Honey Cuts

What's happening today in "Bloggerley Hills"? Here's a sneak peak:

Brown Girl Gumbo: Cute Kicks- Are you a "gym shoe" chic?

Beauty Logic: If you love bronzers, check BL out! She covers everything you need to know about achieving that "golden glow". *I'm also featured as her Beauty of the Week, click here*

Flats & Frappucino's: Cliches & Relationships- check out this honeys thoughts on the two!

Pink Cufflynx: Kiss & Tell... You'll have to "read & find out" ;-)

Alicia Keys "As I Am" Tour

I attended the final show last night at Madison Square Garden and BOY what a show. Alicia is not only inspirational, she is phenomenal.
The showed opened up with American Idol winner Jordin Sparks, who also performed well. Next up was Ne-yo, who surprised the audience by bringing on stage- my girl- Rihanna (to perform "Hate that I Love You) and also Fabolous ("Make Me Better").
But it was Alicia who blew the audience way- She performed songs from ALL of her albums. My throat was hurting when I left from singing at the top of my lungs (that's what I love about concerts since I can't do that in my apartment!)
Alicia devoted a big portion of her show to the children in Africa living with AIDS (check her out at http://www.aliciainafrica.com/), her show was a true "party with a purpose". I have great admiration for how Ms. Keys uses her "celebrity" to make a difference.

Honey Brown Sugar on Myspace!

Yes I've done it. I didn't want to but I've been hearing that the social networking sites are "thee" places to be. So please join me, check me out, whatever it is that you do- I'll be looking for you ;)

http://myspace.com/honeybrownsugarbabe

Thanks guys!

Suggestions, Anyone?

I started this blog because I got sooooo tired of trying to find websites and products dedicated to naturally curly ethnic hair. It has since evolved into what I'd like to refer to as a "lifestyle" blog where the focus is about more than just hair (but I never forget where I came from! ;). I aim to be diverse yet relevant at the same time by covering everything from books to music to food. The world should know that our hair isn't the only thing about us that's beautiful! Don't get me wrong though, I'm always trying to find new products to introduce to the "naturally curly community" as well as the "straight hair society" since I'm not always a "curly" girl myself.

I'm very thankful to you Honeys (and a few Gents') that have made Honey Brown Sugar such a huge success for me. I'll let you in on a secret: Having a new topic everyday isn't easy! Some days are easier than others though. With a day job and other daily responsibilities, things tend to get a little hectic. Just the other week I overslept- I woke up at 9:40am!!! (I'm supposed to be at work at 9!). But you know what?? I have NO regrets. You guys (my readers) make this ALL worth it.

So now I ask, what would YOU (my beloved readers) like to see more (or less) of? I'm open to any ideas, please share your thoughts!

Toyota & Essence presents "If Looks Could Kill"

I had the pleasure of attending the Toyota & Essence "If Looks Could Kill" party at Eyebeam on Wednesday. The event brought out a few familiar faces like Mashonda, Avant and Rocsi (from 106th & Park) and also featured a quick fashion show featuring Ghita by Alexis Phifer. Songstress Honey Keyshia Cole was also there to perform two of her recent hits.

I'm a newcomer on the scene but I must say I was truly in bliss with seeing so many beautiful people of color in one place at one time! Oh and for the record- Alexis is GORGEOUS, a true beauty! Her pics do her NO justice at all. And Keyshia, what can I say? She was superb, truly a talented "sang-er" (as Oprah would say) and gave me goosebumps as she belted. "Keysh" also let the audience know that she is currently in the studio (she was actually heading to the studio afterwards) recording her next album, due in December. It will have a whole new sound, she's going for a more sexier appeal this time around. So if you're a KC fan, be on the lookout for that.

All in all, it was a lovely evening and I was very honored to have been in attendance.

Blog Wars?!

I don't usually post in the middle of the day but I just couldn't resist. This morning as I ate my "scooped out" cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese I browsed some of my favorite blogs while also sipping tea (I was supposed to be working ;), I noticed on a fellow Honey's blog (who happens to be very successful) that she was being verbally attacked in her comments section. She was being criticized and accused of certain things that she wrote about the previous day.

