Curry(Hair Ancestry~My Granny)Curls

Mary Frances Dickerson...My Grandmother...My Roots...Me

Sixth from the right underneath the “of” in the sign is my maternal grandmother Mary Frances Dickerson (19 years old)~237 Vance St. Memphis, Tennessee, 1946 and my mother’s 1st cousin Miss Inez third from left bottom row. This is her graduation from beauty school … and while I have never attended beauty school her hair doin skills run deep through my veins…this is a piece of me before me existed …If I ain’t have family and love… I’d be lost…

(CurryCurls)

Curry(SunFest Call to Vendors & Performers)Curls

I normally would not do a plug for work, but for this one I am making the exception as its my event and I am producing it, which means its sure to be fierce! I  Would love love love to have some natural hair vendors represented. If you have your own haircare line, make jewelry or hair adornments then you should check out our SunFest 2011  call to vendors!!!

SunFest 2011 Call to Vendors

Do you create or sell traditional arts & crafts that represent the diverse communities inMontgomeryCounty? Are you a community service group that wants to share information with a large public audience? Are you a concessions vendor that offers yummy food treats, or a food truck serving exotic cuisine? Are you a green company with cool products that protect and preserve our environment? Then SunFest 2011 is where you need to be!

The second annual Washington Revels SunFest is a one-day outdoor event held in Downtown Silver Spring,SilverPlaza, onEllsworth Streetbetween Georgia Avenue & Fenton Street (includingSilverPlaza). SunFest 2011 will be held on Sunday, June 19 from 1pm-5pm.  The event is free to the public. Last year’s SunFest had an attendance of over 8,000 patrons and looks to have an even greater turnout this year! Please find below more information about the event and a vendor registration form is attached.

Our Mission: SunFest is a summer solstice celebration of world cultures hosted by Washington Revels. Designed to give both professional and non-professional performers and groups an opportunity to shine and share their cultures, the festival features traditional performing arts -music, dance, drama, and storytelling – from around the world, creating connections among diverse communities.

Entry Requirements and Fees:  As space is limited and because we want the festival to have a certain character, we reserve the right to turn down vendors. Booth fees help pay for event publicity. The sooner you register, the more publicity we can produce. All booths spaces are a minimum of 10 by 10′.

• Crafts and Products Vendor: $55. We prefer original handmade arts and crafts and unusual manufactured products that represent cultures worldwide, as well as environmentally sustainable products.
• Concessions Vendor: $75 for concessions or any booth requiring electric hookup. Concessions are desserts or pre-packaged snacks.
• Food Trucks: $125. We have openings for 2-3 Gourmet Food Truck vendors that represent multicultural/multi-ethnic foods.
• Community Service booths will be offered free, but space is extremely limited.  Spaces are offered to arts, educational, and community service non-profits; selling any goods, services or soliciting money is prohibited.
• Fee is for booth space only; no additional equipment is provided. Vendors must provide own table/chair/canopy as desired; all equipment and displays must fit within 12’ x 12’ designated booth.

 

Space Assignment & Schedule:  There are really good spaces for booths, most of which are prime spaces between our two performing stages.  The booth spaces are assigned based on the date the application is received, so the earlier you sign up the better the location of your booth. Washington Revels will mark off the booth locations and be prepared to show you your space from 8am-noon. Setup may  begin as early as 8am and must be completed by noon. You should be “open for business” by 1pm on Sunday. The hours for sales are from 1pm until 5pm.  All vendors are to remain open for business until 5pm, when clean-up and break-down can begin.

 

If you would like to participate, please complete the enclosed registration form and return with your check payable to Washington Revels, Inc.

SunFest Vendor Registration Form

Please find my contact information below. The most convenient and easiest way to contact me is via email; calls only between 9am-5pm. Please share this announcement with others who may be interested.  I hope to hear from you soon and look forward to seeing you at the festival.

Cheers!

Amber Curry~ SunFest Producer~ sunfest@revelsdc.org

acurry@revelsdc.org ~240.821.1214 (direct office)~301.587.3835 (main office)

Are you a performing arts group that represents African, Latino, Caribbean, Asian, American, European, or other heritages? Then check out our SunFest Call to Vendors.

