Throughout my tenure with The Blonde Side, I have been honored to lend my voice to numerous events and causes, and none so honorable as my recent collaboration with 17 other Houstonian folks/influencers to help spread the word of AVDA (Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse).
I was honored to stand beside so many great people to help kickstart this campaign like Joe Wesley, President NFLPA Former Players Houston, David Peck, Founder & Designer of David Peck USA, Beth DeLozier of shopthemanor, Aimee Woodall of Black Sheep and many other fabulous people.
Did you know every six seconds, a woman in the US is battered? Many years ago I was one of those statistics. Looking back at that time, I had no idea what to do or where to turn. Although AVDA was around back then, I didn’t know about it. They provide so many services to women in need, and it’s important to not only get the word out to #EndAbuse, but to inform women of their options on where to turn.
#ENDABUSE
Want to take part and download your own sign and post on social media? PLEASE DO! Click here to get your sign and let me know where I can see your photo of support.
Giles Barnes in action. (photo courtesy of Nigel Brooks)
Dynamo star discovers Houston shopping, monster trucks & BBQ — and dishes on teammates
If you haven’t heard the name Giles Barnes floating around Houston by now, clearly you don’t follow soccer. Or football, as he’s quick to correct me. Not futbol.
“I call it football – futbol as some say is more of a Latino/South American thing – in England we call it football,” he says.
A fast and explosive forward/attacking midfielder with English Premier League (EPL) experience, Barnes was the leading scorer for the Dynamo in 2013 and 2014 and capped his best season last year snagging four club awards including Most Valuable Player. The Jamaican native has been playing since he was 7, and now his third season with the Dynamo which he says, “hopefully the best one yet.”
Now that you know he’s incredibly awesome at football (NOT SOCCER), there are some other things worth noting about #10. For starters, he’s from London, so his accent is glorious.
CultureMap: Are there Texas stereotypes?
Giles Barnes: I’m still not going to get over the big trucks — I thought monster trucks were a sport, not for driving, however I’m a big fan. And Texas BBQ — I always heard people talking about it, but until you try it, you’ll never understand.
CultureMap: How are the fans in Houston?
GB: One of the best sets of fans I’ve played in front of — their energy and enthusiasm and the way they care about our team is second to none.
CM: Favorite thing in Houston?
GB: It has to be shopping. One of my favorite places is The Class Room in Rice Village. Also the Galleria is a cool spot to hang out!
CM: Tell me something about one of your teammates.
GB:Rico Clark — you can literally tell him anything and he’ll forget it in 10 seconds flat – he’s a
Houston Dynamo MVP, Giles Barnes (photo courtesy of Houston Dynamo)
great guy and a big friend of mine. And JJ (Jason Johnson) can play any musical instrument he picks up — he’s a very talented guy.
CM: A lot of Houston folks don’t “get” soccer as much as they understand football and JJ Watt – help us out.
GB: Firstly it’s called football (sorry guys) but it is. And the stadium downtown is easily accessible. If you ever see any of the players, we’re always approachable and willing to talk about football. We’re always promoting the growth of the sport. Get yourself down to BBVA Compass Stadium — it’s the best in the league in my opinion — once you’ve been you’ll want to come back.
CM: Athlete you most look up to?
GB: Ronaldo – the original R9. He was my hero growing up and will forever be the greatest futboler. Even after his injuries and accomplishing everything, his desire to play until his knees couldn’t take it anymore — it was amazing. I even shaved my head trying to be more like him as a kid!
CM: What’s your style of play?
GB: I’m a hard worker with some flair and am pretty quick. I like to play off the cuff and let my imagination take over. I also like to entertain people and try to score goals.
CM: If you could take a trip anywhere, where would you go?
GB: Jamaica — for me it’s paradise. Always nice to get back to my roots.
Barnes is one of the most down to earth and genuine athletes around. He even talks in emoticons – seriously, follow him on Twitter: @GilesBarnesReal & Instagram: @gilesb_10
This article originally ran in the sports section of Culture Map. Click here to see the original article.
