Introducing The Hair City

Yay it’s official!!! If you’re one of those women or girls desirous of achieving healthy and longer hair(whether its’ relaxed or natural), it’s our pleasure to introduce ‘The Hair City‘ to you. Hair City offers you the platform to place orders for all your hair needs. Basically, we’re here to provide products you don’t get to see or buy regularly within our shores. For  women who’re currently on their hair journeys, we will be providing answers to some of the deep rooted fears you have had over the years about African hair. Our products are available and guaranteed to deliver results. Remember growing your hair to the desired length takes time, patience and effort.

If you’d like to see what we have currently in stock, click here

We deliver via EMS Speedpost and for residents within Lagos, it takes a single day for delivery while inter-state takes 2-3 working days. Alternatively, you can call us on 07026364892 for further questions and clarifications about your hair matters.

Today I’ll be addressing questions some readers have sent.

Q: Does hair only grow when you’re asleep? That’s pure myth playing out here. The answer is ‘No’. What your hair requires to grow is moisture and only moisture alone. Moisture happens when you deep condition, apply leave-in. Often times, I use green tea as a leave-in while using grape seed oil to lock in the moisture. Green tea is effective in stimulating your hair follicles and it promotes hair growth & shine while preventing split ends.

Q: Can castor oil be used for receding hairline in relaxed African hair? Yes it can.

Q: How to use Jamaican black castor oil on receding hairline? Dab a bit of castor oil on the affected area and massage your scalp three times weekly.

Q: How long does it take to see a difference using Jamaican black castor oil on receding hairline?
Within 3 months, you’ll see changes. Please be consistent and patient while using castor oil.
I’ve been using it & seen remarkable changes.

Q: Where can I purchase Jamaican black castor oil in Lagos? Send a mail to todaysnaira@hotmail.com to place your order.

Q: I’m in Ghana. Where can I purchase Mane N’ Tail products? Send a mail to todaysnaira@hotmail.com to place your order.

Q: Where can I purchase Elasta QP Olive & Mango moisturizing butter? Send a mail to todaysnaira@hotmail.com to place your order.

Bookati Book Review

Ever wished your boss would drop dead?

 

Of course not. Well, not really. And neither had Rachel Benjamin—until she finds herself working for Wall Street terror Glenn Gallagher on his latest pet project. Rachel thinks the deal—and Glenn—are more than a little shady, but she has a promotion at stake. It’s either keep her lips sealed or kiss her partnership goodbye. Or kill Glenn. (Just kidding!)

 

At least she has Peter. Rachel’s too-good-to-be-true fiancé has moved in, and while his stuff is everywhere and he’s strangely jealous of her friendly new coworker, she’s confident they’ll figure things out. It would help if Glenn’s killer schedule didn’t have Rachel working around the clock. Really, the man must be stopped.

 

Rachel’s jokes about killing her boss don’t seem so funny when Glenn is murdered. And it’s even less laughable when she becomes the prime suspect. With the police hot on her very stylish heels, and the threat of an unflattering orange jumpsuit in her future, Rachel’s learning the hard way to be careful what you wish for. She needs to catch the true killer quickly, before the killer catches her.The Key

 

I was having my favorite type of dream, a flying dream, when the phone rang.

 

I opened one eye, testing to see if this was part of the dream. But in my dream the skies were blue and lit by golden sunlight. In my bedroom, it was dark, and freezing, since my new roommate liked to sleep with the windows wide open, even in March and even in Manhattan. And the phone was still ringing.

 

Peter mumbled something unintelligible and pulled the duvet over his head. I thought about doing the same, but surely nobody would call in the middle of the night unless it was important. I reached out for the phone.

 

“lo?”

 

“Rachel. Glenn Gallagher here.”

 

This had to be a joke.”What time is it?”

 

“Almost six. Listen, I need you in the office. We don’t have much time to get ready.”

 

“Ready for what?”

 

“I’ll tell you when you get in. See you in an hour.”

 

“But it’s Satur—” I began to say before I realized I was talking to a dial tone.

