Candace Smith is a native Philadelphian and graduate of Syracuse University (BA) and City University of London (MA). After spending a few years living in London, Candace returned to Philadelphia and continues to forge a career as a freelance journalist, writer, blogger, actress, and host. Besides interviewing intriguing personalities for Urban/Suburban Magazine, she is also currently contributing her knowledge and skills to various artistic movements, publications, websites, and podcasts such as REP Radio, AFFRM, Tinsel and Tine, and Hipolitics.
Matt Schmidt works as the Graphic Design Team Lead for Urban Suburban Magazine. Since he graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2010, he has been designing various material, from logos to brochures, for clients within the Philadelphia area.
Dr. Irene Okech holds a PhD in Public Health and an MBA in Healthcare Management Policy. Her research interests are in Pediatric health outcomes, & Maternal and child health policies. A young and upcoming leader, she is also a spokesperson for the disparities faced by women and children in rural Africa. Dr. Okech is the co-founder of Imbako Public Health, an organization that seeks to allay disparities in healthcare and education faced by women and children in rural Kenya.
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Jennifer S. Matthews is a noted author, motivational speaker, and is trained as a financial coach. She is the author of the award-winning book 12 Ways to Put Money in Your Pocket Every Month Without A Part Time Job.
Kyle Leishear has been a Tech & Gadget enthusiast his whole life. Even as a child when he would break something he would try to fix it. That led him to a life of always trying to stay on top of the latest and greatest technologies and seeing how they work.
April Perry McKellar of The After 5 Lifestyle was established by myself, April. I call Philadelphia home and have a passion food and sharing it with others. I am not a chef, nor do I claim to be. I’m just a regular gal working a Nine to Five that loves to eat and enjoy food with friends and family.
Denise James is a seasoned journalist whose passion is telling stories that reflect people’s truths in empowering ways. Denise began her career at WGPR TV & Radio in Detroit. WGPR was America’s first black owned television station. There she hosted a live morning talk show, reported for the evening news and produced special segments focused on people and issues shaping the times. morning talk show, reported for the evening news and produced special segments focused on people and issues shaping the times. She has worked at network affiliate TV stations in Greensboro and Durham, North Carolina as well as 6abc Action News in Philadelphia. She has covered everything from education and celebrities to crime, politics and the Ku Klux Klan.
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Publisher’s Opinion Tis the season for reflection. Why only once a year? The time for retrospective review of your successes and failures should happen daily, not just once a year. Sometimes life is far too short and unforgiving to wait until the end or start of another year. Its 2014, so what’s on your list of improvements? Will you be a better father, mother or grandparent? Perhaps you’ll be a better daughter or son. Maybe you’ll try to be a better listener or more compassionate. I guess at the end of the day, it simply means we all have room to improve. Maybe just maybe, it’s a simple gesture or developing a better business plan that will enable you to give back to your community not just monetarily but support and determination. Perhaps you will inspire that one youngster to realize that they can achieve success. Who know perhaps we will see that life is more important that a big car, big house or accumulating massive amounts of debt all for the illusion of faux happiness. I mean what is happiness, if you can’t enjoy it without anxiety or fear of losing it all. Sometimes simpler is better. Far too often we work too achieve multiple secondary degrees, cars, walkin closets and a lot of extra stuff but miss out on time. Time waits for no one. Shout out to those girls (including my Morgan) that were accepted in Merion Mercy Academy. Much continued success and congratulations on a job well done. Look out world.
The Old City Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. In 2003, it was added to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places.
Legal
34 We Discuss employment issues
Health
43 Tips for finding a Long-Term Care Facility
Real Estate
18 Learn more about Real Estate
Business Profiles
19 Who is Wodify?
Education
44 College Scholarships Application
The Ties That Bond Us Patricia Wilson Aden and AAMP urban suburban magazine.com Philadelphia 11
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Path Lighting
Life Is About Evolution by: Dee Gibson If you truly want to be a person of influence you first have to embrace evolution. Wisdom will always let you know that fighting change is definitely a losing battle so it is imperative that you move towards being a more evolved enlightened human being. One of the great principle of life is stated this way; “Freedom and happiness are found in the flexibility and ease with which we move through change.”
believe you are. It’s always better to take each and everyday and treat it just as it is; a new day with new opportunities to do what’s right.
If you’re at a point in your life where you realize you’re going in the wrong direction which means you’re producing the wrong results then simply in most cases do the opposite of what you’re doing right now. Trust me this will make a world of If you truly want to transition or transform from some- difference and you’ll almost see small and/or big one who moves through life unconsciously to a person result quickly. I know this is easier said than done who becomes the wealthy individual who’s completely but when you add courage and persistent practice to aware of and completely at ease with all things around your constant thought pattern that’s saying “it’s time to make the necessary changes” then I’m absolutehim or her then you must embrace change. It doesn’t ly sure you’ll make great progress in living a more matter at all where you are from or what you’ve done happy and fulfilled life. in the past, you’re never trapped in any circumstance, relationship, cycle, or situation unless you say and/or
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follows all the way down to closets and cabinets. People will open your cabinets, so be prepared to make sure that what they see when they do won’t turn them off of your home.
Your Furnishings Are Merely Accents Chances are, you will not be leaving your furniture behind when you move out of your property. A potential buyer will be bringing in entirely new furniture with a new color scheme and may even paint all of the interior walls a specific favorite color. Simply put, the buyer is not buying the way you decorated the property so don’t make your decorations the star of the show.
Cleaning is perhaps the most crucial part of a successful showing. When communicating the value and uniqueness of your home, dirty clothes in the laundry room and stains in the carpet will cut you off at the knees every time. However, while most people think to clean a property and remove clutter from areas of the house, there are some ways that a seller can go the extra mile to interest a potential buyer. It is important to remember that when you put your home on the market, you are entering into a competition with every other home for sale in your general price range in your area. That means that anything you can do to set yourself apart from the rest of the homes in your area will pay dividends as potential buyers think more about your home than the others out there.
All of the contest of your home should be geared towards maximizing the way the architectural elements of the property show. If one of your big selling points is a breakfast nook, providing the furnishing for that breakfast nook can help a buyer picture having that as a part of daily life. However, if you have an incredibly expensive, ornate table, you will detract from the architecture and focus eyes on the furnishings. Similarly, you can use this trick in reverse to hide some of the architectural shortcomings of your home. Perhaps a particular window trim is not contemporary enough but you don’t want to spend the money to update it. Use a fancy window covering to draw attention away from that part of the property.
When a potential buyer enters your home, that person’s thoughts immediately go to how they would fit in this home and how their family would fit in the home. If you have decorated your home in all bright pink walls, that might be just what you want to live in, but it will disrupt the ability for a buyer to picture living in that property.
While cleaning and removing clutter from your home certainly make up the foundation of a positive showing, going the extra mile before a stranger even steps foot in your home can greatly increase your chances of selling the property quickly. By giving a potential buyer a somewhat generic presentation in the design that is used chiefly to accent the home itself, you will give yourself a leg up on the competition in your area and spur meaningful interest in your home.
