Ooh la la...

Monday night I headed to The Red Lion to see some of New York's finest musicians perform. I made it just in time (no hassle for parking either :) and thanks to Lady Ann (Ruckert) I was fortunate enough to get a seat right up front.

Skip Brevis, Galia Arad, Jake Holmes, Kirsten Thien, Chris Tedesco and Bruce Gordon all played and sang on that balmy night in NYC.

From left to right: Chris Tedesco, Kirsten Thien, Jake Holmes and Galia Arad

Skip Brevis & Bruce Gordon (fellow Leo :)

I particularly enjoyed Jake Holmes' monologue about getting or being old; too funny.... and Galia's "missing the city and you" song which had me all teary-eyed.

 

Jake Holmes during his monologue

Galia ~ beautiful inside and out

Chris Tedesco plays a violin as though he's actually playing heart strings...absolutely beautiful!...here he is on guitar however, performing with his wife (and baby in tow :)

There was also the young L.B. Winter.

An excited little girl with absolutely no sign of stage fright and a promising career ahead of her.

I was sitting there smiling, tapping my foot and thinking "what could be better than summertime in NYC, enjoying great music and company?", when my thoughts were suddenly broken by someone calling my name "Mandy, get up there!"
It was Ann...and before I knew it I was up there, onstage, singing along for the finale with these same musicians whom I love and admire. At that moment, it had just gotten better :)

Here's Ann, who hosts the SGA circle...

...and who as Skip says, "Kicks our a**" to make sure we strive to be the best musicians we can be.

On my way home I listened to Galia's new cd "Ooh la baby" which I FINALLY got my hands on, and trust me, you should too!

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/GaliaArad1

Vajazzle my vajayjay???

Today I learned about Vajazzling. Ever heard about the Bedazzler? Well apparently Vajazzling is the same concept, but instead of putting rhinestones on jeans and accessories etc, you can now have Swarovski crystals, designs and even tattoos DOWN THERE!!!!
Where????
YES DOWN THERE!!! You'll LITERALLY be able to call them ' the family jewels'.

At first I thought the girl who told me was kidding, then I googled it, and low and behold there it was...SEVERAL links about Vajazzling! Jennifer Love-Hewitt apparently is a big fan of this and there was even a "How to" video on Youtube!
As I was trying to wrap my mind around this, the girl continued her story and told me about a salon in NJ that actually does this (that's where SHE first learned of it)...and get this....THERE'S A FULL MENU, laminated and all! She said there's a variety of ways to design your 'goods'. You can get the fully monty (lol) rhinestones from your navel alllll the way down, or just accent certain areas.

So my next question is "WHO invented vajazzling?"
Who sat there and decided one day that their genitalia should have dye, or glitter, or rhinestones for that matter? And ok, one could think that somehow this might be interesting to explore, you know, jazz up your sex life, be creative and all that........ but then what?
Firstly, how do you walk into a salon and order that? "Hey yes, good morning, I'm here for a pink mohawk with some glitter and oh yeah one side of the rhinestones all around it please...thnx!", or do you say "I'd like a #3 with a 5, 6 and a touch of #7"...I mean how DO you do that?
And what about the vajazzlers? I thought OBGYNs had it bad, but how do you break the news to mom and dad? to anyone? "yeah I design vajayjays for a living"...how do you complete a form, a job application, a medical record.... under occupation? Vajazzler!
How is that even comfortable for your vajayjay? How do you wear underwear with all the rhinestones? SHOULD you wear underwear with it? And if you don't, did you have it designed for show and tell? "Hey look what I had done today?" (raises skirt, sparkling and proud).

I suppose being a vajazzler is an honest living (BRUTALLY honest if you ask me) and apparently people out there think their vajayjay should have as much bling as Paris Hilton's pooch, but my visits to the OBGYN and trips to Victoria's Secret are about all the extra special treatment MY vajayjay is ever gonna get!

When it's okay to be a TWIT...

