COME CELEBRATE MY BIRTHDAY WITH ME

For my South Florida supporters, I will be celebrating my birthday tomorrow night at Club Euro, Downtown Ft Lauderdale.  Come hang out with me and all my friends as we celebrate life!  See you there!

REFLECTIONS OF A 30 YEAR OLD

Tomorrow, I will be adding another digit to my age, as I hit 31, and what a year it was.  Whoever told you that 30 year olds have their life in an order, is completely wrong.  Mines, couldn't have been more disorganized and uncertain.  Just like my 20's, being thirty brought on more fuck ups than ever before and as I approach 31, I'm beginning to wonder, if age has anything to do with maturity.  One has nothing to do with the other.  I can't say that being 30 was a proud moment in my life, because I'm often left ashamed of some of my choices, but I'm proud in a sense that I can realize my mishaps and work on fixing them.  I've made a lot of choices in the past couple of weeks, that may be regrettable, but in the long run, it's for my happiness and that's of great importance to me.  So, goodbye 30 and hello 31...may you be filled with adventure, promise, and growth

ARE YOU HAPPY?

Today, like many of the millions of viewers of the Oprah Show, we tuned in to today's episode of "Are You Happy"?  Never in a time in my life, where it was important for me to tune in and get a big dose of reality and how unhappy I am with my life.  I didn't need to take the test in order to know that I'm drowning in my own sorrow of professional, social, and financial unhappiness.  For the past couple of months, I find myself, sleeping to escape the reality of my boring ass life.  What a routine it has become!  Sleep...Eat...Work!  I miss socializing on the weekends, and being entertained by the nightlife, instead, I find myself sleeping on the days I have off, and constantly thinking about work, in between.  No money, to do the things I love, and no time to spend money, when I do have it.  Oprah recommends 10 minutes of silence a day, for clarity and meditation.  Well I try, and constantly bombarded with phone calls, emails, and other distractions.  Love life has become almost non existent, my professional life has come down to working to pay off bills.  I honestly don't remember a time when I was truly, HAPPY.  I think most of the time, I fake happiness, to appease people and myself included.  I know some of you may say, look at what you have and be thankful, and yes I should, but I do have a right to vent, and acknowledge, the fact that things are quite shitty too.  So, I didn't take the happiness test, because like most of us, I already know my grade, and I don't need a psychologist and movie star to tell me how much living I should be doing.  The bright side is, at least I've acknowledge the fact that I'm not a happy camper.  Working at turning it around is the most difficult part.  

KICKING ME WHEN I'M DOWN

There are no worst feelings than being kicked down when you are at your lowest and being there to pick up that person when they, themselves, fell on hard times.  Giving your kindness to someone shouldn't have to be thrown around like a ball, and shouldn't have to be paid back like a loan.  It's something that is done, out of a clear mind and heart, but that is something that is hard to come by, these days.  I've always been a giving person, even when I have nothing to give, I find means of getting it, but people like me are often taken for granted and when we are in need, we are talked down upon and insulted, verbally.  My age shouldn't be a factor on whether I'm too old to fall on hard times.  Hardships doesn't discriminate and it can happen at any momen. The importance is having that helping hand to bring us back, afloat.  It's cool.  Every dog has his day.  Today for you, tomorrow for me.  Like a seesaw, we are down, and just a bit of weight, allows us to get right back up again.  

BRIGHT AND BOSSY SPRING TRENDS

I'm loving the bright and bold colors for the Spring/Summer season.  I'm so eager to shed some of these winter blues and get into some fun colors.  Here are some of my favorites!

Aldos $135.00

Forever21 $15.80

Forever21 $22.80

Aldos $33.00

FACE OF THE NIGHT (BLOODY MARY)

Last night, I attended the South Florida Dancehall Awards, and I was inspired to do this look from my friend Tsahi (check out her blog).  A couple of months ago, we did a beauty swap and she sent me these gorgeous pigments, along with some other beauty products.  She informed me that one of my followers, Sweetz, who resides in Trinidad, made the pigments.  I love the pigments, and would love to get more of them.  They are very pigmented and I didn't have much fall out.  Here are the products I used...

Cranberry (on my lid)

Santa's Bag (crease)

LA Splash Cosmetics in Sea of Gold (tear duct)

Inglot Blue e/s (lower lash line)

Mac Rice Paper (brow bone)

Maybelline Falsies

Maybelline Eye Studio eyeliner

Milani eyeliner

Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation

Mary Kay powder

Elf bronzing powder

Sasha Cosmetics blush

MOST COMMON MAKEUP QUESTIONS...

