My Space - Wendi Bekoe from Wendi B Writes

Most of us reach a mini crisis point in our lives when we think ‘Help, I’ve not done half the things I planned to do when I was younger.’ For some this can result in a total meltdown or for others it can lead to something positive and creative. This is what Wendi Bekoe experienced earlier a few years ago when she reached a landmark bday and this lead to the creation of This Person Called Me which is a blog which is the diary of her inner thoughts. This year she followed that up with Wendi B Writes which covers topical issues on social and popular culture. Wendi is a busy lady, when she is not blogging she is holding down her nine to five job and also freelances for Candy magazine. I caught up with her to find out where she blogs.

Describe the concept of your blogs
My This Person Called Me blog started a few months before I turned 30, and it was an online diary for me to vent my panic and frustrations at not being where I wanted to be or where I thought I should be as a 30 year-old. Since then it has become a witty, sometimes sad, but very honest account of my progression in finding a relationship and career I can be happy with. Wendi B Writes is a blog predominantly aimed at women, but of course everyone is welcome. It consists of topics, features and discussions relating to anything to do with social and popular culture. A lot of the topics come from things I see, experience, or just generally chat about with friends. I also have a section called Who Remembers? that features anything old school we remember growing up. The blog is also a portfolio of pieces I have had published elsewhere.

Where do you scribe?
Usually at home on the sofa, in front of the television, or sometimes at work on my lunch break... and maybe after my lunch break too... Shh!

Why that place?
The sitting room is the most comfortable place for me (apart from my bed, but my wireless internet doesn’t stretch as far as my room!) and I have the Sky TV there and family wondering around, who I can run ideas across. I’m not actually one of those people who can work in silence; I like to take inspiration from things going on around me.

What is on your sofa at the moment?
Right now cushions, a notepad and pen, my Blackberry and hands-free kit, and myself.

What form of inspiration do you have on the wall?
I don’t have any visual inspiration up on the walls, I find that I rather jot down things I see or ideas I have in my notebook. But I do have a vision board in my room, with buzz words and images that I’m gradually working towards achieving.

Do you keep a tidy office or are you a messy worker?
Since I live at home I don’t have an office space, but in terms of my bedroom I’d say I have an organised mess! So to the naked eye it may look untidy, but I know where everything is.

Check out Wendi's blog, This Person Called Me and Wendi B Writes.

You can follow her on Twitter.

Click here to read previous My Space posts.

The Facebook Movie

I had heard mutterings regarding a film about Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg starring Justin Timberlake but nothing concrete was established. Then today I came across this post on fellow pop culture blog, Mediacation. It looks like the Facebook film is truly on – in fact considering that the trailer has already been made it would be safe to say that it is more than on. The film is aptly called The Social Network and is about the rags to riches story of social media’s first wunderkid. The cast ensemble consists of Jesse Eisenberg playing Mark Zuckerberg, Justin Timberlake playing Sean Parker, Napster co-founder and Facebook founding president, Andrew Garfield playing Eduardo Saverin, the founder they fell out with as well as Rashida Jones. The Social Network has serious talent attached to it; the director is Oscar winning, David Fincher who brought us The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and the producers are Hollywood’s big time producer Scott Rudin who has worked on numerous hits such as Clueless, First Wives Club, The Queen and Notes on a Scandal., Michael Deluca  who worked on The Love Guru and 21 as well as Kevin Spacey who really needs no introduction. The trailer does not give too much away but it kind of has a dark and moody feel to it with a slice of intruige.

The Social Network hits the US in October.

For more information check out the website.  

Clothes Show London

One of the mini regrets of my life is never making it down to The Clothes Show Live. I loved the show when it was on BBC back in the 80s (yeah I know I am showing my age) and I also liked it when it made a return a few years ago. The event started in London in the late 80s and then moved to Birmingham a few years later. I always meant to make it up there but never got round to it so last year I was pleasantly surprised to hear that it was returning to London. Clothes Show London is aimed at a slightlt older crowd but netherless the aim is still the same which is to offer a great fashion experience to the capital's fashionistas and boy did they succeed. The event runs for three days and is jam packed with fashion and beauty events with a dash of music on top. There were performances by Paloma Faith, new 'male' band The Wanted and a selection of indie rock bands performing at the Sketchbook Magazine stand. Celebrities in attendance were former Clothes Show presenter, Caryn Franklin, TV presenter, George Lamb and his father Larry Lamb, fashion journalist, Hilary Alexander and Hollyoaks stars, Ricky Whittle and Stuart Manning. The venue was packed with stands selling clothes, make up and offering beauty and health tips. After a wander round and a visit to the press office, I decided to check out the fashion show.

