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May 4, 2012 

FRIDAY FUN: Fashionably Late Fridays @ Dazzling Lounge

Last summer, a few ambitious folks got together and thought, “What is the Toronto nightlife scene missing?” Events that are not full of posed-up “industry” folks, parties that aren’t geared to the “I stole my 21-year-old cousin’s ID” crowd, jams that don’t end with hotheads scrapping over perceived disrespect…kinda hard to come by in general, but seem to be few and far between in Toronto. I’ve lived here for 5 years, and some say I’ve missed the golden era of Toronto nightlife – but I have to say, the good parties I’ve been to in the city have been GOOD PARTIES. Thanks to those ambitious folks I mentioned (the good people of R Flavour, This Is Your Conscience, and Goddess Intellect), Toronto has another good party series to coincide with the return of the good weather – Fashionably Late!

Summer 2011 found me at Dazzling Lounge nearly every Friday. Dope Asian fusion cuisine, yummy drinks, good company and hype music (shout out to main DJ Kold Fusion) – I had quite the time. I ran into old friends, met new ones, danced to Poison with Robin Givens and got holla’d at by Clifton Powell (aka Pinky from the Friday movies). Let’s just say, every Friday night was an experience.

Starting tonight (yes – TONIGHT!), Fashionably Late will regain it’s position as the Friday night place to be for a cool, sexy, and fun affair. Dazzling Lounge has just revamped its patio space, so I’m excited to do some patio photo shoots with the Toronto skyline as my backdrop! The Fashionably Late team has a ton of tricks up their sleeve to add to your party experience. It’s not just about a drink and a two-step – Fashionably Late plans to fully entertain you with special nights and pre-party happy hour events.

Speaking of special nights – the 2nd Friday of each month will be the Timeline party. DJ Kold Fusion will take you on a musical journey with an old school groove, taking us from current time to the mid 80′s in hip hop, RnB, reggae, soca, house, and anything else he comes up with (people have broken heels to Nirvana thanks to DJ Kold Fusion, so wear your good shoes, ladies!). Next Friday, May 11th, will be the first Timeline jam, and it’ll also be my birthday party! I’m calling it my Bee-Day Party, and I want you (yes, YOU!) there!  My actual birthday is May 10th, but I’ll be ringing in my new year at Fashionably Late on the 11th. If you want to come sip a drink or dance on a table top with me, shoot me an email! Hit me up on Facebook! Tweet me on Twitter! You know how to reach me :) I may be doing my own little event at an upcoming Fashionably Late, so I’ll keep y’all posted on that too…

Catch up with the Fashionably Late news via their Facebook page and Twitter – come shake a leg!

April 27, 2012 

BEE ON THE SCENE: Malton Moms Workshops & How She Hustles Brunch

As this week comes to an end, I’m reflecting on just how busy and eventful the past few weeks have been. I was honoured to attend a few awesome events, and I wanted to let you all know about them!

First up: my very first speaking engagement! A couple of weeks ago, I was happily surprised to get an email in my inbox inviting me to speak at the Malton Moms group in the Mississauga area. Malton Moms is a networking and support group for mothers in the Malton region, but in reality, they’re so much more than that. Malton Moms provides an environment for mothers to be educated, entertained, supported, and heard. For their Creative Cafe’s “Telling Your Story” edition of special meetings, I was invited to speak about how to “tell your story” with blogging.

With Crystal and Nadine from Malton Moms

For the last two Wednesdays, I spent my evenings in Mississauga with the group and talked, laughed, and learned. For the first session, I covered topics to help the ladies start and maintain their own blogs. It was easy to drive my points home by sharing my own personal experiences, and the ladies were receptive and interactive, which was awesome! For my second session, we focused on the Malton Moms blog, and I helped the group come up with a game plan for updating and revamping their site. This was especially great – the Malton Moms group is doing so many amazing things that it only makes sense for their web presence to mirror all of that awesomeness. Are you in the Malton area and looking for a group of mothers to connect with? You definitely need to get in touch with Malton Moms – check their Facebook page to stay updated! I had a great time, and was humbled and honoured to be invited to speak to their group. I was also inspired – there were a TON of sexy mommies up in there! Go ‘head, ladies!

