THE MAKE-UP GURU YouTube Craze!!!

Courtesy of: Showlee

I have been a consistent watcher of YouTube for the past year or so. One thing that I have come across during my tube searching the YouTube world, is an abundance of channels dedicated to beauty, and I mean all things beauty! These videos include make up tutorials, make up reviews,and even some pretty amazing make up give aways.The ladies and gentlemen who put on these vids are theself proclaimed Make Up Gurus of YT.

They talk about, and demonstrate all they love and dislike about beauty products, and it runs the gamut from DIY skin care to how to find the best high end concealers, and everything in between. And, like with everything else in this world, there are those folks who excel at their work, and some who are still working on bettering their craft. One thing is for sure, however, these folks are a brave lot.They have the nerve to put themselves out there and show their faces to the world, regardless of any criticism they may get! And, believe me, when you are on YouTube, you will get some evil comments shot at you. And, mostly, it's for no good reason!

I find this YouTube community fascinating! Firstly, because, like most girls, I love make up! Secondly, because I love to learn new things. And, that is what you get from these videos. You get an education on make-up and how to care for your body to enhance it's beauty, and I love it!
I have learned a bunch of great stuff. It is almost like having your own cosmetology school, without the need for financial aid. I think it's a good thing.

If you're like me, and you enjoy make-up and want to learn more, please go check out one of these videos. One of the first videos I watched, was a video on how to make your lashes look longer.

Look, this isn't rocket science, but it's just fun. I really enjoy learning about new products and new techniques. I've also made friends with some of the folks through Facebook and Twitter.
And, if you are wondering where to start, or what gurus I enjoy, please feel free to ask me! You can message me on twitter @Havanamama!
Have fun with it guys!

Real Housewives of Atlanta!

Courtesy of: Q Savage Promotions

As most of my readers probably know, I am an avid watcher and long time fan of the Real Housewives franchise, started by the great Andy Cohen. (Find more information on Andy Cohen in my review of his book, "Andy Cohen, Most Talkative. A Review.") So, it should come as no surprise that The Real Housewives of Atlanta is one of my favorite shows. It has one of the best group of women of all who are in the franchise. I recently saw a preview to the new season, season 5, which is starting on Sunday, November 4 at 9pm EST. The preview has left me chomping at the bit to get into this season immediately! So, let me give you a brief synopsis of what we are all in store for. And, let me tell you, these ladies DO NOT disappoint!

First, I should say that there are a couple of new ladies on the show. Ms. Kenya Moore and Mrs. Porsha Stewart. Kenya Moore is originally from Detroit. She is most known for her reign as a former Miss USA. She has had some acting roles in successful TV shows and movies such as, "The Prince of Bel Air," and "Waiting to Exhale" which started Whitney Houston. She is currently a producer, writer and director and CEO of Moore Vision Media. Kenya says that she is ready to start a family with the right man.

The second addition to the cast Mrs. Porsha Stewart, is the wife of former NFL player Kendall Stewart. Porsha is a stay at home mom to the couple's young son Syre. Porsha was born and raised in a prominent family in Atlanta. She is the granddaughter of civil rights leader and philanthropist Rev. Hosea Williams. Porsha takes after her grandmother being quite the philanthropist herself, as the co-founder of the Kendall and Porsha Stewart Cancer Research Foundation. Porsha is also currently exploring a music career. She is also very well known in the Atlanta social scene.

 It appears that we have two very well rounded and lovely additions to the Atlanta Housewives show! Unfortunately, as you might suspect, there is also one lady that will not be returning this season. That lady is Ms. Sheree Whitfield. Sheree had stated that she wanted to part ways with the show, but per further research, I found from Radar.com that she was actually fired. And, the reason? Wait for it... She was fired for being too much of a diva!!! Really? Really? If being a diva was a cause for dismissal, we wouldn't have a cast! But the truth is that Sheree was asking for more money and no agreement came to pass, so she went on her way. Sheree will certainly be missed!

Courtesy of: trentvanegas

Now to the remainder of the ladies we have grown to know and love, Ms. Kandi Burruss, Cynthia Bailey, Kim Zolciak, Phaedra Parks and the one and only Nene Leakes! Thank goodness these ladies are here to stay! And, as the preview showed, they are as filled with mayhem and drama as they have ever been. They are as crazy, self-indulgent and arrogant (ahem I mean confident) as ever!

So a brief synopsis. Mrs.Phaedra Parks, wife of the handsome ex-con Apollo Parks, continues her work as a mortician. But, that isn't freaky enough for Phaedra, no...no...no. Mrs. Parks must expand her brand of exquisite funerals. She will expand her market to now include PET FUNERALS! Wow! Well, it seems that Porsha is not the only philanthropist of the bunch. Phaedra is also making her own brand of stun guns! Of course she is. Gotta love Phaedra. And that hubby of hers isn't too bad either. And, it seems that Apollo may, in fact, be quite popular with the ladies  on the show, as the preview shows that one of the new ladies is quite taken with Mr. Apollo. There seems to be some serious flirtation between new gal Kenya, former Miss USA, and Mr. Parks. She even goes on to ask Phaedra if she might share Apollo with another woman! (hint hint.)

Courtesy of: willumarryme2011

Then there is our very own Kim Zolciak. Kim is still happily married to her NFL hubby, Kroy. They now have two babies of their own, making Kim the proud mommy of four kids in all. But, while the family appears to be going strong, there are some other issues on the horizon for the happy bunch. Apparently Kim and her clan have been evicted from their mansion. Kim is as dramatic as usual, claiming that they will soon be homeless. But, as usual, Kroy is the beacon of sense and sensibility, calming Kim down, and plainly explaining and reminding Kim that all they have to do is move somewhere else. There is no doubt that Kroy is the strong and steady one in that pairing. The family now has to move because Kim and her landlord, and previous interior designer had a falling out and accusations of bills not being paid by Kim came to the forefront including a nasty twitter ward between the two ladies. Kim, of course, denies the allegations. It does appear that Kim has history of bad business with ex-coworkers. Remember how she had to fire her assistant and long time friend Sweetie? Well, the good new is that Kim and Sweetie are still great friends. And, while the ladies are attending a party together, they accidentally come face to face with my favorite home girl, Ms. Nene Leakes! Kim and Nene stop in their tracks in a second of shock and awkwardness. But, Nene quickly and is genuinely compliments Kim on her appearance, as Kim stands smiling and stunned. Unfortunately, that is all we get to see from that encounter.

And, while Nene compliments Kim on looking good, there is no doubt that Nene is also looking as good as ever. It also appears that she is quite the social butterfly this season. And, make no mistake, Ms. Nene Leakes continues to be RICH, BITCH! And, it  seems that ex-hubby Gregg is noticing Nene's groove, as he exclaims, in some sad attempt at rapping in front of the other ladies, that he want his "boo" back. We shall see what happens with that. I, for one, hope that they can rekindle their relationship. Gregg and Nene should be together.

