As a born and raised Orlandoean (is that what we s As a born and raised Orlandoean (is that what we should call ourselves?!) I haven't ever really experienced a winter season. I've enjoyed winter many times while in many different cities including, Edinburgh, London, NYC, and Boston. But I've never lived in winter day in and day out. After a week it was always time to fly home to my palm trees and theme parks. This winter is the first time that I am experiencing cold temperatures daily and often experiencing grey skies. It's only been about two weeks and I have to admit that it is a huge adjustment. But I am doing my best to embrace the season and stay as cozy as possible. I am used to being outside as often as possible in winter while hibernating with the A/C running all summer. So I guess now I will be reversing those habits and bundling up until spring gets here.
For my birthday I wanted one thing and one thing o For my birthday I wanted one thing and one thing only, @hipcityveg. Although I still miss all my favorite Orlando foodie places, I am so excited to finally be so close to a Hip City Veg location. It's my all-time favorite plant-based restaurant and I have been craving this vegan milkshake for months! If you haven't been yet and you are in DC or Philadelphia, go right now!
I'm currently reflecting on a very wild year. This I'm currently reflecting on a very wild year. This last trip around the sun was during a very difficult time in our world but I can't personally complain much about the last 365 days. I thought I would be taking over as the lead on a contract at a Disney hotel as their main wedding photographer. I had been photographing weddings there for years but covid had other plans. Instead, I watched as the entire world shut down around me, only for the hotel to reopen as a part of the NBA bubble. So I decided to jump headfirst into running a product-based business. It's something I wanted to do for years and yet I could never quite seem to muster up the nerve to fully go after that dream. I launched my first collection of candles, sold out in days, and things have been steadily growing since then for @kismetandcharisma. After finally going after my dream of switching from service-based to product-based, I co-founded a nonprofit. This has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl and the stars finally aligned to bring it to light. Along with my best friend, Anna, I co-founded @LoveDoesntHurtInc. It has already healed me in ways I never thought possible and I can't wait to see what our nonprofit does for other people. I also consistently recorded @heartandhustlepodcast all year alongside my ride or die, @studio404design. Outside of work, I adopted the sweetest little pup ever as a present for my husband's quarantine birthday (best present ever). I didn't finish writing my own book but I managed to read quite a few other books. I battled anxiety as usual but I managed to learn when to turn the news off and FaceTime a friend instead of continuing to doomscroll. I also convinced my husband to leave OCPS to work for a school district that would like to keep him alive during the pandemic, which resulted in us relocating to the DC area. Here's hoping that this trip around the sun is filled with the same amount of professional success but WAY more hugs.
Lately, I have been getting acquainted with some o Lately, I have been getting acquainted with some of the local coffee shops in DC and NOVA. You would never know that I don't like coffee by how often I am spending money in coffee shops. I do, however, love just about every tea I come across. Earthy, fruity, sweet, bitter, it doesn't matter. I love them all. Any other tea lovers out there? Do you like coffee and tea or just one or the other?
This year is off to a wild start. I literally star This year is off to a wild start. I literally started the New Year on the road, driving somewhere just south of Raleigh. We slept in Raleigh for a few hours and then finished the drive to our new home in the DMV. We have been here just over a week now which feels pretty hard to believe. In some ways, it feels shorter and in others, it feels much longer. I don't feel at home yet but yesterday was a beautiful day and definitely the best one that I have had since we moved here. It definitely has me feeling hopeful. I know that this year won't magically be better than last year but I am going to be doing everything I can to make it a better year for myself and everyone I know.
Instagram post 18186913066037488 Instagram post 18186913066037488
Saying goodbye to Christmas and Orlando at the sam Saying goodbye to Christmas and Orlando at the same time is going to be incredibly difficult! 💔
Merry Christmas from our favorite little polar bea Merry Christmas from our favorite little polar bear. 🤍🎄
Merry Christmas! I hope your day is filled with jo Merry Christmas! I hope your day is filled with joy and laughter. 🎄☃️🕯
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Personal, Travel · June 26, 2014

