YORUBA GIRL DANCING | "It's a dope-ass blog"

The Friday Pretty: Crushes of The Week

By YorubaGirl | Published: May 17, 2013

Hey, boos! It’s been a while, no? Have some Apology Music, from the excellent Alice Smith:

Happy Friday. How’ve you been? Has it been a productive week, full of kicking ass and taking names? Hope so. But still, thank goodness it’s over, eh? I like work, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t ‘like like’ it, not the way I do the contours of John Cho’s face, or the specific hardness of Taye Digg’s abs, ya dig? Sho nuff. Enough preamble. You know why you’re here. Whether you had a nice easy week of work serendipity, or a tough, bruising week of everything going wrong, this is for you. Unclench, friends – it’s The Friday Pretty!

Let’s begin with this anonymous hottie, found via the indefatigable Tumblr, which always hunts out and presents hotties for TFP. What is your name, Unknown Handsome Person? We like the cut of your jib. From the effortless denim-on-denim to the trendy but-not-too-trendy frames of your spectacles, from your sideswept hair to your no frills tin coffee cup, from the insouciant expression on your beardy face to your awful leather bracelets – we like it all. Hey, boo. Hey.

Posted in Humour, The Friday Pretty | Tagged Beautiful People, Male Beauty, Things That Make You Go Mmm | 1 Response

Cameroon 2013: Day 7

By YorubaGirl | Published: May 13, 2013

We have reached the apex of this unnecessary blog series! This is my final unsolicited diary entry about my recent work trip to Cameroon. If you want to read about my six-hour car journey from Bamenda to Yaounde, as well as my time at the airport, then the stick around and click after the jump. If you don’t, what the hell is wrong with you, man? What, you think you’re too good to read my unrequested thoughts about a trip no one forced me to make? WELL, SCREW YOU.

Ahem. I’m just feeling emotional about this coming to an end, I guess. Day 7 below the jump; lord alone knows when next I’ll blog. Goodbye, Cameroon – it’s been real.

Posted in Career, Travel, Work | Tagged Africa, Cameroon, Diary | Leave a comment

Cameroon 2013: Day 6

By YorubaGirl | Published: May 8, 2013

Hey diary-readers! I can tell you’re all agog to see the (almost) final part of this unsolicited Cameroon diary. Settle down – it’s here. I’ll just saunter on this road of saying not much for a couple more lines while you get ready to either take off or read on. Today’s entry covers an amazing town council with a visionary leader and excellent deputies and the most delicious grilled fish I’ve ever tasted (sorry, Ma). Only one more day/entry after this. I know. Be strong, padawans.

Day 6 after the jump.

Posted in Career, Travel, Work | Tagged Africa, Cameroon, Diary | 3 Responses

Cameroon 2013: Day 5

By YorubaGirl | Published: May 7, 2013

Yeah, so here’s Day 5 of the unsolicited Cameroon trip diary; in which I wash my face with Eve Lom cleanser, talk to young and older women about their political ambitions, and marvel at the staying power of MUA’s £1 nail varnish.

Days 1 and 2 entries are here, and Day 3 and 4 right here. Today’s entry is after the jump.

Posted in Career, Travel | Tagged Africa, Cameroon, Diary | 4 Responses

Cameroon 2013: Days 3 & 4

By YorubaGirl | Published: May 3, 2013

Okay. No internet for a few days, but here’s Day 3 and 4 of my Cameroon diary. Forgive the solid blocks of text, I was going to add my hastily taken photos but it’s taking forever to upload so I thought eff it. Be warned, Days 3 and 4 are long-winded. I ramble. A lot.

More after the jump, if that’s right up your rue.

Posted in Career, Travel | Tagged Africa, Cameroon, Diary | 7 Responses

Cameroon 2013: Days 1 & 2

By YorubaGirl | Published: April 30, 2013

I’m in Cameroon for work. Yes, Cameroon, in West Africa. For a week. Let me just twerk real quick…

Anyway. Internet is spotty at best, so why not give you a quick, unsolicited semi-diary of our time here so far? I know. You’re welcome.

