Overalls

I know what you're thinking...overalls? You? They're hot?

And the answers are yes, yes, and yes.

So we finally had a hint of spring in NYC.  It lasted for about 36 hours, but at this point, we'll take what we can get.  My friends and I decided to meet up for brunch (cuz that's what nearly 30 year olds do) and I KNEW I had to debut my overalls.  I know what you're thinking...overalls are for farmers and TLC.  But no, they're so hot for Spring 2014.

I paired my overalls with my favorite black T-shirt and sneaker wedges.

We basically had a mini photo shoot after our brunch.  But who wouldn't when your backdrop is Central Park!

Shout out to my personal photographer Kaligraphy...she's the hottest thing coming outta Brooklyn!

Overalls ~ Ashley Stewart
T-Shirt ~ H&M
Shoes ~ Can't remember

Carmelo Anthony: The Decision

Well sports fans, unless you've been living under a rock for the last year, you know that the New York knickerbockers suck. I mean they reaaaally stink. So, I decided to write this blog post to Carmelo Anthony, their star (and virtually only) player. I present, Carmelo Anthony: The Decision.

Chicago Bulls - It's a big city and a good team. He wants a team to himself and hell get it; Derrick Rose hasn't played in 13 years. Check!

LA Lakers - The lights don't shine any brighter than in Los Angeles! Carmelo loves the LA lights but he and Kobe would literally be fighting on the court for the ball. Ok, maybe this is not a good idea after all.

Miami Heat - If LeBron leaves (which is highly doubtful), Melo would try to take his place....but he'd fail miserably! He's no LeBron!! And I feel like D-Wade and Chris Bosh would be like Mean Girls...you can't sit here!

Washington Wizards - He spent his childhood in Maryland so maybe he wants to come back home.  Add him with John Wall and Bradley Beal...this actually sounds like a pretty good team. All that being said, can LaLa and little Kiyan really fulfill their showbiz careers there? Prolly not.

Well ladies and gentleman, the time has come for Carmelo Anthony: The Decision. Carmelo will be taking his talents to............

John F. Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Hey, even they gotta better record than the Knicks. 

Book Review: Defending Jacob

This book was recommended to me by a co-worker. She said if I loved Gone Girl then I would love Defending Jacob. Well she was pretty much right.

Defending Jacob is about an Assistant District Attorney who is investigating the murder of a teenage boy in his quiet suburban town. Oh, and his son is the accused murderer. You follow the family through the investigation, the trial, and afterward.  While the middle of the book begins to drag a bit, the author does keep you guessing and wondering up until the last few pages, just like my beloved Gone Girl. The book leaves you with quite a bit of unanswered questions but I would definitely add this one to your reading lists. 

Lent

I've been wanting to get this one off my chest for a long time.

I think people have been misusing the Lenten season.
Lent is not the time for you to diet.  It's time to remove distractors and refocus on your relationship with God.  Can alcohol be something that is taking away from your relationship with God? Sure.  McDonald's french fries? Ehhh, I dunno.  Not to say that food is not a distractor in your life, but using God as an excuse to cut out chocolate...only to pick it back up 40 days later...what you really learn from that?

Now, there are Lenten fasts in which you could partake.

Go look em up.  

Ok...now I'm done.

Spinning Out of Control

In honor of Black History Month, I would like to bring awareness to issues in the Black community.  Today I'd like to shed light on healthy living and working out, especially for Black women.  Well, there is one workout that many Black women don't participate in. No, not yoga.  Spinning. You know why? Cuz the seats are made for women who are not as *clears throat* blessed.

Look, I've tried to do spinning with all this wagon I'm draggin, and it just don't work.  For the first 5 minutes you're fine but the more you get into the workout, the more the seat gets into your...well, you know.

So for Black History Month, I would like to start a petition to expand the size of the seats on spinning machines. I'm taking this one all the way to the White House, to Michelle Obama herself!  I know she feels my pain....

The Curious Case of Marcus Smart

If you haven't heard, Marcus Smart, is a sophomore guard for the Oklahoma State University Cowboys. He also happens to be a projected Top 5 NBA Draft pick for the upcoming 2014-2015 season.  And in a recent game, he was ejected for shoving a fan.  Marcus shoved this after the fan yelled something at him.  Because of this, Marcus was suspended for 3 games by the Big 12.  Never mind that no one knows WHAT this fan said to Marcus.  Never mind that numerous college basketball players throughout the years remember this same 'fan' talking crap.  Never mind that he's never had any other disciplinary issues.  Marcus was culpable.

Three weeks prior to this, Richard Sherman, a cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks was interviewed by a (White female) sideline reporter after his team advanced to the Superbowl. The reporter asked him a question to which he replied that the wide receiver was wack and that indeed he, Sherman, was the greatest cornerback of all time.  Is it true? Maybe not, but I respect his bravado.  I guess I was the only one. Nevermind that Sherman has a degree from Stanford.  Nevermind that he's a member of a respected Black fraternity. Sherman was crucified in the media for being thuggish and brash.

Both of these incidents happened with young Black men against 'innocent' White people.  I guess the archaic notion of Mandingo isn't as irrelevant as we thought.  Is this the post-racial society we were hoping for?  Where racial microaggressions go unchecked?

Marcus Smart.
       Richard Sherman.
             Trayvon Martin.

All of these young Black men regarded as thugs.

Reacted to disrespectful fan. 

      Pumped up after making play to advance his team to the Superbowl. 

             Wearing a hoodie in the wrong neighborhood. 

Happy Black History Month.

Pernil

For those of you tired of the bacon recipes, I bring you a pork recipe!  (See what I did there.)

For my Latino friends, pernil is nothing new.  However to my circle of friends and family, pernil was a life-altering addition to our holiday dinner tables.  Pernil is a slow roasted cut of delicious fatty and marbled pork shoulder.  Although the recipe and the cut of meat may look intimidating, it is very easy to make.  And trust me, people will be talking about this dish for years to come.  

Ingredients

1 pork shoulder arm picnic (preferably more than 10 lbs)
1 t. of salt per lb.
1 packet of Sazon
12 minced garlic cloves
3 T. olive oil
3 T. vinegar
1 1/2 t. dried oregano
1 roasting pan (like what you use for turkeys)




1. Wash your pork shoulder and place skin side up in roasting pan.  Slice 1 inch deep holes all over pork shoulder.

2. In food processor or blender, mix together salt, sazon, garlic cloves, olive oil, vinegar, and oregano.

3. Take your herb mix and lather up that pork shoulder.  Make sure you get the herb mixture deep into the cuts on the pork.

4. Wrap the pork tightly in foil and let it marinate for at least 8 hours. (You can do this up to 2 days.)

5. Bake in preheated 325 degree oven for 6 hours.

6. Unwrap the foil to expose the skin.  Bake for another hour at 375 degrees to allow the skin to get crispy.

Make sure you serve the pernil in all of it's juices.  Also, if you think it's amazing the first day, it's even better as leftovers.

Seriously, you're GOING to thank me later.