What I want for Christmas!

Again I have let myself fall behind on my blogging:(. Got to get it together, So here is my first step lol.. I have SOOOO many pics to put up so every now and then I’ll just post one “just because”. This past week has been absolutely crazy. I’ve had shows in London Fashion Week, went to Paris for the day, been a tourist guide, and an stimulating ententertainer lol. I’m pooped!!
I must say though one of the best events during London Fashion Week was Vodafone’s 360 launch. In my opinion it was another event where I was basically paid to look pretty and party (hey it’s what I do). Anyway, little did the Vodafone people know was that I was in my element! TECHYWORLD… While I was here I met a really cool guy who made me realize I was a GEEK (not a nerd cause they are uncool LOL) I thought it was quite normal that I hacked my iPhone, carry 3 separate phones, have a watch that plays 10 movies or so, carry a NIKON D40 for the hell of it, and really understand the meaning of web and walk. Well, he quickly confirmed that I actually wasn’t normal for a girl and I need to begin to use this to my advantage.
OurManInside.com had the coolest gadgets ever! I wanted everything he pulled out of his goody bag. I been dying to get my hands on some extra equipment for my camera ie; lens, flashes, and reflectors/lights. He had the best lens that will definitely be on my Christmas/birthday list this year along with the MIFI.. Check out this link for the pic. This handy dandy gadget will be the best!!! I don’t think I can wait till Christmas for this one. It’s quite simple what this dodad can do and I can't believe I'm just now hearing about it..I feel lightyears behind. It’s basically a WIFI connection that can fit in your purse/backpocket. As I said before, I went to Paris for a day last week and this would have been SOOO useful. I didn’t have a signal at all while I was there so I had to configure my iPhone to become a hotspot then use another phone to check emails etc which didn’t happen because I didn’t have my 3 phone. Anyway, had I had this badboy I could have pooped a sim in and had a WIFI connection on my iPhone everywhere we went.

“ Dear God,
Please land this on my front door…I will use it for good:)
PS can you add the lens as well...LOVE YA
Thank you
-your favorite”

The biggest food fight in the world!!!!! La Tomatina 2009

I rerouted my entire schedule, cancelled some jobs, just to go to this event.. I've literally been waiting for 2 yrs to go to this and finally I'm able to check off an activity on my to-do list... Wohooooo
Very anticipated event for me and thousands others! Buynol tomato fight.. THE BIGGEST FOOD fight in the world!!! I think it started back in 1944 by two guys that were rebelling against authority… now it’s a reason to get drunk, give someone a black eye with a tomato and then the person smile about it! (and neither I did I don’t think lol)
I must admit after I heard the first horn I was thinking “I don't think this was a good idea!” I wanted to run for the high heavens and say screw this I'm taking my ball and I'm going home but of course I stuck it out and it was the best ever.. Having any excuse to cream the guy next to you with a tomato and deliberately chuck food across the way to hit someone was the best. A place were a black eye is expected.. NICE. Just a few tips that I didn't read on a blog to share with ya.

GIVE UP on getting the HAM... Okay so the tradition is that the fight starts after a guy (or girl) gets a Ham from the top of a 10ft pole. Well watching dudes attempt to get the ham from the pole is one of the most frustrating activities. It's like watching a bad movie you can't look away from. I literally watched people for an hour and a half fight each other, bite, kick, push, punch, and step on each other’s face to ATTEMPT to get to the top of a super lathered soapy pole..anyhow.. They NEVER got the ham!

No need to shower the day before.. It's a waste of time water and soap.. However it's very courteous to do so.. Train rides are packed and full of drunk people from the night b4. We got there at the butt crack of dawn so many never made it home (literally we left about 6am).

Don't drink the night before... Those were the ones that was pulling to the side @ 7am the morning needing to upchuck. Just think about it like this; standing for HOURS (my legs STILL hurt), heat that feels like entry to hell, and now you have to go fight.. Good luck with that.. My dear friend did start breakfast though with 3 cans of beer for breakfast just because they were €1.. Got to live it.

