Saints Open NFL Season

Today is such a bittersweet day. On one hand I'm uber-excited!!! It's NFL Kickoff day and the superbowl champ Saints are kicking off the festivities!!! There's so much going on in NOLA today, including a concert in Jackson Square. Dave Matthews and Trombone Shorty are performing. Good Lawd Mr. Shorty is so freakin' fine. I swear he's my boyfriend in my head but I digress. Today in New Orleans will be epic! I forgot to even mention the parade Soul Rebels are performing in. The bittersweet part is I can't go. I'm in Baton Rouge. I live in Plaquemine for 6 months, not New Orleans. This normally won't be an issue as NFL games are generally on Sundays...but kickoff is on Thursday thus I'm at work.
This is bigger than tonight's game. The thing is I'm in oblivion. This time is clearly not my time to shine, I'm supposed to be working/grinding right now. It's weird because I love love love to hang but lately have just wanted to stay in (except of course in situations like today). My energy is all off. Not too sure what's going on right now but I guess I can only go with the flow...

Dat Boy Good!!!

Check out my Southern University chum Craig Carter's new video that debuted on MTV's Louisiana Day. Craig is a great filmmaker I PRAY I get to work with soon! He did the shooting,directing and editing of "Walking Thru New Orleans".

ENJOY

Walking thru New Orleans from craig carter on Vimeo.

Mr. Apple NOLA

While I am committed to become more fit overall, let's be real here. I love sweets and will still have them...in moderation of course. I mean c'mon this is a lifetime commitment and I don't think I can cut out sugar for the rest of my life! My absolute favorite treat of all time is candied apples. As a kid, I'd be so excited for Halloween and outdoor festivals to roll around so that I can get one! As I got older, I got into the various flavors, like caramel and peanut covered. So imagine how excited I was when I walked up on Mr. Apple NOLA! Not only do they make candy apples, they've got all sort of chocolate covered fruity fabulousness in that place! Check them out at 201 N. Peters and visit them on the web at www.misterapple.net.

Visionaire Fashion Show

I constantly talk about how creative people in this city are! Tonight the creative focus will be on new designers-well designers that are new to me. I love love love fashion shows - not the kind where its really a party with some models walking around, but a REAL fashion show where you sit down and watch as someone's hard work is visually presented to you live in action. I enjoy watching new designers because the stories they tell within their collections can be so captivating. It sounds like this is event will be awesome! I wish I could go but we have the kickoff party for our show tonight. I know this event is going to be great so if you are in New Orleans looking for something innovative, go and support!

NOLA Summer Jam

New Orleans has been good to me in so many ways. The biggest way is that it has inspired my creativity. My ideas have been flowing like water and I've been meeting equally talented folk to help me actually complete my endeavors. There is so much talent here it is hard to explain. I've been most impressed with the hip hop community here. First of all, there IS a REAL, viable hip hop community here. I will admit before I moved here I thought it was just the typical expected sound but in actuality there is a great amount of conscious, enlightened rappers that can go head to head with any national artist. ANY of them. Then there's great producers. Such original beats and sounds I just love it. I'm really grateful to have met Lawrence "CRACKTRACKS" Parker. He's not only a dope producer who loves music, he loves his native city of New Orleans. I posted his Motivation504 mixtape a while ago, but failed to mention that is also a dope event promoter. His latest endeavor is NOLA SUMMER JAM. I actually got to be a part of the planning of the event that is the initial stage of bringing an official hiphop festival to New Orleans, which is known for the multitude of music festivals it hosts every year. If you're around and free on this Saturday, June 19, come check out this movement that has me captivated.

For the latest information on the event and ticket information please visit : http://www.nolasummerjam.blogspot.com/

Cracktracks Presents ... Motivation 504

So as I've been discussing lately, I REALLY believe New Orleans is about to make a serious impact on the music scene at large. I've been experiencing some truly great music lately and the last few weeks I have been all about this one producer Cracktracks. He puts out the best mixtapes and my favorite of his to date was Space Musik but ... he JUST dropped his latest entitled MOTIVATION 504. Hmmm, since I live in the 504 (New Orleans area code) and am desperately in need of some real, true motivation, I did something I never do and waited up for the midnight release! That was SUCH a good decision!!! This mixtape is REALLY good and features a lot of next to blow artists as well as the current "next biggest thing" Jay Electronica - all from right here in New Orleans!!!! I'm beyond excited I feel like it is just another sign I'm in the right place at the right time! Check it out and let me know your favs!!!!! (Might I suggest 2, 3, 15, 17, 19 or 24 to start?!?!)

