Snapped: Kelly Price's 43rd Birthday Bash

Kelly Price 

Faith Evans 

Nicci Gilbert 

Vanessa Williams 

Tamar and Trina Braxton 

Algebra 

Kyla Pratt

Mushiya T

Jasmine Burke

Stevie J and a guest

Kelly's Cake

The Crowd 

Photo Credit: Chis Mitchell/ CME 3000 

Review: Ally Hughes Has Sex Sometimes by Jules Moulin

A constant goal of mine is to read more, and I am so happy that I picked up Ally Hughes Has Sex Sometimes by Jules Moulin. It was such a fun read, and I feel that women of all walks of life that read it can connect to it in some way. 

Ally Hughes is a professional and a single mom that didn't have much of a personal life. Outside of her runaway baby daddy, she didn't have a lot of experience sexually, so she focused the majority of her time on raising her daughter and being a college professor. Then one day, by chance, her HOT student Jake drops by her office to discuss his paper and to let her know that he is going to have to leave school. He then offers to help her do some home repairs, which ends in a steamy weekend sexcapade. Fast forward about ten years, and her daughter, now a young actress, brings home a love interest who happens to be a huge actor named Noah...A.K.A. JAKE! The rest is a funny whirlwind of events that involves bringing down a webcam prostitution ring and an ending between Jake and Ally that I don't want to reveal! Ally is a funny, clumsy, smart woman that you will find yourself cheering for on every page. I was so excited by the ending that I found myself cheering on the bus, where I was getting in my last few pages. I know that you will enjoy it as much as I did.
Learn more about the book and purchase it here.

Mean Girl Gone Nice

I told you all recently that I really enjoyed a speech I heard about improving your emotional language. After the speech, I decided to not only try to improve my emotional language, which is how you respond to people when they come for you for support, but I also decided to just improve my general language. My friend Dizzle is always telling me to be positive, so I felt that there was no time like the present.

So allow me to give you some history. I would pinpoint high school as when I began to change my language; when I started to get mean. I was made fun of a lot, so I guess that you can say that hurt people hurt people. In college, I continued to be mean because I was able to vocalize my nastiness in a way that made people laugh. People thought I was so funny and loved me for it, but at the core, I was just mean. So as an adult, I have continued my poor emo language and I can also throw shade with the best of them. I was eager to see what life would be like if I kept my mouth closed if I had nothing to say. There have been at least a couple of days when I have literally said nothing! 

The first major difference I have seen from trying to keep a clean mouth is that my ears have become sensitive to other people's cruelty. Hanging around colleagues recently my ears were burning from the nasty things that they were saying about our mutual friends. I had never noticed how nasty they were before. I guess because I was too and people like to keep like company. 

Another thing I have noticed from not being quick to respond with a remark is that I now have a lot of time to listen. Funny, it seems that nobody notices the listener. So I get to sit quietly listening to other folks spill their tea for the heck of it. I don't even repeat what I hear, but I find it funny how people are okay with being unkind and messy publicly, not caring who overhears. 

No, I will not be able to change my language overnight, but I am working on it. That is not to say that I will not stand up for myself if needed, but I really am trying to get away from just being nasty because. In trying to be more positive, I need more positive things to leave my lips. I will let you know that end result. 

Crown Royal Regal Apple Tasting

Last week, Crown Royal had its Regal Apple tasting in a suite during the Hawks vs. Nuggets game at Phillips Arena. 

Crown Royal Regal Apple 

Attendees had the opportunity to taste cocktails made with Crown Royal Regal Apple. My favorite drink was the Crownberry Apple cocktail, which was served with an apple slice. Think of it as a hard version of CranApple juice. YUMMY!

Whiskey samples on the Crown Royal Tasting Mat

Master of Whiskey Ryan Ross walked guests through the history of Crown Royal, then led them through a tasting of Crown Royal, Crown Royal Southern Harvest Rye, and Crown Royal Regal Apple. 

The Crown Royal Tasting Mat

Hawks Girls 

After the tasting portion of the evening, the Atlanta Hawks Cheerleaders paid a visit to the the suite. 

Me and one of the Hawks Girls 

 I had the opportunity to take a picture with on of the ladies. 

Me super excited when the Hawks Girl let me play with her pompoms. 

She even let me hold her pompoms which was a HUGE deal for me. Everyone close to me knows how much I have fantasized about being a cheerleader. 

I have to say that the best thing about going to the tasting was learning more about the history of Crown Royal and what it takes to make whiskey. I also learned that when it comes to the whiskey industry, there are many women at the forefront which is interesting, because you don't automatically think of women when you think of whiskey. The tasting also showed me that I don't do well with drinking whiskey straight. I definitely need a chaser, lol. Learn more about Crown Royal here. And don't forget to try the below Crown Royal Regal Apple recipes.

