Sonia Salon Did My Henna

I've only had a vague awareness of what henna was. I was born and raised in Trinidad where young Indian women adorned their bodies with henna for social and holiday celebrations, but that was the only understanding I had. Traditionally, brides have the most intricate and beautiful henna as seen below, and the application of the reddish-brown dye was even a part of the celebration. The brides adorned their bodies not just for beauty but also for joy and good luck on their special day.

Recently, henna has moved beyond the sphere of just the traditional uses. Using it for body art is quite common. To do this, the henna leaf is dried then ground into a powder which is then mixed with an acidic liquid like lemon juice or even strong tea into a paste. This smooth paste allows the body art to be as intricate,

or as simple

as you would like.

Here in Chicago, I found a wonderful salon and spa that among other services, does amazing henna tattoos, and since I'm so pleased, I HAVE to share them with you. Sonia Salon does eyebrow threading, facials and full body waxing, and I am yet to be disappointed in any service I've enjoyed. Henna is one of those services. I just recently got my arms done with a simple yet beautiful design. It took less than half and hour to do each arm, and then I left the paste on for several hours so it could dry and give me a nice deep stain. Here is my final result!

The henna design will last between two to three weeks, maybe more. I highly recommend Sonia Salon for their henna work. They do not only decorative henna like the ones I got above, but they also do beautiful bridal henna and henna dye for hair. Owner, Sonia Dua, has created an a salon that gives you a warm and friendly experience mixed with high service standards and true professionalism.

Sonia Salon is located in Andersonville on the north side of Chicago, at 5055 N. Clark Street, Suite 1S. Walk-ins are welcome, or you can call 773-293-3110 to schedule an appointment. Enjoy!

Olbermann Calls Out A Racist America

This is a very VERY touchy and sensitive topic, but I would be remiss to act as if it weren't an issue that was critically important. I have always believed that racism has played a factor in SOME of the opposition that President Barack Obama has faced since taking office last year. I said SOME; not all. SOME.



Truth be told, SOME whites are afraid of this country being run by a black man. There, I said it. But it's masked, hiding behind all sorts of other excuses. "I don't like his policies;" "I think his health-care policies will kill old people;" "He's a socialist!" Do you even KNOW what a socialist is? "I want my country back!" say the people at town hall meetings. I ask, "Back from ... whom?" It suggests the current "owner" has stolen America from her rightful owners.




Then at the Tea Party Convention in Nashville, former Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo told a crowd of 600 delegates that the ONLY reason that Obama won was because there is no literacy test before voting. In other words, people who were not properly educated or informed on American issues voted an undeserving man into office. I suppose that if the true representation of America had voted (because of course they didn't right?) McCain would be president?



Is Tancredo aware that literacy tests were used to prevent blacks in this country from voting? So now he wants to implement the same initiative because he doesn't like who the president is? Because he wants "certain" class and racial groups to vote "certain" types of presidents in? What is he afraid of? Tancredo went even further. He stated, "we do not have a civics, literacy test before people can vote in this country" all because America "put a committed socialist idealogue in the White House ... Barack Hussein Obama." Take a listen and notice the ovation he receives after suggesting literacy tests.



Yeah, emphasizing his middle name really drives the point home, right? Oh, he's a Muslim! Let me see his birth certificate! Well, maybe he's not American! He's from Kenya!!! Anything will do, as long as we don't accept this black man as the President of the United States of America. Sorry guys, he IS 100% American; his middle name IS just that - a name; and his birth certificate IS valid - the man is an American.



Keith Olbermann of MSNBC is fed up, as I am. He does what so many can't - he bravely faces the REAL issue many want to pretend don't exist - RACISM. He made this special comment on his show, "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" on Monday, February 15. Listen. Don't just hear it. LISTEN!


via videosift.com

At least during the civil rights era we knew what the motivation behind hate, violence, lies and manipulation was. In some ways that was less dangerous. When a dog charges at you, you know what to expect; you know what to defend yourself against.



But disguising that charging dog as a political leader standing behind a podium, speaking into the lens of a news camera, or rallying a town hall meeting into frenzied "patriotism", is dangerous because you don't expect it to bite. And when it does ... God help us all.

