Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween everyone!! I just love this day so very much!  I especially love the costume parties! This is the only day dressing up slutty outside of the bedroom is actually excused! How can I not love that?! Jk!! This coming from someone who once considered Halloween a very dark and evil time and I refused to play part in any activities that hailed the devil! Ignorance is NOT bliss!! I was obviously mistaken and was limiting myself from the fun!

The purpose of Halloween was originally to mark the end of summer and the harvest, the beginning of winter and to commemorate the passing of the dead.
Halloween (or Hallowe'en), a contraction of All-Hallows-Eve ("evening"), is an annual holiday observed on October 31, and common activities include guising/trick-or-treating, attending costume parties, carving jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, playing pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films. Source: Wikipedia

So as you can see, there is no harm in it!! I am glad I eventually saw the light and decided to embrace this day because it has turned to be one of my favorite festivities!  Just this past weekend, yours truly was in the running for the best costume (Foxxy Cleopatra/Pam Grier) at a venue I visited! The cash prize was $1000!! Moolah baby! I needed it too! I lost to some guy in a somewhat lame superhero costume but I was gracious in my loss because it was a lot of fun to participate.

I look forward to seeing the neighborhood kids in their cute, funny or scary costumes when they get to my door for candy this evening.  In the meantime, please enjoy the spectacular display of lights set to LMFAO's "Party Rock Athem" song below! Pretty cool!!

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. It is a month dedicated to increasing awareness of the importance of early breast cancer detection. 

Earlier today, my favorite entertainment news reporter, Giuliana Rancic of the E channel announced she has breast cancer! It is incredibly sad.  She has struggled with infertility in the recent years and now faces this diagnosis!
This should be a reminder to all of us ladies to make our health a priority!! Get checked regularly and regular self-breast exams must be done.  The earlier you catch something amiss, the better the chances of recovery.


Best wishes G!! I hope you pull through and continue to raise awareness on the disease.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

RIP STEVE JOBS

Late last evening I learnt via Twitter that Steve Jobs had died.  He had lost the long battle with pancreatic cancer - a disease he battled since 2004.  Jobs had recently stepped down from his position as CEO of Apple.  This is incredibly sad!  The world has lost a genious, a visionary but his legacy will live on for years to come.


President Obama mourned Jobs passing, saying he exemplified American ingenuity and innovation "Brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world and talented enough to do it"


I LOVE Apple products and I can't be more grateful to Mr. Jobs for creating products that have made my life easier.  The iPad2 is my favorite to date!

RIP Steve Jobs. You have made your mark and shall be greatly missed.  Thank you for inspiring me to soar to great heights!!

Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week 2011

The Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week is currently underway! It is one of the major fashion weeks held around the world along with Paris, London & Milan. Many top-name designers have been showing their collections at various venues in New York City to an audience that includes editors and buyers. The event draws celebs, athletes, models, etc who want a piece of the fashion or to have a chance to be photographed in the latest designer duds while sitting front row. 
Thanks to YouTube, I too can enjoy the display on the catwalk from the comfort of my house!  For the Live Fashion coverage click here.


Supermodel Iman has been making the rounds at these shows.  I have a soft spot for Iman. She never dissapoints! What a classic beauty!!

The current Ms. Africa-USA, Nyasha Zimucha, was also spotted at the Akoo event. Is it me or does she need some lessons in poise?

The much-anticipated launch of a new collaborative line between Italian designer Missoni and Target caused the megaretailer's website to crash several times Tuesday - according to CNN. 

"Target.com is seeing greater item demand than we do on a typical Black Friday, and the excitement for this limited-time designer collection is unprecedented," the store said in a statement. "We are slowly bringing the site back online to ensure we can provide a positive shopping experience to our guests."

Ms. Selita E Banks wearing the new Missoni for Target line

I totally understand why they got an overwhelming response! I LOVE the bold prints and can't wait to get my hands on a thing or two from the collection.  Click here for a preview of the line.

Here are some more pics from the fashion week;

I can't wait to take in all the sights and fashions from NY's Fashion Week!

