Sometimes you think you know someone, then you see them in a different light and you get a whole new perspective of that person. You identify with them, empathize with them, you might even disagree with them or wonder what the heck were they thinking??? lol But in any event, you get insight.
My life is crazy...fun...some days? yawn! lol...but definitely BLESSED!
Take this journey with me...and again Welcome to MYYYYY world! ;)
So I FINALLY saw "Superbad" (insert audible disgust and other comments here)...yes I know ok?!
My besties, Ana and Jo, have been telling me to watch it for YEARS and I forgot or whatever. I never remember to go to Blockbuster (do any of you still go to Blockbuster? The last time I went there my card was expired...matter of fact I think they had a new system lol). When I tried to catch it "On Demand" it was never on... but yesterday FX hooked a sister up! lol
It took FOREVER to get here...but alas I have it in constant rotation. I have to marinate on it: listen intently to the cds, check out the dvd, the booklet etc and I'll get back to you. (Yes, it's a process...this is ALICIA we're talking about! Judge me if you want! lol)
Did you see her performance at the BET Awards? She looked absolutely beautiful (wasn't quite feeling the hair -- I liked the style but it was a little too messy for me)...BUT since it IS Alicia, and she can play and sing her ass off, AND I absolutely luv her...she gets a pass from me! lol
When I heard of "chicken and waffles", just the thought alone had me skeeved. To me, chicken remains in the lunch and dinner category, and waffles is for breakfast. But apparently it's such a big deal (especially in the South) that Gladys Knight even has a restaurant called "Chicken and Waffles".
(Google image)
When I visited Atlanta, I went to the infamous restaurant and decided I was going to try it. I'm pretty good at being adventurous but I just couldn't bring myself to it...I ordered something else.
Fast forward to present date and a co-worker requested ice-cream and waffles for her birthday treat! Now this seemed a little more palatable to me, but I had never heard of the combo before. It didn't seem far-fetched, after all they do serve ice-cream in a waffle cone...but an actual waffle?? This was news to me!
A few of my co-workers heard of it before (apparently it was all the rave at birthday parties, and on the boardwalk in South Jersey) but some of the others looked just as puzzled as I was.
Apparently you can have it like a "sandwich"
Or the way I chose to eat mine...separate.
I took one bite and knew this was NOT for me. Some of the others who tried it for the first time really enjoyed it because they said it tasted just like a waffle cone. I ate my ice-cream and threw away the soggy leftover waffle....to bad I didn't have pancake syrup on hand.
I came across a really funnyblog via my friend Jan's facebook page. "My So-Called Space" is about this guy just pretty much talking about things in his life and an office cleaner's obsession with him...HILARIOUS! It's even funnier if you're familiar with Trinidad and the culture.
I follow quite a few blogs but I just HAD to share this one with you.
Enjoy!
Here's the link: http://stefansi.wordpress.com/
This weekend I read a very powerful message from Tyler Perry. I just received the email again from a friend so I decided to post on my blog. I figure it's a sign that I should share it :) It's fairly long but worth the read.
I hope it resonates with you the way it did with Kim and myself.
"So, I just finished filming a really good movie called GOOD DEEDS. It’s me like you’ve never seen me before. It comes out in February, brace yourself. There were a lot of long days on this shoot, so I wanted to take a break. I decided to do some traveling and since I still have 20 more pounds to lose before I start my next movie, ALEX CROSS, I thought I would go to the Grand Canyon and do some hiking, climbing and so on. At one point in the climbing, I was over a steep drop and was tied to a safety rope, while a buddy’s safety rope was tied to me. It was my responsibility to help him up, since I was bigger and weighed more. I told him, “I’ll hold on to you to help you up but if you start to pull me over with you, I’m going to untie this rope.” We had a good laugh about it, but I was serious…
I started thinking about that moment a few days ago. How many times are we tied to a person, people or things that are pulling us down and we won’t untie the rope? For whatever reason, be it family, friends, society, or just the feeling of being obligated, trapped or that if you don’t, no one else will. I have watched so many people go over a cliff with a person that they are trying to help up, it’s sad. YOU MUST UNTIE THE ROPE!!!
