You Look Like You Read Books...

My younger brother is 6 years younger than I am, that means that for 6 years I perfected the art of hanging with solo. I spent hours in my room letting my imagination run wild after throughly nurturing it with every word that I could pronounce on my own in every book that I owned--which was a heck of a lot considering that most children under 10 aren't usually prolific readers. By the time my brother arrived I was starved for a playmate--not that I didn't have friends I was just a little kid and little kids don't ever have tons of friends--but I only wanted a playmate who, like my imaginary friends, also loved to read, paint and play games based on the stories I read. Yeah, I love my brother but we do not share the same passion for the written word.

By the time I entered middle school the characters in my books had become my best and most trusted friends, as evidenced by my bookshelf beginning to sag under the weight of 11+ years of books. I'd added two encyclopedias--that's Wikipedia's grandma for you whipper snappers,The Boxcar Children, Witch Baby--I think I read that so many times the cover fell off--R.L. Stein's Goosebumps, and the ultimate "I was an adolescent girl in the 90's" identifier,  The Babysitter's Club--Claudia and Stacey aka Anastasia McGill were my faves. It was also right around that same time that I my love affair with glossies lik Seventeen, Sassy, YM (Young & Modern), COSMOgirl and Jump began, but that's another blog post. 

 

Things got rocky as I began to transition from childhood to whatever the hell you call being a teenager. My grandma died, my childhood home flooded and my parents got divorced but my books were still there ready to help me escape the hell of being a 12 year old black girl who could quote Clueless verbatim, openly loved Alains Morrisette and Nirvana, had her first celeb crushes on Elijah Wood and Leonardo DiCaprio and wanted to be a VJ/actress/model/writer/slash in New Orleans. (For those of you who don't get how hellish this could be all I have to say is it was not pretty being in a group of people who looked like me but didn't accept me because I wasn't a stereotype. Those girls are now knocked up and/or married, doing God knows what and couldn't dream of squeezing into their prom dresses while I'm still a size 4 with no baby daddy drama and I'm some kind of writer.) What was I saying again? Oh right, my books pretty much got me from 6th grade to high school, where I began to pretty much stick to assigned reading materials and Cosmopolitan. 

After high school life went from cheerleading, homework and boys to partying, homework, boys and more boys--I'm the first to admit that I was a bit boy crazed up until about 21 or so. My books didn't really fit in with my schedule but that doesn't mean I didn't read, it just means I'm not really 100 on what I was reading. I still spent hours in Barnes and Nobles between classes and loved walking into the library just for the smell of it, I just didn't have time to forge many new friendships with Tolkien's characters until I graduated and moved to Atlanta where I didn't know anyone. My first summer here I read the entire Harry Potter series in reverse order and then moved on to Twilight (let down)....Then I fell in love with my very own Edward Cullen who left me in the woods like Bella after almost 3  beautiful years.

Now, post breakup, the books are back again but these aren't the books of my childhood. My new bookshelf houses hardcopies of Harry Potter 1-7, the Twilight Saga, a bunch of chick lit and reference guides and my newest addiction self help/spirituality tomes. Girls, getting broken up with does some strange things to you. I've seen girls become whores, crack addicts, crack addicted whores, lesbians, crack addicted lesbian whores, workaholics and only God knows what else after having their heart really broken, it either brings out the best or the worst in you. I didn't go the crack addicted, workaholic slore route, instead I took a break from writing and became a full on student of now age spirituality, see DharmaAndTheCity.

The point is, my books have been the one security blanket that got me through life. They never bore the hell out of you, whine about anything and always provide the perfect escape when the going gets tough without the lows of alcohol and coming down off of a drug/sex/chocolate binge. So I'm beyond ecstatic that one of my former co-workers took one look at me (and my FBF) and said "You look like you read." I mean what is the alternative, looking like you're illiterate?

Check Out My New Baby!!

So being a complete eff it let's go type of girl, I took a little dream I had for starting a blog dedicated to merging my love of pop culture and awakening my spiritual side and did the dang thang! And guess what? This is the easiest blog I've started, ever! So check out Dharma And The City and tell me what you think. xo

Fashion Meets Music: Marry The Night

*Another MISS exclusive for you, check it and the amazing images as laid out by C_Rocka at Fashion Meets Music: Lady Gaga Marry The Night.


