say WHAAAT?

I'm a sucker for vids right now, and I couldn't help but grin in media time with this one. Here's DJ Face, ya'll, on America's Got Talent. Keebs, this one goes out to you (I know you got a thing for the babehs with swag)! Lol.



My main, Snap Boogie, tearin' down the house with his killa street moves.



One of the most uncoventional, perplexing and riveting performances I've ever laid my eyes upon, the fiercest "Pole-fessional", Steve Retchless.



And a crowd pleaser (and shocker) for sure- Landau Euguene Murphy, bringing us Frankie back from the grave.



Totally different show, but this performance gave me shivers. I admit it, I'm obsessed. Ok, that's it from me for now. ;)

Preach it, preacha!

Just thought I'd share a video I saw back when I was grinding it in Phoenix, AZ, trying to bust out on the teaching scene. After a long and arduous 6 weeks of bootcamp, at the tippy top of exhaustion and exhilaration at what was to lie ahead, we were shown this. And it just absolutely stopped me breathless- nothing, in the end, can encapsulate what makes our jobs so noteworthy more than this vid. Every time I watch it, it just does it to me. So here's to you, and you and you, for making every moment of this incredible journey so worth it. Teachers truly do make the world go round, amen?

DANTE'S KITCHEN.

With it being a lovely, showers-clear day in sunny NOLA, a few friends and I headed to one of my favorite little breakfast nooks- Dante's Kitchen, a converted shotgun style house in the Uptown district with the sort of accessories that gives this eatery its famed appellation. Think of it as a Ma and Pa joint meets Grand Lux cafe, possessing the kind of sophistication and artful execution you'd find in a bistro or upscale restaurant, but with none of the flounce or ruffles that accompanies it. Just good, hearty food with a New Orleans twist. Exactly what you'd want on a lazy Saturday morning. The shelf-lined interior, beholding some of the tastiest preserves and jellies, all fresh-made at the house.

Sunny, warm, cozy. Just how I like it.

Fresh-made buscuits and jam- mouthwatering good.

I ordered the "Special"- this amazing Vietnamese fusion concoction featuring seasoned pork belly
over rice and this egg with pickled peppers. F*CKIN' DELISH, yo. Leave it to me to order rice for breakfast at a southern joint.

Shitake mushroom and cheese stone-ground grits. This Cali girl is a convert.

My friend ordered the "Pot Likka" (Dutch,perhaps?)- a smothering of beef pan dripping with grits and a poached egg. My tastebuds were doing the jitterbug.

And what I'd call the Grand-master Flash Finale- Annette had the bread pudding french toast, which is pretty much dessert masked as a breakfast item. Perfect for a sweet girl like Ms. 'Nettie.

There's an inferno up in there- oohhh, Dante's, you never let a girlfriend down!

Crib Style.

For those near and far who haven't been able to make a pit stop to mi casa en New Orleans, I decided to throw up a few pix of the place I call home. Call it a showcase, a work in progress, whatever. I admit that much of the house is a mishmash of antique finds, standard utilitarian pieces and a marriage of old meets new. I've been hesitant to pick up a lot of stuff, limiting the bulk of my stuff to what can fit in an old U-haul van. After migrating place to place, living out of dorm rooms and tiny apartments with living spaces converted into bedrooms (to save some cha-ching), it's really kickass to have rooms other than the one I sleep in to roam into. Chillax. Kick up my feet with a glass of cab sav, if I so feel like it. Feels like I'm living the good life, ya know? the living room

foyer/dining area

kitschy kitchen

my room with the buddha screen i found at world market.

a few of the roses eddrin got me for our anniversary; dried.

the desk and the dresser, freshly painted, bought for a measly $45 combined.

the stack of books on my nightstand. i'll get thru 'em. eventually.

a silk nightie i bought at a vintage flea market. i thought it was too prettyful.

our longgggggg ass hallway. makes the apt. feel like a mansion.

shanana's boudoir.

Hope you enjoyed the tour!

A tryst at Coquette and Hotel Monteleone.

With it being a lovely day, and with Alisa's good friend in town, we decided to venture out and dine at a cozy French restaurant. Cocquette, situated on the corner of Magazine and Carondelet, offered just the right mix of elegance and the rustic warmth characteristic of New Orleans establishments. After enjoying a sampling of several small plates and a 4 course pre-fix, we picked up our satchels and moseyed on down to the FQ in search of the illustrious carousel bar, definitely a throwback to childhood merry-go-rounds, as far as I'm concerned. I decided to bring along my camera to snap a few pix en route: getting ready to depart the house
Originally the "Hannah Montana", a dash of vodka transforms a blah cocktail into the "Lindsay Lohan"

the ladies: Katherine and Ms. Alisa

Kat, in a pensive stare...

summer roomies!

brick + denim + chandeliers =truly stately/chic interior decor

gotta bring out that nawlin's flava

small plates to start? Shrimp

an imaginative and delightful marriage of pork belly and figs

fried oyster bonanza

beignets, accompanied by a mocha and caramel sauce

We decided to drop by the Carousel at the famed Hotel Monteleone in the French Quarter. The bar really spins!

the ladies.

top shelf liquor, please.

A historic site, indeed.

Outside, on the boulevard.

Street gallery art.

NOLA has her very own Statue of Lib: who knew?

Tacos a la Fiesta!

It seems as if I'm always on a search for the perfect taco. Someting about the blend of all those Latin flavors gets my mouth secreting. Alas, while tacos may be delicious, they are also foolhardy high in the fat department, if you get my drift. In my pursuit of perfection, I engineered the perfect taco, with tilapia fish as the staple. The result: nothing short of extraordinary, and a measly 150 calories a piece! Who knew that eatin' good in the neighborhood could be born out of my very own kitchen? Tilapia fish, adorned with a chipotle-adobo sauce, mango-lime-and-bell-pepper salsa, and black beans a-top a grilled corn tortilla. Too much goodness for one mouthful.

Bell peppers, mango, cilantro, red onion and lime: the perfect salsa fresca, voila.

A rainbow of goodies.

The chile-adobo sauce was easy as apple pie (wait, actually, I'm still not sure how to make apple pie). A bit of garlic, greek yogurt, a dollop of light mayo...

...and the secret ingredient, chipotle peppers! An amazing alternative to the sauces laden with creams and non-heart healthy fats.

I love beans, don't ask me why. Seasoned with a bit of red onion and a dash of cumin, you can go salt-free which equals guilt-free in my book. I prefer the organic ones, as they have double the protein and fiber than the generic sodium-packed ones.

The tilapia was supa dupa easy. Just a bit of soy-sauce, lime juice and olive oil, we're talking the perrrfect fish. I threw mine on the grill and pan fried with the help of Pam.

A little sprinking of feta cheese, and you've got yourself a gourmet dream! Bon appetit!

Hangin with the Williams'...

My modelesque boyfriend (he'd kill me for putting this one up)

me and bonee enjoying a moment for 2 happy as a clam...
ronnie, sporting a new 'do, donald ray below...