Doug E. Fresh Star Studded Extravaganza - Lakers vs. Clippers After Game Party

When Sheila E. http://www.sheilae.com/ decides to throw a party, you'd better put on your 'Glamorous Life' outfit and role with it!
Let me fill you in on the background because so much was happening in one night! My first stop was at the Staples Center, where the Michael Jackson film This IS IT was playing. The VIP parking and entrance to the party was smooth. It was a greatfilm - go see it - great food and music!
http://www.michaeljackson.com/us/home
Then, staying, focused, everyone was heading over to the Conga Room after the This Is It party, on the roof of the Staples Center http://www.staplescenter.com/index.php - and after the Lakers vs. Clippers game at the Staples Center was over.
I stepped on over to the Nokia Center , where Shelia E. was in the house, and her crew at the Conga Room give the best customer service! Antonia and Tristan were on the one!
http://www.lalive.com/ As the evening progressed, the crowd grew larger and larger. I looked around and there were Lakers and Clipper ball players all in the room - my goodness, it was standing room only!

Sheila E. took the microphone and the drums and rocked the house with DJ Eque, but from early on, DJ 2 Green Dollar from Australia did a wonderful film tribute to Michael Jackson.

"Six minutes! Six minutes! Six minutes Doug E. Fresh you're on! Uh uh on! Uh uh on!...."
When Doug E. Fresh took the stage, everyone got on their feet. Doug E. said," When I say Don't - you say Stop!" Don't - Stop! Don't - Stop!

It was a party that was off the hook! Doug E. Fresh, you are on it!

Stevie Wonder's radio station - www.kjlhradio.com sponsored the event in conjunction with the Conga Room - www.congaroom.com and My Friend's House LA - www.myfriendshouseLA.org who was accepting canned goods to feed the homeless in LA.

First Lady of California, Maria Shriver Minerva Awards Ceremony 2009

Thanks to a random act of kindness on behalf of Lia Keith, Lena Cole-Dennis and I attended the 2 - day California's First Lady Maria Shriver's Women's Day Conference - including last evening's Minerva Awards ceremony - at the Long Beach Arena, in Long Beach, CA. (http://www.womensconference.org/ ) . Four remarkable women were honored for reaching out and practicing the each one teach one technique.

Helen Devore Waukazoo of Friendship House in San Francisco, Dr. Jane Goodall, Agnes Stevens and Kathy Hull of the George Mark Children's House were selected, each receiving $25,000.00 to further their quest to make this world a better place.

Alicia Keys was an excellent choice to close out the 2 day empowering event. Not only does she write/produce/act and sing, she also has an organization called www.keepachildalive.org.

Please join in and assisting these various organizations if you can.
First Lady Maria Shriver - http://www.firstlady.ca.gov/

Helen Devore Waukazoo - www.friendshiphousesf.org
Dr. Jane Goodall - www.rootsandshoots.org/
Agnes Stevens - http://www.schoolonwheels.org/

Dr. Barbara Beach - www.georgemark.org/

Precious - The Lionsgate film - Remember, we are all precious

I got a chance to preview the film, 'Precious' last evening and, in my opinion, it will change lives.
New Precious Film Trailer (HQ)
There are so many children that are mentally and physically abused every hour, here in the United States and all around the world, and their cries for help fall on deaf ears.
In Precious' house, the cat gets treated more humanely then she.
"Precious, don't forget to pick up the kitty litter and my cigarettes!" Her Mother (Mo'Nique) yells as Precious steps outside the front door.

