Black Star Power

I wasn't able to see the Oscars, since I'm in London and my dorm doesn't carry any good channels and even if the television in the common room had decent channels, I was taking out my twists, which was an all night event. However being the pop culture junkie that I am and given my Lenten facebook.com fast, I managed to piece the ceremony together thanks to youtube and the crappy free London tabloids. Is the Academy enacting some kind of affirmative action policy to make up for years of snubbing of talented Black actors? Well, all I can say is that it's about time! Forest Whitaker and Jennifer Hudson were wonderful. I'm just glad the Academy didn't go too far as to nominate the newest installment of the "Drumline" franchise- "Stomp the Yard", not even Lee Bolinger himself could co-sign on that one. And I must say (click here!) this was by far my favorite performance at an awards show in a long while. I especially appreciate the vocal gymnastics of Beyonce and JHud as they try to out-sing each other. Not to mention that Anika Noni Rose finally got the shine she deserves.
But this weekend wasn't all Oscar festivities for me. My freshman year roomie came into town from her study abroad program in Paris for the weekend. And we went to my new second home, Portobello Road Market. I feel like I went there more for me than for her, because I bought another chicken patty, fresh fruits and veggies, cupcakes, a head band (something to help me until I get a perm), and a cool vintage scarf. While she took pictures.
Then that evening a bunch of my fellow junior year abroad students at SOAS and I whipped up a soul food dinner.We made macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, asparagus, and had cheese cake and apple crumble with vanilla ice cream for dessert. It was actually fun, being in the kitchen with a group of people that I would never have met had I not left the security of Amherst. The love of macaroni and cheese was the one thing we all had in common. It was great! I kept on annoying my friend by singing, "Loving you is like food for the sooouuullll"... Happy Black History Month!
I'm still full.

Each one, teach one

(click me!) I think we've all had a teacher like this one.
"Everybody Hates Chris" and youtube have been one of my saving graces. If it weren't for youtube, pandora radio, internet TV, the NYTimes and Black gossip blogs and even the Amherst intranet page I would've gone crazy my second week in London. Although I've never been very patriotic, I do love my good ole' American mass media. And although we're oceans apart nothing can keep me away from watching "Ugly Betty" or looking at the new Ciara video. Thanks for inventing the internet Al Gore! If I didn't have internet access in my little broom closet of a dorm room I would not have been able to check out (click here too!)BET's Top 25 Events that (MIS)Shaped Black America.
While I agreed with most of the list, I would've moved Hurricane Katray-tray a little higher on the list. We all remember how our government reminded us once again how they totally disregard the lives of Black citizens and the urban poor. And I disagree with their placing of religion on the list. Christianity and Islam didn't condone slavery. I never heard of the press conference that Jesus and Muhammad held saying that slavery was cool. Slavers, plantation masters, the Spanish, British, French, Portuguese and American governments and scores of others claimed that slavery was permissible through self-serving interpretations of the Bible. Black folk love religion, and the Black Church has been a pillar of Black communities across the country. I mean where would we be without the Black National Anthem, "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing"? Harambe!
And while I'm as anti-apartheid as Sarafina I wouldn't list South African apartheid on a list of events that misshaped Black America. How about the failure of Reconstruction? Or the era of Jim Crow? But I could not agree more with the inclusion of Jheri Curls. Just say no to Soul Glo.

But I haven't just been surfing the internet, I've actually been exploring my hood a bit more. I live a few blocks from a cool area with nice little shops and such called Exmouth Market. And every Friday and Saturday they have food and produce vendors come through. I really like checking out little stores, but it's always awkward because the workers either give you hopeful glances or they know that you're not buying anything. Well I was actually about to buy a dress from this one store for 15 pounds, when 3 thugs came into the store and gave the store owner a wad of cash. I dove out. I'm not trying to get mixed up in some wacky British money laundering scheme. I don't care how cheap the dress is.
But I did buy some food- the most slamming crepe in my life! Yeah I got it from a stall but they guy was actually French and non-Brits tend stick together. Then I went to this Japanese cafe and got me a cheap and delicious sushi box and miso soup. Yittidy! I must have looked like a crackhead rushing home to eat my California roll.

