Bearberry

So Sundays are considered me days.  Sometimes I don’t even leave the house or change my bed clothes.  My church has live broadcasts online and I’ll watch there then spend the rest of the day mostly researching whatever topic seems interesting at the time.  On Sunday, March 02, 2014, I was watching an Essence online video of the Black Women in Hollywood White Carpet.  Near the end of the video, the hostess Yolanda interviews Angela Bassett and asks her to dip into a bowl of questions written by readers.  The question pulled out was simply, “What is the last thing you bought online,” but the answer was very intriguing.  “Bearberry,” Angela says, which she uses as a natural skin lightener. Bearberry leaves contain a natural lightening compound called arbutin that's said to be quite powerful at bleaching dark spots, age spots and melasma. While I don’t have a huge problem with discoloration, I had to try some on the dark circles under my eyes twice a day for about six weeks.  The brand I bought on Amazon was 100% pure and needed to be mixed with a moisturizer before applying to the skin.

 

I didn’t think to take a before photo but I have noticed a difference on my eyes and on my neck.  I have a little discoloration that came from a scarf I bought that was made in another country and I didn’t wash before wearing.  (Lesson learned.)  I will say that before I found out about the bearberry, I had also been using a natural product by EssenceTree Holistic Life called Renewal Balm.  Though it is a regional product, it can be bought at Whole Foods (Whole Body) and was marketed to help clear up the residual scars from eczema.  It works very well too.

 

In addition to the bearberry on my face, I occasionally use Smashbox BB cream which has color correcting and wrinkle improving qualities.  This could have aided in the skin lightening as well. On a side note, I use Oil of Olay Regenerist Anti-Aging Eye Roller which combats wrinkles and puffiness.  At times I was combining it with the bearberry and it makes me believe less attention is drawn to my eyes. Bio-oil is another product I have that I learned about at the Southern Women’s Show that you may want to try.  I was told though it helps with stretch marks, it doesn’t do much for discoloration which I don’t understand because aren’t stretch marks usually darker? 

 

It was wonderful learning about new natural products and how they can be used to treat the skin.  I thank Angela Bassett and Essence for the question and the answer.  Click here for more tips on how to naturally lighten the skin.

My New Favorite Denim

80s Party

I’ve had some of my best good times in a denim jacket that I got from JC Penny’s Bisou Bisou line when I was in college.  That jacket has been through thick and thin with me.  It has weathered many storms as well.  I remember I was wearing the jacket when my friends and I went to my first 80s party back when 70s parties were just beginning to go out of style.  I remember having that jacket on during one of my first trips to New York and being atop the Empire State Building.  It kept me warm on that windy day!

Harlem Stoop

When the jacket started to become more than worn and started to take on holes, I still kept wearing it because I found it so hard to let go.  I laugh because I was wearing it once when I went out to dinner with some girlfriends from grad school and someone at the table noticed that there was more than one hole in it.  One of the holes, I didn’t know was there.  I saw her expression as if she were wondering if I was broke.  Though grad school (and undergrad) can do that to you, I could actually afford to get a new jacket but I just wasn’t ready to replace my favorite denim jacket.  Good denim is so hard to find!

Phoenix Conference

Imagine my astonishment when I discovered Ralph Lauren’s new Denim and Supply line that was just released a few months back.  This line is Ralph Lauren’s take on the rugged outdoorsy and a lot of the pieces that are marketed as men’s can actually be unisex.  There are some great sweaters that can be paired with t-shirts I’ve adored that were both men’s. I actually worked as a seasonal employee at the Ralph Lauren Outlet store during the Christmas holiday and we would tell people who came into the store and asked, “Is this the men’s department or women’s?” that it was both.  Even though both men’s and women’s clothes are sold in that department, almost every time a woman would walk over to the men’s attire and pick something up in admiration. 

Denim & Supply

So when I went shopping for a new denim jacket, I did the very same thing.  I shopped Ralph Lauren’s Denim and Supply line.  My new denim jacket that I love just as much as the old one, came right out of the men’s department.  It came with the “lived-in” feel that I loved so much about my old jacket.  Parts of the jacket fabric are shredded just enough to make you think it’s been around but not so much that it needs stitching to keep the “damage” from growing.  The weave is tight yet relaxed and it even has the vintage look—yellowing of the fabric around the areas that touch the skin.  I love this jacket and originally bought it for one outfit—something I never do—but I’ve found myself pairing it with other outfits such as the one in the photo to the left.  In this photo, I paired my new favorite jacket with some orange corduroys that I also picked up from the Ralph Lauren Outlet store.  The sweater is from H&M and the jewelry (if you can see it) is a Betsey Johnson necklace and rings and Banana Republic bangles.  My handbag is from Cole Haan.  It’s a new favorite as well.  I didn’t realize how versatile it was when I bought it.  Those boots are Etienne Aigner that I’ve had in my closet for about five years.  I just got the heels fixed.

