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Memphis is a must see at the Dallas Summer Musical

May 16, 2012 By No Comments
TURN UP THAT DIAL… From the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, comes a hot new Broadway musical that bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love. Inspired by actual events, MEMPHIS is about a radio DJ who wants to change the world and a club singer who is ready for her big break. Come along on their incredible journey to the ends of the airwaves — filled with laughter, soaring emotion and roof-raising rock ‘n’ roll.
Winner of four 2010 Tony Awards® including Best Musical, MEMPHIS played pre- Broadway at the La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre, and features a Tony®-winning book by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change) and a Tony®-winning original score with music by Bon Jovi’s founding member David Bryan. MEMPHIS is directed by Tony® nominee Christopher Ashley (Xanadu), and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys).
Get ready to experience Broadway’s most exciting new destination~ what AP calls “The very essence of what a Broadway musical should be.”

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Stevie Wonder’s nephew charged with trying to blackmail him

May 16, 2012 By No Comments

by Latrisha McDuffie, NDG Staff Writer

Police have arrested and charged Alpha Lorenzo Walker and Tamara Eileen Diaz for attempting to blackmail Stevie Wonder.

Walker, who is Wonder’s nephew, and his girlfriend contacted the singer and threatened to go to the tabloids with a story that he was the result of an incestuous relationship between Wonder and his sister. Walker originally asked for $5 million dollars but later lowered his demand to $10,000.

TMZ reports, that undercover detectives met with Walker and Diaz, pretending to be Wonder’s representatives with cash, but demanded that Walker sign a written statement that his accusation that he was the child of Wonder and his sister was false. Walker signed the statement and police then quickly arrested Walker and  Diaz and charged them with felony extortation.

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Books to give moms and grandmothers to be

May 13, 2012 By No Comments

By Terri Schlichenmeyer, NDG Contributing Writer

For years now, your mother has perfected the Art of Unrequested Advice.

It started when she told you not to bring your favorite toy to Show & Tell because you’d lose it – and she was right. You spent your childhood hearing that you “need a sweater,” and she was usually right about that, too.  And that boy you dated in high school?  The one she hated?

We won’t go there…

Now you have children of your own and Mom’s still at it – but while the advice you get from her might go unrequested, it’s surely not unwelcome. So now that Mom is becoming Grandma, why not give Mom a little dose of her own medicine, in the form of two great new books?

How to Rock Your Baby by Erin BriedIf it’s been awhile since she’s been around little ones – or if you’re a new mother yourself – then How to Rock Your Baby by Erin Bried is a book you’ll want to tuck in the diaper bag, just so you are prepared.

This small but extremely helpful book starts out at the beginning, even before the baby’s born. How do you deal with morning sickness?  What, exactly, should you eat “for two?”  What do you do about mood swings (and how can people around you help?)?  How do you know it’s really labor, and how do you make sure you actually get to the hospital in one piece?

Once the baby’s here, you will want to know how to calm a crier; take a temperature; make toys, baby food, and burp cloths; how to find Mom-Time and get some sleep. You will want to know how to do those other important things that mothers have been advising one another about for generations.

I liked How to Rock Your Baby because I think it’s great for new moms and for Grandmas who want a brush-up. Author Erin Bried also made this a nice reference book for babysitters and honorary aunties, too.

Survival Mom by Lisa Bedford

Every mother, no matter how old her babies are, knows that stuff happens – and it usually happens when you don’t have time to deal with it. Like most moms, you follow the Boy Scouts oath: always be prepared. Just in case, though, you will want to have Survival Mom by Lisa Bedford on hand.

Survival Mom is another one of those super-helpful books that you can use as reference, but this one is for fixing minor annoyances as well as dealing with those huge disasters you hope you never have.

Beginning with water (how basic can you get?) and moving to emergency shelter, food security and gardening, finances, medical crises, power outages, firearms, major disasters and worse. This book takes things step-by-step. It’s very easy to read, includes lots of sidebars and quick-takes, and author Lisa Bedford also includes stories from mothers who have lived through disasters of all kinds. In reading this book, I was astounded at what I didn’t know (gulp!)

If you are someone’s mother or if you need something to help your own Mommy prepare to be the world’s greatest grandmother, How to Rock Your Baby and Survival Mom would both make great gifts.

And that is good advice.

