Nettie Kelley’s new spot. If you know me, you know I’ve been rocking with Nettie Kelley since I had a flip phone and Facebook was a figment of Mark Zuckerberg’s imagination. I know I’m not the only one who was willing to book months in advance for her to beat this mug when she was working at MAC. So you already know when she started her own makeup line and opened her store on Lindbergh I was up in there every chance I got. Then she changed the game with her brow work. So you can imagine my delight at how the folks showed up and showed out for the grand opening of her relocation to 11977 St. Charles Rock Road. It was Easter weekend, but Nettie had the folks lined up waiting to get in like it was Black Friday! And unlike the folks coming to blows of PS5s, 600 thread count sheets and 43 in TVS, there was not a single sip of shopping hostility. It was peaceful and serene as we packed out her spot. And we were all in for a treat, because the establishment that sells home décor and fashion with a makeup bar on the other side is everything! I saw y’all getting your Easter ensembles together – and I wasn’t the least bit mad about it.
Give it Sexyy. Speaking of Easter, my heart was full way before I heard any speeches or saw adorable little ones in fresh fits flooding my timeline thanks to my girl Sexyy Red. On Friday, she turned the parking lot and surrounding area of the Princess Beauty Supply in Pagedale into an Easter carnival that had me low key in my emotions by seeing the way she gave back to the kids. They had a blast – and she did too! I’m talking pony rides, super slides and seemingly endless Easter baskets. And the best part of it all was that Sexyy was mixing and mingling – adding to the preciousness of the unforgettable moment she was providing. The event also launched her Giving is Sexyy Foundation. I can’t wait to see how she continues to pour into the community. Please keep us posted on what you have coming up. Oh, and indulge me for a moment as I give a special shoutout to my girl Vanessa Townsend-Vann for always showing us love with every event that she is involved with. You are appreciated, Miss Ma’am!
Putting the ‘me’ in ‘You, Me and Tuscany.’ Tuesday evening I got a sneak peek of Will Packer and ‘nem’s new movie “You, Me and Tuscany” starring the wholesome Bailey sister and the handsome gentleman from “Bridgerton” that had your aunties in a chokehold for the tail end of 2020 – or as I call it “The Year of The Rona.” Can I confess that the Duke of Hastings did absolutely nothing for me when he was on the show? Now Aaron Pierre and Franklin Saint (because I know y’all don’t know his real name is Damson Idris) are another story as far as the sexy Black Brits. But I can kind of see what the fuss was about for Regé-Jean Page after seeing him in this movie. It was cute! Him and Halle had some adorable chemistry going on. And the folks watching really enjoyed it too. And y’all know that it has a St. Louis connection, right? STL’s own Jordan Ward has a song featured in the film. I was into the little storyline and was like, “Wayment, is that Jordan Ward?” I stayed for the entire credits to make sure that I was right about it. And was!
Tuesday night turnup at 922. Who knew that a last-minute grocery store run after a movie screening would end with me having one of the most litty lit Tuesday night’s in a minute. I literally could have made my own movie, lbvs! I was making my way down Jennings Station Road and saw that 922 was poppin’. I never did make it to the store. In fact, my stomach is growling as I type this, but the turn up was worth it. I didn’t know what was going on up in there, all I know is that the last time I peeked my head in after I saw the parking area across the street that packed Chrisette Michele was on the microphone. I know y’all probably thinking, “Auntie, so you just out here crashing folks’ parties?” You think I ain’t, when I am? And I did it again the other night. I would say that there wasn’t a celebrity in the building, but Tanika (or Tenika, Tinika…however you spell it, girl) brought the folks out for her birthday like she was her own A-list guest host. I didn’t know a soul up in there, but you would have thought Tenika was my play cousin the way I kicked it at her b-day party. I had to pull myself away from turning up with those strangers. I was even like, “Girl, you just walk home if you get to lit.” That was my cue to call it. Otherwise I would have been perched in the newsroom on deadline day wearing a moo moo and some sunglasses.
Raven’s top level birthday bash. It seems like every time I went somewhere over the last several days it was in the middle of the doggone week. This was exactly the case when I stepped out to Second Story to kick it with our own Raven Whitener for her birthday bash on Wednesday night. It was baddie central up in that cute little spot! Raven was giving us a Black Jayne Mansfield with her hot red birthday dress. And my girl Diamond White’s olive green satin mini dress was everything. And since I’m talking about baddies, I might as well bring up that my favorite dancing machine Anthony “Redd” Williams was in the building too.
I’m just convinced that that face card has unlimited credit and that shape of his is going to be a whole gallon of Lee’s tea from now until eternity. He wasn’t the only fave of mine whose face was in the place! Jess Live, Melanie Johnson, Bennie Gilliam-Williams just a few of who came through to celebrate with Raven – and a time was had by us all!
Living It content is produced with funding by the ARPA for the Arts grants program in partnership with the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis and the Community Development Administration.
