In Case You Missed It: Fabulous Celebrity Twitpics of the Week!

Check out this week’s fabulous Twitter and Instagram photos from some of our fave celebs!

Lala and Kelly Rowland

Lala and Kelly Rowland

Brandy

Brandy

Tyrese and his daughter.

Tyrese and his daughter.

Oprah Winfrey and Tika Sumpter

Oprah Winfrey and Tika Sumpter

Keke Palmer

Keke Palmer

Trey Songz and Swizz Beatz

Trey Songz and Swizz Beatz

Tamar Braxton and her husband Vince.

Tamar Braxton and her husband Vince.

What’s your favorite photo from the bunch? Have a wonderful weekend!

Love Is In the Air: 7 Fun Valentine’s Day Facts!

Happy Valentine’s Day my lovely BGs!

I hope your day is filled with love, chocolate, red roses and all of your heart’s desires! In the meantime, check out these fun Valentine’s Day facts:

*Approximately 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine’s Day the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas. (Source: StValentinesDay.org)

*More than 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate are sold for Valentine’s Day each year. (Source: History.com)

*2.2 million marriages take place in the United States annually. That breaks down to more than 6,000 a day. (Source: History.com)

*California produces 60 percent of American roses, but the vast number sold on Valentine’s Day in the United States are imported, mostly from South America. Approximately 110 million roses, the majority red, will be sold and delivered within a three-day time period. (Source: StValentinesDay.org)

*Over 50 percent of all Valentine’s Day cards are purchased in the six days prior to the observance, making Valentine’s Day a procrastinator’s delight. (Source: Hallmark Research)

*In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling. (Source: StValentinesDay.org)

*The oldest surviving love poem till date is written in a clay tablet from the times of the Sumerians around 3500 BC. (Source: StValentinesDay.org)

Ava has this new awkward smile thing going on, but she's still my special Valentine!

Ava has this new awkward smile thing going on, but she’s still my special Valentine!

XOXO,

BGG

What’s your favorite gift to receive on Valentine’s Day?

Must-See: Gabrielle Union Stars in Ava DuVernay’s Miu Miu Fashion Short ‘The Door’

When it comes to female African-American film directors, Ava DuVernay is the first to come to mind.

Her way of beautifully capturing and telling our stories on film is bar none. She’s recently teamed up with high-fashion house Miu Miu to direct their newest film short—The Door, which is nothing short of  a cinematic gem.

The fifth installment of the fashion brand’s “Woman’s Tales” series, stars a lovelorn Gabrielle Union and focuses on strong female bonds. Throughout the film, friends (Adepero Oduycome, Emayatzy Corinealdi, and Goapele) come to Union’s door offering their love and support, while showcasing fabulous fashions that represent the heroine’s rebirth. It also features the incomparable Alfre Woodard and includes an incredible soundtrack.

It’s a wonderful short film that’s worthy of a watch!

Check it out below:

What are your thoughts on the short?

Get the Look: Elle Varner’s Hair at the Grammys

Elle Varner may not have taken home the Grammy for Best R&B song for her smash hit, “Refill,” but the breakout star was a still a major winner on the red carpet.

The Los Angeles-native’s black & white gown was complemented by her gorgeous long, 70s-inspired long locks. Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy celebrity hair stylist, Oscar James, wanted to create a memorable look for Varner’s Grammys debut.

“This was Elle’s first time attending the award show and she is a nominated artist so we really wanted to do something different than her usual style,” said James.

Elle Varner

Elle Varner

Below, Oscar shares tips on how to get Elle’s lovely Grammys look:

1. Always start with the right foundation and that means a nourished scalp and hair. Rinse and condition with Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy Ultra Shea shampoo and conditioner for strong, beautiful hair that can hold any style

2. Next, create a center part and blow dry hair straight.

3. Once dry, flat iron hair in small, quarter-inch sections to make sure heat is evenly distributed to every strand.

Ultra-SheaClear Scalp & Hair Therapy products are available here; starting at $5

4. Then, use a drop of the Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy Ultra Shea Nourishing Scalp & Hair Oil, emulsify and run through hair from scalp to end to add gorgeous shine and tame flyaways

5. Finish with a spritz of hair spray for extra hold.

What do you think of Elle Varner’s look? Did you watch the Grammys? What was your favorite moment?