 

I was still half-asleep, so my reaction was somewhat delayed. It was nearly five seconds before I’d collected myself sufficiently to say the only appropriate thing that could be said in such a situation.

 

“You asshole!”

 

Peter gasped and shot into a sitting position. I’d spoken more loudly than I’d intended. “And a good morning to you, too.” Even in the dark, I could make out the silhouette of his sandy hair.

 

“You look like Alfalfa.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“From The Little Rascals. You know, the one with the piece of hair that stuck straight up. He sang.”

 

“I’m in the Mood for Love.”

 

“Uh-huh. He had a crush on Darla.”

 

“And that makes me an asshole? Get this hilarious novel for N1,000 at Bookati

Books, Books and more Books

My favorite pastime is reading books. Nothing too serious though, only historical, chic lit and contemporary romance. When I was living in Ibadan, you could always find me at Booksellers in Jericho, buying stacks of novels. I also made an habit of buying books during vacations overseas. I believe it improves your diction and it’s like taking a holiday as well when you can immerse yourself in a different world.

Overtime I lent friends and family these books and never got them back. It usually gets lost and that’s money down the drain. Anyway once I moved back to Lagos, it was a bit hard getting the kind of books I loved. So I resorted to searching for novels to download online via 4shared and other sites that allowed anyone to download free books. Fast forward 2 years later and these options are limited now due to copyright issues involved.

So I was happy when a friend introduced me (Lagos, brace yourself for this) to Nigeria‘s foremost digital bookstores known as ‘BOOKATI‘ . The owners of this bookstore offer a wide range of contemporary and historical romance for lovers of this genre. The beauty of the service offered is the ease at which you can purchase a book as a digital download instead of the physical thing. So what did I order for? I placed an order for the following novels displayed below. I paid N500 ($3.13) for each book and my purchase was sent to my email box as a PDF file which I downloaded immediately and commenced reading. Were the books worth it? Oh definitely.

Would I recommend their services to a friend? Yes and yes I would. On their facebook page, old novels are sold at the rate of N500 ($3.13) while current release go for N1,000 ($6.25). For lovers of audio books, there’s a flat rate of N2,000 ($12.50) charged.

Readers can provide a review of their favorite books and authors. Well what are you waiting for. Visit BOOKATI today to renew your love for books. The innovative thing about this is they are not restricted to a location or place. So whether you’re in Ghana, South Africa, Angola, Kenya or any part of Africa, you can place your orders at once. I’m stacking up on my Christmas reading list already.

Merry Christmas peeps!!!

The Emerging Face of Ghanian Films

It’s no longer news that DSTV has upgraded the content and added new channels to cater for lovers of African cinema. What’s not news however is the quality of the films that are being curned out within the continent.

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity of watching the following films; Bursting Out (An Emem Isong Production) and A Sting of A Tale and Perfect Picture (A Shirley Frimpong Manso production).

I know most people are of the opinion that Gene is an outstanding actress but everytime i’ve watched her films, i’ve always gotten the impression that she’s emotionally detached from her roles. To me she always puts up a cold front and I’m yet to see the script or watch a film that will bring out the warmth in her cos she’s got a lots of fire but hasn’t got the right platform to showcase it. In ‘Ije’ I saw a little bit but I still want more from her. Maybe her role as ‘Ms Adebayo’ in Chimamanda’s ‘Half of A Yellow Sun’ will showcase her warmer depths.

For the movies, ‘Perfect Picture’ and ‘A Sting of A Tale’, they were outstanding films. The dialogue was witty and short and the actors also made perfect use of their body language and facial expressions to carry the audience along. So we didn’t have to really on comical relief that does not tie in with the film (which was what I saw on ‘Bursting Out’ which had a lot of corny dialogues and scenes the producer could have done without).  The scenery and sound production was of utmost quality and I felt I was watching a ‘Tunde Kelani’ or ‘Kunle Afolayan’ film. Shirley Frimpong has done exquisite work with these films. For anyone who’s yet to watch these two films, do make it a date to see them whenever you can.

