Hurricane Irene !

The trees outside my home being ravaged by the wind in the aftermath of Irene!

Hurricane Irene crept up the East Coast with a vengeance last night! I don't know WHO pissed her off but the Category 1 hurricane hit the tri-state pretty hard !

I am so thankful that my family and friends are all well, and experienced very little damage, if any, to property and personal belongings etc. My heart goes out to the families who lost loved ones and who dealt with the power outtage and severe flooding etc. My prayers go out to them all.

In the midst of the madness, there WERE some daredevils who wanted to toy with Mother Nature. While I was home screaming at the television, wondering why those crazy people did not evacuate the beaches when it was mandatory, (Long Beach, LI and Long Branch, NJ in particular), I got a text message from my friend Sheila. She told me that she was going to "swing by" to drop off some cupcakes. I thought she was kidding until she showed up at my doorstep, cupcakes in tow! She wanted me to sample one of her new creations!

Although I savored every morsel, I DID wonder if my friend was coocoo for cocoa puffs! WHO DRIVES IN THE MIDDLE OF A HURRICANE TO DELIVER CUPCAKES???

The infamous cupcakes I've named "Hurricane Irene" (Cakes Galore by Sheila)

It's a chocolate, carrot and zuchini cupcake,

topped with a blackberry buttercream frosting and fresh blackberry on top!

I'm glad she made it home safely....(then she wondered why she was the ONLY ONE ON THE PARKWAY!)

At the end of the day, I'm glad that the Hurricane did NOT do more damage and has gone her merry way. Much respect to Mother Nature.

My newest Summer must-have

Bronze Coin by L'Oreal

I'm a MAC Cosmetics fan but I LUV this new lip color!

It's light, neutral... the perfect Summer sheen to perfect that pout!

...and a great natural color to take you into the Fall!

Hi, my name is Mandy and I'm a whore-duh!

...oops, I mean hoarder

...yes, me... and I didn't even know I was...until now!

I'm the first person to throw out everything if it looks at me too long. I've given away clothes because I thought "I'd never wear THIS again", only to go rummaging through my stuff later on in life when I have those "it'd be the perfect ____ to go with this ____" moments, and find it's not there!

"Oh yeahhhhh ya gave it awayyyyyy ya schmuck!" (slumps and walks back to closet to find something else to wear). This is my life story!

Leftovers only last in the fridge a day (maybe two).

If I haven't been using something for a while and I keep seeing it, guess what? Yup, give away! I always feel someone else would really appreciate/ use it more than I would.

NOBODY I know Spring cleans more than I do...(except some of my friends: Ana - who makes Ikea look like child's play... Joanna - who cleans before her cleaning service comes to her house lol...and my aunt Sherry - the epitome of OCD lol).

But here's where I'm now realizing I'm a - gasp - hoarder: I've been clearing out filing bins etc and ended up with an insurmountable pile of paper!!! I had bank statements since First Union existed, phone bills from Bell Atlantic and receipts since Moses was born! It was as though I SWORE the IRS was coming to audit me (God Forbid!) but if they did I'D be prepared!! HAHA!! They wouldn't get ME because I was ready!!!

WHAT THE HECK WAS I THINKING?????

I have enough paperwork to heat HELL! One massive bonfire and voilà!

One year I could probably understand, but all these years???? WHY? ("I don't know! I don't know" I yell to my alter ego and all those other voices judging me!)

Then my psychoanalytical mind (emphasis on psycho) begins to think "do I have issues with letting go?" I don't think so since I throw out everything, except my son, for the most part. "Do I watch too many CIA/ FBI movies?" (Sometimes I act as though I'm starring in "Enemy of the State")... I mean I have no clue why I thought I would need all this SHIT!!

So I bought a high-tech shredder to chew through all those years of my life. The poor thing diligently chugs through like the little shredder that could.

The highlight was when a co-worker (who's sitting at my old desk) decided to clear out THAT filing bin, and finds:

MORE SHIT!!

Magazine clippings (like I thought I'd read on my down time?)

Negatives - yes negatives from Halloween pics many moons ago --- WHO EVEN KNOWS WHAT "NEGATIVES" ARE ANYMORE!!????

stuff co-worker found in desk

Negatives - for those of you born today

But this will NOT happen to me anymore! EVERYTHING is get shredded or chucked A S A P!

So let's just say I'm a recovering hoarder.

Hi, my name is Mandy...

....and I've been CLEAN since .....this blog entry...(insert grand applause here)

"Mister Detective" by Galia Arad

Finally I found the video for "Mister Detective" posted on my girl Galia's blog.

This was one of the songs she performed at The Living Room, NYC; I think it's clever and fun.

Enjoy!

Krazy for Kardashians!

(Google Image)

I LOVE the Kardashians! The fashion, the drama, Khloe's oh-so-candid side which reminds me of myself...all of it. Recently I read Vera's blog and she likes a show which I don't get AT ALL "Jersey Shore"! (I haven't watched it so I know that's a bit biased but they lost me at Snooki and that hair. I can't...I just can't!

Anyway it just goes to show that there is something for everyone...lol...click on the link to check out Vera's blog http://veraisbeautygeek.blogspot.com/2011/08/why-i-love-jersey-shore.html

"Watch the Throne" or Watch or Asses ?