I'm fairly new to blogging and have been humbled by all the love and support that has been shown towards me but on this particular blog things were getting really ugly. Where do things take a turn for the worst? When/why do others start to "hate"? And is it really "hate"?

A blog has no limitations- any and everything can be published. For me, however, I try to remain true to myself and my readers because thats what I proclaimed from the start. I don't take up all product review offers and a lot of the time I do reviews based on products that I've gone out and paid good cold hard money for. I guess my question is, once you've reached a certain level of success does one's credibility begin to wane?

If you're a fellow blogger or just feel like commenting please let me know what YOU think!

PS: I feel that US, beautiful and gorgeous Honeys need stick together and UPLIFT each other, even if we don't necessarily agree with each other. We're all we got, ladies.

Once Again... I've Been Tagged!

But the buck stops here! :)
See below:

What were you doing 10 years ago?
Preparing for my high school graduation and excited about going away to college! My! has time flown....

What are five things on your to-do list today?
- Finish up some tech sketches
- Send out some emails
- Pay a bill!!
- Mail my Father's Day cards
- Purchase a surge protector

Snacks you enjoy?
Too many to name!!! Though currently my fav's are the 2-pack Entenmann's chocolate donuts (they're so soft) and Wise BBQ potato chips.

Places you've lived?
- Bronx, NY
- Richmond, VA
- Glen Allen, VA

What are 5 things you would do if you were a billionaire?
- Travel! I'd never stay in one place long
- Help out family and friends
- Start a business or two
- Learn a couple of new languages
- Open a school in a third world country

People you want to know more about?
-My readers!

Jetlagging Behind

I'm back! I want to personally thank everyone who commented- All of your comments came in handy (and were very helpful!), I kept my Blackberry by my side as a guide.
I didn't get to Old Pasadena or Malibu, however I did manage to visit Manhattan Beach. Although the weather was nice, it wasn't as hot as it was on the east coast. But I did get a few pics on the Walk of Fame (Wesley Snipes and Angela Bassett!), and also snapped a few of the infamous Hollywood sign.
Most importantly (Ya'll know I'm a "foodie"), I finally got a taste of the much talked about FatBurger (and maaaaaaan was that good). We tried to take in as much as we could; from Compton and Crenshaw to Rodeo Drive and Beverly Hills.
All in all, it was a good trip and a much needed change of pace!

I'll be back in a few with something new- I've GOT to get some rest :)

Sex and the City: ...

I asked my friends this very question one day last week: Am I the only female in NYC who is NOT excited about this "Sex and the City" movie? Yeah, I want to see it and yes, it was one of my favorite shows at the time but I'm not excited about it at all. Call me weird, call me whatever you want but it's just not that serious to me. I DO love to shop, I DO love a great pair of shoes (even though I'd choose flats over heels any day ;), I love playing with make up and I like pink frilly things. I'm a girly girl in some ways and in some ways not. My friends like to discuss shoes and clothes- but not me, I find it excessively boring. I'd rather be out shopping instead of talking about it.

"Sex and the City", "Desperate Housewives", "Gossip Girl"- These shows do absolutely nothing for me. I love "Locked Up Abroad" on the National Geographic channel, "Dateline" ("To Catch A Predator" was my favorite), "Intervention" on A&E... Not too mention "The Wire" was my #1, I'll never forget this HBO favorite as long as I live, such a great show; superbly excellent in my opinion.

I apologize for my rant but I'm just so sick & tired of this SATC stuff!!!! UGHHH!

Never Ask for Directions Again!

Many of you may already know about this, but for those of you who don't- I have a little secret. Ever travel to a new neighborhood and have to stop and ask the guy in the little newspaper stand for directions? You'll never have to do that again. Thanks to HopStop (http://www.hopstop.com/), you'll be well on your way.

