CHOCOLATE & CHALK ART FESTIVAL IN BERKELEY

Today I went out with my fiancee and his little brother to the Chocolate and Chalk Art Festival in Berkeley. Chocolate and chalk; What a fun combination! All along Shattuck in the Shopping Ghetto were people sprawled out creating art underfoot. The winner walks away with $250 and the runners-up get gift certificates for local businesses.
The chocolate part came in when we bought tickets to present at designated businesses where chocolate treats awaited us. I have been vegan for four years, but I broke that habit for the first time today because I had to try the spicy chocolate chicken at Mint Leaf. It was worth it! For $10 I got the chicken, chocolate jalepeno gelato and an amazing ricotta cheese and chocolate pizza. One place even offered chocolate hand massages. There was live music, cool street vendors and a great crowd of people. It was just a really great time!



(a young artist)

(live percussion)

(families dancing)

(chocolate pizza at Lo CoCo's)

(he called this, "Swine Flu Over the Cuckoos Nest)

(truffles at Alegio Chocolate)

("Save the planet; It's the only one with chocolate on it.")

(brotherly love)

(chocolate jalepeno gelato)

(the steps of processing chocolate)

(L to R: My fiancee Cameron, myself, an artist & Jordan)

Brother Ali

If you know me personally or have ever read any of my online rants, you know that I have become disenchanted with the state of hip-hop today. It has become increasingly hard to find artists that I can respect and enjoy, least of all on the radio or as a part of the mainstream music industry. I support the handful of artists that I know consistently produce good music and when I find new artists that I love, it's always a wonderful suprise. I was particularly surprised this time though, because the newest amazing emcee that I've found just happens to be a blind, albino Muslim.

Brother Ali's story is the story of an underprivileged youth who not only had to overcome the hardships of poverty, but also had to endure the cruelty and health problems that are side effects of his condition. Rather than turn to violence or drug use as an outlet for his pain, he channeled his emotions and used them as the driving force behind his music. He has spent years honing his rap skills and he's got the lyrical chops to prove it.

As I listened to his single, "Take Me Home", I couldn't help but bob my head to the funky, soulful track. His message is positive and his flow is tight.

"Uncle Sam Goddam" opens up with a sick harmonica melody over which Brother Ali provides insight into the condition of modern day oppression. He is protesting oppression and poverty of all kinds without singling out any one ethnic group or sex. This song is an intellectual gem that shines amongst the mindless dribble that most rappers are putting out. I would put this song in the ranks with similar pieces by Mos Def and Dead Prez.

It's always nice to find talent that renews my hope in hip-hop music, and Brother Ali is just that. He finds his inspiration in old skool hip-hop greats such as KRS1, and it shows. I encourage you to give him a listen. It was definitely something I can sink my teeth into. Yum.

10 THINGS I'M SICK OF SEEING ON MYSPACE

1. WHEN PEOPLE CHANGE THEIR PROFILE NAME TO SUIT THEIR MOODS: Changing your name on MySpace every couple of days is ridiculous. It makes it hard for me to find you amongst my friends because the first letter in your name is always changing. That's what your status update & mood updates are for.

2.PEOPLE POSTING THEIR BEEFS ON THEIR STATUS AND PAGE: Your status says something to the effect of, "I don't care what a bitch say I'm on my own shit. Fuck all these hatin ass bitches." If you didn't care what they thought you wouldn't take the time & effort to post about it. Grow up.

3. WRiiTInn aLl yOurr sHiiT lYke Diis

4. LABELING PHOTOGRAPHS WITH CONCIETED PHRASES: Stop labeling your albums and pics with captions like, "Oh yeah. I know I'm the shit." or, "I'm badder than all you hoes." If you were, you wouldn't have to say so. If you do this you probably AREN'T cute or have low self-esteem.

5. PHOTOSHOPPING THE HELL OUT OF ALL YOUR PICS AND THEN BRAGGING HOW GOOD YOU LOOK: I have no problem with a little photo artistry. But to blur your face over, lighten the hell out of it and then brag about how fine you are, is dumb. If you were so good looking you wouldn't have to alter your pics to the point of obscurity.

