Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL)
901 G St, NW, Washington, DC.
Anancy (Ananse or Anansi) is the West African trickster hero of numerous folk tales that are popular across the Caribbean and throughout the African Diaspora. This clever and conniving character is familiar to millions of people around the world.
Anansy! Anansi! Festival is a celebration of the Caribbean’s diverse and spectacular cultural heritage, both traditional and contemporary, and is designed to have special appeal to the young and young at heart.
If you are a writer, musician, artist, dancer or any other creative mind whose work celebrates Caribbean culture and your work is ideally suited for children and young adults, you are invited to submit a request to participate in Anancy Festival 2012 which will take place in South Florida, Kingston, Washington D.C., and Orlando on Saturday June 9th. There is no charge to participate in this festival.
On May 3rd, our DC area moms meetup group gottogether for a movie night in DC at the E Street theater. We watched “Marley,” an epic biography of the life of iconic reggae singer Bob Marley. (DC Area SocaMoms, join the meetup group here: http://www.meetup.com/Caribbean-Mom-Meetup-Group-DC-MD-VA/)
On May 21st, I am co-hosting a Twitter Fete (Twitter Party) for Bob Marley fans with Jamaican super mom - Kamila McDonald. Whether you have seen the movie or not, join us at 10:00 pm on Twitter to discuss the man, the movie, and the music.
Enjoy Bob Marley trivia, facts, and giveaway from Universal Music, Marley Coffee, and House of Marley.
Kevin Macdonald's biopic is a must see for fans and educational for those who aren't old enough to remember his career. The singer's life has been widely reported and scrutinised but this documentary meets the people that influenced him as a person and his music.
The documentary is also a musical journey, explaining the development of reggae and the sub-culture is created and the elements that make a track reggae in the first place. The lyrics in the songs add to the tale and are explained, analysed, played back to relatives to garner their reaction of their new found fresh perspective.
Oscar winning director Kevin Macdonald manages to put Bob's family and friends at ease coaxing out eccentric personalities and charming witty tales while fully capturing all the quirkiness of them as individuals and their surroundings. He even tracks down Bob's first music teacher who remembers the first song she taught him. The testimony follows the reggae artist through marriage, affairs, children (eleven known descendants from seven different women), politics, exile and finally cancer. Macdonald uses a wide variety of archive imagery and footage of Marley's life and filmed as far afield as Ghana, Japan, the UK as well as the US and Marley's home in Jamaica.
I woke up to breakfast made by the kids with the hubby as their diligent assistant, cards, flowers, and lots of hugs and kisses. After a full day of activities, we had a late dinner at Aberdeen Barn. Our waiter was from the Caribbean (because for some reason wherever I go there is always SOME kind of Caribbean connection!) so the hubby and I made a moneyless wager on where he was from. He chose Barbados, and as always I chose Trinidad - with Guyana as a backup bet.
For one day a year everyone, from the clerk at the grocery store to the teenager in the drive thru taking your order, acknowledges that your job is important.
People say that it is a conspiracy between the greeting card companies, flower companies, and restaurants to make a quick buck - especially since lots of moms are working overtime at those places and miss Mother's Day altogether. It may be - but if we all stopped buying cards and going to overpriced buffets for Mother's Day, and just wrote letters, emails, texts, made phone calls, got on Skype, posted on walls on Facebook, sent out loving tweets, and just communicated our love for our own mothers (still with us and passed on), people who were like mothers to us, and just hard working mothers we know - wouldn't the day be just as special?
As a mom, I say, YESSIR!
We spent the day at the pool, playing mini-golf, and enjoying each other's company. One of best part of the day for me was being there to see Mr. Social jump into the pool on his own for the first time.
I was there to catch this shot of the very last time that he asked the Hubby to catch him. Every jump after this was on his own.
Another highlight was all the hugs and kisses I got from my oldest. As they get older, those hugs and kisses get a little sparse, so a day when they are unlimited is priceless.
Last but not least, at dinner, after we said our grace, the waiter jokingly asked baby girl if she prayed for him. Well, to her, prayer is not a joke, so she promptly dropped her cracker and said a prayer for him. After she finished, he says, "You know God is good, right?" She gives him an enthusiastic, "Yes he is!" and went back to the business that was on her plate.
All us moms want is to raise confident, loving, praying children. Some of us would love a soccer star, a doctor, a lawyer, or an engineer - but at the root of it - we just want good kids. As much as I love the kindness of strangers yelling, "Happy Mother's Day" across the parking lot, the ultimate thank you would come from God looking at the kids that he has charged my husband and I with and saying to me - "Well done."
Oh, and we both lost - the waiter was from Jamaica.
