Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage: Social Media, Apps & Parties In The Caribbean
April 17th, 2013 by ChristenTom Joyner Fantastic Voyage Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage
The Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage finally docked in Miami on Sunday and I’m just now ready to relive my first cruising experience with you! Remember a few weeks ago when I announced that I’d be speaking on the cruise? Well, I wasn’t as prepared as I thought I’d be. (As a matter of fact, my first words to Tom Joyner right before boarding the ship were “I don’t think I’m prepared for this…”, Tom’s response? “You’re not. Nothing can prepare you for the next week on sea.” No truer words have ever been spoken about this cruise than those…)
Fresh off my Caribbean high, here are a few highlights from the Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage aboard Carnival Cruise April 7th – 14th in Nassau, Bahamas and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Concerts
With more than 20 concert performances throughout this seven-day cruise, the celebrity star-power was not lack-luster by any means. Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, Lil Kim, Jamie Foxx, Trey Songz, Tyler Perry, Earth, Wind & Fire, Too Short, Avant, Tyrese and more packed out concerts from sunrise to sunset.
Seminars
This cruise was not just a huge party on the sea, it also host a bevy of informational workshops, seminars and more. During my stay on the cruise, I hosted two seminars focusing on the power of social media (Social Media Basics II: Discover Which Top Social Media Apps Are Right For You) and a co-hosted seminar with financial apps to build your investment wealth.
Sea Side Fun
Themed parties anyone? From a Harlem Nights/Roaring Twenties inspired theme night to the Super Hero party night – the Fantastic Voyage was filled with non-stop partying. (I can admit that 95% of the people aboard the ship out-partied yours truly.) I saw the more creative and imaginative costumes on that ship than I’ve ever seen in my entire life.
Overall, if you’ve never been on the Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage (or a cruise for that matter) before, you should definitely check it out. As a premier “Party With A Purpose” – the Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage has raised millions for scholarships of Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs) in the U.S. – and there’s no better cruise to sail on than this cruise catered to suit your taste in food, music and overall celebrity entertainment.
For more details and a gallery of celebrity photos from aboard the cruise visit DivasOnDestinations.com.
(Photos courtesy of BlackAmericaWeb.com)
Essence Music Festival: Escape To New Orleans Ep. 4
August 1st, 2012 by Christen
If you’re looking for the genuine New Orleans experience, look no further. Earlier this summer, I got the chance to explore the city, alongside Nate from WorldWideNate.com to get a bona fide experience of what New Orleans, Louisiana truly has to offer. As a native (of sorts), my lineage has roots in the Crescent city, however my experience is limited as I’ve only been to New Orleans once before at the age of 9. Thanks to the Ford Escape – I got the chance to escape to New Orleans and experience the rich history, delicious food & a certain je ne sais quoi – that’s authentic, only in New Orleans. Check out the final installment of ‘Escape To New Orleans’ airing on Essence.com this week – below.
The Luxurious Style Of 2013 Cadillac XTS & The Art For Life Gala (Celebrity Pics)
July 31st, 2012 by Christen
This past weekend, Cadillac invited DivasandDorks.com as guests for a weekend in the Hamptons! Chauffeured in high style, we got the chance to enjoy the premium style of the 2013 Cadillac XTS Platinum. With the debut of the touch sensitive CUE (Cadillac User Experience) system – this posh driving experience makes it difficult to go back driving anything less luxe. CUE combines advanced technology with a simplistic user interface that makes any driving experience a joy – no matter if you’re driving down the street for errands or off for a getaway weekend. My favorite attribute about the Cadillac XTS include the Driver Awareness Package which uses the Safety Alert Seat (with vibration) to alert you of lane departure, Blind Spot & Collision warnings. It also comes equipped with Remote start, SiriusXM satellite radio, OnStar and its own iPad application (as part of the customer experience, each 2013 Cadillac XTS buyer will receive an iPad with their new car.)
While in the Hamptons, we got the opportunity to take advantange of all this countryside had to offer. From walks on the beach, faboulous seafood and extravagant shopping. In addition to daytime fun, we attended Russell Simmons’ Art For Life Gala at his private estate in the Hamptons. The event geared towards raising awareness and funds to encourage creativity and arts for children in schools. Hosted by Soledad O’Brien the Art For Life Gala was the toast of the Hamptons with celebs in attendance including Star Jones, Mariah Carey, Nick Cannon, Grant & Tamia Hill and more! The evening concluded with memorable performances by Diggy Simmons, Melanie Fiona, Anita Baker and Salt N Pepper and overall raised more than $200k for the Art For Life charity program.