This fashion show was like no other that I have seen. For a start it was huge with a whooping 415 outfit changes presented by 40 fabulous models and dancers in eight different scenes. The concept was based on fashion cities around the world such as Tokyo, New York, Paris, Milan and, London. Set to fantastic back drops that celebrated the cities's style. High street, designer, boutique and couture; it was all here. The show kicked off with an image of the world globe and an icon making its way to. Tokyo. We were treated to a. Martial arts dance which was fast and furious and then the fashion began with Shibuya girls and guys parading down the stage. We moved onto New York with its Hip Hop era with breakdancing and grafiti in the background. Then there was there was a Sex and the City lifestyle with Macy's as a backdrop. Then it was onto Rome with clothes that featured the sexiness and sassiness of Italian style. Pretty soon it was Paris and this section paid homage to Moulin Roiuge with lots of ruffles pieces, suits and elaborate head wear. Last but certainly not least was London featuring the punk scene, Carmaby Street and 80s fashion. The funkiness of Brick Lane was featured and we reached full circle with the naughties and the re embracement of Brit fashion. The whole show has a lot of energy from start top finish.

Talking of Carnaby Street, this little nugget in West London celebrates 50 years of fashion and music so it is only fitting that they occupy a stand that recreates that magic. The stand consisted of the iconic Carnaby arch with a selection of the famous streets that make up this popular street as well as brands like Pepe London, Lee Jeans, Make Up Store and Lazy Oaf. Also the wonderful people from Sketchbook Magazine have a space where they hosted up and coming bands. Clothes Show London is a fun event which is perfect for a girl's day out. My only gripe is with the prices: the cheapest was £26 and you had to pay £8 for a goodie bag which contained a programme and a discount card. The platinum premium tickets were a whooping £38 which included the goodie bag and a premium seat at the fashion show. I find this pricing excessive because when you think about it you are simply paying to go shopping; there are no exclusive events there that you cannot get elsewhere. In my opinion I don't think visitors were given real value for money. Note to organisers - introduce an early bird booking price of £20 which includes a goodie and entry to the fashion show. 

Clothes Show London ends today at 6.30pm. 

Bitch is the new Black by Helena Andrews

She is a bitch and so am I. Bitches get stuff done...Bitch is the new black!

Tina Fey on Saturday Night Live, 2008

Everyone is going on about this book and how great it is. I must admit the title did not do it for me but after a reading a few rave reviews it piqued my interest so I requested a review copy from Harper Collins US. Bitch is the new Black is a sort of memoir by Helena Andrews who is a hot shot journalist who has written for top magazines such as The New York Times, Marie Claire Magazine, O Magazine and Politico. Despite her glam career and fancy Ivy League education, Helena has not had the most easiest of childhoods; what with a lesbian and pot-smoking mother, a grandmother who kidnapped her in order to save her from her dysfuntional upbringing to being the only Black kid in her area. She survived all that drama and has built a great career for herself but alas her life is missing one thing - a good man. This leads her to ask the question whether her success is scaring men away. Currently I am reading I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk but as soon as I have finished that I will be right onto this book so look out for a review.

Bitch is the new Black is available to buy from amazon.

Check out the website here.

Why I Love Being a Black Woman

In the 90s I used to buy back to back issues of Essence and devour every issues but after a few years I stopped buying the magazine as I felt that it stopped speaking to me. Essence to me was cardboard thin and full of uninspiring topics so I chose to spend my hard earned cash on magazines such as Elle and Grazia. Then last week on Twitter I came across an exciting campaign that Essence is running called ‘Why I Love Being a Beautiful Woman’ Featuring women such as as Kelly Rowland, Ledisi, Chrisette Michele, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Tichina Arnold, Tia Mowrya, Tamera Mowry, Lisa Wu-Hartwell and Tamala Arnold. Ledisi has even penned a song about the project called Real Women which conveys the feeling, inspiration and reality behind it. The ethos of the campaign champions the ideology of being a strong, confident Black women. All the wonderful attributes of being Black, female and beautiful are harnessed here. In fact Black is Beautiful is the theme of the July Issue of Essence which features Jada Pinkett-Smith as the cover star and where she talks about her issues regarding her body image (read Clutch magazine's take on this here) and how she felt insecure about her tiny frame. I have not seen the issue as yet we poor folks in the UK don’t get the US issues till a bit later than the US but I cannot wait to get my mitts on it.

