Think Big, Be Bold

So, I’m currently reading Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker. It’s a good read thus far and I’m only on page 85, Chapter Title: The Wealth Files. One of my favorite points in the book is Wealth File# 4-Rich People think big. Poor people think small. Mr. Eker explains the reason why most people think small in life whether it’s running a business or playing sports. The top reason is fear of failure and more fear of becoming successful. Hey, I get it. Mediocrity is easier to deal with and no one fears it, since your not risking anything. He poses questions in the book such as, “How do you want to live your life? How do you want to play the game? Do you want to play in the big leagues or in the little leagues, in the majors or in the minors? Are you going to play big or play small? It’s your choice” I had to pause for a second, and I’ve realized that I’ve may be thinking way too small. It must be true, since I’m definitely not rich (smile).

Today, I had a thought…who thinks big? Who seems as if they are ready to tackle the world with their “big” idea (and is not afraid to show it)? Who has a “no fear” type of attitude? It came to me. Actor/comedian, Sacha Baron Cohen aka Borat but now known, as Bruno, he has no fear! He tackles stereo-typical titles placed on race, sexuality, and much, much more. He’s certainly not afraid to push buttons. Trust me, if you’ve seen Borat than you understand what I mean. He takes all of those factors, throws in some comedy and a character driven story, and best of all, he’s seems to be enjoying himself and making money while doing it. He’s totally outlandish and I love it! He’s filling an entertainment void in Hollywood. Essentially, Sacha is a problem solver which is the definition of an entrepreneur according to T. Harv Eker.

I heard him on the a radio interview this morning with Ed Lover and Free on Power 105.1FM (WWPR) as his Bruno character and I must admit that I got out of my bed filled with laughter and with a huge smile on my face (but you got to be in to that type of comedy). But, what put the icing on the cake for me is his July cover issue on GQ posing in the nude (recreating the infamous Jen Aniston GQ cover) as Bruno, his new alter ego, who is a gay fashion reporter from Austria. I actually saw the cover today while passing a news stand. All I could do, was shake my head, laugh, and mumble to myself (yes, myself) “WOW! This guy is BOLD!”

So, I encourage you all and myself, Think Big, BE Bold and never, ever sell yourself short! Hell, Sacha did it and you can too!

XOXO,

Miss Joi

P.S-Bruno admitted today on the radio, that Obama is HOT! I totally agree! What do you think? I want to read your comments…

Picture Perfect; My LA Trip

I’d awaken from a well rested night in dream land but something was off. Black satin cap. Check. H&M Spaghetti strap chemise. Check. Black cotton short, shorts. Check. Bath & Body Works lounge socks. Check. I threw them off in my sleep, so they were comfortably nestled on the hardwood floor. Check. Check. Check. Yes, everything is still here. Check. So, why did I feel uneasy and slightly out of place today?

I wiped my tired eyes one last time. There I was; soft bed, tall windows with a warm, bright rays of sunlight easing its way through the blinds. For the very first time I was not cold. Oh, yeah. That’s it. I was in Cali, LA to be exact. No artic, windy weather, no uninvited mornings filled with hot green tea, no groggy mode, no negativity and no overcast skies frowning down on me. The vibe was totally opposite from New York. It felt almost surreal.

I was in a city where it can get as high as 80 degrees in January. There was a bonus. The first Black President was being sworn in on the National Mall in Washington, DC today. Things could not get any better!

After my friend, Mr. McD or more appropriately I should call him, Bruce Wayne (he knows what I mean) and I wiped away the sleepiness, we prepared to watch the swearing in ceremony on CNN.com’s live broadcast. It was awesome! I cried tears of joy. Bruce Wayne even recorded Obama’s speech on his sleek, little Mac. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a remixed version of the speech with my voice saying, “How do you make this bigger again?” over Obama’s voice. I can only imagine what you may think I was referring to. Take your mind out of the gutter; I was talking about the screen.

I boarded the plane on inauguration day, filled with butterflies in my stomach and wonderful memories of my two nights/three day LA business trip. I was sad to see it go; perfect weather, excellent food, beautiful people. Still, I was extremely uneasy about my overall feeling for the city, but I did know that I adored the weather.