4. POSTING PICS OF YOURSELF WITH ILLEGAL ITEMS: Seriously, posing with illegal paraphenilia is a sad attempt at being hard. If you were really a thug you wouldn't be dumb enough to take pics with your drugs or guns because a real criminal wouldn't want incriminating evidence all over the internet where anyone could see. Duh. Makes you look fake.

5. POSTING A STRING OF RIDICULOUSLY SIMILAR IMAGES OF YOURSELF: This one drives me nuts. PICK ONE PIC AND PUT IT UP. I am tired of seeing 14 pics of you in your car each one only different from the last by a few degrees. I have provided and example:

6.OVERUSE OF NEW SLANG CATCH PHRASES: "Check my fresh", "You like my swagg", "I'm on some grown shit", "I love my haters", "On my own shit", "I go", "Get like me".....Seriously people. This makes you sound ignorant and why would you want to sprinkle your pages with the same lines that are on every one elses. Get some individuality. Post something that actually has personal meaning.

7.YOU TRYING TO ASK ME OUT OR GET FRESH WITH ME EVEN THOUGH PICS OF MY FIANCEE ARE EVERYWHERE ON MY PAGE.

8.YOU TRYING TO ASK SOMEONE OUT WHEN PICS OF YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER ARE ALL OVER YOUR PAGE.

9. USING DESIGNER BRANDS TO DECORATE YOUR PAGE: I am tired of seeing Gucci backgrounds and Manolo art all over the pages of people who have never owned a designer item in their lives. It's a sad attempt of trying to look like you have money. Those of us who actually buy designer items don't flaunt the fact all over our pages. It's always the brokest person that does this and it makes you look cheap.

10. USING MYSPACE AS A PLATFORM TO DEFEND YOUR POSITION WITH YOUR UNFAITHFUL MAN: I see lots of women who are involved with a man that they and everyone else knows is a cheater. They attempt to defend themselves by posting excessive amounts of pics with this guy all with captions like, "Yeah bitch he's mine, or "You see where he's at. With me!" Just the fact that you have to post statements like these lets me know that he's actually community property. It's even sadder when women display on their profile or in their blogs things like, "All you hoes are just sideline hoes but he comes home to me every night.".... (sigh).

Saw My Baby Off To The Prom Last Night

When I was around fifteen, I was hanging out with a guy I was dating at the time and I met his little cousin Erika. Back then she was an adorable little kindergartener. A few years later after the guy and I had been long broken up, Erika and I were still having regular contact. I would do her hair for her, buy her clothes and tutor her. When I was 18 and she was 11 her father fell on hard times and so I took Erika in for a year. Then again a year ago, they became homeless and I took her in for another year. Last night I saw her off to her prom. It really brought a tear to my eye. She has overcome so much hardship and yet she has her eye on college and she has grown into a beautiful young woman. I am so proud of her. Looking at her last night, I just couldn't wrap my mind around how that tiny little girl asking me to play Barbies with her has turned into this gorgeous, sophisticated young lady. I love her.

CHECK OUT THIS NEW "PRIVATE" COLLECTION OF FURNITURE. (GET IT? PRIVATE?)

Don't ask me how I came across these classy, refined pieces of furniture. But how can you NOT want to be enveloped in a large cushy pussy? The vagina couch was made by a Bay Area art student and was sold on Craigslist for $600. The rest of these are just a random collection of genitals-inspired pieces. Yes, I know these are crude and tacky, and I generally try to provide more thought provoking fare, but sometimes I just need a good, raunchy laugh. Doesn't everyone?

"ASHER ROTH" or "ANOTHER SOURCE OF EMBARASSMENT FOR WHITE PEOPLE"

You know some thing's bad when the first time you hear about it you think it's some kind of spoof or a joke...Insert "rapper" Asher Roth. Quick bio: White kid from the suburbs, butterflies and ice cream trucks, starts listening to rap in junior high, makes his own raps about hot chicks and marijuana, corporate sponsorship, record deal.... you know where it goes from here.

