I have found a whole new appreciation for men they are truly like wine, just have to figure out what works with and for the pallet. Do you want them young and sweet like Moscato or Mature and refined like Pino? Do you want red, blush, rose or white? Do you prefer sweet or dry? The type that hits your taste buds with the first sip, or the kind that lingers in the back of your pallet after the last swallow. Like the grapes it takes to make, you get stomped on, spit out after only one taste, passed off, and requiring lots of time and patience. Like men, wine comes from many different vineyards that have their individual style and signature. No two bottles of Chardonnay are the same. So why expect that from men. It takes the right glass to bring out the full aroma and flavor of Pino Noire. Just like the right niche and motivation to bring out the best in a man.
But a true Woman appreciates the art and time it takes to develop into the right flavor whether its by her own hand or another. For me, I am proud to say I am mature enough to spot the bottle of Boones Farm and Mad Dog 20/20 pretending to be of high quality. Its the bootleg type that makes you sick with a hangover. That makes it difficult to appreciate quality. Even Cheap table wine can go either way it’s all about what works for the individual person and their situation. On the flip side, an expensive bottle will go rancid if it isn’t cared for correctly. Often times the female sex bash, complain, criticize, and judge. Yet usually don’t take time to take it in with all five senses and absorb. A person of value knows how to recognize the Top Shelf but also knows how to recognize the hidden notes that don’t surface. Recognize what works and what doesn’t. This comes with time, experience, and patience to enjoy the pleasures life has to offer.
So whether you have a bottle over dinner, a glass to unwind after a long day at work, or to set the mood for a romantic night. Cheers to the quality bottles both young and mature I appreciate the bull you put up with and the work you go through. It’s hard not being recognized for all you do. But like wine, with the right environment and conditions over time, you will flourish and thrive and be your best self to the fullest.
According to Wikipedia, the Herd mentality, mob mentality and pack mentality, also lesser known as gang mentality, describes how people can be influenced by their peers to adopt certain behaviors on a primarily emotional, rather than rational, basis. When individuals are affected by mob mentality, they may make different decisions than they would have individually.
If you google herd/mob mentality, there is an image of bulls falling off a cliff. I have seen similar photos of sheep and even people falling off a cliff. The picture is very poignant because it pretty much depicts how fans of Actors, Entertainers, Social Media Influencers react in mass on digital platforms.
In the last couple of years, I have observed the digital mob has gotten out of control. Fans or Stans some people like to call them have lashed out in such ferocity over simple disagreements. Some celebrities have come out publicly to condemn these behaviors, while others remain silent. These fans have taken their love for the artist to a terrifying level. It’s almost to the point of worshipping these celebrities as if they are divine beings or Gods. Lord forbids if a celebrity or influencer publicly disagrees with a topic or issue, let alone outright say they don’t like the star their fans, flood the individual’s social media account with emojis and horrifying comments.
Wishing someone to die, commit suicide, or threaten their personal safety is beyond wrong. Like seriously, there is something wrong with this. Mobs, whether in person or digital, are hard to control. When they are unleashed, the damage is unknown. Some have recovered from the brutal attacks, while some are deeply scarred. Regardless of the situation or opinions of the specific topic. The person on the receiving end of this attack is a human being, with feelings and personal insecurities. I am sure their disagreement did not intend of such backlash. No one deserves that type of attack in mass. No one does. Tens of thousands of “Stans” flooding your comments and inbox with hateful, bigoted comments are alarming and worrisome. I am sure when 10,000 plus people leave messages of wishing you died, you would be bothered by it as well.
I will repeat this it’s wrong beyond wrong. That celebrity’s job is to entertain the masses with their art form. Their art is inspiring and captivating. It touches the fans to the core in an almost divine manner. It can be relatable, helpful in overcoming a personal struggle or inspire the individual to pursue their own dreams. As a fan myself, we are motivated by their almost inhuman ways of achieving their art in such feet. One must also remember that entertainer is a human being with feelings and struggles they are not a God or Goddess despite how big their egos maybe. Whether you are an ordinary person with 80 followers or a celebrity with 80 million followers, everyone is human and are entitled to their opinions and thoughts. Instead of attacking, look at the situation from a different perspective. Everyone deserves to be treated like a human being with decency and respect. Next time you decide to express outrage in defense of your beloved artist on social media, think about the tens of thousands of fellow stans/fans who are doing the same thing. One sting can hurt, but hundreds of thousands of stings can be fatal.
If you find yourself on the receiving end of some mass hate, take a breath and log off the internet for 24-48 hours. Your need to defend and fight back will be pointless because the numbers will be overwhelming. I promise you the less you comment the faster it will die down. The good news is Stans have very short attention spans and will move on to the next thing to be mad at. Silence is your best option. By the end of the week, your beef will be old news as long as the hornet’s nest doesn’t get kicked around. I know from first-hand experience.
Just remember the solution to cyberbullying is to block and delete. If the cyber-attacks are small and manageable it will stop. If you have a large following, log off and take a social media break for a while. Its not worth your mental health entertaining or fighting a crowd who won’t listen to reason.