If you're like me and you've recently entered the world of Twitter, you might feel like a complete TWIT! How do you spell lost? M-A-N-D-Y!
My friend, Ana, tried to convince me that it only seems complex at first, well as I write this I still haven't figured out exactly how to "tweet" at best, but I am going to learn how to use one of the most main streams of social media today.
Almost everyone you know is using some form of social networking: Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TweetDeck and so much more. I even saw it on the news! The NEWS NETWORK itself said "find us on Facebook". Clearly this is the stage we're in with technology.
I attended a seminar that dealt with all different avenues online. The featured speaker was Mitch Meyerson. He has been a guest on Oprah, author of 9 books (the most recent which I purchased is "Success Secrets of the Social Media Marketing Superstars") and was really loaded with a wealth of information for Online Marketing etc.

Facebook, Twitter and even Youtube are such a big deal these days that a part of the seminar was dedicated solely to those!

With Mitch Meyerson at the seminar

So while you check out Mitch's website, http://www.mitchmeyerson.com/, I am heading over to my Twitter account.

Remember, you can find me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mandyjb1

Check me out on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mandyjoseph

or......drum roll please.....FOLLOW ME ON Twitter: http://twitter.com/mandyjbennett1

See ya there! ;)

When a storm is approaching...what do YOU do?

"When a storm is approaching, an eagle senses it and flies to some high place to await the winds. As the storm hits, it spreads its wings so that it catches the wind and is lifted above the storm. As the storm rages, the eagle soars. It does not entirely escape the storm, but it uses it to lift itself higher. When the storms of life come, use them to lift yourself up and soar like an eagle."

I don't know who wrote that but I thought it very profound. When YOU go through storms in life, what do you do? Do you get tossed about in the winds and break down? Do you anchor yourself rigidly in place hoping you do not break? Or do learn life lessons and move forward?

What do YOU do?

The Tooth Fairy

This morning as I read my sister-in-law's blog about my niece losing her tooth and being paid by the tooth fairy, I was reminded of MY dealings with the infamous fairy.
When I was younger I couldn't WAIT for my teeth to fall out so I could get PAID! I could care less about how I looked running around toothless, I was getting paid!
My son on the other hand is a totally different species. When HIS teeth fell out he wanted to keep them! (Clearly not my kid!)
I never wanted to feed into all the myths of Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and all that stuff, but it's hard to evade those things when your kids go to school or you have family members who love it more than the kids themselves. When you see YOUR kid looking forward to the fat guy sliding down the chimney, or the bunny that lays eggs, you don't wanna be the jerk who disappoints them. So what did I do? Yup you guessed it!
His first introduction to the Tooth Fairy was in pre-school. He excitedly told his teacher that morning how he'd lost his tooth (proud of his rite of passage) and before I could gag her and throw her in a closet somewhere, she said those deafening words "So you're gonna put it under your pillow for the tooth fairy?"
I....WAS...MORTIFIED!!!! I wanted to say 'no, I'm gonna hold YOU under a pillow!" but at that moment I had to focus on the confused look on my son's face and gasp, explain about the Tooth Fairy!
That night we put the tooth under the pillow and he woke up in the morning to a wrinkled $5 bill (hey it was all I had on me at the time ok?) But my son was upset! Where had the tooth gone? Why did he have this money? HE was mortified! I figured by the time he got to school and heard the other tooth fairy stories he would be alright. Of course as soon as we walked through the door the same teacher sachays up to us again (as if she HAD to follow up on the tooth!) and asks "so did you get money for your tooth last night?" which upset my son all over again as he explained what happened. Meanwhile she's telling me about inflation because back in the day HER tooth fairy didn't give her "no 5-dollar bill!"
So that night he put the money BACK under the pillow for the tooth fairy to bring back his tooth. I have never seen a child so happy to redeem a dried up crusty old tooth, but like I said CLEARLY not my child!

Fast forward to 2010 and we go to the movies (I won't say which one in case you haven't seen it yet) but in the movie they discuss the tooth fairy, and then he asks "Mom, are YOU my tooth fairy?"  I actually felt the wind knocked outta me. What do I say? Perpetuate the lie?  Just tell the truth? I mean he's old enough to know...but wait! What if he runs outta the theatre crying, or worse GOES ON OPRAH AND TALKS ABOUT HOW I'VE LIED TO HIM AFTER ALL THIS TIME!!!! I take a deep breath and say "Shh let's watch the movie honey, we'll talk about this later"
Thankfully he hasn't remembered....yet!