Mother and Child

S&TC2 may have been a compete dive but it did raise one question. What happens after you say I do. Well ideally you go on to build a foundation and create a family bit for some people it is not as simple as that. I came across this little gem on Girl With a Satchel - Mother and Child is the tale of three women who are affected by adoption. Karen played by Annette Benning is haunted by the fact that she gave up her baby at the age of 14. As a result her relationship with her mother is cold and distant while Karen herself finds it hard to get close to people. Elizabeth played by Naomi Watts is a lawyer who flits from place to place but this time has landed a new job as a lawyer. Adopted as a child, Elizabeth is estranged from her family and seems to have little regard for family life till she falls pregnant. Lucy played by Kerry Washington is unable to have a baby with her husband so puts all her hopes and dreams in adopting the baby of a teenager. All three women go through emotional ups and downs that rocks them to the core and during the film we find that they possess a strong bond that draws them all together. I don’t normally like weepy films but this one looks like a real corker; it just comes across as really powerful yet touching. Mother and Child made its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival last year and also screened at The Sundance Film Festival in January this year. No release date has been set for the UK but the film is showing in the US.

Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi

Wimbledon kicks off on Monday and we will see the greatest male tennis player of all time make a bid for yet another title. Yes, Roger Federer will be back to add some more silverware to his already vast collection but before Federer there was Sampras and before him was Becker, and then McEnroe, Borg and Laver. Then there was Andre Agassi; the Las Vegas native is probably one of the most charismatic and popular tennis player of all time. No other player worked their way into the public's heart as he did. From his blond Mohawk that he sported in his twenties to his bald head in his 30s, Agassi's style always turned heads. So I could not wait to get stuck into his biography. Last year when I heard that he had written a bio I did not take much notice but then statements such as how he hated tennis and how his long cascading hair was actually a wig came out in the press and I knew that this was a bio that I had to read. Open: An Autobiography is a frank and touching story about Andre's life as a celebrity tennis player and covers all the conflicts that he faced in his life. Such as his love and hate relationship with the beautiful game which also reflected the dynamic that he had with his father. Mike Agassi was a boxing champion from Iran who raised all his kids to be tennis players but focused on Andre who showed the most talent. Andre takes us behind the golden gates of the Bollettieri Academy where great champions are produced which he describes as a production line - simply a factory of tennis prodigies hoping to become the next tennis superstar. He also talks about his relationship with his inner team such as coaches Nick Bollettieri himself and Brad Gilbert and his trainer Gil Reyes. One of the most interesting aspects of the book are his feelings about his rival tennis players ie Boris Becker (both men detested each other), Jim Courier, John McEnroe and his pure and utter nemesis, Pete Sampras. Moreover Andre shares with us his friendships as well as his romantic relationships with his sweetheart Wendy who was there when he won his first Wimbledon, his fantasy marriage to Brooke Shields and Steffi Graf. Turns out that our Andre was always besotted with Stefanie (Stefi was a nickname her Mother gave her which the press picked up on) back in 1992 when they both won Wimbledon together but she showed no interest him so he went on to marry Brooke. Eight years later the two would both win the French Open together and get together - the rest as they say is history.

The book really is a fascinating look into the world of a professional tennis player and the dizzying heights of success compared to the depressing lows. From playing at prestigious tournaments such as Indian Wells and winning Grand Slams to slumming it in the Satelitte tour where you are served processed food and responsible for operating your own scorecard. Andre Agassi has certainly seen it all. As a tennis fan and someone who really likes Agassi I found this book completely riveting. I have always wondered what it was really like at the Bollettieri Academy and what the ATP tour is like and Andre explains it brilliantly. Whether you are a sports fan or just want to read about the life of Andre Agassi then you really need to pick up this book. Also it is really refreshing to read a bio where the author opens up and actually tells you about their life warts and all rather than the dull PR  drivel that are out on the bookshelves.