Ramblings below the jump.

Posted in Career, Travel, Work | Tagged Africa, Cameroon, Diary | 8 Responses

Four years deep

By YorubaGirl | Published: April 22, 2013

This month marks four years of writing and posting stuff at Yoruba Girl Dancing. Much to the happiness of my ego, you have read these entries, following from that initial wordpress.com URL to this swanky ‘proper’ site. Some of you are regulars (hi!), some wander in by accident, via Google Images, or one of the places I write for (hello!). Some of you come for specific things: the book club (remember that short-lived adventure?), Black Thursdays/Fridays (it may yet return), and of course, the big mama, The Friday Pretty (you dirty bastards LOVE that shit). All in all, you’ve clicked more than 500,000(!) times. More than 200 of you have subscribed for email notifications. There are hundreds of Facebook likes. You’ve tweeted and retweeted links in the thousands. You’ve followed me onto Tumblr. You’ve said hey in the damn street (hey, boo!).

My thoughts on these things:

Posted in Blog | Tagged Blogging, Happy Birthday-ish | 3 Responses

Tales of Urban Wifi

By YorubaGirl | Published: April 18, 2013

Almost a year ago, Jay Smooth posted this oddly poignant short story on his Tumblr.

Last week, I went to Rotterdam on a work trip. I was in the city for literally 24 hours, and took a couple of tram rides while there. This is a small selection of the various wifi network names I came across while on tram journey from Marconiplein to Rotterdam Centraal. I wrote them down as my phone refreshed connection data, and they appear verbatim: caps, spacing and punctuation remain intact. Me, I love Kauri the best – he or she just does not want to share that wifi. You get a separate network, you bastard guest; suck up the hospitality. Meanwhile, Robin? Because I cannot determine tone in a wifi network name, I’m going to go ahead and hope those ‘bitches’ punch you in the throat.

List below:

Posted in Travel, Work | Tagged city tales, Rotterdam, Wifi | Leave a comment

An Almost-Meet-Cute In 15 Tweets

By YorubaGirl | Published: April 8, 2013

On Sunday night, I went to see author Taiye Selasi read from and talk about her new novel, Ghana Must Go. She was ace – witty and warm. Also she’s a stone fox, with the deep brown complexion and cheekbones of a goddess. I got to ask a question (yeah!), and she smiled at me and now I have a new crush, and I love her so much. Ahem.

Anyway, last night was also momentous for the meet-cute that almost happened between me and this cute dude on the street. Yeah, me. Stay focused and stop laughing. I broke it down over on my Twitter at the time and received so many @-replies that I reckoned I’d just screengrab my tweets and put them on here (with a little commentary). Prepare yourself for The Greatest Love Story That (Almost) Was.

Posted in Books, Humour, Literature, London | Tagged Best Of British, Life, London, Men and Women, Twitter | 4 Responses

The Friday Pretty: Good, Pervy Friday Edition

By YorubaGirl | Published: March 29, 2013

It’s Good Friday!

Or, for freelancers, another Friday, but one where the banks are closed.

But no matter, because for all the things that a Friday can be, on this here blog, we are only ever concerned about one element: healthy, handsome hunks, hanging out hunkily. So. Pause the daytime Bank Holiday movie, put down the remote and take a lust break – it’s The Friday Pretty!

We start with this guy, whose name TFP does not know, as he arrived in the Perv Space via a tag-less Tumblr reblog. TFP is a fan of his vaguely 70s look, the perfect blue on blue on blue of his slim cut suit. Also, he deserves top marks for his facial hair and what looks like Type 4b hair to match. From your sartorial choices to your symmetrical face, TFP wants to say: congratulations on your existence, stranger!