Click here to download CrackTracks Presents ... Motivation504!

Who Gonna Hustle Like Me?!?

Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle. ~Abraham Lincoln

Even as far back as the Lincoln days, ole' honest Abe knew the importance of HUSTLE. I'd say it proved successful for him-he's considered one of the best presidents in history after all!!! The dictionary defines hustle as "getting by trying hard". I define hustle as "getting by DOING hard". (Nothing beats a "try" like a "DO"!) I feel like when I was in L.A. I was always surrounded by "the hustle". EVERYBODY was hustling ALL THE TIME! The industry there is serious and there's a gazillion people equally as qualified as you are that have all the same credentials. Now that I'm in New Orleans, there is a WHOLE 'nother type of hustle. There is a huge music scene here - so many emerging talents it is ridiculous. It is so much going on, so many ways for someone with my career experience to get involved. I want to just sit back and watch but my hustle won't let me! LOL! I've landed smack dab in the middle of a talent explosion. You think I'm gonna wait for the leftovers?!?!?

Introducing Kourtney Heart

About two months ago, I got the opportunity to do publicity for an up and coming singer/songwriter Kourtney Heart. This girl is amazing! I won't even get into her talent, let me just tell you about what makes me excited about being a part of her team.

Kourtney has that thing ... you know how like whether you like people like Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera you have to respect them because they really work hard at their craft. Kourtney has that type of work ethic right now ... at 16! She works equally as hard in the classroom and maintains an above 3.0 GPA. But my favorite part is that she gets the bigger picture in the grand scheme of things.

I always say I want to give back but I rarely do because of the ... I don't have enough money or there's not enough time or other excuses. Kourtney makes it a priority to use whatever time she has to host and participate in events that have a civic appeal. She got her start by turning popular songs into jingles to prevent teen smoking and singing at her teen advocacy events around town. And now that she has two songs on rotation here in the city, she's decided to host an event that will help girls aged 7-14 develop self esteem. Kourtney gets upset when she hears young girls compare themselves unrealistically to others, and decided she wanted to do something for the girls that made them feel good about themselves. We've prepared an awesome event for these girls. The fact that she was so excited about doing it makes me equally excited that someone so young gets it.

Get to know Kourtney Heart on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace. She also has a blog click here. I've included her new video "My Boy" featuring Magnolia Shorty. This song is so cool for the summer because it is fun and light! It's a radio hit here and since she's from New Orleans she's got authentic moves to go with it! The second video is her debut single "Spell It Out" because I find it to be such a cute little song that shows more of her sound (more videos are on youtube that show her range). I mean I know I will STILL buy a brand new outfit and shoes when I know I'm going to see a new boy I like!!! LOL! Sooo ... without further ado, start to get to know Ms. Kourtney Heart!

Baduizms, March 20 and 27

Y'all KNOW I love me some Ms. Erykah Badu. She is like ... church. I always feel like I've been blessed when I hear her music and last year when I got to see her at JazzFest, I was BEYOND exuberant! So when I heard there was going to be a play at the FringeFest that celebrated her music, I was like ummmm I'm not sure. My friend Sarah (who makes me look like a someone who just bought a cd before b/c she's the ULTIMATE fan having seen her over 10 times!)and I were skeptical to say the least. But it was such a good show (I wrote about it here)! The ladies did the music justice and I really enjoyed myself. So when I heard they were doing a new show, I got UBER excited!!! They've added new music and all! Well, then something crazy happened. I got an email from the woman who wrote the play! She somehow ran across my blog post on the show and contacted me. She wanted to say she appreciated my review. We chatted a bit and she WOW-ed me. She's amazing. She's from Lake Charles, La. and just always liked to write. Here's the thing, she's so talented. She not only wrote the play, she is one of the actresses and she can BLOW! I haven't met her in person yet but I could feel her spirit through the email. I really like her. So I am so excited to go see the show on March 20 (who wants to come with?!?!)! Hmmm, I wonder if she'd like to be the next person I profile on "She Makes Me Wanna"? Maybe I could run the Tuesday before the play? That would be an excellent way for me to express how much she's inspired me!!!

Black n Gold SuperBowl

I am so excited! This Sunday the Saints make their Super Bowl debut!!!!!!!! EXCITING!!! There are tons of local songs that are all about this Black and Gold pride! Turn on the radio at any given time and one is playing. My least fav is a take on Miley Cyrus' Party in the USA but hands down my favorite one is K. Gates' Black and Gold Superbowl. For those of you who don't live in New Orleans, check the video AWESOME! (It makes me CRUNK and now I'm moving just a little too much in a public place!)

