In 2003, Big Boy made the difficult choice of undergoing weight loss surgery, which with time and some critical life changes, has resulted in a nearly 300 pound weight loss. This time around, Big Boy is assured that he’ll go the distance, and the only things getting bigger are his personality and opportunities.

Now in 2012, Big Boy is celebrating the release of his new book An XL Life: Staying Big At Half The Size via Cash Money Content/Atria Books, an upswing in his fan base with the success of his website, a television deal and more in the works. UrbLife.com recently spoke with Big Boy about why he decided to come forth with his story, weight loss struggles, and the effects body changes have had on his life.

What are some of Big Boy’s favorite pleasures as a thinner man? How has weight loss affected his family? How has internet success changed his radio show? What is his philosophy on relationships at work? And how is health like credit? Read on for the answers in this UrbLife.com exclusive…

What made you decide to tell your story about the weight loss surgery and the process of change?

Big Boy: I never thought that I would write a book. That was the furthest thing from my mind. I wasn’t even trying to document anything. It was something that I did for myself to make sure I had a chance at more life. The more that I started to get through talking about it on air, not what I been through, because I had a lot of complications, but I didn’t put any of that on the air. I just had a lot of people that would ask me about either weight loss or how I’m feeling now or what do I do to maintain.

So many people that were going into either lap band or some kind of gastric bypass were just asking, “What should I do?” So when I got approached to do the book, well I [thought] the people that I can’t sit down with one on one, then possibly they’ll be able to read my thoughts and why I did it and why that should be your last option. The opportunity came and I had to take advantage of it.

The surgery that I got is called the duodenal switch, which is the most aggressive gastric bypass surgery you can have. My post surgeon doesn’t even do that procedure. This was before a lot of the lap bands and gastric bypass, before a lot of those popped up. That was the most extreme, and I was at an extreme point in my life, so I did the most aggressive surgery that you could get.

What are some key things that you enjoy about your body now that you lost weight?

BB: I was never in the so called “fat prison” or “fat cell” because I went out and did things as much as I could. I couldn’t get on roller coasters and stuff like that, but I wasn’t the guy that just sat in the house. It was small victories. Some of the things that you wouldn’t even trip off of.

Now I get a joy off of getting on an airplane and not having to get a seatbelt extension. The tray table coming down, knowing that if I need to get somewhere and the luggage don’t come, I can go and buy a shirt off of the rack. It’s small things like that I just enjoy.

Now I have kids, and I enjoy being able to chase after them and being able to experience things with them that at 500 plus pounds I wouldn’t be able to experience, like getting on a roller coaster and sharing a ride with them at Disneyland.

What is one fear that you discuss in the book that you think people should get something out of?

BB: It’s crazy, because the book was enlightening to me. It was like therapy, because I never really acknowledge that I had a love affair with food; that growing up homeless, that food was always there [as comfort]. So I think with the book, it’s going to be something that everyone identifies with 100% or they can put something in their own perspective.

Why was I eating? Why was I overindulging? What brought me to that? For each person, I think that it’s their own journey, because we all have an answer; but it’s how you develop it or how you came to that answer. Why was I 500 pounds? Why did I enjoy eating? Anyone from anywhere could be like, “I was ridiculed and food was my so called savior.”

In the book, it’s an open dialogue for you to say, “Ok maybe that’s the reason why” or “Maybe I see where that came from.” Maybe I was in denial because I didn’t realize how much I was in so called denial I really was. I can say that it was naïveté or whatever, but it wasn’t until I started taking layers off that I realized I had a real problem, until I sat down and started writing this book.

It’s crazy, because I realized the more that I would talk; the more I wasn’t even talking to the person that would buy the book. It goes the point where I was just really talking to myself, like this is real. I’m a work in progress. I don’t have my answers, so I definitely can’t have your answers. I can get you close and learn something from you or you can learn something from me, see the similarities and differences.

What differences do you see in the way people treat you now, both professionally and on the street? What kind of compassion has it given you for people going through a weight problem?

BB: Day to day differences… like when I get on Southwest unassigned seating, I can tell that I don’t get the same look walking down 195 to 200 pounds that I got when I was 500 pounds. I was just talking with my wife a few days ago, I had just walked into my son’s class, he’s 4-years-old turning 5 in February, but it was crazy though because out of two classrooms having lunch with 40 kids, kids are real. They don’t have that mental editor.

Kids would be the first one to say, “Look at that fat man, mommy why is he so fat?” So walking up to my son’s class and not hearing that one time… You didn’t hear it every day, but you heard it enough.

Those kinds of things really trip me out where it’s like, “Damn, I’m not that guy that I am used to being for so long in my life.” Just the way that people would treat you, I had the upper hand because I was ‘Big Boy, Power 106 Los Angeles’. I had the upper hand and a different kind of confidence that the other person may not have had for the last 10 years before I even got the surgery.

I can see now with people they are a little more open to you [after weight loss]. They’ll say things in front of you that you never heard before. You start hearing, “He or she needs to lose more weight,” and I’m like, “Hold on you’re talking about them then you’re talking about me.” I think that people are a little bit freer.

I’ve noticed that there is no more real pun in the size I am now. The roles for the big guy or someone trying to say something sly in the script or something. You don’t get those kinds of things so people kind of treat you a lot different I’ve noticed.

Can you give some tips on how to keep the pounds off through diet?

BB: You know it’s crazy, because people don’t pay attention to or listen to the simple basics. You ever watch a commercial and it says that “this will work with proper diet and exercise?” It’s true! We want some kind of miracle pill that suppresses our appetites or gives us these results without actually putting in any work.

Even with me being a work in progress, we have to listen to our bodies also. You have to know how to say “I’m full” or “I don’t need to eat that” or “I don’t need to put all of that on my plate.” Whatever is on our plate, sometimes we’ll eat, so you have to put less and you’ll pretty much tap out on the same thing. Sometimes we tend to overindulge. We feel like that we can put on the holiday pounds and the holiday pounds become the New Year’s resolutions. Then the New Year’s resolutions become a disaster, because we put the pounds on but we don’t stick to our resolutions.

I always tell people that our health is like credit, it’s like a credit card. You’ll be able to make all of these different swipes, but actually saying no or not even indulging in a little bit because a little piece of pie will not satisfy you. “Oh, I’ll just take a little piece.” Not even going there and not even putting certain things on your plate, or even just saying “let me eat half and take the rest home.” I wish that you could eat as much crap as you want and that’s the way you stay healthy.

You’ve gotten a lot more active on the internet in the past couple of years. What are some things that you like to bring differently with your online presence in conjunction with radio this year?

