So I decided to travel to Ohio this year for Thanksgiving to spend some much needed time with my family. I am so glad I did! I had a blast! I saw some people I hadn't seen in 15 years. It was wonderful and nostalgic. These people know the inner me better than anyone. You have to remind yourself where you came from in order to know where you are going... It was a love fest :)
My big brother Terrence and Ronnie
My niece Brooklyn
Day Day, Ciara and Hoagy
Ciara, Suechee and Paula - Suechee did the cooking and all I can say is Blackberry Cobbler lol
My brother and his lady Ciara
Generations
Me and Ciara
My brother and Rob Wade
Had a chance to visit my Granny... She got sick right after I left :( I ask for your prayers please.
My Uncle Lee and cousin Chuckie
Ohi State vs. Michigan rival in effect!
Reggie Reg!
Trent-Dog!
Black Black
My niece Mariah in the black...
In this video we just got spanked in spades after running the table for hours. The guys are super excited that they beat the champs. Excuse the my language lol but you know how it is in competition!
So I had the pleasure of experiencing Washington D.C. for the first time last weekend. I never had any desire to go until the inauguration, which I wasn't able to attend. After that, It really wasn't on my to do list until recently for work. We needed some "Sanity Rally" footage for a show we're working on. Turns out, I LOVE DC! I've always loved history and the mystery behind it all. I knew there was some in DC but the whole city looked European. Like a city in France. Paris maybe. Rich in culture. Every building had a story to tell and it's own charm unlike most places in the U.S. It was refreshing to see a city not so plastic with buildings built in 30 days. These magnificent brick and stone buildings and mesmerizing statues took years to build. I truly believe in a past life, I was around during those times because I absolutely love that era in which they were built. My favorite movies are period pieces.
I didn't really take pics of buildings or sculptures, mainly just rally stuff. Had a chance to check out Ben's for the chilli burgers and YES they live up to all the hype. Actor Lance Gross was there having a bite. I guess a lot of people were there for Howard's Homecoming. I was invited out to a few cool parties but I declined.
The Restore Sanity rally was AMAZING. Jon Stewart and Steve Colbert put on a great show for an awesome cause. Ann, Lisa and I had a blast! I'd say about 500,000 people showed up. Just a bunch of like-minded, beautiful individuals. The signs were incredible. It felt great to be a part of something so positive. My first of many more political expressions. We were able to get some nice footage for our show as well.
Obama's Favorite Burger Joint
Me and my good friend and business partner Ann Flagella in front of the White House....
Check out the video below: Here I am fooling around the night before the rally. They gave me a wig and asked me to act like a "stoner". Enjoy :) Also don't forget to get out and VOTE TODAY!!!!
While frolicking in the ocean, I got attacked by a killer wave lol I'm so happy SUMMER has finally decided to join us in Cali :)
Photo By Jason Wallace
Also here's a video of me and my girl Suzanne... from a few days ago at Temescal Canyon, my favorite hiking spot. My first real exercise since the whole toe issue.
I was going to do a photo shoot for this effect for my apartment. Then I found this website called PhotoFunia and I realized I can just use some of the amazing shots I have already. I will do another shoot still but at my leisure. How dope is this? I can't wait to get these blown up in real life :)
I love this picture. It almost looks like a postcard! This is me doing me in Vegas at the Bellagio. The day before, I mindlessly snubbed my pinkie toe on my brand new sectional couch. I guess I'm not used to it being there yet. It's kinda huge. Anyways I was in severe pain but was not going to let it ruin my holiday weekend in Vegas. Needless to say I drank a lot of alcohol to keep it numb and it worked lol! I was a little bummed that I couldn't wear any high heels, but I still had a blast at the poker tables. Yes I am a mean poker player. I didn't take a lot of pics, because as they say.... What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas...
What can I say.... It was everything! For a whole week it was fun, exciting, relaxing, sexy, steaming hot with a hint of danger and very spiritual. I'll begin with the hotel...
We stayed in a HUGE suite at the Fasano :) It's a fairly new luxury hotel (maybe 2 years old) with every amenity imaginable. Beyonce and Alicia Keys had just left a couple days before we got there. They were there shooting a video together. Madonna, Lourdes, and Jesus (her boy toy lol) were staying there while we were there. Somehow people found out that Madonna was in the building and all hell broke loose. It was like TRL outside of the hotel with screaming fans right outside my damn balcony for 2 days! It was madness and Madonna had a huge bodyguard entourage every where she went. I just got a glimpse of her but I have met her once before already in LA so it wasn't a big deal to me. Well.. maybe just a little lol! But yes, the hotel was amazing, especially the infinity rooftop pool. We chilled up there a lot getting a head start on my tan for 2010. Nicole Scherzinger (pussy cat dolls) frequented the pool often as well. It felt so good to get some R&R far far away.
