Frosted Bakery

Since May 2009, Frosted Bakery has been feeding the appetite of Houston area lovers of sweets and treats. After walking into this establishment, smelling the aroma of cakes, cookies, and much more, its hard to resist the desire to bite into one of their delicious pastries. Everything is bigger in Texas, therefore the bigger the meal or treat, the more sugar and salt. Thus is not the case at Frosted Bakery. Owner Nuance Fanolla is excited about their current line of chocolate, vanilla, and almond vegan cakes. “In a month or so we will have a full line of vegan and gluten free items,” says Nuance.  Frosted also designs specialty cakes for weddings and their skilled pastry designers can create custom decorated cookies for any occasion. When you’re feeling the urge for a sweet treat, don’t deprive yourself. Head on over to Frosted Bakery and try one of their brownie pops, they are to die for.

Frosted Bakery

7710 Cherry Park Drive, Suite B

Houston, TX 77095

Photo Credit: Jamie Lockard

October 10th, 6pm-9pm | Macys Hosts Glam Shop Kick-Off Party

October 10th, 6pm-9pm | Macys Hosts Glam Shop Kick-Off Party

Don’t miss two fun filled days of shopping on  October 13 and 14. The tickets are just $10 presale and 2 for $15, VIP tickets are $50. Purchase tickets here at http://glamshop.eventbrite.com

Runaway Sun Album Release Party | Sat Oct. 10 8pm – 10pm

Clory Martin, guest female vocalist on album tracks ”Goodbye to You” and “Sweetheart” will open the show at 8:30.  If you haven’t heard Clory sing live, you’re in for a treat: http://myspace.com/clorymartin

The release party kicks off at 8pm at The Continental Club, Houston’s premier live music venue: http://www.continentalclub.com, and $10 admission includes a copy of the album.

The Continental Club 3700 Main St. Houston, TX 77002

Check out http://www.sugarhillstudios.com to listen in on featured artist.

The FIND | Friday and Saturday October 9th & 10th from 9am-6pm

THE FIND is an emerging designer show that travels with new and underground designers exposing shoppers to fabulous up-and-coming collections including: jewelry, handbags, shoes, and ready-to-wear items for public viewing and purchase. THE FIND experience draws inspiration from both New York and Los Angeles to provide a unique shopping atmosphere to each city. We give local shoppers the opportunity to discover those designers who haven’t saturated mainstream retail locations. While this is not a charity event, each designer gives a portion of their profit from THE FIND to a charity of their choosing.

Currently, THE FIND is planning for upcoming shows in Houston, New Orleans, Dallas and New York.

Houston Details:
Collections:  Adults & Kids
Friday and Saturday October 9th & 10th from 9am-6pm
@ Winter Street Studios Gallery
2101 Winter Street Houston, TX 77007

For information about these shows and the showroom events at THE FIND, sign THE FIND’s guestbook at www.thefindhouston.com to receive e-mail updates.

Contact information: Creative Director: Chelsea Dreyer Chelsea@thefindhouston.com 713.213.6997

Making The Tranisition: Houston’s Summer to Fall Looks

BACK to school, BACK to work, BACK to pounding the pavement in search for a new career move is on the agenda for most Americans in the post-Bush era.

The fashion industry has taken a huge hit and now is the time to take advantage of sales, clearances, and any coupon deals retailers have to offer.

You may tell yourself “making purchases to suffice my self esteem is irresponsible and unnecessary.” With the trends of budget cuts across every corporate sector, the once lavish American has been transformed into a frugal saver. The downfall of the economy has been a huge smack in the face and  a life’s lesson for many with bad spending habits. Good for you. Bad for the Fashion Industry.

A major problem I see as I people watch are the drab signals of depression and weakness folks send into the universe via wardrobe and personal style. Should all of society really be exposed to how you feel on the inside? Feeling down and out is nobody’s business but yours. So dress as if you love yourself. If you’re not a trend whore like myself, call a friend or just ask me to help you mix up your threads. With a change of your own wardrobe you may feel more confident to take on the world.

Food outweighs clothes on necessities.  Breaking yourself on trends is irresponsible (unless you have a “BIG” on your team). If you can spend a little extra on yourself for the upcoming fall season, here are some ways to save and remain in style.

