Haaaa! I came across this knife set and thought it was hilarious. Would make a great gift for a friend who recently went through a break-up. They come in several colors: red, silver, pink or black.

Depending on the color, they range in price from $39-$70. You can purchase HERE.

If you’re anything like me, summer after summer you’re constantly looking for something to do within the state of New Jersey. I decided to put together a guide of fun things to do including concerts, cookouts, comedy shows and other activities  so that we all have an enjoyable summer. Check back often because I’ll continue updating it as I find new things.

ALL SUMMER LONG

SOUNDS OF THE CITY – @ NJPAC – Newark, NJ
Thursdays 5pm -10pm (June 23 – August 25)

This FREE concert summer series is always a favorite each summer. Live music, drinks, food and vendors make this a wonderful after-work event on Thursday nights.

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MOVIES UNDER THE STARS – @ Pier A Park – Hoboken, NJ
Wednesdays @ 9:00pm (June 15 – August 24)

Grab your lawnchairs, blankets and picnic baskets and head over to Pier A park in Hoboken to enjoy a movie outdoors. They’ve got some great flicks lined up:

June 15 – True Grit

June 22 – The Fighter

June 29 – Breakfast at Tiffany’s

July 13 – The King’s Speech

July 20 – The Social Network

July 27 – Waiting for Superman

August 3 – Wizard of Oz (8:30 start)

August 10 – Despicable Me (8:15pm)

August 17 – Tangled (8:00pm)

August 24 – Toy Story 3 (8:00pm)

The only bummer about this is that alcohol is strictly prohibited so be sure to pregame in your car. (Responsibly of course.) Get there early because space is limited. And did I mention that it’s FREE!!

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ESSEX COUNTY MINI GOLF SAFARI – West Orange, NJ
Open Daily

Go check out the new multi-million dollar mini golf course next to the Turtle Back Zoo. Complete African theme throughout the park. Excellent date idea! $7 for adults and $5 for the kiddies.

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DELSEA DRIVE-IN MOVIE THEATRE – @ Vineland, NJ
Thursdays – Sundays

So who’s watched Grease and secretly wished for a drive-in movie theatre that they could go to themselves? Well now here’s your chance. Apparently Delsea Drive-In Movie Theatre has been around for awhile but I’m just now hearing about it. They’ve got an extensive food menu and offer double-features. More info HERE.

JUNE

MUSIQ SOULCHILD CONCERT – @ House of Blues – Atlantic City, NJ
Saturday, June 11th @ 8:00pm

Find tickets HERE.

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RANDY FOYE FOUNDATION CELEBRITY FUNDRAISING CRUISE – @ Skyport Marina – New York, NY
Saturday, June 18th @ 7:00pm

Ok so technically this doesn’t take place in Jersey, however, all proceeds will benefit children in or around the Newark area. LA Clippers guard, Randy Foye along with Hot 97′s Peter Rosenberg are hosting this shindig. $50 a ticket. More info HERE.

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NBA DRAFT – @ Prudential Center – Newark, NJ
Thursday, June 23rd @ 7:00pm

Watch  Kyrie Irving and the rest of the new class of NBA players get drafted into the league. Tickets starting at just $16.50. Find tickets HERE.

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SADE and JOHN LEGEND CONCERT
Friday, June 24th @ IZOD Center, East Rutherford, NJ – 7:30pm

Saturday, June 25th @ Prudential Center, Newark, NJ – 8:00pm

Two great artists. Definitely going to be a great concert! Find tickets HERE.

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STATE FAIR MEADOWLANDS – @ Giants Stadium Fairgrounds – East Rutherford, NJ
June 24 – July 10

Who doesn’t like going to the fair? More info HERE.

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R. KELLY w/ KEYSHIA COLE and MARSHA AMBROSIUS CONCERT – @ Prudential Center – Newark, NJ
Thursday, June 30th @ 7:30pm

Underage girls, please stay at home for this one.

Find tickets HERE.

JULY

FOXXHOLE COMEDY JAM: JAMIE FOXX, ARIE SPEARS & EARTHQUAKE – @ Caesars – Atlantic City, NJ
Friday, July 1st @ 8:00pm

MUST SEE! Jamie Foxx is hysterical!! Find tickets HERE.

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ERYKAH BADU CONCERT – @ House of Blues – Atlantic City, NJ
Saturday, July 2nd @ 8:00pm

Find tickets HERE.

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MEEK MILL CONCERT – The Stone Pony – Asbury Park, NJ
Friday, July 17th @ 8:00pm

Part of The Stone Pony Summerstage series. Tickets are $30. Find tix HERE.