My Twitter and Instagram feed has been flooded with news of a well known Social Media Influencer, who launched her cosmetics brand. I completely understand the stress of launching a brand. I know from first-hand experience what it is like to start a business. That is where the similarities stop.
I don’t personally follow this person, but I know who she is because her name has been associated with a lot of online drama and its a lot of it. How is this woman even able to continue to have a large platform? Now I will not write about the issues about the launch, just hit the social media platforms, and you will be brought to speed. What stuck out I was watching a Youtube video, and the commentator read a Tweet from a fan that said something to the effect of, “I love you, but every time you have a launch something is problematic.” “There are always issues with it.”
Now I’m going to put on my consumer hat and dive into how problematic this brand is. She consistently sells sub-quality products at a high-end rate while getting rich from her fan base. I am having a hard time understanding why people continue to support her and a brand that’s putting out shit quality. In her latest release, her product possibly pose safety concerns, that didn’t get recalled. I mean come on, why would you, as a consumer, spend your hard-earned money on a makeup brand that has nothing but negative reviews. The owner won’t even correct the issue. Instead, she blames the consumer, comes up with all kinds of off the wall excuses. Even other Influencers despite their watered-down commentary could not get around the fact, the product was utter crap. I wouldn’t be surprised if they got paid to review products, albeit it is biased and sponsored.
There are millions of other makeup brands on the market. I personally commend anyone who launches their own, without a large following or major endorsement is hard. For those who are fortunate to have a large fan base or platform, think about your brand. Just put out the best, a quality that is inclusive for everyone and safe. I get it shit happens, but if you fuck up, have a moral and ethical obligation to rectify the situation or give them their money back. The money is not a priority if the brand is being dragged through social media and word of mouth. That’s why it’s so important to be hands-on and surround yourself with a team who will not let you fail. Put the customer first, the quality control standard will reflect this.
As a customer, you have options. You deserve products and services that are to standard and won’t pose a health risks. Stop making brands wealthy when they are not even thinking about your safety only your money. This applies to every consumer goods on the market.
Cosmetic surgery is not “cosmetic,” and human flesh is not “plastic.” Even the names trivialize what it is. It’s not like ironing wrinkles in fabric, or tuning up a car, or altering outmoded clothes, the current metaphors. Trivialization and infantilization pervade the surgeons’ language when they speak to women: “a nip,” a “tummy tuck.”…Surgery changes one forever, the mind as well as the body. If we don’t start to speak of it as serious, the millennium of the man-made woman will be upon us, and we will have had no choice. NAOMI WOLF, The Beauty Myth
Looking for quotes for this article, many influential people viewed Plastic Surgery as something insecure people undergo. Maybe that’s not the case. Everybody dislikes something about their bodies. What’s wrong with doing something about it? Yes, the media does focus on individuals who go to the extremes lot achieve this perceived view of perfection, but what about those who simply want to feel comfortable in their bodies? Major or minor changes or so-called body improvements.
According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, the definition of Plastic Surgery is a branch of surgery concerned with improving the function or appearance of parts of the body through reconstructive or cosmetic medical procedures. Basically, if you physically alter any form of your body regardless of the reason, it’s plastic surgery. Many people choose to address their physical insecurities through plastic surgery procedures. While others don’t do it for various reasons.
For the purpose of information and insight, this discussion is for cosmetic, elective surgery. Reconstructive surgery meaning the person undergoes the procedure due to severe damage from a disease or trauma. This type of surgery is excluded from this discussion because the procedure was medically necessary. This discussion is targeted towards individuals who elected to have a procedure for strictly cosmetic reasons outside of disease and trauma. Quite frankly it’s nobodies business what a person decided to do with their bodies. It’s their choice and dollars.
Everyone has insecurities some manage to deal with them while others obsess compulsively over them. Disorders derive from them. Young and older people develop eating disorders, dysphoric body disorders, anxiety, depression, and every other mental health disorder known to man. All because they are trying to achieve some level of perfection. It’s not a pleasant situation. Some people seek help to recover fully, others continue to struggle, and sadly, some succumb to the battle, and their lives are cut short tragically.
Heres where the social contradictions lie. Social media, mainstream media, and general society as a whole have created unrealistic standards of beauty. PhotoShop and Face Tune give people the ability to change their appearance ultimately, but it warps the perception of beauty. Once again, that’s none of my business. What becomes problematic is when people in the position of influence, meaning the beauty and entertainment industry impose this unrealistic standard of beauty when marketing to the general population. It’s a double edge sword when mainly women and young girls alter their appearance to look like said celebrity/influencer, they are dragged on social media for going under the knife to achieve this standard of beauty.
Being a woman, even a man living in the United States is Rough, I mean it’s literally like being stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to the standards of beauty. If you’re in the entertainment industry, it’s even worse. The contradictions and hypocrisy the general public has towards plastic surgery are almost hilarious when you actually sit back, listen, and observe. Who wants every inch of their bodies, examined, critiqued, rated on this unrealistic standard?