Diggy Simmons and Rocsi Diaz
Art For Life guests of honor: Grant & Tamia Hill
MC Lyte, Anita Baker, Soledad O’Brien and Rocsi Diaz attend the 16th Annual Art For Life Gala
Check out more celebrity appearances below…
Photos credit: J. Nunez / WireImage
BREAKING NEWS: I’m A Samsung Global Blogger Heading To London For The 2012 Olympics
July 27th, 2012 by Christen****BREAKING NEWS****
It is with great pride and excitement that I announce that I have been selected as one of four bloggers in the US to represent Team USA in London, England during the 2012 Olympic games! IT’S TRUE! As one of the selected Samsung Global Bloggers, I will be heading overseas to London next week August 2nd for two weeks, brining you all the latest Olympic news and excitement from the epicenter of it all!
A while ago, I shared that Samsung Mobile launched a worldwide search in 14 countries to find the best video bloggers to send to the 2012 Olympic Games. (Check out my video here.) Winners were selected based on a variety of abilities, including reporting & unique on camera presence. Encouraged by sporting icon, David Beckham and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, hundreds of potential bloggers submitted videos in hopes of winning and guess who’s video landed her a wining spot on Team USA?
I am so excited and proud to win a coveted spot on Team USA as a Samsung Global Blogger and can’t wait to share each and every interview, social, sporting and Olympic experience with our DivasandDorks.com readers daily. In addition to sharing my experiences on DivasandDorks.com, make sure to stay connected via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for up to the minute Olympic updates. Stay tuned for my Olympic experiences to be shared online on SamsungGlobalBloggers.com, MSN.com and more in the next few weeks.
Catch all the Olympic action starting today - The Opening Ceremony, titled “The Isles of Wonder”, will kick off Friday night in London at 9pm (that’s 4pm EST) on NBC.
Essence Music Festival: Escape To New Orleans Ep. 3
July 23rd, 2012 by Christen
If you’re looking for the genuine New Orleans experience, look no further. Earlier this summer, I got the chance to explore the city, alongside Nate from WorldWideNate.com to get a bona fide experience of what New Orleans, Louisiana truly has to offer. As a native (of sorts), my lineage has roots in the Crescent city, however my experience is limited as I’ve only been to New Orleans once before at the age of 9. Thanks to the Ford Escape – I got the chance to escape to New Orleans and experience the rich history, delicious food & a certain je ne sais quoi – that’s authentic, only in New Orleans. Check out the third installment of ‘Escape To New Orleans’ airing on Essence.com this week – below.
Essence Music Festival: Escape To New Orleans Ep. 2
July 17th, 2012 by Christen
Missing all the fun, excitement, music & entertainment of Essence Music Festival? Don’t worry. Escape To New Orleans episode 2 is here! Recently, I got the chance to explore the city, alongside Nate from WorldWideNate.com to get a bona fide experience of what New Orleans, Louisiana truly has to offer. Thanks to the Ford Escape – I got the chance to escape to New Orleans and experience the rich history, delicious food & a certain je ne sais quoi – that’s authentic, only in New Orleans. From the Pralene Connection to the French Market and the haute nightlift of Frenchmen street - Check out the second of four webisodes airing on Essence.com this week – below.
Essence Music Festival: Escape To New Orleans Ep. 1
July 5th, 2012 by Christen 
If you’re looking for the genuine New Orleans experience, look no further. Recently, I got the chance to explore the city, alongside Nate from WorldWideNate.com to get a bona fide experience of what New Orleans, Louisiana truly has to offer. As a native (of sorts), my lineage has roots in the Crescent city, however my experience is limited as I’ve only been to New Orleans once before at the age of 9. Thanks to the Ford Escape – I got the chance to escape to New Orleans and experience the rich history, delicious food & a certain je ne sais quoi – that’s authentic, only in New Orleans. Check out the first of four webisodes airing on Essence.com this week – below.
Divas On Destinations: Getaway to New Orleans For Essence Music Festival
July 4th, 2012 by Christen
Something Old, Something New, Something for the Spirit & For Your Do’! The ESSENCE Music Festival is the nation’s largest African American live musical and cultural experience. Every year over 400,000 people from around the world descend upon New Orleans for the only music festival that offers show-stopping performances from top entertainers, free inspiring andempowering conversations and messages from the world’s leading innovators, leaders, and thinkers, plus four days of family and cultural experiences: the ESSENCE Music Festival. This year, in its 18th year anniversary, the 2012 ESSENCE Musical Festival presents a newly expanded four day weekend celebrating the “Power of Our Voice” on July 5, 6, 7 and 8 with compelling programming featuring the biggest names in entertainment and the country’s most influential speakers, artists, authors and leaders. Check out a few of the hottest activities to experience this weekend while out with the girls in New Orleans!
