CITY BOPPIN:HEATWAVE BBQ

If you are:

A--> Black

B--> College educated (preferably an HBCU...more specifically the AUC)

C--> Live in NYC

...then you were at the Heatwave BBQ in my fave place Prospect Park.

I went last year and got my ENTIRE life....but this year??? Ha! I was set free! I bumped into all of my friends in NYC...from fellow AUC alum to the fashion set I met since moving to NYC. Its nothing but love and young Black professionals (mostly) as far as the eye can see. I love the energy of the BBQ and I am BEYOND geeked for next summer's extravaganza!

Thought I was kidding when I said errbody and their mama was here?

Spelhouse!

This dude is the coolest. See some of his photography here

I heart Eniola! Peep her here

CAU girls do it best

My old neighbor and AUC sister is moving to L.A. I wish her the best!

My Morehouse brothers and Jasu, my Heatwave BBQ partner from last year.

Of course the Collective was there

I-DIGS: TEXT-TO-MOVIE

I was first introduced to this via my homie Jeremy, only to find tons of these vids all over Youtube.

Jeremy made two as a teaser for his huge BDay celebration and I fell in love...and trust you will too!

Send me any funny ones you've seen!

CITY BOPPIN:CALLE OCHO

My CAU fam, Jamie, came in town for a job interview two weeks ago ( she got the gig!) She had already spoken with another one of our fellow alum and planned a meet-up over brunch. Thanks to getting locked out of my apartment due to a stuck UNLOCKED door ( I had to climb on the roof through my window) and the fact that the spot, Calle Ocho was uptown (81st to be exact) we were uber late!

Jamie

The kitchen was closed, but alas! The open sangria bar was still going. Yes kiddos, its UNLIMITED sangria and the food is no more than 12 bucks! Its 4pm, I hadn't eaten a thing and I downed about 4 rum punches within a half hour. Hel-lo Stacy Stumbles!

We finished off our reunion over some Crumbs cupcakes. Crumbs is the epitome of a perfect cupcake. There is one about 4 blocks from work and I am no stranger!

Hanging with the Harlem girls today.

CAU girls do it best!

HEAVEN!

Brunch bunnies

The next time I'm off on a weekend, I will trek waaay uptown and hit up Calle Ocho again and you should too...I won't tell!

Calle Ocho

446 Columbus Ave
New York, NY 10024

CURLY GIRL DIARIES- 0017

New hair staple reporting for duty!

Ok well, its actually my usual cornrow and side twist out, but this time the back of my hair is completely braided. Shout out to Jamie for flying in and immediately going to work on my head! I kept the twists in for a couple days to extend the life of this style.

I copped this bow from H&M...love it!

OK...PROMISE I'M BACK FORREALS THIS TIME!

As you know...my power cord for mi laptop couldn't handle the death of Michael Jackson so she ended it all.

I've been a crackhead status hunting down anyone with chargers until my Apple dealer resurfaced. Well, he's still M.I.A. and have things to do, so I'm breaking down and buying one from the Apple store. :: Le sigh::

I'm back! I'm back!

Now its time for the catch up...mama's been busy!

APARTMENT HUNT: BAD NEWS BEARS

I reeeeeaallly, reeeeaaallly thought I found THEE place.

Gorgeous brownstone. Gorgeous spacious apartment. Dope landlord. Desired neighborhood.

Then I got the "I'm sorry, I gave the apartment to another candidate" email. UGH! The landlord went on to say how she was a "hardworking" single mom with a young son...blah blah blah, so of course she won out.

Whatever happened to money hungry landlords??? Ya'll have compassion now? I need to get a sob story ASAP.

But I'm not bitter. ::eye roll::

TUNEAGE: LIL' KIM & CYNDI LAUPER

Yes Kim, for diversification!!!! This was for the "Mandela Day" live broadcast. Who knew Kim could give you a little vocal??? I LOVE how they mix "Put Your Lighters Up" in with "Time After Time", two songs I heart. After hearing it, the two songs match in message perfectly. Cyndi slays it!

Go In!

LE BOOTHE: BIG OBNOXIOUS HAIR

These pics are actually from my trip to Atlanta 'memba? But I just realized that I did not post them. I loved my hair like this! I think I might bring the dragon back in the next couple weeks.

BRAIN FOOD: NAACP 100!!!!!!!!!!

After graduating college, I fell off the NAACP wagon, but I was nothing less than thrilled to help them celebrate 100 years. Words cannot even begin to express the importance that the NAACP has had not only in the Black community, but to the globe. I am filled just thinking about the people involved with the organization throughout the years. Pioneers who risked it all for the sake of my generation and those to come without even seeing our faces or knowing our names.

Barnes & Noble hosted a panel discussion with Dr. Cornel West and Julian Bond, so of course, I had to attend. This might sound weird, but I had a MEAN crush on Mr. Bond since I was a youngster. His eloquence and quiet power always intrigued me. I was beyond overwhelmed to be in his presence.

As a member of Tavis Smiley's Youth2Leaders organization, I have had the opportunity to hear Dr. West speak on many of occasions and once again, he did not disappoint. Hear are a few of my notable quotables from that event:

The NAACP was the response of Black people to American terrorism. The NAACP is more relevant now than before. Negroes got something to say to the world! If you want to know how to fight terrorism around the world, look at how Black folk dealt with it here without resulting to violence.White supremacy leads to the arrested development of American democracy.

-Dr. Cornel West

I get annoyed when people say, "Well, you've got a Black president now..." The NAACP isn't for just one color of people...its for the advancement for ALL people of color.