Blog your Backyard & Win

Hey travel bloggers! Yes, you with the laptop and the half-packed suitcase. We’ve just launched a new campaign to feature you, our travel writing community… and your local knowledge. We invite you to take part in our Blog your Backyard program and share your expertise on your country or a country that you had spent a lot of time in and know well. Many times we are so focused on travel and writing about new destinations and adventures that we don’t step back and share our local knowledge for travelers planning to visit our home (or adopted) cities and countries.

For the next few weeks we will be posing a new prompt every week for you to write a blog post about. All you have to do is sign up to become a World Nomads member and start your free travel blog with us and submit your posts for each weekly deadline. Or, if you are already an avid World Nomads travel blogger, simply submit your story each week in your existing Journal. This campaign is open to anyone with a passion for travel who wants to share their expertise. While we do take your writing seriously, this is not a serious writing competition. We don’t care if you’ve written every guidebook on the shelf or if you’ve only ever recorded your travels on a series of well preserved napkins.

We just encourage you, as world nomads, to share your knowledge with other travellers. Entertain us, tell us your insider tips and make us want to hop a plane to your home country. Prompts Each week we will be calling for your submission to a new topic.

Here are the topics and the dates:

• Week of August 8: Do’s and Don’t’s in my Country (e.g. Do’s and Don’ts in Italy)
• Week of August 15: The Best and Worst of my Country (e.g. Best and Worst of Australia, Best and Worst of the USA)
• Week of August 22: In my Backyard – 5 Must Do Things in my City (e.g. 5 Things you Must Do in Auckland, New Zealand, 5 Things you Must do in Toronto, Canada)
• Week of August 29: What it means to be ________ (Nationality)
• Week of September 5: Best Ways to Work, Stay and Play in my Country (e.g. Best Ways to Work, Stay and Play in France)
• September 9: Entries close
• September 14: Winners announced

How to ensure your article is considered for judging Each post you want to submit to the competition needs to include the following: a relevant photo (can be your own or from Flickr Creative Commons) the hashtag #BlogYourBackyard (in the tags section of your article) a title that follows the format above with the country included (for example: Do’s and Don’ts in Norway).

Note: You can complete the prompts anytime during the campaign, you are not limited to a specific week to complete each prompt. However, all of your entries must be completed by the campaign end date. What’s in it for you? Well besides some good travel karma, a little notoriety and some warm and fuzzy social love, wait…you wanted more? Well, of course. The top 20 submissions, as chosen by our internal panel of judges at WorldNomads.com, will receive a AUD$50 voucher from Urban Adventures towards an adventure of your choice, whether it is in your backyard or on the road.

You only need to submit one post to enter, but the more posts you submit, the better chance you have at winning an adventure and being published in our Connect Locally eBook. For the winners of the Urban Adventures experiences, all that we ask is one final blog post sharing your excursion with Urban Adventures with our community! We are looking for quality, engaging and informative content that we can publish and share with our community through a downloadable ‘Connect Locally’ eBook on our site. We want this to become a local guide for travelers with real insight and tips from locals and other travelers.

Are you a professional travel blogger with your own site? Great! We do allow that you post your Blog your Backyard articles on your own site, but you must also post them to a Journal on WorldNomads.com (as outlined here) in order to enter to win. You must also attach the following promotional boilerplate to the bottom of the post: The ‘Blog your Backyard’ Project Share your local expertise and join the Blog your Backyard project! Become an ambassador for your country (home or adopted) by sharing your experiences and tips with other travelers. Submit your entries starting August 8th on WorldNomads.com for a chance to win one of 20 awesome excursions with Urban Adventures.

Plus, if you want to share more of your local expertise or get answers to all of your travel questions, download the FREE ‘Ask A Nomad’ iPad app. Judging Criteria We’re going back to basics with these ones:

1.) You made us want to visit your home country, and if we did you would definitely be our local guide.

2.) Your tips were useful and informative (who needs a guidebook now?!).

3.) We were able to gain a sense of your personality through your writing.

All decisions made by the judging panel at WorldNomads.com are final. Get Writing! Already a World Nomads member? Log in to your account. New to World Nomads? Sign up for your free travel blog. Want to check out the articles that have already been submitted? Click here!

