Month: November 2015

My Big Fat Nigerian Wedding: Five Favorite Moments

Published by Osemhen

On November 29th, I would’ve been married “traditionally” for one year. Looking back now, I realize I never blogged about the whole experience of planning a “typical” Nigerian wedding. So in honour of this anniversary, I want to share my five favorite moments from the event we dubbed “The Carnival”. The first time K saw me in all my regal Esan splendour/glory: Lol! Esan women love their coral beads. I’m not often vain but even I recognize that I must have looked a sight. I wore almost 8 lbs worth of coral jewelry. I felt like royalty, like an Edo warrior princess. I didn’t want to take off that outfit. It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments and I loved it. The entrance dance: I think I only vaguely appreciated the fact that it was my traditional wedding when I woke up that morning. I had a sense that I was a participant, and nothing more. I was dispelled of that notion the moment K and I danced in. There was this roar of appreciation and …

Friday is for Food: Easiest Lemon Pound Cake Ever

Published by Osemhen

So what are you doing this weekend? How about “bake a cake”? The first cake I ever baked was a coconut pound cake. It remains an all-time favorite in my family. This lemon pound cake comes a close second. It hits all the right notes. Citrusy, check. Melt in your mouth, check. Visually appealing, check. Amateur-proof, check.  That said, I made it a few weeks ago (adapted from a recipe on Martha Stewart) and this time I took pictures so I could share with you. I hope you try it. I’d really like to know how it turns out.       [recipe title=”Lemon Pound Cake” time=”1hr 15mins” difficulty=”easy”] Yield: 2 Loaves Serving Size: One slice (don’t be greedy 🙂 ) Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 3 cups all-purpose flour, leveled (sift before measuring) 3/4 cup milk Zest of two lemons, finely grated 1/3 cup lemon juice 1 1/2 cup sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 5 large eggs Directions    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place rack in middle position. Grease and …

A Grief Lived

Published by Osemhen

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” Winnie The Pooh. This is how it happened, Okha. November 12, 2014. I am chatting with Ozoz about a dessert table for the wedding. Discussing macarons, I think. And candy buffets. Then Daddy calls. And he calls me Osemhen. Not Ose. Osemhen. In a tone that makes me feel like I am about to be scolded. You know that tone. And he asks me where I am. And I am afraid. Because he already knows I am at work. I’m at work. I force cheer into my voice. We are both prevaricating. I have some bad news. I think I asked, what? And he says Okhafo is dead. I think I heard someone sob in the background. I stand from my chair. Suddenly the air in the office building isn’t enough and I need to get outside. I tried, Okha. I almost make it. But my legs crumple at the door. I cannot stand and I cannot push the door open. Our horror stares at …

Internet Shopping in Nigeria: The Good, Bad and Ugly

Published by Osemhen

So I’m very lazy when it comes to shopping. (The husband would disagree but it’s true. Lol.) I love shopping online. It’s so…precise. I want x, I google whether someone sells it online in Nigeria, I make it happen. Clothes, I’ll google. Beauty products, I’ll google. Food items, Google! Even if they don’t sell online, simply confirming that they have what I want is enough for me. So if their Facebook page has a contact number, I’ll call first before I make the journey to their shop. That said, a few weeks ago, I had a bad experience. I needed an outfit urgently for an event happening a week later in Lagos. I wasn’t in Lagos, and my usual tailor is the kind that simply cannot meet a deadline so tight. I needed someone to buy fabric of a particular hue and then sew it based on my measurements. I turned to the internet, specifically to Instagram. I have a few friends who make outfits often so I reached out to a vendor one of them …

"Blessed Are The Merciful": Practically Living the Works of Mercy

Published by Osemhen

Pope Francis is pretty much everyone’s favorite Pope at the moment. It’s not difficult to see why. No disrespect to Pope Benedict (Emeritus), but Pope Francis inspires us every day with his simplicity, his dislike for ceremony and his willingness to demonstrate God’s mercy and compassion to the poor and sinners. He takes it all back to the basics. Love. Mercy. Compassion. Forgiveness. Understanding. Like Jesus told us to do. Last week, I read his message for Next Year’s World Youth Day in Poland. It’s not very long, and it’s absolutely worth the read. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Mt 5:7) That’s the verse on which the WYD theme is based. There’s a fair bit of history and theology at the beginning of the message and then he gets to the really practical bit: how can we as young Christians live the virtue of mercy? James 2: 14 – 26 talks about the relationship between faith and works. Sometimes, I forget what works exactly I’m supposed to be doing. Every day, I …