I would recommend Denim and Supply to anyone who values quality a little more than labels.  These clothes don’t carry the Polo Pony for which Ralph Lauren is so famous.  They are, however, very sturdy.  I bought a couple t-shirts that I live in on the weekends.  I originally bought them as a birthday gift for a guy friend but didn’t want to give them up after I tried them on.  They are so comfortable.  Some of the women’s attire is not my style but they do have both casual items and items that are a little dressier.  During the Christmas holiday season, they had a black velour blazer with satin lapels that I admired more than once.  I had to keep telling myself, “You already have a jacket like this” to keep from buying it.  Denim and Supply replaces Ralph Lauren’s Rugby line and though I hated to see it go, I welcome Denim and Supply with open arms.

An Evening With Danny Glover: Part 3

The last topic that I picked up during the Danny Glover session was the African debt crisis.  Honestly, I don’t remember what he was saying when he mentioned it.   I was taking so many other notes; I just scribbled this on the cover of my program and decided to look into it later.  Well now is later.

The debt of Third World countries has been a problem since the 1970s when the World Bank classified 60 countries as having $25 billion in debt.  Just over $11 billion of that came from countries in Africa.  In the 1990s, the US claimed that the Third World debt crisis was over because of the change in macro-economic criteria and the debt indicators of Latin America.  But what about Africa?  Many feel Africa’s debt is insignificant because their economies are smaller and most of their loans are not from western banks.  Instead African countries are heavily indebted to the World Bank and IMF. 

What does Africa’s debt mean?  With high debt levels come high poverty levels and, of course, poverty means poor healthcare and nutrition for children which lead to early death.  Noam Chomsky said, “Debt is a social and ideological construct, not a simple economic fact. Furthermore, as understood long ago, liberalization of capital flow serves as a powerful weapon against social justice and democracy. Recent policy decisions are choices by the powerful, based on perceived self-interest, not mysterious “economic laws.”  So why hasn’t more been done to teach these nations to fish instead of just handing it to them?

Some believe focusing on agriculture is the ticket to relieving the debt.  Increased agriculture productivity would develop the economy and all but eliminate the need for food imports.  This would free up funds for other essential investments.  Others push for an international bankruptcy court which will bring stability to the global economy and empower poor countries struggling to pay their debts.

What does this have to do with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr?  I tried googling him with “African debt” in the search engine which turned up nothing.  Quite frankly, this topic came up near the end of the session with Danny Glover and, after two hours, I had begun to tune the conversation out.  But it did grab my attention enough to research the topic and I’ve learned a lot.  I hope this post will educate someone and/or implore them to do their own research then seek out ways to Do Justice.

An Evening With Danny Glover: Part 2

So it took me so long to finish part two of this blog because I was trying hard not to make it sound like a research paper.  Very hard to do when research papers have pretty much been your life for the last three to four years.  The second point of Danny Glover’s session at Vanderbilt on which I picked up was his mention of President Jefferson’s stance on corporations undermining democracy.  Jefferson himself was a slave owner who thought the notion of owning slaves was immoral.  Yet he freed very few slaves from his two plantations.

At the time, slavery was used to grow and produce the institution of agriculture and created many organizations which thereafter became corporations.  Much like James Madison, Jefferson believed that given the chance, corporations could become too big and override the societies that gave rise to them.  What would Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. say about corporations today?  He’d probably say some of the same things that the Occupy Wall Streeters were saying in that the greed of corporations and the wealthiest one percent are disrupting the democracy of this country.

Democracy, plainly defined, is a form of government by which people choose leaders through voting.  However, if you can buy a congressman’s or a senator’s vote by throwing insane amounts of money behind immoral causes, does voting by the people really count?  How does capitalism hurt America?

It is without question that the capitalistic system in America must be transformed.  I recently read an article that mentioned four books that address radical and practical alternative visions for both the workplace and the economy more generally:  Rick Wolff’s Democracy at Work:  A Cure for Capitalism (2012), David Schweickart’s After Capitalism (2011), Gar Alperovitz’s America Beyond Capitalism:  Reclaiming Our Wealth, Our Liberty and Our Democracy (2011), and Dada Maheshvarananda’s After Capitalism:  Economic Democracy in Action (2012).  “One important aspect shared by each of these books is that each was either written, or expanded and reissued, in reaction to the crisis of 2008 and the Occupy movement of 2011,” states Hans G. Despain, the article’s author.  “All four books provide highly practical calls to action which are capable of transforming the economy…”

 

One of the questions Danny Glover asked at the point in the talk on MLK Day at Vanderbilt where I jotted down these notes was, “What makes us more human?”  In answering this question for myself, I think of things like being of service to others, having compassion and humility, and loving your neighbor as yourself—all clichés that seem to be lost in this society of being the biggest and the best at the cost of the middle class.  When does one exhaust having more?

An Evening With Danny Glover: Part 1

A little bummed that I didn’t get tickets to An Evening with Danny Glover at Vanderbilt on MLK Day, I got a text from a friend saying she had extra tickets. (Yay for me!) It was such an eventful night that about halfway through the interview, I wondered if I should be taking notes.  So I scribbled down a few things on the front of my program that I’ve turned into (hopefully) a three part blog series. 

The first thing that struck me enough to write down was Danny Glover saying that 90% of Brazilians are in poverty and one-half of the country is afro-descendents.  That number was so striking; I wondered how they are able to have a sustainable economy.  Everything I’d learned about Brazil so far was that they are an immerging developing nation that has made a significant enough splash in the oil industry to be noticed as an oil producing country.  Yet in Brazil, a high proportion of people of color—including both Blacks and those of mixed race—live in the mostly poor rural northern part of the country where families tend to have large numbers of children.

From previous research of the country before my 2011 visit, I’d learned that the entire education system of Brazil is mediocre at best.  Even the highest ranked private schools only test at median levels in comparison with other countries.  Because it is legally difficult to be fired in Brazil, schools are often ill-equipped with nonchalant teachers and students tend to drop out before fully completing their secondary education.  Black children, however, tend to drop out earlier than others and are more likely to work in lower paying occupations.

This explains the high levels of poverty in the country because, a large portion of their citizens are subject to these conditions.  It makes me wonder how the country of Brazil plans to fervently combat racism and discrimination.  Because Mr. Glover spoke of Dr. King’s influence on Latin America in general, I found it fascinating that in 2010 both Bolivia and Honduras passed anti-racism laws to aid in the struggle against discrimination and other ethnic intolerances. 

Another fascinating piece of information I picked up from the conversation at Vanderbilt that night was the Afro Cubans participation in the abolishment of apartheid and the release of Nelson Mandela at the helm of Fidel Castro.  Castro sent 300,000 Cuban soldiers and 50,000 civilians and doctors to fight in Africa’s liberation wars, bringing independence not only to Angola and Namibia but also accelerating the end of apartheid in South Africa.  This amazing feat was done without the assistance of the US and some believe that we actually supplied possible nuclear assistance to the resistance in South Africa. 

Dr.  King along with other American civil rights leaders helped Ghana celebrate their independence in 1957.  While there, Dr. King was quoted in a radio announcement as saying, “This event, the birth of this new nation, will give impetus to oppressed peoples all over the world. I think it will have worldwide implications and repercussions--not only for Asia and Africa, but also for America….It renews my conviction in the ultimate triumph of justice. And it seems to me that this is fit testimony to the fact that eventually the forces of justice triumph in the universe, and somehow the universe itself is on the side of freedom and justice. So that this gives new hope to me in the struggle for freedom.”  From this, I understand that global freedom is relative and in keeping with the theme of the evening, I implore you to “Do Justice.”

I'm From China...

Here’s the pilot episode of an ABC program, Trophy Wife.  About halfway through Warren, the Chinese adopted son of the show’s stars says the title line of the episode (and this blog entry.)  I’m not going to bore you with the history of this immersing country.  I’d like to share some thoughts I had as I was coughing, wheezing, and sneezing in the wee hours of the morning watching TV.  (PBS/NPT is the best!)  I caught a couple of shows one night that not only discussed the weather but also—of course—the modern culture of the Asian country.

China’s current culture, from fashion to architecture to TV shows to products and behaviors, is a fascinating force.  Though many believe China’s economy is on a bubble, it hasn’t burst yet.  The BBC recently reported that the economy is stabilizing and from the looks of it, the whole world has a stake.  My sister and father took a trip to South Africa and Namibia a few months back and noted while souvenir shopping that they could barely find products that weren’t made in China.  They actually had to drive one lady who was selling trinkets back to her house to get some baskets she had that were actually made in South Africa.  I don’t know if she was saving them for herself or not when she sold them to my dad.  They’re wonderful and I’ve been eyeing one.  They came in a set of three and my sister has one at her house.

