HOW YOU DOIN? OH I'M SEW, SEW...

Oh my goodness, what a wonderful weekend I had. I could not have asked for more fun and adventure.

On Sat. my sewing buddy, cousin Dena, and I embarked on a day of sewing and creating projects because we've recently launched a website www.kissnkuznsdesigns.com and also want to get ready as vendors for the upcoming Jazz festivals that will occur in the summer.

However, before we got started sewing, she and I went shopping at a great Thrift Store in Inglewood, CA. Dena and I have similar tastes, but that day we each found very unique and wonderful items. And the best thing of all.....EVERYTHING WAS HALF OFF!

I found this awesome vintage dress in an iridescent green and purple. The collar is what caught my eye! This picture is good, but in person it's awesome.



Dena found the dress and wasn't exactly thrilled with it, but what we sewing fanatics do sometimes is buy the item for the fabric, and that's what I wanted to do - utilize the collar on something. However, when I tried it on...I loved it so I kept it. I paid all of $3.00 for it.

Then, Dena found this great short peacoat in a Camel color. It has some gorgeous buttons on it and fit her to a T! She also found 2 skirts and a blouse.

I found a great patchwork purse (1.00), a patchwork halter ($1.00) and a wonderful beaded dress ($3.00). This dress was way too small, but the beadwork on the bodice was to dye for! LOL So I bought it and will cut away the dress and wear the upper half as a top.

After shopping we ate lunch, while watching a movie. We really didn't do much sewing by this time, but brainstormed on some names for our products. All-in-all it was a great day to shop, lunch and talk shop.

Our friend Lou invited us to her co-worker's performance in San Pedro, so we got dressed and headed to her house, and then to San Pedro to the La Conga Bar & Grill.

QUEEN OF THE SALSA...ONE-TWO..CHA,CHA,CHA!

The featured bands were Azteclan and one other band (we didn't stay)....but all were former members of groups like Tower of Power, War, Tierra, James Brown's band and Carlos Santana's band.

We ate chips, salsa, and guacamole dip and and danced. The band was really, really good. Some friends of Lou's came and that's when the excitement began.

This guy, Ramon (I think that was his name :0), came with two other ladies; Gloria and Marisol. Ramon was a dancing fool! He took Dena and me out on the dance floor and wore us out! Actually, Dena only danced with him once because when he found out that I could keep up with his moves ....I was his partner for most of the night. I mean he danced me into hot sweats and weak-kneed convulsions. Everyone was surprised that I did so well...but I knew I could hang....I'M A DANCER!! :0)

When we began dancing, Ramon asked every lady at the table to dance with him. They all declined. I love to dance, so I got on the floor with him. Little did I know that he would spin me into oblivion.

Here we are doing the damn thang!

Ramon and I danced so well together, the band gave us a free CD. I chose a "Mambo" CD.

While he and I were dancing, he would bury his head next to mine (and because he was shorter than me) and guide me across the floor at a steady pace....after watching the two of us doing that kind of dancing, his friends finally got up and starting dancing.

At one point the music was so good, Dena and I got up and did the electric slide, and this other woman joined us. Just the three of us danced and we had a ball.

Gloria finally got up and danced with him, but a few of us suspect that Gloria became a little jealous of us dancing, because before the band ended she was ready to leave.

Ramon and I hugged and promised to meet again one day...I hope that he comes alone, and I'll know to be ready for a night of Salsa dancing that will leave me sweating and breathless.

KEVIN WOMACK & FRIENDS

Sunday night was Oscar night. Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy were both up for Best Supporting Actor/Actress awards, but only Jennifer won (WHOOHOO!).

We were invited to an event at the Celebrity Centre in Hollywood featuring the singer Kevin Womack, a friend of Dena's. When we got there, I realized I had been to this beautiful facility before.

My acting buddy, Ken Foster, invited me in 2005 to attend an awards dinner hosted by Mai Mai Ali, Muhammad Ali's daughter who is a rapper and singer.

It was the COLSAC awards, and Brock Peters was honored that night. Ken and I even took pictures with Mr. Peters.

This event was a charity to benefit Domestic Violence programs, and was basically a talent showcase for Kevin and his friends.

A comedian hosted the event, and then there was a couple of skits about Domestic Violence. Then an up-and-coming Female Rapper by the name of Rain performed two songs.

Another comedian by the name of Stixx performed too. He was pretty good.

Throughout the evening, prizes were raffled off. There were some good ones too.

Our friend Michele won a nice bath set. Shortly afterwards, Dena and I ran to enter our names into the drawings.

Michele and her bath set.

