Shoe Porn: Puma World Cup JB2010

PUMA are proud sponsors of African football, with the brand kitting out twelve African national teams, of which four will take to the pitch at this year’s World Cup in South Africa. With the final to be played in Johannesburg, Puma have created the JB2010 boot to mark the history making occasion. With a white pair repping the pride of Ghana, and the black pair doing it for the ‘Indomitable Lions’ of Cameroon, these Afro ballers are available now from Flauge.

Metropalife Radio Episode 21

Another super hot episode of Metropalife Radio featuring some of Kansas City's dopest hip hop artist. We have music from Reach, Smoov Confusion, Deuce Fontaine, Tech N9NE, Ces Cru, Approach, and more! Check it out and enjoy!

Party Party Party: Metropalife Presents Block Block Party

You know what time it is, its another super dope party hosted by Metropalife. Every Thursday its going to be on and poppin, here is the run down. First we are going to start the festivities early, starting at 6pm -7pm we have "the Power Hour" $10 bottomless cups on wells and domestics, then from 7pm-10pm we have 2 for 1 drink specials. We will be spinning the best of Kansas City Hip Hop outside, so come and enjoy the weather and the vibe. Then leave come back for round two to get down upstairs with Dj Rockwell. He will be spinning all the jams that make you move and sweat it all out! Its going to a workout! Come out, bring your dancing shoes,and be prepared to have a blast! We will see you all there!

See Jane Travel

Long time no see! I know it’s been awhile, but yes, I’ve been traveling and I’ve just gotten a moment to sit down and write up a posting for all ya’ll out there in Metropalife land. This recent trip has taken me transcontinental to the city of angels, Los Angeles, where I ran the 2010 Los Angeles Marathon. This was my second LA marathon (holler runners!) and one of my many many visits to LA, simply because I love the west coast oh so much. Really, if the sun came out here as much it does in Los Angeles, the citizens of New York City would be a way happier bunch. But I digress. Anyways, I spent nine days on the southern coast of California exploring LA, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties, hitting up many restaurants, beaches, and deserts along the way. Allow me to elaborate on the highlights:
First Stop – Los Angeles
I arrived in LA on a Friday night and immediately hit up my favorite restaurant, Real Food Daily, to refuel after the six hour flight. RFD is on the vegetarian tip, offering extremely healthy eats suitable enough for both the vegan and omnivore in your life. They not only serve up hearty salads, pizza, and burritos, but RFD also boasts a huge organic juice bar featuring such drinks as the “red head” (beet, carrot, celery, apple), and the “mutt” (lil bit of everything). Sweet teeth, fear not! Real Food Daily has a dessert menu that changes monthly, though the vegan chocolate fudge brownies and oatmeal raisin cookies remain constant staples. In fact, while I waited for my bbq tofu salad, I munched on one of the aforementioned cookies, and it was amazing – moist, chewy, perfectly sweetened. All together, it took the kitchen less than 15 minutes to finish my order on a busy Friday night, and in LaLa land, that’s fast. One last positive among the many: The Santa Monica location is a 5 minute walk to the beach. Can’t beat that!
Real Food Daily
514 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90401
414 N. La Cienaga Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048
Telephone: 310.451.7544 (Santa Monica); 310.289.9910 (West Hollywood)
Web: http://www.realfood.com
Venice, CA

Another west side favorite of mine is Venice, home of Venice Beach, John Frusciante, and the illest Italian restaurant, C&O Trattoria, located on Washington Avenue just one block from the water. This spot is ALWAYS poppin, mainly because the food and atmosphere are both so good. If you’re looking for a lively happy hour, C&O is your spot. If you’re looking for excellent service, again, you got it in C&O. The servers are all beautiful (wannabe actors, obviously), and they often come out and perform in the dining room to liven up the vibe, which is already in party mode. Two words are most associated with this restaurant – garlic.knots. They are 1. The most delicious things you’ve ever tasted, and 2. Unlimited! I ordered take out, which is also a popular option for those who want the good eats on the run. I didn’t see what I wanted on the menu, but a manager worked his magic and had the kitchen whip up two orders of gnocchi with marinara sauce to go. How nice! While I waited, servers offered me some of those mouth watering garlic knots and I couldn’t resist. Within 10 minutes, I was out the door and in my car which was illegally parked on Washington. Oops!
C&O Trattoria
31 Washington Boulevard, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
Telephone: 310.823.9491
Web: http://www.cotrattoria.com

