12 Cocktails You Have To Try Before The Summer Ends
Temperature is the dominant factor when craving a thirst-quenching drink. The heat hits us hard with a lot of sweat-drenching and brow-wiping moments. But have no fear, you can still get your alcohol on without fear of sweating off your face beat, thanks to a few cooling summer-inspired concoctions. Below are a few summer drinks perfect for an instant cool down.
Peach and Bourbon Arnold Palmer
This classic refreshment gets a little twist with the addition of peach liqueur and bourbon. Find this recipe here.
Featured image by Getty Images
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
The Nara Smith Hate Has Everything To Do With You — Nothing To Do With Her
Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that TikTok would become such a big part of my life. I mean, I talked big shit, real big shit when it initially blew up. But I've come to love it! It's like Pinterest but in video format and somehow way better than YouTube (if you're ADHD) – a one-stop shop for inspiring everything from home decor to dinner recipes. And that's exactly what Nara Smith is! Foodie inspiration at its finest. Yet, she's caught so much backlash, and I can't figure out why.
Let the trolls tell it, and it has everything to do with her being Mormon. There's so much concern about her being part of a religion that, allegedly, dislikes Black people. Newsflash! Nara is a big girl who can make her own decisions. So, I find it weird that the internet cares more about a harmful community (while also causing harm via trolling) that would most certainly be most harmful to 22-year-old Nara, who interacts with the religion regularly.
@naraazizasmith he asked for it the next day again so this might become a staple 🫶🏽 #easyrecipes #homemade #pizza #bbqchicken #fypシ #marriage #homecooking
Particularly because she's only guilty of posting cooking videos – she doesn't speak on her religion. So, if it is Mormon propaganda, it's very subtle because a million and one women are cooking for TikTok, myself included. If a woman cooking for TikTok is the problem, why have we never had an issue with cooking shows with female leads? I watched a woman double fry White Castle burgers for her husband on TikTok, and no one batted an eyelash! Not one of these other cooking women is being harassed in the manner that Nara is.
And, because I don't think you all harass actual Christian influencers in this manner, I simply cannot believe that is what all the beef is about.
Furthermore, and to my knowledge, she has a modeling career. She has our own money. And, part of that money is the check that TikTok cuts for engagement. With that information, at best, we can assume Nara is an aesthetic but that aesthetic is not aligned with #tradwife life. Forget the aforementioned points -- the pregnant belly alone hanging out of crop tops makes the #tradwife “point” moot. (A quarter of trad wife life is the visual aesthetic–it’s cosplaying a 1950s white wife through and through – so be fucking for real.) It seems that there's been this narrative created simply because people do not like her.
@naraazizasmith do we like the time stamps?🫶🏽 #easyrecipes #whatieatinaday #fulldayofeating #pregnant #pregnancycravings #fypシ #homecooking
Let's call a spade a spade. What we're witnessing is racism, colorism, envy – crabs in a barrel bullshit.
Nara smith wasn’t broke or jobless when she met him, she definitely still isn’t broke and jobless now. She’s literally a runway model that still has modeling gigs, a social media career and a rich father. They think she’s a stay at home mum because she’s making food videos😭 https://t.co/ePOvTWWrTQ
— Sunrise⁸ 🎀🏴☠️ (@__sunriseii) March 14, 2024
Nara is married to Lucky Blue Smith, a fashion model who gained a lot of popularity in the early 2010s due to a massive social media presence, especially on Tumblr. Many are threatened by the idea that this Black woman is leading a life of leisure in the company of a white man, especially with some level of fame. This goes for white and Black women who dislike her. In a 2021 interview, FKA Twigs highlighted a sentiment amid the backlash she received from her time dating Robert Pattinson, that I imagine to be similar – the fantasy his fans had of seeing him with "someone white and blonde."
As for the hate from other Black women, there appears to be some cognitive dissonance. Black women who claim to want a soft life but have not achieved it for one reason or another. Because if you've tried to prepare anything that Nara cooks, it's not much more time-consuming than any other type of weekly meal prep.
"Why is this woman cooking in a gown? Why is she being extra making the bread from scratch?"
It's simply because she can. Because isn't that what feminism is about? The right to fucking choose!
@naraazizasmith drooling watching this😮💨 #baking #husbandwife #pregnancycravings #easyrecipes #coupletok #fypシ #homecooking #cookies
But, at the end of the day, there's a lot of groupthink around Nara. I think it's all misplaced, and ironically, I think it further proves how easily the general public can be converted into cult members. Perhaps, that explains their concerns with Mormon propoganda – understanding how vulnerable they view themselves (this is sarcasm).
Not once have I watched Nara's content and had a strong urge to convert to Mormonism. But, instead, I watch and feel inspired to make as much at home as possible based on my bandwidth. She makes it look easy, and as someone who has spent the past month indulging myself and my baby in fresh bread and cinnamon rolls, inspired by her content – it's satisfying to know I'm able to subsidize the preservative and cost of certain treats.
While making bread in beautiful gowns is not realistic, I do think if you let her inspire you, you can find that some of the other aspects of her lifestyle are within reach.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image via Nara Smith/ Instagram