Open: An Autobiography is available to buy on amazon - the paperback version is out in August..

My Space - Raquel Dennie from HomeGirl Quel (kel) in Austin

One of the many perks of blogging is being able to connect to interesting people around the world. Also blogging can be a way of keeping in touch with friends and family so they can share what you are up to. This is the case of Raquel Dennie who started her blog HomeGirl Quel (kel) in Austin in 2005 after she moved to the hip city. She uses her blog to cover all her experiences both good and bad, she writes about heavy topics such as politics as well as light things like make up. Her posts are insightful as well as entertaining and her film and book reviews are really top class so it is no surprise to hear that she was also a blogger for Honey magazine. I caught up with Raquel to find out where she writes her blog.

Describe the concept of HomeGirl Quel (kel) in Austin. 

HomeGirl is a personal blog, essentially an online journal that I started (pre-Facebook era) to keep my family updated on my life after college. In the beginning, I wrote a lot about my life as a working, newly-married girl. I post reviews on books, films, beauty products, and anything else I might fancy. Since becoming a stay at home mom just over two years ago, I have written a lot about this new life. Fortunately, other folks like to read my ramblings and have continued to follow me, and I've gotten some pretty cool opportunities to work with awesome bloggers, companies and advertisers.

Where do you scribe?
At a computer desk in my bedroom.

Why that place?
I have two laptops that I use for blogging sometimes too, but working on a PC at my desk feels more like work use to and I'm more inclined to go the extra mile and add links and photos to blog posts if I'm sitting in there.

What is on your desk at the moment?  
My husband's huge Triton synthesizer separates me from the huge flat screen monitor, which is set towards the back of the huge desk top. It's the perfect distraction for my two year-old who insists on sitting in my lap on the rare occasion that I attempt blogging while he's awake. With my left arm wrapped around to steady him, he bangs away on the piano keys while I bang out a draft or two on the wireless keyboard with my right hand. There are also two Logitech speakers, a blue lamp and a printer/copier/fax machine.

What form of inspiration do you have on the wall?
None. Since I write mostly about my life and interests, I don't really draw inspiration from external sources for my blogging. As my blog evolves, which it has over the years as my life has evolved, I'm sure I will write more for public consumption and will no-doubt need to draw inspiration from other art forms, events and places in my wonderful city of Austin, TX.

Do you keep a tidy office or are you a messy worker?
Messy. I can always find something more fun to do with my toddler than fold laundry and shred mail. So there are stacks of mail waiting to be shredded and 2 laundry baskets full of clean, partially folded clothes...and one suitcase that is waiting to be unpacked. And my bed is rarely made since I nap during the day when my son does, and making the bed would just seem like a colossal waste of time. 

You can read Raquel's blog here.

You can follow her on Twitter here. 

 

Disappearing Acts

I first came across the book for this film 20 years ago while working as a temp in the summer before returning to colllege. It was a time when adult pop lit were scarce to find. I had graduated from the realms of Sweet Valley High and Sweet Dreams and was looking for something more grown up. I was browsing in Foyles and I came across Disappearing Acts by Terry McMillan, two chapters later I was hooked. The thing about Terry is that she wrote in a way that spoke to modern men and women and that witty banter style was something that was unique in the 90s. Disappearing Acts is about a love story between Zora Banks and Franklin Swift, two characters who come from completely different backgrounds. Zora is a college educated aspiring musician who is working as a teacher while striving for her big break. Franklin is a construction worker who dropped out of school and with an estranged wife and two kids he is under pressure to deal with his responsibilities. They meet when Zora moves into a brownstone in Brooklyn which Franklin happens to be working on. Sparks fly and the two hook up and embark on a passionate love affair. Do they live happily ever after? Erm no. This is when it all starts to get very interesting becasue for all their chemistry there are some deep flaws in the relationship. Such as Franklin's low self esteem which stem from his dysfuntional relationship with his mother which led to him dropping out of school so he could get away from her. His lack of education sets him back; and he is unable to join the union and earn a decent living. This causes a lot of friction in his relationship with Zora as she battles to get her singing career off the ground and have a loving relationship. 