Collin McHugh – more than just a pitcher. (Photo courtesy of Houston Astros)
A MAN OF MANY TALENTS
Astros starter Collin McHugh once joked he was “the dumb jock of the family.” But he’s much more than a jock, and certainly far from dumb. The 27-year-old finds himself in the starting pitching rotation for the ASTROS, but still finds time to pen his own blog and even play a few instruments. Music is more of a family gene than baseball, he admits. McHugh’s brother and sister (Evan and Eryn) are songwriters in Nashville, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t dabble in music a little himself. One thing he packs on road trips? His ukulele.
Jayme: So your brother and sister are into music?
Collin: Both are songwriters. My brother does more of the acoustic, full key stuff and my sister writes with a bunch of different people – she does a lot in Nashville. I grew up playing instruments, enjoying music and ended up doing this (baseball)…
J: Do you play any instruments or have a good voice?
C: I played clarinet growing up. Once I got into high school I started playing a little saxophone and then drums. I picked up guitar and recently started playing the ukulele. It’s a nice little travel instrument for me.
J: What do your teammates say about that?
C: I don’t know – it’s a mix batch. Some guys see it and they’re like, ‘What is that – I don’t even know what that is!’
J: I’m not sure I know what a ukulele is.
C: It’s kind of a Hawaiian island string instrument – basically a little guitar.
J: Does it help you relax?
C: Yeah, I think for me anything that can take my mind off of baseball does. It’s something I’ve been doing for a long time – I’ve been playing instruments before I was playing baseball so it goes back a long way. It’s something I’m passionate about. Whenever I get a chance to play with other guys, to pick around at the guitar, it’s a good time.
J: Favorite music?
C: I’m probably more into toned down stuff. I enjoy a lot of types of music. I’m from Atlanta and there’s a big hip-hop influence in Atlanta so obviously I really like hip-hop and R&B. It’s hard to beat Outkast (they represent Atlanta). Outkast, T.I. and Drake. Other than that probably some singer/songwriter stuff I grew up listening to like Bryan Adams and Jeff Buckley. Let’s just say I like good music – hard rock is tough unless I’m in the weight room.
J: Have you checked out any Houston venues?
C: Last year I saw Ingrid Michaelson at House of Blues. I think Sufjan Stevens is playing on one of our off days – I’m going to try and see them.
J: If you could hang with any musician – dead or alive?
C: Probably Jeff Buckley – he’s kind of a freak. His voice is incredible, he’s a great musician, son of Tim Buckley and music is in his blood. I’d just sit and pick his brain. Obviously he’s not around anymore so it’s tough; he was in the prime of his career.
J: If you could only listen to one Pandora station the rest of the season?
C: That’s a good question! Right now I would have to say I am into the new Purity Ring album – it’s so good. I’d probably put it on that and rock out – it’s pretty solid.
This article originally ran in the May 2015 print issue (the music issue) of Local Houston Magazine. Click here to see the online version, or go roam around Houston and snag your free copy!
Pelicans Dancer Tramera (photo courtesy of Pelicans)
Pelicans Dancer Tramera will draw you in.
To be an NBA dancer of course means a great smile and insanely good dance moves. But it takes a lot more to snag one of these coveted spots, especially to be a member of the Pelicans Dance Team.
To prove just how versatile (and amazing) these women are, we profiled Tramera – a fourth-year co-captain for the Pelicans Dance Team, and found out some pretty cool things about her and her team. For example? Tramera admits that the locker room is a dance party before every home game (for the dancers–we’re not certain what it looks like for the players–but you never know).
Check out our exclusive Q&A with Tramera, a series on The Blonde Side brought to you by Ideal Protein Houston.
Man Cave Daily: Where are you from?
Tramera: Boutte, LA.
MCD: Years on team?
T: This is my fourth year on the Pelicans Dance Team. I actually made the team the first time I auditioned. It shocked me because I wasn’t expecting to make the team, but I was the final dancer chosen. It has been the best opportunity! I’ve had the chance to be a part of a really great organization.
MCD: Tell me about your dance background?
T: I started dancing when I was two years old. As soon as I was able to walk, I started taking dance classes. It wasn’t so glamorous at that time and I cried my eyes out every single practice and refused to dance. My dance teacher was worried that I wouldn’t know the routine by the time the recital came around, but I knew the dance perfectly, as if I was practicing every time we were in the studio. As the years have passed, I’ve taken classes from top-name choreographers such as Tyce Diorio, Wade Robson, Tabitha and Napoleon and Frank Hatchett. I owe a lot of the dancer I am today to those instructors and wouldn’t change a thing.
