Ayê orum – Sisterhood of the Boa Morte Celebration in Cachoeira

Central to a program composed of all night vigils, masses, processions and Samba de Roda, is the sisterhood of Nossa Senhora da Boa Morte in Cachoeira. The commemoration is held annually beginning on the 13th of August and continues until 17th. The festival of Nossa Senhora da Boa Morte, founded in 1821, is one of the most important religious traditions in Brazil, which represents today a living document of the African experience in the new world.
The commemoration was begun at the beginning of Abolition and preserves those ties to the motherland which are characteristic of freedom-seeking African-descendent people. The ceremonies are rare and very rich, from the clothing and jewelry the women use in each ceremony, to the food offered at the house of the sisterhood, and the Samba de Roda which personalizes the non-religious part of the festival.
This devotion of the Sisterhood of Boa Morte was begun in the senzalas where the slaves came together at the end of day and seized the the opportunity to the discuss abolition, and to pray for the slaves who died during the struggles for the freedom. They asked Nossa Senhora to end slavery in Brazil.
Want to see this celebration in person? Email tbailey@escapetogether.com or call 1-877-980-1717 to get more information.

Sushi and Mojitos

Heading to Radio City music hall for a concert we wanted an inexpensive restaurant that would provide a relaxing environment at the end of a long workday. Located on 49th between 6th and 7th Avenues is a small Japanese restaurant that met the bill.

Iroha offers friendly service, fun cocktails and great customer service. It was a cold night and our group was seated at a table near the door. we were greeted with warm towels to wipe our hands shortly after sitting down a nice welcoming feature of our choice.

We decided to start with cocktails and the Shiso Mojito has made my Perfect Mojito list. It is made of Japanese shochu liquor, citrus rum, fresh shiso mint leaves and lime. It was refreshing and delicious. It was so great I had two! We also had a Peach Lemonade sour (peach juice, lemondae, and Japanese shochu liquor. It is not as good as the Mojito but still tasty.

The food was also great and we tried the Salmon steak box, Tebasaki Kawari Age (which are crispy chicken wings with garlic flavored soy sauce and sesame seeds) Udon white wheat noodle soup with mountain of vegetables and rolls from the sushi bar.

It was all great and we loved the experience. A great choice for a meal near Radio City or just a night out in NYC.

IROHA Restaurant

152 W. 49th Street
between 6th and 7th Avenues
New York, NY 10019
212-398-9049

Beautiful and Budget Friendly Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina is a gorgeous city, but it is also perfect for folks on a budget. An unfortunate economic climate has put in the country in what seems like an endless cycle of recessions. This is bad for Argentina, but great for tourists. When I visited Buenos Aires, 1 U.S. dollar was equivalent to 3.40 Argentine Pesos, now 1USD=3.70ARS.
If your budget is preventing you from hopping the pond to Europe, I would suggest coming to Buenos Aires. It has a very European feel to it, but without the high price tag. The lifestyle and architecture are markedly more European than any other city in South America. Most Porteños, or residents of Buenos Aires, are of European descent. Argentina actually has the largest number of Italian descendents outside of Italy. To this point, it seems that there is a Pizzeria and or gelato shop on every corner. Also, Argentine men seem to have inherited the art of flirting and flattery from their Italian forefathers. Don’t believe the hype about the general preference for blondes. Argentine men LOVE the ladies. Trust me!

As part of your trip to Buenos Aires, I would recommend spending a day or afternoon in the historical neighborhood of Recoleta. This is a beautiful neighborhood filled with breathtaking parks and dotted with Parisian-style architecture. Most sights in the neighborhood are free or very low cost. This also happens to be the domain of the ladies who lunch. Most restaurants we came across in this trendy and upscale neighborhood offer great lunch and dinner specials. We had a lovely prix-fixed lunch at a great cafe including an appetizer, entree, dessert, and glass of wine for 70 pesos or roughly $20. Argentina’s claim to culinary fame is their mouthwatering steak, and at these prices you would be foolish not to try it.

Walking down the fashionable streets of the Palermo neighborhood, I saw more boutiques in one place than I have ever seen before in my life…and they all had sale signs in the windows! Buenos Aires is really putting out great designers and you can get fantastic deals at their shops. I highly recommend visiting the Carla Danelli boutique. She is a designer focused on shoes, handbags, and other leather accessories. Her designs are unique, modern, and only use the softest leather. I was able to purchase a beautiful fuchsia colored leather handbag for 50% off the original price. It was a great deal!

www.carladanelli.com
Buenos Aires is relatively spread out, but it easy to get around on the subway or subte. Taxis are everywhere and cheap. Most taxi rides cost us between $3 to $5.
If you are looking to travel internationally, but do not think you can afford it in this economy, Buenos Aires is one of the places I would highly recommend to visit. Not only is it a beautiful and friendly city, but you can experience all it has to offer on a small budget.