African Pride - Miss Universe 2011

Extra! Extra!! We have a new Ms. Universe and she hails from Angola!!  The beautiful Ms. Leila Lopes who was a crowd/fan favorite from early on was impressive in all the categories.  She mainly shined during the Q&A session that top five finalists must face.  Beauty & brains in a wonderful package!  She beat out 88 other contestants to be crowned the winner! Congratulations Ms. Angola! Enjoy the run as Miss Universe 2011!  Yaay for Africa!

African Pride - Major Endorsements

Smartwater just got a whole lot sexier!! Idris Elba has been named as the face of SmartWater.  Move over Jennifer Aniston! There's a new sexy spokesperson in town!

Idris (British born actor; born to a Ghanaian mother & Sierra Leonian father) is a great choice for the Smartwater ad campaign.  He is every bit good looking and a really nice guy.   *My fellow blogger, Shoppatunistic & I had the pleasure of meeting him a few years back and he was very gracious! We were somewhat star struck!

The Smartwater brand, which is owned by Coca-Cola, is featuring Elba in a print ad campaign that will run in upcoming issues of GQ, Essence and Men's Journal magazines.  Get it Dris!!

...and in other endorsement news; South African born actress, Charlize Theron who's the current spokesmodel for Dior has graced the latest ad for J'Adore perfume.  But she wasn't the only memorable face in the spot.  By splicing footage through CGI, legendary actresses Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe and Marlene Dietrich exchange glances and even some conversation with Charlize backstage, making the spot both eerie and fascinating.

Check out the ad below;


Story credit:  http://www.eonline.com/

TV Minute - MTV Video Music Awards (the recap)

Another night, another award show!  This one on MTV honoring the best in music videos.  An odd thing  considering MTV hardly plays any music videos in favor of reality tv which seems to have revolutionized television in the recent years. That being said, the best had to be honored last night at this annual event.

The show started out with an hour long pre-show that showcased some music, celebrity interviews on the black carpet, fashion and all the outrageousness that go along with a show of this magnitude! The set design was a little odd for me for a pre-show.   
Minutes before the actual show began, Beyonce confirmed that she was pregnant by flaunting a baby bump and actually rubbing it to further prove it!!  MTV immediately sent out a tweet confirming that the chosen one was indeed with child! Seconds later, the world was abuzz with the news!
Beyonce pretty much upstaged everyone by making that announcement!  She was positively glowing!

The show did not have host.  I guess after Chelsea Handler last year it was their best bet to go host-less! She sucked really bad! Kevin Hart did some behind-the-scene video clips that a regular host would have done.  

Lady Gaga opened the show with a perfomance of You and I.  All this while in drag.  She played her male alter-ego through the entire show.  While she did great as always, it was odd to see her this way!  We are used to Lady Gaga showing up at award shows in outrageous garb/vessel! I expected no different but I guess that does get tiring after a while!  But this didn't do her any favors given the fact that there have been doubts about her gender! No doubt, she was born that way - which ever it is!!

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music, Lady Gaga

There were several noteworthy perfomances during the show which I will highlight below. 

• Neyo & Pitbull performed their smash hit dance record,  Give Me Everything Tonight.  I absolutely love this song!!  Seems like every collaboration Pitbull does turns to a smash hit! 

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music, Pitbull

• Jay Z & Kanye West performed Otis from the album Watch The Throne that's currently leading the charts in record sales.  The duo have the most over-zealous fans! Some dude in the audience had the balls to bum rush the stage while they were perfoming before quickly being whisked away!  Is that you Lil Mama? lol!!

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music, JAY Z and Kanye West

• Adele was simply put, AMAZING!!! No frills, no shrills just thrills & pure talent! Oh how I love thee Adele!

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music, Adele

• Beyonce finally hit the stage with Love on Top after setting the twitterverse ablaze with her announcement on the black carpet!!  It was great a perfomance and those lyrics really hit home for her! Wait for the big reveal....  Congrats B & Jay!

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music, Beyoncé

• Chris Brown was by far my favorite of the night! His was quite the perfomance!  There is no doubt that Breezy can dance his ass off but this performance was exciting and had elements of danger with that high flying trapeze act!  Way to go Breezy! If only JayZ could have at least applauded that act because it was GREAT! Still bitter about the Riri saga? Let's get over that already!  She has!

