September 30, 2015

Happy Independence Day

Hiya!
I know it isn't independence day yet in Nigeria but I just read a Bible passage on Youversion and I think the message is so apt and timely. I know some people will say (and I quite agree) that too many of us are always trying to rely on just prayer for Nigeria. I think that while we push for prayer, we should also ACT on making changes. We cannot expect to keep on behaving the same ways we have been and see change happen. Change doesn't happen. We are responsible for making those changes.
Follow Cakes on Instagram - @Cakesiena

September 28, 2015

Berry Long Holiday Weekend

Hello everyone!

How was your weekend?! For those of us in Nigeria, that's "looooooooooooong" weekend! We had Thursday and Friday off, so it was a very welcome four-day weekend. How did you spend yours? I had activities every single day. Needless to say, I'm very tired this Monday morning. All I can say is thank God there's another holiday this Thursday. All I'm going to do is stay home and SLEEP!!! Well, that's the plan for now. I actually have an event for Thursday evening but I'm thinking about skipping it (Friday and Saturday have activities too, and I want to pace myself and not breakdown again).

Anyways, let's get on with what and what I did.

GIVEAWAY: Win a ₦10,000 Restaurant Gift Card from Ofadaa

I have an awesome giveaway to share today courtesy of the Team at Ofadaa

What is Ofadaa? Ofadaa is the simplest way to find the best places to eat, drink and relax in Nigeria. Currently, Ofadaa is present in 4 cities in Nigeria – Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Ibadan. 



Whether you're looking for a casual brunch, a romantic dinner, or a taste of home from a 'mama-put', Ofadaa provides you with all the information you need. You can view photos, average costs, restaurant reviews, and restaurant ratings, and share your food experiences with others! 




To celebrate the launch of Ofadaa and Nigeria's Independence Day, I'm giving away a ₦10,000 GIFT CARD to dine at B-Hive Cafe, courtesy of Ofadaa, to one lucky winner of this contest. If you have never been to B-Hive Cafe, this is your chance! 




HOW TO ENTER
  1. Sign up for an account on Ofadaa 
  2. Follow Ofadaa on Twitter (@Ofadaa) AND tweet the following sentence, exactly as shown, nothing before or after:
    "W​in a ₦10K gift restaurant card​ to B-Hive Cafe​ ​from @ofadaa & @berrydakara​​ http://bit.ly/1KJ9lQF #AskOfadaa #ofadaabd15"
That’s all!

The Giveaway closes on Saturday, 3rd of October. The winner will be randomly selected and announced on October 5.

September 25, 2015

BERRY CHOPS: Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe by Cakes

Hello there!

Today I have a different kinda post. Let me know if you like it and would like me to feature more of these :)

I know I've mentioned that Cakes cooks better than me - well, I wash dishes waaaaaaaaaaay better than him, so whatever. Anyways, a lot of times, he gets in a cooking zone and kicks me out of the kitchen. One such day, he decided to make shrimp fried rice, which I must tell you was sooooooooooo good! He was nice enough to share the steps he used, so enjoy :)

shrimp fried rice recipe

September 24, 2015

FREE Eyebrows Class

If you're in the Lekki area tomorrow, do visit Luxe Beauty Lounge for a free makeup class on Eyebrows! The address is 36A Wole Ariyo Street, Off Admiralty Way, Lekki 1. Call 09028968114 or 08188164130 or email store@luxebeautylounge.com.ng

Learn how to get your eyebrows on fleek! 

Space is limited so please sign up early using the information on the flyer.

September 23, 2015

Best Compliment Ever

Hey everyone,

This is a short and sweet post today. I think there is a lot of negativity in the world out there today, and it's important to focus on some good things to boost your spirit. So today, I'm asking you to share with me and everyone else...

September 22, 2015

She Leads Africa - SheHive Opener

Yesterday I shared photos and a dancing video from one part of my weekend at Afropolitan Vibes. I promised to share the other part of my weekend - attending the opening of the SheHive by She Leads Africa. It was basically an introduction to SLA and the Motherland Mogul Week. Throughout this week, there are panel sessions with business experts on different aspects of entrepreneurship. See here for the schedule. Everything culminates with the SLA Pitch Competition this Saturday at The Oriental Hotel at 2:00pm.