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RIHANNA with J. COLE and CEE-LO GREEN – @ IZOD Center – East Rutherford, NJ
Thursday, July 21st @ 7:30pm

I’m not completely sure if Rihanna has stepped up her performance skills yet but nonetheless she’s hot, J. Cole is super dope and Cee-lo is bound to be wearing something ridiculous. Find tickets HERE.

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WIZ KHALIFA CONCERT – @ MAC at Monmouth University – West Long Branch, NJ
Friday, July 29th @ 6:30pm

Roll your doobies up for this one. Find tickets HERE.

AUGUST

NICKI MINAJ AND BRITNEY SPEARS CONCERT – @ IZOD Center – East Rutherford, NJ
Friday, August 5th @ 8:00pm

For all you barbies out there lol. Find tickets HERE.

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JANET JACKSON CONCERT – @ PNC Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, NJ
Saturday, August 6th @ 8:00pm

You already know how Janet gets down in concert. For sure to be a crowd pleaser. Find tickets HERE.

Leave it to the Asians to take something to the next level, they are some crafty individuals I tell ya.

Samsung, a South Korean electronics megahouse, have released their plans for the dopest television remote of all time. Imagine that you’re watching game 7 of the NBA finals with 10.3 seconds left, the game’s tied and nature starts blowing up your jack. Not to fret, Samsung doesn’t want you to miss that important play so they’re coming out with a remote with a built-in 3-inch tv screen that’s able to live stream television thanks to wi-fi integration.

Whaaaaat!?!

You can also watch a different program on the remote from the one playing on the actual television for times when you really wanna watch the new episode of Jersey Shore but also want to keep tabs on the Heat game.

Did I mention that the remote is also completely touch screen? Yeah, I need one of these.

So I came across this art installation of Muhammad Ali and it’s so dope I had to share it with ya’ll.

Sculptural artist Michael Kalish is known for his unique abilty to repurpose objects such as license plates into art pieces of icons such as James Dean and the Beatles. His latest project got its inspiration when Muhammad and Lonnie Ali visited Kalish’s art show about pop art license plates. The couple loved his work so much that they as Kalish to do a piece on Ali himself.

Fast forward three years and here we have a monument made of 1300 boxing speed bags hanging from a cumulative 5 miles of stainless steel cable and 2 miles of aluminum tubing that stands 22 feet high. Kalish worked with architectural firm Oyler Wu to design reALIze and calls the project an opportunity of a lifetime. reALIze will be shown live in Nokia Plaza, Los Angeles this March 25, 2011 and will be moved around to different locations so that others who can’t make it to Los Angeles may have a chance to see the cerebral work. Take a close look at the photos and video below and visit Michael Kalish online for more of his art HERE.

It’s crazy when you look at the installation from different angles other than head on…you would never think that it’d having anything to do with Muhammad Ali. This Michael Kalish guy is very very talented.

I thought this was pretty cool….The 365 days are represented by an emoticon that you have to draw as the day has gone (very good, good, regular, bad, very bad). 

Created by Brigad Creativa Shop, on sale here.

I was scanning the magazine racks at Duane Reade in an attempt to find a magazine that I don’t already have for the month.  As a self professed magazine addict, that’s a whole lot harder than you would think.  However, a magazine I’ve never seen caught my eye.  It had a laughing, gorgeous Veronica Webb in a gold chain corset on the cover.  The magazine’s name is Jones and this is its premiere national issue.  I did a quick flip through and saw that most of models were black and the pictures and layout looked quality.  I hurried to the front of the store so fast that the people at the cash register probably thought I was about to steal this magazine instead of buy it.

When I got Jones home I dived in to see what it was all about.  Both the publisher and Editor-in-Chief are black.  The publisher, L. Londell McMillan, nodded to all of the beautiful, elegant black women who raised him.  The Editor-in-Chief, Tracey M. Ferguson, explained how the magazine, which is positioned as “The Shopping Guide for Women Who Know Better,” came about through a book club group that also shared shopping and style tips in Houston, TX.  That grew into a Houston regional magazine and now a national magazine.  The mag is named Jones as a nice little double entendre – “Keeping up with the Joneses” and “I’m jonesin’ for that!”  Cute, right?  And the magazine is full of beautiful fashion, beautiful black people, has quality writing, and is well laid out.  Trust me.  I’m something of a magazine connoisseur.

I’m hopeful for this magazine since I’ve had my poor little magazine loving heart crushed far too many times when a magazine that I love, that’s creative and celebrates all the swagger, flyness, and beauty of being ethnic, just up and folds (oh Suede… will I ever get over you?).

In addition to the magazine there is a website and a reality show on Centric (too bad I can’t watch it.  I got that basic basic cable) that follows Editor-in-Chief Ferguson in her trials and tribulations of launching a national magazine.

