Downtown and a Movie, Sept 18, 2009
August 14, 2009
A new downtown movie series presented by Downtown Magazine, Saint Arnold Brewing Company and other community partners. Houston Young Professionals for the Arts (HYPA) sponsors this funny film adaption starring Parker Posey.
HYPA members will enjoy movie goodies and event is open to the public.
About House of Yes
Features Parker Posey, Freddie Prinze, Jr., Rachael Leigh Cook, Tori Spelling, Josh Hamilton
Sweet young Marty brings his ingenuous doughnut-shop waitress girlfriend, Lesly, home to meet his family at their opulent Washington D.C. mansion. But the Turkey Day goings-on are considerably less than wholesome, as Lesly discovers the moment she meets Marty’s decidedly dysfunctional family, including his asylum-reject twin sister, Jackie-O, whose hobbies include incest and reenacting the JFK assassination with prop blood and her brother as victim. Though a smash at the predominantly independent Sundance Film Festival, this effort was bankrolled by Spelling’s sitcom magnate dad, Aaron. Based on the eponymous stage play by Wendy MacLeod.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Time:
7:30pm – 9:30pm
Location:
Discovery Green (Anheuser-Busch Stage and Fondren Performance Space)
Street:
1500 McKinney
City/Town:
Houston, TX
Melody Ehsani
August 7, 2009
There are designers known for trends, and designers known for statements. Melody Ehsani is definitely using her medium to make a statement. Her shoes and accessories bring out the inner glamrockdiva in all of us, judging by her clientele. Erykah Badu and Rhianna are known for their risk-taking eye for style, but none of that could be possible without the eclectic designs of Melody Ehsani. A native Los Angelino, Ehsani infuses her Persian roots and eye for design to create pieces that will be trendy enough to make her rich, and stylish enough to define an era. Hollywood Cole stopped the busy fashion designer to get the latest:
BLVD: Thanks for taking time to talk to us. What have you been up too lately Miss Busy Body? Have you been to many concerts, fashion shows, or done much traveling?
Melody Ehsani: Yes, all of the above. I love the summer, all the shows are in town. Just went to Cirque Berzerke which is an offshoot of Cirque Du Soleil, very inspiring.
BLVD: We see you’ve been working on a new collection, is there a name for it? Where did the inspiration generate?
M.E.: I don’t really name my jewelry collections, I’m constantly working on new designs, but the inspiration stemmed very much from nature, animal totems, rock n’ roll and sacred geometry.
BLVD: Do you have themes for your collections?
M.E.: Each collection naturally has a theme. I never decide on a theme and then work it out, it usually works the opposite way for me. I’ll create a bunch of pieces and after I’m done, I see what the most dominant thread of inspiration came from.
BLVD: What have you been most excited about as far as your company? Who is your muse (do you have one)?
ME: Im excited most about just having the opportunity to do what I do. People may look at it as just fashion, but its much deeper than that. I get to use fashion as a vehicle to do whatever I want in the world. Its a great service opportunity.
I dont have a muse. Sometimes, I’ll call on souls that have passed to the next world for assistance or inspiration.
BLVD: How old were you when you began collecting art, and what was your first piece?
M.E.: The first one I can remember was in the third grade. I invented / created a pair of earrings that were also secret headphones. So that you could inconspicuously listen to music and still look chic. I pitched it at my show-and-tell in class.
BLVD: As a young girl, what inspired your creativity?
M.E.: Music videos were a huge source of creative energy for me, but we NEVER had cable growing up, so Music award shows were what I lived for. The Billboard Awards, World Music Awards, Grammys, MTV awards; I loved all the performances. I also loved the show “In Living Color” because it was felt very fun and authentic. It seemed effortless to me, I loved that.
BLVD: Do you feel the pressure to outdo what you’ve done previously?
M.E.: I don’t know if I feel like I need to outdo myself. I feel like I did everything at once. So because I did it all, I’ve been allowing it to play out its course and learning how to not over think it. During this process I’ve learned a lot and am now ready to come with it again. And because I’ve grown I know that anything I make now will be different and more evolved than before.
BLVD: Who was your first celebrity star who rocked your designs?
ME: Erykah Badu
BLVD: You say your parents wanted you to have a more corporate/professional career. How do your parents feel about your new found success? You’re Persian, how do your culture and childhood experiences play into your creativity?