BB: For so many years you had to over-explain what was going on, like, “Oh my gosh! He’s getting hit with a dart right now!” if there was a stunt or anything that we’re doing live on air. You had to really take a brush and paint this picture. Now with the internet, we could do the so called stunt or something or have that great interview, and it’ll shoot you straight to the web. Now people are really waiting on you – it’s immediate service that you got to give people.

I think jumping on the internet and the blogs really helps us do what we have to do, because that’s just another way for us to promote something that we’re doing on the audio tip that we can promote on the visual tip. Just knowing the power of pressing that ‘send’ is ridiculous.

What kind of projects do you have coming that people should look for?

BB: I have a deal with VH1, not any craziness, just a show that I’m creating. The book tour will keep me busy for the first couple of months of 2012. Big Boy Radio Network is still syndicated across the country. Really trying to create more television shows and really trying to get in where I don’t fit in.

I’m ready to go ahead and push the boundaries. 2012 is the year of me trying to get out of the norm. Starting off with a book that I never thought that I would write, TV projects, tackling more syndicated radio, just me really trying to get out there and increase this brand that’s called Big Boy.

CLICK HERE to get Big Boy’s book An XL Life: Staying Big at Half the Size on Amazon.com

Find out more about Big Boy on his official site RadioBigBoy.com

Follow Big Boy on Twitter @RadioBigBoy and like him at Facebook.com/RadioBigBoy

By: Dove
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Known for his sentimental lyrics and tortured, loverboy persona, Carl Thomas is every bit the sexy Gen-Xer that most women say they’d love to have in their ear on those cold winter nights. Just over a decade after his chart-topping hit “I Wish” plucked the heartstrings of R&B fans everywhere, Thomas is back with his fourth studio album Conquer, and a whole new story to tell.

As couples and hopeful lovers prepare to bring in 2012, who better to ask for perfect date advice than the man who can express both pain and pleasure with the utmost class? Carl Thomas graciously took some time out from his schedule to call us from a “nice, hot bath” (that’s what he told us) to give UrbLife.com his best dating advice for a satisfying New Year’s Eve.

What is the best night-out plan for a martini lady? A beer drinker? A wine connoisseur? And what makes his toes curl before the ball drops? Read on and enjoy!

Tell us about your vision for a perfect New Year’s Eve date. What can someone do to create to the right setting for the ball drop?

Carl Thomas: The perfect date, in my opinion, starts with the right questions. Before you go on a date, it’s very important for a guy to ask the right questions. You have to know what she’s into, what’s she open to and have not experienced yet, because it’s always exciting for a woman to open up new doors. I know when a woman does that for me I’m excited. You have to ask the right questions and see exactly what would entail her perfect night.

Find out if she’s a wine girl or a martini girl or a beer woman. A lot of times, a man will look at a woman who has on high heels and she has the perfect purse to match her shoes, and they just may be for career purposes, but at home she really enjoys sitting back watching her New York Giants with a Heineken. It’s really important for a man not to judge by the cover and to find out what interests her in her leisure.

Once you find out what interests her in her leisure, then it would be wise to lean and play towards those things. Personally, if she was a beer girl, I would start out with dinner and possibly some type of sporting event. I would actually go with a nice evening at the movies or take her to play pool. It depends on the woman. I’ve assumed only to be surprised… embarrassingly surprised.

My perfect date on New Year’s Eve would be to take her to the opera, and after the opera we would hit the hottest parties. We would bring the New Year’s in with fruit and wine. I would definitely play towards her strengths.

If she’s a martini lady, then I would take her to a jazz lounge. I would feed her dinner – emphasis on feed - then after that we would go for a walk along the beautiful skyline before we hit the club. On New Year’s Eve, a woman does not want to be in the club all night long, so I would make sure that whatever we’re doing we were finished by 10pm, so we can be in the club and spend that hot two hours. I would bring it in embracing with a kiss… with the perfect apple martini.

I’m not trying to put women in a box, with those three examples that I gave, it is ok to safely generalize.

A big part of the date is the attire. On New Year’s Eve, I would definitely make sure that the attire is somewhat elegant. I like to wear black laced with different colors. There have been years where I would wear black laced with a white shirt laced with earth green. As long as it’s a rich color… or laced in purple crimson. I would definitely make sure that we would have all of the New Year’s Eve amenities, like a top hat.

The first thing I would to do is to make sure whatever we have on New Year’s Eve is not fake. That drives me absolutely crazy, those plastic hats. I would absolutely get the real thing. The other part of the date, I’m really not at liberty to tell you about. I think we’ll get into that after the ball drops. After the ball drops we’ll dance for a hot 30 minutes and then I would grab her hand and get her on out of there!

What are some things that a woman can do for you to make your New Year’s Eve perfect?

CT: She could buy me the perfect bottle of German Riesling. She could find a lounge for us to sit and talk, somewhere by a fire place, because in the winter time I really gravitate towards fireplaces. I would still have to listen to holiday and seasonal music. I’m not really done with the holiday season until the day after the new year. After that she could buy me a wonderful, mild cigar. I’m not a cigar smoker, but for some reason on New Year’s Eve I can’t resist it.

After that, she can definitely take me to a steak restaurant. I’m not really a red meat eater, but on New Year’s Eve I feel like its ok. I would definitely like her to play towards my desire to have a steak and cheat every now and then.

Tell us a little about the new album Conquer and why you decided to go back into that love scene.

CT: There is a metaphor to every single song. They’re wonderful metaphors. The album is what I like to call “hero music.” The hero wins in every song. The radio is not that even kill, the playing field is not that even. It’s usually you hear some woman complaining and some man apologizing or you hear something very vulgar. This album really isn’t about a whole lot of complaining going on.

On my Emotional CD, I found a really nice way to complain. A nice, melodic way to complain, “I Wish I Never Met Her,” “You Ain’t Right,” things like that. On this album, it’s celebratory and I really did this album to be the soundtrack behind people’s lives. It’s set up to broaden the scope of me as an artist and to introduce fans to my music who have never heard of Carl Thomas before.

There are songs on this album that, for some reason I cannot explain, have eluded me thus far in my career. I don’t know if it was because I was sitting down with producers that felt like they had what I needed, or knew what my fans wanted or not. This album is a lot broader based than anything you ever heard from me. It’s quite inspirational if you get into it.

The greatest compliment that any musician or artist can be paid is for someone to monitor their life and times through your body of work. It still wows me to hear someone say, “I remember what I was doing when I heard ‘I Wish I Never Met Her’ or when I heard ‘Summer Rain’.” That’s the greatest compliment. That means that your music has become an official lifestyle.

What are your intentions with all of the music videos with this project?

CT: It’s really funny that you ask me that because Snoop and I are going to go record the video to “Don’t Kiss Me.” We got some really fun stuff planned. Snoop is a character all on his own. With my personality and his personality together really makes for a whole lot of fun. The visuals and the colors are going to pop off of the screen. I’m really excited about it.

