Fionafest at Frizz Fest. The good news is that the baby tsunami let up with ample time for us to celebrate at Frizz Fest 2025 Saturday, and we had a ball! The bad news is that the silk press I paid good money to be extra cute for Gala En Blanc was in heaven by 3:30 p.m. because of the humidity. Y’all, I went up in Tower Grove park with a Kamala Harris. I left out with my hair looking like that tragic wig Kerry Washington wore in “Shadow Force.” For those who haven’t seen the little movie, the synthetic hair has a shape similar to Rick James’ in his “Super Freak” era. But the texture is the same as whatever that thing was plopped on Halle Berry’s head for “The Call.” But back to Frizz Fest. As I have at every single one, I got my entire life! The natural hair queens take slaying to the next level! Tendai, you did that with the hair show! And Golliday, you already know how I feel about you. If y’all don’t mind, I’d like to spend the rest of my time giving flowers to our third favorite Canadian R&B homegirl, Melanie Fiona. What? I’m not being shady! She’s locked in behind Tamia, who secured a permanent first place because of that slide that crosses some of y’all up worse than mid 1990s Michael Jordan did against everybody in the NBA. But Mel might be giving Deborah Cox a run for her money after how she threw down at Frizz Fest! By the time she got to “It Kills Me,” I was screaming so loud I got lightheaded. Even when I’m in between boyfriends, I’ll hear this song and revert to being madly in love and willing to do anything for that man. And she had the unmitigated gall to come to the STL in real life with perfect pitch live vocals. Girl, how you gonna go MIA for the whole entire 2010s and pop back out giving all that range? Next time, we’re gonna need a warning before you gag us like that. Because I almost dropped my phone in the mud rushing to the front of the stage.
‘Bridgerton’ En Blanc. Each year, there are a handful of non-negotiable must attend events for me. In the words of mid-century American scholar Nettie, “nothing but death can keep me from it” when it comes to Frizz Fest and Gala En Blanc, the annual fundraiser for Urban Sprouts Child Development Center. This year’s Gala En Blanc “Bridgerton” theme was everything. And Founder/Executive Director Ellicia Lanier as Queen Charlotte was chef’s kiss. Not one more table would fit within the Public School House patio Saturday night, which was filled to capacity with folks serving lewks (yes, lewks) in all white. Since it was at the school house, I’m going to take attendance with folks who ate down. I’ll start with Dallas Holland’s leather and lace. And I didn’t get his name, but the Black Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with muscles really did that. We are only two galas into the season, and Kira Cobb is ALREADY two for two. I’m sure a gown with a mermaid hem loves to see her coming. I’m going to tip my Ola Ray to St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Jasmine Osby for that glorious globe purse! Tonia Harris’ makeup was flawless. And while it was in violation of the color scheme, Chris Patrick’s hat was so fire that I gave him a pass. Naretha Hopson was slaying from top to bottom, which is on brand for her. I would need this whole Partyline to give Gala En Blanc the flowers it deserves. More than $500,000 was raised to educate our babies! Oh, and Murphy Lee, Kyjaun and the band backing them up got it in on stage. And for those who saw me coming out of the men’s bathroom, it wasn’t what you thought. Yes, the optics were bad. But blame that lousy heffa perimenopause.
A treasured throwback set for the ages. Some months back, there was a “90s fine” social media trend that described the baddies from that era to be unmatched. Well, Steve Lacy and DJ Kut’s EPIC moment at Treasures Sunday afternoon showed that those 90s fine women are still killing the game in 2025. Yes, DT, I’m talking about you. The same goes for Shaki and Stephanie Blue. And it wasn’t just the ladies who have aged gracefully. If I hadn’t seen a Newport or two, I would have sworn these people sent their children to play a trick on me and make me feel old. As much as I knew it was gonna be ______________ (insert new slang for “off the chain”), I still wasn’t ready. It took me 15 minutes to get from the back door to the front door. The inside was packed. The upstairs was packed. The outside was packed. Part of me wanted to suggest that they open up the Mason Hall next door and use it as an overflow. Everybody who was somebody, and who had ever thought about being somebody, was in the building.