Avoid this by making sure that your home balances the feeling of a blank slate but still keeping the feeling of home that enhances a buyer’s impression of the property. They want to imagine living in the home but they don’t want to imagine it with nothing to go on. This
This is another original article by Joe Lane, co-owner of The Lane Real Estate Team at http://www.joelane.com/
When a potential buyer arrives for your showing, often they have already been to another potential new home and may be on their way to another after yours. During such a cluttered schedule that is typical for most real estate transactions, giving yourself an edge through an exceptional showing can certainly help you secure a deal in the long run.
The Lived-In Blank Slate
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So with those calculations my initial investment into Wodify is $2297, with a Wodify cost of $182 monthly. I have a 2% retention and attraction as well. So my profit per month will be $196 and it will take 12 months for me to become profitable and have my initial investment to Wodify taken care of.
What is Wodify??? Fitness and technology often go hand in hand. Crossfit is no different. However it wasn’t until recently that the technology and fitness aspects of Crossfit combined and created a monster. That monster is named Wodify. Wodify is an all-in-one solution for a Crossfit owner/operator. Whiteboards usually are the predominant norm in a Crossfit “box” where the trainer writes down the exercises and then they have to write down everyone’s score at the end of each exercise. It can be time consuming and with fitness time wasted is never recovered. What Wodify allows you, the owner, to do is streamline your business to help you maximize its potential. From Social Media Marketing all the way to Athlete Billing, Wodify does it all. Wodify is the best tool for new Crossfit owners to get up and running and maximize revenue and start making back your initial investment with Wodify. Wodify has tools to help you attract and retain athletes, tools to run your box, and tools to analyze and stay on top. It really is the most complete system available. You can integrate Wodify into your already existing website to push your WOD online as well as Facebook. You can even schedule classes and so who is going to be attending as well as who no-showed. One of the very unique aspects of Wodify and their website is that when you are interested in learning more about Wodify you can see just how long it will take you to become profitable based on amount of people who have in your “Box”, software costs, how much you charge per athlete, plus the big screen TV’s. All these factors will help the owner of the Crossfit gym understand and see just how profit can be generated in a short amount of time with the help of Wodify. Wodify will help provide you the systems and hardware to get going but it does come with a monthly subscription. For example I decided to try out the calculations system and I put in that my Crossfit gym has 100 members, paying $50 dollars a month, the software cost of $100 and I need a Mac system to run the software plus I needed 1 55” big-screen TV.
Now these numbers can change based on number of athletes you have and your monthly cost, or if you don’t need the big screen TV’s or Mac computer. All these factors will dictate your initial investment with Wodify. That initial startup costs really aren’t that big of a deal when you see just how much Wodify really helps with your operating of your gym. Helps you manage costs and track all your athletes it really is an amazing product. Feel free to take a look for yourself. I was able to see Wodify in action and it was quite the experience. Wodify got in touch with one of my local Crossfit boxes that supports and runs Wodify. So I ventured down there to get my work out on. I never once did Crossfit and when I do work out it is usually lifting weights some light cardio and I am good to go. Well Crossfit isn’t like that at all. After meeting my coach for the day and introducing ourselves to the group we got down to stretching and working out. I was already moaning and grunting with the simple stretches. Then when it came to the workout that is where my body just shut down. It kicked my butt so bad I had to take a break and hit up the bathroom to vomit all the liquids I had consumed that morning. I couldn’t believe it. Crossfit was trying to kill me. So I had to stop but the rest of the group soldiered on and the support the people were giving was amazing. After the exercises were done the group went up to the Wodify terminal and put in their stats and I was able to see how Wodify worked first hand. It is a very crisp and clean interface and was easy for all users to use. So if you are running a Crossfit gym and you want to see your gym really succeed you should look into bringing Wodify into your gym. Wodify is a huge family and a great support system for its users. Wodify users can also access Wodify on their smartphones and can input their own stats as they workout. Wodify is a great all-in-one product and system http://www.wodify.com/affiliate-software/ urban suburban magazine.com Philadelphia 19
“Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him.” –Maya Angelou
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The Black Garden by Richard Whetstone The Black Garden chronicles a small slice of the life of Jessie, a young Black Male, political activist, student of philosophy, living in Northern California during the nineteen sixties. He meets a young girl, Brenda, who is the niece of his next door’s neighbor. They develop their relations against the backdrop of the Civil Rights struggle and Anti-Vietnam War protests in which Jessie is an active participant. Jessie experienced a severe crisis when he learns that Brenda had spent the night with another man; ironically, he had done the same himself that same evening with a woman that he had recently met at his voice coach’s house. He was driven to some rather drastic measures and suffered some near fatal consequences including an outrageous verbal attack on Brenda, two suicide attempts, being placed in mental institution for 72 hours, and lying in a coma for over eight months from a policeman’s baton strike to his head at an anti-war demonstration. The most redeeming thing to come out of all of these near fatal events was the fact that during the period of his recuperation from the coma, his friends and political associates were able to complete the first phase of a project that was dear to his heart; that being the construction of a Black Garden to serve as an iconic and symbolic representation of the phrase, “Black Is Beautiful”.
Runaways By Jamila Smith If you enjoyed the movie Set if Off, then you will definitely experience a constant page turner with Runaways. Smith keeps her readers on the edge of their seat with her thrilling stories and suspenseful plots. Runaways is a story of four girls who come from completely different backgrounds, but come together when they escape a traumatic encounter. Meet Rianna who is from Phoenix. She has a face of an angel, but a rough- around- the- edges mentality with a mean streak. Rianna is never afraid to defend herself if others stand in her way. Yet she truly has a soft heart when it comes to protecting her family and receiving attention from her lover, who has the perfect touch. Simone is a naïve diva from Los Angeles who has many odds against her: a striking beauty that girls envy and a smoking body that guys kill to tamper with. Despite that dilemma, she engages in her art work to escape from any drama that threatens her. All she wants is security with her family and acceptance from her rough neck boyfriend, Jamal. Amy is often perceived as the “perfect Malibu Barbie” from Beverly Hills. She has many secrets and struggles to be heard. Instead, she decides to bottle them inside and has strange outbursts when she finally releases her demons. At other times she remains in her private world since most people don’t seem to understand her. Melanie is an edgy red head with a sultry vibe. She knows all about the hard knocks of working the streets of the slummy side of Santa Monica. She stays determined when it comes to hustling and scheming others who stand in her way.
Dr. J: Autobiography Julius Erving and Karl Taro Greenfield Autobiography of one of the basketball greatest.
Letters to an Incarcerated Brother: Encouragement, Hope, and Healing for Inmates and Their Loved Ones Hardcover by Hill Harper A compelling, important addition to Hill Harper’s bestselling series, inspired by the numerous young inmates who write to him seeking guidance After the publication of the bestselling Letters to a Young Brother, accomplished actor and speaker Hill Harper began to receive an increasing number of moving letters from inmates who yearned for a connection with a successful role model. With disturbing statistics on African-American incarceration on his mind (one in six black men were incarcerated as of 2001, and one in three can now expect to go to prison some time in their lifetimes), Harper set out to address the specific needs of inmates.
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I had the distinct honor and pleasure of interviewing two wonderful couples. Mr. and Mrs. Warner who have been married for 5 years and Mr. & Mrs. Adams who have been married for over 20 years. Each couple answered several questions that I posed to them in regards to what keeps their marriage on track and what advice could they give to other couples. 24 urban suburban magazine.com Philadelphia
Mr. & Mrs. Warner – Married 5 years First and last name of husband and wife? Glenn and Natosha Warner. How many children and ages (if any): We are a blended family. A daughter, Courtney from a previous marriage and we have two sons together, Cameron, 3 and Christian 2. How many years have you been married? We celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary in September. What attracted you two to each other? What initially attracted us to each other were our bonds with family. I truly respected and admired that his parents raised two sons in Washington, D.C. during the height of the introduction to the crack epidemic and yet my in-laws maintained balanced in their home and in their own marriage. They’ve been married for 48 years. He saw the relationship that I had with my own family and was impressed by how we interacted, especially in how I was raising my daughter; with morals and values. What is your spouse’s best quality?
My husband’s best quality is his quiet roar. He is the complete opposite of me and my outgoing and free-spirited personality. I can meet and strike up a conversation with anyone while he is more reserved. He states that my best quality is my “giving nature” and my ability to see the good in many people. How do you resolve family issues/debates? We believe that pride must always take a ride. There is no situation wherein pride gets in the way of apologizing when someone is wrong. We equally believe that when the other is apologizing you have to truly accept his/her apology and move on as if that situation never occurred. I learned years ago from a friend, “Never lose your marriage to a .50 cent argument!” How do you keep the romance in your marriage? We are each other’s best friend. We have stolen moments by having simple breaking of bread over a salad at a local deli. We’re mature enough in our marriage to recognize we could be at a fancy 5-star restaurant or a local fast food joint. It’s not about the amount of money or the beautiful atmosphere but it’s truly those stolen moments that keeps the fire burning for us. Also, I’m an adult party consultant so it doesn’t hurt to go into my bag of Kandi every now again to test out our new products. How do you deal and resist outside temptation? I don’t deal or resist outside temptation by anything other than being real with myself. Do I see attractive people and does he? Absolutely! I have come to appreciate my husband for being everything that I need or want in a man. I’m thankful in that I find him extremely sexy and he’s the true love of my life. I resist temptation by appreciating what I have in a solid marriage. What is the bond that keeps your family’s values strong? God keeps our marriage values strong. We’re not overly religious but we do find that praying together in the morning and in the evening is a good and solid way of helping us to recognize that our marriage is a gift from God and we constantly aim to please Him by appreciating and loving one another. What are some of the dos and don’ts of a successful marriage? Don’t emasculate your husband; don’t belittle your wife. Listen to your spouse and respect his/her love language. There should never be a sports program or television episode on that is so important that you neglect the needs of your spouse. Respecting each other’s need for personal time and then learning when to cut the outside world off and enjoying time with one another. Lastly, don’t bicker over menial things. If you know your spouse always does something that you despise, before you begin pointing that finger at him/her, take a careful evaluation of the things that upsets him/her about you!
Be willing to truly apologize when you’re wrong about something and learning to forgive and forget other things. You are there for each other not against one another. What advice can you give to others in regards to a successful marriage? Find out what works for you. What works for our marriage will not work for some. Marriage and how it’s worked on is very individualized. My husband always says, “keep people out of your bedroom,” In other words, you would not allow someone to sit and watch you sleep and know the intimate details of your bedroom so keep them out of the intimate details of your marriage and that includes mothers, fathers and your children. Your marriage has two strands and the third strand is with God.
Mr. & Mrs. Adams - Married 22 years First and last name of husband and wife: LaMonte and Saadia Adams How many children and ages (if any): 21 year old twin boys How many years have you been married? 22yrs What attracted you two to each other? (LaMonte) Initially I was attracted to Saadia’s beautiful legs which caught my attention from a distance. There’s a little saying that goes like this…”She looked good from far, but she’s far from good,”…meaning that she looks good from a distance, but as you approach closer, you vividly see that she is not attractive at all! This
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was quite the contrary in respect to my wife. The closer I got, the finer she became. When I complimented her on her legs she magnetized me with her smile. (Saadia) I thought he had nice eyes behind his Malcolm X glasses when we first met at Temple University. I always enjoyed our conversations, but I got locked in by his Magical Massaging Hands What is your spouse’s best quality? After her love for the Lord, her best quality is her undying love, caring and protection of our sons. I know as a Christian Man, I am supposed to place my wife second in my life after God, who is #1, but I have to admit, my sons are number 2a and wife is 2b. How do you resolve family issues/debates? That’s easy,….it’s my way or the highway!!! Just kidding. We both agree that we will discuss the issue rationally, most of the time, and come to the most reasonable and sensible conclusion. Of course, during our twenty years of marriage, it hasn’t always been that smooth. How do you keep the romance in your marriage? Once our now 21yr old young men were old enough to stay at home by themselves, we started taking time to actually go out a few times a month. May it be going to the movies, dinner, church events or marriage enrichment events, we try to make it a point to spend some “quality time” together. In the warmer months we will take 2 mile walks together for exercise purposes and bonding. We try to keep ourselves looking well for one another and pay attention to one another. We give compliments when warranted and occasionally will surprise each other with a present of some sort, and it’s not anything expensive. I say that we are a ‘corny’ couple, because we will have Panera Bread dates, when one of us are studying for a class or for a higher position at work.
How do you deal and resist outside temptation? LaMonte: I resist outside temptation in these ways: • I know that if I do something that God doesn’t approve of, regarding my vows and my marriage, HE will make me pay for it. The Lord gives us free will, and I know that there are positive and negative consequences to all actions, so in my relationship and in my life I try to breed positivity. • I would never want to hurt my wife and dissolve the trust that I’ve labored to restore. WHATEVER is done in the dark shall ALWAYS come to light, no matter how long it takes. I wasn’t always this clean, crisp, pristine husband. I have had my trials and tribulations like every man, but we as a couple always lean on our faith for strength, guidance and direction. • I try to stay focus on family and the Lord’s tenets through daily scripture reading, constant prayer and the use of my internal morals and scruples. Saadia: I resist outside temptations through daily readings from the bible. I also know that my husband is the best person for me, so I wouldn’t risk losing everything that we have built just to lose it over some stupid fling. Furthermore, these men out here, nowadays, want to try to use women for more than sex. They want to use your car, live in your house, use your money and use you up. I’m GOOD!!! What is the bond that keeps your family’s values strong? Our family values are Faith and Family, in that order. At the risk of sounding too “churchy” we both know that nothing can prosper without the Lord’s blessing, grace and mercy! We give the glory to him in everything that we do. We have strong family roots. Both of us agree that the credit for our family values come directly from our grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles and all who played a significant part in our raring process. We instill the same values in our sons. We truly believe that these two values are definitely the ‘tie that bonds!’ What are some of the dos and don’ts of a successful marriage?
