"Nesian Nine in Las Vegas"

Nesian Nine all the way from Hawaii-Nei performed for their first time in Las Vegas on Friday, Spetember 10, 2010 at the Hard Rock Cafe. It was Las Vegas' Hoolaulea and many artists from Hawaii came out to celebrate. Names like Princess Ilona, Alo Key, FIJI and Nesian Nine to name a few. The concert was pool side and was very beautiful with cabanas all lining the pool, warm air in the background, polys everywhere enjoying the music and a whole lot of drunk fools too haha!

Nesian Nine is a Samoan group of talented singers with their island reggae flare and R&B tunes which brings music to my ears! I love their style and when I hear them sing with sweet harmonies, I just cant help but get up and sway to the music and dance, dance, dance! I must admit, it was a standing all night long event and my feet were killing but when they say my jam, "Lets Get It On" I must have jumped up and got my 2nd wind and was swaying to the music waving my hands in the air and if I had more room I would have did my infamous SHIMMY and DROP and DO THE EAGLE RENDITION..thats how good these guys are when they sing.

They showcased some little dance steps while singing and teh bass player AMAKO was off the chains. This brutha was swaying his hips with his bass guitar like nobodys business, talk about doing the AMI in a full circle while playing an instrument, man this brutha got the moves..Big Ups to ya AMAKO, and he's a cool cat, hecka funny..I wouldn't mind kickin it with him all day and just laughing my As* off! Hilarious and musical good combo and being Samoan is a PLUS! haha..Gotta love these guys..The crowd received them very well and look forward to hearing them sing and perform in Hawaii when I make my way up there sooner than later I hope!

Nesian Nine, if you haven't heard their music, do it now and you won't be sorry! Guarantee to enjoy their sweet harmonies and feed off their energy when they perform. Malo lava!!

"The Rail" Concert JBOOG with FIJI

The Rail in Downtown Salt Lake City, Utah Event Center is a nice and spaciouis venue where Polynesias Singing Artists performed on Thursday, September 9, 2010. The main performers for the night were JBOOG- Hip Hop/Reggae artist strait outta LONG BEACH and FIJI-Island Style Reggae singer right outta the isles of the Pacific- Laie, Hawaii. These two performers did a great job sharing the stage and highlighting each other while singing their songs and hooks together. JBOOG has a #1 hit song in Jamaica right now called "Nice to know ya" and I must say that the song is bomb.com! It has a nice reggae rhythm to it and you can get your groove on at the same time. I saw his video on FaceBook last night and I enjoyed it. Although, I think I could have held his hand and did my rendition of the Polynesian Cat Walk, full on shimmy and connect it to the drop and do the eagle while slowly coming up pole girl dancer style and then a littele ori opu with the tummy, but I would definitely wear a girdle on that day ha!then a quick ami and a push of the hip out with the foot and toe pointed yea, did I give this little rendtion some thought..umm hell to the NO, its na-tu-ral babee haha!! But great artist..

FIJI is the OG! He will definitely give you a show to remember. Right now he's going thru some medical setbacks and is in a wheelchair but does that stop him from singing his heart out? Hell to the mutha effing NO..haha! The boy can sing and reach some astronomical notes that I can't even hit on a good day at choir practice, you know what I'm saying...I'm like he's like "Hot on Wheels" he's so good at what he does! Big ups to FIJI! He's a natural born entertainer and although his lyrics can have some sexy slurs to it, its all good it aint like ya'll aint heard them thangs anyways and thought about it once or twice or maybe even more haha! Just keepin it real! He's a musical legend for the Polynesian people and still hittin it with his fine and distinct falseto notes that are unreachable by many male singers. Keep the music alive and continue to pursue the vision of Polynesians makin it and crossin over to the big leagues, well thats my vision.

I enjoyed myself at the concert and appreciated all the entertainment that night. Other artists were Spawn Breezie, The band Hot Rain, and JR from Naughty Roots or something like that. Thanks for a great night artists of tomorrow and the future!

"One Season of Sunshine"

This book was a joy to read. I was browsing in Target and saw that they were having a big sale on all Romance Novels and since I'm a new convert to the books, I decided to take a peek. Well that peek turned into me purchasing 10 books not on the same day but within the time limit to take advantage of the sale indeed. The cover of the book caught my eye and I must admit that the covers of books are pretty much what sway me to it and then I turn it around and take a read of the brief explanation. If it captures my attention then its gonna be a definite purchase. So that is my explanation of how I bought "One Season of Sunshine" by Julia London. I must admit that this is the first book of hers that I've read and I wasn't disappointed.