Courtesy of: thecompositeagency

Lastly, we cannot forget Ms. Kandi Burruss and Mrs. Cynthia Bailey. Unfortunately, they didn't show too much of these ladies on the preview. They did show Kandi on a date with a new gentleman caller. They also showed Cynthia getting yelled at by one of the other ladies, as well as complaining about her husband Peter's appearance. She wonders why he cannot be as well put together as Mr. Casanova Apollo Parks.

Of course, in addition to the specific details I have mentioned, there continues to be many fights that go on between these ladies. Let us just say that no one is immune. For example, we hear Phaedra calling Kenya bi-polar. Kim hollers at Kandi during a group dinner. The two knew gals get into quite the vicious war of words. These are just a few of the drama filled interactions we are sure to see this season. I just can't wait for all of it to begin! I know that it will be immensely entertaining.

Well, I hope that this recap of the new upcoming season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta is one that will get you excited enough to watch the show, even if you haven't seen it before. I can guarantee that these ladies will not let you down in the entertainment and drama department. And, the Atlanta Housewives are a bunch that, for some reason, are very likeable , in my opinion. There are other casts from other cities that are entertaining but, I don't feel as connected with them. These ladies are really loveable in their own cooky ways. I would highly recommend you watch. I know I will!

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne.

Picture by: Gellah

I had heard about the book The Secret about a year and a half ago or so. And, for some reason, it really appealed to me. It's a tiny book that is very easy to read, with a fantastic idea. It is an idea that can potentially be hard to wrap your head around, especially, as a westerner.The author of the book is Rhonda Byrnes, however there are many people that speak within the pages of this book, to explain The Secret, as completely and succinctly as possible.

As you turn to the back of the book,  the author, Rhonda Byrne states, "It has been passed down through the ages, highly coveted, hidden, lost, stolen, and bought for vast sums of money. This centuries-old Secret has been understood by some of the most prominent people in history: Plato, Galileo, Beethoven, Edison, Carnegie, Einstein- along with other inventors, theologians, scientists, and great thinkers. Now The Secret is being revealed to the world."
 Pretty exciting, don't you think? Well, it drew me in for sure. So, I began to read the book, and finished it in a couple of sittings, and I was thrilled. I believe in it this book whole-heartedly!

To quickly summarize, the book The Secret tells you that everything is energy. Your thoughts are energy. And like energy attracts like energy. In other words, if you think positive about something, that thought being energy,  will then align with positive energy in the universe.That positive thought will, therefore, become your reality. The same can be said about negative energy. So, basically, what you think about is what your reality becomes! Pretty far out, huh?

 As I read that powerful claim, my next thought was a frightening one, however. If what you think becomes your reality, then wouldn't all my negative thoughts, which seem to be somewhat out of my control at times, also become reality? Well, yes. But, don't worry too much.

The authors talk about this point very clearly. They claim that while negative thoughts do results in negative reality, positive energy is much stronger than negative energy. So, what you must do, is trump your negative thoughts quickly with a positive thought. And, as you do this more and more, this will become second nature and habit. At first it might take practice, but it will become easier.

 I know what you may be thinking, So am I now going to have to worry about every thought I have throughout the day and have to focus on it?  Who has that kind of time? That seems crazy! Well, don't worry about that either. What you must understand is that with every positive thought, there comes a feeling. That is a good feeling.(good thought = good feeling.) And with every negative thought there comes a negative feeling. So you must just focus on your feelings. If you are feeling relatively good throughout the day. You must be thinking good thoughts, so you're doing exactly what you should be doing.  If you are not feeling good, then you must get into the habit of turning your negative thoughts into positive ones as quickly as possible. As soon as you realize you feel sad or angry, quickly think of how to change that thought and subsequent feeling into a positive one. It is, after all, much easier to focus on your feelings. Once you start to realize your feelings more and more, you will learn to change negative into positive. It is a great exercise for your life. And, it will make you ultimately happier!

Courtesy of: Andrew Rossol

Listen, do not get me wrong, I do admit, that the concept within this book, while superbly exciting, was also hard to believe. And the authors understand that too. So, they ask you to try out the idea of The Secret on something small and quite tangible, to begin with. I decided to try this out right away and was very excited to do so. I decided that since I go to my local department store on a monthly basis, if not more, and constantly have to park extremely far, (and grumble angrily about it every time) that I would start to think about getting one of the first three spots in front of the store.

I have to tell you that the first ten times that I thought, "One of those three spots is mine," and I felt it without a shadow of a doubt, that I got the spot I wanted nine out of ten times. And after the initial ten times, subsequent times going to the store have yielded success 98% of the time. The few exceptions were times that I was not really thinking about the parking spots at all!

Once you try something small, and see that it works for you, you are supposed to go on to something bigger and greater. For me, it has been a struggle, because while it is easy to believe that I can get a good parking spot, believing in something much bigger can be a challenge. My self doubt does get the best of me a lot of the time. I am trying to read and re-read The Secret. I am also learning how to have more gratitude and a greater belief in myself. I am doing this to negate my self doubt and to allow more positive energy to come to me more easily and freely.

There is no doubt that I would highly recommend this book. It is a quick and easy read. I believe in the power of The Secret. Hey, maybe you will, and maybe you won't. But, with so much negativity in the world, I think that a book that has such a radically positive concept, that may in fact change your life, is worth the read. Don't you? Happy Reading y'all! xoxo

Part III of The Real Housewives of New Jersey Reunion.

Courtesy of: Pattidolls

Well, I wasn't going to write about the final part of the Real Housewives of New Jersey Reunion, but it didn't seem right to blog about Part I and Part II and not finish the series! I have found that in the past, I have looked forward to reading something and the author fails to write about it. So, I didn't want to do that! And since, as I just stated, I have written about Part I and Part II of the reunion, it seems only fair that I write about Part III. Right?

Part III, starts with a quick recap of last week's show, and the infamous Joe Guidice call at the vineyard. Shortly after the recap, the rest of the husbands join the ladies on the show. Joe Guidice had already been on the stage with the ladies, explaining vehemently that he WAS NOT talking to another women while in Napa. Hee Hee Hee! You almost want to feel sorry for him. ALMOST!

 Then, as always, the name calling and screaming began again (everybody in the ring? ding, ding, ding!!!) I hoped that the men would bring the voice of reason to the show, but no such luck really. The allegations were many, and so were the retorts.

There were allegations that Chris Laurita met Jacqueline when she was a stripper. That was subsequently debunked. There was talk about the black eye that Joe Guidice received from Richie Wakile and mutual crotch grabbing. There was talk about Joe Gorga and his sister Teresa not seeing each other for a year, since the infamous Posche Fashion Show. Teresa took the chance to quickly point the finger at Melissa, saying that in fact Melissa has been the major the cause of her and her brother's turmoil, and their ultimate falling out. Melissa, of course, disagreed and stated that her husband's relationship with Teresa was strained when she came into the family 10 years prior. The hollering went on and on and on!