 

Fabulous Celebrity Twitpics of the Week!

With New York Fashion Week underway and the Grammys only days away, there’s no shortage of fabulous Twitter and Instagram pics from some of our favorite celebs!

Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson

Angela Simmons

Angela Simmons

Nicole Murphy and Snoop Lion

Nicole Murphy and Snoop Lion

Tamia

Tamia

Chef Roble

Chef Roble

Estelle

Estelle

Jill Scott and Lianne La Havas

Jill Scott and Lianne La Havas

Photo Credits: Instagram

What’s your favorite photo from the bunch? 

Celebrate National Girl Scout Cookie Day!

In case you didn’t know, today (Feb. 8) is National Girl Scout Cookie Day!

Get ready to stock up on these classic treats in honor of the world’s largest girl-led business. Whether you crave Thin Mints, Trefoils, Peanut Butter Patties, Samoas (my personal favorite), or one of the other traditional flavors, you’ll be satisfying your sweet tooth while exercising girl power.

In fact, when you purchase a box of cookies from a Girl Scout, you are helping her gain life skills that can only be developed through personal interaction. It’s important for them to experience what it’s like to run their own cookie business through working directly with others.

GSCookies

Photo Courtesy: www.girlscouts.org

In today’s digital age, many people have lost the art of face-to-face exchanges and overall people skills that we don’t want to pass that on to our future generations. That’s why they don’t sell cookies online;  but that doesn’t mean that they haven’t made it easy to get your cookie fix.

Thanks to the newly revamped “Cookie Locater” app, customers can find cookies sales, nearby Girl Scout Cookie Professionals and other pertinent cookie-tracking information with a simple tap on your phone.

If you’re braving the imminent winter storm that’s headed toward New York City today, be sure to stop by one of these pop-up Sweetery truck locations to help a troop and indulge in a delicious snack:

  • The 1st stop – 8:30-10:30am – 42nd St & Madison Ave;
  • The 2nd stop – 11:30am-1:30pm – 57th St between 5th & 6th Ave;
  • The 3rd stop – 2:30-4:30pm – Park Ave between 52nd & 53rd St; and
  • The 4th stop – 5:30-7:30pm – Amsterdam Ave between 70th & 71st St.

You can follow the truck on twitter @GirlScouts and @SweeteryNYC.

It seems like yesterday when I was a little 8-year-old girl in my green and white uniform. Yep, like countless other women, I, too, was once a girl scout!  Oh the memories, and of course tasty cookies!

GIVEAWAY: What’s your favorite Girl Scout cookie? One lucky reader will win five boxes of your choice. For a chance to win, simply leave a comment below or tweet your answer to: @girlscouts with #onemorebox. 

Whitney Houston’s Madame Tussauds Wax Figures Unveiled

With the Grammys only a few days away, it seems only fitting that Madame Tussauds has chosen to celebrate Whitney Houston’s legacy.

Today, the late iconic singer’s likeness will be immortalized in wax with four amazingly striking figures. The unveiling will take place here in New York City and will become part of the permanent exhibits at each of the Madame Tussauds around the country.

Photo Courtesy: Madame Tussauds

Photo Courtesy: Madame Tussauds

The four figures showcase various highlights in her career including: her image from the hit song/video, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)”, her famous rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner” in 1991, her portrayal of Rachel Marron in “The Bodyguard,” and a portrait taken from her last studio album in 2009.

The incredibly detailed and time-consuming process took four months to complete by a team of specially trained artists and cost approximately $1.2 million for the four figures.

And unlike some recent projects with Houston being the subject, the family seems to be behind the project 100%.

Speaking on behalf of the family and The Whitney Houston Estate, Pat Houston said: “We were extremely honored when Madame Tussauds’ approached us about doing not one, but four figures of Whitney from different points in her 30-year career. This is something we are excited to do for the fans.”

If you can’t get enough of Houston’s music and career, be sure to tune in to Centric TV this weekend for a never-before seen documentary, Whitney Houston: Legend, which will feature interviews about the interviews about the legendary Whitney Houston in a never-before seen documentary, “Whitney Houston: Legend” (9pm EST).

Which wax figure is your favorite? What’s your favorite Whitney Houston song?