Posted in Humour, The Friday Pretty | Tagged Beautiful People, Male Beauty, Things That Make You Go Mmm | 2 Responses

The clothes that bind

By YorubaGirl | Published: March 27, 2013

Two times last week – in this, the coldest March in 50 years, apparently – I put on an iro and buba. Both times, as I tied the wrapper securely about my waist, it occurred to me that London, England, is no kind of place for an iro and buba. And when I struggled to fit the sleeves of my beautiful cream lace buba into the snug sleeves of my wool Zara coat, I thought, “You were not meant for this place.” Because you are not supposed to wear an iro and buba beneath a woollen coat. You are not supposed to team elegant neckline beadwork and scalloped edges with thick socks and clompy ridged boots with a good grip. You do not wear your iborun with a coat zipped up to your chin. Gloves simply do not go with an iro and buba. Let me tell you: I have never felt more Nigerian than when I turned my back to the bus station and attempted, with the wind ripping through the terminus, to re-tie my iro without exposing myself to a Sunday afternoon crowd. “What kind of fuckery is this?” I sang softly to myself, as my sister – in a matching outfit – stood next to me, shivering.

Posted in Essay, Family, Fashion, Home, Identity, London, Style | Tagged Childhood, Clothes, Nigeria, The African Experience | 3 Responses

Everyone has their thing

By YorubaGirl | Published: March 19, 2013

Here’s a little something I had in the drafts of my Tumblr for the longest time. I finally finished it and clicked ‘publish’. It’s below the jump, giving you one last chance to turn and run, should you wish to hurt my feelings – OMG, why would you do that?

Posted in Essay, Identity | Tagged Life, Religion, The Arbitrary Lines We Draw For No Goddamn Reason, Traditions | 6 Responses

The Friday Pretty: ‘Can We Catch A Break With The Weather?’ Edition

By YorubaGirl | Published: March 15, 2013

Listen.

Nobody knows what the FRICK is going on with this weather in the UK at the moment. It’s sunny and bitterly cold. It’s snowing. It’s raining. It’s icy. It’s bloody mid-March, FFS! It’s enought to drive a person up the wall. Can we live, random weather fronts? CAN WE LIVE? Thankfully, today is also Friday, and there is a bright spot on the horizon, quite a few actually. Some are topless, all are buff, and most definitely welcome. Grab a seat, loosen your tie, and chillax. It’s The Friday Pretty!

We open with Joseph Gordon-Levitt. No special reason. He just re-appeared at the fringes of TFP’s mind earlier in the week and like a cute stray dog, lingered. TFP has always had a soft spot for him, but some mild research revealed there ain’t nothin’ soft about him. Look at this (SFW, don’t worry) photo. WHO KNEW? Well, TFP did. Because deep down, TFP knows all when it comes to hot dudes. PS: inevitably, he’s a great hugger too.

Posted in Humour, The Friday Pretty | Tagged Beautiful People, Male Beauty, Things That Make You Go Mmm | Leave a comment

Mini-me pop

By YorubaGirl | Published: March 13, 2013

Rediscovered Jessie Ware’s record earlier this week, and have been unable to stop playing my favourite track off it, Sweet Talk. It’s Sade 2.0, basically, and I AM HERE FOR IT. Inevitably, I went and watched the video again, and was charmed anew by its cuteness. Little Jessie, making all the faces of older Jessie, despite not fully grasping the meaning of the lyrics! Tiny Julio, looking at the camera askance! I love mini-me pop videos, because I am a sucker for miniature versions of things; I also like puppies and mini-pigs. Sue me.

Posted in Music, Video | Tagged Cute Kids, Music, Music Videos | Leave a comment

The Friday Pretty: ‘We made it through February!’ Edition

By YorubaGirl | Published: March 1, 2013

Every day, the greyness gets a little lighter.

Every day, the daylight stretches further.

Every single day, hope for sunnier days is re-ignited.

Friends, we made it through February. We made it. Let us sink to our knees and cry brokenly with relief. Because today, MARCH 1st, is also a Friday. Let us celebrate the slow build-up to spring, using all the tools at our disposal: hot dudes, looking smokin’ hot. Take a load off. Open up a can of something fizzy. Relax. It’s The Friday Pretty! Read More »