Courtesy of: Pattidolls

Accusations were thrown and flew across the stage at The Borgata Hotel, Casino and Spa for the first half hour of the show. Frankly, it was nothing new, and not too exciting or shocking. One bit of new information, however, was really fun to find out. And it was quite ironic. Although at least two of the women on the show had been accused of stripping, Melissa and Jacqueline, it was found that ,in fact Joe Gorga had been a dancer at Chippendale's! Mr. Gorga even wore an elephant g-string during his career as a dancer! And, in usual Joe Gorga fashion, he seemed very proud and was not in the least bit ashamed of his provocative career choice. So funny! It was a light and funny bit, to contrast the rest of the nastiness. Then Kim D. showed up.

This is what I had personally been waiting for! And, ss many of you, I wanted answers! My major question, of course, was, Did Teresa know about the set up against Melissa? Kim's explanation was not very clear cut, however. Kim claimed that Teresa knew "something" was going to happen to Melissa at the fashion show, but DID NOT know exactly what was going to happen.
Kim D. admitted that she, herself, had concocted the set up against Melissa Gorga, because Melissa had done something to take try to take away business from Kim's Posche fashion store. But the details of what Melissa did were not clear. Kim continued to say that she found out about Angelo through a friend. And Angelo had stated that Melissa was a stripper. So, Kim D. felt that this was the perfect opportunity to get revenge.

Courtesy of: Pattidolls

 Kim D. then eluded that everyone besides Melissa and Kathy, in other words Jacqueline and Caroline, also knew that "something" was going to happen at the Posche Fashion Show. Caroline denied such implication, and Jacqueline stated that all she knew was what her friend was telling her via text. Unfortunately for us, Jacqueline would not give up her source.

The most surprising thing to  me during this segment, however, was the revelation that Caroline and Kim D. are  actually friendly and that Kim D. and Jacqueline even speak an hour and a half each morning! I was always under the impression that these ladies did not like each other, but obviously I was way off. Am I the only one who had this wrong impression? Anyhoo...

Part III of the finale ended with some sadness about the non-existent relationship between Teresa and her brother Joe. Andy then asked the ladies their thoughts about the viability of the broken relationships. And, surprisingly and sweetly, Caroline Manzo, concluded the show by stating, "Where there is love, there is hope."

Courtesy of: Pattidolls

I think that was a really nice way to end this three part emotional roller coaster. I, for one, hope that the families can all mend their relationships. But, I guess that wouldn't make for good television. But, if things get any worse between these women, I don't think I will want to watch any longer. A little drama is fine, but demolished relationships everywhere you turn, is quite another. I do think that under all the jabs and names, there is some love between these folks. We shall see next season if there is in fact any reconciliation between these lovely ladies! Here's to hope!

Reunion Part II. RHONJ

Courtesy of: Pattidolls

Well, as promised, I am writing about Part II of the Real Housewives of New Jersey Reunion. I do this somewhat begrudgingly because this show is becoming so dramatic, dark and dirty, that it is beginning to be very hard to watch as of late.

 The reunion began as part I left off, with Rosie, Kathy Wakile's sister, threatening to cut out Teresa Guidice's tongue. What a show! This lovely interaction ensued due to Kathy and Teresa having thrown insults involving each other's parents. Teresa hit Kathy over the head with an insult about her, and in turn Rosie's, deceased father. This was when the fireworks began and Rosie started screaming like an animal! I thought for sure, that Rosie would come out and try to kill Teresa , but it did not happen. Shockingly and thankfully, the incident was defused quickly, partly due to Lauren Manzo sitting with Rosie, speaking with her, and reasoning with her about why it was best if she just played it cool.  This appeared to calm Rosie down enough that she was able to join the ladies on the stage.

Quickly, the show took a nicer turn, believe it or not, as Rosie came out and Andy Cohen, the host, took control of the show.They began discussing Rosie's journey regarding her coming out of the closet, this season. They then showed a nice clip of Rosie speaking with her niece and nephew about being gay and their loving and emotional interaction. The sweet segment quickly went by the way side, however, and the down and dirty fighting began again. Could we expect anything else, really?

As most of you watchers are surely well aware, a main theme throughout the show this season,was Teresa's anger about her sister-in-law and cousin becoming part of the show, without her knowledge. At least, Teresa claims it was without her knowledge. Of that, I am not sure.Within this theme, many arguments broke out regarding allegations of Melissa being a stripper, and Kathy trying to take credit for Teresa's recipes, etc.etc.

Jealousy was also a theme throughout. While insults and allegations flew, Melissa Gorga sadly revealed that her and her husband, Joe Gorga, will be moving farther away from Teresa and her family because her and her husband do not want their children at the same school as Teresa's children.  They then showed a sad and kind of shocking clip of Teresa's two daughters being nasty and making snide remarks about their aunt Melissa. Teresa quickly claimed that her girls were reprimanded for their bad behavior. The other ladies, however, felt that Teresa was responsible for putting negative ideas into her daughter's heads. It was very, very sad to see.

Towards the end of the hour, the show turned to the trip to California. At this point, Teresa's husband Joe Guidice, has joined the ladies on stage. Andy quickly turns his attention to Joe. And, I know, as must of you surely do, exactly what will happen next. I am equal parts excited, nervous and sick to my stomach!  They quickly cut to the clip at the vineyard and Joe Guidice talking to an unknown person. This is what I had been waiting for!The phone call sounded very suspicious, and it undoubtedly seemed as though Joe might have been talking to a woman. Now you must know that there has been much speculation about the possibility of Joe cheating on Teresa, but this scene was the first that may have shown some proof to the viewer.

Andy asks Joe in no uncertain terms, who he was on the phone with. I WAS FROZEN IN MY CHAIR! The ladies were also catatonic waiting as they waited for his answer. And, as it might have been expected, Joe came up with the most ridiculous excuse possible. Apparently, he was talking to an old work friend!!! Ahhh! Juicy Joe comes through again, claiming the spot for the creepiest person on cast. Honestly, it was such an absurd answer that it didn't even sink in initially. And, again, myself and the ladies on stage were speechless. But, not suprisingly, Teresa backed up her husband wholeheartedly! Poor Teresa had to lie through her teeth as a pink elephant sat in the middle of the stage and some pigs flew through the set. It was a moment that will go down In Real Housewives history! Absurdity at it's best.

The reunion had a few other absurd moments, such as Teresa asking Melissa to sing, as if she was alleging that Melissa could not in fact do so without the help from auto tune. Typical stuff.

Part II of this three part abomination, ended with previews of next weeks conclusion, and the rest of the men joining the stage. It appears it might be the most emotional part of the reunion yet. There will definitely be more screaming and crazy stripper allegations, and some high pitch screeching from Teresa.

