RIP Amy Winehouse

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I had heard about Amy Winehouse long before her music was popular here in the States. A friend of mine from London sent me her cd "Frank" and I thought Amy's sound was different but good: she had that slightly drunk-in-a-bar sound mixed with a bit of jazz and old school. She sang like someone who KNEW what pain was, the way Billie Holiday sang. I remember when I heard "F**k Me Pumps", I thought here's a singer (songwriter) who's not afraid to live on the edge.

Then came her "Back to Black" album: absolutely genius...the sound and the lyrics. I knew she was going to win a Grammy or two for that album -- she won five!

I remember her performance on Grammy night. Her frail body shook and shimmied onstage (via satellite) and I cringed during her performance because she looked like she was barely holding on yet STILL she gave a great performance. Moments later she won a Grammy and as she delivered her acceptance speech, I cried at home because I was rooting for her like so many others.

This weekend I found out about Amy's death via social media. I was not completely in shock because she had a well-known history of drug and alcohol abuse, but I was definitely saddened to hear about her death. So young, such talent! Sometimes you never know what struggles a person may have...rest in peace Amy!

Here's here performance on Grammy night:

Rihanna Rocks!

Last Thursday I went to Rihanna's concert -- her Loud Tour. It was a great show!

Rihanna during a banging performance of "Man Down"

JCole

JCole opened the show with his featured piece on "A Star is Born" (from Jay Z's BluePrint 3 album) and performed some of his hits, including my fave "Can I hit it in the morning?"

We waited for about AN HOUR before Ms. Rihanna graced the stage...I wasn't too happy about that but just as the crowd was becoming restless, the Good Girl Gone Bad appeared. It was worth the wait; it was a great show!
 

Riri about to appear onstage

Rihanna finally hits the stage

Rihanna's no Sheila E but she did her thang on the drums

She closed the show with Mr New York himself, Jay Z

I was skeptical about going to the concert because Rihanna hasn't been the strongest vocally on live performances, but that night she was in her element and did her thang!

Galia Arad and her "Assets"

Galia Arad

at The Living Room, NYC

Galia Arad killed her performance at The Living Room last night. She was charming and funny as usual and totally OWNED the stage! A guy sitting next to me was there to see Silvertone, the group that was on before Galia, but he said when he saw the crowd and the buzz in the room for her, he decided to stay. He said "who is she? Is she well known? I said "yes, and now you know her too".

Two songs into her set and he was clapping and hollering like he'd known her forever.

It's just that easy to love Galia and her music.

Galia and her band

Galia performed some of my faves "Better than Bonnie" and "Ain't Quite a Broken Heart", as well as some newbies "Mr. Detective" and "I Confess" (I think I just totally re-named all her songs but at least you'll be able to identify them when you hear them lol).

She invited some of her hedge fund peeps onstage to perform with her, she called them her "assets" lol.

They are also a funny talented bunch!

Galia and her hot guitarist, Nick

Galia and her "intern" (blue shirt)

Galia's sis, Carmel(a)?, performed with her as well

Galia and her "lollipops"

If you haven't seen their popumentary, click here...too funny!

One of Galia's hedge fund peeps (blue shirt)

was the featured drummer on one of her songs.

This guy (another hedge fund peep) said he passed on the U2 concert

to be at Galia's show.

...and this is why...he made his debut on harmonica...

Sorry Bono!

Did I say Nick is HOT!?

It was a great show and it's so good seeing my girl perform

and watching her growth in this music business!

Much continued success Gals!

Lost Bohemia

Lost Bohemia is a documentary by Josef "Birdman" Astor. It tells the heartbreaking story of how artists were evicted from Carnegie Hall for its $150 million expansion.
Andrew Carnegie intended for the artists studios above the music hall to be used for exactly that: artists! It was a place for musicians, dancers, actors etc to work and much more than that it was home.
The original Carnegie Hall was built in 1891 and formed the nation's first actors' studio. Tenants had resided there as early as 1941...over 50 years, and were systemically removed from the building for the expansion.

"The studios’ significance to 20th Century culture cannot be overstated, as generations of legendary performers and artists lived and worked in them including Isadora Duncan, Marlon Brando, Barnett Newman, Agnes deMille, Marilyn Monroe, Leonard Bernstein, Ruth Gordon, Mark Twain, Martha Graham, Paddy Chayefsky, Robert Redford and Lee Strasberg."[sic]

The studios as they were (on left) and the renovation plans on right

It's a great documentary but a sad tale of how desensitised we can become when money is involved, but in hindsight we lose what's really important.

Carnegie Hall was rich in culture and history in those studios. See the trailer below:

To buy the DVD click here.

"Stick to your art, bury yourself in it, it will never fail you"

~Dr. Donald Shirley, virtuoso pianist

tenant since 1946

Roseanne's Nuts...literally! lol

I'm becoming a reality tv fanatic even though painfully hard to admit. It all started with Flava Flav and went downhill from there (dam you and your gold teeth Flav! lol)
I tuned in yesterday to watch the premiere of Roseanne Barr's reality show "Roseanne's Nuts". I'm not sure what I expected (not too much honestly) but I just HADDDD to see what Roseanne was up too. Yup, as expected, not too much.

