The happenings...

I started this blog thinking of maybe doing it anonymous and talking of my travels. I think I will show myself.   :) I suck at posting regularly so now I will try to do so, at least semi-regularly and see what happens.

I have not been feeling well this fall/winter and am working with it. Took some time off.

But I worked the launch party for Urbandaddy.com in D.C. this past Friday. It was cool first literally then later as an experience. I did not have my contacts so I was working with blurred vision. Fun. This is the first time I was ever bodypainted. The plates were super heavy we just faked like it was cool. Muscle failure. What a model does!

Tyra's Black is Beautiful Show.

I was here the taping of the Tyra show's Black is Beautiful episode. Celebrating the success of Italian Vogue's Black Out Issue which made history. It is in it's fourth reprint. I can't find a copy but I hear you can get it on Ebay for $95. And when I talk about being a room full of black supermodels from different eras at once, man that is powerful! You go girls! I won't give away the episode but watch out for this Tyra show subject. Don't know when it airs yet.



The only pic I could get since I was working. Look at the entourage!
This link has a video of the outside action. http://www.omg.yahoo.com/videos/black-is-beautiful/4921

Hair types and texture

I forgot all about this until recently. I'd be online and see someone arbitrarily mention that there hair is "4b" or something. And I'd think to myself ,"What? 4b, is that weave, color, an apartment number or something??" So today after another letter number hair description mention I said, "Dammit, I'm looking it up!" 

Type 1: Straight hair

Type 2: Wavy hair

Type 3 "Combo" hair
With sub-groups A,B and C to depict range

Type 4 Kinky coily hair
With sub-groups A,B and C to depict range

This site explains it well:
http://www.curlyhairsalon.com/hairtypes.html

I remember looking at something about this on a hair salon's site in NY. To do this test you have to observe how your hair acts with no products after being washed and air drying. I remember that much. Now I can say the PLATINUM HOBO is either a 3C or 4A or somewhere in between.

Flying tips from the Platinum Hobo

HERE ARE SOME TRAVEL TIPS STRAIGHT FROM THE PLATINUM HOBO (AS OF DEC 09):
(this girl travels a lot.)

Tips for traveling abroad straight from the US gov:    http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/tips_1232.html

All liquids,creams,gel,etc.on your carryons have to be 3oz or less. Not including medicines and baby food/formula. Here's the link for BWI's travel tips so your not holding the line up and you can travel like the PLATINUM HOBO quick and chic. http://www.bwiairport.com/en/security/travel-tips

My personal tips:

1. Pack your carryon a duffle or rolling luggage and a tote bag and your all set for your excursions. You won't have to worry about paying to check your bag or waiting around at the luggage carousel. Nor will you have to worry about the baggage handlers scuffing your Louis Vuitton. Board early or you might have to gate check your bag if it's a full flight. Also another bag thing! What you buy in the airport may count as one of your carryons depending on how full the flight is or your gate agent will depends on if you'll be able to possibly get away with it.

2. Ladies if that time of the month hits you there may be free supplies onboard in your plane's bathroom. I know American Airlines had some. How convenient, especially from JFK to LAX!

3. With Airtran you can upgrade to business class starting at $49 depending on destination once your in the airport if business class is not full. Dress appropriately!

4. Know the rules of the airline your flying with I have seen people buy water or something in the airport and have to throw it out. Or throw out their drink and they could have kept them!

5.  Bring your own headset! Be mindful of the type of connection.How many times are you going to buy and collect these things? And you don't want to see the movie but not hear it, that's annoying. Or just fly business or first class.

6.  You may be able to go online inflight! There is a wireless internet service called Gogo that is on several airlines. http://www.gogoinflight.com/jahia/Jahia/site/gogo/root/participatingairlines Bring an extra battery or your charger and those headphones again! It works great and the price varies $5.95 to $12.95 for flights or you can buy passes.

7. Wear laceless shoes if possible! Flip flops, slides anything you can pop on and off when going through security.

Some the eateries this Hobo has visited and maybe you should check out

Mandarin Palace at 1835 Chestnut St Phila- I love this little restaurant. It's a great deal and nice cozy environment. The staff and owners are great and friendly. They have lunch specials from 11-4pm but if you don't catch it, it doesn't matter they have great prices. The restaurant features Chinese and South Pacific cuisine. You get endless hot tea, ice water, homemade crispy noodles with duck sauce and of course a fortune cookie free with your meal. They also have a good amount of vegetarian dishes. The service is good you won't be waiting too long.

