SOPHIE OKONEDO CHATS WITH EBONY

Sophie Okonedo is featured alongside her "Bees" co-stars Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, and Jennifer Hudson for Ebony magazine's November 2008 photo spread. (photos: Keith Major for Ebony)

The British actress (shown in a scene with Jennifer Hudson's character) who won an Oscar nomination for her role in Hotel Rwanda, says it was "so unusual" to be on a set with "a whole bunch of Black women...all of them strong, all of them characters."

Remember you saw the scans here first on FG2BH!

Scans: Me

More "Bees" highlights:

• "Bees" leading stars campaign for Senator Barack Obama...
  
  

  Queen Latifah, Sophie Okonedo, Alicia Keys, and Jennifer Hudson want you to visit http://www.voteforchange.com/ to register to vote, request an absentee ballot, and find your polling location on November 4...

  
  
  
  
  
• Check out this frequently updated fan site, Sophie Okonedo Love.
  
  
• "Bees" just like I predicted gets Oscar buzz from Black Tree TV...
  
  
  
  
  
• On October 2nd, the cast and author of "Bees" will appear on Oprah.

My rants/thoughts:
I finally joined the hoopla that is twitter...and I'm officially 25 as of yesterday. October 1st would mark two years of FG2BH.
Last night I saw "Family That Preys" and let's just say that Sanaa Lathan's character is quite a bitchy one. Like Sanaa told "Jewel" magazine, you will applaud the way she got shut down at the end. Without giving too much away, you're going to enjoy that one particular country tune that plays in the movie mid-way through and at the very end. Anyhow I walked away with one lesson learned: Live your life to the fullest and do enjoy yourself along the way. I rate this movie as a must-see! I'll probably see "The Women" this weekend.
disclaimer: all rants/thoughts are in good humor!

Afro/Naija News:

• Register to vote! November 4th is the day you vote for your U.S President!
  
  
• Check out Tina Fey as Governor/VP hopeful Sarah Palin on "SNL" ...

Did Tina Fey go too far with her latest Palin spoof? [La Times Blog]

Listen in on Michelle & Barack's one-on-one talk. [Black Snob]

Idris Elba and Laz Alonso were caught in this blinged-out Barack Obama tee-shirt. [Concrete Loop]

Nigeria's 48th Independence Day is this Wednesday October 1st. Rock your green white green ever so proudly!

LiboeR LebaRan !!

Woooooowwhhh,, liboer jg gw akhirnyahh !! Heppiii bgt,, free !!

Biz mid semesteran neegghh,, sambil pusink2”an, ulangan tiap hr 3 !! Paragghh… Tp gpp, nilai mid lumayan lha.. Bbrp ad yg remid,, tp who care gt lhoo ?? Yg pentink udh liboer !! Jln2” deh qt, mo mudik.. ho ho ho ^^

SDB Nguduk Barenk jg suksez !! Lenong-pret nyahh ok bgt, lucchuu.. hhe.. Yg modern dance cewex, break dance cowox jgga, keren !! Pulank sampe malem,, tp juztru dsitu qt jd makind kompaq.. Grafitty Gauss juara 3, lhoo.. he he ^^ Lumayan lha..

Btw, medt lebaran yahh buadt temen2” yg muzlim, yg non-muslim jg… Maavpin gw klo ad yg slh.. ho ho ho ^^

Nee undangan SDB nguduq barenkk... Hhe he ^^

MICHELLE OBAMA IN THAKOON...AGAIN!

Clearly the old saying, "If It Ain't Broke, don't fix it" applies to the fashionista Michelle Obama when she wore another Thakoon creation at the first Presidential debate.

Michelle's Thakoon floral Fall 2008 dress retails for $1,250. (Thanks to Black Snob for the dress ID!) So what do you think of Michelle's dress pick?

Sophie Okonedo has been busy promoting her latest film, "The Secret Life of Bees" and at each event, she switches up her style.

Grab Sophie's black beaded necklace for less:

1. apt. 9 gold-tone black beaded necklace $18.76
2. Black strand/white link necklace $18.99
3. Matte teardrop necklace, $4.80
4. Round Wood bead necklace, $565
5. Braided bead necklace, $230

Rants/thoughts:
Why is it when you speak to someone you haven't seen in a long time, they are quick to remind you that I'm so-and-so from [insert your hometown]. Do they say this to imply you don't know/remember where they are from?

Can't you hear the soul in this song?

So I went to the African market in New York City last night to purchase some vintage music. When I get to the counter, I'm overjoyed by the display of Nollywood movies and music. So when I ask the cashier whether or not they carry music. He told me ever so boldy no we don't. I look down at the display which CLEARLY has the music I wanted and I looked back at the cashier. I simply shook my head. Things that make me go hmm...
disclaimer: all rants/thoughts are in good humor!

