My First Camping Trip #OutdoorsyAF

Whenever I'd tell someone in Seattle I hadn't gone camping before their first reaction was shock! Like, how are you living in Seattle and you haven't gone camping? Well, I'm from Chicago and grew up with my mother -- so, our version of fun was brunch, being nosy at open houses, and watching ballroom dancing on Channel 11. I never had the desire to sleep outside and my mom didn't have the desire to be anywhere without air conditioning, so that was that. I had a great camping-free childhood and it was fantastic.

Fast forward to July 2017 and I'd committed to making more of an effort to do outdoorsy stuff with my boyfriend and his friends... the first of which was camping! Last month I packed up my stuff (too much stuff if I'm being honest) and trekked into the great outdoors for my first camping experience. Instead of jumping in head first, we decided we'd start with 2 days and 1 night... ease into things slowly, kinda like playing "just the tip" (but not as fun). Now, to keep it 100, this was technically car camping and on my boyfriend's friend's cabin/property, so we had access to a bathroom and kitchen -- but we all slept in tents on the property and I've never slept outside before... so yeah, this was camping for me.

As an adult my first camping experience was really fun and I attribute that to a few things:
1) Having an open mind + positive attitude
2) My boyfriend acting as my Outdoorsy Sensei
3) A great group of camping friends
4) All the right gear (Again... all because of my boyfriend)

A post shared by Ishea (@sixtwentyseven) on Jul 3, 2017 at 2:32pm PDT

So, after successfully camping what's the next thing on my list? Backpacking! So many people give me a crazy look when I tell them I'll be going on a 3 day, 2 night backpacking trip on the coast. I'm sure this is because of a few things: 1) It's probably not as normal to have someone go from zero camping experience to a major backpacking trip. This will be my first time backpacking and only my 2nd time camping. 2) It's a 7.5 mile hike to the campsite, which includes elevation gains AND the use of ropes to navigate some of the climbs. 3) A lot of people LOVE camping and HATE backpacking, thus they assume everyone else will feel the same. I'm using my inexperience to my advantage, keeping an open mind, and appreciating the lacking frame of reference for how intense a backpacking trip can be.

We have a great group going to the coast and I'm so excited to be open to life and new adventures. My boyfriend actually just sent me a photo of some of the gear he snagged me from REI as we prepare to leave! Also, a major thank you to bae's childhood friend Kelly for letting me borrow her extra backpack... who just so happens to be Instagram famous for all of her beautiful outdoor adventures! If you'd like to ooooh and awwww over some DOPE ass photography, check out her Instagram account @kellll_bell89.

A post shared by Ishea (@sixtwentyseven) on Jul 3, 2017 at 12:57pm PDT

interSessions: The Art x Hip Hop Dialogues

What is interSessions?
interSessions: The Art x Hip-Hop Dialogues™ is a series of curated conversations between figures from the arts community and the hip-hop community. Each conversation – mediated by artist Fahamu Pecou – features notable figures speaking on a range of subjects related to intersectional experiences in the arts and entertainment and their impact on popular culture and society.

interSessions™ considers the growing number of engagements between the worlds of hip-hop and fine art. The series is dedicated to interrogating art and hip-hop not as isolated encounters, but rather where they overlap, how they complement and enhance each other, and, ultimately, how in conversation they act together to transgress the status quo.

The event kicks off tomorrow night (8/2 @ 7p) with guests Negarra Akili and Frank William Miller Jr. @ The Piranha Shop in SoDo.

Click here to RSVP for tickets to this FREE event

Kendrick Lamar Laser Show 8/4 & 8/5 @ 10:30p (via @PacSci)

The Pacific Science Center is about to snatch all of your edges -- they've just added a laser show for Kung Fu Kenny, Mr. Kendrick Lamar himself! I'm so freaking excited that they're adding more variety to their laser show line-ups and recognizing talented artists in their prime.

They'll be kicking things off with 2 shows this weekend: Friday, 8/4 and Saturday, 8/5 @ 10:30p. Tickets are $12 (non-members) and the show will run 60 mins.

Click here for tickets.