Do you have any tours set for the new year?

CT: I’m actually going to spend the month of January going marketing and promoting the album and raising awareness. Of course I’m going to be shows through the month of January, but I don’t think I’m going to tour until the Valentine’s Day season. That is my busiest time of year every year. I think that’s a wonderful time to bring Carl Thomas to people.

Find out more about Carl Thomas at CarlThomasLive.com and YouTube.com/CarlThomasLive

Follow him on Twitter @Mr_Carl_Thomas and click here to like him on his official Facebook page

CLICK HERE to get the Conquer album on iTunes

By: Darrell W. Butler
- TFW/Parisi Sports Performance Coach; ACE, NFPT CPT
—
It must be hard to be a carbohydrate. They’re always getting mixed signals. One day you love them and they’re all that you can think about, but then the next day you cut them off completely and blame them for all of your problems. You may even resort to shameful stereotypes by declaring that “all carbs are bad” and “all carbs will make you fat,” when that couldn’t be any further from the truth!

Perhaps the recent wave of low-carbohydrate diets has given them a bad reputation, however “low-carb” should never be mistaken for “no-carbs.” And being told that you should increase your protein consumption should never be mistaken as a recommendation to eliminate all carbs from your diet either.

Carbohydrates are actually one of your body’s primary energy sources, so not having enough of them in your system could seriously derail your fitness goals. What’s important to remember however, is that not all carbs are created equal. There’s a major difference between a bowl of oatmeal and a bowl of Cap’n Crunch!

How so?

Carbohydrates are divided into two main categories: simple and complex. Complex carbohydrates generally contain more nutrients and take longer to digest, so they’ll leave you satisfied longer. Simple carbohydrates on the other hand, are mostly filled with sugar and spice, not everything nice, so you’ll usually end up having to eat more of these to feel satisfied. Remember Lays old slogan for their potato chips (simple carbs) “You can’t eat just one?” That was very truthful advertising!

Consider simple carbs as a piece of paper being tossed into a fire. Sure it will cause an immediate burst, but that spark will quickly flame out. Complex carbs, on the other hand, are more like logs. They burn slowly and last a long time.

Of course, there’s a time and place for everything, so all simple carbs aren’t entirely bad either. In fact, many fruits and vegetables can be classified as simple carbohydrates, so you’ll still want to consume plenty of those. Instead, try to scale back your consumption of processed foods, sugary drinks and snacks such as donuts, soda and candy.

With that said, here are several of the best complex carbohydrate food selections.

1. Oatmeal

Since I already mentioned it during the introduction, we might as well start here. Please note that I’m referring to real oatmeal, not necessarily the sugary flavored instant oatmeal. Oatmeal has been shown to help reduce bad cholesterol, lower the risk of cancer and aid with memory and mental functioning.

Oatmeal is also contained in many hair and skin products, as its nutrients have been shown to reduce acne, soften dry skin and improve brittle hair.

2. Kashi and other Bran or Whole Grain Cereals

Whole grain cereals tend to contain less sugar and more protein than their sugary counterparts. They also tend to contain a larger volume of vitamins and minerals, particularly phosphorus, which is essential for brain tissue; and lecithin, which is essential for cardiovascular functioning.

3. Brown Rice

Brown rice has been shown to lower the risk of colon cancer and heart disease. Research has also found it useful for lowering cholesterol and reducing the frequency of migraine headaches. Additionally, brown rice contains powerful antioxidants that are essential for improving the body’s immune system and for proper thyroid functioning.

4. Whole Wheat or Gluten Free Pasta

Whole wheat and gluten free pastas contain the fiber and nutrients often lost during the processing of regular pasta, all while providing the similar taste and feel of the original. It’s also been shown to help lower your risk for diabetes, gum disease, tooth loss and cancer.

5. Whole Grain Bread

Very similar to whole grain pasta or brown rice, whole grain breads help reduce belly fat, lower the risk of stroke, heart disease and cancer.

6. Lentils

Not only are lentils an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, they are also packed full of protein, fiber and iron in addition to vitamins C, B and eight essential amino acids! Lentils provide you with energy, as well as a boost to your immune, digestive and nervous systems!

7. Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes provide a slew of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and have been shown to reduce symptoms from asthma, bronchitis, arthritis and inflammation!

Now, take a look around your kitchen and take note of the carbohydrates that you see. If all that you see are cookies, chips and none of the items mentioned above, it might be time for you to reassess your nutrition habits!

Remember, not all carbs are bad, so there’s no reason to eliminate them entirely. Instead, try and replace a few of your favorite simple carbs with several options from the list above. You’ll be surprised how big of a change this will have on your waistline and your overall health! See? Losing weight doesn’t have to be so “complex” after all!

Darrell W. Butler is a graduate of Rutgers University and a certified TFW / Parisi Sports Performance Coach with personal training certifications from the American Council on Exercise and The National Federation of Professional Trainers. He also holds a wide spectrum of coaching and group instructor credentials and serves as a fitness and nutritional consultant for several radio programs and media publications.

Find out more about Darrell’s work at DBPTonline.com and follow him on Twitter @DBPTonline

Editor’s note: Last year, we had so much fun with The Yule Logs advice on gift-giving that we asked them back to give us some party tips. It might not be such a good idea to let these holiday crooners run wild with the pen, but for better or (mostly) worse, they’ve come up with another kickass list for you to enjoy… Party at your own risk!

Top 7 Ways to Improve Your Holiday Party
By: The Yule Logs

Seeing as how The Yule Logs are the “World’s Greatest Christmas and Hanukkah Rock ‘n’ Roll Band™,” we get invited to a shit ton of holiday parties. We would love to say that every one of them is a rousing success, but occasionally we wind up at what’s referred to as a “stinker.”

Since the band has been doing this seven years running, we have developed seven sure-fire ways to enliven the evening, no matter the cost.

1. Mistletoe Belts

Let’s be honest: oral sex is a highly underutilized facet of the holiday spirit. That’s why a simple mistletoe belt is capable of bringing that extra jangly burn to your jolly green loins and jolly green party.

And we must emphasize that said belts are not exclusive to men, nor the straight community – we encourage women and same-sex couples to the fullest.

2. Upper-Decking the Toilet

Nothing spices up a stale holiday party like taking a dump in the flushing compartment of a toilet. Feel free to choose between doing it in the water provided or, if you’re really looking to make a statement, drain the water out and dry-dock it. Dry-docking is especially key at your grandmother’s house. Won’t she be confounded.