Chic Republic

I was invited to a brunch by a group of friends around 2p.m yesterday. On getting there, I observed how most women (mine being the exception) invited, wore suits for an informal affair. I’m of the firm opinion that every woman needs a couple of dresses in their wardrobes or closets whichever applies. Its’ also mind boggling the amount of money ladies spend on these suits. It could serve as my wardrobe budget for two years.

Today I’m introducing “Chic Republic” which aims to address this niche for women across Africa who love dresses and are desirous of unique pieces. Chic Republic is located within the heart of Lagos and accepts orders from women within Africa. I really loved the pieces I saw this morning.

You can place your order by clicking on the following link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/CHIC-Republic/222613891114354

First 25 customers to place an order receive a 5% discount off their purchase. Do note that delivery takes 10 – 15 days only.

Ciao and have a fun filled weekend.

Note: This is a sponsored post

Paper Dress For Your Tush

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ATTENTION: FASHION AND LIFESTYLE EDITORS

Editor’s Note: Photos and behind-the-scenes video are available at: http://www.toletta.com/paperdress

TOLETTA launches the world’s first couture paper dress made from disposable toilet seat covers.

MARCH 23, 2011 – EDMONTON, ALBERTA. Who says the fashion industry is in the pooper? Today, fashion designer Laura Dreger showcased her talents by making the world’s first couture paper dress from disposable toilet seat covers. Tissues courtesy of TOLETTA – Ottawa manufacturer of luxury paper toilet seat covers.

TOLETTA was recently featured on The Doctors TV Show and in Marie Claire Magazine.

The Doctors TV Show: http://bit.ly/hC55sF
Marie Claire Magazine: http://bit.ly/dxMz7x

“The dress took me over 100 hours to make and required more than 520 seat covers. When the idea was presented to me I said yes because I knew it would be fun and unique. Besides, it’s not every day that I get to be the first in the world to make a paper dress from disposable toilet seat covers.” Said Dreger.

Lindsay Goff, the campaign’s model, is a up and coming fashion model who is competing for Miss Canada 2011 and the face of Lady Venom Cosmetics. Gina Cicero, makeup artist and owner of Lady Venom Cosmetics, handled the art direction, make-up and styling. Amanda Diaz was the photographer, Brad Palomo handled the video production and Kristen Ernst did the hair.

“There’s nothing sexy about public toilets. But when you mix high fashion with a product like this amazing things can happen. As a professional make-up artist, I often work on a set and the only toilet around is usually a nasty public toilet. I carry tolettas in my Louis Vuitton Artsy bag because you never know what’s on that toilet seat. These cute little travel packs are a “must-have” purse accessory.” Said Cicero.

TOLETTA is a niche product that markets to women ages 20-45 who care about their personal hygiene in public bathrooms. A percentage of the proceeds go to Breast Cancer Research (pink packs) and Child Poverty Awareness (blue packs). Tissues are made from large sheets of 3ply toilet paper which are 20% larger and 42% thicker than other brands plus they’re flushable and biodegradable. Each pack contains 5 toilet seat covers and retails for $2.49 – $3.49 USD.

“Since our company’s launch in 2009, we have already sold more than 40,000 packs and have distribution throughout North America, Europe and Africa. We can now focus on selling into large retail chain stores thanks to our new exclusive distributor for North America – Perma Brands.” Said Caine Ruckstuhl, co-owner TOLETTA.

TOLETTA is available at http://www.toletta.com and can also be purchased from a growing number of retailers across Canada and USA including Amazon.com, Ricky’s NYC and AVEYOU Beauty Boutique. You can also find tolettas in select retailers throughout United Kingdom, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Nigeria, South Africa and Australia.

