A Festive Evening Together December 5, 2007

It’s easy to let the hectic pace of the holidays interfere with your romance. This year take the time to put the spirit of love and tradition back into the season. Spend an evening delighting each other with the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the holidays. Choose all or some of these ideas for an evening with your love and make it your new yearly tradition!

Cuddle by the Fire
If you have access to a real fire, there is nothing better than finding a cuddly blanket and soft pillows and curling up with the one you love. For an extra-special touch, trade massages by the fire. Pretty soon, there may be more than just one fire burning that night!

Sounds of the Season
Grab some hot chocolate, marshmallows and some snacks. Cuddle up with your loved one and pop in some of your favorite Christmas songs. Have some added fun by making it a karaoke night where you choose the song for your partner to sing.

Fragrant Candle Hunt
Go out with your partner see how many holiday scented candles you can find. Looks for scents like cinnamon apple, pumpkin pie, pine tree, apple pie, earthy spices, hazelnut, cranberry, chocolate and peppermint. Spend the evening lighting the candles and sampling their aroma. As a variation, you can also make the candle hunt a competition where you each try to out-do the other with the weird and wonderful scents you find. There may even be a prize involved for the winner!

Mistletoe Kisses
Place mistletoe in various places around the house and see how many times you can trap your partner with a wonderful kiss.

Matching Santa Hats and Decorate Together
Wear matching Santa hats while you cook, decorate, or while you are just hanging out to get you into the holiday spirit. Choose a decorating plan or theme together. Focus on having fun and being creative with your love.

Make Christmas Cookies
See who can find the most interesting Christmas cookie recipes and make them together. Spend the eveneing sampling the different cookies. You can also package the ones you like as gifts for friends and family.

Make Holiday Drinks
As a variation on the cookie idea above, you can do the same with different Christmas drinks. One example is Hot Cider Rum: 1/4 cup rum, 1 cup apple cider, ¼ cup cranberry juice, ¼ cup orange juice, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 orange slices, 1 clove – push cinnamon stick through orange slices and simmer all ingredients combined in medium saucepan – serve warm

Great First Dates

You have mustered all your courage and asked out the person of your dreams. You’re walking on sunshine because they said yes, and now you have a great opportunity to make a fantastic impression. Once you begin planning your perfect first date, the obvious questions quickly come to mind: Where do you go? What do you do? How do you act? Everyone wants to make their first date something you can fondly look back on if the relationship becomes long-term. With these tips and ideas you’ll be quickly on your way to date two and more…

What To Do
Before you decide on what to do, take some time to consider your date’s personality. Are they more likely to enjoy an intimate romantic evening or an adventurous thrill ride? Another thing to consider is that, while concerts and movies are great entertainment, they are not conducive to great conversation. Therefore, if you want to get to know your date a little better, plan some extra time for a meal or walk in a setting where you can talk. Once you have decided the style of date you want, use some of the tips below to help make it really special.
Places to go; things to do:

• Theme parks can be great for first dates. A lot of parks have great food and great entertainment. For example, you can ride roller coasters and hold hands while you tour the grounds, sampling the foods from different vendors.
• Take your date to a movie or concert in the park. Many cities now show films played after dark in their parks. Another bonus is that they are often free so you can spend your money on a great meal or accents that really make the date special.
• For an intimate date in an extremely romantic setting, take your date out for dinner or drinks on a sunset cruise.
• Wine tasting is a great date idea because you can get to know each other while enjoying the experience of tasting and learning about wine. Almost all wineries offer guided tasting tours and some even offer dinner packages.
• For more adventurous personalities, thrilling outdoor activities such as parasailing or white water rafting are great summertime dates.
• If you are looking for intimate conversation, the zoo is a great place to go. There is a great opportunity to talk while exploring the exhibits. Many zoos also have cafes, ice-cream shops, and grassy areas for picnicking.
• Another unique cold weather activity ripe with romantic possibilities is ice skating. Skip the crowds — play hooky and join each other for a weekday afternoon matinee. You should each enjoy the added physical proximity you’ll get with helping each other up or keeping each other warm.
• For an interesting insight into your date’s personality, take them to a comedy club. Not only will you have fun, you can also learn a lot about your date by observing what type of jokes they find funny.
• If your date is a sports fan, taking them to a sporting event is one of the best ways to make a good impression. They also happen to be great fun!
• Going to the beach is also a great way to spend the day with your date. There are a number of great activities available depending on the time of year, such as flying a kite, swimming, or just going for a romantic stroll. And what better way to end the date than cuddling next to a campfire, roasting marshmallows as you watch the sun set?
• If you are looking for something a little outside the box, consider visiting an art gallery or museum. Make it a game to see who can come up with the most interesting story about a piece of art, the artist or an exhibit. This can be great fun, especially if you each have no idea what you are talking about! This can also give you some great insights into each other that you might not get on a “normal” date.
• Probably one of the most overlooked great first dates is the home-cooked meal. Everyone loves good food and this is definitely a chance to showcase your talents in the kitchen. For a man or a woman, cooking for your date is a sure way to win bonus points!