Summer Summer Summertime!

Hey YOU!

How's your Summer so far? Tried anything (or anyone) new and exciting? Just relaxing and enjoying lazy days? Reading? Travelling? What have you been up to? 
Well so far mine's GREAT! I mean my hair is notwithstanding this humidity and my body is certainly not beach ready (unless a dumpling in a 2-piece swimsuit is the new trend) but hey, I am so enjoying my Summer!
Family and friends in town for the 4th of July brought laughter, love, late nights sharing stories and most importantly GOOD FOOD!!!!

Some of the fam pictured here

On my way to a cookout

And the HEAT?? I asked for it and I sure got it! Two days ago we experienced 102 degrees; yesterday we had a record high of 105! Ok so I wanted a hot Summer but that was a little TOO hot, even for me! (My friend, Mich, would keel over after reading this, not only from the heat, but also because it is never hot enough for me! lol)

And what's part of Summer fun? Boys!!!
Here's mine with a nice bruise on his forehead after he fell outside while playing...Aye Dios Mio!

Summer's only just begun!

Finally saw FELA!

Ever since this play hit Broadway I've wanted to see it. The rave reviews and the fact that Jay-Z and the power couple Smiths are Producers, sparked my interest.

Well I FINALLY saw it and in a nutshell, FELA is PHENOMENAL!

The choreography is electric, the set design transports you right into the heart of the play and the music?? All the flavors of Africa, the Caribbean and more. You will wonder when your hips got a life of its own!

It's an incredible story about the life of Fela Kuti and a MUST-SEE!

Bill T. Jones (choreographer extraordinaire) was right there in the audience too...have I said how much I heart NY?

This holiday weekend was supposed to be the last of the show but it has been extended till 2011, so guess what people? YOU STILL HAVE A CHANCE TO GO SEE IT!

Sunset on Broadway

AKeys performance on GMA...

Here's her performance from Good Morning America. My sister swears she sees the back of our heads around 4:10/ 4:11 in the video, but uhm, I think the heat and excitement affected her that morning because I sure as heck don't see us lol

My love affair...

...with New York!

"No place in the world that can compare..." Great music, great people, great vibe...it's all here in New York !

This week I had the pleasure of meeting a blast from the past. I went to R Bar to support my friend, Regi, and not only did I meet other musicians and interesting people but I also ran into Adair Frey.

Adair Frey at R Bar

When I first met Adair, she wasn't quite sure of her sound or herself. Pretty, slightly reserved, a few tattoos which hinted that maybe there was a "bad girl" hiding somewhere in there. We both studied music together in the city and one day it seemed as though Adair just fell off the face of the Earth.

But fast forward to June 2010 and here is Adair. I didn't recognize her at first, but something about her was so familiar. Her raspy voice, her name kinda rang a bell, THEN it all came back to me. ADAIR!

Now she's found her sound, her look and her style, and I am VERY happy to see her evolve and become the artist she wants to be. To hear her music check out truthasadair.com.

Here are some of the other performers at R Bar that night...

Kimberly Korn and her band

My friend, Regi, doing his thang!

Cutie Guitarist Zack rockin' out

And just when I thought I was having such a great week, it got even better. A friend called me to ask if I wanted to be on the VIP list to see Alicia Keys perform live in Central Park on Good Morning America....WHAT KINDA QUESTION IS THAT???????? OF COURSEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! I had to restrain myself from screaming, after all I WAS at work when I received the call! lol

That was the highlight of my week! My sister said it best: "Breakfast in Central Park on a beautiful day with Alicia Keys singing to you? The Best!"

And yes, she DID look our way, pointed and sang DIRECTLY to us (maybe it was because I was jumping up and down screaming "Alicia I LOVE YOU!" while shamelessly wearing one of her t-shirts? doesn't matter, Alicia sang to me! lol)

Here are some pics from that day...

My sis and I waiting for Alicia Keys

Alicia hits the stage

They told her she pulled the LARGEST CROWD EVER for the GMA Summer Concert Series!

