I have been blessed with an incredible manager by my side who believes in me, and  because of his faith and confidence in me,  my music and personal growth has been taken to a whole other level. I have been thinking a lot the past few days about the importance of having people in your life that build you up. People that are honest with you without being cruel. Those who find joy in seeing you happy too. It’s a place that is safe for creating. I think for any living being, having this safe place is essential for flourishing, and I’m thankful to be experiencing this at this time in my life.

With this new sense of peace, joy, and homeostasis, I’ve come across several quotes that represent the emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual place that I’m in…and who better to pair them up with, than Sylvya Ji.

Ji not only captures the raw beauty of life, death and the celebration of both, but also the magic that can only be found in a woman. May we women continue to find our voice, share our love, & chase our dreams.

“Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life.”~Ludwig van Beethoven

“We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.”
~Buddha

“Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.”~Anonymous

“Ordinary men hate solitude. But the Master makes use of it, embracing his aloneness, realizing he is one with the whole universe…for Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.”~Lao Tzu

“Music . . . can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable.”~Leonard Bernstein ♥

“The more intensely we feel about an idea or a goal, the more assuredly the idea buried deep in our subconscious, will direct us along the path to its fulfillment.” ~Earl Nightingale

“Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us.”~Martin Luther

Remember that chic in Lil Flip’s music video, “Sunshine” …” I can call you my baby boy/ You can call me your baby girl/Maybe we can spend some time I an be yo sunshine…”

Well Latina.com got the scoop on this Puerto-Rican and Dominican singer ,who is  ready to prove she’s got the G-notes to stay in the music game, &  why we never heard from her after the 2004 Summer jingle.

How did you come to get signed with G-Note?

“I came out on ‘Sunshine’ in 2004. I was doing anything and traveling and meeting all these celebrities and after that kind of calmed down, I had to come back home and work again as a waitress. Nothing ever happened. It felt like I was completely over. I was defeated and even stopped doing music because I felt very discouraged. I got a job in a club, and this rep found me working there. They wanted me to work on a project for Hot Rod [a G-Note rapper]. So I did and ended up meeting with everyone and talking more and more. Then I met [50 Cent] at an event, and he told me he liked what I had done and I then signed [to the label]. I saw it as a sign from God, at that point. It really came out of nowhere.”

How would you describe your sound?

“I’m influenced by a lot of different genres. From jazz to R&B to pop. My dad had a huge record collection growing up and I would listen to everything. [My sound] has become a fusion of everything that I love.”

Who would you list as your influences?

“Mariah Cary has always been an influence. She really changed the game when she started out. There was no one like her. I’m currently really into Beyonce and Rihanna. I like [Rihanna] a lot, [though] I’m not as edgy as she is. I’m definitely influenced by her sound and beats.”

Back to Say Whaat!?!

Lea Covers Selena’s “Dreaming Of You”

Throwback-”Sunshine” Flip Ft. Lea

Back To Say Whaat!?!

Reina Royal- The Reigning Princess of Music Entertainment & Pop Culture

17 yrs old…Hating College, Loving Take-Out

As our wonderful R.A. had us go around introducing ourselves I found myself listening to everyone and thinking…”Is everyone crazy? Am I the crazy one? Who will be my friend? OMG did she just say that???” and as I looked up I caught the eye of a girl with the same expression on her face. The most amazing liquid silver-blue eyes I’ve ever seen, gave me an “Oh my god” look that filled in all my blanks. We busted out laughing and shared a moment…a moment that sealed our fate. We’d be best friends for life.

“Queen Pretty” as we like to call her…at her insistence.

Even more so than my family, who inevitably always worried about my life choices, it was Jane who believed in me and my music blindly, faithfully, and with an adamant passion no one could match. She came over and sat on my lap one day, and said “Hey! Listen up everybody, I’m sitting on a billion dollars right here! A billion mother f*ckin dollars!” Everyone around us laughed, and I did too, but she was serious. Sometimes I would hear the way she described me to people and I always thought, “If only I believed in myself even half the amount that she believes in me. If I could just see myself with her eyes, maybe I could conquer the world.” In her mind there’s never been any doubt that I will be successful.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Over the past 13 years she has been with me through thick and thin, good, bad and ugly… horrendous, hilarious…magical, and even when I was the WORST best friend on the planet and failed her, she never faltered. She’s always been the best. My best.

Today I sat on my boat deck, and as I watched the beautiful sunset I  swear I saw my life flash before my eyes. It was so odd. As far as I know I’m not dying, and I’m not on my period so my hormones aren’t to blame. I just felt incredibly vulnerable, and I realized how lucky I am that God put my best friend Jane, in my life. She’d never take credit for it, but I know I am where I am today because she is in my life. Because she believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself.

Aren’t we beautiful?

You see my best friend has the kindest, purest heart of anyone I know. Back in college, I gave myself the responsibility of saying “No” for her because it didn’t matter what was asked of her, she’d always say yes. She’d lend people money, let them sleep in her dorm room…using her bed and she’d crash on the floor. She’d write papers for classmates, and leave her room unlocked always leaving her things at the disposal of anyone who needed them.  She saw the beauty in everyone… even people I dismissed time and time again as being straight up assholes who didn’t deserve second, third, or fifteen chances.  She’d rather lunge herself into an oncoming train, than to see anyone hurt. She bends over backwards for family, friends, and strangers alike. I’ve never seen anyone love like her.

She’s got it all under control…

At work, she’s a a jaw dropping vision. Just picture this 5 ft tall, petite, freckle faced woman who looks like she’s 16 with the guts, smarts, and wisdom of a 70 yr old! She’s brilliant, funny, creative, talented and inspirational. While my former reactive self, quickly jumped into fighting stance at the slightest provocation, she would always show me with her loving actions what it was to truly be a good person. I’ve always admired that about her…everyone does.

Loved me unconditionally, every pound of me

She’s seen me as a goddess when my 5 ft 4 self was over 200 lbs. She’s the only one that cried when I lost the love of my life, feeling my pain almost as deeply as I felt it. She knows every one of my songs even though none have been recorded…including those I have yet to finish. When I felt like I was drowning in N.C. and music seemed so ridiculously out of reach due to a far distant graduation date, and juggling several part time jobs to make ends meet,  it was Jane who’d call me and fan furiously at my dimming inner fire, keeping it aglow. She’d remind me that I was special, that I had something to give to this world, and always gave me the strength to hang in there just a little longer.

She knows without asking when I need space, when I need silence, when I need cake, and when I need laughter. Most recently when I was broken and wounded she bought my ticket home on the spot, even though I was half way around the world…just because she loves me and I was in trouble. She then proceeded to let me live off her for months until I was able to get back on my feet. No questions, no expectations, no hesitations. She’s the only person I have ever met who gives without expecting anything in return, and I could never repay her for what she’s done for me…who she’s been to me.

By my side through every painful experience…even the DMV

This isn’t a random letter, though my sun set moment did take me by surprise. Maybe it’s because her birthday is coming up and she’s turning 30. Birthdays are for celebration but they’re also a time to reflect on how far we’ve come in life.

She’s ridiculous.

Sometimes I see my best friend frustrated with work, or trying to figure out how to go about life in a way that brings her joy. I guess like the rest of us, she just wants to do something special in her life. Really LIVE, not simply EXIST. I just needed her to know that if on her birthday she feels as if she’s not done enough in these 30 years, or feels as if she hasn’t much to show for it, she couldn’t be more wrong.

Janey, I am who I am because you are my best friend. You, and all that you are, are the greatest accomplishment of your life, of mine, and everyone else who has been blessed to have you in theirs. Those of us who’ve been lucky to call you friend, lover, daughter, cousin, grandchild, sister, boss, class mate, or charming perfect stranger, can’t imagine life without you. You have touched us all, teaching us so much about ourselves and what we strive to be, both personally and professionally. You are an incredible woman, and I love you.

Jane and BirdBrain

“It is the set of the sails, not the direction of the wind that determines which way we will go.”-Jim Rohn

My boat is tiny. I have to shower and use the restroom on the docks. I don’t have a stove, tv, or microwave for that matter. I can get from one side of my home to the other in exactly 10 steps. It’s not for the high maintenance gals, the claustrophobic folks, or the needy individuals who cannot be alone. It’s a place I’ve discovered to be a hard-shelled womb if you will, made up of mirrors. It feels safe, cozy and the rhythmic dips of the waves rock my boat in such a soothing manner that I sleep better than I ever have. But it seems to be filled with mental, emotional and spiritual mirrors, that are reflecting the good, the bad, and the ugly. I can’t hide from myself, or my thoughts. I can’t escape by watching television,or employees I can chat with. And  yet the funny thing is, it doesn’t really have any actual mirrors I can look into to criticize and scrutinize my body or face and find myself inadequate, or not good enough. My experience has been challenging, liberating, & full of blessings.

“The winds of grace are always blowing; all we need to do is raise our sails.”

My first night, I lay in bed and every single sound scared the shit out of me. The squeaks, the thuds, the plops, the taps, the low hums….all sounded like a plethora of murderers 2 seconds away from entering my boat and attacking me. I had to actually say out loud…”Vanessa..get your shit together. If you don’t, you will never feel peace in your own home. Breathe” I must have sounded quite forceful cause I immediately snapped out of it, and started chanting in my head. Within seconds…I was out. I woke up the next morning with a serenity in my entire being. I have NEVER felt that way before. EVER.

“The magnetic needle always points to the north, and hence it is that sailing vessel does not lose her direction. So long as the heart of man is directed towards God, he cannot be lost in the ocean of worldliness.”-Ramakrishna

I took a look outside and it was so beautiful I almost cried. I sat down on the deck and thanked God for guiding me to a place and a time in my life that I needed. It didn’t come the way I would have liked it to. In fact, there are wounds that have yet to heal, and all I can do is continue to surrender hoping that everything as it has been, continues to fall into place. But for now, I will simply treasure my little boat. Treasure each moment it brings that gives me a clearer picture of what I am capable of learning, thinking, doing, achieving, and giving… both to myself and others.

I’ve learned that I’m stronger than I ever imagined. I have a pure heart, and I can honestly send love and prayers and best wishes to everyone that has been a part of my life, even if we’ve painfully parted ways. I used to think I carried so much anger and unresolved issues from my past, but they aren’t deeply imbedded and that’s such a relief!

“I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.”-Louisa May Alcott

I realized the other day I am heavier than I was in the Philippines, but much thinner than when I was at my heaviest. I don’t check mirrors constantly, or have a constant reminder of my inadequacies, weight, looks, or physical flaws and honestly, I’ve never felt more beautiful. Children, men and women and animals connect with me everywhere I go and I know it’s because I finally love myself enough to give my potential a fighting chance. I laugh freely, smile often, and live without apologies. I know what I will never compromise again…whether it be my morals, dignity, self-worth, or spirit.

And yes…I am in the music industry and there are sharks everywhere. I will fail, I will fall, doors will be slammed in my face, and I will get hurt. But I’m strong in my faith, and now strong in myself. I know that I know nothing, and that’s perfectly ok with me. “I” and “me” is not a definite entity. It is always evolving, and ever-growing, and I am so thankful for that. I surround myself with people who support me regardless of who they thought I was, or hoped I’d be. As I continue to learn and grow in my little boat I’m thankful to those around me who love and appreciate me for everything I am at this point in my life and I can’t ask for more.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”-Mark Twain

“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.”- William Arthur Ward

Cruz talks his past bad boy ways, his fathers suicide and representing the his Puerto Rican heritage.

On being Puerto Rican: 

Grandmother Lucy Molina “…taught me how to be Puerto Rican…She was stern, she was confident, and my mother was the same way.  [She] never took no for an answer, never took anything for granted, never took anything lightly.  I think Puerto Ricans are like that.”

On his father’s suicide: 

“I was angry; I didn’t understand why he would do that or why he wouldn’t come to one of us or call.  He understood me as a person, understood everything I thought of before I even thought of it.  Him passing away was definitely rough for me.”

Cruz’s girlfriend, Elaina Watley, on Cruz getting kicked out of school and his football scholarship, twice, at the University of Massachusetts from partying too hard, sleeping late, and skipping classes:

Watley “…screamed at him like crazy…I told him, ‘Get up, get up, get up…But it was his drive, his motivation.  He could have given up at any time, but he didn’t.  His heart is good.  He isn’t perfect, but he’ll always do the right thing.’”

His Cover slaps stands May 15th!!!

Back to Say Whaat!?!

MeShay Talae- Reigning Princess of Music Entertainment & Pop Culture

The past two months I decided to do an overhaul of my brain. I would find myself deeply saddened by past events and reliving memories of hurtful things said to me, and wishing I could go back and change my reactions. It took up 85% of my brain’s thoughts. The rest of my brain was occupied by the POTENTIAL conversations I could possibly have, or worried about where to live, or what my future might look like. MY FUTURE!!! How crazy is that!? I didn’t even know what would happen within the next hour and I was stressing and wasting my life away over my past and future…both of which are out of my control. I could almost hear his voice saying those very same things to me over and over, and just as clearly I could see it going in one ear and out the other.

STOP IT.

I didn’t get it. But I get it now, and it’s  also because I realized you have to learn it for yourself. God, The Universe, Life…all of the above will let you know when you’re ready. It’s imperative to learn at your own pace. Not to force yourself to see or understand what you aren’t ready for. To love yourself and embrace the quirks, and charming eccentricities that make you who you are. Always willing to change for the better but never allowing anyone else to tell you that you aren’t smart enough, good enough, sensitive enough, aware enough, beautiful enough etc. And more importantly, don’t ever tell yourself that. Don’t talk down to yourself. Know when to walk away from a situation that is destructive to your spirit. Whether it’s a particular event, discussion, person, place, job, etc.

And so it is what it is. Lesson well learned! Now, I do want to share some things that helped me. Some that I was taught before by my dear friend, and some that I discovered along the way. I hope it helps you.

1. When you catch yourself stressing over the past or future, or thinking about something incredibly negative, sad, or stressful, or self-destructive. STOP YOURSELF. Say out loud..”I AM BLESSED. I am blessed with….” Then begin to list all the wonderful things that you are thankful for. Yes, say them out loud even if in a public place. If someone hears you they too may have needed a reminder to be thankful for what they have.

2. Look around you and start appreciating the colors around you. Look at the details of your present moment. The textures of the fabrics, or plants all around you. The feel of the breeze. The smells in the air, and the tastes of the food you’re eating. The crunch of the veggies, the spices in the broth. Appreciate that you have food while there’s many in the world that aren’t so lucky. Feel the heat of your coffee mug against your hand. It pulls you back into the exact moment you’re in now, and even at your worst you can appreciate the beauty of life and smile.

Everything’s PHO-nomenal…

3. MOVE. Move away from the very spot you’re in. JUMP in place. Walk outside, walk inside. Do the chicken dance. I’m serious. Breaking that stagnant energy really helps. Shake it off, Shimmy your shoulders, Roll you head around and stretch your neck. I personally decided to hit the floor and do crunches for every negative thought and/or jumping jacks depending on where I was at.

4. LAUGH OUT LOUD. Just start laughing. Force it. Hear yourself. It will feel odd, sound alien to you, and then eventually it will make you giggle. I started doing this one day and ever since then it’s my quick  Go To strategy to instantly bring joy. Some people may think you’re crazy, but you’ll know in your mind there’s method to your madness.

Throw that head back with no shame!

5. Reach out to a stranger, and smile. I’ve found that it will instigate a conversation and you always, absolutely always learn something about the person that you can apply to your life. The connection will brighten both your days, and takes you out of that pity me moment you’re having.

6. Call, or E-mail, or text the one person you know is your unconditional love. Whether it’s your bf/gf, spouse, parent, best friend, grandmother, or sibling. That one person that has seen the good, bad, and ugly parts of you and still loves you with everything in their being. They would rather walk through fire than see you hurt, or hurt you themselves. These people are rare to find, but they do exist. And they have been my life line many times. They remind you who you are, how far you’ve come, and how amazing you can be.

My Unconditional Love…

7. Grab a piece of paper, or computer and write a letter to someone who you appreciate. Tell them why you appreciate them, and what it is about them that brings joy to your life and that of others. Showing someone love, and appreciation will remind you that life is too precious to waste on negativity, and it may be just the letter they needed too. You never know.

8. I like to meditate, but sometimes when I’ve been so much so in my head, meditating can be hard. I end up doing the same stressing out, in the lotus position. So, I have found chanting, or church songs to be really helpful in lifting the spirit. Once you’re a little calmer, you can sit and meditate.

9. Make a short list of tangible, realistic goals, for the rest of your day and get productive! One by one dedicate a little time and get them done, and as you check them off you will soon forget what you were worried about because you are too busy being proactive in your life.

10. FORGIVENESS. If you can pinpoint the person, or situation that made you angry, sad, resentful, or hurt. FORGIVE. In doing so, and by sending them love and prayers and compassion, you actually free, and forgive yourself for the part you played in the experience. BE FREE.

Where ever you are…you are loved.

My life has changed dramatically in the past 2 months since I started to apply these techniques to my daily existence. I found a job, I’m finally off my friend’s couch and in my own place, and I’m officially recording my very own songs in the studio with the help of incredible artists. My relationship never recovered, but a friendship still exists and I’m thankful it does. Life is full of unexpected surprises, and I don’t want to try to control anything anymore. I surrender to whatever comes next when ever that may be.What’s meant to be will always find a way. It’s been amazing to see how much there is to live for, when you say YES to the NOW, and forget about the past, and stop worrying about the future. It can be a long painful process when training yourself to do this, but it’s worth it, and it’s possible. Baba

LOVING…LEARNING…LIVING.

This season’s runways were filled with bursts of punchy tangerines and warm, glimmering copper shades.  The April issue of Latina Magazine highlights all these spring beauty trends and includes colors fit for every skin tone.

 Makeup artist Andrew Sotomayer gives insider tips, as well as personal color selections that you must try for spring.  Among them is rms beauty‘s new cream eye shadow in solar.

The antiqued gold shade instantly adds shimmer and warmth to your lids and doubles as a beautiful highlighter when swept over cheekbones–a makeup bag must-have for the upcoming sunny months!

Lala Anthony gets fun and vibrant for the April 2012 issue of Latina magazine. Inside the issue, the radio turned TV personality speaks candidly on her marriage with Knicks star Carmelo Anthony and why she is able to trust him despite rumors of infidelity, as well as maintaining her confidence and building her brand.

Pop the hood to check out excerpts and photos from the spread :

On how she and Carmelo have lasted 8 years
It’s been 15 days since I’ve seen my husband. That’s a long time for us to go without seeing each other. But I went on this whirlwind of launching the makeup line and my husband’s a basketball player. It’s not like he can say, ‘Hey, I’m not playing in the game today, I’m going to meet up with my wife somewhere.’ We’ve been together for eight years and I think we’ve lasted this long because we give each other space. But there’s also that time where it can be too much space.

On why she is able to trust Carmelo and if there’s a misconception surrounding athletes being unfaithful
I wouldn’t say it’s a misconception, because there are a lot of athletes who do live a certain life with women everywhere. So you can’t act like it’s the craziest thing you’ve ever heard, because it is out there. But I’m secure in my relationship. I’m happy with having my own thing going on. I don’t spend all day worrying about what he’s doing. In that sense, I trust him.

On not being satisfied
I’m never satisfied—career-wise, I mean—I’m always looking for the next thing; that’s just my personality. Why can’t I be a great mom, wife, TV host, actress, producer, have my own reality show and makeup line? The hard part is the balancing of it all.

On advice she has for other women
Tap into your uniquenessss – “I encourage people to embrace whatever it is that makes them different. Not being like everybody, setting your own trends, being your own person, that’s what
makes you cool.

On how she is able to deal with her insecurities
In this day and age, [people will] tear you to hell: ‘Her hair, her legs, her this, her that.’ So it is sometimes hard to stay as confident as you like. I’m just like anybody else. Weight goes up and down, sometimes I’m killing myself to be on a crazy diet, sometimes I’m not. Sometimes I feel like my legs are too skinny, other times I don’t. As you get more mature you learn to embrace insecurities and figure out how to be okay with that stuff, to keep it in perspective.

On her support system
My family always encouraged me and supported me. While still a teenager, I told my mom one day I was moving to L.A. She was like, ‘All right, I’ll go with you, get you settled and come back.’ If I didn’t have that I wouldn’t be confident to do all these things.

It's a beautiful life...

Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they’ve got a second. Give your dreams all you’ve got and you’ll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you. -William James

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people do that, but the really GREAT ones make you feel that you too, can somehow be GREAT.-Mark Twain

Memorable Moments

The only journey is the journey within.-Rainer Maria Rilke

Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still. -Chinese Proverb

Insist on yourself. Never imitate. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nessy Life!

Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.-Albert Einstein

World Wandering...

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.-Helen Keller

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.-Henry David Thoreau

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.-Harriet Tubman

One of my dreams coming true...

I’ve forever been in love with LaLa Anthony’s make-up and her make-up artist deserves an award for the make-up in her shot for Latina Magazine!

LaLa has beautiful eyes so playing them up with a winged eyeliner adds a whole lot of drama and just pulls your attention towards her eyes. To add even more depth, the inner rim of the eye’s been lined with a white pencil. By doing so, LaLa’s eye look even bigger but there’s also a 60′s, Twiggy-esque feel to it. At the same time though, it’s very modern with the gold eyeshadow that’s only been sweeped across the lid; any higher and it’d look very odd.

To recreate the winged liner, a gel or liquid would do although, I’d use a gel liner as the eyes are lined quite thick and liquid liners tend to have fine brushes in comparison to gel liner brushes which vary in size.

To frame the whole look, defined brows are almost imperative. Fill in the brows rather than using a gel or wax as LaLa’s brows are very natural looking here and they don’t look too filled in. In order to make the brows pop, you should use a concealer slightly lighter (preferably a shade or two) than your natural skintone right underneath the brow and just above. It’s not necessary but it’ll define the brows a lot more.

TO RECREATE THE EYES YOU’LL NEED:

Bourjois Blanc et Noire Eyeliner

Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner

Lancome’s Magnascopic Mascara

NARS Shadow in Etrusque

Sleek MakeUP’s Brow Kit

MAC Studio Finish Concealer

Mrs. Anthony graces the cover of Latina magazine for the April issue. Hit the jump for more from the spread.

Media personality, TV Host, Reality Star and Business Mogul Lala Vazquez-Anthony is covering the April 2012 issue of Latina magazine, which hits newsstands on Tuesday, March 13th. In the cover story, the talented Brooklyn native talks about giving her husband, NBA Player Carmelo Anthony his space, trusting him, being satisfied, having good family support and much more. Lala is doing a great job at branding herself, I respect what she does. She is also well-spoken, educated and very talented. Be sure to watch La La’s Full Court Life beginning March 19th on VH1 at 9pm. Below are some excerpts:

On giving her husband Carmelo Anthony space and how they have lasted 8 years.

“It’s been 15 days since I’ve seen my husband. That’s a long time for us to go without seeing each other. But I went on this whirlwind of launching the makeup line and my husband’s a basketball player. It’s not like he can say, ‘Hey, I’m not playing in the game today, I’m going to meet up with my wife somewhere.’ We’ve been together for eight years and I think we’ve lasted this long because we give each other space. But there’s also that time where it can be too much space.”

On not being satisfied, looking for the next thing and balancing it all.

“I’m never satisfied—career-wise, I mean—I’m always looking for the next thing; that’s just my personality,” she says. “Why can’t I be a great mom, wife, TV host, actress, producer, have my own reality show and makeup line? The hard part is the balancing of it all.”

On trusting her husband Carmelo

“I wouldn’t say it’s a misconception, because there are a lot of athletes who do live a certain life with women everywhere,” La La says. “So you can’t act like it’s the craziest thing you’ve ever heard, because it is out there. But I’m secure in my relationship. I’m happy with having my own thing going on. I don’t spend all day worrying about what he’s doing. In that sense, I trust him.”

Follow me @donbleek88

NEXT PAGE: MORE PICTURES AND EXCERPTS 

On embracing whatever makes you different and not being like everybody.

Tap into your uniquenessss – “I encourage people to embrace whatever it is that makes them different. Not being like everybody, setting your own trends, being your own person, that’s what makes you cool.”

On making peace with your insecurities

“In this day and age, [people will] tear you to hell: ‘Her hair, her legs, her this, her that.’ So it is sometimes hard to stay as confident as you like. I’m just like anybody else. Weight goes up and down, sometimes I’m killing myself to be on a crazy diet, sometimes I’m not. Sometimes I feel like my legs are too skinny, other times I don’t. As you get more mature you learn to embrace insecurities and figure out how to be okay with that stuff, to keep it in perspective.”

On being encouraged by her family and having a great support system

“My family always encouraged me and supported me. While still a teenager, I told my mom one day I was moving to L.A. She was like, ‘All right, I’ll go with you, get you settled and come back.’ If I didn’t have that I wouldn’t be confident to do all these things.”

Lala Anthony gets fun and vibrant for the April 2012 issue of Latina magazine. Inside the issue, the radio turned TV personality speaks candidly on her marriage with Knicks star Carmelo Anthony and why she is able to trust him despite rumors of infidely, as well as maintaining her confidence and building her brand.

Check out excerpts and photos from the spread below:

On how she and Carmelo have lasted 8 years
It’s been 15 days since I’ve seen my husband. That’s a long time for us to go without seeing each other. But I went on this whirlwind of launching the makeup line and my husband’s a basketball player. It’s not like he can say, ‘Hey, I’m not playing in the game today, I’m going to meet up with my wife somewhere.’ We’ve been together for eight years and I think we’ve lasted this long because we give each other space. But there’s also that time where it can be too much space.

On why she is able to trust Carmelo and if there’s a misconception surrounding athletes being unfaithful
I wouldn’t say it’s a misconception, because there are a lot of athletes who do live a certain life with women everywhere. So you can’t act like it’s the craziest thing you’ve ever heard, because it is out there. But I’m secure in my relationship. I’m happy with having my own thing going on. I don’t spend all day worrying about what he’s doing. In that sense, I trust him.

On not being satisfied
I’m never satisfied—career-wise, I mean—I’m always looking for the next thing; that’s just my personality. Why can’t I be a great mom, wife, TV host, actress, producer, have my own reality show and makeup line? The hard part is the balancing of it all.

On advice she has for other women 
Tap into your uniquenessss – “I encourage people to embrace whatever it is that makes them different. Not being like everybody, setting your own trends, being your own person, that’s what
makes you cool.

On how she is able to deal with her insecurities
In this day and age, [people will] tear you to hell: ‘Her hair, her legs, her this, her that.’ So it is sometimes hard to stay as confident as you like. I’m just like anybody else. Weight goes up and down, sometimes I’m killing myself to be on a crazy diet, sometimes I’m not. Sometimes I feel like my legs are too skinny, other times I don’t. As you get more mature you learn to embrace insecurities and figure out how to be okay with that stuff, to keep it in perspective.

On her support system
My family always encouraged me and supported me. While still a teenager, I told my mom one day I was moving to L.A. She was like, ‘All right, I’ll go with you, get you settled and come back.’ If I didn’t have that I wouldn’t be confident to do all these things.

VIA: NB

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Entrepreneur and TV star La La Anthony graces the cover of Latina magazine’s April 2012 issue, which hits newsstands on Tuesday, March 13th. The 32-year-old Puerto Rican wife of New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony talks to Latina about handling a growing career beyond TV, managing a superstar marriage (including how she handled a secret love child rumor), and being a new breed of television star.  – Via Latina Magaziine

She make me want to go out and buy my easter weekend clothing right now!

