The Urbane Urbanite

One of the most fascinating conflicts to watch on screen is the internal struggle of sexual expression. Only after watching important films like Pariah , does it become glaringly clear just how difficult it is to be your authentic self in a world where you feel there's no place to be the person that you know you are. Adepero Oduye brings that battle to life with her fearless portrayal of Alike (pronounced: Ah-Lee-Kay), a Brooklyn teenager who isn't really coming to terms with her sexuality per se, but more so struggling to figure out how, where and with whom she can be herself.

Photo: S. James  Del don't do road trips. Usually. I have terrible childhood memories of being sandwiched in the back seat of an unairconditioned hooptie, riding down south in the middle of the summer. *Shudders*  So naturally, when talk of a road trip comes up, I'm the first one on the computer looking up a flight to said destination and making plans to meet my travel mates there. In my mind, by the time they get to the hotel completely aggravated, cranky and smelling of automobile, I'm already checked into my room, curled up with a Kindle and enthralled in a good book. Such was the case this past summer when my homies decided that a road trip from northern New Jersey to Toronto was in order for the 4th of July weekend.

My Room With A View Photo: S. James It's late October, but you'll be hard pressed to find anyone with the fall blues here in Clearwater Beach, Florida - including me. As I type this, I'm sprawled out on the balcony of my oceanfront suite at the Sandpearl, a world class resort and spa facility that calls The Gulf of Mexico its backyard. And I'm not the only one taking in this beautiful day. There are folks sunbathing on the sundeck near the lagoon swimming pool. The kiddies are playing in the sand. And others are getting their toes wet, walking along the shore. Photo: S. James I'm here on assignment reviewing the Sandpearl for one of the lifestyle publications I write for. Slave labor, I know. But someone's gotta do it, right?  I haven't been here 24 hours and I've already: Nibbled on shrimp, lobster and chocolate covered strawberries during a private food, wine and dessert tasting in Sandpearl's private standalone beachfront guest sui...

Photo: S. James On Wednesday night, inside of the Press Lounge located on the 16th floor atop Ink48, an upscale boutique hotel in midtown Manhattan, the number one rum in the Caribbean (and the only 100% Dominican rum) launched its newest labor of love. Photo: S. James Brugal Rum 1888 is a smooth, oaky master blend of double distilled fine rums aged 5-14 years. It's sweet and flavorful and has a distinct, spicy lingering aftertaste. It has a dark amber hue and is packaged in a masculine, sleek, square-shaped bottle and costs $49.99. While the main bar was exclusively serving 1888 neat or on the rocks (I sipped mine neat), there were three other bars located in the lounge, serving up delicious Brugal Añejo Rum cocktails created by bartenders all over the country. (See two of my favorite recipes from the event at the end of the post.) Once the rain let up, folks began to migrate from the glass-enclosed lounge...

The rooftop of Manhattan Motorcars was the place to be in New York City on Tuesday night as celebs, tastemakers and a select group of elite media sipped on NUVO Lemon Sorbet, toked on cigars and noshed on appetizers and cupcakes at the unveiling of the new Lamborghini LP700-4 Aventador. Source Image Source Image  Photo: S. James For a mere $400,000, this speed machine, which features a 700hp V12 engine and comes in an array of colors, including the nero nemesis matte finish (pictured above), can be yours. Too rich for your blood? Mine too. While everyone was ogling over the main attraction, me and my homegirl, The Fab Chick , decided to slum it with the cheap Lamborghinis. You know, the ones that  cost only $205,000. Last night's unveiling was only the beginning of the Aventador's media circuit. It will make its cinematic debut in next summer's surefire hit Batman: The Dark Knight Rises - and will certainly steal the show.

 Dion Parson  Looking for some culture in New York City this holiday weekend? Treat yourself to a night of jazz at the world famous Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola where Grammy Award winning drummer, Dion Parson and The 21st Century Band will be performing  now through September 4. I was in attendance for the kickoff of Dion's 5-day concert series, where he and his ingenious musical crew treated a packed house to a 90-minute set of traditional jazz fused with soulful, islandy sounds. Percussion, saxophone, steel pans, trumpet, piano, bass and Dion on the drums provides for a perfect blend of lively Caribbean rhythms and standard jazz harmonies. Not to be upstaged by the stellar musicians that play in it, the venue itself is a site to behold. Situated inside of the Time Warner Center, Dizzy's offers a vast, elevated view of Central Park and an intimate setting (the walls are lined with b...