Wear swim gear! Goggles, swim suits, swim cap:) the whole kit and caboodle.
One of the things I wish I would have done was wear a swim suit under my clothes that way i can just take clothes off and rinse in swim suit.. But it wasn't horrible.. There were soo many times that I had to stop and find a clean spot on my shirt to wipe my eyes... Didn't last long though LOL.. After about 20mins I had no clean spots.
Check out the video and it's clear I was not playing around with my hair! lol I opted for just a tight plastic bag and not a shower cap or a swim cap because it fit tighter.. SMARTEST thing i did.. Granted I was a target because everybody tried to take it off but once I balled my fist they realized a black chick and her hair wasn’t to play with.. I'm so happy i wasn’t one of the ones that had to visit the shower two and three times to get chucks of embedded tomato out. OH and the smell!!!! it's like it never goes away.. Wash good!! When u think it's gone it's not!

No flip flips.. U will lose them..and of course wear stuff you can throw away immediately. I carried a draw string bag that I didn't mind losing.. In the bag was another plastic bag with a change of clothes.. This saved my life LOL.. After the fight we went and washed off in a horrible nasty river that I'm sure I caught something from. Then I was able to toss those and put my clean ones on.. Best thing ever!!! The smell of tomatoes, B.O, and heat does not mix!

Get a waterproof disposal camera. There were several people that used their digital camera with a plastic sleeve around it... Not sure how those are going to come out lol..
I actually caught quite a lot of footage however I was fighting so hard I pushed the delete button and erased my before shots:( all good though..hopefully my cheap disposal (that wasn't waterproof) comes out half decent LOL

Eat the street food; it's the BEST!! There's something about getting the fattiest piece of bacon on a baguette from a one eyed Spanish cowboy with finger nails longer than mine and occasionally breaks out in full song. I'm sure there was salmonella just under his finger nails but what the heck.. Any reason not to go to work LOL

BEFORE..Check out the video for the after!!

GET TESTED!

Pic of the Week!!
Here in London its pretty funny how liberal they are..Not quite sure if liberal is the word.. maybe its just open..lol.. When I use to work as a drug and alcohol counselor there was a glamorized pamphlet that we would give out to clients. Large bold letters across the front said COCAINE and it had a mirror effect on the front and back. The whole point of the mirror on the pamphlet was so the client would be able to snort off of it. Sad I know!
Anyhow, I had a meeting today in a child protection office and this is what was posted on the wall. Oh there were many others but this was the funnest. I find it very forward to say the least lol..
HEY GET TESTED!!!
Oh how could I forget.... as soon as i got back from America early this month, I had a package waiting on me. Very odd because I didn't order anything. Anyway, I opened the box and there is a urine cup inside. I freaked, I didn't know what the heck was going on. I read the paper attached and apparently I fell in an age range that the local authority were testing for chlamydia and wanted to make sure everyone was tested. They even told me if i pissed in the cup and sent it back in the mail I had the chance to win a WII!! What the hell?!?!?!?!!?
The fact that my piss was going to be shipped in the mailbox was a little freaky!
Just go to the clinic!! its free anyway! but I guess this works for those who are shy/ashamed LOL

DaniJ the photographer has a come up..wohooo

Most of you know photography is only a hobby for me but, most of you also know whatever I do I tend to do it big ;)..This time round, I landed myself with this company as a photographer doing fairly large events..So yesterday I did the Lloyd banks concert. It was definitely a cool event; great networking and I finally heard sounds in London that I knew...(whole other story LOL) My pics are cool but I now want them to be soooo much better, especially since I'm moving forward in this field.. which means more investments LOL. First step.. external flash. So now I’m looking for that "I can get you anything" guy. Everyone knows who I’m talking bout; you know that guy that can get you steaks and a flat screen.. well I need the SB 600 LOL.. I'll settle for the SB 400 but I REALLY want the SB 600.. anyhow, I’m also lookin out for some lessons so if any body knows a guy that knows a guy, get at me:) I'm trying to rid myself of my token phrase of “jack of all and masters of none”..LOL..especially before I pick up something else like ice hockey..


I have no clue who this dude was but he was pretty good... and he twittered on stage...got to love it.

