Category Archives: Personal Empowerment

Starring Regina Hall, Queen Latifah. Directed by Malcolm D. Lee. Opens Friday in GTA theatres. 122 minutes. 18A

There is a positive and life-affirming message about sisterhood and personal empowerment in Girls Trip.

But you have to wade through an awful lot of clutter to get there. Or perhaps dross would be a more accurate description.

The film is audacious and unabashed in its determination to draw laughs from material that takes vulgarity to the extreme. Some of it works while a lot of it is just head-shakingly awful.

The plot is straightforward: four women, best pals since college 25 years earlier, reunite for the first time in quite a while to party hardy at the annual Essence Music Festival can you say product placement? in the Big Easy.

Ryan (Regina Hall) is a successful self-help author and guest speaker at the event, hoping to land a merchandising deal with a mega-retailer (if only she can overlook the activities of her cheating louse of a husband).

Sasha (Queen Latifah) is a journalist who has sold out, barely scraping a living with a celebrity-gossip blog. Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith) is a glammed-down helicopter mom to two kids while Dina (Tiffany Haddish) is the sassy, libidinous one with major impulse-control issues.

With four credited screenwriters, the too many chefs maxim applies the script is loose and lazy, with more focus on antics and bad language than plot and character development.

Words like bitch, ho and the dreaded N-word flow freely, and how tiresome and anti-feminist it is to hear women repeat the mantra that what all a woman with the blues needs is something big and black.

Two scenes drew horrified peals of laughter from the audience at a recent public screening, one involving golden showers and a second featuring full frontal nudity by a homeless man.

Still, the film is not a total writeoff. Theres some good chemistry among the four principals and a fine performance from Hall as Ryan, a torn woman whose life looks way better on the outside.

And Queen Latifah brings her usual solid screen presence, along with some sweet melancholy, to the role of Sasha.

Theres clearly a ready audience for Girls Trip it certainly tickled funny bones at the advance screening and theres a resolution that is genuinely warm and redemptive.

But a comedy thats so determined to shock the laughs out of you isnt going to be everyones idea of a fun trip to the movies.

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Girls Trip goes too far, far too often: review - Toronto Star

Interscope Records

After months of speculation, some leaks and a steady stream of singles trickling out from the top of the Hollywood Sign, Lana Del Reys Lust For Life dropped on Friday morning (Jul. 21).

The albums tone was set from very first single Love, a hopeful departure from Del Reys usually dark, melancholic fare. The sprawling sixteen song record, her longest to date, is as much a beacon of light as it is a politically-charged reminder of where America is now.

Outside of the shift in themes perhaps notably the outright feminist God Bless America And All the Beautiful Women In it, in which she uses the Statue of Liberty to represent the women left standing amidst the chaos Lana Del Reys fifth release is exciting because of the involvement of other musicians.

From two A$AP Rocky collaborations to appearances by Sean Ono Lennon and Stevie Nicks, LDR proves herself to be a gateway between classic rock and hip-hop; a unique artist capable of keeping one foot in past influences with the other firmly planted in the future.

Regardless of what you think of Lana Del Rey, this exactly the kind of hopeful, poignantly political pop record that we need right now. Lanas lost absolutely none of her edge, but maintains a beautiful outlook on the future. Even as she watches Trumps America unfold from the top of the Hollywood Sign, the girl who was born to die has found her lust for life, and we couldnt be happier for her.

Scroll further down for a track-by-track breakdown of Lust For Life.

Love

The opening track, performed for the first time at this years SXSW at a surprise showcase, also ushered Lana into a new era of sound. Love, taking place against a sparse drum beat and floaty string production, is perhaps the happiest we have ever seen (or heard) the singer. From the somber reflections of heartbreak that put her on the map, shes evolved with this hopeful, minimalistic ode to everyone whos ever been young and in love.

Lust for Life (feat. The Weeknd)

The title track also boasts the albums first feature, with none other than frequent collaborator The Weeknd. The sumptuous, unapologetically poppy track sees both of these gloomy heartbreakers brooding to, and about, each other, but in the hopeful tone of lovers with a future. They sing They say only the good die young / That just aint right / Cause were having too much fun and the lustfor life and otherwiseis palpable. Starboy and Stargirl are reunited at the top of the Hollywood Sign, and the world couldnt be better.

13 Beaches

Del Rey had to give us a touch of somber wandering; it wouldnt be a Lana Del Rey record otherwise. It hurts to love you / But I still love you / Its just the way I feel, she bemoans as she wanders thirteen beaches to find the one where she can be alone. Its a song that speaks to the lonely, star-filled poet that she remains at heart. Lanas learned to smile through the tears, but that doesnt mean shes not still quietly shedding a few.

Cherry

A sensual, sensory experience, LDR conjures cherries, wine, rosemary and thyme amid a sexy downbeat. The slow-burning track is pure, diluted midsummer, and as delicious to listen to as the bodily pleasures that inspired that inspired the song. Would we expect anything less from the self-proclaimed Queen of Coney Island?

