Le Haute Paire

We said we were protecting Black women, right?

I know you can be overwhelmed and underwhelmed. But can you just be whelmed? Here's the IG post I was referencing: https://bit.ly/35VBUCc

N.E. Heartbreak, Uncle Charlie and the African-American urge to say "they be alright"...

I'm Black 365, so keep that performative allyship away from me. …oh, and why didn't anyone warn me about how addictive Wordle is?

Dealing with the adjustments of life, one day at a time.

The girls that get it, get it. And the girls that don't, don't.

Full disclosure: This episode was recorded at 5 AM in my bed and on my phone so please excuse any audio issues that you don't normally hear. What started off as just a run of show notes turned into a full-blown episode so excuse my morning voice. Now to the meat and potatoes of this episode! The 'Sex and the City' reboot debuted on HBOMax recently and I binged the first two episodes. I have so many thoughts and feelings about the new cast, the Big changes, and the way they're helping destigmatize the conversation around mental health already! I'll be sharing my thoughts on those first two episodes as well as some Insecure episodes that helped make me comfortable enough to not only share my recent struggles with depression with loved ones but with y'all. But don't worry, we'll be ending the episode on a high note with some info for an upcoming trip I have planned to DC for Issa Rae's #HooraeTakesKC event! If you're thinking about going make sure you grab your tickets when they go on sale on Dec 14!

This week I'm honoring greats, making recommendations and encouraging you to protect your peace.

Sad Girl Fall has me two-steppin in my feelings

It's been a minute, right? Well I'm back and I'm an official hot chicken! Keep listening to the episode and you'll get it. Nashville moving company - https://bit.ly/2ZQbVcz

Nashville is the equivalent of TI's line from 'Motivation', "5'9" with the spirit of a 6'4" (city). Check out 'Pose' and 'High on the Hog' if you haven't already!

Okay y'all, don't get used to this, but I had some stuff I wanted to share with y'all so here with a mini episode! I've officially begun my new role and I'm in Nashville for the week and I wanted to share that excitement with y'all. I'm also discussing the fact that the Backyardigans and their bops are popular again thanks to TikTok, and even shared the @scarypockets cover of "Castaways". And I'm rounding out the episode discussing the 100 year anniversary of the Tulsa Massacre and information about Bruce's Beach in California. Feel free to read up on those topics here while you enjoy the episode: Bruce Island - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/18/us/bruces-beach-manhattan-california.html Tulsa Massacre - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa_race_massacre#Film_and_television

I know it's been a minute, but so much has happened over the past month!! On this episode I'll be sharing my BIG NEWS, talking about Bow Wow vs Soulja and how Bow Wow helped me check my lung capacity last year, as well as sharing tips to help you with your mental health journey! May might be Mental Health Awareness Month, but these tips will help y'all year-round! So grab your coffee and tune in!

Hello…how are you? This week's episode is full of musical references. From Adele to John Mayer to the late great DMX. May he rest in honor. So much has happened in the last month and I wanted to share a bit with y'all on this week's episode as well as talk a little bit about boundaries…or the lack thereof. You know the drill; grab a mug of coffee and tune in!

Looking outside today you wouldn't know that we went through a whole winter storm last week. Link to Houston Resource Guide

Reminding folks that allyship is a verb, that sometimes the little guys do win and sharing an obscure Black History Month fact!

Stop hijacking his words and find out which Tik Tok trend has my attention.

We can't even get all the way into the new year without some mess…damn!

Wi-Fi, wireless bras, and wildin' out on Zoom happy hours....

"Take a break" - Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton. Here's my digital planning Youtube video

Gobble me, swallow me. Drip gravy down the side of me.

"We did it. We did it, Joe. You're going to be the next president of the United States." - Madam Vice President, Kamala Harris. Oh, and here' s the link to the blog post I referenced towards the end of the episode.

So Hogwarts was a HBCU that night…

More rebranding, reclaiming time and 'rona travels

Fall fashions, farewell to a giant and fictitious drama on Netflix....

Podcasts and face masks and bottles of bubbly… Snag some cute masks from my favorite shop: TKO Needlepoint Designs

Another week, another podcast episode with Tavaria! She's becoming a regular on here and I'm not mad at that! As you can tell from the title of this episode we're talking about what's going on with the USPS along with a few other things. A certain family decided to co-opt something that wasn't theirs and completely butchered it, and we had thoughts about that as well as Cardi and Meg's new single. And it wouldn't be a quarantine episode from us if we didn't give y'all TV show or movie recommendations; so grab your coffee or tea and tune in below!

