By Angela Bronner, BlackVoices.com

On a blustery but sunny winter day, my family -- fiance, daughter, cousin and newborn son, all trekked to the Martin Luther King Center -- three days before what would have been his 79th birthday.

It appears that more and more women are turning to one of the most dubious practices around, long since discovered by wealthy white men... sex tourism.

Affluent European women in particular are increasingly living out their exotic fantasies of being with foreign men/boys much younger themselves who, almost as a criterion must be of a different race.

In Kenya, thousands of aging European women flock to the beaches often looking to elicit the tall, dark man that their cultures would never allow them to entertain.

Hard figures are difficult to come by, but local people on the coast estimate that as many as one in five single women visiting from rich countries are in search of sex, according to Reuters.

So why are these practices so prevalent...

Article Courtesy of BlackEnterprise.com




For most, living the good life includes high-paying jobs, affordable homes, a vibrant social life, and short commutes. How can you achieve such a first-rate lifestyle? Well, we identified 10 locales that promise a trove of business, professional, and personal opportunities: BLACK ENTERPRISE's Top 10 Cities for African Americans.

Saying Your "I Do's" in The Motherland

Courtesy of Odyssey Couleur Magazine

By Ann Brown

When people think of exotic wedding locations, Africa might not be the first place to come to mind. But that is changing as more and more people each year head to the continent for their dream wedding. And exchanging vows in Africa is a lot easier than many may think-plus, the post-card perfect location possibilities are endless. There are travel agents specializing in African weddings, and many of the countries can provide you with information on where and how to get married in Africa. If something here strikes your fancy, your next step should be to contact the country's tourism board, which can provide a list of wedding planners, travel agents and packages for weddings.

Kenya: Lions and Tigers, Oh My...
According to Maisa Fernandez, spokesperson for the Kenya Tourism Board, Kenya is fast becoming a favorite wedding destination. And no wonder. Kenya offers a range of wedding choices: classic beach weddings, balloon weddings over the Masai Mara Game Reserve, wild bush weddings, traditional African weddings. A popular location is on the edge of Laikipia Plateau overlooking the Ewaso Nyiro River, where you can exchange vows at sunset.

Get married at the Mara Safari Club, Maasai Mara National Reserve, along the Tanzanian Border and the Serengeti National Park. Not only is the backdrop scenic, but this area is home to the highest concentration of game in Kenya and the largest lion population.

Tip: Couples marrying in Kenya are usually required to reside in Kenya for 21 days. However, if you apply for a Special License, you need only arrive in Kenya four working days in advance of your wedding day.

For more info: www.magicalkenya.com

Morocco: Like An African Queen
Just the name Morocco conjures up exotic images. The moment you land in Morocco, you feel transported to another time. There is so much to see in the country that mixes Arab, African and French cultures: kasbahs, Roman ruins, ancient cities. Your wedding guests can explore before and after the wedding, doing everything from shopping to riding donkey taxis to enjoying a spot of tea.

One of the most popular places for weddings in Morocco is La Mamounia in Marrakech, a former Moroccan palace that has been called one of the most beautiful hotels in the world. It's set in 300-year-old gardens and weddings are customized down to the last detail.

Tip: Before you marry, you'll need an affidavit translated into Arabic, which can be arranged through a Moroccan Embassy. Most types of marriages are permitted.

For more info: www.visitmorocco.org, www.mamounia.com

South Africa: Brides of the Bush
South Africa offers many destinations for weddings, with a wide variety of ceremony types-from a beach wedding to botanical garden settings to safari backdrops.

If it's romance you want, head to the banks of the Timbavati River, against a backdrop of African bush. The five-star Ngala Tented Safari Camp (www.ngala.co.za), on a private reserve within Kruger National Park, will arrange everything-including the ceremony, post-wedding dinner, honeymoon night accommodations, champagne bush breakfast and an afternoon game drive with a stop for cocktails served by a butler.

Others may enjoy a ceremony in the ivy-clad wedding chapel on the grounds of Blue Mountain Lodge, surrounded by indigenous bush, forest and farmland. The lodge also offers candlelit ceremonies at nightfall followed by a reception on the manicured lawns. After the ceremony, spend your honeymoon night in a villa with private pool and panoramic views of the mountains.

Tip: South Africa does have a somewhat detailed process for couples applying to get married in the country. In addition to the presenting the proper ID, you must complete an application process that may take up to eight weeks to be completed (you can do via the mail).

For more info: www.southafrica.net/satourism, www.bluemountainlodge.co.za

Tanzania: Out-of-Africa Vibe
Head to Tanzania for a truly unique ceremony. Say your wedding vows in a back-to-nature setting-then head for a honeymoon at an ultra-luxurious resort.

A favorite for couples is the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge. Here, bride and groom are escorted down the aisle by singing and chanting Masai. Then the ceremony can take place on the Tree Camp deck, which is covered with rose petals.

Tip: Like Kenya, Tanzania requires a stay of 21 days or more prior to the wedding. But you can apply for a Special License if this is not possible.