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music, Chris Brown

• Amy Winehouse's tribute -  The tribute was good but lacking!  While I love totally swoon over Bruno Mars vocals,  British songstresses Adele (who was available) & Duffy should have been part of the tribute!  Let's hope the Grammy Awards will honor Amy, right.

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music, Bruno Mars

The WTF moments went to the entire Young Money crew!!  Nikki Minaj was doing way too much!! That whole getup was weird and a total fashion failure!  Drake had on a button down sweater! Stop raiding your grandpa's closet!  Lil Wayne on other other hand was just a mess!! From his awful getup to the angry performance and mic hurl! Was that really necessary?! Yes, the world is well aware that you're beefing with Jay Z but please spare us!!  From the wise words (terms used loosely) of PaulyD from Jersey Shore please STD - Stop The Drama!!  ...and for for goodness sake, kill the auto-tune already!

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music, Lil Wayne

Honorable mention goes to Jessie J for her amazing perfomances going into the commercial breaks!  Even with a broken leg, she had more stage presence than most able bodied folks!  She has some great vocals!!

For a list of all the winners click here.
For the fashion pics click here.

Quotable Quotes

"A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor" Unknown

Movie Minute - 2 reviews

I have been fortunate enough to catch plenty of movies before they are released to the general public at the movie theaters thanks to screening passes.  I rarely turn down an opportunity for a movie screening because I LOVE film.  This is also a fine chance for me to watch a movie before film critics have had a chance to praise or rip it to pieces swaying my opinion.
A few weeks back I had the chance to see The Change-Up & 30 Minutes or Less all in the same week:) My review is late...

The Change-Up (Comedy)  
I was really looking forward to seeing this one because the main characters, Ryan Reynolds & Jason Bateman have had quite the success in comedic roles.  Jason's comedic timing is what I appreciate the most about his acting.  Also the director & writers involved with this film has had great success with films such as The Wedding Planner,  The Hangover,  etc etc What could go wrong with that in mind?  Plenty!! My expectations were high and i was ready for a good laugh! Alas, that was not the case.  Well, not completely, there were a few laughs but it was still underwhelming.   There was extreme use of profanity that I felt was unnecessary at times.  Yes, I know the movie is rated R but more great dialogue and less profanity would have worked too.  There were also cringe inducing scenes in the movie that I felt were out of place.  The best parts, and I use the term best loosely were jammed in the movie's trailer. The script needed a lot of work!  It is average at best and I wouldn't advice anyone to rush to see it.  The DVD would suffice!


Sal's rating - 4/10

30 Minutes Or Less (Comedy)  
I did not know what to expect with this movie.  I had not seen a trailer for the film and the actors on the movie's poster were relatively unknown - save for Jesse Eisenberg who's was introduced to movie-goers with the box-office success and critics favorite Social Network. 


Synopsis: Nick (Jesse Eisenberg) is a bit of a slacker, and living a fairly miserable life. He delivers pizzas for a living, while his roommate Chet (Aziz Ansari) has just started teaching in a local elementary school. On the last delivery of the night, Nick gets jumped by two wannabe- criminals, Dwayne (Danny McBride) and Travis (Nick Swardson). They want to have Dwayne's father killed, but cannot come up with the money in order to get it done right. So they strap a bomb to Nick's chest, and give him ten hours to rob a bank and bring the money back to them.


This movie was hilarious from start to finish!  The chemistry between the main characters, Nick, Chet and the supporting cast worked very well together.  The wildly funny lines in the movie are delivered with such great timing.   I don't want to give away anything but I do highly recommend this movie to those who like a good laugh without any unnecessary gags.  You are in for a good time.


Sal's rating - 8/10

Cyber Minute - Is Google Plus worth the buzz?

Will g+ eliminate the competition #angrybirds style?

In my quest to stay relevant on the social media scene, I decided to check out Google Plus .  Google Plus has been buzzing in the recent weeks and I had to see for myself if this social media outlet was worth it's salt - as if we don't have enough already!  I can hardly keep up with my Twitter account but curiosity always gets the best of me.

