Machel @ the Intrepid ReCap

People can say what they want about the Machel Montano 30th Anniversary concert at the Intrepid- Yes, all things worth having at the bar was finished way before the fete was over (I was walking back from the rest room and was surprised to see that the bar/snack area was being taken down). Yes, the only food they had available was chips (and when I arrived at the bar the only beverage available was Guinness or Soda). Yes, 100 dollars for a general admission ticket is ALOT to pay and not get even a little bandanna to wave around. Yes, Machel only preformed for about an hour. All these things ARE true BUT no one can deny the fact that HISTORY was made last Saturday night at the Intrepid.




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The general admission crowd...

I myself wasn't sure what to expect. At $100-$200 dollars a ticket, I wasn't sure what type of crowd would be in attendance. Should I wear heels or flats? How far away is the general admission section from the stage and how would general and the VIP section be separated (VIP tickets cost $200)? Where was I going to park my car? All of my questions subsided as I was driving down the West Side Highway and heard soca music pumping from the Intrepid. How can I explain the feeling of hearing Soca blasting as I drove down a highway I take into Manhattan all the time (where I am usally the person pumping soca music)? I have no clue. What I do know is that I decided at that moment whatever the price, it was well worth it...

The West Side Highway-Photo Courtesy of nycroads.com

The view from where I was standing. Directly behind the fence that divided VIP and General

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Can you imagine hearing Benji's "I'm a Trini" from right here....

The performers: I am not sure if the crowd was tired of waiting or really, really wanted to see Machel (he came on at about 2am but the venue was open from 10pm). I feel like the other artists had to really work to rev up the crowd.

3 Canal

I enjoyed 3 Canal, Barington Levy, and Mr.Vegas' performances but when Machel and the HD family hit the stage things were on a whole new level. The woman who somehow snuck a folding chair out of the VIP section and was sitting next to me for the majority of the show actually folded the chair and stood up when Machel came on stage.. Dahved Levy explained that many of the artists scheduled to perform had delayed flights due to severe weather and had just arrived in NYC hours before. I'm sure that this must have stressful for all involved but that didn't show as they performed....

Although Machel and the HD fam worked during their hour time (Machel himself sweated through his blazer and button up shirt) it felt as if the crowd was looking for more at the end of the show. The following day, I heard Machel being interviewd by Dahved Levy on the radio. They not only discussed the show, but they talked about where Machel wanted to go as an artist, essentially did he feel as if he had reached "the top". His response was that he wanted to take soca music to an international level and have it become a household genre of music. I'm 100% behind Machel pushing soca music to a whole new level. Half the reason I write on this blog is to display my love of my culture and showcase all of the beauty and creativty the Caribbean has to offer. So...who's going to Machel on Jones Beach July 8th? ; )

~Nelly

Some pics and a tiny clip of Machel and Patrice performing...

...and a bottle of rum!


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Machel and KI--- Single Forever!


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I love Patrice Roberts! Every time I see her I remember that I need to start working out!

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Yes, Machel... show them how to put on a show...

 

Karen's Body Beautiful and Curl Box Meet and Greet: The ReCap

Last week Thursday  in the midst of a heat wave at about 7pm Naturalista's were creating quite a stir on Myrtle and Waverly in Brooklyn. Personally, I was asked at least 3 or 4 times by complete strangers variations of "what's going on?' and  "what's happening over there?'. I even over heard some people say they were going to post pics of the line on Instagram because no one would believe them! We were making history! ; )  So what caused this commotion? Karen's Body Beautiful and Curl Box's Meet and Greet!



Instagram-ing in action...


Now, I'll be honest when I rolled up and saw the line my first thoughts were to leave. I'm the kind of person who would say, "No. Thank You" to a  20 minute wait  for a table at Red Lobster but Rockie and I gave it a chance. The wait did not seem in vain or unappreciated because Karen Tappin (the owner of Karen's Body Beautiful) and Myleik Teele (the owner of Curl Box) came out several times to talk to the ladies on the line and  inform us that they were working on moving the crowd in and out of the store so that others could come in. There was also a Karen's Body Beautiful Rep who stood outside to answer questions about the products while we waited. A definite plus...

Rockie and I: Courtesy of random stranger with Ipad...