And just like that we're back like we never left...and it's true. Like the rest of y'all in this pandemic, we're still in the house, but thanks to all of the content that has dropped recently we're staying entertained! On today's episode, we're discussing Beyonce's new project on Disney+, the old UPN shows that are making their way to Netflix, some other classic shows from our childhood that are on other streaming platforms, and more! We even shared some opinions on some new music projects that have dropped recently. You know the drill, grab a mug of tea or CBD infused coffee like me and tune in! Oh! Don't forget to check out today's sponsors, 'When Life Gives You Curves' and 'Unprocessed Lifestyle'! They both have really cute attire with great messages.

We're a day late and like this nation, a few coins short but we're here! Tavaria's back on the mic with me and we had to talk about the recklessness we've been seeing folks do in these COVID streets. From pools in clubs to prematurely sending kids back to school in person we have opinions on it all. We even laid into Kanye and the president and CEO of Goya foods for their foolishness before discussing Jada and Auggie's entanglement. We couldn't end things on a petty note (I mean, we could but didn't want to) so we decided to share some of the music and podcasts that we've been listening to as well as our ideal Verzuz battles. You already know the drill, grab that mug of coffee and tune in below!

I saw that phrase on a social media post recently and it stuck out to me because it's the truth. My joy and even my existence is a form of resistance, so that's what I'm going to talk about on this week's episode. I'm sharing some history about the city I claim and love, talking about some of the Black-owned businesses I've been patronizing, discussing some shows I've been binging, and more! And to be 100% transparent, I end the episode talking about something else that's life-giving for me, my IUD! I'm coming up at the end of year 5 with it and it's almost time for a replacement so I'm talking about my experience with it on this week's episode. You know the drill, grab a mug of tea or coffee and tune into this shorter episode!

So much has happened these past few weeks and it seems like the phrase 'Black Lives Matter' is no longer seen as taboo. Companies and corporations everywhere are saying in and donating to the cause and Tavaria and I have so many thoughts and feelings about the sudden surge in participation in the movement. We also dive into the history of the upcoming holiday, Juneteenth and why it's so important to Black people in the South. I've also been binging documentaries and noticed a keen difference between the R. Kelly and Jeff Epstein one that I had to share with y'all this week. Finally, we wanted to end things on a lighter note because one of the ways we can keep sane during times of crisis is to laugh so we talked about the scam goddess that is B. Simone and we finished off the episode talking about 'Insecure'. I want to preface this and say that we recorded this episode on Sunday prior to the season finale of 'Insecure'. I watched it in shock with the rest of y'all and then had a full hour-long Facetime chat with 3 of my girls about not only the episode, but the entire season so please believe that a mini AAtJ episode about the show is coming soon! Y'all know the drill, grab a cup of coffee and tune in!

This week was heavy, like really heavy. Working from home made it easier because I was able to cry when I needed to and I didn't have to deal with people directly. Between the tears and the physical manifestation of dealing with all of this I'm tired. I'm tired of my brothers and sisters being MURDERED and their MURDERERS not being held accountable. I'm tired of the "allies" who channel Helen Keller when it's time to speak up and march along with us. I'm tired of the respectability politics and the "not all people" folks. I'm tired of breaking our backs doing the work we shouldn't be doing alone. WE CANNOT FIX A SYSTEM THAT WASN'T MADE FOR US. In case you couldn't tell I'll be speaking about Christian Cooper and George Floyd on today's episode. I'll be talking about the language of the unheard and how folks need to stop slicing and dicing MLK Jr and the bible to fit whatever BS docile narrative they want to shove down the throat of BIPOC today. So take a listen, get uncomfortable, do the research, and do your part by putting your money and actions where your mouth is and having that uncomfortable conversation with others in your life.

And just like that, I'm back with another podcast episode! Your eyes and ears don't deceive you, I've recently rebranded! On this week's episode we're talking about the last few Verzuz battles, especially when Nelly lost to Ludacris and became a piece of modern artwork. We're also talking about romance during this quarantine period and how it's still possible to not only meet new people but to go on dates with them as well! This is a short episode so grab a mug of tea or coffee and dive right in!

