Everything She Wants

Mary J. Blige is a survivor. She's not gon' give up. The still reigning Queen of Hip-Hop Soul is also not gon' cry.  She's been through her share of heartache, but the native New Yorker made it clear during her energetic and heartfelt performance earlier this month at  Brooklyn's  Barclays Center that she's in a good headspace. It appears she's finally found the real love that she's been searching for, and it's self love. It was  also abundantly clear that this Brooklyn audience had a love jones for Mary J.  The hype crowd was warmed up by a hip-hop banger set by Funkmaster Flex (in  feisty Flex fashion he  proclaimed that he wasn't getting paid to DJ, but he was there because he loves Mary) and opening acts Queen Naija and Ella Mai (Mai, who was joined onstage briefly by Babyface, was  the  more engaging and tasteful pick). But once Mary hit the stage, most of what happened beforehand quickly took a backseat. Decked out in a cropped yellow jacke

Summer is winding down, but there's still time to soak up the sun -- while wearing sunscreen, chic shades and a protective hat or sun visor, of course. If you're in New York City, The Pool at The Rockaway Hotel + Spa  is a cool place to swim, lounge and discreetly people watch while swaying to beat of ambient music.  It's a vibe! Day passes are available for non-hotel guests Monday through Thursday (excluding private events, 10 am -7 pm).  Located in the heart of the Rockaway Beach community in Queens, New York, the Rockaway Hotel is just a few short blocks from the sand and surf. Besides the outdoor pool,  the  newly built 84,000 square foot hotel offers around 60 guest rooms, a restaurant, a rooftop bar, and a large event space. And it's a nice addition to the area.  When my husband and I visited the popular pool, we enjoyed yummy sips and bites poolside. Lounging chairs are first come, first serve so the early bird gets the spot of their choice. After chilling at t

I’ve been a fan of The Real Housewives of Atlanta since the beginning.     So I jumped at the chance to chat with original RHOA cast member and breakout star NeNe Leakes.     It’s been a tough couple of years since NeNe parted ways with the show. In 2021 her husband Gregg lost his battle with colon cancer and earlier this year she filed a discrimination lawsuit against her former employer, Bravo. But on the brighter side, the 54-year-old is dating again and starring in the BET limited reality series,   College Hill: Celebrity Edition.    Along with other headline-grabbing reality TV stars including, Big Freedia, Lamar Odom, Stacey Dash and Ray J., NeNe and the members of the cast lived together and attended classes at the historically Black Texas Southern University.     We asked NeNe what it was like to go back to school, what the biggest misconception about her is, which housewives she's still friendly with, and more.   Everything She Wants : What did it feel like being back in

Travel takes a lot more planning and preparation these days.  If you're like me, in addition to packing versatile and comfy clothing, accessories and footwear, and essential toiletries and beauty products, your travel checklist also includes several PPE options. KN95 masks, hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes and gloves. Check! To help you keep your PPE game on point, here are four new travel-sized sanitizing products that Everything She Wants recently discovered. Sanitizing Hand Wipe Mitts ($12.99 for a pack of ten) : Winter may be over, but here is a pair of mittens you might want to wear all year round. R eportedly the first wearable wipe that provides a protective liner between you and all surfaces you touch, this multi-use sanitizing mitt kills germs and 99.9% of bacteria on your hands. T his new mitt also reduces the number of wipes needed and makes it easy to keep hands safe and clean on the go – just think: no contact with hotel doorknobs, shopping carts, elevators, airport

You only need to scan the news headlines to see that now more than ever, what world needs now is love, sweet love. In order to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, however, we first have to treat ourselves with love, care and compassion. For as the wise RuPaul ponders, "If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else"?  Ready to dig a little deeper? Here are Everything She Wants' picks of five workbooks and journals that may help to promote self-care, self-discovery and self-healing. Self-Care for Black Women ( Oludara Adeeyo, $15.99) :    This book personally speaks to me as a Black woman. I wouldn't trade living in  the rich melanin skin I'm in, but b etween micro- and macro-aggressions we experience at work and everywhere in between, it can be tough to prioritize physical and mental wellness as a Black woman, especially with a constant news cycle highlighting Black trauma.  Written by a Black female  psychotherapist who is   p

Watching the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater makes me proud to be a Black woman. This ballet company is graced by dancers of color who can tackle any technique or dance style. But whether the choreography is rooted in jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop or ballet, they do it the Ailey way, which means they move with so much culturally rooted soulfulness and swag that I find myself marveling at their languid form and fierce footwork. In my lifetime, I've seen the Ailey company perform at least a dozen times and each time I picked a performance that included Mr. Ailey's beloved "Revelations." I will never grow tired of witnessing this jubilant homage to the Black Southern Baptist church. By the end I'm always standing, singing and clapping along with the rest of the audience's Amen chorus. Yes, rock a my soul in the bosom of Abraham ! Like most theatrical events and performing arts programs, this is Ailey's comeback season after going dark in 2020 due to