Press "Enter" to skip to content

Posts published in “Lifestyle”

The Perkins Brothers Represent the Motor City in Tonight's Premiere of New BBC Car Series, "Mud, Sweat & Gears"

By goodblacknews on January 26, 2015

(Photo Courtesy BBC America)
“Mud, Sweat & Gears” (Photo: BBC America)

Tonight, January 26th  at 10pm, the BBC rolls out its new super-charged series, Mud, Sweat & Gears… and boy, do they get it right.  This is a new breed of car show filled with cheeky humor, high-octane stunts, vehicle transformations and insane challenges… I promise, this show does not disappoint!
The first episode features two brothers from Detroit, Steve Perkins and Todd Perkins, competing against California racers Keith Kramer and Rob Krider. These contestants bring it! Guided by the quick–witted, charismatic hosts, Tom “Wookie” Ford & Jonny Smith, the teams have a limited amount of time to transform their base cars into challenge-themed machines.
The viewer is made part of the experience and you may even find yourself yelling, laughing, wincing and cheering as Mud, Sweat and Gears is a ride you won’t want to stop.
Full disclosure — I did work on this show and while I wouldn’t necessarily peg myself as a car show enthusiast… THIS show is so entertaining…it had me at engine START.  I highly recommend Mud, Sweat & Gears.
Here’s a special inside look: http://www.bbcamerica.com/mud-sweat-gears/videos/a-special-inside-look/
article by Lesa Lakin
 by Lesa Lakin

TRAVEL: Port Antonio is Jamaica’s Hidden Gem

By goodblacknews on January 25, 2015
(Image: VisitJamaica.com)
(Image: VisitJamaica.com)
Looking for an island getaway, and considering a retreat to Jamaica? Negril, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios are great, but why not try something different? Jamaica’s resort town of Port Antonio is described as picture perfect— a panorama of nature’s finest work.
On any visit, travelers to this secluded gem can explore the majestic Blue Mountains, swim in the Blue Lagoon, raft the Rio Grande, relax at Somerset Falls or discover Nonsuch Caves.  A visit to Port Antonio would be incomplete without a sampling of its world famous jerk chicken or pork in its original home.

“Visitors to Port Antonio are always in for a special treat with its diverse and laidback offerings of adventure and natural beauty,” said Paul Pennicook, Jamaica’s Director of Tourism. “With more travelers seeking authentic local lifestyles, Port Antonio, the birthplace of jerk cooking, is a great option for those wanting to experience the best of Jamaica’s cuisine, history and adventure.”

DO:

Blue Mountain Bicycle Tour: A remarkable way to see the island, this riding tour takes sightseers down the mountainside and along rolling hills. Ideal for singles, couples or families who wish to experience and photograph the world-famous Jamaican Blue Mountains and lush, tropical countryside – all while riding in the fresh Jamaican air.

Rio Grande Rafting: One of the more coveted outings in Port Antonio is a bamboo rafting tour down the gently winding Rio Grande.  Originally used as a means of transporting banana crops from the local plantations to the bustling harbor, the rafting tours are now a popular leisure activity once championed by the likes of Hollywood icon Errol Flynn. Legend has it that Flynn enjoyed gathering his well-heeled guests for midnight rafting excursions under a canopy of stars. Experienced guides who are knowledgeable about the river and its ecosystem, including a bird sanctuary (parts natural wonder and serene escape), man the bamboo rafts. Swimming in the river is perhaps the best part of the journey.

Somerset Falls: Somerset Falls is a world class setting for guests to chill out, take a swim and refresh.  Spanish settlers, who occupied the island over 400 years ago, built aqueducts and dams that are still visible today. The breathtaking waterfall is hidden in the rainforest, where the Daniels River cascades down a narrow gorge of lush ferns. Here, sun worshipers can settle in for a lovely day of sunning, relaxing and bathing in picture-perfect deep rock pools.
STAY:

Port Antonio thrives on its seclusion, intimacy and luxury, offering visitors an array of inns, beachfront cottages and villas, such as:

Great Huts, starting at US$89 per night including breakfast: www.greathuts.com.

Hotel Mocking Bird Hill, starting at US$236 per night including taxes: www.hotelmockingbirdhill.com.

Goblin Hill Villas, which ranges from US381 to $450 per night, for a 2 bedroom villa, including a housekeeper: www.goblinhill.com.