On this week's episode I'll be sharing a few more quarantine purchases, as well as my opinion on what Texas is doing on a state and what we're doing on a local level as far as reopening everything. And since my parents are typically a few episodes behind on my show I think it's safe for me to share my Mother's Day gift for my step-mom with y'all. You know the drill by now, grab a mug of coffee or tea and tune in below. You have options this time! Links: ORS Curls Unleashed Color Blast in 'Sangria' - https://amzn.to/2KPIyMI ORS Curls Unleashed Color Blast in 'Golden Bars' - https://amzn.to/3bV50zH Diffuser - https://amzn.to/2xo1Zch Essential Oil Starter Kit (16 10oz bottles) - https://amzn.to/3aUAyUY Get 50% off your first pair of frames from Firmoo using my affiliate link 'F0U4O2'

Shout out to Tyrese and Teddy Riley for this week's episode. Whew chile! Saturday's show was a mess, and Monday's was slightly better. We're (yes, you read that correctly I have a co-host this week) talking about that, stimulating the economy, vetting quarantine baes and more this week. You know the drill, grab a mug of coffee or tea and tune in!

I was feeling a little inspired by Sunday's episode of 'Insecure' and a conversation that was had on a virtual happy hour this past weekend. I can't guarantee that I'll be dropping weekly episodes during this quarantine (that's now been extended to May 13 in Texas), so don't get used to them but I might have a little something special for y'all next week!

I've lost track of what quarantine day this is, but I will say that I actually put on real clothes today. And by real clothes I mean a jumpsuit instead of leggings and a pullover. Today's episode is about our new Rona normal. I'm sharing my binge watch suggestions (and I just realized that I forgot to mention 'All American' on Netflix, go watch both seasons of that), my new obsession on Instagram, how Patreon accounts and Only Fan pages are essentially the same thing, and reminding folks to give themselves grace. I know I usually say grab a mug of coffee or tea, but times are rough so feel free to grab a real drink or a pint of ice cream and check out this episode!

This week's mini-episode is all about that 'Rona. Y'all know what I'm talking about too, COVID-19/Coronavirus. As many of us are preparing to hunker down for some social distancing I wanted to share a few tips to make working from home a bit easier, as well as a few TV binge recommendations in case you have the time off work. I touched on how I feel about folks clearing shelves at stores just because they can. I also shared some pretty standard (in my opinion) prevention tips. You know the drill, make your coffee/tea and tuck in for a good episode. While you're at it, share it with a friend! I know the media can be a bit much at times, so if you want to limit your news intake to valid sources for just information then please check out the CDC's website and the World Health Organization's website.

Last week I mentioned having something special for y'all on the blog...and this is it! It's always nice to collaborate with people you love and admire in real life, especially when they're repeat collaborations! Bri and Jordan are no strangers to the show (or my life), and when Bri pitched this crossover/guest podcast of sorts Jordan and I immediately said hell yeah! (Five points if you know the video I'm referencing there). You guys know I'm all about trying to live my authentic best life, so it's always nice when I meet other people especially women who are doing the same thing. Both Jordan and Bri are lifestyle/motivational bloggers who I believe are killing it on their platforms. Jordan's blog is one that I check on a regular basis and she's now launched a podcast that I absolutely loved and even shared with y'all last week! Bri recently celebrated the one year anniversary of her blog and did so in a big way! Both women have been featured in Voyage Houston and not only are they flourishing in their creative fields, but they're doing the same in their careers! We mentioned this on the show, but all three of us have had similar experiences in women not helping other women even though we are in very different industries. I don't want to give too much away, but I think that this episode is right on time for the celebration of Women's History in March and I'm…well we're…really looking forward to y'all's feedback on it. You know the drill, grab a mug of coffee/tea/water and press play. And please feel free to send us your questions and comments! Bri - Blog | Instagram Jordan - Blog | Instagram | Podcast Notable mentions: Y'all know I'm all about women helping other women, and I wanted to share the information for two other bloggers that I mentioned on today's episode. Go give Tanner Mann and Neely a follow! Tanner is a new mom (like real fresh baby) who's also a really good beauty/fashion blogger! We definitely have different body types, but I love that I'm able to find inspiration in her outfit choices and tailor them to fit my curves. You can find her at tannermann.com and @tannermmann on Instagram. Neely is an OG blogger who I followed and admired for years before our relationship developed into a beautiful friendship. She's a fellow Texas blogger who does it all: mommy blogging, travel blogging, lifestyle blogging and more! She's not new to the game, she's true to it and is one of the sweetest people I know! You can find her at itstartswithcoffee.com and @neelykins on all social platforms!

