Let’s Work On Our Breakup Bodies…?

In April 2024 I worked on a series called “Breakup Bodies & Pilates” I wanted to have cheeky, girly conversation with my friend and Pilates instructor, Keona, while working on my “breakup body”. I went through a breakup in July 2023, the morning before my Beyoncé Renaissance World Tour Concert and during my healing and reflecting time, I really neglected the gym.

Not working out is so unlike me, and I asked Keona if she’d be interested in making videos that explored topics on love, sex, and breakups. HOWEVER … before I finished posting all of the videos for this series I .… Fell In love.

Before I get into the falling in love bit, let’s talk about Breakup Bodies & Pilates. Creating these videos took around six hours to record, but was such a great push for me creatively to see such a different idea of mine come to life. It’s currently the project I’m most proud of. I worked very hard on it, and I know that it will help me reach my goal of doing on-camera hosting work in the near future! Watch Parts I & II, Kicked Out and Poised (click the links), and look out for the final part 3.

Now let’s get to the L.O.V.E.

On a rainy afternoon in May I went to a friend’s birthday brunch and met my boyfriend. He walked in, I thought he was cute but otherwise continued minding the business that pays me (sneaking food to my friend’s dog and playing Jenga).

The party guests started to go home and a small group of us, including him, were left and I overheard him talking about making a rosemary wine salt. I remember turning around and looking at him because … who does that? At that moment, I wanted to know more about him and started listening a bit more closely. I listened as he talked about plans to head to Omakase later that night, and that maybe he would join the rest of us at the club afterward. I secretly hoped that he would, but didn’t get my hopes up. He did! Before we headed to the second nightclub our mutual friend told me that he wanted to talk to me more, but didn’t want to make me uncomfortable on such a fun night.

At the second nightclub we almost only talked to each other. He told me about the Omakase he had, and that if he’d met me sooner he’d take me but he was headed back to LA the next day. I suggested that we have breakfast the next morning (he claims that HE asked me to breakfast), but I definitely suggested the best pancakes in D.C. at Market Lunch in Eastern Market.

I invited our mutual friends to join in case we got shy and needed help moving the conversation along. He refers to this as our “training wheels date.” When I got to breakfast he had the most beautiful tulips for me. We talked for hours kind of in our own world, walking in the light rain, Sew-in leave-out just FRAZZLED!

He went back to LA that day and I wasn’t very sure what if anything would come of it. After days of chatting via text, he told me he planned a FaceTime date for us and would let me know all the details as they rolled in. The FaceTime date ended up being a three course meal:

Course 1: Melon & Prosciutto Salad

Course 2: Cod en Papillote w/ Roasted Broccolini on Lemon Risotto

Course 3: Orange Cardamom Popcorn

Paired with two delicious bottles of champagne.

Gentle reader, it was the most romantic date I’ve ever had. We cooked the meal on FaceTime together, and I was champagne giggling on the call until around 4:30 AM EST! We’ve been dating since. Meeting him was the most lovely surprise.

xx JoJo