Let there be Lent

So its looks like I'm not alone in my giving up Facebook for Lent. Check out Trinity College's top 10 list of things to give up for this the trendiest of somber observances: The Tripod. I really thought that it was a uniquely Ashley-esque thing to refrain from. But apparently Trinity College and I have more in common than I thought, besides the fact that we are both Episcopalian. I actually considered going there, but when they sent me my letter of admission they forgot to include my financial aid package. And well, I didn't want to go to a school that would mess around with my money (or lack thereof). In the words of my cousin Tracy, "cause you know, my money is funny."
But at least Trinity College recognizes the fact that some people observe Lent. Here in England if one is Christian, they are often given a cockeyed glance. Many folks here equate Christianity with George Bush style swagger and uber-conservatism.And that sho nuf ain't me.
But I am about to fall out from fasting. How did Gandhi do it? I'm only doing it for a few hours, old dude would do it for a few months.

A Beef Patty and Some Cocoa Bread

Or in my case a chicken patty without cocoa bread...
This weekend my friend Toi and I went to the Portobello Road market. And it was a lot of fun. But really really crowded. I kept on checking my purse like a paranoid white lady does when she sees a young Black man, because London is famous for its pickpockets and I'm a little too poor to get jacked. As we went from stall to stall we came across a Jamaican patty vendor. And I swear I wanted to kiss the cook. That patty was exactly what I needed. High off the curry from my patty and inspired to eat more Caribbean food I bought some plantains from a produce vendor who asked if we made the patties ourselves. Do I look like Tantie Golden Crust? And when I got home that evening after trying to make some inroads into my schoolwork I fried up some plantains and coated them with sugar for my friends, just like I used to do with my Grandmother. Plantains taste like sunshine to me. Sunshine and grease.

Cheers!

Since when did Starbucks become the latest destination of the PDA crowd? As I read Beloved for class, a couple sat right in front of me and proceeded to make-out while I read about Sethe's and her fam. (Shouts to Toni Morrison for topping the NYTimes list of the Greatest novels of the 20th Century with that book). In an effort to shake off the awkwardness I decided to explore my neighborhood a little...
I live in the London borough of Islington, really close to this neighborhood called Angel. Its like the London version of Brooklyn Heights. After I left the coffeeshop, I wandered off to the shopping center in town then the HMV, where album prices are much cheaper than back at home. Only problem is something called Urban Music. I don't really want to see Anita Baker next to Ja-Rule. They really should've just cut out the middle man and put Black People Music. Well at least Jazz had its own section. Anyway I picked up a 5 pound copy of Stevie Wonder's "Music of my Mind". And when I went up to the till (what the UK folk call cash registers), the cashier said "cheers", after everything. I hand him the money, "cheers". scans the cd, "cheers". "Have a nice day", "Cheers". Is that the national motto?
As I walk around Angel, thinking of places to visit and trying to look like I'm not a foreigner I get an intense craving for pizza. One of the things from home I miss the most is good Pizza and chicken patties. No kebab spot can take the place of Golden Crust. So I walk. And walk. And walk. Then in the horizon is a Pizza Hut (further up is a Papa Johns, but at this point I don't have the strength to explore any farther). I place my order, then wait for like 30 mins to get a dang pan pizza! At least they gave me a free order of buffalo wings for the long wait. Since the walk back to my building was kind of far I think I exercised enough to merit eating the greasy food.

And now as I enjoy my new Stevie Wonder record my faith in God is solidified that much more. Listening to one as gifted as he, I know that its not just a fluke. God knew that giving Stevie this exceptional talent would soothe hearts and minds all over the world. Music can sometimes enable me to feel things I hadn't known or simply to push me to work on the things I know God gave me to do.

A Very Al Green Valentine's

My mom is a huge Al Green fan. And in the quest for the familiar in London, I'm becoming a bigger fan as well. As I listen to him on my pandora station or at Starbucks (yitidy for Starbucks cards), I get transported to that free summer concert I saw him at, to home during the weekends, to my fake memories of hearing his music blast on the block circa 1974. Classic soul, New Jack Swing, R&B, and Jazz vocalists do it to me. It makes me yearn for home while easing my homesickness.
Studying at SOAS has given me a greater appreciation for American culture, and by American I mean more specifically Black American culture. Being away from it and outside of it makes me actually delve more into Black music, style, lit, history. Yeah at Amherst I'm a Black Studies major, but its like I've taken us for granted...
Sometimes I'll hear that the US is a cultural wasteland, devoid of any real creativity, etc... Meanwhile the music they listen too, the predominant fashion aesthetic, and more comes from Black American creativity. It boggles the mind. How did US (Black) culture become the faux "world culture"?
Who would've thought that pandora, the NYTimes and Black gossip blogs would increase my appreciation of Blackosity. Negrophilia, the correct term is a little unseemly to me.