Dress for Success Seattle: Summer Clothing Sale

There's a saying that urges people to "dress for the job" they want, but what do you do if you don't have access to those clothes? Founded with the mission to "empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life," Dress for Success Seattle is a key resource in helping women rebuild their confidence with access to professional clothing and career coaching to re-enter the workforce.

As an effort to raise funds, Dress for Success Seattle will be hosting their annual Summer Clothing Sale Thursday, 7/13 through Saturday, 7/15. The event is BYOB (bring your own bag) and will feature new and gently used designer items, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Dress for Success Seattle! Truly shopping for a great cause.

The event will be held at 1118 5th Ave (5th and Seneca) inside the Downtown Seattle YWCA Building.  For more information click here.

THEORY: Festival 2017 Party Under the Stars

After one of the gloomiest winters on record, this summer I've been going into overdrive getting out to enjoy sunshine, social events and never passing up on a potential good time. One of events hoping to secure your coins in exchange for a night that'll be lit af, is the Pacific Science Center's THEORY: Festival 2017!

Promoted as one of Seattle's "premier outdoor events of the summer," THEORY will feature party staples like food, craft cocktails and drafts, with the added bonus of a silent disco party curated by KEXP DJs, access to the Terracotta Warriors exhibit, Laser Karaoke, and ability to let your imagination run wild at Tinker Tank.

The event will take place on Friday, July 28th from 7p-Midnight and is currently offering 2 ticket options:

Gravity Level (General Admission: $95 non-members, $85 members)
Quantum Level (VIP: $150 non-members, $140 members)

Keeping it 100, tickets are expensive. When I saw the price it made me take a deep breath. There are so many events competing for our time, attention and coins that it can be overwhelming deciding if something is truly worth the cost. Although I've been to a few 21+ events hosted by the Pacific Science Center, none have carried a price tag over $50. So, why should you drop $$$ to attend?

Open Bar + Food

The event will feature local craft beer, wine and cocktails + food from local restaurants ... the perfect combination to make any hipster heart swoon! VIPs will also be treated to an exclusive appetizer buffet from Ethan Stowell Restaurants. If you're a non-member and paying for a $95 ticket, at the very least you could consume enough food and drinks to warrant the majority of the cost, and that's pretty dope considering everything else the event has to offer. Also, it should go without saying, please drink responsibly! It's one thing to shut down the bar having a good time, but you don't want to end up underneath it.


Terracotta Warriors
Guests will have full access to the Terracotta Warriors exhibit (usually $34.95), featuring real figures from the terracotta army and artifacts from the First Imperial Dynasty of China! These warriors were buried for over 2000 years before being discovered, so it's an amazing opportunity to experience the rich history of how they came to be, minus the typical crowd that'd be at the science center during business hours.

Laser Karaoke
I've gone to quite a few laser shows at the Pacific Science Center and they're actually one of my "hidden gem" things to do in Seattle. Combine that with Karaoke and I'm already getting excited at the potential for this dope combination. Guests will have the chance to avoid those atrocious karaoke lines you'll get a places like Hula Hula or Rock Box, and sing their hearts out as custom laser shows are displayed behind you. I'm currently thinking about which song(s) I should perform. Also -- this will make for a sick IG video. Laser show tickets are usually $12 to $21, so this is a great value when you throw in the added bonus of karaoke.

Silent Disco Party

I've seen  my friends in other cities attend these parties for a few years now, so I'm happy to finally have it make its way to Seattle! I actually think the Pacific Science Center will be one of the first venues to test this out, so I'm geeked to see what the hype is all about. Music will be curated by KEXP DJs Darek Mazzone, DJ Miss Ashley, Chilly and Larry Rose.

If you're unfamiliar with silent disco parties, imagine going to a club and being on the dance floor with your own set of headphones. DJs will be spinning different genres of music and headphones can be tuned into the music you prefer... everyone dancing together in harmony to the beat of their preferred drum! I'm a lover of options and this will give you quite a few.

Cocktail Attire/Black Tie Optional
I'm from Chicago and have lived in Seattle for 4 years... meaning I slowly made the transition from rocking heels all the time to acquiring Birkenstocks, Plaid Flannel, and a dope pair of Warby Parker hipster glasses. Basically the casual Seattle uniform. Living in such a casual, laid back city is nice, but my inner Chicagoan misses having ample opportunities to dress up. This will be the perfect time to slip into that hot dress and heels or have your PNW dude clean up!



