Rocking In Memphis - This Weekend!

 

 

I know I've been looking for Friday all week, what about everyone else? This week marked the start back to school for most kids in the Memphis metro area, the only kids left to start back are private schools. Miss B is a catholic private school gal and she starts back on the 19th. We go to register next Tuesday. It's been a nice break but boy am I ready to get back into the swing of things. I've got to finish our school shopping this weekend and do some sewing on Miss B's uniform.

 

We're taking a trip to the zoo tomorrow with my lovely BF, his sister, and all the kids in their family. It should be a fun filled day, nothing like wearing the kids out during the day so they will sleep well at night. I have made the conscious decision to stay in this weekend as well. I will not be partying it up this weekend, I need rest!! I've been going non-stop all summer so I'm staying in this weekend and looking forward to it!

 

For those of us that do not want to stay in though I wanted to share my top 5 things to do in or around Memphis this weekend:

 

 

1. The Sunflower River Blues Festival in Clarksdale, MS - This is a free three day festival featuring an abundance of very talented local musicians. Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi All-Stars will be performing as well as a plethora of other performers. It should be a great weekend with lots of great music. And it's free!!
2. Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone at The Orpheum Theatre - Tonight at The Orpheum in their Summer Movie Series they are showing the first Harry Potter, how exciting!! It would be a great night to go downtown with the kids, grab some food, and then see a great movie at The Orpheum on the big screen. Children's tickets are $5 and adults are $7.
3. The Rolling Stones at The Levitt Shell - Now don't freak out and think the Stones are actually performing. This month at The Levitt Shell they are presenting an Indie Film Festival featuring all the old greats in concert for your enjoyment. This week they are featuring The Rolling Stones in two concerts Rock and Roll Circus and Some Girls. The Levitt Shell may be my favorite Memphis to-do. You can bring your own food and drink and watch great local bands or even music legends all for free. It's family friendly and just an all around amazing time.  
4. Blind Wine Tasting at Salsa - On Saturday's from 1-3pm Salsa restaurant is partnering with Great Wines and Spirits to offer a blind wine tasting through August 31st. They pick the wines and you enjoy! The price is only $10 which is a steal for any wine tasting.
5. Food Truck Rodeo - Every Sunday at 12pm through August 31st The Food Truck Alliance teams up for The Food Truck Rodeo. These food trucks park and you get to taste each and every one of them. It's great fun for the family or for a cute day date. You pay the cost of food and they do this every Sunday at Shelby Farms.

 

 

 

So with all that to do you have no reason not to get out and about this weekend!! I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend, I know I will. :)

10 Things I Wish I Could Go Back and Tell a Young S

 

 

Just the other evening I was thinking to myself about things I wish I could go back and tell a young me. I was reminiscing about the past and people that have come and gone and how my life had changed for the better. At least once a month I always think about the path I'm on in life and where it's headed, weird I know.

 

Anyway so while I was having my monthly life planning session with myself I started to realize how much heartache and drama I could have saved myself if someone.....oh say future me had walked up to me, slapped me on the head, and said listen to this because it will change your life. I probably wouldn't have listened anyway but having a daughter makes me want to do the exact same thing for her when the horrid teenage years approach our lives. So without further ado, here are the top 10 things I wish I could go back and tell young S.

 

 