The day after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, Kathryn Stockett found herself sitting in her downtown New York City apartment, reflective, lonely and terribly homesick. "I was thinking about my family and thinking about this woman named Demetrie," said Stockett. "She was the African-American woman that worked for our family for 32 years and for the first time in my life, I started to ask myself 'what was she thinking all of those years?' I had totally taken it for granted. I was so naive as a child. She knew everything about us and I didn't know anything about her. So I started writing in what to me was her voice." Ten years and over 60 rejection letters later, Demetrie's voice has become the bona fide literary phenomenon that is The Help . Stockett's debut novel about the complex relationship between black maids and their white female employers during the dawn of the civil rights movement in Jackson, Mi...

I attended my very first (and certainly not my last) National Association of Black Journalists Convention & Career Fair in Philadelphia last week. The Philadelphia Convention Center was the nerve center for everything NABJ: Ceremonies, panels, receptions, parties, film screenings, celebrity performances and a huge career fair. Although I was in reporter mode covering the event for VIBE magazine, I still managed to attend several panels, a couple of receptions and one lively film screening.

Image: S. James An unseasonably cool breeze whips through my rental car as I zoom up I-80 on my way from the San Francisco International Airport to The Meritage Resort & Spa in southern Napa Valley. After a six-hour flight from New York City, the fresh air is a welcome reprieve. The one-hour drive, which features glimpses of The San Francisco Bay, grassy knolls and rugged mountainous terrain, goes by in a flash. And before I know it, I pull up to a palatial 158-room resort that looks like an estate plucked straight from a Tuscan painting. I can't wait to check in! Image: Courtesy of The Meritage Resort & Spa

The Ainsworth is not your typical sports bar. Sure, there's the standard fare: Flat screens (over three dozen to be exact) on display at every available angle; a mammoth-sized, fully-stocked bar that begs to be sat at and pine walls that evoke a rustic, woodsy vibe. But fused with all of the masculine details are charming chandeliers that hang from sky-high ceilings, sporadic splashes of printed wallpaper, white, sheer curtains and life-size plants that dress the store front windows and doorway, giving the decor a classy, delicate touch.

With Memorial Day behind us, the summer movie season has officially kicked into high gear. Whether you like teenage mutants ( X-Men: First Class  ), violent robots ( Transformers: Dark of the Moon ) or magical wizards ( Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II ), there's something for everyone in theatres this season. This summer, AMC offers a great way for you to enhance your moviegoing experience.

There's a new musical in town that's garnering a lot of buzz. Baby It's You , which is currently in previews and officially opens on April 27, tells the little known true story of Florence Greenberg. Eager to be more than just a homemaker, Greenberg stepped out on a limb and did the unthinkable for a 1950's housewife: started her very own record label - and changed the landscape of the music industry forever. I caught a performance of Baby It's You earlier this week when they hosted a lovely bloggers night. The night started with a one hour pre-show cocktail reception at the ultra swanky Library Bar above the bustling lobby of The Paramount Hotel in Time Square. I nibbled on spring rolls and sipped on my favorite libation, Grey Goose and cranberry, while chatting up other bloggers. My hand on one of my many cocktails After my ___th drink, it was time to head two blocks south to the Broadhurst Theatre to catch the show. The moment you sit in your se...

I have reservations! That's what I yelled over the thumping bass of P-Diddy's "Hello, Good Morning" to the bouncer who was checking ID's at the door of Stir, a lounge on New York City's upper east side. He pointed me in the direction of the hostess at the bar. Sure, I had called ahead to reserve a table for two, but I was also referring to my sudden suspicion that this supposed night of laid-back martini tasting and appetizer nibbling had just taken a turn for the worse. The raucous crowd spilling out of the door was my first indication that this was not the cozy lounge Stir portrays itself to be. Visit their website and you'll see pictures of plush pillows on comfy leather couches set against candle-lit brick walls, which give off a vibe perfect for first dates and catching up with friends over cocktails. What I walked into was a boozy hoedown. Super drunk patrons were sliding small ottomans across a makeshift dance floor as they moved to the blar...

The All Stars Project Inc. is a 100 percent privately funded organization dedicated to the development of minorities and the less fortunate through the arts, theatre and performance.  Centrally located on 42nd Street in the heart of NYC's theatre district, is their spacious 31,000 square foot learning center, complete with four theatres, several rehearsal spaces and a host of future Broadway stars. There are a plethora of programs to choose from - an adult improvisation group , youth theatre ,  UX , a development institution for people of all ages - but last night, I had the pleasure of catching a dress rehearsal of the first part of the Young Playwrights from Castillo festival which opens tonight and runs through Sunday. The festival, which also has a second part that runs June 24-26, consists of three provocative new plays written by young playwrights who graduated from the Youth Onstage! program.  Bruised by Sit...

