A Poem on Purpose

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow is Enuf [segment]

~Ntozke Shange

lady in blue

...

you were always inconsistent

doin somethin and then bein sorry 

beatin my heart to death

talkin bout you sorry

well 

i will not call

i'm not goin be nice

i will raise my voice

& scream & holler

& break things & race the engine

& tell all yr secrets bout yrself to yr face

& i will list in detail everyone of my wonderful lovers

& their ways 

i will play oliver lake

loud

& i won't be sorry for none of it

i loved you on pupose

i was open on purpose

i still crave vulnerability & close talk

& i'm not even sorry bout you bein sorry

you can carry all the guilt and grime ya wanna

just don't give it to me

i can't use another sorry

next time 

you should admit 

you're mean/ low-down/ triflin/ & no count straight out

steada bein sorry alla the time

enjoy bein yrself

.

Chocolate Smiles

I didn't think it was humanly (or womanly) possible to love chocolate anymore until I had a piece of Chocolate Smiles handmade Milk Chocolate Non-Pareils.

Three words: Pure. Chocolate. Bliss.

Chocolate Smiles

With no preservatives or additives, the richness of the chocolate, and the sweetness in every morsel wasn't too overwhelming. During a vendor festival yesterday at my job, a couple hundred vendors set up shop offering samples and selling their various meat, cheese, fruit, and candy products and produce. Chocolate Smiles was my second vendor table after the cheese straws (FYI: cheese and chocolate are one of my favorite pairings.) I was originally intending to just settle for a sample, but immediately retraced my path and purchased a bag of Milk Chocolate Non-Pareils. 

Located in the heart of downtown Cary, Chocolate Smiles has been bring smiles to chocolate lovers since 1984 and, from what I can tell, has only gotten better with time. Diabetic? Try sugar-free chocolate. Nut allergy? Try some nut free candies. With a selection that includes chocolates, truffles, fudge, wedding favors, and specialty products, you are sure to find something to your liking for an array of occasions that will tantalize your sweet tooth and leave you craving more! Gift baskets, custom orders, and deliveries are also available upon request. Check out the amazing Chocolate Smiles gallery on their website with some of their delicious and fabulous creations!

So, have you had your chocolate fix for the day?

Make it a Demon Knight

Wondering what to watch on this dreary, yet spooky Halloween? Why not make it a Demon Knight?

Demon Knight was a 1995 Tales From the Crypt film. It starred my 1990's crush, Billy Zane, William Sadler, a pre-Smith Jada Pinkett, CCH Pounder, and Thomas Haden Church, rounding out a cast of some pretty stellar actors.

Demon Knight

Sadler plays Brayker, a 100+ year old Demon Knight, (who looks relatively good for his age) who is a guardian of one of the seven keys that can open the gates of hell. When demons tried to use all seven keys for power before the Earth was formed, God scattered the demons and keys throughout the universe. The film revolves around the demon Collector's (Zane) quest to retrieve the seventh and final key and unleash hell upon earth. The key was originally filled with the blood of Jesus Christ, but can be passed down and refilled with the blood of a deceased guardian. The Collector's search for the key and Brayker's protection detail and search for the next Demon Knight lead them to a boarding house with the fellow characters. All hell breaks loose (pun oh so intended) as the Collector erects an array of demons, that look like they've stayed in tanning bed too long, to take down Brayker and retrieve the key.

Mojo

But what's a Tales From the Crypt horror movie without some gore, a sprinkle of cheesy comedy, violence, and death? CCH Pounder's character, Irene loses an arm and after a few swigs of whiskey, turns into the female version of Rambo, Zane's the Collector proceeds to punch through and wear the sheriff's face like a mitten, and the boarding house 'harlot' turns into what looks like Mojo from the X-Men. Despite Brayker's tough wits and the blood of the key serving as an impenetrable barrier from the demons, the good guy numbers dwindle and Ms. Pinkett-Smith stands strong to become the next Demon Knight. Zane does a fine job of playing a charming, cunning demon and evil leader. However, bad things start happening when he has a mood swing, illustrated by the glowy, urination light show towards the end of the film.

Awkward.

Interestingly enough, there were two initial script plans and the demon-free version had Bible selling, black suit and sunglasses wearing baddies, which made the studio nervous but sounds very reminiscent of the 1988 John Carpenter sci-fi horror classic, They Live. Check out Demon Knight and you will definitely get your Halloween horror-worth.
.

Ode to Jacob Black

Ode to Jacob Black

O warrior Lycan!
With your rustic hues on this opaque night.
Rippling muscles that need no shirt
Which you remove with complete ease
To use in a healing manner.
Selfless and bold, strong and wise.
One gets lost in your deep, labyrinth eyes.
Ye of nature and transformation
Guided by the moon and the thrill of the hunt.
'Tis time for you to become one with the night.
Tonight is the Supermoon
and I will think of you fondly.

~K.G.

Aren't we cute together?!

.

P.F. Chang's Review

P.F. Chang's

Between wedding dress shopping and dance rehearsal my friends and I made a lunch trip to P.F. Chang's about a month ago. It was about noon on a Saturday, but we were seated promptly at a great table for a party of five. (No Matthew Fox or Jennifer Love Hewitt jokes, please.) Despite the extensive and delicious menu, it didn't take me long to decide on Crispy Wontons and Sesame Chicken. The chicken was tangy, delicious, and definitely hit the spot. Our service was speedy and efficient which always makes the dining experience that much better. Once our waitress found out that we were on a time crunch she helped us out even more by getting our to-go boxes ready and passing out our fortune cookies.

Fujisan Japanese Steakhouse Review

If you want to leave a restaurant having eaten your money's worth while leaving with a nice, round food baby and perhaps some leftovers, then make a visit to Fujisan. Along with a soup and salad, a hearty portioned entree is prepared by an awesome chef right in front of your table. One thing my parents would love to know about is all the vegetables the chefs put on my plate. Sheesh! And if there's a birthday in your party of 6 or more, then you get free cake!

Let's just stop and take a second to think about that deliciousness. Mmmmmm.

Okay! Back to reality. There is an amazing display of culinary skill on every visit. Between tossing eggs into their toque (chef's hat) and removing them uncracked; spinning spatulas on their fingers like basketballs; and grilling up some of the best Japanese cuisine around, these chefs keep you thoroughly entertained and ready for the next course. Did I mention the volcano?!

If you're looking to have a fun and yummy dining experience for a large party or a smaller date vibe, I recommend Fujisan Japanese Steakhouse for an excellent dining experience.