Once I finally made it inside the place was pretty packed. There were naturals buying hair products, enjoying complimentary beverages, making small talk with one another, and there were plenty of opportunities for people to take pics with Karen, Myleik, and vlogger Taren916. I met a woman who participates in Black Girls Run who convinced me that I too can be a runner. I also met Deborah from the new website Mater Mea who wrote an interesting piece highlighting Karen as a mother (check it out here), Rockie met someone who traveled all the way from New Jersey to attend the event, I overheard Myleik sharing with an attendee how she got her amazing hair color (peroxide), and I even had a chance to reconnect with Imani from a Tribe Called Curl.



#productjunkie




Karen and Taren



Yes, thanks...  ; )



Imani of Tribe Called Curl and I

The highlight of this event was meeting Karen. She was a gracious host who constantly checked in on everyone in attendance, made sure everyone waiting on the line was attended to, and answered everyone's questions about the products she created. I asked her what product would be best for my hair since I plan on rocking kinky twists (synthetic hair= Dry hair) for the rest of the summer and she suggested her Hair Blossom Moisture Mist. Since hair products were buy two get one free my Hair Blossom Moisture Mist did not leave the store alone...

My goodies: Karen's Body Beautiful: Heavenly Jojoba Hair Oil, Hair Blossom Moisture Mist, Beauty Boss 101, and Luscious Locks Hair Mask

Karen and I

All in all, I had a great time. The connections I made and the camaraderie I felt were definitely worth the wait.

More pics....HERE!

Brooklyn Naturals... another great event this week!

Brooklyn Naturals...

Rihanna and Vita Coco

So...I was driving to work this morning and I came across this billboard. I knew Rihanna was on the campaign ad for Vita Coco but something about the Bajan girl, in the pineapple outfit, selling coconut water...

Let's just say it reminds me of this...

Yup, the Chiquita Banana lady!

Anywho, Rihanna looks amazing as always! ; )

Chic and Kinky's Natural's Night Out ReCap

567 Madison Avenue. I would have bet money that that was the address for Chic and Kinky's Naturals Night Out. Even after I came out the train station and found myself right in the middle of the Puerto Rican Day Parade I was pretty certain the blocked off street was my destination. It was not until about 45 minutes of battling people waving their PR flags, police blockades, camera people, and sweating off my makeup did I decided to check the flyer again." S#@*, 267 Madison Ave"(I may have said a bit more than that but you get the point). Thank God for Google maps and taxi cabs, who knows what the rest of this post would look like without them.


Let me cut to the chase. Chic and Kinky's Natural's Night Out was on a total different level from the event last year. It seems as if  they took the feedback from last years event and really worked on making the experience worth while. Some notable differences were:

• The Venue: Last year although the space was big, the layout of Natural's Night Out created a lot of awkward moments. For example, last year I can recall having no where to stand but in the middle of the venue after taking a tour of all of the vendors (placed along the walls).This time around the loft space that was used had a great space for the vendors, a separate room for each of the presentations offered, and a terrace area for you to chill, take a break from the crowd, take some great pics, and mingle.

The vendors area

The Terrace

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• The Goody Swag Bags: I have no clue what was in them because I did not get one, I guess because I attended the event as media (-_-). Although I was tempted to ask someone to let me see the contents of their bag I stopped myself simply because I did not want to be "that guy". ("Can you open your goody bag and let me take a picture of it?", ummm...stranger danger!) I can say that the bags looked considerably bigger than last years and it looks like there was a full size product or two in it, but thats about it.

• The Vendors: This year there was so much variety in the vendors in attendance. Yes, there were hair products for sale but there was also a make up company, a bakery, vintage clothing companies , jewelry designers, and even Socasize (you know I almost lost my mind when there was soca music pumping on the terrace).

• The presentations:  I didn't have a chance to attend any of the presentations at the event but despite that there were still a few differences that I noticed from last year. For example, upon entrance you received a list of  each presenter, the name of the workshop and the time it was scheduled. In addition to this there was someone who announced when worshops were starting just in case you lost your sheet.

Regrettably I could not stay until the end because of another event I was slated to attend  that evening. The ladies of Chic and Kinky should be proud of themselves for a job well done. The only thing I would request for next year is FOOD or a vendor that sells snacks and drinks.. People were leaving the event simply to get something to eat and return back to the festivities. When I left Naturals Night Out I was STARVING. So much so that they were giving out free samples of Nestle Quic a block from the train station and not only did I stop for one, I drank the whole bottle (ummm...I am pretty certain that I am lactose intolerant). Yes, desperate times call for desperate measures.