What comes to mind when you think of spending an afternoon with 100 women you don’t know? For an introvert like me, that’s a nerve-wracking experience, but it’s one I encountered this past Sunday – and I loved it. I was lucky enough to attend the 3rd Annual How She Hustles Brunch at the Courtyard Marriot in downtown Toronto, and I had an amazing time! Hosted by Emily Mills and her team, the brunch was an opportunity to mix, mingle, and make real connections with women excelling in their main hustles and side hustles. This was different from other networking events because it was intimate enough to allow us the opportunity to chat with nearly every woman there. Everyone seemed positive, kind, and genuine in wanting to share their skills and learn about others – no pretentious posing or nonchalant business card tossing here! I was also impressed with the How She Hustles team’s usage of social media – Emily and her team used Twitter and Facebook so effectively, and created a way for women not in attendance to still feel like a part of the event. Awesome gift bags, dope giveaways, the opportunity to meet Twitter-friends in real life, and the chance to connect with other beautiful and inspiring women – this event was a major win all around! Connect with How She Hustles on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube to stay up to date with future events, because I know I’ll never miss another one!

Big thanks to the homie Ajua Dee for snapping so many great pics!

And the events don’t stop! May is my birthday month, and I have a few cool events planned to celebrate! Like the Facebook page and follow me on Twitter for more details! If you were at the Malton Moms workshops or at the How She Hustles brunch, say hello! I’d love to keep in touch!

March 12, 2012 

Bee Rips The Runway: World MasterCard Fashion Week Toronto Style

Photo source

Well, it’s been a pretty eventful week in my world. I spread the news via the ’83 To Infinity Facebook page, but in case you didn’t know, yours truly will be modeling in Toronto Fashion Week! Yes, yes, just like Caribana, TFW has undergone an official name change (from LG Fashion Week to World MasterCard Fashion Week Toronto), but I ain’t sayin’ all that. Caribana and Toronto Fashion Week. I keeps it simple.

Anyways – I was told of a casting call for a line called VAWKKIN, and thought, “What the hell? Let’s see what’ll happen…” I submitted my photos, and a few days later was happy to receive an email that I was invited to the official casting call. I busted out my favourite heels, perfected my walk all up and through my apartment hallway, and headed downtown for the casting. 5 minutes after I arrived, I was finished – all that was left was to see if I was lucky enough to get a follow up email. When I checked my inbox just before bed, I saw the “Congratulations Bee…” and I went OFF. I was going to be in Toronto Fashion Week!

It’s been a whirlwind since then. Meetings, rehearsals, fittings…all for what will end up being a 15 minute show AND the experience of a lifetime. The other models are AWESOME. The model coaches are AMAZING. And the designer? Chiiiiiile…Sunny Fong, winner of Project Runway Canada’s 2nd season, creator of the gorgeous line VAWK and now its sister line VAWKKIN – he’s an artistic genius, hilarious, and forward thinking. He’s entrusted the launch of his newest line to a bunch of model newbies (and a diverse group at that), and we’re all ready to make him proud!

I’m a total introvert, but sometimes magic happens when you get me on a stage with a spotlight. That inner Sasha Fierce comes out, and I’m ready to do my THING! We’ll see how much fierceness I bring to the show – and if you want to check it out for yourself, I’ll tell you how you can!

To get you fashionistas in the mood, check out the Toronto Fashion Week teaser:

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Subscribe to the Toronto Fashion Week Youtube channel, and you’ll be able to watch all of the runway shows, plus enjoy other fashion world tidbits!

If you’re lookin’ for ya girl, you can catch me on the runway for the VAWK/VAWKKIN show on Wednesday, March 14th at 4pm EST! I’ll be documenting as the day goes on, and I’ll give you guys a backstage pass after the show!