Characters:

Susanna Price- wife and mother of 2 children

Asher Price- husband of Susanna

Riley Price- 13 year old daughter of the Prices

Levi Price- 5 year old son of the Prices

Jane Aaron- nanny for the Price kids

Jane Aaron a 2nd grade teacher and graduate student working on her masters. Jane was brought up in a home with 2 brothers, loving parents who owned a local restaurant in Houston, called The Garden. The family would have their dinner in one of the rooms of the restaurant every night before they opened up for business. What a nice family tradition, to have dinner together the old fashioned way. I always say a family that prays and EATS together, stays together haha~ Jane had black hair and could not cook a meal if her life depended on it, but her brothers were very good cooks like their parents. Jane wasn't athletic, but her brothers were tall, slender, blonde hair and blue eyes. Jane loved her family to death and wouldn't trade them for the world, but something was missing and she couldn't quite put her finger on it. As time passes on, Jane begins to feel uneasy not knowing who her real birth mother was and the question always lingered in her mind, why did my birth mother give me away? Why didn't she love me? Jane was adopted and it didn't bother her until recently. She felt an emptiness that wouldn't stop bothering her until she was able to answer those questions of who she was, what natiionality was she, is her mother still alive? So many questions needed to be answered.

Jane was born September 1980 in Cedar Springs, and that's all she knew. Summer came around and Jane made up her mind, she was going to move to Cedar Springs and get some answers however she could. Her family was not happy about her move and Jane reassured them she would be back before the start of the new school year. She also had a steady boyfriend for 3 years who loved her and wanted to marry her, but when he proposed on that day, Jane didn't say no and she didn't say yes. Time is what she needed to straighten things out in her life right now. He (Johnathan) adored her and loved her more than anythng, but at this point and time in Janes life, she wasn't ready to committ, not just yet. She wanted to know who she was, etc. So she broke his heart and was still friends with Johnathan. I was king of mad at Jane at this point, I mean come on 3 years in a relationship, the guy loves you and proposes and you just let him go , whoa that is alot to take in for a guy. poor Johnathan. Jane told him she was just being honest and the truth hurts almost all the time.

Before Jane sets out to leave from Cedar Springs her mom tells her, Jane God has put is in our care and you're right where you're suppose to be. You might go and not find what you're looking for or get disappointed, whatever it is, remember we are here and we are your family, we love you Jane and you are my daughter! Jane shed some tears and told her that she is her mother and loves her very much, this is just something she has to do for herself. She said her good byes and left for her journey to Cedar Springs.

Jane got a job as a live in nanny for Asher Prices kids. Their mother Sussana Price passed away in a car accident about 2 years ago and frankly Asher Price was desperate for a nanny. He was partner in an advertising firm which needed his attention and required that he would travel for weeks at a time out of state. His home was lavished with fine paintings and art work and photos of his late wife hanging everywhere. Jane was hired and settled into the guest house which was beautiful and right by the pool. As time progresses she sees how much the kids love their father and are often anxiously awaiting for their father to return from his trips. Asher Price absolutely loved his kids and there was nothing more that he loved to come home to then the sound of his kids sweet voices when they would greet him from a trip.

I admired Asher Price for raising his 2 kids the best way he knew how. Cedar Springs was a small town and everyone knew everyone in town. He adored his kids and they were his first priority in life and then his work which had taken him away from his kids so many times. His family was a sweet one and his wifes death came as a tragic shock to all of his family and his wifes. He had to adjust his life and make sure the kids were taken care of, that he could work for the things they needed in life. But it wasn't all about money, in this book, we see that money comes and goes, but the genuine time needed to be with family is priceless. He watched his little 13 year old Riley bloom into a beautiful young woman. His 5 year old son Levi loved to blurt out things and watch movies and play board games with his dad, what a pleasant family pass time. Their little Price family had gone thru many ups and downs and his children did not fully understand the extent of their mothers accident and lifestyle.

Jane the nanny was able to connect with Riley and Levi and she grew to love them as her own. It's funny how Jane is adopted and her mother she was raised by was able to love her, nurture her even though she was not her birth mother. And here Jane comes and begins to love these 2 kids who are not hers, as her very own. Very interesting indeed~As Jane becomes closer to the kids and their father, she realizes that there is more to their little happy family than what Asher portrays. Susanna his late wife was stunningly beautiful and always looked prestige and glamorous, yet there bits and pieces that Jane couldn't put together about Susanna's life with her family. Pictures of Asher looked as if he were so lonely in his marriage to Susanna. Jane didn't have all the answers and quite friankly she wasn't sure if she wanted to know. As her mother told her before she left Houston, some things are better left alone..hmm.

