Becoming the bargain hunter

One of the best ways to ensure maximum enjoyment from any experience is to seek value. To become a bargain hunter is to gain satisfaction from sniffing out the most effective ways to have a good time. For that is what a bargain is, it is more than getting something for cheaper than the RRP (recommended retail price); a bargain (according to the good book of enjoyment) is fair price for great value. Now let’s look at things you should get good bargain on this weekend:

Food is a great comforter, but we all know that with food, things can also go very wrong. Nonetheless, it can be pretty fun trying out a new food spot every now and again in Lagos. If you socialise hard enough, someone will introduce you to a new place, and this was how i discovered BL. BL stands for Bulgarian Lebanese and it’s spanking new (and I mean the furniture still has a good shine on it) spot. They offer a slightly more bespoke cuisine you won’t ordinarily find in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The hummus is delightful, the bread sticks are great and the skewered meats are packed full of flavour. Now although this doesn’t rate very highly on my Bargain O’Meter (yes I just made that up) their portions are very generous and customer service is pleasant too. A better bargain to hunt for food wise might be yet another food festival popping up on the 2nd Of October in Ikoyi. It’s the Chef Dish Food Festival to be precise and that could just be the place for a good Independence Day turn up. 

Music is a balm for the soul and the needed “ginger” to tired nerves, so trust me when I say purchasing any of the following is a bargain and a half. You probably have heard about it, mumbled to yourself “i’ll get that song” and then you promptly forgot. Sort out your life and your playlist by adding these to your collection: Brymo- Klitoris (album). Don’t let the name frighten you, the content is insightful, thought-provoking and soul-stirring.

I should add that its world class too. And speaking of World Class, every time I listen to this body of work by Lindsey- And The Bass Is Queen, I can’t help but be in my feels. More recently however, Funbi in collaboration with the incredibly talented producer Ikon came out with a song that every single person can relate to on a personal level. If you haven’t heard Hallelujah you are missing out. Again, sort your life out. Other bodies of work worth checking out include Eva Alordiah’s 1960 (the album) which is finally out. Conor Maynard- This Is My Version is also such a nice cover album worth a listen!

Fashion is next up on my bargain hunt. You know retail therapy is a real thing and the weekend is also for shopping apart from relaxing. Some people usually say there never seems to be anything made in Nigeria that’s really worth it? That’s wrong. You need to get ready because the Fashion Season is here- Fashion week and Fashion weekend. I am already looking forward to the Lagos Fashion and Design Week (LFDW). You can be sure to discover new designers and re-discover established ones. Tickets can be hard to come by however so hurry as it all goes down from October 26-29.

And these is something brand new this year and low-key that has me pretty excited. Probably the best bargain hunting spot would be the #GTBankFshnWknd, which has just been unveiled. Yes, as the ‘twitter lingo” and hashtag suggest, it’s a little less high-society and more accessible. If the food festival held a few months back is what to go by, this refreshing GTBank initiative will be a smorgasbord of SME’s; meaning we’re in for a ridiculous number of retailers and good bargains. Get ready for buckets of value and ounces of fashion from the 12th to 13th of November. Giggity.

FILM is last but certainly not the least on my list. The hunt for a max weekend and value-for- money-chilling wouldn’t be complete without some film offerings. Another spanking new addition to the Lagos entertainment scene is Filmhouseng’s IMAX screen, Cube Room and Signature Screens. 

The entire complex is dedicated to the film experience of a real movie buff. Whether it’s the largest screen (and AN IMAX ONE at that) in Nigeria, the inclusive meals with the Signature screens and private lounge and terrace, or the Cube room which can be rented out complete with all the bells and whistles putting you in charge of what you want to watch, this has value written all over it. It’s a new dimension to watching movies. Speaking of, I just checked out Sully starring Tom Hanks and directed by Clint Eastwood. It is brilliant. Also 93 Days is a tear jerker but such a beautiful story! So for this weekend, Carpe Diem and get hunting! Enjoy every minute of it until next time. Long live the art of the weekend flex!