Without a doubt, Google is a powerhouse as the go-to search engine and the many other great services they have to offer which include eblogger that supports this blog:) Besides Google Buzz which didn't garner a huge response, they hardly steer you wrong.

When I initially tried to sign up for google+ I got a rather rude (not really but I am sensitive) message stating that I had to wait for an invitation to become part of this 'exclusive' club! Wasn't my google account enough?! Way to exclude an important member of the cyber community!  Jk! Well, just recently my long awaited invitation finally came.  I signed on immediately and started to form my social circles. Cool kids club here I come!

While it seemed slightly familiar with Facebook, I felt like the new kid at school - no friends and trying desperately to fit it.  Lucky for me a cheat sheet was provided by one of my tech savvy friends.  Click here for the cheat sheet.  Trust me, if you are anything like me it will come in handy for tips and tricks. I like google+ so far but I am still waiting for the spark that will keep me coming back. I am yet to try the mobile web app.

This morning it was announced that google+ now has 20 million members and growing!! It is yet to be determined whether it will be a force against the social media giant that is Facebook.  Only time will tell. 

Quotable Quotes

'Progress always involves risks.  You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first" Unknown

TV Minute - America's Got Talent

Yes, the show is called America's Got Talent! This would mean that the acts on that national stage would be showcasing the best talent America has to offer right?  Think again!! This week, a dance troupe from Mombasa, Kenya were featured on the show during prime time on NBC.  They kicked some major ass impressing the hard-to-please judges!!!  Word on the cyber space is that they are already featured acts in Las Vegas. Nonetheless, they are super talented! Check it out for yourself below.  I hope they make it real far on the show! Kudos guys!

Product Placement - The iPad2 Review

Disclaimer: I am not a techie!!  I repeat, I am not a techie!! Just a gadgetnista of some sort.  Here comes the layman's review of the iPad2!

***********************************************************************************

So I finally got my hands on the iPad2! Exciting times!  I have pondered on whether to get the Ipad since the first generation device was unveiled back in January 2010. It seemed like the device of the century... so cool, so portable, so ME!!  The thing that held me back from getting it was the fact that i already owned a smartphone, iPod Touch & a Macbook!  Plus I am not exactly Ms. Money Bags! So why get a device that will do the very thing the devices I had could do?

Well, I was wrong!! I never thought I was capable of loving any device as much I have loved my iPad2 so far!  It is a thing of beauty and great function!

PROS:

• The out of the box functionality - I have an iTunes account so set-up was a breeze!

• Resolution - The resolution on this thing is unbelievably sharp! It makes for a great experience for photo viewing, web browsing, gaming, movies etc etc.

• Two cameras - Front and back camera that work together and are just perfect for FaceTime and HD video recording. While Skype is a still a great option for video chat, you need an intro to FaceTime especially with the great resolution on the iPad2.

• Apps - if you own an Iphone, then you are no stranger to the endless Apple apps available!!  Like a kid in a candy store, I couldn't contain myself at the 'store'! I especially like the fact that most of the cool apps are designed specifically for the Ipad.  There truly is an app for anything and everything!

• 10hr battery life - I have owned an android phone for sometime and the most frustrating thing about it is the limited to almost non-existent battery life!! Imagine, my excitement after learning that I could work/play on my iPad2 for countless hours without the need to recharge! Score!!

• Smart cover - now this right here is pure genius!! Unlike most cases/covers that are bulky and completely alter the device's aesthetic, this one is completely different, and has been designed to not only work with the iPad2, but be symbiotic with it.  The cover attaches via magnets. This makes sure it is never mis-aligned. The coolest thing about it is that it awakens the iPad 2 or puts it to sleep when you open/close it.

• Design - look around, look closely at all the tablets currently out in the market and there is no doubt that the designing team at Apple does their job and they do it well!! Apple products are far superior than their competitors and imitators.  The Ipad2 is designed to perfection.

• Free iPad engraving from Apple - I love to personalize my things so what better way to do it than to get the tablet engraved with a personal message?

CONS:
Yeah, yeah...all's not well with my fave device unfortunately.

• Flash - the IPad2 does not have a flash player!! For someone that is constantly web surfing and checking out lots of video content, this was a disappointment!!   Flash is necessary for a complete web browsing experience.