White Mustang

Not to be confused with White Ferrari (Im fully kidding; Frank Ocean fans, do not come for me), Del Rey takes a top-down ride in a lovers white mustang. Ever since we saw her hold her own against lumbering motorcycle gangs on ride and driving down a long highway in the video for Burning Desire, weve been waiting another road-trip ready bop. Melancholic motor junkies, rejoice.

Summer Bummer (feat. A$AP Rocky & Playboi Carti)

Turning up the star power by two for A$APs first appearance on the album, Lana plays with the trap beats she began to favor in Honeymoon, and what better pair to traipse this world alongside her than her hip-hop JFK and Cash Carti? She trades verses about lovers not being bummers while Carti and Rocky shower her with, um, compliments: Her sophistication makes you want to quit the bitch youre dating. Cant argue with that logic (or with the delectable beat).

Groupie Love (A$AP Rocky)

A more soulful turn than Summer Bummer, this Rocky duet contemplates the life of a groupie as she has to share her man with the rest of the world. Every time you look up / I know what youre thinking of / You want my groupie love, she swoons. You can perfectly imagine the scene from the National Anthem video where Rocky blows her a kiss and she holds it to her heart.

In My Feelings

What sounds like another doleful ballad turns out to be a bait-and-switch. In My Feelings sees Lana Del Rey at her most independent, as she tosses aside an old lover, devouring the word looooser with a relish befitting of everything shes achieved. She sings about laughing as she takes no prisoners, takes down names, makes good love and makes good money, too. Somebodys obviously been watching Lemonade.

Coachella Woodstock In My Mind

Although some of you might roll your eyes (or, for the purists, openly gasp) at the comparison of Woodstock to Coachella, Del Rey makes a point here about the power and atmosphere of music festivals, and the kind of communities we should all enjoy. When you think about the fact that this song was written amid the backdrop of impending nuclear threat, it becomes an uplifting beacon of hope, a snapshot of joy in the middle of trying times.

God Bless America And All the Beautiful Women In It

Lana Del Rey hasnt played with acoustic guitar sounds since covering Leonard Cohens Chelsea Hotel No. 2, and the opening eventually builds into the electronic orchestra that usually bolsters her work. This song is notable for using the imagery of the Statue of Liberty to empower American women. Listen closely, and theres criticism amidst the empowerment: two gun shots sound every time she sings God bless America.

When the World Was at War We Kept Dancing

Another anthem for the young, Lana Del Rey contemplates the end of America as she surveys the damage, and encourages everyone suffering to keep on dancing. She maintains, in the most political of reality checks, the message of hope that bolsters the entire record: Its only the beginning / if we hold on to hope / Well have a happy ending.

Beautiful People Beautiful Problems (feat. Stevie Nicks) The track that every single music blog has been salivating over since the announcement of these two witchy women teaming up does not disappoint. An ethereal anthem to troubled love by the two women in the world most familiar with the topic, Beautiful People features Stevie Nicks immediately distinguishable voice at its best, playing with Del Reys soft whispers and raising them to new emotional heights.

Tomorrow Never Came (feat. Sean Ono Lennon)

With a refrain that makes a gentle nod to Bob Dylans Lay Lady Lay and Elton Johns Tiny Dancer, Lana Del Rey and Sean Ono Lennon are steeped in classic rock as interpreted by the new generation of musicians. These two show off their musical chops and their deep emotional ties to an era of American music so many think is dead. I adored you / And I just wanted things to be the same, they sing to each other amid soft guitar and Beatles-esque production that would bring the most stone-hearted doubters to tears.

Heroin

A tender song about death in an album full of life, Del Rey pays tribute to the drug thats taken so many of her icons. Its impossible to not think of Lou Reed and The Velvet Undergrounds song of the same name as the track builds to an intensity, to Del Rey writing on the walls in blood and st.

Change

Lana Del Rey hasnt sang over a piano barebones like this since Old Money, a heartbreaking track from Ultraviolence that samples the love theme from Franco Zafirellis Romeo and Juliet. This song, doubling as both personal empowerment and a blanket statement about keeping hope alive during times of great turmoil, is by far her most powerful and heartbreaking as she attempts to be honest, capable, and beautiful in the face of instability.

Get Free

The final track, building into a Beach Boys-like melody, is a song of intense relief after so much contemplation and turmoil. Equal parts calm and danceable, this is the perfect ending to an album so full of deep philosophical thought. She revisits the theme of having a war on her mind, subverting it by finally living her own life away from somebody elses game. Its this independence that gives Del Rey her lust for life, and makes this the perfect closer to an album full of contemplations of intense growth.

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Lana Del Rey Through the Years:

NEXT: SEE LANA DEL REY'S MOST GORGEOUS STAGE LOOKS

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Lana Del Rey's 'Lust For Life': A Track-by-Track Breakdown - PopCrush

Girls on the Run of the North States registration for the fallseason is now open. Girls on the Run is a physical activity-based, positive youth development program that inspires girls in 3rd through 8th grade to be joyful, healthy and confident. The volunteer-led program brings together groups of 8-15 girls for a ten-week program that encourages personal development, team building and connection to the community.