Here are a few snaps from the event yesterday.

September 21, 2015

Berry Afropolitan Weekend

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiii,

I had a smashing Friday and that's all I'm going to tell you about :D

Well, yesterday I went to the She Leads Africa SheHive Opener, but I'll post those photos tomorrow. Friday was just FUNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!! So much so that I slept upside down on my bed, and Cakes said I kicked his face the whole night. Since I was so tired I refused to leave my apartment on Saturday. And my shoulders were aching from the 35 push-ups I did on Friday (video on Instagram). This weight must go!

September 18, 2015

Life's Questions

Sometimes deep within your thoughts, some life questions arise. These questions create an almost anxious feeling and you know that you cannot rest until you find the answers. I usually keep the questions to myself or think them aloud hoping to get answers. Sometimes I ask on Twitter or Facebook. Since I haven't gotten answers there on my recent questions, I think I should post them here because you might have some answers for me.

Here goes...

September 17, 2015

Blogger Collabo: Meet Temitope

Hola amigos!

I have a special post for you today. I e-met fellow blogger, Temitope, who blogs here. We decided to do a collaboration. But seeing as she and I live in different states, it was going to have to be virtual. Seeing as she and I have been married about the same time period, I thought it would be fun for us to trade our thoughts on being recently married.

Here are Temitope's answers to the questions, and you can find my answers on HER blog.

First of all, introduction! Tell us more about yourself.
My name is Temitope, I am a 20+ working housewife as I like to call myself,  this is because I do not have a “9-5”, I simply have a “when I wake up and a when I go to bed”, after the work in the office, I come back home and begin to work again. I have been married for almost two years; my birthday also serves as my wedding anniversary. I love God so much, I am a kingdom addict. I love to write, I find writing really therapeutic for me, when I write it’s like I’m in my own world, kind of what gave birth to my blog – beingtemitope.com,  I also love to sing and yes I am a voracious reader.

FUN FACT: She baked her wedding cakes!!! Yes TT, I Googled you :p

What has surprised you most about marriage?
Marriage, sincerely I cannot say what surprised me most because I went in with the mind set of being surprised. I knew it was impossible to know everything about your spouse no matter how long you have been dating. If there was any surprise at all, it came from me; I am surprised I stayed this long without ever running back to my parents’ house. I thought I would never be able to detach from my mum especially but I did and I am still doing, so yeah, I am surprised at myself. I give myself a big thumb up to have been able to last this long in marriage.

Do you think you have changed since you got married? If yes, in what ways?
YES!!! I have definitely changed. As a female first child growing up in a house with my siblings, cousins and extended family around, I quickly learnt how to become a boss, I was transformed by my father into a male child, I started being responsible for everybody in the house. I learnt how to drive early so I became the official driver of the house, dropping my siblings off in school, visiting them and picking them up when they close, I got any kind of phones or gadgets I wanted, I did not know how to submit, I also went to a boarding school all my secondary and university days so I was an independent, bossy, spoilt lady when I got married. With all these, I don’t think I have to tell you in what ways I had to change.

What's been the most challenging aspect of marriage for you?
Challenging, hmmm…it will be having someone in my bed, while some might consider this the interesting part of marriage, I had a hard time adapting to this especially when you have someone that rolls over to the other side of the bed, or wants to cuddle and I’m one of those people who cannot sleep in a cuddle so I will have to stay awake in the cuddle until he falls asleep and then wriggle out to my “side” of the bed to sleep, LOL…I love my sleep so falling asleep with someone else on the bed who always wanted to have physical contact was a bit challenging for me. Another thing was Cooking, I am a good cook (I think) but I hate the idea of going to the market and then come back to cook, I married a man who does not like to eat out on a daily basis, he could eat out once a week or even once a month, this  is me that does not like to cook having to cook almost every day, it was challenging and is still challenging for me but I have learnt how to balance it now especially with a job, I try to go shopping once a month and stock the house, then I cook some and store in the freezer, when I have the time on the weekends I make a fresh pot of soup. Luckily for me my husband is not like my father who has to have a fresh pot of soup almost every day, thank God we had help then. Anyways, I am still getting used to it plus Mr. T helps out too, he’s a good cook.