Crownberry Apple

1.5oz Crown Royal Regal Apple

4oz Cranberry Juice

Garnish with apple wedge

Crown Royal Press

1.5 oz. Crown Royal Deluxe

3 dash (s) Bitters

Top with Lemon-Lime Soda

1 Lemon Wedge

Garnish with a lemon wedge

The Northern Buck

1.5 oz Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye

.5 oz Lime juice

Top with ginger beer

Garnish with a lemon wedge

Melissa Ambrosini Helps Us Get Our Inner Mean Girl In Check

You know that voice in your head that tells you that you can't do anything right? That you aren't good enough? That your ideas won't work before you even begin to iron them out? Well, Melissa Ambrosini refers to this naysayer voice as your inner "Mean Girl". Here, she gives us tips on how to get rid of it and get on the path to becoming our best selves.   

Q: For most women, where do you believe that their inner Mean Girl voice comes from?

A: Fear has been hardwired into our operating system of modern society. From a young age we are lead down the path of fear maybe from our parents, teachers, the media or siblings. It doesn’t matter where it comes from, what matters is you return back to love.

Q: How can one differentiate their inner Mean Girl voice from just having regular anxieties and fears about things?

A: With everything in life their are only two choices: love or fear. ‘Regular anxieties and fears’ are not your natural state of being, your truth is love! Your natural state is love! Love is ultimately all there is, but like I mentioned above fear has been programmed into us from before birth and it’s our job to remember that love is our truth. So if anxieties and fears come up (and they will) it’s an opportunity to return back to your truth, which is love. It’s not your cue to beat yourself up, it’s your time to choose love over fear instead.  

Q: How do you keep your Mean Girl in check on a day to day basis?

A: The best way to master your Mean Girl every day is by doing my 3-step mastering your Mean Girl process. Which goes like this: 

1. Practice awareness. Become aware of when your Mean Girl pops up and tells you that you’re not good enough, thin enough, smart enough, whatever enough. Most times we are so unconscious and not present that we aren’t even aware of her internal dialogue, so bringing your awareness to her words is the first step.
2. Gently close the door on her. Once you are aware that she has popped up, you can now choose to gently close the door on her. It’s not about fighting her, or waging an inner battle — that’ll just cause more pain and suffering. Instead, it’s a gentle, grateful act that comes from a place of peace.
3. Choose love instead. Once you have gently closed the door on her, choose to come back to your heart and choose love instead of fear. It’s so much more fulfilling when you do.

Q: What made you want to break the silence and write/speak about the issues that you and other women are having with their inner Mean Girl?

A: Because I have to help, teach, support and inspire. This is my birthright and what I came here to do.

Q: I believe that my Mean Girl prevents me from being as outgoing as I could be. How else can your Mean Girl voice take a toll on your life?

A: She can stop you from following your dreams with your career. She can also stop you from having the relationships and the health and wealth you truly desire in your life if you let her. Ultimately everything is a choice, our choice as we are creating our life moment by moment. You’re the one in the driver's seat, not your Mean Girl, and it’s time to stop letting her run the show.

Q: Outside of the book, what else is in the works for you?

A: To complement the book I have created the Mastering Your Mean Girl 10 Week Activation Program and Meditations to really help you cement everything you have read in the book. These will be released in the coming months so stay tuned, and in the meantime you can keep updating with all things Mastering Your Mean Girl here.

Q: Do you believe that men suffer from a Mean Boy voice? Are the effects the same?

A: Absolutely! Everyone has an ego, even the Dalai Lama. The difference is his is on mute and most people have theirs on volume 10 with a very heavy base. But that does not have to be your reality, you can choose love instead in any moment in any breath.

Q: How can we keep with you on social media?

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Pinterest

YouTube

Google Plus

Live Happy’s 3rd Annual #HappyActs Campaign for the UN-sanctioned International Day of Happiness (March 20th)

When I was approached about participating in Live Happy's 3rd Annual #HappyActs Campaign, I knew how I was going to spread happiness: by giving hugs. I am an excellent huger, lol, so before work on Friday, I went to the Ponce City Market and hugged strangers that worked there. You would be surprised at how many people around you need a hug and would be open to receiving one if you offered it to them. 

On Saturday, I went down to Atlantic Station to post my happiness cards on the #HappyActs wall. I had the opportunity tot meet the ladies of the Live Happy team. It was a beautiful day in the A, and visitors of Atlantic Station posted to the wall and hung out listening to music from a live DJ. I stuck around and read, surrounded by good vibes and happy feelings. I look forward to passing out more hugs next year. 

Me at the #HappyActs Wall

#HappyActs Wall 

People feeling out their #HappyActs cards 

A #HappyActs team member with a little girl who came out for the event

The DJ for the day

#HappyActs cards on the Happiness Wall

My #HappyActs card

See pics from the UN-sanctioned International Day of Happiness on IG @ #HappyActs

Spring Makeup Bag Refresh

 

Call me a dork, but one of my favorite things about a season change is switching out the products in my makeup bag. With spring around the corner, here are the new products that I am putting in my makeup bag to bring in the warmer months.

black Up Lipstick in RGE37M, $23 

Armour Lip Gloss in Edie, $24

Armour Lip Gloss in Purple Rain, $24

tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Bae, $20

                                                       

Essence Eyeliner Pen, $2.99 

City Proof 24 HR Waterproof Mascara, $3.49