As the story progresses, Jane and Asher have this attration and they both sense the feeling. Both of them are in the laundry room and Asher is frustrated that Levi wet in his bed and he's complaining to Jane and then he just reaches out and plants a big one on her..the forbidden kiss~

Do things work out between them? Does Jane get to find out who her birth mother is? Does she find out what kind of family and lifestyle the Prices lived, was it a happily ever after family or a family of deep secrets? You can find out when you read the book and find the answers.

This book when I read it, was one of those you just can't put it down and had to find out what happened next. I found myself in between the lights on my way to work, reading and I could see the cars next to me looking over, but I didn't care, those fricken stoplights take forever ugh~ I really enjoyed reading this book. But, I did feel like the author kind of described Susanna a little too much in the book for me even thought she was a main character. In this book, my heart went out to ASHER PRICE-SUPER DAD~He just loved his kids to pieces and at the same time was in love with Jane Aaron. He needed to find a place for all of them to fit perfectly in his life. FIND OUT IF THERE WAS A PERFECT FIT~

Big ups to Julia London for a great book that I thoroughly enjoyed. I look forward to reading your other novels.. Another fine author to add the list of great writers. THANK YOU~

"One Season of Sunshine

Dinner with Tahitians

Friday, September 3, 2010- Dinner at Black Angus with the visiting Tahitians. A delightful and pleasant couple from Papaete, Tahiti- Reina and Manu. They are good friends with my cousin Yvette and are staying for a few weeks on vacation with my neighbor and her family Denell.

We met up at Black Angus in Torrance, CA and had a great time and great food. Let's see in Tahiti they are accustomed to eating steak and fries so they ordered steak medium rare and that redness that oozed out of the steak was like whoa! I had prime rib medium well and it was great although I think next time I'll get medium rare but not as red. We had a variety platter with zucchini, wings, chicken tenders and other things I can't remember. We had cheese bread and wheat bread and so you know by the time the main course came I was getting full from the appetizers. But, I love when my cousin Yvetter orders appetizers, she always orders the best stuff guaranteed to be yummy. Her husband who we call "DOC" cuz he is a Doctor was there too so I had to go easy big time on the bread, but I'm such the bread eater UGH~ Gotta love the Doc haha~ But the food was great and the waiter was a cute Filipino guy with a name I can't remember and cute dimples. But, I told myself I'm over that phase of liking Filipinos haha..gotta move on, not a good memory to reflect upon haha~

Oh so it was Doc, Vett, Flo, Me, Bernz, Reina, Manu, Denell and To'a and everyone had an enjoyable dinner. Haven't been to Black Angus in a long time..Oh I do have to add that when it was time to pay for dinner Vett grabbed her wallet, Bernz grabbed her wallet and I grabbed my lip balm hehe..I'm younger so thanks for dinner cousin~~ I love my cousin~Great time!

"Mochi Ice Cream"

Mochi-Ice Cream is rich and smooth dessert from Japan. This dough looking delicacy has green tea inside and tastes delish!

So we're on our way to our show yesterday, Satruday-September 4, 2010 at Imperial Beach and Mike says, "lets stop by and get some mochi ice cream." I'm like what is that? He says, " its a Japanese dessert with ice cream in it.' So I'm game for trying out new things. So we get to Makiaki Sushi place or something like that in El Segundo and we order some Mochi. I get Green Tea and Mike gets Strawbery falvored ice cream. The outside is a dough like ball with powdered sugar on the outside and when you bite into it there's ice cream. The outside dough is like a gelly texture but the ice crean inside is great! So thanks for the Mochi experience!

From the Japanese culture, I love their SUSHI, that stuff is just the greatest with California Roll being my favorite from Sakae Sushi in Gardena, CA. I think my next favorite sushi spot is Fusion Sushi in Manhattan Beach and Torrance, CA..Great sushi, but I love their tempura better! My next sushi spot is Tamashiro's in Hollywood, CA. Its set up on a hill and you can overlook the city. The environment is nice and the food is good, kind of pricey and thats why I usually go when invited by family haha! I always get Green Tea ice cream when I eat sushi and seems to be my favorite Japanese dessert.

I'll try to experience something new every week..Until then, enjoy some SUSHI!!

