Harlem Pop @ Indigo Arms Guest House

181 Lenox Ave. (119th and Lenox), 2nd Flr.

S Dot Tell'Em

 
  
Marc Jacobs' new perfume, Lola, is launching this Fall. Sephora is selling the limited edition solid perfume ring for $42. Hotness…

CIA

At first glance I would just assume this girl was black.  Which leads me to say… why isn't she black?  Why get a white model just to make her look black?  I understand that this is fashion and art and blah blah blah, but there is no getting around the fact that French Vogue was trying to make the model look black, much like the offensive practice of blackface.  I understand they aren't using the pictures to make fun of black people, but I can't help thinking about a white guy painting himself black and singing spirituals in a southern drawl… ridiculous.  

Maybe they were being artistic, like these couture pieces are so epic (they don't look so epic to me) that putting on a whole new skin matches their magnitude.  Maybe they didn't see how this could be be offensive.  Maybe the point is that representing another race shouldn't be taken as racist in this day-and-age and that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.  Maybe the point is that dark skin is beautiful.  If the aim is to actually represent black as beautiful, though, I would like to have seen a black model get credit for being ALREADY black and beautiful… without the paint.  I can honestly say I'm not completely offended when I just try and enjoy it for the art, but I am confused. Maybe I don't understand art like I thought I did.  However, I do understand a publicity stunt.  Anna Wintour would know better than to pull something like this.  I never liked the looks of that Carine Roitfeld (Editor-in-Chief of French Vogue) and here she is just trying to kick up some controversy to sale her probably ailing publication – from now on I will refer to her as the Devil wears Dior.  SMH

S Dot Tell'Em

On November 3rd, the anniversary of the election of President Obama, HBO will premier the documentary By the People: The Election of Barack Obama.  Check the trailer.  This little kid cracks me up!  That's exactly how I was feeling whenever I tried to talk to people about Obama and they just didn't get it.  

It will be nice to relive this epic time.  The documentary airs on November 3rd at 9pm on HBO.

S Dot Tell'Em

"Who you textin? Jesus?" Ha!

Ohh weee…I'm not even into sports and I'm buying this issue. There are six different covers. Here are four of them:

Adrian Peterson (NFL)

Dwight Howard (NBA)

 
Gina Carano (Mixed Martial Arts)

Serena Williams (Tennis)

Hot, hot, hot… I wonder if they will have an article about the Lingerie Football League in this issue…

CIA   
 

I thought I was sleeping in today, but for some reason I woke up mad early and decided to check Twitter.  Of course not much going on there because everyone is still asleep.  However, morning has already come and gone in Europe so news from there is already out.  So what do you think one of the first things I read was?  @CNNbrk telling me "Obama wins Nobel Prize."  What!?  While we were sleeping our President was getting voted on by the Nobel Peace Prize committee in Norway for one of the most honorable prizes in the world.  He won the prize out of 172 nominees with a unanimous decision.  Come on?!  Unanimous?  That's wild!  Obama's reaction upon hearing the news when he woke up… he is humbled to be selected.  Michelle's reaction was probably "get back in bed!"  There's nothing sexier than an international, prestigious, and rare prize.

Imagine… a President who has to make difficult decisions about war and lives every day, but is still living a life and making judgments that promote peace in this day and age?  Obama won the prize for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."  The committee said of Obama "his diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the worlds population."  The committee is hoping that the prize will serve the double purpose of not only celebrating Obama for what he has already done, but also being an encouragement in his work to bring peace to Israel and Palestine and in weapons talks with Iran and North Korea.  Also, the committee believes that Obama has "captured the worlds attention and given its people hope for a better future."  Yes!!!  This is such a drastic change from 1.5 years ago when the world was looking at the U.S. super sideways and basically hated our president.

Only 3 sitting U.S. presidents have ever won the prize, the last being Woodrow Wilson in 1919, who started the League of Nations (thanks AP U.S. History… I do remember).  Jimmy Carter was the last U.S. president to win the Nobel Peace Prize when he won in 2002, but he hadn't been president since the 70s. 

Sooo… okay people.  Let's support our president in his global initiatives, but also in his initiatives in the U.S. to promote health, education, and diplomacy.  You don't argue with a Nobel Peace Prize winner… that's like anti-peace.

S Dot Tell'Em

Brush you shoulders off again, President Obama.  You've won the Nobel Peace Prize. 

These guys are so funny! Look out for Lil Duval's upcoming show…

CIA

Really mad at the split, yet wildly impressed…

CIA

I love him…

CIA

CIA

PS- you might want to google "sexy fried chicken" for funny results, don't ask…

Spa Week New York is October 12-18. That means $50 treatments all over the place… Check out the website for the list of specials: www.spaweek.com

I found a few places in Harlem that have Spa Week specials:

The Back Room Hand & Foot Spa at Carol's Daughter
24 West 125th Street
New York, NY 10027
212.828.6717
http://www.carolsdaughter.com

Available Treatments

• Pearls Are A Girl's Best Friend Manicure and Pedicure $50
• Haute Chocolate Manicure and Pedicure with Sweet Honey Dip Chocolate Brown Sugah Body $50

Toni's Touch Day Spa
2364 Adam Clayton Powell, Jr Blvd
212.234.1171
http://tonistouchdayspa.com

Available Treatments

• Wet & Wild (hydrating facial) $50
• Fountain of Youth (Anti-aging facial) $50
• Geranium & Sage spa pedicure, Citrus spa manicure & a paraffin dip (hands or feet) $50

Turning Heads Day Spa
218 Lenox Avenue
New York, NY 10027
212.828.4600
http://turningheadsdayspa.com

Available Treatments

• 90 Min Stress Reduction Full Body Massage or 60 Min Swedish Massage $50
• 75 Min Turning Heads Signature Deep Pore Cleansing Facial $50
• 75 Min Refurbishing Sugar Body Polish $50

CIA

LMAO

Here is the reference video…

CIA

Justice Sotomayor's first case?  Should police be banned from questioning a suspect without a lawyer on the strength of the suspect might have asked for a lawyer in a previous questioning for the same accusation?  How long should that request hold?  Oooo… Miranda Rights on the first day.  Good luck, Justice Sotomayor!

S Dot Tell'Em

This video is about the book Subway Art.  One of the photographers for the book, Martha Cooper, will be showing at MBP Urban Art Fest 

With last Thursdays brutal beating that led to the death of Chicago honor roll student Derrion Albert being caught on camera phone by other students, the major MAJOR issues over the violence and number of deaths amongst Chicago youth are becoming a focus again.  Albert wasn't a gang member and he wasn't getting into trouble.  He was just coming from school and walked right into a fight.  Derrion Albert was only 16 years old.

Albert's death has made tensions run high in his school; arguments and fights have  been occurring in the hallways.  A few blocks away from the school, where Albert was beaten, a memorial had been set up for friends and family to express their condolences and grief and it has already been burned down.  Four suspects, three students who also went to Albert's school and one former student of the school, have been arrested thanks to the camera phone video.

The school year isn't but a month in and already 3 Chicago kids have been killed.  Last school year 37 kids were killed… that comes out to more than one death a week for the entire school year.  Why are these kids wilding out Lord of the Flies style?  What is making them so violent and angry that they would beat another kid to death with lumber?  There are a lot of theories going around about what can minimize the youth violence in Chicago including encouragement of parent involvement, speaking to students about their options, mentorship programs, and making sure that students feel protected.  We hope the community leaders and parents figure it out before another young person dies in the Chi.

S Dot Tell'Em