We start by helping the girls get a better understanding of who they are and whats important to them. We then look at the importance of teamwork and healthy relationships. And, finally, the girls explore how they can positively connect with and shape the world - we are nurturing the 'whole' girl. Claire Johnson, executive director.

"Girls on the run taught me never to give up. I made lots of friends and I met a lot of very nice coaches throughout the season. The coaches built up my confidence by teaching me how to be strong and believe in myself. Girls on the run taught me to collaborate with other girls. The 5K seemed very hard but once I was finished I felt like I could do anything. Now I'm not afraid to try new things. I love GOTR." ~Evelyn, age 8

This fall, Girls on the Run programs will be offered at over 35 locations throughout Butte and Glenn counties. Each team will meet two times a week for 75-90 minutes after school and participate in research-based lessons that use dynamic discussions and fun running games to teach life skills and build confidence. The season will culminate in a 5k event that brings together family, friends and community members to celebrate the girls growth throughout the season.

Our fall season will begin the week of September 4, 2017 and run through the week of November 13, 2017. Our Fall GOTR 5K Fun Run will be held Saturday, November 11, 2017 at 9 am at Bidwell Parks One Mile Recreation Area.

More information about the program, active schools and registration can be found on the Girls on the Run of the North States website at gotrnothstate.org. The program fee for the fall 2017 season is $125. Discounted rates are offered based on yearly, household income. The program fee includes registration for the end-of-season 5k event, a shirt and finishers medal.

About Girls on the Run

Girls on the Run is a national physical activity-based positive youth development program for 3rd-8thgrade girls. Participants develop and improve competence, feel confidence in who they are, develop strength of character, respond to others and oneself with care, create positive connections with peers and adults and make a meaningful contribution to community and society. Each session is led by trained volunteer coaches. Each ten-week program concludes with participants completing a celebratory 5k event which gives them a tangible sense of achievement as well as a framework for setting and achieving life goals. Girls on the Run has served over 1.4 million girls since its inception in 1996.

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Girls on the Run of the North State set to offer empowerment program at more than 35 schools - Gridley Herald

The Savara Womens Advancement Program (SaWA) by Savara Mudigi, a vocalist and a member of the award winning band Sauti Sol, has kicked off its core component, a training program for young women. This has come after a successful launch that featured the SaWA tournament at Camp Toyoyo and the SaWA Concert that featured a Sauti Sol performance in Eastlands.

The SaWA program seeks to inspire and motivate young women to live amazing and impactful lives so as to reach their full potential. The first phase of the training program was rolled out on 8thJuly 2017 in Eastlands, Nairobi.

The project seeks to empower women, motivating them to reach their individual goals while providing the skills and tools they need to achieve those goals. Ultimately, the program hopes to tackle unemployment, inequality in competence and intelligence, and domestic violence.

The SaWA program comprises of eight full day seminars over a period of four months from July 2017-October 2017, plus a boot camp for the 50 ladies on completion of the course. It targets 50 women aged between 18 and 25 years and training focuses on equipping the participants with life skills to make them successful and respected members of the society.

The four major topics to be covered include mindset transformation, facilitated byRe-Wire founder, Angela Kagume.The 50 ladies will also undergo personal financial management with Sheba Njagi. The first cohort of the empowerment are also set to be tutored on art and music by Chiki Onwukwe as well as benefit from a mentorship program providing them with insights into their careers via internships, job shadowing or worksite visits.

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Sauti Sol's Savara Initiates Women's Empowerment Program SaWA ... - Capital FM Kenya (press release) (blog)

Friday July 21 2017

Alibaba Group Holding founder and executive chairman Jack Ma talks to young entrepreneurs and students on the University of Nairobi's main campus on July 20, 2017. PHOTO | THOMAS MUKOYA | REUTERS

Throughout his many public lectures that are available online, Jack Ma has emphasised a philosophy of personal change and humility, empowerment of women in public lives, and investing more in youth.

These are also things that we in Kenya have sung about for long, but which remain largely as mere talking points. This is commonly known.

Jack Ma, the Executive Chairman of Alibaba, an e-commerce empire, came to Kenya when all else had stopped because of elections.

One only hopes that his coming will compel us to re-examine our ways as we pursue individual and national development.

To many, he embodies the idea of success.

Throughout his many public lectures that are available online, Jack Ma has emphasised a philosophy of personal change and humility, empowerment of women in public lives, and investing more in youth.

These are also things that we in Kenya have sung about for long, but which remain largely as mere talking points. This is commonly known.

What may be unknown to many, perhaps, is that a hint about how Ma himself came to embrace these values is in the name of his flagship business empire Ali Baba.