Falling back in love with Orlando: The Red Carpet at Diagon Alley + fun. in concert

 FallingInLoveWithOrlando

It’s no secret to those who know me well that I would be ready to move to New York City at the drop of a hat. John, on the other hand, is hesitant to move somewhere so busy and would much prefer to go somewhere that we can get more house for our dollar, like Charlotte, North Carolina. So currently, we are at a standstill, living in Orlando and doing as much traveling as possible while we figure out if we will move and where it will be to if we do.

Last Wednesday was the kind of day that made me remember how much I will miss Orlando if we do happen to move. John and I woke up, went to the gym, and ate breakfast together. After work, we met up with my brother at my grandfather’s house. We spent a few hours there talking and relaxing before we decided to head home. On the way home, I told John that we should go stop and look at Diagon Alley. I knew that we still probably would not be able to see much but I had been having a rough couple of days and I knew that Universal could help cheer me up. Despite it looking like it might rain, John and I headed over to the theme park.

I knew that there were a lot of special events going on that the public wouldn’t be invited to but I had no idea what we were in store for when we arrived. There was a small crowd gathering around the London portion of Diagon Alley and behind some law enforcement, there was a red carpet with every major news outlet waiting. After spotting Mario Lopez, I knew that I should stick around to see what was happening.

Minutes later, Bonnie Wright, who plays Ginny Weasley, arrived. Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) and James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George) followed soon after. These four have been in Orlando for the past week filming different things for publicity for Diagon Alley. They also are known to come to the park from time to time. While I was extremely excited to see all four of them, I wasn’t terribly surprised that they were there. What I was surprised about was Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) arriving (and I may have even participated in some fan girl yelling). Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfloy, was one of my favorites from the group because he definitely spent the most time with the fans and he showed no fear walking into a noisy crowd of Potter fanatics. Robert Coltrane (Rubeus Hagrid), Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick), and Helena Bonham Carter (the badass Bellatrix Lestrange) joined the party, making this not just a Harry Potter fan’s dream but an awesome experience for anyone who likes good films. Helena Bonham Carter has an amazing presence about her and she is so graceful, lovely, and unique in everything that she does. Matthew Lewis is extremely good looking but I was most excited to see Helena!

After the red carpet event, John and I starting making our way towards the front of the park, only to stumble into a fun. concert for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. We got there about 20 minutes before it started and we were easily able to find great standing room towards the middle of the venue. About 10 minutes after we showed up, there was a rush of people filling up every nook and cranny of the outdoor venue so we came at the perfect time. Jimmy Fallon was just as sweet and hilarious as you would expect him to be and fun. was absolutely amazing live. I could listen to Nate Ruess sing all day.

While listening to Ruess and the crowd sing “We are Young” under a starry sky with roller coasters soaring high above my head, I realized that for the moment, I’m really happy that I still live in Orlando and that adventure and spontaneity can find you no matter where you live on this planet.

In: Personal, Travel · Tagged: diagon alley, fun, harry potter, jimmy fallon, orlando, the tonight show, the wizarding world of harry potter

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Hi! I'm Charisma, a creative entrepreneur who loves to help others reach their full potential. I'm a photographer, a writer, and the owner of Kismet + Charisma, an online boutique that pairs minimalist, cozy, boho style with activism. In my little corner of the internet you'll find my latest travels, what I'm currently reading, how I practing Black joy as resistence, and how I'm finding hygge in my daily life. Pull up a chair, grab a cup of tea, and stay awhile.