MCD: Hardest part about being an NBA dancer?
T: The numerous routines we have to remember. We learn a significant amount before the season starts, but it could be a couple of weeks before we perform that routine. We have to make sure we keep every dance fresh in our head to make sure we know them when that time comes.
MCD: Have you ever gone onto the court and forgotten your routine?
T: This is funny because I actually have forgotten a part of a routine, but not the entire thing. The only thing I could do was just jump in place until I caught back on track and hoped no one noticed. I definitely laughed at myself afterwards.
MCD: Favorite NBA player?
T: My favorite player would have to be our very own Anthony Davis. I’ve seen his transformation from being the number one draft pick a few years ago to dominating the game every time he plays, so it’s hard not to chose him. He’s still young, and I can’t wait to see what he can achieve and accomplish in years to come.
MCD: What’s the best part about basketball?
T: The energy our fans bring to every game. Their enthusiasm is contagious and inspires us to be energetic every single game. So, thank you, Pelicans fans!
MCD: What’s the coolest part of Smoothie King Center?
T: I think coolest part would have to be our locker room. Every game is like a dance party before we take the court. We have our music playing loudly and we get to enjoy “girl time” before we entertain thousands of fans every game.
MCD: If you had a Real Housewives intro, what would yours be?
Tramera celebrates Mardi Gras on court for the Pelicans (photo via Pelicans)
T: It would have to be “Don’t let this cute face fool you, I’m like a hot tamale!” I am sweet, but I can be feisty!
MCD: Favorite music to dance to?
T: Anything upbeat. If it’s a song by Nicki Minaj or Beyonce, you will definitely catch me dancing like no one’s watching. Two songs that they collaborated on –”Flawless” and “Feelin’ Myself”–are two of my favorite songs of all time.
MCD: What song instantly puts you in a good mood?
T: “Bend Ova” by Lil Jon and Tyga. The intensity of the song and beats just get me going. I could be having the worst day and this song can come on and I’m instantly in a better mood. You can’t help but dance and groove to it.
MCD: Dream vacation?
T: Spending a week in Greece with Khloe Kardashian. You might ask why I would chose her to go on a vacation with her of all people, but I know I would not have a dull moment with her. She’s a no-nonsense type of person but still has a goofy personality.
MCD: Fan of selfies?
T: I am a HUGE fan of selfies. The keys are lighting and positioning. Your body has to be at the right angle to where you partially see the outfit without showing too much because then it’ll take the attention away from your face (which you don’t want). The perfect lighting will make your skin glow and look flawless.
MCD: Favorite thing about New Orleans?
T: Our extensive list of festivals. We have festivals for just about anything, such as Crawfish Festival, Jazz and Heritage Festival, Oyster Festival, French Quarter Festival, just to name a few. At each festival, some of the best restaurants come out and serve mouth-watering dishes that will have you taking a trip to the restaurant to see what other delicious meals they have to offer. If you haven’t experienced a festival in New Orleans, you should come and see the great food and music New Orleans has to offer.
MCD: App you use the most?
T: The app that I use the most is of course, Instagram. I just like scrolling down my timeline and seeing what my friends post. Sometimes they post beautiful pictures of scenery or cute selfies.
MCD: If you could go to dinner with any celebrity/athlete in the world, who would it be and why?
T: It would have to be Sandra Bullock. She was in a New Orleans Mardi Gras parade when I was a young girl and threw me a stuffed alligator (which I still have to this day). She is one of my favorite actresses and seems like a down-to-earth person.
MCD: Tell me something people would find completely out of character?
T: Something people might not know is that I love to draw. I can sit for hours and just freehand so many different pictures that might pop-up in my head. When I’m not dancing, you can find me drawing.
A huge thanks to Tramera for giving us an exclusive interview and a big thanks to Ideal Protein Houston for sponsoring this NBA Dance series to learn more about the hard-work these ladies put into their love for dancing.
Ideal Protein is a medically developed protocol only available from qualified professionals. Ideal Protein provides one-on-one weight loss coaching including educational support and weekly weight and body measurements analysis. Check out Ideal Protein’s website (link above) to learn more about their health and management offerings for weight loss.
Click here to see the original article of Tramera from the Pelicans on CBS Man Cave Daily.
