The World is yours...

Did anyone watch the 2007 Miss Universe last night? We didn’t, but we hear that the show had plenty of drama. Too bad.

Here’s what went down:

During the evening gown competition, Miss USA, Rachel Smith, slipped and fell on her behind and was later booed by Mexicans because of U.S.’s stand on illegal immigrants; Miss Sweden, Isabel Lestapier Winqvist, left the pageant after her country complained that it degrades women (why would they let her get that far in the first place if they didn’t agree?); the officials made Miss Mexico change her regional dress outfit after her original dress, which was decorated with brutal images of rebels in a 1920’s religious revolution being hanged or shot… um, that just sounds like it looks a hot mess AND scary! Protesters really got rowdy by wearing white dresses splashed with fake blood and sashes proclaiming "Miss Juarez", "Miss Atenco" and "Miss Michoacan" to draw attention to places in Mexico where women were killed or sexual abused.

Apparently, people were surprised at Miss Jamaica, the contest's first ‘Rastafarian’ (as per The Province

www.canda.com - do they really know if she practices or that she just wears locks??) and at Miss Tanzania rocking a baldhead. These Girlfriends simply chose not to have their hair fried, dyed and laid to the side.

Happily enough, Miss Japan Rioy Mori became the 56th winner. Her grandmother told her that she just wanted her to win Miss Japan. And look her, going all the way! This is the second time in the 50+ year history of the pageant that Japan won. The first winner (Akiko Kojima) was in 1959. Kudos to them! The majority of winners have been from a Spanish speaking country. At any rate, all races are beautiful. We love you all.

Until next time… be happy in your skin AND…

Be Seen at the Top!

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Look Who's on the Scene...

Last night we attend the Sol Village music showcase hosted by songster Eric Roberson at Sounds of Brazil (SOBs) in New York. We just wanted to check out the local talent and see what’s good. Well, there was good, bad and ugly as to be expected. At one point I found myself imitating Eddie Griffin's Sexual Chocolate because some acts were just good-n-terrible. Pleasantly enough, the lovely Deemi was brought to the stage. Now we first heard about her through Khalid Salaam (writer extraordinaire). He had to review her album and gave it a decent thumb up. Deemi reminds us of an old-skhool, light-skinned, Mary J. Blige. Really just based off the looks. The girl can sing so we were please. Below is the video to her album title track Soundtrack of My Life.



Another act that caught our attention was Marcell & The Truth from Baltimore. Marcell is a big man, but girl he could move. He said he was a preacher for the past 7 years but realized that that was not his calling…. Interesting. But whatever, he could saang. (Look at him, doesn't he look like a preacher. He wore jeans on the bottom.) He had one backup singer and she killed it. Big up to all the backup singers out there. It is very important for you to hold it down. People really are paying attention so don’t look a hot mess!

The show was short and sweet 7:30-10:30pm –geez, I guess it wasn’t so short. Afterwards people passed out flyers and whatnot for their artists and future shows. To our surprise, Jean Baylor (Zhané) is back on the scene. Maybe we’re under a rock, but who knew? Her new album is Testimony: My Life Story. Everyone’s got a story to tell, don’t they? We did a little research and found an interview. Check it out if you have time. It is a long one.




Until next time…
Be Seen at the Top!


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Steve Madden Design Competition!

Alright designers, come on with it! You know the crew at Tinalee Media has a jones for some shoes. Show us what your are working with... well actually, you will need to show Steve Madden. You have the chance to design a fall or holiday style shoe. It will be sold online and in the stores. The competition ends on June 11th, so if you are serious, pull out those sketches and get a move on it. Click here for more details.

Be Seen at the Top!

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Back from Jamaica

Yes, ladies... we are back. Last week we were in Jamaica living it up with 100 recent college graduates (view the March 1st posting). We were holding it down for the Stay Strong Foundation (Terrie Williams) and Recycling Inspiration (Xavier Artis). Chile, the week was wonderful; sun, fun, drinks and tons of emotion. Don't get me wrong, we were grinding (photo taglines, student travel arrangements, celebrity room assignments, celebrity interview arrangements and the hole 9... and then some) but the week offered an awesome chance to get away.

