Reunited . . .

This weekend my homie Ashley came to town. She was one of my bestest buds when I interned at Essence in summer 2006 and seeing her made me feel like that bright-eyed microed-tailed southern girl in the city.

We had a ball and fell right back into our rhythm, with the maturity graduating and moving to a new city affords. Ok, well we did giggle like we were 16 years old talking about the fellas. . .

Nicole came over and we all cooked breakfast yesterday morning while catching up. My french toast were a hit and I remembered how much I liked cooking! For a second last year I was cooking for everybody till I was told cooking for folks is personal, like sex. And well not everybody will get the goodies in the jar. Yeah I know, its not that 

deep, but still . . .

After Jeanine's fab baby shower at Fordham (beautiful campus!), we all got dressed and the whole intern crew reunited. It was just like old times at this Italian spot on 49th, a block from where we first met and bonded, around my desk, the summer hotspot:). 

And looking at this picture from exactly two years ago has me reminsicing and excited for the future all the same. It just so happen 'The 

Devil Wears Prada' came out as we were interning which made it the perfect outing for us. none of us (well most;) had crazy experiences like Andy's and made us all the more humbled and excited for our good fortune. After dinner we headed to a party. They had open bar so it was packed around the bar and they were serving one drink an hour. We left and hit up another party a friend of a friend was throwing. We said the magic word and got green wrist bands that got us on in. At the bar Im ordering rum when the bartender looks at my wrist and says only vodka with our bands. Turns out it was open bar:) We had a few rounds of Sex on the Beaches (my go to drink when I really wanna get the party started) and I was good to go. Too bad it was extra hot and the vodka didnt help my 'do. But I h

ad a good  time and saw some of my other fav friends in the city. Good weekend indeed

Not another shameless plug

So all week I have been wanting to blog about the fab weekend I had in BK last weekend and couldnt get a usb card reader anywhere I went so couldnt get my pictures and now its been a week. Well, first part was my new favorite band Heavy but you must see pics! Saw them at S.O.B's when me and Yaz went to see J*Davey. Then saw them again at Harriet's Alter Ego Block party last Saturday. I found out about the event by Shantelle who crochets amazing items from earrings and clutches to bathing suits and was a vendor. I got two pair of earrings I cant wait to rock! And ran into one of favorite people and bestest buds at HU, Esan! She had just gotten back from surprising her mother who lives in Anguilla, after 5 years of not seeing each other. That girl has an Amazing story! She came by the office for lunch this week and gave me a burst of energy which I loved her for!

After Harriets Alter me and Jess hit Target trying to get a present for a friend and former coworker's baby shower tomorrow. Well, I should have known the printer wouldnt work for the registry list so I had to write stuff down. Then when I get upstairs, the guy calls the jumper I wanted and says they are bringing it down.

 I wait . . I wait . . .I wait.

Store closes and they are sending folks out. I wait. See lady that looks like Foxy Brown. I wait.

Another guy comes to say they actually dont have the jumper in. argh. Couldnt you say that 25 minutes ago?

Turns out it is Foxy Brown. Shes now 

aski

ng the folks can she shop a little later with her lil boy riding shotgun in the cart. They play her. "She's obviously not that hot if she in Target," says one worker. Oh, the irony red shirt Target employee. Almost felt a little bad for Foxy like looking at a fish out of water. Hip hop has let her go and the hometown folks looking her up and down

So back to Manhattan sans gift.

Then Back to Brooklyn Sunday after an amazing sermon for the opening reception of POSITIVITY, a collective photogra

phy exhibition curated by Jamel Shabazz at Danny Simmons' Corridor Gallery in Clinton Hill . . . featuring our very own Nicole Crowder (yep, my homie and the fab photog shot for Charm Trunk . . .and also is a great blogger)

her shots are amazing and it just was an honor to see someone so talented, humble and sweet get their due shine. The exhi

bit is up through July so could make a great trip with the girls or a first date (can you tell Im working on this relationships story that has me trying something new . . .)

