Movie Review: Baggage Claim

When I accepted an invite to pre-screen Baggage Claim, admittedly I wasn't expecting much. I had seen the previews and written it off as one of those "black movies" that crams in a bunch of talent, has a shoddy story line and sub par acting. So, last night I blew the dust off my social life and attended the pre-screening with some of the ladies in the Seattle meetup group I joined.

In short, I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, the plot was predictable... very typical of most romantic comedies. However, the acting was pretty good and Jill Scott definitely stole the show. Both her and Jennifer Lewis were funny and great co-stars. Being honest, the only acting that was blatantly "off" was that of Paula Patton.

I don't know if I'm alone in this... but Hollywood is really trying hard to cram Paula Patton down our throats as the "silly, hopelessly in love, black romantic comedy" chick. I'm sorry. I can't drink the tea. She's not a good actress. She comes off as very airhead/ditzy in most of her roles... and I can't tell if she's acting or if that's just her. #KanyeShrug

Some of the ladies from the Seattle meetup group

Anyways, the movie was decent. I'd recommend seeing it with your girlfriends this weekend. This isn't something you'll get dolled up to see at night. Save your night and either see it as a matinee or before 6p, so you can grab drinks/dinner/etc afterwards. It's only about 100 mins run time... give or take, so you'll still have most of your night to yourself.

Sidebar: Why wasn't Adam Brody included in the movie poster? Him and Jill Scott were the main co-stars for Paula Patton's character. This just felt strange to me... plus Tia Mowry and Lala had such small roles, they could've been left out.

Updated Review: U by Kotex (Via @ubykotex)

It was 3 years ago when I did my original review on U by Kotex. At the time I was already a die hard regular Kotex fan, but wasn't really sold on the new line of tampons. Well, shortly after I made my original video review something funny happened... I ended liking the U by Kotex line. Like grew into Love and that Love into absolute adoration! 3 years later it's safe to say I'm still completely loyal to Kotex (the brand) and U by Kotex is my go to choice for tampons.

Take a look at the video below to see why I finally came around. If you want a blast from the past, check out the 2010 video by clicking here.

@ATWCurls Bow Review (Video)

I posted the written review of my "Around the way Curls" hair bows I ordered, but recently filmed a YouTube review. I've come to realize that many people don't like to read, so for those that would rather see me in motion and the bows in "real life" check out the video.

The bows retail for $10 and can be found here.

"Red Love Africa" Earrings by ALS

I'm not really an Afrocentric person, but when I saw Tae Heckard rocking the "Red Love Africa" earrings by ALS I had to have them. I swooped them up pretty quickly, and have been enjoying them ever since! They retail for $22 and feature a red wooden outline of Africa with an adorable heart cutout in the middle.

I've been on an online shopping kick lately and supporting tons of small businesses. It's actually cool to come across online finds and know that you're throwing some bucks to support quality products and entrepreneurial ambitions.

What are your favorite online shops?

Berry Chill - Cool treat or Big let down?

Yesterday I found myself hit that point in the middle of the day when you're desperately in need of a sugar fix and unsure of what to eat. My first thought was ice cream, but I wanted to save my waistline the pain of enduring the excessive calories. I remembered that there was a Berry Chill in my building and had heard the name mentioned a lot. Now, I've never been a fan of frozen yogurt but figured that it was the healthy alternative in satisfying my craving and being health conscious. Touting themselves as "Yogurt Couture", Berry Chill is the latest addition to the frozen yogurt market and is quickly becoming a household name. I walked in the store and was greeted by a friendly face behind the counter. She explained to me how the process worked: 1) pick the size you'd like 2) pick a yogurt flavor - - original or one of the three featured flavors (changes every month) 3) Pick up to 3 toppings. Easy enough. I sampled the original and passion fruit flavors. The texture was similar to that of sherbet ice cream but more like the end result if sherbet ice cream and Italian ice had a baby. Yes... that baby would be called Berry Chill. I added 3 toppings - - sprinkles, mini m&m's, and fresh strawberries - - and was ready to devour my tasty treat. About 2 minutes into eating my Berry Chill it dawned on me "this tastes like cold Yoplait yogurt." I started to wonder what "yogurt couture" really was after all? I give Berry Chill credit for removing all artificial chemicals from their products, opting to replace them with live active cultures, and making their treat lactose free... but I'm an ice cream girl. I like the texture of ice cream... the taste as it encompasses my throat - - overwhelming my mouth with its wonderful delights!!! I've decided to put Berry Chill on pause and just give in to my ice cream craving (it strikes about once a month). If you're someone that enjoys frozen yogurt then knock yourself out! If you're a health nut... Berry Chill is perfect for you. Night owl? Berry Chill is open until 4am on Friday and Saturday nights!

Fun Fact: Berry Chill uses a temperature sensitive spoon! It's kinda neat to see your green spoon turn purple when it gets cold lol.. reminds me of the mood rings/lipstick that I had back in the day :)

Roof @ The Wit Hotel- - Worth the wait?

Situated in Chicago's downtown loop area, Roof is located on the 27th floor of The Wit hotel and has quickly become one of Chicago's must-see rooftops. Stellar views of the city, a luxurious modern decor, and great atmosphere are a few things you'll be sure to enjoy at Roof. However, you must first brave the extreme line - - wait times often reaching 2-3 hrs - - before you can get a ticket and granted entrance to this illustrious spot.

If you decide to go I urge you get there before 8pm. I must really stress this because arriving after 8p will guarantee you a spot in the line... oftentimes lasting 2-3 hrs, and that's not an exaggeration. Making matters worse is the random eye sore building between The Wit hotel and Harold Washington College. Behind the rusting iron fence you'll spot multiple rats, yes RATS running amuck. I'm still baffled as to why the high end hotel has not yet done something about this. Hell, put up a mural against the fence... anything to not be forced to watch city rats go ballistic. I've been to Roof at The Wit about 3 times and EACH time seen NUMEROUS rats, once even managing to snap a pic.

If you're able to stomach the rats, harassment from local bums (the security does a pretty good job of keeping them away) and mind-numbing wait in line, there's a lot in store for you at the 27th floor. Upon receiving a ticket you're directed through the hotel lobby to the elevators. The express elevator takes you to Roof and finally you're on your way to enjoying a wonderful night full of drinks, great atmosphere and even better views.

**Update** At first I was thrilled to find this diamond jewel of a place but now I'm sad to report that someone in the hood must have gotten the memo because the crowd after 11p is NOT what's up. This isn't a club and shouldn't be treated as such so I urge everyone to categorize Roof as an after work lounge... be sure to leave by 10p.