From a man’s stand point: The Do’s:
Listen to your wife talk, and talk, and talk, and talk………., to her content. Do, give your wife attention, make her feel special. Do, tell her that you love her, at least a few times a day. We do that in our family all of the time. If my wife or sons are leaving out of the house, we tell one another that we love them. Even when we are ending a phone conversation, we do the same. Do, celebrate accomplishments. If your spouse receives a promotion or a new position, make it a point to acknowledge it by going out to eat. Going out to eat doesn’t have to be a big presentation, we love going to Buffalo Wild Wings as a family. Do, show appreciation for the little things, like thanking them for picking up a prescription, cooking dinner, or whatever. And for all the men, “DO!”...run your house! You see, I run my house…… .”I run the vacuum, I run the washer/dryer and I run the dishwasher!!
The Don’ts:
DON’T, SAY ANYTHING ABOUT HER WEIGHT OR CLOTHES SIZE!!! Don’t, be shifty and sneaky acting. Don’t, call her out of her name, unless it’s during a time of sensual passion, then it’s whatever, whatever. Don’t, disrespect her. Don’t, sit on your butt all day while she is cleaning the house, get up and help. Things must be done in a joint effort. Don’t let your woman go to work every day and you are home playing X Box-Call of Duty. A man must contribute to the managing of the house in some way.
From a women’s standpoint The Do’s:
Give your man time to unwind before you hit him with a borage of questions and conversation, after a long hard day of work. Do allow him to feel like he is the king of the castle. You notice how I said “allow him to feel as if he is the king.” We all know, as Beyonce says, “Who Runs The World,…….?” Do try to keep yourself looking good and sexy for him. Do, break him off proper (meaning to allow your man his physical desires)! Do, wear some fragrances, shoes and clothing that he likes, because what you won’t wear another woman will! Do be respectful to his mother. Do, take care of the kids and whole family well. As hard as it is to say this ladies, you Do, have to sometimes just shut up, fall back and let him handle the business (his conversations with the insurance co., with the realtor, etc). Do, occasionally, but gently, interrogate him about his whereabouts, just so that he won’t think that it’s sweet like that. Try not to turn it into an argument.
The Don’ts:
Don’t disrespect him. Don’t assassinate his character. Don’t attack his ego. Don’t make him feel less than a man. Don’t ‘cuss’ him out. Don’t call him out of his name. Don’t constantly run the streets with your girls, no matter how innocent your outings are. Lastly, Don’t be all “Joe” (overly friendly) with his male friends! You don’t want your man suspecting you of nothing! What advice can you give to others in regards to a successful marriage? Keep God or whoever you worship as the supreme being in your life! Be open and honest. Work at your marriage, discuss issues that are bothering you. Work together for a common goal. Love one another. And finally give each other space sometimes. **I want to thank both the Warners and Adams for sharing their stories with Urban Suburban Magazine** C Double R www.cdoubler.com If you have any relationship questions or topics that you would like me to write about please email me at cdoubler2@gmail.com
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Patricia Wilson Aden is President and CEO of the African American Museum in Philadelphia. She works with the non-profit’s Board and staff to carry out the vision of the African American Museum as a community forum a place that celebrates the art, history and culture of the African Diaspora and of African Americans in Philadelphia. Wilson Aden was promoted to CEO in July after having been in senior management at the museum for more than three years. She has seen the Museum’s challenges and opportunities. In excerpts from a recent conversation, the African American Museum’s newest president shares her vision and her plan for one of Philadelphia’s cultural jewels. Pat Wilson Aden:
I am responsible for working with the Board and staff of the museum, to carry out the vision of this museum as a community forum, a place that celebrates the art history and culture of African Americans in Philadelphia and actually the African American Diaspora. As the new President I’m very eager to embrace the museum where it is and take it to the next level.
What is the next level? Pat Wilson Aden:
The next level is to actually make this place a better museum. I’m trying to bring a culture of excellence to the museum… excellence in our operations, our curatorial ambitions, the exhibits, our programs and our ability to be a sustainable non-profit organization. That is a challenge. But there is an eagerness to make the museum the jewel that everyone said it should be.
How do you do you compete in this museum rich city? Pat Wilson Aden:
We have to serve the greater Philadelphia Region. Other museums, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, found that we’ve had an audience that they want as well. So we are challenged to offer the kind of quality exhibits that would draw not only that discerning African American audience but a broader and more diverse audience as well.
How has funding changed the financial culture of non-profit operation? Pat Wilson Aden:
The state budget drastically cut back its funding to museums and other cultural institutions. So there is a new normal. We’re an organization that enjoyed a good percentage of public support. Given the loss of $400-thousand in public funding. We had to reimagine ourselves. When you lose that much annual income, you can’t tweak things around the edges. You have to really embrace the idea of a new normal. We’ve had to be entrepreneurial. We’ve had to be creative. Part of our stewardship of this museum is to find ways to sustain it by identifying new revenue streams.
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How would you characterize the financial condition of the museum? Pat Wilson Aden:
Our financial position is stable. We made some hard decisions. Like many organizations we had to ensure that our expenses are in line with our revenues and what that has meant is that we are now in a position where our funders are looking at us and saying yes, this is sound fiscal management and I’m very, very proud of that.
Given the challenges, what are you doing to remain competitive? Pat Wilson Aden:
We’ve had installations like Come See About Me: The Mary Wilson Supremes Collection, a blockbuster exhibit for us that was not only attractive to our core constituency but to fashionistas, music lovers and baby boomers be they white or black. It had broad appeal. We’re also growing our facility rentals. We want this to be a place where corporations and organizations have their meetings. We want this to be the place when there’s
an urban league convention or other large groups in town they come here for their receptions because that’s earned income for us.
You’ve characterized the museum’s 2-thousand membership level as pitiful. Why? Pat Wilson Aden:
When you look at the African American population in this city and region, the fact that we have such a small membership base says something about us. Perhaps it says something about the residents of the city of Philadelphia as well. And perhaps we haven’t made the connection that we need to make. Yet when we pull back on a program, people say, why are you doing that, it’s so important. I ask them if they are members. And they say no. We need to grow our membership base.
How can you attract generation X-ers? Pat Wilson Aden:
We have to be more strategic. We have to zero in on that audience and develop effective strategies to bring them in. We’ve had to rethink some of our strategies and to understand that a segment of that population is culturally aware young people who are looking for a meaningful connection. And we have had to develop programs that help them make that connection.
What engaging exhibits can people see at the museum? Pat Wilson Aden: 30 urban suburban magazine.com Philadelphia
Works from the Tiberino Family Circle focuses on the art and artistic legacy of Philadelphia artist Ellen Powell Tiberino, her family, and several artists associated with them. As part of the exhibit we
create a mural right here in our galleries and people have the opportunity to work on that mural with the Tiberinos. So on a family fun day, bring your kids down and they can be muralists for the day.
Is there anything you’d like to add about the African American Museum? Pat Wilson Aden:
Yes. This is a very exciting time for this museum. It is on the brink of change in a very, very positive type of way. We are going to push the envelope and I think people will appreciate that and hopefully support us.