Daniel's Family Reunion!!!!

FINALLY, a moment to write. I’ve been back from home now for about a week and unfortunately I’m homesick:( cant sleep and ready to go somewhere again… and I’m not one to get homesick!... but this time its’ probably cause the beau was home and loads of family members I’ve never seen before.. Plus didn’t have loads of time to hang out with the best friend either. Anyhow, seeing the family was great. I was dreading going in the beginning cause I didn’t want to pay that $800 ticket but in the end it was well worth the money. The whole point of me going was for my mother’s side of the family to have their very first family reunion. I can say it was lovely and well put together. I was able to see family I have NEVER seen before and those that are only a vivid of my imagination. I’m very grateful to have a family of this caliber. I’ve also realized how much of a role model I am without realizing it. It’s quite an empowering and overwhelming feeling at the same time. I also took this opportunity to try to figure out my family history. Beginning so close to Africa, I’ve wanted to trace my family line back to it’s tribe and visit the “motherland”. So while at the family reunion I figured somebody would be able to point me in the right direction…. WELL they directed me in the right direction however; not the direction that I thought!. My grandmother explained that both of her parents were Native Americans; Black foot and Black Crow. This was apparent when all my family came around LOL.. My father then told me in the same sentence that his mother’s mother was full Cherokee Indian. All I could think was, How come no one decided to tell me this when I was in college.. I could at least got a book paid for!!!! I would have join a reservation for that.. LOL But it was interesting to see my characteristic in other people. I won’t even mention the side jokes the cousins had about “weave” matching everyone else’s hair LOL!!! Anyhow, this merited for a PERFECT time to bring out the great o camera……..
There is NOTHING like family:)

!!!!TURKEY!!!!

I finally made it to turkey!!
I usually never blog on my trips but I just couldn't help this time. Immediately getting off the plane I realize that I was going to have an issue with personal space.. Or they had a problem with personal space lol..I also have to say I was just a little uncomfortable with my attire because most of the women still are covered with head scarves and veils. The government has actually outlawed it before but as people know, religion often surpasses government. Anyhow, the closer I got to the Blue Mosque and tourist attractions things changed..
Things changed alot! Men pretty much outnumbered women here tremendously! So I knew we would get crazy looks. Well they out did their selves with the looks. I was getting weird things shout out to me from men across the way. No clue what they were, I simply kept my head down and kept it moving. I did finally come to a younger man who spoke semi decent English and I understood "SISTER OBAMA HELLO!!!" all the while I'm thinking I'm disgusting these people because I wasn’t covered or I didn’t look “like them” I come to the realization they are quite happy I'm here… Talk about language barrier. Soon after I hear Mrs Obama, Lady Obama, Janet Jackson, Naomi Campbell, Jennifer Lopez, China, and Brown Skin Beauty..I hear all this within 20 mins!!!!! Oddly china was yelled twice but I have no clue why. I got sister Obama at least 7 times!! A man ran buy me and kissed the air and others asked for pictures.. I'm sure it's clear I am not Mrs Obama sister Obama or Mrs Obama's cousin (or maybe it's not clear and that's the issue lol) I was trying to make a bit of logic
behind it in saying that I'm black and typically people associate one black person with all black people over here but then I realized I was very wrong because there are several Africans that travel through Istanbul and they are seen before they are heard just as I was and this wasn’t quite the story they had to tell. Anyhow, it has reached it's point of flattering however it was just my first day and I have 4 more:) . Glad Obama is a positive image or else this trip would have been significantly different...

TUESDAY
I visited the Blue Mosque today, went to a carpet Museum, the Grand Bazaar, and received a belly dancing lesson from a little person LOL..



Okay not really a museum lol but we ran across a guy that gave a 2 hour lesson on CARPET!(I was over it.) There is where I learned that the Turkish people are extremely hospitable but will take up a massive amount of your time. Among this LONG day, here are just a few of the quotes I received….
You are from Ali
You chocolate, you Turkish delight
I want
Are u from Harlem? U look like Naomi Campbell
I milk, you chocolate..U want to make mix?
FYI I can continue with more upon request!!!!













