Nike Art Gallery: Lagos, Nigeria

Hiiiiiii everyone! It has been a minute since I have been in this space. *Hides face in shame*. Hope you are all vaxed and blessed! I am fully vaccinated, and I am definitely looking forward to Summer 2021.

Anyway, now that things are opening back up, and people are beginning to travel again, I thought I'd highlight one of my favorite spots in my hometown of Lagos, Nigeria. Nike Art Gallery is the largest art collection I have come across in Nigeria. It boasts of five floors and is chock full of over 25,000 pieces of art work by Nigerian artists. Textiles, sculptures, print, paintings, beads are just some of  the things you can find at Nike Art Gallery. If you are an art lover looking to cop some pieces, you will be spoilt for choice!

Now more than ever, I have started appreciating art and I find myself constantly going back to view these pictures from my last visit. I cannot wait to go back and actually cop some pieces for myself. If you are ever in this corner of the world, you should definitely stop by.

Enjoy the photos and leave me your thoughts in the comment section!

Met up with my friend, and we were coincidentally wearing the same t-shirt! How cool is that. #girlpower

I absolutely fell in love with this metal sculpture

This was also one of my favorites. You can't tell from this picture, but the palm oil in the painting looked so real! Nigerians are a talented bunch I tell ya

Loved this too.

We also got to meet the owner, Nike Okundaye. She loved our t-shirts, and we had a very brief conversation about feminism.

Have a great weekend guys!

Maxi on Track

My trip to my home country Nigeria in earlier this year was incredible! Typically, my time in Lagos, Nigeria is spent attending parties, weddings, and meeting up with friends. This time, I wanted to experience Lagos! I wanted to soak in the vibe and truly enjoy the beauty of the city that bred me. So, before I left the US, I made a list of places I wanted to visit, and Jaekel House Museum at the Nigerian Railway Compound topped my list. The reason this tourist site rated high on my list is personal. My mom grew up on this compound and my grandfather (I never met him) worked for the Railway Corporation.

Unfortunately, the Jaekel House museum which showcases the history and artifacts of the Nigerian Railway Corporation was closed for the holidays. This was a a tad disappointing, as I was looking forward to soaking myself in the 112 year history of the railway system. However, the railway compound offered an amazing backdrop for picture taking. As you can see below, the scenery was dope and my blue taffeta maxi skirt and white tshirt fit right in with the beautifully rugged ambiance.

On the railway track

In front of the Jaekel House Museum

Saw this pile of old tires and thought they'd make great props for a photoshoot

Took this before I left home

Bag is on sale and available at www.thechictherapy.com


What do you guys think of the Nigerian Railway Compound? Dope, right? Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

Have a great week chicas.

Lagos left overs

Hey guys, so I blogged here, here, and here about my trip to my home city Lagos, Nigeria last year. I hadn't been home in over 4 years and I had plans to maximize the time I had.

 The fashion industry in Nigeria has witnessed tremendous growth in the past few years, and one of my mission was to explore the local fashion. I had also missed eating Nigerian food, so  I made a list of everything I wanted to eat. Fortunately, I was able to check off 99% of the items on my list.

Below is a mish mash of some of the things I got up to in Lagos, Nigeria. Enjoy!

There'd been a major hype about Alara Lagos, and I had to pop in to explore the exhibition style retail space. As expected, the products had steep price points, and I was gobsmacked when I found a Jewel by Lisa dress for one million naira--yup! See for yourself below.

Fell in love with this ankara umbrella by South African based designer, Babatunde

The front design   

The side design

Cute retail set up

Gorgeous, gorgeous pieces

The one million naira dress by Lisa Folawiyo

See for yourself!

The umbrella was definitely my favorite item in the store

I ran into an old friend from the States and her co worker at Alara

Ginger Tapas and Grill is a fusion restaurant that serves African and Mediterranean cuisine. I was pleasantly surprised by the yummy and somewhat affordable food.

The Zaza cocktail was just what I needed after a hectic Lagos week

My friend  ordered this yummy grilled fish. I got the asun (spicy goat) and coconut rice

Mo taking a picture of her ginger oxtail and coconut rice

Bee is picky with food and orders wings everywhere we go. That night was not an exception. Boo!

My friend Nikky and I being silly at the Palms Shopping Mall, Lekki

Sleep over at Nikky's

Laces Boutique, Victoria Island was one of the few places I could shop at without breaking the bank. There was a major sale too, and I was able to cop a few African print pieces.

I copped a number of pieces including a dress that I wore here

My cousin copped a few items as well

Back at Alara with my cousin

Keke Marwa moment on Toyin Str Ikeja

I look so happy to be in a tuk-tuk

Then the high school friends came visiting

We had a blast being silly

Lol!

Out to run errands

Ever so colorful Balogun Market

A view of  Lagos

Some of the things I got to eat

Zobo sorbet from Hans & Rene, V.I was delicious, but the agbalumo flavor which I really wanted was sold out :(

Agbalumo was one of the things I had been craving, and it was proving difficult to find as it was out of season. However, you can imagine my delight when at Balogun Market, I came across my beloved fruit 

Yay, agbalumo!

I had to get a fix of nkwobi at CMD

I look so content and happy with my nkowbi

White House in Sabo, Yaba  is my favorite buka, and I hit the joint couple of times for some yummy gbegiri and amala

Glover Court, Ikoyi's suya was my go-to "snack"

These pictures have been in my draft for a while, and I am glad I finally got the chance to share them with you. I hope you enjoyed seeing Lagos through my eyes. Please leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts.

Happy New Year