So do people have reason to worry about the museum’s future? Pat Wilson Aden:
People don’t have reason to worry. But people need to understand that this museum is a resource that requires their support. We cannot be complacent about supporting our cultural institutions. We should not be complacent about supporting this museum. Wilson Aden is a seasoned non-profit management executive. The Rhythm & Blues Foundation and the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia are just two of the non-profits where Wilson Aden has held top management posts. *Hear directly from African American Museum Executive Director, Pat Aden in the online version of this article* Visit the African American Museum in Philadelphia online at www. aampmuseum.org
urban suburban magazine.com Philadelphia 31
LEGAL
Employment Issues Employment law covers the broaden areas in the business and professional segment where several dispute arises because of statuses, designations, breach of contracts etc. This law caters myriad practices and interpretations, rulings, legislations as well as federal and state laws. Business companies regardless of their sizes are expected to be prevailing labor laws to deal with their disagreements and dissolutions. Compliant a legal advisory on employment matters is not an easy task. Some of the organizations have an in-house legal department to resolve their critical employment/ labor issues while on the other hand smaller organizations don’t have the legal department to handle all their workplace law concerns. For that reason, smaller organizations however hiring a human resource or the individual advisory like solicitors or the lawyer agents to handle their employment issues.
Employment Issues
In this concern, it includes the disputes which require sound legal advice and possible legal representation. From recruitment to hiring apprehension, you have to consider the process crucially. During this process, a company would need the expert advice on drafting the employment 34 urban suburban magazine.com Philadelphia
contracts and companies policies and procedures. A company would also require on addressing employment conditions, occupational safety and health measures for better compliant. During the drafting and making the appropriate agreement whether in house or external agents of any experts or employment law, you should be on hand to draft and lodge the agreement to appear for the disagreements relevant to enterprise / business agreements. Legal professional in the commercial field should also assist during manipulation of wages and for enterprise agreement termination and other variations. Issues concerned with industrial relations and matters like good faith bargaining, union right of entry would also re quire the appropriate guidance and assistance. Issues beneath this category involves auditing, reporting, assistance and legal advice on wage claims, National Employment standard and other record keeping obligations. In this progression, employee harassment and discrimination is another employment issue that requires legitimate solution from expert lawyers. As per this category of issue, a company would need legal counsel and representation before forwarding the case in to the courts or magistrates. To get rid off from all the employment matter, you require an expert commercial / business representative who completely understand your problems and then deliver the legitimate solution. If you are looking for legal advisory solution in employment matters Perth then always consult to the professional Employment Lawyers Perth that goes to the depth of case and resolve out the best solution.
by Jennifer S. Matthews In the last issue, I wrote an article entitled End 2013 with a Financial B.A.N.G.!! If you missed it, I suggest you read it because it sets the stage for this follow up article. There is often excitement at the start of each year because many people eagerly anticipate what they plan on accomplishing and/or doing differently. However, many people fall off track as early as the first week of January. To keep your financial and other goals and plans on track, follow these simple steps. As mentioned in the last article, the G in B.A.N.G. is for Goals. The first step to achieving your 2014 goals is to write down exactly what you plan on accomplishing. Biblical scholars know there is a directive to “write the vision and make it plain”. The medical community knows that the majority of people are visual, meaning they respond better to what they see more so than any other communications mechanism. When writing your goals and plans, it is important to follow 40 urban suburban magazine.com Philadelphia
the S.M.A.R.T. rule. The acronym S.M.A.R.T. stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic/Relevant, and Time bound. The goals and plans you write must be very Specific to help you focus on what you want. Measurable simply means there is a way to know when you have reached your desired results. An Achievable goal or plan is within your realm of capability, even if you currently do not have all the knowledge or resources needed. Your goals and/ or plans should be Realistic/Relevant to your overall desired outcome. Finally, you should include a Time (bound) for completion. Having a due date reminds you that you don’t have forever to finish the task at hand. Examples of SMART goals include:
These goals meet the definition of each component of a S.M.A.R.T. goal. Many people often get this far with their goals in their minds, and even occasionally writing them down. The next two steps are the difference between achieving goals and not achieving goals! Once you have your SMART goals and/or plan written down, break it down (in writing) into the Steps you need to take to complete your goal or plan. Steps are what need to be done next to start you on your way. If your goal or plan is not complex, it may have 3 – 5 Steps. However, if your goal or plan is very involved, there may
be more Steps involved. Here’s the kicker…break each Step down into Tasks that you need to either complete yourself or delegate to someone. Include a due date for each task and put the dates on your calendar. You may choose to put a reminder on your calendar ahead of upcoming Task due dates. Again, the number of Tasks under each step will vary based upon how complex your goal or plan is. Once you have your Tasks and dates written under each step, your Tasks become your focal point – almost like a daily “to do” list. Here are the examples continued from above: • Goal: I will lose 20 pounds by May 31, 2014 (this is about 5 months times 4 weeks in each month, or one (1) pound each week) • Join a gym by January 15th (Step followed by 4 completion tasks) A – 1. Research 3 convenient gyms A – 2. Visit each gym A – 3. Inquire about free trial memberships A – 4. Select a gym and schedule workouts 3x each week • Change my eating habits (Step followed by 3 completion tasks) B – 1. Do an internet search for low calorie meals that are ready in 20 minutes or less (or diabetic, low carb, etc.) B – 2. Make a list of healthy snacks B – 3. Grocery shop each week for recipe items and snacks • Goal: I will pay off my $2,000 Visa credit card balance by August 1, 2014 (6 full months) • I will create $1,200 by redirecting $200 of current eating out expenses each month
A – 1. Track spending daily in a pocket-size notebook A – 2. Take breakfast and lunch to work 4 days each week, which is a savings of $12 per day ($4 breakfast and $8 lunch) four days each week for 6 months. I commit to paying an extra $96 on my Visa bill every payday ($12 times 4 days each week times 2 weeks per pay period equals $96). At the end of 6 months, this is a total of $1,152 toward the $2,000. • Swap our monthly family movie night with RedBox™ movies B – 1. On the day I pick up the movie, I will use the money saved to make an extra Visa payment. Four movie tickets are usually $36 plus $20 at the concession stand. I’ll spend $3 on RedBox™ and $5 on snacks for a total of $8. I will make an extra Visa payment of $48 ($56 - $8) once a month (x6 months) for a total of $288. • Yard sale C – 1. Box up all items that I can sell C – 2. Have the kids clean out and declutter their rooms to come up with items to sell C – 3. Select a date and advertise the yard sale As you focus on and then complete each Task, you will automatically complete each Step. Once your Steps are complete, you will automatically achieve your goals and/or plan! This column is about finances, and most goals and plans have a financial component. Therefore, it is important for each of us to start properly creating goals and plans to include the Steps and Tasks that must be completed to acquire the necessary finances. There’s no better time than the start of a New Year to put new winning measures in place! Here’s to making your Financial B.A.N.G. happen in 2014! About the Author: Jennifer S. Matthews is an award-winning author, motivational speaker, and is trained as a financial coach. She is the author of the award-winning book 12 Ways to Put Money in Your Pocket Every Month Without A Part Time Job. The book shows readers how to create hundreds of dollars in cash every month from within their existing income. Visit Jennifer online at www.MoneySmartBook.com and sign up for her newsletter. You can also purchase her book, take advantage of free downloads, and much more. © 2013 Creating Financial Literacy, LLC urban suburban magazine.com Philadelphia 41
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HEALTH
Tips for Finding a Good
Long-Term Care
Facility
by: Seth Molton What is an ideal long term care facility? Various answers cropped up from the aged who, after all, make up a big percentage of the recipients of caring services in the USA and elsewhere for that matter. Most men and women in their retirement years still prefer to be cared for by their children right in the comforts of their homes. However true, there are some individuals accustomed to their independence and would rather be under the care of nursing institutions or retirement communities. Living with your children and opting for the services of a nursing home or an assisted living facility have its advantages, but you shouldn’t discount the fact that each also has its downside. For instance, home care will ensure you’re well taken care of because your kids or other relatives will be present 24/7 to assist you in all areas of activities of daily living (ADL),such as eating, bathing, using the toilet, dressing up, and performing house chores among others. Unfortunately, you cannot count on them to administer medications especially if you have a serious health condition because they are not trained professionally on the medical or nursing field. Those who can afford to pay a professional would prefer home health care and, thus, hire a licensed nurse or medical practitioner to look after them, and attend to their medical needs. However helpful this is to a patient, studies done on long term care show that the government will not shoulder the expenses of caring services performed in one’s home except if the reason behind it is medical. Meanwhile, patients with low to no income are an exception in the eyes of the government. So even if the reason for their home care is
nonmedical, the government will definitely consider paying the home care services that were provided to them.