January 12, 2012 

Keepin’ It Fresh: Upcoming Events In The T-Dot

Looking for something to do in the city that won’t cost you an arm and a leg? Lately, my email inbox has been filling up with some interesting upcoming events, so Bee’s got you covered:

Photo via Harbourfrontcentre.com

Kuumba @ Harbourfront

As per Harbourfront’s site, “Join Harbourfront Centre for an exploration of African roots through a 21st-century perspective. This year’s festival also highlights the incredible role women have played in shaping the history of black culture and pushing it to new frontiers.” The waterside arts centre will be putting on a number of events (most of them FREE!) from Feb. 3rd – 5th.

Hit up the Honey Jam reunion and catch talent like Saidah Baba Talibah, Kim Davis, Eternia and DJ MelBoogie! Get on bad at the DJ Skate Night, soca style, featuring Dr. Jay! Preview some fresh Toronto talent at The Known (Un)known w/ Tika Simone featuring two of my favourite vocalists right now, Rochelle Jordan and Shi Wisdom! Short films, drumming exhibits, dance workshops and more – check out Kuumba for more details.

Photo via pommeisfrenchforapple.com

Pomme Is French For Apple

A two-woman show put on by Bahia Watson and Liza Paul, Pomme is “a fresh, funny, irreverent look at womanhood in all its glory: its perils, its pleasures, and all kinda madness in between.” I’ve been hearing great reviews from previous runs of this show, so I’ll definitely be making my way to the Tranzac (22 Brunswick Ave, Toronto) sometime between Feb. 13th – 18th. Check the official Pomme site and their Facebook page for more deets!

Photo via newcaribbeancinema.wordpress.com

 

 

Better Mus’ Come

A love story embedded in the framework of political turmoil in 1970s Jamaica, Better Mus’ Come is coming to the TIFF Bell Lightbox on Feb. 5th! I became obsessed with Jamaican politics in the 1970s and ’80s after watching a documentary that aired on MuchMusic wayyyyy back in the day (so far back that it was the days I used to tape X-Tendamix - co-starring Roxie – on VHS), so I’m pretty intrigued by this film, directed by Jamaica’s own Storm Saulter. Check the official site, and go here for more ticket details.

Photo via IFreeCan.com

IFreeCan: Relaunch feat. Warsan Shire

So, I’ve been following this amazing poet on Twitter named Warsan Shire. If you’re not familiar with this Kenyan-born, Somali-Brit, you need to catch up. She’ll be in Toronto on Jan. 14th for the relaunch of the IFreeCan initiative, which “is a platform that welcomes anyone that wants the alternative of the society’s expectations.” This event (being held at the Centre for Social Innovation – 720 Bathurst Ave.) looks to be a great night featuring music by DJ Jake d’ Snake, poetry from Warsan Shire, Keisha Monique and more, and photography from Kassandra T, Allen Agostino, and others. They’ve posted videos on Facebook from A Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang Clan, and Kardinal Offishall to get us in the mood for the event, so I’m hooked. Official site here.

Don’t say I never gave y’all nothing! Hit me up if you’ll be attending any of these events…maybe we’ll meet up!

January 9, 2012 

TORONTO: Say Goodbye To The Real Jerk (For Now)

Photo via BlogTO.com

A lot of distressing things flitted across my computer screen today. First, I was CAPS LOCK attacked by a Facebook friend who was upset that I didn’t believe that Blue Ivy = Eulb Yvi = the bastard child of Satan. Then, I had to create a classy response to a not-so-classy email sent by a colleague – being “the bigger person” when you really just want to drop kick someone takes STRENF. But the most distressing of all? Reading a tweet from BlogTO (@blogTO) that Toronto landmark The Real Jerk will be closing its doors on January 31st.

As per the message from TRJ’s owner Edward Pottinger:

“It is with heavy hearts that we send this message to all of you. Our building has unexpectedly been sold on Dec 30, 2011 and the new owner has issued an order to move as of Jan 31, 2012. We would have hoped to stay longer, long enough for us to secure a new location but this will not be feasible. While we fight the unfair order we sadly must prepare for the real possibility that our days are numbered at the corner of Queen & Broadview, a location we have very much loved for 22 years.”