 So, there you have it. Part II has come to entertain us , and I must admit that it did not disappoint. I apologize if my heart was not fully into this show and review. These people just seem to be getting crazier and meaner with each and every interaction I watch. It can be tiring.But, as much as that is true, knowing me, I will not be able to stay away and I will be watching again this Sunday! C'mon, we all will! L.O.L. Happy watching ladies and gents! Muah! xoxo

Adam Carolla's, Not Taco Bell Material. My current obsession!

Courtesy of: Tiger Girl

I'm currently reading Adam Carolla's book, Not Taco Bell Material. It is so great! I have barely put it down. It was hard to let go long enough to rave about it here! I love it so much.

Ive known of Adam Carolla since he was the host of Loveline with Dr. Drew many years ago. I have also followed him on his visits to Howard Stern. Also, he was in The Man Show with Jimmy Kimmel, which I loved! My favorite part of that show was ,suprisingly, girls on trampolines. It was basically a small segment where they just, in fact, showed girls jumping on trampolines! Ha! How brilliant is that?

Anyhow, I decided that I would start reading my next autobiography, as I have read many. I tried to start reading one, but it just didn't catch my attention at all. So, as I was looking through my IBooks library recently, I found that Adam's book had been uploaded, or is it downloaded? I don't know! Anyway, so, I thought, ehh, what the heck. I'll give it a try. And, boy oh boy, how great it has been!

He starts each chapter with a picture of one of the many homes that he has lived in throughout his life. Many of the homes are not very glamorous, to say the least. But, Adam seems to enjoy sharing his humble beginnings and loves to partake in self deprecating humor. Just my style.

Also, as you begin reading, he quickly warns that he often loves to go on tangents, and tells, in no uncertain terms, that he will often do that throughout the book. He indicates when he is about to go off on such a tangent with a cartoon picture of a tan gentleman named "tan gent." Get it? What a guy! This book is so just my style! His humor is dry and loveable.

Adam is very open about his family and he makes himself so relatable to the reader. The opening chapter talks about his mother, the sad hippie, who thinks white people are bad because of all the things they have done to people of color. Adam discusses his confusion about being made to feel badly about being white and how that felt so strange to him as a child.

He also talks about the broken down lemon, that his mom made him ride in once, on their way to camp with her boyfriend, and how he got carbon monoxide poisoning on his way to the camp site.

The way Adam tells his stories are so descriptive and detailed that it is easy to follow him back to those times, and take you out of reality. And, isn't that a sign of a good book? Anyhow, I haven't finished reading the book yet, but it will be my next review. And, unless the book takes a strange turn for the worse, I can assure you that it will be a raving one! Keep your eyes open for it! Yay!

Picture by: Spykster

Who doesn't love a good book?

For you Western New York Foodies: Natalie's Mediterranean Eatery. What a great find!

Photo by: Julia Balbilla 

I found this awesome restaurant called Natalie's. It is in Buffalo on Millersport Highway.And, what a great find!

Growing up in a Hispanic household, my mother would often make me chicken noodle soup. It was custom that I would drink my chicken noodle soup with lemon. I would never have it without it. As I grew older and bought canned chicken noodle soup, (because if you know me, you know I cannot cook unfortunately) I would always have to buy lemons or lemon juice to add to the soup. That's just the way I always have liked it.

One day, my boyfriend brought me home some chicken soup. I was excited, as I often have a craving for soup, but thought that as usual, I would have to go buy some lemons to add to my yummy meal. Boy was I pleasantly surprised! The soup had a delicious lemon flavor.

It was chicken lemon soup from Natalie's Mediterranean Eatery. And it is only second to my mother's home made soup. And, that is quite the compliment. The soup has a delicious hint of lemon that makes it so delicious, along with rice and nice pieces of chicken! I ate the whole bowl and was so completely satisfied! I venture to say that it reminded me of the soup shop owned by the Soup Nazi on the show Seinfeld. It was that good!

What a great treat. I love finding little restaurants in my neighborhood that serve magnificent food. It is like finding a diamond in the rough.

Natalie's restaurant also has much more to eat, aside from its gem, chicken lemon soup. It serves the standards starters such as salads. But much more than that, it serves mediterranean dishes such as hummus, spanakopita, and baba ghanoush. In addition it serves dinners such as chicken wraps and falafel wraps and salads. Natalie's also has vegetarian dishes, which is great because more and more of my friends are vegetarian, and myself and my boyfriend also enjoy a good vegetarian meal from time to time.

Natalie's Mediterranean Eatery is family owned and operated in the heart of Buffalo NY. They are located at 807 1/2 Millersport Highway, in Grover Cleveland Plaza between Eggert and Sheridan. It is open Monday - Friday: 10 a.m. - 7:30p.m., Saturday: 11a.m. - 3:30p.m. It is closed on Sunday. Natalie's also will cater your event! 

Please go give Natalie's a try. It is such a nice change from the usual restaurants and eateries around that area. You won't regret it! 4 out of 4 stars from me!

Exquisite Affaires; Wedding and Events.

The Biltmore Hotel

I wanted to share with you guys about a company that I adore! It is called Exquisite Affairs; Wedding and Events. The company is ran by Ana Stenkoler. I am friends with her on Facebook and she will undoubtedly be my wedding planner in the future, when I am engaged and planning my big day!

Ana is based out of Miami, Florida, but works with brides throughout the United States. In fact, she recently told me that she will be going to South Carolina to work with one of her brides there. Ana is familiar and works with many great vendors, and she has many years of experience. She is a certified floral designer, certified wedding planner. She also has over 13 years of design experience, including interior design!

 JW Marriott Marquis Miami

Her work as an interior designer is especially important to me because as a prospective client and bride, I think that my wedding should be an event. And, for that event, I want to work with someone who looks at a venue, and can work with me as a design professional to make that space look as wonderful and elegant as I envision in my dreams! So, to have a background in interior design is amazing! A wedding planner with an interior design background has a skill set that is second to none in my opinion!

I've gotten to know Ana a bit as I have talked to her through Facebook, and she is so lovely and so easy to work with. And, as I stated, she has many links to various vendors who can help you during your planning for your special event.

I think Ana's experience and skill set is such that it makes her a great professional to work with, and I certainly do recommend her to any brides, or anyone who is planning to have a special event in the near future! I will link Ana's professional Facebook page below so you can see some of the beautiful work that she has done! And obviously you can see here a few of the weddings she has done! AMAZING! Incredible work Ana!

Thalatta Estate - Palmetto Bay

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Exquisite-Affaires-Weddings-Events/287029778061529
http://www.exquisiteaffaires.com/

Part 1 Real Housewives of New Jersey Reunion

Courtesy of: Pattidolls

Last night Part 1 of the Real Housewives of New Jersey Reunion aired on my favorite network, Bravo. I was ready to watch with my favorite snacks beside me. I just knew it was going to be good! And, let me tell you, these ladies did not disappoint!
The reunion took place at The Borgata Hotel, Casino and Spa in New Jersey. On either side of the evening's MC, Andy Cohen, sat Teresa Guidice, Melissa Gorga, and Kathy Wakile. On the other side, to the right of Mr. Cohen, sat Caroline Manzo and Jacqueline Laurita. Each women was dressed beautifully, as is custom for these reunions. But, in my humble opinion, most of their attire was forgettable with one exception, Teresa Guidice! Teresa wore a beautiful green gown, that was to die for. It was quite low cut and form fitting ala J-lo and, let me tell you, Teresa wore it well!