Now that you are hype check out this email I got from a fellow member of the Who Dat Nation. It's a letter to Miami that might give you a little more insight into what its like here in N'awlins!

Dear Miami, The Saints are coming. And so are we, their loyal, long-suffering and slightly discombobulated Super Bowl-bound fans. While there's still time to prepare -- although a few hard-core Who Dats will begin trickling in Monday, most of us won't arrive until Thursday or Friday -- we thought we'd give you a heads-up about what you should expect. First things first: You need more beer. Yeah, we know. You ordered extra. You think you have more than any group of humans could possibly consume in one week. Trust us. You don't. New Orleans was a drinking town long before the Saints drove us to drink. But it turns out beer tastes better when you're winning. (Who knew?) So let's just say we're thirsty for more than a championship; adjust your stockpiles accordingly. And look. When we ask you for a go-cup, be nice to us. We don't even know what "open container law" means. Is that anything like "last call"? It's Carnival season in New Orleans (that's Mardi Gras to you), and we'll be taking the celebration on the road. So don't be startled if you walk past us and we throw stuff at you; that's just our way of saying hello. Oh, and sorry in advance about those beads we leave dangling from your palm trees. We just can't help ourselves. February is also crawfish season, and you can be sure that more than one enterprising tailgater will figure out a way to transport a couple sacks of live mudbugs and a boiling pot to Miami. When the dude in the 'Who Dat' T-shirt asks if you want to suck da head and pinch da tail, resist the urge to punch him. He's not propositioning you. He's inviting you to dinner. And if you see a big Cajun guy who looks exactly like an old Saints quarterback walking around town in a dress ... don't ask. It's a long story. We know that crowd control is a major concern for any Super Bowl host city. Our advice? Put away the riot gear. Reason No. 1: Indianapolis is going to lose, and their fans are way too dull to start a riot. Reason No. 2: New Orleans showed the world on Sunday that we know how to throw a victory party. We don't burn cars. We dance on them. Reason No. 3: Even if we did lose, which we won't, leaving the stadium would be like leaving a funeral, and our typical response to that is to have a parade. Speaking of which: If you happen to see a brass band roll by, followed by a line of folks waving their handkerchiefs, you're not supposed to just stand there and watch.. As our own Irma Thomas would say, get your backfield in motion. And hey, Mister DJ! Yes, we know you've already played that stupid Ying Yang Twins song 10 times tonight, but indulge us just one more time. To us, " Halftime (Stand Up and Get Crunk)" isn't just a song; it's 576 points of good memories. It's the sound of a Drew Brees touchdown pass to Devery Henderson, a Pierre Thomas dive for first down on 4th-and-1, a Garrett Hartley field goal sailing through the uprights in overtime. It's what a championship sounds like. You may get sick of hearing it. We won't. Encore, dammit. Inside Sun Life Stadium, you may find your ears ringing more than usual. We're louder than other fans. Seven thousand of ours sound like 70,000 of theirs. Don't believe us? Ask the 12th man in the Vikings huddle. Some people think it's just the Dome that heightens our volume. But you're about to discover a little secret: We can scream loud enough to make your head explode, indoors or out. It's not the roof. It's the heart. Well, OK, and the beer. Don't be surprised if there are more Saints fans outside the stadium than inside. A lot of us are coming just to say we were part of history, even if we can't witness it up close. The Saints are family to us, and you know how it is with family: We want to be there for them, whether they really need us or not. Because we know our presence will mean something to them, whether they can see us or not. Come to think of it, seeing as how you're taking us in for the week, we pretty much regard you as family, too. So we're warning you now: If you're within hugging distance, you're fair game. Hugging strangers is a proud Who Dat tradition, right up there with crying when we win. Most sports fans cry when their teams lose. Not us. We've been losing gracefully and with good humor for 43 years. Tragedy and disappointment don't faze us. It's success that makes us go to pieces. Hurricane Katrina? We got that under control. The Saints in the Super Bowl? SOMEBODY CALL A PARAMEDIC!!! So anyway, don't let the tears of joy freak you out. We're just .... disoriented. OK. Let's review: Order more beer. Throw me something, mister. Suck da heads. Wear da dress. Stand up. Get crunk. Hug it out. Protect your eardrums. Pass the Kleenex. Hoist the trophy. See you at the victory party. Faithfully yours, The Who Dat Nation

Do You Feel the BREES!!!!

