A hidden Gem in Lekki- Harvest Restaurant Review

Hi guys👋🏾 If you’re reading this, welcome back to my blog. I remember when I said I wanted to be a doctor but oh well I’m here saying welcome back to my blog…lol.

I got a voucher courtesy “Enjoy Lagos” and “Lost in Lagos” to visit any participating Visa restaurant, I had no choice than to ask my friend Debbie to assist me in picking a restaurant that would wow us. It took us 2 days but eventually we settled for a restaurant called “HARVEST”.

HARVEST LAGOS

Harvest is located at Block 26, Plot 10 Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1 although it was a bit difficult locating but if you have their logo stored in your head then you wouldn’t miss your point of turning.

It wasn’t hard getting to harvest with Debbie because she had been there a couple of times.

We got in and a waiter attended to us. They brought out the Visa Restaurant Week (VRW )menu and we chose our option for the three course meal we wanted.

We both ordered the same dish which was;

Starters- Spicy Chicken Wings

Main course-Chicken escalope covered in mozzarella cheese served with spaghetti in a simple tomato salsa

Dessert- Ice cream and Chocolate drizzle.

The spicy chicken wings tasted great and I’ll definitely be having it when next I’m back at the harvest.

The tomato salsa was a no for Debbie and I , it tasted like just like boiled tomatoes with no spice in it. The Chicken escalope on the other hand was nice although I didn’t eat the cheese which was covered with it. I’m not a fan.

The Ice cream and chocolate drizzle was everything.

We also had Virgin pinacolada, if you ever visit harvest please try this drink and thank me later.

DAMAGE

3 COURSE MEAL- 7000 each

VIRGIN PINACOLADA- 2000

SOFT DRINK- 500

No vat or tax required.

Serene and environment – Very nice.

Customer Service- Top notch and efficient

Parking Space- Very massive, it should contain more than 20 cars at once

I’ll give Harvest an 8/10.

Besides, Hubmart is doing a black friday on selected items but what caught my eyes the most was the 200 naira for Jollof rice and Chicken. Thank me tomorrow as you visit their stores in either Ikeja, Lekki or Victoria Island. Just google their locations. Thank you.

*Have you ever been to Harvest?
*What was your experience like?
*What do you plan to eat there when you visit?

*Tell me where you want me to visit next or where you think I would be visiting next.

Also remember to follow me on IG- explorewithdera

Xoxo,

Dera💁🏽‍

November 22, 2018 24

#RESTAURANTREVIEW-A day at Blackbell

Hi guys👋🏾 I’m back again. If you’re reading this, welcome back to my blog. I have been MIA for a lot of reasons which I feel shouldn’t be stated.

My friends and I sometimes plan eat outs, on this day, I was asked to choose a preferred place and BLACKBELL was it for me. This was going to be my second time going there.

BLACKBELL

Blackbell located at 60a, Adeola Odeku street, Victoria Island also has a place at lekki but we visited the one at Victoria Island.

I had been here before with Lucy, but I didn’t really take note of the very beautiful space they had but this day, I had the opportunity of touring round.

They didn’t want pictures but when I made them understand I was going to do a review of their restaurant, the manager smiled and gave a go ahead.

They have two sections: the downstairs (which was more of a posh “The place“) and the upstairs area (which was a lounge section where drinks and foods were also sold but at an expensive rate). For example, a bottle of water was sold for 200 naira downstairs but upstairs was sold for 300 naira.

We ordered food downstairs and was allowed to take it upstairs if we wanted to eat there.

Emilia and I had Coconut Rice and Special Rice with Titus fish while Mercy had the Plantain porridge which tasted so nice.

img_6728-1 — COCONUT RICE/SPECIAL FRIED RICE AND TITUS FISH

The coconut rice wasn’t all that because I felt it could have been better. In comparison to ours, Mercy’s food was the best.

After we damaged the food, we ordered milkshakes which I didn’t like.

Generally, their service was average in terms of price and taste.

One thing I love about their space was their interior design and the fact that they had nice picturesque places to take for the gram.

I’ll give Blackbell a 6/10.

DAMAGE AT BLACKBELL

TITUS FISH- 1000

COCONUT RICE- 700 (half portions can be sold)

SPECIAL FRIED RICE- 800 (half portions can be sold)

PLANTAIN PORRIDGE – 800

GIZZARD – 800

BOTTLE WATER – 200

MILKSHAKE- 1500

Parking Space – Not more than 6 cars can be parked outside.

*Have you ever been to Blackbell whether in VI or Lekki?
*What was your experience like?
*What do you plan to eat there when you visit?

*Tell me where you want me to visit next or where you think I would be visiting next.

