Goat Meat Peppersoup

Balogun Market version 2.0

I happened to read sisi yemmie’s post (link) on my way to Balogun to do some shopping and I thought this too much of a coincidence not to do a kind of follow up on the fabulousness of Balogun market.

If you know what you are looking for and you know where to find what you are looking for, Balogun market is much more than a market its a huge shopping centre.

I had to meet up with a couple of friends and I decided to try shopping with them but somehow it just wasn't working. I always try to cram as much as possible into one shopping trip. In-fact I think I made it home with just N200 in my purse. I tag that as a successful shopping trip and I still have my eyes on some other goodies which I’ll probably go back to get in January with my sister.

I couldn't stop around to take pictures like sisi yemmie.. Very beautiful pictures. 

Here are some of the things I got

A pair of shoes for myself and my daughter

Gardening tools: I've actually started using them

Toys for the kids (The toy section is just after the baby things section) There are like three to five big toy shops there and loads of little little shops I try to stick to the big shops. There is even a shop that stocks just inflatable toys.

No pictures of the toys as they are currently under witness protection

My son wants a skateboard, I'm still on the lookout for that

Some key shopping tips to help you discover Balogun:

• Start early as it can get really rowdy and busy.
• If you are not too familiar with the different shopping streets, Do take someone along that can help you the first couple of times. Bobo has actually taken me to get glasses before.
• Take your time and have a list.
• Always bargain, In fact you can actually walk away and then make a u-turn when you make a decision.
• Try to dress comfortably.
• Avoid Christmas week or any other major holiday week.
• And yeah … you have to perfect the-shopping-in-eko-bag-protection-hold… (ask around about this)
• And my personal tip: before going to shop, I go online to get a feel of things I'm interested in. I check sites like payless.com for shoes and walmart.com for toys. Sometimes I get lucky and get exactly what I want other times I bend a little.

Another shopping haven,The National Stadium at Surulere for sporting goods. I will definitely do a post on this sometime later.

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Sister Me Sister Mine

Wow.... Can't believe its been since March since I last blogged. Seriously ashamed of myself. And the year is almost over .... Wow.
This year has been a whirlwind for me but in a good way and I'm so so thankful and feel extremely blessed all around.
Christmas is my best time of the year. I get all giddy with excitement its almost embarrassing. I play Christmas songs and cook and just have a blast. This year is extremely special since I'm on vacation. Yup. I'm on vacation from the first week of December up until the first week of January. The leave is so long I'm even embarrassed. My annual leave actually ends on the 20th of Dec, and by a stroke of luck my company closes the week after that to resume in January.
This is the first week and I've been jogging a lot and cooking up a storm from chicken pepper soup to pepper goat meat and Efo riro. I will try to post pics and recipes along  the way.
I hope to finally start my mini garden... yay!! and Temi starts swimming lessons as soon as school closes.
I am yet to put up the tree. I still haven't decided if we do it together or I do it up over night as a surprise for the kids. I think we should do it together. Crafty Diva that I am, This year I'm going to stay clear away from the paper crafts for one simple reason .... They never last so what's the point. I will do more of lights and I'm going to Eko tomorrow to do some looksee. My sister has warned me that its a kaleidoscope of colors, sounds (noise) and just stuff. I can't wait to see what I find.

The last time my sister was on leave after her CFA exams I did a list of things to do after CFA write-up for her. It was cute. Now I'm on leave she decided to retaliate and it has just been so much fun just reading it.
If you have been blessed to know my sister you probably know she is very very tres tres organised she didn't just make a list she put it on PDF with pictures and directions and just stuff that only my sister would put. Like go pick up your French exams results and Do a budget .... Mine had stuff like go out, have drinks with friends, fun fun fun ... Ever wondered why my sister and i are so close.. because of stuff like this. Its always nice to know that you have somebody that has your back every single time even when you don't agree about stuff. We are similar and yet so so different. I guess that's why I'm her best friend ... Not the other way around oh!! I have loads of besties ... naming will only put me in trouble .. But for Senami I'm her Best Friend .... and she's My Sister