Travel | The Little Corners of France & Monaco

When you go on holidays with your best friend, a certain bond is formed. A bond that ameliorates from friendship to sisterhood (or brotherhood). You chat, you laugh, you quarrel, ignore each other and then laugh again; all in quite a random order. Exploring the little corners of Nice with Kamile was no different. We were able to locate the best gelato places where we combined (Kamile, mostly) the most ridiculous flavours. I stayed in the safe ranges of mango, coconut and passion fruit. We visited fruit markets, one in particular called aux des jardins where we bought nectarines and cherries on a regular basis. Except for the one time we decided to buy a huge watermelon that we couldn't possibly finish, stabbed at it hungrily at the beginning only to dump the heavy remnants in the bin of our hotel room. 

The late nights were busy and intense as we shot a lot of my lookbooks during this time. Of course drawing attention from countless tourists and peculiar French men. We went to sleep often tired and cranky but satisfied from the content we had produced as the days went by. 

Getting lost in France was almost a daily occurrence yet it ended up being some of the most enjoyable parts of the trip. 

When we weren't filming (or on our phones) we danced around our room, reminiscing to old music  that we used to be so fond of. Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Jay Sean. The era of 2007-2010. We gossiped about girls on Instagram and joked over Kamile's new obsession with the cacti in the exotic gardens of Monaco. Having gelato and chips at le neptune across from the beach in Monaco after filming in the water was minimalistic but blissful.  We shopped around Nice Étoile until we were officially out of cash and found a great little Chinese buffet that was too delicious to pass on. We were both living our dream life by being in some of the most beautiful places in the most rewarding weather. Feeling like such a part of the French lifestyle from almost always being mistaken as French was endearing to say the very least. 

Life | Transformation

19:19PM July 7th 2015. 

Again, I am in my usual spot. My cosy bed, wrapped up in a tan sweater dress and some grey skinny jeans. Not at all fashionable and that's how you'll find me when I'm working on something great.  I like to compare it to when artists spend months in a recording studio coming up with their next songs for the album that is supposed to take us to 'new places'. Dressed in sweats, unbrushed hair and barely any makeup. This is what I like to call a blank canvas. An ultimate must to creating a masterpiece. Ah, the masterpiece; the only part of the process we all get access to. I never write in a glamorous setting. I am almost always in ugly clothing, my hair a mess and not an ounce of makeup on my face. I'm using the summer as my creative process, where I come up with new ideas to be born in Autumn/Winter, draw up articles for the current weeks and form new strategies. It's an interesting system.

Positivity. If there's one thing that has been on my mind for the last couple of months, it's finding a way to remain positive. God I'm even finding it hard to write this post. I don't know what I'm admitting to myself other than the fact that I am two people wrapped up in one: taking conflicting traits from both my Mother and Father. I like doing things spontaneously. There's nothing I cherish more than exhilarating experiences. Taking risks that I know might have the biggest payoffs is slowly becoming my forté. I've never liked rules and from a young age I've always questioned them, even rebelled against them. I'm that kind of girl, thanks to Mum. 

However, the more I grow up the more I see that I am not only a moulding of my Mother but also of my Father. 

I am the Devil's advocate. I can find something wrong in absolutely anything and everything. I am aware that everybody values a Devil's advocate but too much of anything often leads to disaster. Having the ability to pick things and situations apart until they are no longer recognisable, is a trait I have a love/hate relationship with. 

I choose to embrace both sides of me no matter what. The older I get, the more I learn that everything (cliché) happens for a reason. Absolutely everything. So why worry about what is going to happen? My focus in life is to allow positive and negative circumstances to shape me into a person who is whole. My attention will never be solely on Plan A or Plan B because those plans are never certain. The universe declares that to us every single day. My positive contribution to society and the people around me however, will be. So I live with no goals in mind, just passion and knowing that one day that will take me directly to where I want to be. 

You have to be happy to admit that you are ignorant and may never find a solution. Even thinking there is an answer is a trap, a dead end.- Rod Judkins. 

Kolor is the new Black

Renaissance

Mood | Recognition

She got off the plane in her usual airport attire of black jeans and a biker jacket. Hair tied up loosely, she covered her eyes with a dark pair of this season's Prada glasses. A getaway. Exactly what she needed; a place where people were unaware of who she was and what she did for a living. It was as refreshing as the light South African breeze whooshing past her. 