Seminar- BLOGGING 101 AT CHA FOR TEA

Wednesday, Septemer 1, 2010

Today is the day we have our seminar- Blogging 101 is in session. We planned to go together to CHA forTEA in Long Beach to get a cram session for how to improve our blog pages and get nice lay outs and all that good stuff. The individuals in this seminar are:

Rowena-owner of The Book Scoop, Everyday Wena and other blog pages

Tita- supporter of all of our blog pages and dear friend

Ralph-owner of RalphMisa.com and photography

Mike-owner (well not yet) o Adventures of Milke blog

Haven (Bnice)- owner (not yet) of My Safe LittleHaven

Together we form the "The 5 Cha Tea Drinking-Book,Photograph Blogging Patrons" I had a great time just catching up with everyone with our everyday lives, jobs, books and good conversation! Nothing like sippin on some sizzurp..oops I mean Black Almond Tea with Soy Milk, No Boba..good stuff! I"m so glad that everyone enjoyed the smooth, sweet, delicate goodness of the tea. I've been an active drinker since last year when I was introduced to the addicting stuff last year and boy has it become a part of my life ha! I'm not as addicted as my cousin Mike, but I do enjoy it immensely!

So we ordered our food, I had Tofu Curry yum, Ralph had sweet sausae, Wena had the steamed dumplings which reminded her of the movie, "Maid of Honor" with Patrick Dempsey HOTTIE!, Tita had the crispy chicken which is my favorite dish and Mike had Orange chicken, and why do I remember what everyone orders, cuz food is so easy to remember haha! But glad to say everyone enjoyed their meals and tea as well!

So on to the seminar of blogging. I'm terrible and am so lucky to have my girl Wena hook me up for my blog page. I just let her know what I want and walah..she does it..Thanks Wena! Mike,on the other hand, loves to do his own stuff for his blog page as he is more computer savy than I am. Ralph and Wena were showing him some things to do to spice up his blog page. But the whole nite was lovely.. Total laughs from beginning to ending. Come to find out, Wena does not work too far from Cha and has passed by it so many times eating at her spot with James (2nd Street Beauty) NOT, just kidding I mean L&L and the pizza joit next door to Cha. Lovin it!

So in the midst of eating ad drinking our tea, we start laughing because we're all thinking about my HORIZONS DANCE! Oh yea HORIZONS- WHERE THE SUN MEETS THE SKY-In my case its where HE MEETS HAVEN IN MY HORIZON-chanting...Haere Mai, Ha'u Mai, Komo Mai and OMAI to My Little Safe Haven..Enter at your own risk! If you're a hottie and this is your first visit, please step to the side so I can have a word with you in PRIVATE!!

Ne-ways, a lovely nite with good food, good drnks, good company and good conversation. Thanks guys and hope we can get together again and keep in touch!

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

The sequel to "Hunger Games"-"Catching Fire" is fantastic! I loved this book and although alot of the reviews I've read say otherwise, I can't stop thinking about how much LOVE I have for PEETA MELLARK and the book. He is the absolute love of my life right now, next to the teacher in GLEE. (Mr. Shu)

Characters:
Katniss Everdeen- District 12 Victor from Hunger Games
Peeta Mellark- District 12 Victor from Hunger Games, loves Katniss
Gale- friend of Katniss, loves Katniss (cousin in book)
Haymitch- Katniss and Peeta's Mentor for Hunger Games
President Snow- President of Capitol
Cinna- Katniss designer
Effie- Katniss and Peeta's scheduler
Finnick- District 4 Tribute
Johanna- District 7 Tribute

My Thoughts:

Katniss and Peeta have made it out of the Hunger Games ALIVE, not one, but both of them. The poisonous berries which Katniss had in her palm ready to devour with Peeta when the Capitol tried to tell them both that there would only be 1 Victor has caused an uproar in the Districts. Katniss without knowing what she started, acted off of pure human instinct with the berries, so the Capitol was not going to be mocked and had no choice but to let her and Peeta live and return home to District 12.

They both have different lives now. Their families move to Victors Village Homes where only 3 are used, Haymitch, Peeta and Katniss' family occupy the 3 homes because the 3 of them have won the Games. Haymitch won the games back in the day by using the force field as a weapon killing off the last opponent during his time in the games. Clever mind indeed!

President Snow, the Capitols president pays Katniss a visit, telling her, if she doesn't cooperate with the Capitol that Gale and those she holds dearest to her heart will die! So she tells President Snow (who smells of blood and roses) that she will cooperate. How tragic is that! What a deal, its no deal UGH!