For more info: www.tanzaniatouristboard.com, www.ngorongorocrater.com

Zanzibar: Beach Nupitals
The mystical spice island of Zanzibar has some of the most spectacular beaches in the world. So it's no wonder they host countless oceanside weddings each year. And, with its pristine white sands and cool Indian Ocean breezes, Zanzibar is a hot spot to marry and honeymoon at any time of the year.

When planning your wedding here, you'll have lots of resorts to choose from, such as Breezes Beach Club (www.breezes-zanzibar.com) where they will arrange your wedding and honeymoon.

Tip: Zanzibar and Tanzania share a united government, so the same marriage rules apply for both.

For more info: www.tanzania.go.tz, www.zanzibargovernment.org, www.breezes-zanzibar.com

Zambia: Waterfall Weddings
Though Zambia is home to the breathtaking Victoria Falls, it has much more to offer: incredible wildlife, safaris, a rich culture and extremely friendly people. Say intimate "I do's" on a private island in the Zambezi River. Do so at the River Club, just upstream from Victoria Falls and home to 10 luxury chalets that can accommodate 20 people.

Tip: Zambia requires proper ID and paperwork.

For more info: www.zambiatourism.com

Ann Brown is a freelance writer based in New York.

In Memphis, cultures, food and music meld in an American original.

Courtesy of Odyssey Couleur Magazine

By Gilda Rogers

Along the mighty Mississippi River rests Memphis, Tennessee, stunningly clad in authenticity. A part of the "dirty South"-and that should not be confused with the South's current appellation as the dominant force in hip-hop-Memphis once exploited slave and sharecropping labor to cultivate its most prominent industry, cotton. Today, in a paradoxical twist, Memphis now celebrates the past, resurrecting its soul to proclaim bragging rights as the place that "gave birth to the blues"-the sound of dirt-poor black field laborers singing of their sorrows and triumphs.

This amalgamation of old meets new and the linking of black and white culture lends itself to a swank and invitingly fresh attitude. This is the character of Memphis that makes it undeniably cool. To experience Memphis is to taste these culminating flavors that infiltrate its food, along with a fusion of gospel, blues and R&B that is inherent in the music. Welcoming visitors to Memphis, the resplendent Peabody Hotel, which dates back to 1869, strikes a posh pose that is significant to the downtown Memphis skyline. The festooned horse-drawn buggies still line up in front of the Peabody, where you can see old-fashioned trolley cars criss-crossing the streets. Here you'll see the traditional parade of ducks at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. making their way to and from their wading pond, located in the middle of a grand lobby that continues to attract throngs of people.

For a delectable start to your day, lunch at McEwen's restaurant, with its hearth brick décor, might just do the trick. Located in downtown Memphis, McEwen's serves up pan-seared scallops accompanied with stone ground cheddar cheese grits, followed by its ultra famous banana cream pie that will make you shout, "Hallelujah!"

However, to truly experience Memphis is to be moved by its music-namely, the sound of authentic blues found on Beale Street. Made famous by the "Father of the Blues," W.C. Handy, who penned its musical legacy-the "Beale Street Blues"-the street still pays host to a sea of all-night revelers who traverse its neon-lighted corridor and dart in and out of such blues clubs as Rum Boogie. These blues travelers are treated to the great musicianship of storytelling [ital]griots[ital], who effortlessly turn misery into a celebratory happening.

If the blues is not your thing, you're invited to party on the rooftops of some of Memphis' swankest hotels, including The Peabody. The view of the mighty Mississippi River from the rooftop of the 16-story Madison Hotel is an amazing sight. Imagine the backdrop of a brilliant sunset and the ringing of a riverboat bell-not once, but four times, each one calling for a special toast to the sunset, the river, the people of Memphis and the country. The party is dubbed "Atop the Madison" and takes place every Thursday evening throughout the summer. The Madison is not your cookie-cutter hotel, but rather a decorative work of art courtesy of a designer palette of smoke black and rust décor and mixed-media prints, with rooms starting at $235 per night and suites at $350. You are ensconced in a lap of luxury at the Madison, which invites its guests to start off their day on the rooftop pavilion with a spectacular breakfast consisting of marinated summer berry martini, followed by a gruyere and bacon quiche, topped off with grilled pears.

From fine dining to more fine dining, the Inn at Hunt Phelan harkens back 177 years, when this stately mansion, now turned into a bed and breakfast and four-star French-Creole restaurant, posed as a retreat for the Union General Ulysses S. Grant. A tunnel which ran beneath the site was a part of the Underground Railroad. A historical sanctuary, the Inn at Hunt Phelan also established itself as one of the first Freedmen schools in Memphis for emancipated slaves. It has retained many of its original light fixtures and fireplaces. Bed and breakfast rates start at $240, while the comfort of its outside veranda surrounded by luscious greenery compels you to order a mint julep.

Meanwhile, the sign in the window at Sun Records recording studio, where such musical icons as B.B. King, Ike and Tina Turner, Bobby Blue Bland, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and a host of others got their start, says it best: "Hip long before hop was added."

