As I was prepping for my vacation, I thought I have to be conscious of what I’m eating because I came back from trips pounds heavier due to indulging into any and everything I wanted. Then, I mentioned it to my cousin, who then said, “Girl, why? It’s a vacation.” She was right. Vacations are times for relaxation, fun times, and trying new things but I refuse to put on weight I worked so hard to lose. How many of you lost weight for trips and gain it back during it? Or wait until after the trip is over to start a diet? I know I am a victim to both. I swear if I worked 7 days a week, I would easily stick to my limited calorie diet due to bringing everything I’m eating that day with me. It’s truly all in the planning which is something I had to grasp down to my snack at night and my weekend meals. With that being said, besides making sure everything is in my suitcase, I need to plan ahead. I need to plan my meals and my cheats during the trip or at least remain conscious and choose good food selections when it arises. In the need of guidance for my vacation plan-a-way, I came across Dr Oz’s plan to stick with healthy living in moderation during a get-a-way. Check out these tips.
Last month, I watched the BET Awards during the Music Matters segment. One of the performers was a pretty young lady, with a beautiful voice and talent to go along with it. Her name was Gabi Wilson. She played the guitar to the classic “In Between the Sheets” by Isley Brothers, as she went into her new single “Something to Prove” (which samples the song). Her 90 second performance was great and definitely had me ready to check out more music from this young lady …
When someone uses the word feminist or feminism, it sometimes has a bad connotation. Mainly people think its man bashing but it's not even close. We may have all learned about feminist movements throughout history in high school and college; from the time when women fought for the right the vote to their fight for workplace equality. Now we are a part of history with a new age feminist movement.
$2,400 down!?! That was the response of a young lady among the crowd, to the question “how much did you have to pay for your apartment’s security deposit?”. Anthony then asked, what was probably the most powerful question all afternoon; “did you know that you could purchase a house for the same amount down as you would pay for a security deposit?” I watched the faces in the room light up at the thought.
Top Left- Half wig (made) , Top Right- Creta Girl (half wig) by Freetress, Bottom Left- Senegalese Twists and Turban, Bottom Right- Box Braids
When you hear protective styles, some may say what are they? Others may say show me one! Well to those that are wondering, a protective style is a hairstyle that protects your hair from heat either direct or from the sun and over styling. Protective styles are beneficial to all hair types whether natural or permed. Of course heat damage is the main concern for most hair but naturals tend to keep away from heat; rarely do I use heat. However, protective styles help me maintain low manipulation for my hair when I feel like I may be styling it too much.
Have y’all heard the great news? Philadelphia’s own Temple University has molecular tools that have successfully taken HIV out of a cell in a cellular lab. Currently, HIV treatment is only suppressing the virus but any interruption in treatment the virus begins to replicate again. Refer back to JAE’s HIV article for more details. This ground breaking success will open up so many doors to eliminating HIV and other viruses and possibly introduce a vaccine to prevent the HIV virus. Take a look at this video straight from JAE’s hometown Philly.
I remember the first time I ever heard the soulful, joyful, and angelic voice of Marsha Ambrosius … it was back in 2002, when my dad brought home the Floetic album by Floetry. He said “someone gave this to me at work and these girls are BAD! Give them a listen.” And ever since that moment, I’ve been rocking out with her… first as a Floetry fan and now as a true Marshian lol.
No point in stating the obvious we already know police brutally has been out of hand especially the two recent incidents that were caught on videotape. One video was of a woman being horribly beaten by a California Highway Patrol officer. Another video was of victim Eric Garner who was being harassed by NYPD; excessive force was used, he was put in a chokehold and sadly he died from a heart attack. The big question is what is being done about it?
“A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don’t need it.” Bob Hope
Those of us who have been fortunate enough to have secured steady employment soon consider stepping up our lifestyles. Some may want a home of their own, or a car to get to work in and to pick up groceries. Sometimes we may have some of these expenses already and may need to pay for an unexpected repair or badly needed upgrade. In these instances that Life Insurance policy you bought when you started working may provide the assistance you need.
“I want my clothes to make you smile.”----Patrick Kelly
Grace Jones Photo cred: gillesdecamps.com
I came across the name Patrick Kelly when I seen a popular portrait of model Grace Jones. After viewing her sometimes unbearable gorgeousness, I noticed Patrick Kelly was the designer responsible for her outfit. Of course through the wonders of Google I looked up Patrick Kelly’s name and found his fabulousness work. One day when I was driving to work, I saw a billboard for the fashion exhibit at the Philadelphia Art Museum featuring Patrick Kelly. I almost crashed from excitement lol, no seriously I really did. I got a chance to visit this exhibit and I am so grateful I did.
We are programmed to base our healthiness on a number. How many pounds did I lose? How many inches did I shed? What’s my BMI? These are all good indicators of your health progression but what about how you feel, look, your comfort level and confidence in your own skin. Knowing yourself, being comfortable, eating right, and being physically active are very important in your overall well being.
