*Bristol.[bored]

***

...ok...so it wasn't all that boring...but the title's punny no? haha..

Last Sunday, I was able to spend the day at my cousin's in Bristol. For those who don't know, Bristol is a little town on the coast of England, about 2 hours outside of London.

First impressions? 

It's cute and quaint and looks nice enough...but right off the bat I could see why my cousin wouldn't be entirely happy there.

You see, and my opinions may be a little off, but England, to me, as compared to New York, seems more 'settle-downy.' My cousin has countlessly expressed her desire to live in the more urban, hustle-and-bustle, metropolitan London rather than the more laid-back, seaside Bristol. However, while we were there, after a wonderfully prepared lunch, she showed us around town.

I guess I was lucky in that it not have been the routine Bristolian weekend as the annual Bristol Harbor Festival was on. With the always-welcome warm weather that England was experiencing, it was perfect shorts weather for a day out. And many were out indeed...

From performers in the park, magicians and samba dancers, to kiosks selling everything ranging from jewellery to churros and kebabs to sunglasses to fudge?!...you name it, they had it. And every block had something different!

My family and I ended up watching some local dance troupes perform, with many patrons getting very into the music. I have attached a picture of some African tribal dancers who were very good and, in trying to be inspired by all around me, they got me thinking about designing again.

From a fashion perspective, the use of print seems to be very current right now, and I always lament the fact that male fashion, which as a whole I think is lacking, definitely lacks in the print department. While those around me know that I like to wear bright, outstanding clothes, and I do in fact have some print tops, I wish I had more print in my wardrobe.The prints on the dancers' wraps were wonderfully vivid and raw, something that I would love to capture in both my clothing and designs one day. What a simple and effective way to add some 'pop' to an outfit...

ok..so I made a 'quick' little mood board...

It was such a lively weekend and somewhat reminded me not only of home *sad face*...but also how much inspiration lies around us...and how in amazement I still am of things around me...

*picks up pencil, starts sketching*

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*Fam[ily]

***

So, while I have a lot of other posts piling up, I have had an interesting past two days spending time with my mother and aunt, learning about their side of the family.

I have never really known a lot about my mother's family history, except that my grandmother had it rough, raising children single-handedly, and my mother and her siblings weren't the best off financially. However, yesterday I happened upon a picture of my grandfather, whom I had never seen. It encouraged me to delve into the mysteries of my family, a conversation which lasted for more than four hours, providing humorous memories and  a lot more questions than answers.

Regardless of all that is left unanswered, it made me proud, proud of my family and how far we have come through hard work and perseverance; and how despite minor discrepancies, underneath it all we still love each other.

Ironically, I was also reminded of this today when a very close friend of mine reminded me that friends come and go, and while you can't choose your family, they will always be there for you.

Ultimately, I have decided to invest more energy into learning about my lineage and with the hopes of passing it on to my own family someday...just another project that I have committed myself to.

[I hope that I don't procrastinate with that too..]

***

*Choices. Chances. Changes.

"Write even when you don't want to, don't much like what you are writing, and aren't writing particularly well."

The aforementioned quote is by renowned British crime writer Agatha Christie. It seems like a fitting entree into my blogging 'career' as well, for one, I need to practice my writing skills, and I'm in England for a bit.

It is my intention with this blog, to express my thoughts and feelings, my reactions to the world, as I grow and learn and am exposed to the wonderfully changing world around me. 

I am forever thankful for many of the experiences, whether good or bad, that I have had in the past few years, as they have all had an impact on my character and my 'creative personality.'

This blog is dedicated to friends lost, friends gained, heart surgeries and heart breaks, as I document the world through my eyes.

                                                    *personal musings and inspiration follows*