The name of Jack Mas empire is also the title of one of the most popular short stories of all time, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, widely circulated in The Arabian Nights.

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves is an allegory of (mis)fortune, showing the possibility of an individual rising from grinding poverty to immeasurable fortune, if they are lucky to be at the right place at the right time.

The fact that the story begins with the poor Ali Baba with his rich brother Cassim shows that material wealth and poverty are flipsides of each other.

The story also shows that our pursuit for material prosperity need not be at the expense of our humanity; that indeed we should be more humane as we scale the ladder of prosperity.

In the story, this lesson is seen in way women, represented by Morgiana, subvert the gender stereotypes as they collaboratively work with men to achieve higher ideals.

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, which Jack Mas company nods at, in this way emphasises lessons of social justice, unity, patience, and wisdom.

The story not only influenced Jack Ma the entrepreneur, but also Nuruddin Farah the Somali novelist.

Farah novel, Close Sesame, borrows the title from the phrase open sesame, and the theme from struggles of Ali Baba against the ruthless forty thieves.

In Farahs novel, the old protagonist, quite like Ali Baba, has to struggle against a shadowy and cold enemy in a moral climate where public and private justice have hazy dividing lines.

Hence, the troubling question at the end of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves relates to the way the thieves are condemned while Ali Baba is admired for doing the very same thing.

Maybe a key redemption is that in the story, there are no heroes or villains among the key characters, unless we look at Morgiana, the former slave girl, as the hero.

The Writer teaches at the University of Nairobi.

Chinese entrepreneur urges young people to take advantage of technology and data.

Electoral commission provides parties with list of returning officers.

Joel Kiprono argues constitution says country should go to the polls every fifth year.

Originally posted here:

Jack Ma and the Wisdom of Ali Baba - Daily Nation

Sex Heroes is an ongoing HuffPost Q&A series byVoices Editorial Director Noah Michelsonthat explores the lives and experiences of individuals who are challenging, and thereby changing, mainstream cultures understanding of sex and sexuality.

Andrew Gurza has dedicated his life to sharing his unique experiences as a queer cripple.

The 33-year-old disability awareness consultant, who has cerebral palsy, is the creator of DisabilityAfterDark, a brand that includes podcasts, blogs and presentations about sex, sexuality and disability. According to his website, DisabilityAfterDark offers a unique glimpse into sex and disability that shines a light on the intersectionality of sex and disability, the fun found in sex and disability, and the vulnerability of sex and disability that we very rarely talk about.

Gurzas unflinching approach to these topics, which are often considered taboo (if theyre discussed at all),makes his work enormously compelling, thoroughly necessary and unlike anything anyone else is currently undertaking. The consultant, who is non-ambulatory and a wheelchair user,recently chatted with HuffPost about why he refers to himself as a queer cripple, the biggest challenges he faces when it comes to sex and what he wants everyone to know about having sex with someone with a disability.

Tell me why youve chosen the terms queer and cripple to describe yourself. Ive seen some people especially upset about your use of cripple. I have chosen the words queer and cripple as my chosen descriptors with very specific intent and purpose. First, I use queer in part because I never really felt like I fit into the gay community as it were. My body and experiences didnt fit that mold at all. I also didnt like how many stereotypical assumptions of MSM [male-seeking-male] sexuality was ascribed to the word gay. Queer encompasses, for me at least, that I dont need to adhere to any of those stereotypes that force so many gay men into these narrow homonormative boxes. Queer says, Fuck your boxes, I am doing this my way.

Cripple is a whole different monster entirely. Id be lying if I said that I didnt enjoy the shock value in that word, but it does go so much deeper than that. Cripple, when I use it, allows me to take ownership of everyones misconceptions of disability; it allows me to preemptively say, I know what you may think about disability. I know that youre scared of me; I know you think Im different from you, and guess what? I am. Im owning that as best as I can when I use that word. It is a term of personal empowerment for me. I wouldnt use it to describe another disabled person without their consent, but for me it helps me navigate the experience of disability with an honesty that I think is really important.

To the people who have been upset, I say this: Until you experience disability the way I do, you have no right to police my language.

The pieces you write and the discussions you have about your sex life are really unlike anything Ive read or heard before. What made you decide to be so open and honest about such personal matters? If I really think about it, I made the choice to be so open because I had never seen anything like that out there. Whenever we talk about sex and disability if we dare it is in this painfully sanitized way that tends to tell you nothing about the person with a disability, their sex or what they actually want it doesnt shed any light on how it really feels, and I wanted to take a stab at that. It has also been a cathartic experience for me, writing about this stuff. It allows me to get it out, to tell someone my true feelings.

Alejandro Santiago Photography

Is there anything you consider too personal to write about? When it comes to disability, queerness and intersectionality, I dont think so. This topic is still so shrouded in mystery which is actually just a fuckton of ableism that I think we need those raw, uncomfortable stories to shake things up. People always ask me, What is sex and disability like? That question is precisely why we need this intensely personal narrative.