-Julian Bond

The NAACP has a right to celebrate. One hundred years ago, Black people couldn't even vote and now we have a Black man in the White House, which was primarily built by slaves. But the celebration has to end, so WHAT DO WE DO NOW???

-Dr. Cornel West

If the age of Obama is not about everyday people than this will all mean nothing.

-Dr. Cornel West

A Black man may be able to walk through the front doors of the White House, but his children still can't swim in the pool in Philadelphia.

-Julian Bond

The NAACP strives to be maladjusted to injustice. We are not going to be morally constipated! We're gonna let the ethical diarrhea flow!

-Dr. Cornel West

Children: Is this bird dead or alive?

Pastor: Its up to you to decide

-Julian Bond

Also please make sure to purchase the commemorative book for the 100th Anniversary. I got a chance to breeze through it after the event. The pictures and rich history captured almost had me in tears of pride.

BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE...

Night fell and Jamal, KoKo, and I walked over to Ft. Greene to play this Afro-Punk let out and cut a quick rug at the Dance Party. The park was packed!!! Bumped into my Philly in BK jawns while we were there. After leaving the park, we just chilled on a stoop in Ft.Greene enjoying the breeze.

That was prob my best day this summer. I'm off again this Sunday, lets see if I can top it!

Folk were going in...

Sorry for the snow, but this couple were not playin' with ya'll!

AUC family fo' dat a$$ !

Look who I found....Blair and the Stephanies. Yeah, its 3 of us

Cash and Caviar..pay attention!

No she's not homeless...it was just THAT funny

MAYBE THIS SHOULD BE ITS OWN LABEL: PROSPECT PARK'N' ?

I pretty much sublet a place at Prospect Park. Anytime I'm free from work (when is that?) and the sun is out...I'm stretched out in Prospect getting set free.

I somehow managed to have Sunday off last week and Brooklyn was ablaze with things to do. The Afro-Punk Festival's block party and the Ft. Greene Dance Party were both going down. We did the most so this will be a 2parter...

2 words...soccer boys!

Soccer boy MVP of the day! He was going in!

Capoeira dude

The painter from PBS LoL

Do I look tan yet????

Jamal!

Yup...its quite alright to tan in a bathing suit in a park in these parts

Checkers!

Jamal doing capoeira now too?

TUNEAGE: BEYONCE

I have a SERIOUS love/hate relationship with Beyonce. I think she is one of the most wretched celebs alive (no personality, never gives 'fits, bad lacefronts), but that woman is a TRUE performer and sings DOWN! The kids live and my place in the community insists that I do too.

As much as I consider "I Am...Sasha Fierce" a snore, "VideoPhone" GOES! I can listen to this song all day, every day and never tire of it. My boys Dre and Alex went to the concert and gave rave reviews. Check her slaying my song!

CITY BOPPIN: LUCKY STRIKES PHILLY

Yeah, yeah, yeah...ANOTHER BIRTHDAY!

Last Friday, I got off work at 7pm, hopped on the Chinatown bus and headed to Philly...only to be back in NYC at noon that next morning. Yeah, I'm a good friend. Robyn and I have been friends since 7th grade. We instantly clicked because we were the "new kids" and this was our first trist with public school. We went on to go to high school together, had a slight breakup, but things have been patched and she's like a sister to me.

We went to Lucky Strikes for the festivities. No one bowled, but the food, drinks, and laughter kept the party going. Someone besides the birthday girl ::giving Jas the side eye:: was low key slizzard, but Robs was all smiles.

Lush!

Trying to kill me!

Ok...here's the Three Muskateers

Robyn and her booskie-wooskie. We approve!

Make sure to check back soon to sign the petition to get her mom off of Facebook! Ha!

APARTMENT HUNT: THE UPDATE

I put my quest for an apartment on hold after the last go rounds, and I've started back up on the 15th. I haven't been going as hard as before thanks to no comp, but I plan to see tons from now until Tuesday.

They are renovating an apartment in a GORGEOUS building in my neighb, but I haven't seen workers out there in a minute. I would love to see the place, so cross my fingers I can get up in there and check the goings ons.

If you live in NYC and you know of any apartments in Brooklyn (specifically Bed-Stuy or Ft.Greene/Clinton Hill) LET ME KNOW! I sista can't be a$$ out, like Martin say..ya dig?

CITY BOPPIN: BLOCKHEADS

I've come to the conclusion that everyone I know in NYC was born in the summer.

Last week was another birthday party. This time I celebrated with some CAU fam, Tiffany. We bumped into each other at Dave's cookout and linked up again to celebrate her special day. We kicked it on the eastside at Blockheads. I'm all about Mexican, but I ate at home (its a recession LoL), but BRING ON THE $3 MARGARITAS! Yes, you read right...$3! I was talking nonsense by the time I got to the bottom of drink #2.

I am thinking about having a half birthday and if I do....it will DEF be at Blockheads. We had a good girl's night out. Panther ladies were in the building!!!

Birthday Girl!

Yeah...a Corona dumped into a margarita!

Clark Atlanta University alum...more importantly B_SCHOOL!!!!

BLOCKHEADS

499 3rd Avenue (btw. 33rd and 34th)

NY,NY 10016

Click the link above for all locations

BRAIN FOOD: THE OTHER SIDE OF PARADISE by STACEYANN CHIN

I gave you guys a sneak peak a few weeks ago about this amazing memoir.

I finished it in about 5 days. I always wondered where Chin's ferocity birthed from and now I understand. The book was heartbreaking, funny, and awe-inspiring all at the same time. I implore all of you to pick this book up whether at your local library or purchase it.

As many of the reviewers on Amazon.com said, this book transcends homo/hetero and it really focuses on the ability to not only endure, but thrive. Two Thumbs Up!