How to Rock Your Baby by Erin Bried (Hyperion, $14.99 274 pages) and Survival Mom by Lisa Bedford (HarperOne, $19.99 323 pages)

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Half of the American pie is okay with me

May 3, 2012 By No Comments

by Donald Willis, NDG Contributing Writer

 

Don "Spider" Willis

The old saying is “just give me a piece of the American pie” and you can make it in today’s society, where jobs and opportunity are slim to none. It is so true because the pie has not always being  divided proportionally for minorities and women. This despite the fact the education and expertise indicates their readiness for leadership.  Fortune 500 companies have always known that minorities and women are capable of running companies before a one term senator became President in 2008.

I recently took a look at the National Basketball Association (NBA) where 82 percent of the players are African-Americans and a record 15 African-Americans head coaches opened the season. That is half of the teams in the NBA, which is something you do not see, even in corporate America. For the NBA, the proof is in the pudding as they like hiring their own, currently 12 of the coaches are former players.

Larger companies of 1,500 or more employees usually have about 1.4 percent of minorities as directories, managers or vice presidents. The ratio may vary because some companies pad their count with the Anglo woman as a minority.

The NBA pie is delicious compared to the National Football League (NFL) considering they have only three minority coaches as of 2012, which is a drop from six a year ago. This statistic comes in a league where 67 percent of the players are African-American. Major League Baseball is more like a cupcake with only two African-Americans managers out of thirty teams but only eight percent of the players on their roster are African-Americans.

The corporate pie in professional sports is not getting any better because owners in sports are often stuck on recycling coaches in their pursuit of quick fixes for the franchise.

So, enjoy the NBA pie and add a little ice cream for the Michael Jordan alamode as the only African-American owner in the league.

You can listen to Donald “Spider” Willis on Sport Talk with Spider each Sunday from 7-9 p.m.  CST on fishbowlradionetwork.com. For suggestion and topics call 469-335-6668 or email dwillisdw@yahoo.com

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Janelle Monae is featured in Essence Best in Black Beauty Awards

May 2, 2012 By No Comments

ESSENCE, the preeminent lifestyle publication for African-American women, announces the ESSENCE Best in Black Beauty Awards taking place on Tuesday, May 8. ESSENCE Beauty Director Corynne Corbett and celebrity stylist June Ambrose will serve as co-hosts of the ultimate beauty conversation during this invitation-only event. The ESSENCE Best in Black Beauty Awards will honor beauty innovators who are influencing what’s now and next.

Janelle Monae

The honorees are: Balanda Atis, Group Leader, and Janine Cherette, Color Cosmetic Scientist, of the L’Oréal USA Research and Innovation team; Ted Gibson, celeb hairstylist to the stars and head stylist on What Not To Wear; Janis Smith-Gomez, Vice-President of Marketing for Johnson & Johnson; Lisa Logan, go-to manicurist for Beyoncé; and Pat McGrath, makeup artist who masterminds the runway’s most sought-after looks from New York to Milan. Grammy-nominated artist Janelle Monáe—who is known for her own groundbreaking sense of style—will also share in the awards presentation.

In addition, the evening will feature a “live gift wall” showcasing the winning products from the ESSENCE Best in Black Beauty Awards 2012 listing—highlighted in the magazine’s May 2012 issue—in which ESSENCE’s beauty editors and a team of experts highlighted the best makeup, skin care, nail, fragrance and hair picks. Attendees will also have an opportunity to sample the products on-site. For more information and to vote for your beauty favorites, which will be revealed as “Readers’ Choice Awards” winners in the October issue of ESSENCE magazine, visit www.essence.com/beautyawards/.

“ESSENCE’s Best in Black Beauty Awards will pay homage to the beauty mavens who always know how to make African-American women look good!” says Corbett. “I look forward to hosting this event with June Ambrose as we share our beauty insights and tips. We also want to congratulate all of our Best in Black Beauty Awards winners highlighted in our May issue. African-American women are very passionate when it comes to their beauty regimen. That is why we decided to road test hundreds of products so that we can provide our readers with the best of the best.”   ESSENCE will be announcing a number of beauty-related initiatives in the near future, including results from the next installment of its Smart Beauty series which uncovers the unique mindset of the most passionate beauty consumers—African-American women.