Afro/Naija News:

• Chanel Iman made Gucci history! [Mrs. Grapevine]
  
• Ghana Gets $300 Million Facility From JPMorgan! [Bloomberg]
  
• Virgin Nigeria Suspends Plan to Fly U.S. Routes. [All Africa]
  
• Woman advocates for better life in Kenya. [ABC Local]
  
• Stephanie Okereke on the Making of "Through the Glass" Film. [Ladybrille]
  
• Brandy loves a great Chanel shoe. [SET]
  
• 50 Cent to Jay-Z: Beyonce made you! [Fresh & Fab]
  
• Who has better style - Rocsi, Ciara, Kelly Rowland or Angela Simmons? [Urban-Hoopla]
  
• Meet the new fashion girl, Aminata Niar. [The Cut]

Kim Kardashian And Mark Ballas On Dancing With The Stars Performing the Manbo [Video]

Here's Kim Kardashian and Mark Ballas performing the Manbo on the TV show Dancing With The Stars Season 7 Episode 2!! Honestly, i thinks Mark Ballas is the better dancer of the two. His movements were sexy and absolutely fantastic. Oh, why did they partner Kim with Mark Ballas!? She's not that good compared to Brooke Burke, but anyhow she's so pretty. Enjoy..

SANAA LATHAN TALKS TO "JEWEL" ABOUT WALE

Sanaa Lathan talks a bit about her boyfriend Chicago defensive end Adewale Ogunleye. In the past, Sanaa called Wale her African prince.

Then she gets a little deeper, delving into her spirituality, being Black in Hollywood, her upcoming projects, and her current beau, Chicago Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, who calls once during our interview. Judging by the softness in her voice and the smile on her face, it appears she’s found her brown-sugar boo. Lathan and Ogunleye, whom she calls “Wale,” were initially hooked up by Lathan’s older brother Tendaji and have been dating for two years. “He came highly recommended by my brother,” Lathan says with a grin. “We just hit it off right away. He’s really smart and really sweet…” At that moment, Lathan’s internal censor gets reactivated, and the intensely private actress politely says, “I don’t think I should talk about him. Should I?” [MIKI TURNER FOR JEWEL]

Sanaa also talked about becoming a mother and a wife one day.

While she hopes to become a wife and mother someday, she isn’t one to listen to the ticking of her pesky biological clock. “I really want it to be organic. I want it to happen because it’s right for me and my partner,” she says. “Of course, there is that fear and the statistics about the biological clock and having kids. Whenever that comes up, I just try to breathe and say, ‘You know what? Just have faith that it will all work out perfectly.’ “That’s not to say that I don’t have my days when I get depressed or angry,” she continues. “But I definitely practice optimism and gratitude. I’ve seen a difference since I started doing that. It’s like your life shifts around you when you practice that attitude of gratitude." [jewel]

Time will only tell if these two will make it in the end...

My personal thoughts:
The joy of being a celebrity is rocking the latest 'in' bag. Check out the YSL handbags Lindsay Lohan and Jada Pinkett Smith got their hands. Not to be outdone, Jennifer Lopez flaunted her Dolce & Gabbana bag and Rihanna rock her beloved Givenchy Nightingale. Solange wore her Armani bag twice.

Oh it must be pleasantly nice... [UPDATE: That's a Zac Posen bag Jada has not a YSL!]

Billboard's Hot 100 celebrated its 50th anniversary this year - August 1958 to be precise. And here are my favorites off the many lists:

"Say, Say, Say" - Paul McCartney f/ Michael Jackson

Two of the biggest artists of their time came together on this wonderful track.

Off the Top R&B Hip-Hop Songs list, I enjoyed many picks and was surprised to see "Crank Dat" and "Low" on the list. (things that make me go hmm...) The list also had a great mix of oldies and some of today's biggest artists.

"Say You, Say Me" - Lionel Richie

This song came in at #31 right over his previous hit, "All Night Long (All Night)" AND Mary J Blige's "Family Affair."

Shania Twain's "You're Still The One" made the Top Country Songs of All-Time list. This song is truly the wedding anthem...and I based that off that the weddings I attended.

Moving right along...
Do you think the message within this song ("If You Wanna Be Happy" by Jimmy Soul) still holds today?

disclaimer: all thoughts are meant in good, positive humor!


Site to Visit: Blog Around Harlem

http://www.blog-aroundharlem.com/

Do visit Blog Around Harlem if you thoroughly enjoy all things Urban America. It's a great online lifestyle magazine that informs the reader about all the fun events that happens in New York City.