What's been the best thing about being married?
Everything about marriage is the best, from the arguments to the reconciliation, to the date nights to the in laws; everything is interesting and provides an avenue for you to learn a lot. So I will say the best thing about being married for me is actually being married, having someone to call your own, having someone you know is loyal to you in every way, having someone to come back home to, it’s like a feeling of ownership, knowing this person is yours and you know how to make that person smile, laugh or even cry. People used to tell me that my Mr. T (my husband) doesn’t smile or talk  in public and they wondered how I started talking to him, I told them he’s the softest talkative (if there’s anything like that) I know, I know how to get him to laugh or even get him angry. He’s like my big teddy bear. So being married in itself is the best thing for me.

Your best friend/sister/cousin is about to get married... what advice would you give her?
Marry your best friend! Marry someone you are totally in love with, marry someone who is mature, marry someone you cannot go a day without hearing his/her voice. Marriage is hard work and it is definitely not for boys or girls so make sure you are absolutely ready before you go into it. I will also say there’s really no need to rush into marriage, take your time to discover yourself, grow yourself into that person your spouse will be proud of. Do not also go into marriage with nothing in your hands, bring something into that marriage, it does not have to be financial or material; it could be intellectual, never go into marriage empty. Finally, Pray! Pray!!  Pray!!!, the power of prayers cannot be over emphasized. Battles are won on your knees.

What's your favorite resource for marriage advice/help?

The Bible first of all, secondly will be the Holy Spirit, then I love to read so I stock up on a lot of marriage books especially from Gary Chapman, I also visit his website from time to time to look for new ways to improve my marriage, finally will be my mum – I do not go telling her everything that happens – but she’s always there when there are things I do not understand and I need elderly advice. For me, it would rather be her than some random stranger or a friend who will go about telling my story to anyone who is ready to listen.

I absolutely love all her answers, and now I feel like I'm just playing in my own marriage. I berra step up my game yo! Again, to see my responses to the same questions, check out Being Temitope.

September 16, 2015

How to Wear Clip Ins

Hi everyone,

As you know I've been wearing Nazuri Curls hair for a few weeks now. I got the Straight hair type in clips. There's currently a promo where you can get a 10% discount if you enter the coupon code: BERRYDAKARA (see right side bar for ad)

berry dakara, nazuri curls, natural hair, how to wear clip ins, how to install clip ins, clip ins protective style

I have been asked several times to make a video of how I wear them but my apartment is a bit too dark (THE STRUGGLE!!!) and I haven't yet found a good spot to make videos. I don't want to keep delaying so here's the video that I used to learn how to wear clip-ins...

The Winner of the SLA All Access Pass is...

There were a total of 6 entries...


Using the list randomizer, the person at the top of the list has been chosen as the winner...

Congratulations Atilola! I'll send your information to the She Leads Africa Team and either of us will contact you with details.


September 15, 2015

One More Day to Enter for the SLA Giveaway

I'm announcing the winner of the She Leads Africa All-Access Pass to the SheHive tomorrow, so this is your last chance to enter.



The schedule for the week is below. 

she leads africa, berry dakara, entrepreneur, small business, africa, nigeria
Source

Even if you can make it to only 3 of the 5 days, it would be well worth your while. The tickets are N10,000 for the whole week, or N5000 per day. You can enter for yourself or a family member or friend. You can be a man or woman, it doesn't matter.

TO ENTER FOR THE GIVEAWAY
Simply join the SLA Community by clicking here and entering "Berry Dakara" in the field that asks "How did you hear about us?"

Get valuable knowledge, network with great minds, and give your business a boost!

The winner will be selected tomorrow morning :)

September 14, 2015

Berry Family Weekend

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Berry beautiful and handsome dahlings!

How was your weekend? The first person to tell me what they did this weekend wins a prize! I don't know what the prize is yet but I'm sure I'll find something nice. Don't forget the ongoing She Leads Africa SheHive Giveaway. If you're an entrepreneur who wants a week of awesome networking and advice opportunities, click here for more information. 