Lee Daniels' - Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, is a story about the life of a 16 year old girl, Clareece "Precious" Jones,(Gabourey Sidibe) who is forced to try and function normally in a chaotic, abusive home. After the school finds out that Precious is pregnant, they send her to an alternative school, "Each One / Teach One", which is the gate through which she finds a bit of normalcy. Precious is fortunate enough to have several positive people appear in her life; primarily Ms. Weiss (Mariah Carey), a social worder that shows Precious how much she cares about her by insisting that the 16 year old girl opens up and talks about her current living situation. Well, at her new alternative school, "Each One / Teach One", the new teacher that she encounters in the corridor after a bout with morning sickness, Ms. Rain (Paula Patton) mentally shines a bright light on Precious, opening up her thoughts and expanding on ideas about creating a better future for all of the students, by writing down what one is thinking and working towards the common goal of achieving a G.E.D. Ms.Rain, via her actions, prove that she is an advocate for the students in her class, not giving up on them even when the odds are stacked against them. Ms. Rain was remarkable!

Precious also experiences a positive experience/interaction/relationship with a male nurse (Lenny Kravitz) while giving birth to her second child. The vast majority of people that cross her path along the way to gaining independence, were placed there because only GOD and his angels knew that Precious needed the help.

As the film progresses, Precious realizes that her Mother's negative words that echo in her ears are not true, that she CAN do something and IS valued. Against all odds, this 16 year old, with 2 children, proves that no matter what fate hands to you, you can get through it if you persevere!...

Opening November 6, 2009, in movie theatres across the globe.
View content advisory for parents
Produced by Lee Daniels Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)
http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20090918-tows-precious-release-dates
www.tylerperry.com/premiere/precious.php
http://www.weareallprecious.com/

Taste of SOUL Festival - Music, Soul Food & Community 2009

I got up this morning in anticipation of the 4th Annual Taste of SOUL Festival. I was longing for some down home music and food. (www.tasteofsoulla.com)

BeBe Winans was just the cure. He and CeCe have a new cd out called "Close to You" and it is a must have - Do yourself a favor and pick it up! BeBe Winans( www.bebewinans.net) and one of the sisters from the Gospel Group Mary-Mary (www.mary-mary.com ) performed the hit song "Close to You". Indira Kahn, Chaka Kahn's daughter, sang beautifully as well!

When Danny Bakewell Jr., President & Executive Editor of The Los Angeles Sentinel (http://www.lasentinel.net/) Stevie Wonder's radio station, KJLH ( www.KJLHRadio.com) and 94.7 The Wave, featuring Brian McKnight(www.947wave.com ) put together the 4th Annual Taste of SOUL Festival, right in the heart of the neighborhood - You just know it's going to be great!

On Stage were some of LA's favorite Air Personalities; Aundrae Russell, Roland Bynum, Adai Lamar, Tammy Mac and Don Amiche of Mac & Amiche.

Yo-Yo is still getting audiences on their feet and singing word for word, "You can't play with my Yo-Yo" - the girl is bad! Eric Benet performed acapella and had the audience screaming. Eric Benet put the audience in a really good mood when he sang the songs " Spend my Life With You" and "Chocolate Legs", the audience chimed in with the chorus.

Michel'le is still the Bomb - she looked fabulous and still has that unique style of speaking voice but powerful vocal cords. She turned the place out with " Something in my Heart" and "No More Lies".

There was so many options when it came to selecting something good to eat! There was chicken, ribs, fish, veggies, apple and peach cobbler, sweet potato pies and the likes.

I walked around and discovered BOONE'S Fabulous Fried Fish. A Delta Juke Joint Style Fish Fry!(fishfryfridays@hotmail.com 310.538.5213 - They come to you!)

Their specialty is really good fried Swai Basa.

What is Swai Basa?
Swai Basa is Native to Southeast Asia, belonging to the Pangasius family and is very similar to catfish. It's a white-flesh fish(typically available in fillet form) with a sweet, mild taste and light flaky texture. A 3.5- ounce serving of plain fish contains around 90 calories, 4 grams of fat(1.5 saturated), 45 grams of cholesterol and 50 milligrams of sodium. The oil that they use to fry the fish in as well as the stake potatoes is a very light vegetable oil and the fish and potatoes are not greasy. I had enough Swai Basa and Steak Fries to feed 4 people and it was delicious! Everyone in my party ate until their hearts were content!