A Real Woman - America Ferrera

Many know her as goofy fashionably-challenged braces-wearing Betty Suarez on ABC's "Ugly Betty." Sadly, the show is in its last season due to falling ratings. But that's not what I want to discuss here. I remember Ferrera from the first film she ever starred in, "Real Women Have Curves." Ferrera played a Mexican- American teen struggling to find a balance between her dream to go to college and the traditional values of her parents. The starlet won an acting award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2002 for her part and the film put Ferrera on the map. She was cast for "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" and its sequel, and then landed the lead role in "Ugly Betty." She shot to stardom. I wish that I could say that Ferrera's ethnicity has never been a roadblock in her career but sadly, I cannot.

Ferrera is an American citizen, born to Honduran parents, raised in San Fernando Valley, California, and has the beautiful curves of a Latina. It was this last attribute that garnered rejection at hundreds of commercial auditions. Directors also had issue with her Latin looks, and American accent and carriage: It was as though they couldn't reconcile the two elements: Latina talking and acting ... American!? In some instances, she even was asked to sound more Latina!




In "Real Women," it is clear that she fits her character Ana - an 18-year-old high school student - very well. Ferrera yet and still, before her successes, didn't fit the mold of an actress. Latin actresses usually get type cast into Latina roles, whereas a wafer-thin blonde could fit any role possible. And that is the reason I loved the film so much. Ferrera was real - very real.



In one scene, she is in the family's factory ironing dresses. It bothers Ana that none of the dresses were larger than size seven, despite the fact that all the women working there were heavier set, curvy latin women! While ironing the dresses, Ana becomes too hot for comfort and takes off her shirt revealing her round frame. The other women follow suite, freeing themselves from the shame of being "fat." That scene drew tears in my eyes; I will never forget how I felt seeing Ferrera dancing around in bra and panties, and the thought that came to mind was, "Wow, she loves who she is."

It bugs me when the typical stars are glamorized. Words like, "perfect," "gorgeous," "flawless," "sexy," are thrown around the usual skinny, Caucasian models and actresses. I'm not at all saying that they aren't beautiful, but our outlook on what beauty is needs to change. America Ferrera prancing around in her undies is beautiful! Not many of us love ourselves enough to not care about what others say about our size, hair, skin, lips, breasts and legs. "Perfection" holds celebrities slave to the knife of their plastice surgeons. Heidi Montag had 10 procedures done in one day!

If I'm only going to be happy "when I lose weight," "when I have a six-pack" "when I'm a size two," "when I can fit that little black dress," what emotional state am I going to be in the interim? Am I to be dissatisfied, miserable and disappointed till then? I'm sorry; life is too short. It's okay to have goals and to move towards those goals, but I'd also like to enjoy the journey, and to do that, I must be content and secure with what I have and with who I am ...right now. That is my challenge to myself and to you.




America Ferrera taught me a lot 8 years ago. Sometimes I just need to be reminded.

Surviving Layoff Day with your Spouse

In today's economy, it is not impossible that the dreaded pink slip could hit your household. If your spouse or partner has just tasted the axe, be prepared for a drastic blow to your loved one and your love life. With some guidance, you can help your special someone through a very tough time.

• Listen - Your spouse or partner has just lost their job on their layoff day. They are in great pain and need you to open up your ears. Listen, listen and listen to them as they express their feelings. This will allow them to feel their importance which is something that their job just took away.

• Get the Details - Knowing what's happened on your spouse's layoff day is important to what happens next. Gently ask questions such as "Is there anything you need to get?" "Is there any paperwork that you need to sign?" "Did they give you details on insurance?" Ask to see the paperwork so you can answer your own questions without making them feel grilled.

• Reassure - They need to feel that tomorrow will be okay. If they're worried about the car note or frightened about the mortgage, reassure them that everything will be fine. Even if you don't know how, reassure them that life continues on.

• Get physical - In this moment, they are unemployed and unsure. They need to feel safe, loved and grounded. Give a hug, kiss a forehead, hold a hand. Your spouse needs to know that you stand with them.

• Comfort the creature - Whether it's a nice lunch or dinner, a rented movie (because they don't want to cry in public) or some sudden intimacy, go for the creature comfort. This is a quick band-aid on a wound but it can help them with the sudden shock.

• Circle the wagons - Call in support on your spouse's layoff day if needed. Their siblings or good friends can help shore up against the negativity they feel closing in. Be highly selective as the wrong person can do considerable damage. Also invite people your spouse has already told so that you don't break the news for them.

Surviving your spouse's layoff day is a traumatic moment that can hit anyone. Choosing to listen, get the details, reassure, get physical, comfort the creature and circle the wagons can be the difference between coming together or falling apart.