The Real Jerk has been open for over 25 years, and spent 22 at their current location at Queen and Broadview. I heard about this restaurant before I even moved to Toronto, and was NOT disappointed the first time I ate there. The ambiance is INCREDIBLE. The exterior is beautiful, and the interior transports you to a diner in the heart of Mo’ Bay. And where else in the city can you spend a night doing karaoke Irie-Oke with the liquid courage of a Red Stripe or two? Sigh. My heart is heavy, y’all.

Belly full and having fun

Once the shock subsided, my next thought was: we need to own our sh*t. Straight up. Own as much as possible so that no one can take anything away from you. It’s a lesson that I find a lot of entrepreneurs in the Black community (which is much broader than you think) are still learning. We need to go full throttle with our ownership so that we can be in full control of the growth of our businesses. I’ll be the first to admit: I don’t know anything about building and restaurant ownership, and I have no idea as to the business arrangements that The Real Jerk had with their building owner. Regardless, it’s heartbreaking and unfair that they have been given such short notice, and I hope they come back bigger and better.

So, folks – take these next few weeks to patron The Real Jerk and show them your love and support. Stay tuned to their website and their Facebook page to follow up on any updates, and keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they move through this transition.

Stay up, TRJ! The community will come through for you. 

December 16, 2011 

Open Call: Are You The Next MuchMusic VJ?

Who out there remembers MuchMusic VJs like Monika Deol, Master T, and Namugenyi Kiwanuka from back in the day? If you ever wanted to follow in their footsteps, your time is now! Well, technically it’s tomorrow:

“SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17TH @ 10AM to 5PM ET MuchMusic is holding an open casting call to find the next MuchMusic VJ!  Come on down to 299 Queen Street West in Toronto, be yourself, chill out and show us why you’re the person we’ve been looking for.

‘Cause we know you’re out there.  We even know a little bit about you already.  We know you have:

A love of music and youth culture: Your calendar’s littered with Nicki Minaj’s new album release date, the premiere of the The Dark Knight Rises, Rihanna’s Talk That Talk tour dates, Beyonce’s next video premiere, etc. An addiction to pop culture: It’s your poison. You’re such a pop junkie you’ll know the minute Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez break up. An active social media profile: You’re literally a cyborg – constantly tweeting, instagraming, flip caming and stuff not even discovered yet A love to meet and talk to new people: You can chat the pants off people Great style: You look, breathe, talk, walk, laugh, dress and smile LIKE YOU! High Energy and enthusiasm: you don’t need a Redbull to have a good time

AND, most importantly, you know so much about music that you just have to share it with others. Impress us!

Please remember to bring a recent photo of yourself and a resume.  Also, you’ve gotta be 18+.

Don’t forget to bring YOU - your personality, your charisma, your smile – that’s who we want to get to know!”

~ MuchMusic

Does this sound like you? If so, head here to read the details, then get yourself ready for tomorrow’s open call! Good luck!

December 13, 2011 

Weekend Fun: I Heart My Hair + Brooklyn Boheme Event Recap

So, I’ll just pretend that my weekend started on Thursday evening, for the sake of the post title :) I kicked off what turned out to be an amazingly busy yet fun weekend with the I ♥ My Hair meet up on Thursday evening.

Photo via iHEARTmyhair.com

This is just a portion of the lovely, intelligent, and HILARIOUS women that came to the meet up. In the span of just a few hours, we networked, laughed, chatted, shared tips, swapped products, and had some great discussions.

The product swap selection made me salty that I didn’t stop home first and grab something to bring – Jane Carter? Kinky Curly? My favourite conditioner – Herbal Essences’ Hello Hydration? Maaaan…I couldn’t believe that this was all up for grabs! I was able to chat with a few of the ladies who picked up some of the products I’ve used before and give them some (hopefully) helpful tips.

We got into some great discussion on various topics surrounding loving our hair. Do men approach natural haired women differently from relaxed haired women? Is this natural hair thing a “fad”? How knowledgeable are Toronto hair salons in handling natural hair? The conversation was lively to say the LEAST.