First Date Tips for Him

• The chances are extremely high that you are not going to be making love after your first date, so do not push for it.
• At the end of the date, try kissing her cheek and see what her response is before moving to the lips.
• Make sure you have enough money to pay for everything on the first date, even her cab ride home if neither of you drove!
• Smell good, but don’t overdo the cologne.
• Dress to impress. If you are fashion challenged, have a lady friend or a department store representative assist you in choosing your outfit.

First Date Tips for Her

• Wear something comfortable. Dealing with constricting clothing and uncomfortable shoes can turn a great date painful.
• Don’t under or overeat. Men don’t like women to order only dinner salads, but they don’t want to watch you gorge yourself either.
• Send the right message with what you wear. If you are just looking for a one night stand, then dress like it. If you aren’t, then dress accordingly.
• Don’t drill him. Let conversation happen naturally. You want to get to know him, at his own pace. Give him the same respect you expect from him.
• Don’t be too quick to judge. It’s easy for women to sit back while the man stresses about his performance and compare him to your last 12 dates, but your date is not an interview. Be cautious and smart, but be open-minded and kind as well.

First Date Tips for Both

• If you can, try and surprise your partner with something that shows you did your homework. For example, instead of showing up at her doorstep with the traditional red roses, surprise her with a bouquet of daisies because you found out that it’s her favorite flower. For her, offer to get the drinks and bring back his favorite cocktail to let him know you checked him out!
• Be assertive, but easy going. Follow the other person’s signs, but don’t go along with something you are uncomfortable with.
• Dating is about getting to know each other, so be yourself. Months or years later, couples often find themselves disappointed that the person they are involved with isn’t the same person they started dating. Avoid this by being yourself in the first place.
• In almost any situation, talking about your ex on your first date is a really bad idea. If you date asks about your ex, don’t fall into the trap of detailing every character flaw they had.
• Be aware of the proper etiquette for where you are and be polite, using good manners.
• Take a spontaneous walk after the date, especially if you went to dinner or a show. Stop for ice-cream, pie, coffee, or some other treat while you walk and talk. You may want to hold hands, but follow the other’s lead.
• If you are not paying, be considerate of your dinner bill. Stay in the middle range of the menu.
• Pack along travel size mouthwash, mints, or gum to make sure you are fresh even if you don’t plan on kissing.

Take a hint from these great romantic movies:

• The Notebook – He dances with her in the street, they learn a lot about each other on their first night together. In another scene, he sets up candles and blankets in a beautiful deserted house that he dreams of owning someday. Later in the movie he takes her to another special place on a boat to see an amazing sight. This movie is a fabulous resource for romantic date ideas.
• Hitched – They take wave runners out to an island museum where he has prepared something very personal and special for her. It doesn’t work out as planned in the movie, but the date idea was great!
• You’ve Got Mail – They dated as friends without admitting they are dating. They eat, have coffee, and shop at the local market together. Everything is casual, yet extremely intimate.
• 50 First Dates – He gets shot down many times, but manages to spend some great days with her where they go to the aquarium, hang at the beach, eat breakfast together, walk and talk, and more.
• Before Sunrise – With practically no funds, they spend a whole afternoon, evening, night, and morning together.

Ghostface Killah stars in the “Big Doe Rehab” (Video)

Yo, Yo, Yo! I’m always down for original ideas and hooks as you can tell. Well, Ghostface Killah‘s peoples just sent me 2 new promo videos for Ghost’s upcoming LP “Big Doe Rehab”. I’d like you to peep these out. Mad relicent, ya dig!

“Trailer – Part 2”
(click to view)

“Trailer – Part 3”
(click to view)

Listen to Mack 10, Easy E and N.W.A’s Greatest Hits Album!!! (Audio)

Exclusive Audio
Yo on a brighter note mane, Mack 10, Easy E, and N.W.A.’s greatest hits albums came out today and mane I want you all to hear the albums here for free before you go cop them shits at the store. Here they go fool, ENJOY!!! West Coast naagaas this one’s for you!!

“Mack 10’s Greatest Hits’ Album” (click to listen)

“Easy E’s Greatest Hits Album” (click to listen)

“N.W.A.’s Greatest Hits Album” (click to listen)

Styles P’s New Album “Super Gangster” Drops Today!!

 

Alright peoples, I’m gonna be out for the night. In this last entry, I’d like you to tell you that Styles P ‘s new album “Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentlemen)” has dropped today (12.4.07). To commemorate the new album, I’d like you all to peep his new video that’s on the album called “Blow Ya Mind” and also check out some cool photos from his impromptu birthday party that was held last week. Guest members included Nina Sky, Angie Martinez, Swizz Beatz, The Lox, Jadakiss, Sheek, Talib Kweli, Miri Ben Ari, and Danity Kane. Good night all!!

