This year my 26th birthday was very special.  I decided to give up my birthday in the name of charity. I  invited friends to celebrate by donating to Charity:Water, a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations, instead of buying me gifts or taking me out.
I told all my guests what Charity:Water was all about,  how a $20 donation can do a lot of difference for people deprived of water all over the world and the motivation behind the idea, founder Scott Harrison,
After welcoming all my guests and  I had to thank all sponsors who supported my birthday charity event including: International Garden, Omni Wines, Nuchas, The Pelican Hotel, Hulbert Waldrouop, Marlo Weinstein, Ruth’s bakery, Carly Ivan Garcia, Go Green, Smart Energy cocktails, Federico Bergomi, Jerry Jack, The Hugh Bell Studio, No More Tears and Danyelle Demchock. Check it out! You can make a donation to my charity water fundraiser HERE.

Shaun Neblett, pen name MC SNEB, is a Harlem based playwright and founder of Changing Perceptions Theater. In this video, he accounts his journey to become a playwright starting from the age of 17 when he was in high school. He wanted to write something different for the youngsters of his age who are into poetry, and decided to follow this passion.

With the help of his father who found a youth theatre company al the local YMCA. With a new mentor and the support from his dad, Shaun began writingplays. At the end of high school, he recieved an opportunity for one of his writings to be adapted into full play production in New York City.

In his writings,  it is evident his love for music and hip hop culture hence his reason to self produce HOMAGE 3:ILLMATIC.  It is the first  installment in his 7 Homages for 7 MC’s, a cycle of plays Neblett is designing in the spirit of 7 classic Hip-Hop albums and their individual themes. HOMAGE 3: ILLMATIC is the third piece in the cycle and the first piece to be produced.  He feels that the time to present inspirational stories of people of color is NOW. “America seldom sees characters of color that win, especially in the theater,” says Neblett. “I couldn’t wait any longer to see a play that people I know, value and can relate to. Hip-Hop culture has and continues to influence the entire world.. It’s about time that we pay honor and further investigate the motivational merits of the culture.”

The play is dedicated to Rapper NAS, one of New York’s leading rap voices who expressed an outspoken, self-empowered swagger that rallied the streets of his city and elsewhere. The play is about the journey of one man to find himself.

The production was done in Harlem because his love for Harlem is reflected in his works: its spirit, its rhythm, its people. The play will be shown in Black River Dance Center for Performing Arts.

WATCH  PART 2 OF SHAUN’S INTERVIEW HERE

You can follow Shaun Neblett HERE.

For more info on the play, click HERE.

So here in the final episode, Suncear continues to share how to treat some minor problems we encounter in our bathrooms using nature friendly, non toxic, chemical free and moneysavers ingredients.

4. Drain Cleaner - you can use peroxide and baking soda. Just pour the baking soda down the drain followed by the peroxide and leave for a 20 minutes before rinsing it. It doesn’t cause abrasion to your pipe and takes care of MINOR drain problems.

5. Mildew cleaner - use 50-50 peroxide and water and spray on to the area with the mildew problem and leave it to air dry.

So there you go, the ingredients are not harsh to the skin, hands and nose and are money savers as well.

So start cleaning and GET BUSY!

Watch PART 1 HERE

Watch Part 2 HERE

Suncear Scretchen has had a life long interest in natural and organic products. After a bout of Graves Disease over 10 years ago, Suncear Scretchen has had a life long interest in natural and organic products. After a bout of Graves Disease over 10 years ago, and she is now a Health Coach helping clients lead healthier lifestyles. Her passion for achieving awareness in everything we put on and into our bodies is chronicled in her blog Conscious Chick

On my third day, I went to Ghetto di Roma, one of the oldest ghettos in the world as well as stopped over at the Roma Farmers’ Market. It was very similar one to New York’s Union Square Farmers’ Market where you can find organic fresh vegetables, fruits,  natural products such as Bio-Nutrici.

I took a walk though Palatine Hill where the Roman Emperors once live and now you will find mostly ruins of palaces and homes of some Rome’s richest familes. From there, it was a stones throw away to the Roman Forum, which originally was a marsh, but the Romans drained the area and turned it into a center of political and social activity.  The Forum was the marketplace of Rome and also the business district and civic center. It was expanded to include temples, a senate house and law courts.  It is considered one of the most important archeological sites in the world.

The Colloseum was built in the center of the city of Rome between 70-72 AD, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. It is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering. It can  seat 50,000 spectators and it was used to be a place for gladiatorial contest and public spectacles.

After a very long day, I capped off the evening  at Hotel Locarino where I relaxed over an apperitivo with some friends.

Watch Part 1 of Rome, Italy HERE!

Watch Part 2 of Rome, Italy HERE!

In this segment, Suncear demonstrates the different ingredients that can be used to clean the different areas of the bathroom and they are chemical free, non toxic, nature friendly and are available in our kitchen.

1. Sink Cleaner - sprinkle baking soda and squeeze lemon juice (good for treating stains) on to it and use a sponge to clean the sink (you don’t even have to use gloves), or (you can make a paste out of baking soda and lemon juice).

2. Faucets cleaner (chrome) – mix 50-50 vinegar and water and wipe it on the faucets followed by polishing with newspaper. Although vinegar can have a peculiar smell, it would go once it dries up. Most important thing to remember: vinegar is an excellent  disinfectant.

3. Glass cleaner - in an empty container with spray nozzle (you can save by recycling empty containers), mix again vinegar and water, add to it lemon juice or a mild soap, spray the glass and polish with newspaper and again you will be surprised with the effect you don’t expect.

4. Bowl cleaner - pour white vinegar around the inside (or even outside) of the toilet bowl  and use brush to spread the vinegar while cleaning at the same time.

Watch Part 1 HERE

WATCH PART 3 HERE

Suncear Scretchen has had a life long interest in natural and organic products. After a bout of Graves Disease over 10 years ago, Suncear Scretchen has had a life long interest in natural and organic products. After a bout of Graves Disease over 10 years ago, and she is now a Health Coach helping clients lead healthier lifestyles. Her passion for achieving awareness in everything we put on and into our bodies is chronicled in her blog Conscious Chick

Justin Tillman takes on “beliefs” as he explains what are they, how they develop and where they come from. Have you ever thought about how difficult it to change your thoughts?

In this first segment, he further explains that beliefs are perceptions that we feel without our knowledge. It is an external idea that has been accepted, therefore, it creates reality. I think, I believe, therefore it is.

Watch Part 2 HERE!