april: watch, read, see, listen do

Spring is finally here! Check out the un’ruly staff’s top picks of things to watch, read, see, listen and do (WRSLD) in April!

watch

Über producer, Tyler Perry is at it again with his latest and greatest, “Temptations: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor” starring Jurnee Smollet, Brandy and Lance Gross. After watching the trailer, we’re actually super-excited for this one!! Check it out here. What’s more, we’re extremely happy to see Perry move away from his slapstick Madea type-films to more serious work like his very successful “Why Did I Get Married?” “Confessions” is now in theaters.
We CANNOT contain our excitement for season 6 of the critically acclaimed AMC drama, “Mad Men” which premiers on Sunday, April 7^th. What’s more, they’re giving us not one, but TWO hours to fully catch us up on what the kind folks at Sterling, Cooper, Draper Price (well Lane’s dead now) have been up to! Be sure to tune in. Check local listings for times.
Lena Dunham – creator, writer, director and star of HBOs “Girls” is bigger than God right now; after figuring out how to cleverly tap into the consciousness of awkward 20-something year old girls everywhere. That said, we’ve finally caught on to the phenom that is Issa Rae and her hilariously relatable web series, “The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl” which like, Dunham, she produces, directs and writes. We like to think of Awkward Black Girl as our version of “Girls”. You know, like FUBU (for us, by us). Anyway, be sure to catch ALL full episodes here: AwkwardBlackGirl.com/episodes

Keeping with this month’s theme of “Journey,” we thought we’d recommend celebrated fashion designer, Tom Ford’s larger-than-life coffee table book “Tom Ford” (Rizzoli). Upon the heels of his recent announcement that he’s leaving fashion to focus on directing feature films, we thought it fitting to take a look at how he transformed Gucci from a moribund accessories label into one of the sexiest fashion brands in the world. Ford’s work for both Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent from 1994 to 2004 is a testament to a career of singular moments reinventing the boundaries of style and sensuality in clothing.
Last month, the literary world, lost a great voice, Nigerian author, Chinua Achebe. In light of the celebrated author’s death, we recommend you pick up his globally acclaimed tome, “Things Fall Apart” (William Heinemann Ltd.) which has been part of required reading lists in high schools and colleges across the country for years. The two tales told in the novel are informed by an awareness capable of encompassing at once the life of nature, human history, and the mysterious compulsions of the soul.

Alicia Keys in Concert! Miss Alicia Keys plans on setting the world on fire as she heads out on her aptly titled “Set the World on Fire” tour. We hear tickets are going fast so be sure to check TicketMaster.com for dates and ticket availability. She’ll be playing in New York City on April 5^th at Brooklyn’s Barclay’s Center and on April 11^th at Madison Square Garden. So excited!
This month, be sure to head out to Coachella – a music festival held every year in California where hipsters, celebs and serious music heads converge. Acts we’re excited to see include Janelle Monae and 2 Chainz (who’ll be performing on April 13^th) as well as the Wu-Tang Clan, Vampire Weekend and Red Hot Chili Peppers, who’ll all perform between April 14 – April 21^st.

When it comes to new sounds, we’re really enjoying something we’d like to call a Neo-Afro British invasion! In heavy rotation on our iPods this month are the rich vocals of British songbird, Lianne La Havas. She reminds us of a cross between Joss Stone and Alice Smith but also has a distinct and original style all her own. Tracks we’re really digging include: “Lost & Found” and “Don’t Wake Me Up”. Her album, “Is Your Love Big Enough?” is available on iTunes.
Another U.K. favorite is emerging singer/songwriter Michael Kiwanuka of Ugandan heritage. We describe his sound as being a more folksy, black John Mayer (if that’s even possible considering John Mayer is pretty soulful already). Pick up his debut album “Home Again” – you’ll be so glad you did! Our favorite tracks include: “Bones”, “Always Waiting”, “I’m Getting Ready” and “Tell Me a Tale”.

Try a salad in a jar! We jumped on the bandwagon last month and love being able to plan out a different salad a day for the week ahead. Saves us so much time, not to mention they’re super convenient. Be sure to get a wide mouth mason jar so you can eat right from the jar when you’re on the go! Perfect for spring/summer picnics too!
Preserve your Sexy… We’re all about a healthy lifestyle and staying fit, so naturally we love Black Girls RUN! – an organization born out of a mission to help tackle the growing obesity epidemic in the African-American community. This year is their first annual “Black Girls RUN! Preserve the Sexy Tour.” It started back in January, and travels to cities in the “Stroke Belt” that have some of the highest obesity rates in the United State. To sign up for the “Preserve your Sexy Tour” visit: BlackGirlsRun.com Get it right and get it tight, ladies!