State Dinner Stunner

Worth a double take:  Mrs. O in Peter Soronen

Parenting

"A parent's only as good as their dumbest kid. If one wins a Nobel Prize but the other gets robbed by a hooker, you failed."  credit


For the record-both of my kids are brilliant but it's still incredibly tough being the parent of a teen and pre/teen.  
I'm gonna be busy for a bit.

Hope to be back soon. 

 

 

Flawless Friday

Love it or hate it-my man is clean.

credit

Tuesday Tease

Chris Noth

He and I have been together since Law and Order.  We've grown up now and he's still BIG, but on The Good Wife now.

R.I.P. Lena Horne

1917-2010

Grammy Award Winning Singer, Actor, Activist, Legendary Beauty

Lena Horne

Kamala Harris-First TV Ad

Kamala Harris for California Attorney General



If you'd like to contribute or want more information.

Road Trip

Hitting the road this weekend to see my mom!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers and Mother figures everywhere.

You are loved.

Courtesy

Flawless Friday

Happy Birthday to my dearest friend, ZEN.  I'm doing this in a big way because I have forgotten her birthday damn near every year since we've known each other (26 years) and I always promise to do something to help me remember, and here it is-a blog entry.  Isn't she gorgeous?  (She just screamed by the way).

She is a fiercely loyal "front" (sorority speak), a wonderful wife, mother, sister, etc...  ZEN has a wicked sense of humor (key to staying young and young at heart), and she takes enormously good care of those she loves.

She's been around through thick and thin, marriage/divorce, and marriage again, babies, trials, tribulations, and triumphs.  ZEN is so much fun to be around-her laughter is contagious and she's just plain cool.  This southern belle is ever the lady (i'm the catty one).  We've grown up together and I can say she is one of the best friends a girl could ask for and i'm honored she's my friend and i'm her "back". 

I haven't told anyone about this blog except her. I figured if someone found my ramblings, then cool. ZEN "got it", she knew why I needed to do this, and she's been nothing but encouraging and supportive.  Little did she know she ran the risk of being put on blast like this.

Why do I call her ZEN? She is a certified yoga instructor and I mean-she's been all through India and sh*t doing her Namaste thing, gone into the hills to meditate and such, but when she came down...she got her certification, and she's the best there is!  People swear by her.  BTW-the yoga thing is her ACT II and i'm proud she found it.  I can put you in touch if you're looking for the best.  

And finally......she still rocks a bikini and looks damn good doing it!!!

If you see her today-wish her a Happy Birthday and tell her she is loved.

Thanks to MGM for the pics.
TMH-I love you too-but I remember your bday every year!
irret
25-A-84

Obama Style: Wonderful Watercolor

Wasn't my intention to highlight Michelle Obama-Mrs. O does an incredible job of that but, Mrs. Obama has been hitting it out of the park lately and yesterday was no exception.

Her beautiful Thakoon dress was splashed with bright watercolors-perfectly appropriate for the festive holiday of Cinco de Mayo.

Getty Image

 

Huffington Post

Common in Philly

Today.

Trailer/Review

Rae-Ripperton Connection

Corrine Bailey Rae performing Closer reminds me of:





Minnie Ripperton.
She died one month after this performance in July 1979 (below) from breast cancer.
Cut for cut-her last album, Minnie, was incredible and the cover was beautiful.
It didn't quite sink in with me that you COULD really die young until Minnie passed away.
She was 31.

 1947-1979

Anyway, when I mentioned that I could hear Minnie in Corrine to C.T.-my go to guy for all musical insight, he sent me this and it confirmed how good my ear really is (smile)-Minnie was an influence.  Enjoy her. 

Memory Lane:

Cinco de Mayo-Margarita Love

I had the most wonderful margarita over the weekend.  I'm not a margarita drinker, but this was an incredible cocktail.  I also liked that it was a margarita for grown folks-not all blender-ed up and rimmed in sugar, salt, or sugary salt.  I questioned the bartender,  did a bit of research, learned a little something, and got quite tipsy in the process. 

Use a tequila that's 100% agave.  What does that mean?  Dictionary.com:

aga·ve definition

Pronunciation: /ə-ˈgäv-ē/
Function: n
1 cap : a genus of plants (family Agavaceae) that are native to tropical America and to the southwestern United States, have spiny-margined leaves in basal rosettes and tall spikes of flowers, and include some that are cultivated for their fiber or sap or for ornamen  

The bartender used the recipe borrowed from Gaston Martinez, a "brand ambassador" for Milagro Tequila.  I've reprinted his recipe  below for the "World's Freshest Margarita":

Always use fresh lime juice.
Use agave nectar as your sweetener.
Water is a key ingredient in a good margarita-shake well so some of the ice will melt.
Always pour your margarita over fresh ice.

2oz tequila (Gaston suggests Milagro Silver tequila)
1 oz Agave Nectar (Milagro also makes this)
1 oz Lime Juice
Served in a Rocks Glass
Garnished with a Lime Wheel

Tuesday Tease

Josh Duhamel

Came across a Vegas re-run and I was no good.

Kentucky Derby Style

The Kentucky Derby is THE place where you will see the creme de la creme of millinery.   The ladies come from all over for the chance to be the ultimate southern belle in dressed up hats with feathers, flowers, and ribbon.  Everyone (actors, models, athletes) shows up to see the race, but also to be seen.  Especially to be seen.  A look at past and current looks:

 Courtesy 

 Mint Julep is the drink of the Kentucky Derby. 
Cocktail Times says that the drink originated with the Derby in 1938 when it was served in souvenir glasses for 75 cents.  The drink's name first appeared in print in 1803 when it was explained as a "dram of spirituous liquor that has mint in it, taken by Virginians in the morning."  The story went that farmers drank a mint julep in the morning, like coffee, to get them going for the day.  Historians also say that the drink's origin traces back to Arabia with a drink called the "julab" made of water and rose petals.  The silver or pewter cup is part of the mint julep's tradition - these materials stay cold longer, and they are frosted before the icy drink is poured into them.

Courtesy

The day started rainy-2010

Reuben Stoddard and his wife-2010

Terrell Owens with the ladies-2010.

Smokey Robinson with his wife, Frances-Classic Look-2010.

Dwayne Wade-Looks Great-2008.

Beyonce-Forgot the Derby's in the spring-Past photo

Ashanti-Young and Fresh.

Erykah Badu-Marches to her own drum.

Kelly Rowland

Star Jones

Lynn Whitfield-2008

Zoe Saldana

Niecey Nash-Wearing It-2007!

Tichina Arnold-My Favorite-2008.

Essence.com

 To see more Derby Style-Click here

R.I.P. Lynn Redgrave

Georgy Girl-Lived by her own lights.

The Happy Hooker-1975

1943-2010

Actor Lynn Redgrave died yesterday of breast cancer.
The lights were dimmed on Broadway.
R.I.P.