This month flew by so quickly, but it brought wholesome summer days, exploring my city, and a lot of clarity, in-depth discussions, and meaningful conversations.

August was filled with lots of walks in Rock Creek Park. I always feel beyond blessed to have such a beautiful jungle in the heart of the city. There is another level of peace I find within myself when I walk there. It has also become a place where I find it incredibly soothing to spend my evenings and incorporate movement into my day.

As a lady in her late 20s, understanding yourself and why you do things the way you do is so crucial. I always thought I leaned more toward a Type A personality, but I have now realized that I am a bit of both Type A and Type C. This realization even led me to think more deeply about how I move through my decisions and navigate both my professional and personal life.

The beauty of journaling and reflection is that it allows you to slow down, observe, and process your day-to-day journey. I spent a significant amount of time this month asking myself questions about certain actions, reactions, and situations. Through reflecting and journaling, I realized that sometimes, it takes a lot more observation before you can truly understand how to approach or deal with a situation.

Asking yourself the big “why” is so important. Why did I react that way? Why does this situation affect me? Why do I keep approaching things this way? A reminder to always stay close to your inner self. Sometimes, the answers become clearer when you simply give yourself the space to listen.

Places Visited This Month

DC History Center

The DC History Center is the ultimate hidden gem for anyone who wants to discover the real, local Washington beyond the federal monuments and politicians. Located on the top floor of the historic Carnegie Library at Mount Vernon Square, this free-admission nonprofit has spent over 130 years preserving the unique stories, diverse cultures, and community struggles across all eight of DC’s local neighborhoods. I really enjoyed learning more about the city beyond what we typically associate with Washington, D.C. There is so much history and so many stories here that deserve to be explored.

Dolphin Cafe

Dolphin Cafe is a charming, independent coffee shop in downtown Washington, D.C., that blends modern espresso culture with traditional Turkish warmth. Located just blocks from the White House, they serve incredible signature specialties like the Baklava Latte and authentic Turkish coffee, with fresh Turkish delights and pastries.

This place had been on my list of places to visit for a while, and I’ve got to say, it did not disappoint. The baklava treat was delicious!

Red Apple Farmers Market

Now, don’t get me wrong, but I was a kid when I walked into this store. One thing about me is that I love culture. In every country I’ve had the opportunity to live, travel, or work in, I intentionally find myself picking up one or two things from the culture that I really love.

The international store I usually shop at doesn’t carry some of the branded items that Red Apple does. When I say I was a kid in there, I literally screamed when I saw some of these things.

• Baton de manioc — I always ate this when I lived in Cameroon.
• Vita Milk — I first had this in Nigeria, and every time I travel there, I bring some Vita Milk back with me. I am literally obsessed!
• Vimto — IYKYK. This drink? I can never get enough of it.
• Agege bread — Nigeria spoiled me with this because I have literally only had it in Lagos. Finding it at Red Apple was everything for me.
• Tartina chocolate spread — This was literally part of my childhood. I have loved it since I left Cameroon in 2012. Seeing it again brought such a huge smile to my face.
• Kenkeliba tea — I had Kenkeliba tea for the first time in Sikasso, Mali during a work trip. I loved learning more about this traditional West African tea and its potential benefits, including detoxification, blood pressure regulation, and metabolic and blood sugar support. It was definitely a memorable part of my trip!

There’s something so special about unexpectedly finding little pieces of your childhood while living far away from where those memories were made.

Family, Music & A Little Bit of Living

Moving into the latter part of the month, Mama came to D.C. for a quick trip, and it was so lovely to see her. She bought me a really lovely two-piece outfit, and I wore the top to Asake’s concert.

Now, let’s get into Mr. Money’s concert because I literally just wrote a piece about him in July, and seeing him bring his talent to the DMV was amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed this album, and you could tell how intentional he was about it. Man, I had the time of my life. I sang my voice off, screamed, danced, and overall just lived.

I wanted to relive that moment so badly because the concert felt way too short. You know when you’re having such a good time that you genuinely don’t want the night to end? That was me.

To August, thank you for the clarity, the warmth, the conversations, the little moments, and the memories.

You reminded me why I started writing in the first place!