What kind of responses have you gotten? I have gotten a breadth of responses from people ranging from praise and thanks to strongly worded letters and emails denouncing my work and what I write about. In either case, it means Ive hit a nerve. The fact that I got people talking about it and thinking about it even if they dislike what I am saying means that my goal of bringing a real-life discussion of sex, sexuality, queerness and disability to the forefront of our communitys conscience has worked. Im OK with that.

Why is sex such an important subject for you? Its important because with respect to disability and sex, especially as it intersects with queerness, the subject is all but nonexistent. That sucks. What if LGBTQ+ people had nothing to read that represented them? Thats how so many queer disabled people feel. They want to read about their experiences too, and I want to be one person to provide them that chance. It may also be important to me because I like sex. So, theres that.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face regarding sex? Some of my biggest challenges are: 1) Getting to have sex at all. Finding someone who wants to get naked with the Queer Cripple has been surprisingly difficult. I talk, write, podcast and present a lot on the subject of sex, disability and queerness, but I dont actually get to have that much. Any takers? 2) One of the other biggest challenges I have with sex is finding an emotional connection on the rare occasions that I do have sex. I want sex that means something, and I sometimes feel upset that in my quest to be your No. 1 Queer Cripple, Ill engage in sex that is devoid of feeling because I think to myself, No one else has been here in months, I had better take what I can get. 3) Its challenging to feel sexy, queer and disabled when you constantly have to prove to other people you are sexually viable and worth a good fuck.

You also write about the emotional and psychological side of sex and sexuality as a queer disabled man. My writing on the psychological side of sex, disability and queerness helps me to answer the question How does sex and disability feel? Tapping into the psychological stuff also helps to flesh out the worldview of disabled sex in a way that we dont ever see. I also think when non-disabled people read that stuff, it helps them see sex and disability as more than just two people in chairs getting it on. It shows them that these experiences mean something. And, writing this stuff undoubtedly helps me work through my own shit. Definitely.

Alejandro Santiago Photography

What are the biggest misconceptions about sex when it comes to being a queer person with a disability? The biggest misconceptions are: 1. I cant have it wrong. 2. I dont want it Ha! I would say I have a higher sex drive than most. 3. Specifically in terms of queerness, a lot of LGBTQ+ men assume I must be passive, or a boring lay. They have a lot to learn. There are so many more, but those are some highlights.

What do you want someone who doesnt have a disability to know about having sex with a person who does have a disability? I want them to know that it is OK to not have all the answers. Its OK to have questions, and its OK to ask. Its all about how you ask, though. If you wanna get to know me and/or get naked, please dont start with: So, does your dick work? Ugh. Also, dont ask me, How did you end up in a chair? as that assumes that I was once able, and therefore closer to your definition of normal. But, you can ask: Hi. I see you have a disability or You disclosed [you have a disability] for individuals with invisible disabilities I think youre really cute, and I had some questions about your disability. May I ask them as I undress you at your place? That response is totally acceptable. In all seriousness, I want non-disabled people to know that my disability informs a lot of who I am, so please acknowledge it before we have sex. Ive had guys tell me before we met up that my disability was not an issue only to discover that it really was too much for them. That blows and not in the good way.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Is there a sex hero you think deserves to be covered on HuffPost?Send an email to Noah Michelson.

Continue reading here:

Here's What This 'Queer Cripple' Wants You To Know About His Sex Life - HuffPost

It's 10:52 p.m. and Chris Bianco is still working. He's sending emails when most of the country has finished their shifts and are already deep in REM sleep.Bianco has no doubt already spent all day at one of his several restaurants, or maybe even all of them, and an hour short of midnight, he's still at it.Which makes it either all the more remarkable or all the more typical that he's tackled the major project of a cookbook.

"We are the measures of balance," he writes. "Crispy, chewy, thin, thick, spicy how we like things is personal to understanding nuances, and how to get to those places and profiles is the roadmap of a journey." That's the vision for his new book, Bianco: Pizza, Pasta, and Other Foods I Like(Ecco, 2017), which will be released on Tuesday, July 25.

If that sounds like the musings of a man who rarely stops thinking, whose inner narratives are never paused by a comma or period, then you heard right. And his cookbook? It's not really a cookbook. It's more like spending the day with the James Beard-winning, Oprah-hailed, Jimmy Kimmel's fellow fly-fisherman chef who has stopped what he is doing to teach you how to cook something astounding in 15 minutes.

There are recipes for pizza, for meatballs, for focaccia, for Sunday gravy, beets roasted with fig leaves, custard, and lemon cookies. There's also Chris in every recipe; a story, an inspiration, a family tale. The book is more than a book; it's a Chris Bianco omnibus, taking a willing participant through the Candy Land of his restaurants, creations, and motivations.

"I tried my hardest with a limited skill set to one day leave this physical place better than I found it ... maybe just an inch," he says.