M.E.: Of course now they’ve come around to accepting me only because at this point I’ve accomplished some measure of “success” according to what “success” looks like to them. I think culture is very complex in general. I can say that it does play into my creativity on some subconscious and conscious level. I think that breaking with old cultural myths is actually where I learned the most.
BLVD: Where do you work on your collection? Do you have a dream team of stylists and artist you work with?
M.E.: We have a studio space that we work out of. I do have a dream team of stylists that I work with. Some of them are my closest friends outside of work. I’m also blessed in my day to day to have a great team that is an integral part of building on the Melody Ehnsani Vision.
BLVD: Other than your website, where can we purchase your pieces? Any stores online or store fronts?
M.E.: Online you can visit www.karmaloop.com . If you’re in Los Angeles you can visit Traffic Boutique. Both those sites carry the entire collection. Our items are carried at a number of retailers across the U.S., Japan and Europe.”
BLVD: Do you ever plan to visit Houston, Texas?
M.E.: Yes, Id love to! I have a lot of friends from Houston that I love.
blog: www.melodyseesyou.com
Snake in The Grass
August 7, 2009
Aawww Dammn!
Bob Fosse (June 23, 1927 – September 23, 1987) performed a memorable song and dance number in Stanley Donen’s 1974 film version of The Little Prince.
Was Bob Fosse’s 1974 ”Snake in The Grass” character an influence to a certain special someone? Sssssssseeeeee for yourself.
Makes you wonder!
Classic Face
August 7, 2009
One of the hottest looks this season is the Rhianna palette. Angela, a make-up artist with Nieman’s, gives some tips on how to achieve the look:
The best way to create Rhianna’s look is to keep it very matte. Get the face ultra matte with oil control skincare and good powder, and then do a soft cheek with a bronzer. To achieve a bold lip go for MAC’s Russian Red or Viva Glam and a good liner from MAC. Stay away from gloss on the lips for this look. a gel or liquid liner on the eye in black will make eyes sultry. Be sure the line on the upper lid is very precise and brought out in the corner almost cat-like, but not too much. Eye shadow should be very subtle if any and matte like a beige or skin tone. If its shimmery then only apply a slight shimmer. Its more appropriate than other looks of the moment, so when you head out make sure to pair the look for when you have on your sophisticated outfit for the office, or solid colors. The Rhianna look is not so hot with prints and busy outfits. It’s a simple look that is derived from the flapper and pin up girls. That Marilyn Monroes and Audrey Hepburn look is so simple, classy and sexy.
Special Shout Out to Angela Bartel for the Beauty Advice!
If You’re Not Here to Perform, Keep Yo Ass at Home
August 6, 2009
Well fuck you too lame dudes from San Bernardino who got no respect from the “H”!
Next up Bobby Ray, aka B.O.B stepped up to the bitter but sweet challenge of moving the Texas crowd with his high energy set mixed with a live guitar solo, a solid acapella flow about “crappy rap,” and the blessing of Bun B. Other than Bun’s obvious excitement for the newcomer with flip camera in hand, the crowd was really feeling the dude. With his two female background singers, he brought the essence of a Bob Marley festival with a southern twang. His excitement for music was refreshing and it was obvious he was comfortable on the stage.
B.O.B
Despite the lack of radio play, he’s not a no-name. Bobby Ray has been featured on the cover of XXL and Vibe as a promising newcomer with the likes of Wale and Asher Roth. He also has the ok from the big boss T.I being signed with Grand Hustle. So yeah that’s all sweet. The bitter fact is that he gave a huge shout out to Austin, Texas in the city of Houston. We hate shitty, irresponsible mistakes and we’ll show it. This city barely gives non-radio heavy hitters a chance. Of course, Houston did what Houston does best, we booed and booed some more just in case he didn’t hear it. But Bobby Ray stuck to his guns and killed the nonsense with his talent — and talent can never be denied.
Act three was Asher Roth and friends. A pale blue-eyed dirty blond graced us with his presence as he rode his toy Cadillac scooter onto the stage. With a hype man, a drummer, a lion mascot and DJ on stage; Asher partied like it was the last day of school.