ESSENCE will also announce the winners of its annual “Reader’s Choice Awards” in its October 2012 issue.   The ESSENCE Best in Black Beauty Awards is sponsored by Motions. Follow ESSENCE on Twitter to join the conversation @essencemag #EssenceBeauty or become a fan on Facebook. For more information, visit www.essence.com/beautyawards/.

Filed Under: Entertainment, Latest News, People in the News, Uncategorized

Dietrick Haddon’s new movie A Beautiful Soul

May 2, 2012 By 1 Comment

by Latrisha McDuffie

If you have not heard of Dietrick Haddon you have been under a spiritual rock. Not since Kirk Franklin has there been a gospel artist that has taken the secular world by storm. Haddon released the insanely successful CD Church on the Moon this year debuting at #1 on the Billboard Gospel Album Charts; premiered a Michael Jackson type music video trilogy, Church on the Moon Part 1, and world premiered his Well Done music video on BET’s  popular countdown 106 and Park.

And if that wasn’t enough for one year Hadden has announced Tyscot ManHaddon Films’ first theatrical release of the Christian based film, A Beautiful Soul. The movie will premier in AMC Theatres on Friday, May 4, 2012.

Directed by Jeff Byrd from Soul Food Series, A Beautiful Soul  is a Christian urban twist on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The movie’s leading man, Deitrick Haddon expressed his excitement about film and God’s faithfulness, “I’m humbled to be able to bring this ground breaking movie to the theatres. It’s simply a promise from God manifested. I’m so excited, that you will most likely run into me at the theatre! I’m going to see the movie in each city.”

The film also stars Harry Lennix (“The Matrix”, “The Five Heartbeats”, “Barbershop 2”) as Jeff Freeze, Robert Ri’chard (“One on One”, “Coach Carter”, “The Matrix) as Chris Scott, Lesley Ann Brandt (“Spartacus”, “Diplomatic Immunity”) as Angela Berry, and Barry Floyd (“The Game”) as Terrance Wilson. The movie also features cameos by NBA Legend John Salley, R&B singer Faith Evens and Bishop Noel Jones. The film has a soundtrack that features original music from Deitrick Haddon as well Kierra Sheard, and Faith Evans.

Click here to watch the movie trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h63PWjUpQgA

A Beautiful Soul revolves around Andre Stephens (Haddon), an R&B megastar who has the world at his feet but spiritually bankrupt. The film chronicles Andre after his world is turned upside down after a violent attack that leaves him broken and his best friend Chris Johnson (Ri’chard) battling for his life. As God takes Andre on a journey somewhere between heaven and hell Andre must make a life changing decision.

You can view the movie at Grapevinemills 30 located at Grapevine Mills Parkwayin Grapevine and Mesquite3 located at 19919 Interstate 635 in Mesquite. For more information visit www.ABeautifulSoulMovie.com

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Snoop Dogg married and engaged?

April 26, 2012 By No Comments

 

Snoop Dogg’s alleged long time  mistress, Miami model Grace has been spotted wearing a huge diamond said to have been bought by the Dogg Father himself.

Which confuses me. How can you propose when you are still married?

Below is a picture of Snoop and Grace making out in St. Tropet.  If you look close you can see the ring.

 

The Miami model has appeared in one of the Snoop’s videos and just last year he bought her a $120,000 Mercedes. Snoop has been married to his highschool sweetheart Shante Taylor for 15 years.

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Deion Sanders tweets divorce drama

April 26, 2012 By No Comments

 

The drama between Deion and Pilar Sanders is out of control. Deion Sanders tweeted that his estranged wife and a friend attacked him in his bedroom in front of their two boys. He stated that he only defended himself until he the police arrived.

Pilar Sanders was taken to the hospital for medical attention and later taken to jail in Collin County.

 

Deion continued to tweet after the police arrived at the couples Prosper home.

 

Deion also tweeted a photo of himself and his boys as he filing police report.