Cost of Long Term Care Your budget for long term care will depend on your choice or type of long term care facility. If you will opt for home care or home health care, you will not spend as much as you would in a nursing home or assisted living facilities. Besides your budget, however, your health condition is also an important factor to consider when choosing a caring facility. At home, your medical equipment is probably limited to the basic such as a sphygmomanometer, thermometer, weighing scale, and perhaps a nebulizer. Unfortunately, these are not enough to address very serious conditions like heart diseases, cancer, respiratory problems, and many others that require complete medical facilities. Apart from the fact that licensed nurses and therapists are employed by nursing homes and assisted living quarters, these places are equipped with the necessary medical facilities to constantly monitor the progress or deterioration of your health condition. it was recorded that a nursing home in America roughly cost $200 a day. That made an annual cost of $73,000, which a retiree had to fork over from his savings account. Investing in a pension plan could have saved him a chunk of his hard earned money urban suburban magazine.com Philadelphia 43
College Scholarships Application  by: Alex Yew If you have decided that you would like to apply for a scholarship then you will need to start by finding one. You will also need to apply early because you do not want to be rushed and pressured to get your application in on time. If you have really good grades and you have been able to maintain them for most of your academic career then you will want to look for academic scholarships. But, if you are really good in sports then this is where you may want to focus your attention and you will want to conduct a search for these types of scholarships. Just take your time. You will find a large list of different scholarships online, at your local library or even from yours school counselor. However, they may not know about all of them so it does not hurt for you to do some of the researching on your own. Take some time and really think about your positive qualities. What are you good at? What do people like about you? Do you have any experience or hobbies that make you special or help you stand out from others? What makes you the best person for the scholarship that you are looking at? If you are able to write these things down then you will be more prepared for the entire process when you are ready to start applying and completing applications. It is always best to brainstorm anyways because you will not feel stuck the further along you get.
Once you have your large list of available scholarships you will need to get ready to apply. You should never ever start this process without taking your time and reading through all of the qualifications and directions very carefully. You may also find a large amount of small print on the pages and you must be sure that you are reading that as well. Something that you should look for when it comes to reading the application is to search for anything that says if you will be given special consideration for any work that you have completed in the past. For example, if you volunteered you may be able to write an essay about that and it can really improve your chances of getting the scholarship over those individuals that did not volunteer and that do not have any experience. Always look for different ideas like this in the directions. Many of the scholarships that you find and that you will be applying for are going to require you to apply in the form of an essay. Always have someone read through what you have prepared to ensure that the questions were answered completely and that your spelling and grammar is correct. You will make a very poor impression if you do not do this and your essays are incomplete. As you can see, it can be very easy to apply for scholarships as long as you are taking your time. You may be a little bit concerned about
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this in the beginning but the more scholarships that you apply for the more you will be learning. It becomes easier the more that you do it and you will find that you will be more relaxed as time goes by. You never want to let your nerves get the better of you and you should never give up just because you are unsure about something. What you need to remember is that in many cases you may never meet the individuals that are giving you the grant. So, you should just try to relax and put in your best effort. If you do not succeed then no one needs to know. You can just apply for the next one and try even harder. Always try to find out why you did not get the scholarship because this can really help you determine what you may be able to do differently on the next one that you apply for. You can learn from your mistakes and that can really help you in the future if you are willing to turn a negative into a positive when it comes to your college career and your life goals.
Grilling can be a fun, family activity during weekends. Spend your lazy afternoons in your backyard, and take out those grillers for a grilled chicken for your dinner. Learning how to grill is not as hard as you would see on television. All you need is the proper temperature for your griller especially if you are using an electric grill. Nevertheless, if you have the conventional griller, try to find some dried wood or charcoal. Ignite the coals or wood by placing crumpled papers below each coal and then set the papers on fire. Do not pour gasoline on the coals or dried wood. The smoke coming from the coals will give a gasoline-like aroma to your grilled meat. These are your best weapons in grilling. Choose the best part of the chicken. I usually use chicken thighs and legs since they are the fattiest parts of the chicken. These parts will yield a juicy, barbecued chicken. Although these may sound unhealthy, the taste is incredibly delicious. Some would still prefer grilling chicken breasts with the skins on. Before you start grilling your chicken, do not forget to marinate them at least overnight. Yes, overnight. This is because the longer you marinade your meat, the better absorption of flavors happens. I prefer to use store-bought marinades as these save much preparation time in the kitchen. The downside of most readymade marinades is their high sodium content. But if you have time, you can
make your own marinade from scratch. In the recipe below, the marinade and the chicken were simmered together to speed up the process of grilling and also to let the flavors marry together. I like Asian-style marinades such as this: Combine all the above ingredients in a heavy skillet and let it boil for two minutes. Add in the chicken and simmer for another five minutes. Drain the chicken in a colander and reserve the marinade for basting during grilling. Basting is necessary so that the chicken won’t dry out. The marinade can also be made as a sauce by making a basic roux. This is simply done by placing a tablespoon of butter on a non-stick pan and let it cook for minutes. Pour over the marinade and whisk until the sauce thickens. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings accordingly. You can also opt to make a dry, rub marinade. This dry rub is comprised of herbs and spices and a little oil. For chicken, dried or fresh tarragon and rosemary blends together very well. If you want a spicier, grilled chicken, add a pinch of chili powder and cayenne pepper. There are limitless marinades for grilled chicken. A little imagination and creativity are the keys. Make sure that when grilling the chicken, never let the flame flare up. This will result in burnt chicken. This does not appeal both to the eyes and to the palate. If this occurs, sprinkle a little water over the flame. Some also like their grillers to be covered during the grilling process. Personally, I liked mine uncovered. There is just something about the smoke which is, for me, the essence of grilling. Grilled foods are best served warm, right off the grill with some salads or other vegetables of your choice. urban suburban magazine.com Philadelphia 49
HOT OR NOT
As with automobile and fashion, there are annual trends in the Interior Design Industry. These trends predict and determine current colors, interior and furniture design. The definition of a trend is a direction in which something is developing or changing. Global Interior Design reflects constant movement of change, evolution and progression to enhance the pace of technology so that it complements our modern lifestyles. Also, Trends are also influenced by cultural developments, societal hot buttons and global activities. The mood of today’s youth, the economy, popular music, peace and antagonistic relationships between nations can predict and define current trends. For the year 2014, in Interior Design the trends are: For Interior colors are Yellow and Blues. The color yellow represents warmth, confidence, compassion and the sun in nature. From the exiting a struggling economy for the past 6 years, we welcome confidence with consumers that workforce growth is in the up rise direction in the United States. In an Interior space, it brings a sense of security, comfort, 50 urban suburban magazine.com Philadelphia
brightness and friendliness. Yellow can be used in any room except bedrooms and bathrooms. Blue which is one of the most popular colors with most individuals is cool, serene and masculine. Blue represents sky, but on the opposite end, it can denote depression. As like any color, blues comes in many shades and hues. Grecian Blue and Cobalt Blue are popular shades. It gives a Mediterranean feel to an Interior space. Blues can be used in any room, but it should be not used in great amounts in the Kitchen. One reason Blue is a predominant color this year is because there is a trend of husbands working from home or reversal roles which men are raising the children at home (house husbands) while women are increasing as the breadwinners. Men are making more decisions with home decorating options. We live in a global and interdependent society. Crucial and critical events which happen in one nation affect us in a worldly level. African fabric patterns and masks are current. So are Mexican and Spanish styled accessories. Geometric shapes, large patterns with wallpaper designs brings a sense of boldness and pull out your arts and craft items, they’re back in vogue!