Still interested in learning more about THEORY? Check out this feature from Seattle Refined!

Vasuda Salon Closing Downtown Seattle Location... Other Salons that can Style your Natural/Ethnic Hair

Earlier today Vasuda Salon announced they'd be closing their downtown Seattle location on July 31st, 2017. After moving to Seattle back in 2013, I documented my many visits to Vasuda Salon's downtown location and raved about my experience with multiple stylists.

Vasuda truly was a salon that catered to EVERY texture of curly hair and one of the few places in the city where black women of all textures could go and get their hair done. It was one of my first experiences going to a salon with a diverse staff and knowing each person was trained in how to care for natural hair. It felt great.

As the years passed, I stopped going to Vasuda after my stylist left to open her own salon (with a few other former Vasuda employees) and then realized how poorly they'd been treated as employees of Vasuda. It truly saddened me to hear the crazy stories (most involved Jessica, co-owner and wife of the other founder/co-owner Emmett).

I do want to say that my personal experiences as a customer at Vasuda were ALWAYS professional from all of the staff, but as I formed friendships with the stylists, it rubbed me the wrong way to see business being handled in such a negative way. After that, I stopped referring people to Vasuda Salon and instead of shitting on their reputation, opted to just tell folks about other places they could go.

Once I learned about their location closing (they listed the reason as the bldg owner being unreasonable with their new lease), I decided I'd share the full story with everyone who may end up finding my various blog reviews on Vasuda through a google search on hair salons in Seattle.

Source

Even with them closing the doors on what used to be my favorite salon in Seattle, the silver lining is that 4 years after moving to Seattle, there are quite a few options for where to go and get your hair styled! Vasuda may have driven out the majority of their senior stylists, but their salon served as a great training ground for nurturing and cultivating talented stylists who have gone on to create their own businesses.

Trim Studio in Bellevue
https://www.trimbystudio.com/

Trim is the home of former Vasuda Stylists Izzy, Erica and Liv. They used to all have chairs on the window side of Vasuda and I affectionately referred to them as the "dream team". They were the "heart" of Vasuda and kept the energy light and fun in the salon. In their new salon space you can expect more of the same... with the added bonus of a parking garage! Izzy is my bae and will be re-joining the team after a brief hiatus, with a limited schedule on Sundays and Mondays. Izzy does all of my color and is someone I HIGHLY recommend.


Quatro Salon in University District
https://www.quatrosalonstudio.com/

If you were a fan of Celeste at Vasuda, you can continue to get your hair styled by her at her new studio in the UD! Celeste, along with a few other stylists, created Quatro Salon located in the University District/Ravenna. Although I never had my hair styled by her, she came recommended by a few girlfriends who go to her for regular styling needs.


ELLEtique in Downtown Seattle

https://www.styleseat.com/m/book/p/1253217

Linda was one of the last Senior stylists to leave Vasuda and is located closer to central downtown on Terry/Stewart. If you were a fan of having that flexible downtown location, Linda may be the right person for you. Although Linda can hook up curly hair, I've found my friends with relaxed hair tend to prefer going to her.


Coven Salon in Montlake
http://www.covensalon.com/

When Izzy took a brief hiatus from hair styling, I needed a new salon that was closer to Cap Hill. I also was interested in getting curly hair cuts, often referred to as a "deva cut" after the DevaChan Salon. So far Alexis has cut my hair once and my 2nd appointment is in a few hours. I'll be doing a full post on my experiences at Coven and getting curly hair cuts on my natural hair! Wanted to get a few appointments under my belt before sending folks that way.

My first experience getting a curly haircut at Coven (by Alexis, co-owner):

First time getting a curly haircut! Many thanks to @alexisatcoven, stylist and co-owner of @covensalon. My goal was to have Alexis create a shape for my curls and she did just that! Full blog post and YouTube review to follow... ❤💇🏾👏🏾💯 #naturalhair #seattlehair #pnwnaturals #seattlenaturals #covensalon #curlyhair #afro #curlbox #fro #curls #kinkyhair #hairblogger #blogger #seattlestylist

A post shared by Ishea (@sixtwentyseven) on Apr 4, 2017 at 4:34pm PDT