Tag: music

life curation

Remembering Who You Are

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I’m resting up after having several busy weeks. So this post is going to be a simple one.

I came across this Audre Lorde quote last year, and I often think about it when I am feeling a bit “ungrounded”. By the way, if you haven’t checked out some of the other Audre Lorde quotes I’ve shared, check them out here.

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(image courtesy of Quotefancy)

Remember who you are: even in moments of confusion and frustration, don’t forget the essence of YOU. Everything – even the unpleasantries – are part of the tapestry of your life. You’re never really lost or insignificant: YOU are everything you need to make it in this life, and YOU have all the tools you need to adapt, grow and enjoy the process.

Much love to you all, and chat with you all tomorrow.

music

Currently Listening To . . .

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A few days ago, I was on YouTube listening to 90s and early 2000s RnB. I find myself missing the smooth ballads sung by talented vocalists. I was listening to Eric Benet’s “Femininity” when I came across this classic. I remember when it was released and how much I loved it, so I could’t resist listening to it again:

I remember hearing that there were actually two previous versions of the song “Georgy Porgy”, so I looked for those. As always, YouTube didn’t disappoint. The original version was sung by Toto, and then remade a few years later by Side Effect. Eric Benet’s version was released nearly two decades later.

After comparing all three, I’m pretty sure I love the Side Effect arrangement best, though I think Eric was the strongest lead vocalist out of all of the versions. However, there’s a softer, more romantic feel to the the male vocalist in Toto’s version; he sounds more authentically lovesick than the other lead vocalists. As far as the female backing vocal, Mikki Howard (in Side Effect’s version) was by far my favorite.

Do you have a favorite version? Let me know in the comments below!

reading list

Reading List: December’s Book

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I had originally planned to just pick up my October book selection and finish that one, but I believe in following inspiration and I was not inspired to finish up Mae West’s story this month. Now, don’t get me wrong: I love Mae’s story, and I am excited to finish it. But I felt that the last month of the year deserved something . . . different.

Instead, I decided to read something that would set the perfect tone for the upcoming year. So I selected “The Best Year of Your Life” by Debbie Ford. I read it many years ago but I feel that now is a good time to reread it, especially since I intend to make 2018 the best year of my life.

You can thank Debbie for the terms like the “shadow self” and its counterpart, the “light chaser” (many people also use this term interchangeably with “lightworker”). I haven’t read her most famous book, “The Dark Side of the Light Chasers” but who knows: maybe that will be one of the monthly books sometime in 2018.

You can feel free to click on the links or the photo of the book to see what “The Best Year of Your Life” is all about. I’m looking forward to this “refresher”!

art · luxury

Classical Art Sale at Sotheby’s London

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Sotheby’s is having an Old Masters Sale on December 7th, and I must admit, I would love to own one of these incredible works. After attending the Drawing Salon at the National Gallery of Art, I discovered a new level of appreciation for classical works. As a result, I am always interested in the Old Masters and all manner of classical art.

I love all art with Black faces, especially classic art. So I was delighted to see this one, even if the Black woman depicted is a servant. I’m amused that the Princess of Zanzibar (an archipelago of Tanzania, an African country) is a European woman. I would think that the princess of any African country or region would be a woman of color, but I digress.

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(Portrait of The Princess of Zanzibar with an African Attendant by Walter Frier)
During the drawing salon that I attended, we studied the significance of the Madonna paintings. So I’m partial to any rendition of the Virgin and Child.
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(Virgin and Child with a Pear by the Workshop of Joos van Cleve)
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(The Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist by Antonio del Ceraiuolo)
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(Madonna and Child by School of Bruges, second half of the 16th Century)
These paintings are expected to fetch between 10,000 and 90,000 GBP (approximately $13,000 and $121,000 USD). It’ll be interesting to see how well these sell in a couple of days!
The sale will be held at Sotheby’s London. Oh how I’d love to be there when this sale occurs!
music

Currently Listening To . . .

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Happy Sunday, darlings! Every year, I wait until December to break out one of my all-time favorite songs. It seems just silly to listen to winter-themed songs at any other time of year!

I’m a fan of anything that makes me think of cuddling under a huge blanket with a cup of hot chocolate. And Sarah Vaughan’s version of “My Favorite Things” just symbolizes everything cozy about wintertime.

Her perfect vocals, the pared down instruments, and the timeless lyrics come together exquisitely. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

music

Currently Listening to . . .

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I’ve really been into Dua Lipa and her sound. “New Rules” played so much during my last road trip that I decided to check her out and see what other music she’s created. Her music puts me in mind of the many vintage inspired artists from both the US and England (Meghan Trainor, Adele, Amy Winehouse, etc.,). I’m really fond of when she sings in a lower register and channels a really soulful sound.

When I watched the videos, I found another reason to adore Dua: the visuals are striking and innovative without being cheesy.

Here are two of my Dua faves: “New Rules” and  “Blow Your Mind”. Enjoy!

 

food

Review: For the Love of Chocolate

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During my last Carytown excursion, I went to Xtras Cafe and tried the delicious crabcake entree. However, the trip wasn’t just for the sake of trying a new meal. I wanted to also get some candy from my favorite chocolate shop, For the Love of Chocolate.

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The shop is small but packed with delicious options. I’m always impressed with the variety of chocolates and high quality service. The only downside of the shop is that they don’t have online shopping capabilities.

This trip, I focused on truffles. And boy were they delicious!

When I get a little more time, I’ll do a more in-depth review of specific truffles and other chocolates available there. In the meantime, check out the mint chocolate truffle that I enjoyed.

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Have any of you been to this chocolate shop? If not, it’s worth a trip! It’s located at 3136 West Cary Street, in Richmond, VA. I’ll see you there!

luxury · wine

Fenty Estates Wine False Alarm

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A tweet went viral announcing that Rihanna, beauty mogul and perpetual wine sipper, filed to trademark the name, “Fenty Estates Wine and Spirits Company”. As a wine lover, I was absolutely giddy. If the wine label went anything like the beauty launch, I was anticipating amazing things.

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Unfortunately, Rihanna didn’t file for a trademark, nor did Roraj Trade LLC (the company that trademarked Rihanna’s name and Fenty Beauty). The Fader broke the news, and I must admit, I was a little crushed.

But never fear: I’ve got some other wines I’ve been waiting to try and I’ll be reviewing those soon. If Rihanna wants to trademark a wine, I’m still going to support it. I just have to make peace with the fact that her wine won’t be coming from Fenty Estates.

music

Current Fave: Alice Francis

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I first came across Alice Francis during my neoswing phase several years ago. I was intrigued by her delicate voice and adorable vintage style. Her music videos were really cute, too!

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Unfortunately, when I found Alice, I was at the tail end of my fascination with neoswing, so I didn’t spend a lot of time researching her musical catalog. However, I thought I’d share this video of Alice: it’s one of my favorites. “St. James Ballroom” has it all: vocals, instruments, costumes, dancing and exuberance. Listening to her again rekindled my passion for neoswing. I may have to find out where she’s performing so I can see her live!