 

Filed Under: Entertainment, Latest News

No place like home

April 25, 2012 By No Comments
Why is it that so many professional African American athletes will not or cannot go home after becoming successful?
For athletes home is the place where it begins with playing touch football in a grassy field or shooting jumpers on a basketball court. Home is where the streetlight is your only source of light. These athletes seem to have the green light to go anywhere in the world, but somehow their navigation system in the $100,000 Range Rover cannot seem to find the old neighborhood.
Sure, it is okay to move to the suburbs where education is supposedly better and you get more bangs for your buck when purchasing a house or participating in the neighborhood cookout.
However, it seems like an epidemic in the North Texas area because there are so many professional athletes from the area who should visit their old YMCAs, schools or community centers.
Take retired sprinter Michael Johnson, winner of four Olympic gold medals, eight world championship medals. He currently holds the world and Olympic records in the 400m and 4 x 400 meters relay.
He is also a businessman who owns and operates the Michael Johnson Performance Center and travels the country speaking to youth and other organizations. Johnson excelled in track at all levels and left his legacy at Baylor University and Skyline High School which is located in the Pleasant Grove area of Dallas. Skyline High is also the first magnet school to open in the United States back in 1972 and  have graduated students who have became accountants, attorneys, athletes and the lead architect for  Cowboy Stadium.
Johnson seems so busy over the years that his schedule does not permit him time to stop by Skyline and speak to young men and women who are looking for guidance from one of their own. What is it? Does he need Dorothy of the Wizard of Oz to help him find the “yellow brick” to Skyline? Maybe he needs the Scare Crow, Tin Man and the cowardly Lion to assist him to the school auditorium.
A girl’s track team with nine state championships should be a nice road trip to encourage these young ladies about carrying the baton of tradition and achieving academic excellence.  A football team that is nationally ranked each year would love to have him at their sports banquet and hear about his travels all over the world. Maybe before the next President election in 2016 he can show up to the track meet that bears is name.
However, there is also Calvin Miles, a former Skyline basketball player and Utah Jazz. He attends some of the game, and he also puts his money where his mouth with massive donation to the team and school.
There is no place like home and the doors are always open at these schools and community facilities where they can share information to these young men and women.

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2012 Entertainment Calendar

April 25, 2012 By No Comments

4/28/2012 – A Night at the Kotton Klub. The Mansfield-Cedar Hill alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi presents The 2nd Annual White Affair at Bacara in Addison. For more information go to www.SwaggerKhapterNupes.com

  *Latrisha’s Pick  – Hypnotic Donuts – I got an e-mail from one of my best gal pals asking if I was up for an adventure.  I was so I went to check out Hypnotic Donuts on Garland Road in Dallas right by White Rock Lake. They have a glazed donut topped with bacon…need I say more? If you have a need for something more daring then try the Hypnotic donut. It is a chocolate, caramel, peanut butter donut topped with peanut butter Captain Crunch and pretzels. And for the scaredy cat of the group they have biscuits. www.hypnoticdonuts.com

5/2/2012 – Deitrick Haddon – A Beautiful Soul Experience- Award winning and popular gospel artist Deitrick Haddon’s give a fan appreciation concert at Johnson Chapel in Desoto. Free admission. www.abeautifulsoulmovie.com

04/9/12 – 9/23/2012 – Sandy Lake Amusement Park in Carrollton. Sandy Lake Amusement Park in Carrollton offers 19 rides, miniature golf, paddle boats, a C.P. Huntington train, an All Sports Arcade and the Sandy Lake Barn Yard. Kids can ride on Shetland ponies. Parents are encouraged to bring their own food to eat on picnic grounds. Admission is $2.00 children under 3 years old are free (see family coupon for free admission online) and coupons for rides are $.50. More information available online atwww.sandylake.com

05/04/2012- 6/3/2012 – Diary of a Worm, a Spider, and a Fly at Dallas Children’s Theater. Children everywhere fell in love with Doreen Cronin’s Click, Clack Moo: Cows that Type and Giggle, Giggle, Quack picture books. Now they can see the professional southwest musical premiere of her Diary of a Worm, a Spider and a Fly. On opening night, kids get free ice cream with gummy worms from the Purple Cow and one free poster per family. Ticket prices are $14 – $26; some discounts available. You can purchase tickets by calling 214-740-0051 or online at www.DCT.org

05/9/2012 – 05/12/2012 – 2012 Women’s Conference “Renewing My Passion” presented byDayspringFamilyChurch inIrving,TX.  This amazing conference is filled with powerful, dynamic, and anointed speakers.