As the show begins, the tension was high even before the first word was uttered. It was evident that every woman was ready to let off some steam, and begin voicing her concerns and displeasure about many topics on the show this season.

Courtesy of: Jennifer Marie Puglia

 The first few sets of questions had to do with,of course, the infamous Posche fashion show and the speculations of Teresa's possible involvement in trying to "out" her sister-in-law Melissa Gorga as once being a stripper. Teresa, as we all knew, vehemently denied the allegation. But, as was also expected, none of the other women believed that Teresa had no involvement in the events that happened during the fashion show. This was especially true of Teresa's ex-best friend Jacqueline Laurita. Jacqueline undeniably believes that Teresa was involved in the "set up."

It was nice to see Mrs. Laurita back at the reunion show, as last season Jacqueline had decided not to take part in the reunion. It was eluded that she had been so distraught by the break up of her friendship with Teresa Guidice , that she was having a nervous breakdown during the previous season's reunion, so she could not take part, due to her emotional instability at the time. Well, it appears that Jacqueline is now over it and appeared emotionally together and ready to take part in the evening's events.

Of course, Mrs. Caroline Manzo was there, sitting next to her sister-in-law. And, daughter Lauren Manzo also made a brief appearance. Miss. Lauren walked out onto the stage  appearing much thinner and looking spectacular, although in my opinion, she could've worn a dress that was more elegant for her figure. Nonetheless, It was announced that Lauren's new figure was due to her having gotten a lap band, a surgery that is performed as a weight loss procedure. Lauren briefly spoke about her decision for getting the lap band and her continued struggle with weight.

After her explanation, Andy Cohen quickly turned to Teresa and asked her about her opinion concerning Lauren's decision to get the lap band. Teresa answered graciously, but did state that she felt that Lauren was a bit young to get such a drastic procedure. Needless to say, her opinion was not taken well.

Lauren immediately began fighting back at her mother's nemesis, and confronted Teresa about having a professional ghost writer for her blog.  (not really sure why that came about) Suddenly, and out of nowhere, Lauren blasted Teresa and asked her if she knew the meaning of the word napalm!? And, further more if she even knew how to spell the word! Oh, the humanity!!!
 Teresa sat in confusion. Apparently, Lauren's allegation was that the word napalm had been in Teresa's blog, but since Teresa didn't write it, she obviously had no idea what it meant. I, for one, wasn't sure what they were getting at. So, okay, Teresa hired someone to write her blog...and?

While there were many moments during the reunion that were surprising, one point that really took me by surprise, was Caroline Manzo's attempt to speak with Teresa, in a kind and respectful manner regarding Teresa's family's problems. Unfortunately, Teresa did not hear a word, as she was arguing with her cousin Kathy, which, in turn, spurred the most violent outcry in Housewives Reunion history!

Teresa and her cousin Kathy began talking about Teresa's New York Times best selling cookbook, and the allegations that Kathy had taken credit for some of the recipes in the book, while Kathy was at Teresa's book signing.  Kathy denied such an allegation and stated that her family had always swapped and shared recipes and she was, in no way, trying to take the spotlight off of Teresa.

As the conversation escalated, Kathy and Teresa's parents began to be mentioned in a negative light, during the heated debate. Teresa,perhaps making one of the biggest mistakes of her career, mentioned Kathy's deceased father. Suddenly, you begin to hear a belligerent person screaming from off screen. I initially thought it was Kathy's husband Richie. This upset me very much, because I did not feel it was right for a man to talk so violently to any woman. Soon I found that, in fact, it was Kathy's sister Rosie who began violently threatening and screaming at Teresa that she would cut her tongue out, because she was talking about her deceased father! Yikes!!! What a travesty!!!

This reunion was off the charts! It was spectacular and icky all at once.The only piece of the evening that made this reunion redeemable and sweet in any way, was the piece they did on Nicholas Laurita, Jacqueline's son, who suffers from Autism. It was a beautiful piece and quite the tear jerker for anybody with a pulse, especially if you are a mom! Jacqueline was quite distraught during the piece and you could not help but feel a kinship with her at that moment. It was a rare moment of real humanity between the women.

I believe, the whole episode was only a prelude to the other two parts of the reunion, yet to be aired. Nothing was really resolved during this episode, at all. In fact, besides a few small comments, Melissa Gorga had very little to say.

In the end, This show was a fascinating debacle and left me feeling like I was covered in a film of filth. It was just yucky, but yet fantastic! So much anger and hateful feelings among families. But, you can rest assured that I am just jaded and addicted enough to the show, that I will be watching Part II! Happy watching y'all!
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Postpartum Depression; You Are Not Alone!

Picture courtesy of: Pixy E

Six weeks after the birth of my amazing baby girl, who I had wanted and waited for for years, something weird happened. Something changed and it wasn't good.

My mother had often told me about the baby blues and that I should expect some feelings of sadness for a little while. But, what I was feeling was something different. I knew that something was strange about what I was feeling and that it wasn't just the baby blues.

I got up in the middle of the night. Both my husband and my daughter were sound asleep. I woke my husband and asked him if it felt really hot in our room. He grumbled a sleepy "no" and quickly went back to sleep. I quickly got out of bed because I felt this rush of heat througout my body.It felt like what I would call a cold sweat.

I sat in my bathroom on the floor, and as soon as the hot flash went away, it felt like all my feelings vaporized! They were gone! Someone had turned the emotion switch to the "off" position. I did eventually fall asleep that night and woke up the next morning with the saddest feeling I had ever felt. I felt like I wanted to die, but there was no reason for this feeling. I had the family I had always wanted and had every reason to be happy.

Instinctively, I knew what this feeling was. It was Postpartum Depression (PPD.) I just knew it! And, immediately along with the depression, it's best friend anxiety came along to visit and stayed fotr the duration. Soon, I began not to be able to recognize myself in the mirror. Later, after much research and getting help, I found out I was one of the women that suffered from depersonalization (dp.) Dp is a feeling of detachment from yourself, not feeling quite normal. You also feel as though you are watching scenes in your life instead of participating in your life situations. It also felt, from time to time, that my soul didn't fill up my entire body. Strange stuff. But, I knew these were all symptoms of my PPD.

I was not one that had intrusive thoughts, although that is incredibly common with PPD, I think maybe more so than Dp. These untrusive thoughts are unwanted thoughts about bad things happening to your child, either by someone else or by your own hand.

But, it is very important to mention, that women who suffer from this, DO NOT want to hurt their babies. These thoughts, therefore, are incredibly disturbing for these loving moms who can't understand why they are thinking these things. There is also a fear that they might actually hurt their babies. Please know that It doesn't happen! Again, please know that this is a symptom of this horrible mood disorder PPD.

