Sunday, April 27, 2008

LIFE JUICE








Water.
Should we buy bottled?
Should we buy bottled for $0.89? How do we know that’s not just bottled tap? And should we drink from the tap? Didn’t you read something about minerals? Does bottled water expire? I heard something else about chlorine. Then I read something else about Fluoride? And isn’t that in our toothpaste? Let me get this straight so it’s good in our toothpaste bad in our water? Should we buy it bottled in glass? Should we buy it bottled in plastic? What if we boil it? Mama says boiling kills everything? But the Teflon in the pans might get into the water? One time I was in Mississippi and the water was brown. I drank it. In Manhattan I found some water selling for $20 a bottle. I passed on it. What? I had to Google that. $20. Turns out it’s Charity. That’s really the name, Charity: Water. Whoo, charity ain’t $0.10 a day any more, huh?
At Starbucks they sell Ethos Water. Five cents from every bottle sold goes to “support humanitarian water programs in Africa, Asia and Latin America.” Then there’s the one I’ve been drinking lately, Volvic. Volvic has teamed up with Unicef. “Volvic North America announced the launch of the “Drink 1, Give 10” campaign in the U.S. and Canada on April 1. From April 1 to August 31 in both 2008 and 2009, for each liter of Volvic bottled water purchased in the U.S. and Canada, Volvic will make a donation to enable UNICEF provide at least ten liters of clean drinking water to children in two districts of Benishangul Gumuz in western Ethiopia. More than half the population in these rural districts lack access to safe water and sanitation facilities.” Yes, my people. Wouldn’t it be funny if for Mother’s Day you just handed your mom a bottle of water? What would she say? Mine might actually like it. She’s convinced that FIJI Water is great. I think I could sell her on charity water on Charity Water. However, I’d probably have to pull out facts, figures, references and cross-continental phone calls to beneficiaries as defense for spending that kind of money on one bottle of water. Meanwhile, I know one thing she can’t argue with, that’s Oprah. For some reason, we trust Oprah. I do. I’ll admit it. So when I came across an article about a village completely ran by WOMEN in rural Kenya I was amazed to find out that they needed water too--“The women walk miles to a muddy, disease-and crocodile-infested river for their drinking water—putting a desperately needed clean-water system at the very top of a growing "To-Do" list.” You can read more about this in this month's O Magazine.
Geez, this liquid, that we here in the USA take for granted, folks around the world don’t have or they have it but it’s not fit to drink. Puts a whole new perspective on worrying about tap or bottled doesn’t it? Well, at the end of the article I saw the most beautiful unique-looking pieces of jewelry—bracelets. Come to find out these bracelets are going towards funding that clean water system. And so, decisions…a bottle of water or a bracelet? Well, I don’t knock the $20 bottles of water—but for me, I think the bracelet ranging from $28 -$70 are the better buy especially for Mother’s Day. I wear a bracelet around my wrist that garners many questions. And I’ll talk about that later. But for now let’s give honor and glory to God for providing us with clean water and for providing us with a heart that won’t let us anymore partake of it without keeping in mind our brothers and sisters who are without. Let us ask HIM to give us the motivation to share this information with others. And let us, do our part, if only in prayer—(that’s free)—perhaps with our mothers this Mother’s Day in support of our people. Just because they are here and we are there—it does not make us any better or them any less important* Right?








TO FIND OUT MORE:






Saturday, April 26, 2008

WAIT, DOES MILK STILL DO A BODY GOOD?

Tupac Shakur once said, "I got love for my brothers but we can never go nowhere unless we share w. each other." Do you agree?

Along with a Prince Charming complex, I have a bit of a Change The World complex. I am convinced that my voice matters. Perhaps I'm crazy. But being a New Yorker you are either A. Really passionate about people. B. Only notice people when you forget your i-Pod. C. Are really rich and noticing people is just something you do as part of a little thing called Philanthropy . Very few of us are the latter. But I've noticed a trend with our Mexican brothers and the alcohol. And somebody has got to say something. Though with all the working--I don't think our illegal immigrant Mexican fam is into blogging. Seriously though. Stand Up. Speak Up. If you see something say something! That's our NYC MTA motto--we'd do good to apply that to various aspects of humanity. We all know that's not Arizona Iced Tea in that brown bag,
my brown brother and fellow Barca fan(s). ;^) Marquez!!!
And you work hard. Liquor is a friend to no one but those who manufacture it. Really, you should talk to your black brothers and ask them what Malt Liquor does to the body.
Meanwhile, I was at a bar the other day, The Celtic Bar--mind you I only learned the name of this place after I'd left and turned around to see from whence I'd just come. I was lured by a chalkboard that read "BARCELONA VS MANCHESTER UNITED." So I popped in, sat at the bar, ordered some fries a drank (cranberry juice w/ lime) and got ready for some football!! Then, to my dismay I saw no French Chocolate. He wasn't playing? Dissapointed I left at halftime. Only to receive a text message with the final score and a little note saying that my man got in the game! Patience really is a virtue. Barca fans take note (!) Patience, Blaugrana, patience(!)