Anyways, if you see Jones on the stands I think you should definitely buy it because we need more publications that express us (you know, alternatives to Sister2Sister, which has Tiny on the cover this month O_o).  Good luck, Jones!

I don’t know if this makes me want to use Foursquare more or immediately deactivate my account…

Everyone is always going on and on about how the internet is changing the world.  Nobody believes in that change and potential for change more than Get Fresh Daily, and there are quite a few websites that really puts that into perspective.  One such website is Causecast.org

Causecast is a website that uses new media like webcasts, social media, and mobile technology to be a one-stop-shop for the caring, preachy, zealot, crunchy, socially conscious, tree hugger, social activists (you know, people like us).  Their official tagline is that they are an “interactive community that connects individuals, leaders, celebrities, and brands to make a positive impact in the world.”  I’m always excited about a cause, but Causecast can get you really engaged with your favorite cause, give you a resource to find out more about a cause or help you find new causes.  Other features include a weekly newsletter, interviews about social change with musicians, a How to Change the World guide that is updated every Wednesday, etc.  Also, the most popular causes have their own pages.   Its a lot of what I like to call philathro-tainment and its exactly how you would always like to see the internet being used.

Ok, so in the last post I told you how you can help Haiti, but just in case that wasn’t enough and you need some convincing and some inspiration…
Our fellow bloggers (and recording artists… they’re multi-talented) Blogsworth and Prime Minis of ALLSMiLES made this track called Hold the World. It samples Lil’ Wayne and Eminem’s Drop the World. However, it puts a much more positive spin on the lyrics and is great inspiration not only for contributing to the Haiti relief effort, but also fitting for celebrating the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. A great reminder of the responsibility each of us has to humanity.
Hold the World

Blogzworth & Prime Minis have a message for you

Whatever you’re views might be on Lady Gaga, her heart seems to be in the right place. She is selling a shirt on her website 100 percent of the proceeds of which will go towards the relief effort. Also, she has pledged to donate all proceeds from merchandise sales at her January 24th Radio City Music Hall show.

Lady Gaga Haiti T-Shirt

A number of actors, including Meryl Streep (love her!), Olivia Wilde, and Josh Brolin are auctioning off the clothes they wore to Sunday night’s Golden Globes and will donate the money raised by the auction to Haitian relief.

The gown Meryl Streep will be auctioning

On January 22nd there will be a telethon called Hope for Haiti in which artists will perform and speak to encourage proceeds for aid in Haiti. George Clooney, who will host the show along with Wyclef Jean and Anderson Cooper, says that over 40 artists will be in attendance (bet Kanye won’t be invited to this telethon, though). The show will be played on just about every station imaginable, including MTV, and will benefit Red Cross, Yele, UNICEF, Oxfam and Partners in Health. Additionally, many of the songs from Hope for Haiti artists will be available on iTunes with proceeds going to benefit the partner non-profits.

The devastation seen on TV in Haiti is overwhelming.  Up until now I have found it hard to even write about the situation. As the most empoverished nation in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti simply was not prepared to handle disaster.  However, I know that help is on the way because so many people are mobilizing and doing what they can to support the relief effort.  It is bad enough that the infrastructure had gotten to the state that it had been in and it is truly unfortunate that it took a disaster to bring much needed attention to this small nation.  Now that they’ve got our attention it is not only kind to help, but it is imperative.  How appropriate that this is Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend, a time in which we recall that devoting ourselves to helping and showing empathy to those in need is true humanity.  Here are just a few ways you can help with Haiti:

The threeKings NYC MLK Weekend All Black Affair (mentioned in an earlier post) will now be granting free admission to anybody bringing a printout receipt for a donation of at least $10 to Yele Haiti or American Red Cross to Sunday night’s party at Crimson.  A portion of the event proceeds will also be donated.

Other events include:

I know I barely gave you enough notice for this one, but just in case…

If you are less into events and more into giving directly, here are some reputable organizations to donate to.  There are organizations that are focused on just getting much needed supplies to Haiti, while others are organizing and sending medical teams, or focusing on taking care of the children.

American Red Cross
Care
Clinton Bush Haiti Fund
Direct Relief International
International Medial Corps
International Relief Teams
Better Future (Orphans) International
UNICEF
Yele Haiti

Time for the annual threeKings NYC MLK Weekend Party.  The attire, just like the president and the newest Disney Princess is black.  Don’t party too hard, though.  You gotta get up the next day and do something to better your community, even if that means working on your come-up plan.

I have to say that Brooklyn Museum of Art consistently has exhibits that I am interested in.  I don’t know if you guys remember when I was raving about the Murakami exhibit about a year and some change ago, which actually turned out to be about 10 steps past crazy, but still really good.