3. Mounds and Mounds of Cocaine, in the Vein of George Michael

It doesn’t even matter if you enjoy the occasional whiff or not; just be sure to have lots of mirrors and piles of snow all around the house, and play nothing but Wham on the hi-fi. “Credit Card Baby” would be a preferred track, though we’d settle for a repeat listen of “Last Christmas,” as the entire video was filmed on a mountain of coke in Vermont.

4. Provide Blocks of Brie to Be Eaten Like Apples

Everybody loves a little brie this time of year, but most choose to use a knife and spread it on a cracker. This is incorrect. The correct cheese-eating form during the holiday season is shirtless and without utensils.

Be sure to heat the brie beforehand, as to allow for dripping upon your ruggedly heinous chest.

5. Engage in Random Acts of Spite

If the mood still isn’t jumping after the above measures have been taken, throw in a couple unfounded and malicious acts of spite to perk the atmosphere! Encouraged would be grabbing the smart phone of a friend and ruthlessly stomping it on the ground directly in front of them.

There’s also the timeless classic of throwing a scalding hot cup of cider straight into the face of your host… they really never see it coming.

6. Whippets

While most use will use whipped cream for pumpkin pie and peach cobbler, a battle-tested party-goer knows that sucking the nitrous out of the can behind a parked SUV and slumping over in an easy chair is the true measure of Xmas fun.

Warning: Whippets may indeed break your winker, which most certainly lessens your chances of taking home that pretty boy and/or girl.

7. Squirt an Eye-Dropper of LSD Directly into Your Eyeball

This is the real show-stopper. Won’t your friends be surprised to find you’ve permanently altered your consciousness for the sake of a holiday party laugh? “Oh that Timmy. He sure does know how to liven up a Christmas party. Too bad he’s dead on the inside.”

I tell ya, it really is something to look in a man’s eye and know he’s pretty much lost in the deep end for the rest of eternity.

Celebrate Hanukkah with The Yule Logs! Listen to their new song “Latke Man” and download for free!

You Ruined Christmas, the third album of The Yule Logs’ twisted holiday originals and vandalized classics, is available at TheYuleLogs.bandcamp.com, CDBaby.com/cd/TheYuleLogs and on iTunes!

Find out more about The Yule Logs on their official site YuleLogsMusic.com, follow them on Twitter @TheYuleLogs and like them at Facebook.com/TheYuleLogs

Now, watch them make merry with “Christmastime is Here (Again!)”

By: Dove
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The good people at Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos have a few surprises in store for travelers in 2012 and beyond, and the other day in NYC they showed off a few unique amenities! On December 8, 2011, hundreds of VIP party-goers convened at Exit Art for a night of music, spirits and mounds of cotton candy.

There were also prizes to be won, including a Fender guitar package, Soul by Ludacris headphones, vacations at the Hard Rock, and more.

People were greeted at the front desk with a “passport”, which guided you through eight stations: the Property Gallery, Center Bar, Tracks, Picks, Mix, Casino, Rock Wall and Photo Booth.

The Property Gallery displayed photos of many Hard Rock hotels around the world, while the Bar (with a variety of cocktails) and Photo Booth (with a backdrop of a Hard Rock hotel room) were pretty much self explanatory.

Music was the true superstar of the evening with the “Sound of Your Stay” tour. First, people received a free 10-song playlist at the Tracks station after learning about Hard Rock’s complimentary music download program.

Everyone then had a little fun rocking out with a Fender guitar at the Picks station, where they could learn more about the “guitar amenity” program; and followed with a few scratch technique lessons from DMC world champion DJ Shiftee at the Mix station in honor of the “DJ amenity” program.

There was also an interactive touch-screen display, available for people to learn more about Hard Rock’s amazing memorabilia collection. And of course the night wouldn’t have been complete without some casino action, and a few hands of blackjack were in order for anyone feeling lucky enough. Not to mention, we also enjoyed specially crafted bites from chef Kerry Simon throughout the evening.

Once the room was warmed up and buzzing, singer Mayer Hawthorne took the stage with his band The County, and had the whole crowd moving and singing along. ?uestlove of The Roots then took over on the turntables and kept people dancing until the end! Check out my photos below for a look at some of the fun!

To date, the Hard Rock has 135 cafes and 15 Hotels and Casinos, with new properties being built in Panama, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Maya, Hungary, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

For  more information on the new amenities at the Hard Rock, go to  HardRockHotels.com

By: Dove
—

When it comes to entertainers who multi-task, Grammy award-winning artist/actor Chris “Ludacris” Bridges is among the few who have succeeded in music, film and entrepreneurial efforts simultaneously. Since his early days as an Atlanta radio show host, Ludacris co-founded a successful record label (DTP); released seven critically-acclaimed albums and six popular mixtapes; and has appeared in over a dozen major motion pictures.

Additionally, Ludacris launched Conjur Congac liquor in 2009 and his own Soul headphone line in 2011, as well as launching his Ludacris Foundation non-profit organization. He is in process of working on album number eight, and also appears in New Line Cinemas’ latest star-studded holiday flick New Year’s Eve.

But none of the fame, money or accolades compare to Ludacris’s greatest achievement – his daughter Karma. An ever-doting dad, Ludacris has been supporting Karma’s budding entrepreneurial spirit, and the two recently launched KarmasWorld.com, a fun, kid-safe educational website for grade-school children.

As Ludacris explains, Karma is the CEO of the company, and came up with many of the ideas for the site throughout development in 2011. She also shines on a number of catchy sing-along tracks, which can be downloaded for listening offline. As you log on to KarmasWorld.com, the track “Let’s Go” will immediately have you bouncing to the beat – so you’ll actually enjoy spending time with your kids on this site!

Ludacris took a few moments with UrbLife.com to tell us more about the concept behind KarmasWorld.com, his thoughts on censorship for children online, and the ways he is encouraging his daughter’s business sense.

There is such a need for kid’s sites. How did you come about breaking down the competency or grade level of each song on Karmas World?

Ludacris: We just try to make them as general to the grade level as possible. It’s basically like a foundation. When you listen to the songs… fractions is one thing, we talk about space and everyone learns about the planets, it’s just general things that all kids learn. We try to make it pretty basic.

Some kids know the words to songs, but are not fully understanding them. If they’re really young and they’re singing along, we feel like as they get older they will continue to remember and start understanding what it is because of the melody, and that’s the whole part of the song. If they’re older, then they already understand. In terms of the age bracket, that’s why we tried to make the songs general as possible.

So, it’s a lot like School House Rock was for us…

Ludacris: Yes, it is!

Your daughter recorded the songs and you produced them with her and helped her write them. How much input did she have on the songs? Did she have the final say?

Ludacris: Yeah she’s the CEO and I’m the Vice President. She definitely has the final say so. She came up with the characters and with their names. In terms of the subject matter in the songs, that was kind of like a collective with all of our teams.

