Flashes: Out & About in NYC, London, Paris

Maggie Betts

Rene Syler and Malaak Compton-Rock


Steve Harvey, Stephen Smith and Allan Houston

Kwame Kwei-Armah

Liya Kebede


Ekow Eshun



Cuba Gooding Jr. and Naomi Campbell


Kanye West with fiancee Alexis Phifer


Cuba Gooding, Jr and Naomi Campbell were on the London scene for the Burberry and Vanity Fair "Portraits" party.

Journalist Rene Syler and Malaak Compton-Rock attended American Cancer Society's 2008 MOTHER OF THE YEAR Awards.

Socialite, Maggie Betts attended Alberta Ferrett's screening of The Other Boleyn Girl.

Philanthropist Liya Kebede was svelte for the YSL opening in Paris.

Kanye and his designer fiancee??, Alexis Phifer hung out at the Just Cavalli Party at Le Crazy Horse in Paris.

Radio personality, Steve Harvey, Sports anchor, Stephen A. Smith and ex-NBA player, Allan Houston kicked it at The ESPN Zone Black History Month celebration in New York City.

Playwright, Kwame Kwei-Armah and the Artistic Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts, Ekow Eshun were guest speakers at the Institute of Contemporary Arts Annual Fundraising Gala "Figures of Speech" in London.

Celebrity HairStylist, Errol Douglas Receives the MBE Award

Errol with his son @ Buckingham Palace




Now Ladies,
I don't know about you, but as an African-American woman, when I travel to Europe I struggle with finding reputable black hair products and hairdressers. So, here's an excellent contact for you to check out if you're ever in the UK and need some hair TLC.

His name is Errol Douglas, he's a celebrity hairstylist and philanthropist. Errol Douglas is considered the creme de la creme of his industry and has styled numerous notable women including the likes of Naomi Campbell, Uma Thurman and Christina Ricci.

Recently, during a ceremony at the Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth presented 43 year-old Douglas the uber-prestigious MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) Award. The MBE is 1 of 5 classes that are part of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, a British order of chivalry invented in 1917 by King George.



Now Back to Hair...


Douglas has been styling hair 28yrs and recently celebrated his salon's 10th birthday. His swanky salon located in Knightbridge, London is a fusion of Afro and European styling and is known for fabulous blow-outs, coloring and polished finishes. His salon also offers spa services and in-house catering.


Errol Douglas has been the recipient of numerous awards including: overall AIPP Grand Trophy winner, the Fellowship for British Hairdressing’s Hairdresser of the Year, the Fellowship Gold Salon Consumer Award (2 consecutive years), Creative Head Media Darling of the Year and most recently the British Master Award at the Australian Hair Fashion Awards ceremony, Black Beauty/Wahl¹s Afro Hairdresser of the Year and has been nominated eleven times for British Hairdresser of the Year, winner of the Afro category three times.

In addition to racking up accolades, Douglas has made several tv appearances like GMTV, This Morning, Good Morning, Model Behaviour, UK Living, G-Girls, 10 Years Younger, Queer Eye for a Straight Guy, Ready Steady Cook, The Weakest Link, Dial-a-mum, Extreme Makeover and Celebrity Scissorhands, to name a few.


Next time your in London and get caught in the rain, Ladies don't fret...head over to Errol Douglas on 18 Motcomb Street, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 8LB.

To find out more, visit Erroldouglas.com.

Ann Fudge Joins Board of Directors @ Novartis

Corporate mover and shaker, Ann Fudge, former Chairman and CEO of Young & Rubicam Brands, has joined healthcare firm, Novartis AG's Board of Directors. Fudge is elected to the Board of Directors for a three-year term.

Anne Fudge is also a member of the Board of Directors of General Electric and of several non-profit organizations. It's great to see Black women being included and growing in corporate sectors that are usually dominated by men.

Flashes: Ciara, Mellody Hobson and more @ Hip Hop Summit Action Network Awards

Ciara and LL Cool


Mellody Hobson with boyfriend, George Lucas


Chris and Veronica Lighty


Andre Harrell
(Photos:WireImage)

The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network awards dinner was hosted earlier this week by HSAN Chairman Russell Simmons. The dinner was a mix of the hip-hop elite, corporate movers and shakers, as well as community leaders, like Dr. Benjamin Chavis and Andre Harrell. The purpose of the dinner was "taking back responsibility" in the hip hop music community by honoring those stars that give back their time and their funds to helping to improve "the quality of life of all people," according to Russell Simmons.

Award Honoree, Mellody Hobson looked great and made an appearance with her boyfriend George Lucas, the director of Star Wars. Ciara, Snoop Dogg, Doug E. Fresh, and Chris Lighty (50 Cents manager) were among those who were honored for their good deeds in the hip hop community.

