Give Thanks, Not the Flu!

‘Tis the season to be … sick? According to health officials, maybe! It’s usually because cases of the seasonal flu spike around Thanksgiving, and holiday-travel and get-togethers can spread disease to different parts of the country … and to your holiday table. This year, swine flu is the culprit.

So how do you share your turkey and the warmth of the season without dishing out a side of the flu? Here are some tips:

Hug loved ones instead kissing and shaking hands. Sorry, your favorite aunt will understand.

Wipe ALL surfaces where food will be prepared or served.

Wash hands before handling food, during cooking, and before eating.

Do not share eating utensils or cups.

Have serving utensils in every dish.

Stock your bathroom with lots of hand-soap and paper/disposable towels.

Finally, travel ONLY if you are well.

This Thanksgiving, give all the thanks you want; spare the flu!

High Fashion Is Invading Chicago: Chifa Elite Fashion Explosion

The must anticipated fashion show, Chifa Elite Fashion Explosion, took place on Saturday evening in a swanky loft in the West Loop of Chicago. The crowd was diverse as ticketed patrons and press entered the beautifully decorated loft. The empty spots on the floor were filling in quickly as many gathered towards the runway to view the latest designs.

The anxiety came to a halt when the catwalk started. Dozens of male and female models glammed in hair, makeup and fashion trends represented a line-up of designers and retailers. The look for the season seems to be 80’s chic. Outfits from Akira Chicago included lots of bomber jackets for men and women, leggings for the ladies, sleek casual prep for the men. Forever 21 made a debut with their fall fashion line which included beautiful party dresses for the ladies. Kiwi Boutique & Eye Candy Boutique also featured some fashionable wear for the season

ChiFa also highlighted some of today’s top Chicago designers: Macy’s Incubator Designers’, Anna Hovet, Alonzo Jackson known as the (Fashion Geek), Nora Del Busto, Chicago Fashion Resource- Alice Berry, Gen Art (Fresh Face Nominee), Jenny Pfanenstiel, Sneaker shoe pimp - Dave Jeff and Kevin Hill known as the (Fly Nerd).


As the flicker from the array of flashes illuminated the room, in sync with the Jazz Fusion beats that erupted through the room. The crowd was impressed, cheering and clapping after each scene. Local talent kept the crowds entertained during intermission along with the timely wait at the bar. The light hors d'oeuvres were delicious, especially the assorted cheeses, sushi and spicy beef skewers. It was hard to resist the urge to go back for seconds. The polite and friendly wait staff was there to keep the serving dishes replenished.

Crystal Jones is founder of the Bumblebee Network. The BumbleBee Network is a full service events planning company with focus on hosting events to enhance the arts in the market place. Jones’ decade experience in advertising, sales, marketing and publishing coupled with her passion and wisdom have allowed her to hone in on her gift as a collaborator and event producer. Her love of enriching the community has allowed her to birth BumbleBee Network. Chifa Elite, which is the acronym for Chicago Fashion, was a spiritually inspired project.

Crystal and her staff worked the room making sure her guests were comfortable, full, and having a good time...and they did. Check out the photos from the event.

Is Black Face Black Skin?

When America’s Next Top Model aired Episode 9 of Cycle 13, about biracial cultures, Tyra Banks faced heavy criticism for using poor taste in portraying race.

Tyra’s photo shoot meant to capture the beauty of biracial or mixed peoples of different cultures. Each of the six models was assigned two different nationalities, then makeup and clothes worked their magic. Innocent, right? Nope. The charge? Blackface.

Blackface was theatrical makeup used by whites in the 19 ^thcentury to portray blacks. Whites used burnt corn or black shoe polish to darken their faces and exaggerate their lips, depicting blacks in demeaning and humiliating stereotypes like “happy go-luck” darky and “coon.” That was Blackface’s context. That was never Tyra’s.

Her shoot celebrated the beauty of brown skin, mixed heritage and diverse cultures. Tyra showed the world how unique, how intriguing, how diverse black skin really is. Blackface? I don’t think so.

Thanks Tyra.