At the exhibit I bumped into Shantelle again and Dorcia, an accomplished and so fly sty

list. I do the intros and tell all about the amazing knit items - that include bathing suits. Dorcia is actually working on styling for the Today Show tomorrow with a segment so cross your fingers the bathing suits (which I had to hustle to get from Shantelle that night to get to D) make it on!

I swear I should make this a business:) After the exhibit, our lil crew who all came out to support Nicole went to Spice on the Lowe

r East Side. While waiting me and Whit head down the block and I discover Joyce Leslie is closing! One of my fav cheap and cute stores from when I stayed at NYU a few summers back. You know I had to get my final good find there . . .brown patent leather sandals and a green trench all for $20! (R.I.P . ..Joyce Les) 

Dinner was fab and a great weekend that made me feel summer had officially arrived!

Damn Damn Damn . . .

. . . the chant heard around the ghetto when James, daddy of Good Times died.

So as part of Essence.com's Flashback Fridays feature I hunted down and caught up with Bern Nadette Stanis aka Thelma. And it was exciting to see someone embracing a moment in their life millions of people share (Malcolm Jamal Warner still aint feeling you calling him Theo)

After getting all the details on the show on how this was her first audition, how she had no clue James was dying and why she was always in the bathroom when the show first came out, I had to know about that fashion.

And she broke it down how they tried to put her in baggy jeans, which she hated so she asked they take out the pockets and tailor them . . .thus SKINNY JEANS. And you know I was tempted to ask her if she had any of those old clothes for Charm Trunk but I managed to be professional:) (btw, if you are in the NYC area and wanna check out the merchandise hit me up at harlem.charm@gmail.com)

Then after a stroll down memory lane, she came to the future and told me of her dream role alongside Denzel, like the rest of us:) And she even opened up on being a virgin till she was married, though unfortunately the first marriage didnt work out . . .but she channeled the lessons learned into a book on relationships.

But perhaps the hottest part were all these hot pictures of her through the years with celebrities from Michael Jordan, Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross, Eddie Murphy, Jackie Jackson with his original nose and more . . .
I think im pulling out my favorite platforms this weekend:)

Gotta Love Black Love

So I interviewed Nicole Ari Parker as Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins comes to dvd. At first I was a little hesitant to hit her with the Boris questions because some celebs are so hush hush (read the Princess:) on their relationships. But sister girl was in love and had no trouble sharing, and its a beautiful story to tell! She was honest and I was def taking notes. They were both in relationships when he joined the Soul Food cast (she had eloped) and she still describes it as love at first sight with Boris. . .

Power Sisters

At my bookclub's last meeting (and yes we use bookclub loosely as just a group of young women who enjoy each other's kindred spirits and company) one of our newbies to the city shared that her godmom called women in her life like us her Power Sisters.

And at a crosswords in many relationships, she hit me deep when she added that these woman can constantly rotate and come back around for a second go round. Me and the girls met up to send of our fly own Ari, who is off to study in Italy for the summer.

We laughed loud at Tillman's (well not as loud as the chick across the room, who we cut eyes at and we all knew if the situation were reverse and we were the minority in an establishment best believe the Maitre' D would be all up in our faces. . .ahh well)

 I am so excited for my traveling homies. And now I really feel like the little kid in line for a roller coaster just whispering "when is it going to be my turn?"

But the beauty of great friends is its all our turn when one of us does anything great.

Bon Voyage to Ari!

Word of the Day

I always describe myself as a cool nerd. Part of the nerd part is I get Merriam-Webster's word of the day sent to my phone each day trying to keep expanding the vocab. After a stressful and freaky friday the 13th, this morning I woke up still a little depleted. My cousin who is like a brother called so I called him right back.

Ive bitched him out more than I ever would admit to so I know he is a special guy to still put up with me.

He said something really sweet that made me have to admit life hasnt been so shitty and ive been blessed with some great folks and great times. I slide a little out of my funk.

I check my phone and my word of the day is there . . . .

Fortitude - the ability to endure.

Because he first loved me

So, you know those people who love you in spite of yourself? Well, I am blessed to have quite a few of those folks in my life. Including one plastic-surgeon-to-be who has already agreed I get the friends and family discount post-children:)

And we call him papi chulo . . .