Also, it is good to note that the crazy stories that you read about women killing their babies are most likely from women suffering from Postpartum Psychosis(PPP.)

So back to my story. I began to call every psychiatrist in the yellow pages. I was astounded to find that there was very little knowledge and help out there for this type of disorder. Some psychiatrists even questioned whether I had a family history of schizophrenia! As a social worker, I knew that my demographic information and zero family history did not equate into a diagnosis of schizophrenia.

So, I kept looking for doctors, all the while researching everything I could about PPD. I read many biographies of women who had suffered with PPD , their struggles, quest for help, and finally, them getting better. And, make no mistake, WE ALL GET BETTER!
In my feverish quest, I also found a couple great support groups that were amazing. One group in particular,was a life saver for me. I will put a link to their website below.

Finally, after much searching, I found a doctor who ran a PPD support group in my area. She also became my psychiatrist. She did end up prescribing me medication for depression and anxiety, although finding the perfect depression medication was a struggle at first.

Also, on this note, I would like to mention something about PPD and medication.Not all women need medication to treat their PPD. This mood disorder can be likened to Diabetes in that while some women need medication to treat the disorder, some women can control their symptoms with diet and exercise, just like some diabetics. Medication just happened to be the best course of action for me. It may not be for you. That is something that you and your health professional need to decide.

In the end, I suffered with PPD for 15 months. It will not necessarily be that long for you. Each situation is different. The one thing that remains the same is that with help, you ALWAYS GET BETTER! So, please I beg of you, do not despair! There is help out there!

I won't lie, there were days that I felt so sad that I didn't know if I could go on. Clinical depression is strong and can take a strong hold on you! But, I held on to hope and the love of my family. I always had, what I called, a picture in my head of a single grain of glowing gold sand that I called, the last grain of hope. I saw it every time I closed my eyes.

I was also lucky that my daughter was my ray of hope. I never felt detached from her, as some moms do (but, please know that if you do feel detached, you are not a bad mom! You are suffering from a disorder and this too will get better!)

Anyhow, I was able to care for my daughter while my husband was at work. But, as soon as he came through the door, I would hand her over to him. I would almost collapse in exhaustion. It took all my emotional and physical strength to care for her every day. I was also lucky because I had a lot of support.

So ladies, I am telling you this story to confirm that you are not alone, and for you to hear that there is help out there! And,for you to know that it will get better!
Below I will put some signs and symptoms of PPD and the support group that I mentioned earlier. They helped me immensely. They were a great help, even if it was just to know that I wasn't crazy and I wasn't alone.
This post is a labor of love for me (pun intended.) It is for all of you ladies out there that may be suffering. I hope that you now know that there is help available to you, and you do not have to do this alone.  Please reach out!  I would be happy to talk to anyone , if you have questions for me, please comment below and where I can find you to talk to you further, or I will just comment below,with my answer, if you prefer. I hope this has helped, even just one women. If so, it has been worth it! Namaste. I love you all!

Signs and symptoms:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/postpartum-depression/DS00546/DSECTION=symptoms
(some symptoms of PPD)

• Loss of appetite
• Insomnia
• Intense irritability and anger
• Overwhelming fatigue
• Loss of interest in sex
• Lack of joy in life
• Feelings of shame, guilt or inadequacy
• Severe mood swings
• Difficulty bonding with your baby
• Withdrawal from family and friends
• Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby

 Signs and symptoms of Postpartum Psychosis (PPP)

• Confusion and disorientation
• Hallucinations and delusions
• Paranoia
• Attempts to harm yourself or your baby

When you should see a doctor

• Don't fade after two weeks
• Are getting worse
• Make it hard for you to care for your baby
• Make it hard to complete everyday tasks
• Include thoughts of harming yourself or your baby 

*All information abouve about PPD, PPP and When to see a docot are courtesy of Mayoclinic.com


*Help Resources:*
http://ppdsupportpage.com/
A great book about PPD, Down Came the Rain by: Brooke Shields.
Find me on Facebook at Katherine Meyer.

*Coming soon...Youtube video. I will be answering questions about my experience with PPD. I will put up link when it is complete. Stay tuned. TY

Gallery Girls on Bravo. The Best New Show on TV!

Courtesy of: Pablo Taking Pictures.

Have you seen this new show on Bravo called Gallery Girls? Before I go into telling you about the show, let me start off by saying that I am a Bravo junkie! I love many of the shows on Bravo, particularly the Real Housewives franchise, which has been a great success! With that said, I didn't think the Bravo network had come up with any great new show ideas that were worth watching, in a long period of time. Well, the streak seems to have been broken with this new show, Gallery Girls.

The show consists of seven 20 something girls living in New York City,  trying to make it in the art world, and the struggles they encounter.

Two of the girls, Claudia and Chantal, own a gallery/boutique shop which they just opened, called End of Century. Claudia's dream is to make it in the contemporary art scene. Chantal moved to the big city to pursue dance, but due to an unfortunate accident, was unable to continue her dancing career. She then became an art history major.

Angela, is a beautiful girl who comes from a strict Asian household. Both of Angela's parents are doctors and they have made it very clear to Angela, that they wished her to follow in their footsteps. If she couldn't do that, she should at the very least, become an attorney. Angela opposes her parent's idea of traditional success. Angela's passion is photography. She also models from time to time to pay the bills. And Angela unabashedly proclaims herself as boy crazy!

Maggie, another young woman on the show, is also trying to make herself a name in the art world. She is currently interning at Eli Klein studio. Eli Klein studio features Chinese contemporary art.  Maggie  isn't too thrilled about interning at Eli Klein, as Eli makes her work on very menial tasks such as filling the water bowl for his dog, as well as counting dirt pebbles in a few of  his bonsai tree art pieces! There does seem to be some strange sexual tension between Maggie and Eli, but it mostly comes from Eli, as Maggie has a boyfriend she seems quite enamored with.

Working with Maggie, is Liz, another one of Eli's interns who is treated quite different. Liz is the daughter of a major player and artist in the current art world, therefore, she is treated very well by Eli,  and Liz has no problem with that. Regardless of this, Liz and Maggie seem to hit it off and there is no tension or jealousy towards Liz on Maggie's part.

Amy is another member of Gallery Girls. Very much like Liz, Amy's father is a huge name in the art community. Because of her family's wealth, Amy is able to intern gratis and still live a very comfortable life in Manhattan. Amy is a bit of a party girl, and very much enjoys drinking and partying with boys. Her gregarious personality seems to rub some of the other girls the wrong way, even though Amy tries to be very kind to everyone.

Finally, there is Kerri. Kerri recently moved to her first apartment in New York and juggles a paying job as a conceirge for the rich and famous, while interning for an art adviser along with Amy. Kerri's dream is to pick out art for high echelon hotels.