Fresh popcorn and wine were on deck last week at the film screening of Desert Flower, presented by The African Heritage Network and The New York Times Company. Flower chronicles the tumultuous childhood of Waris Dirie, who also penned the international best-selling novel the film is based on.  The stunning Liya Kebede is a force as Dirie, a woman who survives female genital mutilation at age three, being sold into marriage as a teenager and transforms herself from a Somalian nomad into an internationally recognized top supermodel and human rights activist. Kebede delivers a powerful performance laced with humor and humanity.  Watch out for a special appearance by the suave Anthony Mackie as Dirie's romantic missed connection and countless laugh-out-loud moments from Golden Globe Award winning actress Sally Hawkins, as Dirie's new found friend. Die hard fashionistas and anyone with a heart will enjoy this modern day Cinderella ....

Photo: S. James Sometimes, being a writer has its perks. A couple of weeks ago, my brilliant-phenomenal-stupendous-wonderful editor sent me on an assignment to cover the culture on the beautiful island of St. Croix. *Swoons* I couldn't wait to escape the frigid temperatures here in the Northeast and trade in my peacoat for a tank top and flip-flops.  But St. Croix has so much more to offer than a balmy year-round climate. The island is rich in culture and tradition with a bountiful, well-documented past.  The locals are warm, friendly and welcoming. The views are breathtaking and drool worthy - and the food is out of this world. Backed by the soothing sounds of Corinne Bailey Rae, is a four minute montage of images and video of incredible views, century-old landmarks and upscale seafood cuisine - all photographed and captured by yours truly. So.  Sit back.  Relax - and enjoy St. Croix. Click here to enjoy the video.

Smack dead in the middle of Time Square, among the white lights of Broadway, gargantuan billboards, and throngs of camera-ready tourists is a cozy enclave called the Aspen Social Club. The decor is a mix of city sophistication and warm ski lodge comfort.  The foyer is dimly lit, the ceiling is made up of granular, wooden planks and along the way to the main dining room are small, intimate alcoves complete with a table and chairs for nibbling on appetizers and sipping cocktails. With a crackling fireplace playing on a flat screen, a mass of ivory antler shaped ornaments hanging from up above and tree barks bathed in fuchsia lights in glass casings, the main dining room of the Aspen Social Club is visually stunning with a laid back vibe.  It was service with a smile when the waitress, clad in a flannel shirt, daisy dukes and knee high boots came over to introduce herself and take my order.  Here's what I chose: Libation : A blood orange colored, acai berry margarita. I...

I didn't know what to expect going into the SAG nominating committee screening of Halle Berry's new film Frankie & Alice , a small, independent project that's been in the works for twelve years, shot on a shoestring budget in 25 days (only four months after Berry gave birth) co-produced by Berry and her longtime manager Vince Cirrincione. But I was pleasantly surprised. Frankie & Alice , Berry's first film since starring in 2007's Things We Lost in the Fire , is a psychological drama that chronicles the life of Frankie Murdock, a stripper with a multiple personality disorder. Based on a true story, the film, which takes place in Los Angeles in the 1970's, touches upon motherhood and interracial relationships as they pertain to Frankie's crippling disorder and her haunting past. Berry gives her gutsiest and most unflinching performance to date. And is a gem to watch as Alice, one of the personas she plays who happens to be a racist, white woman. ...

Did they do a great job here, or what? Halloween is less than a week away, and folks in my neighborhood have pulled out all the stops when it comes to decorating their homes for the holiday.  On practically every other house, there are creepy looking scarecrows on the lawn, bushes laden with fake cobwebs and bright, orange pumpkins lining the walkways to the front door. But the house pictured above steals the show! I had to actually pull over to admire (and snap a flick) of this house that has had its entire front lawn turned into a gigantic spider web with the life-sized, red tongued spider to match! I don't know about you, but if I were a kid, this would be the first house on my trick or treating itinerary.  If they go this hard during Halloween, I can only imagine what Christmas will be like. Can't wait!

Bumper to bumper traffic. Swarms of people. Random celebrity spottings. A plethora of free booze and cupcakes. Women (and men) wobbling on cobblestone streets in sky high heels. Those were the sights and sounds of Fashion Night Out.  Fashion industry insiders, devotees and onlookers took over several sections of NYC (SoHo, Meatpacking District, Fifth Avenue) to kick off the start of NYC's Fashion Week. I spent the evening with my favorite Fab Chick , Misha. We had a fun night of event hopping in SoHo.  Some of the spots we hit up: Paige Curve Hugo Boss Nicole Miller Betsey Johnson French Connection Some of the spots we missed out on: D&G PiperLime Ralph Lauren Patricia Field But there's always next year! I'm a lazy photographer, so this is only a fraction of the available photo ops that were at my disposal. But you get the picture. And check out the footage I captured of the pandemonium that broke out after producing superstar Pharrel...