Lately, I've been receiving a tremendous amount of make-up questions and it makes me feel honored that you guys would come to me with your inquires.  I'm not an expert in doing makeup and like you, I'm learning as I grow.  I thought it would be great to do a blog post answering some of the most common questions I get all the time, and hope that you guys can come back to this post, if you ever feel a bit confused on what you should do.

What makeup products do I need to purchase to start my collection?

A basic makeup collection consist of foundation, power, blush, mascara, lipstick/lipgloss, eye shadow, and brushes.  If you are beginner, it's best you stick with cost effective items, so that you are able to practice on your application in order to know what works best for you and what doesn't.  The drug store has an assortment of products that you can choose from and often, you can return a product if  you aren't satisfied with the results, but ask the cashier first.  The most important thing is to go basic and slowly step it up a level.

How do I choose the right shade of foundation?

First of all, you need to ask yourself if are ready to wear foundation.  When I began to wear makeup, I started with powder first, and then transitioned to foundation, because foundation can sometimes be quite heavy on the skin.  If you're purchasing foundation from a drugstore it's best you use the card that is sometimes attached to the product to determine the correct shade.  Drugstores do not have testers, so you purchase a product, be sure to ask the cashier if the product can be returned if have the wrong shade.  If you are buying a foundation at Sephora or Ulta, there are sales reps who can apply the product on you and determine your shade.  There are times when you may have a combination skin tone and will need to mix two shades together to get the right one.  

Do I have to buy mac to get good quality eye shadows?

No you do not need to purchase mac eye shadows in order to get great quality shadows.  I was unaware, when starting my collection and brought mac eye shadows that cost 14.00 plus, when there were great, cost effective, beauty products that give you the same high quality pigmentation.  For example, Wet N Wild, is my favorite drug store eye shadows, that can be found at Walgreens.  They are extremely popular, even amongst makeup artist and they cost as little as 2.00 per shadow.  NYX is also a great brand, and it can be found at Ulta.  They carry an assortment of different shades, jumbo sticks and so much more.  

What are the basic brushes that I need to buy?

The basic brushes that you need for your eyes are a flat eye shadow brush, crease brush, and blending brush.  If you have those three brushes, then you are good to go!  Recommended brands are Elf, Essense of Beauty, and Sonia Kashuk.  These are budget friendly brushes and can be found at Target.  If you are willing to spend money on high quality brushes, I highly recommend, mac 217 and 224, as the only high end blending brush to purchase.  For face brushes, you can purchase a powder and blush brush.  

I don't know what I'm doing, how can I get better at it?

Practice makes perfect!  Every night, I use to sit in front of the mirror and practice different looks until I became better.  YouTube was a tremendous help to me in learning the different ways to apply makeup and all the different beauty products available, on the market.  The more you apply makeup, the better you will become.  You will know what works for you and what doesn't.  Every look isn't for everyone, so know the look you want to achieve and purchase products that will compliment your look.  

I hope that some of these questions/answers were helpful to you.  Looking beautiful doesn't have to cost a lot.  There are many great brands out there, that are cost effective and works just as well as a high end brand.  Don't get intimidated by others, and what they have in their collection.  Know what works for you and invest in products that will help you achieve the look.  You have to remember that starting off with a clean canvas is what will help you come off with great results, so you must remember to take care of your skin daily.  Cleansing and exfoliating, drinking plenty water, and get enough rest.  

MAYBELLINE DREAM MATTE MOUSSE FOUNDATION REVIEW

I got introduced to this product from my cousin, who resides in Trinidad.  When doing her makeup for Carnival Tuesday, I saw how flawless and matte her face looked and asked which product she was using and she told me Maybelline's Dream Matte Mousse Foundation and so I was eager to purchase this product when I returned.  I purchased this product at CVS for about $8.00.  I chose the shade Honey Beige Medium 4.  Now I don't usually apply foundation with a foundation brush, but since the product is a mousse, I thought the brush would allow for a more flawless application.  I wore this product 5 days this week, so that I can give a thorough review and after the completion of this trial period, I'm happy to say that I give this product my stamp of approval.  I'm simply in love with it.  It's not a full coverage foundation, but it does cover many of my acne scars, with a light touch of concealer.  I love how it blends into my skin!  I love how this foundation is true to its name, MATTE.  My face has a matte finish without looking dry or dull.  The best part of this product is that it doesn't leave my face feeling oily.  If you're like me, and you have oily skin, it's difficult to find a product that can control the oil, but I found this product works best with my skin.  Now and again, I will dap a bit of blotting powder on my t zone area, but that only occurred once, throughout the day.  A little of this product goes a long way, so despite the size of the packaging, it will last you for months at a time.  