And when the next drawing came up, Dena won a certificate from Baker's Square.

Dena leaving stage after winning gift certificate.

She said to me that now I needed to win, and after a couple of other winners, my name was called too.

Smile for the camera Dena!

I mean it was amazing how quickly we won after we entered our names in the raffle. I won a gift certificate to Marie Callendars. The photographer rarely gets their picture taken. :0(

The entertainment was pretty good, but the production was a bit on the amateurish side. What really made us cringe was how the Producer kept walking on stage in the middle of Kevin's peformance. She would brought him water right when he was singing (and they were videotaping the entire event).

Then, she stood on stage next to his background singers and just danced and sang the song like she was part of the band. It was totally ghetto and unprofessional. We could not believe it! It was a night I will not soon forget.

MUSIC.....

I don't want to live in a world without Music...ever, ever, ever! I have to have it, and I love it more than anything I can think of when it comes to pasttime activities. Aside from me going to concerts on the regular here in Long Beach at the Vault, I have to always have some music around me, playing at work, at home, etc.


I'm so psyched right now because of a new CD I heard last night. Boney James, the great saxophonist released his last CD called "Shine" in Sept. 2006 and I am just hearing it for the first time. Man-oh-man....talk about good music.

I must have listened to it a half a dozen times last night. I got the CD from a good friend who sent me a collection of awesome tunes, and even though I downloaded the CD to my computer at work, I really hadn't listened to it at full volume (gotta keep the volume down low unless I'm listening to my headphones during lunch). Anyway, I was feeling pretty funcky last night after getting off work. I usually go home, eat dinner and watch tv unless I'm doing projects. Well, I decided to listen to some music and it was the best thing I could have done.

Boney has featured artists on this Shine CD and they are the best vocals I've heard in a long, long time on a Jazz CD. The title song is by a Canadian singer named Esthero. Faith Evans, Philip Bailey, and Ann Nesby of Sounds of Blackness sing songs that are just tailored for their voices. My faves are Philips' "Love Song" and Nesby's "Soft". Wow! Then there's a remake/cover of The Dramatics song "In the Rain" sung by Dwele. I'm not familiar with this brother, but he can blow too! So, if you are a fan of great music, great Jazz music...this is a must buy CD for your collection. I'm surprised no one else told me about it...good lookin' out John!

I know my love of music was instilled in me very early on. My mother has a very impressive album collection (to this day), and I loved everything she played. Not to mention listening to the popular songs on the radio or going to concerts back in the day at Sacramento's Memorial Auditorium. James Brown was the big headliner when I was an adolescent, and I rarely missed him performing there. My other first time concert were Earth, Wind and Fire, as well as Frankie Beverly and Maze. When I heard Maze for the first time...they sang just like their album and I loved that. In later years, the concerts were moved to the Convention Center. But today, more and more, the Memorial Auditorium is bringing back the concerts and plays.


This past Friday a group of us went to the Vault to see Mint Condition. I love live music and I was very excited to see this great group perform. They started out pretty good, but somewhere toward the middle they did some alternative music and I wasn't feeling it. That's just my opinion because the place was packed. I enjoyed the outing with the girls.

ART.....

I don't want to live in a world without Art...ever, ever, ever! I have to have it, and I love it more than anything else when it comes to pasttime activities...(wait a minute...I thought you loved music more than anything else?) Well I love them both more than anything...okaaay?!

Anywho, before we went to the Mint Condition concert, we met at a local restaurant called Allegria. I have never been in Allegria, but have passed it many times going down Pine Avenue. Inside the restaurant the decor is a beautiful Spanish Villa style. On one wall they have a huge mural of Salvador Dali's "Volto di Mae West."

Then in the bathroom, there are these beautiful "Trompe L'Oeil" paintings on the wall. I just had to take pictures because I love this kind of stuff. The green dresser very cleverly disguises the fuse box, and I just loved the look of the shelf too. I will have to remember that sometimes my camera flash bounces off certain surfaces...as it did in these pictures, but you get the idea. Love it!

I remember the first time I heard of and saw Salvador Dali. I was in Sacramento shopping downtown back in the late 1970's, and came upon a great boutique and the shop owner and I got into a conversation about art. He brought out a book and just schooled me about Dali. I had never been introduced to painters and artists of this magnitude, so I never forgot him.

Then one day I happened to be watching "The Mike Douglas Show" (I know I'm dating myself - so! :0p) and there was Salvador Dali with his crazy mustache. Mike Douglas talked about some "feat" that he had heard of and ask Mr. Dali to demonstrate. I kid you not I saw him do this on national TV.