THE OFFICE::

Whenever there’s a down turn in the economy, the fashion world responds quickly. Smart designers will use transition pieces to get consumers from season to season. The trends you will see are staples to any closet. Mixing a wardrobe with an over sized sweater or a leather bomber jacket will transform your entire look from bland to “I wanna date her.” Bold colored stockings and detailed tights can transform the right dress into a mod masterpiece.

THE BOYFRIEND::

We love our boyfriends and believe it or not, they think it’s sexy when we prance around the house in there shirts. A nice collard oxford shirt with a great pair of loose distressed jeans are comfortable and screams confidence. “The Boyfriend” is the sexy approach to dressing like a guy. When rolling up the jeans,  expose the entire ankle. Make sure the shirt is fitted to your shape. For any of you “four-eyes”  feel free to wear your nerdy glasses, it’s a cool compliment to this look.

THE TRANSITION::

An easy way to transition into the Houston Fall is not to rule out favorite summer pieces. Rompers were a fun trend this summer and there’s no need to throw them in the back of the closet just yet. H-town will get cool around mid-October, so you have to time to play around with some of your favorite summer items. Try pairing your favorite one piece with a light cotton sweater, a heavy scarf,  or a sexy rain coat. This will save you some dollars as you decide on what to spend on your new fall wardrobe.

BACK TO SCHOOL::

What saddens me about living in the south is the lack of layering. Layering is always a great way to mix a jacket with a great pair of jeans, a cool scarf and a great t-shirt. Houston is a driving city, so layering can be unnecessary if you’re not faced with harsh winds or a quick drop in temperature.

But I say, do what looks good. Every young lady should have a great blazer to pair with a mini skirt and of course jeans (remember jeans are in big demand due to the recession and the costs have gone down). Just make sure to throw on some boots and step out in style.

DOING LINES::

“All the girls standing in the line for the bathroom” will  either send major hateration signals or congratulate you for stepping out in full hotness.

Sure signs of hateration when you know you’re looking good:

1. When you’re in the bathroom and the chick next to you stares but doesn’t say a word

2. When a girl acts as if she’s drunk and spills her drink on your new outfit

3. When your “friend” refuses take a fun picture with you to promote on facebook because she’s not in the mood

These two lovely ladies below are definitely rocking out how lines should be worn. Never with jeans. It’s too fussy. Try pairing tights with a zipper and possibly nothing at all. But don’t be surprised if you get hated on for looking hot! It happens to me all the time!

SUMMER TO FALL::

An easy way to transition into the Houston Fall is not to rule out favorite summer pieces. Rompers were a fun trend this summer and there’s no need to throw them in the back of the closet just yet.

Try pairing your favorite one piece with a light cotton sweater or a sexy rain coat. This will save you some dollars as you decide on what to spend on your new fall wardrobe.

Remember learning how to transition will simultaneously keep your pockets full while impressing onlookers. Throw on a sweater bolero with your slinky short set, accompanied with a fall bag. Duo’s silver rain coat is a must have fall accessory and it can either enhance or create the look without hassle.

Photo Credit: Debra Ham

KEEP IT CLASSY HOUSTON!

When you stop into Duo give Ruben and the nice ladies a high five or a hug for keeping in style on the latest threads. All pieces the models are wearing can be found and purchased at Duo. With a printed copy of this article, you will receive a special discount at Duo . The offer ends September 30. Please read the details.

Bad Photoshop + Chris Brown + Popped Collars= Low Budget

Hayden Christensen, Idris Elba, and Michael Ealy….hell I’ll even throw in Paul Walker, should have a serious talk with the duche responsible for green lighting all marketing materials for the new “Takers” film.

Originally entitled “Bone Deep,” the film is about a group of thieves whose detailed and successful robberies come to a halt due to a determined detective whose objective is to bring them to justice.

The intern who photo shopped TI and Paul Walker’s head on  this poster gets kudos for effort.

The marketing department, not so much

INTERN: It’s a recession! Take what you can get! I just need this for my portfolio Suckas!

MARKETING DEPARTMENT: Well, lets just release the poster anyway. Chris Brown’s cornball pose alone makes it worth throwing darts at.