Beware Idols

"Beware idols." Sound biblical advice? Yes. Good marital advice? Apparently so. It's being reported by numerous newspapers and Star Magazine that former American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino is dating a married who, after meeting Barrino, left his wife and children. The alleged man, Antwaun Cook, met the singer while working at a TMobile store and then upped and left his family to move in with Fantasia.

It's sad to see this happen between "regular" people, non-celebrities who for whatever reason leave their families and marriages to be together. But when celebrities do it, it has a touch of "the rules don't apply." This guy may be more than in love or in lust, he may be star struck and he may be seeing dollar signs. And to top it off, Fantasia needs to remember what so many have learned the hard way: when you meet someone who leaves their spouse for you, how much can you hold onto them yourself?

A Long way from 21 Jump Street...

Well ladies, wait no longer. Fellas, keep your ladies away from the magazine rack. People magazine has voted actor Johnny Depp as the Sexiest Man of 2009. Those of us who remember the 80's will remember when this guy wasn't the smooth and swaggering pirate or the hat-wearing, French-living thespian. We remember when he was the baby-faced detective undercover in high schools in 21 Jump Street.

I even remember when Freddy Krueger took Depp as one of his first victims in the original Nightmare on Elm Street!

So what makes this guy so sexy?

He isn't buff and cut. He isn't tall or charming. However, having been around women who love Depp (and I think that includes my wife), it's his laid back way. He carries himself like he really just don't give too much of a damn about anything. He's not the guy that would chase a girl, carry her books, text her to ask her out. He's the kind that would just say "We're going out" and if the girl was cool with it, cool. If not? He didn't give a second thought. This is also the way of the bad boy that dated your girl in high school or college. Maybe we could learn a thing or two from Gilbert Grape.

Congrats Johnny

Oprah is on her OWN

After much debacle, world renowned talk show Queen, Oprah Winfrey, has called it quits. Many fans came out to be apart of history when she announces her news to the world today that she will end her contract with ABC in September of 2011. Giving 25 years of her life to the world, Oprah will now pursue headlining her "OWN" network. Many will miss spending early mornings with the influential television host. Flair TV congratulates Oprah on her decision and wishes her the best!

Congrats to Our Featured Writer: Chad Hunter

Flair TV's very own featured writer Chad Hunter was a guest on Garrard McClendon Live recently. Hunter had the opportunity to spread the word about his increasingly popular radio show and blog: “Real Talk with the Innerwife.”

(View Chad In Action)

Chad Hunter is an author & host of the weekly BlogTalkRadio show “Real Talk with the Innerwife.” He has contributed to AskMen.com, Demand Studios, Baton Rouge Parenting and written for Garrard McClendon of CLTV’s Garrard McClendon Live. Hunter has been featured on Iseecolorlive.net, a live on-air show from Michael Baisden’s social network and Alan Roger Curry’s “Mode One” talk show.

Congrats Chad!

Some of that White House Magic

Many congratulations are in order to French-born, New York-based designer Sophie Theallet for winning the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America)/Vogue Fashion Fund design award on Monday night. If her name doesn't ring a bell immediately, the designer's young label caught the eye of a very fashionable First Lady, Michelle Obama, who has worn Sophie Theallet's clothing on more than a few occasions in the past year.


Theallet is also known for going against the norms in the fashion world as she only choose to cast black models for her 2009 Spring runway show. The designer, who describes her look as "Bohemian luxe", has won 200,000 and a year of mentoring from the CFDA/ Vogue. This should be a sign of great things to come for Ms. Theallet in the future. Need proof? Just see last years recipient, Alexander Wang.

Are you Ready?

Tonight is part two of the season finale of Project Runway. The season began with 16 designers and now they are down to the final 3.

We have Irina Shabayeva, the New York-based designer who is definitely not there to make friends. In the last episode, Irina was forced to revamp her T-shirts as she had been using copyrighted material. But, she has always been in the top and she is in it to win it.

Then there is Carol Hannah Whitfield, the young designer from North Carolina, who has constructed beautiful dresses. Bad luck struck Carol Hannah in the last episode when she became sick with a stomach virus. Can she can pull through and take the prize?

And Althea Harper, the designer from Dayton, Ohio and she has been consistent with her designs and pretty low-key. Could she be the dark horse and pull an upset?