This all came about with her growing older and always wanting to get in the booth when I’m in the studio. At first I thought she was just playing around, but she loved it so much, and I noticed as she has gotten older she was practicing. Her diction and her voice and her tone were really good, so she kept saying that she wanted to be a singer.

I told her that if she was going to do this, then she had to talk about what was going on in her life. That’s basically learning and school, and that’s where it all came about. She has the final say so, she is the CEO at the age of 10. This is her business, all day.

You have lesson plans for teachers to help utilize the site with their students. How did you create the lesson plans?

Ludacris: We have focus groups where we met with different teachers and students. A lot of people don’t know, but this has been a year in the making. I’m a perfectionist, so I just try to get everything as right as I possibly can and that’s basically what we did.

We used real life teachers, and I actually have some friends and family members that work in the education system so we had a little help from everybody. I think that it is important to get a lot of different opinions to make sure things are right.

When it comes to censorship [and safety], how have you talked to Karma about online dangers?

Ludacris: As a parent, I am definitely hands on with showing my child what’s out there. I would rather her hear it from me. I feel like me doing this website is the exact opposite of what’s out there, and it gives kids more content to look at the things that don’t have to be censored. That’s really what it’s all about. I’m doing my part in doing that.

Are you looking down the road at how you’re going to have “the talk” with her, or how you’re going to talk about things with her like bullying and social interactions in school?

Ludacris: We have more songs that are going to be added to the site, and it’s funny you mentioned that, because she did a song called “Bully” that will be added to Karma’s World in January. Whatever is going on in the world, we try to cater it to what’s going on in children’s lives and to put positivity forward. We are fully in tact with that, and she has songs about these things.

Do you think in the next couple of years you may get into more grown situations with this site, or maybe make another site to address topics with teens?

Ludacris: You never know what the future holds. We definitely are looking to tackle some of the issues that are going on in these times. As she gets older, it all depends on what she is comfortable with doing and how she wants to move forward with her company.

If she was to say, “I want to grow up and be a rapper full time,” would you encourage that with her at this point or keep doing things one step at a time?

Ludacris: One step at a time. With this site, it doesn’t require her physically to anything as of now. It’s something that has her [creative ideas], and she can still go to school and live her life and we’ll explore the possibilities as time goes on. She puts her work in and it’s working for her. I’m very proud of that.

CLICK HERE to check out KarmasWorld.com!

Follow Ludacris on Twitter @Ludacris and like him at Facebook.com/Ludacris

By: Dove and Shelby Earl
—

Hailing from the Pacific Northwest myself, I knew that songstress Shelby Earl would have a challenge on her hands trying to narrow down a list of places to visit in Seattle, Washington. If you’ve ever heard me gush about the area, and prattle on about the wonderful food, live music and clean air, then I’ve probably told you that if you visit the city in August, you’ll never want to leave. It’s truly an exquisite place to visit, and an even better place to live.

I put myself in this, because I feel akin to Shelby. While she was getting her dues in on the music circuit in the early 2000′s, I was getting my feet wet in the then-muddy waters of online journalism. We both worked mundane jobs and pursued our passions on the side, hoping to make our dreams a reality. Shelby performed various shows at Seattle’s beautiful Experience Music Project (one of my personal favorite places in the world), and has continued to flourish in her career, as have I.

Shelby recently released her 2011 album Burn the Boats, earning praise from critics across the nation. Her latest bio is actually a letter written by acclaimed Pacific NW-born pop music journalist Ann Powers, who was inspired by the music on this new project as well as Earl’s overall career.

It’s safe to say that I automatically feel connected to Shelby, so reading her contribution to UrbLife.com’s Run This Town has made me incredibly homesick. No time for all that though! Let’s get down to Shelby Earl’s Top 7 spots you must visit in The Emerald City!

1. Stumptown Coffee (616 E Pine Street / 1115 12th Avenue)

Seattle is known for many things, but we are serious about our coffee. We are the birthplace of Starbucks, but we are also home to a lot of awesome smaller coffee roasting operations. My personal favorite is Stumptown Coffee. Swing by one of their shops for a cup (or a bag) of the Hair Bender Blend and fuel up for your big day in Seattle.

2. Frye Art Museum (704 Terry Ave @ Cherry St)

Seattle Art Museum is spectacular and a definite point of pride in our fair city. But personally, my favorite museum in town is the Frye Art Museum. It may not be on your radar if you’re following guidebooks, but it’s an absolute gem. The building itself is small, but uniquely beautifully. The museum entrance is outlined by a long, modern, Zen-inspired fountain, which perfectly prepares your heart and mind for the viewing of art.

The museum’s permanent collection is massive for such a small space and it offers a broad spectrum of visual delights. There are also some very cool special exhibits and lectures. The Frye is a lovely place to spend an afternoon in Seattle. There are even delicious bites to eat in the Gallery Café! And the best bit? Museum entrance is FREE!!!

3. The Waterfront & Olympic Sculpture Park

One of the reasons I love Seattle so much is the constant and easy access to water. I’m a Pisces (a water sign), and I need water to feed my soul. Seattle’s downtown waterfront offers lots of treats for the palate such as Dungeness crab or clam chowder, but I suggest heading up the road a little and taking in the beautiful water view from Seattle Art Museum’s new Olympic Sculpture Park.

This is one of my favorite spots to hunker down with a book or to ponder my human existence. Whatever you’re in the mood for, really!

4. Pike Place Market  (main entrance at 1st Avenue and Pike Street)

This is the most obvious of my recommendations because it’s such a well-known tourist attraction in Seattle (ever heard of the fish throwers? Mhmm), but even as a local, I love it. Parking can be tough, but if you’re hoofin’ it this is a great place to swing by for fresh fish, organic/local veggies, and freshly-baked bread for dinner.

While shopping, you can take in the sounds of multiple street buskers belting their tunes throughout the market - including little old me from time to time! Busking (street performing) is tough, but it keeps me honest!

Or, if you don’t feel like buying food to cook up yourself, you can drop in to any one of the market’s amazing restaurants. One of my fav’s being Matt’s in the Market. I recommend the scallops!

5. Ballard

Ballard is my favorite neighborhood in Seattle. This is where I clock the most hours eating, drinking, shopping, hanging with pals, and seeing live music. I think of it as the sort of “Brooklyn of Seattle. “ And similar to Brooklyn, don’t be alarmed if you encounter a high density of beard-wearing dudes. It’s ok, they’re ALL in bands.

Side note: hit up Ballard on a Sunday afternoon for the city’s best neighborhood farmer’s market!