Life on the Beach: South Beach Wine & Food Festival

Chef Marcus Samuelsson

Chef Govind Armstrong


Chef Govind Armstrong


Aerial view of Emeril's Sugar Shack

Emeril's Sugar Shack

TV Anchor, Al Roker


John Legend and girlfriend, Christine Teigen with Chef Giada de Laurentis



Rachael Ray's Burger Bash



Rachael Ray's Burger Bash


The weather was perfect this weekend on the beach. The past few days have been such a whirlwind, my husband and I are still recuperating. This weekend was the South Beach Wine and Food Festival and majority of the culinary elite and Food Network personalities were on the scene.

My husband is a food and hospitality executive, so we had several friends and colleagues in town and attended numerous dinner parties and industry insider events the past few days. Some of the events during the festival were Emeril's Sugar Shack (where they ran out of sugar and champagne) poolside at the Raleigh hotel, Rachael Ray's Burger Bash (where Chef Marcus Samuelsson joined in the fun), Bubble Q (where celebs like John Legend and Al Roker hung out) and the celebrity chef after-party at Casa Casuarina (Versace mansion) to name a few.

My favorite culinary event was definitely the Publix Grand Tasting Tent. Celebrity chefs like Chef Govind Armstrong had live cooking demos and there were dozens of food and wine vendors to sample. I had the most delicious Andouille sausage and Duck gumbo, the Barbados tourism served their island's traditional tasty flying fish. Everybody at the tasting was feeling good and saucy with all the wine and liquor being served. The Lucid Absinthe was yummy and intoxicating, but my favorite was the MonteVina Winery's Terra d'oro Zinfandel, perfection!

I'll post some more photos of the South Beach Wine and Food festival in upcoming posts and let you know the deal with Chef Govind Armstrong from the popular Los Angeles/Miami restaurants Table 8.

Flashes: Will, Jada, Gabrielle, Quincy Jones and More @ the First Annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon

Jada and Will Smith

Nia Long


Sanaa Lathan


Ruby Dee


Raven Symone


Lisa Raye


Lynn Whitfield



Gabrielle Union



Tracey Edmonds


Suzanne de Passe


Kimberly Elise


Holly Robinson Peete



Quincy Jones
(Photos: Patrick McMullan)



Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith hosted Essence Magazine’s First Annual Black Women In Hollywood luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel. It was a black star studded event for Black women in film and television including guests: Suzanne de Passe, Kerry Washington, Lisa Raye, Tom and Katie Cruise, Ruby Dee, Quincy Jones, Nia Long, Sanaa Lathan, Tracy Ellis Ross, Lynn Whitfield and Raven Symone to name a few. Jada and Ruby Dee, among others, were honored for their work in Hollywood.
Everyone looked gorgeous!

Society Stars:Elton John's 16th Annual AID Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party

Songstress, Mary J Blige


Host and music extraordinaire,Elton John

TV personality Terri Seymour with her boyfriend and music producer/Idol judge, Simon Cowell


Actress, Jurnee Smollet


Model Mogul, Heidi Klum with her husband and singer, Seal.


Mogul, Russell Simmons with girlfriend and model, Porschia Coleman
(Photos: Getty Images)

The 80th Annual Oscar Academy Awardss were held last night and in tradition, Elton Johnand his partner David Furnish hosted his 16th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party at the Pacific Design Center. Black stars shone brightly last night in an effort to support Elton John in his endeavors to combat and raise awareness about the fatal disease HIV/AIDS, as well as the elimination of prejudice and discrimination against HIV/AIDS-affected individuals, and for programs that provide services to people living with or at risk for HIV/AIDS.

The philanthropic gala began with a cocktail reception, then a formal dinner and viewing of the Oscars Awards.

Society Stars: EIF & Sak's 'UNFORGETTABLE EVENING'

Gelila and Wolfgang Puck


Mary J Blige


Darlene Fountaine


Chad Wonder with Kai Milla


Natalie Cole
(Photos: Patrick McMullan)


EIF and Sak's 5th Avenue held it's annual 'UNFORGETTABLE EVENING' Benefiting Entertainment Industry Foundation's (EIF) Women's Cancer Research. The sit-down dinner gala,which raised over $1.5 million for revolutionary cancer research, took place at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel and featured a live performance by Grammy-award winning Mary J. Blige. This year EIF honored Oscar winning actress Hillary Swank whose lost several family members to Cancer, with the 2008 Courage Award. Fellow thespian Morgan Freeman presented Hillary Swank with the award.

Stevie Wonder's wife, designer Kai Milla and Beverly Hill real estate agent Darlene Fountaine looked gorgeous. Gelila's husband, Wolfgang Puck catered the dinner. Chanteuse, Natalie Cole looked absolutely flawless and younger than ever.