In August of 1999, I had a job interview in West Lafayette, Indiana to become a part of Purdue's sports information team. When the then director of the office, Jim Vruggink, picked me up from the airport in Indianapolis, he had a 45 minute drive to tell me all about Purdue's athletic program. He spend 30 minutes talking about the then sophomore quarterback who he believed would be one of the best in Boilermaker history. His enthusiasm about this Texas kid Drew Brees was contagious. The next day I got to visit all of the athletic facilities. I saw some of the players in the weight room and Drew was VERY easy to spot. While he has a distinct birthmark on his face, there was just something about the way he carried himself. He was the clear leader of that team. Throughout my time at Purdue, Drew had an amazing career and I was able to watch the nation take notice of him. As he led the Big Ten in offense, he found himself in the running for Heisman two years in a row. And he took the Boilers to the Rose Bowl. I became THE Drew Brees fan when he went to the draft. At first I was mad because he didn't go in the first round but when he wound up in San Diego I was so happy! That was a great program and I knew he'd do well. The Chargers are my third favorite team (New Orleans first - grew up on them and then the Colts from my Indiana days and I like San Diego b/c it was the Cali' team I most resonated with as a fan). So when the Chargers invested their money into Philip Rivers I was so upset - how could they do my boy like that when he was playing so well?!?! Luckily God's plan is ALWAYS bigger than mine so who knew he'd end up playing for my home team!!!

When Drew went to the Saints I was OVERJOYED! I knew this player and how strong he was and how good he could be for the Saints. Most of all I knew his attitude and how great of a person he is and how that attitude could really work in a city like New Orleans. This season it was evident to EVERYONE what I knew back in my West Lafayette days - Drew Brees is a winner and now he's at the QB position of my New Orleans Saints leading them to their first Super Bowl appearance ever!!!

My my my how sweet it is!!!!

Are You Not Entertained?!?!?!

I promised myself that on this weekend I would save money by staying in, cleaning my place and getting some rest by laying up watching TV. There was some great things on my regular cable and I got to catch "Gladiator". I've seen this movie a gazillion times but something about when Maximus says, "Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained? Is this not why you are here?," always gets me going (I guess it got JayZ crunk too but I digress)! And since I'm working on cultivating an attitude of gratitude, I decided to share some of the many ways I've been being entertained lately!

SPORTS: Ummm, I live in New Orleans and the Saints are undefeated! Even when I lived in Indiana, the Colts were great but not 10 games undefeated!

MOVIES: Holiday movie times are my favorite. I'll never forget during the first year of law school I couldn't go home during the holiday b/c I was trying to make as much money as I could during the break (you're not allowed to work when class is in session during the first year. I spent my entire Christmas Day movie hopping. I've gotten to see some cool movies lately. First, I went to the New Orleans International Film Fest one Friday and caught this cool thriller TRAPPED IN KATRINA.

It was not the usual take on the Katrina tragedy nor what I anticipated to see from local independent filmmakers. I was beyond impressed and the cinematography was awesome. I'd been on the edge of my seat since October to see PRECIOUS. FINALLY it came to New Orleans. My new friend got closer to being my new boo when he got me tickets for the midnight show on the night it came out. It was so riveting. Monique was AMAZING! This movie is a must see and was well worth the wait. Finally on Thanksgiving night, I took my sister, niece and cousin (watch out for him on that Saints EA Sports commercial) to see New Moon. We had a blast although we'd all read the books so were well aware of what would happen.

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MUSIC: It goes w/o saying how I feel about Lil'Wayne since I blog about him so much. I got the NO CEILINGS mixtape and LOVE it! He used some beats of songs I don't really like and now I love 'em. My favs are probably "Let's Do It" and "Poke Her Face". I just got Lupe Fiasco's new mixtape too. (Although a virus that I just paid DELL $120 to rid me of is making me scared to download it!)

BOOKS: I'm a huge fan of Esther and Jerry Hicks after reading "Ask and It Shall Be Given." They are great authors/teachers and I'm a big fan. I got THE ASTONISHING POWER OF EMOTIONS for only $4! at Borders and I'm definitely enjoying it!

PLAYS: I got to see BADUIZMS at the Fringe Fest and it really inspired me to work on my own project for stage (details to come). BADUIZMS was a cute play inspired by the lyrics of Erykah Badu. I went with a couple of my friends and we had a blast (only in NO can you get hammered at a play!).

I HAVE been truly entertained these last few weeks. And to answer Maximus' question, this is exactly what I came for! Have you gotten into anything cool recently?