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

SUDDENLY I'M FEELING THIRSTY

Ask anyone who knows me, namebrands are not my thing.


I think expensive and shop cheap :^P
So me choosing this Volvic water over another brand (on sale for $0.99) was truly DIVINE intervention. Too, this is New York City--land of Pelegrino and Polish Springs. We like our water bottled. Tap water--fuhgettaboutit! Water from a sink? In New York? What? Puh-lease! I mean sure we'll let our skin soak it up while bathing but that's different, right? Riiiight :^/
Meanwhile, New York, just where in Poland is the spring?
Have you ever been out with those people who insist on having lemon with their water? Someone once said to me, "Yeah I can't drink this [glass of water] without lemon." I'm thinking does lemon have some kind of magic cure--does it dissolve calories, toxins, what??
But I digress! [focus] VOLVIC, Virgin, VOLVIC!!! Yes, so the point I almost completely got away from is that this VOLVIC water is the water to drink, people!!! It tastes good and most importantly it is helping our brothers and sisters without clean water...Without clean water? Yeah you know that stuff, that liquid that runs clear from our faucets, in our toilets and showers--yeah, some people--ya know humans like ourselves--have not that luxury. Imagine your server at your favorite restaurant sitting down a glass of brown orangey colored water while the people dining at the table next to yours gets served glasses of clear water (with lemon). You would have something to say right? Well, nows the time to put your money where your mouth is for folks without a voice. "
Volvic North America announced the launch of the "Drink 1, Give 10" campaign in the U.S. and Canada on April 1. From April 1 to August 31 in both 2008 and 2009, for each liter of Volvic bottled water purchased in the U.S. and Canada, Volvic will make a donation to enable UNICEF provide at least ten liters of clean drinking water to children in two districts of Benishangul Gumuz in western Ethiopia. More than half the population in these rural districts lack access to safe water and sanitation facilities. "
I'll drink to that.
Will you?
In related "news": I took two of my Girl Scouts, 12, (currently on Spring Break) to the city for a mini-adventure yesterday. They, like many people, had never tried Ethiopian food. And their reaction to the food was priceless ( in more ways than one). In their attempt to not hurt my feelings, I heard everything from "I don't eat vegetables" to "Ya know, this Ethiopian water tastes good Miss Danielle!" I know what you're thinking, 'What is "Ethiopian water?"' Well, duh, it's the free tap water served at an Ethiopian restaurant :) Gotta love them!!!

Sunday, April 20, 2008

HUNGRY HUNGRY VIRGIN!!!

28 DAYS LEFT TILL THE LAUNCH OF THE WEBSITE

- in other "news"-

This is DAY 7 of my 10 day-Vegetables Only-diet. If the word "diet" freaks you out--(subtract the "t" from diet and what's left--die_ )-- worry not mine ain't really a diet. You see, I, Danielle, decided to do a Daniel (Biblically speaking here) and eat nothing but veggies for 10 days. It's working out--it's limited my food and my expense. I'm eating one meal a day which has come atop injera thanks to the many Ethiopian restaurants in this city. I tip my hat and 15%. Well, not "Ethiopian Restaurant" on York Ave--that food was no bien. You'd think because the name is "Ethiopian Restaurant" that the food would be the best, right? I hope my fellow New Yorkers are trying multiple restaurants before deciding yey or nay on Ethiopian cuisine.
Today I made an afternoon stop at Awash (it being nearest to my home) and had an amazing veggie combo. You know Americans love choices and combinations. Meanwhile Meskerem, Awash (Uptown) and Queen of Sheba (* * * *) get my love and my money. Note: that walk to Queen of Sheba from 42nd and 8th Ave. is serious--not as serious as my Ethiopian brethren running without shoes though. WATCH THIS!!!


[ Yup! To my littletallcousin\^-^/see, you don't NEED Nikes or a car despite being in Tennessee!!!] Hi Haweni!!! (I couldn't talk Ethiopia and not mention my favorite Ethiopian!)

Friday, April 18, 2008

VEGETABLES ARE FROM VENUS



They are. Vegetables are from Venus. Just when I thought that I was loosing my mind, ya know, from not having any meat in the last 6 days--one read reaffirmed my decision.


Read this:



I wonder what a date with a Maasai warrior would be like?



Saturday night at THE BIG COW



Masaai Warrior: Taste this.



Virgin: Wait, is that O Positive or AB Negative?



(stops at two sips; at the end of the date MW asks "Are you going to finish that?"



Virgin says "No, would you like to finish it for me?" He's in love. She's hungry? Typical date:)