And he is so smart because in that debate that stemmed from Obama's adoration of Michelle on whether a wife would rather be seen as smart or sexy by her husband, Papi has always made me feel BOTH with a touch a fly. (I was WAAAY more fly in college . . .but thats a whole nother post). 

Here he is with my BFF (I promise we know better than to rock sunglassess inside . . the photographer (nee' me) requested them for the photo in her lucid state)

But once again one of my fab friends is making me look bad by blogging on the regular. So I am going to get better! Promise! in the meantime, he has a hilarious post on how he is the William from Girlfriends of his crew. And Im a Carrie-Kadijah! this is destiny:) . . .

Hubby Hamilton

Thursday night I went to a work event at the Apollo. After a quick interview with Sway from MTV (him and his homie really have me considering letting chicken go . . .i mean a chicken really shouldnt be

 the size of your hand) And the rockstar Malcolm Jamal Warner who admitted to battling with his Cosby good guy label for years and is now out trying to show positive doesnt have to be corny, it was time for the show.

After the opening act Malcolm, amid shouts of Theo, made his way to the stage. he did some poetry to his band's live music and vocals, and he did some funk-type dance moves I dont think I ever will describe right. And proved he was indeed no longer a young Huxtable with his poem on getting it on and his want to really be Malcolm in the Middle . . . 

Faith came out for a sec and did one song, Love you. Love her and the fact she is still that round the way girl yelling for her man to turn up the track in between her notes.

Anthony Hamilton closed the showcase and I think I found a new husband prototype. I admit I slept on Anthony for a minute. My brother loved him from the beginning, but that scraggly beard and sound took a second for me. Then that song from American Gangster made me reconsider. And on stage all shaved up and in a clean suit and white sneaks, his swag was endearing and sexy (like that forehead kiss from Best Man) His beautiful brown wife had already upped his points in my book when I saw them a while back.

And he can really move and was hitting those moves just right and naturally. I was hoping he would do 'Float' one of the sexiest songs on my playlist and perfect quiet storm mixtape material. He didnt but Sister Big Bones defintiely made me smile. 

Maybe he reminded me of my protype Andre 3000 with his sense of humor and style. Maybe I just miss the south and my DSGBs. Or maybe it was just his sayin 'know what im talkin bout' with the right swag that got me like it does everytime and gives me flashbacks of this fine boy I went to high school who had that catchphrase and ended up with one of my teachers (he was just that sexy:)

Then Anthony introduced his wife Tarsha as his better half and she came out and got down on some spiritual jams. They are absolutely beautiful together!

He came back out and closed the show and I think as he strolled off he took a lil part of my heart along with him -- or maybe left a part of his in mind

Preggers aint always pretty

Pick the most popular movie of any given year and Ive probably not seen it. Not that I dont like movies, I just dont initiate going to the theater - for $12 I can get some live entertainment. And date movies are usually safe comedies, or dramas that might make a girl jump in the lucky guy's arm.

So home cleaning and prepping for teacakes and charm trunk (yeah, seems Im the Queen of cute catchy names) I hit On Demand to see what could be an easy background noise as I munched on a fish sandwhich. I see Knocked Up and it seems we have a winner. Through all the buzz I still hadnt seen the film.

I just saw 27 Dresses when they played it on the plane to Mexico. And I thought I liked weddings . . . 

Well, watching knocked up I only made it to the part where she tells her mom and was over it. Career-driven girl hooks up with odd ball and doesnt know she's pregnant. All of it seemed so forced and exaggerated. And Im a fan of Katherine Heigl's from way back when she was in that Disney movie and switched bodies with her sister.

Or maybe the idea of getting your dream job then getting knocked up before you are really are on your feet just wasnt funny to a young girl who could relate to the main character pre-hooking up with the guy doing nothing. One night stands should have rules. They better be hot enough that when you look back in ten years you smile and not cringe. 

Carried Away by Charm Trunk

In the spirit of Carrie's vintage suit, Charm Trunk is excited to present the Sex and the City-themed Summer Sale, Saturday, June 7th, 2-m - 6pm. Click here to RSVP.

Bring your cash for great buys and fab convo.

See you Saturday!!