The narrative chronicles his career, which started in a small kitchen behind a grocery store in central Phoenix. He then dives into his relationship with sourcing, using the best ingredients possible, and his philosophy that food is a collective experience to be shared, modified, and fit to each individual who tackles a recipe.

"The book is about empowerment of our personal worth as it relates metaphorically through food," he explains. "And it already existed before you turned a page."

The magic potion for his pizza dough has been traversing the internet for about a decade, but those who have tried it knowthat while it's a great recipe, it really can't be replicated unless you have Bianco's oven, his flour, and whatever other magic it takes to make the pizza served at his restaurants. But, combined with entries like gnocchi, lasagna, and risotto, isn't he worried about giving away the store?

"I've always given up recipes or sources, letting transparency, and intention tell the story," he says. "Recipes to me are only notes, to make music is for us to find a genre that fits our person, and to play it with purpose and a whole heart."

And there's no favorite recipe. "I would like to, and do think, that they are all significant in their own way," he says. "Like your kids."

Speaking of kids, paging through Bianco's book, with its very personal narrative and staple recipes from Bianco's close-knit family,it easy to wonder if perhapshe had his children in mind as he compiled the chapters. It reads like a tribute or a legacy, for them and for us.

Bianco writes in his book that it was 30 years ago, when he was just a kid from the Bronx, that he won two free plane tickets to anywhere in the United States. For reasons that are still a mystery to him, Bianco chose Phoenix. Mesmerized by the sky during that first encounter, he returned. He made Phoenix his home and put the city on the culinary map with pizza that was dubbed by many to be the best in the country.

Which begs the question: Whose hometown boy is he? Does he belong to Phoenix, or to the Bronx?

"Finders keepers," he replies. "It's funny about where we are from. You think you know, then you spit in an ancestry.com cup and the dots start to connect. But there is always where you land and end up that has its influence and that gives you your accent. My wife, Mia, goes back three generations here; my kids were born here. Phoenix feels like home to me more than any place I've ever been."

So that settles it. He's ours.

Even at 6:45 a.m., the time stamp on the final email in our conversation.

Bianco: Pizza, Pasta and Other Food I Like,will be published on July 25. Chris Bianco will be reading at Changing Hands, 300 West Camelback Road, at 7 p.m. on Monday, July 31. Tickets are $34.99 and include one copy of the book and admission for two people.

Read this article:

Chris Bianco Talks About His New Book, Culinary Empowerment, and Phoenix - Phoenix New Times

Plush Unlimited Creative Studio & Co. has proudly served the Carbondale community since 2012 by offering a multitude of services, ranging from beauty makeovers to event planning services. Locally owned and operated by Tiffany Walker, who is an award-winning acrylic painter, as well as an award-winning author and makeup artist, Plush Unlimited started as a mobile service. The business would come out to clients for private parties and special events.

As the business has grown, it has readily evolved and steadily developed into an eclectic company that provides a diverse array of services for children and adults.

For more information, you can contact us at (618) 457-8565. You also can like us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/PlushUNLTD/ or check us out on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/plushunltd/. You can even email us at: plushunltd@gmail.com.

To truly understand the multi-faceted dynamics of Plush Unlimited Creative Studio & Co., you first must understand its tremendously talented owner.

In addition to winning a national award from the United Negro College Fund in 2005 for acrylic painting, Tiffany Walker also won a prestigious poetry award from the National Book Foundation in 2005. In a national competition, Walker finished first for her slam poetry. This is a form of competitive, spoken-word poetry.

Walker also has published three books, including an anthology, a memoir and a book of poems. Her latest book is titled, Sprinting Towards Nowhere Fast.

In addition to being a former member of the Stage Company, which is a performing arts group in Carbondale, Walker is also one of the artists featured in the Locality exhibit at the Carbondale Community Arts. This is an exhibit that will run from July 5 to September 1 at Artspace 304.

With 15 years of skin care and makeup experience, Walker opened Plush Unlimited at its current location 205 South Marion Street in Carbondale in June 2017.

Were building a community centered around art culture, Walker said. We welcome all people. You dont have to be a professional to come into Plush Unlimited, but were also a place where a professional can come and network. To accomplish this goal, Plush Unlimited hosts its own events. The business is open Monday through Friday, from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. However, appointments and bookings are available 24 hours per day, seven days a week. For special events, there is unlimited time available.

To brighten and lighten the Carbondale community, Walker does face painting at kids fairs, local festivals and childrens runs.

Were about building bridges within the community and connecting people, Walker said. We want to be the art hub for the local community and provide luxury services for everyday people.

Walker, a former plus-size pageant queen, takes pride in making luxury services accessible and available for all people. This is why she works on different fashion shows and works with clients in several separate communities.

The business name, Plush Unlimited, represents unlimited empowerment. Therefore, Walker doesnt just offer her services in nearby cities, such as Carbondale, Marion, Murphysboro, Herrin, Carterville and Du Quoin. She also takes her business and her message of empowerment to towns like St. Louis, Atlanta and Las Vegas.