6. Paseo: Seattle’s Best Sammy  (4225 Fremont Avenue North)

There are far too many outstanding restaurants and bars in Seattle to even begin to pick a favorite. So instead, I’m going to have to share the secret of Paseo. This place will change your life – no exaggeration. They serve the most bonkers-good sandwiches I’ve ever tasted. They are huge, rich, spicy, Carribean delights on a lightly toasted baguette slathered with aioli, fresh cilantro, pickled jalapeños, crisp romaine lettuce, caramelized onions and your choice of meat, seafood or veggie. Mercy!

The only bum-out about this place is that it’s teeny-tiny and the line is always long. And because this is Seattle, you very well may wait for your glorious Paseo experience in the rain!

7. Shows, shows, shows!!!

Seattle is a music city. There are more bands in this town than there are computer nerds – and trust me, that’s a LOT. Pick up a copy of the Seattle Weekly or The Stranger to find out what’s happening that week, and then visit one of our best-loved music venues such as The Showbox, The Crocodile, Neumos, Tractor Tavern, The Triple Door, The Paramount or The Moore.

There are countless other great ones, but the list is too long to include here. Hell, pick one at random, chances are you you’ll discover something great!

Watch Shelby Earl’s acoustic performance of “Burn the Boats”

CLICK HERE for all links to get the Burn the Boats album at ShelbyEarl.com

Find out more about Shelby Earl on her official site ShelbyEarl.com, follow her on Twitter @ShelbyEarl, and like her at Facebook.com/ShelbyEarlMusician

By: Isha “Ice” Cole
—
Author Lendy Demetrius has had a passion for writing since he was a teenager. Inspired by writers such as Eric Jerome Dickey, Victoria Schmidt and Douglas Adams, the New York native became a published author at just 21-years-old with the 2002 novel There Could Be Joy and Pain in the Long Run.

Life seemed to be on the right track for Demetrius, until a few years ago when he received a potentially life-altering diagnosis of Renal Cell Cancer, also known as kidney cancer, where malignant cancerous cells are found in the lining of tubules in the kidney.  Not wanting to worry his family when he was first diagnosed, Demetrius decided to hide his illness, and mustered up the courage to deal with the situation on his own.

Fortunately, Demetrius paid attention to the signs his body was giving to him, and the cancer was caught in the early stages. Today Lendy Demetrius is cancer free, and living life to the fullest.  He is a storyteller, who enjoys working in the community and schools in his spare time, and his second novel I Live, You Move On was released in early 2011.

Urblife.com  recently spoke with the inspiring writer about his battle with cancer, his outlook in life and more! Read on…

Tell us a little about being diagnosed with renal cell cancer – how early did they find it?

Lendy Demetrius: I had a form of renal cell cancer, but it wasn’t a major form and it was in the beginning stages. I had three surgeries where they had to cut out the cancer and remove everything.

How were you diagnosed?

LD: I went to several doctors. It was like one doctor said it could be this or that… they couldn’t figure out what was wrong, so I went to a few other doctors. The doctor that gave me the diagnosis knew [right away] what it was because he deals with it all the time.

He told me that I could either have chemotherapy or have the surgery. I didn’t want to go through chemo, because television has people looking a certain way and I didn’t want to go through that.

Did you have any symptoms that prompted you to go to the doctors?

LD: I was losing weight, I had fevers, night sweats, and I was like, anemic. I wasn’t sure what it was, but when your body is giving you signs, you don’t ignore it! When you ignore it that’s when things go crazy.

Is this disease hereditary? If so was anyone else in your family diagnosed?

LD: My mom had breast cancer, but she had it removed. My uncle died of lung cancer, so I guess in some form it’s kind of hereditary. It flows through somewhere and somehow, but in different forms.

What type of treatment did you have after the surgery?

LD: Right now I’m fine. Everything is normal. I just go in for check up every now and then, but I’m not on any medicine at the moment.

How did your family and loved ones deal with you being diagnosed with cancer?

LD: I didn’t tell them, because you know how some people get all sympathetic, and I didn’t want to go through all that emotion. I told them I was having surgery, but I didn’t tell them exactly what it was for because I didn’t want anyone crying.

I wanted to have as normal of a life as possible. Crying doesn’t really solve anything. I was scared, but not wondering “Why me?” I was just trying to fix the issue before it got any worse. I didn’t want anyone babying me. But they know now, and they’re okay with it now that everything’s is fine.

Did you have anyone or a support group to turn too since you didn’t want to tell your family?

LD: Only my doctor; I spoke to him.

As an author you intertwine your writing with some of your real life experiences, or “authoring life.” Do you plan on writing about your experience with this disease if you have not done so?

LD: I haven’t started working on anything that’s about me so far. It feels weird writing about myself. I rather write about characters.

What influences you to write about certain types of issues or people in your books?

LD: I base it on a lot of things that go on around me like past relationships and friends’ relationships. It’s basically little snippets of different parts of my life, my friends lives, and things that I see. I don’t use anything 100 percent.

What have you learned about the business since your start?

LD: It changed a lot. It’s actually harder now than it was back then. Now, you have to keep on pushing to get your book out there to get to this place and that place. There’s so much networking, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s like a 50/50 type of thing.

How has social media helped authors?

LD: It makes you more connected with the people that are buying your books, the people that like your books, and the people that want to know more about you. It gives more of a connection like if they have questions, you could answer them.

What are you working on currently?

LD: Right now I have two more books in the works, and I’m also going to revamp my first book and re-market it.

How did having cancer change the way you looked at life then, and today?

LD: When I was going through the process it affected the way I felt, and the way I thought. It made me look at life differently, so I started working on things that would make me happy such as finishing school, finishing both of my books, and working in the community.

I was basically working on goals that I wanted to accomplish. I think I’m more positive, and I try to live my life as stress free as possible. If I can fix it, I fix it. If I can’t fix it, I just make the best of it!

Find out more about Lendy Demetrius on his official site LendyDemetrius.com, follow him on Twitter @LendyDemetrius and like him at Facebook.com/LendyDemetrius

By: Dove
—

It’s fantastic to create a list of “firsts” in your life, especially when it means making history. In Spring 2011, Chef Danielle Saunders became the first African American woman to win The Food Network’s Chopped competition show [Season 7, Ep. 2], and followed up by taking home an even more challenging Grand Finale win in the Chopped Champions series this Fall.

As the former personal chef for high profile clients like Sean “Diddy” Combs and driven entrepreneur, Saunders is used to staying extremely busy. However, a hectic schedule doesn’t keep her from adding more “firsts” to her life, as she sets out to publish her first book and set up programs to teach children about healthy eating.

Danielle Saunders took some time out with us for yet another first – a “Slice of Life” feature on UrbLife.com! Read on as this talented food expert tells us how she’s creating healthy ‘soul fusion’, gives us her thoughts on the reality of reality TV, and explains the ways she’s opening new lanes at every turn!