Trident Hotel, which ranges from US$540 to $990 per night including breakfast, depending on the season: www.geejamcollection.com.

EAT:

Jamaica’s diverse history has impacted its culinary offering. The cuisine features a mix of  cultural influences  – Chinese, European, Indian and African – creating an eclectic and tasty combination that is uniquely Jamaican.  Port Antonio is well known for its jerk pork and chicken, particularly in Boston Bay, but a number of the area’s inns and villas are known for their gourmet dining. There are a variety of restaurants which provide excellent Jamaican staples including fresh seafood.  Some of the popular spots include Dickie’s Best-Kept Secret and Bryan’s Bay for local fare, Restaurant Mille Fleurs, at Hotel Mocking Bird Hill for eclectic Euro-Caribbean cuisine, Woody’s Low Bridge Place and Anna Bananas for a fun family atmosphere or Bushbar at Geejam Hotel for sophisticated Asian-influenced Jamaican cuisine.
article by Kimberly Wilson via blackenterprise.com

Texas Hair Braiding Laws Ruled Unconstitutional; Hair Braiders Win Right to Open Braiding Schools

By goodblacknews on January 8, 2015

Isis_IFJ_5753_web_med
Isis Brantley (Photo Courtesy Institute for Justice)

Over the past year, Natural Hair Stylist Isis Brantley has been fighting to teach hair braiding in the state of Texas. Now, A federal judge has finally ruled in her favor.

Brantley, who runs a hair braiding business sued the state in 2013 stating that the laws related to her hair braiding school were ‘unreasonable’ and ‘unconstitutional.’

Texas law would have required Brantley to set up a 2,000-square-foot barber college, with 10 sinks and reclining barber chairs. As well as require her to take and pay for hundreds of hours of courses and acquire licenses she wouldn’t need or use in order to be certified to provide students the necessary classroom hours for a hair-braiding license.

“This means that Isis must spend 2,250 hours in barber school, pass four exams, and spend thousands of dollars on tuition and a fully-equipped barber college she doesn’t need, all to teach a 35-hour hairbraiding curriculum.” — Isis Brantley’s 2013 Institute for Justice Statement

According to Dallas News, U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks ruled that the state of Texas violated Brantley’s 14th Amendment right to due process by setting unreasonable and irrational requirements for her to teach braiding. Sparks also said that the regulations excluded Brantley from the market “absent ‘a rational connection with … fitness or capacity to engage in’ hair braiding instruction.”

Sparks found the various rules requiring Texas hair braiding schools to become fully equipped barber colleges “irrational,” citing licensed braiding salons don’t need sinks because washing hair is not involved in the braiding process.

“I fought for my economic liberty because I believe there is a lot of hope for young people who seek to earn an honest living,” said Brantley. “This decision means that I will now be able to teach the next generation of African hair braiders at my own school.”

“It is the first time that hair-braiding schools have been addressed by the federal courts and the third time that African hair braiding has been handled in the federal court system,” said Brantley’s attorney, Arif Panju. It has broad implications. These are economic regulations, and it’s unconstitutional to require entrepreneurs to do useless things. … Texas was not only preventing African hair-braiding schools from even opening, but it was also violating the 14th Amendment. This ruling is a resounding victory for Isis Brantley and entrepreneurs like her across Texas,” Panju said. “It is unconstitutional to require people to do useless things.”

article via clutchmagonline.com

Fashion Brand Rum + Coke Only Hires Plus-Size Models to Promote Its Clothes

By goodblacknews on January 5, 2015

Rumandcoke
Have you ever wondered why clothing brands only use smaller models to promote clothes? It’s no secret that the fashion industry favors a specific body type over all others, which is why it’s remarkably refreshing to see what Rum + Coke is doing. The fashion brand decided to only hire plus-size models to promote the clothes.
So why did designer Courtney Smith decide to use plus-size models in her photo shoots? She told Refinery 29 the following:
“I put women of color and ‘larger’ women in my photo shoots for many reasons. One, because I believe in the multiplicity of beauty, and two, there are so many women who seldom see women who look like them in advertisements.”
This is more than just a ploy to be different, however. Consider that, as Cosmo reports, most brands choose smaller models – even when advertising plus-size clothing! The pictures from Rum + Coke don’t just work because the clothes are beautiful (they are) or because the models are attractive (also true); it’s because the clothes are shown on the women who would actually wear them in real life.
Smith also told Refinery 29 that she wants women “to be their most beautiful selves.” She’s working to battle all the negative messages that women hear: “You’re not thin enough, you’re not young enough, you’re not light enough.”
Instead of peddling the belief that women “are inadequate unless they change something about themselves or purchase this or that,” Rum + Coke aspires to send a different type of message: “You, woman, are enough. [Women] are beautiful in whatever package they come in.”
Want more good news? The brand offers their clothing in sizes small through 3X. If you want to support Rum + Coke, you can shop the brand’s products here.
article by claire biggs via act.mtv.com