After splitting with her creative director of four years, Laurieann “Boomkat” Gibson, Mama Monster has taken the reigns and delivered a music video wrapped in a 14 minute short film. With less than subtle nods to “Fame,” “Black Swan,” “Desperately Seeking Susan” and a touch of “The Bell Jar,” this somewhat dark trip into the recesses of Gaga’s mind is worth the 14 minutes just to hear her muse on BeDazzlers and next season’s Calvin Klein.


According to the lady herself, “Marry The Night” depicts the worst day in her life. If the worst day in her life included well phrased monologues, custom Giuseppe Zanotti shoes, break downs in Manhattan lofts, mint hair dye and blowing up cars in over the knee Christian Louboutin boots, I’d gladly trade. Of course like she says at the beginning as she’s being wheeled to a room in a psych ward after an undisclosed operation, this is her version of the truth which is more true than the actual truth. Whatever break down that lead to Stefani becoming Gaga was devoid of the sick clothes, amazing choreography, over the top imagery and hard hitting sounds that we see in “Marry The Night,” but it undoubtedly lead to it.

Break down over and done, the beauty in “Marry The Night” is not just the metaphor laden overarching theme but the clothes of course–I mean seriously, it IS Gaga. From the moment we see a barely conscious Mama Monster being wheeled down the hall by two hot nurses in sterile white dresses with sick white heels and mint hair nets, we know this is a Gaga production. Fast forward to a newly released Gaga losing her mind in her studio, bathing in honey nut Cheerios and dying her hair mint green as she sings the opening lines of “Marry the Night” in her bathtub wearing, as we see later, nothing but a pair of sparkly platforms. She has her Madonna moment in BeDazzled denim and a pair of awesome custom shades, and slides into the roof of a car in a black pleather outfit that is equal parts Batgirl and dominatrix. Through the quick flashes of the moments leading up to her break down we get glimpses of a pre-meat dress Gaga circa The Fame. While I loved every outfit from beginning to end the most beautiful, and wearable ones, were worn by the nurses as they wheeled our little “morphine princess” back to reality.


Whatever you think about Gaga, her backstory or her abilities as a director, you have to admit that the girl is smart. I mean only someone with a mind full of references addled by self induced trauma could come up with such a fitting homage to the struggles of fame and reinvention,  and everyone’s favorite city all while wearing heels so high that falling off of them would break a major bone.

Give It to Me...Now!

*This is a MISS exclusive, featuring me tapping into my inner Veruca and demanding asking for some lovely Christmas gifts. View it in its original format at What I Want for the Holidays 2011: Anastasia. 

It’s the holidays again and you know what that means: family is driving you bananas, the mall is crowded as hell and it’s time to get your wish lists in order to ensure that you don’t end up with leaping lords, milking maids and water fowl under your tree on Christmas day. As a “grown up,” my Christmas list usually begins with requests to pay off my student loans, pay off one of my credit cards or a brand new car, and eventually ends with things my parents, friends and boo can buy without taking out loans to do so. This year, after a rocky past few months, I’ve decided to keep it relatively simple and only ask for stuff I’ll actually use and get, not that I wouldn’t be happy with something not on the list that is green and can be used to buy whatever I want. However, I have a few people in my life who are bad gift givers–daddy–and need to use this as a visual aid to find the present that will guarantee I don’t go all Veruca Salt on Christmas day.

1. Carrie’s Lost Choo aka Jimmy Choo’s Marlene Sandal- I’ve always had a thing for shoes, my friends can tell you that in college they watched me work up the shoe ladder from Steve Madden, Nine West and Aldo to Calvin Klein, BCBG and Michael Kors so it was inevitable that Choo would be my next step. While other girls are eying practical red bottom shoes just to say they have a pair of Louboutin’s, I’m embracing my inner Bradshaw and going for Carrie’s iconic Marlene sandal. At $1995 these violet platform sandals with hand-applied feathers and crystals may be more of a shoe dream than a reality, but you can’t knock a girl for asking.

2. Rebecca Minkoff Snake Stamped Metallic Leather Laptop Case- Last Christmas, in addition to boots on boots on boots, I got the most amazing grown up life present ever: a 15″ Macbook Pro. She’s a life saver and my best friend, unfortunately she’s a bit smaller than my old Toshiba and doesn’t have a laptop case to call her own. Sooo…she needs this more than I do. I mean my Mac is a fly chick and deserves a fly place to sleep when she isn’t busy hanging out in coffee shops, on my coffee table or working her tush off.