1. Learn to Let It Go  - In my younger days I was awesome at holding grudges and using my anger to get what I want. Little did I know though I came off as a raging bitch and only the people that really loved me wanted to be around me. In my adult years as I have grown leaps and bounds I've learned not to sweat the small stuff.
2. Constantly Challenge Yourself - I think this goes without saying but in this day and age I feel like for some weird reason kids feel entitled and want everything given to them. If you aren't constantly challenging yourself to be better and do better you will always be stuck right where you are. I would tell a young me to go out and grab life by the horns and hold on for the ride.
3. Learn to Love Unconditionally - Everyone has their first love and of course the love of a close friendship, however for me I didn't learn to love until much later in life. I'll admit that I never felt real and true love until the day Miss B graced my life. I've probably only been in real love once maybe twice. So I think if I could go back I would learn how to wear my heart on my sleeve a little more. I'd learn to not be so cold-hearted and embrace love for what it is.
4. Learn from Lost Loves and Friendships - This was probably the greatest lesson of all that I have learned in life. I would constantly make the same mistakes with friends and significant others until I learned to see what the lesson was and the mistakes I had made. I was constantly dating the same people over and over again and surrounding myself with dramatic friends. Once I learned to let go and figure out where I went wrong it was easy to cut the fat and right the wrong.
5. Don't be Dramatic - Being a young girl this is almost nearly impossible but it is also one of the most annoying things in the world as well. Dramatic girls are so overly annoying and rarely do people like them. I can admit to being one of these girls at some point or another in my life. Thank goodness I left it in my teenage years though and I haven't looked back once!
6. Do What Makes You Happiest - Don't follow the crowd just because you are afraid no one will like you. In the end, do what makes you happy because those that love you always will and those that don't support your decisions don't matter. I don't think you should ever have to compromise your passions because someone does not agree. If it really makes you happy then your real friends and family will support you because they only want the best for you.
7. Be Yourself - This one probably goes without saying but I think it's also commonly missed as well. It took me well into my late 20's to finally realize and accept the person that I was. In that there were also some changes that took place in order for me to come to terms with my wonderful individual personality. Your friends and family can change you sometimes for the better or worst. It takes a strong individual to be un-swayed by the ways of the world. Once you are comfortable in your own skin you can conquer all and be un-swayed.
8. Be Mindful of What You Are Putting Into Your Body - I think one of the most valuable and eye opening experiences I've learned is what all is really in foods. Our food especially processed food is piled high with cancer creating chemicals, hormones, and pesticides. I have learned so much about real food and eating clean and how important it is for your body to function properly. I'm now educating not only myself but Miss B in hopes of her making the correct decisions for herself when she is my age and younger.
9. Pick a Lucrative and In Demand Career - In my rush to just be done with college I picked a career that maybe is not as lucrative as I thought it would be. I've been in banking since I was 18 and sometimes it seems like it is a black hole. I'm always really envious of those people who sat down and researched what they wanted to do with their life and then actually followed through with it. I would have loved to do something with dance but I knew immediately that would not pay the bills, shame on me because many of my old dance friends are out there working and making a living as a dancer.
10. Create a Long Lasting Bond with Your Family - The one thing I miss the most in my family is the closeness. Both my mom and dad's side of the family are not close with one another. I long for that good old fashioned family fun where everyone genuinely enjoys each other and has fun with them. I have cousins but we are not close at all nor do I think that we like each other which is sad on multiple levels. I hope that when I gain another family when I choose to marry that family will be close and awesome and enjoy each other's company. I think it's a great thing to have.



 



SYTYCD Top 14 Re-Cap

Last night the Top 14 dancers took the stage with some amazing performances. I thoroughly enjoyed the Top 14 group number choreographed by Sonya Tayeh and Dmitry Chaplin. I knew the minute I saw it that a ballroom choreographer was involved. I absolutely loved the collaboration between two different genre's of dance.

Moving on to the competition - after the bottom 6 results were revealed we all knew that: Alexis, Mackenzie, and Jasmine were in danger for the girls. Nico, Curtis, and Alan were in danger for the boys. Curtis was injured so he did not compete last night. Alan, Curtis, Alexis, and Mackenzie were all in the bottom last week too. It's never good when you are consecutively in the bottom week after week. It raises your chances of going home tremendously.

The performances that I most enjoyed last night are as follows in no particular order:

 Alexis and Nico - I absolutely loved this piece and thought it was so beautiful

I also loved Mackenzie and Paul's jazz number I thought it was very sexy and seductive. That's just how I like my jazz danced. :)

My last favorite number of the night was Malece and Alan. I absolutely loved their salsa, it was filled with all kinds of tricks and body pumping moves. I gasped a few times throughout the number.

My favorite group number of the night was the bullying piece. I was so excited to see such a national issue being raised on a dance show and being portrayed through the art of dance. Bullying is such a huge issue in today's youth and I think this piece was a great outlet to get the word out to an even bigger audience.

I also want to give a shout out to Anna Kendrick. I have hated most of the guest stars all season because they are not informed about dance and in my opinion are not qualified to judge the contestants. With that being said, Anna was really honest and seemed to know her stuff when it came to judging the contestants. I commend her for speaking her mind and sounding intelligent. She was also hilarious too. :)

So who do I think will be in the bottom next week? Most likely......Tucker, Jenna, Jasmine, Alan, Paul, and Mackenzie. I know the judges are in love with Mackenzie but if she is in the bottom for a third straight week I think the judges need to let her go. I think Alan will likely go home from the boys side.

What were your thoughts on last nights performance??