Afro/Naija News:

• Political Fashion-Faceoff: Condi Rice vs Michelle Obama. [The Black Snob]
  
• First Lady of Ghana looks effortlessly fab. [Princess Sparkle Pony's Photo Blog]
  
• Liberian President says Obama should stick to Change. [Black Voices Blog]
  
• Xeno-Centrism: The Killer of Our Culture by Nnena Uzowulu. [Ebony Intuition]
  
• Who Wore Rock & Republic Better? [Abiola & The Goddess Factory]
  
• Jay-Z and Beyonce are seriously obsessed with "Fela - the new off-Broadway play that is. [Stereohyped]

Just a quick reminder - the 2008 Nigeria Independence Day Parade in New York City is on Saturday - yes this Saturday! Nigeria celebrates 48 years of independence! After all, I made the flag my blog's banner! :-)

AFRIK ELEGANCE 2008 IN NYC

The second annual Afrik Elegance 2008 fashion show was held at Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City on September 13, 2008. The day after New York Fashion Week wrapped up, African designers held their own show.

The fashion show featured designers from Ivory Coast, Senegal, Congo, and Madagascar. One of the designers worked for Chanel in Paris and another designed all the first ladies outfits in Africa.

One of the designers that impressed me was B. Oyama who has his own boutique in Harlem. B. Oyama was the brainchild (re: producer) of the fashion show. Check out his contact info: 2330 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. Between 136th and 137th Streets New York, NY 10027 212-234-5128 phone

Designs from Amy Camara of Ivory Coast:

Designs from Haingotiana Ramahandry of Madagascar:

Former Chanel designer Victory:

Other designs included Congo designers Marie Claire Stshudi Omba, Gabriel Ramazani, and Sula Mbula, Senegal's Gueye Khady Soumare, Gabon's M. Bernadette Tchandi and Madagascar's Haingotiana Ramahandry.

All photography done by Chi-Chi for Feels Good 2 B Home. Many thanks to Blog Around Harlem for the invite!

Beautiful Lovely Josie Maran

Josie Maran Beautiful Lovely Face Wallpaper. Johanna Selhorst "Josie" Maran (born May 8, 1978) is an American model and actress. Josie Maran was born in Menlo Park, California. She attended Castilleja School, an all-girls' school in Palo Alto, California. She is of Russian Jewish descent on her paternal side.

Beautiful Lovely Katrina Kaif

Beautiful Lovely Face, Katrina Kaif (born July 16, 1984) is an Indian film actress who has appeared in Bollywood, Telugu and Malayalam films.

Bunko Kanazawa

Gabrielle Anwar

Gabrielle Anwar (born February 4, 1970) is an English actress, known for her roles in the 1990s films Scent of a Woman, The Three Musketeers, and Body Snatchers. She also appeared as fashion-conscious graphic designer Sam Black in the second series of the hugely popular Children's ITV series Press Gang. Starting in mid-2007, she stars as Fiona Glenanne opposite Jeffrey Donovan as Michael Westen on the USA Network television series Burn Notice. She also plays Margaret Tudor on The Tudors.

Anwar's acting debut was in the British miniseries Hideaway. She made her film debut in Manifesto, which was followed by more British television productions including First Born, Summer's Lease, Press Gang, and The Mysteries of the Dark Jungle. While working on movies and television in London, she met American actor Craig Sheffer, and moved with him to Hollywood. Anwar and Sheffer have co-starred in a number of American movies together, such as In Pursuit of Honor, The Grave, Turbulence 3: Heavy Metal, Flying Virus, Save It for Later, Water Under the Bridge, and Long Lost Son.

Her first American film was If Looks Could Kill. She followed that with the films Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken, Scent of a Woman, Body Snatchers, For Love or Money, and The Three Musketeers. In 1993, People magazine named her one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world.

One of her most memorable moments on screen came in 1992's Scent of a Woman when she danced a tango with Al Pacino, whose character was blind.

Anwar has appeared in the TV series John Doe and recently acted in The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines. Anwar plays Princess Margaret, sister of Henry VIII of England, on Showtime's The Tudors, which debuted in April 2007.

Also starting mid-2007, Anwar co-stars as Fiona Glenanne in the USA Network series Burn Notice. Though she performed the character with an apparently Irish accent in the pilot episode, in the second installment Fiona speaks with an American accent (This is explained by the character by saying that the Irish accent gives away her cover).