Mr. Boone caters all events. The Boones' invite you to come and taste the healthy difference!

Thanks to The Sentinel, KJLH Radio, 94.7 The Wave and MoneyGram, the Taste of SOUL Festival was a huge success!

Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to President Barack Obama - 44th President of the USA

The sun rose this morning, bringing more positive vibes to the White House and the world at large. President Barack Hussein Obama became 1 of more than 800 Nobel Laureates. The Nobel Prize is an international award administered by the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden. Every year since 1901 the Nobel Prize has been awarded for achievements in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and for peace. Each prize consists of a medal, personal diploma, and a cash award. In 1968, Sveriges Riksbank (Sweden's central bank) established The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel.

The 44th President of the United States, President Obama, was awared the prestigious award "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples" according to the committee that awarded the honor. http://www.nobelprize.org/.

President Obama actually has given Americans HOPE. http://www.barackobama.org/

The amount awarded to President Obama is 10 million kronor ($1.4 million dollars) and he is donating those funds to charity. You see, charity begins at home. How else can we teach our children to treat people the way that we want to be treated. We can make a world of difference, one person at a time. Just start by stepping back and taking a good look at "The man in the mirror". Just try to love your neighbor as yourself everyday. Just take baby steps. Baby steps...C

As

"Did you know that true love asks for nothing
Her acceptance is the way we pay
Did you know that life has given love a guarantee
To last through forever and another day
Just as time knew to move on since the beginning
And the seasons know exactly when to change
Just as kindness knows no shame
Know through all your joy and pain
That I'll be loving you always
As today I know I'm living but tomorrow
Could make me the past but that I mustn't fear
For I'll know deep in my mind
The love of me I've left behind
Cause I'll be loving you always...”

Lyrics/Song written by Stevie Wonder
Songs in the Key of Life - AS

I love this song so much and thought that I'd share it with you -

Have a wonderful day!
C

I Can Still Remember His Voice....

Today is the eighth anniversary of my father's death. He died exactly one week, to the day, after the 911 chaos that took place in New York, back in 2001. I couldn't get to him because he was in Chicago. He was such a strong man, having survived a major car accident that left him a quadriplegic from the age of 27. My Dad died from the complications related to being a quadriplegic - kidneys, liver and all major organs started shutting down.
I was told that he was one of the oldest living quads in the United States.
He and my Mother married quite young, and had 4 children. Thank goodness that my parents were very expressive and always made sure to tell every last one of us regularly that they loved us. Oh, Dad, I can still remember your voice! You used to tell me all the time that I was the light in your heart and the apple of your eye and the prettiest child you'd ever seen and that I was a lucky child that had survived so much health wise, before even knowing that I existed! I'd say, "Daddy, I'm auditioning for a Cheer Leader!"
( I was Captian of the Cheer Leaders in Jr. High and Captian of the Pep-Squad and Co-Captian of the Cheer Leaders in High School). And he said, "You'll get it because you are beautiful and can dance, Baby Doll!"
He would have a story to connect with whatever it is that we were talking about. He said, "Did I ever tell you of the time when you were about 8 months old, and your Mom and I were playing some Motown, and we had you sitting on the couch while we danced, and we looked over at you, just bopping to the beat of the song, and when we stopped dancing to watch you, you actually kept on bouncing and winked at us! I said to your Mom, "Tuffy, did she just wink at us?" and your Mom said, " Yes! She did!" and we laughed - but you kept on dancing and smiling in your little spot on the couch! Oh yes, Baby, so don't ever let anyone tell you you can't don't anything because you are big - you fat but you fine, Baby Girl! Now, do your thing!"
Yes, I'm still doing my thing...

Although you are physically no longer of this earth, I can still feel your presence in my heart.

Love,
C