Aside from the ideal weather, I had the opportunity to drop in on some ideal places. Here’s a glimpse of where I stopped:

-Private night tour of Media Concepts in Burbank, CA. This studio has a remarkable facility built for post production in video and music. The rooms are fully prepared with up-to-date technology that includes mixing and dubbing equipment. Media Concepts doesn’t just stop there. The studio also provides clients with a signature theatrical editing room, built as a real-life movie theater, with an enormous projector, surround sound, and two person mixing console. Future film makers check out the website, http://www.mediaconcepts.net/ The location is definitely exquisite.
-Quick bite to eat at Big Wangs located somewhere in Hollywood. It’s your ultimate sports bar with flat screens on every wall and a pool table. The Salmon wrap was scrumptious!
Mingling and drinks at Bar Marmont, snuggled beside the tasteful, well-known, boutique hotel, Chateau Marmount in West Hollywood. The butterflies hanging from the ceiling will totally freak you out.
-Window shopping at Nordstrom, Apple store, and Barney’s Co-Op in The Grove Mall. We’re in a recession, purchasing was not on the agenda.
Delicious Margherita Pizza at Pitfire Pizza. They have three locations, so don’t ask me which one I actually dinned in. I have an excuse, I was visiting.
-Leather sofa shopping at Restoration Hardware in Sherman Oaks Fashion Square Mall. Hey, someone has to do it!
-Dinner at the ultra sexy Firefly in Studio City, CA. Extremely laid back atmosphere, romantic lightening, entertaining music and succulent cuisine.
-Lunch at Porto’s Cuban Bakery & Café, a family-owned bakery and café with fresh, fresh, fresh food. I actually had the Tuna on a croissant. I never eat tuna from any establishment. That’s a compliment!
-Back to LAX Airport

I know what you’re thinking after reading my where-abouts in LA, “Well, Joi. Did you do any damn work?” My answer to that question is, “Certainly, but I’ll keep that between me and Bruce Wayne.” (wink, wink)

Oh, Barcelona: Where the Men Are Yummy and the Architecture Is Breathtaking

It seems like a decade has gone by since my wonderful trip to Barcelona, the capital of Spain, located right on the Mediterranean coast. I threw in going to Ibiza for good measure, beautiful beaches, and some additional, over-the-top party time. Ibiza is an island 80km from Spain, so roughly an hour plane ride, directly in the Mediterranean Sea. Although, my trip was not a decade ago, it went quickly. My journey for “the unexpected” kicked off on the evening of August 26th. I had to meet my friend, Miss ST at JFK Airport. Well, here is where the fun began…

I’m not great with getting to places on time with the exception of the airport, the annual Dolce & Gabbana sample sale in November and work (occasionally). However, I am a stickler for being at airport in a timely manner. Trust, it’s a royal pain in the ass to miss a flight, especially an international flight. You would think that I got to JFK at least an hour before my plane would pull off. Negative. I appeared 35 minutes before take off with an arsenal of luggage. I approached the red cap services outside with a clam and delightful attitude. I took out my passport with the hideous picture and itinerary.

“Hi, I’m here for the 7pm flight to Barcelona,” I said with a smile.

“Oh, you’re going to Barcelona, let me get you checked in,” Mr. Red Cap replied.

By the end of our conversation, Mr. Red Cap informed me that I could not check in my very heavy luggage since it was 30 minutes before the flight, but I could still catch the plane with me and my carry on.

My mind was racing as I only had about 2 minutes to make a decision. My friend who drove me to the airport encouraged me to get on the plane. He offered to ship my suitcase to the hotel.

I got my ticket and raced to the gate. Miss ST was waiting for me as I had told her all of the details on my friend’s cell phone while checking in to get a ticket. Yes!!! I was happy that I’d made it to Spain. But, I had no cell phone (lost it a few weeks before the trip…very long story) and no clothes. Hey, a trip isn’t a trip if you don’t have some exciting stories to tell when you return. This vacation was starting off lovely for me (I meant that in a sarcastic way…haha).

I’m sure that you don’t want to read a long, boring, blog post about Spain. If you can get out of the country, I would certainly recommend an escape to Barcelona and Ibiza if you can squeeze in an island for a totally different vibe. Honestly, I prefer Barcelona. I’m a city girl at heart. It’s a huge city with a lot of flavor.

So, here are Joi’s rules for a great trip in Barcelona and Ibiza:

Rule #1: You have to do a tour or two. Barcelona is a city filled with fruitful and detailed architectural design. There are historic buildings everywhere that are preserved and still used today.