She Makes Me Wanna - Pursue My Passion

I'm a firm believer that you can make friends online. I've found Twitter to be instrumental in helping me meet great, like minded people in New Orleans and one of my most inspiring connections is with Holly Hobbs. Our "introduction" proves my theory on how social networking sites help to foster friendships. I found through Twitter that we have a ton in common - we both like Mojo's Coffee on Magazine, are into supporting local artists and most importantly, we both have a HUGE crush on Harry Connick, Jr. and frequently say "fabulousness"!!!!

After initially meeting Holly on Twitter, I've found her to be highly intelligent and extremely passionate about using her talents to help make stronger communities. Like me, she's an artist. Unlike me, she's not a frustrated one trying to figure out how to let her talent be used. It seems as though this isn't a problem for Holly because she appears to let her passion guide her. Confucius said, "Chose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." Well while Holly works extremely hard, it seems as though she's chosen great places to focus her energy and efforts. With completed documentaries under her belt, she currently works as managing director of the Patios film festival and as co-director of HipHop for Hope. Her passion is contagious and inspires me to really go after the deepest desires of my heart! Read more to see why Holly Hobbs makes me wanna pursue my passion!

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NAME: Holly Hobbs
AGE: 31 (aaaa, do I have to put that?LOL!)
HOMETOWN: Columbia, Missouri
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: New Orleans, Louisiana

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: BA from University of Wisconsin (Gender Studies, African Studies), MA from Indiana University (Ethnomusicology), PhD coursework at University of Missouri (Folklore), finishing proposal to finish PhD at Tulane right now (Ethnomusicology).

OCCUPATION: Hmm. The general term for my field is “cultural development,” using the arts as a resource for community and economic development. And technically by training I’m an ethnomusicologist—the best term for that would be “public sector ethnomusicologist.” But I do film, and I’m a musician, and I’m the managing director of the Patois film festival here and co-direct the nonprofit Hiphop for Hope.

AS A CHILD WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP: a zoologist!

DO YOU LOVE WHAT YOU DO: I love doing a thousand things and being involved in things I’m most passionate about, so yes, I do.

HOW DID YOU BEGIN YOUR CAREER: School was always the best of both worlds for me—graduate school provided a creative environment, time to write and create, money to travel and research, etc. So much of my career has been in graduate school. But I started my music career by playing jazz in piano bars.

ARE YOU LIVING THE LIFE YOU DREAMED OF: Not quite yet but I’m on my way!

WHO IS YOUR FEMALE INSPIRATION: There are so so many, and they cross the board from political figures to writers and musicians. I love Susan Rice, the US Ambassador to the UN recently appointed by Obama. I love Lucinda Williams—I feel like she writes for me. I’m always in awe of Zora Neale Hurston’s life and work, and the work Alice Walker did to recover it. I love Dorothy Parker in all her fabulousness. Toni Morrison does it for me. So does Arundhati Roy. Wangari Maathai, who recently won the Nobel. There was a New York Times interview with Chan Marshall not too long ago where she talked about Mary J. Blige as her inspiration, and I agreed with so much of what she said. And, as always, my mom.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN: I’ve been so busy/stressed/etc since I moved to New Orleans that I haven’t done as much of what I love as I should. Playing & writing music is #1 for me. Other than that, I love my group of girls here. I love walks in Audubon. Coffee already made when I get up in the morning. A good book and a sunny day.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER WOMEN IN PURSUIT OF THEIR DREAM: Don’t ever give up!

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES OR MOTTO: “Good behavior is the last refuge of mediocrity.”

You can find Holly on the web at www.myspace.com/hollyvioletproductions www.patoisfilmfest.org www.hiphopforhope.org
You can also follow her on Twitter (www.twitter.com/holl_x ).
And to see the efforts of her labor live, come check out the HipHopforHope annual benefit concert this Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009 at Tippitina's Uptown featuring MiaX, Mannie Fresh, RajSmoove and a host of other talented artists!

Month In Review

I'm watching "The View" and Joy is doing the month in review. It inspired me to do my own October month in review!

Let's see ....

10.2 - I got to shoot a PSA. My friend Tyron was working on a PSA project and I got to participate. Later that night we celebrated my friend's (Crouching Tiger/Hidden Dragon as she'd like to be called) birthday. We went out to dinner, First Friday's then Frenchmen - cool night. I ran into an old friend at First Friday's ...

