Project Runway Is Coming Back!

Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Lawsuit over, hello Project Runway! Will be back on my TV screen on August 20th. Y'all know I've lamented on one of my guilty pleasures on TV been gone for almost two years.

I have one more month to wait for Gunn's critical eye on the designers and folks who don't take his advise, might find themselves on the chopping block or hated by the TV viewers - what was that girl's name from the last season who only made "vintage" dresses with her signature feather hat and red lipstick? I can't remember but "that one."

And looking at Lifetime Promos for the show, I say eat your heart out "The Fashion Show." You can't touch this. The contestants have riveting story lines and I'm really going to see what innovation is all about.

Hopefully all the gang such as Michael Kors and Nina Garcia all make it back. It won't be the same without them.

South Florida Musings

I want to talk about this region I've lived over the past decade - South Florida. It's been on my mind for a while to blog about the misconceptions, perception and perhaps some truth about the region which goes from Miami, Fort Lauderdale to Palm Beach.

Up till a couple of days ago, anytime I have to do a transaction in other parts of the country and I give my address, the rep would like to engage in a little chit-chat about what it's like to live here. Even once when I was buying a computer for my Aunt who was just getting into the information highway, and gave the address. The rep was like "oh you're close to South Beach?" with awe in his voice. "Not anymore. I used to live ten minutes away from it though" I replied. "What was that like . . ." I laughed and told him SoBe (as we locals say for South Beach) doesn't have the same effect to us as it does to tourists.

Misconception 1: Not all Miami is South Beach. I want to scream everytime I'm watching a Heat game and the team is playing at home and one TV Commentator says "We're coming to you live from South Beach." No they're not! They're coming to you live from Bayside! Or from the Downtown Miami area. There's still a 15-minute to 20-minute drive (if no traffic - that will be answered prayer) to get to South Beach from the Arena. But I get the point; it makes it sound more glitzy to say South Beach than Bayside.

South Beach is only a few streets that connect together that make a whole bunch of guys lose their minds when they visit. You got Lincoln Road, Ocean Drive, what else Alton Road is not far off but folks actually live there than the bars, boutiques, night clubs and hotels.

Misconception 2: Miami is quite different from Miami Vice or CSI: Miami - A few times those TV shows got it right but there's still much more those shows don't show you. Like actual quiet places with real families and not models and actors. But the Bad Boys movie with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence was close to fact; they actually shot both movies in South Florida.

Misconception 3: It never gets cold in South Florida. Ok so we don't get brutal winters like Boston, Chicago or New York. But the weather can dip to less than 40 to 50 degrees from what you start with during the day. And as much as my friends up north say not to talk about our version of cold weather. Look, at least they get a season. It is so erratic down here during the winter that it sends a shock to your toasted system. That's why folks are always getting the sniffles.

Misconception 4: Only fun you can have is at South Beach. Then I'll say how limited. Like I said, South Beach is just a few streets. Why don't you go to Hollywood - Hollywood, Florida that is. Check out the huge Seminole Hard Rock Live and Hotel. You could almost get lost in there. Go there for a concert, improv, gambling (if that's your thing) or shopping.

And if that's not your thing, go to the Grove - Coconut Grove. It's like South Beach Lite; less rowdy.

Want more? You have to visit Las Olas -that is the upscale version for us locals who don't want to deal with the noise of South Beach but leave it to tourists to enjoy but now tourists are getting in on the secret. Yes, midnight is just like midday. If you're a small town person, please bring a person with you not to feel overwhelmed. You might be leaving at 2am and you see a throng of people just getting in trying to get your spot to park.

Then you have to go to City Walk in Palm Beach. It's a drive but so worth it. I spent a b-day a year and half ago one night and I will not confess when I got home. All I'll say is there was dinner, movie, a bit of shopping, site seeing and listening to local musicians

Misconception 5: Other than partying, there is no sophisticated "culture." - This is one of the things that get on my nerves when I visit other parts of the country and they ask where I'm from. I tend to dispel a lot of perceptions folks might have about me when they see me. There is an "enlightened" crowd, dare I say, "intellectual" crowd here also. We have one of the world's biggest book fairs - Miami International Book Fair, you have got to check out the "Design District" in Miami, or the Furniture district in Fort Lauderdale and DCOTA in Griffin.

Also, there's a politically active crowd in South Florida. How did you think President Obama won Florida? He and many Democrat Politicians spent A LOT OF TIME DOWN HERE LAST YEAR. There are great exhibits to check out, plays to see and South Florida has a thriving Native American community. Visiting the Indian Village would be an eye-opening experience about some history lessons you may not have read about this great people.

Tags: South Beach, South Florida

One of Those "Hairy" Weeks . . .

Noticed a trend here? Fridays I crash (figuratively speaking). But literally speaking, there's a small plane crash around my neighborhood just a few hours ago which made driving difficult (that is not a surprise in South Florida) but more difficult because of the smoky haze on the streets. My thoughts and prayers to the victims involved and the Fire Fighters who are doing the best they can at this time.

Well Happy Friday and it's been one of those weeks - extremely busy. Can I just say this? I'm so glad to be off high-heels for the weekend or the stylistic professional clothes and just kicking it in sneaks and tees. I'll peek into the office for a few hours later this evening but no one will look at me twice when I come in there in a more casual get up because I'm not supposed to be "on."

Now I understand why some folks are "shocked" when they get to know what I do for a living because I'm very comfortable being casual. I'm equally comfortable being "the fashionista" as some folks call me or the "recessionista" these days.

Speaking of being the recessionista, I showed my face in a hair salon after about 10 months three Fridays ago because this "accessory" called hair was bugging the living daylights out of me. So I needed to tame the beast. My hair stylist recommended a major hair cut instead of a trim and some heat that I wanted. After some give and take on why I needed this hair cut, I gave but told the Brother "don't make me look like a boy." "Mo-, you can never look like a boy."

I must say he did a great job, I wish he could show me how he used that flat iron (I'm yet to figure out that appliance). The hair was lighter and flowed even though it was much shorter. And I prefer my hair straightened. I think it fits my "edgy" persona and the hair held up in this crazy humid climate in South Florida. That is one thing I miss about living up north. When I go there for holidays, the hair rocks.

But then add stress on the job and unexpected events late last week into this week, the hair went back "curly" that when I showed up one morning into the office, one lady (black) was surprised how I could go from one extreme to the next and asked how I got my hair this way, my response: Water. She looked surprised and I was already being pulled about some situation.

Hours later she saw me in the ladies room and asked me to be serious with her about the hair because she knew there was no way I could see a professional in less than 12 hours of being in the office the previous night. I told her I was serious, it's water and conditioner with no heat (let it air dry), and oh "shea butter" so it goes back this way. My hair shows different textures depending on the climate, product or appliance.

What is it about black women and their hair that they are constantly over worrying about this thing called hair - no wonder it's a multi-billion business. The lady looked at the hair with a kind of longing look and just said (as if she's resigned to the hair she had)"it fits you." I laughed it off (I guess to put her at peace with hers) and told her this was my "lazy hair," I prefer it straight but it takes a lot of work.

And another thing about the curly look as my Aunt has said to me, I need to put some effort with putting on some makeup so I don't look too young in the workplace. Don't you just love family! They'll give it to you straight. Black women, find your (own) hair PEACE, I'm still working on mine but for the most part, I have a "whatever" approach to it (for the most part) . . . I just try to keep it healthy. Don't follow what the media says, a lot of those white girls have major extensions in their hair and you're breaking yours just to fit a certain image. Just do you and screw what anyone thinks of it.