The Rio Carnival was way more than I anticipated. It was breath-taking! The day we arrived I was thinking people would be all over the streets dancing but I now know, that is the Trinidad Carnival. This carnival is held annually at the Sambodromo specifically built for this occasion. The parade goes on for HOURS each day. At least 9 hours. Unbelievable, right? It's different parades per school and each float tells a story. We were standing there and the parade ended after about an hour and a half. I was like wow, that was beautiful! I'm thinking it was over but no one was leaving. About a half hour later, a complete new parade with a total new theme started! So you'd better had a comfortable seat or some comfortable shoes because you could easily be there all day. One float with more wow factor than the last. It keep going and going like the energizer bunny lol. Needless to say we were wore out because we did two days for about 4-5 hours. But it was well worth it... to see all the work they put into this amazing affair. My favorite parade was the King and Queen, Royalty type theme, especially Cleopatra and her servants!!! I took so many pics I don't even know where to begin to add them...
It's like the whole city gets involved. If you are from Rio, 9 times out of 10 you have participated in the Carnival because it is such a prideful event with lots of heart! I felt so blessed to witness the BIGGEST Carnival in the world.
It also has it's religious connection... 40 days before Easter. It officially starts on Saturday and finishes on Fat Tuesday with the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday after which one is supposed to abstain from all bodily pleasures. Carnival with all its excesses, celebrated as a profane event, can be considered an act of farewell to the pleasures of the flesh. I'm not Catholic though so I won't be giving up anything :)
So after experiencing the spirit and soul of the city, we did some more relaxing by the pool, then spa pampering, then shopping, then sight-seeing. I'm realizing right now that we never made it to the beach. It was just steps away but the pool was too nice and it had waiters lol! Next time!
Our last day there, we were so in the moment. The beauty of God was everywhere! In the birds, the people, the sea, in us. We were high on life and thanking GOD for all his blessings!! The next step was to go see why they call this city, The City Of God.
My favorite part of the trip was seeing the "Christ The Redeemer" statue. It was so high in the sky! Think Empire State building high, but wayyyyyy higher! We took a trolley type train that was hanging from wires up the mountain. It was a lot of Asian tourists on there. Our ears were popping and it literally looked like we were on an airplane by the view with the clouds eye level to us. Up and up we go til we finally reached the top. My friend Ann couldn't breathe well because of the thinness of the air. It was so hot that morning, like 90 degrees at 10am. Plus we had not been to sleep the night before because we wanted to sleep on the airplane back home. (15 hour flight) It had been a very spiritual morning because we watched the sunrise and was leaving that night so we took it all in.
Christ The Redeemer is a MUST SEE. No pictures will ever do it any justice. It is by far one of those things that should be on your bucket list. It was built in the 1920's but I still can't figure out how they got it up there Or how they worked so high in the sky, especially back then. It took 9 years to build and it only cost them $250,000. Amazing! I wonder how much something like that would cost today... If you want to learn more about it click here.
We were deliriously happy and giggly. It was the best time I had had in a long while. With the everyday hustle of life you forget sometimes what's important. Paying attention to GOD's signs and living in the moment is the beginning of a spiritual rewarding life. All work and no play makes anyone dull. Take time to actually hear the waves crash and the birds sing! I was well overdue and it was just what the doctor ordered. I feel so refreshed and new. I feel like I am back on my spiritual path :) I can go on and on about this trip but that would be a book in itself. Bottom line it was AMAZING.
Here's a video of me doing the "Samba" on the trolley type train that was hanging on wires in the air on our way to see Christ The Redeemer at 9 AM... With the Samba, from which I learned from a Brazilian at Carnival, it really is about the fancy footwork but you can't see it in this video unfortunately. I heard drums and had to dance! I have other vids I recorded of the parade and other things but for some reason it won't let me download. I'll take it as a "sign" that it's not really significant at this point. Enjoy...
Finished finally. My first one. I'm very proud of myself because I have been wanting to write it for years but procrastinated over and over again. Now the next step is getting her made. I'm taking off my writers hat and putting on my producers hat and we are officially in preproduction. Produced by my production company, Heaven Lee Films. Stay tuned.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Dear 2009, I am leaving you... for 2010. Why? Because the time has come and you will stunt my growth if I hold on to you. I thank you for the lessons and memories but I see a brighter more exciting future with 2010. 2009, I will be a better person for 2010 because of you. No hard feelings...
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