10.9 - The plan was to go out to the Soundclash event. I was super pumped because all week on Twitter it had been super hyped/promoted. It was on Frenchmen and when I stepped onto the street, ALL the lights went out - BLACKOUT! Crazy! So I went to my favorite Bridge Lounge w/a couple of friends and ... the old friend from FF met me out.

10.10 - I got to see "Tetro" at the New Orleans Film Fest. It was amazing! I've known about this movie for some time so to finally see it was like WOW!!! After I went to Monkey Hill Bar for the LSU game. GOOD TIMES!

10.11 - I started the day by going see an indy film, "SunDogs" at the NOLA Film Fest. I then met my power women's group for beignets. The plan was to then go to see "Precious," but unfortunately, it was WAY oversold.

10.12 - I got to celebrate my new friend Holly's bday with her. It was super fun - we went to Mimi's on the Marigny and they had a special Columbus Day Sangria - YUM!

10.14 - I started a FinalCutPro workshop at NOVAC. I love learning new things - especially computer programs. The first day was extremely interesting and exciting.

10.15 - This day was AMAZING! I got to see the President of the UNITED STATES!! AND I got to ask him a question. Later that evening, I hosted my first event in New Orleans - "Tweet n' Greet". It didn't go quite as planned and I think I found I need to make a lot of money to do the type of events I want to do. Nonetheless, it was a good learning experience. (And the "old friend" came so that was good.)

10.21 - Had a date night w/the "old friend" from FF. Very nice-complete with flowers and dinner. We shall see how this one goes ...

10.26 - Went to a Reggie Bush/RedBull magazine party. It was really cool. It reminded me of corporate events in L.A. Rebirth played and there was a cool DJ. Free drinks, free food ... OH and I got to hang w/my boy Justin who is back from Hawaii.

10.29 - My friend Cristin's bday! We had dessert at Sucre and drinks at Parasol's in the afternoon! Good stuff!

10.30 - I completed my FinalCutPro workshop!!!!!

10.31 - Happy Halloween! I was a great 80's glam goddess EXCEPT no one saw me :( My plan to meet friends at Frenchmen didn't go so well. It was cool though, decided to hang out alone on my side of town ...

And that's what happened during my October. How was your month?

My Lenny Experience

I'm a huge fan of live music. I love to go to shows and will go see artists I'm not very familiar with to experience their sound. For a long time, my favorite would be to see artists in small venues. (I always felt like you could really connect with their energy in a small, confined space). This changed when I lived in Indiana. They would always have these concerts at Purdue on Slater Hill and it would be amazing. Nice weather, good music, and tons of people out just to have a good time. Since I've moved to New Orleans, my outside music experiences have definitely increased (there are a ton of music festivals here and this year I got to see Ms. Badu and the Dave Matthews Band). Last night I saw Lenny Kravitz at Voodoo fest. I am holding back nothing when I say it was the single best concert I've been to in my life.

First, let me discuss the synchronicity of events. I've been wanting to go to this show since I heard he'd be here in say August. I never bought tickets because right now money is tight. I asked everyone I could about passes or "hookups" and no one could come through. One day I got an email from an old friend in L.A. who said he was coming for the show. I thought he was just coming to go to the fest. Turns out he was working and got me two VIP passes (what an amazing friend!!!)!!! Because of my work schedule, I decided I'd go in the evening to catch Trombone Shorty, Flaming Lips and Lenny Kravitz. At 11 am the girl that was supposed to go with me let me know she wasn't and I called my friend Selam because I knew she wanted to go as well. She was free so we decided to go around 5. When we arrived the sun began to set and it was dark. I realized I'd never gone to an outside show at night. At first I was super nervous - the grounds were really wet and muddy and I can be a bit clumsy. We stopped by Trombone Shorty - good stuff! We made our way over to the LOA Lounge that our VIP status got us. We got a round of drinks and then I say my friend who had some amazing "treats". We sat by the lake and chatted a bit with Flaming Lips playing in the background. As Flaming Lips closed, my anticipation for Lenny was CRAZY!


More...So I've never been to a show with Selam so I was happy to know that she wanted to try to get closer to Lenny as well! Our VIP passes got us close to the front and with a little bit of maneuvering, we managed to get very close. His music was amazing. He played so strong and had amazing swagger.
And the lyrics! It felt like church and Lenny Kravitz was the pastor. Over and over he gave us commandments to live by like, "You are a child of the most high. There's nothing you can't do and that's no lie." I was feeling the music and really resonating with his lyrics. He ended the show with the crowd chanting, "Let love rule." And during his encore, he brought out Trombone Shorty!!!! (Trombone used to play with Lenny on tour so it was great to see them on stage together.) Oh and at the end of the encore the drummer threw his stick into the crowd and Selam caught it!!