Who are you rooting for?

Face of Courage

Charla Nash’s story is so overwhelming to hear! This woman has endured so much within less than a year. In February Charla was brutally attacked by a chimpanzee that her neighbor boarded as a pet. After a plea of help from her neighbor to catch the escaped house mate, Charla arrived to the home. However, before Nash knew it Travis, the chimpanzee, viciously attacked her. The attack left her face completely mauled and with a new way of life. Watching this story on Oprah was compelling and inspirational. Although, many may rudely protest but there is a new face of courage and that is one of Charla Nash.

Texting Ban to Come to Illinois

We’ve all done it in the car. Messing with the radio, getting way too involved in a song, dabbing on mascara, and yes, using the cell phone – all while driving.

But all that pales in comparison to the mother of all distractions, right? Texting while driving! Well, along with New Year resolutions, Illinois will ring in a texting-ban on January 1, and texting while driving will be illegal, as in 18 other states, like Connecticut and California.

Virginia Tech conducted a study measuring the length of time drivers took their eyes off the road to send or receive a text. Ready? Nearly five seconds –enough time to cover more than the length of a football field at about 55 mph.

But “Distraction” knows no boundaries. So, cut back on eating, don’t apply makeup, control the kids, and give the cell a break.

Basically, when driving, do one thing … Drive.

BLACK OR WHITE? : Sammy Sosa's New Change

Losing 30 pounds in 3 weeks, new extreme hair cut, or botched plastic surgery; neither of these issues was the topic when Sammy Sosa presented himself during an interview this week. It seems Sosa has gone a shade lighter, on his skin that is, and everybody can not help but to take notice.

Sosa explained that the transition is due to a “bleaching cream” that he is using for skin softening. The disgust associated with being a beautiful shade of dark is overwhelming in many ethnic communities. Tyra Banks has had many shows surrounding the controversial issue but for the first time we are stunned by the blatant display of self loathing by a highly recognizable public figure. What do you think of his change?

Movie Review: Precious (Based on the Novel 'PUSH' by Sapphire)

Oprah, Tyler Perry, Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey, Paula Patton
This movie has been stamped with the seal of approval from all the of powerful urban movers and shakers. Since the moment Oprah raved about it on her show earlier in the year, many movie goers waited with anticipation for Precious to hit theatres. The creators had many intrigued with the appeal of providing a movie that portrayed African-Americans in pivotal roles, since The Color Purple or Beloved. The movie Precious has stepped up and done a fantastic job at doing just that!

PRECIOUS is based on the novel ‘PUSH’ by Sapphire and is described by Lionsgate as "vibrant, honest and resoundingly hopeful film about the human capacity to grow and overcome."

Set in Harlem in 1987, it is the story of Claireece “Precious” Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), a sixteen-year-old African-American girl born into a life no one would want.

Viewing the movie after reading the intense novel, it was confirmed that reading the book first would be more of an emotional experience in order to truly grasp the plight of the main character. Although supporting actress, Mo'Nique, was phenomenal in carrying the plight of the main characters struggles, a sense of connection with some of the characters became quite hard. However, if it was the creator, Lee Daniels, and author, Sapphire, intent to make you feel compelled to appreciate your life, love, and faith then this movie deserves an award.

Rihanna & Chris Brown: Were her initial reactions wrong?

R & B singer Rihanna stated in recent interview with British newspaper "The Daily Mirror" and ABC's "Good Morning America," that after the assault that broke both headlines and the relationship between her and fellow singer Chris Brown, she "went back." The singer now views her return to Brown after the beating in which he assaulted her, as being "wrong."

The incident was shocking to the public and, from the tone of the interviews, also Rihanna herself. We all can think of someone who is in a destructive relationship and keeps going back. What do you do in this situation when it's someone you know? While it's a knee-jerk reaction to tell them to get out, statistically, abusive relationships become a yo-yo of the abused leaving the abuser only to return. So does it become a wasted breath, especially when you could end up the "bad guy" for standing against the abused's "lover?" Did Rihanna's return to Brown make her weak or just human?

*photo: ABC/Ida Mae Astute