Also in Venice is the recently opened Venice Beach Skate Park, a 16,000 square foot facility just north of Ocean Front Walk. It’s open to the public and features rails, ramps, and a big bowl made to resemble the empty pools of 1970s Dogtown, the root of southern California skateboarding. I went to go check it out on a Saturday afternoon, and the area was packed with both skaters and spectators alike. A lot of visitors were people watching, others were taking pictures, yet everyone was cheering for the riders who took on the challenge of the park. Though it’s free to the general public, the park seemed to host only experienced riders, so my advice would be to practice your moves before you step in.
Venice Beach Skate Park
1800 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291
Web: http://venicebeachskatepark.ning.com/
Joshua Tree & Palm Springs, CA

Mid-week, I decided to shake things up a bit and take a hike outside of LA county, quite literally. I traveled to Joshua Tree National Park, which encompasses both the Mojave and Colorado deserts, and set up camp in Jumbo Rock. And this was for-real camping with a tent and a camp fire and everything. No motor homes for me. I don’t mess around. During the day, I hiked up Keys View, which overlooks the Coachella Valley (home of Coachella Music Festival), and took in the beautiful scene. One would think that desert life is rather desolate, but it’s quite the opposite. The park was busy with campers and hikers from all around, observing the jaw-dropping rock formations, cacti, and of course, the thousands of joshua trees that dot the entire park. For those of you interested in visiting, I would recommend the 1.5 mile hike up Ryan Mountain, which reaches an elevation of 1,000 feet. Also, head up to Keys View at dusk to see the sun set over the San Bernardino Mountains. Gorgeous!
Web: http://www.nps.gov/jotr/index.htm

After the desert, I needed two things – a shower and a pool. So I checked into the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs to cross both items off my list. In a city best known for golf courses and Bob Hope, the Ace Hotel stands out as a haven for the young and hip. Its rooms are equipped with vintage turn tables and vinyl records (A Tijuana Brass Band album was in my room), flat panel televisions, and outdoor fire pits that light up with the press of a button. Two swimming pools, a huge warehouse-style game room, and a diner also make up most of the grounds. The best part - the hotel is dog friendly! Feel free to bring your pooch to the Ace’s own dog park, a small fenced-in grassy knoll for your little Rover to run free.
Ace Hotel & Swim Club
701 East Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92264
Telephone: 760.325.9900
Web: http://www.acehotel.com
There’s my trip in an extremely small nutshell! Questions? Suggestions? Feel free to hit me up at JaneDubz@gmail.com. I’d love to hear from you!

Way Back Play Back: 500 Years Later

At Metropalife we like to have fun, we are always in a pursuit of happiness, but at the same time we are always in the pursuit of truth as well. This is a film we have shown before but, we would like to play it again because the information in the documentary is so valuable. We as a people cannot move forward if we don't know where we came from. After visiting Ghana last summer and touring the different slave fortresses it really open my eyes to the African holocaust. I became more and more interested in the African diaspora and our contributions/sacrifices to the world. The Africans taken from their homelands helped to build the great wealth that the western countries still enjoy today. But yet as Africans we are still on the bottom of the totem poll as it were when it comes to financial strength. Why is that, what do we as people need to do to change this? In the documentary "500 Years Later", it focuses on the African holocaust and where we are 500 years later because of this historical tragedy. I posted this up to help give some extra insight in the history of African diaspora, in hopes that it may bring people closer to the truth, to teach, and maybe help change people for the better.
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Metropalife Radio Episode 20

Super hot new episode of Metropalife Radio with guest host Miles Bonny

Shoe Porn: Air Jordan 7 Bordeaux

Here is an oldie but goodie, a rare find if you have a pair of these Jays than consider yourself lucky. These Bordeaux Jordans 7s have never been retroed, these beauties dropped in February of 1991 and retailed for $125 ouch! When you see them at first, they look just like a simple black and gray colorway over a futuristic silhouette, but there is more than meets the eye. The tongue of the shoe, the heel and the bottoms have a multi-colored pattern. the whole shoe was model after an African art poster that Jordan brand mastermind Tinker Hatfield purchased. If and when these shoes are re released sneakers fan will go bananas for these kicks!