This is your lifeandyou are wasting it being tied to someone who is destroying his or her opportunities and yours. If the person that you are trying to help does not know that they are worth being saved, how do you expect them to put any value on you saving them? You’re not worth it to them. They can’t get it! SO YOU NEED TO! Listen to me, untie the rope and don’t lose yourself trying to hold on to someone who can’t survive on your level. You hear me? Maybe they have gone as high as they can go. Just because you can survive on that level doesn’t mean that everyone else can. Stop trying to help them, UNTIE THE ROPE! I know you may feel this is cruel, but what is more cruel is dying a death that’s not your own. Letting your destiny go to hell because someone else pulled you there. Are you kidding me? That isn’t God!
Here is what I have learned over the almost 20 years that I have been in this business. Let me tell you, I have seen and worked with some of the most talented people you can imagine and I used to wonder why they never got any higher than they are. You know, the kind of people who always seem to be at the door, but never can go in. It used to blow my mind until I got a revelation from God.
For many years I was the same way, I would get close and things would fall apart. I couldn’t get any traction, not in my career, not in my personal life and not in the pursuit of happiness. I just couldn’t move forward. Through much prayer and self-discovery, I found out that I used to be, notice I said “USED TO BE,” a self-saboteur. I would find a way to subconsciously destroy every good thing that was in my life and I didn’t even know I was doing it. Most self-sabotaging people don’t know that they are doing it.I don’t think there is anyone sadder than a person who blames everyone else, but themselves for their situation. The very revelation that I was causing my own problems was one of the greatest blessings God could have allowed me to see. Once I realized the behavior, I was able to change it. That is why my life is in such a great place right now. I realized that my very thoughts were keeping me from being successful at everything. “So, as a man thinketh, so is he.
Many times a lot of us sabotage subconsciously because of what mamma or daddy said, traumatic childhoods or any number of things that happened growing up that made us feel that we shouldn’t have or that we didn’t deserve it. I’m here to tell you all, that misinformation was wrong. You do deserve it! You are worthy of it! For me, knowing that Jesus died and rose again makes me know we are all worthy.
Why am I saying this? I’m just tired of people being upset with people who have realized their dreams. The only difference in someone who is living their dream and someone who can’t get it to come to pass is they don’t feel they deserve it. They don’t feel they are worthy of it. So many of us have dreams, dreams that the world is waiting for, talents that will help heal and change nations, but we keep destroying our own successes. I know for a fact that if I had not figured this out, you wouldn’t be reading this email right now. Nor would I be a happy soul.
The world is waiting for your gift. Give it to yourself and you will give it to them, but first you have to UNTIE THE ROPE."
Top Performer of the night for me was the Queen Bey! Beyonce KILLED her performance and showed us exactly why she more than deserved that Millenium Award!
Her body looked amazing (I promise not to use the word "amazing" again in this blogpost, thank you very much Justin Bieber -___-), her voice was stronger than ever and that digital high-tech performance was on point! LOVED IT! LOVED IT! LOVED IT! (See her performance in the vid below)
Some of the other highlights for me:
Cee Lo wowed me with his performance and now I want to be hoisted into the air with a grand piano and spun around....NOT!!!! I'll leave that to Cee-Lo! Thumbs up!
Cee Lo (on left) with his award, and (on right) being spun around mid-air with his piano
Congrats to Rihanna on her awards...and she looked stunning in her white tuxedo!
Rihanna and Jay Z
One of my FAVE groups, Lady Antebellum, accepting their award
Nicki Minaj's performance was a bit lack lustre for me...I expected HOTNESS from her
...but she gets luv anyway since she's a fellow Trini
On Mothers' Day, my cousins and I headed to the Tank/Babyface concert. We were stuck in RIDICULOUS traffic so by the time we made it there, we missed Tank's performance. All my tweets to attack him if he ripped off his shirt became empty promises (but don't worry Tank, I MUST make it to one of your concerts someday...you've been warned! lol)
My cousins and I at the concert
Anyway, the shocker for me was Babyface! I know he's a phenomenal songwriter and very established in the music business, (working with Toni Braxton, Boyz II Men and soooooo many more top artists)...what I DIDN'T know was that his fans are outta control!! He's like the Jay Z for baby boomers!
The band introducing Babyface
Mr "Whip Appeal" himself graces the stage
This lady (with the blue ponytail) ran up to the front and couldn't contain herself.