ABOUT TOLETTA
TOLETTA is the world’s first premium brand of purse sized travel packs of paper toilet seat covers. Tissues are flushable, biodegradable and made from large sheets of 3ply toilet paper. Each seat cover is 20% larger and 42% thicker than other brands. A percentage of the proceeds is donated to social causes (pink for breast cancer and blue for child poverty). TOLETTA is available in 10 countries. For more information visit: http://www.toletta.com

ABOUT PERMA BRANDS
Perma Brands Corporation is a leading developer and distributor of personal care, beauty, bath and gift items in North America. Providing a full range of services, Perma Brands works with retailers to source, supply, distribute and merchandise high quality products. Perma Brands wholesales to retail chains, beauty supply outlets and premium independent retailers. Other products distributed by Perma Brands include: Bentley Organics, Bella Brushes, Kent Brushes and Bronnley Soaps. For more information visit: http://www.permabrands.com

Interviews: Laura Dreger, Gina Cicero, Lindsay Goff, Amanda Diaz and Caine Ruckstuhl are available for interviews upon request. Please contact: caine@toletta.com

Editor’s Note: Photos and behind-the-scenes video are available at: http://www.toletta.com/paperdress

 

Travel Writing Scholarship in Istanbul(2011)

Do you want to be a published travel writer?

Go on assignment to Istanbul with Rough Guides!

Kick start your travel writing career by going on assignment to Istanbul, Turkey. After touching base with your travel writing mentor, you will hit the road for 7 days reviewing and writing for The Rough Guide to Istanbul for your chance to get published. You will also have the chance to satisfy your adventure cravings on a 12 day Turkish Delight tour, biking, hiking and kayaking your way through Turkey with BikeHike Adventures.

Your assignment brief

* We’ll fly you to Istanbul from your country of residence. You need to be available between June 7th – 28th, 2011 to participate on the assignment

* After spending two days learning the ropes with mentor Terry Richardson, you will research, review and update essential travel info for ‘The Rough Guide to Istanbul’, including accommodation, bars & restaurants, entertainment, shopping, tours, activities and transport, as well as searching out those local secrets that travellers want to read about.

* Your mentor will be at hand to offer guidance, but essentially this is your assignment; you will travel on your own for this part of the journey so you must be comfortable travelling solo. Terry will assign you a specific area based on your travel experience.

* Your work will feature in the new edition of ‘The Rough Guide to Istanbul’, placing your foot firmly in the door of the elusive travel writing industry!

Mentor, Terry Richardson

Find out more about what you can expect from your Rough Guides mentorship.

Read an interview with Terry Richardson about life as a travel writer.

---

Important Dates – 2011

March 28 Competition closes (2.00pm, Australian Eastern Daylight Time)

April 28 Winner announced
June 7 Winner Arrive Istanbul

June 8-19 Turkish Delight Tour with BikeHike Adventures

June 20-21 Meet your mentor Terry Richardson, shadow for 2 days

June 22-25 Solo assignment

June 26-27 Meet with Terry to review work etc.

June 28 Depart

Aug 15 Rough Guides content deadline

Turkish Delight tour with BikeHike Adventures

Before you meet your mentor, enjoy immersing yourself in the Turkish culture, get your travel writing skills up to speed and satisfy your adventure cravings! BikeHike Adventureswill provide you with the ultimate buffet of multi-sports activities with a 12 day itinerary on their Turkish Delight tour highlighting most of Turkey’s trusted gems. The trip includes exploring the fairytale landscape of Cappadocia by mountain bike, foot and horseback, strolling through Istanbul visiting the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia, the Grand Bazaar and Palace and sea kayaking on the Mediterranean past ancient ruins.

_{Photos courtesy of BikeHike Adventures}

Assignment location

^{Photos courtesy of Rough Guides}

Turkey is a vast country – France would fit within its boundaries with plenty of room to spare – incorporating characteristics of Middle Eastern and Aegean, as well as Balkan and trans-Caucasian, countries. Mosques coexist with Orthodox churches; Roman theatres and temples crumble alongside ancient Hittite cities; and dervish ceremonies or gypsy festivals are as much a part of the social landscape as classical music concerts or delirious sports fans. The one constant in all this – and one of the things that makes Turkey such a rewarding place to travel – is the Turkish people, whose reputation for friendliness and hospitality is richly deserved.