Yes, Memphis is hip. And it is in Memphis where the sacred ground of the many sights and sounds of American culture-black and white-come together and make for a life-altering experience.

Gilda Rogers is a freelance writer based in New Jersey.

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Memphis Matters

Memphis is grounded in rich cultural history that has been superbly preserved at museums spread throughout the city. This year, the city is abuzz as "Memphis Celebrates 50 Years of Soul, 1957-2007." Be sure to check out these destination on your visit.

Stax Museum of American Soul Music
926 E. McLemore Ave.
staxmuseum.com

Make sure you visit the Stax Museum, a 17,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that profoundly gives you the lineage of American Soul Music, housing over 2,000 artifacts. It is where such legendary performers such as Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, Carla and Rufus Thomas and so many more pioneered this sound. Adjacent to the museum is the Stax Music Academy for at-risk children, where many of the performers of yesterday are helping to cultivate the musical talent of today's youth.

National Civil Rights Museum
450 Mulberry Street
www.civilrightsmuseum.org

This museum, formerly the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated, is a living monument to the African-American struggle.

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange
65 Union Avenue

Here you'll discover "the plant that changed the world." This interactive museum is located on the original site of the Memphis Cotton Exchange that was established in 1873 and became Memphis' largest industry. A video gives you the background of this formidable industry, along with an array of compelling displays.

The Gibson Guitar Factory Tour
145 Lt. George Lee Ave.

This place gave birth to "Lucille," the famous guitar that helped make B.B. King who he is. This tour is a must-see, located one block away from Beale Street.

Blues City Cafe
138 Beale Street
www.bluescitycafe.com

If southern fried catfish, barbecue ribs and pulled pork are what you're looking for, you'll find them here. Famous for its tamales, the Blues City Cafe features live nightly entertainment.

A Taste of Italy: Learning the pleasures of the Italian kitchen

Courtesy of BlackEnterprise.com

by Joseph Dumas

Foreign visitors to Italy, including expatriate Italians, often make pilgrimages there for three experiences: the country's antiquities, its wine, and the pleasures of the Italian kitchen. Recently, in between visits to wineries and thermal spas, I attended a cooking school in the elegant kitchen of Casa di Guiliana in the village of Bure, San Pietro in Cariano, nestled in the foothills of the Dolomite Alps. The villa is northwest of historic Verona; and beyond its gates are the Valpolicella Classico district vineyards. Italy's western Veneto region, from Lake Garda to Cortina d'Aprezzo, offers mushrooms, game, radicchio, olive oil, and wines along with the perfect climate for aging prosciutto and artisan cheeses, such as Grana Padano.

Formerly a barn used for drying tobacco, Casa di Guiliana is now a luxury villa rental. The 19th-century stone dwelling has been meticulously restored with the aesthetic tension that embodies Italian style: an easy meld of classic design and modern conveniences.

From this serene location, day-trippers have several scenic options: less than two hours to the east is Venice; 15 minutes east is Verona, home to the famous Roman amphitheater, Arena di Verona; Drive 30 minutes west to see Lake Garda, Italy's largest, considered the Riviera of northern Italy.

Casa di Guiliana's consulting chef Antonia Montrucoli, assisted by her friend, Maria Rosa Gaspari, regularly conducts cooking classes in the villa. Both members of Associazione Insegnanti di Cucina Italiana, an organization founded to promote and maintain Italy's 20-plus regional cuisines, they teach villa guests and locals who want to learn traditional cooking.

Montrucoli is famous for her Veronese style of cooking and her recipes such as Pasta e fagioli, Boccon del gelosone, and Zeleti. "One must use the freshest local ingredients," she insists. "It is the philosophy which distinguishes all regional cuisines." Complexities of Veronese cuisine can also be found in Veneto: Authentic Recipes from Venice and the Italian Northeast (Chronicle Books; $19.95) by Italian American Cookbook author Julia Della Croce.

Burn off extra calories at two nearby thermal spas, both of which are naturally heated by the inactive volcano Monte Baldo.

In Sirmione, the century-old spa lies at the end of a peninsula in Lake Garda, where palm trees and the Alps provide a dramatic backdrop to the soothing waters of the Aquaria Wellness Center. An array of pampering, holistic, and even medical treatments is available. By contrast, the spa at Lasize on Lake Garda's southeast shore is an outdoor, meticulously landscaped thermal park popular with singles, couples, and families. Italy exports more wine than any other country, and the Veneto region is the largest wine producer within Italy. Sample southwest Veneto's three best-known wines, Soave, Bardolino, and Valpolicella.

On my final day at Casa di Guiliana, a friend and I drove high up into the Dolomite Alps above Verona. We took in the expansive views of Lake Garda and enjoyed a picnic lunch of San Daniele prosciutto, Grana Padano cheese, and good bread, and washed it all down with an Amarone della valpolicella Classico (2002). Ahhh! La dolce vita! (the sweet life!)