Way Back Play Back: The Harder They Come

Here is a super cool old school Way Back Play Back movie from the early 70's the Jamaican cult classic "The Harder They Come" starring Jimmy Cliff. Written by legendary screen writers Perry Henzell and Trevor D. Rhone, the movie is a story of a young man named" Ivanhoe Martin" down on his luck, and trying to make it in the hard streets of Kingston, Jamaica. He is trying to find a job and way to eat in the crazy concrete jungle, by any means necessary. He tries to get any job he can get and finally decides to try his hand at singing Reggae. Ivanhoe Martin cuts a record, but then sells the rights to his song for only $20. So now he is back where he started with little money and only a dream to become famous. With the thought of fame and money only in his head, he is succumbed by other means to achieve it, whether it be drug smuggling, or shooting and killing his way to the top! Its a potential good situation gone incredibly bad! Classic flick, peep it out and enjoy!


The final scene link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kZ6j0wHbzI&feature=related

Metropalife Radio Episode 19

New Metropalife Radio Episdoe 19 up and Ready to play with music from Steddy P, Ces Cru, Smoov Confusion, Approach, and Project Monkz and Qofi Menza from Ghana. Good underground hip hop from all around on this episode check it out!

Party Party Party: Classic Party

You know what time it is, its another super dope "Classic" party hosted by Metropalife. Next thursday its going to be on and poppin at Gusto Lounge, here is the run down. First we are going to start the festivities early, starting at 6pm -7pm we have "the Power Hour" $10 bottomless cups on wells and domestics, then from 7pm-10pm we have 2 for 1 drink specials and then after that its time to get down upstairs with Dj Marcus Shadden playing all the "Classic jams" that make you move. Also its Marcus's birthday so he will be out in rare form this night! Its going to be amazing, a full night of fun and mayhem!! See you all there!!

Shoe Porn:SB Dunk Low Larry Perkins/Chirping Birds

The other day I went to my favorite skate shop in Kansas City "Escapist", and I stumbled upon some dope kicks to cruise or skate in, the SB Larry Perkins Chirping Birds. They caught my eye not cause of the exotic colorway or dope design, but because of the black denim fabric and the plush fur interior. They are more like a nice coat than a shoe, crazy! Plus the shoes have a button on the tongue that makes a telephone ring tone, who thinks of this stuff! You can find these and more at the Zona Rosa location in Kansas City or you can check out their new location downtown 405 Southwest Blvd. Kansas City Missouri opening up in a week.

Way Back Play Back: Bob Marley Rebel Music

This is one of my favorite documentaries, I'm a big Bob Marley fan from way back. If you are a Marley fan and or like reggae than you will surely love this film "Rebel Music" on the life and times of Bob Marley. This is an excellent film full of information on everything you wanted to know about the reggae legend, his music, his family, his liaisons with other women the whole nine yards. Check it out I know you will enjoy this one. Side note this movie is in parts so please follow the parts to watch the whole movie.

Metropalife Radio Episode 18

Another super hot episode of Metropalife Radio playing nothing but the best of Kansas City Hip Hop

Shoe Porn: Baby Jordan 1's Blue and Red

So this weekend my son fell and hit his head pretty good but fortunately he is ok. He had to get a few stitches, might have a scar and a story to tell, but other than that he will be alright. Well Grandma wants to make sure my son feels better, and knowing the big shoe junkies we all are, she picked him up a few pairs of shoes for him. She picked up some Nike Shocks, some regular Nike kick around joints and some Nike Air Jordan 1s Blue and Red, mind you the boy is two, but he still likes to keep his shoe game tight! Peep these joints.