During the show he spoke alot about living in New Orleans. He said he came to see Aretha at Jazzfest for one night but just stayed because it felt so right. I can see exactly what he means - there is something about this place that just feels good! I feel like I witnessed someone who really gets it - he plays great music but his songs are full of words of hope. I left feeling lighter and more energized. I'll be carrying his message, "It's time to take a stand. Brothers and sisters join hands. We've got to let love rule."

The Day I Met the President ... of the United States!

Yesterday I had a life changing experience - I got to ask the President of the United States a question ... in REAL LIFE - not just in my head!

I've been in a beef w/my bestie and in an attempt to make up, he invited me to go to the President's Town Hall meeting here in New Orleans. I was stoked! Around 1500 tickets were available for the general public and they were given away in a lottery style. My bestie won and I was elated that he took me. We went to hear the President speak about what's happening in his administration right now. It was amazing! During one part of his speech I was moved to tears. He spoke about the how students who had come to New Orleans after Katrina were to be commended because they came after the storm and had seen what had happened. He said people in New Orleans were true believers and that's what the country needs. (Of course I was in tears at that point. That's exactly what I feel about being here - that I believe in what this city has to offer so the fact the leader of the free world agreed was enough to move me to tears!)

So after his speech he opened the floor for questions. I generally have questions - when I go to events where the floor is open for comments I generally ask. I raised my hand with no idea if he'd call on me. The people he called on had great questions so I was a little intimidated but I kept trying. My bestie said if you are trying to ask a question you are going to have to really want it. So when President Obama looked my way I sent all of my energy his way. I didn't scream or wave my hands, I simply focused on making contact with him. (I've been working on directing my energy in meditation but I digress.) He looked my way and then directly at me and said you young lady. I was DONE! I was so nervous and I said, "Good afternoon President Obama." I must have melted right then and there. I could hear the crowd laughing and then I grabbed my chest area (I guess my friends are right when they say I'm animated in my speaking). He said OMG I broke her heart. I began my question but he stopped me and said, "What's your name?" Now if you know me, you know I've been working on this DaVida Chanel brand. I always always say I'm DaVida Chanel because I want people to associate me with my first and middle name. For the life of me when that man asked my name I could not remember it! He asked again and I was able to mutter, "DaVida". I began my question which was involving environmental issues (I wanted to know where providing more energy efficient standards is on his administration's agenda; the crowd felt me because I apparently got an ovation of applause). He looked me directly in the face and answered my question.

When it was over, I was amazed at what had just happened. I've always had a thing about Presidents and the election proces (since the first time I read about President Kennedy I was hooked). The Reagan years were of particular interest and of course, I was into President Clinton. This past year's race was full of people I resonated with (I love Hillary Clinton and was a fan of John Edwards pre-baby mama drama). But when Senator Obama stepped on the scene, I was ON IT! I felt like he had the potential to be a great leader and I really got into him and his story. I also find it interesting that the majority of Americans will never see the current President while in office. Until yesterday I never thought I'd be fortunate enough to see a President (unless of course I made a lot of money or got famous enough one day). I'm still in awe of what happened.

In short, it was simply a question I got to ask and that was answered but something about that moment confirmed that I am exactly where I'm supposed to be. I think my question got local officials thinking about an area they were not and it allowed me to really get involved in something I believe in here in the city (a representative from the mayor's office gave me her contact info to become involved and tonight I was invited to a mixer for people interested in turning our city green). I'm a person that is moved by the synchronistic events of life and talking to the President was a huge event in my life.

NOTE: I JUST FOUND THE LINK: http://www.wdsu.com/video/21308126/

Now that I can mark President Obama off my list of people I want to meet, Oprah moves to the top of the list. At the rate things are going, I wouldn't be surprised if I see her soon!

My First Event!

I am over the top excited! I'm hosting my first event in the city of New Orleans! I can't believe it is just a couple days away. I love hosting events - I like setting a tone and having people come and experience a particular vibe. Since I'm so into social media networking, this event is aimed at people who enjoy Twitter and Facebook. The aim is for people who connect in virtual reality to connect one on one! I'm so excited. I'm not sure if anyone will come but I sure hope they do! I can't wait to let you know how it goes!

What I'm On Now ...