Girls as young as 18 are opting for lip fillers, breast augmentation, and other procedures to look like their favorite celebrities for graduation gifts instead of a car or summer trip. In 2018 NATIONAL PLASTIC SURGERY STATISTICS from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons showed a break down of cosmetic procedures. Looking at the number of Breast Augmentations, Lip Fillers, Butt Implants, Liposuction has increased more than 50% since the previous year. So what does that mean? Besides the fact, a lot of people are going under the knife, but many who do are bashing others for their decision while doing the same thing in private.
In public, they stand on their soapbox lecturing a complete stranger on why they should love their body, but in the dark researching how they can get a tummy tuck or breast implants. It’s a double edge sword, you want to look and feel your best, not become obsessed with it. Many influencers and celebrities are honest about their elective procedures by sharing their stories on their platforms. Yet when you scroll through their comments, the nasty judgment is right there. Those who don’t publicly admit it, or claim their bodies are natural are met with the same judgment. It seems if you’re in the public eye, you can’t seem to win. The best approach is to ignore negative comments altogether. This comes from having a strong sense of self-love, a stable support system, and a grip on reality that no matter how big your platform is, people are just flat out rude and disgusting and don’t realize, these ugly comment is a direct reflection on their own insecurities and self-loathing. It’s completely normal to feel insecure about a feature, it’s ok to want to improve those you deem imperfect as long as you the individual are happy with the outcome.
Whether you chose to under the knife to modify something you don’t like, it’s your choice and your body. As long as you are happy with your decision and can live without regrets who cares what some Internet troll or stranger cares. It’s your life.
I discovered this cute Afghan Restaurant called the Mantu in Richmond, Virginia. The establishment has only been opened for a few weeks. I was pretty excited since I spent some time in Afghanistan, and I was fortunate to indulge in their local cuisine there. My expectations were pretty high, my memory of the local dishes was still new, and I will say I approached my dinner with scrutiny. (Disclaimer I was not paid, I paid for my drinks and dinner with my own money)
I was a little skeptical when I saw the establishment had a cocktail list. While I was in Afghanistan, I couldn’t drink so seeing a cocktail list threw me off a little bit, yet I was looking forward to trying them out. I love unique signature drinks I can enjoy with friends during the weekend.
I started my course with a cocktail called Fire Water, now don’t be intimated with this purely on the name. This spicy concoction is not something you chug down, oh no it is something you take in with small sips. If you don’t like spicy flavors don’t order this. I was feeling adventurous and went for it. When I took the first sip, it automatically reminded me of a dirty martini but spicy. Rimmed with sugar and garnished with jalapeños the flavor notes were a combination of sweet, bitter and spicy. It took me longer than usual to finish.
The Appetizer followed; next, Beef Mantu or Afghan Dumplings, these were a lot bigger than the dumplings I had in Afghanistan. I was blown away by the flavor, aside from the fact it’s delicious, it tasted exactly the same as the dish I had in Afghanistan.
The main dish, Beef Tikka Kebab, I loved how this dish was served beef perfectly seasoned and cooked medium-rare, what was impressive was how tender the morsels were. The bites laid on a bed of sauteed vegetables and a side of spicy pickled sauce. The plating of the meal is artistic, chic, and elegant.
My second drink, the Mantu, was a perfect pairing, crisp refreshing reminded me of an unsweetened Mojito. The flavor notes were light citrus and mint. It’s the right drink to finish off an exotic meal.
Overall the entire experience was enjoyable, relaxing, and social. The price point is at the mid-range not too pricey but will add up real quick, especially with the cocktails. If you want someplace classy, that’s quiet, exotic, and enjoy excellent Middle Eastern Food. It’s a great location for a date night go check it out.
A new Pop up Bar called Switch opened up on 13th W. Broad Street. Inside the establishment, you are met with a mural painting of Cheshire Cat and Alice from Alice in Wonderland soundly sleeping in the corner. Everything from the teacup light fixtures to the cocktails on the menu has names of characters and themes from the story. But it gets better. Head down the “Rabbit hole”, you are met with 1993 nostalgia from OG 90s Hip Hop music playing in the background to murals of the Late Notorious BIG, the great Madonna, Axle Rose, and late Kurt Cobane talk about a moment of going down memory lane. It even has OG video game machines in the middle of the bar. I will admit I was in awe from seeing both floors and thought about where I was during that time period of my life.
Each floor has its own unique signature cocktails named to fit the theme. After a second trip, it’s still hard to determine which is my favorite. I will admit I love both for their unique quirks and personality everything just vibed within their perspective floors. The cool aspect of Switch is the fact every couple of months, the entire layout will change into another unannounced theme. I couldn’t help experience the welcoming atmosphere that gives the feeling to relax unwind after a long day. Similar to the TV show Cheers. The staff is very friendly and wicked with their knowledge of the drink menus, which I will say wasn’t your usual mixed cocktails. It is quite impressive. I would highly recommend getting a designated driver or car service the drinks are so delicious you would be tempted to try every single one on both menus.
Cocktails at Switch RVA
So if you are in the downtown Richmond area check out Switch have a cocktail, take in the atmosphere and enjoy the scene. Depending on when you go the theme will change and so will the drinks but you will not be disappointed.