The best thing about the meet up? Vibing with so many cool women, 99% of whom I had NEVER met nor seen before in Toronto (a refreshing thing)! Being able to discuss certain experiences or thoughts that I had, and see a room full of women nodding back in agreement was great. Being able to disagree respectfully and share opposing opinions in a grown-up way was even better. Update: I also was fortunate to meet the lovely Kim from Canadian Curlies - I’ve been loving her blog, and she posted her own review of the event here – complete with an awesome picture of her, Añya and I (better than the ones I had :) ).

I’m very big on supporting other women over and above hair type, so I was so happy to support Añya’s amazing initiative and interact with these awesome chicas. Hit up I ♥ My Hair to keep on top of future events!

Let’s talk about Friday night:

Photo via kalamu.posterous.com

This man is dope.

That’s Nelson George, if you weren’t aware. Google him for all the details, but I just want to let you know how AMAZING his documentary, Brooklyn Boheme was on Friday!

Let’s start from the beginning. I found a jewel of a venue on Friday night. The Toronto Underground Cinema on Spadina at Queen is incredible. It just has such personality and is deliciously vintage, from the old-school movie posters lining the walls to the red and white striped popcorn bags. I don’t know about y’all, but as soon as I enter a movie theatre, I must buy popcorn. So after the Mister grabbed me a bag, we kicked back to start the show.

Before the main event, we were treated to a visual slideshow of Mark ‘Kurupt’ Stoddart’s art. If you’re not familiar with Kurupt, you need to get familiar. I’ve never seen someone combine a passion for art with a passion for supporting their community more effortlessly than him. His artwork is crazy (I WILL be buying a piece to grace my first home next year). His T-shirts are hot. His positivity and motivation is infectious. Trust me, this last point is truth. Do yourself a favour and hit up his website www.liwi68.com on a hard day. See if you don’t feel infused by the words and quotes he shares there, not to mention the art.

by Mark 'Kurupt' Stoddart

After we were mesmerized by Kurupt’s work, we settled into Nelson George’s documentary (go here to see my earlier post, complete with trailer). I. Was. So. Inspired. The history of Brooklyn (specifically Fort Greene/Clinton Hill) told by the people who lived and breathed it since the 1970s was priceless. Rosie Perez, who still lives in the neighbourhood, had me cracking up with her stories of Spike Lee and Wesley Snipes’ legendary house parties. I learned about the Rodeo Caldonia, a performing arts/feminist troupe of women like Lisa Jones (author of Bulletproof Diva) and Lorna Simpson (photographer/visual artist). I got schooled about where the spoken word tradition of snapping fingers came from – the Brooklyn Moon Cafe. I saw how all of these ambitious young people of colour put their heads together to embrace various art forms and make a name for themselves, on their own terms. Sadly, the documentary also covered the changes to the integrity of the neighbourhood and the Black arts scene once gentrification took over.

This was a top-notch production, and I know I was made better by watching it. I love history, art, and seeing people of colour doing amazing things, so Brooklyn Boheme had it all. I left there wanting to start a Rodeo Caldonia of my own…

To finish off the night, we had a Q&A session with Nelson George himself. It’s no secret that this man is highly intelligent. However, he was able to connect so well with the multi-generational, multi-racial audience and answer our questions genuinely. He made no secret about his disdain for Drake (lol), but seemed appreciative and humbled by our acceptance of his work.

We ended off the night with an impromptu message from the owner of the Toronto Underground Cinema. It was a bit of a sobering message, because he basically let us know that he was in financial straits, and told us how vital it is to support our small businesses and community initiatives. It tore my heart to hear him say that the Cinema may close in as soon as 2 weeks, but he vowed to not allow that to happen. People, we NEED to support our community! Please hit up www.torontoundergroundcinema.com to keep this amazing venue in business. Check the event and film listings to see if anything tickles your fancy, and make sure you tell a friend to tell a friend!

How was your weekend? Did you get into anything fun? Did you happen to be at the I ♥ My Hair event or the Brooklyn Boheme documentary? If so, let me know what you thought!

December 7, 2011 

Hot Night Out: The Screening Of Brooklyn Boheme This Friday!

Looking for something different to get into this weekend? Why not support Toronto Underground Cinema and check out the screening of Brooklyn Boheme?