Between being a personal chef, a hotel chef, making television appearances and running a business, what has been your favorite thing to do in your career thus far?

Danielle Saunders: They all have been great in their own right. I guess the best thing would probably be being a personal chef, and that’s for more than one reason. You really get to see the world, you get to travel. You get to experience different cuisines and just experience the world and see how other people do foods.

It’s amazing, and I think that opens up a lot of different doors for you, and it opens up your repertoire because you learn more. I think traveling and being able to experience different cuisines with a client, it’s almost like a Chopped in its own right, because it is challenging but rewarding at the same time.

Have you ever had a client that just wasn’t into a certain food, but then you were able to cook it in such a way that they would try it?

DS: Oh most definitely. I would have to use Mr. Combs as an example of a client that had a chosen palette, but I was able to transform things in a way where he would eat them. I’ve had several clients like that. It’s all in technique and how you can transform a dish and elevate it to a point where someone who may not eat this particular item, you transform it in such a way that they are willing to taste it and end up liking it.

It’s kind of rough to persuade someone to try something new when they’re used to doing things their way all of the time. I think food gives you that leverage where you can persuade and barter with people. I’ve been able to them to try things that they probably wouldn’t normally eat.

Have you found that sometimes you could tweak things you learned formally to make better processes for yourself and your cooking?

DS: Most definitely. For me, I think there is a big difference in cooking in a restaurant setting as opposed to cooking private. Cooking in private, you have a lot more room to play around with things, as opposed to a regimented menu that you have to stick by. There are technical Southern things and treatments that you may do with food, like when it comes to collard greens or slow cooking when you’re making short ribs. All of those things are a part of my elevation of soul food, and where I get “soul fusion” from.

One of the dishes on my menu is a Risotto Jambalaya, and that’s where the fusion comes in. Risotto is more Italian and Jambalaya is more Creole, so I’m able to put those two techniques together and really elevate soul food in a way where it’s still reminiscent of something you know when you think of soul food, but the techniques are different when you’re really elevating it and changing the dish and the face of soul food. That’s what I think my style is more like.

A recipe is a recipe, but when you change one or two ingredients you make it your own. For me, when I say the elevation of soul food and soul fusion, it’s really a blend of all of the techniques and all of the genres and backgrounds that I learned through traveling. I put them together with soul food and give you my interpretation.

I have a soul sushi dish that I do, but but they’re served where your brain would automatically go to sushi because of the look and the way that it’s plated. When you taste it, it’s very reminiscent of down home Southern; it’s just presented to you a little differently. I have several things that I do that way. My brain works kind of funny that way.

What are some items we can be sure to have on hand in the kitchen to make our meals a little healthier?

DS: Sweet potatoes. I think that they are delicious and you can transform them in many different ways. You can make sweet potato fries, you can bake it, you can smash them… I can think of four different ways off the top of my head. They’re really good for you. [CLICK HERE for some Sweet Potato recipes from Chef Saunders at Huffington Post]

Spinach. This should be a vegetable that you always have. You can sauté it, you can eat it raw, you can juice it, and it’s very universal.

Thyme. You can do a lot with that. It could go sweet or savory. Again, it’s something that is universal. You can use it in soups and stocks. You can use it in fish and in chicken. It’s an herb that you can put in almost anything that you have and it will elevate it to some point.

Green apples. I can just pick one up and eat it whole.

Skinless chicken breast – it’s lean!

Brown rice. If you keep that in the cabinet, you’ll never go hungry. Plenty of fiber.

Blueberries. They can be used for dessert, they are transformable, and you could even add them to savory sauces, which is a very French technique. They’re also full of antioxidants, which is good for you and your skin. They give you energy.

They’re also a part of Dr. Oz Garcia’s
Daily Boost drink, which is a mixture of cranberry,blueberry, acai, and strawberry – all of the different berry groups together, which is an antioxidant boost. It gives you energy. You can drink it by the shot or you can have it in a shake. It’s delightful and it tastes really good.

With Chopped, was there any misperception you had as to what being in a television competition was all about before you went in?

DS: Not at all. I think exactly what people saw is what it is. I go into TV knowing that people would always find me to be the underdog. And that’s fine, I like to be the quiet storm coming through, where you’re not sure what I can do – and once I start cooking, the proof is in the pudding. I kind of like that, and I expect that out of television and that’s exactly what I got. I was able to break the mold and break those misconceptions.

Women rock, and we can do our thing no matter how we look! I remember going to the network… and you know I wear jewelry and I like nice, designer things… so when I came up I had a Louis Vuitton bag and jewelry. I remember one of the producers saying, “You’re a chef?! Wait, you have a manicure!” Well, I like to look nice outside of work and I don’t want my hands to look beat up so I get manicures.

Either way they totally discounted me on Chopped, which I knew would be the case. Then once I cooked, they were like, “You’re kind of badass!” It was just so funny. All of those things that I thought about TV were exactly what I thought that they would be. Again, I like to break molds and make you think about what I’m going to do, and keep you wondering and I did that.

Was the competition stressful?

DS: Yes it was very, very stressful, but fun at the same time. I think that days are very long when you do TV. That takes a lot to get used to. When I’m cooking, I’m in my comfort zone. I’m good with time, and I work good under pressure. The part of the competition caused the least amount of stress for me.

The stressful part was waiting to see who would get chopped. Waiting for the results was the hardest part for me. Cooking and being able to speak on television and being interviewed, I’m totally comfortable with that.

What do you have coming up next career-wise?

DS: I’m actually working on my book. It’s a book that is geared towards the misconceptions of soul food. I don’t have a definitive title of it yet, but I am working on a publishing deal. I’m also in works with Anthony Mackie, we’re supposed to be filming a project together.

In addition to that, I’ve recently been certified by Dr. Oz Garcia, who is a world renowned nutritionist and life extension specialist. I’ve lost 40 pounds on a diet that he promotes called Eat Right for Your Blood Type, so I’m promoting that. I’m a living witness that it works, and it’s amazing how your body just tells you what it wants and what you should have. It’s really crazy.

I recently opened up a juice bar in Englewood, New Jersey called The Market Place, where I’m featuring juice combinations. We’re directly across the street from a 27,000 square foot gym. I’m promoting health through food and juicing, and letting people know that you don’t have to eat a bunch of pork-induced food in order for it to taste good. I want to really clear up the misconceptions about soul food and just good food period.

I also give back to the children. That’s my other platform, teaching kids that eating healthy is important and it starts a very young age. That’s a big misconception in our community. We feel because it’s a $6 meal at McDonald’s or wherever that it’s healthy and good. We eat in the restraints of what we can pay for.

