HAPPINESS IS MY DECISION!

Happiness is a decision..I hear a lot of people say that ..I understood it without really living it's reality in the past:)

However 2009 , ....eureka I finally got it..!!

Finally understood that I can chose to either be a victim of everyday events that we all deal with in our own ways..or chose to focus on positive things and make myself happy..

This year ..well yeah this year for another day lol was challenging. I truly believed in a relationship and received a big slap on my face at the end (not litterally) ..u know how it goes..we've all had to deal with disappointments.. It was difficult but I got through it.:)

That experience taught me the virtues of patiente, it reinforced the belief in me that ony Allah as I call him, God for some of you is the only one in the driving seat..He'll do as he pleases . Everything passes if you let it pass, sadness, disappointments, worries..you just got believe in Him, live the season and let it go...:) I know easier said than done..trust I knowwwwwwww:(

Despite that , 2009 was a good year I've done a lot things in my hometown, got to discover beautiful places , got to hang out with awesome friends, got to attend many many cultural events, but more importantly got to get my vision in place. You know sometimes as bloggers you get tired , you get tired of searching for info, sometimes you wonder if what you do matters, there's so many blogs out there...but it does ..even if it's to one person, 2 persons..if it can teach something to someone , encourage another..then it's not in vain..but real talk sometimes I go through those periods of doubt..but you know what I love this blog.. I've met virtually or in person some fabulous and good people..some who don't hesitate to send me words of encouragement..and just for that I'm grateful.

Happiness is a decision .. Either you decide to think with negativety, remenbering all the non fab' things that happened , happen and will happen to us, or we put our trust in the hands of the Allmighthy and "we keep it going", it is what it is as Wendy wlliams used to say or "moy lolou" in wolloff.. :)

I thank that experience for making me stronger,learn to stand still as a baobap tree against the rain and the heat. I thank Allah for keeping my family and friends healthy, for keeping us not wanting for anything, except for some red velvet cake that I was craving, or some good fried and super greasy KFC chicken...mmmmm...or some jumba juice..or some good mozzeral tomatoe 'dwich.....I'm a foody ...:)

The holiday season is such a delicate time for women like me who are single, it reminds us that you don't have that one special person to celebrate it with..everyone asks you "so wuzz up yaye", "what are u waiting for" I know that they don't mean any harm and besides what else are they supposed to say..my girls just can't wait for me to share everything abt a new someone..but like I tell everone it will happen when it's supposed to happen, yes I'll have those days when I'll feel I'm so latee..most of close friends are married, have one or two children...but this is where I make the choice to either be happy where I'm at or to envy them and carry myself as a failure... Guess what I chose to be happy, to enjoy what I'm blessed with, to go out with friends, attend events , focus on my career , work out ect...basically celebrate the life I'm given until a new chapter starts:)

Happiness is truly a decision:)

Yaye

CAPE VERDEAN SINGER NANCY VIERIA!

Ask her and she'll tell you that she's proud to be from Africa.
Nancy was born in Mozambic and returned a few years later to Cap Vert, her parent's land .
Her childhood memories include playing outside her house with her girlfriends , singing in choir not knowing that one day she would become a professional singer.
When she moved to Portugal in her teens , she kept singing as a hobby with her friends .
It was only in 1995 that she seriously considered a musical career. She entered a local contest, won , and recorded "Nos Raca".
That record was her first hit, her people in Cap Verde and abroad embraced it and thus began her musical successful voyage.

On her latest album "Lus" she plays with local sonorities such as Funana, Morna, Batuque and mixes it with samba, bossa nova and other sounds.

Here's her webbie:
http://www.nancyvieira.net/

Djaa my Cape Verdean sistas sont trop dedans:)
Eyeee Wayeee:)

TOTALLY IN LOVE WITH WALE'S PHOTOGRAPHY!

http://www.walephotos.com

http://www.walephotos.com

I fell on Wale's blog by accident and ended up visiting for a good hour , mind you I had to wake up early the following day..I loved the glow he gives to his clients, the contrasts and shadows he plays with, the one category that blew my romantic mind away is his wedding photography. I fell in love with one couple in particular, Lola & Urban (if you check his blog you'll see it). Looking at the images without knowing them personally, I believed in their love and union. Wale captured perfectly their funkiness and sweet spirits.

