The August Edit: A MW Series Where I Share Everything From My Week
what I am cooking, reading, watching, obsessing over & more!
This post is special to me because we’re only 3 subscribers away from 20! 🥳 It fills my heart with so much joy that our little community is growing.
I thought we’d start a new series where I share with you everything going on in my world. It’s been two and a half months here in Lagos, and by now you’re mostly caught up on my journey. So far, we’ve talked about the transition from single to wife, moving across the world, the ups and downs of it all, becoming more familiar with life here, feeling homesick, finding resilience, and even exploring South Africa. It’s been such a joy catching up with you for these first couple of months, but I’ve realized that day to day I leave out so many little bits. So here we are with our very first monthly edit!
This month I’ve been focusing on staying grounded in the present instead of replaying the past, as a way to soften the edges of homesickness. It’s not always easy, but I’m learning that little habits, new routines, and even the smallest wins add up to a kind of resilience I didn’t know I had. So in this first monthly edit, I want to bring you into those everyday moments—the quiet lessons, the funny hiccups, and the slow but steady progress shaping life here in Lagos.
On the TV
Call me old school (or just missing my family), but every Sunday afternoon my mom would put on an old TV show from her childhood — something my grandma also used to watch on weekends with her family. One of those shows was Columbo, about an LAPD homicide detective who pieces together every crime in about 40 minutes. It’s so cute and so 70’s. I’m in love! It’s also the perfect background noise for rainy Lagos afternoons, and sometimes I fall asleep to it during a mid-day nap.
On the Table
This month was all about food!
Cajun Blackened Chicken Bowl: White rice, cucumbers, carrots, raw cabbage, and a bang bang mayo-based sauce (my fave). The secret is marinating the chicken overnight with olive oil, chili peppers, chicken seasoning, onion and garlic powder, and LOTS of Cajun seasoning. Lazy dinner, maximum flavor.
Chicken Alfredo (without cheese 🥲): Cheese here costs more than $20 for a slice, so we improvised. I used the leftover chicken, added spinach, bell peppers, and of course — extra chili peppers for Mr. B. Still delicious!
IMA-Inspired Bang Bang Chicken: Mr. B requested bang bang chicken again, so I switched it up with fried chicken bites, rice, green onions, cabbage slaw (using that same dressing), cucumbers, and my signature onion + hot chili sauce. It worked, though next time I’ll find cornstarch instead of using baking powder for the breading.
Mr. B’s Cooking Wins: Egusi with pounded yam and Nigerian fried rice — both on the top meals list this month. Honestly, so thankful I married a man who can cook and gives me the occasional day off from the kitchen 🥰.
Patty Melts: We ended the month with these bad boys — burger meat, bacon, onions, American cheese, chili peppers (duh), smashed between fresh Nigerian bread, and homemade In-N-Out sauce. I was in burger heaven 🍔✨.
What I’m Reading
Building a StoryBrand 2.0: who knew social media was a science? Learning how to build something engaging and authentic — that doesn’t feel too “brand-y.” Oh, and make it under 30 seconds. 😅
Black Fortunes: I watched a tiktok last month & in summary was encouraging us not to stop learning post grad & how each quarter she focuses in on one topic & learns about it extensively & then rights a paper & tests her knowledge of the material after the “semester” & well i didn’t want to continue doom scrolling so i though i’d give it a try so this semester we’re learning about successful black families & or people & figuring out the process they took to reach success so i can too!
A Promised Land: need i say more! 1. i miss Obama being president 2. up until this book i didn’t really hear his side of his presidency its was always though the press, my parents, & very devout republicans (ick), so i’ve been loving his book & hearing the events though his lens has been really insightful & i’ve got some take aways on how his mind works. ugh i just love him 🫶🏾
not pictured but a physical read, Seizing the Moment- the Amazing Story of the Awori Family: also honorable mention is i’m still reading my grandfather’s book on my family history - had to add it to the list for this semester. I’ve read the book when it first came out in 2017 but after meeting so many of my family members for the first time during my wedding month- it gave me a whole new perspective i had to give it a second read!
Travel
I finally spent a day in Ibadan after only ever passing through. I checked out Bower’s Tower (built in 1936), which gives you a 360° view of the city at 60 ft high. It was cool, but the upkeep left me a little disappointed. Let’s just say… not really worth the money.
Place worth sharing
The Garden in Ikoyi — a green-space lounge with a live band that absolutely never misses. The band roams while performing (and yes, they want to be sprayed with money 😂). Amazing vibes, great drinks, and the perfect “island” spot.
That’s the August edit — little snapshots of what life here has looked like. From TV shows and new recipes to travels and books, it’s been a month of slowing down, learning, and making memories in Lagos.