A Weekend for the Books

 

This past weekend was one of the best I've had in a great long while. Mainly because it was my birthday weekend and I was surrounded and showered with love by all my friends and family. There is nothing better than having everyone you love hang out and spend time with you. It's not too shabby when they give you presents either, let me just tell ya! :)

 

 

Thursday was my official birthday and my work friends got me a beautiful cake that we devoured and we also spent some time with my mom that evening where she showered me with tons of presents. Thanks Mom!! We also went out to dinner that evening at my favorite local Cajun/seafood restaurant The Half Shell. If you haven't been you need to go and check it out, it's really really good. I had the catfish Pauline and it was divine!!! So yummy and fresh.

 

 

 

Friday was a workday but I'm not sure how productive it was. I was in much anticipation for my party that evening so I had delicious food, drinks, and good times on my mind the entire day. So after a full day of work I headed home to put my party dress on and head out for some good times with my fabulous friends. I decided to celebrate my birthday and my most favorite Memphis hangout ever. If anyone knows me then you know I am only talking about Mollie Fontaine's in the medical district. This place is absolutely filled with that old Victorian, rich, and luxurious feel. It also has a midtown edge to it as well. They also boast some of the best food in Memphis as well. Their truffle fries are absolutely to die for and their mac and cheese is delicious as well. Really you can't go wrong with anything you get there. Most of their dishes are small plates so you can easily order a few different things and then just share. I figured I'd share a few pics from the night. We had an absolute blast and I'd do it again every weekend, just maybe not as many shots. :)

 

I wore a hot pink chiffon one shoulder number for the night and paired it with my gold sparkly heels. I also accessorized with a gold bangle. :) The dress I grabbed on a steal from Macy's it was only $15 but was retailed for $98.

 

 

 

 

Saturday was a major day of rest and taking it extremely easy. To say I was hungover would be a huge understatement. I believe most of my friends were in the same misery I was. We aren't 21 anymore kids, that's for sure!!!

 

I finally started feeling better around 3:30pm. Yes you read that right, 3:30pm. I put the first food in my stomach around then and I felt fine after that. Hey it was my birthday!! Let me live people!! I stayed in with Miss B Saturday night and we had a girls night. We watched Disney channel and hung out in the living room for the most part.

 

Sunday I geared it back up though and we were off to the races again. My best friends husband had a big get together in Mississippi for his birthday on Sunday. A major 2-lane slide was rented for the event and there were plenty of people out to celebrate with him. It was so much fun and after a minor drama fest at the top of the slide Miss B had a fun time too.

 

 

 



 

 

All in all I think it was a great and fun weekend. I want to thank all of my loved ones for coming out and celebrating with me this past week and weekend. It is now back to the real world and getting geared up for Back to School business. It has really crept up on us but we are going to try and be as prepared as possible in these next three weeks.

 

 



The Universal Girl Problems

 

 

Happy Monday friends, I hope your week is off to a great start. I'm feeling a little under the weather today and hope I can kick this ugly feeling before Thursday. Thursday is my birthday, yahoo!! I'd hate to be sick on my birthday.

 

 

Anyway so over the weekend my lovely 6 year old daughter gave me the first of many tests regarding self-esteem and self-worth. My darling daughter asked me point blank and flat out while we were getting dinner last night if I thought she looked fat. It took me for a shock but once I gathered the initial jolt I knew this would be one of the first tests in raising a girl. I quickly answered her and said you are absolutely not fat! You are a healthy, growing, and beautiful little lady. I told her as long as we all exercise and eat healthy we would have nothing to worry about. I also explained that what we put into our bodies fuels us so it's important to only put good nutritious food into our bodies.

 

She took that statement and I guess she felt good about it because that was the end of the conversation for us. However, it constantly played out in my mind just how early self image starts within girls. She is only 6 and is already worried about how pretty and skinny she is. The media disgusts me when it comes to raising a daughter because I know they are the ones influencing young impressionable children to look and act a certain way.

 

So I made a vow yesterday that I would be more involved and more aware of what she is watching be it TV shows or commercials. I would also be more active in building up her self esteem and making sure she knows and is reminded on a daily basis just how wonderful and beautiful she is.

 

 



What a Whirlwind of a Week

Apologies for my extended absence from the blog here......we have been so busy both at work and home I have not had a chance to post.
 
I wanted to share a very special event I attended last Wednesday night though. I totally think it's not only worth sharing but completely complimenting on as well.