Former Star Center Jason Brown Trades NFL Career for Tractor to Help Feed Needy

By goodblacknews on November 23, 2014

en1114hartman.jpg
Former NFL Player Jason Brown tends to his fields in Louisburg, N.C. (CBS NEWS)

LOUISBURG, N.C. – At one point number 60, Jason Brown, was one of the best centers in the NFL. At one point he had a five-year, $37 million contract with the St. Louis Rams.  And at one point he decided it was all meaningless – and just walked away from football.
“My agent told me, ‘You’re making the biggest mistake of your life,'” said Brown. “And I looked right back at him and I said, ‘No I’m not. No I’m not.'”
So what could possibly trump the NFL?

103848562.jpg
Jason Brown gets ready for a play against the New England Patriots in 2010. (ELSA, GETTY IMAGES)You wouldn’t believe. 

Jason Brown quit football to be a plain, old farmer — even though he’d never farmed a day a in his life.
Asked how he learned to even know what to do, Brown said:
“Get on the Internet. Watch YouTube videos.”
He learned how to farm from YouTube.  Thanks to YouTube and some good advice from other farmers here in Louisburg, N.C., this week Jason finished harvesting his first, a five-acre plot of sweet potatoes.
“When you see them pop up out of the ground, man, it’s the most beautiful thing you could ever see,” said Brown. He said he has never felt more successful.
“Not in man’s standards,” said Brown. “But in God’s eyes.”
But God cares about the NFL, right? There are people praying to him on the field all the time. “Yeah, there’s a lot of people praying out there,” said Brown. “But, when I think about a life of greatness, I think about a life of service.”
See, his plan for this farm, which he calls “First Fruits Farm,” is to donate the first fruits of every harvest to food pantries. Today it’s all five acres–100,000 pounds–of sweet potatoes.  “It’s unusual for a grower to grow a crop just to give away,” said Rebecca Page, who organizes food collection for the needy. “And that’s what Jason has done. And he’s planning to do more next year.”
Brown has 1,000 acres here, which could go a long way toward eliminating hunger in this neck of North Carolina.  “Love is the most wonderful currency that you can give anyone,” said Brown.
To see video of this story, click here.
article by Steve Hartman via cbsnews.com

Black-Owned Food Trucks Give New Meaning to Meals on Wheels

By goodblacknews on November 21, 2014
img_0163
Nnamdi J. Nwaneri and Na’Im Moses (ADEDAYO KOSOKO OF QUEENS CHAPEL CREATIVE AGENCY)
Once a month from April through October, in a vacant Washington D.C., lot near the famed Nationals Park, about 20 food trucks convene for an evening of music, food and dancing. Hundreds of D.C. locals have the opportunity to purchase everything from lobster rolls to Korean tacos, from homemade ice cream to gourmet hot dogs.
One thing you quickly notice while trying to figure out which 20-minute line to endure for your next culinary experience is the demographics of the food-truck owners. Food trucks have become a big business—some may even refer to them as the next big thing in culinary fads—but if you’re attempting to find food trucks owned by black people, it’s similar to seeking the figurative needle in a haystack.
But not impossible.
Nnamdi J. Nwaneri is one of the owners of NeatMeatDC, and his food truck is one of the few black-owned trucks in the D.C. area. NeatMeatDC started in 2007, when Nwarneri teamed up with his Howard University law school classmate Na’Im Moses. The two men realized they had similar goals outside the law profession.
You’d be mistaken if you thought NeatMeatDC served your average sloppy joe sandwich. With a menu that includes such masterpieces as a pulled spiced pork joe in a cerveza chipotle sauce, it’ll make you think twice about pulling a Manwich can from your local grocery store’s shelf.
When asked why he wanted to start a food truck, Nwaneri waxed poetic about his intentions. “‘A lawyer’s either a social engineer or he’s a parasite on society’ is a quote from Charles Hamilton Houston. We reference this quote many times, as it is interconnected to our legal education as well as our life’s mission. We believe that creating a viable business allows us to become social engineers to benefit ourselves, our friends and families, and, most importantly, our society,” Nwaneri says.
It’s this enterprising spirit that has motivated other black food-truck owners, too. But starting out in the food-truck business isn’t something that can be done overnight. The NeatMeatDC team took 18 months from conception to launch, and it’s still a growing endeavor.

