EVENT ALERTs: New Year's Eve Festivities

It's almost here!!! A brand new year ... (hey! that rhymes!) ... The SBC is preparing for the '09, which is already heightened by the inauguration of the first minority president ... Barack Obama. :)

If you're looking for somewhere to celebrate the New Year, here are some suggestions. I've called around to all the usual (and some unusual) nightspots to find out what they have planned. Here's the skinny:

ADAM'S LOUNGE

Location: 2015 Old Minden Road (attached to the Holiday Inn-Bossier City)

Phone number: (318) 742-9700

Party Plans: Party with DJ

Doors Open at: 9 pm

Admission: (call to find out)

GIGI'S MARTINI ROOM

Location: 420 Commerce Street

Phone number: (318) 221-2545

Party Plans: Food, Champagne and Music

Doors Open at: 8 pm

Admission: $20 for singles, $30 for couples







J.O.S.H. LOUNGE


Location: 224 Spring Street

Phone number: (318) 681-9960

Party Plans: Food & champagne

Doors Open at: 7 pm

Admission: $20








PHOENIX UNDERGROUND

Location: 600 Market St.

Phone number: (318) 676-0950

Party Plans: Food, Champagne, Valet Parking

Doors Open at: 8 pm

Admission: (call to find out)

211 MARTINI LOUNGE

Location: 211 Texas Street

Phone number: (318) 673-0951

Party Plans: Food, Champagne (w/admission), Valet Parking

Doors Open at: 8 pm

Admission: (call to find out); reserve tables by calling 272-1643





CLUB ENCORE:

Location: Louisiana Boardwalk

Phone number: (318) 549-8590

Party Plans: (see flyer above)

Doors Open at: 9 pm

Admission: $30 General Admission; $75 VIP

I tried to contact CHICAGO (221-0490) and VOODOO CAFE (222-6669), but received no reponse. You can call them yourself to find out what's up.



IN OTHER PARTY NEWS:




There's another party planned for the evening ... at the Municipal:





Bring in the New Year with style, class, and swagger at The BlackOut New Years Eve Party (brought to you by FreakBoy Ent). Put together your hottest, sexiest All-Black ensemble and come out!!!

This event will be held New Year's Eve at the Municipal Auditorium. Doors open at 9:30 ... Discounted Admission before 10pm.

There will be COACH & VICTORIA SECRET Giveaways for the Sexiest Lady in Her BLACK. Early arrival is suggested!!!





And if partying is not your thing and you're looking for something a little bit more spiritual to bring in the new year ... try this:





Praise Temple FGBC will be hosting their WATCH NIGHT celebration on Wednesday ... TOTALLY FREE. Come out and enjoy entertainment and praise all night long. The event kicks off at 9 pm with the Youth Explosion and then at 12:15, the Holy After Party & Musical. Call 631-LOVE for more information.





AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT THIS:





The Kappas and Alphas will be hosting a party together THIS SATURDAY, January 3rd. Check my previous entry for details.




PARTY HARD, BUT PARTY SAFE ... AND HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! :)

EVENT ALERT: Kwanzaa Celebration at Pamoja

Celebrate unity, purpose and other principles during the Kwanzaa 2008 celebration at Pamoja Cultural Art Center.

The annual event will run through New Year's Day as the Pamoja Art Society, The Black Artist's Coalition and The Linwood Village Merchants invite the community to observe the week-long holiday designed to honor African heritage.

The event will feature community leaders and volunteers. Shreveport City Councilman Calvin Lester Jr., Rep. Roy Burrell, Luther Cox and more will be on hand to recognize the seven Kwanzaa principles, which include Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity) and Imani (faith).

While there, check out the "Seven Sisters" art exhibit which features the works of seven local female artists, including the late Frances Drew. The exhibit runs through Jan. 1.

Happy Kwanzaa!

Today marks the first day of the cultural celebration known as KWANZAA. A seven-day, post-Christmas celebration that highlights African traditions and principles, but has become an annual rite in African-American homes.

Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa (Dec. 26th to Jan. 1st) is dedicated to one of the following principles:

1. Umoja (Unity) To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.
2. Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.
3. Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems and to solve them together.
4. Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.
5. Nia (Purpose) To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
6. Kuumba (Creativity) To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
7. Imani (Faith) To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

Families celebrating Kwanzaa decorate their households with objects of art, colorful African cloth, especially the wearing of the Uwole by women, and fresh fruits that represent African idealism. It is customary to include children in Kwanzaa ceremonies and to give respect and gratitude to ancestors.

Libations are shared, generally with a common chalice, "Kikombe cha Umoja" passed around to all celebrants. A Kwanzaa ceremony may include drumming and musical selections, libations, a reading of the "African Pledge" and the Principles of Blackness, reflection on the Pan-African colors, a discussion of the African principle of the day or a chapter in African history, a candle-lighting ritual, artistic performance, and, finally, a feast (Karamu).

I have yet to celebrate Kwanzaa, but I probably will -- one day :)

• To learn more about Kwanzaa, go HERE or HERE.
• To find graphics to promote Kwanzaa on your webpage, MySpace or Facebook, go HERE.
• And to learn about the new Kwanzaa-inspired film "The Black Candle" (narrated by Maya Angelou), go HERE.

HAPPY KWANZAA!

Merry Christmas!!!

from the mahogani media family ... we just want to say MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and your loved ones.

This season is not just about Jesus but also about showing our love for him and those he has brought into our lives. So share this special day with your family and friends and show them some love.

ATSBC will return on the weekend to give you some updates on New Year's Eve parties.

(Check out the flyer bin at the bottom of the page and previous posts for the most recent info) ...

Til then ... peace and blessings!! - m

PARTY PICS: College/Greek Explosion

CROWDPLEASER ENTERTAINMENT and the brothas of ALPHA PHI ALPHA hosted the College/Greek Explosion Saturday night (12.20) at the Riverview Hall. Of course DJ MARLE MAR (who I vote for as Alpha of the Year ... lol) was on the 1's and 2's (of course) ... and the Alphas were DEEP in the building:

I see you JB!

(No comment lol)

"Ice!"

"A Phi!"




There were other Greeks in the building as well:

Yo!

Of course, the ladies of AKA came out to support:

There were plenty of Non-Greeks as well.

Well-dressed Collegiates came out to show some love:

"Group shot!"

Cute and Classy .. love it.

Nice look, sans liquor lol.

Even the 80's look is cute ... and love the boots!

(I really only posted him because he was cute)

That's ... different.

I'm hoping the high-waist jean doesn't last long,

but these girls made it look good.

Nice hair .. but the wardrobe could've been stepped up a little.

Thick Chiks represent!

Now, not everyone did the right thing when it came to clothes ... what is this?

And this??

Um ...

"Let's all wear black dresses with different shoes, they won't notice"

WTH?

UM ... ?????

VIP was in the building ... (I see you CK)

Looks like the party was hot ... and congrats to the Fall 08 probates/neos!!!!

And thanks to VIP for the photos (hey D!) .. PEACE!

• See the rest of the pics HERE

Adventures In The SBC: Holiday Shopping, Part 2

This was the scene all over Shreveport this week as shoppers scrambled to area stores for last minute gifts, groceries and other important holiday items. I hate to navigate the city to run errands for the parents (particularly mom) and get some last minute items of my own.

Of course I hit up the only indoor mall left in Shreveport -- ST. VINCENT MALL .... Like South Park, it's not what it used to be.

I went to Byrd High in the 90's and St. Vincent was the place because it had a movie theatre and some restaurants .. and all the cute, preppie boys hung out there.

These days it's more of a mall-walkers paradise ... quiet, with the exception of some families taking a stroll through the building. It's nothing like it was ... but there ARE some highlights ...