Ordinarily this kind of scenario would annoy me but wouldn't be offensive enough for me to blog about it. I mean, watching throngs of upper-class white kids screaming in ecstasy at MTV Spring Break while some talent-less musician spews out lousy music is nothing new. However, statements like these tend to get under my skin:

(Referring to African American rap stars)'You guys are always going off about how much money you have. Do you realize what's going on in this world right now?' All these black rappers,African rappers, talking about how much money they have. 'Do you realize what's going on in Africa right now?'" Roth says. "It's just like, 'You guys are disgusting. Talking about billions and billions of dollars you have. And spending it frivolously, when you know, the Motherland is suffering beyond belief right now.'"


Wow. Who made this kid the authority on how people should spend their money and on what? Asher Roth was not raised in a situation where scarcity was the norm, as is the case with many of the rappers he speaks of. It's easy to blow money on frivolous things when you come from a place of having nothing; Where material things have no permanence because they may be taken away at anytime. This is a common thing among underprivileged people who come into money.

I am in no way condoning a culture of excess. I myself donate as much as I can to charities even as an underprivileged youth; But the other big problem I have with Roth's statement is that he implies that just because a person is black that they automatically have an obligation to be responsible for the welfare of Africans more so than inhabitants of any other continent. So I suppose then that white celebrities should only offer help to fair-skinned peoples Mr. Roth?

The final insult is that while he raves on about helping Africans he turns around and makes statements such as blogging that he was "hangin out with nappy headed hoes". I know this shouldn't upset me. He was probably referring to African women that he was mentoring in "The Motherland", right? Puh-eeze! This kid has no street cred, is not actively involved in charities himself, and is not educated (sorry people but an AA in basic education, or "because my parents made me degree" doesn't count). He raps about getting high, sleeping around, and the "hardship" of having a Dad that wasn't around as much as he'd have liked because he had to work a lot.

Despite all this he is adored by a generation of white-picket-fence-kids who think statements like these make him cool, edgy, and radical, all the while I remain unable to listen to the radio or watch music television because to subject myself to long term exposure would put me at risk of high blood pressure, heart attack and the deterioration of brain cells.

"Corporate force's runnin this rap shit"-Mos Def

Bay Area Influenced Jerkin Dance

I love the Bay Area so much sometimes I can hardly stand it! Here's some new dance moves popping up in L.A. This dance is obviously influenced by recent Bay Area dance trends including the Hyphy Movement.

Smoke & Mirrors

Oh how I hate you.
A sticky sweet bottle of poison...and there you are.
The last drop runs out and so goes your sanity.
It's all smoke and mirrors; Or should I say a blunt and a glass?
Take them away and the illusion is gone.
When the river runs dry
Your fun runs dry
Your evil runs dry
My eyes can dry

I hate you.

I DABBLE IN THE BEAUTY ARTS

I love to do hair, makeup, and styling in my spare time. It's not anything I would make a career out of, but I just like the creative process. I have no professional training of any kind, that's why I say I dabble. Let me know what you think and feel free to post styles of your own.

This hairstyle was kind of complicated. It included sewing in black human hair extensions as well as red synthetic hair extensions and cornrows on the sides. Almost all the hair that is visible is added extensions.

This style is a full head sewn in human hair weave. The real hair is cornrowed to the scalp and then wefts of human hair are sewn on to the braids themselves. I think I do a pretty good job at these. My work is pretty seamless and you cannot tell that this is not her real hair.

These are all haircuts that I've done:

On the left are fake dreadlock extensions that I made an out of yarn. They look very real. In the middle are real dreadlocks that I started and keep groomed. On the right are twists which is how you start growing dreadlocks:

Dreadlocks on non-ethnic (white) hair:

Before and After: My mother had lost her hair due to chemo. I braided the front and added an extension ponytail so that she could have hair again.

Cornrowing (some with extensions some without):

Updo on the left has synthetic pink hair extensions added. The style on the right is flat-twists in the front with coils and ribbon curls at the end, and the back was flat-ironed:



The singles on the left were braided with human hair extensions. The singles on the right were braided with blue synthetic hair:

I put this look together for her for a concert. I coordinated the outfit, makeup, hair, nails, and accessories. The hair is a sewn in full head human hair weave. I did the nails and makeup also:

Other random styles: