Sprinkles and Booze

Envy killed the Elephant : Part I

| Self Lovin'

Photo by Whispered Secrets

I’m not sure if it was the way that I was raised or being the youngest of three, but I have never been a jealous person. When I come across people who are extremely full of envy over just about everything, it always confuses me.

It’s definitely easier looking from the outside and knowing when someone’s behavior isn’t the best logical way to go about their situation. A few weeks ago I literally heard a woman in the grocery store freaking out of the fact that her man said that Gwen Stefani  looks really good for her age. The proper response should have been “It’s true!” not “So I don’t look good?” I mean, for all I know maybe he is a guy that never pays his woman compliments but, if that’s the case, maybe she should know her worth and what she wants from a mate.

Some may say, jealousy can fuel motivation. This is also referred to as ‘professional jealousy’.  Van Morrison had a song about it and everything. I feel there is a major difference between being jealous and working harder vs. finding inspiration in something and working harder. If you’re not sure of what your intentions are for your goals, then is the hard work really worth it? One should definitely see inspiration in things they want and work harder toward having this for themselves. This inspiration should also trigger ways to improve upon an idea or goal you want for yourself. Make what you want your own and special to you. I look at it as jealousy is fueled by the ego and inspiration is fueled by self love. Let go of the ego!

Do you think there are some pros to being jealous?

Photo by HetHerz

On the other hand, some folks become jealous after they are wronged. In these situations, it’s best to figure out what bullshitary took place that made your eyes green with envy. Is the person you’re interested in suddenly hanging out with other people? Were you cheated on one too many times? Did someone in the store grab the last dress in your size right as you were reaching for it?

Whatever the case may be,  jealousy is usually a by-product of insecurity and low self-worth. A major fear of most people is being abandoned or rejected. A lot of people pour their whole identity into just one thing and when what they hope for doesn’t work out, it shakes their confidence.  I personally try to handle these situations by thinking “It wasn’t meant for it to work and there is something better for me!” It’s easier to get caught up in a negative cycle rather than work harder to improve your situation. I would rather just bust my ass to make it better because in the long run, this is what is most important to me. Life isn’t always going to bend over backwards for you, so you should always make the most out of what you can. When life gives you oranges, you make Screwdrivers.

The best advice I can give on improving your self worth is, make decisions as though you have all of the confidence in the world. At some point,  your feelings will catch up with your actions. I have literally mastered the art of not giving a shit. It wasn’t something that happened overnight, but if I am rejected or ‘wronged’, it doesn’t break me. I am aware that  people are short-sighted and have free will. You can’t blame yourself and you have to remember that you are good enough.  Even if you’ve messed up, use it as an opportunity to learn something new. It is one of the biggest secrets of a truly confident person.

Veronica Varlow had an awesome post yesterday on building a circle of seven. It’s all about making you own circle of inspiration when you need it the most. What are some ways you look for inspiration? How do you build your confidence?

Stay confident and lovely,

Latanya Rene

Brutally Happy indeed!

| Events are Fun

 

Some of you America’s Next Top Model fans might remember in cycle 10 they did a Fuerza Bruta inspired photoshoot. By far out of all of the cycles of Top Model, this was one of my favorite photoshoots. It instantly made me interested in the performance that inspired such lovely photographs. For all of you that have no clue what the hell I am talking about, this post is to give you some clarification or make you more confused as to what Fuerza Bruta is. Either way, it should make you somewhat interested in the experience.

Fuerza Bruta is a postmodern theater show that will literally have you wanting to do more with your life or at least dance your ass off for an hour. It’s not only beautiful but a 360 degree giant party. It is a very interactive production that will either leave you covered in confetti, water, or sweat. It sounds gross but believe me, it’s worth it. There are worse things that you could be covered with.

I had the honor of seeing this amazingness in August of this year after hours of dance classes and walking about all day at an art festival. My legs were tired, all my brain could think about was getting a drink, and I didn’t know what to expect. At all. Once the show began, I mustered up any energy I had left in my body to go on the ride of insanity that was about to take place.

 

We were in a room full of people that looked more like a empty room, club, scary…place? I am easily scared so I was uneasy in a room full of darkness, strangers and smoke machines, but once it began I couldn’t stop saying “This is the best thing I have ever seen!”

The performers basically direct you where you should be going to experience the performance around, above and among you.  I don’t think there was a single moment where I wasn’t saying “This is the most amazing thing i’ve ever seen!” or “I want this to be my job!”. Who doesn’t want to play in puddles for a living? Or make loud sounds at people? I enjoy any chance in life to make something into a party. It’s like a giant party with lots of tribal dancing, men in suits, and a guy in a powdered wig. Yes, a powdered wig.

With all of this said, I have been toying with the idea of seeing the show again before it leaves NYC. They are in their final days of the performance (Ending on January 6, 2013). Hell, I am like 95% sure I am going to go again and wear a rain poncho. Yes, kids you’ll need some form of protection (hey now! It’s not that kind of party.) You will get a bit wet without ruining too much of the experience for those considering to go but you can avoid this by not being among the crazies and standing in the back corners of the room.

 

 

Definitely check this show out if you like a lot of dream like scenes with a blast of fun high energy, you don’t mind being around a bunch of strangers for about an hour, you like great electronic (trip-hop/tribal) music, and mostly importantly you love to dance.

Do you dare to be Brutally Happy? Here is a checklist of things I think you should know if you decide to go to this show.

  • Don’t go tired! I made this mistake last time. I wanted to jump around like a fool but spent all the energy I could find on being amazed by what was going on. You will want to jump around and dance like a fool.
  • Wear comfortable shoes. There will be loads of people around you that will be jumping around acting like fool as well and will possibly step on your feet. Also, you will be standing for a bit so ladies (and very fabulous men) think about your shoe choices.
  • Don’t go after you just straightened your hair unless you wear a shower cap.
  • Don’t plan to go to anything fancy afterwards unless you bring a change of clothes. 
  • Don’t accept candy from strangers. This personally didn’t happen to be there but it is great advice.
  • Make sure you’re wearing a good bra.
  • Make friends! A lot of the people that are there are cool people. I mean, you must be the type that only goes to the cool events if you’ve decided to go to this show. Make friends with the people around you because you’re going to be on top of one another a lot so you might as well get to know them.
  • Prepare to feel like you’re on drugs for an hour.

xo, a go go bye,

Latanya Rene

The weekend I fell in love with a room full of women.

| Life

Photo by Femke

We all have those moments in our lives where we realize our calling, our dreams, and our hopes. Sometimes they happen in the most magical of ways.

Starting a blog has been in my cards for YEARS. Literally. Being that I was terrified of actually taking the steps to becoming a blogger, I hid behind jobs that were not my passion and lots of “I’ll do it someday!”.  After a rough patch in my life and loads of support, I decided to take the next step towards a dream.

Like most people that have a dream that isn’t “typical”, the idea of chasing something that may or may not work is completely terrifying. With that said, I did not know where to begin and how to properly go about starting this new adventure. The day that I decided I need to make major moves towards this goal was the day I saw the announcement for The Blogcademy on Gala Darling’s blog. I could not sign up fast enough.

There was a lot of nervous, excited, sassy, unicorn-like feelings overtaking me once I actually realized I was going to this event. Will these girls think I was nuts because I wasn’t an experienced blogger? Will I get what I am looking for out of this workshop? What am I going to wear? Will there be cupcakes? All of these important questions were circling about in my head and I felt like I was turning into a crazy person.

Prior to the weekend long workshop, I had the great opportunity to speak with some of the other Blogcademy students. Actually getting a chance to speak with others and realizing a lot of them were in the same boat as me definitely calmed my nerves. We all bonded and fell in love with our passion to blog and spread positive lovely-ness among the world.

     Kat Williams (Rock n Roll Bride) and Shauna Haider(Nubby Twiglet)

Needless to say, the weekend changed my life for the better. Instead of rambling on, I decided to make a list of reasons as to why I found Blogcademy brilliant accompanied by beautiful photos taken Femke.

Top 10 reasons why Blogcademy was a life changer:

10. I got to meet not one, not two but THREE bloggers I have obsessed over for years. Our headmistresses (Gala, Nubby and Kat) were completely amazing. Not to mention stylish as all hell! Girls…you better WORK!

9. The amount of knowledge and sharing that took place this weekend was something that was heavenly. The headmistresses were not only providing information for us to use towards our goals but helping one another in their own personal goals and ventures. I LOVED the sense of sisterhood and community that took place.

8. Lots and lots of turquoise.

7.  30 lovely ladies came from ALL of the world to attend this workshop. Canadians, Brits, Aussies…OH MY!

6. Free booze! Sex and the City worthy cocktails were served on day one and day two we decided to be even more posh by popping 10 bottles of champagne.

5. Lots and lots of badass swag! LOTS!

4. OMG! Balloons.

3. I filled 8 pages in a notebook with notes. This lead to me practicing my handwriting since it’s so rare that we actually hand write things these days. Penmanship nerd!

2. Holy crap, so much turquoise and balloons.

1. Something that has literally stuck with me daily since Blogcademy was one of the first quotes Gala shared with us. “Evolve or evaporate.” I feel like this quote across the board is useful in our lives, no matter what you do or what you want to do.

It has been a complete honor to watch these three fantastic bloggers careers blossom to where they are now. I never would have thought I would be learning from the best. I have been following a couple of these ladies since the days of live journal! How insane! I’m so thrilled to be a graduate from the first Blogcademy workshop.

I would like to thank  Gala, Nubby & Kat for a wonderful weekend and believing in me. You are sparkling diamonds and I adore all three of you.

The Blogcademy  has only just begun. Keep your eye out for upcoming classes and events. Stay golden!

xxxo,

Latanya Rene

I’m a Drag Queen on the inside.

| Self Lovin'

Those that know me, know that I am quite the character. I’ve taken a love for the art form of Burlesque in the past year or so and have watched hundreds of burlesque performances. Lately, I have put more thought in what type of performer I truly want to be. Naturally, I turned to drag queens.

 Empress XXXIX Raye Sunshine Photographed Kate McLaren

Most drag queens put their complete ALL into their character and performance. Most of these guys can impersonate a woman better than I can. Instead of being jealous, I decided to take notes.

I am a rather campy and over the top sort of girl. Most drag queens have mastered the art of being completely over the top yet keeping the perfect female form. These guys are masters of makeup and can have a complete understanding of high fashion. It seems like it comes so natural but I am sure it takes years of work and trial and error.

Another brilliant trait of a good drag queen is the ability and skill of improv. Sign me the hell up for whatever class these lady boys are taking. Simply genius. I watch Rupaul’s Drag Race  weekly and I am pretty sure there isn’t a moment that I am not cackling at puns.

Flattery from men is lovely in general, but when you get a compliment from a lady boy it takes the cake! I am rather sure every drag queen I have come into contact with has loved my boobs, makeup, or my loud candid mouth. No one can make me blush like a man in drag.

The art of female impersonation can be dated back to the Garden of Eden days. I find it to be a complete honor. Women are very complex and have tons of features that if one wasn’t a woman, would be difficult to replicate. Not to mention a lot of these men make their own garments and even had to make their own shoes. If I had to make all of my own shoes and outfits, I would basically walk around looking like a shack of rubbish. Complete rubbish! That is dedication. How do these men pull off such fabulous traits? How is it possible that a lot of women feel that there are men out there doing a better job at being glamours and spectacular than they are?

I will be taking it upon myself to find the perfect drag mother within the next year. I assume that drag mothers know best! I need to find someone to teach me the secrets of these gender illusionists. I want to be covered in sequins and spitting witty one liners but most of all, I want to learn the art of owning my fabulousity. Do these men really hold a secret in which us ladies don’t know about?

I know I am fabulous but not in the same sense that a drag queen does. I can look up at a 7 foot drag queen and feel the level of confidence without him even saying a word to me. The art to laugh at yourself and bring out your pride with humor is a complete gift.

These boys break the ideas of what we are taught we should be. We see within them how we want to feel on the inside. They teach us that it is okay to be mouthy, and loud, and tall, and be covered in glitter, or dressed like a cupcake. Being flamboyant is in my blood and I look up to these men for not only being okay with who they are but making it their lives and purpose.

Always own who you are it is the only way to be truly happy with ones self. Release your inner drag queen.

xxxo,

Latanya Rene

 

Not so dandy Sandy.

| Life

I had a few  fun and festive ideas to get my first post off the ground for my blog, but recent more tragic events have taken place.

 Photo by Spencer Platt 

Last week, most of the east coast was devastated by the Frankenstorm known as Hurricane Sandy. I was without power for about two days and bitched and moaned like a lot of people in the same situation. After a few cold showers in the dark by candlelight and freezing in your own home I realized that so many others probably have it way worse.

Being terrified of the dark (yes, I am 10 years old on the inside), I alternated staying with family and friends over that very short amount of time.  While staying with others, I watched the news stories of how truly terrible this storm was.  I live about 40 minutes outside of Manhattan and never thought my favorite city would be hindered so badly.Over a week later I am hearing the stories of those who lost everything they have worked years to gain. People talking about the deaths of loved ones and having nowhere to go. Hearing people’s concerns about a pending storm that is due this week while recovering from the last. So much unsure and unsettled energy in the air and there is still so much work to be done.

Being the complete optimistic person that I am, I instantly began to research ways to assist those still struggling to make life somewhat ‘normal’. Here is a list of ways to assist from volunteering to internet shopping. Help others and may you be blessed with a baby unicorn.

♥ Go SHOPPING! On the internet! Where you can do it in the comfort of your underoos. Ebay is helping those still struggling from Hurricane Sandy. Using eBay’s Giving Works site, you can see what percentage of the price you’ll pay for each item will be donated to relief efforts.

♥ Donate directly to the Red Cross! It takes seconds of time. You  can donate $10 directly to the Red Cross by texting the words “REDCROSS” to 90999. This is a great option for those people still without power but want to help out. RedCross also has an awesome app that provides alerts in case of zombies.

♥ If you’re obsessed with sites like Groupon, Living Social, among other ‘deal’ sites, you might be on Gilt City like myself. They have  pledged to donate 30% of all profits made on their NYC site to the American Red Cross to help with Sandy relief efforts. This will apply to any purchase made on the site from now through Sunday…so if you can access the Internet, you know where to go to pick up some great goods and deals and to donate to a cause close to home. I couldn’t think of a more posh way to do so.

♥ Marty Mcfly wants you to come to his party! The Young Patrons of Team Fox of NYC (Michael J. Fox’s foundation which benefits Parkinson’s research) will be donating 25% of all proceeds from their upcoming gala to hurricane relief efforts. There’s still time to buy tickets for this great party(and who doesn’t love a good party)– and help out those in need at the same time. The gala will be held on November 9th at Hudson Terrace.  Buy tix! 

♥ I know a lot of you are strong champions! Help build homes, chase away trolls, and feed those looking for food (but not the trolls). Check out Do Good Right Here, where you’ll find many listings for volunteer opportunities.

♥ iTunes! Now that people are getting their power back they are drowning in the internet and downloading up a storm. Apple set up a red cross donation page on iTunes to help with the efforts. You can access the site through iTunes’ special donation page, where you’ll see choices to donate anywhere from $5 to $200. Apple will donate 100% of the funds directly to the Red Cross.

♥ Last but definitely not least, the weather is definitely getting cooler, and there’s no better time to stock up on jackets and other cold-weather gear. American outerwear company Penfield will donate $10 from every sale to the American Red Cross, so click HERE to start shopping now! Holy everyone loves the Red Cross!

I heard there is loads of other projects in the works to bring light and positive energy back into the air. The more information I find out I will definitely be more than happy to share. Let’s all help those still recovering. Share your skills, love, and light! Continue to help heal NYC.

Have you heard of any creative and positive ways to help those in need?

Cheers and welcome to my crazy world,

Latanya Rene