Curry(NoWashNGo)Curls

I thought I might make it a whole month with Patra braids. Instead, they lasted for three weeks. I think I suffer from Hair ADD.  The only styles that last longer than a few weeks for me are the ones I can’t take out in a few hours or less. I cut one braid this morning before work and an hour later I was done. But I ain’t complaining three weeks of no hands in hair as opposed to none, is still…

a pretty sweet deal.

Winter and my hair don’t get along to well and figuring out that routine was rough. Now that spring is here I am in a familiar place. I may try keeping it in some sort of protective style for three weeks and wearing it out or in temporary styles for two weeks. I took out my first few braids and my hair was super soft, I thought it was a fluke, but it weren’t. Really, ever since I’ve started using the Hydratherma Naturals line, specifically the daily growth lotion, my hair has been sicksoft! While I wore my braids, I mixed a small amount in my Shea Moisture Thickening Moisture Mist that I sprayed on daily and it seems to have worked. When I installed the braids I blew dry my hair on low and used only a bit of IC Polisher Gel, Hydratherma Naturals Daily Growth Lotion and Hair Growth Oil.

Make sure you check back for a strictly Curls Post where I will be updating my Spring/Summer hair routine and reviewing my standard ol’ faithful goodies and some ones. To include: Hairveda’s Herbal Green Tea Thick Hair Oil Creme, Whipped Jelly, and SitriNillah Ultra Moisturizing Deep Masque.

As proof of my spontaneous pretty shiny thing syndrome, I was eager to take out my braids but realized there would be no time to wash my hair

CurryCurls(DC-3 & Capital Bikeshare)Conquests

Spring was in no rush this year in DC. It teased me with a few semi warm days tossed sparingly (and I do mean sparingly) in between temperatures that have no business being in March or April.  Now to DC folk I look foolish cause they all seem to know and are fine with the fact that it doesn’t really get warm until mid or late April. Having spent the last three years of my life in Southern California, spoiled by a never-ending sundress and sandal collection, you can see why it might be little hard for me.

Finally over this last week the weather has become consistently warmer, which means I can get out of this hibernation. I can say that I successfully made it through my first east coast winter and I am completely cool if it takes a good long time coming back around.

Now that spring is here, it means farmers markets, short shorts, music outdoors, festivals, barbecue grills, too big thighs getting stuck to poorly made plastic chairs,more excuses to take more pictures than I already do, sweating in my hair and not givin a care… you get the idea

Sunday is typically the only full day I have with the boyfriend and we were itching to get out and about. The sun was shining and work was coming on Monday whether we wanted it to or not, so we made the most.

Definition The Most– usually meaning good food and whatever other random fun we can muster up.

As a general disclaimer, I enjoy anything that can be smushed between, tucked inside, folded into that wonderful invention called bread or any bread like substance. Which leads me to one of my all time fav food… hotdogs, but not your standard I’ll have a hot dog with ketchup. Let’s be clear about a few rules, yes there are hot dog rules in my world. Really I only have one rule.

Ketchup belongs on french fries not hotdogs.

anything else is game on!

423 8th St SE (between S D St & S E St) Washington, DC 20003 Neighborhood: Capitol Hill/Southeast

and right now, the game, is at DC-3’s the hotdog mecca(my tagline)

or rather

a vintage hot dog joint that takes cues from the glory days of American aviation (their tagline)

They offer a photo menu along with their standard menu if the words aren’t enough to get your tummy growling. Their menu boasts such hot dogs as the (descriptions from DC-3’s Menu):

Chicago 7- your standard Chicago style hot dog (you can’t go wrong and hands down one of my favorites)

Arkansas Razorback Red- Petit Jean “Arkansas Made” Cheese & Bacon Dog, Chili, Coleslaw, Onion, Fried Pickle Chips (also delish)

California Left Winger- All Veggie Falafal “Dog” Heidelburg Deli Bun, Tzatziki Sauce, Avocado(delish yet again)

Bay Bridge Pretzel Dog- All Beef Dog, Heidelburg Pretzel Roll, Homeade Crab Dip, Old Bay (if you are a carbohydrate lover this is the place for you to be)