Well, I have a new exhibit to rave about.  Until January 31st Brooklyn Museum of Art will have the exhibit Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History 1955 to the Present on display.  Who Shot Rock & Roll takes a look at some amazing photography that documents the power of imagery in rock and roll and brings to light the photographers’ influence and collaboration in displaying the artist.  Although the exhibit focuses on rock and roll artists you’ll find hip hop and pop artists amongst the photographs, too.  The pictures range from fresh to raw and surreal, but none are regular and all are rare.

Visit BrooklynMuseum.org for more info.

Its that time of year to tell you about programs to tell all your younger siblings, cousins, neighbors, mentees, etc. about.  Every summer kids across the country find that they have 3 whole months to fill.  Of course most kids want to hang out and relax and with the hectic lives high school students have these days, who can blame them?

However, from personal experience I could say that for any good high school student just hanging out or getting a part time job for the summer would probably be a mistake.  They are at the age where they can experiment and learn so that when it comes time to start making decisions about life, something that really sneaks up on you, they have some experiences to back up those decisions.

One such experience that I was fortunate enough to have my mom push me into was attending the LEAD program in business for minority high school juniors.  The LEAD program gave me 4 weeks of life changing adventures.  It allowed me to attend classes in business at one of the many renowned business schools that participate in the LEAD program.  Additionally, I got to, along with 29 other high school students from across the country, visit a number of companies (I went to the program at Anderson Business School at UCLA, so we got to go to companies like Fox Studios and preview the movie Barbershop!).  Even if in the long run you find that you don’t want to go into that corporate world, having an experience like that under your belt is amazing and can help you get a more well-rounded perspective to make that decision. On top of that, students will get to meet people from different backgrounds and states, giving them a chance to learn more about themselves and others.  Attending LEAD opened my mind and gave me enough courage to travel all the way across the country for college.

Over the years the LEAD program has expanded to not only include business, but now there is also an engineering program for minority high school sophomores.  With the economy in the condition it is in and with many American students not pursuing engineering and science career paths, getting a perspective on the field of engineering could really give a young minority student a cutting edge.

A really interesting development for the LEAD program is that for the first time this summer minority high school sophomores will have the opportunity to apply for LEAD abroad!  Students can apply to study at the University of Witwatersand in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Whichever program the high school student in your life chooses, know that it will be an interesting and life changing experience, and of course these are not the only programs like this.  Based upon the student’s interests encourage them to look into programs in arts, writing, medicine, or whatever else.  The deadline for applying to the LEAD programs is January 25, 2010.  Visit www.leadprogram.org for more application info.

I had to post this because it’s an amazing accomplishment. Kenny, Martina, Ray and Carol Crouch, a set of quadruplets, all gained early admission into Yale University for the fall semester. Yale’s one of the toughest school’s to get into so kudos to them!

Amazing.

The  tallest building on earth, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai has finally open.  The opening featured the below mind-blowing fireworks display.  The tower is supposedly 90% full.  It doesn’t get much more baller than this.

It’s hard out here for a successful black woman in America, damn… Maybe we gotta start thinking outside the black- start making some cute little mixed babies that will grow up and become weekend anchors on CNN! Or maybe try e-Harmony, thats like 400 questions matched up to find some real compatability!

Anywho, I hope this is just a generational thing cause I sure do like going to weddings!

Um, where are they still wearing velour suits at? Please tell me, a bitch is curious. Now I may be bias because you might find me pumping to the mall on Sunday in 5 inch heels BUT I am pretty confident that that doesn’t make me a thirsty ass heffa parched for attention. I know where my take is on this but I’m curious to know your thoughts, especially the fellas.

So, to pump or not to pump?

Too much happened in 2009 for us to review so I’m going to let Jibjab.com do it for us.

The January issue of Black Enterprise is a must read for any young entrepreneur or young business person.  The magazine, started 40 years ago by Earl Graves Sr. when he was only 35, is highlighting some of the brightest young entrepreneurs with a feature they are calling BE Next.

BE Next is a group you definitely want to be a part of (or at least I know that I do).  They are 21 to 35 year olds and are making bank running their own businesses.  The four young entrepreneurs profiled in BE Next are Nakia Stith, 31, who inherited and turned around her family’s security company, Jamail Larkins, 25, who owns an aircraft leasing and management business, Natasha Eubanks, 27, whom I sure you all know as the founder of YBF, and Darnell Henderson, 31, who owns a men’s skincare business.  All four of these companies had revenues of over $1 million in 2009 and all four of the entrepreneurs aren’t resting on their laurels, but  have plans in place for future growth of their brands.

Ok, Black Enterprise, thanks for the challenge.  I’ll be working to be part of BE Next.

What Martha know about green brownies? Oh yeah, I almost forgot, she’s done time…