She sang every song and punctuated every beat with more passion than Babyface himself!
These two seemed to be in competition for "Who caught the best Holy Ghost?"
Pink top won -__-
Babyface did a medley of hits
and he looks and sounds great!
This was my view of the stage at one point!
This woman refused to sit when security asked her to so the people behind her could see...
...this is asscrack.com....literally!
Here is "blue ponytail" again...
you cannot see her date but most likely she is telling him to shut the hell up so she could listen to her Babyface
"Blue Ponytail" again grooving like she is the only one in the theater.
If ONE person enjoyed the show, it's her! lol
Is he related to Babyface? anyone know?
Babyface hugging a fan one row behind us...
...it was mayhem when he came through the audience!
It was a very entertaining show...but if you think Justin Bieber "stans" are crazy, you haven't been to a Babyface concert! lol
I've been promising myself, and my friend/Silpada rep, Jeanine Simonson, that I would host a Silpada party for the longest. Well I finally did, and it was a beautiful Spring day filled with mimosas (and other drinky drinks), lots of girl talk and JEWELRY!
See for yourself...
Aye! Who brite idea it was tuh have Mudda's day? EHH??!!! U know how loooooooooooooong we had muddas on dis earth???? Long time! Ah wanna say as far back as Eve (she is de one who had dat abusive Cain and foobeh Abel right? whaever ) Anyway is long time we hah muddas on dis planet!
Muddas day eh nuttn more than anudda way of Uncle Sam DIGGIN into yuh friggin pockets!! Tank yuh President Woodrow! STEUPS!!!
Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisssss tuntun Anna Jarvis decide tuh lobby fuh a holiday fuh muddas day! Yuh tink she couldna jus bake a blasted cake fuh she mudda and pick 2 periwinkle from de garden and say "yeah ma, hold dat! yuh iz a borse!!"
Naaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!! She hadda LOBBY fuh a holiday (blasted vaginian, ah mean Virginian!). Like she LURVE she mudda more dan eeeeeevrybody else luv theirs!!
Den, of course, in typical mad people fashion, when President Woodrow make it ah official holiday...yuh know de woman vex??? She fine it geh tooooo "commercial" ! She call it "Hallmark holiday" and gone protesting all over de place and geh she aaaaassss lock up! cacahole!
Is better she did sign a patent leather or copyright something and geh a lil money from Hallmark cause she dead without a cent in she pocket...poor ting rest she soul!
Poor ting my big toe!!! Dis holiday costn me money!! My mudda pass away when ah was small (God bless her soul) so she is not de expense, buh is all kinda tanty raise meh and ting nah...pressha! I cah give meh "favorite" aunt present and not de odders cause den ah does feel guilty when ah tink bout de trailaload ah dem who had input in meh life...who know dey say it take a village? Well is like I hadda buy fuh de whole kiss-meh-ass village (well except de one who used tuh cut meh tail de most...she geh eliminated long time! I feel she is a descendant from Cain bloodline or de devil spawn or sumting! Dat woman abusive! I geh lix fuh ting I do and ting I ain't...buh dah is a next story!)
Den allll meh fren and dem gone and have pickney! Meh best fren, she fren, meh fren fren...like was sale on baby and none on condom! By de time I buy card, flower, gift....AND DEY BOLD TUH BOOT!!! Dey want yuh tuh BUYYYYY ting fuh dem!!! Wha happen tuh making card on construction paper and designin with glitter and ting...or making a lil paper-marche bowl or someting (I didn't even know ah was talkn French in dem days, a nearly bite up meh tongue all kinda ting but ah didn't care cause it sound porsh!) yuh tink dey couldn't take dat and say "God is Love" or "Mandy real nice dread" whichever come first!? Naaaaaahhhhhhhh dey want gift!
Even people who does normally be passing me straight does be hollering and giving me all kinda well wishes fuh Muddas Day...all I does be giving dem is cut-eye!
Look ah gehn HEATED jus tinkin bout dis right now so look, love is free...so daiz wha EVERYBODY gehn dis year!
I LOVE ALL YUH AND HAPPY MUDDAS DAY !
Last night I had the pleasure of being at a very intimate performance of Marsha Ambrosius. Thanks to The Recording Academy, we were invited to hear her perform, and also tell us a bit of her story.