Here are some of my looks using the Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation...

**If you have any products you would like me to try, please feel free to email me at therealchattypatty@gmail.com**

CENSORED PATTY

I have a constant mental debate with myself over how much of my thoughts can be expressed in a public forum.  I'm often feeling as if I have to censor my opinions and it's aggravating because I am a very opinionated person and when I'm told that I'm a blogger and that I may offend and isolate my supporters because of my choice of words, it leaves me feeling like I'm walking on a tight rope between wanting to be Patrice and Chatty Patty.  People are accustomed to hearing "yes massa" responses to everything they do, and when someone like me comes around and states and honest opinion of "not liking it", I'm listed as a hater or an angry bitch.  There's nothing negative in going against the popular machine.  If more people wouldn't jump on the "kiss ass" bandwagon, just to appease the masses, this world would be a unique place to live.  Freedom of speech is what this country was based on, and the fact that people think you aren't entitled to speak openly about your views is completely wrong!  An old friend of mines, told me not to allow others to make me feel that I must keep my opinions to myself.  I agree with him, but I must do it in a more tasteful way, because I often let my emotions get the worst of me.  I need to learn to pick and choose my battles and know when to hold back.  I'm fully aware that I'm in a public eye and the last thing I want to do if to offend my supporters, but at the same time, I hope that you guys respect the fact you and I will not always agree, but we are able to meet on a common ground, to agree to disagree and keep it moving.  

BRIGHT & BOSSY MAKEUP TUTORIAL

Lately, I've been going back to my coastal scents 88 palette to create some looks for my YouTube channel and this look is no different.  I was inspired by Katy Perry's Elle magazine cover to create this look.  I loved the green she wore and decided to add red to contrast the look.  I realized that Spring is all about bright colors and pairing them in an unconventional way.  I had a fun time creating this look and I hope I inspire you guys to get a bit bold with your eye shadows and have fun with makeup.  I hope you guys enjoy the video and if you haven't done so already, remember to subscribe to my channel.  Enjoy!

WINTER BEAUTY FAVORITES

Check out some of the beauty products I've been loving for the winter season!  Remember to comment, rate and subscribe to my channel today!  Patty loves you!

FETE AFTER FETE (REVIEWS)

I was expecting to go to more than these 3 fetes, but so it goes sometimes, when you don't have as much money as you thought.  Here are the fete reviews for Machel Mondays, Girl Power, & Dawn...

Machel Mondays...

I never intended on going this fete, but the radio made it sound exciting and so I went.  I got to the fete around 9pm as Machel was about to come on stage.  It took place at the Hasley Crawford Stadium to a pack crowd, but not pack enough that you didn't have space to move.  I had a regular admission ticket and was a bit skeptical about being in that area, but the crowd didn't behave so bad.  From my view, it was difficult to see that actual stage and so I had to rely on the screens set up throughout the venue to see the show.  Machel dancers came out in full force as they all cut off their hair and rocking styles similar to Amber Rose.  I believe the first song Machel came out to was Advantage, which sent the crowd in a frenzy.  He followed it by a number of his current hits for 2011 carnival.  He brought out some of the local artist in the industry like Swappy, Benji, Macamillion Family and a few others, along with International artist Pitbull and Aaron Fresh.  The night became somber as he song his hit song with the late Blazer and reminisced on the late Wayne Rodriguez, one of the original members of Xtatik.  He brought out other original Xtatik members Farmer Nappy and Peter C Lewis, while failing to acknowledge Sean Caruth (side eye).  Anywho, he also took time out to acknowledge the king & queen of calypso, Mighty Sparrow and Calypso Rose.  The concert ended after 1 am, without any incidences of violence or chaos.  Overall I had a great time, but I'm not sure if I will attend this event next year.  I didn't leave the venue feeling like it was the best Machel concert I've ever seen.  

Girl Power...

With much hype surrounding the soca monarch, I wasn't sure what kind of turnout Girl Power would receive.  I brought my tickets at the Island People box office for 350 TT feeling that the fete was over priced.  What I didn't know was that the entire fete was all inclusive.  Regular admission got free beer and drinks along with food, while VIP received premium drinks and a more inclusive package.  With most of the artist still performing at Soca Monarch, the wait time between each band was extremely long.  Finally after some time, Kes & The Band came on stage, and had the crowd in a frenzy.  His performance has improved tremendously, and having major hit songs for the season, helped it even more.  After their set was finished, there was yet another long haul between bands, in which I decided to go to the car and rest my feet until Machel arrived.  I went in the car to listen to Soca Monarch on the radio and soon became very sleepy and decided to end the night there, since I had seen Machel perform at Machel Mondays.  Upon driving home, they announced the winners, in which we all know, Machel came out victorious.  At that point, I wished that I had stayed at GP in order to be there for his victory performance.