The people I met were all amazing and friendly. I loved their energy and positive vibes. I left Chic and Kinky's Naturals Night Out feeling great and feeling inspired by the other naturals and the vendors pursuing their dreams. Some highlights:




Jessica of Feathers, Leather, and Lace. I loved her earring selection; lightweight, unique,and afrocentric.
I bought a pair of earrings from her and I'm uire they won't be the last.





Eden Body Works. I bought a peppermint tea tree oil spray and pomade for a total of $12. Can't beat those prices...



Consuela Richard of Beju Beju Vintage Clothing and handmade Jewelry. Consuela is full of personality
which made shopping at her table a lot of fun. What I liked most about her was her candidness. I even shared
with her my secret goal of doing something similar and she encouraged me to do it when she could have easily
given me the side eye.




Rockie stayed at Beju Beju for at least 20 minutes, she loved everything Beju Beju had to offer.




Vanessa of  A Beautiful You. The only vendor I saw sellling shampoo bars. I overheard her sharing with someone else her daily routine. Vanessa works hard! I admire her drive. 



Rockie bought some cuff earrings from C is for Cultured and people were asking her about them
before she left the building. They also had "Wild and Kinky" and "Product Junkie" buttons on sale as well. Too cute.



Tameka Hornes-Mathews of Jewel Afrika Designs. I bought two of her earrings and had my eye on a few others.
She also offered on the spot custom jewelry.



Kumi (and friend), of I Love Being Black. I had so much fun  with these two.  I love his shirt slogan and already owned a few items before meeting him. We discussed travel and carnival. I am still working on getting them to Cropover or Trinidad's Carnival next year. ; )





I was totally impressed with Glamorous Chicks Cosmetics 7 in 1 eyeshadow.
Once she demonstrated how you could turn the eyeshadow into a nailpolish color I was convinced this stuff was the truth.

Suzette Reeves from Kids Gro Hair Care. There aren't much natural hair products for kids on the market which made her pressence impressive.


I also found some hairstyles I want to try this summer...



Click here to see this style from other angles.




Toia Barry of ToBNatural




Click here to see this style from other angles.



All in all I met some great people, had some great laughs, admired some natural hair styles, bought a few things, and had a good time. I wish I could have stayed longer because as I was leaving the momentum was definetly picking up. Shout out to the folks I stopped by but don't have pics of:

• Haus of Swagg, loved your shirt designs and buttons..
• Design Essentials Natural, your table was packed as I passed by. Thanks for always showing bloggers/media love and inviting them out to events...
• Curls, the curls team is always out at hair events. We practically know each other by name.
• Cali York Photography, thanks for entertaining my shenanigans and letting me sit on your chair ...
• Thanks Rockie for coming out with me... and letting me take a million pictures of you...

For more pics from the event check out my FB page... www.facebook.com/kinkychronicle

Did any of you attend the event? What did you think?

Borokeete USA 2012: Caribbean Uniqueness

Last Friday night I attended Borokete USA's band launch at Tropical Paradise in Brooklyn. I was surprised when I walked in the door because there were only a few people scattered around patiently waiting to see what Borokeete had to offer.  Before I talk about the costumes I am going to make a request to all of my Caribbean people living in NYC. Come out and support band launches! Now I realize bands should do a better job in advertising upcoming launches because there have been a few bands that I had to search all over the Internet to find details about upcoming launches (some to no avail) BUT whenever we do hear about one we should support. The Labor Day Parade, although by no means perfect, is our time to showcase OUR culture. If we do not support the bands, designers and people who work hard to keep our tradition alive WHO WILL?  *jumps off milk crate*
On to the mas....

Waterfall designed by Anthony Pollydore

Coral Reef designed by Leon

Nylon Pool designed by Cali Perry

Toc Toc designed by Anthony Pollydore

Volcanic City designed by Tropical Fete

Mango Chow designed by Vivki & Nicki

Didn't catch the name of this section but it is designed by Tami

Island Sunset designed by PCC Ladies

Starry Nights designed by Anthony Pollydore

Overall Borokeete USA has a costume for everyone. I love the sections that offer a monokini option that actually conceals the mid section to accommodate women who don't want to expose their bellys. The section that received the most reaction from the crowd was Island Sunset by PCC ladies. I mysef loved the way the section stuck to its theme by using orange as the base color and highlighting it with  purple, pink, and blue feathers and stones, much like a perfect sunset.  My favorites...  Nylon Pool, Island Sunset, and Starry Night.

More pics on my FB page.... HERE

Up next RAMAJAY..