IDNYC Obsessed!

After waiting by the mailbox for over a month, I’m finally taking advantage of my IDNYC card.  I have already applied for membership at The Brooklyn Museum, The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, and The Studio Museum in Harlem.  Today after Chloe’s dental appointment (no cavities!) we walked across the park and visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art.   We skipped the long line of people waiting to make the “suggested donation” of $25 and walked right up to The Membership Desk.  We got our card right away (no temporary card, or waiting for membership materials that take weeks to arrive). Since there is no cost for children under 12, Chloe and I got into the museum for free!  

Since I love African-American art, our first stop was the Lila Acheson Wallace Wing for Modern and Contemporary Art to see Aaron Douglas’s painting “Let My People Go,” which was recently acquired by the MET.  

"Let My People Go," Aaron Douglas 

Next, Chloe and I headed to the Rooftop Garden to see this year’s comission by Pierre Huyghe.  I didn’t think that the installation was as interesting as in years past, but Chloe was enthralled.  The focal point of the exhibit is a large fish-tank like structure with a rock and several small creatures inside of it.  The glass of the tank periodically becomes frosted and opaque which surprised and delighted her.

For lunch, we shared a delicious turkey sandwich with cheddar cheese, apple, and spicy mustard.  There is a Rooftop Bar that offers virgin ($6) and alcoholic ($15) cocktails.  I had an Aqueduct which was a combination of Watermelon, Ginger, and Lime.  I look forward to trying the Cypress, which is described as a blend of Blackberry, Lime-Shrub, and Pomegranate, and the  Anubis, which is Jasmine Tea, Lemongrass, and Mint.  There is also a selection of wine and beer.  I should have asked if there was a member discount at the bar!

Unbeweaveable: How to Get a Good Weave for Less Than $150

A full head sew-in weave is a great option when I want to give my real hair a rest from chemicals, heat, and everyday manipulation.  Unfortunately, the fear of looking like Britney Spears has led me to spend way too much on my hair.  Here are some tips that I have picked up on how to get an affordable, realistic-looking weave.

No Ma'am

       Start With the Right Hair: According to Mikita, the authority on all things hair related,  having a good weave is 80% about the hair.  It is best to use 100% human hair that comes from one donor and has not been chemically altered.  Unfortunately human hair can be ridiculously expensive, sometimes over $300.00 a bundle.  I like Indique Hair's lower priced Sea Collection which is marketed as South East Asian hair, rather than Indian hair.  I use the 10 inch Tahitian Wave, which costs $85 dollars for 3.2 ounces.  My real hair is relaxed, but it blends perfectly with this texture.  It also can be worn curly or straight.

      Only Buy As Much As You Need: Most hair- dressers say that you need a least 2  bundles of hair for a full head sew-in.  However, the women that I know who have the best looking  weaves only use one bundle.  I have a HUGE head and I only have a little more than a bundle in my hair.  If you buy good hair, you can use the same tracks for multiple installations.  Therefore, once you have made the initial investment all you have to pay for is getting it put in.  Make sure that your stylist washes, conditions, and detangles the hair before she installs it.

      Find the Right Stylist:  Installation can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be.  A few weeks ago I discovered Wicked Weaves on Adam Clayton Blvd (between 138th and 139th).  They use the double-track method in which they sew two tracks of hair per braid.  The weave took a little over two hours and only cost $50!  It looks exactly the same as when I paid five times that amount getting it put in. 

      Keep it Clean: Wash and condition your weave at least once a week, making sure to rinse all of the conditioner out in the shower.  Don’t use too much product or your hair will look dull.  I use a little Aveda Brilliant Finishing Gloss on my real hair (around my part and hairline) and that’s it!

The Fairest of Them All . . .