This is an old photo from way back when poppin’ collars were the trend. But some folks have not gotten the memo.

[Memo reads] Poppin’ 1 collar is just as ridiculous as 4. Lets get back to civility and fold down the collars fellas.

Betty Says

So, many of you have been wondering who is the chick with the pinky ring? Well, her name is Betty and she is fired up about the lack of home training some of these privileged folk have been displaying. So listen up y’all Betty’s got something to say:

So far, September has been a month of public outbursts, tirades, embarrassment and overall bitchassedness from some of America’s high profile people.  It’s unacceptable that America’s finest are carrying on like they don’t know what manners and decency are.

September 4, 2009 – University of Orgeon vs. Boise State

Violator: LeGerette Blount, University of Oregon

Dear LeGerette Blount,

Football is an exciting game and it is understood that when adrenaline is pumping, competition can get fierce. However, it is not okay to sucker punch your opponent just because he talked trash to you. It’s football. You tackle each other, you talk shit, you score touchdowns and someone has to lose. Unfortunately it was your team that lost, and you decided to respond like a little biatch. Mr. Blount, not only have you been suspended for the remainder of the season during you senior year, but you brought it all on yourself just because someone was teasing you. What a sore loser. Good luck in the NFL draft.

Best wishes,

Betty

September 9, 2009 – President Obama’s Address to the House of Representatives

Violator: Rep. Joe Wilson, SC

Dear Rep. Joe Wilson,

Do you realize that you disrespected the President of the United States? And you had the nerve to say that you “will not be muzzled?” You insubordinate jerk. Even John McCain said that you needed to apologize. I don’t have very many words for you. It’s just funny that you thought you could just get away with doing what you did and not have to apologize. Too bad, you had to say you were sorry anyway.

Warm regards,

Betty

September 12, 2009 – Women’s U.S. Open

Violator: Serena Williams

Dear Serena,

You and Mr. Blount need to go sit in the corner for a while. You’re an athlete. False calls will be made. No, its not fair. Life isn’t fair. But guess what? You get to play a game for a living, and as a result, you get paid a pretty penny to endorse products. And, for the average American who has to get up every morning, go to work at the office or hot warehouse, its not fair to them that you get to get paid to play a game. I’m sure if they had the opportunity to play UNO for a living they would take a false call here and there.

Sincerely,

Betty

September 13, 2009 – MTV Video Music Awards

Violator(s): Kanye West & Lil Mama

Dear Kanye,

Enough already. It used to be funny, but seriously, sit your ass down and shut your mouth. Let other people shine even if only for a moment. Did you really have to interrupt Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech? Now you have given Taylor unintentional exposure. The truth of the matter is Beyonce didn’t need you to speak for her. It’s funny that you did all that ranting and raving and Beyonce won the award of the night anyway. Thankfully, Beyonce (and her camp) represented for Houston by exercising some class by allowing Taylor to finish her acceptance speech during her own acceptance. Even though we wish picture perfect “B” would have had a realistic reaction when the camera zoomed in on her.

Best,

Betty

P.S. Thanks for apologizing on Jay Leno – I must say you actually looked sincere. Looking forward to the next album.

Dear Lil Mama,

Coming on the stage at the MTV Video Music Awards with Jay – Z and Alicia Keys uninvited was just…lame.

Always,

Betty

Misstress Kaine: The Lenny Kravitz Approach

Summer is great for loving. There’s nothing better than comfortable weather, cookouts and cuties. It’s hard to resist taking one home, but those who indulge often find themselves sucked into a world of casual dates, and meaningless sex with strangers. Before you know it, one can quickly find the extra slack that once existed in their proverbial belt has shrunken with each notch to where it now fits like a corset.
So many contradictory views on sex are forced down our throats. Conventional thought either wants to force abstinence down our throats or force ideas on sexual freedom. Both can leave a bad taste in your mouth. There is an alternative. A very “do what makes you happy so long as you are not hurting others, ahem, unless they’re into that sorta thing approach. Ever given celibacy a thought?
Don’t make that face.