Busboys and Poets

Imagine a place where you can grab a sandwich, attend an open mic, have a cocktail, pick up the latest books by America’s leading black intellectuals, attend a lecture by a nobel laureate, and plug-in to free wi-fi.  Well, you will find all this and more at Busboys and Poets in DC’s vibrant U street/Shaw neighborhood.  Named after a reference to famed Black poet, Langston Hughes, Busboys and Poets is not just a restaurant, it’s a community center.  Busboys and Poets makes no secret about promoting progressive values, but you will find everybody and their mama here.  Looking around during a packed Sunday brunch you will see Howard University students, young white hipsters, and older Black ladies with their pastel hats and church suits.   

I almost always inevitably show up here for at least one meal when I have out of town guests.  They serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night food at reasonable prices.  It’s a fantastic spot for brunch and is packed on weekend mornings.  The menu is eclectic and global.  The food is consistently good and everybody will find something they enjoy.  The baristas are top-notch, and the coffee is always perfect.    

Busboys and Poets hosts daily events.  On any given day you can attend a film screening, lecture, open mic, concert, or networking event.  They also were quite popular during election season, and lines formed down the block to get in for debate and inaugural parties.   

Busboys and Poets business is so booming that they opened two more locations in the DC area, but I am loyal to the original on 14^th street.  If I ever leave DC, Busboy and Poets will be one of the places I will really miss.  There is a vibe and energy here that is so unique. Few places these days are as community focused and there is always something going on here, interesting people to meet, great art to look at, and good times to be had.   

2021 14th St NW 
(between N U St & N V St) 
Washington, DC 20009

202) 387-7638

www.busboysandpoets.com

3oz. Wonder

So ever since TSA changed the liquid guidelines I have been on the lookout for a way to bring my hair and body care items, such as lotion, shower gels and hair lotions, and still carry it in a carry-on. It is hard to find Black Hair care items in travel size and nothing is worse than getting to a destination and realizing you have nothing to put in your hair. Well The Body Shop has the perfect little clear bag that comes with 5 containers for all your needs. The best part is the little spoon that lets you scoop gels, pomades, face creams etc. into the small jars. No more searching at your destination for you favorite beauty product. The clear bag will meet TSA guidelines and the size is perfect for a weekend getaway.

I am a huge fan of the Body Shop and my other suggestion is to purchase the gift sets they sell of shower gels and body butters to use when traveling. Some hotels have caught on and began to carry great skin care lines but it can be hit or miss. If you don’t want to bring your huge bottle of cocoa butter lotion or suffer through dry skin from the nondescript bottle of lotion on the hotel counter, the Body Shop has a variety of lotions and body butters that will meet your needs and TSA size requirements.

Bad years can’t start in Rio

That is what I have now come to believe as I look out at the water and see the millions of smiling faces around me. Toasting on the beach in my all white, I am amazed at the level of joy that I feel and how happy everyone around me also is. They toss their flowers into the sea wishing for good luck in this new year and jump seven waves to get their seven wishes. We watch the fireworks and drink champagne as we wiggle our toes in the sand. Shouts of Feliz Ano Novo! Happy New Year!, are shared with friends and strangers alike. In the humid heat we dance along to the Samba in the middle of millions celebrating another year. This is Reveillon!  Read more

You Go, Solo, In Miami-oh!

Lately I’ve become the Solo-Traveler, which I love. I’ve been jet-setting on these one-day and weekend getaways. Traveling solo can be a lot of fun. And strange as it may sound, or most of us tend to not believe, it can be pretty safe. I would advise you to do your research, brush up on the culture, the local life, the language, surrounding neighborhoods, and the local attractions, etc. With that being said, here’s my latest one-day getaway excursion to South Beach, Miami, FL. Nestled in the heart of South Beach but a tab bit off the main beat is where you’ll find a quiet and seductive boutique hotel called The Sanctuary. I found the name of the hotel to be quite peculiar…very sacred. I wasn’t sure if I should pray first or kneel down before entering this “holy” ground…I didn’t know if I should be shunned for my persecutions or praised for my persecutions. A sanctuary is a place where one is taken for some sort of wrongdoing. Well if I did wrong and I had to choose a place to be persecuted it would be South Beach’s Sanctuary Hotel.

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Desperados Mexican Restaurant

I used to live in Texas and occasionally I long for Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes that seem to be so hard to come by in my current city. So when my friend suggested we visit her favorite local Mexican restaurant (Desperados) while I was in Dallas, I was more than willing to go along. Margarita lovers should not miss their award winning “La Margarita”. Served on the rocks the mixture of fresh lime juice, Sauza Commerativo, Cointreau and a little something they keep as their secret, it is the kind of drink summers and lazy days were made for. Needless to say they were so tasty we had a few. But they also have sangria for those of you looking for a non tequila drink.