Anywhoo he's a blogstar in my mind and an amazing photographer, check him out:
http://www.walephotos.com/blog

Djaa my Nigerian brothas sont trop dedans:)
Eyeee Wayee:)

CHANNEL 24 TV NEWS ANCHOR & GUINEAN SISTA , FOLLY BAH -THIBAULT!

Fierce hein Folly:)

Serious look of Folly

Chemise a petits pois blancs sur fond noir

Vert olive and blanco

Rather elegant this sis:)

Our guinean sista , Folly Bah-Thibault is one of the few minorities working for France 24.

France 24, is slowling but surely being a great competitor to CNN & BBC. The news are translated in French, Arabic, and English of course. They host a palette of shows focusing on world issues.

Not only do they broadcast live on TV, but they also use web technologies . If you aren't able for example to catch Folly's show on thursdays, you can view the podcasts on France 24's website.

Folly hosts in english a weekly show called " This Week in Africa" where she shares news about what's happening in Africa.
It's still a new concept therefore it's not perfect, for example early one the show was receiving criticism for focusing mainly on French speaking Africa. The network took notes and is working on expanding to other sides of Africa.

I personally caught one of the podcast and I learned a lot about what's happening in Madagascar, the state of health of the Nigerian President, the rapes in Guinea ect...interesting:)
Folly has a good diction, she presents well as well:)
Here's "this week in Africa" web page :
http://www.france24.com/en/taxonomy/emission/18020

Djaa my Guinean sistas sont trop dedans:)
Eyeee Wayeee:)

L'OPERA DU SAHEL,AN AFRICAN OPERA STORY ABOUT BINTOU WERE IN DAKAR SENEGAL!

Djeneba Kone as Binetou Were

Dancers from Africa

Carlou D , a senegalese artist in the role of Diallo

Djeneba Kone playing a touching Binetou Were

Some of the cast members in their beautiful costumes

These women stayed in character the whole time

Beautiful costume.I have to say that they went all out..

Nice, these men looked so awesome

Red sign of death, sign of birth

Awesome play

So much culture

Great dancers

Diallo and Bintou Were

If u can see it, please do

This young philosophy university student by the name of Awa was sitting besides me during the show. After the show I asked her how she felt about the play and she replied that she was totally in love with it. She said that this was her 2nd time attending the show, she loved it so much that she had to see it again partly due to her admiration for one of the lead actors Carlou D.

I have to say that he was really really good,even though I know his music and his image , he was so believable in the role of Diallo that I only recognized him at the end of the show.

Let's start from the begin' , L'Opera du Sahel was the idea of Netherlands Prince Claus who wanted to see an opera by African people showcasing African natural talents. The actors come from diverse countries such as Nigeria, Guinea Bissau, Senegal, Mali, Cape Verde, Mauritania, Guinea, Gambia, Burkina Fasso..I've noticed that the actors and singers all have various accents when they speak and sing.

The cast lead by newcomer Djeneba Kone has been supervised and trained by top notch professionals such as Wasis Diop, Germaine Acogny, Ze Manel,Flora Thefaine , Oumou Sy, Nawal,Koulsy Lamko and many more...with teachers like this this play cannot go wrong.
This opera is about a group of Sahel people who are tired of living on a dry land , tired of their conditions of living, hungry for something new , hungry and thirsty for Europe. The lead role is played by Malian actress and singer Djeneba Kone who was picked among many other talented artists for this huge role that will change her career forever. She said that she cried when she heard that she had the part, with this opportunity she's been able to support financially her family, travel around the word, improve her singing ability.

I really liked her voice, loved how she stayed into character the whole time, her timing was great, she played the part of a rebellious former child -soldier who against the elders recomendations wanted to brave the unknown with the baby she's carrying to settle in Europe. Carlou D in the adaptation I saw in Dakar played the role of Diallo an intimidating, opportunist warrior who lead those people to Europe. His wish is for Bintou Were to makeher the father of the child she's carrying so that he'll be granted assylum. The singing, the acting of the entire cast was amazing, the costumes by Oumou Sy were gorgeous...I truly enjoyed myself and hope that one day you guys all get to see it:)
Here's the official site:
http://www.sahelopera.com
Check a clip , HERE

Djaa we have some really talented artisted :)
Eyeee Wayee:)

AMINA ABDALA, JUST A BADASS 3D FABULAFRICANA GRAPHIC DESIGNER!

College BobignyCollege Pasteur

Cinema Malakoff

3D Graphic Designer, Expert in Animation, Motion Graphic Architecture design skills in texturing,skills in modelling design..ect..I don't know a thing about these things...but she does with 10 years of experience in that field.
This fabulafricana lives and works in Tokyo, I guess if she can survive in that city filled with talented graphic designers than she must have "serious skills".
Some of the architecture design projects she worked on include the Cinema Complex Malakoff, the Mansion Odakyu, ect..
Amina has also done some motion graphic designing work for Japanese TV commercial among other things.
She's also done some art directorial work for the Japanese MTV Music Awards show 2008,Lightrythmstudios,Mazda and so many other companies...this fabulafricana's resume is serious....:)

Here's her website:
www.amina-abdala.com

Djaaa Fabulafricanas are the bomb:)
Eyeee Wayee:)

BROWN EARTH COSMETICS LINE BY GHANAIAN DUO YAW DJIN AND EDWARD ASANTE!

Whipped Shea butter...mmmmm I want some lol

Calendula Oil Lipbalm..wonder how that feels on our lipilips

Mangoe Butter..mmmm why can't they be based in Senegal?!

Lavender on my mind...mmmmm

Ok real talk, it was not easy figuring out the names of the owners of this cosmetics line..man it felt like a true detective mission....next time african business owners make it easy on us please lol...kayaaa:)

So Brown Earth they said..., simple yet original name I thought for a skincare line, anywhoo let me get back to what I was saying...Brown Earth is a cosmetics line founded in 2002 by Ghanaian business partners, Yaw Djin & Edward Asante.
Their products are created with flower essences, minerals, salts and herbs, those ingredients are mixed in together at top-notch Uk and French laboratories.They sell their products on line, in a few stores and spas.

Trough my research I found a Philadelphia spa that uses their products. Among diverse products such as deodarants , butter creams ect, they of course they sell shea butter based products.Yaw and Edward must have seen their mamas used this african ressource and must have seen how moisturised and gorg' their skin looked. I love the packaging of their products it just screams healthy living , quality, and treat to me...loves it.

Some of the products they sell include, lavender& geranium bath oil, natural whipped shea butter , coconut butter yummmm, mangoe butter..mmmm lol.
Am I the only one that gets excited buying skin care products with exotic names lol..I wonder anywhoo...:) As you can tell I'm being very silly today..hey it's the holidays:)

Here's their webbie:
www.sheabutter.co.uk

Djaa my brothas from Ghana sont dedans:)
Eyeee Wayeee:)

IVORIAN FABULAFRICANA, CHRISTIANNE KING ON THE UPCOMING PROJECT RUNWAY CYCLE 7!

This drawing is realy cool, really has character

I love the soft colors and earthy tones of this dress

I love it, love the colors, reminds of that Alicia Keys's album cover

Oh Waouh..fierce is not the word

Angelic mais demon

Z'aime!

Christianne King on her beautiful day wearing her own design...:)
Heyyy my people, and another fabulafricana on Project Runway starting January 14th at 10:00 PM..hopefuly she'll do as well or even better than Liberian fabulafricana Korto Momolu.Christianne hails from Abidjan,la ville du chaud meme koi:)
She hand-sewed her first garment at the age of 15 years old, she loves colors, she knew the first time that she was Project Runway that she belonged on that platform, she loves living in LA. Her fav' designers are Marchesa and Balenciaga. She considers herself to be very creative and versatile. As you know contestants have different challenges to face, she would hate to deal with is any menswear related challenges.
She's a huge fan of Lady Gaga , Charlize Theron, Angella Bassett and Jada Pinkett Smith. If she was to pick a challenge it would be the grocery store one, as she thinks that she would be able to show her creativity.

If you would like to know more about Christianne, click on the following link:
www.mylifetime.com

Djaa les gos d'Abidjan sont dedans:)
Eyeee Wayee:)