I've never been "super-religious". I grew up in a Catholic family and although I do believe in God, I have found that throughout my life there have been a lot of discrepancies and many unanswered questions.

When it comes to the Bible, or talking with others from various religions/ beliefs etc., I have found that interpretation is personal. I have met people who have their own translation, and there are some who do not believe at all. At the end of the day, my belief is in God, be kind to others: keep it simple.

That does not always prove the case of course. Although I DO believe in God and putting good into the Universe, it's definitely not always peace, love and dove with me. I am quick to anger, (dormant road rage) and have to constantly remind myself to be a better person -- hey, I'm a "work-in-progress" like Steve Harvey says.

Lately however, I find some things in this world glaringly outrageous. It comes in the form of art or freedom of speech or whatever umbrella it falls under, and it makes me wonder...

There was Lady Gaga on twitter drinking beer with friends and tweeting "cheers to the 666" (immediate delete), then there was her album with Judas, the cross and from what I've heard a really disturbing video.

Lady Gaga "Judas"

In some interviews Lady Gaga defends the video/ song stating that there were no religious innuendos....(side eye)...moving on...

Now Jay-Z and Kanye West have "Watch the Throne"

The title alone makes me think (maybe too deep) but with songs like "No Church in the Wild" and "Who Gon Stop Me" ....hmmm

And how many of us were tweeting about Beyonce and the Illuminati suspicions (her "Run the World" performance on the Billboard Awards certainly raised a lot of flags/ eyebrows -- see the graphics behind her during her performance below)

Why all the similarities? The crosses? The messages? The symbols?

Coincidence? Artistry? These artists are all very talented, genius in their brand; they run the gamut in the entertainment industry but are we mindlessly bumping our heads to the music or are we really paying attention to the meaning of the lyrics?

I don't have the answers and I am not preaching on something as extensive and emotional as beliefs and religions etc but it certainly is food for thought.

Beyonce 4

(Google Image)

Just when I thought Beyonce couldn't outdo herself, she has.

Her 4th studio album titled "4" takes her to higher heights vocally and artistically. She is phenomenal!

I LOVE the first track on the album "1+1"! It is SUCH a beautiful song!

When I saw Beyonce perform this on Good Morning America, I was floored by her killer vocals and it re-confirmed, for me at least, why Beyonce is in her own stratosphere. 

Beyonce performing "1+1" on Good Morning America: Summer Concert Series

(Google Image)

Other songs I like from the album are "Party" with Andre 3000 and "Love on Top": both very catchy tunes. 

"End of Time" and "Run the World" have ridic drum beats and rhythms that there's no way you could stay still while listening to them.

Love her or hate her, or even if you're straddling somewhere in the middle, Beyonce is inspiring as an artist and entertainer, and she is DEFINITELY here to stay!

 

Beyonce performing "1+1" on GMA:

Beyoncé - 1+1 on Good Morning America Summer Concert Series from Dany MusicLover on Vimeo.

My birthday weekend in Canada



The past couple weeks have been a bit morose with all the news of people passing away, so it was a welcome break to head to Canada for the weekend and celebrate my birthday with loved ones.

I HAD A BLAST!!

You wouldn't think it was only a 3-day getaway the way we were hopping from one place to another, but we managed to squeeze in a tour, party in the streets for Caribana, go shopping, watch a baseball game and party again on my bday.

About to have dinner and watch the game from the hotel

(Toronto Blue Jays won in that game against the Texas Rangers...sorry USA)

Canada is so beautiful and clean, and Canadians seem very proud of their country. Everywhere you turn is the flag...one guy even had the maple leaf (from the flag) as air freshener in his car -__- (a bit much but oooook).

We visited the Niagara Falls which isn't listed in the Seven Wonders of the World, but is certainly one of the Seven Wonders of Canada.

It is absolutely breathtaking and an amazement (not to mention it serves as a source of hydroelectric power, and the flow of the falls is regulated by gates at night, and during low tourist season...ok moving on...)

One of the highlights of this trip was going back to the Falls so many years later with my cousins. When we were much younger (and waaaaaay more innocent lol) we went there with family. 

Here we are as kids

it's not a great photo but from left to right - youngest to eldest

(I'm on the right with the big red bow on my head)...

...and here we are, all grown up

(same order)

We also brought the "baby" (in green)

who wasn't born at the time of the original photo

 Here are some other moments of the trip:

Met up with a friend from highschool

Hockey Hall of Fame

My birthday cake: Creme Brulee cheesecake

(since Cakes Galore was not on hand with one of their fab creations)

By the Falls on the US side

Casino

The falls on the US side

That little yellow speck at the side of the building is an elevator

 

Their buses/trolley

The CN Tower

View of the Rogers Center from the top of the CN Tower

through a glass floor!!

View of Toronto from the CN Tower

yes, below me is the street

This glass floor was very intimidating!

Headed to the top of the CN Tower - the skypod!

 

Rogers Center (the stadium) with the roof closed

With my fam at the Caribana parade

 

We represent anywhere we go lol (The Trini flag in center)

And the award for best dressed goes to...

I snatched up a couple police officers

Yeah he performed out there JUST for me (or so I'd like to think lol)

Machel Montano

This guy is playing a "hervu" ? or something like that...
I dont' know I thought it a pretty cool instrument

Falls view from the Canadian side

It was a really nice trip!