There was only one thing on her mind at this moment in time; a book as good as the cup of coffee she was about to buy. 

Stepping into a local bookstore on a daily basis wasn't anything unusual for Sara, but seeing her book on the shelf? That was something new entirely. She rushed over confidently to relive the moment when she first saw them in stores. The adrenaline whizzed through her body, her eyes alert, her emotions burning from inside out- pride, joy, a sense of achievement-

'A memoir about breaking the fashion industry, sounds like a tough life'. Sara looked up. A 5ft 8 22 year old male was standing two inches away from her, analysing the cover of the book as if the story was in the detailing of the gold font or matte cover. 

'How can anyone from the fashion industry know anything about anything? The chapters on living in a societal prison world, animal cruelty, and defying the unwritten rules of the industry must be so generic. Who would have thought huh.' She said quietly, as she flicked through the pages of the book only to look at him at the end of her sentence. 

A smirk and then a laugh and then something along the words of 'you can't be serious' yet there he was grabbing a copy of the book to make an impulsive purchase, intrigued by the content described and most of all, the alluring girl behind it. 

Travel | A Summer in Monte Carlo

The city that launched a thousand ships.

Ferraris. Porsches. Bugatti's. Fast cars in a fast paced life. There is no stopping or holding back. Navy, black, plaid. A sharp look. €3000 suits that look like they have been melted onto the body that owns them. The trend of collecting yachts, villas and sparkly items. A city that embraces a life of opulence, a sense of style and beautiful scenery. Only the best of the best of course, the expectation of anything less seems excruciating.

Most intriguing of all is the culture that is so obviously present. Policemen dressed in crisp white shirts and navy pants, a cap to go with. The statue like guards who survey the area. The airy fairy feeling of knowing you are amongst royalty, blue blood or not. It would be a lie to deny the obvious splendour of Monte Carlo.

The views however are really what you would starve for, kill for, die for. Standing atop of a high building after climbing at least 500 stops was the perfect image of solidarity. I watched the clouds lift to reveal the blue sky that reflected into the water down below. In awe of the gentle wind whispering at my skin only to whip my coat off in the process. The yachts aligned in the water like soldiers. The buildings standing strong like anchors. It is a view that you would pay a thousand euros for, and not regret it.

Life | The Next Step

The biggest challenge of life is to be yourself in a world that is trying to make you like everyone else. 

I'm sitting in my bed right now currently wrapped up in a duvet with some music on Spotify damaging my ear drums.

Gloomy. That is how I feel after my return from one of the most eccentric countries I have ever been to. Only 3 days into the trip to the South of France and I already felt like I lived there. Like I was French. My best friend Kamilė agrees. Not once did we feel out of place or like we didn't belong. Cliche to say that France has the irresistible je ne sais quoi that will always leave you wanting more. So much so that I am already planning to move there once I finish my Commerce degree. 

About that. I am still trying to make the decision of whether I will finish it this year or the next. My heart isn't in it anymore and that obviously sways the scales but the truth is I'd like to think I'm the type of person who finishes what I started. Until last week, when I realised what was so flawed in that ideology. There is an assumption made that everything we start must be good for us, everything we do will serve us indefinitely. The holes in that statement is infinite. Change is one of the most sacred commitments in the world. If you are unwilling to change with your circumstances, the world will move on without you. No questions asked. That should scare you. I know it scares me. 

I can finish this degree to prove a point to the world; that I can commit to a degree and a budding career simultaneously, or more superficially- that I am  (and I use this word very loosely) 'educated'. There seems to be a problem with always trying to prove ourselves to the world- to our friends, our family members, acquaintances and even strangers. 

Why not prove yourself to yourself Ayisha? I try to remind myself. Why must we live the life that has been pre planned for us by government officials, parents and society when we were born with the ability to create paths that are more daring, rewarding and better yet fulfilling? 

Why not focus on the things that really matter to me like creating a storm in the online world, adding value to people's lives by helping them to get to where they want to be, by condemning the eating of meat and embracing the culture of eating well and living well in the hopes that others might do the same? 

I want to be known for being a generous soul through wealth, passion and most importantly love. I want to embody the art of loyalty and maintain integrity. I want to be the type of person that is as beautiful on the inside as the outside. 

Finishing the degree isn't the issue for me as you can see. One year won't kill me and I know I can do it. The puzzle I'm trying to solve in my head is why.