Asher Roth
He’s slick for a white dude. You either go hard or go home as a rapper regardless of race and he is definitely in this game to win it. Folks compare him to Eminem, which is way off. If one had to compare him to a non black rapper it should be a group, The Beastie Boys. He’s like the little brother who just wants to get put on. He gave so much energy that his shirt was soaked with sweat and water breaks were his relief as the crowd cheered him on. He had full control of his entire set.
Asher allowed his drummer and DJ to show their skills with solos, and he gave the crowd what they wanted — a show. To compare him to a character in college, I would call him the white guy who was up for the challenge to dance with the black chicks at the party. The one who had the basic rhythm, just enough to keep from getting cracked on. He’s slowly making his name relevant to the dominate black music genre with smart lyrics, bold lines like “I like boobies like you like nuts, Lets get together and make them touch.” His performance is a mix of comedy and Animal House all on one stage. Bun B, one of the elder statesman of the Southern Hip Hop game, was visibly feeling him. He had the groupies backstage jumping and he allowed his female fans to dance on stage as they snapped photos to brag on Facebook. Smart marketing.
So what about the nappy headed hoes twitter comment? Who cares? He apologized. Black girls were on that stage and filled HOB, and they loved him — end of story. As he exits, he gives the crowd some well taken advice, “Stay outta trouble, smoke weed everyday.”
Kid Cudi
The superstar genius we know as Kid Cudi started at 10:40 p.m. The crowd chants his name Cuuddi, Cuuddi, Cuuddi, Cuuddi. The stage goes black. All dramatic and shit to the fullest. And there he was, the man of the hour, alone, in his rock start stance, silohoutte in full glow from all the flashy lights. The fans are really hype now. As the drama builds, the energy of the House of Blues was electric.
He went through a list of songs. It was an odd performance because his lyrics are thought provoking and it was hard to fully get into it. With the drama of the show, he couldn’t give the excitement the crowd was exposed to previously. His performance was just him, no hype man, no background singer, drummers –just his DJ, and even that dude was in the dark. Fuck it, we were all in the dark. Other than the lights you could barely see or understand what was going on. We knew we were supposed to feel excited, this Kanye protégé has been the most talked about artist next to Drake, and he seems to be more respected, but damn, give us a little more crowd artist participation.
He was saved by “Poker Face,” a final escape from all the melancholy. Act like you wanna be here Damn it! So there were some interesting moments, he did an acapella sting. His voice was soothing and clear, the first time I could here him clearly. Because of his mysteriousness, women will swoon as long as he doesn’t get all Lady Ga Ga on us.
Lord please save him from being a Diva.
Finally, he performs “Day N’ Night,” his last song. That’s what everyone waited for but due to the lack of energy from the crowd, concert goers made a pre-exit to their cars. It was late and folks were ready to either party or go home.
Photo Cred: Travis Bankett, tbankett.webs.com
Those Who Create Are Rare
August 5, 2009
Those who create are rare; those who cannot are numerous. Therefore, the latter are stronger.- CoCo Chanel
Shuffling through the crowd of a fashion show on Montrose, I bumped into a young lady that I’d met before at a past event. JeyFree caught my attention with her carefree style of dress, small barbell nose ring, huge circular ornate earrings, and of course her mutual feeling of discontent of the late, humid, and unorganized show we were both attending. After a brief conversation over beer, and exchange of numbers I was able to schedule some one-on-one girl talk with this Bronx, New York native.
Upon arriving to her humble and eclectic apartment she mentioned she was in transition to move yet again to Chicago. As I checked out her place, her dining room wall, a collection of inspiration from clippings of magazines, art, and pop icons was a montage of art itself. We casually sipped Kool-Aid as we talked about music, Kenya, and the need for unity between females.
“What are you running away from?” I asked.
“Spiritually I feel that I belong in Chicago right now. I have an opportunity to do some marketing with my new line and I have some friends out there….I plan to come back, eventually.”
Not at all surprised by the excitement in her voice and her willingness to leave Houston in pursuit of her dreams, she began to explain a life changing trip to Nairobi, Kenya a week prior. Jey’s love for people and the quest to get an understanding of the history of African art lead her to work for the Go Down Art Center in Nairobi, where she assisted in art workshops and AIDS awareness. Witnessing the strength of the women and their laborious work load left her feeling proud of her heritage and thankful she’s American.