It's Valentime's Day (a nod to by gbk brethern back home in NYC) and London is trying its best to be the most romantic city in the world. Sorry London, Paris got there first. I saw lovely floral arrangements riding the Tube. My girls and I went out to our own Valentine's Day dinner at Nando's a really popular Portugese restaurant. chain. Think the British equvalent of Chili's. And although I wasn't home listening to "Let's get Married" by Rev. Al with a Valentine. I can't think of a better way to have spent the day.

High Tea

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/02/11/travel/11dayout.html?ex=1329022800&en=fbc17c426c393619&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

I recently got back from my weekend in Oxford, visiting another Amherst friend studying abroad. When I got back to my flat and my trusty computer to catch up on the news I missed I see that the NY Times has been chronicling my trip to the University town for me. I knew we had that kind of relationship. Follow the above link and you'll get to read about what I did this weekend. Or what I should've done if my friend and I in our quest to watch good ole American tv got sucked into season 2 of America's Next Top Model.

Going into Oxford is like living history. The structures are all absurdly old, dating back to when the US still belonged to Native Americans and the British Empire was beginning to flex its muscles. But then the city itself is so modern and pretty diverse. As a belated birthday treat my friend took me to high tea, which is like a meal. They give you your own tea kettle, little salmon and cream cheese sandwiches (not as bad as it sounds), a scone (which was really a fancy English muffin), jam and chocolates. Although I'm more of a coffee guzzling girl myself, I felt so appropriate and proper sipping tea out of my little cup. England is kinda nice sometimes...

But then other times I miss home like crazy, like when I went to see "Music and Lyrics" a new Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant movie. I'm not crazy about Drew, she seems to play the same character to me and lovable Hugh is getting old. But I do jump at any chance to hear American accents. The film was set in NYC with lots of scenes at 72nd street, one of my hangouts back in high school, when my friends from LaGuardia and I used to window shop at Urban Outfitters then walk to Central Park to get a hot dog from our favorite street vendor.
And, I missed the Grammys. The one award show where you know Black folks are going to win the bulk of the awards. And now the Dixie Chicks are trying to take our shine on that.
But there is always pandora.com where can listen to my Nina Simone and After 7 radio stations, possibly the best website to ever happen to me.

I miss Black History Month. I miss being able to see "Malcolm X" constantly as a network fulfills it's Black history month requirement. I miss those Sunday morning Black political forum shows in which pundits discuss the demise of Black consciousness. And the moment I leave my college, they decide to act right and put on a real BHM program, and not just screen "School Daze". http://youtube.com/watch?v=mkiw_VDRQGk
Here in the UK BHM is in October, for some odd reason.
So I'm trying to deal without my yearly dose of Black affirmation, by watching canceled Black sitcoms on YouTube. Oh, it's a goldmine. They've got, "A Different World", "The Cosby Show" and even "Hanging with Mr. Cooper". These shows plus my "Martin" and "Living Single" dvds have mollified my homesickness by giving me American accents to listen to, but also take me back to the halcyon 90s. Those where the days...
But I am studying at the School of Oriental and African Studies, so I guess this is the most edifying Black History Month I've ever had. And Paul Robeson went here. Oh, it's Black history in the making...

I must confess my destiny's manifest...

The score will always be in the top 5 all time greatest hip hop albums, half of my quotes come from that record. The other half from Illmatic.
Whenever I need to preach the truth to the young black youth, I try to dig up a good lyric for inspiration. And although the one I am trying to inspire is usually myself, a good Nas quote never hurt no body. Well, if one was to discount most of what was said on Nastradamus, I Am and It Was Written.
But I digress...
Hopefully my destiny will manifest itself into something positive like some good incense and an Erykah Badu record during my time here in jolly ole Londontown.