May Newsletter
Candalada
The Story of Daria Finley The Most Inspiring Client I Ever Met
I hope you enjoyed getting to learn more about Daria. To add some context to the story during our off air discussion Daria shared that she currently holds a leadership role at a government agency. She was able to attend The School of the Blind in Richmond because employees donated over 600 hours of their time. Some of which she didn’t even know. Allowing her to have six months to learn and adapt to her new lifestyle.
Daria bought the house that we interviewed in after she became unsighted and brought a trusted friend to help describe the house to her. The sounds that you hear in the background are her mother and her mother’s nurse. Her mom has been diagnosed with dementia and Daria employs a full-time nurse to assist her. She also assists in being a caretaker for her mom who has recently lost her leg and is recovering from such a drastic life change.
Daria is calm and positive. Issa was the producer of this interview, warning that if I sit too close he couldn’t see the top go my hair. He said the most valuable thing he learned is how a blind person counts money.
After the interview Daria went to Home Depot to buy a birdhouse for her garden so she can enjoy the sounds of birds outside of the window. She reminded me that healing is a process that takes far longer than acceptance.
To keep informed of her upcoming projects and the next show date for her one-woman show, “Lights Out” or to follow her on social media visit her website.
Movie Reviews and Recommendations
The ratings below reflect how good the movie is for the genre it’s in. I am using a scale of 1-5. Five (5) representing excellence, three (3) okay and one (1) trash. The category legend is as follows:
(S) Superhero
(L) Love or Comedy
(ST) Story/Biopic
(A) Action/Thriller or Mystery
Clicking the title of the movie will redirect you to the trailer for the movie.
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 - PARABELLUM (A) : Rating 4.5 - The movie was full of action. The directors used the most creative ways to kill people on screen since the movie “Final Destination”. Some of the fighting scenes dragged on and seemed to be going in slow motion towards the middle and the end. I was a fan of the dry humor used throughout the movie. I was not a fan of some of the corny lines in really important parts of the movie as well as obvious green screen work in the desert scenes. The high table they reference in the movie reminds me of our current government. Just seeing Halle Berry’s cute face honestly makes everything worth it. How can one person be beautiful for 30 plus years? The bonus is she isn’t in a prissy role and she was dressed to kill.
THE HUSTLE (C) : Rating 4 - Pure comedic relief. I am talking pure nonsense to fullest but not over the top. The sets in the movies are phenomenal: the house overlooking the ocean, vaulted ceilings, marble floors; the fashion was truly luxurious. Anne Hathaway was giving us an extension of her wardrobe from her “Devil Wears Prada” days. The deepest part of the movie was the moment they took to show that stereotypical beauty just sometimes isn’t enough. It doesn’t capture every person’s heart.
THE INTRUDER (A) : Rating 4.2 - I know! How many times can they make a movie like this?! The answer is infinity, but they did a good job. It was nice to see some familiar faces from TV on screen. I loved the music in the transitional scenes and the scary music throughout the movie. I don’t know who dressed Megan however, they made sure she was extra sexy in every scene, even when she was just supposed to be home chilling in oversized clothes they managed to show some bra straps or something. Just hearing Tank in the background of the first love scene…I wanted to scream. Let me focus — it was a thriller — Denis Quaid (Charlie) was crazy and there was proper illustration of plot development. Everyone can relate to the real life issues around text versus calling.
AVENGERS: ENDGAME (S) : Rating 5 - The rating for this should be the surprised face emoji. They covered EVERYTHING; there is NOTHING else left to say. THE END. I will be so annoyed if they try to find another way to go any further with this storyline. I had so many emotions, similar to how I felt in the war scene during “Aqua Man” and the war scenes in Season,8 Episode 3 of “Game of Thrones”. You can’t help but be on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen and how it applies to whatever demands you currently are battling in life. It’s long as shit but it doesn’t feel long when you are watching it. So just catch an early show (like 6pm or 7pm) and eat a full meal before you go so you are not distracted. You will miss out if you go to the concession stand in the middle of this movie.