Rochester White Snappy Griller – Zweigle’s of Rochester White Hot, Lyon Butter Grilled Frankfurt Loaf, One Thin Line of Yellow Mustard (tastes like  a delicate bratwurst)

Q’s Soul Bulgogi and Kimchi- Certified Angus Beef Dog, Lyon Butter Grilled Frankfurt Loaf, Marinated Rib-eye Bulgogi, Pickled Kimchi (My sister and her hubby would love this, they love Korean food!)

and they don’t just do hotdogs either the Boyfriend loved:

Chef Jacoby’s I-talian Beef Sammy – Half Pound Au Jus-Dunked Rib Eye, Jardinere Peppers, Onions …How About A Double Dunk?

You can also build our own hotdog for all of you budding hotdog connoisseurs! You can have your dog Splitski, Flat-Grilled, Char-Grilled, or Deep Fried. Not to mention they have Fresh Cotton Candy (I’ll be back this summer), Fripps (aka waffle fries, which they were out of NO BUENO), Fried Pickles (a restaurant after a southern girls heart), and  ” A Selection of Refreshing Throw-back Beverages”(this makes me chuckle).

From bottom left up an round to bottom righ Chef Jacobys I-talian Sammy, California Left Winger, Chicago 7, Rochester White Snappy Griller, Bay Bridge Pretzel Dog

This was my second trip to DC-3 in a few days, I went initially and bought some home for the BF, he was so impressed with how they tasted right out of the fridge that he wanted to have and up close and personal experience. We had a semi smorgasbord and taking bites and passing them back and forth until we finished. and then after pigging out like true foodies …

Chic(Cheap)Curry: Old Navy Goes Tribal

Old Navy Womens Aztec Print Bucket Bag

Old Navy gets OnTrend with bright colors and ethnic prints.  I’ve made a promise to myself that I will only be buying bright and bold for my Spring and Summer wardrobe. Ikat, Aztec, Tribal, Ethnic whatever they want to call it, I love it all.  I want patterns on top of patterns in my closet.  The bucket bag above is a steal at $19.94.  It comes in 3 colors (seen below)

Their Women’s Mixed Media Ethnic pieces are also great as well and would help to fill out any spring/summer jewelry wardrobe. They’ve got tons of pieces you can mix & match and they are all under $20!

Old Navy Goes Tribal by currycurls featuring a cord necklace

Ikat & Aztec

CurryCurls & the NeoAfro

(Updated 4/26/12)

The purpose of this blog continues to evolve. BespokeCurry a more fitting term because this blog is custom-tailored to me.  My intersts, work,  loves, talents are many but at the heart of all this is my love, concern,  and pride (and a million other descriptive work in the Black Community).

I stand on the foundations that our generation is not lost or a waste and here in this place I can show that through any an every avenue I feel connects to me and connects me to my people and the world.  I am interested in being held accountable, making and impact, but an impact that is beyond cliches, and impact that I have not wholly discovered yet.

But it is not just natural hair it goes beyond that.  Its about the mentality…it is a lifestyle that starts at the roots and takes hold.

TheNeoAfro. The cool… the chic… the provocative and progressive… the thought provoking… the bitter and the sweet … the love… the creativity…the community… the accountability…

 

A BespokeCurry Intro

My love affair with blogs began somewhere back in 2000 when a few close high school friends suggested I get a DeadJournal. I went from DeadJournal to DeviantArt, then on to LiveJournal, that facecrack thing happened,  had a couple of bouts with Blogger, got a twitter, rolled into tumblr  and in between each of those… life happened, which means I forgot to blog, gave up, got bitter, spent 3 years in grad school, changed from boys, to fashion, growing pains, back to boys, art, love aka boys… you get the idea.  I was on overload (still am), I blog my life through fragments on social media and that instant gratification just isn’t enough. So, I’m back!

I’ve got this itch yet again, but this time I was sure I wanted it to be focused on hair, natural hair specifically. As I fell more and more into the NeoAfro movement  I realized there were so many great blogs already out there, and I’m not new to the natural hair game.  Perhaps newly inspired to love my hair more but this stuff that’s growing out of my head is not foreign.  Plus I’ve never been the greatest about blogging about just one topic, I get bored until a prettier shinier blog topic arrives .

and then … it came to me…