HOT OR NOT
An aging population influence changes to furniture design and living quarter layout and functions. People are moving back to urban areas for convenience and lifestyle changes. Large homes are no longer in great demand as they were 10 years ago. Downsizing is the new rule. Smaller homes and condominiums are preferred. Retro style furniture is back. Bathrooms are suited for provisions to accommodate middle age and independent elderly occupants since this is the fastest growing community in the country. Pulls and bathroom fixtures which you may have seen for special need and disabled persons will be a norm because they provide safety for this group. For luxurious bath quarters, deep detached stand alone bathtubs are designed for comfort and the ultimate soaking experience. New modern homes with under 1,500 square feet are designed with wet rooms. Wet rooms are bathrooms with an integrated door less shower with a toilet and sink so the bathroom is an extended shower room. Kitchens are designed with wall cabinets which do not extend to the ceiling, but float on the walls. Wall and base cabinet doors do not have to be the same color or finish to be stylish. Stone and quartz countertops with glass tiles are still the norm.
Home furnishings repeat the styles of the American retro period but with more refined edges. Modern styled chairs and sofas are installed with more padding for comfort than seating manufactured fifty years ago. Do not be afraid to mix fabric textures as silks, cottons, velvets. Luxurious upholstery, drapes, throws and pillows will be recommended by designers to offer that sense of today’s glam to their clients. In conclusion, 2014 brings a sense of progression. The recession is over. Don’t be afraid to treat yourself with a little luxury, global patterns and soft textures.
For more information or to request a consultation, please contact Glynis Tart from Verden Interior Design at 215-360-6722.
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Did you know that the popular belief that dry cleaning is healthy for your garments is just a myth? Caring for your custom suits is quite literally an art. One has to be extremely careful about how the garments are treated, how they are stored and how they are cleaned out. A bespoke suit is a luxury and must be cared for like one would care for their car; with love and a lot of attention.
10 Maintenance and Care Tips For Your Custom Suits The maintenance of your custom suits is all about handling and storing them in the proper manner. There are several factors to consider and incorporate when taking care of your bespoke suit: 1.After every wear use a lint roller to remove any dirt, lint or hair it might have gathered. 2. Air your custom suits out before storing them away. This gets rid of any odor that might have gotten caught in the fabric. 3. If there are creases on your suit, hang the trousers and the jacket separately in the bathroom and take a hot shower. This will fill the bathroom with steam and get you nice and clean. Let the suit sit for thirty minutes than bring it out and wait for the creases to relax out. 4. Remove anything that might be there in the pockets so the fabric does not stress out and sag. 5. Do not store your custom suits in plastic or woolen bags as this allows the fabric to collect moisture and mildew. 6. Hang your custom suits on well-padded heavy wooden hangers to maintain the shape of the shoulder pads. 7. Dry clean your bespoke suit only once; at the end of the season. Dry-cleaning too often does more harm than good to the fabric of your custom suits. 8. In case something spills on your custom suits, brush it off. Do not, under any circumstances, try to run it off. This will leave a permanent mark on fabrics such as linen and silk. 9. Any stains on the suit should be treated immediately and with a dependent and reliable stain remover. 10. Do not separate the jacket and the trouser of the suit. This will result in one wearing out faster than the other and you won’t be able to team them up as a suit. The care of customs suits is a delicate affair and must be handled with care. When you need to dry clean your suit, go to a reputed cleaner. With proper care, your suit’s life will last much longer than you’d expect. urban suburban magazine.com Philadelphia 53
GADGETS
E
very year Christmas comes around and everyone wants to know the latest and greatest in gadgets and technology. This year I thought I would do something a little different. I thought I would share some gadgets that might have gone under the radar. So here is my list of great gadgets you should keep your eyes open for. I am quite lucky that my website TheTechnoFiles.com is able to get a hold of some very unique gadgets and now I get to share them with you here. So sit back and enjoy.
Sonos Play:1
This little music pumper is a part of a much larger family of units and speakers from Sonos. Sonos is a system of HiFi wireless speakers and audio components. It unites your digital music collection in one app that you control from any device. Play what you want in every room over a dedicated wireless network. You can control the Sonos Play:1 speaker using your smartphone or tablet. You gain access to a slew of functions and online music choices. You can run a lot of the popular music apps as well as music on your own device. Find out more information for yourself at www.Sonos.com.
Velodyne vFree Bluetooth Headphones The future of personal music listening is moving towards pairing bluetooth technology with headphones. The Velodyne vFree is 54 urban suburban magazine.com Philadelphia
a great introduction into that new world. Cordless music combined with a built-in microphone allows you to listen to your music and talk on your phone hands-free. It has an amazing battery life with 100 hours of standby time and 10 hours music and talk time. It comes with its very own stylish bag as well as it’s very own unique ability to fold into itself to make storage even easier. You can get more information at www.velodyne.com.
Samsung Galaxy Gear
It isn’t the first to hit the market but it seems to be one of the better ones. This device brings Dick Tracy to reality. The Galaxy Gear has the ability to make and receive calls, as well as the ability to make a voice memo. When you get a notification on your Galaxy Gear that requires a more in-depth look, the moment you pick up your Galaxy phone, Smart Relay automatically opens the app that corresponds with what’s on your wrist. Finally, there’s an easy way to locate your lost phone. With Find My Device, you can use Galaxy Gear to remotely activate sounds and vibrations to make it easy to locate your phone. And you can also use your phone to help you find your Galaxy Gear - peace of mind goes both ways. Did I mention you also have the ability to take photos with it as well? Well you can. Want to learn more head on over to www.Samsung.com.