I’m here to show that there are other options, that we can eat healthy and not pay a million bucks for it. There are ways we can cut corners and still get good, nutritious meals without eating the junk that we normally consume. Working out is obviously a plus, but I would say at least 70% of it is what you put in your mouth, and what and when you consume it. We don’t realize it because we’re on the go.

That’s why I have two major salads in the store right now that can go for any of the four blood types, so it’s convenient, it’s quick, and it’s healthy. I’m excited about it and I’m so blessed to be here and I’m very happy to see where it could go. I’m psyched to see where it’s going to take me.

I’ve gotten a huge following via Twitter and Facebook, people emailing me saying that I’m an inspiration. That encourages me to really do more and really break molds. I’ll do whatever it is I have to do. On Chopped, I’m the first African American woman to win the competition.

I’m just really excited to see what all it can bring and whoever I can help or touch, and show that we can do this and we can eat soul food and be healthy. Your body really talks to you, and once I learned what I can and cannot have, it’s just like, “Whoa, I didn’t like having this stuff anyway.” It’s a no-brainer and it just makes sense.

Find out more about Chef Danielle Saunders on her About Me page and the Facebook page for The Market Place, and follow her on Twitter @DanielleTheChef

By: Dove
*photos courtesy of GrubStreet
—
As a New York resident of nearly eight years, I’ve done my best to venture into the concrete jungle in search of new restaurants to enjoy. However, I’m most definitely a creature of habit, and once I find a good spot, they tend to see me time and time again. Thankfully, I finally invested in a VIP ticket to New York Magazine‘s annual “Taste” so that I could get a better feel for what I’ve been missing.

Taste: A World of Flavors, which took place on Monday, November 7, 2011 at Skylight Studio in SoHo, was presented by HSBC and sponsored by a plethora of fancy brands. When I tell you the amazing gift bag weight at least 30 pounds, I can’t possibly be exaggerating. At least in heels it felt that way!

The most important part of the evening to note is that proceeds from the event go to benefit City Harvest. The New York-based organization partners with numerous restaurants and world-renowned chefs, creating programs to help end hunger in the NYC area.

We don’t need to preach to you, but hunger in America is still on the rise, with a sharp increase in just the past four years. Check the stats from the most recent Center for American Progress study to see for yourself! And New Yorkers, you can find more specific (and staggering) numbers on New York’s hunger problem on the City Harvest site.

That said, it felt good to give back on Monday night while finding out some exciting restaurants to enjoy. The open bar was sponsored by Spring 44 Spirits, and they were gracious enough to provide us with recipes for the drinks. I’ve included two of my favorites below!

And at last, here are my personal Top 7 favorite bites from the Taste – and you can bet I’ll be visiting these restaurants soon!  If you were in attendance and had some of your own personal favorites, please share with us in the comment section below!

1. Toloache’s Tacos Koreanos by Julian Medina – ToloacheNYC.com

These little gems were prepared with braised brisket, and seasoned with ginger, Chile de arbol, kimchi and Mezcal crema. I nearly teared up on the first bite, not because of the wildly spicy sauce, but because the overall flavor was just so magnificent. Walking through the venue, I heard people beaming left and right about the tacos. Simply amazing!

2. TIE: Gramercy Tavern’s Pumpkin and Gingerbread Spiced Truffles by Nancy Olson and Francois Payard Bakery’s Tour du Monde Macaroons by Francois Payard – GramercyTavern.com | FPBnyc.com

It’s difficult to choose here. The handmade truffle from Gramercy Tavern (yes, tavern!) was absolutely to die for – they were everything I love about the holidays in one little nugget… just lovely.

Then over to FP Bakery’s macaroon table… I don’t think you could go wrong with these, but their inventive flavors were divine! My favorites were the gingerbread, salted caramel and chocolate with cocoa nibs.

3. Morimoto’s Yellowtail Pastrami Slider by Masaharu Morimoto – MorimotoNYC.com

I don’t know what goes in to making a pastrami out of tuna, nor do I understand what “Tobanjan Aioli” is, but Chef Morimoto’s little sliders were just magnificent!

4. Benoit’s Beef Short Ribs Parmentier by Philippe Bertineau – BenoitNY.com

As with any comfort food, the real secret too cooking a perfect short rib dish is in the seasoning. Benoit’s booth had a simple presentation with creamy mashed potatoes on top, and mouth-watering beef underneath prepared with Chateau Croix Mouton Bordeaux Superieur 2008. I’m no wine expert, but it was tasty. Not to mention, Chef Bertineau and his team were the most charming of the evening.

5. Qi Bangkok Eatery’s Tuna Tartare by Pichet Ong – QiRestaurant.com

If you’re a fan of tuna tartare, you probably have your mind made up on flavors that work together. Qi added a little spice to the mix with avacado, Asian mayo, wasabi, tobiko, red onions and scallions. Yum!

6. Hill Country Barbecue Market’s Smoked Texas Tenderloin with Skillet Cornbread by Elizabeth Karmel – HillCountryNY.com

The Hill Country bite was something I could have gone back for a few times, but I figured filling up on cornbread would defeat the purpose of being at this event. Chef Karmel’s North Carolina roots shone through on this dish – sweet, savory, sticky and scrumptious!

7. Red Rooster’s Shrimp Escovitch by Marcus Samuelsson – RedRoosterHarlem.com

I didn’t expect to like this, since the ingredients (pickled vegetables, sea urchin sauce and caviar) all made me crinkle my nose immediately. But I really want to like Red Rooster, given that I live right around the corner, so I gave it a shot – and what  a nice surprise! The flavors were vibrant without being overpowering, and I enjoyed it much more than what I’d ordered at the restaurant in the past. So I’m going back and looking for this!

And here are recipes for my two favorite drinks from the event, made with Spring44 Spirits:

Rocky Mountain Botanical
1-1/2oz Spring44 Gin
1/2oz Aperol
1/2oz Velvet Falernum
2oz Fresh Grapefruit Juice
1/4oz Fresh lemon juice
Garnish: Grapefruit twist
Prep: Place all ingredients in mixing glass and shake w/ ice. Strain into glass over new ice.

Pearls of Fall
1-3/4oz Spring44 Gin
1/4oz St. Germain
1oz Jasmine Green Tea
1/3oz Agave nectar
1/2oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4oz Pear Puree
Garnish: Pear Slice
Prep: Place all ingredients in mixing glass and shake w/ ice. Strain into martini glass.

For photos of these dishes and many more, click here to check out Grub Street’s beautiful slideshow!

Find out more about the New York Magazine Taste at NYMag.com/Taste and follow them on Twitter @NYMag and @NYMtaste

To find out more about City Harvest and how you can help this holiday season and beyond, go to CityHarvest.org