The COACH store arrived earlier this year, and has already relocated to the other end of the mall (near Dillard's). Honestly, if I had the cash, I'd be in there every other month updating my purse collection. So let's just be glad that I don't have it .. or mahogani would be in trouble!

The BUCKLE has set up shop as well. I never really shopped here, but they always had the cutest sales guys ... and some cute t-shirts.

BODY CENTRAL is a store that first opened up at Pierre Bossier and has made its way to Shreveport as well. I called it Hooker Central because the clothing leaves NOTHING to the imagination. So if you need a Freakum Dress or something to "show what you got," this is the place to get it ... and at some pretty reasonable prices ...

DEMO closed up shop a while ago and has been replaced by a hip-hop store wannabe called UNDGERGROUND. Nothing in there enticed me to want to enter the store, much less spend my money ... and by the looks of the bored sales clerks, I'm not alone ...

By far the BEST find in the mall was that the CORN DOG place is still there. Whereas the Boardwalk in Bossier offers a great funnel cake when the fairs aren't in town, this place offers what has to be the BEST CORN DOG I'VE EVER EATEN ... and for half the price of the state fair. They sell other stuff too ... but go get a combo and I DARE you to tell me you didn't want another one ... LOL.

After my trip through St. Vincent, I continued my Shreveport shopping trip ...

I went everywhere -- several trips to Wal-Mart (Mansfield and Bert Kouns) .. on one trip the parking lot was so full I just left without even going in.

I went to Target ... big mistake ... Youree Drive was so congested by afternoon that with the packed lots you would think Kanye West or somebody was in concert.

I went to Circuit City, Best Buy, several Game Stop stores (thanks to my nephew's love of the PSP), JC Penney, Kohl's (they have some CUTE stuff!), Walgreens, CVS, Fred's, DollarTree, and many, many other places (including two trips to the post office and an unsual trip to Kinko's).

Through it all I avoided several fender benders, stood in long lines, rolled my eyes at comparative shoppers, damn near snatched up some unruly kids and made my way through ALL the traffic!

I made it through Christmas Shopping 2008 ... HOW ABOUT YOU?

***

SBC 411: Free Toy Assembly, Free Money + Blood Donors Needed

Free Toy Assembly Offered

Santa's helpers at Red River Chevrolet will offer free toy assembly for the 15th year. The service will be offered until tomorrow (Tuesday) at 221 Traffic St. in Bossier City.

Drop off toys for free assembly between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. at Red River Chevy's service department.





Trash, recycling pickup to change for holiday

Some Shreveport and Bossier City garbage and recycling pickups will change next week because of Christmas. Thursday collections will move to Friday, and Friday to Saturday.

The Woolworth Road landfill will be closed Christmas day but will reopen at 6:30 a.m. Friday.

Call the Shreveport Solid Waste office at (318) 673-6300 with questions.




Blood Drive Will Help Young Cancer Patients

Krispy Kreme Donuts, 7251 Youree Drive in Shreveport, will hold a blood drive for Jackson Kennedy and other young chemotherapy patients from 7 to 11 a.m. today and Dec. 27.

Jackson, 7, of Bossier City, is undergoing chemotherapy to treat brain and spinal tumors.

Donors must be at least 17 years old and in good general health. They should eat a good meal and drink plenty of fluids before donating.

Workers with LifeShare Blood Centers will give potential donors a mini-physical. Call LifeShare at (318) 222-7770 to learn more.




Drive to benefit sickle cell anemia patients

The local affiliate of the Sickle Cell Association's will have a blood drive from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday at its office at 3658 Judson St. in Shreveport.

The donated blood will provide transfusions for sickle cell anemia patients. More than 800 young sickle cell patients receive treatment in north Louisiana.

The association and LifeShare Blood Centers encourage healthy African-Americans to donate. According to LifeShare, African-American donors are better matches for sickle cell anemia patients.

Donors must be at least 17 years old and in good general health. They should eat a good meal and drink plenty of fluids before donating blood. LifeShare workers will give potential donors a mini-physical.