South African baskets my dad bought

One of my high school classmates is currently teaching English in China and it’s an adventure, for me, just to read her Facebook posts.  She talks of how the students are so inquisitive and I remember this same inquisitiveness in the Chinese classmates I had in grad school.  As part of graduation requirements at the Massey School at Belmont University, we had to take a study abroad trip.  The students who went to China reported back colorful stories on everything from the food to the garbage to the long flight and having to take a whole day of sleep to recover.  I would recommend anyone planning to visit the country do research on everything from the political system to the education system to sports and history.  While there you should make observations, reflect on the preconceived notions you had before the trip and recognize how your ideals changed with your first hand experience.  I guarantee it’ll change your perspective on how you view foreign countries in general as they compare to our own.
 

We indeed live in the best country in the world.  I know this from my own experience in foreign countries.  Refraining from being too political, I plan to do what I can and to encourage others to make the United States better and brighter for generations to come.  Hint:  It starts by voting…

Goodwill Finds

Oh, did I tell you I found a Kate Spade bag at Goodwill?  It was in a case at the register.  As I was checking out, the design on the exterior caught my eye.  I asked to see it and noticing the brand said, “Oh, it’s Kate Spade!”  The person ringing me up looked up and said, “Well maybe…”  As I was examining the interior and the detail, I thought, This is either a genuine Kate Spade or an impeccable fake.  It had great craftsmanship.  I bought it along with this great skirt from the same location.

 

I was actually looking for an out of season white dress when I came across the little darling of a skirt.  When I didn’t find any dresses to suit, I started meandering through the skirts.  This 1940s era tweed find was literally peeping out at me from among the tan skirt section.  Because skirts and dresses of that era were closely cinched at the waist, I believe someone tried it on, discovered they couldn’t fit it, and just tossed it back on the rack out of frustration.  Fortunately for me, no one had the idea to have the waist let out.  Well… I bought the skirt without trying it on first because the inside of the belt said it was a 14 so I just knew it would fit me. (I’m smaller than that.)  When I got home, it was too small.

 

The buy was a wonderful accident.  A friend of my mom is a great seamstress and used to make the majorette uniforms for my high school band.  I trusted the task of letting out the waist and covering up stains along the bottom edge and down the sides of the skirt to her.  Valerie, the owner of Destiné Fashion and Alterations in Nashville, assisted with my vision for the skirt and turned it into the photo on the left.  The first time I brought her the skirt, she remarked that the label was from a store her grandmother shopped in Downtown Nashville when she was a little girl.  This skirt is older than me! The extender fabric came from a ½ yard of suede cloth.  The black stripes down the sides are wool from Textile Fabrics on Franklin Rd.  I had a wonderful time shopping there but they are not cheap.  They have everything you could ever imagine for sewing and I am determined to go back after Valerie teaches me.  She offers sewing classes.

 

The lace at the bottom and a pin I bought to cover the stain on the pocket came from JoAnn’s where a nice lady in line directed me to their mobile coupon site.  The new belt came from Banana Republic Factory Store at 60% off during the Christmas holiday.  I picked up the off-white turtleneck at the same store at 50% off and bought some black and gold bangles from there as well.  (Discount!)  The necklace I’m wearing in the photo was a late-in-the-day Black Friday deal at NY&CO and the shoes are from my closet which were bought several years ago.  I decided to pair my thrift store find with a splurge from Cole Haan Outlet that was actually 60% off.

 

I originally paid four dollars and change for that skirt which wasn’t taxed by the Goodwill.  The fabric and alterations were considerably more than four dollars but my skirt is now couture.  By the way, my right hip is bigger than my left hip which is apparently normal for most people.  My new skirt was done in two fittings and looks pretty good for my first crack at vintage shopping, if I do say so myself.  I learned that vintage shopping is an all day process and can be very daunting.  I recommend getting stores’ schedules for discount and specials days.  Valerie told me of a dress she reconfigured for a coronation that only cost the campus org queen $0.99.  Also, take your time.  I was so eager beaver that I spent more than I should have on some of the fabric.  I bought a whole yard of the wool when I could have cut costs by only getting a half.  I could have also caught better sales if I’d just waited for some of my desired items to be marked down.  All in all, I’ve been bitten by the bug.  I am now officially a vintage shopper and will spend some of my weekends looking for great deals and thinking of alterations.  And I think I’ll try to find a fascinator to go with this look…