Popular beliefs about celibacy and the people who practice it tend to get a bad rap. People who practice celibacy are labeled as prudes who are sexually traumatized. I mean, who hasn’t had thoughts of crazy cat ladies dance around their brains when the word is mentioned. Regardless, the idea of celibacy should be given some serious exploration. There are many solid reasons to choose it as a way of life: lack of suitable partner, resisting or growing tired of casual sex, unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and religious or spiritual pursuits.
As amazing as sex can be, it can also add a lot of unnecessary mishaps in relationships and life. Many women feel the need to use sex to hook a man, and all too commonly, relinquish their power in the process. We don’t need bald-headed, middle-aged men to tell us that holding out can lead to prince charming, when the fantasy of Prince charming is delusional. The same goes for the men who decide that a woman needs to prove herself worthy of the good D.
The notion that celibacy is unhealthy and unnatural is a popular one. It’s neither a prescription for loneliness, nor is it a diet of self-deprivation. The truth is choosing to or not to have sex is a very individual thing and celibacy does not have to amount to loneliness. “Lover Lite” and “Platonic Plus” relationships exist in which people happily go on dates, have emotional relationships but don’t have sex, married couples included. The ability to rationalize and make decisions is what separates humans from other animals. So deliberate fasts from sex are lessons in discipline, a tough skill to master. Being involved with another person sexually holds an intense exchange of energy. It’s ok to give the private bits a break. Airing out is not only for your vagina, but for your entire body, mind and soul. It can do a world of good for you in more ways than one. You can use all the energy you have been giving to another and redirect it in inwardly. Take time out to focus your energy on you, and reflect, relax and refocus. Listen to and learn from yourself to determine what you want from life, future relationships and create a plan of attack to get you where you want to be. One in which you are free to explore yourself freely in all the ways you may never have.
After you’ve done the inner happiness thing, try the outer happiness thing – as in masturbation. Self pleasure is one of the most powerful gifts you can give to yourself. Knowing your body thoroughly and be able to please yourself means that you can accurately express your needs and desires to your partner should you resume sexual activity.

Safely Yours,

Lady K. (Mistress Kaine)

Dealing With Her Past, Pt. 1

I meet so many men who approach relationships with such naïve trust. I don’t know if it is because they’ve got wool over their eyes, or if it because they choose to be ignorant – either way, it’s dangerous.

[Disclaimer: the following piece is not an “all-women-are liars” bash-fest. It’s simply my heartfelt attempt to provide some much-needed guidance to the wayward men out there].

When it comes to dealing with information about your woman’s past you should always assume the worst.  I cannot stress this enough.  No matter how virginal a woman may seem, you must approach the unknown in the most pessimistic way imaginable. In other words, you’ve got to believe that there is a chance she paid for college by doing favors in the champagne room with a calculus book in one hand and a little blue pill in the other.

Laugh if you will. Call it a defense mechanism if you must. But take heed, because what you are about to read might save your relationship and give you peace of mind.

Some men are completely open-minded when it comes to forgiving past moral indiscretions. That is great. I think that is beautiful because it makes the path to happiness one step shorter. However, most guys have some type of moral disqualifier – a relationship deal breaker, if you will – that causes them to turn away from the finest of the fine. For example, a criminal record,  or a been-around-the-block sexual history may make a guy bid adieu.  Whatever your moral disqualifier might be, it is critical to be prepared to hear the worst. Why? Because when the skeletons come out of your girl’s closet, they can rock you to your core. They can ruin your week and make you question your decision to get involved with her in the first place.  Then, you’re left feeling as though you’ve wasted valuable time – time that you could have spent looking for someone with a less ‘decorated’ background.

If you have difficulty accepting the truth about your woman, you may want to do some self-analysis to identify the root-cause of your emotional reaction.

Now, if your girl has intentionally lied or deceived you, then being an asshole might make you feel better, and the exercise in self-reflection is probably unnecessary.  But, if you can objectively acknowledge that your partner has not lied to or deceived you when asked about her skeletal past, then no ‘surprise’ should be strong enough to destroy your faith in women. Why? Because at some point in the relationship you placed an unreasonable amount of trust in her and set yourself up for failure. In other words, you set the bar at a height she never said she could clear and set unrealistic expectations for your girl and the relationship you both agreed to pursue.