Jey’s pieces reflect that sense of self awareness she found so inspiring in the shanti towns in Nairobi, Kenya. Her pieces are unique and fun to wear. She’s definitely aware of color theory and she takes the time to handcraft each piece with canvas and acrylic paint. Most pieces have a common theme of Africa, female empowerment and color. What’s more satisfying is her ornate earrings are not heavy on the ear. “I’m not into trends, I want my pieces to speak for the consumer and for themselves,” she said.
It’s true, her ear candies are hanging on her wall, and you could imagine hundreds of these circular canvases all together, along with her wall o’ cool stuff, her accessories definitely have something to say.
JeyFree, birth name Jana Freeman, attended Mariste College in New York and tried a stint at Texas Southern University’s Liberal Arts program.
“I didn’t graduate from college. I guess you can call me a drop out but I continue to educate myself,” she casually mentions.
A child of diversity, her mother’s biracial and father a native of Trinidad, she fell in love with art at the adult age of 20. How she discovered her craft is straight out of every girl’s personal necessity to accessorize an outfit on a night out.
“I didn’t have any jewelry to wear and there was nothing original to buy at a store,” she said. “I paint therapeutically, so I decided to give it a try with earrings.”
A blessing upon her many talents, she decided to step out on faith and in her New York way of hustling sh
e opened up shop with a table and 20 handcrafted pieces of her now famed earrings in Uptown Tapas on Richmond. “I had a feeling they would sale well,” she said. “Not too many people hustle jewelry at lounges and clubs.”
Jeyfree’s a definite flower child. She’s a huge music fan of Chrisette Michelle, Erykah Badu and Solange Knowles. Her muse is her cool and introverted sister Amber and she describes herself as a “Freedom Fighter.”
With the last name Freeman, it’s a birthright. What’s it looking like for JeyFREE’s future? She plans to open a museum style gallery of accessories where people can purchase and experience her finds from across the world. You can check her out and order your customized accessories at http://jeyflysfree.blogspot.com/.
Photos by: Arnea Williams, livefreshvintage.com
Funk Revisited: Fort Knox Five
August 1, 2009
The funky Fort Knox Five have followed up their debut album Radio Free DC with a remixed version entitled, Radio Free DC, REMIXED. They have been in action since 2003 and this group of musicians consists of four members: Steve Raskin, Jon Horvath, Rob Myers and Sid Barcelona. They are based out of, Washington, D.C. and have been featured as opening acts for Gwen Stefani and the Black Eyed Peas in 2005.
Their album Radio Free D.C. Remixed dropped on June 30. Even if the electro-dub-reggae-hip-hop beats mash-up don’t typically tickle your fancy, you are in for a funky good time with this album. Where did the inspiration come from for this album? Lately it’s been from the group’s mp3 players. Here’s what they’re jamming to:
Steve Raskin has been jamming “The Kings of Funk” compiled by RZA and Keb Darge (DJ Food) – and he also digs “all classic funk recordings like Ain’t No Sunshine, Family Affair, Melting Pot.”
Rob Myers adds, “I’ve gone back to my roots, Iron Maiden Killers – only the BEST METAL LP of all time, spiked with a little Dio-era Sabbath. The Shins “Wincing the Night Away” keeps making my mood rotation.”
Sid Barcelona says, “Lee “Scratch” Perry, with a side of “Bassnectar”
Jon Horvath divulged, “I have really been digging Neighbour lately. Neighbour is an EDM producer based out of Calgary, Alberta. He is revolutionizing the modern disco funk sound. Check out his releases on Homebreakin and Funkweapons.”
Be sure to check thegroup out on fortknoxrecordings.com.
The Male Intimacy Misconception
August 1, 2009
American culture has popularized the idea that the only intimacy that a man wishes to share with a woman is the kind that could theoretically lead to infection. I speculate that there are two reasons for this. First, try as they might, women simply have a poor understanding of men. Therefore, classifying all men as single-minded, sex-driven fiends creates simplistic excuses for why relationships do not develop in the way that women might like them to. Second, men have likely promoted this misconception for our own benefit. If we decide not to get emotionally intimate with a woman, but would rather express ourselves physically, we have an easy escape route. In actuality, most men really do crave all types of intimacy [If you are a woman who has been in a long-term relationship, however you choose to define that, then you should know this]. The key is that men are more protective of our emotional and psychological intimacy than women are. We select who to share more meaningful sorts of closeness with based on our evaluation of how important a woman is to our lives. So, if you are a female who is wondering, or ever has wondered, why a man seems so emotionally cold to you, don’t assume it is because he only desires physical intimacy. Ask yourself what category you’ve been placed into.