Also remember to follow me on IG- explorewithdera

Xoxo,

Dera💁🏽‍

November 5, 2018 21

#TravelNigeria -The Amazing Waterfalls of Erin Ijesha

If you’re reading this, Welcome to my blog!✌🏽I apologize that I have been away for a while due to a lot of reasons. Very soon I’ll be doing a post about myself so at least you guys can get to know me. It’s still very strange to me that I decided to start blogging, so when people see me sometimes on the road and say oh I love your blog and some say oh you’re a blogger….I’m like oh oh…lool yes. I’m currently listening to So mi so by Wande coal while writing this piece.

I and my friends decided to visit Osun state but basically to see the famous Erin Ijesha waterfall. We planned and invited more friends to make the trip more exciting.

picture credit- belz expression

ERIN IJESHA

Erin-Ijesha Waterfalls is located in Erin-Ijesha. It is a tourist attraction site located in Oriade local government area, Osun State, Nigeria. The waterfalls was discovered in 1140 AD by a hunter who named it OLUMIRIN. (I was told by the tourist guy who assisted me in getting to the second level).

The road from Lagos to Osun was pretty straight but bumpy and so we had the opportunity of getting to the waterfalls and getting back to Lagos that same day. We also used google maps to find the waterfalls and we also asked some police men along the way who helped us.

I made new friends but my seat partner inside the bus was Elo Alota.

She looks like my friend Amaka.

It took us about 4 hours to get to Osun. We drove through the community to get to the waterfall proper. We were asked to park our bus outside. You are not allowed to park inside but your car is safe. At the entrance, you’ll see a parking area with a couple of people selling shower caps, slippers, and also the ticket stand. Tickets cost N1000 for adults. N500 for students and N300 for children. and we also had to pay for our cameras which cost N500 as well. We told them we were all students who came for an excursion. lool..

EXPERIENCING THE WATERFALL

After paying and writing down our names, we proceeded to the waterfall. It was a saturday so there were a lot of people at the waterfalls.

We started the longest walk I’ve ever done in my life. I never expected the journey to be that long! No one warned me. I visited the Olumo rock earlier in the year and I thought it would be the same way. Wrong Move!

Walking to the first level was a lot of struggle for me, so I just went at my own pace so I wouldn’t disturb anyone. By the time i got to the first level, I was exhausted fam, but I told myself that I must get to the second level and shame my village people.

I was exhausted.

The waterfalls made up for the first two levels of climbing though. It was such an amazing view, ! I really do not know how to explain how awesome it is. All I can say is God is Wonderful.

Guess what, I shamed my village people and I got to the second level. I was so proud of myself. Not everyone could get there. I climbed down a scary rock to get there and I was the only one there with the photographer I turned into a tour guide for a while before people got there. My friends just went from the first to the third and fourth and then like that up till the seventh level.

The gentle man who helped me take all my pictures and led me to the rock. He even told me about how he voted for APC, but oh well….who cares.

The rocks I climbed down to the second floor.

Shirt is from Geralds Couture- @geraldscouture

I was exhausted.

The seventh level is home to the Abake village, a small village at the top of the hill. Getting to this level requires another walk for about an hour and thirty minutes going through bushes. My waka waka friend Sami got there. The village is also said to be in a local government in Ekiti, so I can say that Sami walked from Osun state to Ekiti.

TIPS FROM MY JOURNEY

Go with friends or family.
Go along with an extra cloth, and most especially slippers and if you’re a lady a shower cap.
Enter the water because that’s majorly the fun.
Don’t expect too much.
Make sure you carry at least, a bottle of water when climbing the hills.
Climb the hills in a light form i.e your bag should not be heavy.
Don’t carry children that are not up to 6 there, because you’ll back them…lool.
Go with edibles.
Carry a little money because their Tangerines and Oranges are so cheap…yes cheap not affordable.
Go with someone who knows how to take good pictures.
Pray before you embark on your trip or rather seek the face of your creator.
It’s advisable to go on a Saturday.

A bucket full of oranges for N200. Can your state ever…

I can still feel the ache in my thighs as I’m typing this piece. I think I’m done with hills. I don’t want my waist to break.

In all, I had a total vibe with the friends I went with and the new friends I made. I’m looking to create more memories. It was a total mood for me and I’m glad I experienced every moment.

My next post would be about a restaurant review so wait on it. All I can say is My God has been good to me. Only my Parents and my close friends understand.

Have you ever been to Erin Ijesha waterfalls or Osun state? What was your experience like? or what do you plan to do there when you visit?

Tell me where you want me to visit next or where do you think I’m visiting next?

Follow me on IG- explorewithdera

xoxo,

Dera💁🏽

October 4, 2018 12

#TravelNigeria – My Enugu Tales 2

If you’re reading this, Welcome to my blog! 😂 I’m not changing any Intro…..at least not now, so better get used to it. Currently listening to For your pocket by Peruzzi Ft Davido while editing this piece.

I and my friends traveled down to Enugu for so many reasons, but one of it was to experience adventure, and we sure did. Enugu means “On a hill or hilltop” so it has a lot of rocky landscape.

How can someones daughter be this sweet. Oral-B please come and sign me.

I alone was travelling back to Lagos the next day which was on a Sunday and the plan was to visit -Ngwo Cave, Pine forest and of course, stop by at the polo park to get on their famous roller coaster.

I had read a lot about the Pine forest, Ngwo cave and waterfall, that I just had to go check it out for myself. Climbing up to the cave was really an experience, because nothing I had ever read about the Ngwo cave prepared me for what I actually met.

We chartered a cab and paid 1000 each. The 1000 comprised of the trip to the cave and also the money we contributed for the person that directed us to the cave. I disliked the man because he was in a hurry and didn’t let us take all the nice pictures we wanted💁🏽‍♀️ (He even cursed us in Igbo…..but he was talking to his ancestors abeg😛).

The Pine forest, cave, and waterfall are located in the same vicinity so it was very easy for us to do everything all at once.

PINE FOREST

Pine forest is literally just a large stretch of land filled with pine trees. Nothing actually goes on there (na grass and trees you go just see) However, it was still quite nice to finally see the pine forest with my own eyes and mentally tick it off my list.

I had also expected it in my head to be more organized with people asking for entrance fees, ticket fees and all of that but I was happy, because I’m all about that free life. But I was scared lowkey because there was no form of security, It was just a deserted space where people had some farms there at a corner.

I sell frames too so patronize my store @jacquesglam on Instagram

We stood around for a while trying to figure out how to proceed and also taking pictures…because we are all about the gram life before being approached by a man who knew that he could get money from us. After a bit of back and forth, we settled on paying him N2000 to act as our tour guide to the cave.

Ngwo cave and waterfall.

The journey through the Ngwo cave and waterfall was one of the hardest things ever for me. It was so tiring and the worst was when we were returning back, I was panting and almost crying 😂 at some point. It’s basically because I’m unfit😪. If you’re fit, this wouldn’t be a problem.

We finally got to the cave (which also houses the waterfall) and I was excited. The walls of the cave were also very interesting and filled with unique markings, which to me it was like I was in the days of my ancestors.

Call me Thickeleodeon…hahhaha. My slides are from Kene Rapu.

I was disappointed to see how littered the floor was. The cave was poorly managed, and there was no form of security. I was finally happy to see Ngwo cave and the Pine forest and finally tick it off my travel list.

I was low-key scared… In my head I was like what if?…………..

A Few Tips From My Ngwo Experience

Go with friends or family to make it very interesting, but please don’t go alone.
Wear rubber slippers or crocs you can use to enter water. Don’t be like me that wore leather slippers after warning my friends to wear slippers and not sneakers.
Don’t expect too much. It’s not all that.

POLO PARK

We made a stop at the Polo Park (Shoprite) mall to get on the roller coaster (This ride was very slow but nice according to my friends). I didn’t get on it because I wasn’t in the mood.

Bobo didn’t want me to take these pictures….but oh well, I succeeded…so in your face halla.

NTACHI-OSA

Later that night I met up with an old friend Udochukwu, and we visited Ntachi-osa. It’s a place where food is sold. It just reminds me of The place in Lagos…well just their prices. The place is more organized and cleaner. Ntachi-osa made me laugh with their food arrangement because they have 3 sections where food are sold and the prices defer. The food sold outside, is cheaper than the one sold inside and also upstairs but it is still run by the same management and they all wear the same costume.

Enugu is really a beautiful city! It is an entire vibe. There are other tourist sites like the Udi hills, Awhum falls and Nike lake. I definitely plan to visit Enugu again and again and this time my Aunt (Iphie) and Uncle (Uche) must be around so that I can spend their money and not mine😂. I visited some of my friends who were staying in places like Thinkers corner, New haven at Enugu

Lool…my friend Amaka (skittles) owns a pepper spray. She plans to spray out the eyes of Enugu men.

I also had the opportunity to take a picture from a hill. It makes you see most of the places in the city.

It was still a very nice experience and I was happy that I made the trip down and created beautiful memories. Exploring new places is definitely a mood for me.

Learning how to take flat-lay photos…hohohohoho

Have you ever been to Enugu or the Ngwo cave and waterfall? What was your experience like? or what do you plan to do there?