They brought out an easel with a flipchart, and Dali stood there and frantically drew on the easel for about 10-15 seconds I think...and when they showed it to the audience, he had written his name in perfect symmetry on that paper in large letters. I was floored! Again, I never forgot this man.

I would go to the library and read about him and just look at all his wonderful paintings. Then when the internet came about, I began to do searches for his artwork to get a wider spectrum of what he did, and I found the artwork for the Mae West mural.

I had never heard of the great designer Erte' until I saw a feature on him on cable back in the 1990's. As a Theatre major I was drawn to the fantastical costumes he designed. I also began to see his work in my every day comings and goings - jewelry, sculptures, etc. I am in awe of his talent.
Another great artist I like is Al Hirschfeld. I happened to be watching some show on Bravo and they were doing a bio on him. Again, I had never heard of him, but realized I knew his work.

I collect playbills, and was blessed to come upon some discarded books filled with rare playbills from the 1930's, 40's and 50's. And there was a picture of an Al Hirschfeld drawing depicting the play "The Music Man". I copied it, blew it up, and my unfinished project is to hand paint, color the piece to be used as a T-shirt transfer one day.

I always say that the minute I read or find something on the internet, the next thing you know I will find it everywhere I look. This happened again recently. I was surfing the net like I always do and found a link with names of various artists. I saw this one picture that struck a cord with me, so I began to view that site for more work. Some of the other work I didn't like so much, but a few of them I really liked. But when I looked at the cost of the paintings I was flabbergasted. They were going for $450-$900 bucks! Now this is art that is called "Primitive" art...stuff that looks like your 6 year old kid drew....well ok your untalented 16 year old kid. Like I said, I like "some" of it, but I would never guess they would go for those prices. So I just say..."whatever, I hope she's making some money with it." Then I read all the galleries she's exhibited in, and art festivals etc. and again I'm amazed. Her bio says she started out as this house wife who had some menial job, and then she attended art school, blah, blah, blah....and now she's a sensation.

A day or two later, I'm looking through this book with Advertising samples in it that I got somewhere. I collect artwork whenever and however I find it. And guess what I see in another art gallery ad...this artist. I knew it was her because it featured one of the paintings I saw that I said..."hmm that's OK, I wouldn't pay that kind of money for it." I've had this book for a few years, and I happened to be browsing through it because of the artwork it had on the cover that showed depictions of "fashion victims". The work was of a woman being stabbed by scissors, or a needle in the neck etc. and it was embroidered on fabric...so it caught my eye.

Yep, we live in a very small world indeed, and this proves it. I love it when I'm out and about and can identify an artist or musician that may be unknown to others. I have always wanted to be like those "educated" folk who would spout off about art and wine, history and the like....and now I'm finding that without even knowing it..I too have become one of those educated folks.

I am always reading, and clipping stuff from weekly newspapers and now I've begun to keep a binder of Fashion Designs that I like that will help inspire me to do what I am doing. I order books, movies, and watch all kinds of shows dealing with art, fashion and music because these things are such a big part of who I am, who I have become. I would never have thought that it would mean so much to me but is really does.

So, in my search for all things artsy...I will not criticize, not laugh at, or pass judgement on the work because one day someone may be looking at my works, as the newest sensation on the scene and say...."oh god, that looks like something my 6 year kid would make." The question is...would I really care?

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Today I woke up feeling wonderful. I'm not sure why, other than it's good to be alive. With all the turmoil the world is going through with holy wars and political unrest, not to mention natural disasters, and the latest shootings at a mall in Utah on Monday....thank God I was able to rise up and start my day. Thank you Lord!

Today is Valentine's Day and I feel loved...loved in so many, many ways. Not just the love I get from family and friends, but a real love that keeps me strong and keeps me wanting to succeed in life. I know that kind of love is heaven sent.

Even though loved ones are far away from me this day. I am not alone. I feel the strength and power of their love. It is always with me no matter where I am, or what I am doing. The best thing of all is when I do get a call or an email and I see those words..."I love you!" What a joyous phrase. And I know they know how much I love them too.

Valentine's day is a day to love whomever, wherever, however....and I will do that! It's a time to reflect on past relationships, and future relationships in our lives. I will always cherish those who truly love me and have loved me all of my life! Especially when we are too quick to forget what is really important in our day-to-day goings on.

Where would I be if I didn't acknowledge a God that blesses me everyday? What would my life be like if I didn't pray for salvation and forgiveness? How would I rise each day and face all the evils that are waiting to attack my spirit if I didn't believe that God's love and his Angels are there to protect me? I would be a sad individual with no hope...that's where I would be. I see these people every day and I wish they knew what I knew....they need God in their lives.