What?! We made it to 50 episodes!!! Thank y'all so much for listening in these past few years, for all of the emails, comments, shares, DMs, everything. I truly appreciate it. Y'all have been super flexible with the hosting changes and rebranding and I hope you continue to stick around because I plan on putting out content for a while! February is typically seen as the month of love, so both episodes this month will be centered around that theme. You can probably tell by the title of today's episode that I'll be talking about struggle love again and how It's absolute BASURA! I have a few hot topics but I promise they will all tie together; and I want to preface this episode by saying I love Black men. I was raised by one, related to a bunch of them, I've loved a few over the years and my siblings are raising some exquisite Black boys. So keep that in mind while you listen to this episode and hear my opinions on this Gayle King interview, Gervontae Davis' assault and Bobby Love's trash love story from Humans of New York. You know the drill, grab a mug of tea and check out today's episode!

This is probably one of the most requested episode topics in my messages. Now, this is another one of those 'lite' episodes where it's just me on the mic, but I came across this Instagram post and had to share it with y'all along with my thoughts on it. For the most part, they make really good points and I agree, but there were some that I was either on the fence about or completely disagreed with. I'd love to hear your feedback on it so take a listen to today's show, check out the post and let me know what you think! A lot has happened in these past two weeks and I talked about a few of them in this week's 'Child Cheese' segment and at the end of the show. I had some thoughts on the latest Tyler Perry production and shared those, and I couldn't not acknowledge the passing of the Black Mamba himself, Kobe Bryant. Like many of you, I'm sending prayers of peace and love to not only his loved ones but the loved ones of everyone else who died in that crash.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I'm back with the first episode of 2020 and I have a few things to get off my chest. First things first, I'm the realest…and while that's true that's not one of the topics of today's episode. But I am talking about my One Little Word for the year and sharing how I plan to implement it, my scare with not having insurance for a few days, Megxit and a black-owned bar discriminating against folks who look like the owners! You know the drill, grab a mug of coffee or tea and take a listen. As usual, feel free to DM me or email me if you have any questions or any topics you want me to discuss on future shows and I hope y'all enjoy this episode!

*I want to apologize now because we totally gave the wrong rapper credit about halfway through this episode. When you get there you'll understand. Apologies Lil Keke!* If you're from Texas or even a DJ Screw fan then I hope you read that to the tune of "Pimp the Pen". If not, do yourselves a favor and check out that song. HAPPY HOLIDAYS, Y'ALL! We're in the middle of Hannukah, Christmas is tomorrow and Kwanzaa officially starts the next day. Stores are packed, airports too and we've got another episode of 'Le Haute Paire' for you. And yes, you read that correctly I said "we". Tavaria is back on the mic with me and I'm so happy that I'll be finishing out this year with my cousin on the show! She gave a brief rundown explaining her hiatus, we talked about Lizzo, our new favorite ice cream Peach Mint and even shared some of our upcoming holiday plans. You know the drill, grab a mug of coffee, tea or even eggnog if that's your jam and tune in to the final episode of 2019!

Happy Tuesday, y'all! I'm back with another episode and this week I'm talking about a few things that I've been enjoying lately: giving back to deserving organizations, holiday shows, new seasons of old favorites, and Jay-Z! Yeah, that list might sound all over the place but if you know me or if you've been listening to this podcast for a while then you know that that's on-brand for me. I'm sharing an unconventional gift guide, show suggestions and I'm even sharing about a company that I've recently partnered with that is life-changing for me and I feel might be life-changing for some of you too! Especially those of you who grind your teeth like me. I know that sounds vague, but I promise it will all make sense after you check out their guards and listen to the episode. You know the drill - grab a mug of coffee or tea and tuck in for the episode!

Y'all!! I cannot tell you how much I've missed being on the mic. Not recording last week was utter torture and I'm so happy to be back today. This episode's been brewing for about 2 weeks, so some of it is new news and some of it's older but either way, I'm discussing it. We've officially kicked off the holiday season and while some folks are hitting the streets and going shopping, I'm clicking "add to cart" in various online shops and watching all the holiday content! Lifetime. Hallmark. Disney+! You name it and I'll probably be watching it this holiday season. I'm also discussing two controversial-ish topics this week: Clifford "Tip" Harris' inability to mind his own damn business and keep quiet about his daughter's sexual life, and Kanye's "ministry". And of course, I couldn't get on the mic sounding as "well" as I did without encouraging y'all to go to the doctor yourselves. So please, grab a mug of tea (because you probably need another one like me) and tuck into this week's episode. And I meant what I said in the episode. I know we typically cook the same things on Thanksgiving, but I still want to see your plates so feel free to tag me in them or send them my way!