The story of Terry McMillan is an inspiring one; after years of struggling to make it as an author and raising her son by herself this book finally gave her her break. However, it was her next book that caused a sensation; Waiting to Exhale was on The New York Times bestseller's list for many months. Based on the lives of four sassy ladies it was really Sex and the City before it became 'Sex and the City' and when the film was released in 1996 it caused a sensation. How Stella Got Her Groove Back soon followed - book and film and shortly afterwards Terry's name was gold. Disappearing Acts was made into a film in 2000 and starred Sanaa Lathan and Wesley Snipes and on a much smaller scale as it went straight to DVD. Overall it is an ok movie but nothing groundbreaking plus there are a few changes to the film version that annoyed me. Sanaa Lathan puts in a great performance as Zora but Wesley Snipes is way too old to play Franklin - the male character was supposed to be youthful and in his early 30s- this role came really too late in Snipes careers. My recommendation is to buy the book and give the film a miss.

Sex and the City 2: The Good, The Bad and The Downright Ugly

Well I am sure you have all heard about the earthquake that was Sex and the City 2. After months of anticipation, the movie or shall I say momentous event that every lady had been waiting for finally arrived. So we grabbed our handbags, high heels and best gal pals (or best guy pal) and headed down to the latest cinema to get carried away. Sadly for many the movie did not live up to the hype, I personally thought the film was a complete and utter snore but the ladies I went to see it with thought it was great, I find It interesting that a film has created such polarised opinions. I guess S&TC2 is like marmite – you either love it or hate it and this has been reflected in the reviews. In one corner you have people lambasting it in the media for people fluffy nonsense and to a certain extent racist and in the other campy you have those who object to the some of the reviews calling it male chauvinism. I cannot remember the last time I have witnessed such an outpour of vitriolic rage, probably when The Passion of the Christ and The Satanic Verses were released. Interestingly enough both works are connected to religion and one of the main criticism of S&TC2 is the disrespect of Muslim culture. Anyway I have been lapping up every review of the film in fact I enjoyed reading them more than watching the film and me being the generous lady I am I have decided to share them with you.

So to no further ado here is a list of my favourite reviews of S&TC2.

Hadley Freeman in The Guardian
Admired by many, Hadley Freeman did not pull any punches when she ripped into the latest S&TC film and was in fact one of the first journalists in the UK to lay down the gauntlet.

Mark Kermonde on BBC Radio Five
I never really appreciated the talents of Mr Kermode before until his rant about S&TC2. Remember when Kevin Keegan went off on one about Alex Ferguson back in the 90s? Well this is very similar except that it wasn’t about football. This is epic!!

Bangs and a Bun
Lovely Bangs sent a tweet informing us that she was ensconced in the cinema about to watch S&TC2. Three hours later I had not heard from her and after fearing that she had fallen into a coma, I sent her a tweet asking if she was ok. She was just about but needed a good few hours to recover to produce this damming and brilliant vlog.

Andrew O’Hagan in the Evening Standard
No one managed to get the glossy mag ladies fuming as much as Andrew O (who?) did in his vicious attack on S&TC2. He described it as the most disgusting thing he has seen all year. Quite a feat I say and went on to condemn the film as the most. racist, stupid, polluting and women-hating film of the year Hmm steady on I say.

Katie Chutzpah
Our Katie was not having any of O'Hagan's drivel and fed up with all the patrionising and male chauvinistic reviews, she hit back with a blog post of her own which made a excellent points and put a few things in perspective.

Liz Jones in The Mail on Sunday
Oh what would a great cultural slagging off be without good old Liz Jones chipping in. She added her two cents worth in The Mail on Sunday and was her usual contentious self. The heading for her piece is ‘Go on savage Carrie and the girls – they’re the only safe target left’. Says it all really.

Melissa Silverstein in The Huffington Post
This piece takes an interesting slant and talks about how gay men seem to be teller of stories about women using S&TC2 and Mamma Mia as sources. She discusses how these films are gay men fantasys and how women would never get away with making these films. I think the lady has a point.

Edible Glitter
This blog post really sums up in words what S&TC2 is - a really disappointing movie and a huge let down.