You go Alicia!

Sexy mama with her cute baby bump

Beautiful, talented, fierce!

Ahhh I heart NY!

These are a few of my favorite things...

Flipflops and tank tops and cute summer dresses,
driving on the highway with the wind through my tresses,
parties and barbecues and cool fruity drinks,
these are a few of my favorite things.

Alicia and Usher and Lady Antebellum

blasting the music till it hurts my eardrum
noone to interrupt me in the car while I sing
these are a few of my favorite thiiiiiiiiiiiiings

When the Fall comes, and school re-opens
then I'll be so saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad
but in the meantime I'll savor these fun Summer things
so I won't feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel
baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad

Cookouts and roadtrips and Summer vacations
Ice-cream...martinis... just pure relaxation
the heat of the sun as it beams on your skin

These are a few of my favorite things

Sending a shout-out to Sharon and Anya
Ellen and Janette and Kathy and Esha
They're all June babies so let us all sing
Happy happy birthday and the best of everythiiiiiiiiiiiiing

When the Fall comes, and school re-opens
then I'll be so saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad
but in the meantime I'll savor these fun Summer thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiings

so hope it's the best UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU haaaaaaaaaaaave!

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER EVERYONE !!

"The Greatest Ears In Town"

So it's late, and I really should be in bed but I HAVE to tell you about this amazing film/ documentary that I saw today called "The Greatest Ears In Town: The Arif Mardin Story".
It's about the life and career of 12-time Grammy Award winning producer, arranger and composer, Arif Mardin. He seemed to be such an incredible man, not just a genius in music, but also a charming personality and what a sense of humor! Some people are just born with that "je ne sais quoi" and he certainly had it.
He worked with countless people (Chaka Khan, Jewel, Norah Jones, Aretha Franklin, Phil Collins, Quincy Jones, Bette Midler, Randy Brecker; and that's just to name a handful...the list goes on and on and on) but the common thread was his heart... his ability to make everyone feel special. (I'm sure it didn't hurt that he made a mean martini as well :)
I loved his relationship with his wife, and how she understood that he couldn't help but to make music... or the intense passion he had for music, so much so that he did it literally until he passed away.
It's a great film and I highly recommend! I don't wanna give it all away, you just HAVE to see it.
After the screening there was a panel discussion with other Grammy Award winning producers and engineers who worked with the legend.

From left to right: Joe Mardin (Arif's son, whom I had the pleasure of meeting. He is absolutely pleasant and he also co-produced the film), Phil Ramone, Frank Filipetti, Russ Titelman, Michael O'Reilly, Doug Biro (film's co-producer) and Jimmy Douglass.

Joe Mardin and Phil Ramone during the panel discussion

Phil was teary-eyed after watching the film (you could hear sniffles throughout the auditorium; there couldn't have been a dry eye in the house) and he said he missed his "best friend".

Doug Biro spoke about Arif's incredible love for music and how he truly felt that "the music kept him alive" because Arif was in his 70's with failing health yet he was STILL working on music.

Russ Titelman regaling us with one of his Arif stories.

Jimmy Douglass who spoke about Arif's integrity and what an honor it was working with him.

After hearing so many people talk about what a wonderful man he was, it makes one wonder "who are YOU when all is said and done?"

Ok about to fall asleep to "All My Friends Are Here" (Composed & Arranged by Arif Mardin)...get your copy of the cd now (available on itunes...ithink...and a portion of the profits will be donated to The Jazz Foundation of America (which I firmly support), The Lustgarten Foundation & MusiCares).

Special thanks to The Recording Academy for coordinating this event and to Candace Jones for being such a joy at the front desk... it helps to see a friendly face after you've been dealing with NYC traffic. 

Nite nite! 

DON'T tell me you're TOO BUSY...to read this!!

Words are powerful! I've learned that, and I would think by now I'd know, but lately I made the mistake of saying 2 dreadful words
"I'M ..............BUSY!!!!" (insert gasp and dramatic music here)

Yes! Well guess what happened? Just that...I have been busy up the wahzoooo!