I always like to share when I'm loving new products, places or people - here's what I'm on now:

• Oprah's New Season - Talk about starting off with a bang! Oprah's season premiere was a two day interview with Whitney Houston. Since then she's done a show reviewing her interview w/Micheal Jackson at Neverland Ranch, has had Nick and Mariah on, interviewed Jay Z and had an explosive interview with Mackenzie Phillips who revealed a consensual sexual relationship with her dad - DAYUM Oprah!
• Social Media Networking - I have always loved meeting people on the web, but it seems like lately it has been in overtime. Twitter has become my fav way to keep up w/friends as well as meet new people. I also find daily inspiration, fashion advice and astrological news all in one spot. The most popular sites change often but for right now I'm all about Twitter!
• Yerba Mate - As you know I love love love Mojo coffee shop. But since I'm trying to lose weight, I'm staying away from caffeine (caffeine helps you lose weight but causes cellulite). My barista at the coffee shop suggested yerba mate. Yerba Mate is a South American herb (and you know I want to get to South America) that has tremendous health benefits including: boosting immunity, cleansing and detoxifying the blood, toning the nervous system, restoring youthful hair color, retarding aging, combating fatigue, stimulating the mind, controlling the appetite, reducing the effects of debilitating disease, reducing stress, and eliminating insomnia. And it tastes good too!
• Jay Electronica - He's AMAZING! Originally from New Orleans, his sound is so original and unique. He doesn't have a CD yet but apparently has been a hit online for some time. (Oh yeah, and he's Erykah Badu's daugther's father so ... you know she likes musically gifted men). Do yourself a favor and google Jay Electronica!
• Over the Knee Boots - These speak for themselves

Wednesday night TV - I love love love premiere week. Normally I have a DVR and record all of my favs, but this year I was forced to sit down and fit them all in. Wednesday is my new favorite TV night. ABC has Modern Family, Cougartown and Eastwick; I like Glee on Fox (time conflicts w/Modern Family but luckily it repeats on Fridays) and Top Model on UPN. Great great TV night. Here's a glimpse of why I love Glee (its campy but I don't care, I love singing, dancing and teen drama!).

What are you feeling these days?

Mojo Coffee House

I've found it! This is my type of coffee shop - my place of inspiration! This no internet at home thing, forced me to hit the streets of Uptown in search of a spot w/affordable good coffee and tea, healthy snacks and tea, good energy and of course free wifi. MOJO's COFFEE HOUSE is my spot. First of all, it is located at the top of Magazine - I heart Magazine Street! Secondly, the energy is GREAT here! There's an eclectic group of folk that meet up here. The music is amazing - it is like an IPOD on shuffle and that works for me. The shelves are lined w/fresh herbs and a variety of coffee beans. It is friendly, it is warm (in feeling not temperature), it is EXACTLY where I need to be to share my OMG stories with you! Oh yeah, I almost forgot, they are open from 6am-midnight!!!

Yessir! If I'm not at work working for "the man", you can find me here working for "the woman" ... ME!

Oooohhh New Orleans

I am really falling in love with this city. I've visited here a million times growing up but something about living here makes it amazing! In an attempt to stop going out to eat so much, I am trying to start finding other things about this city I just love. Here's just a few (and it is so hard NOT to talk about restaurants):

• Audubon Park - This park is BEAUTIFUL! One of my favorite activities is going outside to journal. I find that a bit difficult in New Orleans because it is so hot and humid. I do find that at this park if I sit under a huge tree, it is not so bad. Here's the view from my fav spot.
  

The River - I love water, generally the ocean and the beach, but I'm adjusting to only having the river here. Sometimes I like to go sit and watch the water roll by. Generally I do this downtown by the Quarters but on Sunday, I drove along the river. So nice, so relaxing.

Being in Nature - I have a new friend (let's call him the Snob; it is okay, he picked that name) that loves trees. He's a big fan of live oaks. This city is full of them. Yesterday as we were rolling along we saw this gem. Since my snapshot didn't capture the trees glorious roots, he took this fab-o picture (I couldn't take credit for this one). Isn't it lovely?

Live music - I'm a huge fan of live music. I love to go to concerts in small venues and feel connected to the artist. This can happen on any given night here in New Orleans. On Saturday, I had a unique musical experience. I went to a producer battle. It was so fun. These up and coming producers battled with their beats. It was so good! I felt like I heard the next Pharrell or Timberland and upstairs of some random club.

I absolutely loved Los Angeles for its beauty and never thought I'd love another city so much. My love affair with New Orleans is totally different than that one. This love feels more real and seems to be one I'm more open to explore!