"I GOT PEOPLE"

We always believe that we have to see the physical in order to believe that something exists. A guest preacher at church said to us..."open your eyes and your ears". God is all around us. He even went so far to remind us that "We've got people." His take on the HR Block ad that has clients spouting, "I've got people" (because HR handles their taxes and bills) relates to all of us having God and our family. We've got people like our ancestors who paved the way for us. He said if Sojourner Truth can make it, so can you. If Fannie Lou Hamer can make it, so can you. If Frederick Douglass can make it, so can you. And it's so true. These pioneers didn't have nearly the resources and high tech and intelligent clout we have these days. They were smart, geniuses even, but today....we have so much available to us - we should never fail at our attempts. We, ourselves, are our only drawbacks and that's the truth of the matter.

On Sunday my choir dressed up in 1960's attire for Black History Month, and it was so much fun to see the variety of clothing we all came up with. From the preacher and dainty church ladies, to the bobby-soxers, onto the militant Black Panther Revolutionists. We covered the entire spectrum. I felt so proud when our Liturgical Dance Ministry performed a victorious dance number incorporating our African heritage. I have heard many times that as African-Americans, we do not really have a heritage, no bi-cultural connection. But that is not true. It doesn't matter that I can't speak the language of Nigeria, Benin, South Africa, Burkina Fasso, Angola, Somalia, Ethiopia or any other African nation - I AM CONNECTED, and I reveled in what we African-Americans hold dear even though we weren't born in those countries. We can eat the food, wear the clothing, dance the dances and study the languages just like any other language we study. Why are we so eager to speak French, Spanish, Itlaian or German? Because the world is biased against Third World Countries...especially our Mother Land. But it's OK, because we will never forget where our ancestors came from. It is up to us, each and every one of us, to continue to bring our heritage to the forefront. With that said, I am going to incorporate more and more "Afrocentric" clothing into my wardrobe...beautiful Kente and Mud cloths whenever I can. I LOVE THE AFRICAN IN ME!

THE PRICE OF FAME

Everyday there is Divorce, Death, Separation, Greed and Despair. The Playboy Playmate, Anna Nicole Smith died last Thurs. and four men have claimed they are the father of her newborn daughter....FOUR!!! Not to mention that rumors are circulating that the man who has the baby, Howard Stern, is looking more and more suspicious as the two people he has been connected to are now dead - that being Anna's 20 yr. old son, and now Anna herself. It's a nasty battle for her estate and the daughter between her mother and these men. Just a tragic state of affairs.

Then there's James Brown's legacy and current state of affairs. This man still has not been buried, because his daughters and current wife are fighting over his estate. What in the world are these people thinking? Everyone is only thinking of themselves and not what's important...not tarnishing this man's memory. It's just very, very sad.

When you look at this kind of celebrity lifestyle...who the hell wants to be caught up in that kind of drama? You have to also say be aware that drugs and bad decision making led to Anna's downfall and untimely death. It's like selling your soul to the devil for this fleeting thing call "FAME". I don't want it if I even thought I had to compromise who I am, and my moral values. Every time you look up, everybody's posing for Playboy and humpin' half naked in the latest video. I am not a hypocrite, as I would welcome the opportunity to show all sides of my feminity, but at that cost...I don't think so. I do not want to be looked at as another video ho! I believe I've said this before. If at my age, I can pull of some sensual photographs for public viewing, I might give it a shot. But they would definitely be tasteful...not the kind these young women are dying to be seen in.

I wish there was some avenue that I could help lead these young ladies down to make them understand that the people in power will ruin their lives in a heartbeat and dump them and go on to the next victim. I wish they understood that if they don't stand up for themselves, no one will. I often ask myself...where are these young women's parents?? Why is everybody so willing to sell their goods for fleeting fame? Because the famous people we see on tv, in the news and in the magazines make us believe that it's all glamour. glitz and good times....until we see the ugly truth. But it doesn't matter, because we still want it. We believe it won't affect us the same way...we're different, and we'll remain the same people we are before we got famous. I'm beginning to realize that we can't remain the same people because it's a natural evolution to change and grow as our world expands and we are exposed to more. It's been said that money changes every thing. It certainly does. Can we determine how much or how little it will change us? I think so. But it looks like it's so hard to do.

When all is said and done, we should be happy with the life God has given us. If we are supposed to have fame and wealth...then it will happen. What is for me is for me, and every day I am accepting that. My life is what it is, and I am happy to live it...one day at a time. And if I embark on some journey that takes me into a world of celebrity...God will remain first above all else, because he is the one who made me...not man.