Anyway, my weekend was packed! If you follow me on Instagram or Snapchat (Berrydakara) then you already know I headed to Port Harcourt and Owerri to see my dad and grandparents. I had a great weekend with family. Family is so important and even if you don't have a great relationship with yours, I pray that moving forward there's a change for the better :)

September 11, 2015

Berry Lovely Links

Hey,

It's been a long time, I shouldn't left you, without a dope set of links to read... And I have plenty but little by little, aye?




  1. First things first, grab a tissue and read this heartbreaking story about The Mirabel Rape Canter in Lagos. I believe donations are being made at http://www.gofundme.com/SaveMirabel. 
  2. In trying to relax more, I've been thinking about making Digital Downtime Daily as part of my routine.
  3. Here's Everything You Need to Know about Engagement Etiquette.
  4. I shared this on my personal Facebook page - Loving Your Spouse God's Way.
  5. These Sisters Paid Off $182,000 Debt in 2 Years!!! The power of coming together for a great goal!!!!!!!!!
  6. Finally, 7 Fashion Faux Pas Every Girl Should Avoid

September 10, 2015

All Access Pass Giveaway to She Leads Africa Coworking Space - SheHive

I have an awesome giveaway to share in this post - especially to young, female (not mandatory though) entrepreneurs so if you've got a business you need help with, or are planning to start a business soon, you definitely want to try to win this pass. 

First of all, what is She Leads Africa? She Leads Africa launched in May 2014 to serve as a platform to invest in Africa's most talented and promising female entrepreneurs. Their flagship program is a pitch competition for female-led high growth startups on the continent and diaspora. Last year, 10 finalists were paired with mentors from premier consulting, finance and venture capital companies for 6 weeks of training and business plan development. At the end of the training, they were brought to Lagos to present their businesses in front of investors, mentors, media outlets and judges. And now, the 2015 competition is gearing up for their Entrepreneur Showcase at 2:00pm on September 26th, 2015. This year's finalists are:


In preparation for the showcase, SLA is introducing the SHEHIVE! It is the first popup coworking space for young ambitious African women from September 20-25 at the newly opened Cre8 space in Victoria Island, Lagos. The space will enable entrepreneurs to learn new business skills, develop relationships with fellow entrepreneurs and connect directly with investors. 


The week will open on Sunday September 20 at 5pm with a FREE Open House hosted by premium financial services company PAL Pensions. While enjoying complimentary cocktails and cupcakes attendees will be able to tour the venue, sign up for different classes, and participate in an interactive panel titled Setting Yourself Up For Success. The panel will feature Abimbola Sulaiman, Vice President of Investments at PAL Pensions, health expert and TV host Dr. Julz, Founder of LEAP Africa Ndidi Nwuneli and visual curator Yagazie Emezi.

During the week members can work from 8am - 9pm out of the community space where they will have access to private meeting rooms, high speed wifi and fresh coffee and pastries from the onsite Cafe Neo. During the day there will be lunch and learn workshops such as Joining a Global Startup with Evangeline Wiles, MD of Kaymu Nigeria; Thinking Long Term About Your Money with PAL Pensions and How To Maximize the GT Bank SME MarketHub.


In the evenings, members will have the opportunity learn from senior business executives such as Aliko Dangote, Hakeem Belo-Osagie and Yewande Sadiku in private fireside chats. There will also be fun networking events with a Motherland Mogul Paint Party with PTN Africa on Tuesday Sept 22 at 6:00pm and a workshop focused on Looking and Feeling The Part featuring tutorials from women led startups Thando’s Shoes, Beauty Rev NG, Eve & Tribe and ORIKI Group on Wednesday Sept 23 at 6:00pm.


All activities will take place at Cre8 Coworking Space located on Agoro Odiyan Street in Victoria Island Lagos, accessible from both Adeola Odeku and Saka Tinubu Streets.


HOW TO ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN AN ALL-ACCESS PASS
Simply sign up to join the SLA online community here: eepurl.com/ZlblD and put "Berry Dakara" in the field where it says "How did you hear about us?" That's all!