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As a born and raised Orlandoean (is that what we s As a born and raised Orlandoean (is that what we should call ourselves?!) I haven't ever really experienced a winter season. I've enjoyed winter many times while in many different cities including, Edinburgh, London, NYC, and Boston. But I've never lived in winter day in and day out. After a week it was always time to fly home to my palm trees and theme parks. This winter is the first time that I am experiencing cold temperatures daily and often experiencing grey skies. It's only been about two weeks and I have to admit that it is a huge adjustment. But I am doing my best to embrace the season and stay as cozy as possible. I am used to being outside as often as possible in winter while hibernating with the A/C running all summer. So I guess now I will be reversing those habits and bundling up until spring gets here.
For my birthday I wanted one thing and one thing o For my birthday I wanted one thing and one thing only, @hipcityveg. Although I still miss all my favorite Orlando foodie places, I am so excited to finally be so close to a Hip City Veg location. It's my all-time favorite plant-based restaurant and I have been craving this vegan milkshake for months! If you haven't been yet and you are in DC or Philadelphia, go right now!
I'm currently reflecting on a very wild year. This I'm currently reflecting on a very wild year. This last trip around the sun was during a very difficult time in our world but I can't personally complain much about the last 365 days. I thought I would be taking over as the lead on a contract at a Disney hotel as their main wedding photographer. I had been photographing weddings there for years but covid had other plans. Instead, I watched as the entire world shut down around me, only for the hotel to reopen as a part of the NBA bubble. So I decided to jump headfirst into running a product-based business. It's something I wanted to do for years and yet I could never quite seem to muster up the nerve to fully go after that dream. I launched my first collection of candles, sold out in days, and things have been steadily growing since then for @kismetandcharisma. After finally going after my dream of switching from service-based to product-based, I co-founded a nonprofit. This has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl and the stars finally aligned to bring it to light. Along with my best friend, Anna, I co-founded @LoveDoesntHurtInc. It has already healed me in ways I never thought possible and I can't wait to see what our nonprofit does for other people. I also consistently recorded @heartandhustlepodcast all year alongside my ride or die, @studio404design. Outside of work, I adopted the sweetest little pup ever as a present for my husband's quarantine birthday (best present ever). I didn't finish writing my own book but I managed to read quite a few other books. I battled anxiety as usual but I managed to learn when to turn the news off and FaceTime a friend instead of continuing to doomscroll. I also convinced my husband to leave OCPS to work for a school district that would like to keep him alive during the pandemic, which resulted in us relocating to the DC area. Here's hoping that this trip around the sun is filled with the same amount of professional success but WAY more hugs.
Lately, I have been getting acquainted with some o Lately, I have been getting acquainted with some of the local coffee shops in DC and NOVA. You would never know that I don't like coffee by how often I am spending money in coffee shops. I do, however, love just about every tea I come across. Earthy, fruity, sweet, bitter, it doesn't matter. I love them all. Any other tea lovers out there? Do you like coffee and tea or just one or the other?
This year is off to a wild start. I literally star This year is off to a wild start. I literally started the New Year on the road, driving somewhere just south of Raleigh. We slept in Raleigh for a few hours and then finished the drive to our new home in the DMV. We have been here just over a week now which feels pretty hard to believe. In some ways, it feels shorter and in others, it feels much longer. I don't feel at home yet but yesterday was a beautiful day and definitely the best one that I have had since we moved here. It definitely has me feeling hopeful. I know that this year won't magically be better than last year but I am going to be doing everything I can to make it a better year for myself and everyone I know.
Instagram post 18186913066037488 Instagram post 18186913066037488
Saying goodbye to Christmas and Orlando at the sam Saying goodbye to Christmas and Orlando at the same time is going to be incredibly difficult! 💔
Merry Christmas from our favorite little polar bea Merry Christmas from our favorite little polar bear. 🤍🎄
Merry Christmas! I hope your day is filled with jo Merry Christmas! I hope your day is filled with joy and laughter. 🎄☃️🕯
One of my favorite things to do during the holiday One of my favorite things to do during the holiday season is visit NYC. I usually love to go around Thanksgiving or the first week of December. I'm really missing it this year but it's exciting to know that next year around this time I will be a short drive away from NYC.

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