Every now and then baby girl and I have our "Mommy-Daughter" days out, and on Monday night, we were invited to go see the documentary "First Position" in Bethesda. Baby girl was so excited to see the film, that she could barely sit still. She kept hopping from my lap to her own seat and back.
I started dancing at 3, and danced throughout my childhood, teen years, and eventually was a college cheerleader, dancer, and dance teacher. To hear my current size and shape tell it - I am pretty far from those days. My daughter has been taking ballet for the last 3 years, and LOVES to dance. Once day, she was having a difficult time with a move that she learned in class, and forgetting that I was somebody's momma, and my days as a flexible dancer were long gone, I stood beside her and walked her through the moves. I went up on my toes, I spun, I balanced on one foot...Plié, Relevé. Muscle memory is real! My sons watched - jaws dropped - like they were watching a pink elephant prance around the room in a tutu... graceful... but still... kinda surreal. I STILL love to dance, but my current body loves to watch other people dance - so I really loved this movie!
Watching the children and teens dance in this movie was a special treat for baby girl. She is still young and impressionable, so I had to whisper reassuring things and positive affirmations in her ear when the subjects of dieting, body image, the "ideal" dancer size/proportions and overworking the body came up, and it seemed to go well.
(photo at left is Baby Girl getting ready for her first recital)
We were both mesmerized by the performances, the costumes, and the work ethic of the kids. I wish cameras were allowed so that I could have captured the look on her face when she found out that the feet that are so pretty in ballet shoes are bumpy, bruised, and blistered when you take the slippers off. It was priceless! If you have a daughter or son who says, they want to be a dancer when they grow up, this will be an eye opener for them - and you as a parent! Could you imagine moving your home, and business (employees and all) to another city or state to be closer to your child's dance teacher? As a business owner and parent - I can't see it - but once you see this movie, you will realize that dance is a commitment that families are taking as seriously (if not more so) as sports and education.
I am a documentary and dance lover, so this movie was fantastic for me. I would recommend it to people with children who are dancers or are thinking about dance as a career.
Synopsis: Every year, thousands of aspiring dancers enter one of the world's most prestigious ballet competitions, the Youth America Grand Prix, where lifelong dreams are at stake. In the final round, with hundreds competing for only a handful of elite scholarships and contracts, practice and discipline are paramount, and nothing short of perfection is expected. Bess Kargman's award-winning documentary, FIRST POSITION, follows six young dancers as they prepare for a chance to enter the world of professional ballet, struggling through bloodied feet, near exhaustion and debilitating injuries, all while navigating the drama of adolescence. A showcase of awe-inspiring talent, tenacity and passion, FIRST POSITION paints a thrilling and moving portrait of the most gifted young ballet stars of tomorrow.
First Position opens in Washington, DC today - May 11th.
Here are some stills from the movie.
The movie follows some amazing dancers, their teachers, and their families. Meet the cast...
Last night, the Socamom.com Meetup Group for Washington, DC met at the E Street Cinema (very cool date spot by the way) to watch “Marley,” an epic biography of the life of iconic reggae singer Bob Marley. I have to admit that the first I heard of Bob Marley's music was at an all white summer camp (there were two African American people there - myself and one other) in the mid 80's when I was about 13. The racial background of his early fans in the United States is discussed in the movie, and how I learned about him occurred to me as I watched. I lived in a household where the Caribbean music that was played was Calypso like Shadow, Sparrow, Kitchener... when soca became popular, we had plenty of that, but reggae wasn't a household music staple.
First - if you are in your mid thirties, and you are feeling like you haven't accomplished enough, this movie won't make you feel any better about that. He was able to do more for his family, his country, and the planet before his death at 36 than most of us can even dream about. This beautiful documentary follows Bob Marley's poor upbringing and stellar career through the eyes and stories of those who knew him best. Mom, wife, kids, girlfriends, co-workers, producers, family, and friends all contribute stories. Interviews with Bob Marley himself sheds light on the meanings of the lyrics of many of his songs, and shows the impact that music can have on people, nations, and the world.
It is definitely a "must see". You can take children, but definitely 13 and over - many marijuana references, images, etc. No overtly sexual material or images. It is rated PG-13 (probably because of marijuana references), and for those of you with older children, with later bedtimes, this may be a good time to get out with your tweens and/or teens and introduce them to a Caribbean icon (if you feel the subject matter is appropriate). Check the website for showtimes: http://www.bobmarley.com/marley_the_movie.php | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobMarley | Twitter: https://twitter.com/bobmarley
Here is the trailer if you haven't seen it yet...
