Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl.

This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, Titi. This week's subjects: Sleigh the Season. Accra’s corporate Christmas fashion is all about balance, Surprises at a later age, Ghana not only grows cocoa in the north, but olives as well? Starch, carbohydrates, and Bella Afrik Italian restaurant

Sleigh the Season. Accra’s corporate Christmas fashion is all about balance: A little sparkle, a little tradition, a little professionalism, and a whole lot of personality. The key is to dress like the promotion you’re manifesting — but with enough festive energy to shout, “Sister, we’ve survived the year. Let’s shine small!”
Go forth and sleigh, corporate queen. This Christmas, the boardroom is your runway.
Glitter… But Make It “Office Holiday Meeting at 10am” We’re in the season of shine, but this is corporate Christmas — not a nightclub in Osu.
Acceptable sparkle levels include:
Shiny brooches

Metallic-thread blouses

Subtle sequin trims

Gold-button blazers
If your outfit jingles when you walk, it’s a sign you’ve gone too far. Step back. Reassess.
The Corporate Christmas Accessory Edit: Accessories? The real holiday spirit.
Pearl earrings (soft girl energy)

Gold hoops (controlled baddie vibes)

Structured handbags that say “I sign important documents”.

Festive nails in deep wine, cocoa, or emerald green.

And the crown jewel?
A flawless, harmattan-proof matte makeup look. Hydration is your co-pilot, darling.

Shoes That Sleigh (Pun Very Intended):
Harmattan dust is disrespectful — choose footwear accordingly.
Block heels

Square-toe pumps

Festive-but-corporate mules
Metallic low heels for Friday Christmas jams

And for the love of Detty December, moisturize those ankles.
Friday Is for Corporate Detty: Fridays in December? Say less.
This is when the fun corporate Christmas outfits step out:
Flowing satin co-ords.

Ankara suits with personality
Glimmering tops styled with tailored pants

Flared midi dresses that swish with every step

Meetings end early. The office party is loading. You’re already glowing.

Surprises at a later age. Here's a sad one. She met her future Ghanaian husband in Ukraine where he studied, they married, and now have 3 kids, oldest is working, middle one is in university, youngest is 12 years old. They moved to the UK where he got a job with one of the big accounting firms. They bought a house with a mortgage. She got the UK nationality. He moved to Nigeria for the accounting firm. But was home at any occasion like Xmas and summer holidays. Then, last week, boom, out of nowhere a letter from his lawyers that he is seeking a divorce in the Ghana courts. No reasons given. She doesn't have money to spare on lawyers or tickets to Ghana. The house has not been fully paid for and is probably in his name. She's 53.

Ghana not only grows cocoa in the north, but olives as well?. Friend of mine is French and grows olives in his garden. The quantity is small and to make oil out of it he has to have a minimum quantity or the local olive oil presses won't take it. So he is looking at pressing the olives himself and was wondering if the olive kernel should be taken out first. AI then is your friend with all the answers. Yes, the kernel has to be taken out, and olives are a favourite snack in Ghana. In case you didn't know. Careful, AI sometimes just makes up stories, like children can do. Don't believe what you don't understand.

Starch, carbohydrates. That's our staples, rice, fufu, yam, acheke, kokonte, banku, kenkey, akple, waakye, gari, gob3, and plantain. Unfortunately that's not the best, but your budget may direct you there. All these things are turned into sugar, and that's exactly what cancer needs to grow. Moreover, an overdose of sugar eventually leads to diabetes. Also your intestines have problems with that much carbohydrates, it disturbs a healthy balance. About half of your food should be carbos, not the 80 % and more we are doing. Less carbos and more veggies please, and beans are also very good, though you may have to introduce that slowly, some people create a lot of wind afterwards. Veggies expensive? Yes, some of them, but others not.

Bella Afrik Italian restaurant Presidential Drive, near the Jubilee House/Liberation Road, Afrikiko compound, Accra. This place is very popular and we went after a heavy rain, knowing that less people will be out and we'd probably find a place to park and a free table. It's a nice place, good to impress a guest. Service is good. Unfortunately the food is a different matter, maybe we should have ordered pizza, I'll test that next time. The spaghetti carbonara came with cream, whilst boiled-in egg yolk is supposed to give the spaghetti the lubrication it needs to flow. This is a very common cooking laziness, and typically that's what I order when I come to an Italian restaurant that I do not know. Cream in the spaghetti carbonara? Good bye. On top of that the bacon was burnt rather than soft fried with onions and garlic and then cooked in dry white wine, which gives it much of the flavour. And one does not use bacon but guanciale, spek from the pigs 's cheek, but that is difficult to get here so can be forgiven, but then the bacon should be from a young pig. My friend had a chicken alfredo, which again came with a lot of cream and half cooked mushrooms, and the chicken was dry. We also had beef carpaccio which was tasteless. No, popular place, but not for me. By the way, careful with the prices which are almost hidden on the menu, and make sure you bring money.

Lydia...

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