The trip was Jamaica 360, the first annual one actually. It was designed to celebrate the acheivements of recent college graduates. The headliners were Doug E. Fresh and Eddie Griffin (he donated $150k to the cause). Other notables were, well of course author, motivational speaker and public relations genious Terrie Williams, Susan Taylor (Essence Magazine, Essence Cares), old school rapper Dana Dane, Sean Paul (ended up being a no-show), Spragga Benz (ripped the reggae show) and others. The event was all in the Jamaican media and was covered by US media as well, including Access Hollywood.

I (Bettina) personally had to recharge and regroup. Terrie's workshop left everyone's emotions on the floor. You know Essence wrote an article about her battle with depression? She didn't hold back. Terrie opened up that can and girl, let me tell you, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Students came up to the mic sharing stories of how they and/or their families depression dealt with depression. Black people don't really deal with that subject. We usually say "Oh, you'll be alright, just pray on it. Go to church. You need Jesus." While that is fine and good, it isn't the only thing you can do. Terrie has a book due out this fall entitled Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We're Not Hurting. When I get more details of the actual drop date, we will let you know.

Susan Taylor's workshop had us thinking. She talked about relationships and just plain life. Girlfriend had me thinking. Those of you who know me personally know of the Tabari saga (which has just ended as of Sunday) but we all have some sort of saga in our lives. We need to recharge. Get your mind right. Do for you for a change. Go to Jamaica, and if you can't afford that then take a hot bath, light some candles and zone out to Floetry/Jill Scott/Kindred/Yolanda Adams or whoever else takes you to your place of solitude.

Until next time my dears...

Be Seen at the Top!

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Kenneth Cole and the NYC AIDS Walk

Why not? It's for an awesome cause! Shopping, cocktails and hors d' oeuvres all in support of the New York City AIDS Walk.


When: Tuesday, May 15th

Time: 6:30-8:30pm

Where: Kenneth Cole New York, Rockefeller Center - 6101 Fifth Avenue

RSVP: (866) 583-8607 **It says by May 10th, but since they sent out the information late, I'm sure they are still taking shoppers/donations.


Until next time...
Be Seen at the Top!

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Music and a Movie

This week has been a whirlwind of activity. While trying to prepare for next weeks’ Jamaica 360 trip with Recycling Inspiration and The Terrie Williams Agency (see the March post) Tinalee Media & Events (TME) had to take care of a few things. Here is a recap:

Tuesday, May 8
Took client Amos Winbush (see April posting re: Amos Winbush Showcase) and guest Trey Lorenz around town. Amos is a very talented vocalist, Kobalt Music Publishing signed songwriter and younger cousin of R&B singer/producer/songwriter Angela Winbush. We took him to Disturbing Tha Peace’s Bobby Valentino “Special Occasion” release party. We got there early to avoid craziness and were soon smothered with people. After the major photo opps were handled I left early to avoid the shenanigans and let Amos and Trey Lorenz (I’ll Be There duet with Mariah Carey on her Charmbracelet tour) party and B.S. with the peoples.

Wednesday, May 9
TME screening the Focus Features film Talk to Me starring Don Cheadle and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Supporting actors include: Cedric the Entertainer, Taraji P. Henson, Mike Epps, Vondie Curtis Hall and Martin Sheen. In the movie, Don Cheadle portrays the real-life Ralph Waldo “Petey” Greene Jr. an ex-con DJ who talks his way into becoming a radio personality on the white-owned WOL-AM and ends up being a hometown hero for the black community because of his “tell it like it is” approach to life. It is set in the mid-to-late 1960’s in Washington, D.C. At one point in the film touched on the D.C. race riots after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. died. The footage was moving.



The cursing was a bit much, but I got over it. Taraji's character could have been developed a bit more. She played Vernell Watson, Petey’s irrepressible tempestuous girlfriend. Chile, she caught Petey in the bed, mid-pump, with another woman and didn’t kill him. That is strength. I tell you.
While it did have strong black righteousness overtones, it is really a movie about a man, a miscreant, and a DJ. Go see it in July when it is released. I bet the soundtrack is hot: Sam Cook, James Brown, and other soulsters.