Dawn...

I went to Dawn last carnival and had a good time, and I was sure to have the same experience this time around.  I got to Dawn around 3 am to a pack venue.  I was thankful that I purchased VIP tickets because regular admission was full to capacity.  In VIP we had free bake & shark, corn soup, and doubles.  Drinks were not included.  Once again, I came in time to see Kes perform, which was pretty much the same show he put on at GP, but I was still excited to say the least.  After a while, I decided to leave VIP and go in regular admission to look for my cousins.  It was obvious as to why most people were there, it had more excitement than the VIP area, and so I decided to stay.  Iwer came on soon after to perform Come To Me and other hit songs, and had the crowd begging for me.  Swappi performed his hit song and also had the crowd in a frenzy.  Buffy soon followed and put on a mediocre performance followed by the Macamillion Family.  Bunji/Fayann and the Asylum band followed with their performance just in time for the people to open the hoses and began to wet up the crowd.  Thankfully I stood near the sound equipment, and I didn't get wet.  The fete ended about 9 in the morning.  Overall I was pleased with my experience at Dawn and I will surely be returning next year.  

Zen after party (Machel)...

I brought my advance tickets at the Zen box office for 200 regular admission.  I arrived at Zen around 1pm to an over pack crowd.  Machel had just began to perform on stage, and to my disadvantage, I couldn't see a thing.  The many bodies in the venue, completely blocked my view of the stage.  Many times, throughout the night, I sat down and listened to the show, because I got fed up of standing on my toes to see the show.  After an hour into the show, people began to leave and I was able to see the stage.  The owner of Zen presented Machel with a HUGE bottle of Moet to congratulate him on his success for carnival 2k11.  All the member of HD and Machel's family and friends came on stage to share in the toast.  The most touching moment of the night was watching Machel and his mother dance together on stage.  You can clearly see the closeness among the mother and son team.  Machel ended his performance with his road march hit "Advantage".  After his performance, I left too.  I was over tired and beat from all the feting and chipping from both Carnival Monday & Tuesday.  Seriously Zen, you need another venue to hold this party.  It's a great disadvantage to many people who couldn't see the performance cause way too many regular tickets were sold.  Next year, if I attend this event, I will settle for VIP or stay home.

YUMA MAS REVIEW

Registration...

I've been an Island People masquerader since 2007 and this year, I decided to jump ship to Yuma.  My decision came down to the costumes, and Yuma's were more attractive.  I registered online for myself, and 2 cousins.  We originally decided to go with Capricorn, but upon registration, Capricorn became sold out and so the two of us settled on Sagittarius, which was initially my first choice.  Months after registration, Yuma called me to verify email address for all 3 masqueraders because we weren't allowed to share the same address.  They also needed to clarify our measurements, and suggested that I pick a bigger bra size than 36DD, she suggested a 40DD.  

Distribution...

Pick up was on Carnival Thursday at Movietown.  I was warned about the long wait time, but when I arrived, there were maybe no more than 20 people waiting to receive their costume.  I went into line and was called in which I gave the woman my receipt and deposit.  I was given another paper to sign and take over to the other side where I will receive my costume.  My cousins on the other hand, had a huge mixup with their costumes.  Apparently, they had them both down for Capricorn instead of only one of them.  My cousin, who was playing in the same section as myself, was adamant in getting in Sagittarius.  After much back and forth with the reps at the distribution location and mas camp, they were able to place my cousin in the Sagittarius section.  On the other side, the reps, went over our costume along with Monday wear.  My cousin, in Capricorn was dissatisfied with the condition of her costume, as it was apparent that the work was sloppy.  Glue was visible throughout the headpiece and waist band.  A guy from Yuma took the waist band and decided to fix what could be done, but not much was done.  Overall, I was very pleased with my costume, that is until I got home and realized that it was impossible for my bra to be a 36DD.  My nipples were practically exposed and the fit made me appear even bigger than I already am.  I tried calling the mas camp numerous times, to no avail.  My cousin and I took a trip to Wonderful World where I purchased a new bra and my cousin decided to take off the design off the original bra and add it to the new bra.  While others would be very angry at this point, I didn't care, I just wanted to be comfortable on the road.  Other than that, all the other pieces of my costume fit perfectly.

Carnival Monday....

I arrived on St. Claire around 12 noon, I believe.  I was amazed at how big the band appeared, because I expected a medium size band.  Everyone looked nice in their Monday wear and some women decided to create their own look.  Soon after we approached our lunch area where there were tents and blankets set up.  Upon approaching the area, there were security checking everyones handband to ensure that only Yuma masqueraders were allowed inside.  We got a chinese style lunch of fried rice, vegetables, and tofu (veggie lunch).  Oddly enough, I actually enjoyed the lunch.  While we rested there for about an hour, the dj trucks continued to play music.  Soon after, we took off again.  What impressed me about Yuma was the security.  Unlike IP and other mas bands, Yuma uses this netted fence to block off any stormers.  They checked constantly for non masqueraders and were seen escorting them out the band.  As we approached the Savannah, I decided to call it a day, and left the band.  Overall I was pleased with the customer service from Yuma and was excited for Tuesday.

Carnival Tuesday...

Carnival Tuesday, I arrived to meet the band about 9:00 am, after having to do my makeup, along with my cousins.  When meeting the band, there were trucks giving out an assortment of breakfast to the masqueraders.  I got a danish and wheat bread with vegetables.  Unlike Monday, the weather on Tuesday was extremely hot and after passing our first judging point, we turned on Frederick Street and remained there for most of the day.  At first I didn't realize that the band wasn't moving, but by 12-1pm, I realized we weren't moving anywhere.  Apparently, there were other bands in front of us causing this long delay.  With the weather being so hot, I decided to hydrate my body by drinking as much water as possible, but at a certain point, my feet began to give way, and it became unbearable for me to stand up.  With no lunch in sight, I decided to buy some poulorie to keep from fainting from hunger.  Around 4pm is when the trucks started moving.  At this point, I didn't care whether or not I crossed the stage.  I was feeling annoyed with the extremely hot weather and the long length of time we had to wait to cross the stage.  After resting on top the truck for about 20 minutes, I felt better and decided to join my cousins on stage.  After crossing the stage, I decided to end my time with Yuma and look to go home.  My cousin told me that Yuma served food after they crossed the stage.

Decisions & Ratings....

I read some reviews of Yuma both good, bad, and ugly on numerous blogs, and I have to say that overall, I enjoyed my experience.  For Yuma, being a first year band, I was impressed by their security, the men and women serving drinks, and the music quality of the djs.  Unlike some of the other sections, my costume stayed in tack.  There weren't any stormers in the band, and security did a great job, keeping them from coming in.  The drinks were on point, even serving a little too much in my cup, the food was great and I loved that they had the rest stop on Monday, with music and it wasn't for a long period of time.  Not to mention the gorgeous looking men and women that played mas in the band.  If I have to rate my experience with Yuma, I will give it a B+.  If I am alive to see 2012, Yuma will surely get my money again.  But there are things that Yuma must do, to become a successful band and not fall into the trappings of IP & Spice....

Changes & Suggestions...

Yuma needs to have a better system when it comes to women's bras.  I've had bad luck everytime I play mas in Trinidad, I realize that in the future, I MUST send in my own bra to use for my costume. No matter the size, it will always be too small!  Yuma needs to implement a fitting room, so that as we pick up our costume, we can try them on and make changes there instead of being disappointed when we reach home.  Most of the sections in Yuma looked fabulous, but Capricorn (female), was a complete mess.  Whoever designed that costume never took into consideration that the costume will malfunction from all the jamming.  The execution should of been better.  The stage took toooooo long to get on.  I know that this is no fault to Yuma, but maybe suggesting that we cross the stage at an earlier time, would of had a better outcome.  In a situation where we are no where near the stage, Yuma should of immediately sent out for the food instead of waiting till we crossed the stage.

**Sorry for the quality of the photo...I didn't take much pics on the road**

**If you played mas or went to any fetes for the carnival season and want to write a review, send them to therealchattypatty@gmail.com**

GUESS WHO'S BACK!

Hey guys!  Patty's back!  I do have to apologize for my absence, but as some of you may know, I was in Trinidad for carnival and had absolutely no internet access during my stay, so unlike last year, I wasn't able to blog.  While I'm in the process of unpacking from my hectic stay, I'm putting together my review of my first experience with Yuma mas band, Machel Mondays, Girl Power, Dawn, Zen and more!  So stay tuned for these postings throughout the weekend and look out for new videos coming soon on my YouTube channel, along with my 2 year Chatty Patty anniversary giveaway!  

**If you have a review on Trinidad carnival that you would like to post on my blog, please feel free to email me at therealchattypatty@gmail.com**