• Glare - the screen is reflective.  It is difficult to read or check out any content in direct sunlight or bright light.  This doesn't bother me much though.

• While the dual cameras are great, they are not good for still photos but I doubt I would be holding up the IPad2 for point and shoot photography. It is not even designed for that and I can live with that:)

• They say good things come to those who wait but having to wait about 2 weeks for the iPad to be shipped to me kinda sucked! Kills the instant gratification most people seek.  

In conclusion, i have no regrets about getting it and I am still happily exploring the device.  Would you like to test it out? Sure you do!!  Just head to nearest electronics store and check it out! Chances are you will want it to buy it!

Click here for more from Apple

Music Minute - Billboard Music Awards: The Recap

It was that time of of year again!!  Another award show, a very happy camper in me! On Sunday night  the Billboard Music Awards aired live from Las Vegas on FOX drawing the biggest audience the show has had since 2003 according to the Nielsen ratings!   Eminem and teen pop sensation Justin Bieber dominated awards, each taking home a total of six awards. There was a six-way tie for second place between Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Usher, Taylor Swift, Mumford & Sons and Taio Cruz, who each won three trophies.

I must say the show was very entertaining though I was disappointed by the host, Ken Jeong, of the Hangover fame; who was not in his top form.  I tuned it for a variety of reasons but my main reason was to witness Beyonce receive the Billboard Millennium Award.  This was really the highlight of the night without a doubt!!  Her performance of "Who Run The World" was EPIC! This woman has to be part beast! She was incredible and the dancing was superior!  She then received the monumental award from her mom who was on hand to present it.  Most surprising was the fact that she acknowledged her love for her husband, JayZ publicly during her speech.  Lovely!

Ceelo Green played a medley of his hit songs complete with a piano stunt!! I very much admire his creativity that has always set him apart from the 
crowd.

Rihanna who took home several awards which included the award for Radio Artist Of The Year performed S&M the remix with Britney Spears! Sexy! Sexy! Sexy! Wouldn't expect anything else from this duo but I'm I the only person who feels that Britney's iconic dancing glory days are dead and gone? She barely moves on stage these days!

Neyo & Pitbull hit the stage with their new song, "Everything Tonight"! Nicely done! I am totally loving this song!! Pitbull has been getting lots of radio play lately!! Seems like every song he's featured on becomes a hit!

Lady Antebellum who won for Country Song Of The Year for "I Need You Now" also performed "Just A Kiss". Their music always leaves me feeling warm and fuzzy on the inside. *sigh*

I would not post this and leave out The Black Eyed Peas! They have been dominating the billboard charts for a while now. Here's their medley of hits.

The wtf mention goes to Nikki Minaj. Her performance left me confused. It was completely luck luster until Britney Spears stepped in and gave that snoozer the jolt it needed!!

For the carpet photos click here.

Kick-Ass Marriage Proposal!!

I am sucker for love!! Above all, creativity and originality move me to great lengths! The video below is a combination of things I love: the afore mentioned and film!  I have always wondered why men always feel the immense pressure to pull-off the perfect marriage proposal... now they have more reason to get nervous! How do you top this???

Some Great Words To Live By...

It is graduation season in the USA.  A time to honor and celebrate success for the hard work put in by the graduates over time. 

Denzel Washington, internationally renowned actor and director, delivered the address at the University of Pennsylvania's 255th Commencement on Monday, May 16, 2011.  Just brilliant!!   Some great words to live by and much needed for graduates and non-graduates!

Quotable Quotes

While one person hesitates because they feel inferior, the other is busy making mistakes and becoming superior.

Happy Mother's Day!

Another Mother's Day is here,
Bringing joy and pleasures new,
On this special day, Mother dear,
I want to remember you.
I cannot give you costly gifts,
And I've told you this before,
No matter what I give to you,
You give back much, much more.
I'm giving you a pure, sweet rose,  

This rose you planted in my heart,
The day that I was born.
In kindly, loving thoughts of you,
And with the faith you still impart,
The rose I give to you today,
Is the love that's in my heart.