GraFiTTy CompeTitioN

Akhirnya selesai jg grafity qt. Grafity klz gauss.. Ms. Wina n’ Pak Rey toeh yg bikin ide-nya. Smua kelas SDB dkasih tema ‘Go Green’. Gauss dpt tembok di 2B,, gw sbg koordinir klz-nya dibantu sama temen2” smua.. Qt cuma dikasih waktu 4 hari,, lho buat nyelesai’in smuanya. Dr Senin kemaren,, n’ terakhir hari ini deh. Awalnya gw buat konsep grafity duloe.. Trz temen2” pada nambahin ide, yg ini, yg itu. Qt juga konsul dulu ma Pak Kismano. Stelah smua OK,, baru deh qt mulai ngerjaen gambarnya.

Memang siehh, walaupun gk sebaguz klz laen,, tp hasil qt lumayn koqq. Qt yg paling sibuk, paling rame, paling kompak, tp jg paling le2t.. He he he^^.. Yahh,, gak apa2” lah ngorbanin waktu bentar buat ngerjaen grafity inieh. Udh waktunya bel pulang,, biasanya qt blm pulang2” jg,, sibuk nelesai’in gambar. Kadang malah sampe jam 5 lewat,, lho. Sampe jongkok2” sgala,, baju jg udah pada kotor,, kena cat. Paraaagghh !!


Hr t’akhir gw memang sempet bad mood sieh. Sebenernya tinggal background nya ajah,, tp t’nyata ada tambahan lg,, dr sponsor ‘Jotun’.. Jd logonya hrz dibikin lg. Tp grafity Gauss jd jg akhirnya !! Horrreee !! Ksh applaus donk.. Thanx yah buadt temen2” yg udah bantu.. Nat’ li, Ardhi, Adhi, Wawan, Etha, Ghardy, Sayori, Ninda, Iqbal, Sherly, Ulie, Oqta, n’ smua anak2” Gauss yg blm gw sebut… Buadt adek2” klz yg udh minjemin kuas. Juga buat wali klz qt,, Mr. Bob !! Thanx buadt saran2”nya,, yg jg ikudt bantu2” qt nge-cat.. ha ha ha… Tinggal tunggu penilaiannya niehhh bzk. Qt optimis ajah yaaa...

NGO & BORIS GOT SWAGGER + SKIN BLEACHING

Boris Kodjoe looked every bit like the fashion designer he has become in a new one-page article featured in the new "Uptown" magazine. All I have to say about the photo is swagger, swagger, swagger!

(Photo credit: Derek Blanks/ Thanks Necole!)

So I paid a visit to my local Barnes & Noble last night, the following romance novel cover got my attention.

By the looks of it, that's male model Ngo Okafor! (Maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me but I'm waiting on him to confirm/deny that's him.) Do add him on myspace right here.

Tyra Banks visited a topic that is still revelant in few African countries. When I visited Nigeria a few years ago, I noticed a few of my Nigerian sisters bleaching their natural complexion for a lighter (re: what they consider more desirable) skin. Some of them argue that men wouldn't married them if they weren't lighter. (Do keep in mind these men are also dark but they don't have to bleach. Insert: the side-eye!) So when Tyra decided to use her datyime talk show as a platform to speak about it, I tune in.

I've been asked by many why do we bleach our complexion? Well the same can be said for those who enjoy tanning? You simply can't have it both ways. Skin bleaching is a hip thing to do within the black community and I say that very loosely! This is a HOT topic on Tyra's website. Darker women wants to be lighter and the fair women wants to be tan. What do you think?

UPDATE: Check out the entire episode...

Rants/thoughts:
I wish I found these Halle Berry's DVF gold metallic "Molto" sandals during the Summer time. They would been perfect for the wedding I went to back in August.

-sigh!-

Photo credits: Gossip Girls/FLYNET

Speaking of gold, isn't LaLa's Yves Saint Laurent sequin "Mombasa" bag AND Haute Hippie beaded tunic divine?! *By the way Lauren Conrad also wore this tunic recently.

Beyonce's high-fashion photo session with Tony Duran raised a few eyebrows but would have rock this Jean Paul Gaultier zebra print coat better than Mrs. Carter?

ESSENCE.COM got a great makeover...and I like what they did with the layout. It's easier to read, huh?

disclaimer: All rants/thoughts are in good humor!

Afro/Naija News:

Wycelf Jean & Matt Damon Visit Haiti City. [Ebony Intuition]

Nigerians are fighting over Oil. [Yahoo]

Duro Olowu in the latest's Vogue. [Match Fetch Happen]

Ladybrille chats with Iman. [Ladybrille]

Lauren Conrad and LaLa Vasquez got bitten by YSL accessories. [Urban-Hoopla]

Ramsey Noah opens up about his career. [Bella Naija]

Updated Fashion tidbits from Johannesburg. [Boutique Mix Fashion]

Trya Banks and Sessilee Lopez honors "Mahogany"! [Mrs. Grapevine]

Style Showdown: Rihanna vs Thandie. [Genuine-Imitation]