Here's some more information about the movie:
Kevin Macdonald's biopic is a must see for fans and educational for those who aren't old enough to remember his career. The singer's life has been widely reported and scrutinised but this documentary meets the people that influenced him as a person and his music.
The documentary is also a musical journey, explaining the development of reggae and the sub-culture is created and the elements that make a track reggae in the first place. The lyrics in the songs add to the tale and are explained, analysed, played back to relatives to garner their reaction of their new found fresh perspective.
Oscar winning director Kevin Macdonald manages to put Bob's family and friends at ease coaxing out eccentric personalities and charming witty tales while fully capturing all the quirkiness of them as individuals and their surroundings. He even tracks down Bob's first music teacher who remembers the first song she taught him. The testimony follows the reggae artist through marriage, affairs, children (eleven known descendants from seven different women), politics, exile and finally cancer. Macdonald uses a wide variety of archive imagery and footage of Marley's life and filmed as far afield as Ghana, Japan, the UK as well as the US and Marley's home in Jamaica.
The West Indian American Day Carnival Association and the New York State Council on the Arts is providing a 7 week workshop for children ages 6 and over at the Brooklyn Children's Museum at 145 Brooklyn Avenue.
The 7 week Caribbean carnival workshop will feature costume design, steel pan rhythms, history, traditions, as well as a Kiddies Carnival Fiesta and Parade grand finale.
Saturday, May 12th - Saturday, June 23rd
Pre registration of $40 is required and includes workshop supplies and admission to the museum for 7 weeks - on workshop days only.
There are limited seats available. To register (by May 8th) call Natasha at 718-467-1797.
Don't shoot the messenger! Just delivering de news...
D.C. CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL, INC. (DCCC) has modified its program for the 20th Annual DC CARNIVAL™ in 2012.
On the weekend of June 23-24, 2012, DCCC will showcase the Annual Pan Jam, featuring local Steelbands and the Annual Dimanche Gras featuring the judging of costumes and live entertainment at the Crossroads Entertainment Complex, 4103 Baltimore Avenue Bladensburg, Maryland from 3:00 p.m. Admittance is $15.00/adult, children 12 years and under $5.00.
On the weekend of July 13 -15, 2012, DCCC has accepted an invitation to join the Caribbean American Carnival Association of Baltimore (CACAB) in their Annual Caribbean Carnival/Festival, at Lake Clifton Park, Baltimore, MD 21218 for a “Baltimore/Washington One Caribbean Carnival ” celebration!
On Saturday July 14, 2012, the Parade starts at 12:00 Noon at 900 E 33rd Street, travels along Alameda Street to St. Lo Drive. The Festival continues at Lake Clifton Park until 10:00 pm. On Sunday July 15, 2012 the Festival continues from 12:00 Noon to 9:00 pm featuring live entertainment, sponsors and food and crafts vendors. Admittance to the Festival site is $15.00.
You are invited to join us for MamaLime on our BlogTalk Radio Station on 5/7/2012 at 10:00:00 PM.
Here are the Mama Lime Radio Show topics for May. Please use the comment form to share your answers.
They may also be read on the radio. If you would like for us to use your Twitter handle on the air, indicate what your twitter handle is in your comment.
Getting ready for proms, graduations, and end of year school activities – how do you handle it all?
Moms with kids that are close in age/grade – how do you budget for all of the activities?
Summer camp planning – how do you choose a summer camp?
What do you plan to do with the kids this summer to keep them learning?
Is it better to let kids minds rest during the summer, or should some type of learning take place all year round?
Your answer or comment may be read and discussed on the show!You can also call in to discuss the comments of readers and parent panelists.
Show Date: 5/7/2012 Broadcast Time: 10:00:00 PM
The show airs here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/socamom . The call in number is available at this link, or you can connect by Skype and talk to us on the air. If you miss the show, the recorded version available online after the show as well.
Are you a writer, musician, or performer whose work celebrates Caribbean cultural heritage?
We need your talents on June 9th from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL)-901 G St, NW, Washington, DC.
Anancy (Ananse or Anansi) is the West African trickster hero of numerous folk tales that are popular across the Caribbean and throughout the African Diaspora. This clever and conniving character is familiar to millions of people around the world.
Anansy! Anansi! Festival is a celebration of the Caribbean’s diverse and spectacular cultural heritage, both traditional and contemporary, and is designed to have special appeal to the young and young at heart. If you are a writer, musician, artist, dancer or any other creative mind whose work celebrates Caribbean culture and your work is ideally suited for children and young adults, you are invited to submit a request to participate in Anancy Festival 2012 which will take place in South Florida, Kingston, Washington D.C., and Orlando on Saturday June 9th. There is no charge to participate in this festival.
To submit your request to participate, click on "Contact Us".
I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day!
