By Doshka Harvey

By Doshka Harvey

By Claudine Paul

Singer/Songwriter Seal's new release, Commitment, relinquishes the reflective tone of his 2008 studio release Soul, and is driven by more of a pop flair.  Given that it is produced by master producer David Foster (Josh Groban, Michael Jackson, Michael Buble, etc.), prominent and outlandish orchestral arrangements with light late 70's and 80's pop harmonizations are referenced here that perfectly complements the rich texture of Seal's vocals.  Standout tracks like "Weight of My Mistakes," "All For Love," "I Know What You Did" makes Seal's Commitment a 2010 adult contemporary gem.

By Doshka Harvey

The folks at Calvin Klein continue to be fashion forward, or in this case, underwear forward with their X Elements collection.

The campaign features Kellan Lutz, Fernando Verdasco, Mechad Brooks, and Hidetoshi Nakata.

Calvin Klein X Underwear:  Elements is available in four different versions - Fire, Water, Earth, and Air.

Kellan Lutz

Fernando Verdasco, Mechad Brooks, Hidetoshi Nakata

Images courtesy of LBI

By Doshka Harvey

Elle will be celebrating its 25th anniversary this October.  In the following video interview with Mediabistro's Media Beat the dynamic editor-in-chief Robbie Myers briefly discusses the launch of the magazine's iPad app, the twenty-five covers for their upcoming issue, and what it takes to be an Elle fashion reporter.

By Doshka Harvey

It's Thursday and I am in the mood for some blog lovin'.

Sans Artifice captures the backstage action at the FNO (Fashion Night Out) Show in black and white photos.

Everything She Wants was enchanted by the Monique Lhuillier fashion show this season (NY Spring/Summer 2011).

eye4style tells us about Bali's chic intimate wear - the seamless Torset Top.

Enjoy!

By Doshka Harvey

Come flow down through Harvey River, in the parish of Hanover (Jamaica) as Lorna Goodison explores the life of her mother Doris Harvey Goodison; her mother's family and a river by the same last name.  From Harvey River: A Memoir of My Mother and Her Island (Amistad, hardcover $24.95, ISBN: 978-0-06-133755-0) is an enchanting recounting and re-imagining of a strong family, whom despite disagreements and disappointments, through the generations always managed to see the bigger picture of how important kin is.

Harvey River was named by Doris' English grandfather, William Harvey.  It was where Doris and her brothers and sisters grew up (8 in total, including Doris). The river played a poignant role in the life of the Harvey family; even after all 8 siblings dispersed to live their own lives in the big city of Kingston to as far as Montreal, Canada.  If you also knew the tales of Harvey River or once called it your home, no matter where you traveled to in the world, you too would want to go back. You would go back to swim in its clean and cool waters. You would go back to let the river carry you in its current. You would go back to dive underneath its waters to discover "the don't care girl...dancing under the river," "the bones of runaway Africans" and the "wedges of iron-hard brown soap which the women of Harvey River used to wash acres of clothes."

Goodison uses this telling of her mother as an opportunity for reflection.  She reflects not only on Doris' life, but on her own life as a child living in Jamaica.  Tales and incidences told to Goodison as a child by her mother become her own as she repeats them to us the reader of this book.  As readers we take in these tales or incidences and relate them to our own lives.  Therefore, allowing us to understand a bit more about Doris' experience as daughter, wife, mother and a community leader of sorts. "Miss Goodie" (as they would call her) with the "bottomless cooking pot" capable of feeding anyone needing a meal.  The woman who wished to be the proprietor of her own guest house, but never got a chance to, yet in a roundabout way, she did.

(Trade PB $13.99 ISBN: 978-0-06-133756-7)

Language plays a major role in how the author tells the story of her mother's existence.  One could say that Goodison expertly travels in between languages, yet everything she is writing is indeed in English.  Characters speak both standard English and Jamaican patois. As in the case where a character is speaking with an American accent, "I was with a man like that once." Then switches, "but see me, and come live with me is two different things." At times words drift effortlessly on the pages mimicking Goodison's poetic capabilities.  It doesn't matter if you know not what a "peenie wallie" or a "crocus bag" is.  If you have a computer, then you've been given the gift of the internet to do research. Stop in the middle of reading and put your Googling skills into action.  It is worth it to discover the meaning of such local phrases, which in many instances can lend to laughter.

If you have never experienced Caribbean food, then your palate will be left wet reading From Harvey River.  Be it the rice and peas and chicken with plantains; the yams or cassava; codfish or the delectable mention of yellow bananas and mangoes, one cannot help but wonder about the rich eating Jamaica has to offer and plentiful too. Imagine heaping plates of green bananas cooked with codfish on the side in a rich gravy.  Picture yourself buying fresh fish daily from the local fisherman for your evening meal.  Food made with heart and soul. Some nice breadfruit to fill you belly. Yes, that was you belly. Not, your belly.  

Changes in fate bring about new possibilities. Such was the case for Doris Harvey Goodison, when she moved to Kingston, Jamaica with her husband Vivian Marcus Goodison.  In Kingston, she got her guest house of sorts because her door was always open to anyone who needed her help.  People came and went from the Goodison household. It was the local hospitality center so to speak.  Doris was always more than obliged to lend her services whether in the form of food, advice, or sewing one of her nice dresses for the neighboring ladies.  It was a decent life, though not perfect, but she had her 9 kids with her and her husband Marcus.  Throughout all of this, she never forgot where she came from - Harvey River, in the parish of Hanover.  A place which she would visit in her dreams while living in Kingston.  Where tales were created and incidences occurred to be told for generations to come.  

From Harvey River is a great read.  If you ever considered of exploring your family background and finding out more about your roots, this book will fuel that fire in you to get up and do it.  It is not only the memoir of a mother; it is the memoir of several generations.

Cover images courtesy of HarperCollins Publishers