“Blow Ya Mind” (click to view)

Birthday Party Photos – Set 1 (click to view)

Birthday Party Photos – Set 2 (click to view)

Remix! Mario “Crying Out for Me” feat. Lil Wayne (Audio)

Get up mane! Get up. On the smooth side of things, I’d like you to check out this remixed joint from Mario called “Crying Out for Me” featuring Lil Wayne. I’m not a particulary, big fan of “Weezy” (with his nursery rhymes and all) but I’m just one individual. Peep it!

“Crying Out For Me” Remix
(click to listen)

KANYE JOINED BY JAY-Z ON STAGE: Pair teams up for ‘Encore’ during ‘Glow in the Dark’ stop in Manchester

Rap mogul Jay-Z joined his former protégé Kanye West on stage Sunday night during his “Glow in the Dark” tour stop in Manchester, England.      

       The crowd at the Manchester Evening News arena went nuts as Jigga appeared with West halfway through the show for a performance of “Encore.” (See video below.) West produced the hit single for Jay-Z’s 2003 CD, “The Black Album.”

 

       West was due to wrap his “Glow in the Dark” tour last night in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, GB. The trek began late last month shortly after the death of his mother, Donda West.

 

 

 

Jay-Z joins Kanye for “Encore” at Manchester’s MEN Arena

UGK’S PIMP C FOUND DEAD: Rapper’s body discovered in a hotel room Tuesday morning

Jive Records has confirmed that Pimp C, one half of rap duo UGK, was found dead in a Los Angeles hotel room on Tuesday morning. He was 33.

 

      “We mourn the unexpected loss of Chad. He was truly a thoughtful and kind-hearted person,” read a statement from Jive. “He will be remembered for his talent and profound influence as a pioneer in bringing southern rap to the forefront.”

 

       Born Chad Butler, the rapper/producer’s body was discovered in a bed on the sixth floor of the Mondrian Hotel, located on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. Conflicting reports have surfaced regarding his possible cause of death.

 

       Capt. Ed Winter of the L.A. County Coroner’s office told TMZ.com that it appears as though he died of natural causes. However, Allhiphop.com is reporting that the Los Angeles Sherriff’s office’s homicide department is investigating the crime scene, which, according to LASD PR Liason Dept. Oscar Butao, is standard procedure whenever a victim is found who did not die of natural causes.  

 

       “We’re told no drug paraphernalia or other drugs were found in the room,” TMZ reported late Tuesday. “The rapper, we’ve learned, was found fully clothed on top of the bed. He did not seem to have fallen or injured himself and he was positioned on his side.      

 

       “Winter said it did not appear that there was anyone else in the room at the time of his death. An autopsy will be performed and toxicology test results will be available in six to eight weeks,” according to TMZ.      

 

       Butler reportedly checked into the Mondrian on Nov. 28 and was due to have checked out on Monday (Dec. 4). In a statement released by the Mondrian, the hotel says it received several calls Tuesday morning from concerned family members inquiring about Butler’s whereabouts.       

 

       “Security personnel went to Mr. Butler’s room and found him in bed, apparently expired,” said hotel spokesman Gerald McKelvy. “A 911 call was placed at about 9:20 a.m. and paramedics from the Los Angeles Fire Department responded and pronounced Mr. Butler dead.”

 

       Pimp C’s body was identified by his manager and friend, Rick Martin.

 

       “This morning saw the loss of a man that was not only a client, but a very dear friend at a time when he had the most to live for,” Martin said in a statement. “He was my best friend and I will always love him.”

 

       According to Martin, Pimp C. was in the process of launching a number of new business initiatives, including a solo deal with Jive, a publishing deal, a national cologne endorsement deal and a new satellite radio show.       

 

       UGK, short for Underground Kings, was formed in 1987 by Butler and Bernard “Bun B” Freeman in their home town of Port Arthur, Texas. Their current seventh album, “UGK (Underground Kingz),” is the group’s first double CD and features the hit single, “International Players Anthem: I Choose You.”

 

       Butler was exposed to music at an early age from his father, a professional trumpet player who performed professionally with Solomon Burke.  The rap artist studied classical music in high school and received a Division I rating on a tenor solo at a University Interscholastic League choir competition.      

 

       At the time of his death, Pimp C was on parole after serving about half of an eight-year prison sentence for failing to complete a community service requirement stemming from an aggravated assault charge.      

 

       During his run in hip hop, Pimp C pushed for the end of rap beefs and unionization of rap artists to keep from being exploited by record companies.  The sentiment was expressed in his solo single “Knockin’ Doors Down” from his 2006 solo album, “Pimpalation.” See video below: