Eat This Prop 8! Tardeada This Sunday!

All you can eat tacos! Amazing prizes and performances!

Hosted by Bamby Salcedo and Jonathan Menendez

Creative Xicana After Dark: Review of Hella Brown: Real Sex In The City. **NSFW*

Happy New Year everyone! It's been a minute since I posted on my blog! I've been so busy with personal stuff and community work such as helping organize the Femme Day of Action Los Angeles which is part of the larger National week of action getting folks excited about the Femme Conference happening in Baltimore this August! Check out www.femme2012.com I'm also directing the closing fashion show for QPOCC 2012!

This post, however is going to be FUN and be warned, it's going to be NSFW.  I was happy that Nenna over at Feelmore510 sent me a review copy of her latest DVD endeavor "Hella Brown: Real Sex In The City"

I was super happy to get my little femme hands on this DVD! QPOC making porn. For US by US! In the past, the porn that I've watched hasn't really had a lot of  people of color, let alone bodies who are not your typical "Hollywood" stereotypical bodies. Like the cover indicates these are bodies just like those of people we know.  I feel like any of the cast would be someone that I would be friends or lovers with! 

Hella Brown has an all poc cast. The cast includes Afrodisiac, Blue, Brooklyn Skyy, Choclate Chip. The cast is super HOT and I totally love seeing the different variances of pairings, you not only get you're "typical" butch/femme or stud/femme but there are a few gender variant parings that make this something fresh for me, especially in poc porn.

  

I'm not going to give away the whole thing but I do want to tell you about some of my favorites...oh HIIIIIIIII Brooklyn Skyyyy (above) they're soo hot with their tattoos and look at that profile pic...super yum.  Brooklyn Skyy is in the opening scene making out in a super cool apartment with the windows open (hellooo voyeurrrr) 

My favorite performer of the whole DVD is the lovely AfroDisiac! I follow AfroDisiac on twitter (@Afro_disiac) and I will say that what I love about AfroDisiac is that she always has something rad to say and she's not afraid to speak her mind and interact with her followers.  Now I have another amazing reason to luv Afro Disiac (hellloooo HOT kitchen scene)!  Afro Disiac delivers my favorite performance getting down and dirty! My take on it is that out of all the performers in this DVD, AfroDisiac delivers the goods. Check out this screen cap and let me know what you think:

There are some good stud/femme scenes towards the end but my favorite part of Hella Brown is the performances of the people that look like they are more of the gender variant end of the spectrum. I love the diversity of gender expressions. I also love that starting in the first scene, the couple uses uses gloves for protection. Safe(r) sex is always sexy!   

I think that if you're looking for some porn to watch with some hot brown folks Hella Brown is for you. I will say that the lighting and the production quality isn't A++ like a big budget flick, but I can look over a detail like that because I haven't seen much good porn produced by poc starring poc out there I've watched some other GLBTQ produced poc porn and it seemed very heteronormative and seemed to be always for the stud/butch pleasure, unlike Hella Brown where everyone's pleasure seemed to be the point of view. 

 So, for sexy times with yourself or your boo or friends, get more info on Hella Brown by visiting the Feelmore510 website  or visit the boutique in person at 

1703 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94612

(I know I'll be visiting on my bay area trip next month) 

Judging by the yelp reviews, the place is pretty classy and Nenna makes sure to keep her clients happy. 

You can also catch up with Feelmore510 on facebook and twitter at @feelmore510

Disclaimer:  Creative Xicana (laura luna)  was not paid for this post.  A copy of  Hella Brown was  provided  for review purposes only.  Opinions are Creative Xicana (laura luna's) own. 

Trendwatch 2011: The Holiday Party - Guest Beauty Post by Sparrow Fox

Hi everyone! Happy holidays! I'm trying something new for y'all and having some of my amazing and talented friends post on the things that I believe they are experts on. First up is Sparrow Fox of Sparrow Beauty Artistry. If you'll remember, Sparrow was my key Make-up/Hair Artist for Queerture. For this post, Sparrow will bring her knowledge of beauty and give you some fun tips and tricks for surviving the holiday party season. I would love to know what you think, leave us some comments and let us know! xo -laura luna
************************************************************************************************
Chances are pretty good that you've got at least one holiday party to go to this year, and unless you start doing this:


You're bound to end up like this:

I want more for you dear lesbians, queer girls, transgirls, drag queens, friends and allies. Much much more.

Have no fear, as long as you savor every word that I write in this post, you can have a naturally amped up holiday look that will turn his OR her OR hir OR hys or....you get the idea - you're going to look smashing!

Let's start with your tresses. Because we all know that you're past this:

(right?)

Those glorious tresses that you abuse all year long and then neglect when December rolls around because the holidays are expensive...here's how you can can get sleek, glamourous looks that will carry you through the many late nights of Chanukah all the way through to Auld Lang Syne.

DO keep your appointment with your stylist this month and by all means get a COLOR GLOSS (like Redken Shades)! It's like your hair to the power of a thousand and it's usually pretty affordable. Lets face it - winter hair can be super dull. These demipermanent colors won't leave re-growth lines, and will just fade away over a period 4-6 weeks. They make your hair shiny, scrumptious and just DIVINE looking - gets rid of that tired dry look that you're always trying to avoid by slathering on the shine serum - yes, I'm looking at you, YOU with every single brand of shine serum available. You can get a color gloss in your natural shade and it will intensify and glossify your hair, giving it more lustre and giving it the appearance and FEEL of health! This is a fantastic foundation for what's next! Hot colors this season are spicy browns, coppery reds, chocolatey blue browns and warm honey blondes.


Are you Mad Men'd out yet?
It's true, those vintage inspired looks are still going strong. But here's my suggestion - take the idea and structure behind them and modernize them a bit!
These are no longer your grandma's up-dos! Create a classic chignon and mess it up a bit. Veronica Lake waves are always nice, but add one single tiny rhinestone pin in there and you've updated the look a bit. And here's the thing: keep it asymmetrical, girls. You only wear barrettes or hair pins on both sides when you're 12. After that it's....embarrassing (kind of like pig-tails).


If the 40's - 60's looks aren't your thing, get ready for this! Because what I'm also seeing a lot of is big blown out hair - think late 70's to early 90's. Get your glam 70's disco curls and tease some life into them. Your New Years Eve looks this year should be big, soft, curled, blown out - don't be afraid of the volume, embrace it.


If volume isn't your thing, smooth your locks down and flat iron the length, pair it with an Alphonse Mucha inspired headband for a vintage touch that can take you back to the hippie/glam 70's (think Stevie Nicks as the white witch).

And we can't get through anything these days without somebody talking about BANGS. To be specific, Zooey Deschanel bangs. Lezbehonest girls, nobody has more control over her bangs than Zooey D - right? GET THEM. They look good on pretty much everyone - it just depends on how they're cut. Break up your All One Length hair that you've had for the past 5 years and get some bangs now - while they're still hot!
If you have a tendency toward frizziness - let's deal with that. Davine's makes an anti-humidity frizz fighter called Defining Relaxing Fluid (you can find it online from $15-25). That'll do the trick for you. You can wear your curls, your pony tails, your big blow outs and resist all that damp winter air that just wrecks even the best party 'do.

If you're a short-haired girl there are two ways you probably go - girly or not so girly, right? Well, girly-girls, get a rhinestone clip, change your hair color, wear a headband - but same rules apply - simple! If you are less girly, downright tomboyish, butch, however you roll - just get your hair cut - don't skip your December appointment with your stylist - don't be shaggy. Unless you're going for shaggy, of course, then .... well! What's up Shane McCutcheon.....

(where have you been lately, my shaggy little dream boat)

Just remember that when you're doing your hair - keep it simple and keep it clean, and keep it YOU. Be comfortable. Because if you usually have long dark brown hair and you suddenly decide to dip dye the ends in a flourescent color and cut bangs....you might find yourself feeling very uncomfortable and not yourself - which is the WORST for parties. The holidays are hard enough, be good to yourself.

um, MAKEUP!

The best part of the holidays is the amount of glitter you can get away with. I'm lucky - as a stylist, I'm in salon full time and so theoretically, I can wear glitter eyeshadow every single day that I work and no one even bats a lash, and clients kind of expect me to do wacky shit like that. But I know you office girls and corporate power women aren't as likely to get away with that kind of daring-do. Thank goodness holiday parties have come to rescue you from the land of BEIGE EYESHADOW! Now you can add dashes of glimmer, glitter and sparkle to your makeup wardrobe. Create classy, classic looks and add some complimentary bling to really up the ante! This will for sure get you noticed as you make the rounds this holiday season!

Let's start with what's showing up on runways and in our beloved fashion magazines: COLOR. I don't care what "color" your beautiful skin is - you are wearing COLOR this season. Let's start with your mouth - because it's my favorite.

Get ready to bust out your red lips, ladies. Bright red kissable lips are where it's at, and there is a shade of red for every single human that would wear red. From opaque to sheer get that red on your kisser - stat.

Here is a short list of my most favorite reds:
Mark Kissink Lip Tintmarker in RED SIREN. This is cool because it is a highly pigmented, smudge proof product that you can layer under your lipstick or gloss for more staying power!
Lancôme Le Rouge Absolue in Jezebel $29 (looks great on everyone, super creamy)
MAC Ruby Woo $15 (for the vintage lovers - this is a super hot vintage MATTE red)
DuWop Venom in Twilight Stain $16 - ok. This is a Twilight Vampire themed item, but still. It's so AWESOME. and it makes your lips plump up and looks super cool in the tube. It's sexy. So.

Alternatives to true reds are the glittery berry toned glosses, Laura Mercier makes some great shades in small pocket size glosses that will fit into your holiday clutches! Check Sephora.com for these this year. You want something truly bad ass? Check out this little kit from Bobbi Brown! It's called Party to Go. I mean, really. You get gloss, 2 creamy lip colors, three shadows and the case is smaller than a business card (fits in your clutch! Takes up less space than those Capri cigarettes you keep pretending you don't have!)!!! It's too cute! Especially for $25 at Bobbi Brown Online.

The best part about the red lip? It's a one stop effort to change you from office daily to party ready; and everyone knows that red lips mean business.

EYES!

Your eyes are the window to your soul, and your soul is clearly that of a glitter laden drag queen. Right? Oh, just me? Ok well, just in case here are some fun tips for your eyes! Get some kind of bright color that is just irresistable to you. Follow these steps:
1. Line your upper lid with an eyeliner color similar to your shadow. Make the line thicker at the edges and smudge those edges with a small brush on the inner corner.
2. Apply your bright shadow from your lash line up to the ocular bone crease
3. Reapply your liner along the lash line for definition
4. Finish with a heavy application of mascara.
(PS: Stop it with the black smoky eye. It's boring. When did we get so afraid of color?)

The great thing about this tip is that you can do this with a heavy shimmer or super fine glitter eyeshadow - and if you are a woman of color, GET THIS LOOK NOW. You lucky girls with your beautiful skin tones can wear an abundance of color and also metallics! Just don't forget your heavy mascara application, and you can also line the water line of your eye with a waterproof liner such as MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack - which happens to be my favorite. You put it on and it stays on. Italian Vogue recently showcased bright colors that women of color are rocking and girls! Don't forget your cheekbones! Highlight those babies with a shimmer powder of some kind!

Actually. While we're talking about areas to highlight: Don't forget to highlight all your highlights. Lesbians, you're going to want to pay attention here: Urban Decay makes a delightful little treat that you or your woman can apply all over your/her/hir/his/hys/etc body. Urban Decay Marshmallow Sparkling LICKABLE body powder is worth the $20 and worth the trip to Sephora or Sephora.com. Trust me. It's pretty. It smells delicious and you can lick it right off her body. Tell me you can think of a better holiday treat? I can't.

Let's discuss the Face Stockholm Galaxy Glitters. At only $18 each you can get a couple of colors to get you through the new year. These can be used over eyeliners to create a glitter liner, you can use them on your entire lid, you can affix just a dot near your eye (like a gem) using some lash glue OR you can (wait for it) apply them over your lipstick. Glitters are God as far as I'm concerned when it comes to makeup. You can do so much (and so little) with them that really creates a fun impact!

Finish off those eyes with some false lashes if you must but tone it down a bit - cut your false lash down a bit so you don't get that stripper strip lash look and then apply Lancôme Hypnôse Doll Lashes Mascara. This mascara creates a flirtatious look - gives you a super shiny lengthy look that is also super thick & sexy. And who doesn't love some bedroom eyes?

That concludes our walk through the winter wonderland of beauty. You're going to have so much fun this year at all of your parties! Don't forget to have a glass of champagne, throw some glitter on your face, wear some heels and especially don't forget to kiss someone at midnight on New Years Eve. You don't want those red lips going to waste in 2012, do you?




Sparrow Fox is a makeup artist and hairstylist based in Southern California. She's obsessed with glitter, her chihuahua ChaCha, and shopping for cosmetics online. You can find her on Facebook here.

get OUT: Lez At The Mezz and BobbyTrap - blu post-party

Friday Nov. 11th,Lez at the Mezz and Booby Trap join forces to feature a post show party/conversation by Sibyl O'Malley for Virginia Grise's play 'blu', followed by local dancers 'Lost Angels' performing sick moves inspired by both the play and a love for Los Angeles.

JUST ADDED!
++BOOBY TRAP BRINGS YOU THE OFFICIAL AUSTRA AFTERPARTY + DJ SET! ++


Influenced by bands like Fever Ray and Zola Jesus, Austra has invaded the indie airwaves with an ethereal sexiness that we can't resist. Join us for a live dj set with Austra at 1AM.

'Blu' is set in Barrio, USA, Virginia Grise’s blu traces the explosive after-effects of prison and hunger, desire and war. Told in a heightened poetic language of street talk, the play follows a queer Chicana/o family as they try to envision an earth and sky without police and their helicopters. … blu is a tattooed offering to Los Angeles audiences, the gods and the ancestors that might be listening. [Company of Angels]

Take Back the Talk Back: Let's get rid of the business-as-usual-boring-ass talk back and create something worthy of Virginia Grise’s tough, beautiful play, blu. And who is better equipped to do it than a room full of beautiful dykes with a thirst for justice? We’ll trounce the old talk back; we’ll bring in something Sapphic and smarter; then we’ll shake our asses any way we like at Lez at the MEZZ featuring the genre bending dance moves of Lost Angels. -Sibyl OMalley

get your tickets to blu at www.companyofangels.com
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CX note: It's so lovely to see party promoters getting together and promoting the arts. Such a breath of fresh air.

get OUT: Outlaws on Stage - Book Launch Event

The weekend is here and I hope you get to do something fun or cuddle with a boo thang <3 Check out this event happening on Sunday at Macha Theater in WeHo.

Outlaws on Stage! Book Launch Event
A multi-media dramatization of WHEN WE WERE OUTLAWS: a Memoir of Love & Revolution
Starring Raquel Gutierrez as "Córdova" in 1975, plus other performers. Scenes & images from the book come alive.

Narrated by Jeanne Córdova Nov. 6th, 2pm - 4pm
Macha Theatre, 1107 N. Kings Rd, West Hollywood 90069
$20 includes book. Booksigning @ 4pm. Parking across the street
Advance Tickets: brownpapertickets.com Limited seating!

get OUT: Lecture at LACMA Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty

Hello Fashionistas & Queers (or both). Check out this lecture that will be happening at LACMA next week! It is a bit pricey ($50) but the lecture is going to be given by Andrew Bolton the curator of the wildly popular MET exhibition Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty in NYC.

Check out the info below and purchase your tickets HERE

LACMA’s Costume Council presents Andrew Bolton, curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, who discusses the phenomenal exhibition, Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty. Bolton will provide an inside look at the creative and complex fashion designer who combined otherworldly artistic genius with a technical expertise that transcended the bounds of fashion and echoed throughout culture.

Femme Fashion Spotlight: Tera "Nova Jade* Greene (Award-winning DJ + Film Producer/Musician/Poet).

As most of you know, I styled the "Femme Fashion" for Queerture (Closing fashion show for the Queer Studies Conference at UCLA in October). Getting together models, dressers, assistants, clothing, fundraising $ et al is NOT an easy feat. I rely heavily on the amazing helping hand of people in my community of brilliant artists & activists to help me get my vision from inside my head, to the catwalk.

I'll be taking some time to spotlight here on my blog some of the amazing people helping me bring my vision to life!

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

The amazing person on the 1's & 2's in the image above is none other than

Tera "Nova Jade* Greene (Award-winning DJ + Film Producer/Musician/Poet).

Tera provided the amazing and fab soundrack that my models walked down the runway to! I asked Tera a few questions so y'all could get to know this amazing person that I have been building community with in LA for almost 10 years with a little better..check it out:

CX: Tell us a little bit about yourself:

NJ*: I'm Awesome! :-)

CX: When did you start DJing/Producing?

NJ*: I began DJing in 2003 when I got turntables as a gift for my birthday. Mind you, I'd been in the scene for almost a decade already, and I'd been immersed in performance and music, in general, since I was 5 years old (beginning with dance at the Dance Theatre of Harlem in NY). I started playing my first instrument at 6 (flute), and played in various ensembles, marching/concert bands year-round for ten years. I own a couple of guitars, a few keyboards, sound effect boards, looping pedals, drum sticks, a flute, VSTs/Samples, shakers...

In a way, I guess I've always produced/been a producer. For example, making my own 'thank you' or 'birthday cards' is something I've done a lot since my youth, crafting songs around poetry is delicious, stenciling on shirts is funtastic - I keep it versatile. But, as far as music specifically, I started using Fruity Loops (Acid) in the 90s, just making interesting songs and even albums that I shared with friends under the moniker "MC Atlantis", and I've since then produced tracks for people, done remixes, composed an hour-long dance opera piece and personalized lullabies, the list goes on! Looking back, I have truly had some fun projects I've participated in and/or spearheaded, and I've only just begun!

CX: Tell us a little bit about the music you create?

NJ*: Music to me is not defined by the love of the specific genre, as it is the love of the way a song or sound makes me feel, or how they can help me express my thoughts. I love to create music that keeps my creative juices blossoming, while making a statement of some sort.

I am currently working on a politically-conscious hip hop album as a producer, while simultaneously being produced and co-writing originals and re-working covers to begin putting together a funky, punk band. On top of that, I'm constantly creating songs and remixes of my own accord alongside those two projects and posting them online for kicks and to stay fresh.

My music all comes from Truth, with intellectual flavorings of hip hop and edginess. What type of music do I create? Whatever I feel and whatever feels good. Check out my links and tell me! I've been told that my "sound" is refreshing, unique, different, quirky, powerful. There's always a smattering of spoken word, I love hi hats and sounds that make a tune "drive" or "move".

Windchimes should be in every song, if you ask me! I'm influenced by and *adore* house music, r&b, smart hip hop, punk, rock, world-sounds, and jazz. I once performed a Jazz Americana medley for my 6th grade graduation as a flute soloist. I started off with the flight of the bumble-bee, then went into 'Take 5' and finished with a transposed version of the Theme from Jeopardy. I was 9 years old with hot shoulderpads and white leggings. And a bang in the front. LOL

CX: What inspires you?

NJ*: I'm inspired by People, Truth and Goodness. I'm also inspired by Life + the Human Condition and my Imagination. Humor inspires, as well.

CX: When did you start DJing? How did you learn?

NJ*: I began DJing in 2003 on turntables. With the advice of my homeboy Audiodice, I found the perfect DJ-In-A-Box set to dive into (much love to Numark!), but this was literally after asking a lot of my boy-friends who were DJs to show me how to beat-match and really "understand" the basics first.

I was heavily immersed the underground/sub-pop culture so it wasn't a foreign transition from being a classically trained flautist to a hardcore Electro/House DJ… I mean, was not I the same girl who'd jump on a mic at parties and spit flows of the dome over house beats?

To this day, even though I mostly gig out on my MacBook Pro with either my 750 G or Terabyte External Passport Harddrive, and not long after my first year, I had purchased CD turntables - and Technic 1200s -, I am so thankful I learned to DJ by learning how to beat-match before I did anything else. I learned by practicing (practice makes better), and by having the courage to put myself outside of my lil' studio room and release mix-tapes and gig out. But, ultimately, I learned with the basics; namely, the first basic of beat-matching. I think that's important for anyone getting ready to jump in the arena of Djing, 'cuz anyone can look at a screen, but how many of those people can still blend a track without a train-wreck happening if the screen goes dark?

CX: Tell us a little bit about what you will be creating for the Femme Fashion potion of Queerture…

NJ*: What an honor it is to be asked to collaborate with Laura Luna and her creative self again for Queerture! We've known each other, and worked together, since I stepped into the LGBTQ Los Angeles Performance scene at that "tender" age of 21. Literally, her projects back then were some of the most influential launching points of my career, which at that time I was already a few years into, but with less exposure.

With that said, I was asked to revisit a poem called "Fashion" that I wrote exclusively for a Sappho's Return event (Sapphic Threads). For that fashion show, I recited and walked the runway; this time around, I'm composing runway music around the 9 minute poem, which I will perform in solidarity alongside my Femmes at Queerture 2011. (CX note: after our rehearsal, we ended up using only the music track which turned out amazing!)

CX: Wildcard question: Tell us something about you that surprises people when you tell them.

NJ*: Wow, that's a good one. Either that I was raised by a single-parent father since I was 5 months old or that I'm Jewish. Black and Jewish... Blewish? *Teehee*

There you have it folks! A "Blewish" amazing DJ/Poet/Producer who produced our amazing track for Queerture! Check out Nova Jade* at any of the links below and stay tuned to my next post which will include a video clip of the runway show that includes the song Tera produced for us!

Facebook.com/Djnovajade, Twitter.com/Djnovajade, djnovajade.podomatic.com, youtube.com/djnovajade, mixcrate.com/djnovajade and soundcloud.com/djnovajade.