Great moms/mums raise great kids! I salute you wonderful mothers for having a tough job that is often unappreciated but makes a BIG impact. Thank you for the gift of life mum! I cannot thank you enough for all that you have done for me: the nurturing, the sacrifices made, the prayers, the encouragement given etc etc... You deserve more than a day to be celebrated! 
I love you!

Quotable Quotes - Music makes me high!!!

Can you imagine a world without music?  What a dull place earth would be!  To many people in many cultures music is an important part of their way of life. I love all kinds of music and it's hard to put me in a box.  I appreciate all music genres some more than others. My mood heavily influences what I listen to.  Today, I happen to be homesick and some of the music below evokes some great childhood memories worth re-living. Enjoy my choices below; 

Mbilia Bel - Nakei Nairobi


Clearly, the language barrier doesn't bother me:)

Mbilia Bel - Nadina

Yvonne Chaka Chaka- Mamaland

Them Mushrooms

Blog Interrupted - Down But Not Out

Due to the massive public demand (I kid! I kid!), I return to the blogosphere! It has been unusually quite around here but I finally found my mojo thank goodness!!  I update this blog because i love sharing my opinion on different matters.  It has never felt like a chore.   There is always a topic to give my perspective on.  News get old pretty fast as new events take over the last ones! It's almost hard to keep up at times but it's great to have the ever changing events as they keep my adrenaline pumping!!

I especially LOVE  it when out of concern/encouragement, my followers - some of whom remain anonymous, will remind me why I do this if i happen to make a disappearing act.  To you fans, I thank you sincerely and do commit to keeping the updates interesting and consistent unlike the Atlanta Hawks!

While I was on hiatus, lots happened: gas prices are at an all time high with no relief in sight, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were wed in a spectacular event and the main headline catcher, public enemy number one, Osama Bin Laden was killed!!  All this in one weekend! 
Looks like this blog will continue to be alive and well.
It does Take A Village...

African Pride - Designer Spotlight

I saw the pieces below on the BHF Network and couldn't help but fall in love with them!! Anyone who knows me will tell you that I love unique and very creative jewelry. This here is it!! The pieces are bold, colorful and contemporary in design. For more info on this designer from Mozambique or to purchase the pieces click here.  More styles and designs are available on the website.  To follow the designer's Facebook group click here.

Find more photos like this on THE BHF NETWORK

Music Minute - HOT! HOT! HOT!!

The video below needs no description!! Enjoy the song/view:)

"Til The End of Time"

Music Minute - Adele!

I am seriously a stan! She has an amazing voice and and she is such a refreshing voice in the current music scene that features; murky/trashy/boppy/trippity/auto-tune fiasco! *sigh* You know what I mean...  In an era of auto-tunes and lip-synching, Adele is a breath of fresh air. I thought her album "19" was a revelation until she released her sophomore album "21" and I was blown away song after song after song after song!  It's no wonder she continues to dominate the music charts all over the world!!

Check out some favorites...

Rolling in the deep

In Acapella

and this one,

Voice, meet Piano = Piano, meet Voice!!

{{{excuse me while I have an eargasm!!}}} 

Some One Like You

I can think of very few people who need only one instrument to back up their voice.

Go to town with it folks, I am officially smitten:)

RIP Nate Dogg

RIP Nate Dogg

It's sad day in hip hop!! We woke up to the sad news that Nate Dogg passed away last night from complications of the two strokes he suffered in 2007 & 2008.  Gone at such an early age of 41!!  Nate was very talented with his distinctive voice that added some unique flavor to some of the biggest West coast rap songs during the G-funk era in hip hop.

Nate frequently collaborated with his high school friend Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, Tupac Shakur, Eminem, and 50 Cent.

Soon as I heard the sad news, I had to dig up my records that feature Nate.  My faves are definitely from Dr. Dre's "The Chronic" album & Snoop Dogg's "Doggystyle" album. 

Sadly, Nate is gone but he will never be forgotten! He made his mark. Long live hip-hop!  Here are two of his most noted hits below:

Public Service Announcement - How to spot the fakes!!