HopStop was created in 2004 by 33 year old Nigerian-born entrepreneur, Chinedu Echeruo. Echeruo holds an M.B.A from Harvard and has had experience as a financial analyst. After moving to NYC in 1995, his main goal was to solve the problem of getting from point A to point B efficiently. At the same time, the challenge of turning that idea into a viable business lingered. However, HopStop has succeeded and now has over 500,000 visitors a month and can be translated into nine different languages.

HopStop is your "city transit guide" that will literally give you directions (using public transportation) for many metropolitan cities (New York, Boston, Chicago- just to name a few). Whenever I need to tread into an unknown territory I ALWAYS reference HopStop. It gives you the option of choosing subway, train, bus, even walking directions. HopStop will give you the best route for the window of time you're traveling and also gives alternate routes. It will even give you the option of choosing "More street walking/fewer transfers". The best part is that it provides a 360 degree view of the area you're traveling to, so that you know what to look for once you're nearing your location. All you've got to do is plug in your "To" and "From" destinations.

I love this site- I depend on it to get me through these five boroughs (YES- all FIVE boroughs are included! And have so far proven to be accurate!). Another great thing is that you can have the directions emailed or sent to you as a text message.

Do you "HopStop"? I know I'm not the only one who knows about it!!

The Game!

I was slow catching onto this sitcom. But now I'm HOOKED! Last night's episode was the season finale and I thought it was pretty good; packed with emotion! Some may disagree though- tell me your thoughts!

There has been some controversy surrounding the CW network and "The Game" as well as "Girlfriends". "Girlfriends" was one of my favorite shows from start to finish. It did NOT get a fair or even a decent farewell. I feel this show may have been discriminated against. I'm pretty sure it had a fairly middle-class, educated, pre-dominantly female (of ethnic origin) audience. We deserved better than this.

I'm really hoping that last night's episode of The Game will not be the last we see of the show. I would like to be pro-active in this matter as there are little to no shows out there in TV land that depict Black folks in a positive manner. I have every intention of contacting the CW network- not sure if it'll work but it's definitely worth a try.

Know Before You Go

Traveling this summer? If so, be safe and "know before you go". Whenever I'm traveling abroad I do some research on the place that I plan on visiting. I feel that I can never know too much because once you're out of the States, you're pretty much on your own. That's why it's always a good idea to know about that country's laws, crime rates, medical/health facilities, traffic/road conditions as well as entry/exit requirements.
The US Travel Consulate (www.travel.state.gov/) provides thorough information regarding all that I have mentioned above for every country/region/island (click here). Listed on the site are also travel alerts, or places where Americans are highly recommended against visiting (such as Afghanistan, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, even Colombia). I'm such a nerd that even if I'm not traveling I browse the site just out of curiosity.

Be safe and happy travels!

Circle of Friends

Who says eight females can't be the best of friends? Most say its impossible, but the above pic is living proof that eight (including myself- not shown, I was home sick!) beautiful, strong black women can be the epitome of what real friendship and sisterhood is all about. I must say it is truly a blessing because I've always kept minimal friends. While in undergrad, I encountered many different types of females, many of whom I couldn't (and didn't) trust enough to be true, real friends. Although, I do still hold a few near and dear to my heart.

The eight of us met while enrolled in fashion school during '03/'04 and have been tight ever since. Of course we fight, but at the end of the day its always love. We've come to know each others personalities; what makes us tick, what makes us laugh, and what makes us cry. I, myself, do not consider any ONE of these girls over the other. Each one has something to teach me, and each woman excels in something the next might not and when combined they all make up the perfect best friend a girl could ever have.

I thought this would be a great post because most do not believe that eight women, black women, can coexist in true sisterly fashion. I'm hoping that maybe, just maybe this isn't as farfetched as it seems.

If you have a close circle of friends, tell me about it- I'd love to know that there are other groups of strong women out there!!!

New Rating System

I've decided to develop a rating system. I thought it would be helpful in deciphering the caliber of a product's "fabulousness".
Following each review, every product will be rated by drops of honey; with five drops being the best (super sweet!) and one being the worst (sour!):