She is quite soft-spoken and seems like a really sweet, humble person. She talked about a few of the songs on her new album "Late Nights and Early Mornings", and how originally she was going to title it "Doing It All Night Long" (lol)...but since that seemed like too much of a cliche, she opted for the current title.
Marsha (on left) and Beverly (on right) during the Q&A portion
The event was moderated by Beverly Bond, of Black Girls Rock! What I did not know was that Marsha "beatboxed" and sang the theme song for Black Girls Rock! and Beverly said she has received countless requests for Marsha to finish that song. Marsha gave us a snippet right then and there.
Marsha Ambrosius
M&M :)
Beverly Bond and I
"You never have writer's block, you just sit down and be still" ~ Marsha Ambrosius
I first heard Grace Potter and the Nocturnals on "Ellen" and I loved the group immediately. I felt like they were a well-kept secret (at least from me) and it was a pleasure to be introduced to their music.
Recently I found a video of the group (on Billboard) performing one of Beyonce's songs "Why Don't You Love Me?" and they did a great rendition of it.
I was saddened to hear that Phoebe Snow passed away yesterday. I saw her perform once, at Birdland, and I was lucky to bear witness to that because she wasn't scheduled to perform. They announced that she was in the room (at Birdland) and the audience went wild! "Who was this woman?" I thought to myself. I'd never heard of her before, and yet people were cheering and clapping and practically begging her to perform!
She walked towards the stage, very simple, even a little timid it seemed...but when she opened her mouth? AH-MAY-ZING!! She totally blew me away with her beautiful powerful voice, her range...her presence. She sang a soulful rendition of "You Send Me" and since the audience was going absolutely insane for an encore, she then sang Janis Joplin's "Piece of My Heart" and she KILLED IT!!!! Her friend, Skip Brevis (piano), David Buskin (guitar) and Steve Doyle (bass) was her impromptu band that night and they were phenomenal! (According to Ann Ruckert, "no rehearsal, no band practice...they were on and they hit it!")
Image from phoebesnow.com
Although I didn't know her personally, I was particularly touched when I heard about her story: how she decided to care for her daughter who was born "severely brain-damaged", and did not institutionalize her (which was common at the time); how her husband left her and yet she devoted herself to her disabled daughter until the day she (her daughter) died; how she never fully recovered from her daughter's passing, or really revive her music career. As I watched her sing her heart out at Birdland, I knew she was singing from a place where only pleasant memories and pain could both reside.
I sang on that same stage that very night, and I was honored to sing on that stage where Phoebe and countless other talented musicians performed. Ervin Drake (living legend who co-wrote the Billie Holiday classic "Good Morning Heartache" and numerous other hits) also performed that night.
It is always sad when someone dies, but it is also a reminder of just how precious life really is.
I LOVE this Bruno Mars song "Talking to the Moon". I recently bought the album "Doo-wops & Hooligans" and I'm loving it.
He is such a good songwriter/ musician (the seven-time Grammy nominated artist plays guitar, drums, bass and piano) with a soothing voice, and his music is easy going and relatable. I love it!
My fave songs on the album besides "Talking to the Moon" of course:
"Grenade"
"The Lazy Song" - which describes EXACTLY how I feel sometimes
"Count on Me" - which has a really pretty melody and beautiful vocals
"The Other Side" with Cee-Lo and B.o.b.
Ok amidst all the Easter festivities, I ALMOST forgot to pre-order my girl's COLLECTOR'S EDITION album dropping on June 28th!
Now, I'm waiting IMpatiently for delivery...
Last night I saw the Broadway musical "The People in the Picture" and let me tell you: YOU HAVE TO SEE IT!!!!!!
There's a brief synopsis on the play's site and the playbill certainly didn't give anything away. You have to experience this musical from beginning to end!
It grabs your attention from the very beginning with the most beautiful music (thank you Mike Stoller and Artie Butler!) and it is rich with history and culture and tradition.
After the show, we had the privilege of chatting with the creator of the play, Iris Rainer Dart (author of "Beaches" which later became the classic movie with Bette Midler), Mike Stoller and Artie Butler (who wrote and arranged the music) and some members of the cast.