Pharrell Williams’ New Adidas Campaign Is All About Equality 

By goodblacknews on November 14, 2014
(Getty Images)

Pharrell Williams is spreading positivity everywhere he goes: from his infectious summer anthem “Happy” to encouraging young artists on NBC’s “The Voice”, to helping get recyclables out of the sea with Raw for the Oceans, Pharrell is continuing his upbeat trend with his current collaboration with Adidas.

Skateboard P decided to use his platform for a good cause and created a conceptual campaign on equality. When you first see the branding for it–which shows an equal sign above Pharrell’s name and the Adidas logo next to it–you might think that just means Pharrell is Adidas, and you wouldn’t be too far off. Over the past year, P has been a walking billboard for the retailer wearing it everywhere, including his infamous Grammys outfit.

PARENTING: Five Ways to Teach Your Kids About Giving Back

By goodblacknews on November 9, 2014
Black Family
(PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)

It’s not uncommon to see a child stop when they see another child crying and ask “why is he crying” and even go as far as to offer a toy or hug to help. Or for my own kids to offer to feed me if I say I’m hungry or for them to say “mommy are you okay?” if I stumble, get hurt or have an accident.

Children are inherently full of love and enjoy helping those around them, but if we also want our kids to become caring, compassionate and charitable adults, then we have to teach it to them.  We have to teach them that caring about others is good and that it’s good to help those in need.
From hunger, to homelessness, to cancer research, the world is in desperate need of charitable people. But teaching your child to give to others is not only good for the world, it’s also good for your child. In research recently published by Harvard Business School, giving to others promotes happiness, enhances your sense of purpose and increases your satisfaction with life.
So teaching your child to be charitable is good all the way around – for the world and for your child.
Five simple ways to teach your child about charity today:
1. Start a “giving bank.” A “giving” bank is a piggy bank that the whole family contributes to and when the bank is full, the money is donated to a specific charity. Doing this makes giving a family activity and makes it more fun for your child. It’s also a great way for parents to model giving to their children and for you to practice what you preach.
2. Choose a different charity every year and encourage your child to learn about it. From the flood victims of Kashmir, to families in our own communities who need clothes and furniture for their kids, there are many different people in this world who need help. By focusing your giving on a different group every year, you’re providing your child with a wonderful educational opportunity to learn about the many different causes and struggles worldwide. Choosing different people annually will also show your child that everyone with a need is equally deserving of our compassion.
3. Make giving a holiday tradition. Have your child pick out a toy and donate it to child in need this Christmas holiday. There’s no better way to make the act of giving more emotionally satisfying than to put a smile on a child’s face. It might help you to start a new holiday tradition.
4. Give through your child’s school. From food drives to clothing drives, take advantage of any charity events run by your child’s school. Getting involved through your child’s school will enhance your child’s sense of community at his or her school while teaching them about the value of helping others. If your child’s school doesn’t do charity programs, take the initiative and have your child start one.
5. Make birthdays a time for receiving and giving.  Encourage your child to give away old toys that are in good condition every birthday when your child receives new toys. It will help families in need, teach your child about giving and help you to de-clutter. So it’s a win-win for everyone. To help you get started. There are many organizations that will accept your toy donations. Some of them include Room to Grow for New York residents, Goodwill, Toys for Tots and Second Chance Toys. You can also contact local family shelters in your area and ask them if they need donations. So get to it. Happy teaching and happy giving.
article by Notoya Green via essence.com