Yes, like women and their dreaded “friend zone,” men too have somewhat rigid categories for women. Ours are a little more subconscious, though. We do not waste time playing mental games with ourselves, trying to figure out who to receive attention from on any given day or who to move around into different classes. Nope. As soon as we meet a woman, we instinctually know exactly where she belongs. She is either something very temporary to play with, someone long-term to play with, or the real deal.
If you are a woman who gets placed into the first category, do not expect to learn anything worthwhile about a man’s emotional or psychological makeup. You are the one who helps spread the misconception that men only want physical intimacy. You are the person who receives no more than two calls or texts per week from a man; at least one of which is sometime after 11 p.m. Now, this is not necessarily a bad thing. I certainly am not passing judgment on this type of relationship. It should just be understood that women who fall into this category receive no more than bubble gum and…well, you know.
If a man is not quite ready for a serious relationship, the best a woman can hope for is to be placed into the second category. She will roam around in intimacy Limbo for an indefinite period of time until a man feels ready to reveal himself emotionally. And, the unfortunate reality is that he may later commit to some other woman. This scenario could, and likely will, be the topic of a future article, so I will not flesh this out much. The important lesson as far as intimacy is concerned is that the women here are more likely to experience a real connection with a man than the bubble gum-chewers. Much like most women have to warm to the occasion physically and tend to slowly introduce men to their hidden desires and tricks, most men ration out emotional secrets. It is all about vulnerability.
Men are “supposed” to be the stoic, no-nonsense sex. We are not supposed to cry when burdened with separation anxiety, show fear when confronted with a threatening situation, or reveal insecurities and emotional weaknesses. These are very personal things to us. Women, as we all know, are emotional creatures. After two dates, it all starts pouring out. She will start to get insecure about what category she falls into (which means she probably isn’t the real deal because men are very purposeful and direct when we see someone we truly want), and it will show. You are likely to get a truer sense of who a woman is emotionally than who she is physically after two dates. The opposite is true with men. And, just like a man may never get to participate in his woman’s fantasies if he does not stick around long enough, a woman may never understand what makes her man tick when they are looking eye-to-eye.
The best way that a woman can be guaranteed to really get to know her man is by being the real deal. Temporary women typically have no shot at this, hence the saying, “you can’t turn a [bubble gum-chewer] into a housewife.” The intermediate-level woman has a chance, but the jump from the developmental league to full-time, salaried player takes hard work and luck. Regardless of who ends up in the Promised Land, it is an undeniable fact that a fully-functional, healthy, romantic relationship is dependent on the existence of a strong connection between the parties. Without this, a woman is likely to receive only what men are most comfortable handing out. Bazooka Joe.
Men only want sex? Nothing could be truer yet simultaneously further from the truth. It all depends on what category a woman falls into. So, if you are single or involved, female, and curious about a man’s emotional and psychological state, do not blame him for being deficient. Take a minute to evaluate things using the above rubric. Then, be patient, and your significance in his life should eventually become clear.
Frankie Beverly + Maze at the Reliant Arena 11/7
August 1, 2009
They said it wouldn’t happen, but supergroup Frankie Beverly and Maze will be returning to Houston on Saturday, November 7 at the Reliant Arena. The group, more than two decades deep into the game, will be performing as a part of the Houston Music Festival. The festival will also feature Teena Marie and Babyface. Tickets aren’t cheap folks, so better get them while the getting is good. Tickets start at $85 on up.
What: Houston Music Festival
When: Saturday November 7, 2009
Where: Reliant Arena
8400 Kirby Dr, Houston, TX 77054
Blink 182 Reunion at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion 9/24
August 1, 2009
Blink 182 will finally reunite Septemeber 24 after a near decade long hiatus. The group will be accompanied by Fall Out Boy, Asher Roth and The All American-Rejects. Fans can expect to see bandmates Mark Hoppus (vocals, bass), Tom DeLonge (vocals, guitar) and Travis Barker (drums) return to the stage with the fervor of a group who has achieved great success individually, and now returning to what they do best.
Who: Blink 182
When: Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion
2005 Lake Robbins Dr.
Houston, TX 77380