As men, we often have unreasonably high expectations of the women that we fall in love with because to us, purity is perfection. The definition of perfection varies from man to man, but most men have a general sense of how much life experience is too much, too little, and acceptable for the perfect woman. Some seek women with unsullied histories while others prefer women who have just enough ‘experience’ to allow for a common lifestyle.  No matter where you place the bar, once it is set you have to be sure that it stays there. Any significant deviation in either direction can be devastating if we are poorly prepared.

So how do you prepare? First, you have to assume the absolute worst about the unknown and then see if you can deal with it. Then, take all of your partner’s good qualities into consideration.  And finally, accept what she tells you at face value and do not foreclose the untold.

If, for instance, she tells you that she once posed buck naked for an adult magazine, assume that she was in a full-fledged

“Mr. Marcus” video then see if you’re willing to accept that fact.  If after seeing the pictures you decide they are borderline deal-breakers, you may want to start planning an exit strategy. You have to be true to yourself. If some aspect of your woman’s past leaves you right on the fringe of the relationship, then quit while you are ahead – much scarier information could be lurking in your future.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I am not advocating a lack of trust in relationships. What I’m saying is quite the contrary, actually. The message here is to trust the information that you have and accept the fact that there is information you don’t have. Doing so will help avoid the letdown that comes with receiving troubling information about your mate’s past. Don’t allow yourself to be blind to the possibility that a disappointment will occur – it is inevitable in most cases. Simply acknowledge that your perfect, albeit delusional, expectations of your woman are irrational and keep those expectations from clouding the reality of your relationship. Accept your girl for who she is, and not for the woman you hope she’ll be, and you’ll be one step closer on your path to happiness.

A Man’s Closet: Organizing 101

This isn’t a major spoiler alert or anything, but there is a scene in a recent episode of HBO’s Entourage where we get to see Turtle’s closet. For sneaker lovers like myself, the scene is like looking into the Garden of Eden only Nike Air Jordans have replaced the apple tree.

While many of us will never have millionaire friends in Hollywood like Turtle (and definitely not celebrity women like Jamie-Lynn Sigler), we can all aspire to attain a closet that is both eye-catching and efficient. There are three main tips you must know:

1. It all starts with the shoes.

Sure, many of us have closets full of suits and ties or maybe jeans and button-down shirts, but the shoes are the true pride of any closet worth showcasing. While this has always been true for women (Oprah included), it has only recently been adopted by us guys.

For men, our chests have always been the focal point of how we presented ourselves. And that hindered us from doing anything creative with our closets.

It used to be that the more confident you were, the more you projected from your chest. Part of the reason why John Travolta’s strut in Saturday Night Fever is so famous is because it showcased a dramatic shift in attention from the man’s upper body to the entire package. No, not that package.

Of course, black men had already been styling themselves from head-to-toe and developing cadence-like stride patterns to grab attention, i.e. Shaft, but Travolta made it mainstream. And thanks to fashion trends of the last three decades, men have finally realized that it’s not just the blazer or collared shirt that matters in your closet. Today, everything from head to toe says something about you.

That said, deciding what to wear has never been so important for men and the added stress of picking the right outfit – something that has traditionally been a female-only issue – requires an efficient closet to make the process easier.

That’s precisely why the emphasis on shoes is largely to the credit of guys like Turtle who treat their Nike sneakers like prize possessions worthy of specially-designed shelving and premier closet space. If you get the shoes down, the outfit will build itself from there. Unless you don’t have enough shoes, and in that case, I recommend you visit Sneak Attack and start educating yourself one day at a time.

2. Color-coordinate your shirts.

It’ll make it a lot easier to decide what Polo or tee to wear with those Air Force Ones.

3. Clear the floor.

You need to give yourself room to operate comfortably so a) elevate your shoes with shelving and b) find some efficient, but durable hangars, most 99-cents stores have them.

Not all of us are sneakerheads like Turtle and many of us don’t have mahogany wood-filled closets, but picking the right outfit is always easiest with sound organizing of your closet. Who knows, maybe you’ll share a plane with a hot celebrity and need to look the part of a leading man.

Joah writes at Joah.Typepad.Com. In January, his first book Real Role Models (University of Texas Press) will be released. He is currently writing an all-access book on Austin City Limits Festival.

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