Are you needing some mommy time? Just a few minutes to yourself? I know I do!  Well like most Southern California families September is the time to not only return to school but to return to Disneyland. All summer our favorite playground has been too crowded with out of town visitors to even think of visiting. Now is the perfect time to go and the kids keep begging. But who has the money for that? We just spent all of it on school supplies.  As much as we love the mouse taking the entire family is not in the budget.  Lucky for us Mickey Mouse is on his way to see you.

Disney Live! Mickey’s Magic Show is on tour. The kids will love this show Mickey and his friends perform magic tricks live. Your kids will gaze in amazement as the Fairy Godmother changes Cinderella’s rags into a ball gown and more…my children are looking forward to the dancing brooms from Fantasia. Although I love Mickey Mouse as much as the next I say this is the perfect time for mommy to relax! We can trust Disney to provide great entertainment for the kids and family so I suggest having their dad, grandparents or babysitter take them to to the show while you enjoy relaxing time at the  spa. You will have just enough time to get a massage, facial or clean things up with a fall wax. Guess what I have a great discount to share with you from Disney live-this will leave more money for you to use at the spa. Enjoy yourself because you know with Disney Live! Mickey’s Magic show the kids will be having fun!

Save $3 on all tickets (excluding front row tickets) by using the code MOM at ticketmaster.com

This year Reality Cares held events for Emmy weekend 2010, celebrity gifting suites with a twist, two concerts and an awards ceremony. The events were held at the Luxe Hotel in Beverly Hills on Rodeo Drive; this hotel is luxury on display and these events took place in the best spot: the rooftop Penthouse and deck. The events started Friday morning with the gifting  ’Giving’ suite, in the evening  Vienna Girardi (The Bachelor) hosted the party where guests were introduced to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America and  The Wellness Community-West Los Angeles whom the weekends events were benefiting concert with the group ‘Honor Society’ closed out the evening. The second day of events started the ‘Giving’ suite and ended with the Reality Cares - Achievement Awards hosted by Micheal Yo (Khloe and Kourtney take Miami) where awards were given to Carrie Anne Inaba(Dancing with the Stars), Whitney Port(The Hills), Sophia Bush(One Tree Hill) and more; the evening ended with a concert by pop princess JoJo.

The gifting suite was not your average give the celebs some free stuff event. As I said there was a twist! This was actually a ‘Giving Lounge’  where celebrities had to “give back” to get the sponsors products. Each sponsor had a piggy bank on their table for a charity of their choice. Everyone had to give to receive.  Here are some of the products and serivecs that stood out to me:

Shoe Dazzle: I was familiar with this shoe shopping service, I had signed up to be a member last month but was afraid the shoes would not fit, I was happy they were there so I could try on their shoes. For $39.99 a month you can choose from a variety of shoes, purses and jewelry personaly picked for your taste by celebrity stylist. The shoe choosen for me was the Victoria, yes it fit. Go to www.shoedazzle.com and take a look.

Drinique: Its a cup, cocktail mixer, and coaster all in one. The Drinique cup is very unique this monogrammed cup was unbreakable the lid was spill proof so you could pour in your drink ingredients, ice and shake. Slide the top of the lid and insert a straw or remove the lid twist it on the bottom and it becomes a coaster. I have used this cup several times since and it is truly unbreakable and dish washer safe!! There are so many colors to choose from check out  www.drinique.com and buy a few.

New Beauty Magazine: This is a great magazine to find out about cutting edge beauty treatments and products. New Beauty readers  just want to reach in and pull out the products they write about to use them but instead of pasting small samples to pages they have a test tube program. You can purchase New Beauty ‘Test Tube’ online or QVC  this contains a variety of full size items they talk about in the magazine for you to try. The test tube they gave out had Moroccanoil, Glymed Plus, Supersmile, Glytone, Estee Lauder products and more.  There has been a lot of buzz about Moroccanoil this was my first time trying it: I love it works great for me and my children it adds the right amount of moisture.  Order your Test Tube today try something new http://testtube.newbeauty.com/

Other featured sponsors were: Fashion Forms bra accessories,  Heaven Simone Clothing, BritBoys Fashion, Joico hair products , Funkin coctail puree, One Hope Wine, Greenleaf Gourmet Chop Shop, Charlie Lapson Jewelry, Gabby Applegate, Alex’s Lemonade stand and Jet Blue.

Let me start this post by saying I love being a mom! I have three wonderful kids two of them I worked hard to get and one was added gift that came with my husband. When I am not with them I want them close to me but sometimes they are just too close! Every mommy needs a break some time. Maybe it is a weekend off with the girls, kid free morning in a coffee shop or even just extended time in the bathroom; you have to take a break sometime.

It is time to get creative with our breaks. This is the first in a series of posts I am calling: Mommy Time. These posts will give you creative things to do with the children while you go off and have your time. We have to stop putting the kids in front of the TV while we relax. We also have to give the dad’s suggestions of what to do when it is daddy daycare time!

It is summer  between family trips, out of town visitors and driving  kids around, mommy time is harder to schedule. I have a solution.   Just send the kids to the circus. Thats right I said SEND THEM! Send them with Dad, older kids or the out of town guests. This will give you at least two hours of mommy time. Most arenas are near hotels…nice hotels…with really nice spa’s. Schedule a one hour massage, facial or just get your nails done. You will not have mommy guilt of having the kids bored at  home waiting for you while you take care of yourself. Both you and the kids will have a great time.

If you live in a city that Ringling Bros. & Barnum  and Bailey’s is bringing their show “Barnum’s FUNundrum” your in luck because you know the kids will see a great show! 2010 marks the 200^th anniversary of the birth of the greatest showman of all time, P.T. Barnum, and “Barnum’s FUNundrum” is a celebration of his living legacy. Your kids will LOVE the show; elephants, cowboys, pirates and mermaids! You will love your mommy time and here is a discount for the tickets so you can have more money for your spa date:

MOM Ticket Discount

The multi-ticket discount returns this summer, with a special $48 Family Four-Pack Offer on select performances or $4 off single ticket prices on select shows. The discount can be redeemed online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 745-3000 . To redeem, use the discount code “MOM” .



The weekend started with The Graffiti Beach and Swoop Magazine night of Fashion, Art, Charity and Music. The event was held at  the newly renovated Music Box Theater on Hollywood Boulevard. The event drew a crowd of hundreds who enjoyed a rooftop pop-up boutique, live music, silent auction and fashion show.  The boutique featured everything from jewelry to a boudoir photographer. I enjoyed previewing the swimsuits of Teeki swim wear; these were some of the bikini’s that were featured in the evenings fashion show. Teeki Swimsuits are almost completely made from recycled water bottles…Yes I said A BIKINI MADE OUT OF RECYCLED WATER BOTTLES! They were very cute and great for the environment. Take a look for yourself at www.teekilove.com. I am looking forward to Graffiti Beaches next event July 24th at The Angeleno Hotel in Brentwood, CA. Get your tickets at www.graffitibeach.org

Saturday I relaxed and researched the makeup companies I would be meeting with on Sunday at The International Makeup Artists Trade Show in Pasadena CA. I can sum up the IMATS trade show in two words…FREE MAKEUP! I was able to meet with the creators of fabulous makeup lines, awesome makeup artist and skincare specialists. Getting first hand makeup tips from the people who created the make up was great.  I even met up with a twitter friend Purely cosmetics. www.purelycosmetics.com My hair stylist/friend Marissa of Juan A Salon in Encino, CA  accompanied me and we enjoyed speaking with various makeup specialists about how to look our best.

While enjoying the IMATS I got a phone call informing me I had tickets for that evenings BET Awards where Mr.Pretty Mega Star Prince would be receiving a lifetime achievement award. IMATS was the perfect place to get ready to attend a Hollywood Awards ceremony. Dinair Airbrush makeup handled all of my makeup; it was fast and I had no idea makeup airbrushing was used for every inch of makeup, from eyebrows to lipstick the results were amazing!!! I was set and ready to hit my first red carpet!!

Marissa has been treating my hair which has been neglected under braids for years; so my hair was set and camera ready. I needed something to wear and Marissa was right there for me giving me a shirt to wear to dress up my jeans.  She was happy to help me; she believes “Every woman needs a wife!”  That is just a great expression…think about it ladies who are your wives and what have they helped you with this week?

My husband and I made it to the Shrine Auditorium just as mega star Usher took the stage. It was a great show hosted by Cover Girl Queen Latifah and capped off by Prince giving a humble speech thankful for his fans and people he has worked with during his thirty plus years in the entertainment.

It was a whirlwind weekend but fun all the way! Thank you Graffiti Beach and IMATS for your memorable events. Special thanks to Jermaine Jackson and his assistant Daysha for giving my husband and I tickets to the BET Awards.   I look forward to sharing all the product reviews and pictures with my readers in the near future.

By the way IMATS is a yearly event open to the public held in Los Angeles, Vancouver, Sydney, Toronto and London…a must add for your beauty calender.  www.imatsshow.com

Twitter: LA PrettyCity

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Sacha Davis of the Launa Stone Med Spa in Calabasas, CA

I was treated to an O2 oxygen facial courtesy of The Launa Stone Med Spa in Calabasas, California. When I went to the spa I thought I would be telling you about my facial how my skin glowed and how relaxed I felt; all that was true but the real treat that day was meeting the Esthetician Sacha Davis.

Before my facial Sacha and I sat down to discuss African-American women and our skin. I knew I would like her right away when she used one of my favorite lines after I asked her why did she think most African-Americans do not visit med spa’s as much as other ethnicities. She said, “Most African-Americans believe the statement ‘Black don’t crack’.”  I had to look away and laugh. I had used that excuse several times…that week! I love reciting that line to my Caucasian friends when they are on there way to botox parties and visiting their secret doctors. But Sacha let me know that we do crack, advising it may take us a few more years but we will wrinkle if we do not take care of our skin. She also thought African-Americans may not be comfortable in the medical setting of a Med-spa. That made me think about just how hard it is to get some of us to the doctor, especially if it is not covered by their health insurance. I do agree with her; we are not going to take that extra step unless it is medically necessary. She stressed to me that we should visit the Esthetician  for prevention not maintenance. But isn’t it about time we are  good to ourselves? We spend most of our time taking care of others often ignoring our own needs. With that thought I was very happy to be there that afternoon, not chasing kids, picking up after other people, or slaving in front of a hot stove. This was my time to take care of me.

The O2 oxygen facial was just as relaxing and calming as I thought it would be. This is how the facial is described on their website: “Our Oxygen system uses 87 different combinations of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids and most importantly – PURE OXYGEN leaving the skin healthy, rejuvenated and beautiful. This facial consists of exfoliation, cleansing, “Osmotic Hydration” and oxygenation propelled onto the skin to nourish and revitalize the skin cells. The result is an increase in the suppleness and elasticity of the skin.” My skin was glowing when Sacha completed the treatment. The exfoliation cleaned out my pores, my skin was the softest I have ever had it. Yes the expression is used to much but it is true so I have to say it; my skin was as soft as a baby’s bottom! The treatment was not rough or harsh on my skin and the oxygen spray was a delightful end to the treatment.

I recommend a visit with Sacha Davis at The Launa Stone Med Spa in Calabasas, California. Sacha will be sure you understand the type of skin you have and the treatments you need. The entire staff at Launa Stone made me feel right at home from the first time I called. The waiting room was open, bright and filled with great products, videos of available procedures as well as cookies! Take the time to be good to yourself…your worth it!

Candace Cameron and her daughter

Live Loyal PR and LJAM Productions presented the On the Go Beauty,  2^nd Annual Mother’s Day Celebration at Gavert Atelier in Beverly Hills. The  Pretty were out in the city of Beverly Hills bringing there Moms, Grandmom’s and children. Every one was treated as a VIP, but like all Hollywood events some stand out more than others. The Hollywood elite;  yes our celebs were out in full force! We experienced a decadent day of beauty with the Spring/Summer 2010 trends in style, hair, health and beauty on display while grooving to the beats of DJ Taryn Manning.

My friend Angela  and I started our Mother’s day weekend with this event. There was a great turnout, when we first arrived we were shocked to find out there weren’t just having demonstrations but actually performing complimentary services for the guests. The salon had plenty of space for the crowd and was centrally located right off the famed rodeo drive.  It was great to speak with Gavert Atelier Salon co-owner Stuart Gavert who introduced me to hair stylist Wanata we spoke about hair treatments I thought where not for African-American Hair; I was surprised to find out they work well on our hair. (tune in to tomorrow’s post for that info)  We also got to take home some cool new products; jealous aren’t you. Don’t worry that is why I am here to tell you all about them!

So far I have only used one product  the 2-1 Blotting/Bronzing Paper by Mai Couture. For fair and light skin sista’s like me you hate to wipe the glow from your face because your make up goes away too. Then you are left with one bare spot. Well these blotting papers solve that dilemma; they have bronzer on the paper. So while you are blotting your are also bronzing! I love them they now have a permanent place in my purse. They are great and easy to use! Check out Mai Couture @  http://www.maicouture.com/

I will update you on the other items as I use them. We also were given makeup by Mistura & Blinc Cosmetics, Haircare treatments by Welljoy’s Energizing products, Opi’s Nail stix, and jewels by Cuff’s Couture.

Everyone received the VIP/Celeb treatment Styling by Gavert Atelier Salon, nails by Opi’s Nail stix, massages by El Leon Spa, and sugar waxing bySkin So Sweet were available and certainly enjoyed.

I was able to get a spray tanned by Sunset Tan, go on and say it black woman do not get spray tans. Well guess what I did and I loved it! It was fast and easy to do not messy at all. I love the consistent color. I had my face, upper chest, back and shoulders sprayed.  Yes, now I need my legs done!! There are several locations of Sunset Tan Probably one near you take a look @ http://www.sunsettan.com/

Here is a list of the Celebrities who attended:Abigail Spencer (Mad Men),Anne Heche(Hung),Bella Thorne (Big Love),Ben Gleib(Chelsea Lately),Candace Cameron Bure (Make it or break it),Carly Steele(Hollywood 411),Carolyn Sunshine (Marmaduke),Deidre Hall (Days of our lives),Vanessa Gomez (Blood Money,)Samantha Mollen(Singer/Songwriter), Naturi Naughton (Fame),Kayla Ewell (Vampire Diaries),Helena Mattson (Iron Man) Heather McDonald (Comedian),Jenny Mollen Biggs (Crash),Kimberly Elise (Grey’s Anatomy),Maria Canals-Barrera (Wizards of Waverly places),James Kyson-Lee (Heroes),Jana Kramer (One Tree Hill),Rex Lee (Entourage),Lisa LoCicero (General Hospital),Rochelle Aytes (The Forgotten) .

Photos provided by Jennifer Betts of Live Loyal PR

House photos credit: Vivien Killilea

Taryn Manning

Hello Blog World. This Blog will be about me! Who I am and my experience being a Beauty In Black! Struggling with your hair can cause pain both physical and mental I am sure I am not the only Black girl who has cried, cut school, or sat in the back where I could not be seen because her hair would not lay down, stand up or it just up and fell out! I have been pig-tailed, cornrowed, jheri curled, hot-combed, hard pressed, relaxed, texturized, shaved, natural, braided and even prayed on! Still I am not comfortable with my hair.

Trying this and trying that has opened my eyes to new things for everything beauty. My face has seen noxema to micro-dermabrasion. I have used self-tanners, tanning beds and spray-tan.  Woo-child the things I have tried to soften my feet would take years to list!

With this blog I will share all my experiences with you including hairstyles, skin treatments and more; including my trips out here in Hollywood and everywhere I roam!! please comment and share your experiences what worked for me may not work for you and vice-versa! But together we can find something that will work!