A local chocolatier by the name of Phillip Ashley hosted a "Chocistry" event last Wednesday night at Iberia Bank on Poplar Ave. It was from 6-8:15pm and was an absolute delight and joy to attend. Phillip Ashley's website describes the event below:

TOURING TEQUILA

The highly anticipated designer chocolate and tequila tasting has arrived!!!  

The ultra-chic and contemporary Iberiabank will be the site for this evening filled with amazing chocolates, unique tequila, wonderful cuisine and Latin jazz.  There will be five flights of our spicy line of designer chocolates paired with tequilas that will open you up to a new world of this popular spirit.

Scott Smith, proprietor of the Wine Market, will present five amazing tequilas.  NB3/The Chocistry Project will provide an atmosphere filled with the sounds of Latin inspired jazz.  Simply Delicious Caterings will prepare a spread that will get you ready to truly explore the spirits...

Click on the green links to purchase 

SOLD OUT...SEE YOU IN AUGUST!

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

6-8:15pm 

Iberiabank 

4894 Poplar Ave

Memphis, TN 38117

Those were my delicious chocolates to try, I didn't snag a picture of the tequila, I was too busy drinking that! :) The tequila we tried though were all three levels of El Mayor which was the blanco, reposado, and the anejo. The lovely men of The Wine Market made their own tequila liqueur with a blend of lime leaves and Ed Hardy tequila, it was quite delicious. Our last tequila was the Patron Café and it was absolutely divine! 

             

So Phillip would get up and tell about the chocolate and what was inside of it and then the men of The Wine Market would explain the tequila and why it was paired with each chocolate. My girlfriend and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and are looking forward to another Chocistry event very soon.

 

Phillip has the tastings monthly - August 15th is the next event and it will likely be held at Iberia Bank again. The tasting is of course chocolate paired with bourbon. Pritchard Distilleries will be the spirit maker of choice for that event. Tickets usually run about $45-$50 for 5 chocolates, 5oz of spirits, and appetizers. He is a local business owner and such a nice guy so get out there and support our local Memphians. :)

 

 

SYTYCD Wednesday Recap

 

As my favorite show has returned for the summer season I can now officially don Wednesday's SYTYCD re-cap days. Each Wednesday I'll be blogging here my thoughts and critiques for the season 10 performances. This week was the first real week of live competition. It was obvious to me who the standout's are and those who will be easily left behind unless they kick up their game.

 

As each couple were announced I noticed that I had forgotten some of these kids already, obviously they did not leave a lasting impression on me. I also have already picked out my favorite guy and girl back two weeks ago when the 33 dancers made it through to the green mile. Of course my favorite guy and girl made it through, I'm usually pretty good at picking the ones that will make it on the show.

 

So let's start re-capping already!!!! The first live competition show opened up with a NappyTabs hip hop routine for the top 20 with some awesome cameos from the judges and choreographers. I loved this behind the scenes routine and thought it was done really well. Take a look below and see if you agree.

 

 

The couples performances were quite good this week. I thoroughly enjoyed Amy and Fik-Shun who closed the show with a Sonya Tayeh routine. I was impressed with Fik-Shun's dedication to contemporary when he is a street dancer. While Sonya was light with the choreography for Fik-Shun I feel like he still tried to commit and really go for the performance. Amy as always was flawless and as expected to be because this is her style of dance. My favorite quote of the entire night was after this performance and Wayne Brady said: "Fik-Shun whenever I want people to take my seriously I also take off my clothes and dance with a white girl." I died laughing.

 

 

My favorite performance of the night though was a Travis Wall routine performed by Malece and Jade. It was a jazz routine and I think it was wonderful. Once again, the choreographer's curtailed the dance towards Malece's strong points and to make Jade look good as well. It was extremely well performed and I enjoyed it immensely.

 

 

 

Now onto the dancer's I think that will be in the bottom. It's not that they aren't good dancers I just feel as though they are forgettable and did not dance well their first night out.

 

 

Nico and Alexis I think will both be in the bottom and Alexis may be the first girl to go home. I know that hip hop is not either of their styles but this performance looks like they just gave up. It was not a good performance and they looked like kids trying to be cool.

 

 

I also did not care for this Tyce Diorio piece. I think one of these two will be in the bottom if not both of them. I think Tucker is an amazing dancer but he is forgettable, I had completely forgotten he made the top 20 until I saw his face. Something about me doesn't quite like Jeanna. I think behind the scenes she may be a bit of a prissy and cocky. She strikes me as that type of person.

 

I can't find the last video but whoever did the jive was a little all over the place too. It was rough to watch.

 

We shall find out next Tuesday who goes home first!!