LA LA’s new season of her reality show on VH1 “LA LA’s Full Court” is back on March 19th! Just by seeing the previews I’m looking forward to watching it!

So, as sort of a peace offering I will confess to you all, where I’ve been. The past month and a half, I have used every single little particle of  my will power to get off the couch. Yes…you read correctly…THE COUCH. I have been looking for jobs, meditating, working out, crying, looking for jobs, meditating, staying off  The Facebook (100% Facebook sober), creating all kinds of delicious new vegetarian recipes, looking for jobs, crying, ….but mostly my time has been spent REMEMBERING TO BREATHE. What?! It’s not an easy thing to do when you walk around, or go to sleep feeling like the wind has been knocked out of you. Breathing is not only hard to remember to do, but rather quite the difficult task to physically do. If you don’t meditate…LEARN HOW. It helps you with that pesky breathing thing, aside from all the other amazing healing properties. So that’s what I’ve done!

Ok fine, I also watched every single season of HOUSE, and BIG BANG THEORY. Remember this is the girl that has had a hard time breathing, so you can let it pass. Besides, I myself am trying to forget those hours lost, so help me out.

Remember I said I seem to only write about the good stuff? Well the bad stuff is really hard to feel, and write about at the same time. Your keyboard gets all tear soaked and vision gets all blurry…anyways! Another amazing milestone has occurred in my life that needs to be celebrated, and what better place to talk about it than here?

I woke up yesterday with several text messages from none other than my number one fan…my mother. She sent me a picture of the March issue of LATINA MAGAZINE, with the beautiful Ms. Christina Aguilera on the cover. And while yes, Xtina is a huge inspiration to me as a singer, and worthy of excitement, it was what was on the inside that counted more! Isn’t that always the queso?!? Ha!

So what was so great about this particular magazine? p.72 “Finding Home” and article by ME!

When I started this blog I really wanted to document everything about my journey as a young girl recently graduated from college and moving to L.A. to pursue a singing/songwriting career. I never imagined that my life would be SO unpredictable that I would be too busy trying to juggle it all and wrap my brain around it, long enough to actually write about it. Which is a good thing, I think. Not so much for you as a reader, but a lot of those experiences were private and sacred and I wouldn’t have played it any other way. I know there is so much that you all don’t know about,but I hope the little bit I share with you serves to inspire someone.

I have been addicted to magazines my whole life. Anyone in my family or friends can tell you that I would spend big chunks of my paychecks on Starbucks and stacks of magazines that I would devour word for word, inside out and then keep, refusing to throw them away as if they were some important valuable treasures. Which they were to me and still are! Every single one of them from Marie Claire to Vogue to the trashy Star Magazines were important to me, and Latina Magazine in particular was a big deal from an early age because unlike Cosmo, I could relate to the big curly haired, curvy girls featured in Latina. I saw aspiring poets, singers, activists, writers, actresses, all get their chance to be unique, to be bilingual and beautiful in all their ethnic glory and successful at that! They were like me! Fast forward X years…I won’t tell you all how many, and here I am! My experience in Manila earned me an essay spot on p.72 in none other than the magazine that helped me dream.

If ever I had a bucket list, writing for a Magazine and one so influential to me at that, would definitely be on top of the list and now I can check it off. CHECK!!!

As one of my favorite Mexican songs says, “Respiro por la herida” which grossly and accurately means, I continue to breathe through the wound. I’m not healed, I can’t even say I’m close to it, since it’s only a little over a month old. But sometimes, when you feel like you can’t breathe, God throws you a life line. He sends you little blessings and reminders that you’re not alone and if you have faith and leave it all to him, he will take care of you.  But in order for you to let him do his part you have to love yourself too.

So I took a deep breath and lesson re-learned; In any journey you take in life, you have to put your oxygen mask on first, before you worry about anyone else.

I knew I should have listened more closely to those flight attendants!

"Finding Home" p.72