And it's not the kinda busy where I'm consumed doing the things I REALLY wanna do, NO, it's just little annoying STUFF. And I wondered, how did I get so BUSY all of a sudden??...lightbulb!! BECAUSE I SAID I WAS!!!

I've been "too busy" doing this or that and finding myself squeezing everything into my schedule when that really isn't how it should be.

That's when I reminded myself that words are very powerful. I've decided to be much more aware of what I say and how I utilize my time. So, how are you professing YOUR life today?

Lately...

1. I'm loving Toni Braxton's new cd "Pulse"

2. Also loving Usher's "Raymond vs Raymond"

3. I re-discovered a love of vanilla/ chocolate pudding!

4. In love with this weather...yesterday while driving, with all the windows down, I yelled "I LOVE SUMMER!!!!!" My son said "mom it's not even Summer yet" ......but whatever! lol

5. Kids' activities consume a HUGE chunk of your life!!! Yesterday another parent texted me "I just passed you", turns out she and her kids had just finished their sports activities and were headed for dinner, while we were doing the same.

6. I should get endorsements for Bath and Body's "P.S. I Love You" because a LOT of people are asking me what fragrance I'm wearing, then buying it (ahem Sheila? lol)

7. Burger King has YUMMY new riblets!! (They called ribs but they're too small to be a real rib so I re-named it! lol). They smell like they're straight off the grill...ahhhhhh Summer!

8. Saw Cirque du Soleil's "Ovo" and if you haven't seen it you should....awesome show...if you're in the NY area I think it ends on June 4th.

9. Congratulations to Ann Ruckert for her American Eagle Award!!!!!! (Also awarded were Kenny Rogers and Suzanne Vega)

10. Did I say how much I'm loving this weather? No jacket, sandals, little shorts and pretty dresses? L-U-V!
A lot of luv is in the air! ;)

Unthinkable!

My girl Alicia Keys' single "Unthinkable" debuted on BET's 106 & Park yesterday. The video was NOTHING like I expected, but in true AKeys' fashion, and as her "Element of Freedom" cd suggests, expect the unexpected.
This is one of my FAVE songs!
Here's the video (thanks to Masta Lee and Essence)...



Un-thinkable (I'm Ready) from Masta Lee on Vimeo.

She is absolutely stunning in this video with her curvy self  - u go Alicia!

And speaking of stunning, I was saddened to hear about the death of Ms. Lena Horne. I had no idea she was 92!!!!
She was the first black performer to sign a deal in Hollywood. She was straight outta Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn.
Beautiful...classic...sophisticated...talented....singer.....actress...civil rights activist...icon...trailblazer...and so much more. People like Ms. Horne just 'wow' you.
My friend and music mentor, Ann Ruckert, raves about James Gavin's book called "Stormy Weather: The Life of Lena Horne", I am yet to read it but definitely going to make it a priority!
Supposedly Oprah is going to produce the biopic on Ms. Horne, and Alicia is set to play lead! I am SO looking forward to that.

Pictured here: Alicia Keys and the legendary Ms Lena Horne

(Essence image)

R.I.P. Ms Lena Horne (June 30, 1917 - May 9, 2010)

The Odd Couple

I read about this "couple" in a magazine and I thought it was both cute and funny. There is a deeper meaning to it though; like the reporter says at the end of the video, "If they could do it, what's our excuse?"
Watch the video and see for yourself...





Also wanted to send Happy birthday shout-outs to all my peeps who's celebrated birthdays so far in May: Jo who's on vaycay at the moment, my girl Lala, little diva Anela, my longtime friend Karen who I am soooooo happy to re-connect with via facebook and my fam Dora and Sacha!

Happy Mothers' Day!!!

A friend of mine sent out an e-mail with best wishes for Mothers' Day. It was so heartfelt and beautiful that I asked him to share on my blog:


"I want to take this opportunity to wish our cherished Moms a very Happy Mother's Day.
I must admit, this is a bittersweet time for me. I lost my Mom over 11 years ago. While the pain I feel has eased with time, there is still an ache that occupies the space only Alice Hunt Wallace was ever able to fill.