The Tortilla soup is a traditional broth with homemade tortilla strips and vegetables. I have had better tortilla soup but my main dish was enough to make me call this place my new favorite spot. The Desperado Taco is typically served with beef or chicken but tonight’s special was a shrimp version. Two crispy flour tortillas enclose gooey melted cheese and the seasoned shrimp. Combined with pico de gallo and this dish is enough to make you wonder why you ever ate a taco anywhere else. My friend had the fish tacos, a fried catfish taco with cabbage and Desperados signature “mayotle” sauce. Both dishes are served with sopa de frijol and rice.

The thing that I long for most when I am needing a Tex-Mex fix are sopapillas and once again Desperados did not disappoint. Made in house and served with butter and honey they were the perfect conclusion to the meal.

There are two locations for Desperados and if you go to the Texas Fair they always have a booth. They also are located at Texas stadium, so Dallas Cowboy fans and enemies can take advantage of this local establishment while enjoying the game.

Desperados
4818 Greenville Ave @ University
214-363-1850
desperadouno@sbcglobal.net

The District’s Red Paradise

“Couples Escape or Solo Hideaway”

Looking for a quiet evening or weekend escape, at a chic boutique hotel, in one of the busiest Metro cities in the US?  Well I found the perfect spot for you in Washington, DC.  It’s called Hotel Rouge, which is a part of the Kimpton Hotel Family.

Yes Rouge (Red) is its theme and the 1960′s meet the millennium serves as its motif.  From the moment you enter, you’ll quickly escape the busy city life and be lured into this tantalizing and mesmerizing Red tranquil paradise.

After settling in my hotel, I was amazed at how much space and amenities I got for my buck.  I simply loved everything.  It felt as if this room was hand picked for me.  Each room is designed and decorated with a modernized 60′s pop culture theme.  Within the room you’ll notice framed pictures of Cadillac cars and piano bars drizzled in red, extending light fixtures and lamps accented in red, plush ottomans and armchairs accented in red, followed by a King sized bed with a floor to ceiling soft red leather headboard.

Sounds like a lot of red, however, it isn’t over done or overwhelming.  The rooms are strategically designed and well thought out, and the lingering soothing, sultry, and classy feel puts you at ease.  “Peace Man”.

The decor makes you feel like a million bucks.   And you can’t beat the nightly rate!  In December for roughly $110 per night I got amazing amenities, top-notch customer service, stylish rooms, and a hosted evening complimentary wine reception, and MORE…. Read more

Everything in Houston is HOT!

I recently traveled for a 2-day getaway to Houston, TX. What a perfect time to get away from the fall weather and the approaching winter chills. I really love all that Houston has to offer-the warm weather, the architecture, the southern hospitality, the food, the spacious living, and my favorite television evangelist Joel Osteen.

Here are my highlights:

Well my initial visit was primarily for play business. I like to think of work as play-fun. It takes the “downer” expression off of the situation, which is that stress that we associate with work. Keep it light and fun and “play.” Had to digress for a second. So, for my play business I spoke on an artist panel and performed at Houston’s 1st Annual Front Porch Series, hosted by author/poet/activist/educator Tim’m West. The event was held at the Montrose Counseling Center, near downtown Houston, and it was HOT! The pre-show panel discussion revolved around our place as artists and our relation to politics and activism. Following the panel was the featured artist session, showcasing jazz and soul vocal songstress Caretta Bell, lyrics, beats, and melodies by Houston’s black gay hip-hop/soul duo The Qure, poetry and spoken word of Tim’m West, followed by spoken word and character sketches from my one-man show FlagBoy. Definitely a HOT and moving night and a must see the next time you’re in Houston. For more information on Houston’s upcoming Front Porch Series log on to www.reddirt.biz/thefrontporch.htm.

While this event happened Saturday evening, I must rewind to my Friday evening, which was Halloween night. Houston was buzzing with Halloween spirit. I was also brainstorming a witty idea for a costume because I was invited to an exclusive Halloween party that evening. Of course my first stop was Houston’s infamous Galleria Mall, which has everything from urban wear to high fashion. Although I didn’t find Halloween inspiration there, in the interim I had dinner at The Kona Grill located inside the Galleria Mall. Kona Grill’s food dishes range from Sushi to Vietnamese to Thai to American traditional. There’s inside seating and outside seating available. Although the service clocked in on the poor meter, I did enjoy the Shrimp Pad Thai and the Grapeade Martini. Yum! My filling dinner fueled my inspiration for my costume….Joe The Plumber!

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