Yours truly doing some product placement! Where's my $$$ Dr. Dre??  :) :)

It is no secret that I LOVE the Beats by Dr. Dre brand of headphones. They not only look good but are of superior quality - something I do NOT skimp on. I got a pair of the studio headphones last year and have not regretted my purchase ever since!!  But like any great thing, there are often imitators!!  They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery but I beg to differ in this case!! Fake versions of the Beats by Dr. Dre headphones are popping up everywhere!!  Beware!! The fakes will never match up in quality of the sound which is what sets the real ones apart.  Yes, they are a bit costly but worth every penny!! I'll let Ed Lover explain below:

And the Oscar goes to........

Awards season reached it's peak last night with the live telecast of the 83rd annual Academy Awards on ABC.  The Oscars marks the biggest night in Hollywood.   There was plenty to look forward to; the glitz & glamor, the incredible star power, hot trends on the red carpet etc etc.  

The show organizers seemed to have this great need to appeal to a younger demographic - hence the reason there were young hosts chosen.  When it was announced late last year that Anne Hathaway and James Franco had been pegged to host the creme de la creme of award shows, most of us had to scratch our heads! While they are talented in their respective fields, they are not comedians nor do they have proven hosting chops.  Granted they both have hosted Saturday Night Live.

Bottom line, the show was a major snooze fest!!  How I tolerated the entire telecast is still a mystery!!  That's about 3hrs of my life I am not getting back!!  Ironically, the old people rocked out the show! Kirk Douglas was hilarious while presenting the supporting actress award. It's great to see old people with a great sense of humor! Melissa Leo who got the award was a little too excited(as she should be) and dropped the f-bomb in her speech.  Big deal! Not!!!

The King's Speech reigned supreme last night with several awards.  The main ones being Best Actor: Colin Firth,  Best Director: Tom Hooper and Best Picture!  If you haven't seen this movie,  I highly recommend it!!

Once again, Annette Benning was robbed on the Best Actress category - I can't tell you how many times she has been nominated in this category and lost.  Natalie Portman had been favored to win from the the get go and has claimed that title at every award show in that category.  I must admit that i am yet to see the movie Black Swan but it is one to watch.

Honorable mention - The Foreign Language film went to "In A Better World".  The film was partly shot in Kenya and features several Kenyan actors and crew including Ezekiel Onyango, who was the film’s first assistant director, Eddy Kimani, & Evans Muthini among others. Congrats guys!!

The best part of the show was the end - go figure!!  They brought out the adorable yet talented kids from the PS 22 choir from Staten Island to close with a song while all the Oscar winners came onto the stage.  It was nice but a little too late to make up for that bore of a show.

For a list of all Oscar nominations/winners click here.

I was not disappointed when it came to Oscar fashion!! They were more hits than misses!!   Halle Belly dazzled in a Marchesa champagne gown,  Mila Kunis hit it out of the park in her lanvender Elie Saab gown and Mandy Moore looked amazing as did some other A-list stars.  But not all sizzled, some simply fizzled e.g Nicole Kidman!! What was she thinking? She looked like a waitress at the Panda Express!! I could go on but will spare you....

For the hot and flops on the red carpet click here. Pictures galore!

Social Responsibility - Going Green

A group of teenagers from the slums of Nairobi have joined together to make a winning video on environmental protection.

The film competition "1 Minute To Save The World" challenged young filmmakers to create a one-minute video about climate change. The competition received films from around the globe, with submissions arriving everywhere from Mexico to Vietnam. Judges included Frank Oz ("The Muppet Show") and Bruce Parry ("Tribe"). "Me And My Bike" won the $8000 Passion Pictures Best Film and Artists Project Earth Youth Visions award.

"Me And My Bike" is a video created by Wafalme, a group of inspired Kenyan teens who communicate various messages through hip-hop. They are also known for creating "Trash Is Cash," a video offering recycling solutions for their neighborhood, which lacks trash collection - despite the fact that 1.5 tons of trash per day is dumped on their land from Nairobi.

In Wafalme's newest video on bicycling, the group offers the simple yet very real message that bicycles are an environmentally-friendly mode of transportation that can cut down on worldwide carbon dioxide emissions. One lyric states, "It's good for my health, because I need to exercise, it doesn't need any gas, just my feet and my eyes."

Via: Huffington Post

I must say I am very proud of everyone involved in this production!!