When On The Run tour came to Philly, I literally felt like I was the ONLY female in the city that was not in attendance lol. I had to force myself to stay off of Instagram and social media because I was jealous of everyone who went to the show that was posting pictures and videos. Luckily and surprisingly, I was able to attend the show a week later, at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ and let me just say that it totally gave me LIFE! By far, the best show I’ve ever experienced.
Someone asked my opinion about what they should tell their child who didn’t want to go to college. Now if you asked my 17 year-old self, fresh out of high school and excited to go to college, I would’ve told this woman ‘make her go’. But ironically she asked me while I’ll was on studentloans.gov applying to consolidate my loans and checking out the new Public Service loan forgiveness program. I asked her "if her child didn’t want to go to college, what was her plan b"? The mother said her child wants to be a cosmetologist, but like some mothers, she didn’t want her to regret not going to college or try to go back when she’s older. I convinced the mother to at least let her visit some cosmetology schools like Empire Beauty School and Jean Madeline. I am all for following your dreams; what is the point in wasting years and money on something you’re not passionate about? And if she fails, at least she tried!
Generally we find that there are more reported cases of credit card fraud during the holiday season, but that doesn’t mean that it couldn’t happen in the spring, summer, or fall. I compiled a list of what I found to be the top 6 tips to protect your assets and credit.
Have you been coming across photos of Beyonce's tour outfits and have been like 'wow thats cute' or 'thats decent I wonder who made that'?! Well I know I have! Even though the "On the Run" tour features her husband Jay-Z, Beyonce has been on her stuff when it comes to her outfits/costumes as usual.
JAE had the pleasure of joining Ms. Brandi Aulston in her Zumba Sculpt class last Wednesday. Brandi had us moving and toning our bodies in such a fun way, using Zumba as a tool to get in shape. The class held about 13 of us fully energetic ladies ready for a workout. The atmosphere was so positive between us in the support and efforts of helping Brandi bring her vision of a healthier community to life. There were a variety of dance levels in the class ranging from virgin Zumbians to lifelong dancers but Brandi did such a superb job keeping everybody moving and engaged within their comfort level. I loved it.
DR: One time as a young child, I was in the kitchen and pulled out pots and pans… and started to make noise, sounding like music. My family said “D in there rocking out.” And ever since then, I just shortened it to ‘D-Roc.’
KB: When did you first start making music? Who or what influenced you to make music?
DR: In 2008. I made a freestyle video called “Off the wall” and uploaded it to Facebook. I originally just did it for fun but the responses and likes from my friends made me want to go ahead and pursue a rap career. In addition, Wiz Khalifa has influenced me to make music. I see his hustle with regards to how he put himself together with hard work, not luck. Lastly, my cousin C Sheed has been influential to me. I admire his consistency.
KB: How would you describe your music for the public audience if they have never heard/seen you before?
DR: I like to have fun with my music. Each song tells a story and there’s hidden messages in it. I’m very self-confident but can be comfortable with being emotional, but in a masculine way.
KB: Who is your favorite artist and your favorite album of theirs?
DR: If I had to choose my favorite artist of all time, I’d have to say LL Cool J. He is by far by favorite MC. He has mastered the art of rapping, storytelling, and doing just about everything. At this current moment, I would have to say my favorite artist is SchoolBoy Q. My favorite album of his is “Habits and Contradictions.” When I moved from West Philadelphia to the County, I changed my perspective of music. When it comes to Schoolboy Q, I like the way that he expresses himself and I understand his struggle. He can be emotional but comes across as if he’s high spirited.
KB: What has been your greatest challenge as an artist and how are you trying to overcome it?
DR: My greatest challenge has been trying to find one consistent sound. My songs bring different sounds… gangsta rap, reflection on my past, highlights of my social life, or being emotional/truthful/crying out; however, I want to find one consistent sound and gear away from having so much versatility. In order to overcome this challenge, I am currently working on many different projects and trying to find my mutual ground.
KB: How do you define success?
DR: Success is made up of four things. You set a goal, make a plan, execute a plan, and then celebrate the fact that you’re doing it! While being on the road to success, make sure you stay encouraged and positive.
KB: Do you have any projects you are currently working on? Do you have any performances coming up?
DR: Yes! I am going to deliver two mixtapes by the end of the year. By the end of the summer, I will be releasing the first one and it will be very different from my last mixtapes “Feeling Myself” and “Back to Basics.” My mixtapes in the past were influenced by Wiz Khalifa but this new mixtape will be a reflection of the new me. Stay tuned for upcoming performances as well.
KB: How can our readers find out more information about you and support your music?
