Hello Meltingpot Readers,
Now that I’m back to blogging after an, ahem, brief time away, I’ve decided to add some new features to the blog. One of these new features is a weekly post that will highlight whatever person, place or thing I’m currently crushing on. It could be a book, or a restaurant or Trader Joe’s new freeze-dried okra. Basically, it will be my way of giving you a peek into my colorful life and somewhat left of strange interests and passions. Hopefully, if you actually enjoy this blog, you too may fall in love with what I’m officially calling my #FridayFavorites. Not to mention, if there’s something you’re currently crushing on and you think I’d like it too, let me know in the comments. You know I’m always listening.
So, without further ado, today’s favorite things fall into the two categories I talk about incessantly here on the Meltingpot, books and Black hair.
Favorite Thing #1
Little Fires Everywhere
by Celeste Ng. I got this book for Christmas, (I actually got two copies because I told all my relatives I wanted it. Oops) but I just finished reading it last night. It was so good, I almost burned my family’s dinner last night and then stayed up until 1:30am because I had to finish it…the book, not the dinner. And here I am the day after, still turning over the events of the book in my head and wondering about the fates of the characters because they became so real to me over the course of reading this haunting novel. What’s it about? The basic storyline seems simple. It’s the late 1990s. A single mother and her daughter move into a rental property owned by a wealthy family in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Over the course of just a few months, mother and daughter get deeply involved in the lives of the wealthy family and everybody’s lives are changed for it. Meanwhile, there is a court case involving a Chinese woman and the baby she abandoned that intersects with the lives of everyone in the book. Celeste Ng has written a story with ordinary characters living “regular lives” in suburban America, yet she manages to plunge the reader into contemplating far deeper issues of race, parenting and what it means to live an authentic life. I know I’m going to be thinking about this book and these characters for a long time and not just because I want to know what happens next. I’m going to be thinking about them because in a way I think they all have something to teach us about how to proceed with grace in this life.
Ms. Meltingpot Recommends: Get this stunning novel for your next book club meeting and/or if you just want to get lost in an original story well told.
Favorite Thing #2
tgin Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer for Natural Hair, 12oz
Yes, I co-wrote the book on Black hair
, but that does not mean I am a hair product junkie. I think I’ve made it clear over the years that I am the world’s laziest hair stylist, which is why I have dredlocks. Low maintenance is my style. But the good Lord saw fit to give me a girl child and so I’ve had to engage with hair styling in ways I never expected, mainly because my daughter has a Spanish father, so her hair is nothing like mine…except it is really dry and needs daily moisture. So, while I freely admit I mostly just keep my daughter’s hair in two basic braids, I am always looking for a single product that I can slather on her tresses that will make it easier to comb/brush, and give it some shine and healthy moisture. I think because it was on sale when I was strolling through Target, I picked up this TGIN Butter Cream. I’ve read a bit about the brand and know it is Black owned and the founder has a pretty inspiring back story, so I felt okay buying it. Well, people, let me tell you, this stuff is AWESOME. Not only does it work in babygirl’s hair, adding moisture and shine without weighing it down, it works wonders for second son’s super curly Afro and on my hair too. Yes, we have five textures of hair in this house and everybody is loving this product. Best of all though, IT SMELLS SO GOOD! I have never smelled a Black hair product that smelled like this before. It’s light, floral and fruity and it’s not too cloying. I don’t think I’ve ever been compelled to write about a hair product before, but this Butter Cream seriously had me wanting to tell everybody I know about it. And trust, this is not a paid-for endorsement. Ms. Meltingpot has receipts for this tub of fancy hair grease. It’s just that good.
Ms. Meltingpot recommends: Try this Butter Cream if you have thick curly hair that requires daily moisture and you like smelling like you wash your hair every morning.
So, there you have it. Let me know what you think of my #FridayFavorites. You know I’m listening.
Peace!