Written by Nelson George, and directed by him and his partner Diane Paragas, this indie documentary covers the artistic growth and legacy of Brooklyn, specifically the Fort Greene area. Brooklyn Boheme will take you on a visual journey beginning in the mid-80s, when the hip hop/spoken word/visual art/film communities as we know them were beginning to bubble.

Imagine growing up and calling Rosie Perez, Chris Rock, Saul Williams, the Marsalis brothers, Spike Lee, Guru, and Lorna Simpson your neighbours…Brooklyn Boheme covers what Spike Lee calls “Brooklyn’s equivalent of the Harlem Renaissance”, and already gives me tingles of inspiration just from the 5-minute trailer:

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One of my favourite quotes in the trailer is when Branford Marsalis says, “When I went to Brooklyn, one of the things I liked about it was that it wasn’t just a Black neighbourhood. But it had people who were upwardly mobile in their thinking, not necessarily in their wallet.” I found myself nodding, because I could just imagine how much creativity was swirling around Fort Green in those days…I would have loved to be there!

The next best thing to being there? Being here in Toronto this Friday! Nelson George will be live for a Q&A session after the screening. See the flyer below for more details! If you’re looking for another historical documentary, check out Bob Marley: The Making of a Legend, showing at the Toronto Underground Cinema next Wednesday!

Will you be checking for Brooklyn Boheme? Do you think Toronto has the same type of strong artistic community? Why or why not?

November 30, 2011 

Do You “Heart Your Hair”? Well, Here’s An Event For You!

Hair lovers, unite! An event is just around the corner for us to meet, greet, and more!

I Heart My Hair is a fabulous new site geared towards encouraging women and girls to love their hair, based right here in Toronto! Founded by the lovely Añya Grant, the site has recently relaunched, and to celebrate will be holding a FREE event on December 8th at 5:30-8pm, at 200 Consumers Road (Victoria Park and 401 area).

I’m looking forward to meeting up with Añya again (I was the winner of one of her gift baskets at the Afrobella event a while back) and congratulating her on the relaunch – the site is AMAZING! Make sure you check it out!

Want to meet other naturals in the city? Are you transitioning or thinking about transitioning? Need to swap a product that doesn’t knock your socks off for one that hopefully does? Do you like winning things? Then this is the event for you!

Be sure to grab you one of the fabulous “I ♥ My Hair” T-shirts:

It’s pretty ironic that I’m wearing mine while I write this post!

See you on December 8th! Don’t forget to RSVP to Trecia[@]iheartmyhair.com!

November 15, 2011 

Are You A “Bacchanalist”? Kerwin Du Bois Is Looking For You!

For all my Toronto soca lovers – Kerwin Du Bois is looking for you! The search is on for the ladies and gents of Toronto to be featured in his new music video for his single, Bacchanalist.

When I read this casting call on Toronto-Lime.com, I immediately thought of all the sexy ladies (and men – don’t get it twisted!) who get down at Socacize every week! Feel like you can put those winin’ skills to use and represent as a “Bacchanalist”? Check the info below!

I can’t wait to see the finished product and point out all the Toronto folks I know ;)

CASTING CALL

Bacchanalist Video Shoot 

Got attitude? Got style and sass?

The search is on for male/female models and dancers for “Bacchanalist” Video Shoot with Kerwin Du Bois.

We are currently seeking young, determined, beautiful, sexy women and vibrant men who have the “It” factor to tear up the smashing new video for “Bacchanalist”.

“Bacchanalist” is the #1 played track on TORONTO-LIME.com

for the 3rd straight week 

Please ensure that you submit two (2) photos; one (1) full length swim suit photo and one (1) portrait photo, along with resumes and contact information to kerwinduboisbookings@gmail.com or weliminpromotionsinternational@gmail.com 

Participants MUST be eighteen (18) years and over in the Toronto area.

LISTEN TO THE SONG: http://www.toronto-lime.com/music/index.php?songid=6176
www.twitter.com/1kerwindubois

DOWNLOAD THE RINGTONE: http://www.toronto-lime.com/downloads/ringtones/2012%20SOCA%20RINGTONE%20-%20Bacchanalist.mp3


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