Original Pancake House in Plano – On your way to the Allen Outlet Mall to find that perfect Coach Purse stop by the Original Pancake House in Plano just off Central Expressway. You must have the oven baked fiesta omelet. You just haven’t lived until you have tasted the Dutch Baby, an oven baked pancake cloud of heavenly perfection and served with whipped butter, lemon, and powdered sugar to create a mouthwatering dream that will have you flying. www.originalpancakehouse.com

05/11/2012 – 06/17/2012 – God of Carnage at Kalita Humphreys Theater. The play is about two 11-year-old boys have had a run-in on the playground, and some very bad behavior ensues… by their parents. When two supposedly civilized, supposedly adult middle-class couples meet to discuss their sons’ little dust-up, they raise smugness, pettiness, and meanness to heady new heights of hilarity, You’ll have endless fun repeating their deliciously snarky remarks. After its sold-out run on Broadway, this Tony Award-winning comedy makes its regional debut. Tickets are available at www.DallasTheaterCenter.org

*Latrisha’s Pick  5/26/2012 – Old School Summer Jam at Gexa Energy Amphitheater with Charlie Wilson, Babyface, Dazz Band, Envogue, and Don Diego. www.LiveNation.com

5/25/2012 – Artfest –Returning Memorial Day weekend CityArts Festival will offer activities and entertainment for families, staycationers, and art aficionados alike to enjoy against the backdrop of historic Fair Park. Fair Park’s six museums will offer reduced admission at select times during the festival. For more information go towww.cityartsfestival.com

Café Silva – I was trying to avoid 5 o’clock traffic when I found this cozy, relaxed, coffee aroma-infused lounge southwest corner of Royal Lane and Greenville Avenue in Dallas.  Not your ordinary coffee bar, Café Silva has interesting house coffee blends, Cuban espresso, Mexican hot chocolate, hand mixed Italian sodas, and Tazo teas.  And you must try the unique homemade baked goods. I love the coconut zucchini mini bunt cake, but you should also try the puffed pastry pound cake muffin. You and your girl friends can listen to a diverse and fabulous playlist with artists like Astrud Gilberto, Otis Redding, Bob and Ziggy Marley, Irma Thomas as you go on and on about the new guy in your life. www.cafesilva.com

*Latrisha’s Pick 06/01/12 – 06/10/12 The 2012 Desoto SolJazz Festival will showcase nightly SolJazz Happy Hour events June 1st through June 6th. Starting June 3rd through June 6th, SolJazz Karaoke Contests will also take place. June 4th through June 7th The DSJF will host free SolJazz Spotlight Concerts. June 8th there will be a Celebrity & Partner Golf Scramble at Cedar Crest Golf Course and a Comedy & Casino Night. June 9th will highlight an All-Star lineup including Cameo, Rachelle Ferrell, Pieces Of A Dream, Doug E. Fresh, MC Lyte and more! To close the celebration, there will be an Official Soljazz Brunch to celebrate Rejoice Sunday on June 10th.

06/09/2012 - Bill Cosby at the Winspear Opera House. Bill Cosby has been making America laugh for decades. And for ONE NIGHT ONLY, one of the most prolific comedians of all time, Bill Cosby, will dazzle the Dallas audience of fans with his comedy that transcends age, gender, and cultural barrier. Tickets start at $45 and are available at www.attpac.org

06/22/2012 – 8/12/2012 – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, at Wyly Theater. For two generations, this joyful, family-friendly musical has been giving audiences a new appreciation of the Old Testament story of Joseph, the boy dreamer. Sold into slavery by his brothers, he became the ruler of Egypt. In DTC’s tuneful telling of this ancient story, practically every line is sung by the actors and a kids’ chorus, in styles from rock to western to a1920s Charleston. Pay-What-You-Can allows patrons to purchase ANY seat in the house for ANY amount they choose. Pay-What-You-Can tickets go on-sale online one week before the performance and may also be purchased in person at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre Box Office beginning at 5:30pm on the day of the performance. More information is available at www.DallasTheaterCenter.org

06/26/12 – 06/27/2012 – Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour with Cirque du Soleil at American Airlines Center. This once-in-a-lifetime electrifying production combines Michael Jackson music and choreography with Cirque du Soleil creativity to give fans worldwide a unique view into the spirit, passion and heart of the artistic genius who forever transformed global pop culture. Tickets are $50 – $150 and are available online at www.ticketmaster.com

 

08/1/2012 – 08/12/2012 Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus: Fully Charged at American Airlines Center. This beloved circus is sure to be a hit with the entire family. Ticket prices are $15 – $100 and are available at www.Ticketmaster.com

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