Despues, we took Amos to the Amy Weinhouse “Fade to Black” Gold Celebration. Boring. It was packed, but we just weren’t feeling it. Maybe it was the crowd, perhaps the music. Amy did come, but we didn’t see her. As per Wendy Williams (Girlfriend in my mind) Amy literally stumbled in at the end of the party, (high off of something) stayed for 4 minutes and then left. Who knows, we didn’t see her, but Tia Walker, The Quest for “it” confirmed her appearance. We did see Keenyah Hill, America’s Next Top Model Cycle 4. She was with her Ikon Model Management agent and looked lovely as ever… and skinny! Work it, Girl.

Thursday, May 9
Kevin Powell’s (activist, Real World cast member – he got into an altercation with Tammie) Birthday party. It was the same time as the showcase. L Couldn’t attend, but we sent our love.

TVT Records had a soul music showcase with Keke Wyatt and Teedra Moses. Okay, so it said 7-11pm. We figured it would start somewhere around 8:30ish. NO. It started at 10ish. Fine, it started. Keke was up first. She looked great – grew out her hair, lost some weight, skin looked nice- and sounded even better. The chile sang 2 ½ songs. None were new. Hmm, a bit confusing since it was supposed to be a SHOWCASE! At any rate, Teedra rocked the house with a live band while screaming at the music controllers to fix her ‘protools’. I had to dodge in and out to see if Trey Lorenz was caught up at the door. Everyone had a goodtime. They did not have an open bar, but the way people were throwing them back, you sho-nuff couldn’t tell. Fat girls dancing sideways and parting the Red Sea, industry cats pushing past as if they forgot the manners their Momma taught them, and singer/songwriter ‘networking’ (aka. hustling) to make sure you know who they are and that they are the next big thing… Good times, good times.

Until next time…
Be Seen at the Top!

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Friends, how many of us have them?

If grew up in the 80’s you remember that song. ‘Friends… ones we can depend on.’ Go-on ahead and sing it with me. Lol. A friend once told me, “In order to have friends, you must be a friend.” Her voice has stuck with me, even through my hard-headed times of thinking that I can ‘do this by myself.’ And recently, she had to check me. Girl, it was hard to hear. Me. The founder of Girlfriends Get-Together being… unfriendly?!? Well, yes, we all have to be checked sometimes. We get caught up in our lives: appointments, men, job, church, sorority, and did I say men?

Friends are a joyous thing. They can make you laugh, cry, scream, shout and advise you on how your tits look in that shirt. ‘Chile, please. Don’t get that. You look like a $2…” Or my personal motto “Never look into the eyes of a beast.” (That’s when you look at a beast of a guy/person and they inturn look at you, thinking that you are interested in them and proceed to talk your head off or trap you in some sort of vicious dialogue. All the while you are thinking to yourself “Damn, I should have just looked the other way.”) Cherish these friends. Write them a letter (remember how to use a pen, paper and that thing called a stamp?) Call them when you are thinking about them, even if it’s just for a second.

But on the flip side, we have those “friends” that stuck you dry. Those that play the victim, who are needy, who don’t understand that you have a life too and they aren’t the only one who needs a shoulder to cry on. These can be difficult situations as well. But, be strong and deal with them accordingly. At some point in your life, you will need to do a self-assessment. Remember when we did those in grammar and high school to determine whom we would truly be when we grew up? Or when you sorta-kinda like a guy, but feel the need to write out the Pros & Cons list? Well, do this with your “friends.” Yeah, girl, I know; it will be hard. But in the end, you are doing what’s best for you and preserving your mental sanity.

Not that you didn’t know this already, but sometimes, we need another kick in the bumm.

*Pictures were taken at the GGT Washington, D.C. launch event @ Napoleon.

Until next time…
Be Seen at the Top!

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Ben Sherman Sample Sale

Ben Sherman & Evisu Genes Sample Sale

Date:
Tuesday, May 15th - Friday May 18th

Hours:
Tuesday & Thursday: 10-6:45
Wednesday & Friday: 10-5:45

Location:
261 West 36th Street - 2nd Floor
(Btwn 7th & 8th Aves)

Phone:
(212) 947-8748


Enjoy!

Until next time...
Be Seen at the Top!