SOMETHING OLD
Spectacular performances on the EMF stage never gets old, but you can always count on quality R&B acts gracing the stage and this year is no different. If the spectacular performances of Chaka Kahn, Trey Songz, Mary J. Blige and more aren’t enough maybe the return of the ultimate oldie but goodie – R&B crooner D’Angelo is just the old faithful & soulful sound you’re looking for. I’m looking forward to seeing his performance & if he has any tricks left up his sleeve after his soulful BET Awards performance on Sunday.
SOMETHING NEW
ESSENCE Festival will kick off the inaugural day, Thursday, July 5th, with a first ever Youth Empowerment Concert complete with a full day youth empowerment experience at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, culminating with the first ever youth empowerment concert on the New & Next stage that night at the Louisiana Superdome. The New & Next stage will showcase a a group of young musical tastemakers that totally have scream appeal! Among the group include Roshon Fegan, Kaitlyn Nichol, Coco Jones, Diggy Simmons, Atlanta’s OMG Girlz and New Orleans’ band The Roots of Music.
Sponsored by Verizon, Wal-mart and Captial One, tickets for the Next Stage are available at essencemusicfestival.com
FOR THE SPIRIT
Sunday (July 8th) will be a great day in New Orleans and a rousing finale to the weekend with award winning journalist, author and “NY1 News” anchor Cheryl Wills hosting the festivities as ESSENCE presents a day of praise and worship during an “All-Star Gospel Salute to Mary Mary and Fred Hammond” with Yolanda Adams, Kim Burrell, Tramaine Hawkins, Pastor Marvin Winans, Byron Cage, Israel Houghton and more.
FOR YOUR DO’!
Be prepared for a lot of weave patting & natural do scratching – but no worries, EMF has you covered to keep that do right & tight! From the Motions Style Suite featuring Rihanna’s stylist Ursela Stephens to the Essence Music Festival’s title sponsor My Black is Beautiful. Stop by the My Black is Beautiful booth and experience all that Procter & Gamble is bringing to this year’s festivities, including surprise guests, giveaways and access to notable beauty experts.
See you in New Orleans!
Divas On Destinations: Keeping It Cool in Keystone, Colorado
June 20th, 2012 by ChristenThere aren’t too many places that I haven’t been within the 50 (or 51) United States of America. As an adapter to airlines & road trips early in age, I’ve been able to travel nationally & internationally. So when the opportunity to visit Denver & Keystone, Colorado arrived – I was ecstatic to experience some place new. Typically, I always thought of Colorado as snow covered and cold — all year long! As a first time visitor, I decided not to research the cities or create expectations based on others opinions, simply because I wanted my experience to be purely based on what I encountered during my trip. Boy was I wrong…
Upon my arrival to Denver, I noticed something in the air. It was crisper, cleaner and I couldn’t get enough of it. (What was this euphoric feeling of cleanliness, I inhailed?) Then I became lightheaded. No one told me about the harsh altitude change… (I mean, yeah, I joked with my Nana about possibly suffocating while outside – but I didn’t think that was real O_o) For the record, the higher you travel into the mountains of Colorado, the drier the air becomes; making it very easy to dehydrate every facet off your life. My skin, throat, eyes & hair fell victim to the dry Colorado air causing me to over-hydrate myself as best as possible. My skin immediately went into thirst mode, causing it to become dry & itchy. My throat begged for water every waking second & my poor hair (I didn’t pack conditioner) – it never stood a chance. Luckily, the beauty that is Keystone Mountain made it all worthwhile. After a 2-hour commute to Vail’s Keystone Resort, I was greeted by the friendliest & most accommodating staff imaginable. The stunning views of opulent mountains, serene creeks & forests for as far as the eye could see was just the welcoming I expected, that is until I learned that it was just the beginning. Little did I know, the official ‘Welcome To Keystone: A Taste Of Vail’ reception would take place at Alpenglow Stube, the AAA Four-Diamond restaurant atop of Keystone’s 11,444 foot mountain that evening. Requiring two separate gondola (ski lift) rides up the mountain, the 20-minute ride filled with breath-taking views gave me a sense of admiration of nature & (synonym for fear of heights) at the same ____ time.