LisaRaye McCoy & Red Pro Launch the "LisaRaye Diamond Flatiron" in NYC

By goodblacknews on November 7, 2014

image029
LisaRaye McCoy (“Single Ladies”, “All of Us”, “The Player’s Club”) has teamed up with hair care company Red Pro Products and recently launched the eponymous “LisaRaye Celebrity Flat Iron”, the first in a series of  “Diamond Collection” styling tools.
2014-09-24 16.18.05McCoy kicked off the product’s introduction in New York, where she visited a salon in Harlem, did interviews with Vlogger contest winners “Glamfun” from Boston and “ChinaCandyCouture” from Atlanta (see their competition videos and interviews at www.youtube.com/glamfun and www.youtube.com/chinacandycouture) and partied at the Cove Lounge with Monifah of “R&B Divas,” Jamie Foster Brown of “Sister to Sister” Magazine, several other celebrities, stylists and fans.
Although infused with crushed diamonds and branded with a celebrity name, LisaRaye, not unlike Halle Berry with her Scandale Paris line for Target, wanted to create a top-quality product accessible to women in all income brackets.
“I wanted to create an awesome, professional grade flatiron that was affordable for the everyday consumer,” McCoy said. “Everyone wants to have beautiful, healthy hair, but can’t necessarily afford to go the salon every week. My flatiron solves that problem.”
The LisaRaye Flat Iron Facts:

  • Crushed diamonds are infused into the plates, which create an extra smooth surface with consistent heating, allowing styling with a finished look without the use of product.
  • Consistent heating helps prevent damage to the hair when styling, and results in a smoother, shinier, healthier head of hair.
  • Quick heat up and recovery, and variable temperature settings (up to 460 degrees)
  • Package includes hair clips, a heat-resistant comb and carrying pouch for travel
  • The flatiron is also designed for styling and curling, as well as straightening.

To learn even more about the Diamond Plated Flatiron and where to get it, click here.
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (follow @lakinhutcherson)

Halle Berry Teams Up With Scandale Paris to Create Fashionable, Afforable Lingerie

By goodblacknews on November 2, 2014
Halle Berry unveils ’Scandale Paris’ at Laduree Soho in New York City.
(PHOTO CREDIT: KEVIN MAZUR/GETTY IMAGES FOR SCANDALE PARIS)

Interview by Yolanda Sangweni via Essence.com

Halle Berry has been the face for many luxury labels (remember those Versace ads?), but now the actress is branching off into a fashion venture of her own. The lingerie lover is teaming up with 80-year-old French intimates brand Scandale Paris for a 10-piece capsule collection ranging from $7 for underwear to $18 for bras. Tres cheap, no? The best part is that the line is available at Target, or shall we say –– Tarjay. Let Halle, the new Scandale co-owner, tell you herself.

ESSENCE.com: Why Target? It’s very affordable.  It’s for the everyday woman. Why that brand?
HALLE BERRY: That’s why, because I have over the years liked some amazing pieces of lingerie.  They were a small fortune, and most of them given to me because I refuse to pay $200 for a bra, but companies have sent them to me and I’ve enjoyed them.  I thought this is great that somebody sent to me, but can real women really go and spend $200 on one bra?  It never quite made sense.
But I love lingerie, and like I said in the top, I have friends that wear the same $200 bra until it falls apart, and I thought something’s not right here.  If you can partner with Target, and you manufacture with La Perla because he knows how to do it, if he can make a quality product and we can sell it for $16 at Target, and it’s something that’s on the level of any great product, it’s not going to fall apart, that’s quality, and I thought that’s a win for us and it’s a win for the consumer because they can have a collection of bras now.  You don’t have to wear one until it falls apart, you can wear a different one everyday and you haven’t broken your bank.
That for me was really important to offer that to women.
ESSENCE.com: Is this only going to be sold at Target?
BERRY: It’s only going to be sold in Target, it’s just we’re starting sort of small with our signature collection, and then we’re going to roll it out.  We’re starting in some of their bigger stores to launch, and then we’ll go out into all the smaller stores with more.  As we’ll roll into the spring with a whole spring line that’s a different colorway than these colors are.  Then we’ll have a different collection for summer, then a different collection for fall.  Then we’ll go in with different styles then what’s standing, trying to be seasonal at the same time.
ESSENCE.com: Was this lingerie line developed at home?
BERRY: Yes.  Being married to him, honestly, he has held me to a standard because he’s from there (Paris) and so he’s very picky about, you know, if I don’t have on something quite right he’s like, “What’s this?” Okay. It’s that time of the month so I chose some red.  In three days, I’ll be back.  He holds me to it, and that’s nice.  It’s nice to have a man that notices and cares.
ESSENCE.com: And appreciates it.
BERRY: …and appreciates it, yes, and appreciates it.
ESSENCE.com: Will Molly Woods be wearing Scandale next season?