Y'all, it's November and Fall TV is back! My DVR queue isn't that full since I've cut the cord-ish and have been streaming most things, but I wanted to share some new and old favorites with y'all today. I also wanted to apologize for my voice on this episode, I'm on the tail end of an infection and then spent the day prior yelling and having fun. So my throat was a bit scratchy, but we're gonna make it. As usual, I want to thank each and every one of you for listening and I encourage you to comment below, DM or email me and let me know your favorite Fall shows, and what I should add to my list.

If you didn't singing the Michel'le song when you read that title can you even consider yourself a 90's R&B fan? I don't think so. I just want to give y'all a heads up, this episode is all over the place. It's a brain dump that includes my homecoming weekend recap, National Period Day, early voting, and more! It's a short one so you probably have time to finish a single cup of coffee or tea so grab one and tune in! Oh! And I mentioned that I got some new Astros gear from State Line Designs and I wanted to share the store link with y'all. Check out her designs, they're so cute!

I know a lot of bloggers do quarterly and monthly recaps of things that they're loving, and I haven't done that in a while so this short episode is all about that. Feel free to hum the tune if you know it. Michael B(ae) Jordan and his Netflix series, iOS 13 and all the new goodies, Blue Snowball mics and the upcoming vote, THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS! Yeah, I know that doesn't rhyme by I never said that I was a poet. You know the drill, grab a mug of coffee or tea and tuck in for this short episode. Feel free to DM me (@lehautepaire or @andallthatjazie) or send me an email if you have any comments or want me to talk about any specific topics!

Look who got a makeover! I was hit with the creative bug on Friday and decided to rebrand the podcast…ish. I still have the same logo, but I was long overdue for a new podcast graphic. I'd had the same simple one since 2017, and while that was great at the time I felt like it was time for you guys to see the face behind the voice. Especially for those of you who don't follow my blog. What do you think? You might have also noticed that the show's info has changed and I've removed Tavaria as the main host. There was no fallout or anything like that, she's still my favorite cousin, but between her incredibly busy schedule and the fact that I'm now more comfortable hopping on the mic by myself or with other guest hosts I figured it was time to make it official. She's still going to be a regular host on the show, she just won't be a main host anymore. Now! Back to this week's episode. SO MUCH happened last week that I wanted to talk about. Tracee Ellis Ross dropped a new hair product line for curly girls like her (specifically for the 3b to 4c hair types). H&M did a photoshoot centered around how kids look after-school and featured a darker-skinned model with 4c hair and while some folks were pissed, I loved it! She literally looked how so many of us have looked after school when we were younger. Then there was the anti-vaxxer protest in New York after children were removed from school once the grace period passed of a recent law prohibiting the students to be enrolled in a public school if they hadn't been vaccinated. I actually agree with the law, and respect the parents' right to protest, but where they had me messed up was when they started comparing this situation to the Civil Rights Movement of the '60s and even the Holocaust. This is another short episode, but it's full of tea so grab a mug and enjoy it! Oh! The podcast that I mentioned early in the episode is 'If I'm Being Honest' by Katie Crenshaw, and I HIGHLY recommend y'all check it out. Many people say that they're allies (of all disenfranchised groups), but Katie backs up her words. I love it and I think you will too!

I can sum up this episode in 4 words. Power, Hustlers, Privilege, and Trolls. It's another 'Haute Takes' episode so it's a short one, you might only need one mug of tea or coffee to get through it but you don’t want to miss it. Take a listen below, and if you or anyone you know is interested in taking me up on my offer and sharing the mic with me on a candid discussion about women's health please let me know! You can reach via email or slide in my DMs.

If you've followed me for a while then you know I'm a huge music buff, and not just a music buff but a band nerd. I've played the flute since I was about 11, marched for 6 years, was all-city and all-state, played in jazz bands as well as concert bands, and I was even the head drum major my senior year in high school! The one thing I didn’t do that I really wanted to do was join a core band, but they only march brass instruments and I played a woodwind. Band was always a big part of my life, so when I got the opportunity to cover this year's National Battle of the Band competition in Houston I pounced on it. I have a full blog post coming later this week on that, but I wanted to share some band memories with y'all and have two very special guests come on and share their band memories as well. My parents! They were truly by my side throughout all of those years, so I figured they'd be the perfect guests for this episode. Take a listen below and stroll down memory lane with me, and when you're finished with this episode do yourself a favor and check out The Score Podcast, especially if you're into music education and band stuff like this. One of the hosts is actually one of my former drum majors in high school and he's since directed a few bands, turned one high school's band program around and is just doing great things in his field. You can check them out on Instagram (@podthescore) or on their podcast's page.