On Wednesday, September 16th, I'll announce a randomly chosen winner. Please note that this is serious business, so if you're genuinely interested in taking your business to the next level, you should try to win this pass. Otherwise, the pass is available for N10,000 for the whole week, or N5000 daily. Best wishes!


September 9, 2015

STYLE POST: Lace Separates

Whenever I have fabric to make an outfit for a wedding (asoebi style), or some other event, I typically like to make separates that I can pair together or with other items from my closet. For me, that gives me the best bang for my buck! As much as I would like to have tons of money to go shopping, I simply don't and I have responsibilities at home. Therefore, any way I can stretch my money (N or $), sounds good to me.

You already saw a version of this with my Vlisco fabric post from here. I actually used one of those items to pair with my lace as you'll see today.

September 8, 2015

Berry Slow Weekend

Sooooo, it appears that I don't learn lessons very quickly. Even after mentally shutting down and needing a break, this weekend I somehow thought it would be an awesome idea to pack in activity on every single day! Well, guess what? My body said, "HECK TO THE NAW!!! I'll show you who's boss!" Let's just say there was a visit to the doctor, medical labs, needles, blood drawn, and more pills than I'd like to remember. It's been hard to keep food down - no, sadly, it's not pregnancy; the doctor says it's a minor infection. It's so freaking annoying!!!

I managed to drag myself to the Redefining Career event by the Inspired By Glory team on Sunday afternoon.

September 2, 2015

REDEFINING CAREER this Sunday!

Hey there,

Remember my notes on the Redefining Finance event here and here. It was very enlightening and such a great event and most of you enjoyed my recaps. Well the next event is THIS Sunday and this one is all about "REDEFINING CAREER" and as usual, it's a FREE event.



Do you feel like you are in a dead end career with no prospects? Are you looking to transition into an area of your talent and passion? Do you feel like you need direction when it comes to your career, whether you are an entrepreneur or a 9-5er this is an event for you!

#REDEFININGCAREER: How to do the Work you are passionate about, featuring guest speaker Biola Alabi, African Media Expert, and Panelists Founder, Olori Cosmetics & Senior Executive in the FMCG Industry, Toyin Odulate, CSR Executive Chioma Okolie and Award winning poet, writer and actress, Titilope Sonuga. 
 
 
Event details are as follows
Date: Sunday 6th September
Time: 3pm
Venue: The Gallery, Social Place, Sinari Daranijo Street. VI. Lagos
Event is FREE to attend registration required via Glory@inspiredbyglory.com 


September 1, 2015

10 Things I Observed at the Wole Soyinka event - by Chee

Like I mentioned in my weekend post, Chee wrote about what she learned/observed at the Evening with Wole Soyinka event. I got her permission to share, so enjoy :)

I met Professor Wole Soyinka yesterday, and in less than 5 minutes I made some serious observations. I did not speak with him, nor did I get a PROPER picture with him, but my mind was definitely at work while he spoke, and I started to think what makes him sooooo different from any other person I have ever met. I guess I would call this:

10 THINGS I OBSERVED (AND AM ARTICULATING), OF THE TIME I MET PROF. WOLE SOYINKA
  1. If you want to make a difference in life, you are called to STAND OUT not fit in. All of us trying to be a copy of a copy of a copy are diminishing our worth.
  2. Fame (and fortune) will seek you when you are servicing a need that has not yet been met in society.
  3. You have to unashamedly stand for what you believe in.
  4. The mark of a great leader is by how many other leaders he helped build, not by how many followers he had. ‪#‎inspiresomeone‬
  5. Don't be afraid to be controversial. That's probably the only way you will be heard.
  6. Human worship is a sin, give honor to whom honor is due, but they ain't God tho!
  7. Professor Soyinka can probably beat me in a 100m race. At 81, he looks really strong.
  8. You will never know about something you don't know, until you seek to know. Have a healthy curiosity.
  9. Wisdom and knowledge are two very different things. Seek to have both.
  10. Above all, celebrate people while they are alive. Waiting for them to die before you celebrate their worth is almost an insult; in my opinion.
BAM! I think I wholeheartedly agree with everything she said.