At her location on 205 South Marion Street, Walker offers a friendly environment and comfortable atmosphere that caters to children and adults. Adults and professionals can rent event space for birthday parties, graduations, family gatherings, book signings and bridal events. In addition to having a beauty and makeup bar, there is decorating, face painting for kids and temporary tattoos for adults.

Always focusing on her customers best interests, Plush Unlimited is totally driven by the needs of its clients. Professional and quality makeup brands that are organic are available. All the products utilized are cruelty-free and hypoallergenic.

The open art studio at her inviting site has six stations available, while the makeup and beauty bar has space that enables as many as three people at a time to be taken care of and get personalized attention.

Plush Unlimited accepts all forms of payment, including all major credit cards, cash, personal checks and PayPal.

To provide patrons with the best customer service, Plush Unlimited offers a customer loyalty program with rewards, complimentary promotions and birthday gifts and individual consultations. Custom gift baskets are an option and unique gifts are available. Gift cards are even available in the studio!

Call us today at (618) 457-8565!

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Plush Unlimited Creative Studio & Co. - The Southern

A lot of raunchy R-rated comedies get knocked for belatedly introducing an element of sentiment, lesson learning, or other soft-heartedness in the final stretch. So give Girls Trip some credit for getting sentimental right up front, where everyone can see. Before the opening credits have finished rolling, voice-over narration is lamenting the distance that can grow between even the tightest of friendships and hyping up the audience for a reunion of characters who have barely been introduced. It may be shameless, but its honest.

Like the quartet of diverging college pals recently reunited for Rough Night, the ladies of Girls Trip have achieved varying levels of professional and/or romantic success in their years apart. Ryan (Regina Hall) is the polished, poised, and in-demand author of a series of books, the latest of which begs for some kind of karmic punishment with the title You Can Have It All. Sasha (Queen Latifah), once a promising journalism student, now runs a flailing gossip blog following the years-ago dissolution of a potential business with Ryan. Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith) is a rule-following mom still recovering from her divorce, while Dina (Tiffany Haddish) is unphased by any such setbacksin her first big scene, she blithely ignores the HR rep attempting to fire her from her indistinct office job.

Together, the women call themselves the Flossy Posse, and reunite for Ryans trip to New Orleans to promote her book alongside her picture-perfect husband, Stewart (Mike ColterLuke Cage himself!), at the Essence Festival. Girls Trip itself represents a number of movie-set reunions: Latifah and Pinkett Smith co-starred in Set It Off, which gets a winking shout-out here; director Malcolm D. Lee and screenwriters Kenya Barris (Black-ish) and Tracy Oliver made Barbershop: The Next Cut with Hall, who has appeared in several of Lees other films (including the recent and reunion-centric sequel The Best Man Holiday); and Barbershop spin-off Beauty Shop featured Latifah. Whether its through actual offscreen familiarity or just an overflow of charm, the four women create a believable group dynamic out of thin writing, though Haddish stands apart by gleefully nabbing scenes and laughs from her more famous co-stars.

The movie places the women at Essence Fest for a mix of drunken shenanigans and empowerment, which means set pieces predicated on oral sex tutorials or spraying urine bump up awkwardly against starstruck footage of Ava DuVernay, Terry McMillan, Morris Chestnut, and an impressive array of musicians (including Common, Maxwell, Faith Evans, Ne-Yo, and Estelle, among others). Lee proves he can goose outrageousness at least as well as the Farrelly brothers or Todd Phillips, and its fun to see a little more freedom from producer Will Packer, whose other projects often obsess over courtship and domestication. But many of the biggest laughs are more casual, in little dialogue digs or smaller moments, like the way Dina explains that shes not going to start any trouble as she calmly removes her earrings, clearly preparing for a confrontation. Lee has a better handle on this smaller-scale material; a late-movie dance-off scene isnt cut together for the intended maximum delight.

Photo: Universal Pictures

Some of the bigger stuff does workLatifah has a spectacularly silly absinthe-fueled moment where she makes out with a lampbut the movie could use more scenes where its characters just get to talk to each other, snipe at each other, and revel in their shared history. Girls Trip is more inclined to use the quieter moments for its belabored dramatic side, as problems in Ryans marriage become more visible to the rest of the Flossy Posse. There isnt much suspense about Stewarts honor, because the men of Girls Trip come in two basic varieties: blandly handsome cads and blandly handsome gentlemen. The movie needs them, though, because alongside its marital drama, Girls Trip still wants to sell some aspirational fantasy; Ryan may be conflicted over her husband, but her seemingly vast personal wealth never appears threatened. After parodying her immaculately manufactured notion of having it all, the movie refuses to puncture it outright. The script more or less turns around and says she just needed a slightly different configuration of all than she thoughtgentleman instead of cad, plus more time with the girls. This is all ultimately portrayed as an easy (and enriching) fix, backed up by a climactic festival speech so long, unfunny, and empty that it feels like Ryan is about to announce her candidacy for office.