Please understand; I don't share this to dampen your mood on this special weekend. But rather to remind you all, mothers and children, how blessed you are to have one another. We often lose sight of that by allowing petty differences and the "noise" of hectic lives to drown out what's most important; that this is a relationship carved by God's hand and nurtured by a mother's unconditional love. No one will ever love you like your Momma; no one.

That said my heartfelt regards goes out to the single mom, the fun mom, the absent-minded mom, the corny mom, the cranky mom, the talkative mom, the silent mom, the "in your business" mom, the *seemingly* uninterested mom, the fierce and fabulous mom, the "I know I still got it" mom, the conservative mom and the "just happy to be a mother" mom. They all give the best they can the only way they know how and deserve so much more in return.

My Momma and I had our ups and downs. No relationship, especially one as complex as mother and child is ever perfect. However I wouldn't trade one second of the life I shared with her. I am at peace knowing that no matter what, she knew I loved and respected her dearly, her final memory of her son as she passed on to glory.

I look back at my life and cannot think of a single aspect that my mother did not influence. Our good days far outweighed the challenging moments. The man I've become is a vivid reflection of my Mother. I walk with pride, dignity, integrity, compassion, faith and most of all strength with her as my foundation.

I hope you all will always have that peace. This weekend, while the flowers and the dinners and the gifts are nice and certainly deserved, take a moment and remind your Mom that her love is what drives you, nourishes your soul and gives you strength. These days are precious. More importantly they are not promised. Live each day with the thought, that if you were to part tomorrow, your Mom could never doubt you loved her beyond measure."


Well said......HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY!!!

Remember Patra?

Recently I was reading an article in Essence about Patra. It was a comparison to Rihanna's "Rudeboy" and although Patra is not who comes to mind when I see Rihanna's video, it was a nice 'blast from the past'...I was like "oh yeahhhhhh, Patraaaaaaa"!!!!!
I remember when Patra was performing in Trinidad and I wanted to go soooo badly (plus got a free ticket to go) but I knew my grandmother would KILL me! So I said I was going to something in church but headed straight to the concert. (I know, I know, slap on wrist!). I was having so much fun until they started rocking the lights in the stadium!!!!!! I remember thinking "If a riot breaks out then I'd REALLY be in trouble!!". So she told the audience that she'd have to stop the concert if safety was a concern, the crowd calmed down and we were able to enjoy the rest of the show.
Patra was wicked! The dances were rated RRRRRRRR, she had crazy toned legs in those cut-up shorts, beautiful skin and was like the Lil Kim of the Caribbean. She was doing and saying the things that, secretly, women wanted to do and say, but just wouldn't.
Patra taught me that my booty is actually called a "Bumper" and at some point I would need a "Worker Man" in my life (writing note to self "get.... worker..... man!").
I studied her videos (I think it was on "Video Soul" at the time?) and yet I was no Patra! lol
When I finally made it home, I was in SERIOUS trouble!!!......... (but was it worth it?... YES, yes it was! lol)

Here's to the "Queen of the Pack"...




Wasn't the ice sculpture in this video 'hot'??




Rolling deep with YoYo & 'Pac...




She was rocking those "slick oil" pants waaaaay back when....




What's your Patra memory?

Happy Cinco de Mayo People!

Ok I've been slipping with this blog; the days are getting warmer and I just don't know how to act! I mean the sandals are out, the skin is showing...THIS is my kinda weather! And soooooo much has been happening in the world! My goodness! Someone tried to vaporize NYC (people, people, c'mon!), Iceland's volcano proved to us that we are all subject to Mother Nature's plans, Halle Berry and Gaby breakup :( (hey I was really rooting for them) and Naomi Campbell confesses on Oprah that she doesn't think she is beautiful? (She is STUNNING to me by the way!)

The world has gone mad I tell you... MAD!!

However, many great things ARE also happening elsewhere in the globe. Recently I went to Grammy Jam in NYC where I had the pleasure of not only meeting some of the best in the music business but also seeing them perform!

Here's the beautiful and talented Nicki Richards, who rocked the house, especially with her version of the Tina Turner classic "Proud Mary".