Going UP…Way Up! One of two Keystone gondola rides…next stop! 11,444 Feet!
I’ve made it to the mountain top… I survived! This is what standing atop a 11,444 foot mountain looks like!
After reaching the altitude peak of 11,444 (hello, if I was on a plane – I’d be able to use GoGo in flight internet by then.) my reward was the decadent aroma of desserts, hearty entrees and h’or duervers from the best of Keystone resort’s restaurants. Executive chefs from all over prepared tenderloin, boar and salmon dishes, in addition to unique chocolate themed “hamburger” cupcakes, “tacos” and more. The evening concluded with live music and enjoying spectacular views with friends new and old.
As Keystone Resort is well known for its winter wonderland activities, visiting during the summer prohibits skiing and snowboarding, but it didn’t limit the fun. During the day, many tourists enjoyed bike rides, hiking, canoeing, golfing and other outdoor activities throughout the resort, but moi? I headed straight for the rest & relaxation. As the official pool-dwelling-black-girls-guide-to-tanning-lazy-vacationer that I am, I was on a complete mission to find serenity now. (Insert Seinfield episode flashback here.) Concierge informed me of the absolute best place in Keystone to find breath-taking views of the mountains, while soaking in heated Jacuzzis guaranteed to melt my stresses away.
I just love a roof top hot tub…don’t you?
Later that evening I ventured to Keystone Stables to encounter “How The West Was Fun” as a guest of Expedia.com. This western-themed party, filled with cowboys & cowgirls had over fifty horses, ponies & offered guided horseback tours through the Araphahoe National Forest. Guests enjoyed line dance lessons, mechanical bull rides, games and of course, all the Bar-B-Que you could devour.
The hills are alive, with the sound of music…and serenity…
Before arriving to Keystone, I would’ve never imagined that this all-inclusive ski resort would boast average summer temperatures in the 70’s and an average of 300 days of sunshine per year. Although the change in altitude was quite apparent & I nearly traveled with a water bottle at all times (to keep hydrated), the experience of Keystone Resort opened my eyes, and made this city Diva fall in love with Colorado for the very first time. (Video coming soon…)
For more information or to plan your next getaway to Colorado, visit VailResorts.com.
Divas On Destinations: How The TripIt App Has Saved My Travel Sanity…
June 19th, 2012 by ChristenAs a traveling girl on the go, I have been to about 10 different cities within the last 30 days. You can imagine the amount of boarding passes I’ve avoided hording by taking advantage of airline apps on my smartphone – but since I’ve downloaded TripIt Pro, I’ve taken my travel sanity to a whole new level of zen…
TripIt makes getting to your destinations easier, by organizing all your trip plans in one place. No more double-checking your calendar against your mobile airline app for reservation dates, TripIt has you completely covered. TripIt creates an itinerary in seconds – using email confirmations from virtually all travel sites, plus other activities like restaurant reservations and concert tickets. (Seriously, I RSVP’d for a twitter chat via EventBrite and moments later, I received confirmation plus it was automatically added to my calendar by TripIt.)
My travel life has transformed to a whole new world of difference. Thanks to BrothaTech, for introducing me to the TripIt app – now I’m one of millions of travelers who use the TripIt app to organize and share travel & trips. By simply forwarding confirmation emails from anywhere you book to plans@tripit.com, TripIt automatically creates on simple, smart itinerary to access on a smartphone, calendar or anywhere online.
As a new fan girl of the TripIt app, I just had to share my experience with fellow bloggers…
If your travel plans require a bit more organization and assistance, you can easily upgrade to TripIt Pro for only $49/year. TripIt Pro acts like a personal travel assistant that keeps travelers in the know regarding flight status, alternate flights and more; tracks all frequent traveler points in one place; and monitors eligible flights for fare refunds.
I recently downloaded a 3-month trial of TripIt Pro which has made me a believer and evangelist of all things TripIt. Recently, my connecting flight was delayed and the airline agent didn’t know how soon travel could resume. Within minutes, I received a text message from TripIt informing me of my updated departure time & gate information nearly 30minutes before the airline agent informed the remaining passengers on my flight. I was able to make the best use of my time while in a random city all because of this app.
Available on most smartphone app stores including Apple App Store, Android Marketplace, Amazon Appstore, Window phone Marketplace and Blackberry App World.
For more information, visit TripIt.com and connect via Twitter @TripIt and Facebook.com/Tripit.