Relish Burger Bistro at the Airport Sheraton Phila- If you are ever around it why not stop by. Though preferably not alone service was way slow when I went if it wasn't for the friendly waitresses and the fast that I had already drank my cranberry juice waiting I would have left. I waited about forty minutes for my burger and it was not packed at all. There were four other tables in usage. One of which already had their food! When I did get my burger I had to go and eventually just had to go to the Starbucks counter to pay my bill. But I tell you at least it was worth the wait. I ordered the B- tween which had a choice off bacon, egg, audouille sausage and soft shell crab. I had never had soft shell crab so I ordered my F\B- tween with the egg, bacon and soft shell crab option. I was in love it a delicious and I admit unique choice. Though my hamburger was slightly rare and I am really not that into hamburger it was delicious! (I thought this sandwich had no hamburger.) All for $7.00 with your choice of sauces and whole wheat or artisan bread I ordered wheat but got the artisan it took so long I didn't care and that is also probably why they forgot. The juices were $3 I chose cranberry and they also have various malts, tea and other drinks for different prices. My verdict good if your not alone and aren't in a rush. http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/property/dining/index.html?propertyID=1047

Charlie Brown's Steakhouse Springfield, Pa- Don't let the name fool you they have other things, too. On my first visit (because I plan on more) to Charlie Brown's I ordered the Shrimp Fest special that is going on until Sept 1 2008. For $12.99 you get four types of shrimp with your choice of rice, mashed or baked potato and 2 types of salad or the unlimited salad bar. I picked a baked potato with sour cream and butter and of course the endless salad bar. The shrimp varieties you get are BBQ Shrimp (my favorite), Buttered shrimp, Coconut shrimp (I feel like Bubba) with a marmalade sauce and just plain ol' fried shrimp with cocktail sauce. It is so good, though I really didn't feel the need for the baked potato; it clashed with the shrimp to me. The salad bar looked promising, with a lot of things in it like roast beef, artichokes ,sweet pickles, mozzarella and cherry tomatoes, couscous salad, a barley salad and such. The couscous salad ended up being to my mother tasting like it was spoiled the chef confirmed this was the correct flavor for that recipes so I'll just have to say we do not like it. Something tasted off though we don't believe it to be the lemon nor the mint in it. My barley salad was to me; maybe because I had some pickles first, tasteless, hard and undercooked. Also the fountain drinks are bottomless and includes sodas, lemonade and raspberry iced tea. I picked the lemonade it to me was perfect; cold, not too tart and not too sweet. Overall Charlie Brown's was good to me because the shrimp was stellar and I got their Handshake membership card which is free and you get coupons and free meals on your birthday among other things.
charliebrowns.com

Circ Marriott Center City Phila 13th St and Market St -In the newly renovated lobby of this hotel that is connected to the Philadelphia Convention Center is Circ you the main restaurant part with bar and the lounge area in the main lobby which also has a bar and fountain. With funky decorum and plenty of seating even when it's empty it has a lively ambiance. I find it to be a wonderful place to relax, have meetings with friends or for business and hangout if you’re headed out of town and have time to kill. They have great Mojitos and I love the hummus appetizer. For $5 you get their hummus made from scratch with garbanzo bean lumps here and their and subtle garlic flavor with split cherry tomatoes, celery and sea salted pita chips to dip in it, so good! Also there is Wi-Fi available but it's not free! They close at 1:30am on Sunday morning on Saturday night.

Sole Food at Loews Center City Phila 13th and Market St- Great salads, lots of flat screen TVs, a bar and sometimes they have live music. Also NBC's Ten Show is shot here. Wonderful bathrooms, free computers with internet for hotel guests and lemonade in lobby.