^{Text and photos courtesy of Rough Guides}

Who can apply

* The scholarship is open to students, emerging and non-professional writers and lovers of travel looking for a career change.

* You must have a high degree of proficiency in written English.

* The opportunity is designed to give you a taste of what it’s like to be a travel writer on the road, so you must be comfortable doing some travel on your own.

* Minimum age 18 with a current passport and you must be available as per the dates set out. Please note these dates are not changeable in anyway, you must be available for the entire assignment.

* You should be an exceptional writer with a lust for adventure travel and a burning desire to be a travel writer!

What constitutes a professional travel writer?

Essentially this is a ‘learning opportunity’ for someone who is looking for an introduction into the travel writing industry and importantly to be mentored.

As a guide, for the purposes of the opportunity, we would consider you to be professional travel writer if you have been published regularly in newspapers, travel magazines or travel journals. We would also consider you to be a professional travel writer if you derive more than 25% of your income from travel writing.

If you have had a few stories published, or keep a regular travel blog etc then we would not consider this professional.

We would also like to further clarify that a professional writer of any sort (travel writer or otherwise) is not eligible to apply if they derive more than 25% of their income from writing.

Please consider the spirit of the program which is intended to help those with a burning desire to be a travel writer and need some help getting started.

Apply now

If you want it, you’ve got to show it. To apply you need to:

1. Write. Craft a 500 word (or less) travel focused essay based on a personal experience around one of the following themes;

a. ‘Responsible Travel’

b. ‘Journey in an Unknown Culture’

c. ‘My Big Adventure’

It’s up to you to convince our judging panel through your writing that you have the spirit of adventure and passion for travel writing to be chosen for this scholarship. We will be looking for:

- great descriptive ability
- strong eye for detail
- ability to uncover and tell a compelling story
- excellent spelling and grammar and a knack for avoiding clichés

Check out our video blog with Rough Guide editor Clare Currie for some writing tips.

2. Complete an entry form which includes contact details and a maximum 200 word essay on why you should be chosen and what the opportunity will mean for you. Your answer will provide considerable weight in the judging process.

3. One entry per person.

4. The entry must be submitted in English.

Applications close March 28, 2011 at 2pm.(Australian Eastern Daylight Time)

The recipient of the Scholarship, along with the best entries will be published on the WorldNomads.com website on April 28th, 2011.

Read the winning and best entries from our 2010 Travel Writing Scholarship

Got a question? Check out the FAQ video blog.

2011 Expectations

Wow it’s 2011 and at Today’s Naira, we’re thankful that we made it into the new year. We also thank our readers who made 2010 a fantastic year for us. In 2011, we’re mapping out new ways of keeping you informed and aware about important decisions you will need to take during the year. We need to re-educate our minds on the importance of imbibing financial frugality, investing wisely and saving for the rainy days.

So, what are your new year resolutions? Are they different from last year? I have put an hold on resolutions. Rather I always write down my goals and objectives for the year in the recess of my mind. That way, I tend to achieve my goals more quickly. Last years’ goals were all achieved short of all and I hope to nil this one in 2011.

For 2011 these are our plans for our readers:

• We intend to highlight on a monthly basis, entrepreneurs in different fields with special emphasis on SMEs (small scale & medium enterprises). If you are a business owner and would like us to showcase your ideas and business on this page, do get in touch with us.
• We’re also searching for individuals who’d like to intern with us by writing an article on various informative fields. Think you’re the one, give us a buzz.
• You have a great product and would want to get the word out via ‘product reviews’, then you should be talking to us.
• Above all in 2011, we’re getting back into financial shape and all the resources you require will be provided on this page.

Adios and we’re out.

Dust your butts and get cracking

The difference between successful people and unsuccessful is the opportunity to obtain information at the right time. If you are an African woman desirous of owning and running a successful business, this is the time to do it now. Enter for the 2010 Business plan competition organised by BiD Network and realise your dreams.

Last month, I applied for  the ‘Getting African Businesses Online’  initiative organised by Google Nigeria in conjunction with other organisations and my application was successful. My business model was selected amongst 199 successful applicants. So, wish me luck as we commence the second phase of this initiative.