First, we went on a city on and off bus tour. Yes, with the double decker buses. You can take fabulous photos and get on and off the bus as you please. In addition, we did another tour from Catalunya Bus Turistic Company to Torres Wine Vineyard, Montserrat, and Sitges.
-Torres is a family owned business the produces and distributes wine throughout Spain.
-Montserrat is a mountain 40km from Barcelona, where a thousand-year-old benedictine monastery is housed. Monks live in this area. It’s like a mini town on top of the mountains. The view is spectacular.
-Sitges is 20 minutes outside of Barcelona. Known for it’s inheritances to the “americanos”. It has a rich architectural heritage with gorgeous mansions that were converted into hotels.

Warning: The tour was from 8am-5pm.You can imagine how we felt the morning of the tour after a night of clubbing, but it was worth it.

Rule #2: You got to go to the beach! Ok, so we were a little lazy on this tip and I had no clothes for part of my trip. We only went to one beach in Barceloneta. Note: Just ignore the beach vendors selling trinkets.

Ibiza: We went to the beach everyday in Playa d’en Bossa. We got a free beach bed, free drinks and free ice cream. Now, that’s what I call a successful day at the beach.

Rule #3: Don’t get henna tattoos on the beaches in Barcelona!!!!! I broke out into a rash and so did Miss ST.

Rule #4: You got to eat at some cool spots. I had two favorite places:
-Morelia Restaurant, great wine, great pasta, and great salad. All of the food was fresh.
-Shoko Restaurant, http://www.shoko.biz/, it’s a beach front place with tasty mojitos, trendy atmosphere, good-looking men (staff and customers), and delicious East Asian cuisine.

Rule #5: You got to go shopping. Yes, I know that our country is in a recession and as a result the Dollar to the Euro sucks right now. But break out your piggy bank and try to shop, shop, and shop. I would suggest shopping at stores that are not in the US. I purchased a chic coat from Desigual, http://www.desigual.com/ (the “S” in this is actually faces backwards on the logo). The designers for this brand use vivid colors, prints and the fit is amazing. This is definitely my favorite store in Spain.

Rule #6: You got to hit the club scene. Yeah, I partied hard in Barcelona and Ibiza. I did realize that the club circuit is very small in Barcelona. Certain men that I met during my trip, I saw more than once thanks to the club scene. From Biki in Barcelona to Pacha in Ibiza, it was awesome! We found venues that played hip-hop which made my day.
Bonus: If you want to start the party early than go to Bora Bora in Ibiza. It’s like a daytime party on the beach. It felt similar to Wet Willies in Miami.
Rule #7: You got to stay in a comfortable place. Whether you’re staying at a friend’s house or in a hotel, just make sure that you are happy and relaxed where you sleep.We stayed at the Grand Hotel Central,http://www.grandhotelcentral.com/ near Las Ramblas. It had complementary breakfast, free business center, rooftop pool, soft beds and an attractive male staff. Oh, and did I mention a rooftop pool with a view of the city. What more could you want?

Ibiza: We stayed at the Palladium Palace Ibiza Resort, http://www.fiestahotelgroup.com/. This place is more of a family resort. I actually enjoyed the experience. The meals were included and it was right on the beach. Be careful: the beds are hard. But you get to drink free alcohol all day.

Rule #8: Last but not least, you got to meet new people. Hey, you’re on vacation. So got out there and mingle! Miss ST and I had the ball in our court. Honestly, there are no Black people out there, especially sistas. We were rare. Trust, you are more noticeable when you are different from everyone else and we played it to our advantage. Most of all, we had fun!!!
I met some cool and beautiful people while visiting Spain. I partied with some, had dinner with some and even exchanged some email addresses along the way. My new friend, Carlos (aka Carlito or Los) whom I later discovered is Latin American, a model and a soccer (futbol) player living in Barcelona. We had a brief encounter on my first night in Barcelona at Club Biki. Maybe it was his big, brown eyes, maybe it was just my excitement to be in Spain, but there’s a mesmerizing energy from men who live overseas. I ran into him a few times on the club scene. Another example would be Sarah and Miguel, a couple from London who were fun, spontaneous, and down-to-earth that I met on the magnificent beach in Ibiza.

I became acquainted with many people from places like Switzerland to Florence to Holland to Liverpool. Best of all, everyone had great things to say about Presidential Candidate, Senator Obama once they discovered that I was from the US. Go Obama!!!

Barcelona and Ibiza, What else can I say? I’m ready to go back, so call me when you book the plane tickets (wink, wink).