Rex Reed in The New York Observer
This article rips ten shades into Carrie, Michael Patrick King, the script and just about everything to do with this movie

Amy Diluna in the New York Daily News
Amy just echoes what most people are thinking, that the S&TC brand has well and truly been rinsed out and should be left to rest in peace. Amen to that.

Hopefully Sarah Jessica Parker and Michael Patrick King will take the hint and not make a S&TC3. If you come across any other reviews that take your fancy then please feel free to post the link.

Culture Club

When Matilda Egere-Cooper announced that she was launching a new blog called The Cultural Expose' I was intrigued. I follow about a zillion blogs, all of which are fantastic so I was curious to see what this one would be about. The Cultural Expose basically follows Matilda's life from a cultural perspective; art exhibition, film releases, TV programmes, music, food, travel - it is all here on this blog. Matilda is an established music journalist who has written for publications such as The Independent, i-D, Blues and Soul, Dazed and Confused and the BBC. On top of that she also works as photographer and covers portraits, events, documentary and human interest stories. I caught up with Matilda to find out to find out about life as a blogger, photographer and journalist and to find out where she finds the time to do it all. 

What made you start blogging?
I started my first blog, Waltzing Matilda, in 2004 as a sort of online portfolio for all my music journalism work.  I recently launched a new blog on April 1st called The Cultural Exposé.

Describe the concept behind The Cultural Exposé.
I have quite an active social life when I'm not working, and I've always been the go-to person among my friends in terms of knowing about different things to do or places to go. So I started the blog as a document of my own "urban adventures", but also as a guide for people who might be into arts, culture, activities and travel and want to know what's going on.  Saying that, there's A LOT I haven't done in London yet, so I'm trying to rectify that while I still live here - and I'm all for inspiring and sharing the love, so if I'm getting hook-ups, I want people to get hooked-up too and try something new.

You recently changed your blog over to The Cultural Exposé. What were the reasons for this?

I've recently developed myself as a photographer - and I wanted to do something where I could combine writing and my photography that was distinctive in its own right.  If you check out my older archives on Waltzing Matilda, all you'll see is music coverage, but it started to lose it's focus a bit.  It still exists though.

Over the last year bloggers have really made their mark in the media, how do you think they will continue to push the boundaries over the next few years?

I think bloggers will start to define themselves by producing more original content, one particular blogger I respect for this is Jamal Edwards at sbtv.  This kid (he's only 19) has created his own hip-hop & grime entertainment channel and produces all the videos himself.  Understandably, he's one of the most popular sites out there at the moment in his field. Similarly is The Sartorialist - a fashion blog consisting of street photography created by the site's author, Scott Schuman.  Eventually, these types of bloggers (if they wanted to) can license their content to interested parties because the value will be second-to-none, really.

How do you get your ideas for your blog?

Well, it all started with Speed Dating.  I organised a night out with some friends and when I blogged about it, I was quite surprised by the number of people who were surprised that I did it.  So it had me thinking - what are the things that people a) have never considered doing b) would do only if someone else did it first c) have never heard of d) never had the time to do but would make time for it? With this in mind, I started getting ideas through conversations, reading newspapers (you'd be surprised what you come across in the classifieds LOL) and magazines. 

What do you do when you are not working on your blog?

I'm a freelance journalist, photographer and journalism tutor. 

Describe a typical day in the life of Matilda Egere-Cooper.

Ha ha!  Never a typical day with me, unfortunately.  But a week tends to be a combination of researching, writing, teaching and mentoring, lesson planning, managing my blog and social networks, doing my 365 photography project, eating good food and going somewhere. I'm also doing an evening French class at the moment, so I "try to" study every morning lol.

What are your favourite glossy magazines?

British Journal of Photography, Rolling Stones, Photo Pro Magazine and Essence. 

Name five blogs that you read religiously?

soulculture

Pinboard Blog

iamthenublack

themusingsofondolady

k-hartley.blogspot

How do you see The Cultural Exposé evolving over the next two years?

The photography and travel focus will grow and I'm already working on a project which will be developed later this year.  I'm also keen to develop a community so hopefully that will be established in a couple years time too. 

You can read Matilda's blog here.

You can follow her on Twitter here.