DR: I have my own website, allaboutdroc.com. People can find out more information and check out my pics, listen to my music, and just get to know who D roc really is. Also, check me out on social media sites. Twitter/Facebook: realdroc ; Instagram: allaboutdroc ; SoundCloud: realdroc ; and YouTube darrendroc1
6500 block of Gesner Street Photo Cred: Islamic Voice
When I saw a news clip about the fire on the 6500 block of Gesner Street in Southwest Philadelphia that occurred this past weekend, I had to hold back tears. On July 5, 2014, early Sunday morning, eight row homes caught fire and were destroyed. Unfortunately there were 4 fatalities.The children identified were Marie and Mariah Bowah, twin 4-year-old girls; Patrick Sanyee, 4; and Taj Jacque, who was only 6 weeks old
I’ve always been skeptical of anything that requires me to put out money upfront to purchase a product prior to selling. Not to say that these “entrepreneurial” opportunities can’t be lucrative, it just takes a certain type of person to sell a product. I can recall a company called Cut Co. that became very popular back in my sophomore year of high school (sometime around 2003/2004). Not sure if this had become a national craze but the company certainly targeted teens in the Philadelphia area. I saw excitement skyrocket and plummet within a matter of minutes when my peers were told how much money they could make only to find out $300 was needed to start. Similar to that situation, there have been claims that Herbal Life has been preying on “poor Latinos,” who are not just in need of money, but who are less likely to understand the specifics of the contracts presented to them. Reports on an investigation prompted by claims made by hedge fund manager, Bill Ackman.
Founder of Curio Styling; Saniyyah Bilal and Radio Host at Philly 107.9: Darcel
On June 20, 2014 I had the luxury of attending the Jewelry Shop Party presented by Saniyyah Bilal of Curio Styling Consultants. The event consisted of a fashion show that was styled by Saniyyah Bilal and a jewelry demonstration for Chloe and Isabel jewelry. The Curio Styling event was very classy and sophisticated; it was also well organized and noticeably very well planned. I enjoyed my experience, especially networking, the lovely jewelry and the fashion shows.
Love. Live. Laugh. In that order. We need a strong balance of physical, mental, and spiritual health. All three are very important and intertwined in our overall well-being. There are a lot of interpretations to this phrase but here's the way I see it works in my personal life and other mentally and spiritually strong people.
Sunday, June 29th, 2014 the annual BET Awards were held at The Nokia Theatre L.A Live. This year’s host was Chris Rock and he most definitely kept the show entertaining with his sarcasm, bluntness, and endless jokes throughout the night. Overall, the night was a collaboration of awards, unforgettable performances, trips down music memory lane, jokes about people in the audience, Nicki Minaj’s wild speech, and Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s prerecorded performance, that most of us already viewed on YouTube this week lol.
The show opened up with the amazing Pharell providing a dance and music explosion to “Come Get It Bae.” We were definitely in for a treat when he brought out Missy Elliott and she performed “Pass that Dutch.” She gave us energy and kept the crowd rocking with her as if that song just came out. I don’t know about you, but I surely miss her and especially her creativity in the music game.
"They call me U-S-H-E-R-R-A-Y-M-O-N-D, now baby tell me what you wanna do with me.” (heart eyes). Usher opened up with “Nice and Slow” and continued to sing and dance us down memory lane of his music career with some of his classics such as “You Remind Me,” “You Don’t Have to Call,” “Confession,” and “Caught up.” He then got the audience worked up and ready for his finale, where he performed his newest song, “Good Kisser,” which is one of my favorites by the way. Usher and his dancers definitely brought fire to the stage with their dance moves. It was overall a great performance!
One of my jaw dropping moments was when August Alsina came out to perform “I Luv This Sh*t.” Now I always prefer to hear the remix over the original, but with the recent beef that surfaced between him and Trey Songz, I didn’t think he would be performing that. To my surprise, and probably other viewers as well, August brought out Trey Songz and Chris Brown to perform the song together. To me, this was very humble of August to do and it definitely “shut down any rumors of a continued beef between him and Trey as the trio united on stage for the first time and welcomed Breezy home from his months locked away.” (Ni’Kesia)
Last but certainly not least … my FAVORITE highlight of the night was the Oldschool Segment. Anyone that knows me knows how much I absolutely love 90’s R&B. It is my favorite genre to listen to. The segment opened up with Troop performing, “All I Do is Think of You,” and then moved on to Color Me Bad performing, “I Wanna Sex You Up.” Everytime the camera showed the audience, you could see everyone singing every lyric and dancing as if it were still the 90’s. After CMB’s performance, the stage got darker and the purple lights came on, as the introduction to “Freak Me” started playing in the background... I immediately went off in my living room lol. Silk then came out to perform this classic and I think everyone can agree that these guys still have IT!! Watch the video below if you didn’t get a chance to watch it. In the meantime, I’m gonna keep my eyes out to see if these guys will be in concert anytime soon lol (emoji eyes).
If you were raised in Philly, you have seen the Divine Lorraine Hotel plenty of times. It's that huge abandoned building adorned with graffiti located on Broad and Fairmount; it’s been an eyesore since I can remember. I always wondered what it looked like before and if squatters lived in it once it closed down. I also wondered why the city never tore it down or why someone never bought it and renovated it. I dreamt if I had the money, I would turn it into an apartment building or better yet back to a hotel. However, I'm happy to say someone has finally stepped up to revive the Divine Lorraine Hotel.
khabar.com