Center Grill- Union Station D.C.- When stuck waiting for Amtrak, having your lunch break, waiting to be picked up or just in the area I recommend this little bi level bistro right in Union Station. On my visit I had a light and breezy lunch of chilled Gazpacho topped with a cream and cucumber relish, yum! Along with it I nibbled my Chicken Satay, which was grilled chicken on wooden skewers with a relish of cucumber and red onion in the center of the plate and on the side a peanut sauce. This peanut sauce had a light peanut accent which wasn't bad I just expected more of that flavor (I have had Chicken Satay one other time than this.) But anyway it was delicious and to me well coordinated. For desert I had key lime pie, delicious (with no green food coloring to it) very flavorful with three dabs of whipped cream. To drink I just had a water with lemon. The service was good there is plenty of seating. Not bad for $17.15 and free Wi-Fi for its customers!

Maoz Phila (South St)- How ever you pronounce it, it's good. I always forget the correct way once I've been away for awhile. There are two in Phila at least that I know of, there is the one on South St and the other is on either Chestnut or Walnut around like 11 St or so. I know they are somewhere in NYC too. I think there potato wedges (basically fries) are great and you can put the cilantro sauce or one of other sauce on that too. I think their falafel is delicious and the staff at least on South is friendly. Though there is very limited seating like enough for six people or so at the max. The little salad bar has cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, sauces, pickles, etc. to decorate your pita or wax paper with. Great for Vegetarians!

Phila- Okay we have Rita's but surprisingly there is also the Phila Pretzel Factory for good water ice. It is like a thick slushie the Mango is my favorite and just as flavorful as a Rita’s. I haven't tried any other flavors since I'm a mango fanatic and it costs $2 for the Large $1.50 Medium, go for large.

Cuba Libre is my favorite restaurant in Phila. Inside the restaurant it looks like you’re outside in an old Havana courtyard. Even the bread and butter they give you are impressively tasty creamy mango butter with delicious warm freshly made bread. I am a fool for anything Mango. Very worth going to.

Philadelphia Aloft Hotel Launch Aug 8 08

Aloft Hotel I was at the launch party what great fun. Aloft is associated with W hotels, one by one they are launching new locations around the country in key locations. At the party around five hundred people were dancing and partying with lots of free shots (though I don't drink).Some of the food was a crowd favorite the mini burgers, sushi, cheeses, mixed fruit skewers and lots of other delicious little finger food and decadent desserts. I tell you the staff is so friendly and personable you will feel extra special. Around the hotel their was two pretty models sitting poolside in bikini and sarong with their own little mini bar and models working out in the little gym adjacent to the pool room on the first floor shirtless. Some of the big name attendees I noticed were of course the D.J. Jazzy Jeff, Mayor Nutter, Christopher from Project Runway, such fun. The hotel is quite unique for Philly's airport area. First you notice the outside reminiscent of a casino or Miami, neon lights with a giant metal sign reading the hotels name. The theme is sort of Hawaiian, Asian fusion. There are modern compact rooms whose biggest feature is the bed with window shades featuring one of the hotels striped motifs. In the main lobby is a cute little area to purchase juice, fruit, coffee, sandwiches, etc. and very reasonable prices that is full of neon colors. It is so bright and cheery it reminds me of something in Tokyo and the lux lounge area with eclectic pillows and colorful mix matched couches, with bouquets of exotic flower arrangements containing colorful flowers like birds of paradise and orchids strategically placed and one centered on top of glass on a pool table. The lower area of the lobby's lounge area has a bar and couches. And also is the entry way to the courtyard area with its outdoor glass encased fireplace, stools the dj booth and white tiled floor. This with the little palm plants swaying the breeze made everyone feel like they were far away from Philly. Also at the event after the speakers was the fashion show featuring clothes from some of Philly's hottest local boutiques Knit Wit, South Moon Under, Echo Chic and more! I modeled for Knit Wit. All of the clothes from the different stores were hot my favorite pieces were a gorgeous silver metallic cropped leather jacket, a satiny turquoise strapless jumper with parachute legs (the model pulled it off) and this feisty black and white number a Marc Jacobs couture bubble dress with pockets and unique straps that you could wear on or off the shoulder. Behind the runway stage setup was another outdoor lounge area with brown and green seating and matching little tables with it's own bar. It was definitely a night to remember complete with a red carpet. Once you went outside again you see the airport and think I was in Philly?