Wednesday
Dropped by Asia (seriously)
Hiked up a hill about a mile.. really cute

Received handpicked flowers from a 15 year old boy..twice


Pierced Puerto Rican purple penis—Don’t ask LOL
U know facebook has gotten big when...I got a school group of 15 year old boys ask me can I be their friend. Then they came back an hour later to make sure they would be able to find me, asking all my details along with my email address and last name.
Pay peanuts get monkeys—Don’t ask LOL
Took pictures with Turkish women..over and over and over again.
AND the Black girl say the Black Sea
THURSDAY
SHOPPING DAY:)
While in the Hagia Sophia I took pictures with at least five groups of people…. It got to a point where I begin to hide and walk fast… Security guards had to request the little girl not to take a picture of me and to simply ask.. She asked

and another photo session began… Once you start taking pictures EVERYONE wants one.
I realized I had a stocker.. He told me what I did last night and then proceeded to tell me he would kill for me… He asked me to feel his heart to see how much he loved me and it was racing!!! His palms was sweating and all.. Unfortunately his restaurant was across the street from my hotel so I have to think of creative ways to get to my hotel without him trying to cross the street and not get hit… Once I “ESCAPED”I was able to Shop AGAIN..

FRIDAY
SHOPPING continues:)
While in the spice market I heard I was a spice girl and the BEST line of the day was “U dropped something....my heart”


Oh yeah, I also felt like the president…. I was handed kids and told to take pictures with them.

I was in the grocery store buying my candy fix for the day and a woman was in front of me purchasing a bag of chips. She paid for them and then handed them to me as a gift.. I politely declined and then she opened them and handed them to me again. She wasn’t too happy I declined for a second time. Yes weird, but very sweet.
Istanbul was WONDERFUL, I think it has become my favorite country..It use to be Prague but now I’m moving towards Turkey. Weather was great and the hospitality even better. I didn’t get to eat turkey like I wished BUT I ate everything else under the sun! I did however see a rooster which is close enough. I recommend this place to everyone, especially those that recently got out of a divorce, bad breakup, need a self esteem lift or simply want to hear people tell you how beautiful you are. True, some are trying to push a sale on you but mostly others are genuinely telling you how beautiful you are.

Palma De Mallorca

Finally I have a moment to breathe… Just got back from Palma de Mallorca last weekend and I truly plan to REST this weekend… (well that’s the plan).. That’s always the plan and then somebody calls lol.. anyway, Mallorca was cool, literally, one day it rained. This wasn’t the best but it made up for itself the day after because it turned out AMAZING. It really is beautiful there, the water was soo blue but it was still really windy. We couldn’t resist laying out and getting some sun (although I do NOT need any AT ALL..LOL ) the trick was to lay flat at all times because if you sat up it was freezing..Anyhow.. it was a really interesting city. I would love to go back and really get on some boats and go out to the ocean, discover some of the caves undersea etc, I heard they were amazing. We did some caves while we were there though. That was too interesting to go into detail lol..just a little insight, the tour guide was a old man that seemed to live in the cave and learned out to play instruments on the stalagmites and stalactite…lol. But really some of the things I see in my life seriously can ONLY be seen on TV. I actually saw a purse snatcher take a old women’s purse and I couldn’t do anything but yell.. It was really sad. Then this brave young one (lol) went running after the man 5 minutes later like that was going to work…. But to everybody’s surprise he did come back with the purse with everything in it. Moments that followed seemed like one of those silent movies where the police come there are tears of joy then sadness with the crock and confusion with the cops.. yes all very confusing, I know lol.. anyway, it ended with the old lady and her 5 grandkids walking away happy:) . Yes, the five grown kids that did not chaise after the worthless man. Wish I would have been quick on my feet and snapped some pics.that would have been cool lol

Best pic of the day









Side note… I know I have said sooo many great things about the new car. But I must say I miss my missy from home. ..So this is my love to her and her heated seats and smooth ride, this one feels like I’m driving a manual and its only an automatic. I miss you MISSY. I will be home to get u soon..You are in good hands now LOL.