Nicki Richards, tiny but powerful

Beth Ravin (percussions)

Tom Chapin on auto harp (Grammy Award singer/ songwriter)

Mr Freddie Jackson with an impressive rendition of his hit "You Are My Lady"

With Gordon Chambers after the show (who penned "I apologize" by Anita Baker and so many more)

Now I didn't get a chance to meet this lady because most of the time she was deep in convo and I didn't want to interrupt, but I would've liked to....

...and this must be the biggest hat I have ever seen! Maybe she's a designer or something...

 

Lady with fabulous hat!

Then I FINALLY met Musical Director Ray Chew! I've wanted to meet him ever since his work on Alicia Keys' "Diary" and I thought maybe one day at the Grammys or something, and whaddya know...

Ray Chew and I at Grammy Jam :)

(Proof that dreams DO come true!)

...and here I am with the gracious, Producer extraordinaire Barry Eastmond.

And Mothers' Day is this weekend....are you ready? Honestly, I believe mothers should be honored EVERY day. This whole theory of celebrating on that one day till next year ? Uh uh!

Now I admit I sit back and reap the benefits. I love getting the phone calls, the texts, the flowers, the gifts, breakfast, lunch AND dinner invitations...I love it all! I LOVE FEELING DA LOVE!!! But really, moms have the brunt of the 'bull' work everyday! (Some moms, and some dads too, but the focus is on the mamas right now). 

A Mother deserves to be treated like the Queen she is EVERY SINGLE DAY!! Motherhood beats ANY full-time job you could ever imagine. Yes, moms tend to get on your nerves, (I think that's a pre-requisite) you NEVER understand what they mean when you're younger but when you're older, if you're lucky, you come to realize just how invaluable they really are.

Moms are Blessed with that 'gut' feeling that protects you for a lifetime. They think of you when you're sick, well, happy, sad, near or far. It is a love that is simply inexplicable.

And yes, many of you COULD counter argue "not MY mom!, she was horrible and did  XYZ to me" and perhaps that is true, but be ever mindful that she IS human and we are all prone to making mistakes. Whatever the issue lying between you, is it SO bad that you cannot call her and tell her how much you love her? That even though you don't understand why she acted/ acts a certain way you just want her to know that you appreciate her? If God forbid something happened to her, would you be okay with the way things are between the two of you? Sometimes it's complicated, I understand, so I wish you and your mom all the best.

And we all know a mom isn't someone who just gave birth to you. A mom is someone who has taken on that role and cared for you, nurtured you, protected you and loved you unconditionally.

So if you are a mom, hats off to you! I KNOW the work it takes to raise a child/ children and all my love and blessings to you and your family.

And if you are not a mom, I wish you and your family the best all the same.

Happy Mothers' Day today and everyday!

Luv from my heart straight to yours!

Mandy

Happy Birthday Galia!

If you don't know who she is, you should! She's a sweet person, edgy, ABSOLUTELY beautiful inside and out; a fantastic singer/songwriter and proud to say she's my friend!
Her music is as clever and beautiful as she, and like I said if you don't know who she is, u SHOULD! :)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GALIA!!!! SMOOCHES!

Galia and I at a Grammy Party

Her debut album "Sand in your bed"

For more Galia, check out her blog at http://www.galiaarad.typepad.com/my-blog/

My performance at the Walker Sound Stage...

It was a rainy, chilly night but we made it NYC! I want to thank everyone for coming out that night...my family and friends were there and we had a lot of fun!
Special thanks to Mr Regi Ransdell who joined me on stage for "Love Me", to Valerie for the music and to my sis for sending me her footage of the show :)

Some things I discovered on my trip...

1. I read Tichina Arnold's blog entry where she was sympathetic to another mom who was having a hard time with a fussing baby on a flight. I was seated next to a mom on my flight and while she was comforting her child by bouncing her on her leg I tried to be equally sympathetic...well the bouncing motion made me airsick and we hadn't even taken off yet. It was then I realized that I'm NOT Tichina!

2. Saw some teens on the flight with fresh packs of crayons and coloring books. My initial reaction was that they were a little too old for that...until I remembered my love for fresh packs of crayons...especially the packs with the sharpener? ahhhhh that new crayon smell! Who says you're too old to enjoy the simple things in life?

