k. Melanie Unfurled.

2011-11-25T15:51:00.001-05:00

When you commit yourself and act from a place of certainty a way will be made from no way. Make your move! #TDL

Poignant.

2011-11-26T15:22:00.000-05:00

Preview // Art Basel 2011 & Ricochet Bar and Lounge

2011-11-28T16:30:00.002-05:00

It's time again for Art Basel, yay us! Basel is the best time of the year as far as I am concerned. A nice cool 70 degrees out, a light breeze and herds or art enthusiasts flocking to the magic city for a little food, fun and culture.

I've been getting tons of questions this year, so for you Basel newbies here's a little insight. The official Art Basel show will be held at the Miami Beach Convention Center:

"From December 1 through 4, Miami Beach, Florida, will host the 10th edition of Art Basel Miami Beach, the most prestigious art show in the Americas. More than 260 leading galleries from North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa will take part, showcasing works by more than 2,000 artists of the 20th and 21st centuries."

But I fancy the various smaller shows that will be held in tents throughout Wynwood, Midtown Miami and the Miami Design District. Namely SCOPE, Red Dot, and Design Miami.

READ my coverage of Art Basel from years past. >>> Click HERE.

For me the smaller shows make for a more robust experience. All in all, you'll have fun anywhere you go for Basel, but the beach is the beach and parking, prices and the people are just... well, different.

The flyer above piqued my interest and is an example of the hundreds of events and added value experiences that make Basel week amazing. Every bar, lounge and gallery space will be hosting evenings with tons of drinks, food and beautiful people. All you need to do is park and wander. There will be street side art installations, impromptu jam band sessions, not to mention gourmet food trucks galore.

Ricochet Bar and Lounge, the venue for the Art Basel event series in the flyer above, opened in October in Midtown Miami and is the product of South Beach's Tommy Pooch and Alan Roth. I wanted to take a peak at the spot before all the Basel buffs got here, so when a friend called and invited me to head out there, I jumped at the chance.

Ricochet is in a decent spot right in the middle of The Shops at Midtown Miami, directly behind my fav SUGARCANE, and has plenty of parking in the adjoined parking garage ($10). There was no velvet rope (unlike the now posh-in-the-middle-of-the-hood Bardot), but the drinks were a bit pricey at $7 for a Corona.

The place is smaller than I expected and could use some outdoor space, but the vibe and people were nice, no pretense, and the bartenders were very responsive.The owners vow to keep Ricochet laid back and easy going. Let's hope they keep their word because the spot has definite potential.

Sign of a dope party

Prime Minister of Jamaica, The Honorable Andrew M. Holness to Visit South Florida, 12/3/2011

2011-12-01T14:13:00.003-05:00

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

In his first visit to South Florida as Prime Minister of Jamaica, the youngest PM in the Caribbean, the Honorable Andrew Michael Holness will be addressing the concerns of the Jamaican Diaspora and discussing his vision for a prosperous Jamaica.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

3:30 - 5:30 PM

ChristWay Baptist Church

3800 S. Douglas Rd.

Miramar, FL 33025

Thank God.

2011-12-07T01:16:00.000-05:00

Song: The Realest Song
Artist: Koshens

[Intro:]
A di realest song
Dis is a prayer to the father
Guide my steps as yuh sit on your throne
Show mi di way fi get mi food an mi water
And do nuh mek mi grudge nobody fi dem own
Whole heap a people mek badmind tek dem ova
Cah dem a try fi face it all alone
So mi a call pon di strength of the father
To help mi fi work fi mi own

[Chorus:]
Keep badmind outta mi heart
Keep negative outta mi thoughts
Mi know seh it easy to pree di wrong way
So Jah Jah please guide mi everyday
Keep badmind outta mi heart
Keep negative outta mi thoughts
Most high bless me yeah
Guide and protect me yeah

[Verse 1:]
Well father
Di strength that mi woulda tek fi badmind anotha man
Help mi use di strength and try find a betta plan
The time me tek I wish mi did have somebody life
Help mi pree mi own a life and try fi set it right yeah
Mi nuh wah fi pree nobody fi dem links
Help me to go out deh go look mi own a tings
And I'm not perfect, I'm just a man
That's why mi call on yuh Jah fi keep mi strong

[Bridge:]
Father, before mi mind get bad
Betta yuh flip it round and mek mi mind get mad
Mi prefer fi work hard everyday fi achieve mi goals
Nah grudge nobody fi dem own

[Chorus:]
Keep badmind outta mi heart
Keep negative outta mi thoughts
Mi know seh it easy to pree di wrong way
So Jah Jah please guide mi everyday
Keep badmind outta mi heart
Keep negative outta mi thoughts
Most high bless me yeah
Guide and protect me yeah

[Verse 2:]
Yo Jah Jah
Nuh mek mi badmind Addi fi di Gaza
Nuh mek mi badmind Killa fi di Range
Nuh mek mi badmind Beenie fi di Grammy
Jah Jah please nuh mek mi badmind nobody
Nuh mek mi badmind Flippa fi di flossin
Nuh mek mi pree Nitty Kutchie fi di clothes
Nuh mek mi badmind D'Angel fi di store
Jah protect mi forever more