3. Spiritual Gangster Limited Edition Guru Yoga Mat- On top of being a bomb dot com writer and fashion addict I’m also a huge spiritual gangster and in love with yoga–although I’m just getting back into it after a brief hiatus that has lasted several years. To get back in my yoga groove I need a new mat–I had crawfish and beer on my last one years ago and ruined it–and this one is certified gangster, like listening to Jay Z while reading Deepak Chopra and retweeting @UncleRush kinda gangster.

4. Vitamix Blender- With the call back to my yoga mat finally being answered, my body is now calling out for a break from pizza, tacos, burgers and all the other junk I feed my body. The best way for me to get my body back on track is to blend and the best bet in the blender department is the Vitamix. It blends smoothies, frozen big-girl beverages and juices, which is the real reason I want it since buying fresh juice from Whole Foods is a good way to be healthy and poor.

5. Tiny Devotions Transition Mala- Part two of my spiritual gangster path brings us to my mala, aka prayer beads. This particular set is made with labrodorite and amethyst and is supposed to protect you during vulnerable growth stages and add a little peace and tranquility to your life and outfit. With a big move from the dirty south to the big apple looming on my horizon, I figure I can use all of the protection, peace and tranquility that I can get.

Remember, ’tis the season for giving, gathering, and being grateful so keep your head up and pass those unwanted fruitcakes my way, because I’m strange and I actually like fruitcakes. Happy Holidays y’all! 

Things That Made Me Smile

*Free round at Escorpion!! * Dinner with the gals at Cafe Circa * Running into Valerie...which started out awkward got super cool the awkward the ended well * Working with my fave coworkers * BISTRO FRIES!! * Sparks everywhere * Me time * You time * Time with my gals * Red, red wine * Finally getting paid for my hard work, at the j-o-b and as a freelancer * Hanging with Meg Reggie, Caren West (for 2 minutes), Robanne and of course, Go Kindra, Go Kindra at Escorpion * SuperSoul Sunday brunch * Free pralines * FINALLY FINDING JEZEBEL"S NOVEMBER ISSUE ON NEWSSTANDS (sorry the photo is crooked, tilt your head) *11:11 * Nails did!!! *Getting off of work the day before Thanksgiving....in retail...so I can have more time to write * Synchronicity * Ego Warriors * Pancakes * HUGS!!! *

Can't wait to see what things I'll be grateful for this week!

Mother of Pearl SS12 Lookbook

Fashion piece for Frank 151....so you know the drill. Find it in its original format at Mother of Pearl SS12 Lookbook.

Adrenaline junkie Maia Norman’s Mother of Pearl line is back with a new collection of athletic-inspired fashion for SS12, and has been winning fans all over the Internet. This season MoP has brought in acclaimed artistFiona Banner to produce a series of prints that form the foundation of the collection. She also took the "book" portion of the word lookbook literally, and published the collection as a book complete with its own ISBN number, registered under the title Mother, that can be seen throughout the designs. 


Heavily inspired by art and Norman’s sporty lifestyle, (she drove in the 2011 Gumball 3000 in an Audi R8 with a wrap designed by Jim Lambie), the SS12 MoP collection features a fresh palette of mint and line green, pastel orange, electric and pale blues balanced with black, grey and cream. Banner’s illustrative prints add an edge and energy that make MoP the clothing line of choice for ladies who have outgrown that sneakers and tees phase but haven’t fully embraced the fashion beast lifestyle. 


Rounding out Mother of Pearl’s SS12 collection is the brand’s first official swimwear collection. Expanding on capsule swim ranges from previous seasons, the one-piece and bikini styles offered for spring and summer feature Banner’s prints and fit in perfectly with the ever growing brand.


Available at Colette in Paris and Joyce in Hong Kong, Mother of Pearl is enjoying a cult following amongst the most hardcore anti-fashionistas. Blow your girl away this Christmas by snagging one of these hugely coveted pieces for her.

Things that made me smile

*Feist at Tabernacle with Elle Elle * Giving out free hugs with my spiritual running buddy Kindra * Two days off in a row * 11.11.11 * Spirit Junkie Lecture * Releasing * Forgiving * Manifesting a parking spot!!! * Meditating with Deepak * 3 hours gabbing with Gabby * Bringing a healing to my co-workers and pals * Not selling a thing at work * Cupcakes * Inspirational quotes from my favorite underage author * Inspirational sparks * Rewrites * "I'm Back!" * Synchronicity * Sweater weather * Tea please * Jay-Z * Girls time * Knowing that I will be off the days before Thanksgiving and Christmas *