Some celebration is still in order. This is the rare mainstream movie to boast black women in four unequivocal leading roles, in a summer where diversity in comedy skews more toward knocking off Bridesmaids with slightly younger white people. Girls Trip functions as a belated rite of passage for Hall, Latifah, Smith, and Haddish: Like so many movie stars before them, theyre placed front and center for a big crowd-pleasing comedy thats a little too long, squishy, and sloppy for its own good.

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Girls Trip mixes raunch, empowerment, and squishy sentiment - A.V. Club

Once upon a time, I was a bright-eyed teenager who loved being onstage as a dancer and scholarship pageant titleholder. I embraced the sequins, the smiles, the photoshoots and friendships while knowing I was investing in my future by earning scholarships. As a teen titleholder in the Miss America Organization, I was given the opportunity to volunteer and perform across my home state, gaining confidence with every appearance. I emerged from my year of service as a more well-rounded young woman, and deemed my experience life-changing.

Yet, my current self wouldnt so quickly jump at the chance to be onstage again as a pageant competitor, even to earn scholarships.

Through the first half of my undergrad studies, Ive developed a bit of cynicism, in addition to a tendency to reject most things that uphold traditional gender norms. People frequently ask me when Ill compete again and I rarely know how to politely deflate their excitement; Im truthful in explaining that I have some fundamental issues with the expected image a pageant queen must uphold. I think its a wonderful opportunity for someone, but Im not that girl anymore.

Scholarship pageants are meant to be a source of empowerment for young women, to bring them pride in their personal accomplishments and inspire them to reach higher. In some respects, they do this, in others they fall short. Pageant queens are meant to represent modern, successful women, but to do so properly, pageants need three major updates.

They typical depiction of a pageant queen is a tall, thin woman with fluffy curls, flawless skin and a perfectly white smile, who is dressed to impress. This image isnt based in fiction; its generally accurate. But, it doesnt represent successful women at large. In a row of contestants, I would be an oddball; Ive got chopped, bleached-blonde hair, three tattoos (and counting) and my pasty arms and legs arent exactly swimwear ready.

While the rest of society is celebrating an array of body types and varying overall looks, the pageant world has yet to catch up. There isnt a rule or regulation dictating how a woman must look to be a competitor, but the homogenous appearance of contestants replicates many of the unattainable ideals women are moving away from.

Generally, healthfulness and confidence have replaced traditional beauty standardsas they should. The women seen on pageant stages are certainly confident and health-conscious; their commitment to their bodies is admirable. Yet, it would be refreshing to see a competitor without a six-pack of steel, or one with funky hair, or someone who is more relatable looks-wise to women at large.

For each story about something amazing a queen has accomplished, there are two stories of scandal or bad queen behavior. Often, these disreputable tales tell of queens who are caught at parties or who had naughty photos leaked. The illusion that a queen is perfect is shattered and her title is often stripped as a result.

Maintaining a spotless reputation is challenging. It is frowned upon for queens and contestants to drink, reference their sexuality, curse, be loud or contradictory, or be anything but mannerly. A queen must maintain her demure demeanor in public and private; she is under constant scrutiny. Her social media accounts are combed through, past and current posts are surveyed for content less than newspaper-worthy.

But its important to remember that queens, despite the immaculate image they maintain, are human and are allowed to make mistakes and blunders like anyone else. Binding them to hiding these elements of their lives enforces archaic ideas that women have been trying to shed for decades. Queens should maintain a reputable image and a wholesome persona, but they also should be able to do whatever they damn well please without being scorned for it.

Lingering around the crown is the ancient idea that a woman must be polite, virginal, delicate and donning a well-tailored dress and a smile at all times to be considered a good girl. A woman who has a glass of wine at girls night and posts it on Instagram, or one who has a sex life, can still be a good and successful queen. Contrary ideas should be as out of style as puffy-sleeved ball gowns.

Even with the progress that has been made in LGBTQ rights recently, the pageant scene is still playing catch-up. Eligibility rules often require contestants to be sexually female or fail to define womanhood at all. If the goal of the scholarship organizations is to empower the modern woman, they need to update their definition of woman. The term needs to be all-inclusive, not applicable to only a select group who are assigned it based on someone elses standards.

While scholarship pageants remain unprecedented in encouraging young women to meet their academic and educational aspirations by providing them the scholarship opportunities to do so, they lack in modernizing the concept of a woman. The women who hold titles often seem flawless, their appearance and achievements topping the most elite standards.

Though they are meant to inspire other women to reach their goals and set an example that encourages the belief that anything is possible, their surreal aura is almost disheartening and discouraging because of its seeming unattainability. Even as a former titleholder, I am intimidated by the expectations and pressures that come with the crown. With contestants who incite active changes, the scope of pageantry will begin to look more diverse, inclusive and celebratory of womens successes in their own terms rather than the archaic terms of femininity imposed upon them.

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Why Pageants are Problematic - Study Breaks