Catching Fire was a sure turning point for the rebels in each district. Katniss was surprised that for these 75th Quell Games the Capitol was going to call all those existing victors to go back in to the arena and play in the games again! She was distraught and could not believe she was going to be thrown back in the very arena where her and Peeta fought to stay alive together. Preparations are made and it is between Haymitch, Peeta and Katniss, we obviously know since there has to be a girl and a boy from each district that Katniss has no choice but to participate and we know that Haymitch even if he tried to play in the games, Peeta would volunteer to fight in the games to protect Katniss. It's a given that Peeta really truly loves Katniss and will do everything in his power to protect her however possible, even to give his own life to save her from dangers way.

I just love Peeta for his loving ways and how he unconditionally loves Katniss. She is his first and foremost important priority in life! He says things to her that catch her off guard, saying his life won't be worth living without her in it, if he were to survive and return to District 12 without her. He tells her that she has people in her life that need her, Prim, her mother, Gale and he really has noone, his family can move on with his other siblings there for his parents, but Katniss feels a dryness in her throat and tells Peeta, I need you. She realizes that her goal in the games is to keep Peeta alive and she cannot let him die, he needs to return and live when she dies. But, it appears that they both are determined to keep each other alive!

I'm not surprised when Gale finally kisses Katniss in the woods. It wasn't romantic or anything but he just grabs her and kisses and tells her, I just had to at least do it once. Then they both act like it never happened. I can imagine how Gale felt seeing Katniss and Peeta carry on as a couple in love when really Gale loves Katniss and vice versa.

Alot of action occurs in Catching Fire and really too much to explain. Lets get down to the nitty gritty. An alliance is built under the planning of District 13, the head Game Planner and Haymitch. They plan a rebellion during the games but do not disclose this information to Katniss and Peeta. Katniss finds it strange that everyone is trying to keep Peeta and herself alive. Finnick, Joanna, and others all form an alliance to protect them in order for the rebels plan to work.

The plan was pretty kool to me, but I so didn't agree with them carrying out the plan with Katniss and Peeta unaware of the plot all along. I understand that it had to be that way in order for the plan to be convincing, but I can't help but feel the same way that Katniss feels, as if Haymitch and the others were just using her and Peeta as a piece for their own game. I totally understand where Katniss feels so betrayed by those she trusted and how she is full of rage and anger and doesn't want to cooperate with anyone.

It appears that everyone looks to Katniss as the "Mockingjay", her pin that was given to her from Madge for good luck. All the rebels use the mockingjay emblem as a token for their stand to unite and rebel against the Capitol. Of course, this is done on the down low! Alot of people have died who have stood up to the Capitol and their ways. One individual who made a great statement against the Capitol by using Katniss' wardrobe was Cinna. Katniss trusted him and enjoyed him being her stylist. He turned her wedding dress into a gray gown with feathers and wings to represent a Mockingjay Bird and she twirled and twirled in front of all the cameras for all the districts and the Capitol to see during her interview. Of course, poor Cinna was punished, but what a statement of hope he left for the districts to see! I heart Cinna very daring!!

There was a part in the book where we see Katniss' affection and feelings for Peeta come alive! Its the part where he shows Katniss the locket with the Mockingjay and it has pictures of Prim, her mother and Gale. Katniss is taken by his words that she has people who love her and that need her to return and he puts the locket around her neck. She is moved with emotion and not letting Peeta finish his explanation she hushes him by leaning forward to kiss him and he still tries to talk and finally stops as Katniss lets her feelings show for Peeta. She kisses him with real feeling and her emotions radiate to Peeta as they embrace each other and share that moment on the beach and then they're interrupted by Finnick! Oh well all good things must come to an end! But that moment was a great one! A real affectionate kiss shared by Katniss and Peeta. ( I CRIED, I WAS SO HAPPY!! haha)

Another part in the book, Haymitch tells Katniss, you will never in a thousand years deserve Peeta and she knows this. He really loves her and really wants to marry her! Keep the dream alive Peeta, you never know..HOPE FLOATS! Can I have a PEETA, just a little part of PEETA if I can't have the whole package deal haha! I have to admit I cried a few times for Peeta, just his dedication and love for Katniss is so genuine that I can't help but feel for him. He can't help himself but love her and she doesn't give him what he deserves, the affection or love given back to him..Its hard for Katniss, but I appreciate the little things she tries to share with him, generic kisses and holding hands, but he takes what he can get.

Does the rebellion plan work? Do Peeta and Katniss survive the games? I have left out alot of information, but I'll let the readers take a gander at the book and answer their own questions. I've just shared parts of the book that got my stomach churning for more and in Catching Fire, I felt more and more love for PEETA!

Tshirt says, "PEETA, he can frost my cupcakes anyday!" I love that!!

Onto reading, "Mockingjay", I know its gonna be great!