[Bridge:]
Father, before mi mind get bad
Betta yuh flip it round and mek mi mind get mad
Mi prefer fi work hard everyday fi achieve mi goals
Nah grudge nobody fi dem own

[Chorus:]
Keep badmind outta mi heart
Keep negative outta mi thoughts
Mi know seh it easy to pree di wrong way
So Jah Jah please guide mi everyday
Keep badmind outta mi heart
Keep negative outta mi thoughts
Most high bless me yeah
Guide and protect me yeah

[Verse 3:]
Well father mi give thanks fi life as mi wake up
Cause ah yuh mek it still a gwaan
And even when mi day nuh turn out like mi want it to
Mi give thanks and mi move on
Badmind live inna di soul and di heart of men
Dis fight is not an easy one
Jah Jah elevate mi and mek mi a betta man
Help mi to overstand

President Obama Sings at the World Famous Apollo Theater in Harlem

2012-01-20T21:40:00.000-05:00

This makes me blush! The President has this light.. this joy the emanates from within. Just a beautiful spirit.. IDK. I just adore him!

Out and About in the Community

2012-02-11T16:09:00.008-05:00

POMPANO BEACH

Here I am with with former Fort Lauderdale commissioner Mr. Carlton Moore after his presentation at the Pompano Beach NW CRA community meeting held at the E. Pat Larkins Center. The CRA is doing great things up in Pompano Beach.

Zoning, densities, street spaces and facade improvements all in the works. Pompano Beach is open for business.

FORT LAUDERDALE

Also this week I was invited to tour the Old Dillard Cultural Arts Museum in Fort Lauderdale with curator Mr. Derek Davis and former city commissioner Mr.Carlton Moore.

Old Dillard, a cultural and educational center, was the first colored school in the city and is now a historically designated landmark and home to a prominent African-American history museum.

Old Dillard is a must see community space that is very replicable in other communities. I would love to see something like Old Dillard in Overtown.

Old Dillard Cultural Arts Center

1009 NW 4th Street

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311

(754) 322-8828

Derek Davis, Curator

http://twitter.com/OldDillardMuseu

Check out my professional FB page for more photos >> Facebook.com/KelliannMc.

--
Kelliann McDonald is an award winning marketing and public relations strategist and community advocate. A recognized brand motivator, McDonald connects people and ideas by designing tailored and engaging marketing communications campaigns for businesses looking to create a competitive advantage in today’s ever-evolving marketplace. Follow her on Twitter at @KelliannMc.

Pompano Beach GreenMarket Classic Car Weekend

2012-02-11T18:15:00.003-05:00

Stopped by Classic Car Weekend at the Pompano Beach GreenMarket. The GreenMarket is held every Saturday 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM at the corner of Atlantic and Dixie. It was a bit ominous outside, but the locals turned out anyway. Here are a few pics:

--
GreenMarket Pompano Beach is presented by the Pompano Beach Historical Society in partnership with the Pompano Beach CRA and is committed to providing the best and freshest fruits and vegetables, juices, baked goods, seafood, gourmet teas and coffees and other food items, as well as orchids, plants and health-related products and services.

For more info visit http://market.pompanohistory.com.

2012-02-17T22:23:00.000-05:00

Rihanna’s We Found Love and Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody mash-up:

#RIPWhitney

"11 Ways to Murder Self-Doubt" by Travis Robertson

2011-12-03T20:21:00.012-05:00

As many of you know, I have been engaged in the MBA application process and for me it has been a very humbling and introspective experience. Self-doubt has crept up on me several times, but in trying to shake it's cloak, I found this post to be helpful. I have re-posted portions of it here in the hopes that this message will sooth you, too.

To read Travis's full article, please click HERE.

1. Get an outside perspective
When you’re stuck in a cycle of self-doubt, it can often help to have someone you can call on who knows you and who can uplift you.

2. Write out the doubts on paper get them out of your head
Self-doubt is a completely internal (mental) problem. Doubts have the most power inside the echo chamber that is your head where your inner critic can latch onto them and spiral you out of control.

3. Refute the doubts once you write them out
Self-doubts are lies you’re telling yourself that feel true. They’re not logical, constructive or helpful.

4. Create a bigger why
If you’re consistently paralyzed by self-doubt, it could be that you don’t have a reason that is stronger than the doubts themselves.

5. Use the doubt as a tool for change
Because self-doubt carries with it an element of the truth, you can use that to help you spot and resolve weaknesses.

6. Recognize that doubt is a feeling
Every feeling you have is the result of thoughts you have. You must learn to control and change your thoughts.

7. Surround yourself with positive people who will encourage you
If you have negative friends who don’t know how to lift you up and encourage you, drop them and find new friends.

8. Review your successes
Think back to other times you’ve doubted yourself but overcame it. How did it feel? What did you do differently? How much truth was there to the original doubt?

9. Celebrate your successes
Take time to celebrate your successes as they occur. Being able to channel those thoughts and emotions can give you incredible power to push through present-day doubts.

10. Get outside of yourself
Doubt is viciously inward-focused. Take the focus off of yourself and put it on someone else. Call up a friend to encourage them.

11. Pray
If you’re a person of faith, try talking to God about it and see if that doesn’t help put things in perspective.

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For me numbers 1, 4, 7 and 11 are the most helpful. Which numbers resonate with you the most?