Koala Mount
Check this next gadget into the “why didn’t I think of that” line of thought. The Koala Mount is a very unique device to help you when you are needing your tablet the most. While most people wouldn’t admit to doing it at work or in public, there’s no shame in spending some quality time in your “library” at home. When you are sitting on the throne doing some digital reading on your iPad or tablet it usually ends up precariously balanced on the edge of the bathtub, sink or laying on the floor. This treatment is fine for a newspaper, book or magazine, but not your pricey and potentially easily damaged technology. Hands-free bathroom viewing is now possible with the Koala Mount. Simply attach the mount to any convenient vertical surface (walls, tile, mirrors) in the bathroom, slide in your tablet, and read or even watch TV without having to hold your screen. For more information head on over to www.dockem. com.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Considered one of the most popular kids’ entertainment brands of the 1980s, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles made a totally epic return in September 2012 with the launch of a CG-animated TV show on Nickelodeon and an all-new toy line from Playmates Toys.
Playmates Toys has expanded the line and is introducing allnew products packed with Ninja technology for the holiday season, allowing kids the ability to recreate the unique “Ninja Turtles” experience at home. The expanded line includes all-
GADGETS
new action figures that fling out projectiles and a full function remote-controlled Turtle vehicle that includes a remote firing sewer cover cannon that fires up to 10 sewer covers as a time! There is also a line of Throw N Battle Turtles that “spring” into action that adds a new layer realism and fun to your children’s playtime. Combine these with the Turtle van and you have a real adventure on your hands that brings technology to a whole new line of toys for your kids and yes even parents can also enjoy these as well…I mean I wouldn’t know anything about that. More information at www.playmatestoys. com.
Zepp Labs Multi-Sport Sensor
Zepp Labs, a leader in motion capture technology and mobile sports applications, announced that is has created the world’s first multi-sport sensor and the first three apps on the new Zepp Sports Platform: Zepp Baseball, Zepp Golf and Zepp Tennis. “For the first time in history, players and coaches can now capture and analyze 3D swing data on their smartphone or tablet and discover ways to improve their game,” said Jason Fass, chief executive officer of Zepp Labs. “We see a tremendous opportunity to improve the way we practice, play and experience sports by providing meaningful and actionable data in a beautiful design with an easy-to-use interface.”
• Zepp Sensor
The Zepp 3D motion sensor was designed with the athlete in mind. It is extremely small, about 1-inch square, less than half an inch thick and weighs just 6.3 grams, so it never impedes the athlete’s performance. Constructed of a rugged rubber exterior and shock-resistant core, the sensor is also extremely durable to withstand all types of abuse on the baseball field, golf course and tennis court. Each sensor contains a powerful ARM processor, multiple motion sensors, storage for up to 200,000 swings (200,000 tennis swings / 2,000 baseball and golf swings) and up to 8 hours of battery life (varies by use). Using innovative sport-specific mounts, the Zepp sensor attaches easily to any baseball or softball bat, tennis racket or golf glove. It captures 1,000 data points per second and transfers all of this data to a user’s urban suburban magazine.com Philadelphia 55
smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth.
• Zepp Baseball
Zepp Baseball is a training system (motion sensor + bat mount + mobile app) that helps you analyze and improve your swing. Just attach the Zepp 3D motion sensor to the handle of any baseball or softball bat and swing away to get instant data and feedback and on your iPhone, iPad or Android device. The sensor wirelessly sends data to your mobile device via Bluetooth after every swing. For the first time in the history of baseball, players and coaches can now review swings in 3D and rotate around them in 360°, measure important aspects of each swing like bat speed and bat angle at impact, track progress and trends over time, compare swings to pros and friends, and get personalized tips, drills and coaching.
•Zepp Golf
Zepp Golf is the evolution of Zepp Labs’ award-winning first product, GolfSense, the world’s first 3D golf swing analyzer system for your smartphone and tablet. Zepp Golf is a training system (motion sensor + glove mount + mobile app) that helps analyze and improve your golf swing. Just attach the Zepp 3D motion sensor to the back of your golf glove and swing away to get instant data and feedback and on your iPhone, iPad or Android device. The sensor wirelessly sends data to your mobile device via Bluetooth after every swing. Golfers and professional instructors can review swings in 3D and rotate around them in 360°, measure important aspects of each swing like club head speed, tempo, club plane, hand path, backswing position and hip rotation, track progress and trends over time, compare swing to pros and friends and get personalized tips, drills and coaching.
• Zepp Tennis
Zepp Tennis is a training system (motion sensor + racket mount + mobile app) that helps you analyze and improve your swing. Just attach the Zepp 3D motion sensor to the handle of any tennis racket and swing away to get instant data and feedback and on your iPhone, iPad or Android device. The sensor captures and stores your swing data and then wirelessly sends that data to your mobile device via Bluetooth. For the first time in the history of tennis, players and coaches can now get in-depth analysis of their matches and practices sessions, track important aspects of their game like shot type mix (serve, forehand, backhand, smash), power and spin (topspin, slice, flat), compare data to pros and friends and get personalized tips, drills and coaching.
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aampmuseum.org
ThE AfricAn AmEricAn mUsEUm in PhilADelPhiA monday, January 20, 11 am - 5 pm
The Unflinching Eye:
mArTin LUThEr King shAring ThE hEriTAgE cELEbrATion And dAy of sErvicE Join AAMP and the Citizens Bank Foundation as we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin luther King, Jr! Donate food for our ChAAMPs Against hunger Philabundance Food Drive; engage in hands-on service projects; explore our exhibits; watch great performances at our Community Celebration; and more!
Free Admission
saturday, february 8, 1pm - 2 pm
Visit AAMP to experience one of Philadelphia’s most vibrant exhibits. Described by the City Paper as “2013’s most thrilling show,” The Unflinching Eye highlights the work and influence of Philadelphia’s Tiberino family of artists who collectively have been a mainstay in Philadelphia’s art community for decades. 701 Arch Street . Philadelphia, PA 19106 (215) 574-0380 Thursday - Saturday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Sunday 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm Looking for more exhibit-related events? Please visit our calendar at www.aampmuseum.org
sTEP inTo soUTh AfricA! South Africa is perhaps best known in the United States as the site of the struggle against apartheid in the late 20th century. however, this nation of diverse peoples – including the Xhosa, Zulu, Venda, and more - is rich in culture! Come get an introduction to the languages, music, religions, rites of passage and everyday life of South Africans in this workshop. You’ll leave knowing a bit more about your world.
Free with Museum Admission
saturday, february 22, 1 pm - 2 pm saturday, march 15, 1 pm - 2 pm ToUr wiTh ThE TibErinos Join two members of the Tiberino family as they lead you through AAMP’s newest exhibit, The Unflinching eye: Works of the Tiberino Family Circle. This intimate look into the exhibit will introduce you to the stories behind some of these intriguing artworks and highlight the ways in which this community of artists have influenced and been influenced by each other.
Free with Museum Admission
Enjoy A Night at the Museum for
a lively night of food, fun and cultural encounters.
Friday, March 28, 2014 . 6:30 pm 701 Arch Street . Philadelphia, PA For information on tickets and sponsorships, please call (215) 574-0380 ext. 246