The show follows each of these very different girls through their struggles in the big city, and explores their relationships with each other as well as family and friends.  I just adore this show. Perhaps, I love it because I enjoy living vicariously through these beautiful and ambitious girls.

I also enjoy seeing the city through the eyes of those in the NYC art world. I, myself, have always been a self proclaimed artist, selling my first painting at the age of six. It was a collaboration with my father, and I am still very proud of it! I am also a published author and artist, even though my pieces were published in my college newspaper! Ha! Exposure is exposure, right?

Anyway, back to the show, I am a huge fan and would highly recommend this show, if you are into art, or just a fan of reality t.v. I think Bravo has struck gold with this little gem of a show. And although the cast may change, as these women grow older and move on, I hope that the show will continue with new, up and coming girls. Bravo has a way of making shows evolve into something even better throughout the seasons.This is mostly evidenced in the Real Housewives shows.

 I just love this show and cannot recommend it enough. I think, like me, you will be hooked after watching the first episode. I give it two enthusiastic thumbs up. Good job Bravo.

Flipinista! The new look in casual footwear!

As I sat tweeting one day, as I normally do, I came across these amazing lovely flip flops that I know I would adore wearing! I immediately thought, now that is a great idea! These are high quality, charming, blinged out flip flops, that any girl would proudly wear. They are beautiful and would be great to wear with many different types of clothing such as a sundress, and even nice jeans and a t-shirt. And, as I found out more, I realized they can even be worn with dressier attire! I was so taken with these lovely flip flops that I wanted to contact their creator. So, that is what I did.

I contacted Monique, the lovely creator of Flipinista, and told her that I wanted to write about her beautiful foot wear. And, I was thrilled that she was as excited about the idea as I was. Monique informed me that Flipinista started about a year ago, in 2011.
Monique has always been a girl that wears high heels all the time, as many of her girl friends do. Many times, however, while hanging out with friends, they would throw off their high heels and slip on more comfortable shoes. These women explained that after wearing heels all day at work or running errands, they wanted to feel more comfortable in their personal lives, but felt badly about looking less dressed up and would often apologize to Monique for wearing less fancy foot wear. This is when Monique's idea about Flipinista came about.

Monique wanted girls to feel comfortable, while still looking and feeling fabulous about their foot attire. So, Monique began creating the beautiful and elegant Flipinistas flip flops. Each pair is personally designed by Monique. Once, the concept and design for a pair is complete, each pair is specially sewn by an expert. Nothing is glued on. The flip flops are made in Brazil and are 100% rubber, and no cheap embellishments are used.
Monique's designs are inspired by a number of things, but especially by the colors of nature. Special custom orders can also be made if you want your flip flops to encompass a certain theme, such as a nautical theme.

Monique happily exclaims that each design tells a story, "The strap acts as a paragraph, so at the end of every strap is a little something different to act as the period..Or in the case of Flipinista, TM , Exclamation point. It may be a tiny butterfly or crystal infused bead, something different to complete the story!"

The pricing for each pair varies and depends on whether you want a flat flip flop, or a wedge or kitty heel. The flat pairs are priced at $82 and the wedged and kitty heels are $92.

Monique prides herself and loves every detail that is put into each and every pair of Flipinista. Flipinista flip flops make great gifts for friends and family. They can be worn at just about any occasion because, while they are relaxed foot wear, they are quite fancy and undeniably beautiful! There are even Bridal Flipinistas! Monique proudly exclaims, "Bridal Flipinista's are all ONE OF A KIND, like the Bride herself! They arrive beautifully packaged. I have heard from clients that the packaging is as beautiful as the Flipinista! Love is in the details!!"

I, for one, think Flipinistas are just gorgeous! You can find Monique's Flipinistas on Facebook and Twitter on: Flipinista, Your BFF (best Flip Flop.) Flipinistas can also be ordered by phone. The phone number to call is available on both her Twitter and Facebook accounts.
So girls, check out the many different designs, some of which I have displayed here. Also, remember that you can order custom designs if you want a personal design of your own. I have fallen in love with these beautiful flip flops and wanted to share them with you. I know you will fall in love with them as much I did! So, please contact Monique and make your order! Happy walking! xoxo

What is ASMR?

Photo by:digit-drugs-binaural-beats

Have you ever heard someone speak, and it just soothed and calmed you? If you have, you probably never gave it a second thought. That's no big surprise. I have always found certain people's voices soothing, especially when they whispered and read to me. If this has happened to you, you might be experiencing a very real phenomenon that happens to 1 in 2000 people!
 It is called ASMR. ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. Essentially, this is a very personal experience in which the person feels some sort of soothing physical sensation, such as tingle like feelings in different parts of their body, when listening to someone whisper or speak in a soft tone. Other sounds also trigger these tingle sensations such as listening to someone go through their purse belongings, reading a book, crinkling pages, using brushes, etc. These tingles and positive sensations have been often referred to as "brain orgasms" in the past. It is just another name for the ASMR sensation.

No one really knows why ASMR occurs in certain people. It has been speculated that ASMR may possibly be a type of Synesthesia. Synesthesia is characterized by the blurring of one sense into another. For example, people with synesthesia may see a color associated with a certain word or they may taste a specific food when hearing a certain word.There is no hard evidence that that is what is happening when experiencing ASMR, although there is a clear link between the sense of hearing and physical sensations within the body. One speculation about synesthesia,and therefore maybe ASMR, is that when the individual is born, they have an excess of brain cells which then somehow cause an overflow of one sense into another.

A lot of people with ASMR don't realize that the "thing" they are feeling has a name. They may not tell anyone about their feelings because they may assume that everyone feels the same, or that they are in fact so different that they do not want to be viewed as weird. ASMR is definitely a very real and very personal experience.

Again, there is little known about ASMR and what, if any function, it may have. One thing that is certain, is that there is nothing wrong with a person's brain who experiences these feelings. But, with that being said, I am sure that some people might feel funny telling others of their experiences. Please know, however, that you are far from alone! And, you should count yourself lucky to have such a soothing and pleasant experience just by simple sounds that you encounter! The brain is certainly a magnificent and astounding thing!

Howard Stern, King or Scoundrel?

Picture by: Casspixx

There is no doubt that Howard Stern is a provocative ,and often divisive figure in popular culture. Howard has millions of fans, many who have listened to his show for decades. But, with every fan you count, you can find an opponent who thinks Stern is just an attention starved pervert .It's no secret that, the great shock jock has stirred up much controversy during the decades he has been in radio.

There are two clear, distinct and prevalent schools of thought on Howard, and the radio show he has created. The first school of thought, which seems to be the most pervasive, is that Howard is an exploiter of vulnerable people: young, confused women are brought into the show to prance around topless, people desperate for money and attention are asked to participate in disgusting and demeaning games to win prizes. There are examples galore that may in fact, demonstrate that Howard is taking advantage of the less fortunate, and using them as entertainment on the show, and doing so ,all the while, pushing aside any moral implications.

