Keepin It Cali: Dolls Kill

Dirty 30 Adventures: New York, Dreamville Fest & More...

So, they say your thirties are when shit really starts to make sense. Now I'm not saying we're having major epiphany moments, while I'm sure plenty do. But I'm talking about that "now I get it" moment, where the little light bulb pops up in your head about something that happened in the past. I've always been told I was too wise for my age, but I knew 30 would be a beast year. I knew I wanted to do more of what I loved, and continued to make due on the goals and dreams I've set for myself. The passing of Nipsey Hussle, really hit hard and truly pushed me to go harder. For years I've been adding my new favorite Nipsey song to my "Get Right" playlists. His words always found a way to remind me to I've been "grinding all my life" so why stop now. With him gone, it's a forever reminder that truly "The Marathon Continues".

Starting around sometime in November of last year, I decided I would surprise my aunt with a 2 week Eurotrip. She's always been talking about this "one way ticket to Paris", and so I got it... & one for me too. For months I researched places we could go, it wasn't until some time before my trip to Washington DC that I started purchasing Airbnbs. I waited to tell her about the trip until her birthday. Considering I was traveling to DC at that time, I decided I would print out the flight information and mail it to her with a little note. I strategically tried to mail it so it that it would get to her on her birthday, but she got it a day earlier.

I remember just landing in Baltimore, and driving my rental car to the Airbnb when I see my phone ring, "Auntie Nena". Figuring that she's checking in to see if I made it safely, I answer the phone. "Twanika" she says, I reply "Yes auntie", again she says my name but with a different tone this time. I replied again "Yes auntie" before I realized she must've gotten the letter; I replied "So we're going?!". Her little squeal was everything I needed and more.

I knew I wanted to travel around my birthday which is in April. I also knew that I still had a ticket to Dreamville fest, since it was reschedule last year due to the hurricane season. I already knew it would be a good birthday once I got the email saying it was rescheduled to my birthday weekend. I figured since I was already on that side, I might as well go visit my friends in New York. So for 3 days I ate my way around NY, and then spent the weekend in Raleigh, NC before I headed out for my Eurotrip.

*Note: I didn't get much footage on Dreamville, but my Instagram highlights always has the best "behind the scenes"footage. @Str8CaliStyle