of great people, met even more fake people but I'm most grateful for my health, safety, and loved ones.

In regards to blogging the best part is that shockingly my readers have remained the coolest ever. I tell my friends I'm blessed to have nice readers. A lot of bloggers have readers that leave the horrible comments, or go on websites insulting them, but the people that read mine happen to be witty & cool, and everyone I've bumped into that reads my blog seems awesome and encouraging. So I really believe I'm blessed and lucky to have subscribers & readers that are positive.

I wish everyone a safe New Year's Eve, and a blessed Year in 2012, with life, great moments, clarity, love,  contentment, success, and barely any sorrow. ((hugs))


NOW on the beach party (Ikare beach, Lagos, Nigeria):

A while ago my friend MJ invited me to Ayo & Illy's beach party.  It's a private beach and we had to use a boat to get there. not bad right? I'd been to one before, the boats move so fast I just pray my life vest works, and nothing bad happens. This time I boat just stopped! bwahahahahaha silver lining was that it was in the afternoon not at night, and i was with people vs alone. I had a blast, took loads of pictures, made fun friends.

I'm really glad i took pictures, cause many of you can see how pretty & fun Nigeria can be.

Bag: LV Neverfull Steven Strauss bag, Bikini: Pour Moi? (I bought it from figleaves.com a long time ago cause they carry large sizes with underwire -- super cheap now with certain colors). Tunic: "borrowed" mum's shirt, I should return it, Glasses: Prada (bought from sunglass hut in Atlanta)

Tobi: One of my roomies in NYSC camp. See... you make friends in camp.

So after cam whoring, we got picked up and met everyone else at the boat club. Lagos reminds me a lot of Miami, except in miami ma butt was falling off jet ski's or barely went to the beach. Here's filled with water, I've really missed it, Atl was land locked. The coolest thing on the island is how some people's apartment or houses overlook water, the view's magnificent, I'm always blown away. Dear heaven please let me make enough money to purchase a great place with a view one day. Some people also have their own freaking jetty's or docks etc.

LOL geez lagos life is like that VH1 show "lifestyle of the rich & famous." It's so crazy and different that sometimes i'm like this is soooo not real or normal, but it becomes normal.

I've told yall I wanna have a great job and be able to shop buy as many over priced labels at the mall BUT feel like i'm shopping in Walmart: Now that would be great. Or randomly get bored and get a PJ to go on a trip with friends.

My Closest guy friend in Nigeria: MJ!! lol Justin u've been replaced.  (can you believe we went to primary sch together?) 

I told you our boat stopped!! Look at the pic above, we were moving gently towards the shift behind MJ. I looked very calm but just like the  movie: blair witch project my ass decided to document it, incase it went south lol.

yup then we headed towards this boat too.

they came to help, and couldn't figure it out then so left

doesnt Sonya look like a bit like MJ.

Some people got picked up by the birthday boy in this boat

Then we saw the boat below & kept waving!!! they thought we were saying "hi" and waved back. then we waved even more frantically. 

Super super lucky! he picked us up and took us to the beach. Poor guy he just bought his boat that day. Amen for that!!!!

he was super nice & dropped us off (it was probably 30mins out of his way), if I ever bump into him again, I'll get him all the Smirnoff shots he can drink. Cause I lost my manners, and should have invited him to the party. (but in my heart I was like...... um if I show up with him to a party where I don't really know people, they'll think that's my man, and since I wasn't close to the celebrants I didn't know what the right etiquette was... felt horrible I didnt... though he would have probably declined... then of cause when I got to the beach house everyone was like Yall should have invited him!!!!)

the three pictures below, are of those that were in my 2nd boat

So we get there and there's music, food, pool, beach, friends, everything. 

Tracy & Mj. Isnt see gorgeous.

they had burgers, hot dog, chicken, everything.

One of the birthday boy's Ayo. I love him for not throwing me in the pool, cause he jokinly threatened. ("prevention is better than cure" so I stayed away from the pool section)

some kids were dancing outside the fence.

they were cute, and good dancers so we gave them a few bucks, well in naira. 

the other birthday boy Illy. I'm sure I'm probably butchering the right way to spell his name.

Can you believe I lived in the South 10 yrs!! and never went on these, or went mudding, lol guess I'm not really country. Finally went on one in Nigeria. they call them something weird or british. I thought they were called ATV's right?

They had a cooler of Rose! I was like NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love my sweet drinks! Coffee Patron, Bailey's, Rose. Dear Moscato please get imported to Nigeria, because many Nigerians from the States miss you.

Maki, my sis Sheila, Dami, and Tobi.

SEXY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gomez

smh I laugh so goofy! like almost all the pics have me laughing goofy. I have a pic from 10 yrs ago in high school, same pose I swear. I was walking w friends and this guy caught us in his camera from the balcony.

Dami's so gorgeous! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this picture. I put it on my bb and wanted to pretend it was me.

this is the zoom in of the picture above no one's drowning for those who noticed it.

*sigh* I should have not wasted my gym membership.

No benefit of winter weight, it's basically summer all yr round, I need to behave myself so I can strut in a bikini, without a coverup or tunic. Gosh trust me if i do, you guys will start begging, in fact paying me to stop going to the beach, every outfit i have will be a crop top.

Me & My sis Sheila :)

I heard the waters in Nigeria are pretty violent, hence no one with sense should play with these waters, cause you can get swept off quickly.

So I'm not sure if there'll be a next time this close to this beach. I heard the other side is safer.

lol see how these goofballs above look like a couple.

DONT hate on my Titanic pose, It was windy!!!!

this picture is waaaaaaaaay better than this other one i took, gosh that one looked so depressing, people said it looked like an ad Feed The Children. They are such happy and adorable kids.

infact, here's the picture. this was after they were dancing. you get a little sad here sometimes when you think of the big disparity in wealth in the country and how much more the government or community can be doing. Anyways.... back to the fun.

Maki!!!!

"The Family" lol Tobi & I crashed their fun

Wonder what happens when you sneak of to party, and also take pics. Your ass can get left behind!!! (some one said I should stop cursing in '12, hmm..... )

it was a close one!! everyone was at the dock or whatever you call it, not one missed call. MJ!!!!!!!! ehn!!! so no looking out lol.

And we're off, time to go home. I think the rules are no one can be on the water after 6pm.

We made it to land, no boat drama etc. Thank you Jesus, and it was a pretty lovely and smooth ride.

From here, some of us went out for drinks, shisha (omg remember my ATL send off dinner, I'm much better at shisha/ hookah now, next yr might be a pro lol) etc, and once I got home i slept like a baby.

This was probably one of my best days in 2011, though my morning started with some hiccups & emotions it ended up being such a great.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures, writing, and felt like you were here in Lagos. Wishing everyone a beautiful new year.

(I used my Sony A33 camera, 50mm f1.4 lens, Shot in Manual mode, RAW, then edited the lighting, size, added the logo, and converted to JPEG in Adobe LightRoom)

Love Bombchell