SHAZAM! (S) : Rating 4 - Admittedly I didn't want to go and see this. This was a Prince Issa selection. The movie had more layers than I expected. The deepest moments explored the relationships that children have with their parents and parental figures. Underlying questions: What shapes the acceptance of a failed relationship with a parent and how does one make room for new relationships? What makes a good sibling and why is team work necessary? What are there challenges of having a physical disability? How to deal with bullies in school? Seeing these issues addressed in conjunction with humor and some real violence leads me to the conclusion that it is a good pre-teen movie. Also, look out for surprise cameos. I can’t believe I liked this movie.
LITTLE (C) : Rating 4.3 - This movie was undeniably funny. Anyone with a job will enjoy it because so many people have bosses that can not manage their expectations. My favorite aspect of the movie were the kid actors because they reminded me of being young. Since I watch so many shows and listen to music non-stop, I liked seeing the guy from “This Is Us” and Luke James. Regina Hall was a great tyrant lol. However, I didn’t care for her fashion in the movie. Her car though! I’ll take the car.
ASBURY PARK RIOT REDEMPTION AND ROCK AND ROLL (ST) : Rating 4 - This limited release documentary had an exclusive one day viewing, Wednesday May 22, 2019, at 7pm . For reasons unknown the volume in some parts of the movie were very loud. In the documentary they used the word Asbury Park a minimum of a million times. Those were the only two things that bothered me. The story about the history of Asbury Park and the division of the neighborhoods, basically the East and the West. They reflected on how musicians of both races bonded through practicing and later birthed a new style of music. Bruce Springsteen and various other legendary musicians narrated the story. Bruce told the story of how the original band members of the E Band came to be. They showed the impact of the riots which was devastating. The most hurtful fact I learned was about the history of Chicken Beach, a beach for colored families where sewage let out. The most inspiring thing I learned about was the Lakehouse Academy Music Academy and its students, currently located in Asbury Park.
The Water Experiment: Purified Water vs. Spring Water
How much do you really know about water? Do you just buy what is on sale? I learned some things. Let me show you what I found.
Exploring The St. James: An Elaborate All Inclusive Facility in Springfield, Virginia
Have you been to the St. James ? If not make your way there. They have something for everyone. This brand new huge facility is only 15 minutes away from Woodbridge. In addition to a spa, basketball, swimming pool and soccer field it houses Super Awesome and Amazing , a space where children can play by the hour, host birthdays or enjoy an indoor waterpark.
Dining at the St. James: Vim& Victor
Vim and Victor is at the front of the St. James. You do not have to be a member to dine there. The space has the cafe to the right and the restautrant to the left. You can immediately place orders for pre-made food, pastries and Grab & Go options, you can request to be seated and dine-in on the restaurant side. The windows are ceiling to floor, offering lots of light.
Private Chef Carol
Excited to announce that my cousin, has moved here from Brooklyn, New York and brought her culinary talents with her. She is a Guyanese native and can cook South American and Caribbean food, as well as American cuisine. She is available for hosting private dinner parties and special events. We are a blessed family since we get to taste her prototype recipes. These are some items she whipped up to celebrate my little cousin’s birthday early May. Follow her new chef page on IG @yumcaterer.
Wait, there is more! Look at these mouth-watering custom milkshake glasses Chef Carol made for a kid party this past Memorial Day.
New Founding Farmers at Reston Station
You may have been to Founding Farmers in DC. The food is good, however, there is a lot of traffic heading that way and parking is terrible. The newest location in Reston validates parking if your stay doesn’t exceed three hours and offers valet parking for under five dollars! It also has beautiful displays of unique art installations all around the restaurant. My favorite was the wall of flowers. Special thank you to Hair Therapy Member Mrs. Jackson for this lunch date invite.
Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap Full Review & Update
In January 2018 Newsletter I wrote an article about how Dr. Bronner soap saved my face that experience included a select few Dr. Bronner soaps. Since then, I have been using the castile soap for my body wash. I have had a chance to try them ALL and this is what I think.
Peppermint: It is tingly and refreshing until it hits your private parts. Your butt and crotch will literally be on fire. A little too much for me.
Unscented: Just feels like nothing is happening. Somehow the lack of scent bothers me. This is one is probably is perfect for babies but I used it on myself and I felt so blah. Am I clean? I’m not sure …NEXT!
Lavender: Lavender is my sister’s favorite. It smells amazing but I found its moisturizing properties to be lacking.
Almond: The only soap of all of them that also works on my face and body. It is just the perfect balance for me. It doesn’t leave me extremely dry and the scent is mild.
Citrus: Citrus comes in travel size at Target. I found myself mixing it with the Tea Tree sugar soap as my secret ingredient for bad break outs or sometimes just using a drop of it after my everyday almond wash. I feel like it is not strong enough alone.
Tea Tree: I thought it was cool until I discovered almond. It was the second one I ever tried. It was much milder than Eucalyptus. I was content with it not making my skin feel dry until I found almond which offered me more moisture.
Rose: Smells good but it is thin as water. Just flies out the bottle! The big bottle was down within the week because I could not get it together.
Eucalyptus: So powerful all I can say is DILUTE or you will be dry as a chip. Probably a good one for boys that play in mud and if you sweat a lot in the gym.
One day at The Natural Grocery store next to Paul Mitchell in Woodbridge, I saw the Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner on the shelf. Not sure how great it is but until that day I only saw it on the Dr. Bronner website.
Candalada’s Most Simply Amazing Best Purchases
I know I’m not Oprah, but I still went ahead and compiled a list of Simply Amazing Best Purchases. The list is eclectic.
1. Baby Brush
I bought this brush years ago, it is old and worn out but you can get a brand new one at Beauty 4 U. I am aware they have the toothbrush method and other styles new mini brushes. This particular brush has just been a lifesaver for me. It Is great for when I need brush my undercut and the front of my hair. I love it.
2. Timberlands: Femmes
I was not sure about this sneaker Timberland combo. I feel like they did their research and questioned, “How do we appeal to all the ladies that are 30 and up and get them to wear Timberlands again?” and this is what they came up with. The “Femmes”. On first sight I thought it was cute. When I tried them on the soft sole on the inside felt so nice on my feet. Growing up I owned one pair of the original Timberlands also known as the “Butters”. They were so heavy and clunky for my skinny little legs. In high school I was a fan of the field boot. I had several colors. I liked the round front and they were much lighter but the sole was still hard. The soft sole retained the plush feeling all winter. I didn’t slip and fall and my foot was protected. I will be getting another pair next winter. I ended up doing construction work in these they look good considering what I put them through.
3. Tech21 Drop Protection iPhone Max case
The Tech 21 cast was a gift from a friend. I had an Otter Box, it was so big and clunky. I had a Lifeproof and no one could hear anything I was saying. This Tech21 case looks super simple, like it could possibly be a five dollar holla case. This case saved my life when I ever so recklessly left my phone on my lap and got out of the car. I watched my phone do the slow motion fall to the ground and of course land face first. I was positive that I would pick it up and see a cracked screen but my phone was undamaged thank to my case.
4. Seventh Generation free and clear Dish Soap
I have used other natural soaps and with them it seemed like I had to use the entire bottle just to clean one dish. This soap cuts through grease and food with ease. I consider it a great natural replacement for Dawn lovers.
Hair Therapy Kids Model The Perfect Head Tie
PrinceIssa and Little Miss Kennedie
Preserving kid styles all summer long. To see more new images visit www.theperfectheadtie.com.
Child Care for Children in Woodbridge and Maryland
Patrice Young
