A MAG is a Modern African Girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things which may interest a MAG.

This week's contributors: Lydia, Doré Fasolati, this week's subjects: Leather jackets are timeless, Monthly cramps, +233 Jazz Bar & Grill again, Shopping at Airports .

Leather jackets are timeless For More than 100 years a leather jacket has been an iconic symbol of strength, bravery, and general badass. The leather jacket was born in the early 1900s and originated in military. In 1917, the US Army Aviation Clothing Board created “flight jackets” for WWI pilots. Aviators and members of the military wore brown leather flight jackets.

By the 1950's the leather jacket was embraced by Hollywood, as the “greaser” subculture creating the iconic “bad-boy” image. A symbol of the time, the leather jacket was showcased in the movie Grease, which was set in the late 50's early 60's in California. They continue to be classic pieces of clothing and are in demand year after year. Ever wondered how to rock your leather jacket to that professional space! Well here are some ways to pair your jacket with your outfit for the office. Leather jackets are appropriate for a variety of activities, from casual excursions to corporate events. They are ideal for giving a formal dress a feeling of refinement or adding a dash of edginess to a casual look. 1. Look for a leather jacket that has a more tailored fit. ... 2. Does the leather jacket have hardware on it? ... 3. If you're going funkier on top, keep the rest of the outfit relatively simple. ...It all comes down to your style needs when choosing a perfect colour leather blazer to wear to the office. 4. A light tan or brown leather blazer will be easier on the eyes and won't come out as extreme as a blue or red blazer. Lighter colours tend to have a cooler effect, making them perfect for a business casual look.

Monthly cramps? You're not the only one. This cycle or flow thing or whatever you call it is a big bother for us. Some of us are very regular, reliable like a Swiss watch. For some that is 23 days, for some 29. Anything goes. For some, it is irregular and varies between 22 and 35 days. Some react to the environment. Something emotional happened and hop, a new flow after 2 weeks. (So it is wise to always carry a pad or tampon with you) For some it is the other way around, I know of someone who stopped for a whole 3 months because something was bothering her. Including pregnancy tests and scanning for blockages. Once the problem that was bothering her was solved she became regular again. And on top of all that, there are various degrees of discomfort. You can partly reduce these by being physically fit, regular exercises. There is quite some advice on the net. Some suggest avoiding certain foods. I know someone who swears by ginger and honey in hot water to reduce her cramps. “It calms me and reduces the pain”. Inform yourself, try things, and don’t just take it for granted. And there is an app called Flo Health. which claims it can get personalized health insights and daily stories based on your health goal, and cycle day, and can enhance your sex life. Useful to somehow predict.

+233 Jazz Bar & Grill again. I went back there recently to watch the Bessa Band and everything is again in order. The sound engineer acknowledged there had been some faulty equipment which meanwhile had been fixed, and the pork kebabs were available again, and juicy. The potato chips were crispy (or Bessa Simons, the originator of Belembe, would not perform there). But we stayed away from the pizza.

Shopping at Airports. Having checked in through immigration and security we are now ready to fly and in a good mood, and there is some money in our pockets. First of all, there are of course tax-free perfumes and other tax frees. Beware. Often they only sell the bigger packaging. You do well to decide beforehand on what you want to buy, our Accra Malls have several perfume shops where you can make up your mind and note down prices. Note the volumes and if they are Eau de Toilette or Eau de Parfum (about 1.5-2.5 times stronger, depending on the brand, there are no strict rules). And know that shop space at airports comes at a huge premium, so some of that will be recovered in the price offered, tax-free or not. And then there are the restaurants and bars. We sat at the Bubra Spot and had some drinks and snacks. Then asked for the bill. Now watch it. Most of us will ask for their bill when we are ready to go, in fact, are getting into a hurry to go. Luckily we were not in a hurry. Our waitress, Annabel Emmanuella Arthur mentioned the amount due. Which seemed a bit on the high side, even for an airport. We asked for our bill but Annabel mentioned that the machine was out of order. We insisted on our bill. She went away and came back that there was a bill all right but she could not give it to us because there was a mistake in it, she had entered a cheaper whisky, which in fact was to our advantage, insisting on the bill would increase the amount. We insisted a little louder on the bill. Which eventually came and was 243 GHS cheaper than what Annabel had initially mentioned. Airports. These things are common at airports. And I also have many reports of debit card fraud at airports. So make very sure they can't copy the details, or better still pay cash. Looks like staff think they will never see you again anyway, and would a foreigner report to the police?

Lydia...

do not forget to hit the subscribe button and confirm in your email inbox to get notified about our post.

I have received requests about leaving comments/replies. For security and privacy reasons my blog is not associated with the major media giants like Facebook or Twitter. I am talking with the host about a solution, for the time being, you can mail me on wunimi@proton.me

I accept invitations and payments to write about certain products or events, things, people, but I may refuse to accept and if my comments are negative then that's what I will publish, despite your payment. This is not a political newsletter. I do not discriminate on any basis whatsoever.