3. One of the richest cities in the world (Los Angeles) has such a high rate of homeless people (90,000). I met a homeless man named Tyrone. A few mins of convo with him and I still cannot get him off my mind.

4. I highly doubt I'll ever live in LA! The tremors from a 7.2 earthquake TWO HOURS AWAY were enough to convince me.

5. I was surprised to find that not everyone is like what you see on "The Hills", "90210" or any of those shows...they were surprised that I am nothing like the characters from "Jersey Shore"

6. I met a female musician who's played with the real Nathaniel (portrayed by Jamie Foxx in "The Soloist"), and realized that 6 degrees of separation might really be like 2!

7. On the return flight home I was seated in the row behind gassy babies and sneezing passengers and it was then that I decided I really have to work towards my private jet!

How was your Easter?

I meant to blog yesterday but I found myself jumping in the shower, grabbing a quick breakfast and heading out to catch a tour of Los Angeles.
I spend my Easters very differently from the way I grew up but I do have great memories.
First the outfits. We wore beautiful Easter dresses with matching ribbons and hats. Unfortunately I don't have any pics on hand but I will post some soon. (Some of y'all will have fun laughing at me but whatever lol) 
Then there were the movies. In Trinidad there weren't many channels at the time for your viewing pleasure so we watched the saaaaame movies every Easter, but I loved them! I particularly enjoyed watching them with my grandfather. Every year we would watch "The Ten Commandments" and "The King and I" (I heart Yul Brenner). There were others but those two were my faves. This year I was pleasantly surprised to see Yul Brenner onscreen. I literally stopped in my tracks in the hotel room and watched the movie with my son. I smiled to myself as I was able to share one of my childhood moments with him.
Next, the food: We used to eat provisions (which is yams, potatoes, cassava and other starches) with lentils, saltfish (a.k.a. bacalhau), salad etc. You knew we were in the season of Lent when you saw that on the menu. :)
And what do all kids look forward to at Easter? THE BASKETS!!!! Filled with chocolates and goodies! My aunt would visit from the US and bring all kinds of goodies especially the huge SOLID chocolate bunnies that seemed to last forever!! I would never be able to eat even as much as the head of the bunny -- too much chocolate for me, but my cousins would devour them. We'd also dye & decorate eggs. This was okay to me at first but I didn't care for it too much. I thought it was one of the most senseless things ever. (I found out later on in life that some people actually eat the eggs after, but uhm... I don't!)
I used to do the Easter baskets with my son & I took him on egg hunts a couple times as well but he showed very little interest in it too so I stopped. Honestly I was happy he didn't like it because I thought it such a drag.
What I didn't realize is that I HAVE started my own tradition with my son...we travel for Easter. He's usually on Spring Break around that time so I take vacation to spend the time with him and it wasn't until my aunt pointed it out that I realized this IS our tradition.
This year was a little unconventional as the holiday met us in our hotel room, experiencing our first mini-earthquake! The entire 35-story building was swaying! SCARE-REEEEE!!! 2 hours away from Mexicali and we felt the waves from the 7.2 quake that hit that area. My son and I stood motionless in our room, eyes blinking and hearts pumping, as the hotel swayed from side to side. You always say you know exactly how to react in a situation until you're actually in it. Should I grab him and dart under the bed? Head for the door? Ok no, if I panic so will he...so I asked him if he wanted to come over to me. He said no and although he was a bit scared, I could see a hint of excitement as he experienced his first earthquake. (He is SO not my child as I was already making deals with Jesus!). It seemed like the longest 2 mins or so of our lives and when it passed we looked out the window and NOONE seemed to be affected! Here I am pulling my heart outta my a** and people were walking around and carrying on with their lives as normal. (Later I found out from residents that they're not rattled until things actually start to shake!)
The funny thing is the day before another tour guide told us that we're here at a great time because they only experience these things once every 5 years and one has since passed. Well you know I wanna see his a** before I leave LA!
Anyway, it's great out here and all but I'm ready to return to the Concrete Jungle ! lol