Call LifeShare at (318) 222-7770 to learn more information.




Cancer society offering $1,000 scholarships

The American Cancer Society's Mid-South Division is offering $1,000 scholarships to youngsters who have survived cancer.

Students who have fought cancer and are attending an accredited university, college or vocational/technical school are eligible to apply. Applications are due by Feb. 1. Awards for the 2009-10 academic year will be announced in April.

For more information, visit the American Cancer Society Web site at www.cancer.org/midsouthnews or call (800) 227-2345.

Adventures In The SBC: Holiday Shopping, Part 1

I ventured out into the SBC this weekend to start (and finish) my holiday shopping. I figured I'd document my travels and share them with you ... (a little pre-holiday entertainment -- if you will) .. lol ... So here goes:

My first day of shopping took me to Bossier City ... and Pierre Bossier Mall. There I saw lots of couples, families and teens making their way through the various stores ...

Despite the slump in retails sales, I was happy to see most of my old favorites still hanging in there. And of course, my FAVORITE new addition to the Pierre Bossier family put an instant smile on my face:

Ahhh ... Raising Cane's ... who knew a chicken finger box could taste sooooo good. As an LSU grad I've long known the craving for Cane's but now my fellow SBC residents know it as well.

I made my way past the food court (and out of my favorite store JC Penney). Stopped by the LSU Store, Payless, Bath & Body Works and even found a deal at Journeys ... but there were some new additions to the store I just had to check out:

This cute little place called Zoey's World (a B.O.B. at that!!!) is sort of a spa for girls/teens. Girls can get manicures, pedicures, facials and get all prissied up at this boutique style parlor ... and you can even get your little princess a package deal --

... They have a party room where all the little cuties can get gussied up together! I LOVE IT.

FAME is one of a few new ladies' clothing store that has some cute stuff in it. Reasonable prices and even stuff you can wear to work OR out on the town ...

PLAN B is another one ladies' clothing store. A little too "sexy" for my taste but hey, if you want to flaunt it, this is the place to be.

When I first saw the name of the store, I thought of the Plan B pill lol ... it was like "if you wear this stuff you may need Plan B in the morning" ... they may want to consider a name change lol.

ELEGANCE is one of several sort-of-new men's AND women's clothing stores housed in the mall. Not a huge selection to choose from but very formal clothing (church, business, etc.) on the racks.

There's also a new novelty store, called SWEET SCENTS N' MORE. Located near Sears, you can get candles or "smell-good" that they have available OR you can mix different scents to make your own custom cologne or perfume! ... (good gift idea!)

Besides perusing the new stores, I did hit up a few of my old favorites. I found these hot boots at Underground (Station). Ladies, if you're looking to step up your shoe game (and have some extra funds to do it) .. this IS the place to go.

I mean seriously ... look at these boots!!! At $95, all I could do was take a picture because ya girl does not have it like that right now ... (hopefully when I do, they'll be on sale! lol).

***

After walking the mall, I took a trip over to the Boardwalk. Besides GAP, Guess and DKNY, I don't really like any of the stores down there. It's more of a place to people-watch, get some exercise, waste some time, see a movie or EAT ...

So I ATE lol ... I always HAVE to get a pretzel from Auntie Anne's (if you get the pretzel sticks, you get more for your money). But when I passed by this food stand, I just HAD to get something else:

I was in the mood for a corn dog but was also excited about the funnel cake. FUNNEL CAKE!!! :) I usually eagerly wait for the State Fair or Holiday in Dixie to indulge in the overpriced treat, but who wants to pay admission just to get a funnel cake (or a turkey leg).

Well here's your alternative. Go visit THE SNACK SHACK and get some mini corn dogs (a little greasy but still good) or a funnel cake for at LEAST half the price of what you pay at the festival or fair.

Ok, so no good shopping to report at the Boardwalk, but definitely some good eats!!!

** STAY TUNED FOR PART 2 of my ADVENTURES IN THE SBC -- The Holiday Shopping Edition. :)