Roseanne Barr

(who has an uncanny resemblance to my friend's mom lol)

It was typical Roseanne. The first episode was kinda boring but I figured it was just an intro... it turned into a bleepfest! Most of the 2nd episode was bleeped while Roseanne swore (literally) that it was a curse -__- (pun intended).

She headed to some lady to help with her "chakras"...I don't know...at some point maybe it'll get interesting cause she's definitely a character but she lost me when she was talking to the pig.

I could hear Ann (my music mentor) right now "you're time would be much better spent practicing!"......Ann is right!

Click the link for episode two and see for yourself:

http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/roseannes-nuts/video/full-episodes/season-1/episode-2-the-curse

Jenifer Lewis

Jenifer Lewis

(Google Image)

I LOVE Jenifer Lewis. She's such a beautiful, funny, talented actress. She's one of those characters who doesn't have to have the leading role to steal the spotlight.
I recently saw her as the meddling mom in the T.D. Jakes movie "Not Easily Broken" and I thought she's such an underrated actress...that is, in the big Hollywood scheme of things.
She gives you that feeling that she'd be a great mom or that tell-it-like-it-is friend. She definitely is feisty and has charisma!

She has quite a career, featured in several tv shows and films. Some of my fave performances from her are as the wedding planner in "Madea's Family Reunion", Vera in "Meet the Browns", and as Tina Turner's mom in "What's Love Got To Do With It".

She's been in classics such as "Cast Away" with Tom Hanks, "The Preacher's Wife" with Denzel Washington and a slew of performances on Broadway. I didn't even realize she was the voice of Motown Turtle in "Shark Tale" or Mama Odie in "The Princess and the Frog".

Jenifer Lewis as Mama Odie

(imdb image)

After googling her I found out she was also on Oprah discussing how she deals with being bipolar.
I wish her much continued success and hope to see more of her.

16 lb baby!

I found this on Egyptsaidso.com: a story about a woman giving birth to a 16lb baby!!

But look at the baby on the left...

Baby on left looks like "what da...?"

hahahahha...

....For the rest of the story click here.

Beautiful day at the lake...

It was such a gorgeous summer day that my fam and I decided to head to the lake. I haven't been in open water in such a long time that it took me a few minutes to really remember the last time I had. I think it was about 3 years ago when my grandmother died and I went to Trinidad for her funeral??? I had gone to the beach then...I think.

I've since been to Santa Monica Pier in LA and South Beach, Miami...but even THEN I didn't get in the water! I absolutely LOOOOOVE the beach!!! But I visited LA in the Spring and the water was waaaaay to cold for me. My son played and swam in that cold water like he was in the Caribbean! I, on the other hand, lay on the sand relaxing, promising myself to go to the beach again the first chance I got.

Fast forward to vaycay in Miami and I didn't even make it to the beach! I packed swimsuits like I was headed to a swim shoot and didn't use any of them! Instead I spent my days recuperating poolside from partying the night before....ahh viva Miami!

So I spent a relaxing day at the lake with my family. Water is so soothing. I swam, I lay on the sand...I love the feel of warm sand between your toes (other places, not so much).

This is DEFINITELY on the agenda again before the end of Summer!

My cousin and I at the lake

Gorgeous

My other cousin taking a nap (bottom left lol)

The poor bug I rolled over with my butt...

Alicia Keys' baby is too friggin cute!

Thank goodness for Alicia's good looks because from these pics, Swiss has some schnauzer (huge nose) on him lol...but their baby, Egypt, is beyond adorable...

Pics from Nicole Bitchie blog

check out more pics on Nicole Bitchie's blog: http://necolebitchie.com/2011/07/07/a-first-look-at-alicia-keys-and-swizz-beatzs-son-egypt/

How long do YOU think you can hide the truth?

"If you shut up truth,
and bury it under the ground,
it will but grow and gather to itself
such explosive power
that the day it burst through
it will blow up everything in its way"
          ~ Emile Zola: French Writer

My aunt read this quote to me during one of our convos.
I love it...thought I'd share it with you.

Dino

I went to the most amazing little Italian restaurant in Brooklyn this weekend. We stumbled upon it as a friend of mine was on a crazy search for eggs! (Don't ask but some people just insist on having eggs at 5pm ok! smh lol).
Anyway, after checking out several restaurants on that strip and no luck finding eggs for "brunch", we decided to dine at Dino.

The menu looked interesting and it was a gorgeous day so we ate outside.

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The food is SO GOOD! I had a pear salad -- and I usually don't mix fruit with salad but I tried it and it was delish -- and pasta with lamb. That lamb dish had a much more exotic name but basically it was flat pasta with shredded lamb and YES it was yummy too.

Sorry I didn't take pics of my meals...was too busy inhaling the food! After our meal, we had the pleasure of meeting the chef and the owner...definitely compliments to the chef and many more visits!

To check out the menu please click here: http://dinorestaurantny.com/