Here's a little insight into how this play came to fruition:
Iris was born to a Russian mother and Lithuanian father (she was also the first female writer on "The Sonny and Cher Show"). One day she saw a show based in the 1935-1939 era, and although it was all in Yiddish, she was able to understand the language without using the subtitles. This reminded her of her childhood, but what was really poignant to her, was that despite everything Jews had been through (especially during that period of the show) they were still doing it with comedy and music...and so the concept of her play was born.
Years later, as the play was manifesting, a friend of Iris' told her she should contact Mike Stoller, half of the dynamic duo Lieber & Stoller. Mike and Iris began working on music for the play, and that same friend (who suggested Mike) recommended the one and only, Artie Butler.
Artie regaled his family story, about his father coming to America in 1917 from Poland, with his wife and his 9 brothers and sisters. He told us how they marked the boat where his parents and family, and other immigrants, were allowed to walk and were restricted to bathroom duty only 3 times a day. He became a little choked up as he said "they kissed the ground when they got to Ellis Island".
The play is not just a Russian play or a Jewish play, "it is universal" as someone said to Mike Stoller.
The two young girls in the play, Rachel Resheff and Andie Mechanic, are both grandchildren of Holocaust survivors. This past Summer, Rachel (who is not only adorable but bursting with talent at 10 YEARS OLD) went to Israel to visit her great-grandmother I think, (I don't remember the Yiddish word she used - sorry - but I'm guessing it was her great-grandma) and she was able to 'interview' her and hear her story. I think we ALL should know our story. This play was especially touching to me because I am now learning more about my OWN family, both on my mom's and dad's side.
It is a phenomenalplay and it speaks to the humanity in all of us. I strongly urge you to see it if you're in the NYC area, and also to learn about YOUR heritage. Who are the people in YOUR picture?
Hear the stories of your parents, your grandparents, your families; and pass on your culture and traditions to your children.
I hope it adds to the colors of your life.
Mandy *Special Thanks to Candace and Lisa for organizing tickets, and to Elizabeth Healy for the Q&A with the cast.
Have you seen the commercial with the walking pizzle (penis)? On the news this past weekend, was a story about young kids being introduced to condoms and safe sex in schools, mainly in Philadelphia.
They were talking about children as young as 11 years old having sex! ELEVEN YEARS OLD!
My family and I watched and listened in awe. As if the headline alone ("How Young is Too Young?") wasn't jarring enough, they panned to a commercial where an animated outline of a penis is walking across the screen, while putting on a condom! My 10 year old son was in the room...one word: awkward!
I certainly have not had that conversation with my son yet, and wasn't planning too quite frankly until maybe he started asking questions, or COLLEGE (if I could help it)...yet this "very touchy" topic (pun intended) met us right in our living room!
Apparently there has been an increased number of young children, not only having sex, but also contracting STD's etc....11 year olds? Really? Where have I been??? What happened to the opposite sex being just cute at that age, and exchanging notes like
...or forming cliques, or being aware (or as it was in my case unnervingly self-concious) that your body is developing. What about sports? Other Interests? EXAMS?
When did SEX become the new fad among our tweens????
It was very disturbing and saddening to me. I looked at my child's "what the..." frowned face, and I was mortified to think that THAT conversation would emerge sooner than later. How do we preserve their innocence, their childhood, their youth, when we are enabling them to become force-ripe?
Parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents; where's our village? Are we too buried in our blackberries, our smartphones, our schedules to see what is happening? This is our youth we are talking about. Spend time with your children, talk to them, explain the repercussions of their actions, let them know they'll have their ENTIRE adulthood to "practice" (and by then once you've seen one you've seen 'em all! lol)
I mean I started at 12, but 11???? (just kidding !! -- my family reads my blog, gotta mess with them every once in a while).
Anyway here's one of the reports with the pizzle commercial...smh
Swiss Beatz was at Webster Hall this past week and gave the crowd a taste of one of his new joints "Dance like a White Girl"
My cousin, Bklyn J'Nell, was on hand to shoot AND edit the video... and you guys are getting it live and direct!
Enjoy...and guess who was there partying it up too: E V E!!
It was a very entertaining show...but if you think Justin Bieber "stans" are crazy, you haven't been to a Babyface concert! lol 