The second school of thought argues that Howard is not exploiting people ,but in fact, just bringing forward, and to our attention, people that we ,the general population, are often just too uncomfortable seeing in their own living rooms. They may elicit some uncomfortable and confusing emotions within ourselves. We wouldn't want that! Furthermore, the second school of thought purports that Stern is, in fact ,a champion of free speech, and a courageous entertainer who compels us to listen to, and to pay attention to people who we may otherwise ignore.

So which opinion is the truest? Where does the truth really lie?And, most importantly, what questions can we ask to begin to get a sense of what really may be going on on the show? Simply, where can we look to find some clues? I would say that there is a definite place to look. When attempting to ask the question of exploitation on the Stern show, we should look at the group that seems to elicit the greatest feelings of exploitation every time they're on the show. They are the quintessential under dogs. They are often the butt of a joke when they are on the show. These folks are scoundrels, and misfits. They are delusional. They are smelly, and are just about as different from "us" as you can get. And Howard loves them. They are called the Wack Pack.

The Wack Pack as it it affectionately called, is filled with "characters" who have a vast array of physical and mental dysfunctions. They are dwarfs, the mentally retarded, drug addicts, alcoholics,and transgendered people.They also include people like "Debbie the Pet Lady" who has obvious emotional problems, screaming at the top of her lungs about every seemingly innocuous detail in her life. Howard loves her. The fact that Debbie cannot control her behavior, makes her an excellent guest. Another example is "John the Stutterer" who has such difficulty getting words out, that most people just laugh while they wait. Howard,actually seems to get frustrated with John's inability to "spit it out," but, the very fact that it is so frustrating to listen to John, is what makes it great,at least in Howard's world.

Ahhh, the beloved Wack Packers of the Howard Stern show. Fans know them all, and just like Howard, either love them or just love to hate them. The love/hate relationship that the audience has with the Wack Packers makes for great radio. People love to call in to explain their often visceral reactions to these people. And, this makes The Wack Packers, radio gold! When they are there, so are the listeners. Now, is this exploitation on Howard Stern's part? Maybe. Maybe not. Let's look at a couple of points that may, in fact, point out that the Wack Packers may receive something good in return for their appearances on the show.

Picture by: redfishmike

Firstly, and in a very real sense, the Howard Stern show has become a catalyst for the individual Wack Packers to talk about themselves and their lives.Remember,these are folks who would probably otherwise go unnoticed, and because of that, they are often very lonely. While on the show, they have a place to speak about their opinions, and participate in conversations and debates with people, that they may not have otherwise been able to socialize with. That seems to be a great thing for them.Wouldn't you agree? Secondly, most of the time,whenever Wack Packer appears on the show, they really do look like they are having an amazing time ! And, you have to admit, that's pretty cool. Now please don't get me wrong, I realize that these sensational characters are put on the show to be provocative, stupid and silly , but the fact remains that, they are there and they are noticed.

But there is a second point that needs to be explored, I believe, in order to fully answer the question of exploitation. That is... Do the Wack Packers come on the show completely of their own free will? Do they freely choose to return when the opportunity presents itself? Or, are people like Beetlejuice, and Gary The Retard somehow being coaxed into unknowingly being the punch line of a joke? Many people definitely think so, I'm sure. That is , of course, another real and obvious point of contention for opponents of the show! I suppose I can't really blame them. It's a question that has no clear answers because each individual is different in so many ways. Who is to say?

So, will there ever be an answer for all? Whose right? Whose wrong? I don't know. In Howard's defense he is definitely allowing people, that may otherwise be silent, to be heard, and on national t.v! Also, believe it or not, Howard definitely seems to be interested and compassionate towards his loyal guests. He is more interested in his Wack Packers than he is on any pop culture flavor of the month, that's for sure. He would much rather interview Crackhead Bob, the drug addict who caused himself permanent brain damage due to smoking crack than interviewing a socialite. He loves to hear from Eric The Midget, the wheelchair ridden, obnoxious little person, who has delusions of grandeur and is obsessed with American Idol. I'm sure he would be less excited to hear from any teenage pop idol. Howard couldn't care less about that. I can say that for sure.

So, I realize that Howard pokes fun at the Wack Packers. But,truly, he makes fun of a lot of his guests, and even his staff for that matter. It is true that most of the time the Wack Packers are not "in" on the joke, but again, jokes are often played on staff as well.Everyone is game on the show. No one is immune.No one is safe. So, in the end, I don't think that the Wack Packers are being exploited. I think Howard is just treating them as badly and as awesome as he treats everyone else. There is no special treatment. He goofs on all people alike. Is that exploitation or is that the ultimate way to make all people feel normal? I guess, if we are a listener of the show, that's a question we must all ultimately answer for ourselves.

Andy Cohen, Most Talkative. A Review

Photo by: Greginhollywood

I just finished reading the autobiography Of Andy Cohen. Andy Cohen is the producer of many reality shows on the Bravo TV network. He is also the host of his own hit Bravo show, Watch What Happens Live! As a producer, his most notable work is that of the series of Housewives shows, including The Real Housewives of Orange County, New York, New Jersey, Atlanta, Beverly Hills, D.C. and Miami. The Housewive's Franchise has been a great success on the network with the exception of, the Housewives of D.C and Miami which were unsuccessful ventures, cancelled shortly after their inception.At the end of each season, Mr. Cohen also hosts a wrap up show called the Real Housewives Reunion. This is done at the end of each season for each and every city that the show takes place in.

Before beginning the book, I was under the misconception that the book would mainly focus on his work with the Housewives franchise. I was pleasantly surprised that that was only one small part of the story.

So, I started to read the book because I had become a great fan of Mr. Cohen and his work on the Bravo network. I have become such a big fan in fact, that I often joke that he is my bff! (Mr. Cohen??? hmmm, I think Ill just call him Andy since we're bff's anyway.) As the book suggests, Andy is indeed talkative. He is also charming, and of course, a bit of a gossip (which is perfect for him since that is what reality tv is all about!.) The book was a great read. I read it in two sittings. Let me just say that I am a frequent reader, often reading two books simultaneously. So to finish his book so quickly, is a testament of how interesting it was.

In the book, Andy talks about his history in show business, his childhood in St. Louis, and most interesting of all, in is his struggle to come out of the closet at an early age. In addition to his stories about growing up, Cohen speaks about his obsession with soap operas. He describes a particular obsession with Ms. Susan Lucci, that becomes a recurring theme throughout the book.

This book was highly entertaining, easy to follow and Andy's charm comes through in each and every page. Unbelievably,I grew to love Andy even more, as I read the stories of his work as a journalist and anchor, including the many adventures and hijinx he was involved in while working with celebrities, many of which he greatly admired. You really get a sense of the many highs and lows he experienced in the TV industry.

Throughout the book , the humor is often self deprecating which endeared me to Andy even more! I would HIGHLY recommend this book, if you are interested in knowing more about this lovely and talented man known as Andy Cohen!